A horn in scripture is taken for victory, doughtiness, a rod, a kingdom, greatness, power, majesty or excellency, ether because that four-footed beasts have their chief strength in their horns, or else be cause that kings being consecrate in old time were anointed with the oil that the prophets had in horns, as we read of Samuel .i. Reg. xvi. Therefore sayeth Zechariah, that God hath raised and set up an horn, that is, a saving power, namely by Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all them that believe in him, unto whom is given power of all things, both in heaven and earth. If I should bring forth the scriptures bearing witness of this, I fear me to be cloyed with the abundance of the same. The horn than is set up in the house of David, for Christ is borne of the posterity of David, not only after the spirit, (as the swerving spirits of ⟨image 85⟩the Anabaptists do say) but also after the flesh, the which he toke of the virgin Mary. If this David (of whose flesh and blood Christ was borne after the manhood) had ben no man, than had not Zechariah meant him when he said: In the house of David his servant. For Christ is equal with his father after the Godhead, and the seed or posterity of David after the manhood which he toke of the virgin Mary, that was of Davids kindred, & that by the overshadowing of the holy ghost. If they therefore will swage their rashness and malapertness, and confess the truth according to the scriptures, than surely shall they see, that scripture useth sometime to speak mystically of him, and so is he the true Solomon, that is: the king of peace, whose dominion shall be augmented, and there shall be no end of his peace. Esa. ix. And sometime after the flesh, as we may see in the .lii. and .liii. chapters of Isaiah. More over, If they will understand the prophecy of Jeremiah in his .xxii. chapter, where he promiseth to raise up the righteous branch of David only spiritually, than must they deny the article of our belief that we confess in, that he is borne of the virgin Mary, and again that his manhood glorified is not in ⟨image 86⟩heaven, the which God forfend any man should believe, seeing the whole scripture is contrary to it, though all the world did affirm it.
A horne in scripture is taken for victory, doughtynesse, a rodde, a kyngdome, greatnesse, power, maiestye or excellencye, ether because that fourefooted beastes haue theyr chefe strength in theyr hornes, orels be cause that kynges beynge consecrate in olde tyme were anoynted wyth the oyle that the prophetes had in hornes, as we reade of Samuel .i. Reg. xvi. Therfore sayeth Zachary, that God hath raysed and set vp an horne, that is, a sauynge power, namely by Iesus Christe, the Saueoure of all thē that beleue in hym, vnto whome is geuen power of all thynges, both in heauē and earth. Yf I shulde brynge sorth the scriptures bearynge wytnesse of thys, I feare me to be cloyde with ye abundaunce of thesame. The horne than is set vp in the house of Dauid, for Christe is borne of the posterite of Dauid, not only after the sprete, (as the swaruynge spretes of ⟨image 85⟩the Anabaptistes do saye) but also after the flesh, the which he toke of the virgine Mary. Yf thys Dauid (of whose flesh and bloude Christe was borne after the manhode) had ben no man, than had not Zachary mēt him whan he sayde: In the house of Dauid hys seruaunte. For Christe is equall wyth hys father after the Godheade, and the sede or posterite of Dauid after ye manheade which he toke of the virgine Mary, that was of Dauids kynred, & that by the ouershadowynge of the holy goost. Yf they therfore wyl swage theyr rashnesse and malepartnesse, and confesse the truth accordynge to the scriptures, than surely shall they se, that scripture vseth somtyme to speake mystically of hym, and so is he the true Salomon, that is: the kynge of peace, whose dominion shalbe augmented, and ther shalbe no ende of hys peace. Esa. ix. And sometyme after the flesh, as we maye se in the .lii. and .liii. chapters of Esay. More ouer, Yf they wyl vnderstande the prophecy of Ieremy in hys .xxii. chapter, where he promyseth to rayse vp the ryghteous braūche of Dauid only spritualy, than must they denye the article of oure belefe that we cōfesse in, that he is borne of the virgine Mary, and agayne that hys manhode glorifyed is not in ⟨image 86⟩heauen, the whiche God forsende ony man shulde beleue, seynge the whole scripture is contrary to it, though all the worlde dyd affirme it.
