WHereas this deuine pro­phet amōg other things sayth: Vnto vs a childe is born, it is vndoubtedly to be vnderstood of Christ, yea all that he here sayth, is concerning the kingdome of the child Christ, name­ly howe he shal gouerne his kingdome, and what shall ensue of his gouernmēt, to witte,Christ is to the Ievves a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence. that at him the people of Is­raell shall be offended and stumble, for as muche as he is published to bée such a Lorde, as reiecteth the righte­ousnesse of the lawe, and receyueth the [Page] Gentiles being without y^e law, through fayth. Whiche doeth so grieue, blinde, & harden the Iewes, that euen at this day they will not become Christians, wherof almost al the eight Chapter of Esay intreateth, according as Simeon also speaketh in the seconde Chapter of Luke: Behold this Child is appointed for the fal and rising againe of many in Israel, and for a signe which shal be spoken against. And Esay in his eyght Chapter sayth, that the Lorde shall be a stone to stumble at, and a rocke to fall vppon to both the houses of Israel. Of whiche saying of Esay, Saint Peter and Saint Paule make mention in their writings, and affirme that it is verified in the Iewes. So that the summe of this text is this: The Iewes shal be offended and harde­ned bycause of the wordes full of grace concerning the kingdome of Christe,The sum of this Pro­phesie of Esay. when as it is so highly praised, but their works & the laws are so litle accounted of before God, which they cā not abide. For it must néedes followe y^t where the [Page] grace of God is extolled & set forth, ther those holye ones which trust in their works shold be offēded & gretly moued.

And this sense & meaning the words next going before do require, where the Prophete speaketh of the darkenesse wherewith the Iewes should be ouer­whelmed, how y^t it shold not be natural or bodily darknes, but spiritual, whych shall come hereof, for that other men & people sée a light. Nowe the Prophete saith thus: The darknesse shall not bee such as was in hir vexation, when at the first hee lightly afflicted the lande of Zabulon, and the lande of Nepthali, and afterwarde did more grieuously afflicte hir by the waye of the sea beyond Ior­dane in Galile of the heathen: But it shal be such, y^t the people which walk in darkenesse shall sée a great light, which shall shine bright vpon them that dwell in the lande of the shadowe of death, wherby when thou multipliest the peo­ple, thou doest not increase their ioye &c. Whiche is thus much in effecte: other [Page] darkenesse, and an other plague shall come vpon this people, than was that, when Theglath Phalasar king of Assiria did first possesse the lande of Zabulon & y^e land of Nepthali, which was as yet a light & no intollerable plague, beyng cō­pared w^t that which Salmanasar caused afterward, whē he possessed al y^e coūtry vpon the Sea coast, and carried awaye the whole kingdome of Israel, whiche was a farre more grieuous and greater plague and darknesse than the other. But beside these two plagues, the soa­rest plague and the greatest darkenesse shall come in the time of Christ,The spiri­tual darke­nesse of the Ievves. when as this people shall bee offended and stumble, and shall harden themselues, for that a great light & shining bright­nesse shall rise among the people, wher­by manye of the Gentiles shall be con­uerted, and the lawe of Moses and all Iudaisme shal be no more of anye esti­mation, but onely grace and mercye in Christe shall be preached, and sette forth.

Now it is néedeful here to know the Historie which is written in the second booke of Kings, y^e fiftéenth Chapter, how Theglath Phalasar king of the Assirians came in the dayes of Pecah king of Is­rael, and toke and carried away Cap­tiue Gilead and Galile, being almoste the thirde part of the land of Israel, to both sides of Iordane. It is méete also to knowe that which is written in the seuentéenth Chapter of the same booke of Kings, how Salmanasar an other kyng of the Assirians, besieged Samaria thrée yeares, and caried awaye all Is­rael.Among the Hebrevves light signi­fieth pro­speritie, darknesse aduersitie. These were two darknesses, that is, two plagues or scourges. For after the maner of the Hebrewes, lyght sig­nifieth prosperitie, darknesse aduersitie: for that in aduersitie no grace, no good­nesse shineth vpon them, but méere trou­ble and the greatnesse of Gods wrathe ouershadoweth them. Concerning the firste darkenesse, wherein Galile and Gilead were caried away, Esay calleth it a light affliction, for it was only vpon [Page] part of the land, neyther did it continue very long. But the darkenesse whiche followed was worse and more intolle­rable, whē as the king of the Assirians, after he had made warre thrée yeres in the land, at the laste caried it all awaye Captiue. Which two plagues & darke­nesses were types or figures of the plague that shoulde come afterwarde, when as the Iewes were spoyled and caried awaye both in body and spirite:The Ievvs spoyled both in bo­dy and spirite. in spirite, when they were caried of Sa­tan from God and his word: vnto vani­tie and lyes. In body, when they were dispearsed of the Romaines ouer the whole world: whereof Esay in manye places maketh mētiō. But we wil now intreate of the prophesie of Esaye, and learne to know our Lord Iesus Christ, and as it were to dandle him, being an infant, in his swadling clothes.

Esay (as I haue said) speaketh of spiri­tuall darkenesse, whiche is the greatest plague, & the sorest scourge: and of spiri­tual light, which is the chiefest felicitie, and greatest grace. For what can be more horrible than blindnesse of the harte, and ignoraunce in diuine mat­ters? What can be more amiable, what more excellent, than a heart enlightned, and the knowledge of God? Concerning the former, where it is, there can be no­thing but all euill, so that euen the good is not good, although it be present. As for the latter, where it is, there can bée nothing but good, so that euen the euyll is not euill, although it be presente. For what can hurt him, which knoweth and hath God?The great light vvherof the pro­phet spea­keth vvhat it is What can profit him, who being destitute of God, hath Sathan? This greate light therefore and verye shining brightnesse, is the holy Gospell, [Page] or the worde of God concerning grace, whiche is a spirituall lighte, shewing, what God is, what he giueth vnto vs, or bestoweth vpon vs, and what he wil haue vs to doe. It teacheth moreouer, what is sinne, death, Satan, the world, &c. What they hinder our saluation, & what they further it.

Thinkest thou not that this is an vnspeakable lighte,Spir tuall light. whereby wee maye looke both into the heart of God, and al­so into the depth of the deitie? Wherby moreouer, we perceiue the cogitations of Satan, and what sinne is, and howe we may be deliuered frō it: also what is man, and the worlde, and how a Christi­an muste take héede thereof. When as before no man knew what God is, nei­ther whether there be any diuels or no,Spiritual dark [...]nesse. neither what is synne and death, so far was it off, that they knew how to be de­lyuered from thē. So also no man knew what is man, and the worlde. For euery one thought that there was muche ho­nestie, reason, and goodly vertues in thē, [Page] neither did any man thinke their chie­fest wisedome to be meere foolishenesse, their moste noble vertue, moste filthye wickednesse.

Such ignorance and blindnesse Esay here calleth darkenesse, and the lande of the shadow of Death, wherein the peo­ple liued, and by the name of People he signifieth speciallye the Iewes. Heere nowe beginne contention and offence at the light: For albeit this light did arise, and was preached to al the people, yet a great part refused to receiue it, for they would not séeme to be blinde or in dark­nes, but thought thēselues to be in light.

