Exposition of Isaiah 9, Part 10
And his name shal be… …alled Pele, Iogetz, El, Gibbor, Abigud, Sarsalom.
The prophet giueth six names to thys king,Sixe names attributed to the king Christe. which may thus be interpreted out of ye Hebrue: VVonderful, Counsell…r, Strōg, Valiant, alwayes a Father, the prince of Peace. Howbeit thou must not think yt he must be so named or called accordyng to hys person, as we call another by his name. For it shoulde be too long a multiplying of wordes, if as often as he shoulde bee called, these sixe names shoulde bee rehearsed. But they are names which are to be openly reported of him, to be praised and extolled, bycause of hys noble actes, workes and office. For the Hebrewe texte maye be interpreted thus: And his name shal be openly reported &c. for to name, to call, to make opē reporte of, are signified by one word among the Hebrewes: As Dauid is called méeke, hūble, warlike, wise. And by such names are shewed the goodly vertues, the moste excellent déedes, and moste commendable conditions and qualities, by whiche they are known and seuered frō others, whyche kynde of names wee call commonly surnames, whyche are added to the proper name. As there are very many whome their parents hauehave caused to be named Peter: But whē as it is saide thus: Peter the Apostle of Christe who by his death hathe glorified Christe, a surname is giuē vntounto him of his vertue… of his office, of his qualitie or condition. So we may finde many, to whome thys name Iohn is giuen: but if it bee saide, Iohn the Wryter, then hee is called so bycause of hys office: Howbe…t the Hebrewes call aswell by the surname as by the proper name. There are names also of praise, as God is called good, mercifull, the iudge of the miserable, a helper in extreame distresse and trouble, the father of Orphanes, and by many suche names.
Pel…, VVonderfull.
The firste name declareth,VVhat the fi…ste name of this king declareth. how thys king behaueth himself in gouerning hys kingdome, giuing vsus to vnderstand that he worketh so wonderful & ra…e things, that they excéede all reason, nature, and wised…me, neither can be com…rehended by any capacitie of mās wit or vnderstāding. And why so? for that he gouerneth vsus as he was gouerned of the father, yt he might be made as it is saide Psal. 118. The same stone which the builders refused is become the heade stone of the corner, This is the Lordes doing, Hovv and vvherein Christe hath vvonderfullye behaued himselfe.and it is meruellous in oure eies. Was not that a wonderfull thing, that when he would enter into life, hee suffered death? and when he prepared to goe to the glorie of the father, he suffred all reproche, and was moste shamefully fastned on ye Crosse, between .2. théeues? and when he should increase the people, and bring all the worlde vnderunder hys power, euen his own people reuolted from him, so that they did not only deny hym, but betray him, sell hym, deliuer him to death, crucifie and reuile him? Are not these most great and moste wonderfull things? Coulde it séeme possible, that a stone caste down so low, should become the head stone of the corner? And that I may speake at once: There was neuer any thing hearde or séemed more foolish, neuer any thing more vnpossible, neuer any thing more vnlike to come to passe, than that a man whyche suffered death, shoulde not onelye liue, but bee a distributer of life, and a raiser vp of the dead: so that death was subdued to the power of him whom it did slay, and was on the other side slaine of him. Moreouer séemed it not a thing wonderful, that hee shoulde become the king of glorie, whom his own people did forsake, betray, persecute, slay and shamefullye reuile and raile vponupon? And such other as innumerable so vnspeakable wonders there are whiche he hath wroughte, howbeit wee are accustomed to hea…e them daylye, wherevpon it commeth that we doe not wonder or maruell at them For we do not way them with our selues, neyther do earnestly beleeue, otherwise we wold wonder at them without ceassing.Hovve Christ dealeth vvonderfully vvith them that be his. After ye same sort dealeth he with thē yt be his, that is, wt his kingdome. A King of this world doth so rule, that he draweth hys people to himselfe, & remoueth from him straungers or ennimies: but this King quite contrarie leauing his own people the Iewes, receyueth the Gentiles his ennimies, making Iudaisme vtterly decay and come to confusion, and adding to his kingdome the Gentiles throughe the whole worlde. What woulde men saye of that Pr…nce, who hauing forsoken his owne people, should let his enimie come into his countrey, and receiue and entertaine him, and yet notwithstāding woulde alleage that hee did verye wel gouern the common weale? Would they not iudge him beside himselfe, mad, and