Haggee the prophet foretold the manner how the temple should be builded, I mean, the true temple indeed; to wit, the church of Christ. Zachary doth excellently paints to us many mysteries of Christ he layeth before us the kingdom and priesthood of our Lord and Saviour: he commendeth to us that one and only eternal sacrifice, which is effectual enough to cleanse the sins of all the world: Zach. third, ninth, and fourteenth chapters. Yea, he prophesieth of nothing else but of Christ and his kingdom. Malachias foresheweth the forerunner of the Lord, and handleth no small number of mysteries concerning Christ.. Whereby we do perceive that Paul writ most truly in the first to the Romans, saying, that God did afore promise the Rom. i. gospel by his prophets in the holy scriptures.

is not divers.

Now by these holy promises we do gather this also, The gospel that there are not many or divers gospels, (although we deny not, but that the same gospel 10 was penned by divers evangelists;) but that there is one alone, and that too, as it were, eternal. For the very same gospel which is at this day preached to us was at the beginning of the world preached to our first parents11. For it is assuredly certain, that by the gospel were saved Adam, Evah, Abel, all the patriarchs, prophets, and faithful people of the old Testament: which thing we have in another place at large declared 12

Father hath

Christ per

that which

to our fore

We are now come to the second part, where we have to God the shew you that God the Father hath faithfully performed to through us that which he promised to our forefathers in giving to formed to us us his only-begotten Son, who is that true and looked-for he promised Messiah, that is to be blessed 13 world without end. In making this matter manifest the evangelists and apostles of our Lord. have taken great pains, and set it forth so well and faithfully that it cannot be bettered.

They shew that Christ doth come of the stock of David, descending lineally of the seed of Abraham: they tell that [ chap. ii. 7-9. Haggæus templum extruit, is Bullinger's phrase.] [8 tradit, Lat.] [9 præmittit, Lat.]

[10 eandem historiam evangelicam, Lat.]

[11 Rather, was from the beginning of the world preached to the fathers.]

[12 This is the topic of Bullinger's treatise, The Old Faith. See also Vol. II. page 283.]

[13 benedictus, Lat. ; who is blessed.]

fathers.

his mother was the virgin, which did conceive by the Holy Ghost, and, being a virgin still, brought him into the world. They note the time wherein Christ was revealed, in all points correspondent to the prophets' prophecies. They add, that the place of his nativity was answerable to that which Micheas foretold. In the East there appeareth a star, which moveth the princes1, or wise men, to go and salute the newborn King. They come therefore, and even in Hierusalem 2 do openly profess that the Messiah is born, and that they are come out of the East to worship and honour him. According to their words so were their deeds: for when by the leading of the star they had once found him, they fall down before him, and do, by offering to Christ the gifts that they brought, not obscurely declare how joyful they were, and how much they set by their Lord and Saviour3. In the very city of Hierusalem the most just man Simeon with great joy of heart and godly gratulation doth in the temple openly testify, that God according to his eternal goodness and constancy had given to the world his onlybegotten Son, whom he had promised unto the fathers; therewithal protesting that he was willing to die. He addeth the cause; "For that," saith he, "mine eyes have seen thy salvation," to wit, that Schilo, the Saviour", whom thou, O [Luke ii. 30- God, hast determined to "set before all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel:" that is, that he, shaking off all darkness, should bring the light of truth and life unto the Gentiles, to lighten them withal; and that he should be the glory and life of the people of Israel. Hereunto also belongeth the testimony of that notable man Zachary, the holy priest of God, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since

32.]

[1 magos viros primarios et sapientissimos, Lat.]

[2 in urbe Hierosolymorum regia, Lat. ; in the royal city.]

[3 quanti Christum faciant, Lat. ; how joyful they were, the translator's addition.]

[4 urbe regia, Lat.]

[5 veritate, Lat. ; truth.]

[6 tranquillissimo animo, Lat.; with most peaceful mind.]

[ felicitatorem salvatoremque, Lat.]

seen in the

Christ, that

looked-for

16.]

