destructions are wont to finde fauour and thoughte to be innocente yet now they shal be as extremely punisshed as the rest And as ye haue dronke and made mery on my hyl Sion and Moria where the teÌ„ple was buylded and God worshipped ye laught to see it destroied burned cast doune so shall your enemies drink laugh and make merye on youre hylles where youre stronge holdes were buylded whan they shal throw them doun conquer your landes and leade you captiues and prisoners make you slaues robbe your goods and treasours laughe you too scorne and worke their pleasure on you and youres they shall swalowe you and youres vp soo cleane leauing nothing behinde them deuoure all your goods as though ye had neuer ben dwelling there and as though no suche thinges had ben This is the â—ust iudgement of God to doe agayne thesame thinges to his enemies that thei did too his people and rewarde like with like If he should shewe sharper punishmente men woulde call him cruell if lesse many woulde iudge that he coulde not woulde not or durst not Therfore he renders eueÌ„ thesame againe that both his enemies his people may cal him a righteous iudge For fewe will or iustely can blame hym that does but like for like So saies Dauid let the people reioice for thou iudges thy people righteously Adonibezeâ— a Heathen that chopped of the toes and fingers of .70 kinges whiche he conquered was so serued him selfe whan he was taken and than confessed he God to be righteous in doinge to him as he had done to other Absalon killed his brother with the swerde violentlye and perished with the swerde him self Ioab smote Abner vniustly and Dauid commaunded him to bee likewise handled He that came bringinge woorde to Dauid that he had killed Saul thinkiÌ„g thereby to haue piked a thaÌ„ke and goten a bribe of Dauid was commaunded by Dauid to be slaine for laying his hand on the anointed of the Lorde contrary to his expectation Thus by these few and suche other examples the rightuous iudgements of God and merciful dealing in his punishing appeare that although his enemies rage and furye in their doinges and in their madnes care not what crueltye they shewe yet God although he mooste iustly might accordinge to their desertes reuenge with more sharpnes he will not but rewarde with like Let all cruel papistes and persecutors of Gods people take hede therefore what violence they shewe for although God seme to suffer for a time yet he wil come at his apointed time to do liuer his and reward theym with the lyke measure that they haue shewed too other And of all causes and iniuries God canne suffer none wors vnauenged than that whiche is counted against IerusaleÌ„ hys temple his religion and where he is honored for that touches his owne person His honor he says him self he will gyue to no other he is a ielous God And the first chiefe commaundement is to worshippe him alone too haue no other Goddes but him for els he punishes to the thyrde and fourth generation of them that hate him Can any countrie or people be founde froÌ„ the beginninge whiche rebelled againste God and his people but God hays throwen them doune Can than our antichristes or any hater mocker of God or hys people at this daye by what name soeuer they bee called loke for any lesse than too receyue thesame measure that they haue gyuen other nay nay for surely the mo examples that thei haue had to teache theÌ„ and they will not learne the greater shal be their condemnation And let them not thinke that this day of vengeaunce is so ferre of seing that so many thinges crie on the Lorde to hasten his cominge Euery creature in heauen earth quicke and dead grones and trauails loking for our ful deliuerance The soules vnder the aultare crie howe longe o Lorde is it that thou reuenges not oure bloude and these be not fewe in number for from the bloude of the righteous Abel all innocent bloude shal come on you The spirite and the spouse crie come and he that hears cries come Merci to help his oppressed and iustice to reueÌ„ge crie come Lorde Iesus quickly Can God stoppe hys eares from all these cryinges No no let them assure them selues their daies be at hande they shall perishe euerlastingly yf they repent not and Gods people shall be deliuered to his glorie Come Lorde Iesus let all crie and he wil come The churche of Christ is the spouse of Christ and he is oure housbande he our head and we hys members and parte of his mistical bodye he oure father and wee hys chyldren he oure God and we hys creatures he oure kynge and we hys subiectes he our Lord and maister and we hys poore seruaunts Christ our brother and we felow heyres with him he loues vs better and takes more thought for vs than we doe for oure selues Greate is the loue of the mother towarde her chyldren yet greater is Gods loue towarde vs. Although the mother can forget the chylde sayes the Prophete I will not forget thee Yea as the henne will feight for her chekins so will oure God for vs againste all oure enemies How oft would I haue gathered thee vnder my winges as the henne her chekens sayes oure sauioure Christ. Oure bodies are the temple wherein he dwelles yea we are the liuely stones wherof his house is buylt we be of his household cyâ—â—â—ens burgeis and freemen in heauen his familiar frendes whome he loued so derely that his sonne should dye that we might liue And that we should not doubt of his good will but that he hays gyueÌ„ vs all his treasure he sayes He that spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all how can it be but hee hays gyuen all thinges with him c. Let no man therfore doubte of Gods good will towardes vs seinge God him selfe hayes declared so many wayes his excedinge greate loue towardes vs by so many similitudes and lette no papiste reioice nor triumphe againste Gods people as thoughe God cared not for theÌ„ had cast them awaye or woulde not delyuer them For he will come in dede not be slow Peter sayes the Lord is not slow in cominge as some thinke but patienly taries for vs c. Can any housbande see his wyfe take wrong or any man hate or neglected his owne fleshe can the father denie his chylde any thinge he askes or if he aske bread will he gyue him a stoone is any more ready to help his people than God will not a king defend his subiects the maister his seruaunte or lorde his tenaunt will not brotherly loue moue him that is loue it selfe as s. Ihon sayes too haue pitie on vs he hays boughte vs too dere to see vs caste awaye Will he doe lesse for vs then the Henne for her chekeÌ„s or the brute beast for her ionge ones No
goodes whiche shoulde haue necessarely ben bestowed to the buyldinge of gods house we shoulde not haue felt gods rodde so sharpeli but God would haue ben pleased and shewed his glorie amonge vs. But whan men would not geue laÌ„dâ— fast inough to Abbeys than the Pope rather than his chapleÌ„s should want would robbe many Parisshes to fede his moÌ„kes God graunt that the gospell maye restore that iustly whiche the Pope toke wrongfully awaye and gaue them yet a rightâ— name of impropriations because improperly thei be takeÌ„ away properly belong to the parishes The workemaÌ„ is worthy hys byre he that serues the gospel muste lyue of the gospel Therfore those impropriacions whiche take awaye the Preachers liuinge be againste the woorde of God But what doeth this belong to vs or oure time doth goo require of vs to build him Abbeis Nunries Chauntries c. no surely but this was an outwarde exercise for that grosse harde harted people for a time to be excused in that they should not buylde temples to Idols â–ª and teacheth vs to buylde god spirituall house wherin we maye offer spirituall sacrifices prayers to him where in he is well delited will shew his Maiestye This house is nowe for vs to be vnderstande generallye the hole churche and companye of Christians and the bodye and soule the hearte minde or conscience of all ChristiaÌ„s particularly wherein god dwels by his holy spirite as sainct Paule saieth to the Corinthians Do ye not knowe that your bodyes be the temples of the holy ghoste and whiche he hath sanctified to be kept holy for him self alone by Baptisme and for the whiche Christe hath died that we mighte liue by 〈◊〉 whome he hathe redemed with hys 〈◊〉 and wasshed cleane from all sinne 〈◊〉 shoulde liue no more to our owne lustes and desires but to him that hath redemed vs. It is written that God dwels not in Tempels made with handes nor is worshipped with any worke of maÌ„nes haÌ„des but he is a spirite an inuisible substance and wil be worshipped in spirite truthe not in outwarde woordes onely of the lippes but with the depe sighes grâ—ninges of the heart and the hole power of the mynde and earnest hearty callinge on hym in prayer by faithe And therfore he doeth not so muche require of vs to â—uyld him a house of stone and timber but hath willed vs to praye in all places and hath taken awaye that Iewish and Popish holinesse whiche is thoughte too be more in one place than an other All the earthe is the Lordes and he is present in all places â–ª hearinge the peticions of them which call on him in faithe Therfore those Bishops which thinke with their coniured water too make one place more holy than the reste are no better than Iewes deceyuinge the people teachinge that onely to be holy which thei haue censed crossed oyled and breathed vpon For as Christ saide to the womaâ— thinkinge one place to be holier to 〈◊〉 than an other Woman beleue 〈◊〉 time is come whaÌ„ ye shal worship 〈◊〉 â—t Ierusalem nor in this byl but the true worshippers shal worship God in spirite truthe so is it now saide the place makes not the man holy but the man makes the place holy and ye shal doe worship youre Idols stockes stones neither at Walsingham Ipswich CaÌ„terbury nor Shene for God chuses not the people for the place sake but the place for the people sake But if ye be in the middest of the fielde God is as ready to heare youre faithfull prayers as in any Abbey or Nunrye yea a thousand times more for the one place he hates as defiled with Idolatry and the other he loues as vndefiled and cleane If the good man lye in pryson tyed in chaynes or at the stake to be burned for Gods cause that place is holy for the holines of the man the presence of the holy Ghooste in him as Tertullian sayeth Yet there shoulde be common places appointed for the people too assemble and come together in to prayse oure God For where the Apostle rebuked them whiche woulde not resorte with the rest of the Christians to make their common praiers together to hear his woorde and receiue his sacraments it proues they had some common place to resort to And where saincte Paule requires that all thinges should be done in a comely order what can be more comely or agreing to good order then 〈◊〉 haue a time appointed and a place too resorte vnto together to worship oure onely God Nay how shal they come together â—â—cept place and time be appointed Howe shal they know when whither to resort vnappointed How canne the sheepehearde teache his sheepe if he haue not a folde to gather them together in In the Apostles time when the rulers were not christened they resorted into priuate houses and chauÌ„bers by the water side 〈◊〉 worship their God but when princes became christened they had churches appoâ—â—â—ted for them yet all these prayers preachinges that were priuely in parlers and by the waterside were as pleasaunte too God yea better peradueÌ„ture for coÌ„monly they came of a greater and better lâ—ue 〈◊〉 faith as ours be now Those also whiche than were buried in no halowed churche nor churcheyarde nor christeÌ„ moldes as they be called when it is no better then other earth but rather worse for the coÌ„mâ—â—â—â— that Bishops vse about it were no worse then they which were buried with al soleÌ„nitie It appeares in the gospel by the Legion liuing in graues the widdows some going to burial Christ buried withoute 〈◊〉 Citie c. that then thei buried not in halowed Churchyeardes by any Bishops but in a seuerall place appointed for thesame purpose without the Citie which custome remains to this day in many godli places As that theÌ„ was lawful no hurt to the ded so is it nowe one place is as holy as an other to be buried in sauinge that coÌ„ly order requires the bodies not to be cast awai because thei were the temples of the holy ghost shal be glorifed at the last dai again but semely to be buried an honest place to be kept seueral froÌ„ beastes vnreuereÌ„t vsing thesame for thesame vse It is Popish to beleue that which the bishops doe teach that place to be more holi then the rest which thei haue halowed as thei sai with washing it with their coÌ„iured water crossing ceÌ„sings processioÌ„s c. that God wil hear our praiers afore one Idol or Image rather then an other or in one Abbey as pleases theÌ„ to apoint him rather than an other Wher it pleases theÌ„ to grauÌ„t mani daies of pardon ther God must hear their praiers soner work mo miracles so God is become their seruauÌ„t shal be wher thei wil apoint him But blessed be the God our lord which by the
before it come that they may repent and escape as 〈◊〉 saieth the Lorde will do nothinge but â—â— sheweth it first by his seruaunts the Prophetes Before he drouned the worlde â—â— styrred vp Noe whome Peter calles 〈◊〉 eyghte preacher of righteousnes whâ—â— he was making his Arke a hundreth and twenty yeares and tolde them the 〈◊〉 of god towardes theÌ„ for their sinnes 〈◊〉 they might amende and auoide the daâ—â—â—ger comminge by repentaunce so 〈◊〉 laughed at him and fewe cared for hymâ— therfore were al drowned saue eyght pâ—â—sons Lot preached in Sodom and 〈◊〉 they would not amend fire from heauen destroyed them Before the destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonozer God 〈◊〉 manye prophetes manye yeares to warâ—â— them before hande whose writinges also we haue as Esay Ieremy Osee c. and before the laste destruction by the Româ—â—nes Christ himselfe came and also 〈◊〉 his Apostles too teache repentaunce but when all was in vayne then they vtterly perished Haue not we in Englande ben as diligently warned by our preachers almost all in vayne What shall we loke forthen but destructioÌ„ if we amend not Thus God of his endles mercy neuer coÌ„meth sodenly vpon vs to destroye vs but mercifully warnes vs that we be not takeÌ„ in oure sinnes and so perish and euer he stirres vp the sluggish eyther by his spirite worde minister or els his gentle correction to call for his mercy And where he saieth I will call a â—rought or the swoorde vpon the earth c. this kynde of speaking is ofteÌ„ vsed in the scripture and betokeneth nothinge but the power of God that he is able too doe it so easely as to speake a woorde or call for it and that as soone as he spake it so soone it shoulde be done as whan one of vs coÌ„meth at anothers callinge God doth all by his woorde and to saye a thinge is too do it with him and as soone as he saieth the woorde so soone it is done with him Sayinge doinge are two diuers things with vs and muche payne we take to doe a thinge after it be spoken but with God it is not so but as the Psalme saieth he spake and al thinges were made he commaunded and they were created Moyses speaketh more playnely in the making of the worlde and saieth God said let ther be light made let there be made the Sunne and starres beastes and fysshes and they were made straight wayes So when God brought Nabuchodonozor to destroy Ierâ—salem and the countrye he said he woulde call hysse or whistle him from the North and he should come God called he came So all other things drought huÌ„ger plage sworde do tarye and wayte for Gods câ—â—linge and as soone as he whystles they come straighte and nothing dare or canne withstande his callinge as Dauid saieth fyre hayle snowe yse tempestes which doe his commaundement Seing therfore his threatninge is not to destroye but too saue and bringe vs to repentaunce let vs turne by time that he be not weary of callinge and desyre hym not to order vs accordinge to his iustice but after his endelesse mercies for els shall that bee true of Salomon I called and ye refused therfore I will laugh at your destruction saith the Lorde And where God threatens to destroye wheat wyne oyle all fruits of the earth â–ª and labour of man yea man him self and beast for not building his house Let â—s consider the horrible filthines of this sin especially in not buildinge his house that it will not let anye creature of God serue man so longe as he thus displeases God This sinne doth not onely stoppe the fruites of the earth but it flieth vp to heauen and locks it vp and so hardeÌ„s the cloudes that no raine nor dewe can be wrong oute to moysten the ground withall Suche is the iust iudgement of God that wher God of his mercy made all thinges in heauen earthe Sunne Moone Starres Cattell Fishe foule corne herbes and trees too serue man so that man would serue him reuerence feare and worship him as hys onely Lord and God maker and sauiour so when he did disobeye him serued God of his owne deuising or brake his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes he shoulde haue those creaturs whiche God appointed to serue him at the first to disobey him to rebel against hym and as it were to auenge Gods quarel vpoÌ„ that man which disobeyed the liuing God their Lord maister and they would not willingly serue hym whiche woulde not willingly serue obey their God kinge When AdaÌ„ was in Paradise as loÌ„ge as he obeyed God so loÌ„g all creatures obeied him as apoiÌ„ted of God to be their lord ruler as the Psalme saieth thou haste made all thinges subiect vnder his feete shepe and oxen and all beastes of the fielde birds of the ayre and fishes of the sea but so soone as he brake Gods commaundemente and eate of the fruite whiche God forbad hym all thinges began to disobey him and as it were would auenge that disobedience done againste God their maker The earth woulde not bring forth her good fruit willingly but weedeÌ„s braÌ„bleâ— and bryers no kinde of beastes woulde obeye him but waxed wilde and rebelled againste him The tokens of this iust punishment remaines on vs to this daye shall to the worldes ende The earth will bringe forth no good fruit willingly but with muche labour toylinge tillinge duÌ„ginge barowinge sowinge c. as though it shoulde saye too man I will not serue thee nor yet willingli geue thee any fruit at all So neither horse dog oxe nor shepe nor any other liuinge thing is tame at the first to obey man but it must haue many stripes or it will be broughte to any good order to serue him And many beastes as Lions Beares Wolues be so wilde that they will not serue man at all but still remaine his continuall enemies alwayes ready to deuour him As often as we see any of these ferce beastes whiche are foâ— cruell we shoulde remeÌ„ber the firste cause why they were so turned and bee so ferce againste vs and we shoulde then lamente oure sinne whiche was the onely cause of this so greate a plage and chaunge God hath left them amongst vs to be our scholemaisters that when we se and consider them to be so ready too take vengeaunce vpon vs for oure disobedience to God wee shoulde muche more feare God him selfe whiche is a more righteous iudge bothe is able and wil punish vs more greuously then they do or can if we repente not and aske mercy by time These cruell beastes are set before vs for examples of greater thinges that as we feare to fall intoo the daunger of these raueninge beastes â–ª so we shoulde muche more feare too fall into the handes of the almightie and liuinge God whose anger is a thousande tymes more greuous than the cruelnes of
