uerthrow Wherefore it is said in Isayâ—â— Isai 37. 32. zeale of the Lord of hostes will perforâ— this and vers 23. of the same chapter vpbraideth the insolencie of Sennachâ— against his Church in these words Wâ— hast thou rayled on and blasphemed anâ— gainst whom hast thou exalted thy voyce hast lifted vp the haughtinesse of thine eâ—â— euen against the holy one of Israel By seruants hast thou rayled on the Lord. Aâ— the Lord willing to shewe the horrible vengeance of his wrath against his enemies sayeth by Moses I will lift vp my Deut. 32. 40. 41. hand to heauen and say I lyue for euer If I whet my glittering sworde and my hand take holde on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will â—eward them that hate mee I will make â—ine arrowes drunke with bloud euen the bloud of the slayne and of the captiues and 〈◊〉 sword shall eate flesh when I beginne 〈◊〉 take vengeance of the enemie And do 〈◊〉 not in these dayes in part see the 〈◊〉 effects of Gods wrath against his enemies after that he hath chastised his Church Could there any thing seeme â—ore to be marueiled at then that which God hath set before our eyes to weet 〈◊〉 enemies of the Church armed against â—heÌ„selues the innocencie of the Church â—pproued the conspiratours condemned 〈◊〉 disobedience and rebellion the King â—ade their enemie and he again by them 〈◊〉 far as their power stretched deposed â—epriued of all dignitie finally the whole 〈◊〉 of the warre turned froÌ„ the faithâ—ull and turned against the rebellious 〈◊〉 We haue not yet I grant obtained so happie an end neither do we as yet enioy so great prosperitie but that there is daily offered vnto vs great matter to cast down our selues before God and to pray for his fauour with teares repentance whereby at the last hee may bring an ende to those manifold confusions and all kindâ— of mischiefes which ciuill warres do draw with them Howbeit these so wonderfull works of God are neuerthelesse to be obserued that wee may extoll him with deserued prayse and giue him condigne thanks as we are inuited by the Psa 66. 5. Prophet in these words Come and beholâ— the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the sonnes of men and like wise Psal 46. 8. O come and behold the worke of the Lord. Moreouer that we may learnâ— to flee vnto him in our greatest distresses and patiently expect his help constantly euery one do our dueties in ouâ— vocations tremble vnder his iudgements and depend on his mercie whereof at thâ— last he will make vs partakers in Christ Iesus to whome be all glorie and dominion for euermore Amen THE FOVRE AND twentieth Sermon The publike and solemne ioy of the Iewes for the victorie obtained which Mardochaeus doth consecrate to be yearely celebrated for euer with solemn rites from verse 17. vnto 15. of the 9. Chapter 17. This they did on the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar and rested the fourteenth day thereof and kept it a day of feasting and ioy 18. But the Iewes that were in Susa assembled themselues on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth thereof and they rested on the fifteenth of the same and kept it a day of feasting and ioy 19. Therefore the Iewes of the Villages that dwelt in the vnwalled Townes kept the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar with ioy and feasting euen a ioyfull day and euery one sent presents vnto his neighbour 20. Eor Mordecai wrote these words and sent Letters vnto all the Iewes that were in all the Prouinces of the king Assuerus both neare and farre 21. Inioyning them that they should keepe the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and the fifteenth day of the same euery yeare 22. According to the dayes wherein the Iewes rested from their enemies and the moneth which was turned vnto theÌ„ from sorrow to ioy and from mourning into a ioyfull day to keepe them the dayes of feasting and ioy and to send presents euery man to his neighbour and giftes to the poore 23. And the Iewes promised to do as they had begun and as Mordecai had written vnto them 24. Because Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the aduersarie of all the Iewes had imagined against the Iewes to destroy them and had cast Pur that is a lot to consume and destroy them BEsides that one and onely sacrifice of the Sonne of God once offered for the remission of our sinnes of which the olde sacrifices were figures there haue bin alwaies among the faithfull two sortes of sacrifice most acceptable vnto God the one the sacrifice of a contrite Ps 51. 17 50. 14. 