Let vs nowe consider, whereby men deserued to sée such a light.Not by­cause of any merit of men, but of his mee [...]e grace hath God caused this light shine. Here is she­wed no worke, no frée will, but rather will bonde and thrall. For who can doe anye thing in darkenesse? Howe can he knowe what is to be done, who kno­weth nothing. Doeth not Christe saye Iohn. 12. Hee that walketh in the darke, knoweth not whether he goeth. It is to be at­tributed therefore to nothing, but to on­ly [Page] grace, that a light ariseth in darke­nesse, and shineth vpon the people. Now Esay when he sayth: The people whiche walked in darknesse, haue seene a great light, is not so to be vnderstoode, as though he made a difference betwéene two sortes of people, noting vnto vs one sort which walketh in darkenesse, and an other sort which walketh in light: according as y^e Iews do seuer thēselues frō y^e Gentiles as thoughe they walked in lighte, and the Gentiles in darkenesse. But he is to be vnderstood thus, that thereby he she­weth the miserie of al people. As if hée should say: God hath mercy on a people lying in excéeding great darknesse, and very muche néeding light, and suffereth a great light to shine vnto thē, not mo­ued thervnto by their merites, but pre­uenteth them with his mercye, before they praye or desire anye thing, as Luke notablye declareth, where Za­charias sayeth:Luke. 1.78. Throughe the tender mercie of oure GOD, whereby the daye spring from an highe hathe visited vs: [Page] to giue light to them that sit in darknesse, & in the shadowe of death, &c. In whiche wordes Zacharias doeth as it were with his finger shew this Prophesie of Esaye. Whiche is also done Iohn. 1. Where there is often mention made of the light. Whereby it may be easily vn­derstoode, that he speaketh especiallye of the Iewes, and also of the Gentiles. For if y^e Iewes the select people of God did remaine in darkenesse, howe muche more did the Gentiles?

He nowe giueth vs to vnderstande, from whence, whither, and why this light whiche is the Gospell and heauen­ly Doctrine, shineth and commeth: Hée declareth moreouer, the disciples of this light and doctrine,The Ievvs reioyce not at the light that shi­neth, but are offēded at it. and sheweth that they are of two sortes: where as it is sayde Iohn. 1. The light shineth in darkenesse, and the darknesse comprehended it not. This is that whereof we spake before, that a [Page] great part of the Iewes is offended and stumbleth at the light, as it is againe sayde Iohn. 1. He came vnto his owne, and his owne receiued him not. Howbeit a few, namely the refuse and dregges, and the base sort of the Iews receiued the light. This is that which he sayth, thou hast not increased, or thou haste demi­nished theyr ioye, whiche maye haue a double vnderstandyng. One, that there be fewe of the Iewes which shall reioyce at thys lyghte, yea a great parte are so hardened, and are broughte into suche furie and rage, that they do persecute it vnto the laste houre of their life. The other sense is, there is great ioy among the Saintes, where the Gospell hath good successe, so that many are conuerted. Of suche ioy the Apostles tooke but little of y^e Iews, yea they did rather gretly lament their hardned faith, as it is manifest in Paul, Rom. 9. and Esay hymselfe declareth the same, Chapiter .33. when he sayeth: The messengers of peace shall weepe bitterly: that [Page] is, the Apostles which preach peace, and the Gospel, shall lament greatlye, &c. when as notwithstandyng the Iewes oughte to take excéeding greate plea­sure and ioy thereat, for that they shold beléeue, forasmuche as such a light was promised and brought of Christe hym­selfe to them especially before all nati­ons of the earth.

But the former sense is rather to be liked, and doeth better agrée wyth the texte,The Ievvs offended at the conuer­sion of the Gentiles. when it is saide that there is ther­fore so little ioy, for that so many of the Gentiles are conuerted: For it grieued none so muche that the Gentiles were conuerted, as it did the hardned Iewes. Nowe it is not fitly sayde that there is little ioye, and that not many do there­fore reioyce, bycause the Gentiles be­lieue the Gospel, and it is thus much in effect: It doth vexe and trouble many, more than can be sayd, that Christe cru­cified is receiued of so many Gentiles, and a very fewe there are, whome thys doth wel please, all the rest are euen in [Page] a rage and furie thereat, as if at this daye in our tyme it shoulde be sayde: GOD maketh manye to become true Gospellers, but that bringeth smal ioye to the Pope: that is, there be fewe in the Papacie, whyche doe thereat take pleasure and ioye, yea there are verye manye, euen the greatest part of them, whom it doth so grieue, that they are brought euen vn­to furie & foolishnesse. Moreouer thys text meaneth the same that Moses doth in his song, where he sayeth after this sort:Deut. 32.21. I wil prouoke them to enuie by those which are not my people: I wil anger the by a foolish nation. According as Paule allea­geth it. Rom. 10. That is, I wil receiue y^e Gentiles which are not my people, whi­che are also foolish, in as muche as they haue not the lawe of Moses, neyther knowe so muche of God, as the Iewes, whiche heare of hym daylye. When therefore it shall be sayde: Beholde the Gentiles are the people of GOD, that setteth them in a rage and furie. [Page] For they only wil be the people of God, and yet they do not worship God only for their God, but haue others also. For as much therfore as they forsake God, he wil receue others: for that they com­mit fornication wyth others, hee will choose to himselfe others also, whome he may loue. This is to make the ioy little and small, and to multiplie the people. Wherby y^e qualitie & state of the Gospel is declared, namely what successe it hath in the worlde:The Gos­pell brin­geth ioy to the recey­uers therof, but offedeth them that receiue it not. very much ioy procéedeth from it if many receiue it, yet neuerthelesse many are offēded at it, which do not receiue it. Fy (say they) how many thou­sande men are seduced by that heresie? all the worlde desireth to haue that do­ctrine, as the Iewes said, Iohn. 11. If we let him thus alone, all men will beleeue in him: and Iohn. 12. Beholde the world goeth after him. So they say also at this day: vnlesse we preuent it, the whole world will em­brace the heresie of Luther. Let vs en­deuour therfore with might and maine to represse it, let vs burne, kil, persecute, [Page] and pursue, that wee maye extinguishe the Gospel: for it maketh the people to reuolte from vs, it diminisheth also our wealth and honor.Though the vvicked persecute the Gospel yet they shall not preuaile a­gainst it. Go to ye valiaunte and stoute Champions, stay and hinder the course of the Gospel al that yee are able, ye shall notably fayle of your pur­pose. If ye did not so resist, your pompe and pride might continue longer. That therefore ye may the sooner perish, helpe forwarde your owne destruction, striue both againste God and men, that both God and men may hate you, that so at the laste ye may be destroyed, euen as it hath happened to the Iewes, and to all the persecutours of the Gospell. Amen.

Before thee, sayth the Prophet, that is, in spirite and faith, wherein the kyng­dome of Christ consisteth, and in which he raigneth. Here againe it appeareth [Page] that there is a small part whiche reioy­ceth, as it is a little before mentioned, whereby wée maye vnderstande that it is true that thys texte (Thou hast not in­creased their ioy) is thus muche in effecte: Thou makest them sadde and angrye, for that they haue no ioye, but onelye affliction thereby, as if the Prophete shoulde haue sayde after thys sorte:

There is small ioy surely, that is, great sorrowe and resistyng, for hee addeth nexte after: But before thée there is ioy, as if he saide, there is little ioy, that is no ioye, but berfore thée is greate ioy: Moreouer, he sayde Before thee, for this cause also,The vvorldlye ioy to hee looked for in Christes Kingdome. that no manne shoulde looke for worldly and transitorie ioye in the kingdome of Christe. Ioye in God muste be hidden vnder the Crosse, as Christe sayth: In the world ye shal haue af­fliction, but in me you shal haue peace. The heartes of Christians are alwayes ioy­full,Iohn. 16.33. althoughe in body, goodes and repu­tation outwardely they are compelled to suffer affliction. For the innumerable [Page] multitude, vnto whome little ioye com­meth by the Gospell, and Sathan will worke so far, y^t Christians shall be able to reioyce nothing either of their welth, or honor and reputation. So that Chri­stians are togither both in sorrowe and pleasure, in griefe and ioy, in warre and peace, for as much as before God they are mery in spirite, and are also abhor­red of the vnfaithfull and Satan, which cannot abide them. The Prophet addeth a similitude of ioy,A simili­tude of the ioy in Har­ueste. whiche is wonte to be in a plētiful haruest. For in the Autumn or haruest is the gretest ioy of the whole yeare, when as all the fruits of the earth being reaped and gathered togither, are caried home and laid vp, as wine, graine oile, figs, and whatsoeuer fruits of trées which are without number, especiallye if it be a fruitful yeare, for then it is cal­led a plentifull Autumne or Haruest, then the Earthe gyueth a rewarde to the Tillers thereof, then it yéeldeth profytte and fruite for the laboures of the whole yeare: then euerye one [Page] singeth, and reioyceth in gathering to­gither such fruite. Herevpon the Scrip­ture calleth the Autumne or Haruest, y^e ende of the yeare, as Exodus chapter xxiij. When as in the ende of the yere thou hast gathered togither al thy fruits into barnes and store houses. &c. For by and by after haruest the husbandmen beginne to plowe the grounde agayne, and to prepare for the haruest of the yeare following.The Gos­pel the spi­ritual har­uest. The Gospell is after this sort the spiritual haruest, as Christ declareth Iohn. 4. Loke sayeth he, on the regions, for they are white already vnto haruest. The Prophets which went be­fore Christ, did in déede till the Earthe, yet they did not liue vnto haruest: that is, they preached the law, they foretolde of Christ, they prophesied of the gospel, they toke much paines in the scripture, and for the peoples sake, that they might make men ready against the cō­ming of Christ. Howbeit they liued not vntill the time when as these things were to be fulfilled, as Christe sayth in [Page] another place:Luke. 10.24 Many kings and Pro­phets haue greatly desired to sée & heare those things which ye sée and heare, and yet neyther of them was graunted vnto them.

