the calling of GOD sprang out of a Constant* Faith in the promises of God by Miracles confirmed vnto them By the same meanes must we also learne to frame our selues to the Obedience of Gods Calling though it seeme to be ioyned with neuer so great daunger And yet although they haue the calling and commaundemeÌ„t of God to deliuer his people they doe not stirre the Israelites to Rebellion and will them to arme themselues against the Tyranne were he neuer so Cruell and iniuryous but in curteis maner entreate him that they maye haue licence to depart into the wildernesse But what obteyned they by their endeuour First Pharao CoÌ„temneth and despiseth the God of Israell VVho sayth he is the Lorde that I should heare his voyce Then he chargeth Moyses Aaron as authors of Sedition saying VVherefore doe yee lette the people from their workeâ— c. Lastly he Oppresseth the people farre more Grieuously then he did before For he causeth them to gather strawe and stubble yet to make their Full taske of Brickes as they dyd before These things happened not without the Knowledge of God for he said before * I know that Pharao will not let you go But Gods pleasure is in this maner of Deliuerance of his people to set vp a Spectacle or Example to all ages to learne in what Sort he will vsually delyuer his people out of the kingdome of Satan Wickednesse and Error First he sendeth abroade his Messengers Prophetes and Preachers to publish the sweete voice and Promises of his Worde and Gospell Then when they beginne to execute their office and men somewhat hearken vnto them the Deuill by hys Instruments Raiseth greater trouble and Affliction then euer they had before so that manye mindes be therewith greatly Offended Yet in the ende God by the * Mightie power of his Spirite and holy Worde ouerthroweth the kingdome of darkenesse and Deliuereth his people out of the Tirannie of Egipt And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in woorse c. These officers of the Israelites by this Cruell answere did not acknowledge the wicked Obdurate hart of Pharao against the holy wil of God as they should haue done with Pacience Comfort themselues and their brethren but after the maner of olde Adam Murmure against GOD quarreling with his seruauntes Moyses Aaron and laying all the cause of the trouble vpon them Wherein they shew an example both of Impiety and Vnthankfulnesse Impious it was to lay the fault of their affliction and miserie vpon them that were the Ministers of Gods blessing and of their gracious Deliuerance Great vnthankfulnesse might it appeare seing Moyses and Aaron did hazard their Liues for their great Benefite to Call and accompt them Tormentors and Murderers of the people For say they You haue put a sworde into their hands to kill vs. But this is and hath bene the Course of the worlde alwayes The cause of all Mischiefe when it ryseth after the publishing of the worde of God is Cast vpon the Ministers and Preachers of the same and in steede of thankfull minds they haue all Spite and Reproch that can be done or spoken against them So was it in the time of the Prophets â–ª So was it in the time of Christ and his Apostles So was it in the time of the Primitiue Church as it maye be declared by infinite examples Moises returned vnto the Lorde and sayde Lord wherefore hast thou so c. Moyses here in part doth Well and godly in part he sheweth his Weakenesse Mistrust and infirmitie He doth Well in this that he both not Storme and rage agaynst those 〈◊〉 Sâ—aunderers * nor doth not requite euill with euill and also that he doth not giue ouer his calling and Flee from God but rather runneth to him for Succour and comfort For so the Text sayth He returned to the Lorde He sheweth his Weakenesse in that he seemeth not througly to Remember the wordes of God Before spoken to him when God sayd I know that Pharao will not deliuer you no not in a mightie hande and therefore he doth complaine and quarrell with God. VVherefore sayth he hast thou so euill intreated this people and why hast thou sent me As though any thing had happened which God had not Before tolde him shoulde come to passe and yet God doth not Sternely rebuke Moyses but mercifully 〈◊〉 with his Infirmitie strengthneth him with the Renewing of his Promise and signification that he will nowe begin to shewe his mightie power against Pharao for their deliuerance The sixt Sundaye in Lent at Morning and Euening prayer Exod. 9. 10. THe Lorde sayde vnto Moyses Go in vnto Pharao and thou shalt tell him Thus sayth the Lorde God of the 〈…〉 Let my people go that they may 〈…〉 If thou refuse to let them go and 〈…〉 Beholde the â—ande of the Lorde is 〈…〉 is in the fielde for vpon horses vpon asses vpon camelles vpon ouen and vpon sheepe there shall be a mightie great 〈◊〉 4 And the Lorde shall doe wonderfully betwéene the beastes of Israell and the beastes of Egypt so that there shall nothing die of all that pertayneth to the children of Israell 5 And the Lorde appoynted a time saying to morowe the Lorde shall finish this worde in the laâ—de 6 And the Lorde did that thing on the morowe and all the cattell of Egypt dyed but of the cattell of the children of Israell died not one 7 And Pharao sent and behold there was not one of the cattel of the Israelites dead And the hart of Pharao was hardened and he did not let the people go 8 And the Lorde sayd vnto Moyses and Aaron Take your handes full of ashes out of the fornace and Mosses shall sprinkle it vp into the ayre in the sight of Pharao 9 And it shall be dust in all the lande of Egypt and shall be swelling sores with blaynes both on man and beast thorowout all the land of Egipt 10 And they tooke ashes out of the fornace and stoode before Pharao and Moses sprinckled it vp into the ayre and there were swâ—lling â—ores with blaynes both in men and in beastes 11 And the sorcerers could not stand before Moses because of the blaynes for there were bâ—tches vpon the enchaunters and vpon all the Egyptians 12 And the Lord hardened the hart of Pharao and he harkened not vnto them as the â—ord had sayd vnto Moyses 13 And the Lordâ— sayde vnto Moyses Rise vp earely in the morning and stande before Pharao and thou shalt tell him Thus sayth the Lorde God of the Hebrues Let my people go that they may serue me 14 Or else I will at this time sends all my plaguey vpon thine heart and vpon thy seruants and on thy people that thou mayst know that there is none like me in all the earth 15 For now I wil stretch out my hand that I may
that felicitie that is * purchased for vs by Christ Iesus our seconde Adam It cannot be that we shall feele the sweetnesse of the felicitie of our redemption by Christ Iesu except we feele in deede wyth humble heartes what we are by the disobedience of our first father that is nothing but Dust Ashes And the Lorde sayde beholde this man is become as one of vs in knowing good c. By this euent we may learne with howe euill successe man doth yeeld to the disobedience of God at the perswasion of Sathan and his wicked instruments They where promised to be Gods but after they had eaten they were so farre from the glorie of God that they were debased vnder the Condition of Man and made almost equall wyth Beasts They were promised the Knowledge of good and euill wherby they shoulde ascend to perfect Wisedom but they became more mad and foolishe than other common Creatures they vnderstoode what was Good but by the miserable losse of that goodnesse which before they had they knew by experience in Sin what was euil but that Knowledge and experience they bought with the Losse of eternall Felicitie and Loue of God. Therefore the Lorde God sent him forth of the Garden of Eden c. It was the iust iudgement of God to Cast Adam out of Paradice because he neglecting the consideration of so great Dignitie felicity wherin he was placed did transgresse the Law of Paradice forgetting whence he was taken and into what Place he was transferred At the East side of the Garden he did set Cherubins and a fierie two edged c. God might by some priuie meanes haue kept Adam out of Paradice and from the tree of Life but his pleasure was by this outwarde and sensible way to Cut of from Adam all hope of atteyning the same hereafter that thereby he might the sooner submit himselfe to the will and pleasure of god Mans stubburnnesse hopeth and attempteth many things impossible which he woulde not doe if he did see before his eyes vnuincible resistance as in this place the Aungell and the fierie sworde Was. Sexagesima Sunday at Euening prayer Genesis 6. ANd it came to passe that when men began to be multiplied in the vpper face of the earth there were daughters borne vnto them 2. And the sonnes of God also sawe the daughters of men that they were fayre and they tooke them wyues such as they lyked from among them all 3 And the Lorde sayde My spirite shall not alwayes striue with man because he is fleshe yet hys dayes shall be an hundred and twentie yeares 4 But there were Gyantes in those dayes in the earth yea and after that the sonnes of God came vnto the daughters of men and had begotten children of them the same became mightie men of the worlde and men of renowne 5 But God sawe that the malice of man was great in the earth and all the imagination of the thoughtes of his heart vvas onely euill euery day 6 And it repented the Lorde that he had made man vpon the earth and he was touched with sorowe in his heart 7 And the Lorde sayde I will from the vpper face of the earth destroyman whom I haue created from man vnto cattel vnto worme and vnto foules of the ayre For it repenteth me that I haue made them 8 But Noah founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde 9 These are the generation of Noah Noah vvas a iust man and pefect in his generations and walked with God. 10 Noah begat thrée sonnes Sem Ham and Iaphath 11 The earth also was corrupt before GOD and the same earth was filled with crueltie 12 And God looked vpon the earth and beholde it was corrupt for all fleshe had corrupted his way vpon earth 13 And God said vnto Noah The ende of all flesh is come before me for the earth is filled with crueltie through them and beholde I will destroy them with the earth 14 Make thée an Arke of Pine trées Habitations shalt thou make in the Ark and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch 15 And of this fashion shalt thou make it The length of the Arke shall be thrée hundred cubites the breadth of it fiftie cubites and the height of