A Sermon Preached at the Christening of a Jew, Sermon · Section 2 – Translation 5

A Sermon Preached at the Christening of a Jew · Sermon · Section 2 – Translation 5

To the Romanes the 11. chapter.

The theame out of the xi. to the Romanes.I speake vntounto you Gentiles in as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I wil magnifie mine office, if by any meanes… may prouoke them which be my fleshe, and may saue some of them, for if the casting away of them be the receyuing of the worlde, what shal the receyuing of them be, but life frō the dead? For if the first fruits be holy, the whole masse is holy also: And if the Roote be holy, the braunches will be holye also: And if some of the braunches be broken of, and thou beyng a wilde Oliue tree, wast graffed in amongest them, and made partaker of the Roote and fatnesse of the true and naturall Oliue tree, boaste not thy selfe agaynst the braūches, for if thou do boaste, thou bearest not the roote, but the roote beareth thee. Thou wilt say then, The braunches are broken of, that I may be engraffed in. Thou sayest well: for vnbeliefe sake they were broken of: and thou stoodest stedfast in faith. Be not high minded therefore, but feare, for if God spared not the natural braunches: Take heed lest it come to passe, that he spare not thee. Behold the kindnesse & rigor of God: vponupon them which fel, rigor: but kindnesse towards thee, if thou perseuere in kindenesse: Or els thou shalt be hewen of, & they, if they continue not still in vnbeliefe, shalbe engraffed in agayne. For God is of power to graffe thē in againe. For if thou were cut out of a naturall wilde Oliue tree, and contrary to nature were engraffed into the true Oliue tree, how much rather shall the braunches be graffed in agayne into their owne Oliue tree? For I woulde not hauehave you ignoraunt (brethren) of this mysterie, lest you should waxe proud in your owne conceytes, that blindnesse is partly happened vntounto Israel, vntill the fulnes of the Gentiles be accomplished, and so all Israel shalbe saued, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion one that shall deliuer, and shall take away vngodlines from Iacob. &c.

The summarie effect of Paules discourse c…mpreh…nded in few words.Dearely beloued, you hauehave heard what the Apostle of the Gentiles doth speake vntounto vsus Gentiles, you hauehave heard his discourse of the Iewes, of their vnbeliefe, and of their reiection: you hauehave heard the doctrine, and comparison of S. Paul, touching the true Oliue tree, and the wylde Oliue tree: touching the natural branches, and the graftes: touching faith, and infidelitie: touching the merciemercy of God, and the seueritie of his iustice: touching the modestie, and constancie of the faithfull: touching the fulnes of the Gentiles: finally, touching the last calling home and reclayming of the Iewes. This is a very large theame as ye see, and full of plentiful matter, which for the difficultie, as it seemeth to surmount my weakenes to reach vntounto, so requireth your more careful attention, that ye may duely conceiue the same: in the debating whereof it behoueth me neither to say to litle, neither is there any vtterāce of man els able, for y^e largenes of the matter exceeding al possibilitie, to speake sufficiently. Notwithstanding, sithence I hauehave presumed to enter vponupon this enterprise being of it selfe of wonderful importance, albeit I may seeme to folter and faint, as oppressed with the heauie burden thereof, yet will I not retyre, but will proceede with affiaunce as well as I may, resting my selfe wholy vponupon the grace of Christ: and will (by your pacience) speake, though not so much, as the cause requireth, yet as much as the goodnes of God will permit at this present.

The whole action of the sermon of Paul is deuided into two speciall partes: whereof the one concerneth the Iewes: the other apperteineth properly to vsus Gentiles. In the behalfe of the Iewes, he lamenteth their fall, reproueth their vnbeliefe, giueth them vntounto vsus for an example to beholde the seuere rigor of Gods iustice, discouereth the cause of gods wrath: and being carefull for their safetie, doeth prouoke them to an holy emulation: Finally, prophesying as it were of their last reconcilement, doth encourage the seely outcasts with hope of recouery of Gods mercy againe. As concerning the Gentiles, he commendeth their faith: aduanceth the inestimable goodnes of God towardes them: calleth them backe to remembrance of their former miserie and despeired estate: reioyceth with them for their present felicitie: entirely requesteth, and earnestly exhorteth them, that they swell not with pride… disswadeth from disdayneful triumphing vpō forlorne abiects to modestie of minde: mitigateth the hautie arrogancie of their hearts, with a most wholesome medicine: Finally, setting downe a perfect patterne of the Iewes calamitie, in maner of a president, holdeth them backe in a couenable feare: discloseth the wonderfull power, that almightie God vseth in disposing and translating his benefites, that by these meanes he may quallifie the insolencie of the Gentiles, and so reteine them meane whiles within the limites of modest sobrietie, vntill the fulnes of time being of all partes accomplished: each nation aswell Iewes as Gentiles, through the most bless…d operation of grace, may be vnited & gathered tog…ther at the lēgth into one societie & partaking of one congregation. And this much concerning the two partes of Pauls sermon, as I tolde yon before.

The first is…ues of Gods promise.The maner and kinde of his instruction here, wherein hee resembleth the Church of God to an Oliue tree, is metaphoricall, and propheticall. Which Oliue tree consisteth of three partes:The Oliue tree consisteth of three members: the roote, the stocke, & the braunches. Of the roote, of the stocke, and of the branches. Under the title of the Roote, he doeth note Abraham, and other holy Patriarches vntounto vsus, because in them appeared the first buddes and blossomes of Gods promise. By the stocke or body of the tree, he representeth vntounto vsus the Church scattered vponupon the face of the earth, a congregation gathered together, out of the whole nomber of the faithful, which at the first, budding in smal issues from out that holy roote, and so by litle and litle, encreasing in strength, and obteining a proportionable stature… doeth at the length through the plentifull fatnes of the bountiful roote, with outstretched compasse, spreade abroade it selfe into most beautifull branches and bowes. By which plaine demonstration, we hauehave an apparant view painted out, as it were, both of the old synagogue of the Iewes, and the new Church of the Gentiles. And because no man shall thinke that this Oliue tree is sprung vp at al aduentures, or planted by mans industrie: he calleth it by the name of an holy issue, out of a holy Roote. There is no man made husbandman or woodward of this Oliue t…ee, but almightie God him selfe alone: who with all possible diligence, attendeth to the addressing, and nourishing thereof, and will continually preserue the same. Howsoeuer this Oliue tree doeth alter the beautie of his blossomes, or change the hewe of his leaues, yet endureth it still vnremoueable, nor is at any time …ut cleane away. In like maner fareth it with the Church of God:The Church how it standeth and groweth. which being wholy established vponupon the eternal foundation of Gods most sacred promise, standeth as it were in a certaine eternitie vnuanquishable, and so shal continue permanent beyond all ages, though the members and branches thereof, remaine not alwayes in one estate, and although it happen many times, that the first issues become the last, and contrariwise, the last made first: the naturall buddes yeeld place to the sauage slippes, the proper and olde growen branches are cut of, and new taken in: and so by wonderfull enterchange, some growe, some stand at a staye, some encrease, and some starue quite away, as we see now and then come to passe in husbandry and gardening, whereas plantes and trees are many times pruned of vnfruitefull sproutes, sometimes dispoyled altogether of bowes, and the stoc… newly engraffed, to the end the trees may become more fruitfull. After the same maner that heauenly gardiner, woodward, or plant setter doeth many times prune this litle Oliue tree of his Church, but neuer plucketh it vp by the rootes (as Augustine doeth witnes) cutting of eftsoones wyndshaken bowes and starued branches,Augustin. putat, non amputat. that new plantes may prosper the better. So that according to the saiyng of the same Augustine, many rauening wolues possesse the Church within, whiles many sheepe in the meane space stande without the doores. Which thing can be verified by no one example more aptly, then by this comparison of the Iewes and Gentiles. Of whom let vsus heare what the Apostle speaketh.

I speake (saith he) vntounto you Gentiles, in as much as I am an Apostle of the Gentiles, I will magnifie mine office, &c. Forasmuch as in debating of any matter in question whatsoeuer, two things are chiefely to bee noted, To wit, The person that speaketh, and the matter that is spoken of: we will by Gods assistance prosecute them both at this present. Let vsus first therefore consider the person of him that speaketh: then, as order of teaching requireth, the cause whereof he disputeth. As to…ching the cause here debated, as no reasonable man can make any iust quarrel to doubt vponupon, so ought not the famous & welknowen authoritie of the person be defrauded of anie his due estimation:The authoritie of the person that speaketh. for what authoritie can be of more force to purchase credite, or to procure aduancement to the function, then the name of an Apostle? And amongst the Apostles them selues also, what one ought to be more entire, and of more credite amongst the Gentiles, then the Apostle Paul? Who if being sent by mans ordinance had come vntounto vsus, ought yet to be friendly enterteined for his courtesie, so lōg as he teacheth the syncere trueth.I wil magni…ie mine office. Rom. 11.Rom 11 But whereas now he is by an especiall calling peculiarly assigned, not from men, nor by men, but by Christ Iesu him selfe, an Apostle to instruct vsus Gentiles: howe much more behoueth vsus Gentiles his scholers, to attend our owne proper scholemaster and peculiar Apostle, in as much as he was especially called and chosen for this only purpose, as he witnesseth of him selfe, that we shoulde with all faithfull chearefulnes of minde embrace his doctrine? Wherefore proceede on in Gods name, my deare beloued brethren: be not ashamed of your owne scholemaster, s… thence himselfe shameth so litle to acknowledge vsus his scholers, as that accompting the same his greatest glory, therein aduanceth his office so much the more, because hee hath obteined this title to be called an Apostle of the Gentiles: and therefore saith, that hee magnifieth his ministery. Which title notwithstanding hee boasteth not of vponupon anie vaineglorious ostentation, but compelled hereunto through necessitie of circumstances only to magnifie his functiō. Neither is this any strange or new kind of doctrine: for y^e necessary order of teaching so requireth oftentimes, for the more credite of the doctrine that is taught, to extoll and aduance aswel the office of the teacher, as also the authoritie of the office:Galat. 5.Gal 5 Euen as in an other Epistle written to the Galathians we reade, how hee was enforced to mainteine his countenance again…t his aduersaries with this only Target and cognizance of his Apostleship. Behold (saith he) I Paul speake vntounto you, If you be circumcised, Christ doeth profite you nothing at al. Neither doeth the Apostle differ much in this place, from that figuratiue phrase of speache: to the end that hauing weightie matters …o debate with vsus Gentiles, he might winne so much the more estimation thereby to beautifie the aucthoritie of his function. I speake (sayth he) vntounto you Gentiles, I will magnifie mine office, &c.

You hauehave heard nowe of the person of the teacher, and of his lawfull aucthoritie: It foloweth to make manifest vntounto you the substantiall and material part of all whatsoeuer is here debated in this whole xi. chapter.An expositiō of the matters here treated vpō. And the same may be diuided into three common places or parts chiefely.

The first part concerning the Iewes and Gentiles.The first whereof doth concerne the treatie of the casting away of the Iewes, and r… ceyuing of the Gentiles. In the first member whereof, which toucheth the Iewes, the seuere Iustice of God is noted vntounto vsus: in that other, that hath relation to the Gentiles, the vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse of God is disclosed vntounto vsus.

The second part concerning the reiection of the one, and receyuing of the other.In the seconde parte, the cause why they were reiected, and those other admitted, is set downe vntounto vsus.

In the thirde place the Apostle doth foreshew, and by way of mysterie,The third part touchīg the recōcilement of the Iewes in the ende. as it were, prophecie of the reconcilement of the Iewes that shoulde ensue, and the full accomplishment of the Gentiles.

As concerning the reconcilement of the Iewes, we wil discourse vponupon, in fit place for the same hereafter. In the meane space, touching that part that apperteineth to the cas…ing away of the Iewish nation, as many things are conteyned therein worthy not to be negligently ouerpassed, so this one caution ought diligently to be marked: That no such thought enter into any our minds, as though the Iewes are so altogether forsaken of god, and dispoyled of ghostly consolation, as that no sparkle of merciemercy is reserued in store for them to hope vponupon: Neither that the whole stocke of that Nation is so altogether supplanted, that no remnant of all the roote therof, hath any droppe of moysture layed vp for them in the fountaine of Gods free election. For both those opinions are vtterly refuted by the Apostle: the one in the beginning of the Chapter: that o…her in the end thereof, as appeareth by y^e very entrey of y^e same chapter.

I say then: hath God cast away his people? To the Rom. 11. chapter.Rom 11God forbid, for I am also an Israelite, of the seede of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin. God hath not forsaken his people, whome he hath foreknowen… &c. as though he would say, Albeit God hath estranged t… greater part of his people from himselfe, yet hath he not so vtterly extinguished the whole nation, as though hee had reserued to himself no couenable nomber of all the remnant of that seede, like as we reade what happened to Elias, who lamenting that he alone was left, of all the true worshippers of God, was answered, that there remained yet seuē thousand men, that had not bowed the knee to the Idole Baal.

Reiection of the Iewes.And therefore concerning the multitude of them that fell away, as many thinges ar… worthy to be noted (as I sayde before) in the reiection of them: so this one thing chiefely amōgst y^e rest, ought heedefully to be marked, according as the Apostle him selfe here noteth: To wit, that this their blindnesse happened not vntounto them by happe hazarde, by chaunce, and vnawares, as though God by his diuine prouidence did not foresee the same before hande, and ordeyne the whole course of this action before, by the vnchaungeable decree of his incomprehensible wisedome: s… otherwise, how could the Lorde him selfe … farre distaunce of tyme prophecie before … the mouthes of the Prophet Esaie, & his se… …ant Dauid,Esay .6. Psalm 68.Ps 68 That their eyes should be blinded, lest they should see: their backes should be made crooked, lest they should yeeld: their eares shoulde be stopped, lest they shoulde heare: if he had not foreseene the same at the first… or howe coulde he foresee it, vnlesse he had likewise decreed it: But nowe forasmuch as God and nature do bring nothing to passe vnaduisedly, by howe much the more grieuously y^e Iewes were ouercharged with the seuere rigor of Gods Iustice (for what could be more heauye, then to be razed out of the booke of life?) so much the more haynous must the canker be, that prouoked this so sharpe and bitter corryzyue: which cankred contagion that wrought their perdition, is most expressely declared by these wo…rdes of S. Paul, for their vnbeliefe (sayth he:) wherby all men may easily coniecture, how horrible an infectiō this fretting fistula, vnbeliefe, is adiudged in the sight of God.

