it neuer so small be in paine the rest of his body is greeued also euery member seeketh to ease it as they may so they be naturallie linked together So should all Christians being members of Christs mistical body one beare the griefe of another help to releeue him when Nehemiah had bene thus long sad weeping fasting praying he was now cast into a verie greate feare by reason of the kings earnest re quiring the cause of his sadnesse Thus one sorow followeth a nother and a Christian mans faith and patience is continually e xercised when one griefe is ended it hath another streight-wayes following The king said this sorow must needs come from a heauy heart seing thy body is not sick This toucheth a man neere when he must needes open the secrets of his heart to a king whom he cannot tell how he wil take it or what opinion he hath of him Many thoughts and suspitions rise in good mens hearts as wel as ill mens and cast them into great feare for euery man is subiect to affection of his owne nature Nehemiah might feare lest the king had heard some accusation against him or had taken some displeasure with him or would not graunt his request or some other would hinder his sute or might lose his office c. and therefore no marueil if he were sore afraid but a strong faith will boldly passe through all such cares and trusting in God will continue his good purpose The troubles of the righteous be many saith Dauid but the Lord will deliuer him out of them all 3. And I said After that he had something ouercome his feare and recouered his spirits he declareth vnto the king the cause of his sadnes The Maiestie of a king wil make anie good nature afraid to speake vnreuerentlie though they be daylie in company with him and fauour as Nehemiah was And though the curtesie of a Princebe such that he will abase and humble him selfe familiarly to vse his subiect yet the subiect should not ouer boldely nor saucely behaue him selfe toward his Prince Diogenes said Aman should vse his Prince or peere as he would doe the fire The fire if he stand to neere it will burne him and if he be to far of he will be a colde so to be ouer-bold without blushing or reuerence bringeth in contempt of both syds For the King will thinke him tosaucie the subiect will forget his duety And to be ouerstrange and afraid will cause the King to thinke him to be of an ill nature and not bearing a good heart towards him Therefore Nehemtah not ouer-bold with his Prince with most humble obeysaunce wisheth the king good life as the common phrase of the scripture vseth to speake plainly telleth the true cause of his sorow and sad countenance Here we may learne the duetie of Christians that liue vnder heathen Princes That is they may not onely serue them but ought humbly to obey reuerence them For surely this kinde of salutation in Nehemiah to pray for the kings life was not holy-water of the court from the teeth outward Saluta libenter but from an vnfeyned heart desiring it S. Paul who liued vnder Th'emperour Nero as wicked a man as euer the earth bare biddeth to pray for all kings them that be in authoritie which then were all infidels that vnder them we may liue a quiet life with godlines honestie And if thou thinkest such ill men ar not to be praied for yet for the quietnes of gods Church thou must pray for them that God would so rule their hearts that vnder them we may liue a peaceable and godlie life For that is the reason that Saint Paul yealdeth though such wicked men will not learne their owne saluation them-selues After that Nehemiah had thus dutifullie behaued him-selfe to the king so that there could be thought no iust cause of any euil suspicion in him toward the king then he boldly declareth the cause of his sadnes and saith the Citie where his fathers lay buried lay waste the gates were burned And is this so greate a cause why Nehemiah should be so sad weepe faste and pray so long had he not seene nor heard of greater Cities and countries then it was which were destroyed as miserably as it was Babylon which was much bigger then Ierusalem was conquered not long afore by Cyrus Samaria their neighbour by Senacharib and Salmanasser c. But this Citie had a greater cause to belamented for then others For it was taken from wicked men by gods mightie hand giuen to gods people It was increased with many benefites from God beautified with religion Priests a Temple to worship the liuing God in strengthned by manie worthie Princes and lawes and was a wonder of the world It was the holy Citie because it was dedicated to the Lords seruice though the people were euill that dwelt in it and misused it The gospel saith the Deuill tempting Christ our sauiour tooke him into the holy Citie set him on a pinacle of the temple and Christ our lord foreseeing the destruction of it to be at hand wept for it This was then the cause of Nehemiahs sorrowe that God was dishonoured for that this Citie which was dedicated to his name and giuen to his people to serue him in was now defaced by heathen Princes his religion decayed people subiect to straungers Azelous man cannot abide anything without great griefe that seemeth to deface the glorie of his God But if these causes were not yet the natural loue to his countrie had beene sufficient to moue him to teares For as it is a pitifull sight to see a Prince or Noble man to be cast from his dignitie to be spoyled of his honour landes and goods and become a carter and driue the plowe or lie tyed in prison so surelie it must needes moue any heathen man to see the Citie where he and his elders were borne and buried to be ouerthrowne lie open to all enemies vnfenced with walles or gates and be inhabited with a few cottegers and no better then the poorest ragged hamlet in a countrie much more Nehemiah must needs be touched for this citie wich was so famous through out the world There may be good reasons alledged beside these why he should weepe for his Citie and countrie as because it was a great reliefe and succour in all needes to all that liued in it from time to time and a greate strength to the countrie about it But what is that to be sad for the place where his elders were buried Is there any holynes in the ground that it is better to be buried there then els where Or the deade men aniething the worsse if they be pulled out of their graues What is the cause In deed it was called holie in diuers places of the Scriptures as other outward things be that are appointed and consecrated to a holie vse S.
which might iustlie offend the king also that he would so moue the Kings heart that his request might be graunted A worthie example for all Christians to follow in their sutes making to the Prince He goeth not to anie great man nor to anie other which was in fauour with the king to desire him to speake for him to commend his cause to perswade the King to graunt his request which he might lawfullie haue done Also he offereth no rewardes nor like pleasure to any man but turneth him to the God of heauen as the cheifest gouernour of all goodnes which setteth vp rulers putteth downe Kings and is King of Kings and praieth him to prosper his sute He praieth to no Idols nor saintes though he liued among that Idolotrous nation for he knew they could not help him but faithfully called on the liuing God which his good fathers had worshiped of olde time This prayer was not so much in speaking or kneeling but a lifting vp of his minde towards God and desiring him to further his sute Anna made like prayer when she powred out her sorow before the Lord mouing her lippes but speaking neuer a word In so much that the hie Priest thought she had bene dronken For it falleth out oft that in great sorow a man cannot let a teare fall the heart being oppressed with griefe and yet he at another time will weepe tenderlie So in prayer oft times the more earnestlie that a man prayeth the lesse he can speake his heart being so earnestlie giuen to call on the Lord. As when Moses was in great heauines and prayed for the children of Israell being in that great distresse God sayd vnto him why criest thou vnto me and yet there is not one worde written that he cried or said It is the praying and crying of the heart that God is so much delighted withal and yet neuer the worse if it burst out into words and shew it selfe Let no man then excuse him selfe say he cannot pray except he were in the Church or in his Chamber alone for in all places he may lift vp his minde to God though he were in the market or Mountaine and with hartie prayer though he speake not at all desire the Lord to heare him as Nehemiah doeth here in the presence of the King and manie others and no doubt if he pray in faith and for such things as further the glorie of God the Lord will heare him Let vs learne here to begin all our doings with prayer vnto the Lord we shall speede so much the better 5. And I said When Nehemiah had made his short prayer in so earnest a faith and perceiued the Kings good will towards him then with all humblenes not appointing the King what he should doe but referring all to his consideration and wisdome desireth him that if he thought it good if Nehemiah him selfe were thought a fit man for the purpose or his seruice had bene acceptable to the King that it would please him to send him to Iury to the city where he was borne and his Elders lay buried that he might build it vp againe No marueil that Nehemiah was afraid and prayed earnestlie for good successe in his sute for he knew well that the Iewes were counted a rebellious people and hated of all countries about them and the King might thinke him to make his sute for building of Ierusalem that they might settle aud strengthen them-selues against him other Kings and claime their olde liberties that they had a fore But God so mooued the Kings heart that he had no suspition of any such enterprise by Nehemiah his faithfull and trustie seruant With such modestie Princes would be dealt withal and not roughly nor vnreuerentlie for so Nehemiah doeth here most dutifullie Yf many men had their choise at the Kings hand now adaies to aske what they would as Nehemiah might haue done here would they not haue asked Castles Lands Offices and authority for them and their issue that they might haue bene great men in the world and not the building of a Citie which would haue bene a trouble and cost vnto them rather then any profit and when they had finished it it had not bene their owne but other should haue enioyed it and they little the better for it But such is the zeale of them that loue the Lord that they will seeke to build and not to pull downe as many doe and will preferre all things that may further the glorie of God though it be with their owne losse rather then seeke their owne profitte with the hinderaunce of it Terentius a noble-man Captaine vnder the Emperour Valens when he had bene in warres and sped well the Emperour liking well of his good seruice bad him aduise him-selfe what he would make sute for and he would reward him liberally Terentius being a zealous man in Religion and perceiuing the greate herisie of the Arrians to be much fauored and the Emperour himselfe being thought to be infected there-with could not abide such blasphemie against Iesus Christ our Sauiour put this supplication in writing and with most humble reuerence and earnest desire required the Emperour to graunt him his request he would think his seruice fully recompensed The effect of his supplication was that it would please th'emperour to graunt the true christians a Church to serue worship the Lord Iesus in seperatlie from the Arrians which disnoured him for it was not fit among the Christians to heare such blasphemie against the lord Christ as they spewed out The emperour reading his supplication and considering the effect of it was very angrie pulled it in peeces and threwe it away chyd with Terentius that he could deuise nothing to aske but that Terentius gathered vp the peeces of paper curteously and said If he could not be heard in Gods cause he would not make further sute for his owne profit O noble Captaine where is thy fellow who hath done the like but Nehemiah here Ester and some few other God increase the number of such religious men about Princes and then they will not gape so fast as they doe to pluck and pull away from god and his ministers al that they may scratch or scrape to the dishonour of God defacing of his glory decay of the ministery Religion al good learning thinking most highly of them-selues that they be worthie to haue all things where in deed they deserue least and the more they get the lesse ar they satisfied It is a full contentation to all good men when they see God glorified in his Church word and ministery for then they know if they dutifully seeke that the Lord wil not see them lacke that which shalbe necessarie for them and they wil content themselues with that portion that God giueth them and will not greedely seeke for other mens things wrongfully to the dishonour of the high God 6. And the king said When the King
had considered his Request he aduised him-selfe well and was both lothe to deny him his sute and also to forgoe so faithfull a seruante asked him how long he would be absent and when he would returne So did the Queene to which sat by the King they both loued him so well and would not haue him long from them A speciall gift of God to see a stranger borne of that Religion and people which were hated of all the world to be in such fauour with the king and Queene and to finde such fauour and grace in their sight that he gaue licence and all other necessary things to build that Citie which had bene noysome to so many Kings about them But such is the mercifull goodnes of our God towards his Church and people that he will make straungers and their enemies to defende and help them as Pharaoh and Assuerus did by the good meanes of Ioseph and Ester c. And because the Queene sat by it is like that there was some solemne feaste that day for the Queenes of Persia vsed not to come into the Kings presence but when they were called for by name as it is written in the booke of Ester and Strabo writeth that the Persians vsed to debate of weightie matters when they were refreshed with wine This might be a great cause of the great feare that Nehemiah was in as he said before to see the Queene present and manie other great men beside no doubte as is commonlie vsed at such solempnities It will make anie good nature afraid to speake to a King but much more in the presence of so manie estates who might be hinderers of his sute and counsel the King to the contrary But when God will pitie his people and haue things forward he will so mooue Kings harts that nothing shall hinder that he will haue done and so the King did graunt him his request gaue him leaueto goe build that Citie and sent him away honorablie and rewarded him liberallie as followeth Nehemiah appointed the King a time of his returne to him againe but when it is not here mentioned yet such a time as the King was content withal In the last chapter of this booke it appeareth that in the twelft yeare following Nehemiah returned vnto the King yet gat licence againe to goe to Ierusalem But whither this was the time that he appointed to returne it is not written and therefore vncertaine and being vnwritten and vncertaine it is not so necessarie to be knowne nor curiouslie to be searched but we maie content our-selues to be ignoraunt of it as of all vncertaine vnwritten and vnnecessarie trueths 7. And I said vnto the King if it be thought good to the King let them giue me letters to the captaines beyond the riuer which maie conuey me vntil I come into Iehuda 8. And letters also to Asaph keeper of the Kings woods that he maie giue me tymber to make beames for the gates of the Pallace which is neere the Temple and for the walls of the Citie and for the house which I shall enter to and the King gaue me according to the hand of my God which was good toward me 9. And I came to the captaines beyond the riuer and gaue them the Kings letters and the King sent with me captaines of the armie and horssemen 10. And Sanballat the Horonite and Tobias that seruant and Ammonite heard of it they were greeued with great sorow that a man was come to seeke any good for the children of Israell NEhemiah was a glad man that the King had graunted his request sleepeth not his purpose nor letteth the time slip but with al diligence prepareth things necessarie for his iourney And first because the iorney was long and daungerous for enemies that hated him and all the Iewes lest he should haue some displeasure done him by the way he desyreth the King that his Counsell and Secretaries might giue him a passeporte and graunt him men to conduct him safely into Iewry A bolde request for so meane a subiect being but the Kings cupbearer a straunger and borne of that people and countrie which all the world hated What could haue bene done more for the noblest man in the countrie or for the best seruitour the King had I cannot tell whither it is to be more marueiled at that either he durst aske it or that the King would graunt it But Nehemiah perceiued Gods good will and the Kings fauour toward him was bolde to aske God prospered his sute that the king graunted his request And as afore so here marke also that he doeth not boldly and rashly appoint the King what he should doe but with all modesty referreth his request vnto the Kings wisdome and discretion to graunt or deny and sayth if it be thought good to the King Againe he doeth not with bribes or flattery procure the Kings letters to be signed priuily as many doe that make vnhonest sutes and would not haue their matter debated by the wiser sorte lest so it might be denied but he requireth that they which are appointed for that purpose and doe such things by good aduise as Chancellours and Secretaryes might giue him letters to the Captaynes beyond the Riuer Euphrates for that is ment by the riuer because it was more notable then any other Riuer in the countrie and did deuide the Kingdome of Persia from other countries about it ouer which into Iewry he might passe It might be thought straunge to some that Nehemiah here asketh not onely of the King his letters of passeporte but also a number of souldyers to conduct him safely into Iewry For Ezra when he had licence of the King to take the same iourney and buyld the temple neither asked nor had any to conduct him safely on his way though the daunger was as great then and he was afraid as well as Nehemiah was now why should Nehemiah aske now seeing he serued and trusted in that same God that Ezra did and was as earnest and zealous in Religion as he was why should this be lawfull or commendable in the one and not in the other Causes may be rendered diuers There was difference in the persons and times Ezra was a Priest cunning in the lawe and had oft taught boldely afore the King and his nobles how sure and safe they were from all daungers that put their trust in God alone and if he should haue afterwards bene afraid he should haue seemed to haue spoken vntruly afore and his God should not haue bene thought able or willing to defend his people that trusted in him Nehemiah was a courtier and in great fauor with the King had not so openly and boldly spoken of Gods prouidence and care towards his people as Ezra had though he beleeued it as faithfully as the other did and therefore might more boldly without reproche of his God or his doctrine and saings aske it Yet this proueth not that Preachers
others vntil he haue aduised him-selfe priuatelie first what is best to be done and so shall he be best able both to render a reason of his owne doings and also to iudge who giueth best aduise 16. The Magistrates knew not whither I went or what I did and to the Iewes the Priests the Nobles the Rulers and the rest of the worke-men I tolde nothing hitherto 17. And I said vnto them ye know the miserie that we be in how Ierusalem is wasted and her gates burned in the fire come let vs build the walls of Ierusalē that we be no more a reproch 18. And I told them of the hand of my God that it was gratious toward me and also the Kings word that he spake vnto me and they said let vs rise and build and they strengthened their hands to good NEhemiah not onely like a Godly zealous man is diligent to set forward this worke but also like a verie wise man sheweth in his doings the chiefe properties of him that hath weightie matters committed vnto him He that hath great matters to doe must be faith ful and trustie and also secret and keeping counsel close as the Poet saieth Fide taciturnitate est opus And where euerie sorte must be made priuie in such a worke hitherto he had opened it to neuer a one 19. And I saied vnto them After Nehemiah had thus long kept his purpose secret and diligentlie vewed the walls how great the breach was how it might be best and speedelie repaired and was able to talke with all sorts and render a reason of his doings to euerie one both high and lowe in authoritie to the common sort of the Iewes to the workemen Priests and Rulers he now propoundeth the matter vnto them all in few words after he had declared the miserie that they were in and how that famous Citie laie open to all enemies to inuade to their great shame exhorteth and encourageth them to fall to the building of the walls and liue no more in such shame and reproch as they had done but recouer their olde estimation againe for he had found fauour both in Gods sight and the Kings There be two kind of reasons to perswade a man to doe anie thing the one is if he declare how hurtfull and shameful it is to doe or suffer such a thing to be done or vndone The other reason is to open vnto him what good help and encouraging there is to set it forward The shame was great that for their great sinne and disobedience gods people who craked so much of their good god should liue in such slauerie vnder infidels as though their God could not or would not deliuer them The hope to prosper well in this building was great for that both God the King had shewed great tokens of their goodwills for the furtherance of this good worke Both these kindes of perswasions he vseth here his words be not manie but effectual For as the shame was to loose their Citie so the glorie shold be greater in recouering it wise men vse loue few words for either those will serue good men or moe will not The wofull sight of those broken wals this miserable slauery of the people in it were sufficient to mooue a stony heart to pitie though neuer a word were spoken by anie man but those weightie reasons well considered made them all to fall to worke with great courage What man had so litle feeling of God and honestie that would not help to build Gods Citie and their owne countrie Those that loue to heare them-selues talke and with many words to couller their ill meaning may here learne how a simple trueth plainlie tolde in few words worketh more in good mens hartes then a faire painted tale that hath litle trueth and lesse good meaning in it An honest matter speaketh for it selfe and needeth no coullouring and he that vseth most flatering subtill words maketh wise men mistrust the matter to be ill A few words well placed are much better then a long vnsauerie tale 18. And I tolde them After that Nehemiah had brieflie set afore them the miserie they liued in the cruell destruction of Ierusalem which God chose for him selfe to dwell in and what shame it was for them not to recouer by weldoing that which their fathers for their wickednes lost he now declareth vnto them as a ful reason to perswade any man that would be perswaded and saieth both the hand of his God was gratious toward him in this enterprise and the Kings words were very comfortable When a man hath both God and the king of his side what needeth he more who can hurt him what should he doubt or be afraid of what would he haue further God had giuen him such a fauour in the Kings sight that as soone as he asked licence to goe build the Citie where his fathers lay buried it was graunted and the liberalitie and good will of the King was so great that he graunted him both souldiers safelie to conduct him to Ierusalem and also commission to his officers for tymber to this great building What should they mistrust or doubt of now There wanted nothing but a good will and courage on their side if they would rise and worke lustelie no doubt the worke would be finished speedelie Nehemiah still calleth him his God as though God heard his prayer onely and moued the kings heart to giue him licence to build this Citie which many diuerse times had wished and laboured for and could not get it He thought this to be so great a blessing of God that he can neuer be thankfull enough for it and therefore calleth him his God He that loueth his God earnestlie reioyseth in nothing so much as when he seeth those things prosper whereby Gods glorie may be shewed forth He careth more for that then for his owne pleasure profit And when such things goe backward it greeueth him more then anie worldly losse that can fall vnto him selfe And though some wauering worldlings may say the King might die or chaunge his good wil from them and god many times when he hath giuen a good beginning for a while yet in the end he cutteth it of by this meanes discourage other from this worke will them not to medle The time might chaunge and then they might be blamed and Nehemiah although he was in great fauour with the King at this present yet being absent long from the Court might sone bee forgotten others that beare him no good will might creepe in fauour and bring him into displeasure for in the Court commonly out of sight out of minde These and such other reasons would soone withdraw dissemblers from their good furtherance of this worke Yet God so wrought with them all that they all boldly tooke this worke in hand and finished it God of his great goodnes for the better exercising of our faith hath thus ordered the course