it thirtie cubites 16 A window shalt thou make in the arke and in a cubite shalt thou finish it aboue but the doore of the arke shalt thou set in the side thereof With thrée loftes one aboue another shalt thou make it 17 And beholde I euen I doe bring a floud of waters vpon the earth to destroye all flesh wherein is the breath of life vnder heauen and euerye thing that is in the earth shall perish 18 With thée also will I make my couenant and thou shalt come into the Arke thou and thy sonnes thy wyfe and thy sonnes wiues with thée 19 And of euery liuing thing of all flesh a payre of euery one shalt thou bring into the ark to kéepe them aliue with thée they shall be male and female 20 Of feathered foules also after their kinde and of all cattell after their kinde of euery worme of the earth after hys kynde two of enery sort shall come vnto thée to kéepe them aliue 21 And take thou with thée of all meats that is eaten and thou shalt lay it vp with thée that it may be meate for thée and them 22 Noah therefore did according vnto all that God commanded him euen so did he The Exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of Genesis And it came to passe that when men began to be multiplied in the vpper c. THe sonnes of God in this place are taken to be the sonnes of Seth and his godly posteritie whiche professed the name of GOD and his true worship And the daughters of men are vnderstanded to be the Daughters of Cain and his vngodly Generation which contemned the name of God and gaue themselues to the lustes of the worlde So that the sense is that the whole worlde was Corrupted and giuen ouer to their sensuall pleasure For not onely the wicked generation of Cain and his ofspring but the posteritie of the godly also forsooke the feare of God and without all regarde of Conscience onely to satisfie their Carnall lust and pleasure tooke wiues of the daughters of the vngodly worldlings * which seduced them from the true worship of God and vertuous life to the Contempt of God and all Corruption and wickednesse of the flesh Therefore GOD iustly breaketh out in displeasure agaynst mankinde and sayth that His spirite shoulde not alwayes or for euer thus striue and trauaile with them as hitherto he had done to bring them to amendment because they were altogither fleshly and vncorrigible and giuen ouer to the wicked deuises of their owne mindes Wherefore he doth appoynt them * a determinate time within which if they did not repent and amende he woulde surely destroy them And this time was the space
not let the children of Israel go 21 And the Lord saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thy hand vnto heauen that there maye be vpon the lande of Egypt darkenesse which maye be felt 22 And Moyses stretched forth his hande vnto heauen and there was a thicke darkenesse vpon all the lande of Egypt thrée daies 23 No man saw another neyther rose vp from the place where he was by the space of thrée daies But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelled 24 And Pharao called for Moyses and â—ayde Go and serue the Lorde onely let your shéepe and your oxen abide and let your children go with you 25 And Moyses saide Thou must geue vs also sacrifice and whole burnt offerings for to doe sacrifice vnto the Lord our God. 26 Our cattell also shall go with vs and there shall not one hoofe be left behinde for thereof must we take to serue the Lorde our God neyther doe we knowe with what we must doe seruice vnto the Lorde vntill we come thither 27 But the Lorde hardened Pharaos heart and he would not let them go 28 And Pharao saide vnto hym Get thée from me take héede vnto thy selfe that thou séest my face no more for whensoeuer thou commest in my sight thou shalt die 29 And Moyses saide Let it be as thou hast saide I will sée thy face no more The Exposition vpon the .ix. and .x. Chapter of Exodus The Lorde saide vnto Moyses goe vnto Pharao for I haue hardened c. IN these two Chapiters read this day in the Church are recited sundrie of those plagues wherewyth God Punished Pharao and wrought the Deliuerie of the People out of Egipt And because God was determined to set his People at Freedome and was hable * with one Breath to haue confounded Pharao ouerthrown the Whole power of the Egiptians a man myght marueyle why he dyd Deferre the tyme so long and worke so many Meane miracles whereas he might haue brought it to passe with one Mightie and terrible worke Seing especially that God did know that Pharao would not repent and yeeld To this cogitation GOD himselfe answereth in the .13 14. 15. and 16. verses of thys nynth Chapiter Go thy wayes sayth God to Moyses and tell Pharao c. let my people goe serue me or else at this tyme I wil send al my plagues vpon thyne hart and vpon thy seruants and on thy people that thou may est know there is none like me in al the earth c. And in verye deede for this cause haue I kept thee to shewe thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde Here haue we an euident cause why GOD did so long Suffer the wicked and obdurate hart of Pharao that is that God might * set forth his Glorie and by this terrible Example be knowne to the whole worlde That he was a Mightie God hable to breake the power of their Enimies were they neuer so Obstinate and Stiffe harted against hym That he was a Seuere God and * would terriblie punishe the Obdurate vnrepentant sinners Yea though they be neuer so great Kings Princes That he is a Wise God that can Turne the wicked Malice and Obstinacie of sinners to the Working of his greater glory That he is a Carefull and mercifull God towarde his people and for their defence and deliuerance will not sticke to Breake and Pull downe euen Mightie Princes and people There is also an other cause why God doth here Suffer Pharao at other times Beare with other Grieuous sinners and onely for the time punishe them with Light Meane plagues and this is By his great Lenitie Sufferance and Mildenesse if it might be to bring them to repentance or otherwise if they will not repent that they shall declare themselues to the worlde to bee Vnexcusable and God in his Iudgement when he doth confounde them to be a iuste god Of this Cause speaketh Paule Rom. 2. Eyther despisest thou the ryches of his goodnesse and long sufferance not knowing that the kindenesse of God leadeth thee to repentance c. When God is sayd To harden the hart of Pharao we maye not thinke that God doth Force and Compell Pharao to sinne or that the blame of his obstinacie and vnrepentant hart can iustly be laide vpon God * For God doth neyther worke Sinne himselfe nor would haue it to be Wrought of other But God by his seruantes Moyses Aaron offered to Pharao his holye worde and great miracles and he being of nature Wicked and waywarde from God and vtterly destitute of his holy Spirit of which al Inclination to goodnesse commeth did more and more Harden his harte and Withstande the will of god For the Corrupt nature of man without the singuler grace of God when he heareth Gods worde and will declared to him doth not only not yeelde vnto it but more and more stormeth against both the Worde it selfe and the Messengers that bring it For naturall man vnderstandeth not those things that are of God no nor cannot Wherefore when we see in these Chapiters that all endeuour is vsed both by God and by his seruauntes to perswade Pharao and yet that he is nothing Mooued eyther by his Worde or by his threatnings or by his Miracles or by the counsaile and aduertisement of Moyses and Aaron yea or of his owne subiectes we are taught that all the Workes endeuours of Man to bring sinners from their obstinacy vnto the Imbracing of Gods holy will is all Vaine vnlesse it please God also to worke by his holye spirite Wherefore we must submit our selues to the mightie hande of God in his secreat iudgementes and continually in our prayers * craue the assistance of his grace and good spirite which may so worke in vs that both we our selues may humbly Receiue the worde of GOD and that our endeuour to perswade other may by him be Effectuall Moreouer when there happeneth vnto vs vnseasonable Weathering Plagues and other sicknesses of sundrie sortes terrible Nayle Thunder and Lightning Murraine of cattaile Destruction of corne or fruites by blast Vermine or otherwise we must by these examples learne that they come not by Chaunce or by naturall causes onely but that they are Sent of God as Punishmentes of our Sinne and Disobedience to the will and worde of God and as * Meanes to bring vs to Repentance or else that God will lay on vs continually mo of his Plagues vntill he bring vs to Vtter confusion as hee did Pharao and the Egyptians All whose Disobedience sprange of this Roote that they Contemned the worde of God brought vnto them by his seruantes The Contempt whereof if repentaunce did not preuent it God hath alway punished with Induration and vtter Desolation When we reade that the Israelites were cleare from all those grieuous Plagues with which the Aegyptians were punished we muste to our comfort consider