But first we must open vntounto you, the nature an… substaunce of this vnbeliefe. Unbeliefe is a thing mearely opposite and aduersary to beliefe: by which contraposition you may easily perceyue the right nature or definition of vnbeliefe. For if faith or beliefe be a certaine infallible knowledge of Ies. Chri… the Sonne of God ensealed in our hearte…,What Fayth is. whereby we doe embrace him as gyuen … to vsus from God the Father, for vsus to r… pose our whole affyaunce in the same, it is euident then by the same reason, in wh… sorte we ought to iudge of vnbeliefe. … whosoeuer hath ascribed the confidence of his saluation, and free remyssion of hys synnes to any other person then vntounto Iesus Christ, or to any other creature the… to the fayth which ought to be in Christ I…su: the same may well be called an vnb…lieuing person.Vnbeliefe, & the manifold difference of the same. Moreouer, as there be m…nie degrees amongst the faythfull: and lik… as the fayth of some persons is more abun…daunt and plentyfull, in some others scarse rype… and lesse fruitefull, in manie skarse any blossome or yssue at all appearing: s… is the manifolde varietie of vnbeliefe… like…wise expressed in the Scriptures, after ma…ie and sundrye sortes. For there is a certayne vnbeliefe, vnderunder the which, as vnderunder certayne embers some sparkle of fayth is raked vp, be it neuer so small: which is signified in that sentence of Scripture, where it is sayde: I do beleeue Lorde, Lorde help… thou my vnbeliefe. There is an other kinde of vnbeliefe, which although be as yet ouerspread with a certayne darkened myste of foggy Ignoraunce, and is tost to and fro, with many wandering cloudes & doubtfull vapoures, yet because it peepeth nowe and then abroade, because it glyttereth and shyneth somewhat, and endeuoureth by all meanes possible to expresse his o…yent and bryght beames, it seemeth not to rest in despayred estate. There is yet also an other ki…d of vnbeliefe, which the Lorde doth reproue, but forsaketh not… as was that, whereof me… tion is …ade in the Gospel, And he rebuked their vnbeliefe. Thomas Didymus belieued not the Disciples, when they tolde him that the Lorde was rysen againe. A great vnbeliefe, but not shaken of yet: There is also foreign,That is, s…al fay…h and there is foreign.No faith. And it happeneth oftē times that the one is named, y… and reproched of the other. The disciples thēselues also were sometimes worthily rebuked for their vnbeliefe, to whom was said, O ye vnfaithful & peruerse generatiō. Matth.Peter was once yelden ouer to the v…ry …inke of drow…ing for none other cause, but for his vnbeliefe sake: yet our Lorde stretching out his hand afterwards saued him. This was a daungerous vnbeliefe. But that other example, not of his distrust onelyonly, but of his faithlesse reuolting, was farre more peryll…us, when the same Peter not once or twise only, but three tymes in one nyght, did not onelyonly not acknowledge, but also forsware his Lord and master: yet was he not therefore depryued from his Apostleshippe. And it is not to be doubted, but that many persones doe entrude vponupon the possession of Christian Title, which can gloriously vaunte of Christ with their tongues, but denye him vtterly in their deeds, beleeuing nothing lesse in their hearts stedfastly, then that whereof they carrye an outwarde resemblaunce in their talke co… ragiously. And because this Serpigo resteth within those persones, and crauleth to no further infection of the cōgregation, they are not therfore barred from partaking the Sacramentes of this Church, which we …all the visible Church. And what shalbe sayd of thē, who many times doe accuse them selues of their owne vnbeliefe, beyng valiannt souldiours neuerthelesse in the campe of Christian faith: when as on the contrary part, manie other doe firmely beleeue them selues … …e meare straungers to infidelitie, whose fayth if it should be placed in the face of the enemy, wil of very cowardize forthwith flee y^e fielde?

And albeit al these examples of vnbeliefe, whereof I hauehave made mencion, may iustly be reproued as blame worthy, & voyd of al color of defence, yet may they be borne withal after a sort. But this kind of infidelitie of al others is most horrible & execrable, when as men do rushe headlong into such obstinate resistance, that they wil not only not acquaint thēselues with the trueth, being layd open before their eyes, but will wittingly shut vp their senses from the beholding thereof, because they will not see it, & wil spourne thereat not in words and profession only, but wil cruelly persecute the same also w^t al maner of outrage, slaughter & blood, blasphemies & most despiteful execrations. And this is that vnbeliefe, which being more noysome then any pestilēt botch, may rightly & properly be called the Iewish Infidelitie, & seemeth after a certaine maner their inheritable disease, who are after a certaine sort, from their mothers wombe, naturally caried through peruerse frowardnes, into all malitious hatred, & contempt of Christ, & his Christiās. And for this cause especially, I suppose it came to passe, that wheras God so many hundred yeres before, had cōtinually pardoned their wōderful & manifold wickednes & impietie, & after his wonted maner, had from time to time endured, & winked at their horrible rebel…iō & idolatrie, he could now no longer forbeare their abominable crueltie, cō mitted against his welbe loued sonne, whome they trayterously murthered and hanged on tree, but must needes auenge him vponupon the whole nation, and roote out the remnant of the whole race altogether. And not without great cause: for how could it els be, after y^t he was once reueyled vntounto thē, for whose cause only al that cōmon wealth of the Iewes was instituted & erected? What cause remayned then, that the Iewishe synagogue should be of any longer continuance? or to what purpose might it serue afterwards? what? That they might perseuere still in sacrificing y^e blood of goates and lambes to the Lorde? And where should this be done? in one family only? But God is not delighted with such sacrifices, nor dwelleth he in Temples made by men, but euen in the very hearts of men: he taketh no pleasure in externall pompe, and outwarde obser…aunces, nor gorgeous garnishinges of the body the vouchsafeth those worshippers, which doe worship him in Spirite & trueth. Ioan. 4.John 4These olde motheaten shadowes had their tyme, and not their time onelyonly, but their lawfull vse also: that so vnderunder shadowes, types, and figures, they might prefigure the certeintie, and trueth of thinges to come. But after that he was once manifested, who was the true holie of holie ones, who was the true and liuely Temple of God, who shoulde displaye vntounto the worlde, the true ryghteous…esse, who shoulde be of power to gyue euerlasting saluation, and shoulde be Lorde and King of all Nations: what needed then any further shadowes? or howe coulde the Lorde endure their blyndenesse any longer, when as after the comming of their Lorde, they not onelyonly ceased not to abuse the shadowes of the Lawe,Why the earthly Ierusalem was abolished. to other purposes then they were ordeyned for… but also of a vayne and false perswasion, to the pernicious example of other nations, yea, not without the manifest perill of the vtter ouerthrowe of the whole worlde, dyd likewise teache, that true ryghteousnesse ought to be ascribed to the outward obseruances of those shadows and ceremonies? The which thing the mercy of God seemeth not only to hauehave for… seene, but adiudged also by no meanes toler… ble: for otherwise it might hauehave cōe to passe, y^t the safetie of the Iewes might hauehave byn an estoppell to the receauing of the Gentiles, & so hauehave procured their vncouerable destruction, through false opinion of the doctrine of righteousnes perdie. But sithence there was none other meane or way for the Gentiles, to hauehave due accesse to true righteousnes, but by cutting down that carnall thicket of cer…moniall brambles & blooddy bryars, hereupon … pleased Almighty God, to dispose… the enterchaunges & alterations of tymes, acco…ing to his vnsearcheable counsel:The casting aw…y of the Iewes made the recōc…lement of the Gentiles. That so the decaye of the Iewes might be the riches of the Gentiles: & the casting away of that froward generation, might be the reconcilement of the whole world. And thus much by the way of the cutting away of the Israelites ī which albeit redounded to our inestimable benefite, may not therfore prouoke vsus to swell, and … pu…t vp with pride: whereof S. Paul doeth wisely forewarne vsus to be well aduised.

And if some of the braunches were broken of (sayeth he) and thou beyng a wylde Oliue tree wast engraffed in amongst them, and made partaker of the Roote and fatnes of the true naturall Oliue tree, boast not thy selfe against the branches. &c. First whereas hee alludeth and resembleth the cutting away of certein of the Iewes to certein branches of the true naturall Oliue tree, it appeareth hereby sufficiently, that this casting away apperteined not to the whole nation of the Iewes, but to some portion of them onelyonly: for there remained as then many of the same kindred, amongst whom was S. Paul him selfe, & the other Apostles, besides a very great portion of the remnant of the same people, which did folow Christ, & did acknowledge him with all their faith. Againe the very first yssues of our Christian faith sprang out of that stocke, from whence we Gentiles must needs confesse to hauehave receiued the very entry and fundation therof. It appeareth therefore that this was not a general reiection, neither that the whole race was drawen all together into the same gulfe of perdition, but a portion onelyonly, and the same Paul tearmeth them to hauehave bene cut of.Cut of. And wherefore chose he to say that they were cut of, rather then that they did fall away, namely sith it is out of all question that the Iewes deca… proceeded from their owne default, an… through vnbeliefe? what moued the Apostle then to vse this figuratiue phrase of speach of cutting of rather,Ex…ndi, to be cut of. Excidere, to … from. saying that they were cut of, and fell not away of their owne accord, that they were pluckt away, not that they brake of? forsoothe, because it is not al one to be cut of, and to fall from. The things that are cut of can not choose but fall away, but the things that fall away, are not alwaies to be sayde to be cut of properly. What is ment therfore by this word cutting of? Forsooth nothing els, but to make vsus conceiue, that the heauenly and vnsearchable hande of almightie God dyd ouerthrowe this buylding: euen the selfe same…hande, which with woonderfull workemanshippe doeth plant, prune, bynde vp, vnderprop, adorne, order, and beautifie this Oliue tree of his Church, not after the proportion of mans imagination, but after the direction of his owne determination and vnpenitrable wisdome. For, as a naturall Oliue tree and other like trees, the buddes, yssues, twigges, and braunches beeing either cut of or newly engraffed, worke not that of their owne power, but receiue the same by the aide and industrie of man: Euen so in administring the functions of the Church, if we seeke for the original cause of the workeman, by whose conduct, all inferiour causes are enduced to obserue their due order and course: the same must be adiudged to proceede from the force and efficacie of the vnmeasurable election of the heauenly workeman onelyonly, who by wonderfull dispensation, maketh choyse where him liketh, and refuseth whome him lusteth, according to the testimonie of the Scripture:Exod. 33.Exod 33 I will take compassion on whome I wil take compassion, and I will shew merciemercy to whome I will shew merciemercy. Whereunto accordeth Saint Paul speaking after the same maner: It is neither the willer, nor the runner, but God that taketh compassion. Rom. 9.Rom 9Where fortune, and chance, may go play them perdie: no endeuours of man can auayle, much lesse can mens merites or deseruings be of anie force, neither can ought els beare palme here, but the only election of almightie God. The nature and propertie of which election, we maye learne els where out of the same Paul: The remnaunt (sayeth hee) are saued through the election of gra…e, which grace can not be said to be grace at all, if mans merites hauehave preeminence before it… for that which is giuen according to the proportion of deseruings, and not according to grace, seemeth in Augustines iudgement,Augustine in his 1. booke of Retracta. Cap. 13. a reward rather of dutie, then a free gift of promise. But a question may bee moued here perhappes, whether the Gentiles were not engraffed for their faiths sake? and whether the Iewes were not supplanted from the true Oliue for their vnbeliefe? which enterchanged dispensation, what els doeth it explane vntounto vsus, then a manifest demonstration as wel of the meritorious desert, as wel of faith, as of vnbeliefe?

The causes why the Gentiles were receiued and the Iewes reiected.The answere hereunto, first as concerning the faith of the Gentiles, and the infidelitie of the Iewes. I confesse in deede that these may seeme to carrie some shewe in the eyes, and iudgement of some to be deemed the very originall causes of the free acceptation of the Gent…les, and likewise of the repulse of the Iewes. But for all this we heare not yet, what were the causes of the faith of the one, and of the vnbeliefe of the other. And therefore if we will enter into a deepe and more especiall enquirie after the principall causes of this action, truely we shal neuer find them els where, then in the hidden and secret closet of Gods election. For be it so admitted, that the Gentiles were for this cause engraffed into the true Oliue tree, because they did beleeue, yet if question be moued, from whence their faith proceeded first, it may well be answered, not from any their merites truely, neither in respect of any their own worthines more, then as the impes which do issue out of the naturall wylde Oliue tree, can boast of any their excellencie, wherefore they ought to be transplanted into the fatnes of the true Oliue tree. The like answere in senseable wise may suffice touching the Iewes, when as if the cause of their dismembring from their true naturall Oliue tree be enquired: I answere, For their vnbeliefe vndoubtedly: And yet this answere doth not satisfie the purpor… of Pauls disputation. For sithence faith is an especiall gift of God, issuing from out the only merciemercy and grace of God, and not from mans free choise, the question reboundeth backe againe from whence it began. What was the cause then why the natural branches were so bereft of this singular gift after the reueiling of their Meschias? whether because the barren vnfruitefull wylde Oliue tree did furmount the true Oliue in excellencie of fatnes? to wit, in integritie of life and merits? surely I thinke not so. Wherefore then were the Iewes forsaken, and the Gentiles receiued? S. Paul maketh this answere. First, that this repulse reached not to al the Israelites in generall. Then, as concerning the remnant whatsoeuer worke was wrought in them, was not administred without the singular counsell and foreknowledge of God:The foreknowledge and decree of God in casting away the Iewes. which foreknowledge doth euidently appeare by the continuall discourse of the Prophets & Psalmes: where the holy ghost foretelleth many hūdreth yeres before, of y^e wilful blyndnes of the Iewes. This counsaile of God is made notably discernable vntounto vsus by the sequel, and finall cause, the Apostle not only testifying most euidently, that God was y^e worker of their blindnes, but also rendring the reason that enduced God thereunto: where disputing at large of the rufull ruine of the Iewes, and searching for the cause thereof: What then? (saith he) did they therefore offend, because they shoulde bee cast-away? Which were as much to say, as though God should be delited in their destructiō, God forbid. Nay rather, y^• by their fal saluatiō should happen to the Gentiles: & that by their vnbeliefe the Gentiles might obteine merciemercy.

But question wilbe moued here againe,Obiection. whether it were not as easy for almighty god to hauehave giuē mercy to thē both, if it had pleased him… Marke what the Apostle saith hereunto:Answere to the obiection. Nay rather, for this cause only God did shut vp al vnderunder vnbelief, that he might hauehave mercy on al. For as it pleased almighty god to exercise his long & seuere rigor in old time against the heathenish castawayes, and wretched abiects the Gentiles, vntill at length, w^t his mercifull kindnes vnlooked for, he had shaken of from their eyes, the foggy skales of darkened errour, and after their long infidelitie, allured them at the last… to the blessed knowledge of his sacred Gospel: euen the very same may we perceiue to hauehave happened to the nation of the Israelites, by contrarie enterchange of persons and times: that so, those which sometimes were y^e first, should now become the last, and those which by so long continuance of inheritably discending race, did lawfully enioye the interest of the true Oliue tree, as the true naturall ofsprings thereof, beeing now cut cleane away from their holy roote, must be constrayned to forsake their standing, and yeelde place to others, and may learne now at the length to indure the grieuous stormes and cruel tempests of Gods iust vengeāce, which the Gentiles before them had long time experimēted to their great dolor & sorowe, vntil at length hauing subdued their disdaynefull pride, and tamed the naturall stiffeneckednes of their hearts, they may obteine the selfe same merciemercy together with the Gentiles, not for anie their deserts, but through the free mercy and bountie of almightie God only, and so be restored at length to the auncient inheritance o… their first possessed roote. And this is it, tha… S. Paul seemeth here to prophesie in this mystical Oracle, and most comfortable me…sage, concerning the reclayming of y^e Iewes to come.

Whereby it may easily appeare, how that there is no one thing, in all the actions of mans life, so plausible, whereby man may bee puffed vp to stand to much in his owne conceite, or disdainefully treade downe the infirmitie of his weake brethren, whether he hauehave regarde to the lenitie of Gods free mercy, or attentiuely beholde the seueritie of his iustice. For so y^e Apostle hath here set them out both vntounto vsus, to be diligently considered. Behold (saith he) the merciemercy, & wrath of God: The seueritie & bountie of God.wrath, towardes them that fell: but towards thee that doest persist in faith, mercy. &c. And thus doeth the Apostle right well aduertise vsus: but that we for our part may bee able to comprehend them both, the especial assistance of God had need to enlighten our vnderstanding: for there are no finall nomber of people, whose senses, either through ignorance, or els through negligence, are dazeled and darkened in the right comprehending therof. Amongst the which ignorant sort of people, first may the Iewes be rightly placed, who being deluded with a preposterous opinion of sinister iudgement,The preposterous opinion of many touching the seueritie and bountie of God. do interprete this bountie of God to be there, from whence they ought hauehave feared his terrible indignatiō. Secondly, amongst the negligent nomber may be rekoned the Gentiles, of whom many are ouer slowe, and sluggish to enter into due consideration of Gods goodnes, but quicksighted enough, to pearce into his wrathful seueritie. Of those two sortes of people, I do purpose by Gods assistance to discourse somewhat, so farre as y^e time wil permit, to the end I may profit them both, if it bee possible, or at least offer inconuenience to neither of them, as I trust.

