lye walowing in thy stomake thou shalte voâ—â—â— it vp agayne or els it shall lye within 〈◊〉 body vnprofitable stinking as in a syâ—â—â— or cannel engender infinite diseases w â— in thee But if God blesse thee thy meat though it be neuer so course and thou 〈◊〉 hongry thou shalt digest it it shal feede thee and make thee as lusty as stronge as helthfull as wel likinge as he whiche is fed with Capen Partriche Quayle Feason or the finest disshes he caÌ„ deuise And as God here by this Prephete willeth them to consider wel in their owne hearte whether these thinges were true in dede so God biddes vs now loke our selues and iudge whether it be not so amongst vs to this daye Loke howe many of youre poore neighbours eate broune bread drink thin drink haue litle flesh liue with mylke butter cheese lye on the straw without mattres or fetherbed iudges youre selues whether they be not more lusty strong healthful wel liking thaÌ„ thou wheÌ„ thou art croÌ„med full of all dainties which thou caÌ„ inuent or desire Thus we maye see what it is to eate drinke and not be filled therewith as the Prophet saieth in this place We wonder muche at the great miracles of God when he chaunged water into bloud plaged Egipt whaÌ„ he turned water into wyne at the wedding in Cana of Galile and such other because they were done but seldom But surely to feede oure bodies with meat is as great a miracle if it be wel considered as anye other suche thing the God workes What is more marueylous then to se the flesh of the sheepe or Oxe beast fish or foule which thou did se yesterday running in the fieldes flieng in the ayre or swimming in the water thys day to be chaunged into thy flesh bloud and the substaÌ„ce of thy bodye We are not norished onely with accideÌ„tes qualities of things as smels tastinges but with the substance of that thing which we eate and drinke Norishing is defined of the Phisiâ—ions to be a chaunging of the norishment into the substaÌ„ce of the body which is norrished All the workes of God if they be wel considered in theyr own nature are miracles aboue all reason but our dul blindenes is so greate that because we se them dayly we regarde them not and because we be cloyed with them and plenty is no dainty we consider them not woorthelye But surely if we had this great miracles of God afore oure eyes as we oughte too haue how by his mighty power he chaunges the substaunce of that which we eate and drinke in to the substauÌ„ce of our flesh and bloude we shoulde eate and drinke with more reuerence than wee doe more diligently thanke hym that he would vouchsafe to fede vs and wonder at his mighty power that he can and prayse his mercyâ—full goodnes that he will woorke suchâ—â— miracle so oft and so wonderfull a workâ— vpon suche vyle wormes gredy gluttoâ—â— and vnthankeful creatures as we be and sustaine oure sinful nature by feding with so meruelously and chaunginge the gooâ— nature of his other creatures whiche neuer sinned and yet are kylled for vs too feede vs chaunginge them I say into the substaunce of oure bodyes whiche can doe nothinge of them selues but sinne Elias fleinge from Iezabel founde a therse calm baked in the asshes and a dishe ful of water at his head whaÌ„ he waked out of slepâ— and was commaunded by the Aungell to ryse and eate for he had a long iourney to go And when he had eaten he walked in the strength of that bread .xl. dayes and â—â— nightes eatinge nothinge els So shal all thei whiche feare the Lorde as Elias did â–ª in their persecution be able and strong to do great thinges by sclender meat drink as we this day haue proued God blessing them and their meat be it neuer so course and simple and they that seeke to strengthen them selues by dainty meats forgetting God shal not be fylled in eatinge and drinkinge nor haue profite of that which they receyue but the more they haue the more thei shal desire neuer thinke they haue inough as the Prophete here sayeth Suche is the stinkinge nature of syn that whyle it lies lurkinge in the heart of man ruling him and not ruled of hym by grace but sturringe him too a further forgettinge of God and his duety that it wil not let the corn growe in the fielde and increase it wil not suffer the meat drinke to feede thee but it shall goe thorowe thee vnprofitably as through a sinke which as it auoydes one filthe is ready gapinge to receiue more it doeth not quentch but rather increase thy appetite God will not blesse any thinge thou goest about thy clothes will not keepe the warme nor thy money will abyde in thy purse but shal wast away thou not weeting how nor when as if there were a hole in the bottome To a good man euerye thinge shall serue and prosper but to an euil man nothing shall do good What a wonderfull thing is thiâ— that the more a man eates drinkes the more he shall desire and not bee filled the more clothes he putteth on the colder he is yea if he haue neuer so warme a fire nâ— soft fether bed he shall be more greued 〈◊〉 colde then they whiche fare courselye be homely apparaled lye harde Let euery man iudge how true this sayinge of God is These fyne fingered Rufflers with their Sables about their neckes their fine fâ—â—red gounes corked slippers trimmed buâ— kyns warme myttons thei chyl for