A prophesie out of the nienth chapter of Esaie of the kingdome of Christe. with a frutefull and godlye exposition of D. Martin Luther: wherein is most excellently intreated of the conquest of Christe and of al his members, ouer sinne, death, and Satan, and of sundry other things most comfortable to be red, and no lesse necessary to be knovvne.

The people that walked in darkenes haue sene a great light: they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, vppon them hathe the light shined.

Esay (as I haue said) speaketh of spiri∣tuall darkenesse, whiche is the greatest plague, & the sorest scourge: and of spiri∣tual light, which is the chiefest felicitie, and greatest grace. For what can be more horrible than blindnesse of the harte, and ignoraunce in diuine mat∣ters? 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 no∣thing 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? What can profit him, who being destitute of God, hath Sathan? This greate light therefore and verye shining brightnesse, is the holy Gospell,

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, whereby wee maye looke both into the heart of God, and al∣so 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 Christi∣an muste take héede thereof. When as before no man knew what God is, nei∣ther whether there be any diuels or no, neither what is synne and death, so far was it off, that they knew how to be de∣lyuered from thē. So also no man knew what is man, and the worlde. For euery one thought that there was muche ho∣nestie, reason, and goodly vertues in thē,

neither did any man thinke their chie∣fest 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 peo∣ple 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 dark∣nes, but thought thēselues to be in light.

Let vs nowe consider, whereby men deserued to sée such a light. Here is she∣wed 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 kno∣weth nothing. Doeth not Christe saye Iohn. 12. Hee that walketh in the darke, knoweth not whether he goeth. It is to be at∣tributed therefore to nothing, but to on∣ly

grace, that a light ariseth in darke∣nesse, 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 she∣weth 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 mo∣ued thervnto by their merites, but pre∣uenteth them with his mercye, before they praye or desire anye thing, as Luke notablye declareth, where Za∣charias sayeth: Throughe the tender mercie of oure GOD, whereby the daye spring from an highe hathe visited vs:

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 vn∣derstoode, 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?

Notes

• The great light vvher¦of the pro∣phet spea∣keth vvhat it is
• Spir tuall light.
• Spiritual dark••nesse.
• Not by∣cause of any merit of men, but of his mee••e grace hath God caused this light shine.
• Luke. 1.78.