not be beneficiall to them that in this life doe not acknowledge him The Paschall Lambe Must be eaten with vnleauened breade to declare that the fayth of Christ may not be mixed eyther with the Sourenesse of error and false doctrine or with corruption of Sinfull and wicked life but altogither with truth and sinceritie Therefore Christ gaue his Disciples warning That they should beware of the * leauen that is the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisies and Saduces And saint Paule to the Corinth Our passeouer is offered Christ Iesu c. Therfore let vs solemnize the feast not in the leauen of malice and craftinesse but in the vnleauened breade of sinceritie and truth The loynes of them that eate the Passeouer must be gyrded as prepared to a iourney in token that they that doe receyue Christ must be as Pilgrimes in this life and in readinesse to passe out of the Egypt of this world into the land of promise our heauenlye Heritage For we haue not here a Citie or place to dwell in but we must looke alwayes to the heauenly Hierusalem that our Sauiour hath purchased for vs. And therefore Luk. 12. Christ warneth vs That vve should haue our loines gyrded and lampes in our handes like vnto seruants that are readie looking for their maister vvhen he vvil come This feast of the Passeouer was ordeyned to be kept once euery yeare not only that the people shoulde themselues call to remembrance their Deliuerie but also by that occasion from time to time instruct their youth and teach them to vnderstande Gods great goodnesse towarde them and his Miraculous woorkes by hys myghtie hande wrought for them Wherefore we also at the solemnising of the memoriall of oure Passeouer should not onely * set forth the death and passion of Christ and the great mercies of GOD thereby brought vnto vs but teach our youth and children also that they may in like maner vnderstande the Benefit of our redemption in Christ and the sweet comfort that riseth thereof And Pharao called vnto Moses and Aaron by night saying rise vp c. Here is the effect of Gods mightie working for his people and the fulfilling of his promise that the obstinate and harde hearte of Pharao which had set himselfe against Gods purpose was nowe so broken that he was not onely wylling to let the Israelites go but also did Hasten them away to depart with speede so that they could not haue time to prepare themselues eyther bread or meate for the iourney in so much that they were faine to take their dowe before it was sowred and carie it on their shoulders And in remembrance of this fulfilling of their promise and of their speedie deliuerāce he willed them euer after to Solemnise the feast of vnleauened bread And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moyses c. In this place is to be obserued the fulfilling of an other promise of God made not onely to Moses in the third Chapiter of this booke but to Abraham also manye yeares before Gene. 15. Knowe thou sayth God that thy seede shall be a straunger in a lande that is not his and the people therof shall keepe them vnder in bondage and shall afflict them foure hundred yeares but I will iudge that people and afterwarde they shal depart with great substance This promise is here fulfilled For the Israelites depart with great Treasure that they borrowed of the Egiptians As touching the doubt howe the Israelites might spoyle the Egiptians by borrowing their Iewels and not minding to come againe I haue spoken in the exposition of the thirde Chapiter Vers 21. 22. And the children of Israel toke their iourney from Ramesis to Sucoth c. God had promised to Abraham that he woulde multiply his seede as the starres of Heauen which we see in this place also notablie fulfilled Iacob entered into Egipt but with sixtie and sixe persons and nowe although they liued in great seruitude and bondage many yeares in so much that their men Children were slaine and murdered yet they be nowe growen to this great number of men beside Children The dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelled in Egipt c. This number of yeares is not to be accompted from the entrance of Iacob into Egipt with his familie for that was but two hundred and ten yeres But the reckening must begin from that time that Abraham went into Egipt because of the Famine and from the time that the Promise was made to him for the blessing of his seede Gen. 15. This may appeare by the wordes of S. Paule Gal. 3. This I say that the lawe which beganne afterwarde beyonde 430. yeres doth not disanull the testament c. Whē Paule sayth The law that was made afterward he meaneth after the Promise made to Abraham whereof he had spoken in the wordes immediatly before So that from the promise made to Abraham vnto the making of the lawe was but little aboue .430 yeares And then all that time can not be assigned to the dwelling of the children of Israel in Egipt after Iacob came thether But because the seede of Abraham was so many yeares Pilgrimes in straunge landes therefore is it so sayde in this place Easter day at Euening praier Exodus 14. ANd the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 2 Speake to the childrē of Israel that they turne and pitche their tentes before Pi-hahiroth betweene Migdol and the sea ouer against Baal-sephon and before that shal they pitch by the sea For Pharao wil say of the children of Israel They are tangled in the lande the wildernesse hath shut them in 4 And I will harden Pharaos heart that he shall followe after you and I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his hoast The Egiptians also shall knowe that I am the Lorde And they did so 5 And it was tolde the king of Egipt that the people fledde And the heart of Pharao and of his seruants turned against the people and they saide Why haue we done this that we haue let Israel go out of our seruice 6 And he made readie his charet tooke his people with him 7 And tooke sixe hundred chosen charrets and al the charets of Egipt and captaines vpon euery one of them 8 And the Lorde hardened the heart of Pharao king of Egipt and he folowed after the children of Israel but the children of Israel went out with an highe hande 9 And the Egiptians folowed after them and all the horses and charets of Pharao and his horsemen and his hoast ouertooke them pitching of their tent by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth before Baal-sephon 10 And when Pharao drew nigh the children of Israel lift vp their eies and beholde the Egiptians folowed after them and they were sore afraide and the children of Israel cried out vnto the Lorde 11 But they saide vnto Moyses because there were no graues in
THe first verse conteynetâ— the tytle which briefly noteth what the thing is by whome it was vttered agaynst what place and people and in what time It is a vision that is a prophesie or reuelation declared by almightie God and therefore not to be esteemed as any maâ—s deuise and vttered by Esaias the sonne of Amos descending of the royall lyne of the kings of Iuda Who prophecied in the raignes of Ozias Ioathan Achas and Ezechias as it may be thought by the space of fourescore yeares And vttered this prophecie agaynst the nation of Iurie and Hierusalem the chiefe and royall citie thereof that is to say against that Nation that God had chosen of all other for his peculier people and had mainteyned and preserued it with great benefites and yet nowe was fallen from his true worshippe vnto Idolatrie sinne and wickednesse And therefore sayth he Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken c. That he may the more earnestly mooue that dul and hard harted people he beginneth with a tragicall exclamation and calleth heauen earth to witnesse agaynst them as if he had sayde Forsomuch as the vnthankfulnesse and wicked stubburnnesse of this people is such as they will giue no eare to the worde of God earnestly calling them to repentaunce I turne my speeche to you O heauens and speake to thee O earth Though heauen be 〈◊〉 of yet â—â—ely it will heare though the earth be hard and stonie yet it will relent and be moued but this people will not bend this Nation will by no meanes be reclaymed * Yea they are more dull and vnâ—â—nsible in the vnderstanding of Gods will and of his great goodnesse toward them than the 〈…〉 beastes are For what Oxe doth not from 〈◊〉 himselfe to his mayster that keepeth him What Asse doth not acknowledge and looue those that feede him But my people sayth the Lord whom I haue cherished whome I haue * fostered as my * children with all care and tendernesse do not onely with vnthankfull mindes forget my benefites but with stonie and stubburne heartes refuse to heare my calling and in all maner of wickednesse bende themselues against me and striue to prouoke my wrath and indignation agaynst them Whie should ye be stricken any more for ye are euer falling away c. From the beginning of the fift verse to the tenth he doth greatly amplifie their wayward stubburnnesse declaring that as they could not be woonne to repentance nor mooued to turne to their gracious Lorde by consideration of his exceeding great benefites towarde them so neyther could they be reclaymed nor anye thing at all mooued with the grieuous plagues and punishmentes which to that onely purpose as a mercifull father he had brought vppon them but rather by the same hys plagues they increased in stubburnnesse waxed euery day worse than other And therfore sayth he To what ende should I plague or scourge you with aduersitie any further seeing your obstinacie is such as you will increase in wickednesse and still heape sinne vpon sinne and offence vpon offence The Realme of Iurie may well be resembled to a mans bodie the heade and heart whereof is the Citie Hierusalem and the King and Princes with the residue of the inhabitants thereof and the other cities and townes as the inferiour members All which I haue grieuously touched with my seuere iustice and sharpe punishments so that from the * crowne of the head to the sole of the foote from the highest Citie to the lowest Village from the noblest person to the basest subiect there is none but he hath felt the bitter smart thereof and that in such sort as no Phisition is hable to cure or heale their festured sores that is nor King nor Counsaylour nor Prince nor Priest nor Prophete can helpe the miserie of this kingdome and restore it to the prestinate state and integritie againe Their lande lyeth waste their Cities are burnt with fire straungers possesse their Countrey their possessions are spoyled their royall Citie Hierusalem is left desolate as a lodge in a vineyard or a Cotage in a Cucumber garden that hath no house neere vnto it their people are slaine their glorie decaied their strength consumed yea if the Lorde of hys great mercy had not * left theÌ„ some coÌ„fort through the promised séede of Messiah their desolation had beene euen as the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha and yet I say all this notwithstanding are their hearts nothing mooued to repent or to turne to the Lorde for mercie Heare the worde of the Lorde ye Lordes of Sodoma and hearken c. And for that they did flatter themselues in the middes of this great wickednesse with a vaine opinion of hypocriticall iustice and superstitious worshipping of God as thoughe by suche meanes they should winne his fauour towarde them The Lorde plainly sheweth that he doth lothe and abhorre their sacrifices and offerings their festiuall dayes and their solempne meetinges yea though they were commaunded by his owne lawe so long as they were voyde of * inwarde holinesse of heart and minde and distayned with sinne and wickednesse both before God and the worlde In which place the more to mooue them almightie God seemeth to labour with diuersitie of woordes to lette them vnderstande how little account he maketh of such externall worshipping being destitute of true holinesse right worshipping in spirite in truth VVhy offer you sayth he so many sacrifices c. I am full of them I haue no pleasure in them VVho required them at your hands Offer no more It is but lost labour It is * abhominable vnto me I may not away with them They are wicked I hate them They make me weary I cannot abide them I will not heare your prayers I will turne mine eyes from you By all which wordes God sheweth how little he regardeth hipocrisie where true holinesse waÌ„teth Then from the sixtenth verse to the .xxj he sheweth what is the right way to winne his fauour Make you cleane sayth he put away your wicked thoughts and deuises Ceasse from doing euil Learne to do good Applie your selues to equitie Deliuer the oppressed Helpe the fatherlesse Heare the widowes complaint For these are the true fruites of right repentance And then If your sinnes were as red as scarlet in token that you had deserued bloud and confusion they shall be as white as snow in testimonie that by Gods mercie ye be cleared from them This if you will doe the Lorde will looke fauourably on you and prosper you but if you continue obstinate and rebellious as hytherto you haue done the sworde of Gods wrath shal vtterly deuour you for his owne mouth hath spoken it and therefore thinke not that it is mans worde onely How happeneth it then that the faithfull Citie which was full of equitie c. From the .xxj. to the