that be hid in it is to be reuerenced of all sorts of men and with diligence and prayer is to be searched out as far as we may The new building of this olde destroyed Citie by Gods enemies putteth vs in remembrance how Sathan by his members had ouerthrowne Gods Citie and chosen people and where now all sortes of men lay on hands Iustelie to repaire it againe it teacheth vs our duetie how diligent euerie one should be in his degree to the restauring of Gods Citie his Church to his olde beautie and strength againe This Citie Ierusalem was first called Salem or Solyma where Melchisedech was king and met Abraham returning with the spoile which he recouered from the king of Sodom and his fellowes Melchisedech by interpretation of his name is first called the King of righteousnes and after the King of Salem that is of peace who representeth vnto vs Christ Iesus as the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith which is the King of all righteousnes and by whome all we are made righteous as the Apostle saith and is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and offered vp that sweete and sauing sacrifice of his owne bodie and hearts blood to pacifie the wrath of God against man and make peace betwixt them both as it is written to the Eph. 2. This citie afterwards was called Iebus where the Iebusits one of the nations did dwel whose land god gaue to his people of Israel these Iebusits came of the cursed seede of Canaan whome Noe his father cursed for mocking him in his drunkennes and inhabited this countrie vntill that worthie king Dauid recouered the strongest parte of it from them called Sion named it the Citie of Dauid after himselfe That noble captaine Iosue in deede conquered the whole land and deuided it among the Israelites but these Iebusits were partlie so strong dwelling in the mountaines that they could not be vanquished in short time partly the people so negligent that they wold not driue them out or destroy them as they were commaunded but suffered them to dwel among them to their great shame harme for they were euer like thornes in their sides to prick hurt them as it is written Iosue 23. Whereby we learne that as the Iebusites Gods enemies could not fully be conquered vntil Dauid came no more could the kingdome of Sathan be cleane ouerthrown vntill Christ Iesus the King of glory was borne of the seede of Dauid who conquered sin hel the deuil and possessed the holy hill Sion and made his people citizens of the heauenlie Ierusalem And like as they suffered the Iebusits to dwell amongst them to their great harme so sinne remaineth in our mortall bodies conquered in deede that it doeth not reigne ouer those that serue the Lord yet not cleane taken away but left for our exercise who hauing our mortal enemie dwelling within vs should fight against sinne vnder the banner of faith in Christ Iesus who onelie hath can and will continuallie defend his people subdue their enemies and giue his children the victorie How King Dauid wanne this Citie from the Iebusits is fullie declared in the 2. of Sam. 5. chapter And how Christ Iesus the Sonne of God conquered the whole kingdome of Sathan sinne death and hell the whole historie of the gospell declareth And as king Dauid when he had reigned 33. yeares noblie in Ierusalem died with great victorie so Christ Iesus our Lord and graundcaptaine after he had preached the kingdome of his father gat this noble victorie against death and all his enemies in the 33. yeare of his age by suffering death and triumphantlie ascending into heauen where he reigneth a glorious King for euer After that Dauid had recouered this Citie from the Iebusites it was continually called Ierusalem which is by interpretation the Lord he will see Salem alluding to both the olde names ioyned togither Iebus Salem chaunging one letter onelie In the gospel it is called the holie citie as when the deuil tempted Christ he tooke him into the holie Citie and set him on a pinacle of the temple which name it gate rather of the holie law word and Sacrifices that were taught there and offered then of that wicked and vnholie people that denied the Lord of life and required Barrabas to be deliuered But when it was destroied by the Romanes and not one stone left standing on another as Christ foretold it should be Elius Adrianus the Emperour for vaine glorie builded a new Citie and called it after his owne name Elia or Capitolina And when the heathen had gotten it from the Christians Pope Vrbane the second kept a councell in Fraunce and by his flattering friers stirred vp all Princes to recouer the holie land againe more like a superstitious Iewe putting holinesse in the place which then was inhabited with wicked people then like a true preacher of true holinesse But it cost manie Princes their liues lands and goods and yet not recouered wherof England felt his parte when King Richard the first went thither and was taken prisoner paid a great Raunsome to the impouerishing of the Realme As God gaue this Citie and people falling from him into his enemies hands so will he cast vs vp if we frowardly forsake him This Citie Ierusalem aster that it was recouered from the Iebusites was inlarged and fortified by Dauid Salomon Ozias and Ezechias and other good kings and had within it two chiefe hils Sion where the Kings Palace was built Moria where the temple was And after when the people encreased other two hils were taken into it Acra and Bethera as Iosephus writeth It had three wardes and walles within it Within the Innermost wall was the Kings Palace and Temple and the Preists lodging in the midle ward were the Prophets noble-men their schooles Leuits and Doctors By which we are taught how to place and esteeme learning and learned men schooles vniuersities and preachers which are not now much regarded In the vttermost dwell the Citizens marchants and artificers It was then 4. miles about and after enlarged to 6. It was most glorious in the time of our sauiour Christ for Herod and Agrippa had made great cost on it and Christ wept for it Dauid in the 48. Psalme describeth the beautie and strength of this Citie and biddeth them goe round about it marke and behold it and count the towers of it that were manie that the Lord might be praised for it The vttermost wall had towres 90. The midle wall had towres 14. And the innermost wall had towres 60. In the whole 164. towres as Iosephus and others doe write But I take it that it was so rather in the time of Christ then of Dauid or of this building now for as it increased in wealth beautie and strength so it did in pride riotousnes superstition contempt ofGod al wickednes so that this last and vtter destruction was at hand for refusing
euerie one would amend another see other mens faults but not his owne and therefore all lie still as they did nothing amended and euery one maketh courtesie who shall beginne Sophonie the Prophet complaineth of his time and saith Thy rulers are roaring Lions thy iudges are rauening wolues in the euening and will not leaue the bones vntill morning thy prophets are lewd and vnconstant thy Priests haue desiled the holy place broken thy law Micheas crieth out saieth there is not a goodman lest on the earth and not a righteous man among men all lie in waite for blood euerie man hunteth his brother vnto death c. God grauntour times were not like Among vs it is merilie said of some that there be some Courts where law is executed without conscience Another where conscience is without law the third where neyther law nor conscience the fourth where both law and conscience shall rule I can rather pray for then looke for vntill the last day come when the righteous Iudge shall iudge both with law conscience In the meane time we may mourne and turne vnto the Lord that he may forgiue vs and receiue vs in his manie and great mercies for we are full of manie great miseries The pride of weomen is through the fault of men therfore they be blameles God amend vs all It is written that Ioseph in Egipt vsed the people almost of like sort that they doe here and yet is he praised and these iustlie reproued which possiblie some marueile at not vnderstanding the diuersitie of their doings Ioseph laid vp corne in the time of plentie when euerie man had ynough these men did it at al times without respect in plentie and scarsitie Ioseph brought the monie into the Kings cofers to serue the common wealth these men laid it vp in their owne Cofers to their owne priuate vse Ioseph bought their cattell for such price as they were worth these men pay not the iust price for anie thing they take Ioseph buieth their land and maketh the people bond vnto the King restoring them againe the land the King finding the seede to sowe the people onelie laboring to till the ground And where we thinke we deale courteously if we let them sow to halfes the Egiptians haue the fourth part for their labour and paie the king the fift part of the encrease for the land and seede but these men kept all in their owne hands Ioseph bought not the Priests lands but gaue them alowance of such things as they wanted out of the kinges store and these men like vnto our daies if they can scrape anie thing from the Church that is a pastime among all other to laugh at and thought best gotten So much more is a minister of Gods gospell thought meeter to be spoiled by these cutpursses then Ioseph thought meet to doe to those Idolatrous priests Ioseph opened his barnes in time of dearth and sold liberallie to the needie these men the greater that the neede was the faster they lockt it vp vntill they had their desire of the poore Ioseph restored their land and tooke but the fift part of the increase these men restore nothing and yet take interest As this cruell dealing toward their breethren and countrie-men was thought straunge to be found amongst this people in the time that God had shewed to them such great mercies in restoring them againe to their countrie giuing them the liberty to build their temple and Citie with great gifts liberalitie and fauour of the kings vnder whom they were bondmen and slaues So it is much more marueil that among Christians in the time of the gospell 〈◊〉 mercifullie restored vnto vs so freelie taught greater crueltie should be found and exercised then among the hard harted Iewes or Infidell pagans But this is the common practise of Sathan that in no age people nor countrie he can be quiet to see Gods kingdom set vp and florish and his powre fall but he will rage storme besturre him and by all deuises that may be and by all powre that he can ouerthrowit And seeing this is no new thing but hath fallen out diuers times afore let vs not now be astonied nor dismaied at it nor murmure and grudge against the doctrine of our saluation so mercifullie offred vnto vs as though it were not the true word of God because men liue so far contrarie to that which is taught and they openlie professe The deuill is content when he cannot ouerthrow the trueth of the doctrine to deface it so much as he can with the ill life of those that professe it But the gospell teacheth vs what to doe in this case saying doe as they say but doe not as they doe The doctrine is good though they be ill The trueth and worthines of Gods word hangeth not on our life and doings but our life and doings should be reformed by Gods word for that it is a Lanterne to our feete and a light to our stepps that we may know when we be in the right way and how to come into it We must be iudged by Gods word and not it by vs we must be ruled by it and not ouerrule it according to our phantasies we must hang on Gods true saying and not on mans cuill liuing Because the Author being preuented by death could not finish the rest of this treatise much lesse of this and the other Chapters which remaine vntouched I thought it good for the better instruction of the reader and in stead of a supplie for this point of Oppression which that godlie zealous father had begonne to annex and set downe that which of late was published by Robert Some D. in Diuinitie To the Reader IT hath pleased an English papist to giue out in print that the Church of Roome doth both teach and require actuall restitution and that our Church doth neyther His speech of vs is verle slaunderous and my treatise against oppression is argument ynough to confute him If they of Rome teach and require actuall restitution it is no worke of supererogation they doe no more but their dueties If we should fasle in this cleare point we deserue great condemnation at almightie Gods hands I confesse that a man is good therefore iustified in Gods sight before he doth goodworkes but with-all I set downe this that goodworkes doe followe him that is truelie iustified and that such as haue oppressed or iniured anie man shall not be pardoned at Gods hands vnlesse they make actuall restitution if they be able to doe it If anie require proofe of this I referre him to this Treatise of mine against oppression A GODLIE TREATISE AGAINST the foule and grosse sinne of OPPRESSION Question VVHat is oppression Answere It is vniust dealing vsed of the mightier either by violence colour of lawe or anie other cunning dealing against such as are not able to withstand them The ground of this definition is conteined in these places of
the matter euery man what he hath to doe Such as be builders may take example of those good builders therof whome we read that with one hand they builded and with the other they held their weapon that is the spirituall sword of Gods word to keepe of the enemie Such workmen the Lord send into his vineyard to be diligent labourers not loyterers nor braulers but builders labouring and working not with one hand but with both hands occupied And likewise vpon these labourers the Lord send good ouerseers such as this good Nehemiah who not regarding his owne priuate charges and expenses bestowed all his care in tendring and setting forward the erection of the Lords house to encourage the workemen to prouide for their necessities to defena them from enemies to keepe them in good order from strife and variance For as euery good building there best goeth forward when the workmen in one consent ioyne them-selues together So contrariwise nothing more hindreth the setting vp of any worke as when the workmen are deuided among them-selues Albeit during the time of 〈◊〉 we sinde no great sturs among the people or if there were any it was seene composed by the wise handling of that good gouernour as in the fift chapter may appeare wherefore for the better example to le taken of these distressed dales I thought it not amisse in this so daungerous building vp of Christs Church in the perillous latter times this treatise of Nehemiah compiled by the right reuerend and famous prelate M. Iames Pilkinton of blessed memory to be published and commended to Christian readers wherby all good labourers and ouerseers of Christ his Church may receiue some fruitfull aduertisement to consider in these soe great affayres of the Lord his busines what is to be done and looked vnto THE BOOKE OF NEHEMIAH Benignè fac DOMINE in bonavoluntate tua Sion vt aedificentur muri Ierusalem Non nobis DOMINE non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam Non moriar sed viuam narrabo opera DOMINI THE ARGVMENT VNPERfect and so much thereof as was found is here put downe ANd because both the bookes of EZRA and NEHEMIAH entreate only of such things as were done vnder the Kings of Persia which fewe other parts of the Scripture doe it is not amisse something to touch the maner of liuing behauiour both of the Kings people nature of the countrie that thereby things may better be vnderstood as STRABO in his booke LEOVICIVS in his Varia Historia others haue left them in writing SVSIA was that parte of the countrie which laie towards BABILON wherein was also the cheife citie SVSA which was like in building vnto BABILON These were a quiet people neuer rebellious therefore Kings loued it the better and CYRVS was the first that made his cheifest abode there Other houses the King had which were strong and costlie where there treasure was kept At SVSIS they lay in winter at ECBATAVA in sommer at PERSEPOLIS in haruest in the spring at BABILON PAGASABIA GABIS other houses were not neglected although destroyed with the kingdome shortlie after by Alexander Magnus The riches of the kings were greate For when all was brought to ECBATAVA men reporte that there were 180. Talents This country of SVSIA was so fruitful that their barly wheate would bring forth an hundreth folde or 200. as much as was sowne Their kings be of one kindred and whosoeuer obeieth not he hath his head arme cut of and cast awaie They marrie many wiues keepe many harlots The kings yearely giue rewardes to them that haue gotton most sonnes The children come not in their fathers sight before they be 4. yeares old Their mariages are made in March From. 5. yeares old vnto 14. they learne to shoote picke dartes ride chiefly to speake trueth Their Schoolemasters be men most sober applying all things to the profit of their schollers They call their schullers together afore daie by ringing of a bell as though they should go to warte or to hunt They make one of the kings sonnes their ruler or some great men ouer 50 in a bande and commaund them to follow their Captaine 30. or 40. furlongs when he runneth afore them They aske account of those things that they haue learned exercising their voice breath and sides to hear colde raine and passing of riuers They teach them to keepe their Armour cloathes drie and to feed liue hardlie like husbandmen eating wilde fruits as acornes and crabbes Their dailie meate after their exercise is verie hard bread Cardanum salte and flesh rosted Their drinke is water They hunt on horsebake with picking their dartes shooting their shaftes or casting with their sling In the forenoone they are exercised with planting of trees or digging vp the rootes or make harnesse or applie them-selues to working ofline or making of nets The kings giue rewards to those that get the best game at running and other games which they vse euerie 5. yeare They beare office plaie the souldiers on foote and horsse from 20. years olde vnto 50. They be armed with a shield made like a diamond Besides their quiuer they haue their crooked falchion and daggers vpon their head a steeple-cappe vpon their breast a coate of plate Their Princes haue their breeches triple folde and a coate with wide sleeues lined with white and syde to the knee and the outside coloured Their apparel in some is purple or els of diuers coloures in winter of diuers coloures Their cappes like vnto the Miters of their southsaiers their shooes high dubble The common sorte weare a lined coate to the mid-leg about their head a role of sindal Euery man vseth his bowe sling The Persians fare daintilie hauing manie and diuers kindes of meate and their tables shine with their plate of gold siluer They debate their weightie matters at the wine if they meete their fellowes or acquaintance by the waie they kisse them if they be poorer they make curtesie Their southsaiers they leue vnburied to the birds The greatest riches that the kings had were in buildings and they coyned no more monie then serued the present neede The people were temperate in their liuing but their kings passed in excesse The kings attire of his head was of myrrhe and other sweete gommes They kept commonlie 300. women which slept in the daie sang daunced all the night If the king would goe to any of them the floore was couered with fine arris He rode seldome but in his chariot If he suffered any man to come to his speache he sate in a throne of gold standing on foure pillers with precious stones At the head of his bed were 5000. Talents of gold which where called the kings pillowe at his feete were 3000. Talents of siluer which was called his footestoole ouer his bed was a golden vine withgolden branches and grapes drawne with pretious stones Thus farre the
whose cause speciallie I haue taken this labour 1. Eliasib the hie Priest gat him vp and his breethren the Priests and builded the sheepgate 2. And next vnto him builded the men of Iericho AFter that Nehemiah had so stoutly answered Sanballat and his fellowes encouraged his countriemen to the building of the walls all sortes of them pluck vp their stomachs and are no more afraid but lustelie fall to their worke And among other Eliasib the high Priest and the rest of the Priests also gat them vp and tooke in hand to repaire the sheepegate which went toward mount Oliuet and so the wall all a long vnto the towre Hananeell Such goodnes commeth by hauing a stout Captaine where the people be faint-harted Aggeus complaineth in the building of the temple that Prince Priest and people were fallen on sleepe vntill he came with message from the Lord to awake them then they fell lustely to worke So now here after ' that Nehemiah came with commission both from God and the King they lingered their building no more but boldly went on forward with it though it had lyen many yeares vnlooked at now in the beginning they had many stout brags Chabrias as Plutarch doeth write was wont to say that an host of harts should be more feared if a Lion were their Captaine tben an host of Lions should be if a hart were their Captaine teaching what profit commeth by a stout Captaine and so it fareth in Gods cause too Saint Paul considering what a chargeable office was committed vnto him and how fearefull a thing it was to preach Christ a fore Princes and wicked people desireth the Ephesians to praie for him that he might haue vtteraunce giuen him boldlie and freelie to doe his message in preaching the gospell He desireth the same thing of the Colossians 4. Chap. And the. 2. Thessalonians 3. So that where we see this boldnes in preaching ioyned with wisdome and discretion we maie perswade our selues that it is the gift of God in such a man and aboue the nature of man to doe it This lesson is giuen to all good builders of Gods spirituall house that they should not feare him that will kill the bodie and cannot hurt the soule but feare him that can cast both bodie and soule into hell And Saint Iohn saieth in the Reuelat. 21. that those which be fearefull shall haue their parte in the burning lake of brimstone with murtherers adulterers and idolaters And by the example of Eliasib and the Priests which disdained not to be admonished and learne their duetie of Nehemiah comming from the courte we shall learne humblenes of minde and not disdaine to be admonished of our duetie at meane mens hands They are not offended at him nor thinke him sawcie to counsell and teach them which were teachers of others but are content to ioyne in this worke with him and the rest yea boldlie to begin and giue good example to the rest as their duetie was and to incourage others So no estate must disdaine to be warned of his duetie and to be encouraged though it be by meane men for all sorts high and lowe learned vnlearned are fearefull and forgetfull of them-selues vntil God stirre them vp by his word holie spirit and messenger And reason it was that as they were shepheards to the people so they should build the sheep-gate which was at the East-end of the Citie where the temple was in the vttermost wall where the sheepe came in that were offered in sacrifice and whereof they had their partes according to the law This gate maie well be compared to Christ Iesus who sought the lost sheepe and was sacrificed as a lambe and is the gate whereby onelie we enter his shepheards must be the builders of it and bring the people into the folde Many good lessons might be plucked out of the interpretation of the names herein contemed and what were signisied by them but those be meeter for the learned which can by order of learning keepe them selues in compasse and applie all things to the rule of faith then to the vnlearned which haue not that iudgement And where the men of Iericho ioyne with the hie Priest in this building it teacheth that not onely priests Citizens must build Gods Citie but also countriemen yea those that dwelt farthest of and be lest regarded must put to their helping hand It is commendable in both that neither the Priests refused their aide and they that dwelled farthest of were the first that came to worke So must all that be of Gods houshould help to build euen the simplest and basest as well as the best for as he is God of all so he will haue all to serue and worship him If either Nehemiah or any other had taken this worke in hand alone it would haue bene thought great arrogancie in them others would haue disdained that they should haue all the praise of so great a building alone Common things would be done with common consent and the common aide of them to whome it perteineth would not be refused Iericha was the first citie that Iosue ouerthrew for their wickednes and it is now the first that commeth to help this building So great a change commeth when god turneth the hearts of the people Without this gate was that watring place or sheep-poole whereof S. Iohn writeth in the 5. cap. and where the sheepe were washed that came to be offered 3. The fish-gate builded the sonnes of Senaah they couered it set on the doores lockes and barres 5. The great men of Thecoa put not their necksto the worke of the Lord. THis gate was at the west end of the citie where the fishers came in atthe Sea coast with their fish to sell. If a man would stand on figures and allegories this gate may well signifie Christ who made his Apostles and Preachers fishers of men who by him brought and daily bring them into this spirituall Ierusalem for he is onely the doore whereby all must enter into the Lords citie These men like good builders leaue nothing vndone that might fortifie that gate for they set on not onely the doores but also bolts and lockes So must Gods Church be made strong by lawes discipline and authoritie that rauening Lions nor filthie Swyne rush not in and disquiet or deuour Gods people and the holesome doctrine must be confirmed with strong arguments and reasons against false teachers Much controuersie there is now about discipline which euery man graunteth to be necessarie and desireth to haue but whether this that is so vehemently vrged be the right way to strengthen the Church as stronger doores lockes and barrs that should keepe out all rauening wolues and wild beasts or they be like to spiders copwebs that wil catch a weak flie let the great drones burst thorow I leaue it to the consideration of the wise I wilbe no partaker of these troublesome contentions And if a