And first, I can neuer woonder sufficiently enough at the Iewes, for that many yeres and ages enduring y^t sharpe & seuere scourge of Gods dreadfull displeasure, they could notwithstanding hauehave neuer any feeling of their owne calamitie, nor perseuerance of the heauie clogge of Gods grieuous vengeance, ne yet any affection to be disbourdened of their infidelitie, sweetely beguiling them selues, with a glauering shew of a false shadow, flattering them selues likewise, with a fantasticall hope of a terrene kingdome, whereof they had neuer any one word promised by God, and awayting for the comming of such a Messhias, whom neuer any of y^e Prophets knew. Finally so farre forth preuailed the deceite of this error to confound the sensible part of their vnderstanding minde, that being otherwise a people most abhorred of God, & men, they would neuerthelesse most arrogantly vaunt them selues to bee more esteemed, and more precious in the sight of God, then all other nations, people and tongues: and that they were his only darlings, and therefore could not by any meanes be defrauded of the power of his promise, nor be sequestred from the true Oliue tree, whereof they were the naturall branches, wallowing continually in a most filthy puddle of pestilent error, not much vnlike to the Romish Synagogue in this our age, whose senses seeme to be tippled with the same dolldreanche: which kinde of people being of all other nations most needie of the mercy of God, it is a wonder notwithstanding, to see how trimly they play wylye beguilie with themselues in the dispensation of pardons, whereof they falsely chalenge to themselues chief stewardship vnderunder the title of the Church, and inheritable succession of Peters chayre,The i…h…ritable succession of Saint Peter. which they hauehave established at Rome for euer and euer: persuading to themselues to hauehave obteyned the sole and singular prerogatiue of all ecclesiasticall superioritie, such as can neuer be abolished by any continuance of consuming time, but must remaine inuiolable world… w^tout end, nor can euer be dissolued by breach of succession, nor at any time be destitute & voyd of y^e fauour of God. But if you demaund of thē y^t cause of this so inestimable a blessing, what wil thei answere? forsooth: hath not god (say they) promised, that he wil neuer forsake his Church? what then? HaueHave not the keyes lyneally descended vntounto vsus from blessed S. Peter, euer hitherto, being the chiefe head of the Apostles, which the Lord hath promised shal neuer be taken away? Is there any more yet? what? is it possible for Gods trueth it selfe to defraude the credite of his couenant, whereunto he hath bound him selfe with a most sacred othe?

Uery well now. And whereupon doth the blinde arrogancie of the Iewish Nation magnifie their race? do we not deriue our petigree (say they) lyneally from our most holy father Abraham? Are we not borne, and named Israelites, by the name of our great graundsier Israel, the Patriarch? did not the Lord credite vsus only with the safe custodie of the Arke of his couenant? HaueHave not we a promise from God by the mouth of his Prophets, of a Messhias and Sauiour to come? Hath not god prepared an euerlasting throne for the kingdom of our Messhias? Is not he of power to make his couenant inuiolable, that with so many othes hath ratified y^e same? Nor will hee not perfourme the othes which he hath made? Surely I wil not much gainsay, that it is in deede no final matter, wherof eche partie debateth so largely of the promises of almightie God. Yet all this notwithstanding, all things depend not so alwayes vponupon Gods promises made, but due consideration ought also be had of the minde and intent of him that maketh the promise in the scriptures: and the same well weighed and compared with the due circumstances and other places of the scripture, if we will be accompted true and syncere interpretoures of Gods holy scriptures: that is to say, It behoueth vsus duely and orderly to define and dispose all and eueryevery thing apart by it selfe, not those thinges onelyonly which are promised, but must withall respect the persons, the place, the cause and consideration, and al other circumstances of the promises. And therefore albeit we do graunt vntounto them that all those promises are true, whereupon they bragge so much, touching the succession of the Patriarches and Apostles, yet shall they neuer be able to winne this at our handes, To wit, that this ordinarie discent according to the lawe of the flesh, is a sufficient fundation to buyld the Church of God vponupon.Succession i… the Church In the which if we behold nothing els besides the outward …ourme of succession only, who can be so pore-blinde, as not to be able to discerne the manifol…e alterations of orders, and obseruances, which the Lord from time to time hath changed and disposed, contrary to the first constitutions: As for example, when as God in stead of Cain, Esau, Ismael, Saul, to whom of right apperteineth the ordinary succession & discent of the Priesthode, of the birthright, & inheritance of the kingdome, he made especial choyse of Abel, Isaac, Iacob, & Dauid, who had no interest at all in the right of succession. In like maner forsaking the Iewes, he accepted the Gentiles contrary to all order. Neither is it so much material to know where, or by what meanes, the… Church of Christians sprang vp at the first: so that it holde fast the synceritie of the p…re word, of vnde…iled faith,Iames .1. Ephe 5.Eph 5and the due administration of the Sacraments, by which three thing…s the Church is preserued and sanctified.

As concerning the promises of God therfore, this is vndoubtedly to be holden, that the promises be in their owne nature simply true: yet in such wise true notwithstanding, as God hath not alwayes chained them to time, place or persons of men: which albeit were tyed fast to place and persons, yet are the proude and high mynded shaken of, the promises remayning still in their force. Euen so the Iewes, although they prescribe vponupon a promised place in Sion, Psalme 132: Here will I buylde my Tabernacle, because I hauehave chosen it. Esay .31.Againe in the Prophet Esay. This is my fornace, this is my fire. &c. And although they hauehave also a promise of the persons, when as the blessing is promised to Abraham, and to his seede for euer, yet this withstandeth nothing at all, but that rebelles are punished by God, the Temple consumed by fire, the altar throwen downe, and the citie put to the sacke and destroyed. And yet the meane whiles almightie God cōtinueth st…dfast in his promise neuerthelesse, but by a far other meane, then mans capacitie is able to conceiue. Whereupon that holy and melodious Psalmist, not without great reason, doeth crye out in a certaine place of his mysticall Sonets in this wise:Psal. 117Ps 117 And it is marueilous in our eyes. Euen so do I iudge conuenient to esteeme of the counterfaite succession of the Apostolique and Romish See, which if our prelates enforce so narrowly to be straighted to the limits of place & persons, they must needes bewray their double errour therein, being not only absurdely iniurious to holy scriptures, but fōdly careles in breaking y^e rules of Logick. For in their arguing, they do cōmonly thrust more into the conclusion, then in their former propositions. As if a man would frame an argument after this maner: The perpetuitie of the promised succession is graunted to Peter and his successours. The Romish Prelats do succede in Peters chaire or place. Ergo: The Romish Prelates are y^e onelyonly successours of Peter: the only vniuersall Bishops: the only Princes of y^e Church: whose faith can neuer faint.

But we hauehave sufficiently enough discouered the maskings & iuglings of this Romish counterfaite els where. And therefore lest we roaue too much abroad from the marke,Extra oleas. and wander from the Oliues (as y^e prouerbe saith) we wil returne againe to Pauls Oliue tree, & the braunches of the same: whereupon wee promised before to discourse. Of the which braunches, how some were broken of, and some others engrafted againe into the true Oliue tree, we hauehave alreadie opened somewhat vntounto you out of the Apostle. And not onelyonly out of the Apostle this is opened, but the same was also set downe at large long time before the Apostle, by the prophet Esay: out of which place of Esay, it seemeth that the Apostle tooke occasion of all this discourse. Let vsus Gentiles therefore marke wel what Esay doth prophecie of the Iewes. Let the Iewes also attend to the preaching of their owne Prophete, who agreeth herein altogether with our Apostle touching the Iewes.Esay. cap. 10.Isa 10 Behold (sayth he) the Lord of hostes shall breake downe the bowe with power, & shall hewe downe the proude, and the hygh minded shall he fell downe. And there shall aryse an yssue out of the roote of lesse. &c. And lest the Iewes may cauill, that these speaches do nothing concerne them, let them harken agayne to the same Prophet, not only prophecying of them, but also poynting vntounto the Iewes with the finger as it were the 17 chapter:Esay. cap. 17.Isa 17 And in that daye it shall come to passe, that the glory of Iacob shall be made very thynne, and the fatnesse of his flesh shall waxe leane. And immediatly after. Some gathering in deede shall be left in it. Euen as in the shaking of an Oliue tree, whereupon remayneth two o… three berries in the toppe of the vppermost rowe, & foure or fiue in the broade fruitfull braunches thereof sayth the Lorde God of Israel, &c. And agayne in an other place:Esay. cap. 24.Isa 24 For it shall come to passe in the middes of the land, euen in the middes of the people, as the shaking of an Oliue tree. And as the grapes are, when the wyne haruest is finished. And yet agayne much more plainely in the 63. Chapter:Esay. cap. 63.Isa 63 Thus sayeth the Lord: Lyke as when sweete iuyce is founde in the cluster, and one sayeth, Lose it not, for there is blessing in it. Euen so wyll I doe for my seruauntes sake, that I may not destroye them all, &c.

Nowe for as much as these thinges are so playne and so manifest, that they may be easily felt and handeled as it were with the fyngers: what answere doest thou make thou frowarde nation of the Iewes? what canst thou bryng? what canst thou alleadge, if not to defend, yet to colour at the lest thy obstinate stubbornesse? Hast thou any Scriptures? No surely. For nothyng maketh more agaynst thee, not onelyonly with open mouth exclayming euen to thy teeth, against thy blundered blyndenesse, wherewich thou hast bene so long ouerwhelmed, but also hauehave long sithence by manifest tokens foretolde howe the same shoulde come to passe. Wylt thou vouche the promises and couenauntes which God made vntounto thee of olde? And what other thing dyd he promyse thee at any tyme, then the same which thou doest so disdaynefully pursue? Neyther yet cease you to runne onwarde, styll gaping after, I know not after what Messhias to come. What? Hath he not yet bene sufficiently ynough looked for by your progenitours, who wayted for his comming by the space of two thousand yeres before he came? Goe ye to then: how long wyll ye yet continue gazing, seeyng these thinges are past alreadie? Howe long will yee yeelde yo… selues a mockery not to God onelyonly, bu… a Iesting stocke also to all other nations of the worlde? sythence all people and tongues do so playnely conceiue, that all thinges are long sythence accomplished in the person of Christ Iesu, whatsoeuer al your prophets did prophecie of the Messhias: And sithence the whole discourse of the holy scriptures doeth so manifestly teache also, that there is none other Christ, but y^e same that the whole world doth confesse and worshippe?

But this one thīg perhaps doth raise vp your crestes,The vayne bragge of the Iewes standing vpō the nobilitie of their ofspring. and puffe you vp with pryde, because you doe conueye vntounto your selues so long a discent of your genealogies and kinred from so famous Auncestoures: because ye fetche your petigree and families from Abraham, and the holy Patriarches, and in that respect you do reprochefully disdayne all other nations, as though God had created them to no purpose at all. But let vsus see by what reason, with what conscience you are enduced heerevnto. If you iudge this a matter of so great importaunce, that ye can rehearse in a long …eadroll of names, your Generations discended out of the loynes of Abraham: what? And can not Ismael, Esau, Saul, can not Dathan and Abyron, and all that other rascall rabble of Hebrews, who made insurrection agaynst Moses: finally, can not many wicked kinges amongst you, false prophets, horrible church robbers, & Idolaters euen amiddes amongst you, vaunte vponupon the selfe same race and parentage, whereupon you braue your selues so gloriously? Whereupon appeareth playnly, that this outwarde discent of blood, and fleshly progenie, doth not auayle so much for your challenge: but that there is some other thing that maketh a kindly generation, and the true ofspring of Abraham, in the sight of God. Moreouer if it may be lawfull to glory in the auncient stocke, what may be thought of Christ him selfe, whom we do worshippe? in whome if ye require who was his father, he came not in deed from man, but discended from God. But if you demaunde of his mother: he is on the mothers side a Iewe borne, according to the flesh, the sonne of Abraham, an yssue of the same seed that you are, whose children you challenge your selfe to be according to the fleshe. And wherefore then do you so cruelly detest him? Why do your brethren so hatefully enuie and maligne your naturall brother? And beeyng Iewes borne your selues, why do you so vylanously persecute your naturall kinseman, beyng likewise a Iewe borne, and why hauehave you slayne him so cruelly?

And what hath he committed at any time,The Iewes cā render no cause of their cruel murdering of Christ. worthy of this so monstruous rancor & cankered despite? Was it because he did professe him selfe to be the Sonne of God? Albeit he did neuer speake any thing in his owne commendation without singular modestie, neyther boasted in his speach further of him self, then that he was the sonne of man: yet if this same he, were not the very true vndoubte… sonne of God, do ye then nominate some one man vponupon …arth, whom you may iustifie was his father, and condemne the whole historie of the new Testament to be lyes, if you can. What trow you, would his Apostles, & other his disciples, being dayly and hourly conuersant with him self, his mother, & his mothers husband, so throughly accōpanied, & acquainted with all the actions of his life, hauehave bin so wilfully, and foolishly blinded, as to giuegive such credite vntounto him, & to beleeue in him? would they hauehave setled the whole affyaunce of their saluation in him? would they so couragiously hauehave vndertaken so many perilous hazardes of life?Testimony of the A…ostles. would they so constantly hauehave yelded their carkasses to all maner of horrible tortures, not in woordes onelyonly, but with losse of lyfe also, ratifiyng and test…fiyng the thing, whi…h they knewe to be in him most assured, and that with effusion of their blood, if they had seene nought else in him beyond the naturall substance of man, and not rather conceyuing throughly in him a secrete diuinitie,The Diuine miracles of Christ. that was hydden vnderunder the veyle of the fleshe bodily? But if these thinges shall be but of small credit with you, what wil you answere to those so greate and manifolde tokens of wonderful vertue, to such supernaturall and prodigious wonders of his? what say ye to so great force of his diuine operation, to so great power of his miracles, not wrought by him alone, but by his Apostles also through the vertue of his name onelyonly,Miracles in the name of Christ by his Apostles. yea, and long sythence nowe and then openly wrought in his Church, through the effectuall operation of his glorious name? What will you say to his so great maiestie in worde, innocencie of life, certeintie in prophecying? And besides al these, his marueilous signes & tokens expressed in his own person? What wil you say to that his incomprehensible glorious resurrection, his vnspeakeable ascension into the heauens: lastly, to those his most gracious gifts of the holy Ghost powred vponupon vsus from the heauens? What can you answere, I saye, that all these so manifolde, so wonderfull, yea so heauenly graces myght import els, then that there was in him a certayne superexcellent Diuinitie, beyond all measure surmounting all reache, and capacitie of mans vnderstanding?

All which things being approued with the testimonie of so many witnesses, viewed and beholden with so many eyes, practised by the dayly experience of so many Iewes, ensealed with so many handes and wrytings, published to vsus Gentiles by manifold reportes of so many your Rabbynes and great Doctours of your own natiō, if all these things I say, shal yet seeme to you but colourable, fayned and vnworthy of credit: why do ye not w^t as good reason condemne for false lyars, all, and eueryevery your owne prophets, Patriarches, your owne Lawe, yea and the Psalmes also, and rase them out of remembraunce, because they did many hundred yeres before most expressely foreshewe and prognosticate euidently, that all those thinges ingenerall shoulde come to passe, euen in the same maner and order, as they hauehave bene already accomplished? Amongst whome let Esay the Prophete be adiudged a lyar, because in the name of this Christ he promiseth health to the blynde,Esay. cap. 35.Isa 35 Cap. 43.Cap. 61.Cap. 9.Cap. 42.to the lame, to the halte, and to the maymed: because he comforteth the Ostriches and venemous beastes of the fielde with prayse & glorie that shoulde happen vntounto them, because he prophecyeth hope of freedome to them that were in chaynes, to prysoners libertie, plenty and fulnesse to the needy and hungry: light to them that sitte in the shadowe of death: bountifull fruite fulnesse to fields that were otherwise by nature barren, and through want of Tyllage ouerspread with bryars and br…mbles, vncomely, yea & filthy by reason of their huge desolation: to ouerflowing ryuers, drynes and emptines: finally, to the Iewes them selues extreme blindnes.