foolish? as indéede he should be, if he shold gouerne a worldly common weale after this sort. The king Christ moreouer, whome he will iustifie, him he maketh first to acknowledge himselfe a miserable synner: whome hee will endue with wisedome, him he first maketh foolishe: whome he will strengthen, hym he firste maketh weake: whom hee wyll quicken, him he thrusteth into the lawes of death: whome he wil lifte vp to heauen, him he casteth downe to hell, and so in the rest: whom he wil bring to honor, to blessednesse, to high and greate dominiō and rule, him he first bringeth to dishonor, and condemneth him as a slaue, & abiect, and of no estimation. Herevnto is agréeable the saying of our Sauiour: The first shal be laste: He that will be greater, shalbe lesse: he that thinketh to go before shal folow behind. This therfore is a very maruellous & strange king, who is then next, when he is farthest off, and thē farther off, whē he séemeth next.VVhy vve hauehave not the vvonderfull doings of Christe, in gre…t admiration. But yt we do not maruel hereat, it is easye to shew the cause, euen for yt we do not trye it, & are vnexperienced herein: we heare these things daylye, and daylye repeate them in words, vntill we bee cloyed and weary, but we neuer come to déeds. But they yt are exercised in them, do throughlye vnderstand & perceiue how excéeding maruellous they are, & how rightly this king is called wonderful. And in sum, is therfore also wōderful, for that his kingdome & ye gouernment therof consisteth both in afflictiō, & in mortifying ye old Adam, neither wil hee allow of it as good, whatsoeuer ye Adā shal do, know or lern.
Iogetz, Counsellor.
The meaning of the seconde name vvhat it is.How this king assisteth vsus in afflictiō and the Crosse, least we should despayre or perish, the secōd name declareth. And in this assisting of vsus, hee marueilouslye dealeth with vsus. For he doth not so assist vsus as ye world & ye old Adā do, as Christe saieth Ioh. 14. Peace I leaue with you, my Peace I giuegive v…to you: not as the world giueth gi…e I vntounto you. For in the world ye shal hauehave tribulatiō, but in me ye shal hauehave peace. The world doth so assist, that it flieth afflictiō & trouble, or by force defēdeth it self, that it may be preserued from trouble, for it vseth fleshly power ther-against or doth vnwillingly beare that which it is compelled to beare. But Christe leaueth them that be his in trouble,Hovve Christe assisteth and counseleth them that … hys. and assisteth thē by his word without bodyly power or strength as Esay sayeth, Chap. 50. The L…rd God hath giuen me a will learned tong, so that I with wordes can comforte them that are troubled Such words they are wherby we receiue comfort in affliction and trouble. Wherefore Christ is worthilye called a Counsellor So he gaue counsell to his disciples Ioh. 16. Be of good c…e…re, I hauehave ouercome the world. And againe: Le…te not your heart be troubled &…. And al that sermon after his supper at his farewell, what is it else but only coūsels & words ful of cōfort in afflictions? So they yt be Christes do say, yt which is written psal. 16: The Lord hath giuegive me counsel. And, The Lord giueth vnderstanding, &c. That is, in afflictiō & trouble he leaueth me destitute of the aide & helpe of mā, but he doth not leaue me destitute of coūsell & vnderstāding how I ought to behaue my selfe in thē.In the kingdome of Christe counsell & comforte are giuen by the vvorde of God. So then it is that in the kingdom of Christ we are gouerned by ye only word of God, which is of that power, that it is throughly able to giuegive both coūsell & cōfort. Which power no other king hath. For whē they are by ye force of war ouer come, and their land is destroyed, then is leste neither counsell nor comforte. For this is their consolation, whē they hauehave store of goods & treasure, whē they hauehave the superioritie, when their honor and estimation flourisheth. But in the kingdome of Christe then counsell and comfort are best giuen when all things are in …a…nen able case and seeme past recouerie. And here is neede of Faith. For it is the Counsell of Faith, forasmuche as it commeth when there seemes to bee no hope left, so that we do hope only in that which is hi…den from vsus. For who were able to stande, if the Lorde acording to his firste name shoul…e deale so wonderfully with vsus, that we shoulde hauehave nothing, whervnto we might trust. Wherfore it is néedefull that there bee some word at the least lefte, which may minister vntounto vsus counsell and consolation. Wherefore in a sum he is therefore called a Counseller, for that by ye Gospel he comforteth them that be his, beeing oppressed with al kind of tribulation,Christe vvhy he is called a counseller. and destitute of all helpe.