heauenly foode of Christ himselfe * Iohn 6. Remission of sinne * Reconciliation Acceptation * Iustification before God The assured gift of euerlasting * life and The inheritance of the kingdome of God. In this Mountaine therefore was the table as it were first spredde for this heauenly banquet and from thence were the messengers sent into all partes of the worlde to bid the ghestes as Christ signifieth by a parable Math. 22. and Luke 14 â–ª And in this Monntaine shall the Lorde destroy the couering c. The couering and hanging or the mourning garment wherin all men are wrapped is Corruption and Sinne whereby sorrow daunger shame and reproch is come vnto them by which death also hath inuaded them * For death is the rewarde of sinne But the daunger both of the one and of the other and the sorrowe weeping and heauinesse that commeth by them is cleane taken awaye by Christ Iesu as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15. * VVhere is thy sting O death O hell where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne the power of sinne is the lawe but thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victorie by Christ Iesu Therefore with glad and thankfull heartes the Prophete maketh the people of God and subiectes of the kingdome of Christ to reioyce and triumph for the same saying Lo this is our God wee haue wayted for him and he shall deliuer vs c. Here the Prophete noteth the three sacrifices wherewith the Church of Christ and his people do worship him 1 The first is Fayth and Beleefe of hart noted in this word VVe haue wayted for him that is with constant fayth we haue abidden hys comming being assured that he would deliuer vs. 2 The second is Confession with the mouth For we must not onely beleeue in heart that Christ Iesu is the sauiour of the worlde as S. Paule sayth but also confesse with mouth and therefore sayth the Prophete here Lo this is our God c. 3 The thirde is Triumphant gladnesse in heart and conscience for the saluation happened by christ our Sauiour which is vttered in these wordes VVe will reioyce and be mery in the saluation c. For in this Mountaine the hande of the Lorde shall abide c. By the hande of the Lorde he vnderstandeth the power and maiestie of Christ that shal remaine alway in his Church For I am with you sayth he to the ende of the worlde that is in vertue power and maiestie of his Godhead though as touching his humanitie he be absent in heauen on the right hande of God the father By the name of Moab that shoulde be threshed and troden vnder lyke a dunghill he meaneth all the enimies and aduersaryes of Christ and his Gospell vpon whom our Sauiour Christ shal stretch out his hande like one that swimmeth that he may thresh them and beate them as it were to dust and bring to confusion all their glorie and great strength The Moabites were the sworne and perpetual enimies to the Israelites and therefore by that name doth he note all the aduersaryes of the people of God. The thirde Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay 26. IN that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iuda We haue a strong Citie saluation shall God appoynt in steade of walles and bulwarkes 2 Open ye the gates that the righteous people which kéepeth the truth may enter in 3 By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace bicause they put their trust in thée 4 Put ye your trust alway in the Lorde for in the Lorde God there is strength for euermore 5 For he hath brought downe the high minded Citizens as for the proude citie he hate brought it lowe euen to the grounde shall he cast it downe and bring it vnto dust 6 The foote euen the foote of the poore and the steps of such as be in necessitie shall treade it downe 7 The path of equitie wilt thou graunt vnto the full O thou most righteous thou shalt order the path of him that is righteous 8 Yea in the way of thy iudgements O lord haue we put our trust in thée thy name also and the remembraunce of thée is the thing that our soule longeth for 9 My soule hath longed for thée al the night and with my spirit which is within me will I séeke thée earely in the morning for when thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitours of the worlde shall learne righteousnesse 10 Shall the vngodly man be fauoured which hath not learned righteousnesse but â—â—th wickedly in â—he earth where nothing ought to be done but that which is righteous he shall not sée the glorie of the Lorde 11 Lorde when thy hande is lift vp to strike they sée it not but they shall sée it and be confounded with the zeale of the people and the fyre that consumeth thine enimies shall douour them 12 Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouide peace for thou also â–ª hast wrought all our workes in vs. 13 O Lorde our God other Lordes besides thée hath subdued vs but we will be mindefull onely of thée and of thy name 14 The deade will 〈…〉 they that be out of life wyll not rise againe therefore hast thou visited and rooted them out and destroyed all the memorie of them 15 Thou hast increased the people O Lorde thou hast increased the people thou art glorious thou hast sent them far of vnto all the costes of the earth 16 Lord in trouble haue they visited thée they poured out their prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 17 Like as a woman with childe that draweth nie towardes hir trauayle is sorie and cryeth in hir paynes euen so haue we béene in thy sight O Lorde 18 We haue bene with childe and suffered paine as though we had brought forth winde for there is no saluation in the earth neyther doe the inhabiters of the worlde submit themselues 19 Thy deade men shall liue euen as my body shall they rise againe awake and sing ye that dwel in dust for thy deawe is euen as the deawe of hearbes and the earth shall cast out them that be vnder her 20 Come my people enter thou into thy chambers shut thy doores about thée hyde thy selfe for a little while vntill the indignation he ouerpast 21 For beholde the Lorde is comming out of his place to visite the wickednesse of such as dwell vpon earth the earth also shall disclose her bloudes and shall no more hide them that are slaine in her The exposition vpon the .26 Chapter of Esay In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iuda We haue a strong citie c. AFter that the Prophete in the former Chapter hath recyted the benefites that câ—me to them that acknowledge â–ª Christ the true Messias and sauiour he nowe maketh a song or psalme in meeter wherewith
is perpetuall * felicitie and tranquilitie For Christ hath obteyned for vs of God the father all those blessings that we haue not onely bodily but also and specially spirituall that is * remission of sinnes * imputing of Christes iustice to vs and the spirite of GOD to * mortefie the lustes of the flesh whereby we haue * peace and quietnesse of conscience before God and the worlde The dead will not liue they that be out of life will not rise againe c. Here entereth the first part of an other contrary comparison betweene the wicked and the godly and in this verse he sayth of the wicked that they doe die and liue not againe for their resurrection shall bee to them a death perpetuall and no life And although they seeme to prosper and flourishe long on earth to the annoyance of the godly yet the Lorde visiteth them in due time * and rooteth the memorie of them out of the earth so that they shall neuer ryse againe to glorie Thou hast increased the people O Lorde thou hast increased c. This is the other part of the coÌ„parison touching the godly as if he had sayde Thou O lord christ destroyest the wicked and rootest out theyr memorie neuerthelesse thou doest gather thy Church and increase the number of thy people that thy glorie may be spred and extended to the vttermost boundes of the earth And yet doest thou not gather them to rest and quietnesse of this life but to great vexation and affliction and therfore doe they resort to thee in theyr trouble * and poure out their prayers to thee in the time of thy chastening For * thy chastening they do acknowledge it to be whatsoeuer commeth Although it be the hande of the wicked yet they knowe it to proceede from thy fatherly prouidence to their great benefite and commoditie that their fayth may be increased their spirite styrred vp to call vpon thee Thy dead men shall liue euen as my body shall they rise againe c. The wicked although they flourish for a tyme in this worlde yet shall they not liue in blesse after the resurrection of the deade but shall die for euer But the godly that haue liued here in trouble and dyed in thee shall rise againe to lyfe and ioyes euerlasting Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doores c. This is a consolation in the person of Christ exhorting his people paciently for a time to beare the affliction and trouble of this life and to enter into the closets and secretes of their heartes and call vpon the name of the Lord for the succour and strength of his holy spirit vntill the time of his indignation be past For the Lorde in short time