But we, that is,They vvhiche belieue the Gospel, are made partakers of the fruites of the spiri­tual haruest. the Apostles and all the godly, do receyue the gospell, & come into the haruest, that we may enioy al the fruites of the gospel, that is, the spi­rite, the comforter with al his giftes, wherein we are made so ryche, that we haue grace and remission of sinnes for euer: moreouer, that we may enioye re­demption from deathe, dominion and power ouer the Diuel and al euil what so euer, and briefly, the fulnesse and most abundant plentie of all goodnesse, so that Saint Paule doth rightly call them vn­speakable good things and excéeding ri­ches, which we enioy through Christe. This is a true Autumn or haruest, this is a rich vintage, filling the barnes and vessels. Herevnto the deuine Prophets laboured to bring men, in as muche as they foretolde that such a time shoulde [Page] assuredlye come, and hereby they com­forted them. These we haue assured wit­nesses of our faith, according as Saincte Peter saith: Not for their owne, but for oure sake they declared such thinges as they preached of Christe. Here is that saying verified. There is one whiche so­weth, & another that reapeth, as Christ himselfe sayeth. Ioh. 4. Other men labou­red, and yee are entred into their laboures, euen as the Israelits came into the land of Canaan, which notwithstanding they had not tilled, but as it is saide, Psal. 105. They tooke the labours of the people in possessi­on. And Moses saith in Deuteronomie: God shall giue thée Cities whiche thou haste not builded, and fieldes in whiche thou haste cast no séede &c. This there­fore is in déede great ioy, both to know and to haue suche greate good thinges, and therefore to giue God thankes,The good­nesse and grace of God is offe­red to the vvhole vvorld, but receiued of [...]evve. to extoll and praise him. Nowe althoughe these bee offered to the whole worlde, howe fewe bee there, (such is mens per­uersnesse) which do acknowledge and re­ceiue [Page] them? howe fewe bee there, whi­che (alas) haue ioye by them? for they are very exceeding greate and highe good things.

Another similitude the prophete brin­geth of victory,A simili­tude of the diuision of the spoile after the vi­ctorie ob­tayned. when as the battel being ended, the spoiles are diuided, where­by the Souldyoures are enriched.

The more daungerous and sharpe that the battayle hathe béene, so much more pleasaunte is the victorye, so much more swéeter is the diuision of the spoyle: then there is a ioyfull retournyng into theyr Countrey: then is there shou­tyng, reioycing, singyng, and talkyng of the perilles and laboures of the bat­tell, of the prosperitie and safetye of the victory: Then they speake much of theyr enimyes, and deride and scorne them. Muche more is that done in the Spirituall victory before God, Sinne, Death, and Sathan being ouercome.

Esay makyng no mention of the victo­rye, speaketh of the diuision of the [Page] spoyle,The victo­rie is not ours, yet the fruite therof is gi­uen vnto vs. for he afterward speaketh of the victorye, whose it is, for it is not ours, so that we haue got it of our selues, but the profitte and fruite of the victorie, is giuen vnto vs, that is the diuision of the spoyle, whiche is the holy Gospel, the worde of life, whereby we are made partakers of the fruite of Christs victo­rie, namely of deliuerance and fréedome from sinnes, as it is sayde. This doth in déede make hartes ioyfull, quiet, strong vnto God and stable, againste Sathan and all his power and wickednesse. For before Christ came, the Prophets when they pitched their campe with the word of God, they obtayned as yet no victory. They stoode and loked for the true Cap­taine of the armie,Christ the true Cap­taine, vvith out vvhom the victorie can not be obtained. who should encoun­ter for vs with sinne, death, the Diuell, and hauing ouerthrowen them, obtayn a noble conquest and victorie. Other­wise, without that captaine of the ar­mye, it woulde fall out as it did with the people of Israel, 1. Sam. 17. when they had pitched their tentes ouer agaynste [Page] the Philistines, as often as they beheld the champion Goliath, they were dis­couraged and greatly afrayde, vntil the righte champion Dauid obtayned the victorie. So also doeth the case stande with vs, if without Christe we haue to fight against sinne and death.

But for as much as our Dauid hath ouercome death togither wyth sinne,The ioy of the deuisiō of the spoil [...] of whom we could not but be afrayde, and discouraged by them, we are ioyfull and safe, we sing with a mery cheare, deui­ding the spoyle with ioy, that is, wee preach and publish the Gospel, praysing God, and giuing him thankes, we com­fort and strengthen one an other, & saye: Be not sorrowfull or sadde, nothing can hurt thée, sinne is abolished, death is o­uercome, all wrath and indignation is taken away, here is nothing but grace and peace remayning, Sathan is desti­tute of strength, his kingdome is fallen, as Saint Paule sayth. 1. Cor. 15. O death, where is thy sting? O hel where is thy victorie? But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen [Page] vs victorie through our Lorde Iesus Christe▪ With such wordes we comfort one an­other. Nowe Esay entreateth more at large of the battel and victory, wherby the Gospel is for a part of the spoyle de­uided amongst vs vnto eternall peace. Let vs heare him therefore speaking as foloweth.

I thinke that none can more plainely interprete this place, than Paule doeth 1. Cor. 15, as we haue already declared, where he sayth: O death where is thy sting? O hel where is thy victorie? The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the lawe. In which place Paule rehearseth thrée things whiche Christe hath conquered, and hath deliuered vs from thē, name­ly death, sinne, and the law, euen as E­saye maketh mention of thrée things [Page] which God hath ouercome, y^e he might make vs ioyful and safe before him. Let vs sée howe Esay and Paule agrée togi­ther: for it cannot be that Esay shoulde speake of any other than of that wherof Paul speaketh,No true ioy or peace can be had, vn­lesse death, sin and the lavv be o­uercome. for as much as the peo­ple of God can haue no other ioye or peace, but whē these thrée be ouercome, namely death, sin, and the lawe. If these thrée should remaine, it should auaile vs nothing, although he should giue vs all things (if it could so be) and should bring vs euen into heauen. Who can haue a ioyful & quiet heart, which hath & féeleth death, sinne, the law vpon himself and a­gainst himselfe? For it is necessarie that there shoulde be life, a good conscience & libertie, where ioy must be. Now when Esay sayth that we reioyce before god, in as much as thrée thinges are ouer­come and taken away, fayth herevpon concludeth, that he agréeth wholy with Paul, who comforteth Christians with such victory, and byddeth them agayne comforte one an other, agaynste [Page] death, sinne and the lawe.

