the Iewes onely as then the faithfull did according to their order of praying in the Temple but among the Gentiles also in time to come whē they being called to the church of Christ should be made acquainted with his Psalms Hymnes and learne to praise the Lord with him So that I may say the same of these words that on like occasion our Saviour did of other This day is this scripture fulfilled in your eares Howbeit not onely these wordes of this Scripture are fulfilled this day but the other too that lay forth the favour of God vnto his childrē in saving his anointed For what more commodity did the Iewes receiue by King Davids meanes then we by our sove raigne Lady Queene Elisabeths What enimies what dangers what deaths did he escape frō the like wherof the Lord hath not as often as wonderfully preserved her Maiesty The arke of the covenant wherein the testimony was laid whereon the mercy-seat was placed from which the voice of God was hard at which his name was called vpon whereto they had not sought in the daies of Saul King David brought into his city and caused the Levites ioyfully to play on instruments of musicke and lift vp their voices at the bringing of it Queene Elisabeth hath brought vs the body and truth of that where of his ceremonies were but shadowes onely the free vse and Christian doctrine of the Gospell the word of God the holy Scriptures the praiers and publike service of the Highest all in a language knowne to all and hath moved her Subiects to receiue these meanes of their instruction and k salvation with l Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in their harts vnto the Lord David to those heavenly treasures added earthly enriched his kingdome with silver and gold The purity of coine restored by her Maiesty for brssae and copper monies wherewith shee found the realme pestered doth say no lesse for her beside plate of siluer and gold with other ornamēts in so great plenty as if God would verifie according to the letter that which hee promised his Church in a mysterie n For brasse will I bring gold and for yron will I bring silver Much did it make for the safety of Iurie that o David put garisons in Syria Idumaea countries that bordered vpon the North and South thereof Much But more for England that Elisabeth to passe over the fortifying of borders hath furnished it with all sort of armour and munition never more or better and thereto with a royall navie of vessels so stately so strong so wel appointed for wars that our land is fensed with wals not only of wood P as Graecia was against Xerxes but of brasse and yron too against foreine enimies The people of Israel confes sed of themselues that q they were delivered out of the hād of the Philistines other enimies by that King The wars which our Queene hath had for our safegard in Frāce elsewhere even aliens haue seen shewed to the world that they were atchieved with marvellous honour and advantage to her selfe and her realme As this by Gods grace which shee hath presently vpon the like ground in the low countries shal be in due time also Againe how sweet a peace haue we so long enioyed vnder her at home as vnder a Solomon in that cōsideratiō rather thē a David The fruits whereof if nothing from abroad had sprong to our wealth and welfare which hath notwithstanding in no small abundance might countervaile the profites that did grow to Iurie by Davids warres victories Yea our dearth and sicknes the chastisements and afflictions that now we do taste or did heretofore as needes we must some and expedient we should haue been but gentle threats to her Maiesties subiects in respect of his the famine that lasted three yeares togither the plague that consumed seaventy thousand men And though by occasion of difficulties and wants what of men what of maintenance her Highnes hath not yet bin able to provide that wise and faithful worke men for the perfit edifying of the house of God with doctrine and discipline shoulde bee set in every Church through her dominion as neither was b David by reason of his warres to build vp the Temple yet as hee prepared things necessary for it that it might bee the better done when time should serue so hath shee by fostering Colleges and Schooles the nurseries of the ministerie Her princely care wherof hath appeared specially of late vnto vs in a branch of Oliue that was almost withered the state of Queenes College Which she hath refreshed confirmed advanced with benefits immunities so bountifully and noblely that we our posterity haue as iust cause to thinke of Queene Elisabeth in the name thereof as of Queene Philippa Our whole Oliue tree did generally feele it before in the famous and worthy Act of Parliament for the maintenance of Colleges and the