will come * to visite the wickednesse of the earth and the earth shall no longer keepe secrete but * disclose the bloud and crueltie that hath beene shewen to the saintes of God that his iustice may proceede agaynst them for the same The fourth Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 30. ALas for those disobedient children sayth the Lorde that they will take counsayle and not of me that they will take a secrete aduise and not out of my spirite and therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne 2 Euen they that walke to go downe into Egypt and haue asked no question at my mouth but séeke strength in the might of Pharao and trust in the shadow of Egypt 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharao be your confusion and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your shame 4 For his Capitaynes were at Zoan and his Ambassadours came vnto Hanes 5 They were ashamed of the people that could doe them no good and that might not helpe them nor shewe them any profite but were their confusion and rebuke 6 The burthen of the beastes of the South In a lande of trouble and anguish from whence shall come the yong and olde Lion the viper and fierce serpent that flieth agaynst them that vpon coltes beare their ryches and vpon camels their treasures to a people that can doe them no good 7 For vaine and nothing worth shall the helpe of the Egyptians be therefore haue I cryed vnto Hierusalem they shall haue strength inough if they wil settle their minds in quietâ—esse 8 Now therefore go thy way and write this beâ—ore them in a table and note it in a booke that it may finally remaine and be kept still for euer 9 For this is an obstinate people and dissembling children children that refuse to heare the law of the Lorde 10 For they say vnto the séers Sée not and to them that be cleare of iudgement Looke not out right things for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs looke out errours 11 Get you out of this way depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. 12 Wherefore thus sayth the holy one of Israell Because your heartes rise agaynst this worde and because you trust in wrong dealing and peruerse iudgement and put your confidence therein 13 Therefore shall ye haue this mischiefe for your destruction and fall like as an hie wall that falleth because of some ryft or blast whose breaking commeth sodainly 14 And the hurt thereof is like an earthen vessell which breaketh without helpe so that in the bursting of it there is not founde one sheuer to fetch fire in or tos take water withall out of the pitte 15 For thus sayth the Lord God euen the holy one of Israell In repentance and in rest shal ye be safe in quietnesse and sure confidence shall be your strength but ye haue had no lyst thereto 16 For ye haue sayde No but we will escape through horses therefore shall ye flie and we will get vs vp vpon swift beastes and therfore shall your persecutors be swifter 17 A thousande shall flie at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of fiâ—se shall ye all flie till ye be left as a ship mast vpon the top of a mountaine and as a breaken vpon aâ— hill 18 Therefore â—oth the Lorde cause you to wayte that he may haue merrie vpon you to the intent that he may haue the preeminence when he is gratious vnto you for the Lord is the God of iudgement Blessed are all they that hope in him 19 If the people remaine in Sion and at Hiesrusalem thou shalt not be in 〈◊〉 but at the voyce of thy complaint shall he haue mercie vpon â—hée and when he â—â—reth it he shall giue thée an aunswere 20 And though the Lorde giue you the breade of trouble and the water of aduersitie thy raine shall be no name sâ— scant but thine eyes shall sée thy raine 21 Yea and thâ—â—e eare shall heare the talking of him that both speake behinde thée This is the way walke yâ— in it turne not aside neither to the right hande nor to the left 22
Ye shall destroy also the couering of your siluer Images and the decking of your golden Idols euen as filthinesse shalt thou put them away and thou shalt say vnto it Get thée hence 23 Then shall God giue raine vnto thy séede that thou shalt sow the ground withall and breade of the increase of the earth which shall be fat and very plenteous in that day also shall thy cattell be fed in large pastures 24 The oxen likewise and the yong Asses that eare the ground shall eate cleane prouender which is purged wyth the winde and the fan 25 Finally vpon euery hie mountaine and hill shall there be riuers and streames of waters in the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall 26 Moreouer the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the Sunne light shall be seuen folde and haue as much shine as in seuen dayes beside when the Lord bindeth vp the fore of his people and healeth the stroke of their wounde 27 Beholde the fame of the Lorde commeth from farre and his presence is so hote that no man is able to abide his lippes are full of indignation his tongue is as 〈◊〉 fire 28 His breath is a vehement flood of water that reacheth vp to the neck that he may sift away the heathen in the â—ine of vanitie and his breath is a bridle of errour in the rawes of the people â–ª 29 And ye shall sing like 〈◊〉 in the night when the holy solemnitie beginneth and ye shall haue gladnesse of hart like as when one commeth with 〈…〉 he hill of the Lorde and to the most mightie one 〈…〉 And the Lorde shall cause his glorious voles to be hearde and shall declare his stretched ouâ— arme with a terrible countenauncee and with the flame of a consuming fire with noysome lightning with a showre and with hayle stones 31 For through the voyce of the Lorde shall Assur be destroyed which 〈◊〉 other men with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it shal come to passe that whither soeuer he goeth the rod shall rleaue vnto him which the Lorde shall lay vpon him with tabrets and harpes and with great warre shall he fight agaynst his host 33 For the fire of hell is ordeyned from the beginning yea euen for the king is it prepared this hath the Lorde set in the déepe and made it wyde the burning wherof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lorde which is like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it The exposition vpon the .30 Chapter of Esay Alas for those disobedient children sayth the Lorde that they will take c. AT what tyme the Assirians vnder * Senacherib in the tyme of Ezechias inuaded Iurie and put Hierusalem in great feare * many of the Princes and people were verye earnest to haue selâ—â— for succour into Egypt â–ª and might hardly be perswaded otherwise And 〈◊〉 they were commaunded by God in their distresse to put their trust in him and not seke helpe at the heathen and godlesse people that were 〈…〉 Esay in this 〈…〉 from that put 〈◊〉 and sayth 〈…〉 dicut children sayth the Lorde that contemning my worde whereby I haue promised them helpe agaynst the Assirians will 〈◊〉 followe theyr owne 〈…〉 of my holy spirite seeke ayde of straungâ—â—â— for their defence and so adde 〈◊〉 vpon sinnes not onely disobeying my worde in taking that aduice but stubburnely refusing my calling back from the execution 〈◊〉 purpose They 〈…〉 and confidence that they shoulde haue in me and follow their owne counsayle and seeke their owne strength by the power of the * Aegyptians But that vaine shadow of Pharoes power and the Aegyptians shall be their confusion Yea they sende theyr Princes in ambassage to the farremost partes of Aegypt that is to Zoan Hanes with rich presentes and giftes in seruile maner to craue ayde of a godlesse people that shall neyther be willing nor * hable to helpe them The burthen of the beastes of the South In a lande of trouble c. The Prophete doth not onely reprooue theyr doyng but amplifyeth their follie shewing that they take great and daungerous iourneyes with their beastes lâ—aden wyth treasure to passe into Aegypt through the wildernesse which is here noted by the lande of anguish and trouble and by the wayes were assaulted by Lyons and other wilde beastes â–ª and 〈◊〉 with great hurt and daunger And all to bie the helpe of them that â—â—re not hable to succour them whereas they might haue had the readie helpe of God at home If according to his worde and preaching of his Prophete they would haue called vpon him and put their trust in hims Nowe therefore go thy way write this before them in a table c. These wordes be spoken in the person of God to the Prophete willing him to write this prophesie and to set it in the sight of the people that it might remain for an euerlasting memorie against them and that all ages might thereby vnderstand what an * obstinate stubburne and waywarde people this was that by no preaching or teaching of the Prophetes of GOD could be withdrawne from their vnfaythfull deuises For they say vnto the Seers Se not and to them that be cleare c. By the name of Seers and those that vnderstand he meaneth the Prophetes and Preachers that God had sent vnto them In this place therefore Esay painteth forth the waywarde obstinacie and contempt of Gods worde before mentioned In so much that they did not only turne away their eies their eares and all their sences from the doctrine of his truth but also derided the same and desired to haue it vtterly rooted out and taken away Of which virulent furie of the wicked ryseth all affliction persecution and trouble against the prophets and messengers of god For when once they can not abide the truth then seeke they all meanes to * vexe them by whome it is offered and brought vnto them Looke not out right thinges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs c. It cannot be thought that any people can be so obstinately blinded that they will with so * open wordes * protest that they will not here the truth vnder the name of the truth or that they will with plaine wordes desire to be deceiued and be led into errour by flatterie but rather with a countenaunce of hypocrisie will detest the truth vnder the name of falsehood and errour because it is to them sharpe and vnpleasaunt and vnder the name of truth and godlinesse desire to haue * erronr and falsehoode beeyng to them more pleasaunt and acceptable because it is more * agreeing to theyr fantasies But the Prophete here pulleth of their visarde and letteth them be seene as they are inwardely in heart and mynde in deede abhorring the truth Wherefore thus sayth the holy one of Israell Because your heartes rise c.