23. and broken heart the effect of true repentance in aduersitie and the other of praise and thanks-giuing in prosperitie that the one of these may yeelde vnto God the praise of iustice in correcting vs the other may set forth his clemencie mercie in deliuering vs from euils We haue seene before in the fourth Chapter how the Iewes in their troubles offered vnto God the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart and what fruite they reaped from this conuersion vnto God with fasting weeping and prayer to wit deliuerance by God as it were out of the iawes of their enemies and a most admirable victorie ther remaineth now for vs to see how hauing receiued so great benefits at Gods hand they offered vnto him with great ioy gladnes the sacrifice of praise and thanks giuing therof would haue a perpetuall monument to remaine In three verses then it is recited how all the Iewes willingly and of their owne accord did celebrate their day of rest with gladnesse giuing thankes vnto God for the benefite receiued they who dwelt in the Prouinces vpon the foureteenth day and those who dwelt in Susa vpon the fifteenth afterward it is declared how Mardochaeus by a publike writing ordaind that those two dayes shuld be obserued amongst the Iewes by a perpetuall decree and that this was willingly accepted by them and againe ratified in the name of Ester and Mardochaeus and these things are contained in the latter ende of the Chapter At this present we are to coÌ„sider that which is contained from the 17 verse to the 25. whereout we learne with what gladnesse and what feruentnesse of minde the benefits and deliuerances of our eternall God are to be acknowledged by vs and set foorth with praise The Iewes then which dwelt in the Prouinces out of the Citie Susa when as vpon the thirteenth day they had now obtained a full victorie ouer their enemies and rest from them rested vpon the fourteenth day and that day was vnto thema day of ioy and gladnesse but those who dwelt in Susa being as yet occupied on the fourteenth day in following the rest of their enemies rested on the fifteenth day giuing themselues vnto ioy in the honour of God and celebrating the memorie of their deliuerance this is the sum of
all men are readie against the day of slaughter and Haman hauing al things perfected to his wish sitteth drinking with the king This Historie is worthie to be diligently weighed for it containeth a liuely pattern of those things which haue happened in our age First then the Kings Scribes are called as soone as the King hath giuen his assent least perhappes the matter beeing better thought on there might be left a place for repentance and occasion to call backe again that which ouer-rashly he had granted and so eyther himselfe thinking better vpon it or else warned by some other should take some newe aduise concerning so barbarous and bloudie a graunt So the wicked are wont to vrge Kings and to bee instant vpon them in a wicked purpose that there may bee left them neither time nor place to deliberate of it And thus are the Scribes called not to deliberate of the whole matter but onely to write those things which Haman shuld commaund to be sent to the Kings Nobles and to the Captaines that were in euery Prouince and to the rulers of euery people and to euery people according to their tongue that is in breefe to all which in euery Prouince had any authoritie For the Nobles were his Liefetenants generall the Captaines were the gouenors vnder them the rulers were those which in euery Citie in all meetings of the people were in greatest estimation and credit Hamans ende and purpose was that all sorts of men should doo their carefull endeuour in accomplishing that bloudie Edict which was so guarded with the Kings name and sealed with the Kings Ring which was in steed of those great seales which our Kings at this day vse So for the most part we see it to come to passe that those who are placed in the gouernmeÌ„t of the CoÌ„mon-wealth for the defence of good men the protection of lawes and preseruation of publique peace do often times kings being caried away with euil counsellours bestow their labour in murthering and massacring the most quiet peaceable subiects making no enquirie before whether it bee done by right or wrong to whom it is inough to say Thus it was the Kings pleasure neither are they mindful that they are called to that place not to serue the Princes lust who as other men is mortall but to serue the lawes and render to euery one that which is theirs Wherfore that saying Traiane of an Emperour of Rome is greatly to bee praysed who deliuering vnto the Generall of his horsemen the sword into his hand spake vnto him these words Vse this for mee if I commaund that which is right and against me if I command that which is vniust But the tyrannous will or rather lust of many Princes challeÌ„geth the force of lawe and to be the rule of equitie although euen in iest they deliberate of most vniust matters The Scribes againe on the other part yeeld themselues most obedient to Haman and obiect nothing against so bloudy and violent an Edict they would not forsooth displease the King Nothing also in so cruell a proclamation seemeth vniust or vnlawfull to the Nobles and Captains but they are ready to fulfill it So in our age if Edicts were to bee penned against religion the Scribes could neuer satisfie themselues in deuising significant words to make them more haynous and cruell the Gouernours without any exception were ready with all their might seuerely to obserue them and the people receiued them with alioy and gladnes