The Old Faith an Evident Probation out of the Holy Scripture, Tract · Part 8
☞ All holy Prophetes do poynte vntounto Chriſt, and preache ſaluacion onelyonly in hym.
SOmwhat yet wyll we nowe declare farther co…ernynge the tymes of the kynges of Juda and Iſraell, whych in a maner were euen as the tymes of the Judges of Iſraell. For lyke as in the fyrſt yeares of Joſue, god gaue great victory and honoure, and afterwarde …eſt and peace. Euen ſo were the Iſraelytes very victorious and tryumphant vnderunder Dauid, & had great reſte and peace vnderunder Salomon But lyke as after the death ofThe departyng of Iſrae▪ frō Juda. Joſue the honour of Iſrael decreaced and the departynge away from God folowed wyth one perſecutiō vpō another (though in the meane tyme they had peace and delyuerers, as Othoniel, Ehud, Barack, Gedeō. Jephthae, Sampſon. &c.) Euē ſo dyd the worſhyppe of Iſraell decreace after Salomons tyme. For the ten …ryb…s of Iſrael fell awaye from the houſe of Dauid, only Juda and Ben Jamin helde Salomons ſonne Roboam for theyr kynge: the other made Hieroboam kynge. And ſo of one kyngdom were made two, the kingdome of Iſrael, and the kingdom of Juda. The kyngdome of Iſraell (thorow the perſuaſiō of Hieroboam) choſe them another maner of ſeruynge God. Not that they vtterlye denye and refuſed the God of theyr fathers, but they ſerued him after a ſtraung heytheniſh maner of theyr owne ymagenyng. But afterward they fell the longer the more and farther in to groſſe ydolatrye, ſo longe, tyll the Lorde ſuffered them to be roted out and cary…d away by the kynge of the Aſſprians, and ſcatred abrode among all the Heythen. The kyngdome and the kynges of Juda were ſomwhat better, howbeit they had ſome alſo whych excelled the kynges of Iſraell and of the Heythen in vngodlyneſſe. For they lykewyſe went forth ſo longe in vnryghteouſneſſe, tyll Nabugodonoſor the kyng roted them oute, and caryed them awaye vntounto Babilon. But afore, we ſe that there was a wonderfull combraunce in the eyuyll police and in the religion Sometyme was all ryghteouſneſſe and true relygion oppreſt, and violence and ydolatrye vſed. Somtyme gat ryghteouſnes vp againe, & the ryght true fayth had y• victory all vnryght and ydolatrye beynge put downe. Thys came to pas alſo in Iſraell vnderunder Helyas and kyng Jehu. Yet was the ydolatrieKynge Jehu. and wronge rather punyſſhed▪ then any amendement folowynge. Lyke as it came alſo to pas after the byrth of Chriſt that there were vertuous kynges & Emperours, whych (accordyng to the prophe …ye of Eſaye in the .xlix. Chapter) dyd all ryghte ouſneſſe ſet vp the fayth of Chriſt and put downe all yd latrye. Agayne, there came other that ſ…t vp all vnryghteouſneſſe & ydolatrye, perſecuted the trueth and at the laſte receyued theyr reward cō uenīet. So wayghtie a matter is it to hauehave good or euell rulers.
But in theſe wonderfull alterations,God alwaies ſen deth hys prophetes and thorowe out all the tyme of theſe gouernaunces of both the kyngdomes, God alway ſente hys ſeruauntes the holy prophetes, …o rebuke wronge and ydolatrye, and to teache all ryghteouſneſſe and true ſeruyng of God. And fyrſt after the tyme of Dauid and Salomon (vnderunder whome ther was a great multitude of lerned and holy prophetes. For Dauid alſo and Salomon were excellently endewed wyth the ſprete of wyſdome and prophe…ie aboue other mē) theſe were the chefe, mooſte famous, and oldeſt prophetes, of whom the byble maketh mencion wyth worſhyppe: Semeias, whyche lyued vnderunder Roboam kyng of Juda, Ah…as the Si…onyte vnd…r Hieroboam, …zari…s the ſonne of Obed, whyche lyued vnderunder Aſa kyng of Juda, & Jehu the ſonne of Anany, whom Baaſa the kyng of Iſrael ſl…w. Helias the great prophet and Miche as the ſon of J…mla, lyued vnderunder Achab and Joſaphat.