or to forsake his people but for to* exercise and trie their fayth and to stirre them vp to more earnest prayer and calling vpon his name and that in the ende their deliueraunce may be both to his people more pleasaunt to himselfe more glorious and to the aduersaries the greater confusion Nowe when Ezekia had receyued the letter of the messengers c. Here is to be learned the nature and condition of a true* fayth which riseth against the greatnesse of tentation as it is written that the stocke of the Palme tree doth agaynst an heauie burthen layde vpon it God increaseth the daunger and Ezechias encreaseth his fayth and feruencie in prayer Neyther doeth he giue ouer as the maner of the flesh is but paciently continueth and wayteth for the comming of Gods mightie hand and fulfilling of his promise and resorteth to his old succour and sanctuarie of prayer and calleth vpon God. In whome you maye learne also the maner of true prayer first proceeding out of a * coÌ„stant a strong fayth secondly directed to the * ouely liuing and true GOD thirdely notsomuche desiring their owne deliueraunce and worldelye benefite as the * setting oute of the glorie and name of God. For to that ende the whole course of his prayer tendeth This is the aunswere that the Lorde hath giuen concerning Sennacherib c. As Ezechias continueth in constant fayth and prayer so doth the Lord in comforting and promising helpe by the mouth of his Prophet vntil their full deliuerance be wrought which not long after he putteth in execution mightily and miraculously Wherein we haue to obserue the force * strength of constant earnest and faythfull prayer which is such that albeit God doth for the exercise thereof deferre his working yet in the ende if ordinarie meanes want he will miraculously by his Aungels from heauen worke the help and deliuerance of his faythfull people calling vpon him rather then they shall perishe in their daunger and their enimies triumph ouer them Thou with thy seruants hast hlasphemed the Lorde and thus holdest thou c. The Lorde by his prophete reprooueth the pride and blasphemie of the tyranne and rehearseth the prowde bragge that he made of himselfe By the mountaynes and sides of Libanus he meaneth the kingdomes and cities of those people that Sennacherib had conquered and by Ceders and Firre trees and the chiefest of their wooddes he vnderstandeth their kinges princes and strong holdes By the consuming of their fensiue waters he noteth that by pollicie and labour he deriued away and turned the course of such waters as were lettes and stayes to his purpose Hast thou not heard what I haue taken in hande and brought to passe c. The Prophete in the person of God reprooueth the proude bragge of the Assirian Prince Doest thou thinke sayth the Lord that thou by thy owne pollicie and wisdome hast conquered so many Cities and kingdomes hast thou not heard what I haue done in times past I * haue before time declared by my Prophets that I would destroy wicked kingdomes and punishe the naughtinesse of men by the spoyle of their Cities yea and with the rodde of Chasticement to correct euen mine owne people and bring their Cities to heapes * of stone that haue I nowe done by thee as by mine instrument Wherefore although thou thinkest thy selfe to haue done great feates by these conquests and turnest all this to thine owne glorie It was not thou but I that did it For thou haddest not bene hable without me to haue woonne one poore towne I knowe thy wayes thy goyng foorth and thy comming home I did first set thee in thy royall throne and then stirred thee to vndertake these great enterprises agaynst the kingdomes of the earth for their punishment And nowe I see thou doest not acknowledge mee but settest vp thy countenaunce and blasphemous mouth agaynst me as a furious and madde man Therefore I tell thee I will put a * ring in thy â—osâ— and a bitte in thy lippes that albeit thou shew thy selfe neuer so wilde and wanton a Colt I wil turne thee euen the same way that thou camest I will giue thee also this token O Ezekia this yeare shalt thou eate c. Least Ezechias and his people should be discouraged with the long delay God signifyeth that the warre should yet continue three yeares and that in the meane time he woulde almost * miraculously maintaine them from famine The first yeare by that which groweth of it selfe the second by that which falleth of the former haruest and the thirde yeare in which the warre shoulde be ended and they deliuered by their ordinarie and quiet labour and trauaile of the ground Thus the aungell of the Lord went forth and slue of the Assirians hoast c. Here is declared the execution of that promise that god had made by his prophet Esay the miraculous deliueraÌ„ce of his people wherin we haue to note first the seuere iustice of God against a prowd and blasphemous tyranne killing in one night by his aungell .185000 of his souldiours Secondly the long suffering of God who suffered Sennacherib to go * vnpunished three yeares that if he would haue repeÌ„ted he might haue found mercie Thirdly that the wicked sometime escape from meane daunger and by Gods prouidence are reserued to greater As heare Sennacherib escapeth killing by the Aungell and is murthered of his owne sonnes in the seruice of his * Idolatrous Gods because he would not acknowledge the true God. The first Sunday after Christmasse at Euening prayer Esay 38. ABout this time was Ezekia sicke vnto death and the Prophete Esay the sonne of Annos came vnto him and sayde Thus commaundeth the Lord Set thine house in order for thou must die and not escape 2 Then Ezekia turned his face towarde the wall and prayed vnto the Lorde 3. And sayde Remember O Lorde I beseech thée that I haue walked before thée in truth and a stedfast hart and hane done the thing that is pleasant to thée And Ezekia wept â—ore 4 Then sayd God vnto Esay 5 Go and speake vnto Ezekia The Lorde God of Dauid thy father sendeth thée this worde I haue heard thy prayer and considered thy teares beholde I will put fiftene yeares mo vnto thy lyfe 6 And deliuer thée and the Citie also from the hande of the king of Assyrla for I will defende the Citie 7 And take thée this token of the Lorde that he will doe it as he hath spoken 8 Beholde I will turne the shadow of Ahaz diall that nowe is layde out with the Sunne and bring it tenne degrées backward So the Sunne turned ten degrées backwarde the which he was descended afore 9 A thankesgiuing vvhich Ezekia king of Iuda vvrote vvhen he had bene sicke and vvas recouered 10 I thought I should haue gone to the gates of hel when mine age was shortned
For death in deed is terrible to them that in such sort consider it but to them that in strength of * fayth beholde it ioyned with the fauour of God it is very pleasaunt and therefore sayde Paule I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Mine age is folden together and taken from me like a sheepeheards cottage c. By this maner of speech he signifieth that God had determined to take this worldly life from him in short time to transferre him to another place as the maner of sheepeheardes in that countrey is to remooue their Cotes from place to place as they chaunge the Pasture and place of feeding theyr Cattell I thought I should haue liued till the morow but he bruised my bones c. I was sayth he in so great dispaire of my life that at night I was in doubt through the vehemencie of my sicknesse whether I should liue vntil the morning Yea I was so farre past as I was not hable to speake distinctly but vttered a confuse chattering like the noise of a Swallow or Crane and a mourning like the noyse of a Doue Thou it is O Lorde that hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe c. Here Ezechias plainely confesseth what the cause was of his sickenesse and of his restoring to health * Sinne was the cause of his sickenesse and the mercy of God forgiuing the same and turning them from his sight was the cause of his deliuerance Wherefore it cannot be thought when before he sayth he walked in truth and a stedfast heart before God that he sought thereby to be iustified in the sight of GOD but rather as I haue sayde before that he vttered those wordes in comfort of himselfe that he was not vtterly reiected of God albeit he were then punished For hell prayseth not thee death doth not magnifie thee nor they that go down c. The Sense of this verse is vtterd in many of the Psalmes as in the. * 6. the. * 87. and the. * 117. The deade shall not prayse thee nor all that go downe into the pit c. By which wordes and the like neyther Dauid nor Ezechias denie that the spirite of the dead haue their actions before God to his glorie or affirme that they perish together with the bodie But they signifie that those that be deade buried and layde in the graue ouerwhelmed wyth earth haue no longer their bodily Actions in the Church of God here in this worlde nor cannot set forth among men liuing here the clemencie mercie and goodnesse of God toward them to the prayse and glorie of his name in this worlde like as the liuing may The dead as touching their body are in y graue as touching their soules they are in heauen but so as they cannot* returne into the worlde to preach declare and set forth to men the maiestie iustice and mercie of God. The .2 Sunday after Christmas at Morning prayer Esay 41. BE still you I landes and hearken vnto me let the people lay their strength together let them come hither and then shewe their cause we will go to the 〈◊〉 together 2. Who raysed vp the iust man from the east and called him to go forth who cast downe the people and subdued the kinges before him that he may throwe them all to the grounde with his sworde and scatter them like stubble with his bowe 3 He foloweth vpon them and goeth safely himselfe and that in a way where before his foote had not troden 4 Who hath made and created these things euen he that called the generations from the beginning euen I the Lorde which am the first and with the last 5 The Isâ—es saw and did feare and the endes of the earth were abashed drew 〈◊〉 and came hither 6 Euery man helped his neighbour and sayde to his brother Be strong 7 The Carpenter comforted the Goldsmith and the Goldssmith the Hammerman saying Sowder win do very well in it they fastened it with naâ—â—es that it shoulde not be mooueel 8 But thou Israell art my seruant thou Iacob whom I haue chosen thou art the séede of Abraham my beloued 9 Thou art he whome I led from the endes of the earth for I called thée euen from among the glorious men of it and sayde vnto thée Thou art my seruaunt I haue chosen thée and not cast thée away 10 Be not afrayde for I am with thée Melt not away as waxe for I am thy God to strengthe thée helpe thée and kéepe thée with the right hande of my righteousnesse 11 Beholde all they that resist thée shall come to confusion and shame and thine aduersaries shall be destroyed and brought to naught 12 So that who so séeketh after them shall not finde them thy destroyers shall perishe and so shal they that vndertake to make battell agaynst thée be as that is not and as a thing of naught 13 For I the Lorde thy God will strengthen thy right hande euen I that say vnto thée Feare not I will helpe thée 14 Be not afrayde thou little worme Iacob and thou despised Israell for I wil helpe thée sayth the Lorde and the holy one of Israell thy redéemer 15 Beholde I will make thée a treading cart and a newe stayle that thou mayest threshe and grinde the mountaynes and bring the hilles to powder 16 Thou shalt fanne them and the winde shall carie them away and the whirle winde-shall scatter them but thou shalt reioyce in the Lord and shalt delight in the holy one of Israell 17 When the thirstie and poore séeke water and finde none and when the tongue is drie of thirst I giue it them sayth the Lorde I the God of Israell forsake them not 18 I bring forth flooddes in the hilles and welles in the plaine fieldes I turne the wildernesse to riuers and the drie lande to conduites of water 19 I plant in the wast ground trées of Cedar Boxe Myrre and Oliues and in the drie I set Firre trées Elmes and Hawthornes together 20 All this doe I that they altogether may sée and marke perceyue with theyr heartes and consider that the hande of the Lord maketh these things and that the holy one of Israel bringeth them to passe 21 Stande at your cause sayth the Lorde and bring forth your strongest ground sayth the king of Iacob 22 Let them bring forth their Gods and let their Gods tell vs what shall chaunce hereafter yea let them shew vs the thinges that are past what they be let them declare them vnto vs that we may take them to heart aud knowe them hereafter 23 Either shew vs things for to come and tell vs what shall be done hereafter so shall we know that ye are Gods doe some thing either good or bad so will we both knowledge the same and tell it out 24 Beholde ye are Gods of naught and your making is of naught yea abhominable is the man that