And as here al things were written in the kings name and sealed with the Kings seale so in our age the colleagued enemies of the church and true religion with great cries and opeÌ„ mouth pretended still the kings name and maiestie and haue vsed his forces and the common treasure to the oppressing thereof running as it were to quench a fire that would bring destruction to the whole Realm Lo then how this Edict was written in authenticall forme according to Hamans will and lust Let vs come now to those things that were contained therein for of the maner how it came and was dispearsed into the Prouinces we will speake after in the 15. verse The Proclamation containeth two principall poynts The former is the killing of all Iewes without sparing or making difference and that all togither vpon one appointed day and the spoyling of their goods as a pray The other that this decree be made knowne vnto all Prouinces that all men might be ready against the day prefixed to coÌ„mit so bloudy aslaughter As concerning the former Haman is not contented with the common worde of killing the Iewes but that he might the better lay open his câ—uell and bloud-thirsty mind he saith that they should bee rooted out slaine and destroyed and that there should not any place be left for manhood or pietie wherewith mooued men at least migh spare infants he maketh mention of euery one seuerally as well young as olde little children as women This butcherie is appointed vpon one and the same day that with greater pleasure he might wallowe in aboundance of bloud flowing from al places at one time and that the cut-throates in euery place might the more bee stirred vp vnto that horrible slaughter nay farther that they may not spare any the goods of those that are slaine are set open for a pray to bee spoyled that euery one hauing this reward promised might runne vnto that slaughter with a barbarous and vnbridled furie If any man demaund with what shew of reason so detestable a fact could bee shadowed the answere is easie vpon Hamans accusation they were condemned as contemners of the Kings lawes and religion Finally the hatred of God and of true religion was a sufficient incitement vnto them to commit so bestiall a massacre Paraduenture it may seeme strange and incredible that so bloudie a decree could bee made when the most enraged enemies and most bloudie are wont in warres to spare women children vnlesse euen in our owne age we had seene farre more cruell things then these not onely to haue bene deliberated of and decreed by those who brag that they are Christians but also to haue beene executed with so great and so barbarous rage by them that euen a mans heart will quake onely to remember it For if any man call to remembrance that arrest of Parliament made at Aix against the inhabitants of Cabriers and Merindoll about some 44. yeares ago and also that most horrible butcherie begunne at Paris the 24. of August 1572. and afterward spread into the other Cities of France he must needes bee driuen to confesse that these were so cruell that they passed all others and this last so barbarous that it turneth away mens eyes from all others vnto that alone the crueltie was so fierce and vnheard of before that none can sufficiently wonder at it and bee mooued with horror who haue but onely heard the report thereof For what kinde of crueltie was there not
executed with more then diuellish rage against men of all ages qualitie and sexe what villanies omitted against those that were slaine with what slaunders were they not euen ouerwhelmed that they might be accounted euen detestable after their death But by whom I beseech you consider were those horrible sauage slaughters coÌ„mitted not by straungers not by sauage people and Canibals but by their fellow-Citizens their neighbours their alliance by them who but the day before did testifie their friendship by their oathes But at what time was this lamentable slaughter executed In the middest of a publique peace with most solemne rites proclamed and sworne vnto vnder the glorious pretence of marriage and feasts royall wheÌ„ all ioy did seeme to be hoped for By what means Euen by the most trecherous traiterous practises that euer the most faithlesse did vse Vnder what pretence of Christianitie zeale religion Oinfernal hellish zeale ô diuellish religioÌ„ which teacheth to murther so cruelly so treacherously those who only call on the name of Christ Iesus And yet notwithstanding so barbarous so impudent is the superstition of the seruants of Antichrist that all the Preachers of the Church of Rome haue extolled with most high commendation euen vnto heauen so barbarous a butcherie as an holy and meritorious worke and after did neuer make an ende of exhoâ—ting the people to newe slaughters by their seditious outcries neither ceased they vntill they had againe kindled a new fire of ciuill warre And the greatest part of the people being seasoned or tainted rather with so pestilent doctrine delighted in that sauage butcherie and were sorie they could not commit greater cruelties or