Let the Prophet Osee be accompted a lyar also,Ose. cap. 1.….Hos 1 who prophecyeth likewise that a people which was not a people, should be called, and obteine mercy, through the inestimable blessing of that heauenly Iewel. Let Ionas the Prophete be adiudged a lyar also,Ionas. yea and that Elias likewise,Elias. that was aduaunced into heauen in the fiery charryote: the first of which two did prefigure Christs glorious rising againe the thirde day after his death, the other of his ineffable ascension into the heauens, the fourtieth day after his passion: also of the comfortable consolation and sending of the holy Ghost, by the letting downe of the cloake from out his triumphaunt charryote, the fiftie daye called Pentecost. Besides all these moreouer, let Iohn Baptist the Prophet,Iohn Baptist. yea more then a prophet, be condemned for a lyar, who did not in word only acknowledge him, but poynting towardes him with the finger, pronounced boldely, That he w… the very Lambe of God, that shoulde take away the sinnes of the world. Finally, let all y^e whole authoritie of the Propheticall Scriptures be cancelled for vntrueth, because the greater parte thereof doeth nothing els, but foreshew, and make reporte, that all those things should come to passe, which the Euangelicall historie doth expressely pronounce to be already accomplished.

Briefly, if as yet your eyes be withholden with so grosse amazed obscuritie, that the things which are more resplendisant then the Sunne in midday, and so throughly knowen in all the partes of the worlde, do so farre e… ceede the common capacitie of your blundered senses, and seeme so incredible vntounto you, that ye can by no meanes comprehend them, nor will suffer so many notable testimonies of Christes resurrection preuayle to worke so much creditte in your heartes, as ye may beleeue in our Lorde Iesu Christ risen from the dead as well as we: why doe ye not pr… duce then his buryed carkasse, if you can? or at the least, bring foorth some rame, or fragmēt of his precious body, be it neuer so smal? Or if you thinke I demaunde an impossible request of you, howe happeneth that none of all your progenitours could shew the same? But if neyther you, nor any of all your auncestours were able to doe this, why do ye not then ioyne together with vsus, and worshippe him that is rysen agayne? Why doe ye not honour and magnifie his name, who reigneth in eternitie, sitting in the heauens at the right hande of God the Father? Whereunto if louelove of religion can not induce you, let naturall reason yet obteine so farre foorth with you, to graunt that, which no reason can deny? Wherat make ye stay? is not my request reasonable? doe I not giuegive you wholsome counsell? And lest that which I hauehave spoken, runne in at one eare with you, and out of the other, taking no roote in your hearts: I will for your better remembrance repete once agaīne the words that I hauehave spoken.

If he, whome ye hauehave slayne, be not the very sonne of God, if ye beleeue verily, that he, whome ye deryde, and skorne at with that your reprochefull and despitefull name, Talui, Talui in Hebrew, is as much as ha… ged or crucified. Cant 4…Song 4were but a very naturall man, why do ye not th…refore restore his deade body vntounto vsus? or why do not your souldiours and hired watchemen yeelde his corpes agayne, for the garding whereof they receyued from you so speciall a charge? If they can not, what els emporteth the graue beyng founde emptie? What els signified the horror and amase… nesse of your armed watchemen, who beyng terrifyed with straungenesse of fearefull sightes fledde awaye so tymorously, but that ye may be enforced wyll ye, nyll ye, to confesse this Christ Iesu to be very Messchias, who hauyng entred vponupon the possession of the kingdome of Dauid,Esay. 9.Isa 9 as in the ryght of his owne peculiar inheritaunce, raygneth nowe in all eternitie, and hauing vanquished all power of death, sytteth nowe tryumphantly vponupon the throne of his Father Dauid, to order and establishe his Fathers kingdome, with iudgement and Iustice from henceforth euen for euer and euer? I would fayne learne nowe, what that your obstinate rebellion is able once to mutter agaynst this? First, where no mistrust of perill is feared, there is no garde vsually charged: And what suspicion of daunger might your forefathers cōceaue of him after they had murthered him? Debate the matter with your selues somewhat more substantially, why any such feare might growe in the dead body of this one seely person more then in …ny other. But I will not vrge you any more herein: only in this point I would faine be resolued. Howe happened that the sepulchre beyng so strōgly couered with a stone of so huge weight, so firmely ensealed with the seale of the high Prieste, so strayghtly fenced w^t the force of armed knights, was so shortly founde emptie? You will say, That his disciples crept thyther priuily, and stale away the body of Iesu perdie, whiles your souldiours were snorting in a deepe and sound slumber. Well then. And who I praye you sawe the disciples the meane time whiles your watchmen slept so soundly? If their eye lyddes were ouerladen with such a deade slumber, that they coulde not perceyue this: with what face shame you to affirme, that your watchemen sawe them no…? If they did see them, howe chaunced that beyng harnessed, they withstood not such seely vnarmed wretches? And why dyd not your forefathers lay this thefte to the Disciples charge, synce they saw them dayly preaching in the Temple afterwards? O monstruous cankered lyars: as though the stone wherwith it was couered, were not of greater quantitie, the… could be remoued by a few? or by any meanes might be rolled away without perceiuerāc… of your souldiours? Wel yet, howe happened that these seely caytiue petyt theeues fled no… away immediatly after they had committed this robbery? Howe durst they be dayly conuersant amongst men… and preache openly in your Temple? Nay rather to tell you the trueth simplie: with what better or more probable argument could the worlde hauehave bene induced to beleeue, y^t Christ was risen againe to y^e sure establishment of their faith, then this your wicked curious diligence, which your forefathers so carefully employed in watching the Sepulchre?

Forasmuch therfore as al these things are so most assured, so manifest, so vnreproueable, approued with so many witnesses & proph…ts, ratified w^t so many reasons & euidēt proofes, discouered by y^e euidēt testimony not only of Angels, but established also w^t the heauēly Oracle of y^e holy ghost him selfe, embraced & beleeued by the faith of all nations of y^e world, what one probabilitie cā al your generatiō of Hebrews alleadge for colour to the cōtrary? If ye perceiue therefore that this is the ver… true Messhias, why doe ye not relent at the last, & forsake & abandone your stifnecked rebellion, & ioyne with vsus in professiō? If as yet ye do not acknowledge him, declare the cause then that breedeth this misliking in you, and troubleth your consciences. Is it because he liued in poore & beggarly estate amongst the impouerished, & them y^t were worth nothing? But your prophet Zacharie lōg before he was reuealed, reported that he should be euē such a one:Zach. 9.Zech 9 Beholde (saith he) thy king cōmeth vntounto thee righteous & iust, a sauior, he is poore, & riding vpō an asse, &c. And it behoued truely, that he which should come to ouerthrow y^e high minded & riche of this world, & to enrich y^e poore, should be him selfe embased & poore.

What els then? is it because he was seene to walke in base and simple apparell, and was despised amongst you? Euen such a one doth the prophete Esay paynte out vntounto vsus in his 53. chapter:Esay. 53.Isa 53 We beheld him (sayth he) and he had neyther fourme nor beautie, we helde him despised, & esteemed him for an outcast of men. You hauehave seene him now of no reputation, an abiect, the poorest of men, whome your hautines did disdaine. Mark now vnderunder this vile & contemptible basenes, more then a kingly royaltie, whereunto you ought all t… prostrate your selues,Esay. cap. 53.Isa 53 & do honor vntounto. Surely he hath borne our infirmities, & carried our sorowes, he was taken out of prison, & from Iudgemēt, & who shal declare his age? by the knowledge of him selfe, my seruaunt shall iustifie many: for he shall beare their iniquities. The will of the Lorde shall prosper in his hands, and he shal deuide the spoyle with the strong. The kings shal shut their mouthes at him. You hauehave nowe therfore heard, how he shoulde be poore and deformed, according to the outwarde shewe of the fleshe, euen such a one as our Gospel hath described him. And briefely to be playne, if he had not thus bene poore, & reiected from amongst you, he could not hauehave bene the ryght Messhias in deede. Uerily such a one he seemed to you once, whē it was, according to the outward countenāce of the flesh, before he had obteined the power of the kingdome vponupon the crosse: But hauing then forthwith receiued y^• throne of his kingdome, in what triūphant maiestie he sitteth & reigneth now in heauen, let y^e mystical Psalmist Dauid make report, who in spirite foresaw him, sitting at the right hād of the Lord. Let their witnes be heard also, who were beholders of the whole action of his ascēsion, & with their bodily eyes sawe the same whome Dauid beheld in spirit, euen with their carnal eyes I say gazing vponupon him, whiles yet hee was lifted vp in their sight into heauen, and did perfectly discerne him also sitting at the right hand of the maiestie. Let them also record the same, whose inward feeling & minds of the soule he doeth inlighten with heauenly effectual operation, and vouchsafeth daily to enterparten him selfe vntounto. And I would to God it might please the same to open your eyes also, that once at the length you might throughly enioye the inestimable glory, and vnspeakeable maiestie of his euerlasting kingdome. In the meane space, ye may easily conceiue a taste and feeling as it were of the trueth, by groping the shadowes and prefigured tokens of the scriptures, except ye had rather wilfully and wittingly shut fast your eyes from so manifest demonstration of infallible certainetie.

First, what one thing was of more royaltie, then the kingdome of Dauid? And yet what one thing was more entangled and streighted, whiles as yet like a seely moath he kept his fathers sheepe? whiles he was tossed in turmoyle with most cruel persecution? At what time Ioseph being circumuented by the iniurie of his brethren, became carraine leane in a lothesome dungeon: when as Abraham was commanded to abandone his natiue countrey, and to become a banished outcast from his kindred and his fathers house: whiles Iacob was constrayned to redouble his seruice vnderunder his v…ckle Laban: what time Moyses was by Gods calling translated from an exiled outlawe to be a guide and leader of y^• Israelites: from how great basenes and miserie were all these aduaunced to wonderfull estimation and dignitie? And what was the meaning of the holy ghost els, then vnderunder the shadowes and figures of those persons, to represent vntounto vsus y^e very patterne and image of the sonne of God? And yet if you duely consider the estate of Christes outward basenes, what wanted he at any time, to the necessary furniture of his liuelihode, notwithstanding this shew of extreme penurie? Nay what want at all could molest him, who with a very fewe crustes could feede so great a crewe of thousandes in so deserte a wildernes? Or how could he be termed poore, at whose becke and word of mouth, heauen and earth did obey, the seas and windes, life and death, finally all the degrees of creation were subiect vntounto?

But that writing and title called by the name of a Nazarite doth encumber you perhaps:Iesus Nazare…us. because it behoued that Messhias should be borne in Bethleem the citie of Dauid. If he were not borne in Bethleem, I report me to the Chronicles & Records of the time of his birth, and the circumstances thereof. Let the testimonies of the angels, shepheards, wise men, his owne mother, Ioseph, and all the Euangelistes bee examined. Moreouer, what emported that horrible slaughter of all the suckling Babes of Bethleem, only by the cruel proclamation of Herode, without any molestation of the infants of Nazareth: vnlesse Herode the king had bene throughly perswaded, that aboue that instant of tyme, wherein Christ was borne, the same verie king of the Iewes was then borne in the citie of Bethleem? What els is it then that troubleth you? because he dyed the death?The death of Christ. What do I heare? what? HaueHave you alwayes awaited for a Messhias that coulde not bee bereft of life? How then should this Messhias deliuer Iacob his people from their iniquities, when as no remission of sinnes coulde bee without slaughter & blood, according to the infallible testimonies, and continual sacrifices of your owne lawe? Briefely, if it were not requisite that Messhias shoulde dye the death, then did all the Prophets lye, Zachary, Daniel, Dauid, Esay, did lye: which hauehave not only made mencion of his death, but hauehave most learnedly also set downe the cause of his death. For this we reade in Daniel,Daniel. ca. 9. That wickednes (saith he) may finish, and sinnes be sealed vp, iniquitie reconciled, and euerlasting righteousnes may be brought in. And proceeding a litle further in the same Chapter, doth expressely declare that Christ ought to be slaine. In like maner the Prophet Esay:Esay. ca. 53. If he shall make his soule an offring for sinne, sayth he. The very same thing doeth Moyses also prefigure vntounto vsus vnderunder certaine ceremonies of sacrifices, types and figures not altogether obscure. What say you to Esaye the Prophet: who doeth not only discouer the cause, but the maner also of his death, his spittings, scourging, wounds, plagues, buffetings and reproches? What say you to Zacharie, who mencioneth the pearcing of his side with a speare? What say you to Dauid, who describeth the nayling of his hands and feete, the sponge full of vineger, the rending his flesh from the bones, the casting lots for his garment? What say you to Moyses also, who vnderunder y^e title of the Brasen serpent, doth prognosticate his lifting vp on the Crosse?

But here againe some froward person amongst you will murmure againe in this wise.The Iewes obiection answered. In what sort can Christ be said in the scriptures to be euerlasting, if he must of necessitie be slaine? This scrupule no man can more effectually vnloose, then the Prophet Dauid in his mysticall Psalme:Psal. 1….Ps 1 Thou shalt not leaue my soule (saith he) in the graue, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Where you heare his soule layed in the graue, you must vnderstand that to be spokē of his death and buriall. Againe, when you heare, that he is risen againe from his sepulchre, you must interprete the same of his infinite eternitie, & vnperishable freedome, exempt from all maner of corruption. Whereby appeareth notably discerneable vntounto you, eche condicion in one selfe person: That is to say: That he is both a mortall man, and an eternall God. In the one wherof the infirmitie of his manhode is palpable: in the other the glory of his resurrection is most euidētly prouable. What? And do ye expect yet an other euerlasting Messhias besides this?Messias whē he commeth must not bee receiued of the Iewes. What a phantasie is this? As though when the true Messhias is come, he may obtaine any courteous entertainement amongst you? Truely none at all… For euen so say the Prophets of your owne nation. Or els what meaneth that saying of Dauid, that ye reade in the Psalme? The stone which the builders refused, the same is made the head of the corner. And who bee they that are called the buylders, but euen your selues the Iewes?The Iewes looke for their Messias in vain: who, when so euer the true Messias commeth, wil not receiue him. And if he be a false Messias, he seru…th them to no purpose. What is this stone, but Messhias? whom if ye will so long gape after, vntil you finde your selues plyable to embrace and honour him, it wil come to passe, that your long lingring wilbe prolōged beyond all compasse of time: because according to the saying of your owne. Prophets, you wil neuer dutifully allowe of the cōming of the true Messhias, but that ye wil continually remaine in an vncertaine expectation of some other. For if he be accepted by the general consent of you al w^tout exceptiō, surely he can not possibly be y^e true Messhias. Againe, if he be refused from amongst you, how long wil you hang in suspense of his comming?

Euen in like maner your forefathers did looke for a Messhias to come long before the birth of Christ almost two thousand yeres: but after that he was come in deed, & that the Lord of Lords,Malac. 3.Mal 3 whō they sought, was entred into his temple, & the angel of the promised testament whom they wished for, was amid… amongst them, yet did not his owne receiue him.What maner o… Messias do the Iewes looke for. And why so? because they iudged that he would come after an other sort, thei… the Prophets had foretold them. For y^e Prophets did describe his comming to be poore, simple & beggerly: but these lustie gallants do gaze for a certaine trimme earthly Emperour awayted vpō with some famous troupe of princely gard. The Prophets did promise a seely meeke lambe, whose voice should not be heard to bleat in the streetes. These couragious champions attend for some Lyon & victorious Monarch. They did foreshew that he should be slaine, tormented and hanged on tree, who should not auenge him of y^e iniuries of his people w^t displaied bāner of bloody battel, but w^t sheading of his own precious blood should redeeme y^e sinnes & wicked transgressions of his people, should not w^t violē … rush vponupon y^e crowne of y^e Empire, nor with force of armes deliuer his people from the thraldom of Cesar, but should restore freedome to his nation from the bondage of sinne, and the tyrannie of death, and the deuil, with all the p… testates and principalities thereof: and so establish to him selfe a kingdome, not transitorie and earthly in this world, but heauenly & endlesse for euer and euer. On the contrarie part, these felowes stroking themselues with a fantasticall opinion of worldly pompe, and measuring all things according to the glorious glitering shew of some terrestrial dominion, do yet fondly beleeue, that some other puissant & victorious conquerour shall come in some notably aduanced maner. Whereupon being worthily deluded of their owne friuolous fonde expectation, they can neither truely acknowledge their owne heauenly Messhias: nor did accept of him when he was come. Neither was it any maruell if they could not finde in their hearts to entertaine him being in this beggerly plight: when as their owne Prophets did long before pronounce, that the Messhias should be persecuted with none so sauage and vnmerciful en… mie…, as the people of his owne linage: and did also vnderunder most manifest oracles, and apparant veiles of shadowish signes prognosticate that he should be slaine through the treacherous treason of his owne people.