Now lyke as in the tyme of …au… there was a great nombre of lerned men, …uen ſo teſtifieth the ſeconde boke of the Cronicles in the .xvii. chapter that in the tyme of Joſaphat there were many lerned Leuites and Prophetes. Heliſ…us was in the tyme of kyng J…hu, and zacharias the ſonne of Jo…ada was vnderunder Joas, vnderunder whome alſo he was ſtoned. Neuerth…s we hauehave no bokes wrytten an… ſet forthe by theſe, OnelyOnly we hauehave the prophecie of Abdia…, whyche wrote his prophecie vnderunder Achab. Afterward vnderunder Uſia Jothā Achas and Ezec…ias kynges of Juda lyued the mooſt parte of thē, whoſe bokes are abrode. For vnderunder theſe preached and wrote …onas, Oſeas, Iſaias, Johel, Nahū, Amos, & Micheas. Afterward vnderunder kynge Manaſſes, wrote Abacuk. Under the holy kyng Joſias, wrote Sophonias Ba…uch and Hieremye: in whoſe dayes Iſraell had ſuche myſtortune, that Hyeruſalem wyth the temple was deſtroyed: and the p…ople that remained ouer and peryſhed not, were caried awaye captyue in to Babylon. In the ſame Captyui…e dyd Ezech…el and Daniell wryte theyr prophecies. And after the captiuite whan Iſrael was delyuered agayne, and came home to Hyeruſalem, then preached and wrote Eſdras. Haggeus, zacharias, Malachias and Nehemias. Beſyde theſe Prophrtes no doute there were other moo, of whom no mencyon is made. But theſe are the thefe, by woome it pleaſed God to open vntounto vsus, all that apperteyneth to our ſalu…ion. And though we had alſo the wrytynges of the oth…r▪ yet ſhoulde …e r…ade no other thynge in them, then we fynde in oure owne Prophetes, for aſmuche as theſe whome we hauehave, agree ſo together all in one.
Now whether they be our own prophetes▪ The prophetes preached …he olde …ayth.whoſe writīges we hauehave, or the other whoſe wrytinges we hauehave not. Yet hauehave they all preached the ſūme of the doctrine and knowlege the …ayth, that we ſpake of afore, & wrote in one ſumm…, whych fayth Adam, Noe, Abrahā, Moſ…s, and Dauid had. And thys dyd they the more euidētly, becauſe they apply…d thē ſelues to opē the lawe, and to dryue awaye the myſvnderſtandynge, whyche was ryſen vp among and in the people: therfore poynte they eueryevery where frō the letter vntounto the ſprete, frō y• outward ſacrifice vntounto chriſt Jeſus from all ydola…rye vntounto the onelyonly God, whyche ſaueth vsus thorow hys mercy only in the bleſſed ſede, & horowe none of oure deſeruinges. This dyd Paul ſe, & therfore ſayde he. Roma. iii. Thorowe the workes of the law ſhall no man be iuſtified in the ſyght of god, For thorow the law cōmethThe lawe & the prophetes alowe the righteouſnes of god that commeth by fayth. the knowlege of ſynne. But nowe is the ryghteouſ…es of God declared wythoute the lawe, for as muche as it is alowed by the …eſtimo…y of the law & the Prophetes. The ryghteouſnes of God cōmeth by the fay…h of Jeſus Chriſt, vntounto al, and vpō al thē that beleue. So ſayeth Peter alſo in th… ▪ … ▪ of the Actes. All the prophetes from Samuell. & thence forth (as many as hauehave ſpoken) hauehave tolde of th…ſe dayes. And in the. … ▪ chapter. …o…hys Jeſus Chriſt geue all the prophetes wi…nes, that whoſoeuer beleueth in hym, ſhall thorowe hys name recyeue forg…uen…ſſe of ſynnes.
Who ſo now is lerned in the wrytynges of the Prophetes, knoweth well, that there is nothyng red concernyng the Lord in the new Teſtament, whych the prophetes hauehave not prophecyed of afore. He that is then any thynge iuſtructe in the Prophetes, hathe no doute conſydred thys in the new teſtamēt, that the apoſtles proue all theyr doctrine of the Lorde Jeſu, out of the lawe and the Prophetes. Yea that the Lord hym ſelfe confyrmeth hys owne doynges wyth the ſcriptures of the prophetes, and that the Euāgeliſtes thorow out the holy goſpell, ſet vntounto the doctrine and miracles of Chriſt, theſe wordes. And this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was ſpoken dy the prophetes. Neuertheles for theyr ſakes that are not yet inſtructe, I wyll nowe declare the principall articles of our Lord Jeſu Chriſt, out of the holy prophetes.