The firste therefore is the yoke of theyr burden. Their burden, sayth the Prophet, that is of them, which reioyce in harueste, and in the diuision of the spoyle. They whiche know and receyue the Gospell, haue this the first cause of their ioye,By the yoke of their bur­den is signi­ [...]d death. that Christ hath broken the yoke of theyr burden, which yoke sure­ly is death. O grieuous yoke, and intol­lerable burden, whiche euerye one is a­frayde of, and flieth, and yet can not a­uoyde it, but must take it vpon him and beare it. I speake nowe of that death which is felt as it is, whereby the con­science is dismayed, and féeleth both the wrath and iudgement of God by reason of the sinnes wherof it is guilty. Whi­che assuredly is nothing else but death, which as yet beareth rule and flouri­sheth without the kingdome of Christ, euen as Adam and Eue felt it in Para­dise.The vvic­ked feele not death, and vvhy. But the wicked doe not marke or consider of suche death, but when they must depart from hence. For as long as [Page] they féele no sinne, so long doe they not consider or regarde death. Wherefore Sainte Paule sayeth that the sting of death is sinne. That is, death shoulde haue neither strength nor power, ney­ther should be able to pearce, if al sinne being taken awaye, onely innocencye were in vs. For whom shoulde it kyll, the cause and fault beyng taken away? Moreouer, a good conscience neyther can feare death, neyther doth it knowe any thing of the sting, strength or po­wer of death. But when the conscience findeth sinne in it, then death pearceth and preuayleth, for a sinnefull consci­ence is compelled to yéelde vnto it, and to confesse that it hath so deserued. For as much therfore as it féeleth in it selfe the sting of death, that is sinne, ney­ther knoweth howe to encounter wyth it, it greatly feareth death.

The second is the rod of their shoul­der, that is, sinne,By the rod of their shoulder [...] ment sinne, vvhich is the sting of death. which giueth strength vnto death, and maketh it grieuous, as it is sayde. For vnlesse sinne be first o­uercome, [Page] Death can not be ouercome or subdued. Neyther can death be with­out sin, nor sin without death. For this cause could doth not abide stil in Christ, although he had power ouer him a litle while for our cause. For in Christ there was no sinne besyde our sinne, whyche he tooke vppon himselfe. So neyther can death abyde in Christians, after that they are iustifyed in Christe, and haue now no syn, although for a short tyme it hath power ouer them. For thys is properlye to ouercome Death and Synne, not that they are sodayne­ly and in a moment taken awaye by force, so that they are no more felte, but that firste rule and power is taken from them, and they are condemned by iustice and iudgemente, that they shall be brought vnto nothyng. If they doe as yet in the meane season exer­cise theyr tyrannie, and make them­selues as yet to be felte, before they be destroyed, that maketh no matter. For sentence is giuen vpon them, not that [Page] they shall haue power and might so to rage, but rather that they shall forth­with ceasse and haue an ende. Euen as the case standeth with a mighty enimy,A similitud [...] who is not put to death as soone as he is taken, but his life is prolonged, vntill being condemned in open iudge­ment, he be executed by the sentence of the iudge. Now that life which he liueth in the flesh, is life in déede, but surely a miserable life, which hath no power or abilitie either to hurt, to beare rule, or to oppresse the aduersaries, in as muche as it is reserued to death. Neyther doeth he nowe liue that he may rule, but that he maye be condemned and putte to death.

In like maner is it with death, & sin, Christ hath conquered & taken thē cap­tiue,Christ hath conquered death and sinne. that they can no more beare rule ouer vs, or ouercome vs as before, as it is sayde in the 68. Psalme: Thou arte gone vp on high, thou hast led captiuitie captiue. But he dayly giueth iudgement of them, and pronounceth sentence [Page] vppon them and condemneth them by the Gospell, that they can haue no rule or power ouer vs, but must short­ly ceasse and come to their ende. Accor­ding as Paule sayeth Rom. 8. that by sinne he condemned sinne. As for the remnantes of sinnes whiche do as yet worke, and shewe out themselues, they are nothing. For they are condemned, and both theyr power and rule beyng loste, they can not hurt: neyther is there nowe anye more remayning, but that comming to theyr ende they shoulde be abolished and perish. What then doth it hurte mee,It hurteth not the godly that they feele sinne and death for a vvhile. if I féele eyther death or sinne a little while as it were bearing rule, when as I knowe that they beare not rule, but are condemned? Where­as they are moued and felt, it is nothing else but that they feare and tremble at the sight of their destruction. As on the other side,It auaileth not the vvicked that for a time they feele not sin and death. what doth it auayle the wic­ked, that they doe not féele sinne and death for a little whyle, as though death were taken awaye by force, when as [Page] notwithstanding there is rule and po­wer ouer them lefte vnto sin and death, and they wil forthwith come vpō them, and continually raigne ouer them.

Hereof it is that Esay and Paule doe vse such words, as shewe that sinne and death haue lost their power and rule, and shall shortly haue an end,Death and Synne haue loste their rule and povver. although for a while they make a shew as though they ruled, for Paule saith not: Death, where abidest thou? Hell, where doste thou re­maine? but after this sort: O Death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victorie? As if he said, O Death and Hell, ye are present onely for a shorte time, and not long: your rule, might, victory, sting, and all power are loste. Ye are offended a­gainst me, I confesse, but I pray you do not bite me, neither doe greatly moleste or trouble me. In déede I féele you, not­withstanding I am nothing afrayde of you, for yee haue no more power or strength left, and without long delay ye shal be destroyed & brought to nothyng. Whereas they dydde mocke and scorne [Page] Christe on the Crosse, as thoughe he had bin destitute of all strength and power, and shold be forthwith enforced to yelde vp the ghost: nowe the case is cleane al­tere [...], so that wee maye glorie agaynste sinne, and death, mocking and scornyng them, and speaking ignominiously and reprochfully of thē, for that we are cer­taine that they can nowe do no more, but that they must yéeld and giue ouer. Wherefore death and synne are so con­demned among Christians, and fastned to the Crosse, that if there bee anye rem­nants remaining of them, they profitte them nothing, but that they are compel­led to heare howe they are scorned and despised: O Death where is thy sting? O Hell where is thy victorye? ye were not so mightie, but ye are now as weak and destitute of strength.Death and Synne haue moste grie­uously ra­ged, but novve they are subdued O wicked and shamefull thyng, howe haue you huge and stoute Champions Death and Sin moste horribly ruled in the worlde, tri­umphyng ouer all, and grieuously trou­bling them? Go to, descende nowe from [Page] the Crosse, if yee bee stoute and valiant champions, nowe shewe it foorthe. Yee are there fastned to the Crosse of Christ where ye must be forthwith destroyed. He whom you hong there, is deliuered from thence, with all vs that depende of him, so that that is come to passe whiche Salomon sayeth: 1. Pro. 11. The righteous shalbe deliuered out of trouble, & the vngod­ly shal come in his steade.

So Esay also speaketh of Sinne and Death, not simply, but that their domi­nion is ended, and how that dominion, that is mighte, rule and power, is bro­ken. For he sayeth not simply, their bur­den, but the yoke of their burden. By the worde Yoke,By the vvorde yoke vvhat is signified. he declareth that we were subiecte to Deathe, to beare the burden thereof, and that it had rule ouer vs, as the husbandman hath ouer the beast, on which, when he hath yoked it, he layeth a burden, as hauing rule and power ouer it, when it is so enclosed and bound in y^e yoke: For y^e burdē which one of his own accord layeth vpon himself, is not called [Page] the yoke of a burthen, but simply a bur­den. But the yoke of a burden, or a bur­den vpon one that is yoked, comprehen­deth a certaine subiection in it, whereby one is compelled to beare the burthen.

So it behoued that we shold bear death, being a heauy burden, euen against our willes, as they whiche throughe synne were subiect to death, and to the power and rule thereof, and that it should haue dominion ouer vs. Whyche dominion Christ hath broken for vs, and hath re­déemed vs from suche power, although Death lieth vpō vs for a little while, yet is it without al power and rule ouer vs, euen vntill suche tyme as it ceasse.VVhy hee saith not simply, the rod, but the rod of their shoulder. The same meaning also hath this, where hée sayeth not simply, the rod, but the rod of their shoulder, as if he saide: the rod is not a common rod, which is voluntari­ly borne and laied on their shoulders, but such a rod, as wherewith we are striken and beaten on the shoulders, that so wée may be enforced to beare the burden, so that thys rod is the dominion and rule [Page] wherevnto we are subiect. For as it is saide, vnlesse sinne didde beare rule ouer vs, Death shoulde haue no power ouer vs at all: howbeit forasmuch as we are vnder the dominion of sinne, and subiect and captiue vnto it, we against our wils beare the burden of Death, desiring to be deliuered from it. But Synne is al­wayes ready as a rod, driuing vs, and compelling vs to beare the burden, that is, Sinne enforceth vs to be subiecte to Death, and to dye.