After the same sort was the blood of Abel spilt by the embrued hand of his bloodie brother Cain:Gene. 4.Gen 4 Ioseph entrapped and solde by the smister practise and procurement of his brother Iudah:Gene. 37.Gen 37 The lambe of the passeouer slaine and deuoured peecemeale in the houses of them, which were deliuered by the blood of the same:Exod. 12.Exod 12 So was Moyses oftentimes contemptuously entreated,Exod 32.Exod 32 and disdainefully railed vponupon amongst his owne kinsfolkes:Numer. 16. King Dauid cruelly assaulted not of Saul onelyonly,1. Reg. 18.191 Kgs 18:19 but (which is more horrible) of the folke of his owne familie, of his neighbours, citizens and subiects. What els doeth the seueral calamities of all these purport, then that Messhias should be slaine by the butcherie of his owne people? What doeth that stone of offence mencioned in Esay,Esay. 8.Isa 8 and that Rocke to fall vponupon to both houses of Israel, and as a snare and a net to the inhabitants of Ierusalem signifie other, then that the Lord him self should suffer death by the murtherous practise of his owne nation? Otherwise why is he called a rocke to fall vponupon and stone of offence, if there were nothing in him whereupon the aduersaries might stumble at? And to passe ouer other sharpe and horrible prophesies vttered directly against this viperous generation by the mouth of their owne Prophets in the booke of Deuteronomie the xxxi. and xxxii. Chapters, so likewise in the 65. and 66. of Esay, and many others besides of their owne Prophets, peruse who listeth the bookes of Malachie and Zacharie with diligence and heedefulnes,Mala. 1.3.4.Mal 1:3Mal 1:4 what doeth Malachie els in all that his preaching almost, then explane the order, and maner of Christs passion, yea, and that so liuely, that scarse anie porcion seemeth ouerskipped, that may seeme to apperteine to the summe and argument of al that whole Tragedie?Zach. 9.Zech 9 Not their king him selfe riding vponupon an Asse, not the breaking of the bowe of battel, and preaching peace vntounto the Gentiles: not the loosing of prisoners out of the pit, wherein was no water, whose outstretched power extendeth from sea to sea, from the floods to the vttermost parts of the earth, raysing vp the children of Israel aboue the children of Greece: not the thirtie siluerlings of the traytour Iudas for the which he solde Christ: not the woundes of his pearced bodie: not the print of the nailes in his handes and feete: not the scattering of the disciples the Shepheard beeing striken: not the citie seuered into three factions, wherof the thirde part onelyonly remained sound and serued the Lord, yet so that the same was brought to triall by fyre: not the destruction of Ierusalem by the assault of the Gentiles: not the ouerthrowe and subuersion of their houses: not the deflowring of their virgines: not the breaking in sunder the veyle of the Temple vnderunder the figure of the mount Oliuete: not the darkened Ecclipse of the Sunne the same daye in the which Christ suffered his passion:Cap. 14. And there shall bee a day (sayeth he,) it is wel knowne to the Lorde, neither daye nor night, but about the euening tyme it shall bee light: And it shal come to passe in the same day, that the waters of life shall go out from Ierusalem, and the halfe of them towarde the East sea, and halfe of them towardes the vttermost sea, and shall be both in winter and sommer. And immediatly in the same Chapter, prophesying of our Sauiour Iesu Christ hanging vponupon the Crosse: And that which shalbe there aboue the brydles of the horses shalbe called holy vntounto the Lord, and the pottes in the Lords house shalbe like the bowles before the Altar. &c.

What answere wil you make now to these so notable and manifest testimonies? and whereupon dependeth the hope of that you looke for, or in what pointes doeth it chiefely consist? Will ye flee backe againe to your rotten wormeaten poesies? we are the seede of Abraham, and were neuer subiect to anie other: well we may wander, but we can neuer perish. The holy Patriarches are our progenitours: we are the yssue of an holy roote: we hauehave a God in whome we do beleeue: we hauehave the lawe wherein we are instructed, the temple, the priesthode: the sacrifices and ceremonies are committed vntounto our safe keeping, we hauehave also Prophets, and promises of the Prophets, wherein we put our confidence. Nay rather you were once inuested in al these, but now through your trayterous trecherie you are berest, and despoyled of them all. You had sometime Abraham vntounto your father, vponupon whom you so gloriously vaunt your selues. Euen so had Esau, Ismael, and Saul also as well as yt. And euen this selfe same so noble a gentleman whome you accompt for your father, if he were present now in these our daies, or had liued then also when Christ was conuersant vponupon the earth, and had seene all those your franticke outragies, and trayterous deuises, conceiued of such despitefull rancor, and canckred malice: if he had beholden your reprochfull tauntes, contum…li…us mockeries, and furious madnes, yo… …xecrable iniuries, and horrible tyrannies prouoked by no desert of his: your vnquenchable malicious crueltie, in deriding, scorning, and murthering that most milde sonne of God Christ Iesu, the most puissant and mightie Lord of glory, hauing in all respects so bountifully deserued of you: and had bene present at that vnspeakable madde outrage, and exclamation when ye cryed out, Crucifie him, Crucifie him: his blood be vponupon vsus and our children: we hauehave none other king but Cesar. Moreouer if he had seene your vnappeaceable disorder without all remorse of merciemercy in persecuting his disciples:Christen mens children here in Engl…nde crucified by the Iewes Anno. 11…9. & anno. 114… at Norwiche. &c. your intolerable Scorpionlike sauagenes, so furiously boyling against the innocent infants of the Christian Gentiles: and the rest of your haynous abominations, insatiable butcheries, treasons, frensies, and madnes: If I say, this most godly and mild Patriarche Abraham were aliue, to heare, and beholde the same, with the same eyes wherewith long sithence hee behelde the day of Christ Iesu, and reioysed, woulde he euer hauehave accompted you for his sonnes? or euer hauehave acknowledged such impes to hauehave proceeded out of his loynes? Nay rather, who can dout of this, that he would hauehave agreed with Iohn Baptist rather, and cryed out with open mouth against you, O ye generation of vipers, and children of the deuil: I do vtterly det…st you, and your poysoned deedes, and imaginations.

But ye do beleeue in God, whome onelyonly you doe worshippe and honour: so doe the Turkes, Sarracenes, Moores, and Scythians as well as ye. And where is there anie one nation vnderunder the coape of heauen, so sauage and beastly, that doeth not professe, cō fesse, and worship one God onelyonly? And what is this to the purpose? Albeit ye esteeme neuer so much of that your worshipping the great God, if yet in meane whiles ye persecute his messengers and Ambassadours whome hee sendeth, if you kill his Prophets, if ye murther his Apostles, Martyrs, and Preachers: Finally if you put to the most slaunderous death of the Crosse the deare entierly beloued and onelyonly begotten sonne of God him selfe, being tormented with all kynde of horrible tortures, to the vnspeakeable reproche of the same your owne God, with what shamelesse visage can you bragge that God to be your father, whose sonne you hauehave so shamefully crucified? Yea, what were this to the purpose, or what might it auayle you, to seeme to your selues that the same God is your father, if he do not reknowledge you for his children? Take this for an vndouted trueth, that no kinde of people can bee adiudged to bee the people of the liuing God, but in respect of his deare sonne Christ Iesu. Which if your blundered senses can not comprehend as yet: what meane those woordes of Osee I beseeche you? and of whome were they spoken? For yee bee not my people, therefore will I not bee yours. Osee .1.And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayde vntounto them, you are not my people, it shall bee sayde vntounto them, you are the sonnes of the liuing God. You doe persist still obstinately in the opinion of Gods Lawe, and quite contrarie to the Lawe of God, without all lawe, equitie and conscience, hanged and racked vponupon tree the very same person of whome the whole Lawe did prophesie before, notwithstanding so many strange and woonderfull miracles wrought by him, so many brotherly benefites employed vponupon you: yea, finding also no maner of cause worthy of death in him: You …o vaunt your selues lustily in speach of the circumcision of your fores kinnes, and your vncircumcised hearts ouerflowe with spyderlike poyson:The preposterous religion & cruel malice of the I…wes. you bragge of keeping the Sabboth daye whiles you take your bodily repast onelyonly: but the right vse of the Sabboth of the Lorde is to hauehave a quiet minde, free from all iarre of enuie and malice. This Sabboth you do prophane continually, but then chiefely most wickedly, when ye murthered the Lord him selfe, neither seeme as yet satisfied therewith, nor ye will relent any iote at al from your ca…ckred con…umacie: you professe in wordes the letter of the lawe, but vtterly disclayme from the spirituall meaning of the lawe in your deedes. You crye …ut, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: and yet you abhorre the Church of Christ, being the true Temple of the Lorde: you challenge to your selues a wonderful hautie prerogatiue of the blood offrings, of the Priesthoode, of the Sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law, which in deede carry a certaine gallaunt resemblance of true religion.

But these outwarde shadowes and ceremonies had their tyme and place long agoe, and were not instituted to the ende they should continue irreuocable, but for a season, to represent as it were a superficiall viewe vntounto vsus of more excellent thinges. Euen as the kingly Throne of Dauid, and all that politique gouer…ement of the Israelites dyd prefigure nothing els vntounto vsus, but the euerlasting kingdome of Christ, and were as certaine principles, wherewith the mindes of the beholders might be raysed vp to a more deep consideration of farre highe mysteries: in so much that the very same, which was but figured in king Dauid, we playnly perceiue to hauehave bene expressely discouered in the king of the newe Ierusalem, which is the Church of Christ. The same which was prefigured in Abel, in Noah, in Abraham, Melchisedech, Ioseph, Moyses, Aaron, Iosuah, Sampson, Dauid, Elias, Ionas, Iesu the great Priest,…he ende of …he Law & of …he prophets …nd types, is Christ. in the Paschall Lambe, in the brasen Serpent, in the Rocke, in Manna, in the feast of Pentecoste: briefely whatsoeuer exercises were practized in shadowes, types & figures, we do vnfainedly acknowledge to hauehave met, cōcurred, & byn accōplished in one body. And this body truely is Christ Iesu, who is also y^e ende & consummation of al the whole Lawe. In like maner the sacrifices and ceremonies, trimminges and deckings of the olde Law, conteined in them selues no sounde nor permanent matter, but were shadowes and forerunners of more excellent graces. For what is he so poreblinde in this our age, that knoweth not, that God doth not dwel in Temples made by mens handes? that consciences are not cleāsed from sinnes with the blood of goats & of bulles? But these bloody offrings obteined a certaine resemblance only of the true purging of sinnes. What doth the commandement of the prophete emply, when in your Passeouer he charged a lambe of a yere olde, cleane & vndefiled to be slayne by families & tribes? Can your senses be so blockishe to thinke, that so great & effectuall operation lurketh in the blood of beasts, as may auayle to deliuer you from cruel thraldome, & translate you to the lande of promise flowing with milke & hony, if there were no cornell of deeper mysterie enclosed within the outwarde shell of the letter?

It remayneth nowe,The promises cōteyned in the Prophets. that we treate of the promises of the Prophetes, whereupon you boaste so much, and rayse all your building, which onelyonly thing of all others, doeth vnioynte and shyuer in pieces all the strong bulwarkes of your vnbeliefe, euen to the very bottome of the foundation. And to the ende I may make this appeare more euidently, I wyll combate a crashe with you in your owne castle, whereunto I will vse none other furniture, but your owne weapons, I meane the very words and knowen sentences of your owne prophets. And I wil so deale with you in this cōflict by the ayde & assistāce of God, as not heaping together out of all the Prophets in generall their whole armorie of proofe that I know, for that were vnmeasurable. But I wil chuse rather out of certaine of thē, not a multitude, to surcharge you w^t nomber, but certaine especial testimonies, w^t the which as w^t choise shot & powder, I wil so batter y^• bulwarks of your blūdered vnbeliefe, that you shall not be able by any meanes possible to delude the matter with caffling, nor escape by denyall, nor with any subtile legerdemayne of litterall exposition, cast a myste before mine eyes, nor vntwyne your selues out of the meashe by any crooked conueyaunce, as you are wont to do, though ye would neuer so fayne, but either you shall be peruinced willingly to come to reason, or els against your willes to be confoūded altogether with the manifest light of the trueth.

And to beginne first with the prophete Esay, what answere can all the ofspring of the Hebrewes make to these woordes written in the ninth chapter of his prophecie?…say. 9. For the yoke of their burden, and the staffe of their shoulder, and the rodde of their oppressour hast thou broken, as in the daye of Mydian. You hauehave heard a very honorable promise of the Prophet, wherein he pron… ̄ceth a wōderfull triumphaunt victorie to all them that walke in the night of darkenesse, and in the shadowe of death, prophecying likewise, that it will come to passe, that the chaynes of cruell captiuitie beyng crackt asunder, & yoke of seruile bondage being crusht in pieces, they shall once at the length enioye most happie calme of gladsome freedome. Well then. To whom was this promise made? to the Iewes alone? is he not also the God of the Gentils? Then by what meanes shall this victorie be obtained? by any forreine power, or warlike broile? No. The Prophete doth vtterly deny that, pronouncing these wordes foorthwith: Because eueryevery spoyle (sayth he) of the warryour that is with noyse, and with tumbling of garmentes in blood, shall be abolished with burning and consuming fire, euen as in the victorie that Gedeon obteyned agaynst the Madianites, the conquest was atchieued by the onelyonly hande of God, and the presence of Gedeon, mans force & power litle auayling thereunto. In like maner the prophet by like comparison perswadeth vsus to beleeue, that this victorie and freedome must be purchased by the onelyonly blessing of God, and not by any force or policie of man: and that this blessing of God is sufficiently effectual of it selfe, without all force of bloody battel, to establish assured and v…doubted peace and euerlasting freedome to all creatures. Go ye to nowe, let me this demaunde of you, when, and from whence this so great blessednes shal happen? The Prophet him selfe maketh answere, By the byrth of a childe (sayth he) and by gyuing a sonne vntounto vsus. For vntounto vsus a childe is borne (sayth he) & vntounto vsus a sonne is giuen, & the Iudgement is vponupon his shoulders. &c. Such is the excellent dignitie of the sonne, so great is the maiestie of his nature, proceeding from so notable a father, that he needeth none other ayde in the worlde, to the attainement of absolute perfection of most blessed felicitie. For what can be of more excellent effectuall operation to the through cleansing awaye of all filthie contagion of corrupt nature, or more presently auaylable to remoue all matter of brabble and contention, then to receyue the very sonne of God him selfe into the felowshippe of this our mortall nature, beeyng a Prince of so great and superexcellent Maiestie,The place of Esay. cap 9. expounded.Isa 9 as that he may not seeme to be borne an inheritour of a kingdome, to rule as a king, but that the kingdome may seeme rather to spryng vp and be erected together with his byrth? For so he sayeth, The gouernment is layd vponupon his shoulders, not purchased by any his industrie or trauayle, but layde vponupon his backe, euen from his first entry into this worlde, and growyng vp together with him, euen from his very swathling clo…tes. And the same beyng so great an authoritie or principalitie, raysed vp by so much aboue the compasse of all earthly empires, by howe much he obtayned to be aduaunced and called by a more excellent tytle and name aboue all the princes of the worlde. And nowe if you be desirous to knowe the name of this famous Prince, the Prophete him selfe will forthwith declare vntounto you:A childe is borne vntounto vsus. &c. Esay .… His name (sayth he) shalbe called Wonderfull, a Counseller, The mightie God, The euerlasting Father, The Prince of peace, The increase of his gouernment and peace shall hauehave none ende. &c. Where you see mention made of the kingdome of peace and patience, you may easily discerne, not a kingdome onelyonly, but a distincte maner of kingly preeminence, far vnlike to an earthly or worldly gouernment. Nowe hearken where the place and nation is, ouer which this King must exercise his dominion. Hee shall sitte vponupon the Throne of Dauid, and vponupon his kingdome, to order and establyshe it with Iudgement and with Iustice. Behold here vnderunder these Tytles, Iudgement and Iustice, is excluded all blooddye tyrannie. And nowe listen to the perpetuitie of thi… kingdome, From henceforth (sayth he) euen for euer and euer.