As touchyng the true godheade & manhode of oure Lorde Jeſu Chriſt, and thatThe godhead and manhode of Chriſt. he ſhulde be borne at Bethleē in the lande of Jewrye, of a pure virgin and maide out of the kynred of Dauid, the Prophetes teſtifie after thys maner. Eſaye in the. v…i. Chapter …ayeth. Beholde a virgin ſhall conceaue and beare a ſonne, and ſhall call hys name Emanuell, that is to ſaye. God wyth vsus. Micheas ſaieth in the .v. chapter Though thou Bethleem Ephrata arte to ſmall to be rekened amonge the pryncypall cyties of Juda, yet oute of the ſhall there come one vntounto me, whych ſhalbe ruler in Iſraell, whoſe forth goyng is from euerlaſtynge. In the nynth Chapter of Eſaye it is wrytten. Unto vsus is a chylde borne, and to vsus is geuen a ſonne, vppon whoſe ſhulders the kyngdome ſhall lye, and he ſhalbe called after hys own name euen the wondefull counſaill geuer, the myghty one of Iſrael, the eternall father, the Prince of peace, hys kyngdome ſhall increace, and of hys peace there ſhalbe no ende, and he ſhall reigne vppon the ſeate of Dauid hys father. In the. xxiii of Hieremy it is wrytten thus. Beholde, the tymeThe righteous bloſſome. commeth (ſayth the Lorde) that I wyl tay…e vp the ryghteous bloſſome of Dauid: he ſhall be kyng and reygne, and proſpere: iudgemente and ryghteouſneſſe ſhall he e…cute vponupon earth. In thys tyme ſhall Juda be ſaued, and Iſraell ſhall dwell wythoute feare: & thys is the name wherwythe he ſhall be named, euen God oure ryghteouſnes.
Concernynge the commynge of John the baptiſt w…ych was the fore runner of oure Lorde Chriſt, and prepared the people for hym. Hath Malachy wryttē in the thyrde chapter after thys maner. BeholdeJohn baptiſte. I wyll ſende my meſſaunger, whych ſhall prepare the waye before me: and the Lord whome ye longe for, ſhall ſhortly come to hys temple, and the meſſaunger of the couenaunt whome y… wolde hauehave. Beholde, he commeth ſayeth the Lord zebaoth. And after warde. Beholde, I wyll ſende Helias the Prophete afore the commynge of the greate and fearefull Daye of the Lorde.
Of Chriſtes preachynge, of the grace of God, of the forgeuing of ſynnes of the wonders alſo and tokens of the Lorde, ſpeaketh. Eſaye in the. l…i. Chapter afterThe office of Chriſt. thys maner. The ſpirite of the Lorde god is vponupon me, and therfore hath the Lorde anoynted me, to preache the Goſpel to the meke harted hath he ſente me, to heale the broken harted, to preache delyueraunce to the captyue, to open the pryſon to ſuche as are in bondes, to proclame the yeare of Gods gracyous wyll, and to brynge conſolation to all them that are in heuynes. In the .xxxiiii. chapter of Ezechiell it is wrytten thus. Ouer my ſhepe wyll IChriſte is called Dauid. rayſe vp one onelyonly ſhepherde, whych ſhall fede thē, evē Dauid my ſeruaunt, whych ſhall fede them, and he ſhalbe theyr ſhepherde. I the Lorde alſo wyll be theyr God and Dauid ſhalbe theyr prince, euen I the Lorde hauehave ſpoken it. In the .xxxv. Cha. of Eſaye it is wrytten thus. Saye vntounto them that are of a feble hart. Be ſtrongeThe miracles of Chriſte. and feare not, beholde, oure god commeth to take vengeaūce, & reward. God cōmeth hym ſelfe, & wyll delyuer you. Then ſhall the eyes of the blynde be opened. &c.
Then ſhall the lame man leape as an hert and the tonge of the Domne ſhall geue prayſe.