coâ—â— and tremble wheÌ„ they come abroade thei can not abide the winde to blow on them yea and alwaies the more tenderly they kepe them selues hurting or not helping the poore by the iust punishmente of god the more are they pearced with colde them selues Contrariwise the labouring man can abide in the felde all the long dai whâ— the Northwynd blowes with few clothes on him neuer greued with cold he hath his health fedes sauerly on brown bread thin drinke a poore supper yea manye poore beggers runne froÌ„ doore to doore with few clothes on theÌ„ torne dyuing with â— pece of bread vnder a hedge wheÌ„ they can get it at night lappiÌ„g theÌ„ selfs in a litle straw not once in a weke filliÌ„g their â—eâ—lies yet they loke more lustye healthfull stroÌ„g then yâ— which hast thy celed chaÌ„ber furred stomacher loÌ„g goune good chere And what can be yeâ—ause of this but that God blessed the one which is coÌ„tent with his poore kynde of lyfe thankes God for it thinking it better then he is worthy and the other whiche thinkes so highly of him self that nothing is good inough for him taking no care but how to cherish hiÌ„ selfe most tenderly God doth not bles him nor those things on which his pleasure is set The
mighty Lord and merciful father which didst stir vp the Iewes too the buyldinge of thy house by the preachinge of thy Prophete Aggeus we thy miserable creatures oppressed with sinne and liuing in blindenes beseche thee for thy mercy sake haue mercy vpon vs and thrust out diligēt woorke men intoo thy haruest sende out faithfull preachers whiche maye by the harde threateninges of thy lawe and comfortable promises of thy gospel awake all thy people out of their dead slepe wherin thei lie walowing forgetting thee their dutye We haue all sinned from the hyghest to the lowest in not earnestly professinge thy holy woorde and religion Both the princes rulers and magistrates bisshops ministers of all sortes and all the people no state nor condiciō of men hath done their duetie herein vntoo thee oure onely Lorde and God Therfore we all with heauy heartes fall doune flat afore thy throne of grace and maiestie we begge craue aske thee forgeuenes of oure greate sinnes opē oure eyes O good God that we maye consider the plagues whiche thou haste layde on vs so longe for oure great disobedience towardes thee and thy woorde Geue vs newe heartes and renue thy holy spirite wtin vs O Lord that both the rulers may faithfully minister iustice punishe sinne defende and maintaine the preachinge of thy woorde and that all ministers may diligently teache thy dearely beloued flocke purchased by the bloud and death of thine owne and onely deare sonne oure Lorde and that all people maye obediently learn and folowe thy lawe too the glorie of thy holy name for Christes sake oure onelye Lorde and Sauioure ¶ The .ii. Chapter IN the .vii. moneth and the .xxi daye of the moneth was the woorde of the Lorde sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophete sayinge verse 2 Speake to Zerubabell y◠sōne of Salathiel ruler of Iehuda and to Iosua the sonne of Iosede◠the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunte of the people sayinge verse 3 Who is left amongst you that hathe sene this house in his former glory and what a one you se it now is it not like as it were nothinge in your eies ¶ As concerning the rekening of yeares monethes and daies ynough was spoken in the first chapiter and what it is too bee sent by the hande of a Prophete who soo lust there he maye reade This message sent now in the .7 moneth and the nexte that comes in the .9 declare the good will of God towardes thē that buylde his house and howe ready God is to further all their doinges They began to worke the .xxiiii. daye of the sixt moneth and had cōtinued to the .21 daye of the .7 moneth and then leaste the feare of the kynge or the rulers shoulde discourage them they had nede to be comforted therefore Aggeus is sente vnto them agayne too encourage theym leaste they shoulde haue fainted or lefte of workinge Agayne in the .8 moneth is the Prophete Zachary sente vnto them and in the .9 moneth Aggeus is sent twise all because thei should not let their worke slip but with a courage finish it and that also they might see how true it is that to euery one that hath it shal be geuen and for them whiche woorke couragiously in the Lordes vyneyarde how wel the Lord is delited with them and blesses them Thus God knowinge the weakenes of this people euerye mooneth sendes newe messages vnto them that they maye vnderstande what a care he hath ouer them and that they shoulde trust in hym which had al thinges in his handes to rule at his pleasure and not to trust in them selues whiche of them selues coulde do nothing Let vs therfore worke in the Lords house and no doubt he will sende vs comfoorte ynough Nowe where he is bidden speake to Zerubabel the prince to Iosua the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunt of the people ▪ and so often reherses theym in this same order in this prophecie it doeth vs too vnderstande that there is one doctrine of saluation to be taughte vnto all sortes of mē and that all sortes are bounde to hear and learn thesame and besides that it teaches the prefermente of