El, Strong.
The word El among ye Hebrues, is attributed to God, & God is oftentimes in many places called El. Whervpon some do resō against Iews, yt Christ is god, and bring forth for …heir proofe this saying of Esay. But the Iews seking here shi…es and meanes to answere, doe def…nde themselues, as I will brieflye declare. Bycause the word El is not in the Scriptures attributed to God alone, neyther of it owne nature signifyeth God, it can not necessarily be concluded, that it oughte in this place to be taken only and sim…ly for God, euen as though God be called good and iuste, it can not thereof be gathered, that these wordes, good and iust, if they be redde anye where in the Scriptures, shoulde, and must of necessitie signifye God, for that both of them are applyed both to God, and also to many other things.
Wherefore for as much as Esay speaketh here of those names, which declare, not the person of Christ, but his office, and the nature of his kingdome, and for that also we ought to hauehave farre more certaine places of Scripture to confirme the diuinitie of Christ, I will not go from the natural signification of the worde,El vvhiche is the third name vvhat it signifyeth properly. but will declare what it signifieth properly. According to the nature therof therfore it signifieth nothing else but power or strength, as i… is manifest Deut. 28. where Moses speaketh of the plague that should come vponupon ye Iews & saith: Ther shalbe no El in thy hāds, which we interpret thus: There shal be no power, no strēgth, no abilitie in thy hands, wherby thou shalt be able to deliuer or defend thy selfe from so great a plague.
His strength therfore declareth, how effectual his counsel is, according as we Germans in ouer natiue spéech ioyne counsel and helpe togither. For where there is counsel alone,Christ addeth povver and strength to his counsel & comfort. there are words only, without any doing. But Christe beside that he doth refresh and comsort vsus by the worde of the Gospell, doeth giuegive vsus power and strength also to belieue it, & firmely to abide & persouer in it, so that at the last we doe ouercome & triumph hauing obtained ye victorie. For this is not the counsel of Christ yt when he hath marueylouslye brought vsus into trouble & affliction, we shold stil remain therin, & stand content with his counsel & word only, loking for nothing else. No he wil not hauehave vsus do so. His counsell & word must be present so long as tentation continueth, that they may vphold and cōfort vsus, least we shold be vtterly cast downe. But at the laste affection must ceasse, & by our patience trouble must be ouercome & ended. Wherof let Paul be an example vntounto thee: How often did he sticke in ye Iawes of ye Lion, that is in al kind of tribulatiō? but by what meanes doth he prouide for himselfe by what meanes doth he cōfort himself? euen by ye counsel & word of God, & at the last passeth through, & obtaineth the victory, as he discribeth at large in the latter Epistle to ye Corinthians. chap. 11. So it may be also yt we shalbe troubled with diuers sorts of tribulatiōs,P…le is the …st name, and signifyeth vvonderful. log t… is the second name & signifieth counseller. one always following another, & many sometimes cōming togither, on while sin, & otherwhile deth, the world and Satan &c. All whiche are works vnderunder Pele. In al these Iogets is at hand, who so comforteth vsus both wyth hys counsell and word, that we are able to beare them.
