Exposition of Isaiah 9, Part 6
As in the day of Midian.
It is expedient here to hauehave in remēbrance that notable and most excellent Historie written in the booke of Iudges Chap. 6. and 7. how the Midianites, the Amalechites, and they which came from the East, destroyed the countrey of Israel, and put the Israelits to flight, and how Gedeon at the commaundement of God, ouercame thē without the sworde with only trumpets and lampes, so that they were slaine and put to flight by wounding one an other, and by theyr owne sworde.The victorie of Gedeon mentioned in the 7. of Iudges a figure of Christes victorie. For this victorye is a type or figure of the victorie of Christe, which he hath obtained ouer these thrée enimies, and which al Christians euen at this day do with him, without helpe of the sword, maintaine, being gotten. Now Esay woulde therefore take that déed for an example, that he might shew with what power Christe hath ouercome and conquered those enimies. The Historie is more large than that it can be eyther rehearsed or expressed in fewe wordes, wherefore let him that is desirous to knowe it, reade it in the booke of Iudges.The summe of the Historie concerning Gedeons victory. Howbeit the summe thereof is this: that Gedeon obtayned so greate a victorie, so greate triumphe, wyth a verye small power and strength. For his Citizens and brethren hated hym, being angrye and offended with hym bycause he hadde duplicate page duplicate page destroyed the Aulter of Baal, when as notwithstanding they oughte to hauehave bin chiefe doers thereof with him. Two and twentie thousand mē also of his armye went from him, and afterward ten thousand, so that at the laste onelyonly thrée hundred remained with him, with which he must ouercome the hoste of his ennimies, which notwithstanding consisted of a hundred thirtie and fiue thousande men, very well prepared to battell. Hys hearte in this case mighte a thousande times hauehave despaired, and bin hardened that he could not beleue. For what was so little and small a power againste so gret a force and strength? nothing at al. How many thinkst thou did mocke him and laugh at him, as the Citizens of Sucoth and Phanuel, as being out of his wit, which woulde attempt things that séemed so vnpossible, and bring men into perill and daunger with him? His hart might then hauehave saide as Saint Paule saide. 2. Cor. 12. VVhen I am weake, then am I strong: for the Lords power is made perfect through weakenesse. Such a faith discomfited the Midianites without the sword. So Christ was counted weak and mocked in his passion,The victory of Christ conferred vvith the victorye of Gedeon. and it appeared and was iudged a thing vnpossible and incredible, that hee coulde thereby bring anye thyng to passe. Neuerthelesse, in such weakenesse he obtained the victorye againste Death, Sinne, the Law, Hell, and whatsoeuer euill, without all mans power and weapons, euen as Gedeon got the victory ouer those thrée people. And as Gedeon was the firste and chiefe in ouercomming the Midianites, and after him the thrée hundred men, so Christ is the firste that hathe ouercome Sinne and Death, whom al Christians do dayly followe, doing the same with him. Wheras the Midianits were compelled to slay thēselues with their owne swordes, it signifieth that Death, which went about to kill Christ, hathe by that very same means destroyed it selfe. For Christe rose agayne, and in his deathe swallowed vppe Death. So sinnes that were layd vponupon him,Christ hath preuailed against death, sinne and the lavv. iudged him to dye, and were the sting of death, but his innocencie was greater than them, and by sinne he condemned sinne, as it is sayde Rom 8. so that sinne could not preuayle in him, but was of him conquered and abolished. The lawe also vrged hym, and made him a sinner, in as much as he was vnderunder it, and according to the sentence thereof, he was as much accursed as al other that are hāged on trée. Gal. 3. Howbeit he by his obedience satisfied the lawe, and hath thereby deliuered vsus from the curse thereof, so that it can no more exacte of vsus, or condemne vsus. To declare what the other things in thys Historie do signifye, it woulde almoste make a proper volume, so plentiful and goodlye a Historie it is: but we wil here treate only of that chief allegorie which cōcerneth Christ according to the meaning of Esay.