were comfortable to heare of such great women in these daies where the most parte are so fine that they cannot abide to looke at a poore bodie so costly in apparrell that that will not suffise them in lewels which their elders would haue kept good hospitalitie withall When Moses moued the people to bring such stuffe as was meete for the making of gods Tabernacle other Iewels in it the women were as readie as the men and they brought their bracelets earings Rings and Cheynes all of Gold and the women did spinne with their owne hands both silke and Goates hoare they wrought and brought so much willinglie that Moses made proclamation they should bring no more Compate this peoples deuotion with ours that be called Christians and ye shal finde that all that may be scratched is to little to buy Iewels for my mistres though she be but of meane degree and if any thing can be pulled from Gods house or any that serueth in it that is wel gotten and all is to little for them God graunt such costly dames to consider what metall they be made of for if they were so fine of themselues as they would seme to be none of these glorious things needed to be hanged vpon them to make them gay withall Filthie things neede washing painting coullouring and trimming and not those that be cleanly and comely of them-selues such decking and coullouring maketh wise men to thinke that all is not wel vnderneath content your selues with that coullour comelines and shape that God hath giuen you by nature and disfigure not your selues withyour owne deuices ye cannot amend gods doings nor beautifie that which he hath in that order appointed Learne of these good women to offer your Iewels to the building of Gods citie lay to your hands and spinne rowgh goats heare to clothe the poore stoope and worke be not ashamed of it it is the greatest honour that euerye shal winne If ye will be partakers of the pleasures of Gods citie ye must take parte of the paines to build it If women would learne what God will plague them for and how let them reede the 〈◊〉 chap of the Prophet Esai and if they wil learne what god willeth them to do be occupied withal though they be of the best sort let them reede the last chapter of the Prouerbs It is enough to note it and point them to it that wil learne for I feare few will read fewer learne and fewest practise it but manie rather wish it cut out of the booke that they should not be troubled with hearing of it In the 13. and 14. verses and others following come in the Ruelers of the country townes with their people for to worke wherein we learne that not onely the Priests and Leuites but the great men in euerie countrie yea and the Countrie people too must worke at Gods building This valley-gate that he speaketh of is thought to be the gate that goeth into the vally of Iosephat which otherwyse was called Gehennon This is a worthie example for all christians that they should not liue to themselues but help to beare the burthens of the Church and Common-wealth That Citie and Temple were the common places appointed whither they should resort to serue the Lord and whither they might flie and finde succour against the enemie where vitals and other necessarie prouision might be had for all sorts Therefore if zeale toward God and loue toward their neighbours could not moue them to lay to their helping hands and open their purses wyde to set forward this building their owne priuate profit would moue those that had any consideration of them-selues to mantaine this citie And that noe man should disdaine to worke at the vilest place in Gods citie here commeth a nobleman and buildeth the dung-gate where all the filth of the Citie was caried out and where all the sinkes Canals and conduits did wash and conuey away al the sweepings and filth of the streetes into the Brooke Cedron As in all great and well ordered cities there be officers appointed for that purpose which be men of wisdome painful in authoritie haue a great care for the health and wealth of the inhabitants who wil daily and duly looke that such noysome things be conueied away out of the streetes for infocting the people with pestilent smells and contagions so in Gods Church and citie must be men of grauitie wisdome learning and authoritie which must dare and will wrastell with the stoutest and see due correction done and such rotten members as would infect the whole bodie cut of carried away from among the congregation to the comfort of the good and terrour of the euil doers In Gods house there be both good and ill as in the feild the corne groweth not without the chaffe nor in the garden the good hearbs without the weedes yet the good husband will carie in the good Corne and winow the chaffe When thee weede ouergroweth the hearbs the good gardiner wil pick out the weeds and carie the good hearbs to his house so in Gods Church open blasphemers notorious wicked liuers and teachers must be cast-out that Gods holy name be not ill spoken of as though he loued suoh ill doings and would not with Iustice punish them and also that other by theiril example should not fal into the like mischiefes Saint Paul biddeth that if any brother were called couetous a fornicator drunkerd a railer extortioner Idolater they should cast him out of company not eat nor drinke with him that he may be ashamed of himselfe when he seeth him-selfe abhorreà of all men and so amend his wickedues Excommunication is the common remedie for such disobedient persons which God for his mercie sake graunt that it may be restored to his true vse and that euery one may willingly submit him selfe to Godly correction We haue so long contemned the Popes cursse that now we think we may liue as we list without blame and if any due correction be offered we laughe it to scorne despise the ministers of it and by this meanes shal cause the Lord to take the whip into his owne hands and then who shal be able to stand God will not haue sinne vnpunished and if we refuse this gentle correction that he hath giuen his Church to execute and bridle ill doers withall we shall find it an horrible thing to fall into the Lords hands and he will rule vs with an yron roà d and bruise vs all to peeces Such dung and filth may not be suffered in Gods howse and it is as necessarie to haue a gate to carie such out at as it is to haue a gate to bring good ones in for as the raine from heauen washeth the streetes so Gods grace from aboue must first wash the heart that the minde may be renued In worldly matters prisoners condemned to die are caried out of the Citie to suffer execution as members not meete
to be suffered in any company so Gods Citie will not suffer such ill doers to liue amongst them but cast them out The Staires which be spoken of in the 15. verse and the Tombe of Dauid in the 16. verse conteyne good lessons in them if they be well applied forall outward things in this worldlie Ierusalems building haue a signification in them to teach vs to build the spirituall Ierusalem By these Staires the King came downe from his Palace on the hill Sion into the lowest parte of the citie and by the same steps all Suters went vp into the Pallace to make their petition So the mercifull Lord Iesus by taking our nature on him and being made man in his mothers wombe came downe from the boosome of his father in heauen into the lowest parte of the earth yea and humbled him selfe vnto the vilest death and hell too that we by the same ladder Steps and Staires of humblenes may climbe by faith from vertue to vertue into the heauens by Christ Iesus our Lord who is our onelie spokes-man and meane-maker vnto that high and mightie king God his father And as Dauid borne in Bethlehem when he had reigned 33. yeares ouer all Israel was buried in Ierusalem and great treasures laid in the graue with him with parte of which Hircanus deliuered the citie when cruel Antiochus besieged it so Christ Iesus borne in Bethlehem in the 33. yeare of his age was crucified and buried in Ierusalem in whose graue we finde great treasures of our Redemption for both our filthie 〈◊〉 sinnes are there buried with him and the sweet Balmes Spices Oyntements that he was imbalmed withall are there to be found by faith and no holines of the place that is forgiuenes of sinnes rising with him to life euerlasting in heauen In the 17. verse and the rest of the chapter following to the end is almost no great matter to be noted but the earnest 〈◊〉 of the Lenites and Preists which were sonie cheise men and Rulers as appeereth here and their bondseruants to set forward this building and for the most parte in repayring the innermost walls in the 1. and 2. warde Wherby we shall learne that they were not so beggerlie as manie would make them in our daies if they might haue their will but of good wealth How vaine are those foolish exemptions which the Pope giueth to his shameles shauelings that they should not beare the common burthens of the Church and common-wealth Saint Paul biddeth them and all others to pay tribute and taxes to whom they bedue and shew their obedience to the high or powers in all Godly things as well as any of the Laitie Our sauiour Christ paid tribute for him selfe and Peter and willed the Pharisies to doe the like but these vnprofitable Pharisaical drones because they will be most vnlike to him will pay none at all There is yet remayning here amongst vs a sorte not Popish as they pretend but carnest builders of Gods house in their owne opinion where in deed they be the ouerthrowers of it which are in effect as il Pharisies as the Papists be They wil take a benifice cute of soules promising solemnlie to feed the flocke but whe they haue turned their back they haue a dispensation in a box to lie from it and flock aud floute who so euer would haue them to continue there and doe their duetie con tending by lawe they may doe it stand on their defence Domine nos exempti sumiv God for his mercie sake take awaie such lawes graunt disereete officers that wil not dispence so vnaduifedly with euerie one for smal causes as is too commoblie vsed and giue those vnprofitable Caterpillers such remorse of conscience that they will take paines to seede the flock as wel as they feede them-selues eating vntil they sweat againe become Pillers to vphold Gods Church not powlers of his people nor so greedie to picke their pursses and plucke of the fleece as painfull to releeue and comfort the weake both in bodie and soules with holesome doctrine and corporal sode as the great God wil aske a straict account of them at the last day where their dispensation may not be pleaded nor will be alowed nor the dispensor can 〈◊〉 excuse him-self not them but both like wolues and 〈◊〉 shalbe charged Vae pastor Idolism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 eorum de manu 〈◊〉 Ezec. 3. Full litle doe such men consider what assewel God hath committed to their charge and lesse they 〈◊〉 the charge 〈◊〉 haue taken in hand Iesus Christ came downe from heauen to preach his fathers wil vnto his 〈◊〉 sheepe and 〈◊〉 his pretious blood to purchase vs 〈◊〉 and these Idle laborours will not take paine to visit teach or feede them whom our Lord God hath bought so deerly God amend vs nll This second measure another part of building which is so of spoken of here is thought of the most parte of writers to be the second ward and wal which was called 〈◊〉 where the 〈◊〉 Prophtes and learned men did dwell and was deulded into 〈◊〉 man his portion to build or els were they appointed first to build the halfe hight of the wall for a time to be some succour for them against the enemies Some were so earnest in building that they finished the second hight vnto the top of the wall afore other had built the halfe hight As in the 20 verse 〈◊〉 burst out in a heat for soreadeth the hebre 〈◊〉 being angrie both with him felfe and others that were so 〈◊〉 in working and had done no more and in a 〈◊〉 rose vp and finished his portion in a short time Such anger is good when a man is offended with him-selfe or others that they be so slow in seruing their God and building his house it will make him more earnest and diligent afterwards In the 〈◊〉 verse 〈◊〉 is commended that he built so farre as the 〈◊〉 of the high Priest raught A small praise if the house were not of some greatnes And so other Priests against their houfes in the verses following and in the 28 verse I do but note it because that manie disdaine that any ministers should haue a house of any countenaunce But among all builders none are worthie more praise then these 〈◊〉 be They were no Iewes borne but descended from those heathen 〈◊〉 which deceiued Iouse by puttingon olde shoes and hauing 〈◊〉 bread in their bagges clowted sackes and broken bottles feining them selues to haue come a long iorney to be receiued amongst gods people By law the Iewes should haue destroied all heathen people at their entring in to the land of promisse but where by this pollicie Iosue had graunted them life libertie and so could not destroy them for his promise sake he gaue them to the Lord to serue the Priests in carying water cutting wood and such other drudgery works for the sacrifices So that Hebrew word signisieth
them that were freelie giuen vnto the Lord and all this people from that time forth as long as the common wealth stood serued the lord as faithfullie as any Iewes euē in their captiuitie neuer grudging that they were not called to no higher estate nor disdayned not at their drudging neuer 〈◊〉 awaie in anie troublesome time as they might casely haue don nor claymed any liberty nor wrought any displeasure to the 〈◊〉 where they might haue oft betrayed them and now most earnestlie fall to building and serue the Lord. A strange example that such a people continued faithfull in the house of God so many yeares and stood so stoutly in all stormes but when God calleth he blesseth and nothing is painful so they may serue the Lord as Dauid saith I had rather 〈◊〉 a doore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the house of God then to dwel in the Pallaces of sinners Saul would haue destroyed this people but god saued them and plagued him If we looke vnto our selues without 〈◊〉 we shall castly perceiue how vnlike we be vnto them how colde in seruing the Lord how soone wearie of our estate how desirous to climbe higher how chaungeable in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 to professe our Religion how flattering to men and how caried away with euery blast of newe doctrine God graunt vs to 〈◊〉 to be ashamed of it and to amend it Our owne daies haue giuen vs to many examples of such wauering worldlings And I feare our sinnes will shortly plucke the saine plagues on our heads againe so litle tokens of repentanee appeare amongst vs. We be the right Nethanims made free from sinne and seruants to the Lord. God graunt we be not found worsse being called Christians and liuing in tho time of grace vnder the bright light of Christ Iesus declared vnto vs in his gospel and by whom we be saued made free then these heathen people the 〈◊〉 were liuing in bondage vndershadowes of Moses law 〈◊〉 the fixt fanire of Salech wanteth not his praise here who being a yonger brother falleth to 〈◊〉 and no mention made of the elder There must be no curtesie making who shall begin God hath oft called the yonger to serue him before the elder as Iacob Dauid c. Thus the holy ghost hath Registred vnto vs the names and diligence of the builders of this earthlie Citie Ierusalem by the penne of his faithfull seruant Nehemiah for our comfort and to teach vs that much more he hath registred the names of the builders of the spirituall Ierusalem in the booke of life where no deuil can scrape them out but shalbe the deare Children of the Lord God defended by him from all ill Let vs therefore cast away this slothfull sluggishnes wherein we haue lyen so long rise vp quickly worke lustely spit on our hands and take good holde that we fall not backe againe from our Lord God It is more honor to be a workeman in this house then to liue the easiest life that the world can giue A PRAIER AS thou didst choose vnto thy selfe here in earth O mightie Lord a certeyne place and Citie Ierusalem whether thy people should resort to worship thee to offer their Sacrifices make their supplications vnto the as long as they did it faithfully thou didst blesse and prosper their doings when they offended and fel away from thee thou laidst thy heauie hand and sharpe scourge vppon them so graunt vnto vs O gracious God whome thou hast made free by thy deare sonne Christ Iesus and not bound vs to any one place but hast left vs free in libertie of conscience to assemble our selues call vppon thee in euery place corner of the earth to preach thy word learne our duetie and set forth thy maiestie to receiue thy sacraments offer our selues our soules bodies a sweet sacrifice to thee graunt vs we besech thee O mercifull father thy louing countenance to continue thy blessings amongst vs and deale not with vs in thine anger as we iustly haue deserued to be cast away from thee but as thou in thine anger greeuously punishedst thy people the Iewes burnedst their Citie destroiedst their Temple Spoiledst the countrie leddest a great number into Captiuity killedst moe and broughtst them all into bondage and slauery vnder heathen Princes So louing Lord we confesse our horrible sinnes haue deserued no lesse in iustice at thy hands but thy mercie O God triumpheth against iustice for as after a few yeares correction thou mouedst diuers heathen Princes to send home thy people with great gifts to repaire the broken walls build the Temple inhabit the Countrie and restore thy Religion and stirredst vp also thy people Preists Princes Nobles worshipfull Ruelers and Priuate men Artificers Women and of all sorts some earnestly to worke at the building of thy citie So heauenly King let vs not be cast away in thy heauie displeasure and be the first that cannot finde fauour in thy sight but turne the heartes of Christian Princes to giue sree course and libertie to thy word of saluation and raise vp faithfull workmen of all sortes and degrees to build thy spirituall Ierusalem thrust forth true labourers into thy haruest roote out all slothfull slugishnes from amongst vs that we be not vnprofitable members of the Church and commonwealth and let all magistrates know that by thee they rule that thou settest them in authoritie and mainteinest them that feare thee and make them not onely to offer vnto thee their bounden duety and seruice in building and working them-selues to the good example of others but also in encouraging and defending the faithfull labourers in thy vineyeard and compelling the froward diligently to set forward thy building graunt vs strong walls and bulwarkes to kepe out Turke Pope Tyrantes Atheists Anabaptists and libertines with al other hinderers of thy building that thy simple people may liue quietly serue thee without Inuasions or persecution as of thy great mercie thou hast left to vs in writing the names of al such as were the chiefest doers in this worke for our comfort example to follow so we beseech thee louing Lord to stirre vp those whose names thou haste written in the booke of life that manfully they may stand in the defence of thy trueth to the confusiō of thy foes thy immortall praise for thy Christs sake Amen CHAP. 4. 1. It came to passe when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall he was verie angrie in him-selfe and disdeined greatly and mocked the Iewes 2. And he spake afore his breethren and the Souldyers of Samaria and saied what doe these Impotent Iewes will they make them-selues strong Shall they offer Sacrifice Shall they finish it in a day Shall they reare vp the stones out of the dust where they were brent 3. And Tobias the Ammonite was beside him saied yea that which they doe build if a fox come vp he shall breake downe their wall of stone THe last Chapter declared vnto vs
striuing who shall be Peters successour in authoritie but I feare Iudas hath more followers which cowardlie and greedelie for a little money hinder betraie and vndermine both the faithfull builders and building If it be heynous treason to betray one man whom thou owest dutie reuerence and faithfull seruice vnto it must needes be much more heynous in a Citie a Campe a Church or anie societie where faithfulnes should be found to deceiue runne awaie deale dissemblinglie or to disswade discourage and withdraw anie or manie from their dutifull obedience labour diligence and faithfull dealing to the dishonour of God the ouerthrow of Religion and hurt of his people God for his mercie sake roote out all desperat Iudases from among all faithful companies that they may not discourage others and speciallie from among the flocke of Christ whom he hath so dearlie bought that the Lords building may goe forward lustelie What these Romish rubbish be I had rather leaue it to other mens considerations then by blotting of paper and filling mens eares with such filthines stand to rehearse them but among many I thinke none worsse then manie lewde dispensations which such idle lubbers seeke for whereby their dutie is vndone But manie a good builder will not build on the sand but dig to the sad earth and the good husband will plucke vp the weedes afore he sow good Corne so surelie in Gods Church ill doctrines Ceremonies Customes and Superstitions must be rooted out afore good Lawes Orders wholsome doctrine gouernment can take place 11. And our enemies saied The malice of Sathan by his members Is so great against the building of Gods Citie that by all meanes openly and priuilie inward enemies and outward faire words and foule Sword fire and fagget warre or peace Teaching or holding their tongue knowledge or Ignorance vndermyning or Conspiracies and all other deuices whatsoeuer they let none slip but trie all that they may ouerthrow all and not so much to doe them selues good as to hinder others to set vp them-selues in the sight of the world and to deface the glorie of God but in the end all is in vaine and our God shall haue the victorie They will not yet vse any open violence but cunningly come on them vnawares be on them afore they know it or looke for it secretly prepare all things necessary for their purpose and steale on them priuilie that they shalbe in the midst of them afore they wot where they be they will kill them shed their blood mercilesly murther them and make that building to cease ouerthrow the walls pull downe the Bulwarkes and so ouerwhelme them that they neuer dare attempt anie such building any more O monstrous malice against thy Lord to thine owne destruction in hindring his building and his immortall praise in defending of it What foolishnes is this to striue against the almightie a wretched worme on the earth to rebell against the lords holie will and determinate pleasure in heauen Nothing greeueth them so much as to see this worke goe forward if this worke were laied a sleepe their harts were wel eased but our God in patience letteth them vtter their malice that in his iustice he may ouerthrow them In this Serpentine craftie and deuilish dealing of these wicked men appeereth the old Serpentine deuilish nature and malice of Sathan that old cankered enemie of God and man from the beginning God saied to the Serpent that the seede of the woman should tread vppon his heade and the Serpent should tread vpon his heele Craftie and subtil men when they will worke a mischiefe goe priuilie about it to deceiue the good man as the Serpent if he will sting a man will not looke him in the face but steale on him priuilie when he seeth him not God endued man when he made him with such a maiestie in his face afore he fell to sinne that all creatures did reuerence and feare him and although sinne hath much defaced and blotted out that Noble Maiestie and grace that God endued him with yet it is not vtterly disgraced and taken awaie but some sparke and Relique remaineth at this day that no wilde nor venemous beast dare looke a man in the face boldlie and hurt him but will giue place for the time and seeke how he may priuilie wound or hurt him when he seeth him not It is good wisdome therfore for euery man that shall be in daunger of anie such hurtfull beastes allwayes to looke them in the face and beware when he turneth his eie from them that they sodenlie and subtillie leape not on him and hurt him These craftie and subtill foxes therefore like the seede of the Serpent would not openlie inuade nor gather anie great power of men against them but at vnawares steale on them priuilie afore they should suspect anie such thing This is the nature of wicked men so craftelie to vndermine the Godlie The next propertie of the Serpent that appeereth in these diuellish men is that they mercileslie would murther them when they hadde once thus sodainly inuaded them Sathan was a murtherer from the beginning as Saint Iohn saieth and therefore no maruell ifhis Children be bloodsuckers like vnto the father when he would not spare the innocent Lamb of God Iesus Christ but most cruellie crucified him why should we maruell to see himby his wicked Childrenso greedelie seeke to shed innocent blood still The last propertie of Sathan appeereth here most plainlie in these wicked men in that they would so gladlie ouerthrow this building of Ierusalem that it should neuer be thought on anie more Sathan is the Prince of this world and therefore cannot abide another King to reigne nor anie kingdome to be set vp but his owne and for mainteining of that he will striue by his members vnto death If a man would describe a Papist I know not where he should finde a more liuelie Example then these men be The Papist is close and subtill in going about to worke his feate on a sudden as these men were afore it be spied if God vtter it not Their bloodie hearts and hands haue filled all countries in all ages with shedding innocent blood but especially this age plainely declareth to them that will not be willfullie blinde howtrue it is Those bloodie mariages in Fraunce of late which were pretended to be made for peace loue and quietnes shallbe witnesses against them of these kinde of dealings though they reioyce in their mischiefe vnto the worldes end Saint Paul calleth the Deuill not onely a Prince but a God of the world because he disdaineth the glorie of God and would haue that honour giuen vnto him-selfe And that ye maie easilie see who is his truely begotten sonne looke who sit teth in the Temple of God boasting him selfe as God as Saint Paul saieth who sitteth so deepely in ignoraunt mens Consciences that they dare not offend him but thinke him to be holiest who taketh in hand to