anye beaste And it is not the onely with one creature or twoo that they disdayn to serue vs willingly but euery one as sainct Paul saith The creature is subiecte too vanitie not willingly but for his cause whiche hathe made it subiect vnder hope Here we see that no creatur would serue vs willingly but for Gods cause whoe hath soo pointed them to doe So that of them selues we can get no profite nor seruice of those that haue no life without muche laboure and taminge them by strengthe and violence which haue lyfe yet for the hope they both haue to be deliuered from this seruice for the tyme they doe obey vs accordinge too Gods ordinaunce Also in the destruction of these his creatures that they should not serue such euil men God declares him selfe not onely 〈◊〉 be the mighty Lorde in making and creatinge them but also a merciful god in blessinge them with fruitful encrease whan his people serued hym rightly and also a righteous iudge in taking them away for our sinnes when they be not so plentifull as they haue ben to vs. For as plenty of them is a token of his mercy and fauour that it is he onely which regardes loues feedes noorishes and increases the leaste creatures which he hath made So the taking them away or the baren vnfruitfulnes of them is a signe of his anger displeasur It is not as ye commonly say S. Antonie saue my Hogge saincte Loy my Horse sainct Blase my house saincte Appollony help in the tooth ache sainct Roche for the plage c. But he that made all saues all guides all rules all feedes all blesses all encreases all takes theÌ„ froÌ„ vs at his will and pleasure as Iob saieth the Lord gaue it the Lord toke it awai c. These were lessons that the Heathen people and we also might should haue learned by the making and ruling of the world that God did rule all thinges and because they did not they were iusty punished Shall then we Christian men thinke God to be weary of ruling his creatures put them to some Romish saincts handes that are more able and willing to rule theÌ„ better then he can and wil If this were true sainctes should be more merciful able willing to help then God him self which can do nothinge but loue hates nothing that he made but so to thinke were most horrible blasphemy against his maiesty for he should be an euil lord master if he so lightly regarded his seruaunts his creatures that he woulde put theym too other mens rulinge God hathe not left him self withoute witnesses saieth saincte Luke geuinge rayne and fruitefull times As these woorkes were sufficient witnesses to the Heathen of Gods goodnes and that he ruled all and that their iuste condempnation folowed if they didde not beleue So is vnseasonable weather with takinge awaye his fruites iust tokens of hys anger for oure sinnes Therefore where we haue thesame workes sufficient witnesses vnto vs bothe of his anger and good wil and also his wonderfull workes writen in the scriptâ—â—â—â— to teache vs what can we saye for oure selues if we do not worship him oure onely God sekinge helpe at his onely hande in whome onely it is to be founde and receyued God doth not onely make all things but ruleth theym also accordinge too his good will and pleasure he is not weary of well doinge but guydes euen the least of his creatures He makes grasse to growe on the hils and herbes to serue men he geueth meate to the cattell and to the younge rauens yea he fedes the byrdes of the ayre which worke not nor spynne sowe nor mowe reape nor cary into the barnes And briefly to speake all thinges doeth looke saieth Dauid that thou shouldest geue theÌ„ meat in due season if thou open thy hande and fede them they are full of goodnes but if thou withdrawe thy hande they fall vade awaye perish and turne into earth wheâ— of they were made Thus must al wheat wyne oyle fruites of the earth beastes perishe for the sinne of man and not buildinge Gods house but thei prosper and increase to theym whiche loue hym mayntayne his true religion and feare him The two last wordes where he saith Man and al handy labour shal be destroied also they be more notable in the Hebrue then can be well expressed in one woorde in English For where the Hebrue hathe diuers woordes to signifie a man as Isch and those be noblemen Aenosch and they be so called of their sorowes and infirmities they be subiect to Here is written Adam whiche betokens the common sort of people The woorde that here signifieth labour betokens not euery kinde of labour as that whiche is easye or for pleasur but it signifies that labour whiche the poore man doeth vntill he be weary eueÌ„ the vylest and sorest drudginge labour By the whiche bothe wee are taughte that God woulde not spare the simplest and basest man liuinge but as they hadde sinned in not buildinge his house so should they perishe least they shoulde thinke or saye we did not this faulte but oure rulers or we were not able to take it in hande or if thei had begon wee woulde haue folowed or suche like fonde excuses God requires his house to be buylded his woorde religioÌ„ to be kepte and maintained as well of the lowest as the hyghest and they whiche do not shall not escape vnpunished Therefore wicked is that saying vnder persecution let the Preacher stande too it what doeth it belong to me If the maister 〈◊〉 teache oughte not the scholer too learne â–ª Maye the scholer denye or dissemble wyth God and the maister must not What priuilege hays the scholer more too doe euill than the maister That is sinne to the one the other He that denies me afore meÌ„ says Christ I wil denie him afore my father Man hathe this generall name geuen him too bee called Adam of an other Hebrue woorde that signifieth the earthe Adama whiche woorde was placed afore when he said he woulde destroye all that the earthe bringeth foorthe in latine Man is also called Homo ex humo which allusion likenes in woordes we can not well speake in Englishe but it is as muche to saye Man is called earthe because he is made of earth as Ieremy saith Earth earthe earth heare the woorde of the Lorde And Abraham talkinge with the Aungel of God demaunding diuers questions said let not my Lord be greuâ—â— if I yet once again aske my lord seinge I am earth asshes This shoulde put vs in remembraunce that is as ofte as we hear this name AdaÌ„ that we are earth ashes â–ª and are come of the sinfull seede of Adam our first father who was made of the earth and for breaking Gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„t returned into earth againe from whence he came as we shal al at
freelye for the whiche he was sent Embassadoure .ii. Corinthians v. he sayeth his Embassage stoode chiefelye in this pointe to reconsile vs to God Is not the Stuardes office an highe office of greatest credite in greate mens houses and at their commaundement and appointinge all thinges be done They prouide geue all in their maisters house meate in due season c. Sainct Paul therfore saieth let a man think thus of vs that we be the seruauntes of God and Stuardes of his secrete misteries whiche be meate for 〈◊〉 soules Sainct Mathew in a parable calles the preachers Stuardes appointed 〈◊〉 Gods house to geue their felow seruants meate in due season Saint Marke called them porters in Gods house hauinge in â—â—â—maundement too watche that no theeues nor vnrulye persones come in too trouble the house They be called the light of the worlde to leade other the righte waye they be the salt of the earthe to season vs that by corruption we doe not smel euil before God They be Gods souldiours to fight for hys people as s. Paul sais No man goes to warre on his owne wages They be watchemen to geue warning when ennemies come They be Dogges to barke awake vs out of oure deadly sleepe when we forget God They be the mouthe of God that where we were not able too stande in the sighte of God if he shoulde speake vntoo vs in his glorious maiestie he doeth vouchesafe to speake vnto vs by the mouthe of hys minister beynge a man as we bee and whome we shoulde beleue to be sente from God as longe as he teaches Christ hys worde These names of trust and credite are geuen to preachers for the commeÌ„dation and settinge foorth of their office whiche they beare in Gods house and that they shoulde not thinke it a vyle but a moste worshipfull roume And to make theym more regarded the Lorde countes those iniuries done to him selfe which be done to his preachers sayinge he that despises you despises me in what rowme soeuer ye come if they will not receyue you shake the dust of youre feete it shall heare witnes againste them in the daye of iudgement And because he ioynes too the nexte saying In the messages of the Lord it doth vs to weete the faithfulnes of this Prophete in his dutie that he spekes nothing â–ª but the words of the Lord truly which seÌ„t him which rule al true preachers should folow But of this is inough spokeÌ„ in the verses before Now folowes the glad tidings of the Gospell to comfort this people with all after the great threateniÌ„gs of God which the Prophet here pronouÌ„ced in the former verses For as God workes in his creaturs that after wynter comes sommer after a storm fair weather So in the spiritual doctrine of our souls first he teaches repeÌ„taÌ„ce preaches the law threateÌ„s veÌ„geauÌ„ce for sin castes doune man in his owne sight and lettes hym looke euen into hell with fear of conscience for his disobedience but afterwardes he comforts hym rayses hym vp and heales him that this may be fouÌ„d true that is sayde of oure sauiour Christ I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce they that be whole nede not the Phisicion but the sicke All the Prophetes vse thesame trade in teachinge as Esays in hys firste Chapter calleth the Iewes worse then beastes for the Oxe woulde knowe hys maister and the Asse his maister maÌ„ger but they wold not knowe their God And the rulers he calles the princes of Sodome felowes with theefes Ionas also in the beginninge of hys prophecy saieth within .xl. dayes Niniue shal be destroyed Sophones first woordes be that God will destroy man beast foole corne and fruite of the earthe but afterwardes euery one of theym prophecies of Christe promises blessinge frome God with encrease of all wealth and goodnes Likewise Ihon Baptiste began his preaching repent for the kingedome of heauen is at hande And oure sauioure Christ beganne his preachinge with the selfe same woordes Peter in his firste sermon after they receiued the holy Ghoste rebuked the Iewes sharpely for crucifyinge Christe the geuer of lyfe and for askinge Barrabas a murtherer to be deliuered vnto them but when their conscience pricked them they asked what they shoulde doe and he comfortes them biddes them repent and bee baptised euery one of them in the name of Christ. So here after the sharpe preaching of the lawe and threateninge of Gods plages foloweth the swete coÌ„fort of the Gospell for he sayeth I am with you saieth the Lorde as though he shoulde saye lette nothinge greue you neither the greatnes of the sinne that ye haue ben so negligeÌ„te in forgettinge the buildinge of this house so longe nor the greate coste as thoughe ye were not able to beare and perfourme it nor be not afrayd of the kinges officers whiche stopped you for I am with you saieth the Lorde whose power they can not withstaÌ„de whose mercie passeth your miserie and who can pardon and forgeue more than you can sinne and who shal be iudge of youre doinges and am able too forgeue all thinges trespassed against me All the ryches of the earthe is myne and I bestowe it as pleases me the heartes of kynges and rulers be in my hande and I rule them as I thinke good whan I wyll they shall shew you fauour and frendship and when they lust they shall not stoppe hurt nor hinder my worke accordinge to their desire or pleasure as muche as they woulde but those that feare and loue me I will blesse and they shall not haue anye harme and my woorkes shall prosper and go forwardes in their handes as I thynke good â–ª in despite of all their foes therefore let nothinge feare nor trouble you for I whome all thinges do obey am with you saieth the Lorde These are but few wordes in number but they are mighty in operation and working where they be receiued with an earnest faith and so mightye that whosoeuer heares and beleues them to be spoken of God is not afrayde too attempt anye thinge be it neuer so greate hard When Iacob was doubting afraid whether he should go into Egipt too hys sonne Ioseph or no God spake too hym sayde Iacob be not afrayde for I will goe doune into Egipt with thee I wil bring thee out again also Then Iacob fearinge neither the death of his sonne Ioseph nor the displeasure that mighte come to hym his if either he or yet Ioseph offended the kyng nor yet least Ioseph shoulde lose his authoritie by a new kyng as it is coÌ„moÌ„ly sene nor the ieopardy of the iourneye no nor yet any other worldly thing that coulde or might chaunce but wente into Egipte boldely with all his chyldren substauÌ„ce and was defended by God When Moises keping sheepe sawe the fyre in the bushe and
is the spirite of truthe because he leades vs into all truth and putteth vs in remembraunce of all thinges whyche Christ him self caught before but no new doctrine he bringes of his owne And because our sauiour Christ is taken from vs in hys bodelye presence he promises vs that this spirite shall dwell with vs not for a tyme but too the ende and therefore wee shoulde not feare But is this a sufficient cause too perswade a man that he should not fear the power of kinges or worldly trouble because the spirite of God dwelles with hym yea truly For what spirite can preuayle against the holy spirit which is the power of God It is written of Gedeon whan he enterprised that venterous acte to fight againste Gods enemies that the spirite of the Lorde bid clothe and defend Gedeon as our clothes doe vs and so he obteined that noble victorie with so few agaiÌ„st so many And not to be afraide in suche trouble is the woorke of the holy Ghoste as Esaie called hym the spirite of boldnes strength and wisedom Peter whan he denied hys maister for the woordes of an handmaide after he receiued the holy Ghoste did and durste confesse hym too the deathe before princes and rulers So sayde oure sauiour Christe to hys Apostles when ye shal staÌ„d before Kyngs and rulers take no thought what or howe ye shall speake for in that houre it shal be geuen vnto you what you shall speake For it is not you that speake but the spirite of youre father which speaketh in you And although to worldly wisedome thys spirite seemes but a small thinge yet it is moste true that s â–ª Paule saith that which is folishnes before God is wyser then me and that whiche is weake before God is stronger then men And he that hath this spirite dwellinge in hym needes not too feare any power be it neuer so greate for if God be for vs who shall be againste vs and if he take his breath and spirite from the mightiest princes they are troubled vade awaye verse 6 For thus saieth the Lorde of hostes yet one litle time shal be and I will trouble the heauens and the earth the sea the lande verse 7 And I will trouble all people and the desire of all people shall come and I wil fyll thys house with glory saieth the Lorde of hostes ¶ The Prophete goeth on forth with this comforth to all people and promises not onely that God woulde be with theym in hys buyldinge whiche they shoulde finish in fewe yeares folowinge but intoâ— the temple also which thei did now build God woulde sende his sonne Christ Iesus to preache his fathers will whom all people looked for and desired hys comminge and he woulde fyll that house with glory that they shoulde not neede to care for the smalnes of it if they woulde onelye with courage woorke God woulde fulfill the rest And that they shoulde know him too be able to fulfyll hys promise he cals hym selfe by the glorious name of the Lorde of hostes so often here in these verses that they maye vnderstande all creatures too bee at hys commaundement that none coulde preuaile againste that whiche he woulde haue done as is saide before But this is a straunge kynde of comforte too tell theym of suche a trouble as shoulde trouble heauen and earth sea laÌ„d and all people and yet they should be glad of it and that it shoulde come not long after The tyme when this trouble chauÌ„ced was about .500 yeares after that this prophete had thus spoken and yet he cals it but one litle time And this maye well bee called a litle tyme in respecte of God with whome all thinges are present before hys sighte withoute tyme and a .1000 â–ª yeares with hym is as yesterdaye which is paste and he hym selfe is before all times not coÌ„teyned in tyme but liuing for euer wythout tyme. Or els it is called a little tyme in respect of that longe time wherin their fathers had so long looked for the coÌ„ming of Christ and so muche desired hym and yet see hym not It was now aboue 3000. yeare since he was promised to AdaÌ„ about 2000. since he was so often spoken of too Abraham and .1000 since it was renued to Moyses and after to all the Prophetes from tyme too tyme in respecte of whiche 500. maye well be called a litle tyme. This trouble whiche he sayeth shoulde trouble heauen earthe sea lande and all people is described by these mightie wordes to set out the greatnesse of the trouble by the figure called Hyperbole and not the trouble was suche that heauen earth sea and lande shoulde feele it be troubled therewith whiche are insensible creatures and can feele nothinge that troubles them but thus by these woordes the scripture vses too tell the greatnes of any thinge that it speakes of Moyses and Esaye because the people were harde hearted and woulde not heare their sayinges to set foorthe theyr hardnes of heart and the greatnes of that message which they had froÌ„ God to speake saye thus â–ª Heare ye heaueÌ„s and geue care thou earth c. Sainct Paule saieth by the like figure euery creature grones and trauayles lookinge for the laste daye wherin they shall be deliuered froÌ„ this vayn corruptioÌ„ wherin they serue not because deade creatures can grone or trauayle but for the great desire that they haue to see that day of oure redeÌ„ption fulfilled as the woman whiche trauels grones desires too be deliuered out of her payn to be restored to her former quietnes or els it may be taken that all creatures in all these places should be troubled But if this trouble shoulde be so great how can it be a promise of ioye and comfort Who can be merye to hear tel of such a greate trouble Surelye this is not promised to the euil but to the good For as our Lord maister Christ saieth speaking of the trouble that should be in the destructioÌ„ of Ierusalem the latter ende of the world woo be to theÌ„ that be with chyld geue sucke in those daies the wicked shall wish the hyls to fal on theÌ„ hide theÌ„ â–ª thei shuld seke for death â–ª it shuld flee froÌ„ theÌ„ So he saith to the good in the midst of all the desperat â—orow wherin the euil man caÌ„not tel what to Lifte ye vp your heades and bee merye for your redemption and deliueraunce is at hande So after this shorte time that he speaketh of this greate trouble whiche shall be at the byrthe preachinge miracles and deathe of oure sauioure Christe shoulde be but onely to the wicked For the good men shoulde as muche and more reioyce because of that daye of saluation and redemption was comen he whome all people looked for had now appeared to the comfort of all good men And thys trouble shoulde not be so
