2 The Lord answers: When the tree that is fallen shall rise, and when blood shall drop down from the tree. Here you have again mention made, both of the cross, and of him that was to be crucified upon it.

3 And yet farther he saith by Moses; (when Israel was fighting with, and beaten by, a strange people; to the end that God might put them in mind how that for their sins they were delivered unto death) yea, the holy spirit put it into the heart of Moses, to represent both the sign of the cross, and of him that was to suffer: that so they might know that if they did not believe in him, they should be overcome for ever.

4 Moses therefore I piled up armour upon armour in the middle of a rising ground, and standing up high above all of them, stretched forth his arms, and so Israel again conquered.

5 But no sooner did he let down his hands, but they were again slain. And why so?—To the end they might know, that except they trust in him they cannot be saved.

6 And in another prophet, he saith, I have stretched out my hands all the day long to a people disobedient, and speaking against my righteous way.

7 And again Moses makes a type of Jesus, to show that he was to die, and then that he, whom they thought to be dead, was to give life to others; in the type of those that fell in Israel.

8 For God caused all sorts of serpents to bite them, and they died: forasmuch as by a serpent transgression began in Eve; that so he might convince them that for their transgressions they shall be delivered into the pain of death.

9 Moses then himself, who had commanded them, saying, Ye shall not make to yourselves any graven or molten image, to be your God yet now did so himself, that he might represent to them the figure of the Lord Jesus.

10 For he made a brazen serpent, and set it up on high, and called the people together by a proclamation: where being come, they entreated Moses that he would make an atonement for them, and pray that they might be healed.

11 Then Moses spake unto them, saying: when any one among you shall be bitten, let him come unto the serpent that is set upon the pole; and let him assuredly trust in him, that though he be dead, yet he is able to give life, and presently he shall be saved; and so they did. See therefore how here also you have in this the glory of Jesus; and that in him and to him are all things.

12 Again; What says Moses to Joshua, the Son of Nun, when he gave that name unto him, as being a prophet, that all the people might hear him alone? Because the father did manifest all things concerning his son Jesus, in Joshua, the Son of Nun; and gave him that name when he sent him to spy out the land of Canaan, saying; Take a book in thine hands, and write what the Lord saith. Forasmuch as Jesus the Son of God shall in the last days cut off by the roots all the house of Amalek, see here again Jesus, not the son of man, but the Son of God, made manifest in a type, and in the flesh.

13 But because it might hereafter be said that Christ was the Son of David; therefore David fearing and well knowing the errors of the wicked, saith; the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

14 And again Isaiah speaketh on this wise, The Lord said unto Christ my Lord, I have laid hold on his right hand, that the nations should obey before him, and I will break the strength of kings.

15 Behold, how doth David and Isaiah call him Lord, and the Son of God.

CHAPTER XII

The Promise of God not made to the Jews only, but to the Gentiles also, and fulfilled to us by Jesus Christ.

BUT let us go yet further, and inquire whether this people be the heir, or the former; and whether the covenant be with us or with them.

2 And first, as concerning the people, hear now what the Scripture saith:

3 Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah, because she was barren; and she conceived. Afterwards Rebekah went forth to inquire of the Lord.

4 And the Lord said unto her; There are two nations in thy womb, and two people shall come from thy body; and the one shall have power over the other, and the greater shall serve the lesser. Understand here who was Isaac; who Rebekah; and of whom it was foretold, this people shall be greater than that.

5 And in another prophecy Jacob speaketh more clearly to his son Joseph, saying; Behold the Lord hath not derived me of seeing thy face, bring me thy sons that I may bless them. And he brought unto his father Manasseh and Ephraim, desiring that he should bless Manasseh, because he was the elder.

6 Therefore Joseph brought him to the right hand of his father Jacob. But Jacob by the spirit foresaw the figure of the people that was to come.

7 And what saith the Scripture? And Jacob crossed his hands, and put his right hand upon Ephraim, his second, and the younger son, and blessed him. And Joseph said unto Jacob; Put thy right hand upon the head of Manasseh, for he is my first-born son. And Jacob said unto Joseph; I know it, my son, I know it; but the greater shall serve the lesser; though he also shall be blessed.

8 Ye see of whom he appointed it, that they should be the first people, and heirs of the covenant.

9 If therefore God shall have yet farther taken notice of this, by Abraham too; our understanding of it will then be perfectly established.

10 What then saith the Scripture of Abraham, when I he believed, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness? Behold I have made thee a father of the nations, which without circumcision believe in the Lord.

11 Let us therefore now inquire whether God has fulfilled the covenant, which he sware to our fathers, that he would give this people? Yes, verily, he gave it; but they were not worthy to receive it by reason of their sins.

12 For thus saith the prophet And Moses continued fasting in mount Sinai, to receive the covenant of the Lord with the people, forty days and forty nights.

13 And he received of the Lord two tables written with the finger of the Lord's hand, in the Spirit. And Moses, when he had received them, brought them down that he might deliver them to the people.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses; Moses, Moses, get thee down quickly, for the people which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt have done wickedly.

15 And Moses understood that they had again set up a molten image: and he cast the two tables out of his hands; and the tables of the covenant of the Lord were broken. Moses therefore received them, but they were not worthy.

16 Now then learn how we have received them. Moses, being a servant, took them; but the Lord himself has given them unto us, that we might be the people of his inheritance; having suffered for us.

17 He was therefore made manifest; that they should fill up the measure of their sins, and that we being made heirs by him, should receive the covenant of the Lord Jesus.

18 And again the prophet saith Behold, I have set thee for a light unto the Gentiles; to be the saviour of all the ends of the earth, saith the Lord; the God who hath re-deemed thee.

19 Who for that very end was prepared, that by his own appearing he might redeem our hearts, already devoured by death, and delivered over to the irregularity of error, from darkness; and establish a covenant with us by his word.

20 For so it is written that the father commanded him by delivering us from darkness, to prepare unto himself a holy people.

21 Wherefore the prophet saith I the Lord thy God have called thee in righteousness, and I will take thee by thy hand, and will strengthen thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people; for a light to the Gentiles. To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

22 Consider, therefore, from whence we have been redeemed. And again the prophet saith The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach glad tidings to the lowly; to heal the broken in heart; to preach remission to the captives, and give sight unto the blind; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of restitution; to comfort all that mourn.