that any of the faithfull should escape their bloudie fingers For this purpose not many yeares past was that League made among the conspiratours who assembled themselues and bound themselues by oath to oppresse spoyle and destroy the rest of the Church not onely in France or England but in all places of the world where the name of Christ Iesus is purely called on and his Gospell sincerelytaught And to this end indeed are all the desires counselles deceits treacheries and endeuours of the Romane Antichrist directed that by this meanes he may restore his decayed tyrannie And who euen yet at this day do moue the body of the League without a head so furiously but those fire braÌ„ds which are sent from the Pope stirring vp in the mindes of all those who giue eare vnto them a deadly hatred against the Gospel vnder the name of heresie which they falsely lay vpon it and a desire of destroying and rooting out yea euen rasing the memorie from amongst men of all those who do professe it Therefore Haman is not yet dead but his cruell minde reuiueth in an infinit number of men who beeing bewitched with the blasphemous voyces of Antichrist craftily coloured perswade themselues that there is none other zeale no other godlines but in sheading the bloud of all those who consent not to their impâ—eties yea also of those though they be Papists who allow not of the crueltie furie of the Leagurs so that they haue not spared euen their King and his officers And if the Lord himselfe had not cut in sunder all the cordes of the vngodly and shut the mouthes of the cruell Lyons so cunningly so deceitfully had they couched all their fraudes and guiles that there was not any hope left to escape their traps But blessed be the Lord who hath not suffered that these wicked cruel beasts should deuour as they hoped his people whom they had caught in their clawes and euen rent them with their most fierce teeth They had eueÌ„ already deuided the spoiles of the poore faithfull ones and laid holde on their goods but the Lord who hath stricken their Head is euen now ready to demaund an account of so many slaughters committed by them and to reuenge it And thus farre touching the first part of the Edict The other point is that the contents of this writing should be made knowne to all People and Prouinces that they might all bee prepared against that day that is that the cut-throates in all coastes should be ready to set vpon the Iewes and to kill them So that this execution should bee done without any forme of iudgement For I pray what order or shewe of law was obserued against these poore innocents All things then were to bee done with open force and armed hand as most times there want not ministers of such cruelties especially if the goods of those that are executed may remaine as a pray for such cut-throates But what a confusion is that and what disturbing of order so to allure and accustome the people to slaughter Is not this the meanes to open the way to new seditions to lay forth the lawes to bee troden vnder foote by all men to teach men to set light by the bloud and life of men and to flesh the wicked and leaud persons in robbery violence But without care is the coÌ„fusion of al things broght in without care are the lawes both diuine â—â—mane broken without care is the law of nations nature trodeÌ„ vnder foot so that â—â—ey may take reuenge of their enemies and true religion may be destroyed with 〈◊〉 that fauor it Now if any shuld take exâ—â—tions that this Edict being so speedily 〈◊〉 out did giue warning to the Iewes speedily to prouide for their safetie by flight I answere there was also as speedily prouided that there should bee no place for them to escape For whither I pray could those miserable Captiues flee with their families beeing enuironed on euery side with so many enemies For from the time that decrees are pulished against the poore faithfull there is none dates shewe himselfe a friend vnto them all men are enemies in aduersitie The Kings voyce is as thunder wherewith euen the most stout are feared Who then wil wonder that there was no means for the poore Iewes being thus condemned to escape when as it is rather to be maruelled at how their enemies held themselues backe but that they had assailed them before the day prefixed thaâ— they might the sooner enioy the spoyle as wee see that holy-hunger of gold driues men to commit any mischiefe Bâ—â— God did watch for the safegarde of thâ— poore Captiues from whom being iniuâ—â—ously condemned hee did turne the euâ—â— vpon their enemies Here we are to hold for certaine thâ— God doth often suffer his Church to bâ— plunged into so great dangers as it seemeth in the iudgement of man impossible to get out of them that therby the deliueraunce thereof may bee the more knowne and famous in the whole world So Pharoes hoste hemmed in the Israelites Exod. 14. on euery side at the redde Sea to whom God gaue a deliuerance through the middest of the Sea So Rabsake beâ—eeged 2. King 19. 35. Ierusalem very straightly without hope of helpe from any mortall man that his power