the ciuil magistrate or ruler to the priest as was noted before And herein we shall chiefly learn the wickednes of them that withholde the scriptures from the lay people saying it is not mete for them too be so muche occupied in hearinge thesame For the Prophet saith here sundry times that he was sente to all the people as well as to the rulers therfore it was their dutie to learne and heare his message as diligētly as it was the rulers And this is a greate occasion why that all rulers shoulde behaue thē selues lowly towards the people seing God hath made all thynges as concerninge saluation comon and of one sorte bothe too poore and riche that by this meanes he mighte encrease brotherly loue betwixt both partes There is one Lorde god saieth s. Paule of all bothe poore and ryche one holy Ghoste that makes vs all holy one baptisme one faithe that we beleue one sauioure Iesu Christ one father in heauen vnto whom we praye one euerlastinge kyngedome whiche we all loke for one scripture and woorte to teache vs one sacrament for vs all wee bee borne gotten dye and buried all in like and a greate knottell is of loue amongest vs seinge wee speake one language beinge of one countrye or towne and one ayre whiche we receiue one fyre Sunne Moone Starres earth herbes trees corne cattel fishe foole that we be fede on We goe stande slepe worke all alike c. All the difference that is betwixt vs is this that one is hygher in authoritie better clad or fed hathe a prouder coate or a softer bed or more store of money landes or seruauntes then an other hath whyche thinge helpe not to saluation But what vayne thinges these be to reioyce in or to despise one another for that wātes them the thinges them selues do declare For he that wantes all these not necessarie thinges to saluation is commonly better man more lustye stronge and healthfull then the other as is sayde in the verses before And to reioyce is auncient bloude what can be more vayne Do we not all come of Adam our earthly father and say we not all Our father whiche art in heauen halowed c. How can we crake then of oure auncient stocke seinge we came all bothe o◠on earthelye and heauenly father If ye marke the commō saying how gentle bloude came vp ye shall see howe true it is When Adam dalue and Eue span Who was than a gentle man And although no nation hais any thing to reioice in of them selues yet Englande hais lesse than other we glory much to be called Britans but if we consider what a vacabunde Brutus was and what a company he brought with him there is small cause of glori For the Saxōs of whome we come also there is lesse
like as he who is defiled in soule did defile al the workes that he taketh in hande euen hys prayer and sacrifices c. so thei did also defile al which kepte companye with theym by theyr euill example This kynde of teaching by parables and similitudes which be like in matter consequence and truth althoughe diuers in woordes is pithy too perswade and is vsed sundrye times in the scipturs to bringe a man to geue sentence against hym selfe As when Nathan tolde Dauid the similitude of the ryche man that had many sheepe and the poore man that had but one and that the riche man had taken the poore mans one sheepe Dauid sayd◠he had deserued death not vnderstanding that Nathan did meane Dauid him selfe to haue done this thinge who gaue thys sentence of death against him self because he had so many wyues of his owne yet coulde not be content with them but toke Urias wife also So when the woman of Thecua fayned her self to be a poore widow and her twoo sonnes hath the one kylled the other and the officers woulde haue put y◠other too deathe for murtheringe his brother she makes supplication to the kynge Dauid desiring that her other sonne mighte not be put to death for she had rather lose the one sonne which was kylled thē haue the other now put to death also For then all her comfort was gone When Dauid had graunted her request that her sonne shoulde not dye for this murther thē sayd she Why should not the king bring home againe his sonne Absalon whiche kylled his brother Ammon but suffer him to dye also banished Thus Dauid was deceiued by the woman whiche vnder the names of her owne sonnes made sute for Absalō the kynges sonne by the coūsayll of Ioab and Dauid thoughte in reason he shoulde be as ready to shewe pitie to his own son Absalon as to another and gaue sentēce so againste him selfe So the priestes here graunting that whatsoeuer touches him who is defiled in soule that thinge is also defiled to proue and geue sentence agaīst them selues condemninge all their owne dedes too be noughte and defiled because thei them selfes were wicked and defiled· What wickednes were in this people Esdras tels when he diuorces suche a nūber as had married Heathen wyues contrary to the lawe and Nehemias when he tels howe by bribery and vsurye they had polled their poore brethren gotten their goods and landes into their handes and howe they had all offended God in not byldinge this temple this Prophete teaches here plaine These with diuers other grosse sins had defiled this people therfore all that they did and touched was defiled ▪ Sinne is so vile and filthy that it defiles euen those thinges whiche God hym