reliefe of Scholers in both the Vniversities and also Winchester and Eaton An Act that I haue heard men of iudgement say and I am persivaded that they said truely God grant the care of Heads and industrie of Students doe bring it to effect may proue as beneficiall for the increase of learning as might the erecting at least of two Colleges The cōmodities then which we haue receaued by her blessed governement are as great and many as those which the Iewes did receaue by Davids That we cannot chuse but acknowledge Gods favour to haue beene as singularly extended vnto vs in preserving her as it was to them in preserving him For although her Maiestie hath not beene assaulted by so many forraine enimies as David yet by more domesticall Wherein her deliverances are to bee esteemed so much the more precious by how much it is easier to beware of open foes then of secret of vipers that are farther of then in our bosomes of Abners though valiant who professe hostilitie then of trecherous Ioabs who pretend amitie First in Queen Maries time the house of Saul I mean the brood of them who preferre will-worships before obedience to God fearing as Saul did that their seeds succession should not be established as long as David lived desired devised to bring that to passe which one of them sithence made mone it was not done the boughs were cut of the root was not hewed vp But the axe which he wished to the plesant root fel on the root of bitternes his owne hairie scalpe the devises of the wicked were disappointed by the Lord and their desires frustrated Afterward the vsurper the Ish-bosheth of Rome indeed an Ish-bosheth when She was anointed and setled in her throne sought to dispossesse her by his accursed curse Antichristian sentence declared and published in his Bul. Moorton sent from him to stirre vp wicked spirits
come hither So sure thought they them selues that though there were none to defend it but blind and lame yet were they safe enough yet behold GOD brought them downe and that which before was the strongest against David became the strongest for him The king of Babylon who said hee would ascend vp and set his seat by the stâ—…rres receaued this word from the Lord How art thou fallen thou Lucâ—…fer sonne of the morning Which place many vnskilfully apply to the fall of the Prince of darknesse but that name is in no place of Scripture giuen him but is here attributed to the king of Babylon who shone as the morning starre in beautie and glory So that those which before marvailed at his power did after wonder at his fâ—…ll Tyrus shone as a Cherub in the garden of Eden but when he had defiled his sanctification by the multitude of his iniquities it was threatned him by Ezechiel that he should be cast to the ground that a fire from the midst of him should devoure him and that hee should be brought to ashes in the sight of all that beheld him It seemed impossible to the Iewes whé our Saviour told them thereof that the glory of Ierusalem should be brought downe for which cause it was laid against Stephen as an especiall matter that he should say that CHRIST would destroy that place yet was not that generation passed before it was made an heape of stones the temple rased and not one stone left standing on another And what shall I speake of the latter Babylon which in like sort persecuted the faithfull Christians as the other did the faithful Iewes How did she lift vp her self and saie who shall bring me downe Who was worshipped as a goddesse and the citie called Vrbs aterna as appeareth by writers grounding themselues with all on that oracle of the Poet Imperium sine fine dedi Was it not taken burnt and laid wast by tâ—…e Gothes 〈◊〉 By which examples of the Iebusites the kings of Babylon â—…d Tyrus the cities of Ierusalem and Rome we see this which is spoken by the Prophet of the Idumeans to be verisied in all them that follow the pride of the Idumeans And to come nearer home to the state of theÌ„ that represent the heart of the Idumeans and desire to rase Ierusalem even to the ground foundation I meane to the state of the Papacie in which is revived the Image of the former beast but much more liuely resembling not only the cruelty but the pride also of Edom for neither the Iebusites nor kings of Babylon or Tyrus nor Iewes come so neere as they being partakers with vs of the same Sacrament baptized eveÌ„ as we no otherwise then as the Idumeans were circumâ—…ised as well as the Israelites But as they notwithstanding the signe of circumcision were chiefe enimies vnto Syon even so the state of the Papacy notwithstanding the sacrament of baptisme are chiefe enimies to the truth of the gospell of Christ which proceeded out of Syon For these also haue their dwelling in