The third is the staffe of their oppres­sour, which is the Law, as Paule saith:By the staffe of the oppressour vvhat is to be vnder­stoode. The strength of sinne is the Law: Now I speake of the Law, vnderstoode accor­ding to the Spirite, which reuealeth sin, as it is saide Rom. 3. and .7. By the Law com­meth the knowledge of sinne: Not being vn­derstoode according to the flesh, when it maketh men flatter themselues through workes. Rom. 2. For they that vnderstād not the law according to the spirite, doe not féele the rod, that is syn, vpon theyr shoulders. The rod is presente indéede, [Page] but it pincheth not their shoulders, that is, they haue sin, but they neither féele it, nor perceiue it. Euen as the burden, y^t is, death also presēt, but they haue not y^• is yoke of the burden. For they do not per­ceiue how death hath subdued thē vnto it selfe, & beareth rule ouer thē. So y^e staffe also is presente, but they heare not the voice of the oppressour, so that these are two diuerse things, the staffe and the op­pressor: euen as the rod, and to lay it vp­pon the shoulders, are two, so are also the yoke and the burden. For death, sin, & the law, haue to do with vs all, but we doe not féele the sting and victorie, that is, the power and rule of death, sin, and the lawe ouer vs, vntil the houre come. The staffe therfore is the lawe, the op­pressour, the power and dominion of the lawe. For if there were no lawe, neither shoulde there bee anye synne lefte. But séeing that the Lawe is presente, wee wyshe to bee delyuered from synnes, but that cannot bee, for the Lawe is at hande, whyche exacteth of vs, [Page] vrgeth and pursueth vs, witnesseth a­gaynste vs, and conuinceth vs to bee synners, and doeth perforce bryng vs vnder synne: then is there the voyce of the oppressoure: then the Lawe hathe rule and power ouer vs, and maketh vs the seruantes of synne. For therfore the power of the lawe is called an exactor or oppressour,VVhy the povver of the lavve is called an oppressor. for that it doeth alwayes require obedience of vs, and leaueth no peace or quietnesse to the conscience, by reason of such exaction and requiryng of obedience. When as therefore wee are able neyther to satisfie such exaction, nor to yelde due obedience, it by and by brin­geth vs vnder synne, and pronounceth vs the seruauntes of synne, and synne doeth incontinentlye delyuer vs vnto death. Then as bondslaues wee are in subiection and thraldome vnder deathe, synne, and the lawe,Frō vvhēc [...] Esay boro­vveth hys speeche. that is vnder the yoke of the burden, vnder the rodde of the shoulder, and vnder the staffe of the oppressour. We sée here how Esay hath borowed his spéech either frō a keper of [Page] horses, or from some cruel tyranne, for the burdē, rod, and staffe, are things rea­dy for the miserable beaste. Nowe wée woulde willingly be released from thys burden, but we are helde captiue vnder the yoke, that is, we are so vnder the po­wer and dominion of Deathe, that we are compelled to beare the burden ther­of, and to be subiecte vnto it. We desire also to be deliuered from the rod, but it lieth alwaies vppon vs, which rod is the power and dominion of Sin, which per­force holdeth vs subiect vnto it. We do moreouer moste earnestly wish to be set frée from the staffe, but the oppressor is at hande, and will not suffer that, which oppressour is, the voice and strength of the Lawe.

Thus we haue hearde what Esay meaneth by these thrée, that it is not in our power to breake them, but that wée are compelled to be subiect to them, and to beare their dominion, and obey the rule which they haue ouer vs. Hereof now it followeth, that we are able to do [Page] no good, but onely all kinde of euill,VVe [...]e able to doe no­thing that is good, but Christ doth al for vs. and that wee haue no frée will. For it is Christ, who alone ouercommeth these by himselfe for all vs, and diuideth rich spoiles, that we being [...]eliuered and set at libertie, might praise and extoll hym wyth all ioy and quietnesse. Of thys Christe the prophet saith: Thou haste bro­ken, &c. But how doth he breake them? so, that they muste néedes cease to beare rule any more, as Paule sayth of death: 1. Cor. 15. The last enimy that shal be destroy­ed is Death. As for Sin, it ruleth no more ouer vs. But how is the lawe broken? Sin and Death, haue lost their strength and power, as we haue said, so that they cannot any more hurte vs, neither hold vs any longer vnder theyr power and rule, but they must of necessitie vtterlye cease, and be brought to nothing. Now the lawe is so broken, that it doeth no more vrge vs,Hovve the lavve is broken. for we are made frée frō the exactiō and vrging therof, inasmuch as we satisfie it thoroughe Christe oure Lord and Sauiour, by whose grace wee [Page] nowe liue, and by the spirite doe fréely, whatsoeuer the law wil exact or require of vs. Wherfore we haue now no more néede of any lawe. For as muche as it ceasseth to exact or require any more of vs, all the power, rule, and cause thereof are taken away, and nowe we so leade our life, as they that are without the lawe and ignorant therof: euen as a mā that is in good health, liueth, eateth, and drinketh without any lawe and exacti­on, so that he hath no néede of any lawe herevnto, wherof I haue else-where in­treated more at large. It followeth moreouer in the text:

It is expedient here to haue 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 [Page] 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 [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] destroyed the Aulter of Baal, when as notwithstanding they oughte to haue 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 onely 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 haue 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 haue saide as Saint Paule saide. 2. Cor. 12. VVhen I am weake, then am I strong: for the Lords power is made perfect [Page] 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 [Page] were layd vpon 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 vnder 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 vs from the curse thereof, so that it can no more exacte of vs, or condemne vs. 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.

That Christe obtained his victorye without the sworde & bodily power, the Prophet hath alredy declared by the ex­ample of Gedeon: now he prophesieth y^t there shal be a newe maner of making war in the kingdome of Christ, wheras no outward or bodily war shalbe made, neither shal one fight for another, for e­uery one must for himself through faith and the spirite, ouercome death, sinne, & the lawe, like vnto Christ, neyther must any repose his hope in any other than in Christ alone. Euery one must stand for himselfe, for as muche as it can not be knowen, who beléeueth, and who belée­ueth not.The fight of Christi­ans. Wherefore the fighte in Christianitye is altogyther maruey­lous, where one Christian must fight a­gainst the Diuels, againste the whole [Page] world, against Death, Sinne, and the Lawe, and obtaine the victorie. The meaning therefore of Esay here is this: There shall not be suche warre among Christians, as is made with tumulte & weapons, wherein bloude is shedde, and garments are made bloudy, but there shalbe a spiritual warre, so that he mea­neth the same here that he doeth in hys 2. and 11. chapiters, where he saieth: One shall not any more lift vp a weapon againste another, neither shall they learn to fight from henceforth, but they shall breake their swords into mattocks, and their speares to make sithes. For the kingdome of Christe shall be a kingdome of peace, as it foloweth.