At the last he bringeth the matter to an ende, and taking away troubles and afflictions, causeth tranquilitie and quietnesse, that we hauing enioyed the victorie may triumphe, as Paule sayeth: Blessed be G…d, 2. Cor. 2.14.which alwayes maketh vsus to triumph in Christ. For he is called strōg, neither can he giuegive counsel and comfort onlye, but is able to helpe also in extreme distresse & trouble. He is of abilitye sufficient, he is endewed with power and strength, he is a rocke, so that euen the gates of Hell are not able to preuayle against vsus.
Gibbort, Valiant.
In moste goodlye order these names followe one an other, and agrée togyther, euen as the case standeth in the kingdome of Christ. For first is the old Adam mortifyed by suffering al kind of affliction and tribulation. Howbeit here is néed of counsel and comfort by ye word: neyther is yet such coūsel & cōfort sufficient, vnlesse there be also power & strength, wherby we maye be able to auoyde perils: and here is the middest of the names. Wherefore it is manifest and playne, that hee hath these thrée names giuen him for our sake, and not bycause of his owne person. And by these thrée names we are gouerned, renewed, preserued and defended. Nowe howe he assayleth and setteth vponupon his enimies,VVhat the fourth name declareth. & how he dealeth with them, the fourth name declareth. For he is the true Prince, he is the true Lorde who hath regarde to his lande and people, prepareth and setteth them in order, and then assayleth the enimy, and amplifyeth the boundes of his Empire. These things againe are done after a wonderful sort, for whatsoeuer is in this king, it muste néedes be all wonderfull, according to the signification of the firste name. He wonderfully slayeth, he wonderfully giueth counsel, and comforteth, he wonderfully helpeth vsus to be conquerours, and to enioy the victorie, al which come vntounto vsus in aff…iction, tribulation, and when strength fayleth vsus. For he is a valiaunt captaine, and expert in warre, yea a puissant and mighty champiō, yet without sworde and warlike weapons, accordyng as Sainct Paule sayth:2. Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mightie through God, It is sayd also Psal. 110. Be thou ruler in the middest of thine enimies. And Psal. 45. Thine arrows are sharp, and the people shal be subdued vntounto thee in the middest among the kings enimies.
The vveapons of Christ.Al which he doth by the holy Gospel. For his sworde, his arrowes and weapons are the Gospell, whereby he breaketh and ouerthroweth al the vnderstāding, wisdome, reason, vertue and holynesse of the world. Is not this a wōderful thing, to vse no weapon but ye word, and without all force of weapon, yea by much suffering and affliction to ouercome the worlde? And not only to ouercome the world, but to defend himselfe, also, and resist the heresies and errors of al whatsoeuer, & at the last to ouerthrow them, & to get the superioritie: which no king in the earth is able to performe for the worde of an earthly king is of lesse force & power, than yt it is able to doe so great things: he must deale by power & strēgth. Herevnto pertayneth yt similitude which is in ye. 11 chap, of Luke, that a strong man possesseth his house in peace vntil a strong…r thā he cōming vpō him, ouercōmeth him,Christ hovv he maketh vvarre and ouercōmeth by the vvord. & taketh away all hys goods, & deuideth ye spoyles. This is that victorious chāpion, of whom Esay foretelleth in this place yt his name shall be Gibbor. Howbeit thus to make war & to obtain ye victorie, is surely both hard and notable. First he toucheth the heart by the word, for he maketh it to be preached, that al works, wisdome and reason of men are nothing else but sin before God. Whereby at once falleth all holynesse, wisdome, power, riches, and whatsoeuer the world hath. For then arrogancie is taken away, & man is cōpelled to despaire of himselfe, & to yéelde himselfe and confesse it to be so. Nowe when the heart dispaireth and is ouercome, howe can a man …efende himselfe, or how shal he fight? But they that are not yet caste downe in m…nde, neyther yet apply themselues to ye gospel, with these this noble champion hath continuall warre by the worde, vntil he eyther ouercome them, or deliuer them to the iudgement of God.
