Esaias.
THis great Prophet Esay, the sonne of Amos foresaw in a figure the mysterie of Christ when* 1.1 he sawe the Lord sitting vpon an high and glorious seate, where (sayeth he) the Seraphines stoode about him, whereof one hadde sixe wings, and an other hadde sixe wings, wherewith they couered their faces, and cried one to the other in this maner. Holy, holy, holy is the Lorde of hostes, the whole earth is full of his glory. Then was there one of the Seraphins sent, which tooke of the altar an hotte cole with the tongs, and touched his lips, saying: this taketh away thine vn∣righteousnes. He was so fully instructed by the vision he sawe, and perswaded of the type and fi∣gure, that he foreshewed the mysterie of Christ. Againe, he was so endued with grace from aboue, that he prophecied of the mysterie of Christes passion in this sort. He was ledde as a sheepe to be* 1.2 slaine, yet was he as still as a Lambe before the sherer, and opened not his mouth. The Eunuche of Ethiopia, reading this Prophecie, requested Philip to expound it vnto him, who immediatly de∣clared* 1.3 that the Prophet had said this most truely of Christ our Lord. againe he saith. He is suche a man as hath good experience of sorowes and infirmities. And againe. He did none euil, neither was there guile found in his mouth, yet the Lord will clense him of his wound, and shewe light vnto him. Againe. Thus sayth the Lord: Behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone, euen a tri∣ed* 1.4 stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation. and who so beleeueth on him shall not be confounded. Againe. The spirite of the Lord is vpon me, therefore hath he anoynted me. &c. When the Lord readd this in the synagogue on the Sabaoth, he sayd. Verely I say vnto you, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your eares. This Esay was of Ierusalem. He died at Ierusalem vn∣der king Manasses, being sawed a sunder in two partes, and was buried vnder the Oke, nighe the* 1.5 well of Rogel, hard by the place where the waters ranne which king Ezechias dammed vp. It was by this Prophet that God wrought the monument, and memoriall of the place called Siloam, for when breath failed him before death came, he called for a litle water to drinke, which was imme∣diatly sent vnto him out of this brooke, & therfore the place is called Siloam, which is by interpre∣tatiō as much to say as sent. In y• time of Ezechias before this lake or pond was made, there came* 1.6 out a litle water at y• prayer of Esay. for the people were then in the plaine coūtreys of y• Moabites, who were aliens. and left y• citie perished through want of water (for the enemies enquired where they might drinke, the Citie being beset, they besieged also the brooke Siloam which was drie vn∣to them) there came forth water when the Iewes prayed together with Esay. Therefore it runneth continewally after a secret sort vnto this day for to reueale this great myracle. And because this was done by Esay, the Iewes for memorial therof, buried him with great care and honor nigh Silo∣am, that by his holy prayers they might in like sort enioy the benefite of this water after his de∣parture out of this world. for he had an aunswere from aboue to doe as he did. His sepulchre is nighe where the kings are buried, behinde the buriall of the Iewes, towardes the Southe. Solomon builded the tumbe of Dauid vnto the East of mount Sin••, hauing an entraunce to goe in from the way which cometh out of Gabaon, out of the Citie about a twentie furlongs. He made it so croo∣ked and so awrie, that it can hardly be perceaued, so that many Priestes, and in maner the whole nation of the Iewes coulde not vnto this day finde the way that goeth in. King Solomon had laide vp there, golde that came out of Aethiopia and spice. And because Ezechias shewed and dishonored the bones of his fathers, therefore God badde him assure him selfe it woulde come to passe that