self hath commaunded Esay saieth your sabboth daies and other feastes my soule abhorres◠yet God had cōmaunded them his owne mouth to obserue suche feastes Esaye saith also he that offers an Oxe is as if he killed a man and he that sacrifices a sheepe is as though he brained a Dogge And again sacrifice offerīg for sin thou hast not required But Esay addeth a reason why God shoulde hate that whiche he once cōmaunded saith your handes are ful of bloud ye do not hear the widowes the fatherles c. Seing then sin hath suche a strēgth in it that it makes God to hate those things which he ordeined him selfe howe much nede haue we to take hede what we do least in thus offending God we make him to forsake both vs all that we shuld haue good of That is called holy flesh which was offered to the Lord whereof sometime the whole was burned sometime that part which remained was eatē of the Priests them that brought it to be sacrificed If that flesh then whiche was thus halowed by the cōmaundemēt of God had not thys strēgth in it to halow the lap of a garmēt wherin it was caried so the lap to halowe what thing so euer it should touche howe can the Popes coniured water whiche he cals holy make the man or house where it is sprinkled so holy that no deuils dare enter The deuill durst tempt our Sauioure Christ yet they say he feares their cōiured water as thoughe it were holier then Christ hym selfe Where hath he any promise from God of such foolishnes what cā their holy asshes holy palmes holy crosses holy belles holy creame relikes moldes chalice corporas fire candels beades or that which is their most holy relike their oyle wherwith they anointe their shauelinges Priestes and Bishops do They would make mē beleue that the oyle hath suche holines in it that whosoeuer wanteth it is no Priest nor minister Therfore in the late daies of popery oure holy bishops called before them all such as were made ministers without suche greasinge and blessed thē with the Popes blessing anointed them then all was perfit they might sacrifice for quicke dead but not marry in no case yet kepe hoores as many as they woulde If any of their such greased disciples were traitour felō or heretike that he had deserued death in token that their oyle was so holye and had entred so depe in to the flesh but bringing no holynes with it for than their anointed shuld not haue fallen so sore as they did and do before anye suche offender coulde suffer death he must firste be deposed of all that he receiued from the Pope of his orders apparell and haue all that skynne of hys croune fingers pared of or scraped because they were greased with their oyle What oyle vsed the Apostles in makinge ministers or what scripture is for it The holy flesh whiche was offered too God by his owne commaundement had not thys power to halow the thinges which it touched and yet their holy water and grease must haue it Is this like to be true doeth not all their false fayned holinesse which they putte in thinges made holy by theyr owne halowinge onely and not by God fall by this one sentence of Gods mouthe Can any thinge be more playnely spoken againste all their iuglinge then this For the same reason that is againste fleshe is against all their holy toies by what name soeuer they be called If they will not beleue God and his scripture let thē beleue the Priestes their elders and prodecessours yea and that whiche they crake so muche of that is a generall counsayle whiche they thinke can not erre The Prophete here is sent to all the Priestes and here is aunswered in all their names by generall consente and counsayle that holy flesh can not halow that thing which it touches If it be so in one halowed thīg as it is in this flesh why shoulde it not be so in all other likewise There is no creature whiche can geue that holines to an other which is in it self this thinge belonges to
and drudges at commauÌ„dement to doe that he biddes but were made too serue and feare their Lorde god thei be driuen ledde of hym like brute beastes forgettinge hym that made them and their sely tormented brether that praye for them vnnaturally forgetting them selues to be men they regarde not mans life but vnmercifully spilles and spoiles them And for what ende or purpose to satisfie if thei could euer be full their bloudy appetites to fill their idle bellies to rule like kynges too bee glorious in the world to oppresse the simple to deceiue the ignorant deface gods truth to fede the people with lies to set vp their god the Pope to deface Christe and his merites to hyde his woorde and set vp superstitious Idolatrye where they shoulde doe all thinges to the contrary because in such their doynges all true Christians abhorre them But in these our miserable daies where it pleased god of his vndeserued â—ercy to staie their rage in burning prisoning gods seli soules that mischief which their bloudy handes and cruell herts darre not attempte their poysenfull tunges spue out Now ceases fire and faggot yet their sclaunderous lieng lippes are not stopped where thei dar not blaspheme the doctrine soo frelye as thei bee wont now thei inuei against the teachers professors of it with suche termes as please theym though neuer one be true But as Samuel saide too