After thys sorte the Apostles dyd boldely fyght and stryke wyth the word of God, there where Sathan wyth hys kyngdome thronged moste, and was moste strong and myghtye, and pluckt awaye not a fewe from hym, so wastyng and destroying hys kyngdome through the whole worlde, as we reade in the Actes of the Apostles, that Paule did wrastle and fyght valiantly with Sathan, and alwayes ouercome. Herevpon he calleth the preachyng of the worde stryuing, wrastlyng and sightyng &c. So doe we Christians at this day, euen vntil the laste daye, that we may deliuer many men from Satā,Christians are in continual vvar vvith Satan & his kingdome. and pul them out of his Iawes. For we count not this sufficient, yt we our selues are holpen, and hauehave obtained strength: but we do also serue ye valiant & mighty chāpion Christ, that he may win many by vsus, & his kingdome may be multiplied. Wherfore a Christian is prepared, yt he is dayly ready to battel, and to fight with the enemye. So that God is euen for this cause called ye God of Zebaoth, that is the god of Hostes, in ye writings of the Prophets. For he is the true captain of war, for his word cā not be idle, he couragiously setteth vponupon Satan and the world, which Sathan not abydyng, doth boldly resist: he rayseth vp heresies and schismes: he stirreth vp the princes & mighty of ye world to fight on his part. Then is there a most fierce conflict and fight, he that is ouercome, is ouercome. But where the word of God is not,VVher the vvord of God is not there Satan raigneth in peace. the war ceasseth, and Satan possesseth hys kingdom in peace as he was wōt before, and there hee remayneth being seauen times worse than before. Mat 12.
Abigad, Alwayes a father.
VVhat is declared by the fi…te & sixt names.The fifte and sixt names declare almost the reward and good that shal come vntounto them which are in the kingdome of Christ. I woulde wyllingly hauehave translated it euerlasting or e ernall father, and I might wel so hauehave done, but it is so, that God the father and not Christe is vsually vnderstood by this name.
Now God the father is therfore called an eternall father, for that he is eternall and liueth for euer in respect of his person and substance: But this king must be therefore called an eternal or euerlasting father, for that he is so bycause of vsus and for our sake, as I hauehave before mentioned, that al these sixe names are attributed vntounto him for our sake, and bycause of his office, not bycause of his persō.VVhy Christ is called an euerlasting father. Wherfore Christ is therfore called an euerlasting father in hys kingdom, for that he doth always, & for euer shew himselfe fatherly to vsus, & bring vsus vp, and nourish vsus as children. I coulde therefore finde no better way whereby to expresse it, than if I shoulde saye. Always a father, for as much as he alwayes & for euer behaueth himself fatherly toward vsus. Howbeit this is true: i… he must shew himselfe a father vntounto vsus for euer, it is necessarie that for himselfe also he liue for euer. For a carnall father, although he behaueth himself fatherly towarde his children, yet he can not doe yt very long, for he must at the last dye, and leaue his children behinde him, wherefore he neyther can be, nor be called, alwayes a father. He may be called a father for a little whyle, for that he is certaine of his life no longer than a momente onelyonly. But this king doth neuer die, neither leaue children behinde him, but kepeth them altogyther before him selfe, that they may enioye euerlasting life with him.Hovv Christ is a father to them that be his. Whereas he is called a father, it giueth vsus to vnderstand, yt hée doth not only bring vp thē that be hys, but doth also nourishe, cloth, instructe and chastise them, and hath a care ouer them, and prepareth for them an inheritāce. Moreouer if they offēd, he doth fatherly correct them, not cast them off, euen as he that is a father according to the flesh, doth bring vp his childe, correcteth him, hath a care ouer him, loueth & kepeth him, & doth not therfore cast hym off, if he be vnclean, scabbed, or otherwise weake. Christe dealeth muche more so with them that be his, and that for euer, here by faith and imperfection, in the world to come by reuelation and perfection. And to be briefe. This name signifieth vntounto vsus that, wherof Paul speaketh Rom. 5. VVe reioyce in tribulations, knowing that trib…lation bringeth forth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. For when as Christiās are throughly exercised with the former names, namely with affliction, consolation, fight and victory against sinne, by al them they obtayne a sure cōfidence in God, that they are the sonnes of God, and shal neuer bee forsaken. Suche hope is the worke and fruite of this name, that through many exercises they may obtaine the heartes of sonnes toward God, and God maye inwardlye waxe so swéete, and become so amiable vntounto them, that no feare, but only reioycing and confidence in God may be left vntounto them. Now for as much as so gret things are brought to passe by Christ in hys kingdome, he is worthily called alwayes a father.