can deuour the poorest simple sheepe of the Lords if he cannot meete with a better pray The people are worthie no lesse praise then the rulers for they are as readie to obey as the other to commaund and so ioyning to gither in the feare of God brotherlie loue and due obedience to their rulers this worke goeth forward and God blesseth their labour As for me and my breethren Now lest Nehemiah should seeme to busie and impious to commaund all other and to doe nothing himselfe which were a point of oppression or tyrannie as Pharaoh did to the Israelits in Egipt he saith both he his breethren seruants and watch-men tooke as much paines as the worst of them which is the propertie of a good Captaine to doe for they wrought and watched so diligentlie that they put not of their cloathes to sleepe or take rest but onelie when they were foule and must needes be washed O worthie example God graunt vs manie such rulers and Captaines both in Gods Church and common-wealth When the people and souldiers shall see the rulers Captaines take paines as well as they doe it maketh them both ashamed if they draw back and also encourageth them to be with the foremost Iulius Cesar to encourage his souldiers would not take paines himselfe but the rather to stirre them more willinglie to labour he calleth them not souldiers nor commaundeth like a Captaine but gentlie speaketh vnto them calleth them fellowe-Souldiers as though he were no better then one of them So in great workes the chiefe master when it commeth to a dead lift or some daunger like to folow he will lay to his hand him felfe he will climbe he wil lift as busilie as anie of his seruants and say to them now good fellowes spitt on your hands lift once againe and we haue wonne it now play the men and we shall be past the worst streight waie Such examples of the better sort with gentle perswasions in words will make the common sort to refuse no paines be the danger neuer so great Abimelech when he would smother the men that fled into the towre of Sichem and could not get them out he gat first him selfe boughes of greene Trees and bad euery one of his Souldiers doe as they saw him doe When euerie man had loden him self with greene boughes Abimelech goeth first and setteth his boughes on fire the rest of the Souldiers seeing him so bold and forward they set their boughes on fire too and so easilie they killed them that were within with smoke So much can the example of a Captaine or good master doe God graunt manie such foregoers in Gods Church and then the people will follow fast ynough What maketh the people draw back so much at this day but that gentlemen preists goe not afore Want of good example and due correction maketh manie to doe ill without feare of God and man Dauid when he would stirr vp the people earnestlie to serue the Lord and diligentlie to resort to the Tabernacle of prayer saith O come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs reioice in the strength of our saluation He biddeth them not goe pray and he will goe play but he will be foremost him selfe in praysing the Lord call on them to follow When they were thus to watch and ward night and day to forgoe their pleasures take infinit paines in building this earthlie Citie and walls of Ierusalem it teacheth vs how diligent we ought to be in building the spirituall Ierusalem Christ his deare Spouse and Church by prayer preaching watching fasting and all other Godlie exercises A PRAIER AS thou O Lord of thy infinit and vndeserued goodnesse stirredst vp thy faithfull seruant Nehemiah to pitie the lamentable state of Ierusalem and gauest him such fauour in the sight of King Artaxerxes procuredst licence and liberty great rewards liberalitie to all them that would repaire the broken walles of the Citie mouedst his heart to leaue the wanton pleasures of the Court aud madest him willing to toile at thy worke not onelie prosperedst their doings but defendedst them from their mortal enemies manie and sundrie times being cruellie assaulted both by inward hypocrites and outward force so we beseech thee most mercifull father for thine owne mercies sake looke pitifullie at thy ragged and torne church the contēned spouse of thy deerely beloued son Christ Iesus raise vp some faithful seruants in euerie countrie that may obteyne such fauour in the sight of Chistian Princes that with freedome of conscience and quietnesse of the countrie the Kingdome of thy sonne and our sauiour may be truelie preached obedientlie receiued faithfullie beleeued and diligentlie followed to the ouerthrow of Antechrist and all his members and the endlesse comfort of thy poore afflicted people Confound O gratious God Sanballat Tobias and all their partakers which laugh to scorne the simplicitie of the Gospell and builders of the Church make them to be scorned that the world may see what foolish wickednes it is to rebell against thy holie will and how litle all such shall preuaile in the end Turne awaie all open violence that shall be deuised against vs outwardlie Keepe vs from ciuill warre and sedition inwardlie Confound all wicked counsells and conspiracies of Ahitophell with his fellowes and ouerthrow the subtill practises of Iudas and such hypocrits Encourage the people that they feare not their braggs nor bigge lookes but manfullie may stand in defence of thy trueth and boldlie confesse thee in all dangers knowing thee to be the onelie Lord and giuer of all victorie that none shalbe ashamed nor left succourles that flie vnto thee in their great necessitie Giue vs grace to pray and put our trust in thee as this people haue done afore vs that we may finde the like grace fauour and deliuer aunce that they did Giue vs we most humblie beseech thee O gratious God such guids and Rulers in the common-wealth as will worke with the one hand and fight with the other keepe watch and ward night and day to driue awaie the outward enemie and will defend thy poore sheepe from the Rebellious practises of Sathan among our selues Thurst forth such faithfull preachers for the adauncement of thy glory only which without any worldly respect of profit or pleasure may purely teach thy holy will declared in thy blessed word roote out all errours in doctrine and deformities in life and may by the powre of thy holie spirit bring home all those that be runne astray confirme and strengthen those that doe stand and raise vp those that be fallen that in vnity of minde brotherlie loue and Christian faith we may be liuelie stones in the spirituall building of thy house may acknowledge thee our onelie God and thou of thy accustomed goodnes and free mercy maist take vs to thy children and defend vs as our Lord Teach vs as a Schoolemaster feed vs as a Shepherd make vs partakers of thy glorious
one country and professed one God What occasion these men had to come to the courte it appeereth not therefore not necessary to be searched but belike some greate sute for their coūtrie because they tooke so long a iourny in the winter and so vnseasonable a time of the yeare which men commonlie vse not to doe for smale causes And by this we maie learne a good lesson that no time is so troublesome no iournie so long but good men will not refuse it to serue God their countrie And where Nehemiah walking abroade about the 〈◊〉 beginneth to examin thē of the estate of the Iewes how they did and of the Citie of Ierusalem in what case it was it declareth the great loue that he had to his people countrie and religion O worthie example for all courtiers to follow sometimes to walke abroad to see what suters there be learne the state of the countrie from whence they came help to further their good causes The contrarie is to commonlie vsed they locke them-selues vp will not be spoken with their doores must be opened with siluer keyes many meanes and freendes must be made and a long time of attendance afore ye be heard except some seruant about them haue some gentle remembrance to help you to their speach And this is more cōmon in the meaner sorte then the higher yet I saie not that all walkers abroad and talking with suters be euer good men For Absalon walked afore the courte gate tooke them by the hand and imbraced them asked what sutes they had pitied their causes but for an ill purpose to bring the King his father in hatred with the people saying there was none about him that would heare and help them and to bring him-selfe in fauor with the people saying if he were King he would do them iustice heare their causes and they shold not waite so long but be quicklie dispatched God diliuer vs from such courtiers for by this meanes he robbed the harts of the people from their natural leige Prince and by flatterie wanne the people so to him-selfe that they rebelled against their King and set vp Absalon We need not at these daies to complaine of all courtiers that they be so hard to speake to and thatmanie times the master is not at leysure vntil the seruant be pleased with something though the master bid the contrary For there be too many that when suters do come they will learne too diligentlie what sute they haue out of what countrie they come then if they will faithfullie declare vnto them what office is there voide in the countrie or what good farmeholde is to be had there at the Princes hand or rather at anie Church they promise they will help to further his sute diligently but when they haue learned all that they can then they know him not when they meete him againe the next daie or els giue him faire wordes with strange lookes and manie delayes By these meanes and such like they are so cunning in all corners of the realm that they can perfectlie tell what the Prince or anie man in the countrie hath and if it be not presentlie voide they are content with a reuersion though it be manie yeares to come yea and often sue for the same thing that the poore man came for saying another would haue had it if he had not staied it and so vnder a cloake of freindship make him paic more then he needed We seeke what should be the cause of such needelesse dearthes as the realme is full of surely though manie be giuen yet I thinke none greater then this For when these leases be graunted the landlord hath but his olde rent and the tennante no more but his olde fermeholde but the leasemonger that is crept in betwixt the landlord and the tennant goeth awaie with the sweet from them both For first he racks the rent and sacks the tennante so that he is not so able to sell his things so reasonablie as els he might nor serue the Prince nor his landlord as he should nor the landlord paying so deere for all thinges is able to liue as his Elders did before This vndermining micher liueth better then they both taketh no paines at all for it that they both shoulde liue on and the one releeue the other Haman walked afore the courte gates to see who would reuerence him as he passed by and who would not poore Mardocheus because he would not was brought in great daunger of his life and al the Iewes with him but God that ouerthroweth such courtiers diliuer vs from the like and raise vs vp some godlic Nehemiah to fauour the common-wealth religion as he did The miscrable end of Absalon Haman and such as we haue seene in our dayes maketh wise men to take heede how they liue and behaue them selues in the courte for none is so high but by like offending of God they maie haue as great a fall As this toucheth not the honest sorte of courtiers so the good ones will not be offended and those that be guiltie God graunte them to amend it 3. And they said After that Nehemiah had of good will towards his people countrie so diligenlie inquired how they did and in what case they were Chanani and the other Iewes that came with him declard in what miserable case the people were in hatred despised of all people about them that Ierusalē their citie where God was cheifly worshiped lay waste burned vnbuilt Thus God bringeth goodmen togither one to comfort another things are not ruled by chance for both Nehemiah these Iewes lamented the miserable state of their people and countrie and by their talke God prouided a remedy Nehemiah was in good state to liue in great fauour whith the King and needed not to trouble him selfe with the cares of his countrie if God had not otherwise mooued his mind to pitie with talking with his countrie men This good then courtiers lawiers and great men may haue by talking with poore suters that if there be anie sparke of grace in them they wilbe mooued with the lamentable complainte of poore suters Surely thou that art in authoritie or hast learning oughtest to thinke that the poore suter commeth not to the by chaunce but the same God that gaue thee thy authorite and learning hath sent this poore man to thee to be releiued by thee Looke therfore vpon him heare him as Salomon teacheth saying the good man heaereth the cause of the poore Hide not thy selfe from him consider his complainte pitie and help him and not so much for monie as for charities sake for so did good Nehemiah What can be a greater greife to an honest hart then to haue all things that he doeth or saith be they neuer so good to be taken in ill parte to be hated ill spoken ofby all his neighbours to be slaundered and beelied
to haue displeasure where none is deserued In this case were the miserable Iewes then the beloued people of God though now iustlie cast of for their wicked hate to our Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Beside that their Citie was burned the gates stood open that enemies might rush in murther and spoile them when they list except they should keepe a continuall greate watch which was to trouble some and costlie for them 4. And it came to passe What good commeth by hearing poore men speake appeareth heere plainlie in them that feare God For that pitiful state which he vnderstood his brethren the Iewes and that famous Citie Ierusalem to be in by their reporte did so mooue his hart and greiue him that he satte downe and wept certaine daies was sad for them fasted and praied vnto the Lord of heauen for them Hearing and seeing bee tow sences which bring into the minde of man to consider all things that be painefull or pleasant to others for except we see them or heare them we cannot learne or vnderstand them much lesse pitie them or be glad of them S. Paul saith likewise in Gods cause Faith commeth by hearing For when thou hearest the preacher declare the glorious maiestie of God his sharpe punishing of sinne the wretched estate of man that of him selfe can doe nothing but sinne and the euerlasting paines appointed for all hardharted sinners it maketh him to quake to enter into him-selfe condemne him-selfe aske for mercie from thenceforth to become a new man so when he heareth Gods great mercie declared to man in Christ it maketh him to beleeue loue obeie and follow so louing a father This profit then commeth by hearing the poore mans complainte that it mooueth them to pitie to teares to fasting and praying the Lord to releeue the miserie of thy oppressed brother Turne not therefore thy face from the poore but heare them and pitie them as thou woldst be heard and pitied thy selfe So in religion if thou wilt learne to feare God aright to know thy selfe amend thy life and what blessing God hath prepared for thee run not from the Church as many doe some for one cause some sor another but none for good but humble thy selfe in the sight of thy God and his people heare his worde reuerentlie beleeue it stedfastly obey it diligentlie praie earnestlie and God shal heape his blessings on the plentifullie And that we may the better vnderstand how this miserable case of his breethren countrie did touch his hart inwardly he sheweth it by his behauiour outwardly for the affections of the minde declare them-selues openlie in the face and behauiour of man when they growe great in the hart As if we be sorie our countenance is heauie sad and clowdie if we be merry our face hath a good culloure sheweth it selfe pleasantlie when we be ashamed of ill doing we blush in feare we be pale in anger high culloured and swolne in the face c. So this sorow for his breethren did so pinch him at the hart that he could not stand but sat downe as a mans leggs in heauines are so weake that they cannot beare him his hart was so burdened that he could not forbeare but brast out into teares for certaine daies he could not be merry eate nor drinke but fasted and in the end found no other remedie but turned him-selfe vnto the Lord fell vnto praier assuring him-selfe that God would heare him and releeue them in his due time when he thought good By this we may learne how coldelie they praie that cannot bend nor kneele when they speake to the Lord or if they kneele it is but on the one knee that must haue a soft quishion vnder it and a softer vnder his elboe Weepe he may not for disfiguring his face fasting is thought hipocrisie and a shame and when his panche is full then as priests with their drunken nowles said mattins and belked out Eructauit cor meum verbum bonum with good deuotion as they thought so he blusters out a fewe blustring words without due consideration of them then he thinketh he hath praied well O wretched man that forgettest thy God and thy selfe Remember what thou art alumpe of carth a sinke of sinne wormes meate and that bellie which thou carest so much for is but a stinking dunghill Downe proud pecocke consider when thou praicst that thou speakest to the Lord of heauen earth at whose beck the deuiles doe tremble his thunderbolts flie abroad to punish thy sinne who in his anger drowned the whole world except eight personnes burned Sodom and Gomorah with fire brimstone from heauen to pull downe thy proud hart and teach thee to feare his maiestie Learne of the poore Publicane which was so ashamed of his wicked life that he durst not looke vp vnto heauen but condemning him selfe cried O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner whereas the proud Pharisie stood stoutlie craking of his holynes as thou doest Learne of the woman of Chanaan to be earnest in praier goe not awaye from the Lord vntil thou feele thy conscience comforted and mercie promised for no doubt the Lord will heare such a praier These out ward things as kneeling weeping fasting are good helps preparations vnto praier as Sara continued three daies in fasting and praier that the Lord wold deliuer her from that shame and so Tobie marketh a generall rule ofit saying praier is good ioinedwith fasting Ecclesiasticus saith The praier of him that humbleth him selfe pearceth the cloudes she will not be comforted vntill she come nigh nor goe her waie till the highest God haue respect vntoher God graunt vs here to learne to pitie our poore breethren thus to prepare our selues to praie for them that our praier maie be heard in their need although I noted afore the disordred life of some leud courtiers which make so much of their painted sheath esteeme them-selues more then all the world doth besides and when they thinke they deale so cunninglie that they be not seene manie one espieth them laughes full drilie in their sleeues at them yet now in this godlie gentelman appeereth a contrarie dealing he may be a worthie paterne for all courtiers to follow The court is not ill of it selfe but a man if he will maie setue the Lord vprightlie and also defend his Church and profit the common-wealth mightelie and good men maie liue in it honestlie It is a daungerous place I graunt to liue in and manie occasions of ill are offred dailie in it yet not so wicked but good men liuing in it maie take great occasions to doe much good in it Ioseph in Pharaos courte a godlesse king prouided for all the countrie in the time of their great dearth scarcitie releeued his father breethren then the onely knowne Church of God in their necessitie Moses in the same courte though not vnder the