here all his posteritie and kyngedome for too him it was neuer performed As what leage truthe or promise of fauour so euer is made to anye kinge in the same is hys kyngedome conteyned and hys subiectes are also pertakers of thesame So the promises made too Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid belonge not to them onely but to their children also successors heyres people and subiectes I will restore the decayed houses of Dauid saieth the prophet meaning the kingdome of Christe Christians to the ende whom he calles Dauid by the preaching of the gospell For this troubling of heauen earth ynough was sayd before and this is that which the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes yet once I trouble heauen and earth meaninge that those thinges whiche are thus troubled perish and those whiche be not continue and that those kyngdomes that set vp them selues agaynst Christ shal fal but Christes kyngedome shall stande for euer as Dauid saieth This kingdome is an euerlasting kyngdome It is as muche to saye that he would fyll the world with warre betwixt the Persians and the Grecians that they shall trouble the earth This Prophete in the verse folowing tels of the destruction of the kyngdome of Persians vnder whose dominion the Iewes were now and to whome they paied great taxes as Nehemias telles He cals it the seate of kyngedomes because many kyngdomes were subiect vnto them and that all the greatest kinges feared them serued them were in leage with them or sought frendship at their handes And although this is nowe tolde yet it was not fulfilled of a huÌ„dred fourty fyue years afterwards or a hundred thirtye foure years as some do count It is spoken too comfort the Iewes and aunswere to two priuie obiections whiche thei might haue â—ayde againste God and hys Prophete After that they had nowe wroughte earnestly at the buyldinge of Gods house three monethes God was so well delyted with them that where as heretofore he had so long plaged and sharpely punished them he sayde From this daye foorthe will I blesse you and youre Oliues vyneyardes pomegranates and other fruites shoulde encrease and multiply whiche all before had ben vnfruitefull But to thys the people mighte haue sayde what are wee the better to haue all these fruytfull and plentious Are wee not Tributaries to the Persians and what plentye or profitte so euer wee haue they take it frome vs by their great taxes All is one matter whether wee haue muche or litle plentye or scarcenes good cheape or dearthe for if wee haue muche we paye muche and if we haue but litle wee paye little so all is one thing too vs except this coulde be amended Therefore oure moste mercifull God which wil take all doutes from vs which we can obiect comfort vs in all points that we can fear sayth thus vnto theÌ„ be not afraide of thys great power kyngdom of the Persians vnder whoÌ„ ye now be pay tribute vnto for rather theÌ„ my people shal be styl oppressed I wil pul doun the whole kyngdome and strength thereof the Chariots Horses the ryders on them and horsemen all shall fall yea the chiefest man among theÌ„ euen the Kynge hym self shal be slayne by the swoorde not of a straunger but of his owne countreimeÌ„ brother and seruaunt And although thys shal not come to passe nor be done in your tyme and dayes yet be ye sure it shall be done at the time appointed when God shall thinke it best for his glory and your commoditie Daniel in hys visions was often taught of 4. kynges Monarchies which should come First of the ymage which hadde the head of golde the armes and breste of syluer the bealy of brasse the legges of yron And agayne by the ymage of 4. beastes a Lyon a Beare a Libarde and the fourth for cruelnes wanted a name which with hys teeth should teare all and tread vnder hys feete c. By whiche all were noteâ— firste the kyngdome of the Assirians and Babilonians the seconde of the Medes Persians vnder whiche the Iewes nowe were The thirde was the Grecians and the fourthe of the Romaynes whiche all shoulde raygne in course a tyme should continue to the worldes ende but euerye one more cruel and worse then the other as is now the Romish Pope vnder whome we be He is Emperour in dede vsurping the fourthe kyngedome and rules lyke a prince on earthe aboue kynges and hathe dryuen the Emperour almost out of Italy and taken the landes and possessions of the Empire frome hym and makes hym content with a corner of the world in Germany where the reuenues of the Empire is not now so much as diuers lordes haue Euery one of these kyngdoms was worse then the other before them as these beastes and mettalles were woorse then the other By the which we maye learne that the kyngdome of the Pope is worse then the others were and that it is worse to be vnder hym than the other whiche were Heathen and knewe not God God hates them woorse whiche beare the name of Christen men and make a shewe too loue God and in dede do nothinge els but hate and persecute the good men as the Pope doeth The seruaunt whiche knoweth his maisters will doeth it not shal be worse beaten then he whiche offendes by ignoraunce The kyngdome of the Assirians was nowe pulled doune and geueÌ„ to the Persians this is that kyngdom now which the Prophete sayeth God woulde destroye and geue ouer to the Grecians This came to passe in the time of the last Darius who in diuers battailes foughte with AlexaÌ„der the great suffered the worse and was ouercomen Where Alexander firste takinge Darius wyfe the queene his mother and his chyldrn prysoners vsed them gently as his owne Darius seinge suche gentlenes and thinkinge to fynde lyke fauour for him selfe sent Embassage to Alexander and said if he would let hym kepe his kyngdome styl all other thinges should be at his pleasure But Alexander aunswered that he coulde not suffer him so for the world coulde no more abyde twoo kings to raygne then to haue twoo Sunnes too shyne therefore there was no remedye but yelde hym selfe if he woulde lyue Then Darius seing that prepared hym selfe to the fielde where he was trayterously slayne by his seruaunt Bessus So is this true whiche the Prophete sayeth the chiefest man by the sworde of his brother shoulde be slayn So would I translate the Hebrew woorde Isch rather then euery man as some doe For euery man was not slayn by hys brother but the kynge namely as the history tels This is common in the scripture too putte the woorde brother for one that is of thesame countrye kinred or religion and not alwayes for those whiche haue one father and mother So it maye well stande that he was slayne of hys brother that is to saye of hys countryman as the history calles Bessus his seruaunt
freely without money saieth the prophet and agayn It is I it is I that put awaye thy sinnes for mine own sake than it is not for thy money nor the Popes bulles nor pardons Let the world therfore take hede for if the blind lead the blind bothe fall in the diche This miserable common excuse which is so often in their mouths shal not excuse them when they say thus we are taught oure ghostly fathers sayes so our fathers before vs haue so beleued Christ sayes ye shal both fall in the pytte Beleue no doctrine that teaches to go too heauen other wayes then by Christ frely or whiche is not written and conteined in the Bible for that onely is the perfecte woorde of God and whiche onely teaches true saluation Loke the Popes testamēts throughout called his decrees decretals and you shal not once ther be taughte too seke comforte at Christ in any trouble of mind but onely to set out his vain glorie that he is Lord of heauen earth Purgatory Hell if thou liue neuer so wickedly he his Chaplains haue full authoritie to bring thee frō Purgatory so that thou bring them money I thinke it hath not ben oft hearde tell of that any prieste euer saids Tretal without money or hyred any said for thē selfes but if thei were good why should they not haue them for thē selues If they had charity thei would say them for the poore as wel as for the rich they would not suffer so many poore soules to lye broyling in Purgatory as they think do no they would do nothing night nor day all their liues but saye Masses yf they had such loue towardes their brethrē as they should and if thei were able so to deliuer them For what charitie is in hym that maye helpe his brother and will not by all meanes possible But they shew by their doinges their meaning well inough when thei turn thē to the people saye of your deuotion charitie pray ye for the soul of N. as though they should say we praye for money without charitie but ye muste do frely of deuotiō without mony These false Prophetes Papistes and members of Antechrist came not in the Lordes name nor speake his worde therfore they be accursed Also in that he sayeth the woorde was sent by the hād of Aggeus we are taught how to esteme preaching Ministers by this Hebrew kynde of speaking For as the hand serues to do mo thinges withal then any part of the bodye so whan they will signify any thing too be done by the ministery and seruice of any man thei vse to saye it was done by the hande of suche a man Therfore the woorde and message whiche he brought was the Lordes Aggeus was but the seruaunt that broughte it So must we thinke of the preachers they be but seruaunts though they be neuer so good and learned preachers their message is the worde of the Lord. Thus sayes Christ it is not you that speake but it is the spirite of your father which speakes in you Sainct Paul also teaches how we shoulde thinke vpon him and others such preachers when he sayes let a mā iudge thinke thus of vs that we be the seruāts of Christe and dispensers of gods secrete misteries Therfore they which seke rather to be lordes then seruaunts be hinderers of preachinge gods woorde rather then faithfull teachers of gods holye will to his people are not to be counted amōge the seruaunts and ministers of Christe but rather enemies sekinge their owne glorie more then gods And as Aggeus did not go this message afore he was commaunded and sente by god and therfore was a true Prophet so they whiche thrust in them selues to teach not called by god nor sent by man ordinarely come often afore they be welcome are not true Prophetes For it is writtē let no man take honor vntoo him but he whiche is called of god as Aaron was And if the worser learned bee preferred afore the better to the ministery if thei be bothe true teachers let not the better disdain hym but know god to se further thē he doth and that there be iust causes why the other is preferred afore him Whereas Zerubabell is firste named here and set in order afore Iosua the high priest and the prophet Aggeus was sente by commission from god to the ciuyll magistrate first it teaches the preeminence the Temporall rulers haue afore priestes by what name so euer they be called If the Pope should haue receyued suche letters as these be and sene a layman preferred named afore hym he would not haue ben well content and specially such a man as Zerubabel was beinge neither king nor Emperour What a rayling letter wrote pope Adriane the fourth an English mā to Frederic the Emperour ▪ because the Emperour in his letters hadde set his nam◠afore the Popes writing thus his superscription of his letters Fredericke by the grace of God Emperour c. vnto the holy father Adriane Pope If he had written thus to the most reuerent and holy father the pope Adriane gods vycar here in earth c. your poore and humble seruaunt Frederick by the grace of god Emperoure of Almaine c. had placed the Popes name before his owne al had ben wel Because he did not he called the Emperoure traytour and rebell against god and sainct Peter c. The common welth of the Iewes was ruled first by Iudges from Moyses vntoo Saule then by Kinges frome Dauid too their captiuitie in Babilon and now last from their returning home vnto Christe ▪ by princes of the stocke of Iuda Their Iudges were raysed vp of god too deliuer the people sometime of one tribe or kindred sometime of other as pleased god ◠the chyldren did not succede the father lo suche authoritie Kinges were alwayes of the stocke of Iuda onely ◠the sonne was King after the father but these princes although they were for the moste parte of the stocke of Iuda and the successiō was by heritage except the Machabees yet they had not a kingly maiesti croune power for they were but as mayres or Dukes head men amongest the people as the Hebrew woorde signifies Pachath and yet they be preferred before the highe priest By whiche we muste learne chiefe power in all cōmon wealthes to be ioyned with the temporall swoorde thoughe he be but a meane man and that euery man as S. Paule sayes must be subiect vnder hym Chrisostome notes well writing on that place that euery man must obey the Ciuil power whether he be Apostle Euāgelist prophet or by what name so euer he be called Sainct Peter hym selfe being Bishop as they saye at Rome and of whome they clayme all their authoritie too bee aboue prynces Kynges and Emperoures was not onely obediente too the Ciuill rulers hym selfe but left written in his Epistle
a stone kylles Golias so stroÌ„gly harnised A bishop of MeÌ„tz beiÌ„g persecuted with rats froÌ„ house to house fled into a towre he hais staÌ„diÌ„g in the mids of the riuer lying a mile froÌ„ any laÌ„d but the rats folowed him swaÌ„me ouer neither dores nor stoone walles coulde kepe theÌ„ out but thei woried hiÌ„ for his vnmercifulnes to the people in a year of dearth Thus our God may wel be called 〈◊〉 Lord of hostes which hath so many weapoÌ„s diuers to punishe vs withal as fyre water earth darkenes frogges lyse greshoppers catterpillers pestileÌ„ce hayle drought c. so that ther is no help to be disobedieÌ„t striue against hiÌ„ â–ª for he wil haue the victory There is waies aboue beneth vs within vs wtout vs to throw vs down at his pleasur there is no remedy but to obey him either willingly be rewarded or els against our wils bee punished His power is not yet minished but he fights stil with his enemies that al glori may be his He hath foughteÌ„ sore of late with his vtter enemy the Pope with what weapoÌ„s â–ª with a goose feather old cloutâ— wherof be made peÌ„ne paper such 〈…〉 hath he vsed to do this feate as the world hates despises But he hath so shaken hys â—eat that his fal is begunne euery man whiche is not wilfully blinde sees it His abhominations his wickednes is 〈◊〉 to the worlde as the Prophete saieth â— will shewe thy filthy partes in thy facâ— â–ª wil set foorthe thy nakednes to people These be the ordinaunces great GuÌ„nes and Bulwerkes that he will sette by his Churche with and pull downe Antiâ—christ that all victorie maye be his which by suche small and weake thinges 〈…〉 downe â—he glor◠〈◊〉 the world 〈◊〉 although their faltes were greuous yet oure good God is contente with a litle rebukinge of them and doeth no more but caste in their â—eeth their vnthankefulnes and saieth this people saies it is not yet tyme to buyld the house of God as though he should saye this people whome I chose amongest all the world and in respecte of whome I seme to regarde no other people buâ— them bestowinge winge on theym onelye â—â— chiefly any blessinges whose fathers I broughte out of slauery in Egipt made them lordes of this plenteous lande destroyinge the dwellers of it subduingâ— their enemies round about theÌ„ to whomâ— I sende my Prophetes in all 〈…〉 will and pleasurâ— and whomâ— now of late when they were led prysoners to Babylon I brought home agayne and restored to them their landâ—â—â— â–ª and willed nothinge of them but to buylde my house and kepe my lawes this vnkinde people I say saies it is not yet time to build gods house This stifnecked people that will neither be ouercomeÌ„ moued with geÌ„telnes to do their duties nor yet feare my plagues and threatninges will not diligently go about to do that whiche I willed them so straitly to do The rod is sharp to the flesh when we be beaten but too a gentle hearte there can be no sharper rebuke then to haue his vnkindnes caste in his teeth My people saies god by his prophet in what thing haue I offended thee that thou doest so disobeye me or what haue I done to thee tell me And that we shuld better consider our vnthankfulnes he coÌ„pares vs to beastes saies the Oxe knowes his maister the Asse knowes hys master stable and manger but my people will not know me So saieth Ieremy the Turtel swalow and the Storke knowes their times of the yeare to come but my people know not the iudgement of the lord If a kinge shoulde mary a poore woman â–ª and make her Queene and when she displeased him shoulde saye vnto her where thou wast but a poore woman and neuer loked to haue ben maried to me I forsake all other women for thy sake and made thee my wife felow hath it becomen that to do this fault agaiÌ„st me If she haue any honest heart in her it will make her burst out into tears aske forgeuenes so wil it moue any christiaÌ„ heart that feares god wheÌ„ he heares his vnthaÌ„kful disobedieÌ„ce laiâ—d to his charge specialli if he coÌ„sider what goodnes and how often he hath reciueâ— aâ— gods haÌ„ds how forgetful he hath ben again to so louing a Lord god The lord for his mercies sake grauÌ„t vs such teÌ„der hartâ— that we may burst out into tears wheÌ„ we coÌ„sider his goodnes our wickednes his vndeserued mercye our great vnthaÌ„kefulnes What a bitter griefe shal this be toâ— hear him lay our vnkiÌ„dnes to our charge I gaue you a good king many true preachers my word pleÌ„teously my sacrameÌ„ts purely rooted out Idolatri deliuered you froÌ„ strauÌ„gers with all wealthe yet you would not feare me what can we say for shame but condeÌ„pne our selfs God grauÌ„t we mai for thaÌ„ he wil not condeÌ„ne vs. I do not doubt but many of theÌ„ had great excuses to lay for theÌ„ selfs if thei had ben asked why they did not buyld gods house aswel as we haue for our negligeÌ„ce in the same doinge Some would say we are forbidden by the king his officers so they were in dede as apperes in Esdras Some we muste first prouide a house for our selues to dwell in for our wyues and childreÌ„ Other we are vnlerned we know not how to do it Other we be poore not able to take in haÌ„de such a costly woorke Other let the rulers begiÌ„ we wil help Other we shal not lose our life goods if we disobey the Kings coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t But god would alow no such excuse but castes in all their teethes their disobedieÌ„t vnkindnes sayes This people say it is not yet tyme too buylde gods house The priestes would say it is not our duty to buyld but to offer sacrifices sing Psalmes as wee be appointed The rulers might say their office was to see the commoÌ„ wealth well ruled and not too meddle in suche matters The people mighte saye it belonged not to them beinge suche a costly thinge that required wisdome learning ryches â–ª and power but they muste applye their husbandrye marchaundise c. Euen as they sayde in the Gospel I haue boughte a Farme or v. yoke of Oxen that I wil not come hold me excused Or I haue maried a wyfe that I can not come so none could or woulde take goddes woorke in hande thereto â—et that one sorte shoulde not 〈◊〉 them selues blameless and the wherâ—â—â—â— fault or that one should not 〈…〉 other because theâ— theâ—â— were 〈…〉 men the reste and woulde haue 〈◊〉 Gods house more gladlye than other 〈◊〉 prophets sent to rebuke them all 〈◊〉 were gylty in not buylding And 〈◊〉 not the rulers saye it is not 〈…〉 buylde gods house or the 〈…〉 or the 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 men generally all this