34.]

the world began:" and so forth, as is to be first of Luke's gospel. Moreover John the son of this Zachary, surnamed the Baptist, than who we read not that any one more holy was ever born of women, did with his finger point at Christ Jesus, and openly declare that he is that looked-for Messiah, whom all the prophets promised; Jesus is and that God, by giving him unto the world, hath done that is that he promised, and wholly poured himself with all his benefits Messias. into and upon all faithful believers. "And as the people waited" (saith Luke), " and thought in their hearts of John, (Luke iil. 15, whether he were very Christ; John answered, saying to them all, Indeed I baptize you with water; but one stronger than I cometh after me, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." And in the Gospel after St John we read: "The [John i. 29next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb. of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me, because he was before me; and I knew him not: but that he should be declared unto Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” And immediately after he saith: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like unto a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and tarrying still on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." Again, when the disciples of John did envy the happy success of Christ, and that it grieved them to see their master John as it were neglected in comparison of Christ, John said to his disciples: "Ye your- [John 111. 28 selves are witnesses, that I said, I am not Christ, but I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth because of the bridegroom 10: therefore this my joy is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into

[8 filius beatissimus, Lat. ; the most blessed son.]

[9 qui me antecessit, Lat. and Erasmus; qui ante me factus est, Vulg.]

[10 gaudio gaudet propter vocem sponsi, Lat.]

-30, 35, 36.]

his hand. He that believeth in the Son hath life everlasting: he that believeth not in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him."

These testimonies are firm, clear, and evident enough, and might suffice for the confirmation of this cause. But let us yet of a many moe pick out and add a few, which may declare that Christ is already exhibited unto us. Therefore our Lord himself, whom we believe to be Messiah, when he had a great while been very greatly commended by the testimony of John, doth at length come abroad and preach the word of life. But it is not read, that in any age, before or since, there was ever any that taught with so great grace. And therewithal

he shewed almost incredible and wonderful miracles, which do easily argue who he was, and were sufficient to win such a man with whom no words might possibly prevail. He was loving and gentle to sinners, repeating still and beating into their heads that he was come to save them, and call them to repentance. Therefore, when the disciples of John did once. [Matt. xi. 3- come unto him, saying, "Art thou he that should come, or shall we look for another?" he answered, "Go ye and tell those things to John which ye see and hear: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and to the poor is preached the glad tidings of the gospel." Now by these, his doctrine I mean, and his works or miracles, his mind was to shew, that he was exhibited the true Messiah unto the world, and that none other is to be looked for. Moreover in the synagogue at Nazareth, where he read and expounded Esay's prophecy of the coming of Messiah, he declared there that that scripture was in himself1 fulfilled. And to the history is [Luke iv. 16 immediately annexed: "And all bare record unto him, and wondered at the gracious sayings that proceeded from his mouth." Again, in the tenth chapter of St John his gospel: "The Jews came round about the Lord, and said, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in my Father's name, these bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep." And presently after he addeth: "Ye say that I blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God. If I do not [1 in himself, not in Lat.]

-22.]

the works of my Father, believe me not: but if I do, and if ye believe not me, believe my works; that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him." In the seventh of John we read: "They that believed in him said, Will Christ, when he cometh, shew more signs than this man hath shewed?" that is to say: Admit we grant that there is another Christ to be looked for; yet this is most sure, that the other Messiah cannot do more and greater miracles than this man doth. Let us therefore believe that this is the true Messiah. Before Caiaphas, the high priest, and the whole council of the peers of Israel, also before Pontius Pilate in the judgment-hall of the Roman empire, our Lord Christ did openly in express words confess that he is that true and lookedfor Messiah.

He verily, as the prophets foretold of him, did of his own accord die for sinners; the third day after that he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father. And the evangelists, reciting faithfully the words and deeds of Christ, do to the most notable ones always add: "All this was done or said, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet." Wherefore it were not worth the labour here to gather together the prophecies of the prophets, by them to examine the words and deeds of Christ, and by the manifest agreement betwixt them for to conclude, That God hath performed to us that which he promised unto our fathers in giving to us his only-begotten Son Christ Jesus, which is the true and lookedfor Messiah. For this have the evangelists already done, and that too with so great faith and diligence, that for the plainness of the thing it cannot be bettered. To this place now ye may refer all that I have in my former sermons said touching the signification, or mysteries, fulfilling and abrogating, of the law.

And, to content ourselves with a smaller number of testimonies, might not this one, which is read in the fourth of St. John, be instead of many thousand confirmations? The woman of Samaria saith to the Lord: "I know that the Messiah shall come, which is called Christ: therefore when he cometh, he shall tell us all things. Jesus answered her, I am he that speak to thee." Lo, what could be had2 more [2 said, edd. 1577 and 1587. dici, Lat.]