the clefts of the rocks perswading themselues that that is the rock on which the Church of GOD is built making their brags by reason of their power league with so mighty Potentats that they caÌ„not be moved lifting vp their nests as an Eagle as the Emperor whose ensigne is the Eagle the spâ—… Eagle for that hee was Emperour of Constantinople and Rome but spoyled of both for that the Pope hath deprived him of one even as the Turke hath done of the other He hath lift vp his nest to the stars not said in his heart but proclaimed by written bookes and shamelesse libels cast abroad among vs that by reason of his flourishing estate and great power hee can not be brought low Wherein they haue shewed greater arrogance then ever the Idumeans did in that prophesie Imperium sine fine dedi Aquinas to proue the stability of the papacie alleadgeth the Prophecie of Daniel 2. chapter where having spoken of the foure kingdomes comming to the last which should destroy the other and endure for ever he applyeth it to Christs kingdome but so that it belongeth to the Papacie adding if they feed the flocke Now for that they hold that it cannot faile in doctrine they conclude that the estate of the popedome must endure for ever according to the words of that prophecie I stand not to shew howe true the former parte is that Rome should destroy the other kingdomes but on that that he saith it shal bee eternall Which blasphemie is as great as that which he vttered in the former chapter applying to the Pope that which is spoken of our Savi our of his fulnesse we haue all received But though hereby they may say as great Bâ—…bylon I sit as a Queene and shall see no sorrowes yet the mighty Angell tooke a stone like a milstone and cast it into the sea and said with such violence shall the great city Babylon bee cast and shall be found no more But the maintainers of them say that this cannot be by reason of the flourishing estate of the Papacie in Rome which hath so mighty friends and hath beene of so long continuance But let them remember that Nineveh had beene a people of many generations that the Edomites were of greater standing For it is scarse 500. yeares passed since the vsurped authority over kings and princes and the whole church began but not 800. since the Bishop of Rome set himselfe against the Emperour not 1000. since hee first claimed authoritie over the Bishops of Constantinople which is a lesse time then Edom flourished for we read that there raigned 8. kings in Edom before there was a king over the children of Israel that is before the governement of Moses So then they flourished til the daies of this Prophet even no lesse then 1200. yeares neither were they theÌ„ straight extinguished for they lived to see the ruine of the second temple as we finde in Iosephus Wherfore let vs assure ourselues that though they say who shall bring vs downe yet in due time this shall be verified to them also for so shal it be to al that haue said in the pride of their heart c. And that which hath beene said of the state of the Papacie extendeth also to the doctrine For that in as great arrogancie of spirit they magnifie their workes making their nests amoÌ„g the starres claiming everlasting glory as a reward of their deeds For so the Remish notes say that eternall ioy is a merit least we should not know by those generall tearmes how basely they thinke of GODS mercy how prowdly of their owne workes they expound themselues and say that it is as a stipend answering in weight time to the worke TheÌ„ which what could be said more grossely or prophane that the workes of man shoulde answere to eternall ioie
be here present and al that are or shal be Patrones hereafter in a religlous reverence fear of the Lord to keepe themselues pure from this abomination At least to remember the miserable end of Richard the Vsurper who being made Protector of the King and Realme got the realme himselfe and robbed the King of it That if they deeme their patronage to be meerly civill and the goods of Benefices to be as common mens not sacred to the Lord yet being made Protectors thereof and of the Pastors they follow not his fault whose ende they detest Though the very truth is which I wish they weigh too that the Churches goods allotted to the maintenance of Pastors Teachers are not profane but sacred and therefore the sin of them who purloine them is sacrilege not theft wherein God is spoiled as himselfe pronounceth Will a man spoile God that yee do spoile me And yee say wherein do we spoile thee in tithes and offerings Howbeit if church livings were impoverished by none but by Patrones the case were not so evill because it is against the law But they are distressed also beside other pensions and incombrances