Mary when the Aungel saluted her wōdred that God would cal such a poore mayden virgyn to be the mother of his sonne But euer he that thinks him self vnworthy God takes him as worthy those that thinke so highly of thē selues that they be worthy God refuses makes vnworthy Therefore let euery man that feeles him self in consciēce withdrawē frō doing his duty to god by any kynd of sin say thus to him self Is it tyme for thee to delite thy self in this or y◠kynd of synne gods house vnbylt Think y◠god hath left this in writing to rebuke hī styrre him vp to be more diligēt in repairīg his house wherin god dwels And let eueri mā cōfort him self that god not onli requires but takes in good part the least seruice that the poorest mā liuing cā do And as he saide afore in the seconde verse this people sayeth it is not tyme to buylde c. nothinge the vnkyndenes of that people to whome he had so often and longe ben so louinge a Lorde and maister So he sayeth now this house lyes waste to set out before them y◠greatnes of theyr disobedience that they did not neglect and leaue vnbuylt a common house a Bishop◠palaice or an Abby but that house wherin God him selfe sayde he woulde dwell where onely they shoulde offer their sacrifices whiche onely not oute of the whole worlde but amonge the places townes cytyes in all Iewry he chose by name too be worshipped in in whiche onely he was moste delited and made promys to Salomon in the dedicacion of thesame that he woulde heare the prayers of the that there called vpon hym in faith That house thei did not onely suffer it to decaye but were so forgetful of it that they let it lye waste desolate layde no hande to it as thought it belonged not to them nor it were theyr duety they hadde so farre forgotten God whiche willed them so straightely to do it The Lord for his mercy sake graunt that thesame vnkyndnes maye not be layde iustly against vs whiche leaue that house vnhuylt yea treade vnder oure feete like filthy swyne wherin not the sacrifices of Moyses are offered but for the saluation of whiche Christ offered his bodye a sacrifice to be kylled and his bloude shed and in whiche his holy spirite dwelles if thorough vnthankefulnes we driue him not awaye This house is the holy churche of Christe generally and oure owne bodyes and soules particulerly which be not only membres and partes of his misticall body but the temple and house where the holye Ghoste dwelles where in he wil chiefly be worshipped verse 5 And now thus sayth the Lord of hostes cōsider in your harts your owne waies verse 6 You haue sowen muche and broughte in but litle ye haue eaten and not ben satisfied ye haue dronke and not ben filled with drinke ye haue ben clothed and not kept warme ye haue wrought for wage put your wages in a purse with a hole in the botome ¶ Although ye haue lien lōg without consideratiō of your duty toward God hys house buylding haue ben sore punished of god not knowē the cause of it haue sought your pleasur profit but not obtained them being so blinded in fulfillinge your worldly lustes yet now the mightye Lord of hostes power whome all other creaturs except you obey giues you warning now to cōsider better in youre heart your tyme past not so negligētly wey the working of god with you for he hath lōg punished you to haue had you to amend ye regard it not at all Synne of it self is darkenes whosoeuer walkes in sinne ▪ walkes in darkenes knowes not what he doeth if a man geue him self to be ruled by sin it makes of fooles mad men darkenes so the reasō that it knowes not what to do or saye They had thus many yeares ben plaged knew not the cause why but layd it on some other chaūce then not building gods house which was the chief cause or els like insensible beastes without the feare of God regarded it not as though it had come of some natural cause god had not plaged their sinne But as his disease is most perillous which lies sicke feeles not his sickenes nor can not cōplayne of one parte more than an other for thā the disease hathe equally troubled the whole body so they which lye walowing in syn so forgetting God al goodnes that thei fel◠no remorse of consciēce are desperate almost past all recouery yet God most mercifully dealing with this people sendes his Prophet to warne them sturre thē oute of their slepe that their thei should no longer so lightly wey Gods displeasure towardes them but depely wey why and wherfore these plages were thus poured vpō them The scholemaister correctes not his scoler nor the father his child but for some fauts for their amendment no more hath God sent these plages to you so many yeares but to remēber you of your disobediēce towards him that ye should turn to hym But if the leude scoler or vnthrifty sonne do not regarde the correction laid vpō him nor cōsider not the greatnes of his faulte nor the displeasure of his father or scholemaster ther is no goodnes to be hoped for of him so is it w e you if ye thus lightly or els not at all cōsider your lyfe paste Gods dealing with you how euil things haue prospered with you all the time ye thus haue disobeyed god Whē the life of mā pleases god saies Salomō all things prosper go forwards with him but whā he offendes his god all creaturs turn to his hurt hinderaunce If thou heare the voyce of the Lord thy God saith Moyses and kepe all the commaundementes which I teache thee the Lorde wil make thee greater than al other people thou shalt be blessed in the citie and in the fielde thy chyldren the fruit◠of the earth and all thy cattel thy shep◠▪ Oxen shal be blessed and increase but yf thou heare not the voyce of the Lorde thy God and kepe his cōmaundements thou shalt be cursed in the towne in the field◠thy chyldren shal be cursed and the fruit◠of the earth and the fruit of thy cattel thy sheepe and thy Oxen the Lord will sende vpon thee nede and trouble and destructiō on euery thinge thou goest aboute vntyll he destroye thee c. These plagues when they fall in any country are not lightlye to be considered But as the Phisicion seing in a glasse by the water the disease within the body by the learninge searches out the cause of the disease and ministers good things for thesame so in lokinge in the glasse of gods worde the diseases and sinnes which are in common wealthes we shall soone perceyue the cause of these plagues wholsomely minister some
profitable coÌ„fortable remedies for thesame God is here so good to his people that he makes them Iudges them selues and mistrustes not the cause but if they woulde consider it wel it woulde moue their harde hertes therefore he sendes theÌ„ not to any strauÌ„ge Iudges but biddes them be Iudges them selues waye it wel first and than iudge for the thinge of it selfe is so playne that if they had not altogether ben blynd they should in the middest of these plages haue perceyued gods anger and theyr own wickednes neither of whiche they hadde yet worthely considered Ye haue sowen muche sayeth the Prophete and broughte into your barens but litle ye haue wrought and toyled ye haue spared no laboure thinkinge to haue enriched your selues therby and filled youre barens but all was in vayn for ye sought not first to be reconsiled with God which ye oughte to haue done and fulfilled hys wil and not youre owne The earthe is the Lordes and all the plenty on it and it obeyes the will of God in seruinge him and geuing her fruites to them that loue the Lord their God and not to them whiche disobey God that made and rules bothe man and the whole earthe Let the gredy charle thinke than that though he be the owne of the lande fielde by mans lawe yet he is not the Lord and maister ouer him whome the earthe will obey in bringinge foorthe her fruite Let hym dygge dyche and velue weede stone harowe plowe sow mow clot and role roote vp trees busshes water hedg â–ª and waterforow or what other thinge so euer he can deuise to make the grouÌ„d fruitfull yet there can no fruite growe nor increase come but by the gift and blessinge of the liuing Lord. It is written of kynge Kauntus king of this Realme that as he was standinge by the water side after a great rayne marking how the water did ryse by leasur so it increased that it wette his foote where he stode and he beinge so proude in his hert that he thoughte what soeuer he saide euery thing woulde obey streight commaunded the water that it shuld ryse no further nor wet his maisters fetâ— any more But whan he sawe that the water rose styll and would not obey him but raÌ„ne into his shoes he perceiued his folishnes and coÌ„fessed there was an other God and kyng aboue him whome the waters would obey so shal all gredy churles well perceiue when thei haue wrought theÌ„ selues weary gotteÌ„ litle yâ— all increase comes from the Lord not of them selues For Dauid sayth the promocion comes neither from the East nor the West but the Lord is iudge It is not the waye to ware ryche to get much but too get it rightlye for it is better saith Dauid to haue a litle righteously gotten thaÌ„ to haue the greate ryches of sinners nor it is not the wai to be filled to gather much together but thaÌ„kefully to take and vse that litle which thou haste and be content therwith These ryche gluttons whiche the Prophet rebukes here did eate drink so wel â–ª so costly so finely so much as they could deuise yet they were neuer full but the more they dranke the dryer they were one good feast prouoked an other theyr studye was how to fyl their gredy stomakes A dronken man is alwaies drye accordinge to the Prouerbe a glottonous appetite is neuer fylled but the more daintely he is fed at one meale the more desyrous is he at the next All gredy affections of mans hearte are vnsatiable if they be not brydeled with the feare of God And the wai to rule them is not to folow their lustes and desires but to kepe them vnder and not let theÌ„ haue their full desire The Dropsy desires drinke drinke increases it so euil desires if thei be folowed they increase and in refraining theÌ„ thei decay Crescit amor nuÌ„mi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit that is to saye as thy money increases so does the loue of it Therefore if thou wilt haue thy meate to do thee good thy driÌ„k to slake thy thurste take it soberlye with thankesgeuinge at gods hande acknowledge it to be the good creature of god gâ—â—uen to noorishe thy necessitie and not too fyll thy beastly appetite So saincte Paulâ— saieth whether ye eate or drinke or what soeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God as though he shoulde appointe how 〈◊〉 a man shoulde eate and drinke that is 〈◊〉 saye so much that the mynde be not maâ—â— sluggish by cromminge in meate or pouringe in drinke that it can not lift vp him selfe to the praysinge of God Therefore he that eateth vntyl hys bellye ake or that he lye downe to slepâ— that he can not prayse God whiche hath 〈◊〉 hym or he that drinkes tyl his eyes water or his tunge beginne to swarue sweaâ—e stut or prate he doeth it not too the glorye of God whiche is hys duty nor to the nourishinge of his weake body which is lawfull and necessari but he kindles suche an vnnatural heate in his bodye that it sturres vp his appetite to desire more than it shoulde and is not content with inoughe and that he called here not to be filled nor satisfied in eatinge and drinkinge or els it ouercomes the stomake and is vndigested and fylles the bodye ful of sluggishenes makes it vnlustye and vnmeete too serue God or maÌ„ not noorishing the body but hurtinge it and laste of all castes hym into many kyndes of incurable diseases desperate deathes Loke the ende of the ryche glutton in the Gospel feastinge euery daye with hys brethren and at lengthe cast into hel fyre without hope but the poore begger Lazarus that was content to gather vp the croÌ„mes if he might haue had them which fell from the gluttons table was carried vp by Aungels to the bosome of Abraham to ioye without ende Daniel taken prisoner to Babel beinge but a boy hauinge a fyne dyet and costly meats apointed for hym by Nabuchodonozor the kyng frome his owne table because he was born of the kyngs stocke desired his Tutour to geue him course meate browne breade potagâ— and water but when his Tutour sayde he durste not because the king had geuen coÌ„trari coÌ„mauÌ„dement if he through eatinge suche course meat shoulde not be so wel liking as his felowes than the king woulde be angry with hym Wel sayde Daniel proue me but .x. dayes if I lokâ— not so wel and lusty as my felowes than I wil desire no more but god blessed him and his meate so that he was so well fed as they whiche had all daynties as lusty as healthful wel liking as his felowes For except God blesse thy meate and geue it strength to fede thee except God streÌ„gthen thy nature to digest thy meat thee to take profit of it either it shal
here to runne to their owne houses that is as muche to sai as with al their wit and power they do satisfye their owne lustes seeke their pleasures hunt and gape for their own profit â–ª to enryche them selues buylde costly houses and laye lande too lande and neuer thinke they haue inough Woulde to God they whiche preache Christ were not gyltye in not buyldinge Gods house as they shoulde as well as others bee If it be taught of contencion ambicion or vayne glory Paule sayeth he is glad that Christ is preached but woo bee to him that teaches for suche causes and preaches not for pure loue and duety to his Lord God seekinge his own glorie All preachers must saye bee their giftes neuer so greate not vnto vs Lorde not vnto vs but to thy name geue all prayse and glorie And all the bearers muste saye wee do not beleue the worde because suche a man teaches it but because God spake it for the authoritie of the gospell hanges not on the messenger which bringes it but on gods maiestie whiche sendes it For as Peter and Ihon when thei had healed the blind begger and the people maruayled sayd why do ye wonder as though we had done this by our owne power and holines so 〈◊〉 all Preachers saye wonder not at vs 〈◊〉 prayse God whose messengers we be 〈◊〉 him whose spirit he hath geuen to speake in vs. For it is not we that speake when we speak any truth but it is the holy spirit of God that speaks in vs whose instrumeÌ„ts 〈◊〉 be Thus haue all partes ben giltie of 〈◊〉 building Gods house the Lord for 〈…〉 sake forgeue vs all that which 〈…〉 and styrre vp our mindes to do our 〈◊〉 more diligentlye frome hencefoorth 〈◊〉 we maye escape the plagues whiche â—â—â—lowe verse 10 Therefore the heauens 〈◊〉 shytte vp from geuing these dewe vpon you the earth is closed from yelding their fruite verse 11 And I will call a droughte vpon the earth and vpoÌ„ the hyls vpon the wheat vpon the new wyne vpon the 〈◊〉 and vppon whatsoeuer the earthe bringeth forthe vpon man and vppon beaste and vpon all the labour of youre handes Now folowes the other kynde of perswading which the Prophet vses that is of the great plages that hange ouer their heads yf they did continue in tâ—is stubbornes and would not build gods house For although they had suffered great thinges yet these were muche greater which were to come and God would not holde his haÌ„d vntill they went earnestly about to build his house as they were commaunded In the further verse he repeates the plages in other woordes whiche he spake of before and more playnlye toke the cause of all the scarcenes that was amonge them why of so great labour they had so litle fruite and encrease Here we may see how necessarie it is often to repeate and beate in one lessoÌ„ because we be so dul to learn And althoughe many be wearye to heare one thing often yet sainct Paule saieth to the Philippians I am not wâ—arye it is profitable for you to repeate one thiÌ„g ofteÌ„ The heaueÌ„s sayeth he haue ben locked vp from geuing any dew or rayn to you and the earth hath ben so harde drye by that meanes that no fruite coulde growe Maruayle not if the earthe be barren wheÌ„ moysture comes not from heauen for nothinge can multiply here except it be blessed from heauen And this is true not onely in worldely thinges but also in spiritual giftes of the soule to teache vs 〈◊〉 loke vp to heauen and from thence to 〈◊〉 and loke for all goodnes froÌ„ gods haÌ„dâ—â— What hast thou saieth sainct Paule