goodnes am bold to creepe in at a corner and present my felfe before thy throne of mercie quaking trembling at thy feareful iudgements sharpe iustice against sinne I offer vnto thee this poore soule carkesse the worke of thy owne hands made glorious by thee but foulie defaced by me I Lord I God do most humbly with a heauie hart and troubled mind beseech thee I most earnestlie with bitter teares beg craue of thee to cast me not away out of thy sight but gratiouslie to heare my praier For although thou dwellest in thy highe and holie place in heauen yet thou lookest downe into the earth to heare the sighing of the poore and deliuer the oppressed and though thou be greate and feareful in all thy workes yet I know thou art great in mercie and rich in goodnes For although thou hast punished sharplie yet thou sauest more mercifully Adam was cast out of Paradice in iustice yet had mercy offered vnto him in great plenty The entising of a woman made him to offend thee the blessed seed of the same woman hath bruised the serpents poisonful head deliuered vs. Thou therefore that art a God oftrueth keepest promise and shewest mercie to them that loue thee keepe thy commaundements looke pitifully on vs which forsaking our selues hang vpon thee and though we see thy deserued rod yet we fly to thy promised mercie though we haue not kept our promise made vnto thee in our Baptisme that we should forsake the Deuil world and flesh serue honour and faithfully obey thee our onely Lord God with al our hart strength powre soule yet art thou a true God in keeping thy promise and not casting vs of When we run from thee thou callest vs againe and not destroying vs sodenly tariest for our amendement When we hate thee and become thy open enemies thou remembring thy promise made to Abraham Dauid and our fathers seekest by all meanes to bring vs home againe to thee though we be vnfaithful thou art true though we forget thee thou remembrest vs. Though we deserue to be cast away from thee without al hope of redemption yet when thou fatherlie correctest vs in the midst of thine anger thou rememberest thy mercie and receiuest vs againe to thee We graunt O Lord that we doe not loue thee nor keepe thy commaundements as we ought yet Lord thou that art loue and charitie it selfe and louest all things that thou hast made and in thy deare sonne Christ Iesus doest imbrace vs not looking at our deserts but at his worthines who hath fulfilled the lawe for vs and made vs partakers of thy rightcousnes Lord God heare vs and haue pitie on vs. O thou Lord God of all mercie which neuer didst cast anie awaie that fled vnto thee open they eares heare the praiers of me thy humble suter shal I be the first whom thou wilt not heare Is thy mercie all spent none left in store for vs Open thy eies O god of our saluation behold the miserable state of thy poore people Our citie lieth waste the walles vnbuilt our enemies rush in on euerie side and we are a laughing stocke vnto them thou heardst the crying of Agar being cast out of her house thou lookedst at the oppression of Egipt thou pitiedst the woful sighing of Anna when thy people were oppressed of any enemies round about them thou raisedst vp one Iudge or other to deliuer them Consider O Lord I beseech thee our woful state we are spoiled on euerie side marke and hearken to the praier which I thy poore seruante make vnto thee which seest al secrets this day continually crying night daie with a simple vnfeined hart not for mine owne selfe whom thou hast so well placed in the courte with plentie of all things but for my breethren the children of Israel thy seruants the ofspring of thy deerbeloued Iacob which be in great heauines While they be in miserie I cannot be merrie Their greife is my sorow and their welfare is my reioysing I graunt O Lord we haue gricuouslie offended thee yet haue we not cast thee of nor forsaken thee to be our Lord we be thy seruants though vnthristy vnthankful miserable thou art a God rich in mercie to all that turne vnto thee I confesse O gratious God that the children of Israell haue sinned against thee yea not onely they O Lord but I my fathers house haue haynouslie broken thy commaundements and yet we dispaire not to obtaine thy fauour againe as children that haue offended their louing father There is none of vs free we plead mercie and not iustice we stand not in defence of our doings but yeald your selues into thy merciful hands While thou giuest vs a hart to praie we continually beleeue thou wiit heare vs in the end O Lord correct thou vs after thine owne good will and pleasure but giue vs not vp to the lust of thy enemies which blaspheme thee saying their God hath forsaken them their God cannot nor will not help them they hate vs not so much for our owne sinnes as for that we be called thy seruants O Lord let not thy holie name be ill spoken of through our wickednes rise and defend thine owne cause cast not awaie thy seruants in thy heauie displeasure What vantage canst thou haue in giuing vs ouer to thy foes they shall laugh when we shall weepe they will slaunder thy goodnes for our forgetfulnes of thee Thou promisedst O Lord by the mouth of thy Prophet that in what howre so-ever the sinner did repent thou wodlst no more remember his wickednes nor laie it to his charge We weepe we confesse and acknowledge our manisold wickednes wherewith we our fathers haue offended thee we cal for mercy we praie night and daie not doubting but thou wilt keepe thy promise in deliuering hearing vs in thy duetime Though we haue broken our promise in disobeying thee yet if it please thee thus to try our faith exercise our patience by laying on vs thy heauie hand and sharp correction thy good will be done giue vs strength to beare that thy wisdome will laie vpon vs laie on vs what thou wilt Thou gauest vs thy lawe to be a bridle to rule our wicked desires keepe vs within the compasse of them but we like mad men or rather wilde and vntamed beasts that cannot be tyed in cheines nor holden in anie bands haue outragiouslie broken all thy commaundements No lawes could rule vs no saying compell nor correction could staie vs but wilfullie we followed our owne phantasies There is nothing o Lord that thou canst laie to our charge but we willinglie and franklie confesse our selues guiltie thereof for we haue neither kept thy commaundements which thou gauest vs by Moses thy seruant wherein priuatlie we might learne how to direct our liues both towardes the our God and also toward all men Nor the ceremonies
Mathew sayeth that diuers dead bodies after the resurrection of our Lord and Master Christ Iesus rose out of their graues came into the holie Citie and appeered to many This holines came not by holie-water casting or hallowing of popish Bishopps which halowed Church or Church yeard but by gods appointing choosing it for his dwelling place where he would be worshipped as the Psal. teacheth The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath chosen it for adwelling place for him-selfe this is my resting place for euer heere will I dwell because I haue chosen it So on gods behalfe and appointing it for a place where he would be worshipped it was holie though the wickednes of the people had defiled it and iustlie procured gods anger to destroy it Christ Iesus our Lord finding his temple ful of all vsurers buiers and sellers gata whip and draue them out saying my house is a house of praier but ye haue made it a denne of theeues So by Gods appointing it was a house of prayer and by mans misusing of it a denne of theeues And he seeing the wickednes of the people in it wept for it and said Ierusalem which killest the Prophetes and stonest to death them which are sent to thee how oft would I haue gathered thee as the henne doeth her chickens vnder her wings and thou wouldst not The Prophets of old time for the wickednes of the people in it haue likewise rebuked Ierusalem sundrie times How is this faithful Citie which was ful of iustice now become an harlot And againe heare thou harlot speaking to Ierusalem Thus one thing by Gods appointing it to a holie vse may be called holie and by mans misusing of it become most vnholie But the place it selfe maketh nothing holie as it is written God chose not the man for the place sake but the place for mans sake and therefore this Citie did not make the dead men holie that were buried in it nor anie thing the worsse if they were buried out of it Therefore the papists are both wicked in teaching the people that one place is more holie then another to be buried in as in the Church rather then in the Churchyeard neere the high altar rather then in the body of the Church and they are theeues also in picking poore mens purses for the same In these were many abuses as in any one thing But he that wil keepe these three rules shall not erre First That he doe not cast out the dead bodies vnburied to be deuoured of wilde beasts nor burie them in dunghils ditches or such like places where none else is buried Diogenes when his friends asked him How he wolud be buried bad them cast him out it skilleth not how Why saie they the beasts will deuour thee Nay then saieth hee lay my stafe by me and I shall driue them awaie A barbarous saying and meete for a heathen man Yet I thinke the laying of the metyarde in the graue with the dead man came vp on some such like cause or else to driue away deuils Socrates whē he was asked the like question answered more honestly and bad burie him so as were moste easyfor his friends The second is to auoid great cost sumptuousnes as Shrines Tombes Tapers Torches Candles mourning-coates feastings c. which do no good to the dead are to chargeable vnprofitable to their friends Yet if Ciuil pollicy adde some solemnitie to Princes noble men as their coate Armoure flagge sword heade-peece recognisaunce I dare not vtterly condemne it and yet would wish it more moderatly vsed then many times it is As there was difference in them while they liued from the common sorte state so there may be in their burialls for polliciessake but for no religion or holines at al. The third thing to be obserued is that no superstition should be cōmitted in them wherein the Papists infinitelie offend As in masses diriges trentalls singing ringing holi water halowed places yeares daies moneth mindes crosses pardon-letters to be buried with them mourners de profundis by euery lad that could saie it dealing of money solemnlie for the dead watching of the corps at home bell and banner with manie moe then I can reckon These three abuses taken awaie remaineth that comely order which Christian charitie requireth as to haue neighbours quietlie to accompanie the corps to the graue as it was in the poore widowes sonne of Naim Brotherlie to comfort those that lost their friends as the Iewes did Marie Martha for their brother Lazarus to confirme faith in the resurrection of the dead in the selfe same bodie that there is put in the earth to prepare them-selues to die daily not knowing when our course shal come To praise the Lord that graunted the man so long a life among vs with honestie and in the end gaue him a stedfast faith to seeke his saluation onelie in Christ Iesus who hath conquered death hel sinne by his owne death and by his rising from death hath iustified vs and will raise vs vp from the graue in the end to liue with him in heauen without end The comely vsing ofthese in Gods Church is a great comfort to all good Christians and the want of them a token of Gods wrath and plague Abraham was promised burial in his ripe age as a blessing from God Iosias was promised that he should be buried in peace and not see the plagues that should follow the Gabeonites are praised of God and rewarded also of Dauid for that they buried King Saul and his sonne though the father was an ill man contrariwise to King Ieroboam and Achab was threatned for a plague that he and his posteritie should not be buried but deuoured of beasts and to King Ioachim was fore-tolde it that he should be buried as an asse for his falling from God Tobias was cheifelie commended for burying the dead bodies of his countrie men that were cruellie slayne Thus burial is commended to want it was great reproofe Ieremy threatneth them that for their wicked life they should be pulled out of their graues The place of burial needeth no bishoppes blessing nor Popish halowing but euerie comelie place is holy enough so it be reserued for that vse onelie It is called in the Greeke Coimiterion that is a sleeping place and in the hebrew Beth-haiaim that is the house of the liuing thereby to teach vs that the body sleepeth the soules liue as Salomon saith the earth shal goe to the earth from whence it was and the soule shal returne to him that gaue it Abraham bought a feeld to burie his in and there was he and his posterity buried and that was a common custome continued long after by the iudges and kings of Iuda So Gedeon and generallie the rest were buried It is said of King Osias that he was buried in the feeld where the other Kings
his God as if he loued or cared more for him then for the rest of the world This is the common vse of the Scripture to call him the God of Abraham Isaac Iacoh Dauid and Daniel because he did both deliuer them out of such troubles as none else could or would or anie hath bene so oft and wonderfullie deliuered as they were and also did so blesse and prosper them and their doings as the common sorte of men were not wont to be So they that see their owne miserie and how litle goodnes but rather punishment they deserue at Gods hand when they see the Lord pitie them remember them help them and blesse them they conceaue by and by such a loue toward God that it would please him to looke vpon them that for ioy they burst out into teares they call him their God because they feele his good will and fauour so much toward them and more then to other yea much more then they could deserue or be bolde to looke for at his hands And as one man vseth to help another by putting forth his hand to raise him that is fallen to giue him such things as he wanteth and to put awaie and defend him from such things as may hurt him so it is called the good hand ofGod when he either bestoweth his blessing and good things vpon vs or when he putteth away such daungers and euils from vs as might hurt vs as it were with his mightie and mercifull hand 9. And I came to the Captaines Nehemiah hath now taken his leaue at the Court and looseth no time but when he had prouided all things necessarie for his iourney he speedeth him selfe for ward and thinketh all time lost that is not bestowed in releeuing his countrie being in such miserie A straunge example to see a courtier leaue that wealth ease and authoritie that he was in go dwel so farr from the court where commonly it falleth out that he which is out of sight is out of minde and sone forgotten in an olde torne and decaied citie a rude people and poore countrie where he should not liue quietly for his enemies but take paines to build him selfe a house and the Citie where he would dwell to toyle and drudge like a poore labouring man that should worke for his liuing yea and many times to be sore assaulted of his enemies both openlie and priuilie to the great daun ger of his life as the rest of the booke following will declare But this is the case of earnest zealous men in religion that they can say with Dauid I haue chosen rather to bee a dore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the pallaces of sinners and it is better to bee one day there then a thousand els where God for his mercie sake raise vp some such few courtiers as Nehemiah was which can be content to forsake their owne ease wealth and authoritie and giue them-selues painfullie to traueill for the wealth oftheir countrie And because that is to be wished rather then hoped for good Lord giue vs such as wil be no hinderers and wil be content to liue in compasse quietlie and not seeke to trouble others that would serue the Lord willinglie Amen The king did not onelie deale thus liberallie with Nehemiah at his departure but also honorably sent him away with captaines horsemen safelie to conduct him on his iourney that none should hurt him by the way And where the king vsed him so courteouslie no doubt the rest of the court shewed him much curtesy for courtyers must needes like and mislike whatsoeuer the King seemeth to like or mislike to set vp or pull downe Courtyers commonly when the King speaketh haue lost both sense and witte for if the King seemeth to fauour any thing they all as men without vnderstanding saie it must needes be so If the King will not giue eare to heare a matter they are all deafe and cannot abide to heare speake of it If the King will not see it they all crie out awaie with it So that it is hard to tell whither is in more miserable case the king or such dissemblers for if the King haue no iudgement of him selfe he shall haue no help of such and they like witlesse men dare not speake a trueth Happie is that Prince therefore that hath wise counsellours about him which will duetifullie enforme him of matters vprightlie wiselie debate the matter with him without all double dealing as the other sorts doe When King Assuerus would aduaunce Haman euery man had him in reuerence but when Mardocheus was sett vp then was there crying Crucifige on Hamon But thus mercisullie doeth our Lord God deale with his Church and people that in euerie age he hath some about the Prince that both can and will speake and be heard though not for all generallie in their rage and persecution yet for many as occasion serueth which shalbe deliuered from such tyranny to glorifie their God for his mercy though many willingly spend their liues patiently to the praise of the same God eternallie But no rage shalbe so greate to roote out Gods chosen but the Lord will euer preserue a number euen by help of their enemies openly to worship and serue him in despite of all their foes Plinius the Ruler of a Prouince vnder Traiane the Emperour and appointed to punish the Christians sundrie waies seeing the great nomber of them doubted what he should doe and wrote to the Emperour that he found no wickednesse in them but that they would not worshipp Images and that they would sing psalmes before day-light vnto Christ as a God and did forbid all sinnes to be vsed among them The Emperour hearing this became a great deale more gentle vnto them Salustius tormenting Theodorus a Christian sundrie waies and along time to make him for sake his faith but all in vaine went to Iulianus the Emperour and tould him what he had done from the day breake vntil 10. of the clock and counselled him that he should proue that way no more by crueltie for they gat glory in suffering patiently and he gat shame in punnishing so sharply because they would not yeald vnto him Many moe such examples the ecclesiastical histories are ful of where God deliuered his people by the forespeach of their enemies but these shall suffice at this present God had now raysed vp Nehemiah and had giuen him fauour grace in the Kings sight to aske and obteine comfort for the deliuerance of his Church and people the Iewes which had bene so long in great miserie and slauerie Nehemiah then passeth on his iourney toward I erusalem with great speede and honour passeth the riuer Euphrates and those theeuish and daungerous waies that he was afraid of safely commeth to the rulers of the countrie beyond Euphrates deliuereth them the Kings commission for tymber and a band of new souldiers for his safe conduct into Iewrie that these might
well good men lament it iustice crieth vengeance and God will reuenge it 11. And I came to Ierusalem and I was there three dayes 12. And I rose in the night I and a few men with me and tould no man what God had put in my heart to doe in Ierusalem and there was no beast with me but the beast which I satte vppon 13. And I went forth at the valley gate in the night and before the dragons-well to the dung hill-gate considered the walls of Ierusalem which were broken downe and the gates which were consumed with fire 14. And I passed ouer to the well-gate and to the Kings fish-poole and there was no roume for the beast vnder me to passe 15. And I went vp in the night by the brooke and I considered the well and comming back I came by the vally-gate and returned Nehemiah hath now done with the court and is come to Ierusalem which he so much desyred he was wearie of the noyse and solemnitie of the court and thought he should liue more quietly in his countrie but it falleth out cleane contrary for his trouble and daunger is double to that it was a fore and he commeth from the Court to the cart from a plesaunt life to a carefull After his long Iourney he resteth him-selfe and his companie three dayes knowing the weaknes of mans bodie to be such that it cannot continually endure labour but must be refreshed with ease and rest Thus must good men in authoritie not ouerlay their seruants with continuall labour but let them haue reasonable time of rest for God made the Sabboth day that both man and beast might rest and not be opressed with continuall toyling such a consideration he had of mans weaknes we do not reed of any great solemnitie that the Iewes vsed to wel-come him with all being their countriman and comming from the court so honorably with such a band of men to conduct him and being in so great fauour with the King it is like if that there had bene any such thing itwould haue beene declared as well as his estate was in the Court afore It was but a hard beginning to haue Sanballat and Tobias two of the greatest men in the countrie to lowre so at his commyng and no greater reioycing made of his countriemen for whose sake he tooke all those paynes but nothing can discourage him on forwarde he goeth with his purpose These three dayes though he rested with his body his minde was not yet quiet he was still deuising how he might best and speedely goe about his buylding how he might open to his countriemen the cause of his commyng how he might persuade them to ioyne with him in that worke and to declare vnto them the Kings commission and good will towarde him and what fauour he found in the court For they might well doubte if they should enterprise so great a worke without the Kinges licence they might runne into great displeasure seeing they had so manie enemies in the countrie about them that with all their might had sought the hinderaunce of that buylding so many yeares They them-selues had lien so long in dispaire followed their owne busines sought their owne gaines and cared not for building their owne Citie nor sought any waies how to doe it they had almost so farre forgotten their God oppressed the poore and fallen to so great wickednes as appeereth hereafter that they had no care ofReligion in the most parte of them 12. And I rose in the night After that Nehemiah had thus long debated with him selfe how this worke should be taken in hand he could not sleep but riseth in the night taketh a few of his men with him on foote and he him selfe on his Mule and rideth round about Ierusalem veweth the walles in what place they were worst destroyed and how they might most speedelie be repayred If he had taken his vew in the daie time euerie man would haue stood gazing on him wondering what he went about haue hundered it and not vnlike some would haue bene offended at him and his enemies round abut would as much as they durst or could haue stopped his enterprise The night therefore was thought to be the quietest time to do this in and he is content to breake his sleepe for the furtherance of this great good worke A good example for al men especially for those that be in authoritie in the common-wealth as Nehemiah was now and for those that haue the charge of Gods Church committed vnto them not to be idle euen in the night season to break a sleepe yea watch all night if neede be to set forward the building of Gods house and Citie The phisitian will watch with his patient all night if neede be The good Captaine will not sleepe all the night long though he haue sett his watch afore but he will some-times at the second watch some-times at the third arise and see whither his watch-men be fallen on sleepe and what they doe or whither any enemies drawe neere or no so should euerie Christian priuatlie for him selfe breake his sleepe lift vp his minde vnto the Lord call vpon him by faithfull praier call for mercie at his fatherlie goodnes commend him selfe al gods people to his gratious protection desiring that all stumbling blockes which be hinderers of his glory may be taken away but speciallie those that be negligent to watch a whole night in praier deuising what waies Gods glorious name gospel and Religion may best be increased his kingdome enlarged Christ glorified and Antechrist confounded Dauid saith he rose at midnight to giue praise vnto the lords blessed name Our mortall enemie Sathan neuer sleepeth night nor daie but continuallie goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he maie deuoure and if we had not as good a watch-man to watch for our safety when we sleepe we should be swallowed vp euery houre Behold sayeth Dauid he neyther slumbereth nor sleepeth that is the watch man of Israell All praise be to that mercisull God which taketh such care for his miserable people and watcheth when we sleepe that our enemie deuoure vs not sodenlie Our sauiour Christ to giue vs example of this diligent watching to pray in the night prayeth the whole night him selfe in the mount afore he chose his Apostles to preach Iosue marched forward all the night long to fight with the Amorites and ouercame them Gedion in the night season pulled downe the Alter of Baall that his father had made and the groue of wood that was neere vnto it being afraid to doe it in the day time for feare of his fathers house and people thereby and in the night also set on the Madianits and vanquished them So good men let no time passe wherin occasion is giuen them to further Gods glory night or day but earnestly follow it vntill they haue brought their purpose to effect And that this vewing of the walls might