Of the kyngdom of Chriſt, in the which he hym ſelfe alone is kynge, all the world beynge ſubiecte vntounto hym, declarynge hys dominion and royall maieſtye, wrytteth Eſaye thus in the ſeconde Chapter. And it ſhall come to paſſe in the laſt tyme, that the hyll of the houſe of the Lorde ſhall be exalted vponupon the hyght of mountaynes aboue all litſ… hylles, and all nacions ſhall come together vntounto hym, the people ſhall go to him, and ſaye: Come let vsus go vp to the mount of the Lorde, euen to the houſe of the God of Jacob, that he maye ſhew vsus hys waye, and we wyll walke in hys pathes. For the lawe ſhall come forth frō Sion, and the worde of God from Hieruſalem. In the .vii. of Daniel it is writtē thus: I ſawe a / viſion in the nyght, and beholde there came one in the cloudes of heauen like the ſonne of man, which came to the olde aged, and they brought hymThe kingdome of Chriſt. before hys preſence. And he gaue hym power, glorie, and the kyngdome, and all people, nacions and tonges muſt ſerue him: his power is an euerlaſtyng power, which ſhall not be taken from hys, & hys kyngdome ſhall not periſhe. Eſaye ſayeth in the .ixii. capter: And the Heythen ſhall ſe thy righteouſneſſe, & all kynges thyne honoure, and he ſhall call the by a newe name (O Syon) and the mou…h of God ſhall geue the name. And thou ſhalt be a crowne of glorye in the hand of the Lorde, and a royall crowne of the kyngdome in the hand of thy God. And ſoone after it folowethe: Make ready, make ready the waye, gather vp the ſtones out of the ſtrete, and hang out the banner vntounto the people: beholde the Lorde hath cauſed it to be proclamed vntounto the ende of the worlde Tell the daughter Syon: beholde the ſauyoure commeth, lo, his treaſure and his rewarde bringeth he with him, & his dedes, go before him. And they that are redemed of the Lord, ſhalbe called the holy people. zachary ſayeth in the .ix. chap. Reioyce O daughter Siō, be glad O daughter Hieruſalem: beholde, thy kyng cōmeth vntounto the, euen the righteous and ſauyoure: meke and ſymple is he, he rydeth vponupon an aſſe, & vponupon a yong colt of the ſhe aſſe. He ſhal preach peace vntounto the Hevthen, his kyngdome alſo ſhall reach from the one ſee to the other, & from the ryuer vntounto the vttermoſt parte of the erthe.
Of the death and paſſion of Chriſt ſpeaketh Daniel in the .ix. chapter afterThe deth of Chriſt. this maner. And after two and ſixtye wekes ſhall Chriſt be ſlayn & put to death and yet ſhall they hauehave no true teſtimonye, that he is giltye of death. Eſaye in the .l. chapter ſayeth thus, The Lorde God opened myne eare, and I refuſed it not, nether wente I bacwarde, I gaue my body to the ſmiters, and my chekes to the nyppers, and my face hauehave I not turned from theyr ſhamefull intreatinge and ſpittynge vponupon me. The Lorde God alſo ſhall help me, therfore ſhall I not be confounded. And therfore hauehave I hardened my face lyke a flynt ſtone, and am ſure, that I ſhall not be confounded. In the liii. chapter there is writtē of Chriſt after this maner, He ſhall hauehave nether bewtye ner fayrneſſe, we ſhall loke vponupon him, but we ſhall hauehave no deſyre vntounto hym.
He is deſpyſed and contēned of mē, a mā of trouble, and one that hath had experience of infirmyte. He is ſo deſpyſed, that we ſhall hyde our faces from him. and hauehave hym in no eſtimation. And yet hath he borne oure vnperfectneſſes, and felt oure ſorowes. We alſo thought, that he ſhulde be wounded, ſmy…ten and puniſhed of God. But he was wounded for our ſynnes, and ſlayne for oure wyckedneſſe ſake. And the puniſhment wherby we hauehave peace, is layed vponupon him, and thorow his woundes are we made whole. All we hauehave gone aſtraye lyke ſhepe, eueryevery one of vsus hath had reſpecte vntounto hys owne waye, and the Lorde hath layed all our ſynnes vponupon hym. Uiolence and wrong was done vntounto hym, he hath bene euell. intreated. & yet opened he not his mouth. He ſhall be led as a beeſt to be ſlayen, and as a ſhepe domme before the ſherers, ſo ſhall he not open hys mouth. &c. The whole chapter deſcrybeth all the cauſe of Chriſte ſo clearly, that holy Hierome ſayd not in vayne, Eſaye is not onelyonly a Prophet, but alſo an Euangeliſt, zachary deſcrybethThe ſacrifice of Chriſte. the preſthode and ſacrificie of Chriſt and teſtifieth, that with the ſame onelyonly oblacion he hath opteyned grace for all ſynnes, and therfore ſeuē (that is to ſaye, all) eyes ſhall hauehave reſpecte vntounto him, and ſhall ſeke peace & reſt of theyr conſciences in hym, and ſhall fynde it. Heare nowe O Joſue thou hye preſt, thou and thy cō panyons, that ſyt before the, ſeynge ye are mē of enſamples. For lo, I wil bring…acha. iii. my ſeruaūt, euē the bloſſome. For beholde the ſtone whiche I hauehave layed before Joſue, wyll I brynge, To the ſame onelyonly ſtone ſhall ſeuē eyes loke. Beholde, I wyll dyg it vp and dſſcloſe it, ſayeth the Lorde zabaoth, and the ſynne of the erth wyll I take awaye in one daye. And in that daye ſhall eueryevery man call hys neghboure vnderunder hys vyne and fyg…tre.