out any money for the thing that feedeth not c. As God by his Prophet calleth his people to the liuely Water heauenly Foode before mentioned so doth he rebuke them that they bestowe their cost labour trauayle to attaine that which in deede is no foode and wherwith their Soules cannot be relieued that is to saye that they leaue the liuely fountayne of Gods mercie in Christ Iesu and seeke after saluation by their owne works or by the obseruation of mens Deuises Traditiōs and Doctrines wherwith God by his Prophet in another place doth protest that * They worship him in vaine Encline your eares and come vnto mee take heede I say and your soule c. That which before he vttered Figuratiuely he speaketh nowe in plaine wordes that is that they should harken and giue dyligent eare vnto Hys doctrine and not be ledde away by the Fantasies of men For sayth he * I will make my euerlasting couenant with you I once promised to Dauid my seruant that of his seede I would bring forth a Sauiour of the worlde by whome I woulde be reconcyled to all them that beleeued in him and that I would chose thē as my Sonnes and heires of euerlasting lyfe This promise or couenaunt that by my othe I confirmed confirmed I will * keepe and performe to you for euer Cleaue therefore to my doctrine and swerue not from it Beholde I gaue him as a witnesse among the people for a prince c. This may be Literally spoken of Dauid But prophetically it is ment of Christ whome he sayth he gaue to the people as a * witnesse to Iustify the promise of his mercy made vnto them as a Prince to gouerne and rule them with the direction of his Spirit as a Teacher to instruct and lead them into all truth Loe thou shalt call an vnknowne people and a people that had no knowledge c. Esay prophecieth of the calling of the Gentiles and sayth that Christ by his Apostles shall * call that people that neuer knewe him before and that they shall gladly and readily runne after him because of the comfortable and sweete Doctrine of the Gospell that he published Seeke the Lorde while he may be founde and call vpon him c. After the publishing of his mercie through the Messias and Sauiour Christ Iesu he nowe exhorteth the Iewes and in them all other to turne to God by earnest repentance while his mercie and goodnesse is so freely offered For if they stubburnly refuse when God is neere at hande and calleth to mercie he will * afterwarde turne his face from them and be so farre of in his displeasure that he will not heare their prayers God is sayde to bee Nigh when by the Preachers and teachers of hys Gospell he calleth to repentance and exhorteth to imbrace his mercie liberally and bountifully offered And then to be Farre of and hard to be Found when for theyr obstinacie of his iustice he turneth his eyes from them and wil not heare their crying complayning at all as he threatneth in the first of this Prophete Esay The reason which the Prophete vseth to mooue them to repentance is the exceeding great * Readinesse and inclination of God to mercy and forgiuenesse especially towarde all them that with Sorrowfull and contrite hearts turne vnto him For thus sayth the Lorde My thoughtes are not your thoughtes c. I knowe sayth God you are all greedie of reuengement and seeke for euery small offence to be wreaked but I am not so Your mercy is Wauering and mutable but mine is Cōstant and perpetuall You are merciful by Pangues and passions but it is of my Nature and substance to be mercifull Wherefore you may not measure my wayes and cogitations by your owne Heauen and earth are not so farre distant nor so farre vnlike as your corrupt Nature and mine is Lyke as the raine and snowe commeth downe from heauen c. By this notable similitude is painted out the truth force and efficacie of the promise of Gods mercie which is the Gospel of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ The raine and snow commeth downe from heauē not to be as an idle spectacle or to return vp into the ayre agayne without vse or profite but to moysten the earth and to make it * fruitfull This is the vse wherevnto the prouidence of God hath appoynted it and this doth it perfourme whensoeuer it lighteth on grounde that is not altogether stonie and harde Euen so is it with the Gospell of our Saluation by Christ which proceded out of the mouth of God and was promised by him from the beginning of the worlde and was appoynted by his goodnesse not to be published * in vaine but so to fall moysten the field of Gods Church that it may be fertile and in deed bring forth the fruit of remission of sinnes Adoption into the Children of God Iustice before God and the world and Assurance of euerlasting life This is the true and right vse of the Worde of God and of his holy Gospell whereby we are assured of his mercy Neither is there any thing more certaine than that it shall worke this effect if it light not on heartes * harder than any stone and such as through stiffenesse and want of fayth will not receyue the Moysture of it And so shall you go forth with ioy and be led with peace the mountaynes c. He numbreth here fiue kindes of fruites that shall spring of the doctrine of the Gospell The first is that as Moyses led forth the children of Israell out of Aegypt euen so shall Christ leade forth and deliuer the faythfull people of God from the bondage of Sathan and all their spiritual enimies to their exceeding great ioy and comfort The seconde that he shall not onely leade them forth with ioy but in peace also and shall make them Quiet in conscience and set them in such safety that neither Trouble nor Afflictiō nor Death nor Hell shall be hable to hurt them The thirde that Mountaynes and Hilles that is all the creatures of God and euen the verye Aungels in heauen shall triumph and reioyce for this our Deliuerance out of that thraldom wherinto we fell by the offence of our first father Adam The fourth that the sweete dewe of the Gospell for Briers and Thornes shall bring forth Firre Mirre and other fruitful trees that is for wicked vniust and naughtie persons it shall make iust good and godly men Thus sayth saint Paule you were whoremasters adulterers wanton persons worshippers of Images but now you are washed you are sanctified you are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus Christ The fift that the immortall prayse and glorie of God shall bee set forth in the Church among hys Saintes for this his great Mercies The. 3. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 56. THus sayth
now his bloud is required 23 They were not aware that Ioseph vnderstoode them for he spake vnto them by an interpreter 24 And he turned from them and wept and turned to them againe and communed with them and tooke out Simeon from amongst them and bound him before their eies 25 And Ioseph commaunded to fill their sacks with corne and put euery mans money in his sacke and to giue them vittaile to spende by the way and thus did he vnto them 26 And they laded their asses with the corne and departed thence 27 And as one of them opened his sack for to giue his asse proueÌ„der in the Inne he espied his money for it was in his sackes mouth 28 And he saide vnto his brethren My money is restored to me againe for lo it is in my sacke And their heart fayled them and they were astonied and sayde one to another why hath God dealt thus with vs 29 And they came vnto Iacob their father vnto the land of Chanaan and tolde him all that befell vnto them saying 30 The man vvho is the Lorde of the lande spake roughly to vs and tooke vs for spies of the countrie 31 And we sayde vnto him We meane truely we neuer were spyes 32 We be twelue brethren sonnes of our father one is awaye and the yongest is thys day with our father in the lande of Chanaan 33 And the Lorde of the countrie saide againe vnto vs Hereby shall I knowe that ye meane truely Leaue one of your brethren here with me and take foode to put away the famine from your housholdes and get you awaye 34 And bring your yongest brother vnto me that I may knowe that you are no spies but meane truely so will I deliuer you your brother and ye shall occupie in the lande 35 And as they emptied their sackes beholde euery mans bundell of money was in his sacke And when both they and their father sawe the bundelles of money they were afraide 36 And Iacob their father sayde vnto them Me haue ye robbed of my children Ioseph is away and Simeon is away and ye will take Beniamin away all these things are against me 37 Ruben said vnto his father Slay my two sonnes it I bring him not to thée againe deliuer him to my hande and I will bring him to thée againe 38 And he sayd My sonne shall not go downe with you for his brother is dead and he is left alone if destruction come vpon him by the way which ye go ye shal bring my gray heade with sorowe vnto the graue The Exposition vpon the .42 Chapter of Esay And he saide beholde I haue hearde there is corne in Egypt c. THe house of the good Patriarke and godly father Iacob was subiect to the necessitie and daunger of the Famine euen as * before it had happened to Abraham and Isaac So God is wont often to make his good and godly persons partakers of the common Calamities to the ende that that rod which is to the wicked a Punishment and correction may be to them an Exercise of their Fayth and pacience to their greater benefite So it fell out to * Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel We haue here also to obserue the course of Gods Prouidence falling out to truth when men least thinke of it Iosephs * Dreame that moued his brethren to enuye him is nowe vpon this occasion to be fulfilled Ioseph was now of great authority in Egypt without whose consent no Corne could be solde And Iacob although vnknowing is moued by the Instinction of God to sende his sonnes into Egypt to bye corne by which occasion they must needs come to Ioseph and Honor him as Lorde of the lande So went Iosephs tenne brethren c. but Beniamin Iosephs brother Iacob c. You haue here the Example of a Fatherly and tender Loue towarde his yonger sonne whom he would not rashely commit to Daunger eyther by reason of his Tender age or other Incident occasions more like to fall to hym then to his other Children And Iosephs brethren came and bowed themselues before him c. The Dreame that Ioseph tolde to his brethren Cap. 37. is here performed but vtterly as yet vnknown to themselues as often Prophesies are fulfilled by the Ignorance of men in Gods affayres It was prophesied that the Iewes should Reiect and put to death Christ the Son of God which they did in deede by Ignorance For if they had known it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie Act. 3. 