which thou haste not receiued of God and sainct Iames saieth euery good gift and euery perfit gift is from aboue comming from the father of light For as the rayâ—â— and dewe from aboue watering the grâ—â—â— makes it fruitful so the grace of the holye Ghoste comminge frome God the father for his sonne Christes sake styrres vp 〈◊〉 myndes to al goodnes Thus by outwâ—â—â— blessinges God will teache vs to loke â—p to hym for all goodnes For as it is betwixt the earthe and the cloudes so 〈◊〉 betwixt God and oure heartes bothe 〈◊〉 vnfruitfull except they receyue blessinge from aboue But it had ben amonge them now 〈◊〉 it was in the time of Achab when Iesabel did so persecute the true Prophetes 〈◊〉 they were compelled to hyde them selues in Caues and DeÌ„nes of the earth Eliâ—â— tolde the kynge that there shoulde bee 〈◊〉 dewe nor rayne in all the countrye but at his woorde whan he sayde it should be for God had geuen that priuilege too the Prophete to set foorth his doctrine it rained not of three yeares and a halfe nor was any dewe but greate hunger famine and â—â—arcenes of all fruites in the countrye So nowe when Gods house laye vnbuilded the heauens did not water the earth but great barennes was of all thinges This is one of the plages that God threatens to sende on all countries for contemninge his woord sayinge I wil make heaâ—â—n as harde as brasse ouer youre heads 〈◊〉 ye shall not wringe out of it a droppe 〈◊〉 or rayne to comfort the earthe and I will make the earthe as harde as yron that it shall not geue her fruite and so for false worshippinge of God all countries haue ben diuers tymes thus punished Englande hath had many great droughtes and dearthes bothe in the time of Popâ—ri the gospell but if ye marke it well you shall finde greate diuersitie betwixte 〈◊〉 In the dearthes vnder the gospell it was not for wante of thinges that God 〈◊〉 not send them pleÌ„teously but through the wickednes of man whiche in so great plenty and blessinges of God made a neâ—â—â—es dearth For farmes were raised that farmers mighte not foorthe to sell 〈◊〉 they were wont Many thinges were gotten into few mens handes thei woulde sell as thei list not as thiÌ„gs were worth â–ª according to charitie beinge content with a reasonable gaines Corne was cariâ—â— out of the realme or solde through many handes or it came to the markets euery one woulde raise the price and haue sâ—me parte of gaines some woulde feede their Hogs with it els let it foist in their barnes be eateÌ„ with myse rather then they would bring it to the market to pull doâ—â— the price Men of honor worship were 〈◊〉 come shepemaisters and grasiers tyllâ—â—â— was turned into pastur and townes 〈◊〉 graunges all not to make thinges â—â—â—per whiche might haue suffered but â—â—â—rer which was is hurtful not tollerable But since the Pope was restored 〈◊〉 haue had vnseasonable weather bothe 〈◊〉 weate and droughte the earth hathe 〈◊〉 brought foorth her fruit strauÌ„gers 〈◊〉 deuoured much of that whiche ye had All your latin processions singing of gospelâ— vnder
busshes nor yet youre Orâ— pro 〈◊〉 his could get you Gods blessings but â—â—ther increased his anger â–ª When wereâ—â— compelled to eat acornes for bread but 〈◊〉 your popery falling froÌ„ God WheÌ„ 〈◊〉 Calys lost but in popery WheÌ„ was Bullen gotteÌ„ the Scots vanquished so maÌ„fully as vnder the gospel But this is the greatest plage of all lest regarded of you that the heauenly comfort of Gods worde was locked vp from you coÌ„fortable dew of Gods fauoure did not fall on you nor your earthly harts could bring forth good fruit worke of repentaunce And so that curse was fulfilled on you whiche is written I wil sende a hunger into the earthe not a hunger of breade but a hunger too â—eare the woorde of God that ye shall goe from the East vnto the West to heare it and shall not finde it The good men and true Prophets of God feling what a grief it was to want this dew of Gods woord seing heauen locked vp from the pleÌ„tifull preaching of thesame and desiring the coÌ„ming of Christ and comfortable promises of his gospell crye out O ye heauens send donne your dew from aboue and lette the cloudes rayne righteousnes let the earth be opened bringfoorth the sauiour But God be merciful vnto vs soften our hartes we are come to such a hardnes of hart â–ª that those thinges which good meÌ„ moste desired we most abhorre the gospel which they thought most happines treasur we are weary of it and woulde not haue it The seconde verse the Hebrue 〈◊〉 reades thus I haue called a drought vpon the earth and the hyls c. than it shoulde be nothinge but a repeatinge or an expâ—sition in mo woordes of that dearthâ— and scarcenes that was amonge them and so often spokeÌ„ of before but the Greke which I had rather folowe reades thus I will bring the sworde vpon the earth hyls â–ª c. If oure Hebrue bookes were withoutâ— pointes as theirs were whiche turned it into Greeke these pointes might be will ioyned to whiche signifie so as the Greeke is or els these pointes a litle chaunged 〈◊〉 maye be so translated also as the Greeke reades it I think it better to be an 〈◊〉 singe of the plage whiche God threatenâ— them withall to styrre theÌ„ vp to this buildinge rather then an often rehearsing 〈◊〉 these plages whiche were past And when he names here the hyls if wee reade it a drought as the Hebrue now pointed is it is not so great plage or maruell to see 〈◊〉 hyls barren and drye but if with the Grekâ— we reade the swoorde that is to saye thâ—â— enemies shoulde come and vtterly destroy all and they whiche fledde to the hyls 〈◊〉 saue them selues shoulde not escape 〈◊〉 their Castels and Towers whiche they had buylded in the toppe of Mountaines shoulde defende them it were more wonderfull and woulde strike a greater feare into them stirre them vp soner to buyld this house that they mighte auoyde these great daungers ensuing Thus he would pull them from trustinge in their stronge holdes on the mountaynes or els froÌ„ that holines whiche they put in those hylles within Ierusalem where thei thought no enemies coulde preuaile In Ierusalem were two hils Moria â—n whiche was buylded the temple SioÌ„ where was the kinges palace vnto which bothe God had promised many blessinges and therfore they might thinke theÌ„ selues sure there The Cytye was compassed afore time aboute with three walles with in the innermoste was the temple and the priestes lodginges within the second walle were the Leuites houses the Kinges palace the Uniuersitie houses of learninge .300 or mo within the vttermoste were the marchaÌ„unts and the people and yet their enemies with the sworde shoulde destroye all these There is no place so holy as to defend a wicked man nor the place makes the maÌ„ holye but a good man makes euery place whersoeuer he be holy When Ieremye preached that God would destroi the temple for the wickednes of the priestes the priestes could not abide too heare that but cried out the temple of God the temple of God yet Ieremy said styll he woulde doe vnto the house as he did vnto Silo and destroy it There is no creatur of God so holy but if a man doe abuse it God will geâ—e both him it to his enemies power if thei do not amend God suffered his holy Arke wherin were the tables written with his owne finger Aarons rod a pot full of Manna with other reliquies to be geuen into the Philistines handes for the wickednes of the people the priestes whiche bare it Ophni Phinees Elies sons 〈◊〉 likewise should these holy hyls all of theÌ„ be deuoured with the sworde if they builded not this house of God As long as thâ—â— kept gods true religion God defend them and his temple after it was buylded but when they forsaked Gods word religion God forsaked them gaue them into the handes of Antiochus which defiled the teÌ„ple set vp Idolles in it made a schoole of fence and Heathen learninge of it kylled all those that woulde not folowe him So was this prophecy curse than fulfilled thei destroied but specially when Titus Uespacian with the Romains destroyed it according as Christ said there shoulde not be one stone left standing vpon an other so there should nothing saue them excepte thei would not onely build this house but also defend and maintain his woord and true religion Those with all other lyke are written for vs to kepe vs in dew fear and reuerence to God and his woord least we suffer the like plages as they didde for falling from his holy woorde But here let vs chiefely marke the goodnes of God in this and all his other threatninges for he doth not tel vs this because there is no remedy to escape it but that in hearing this we should repent so escape it All the threatnings of god are to be vnderstand with this condicion if ye doe not repent and amende as Ionas comminge vnto Niniue sayd yet xi dayes Niniue shal be destroyed presupposing if they did not aske merci but thei asked it escaped Ieremy saieth if this people repent theÌ„ of their euil I will repent also saieth God of that euill whiche I purposed to sende vppon them If God were disposed to plage as often as he threatens he would neuer geue warninge nor time too repents in nor promise mercye to theym that repent but woulde sodenly come destroye withoute all mercie And where he workes all for oure 〈◊〉 it were a double sorow bothe to be 〈◊〉 and knowe it so certainly aforeâ—â—â—â— that it caÌ„ not be escaped but he geues theÌ„ and vs this warning that we might 〈◊〉 by repentaunce obtayne mercy in 〈◊〉 God neuer sendes plage into the worâ—â—â— but he geues warninge
daynties murmour grudge at Gods doinges and prouoke hys vengeaunce vppon vs. The Apostles comminge to oure Sauioure Christe shewing him the goodly buylding and workemanship of this temple whiche they nowe buylded wondered at the costly fines of it but these olde men which had sene the first teÌ„ple of SalomoÌ„s buyldinge wept because it was not good inoughe nor too be compared to the firste Notwithstandinge all the fines of it ourâ— sauiour Christ told theÌ„ that the dais wold come when their enemies shoulde come besiege it destroye it and not leaue one stoone standinge vpon an other and soo it came afterwardes to passe by the Romaynes The first house if ye marke in the life of Salomon where is described all the facion of it length breathe thyckenes and heighte of the walles the wydenes of the house and what thinges Iewels were in the house it is muche more gorgious costely and pleasant than this second teÌ„ple is whose greatenes Esdras telleth in the .vi. Chapiter but the things that were done in this seconde house by Christe and hys Apostles were much more woÌ„derous then those whiche were done in the firste It was great glory that the Quene of Saba came from the vnmost part of the earth to see the first temple but it was much more glorious that into the secoÌ„de temple came the sonne of God from heauen to preache hys fathers will and the glad rydinges of the Gospel As in the restoringe of this seconde temple many olde men did weepe because it was not soo greate gorgious costely and glorious as the firste was soo now in the restoringe of the Gospel many weepe whan they see not the Churches so well decked and furnished as before The Popes churche hath al thinges pleasaunt in it to delite the people withall as for the eyes their God hanges in a roope ymages gylded paynted carued moste fynely copes chalice crosses of golde syluer banners c. with reliques and altars for the eares singing rynging and organes pipinge for the noose frankensence sweete too washe awaye sinnes as they saye holy water of their owne halowing and makinge Priestes an infinite sorte masses trentals diriges and pardons c. But where the Gospell is preached they knowinge the God is not pleased but only with a pure heart they are contente with an honest place appointed to resorte together in though it were neuer halowed by bishoppe at all but haue onely a pulpit a preacher too the people a Deacon for the poore a table for the communion with bare walles or els written with scripturs hauinge Gods eternall woorde sounding alwayes amongest them in their sighte and eares and last of all thei should haue good discipline correct fautes and kepe good order in all their meetinges But as they wepte too see this seconde house no more costly nor pleasaunte too the eye So oure poore Papistes weepe to see our churches so bare saiyng they be like barnes there is nothinge in them to make curtsey vnto neither Sainctes nor yet their olde litle God But hereafter it appeares whether of these churches god is more delited with all For although these ceremonies in the olde lawe were geuen by Moyses for the hardnes of the people to kepe them exercised that they fall not to Idolatry of the Gentiles yet is there no mencion of anye of these in the new Testament nor yet commaundement now neither to vs nor theÌ„ but forbidden to be vsed of all both of vs them We be no longer vnder shadowes but vnder the truthe Christ hath fulfilled all and taken awaye all such darke kinde of ceremonies and hathe placed the clere light of hys Gospell in his churche to continue to the ende But the Pope hath thrust the churche full of more blinde wicked ceremonies then euer Moyses did where Peter said when the Apostles were consulting how many ceremonies shoulde continue for a time that it was not mete to lay on the GeÌ„tils neckes the yoke of Moises law which neither thei nor their fathers could beare yet the Pope with crakes to be s. Peters vicar coÌ„trary to s. Peters saying wil laie on all people suche a heape of his owne ceremonies and that vnder pain of cursing as the Iewes had neuer the like in folishe blindnes nor mo in number S. Augustin saieth that Christ in the new Testament was content with few SacrameÌ„ts in nuÌ„ber but which were in signification most worthy as baptisme the Lordes supper but the Pope hath made so many as pleased him and that such as no scripture can alow Thus we are taughte here not to esteme the goodnes of thinges by an outward glorious shew but to be conteÌ„t with the Homely simplenes that Christ taught vs in his churche and vsed him selfe for that is more pleasaunt than all the gorgious deuise of mans brain The wit of maÌ„ is neuer content to submit it self to the wisedoÌ„ of God but pleases it self more in his own inueÌ„cions than in that which God coÌ„mauÌ„des But the gospel saith plainly that that which is so excelleÌ„t in the sight of maÌ„ is abhominable in the sight of God verse 4 But now be stronge Zerubabell sayeth the Lord and be of good courage Iosua the soÌ„ne of Iosedec the chief priest and plucke vp your courage all people of the earthe saith the Lorde and woorke for I am with you sayeth the Lord of hostes verse 5 I will perfourme the promise whiche I made with you when yee came oute of Egipte and my spirite shall dwell in the middest of you be not afrayde ¶ Leaste wee fainte in the middest of oure woorke where daungers be greate and lets many there is nede of great comforte The kynges officers asked them often tymes who geue theÌ„ leaue to renue this buyldinge and what commissioÌ„ they had the woorke was great and costly and their owne rulers and breihren by brybinge and vsury had polled them soo sore that they mighte well thinke they were not able to finish it accordingly their sinnes and negligence were great that they had deserued suche plagues therefore too comforte theym withall God sendes hys Prophet to encourage them all generally â–ª and particulerlye â—hose by name whyche were chiefe in the common wealth and religion as Zerubabel and Iosua whiche had offended moste because thei being rulers did neither their duty theym selues nor yet caused others to do theirs whiche both they shoulde haue done Firste in geuinge good example theym selues after in seinge others to haue done their duties in this buyldinge But as oure sauioure Christe after that he arose frome deathe sent Mary Magdalene the other women to the disciples generallye and too Peter chiefely by name bothe to comfort theym altogether because they all had forsaken hym and to encourage namely Peter because he craked mooste that he woulde neuer betraye him but afterwarde fell the foulest of them all and therefore had nede to
