The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 55

CHAPTER X.

Baptism and the cross of Christ foretold in figures under the law.

LET us now inquire whether the Lord took care to manifest anything beforehand concerning water and the cross.

2 Now for the former of these, it is written to the people of Israel how they shall not receive that baptism which brings to forgiveness of sins; but shall inst.i.tute another to themselves that cannot.

3 For thus saith the prophet: Be astonished, O Heaven! and let the earth tremble at it, because this people have done two great and wicked things: they have left me, the fountain of living water, and have digged for themselves broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

4 Is my holy mountain of Zion, a desolate wilderness? For ye shall be as a young bird when its nest is taken away.

5 And again the prophet saith, I will go before thee, and will make plain the mountains, and will break the gates of bra.s.s, and will snap in sunder the bars of iron; and will give thee dark, and hidden, and invisible treasures, that they may know that I am the Lord G.o.d.

6 And again: he shall dwell in the high den of the strong rock. And then, what follows in the same prophet? His water is faithful; ye shall see the king with glory, and your soul shall learn the fear of the Lord.

7 And again he saith in another prophet: He that does these things; I shall be like a tree planted by the currents of water, which shall give its fruit in its season. Its leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth it shall prosper.

8 As for the wicked it is not so with them; but they are as the dust which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.

9 Therefore the unG.o.dly shall not stand in the judgment, neither the sinners in the council of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the unG.o.dly shall perish.

10 Consider how he has joined both the cross and the water together.

11 For this he saith: Blessed are they who put their trust in the cross, and descend into the water; for they shall have their reward in due time: then, saith he, will I give it them.

12 But as concerning the present time, he saith, their leaves shall not fall: meaning thereby, that every word that shall go out of your mouth, shall through faith and charity be to the conversion and hope of many.

13 In like manner doth another prophet speak. And the land of Jacob was the praise of all the earth; magnifying thereby the vessel of his spirit.

14 And what follows?--And there was a river running on the right hand, and beautiful trees grew up by it; and he that shall eat of them shall live for ever.

The signification of which is this that we go down into the water full of sins and pollutions, but come up again, bringing forth fruit; having in our hearts the fear and hope which is in Jesus, by the spirit. And whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever.

15 That is, whosoever shall hearken to those who call them, and shall believe, shall live for ever.

CHAPTER XI.

The subject continued.

IN like manner he determines concerning the cross in another prophet, saying: And when shall these things be fulfilled?

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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 a.s.suredly 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d.

CHAPTER XII.

The Promise of G.o.d 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 Mana.s.seh and Ephraim, desiring that he should bless Mana.s.seh, 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 Mana.s.seh, 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 G.o.d 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 be believed, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness? Behold I have made thee a father of the nations, which without circ.u.mcision believe in the Lord.