The buryall and reſurrection of oureThe buryall & reſurrection of Chriſt. Lord Jeſu Chriſt, hath the prophet Jonas figured very excellently. For thus ſayeth oure Lorde Chriſt hym ſelfe: Lyke as Jonas was thre dayes and thre nyghtes in the whalles belye, ſo ſhall the ſonne of man be thre dayes and thre nightes in the hert of the erthe.
Of the aſcenſion of Jeſu Chriſt and ſendynge of the holy gooſte, hath Joel alſoThe aſcē ſion. written in the .ii. chapter, and it is alledged of S. Peter. Act. ii. Of the callynge & gathering together the Heythen, and ofThe vocatiō of the Heithen. eueryevery thynge pertaynynge, to the holy church, doth Eſay wryte in the .xlix. chap. and ſo forth to the ende of his prophecye.
Thus haſt thou, that the prophetes alſo in their tyme, dyd preach Jeſus Chriſte, & poynted not the people to truſte vntounto the workes of the law & their own deſeruing but vntounto chriſt, of whome they prophecied eueryevery thinge that folowed after. Therfore dyd Peter ſpeake right .i. Pet. i. ſayenge:
Ye ſhall receaue the ende of your fayth: euen the ſaluacion of your ſoules. After which ſaluacion hauehave the prophetes enquyredThe prophetes ſoughte ſaluacion in Chriſt. and ſearched, whiche prophecyed of the grace that ſhulde come vntounto you, ſearchinge whan or what tyme the ſprete of Chriſt (which was in them) ſhuld ſignifye: which ſprete teſtified before the paſſions that ſhuld happen vntounto Chriſt, and the glory that ſhulde folowe after. Unto the which prophetes it was alſo declared that not vntounto them ſelues onelyonly, but vntounto vsus they ſhuld miniſtre the thynges, which are now ſhewed vntounto you, by them which hauehave preached vntounto you the goſpel thorow the holy gooſt, that was ſen…e vntounto them from heauen. &c. In the which teſtimony the holy Apoſtle Peter had a ſpeciall reſpecte to the prophecye of Daniel: whiche dyd not onelyonly recorde the paſſion & glory of Chriſt, but alſo poynted to the tyme, in the which Chriſt ſhuld come. For lyke as God in the greateſt parels, daungers and alteracions, hath alwaye renewed & more clearly expreſſed hys promes conceruyng the bleſſed ſede: as in the tyme of Noe, whan the worlde was deſtroyed: in the tyme of Abraham, whan God wolde prepare hym ſelfe a new people, in the tyme of Moſes, whā God receaued his people and caryed them out of Egipte, to bringe them in to the lande of Canaan, in the tyme of Dauid, whan all thynges ſtode ſo well, and it muſt nedes be auoyded, leſte any man ſhulde thynke Dauid were the bleſſed ſede, Before the captiuite of Babylon alſo, and in the tyme of the prophetes which (as it is ſayde afore) preached and wrote, that no man ſhulde doute in gods promes, as who ſaye they were geuen vp and caſt a waye, though the temple were broken, the cytye brent, & though the people (of whome Chriſt ſhuld be borne) were led awaye in to captiuite. Euen ſo nowe alſo in the captiuite: whan the faythfull might all mooſt hauehave thought, that the promes of God concernynge Meſſia, were cleane gone, Euen than dyd God ſhewe hys ſeruaunt Daniel a more cleare viſion of Chriſt, after thys maner, The peopleA prophecye tolde vntounto Daniell. ſhalbe let go agayne out of captiuite, and ſhall come home to Hieruſalē, buylde the temple and cytie agayne, but with a ſore tyme. And after that the cytye is buylded, vntounto the tyme of Chriſte, ſhall be .lxix. wekes, that is c. x…viii. & .iii. yeares. And euen ſo was it from the. xxx…i. yeare of Darius Hiſtaſpis or Artaxerres (in the whiche the cytie was buylded, N…hemie. v.) vntyl the .xlii. yeare of the empire of Auguſtus, vnderunder