familiar an other euen to the death Howe hath one Bishop deposed and burned an other not to be an earnester preacher then the other was but more lordely and cruell persecutour But this is euer true that Christ oure sauioure saide should folowe the preachinge of hys woorde that who so will bee his disciple must forsake him selfe and all pleasurs of the fleshe and those whiche be of his own house shall be his enemies Although this is marueylous that in suche trouble there shoulde bee ioye comforte yet this is more marueylous that after all people were thus troubled for yâ— Gospell they shoulde come vnto it beleue it â–ª receyue it not regardinge any sorow whiche was ioyned therwith no not fearinge the losse of their liues so thei might enioye it Feare maketh a man too runne awaye and not to come But this is the nature of the Gospell that the more it is persecuted the more it florishes as Dauid saith the righteous man florishes like a palme tree The palme tree is suche that if a greate waighte be layde on it the broder it spreads and florishes And as camomylle with treadinge on it and walkinge waxes thicker So the good man the more he suffereth for hys Christe the more is his faithe encreased And as the husbande manne that will reape muche must sowe muche so the moe that dye for the woorde of God the moe encrease too folowe the same As we commonly saye of the asshes of heretikes ryse vp a newe sorte It can not be but when men see one so constantly stande in defence of hys opinion that he geues hym selfe to the death for it they will begin too consider what a thinge it was that he died for and that no man will rashly cast hym selfe awaye When they see the truthe of it and God opens their eyes to perceyue they are moued to offer them selues to thesame death and ieopardy also Cypriane writes that the bloud of martirs is the seede of the Churche whereof ryse and encrease mo as of the sede in the fielde springes newe corne Augustine lykewise saieth of theÌ„ that were persecuted for Christ and his woorde they were tyed in chaynes â—orments they were whypped slain burned they were imprisoned thei were kylled torne in peeces yet they encreased Thei wer so far froÌ„ fear the not onely thei denied hiÌ„ not but the more sorow they had the mo beleued on him And wheÌ„ saint Laurence se his bishop Xistus being than Pope to be drawen to death he said Quo is patâ—â— sine Diacono quod non soles That is to saye Father whither goest thou withoute thy Diacon whiche thou waste not wont to do Well saieth he thou shalt folowe me not longe after and so it came to passe in dede for he died for Christe to It is written of one notable womaÌ„ which when she hearde tell of the daye of execution and that many shoulde bee putte too death for Christes sake she toke her child in her armes vncalled for runnes thyther that she might professe her faith and be put to death with them As she was â—uÌ„ninge shee met the officer goinge too see them put to death he seing her make such haste asked her whether she went and she tolde hym whye saieth he knowest thou not that there shal be a greate number put to death and that I goe to see it done yes saieth shee I knowe it well therefore I go that I may dye with them Then said the officer why doest thou carye thy chyld with thee and shee sayde that it may be a martir to dye for Christ. The officer meruaylinge that the Christians did not fear death sent the Emperour woorde that he woulde not go to put them too death but he shoulde sende another if he would haue it done Likewise in the Actes whan the priestes for bad the Apostles too preache anye more in Christes name and whypped theÌ„ the more they preached and thoughte theÌ„ selues happy that they were thoughte woorthye to suffer suche thinges for his names sake And for all the cruelnes of the rulers Peter turned twoo thousande at one sermon three thousande at an other which came saying Brother what shall we do beinge pricked in conscience ranne not awaye but came as the chylde to the father when he is afraide When Paule Silas had ben whypped all daye and locked in the stockes at nighte in the deepe dungeon and were watched with souldiers The chaynes fel of them the keper perceiuinge the pryson doore open by it self and thinking the prisoners were escaped woulde haue kylled him selfe But after that he see they were all there and perceiued the greate woorke of God he fell doune desired them to go in to his house wasshed their stripes beleued in Christ and was baptised There is no people vnder heauen but they haue once receiued the Gospell that can not be sayd truely of any other kynde of learninge in the worlde Their sounde hath gone throughe the whole world saith the Psalme The Philosophers neuer agreed all in one kynde of learninge but had manye sectes amongest them nor the whole worlde neuer receiued thym nor any heresye was generally receyued but onely the scripture hath ben vniuersallye taughte and receyued whiche is a sure argument of the truthe of it Aske of me â—aieth God the father to his sonne Christe and I will geue the people for thy heritage and the vttermoste partes of the earth for thy possession Many suche generall promises there bee wherein the turninge of all people on the earth too the Gospell is conteined and since the coÌ„ming of Christe perfectly fulfilled The heresye of Transubstanciation Purgatorie Priestes not too mary ministringe the Lordes supper in one kynde the Popes supremicie the Greke church neuer receiued nor yet doe And although at the counsaile at Florence a fewe semed to agree to it yet were they shente for soo doinge whan they came home it would not be receiued Before the deathe of oure sauioure Christe God hath chosen to hym but onely the Iewes to be his people but after they had refused too receiue hym for their redemer he had his Apostles go into the whole worlde preache to all creatures Now was the time come that al were called of all sortes degrees countries states many were turned vnto God There is no people vnder heaueÌ„ that can excuse them selfe by ignoraunce but they haue ben sufficiently taughte For s. Paule saieth that the Heathen before Christ was borne were without excuse for wher they knew God and worshipped him not as God therfore god gaue them vp to their owne lustes By the creature his inuisible power and maiesty maye be knowen that he is a God And therfore the mooste vnlearned is withoute excuse for this is sufficient to teache them to knowe there is but one God and too worship him as a God
I geue peace saieth the Lorde of hostes ¶ There were twoo chiefe reasons whiche discouraged them from this buyldinge whiche were meete yea and necessarie to be pulled oute of their myndes And therefore the Prophete chiefely touches these twoo The first was the kings before time who had forbidden to buylde and their officers whiche were as diligēt to stoppe them The second was pouertie for that by the greate vsurye bribery and oppressiō of the rulers they were so nedy that they were not able to finish it For the first God sets him self against the king as though be shoulde say though the kings power be great yet I am greater though he forbid yet I bid though he be againste you yet am I with you saieth the Lorde of hostes What harm can they all do◠vnto you whā I am with you Who can hurt whan I wil defende For their pouerty they shoulde not feare for all gold siluer ryches and treasure is myne saith the Lorde and I geue as muche as litle when where howe longe and to whome I list All be my stuardes and too me shall make an account it is not their owne to spende as they will but as I appoint Although churles be nyggardes and will not part with it vnthrifts doo waste and misspende that which they haue and neither of them wil further thys my woorke yet feare not ye for I in whose handes are all heartes and all ryches will see moue their myndes and bringe the matter so too passe that my house shall not lie vnbuylded for lacke of money I aske no more of you but too doe as muche as in you lieth Put your good willes to and woorke let me alone with the rest although ye knowe not howe to come by money I haue wayes ynough and wil not see you want And although this promise be made to this particuler people in this present matter of buyldinge Gods house yet it serueth not for that onely case but it is a sufficiēt comforte for all them which take the lords woorke in hande what kynde thinges so euer it be so that it be too set foorthe hys glorie not our owne that in suche godly enterprises wee shall not lacke but haue ynough to finish it and do it withall And besides that if we beleued this to be a true saying that God did speake it and woulde perfourme it it woulde woorke muche goodnesse in vs. Fyrste it will woorke such a feare in vs towardes God that for no nede or vantage we would take or yet get one pēnye wrongfully either by flatterye periurye vsurye briberye lyinge stealinge disceit false waightes and measures or by anye other vnlawful meanes For who durste take one halfe penny if that he were perswaded that it were Gods hys Lorde and maker who hates and punisheth all falsenesse Who dare be a theefe and a traytoure to God that is in heauen who made and rules all in earthe But because he thinkes it to be suche a mans that God seeth him not and man shall not perceiue it withoute all shame he deceyueth man and robbeth his Lorde God and heauenlye father Therfore whan the deuill puttes in thy heare to get any thing wrongfully thin◠with thy selfe What shal I do shal I be a theefe to my lorde God who made me and saued me these goodes be not this mans onely but they be my lord Gods who hath made him hys stuarde ouer them vntoo whome he muste make account of them And althoughe I can deceiue man in gettinge of theym yet God seeth all thinges and nothinge is hyd from hym If true faith considered these things thus no mā woulde nor durst vse any deceyte in anye kynde of thinge Secondely if this sayinge were duely considered that all golde and siluer is the Lordes who durst mispende or waste one farthing of it vnthriftly vpon things not necessary God hath geuen man all hys creatures to serue for hys necessary vse But too be a dronkarde a hore hunter a gamner a swashebuckeler a ruffin too waste hys money in proude apparel or in haukinge hunting tennyes or in suche other vnprofitable pastimes but onely for necessarie refreshinge of the witte after greate study or trauayle in weghty affayres he hathe I saye not alowed thee one mite Reade the scriptures through and thou shalt not finde where gentelmen be alowed to waste their money vpon vayne pastimes or vnprofitable more than the poore simple man is In all good common wealthes there bee no lawes that geues more liberty to sinne to the ryche then too the poore God oure heauenly father like a ryche wise stuarde deales hys money abroade to vs his seruauntes some more some lesse as he thinkes good And saieth vnto vs al worke vntil I come encrease this porcion that is geuen you Poore and ryche hath this sayde vnto hym and euery one shall make an accounte vntoo hym it shal be sayd to euery one Make account of thy stuwardship Looke in the lawe of God and there shalt thou fynde howe too bestow thy money And if thou can not finde it agreinge with Gods woorde it is euill howe soeuer thou bestowe it For as a ryche man geueth hys man money sendes him too the market and biddes hym not bestowe his money as he liste but appointes hym howe too doe it thus muche vpon suche thinges and thus much vpon other So God hath geuen vs hys scripture as a rule to folowe in bestowinge his money or other giftes And although men or thinges be not there named where on to bestowe it yet the degrees and sortes of bothe as the poore and necessaries be oftē beaten into our heads Gentlemen yong ruffelers maye not saye as they commōly vse Is not my money myne owne Maye I not spende it as me luste who shall correct me what woulde ye haue me to doo Shall I buyld Castels and Towers with it I haue more than I can get spente the next rent daye is at hande Shall I be a loute and sit in a corner Nay it becōmeth a gentleman to make merye and raffle it Shall I not make good cheare that other may fare the better Let me make merye whan I am yong I will waxe sadde wise and thryue whan I am olde But thou which thinkest thus remēber the euyll stuarde which whan he was called to account and could not discharge his rekeninge gaue awaye his maisters goods that he mighte maintaine hys idlenes But he was put out of office as all they shall be caste from Gods face whiche likewise vnprofitably spende that porciō whiche God hath geuen them Thinkest thou that God will allowe this accounte if thou saye Thus muche is spent vppon hoores this at cardes this at dyce this on maskinge thys on mumminge thys at bearbytynge c. Naye nor yet on massinge gyldinge of sainctes payntinge of stockes and stoones settinge vp roodes byinge of Popishe pardons geuinge money too this
cloyster of Monkes and that house of Friers with suche like Who woulde spende one pennye soo euill if he thought that it should beare witnes againste him and condemne him at the laste daye It is for lacke of faith that such vnthrifts doe mispend Gods their maisters monei because they thinke it is their owne not the Lordes as the Prophete saieth here Thirdely if this were beleued as it ought too be it woulde make vs neyther to grudge against God that geues plentye many times to the euyll men and the honester sorte liues more barelye nor wee shoulde not disdaine to see one preferred before oure selues in more wealth or authoritie We shoulde also contente oure selues with that porcion which God hath geuen vs not murmuringe nor sorowing that we haue lesse then other This thing hath often greued Iob Dauid Ieremye Abacuk and other holy men that they did see euyll men in wealth and good meÌ„ in trouble and they coulde neuer satisfy theÌ„ selues in this what should be the cause oâ— it vntil thei entred into the saÌ„ctuary of the Lord there thei spied that the riches of the earth is the Lords to dispose at his holy wil pleasur And because it pleases God to bestow so much or so litle vpoÌ„ this maÌ„ or that maÌ„ it is iuste and I shoulde content my selfe therewith knowinge that whatsoeuer he doeth it is good because he doeth it and no man muste grudge or disdayne ther at The will of God is the rule of all iustice righteousnes as because God will haue it so therfore it is good iust and righteous Gods will is the firste and chiefe cause of all thinges so that when we see that God will haue it so we must not aske why he wil haue it so but be content therewith sit doune and quiet our selues praysinge his goodnes and marueylinge at his wysedome that rules all thinges so well and wisely And with that litle porcion that it hath pleased him to geue vs we shal content our selues when we consider that he owes nothinge to any man but the whiche he geues he geues it freelye and liberally so much as he knowes better then thou thy selfe what is meete for thee to haue Thou whiche haste litle thinke thus with thy selfe My good God father who hath ruled and doth rule all thinges at his owne will and pleasure whose wisedome I am not able to perceiue and whose vnspeakeable loue towardes me in geuinge his onely sonne to dye for me I canne not vnderstande He that loues me better theÌ„ I loue my selfe he I saye knoweth that if I had more riches and wealth I should be to wanton and so displease hym and if I had to litell I shoulde deale vntruely and blaspheme hym Therfore praysed be his wisedome whiche doeth not ouerlode me with more than he will geue me grace too discharge nor lets me want necessaries that I fall not to any falshode or vntruth Howe can I loue hym ynough that geues me all necessaries and doeth not charge me with superfluities The euill men whiche haue suche plentie of all thinges he woulde wynne them with gentlenes and by gentlenes drawe them vnto hym but in thee that haste lesse he wil let al the worlde knowe that thou louest him not for any greate wealthe whiche he geueth thee as euill flatterers manye time doe but euen as duty and that thou wilt bear the crosse of pouertie willingli rather theÌ„ forsake hym What a misbeliefe is it to thinke that God doeth not geue and dispose his goods so wel and wisely but that many can deuise it better And if we hadde once this faithe rooted in oure heartes that he doth all for the best it woulde make vs saye howsoeuer we oure selues or other haue muche or litle It is the Lorde that doeth it let hym do the semeth good in his sighte And if we loose it by fyre or robberie wee shall bee content to saye with Iob the Lord gaue it and the Lorde tooke it awaie and as it pleases the Lorde so it is done the name of the Lorde be praysed What a pryde is this in man to thinke that he coulde deale his goods better then God hath done Or that it were better for suche men and such to haue more or lesse then they haue as though we were wiser then God and if thinges lay in our haÌ„ds we coulde doe them better then he can or doth Our sauioure Christe cals it lacke of fayth when we mistruste the power of him that he can not or the goodnes of God that he will not prouide necessaries for vs chiefely if we seke the kyngdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and sayethâ— Marke the byrdes of the ayre howe they neither sowe nor mowe nor gather intoo the barne and yet your heauenlye father feedes them how muche more will he doe you ye of litle faythe There is nothing can greue that faithfull heart so whiche constantly beleues the golde and siluer is the Lordes but it wold vndoutingly loke and hope for al necessaries by Gods prouision to be geuen hym and if ordinarie meanes didde fayle that the Rauens shoulde feede him as thei did Elias the stoones shoulde flowe out water as in the wildernes or water shoulde be turned into wine as in Cana of Galile or that â—itle which they haue should so encrease that it shoulde be sufficiente vntyll plentye came as the handfull of meale of the poore wydowes or els one sclender dynner shoulde strengthen them so vntyll they came where they mighte haue more sufficiently as Elias walked in the streÌ„gth of one therfe cake .xl. dayes eatinge nothinge els For it is as easye for God to prouide for hys people by some one of these wayes or other like as by any other ordinarie meanes as in the beseeginge of Samaria where they eate their owne children and dunge and the next daye suche plenty a bushel for a grote But this is euer moste sure that those whiche bee of God can not lacke For as sainct Paule reasons he that hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen hym for vs al how can it be but with him he hathe geuen vs all thinges and for hys sake he will denie vs nothing mete for vs Howe can he denye vs a pece of bread meate or a cooâ—e that hath geueÌ„ his only sonne Christ Iesus to dye for vs Can a worldly earthly father if he se his child waÌ„t wepe aske him meat deny him wil he not rather spare it froÌ„ his owne belly then see him weepe or want And shall we thinke that God hathe lesse pitie and loue towarde vs then one of vs hath towardes another Whiche thinges all considered they and all wee whiche haue Gods house to buylde should not discourage our selues for pouertie or lacke of habilitie For the Lorde of hostes saieth all golde and siluer is his â–ª and he wil geue