Was euer man so froward of iudgement, as to wreste and racke this place of the Prophet, of releasing the yoke of the burdens, of breaking the rodde of the oppressour, to any other purpose appliable (though he endeuor to the contrary neuer so much) then to the very comming of Christ Iesu the sonne of God, in whome we do beleeue, who was sent of God the father, & giuē vntounto vsus for an euerlasting king? For where is it possible to find a king yssuing from out so notable a parentage, and of such an vndefiled life, who by dying the death could crush in pieces the tyrannie of death, and after he had tasted the death coulde of his owne power reuiue, and rayse him selfe vp, to the glorious maiestie of euerlasting kingdome, this one Meschias onelyonly except, before whom all nations of y^e earth do & shal bowe the knee? Wel nowe. And what buzzing will those Thal…de glosers keepe in the glose, or what exposition wil they fetch out of their Thargum? Wil they referre this intolerable yoke of thraldome vntounto their seruitude endured in the time of Sennacher…? He woulde in deede hauehave charged the shoulders of the Iewes with this yoke of burden & rod of oppressour, but he neuer pinched thē so much therewith. Will they interprete the same of the captiuitie of Babylon? Neyther will this hang together by any meanes. For albeit it pleased that mighty king of Babylon Cyrus of his bountiful mercy, to graunt free passage to y^e Israelites, to returne into their owne countrey: yet was not he able to vnloose this propheticall yoke, and establishe a peace that coulde neuer be dissolued, for that he was not onelyonly a meere straunger, but also voyde of all colour to clayme the throne of his father Dauid, by any maner of descent from him.

Moreouer, whereas the prophet Esay doth note here especially,The Iewes in their owne exposition contrarie to themselues. the vtter taking away of all occasions of warlike furie from amongst worldly men, and of restoring a kingdome of peace, and the same also to be endurable beyonde all ages: who doth not see, that by no shyft of forged circumstaunce, these sayinges may be translated to your fleshly bondage, syth your selues also (which do beleeue and expect for an end of this brittle life, & a rysing againe at the last day as well as we) neither wil ne can deny, but that all maner things in this worlde, either priuate or publique, must hauehave an end? Then if this be true, howe dare yee mortall men flatter your selues with a possession of an immortall kingdome in this worlde? For that which is immortall, is not limited within any compasse of time. Againe, by what argument can ye perswade, that the thing which is euerlasting, may hauehave a last day and determined end of time? Forasmuch therefore as this kingdome of Meschias and Dauid,The kingdō of Me…sias howe it is euerlasting, & the peace thereof to hauehave no end. is pronounced by the mouthe of the prophets, to be an euerlasting throne, and the peace thereof without all ende: you must of necessitie yeeld vntounto vsus, that this peace apperteineth not to the external trāquillitie of this earthly & terrestriall policie, but to the quiete calme, & peaceable rest of inward conscience & soule, in the sight of almighty God: which peace began thē to appeare, whē as this child was borne: of whome the Angels of heauen did certifie the shepherds in their melodious song: Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, and vntounto men a good will. Otherwise how wil this reason of yours agree in it selfe, or accorde with the Prophetes? For if you aw…yt as yet for the cōming of some warlike couragious Champion, who hauing subdued the Empire of the Gentiles, may with fyre and sword force a recouerie of your countrey, what shall become of this burning and deuouring with fire, all warlike force and tumbling of garmentes in blood? Where is that Meschias, of whom Esay maketh mention,Zachar. 9. Esay .42.Zech 9 which shall proclayme peace, not warre, to the Gentiles? Where is that Prince, whose voyce shall not he heard to make any noyse in the streetes? Where is he, that shall not bruyse the broken rod? and shall conuert the weapōs of steele into ashes? On y^e other side: if ye awayte for a peaceable king, such a one, as the Prophetes do describe, what conquest then shall there be of Gentiles and nations? Ponder these things in your minds wel, and aduisedly, & see how these matters being contrary and repugnant eche to other, they may be framed to agree together.

There be an infinite nomber of the lyke prophecies in Esay,The manifest prophecies of Esay of Christ. concerning the Meschias that shoulde be slayne for the sy…nes of the people and reiected of you: of his long lasting seede,Cap. 53. and vnspeakeable generation: of the casting away of your whole race, and engraffing the Gentiles in your place:Cap. 65. of blinding the eyes of them that did see:Esay 6.Isa 6 of the booke deliuered to the ignoraunt and vnlettered:Cap. 35. Cap. 43. Cap. 49. Cap. 65. of healing the blind and the lame: of Ostryches and Dragons glorifiyng God: of floodes to be translated into the wildernesse: of the saluation of God to be proclaymed from Sion to the vttermost partes of the worlde: of the small portion of Iewes that shalbe saued: Finally of the rooting out of your nation, together with the exchaunge of your name also. And you shall leaue your name (sayeth he) as a curse vntounto my chosen: for the Lorde shall slaye you, and call his seruauntes by an other name. And agayne, My seruaunts shal drinke, and you shalbe thirsty: Beholde, my seruauntes shall reioyce, and you shalbe ashamed. I am not very inquisitiue here to learne, with what iuggling after your woonted guise and determined malice, ye wyll corrupt and depraue those places, as you doe all other for the most parte. Nay rather I wyl gyue you ful scope to wreathe & wrest them with whatsoeuer crabbed cauillations ye can suggest, & after whatsoeuer sensuall interpretation ye can deuise: yet shal ye neuer preuayle so farre forth against the manifest trueth, but that shee wyll be able to stoppe your mouth, and cōuince your shamelesse impudencie, considering that the very orderly course of naturall causes, wyll not permit these sayings to be tossed and tumbled els where, then into the person of Christ Iesu, whome you hauehave crucified.

I will passe ouer Esay, after I hauehave cyted one onelyonly place out of the xl. chapter of his prophecie, speaking in this wise:Esay. cap. 4….Isa 4 Comfort ye, comfort your selues, my people, will your Lorde God say. Speake cōfortably to Ierusalem, and cry vntounto her, that her warfare is accomplished, and her iniquitie is pardoned, for shee hath receyued at the Lordes handes double for her sinnes. &c.

What is this to vsus, will ye say? I will tell you, if you will vouchsafe to yeelde your diligent consideration thereunto, & compare the same with the rest that doth ensue in the prophet. A voyce (sayth he) cryeth in the wildernes, Prepare ye the way of the Lorde: make straight in the desert a pathe for your God. &c. What can be more cleare thē the brightnes of this prophecie? what sentence more manifest? what more fruitful consolation? Wherein as many thinges seeme worthy to be remembred, so three things chiefely are to be noted therein. Namely,11The sinnes of the people The sinnes and wickednesse of the people, in the first place: The wrath and vengeaunce of Almyghtie God, in the seconde place:22The stroke of Gods seuere iustice. in the thirde and last place, a most sweete and comfortable consolation,33The consolation of gr…ce. after many bitter and grieuous punishmentes. In the parte that treateth of sinnes, the obstinate and vnuanquishable rebellion of the Iewes agaynst God and his Lawes: In the seconde parte, where the wrath of God is spoken of, the Iustice of God may be discerned, which will not suffer the wickednes of his people to escape long vnpunished. The cōfortable consolation proceedeth wholly from his louing kindnes an… gracious mercy: whereupon the trumpe of those sweete and amiable promises is hearkened vntounto: wherewith the soueraigne bountie of God qualifiyng the fretting corrosiue of his former displeasure, with milde & medicinable salue, doeth make an infallible couenaunt with them, that after they hauehave once passed ouer many vexations, aduersities and streightes, wherewith they were long tyme turmoyled & vexed, they should from thenceforth neuer feele so sharpe a scourge in reuē ging their sinnes. And hereof commeth this most delicate voyce ful of all spiritual cōfort, which the Lord him selfe pronoūceth here by the mouth of his prophet, speaking cōfortably to Ierusalem,Esay .40. Thy warfare is accōplished, & thine iniquities are pardoned, for thou hast receyued at the Lords hands double for thy sinnes, &c. The place of Esay .40. paraphrastically expoūded.As if this were the natural sense and meaning of the wordes: whereas I hauehave hitherto shewed my selfe a seuere Iudge against you in scourging your vngodlinesse with cruel plagues, this did I, euē according to the desert of your owne deedes. In your miserable & cōtinual calamitie, in your manifold bondage & captiuitie y^t you hauehave endured first vnderunder y^e Egyptians, then vnderunder the Assyrians, next vnderunder the Syrians, & lastly vnderunder king Herode the stranger, you hauehave hitherto felt y^e smart of Gods iustice. But now it hath pleased y^e Lorde to alter his determinatiō cō ceiued against you, not to whet y^e edge of his rigorous vēgeāce any more to your destruction, not to deliuer you as vassals & bōdslaues to your enemies, but enterchāging mercy for wrath, to imbrace you w^t al lenitie, & make an ende of your sorowes & warfare: so that frō hēceforth you shal not need to feare any more inuasion of cruell enemies, any leading away into direfull captiuitie, any dreadfull punishment of your haynous impietie. For the time shall come, when the Lorde wyll no more rewarde your iniquities with horrible scourges and plagues, but of his inestimable clemencie shall couche you within the blessed bowels of his bottomlesse mercy. And if you be desirous to knowe the time wherein these glad tidings shalbe performed amongst you, take this for a signe and token, wherby you may discerne the time, whereof I doe foretel you.A voyce crying in the wildernes. Esay .40. A voyce shalbe heard crying in the widernes, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a pathe for your God. EueryEvery valley shall be exalted, & eueryevery mountaine and hill shalbe made lowe. &c. And the voyce proceeding yet forwarde, and demaunding what he should cry: Saye vntounto the cities of Iudah (sayth he) Behold your God, behold the Lord God wil come with power, and his arme shall rule for him, and his rewarde is with him. &c. Whē the sound of this trumpe out of the huge desert wildernes shal pearce into your eares and be seene with your eyes, this shalbe a signe for you to knowe, that he is not farre from the gates, that shall redeeme you from your captiuitie.

I hauehave disclosed vntounto you the meaning & sense of the Prophet, if I bee not deceiued: wherein two especiall notes are to be considered: namely the punishment of sinne, and the voyce of a cryer in the wildernes. Both which notes, who doeth not easily perceiue to hauehave bene accomplished in the persons of Christ Iesu, & of Iohn Baptist? yea, and so accomplished in them, as no gappe nor starting hole may possibly be found for you to escape, but that this place must be of necessitie applied to Christ our anoynted king and Sauiour. For what els imported the voyce of Iohn Baptist crying in the wildernes, but to prepare a waye ready for the comming of the Lord? And what els hath the whole doctrine of the new Testament taught and dayly doth teache vsus also, but an euerlasting forgiuenes of sinnes, in the maner of a continuall vacation from the terme of the lawe? for as long as the law and Gods iustice did combate against sinnes, the warfare could neuer be broken vp:The warre betweene Gods iustice, and y^• sinnes of man. but the enemie being once subdued, and the dominion of the law brought into captiuitie, our warfare must needes be at an end. For assone as the sinner beginneth to be no lōger vnderunder the Law, but vnderunder grace, nor findeth any aduersary to w^tstand him, but hath caught the victorie into his owne hands once,The ende of our warfare by the Prophete, Esai. cap. 40.Isa 40 what remayneth but he may ioyously triumph and keepe holy day, being now deliuered from all feare of further controlment.

Iere. 23.Jer 23Next vntounto Esay let vsus annexe the testimonie of Ieremie, who after he had prophesied much of the returne of the Iewes from the captiuitie of Babylon, doeth encourage them againe at the last with this kinde of consolation: that from thenceforth they should neuer be caryed from their owne countrey into bondage againe, speaking thus in the xxiii. chapter of his prophesie. And I will gather the remnant of my sheepe out of all countreys, whither I shall driue them, and will bring them againe to their foldes, and they shall growe and encrease: And I will rayse vp shepheards ouer them which shal feed them: And they shall dread no more to be afraide: nor shall any of them be lacking saieth the Lord. Iere. 23.Jer 23And immediatly after: Behold the dais come, saith the Lord, that I will raise vntounto Dauid a righteous branche, and a king shall reigne and prosper, and shall execute iudgement and iustice in the earth. In his dayes Iudah shalbe saued, and Israel shall dwell in safetie. And this is the name whereby they shal cal him, The Lord our righteousnes. &c. And againe in the xxiiii. of his prophesie:Iere. 24.Jer 24 Like as these good figges, so will I knowe them that are caryed away captiue out of …udah to be good, whom I hauehave sent out of this place into the lande of the Chaldeans: for I will set mine eyes vponupon them for good, and I wil bring them againe into this lande, and I will buylde them and not destroye them, and I will plant them, and not roote them out. &c. And againe in the xxxi. Chapter:Cap. 31. Behold, I will bring them from the North countrey, and gather them from the coastes of the worlde, with the blynde and the lame amongst them, with the woman with child, and her that is deliuered also: A great companie shall returne hither. And they shall come and reioyce in the height of Sion, and their soule shall be as a watered Garden, and they shall hunger no more: for I will forgiue their iniquities, and will remember their sinnes no more. And the seede of Israel shall not cease for not beeing a nation before me for euer. And the places shalbe buylt, & shalbe al holy vntounto the Lord, neither shall they be pluckt vp nor destroyed any more for euer. And againe in his xxxii. Chapter,Cap. 32. Thus hath the Lord God of Israel spoken concerning the citie, whereof you say, it shall be deliuered into the hand of the king of Babel by the sword, by famine, & by pestilence, Beholde, I wil gather them out of all countreys, wherein I hauehave scattered them in mine anger, and will bring them againe into this place, and will cause them to dwel in safetie. And they shalbe my people, and I wil be their God. And I will giuegive them one heart and one way, that they may feare mee for euer. Cap 33.And proceeding forward in y^e chapter ensuing, Because the people of Ierusalem did not submit them selues vntounto the Chaldees, but resisted them with force, therefore were their bulwarkes filled with dead bodies, But beholde, I wil giuegive it health and amendement, and I will cure them, and wil reueile vntounto them aboundance of peace and trueth. And ther shalbe heard in this place of which you say that it shalbe desolate, euen in the streetes of Ierusalem that are desolate, and without any inhabitant, there shalbe the voyce of ioye and gladnes. Behold, the daies come, saieth the Lorde, that I will perfourme that good thing, which I hauehave promised vntounto the house of Israel, and to the house of Iudah. In those dayes I wil cause the branch of righteousnes to grow vp vntounto Dauid, and he shal execute iudgement and righteousnes in the lande. In those dayes shal Iudah be saued, and Israel shall dwell in safetie. And this shall they call her, The Lord is our righteousnes: For thus saith the Lord, Dauid shall neuer want a man to sit vponupon the throne of the house of Israel. Neither shall the Priests and Leuites want a man before me to offer burnt offrings, & to do sacrifice continually. And afterwards againe in the l. chapter:Cap. 50 Thus saith the God of Israel, Behold, I wil visite the king of Babel & his lād, as I hauehave visited the king of Assur. And I wil bring Israel againe to his habitation, he shall be fed, and his soule shalbe satisfied in his due time, saith the Lord. In those dayes shal the iniquitie of Israel be sought for, and there shalbe none: and the sinnes of Iudah, and they shal not be found: for I wil be merciful vntounto them whom I do reserue. &c.