be more secretly done he chooseth the night season rather then the day to doe it in a few men to wait on him rather then many no moe horsse then his owne all the rest on foote for making noise many men and horsses would sone haue bene espied one troubled another made a great noise haue bewrayed his counsell which he kept so secret to him selfe that he tould it not to any man what he went about and ifhe had gone alone he might haue fallen into some daunger oflife hauing none to help him The night is the quietest tyme to deuise things in for then all things be quiet euery man keepeth his house and draweth to rest no noyse is made abroade the eies are not troubled with looking at many things the senses are not drawne away with phantasies and the mynde is quiet Many men would haue committed the doings of such things to other men and would haue trusted them to haue vewed the walls and after to haue certified him of their doings in what case they were and how they might most speedelie be repayred but Nehemiah lest he should haue wrong information giuen him though he was a man of great authoritie did not disdaine to take the paines him-selfe breake his sleepe and rode about the walls him-selfe to teach vs that nothing should be thought painfull at any time nor disdainfull to anie man of what estate so-euer he were to set forthe the building of Gods Citie and dwelling place which euerie man ought to doe in his calling Dauid when the Arke of God was brought out of Abinadabs house played on instruments and after cast of his Kinglie apparell for reioysing daunced afore the Arke in his poore Ephod to glorifie his God withall Michol his wife looking forth at a window and seeing him daunce laught him to scorne asked him if he were not ashamed to daunce so nakedlie afore such a companie of women as though he had bene but some light scoffing fellow But Dauid was so zealous a man earnest to glorify God by al meanes that he forgat him-selfe to be a King abasedhim-selfe with the lowest and simplest said to Michol that he would yet more lowelie cast downe him selfe so that his God might be glorisied in his doings Michol for mocking of him was barren all her life had no children but Dauid for this humbling of him-selfe was blessed of the Lord. Moses for sooke to liue in pleasure in Pharaos court tobe called his daughters sonne chose to liue in trouble with his Breethren the Iewes to keepe lethros sheepe so that he might serue the Lord. Our sauiour the perfect Paterne of all humblenesse did not disdaine to washe the Myrie feete of his disciples and wype them and last of all as though that had not bene base enough he humbleth him-selfe to the sclanderous death of the Crosse and to hang on a Crosse betwene two theeues for vs being his enemies as though he had bene a third he loued vs so tenderly that he would goe to hell that we might goe to heauen he would die so vilde a death to purchase vs so glorious a life and suffer the paines due to our sinnes that we might enioy the pleasures of heauen God graunt al estates this humblenes of mind that for his cause that forsooke al worldly honour they may be content to abase them-selues to suffer al paines reprochfull things in the world for the furtherance of the building of Gods Citie such humble abasing of them-selues is the greatest honor that euer they shall get all worldly pompe without this vilde shameful In that he telleth no man what he went about that God had put it in hismind to doe it he declareth that it was not his owne deuice nor came from any man but God him-selfe was the mouer of it therefore was more earnestlie to be followed He that will learne to keepe counsell in deede let him learne of Nehemiah here to tell no man not to his dearest friend Manie will come to his friend and say I can tell you a secret matter but ye must keepe in counsell and tell no body what folishnes is this that thou wouldst haue another to keepe thy counsell secret to him selfe thou thy selfe canst not keepe it secret to thy selfe wouldst thou haue another man to doe that for thee which thou wilt not do for thy selfe Keepe thine owne counsel and then thou shalt not neede to feare lest other men bewray thee And if thou wouldst haue another mā to keepe thy counsel he wil thinke thou shouldst not haue told it thy selfe and then it had bene safe enough but in telling him he telleth another friend he sayeth to him as thou saidst to thy friendafore I can tel you a thing that was told me secretly but you must keepe counsel tell no body so with going from friend to friend it will be knowne to al men Therefore the surest onely way to haue counsell kept secret is to follow Nehemiah here and tel it to no man though he be thy deare freind for he hath other friends to tell it to as thou didst tell it him If any doe marueil why Nehemiah was thus earnest in this building and refused no paines nor ieoperdy but with courage went through them all he telleth a sufficient cause here him selfe and sayeth his God had put it in his heart to doe it He taketh not the glorie of it to himselfe but giueth all the praise to God alone as we must doe in all good things Whensoeuer God putteth any good thing into mans heart to doe he driueth him so forward that he cannot eat sleepe nor rest quietly vntill it be done he thinketh all time long and lost that is not bestowed on it therefore they that be so colde in their worke that they care not whither it goe forward or not are not moued by God The holy gost which worketh this great desire in vs is called fire Iohn Baptist said he baptized in water but he that came after him should baptize them with the holy ghost fire The holy ghost fel on the apostles in firie tongues and our sauiour Christ said he came to set fire on the earth and what would he els but that it should burne These be spoken to teach vs that those which are moued of God are earnest in their doings God loueth not those that be luke warme he wil spew them out of his mouth you must be either an earnest friend or an open enemie he loueth no dissemblers you must be eyther hotte or cold he that is not with him is against him double-dealers are the worst people that be they are good neither afore God nor man an open enemie is better then a flattering friend all which sayings doe teach vs to be earnest in gods worke or els he putteth it not into our hart Salomon commendeth plaine dealing so much
fruits other things that god made for mans necessitie are perished punished turned into an other nature for the sinne of m an yea not onely worldlie things but his holy Temple law word religion the arke of God the Cherubins the pot with Manna the mercy seate Aarons rod with all therest of his holy Iewels were giuen vnto the wicked Nabuchadnezzers hand for the disobedience of the people God will rather suffer his opē enemies to enioy his wonderful benefits then his flattering friends When Adam had sinned the earth which afore was decked with al good fruits brought forth weeds to punish thē withal For the wickednes of Sodom God not onely cruellie destroied the people in it but to this day that pleasant ground which afore was like paradise is now barren full of filthie mire slitche tarre c. and the aire of it so pestilent as diuers doe write that if any birdes slie ouer it it killeth them The whole countrie of Iewrie a plentifull land flowing with milke and honie of his owne nature by the disobedience of the people became a barren land as Dauid teacheth in his psalme The lord turneth a fruit full ground into a barren for the wickednes of the dwellers in it Ierusalem was not onely destroyed now thus pitiously by the Babilonians but after ward by Vespasian the Emperour and had not one stone left standing on another and the Iewes driuen out ofit who now liue scattered through the world abhorred of all good men and vnder Gods heauie rodde for crucifying the Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God and their continual despising of him Let euerie man therefore learne reuerently in the feare of God to liue for sinne will not onely be punished with euerlasting death in the world to come but euen in this life man him-selfe is plagued and all things that should serue or pleasure him shalbe turned to his destruction because he would not serue his God as he ought to do What can be a more righteous iudgement of God then so to order things that no creature of God shal serue a wretched man which will not serue not feare the Lord his God and creator Sinne is so vile in Gods sight that ne will punish those innocent vnsensible and vnreasonable creatures as the stones in the wall the house wherein thou dwellest the earth whereby thou liuest which neuer sinned for the sinne of thee wretched man O consider how God abhorreth sinne and disobedience of his word that he could neuer be pacified but by the death of his owne deare sonne Christ Iesus for thy sinnes O miserable man consider thy wretched state thy sinnes pulled thy Lord Christ from heauen to hell from ioy to paine thou causedst him to be whipped and hanged on a tree thrust to the heart with a speare by his blood to saue the thou causedst him to die that thou mighst liue If thou shouldest deale thus with another man thy fellow what wouldest thou thinke thou hadst deserued And when thou hast thus misused thy Lord and Christ the sonne of God crucifiing him againe and yet continuest in sinne contemning his commaundements treading the sonne of God vnder thy feete and esteeming the blood of his eternall Testament as a prophane thing how canst thou looke vp vnto him how canst thou hope for mercie Wicked men are so horrible in Gods sight that the Angels in heauen abhorre them the creatures on earth disobey them good men flie their companie and diuels in hel pull them vnto them and yet malice hath so blinded them that they cannot turne vnto the Lord. But whatsoeuer there is in vs O God forget not thou thy selfe shew thy selfe a God stil though we forget thee As thou louedst vs when we were thine enemies so loue vs still now whom thou hast made thy freinds and bought so dearely and turne vs good God that we may loue thee Remember O Lord wherof we be made from the earth we came on the earth we liue and delightin earthly things vnto the earth we shall returne thou canst not looke for heauenly things to come from so vile a matter this earthly nature cannot be chaunged but by thy heauenly spirit deale not with vs therefore O Lord in iustice as we deserue but in thy great mercie which is our sure saluation and let thy manifold mercie deuoure our manifold miserie that our manifold sinnes be not laid to our charge Gratious God forgiue vs as our miserie is endlesse so is thy mercie much more large then we can thinke As we see God deale in his anger with this Citie for the sinne of the people that dwelled in it so he will deale with all obstinate breakers of his law in all ages and places without respect of persons The walls of the citie may well be compared to the Magistrats which both defend the people from their enemies and also gouern the Citizens within as the walls keepe out other from inuading so they keepe in the inhabitants from straying abroade the gates of the Citie may well be compared vnto the ministers which open the dore of life to all penitent persons by the comfortable preaching of mercie promised in Christ shut heauen gates against al reprobate and impenitent sinners by terrible thundring of his vengeance threatned to such in his worde The walls are destroied and the gates burned when the rulers and ministers doe not their duetie but care for other things And as this wretched people had iustly for their disobedience neither walls left to keepe out the enemie nor gates to let in their friends but all were destroied so shall all godles people be left without godly Magistrats to gouerne them and liue in slauerie vnder tyrants that oppresse them and also without comfortable Ministers to teach them and be led by blinde guides that deceiue them and so the blinde lead the blinde both fall in to the ditch to their vtter and endles destruction They be not worthie to haue either Magistrate or preacher that will not obey lawes nor beleeue the worde This Osee the Prophet foretold them should fall on them saying The people of Israell should sit manie daies without a Prince without sacrifice and Image without the Ephod and Teraphin and yet in the end they should returne vnto their God But they feared not these threatnings then no more then we doe now yet as they fell on them then so will they fall on vs now After that Nehemiah had thus diligentlie vewed the walls and the breaches of them he was more able to render a reason and talke with the rulers how they might be repaired A good rule for all those that haue anie charge commited to them that they should first priuatlie consider the things they haue to doe them-selues and then shal they be more able to consider who giueth best counsel for the doing of it Rashely to enter on it a wise man will not nor open his minde to
Moses and Aaron Gods true ministers Moses committing the reuenge of it to the Lord warned the people to depart from their companie lest they perished with them by that straunge death and streight waies the earth opened swallowed vp them their goods and tents where they 〈◊〉 quicke into hell Nay weomen were not spared for Marie Moses sister was smitten with a leprosie for railing on Moses her brother Gods liefetenant ouer them As the magistrate therefore both with word and sword must defend Gods cause his Religion temple people ministers and doctrine so must the preacher and those that be learned with their paine praier preaching and all other meanes that they can yea if our goods or liues were required for the defence of it no state of man ought to refuse it For this end are we borne and liue to glorifie our God and set forth his praise for this purpose are all things giuen vs and therefore must not be spared but spent and bestowed when his glorie requireth For this cause Esaias the Prophet gaue his bodie to be sawen in sunder with a sawe of yron For this cause Ieremio was cast into a dungeon of Mire and filth Daniel into the Lions denne Saint Paul pleadeth his cause oft in chaines at Ierusalem at Rome afore Festus Felix and Agrippa and our Lord and master Christ Iesus afore Annas Caiphas Pilate and Herod Iohn Baptist lost this head for this quarrel no good man wil thinke any thing to deere to spend in Christ his masters cause For this cause Tertullian Ireneus Iustinus Athanasius Chrisostons Nazianzenus haue written great bookes against the heathens which railed on our Religion What infinite number of Martirs haue stoode stoutly and giuen their liues in the same quarell he that hath seene anie learning can better tell where to begin then where to make an end of reckoning the number is so infinit and our late daies haue giuen sufficient proofe there of vnder that bloody butcher Bonner that the most ignoraunt yf he will open his eares and eies might heare and see great plentie But alas the fierie fagots of those daies were not so greeuous then as the slandrous tongues be now in our daies Nebuchadnezzer made a law that if anie did blaspheme the God of Sidrach Misach and Abednego he should be slaine and his house made a dunghill Moses made a lawe that euerie blasphemer should be stoned to death Seeing God and Princes haue made such straight lawes against such lewd railers good Rulers should see some correction done and not with silence to suffer ill men to talke their pleasure on Gods citie Religion ministerie While others possibly made courtesie to speake and aunswere these busie braggers and quarrelers Nehemiah steppeth forth boldely defendeth this cause stoutly answereth their false accusation truelie incourageth the people manfullie to goe forward with their worke despiseth their brags telleth them plainly that they haue no parte nor right nor are worthie to be remembred in Ierusalem The effect of Nehemiahs answere was that the God of heauen had giuen them good successe hitherto in mouing the harts of king Cirus Darius first to the building of the temple now of Artaxerxes to restore the citie they were his seruants worshiped him end he stirred them vp to this worke for of them selues they were not able to do such things They serued no Idoles nor false gods they needed not to be ashamed of their master the God of heauen was their Lord and they his people he was their master and they his seruants he their King and they his subiects they would goe forward with their worke they must haue a Citie to dwell in to serue their God who would defend them in this their well doing these men had no authoritie to stoppe or forbid them to worke they had nothing a do in Ierusalem nor any authoritie they would not obey them but with all diligence applie this worke vntill it be finished The Apostles when they were forbidden preached and would not obey but said they must obey God that bad them Thus must all they that take Gods worke in hand confesse it to come from God and that he blesseth their doings that all the praise may be his and that they of them-selues be weake vnable to doe such things without his special grace and assistance All good men in such enterprises will saie with Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue all the glorie If these wicked men had had anie worldy shame or feare of God in them they would haue quaked trembled as the good men reioiced to haue God on their side to further them so they whē they heard the god of heauen named to be against them and that it was his doing they would haue forsaken their Idoles and haue furthered this building or at lest haue sitten still and not hindered it For who is able to withstand his will or hinder that he will haue forward The Deuils in hell quake and tremble at the naming and considering of Gods Maiestie but these wicked Imps not onelie now but sundrie times as appeereth hereafter in this booke most cruellie spitefullie and craftelie goe forward in their olde malice and by all meanes seeke the ouerthrow of this building So farre worse is a Deuil incarnate in an ill man then by him-selfe in his owne nature When the Deuill will worke anie great mischiefe he taketh commonlie one man or other Angel or creature to doe it by knowing that he shall doe it more easily that waie then if he should attempt it by himselfe Howe is euerie murther false witnesse whoredome robberic c committed but when the Deuill stirreth vp one man against another Let euerie good man therefore take heed vnto him-selfe how he yoaldeth vnto sinne For in that doing he maketh him-selfe a slaue to the Deuill and his instrument to worke by One Deuill will not offer that villany to another Diuell to make him his slaue but if he canne bring man vnto it there is his reioycing Take heede therefore O man In that they confesse them selues to be the seruants of the God of heauen it is as much to say as they wrought not for them-selues nor at their owne appointment nor for their owne profit they wrought for their masters cause and for his glorie Good seruants in al their doings will seeke their masters profit and praise not their owne they liue not for them-selues but al the profit of their doings returneth to their masters If they take any thing to them-selues more then their master giueth them they be theeues vnto him they doe him no true seruice Let all the builders of Gods house therefore whether they be rulers in the common wealth as Nehemiah was now or of the learned sort in the ministrie or els where not onely confesse in words that they be seruants to the God of heauen but most
humblie simplie and boldlie shew it in their deeds that they seeke their masters praise and glorie the common profit of their countrie and not their owne that they worke for him and not for themselues that they serue him not for any worldlie respect or gaine or honour but vprightlie for conscience sake serue and obey him yeald al praise to his glorious name taking nothing to them-selues and being not afraid to goe foreward in his building for any braggers knowing that all the pride of mans heart which setteth vp him-selfe against the God of heauen is vile and vaine and that their God wil defend his seruants and confound his foes It is no rebellion against Princes to doe that which God commaundeth for Princes them-selues are bound as wel as other meaner degrees to serue the Lord God of heauen with all their might and maine and vnto the same God they must make account of their doings as all other must For this building they had the Kings commission and therefore it was no treason to doe it It is more glorious to be called Gods seruants then to haue all the titles of honour and dignitie that the world can giue He that serueth the Lord trulie is master of sinne hell death and the deuil and by the assistance of gods holie spirit shall not be ouercome of them but shall ouercome and conquere them which is greater honour then any worldly Prince can giue The woman that had an euil spirit in her confessed Paul his fellowes to be the seruants of the mightie God and that they taught them the way of saluation See then how deuils are afraid of Gods seruants Paul in all his Epistles reioyceth in nothing more then terming him selfe an Apostle and seruant of Christ Iesus The holie ghost tolde Paul that in euery Citie where he should come there were Chaynes and troubles ready for him but he said he cared not for them for his life was not deare to him so that he might runne his race testifie the glorious Gospell of God be not ashamed therefore of thy master for our sauiour Christ saith that whosoeuer denieth him afore men he will denie him afore his father in heauen Worldlie masters will not cast awaie their faithful seruants but mainteine them as they maie and thinkest thou that God will forsake his seruants Thinkest thou a mortall wretched man to be more louing to thee then the eternal God and merciful father that made thee feedeth thee and defendeth thee when man cannot help thee yea loueth thee better then thou louest thy selfe aud staieth thee from running from him when thou wouldst willingly seeke thine owne destruction wilfully Stand to boldlie forsake him not cowardlie Policarpus an old man when he should suffer martirdom was aduised by some to haue pitie on his olde age and not so stifly to stand Nay saieth he I haue serued my master Christ these 86. yeares and he did me neuer harme I will not for sake him now in my last daies Thus Nehemiah stoutlie answering them and boldly incouraging his fellowes goeth forward with the worke contemneth their mocking and false accusations falleth to his building againe so must all good builders of Gods house neither be afraid nor wearie of scroneful mockers threatnings accusations or violence but manfully goe forward to the end knowing that their God is stronger wiser and more willing to defend his people then his enemes shalbe to hurt them He that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backward is not meet for the kingdome of God saieth Christ our Lord. And he that continueth vnto the end shalbe safe Our sauiour Christ when he preached that what soeuer went in at the mouth did not desile a man was tolde by his disciples that that doctrine offended the Pharisies but he aunswered them and said euerie plant that my father hath not plāted shalbe plucked vp c. As though he should say their doctrine is not from my father and therefore cannot stand let those blinde guides alone seeing they be wilful obstinate and will not learne goe ye forward with preaching of the Gospel care not for them So euerie good man must continue that he maie saie with S. Paul I haue kept my faith I haue run my raoe the crowne of right eousnes is laid vp in store for me c. After that Nehemiah had thus boldlie aunswered them and encouraged his countrie-men to their worke he now turneth him to Sanballat and his fellowes and sheweth him-selfe to make as little account of them as they made of him and saieth As for you ye haue no right parte nor remembrance in Ierusalem as though he should saie what haue you to doe with vs in this building ye are not Iewes borne as we be ye belong not to Israel nor are partakers of his blessing Ye be Samaritans strangers to his Citie and common-wealth ye be none of gods houshold if ye will be doing medle where ye haue to doe This Citie God him-selfe did choose for his people to dwell in and serue him Ye be Idolaters worship not the true God of heauen if ye wil be building build ye Samaria your owne head Citie ye are no Citizens here nor haue anie freedome libertie or priuiledge graunted vnto vs ye be none of our corporation nor denizens ye shall haue nothing to doe here All that builde here haue their portion of land liuing in this citie countrie appointed for them they shal haue iustice right and lawe ministred vnto them for a perpetual remembrance of their faithful seruice vnto the liuing God their names shalbe registred that al posteritie may know their doings praise the Lord that strengthned them to this building but ye haue none of al these For when the land was deuided by lot and measure by Iosue ye had no parte appointed for you vnder the lawe ye doe not liue but haue liued after your owne deuise nay ye beare such hatred vnto vs that ye will not willingly eate drinke nor keepe company with vs friendly let vs alone trouble vs not get you hence let vs fall to our building againe It is no small blessing of god whē he calleth any to be a builder of his house for both in this world his name shalbe had in perpetuall remembrance and he is written in the Booke of life where no death canpreuaile Dauid saith the righteous man shalbe had in perpetuall remembrance and Saint Ihon saith that he that is not found written in the booke of life shal be cast into the sierie lake The builders of this city now haue their names written in the next Chapter following for their perpetuall praise in this world to teach vs that as the builders of this worldlie Ierusalem haue their names registred here much more the builders of the heauenlie Icrusalem haue their names written in the Booke of life to their saluation Ill men and troublers of Gods