Alexander finding kynge Darius thus deadly wounded of hys seruaunt for iustice sake to punishe suche traytours bended doune the toppes of twoo yonge trees and tied the legges of Bessus to them and let thē swynge vp sodenly agayn and so rent him in peces Likewise Dauid when one came vnto hym telling him how he had slayne Saule his enemy thinkinge thereby too picke a thanke and get a rewarde of Dauid he was by the commaundemente of Dauid slayne and so shoulde all traitours which be false to their maisters be serued Thus the kynge beinge slaine the kingdome was broughte frome the Persians too the Gretians as the Prophete telleth here Where God saieth by his Prophete that he will destroy the kyngdome throw doune the horses and horsemen c. we be taught that God maketh kynges pulleth doune and chaunges kyngdomes frome one people too another for the sinnes of the people as Sirach sayeth and maketh to rule whome pleaseth hym The lande spued out the rulers and people in it for their sinnes and God gaue it to the Iewes Therefore let not princes trust in their greate strength and power for it is the Lorde God that geueth victory as he thinketh good whether thei be good rulers or euyl they be sette vp of God as Salomon saieth in the name of God by me kynges doe raygne and oure sauioure Christ sayd to Pilate thou shouldest haue no power ouer me excepte it were geuen thee from aboue If thei be good rulers it is Gods good blessinge and free mercye if they be euyl it is of iustice to punish oure sinnes as Iob saieth God makes hypocrites to rule for the sinnes of the people What cause haue we then in Englande to complayne that God deales so sharpely with vs that where we haue ben lōge hypocrites afore hym he punished vs of late a whyle with hypocrites too bee in auctoritie ouer vs whan the Saxons inuaded this realme droue out the Englishemen and ruled as kyngs the state of the cōmonwealth was much lyke to these our days and the lyke sinnes reygned in all sortes of men bothe hygh and lowe nobilitie people rulers and subiectes prelates and clergie the moste parte were greate hypocrites and superstitious cruel couetous proude gluttons whorehunters ambitious Therefore let vs amende or we shal be geuē vp to the Spanyardes Scottes Flemmynges or Frenchmen as we were then to the Saxons God gaue hys people into the handes of the Babiloniās and other people rounde aboute theym whiche were then the commen scourges of the worlde and so wil he do with vs as he hath done to our fathers afore vs if we doe not amende for he hateth sinne in all ages and will punishe it But as God comfortes his people here nowe buyldinge his house and sayeth he will throwe doune that kyngdome which than troubled them so he will be as good vnto vs if we worshippe hym truely and he will destroye them that trouble vs. Hys loue too his people is greatest as he saith he that touches you touches the apple of my eye So tender is our God ouer vs as we be ouer our eyes whiche be the tenderest partes of vs and he wil mooste assuredlye reuenge all displeasure done vnto vs for he can no more see his people take wronge and be oppressed now then afore times He is no chaungelinge nor his loue waxes not colde nor olde wee be hys chyldren and the members of his misticall bodye as they were now to whome he promiseth this helpe he is oure Lorde God and father louinge his chyldren and members in al ages and pouring his blessinges on them for Christes sake in whom he hath chosen them therfore he wil shew the like mercies vnto vs and of iustice reuenge all displeasures done too vs for hys sake The last verse maketh aunswere too an other obiectiō which the Iewes might haue made againste the Prophete saying If this kyngedome shal be throwen doun and so great warre shal be as though heauen earth should go together then shall we be destroyed we are but few in nūber there is but few of vs come home again what shal we do then how shal we escape being compassed about with so strong and many enemies we shal be deuoured To this God maketh aunswer biddeth them not be afrayde for in the day whē this great trouble shal come I wil take the Zerubabel my seruaunt whom I loue saieth the Lord I wil kepe thee as my priuie signet thou shal not perish saieth the mightie Lord of hostes because I haue chosē thee So good a God comfortable lorde is our God to all his people in all ages that he will leaue no doubte vntaken awaye that can discomfort his chyldren But he will satisfie all whiche can be sayde and pul al feare from vs. Therfore Zurubabel is here promised too bee deliuered out of all daūgers of that great warre trāslating of the kingdō from the Persians to the Gretians so that he shoulde catche no harme But here ryseth a harde question how this should be true that God woulde deliuer Zurubabell in that daye of soo greate trouble seinge that he liued not so longe but dyed within .14 yeares after his Prophecie Zurubabel was the firste prince of Iuda whiche ruled the people after theyr returning home frome Babylon he came home with the people was their capitayn and had now ruled a .40 yeares he ruled in all but .52 yeares as the history sayeth and this destruction of the kingdom of the Persians was not fulfilled of 145. years afterwardes or nere hande so much How could he then be deliuered in that dai and died so long afore vnto this mai be aūswered that which was said afore that promises made to kinges that fathers are dot too be applied to thē selues onely but they be made also too their chyldren subiectes shal be fulfilled in long years afterwards ▪ rather thē at the prosent so wil God exercise our faith in patiētly lokīg for his cōming whē his holy wisedom shall thinke good and not when oure foolishe rashnes shall wishe and desire hym to come Promises made vnto Abrahā Isaac Dauid and Iacob c. were not fulfilled in their dayes but to their chyldren long afterwardes so God makes promise here too these princes and rulers that all the subiectes maye knowe that they be conteined also in thesame truce and leage of God that the promise concernes them also and they shal be deliuered in that daye frome all the daūger of warre and enemies that shall come vpon them And it is as muche as though the Prophete shoulde say thou Zerubabell and thy kyngedome all thy people and subiectes be not afrayde for in those troublesome daies I wil saue you and kepe you as diligently as my rynge priuate seale And that they might the more earnestly beleue it he called hym seruaunt whereby he mighte well
assure him selfe that yf earthely lordes and maysters wil defende their seruauntes much more he that was kynge of heauen and earthe and Lord of Lordes mooste tender and louinge of hys subiectes woulde not see hys seruauntes oppressed violentlye troden vnder foote nor throwen doune but he would be their mighty deliuerer reuenge their wroÌ„gs What can he greater comfort to any people than to heare God vouchesafe too call him selfe their Lorde God and maister them hys seruauntes If this be thought soo greate a promotion that an earthelye lorde will take vs too his seruice speake cherefully to vs set vs in some office or let vs weare his lyuery it is muche more too be estemed to be seruauÌ„t to Iesus Christ to beare his crosse for that is his lyuery to fighte vnder his baÌ„ner and haue hym for our capitayne Men do commonly sue too be seruauntes vntoo noble men weare their lyueryes that whosoeuer seeth their coate maye feare them and vnder theyr maisters name they mai rule in their couÌ„trye like lords of the lande do wrong whaÌ„ they lust and euery man shall cal it right and thoughe they were slaues afore yet now they shal be euery gentilmans felow â–ª but they whiche weare Christes lyuerey be obedient and louing to all do no wroÌ„g but suffer praye for them which persecute them and do good for euill This lyuerye we muste weare if we will bee the lordes seruauntes and partakers of his promise and deliueraunce in the daye of trouble This similitude which the Prophete vseth of a ringe that God woulde keepe him as safely as his ring is takeÌ„ of kings and Princes which emoÌ„g all things kepe their seale signet and ringe moste surely either them selues or betake it too some moste trusty frende to kepe If the seale should be counterfeated stolen or blaÌ„ckes sealed with it what hurt or treasoÌ„ might be done thereby their landes offices or treasure mighte be geuen away the subiectes sturred to rebellion or the destruction of the hole common wealth might folow thereon Therfore that thei mighte moste certainly perswade them selues that in that troublesoÌ„ time of warre destruction of the kingdome of the Persians thei shoulde be moste safely kepte he saieth he wil kepe theym as hys ringe and seale that is too saye mooste safely And as when a frende sende his ringe or seale for a token to his frende it signifieth that he loueth hym moste derelye too whome he sendeth suche a pledge of loue frendship and also teacheth him that where he seeth his frendes ringe he shoulde not denye him his request nor doubte of the message that it shoulde be counterfeated so whan he names his ringe here they shoulde not doubt of his loue towardes them nor mistrust hys promise For as with vs whan Doctors be created thei haue a ring geuen them as a ceremony of honour and aucthoritie and in marriage the husbaÌ„d geueth hys wyfe a ringe for a sure pledge of loue so God our sauioure vnder this similitude of a ringe commendes his honour that he hath called vs vnto to be hys seruauntes and chyldren the loue he beares vntoo vs in that he hath marryed vs vnto hym in hys sonne Christe by the weddinge ring of sayth And the wedding apparell appeareth when Osee sayeth I will marye the to me in faith iustice iudgement mercie and many mercies Under this name of a seale he commeÌ„deth vnto vs also bothe his outward visible sacraments and the inwarde grace of the holy Ghoste working in our consciences by them Saincte Paule .iiii. to the Romaines called Circumcision a SacrameÌ„t of the olde lawe the seale of the righteousnes of faythe and as that was a seale in that time to our fathers of righteousnes so be our sacrameÌ„ts too vs in these dayes seales of Gods promises vnto vs al haue one strength vertue The scriptur of God is the indentur betwixt God vs wherin is conteined both the promises grace and mercy the God offereth to the world in hys sonne Christ also the conditioÌ„s which he requires to be fulfilled in our behalf the sacraments are the seales set to his indeÌ„ture to strengthen our faith that we do not doubt For as it is not ynough to write the conditions of a bargain in an indenture except it be sealed soo God for oure weakenes thought it not sufficient too make vs promise of his blessinges in writinge in hys scripture but he woulde seale it with hys owne bloude and institute his sacrameÌ„ts as seales of thesame truth to remaine too be receiued of vs in remembraunce of him and strengthning our faith Baptisme is a sacrament sealed by God and sealinge our consciences that God taketh vs for his chyldren and seruauntes and we offer and binde our selues to serue hym onely as a lorde and father The supper is also a sacrament wherein he fedes vs spiritually thus takeÌ„ into his seruice with his owne precious body and bloude and we rekening with oure selues where in wee haue offended hym aske mercye nothinge doubtinge to obtayne it and renewe oure bonde to hym whiche we haue so often broken and promise too doe soâ—â— more So that when God geueth these hys sacramentes to vs by his ministers wee receyue thesame the bargayn is ful made betwixt God and vs the writinge sealed deliuered we are become his people and he oure God we to serue loue honour and worshippe hym and he too helpe deliuer defende and prouide for vs al necessaries This inwarde sealinge of the conscience whiche is the seconde sorte of sealinge is where God poureth his loue so plentifully into our heartes by the holy Ghoste which is geuen vs that he beareth witnes too oure spirite that we be the childreÌ„ of God and sturreth vp oure myndes to call hym father father we haue a taste and felinge that God hath chosen and sealed vs for hys people with the holy Ghoste promised as saincte Paule sayeth This is a sure tokeÌ„ to a faythfull hearte that he is the chylde of God and God his father and of this he takes so greate comforte that in what trouble soeuer he fall he knoweth that God doeth it not of hate but of loue trieth hys faith that other may knowe thesame how earnestly he loueth his God and that nothinge can be so stronge to pull hym oute of his Goddes handes not for his owne strengthe but that God whiche holdeth hym is stronger then all Of suche as were thus sealed saincte Ihon in his Reuelation speaketh whan he sayeth That of euery tribeâ— there were .12 thousande sealed and saincte Paule teacheth Timothee that this grounde worke stand stroÌ„g hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who be hys For as noble men princes beare a loue to their seruauntes and for a witnesse of thesame will geue their outward Coignessance Badge and liuery wherby they maye be knowen from others sturreth vp their myndes to loue
all the Enemies of God his woorde people Religion to leaue their wickednes and to comforte the good manfully too beare their madnes and patiently to loke for Gods goodnes LIke as in Aggeus my endeuor and purpose was that those that feare the Lorde shoulde be sturred vp to an earnest buyldinge of Gods house louinge of his woorde and maintaininge of true religion so in this shorte Prophete my trauall and meaninge is that the wicked vnderstanding how vainly they stryue with all their witte power policie against the poore simple innocent crucified Christ Iesus the almighti sonne of the liuing God the wisedome and power of God his father might cease their raginge madnes and not onelye that but also howe they shal be ouerthrowen in their owne deuises that they imagine against true Christians the misticall members of his body and churche or againste hys woord and religion as all their fathers haue bene frome the beginninge whose steppes they folow in hating and persecuting gods people Their stomackes be stout theyr pollices great their might is stronge their wittes are wile yea all the worlde is on their side yet in the ende they shall serue dastards ignorant helples witles and misers for as the wise man sais ther is no wisedom politie nor counsell againste the Lorde The more wisdom subtiltie strengthe or power that a man hais the more he hais it to hys owne destruction if he haue it not and vse it too the glory of God and comfort of hys people For as wylde beastes the more fearce and cruel that they be the more it harmes them and causes men to hunt and seke wais how too destroy them so the more that the wicked set vp theÌ„ selfes against the Lorde and oppresse hys people the readyer iâ— God to help and deliuer his and ouerthrowe the other Can they finde any rebels againste God hys woorde and people from the beginninge too thys day that hais preuailed agaynst the Lorde and hys chosen folke If there be none as it is mooste true none to be how can they loke to be the firste Why maye not true Christians boldely saye with Dauid than Why do the Heathen freate and fume and the people imagine vain thinges againste the Lorde and his anointed saying â–ª let vs brust in sunder their bondes and cast their yoke awaye froÌ„ vs. But it folowes he that dwels in the heauens will mocke them and the Lord will laughe them too scorne In the twoo first sinnes of Adam and soo orderly in al ages to these dayes it appeares how the wicked continually malice persecute the good but to the burt of theym selues and the prayse of the godly Cain killed his brother Abel thought he should haue ben blameles but Abels innocent bloude and suche like cried vengeance on Cain hys folowers from that daye to this and the righteous God reuenges it dayly and at length wil coÌ„demne the obstinate vtterly C ham mocked hys father Noe and hys seede the Canaanites persecuted Gods people the Iewes that came of Sem his brother therefore his posteritie was accursed of God to the worlds ende The proude Giants with their captain Nimrod buylding the tower of Babell to get them selues a name in earth were ouerthrowen in their owne deuise by God from heaueÌ„ Carnal Ismael sought to destroy the promysed Isaac but in vain Bloudy EdoÌ„ or Esau whom thys Prophete describes sought the deathe of his brother Iacob but the God of Abraham their father saued them Ioseph was solde into Egipt by hys brether and by the false accusinge of his maysties was wrongefully prysoned yet hee that sittes on hygh looked doune to the lowe dungeon of the pryson and raised Ioseph to be ruler and sauer of the lande The Egiptians oppressed Gods people for a tyme but the Lord of hostes drouned Fharao and hys companye for their crueltye againste them the frowarde people murmuringe often againste their captain Moyses some were swalowed vp with earth quick some burned with fire The Philistians and seuen nations rounde aboute Gods flocke kepte continual warre against them yet they coulde neuer deuoure them but were deuoured at the length Saul and hys flatterers banisshed and pursued poore Dauid whome his God of a shepeherde made a kynge mauger all his foes The ten tribes of Israel with their kyngs were enemies to Iuda Beniamin euermore yet though they were the stroÌ„ger mo in number thei were soner rooted oute The Chaldes Assirians PersiaÌ„s Grecians and Romaines the mightiest princes on the earth oft subdued the Iewes forsakinge theyr God but the Lorde their olde sauiour euer restored them agayne when they fought him vnto thei vtterly refused Christ their sauiour The Iewes crucified Christ Iesus oure Lorde thrust hym to the heart with a speare buried hym and layed a heauy stoone on hym thinkinge he should neuer ryse agayne a conqueror but in vain was all theyr spite and their labor lost Themperour many yeares cruellye tormented all that beleued in the Lord fondly thinkinge to haue by that meaneâ— ouerthrowen them The Pope in processe of time conquered almoste al princes except the Gretians vnto of late the Lord opening the eyes of some brake hys snares and deliuered hys folke MoÌ„kes and Ereres by mans traditions woulde haue ouerwhelmed true religion Papistes of late haue banisshed burned and persecuted many godly men so cruelly as no history speakes of the like thys thousande yeare willing to haue feared all frome euer acknowledging their Lord Christe Many Heretikes haue laboured to haue defaced Goddes truthe but al is in vain God his name bee praysed therefore hais ouerthrowen them in their highest ruffe laughed them to scorne and raised vppe that whiche they would most gladly haue vtterly oppressed â–ª For as death and the graue could not preuaile against Christ our head no more shall it against his bodye and members As Nimrod therefore Pharao Ieroboam Nebucadnezar Darius Alexander with all their kyngdoms and partakers be now vainquished and subdued by the Turke the Sophi and the Souldan priester Iohn other Heathen princes their couÌ„tries made wast strauÌ„gers possesse them their religion altered froÌ„ euill to wors their cytyes townes and temples as the Prophetes did tell afore are made dennes of wilde beastes owles other filthy byrds so sence christ that which Emperors maÌ„fullly coÌ„quered the pope by subtiltie deuoured made him selfe a prince of princes but now by the power of Gods woorde preached he is made a laughing stocke to al thosâ— whose eyes the Lord hais opened to see his abominations and all realmes that afore feared hym â–ª now God visiting hys people fal from hym For as the woodbinde leaning to a tree climbes vp spreades it selfe ouer all the branches vnto it haue ouergrowen and kylled the hole tree as a stroÌ„g â—eady streame vndermining great hygh bankes at length makes all to tumble intoo the water and wasshes it awaye so