Nowe when as the Prophete sayeth Euerie battell of the warriour is with noise, and with tumbling of garments in the bloud &c. he hath respect vnto two sortes of battels,Tvvo sorts of battels. wherof one is made with slaughter and crying, wyth tumulte and vio­lence, and on both sides wyth shedding of bloud, and this is a carnall battayle. The other with susteining, suffring, and [Page] nothing mouing himself, no not so much as by opening his mouth, like vnto the shéepe that is brought to the slaughter. For by those wordes: The battel of the warriour is with noyse, he declareth and set­teth before our eyes as it were the very slaughter, where all things are in a tu­mult and vprore: here the drum, there the trumpet is heard: here is crying, there is great neyghing of horses: here one kinde of noyse is hearde, there an o­ther: here shineth the sword, there gliste­reth the speare, and weapons ful fierce­ly togyther: here at the last bloude run­neth down their garment, and al things appeare horrible and dreadful. But such violent sturre and making of war shall not be among Christians, for all these thyngs shall be wasted and consumed by the fire of the spirite, so that nothing shall remaine among them but onlye peace.Christiane imitate their head Christ in patient suf­fering. If there shall be contention they shall not rayse it, but they shall patient­lye suffer it being raysed of others, so imitating theyr heade Christ, who also [Page] hath made warre spiritually, that being quiet outwardly, he might beare pati­entlye that whatsoeuer, wherewith he was hurt, and yet notwithstanding he got the victory ouer all, and ouercame death, Sathan, Hel, and whatsoeuer e­uyll. Neyther is there anye cause that we shoulde maruel at thys manner of spéech, wheras the Prophete sayth that suche corporall warre shall be burned and consumed wyth fire. For by these wordes hee will declare howe and by what meanes this outward warre must bee taken awaye from among Chri­stians.

Wherein he plainely followeth Da­uid, who of the same things sayeth also in this sorte, Psalme. 46. Come and behold the workes of the Lord, what desolations hee hath made in the erth. He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the speare, and burneth the cha­riots with fire. The fire whatsoeuer it burneth, it so consumeth it, that it com­meth no more, so can neyther the wa­ter, nor ayre, nor anye other creature [Page] do, if any thing must be throughly pur­ged and purified, fire is vsed therevnto, so that God himselfe shall purge and purifye the whole world,The force of the fire to purge & purifie. in the last day wyth fire. After the same sorte the fyre of the holy ghost, that is Christian loue, muste vtterlye take awaye and abo­lishe all warre and the causes of ma­kyng warre, so that there shall no more warre, nor causes therof remain, neyther for euer any come againe.

Not that warres and contentions are inhibited by commaundemente,VVars are not quite taken a­vvay, ney­ther can be. or quite taken from among men, for that is not so, neyther can bee, for­as muche as the myndes of menne that are gyuen to warre and con­tention, are not changed.

There is alwayes sounde time and place for contention and warre, vntyll such tyme as power can inhibite it. Wherefore in worldly administration and policie, warre and contentions can not eyther be consumed wyth fire, or quite taken awaye, so that [Page] peace shoulde be sure and continual, ac­cording as it is said: I cā hope for peace no lōger thā my neighbour wil permit. Howbeit this is an excellent meane to kepe cōtinual peace,Hovv Christ ta­keth avvay al occasion of vvar in his king­dome. which Christ vseth in his kingdome, namelye whereas hée maketh the heartes of one affection, nei­ther doth represse the hande only, & take away weapons by commaundement or force, but altereth & changeth the minde that is giuen to warre and contention. Whiche when hee hath done, hee hath mightily pretended and taken away the cause of fighting and vsing weapons. For why should Christians make war and contende, when as they are so affected, that they wil al patiently suf­fer all things one of an other, when they will willingly leaue goods, honour, bodye and life, if occasion so re­quire.

The magi­strate must fight for the defence of the subiects.So they haue no cause to make war. In déede the Magistrate must fighte, that hée maye defende the goodes, honoure, and bodyes of the Sub­iectes, [Page] and preserue them in peace, and for this cause is there warre, but not a­mong Christians. Howbeit how it is lawefull for one to fyght for an other, I haue sufficiently declared in my boke which is entituled. Of y^e higher powers of the world.

Esaye nowe declareth and setteth forth vnto vs the ruler and King of thys kyngdome: who surely is a won­derfull King, and doeth greate and wonderful things, whereof mention hath bene made before, that he ouer­commeth death, sinne, and the lawe, that he ruleth without the sword, and replenisheth the worlde with ioye. For Esay doeth here manifestlye affirme, that all these things therefore come to passe, for that vnto vs a Chylde is borne, and vnto vs a Sonne is giuen. As if he sayde: by that Chylde and Son [Page] all these thyngs are done, hée is the meane whereby they are perfourmed. And in this text the wordes vnto vs, are diligentlye to be marked,The vvords vnto vs, are of great force, and to be through­ly of vs cō­sidered as wherein muche consisteth. Whatsoeuer chil­dren are borne, they are borne eyther to themselues or to theyr parentes: but thys Chylde alone hath this good­lye title, and herein excelleth the rest, that hée is borne vnto vs, vnto vs, vnto vs, euen vnto vs sayeth the Pro­phete. He is the Childe of vs all, hée came into the worlde for oure com­moditie and profytte: for there was no néede that hée shoulde be borne for hys owne sake. Wherefore whatsoe­uer hée is, whatsoeuer he hath and worketh from hys natiuitie, or after the taking of his humaine nature, it both is, and is called ours, he serueth vs therein, that it maye bée for our salua­tion and blessednesse. The wordes, vnto vs, require onely a firme fayth. For although he were borne a thousande tymes and a thousande tymes againe, [Page] and were not borne vnto vs, nor were made ours, we shoulde be nothing pro­fited or holpen thereby, for what doeth it profitte or auaile vs, that so manye thousands of men haue bin borne from the beginning of the worlde, and are dayly yet borne?

Let vs nowe marke the words of the Prophete, and consider the person of thys King, and howe fit wordes the Prophete vseth, and howe orderly hée placeth them.

Firste, whereas he sayeth:Christ born very and natural man. a Childe is borne, it is as muche as if hee sayde, verye and naturall man. For the worde Ieled, which he here vseth, signi­fieth among the Hebrewes an infante or childe newely borne, as hée came from the mother. Whereby is confir­med, that Christ is very natural man, borne of a woman, who hath fleshe, bloude, bones, marrowe, skynne, haire, who liueth, walketh, stādeth, & behaueth himselfe like vnto another man, yet so, that herein he differeth from al other, y^t [Page] he is borne without sinne. For as these wordes of the Prophet which we haue now in hand, do proue him to be borne very naturall man, so the wordes that go before,Christ born vvithout [...]nne. do proue him to be born with­out al spot or blemish of sinne, as where Esaye sayeth that he hath broken the burden, the rod, and the staffe, that is, sinne, death, and the lawe. For it was not méete that he shoulde be borne in sinne, who shoulde destroye sinne, and subdue it to himselfe, otherwise Sinne would haue broken him rather, and made him subiect to it own power, as it doth all other men that are borne. It is moste certaine therefore that this Chylde is naturall man, and yet notwithstandyng innocent and holye, and that all whatsoeuer hee hath and doeth is ours. For whereas hée is holye,The innocēcie and ho­lynesse of Christ, is ours. whereas hee is innocente, that holynesse and innocencye is ours, euen as well as if wée possessed it, for as muche as he is borne vnto vs: and therewith are wee adorned and [Page] clothed before God, as with oure appa­rell whiche is giuen vnto vs, if wee be­léeue it to be so. We are innocent there­fore, and holy in the innocencie and holi­nesse of this childe.

He is also a sonne, and giuen vnto vs. He saith not that he is a sonne borne, but giuen. Which wordes surely are moste sweete and comfortable: He calleth hym a sonne, whereby he proueth thys King to be not onely Man, but verye naturall God also. He must néeds be another ma­ner of sonne than are the sonnes of al o­thers,Christe ve­ry God. forasmuch as he must do so great things as are spoken of before: If so be that al the sonnes of al mē whatsoeuer, were made ours, yet it woulde profitte vs nothing, séeing that among them al there is not so muche as one, who is not vnder the power of sinne, death, and the law. Whereas therfore this sonne shold abolishe death, synne, and the lawe, it is necessary that he be endued wyth diuine power, especially séeing that he must do it, not for his owne sake but for ours, [Page] inasmuche as he is giuen vnto vs.Hovv Christ vvas borne of a vvoman, yet not of the corrupt seede and nature of man. For to redéeme others from sinnes, death, & the lawe, is the verye power of God. Now if he be a Son and God, al things are in his power, and hee is equall to God. Howbeit that Diuinitie was not borne vnto vs, neyther hathe hee it for our cause: he hath receiued it of the fa­ther from euerlasting for hymselfe, not­withstanding it is giuen vnto vs, that it is also ours. Which if it be ours, what then remaineth that is not oures? as Paule sayeth Rom. 8. Seing that God hathe giuen hys sonne for vs to death, howe shall he not wyth hym giue vs all things also?