crucifying cōdemning the sonne of god their sauiour When-soeuer the scripture speaketh of any going to this Citie it saieth commonly they went vp to Ierusalem because it was built so on hils that on what side soeuer thou camest in thou sholdst goe vp an hill which though it seeme a small matter to be noted yet God which doeth nothing in vaine as he did by other outward things teach that grosse people heauenly things as here in this clyming vp to this earthly citie they left worldly things beneath them in the vallies so they that would pray vnto the Lord or seeke the heauenlie Ierusalem must climbe vp by faith into heauen to the mercie seat and throne of grace casting awaie all worldly cares and leauing that behind The common opinion is that Adam our first father dwelt and was buried here in this Citie And the Scripture teacheth that good father Abraham offred his sonne Isaac on the mount Moria where Salomon built the temple Which all were figures that Christ Iesus the new Adam should be buried in the same place where the old Adam was to restore to vs that life which old Adam had lost and should offer his pretious bodie on the tree for our redemption a sweeter sacrifice then Isaac or anie bloodie sacrifice that was offered in the temple of Salomon It is comfortable to consider and wonderfull to behold how the wisdome of God hath made the circumstances of our destruction by Adam saluation by Christ Iesus to agree Adam in Paradice a garden of pleasure offended God was cast out for his disobedience and we all his posteritie Christ Iesus was buried in a garden and hath by his death restored to vs life againe By the intising of a woman man fell from God and by a woman that blessed seede Christ Iesus was borne and reconciled vs to his father againe By a pleasant apple was man deceiued but by Christ hauing bitter gall giuen him to drinke man was saued In that garden had Adam all pleasant things freelie giuen him and in this garden without the Citie had Christ our Lord all cruel and spitefull torments that could be deuised that we should goe forth to suffer with him forsaking the daintie pleasures of this Citie In the temple no sinne could be forgiuen without shedding of the blood of some sacrifice and in this world is no pardon of our wickednes without the blood of Christ Iesus the innocent lambe of God And as by the fall of one man Adam we all were condemned so by the rising from death of one man Christ Iesus we are iustified By the corruption of our father Adam we all did perish and by the Innocencie of our brother the Lord Christ we al be sanctified Why should not the goodnes of the one profit vs as much as the illnes of the other did hurt vs or rather much more blesse vs being the immortall sonne of the liuing God and the other being but a mortall man made of the earth And as they that had anie sute to the King or sacrific e to be offred by the Priest first entred in at the vttermost gate where the common sort of Citizens dwelt then through the second where the Leuits learned men were and lastlie in at the innermost gate where the King and his palace the hie Priest and the temple were built so they that will goe to the great King and hie Priest of the heauenlie Ierusalem must first enter the vttermost gates where al sorts of Christians are borne into this world and then be brought to the second to be intructed by the ministers in the lawe of the Lord and receyued into the Church and there nourished by the Sacraments of God which being diligentlie done he may boldlie enter at the Innermost gate to the Kings Palace and temple to make his humble sute pray and offer his bodie a liuelie sacrifice to God the father by Christ Iesus his sonne King of Kings and Lord of the heauens who also is our high Priest and Archbishop that offred vp that sweete sacrifice of his owne blood for our silthie and stinking sinnes For as the king and the Priest dwelled both togither in the Innermost warde and on the high hils so our King and high Priest Christ Iesus hath taken vnto him-selfe the kingdome and priesthood and by his holie spirit made vs a king lie priest hood to God his father Kings that we might by him conquere the kingdome of Sathan and Priests to mortifie and kill the silthie lusts of our flesh and offer our soules a liuing and holie sacrifice to serue him For as no sacrifice could be offred any where but in this onelie Temple of Ierusalem so no prayer nor thankefull sacrifices can bee offered vnto him but in the name of Christ Iesus his sonne and our Lord. Lastlie as God of his iustice for the wickednes and superstition both of the Princes Priests and the people destroyed the kingdome law and priesthood of Moses neuer to be built orrestored againe though the Iewes sundrie times attempted it and with great sommes of money would haue gotten licence to haue yearelie come and lamented the destruction of it Yet both Emperour Elius Adrianus to withdraw them from it built a new Citie in another place called it after his owne name and graued a Swyne and his owne Image ouer the gates to bring them in hatred with it and commanded in paine of death they shold not come thither God also with Earthquakes ouerthrew their doings destroyed their tooles and swallowed vp the workemen So in his mercie he hath built a new spiritual Ierusalem giuen vs the comfortable tidings of the Gospell sent his Apostles to preach it through all the world set vp a new kingdome and ministerie not in a corner of the world as it was then but through all countries that all which beleeue may be saued and that not in feare and threatnings as the law was but in louing kindenes mercie grace peace and trueth in Christ Iesus Many of these things are well noted by Wolphius and other learned men and because there is diuers times occasion giuen in this Chapter to speake of these figures and spirituall comparisons I haue once for all set them downe that I neede not oft repeate them afterward and they that list may briefelie here see all set togither and applie them afterward as occasion serueth I will not in this Chapter as I haue done in others follow verse by verse nor sentence by sentence nor word by word to examine them particularlie because it standeth most of names wherein the vnlearned should not take so much profit as labour in reading of them though the learned may with pleasure picke out good lessons of them by Allegoricall interpretation of the places c but I will briefelie note such things here and there in some verses as shall giue occasion to help the simpler sorte to further the building of these walls for
man would studie for an exan ple of this I cannot tell where he might find a fitter These poore men of Thecoa worke willingly diligentlie but the Richer sorte were to stif-necked would not stoope nor obey the superiours of the worke for so the Hebrew word signifieth him that is appointed a ruler Master as wel as it doeth signifie the Lord God and diuers of the best learned doe so turne it into latin Euorie companie of workemen had their ouerseers appointed to direct keepe them in order that euery one should not doe what he list worke when and where he list nor loyter and be idle other companies did obey their Masters of the worke but these richmen were to proud This kinde of speach they put not their neck to the worke is taken of oxen which being made for the yoke to draw should teach al labourers in gods building as wel lay men as kircke men to be painfull as the Oxe not to stately to stoope vnder the yoke The scripture sundrie times commendeth this painful laboring by the example of the plough the Oxe As he that putteth his hand to the plowgh looketh c. thou shalt not mussle the mouth of the Oxe c for no kinde of people are exempt neither poore nor rich learned nor vnlearned man nor woman but they must bend bowe their neckes vnder the yoke be not ashamed nor to stately to worke at the building of Gods Citie The proud Pharisaicall Popish fryers Monks which haue so many priuileges from their father the Pope may not say Domine nos sumus exempti we may not worke the solemne Prelate the fine fingred dames nor the Surlie Lords of the land the daintle trim Courtier nor the loftic Lawier are exempt but euerie one must bowe his neck in his vocation painfully to worke at Gods building as in this Chap. ye shall haue examples of all these sorts that painfully wrought at this building But I feare me that if after the order of this dicipline which is so greedely sought many doe like of it because it is so gentle the Rich would not care for it but liue as they list If their consistorie of Seniors were sett in theyr seats with their Pastor in euerie Church with their full authoritie in all causes ecclesiast they should finde many proud Pecocks that would not bend their necks vnder the yoke of such simple sily woodcocks as euery parish presently is able to giue For as yet in few places shal able men be found that dare wil wrastle with the rich in correction A proud Thacker of Thecoa would laugh them to scorne and contemne their dispiling discipline For they that wil contemne correction the lawes and officers standing as they be it were also necessarie to haue the Princes powre dores of yron Bolts of brasse and locks of steele to bind thē fast Ad alligandos reges eorum in 〈◊〉 nobiles eoruminmanicis 〈◊〉 then with such kinde of dealing to be mocked They would stoutly saie Disrumpamus vincula eorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iugū ipsorum We reede of Ambrose that excommunicated the Emperour Theodosius and how humblie he obeyed it but whether was more to be praysed he that durst doe it or the other that would obey it I cannot tell and I know not where in a good cause the like hath bene done since though the proud Pope for his wicked authoritie hath attempted and atchieued the like sundrie times against Emperours In deed excommunication rightly executed is a fearful bond to all good consciences for it locketh vp heauen gates throweth into the pit of Hell yet worldlie men that feare not God nor loue his people are more afraid of prison yron chaines and fettershere then of gods eternal wrath there Such therfore must haue a sharper consistorie then our Seniours be God for his mercies sake graunt vs a worthie discipline for such stif-necked Thekoits For the simple ones wil be more easilie ruled with a gentle discipline Such as haue the wealth and authoritie of the countrie giuen them ofGod to benefit and defend the countrie withal are not worthy to liue in the countrie if they withdraw their helping hand from their countrie as these Thekoits did now The Porters of euery Citie great mens houses are commonlie tall big bold men to keepe out vnruly people and reason is that it should be so for els al men would be bold to trouble the gates So must the ministers and rulers of Gods house whome the holy ghost calleth his Porters be more stout men strong then euerie realme is able to setvp in any parish Surely the hauing of these seniors might doe much good in many matters but in my opinion after another sort then as yet is put downe which I refer to the determination of the wisest how many Papists at this day do contemne the Church al the discipline in it because it is sosoft and if the feare of the magistrates sword did not more bridle thē then any honest feare they would daiely increase in boldnes contempt of al orders Ifye did but Excōmunicate thē they would hartely thank you laugh you to scorne for they willinglie excommunicate them-selues and will come at no congregation and vnder pretence of your excommunication they had iust pretence of absenting them-selues and neuer would seeke reconciliation God graunt all such obstinate contemners of his Church his word their iust deserued discipline This ouermuch softnes that is vsed an opinion of some that be zealous in religion whereby they thinke they may not punish an ill man for his conscience religion doth much harme imboldneth thē in their il doings surely in my opinion they that haue autority wil not correct such wilful dealings be partakers and mainteyners of others ill doing and fill both the Church and common-wealth with disobedient persons 6. The olde gate builded Ioiada c. they recoueredit and set on the dores Lockes and Barres BEcause this setting on oflockes dores Bars is sundrie times rehearsed here it shall suffise once to declare it and not to fill vp bookes with much writing trouble others with often reading of it Dores serue to let men in out to shut them in or keepe them out Locks serue against treasons or conspiraces within and Barres serue against open enemies and violence without So must Gods Church be fensed and strengthned with sundrie doctrine and discipline to instruct the ignorant comfort the weake raise vp them that be fallen encourage the forgetfull bridle the vnrulie and confute al errors This promise God made to his Church that hell gates should not preuaile against it It hath bene oft sore assaulted and yet neuer conquered and neuer worsse delt with then by her owne children and feyned friends rather then by open enemies as this day wel prooueth no force it hath a watch-man that
continue as in the beginning But ynough was said of this matter afore in the 2. Chap. 19. verse This is then the remedie that Dauid vseth in all these griefes fall to prayer commend thy cause vnto the Lord fall not from him for any storme tarie the Lords leisure and plaie the man comforte thy heart looke for the Lords comming and sate vnto him with Dauid haue mercy on vs O Lord haue mercie on vs for we are vtterlie dispised Our soule is full of the sclaunders of these wealthie worldlings dispising of the proud No doubt the Lord wil comfort thee confound thē as our daies haue well declared 4. Harken thou O our God for we are dispised turne their shame vpon their owne head and make them dispised in the land of their captiuitie 5. Couer not their wickednes and let not their sinne be put out of thy sight for they haue prouoked the builders 6. Then we builded the wall and the whole was ioyned togither vnto the halfe hight and the people had a minde to worke AFter that he had described the mockings and threatnings that they had for their bold enterprise in building to discourage driue them from it if they could if it had bene possible he now declareth what remedie and comfort he found by praier at the Lords hand Nehemiah seeing their great daunger turneth him to the Lord the people praying with him and saieth Our God that hast chosen vs onelie though most vnworthie for thy people amongst the whole world and whom onelie we worship and at whom we seeke for help and deliuerance in all our trouble hearken we beseech thee O Lord bow downe thine eare and heare our praiers for thou art a righteous iudge and mightie reuenger of all thy faithful seruants we thy poore people are in a miserable case we looked for aide at our neighbours hands they are our vtter enemies we hoped for comfort of them and they vtterlie dispise mocke and contemne vs but thou art a God that neuer for sakest any that come vnto thee nor castest anie awaie that faithfullie trust in thee heare vs O gratious God and turne their owne shame that they would lay on vs for building thy citie on their owne heades that villany that they would doe to vs let it fall on them-selues If thou let this crueltie scape vnpunished thou shalt be thought negligent and careles of thy people these Samaritanes that be so cruell against vs be straungers in the countrie where they dwel as we were in Babilon they were brought out of their owne countrie and placed here by Ezer-haddon King of Assiria make them O Lord to be dispised in this land of their captiuitie as well as they dispised vs in our miserie O Lord let not their wickednes be hid but make it knowen to all the world and all ages to come how dispitefully they deale with vs for thy sake others will attempt the like if this scape vnpunished Forgiue not their sinnes but euer keepe them in thy remembrance thou shalt not be thought arighteous iudge if thou wincke at such wickednes they hinder not our owne buildings but they prouoke the builders of thy house and Citie They dispise vs because we serue thee They hate vs not for any of our wickednes but for the hatred that they beare to thy house Religion and Citie which they would haue lie wast ouerthrowen and troden downe We grant we haue deserued to be cast awaie from thee if thou deale with vs in iustice and yet after thy fatherlie correction we obedientlie returne and submit our selues vnto thee whereas they contemptuously still rebell against thee and hate vs because we loue thee If they did persecute vs for our owne deserts we wold beare it but to see thy maiestie defaced we cannot abide it they would haue thy Citie to lie vnbuilt that men might speake ill of thee that thou were a weake God not able to defend thy people that call on thy name so mightelie as their Idols do them that know not thee The shame that they would lay on vs shall turne vnto thee O Lord for it is done vnto vs for thy sake and hatred of thee and thy word Auenge thy owne quarell O God and looke not at our owne deserts for though we haue grieuously offended thee yet we repent and they obstinately stand in defence of their owne wickednes O Lord forget not this malicious dealing of them toward vs for thy sake abate their pride assuage their malice and confound their deuises that they intend against vs comfort and encourage thy poore woorkemen builders whom they prouoke to anger and graunt vs that we may by thy aide with good successe finish that which we haue through thy goodnes so well begonne Amen Out of his praier may arise two doubts one whether it be godlie good men may vse the like that he praieth for here that is that the same ill may fall on them that they would doe vnto the Iewes The other that their sinne should not be forgiuen them The Scripture teacheth both to praie for our enemies and to forgiue them and also that God would reuenge their cause him-selfe in his iustice Our sauiour Christ praieth for them that crucified him saiyng Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe S. Steuen likewise But Dauid manie times praieth the contrarie as Let his sorow be turned on his owne head and let his wickednes fall vpon his owne pate Againe let them be confounded and ashamed that seeke for my life and let them be driuen backe and ashamed that seeke to 〈◊〉 me euill These Psalmes and others are full of such like speeches And where some expound such places to be a prophecie and fore-telling ofsuch mischiefes as should fal on them rather then a wishing or praing that they should fall it is not ill that they saie but it maie be doubted whither it be most agreeing to the text but howsoeuer it be this must be most taken heede of that in all such praiers nothing be asked of mallice against the partie which is hard for our froward nature to do but only for the glorie of God which is to be sought in all our doings and praiers which maie be in shewing his iustice In the Lords praier we saie halowed be thy name we desire not God onelie that he would direct both euerie man in his doings to set forth his glorie that his name may be hallowed but also that he would staie confound and take away all hinderers of the same with all their deuices and subtill practises that all stumbling blockes being taken awaie his name may be sanctified in all nations So praied ` Dauid O my God make the counsell of Achitophel to seeme foolish so in the commaundements the affirmatiue is included in the negatiue and the negatiue in the affirmatiue as thou shalt not kill wherein we are not onelie forbidden all crueltie but are
of men be infected withall Manie lustie yonkers thinke not them-selues braue inough except they can looke bigge speake stoutlie and picke a quarrell against euerie simple man dealing hardlie with all sorts that they can come by they thinke all is well gotten How common this kinde of dealing hath bene I leaue it to the consideration of others And for that diuers haue fallen to a great sobrietie and liued orderlie since they learned Religion God is to be praised and God encrease the number They be not made Souldiers to doe wrong but to correct them that offer wrong they enter not that trade to liue without law but to bring them in obedience that offend the law They may not thinke the Princes coffers to be at their disposition but must content them-selues with wages and that portion that is alotted to them He that dealeth other waies getteth it vniustlie though he thinketh he dealeth so cunninglie that it cannot be espied yet the righteous Lord wil punish it in this world to his shame if he be not more merciful most greeuouslie in the world to come Thus praier and pollicy ioyned togither make a perfect worke and the one halteth if it want the other Dauid when he fought with Goliah though he refused King Sauls Armour yet he tooke his Sling and stones in his shepheards bagge and calling vppon the Lord ouerthrew that Giant mightelie So shall it be in Gods Church when the ministers and people pray earnestlie the Preachers speake boldlie beat downe sinne mightelie and watch night and day that Sathan by his members creepe not in subtilly disturbe the flocke of Christ. God graunt vs so to watch and praie that the Lords name maie be worthelie praised in vs for so S. Paul teacheth be diligent in prayer watching in it with thankes giuing And S. Luke saith watch pray at al times that ye may scape all the euils which are to come This kinde of fighting against all fierie assaults of Sathan is as necessarie in Gods Church as open warr is against the enemies of the cōmon wealth 10. And Iudas said This gappe was not so soone stopt but there bursteth forth another worsse then that Open enemies can doe litle harme if the other parties within be true amongst them-selues But if the souldiers within the Citie fall at a Mutinie among themselues disobey their captaine discourage their fellowes or worke anie treason drawing parties togither then the daunger within is greater then anie can be without The greatest parte of the tribe of Iuda now waxe faint-hearted drawe backe discourage their fellowes murmure against the Captaines and would gladlie leaue working A perilous practise in such a daungerous time and able to ouerthrow all One coward in an armie breaking the aray running awaie or discouraging the rest maie easelie discomfet the whole armie But here come now a great companie not of the meanest sort but of the Kings tribe of Iuda and they murmure they discourage they disswade and hinder the worke as much as they maie The Israchtes in Egipt when Pharaoh encreased their labour because Moses and Aaron would haue them deliuered they crie out on Moses Aaron for their weldoing When they were come out of Egipt and wanted their fleshpottes they crie out of Moses and Aaron which brought them out and would returne againe into Egipt The spies that were sent afore to bring word what a people and countrie they should come vnto were faint-hearted and discouraged the rest saying the men were great Giants their Cities stronger then they could conquere though the ground was fruitfull and pleasant of it selse Thus Sathan neuer ceaseth to deuise something to ouerthrow Gods building The reasons that Iudas alledgeth were great and able to perswade any man first the workmen were wearie say they their shoulders aked with bearing so manie heauie burthens their strength was gone they were not able to beare anie more Secondlie there was much morter to carie awaie both of the olde rubbish of thebroken walls and also new morter to be brought in for the new building The Hebrew word will serue for both which I had rather follow though some learned applie it onelie to the olde rubbish of the olde walls and some to the new morter to be caried for the new building This troubled Nehemiah more then anie bragges of his enemies abroade For of these he looked for help and of the others none These should haue comforted him and now they discomfort Now he must first pacifie and please the men then he must comfort them and also stirre them vp to their worke lest others should faint and fall awaie as well as they It is an easie matter to begin a good worke but a speciall gift to stand in all stormes and continue to the end The proud Papist at this daie at whose hands no goodnes is to be looked for neyther toward God nor good man doeth not hinder the building of Gods Church and preferring of his gospell so much as these faint-hearted Protestants white liuered Hipocrites double dissemblers and seruers of time When they set them downe and looke into the world what saie they we haue wrought our selues wearie these fiftie yeares and profited litle our showlders ake the more Popish rubbish we carie a waie the more we see remaine behind Our open enemies are so many and so cruell that they wil not let vs worke our friends are so weake that they are not able to help them-selues and vs manie of those that seeme to be friendes are saint hearted waxe colde and deale cunninglie against a new day and a chaunge doe come and 〈◊〉 we shall be left in the bryers So much olde Popish rubbish is left behinde in the Church that it will neuer be caried out so much new good order and discipline is to be brought in that it is hard to tell whether it be a harder matter to carie out the olde dreggs or to bring in new morter to build new walls How manie haue they burned how greedelie doe they gape to be broyling againe S. Peter in the Actes of the Apostles asketh why they would goe about to lay that yoke of Moses Ceremonies on the necke of the disciples which neyther they nor their fathers were able to beare And if that might be trulie said then of those ceremonies which came from God himselfe how much more may it be verified now on those which come from the Pope the father of all superstition The double dealing of wyly wordlings is such that it is to be feared this popish rubbish will neuer be cleane rubbed of For we euer keepe some Romish roume in store to turne our selues on so oft as the world shall turne And this olde Iudas may well be a figure of the latter Iudas that betraied our master Christ and al other such hipocrits which being faint hearted would betraie the building and builders that Gods Citie should not be finished There is great