This name is a speciall comforte in extreme anguish of death,Comfort in the anguish of death. that we shold not be discouraged or dispaire, but shold knowe whither we must go. For there is a fitte place prepared to receiue vsus, for we go out of the body into the hāds of the father, yea into the bosome of the father. Neyther néede we feare that we shal fal into the snare of the tormentor or of Satan, Christ is readye as an euerlasting father, and loketh for vsus, that he may receyue vsus. Who then wil be afrayde of so swéete and gentle a father, who so louinglye and carefully regardeth vsus? We shall safely and certainely passe out of this life into another. Happie wer we if we did beleue these things as wtout al doubt they are true.Vnchristiā sayings of some that vvil seeme Christians. Wherfore those sayings of some Christians are not good: I liue, but I cānot tel how long: I shal dye, but I cannot tel when: I go hence, but I can not tel whyther: I maruell howe I can be so mery. Let al Infidels say so, with whom these sayings are true: as for a true Christian, he knoweth very wel whither he goeth, namely, into the bosome of the father. It is not vnknowen to him, howe long he shal lyue, and when he shal dye. For he hath alreadye put of this life, and is dead to the worlde, loathing & detesting this life, wherefore it is maruel if he be not mery and ioyful. And it is as much maruel if he doth not reioyce, as it is yt an vngodly man can reioyce. For as the heart of the vngodly neuer feeleth true ioye, so sorrowe neuer pearceth ye heart of a true Christian.
Sarsalo…, The prince of peace.
He giueth not such peace as ye world giueth,VVhat kinde of peace this prince of peace giueth otherwise the former names should be to no effect, where he is called wonderfull, counseller and strong, but he giueth peace before God in the conscience. Which peace increaseth more & more, and is so much the surer, by howe much the crosse is more vehement, and greater, that we may féele our selues to be sonnes, & acknowledge oure euerlasting father, whereby we may be sure & certayne of hys grace, and hauehave bolde accesse to hym beyng moste louing toward vsus. In howe goodly an order doe these sixe names follow one an other? Firste the thrée former declare howe Christ directeth & ruleth vsus in affliction for our selues & toward our selues. Secondly ye 4. name sheweth how he gouerneth vsus, yt we may fight strōgly against others. Lastly the thrée lat…er names giuegive to vnderstand howe he gouerneth vsus toward himself. In the former part… is only affliction and anguishe, in the second only labour, and in the third onlye rest, peace and ioy. For he that suffereth, is oppressed with griefe and tribulation: he that fighteth, indureth labour: and he that resteth, enioyeth peace. This is the true Salomon, the true maker of peace, who is rich in peace, and enricheth not with fraile and transitory peace, but with spiritual and eternal peace, yea & that in the middest of contention and warre. For these sixe names wyth theyr workes are togither incident to a Christian, and togither in him, neyther can one be separated from another.