Nowe then we knowe the person of thys king, that hee is verye God and Man, borne also of a virgin. For what­soeuer is borne of man and woman, is subiect to synne, as it is said Ioh. 3. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Forasmuch therefore as he shoulde abolishe sinne and death, it behoued that he should not bee borne,That is, of the cor­rupte seed & nature of man. of fleshe and bloude, and [Page] yet notwithstanding shoulde bee borne very natural man, as Esay here sayeth: Vnto vs a child is borne. Here it was neces­sary that a meane should be found out & had, that he shold both be borne of a wo­man, & yet notwithstanding not be born of flesh. Whiche thing came to passe af­ter this sort: His mother was conceiued with childe not by y^e power & proper na­ture of the fleshe, but aboue the course and custome of nature, by the speciall vertue and power of the holye Ghoste, that is, his mother was a virgin, and be­came with childe wythout the naturall copulation of man: which we confesse in our Créede: which was conceiued by y^e holy Ghost &c. Forasmuch therefore as hee became man without sinne hauyng power ouer syn, whom syn could not at any time, euen from y^e first instant of his humanity, subdue to it selfe, it was not a thing vnworthye, that he should be also the son of God: For neyther could it be that the son of God should be vnder syn, [Page] otherwise God himselfe should haue be­come a sinner, and néeded a redéemer as well as we. Who then shoulde haue holpen vs?

The Kingdome of Christ is his Christi­ans,The King­dome of Christe vvhat it is, and vvhy it is sayd to lye vppon his shoul­der. as it is sayde. 1. Pet. 2. Ye are a chosen Generation, a royall priesthoode. And Psal. 2. I will giue thee the heathen for thine inhe­ritaunce. And not a fewe such sentences there are in the scripture. Such a King­dome Esay affyrmeth to lye vppon hys shoulder: first therfore, for that he hathe layed vs and our sinnes vppon himselfe, and hathe borne them on the Crosse, as it is sayde. 1. Pet. 2. VVho his own selfe bare our synnes in hys body on the tree. And Iohn 1. Behold that lambe of God, which taketh a­way the sinnes of the worlde. And Luke. 10. The Samaritan putte the man that was halfe dead vpon his own beaste. Moreouer hee is the shepheard, whiche on his shoulders bringeth home the loste shéepe.

Herof now thou maist easily perceiue,Most com­fortable to Christians, that Chryst beareth hi [...] Kingdome on hys shoulder. how swéete, how comfortable and ami­able wordes they are, when as Esay sayeth: The gouernement is vppon his shoul­der. He sayeth not that his kingdome is at Ierusalem, Syria, Asia, India, or in anye place of the worlde, but hee sayeth that it lyeth vpon his shoulder. Where­soeuer he is, there is his kingdom whol­ly frée, tyed neyther to any place, tyme, nor person, but to himselfe alone. Moreo­uer he beareth it with all the infirmities therof, euen as a father doth his childrē, and a shepheard the lambe, neither doth he caste it off bycause of synne, but doth minister vnto it helpe and remedy. For hys kingdome is a kingdome of Grace, a kingdome of helpe, a kingdome of con­solation for al miserable synners. And surely it is a straunge and maruellous kinde of spéeche, when as it is saide, that he beareth his kingdom vpon his shoul­der, and notwithstanding it muste be in the whole worlde. For in all Countries his kingdome muste be gouerned by the [Page] Gospell, and yet must euerie where bée borne of him vppon his shoulder. The Princes of this world suffer themselues to be borne and caried of their kingdom, but this king doth lifte vp, beare, guide, place in safetie, and direct them that bee hys. Which is done no otherwise than after this sorte: He did beare vs al togy­ther vpon y^e Crosse,Hovve Christ bea­reth his Kingdome on his shoulder. and now he beareth vs by the gospel, that is, hee is preached that he did then beare vs, and obtayned for vs remission and pardon of our sins, both paste, present, and to come. O what a goodly title is this? Howe full of com­forte is thys worthye saying spoken of Christe, that hee beareth hys kingdome vpon his shoulder? The same meanyng hath that whiche Moses singeth in hys Hymne. Deut. 32. that God hath borne y^e people of Israell vppon hys shoulders, that is, he hath delte with them as with infants, he hath brought them vp, nouri­shed them, hath borne their maners and conditions, & hath holpē & succoured thē &c. euē as Christ hath done also vnto vs. [Page] Therfore also the prophet saith that the rule or gouernment lieth vpō his shoul­der, that he may giue vs to vnderstand y^t it is a kingdom of Faith. For we sée his back parts behind, we do not behold his face before, as he himself saith vnto Mo­ses Exod. 33. Thou maist not see my face, but my backe part thou shalt see whē I passe away. So Paul also saith. 1. Cor. 13. Nowe we see through a glasse darkely, but then shal wee see face to face. Hee beareth vs therefore in faith, so y^t although we sée him not, yet we féele his power, wherby he beareth, deliuereth, helpeth and preserueth vs.

It followeth nowe cōcerning his name.

The prophet giueth six names to thys king,Sixe names at­tributed to the king Christe. which may thus be interpreted out of y^e Hebrue: VVonderful, Counsell [...]r, Strōg, Valiant, alwayes a Father, the prince of Peace. Howbeit thou must not think y^t he must be so named or called accordyng to hys [Page] 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 haue 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 [Page] surname is giuē vnto 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.

Esay himselfe in thys place declareth that the names doe pertaine, not to the person of Christe, but to hys office. For if thou demaunde and saye: Wherefore is hee called by these names? Hee aun­swereth, for this cause, that hys king­dome maye encrease, he sayth not, there­fore, that he may sit in his high Throne for himselfe in his magnificence. For herevnto he néedeth no name, whereby he should be called. For he possesseth this [Page] without all name, without all denomi­nation, without vs. Howbeit hee hathe not vs without such denomination. For by the word we muste be broughte vnto hym, and translated into hys Kyngdom. Wherfore he hath néede of such names in respecte of vs. Moreouer, hys kyng­dome is hereby increased,Hovve the Kingdome of Christe is increased. for that Chri­stians dayly increase and are multiply­ed, from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell, euen to the ende of the worlde.

For the qualitie and nature of thys kingdome is suche, that it alwaies con­sisteth in encreasing and multiplying. Forasmuche as the Gospell is not idle, neyther resteth, but hath his course, and is spred ouer the whole world, vntill the laste daye shall come. Of suche nature and condition, there was neuer anye Kyngdome in the Earthe, whyche dydde alwayes encrease, for worldlye Kyng­domes are at the laste diminished and broughte vnto nothing: so that by good ryghte thys name is proper to thys [Page] Kyngdome onely, that it alwaies is en­creased, augmented and made greater.

Howbeit thys commeth to passe meruellouslye,The King­dome of Christ is in­creased af­ter a mar­uellous sor [...] and contrarye to all rea­son. For all Kyngdomes doe oppose themse [...]ues against thys Kyngdome, euen the whole worlde is againste it, so that it appeareth as thoughe it didde decay, and were a diminished Kyngdom, for that the outwarde forme thereof is nothing else but to dye, and to suffer of euerye one, so that reason is enforced to say that the nature thereof consisteth in diminishing and drawing to destru­ction. But this hath sufficiently appea­red to be otherwise. Hierusalem was a most mighty Citie, which togither with all Iudea did striue againste the Chri­stians with might and maine. The part of the Christians was then very small, but the parte of the Iewes was verye excéeding greate, so the Empire of the Iewes myghte bee well called an en­creasing Empyre. But what came to passe? After the space of .30. yeares, there [Page] was not left one stone vppon another at Ierusalem. The state of the Iews was vtterly ouerthrowen, and they dispersed ouer the whole world: then the Christi­ans were multiplied among al nations. Rome also then being chiefest empire in the worlde, did oppose it selfe against the miserable and small kingdom of Christ, but it was not long before Rome togy­ther with hir kingdome laye in the dust, and the Christians were spred ouer the whole worlde. And so the kingdome of Christe is maruellouslye multiplyed by the wonderfull works of the six names. Howbeit al thinges muste be looked for, and receyued by Faith, euen as they were al spoken and prophesied of in spi­ryte.