the people whan he had anointed Saul kinge Speake here afore the Lord and his anointed king whether I haue taken any mannes Oxe or Asse or haue oppressed any one of you or taken bribe I will restore it and they were not able to charge him and yet were wery of him so I dout not but thei be not able iustli to burdeÌ„ the preachers with such lies as thei deuise against them and if any be for my parte I wish theym not to be hid This kynd of persecutioÌ„ is as greuous to an honest hert aâ— the other is but a iustified mynde in this case will turne him selfe to the Rord beare his crosse thankefully knowledge that the scholer is not aboue his maister If Christ our lorde escaped not these tunges but they calde him Samaritane and sayde he had a deuill let no Christian loke too be free Dauid felte these panges whan he prayed Lord deliuer my soule from wicked lippes froÌ„ a deceitfull tunge If they remembred Gods threteninges to all suche they would not be so talkatiue What shal be geuen thee thou craftye tunge says Dauid Euen sharpe arowes and burninge cooles aunswers the holy Ghoste and agayne the Lord will destroy all crafty lips and proud tuÌ„ges Woulde God that these wicked men vnderstode these threateninges to be true that God would faithfully fulfill them to their confusion if they did beleue them they woulde tremble and quake for feare of them and not be so ready too speake what please them Many thinke their tunges too be their owne and that they maye speake what they lust and wordes to be no grefe nor kynde of persecution but blessed Dauid is of contrary opinion whan he compares suche tunges to swordes poisonfull stinging of serpents sharp rasers c. Thus be we fallen in such miserable daies where vnder Popery we be tormeÌ„ted persecuted with all extremitie vnder the Gospell we be slaundered reuiled that we maye iustly saye with the Apostle we are counted as shepe apointed to the slaughter dayly If these fearfull examples greuous ouerthrowe of the wicked and so many from the beginninge can not perswade these cruel haters of God hys woorde murtherers of his saincts their brether to abate their pride swage â—heir malice if thys perticular prophecie writen for that purpose too teache all bloudy butchers proude Caiphas that a like destruction will fall on them as it did on Edon can not help than let them marke the manifolde threateninges of 〈◊〉 Lord where he thunders against such wicked doers Be not afraid saies the Prophete thou Israell my seruaunte for I am with thee fear not for I am thy God that streÌ„gthens thee helps thee Behold they shal be ashamed confounded all that fighte against thee all that gain say thee shall perish and bee brought to nought c. Again thou art the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shal be ashamed they that goe from thee shal be writen in the earth and not in heauen But this sede of Esau in our daies is wors than olde Edon â–ª as their dedes well declare whaÌ„ Iacob was banished .xx. yeares Esau was content to mete his brother Iacob returning homeward too forget all olde grudges to take vse him as his freÌ„d and brother but our Edomites would not receiue their banished brother returning home forget no olde malice nor vse any frendship toward theÌ„ but with word and dede shew all crueltie thei could deuise agaiÌ„st them yet so coÌ„tinue To this some of the wiser forte peraduenture wil sai there is iust cause why thei should do so thei be not vsed as Iacob did his brother Esau. Iacob sente great gifts too his brother Esau toke nothing frome him but lette him liue where he lusted In dede this may be a greate cause for they are so wel pleased with giftes and wealth that in the middes of their rage a littell bribe would haue loosed heauy chaines of yron and quenched hote flaming faggots But nowe though many thinges â—ay be suffered in teÌ„porall matters yet the discipline of the gospell will not suffer persecutors too occupie the place of feders nor wolues the rowme of shepeherds If true discipline might take place not onely murtherers apostates forsaking that religioÌ„ which afore thei professed and taught should be deposed froÌ„ theyr office but al turntippets that turn with the world and kepe their liuings still should haue no office in Christs church vntyll thei made satisfaction by open repentaunce afore the congregatioÌ„ But alas for pitie for lacke of sharp discipline thei lie lurkinge and loking for that daye whan they maye turne to their old vomitt again en king their haÌ„ds in bloude and laugh in their sleues too see suche coldnes in religion to serue the liuing Lord wher they were so earnest bold and diligent to sette vp their owne deuises Yet all things considered it is no meruail why the good men succeding in the place of such euyl persons be so euyl spoken of at these dayes Eor as he that ripes in a dungehyll is infect with the smell therof a longe time after though he were neuer so cleane afore and be that comes to a house infected with the pestilence is soone takeÌ„ therwith though he be neuer so souÌ„d afore yea the better complexion the soner smiteÌ„ so good men now searchinge the festerd cankers and riping the stinking duddels of Poperi for a time smell euil in the noses of the wicked seme to