that the Iewes went forward with this building they prepare them selues to fight with them and when they heard tell that they were readie to defend themselues they runne a waie Such rashe heades haue wicked men alwaies vnconstant and changing with euerie winde but Nehemiah is euer one man constant and bolde in well doing and goeth forward in building Gods Citie notwithstanding all their braggs Here appeereth how true it is that Dauid saieth the Lord bringeth to nought the counsell of the heathen and disapointeth the deuises of the people but the counsell of the Lord endureth for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages The Scribes Pharisies and the high priest gathered a councel against the Lord Christ thinking to haue ouerthrowne him and his doctrine that it should neuer haue bene heard off more but Dauid said truelie of them why did the heathen fret the people imagine a vaine thing the Kings of the earth stood vp togither and the Princes assembled against the Lord and against his anoynted but all in vaine for the Lord raysed vp his sonne Christ from death destroyed them Iudas with a band of Souldiers thought he should haue bene able cunninglie to haue wrought his pleasure against his master Christ Iesus But as sone as Christ asked them that came to take him whom they sought they all fell flat to the ground were not able to stand at the hearing of his word Achitophell thought by his wicked counsell to haue ouerthrowne his Lord and King Dauid but God ouerthrew his deuise he went and hanged him selfe and so did Iudas too when he saw the matter fall out otherwise then he looked for These and such other terrible examples may teach men to be wise and that they take nothing in hand against the Lord though it be neuer so wiselie deuised for it shall proue true that the Prophet saith there is no wisdome no foresight no counsel against the Lord. All shal be ouerthrowne and the more cunning it is the sooner it shall be cast downe none can stand against him he onely is wise and all other that haue it not from him be fooles Good men may also learne here not negligentlie to looke to them-selues nor to goe nakedlie without weapon to yeald them selues into their enemies hands for soe they may be guiltie of their owne death A weapon boods peace as the common saying is for God hath made the weapon to defend the bodie as he made the meat to feede the bodie and these braggers like theues will set on no man that they see weaponed and wil stand against them but on those that be naked or faint harted they will be cruel God requireth not such peakishnesse in a man that he suffer him-felfe to be wounded that by the law of nature aloweth euery man to defend him-selfe with weapons against such theeues if peace cannot otherwaies be had Now that their enemies were vanquished and fled away they brag not of their strength and courage they goe not to the Tauern to tosse potts and boast of their great victorie but in the feare of god returne to the walls euerie man falleth to his worke againe Thus we learne here both in the spirituall battell against Sathan his members to put on the spirituall armour that S. Paul armeth the christian souldier withall and they will flie away as these braggers did if we stand boldlie prepared to fight against them as Nehemiah his fellowes did It is true that the common verse teacheth Hostis non laedit nisi cum tentatus obedit Est leo si cedis sistas quasi musca recedit S. Iames agreeth to the same saying withstand the deuill and he will flie from you And S. Peter teacheth how to withstand him saying stand against him being strong in faith c. And also we learne not to be idle vnprofitable or vnthankful after the victory our deliuerance but to returne to our worke againe and sleepe not nor be negligent for our mortall enemie neuer sleepeth and if he preuaile not one waie he attempteth another he is not ashamed to take a foile but he wil assault vs againe some other way he is not wearie for he hopeth to speede at length and take thee napping All histories declare that the greatest Kingdomes which came to great powre and authoritie by taking paines by painfull battells by suffering hunger and cold euen the same when they fell to idlenes wallowing in wealth and riotous feasting daintines they lost their former glory faster then they wonne it Such be those time-seruers which the Gospel speaketh of that for a time make a shew in seruing thé Lord but in the tyme of triall they fall away their hollow hearts declare plainly that they neuer feared the Lord vprightlie Thus must the men of God neither be rash in attempting things vnaduisedlie nor negligent in prouiding things necessary for their defense or desperatly feare the brags and powre of the enemie but in the feare of god stand to their lawfull defense committing the successe to the almightie whose wisdome ruleth al things at his pleasure who defendeth his people no power can withstand him 16. And it fell forth from that daie forward that the halfe parte of the yong men did worke and the other parte of them held their Speares Shields Bowes and brestplates and the rulers were behind the whole house of Iuda 17. They that builded the wall and those that bare burdens and those that laied on the burdens with the one hand wrought their worke and with the other held their dartes 18. And euery one of the builders girded their Swords vppon their loynes and so they built but he that blew the Trumpet was by me 19. And I said to the Nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people this worke is great and large and we are scattered on the walls farre euery one from other 20. In what place soeuer ye shall heare the sound of the Trumpet thither come togither to vs our God will fight for vs. 21. And we will labour at the worke the halfe of them held their Speares from the day spring vntill the starres did rise 22. And at that time also I saied vnto the people let euerie one with his seruant lodge in the middest of Ierusalem that in the night we may haue watch and in the day labour 23. As for me my breethren my seruants and the watch-men that followed me we put not of our cloathes any of vs but onely to wash them in water ALthough Sanballat and his fellows were fled and retired back yet Nehemiah like a wise Captaine fearing some new practise and lest they might hide them-selues for a time and come againe on the sodaine and ouerthrow them deuideth all the yong men into 2. partes the one half followeth their worke and the other standeth readie in armour to defend thē if any sodaine
out so now rather then in the building of the tabernacle by Moses or the first temple by Salomon which both were finished with great quietnesse and when he hath mused on it long he saith that it fared with this outward Temple as it doeth with euerie particular man that is the spirituall Temple of the Lord. when God made man in his innocencie it had bene easie for him to haue stood ifhe had would but after that he fell it was much harder to restore him againe It is harder to repaire an old rotten house then to build a new And to make an old man strong then a young God made Adam with a word easilie and breathed life into him but after that Adam fell what trouble and miserie fel afore he could be restored Christ Iesus must come downe from heauen vnto the earth nay into Hell to pull vs out of hell he must be accused whipped scourged falslie condemned thrust to the heart with a speare die and be buried ascend vnto his father againe open heauen gates which afore our sinnes had locked vp and abide manie moe sorowes afore we could be restored into Gods fauour againe and folow him where he sitteth on the right hand of his father So it is an easie matter to enter into Gods Church by Baptisme but if thou fall after how hard it is to rise againe daylie experience teacheth We mustrepent fast pray giue almes forsake our selues condemne our selues with bitter teares and trembling worke our saluation stand in continual warr against the deuil the world and our owne affection which thingsto do are more common in our mouthes then in our liues and more doe talke of them then practise them God for his mercies sake forgiue vs and amend vs all It fareth so likewise in the outward Church of God in all ages In the beginning Peter conuertedat one sermon 3000. and at another 2000. Paul filled all the countries from Ierusalem to Illiricum with the Gospell The Apostles and their suc cessors conuerted the whole world vnto the Lord in few yeares but how manie ofthese countries where their successors preached haue fallen backe and how litle hope there is oftheir returning againe vnto the faith the Iewes Turkes and Infidels declare whome God hath giuen vp to their owne lusts and though they inhabited the same countries where true Christians dwelt afore yet they haue hardned their harts that they wil not vnderstand nor open their eies to follow the footsteps of them that went afore that they may see the light How hard a thing it is at this day to turne a Papist and speciallie to see one that knew the trueth once ifhe fall to Poperie or other errours to rise againe and beleeue the gospell we haue to manie examples to teach vs. I feare the saying of the Apostle may be verified on them it is vnpossible for them that were once lightned and knew the trueth if they fall away to be renued by repentance The Lord in his mercie stay vs that we fall not from him for it is horrible to fall into the hands of the liuing God in his Anger 22. And 〈◊〉 that time also Now when Nehemiah had thus perswaded the nobles the rulers the people manfully to stand in defence of their city diligently to follow their worke in building of the walls hadset both the souldiers the 〈◊〉 in order aray like a good captaine master of the workes looked diligentlie to ech of them all the day long that they slipt not away from their charge nor loytered at their worke kept the trampet with himselfe as a thing of great importance trust to giue warning if the enemie did approch lest there might some mischiefe fall out in the night he appointeth awatch for the night season also to preuent al practises that might be deuised against thē A good Captaine will so prouide both for day night in peace warre that the enemie who is euer to be feared euen when he pretendeth most quietnes and friendship and when he seemeth to flee retireth ost on a sodaine to see whether there be anie power remaining to hold him out he will forsee I say that the enemie haue no vantage against him but euerie place be well manned and fensed to withstand him He willeth the people therefore that euery man shall watch in the street afore his owne dorewith his seruants that no mischiefe fell out within the Citie where so manie hipocrites and hollow-hearted people and vnwilling folke of all sorts to further this worke did dwell The outward enemie might do much harme but inward treason might ouerthrow all in a short time For the vtter enemie the watch of the wal would be able to withstand him giue warning to the rest for aide and if any practise were within the Citie the watch in the streetes might suppresse it for a time vntill more aide came He had good cause to prouide for this for experience taught him as is written afore that the tribe of Iuda was wearie and discouragedthe people to worke Semeia and Noadia as though they were Prophets sent from God counselled him to take sanctuary and saue him selfe for they sought his life which was not for anie good will but to discourage him from his worke and diuers of the rulers were ioyned in friendship and marriage with Sanballat and Tobias receiued messengers from them and bewrayed his doings to them againe as appeereth hereafter and therefore not knowing whome he might well trust he could doe no lesse but keepe watch and ward day and night on the walles and in the streetes both against the outward and the inward enemie O worthie wise and stout Nehemiah where is one courtier that hath folowed thy footsteps since thou wast borne God for his mercie raise vp some that though not with that fulnes of spirit yet with such courage and measure of grace as shall please him to giue some one may in ielousie of spirit take in hand the repayring of the olde ruinous walls of Gods Church house and Citie that both the outward and inward enemie which haue wrongfully possessed inuaded and wasted the Lords inheritance may be vanquished and suppressed and Gods Children may in quietnes of minde worship and serue the Lord our God as he hath taught vs. After all this watching and warding he is not wearie but we will to our worke againe saith he as soone as the day peepes Who could or would haue taken these paines but he it would haue discouraged anie man but him But Nehemiah knew well that Sathan neuer ceaseth to trouble the Lords flocke and though slothfull Idlenes be meetest for him to worke by yet he forsaketh not the painfull labouring man and will assault him like wise Let euerie man therefore take heede how he standeth and see that he fall not for Sathan refuseth no sort of men to ouerthrow them no time nor place he disdaineth but is glad if he
Conquest of sinne death hell the world the slesh that afterward we may reign with thee in thy blessed Kingdome which thou hast so deerely purchased for vs by the death of thy Christ our sauiour thy sonne our Lord to whom with thee and thee holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer Amen CHAP. 5. 1. And there was a great crie of the people made and their wiues against their breethren the Iewes 2. And there were that said our sons our daughters we are many therfore we must take corne that we may eate liue 3. And there were some that saide our fieldes and our vineyeards and our houses we haue laid to pledge that we might haue Corne in this hunger 4. And there were some that said we haue borowed money for the Kings tribute vppon our landes and vineyeards 5. And now as the flesh of our breethren is so is our flesh and as their children be so are our children and marke we bring into bondage our sonnes and our daughters as seruants and there be some of our daughters in bondage alreadie and there is no powre in our hands our lands and our vineyeards are in other mens hands WHile that Nehemiah had traueiled him selfe wearie in keeping watch and ward and setting the people to building the wals againe and thought all was quiet both within the Citie and safe against the vtter enemie behould now bursteth out a new sore worsse then the former The people and their wiues come with open mouth and make an outcry against the rich and Rulers among them which vnmercifullie had spoyled and oppressed them in so much as they were not able to liue Such is the state of Gods people here in the earth that as our master Christ saieth He came to ouerthrow the workes of the deuil so the deuil ceaseth not by al meanes to ouerthrow or at the least so much as in him is to hinder by his partakers the building ofGods house the setting forth of his glorie And to declare the vehemency of the crie the holy ghost noteth it by such a word in the Ebrew as signifieth those vprores outcries which are made in Rebellious or Seditious Riots or els ofsuch as crie out for great grief anguish ofheart The parties that make their crie are the common people and women of which it is hard to tell whether of them is often more importune in outcrying many times without iustcause The people if they smart a litle haue not their owne wils fulfilled are ready to exclame women can weep and howle when they list and the basest sort are the worst The parties against whome they crie be the Iewes their countrie-men breethren in kindred and professing one religion If this oppression and cruel dealing had bene by straungers where no mercie is commonlie shewed nor looked for it would haue bene lesse marueiled at and lesse it would haue greeued them but to be entreated cruelly by their countriemen kinsmen those that serued the same God and professed the same Religion that they did and at whose hands they looked for aid and comfort this was thought so straunge that it would make anie astonied to heare tell of it With these circumstances the holy ghost setteth out the greatnesse of the cry to make it more horrible in mens sight so the more easilie to bring them to repentaunce and make them ashamed of their cruel dealings When the deuil preuayled not by Sanballat and his fellowes to ouerthrow the building he setteth now on the poore common sort and womē to crie out against their rulers thinking by this meanes to ouerthrow all rather then to procure anie remedie orreliefe for them Though God of his accustomed goodnesse turning oft our wicked doings to the setting forth of his Glorie by this meanes wrought their deliueraunce and libertie Such is the wisdome of our God that by our foolishnesse he declareth his mightie powre wisdome maiestie our ill dealing sheweth forth his iustice mercie that against our wil meaning 2. And there were that said The cause of their Crie is set forth in these 4. verses following Hunger need oppression pinching pouertie and pining penurie made them so to crie out And this is to common a fault in our daies in the preaching of the gospel Some of the pooter sort though they had not lands and goods yet God as he vseth commonlie had blessed them more then the richer sort with children so manie that they could not tell how to gett bread for them except they should sell them as slaues and where they were free borne they should now become bond and be vsed as beastes What a griefe that is to a good father that loueth his childe deerely in the feare of God to be driuen by the vnmercifull dealing of the rich to sell his owne children for bondmen I leaue it to the consideration of those that be natural and louing Parents for none can expresse the greatnes of that griefe but he that hath bene pinched with it and felt the smart of it When Iacob should send litle Beniamin into Egipt with his breethren for corne it was long or he could be brought to it and he almost had rather died for hunger then let him goe from him What a loue had Dauid toward his wicked sonne Absolon euen in the midst of his rebellion and what charge gaue he to his captaines that they should not kill him Such is the loue of natural Parents towards their children that they will loue them and cannot cast them of euen in their ill doings though manie times the children be most vnthankeful Libertie is a thing that euerie man naturallie desireth and by all meanes seeketh for therefore bondage must needes be such a thing as euery man doeth abhorre and slie from yet hunger is such a thing that it will breake stonie walls and rather then a man will beare it continuallie he will sell landes goods wife children yea him-selfe to be slaues for euer Nay hunger is so pinching a paine that a woman will eate her owne childe as in the siege of Ierusalem in Samaria and Saguntine yea a man his owne flesh rather then he will die for hunger Hunger of all thinges maie not be abidden what inconuenience soeuer fall out after Consider then what miserable case these poore men were in that had so manie children and could get no bread to put in their mouthes and wicked men the richer sort were they that had brought them to this pouertie and now would not releeue them in this their extremitie We read of a Bishoppe of Mentz in Germanie called Hatto who had great store of corne and would not releeue the pcore with it in time of great dearth but let the rats eate it in reuenge of which God raised so manie Rats about him that they droue him from house to house to saue his life and where he had a strong towre in the
and countrie-men that they shall be compelled willinglie though against their wills to sell their children for slaues or else die for hunger At straungers hands and speciallie if they be of another religion no man looketh for anie fauour and if anie doe come it is more then looked for and so much the more welcome when it commeth but at a friend and countrie-mans hand where all courtesie is to be looked for and to finde none but all extremitie is a griefe aboue all griefes and mans hart can neuer digest it It is against God against nature and common reason which teacheth all gentlenes to such nay it is worsse then beastlines for one beast will not deale so cruellie with another of his owne kinde and one theefe will not robbe another therefore to be spoiled and robbed by them of whom they should be defended releeued it is a griefe that passeth all sorowes But if these sorowes could haue an end or there were anie hope to haue release of them in time we could take it the better and haue some comfort but all hope is taken away for we haue no powre left we haue nothing to help our selues withall we haue wrastled as long as we might and made shift as long as it would be but now we are able to beare it no more we haue nothing left all is spent and gone and we cannot deuise where to get anie more our houses our lands and vineyeards other men haue cruellie gotten from vs and vnmercifullie doe keepe them haue no regard to help vs in this our great and extreame necessitie We can doe nothing but crie out on heauen and earth but they hardned their harts and stopt their eares that they will not heare nor pitie vs. Mercie is gone crueltie oppression and greedines carie them away that both forget God and themselues This was the miserable state of that time a man would haue thought that the miserie slauerie and bondage that they them-selues were in oflate vnder heathen princes in strange coun tries and so late being restored through Gods free and vndeserued goodnes to their owne countrie with libertie great gifts and liberalitie to build their temple and Citie should not haue bene so sone forgotten but as they then would haue bene glad of some releefe succor courtesie to be shewed vnto them at straungers hands so they should now shew the like vnto their breethren and countrimen But such is the wickednes of mans hart that the more mercies we receiue at Gods hand the more vnthankefull we be and such is the malice of Sathan against God his Church and people that when the Lord of his owne free will and vndeserued goodnes bestoweth his mercie vpon his seruants the Deuill by his membres and all deuises possible goeth about to ouerthrow and withdraw all sorts of men so much as in him is to a forgetfulnes of such merciful goodnes bestowed vpon them and maketh them vnmercifull to their breethren which haue receiued so great mercie at the Lords hand Religion is the chiefest help that God hath giuen vs to knowe him by to bridle our ill affections and desires withall to make vs loue one another and set forth his glorie aud yet if we looke into our selues in these daies we shall finde that there was neuer greater crueltie oppression of the poore Hypocrisie and dissembling in Gods cause and vnmercifulnes amongst men in this land then hath bene since the beginning of the reforming of Religion amongst vs yea and that is more wonderful of such as would pretend to be fauourers of Religion Hypocrites as they vse nothing well so they misuse Religion for a cloake to worke their owne wil and pleasure by to the defacing of all good Religion Things be fresh in memorie and cannot be forgotten of them that will not willinglie be blind but they that list to reede may see in that worthie Father master Latimers Sermons manie such things opened that then were preached would to God they were now reformed or not fallen to worsse and more shameful dealings without hope of amendment As for begging or buiyng good things at the Kings hand then selling the woods surueying the land to the vttermost acre or roods of land inhaunsing of rents to the highest from twentie pounds to an hundreth racking the Tenants by intollerable fines and Incomes Sine fine euerie 5. or 7. yeare commonlie laying load on them to carie and recarie whatsoeuer is to be done paying neuer a pennie for their labour ride and runne when he is commaunded c. Then turne it into the Princes hand againe get as much and vse it as ill or worsse This practise hath bene so common and declared by diuers that few can be ignorant of it and manie crie out on it at this day but remediles Yet this is not the worst if there be anie broken title of the land that maie make question in the Law or if there be anie daunger of waters or extraordinarie charges reparations c. then it is meete for the Prince by exchaunge When it is rackt to the highest and a good thing gotten in steede of it yet that the Prince shall not be thought to haue an ill bargaine he will desire to be fermer of it him selfe after the same rate to stop mens mouthes for a time As it is reason honorable and Godlie that the Prince should liberallie reward and encourage the good seruitor so is it reason againe that the Princes goodnesse nor the subiect be misused Master Latimer did freelie speake of these things not without blame as peraduenture this wil be to but would to god this had bene vsed only in the Princes state but he that will looke abroade and see shal finde the like to common in meane mens doings As for pulling downe of Townes turning tillage to pasture and turning out the tennants as Achab did to Naboth for his vineyeard that they maie haue elbow roume make them large demeans or set a shepheard and his dogg where so manie haue dwelt and that a poore man may not dwel so neere a man of worship these be so common among the meanest sort of Purchasers that men neede not to studie where to finde them Raising of Rents taking vnreasonable fines gressans is thought no faulte it is so common but some are waxen so cunning that it is straunge to thinke of A land-lord is hungrie and needes must haue fines euen of the poorest sort and because he wil be thought to deale mercifullie this waie is deuised The poore man hath no money and yet he must pay his goods and speciallie his sheepe though they be few shall be preised and according to the rate out of those goods the fine shalbe raised And that some pitie shalbe thought to be shewed the poore man shall haue his goods againe by the price to pay his fine withall and for occupying of those his owne goods he shall pay a yearlie rent or interest as it were