Hereunto may be added the like testimonie of Baruch in his v. chapter:Baruch. …. Put of thy mourning garments, O Ierusalem, and thin… affliction, and decke thee with worship and honour, because euerlasting glory commeth vntounto thee from God. Put on the garment of righteousnes that commeth from God, and set a crowne vponupon thy head of the glory of the euerlasting: for God will declare thy brightnes vntounto eueryevery coūtrey vnderunder the heauens, and God will name thee by his name for euer. &c.

The meaning of the prophets speaking of the kingdom of Dauid, must ne…des be spiritually vnderstood.What can be of more efficacie, then the testimonies of the foresaid scriptures? in the which forasmuch as two things are set down chiefely to be noted, ye must yeeld to the one of them of very necessitie: either that this kingdome of Israel shal neuer decay againe, after their returne from y^e Babylonical captiuitie: which being construed after the carnal sense of the letter, is most false, as you maye plainely perceiue: or els, if the kingdome of Israel be ouerthrowen and hauehave an end, and so thē the Prophets to lye: which is the most absurde thing that may be spoken.

Whereby appeareth most euidently, that all those sayings wherein the Prophets hauehave foretolde of the royaltie of Dauids throne, and of the euerlasting glory therof, must hauehave a certaine mysticall and spirituall interpretation. For you are not ignorant your selues of that which happened to that fleshly and worldly estate of this kingdom, and into how narowe streightes & extremities it was forced, when as your citie was besieged and razed by y^e Romanes, your Temple consumed with fire, and all things in the citie deuoured, and ransacked, euen to the rooting out of all your nation almost: So that the circumstances of the times, being duly weighed, wil plainely conuince you, that these promises made touching the perpetuall establishment of the kingdome of Dauid, must be farre otherwise vnderstoode, and that your selues either lye shamefully in the order of your exposition, or els that your owne Prophets did prophesie contrary to y^e trueth.Dilemma. Sith therfore one of these two must of necessitie be graunted, chuse which you wil, or els discouer some way how you may escape out of this Labyrinth. First I suppose no man wil cōdemne y^e Prophets for liers, for thei deliuered nothing vntounto vsus, but y^t which by wonderful inspiratiō they receiued of y^e holy ghost, yea, y^e same also infallibly true, as approued frō time to time by the circumstances, and sequele of the time.

For they foresawe (as trueth was) being infourmed by the holy ghost, first, y^e deliuery of the remnant of that nation in the transmigration of Babylon: and it came to passe: they foresawe also, that this captiuitie should endure no lesse thē lxx yeres. This also came to passe. Finally, they foresawe that after the full expiration of this exile and banishment, a prince should come, and a sonne should be giuen in the fulnes of time, which should possesse the throne of his father Dauid, and take vponupon him the gouernement of the kingdome, and should establishe the same in a permanent and vnperishable course of continuance, peace and tranquillitie for euer. And this also was perfourmed euen then accordingly, when as the sonne of God was borne in the citie of Dauid:Esay .9. that woonderful counsailour, the mightie God, the prince of peace: who albeit died once according to the flesh, & seemed to be vanquished, yet was he not holden of death aboue three dayes, but suruiued of his owne power, and liueth for euer and euer: and in dying hath obteyned an …ndlesse conquest of death,Iudg. 16.Judg 16 and triumpheth now (not much vnlike vntounto Sampson) victoriously ouer death, hath rent in sunder the yron gates of sinne, hath crusht the tyranny of the deuil in pieces, and purchased euerlasting life for his elect, not perishable by any assault of hautie aduersary, nor vanquishable by any power of worldly policie. For as to that,After the captiuitie of Babylon god promiseth perpetuall continuance vntounto the Iewes. that the citie was put to the sacke by the puissant armie of the Romanes, the Temple burnt and razed to the ground, all this nothing at al diminisheth the credit of the Prophet touching the establishment of the glory of that throne, but rather confirmeth, and doeth argue it to be of much more estimation. The rebel Iewes, and trayterous murtherers of Christ were ouercome in battel: but Christ him self Prince of that kingdome with his Church could not be brought vnderunder subiectiō, neither shall at any time, but hath conquered, liueth, and triumpheth dayly. And although you can not yet conceiue this inuincible Maiestie of that euerlasting king, yet your Prophets saw it, yea, your father Abraham sawe it, and reioyced: Esay sawe it, witnessing the same with an othe:Esay .62. The Lord hath sworne by his right hand, and by the strength of his arme. Surely I wil no more giuegive thy corne to bee meate for thine enemies, & surely the sonnes of the strangers shall not drinke the wine for the which thou hast laboured: but they that hauehave gathered it shall eate thereof, and shall praise the Lord. And the gatherers thereof shall drinke it in the courtes of my Sanctuarie. &c. Esay .60.Againe the same Esay speaking vntounto Ierusalem as though she were prisoner in Babylon: Whereas thou hast bene forsaken, so that no man went by thee, I wil make thee an eternall glorie, and a ioye from generation to generation. &c. Esay .54.Moreouer in the 54. Chapter: For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a litle season, but with euerlasting merciemercy hauehave I had compassion vponupon thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer: for this is vntounto me as in the waters of Noah, to whome as I hauehave sworne, that I would no more go ouer the earth with waters, so hauehave I sworne, that I would no more bee angrie with thee nor rebuke thee. For the mountaines shall remoue, and the hilles shall fall downe, but my merciemercy shal not depart from thee, neither shall the couenant of my peace fal away, saieth the Lord, that hath compassion on thee. Esay .48.And againe in another place. Go ye out of Babel, flee ye from the Chaldeans with a voyce of ioy, tel and declare this, shew it forth to the endes of the earth. Saye ye, the Lord hath redeemed his seruaunt Iacob. And within a litle after:Esay .49. It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to rayse vp the tribes of Iacob, and to restore the desol…tion of Israel. I will giuegive thee also for a light to the Gentiles, that thou maiest be my saluation vntounto the end of the worlde. Beholde, I hauehave grauen thee vponupon the palme of my hande: thy walles are euer in my sight. Thy buylders make haste, thy destroyers and they that made thee waste, are departed from thee. &c.

Neither did Esay see these things alone: The other Prophets, Patriarches, and holy ones also dyd awayte for the royall excellencie of this kingdome, before it was come. The Angels signified out of heauen that he was presently come, his miraculous works doe ratifie the same, his rysing againe at the feast of Easter confirmeth it, yea, the deuils them selues felt it, and dyd tremble for feare. The holie companie of Apostles, and Martyres doe confesse it: all tongues and Nations do speake of his glorie, bowe the knees, and worshippe him. Finally, the holie Ghost through woonderfull s… crete operation doeth daylye and hourely enlarge, and ensea…e the infallible assurance thereof in the hearts of the faythfull. Lastly you also, euen you that are Iewes, albeit as yet it be not reueiled vntounto you, shall knowe and acknowledge once at the length (I trust) the inestimable treasure and incomparable riches of this kingdome, y^e inuin…ible euerlasting power of this king,Daniel .2. who shall breake and ouerthrowe all other kingdomes of the worlde, and shall not possibly bee destroyed it selfe, neither shall hauehave anie ende, Daniel.2.

But as this greatnes of power is not car…, nor can be discerned with …rnall eyes, …oeth it not wrestle with … …nd blood with carnall weapons. T… …on…est of this …nce do…th extend it self … a farre more …stre…thed vnmeasurablenes, creepeth not …ng the ground like a worme: but pear… the height of the heauens, doeth not pro…e men to bloody battel: but assaulteth …e Prince of this world, euen the deuill him selfe, and being aduaunced into heauen, hath throwen headlong out of heauen the auncient Arche enemie and accuser of mankinde, yea, and slaine him with the sword of his Maiestie, hath remoued away wrath, hath blotted out the curse of the Lawe, hath cured the canker of sinne, hath troden death vnderunder his feete, hath taken into his owne gouernement the power of all iudgement, in so much that the Prophet Esay seemeth astonied,Esa. 63.Isa 63 amazedly wondring at the marueilous course of his incomprehensible power: who hauing vanquished incomparable enemies, doeth likewise emparten his faithful seruants with very riche spoyles, not transitorie and soone vanishing away, but enduring beyond all ages. Will ye yet heare more concerning y^e power of this mightie Monarche? Listen then a while to the testimonie of the veritie it selfe in the Gospel.Iohn .6. This is the will of my father, that sent me, that euerie man which seeth the sonne, & beleeueth on him shal hauehave euerlasting life. What can be more princely then this? And I will rayse him vp at the last day. What can be of more power? For as the father hath life in him selfe, so likewise hath hee giuen to the sonne to hauehave life in him selfe, & to giuegive life vntounto him vntounto whom he wil, and hath giuen him power also to execute iudgement. What can be more heauenly? Neither doeth the father iudge anie man, but hath giuen all the iudgement vntounto the sonne. What can be more admirable?Iohn .5. Mat. vltime… VntoUnto whom all power is giuen in heauen and in earth. What can be required more? Moreouer that ye may be assured that the sonne of man is of power to forgiue sinnes vponupon earth, beholde a signe wrought vponupon the sicke of the palsey: Take vp thy bed and walke. Againe: As the liuing father hath sent me, euen so do I send yo: whosoeuer sinnes ye forgiue, shalbe forgiuen them. Besides all this, let vsus heare what Peter speaketh of him:Actes .10. To him (saith he) all the Prophets do giuegive witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him, shall receiue remission of sinnes. What can bee more marueilous? When the sonne of man shalbe exalted, I will drawe all thinges vntounto my selfe. What can be more glorious?

Let vsus adioyne herewith the t…stimonie of Saint Paul: Who hath reconciled all things in heauen and in earth: who vndertooke in his owne person all the hatred and enmitie betwixt God and men: who with a becke of his countenance reli…ueth the afflicted consciences humbled euen to hell gates, who doeth refreshe and comfort them with his spirite, healeth with a worde of his mouth, looseth them that are fettered with the chaynes of sinne, dischargeth from all feare of iudgement and death, acquiteth from the tyrannie of the deuil. What may bee comparable to the Maiestie of this Empire? and withall what can be more amiable then the same Maiestie, at the naming of whome all knees in heauen, earth, and hell,Phil…p. 2. Esa. 35.55.6…Isa 35:55Isa 35:6 do fall prostrate and worship? Yea, the deuils themselues do tremble and quake for feare, the dead arise againe, maladies are healed, prisoners are loosed,Mat. 11.Matt 11 the hungrie are fylled, the oppressed with labour are refreshed and disburdened, mourners, and such as pyne awaye with sorowe and anguish are recomforted,Esay .25.35… death is subdued, teares are wyped awaye, sorowe and sadnes is turned into mirth and gladnes,Esay .9.40. enterchange is made from the lowest to the highest, mountaynes are throwen downe, hidden things are discouered, rough & crabbed things are made plaine and streight,Mat. 20.Matt 20 the first become the last, and the last are made the first.

All which heauenly graces, albeit you miserable Hebrues wil not acknowledge, & most disdainfully do blaspheme in your synagogs, y^e angel of y^e euerlasting testament, hauing regard to y^• part of him only, wherin he seemeth weake according to the vtter apparance & dispensation of the flesh by rea…on of his death and burial:The maiestie of Christs kingdome. yet we for our part beholding his heauenly diuinitie, vnseparably vnited together with the basenes of his humanitie, and comparing his miraculous life, death and resurrection, yea, the whole course and actions of his life with the reportes of the Prophets: and being established in faith with infallible testimonies of the sacred scriptures, instructed hereunto by y^e guyding of the holy ghost, persuaded by the assured promises of the Prophets, and casting ankerholde in the assured hauen of his wonderfull miracles: do firmely beleeue, and with vnshaken faith confesse, that this is the very same Messhias whome you do yet expect and looke for. Finally, reposing all our trust and affiaunce vponupon his mightie power, garded with the inuincible protection of so great Maiestie, do with so valiant forwardnes of minde, raise vp the vndaunted courage of our hearts against all assaultes and battrie of the worlde, against all stormes of fretting aduersitie, that now neither the raging railing of your blasphemous mouth, nor fearful delusions of wyly Satan, not y^e dreadful sight of hel gates, nor y^e tyrannous threatnings therof: not y^e griesely coū tenaunce of gastful death, be it neuer so terrible, nor the cruel curse & continuall accusations of the Lawe (which is more horrible then all the rest) can in any respect appall & terrifie our setled consciences. For why shoulde that person tremble or be amazed with the threatninges of the Lawe, whose Lorde and master Christ Iesu is Iudge and ruler ouer the Law? Why should he dread death, or the diuell him selfe procurer of death, or all the furious champions of the deuill, for the safetie of whose life, and assured raysing from death to life, y^e very sōne of God Christ Iesu is become surety & pledge? who sitting at the right hande of the Father,Psal. 109.Ps 109 doeth keepe the keyes of death and hell, and therewith alone shutteth, and no man openeth, Apoc. 1. …Rev 1setteth wyde open, and no man shutteth, restrayning and disposing al things in heauen and earth with an onelyonly becke of his countenaunce.

And heereof ariseth that wonderfull constancie of our Martyrs and Apostles,The mighti… power of Christ in keeping his Church. in yeelding their bodies to tortures and death: hereof springeth that inuincible force of Christian faith: hereupon is grounded that vnpenetrable Rocke of Christes Church, which beyng so oft vndermined by your subtill pyoners, circumuented w^t so many traiterous sleights and deuises, vexed with so many furious outrages of Gentiles & Iewes, attempted with so many cruel crampes of the prince of darknes, assaulted with all kinde of torments and persecutions, could notwithstanding neuer hitherto be discomfited with any kind of battry, or shaken with engine, neither shalbe ouerthrowen at any time, whiles the worlde doeth endure. The vnuanquishable continuance whereof if you woulde but indifferently without al partialitie ponder in your hearts, what els doth it argue then an heauenly an… vnspeakeable power of her captaine Christ Iesu? But as the power of this captaine is spiritual, so it is not discernable, but by spiritual insight, raysed vp (as I sayd before) not to striue against mankinde, but to subdue the tyranny of Sathan,The power of Christ is spirituall, set vp not agaīst man, but for man, to fight against y^e spiritual operation of Satā. the mighty prince of this world, and to despoyle & force him out of his kingdome. And this may eueryevery sensible man easily conceaue, if he will enter into somwhat a more deepe consideration of his miraculous workes: so that this marueilous victorie of this triumphaunt conquerour, can by no argument & proofe appeare more manifestly, then euen in this one ouerthrow of that auncient archenemie. For if that conquest be so much the more praise worthy, by howe much the force of the vāquished is more notorious, what ought we thē to iudge of him, who only and alone, vndertaking the challenge, not against mans power,Christes victorie, not against man, but for man. but in the behalfe and defence of mankinde rather, agaynst al those mightie & inuisible aduersaries of mankind, vnuanquisheable otherwise by any policie of men, against all those spiritual furies & incessaunt accusers of mankind before the throne of God, against al those princes & potētates, and rulers of darkenes, against the poysoned dartes of death, agaynst the intolerable burden of sinne, agaynst the dreadfull curse of the Lawe, and wrath of Gods vengeaunce, agaynst the force and gates of hell, was able by his onelyonly prowesse to treade downe, and triumphe ouer them all, without all ayde and helpe of man, yea and which is most to be marueiled at, without all strength, without al sleyght and policie of resistance, farre vnlike the warlike attemptes and martial affaires: where it commeth alwayes to passe, that the most notable and famous enterprises are neuer atchieued without huge troupes of couragious souldiers, or subtill practize of politique gouernours. For here beyond all reache of mans vnderstanding, I know not how miraculously this marueilous victorie was obteyned, without force of armes, industrie and policie, through the onelyonly plaine & open conduct of simple trueth. For what simplicitie can be greater, then to yeeld to the wil of the aduersarie in humilitie and patience? And what could be more voyde of hope to recouerie?The victorie of Christ by what meanes it was gottē. And yet by this meanes it came to passe, that pompous Pride through humilitie was brought into subiection: glory of riches confounded by basenes of pouertie: hautie arrogancie of the worlde suppressed with humble infirmitie: the curse of the Law rased out by vndefiled innocencie: sinnes forgiuen: the mouth of the enemie stopped vp, through meeke taciturnitie: victorie obteined by yeelding: finally, death by dying vanquished, and life euerlasting purchased.