theÌ„ if thei will abide his leasure But as destruction is here prophesied to Edom for their crueltye so shall all haters of Gods people perishe at the length Where as difference is in religion their can be no true hearte nor stedfast loue for seinge God is loue it selfe that loue whiche is not in God but reased of carnall and worldely reasons whaÌ„ the world turnes must nedes chaung shew it selfe what a loue it was and where it was grounded but that which is buildâ— on God will continue because hâ—e chauÌ„ge not all theyr chauÌ„ge with tyme. These Edomites ioyned them selues with Nabuchodonozor whan he came to destroye Ierusalem as Pylate and Herode which afore were enemies agreed too crucifye Christ oure Lord and as our papistes did now with the Spaniardes to destroy the Gospell and hys professors verse 2 Beholde I will make thee a littel one among the HeatheÌ„ thou shal be very much despised verse 3 The pride of thy heart hays deceyued thee because thou dwelles in the open places of the rocke and in the heightâ— is thy dwelling and says in thy hearte who shall drawe me to the earth verse 4 If thou wil climbe vppe as high as an Egle and if thou will make thy nest amonge the clowdes from thence I will make thee come doune says the Lorde ¶ Where as the scripture vses to put this woorde behold it betokens some notable thinge to folow as whan the Prophete sayde Beholde a mayde shall conceiue and beare a sonne he signified that it shoulde be a notable byrthe and conceyuinge of a chyld and coÌ„trary to the course of nature and that the chyld whiche was borne shoulde be wonderfull So sayes Dauid Beholde I was conceyued in sin betokeninge the greate corruption infirmitie and defiling of oure nature in oure conception Beholde as the eyes of the seruaunts are at their maisters hand says Dauid signifiyng that he would be more diligente in watchinge what the Lorde God woulde doe and what were his holy will for him to do â–ª than the lowest and diligentest seruaunts woulde be to watche what their maisters woulde will commaunde them to doe In thesame sense says the Prophete here Beholde marke it well what I will saye vnto thee for it is no small mater and truely it shal come to passe Likewise in threatninges in our owne tunge we vse to saye marke what I saye too you take hede to your selfe for I â—este not Remember my woordes well for I will be euen with you and I will do it in dede and such like sayinges Behold marke well says the Lord what I saye I will make thee a litle one among the Heathen thou that thinkes so highly on thy selfe and thinkes thy selfe to be so strong so mighty and greater than thy felowes I will make thee a litell one amonge the people where thou dwellest and lesse thaÌ„ any people about thee Thou flatterst thy selfe of thy strength might power multitude stronge holdes and too be greater than thy neighbours people or countries about thee and thinkes none is able too conquer thee or pull thee doune or worthy too be compared vnto thee but I will pull thee doune says the Lorde I will cut thy combe I will abate thy streÌ„gth pluck doune thy courage and highe stomacke I will throw doune thy castels and stronge holde and whatsoeuer thou reioicest in I will take it froÌ„ thee and make thee more vyle and slaue lesse and weaker than any people round about thee Thou shalt wel know that there is a God which can and will be auenged on all high myndes and will let al suche lusty stomackes see what it is to be proud in their owne eyes and rebelles against him and his people God castes in their tethe that where he hadde geuen theÌ„ a narow place to dwel in amoÌ„g the hyls they were proud of it as though it were the plenteoust place in the counâ—rye Thei were proude of a thinge of nought in comparison of other places as Malachie sayes the Edomites I haue placed in the mount Seir. He speakes not all these woordes in number order but so many in effect and purpose to thesame meaninge he writes them in the preteriâ— temps as though the thing were done past For so al the Prophets vse to speake by the preterit temps such things as shal not be done of many yeares after and yet shal as certainly come to passe as though thei were now done and past In this sort sayde Dauid Thei haue wounded my handes and feete as thoughe the thinge were done and past which was not fulfilled vnto Christ our Lord had suffered Also of the murther of the chyldren by Herode spake Ieremye as though it had ben done and past A noyse was heard in Rama wepinge and much lamentinge with infinite such other like which were not fulfilled of many yeares after And because the hole countrye and people pleased theym selues so highly and stoode so muche in their owne conceite God threatens them fâ—rther that they shal be much despised The righteous iudgement of God is-commoÌ„ly to punish vs by thesame partes wherin we offend him The riche gluton that sinned so greuously in his feasting baÌ„ketting now desires a drop of cold water can not haue it Adonibezec whiche had cruelly vsed his victories had chopped of the haÌ„ds fete of .60 kings whom he conquered made theÌ„ gather vp the cruÌ„mes vnder his table with the dogs was vsed after the same sort him self whaÌ„ he was ouercomen by the Israelites Thus teaches the wise man By what thing a maÌ„ sinnes he shal be punished by thesame This people had much many years despised the Israelites without cause thei had highly auauÌ„ced theÌ„ selfs in their owne conceate therfore iustice requires that thei should be despised again should vnderstand how vile a thing pride is in the sight of god how horribly it procures his gret anger to fal vpoÌ„ vs whaÌ„ we one despise another And although Nabuchodonozor was the woorker of this destructioÌ„ minister executiÌ„g gods iustice vpon this wicked people of Edom yet the Lord sayes him self that he will do it and it shall be counted hys dede So Iob sais that the Lord had gyuen and takeÌ„ awaye his goods although the Caldes and Sabes robbed him as wee noted afore Thus muste we in all thinges that be done whether thei be good or euil except sinne whiche God hates and causes not not onely looke at the second causes whiche be but Gods meanes and instruments wherby he workes but haue a further eye and loke vp to God If thei be good thinges that he bestowes vppon vs thynke not nor meruayll not so muche at the manne or the meanes whereby it is wrought but lowly praise the Lord God which hays vouchesaued to vse such away to thy comfort and if it be euil aduersitie that is fallen vpon
generally to speake of al the creatures of God whaÌ„ they be loued or trusted in for them selues and not for his cause that made them thei deceiue vs. Consider not therfore the beauti strength wealth commodite pleasur of any creature in it self for thaÌ„ it wil surely deceiue thee but lift vp thy minde to hym that made them for thy vse commodite praise him for his great care that he takes for thee in making of them geuing thee the vse of them so shalt thou not be deceiued by them but receiue profit thy self geuiÌ„g him his due honor whaÌ„ thou knowledges thy God to worke thy saluation pleasure or commodite by such his creatures The Lord hais geuen herbes diuers streÌ„gth to heale diuerse diseases but if in sicknes we trust in the phisicioÌ„ or his medicines wee be deceiued in his good creatures For as Dauid sais It is the Lord that heales our diseases is at our bed side whaÌ„ we be sicke So these people hauing receiued a strong plenteous couÌ„trie at the merciful haÌ„des of God forgat him that gaue it theÌ„ trusted in their owne streÌ„gth wisdom politie so be the fare outwarde show of these thinges pride crept in deceiued theÌ„ made theÌ„ to trust in them selues And wel it mai be saide too haue deceiued theym because it crept in vnder suche a faire preteÌ„se also because wheÌ„ thei loked to haue ben saued by them they were soonest deceiued theyr holdes wherein they trusted were throwen doune their countrie conquired and the people spoiled destroied Thus does all worldly thinges with a goodly outwarde shew deceiue a maÌ„ whan he trustes most in them A horse is a deceitful thing sayes Dauid again some truste in their chariots some in the horses but we trust in the name of our lord God When the people woulde haue gone into Egipt for succour The Prophete saide Egipt is but a rede Golias trusted in his â—arnes streÌ„gth but Dauid in Gods name ouerthrow him Trust not therfore in any worldly thing for it will sure deceiue thee when thou lokes for help of it No truste not in princes be thei neuer so mighty for Nabuchodonozor walking in his gorgious palâ—yce coÌ„sidering his mighty strong citie of Babylon coÌ„teining .16 miles square as Plinie teaches his many kingdoms people that were his subiects thought he shuld neuer haue fallen thaÌ„ sodenly was he cast out of his kingdom liued eate gresse with beastes what could be deuised stroÌ„ger thaÌ„ the towre of Babel but howe sodenly vainquished that vain hope awaye That which is added thou saies in thy heart who shal draw me doun to the earthe teaches vs thus muche that it is not onely these grosse outwarde sinnes as murther thefte horedom and suche like but euen the fine thoughtes of our owne hearts whiche we thinke that none knowes but our selfs whiche God will iudge and be auenged of them Thei did not so much blasphemously crake opeÌ„ly saying who shal draw vs doune as they thought it in their hearts and priuely laughed in their selfes at Gods people being so few hated oppressed and despised of all round about them and thoughte them selfes so stronge that none durst be bolde to touch them Likewise speakes Dauid the wicked manne saide in his hearte there is no God meaninge not soo muche that there was no God or that they didde so openly speake of him as that they thoughte God had no care ouer theÌ„ or knew not thinges done on earth as he says in an other psal is their knowledge in the heighte or who sees vs euen in these grosse sinnes Our sauiour Christe sayes He that lokes at a woman too luste for her hays committed adultery therfore let vs not deceiue oure selfes sayinge thought is free or I maye thinke what I lust or as the Psal. sayes oure lips are oure owne and who is oure God for as God hais creat and made oure hearts and all oure powers of our soules so will he haue a counte of them be seruid with them and haue them to thinke vpoÌ„ his maiestie mercy and goodnes and bee praysed that waies as well as in our outward dedes and if we do vse theÌ„ for other purposes it deserues damnation In the laste verse the Lord makes aunswer w hat shal becom on EdoÌ„ for al their greaie crakes proud lokes stroÌ„g holdes or any thinge that they reioyced in And he saies I wil not only drawe thee doun to the bare earth frome the toppes of the hylles where thou delites thy selfe in thy stronge holdes but if it were possible that thou coulde flie as high as the Egle and buyld thy nest amonge the Starres from thence I woulde drawe thee doune says the Lorde Herein we maye see howe horrible a thinge it is to forsake God henge on oure selfe or trust in any worldly streÌ„gth Let not the wise reioice in his wisedome nor the stronge in his strengthe nor the ryche in his ryches sayes Iere. And these thinges all to be true shall wel appeare in this Prophet proued by particulers for the people had all worldly wealth wherin to reioice but they were deceyued in them al and destroied as here after shall appeare But this is euer the wisedom of the flesh to reioice in thinges contrary to God and therfore is it worthely condemned by hys exaÌ„ple The worldly man says whan hys enemies come against him it is good abiding wtin strong walles se whether thei can flie ouer theÌ„ like birds or vnder mine theÌ„ like conâ—es but the godly man sais with Eliseus being beseged of the king within the citie his boie came told him feare not for there is moe with vs than with theÌ„ Afterward he desired the Lord to opeÌ„ hys boies eies that he mighte see howe many were on their side the Lord gaue him sight he saw the hils ful of AuÌ„gels chariots ready to fight for him beside that the Lord blinded his enemies Eliseus led theÌ„ in to the middest of Samaria amonge theyr enemies where God bade him fede theÌ„ not harme theym for it was not he that had brought them thither but the Lorde hys God The worldly man whaÌ„ persecution comes thinkes shall I leaue my countrie frendes goods go into a strauÌ„ge land I know not whyther and whose laÌ„guage I vnderstand not but the faithful maÌ„ hering God speake to his conscience as he did too AbrahaÌ„ Come out of thy couÌ„trie froÌ„ thy freÌ„ds into a laÌ„d that I wil shew thee serue me fal not to Idolatri he wil obei with faithful AbrahaÌ„ knowing that God wil gide all those that loue folow him that his countrie is whersoeuer God is serued these be his frends cosins that feares the Lorde as our sauior Christ said these be my mother brether sisters that hear the woord of
man will see his house pulled doune ouer his head but he will restore it A good burgmaister and ruler of a citie will prouide necessaries for his that he hais rule ouer therfore seinge our God hays taken all these names and offices on him doubt not but he will doe his part for vs if wee doe not runne from him He settes not deputies to doe his office nor is not wery of well doinge He beares not the name of these offices and refuses the labor as men doe but he sais by Salomon My delite is to be with the chyldren of men and by Dauid he neither slumbers nor slepes that watches Israel verse 17 But in the hyll Syon shal be eschaping and there shall be holines and the house of Iacob shall possesse the enheritaunce of them which possessed hys verse 18 And the house of Iacob shall be fire the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau for stuble shal burne them and shall deuoure thē and there shal be no remnant of the house of Esau for the Lorde hays spoken it verse 19 They shall possesse the south parte of the hyll Esau the playne countrie of the Philistines and they shall possesse the countre of Ephraim and the coūtrie of Samaria Bēiamin shall possesse Galaad verse 20 And the captiuite of this hoste of the chyldrē of Israel those whiche be the Cananites vnto Zarphat and the captiuitie of Ierusalem whiche be in Sepharad shall possesse the cytyes of the South verse 21 And there shall come sauiours in to the hyll Syon to iudge the hyl Esau and the kyngdome shall be the Lords ¶ Marke here the diuerse ende of the good and bad the persecuted and the persecutor the true Christian and the hypocrite the gospeller and the papiste The wicked florishes for a time but his ende is euerlastinge damnation the manne of God lokinge for an other kyngdome than on the earth is content to beare the crosse here vnder hope of that which is to come The stocke of Esau hays hitherto triumphed againste Iacob Goddes people but now whan his wickednes is ripe the Lord rewarde him accordinge to his desertes The hyll Esau afore reioiced in his strōg holdes wealthy countrie and the leages made with al neighbors round about thē but now in the hill Sion shall be safe esscapinge whan Edom shal haue no place to flee vnto In Sion that is Ierusalem and Goddes elect beloued people shall be holines the true worshipping of God the hole sanctuarie and temple where Gods holy name shall be called vpon where as Esau in the meane time is defiled with Idolatrie and geuen vp to the handes of the gentils Yea and furthermore Iacob shal possesse the lande of them that possessed his And although God haue promised to godlines not onely in the worlde to come but in this life also great blessings as appeares by Iob Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid Iosias Ezechias Iosaphat whiche were of greate ryches yet this place doe I not thinke to be so vnderstand that Iacob should euer possesse the landes of Esau although the scriptur says that Dauid Iacob ouercame the Edomites But I think rather vnder this outward kingdom to be prophetied that the kyngdom of Christ as the Prophetes vse by worldlye prosperite to declare the spiritual felicite by the preachinge of the Gospell shoulde be enlarged in those coūtries which were now enemies to God and his people and so the spirituall seede of Iacob the Christians shoulde by preachinge conferre and possesse Esau his lande and the gentyls whiche so sore hated and persecuted them afore This is the nature of Goddes people to be good to the◠which hate them and to winne them all to God which haue done them moste displeasures and this is the nature of God to cal thē which be hys vtter enemies soften their stony hearts to make theym meete houses for the holy ghoste to dwel in in the middest of their raging persecution to smite them doune as he did Saul raise them vp make thē Paules of wolues sheepe of haters louers of the truthe Thus shall Esau be destroied whan his Idolatrie superstitiō false goddes such wickednes shall be taken awaye and Iacob shall possesse him whan he shal turne him too the true worshipping of the liuing god forsaking their Idols superstitions and folow true religion What can be counted a greater conquest than to conquere the deuil make all people subiect to Christ. After rebukinge their sinne threatening them iuste punishment for thesame now folowes cōfort as euer after the lawe preached folowes the gospel after correction comes grace pardō Siō is the church congregation of Christe faithfull men beleuing in him so that whosoeuer flees thither shal be safe whosoeuer is not vnder his winges in the nūber of christen people shal perishe in the dai of his wrath As all liuing creatures which were not in the Arke with Noe did perishe with the waters so al that be not of goddes houshold shal be cast into outward darknes This other promise that God makes here vntoo the faithfull seede of Iacob that hays hys faith is most notable confortable In the hyl Sion the church of Christ there shal be the holy one as 70. reade or holines as other or the sanctuarye as summe holy place to worship God in purely It skilles not muche whiche we reade for the sens◠is al one the meaning is that the churche and faithful people of Christ shal not wāt the true religion knowledge of god For the church of Christ is the spouse of Christ and his mistical bodye and if mortal men loue their wyues bodies so derelye that they wil not forsake them or leaue theim comfortles muche lesse will Christe oure sauiour not forsake vs after that he hays redemed vs seing he bought vs and loue vs so derely beinge hys ennemies Thys is than the greatest token of goddes loue to hys people whanne he gyues them hys true religion and therefore mooste earnestly too bee enbraced of vs And thys is the blessinge taken frome Esau and geuen to Iacob If we reade the holy one he is Christe whiche promised to bee with vs to the ende of the worlde he is made to vs of God oure father righteousnes holines wisedom and redemption because that who soeuer is holy receyues it of him and none is holy that hais it not of him though he haue bulles calues pardons reliques holy water holye asshes holy palmes holy crosse yea and all the holines that is in Rome if he haue not the spirite of Christe I am sure they will not saye they sell the holy Ghoste whan they sell pardons for that were symony therfore thei bye no holines in them If we reade holines than it is an vpright lyfe true faith with pure worshipping of God This is the wil of God says sainct