by Appropriations as the lawyers tearme them or as they are named cōmonly Impropriations Whereof the condition is the more grievous for that in many parishes there is not a Vicar well sufficiently indowed to do Divine Service and instruct the people and keepe hospitality which yet the law cōmandeth if it were obeied Iosias in the eighth yeare of his raigne began to seeke the God of his father David in the twelfth yeere he began to purge Iuda and Ierusalem from the hie places and the groues and the graven images and the molten and in the eighteenth yeere he sent Saphan and others to repaire the house of the Lord his God Refor mations of disorders cānot be made all at once chiefly when the Church hath of long time beene overgrowne with them as then it had vnder Idolatrie and hath with vs vnder Popery King Henry the eight a Prince of noble memory began to set forth the holie word of God And his sonne another Iosias had he lived began to purge England from Images Masses and Massing-altars and superstitions I doubt not but our gracious Queene and soveraigne Lady desireth in the steps of her Father and Brother to adde this vnto them that workemen be mainetained for repairing of the Church But it lyeth not in her Highnesse alone to bring it to effect the Lords and the Commons haue a stroke in it Wherefore seeing now a Parliament is summoned to be held shortly let vs desire God in hūblenes of spirit to encline their hearts that although it be with losse of some part of their owne commodities yet they will follow the zeale of the Israelites for the tabernacle of assembly And as the religious professours of the truth haue shewed that Church-livings appropriated to others should in conscience finde the Pastors of the Church so God graunt that they who haue the authority may see it with a single eie and bring it to passe with an vpright hand Martin Bucer in his godly requests advises presēted to King Edwarde treating of skilfull Pastours to bee ordained throughout the realme saith that their mainetenaunce ought to bee required of them who receiue the profits of the parishes by appropriation or any other way Bishops Pilkinton vpon Aggaeus complaining that the Pope robbed parishes to feed his Monkes wisheth that the Gospell may restore that iustly which he tooke wrongfully awaie and gaue them yet a right name of impropriations because they be taken away improperly and properly belong to the parishes But what should I mention Bishops and Divines of whom there haue many declared the same mind when as Master Lambard a gentlemā Lawyer speaking of a Kentish Benefice converted to an appropriation doth censure it with these words One amōgst many of those monstrous birthes of covetousnes begotten by the man of Rome in the darke night of superstition and yet suffered to liue in this day light of the gospel to the great hinderance of learning the impoverishment of the ministery and the infamy of our profession Hard may this seeme to such as haue the liuings and some peradventure will say of these speeches The land cannot beare them But it is harder to suffer the land to stand in those tearmes in which God saith to Iuda Yee are cursed with a curse for that yee spoile me even the whole nation And if heathē men Philaeni Codrus Curtius haue givē their liues to benefit their coūtry with a temporal blessing and that vncertaine too what should Christians doe to draw that blessing on it which hee who cannot lie doth promise Bring yee all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meate in mine house and proue me nowe herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open the windowes of heaven vnto you powre you out a blessing with out measure and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes that he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground neither shall your vine be barrē in the field saith the Lord of hosts and all nations shall call you blessed for yee shall be a pleasant land saith the Lord of hostes Wherefore let vs beloved of the Vniversity get our country this blessing as much as lyeth in vs by providing that Pastors where we haue appropriations may bee mainetained with their tithes that there may be meate in the house of God I meane not hereby that wee shoulde giue away that by which our schooles and schollers be maintained For God hath ordained Ecclesiasticall goods to finde not onely Priests and Levites but their ofspring evē them who are brought vp to be Priests Levites and them who bring them vp the children of the Prophets and the Prophets themselues That if there bee enough in our Appropriations for the Pastors maintenance beside that which wee haue for the nurserie of Pastors as commonly there is wee may with good conscience