VVhat it is to be a Prince of peace.Neyther is he simplye called peaceable, as Salomon, but the Prynce of peace, so that peace is in his hande as in a Princes or Lordes: who is so mightye to mayntayne peace in hys kyngdome, that hée importeth it to all them that bée hys, so that none is able to breake or take it awaye, who doth moste excellently and safelye conducte and preserue vsus against Sathan, death, sinne and al the gates of Hell, so that sin is not able to terrifie vsus before God, his iudgement and wrath cannot light vppon vsus, Satan and death cannot preuaile against vsus or hurte vsus. This is to be a Lorde or Prince of peace in déede. The Princes of this worlde also do kéepe their common weale in quietnesse and peace, but they are oftentymes deceyued, forasmuche as they are not able eueryevery houre and eueryevery moment in euerye place to kéepe watche, and on eueryevery side to prohibite and let troubles, that they do not arise. Wherefore they are called peaceable perhappes and rich in peace:Princes of this vvorld cannot bee called princes of Peace. but Princes of Peace they cannot be, no not in outwarde gouernement before men, so farre is it off, that they can so be in spirituall gouernement before God. For they are not so mighty to maintaine Peace, neyther hauehave they so great power ouer it. For sometime it is broken and taken away, albeit their gouernment be most straight and circumspect But our Lord is in eueryevery place, he watcheth eueryevery moment, & is able most effectually to kéepe & maintaine Peace, as the .121. Psalme witnesseth: Beholde, he that keepeth Israell, will neyther slumber nor sleepe. And in a sum, ye kingdom of Christ is nothing but peace, for God giueth eueryevery good thing vntounto Christians, and nothing that is euil, and they among themselues doe imparte one to an other nothing that is euill, but euerye thing that is good. Euen their very ennimies cannot hurte them, for they do patiently suffer iniurie done vntounto them. So doth this Prince of Peace, Christ, most effectually maintaine this peace on eueryevery syde.
Thus we hauehave the sixe names of our King, which set out his kingdom, namely how wonderfull a King it is, so that no worldly or visible thing is in it, but all things spirituall and inuisible.
Of all whiche it followeth moreouer, that thys Kyng muste néedes bee very God and very Man, and risen from the deade also, according as almoste al Scriptures which speake of the kingdome of Chryste, doe witnesse, that hee muste bee God and Man, that hee muste dye and ryse agayne.Christe very naturall Man. Whereas hee is borne a Childe, hee must néedes bee verye naturall man, and be conuersaunte in this corporall life like other men, and eate, drinke, speake, worke, suffer, dye, &c.
For it muste of necessitye bee true, that the Prophet sayeth: VntoUnto vsus a Child is borne: On the other side forasmuch as he muste raigne so wonderfully, and possesse a verye Spirituall Kyngdome and beare it vppon hys shoulder, rule and gouern it in death, affliction, and other things contrarye to reason and the flesh, he cannot be in thys temporall and carnall life, but it is requisite that his state be spirituall and inuisible. Wherfore he muste bee raysed vppe from the deade, and chaunge this mortall life, wherein he is borne, into lyfe immortall, wherein hee maye bee a Kyng, and raygne. So these two,It behoued that Christ should both dy and yet liue for euer. that he muste bee borne, and yet be an inuisible Kyng for euer, do necessarilye proue that he muste dye, and notwithstanding liue for euer.
Wherefore séeyng hys power muste bee suche, that he must be an eternall father, and an euerlasting Lord of Peace, and muste also in the middes of death, hel, & Sathan, preserue, helpe, & prouide for them that bee hys, moreouer ouercome hys ennimies also, it must néeds be that he shoulde bee endued with diuine power. For none is a Lorde of Peace, or hath Peace in his power,Christe verye God. but God alone: None is able to ouercome Sathan and all euill, but onelye God. Now whereas these be not ouercome, Peace cannot remayne and continue. Séeyng therefore all these are manifestly diuine workes and deedes which are attributed to thys Kyng by these names, Fayth whyche beléeueth thys Prophesie of Esay to be true, necessarilye concludeth, that thys Kyng is very God by nature, and yet muste be notwithstanding very man also, forasmuche as thys sentence standeth, whiche sayeth: VntoUnto vsus a childe is borne. Thys Childe is Iesus Christe our Lorde, by nature the sonne of God,The Child borne vntounto vsus, vvho he is. and the sonne of Mary according to the fleshe. Blessed are all they that beléeue this: For the Scripture noth not lye, neyther doeth it deceiue vsus.