whome Chriſt was borne. Luce. ii. The aungel alſo gaue Daniel farther in formacion of Chriſt, how that hys owne people ſhulde ſlaye hym, & fynde no fault in hym, and howe that the ſacrifice with the ceremonies ſhuld ceaſſe. And a ſtraūg people (ſaieth he) ſhall come from farre, & make the temple with the citte an horrible abhominacion▪ yee they ſhall deſtroye and breake downe altogether. All whiche thinges were afterward fulfylled in the laſt wekes, that is, within .c. vii. yeares or there about. For within .c. iii. yeares dyd Lorde growe to teach & to ſuffre. For whā he was .xxx. yeare olde, I hō baptiſed him Afterward within .iii. yeares was he put to death, & ſo within .xl. yeares folowed the deſtruction of Hieruſalē by Tytus & U…ſpaſian. All the tyme now & yeares frō The nombre of the yeares.the captiuite of Babilō to Chriſtes birth are. 626. yeares. For the captiuite of Babilō endured .lxx. yeares. In the firſte yeare of Cirus were they delyuered, in the ſecond yeare beganne they to buylde the tē ple, and buylded. 46. yeares, …ē vntyll the vi. yeare of Darius. In the. 32. yeare of Darius was the citie fyniſhed: which maketh. 143. yeare: Adde now hereto the. 483 yeares out of Daniel, & thou haſt the foreſaid ſumme euen. 626. yeares.
In the ſayd yeares had oure holy fayth ſore conflictes, and the ſede of the ſerpent preaſſed ſore vponupon the ſede of God, as the Babilonians at Babilon, and the Perfians, whan the people of God was come home agayne Neuertheles the trueth had euer the victory, & was the more clearly teſtified by Daniel, Haggeus, zachary, Eſdras, N…h…mias, & Malachy. Afterwarde were they ſpecially oppreſt bi the vngodlyAntiochꝰ. kyng Antiochꝰ in the tyme of the Macha bees: Whan as the tymes were euer the longer the more full of parels & aduerſite vntyll Aulus Gabinus, Pōpeius & Craſſus captaynes of Rome cōquered the lād, & the true olde religion was vtterley gone in ſo moch that out of the olde ſerpēt there aroſe in Iſrael all maner of ſec…es & Symonye, whome oure Lorde Jeſus Chriſt with his commyng in the world reſiſted, and called them the ſerpentes generacion, as the holy Euangeliſtes teſtifye. NotGod had euer ſome vertuous men. witſtandyng in the myddes of ſuch miſchefe in Iſraell, there were alſo godly vertuous people, which ſought God and hys anoynted (though the erroure was greate) Amonge whom no doute was ſpecially the Preſt zacharias the father of Jhon Baptyſt Elizabeth his wyfe, and godly Simeon Whan zacharias had knowlege of the Lordes commynge, he ſayde with a ioyful hert, Prayſed be the Lorde God…achay. of Iſraell, for he hath viſited and delyuered his people, and ſet vp the horne of ſaluacion in the houſe of Dauid his ſeruaūt accordynge as he had promiſed afore by the mouth of holy prophetes. &c. For his wordes are red. Lu, i. Simeon when he ſawe the childe Jeſus in the temple, andSymeon had taken him in hys armes, he ſayd.
Now Lord let me dye in peace, according to thy worde. For myne eyes hauehave ſene thy ſauyoure, whom thou haſt prepared before the face of all people, that he myght be a lighte to geue light vntounto the Heythen, and the glorye of thy people Iſrael. Luc. i lo, thus the hertes of all righteous in the olde Teſſament from Adam vntounto Chriſt, (euen. 3974. yeares) hauehave ſtande onelyonly vponupon Chriſt, in him was their comforte, vponupon hym they truſted, it was he whom they longed for, and in Chriſt Jeſu were they ſaued. Therfore hath oure Chriſten fayth endured ſens the begynnyng of the worlde and is, and continueth ſtyll the onelyonly true olde, vndoubted & faſt grounded faith.