receiue our owne revenue My meaning is therfore that the rents reserved we should allow the rest of the Livings to Pastors which I speake not so much for those that publikely our Vniversity hath to be let by Convocation whereof the greater part hath shewed well already themselues to be of this minde as for those that privately belong to our Colleges to be let by the Heads thereof and the Fellowes It is of an humane and honest affection that wee sometimes would pleasure other men therewith our friend◅ suing for them But if Iob said to Sophar and his partners Should you speak wickedly for Gods defence how much lesse ought we to doe vnrighteously for the favour of men And may we not looke for the plague that fell on Eli if as he did honor his children aboue God so we do our friends Levi is commended by the holy
Ghost for saying of his father and of his mother I looke not on him neither doth he acknowledge his brethren nor knowe his children but they obserue the word of God and keepe his covenant All Christians are bound herein to be Levites regarding neither father nor mother son nor daughter in respect of God when his woâ—…d and covenant commeth into question Wherefore sith this is a speciall point thereof that all the tithes bee brought into the storehouse that in his house there may be meat we should obserue and keepe it though with the disfavour of friends whatsoever And as it â—…ehoueth vs to doe it our selues so to wish that others enioy the blessâ—…ng with vs In which case the duty that we owe to Kings and all 〈◊〉 authoritie doth bind vs to pray for the high court of ParliameÌ„t that by their ordinaÌ„ce the Church may bee repaired and wee may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty When Eliasib the Priest the high Priest of the Iewes had made for his kinseman Tobias a great chamber where they afore time didlay the meat offering the incense and the vessels and the tithes and offerings appointed for the Levites and Priestes as soone as Nehâ—…mias the Prince of the people vnderstood thâ—…reof it grieved him sore Therefore he cast out the hâ—…ushold vessels of Tobias out of the chamber and brought thither againe the vessels of the house of God the meat offering and the incense And perceiuing further that the portions of the Levites were not given them who therefore were flâ—…d each into his land he reproâ—…eth the rulers said why is the house of God for saken and ass mbling them he set them in their place againe and all the Iewes brought the tithes into the storehouse to be divided to them The Pope in the iniquitie of his high vsurped Prâ—…hood over Christians endowed his kinsmen the mâ—…ks with titheâ—… and livings by which aforetâ—… the Pastors were maintâ—…ined Whereof it hath ensâ—…d tâ—…at many a Tobâ—… doth hold them vntill this day O thâ—…t it might gâ—…ue that it might 〈◊〉 our Nehemtâ—… the Parliâ—…ment that they might dispossesse Tobias thereof againe apply them to maintaine Pastours The Antichristian councell assembled at Trent tooke order for restoring of the goodes of Benefices and setting learned Priests in them with aâ—… sanulling of advowsons erecting Lectures and maintaining Teachers Seminaries of Schollers in all Cathedrall Churches to set Popery forward and build vp the the houses of Idumean Idols The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light Baalites more zealous for their superstition then Israelites for the truth But thou caÌ„st O Lord and wilt vnlesse our sins provoke thy wrath against vs cause the light of thy countenance so to shine vpon vs that the Christian Court of our English Parliament shall be as carefull to build vp thy house advance religion that the vessels of thy temple which Nabuchodonosor tooke away and Baltasar did drinke in be restored by Cyrus to whome they are befallen that Elizabeth thy handmaid command the people to giue the portion of the Priests and Levites that they may be strong in the law of the Lord as did thy servant Ezekias that Pastours may be set againe in their places and all the Tithes be brought into the storehouse to be divided to theÌ„ that none of them want as Nehemias provided and thou commandest by thy Prophet So shall they by whom this noble worke is wrought be remembred in it and the kindnesse that they shew on the house of God and the offices thereof shall not be wiped out So shal the windowes of heaven be opened to vs and a blessing poured on vs without measure a temporall and eternall blessing for godlinesse hath promise of them both So shall the devourer be rebuked for our sakes and the Locusts the Iesuites and Seminary Priests shal not destroy our fruite neither shallour vine our Christian vine be barren So shall we be called blessed by all nations for wee shall bee a pleasant land a land that shall flowe with the word of God more to be desired then gold more sweet then hony Finally so shall Israel triumph over his enimies and the things of Esau shall be sought out his secret things shall be searched that is Christ shall raigne and Antichrist shall be confounded Which GOD grant for his mercy sake in Iesu Christ through the operation of his Holy Spirit to whom three persons one GOD bee all praise and honour and glory and power for ever ever Amen VERSE 7. 