Moreouer, there shall bee no ende of Peace as long as thys kyngdome stan­deth,In the kingdome of Christe Peace shall haue no ende. but it shall stande for euer, as it is sayde. Such Peace no other kingdomes euer had, for it is not carnall Peace but spirituall, as we haue saied: And albeit this kingdom cease to be encreased and [Page] multiplyed in the day of iudgement, whē the number of the electe is fulfilled, yet Peace shall not ceasse, but shall con­tinue for euer without end. That is, there shal be onely eternall ioy, and per­petuall gladnesse in this kingdome, whi­che beginneth here by Faith, and conti­nueth vnto the life to come.

And of these wordes is gathered a strong reason, that the laste daye &c. the resurrectiō of the dead must néedes come. For it is manifest, and wee playnely sée,A most cer­tain proofe of the re­surrection of the dead that all the diuine Prophets are dead, e­uen Esay hymselfe, yea al Christians also dye. And yet notwithstanding it is said of al, that vnto them this Childe is borne, and vnto them this son is gyuen, that he may be their king, & they liuing in his kingdome, may enioy perpetual & eternall Peace. Nowe he is not a king of the dead, but of the liuing: neither can the dead enioy eternall Peace, it folow­eth therefore, that they muste all lyue, that is, they must arise from the deade, yea they do euen nowe lyue vnto Christ [Page] theyr Kyng as he sayeth, Math. 22. God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing. All the sentences of the Scripture whyche speake of the Kyngdome of Christe, if they be duely and throughly considered, do conclude, that Christe muste be God and man, and that not onelye hee muste rise from the dead, but that all men also muste rise. For if hee muste be an eter­nall king, it is necessary that he be Lord and Conquerour of Death and Synne: which necessarylye proueth that hee is God, for y^t this is proper to God alone. And forasmuch as he is borne man, it necessarily followeth that he muste dye, and yet rise againe, that hee maye bee a king for euer, for he that is dead can not be a king. If so be that the Saincts must be in his kingdome, and enioye eternall Peace, they also must rise frō the deade, for y^t Christ cannot be a king of y^e dead. So the damned also must rise, that they may receiue theyr reward, & be subdued vnder his féete as enimies, y^t so he maye be iudge and Lord both of the liuing, & [Page] also of the dead.

The same the text folowing also doth confirme, whyche affyrmeth that thys peace shall haue no end, and that thys King shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid, and vppon his Kyngdome. Now thys is sufficiētly manifeste, that the throne and kingdome of Dauid did not flourishe a­mong Angels, but in earth ouer menne, namely ouer the people of Israell, & the nations inhabiting about them. Ney­ther was Dauid an eternall King, nor could haue an eternall kingdome. This text therfore doth necessarily proue, that y^e kingdom, which Dauid gouerned, be­ing carnall and for a tyme, must be, and continue vnder this king spirituall and eternall. Moreouer, they are dead which pertayned to the Kingdome of Dauid, they muste certainly therefore be raised frō y^e dead, that vnder this eternal king, they may liue for euer. and inioy euer­lasting peace. Sée how mystically, with how effectual reasons y^e Scriptur confirmeth, y^t al mē must be raised frō y^e dead: [Page] & y^t Christ y^e king must bee raised before al, and aboute all, beyng the firste fruits of them that slepte, as Paule doth excel­lently well admonishe Timothe, [...]. Timothe. 2. that he remember that Christe dyed, and is ri­sen againe according to the Scriptures: As if he saide, thys séemeth so incredible and is so wonderfull, that vnlesse one sticke firmelye to the Scripture, reason cannot abide it, neither will anye man euer beléeue it.

Some maye here obiecte and saye: But what shall become of vs Gentiles, [...]n obiectiō whiche appertayned not to the Kyng­dome of Dauid? Shall wee also come to the Kyngdome of Chryste, when as the promise was made onelye to the Iewes? I aunswere that Esay in this his Prophesie,The aun [...]vveare. folowing the maner of al suche places of Scripture, doth promise Christe and his Kingdome to the Iews only. For Christ was promised only to the Iews, as to the séed of Abrahā, how­beit he was not exhibited to the Iewes only, as Paule witnesseth Rō. 15. saying [Page] Now I say that Iesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirme the promises made vnto the fathers. And that the Gentiles might prayse God for his mer i: Hovv Christ per­tayneth to the Ievves only and hovv to the Gentiles. according to y^e promise therfore Christ appertayneth to the Iews only, but in respect of the exhibiting of him, & of the end therof, he appertaineth to the whole world. For it behoued that there should be a certaine peculiare people, to whom he should be promised, for that he could not be borne of al people, nor of y^e séede of al, howbeit he was to be exhibi­ted not to that people onely, but euen to the whole world. Wherefore there are other sentences of Scripture, which de­clare howe Christ was to be communi­cated to the gentiles also, albeit he was not promised to them, wherof Esay spe­keth nothing here, but in the words go­ing before he doth, where he sayth, Thou hast multiplied the people, and not increased their ioy. But here he speaketh of the promised king, yea he promiseth a king to the people of Israel, which shal sitte [Page] on the throne and kingdome of Dauid.

This king doth not dye, leauing heirs behind him, as did Dauid, but he shal be a king for euer,Christ shall raigne for euer. and shal eternally raign in his kingdome. Wherby again the re­surrection of the dead, and eternal life is proued as it were by certain witnesses. Now he shall not gouerne and stablishe his kingdome with weapons, and with troupes of armed men, after the maner of y^e kings of this world, but with iudge­ment and iustice, and he shal then begin, when he is placed in his throne, & shall neuer after make an end. What iudge­mente and iustice is, I haue else-where oftentimes declared, as where I haue entreated of the Psalmes, &c. Now brie­fly the sum of both is this:Hovv Christ shal order and stablish his kingdome vvith iudge­ment and rigteousnes Christ shal so first order and gouerne his kingdome, y^e pure and sincere righteousnesse shal flo­rishe therin, so that men in it shal auoyd [Page] both sinne, and vnrighteousnesse, & shall be frée from them. That is called iudge­ment, which condemneth and punisheth al vnrighteousnesse and iniquity. More­ouer, to make that the mē in this kyng­dome be good, righteous, holy, & blamles, this is to order and stablish it with righ­teousnesse. All whiche he wil doe by hys holy spirite, which shal renue & change men. For séeing that al men be sinners and defiled with wickednesse, they per­tayne nothing to his kingdome, wherin they onely muste be that are righteous, good and holy. Whych the prophet mea­neth, when in effect he sayth: This king shal bring to passe y^t in his kingdom shal flourish righteousnesse & goodnesse, and y^t his people shall be righteous and holye, not by their owne workes, but he by his workes and spirite will order and sta­blish thē Which is then done whē they beléeue in him, and suffer him to worke in them by his word and spirit.

Why doth not the Prophet say thus: The grace & mercy of God wil do this, for as muche as it is méere grace and not zeale. I answere that the Prophete sayde not so, for that he had regarde to false teachers and Prophetes, which go aboute to iustifye themselues and the people with lawes and works, by which meanes faith and the promise of God, togither with Christ are wholy reiected and nothing accounted of. Which is so displeasing vnto God, that he doth as it were of a zeale suffer his worde and the kingdome of Christe to come, whereby faith & his promise may be established, and the people neyther moste foulye de­ceyued, neyther meanes found to beguyle and deceyue them.