And yet to confesse the trueth frankly and simply, this glorious conquest wanted not his singular dexteritie and artificiall policie, beyng neuerthelesse both heauenly, holy and atchieued by most vpright Iustice: not to the ende to betraye in snare, or seduce any good man from the right path of trueth, but to intrappe that craftie enemie the Deuill onelyonly. And that not without great cause. For what coulde be more agreeable with reason,The evylyne… of the olde serpent, takē in his owne snare. then the same olde wylie serpent (which had beguiled mankind first with subtiltie and lyes) should be encountred againe with a certaine heauenly policie, (yet voyde of all colour of lying) and so entrapped and entangled with sleyghts & deceites of his owne forge, should be catcht in his owne pytfall, and bereft of his place? What could be more conuenient, then to strangle the most horrible deceyuer with his owne halter, and by most iust lawe to disfraunchise the most vniust intruder from his vniust possession?

Wherefore go to, what sayest thou nowe Sathan,Sathā kindly deluded by Christ our Sauiour. thou cursed imaginer and practizer of all mischiefe, alleadge somewhat at length if thou canst: what saist thou? Doest thou not see y^t all thy practizes are discouered through that heauēly lyght? Doest thou not feele infirmitie of the flesh, treading now vponupon thine owne heade, whiles thou wast deuising mischief against infirmitie of weake flesh? Thou hadst swallowed downe a bayte, but art enforced to cast y^e same out againe of thy gorge. Thou diddest awayte for the destruction of mankinde, but withall didst accelerate his safetie. Thou didst enforce the innocēt to the death of the crosse, such was thy cankred malice, or such rather was thy lewd folly. Thou didst vndermine the Sonne of God: wherein albeit thou didst scarse pynche him, yet hast thou slayne thy selfe thereby, & blessed vsus for euer. For thou hast not fastened him vpō the crosse alone, but nayled all our sinnes also together with him, which being now throughly cleāsed with that only sacrifice, hath deliuered vsus from euerlasting tormentes, and recoyled them backe vponupon thine owne head vnrecouerable for euermore. The brasen serpēt might hauehave bene a good president vntounto thee, to hauehave made thee more warie & aduised, which, if it had not bin hāged on tree, could not hauehave healed the woūds of them y^t were plagued. The valiāt Sampson being a type & figure of our Lord Iesu, might hauehave forewarned thee: and that mysticall immaculate Lambe, aboue all the rest: the sleying of the which was no lesse dreadfull to the enemie, then comfortable to the godly. Neither happeneth it otherwise to thee,Satan ouercome and spoyled. & thine at this present. Thou didst endeuoure to establishe thine empire, and art despoyled of thine empire. What? wast thou ignorant, y^t he whom thou didst assaile, was the sonne of God? Why then didst thou confesse him so to be? And if thou know it, with what shamelesse impudencie couldst thou attempt so execrable impietie? But he seemed weake in thine eye perdy, being clad with p…e beggerly basenes of the flesh: & thy meaning perhaps was to try, whether he could be slaine, & therefore thou didst rush vponupon him so sternely, and murthered him so horribly. Well, and why dydst thou not holde him fast, when thou hadst slayne him? Howe chaunced that he slypt out of thy pawes? and beeyng escaped, whyther went he from thee? and where doth he now remayne? O cruell cursed manqueller, doest thou not perceyue, into what streightes thy sauage bloodthirstinesse hath driuen thee at y^e last? Doest thou not acknowledge y^t the very same tree, and that **That is, the crosse of cō tumelie.foreign, which by the ministerie of thy chā pions, thou gauest to him for foode, is turned into thy poyson, & for vsus into the bread of life? Doest thou not remember how y^• famous & solēne feast day,Coloss. 2.Col 2 wherein he did triūphe ouer death, when he spoiled principalities & powers, and made a shewe of them openly, triumphing ouer them in his ovvne person, wherein thou thy selfe with thy mates dydst reioyce by the space of two dayes, was erected to vsus for a perpetuall monument of eternall ioye and freedome? At the very naming wher…of, the whole rabble of thy adherentes do tr…ble and quake for feare.Philip… 2Phil 2 Doest thou not acknowledge now at the length, y^• glorious name y^t was gyuen him aboue al names, the power whereof thou doest feele now and then among, to thy great griefe? and whereunto all the furies of hell confederats of thy malice are compelled to yeelde maugre their teeth? Doth not this victorious conquerour by contrary enterchaunge of tymes, treade downe thy cowardise deseruedly, as saying thus,Ose. 13.Hos 13 Death where is thy sting? Death where is thy victorie? And what auaileth thee being altogether vanquished, aud brought into thralldome, to kicke against the conqueror, inciting & prouoking the Pharises & kings of the Gentiles, so furiously to rage agaynst the godly Martyres? Goe to, and what hast thou wonne by their imprisonmēts, chaynes, stoning to death, scourgings, tormētings by fiery enflamed plates, tortures and rackings, burning, broylinges and skorchinges, by all kindes of horror and crueltie, and by so many their slaughters? I will tell thee. Thou hast confirmed the faith of Christ, thou hast established & enlarged the kingdome of Christ, and hast heaped vponupon thy selfe and thy broode double tormentes of vnquencheable flames. And heerein we are somewhat beho…ing to thee, for that through this deadly madnes, it commeth to passe, that throughout the whole worlde, the name of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesu Christ is magnified and renowmed, and also because thou ceasest not to lye in wayte against his heele dayly as yet: but he that is in heauen doeth skorne at thy malicious deuises, he derydeth thy subtill sleyghtes, that hath skill to conuert thy despite and outrage to the benefit of his elect, and to the glorious encrease of their eternall felicitie.

But I returne to the prophets againe, out of eueryevery of whome I do not purpose to sette downe all that they wryte touching my purpose: but I will giuegive you a taste of a fewe speciall sentences, taken out of an infinite nomber skatteringly here and there, and wil gather them together to f…t our present matter: that ye shall neyther be able with shifte or cauillation whatsoeuer, to delude the manifest proofes concerning Christ Iesu our Lord, vnlesse you disclaime wholy from your owne prophetes: nor yet allowe of your pr… phets, vnlesse you do admit withal our sauior Iesu Christ. Amongst whom, (because I wil not be long) to omit the notable prophecies of Ezechiel, very much auaylable to this our discourse, wherin he foretelleth of the returne of the dispersed Iewes, frō Babylon to their owne citie, and the seconde buylding vp of their temple, which from thenceforth shoul… stande vnshaken, and neuer peryshe any more, nor be molested by any inuasion of the enemie. For euen to that effect doth the prophete treate very largely, in the xxviii. of his prophecie, saying:Ezech. 28.Ezek 28 And they shall dwell in their lād with all securitie, & they shal buyld houses, & shal plant vineyards, & shall inhabit the land confidently, when I shal execute iudgement against all thē, that shal stand against them rounde about them. &c. And againe in the 34. chapter thus he sayeth:Cap. 34. And they shalbe safe in their lande, & they shall no more be spoyled of the heathen, neither shall the beasts of the lande deuoure them, but they shall dwell confidently, and none shall make them afrayde. And I will rayse vp for them a plant of renowme. And they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, neyther beare the reproche of the Heathen any more, &c. And in his xxxvi. chapter, speaking to the mountaines of Israel:Ezech. 36.Ezek 36 And I wyll bryng my people agayne, (sayeth he) vntounto them: and you shall bee theyr inheritaunce, and they shall possesse you. Thou shalt not waste thy people from hencefoorth. And I wyll cause no more to heare in thee the shame of the Heathen any waye: neyther shalt thou beare the reproche of the people any more. &c. And immediately in the chapter next ensuyng:Cap. 37. And they shall be no more two people, neyther be deuided any more from hencefoorth into kingdomes: neyther shall they be polluted any more with their Idolles, nor with any of their transgressions: But they shall dwell vponupon their lande them selues, euen their sonnes, and their sonnes sonnes for euer. And my seruaunt Dauid shall be theyr Prince for euer. And I wyll make a couenaunt of peace with them, it shall be an euerlastyng couenaunt with them. And I wyll multyplye them, and wyll place my Sanctuarie among them for euermore. And in an other chapter a lyttle before:Cap. 36. And I wyll call for corne, and I will encrease it, and laye no famine vponupon you. &c. Nowe considering and conferring with this, the great famine that not long after ensued, the citie beeyng besieged by the Romanes, when as mothers were enforced through famine to slay their suckling babes, yea & the citie besides were almost starued & pyned vp with hunger, I can not see how that saying can be verified, vnlesse you vnderstand it, as hauing relation to the spirituall kingdome of Israel, and not to the carnall.

But to passe ouer these, because we shal not be able to stande vponupon all their testimonyes spoken to this effect, (as I hauehave sayde before) we wyll proceede to others. And first let vsus consider the place taken out of the ix. chapter of Daniel his prophecie, because it fitteth this purpose more notably, then any other: where the heauenly Prophete doeth in fewe woordes comprehende the whole estate of your common weale, from your returne out of the Babylonicall captiuitie, euen to the vttermost poynt of your desolation, describing withal in the same chapter, the death of the Messhias, the ende and consummation of sinne, together with the vtter abolishment of the obseruances and sacrifices of the ceremonial Law, by such special markes & tokēs so euidētly, that it can by no meanes possible be gainsayde. Wherefore let vsus with good aduise ponder the words of the prophet, & with no lesse diligēce, thē the matter requireth. For in this wise the Angel Gabriel doth cal vponupon Daniel, whiles he was praying, and speaketh the wordes ensuing.

At the beginning of thy supplications, Dan. 9.Dan 9(sayth he) the commandement came forth. And I am come to shewe thee, for thou art greatly beloued. Therefore vnderstande the matter, and consider the vision. Seuentie weekes are shortened, (or determined) vponupon thy people, and vponupon thy holy citie, to finish the wickednes, & to seale vp the sinnes, & to recōcile the iniquitie, & to bring in the righteousnes of the worlde to come, (or euerlasting) & to seale vp the vision, & the prophet (or prophecie) & to annoynt the most holy, (or the holines of the sanctified.) And thou shalt knowe and vnderstand, that from the going foorthe of the commaundement, to bryng agayne the people, and to buylde Ierusalem, vntounto Meschias the Prince, shalbe seuen weekes, and three score and two weekes. And the streetes, and the wall (or trenches) shalbe buylt againe in the streights of times. And after three score and two weekes shall Meschias be slayne, (annoynted) & shal hauehave nothing, (shalbe bereft of his life.) And the people of the Prince that shall come, (comming) shall destroy the citie, and the Sanctuarie, and the ende thereof shalbe in (with) a flood: and to the end of the battel the desolation shalbe determined (the ende of desolations.) And he shall confirme the couenāt with many for one weeke: & in the mids of the week shal cause to rest (cease) the sacrifice & oblation (Minha.) And vponupon the wyng (or as some saye for the ouerspreading) of the abominations, there shalbe desolation, (he shal make it desolate) euen vntil the consummation determined (determined desolation) shalbe powred vponupon the desolate.

The same after the common translation.

Seuentie weekes shalbe shortened vpō thy people,The commō translation. & vponupon thy holy city, that wickednes may be finished, & sinne may take an end, & iniquitie wiped out, & euerlasting righteousnes may be brought in, & the vision & prophecie may be fulfilled, and the holy of holy ones may be annoynted. Know therefore & vnderstand, that from the going forth of the commandemēt, that Ierusalem shalbe buylded againe, euen to Christ the prince seuen weekes, & three score two weeks shalbe. And the streets shalbe builded againe, & the wals in straitnes of times. And after three score two weeks shall Christ be slayne, & that shal not be his people which will deny him. And the people with the prince that shall come, shal destroy the citie & the Sanctuary, & the end shalbe destruction, & after the end of the warre determined desolation. But he shal cō firme his couenant to many in one weeke, & in the mids of the weeke the offring & sacrifice shal cease, & there shalbe in the Temple abomination of desolation, and euen to the consummation and ende shal the desolation continue.

Munster his translation.

Seuentie weekes are determined vponupon thy people,The translation of M…nster. and vponupon thy holy hill, to finishe wickednes, and seale vp sinnes, and to clense iniquitie, and to bring in the righteousnesse of the worlds, to seale the vision & the prophet, and to annoynt the holy of holy ones. And thou shalt know & consider from the going out of the commandement, for therepayring and buylding againe of Ierusalem vntounto Messhias the prince, shalbe seuen weekes & three score two weekes, but the street shalbe restored and buylded againe, & the trenche, but in strayghtes of tymes. And after three score two weeks, shall the annoynted be cut of, & nothing shalbe of him. And the people of the Prince comming, shall destroye the citie, and the Sanctuarie, and the ende thereof shalbe in ouerflowing, and to the end of the battell determined desolation. And he shall make strong a couenant with many for one vveeke, and in the myddes of the vveeke he shall make to cease the sacrifice, and the offring Minha. And for the ouerspreading of abominations shalbe desolation, and to the consummation & determined banishment shall be povvred vponupon (the people) vvhichwhich is subiect to desolation.

The translation of Pagninus and Vatablus.

Seuentie vveeks are cut of vponupon thy people, & vpō thy holy citie, to finish vvickednes, to consume sinne, & to purge iniquitie, & to bring in the righteousnes of the vvorldes, & to finish the vision, & the prophet, and to annoint the holy of the holy. Knovv therfore & vnderstand, that from the going forth of the commaundement, for the bringing backe of the people, and the buylding of Ierusalem vntounto Christ the prince, shalbe seuen weekes, and threescore two weekes, and he shal come againe, and the streete and the wall shall bee builded againe in the streightes of times. But after threescore two weekes, Christ shalbe cut of, and there shalbe none (to helpe him) and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroye the citie and Sanctuarie, and the ende thereof with a floode, and to the ende of the battell it shalbe cut of with desolations. And he shall strengthen a couenant with many one weeke, and in the mids of the weeke he shall cause to cease the sacrifice and oblation, and for the ouerspreading of abomination, he shall make desolate vntill the consummation, and (truely) being cut of shalbe powred vponupon the wonderer.

Caluines translation.

Seuentie weekes are finished vponupon thy people and vponupon thy holy citie, to shut vp wickednes, & to seale vp sinne, and to purge iniquity, & to bring in euerlasting righteousnes, and to seale vp the vision and the prophesie, and to anoynt the holie of holie ones. Thou shalt therefore knowe and vnderstand, from the going out of the commaundement of the returne and buylding againe of Ierusalem vntounto Christ the prince, to bee threescore two weekes, and (the people) shalbe brought againe. And the streete and the wall shalbe buylded againe, and that in the streightes of tymes. And after threescore two weekes, Christ shalbe cut of, & shalbe nothing. And the people of the prince comming shall destroye the citie and the Sanctuarie, and the end thereof shalbe with a flood. And to the end of the battell determination of desolations. And hee shall strengthen a couenaunt with manie for a weeke, and in the middes of the weeke, he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to rest, and ouer the destruction or ouerspreading shal be amazed, (or cause to be amazed) & at the end and determination shall powre out vponupon the amazed.

Melancthons translation.

Seuentie weekes are cut of vponupon thy people, and vponupon thy holie citie. And iniquitie shalbe purged, and euerlasting righteousnes shall come. And the prophesie, and the vision shalbe sealed, and the holie of holie ones shalbe anoynted. And thou shalt knowe, and vnderstand from the going forth of the cō maundement, and the restoring and buylding againe of Ierusalem vntounto Christ the prince in seuen weekes, and in seuentie two weekes. And the streete and wall shalbe builded againe in the streightes of times. And after threescore two weekes Christ shalbe cut of, and there shalbe no people for him. And the people of the prince comming shall destroye the citie, and the Sanctuarie. And the end thereof shalbe a flood. And to the ende of the battell may be finished as though an appointed desolation or banishment. And he shall confirme a couenant, euen as a testament to manie for one weeke, and in the middes of the weeke hee shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. And vponupon the wing, the abomination of desolation, and vntounto the determined consummation shall powre out vponupon the desolation. And vponupon the wing shalbe abomination of desolation.