7 All thy confederates haue driven thee to the borders the men that were at peace with thee haue deceived thee prevailed against thee they that eate thy bread haue laid a wound vnder thee there is no vnderstanding in him THE Prophet hitherto set downe first the certainety of the destruction of the Idumeans and then laid before them the grievousnes of the same commeth nowe to this point which insueth which implyeth both the former shew ing that all their confederates and friends such as were nearest vnto them should ioine togither vtterly to destroy them Which circuÌ„stance as it argueth that they should certainely come to ruine and that no hope remained that they should be delivered from it seeing such as they hoped shoulde helpe them from it should be prepared to bring them to it so doth it amplifie the bitternes of it David coÌ„plaineth grievously that his familiar friend who went with him into the house of God whom hee trusted and who did eate of his bread that such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his heele against him If an enemy haâ—… doâ—… 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 shonor he saith he could haue borne it Caesar containâ—…d himselfe when the rest of the Senate stroâ—…ke him wiâ—…h their pâ—…nkniues but when Brâ—…usâ—…ote â—…ote him hee â—…d â—…t tu quoâ—… 〈◊〉 filâ—… Even so is the 〈◊〉 of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ction herein declared that it shoulde bee wroughâ—… 〈◊〉 their friends and confederates All thy confederatâ—…s 〈◊〉 The same thing also in effect is repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers waies to lay it deeper in their hearts and to put them the better in minde thereof For they that were in league with them are called their confederates The meÌ„ that were at peaâ—…e with them they that eate their bread their ruine signified when it is said haue driven thee to the borders haue deceived thee â—…revailed against thee laid a wound vnder thee All which is set out after the Prophets manner when he saith haue driveÌ„ haue deceived c. when he meaneth that they shoulde for that it should so surely come to passe as though it were done already The meanes is said to be by fraud guâ—…le wheÌ„ it is said they shall deceiue thee c wherevâ—…to is also added to make vp the mischiefe that
strength of people our prince wise our coūsellers provident our munition great victuals sufficient c. that therefore we are sure and out of all danger for GOD can take away our wise and strong men and though hee leaue vs the men yet he can take all wisdome and strength frō them whatsoever we bring home seeme it never so great yet can the Lord blowe vpon it as the Prophet speaketh and it shall fall away Here then is good comfort for vs if we serue loue the Lord for from whome will the Lord take vnderstanding not from David but from Absolon not from Israelites but from Edomites not from Ezechiah but Senacherib or if he take vnderstanding from Israel David Ezekiah yet not from David to destroy him not from Ezechiah when he calls vpon him and if he fayled the Iewes yet the true Israelites shall be strengthned from aboue though David be troubled yet shall hee not want his wise Cushai and strong Ioab and although the counsell of men faile and strength bee nothing the Lord will send an Angel to slay the Assyrians but as for Edom let his strength be never so great his wisemen never so many they shall bee quite destroyed Though Absolon haue with him Achitophel yet GOD can make his counsell foolish though Senacherib his armies bee strong yet may hee loose them all and himselfe also bee murthered by his sonnes in the temple of his Gods And as the Scripture teacheth vs this of Absolon Senacherib Idumeans so must we thinke it to be verified against al that deale as they did Wherein not to call you to cōsider the Scribes and Pharises dealing against our Sauiour and his Apostles I come to the Papists Wherein J commend the consideration hereof to such as pervse the slory of the Church how GOD hath taken wisedome from them and bereft them of their stout men Even from the time that Wickliffe in England Iohn Husse and Ierome of ◅rage in Boheme made profession of the Gospell how things amongst them haue fallen from evill to worse even their owne complaints doe sufficiently shew namely by the Councils of Constance and Basil of ◅neas Sylvius and by whole countries falling away from them Luther against whome they most speake all wicked speeches how wonderfully was hee holpen by the mightie hand of GOD when as they by their dealing set forward that which he preached which seeing they will reiect when it is taught them out of Sleidan let them learne of Guicciardine declaring that Pope Leo the 10 was the cause of that which was done in Germanie when his Bulls and Indulgences were sent in such vile and beastly manner that they were sold in sheppes and so that the sellers Merchants pla◅ed the money they tooke for them at dice and all the world knewe that the money was not gathered as they pretended to make warre against the Turkes but indeed to maintaine the Pompe and lust of the Popes Sister who had made a Bishop her deputie for that purpose Wherefore he saith that the Pope went about indeed to suppresse that Luther had preached but hee vsed not fit medicines and though he excommunicated them that followed him yet he redressed not the fault he spake against Whereby it is declared how GOD tooke away wisdome from the Idumeans frō Pope Leo since which time what successe hath followed i◅ England Scotland Poland other countries the world seeth and wee perceiue how GOD in part hath fulfilled that which he here threatneth that their wisemen should faile and their strong men perish The full accomplishmēt we yet see not the time being not yet come for GOD hath his degrees But howsoever the Iesuites make shew of wisdome and knowledge yet GOD can take both wisdome and knowledge from them as wee see he hath done both in their doctrine discipline and ceremonies especially wherein their folly most notably appeareth Let any man read their Pontificall let him say whether GOD hath not taken all their wisedome from them LORD finish thy worke which thou hast begun take wisedome and strength from the mount of Esau that mount S◅on may reioice c. VERSE 10. 11. 10 For thy cruelty against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut of for ever 11 When thou stoodest on the other side in the daie that the strangers caried away his substance and strangers entred into his gates cast lots vpon Ierusalem even thou wast as one of them OVR Saviour to kindle the minds of his Disciples with a desire to goe on towards heaven and not to looke backe to the intisemēts of the world willeth them to remember Lots wife Whereby hee teacheth vs that in the stories of the Scriptures we are not only to note the event as namely that shee was turned into a pillar of salt but the causes also as for that shee being delivered from Sodome yet contrary to GODS commādement looked backe againe to it The which thing the Prophet setteth here before vs in the destruction of the Idumeans for having hitherto declared the event which should fall on them namely that they should be brought downe and destroyed by such meanes as GOD had appointed notwithstanding all their wisdome and strength hee in this place sheweth the cause hereof which was their crueltie against their brethren For thy crueltie against thy brother The nations of the Iewes and Idumeans came by descent from Abraham Isaac for which cause they are called brethren as the proper name of Edom is vsed to signifie his ofspring so are the Iewes noted by the name of Iacob brother of Edom wherefore denouncing here vtter destruction to the Idumeans for their hard dealing towardes the Iewes he saith for thy crueltie against thy brother The crueltie shewed was that when strangers and aliens even the Chaldeans tooke Ierusalem and spoiled it dividing the prey by lot after the manner of souldiers and carying away their substance they stood on the other side not only not helping thē in this their great necessitie but even furthering what they could their destruction For when Nebuchadnezzar as it is recorded in the 2 of the Chronicles the last chap. caried away the treasure of Ierusalem burnt the temple pulled downe the wals made havocke of the people the Idumeans stood by crying rase it even to the foundations Neither only exhorted they the Chaldeans to this crueltie but put their hands also therevnto and did even as they which appeareth in the 12 13 and 14 verses by the rehearsall of the particulars But at this time it shall be enough to obserue in generall the crueltie of the Idumeans against the Iewes in these two verses for thy crueltie against thy brother Iacob The Hebrew word vsed in this place signifieth anie wrong done by force and iniurie and so for the agreement of Simeon and Levi in that cruell murther of the Sichemites it is said