1. Cor. 2. The Apostle propheseth That in the latter dayes some should attende to false spirites and doctrines of Deuils 1. Tim. 4. And so we see it to haue fallen out but not with the Knowledge and Confession of them that doe it who obstinately stande in this that they Defende nothing but Truth and Godlynesse But * God will be alway iustified in his Prophecies and Promises and all * Men shall be founde Liers When Joseph sawe his brethren he knewe c. and spake roughly vnto them c. This might seeme to be of 〈◊〉 or vpon desire of Reuengement that Ioseph vseth the 〈◊〉 Roughly But we 〈…〉 the Acts of good men by the 〈…〉 at the first vntill we see the Ende of their doings For oftentimes they haue other causes 〈…〉 then commonly to all men are knowne Christ him selfe spake * Roughly to the 〈…〉 the first 〈◊〉 in the End he 〈…〉 with Clement Ioseph knowing by his 〈…〉 the Wickednesse of his Brethren might 〈◊〉 Doubt whether they had 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 his yongeâ— brother 〈…〉 To boulte it out whether it 〈…〉 And Ioseph remembred his dreames that he dreamed of them c. Ioseph 〈…〉 before â–ª Therefore being put in 〈◊〉 of them now he so dealeâ—â—y 〈◊〉 his brethren as when they should be opened vnto them thée might not onely simplie Beleeue them but with Feare 〈◊〉 Reuerence acknowledge the Triâ—â— of GOD in them with 〈◊〉 of their 〈…〉 Malice Hereby you shall be prooued be the life of Pharao ye shall not go hence c. It may seeme iustly to be called into question both how Ioseph might without blame Dissemble as he doth in this 〈◊〉 also vse this Prophane and 〈◊〉 Othe by tho life of pharao Surely I thinke Many Singuler factes of the auncient Potriaâ—kes before the law published are not to be drawâ—e into commen Examples for vs now to 〈◊〉 It may be that they had certaine 〈…〉 of God by which they were mooued to doe some thinges otherwise then the common precept requireth Neither is it necessarie for vs to Iustifie all their Factes as good For they 〈…〉 in a Heathnish maner And bee put them altogether in Warde three dayes c. While we read this we may be admonished to 〈…〉 of vs. For God may * turne our State and giue to him 〈◊〉 to be Reuenged as we see here
smite thée and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt perishe from the earth 16 And in verse déede for this cause haue I kept thée â–ª for to shew thée my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde 17 Yet exaltest thou thy selfe against my people that thou wilt not let them go 18 Beholde to morowe this time I will sende downe a mightie great hayle such a one as was not in Egypt since the foundation thereof was layde vnto this time 19 Send therefore now and gather thy beastes and all that thou hast in the fielde for vpon all the men and the beastes which are founde in the fielde and not brought home shall the hayle fall and they shall die 20 And as many as feared the worde of the Lord amongst the seruants of Pharao made their seruants and their beasts â—lee â—â—to the houses 21 But he that regarded not the worde of she Lorde left his seruants and his beastes in the field 22 And the Lord sayd vnto Moses Stretch forth thy hand vnto heauen that there may be hayle in all the lande of Egypt vpon man and vpon beastes and vpon all the hearbes of the fielde throughout the lande of Egypt 23 And Moyses stretched forth his rod vnto heauen and the Lord thundred and hayled and the fire ranne along vppon the grounde and the Lord hayled in the lande of Egypt 24 So there was hayle and fire mingled with the hâ—â—le so grieuous and such as there was none throughout all the lanâ—â— of Egypt since people inhabited it 25 And the hayle smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field â–ª both man and beast and the hayle smote all the hearbes of the fielde and broke all the trées of the fielde 26 Onely in the lande of Gosen where the children of Israell were was there no hayle 27. And Pharao sent and called for Moses and Aaron and saide vnto them I haue now sinned the Lorde is righteous 〈◊〉 I and my people are vngodly 28 Praye ye vnto the Lorde that these thunderings of God and hayle may be 〈…〉 and I will let you go and ye shall â—arâ—e no longer 29 â—â—yses layde vnto him Assoone as I am out of the Citie I will spread abroade my handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder shal ceasse neither shall there be any more haile that thou mayst know howe that the earth is the Lordes 30 But I know that thou and thy seruants yet feare not the face of the Lorde God. 31 And so the flaxe and the barlie were smitten for the barly was shot vp and the flaxe was boulled 32 But the wheate and the rie were not smitten for they were late sowne 33 And Moises went out of the Citie from Pharao and spred abroade his handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder and hayle ceassed neyther rayned it vpon the earth 34 And when Pharao â—awe that the raine and the haile and thunder were ceassed he sinned yet more and hardened his hart he and his seruants 35 And the hart of Pharao was hardened neyther would he let the children of Israell go as the Lord had sayde by the hand of Moises The .6 Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Exod. 10. ANd the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses Go into Pharao for I haue hardened his heart and the heart of his seruantes that I might shewe these my signes before him 2 And that thou tell in the audience of thy sonne and of thy sonnes sonne what things I haue done in Egypt and the miracles which I haue done amongst them that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 3 And so Moyses and Aaron came into Pharao and said vnto him Thus sayth the Lord God of the Hebrewes How long wilt thou refuse to submit thy selfe vnto me Let my people go that they may serue me 4 Or else if thou refuse to let my people go beholde to morrowe will I bring Grashoppers into thy coastes 5 And they shall couer the face of the earth that it can not be séene and they shall eate the residue which remayneth vnto you and is escaped from the hayle and they shall eate euery gréene trée that beareth you fruite in the fielde 6 And they shall fill thy houses and all thy seruaents houses and the houses of all the Egiptians after such a maner as neyther thy fathers nor thy fathers fathers haue séene since the time they were vpon the earth vnto this day And he turned himselfe about and went out from Pharao 7 And Pharaos seruantes sayd vnto him Howe long shall he be hurtfull vnto vs Let the men go that they may serue the Lorde their God knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8 And Moyses and Aaron were brought againe vnto Pharao and he sayde vnto them Go and serue the Lorde your God but who are they that shall go 9 And Moyses answered We will go with our yong and with our olde and with our sonnes and with our daughters and with our shéepe and with our Oxen we must go for we must holde a feast vnto the Lorde 10 And he saide vnto them Let the Lorde be so with you as I will let you go and your children take héede for ye haue some mischiefe in hande 11 Nay not so but go ye men and serue the Lorde for that was your desire And they were thrust out of Pharaos presence 12 And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thine hande ouer the lande of Egipt for Grashoppers that they may come vpon the lande of Egipt and eate all the hearbes of the lande and all that the hayle left behinde 13 And Moyses stretched forth his rod ouer the lande of Egipt and the Lorde brought an east winde vpon the lande all that day and all that night and in the morning the east winde brought the grashoppers 14 And the grashoppers went vp ouer all the lande of Egipt and remained in all quarters of Egypt verie grieuously before them were there no such grashoppers neyther after them shall be 15 For they couered all the face of the earth so that the lande was darke and they did eate all the hearbes of the lande and all the fruites of the trées whatsoeuer the hayle had left there was no greene thing left in the trées and hearbes of the fielde through all the lande of Egipt 16 Therefore Pharao called for Moyses and Aaron in haste and saide I haue sinned against the Lorde your God and against you 17 And nowe forgiue me my sinne onely this once and pray vnto the Lorde your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18 And Moyses went out from Pharao and prayed vnto the Lorde 19 And the Lorde turned a mightie strong west winde and it tooke away the grashoppers cast them into the red sea so that there was not one grashopper in all the coastes of Egipt 20 And the Lord hardened Pharaos heart so that he woulde
Egipt hast thou therfore brought vs away for to dye in the wildernesse Wherfore hast thou serued vs thus for to carie vs out of Egipt 12 Did not we tell thée this in Egipt saying Let vs be in rest that we maye serue the Egiptians For it had béene better for vs to haue serued the Egiptians then for to die in the wildernesse 13 And Moyses saide vnto the people Feare ye not stande still and beholde the saluation of the Lorde which he wyll shewe to you this day For ye that haue séene the Egiptians this day shall sée them no more for euer 14 The Lorde shall fight for you and ye shall holde your peace 15 And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses Wherefore cryest thou vnto me speake vnto the children of Israel that they go forwarde 16 But lift thou vp thy rod and stretch out thy hande ouer the sea and deuide it asunder and let the children of Israel go on drie ground through the midst of the sea 17 And beholde I euen I will harden the hart of the Egiptians and they shall follow after them and I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his hoast and vpon his charets and vpon his horsemen 18 And the Egiptians shall knowe that I am the Lorde when I haue gotten me honour vpon Pharao vpon his charets and vpon his Horsemen 19 And the angell of God which went before the hoast of Israel remoued and went behinde them and the piller of the clowde went from before their face and stoode behind them 20 And came betwéene the tents of the Egiptians and the tents of Israel and it was a clowde darknesse and gaue light by night and all the night long the one came not at the other 21 And Moyses stretched out his hande ouer the sea and the Lorde caused the sea to go backe by a verye strong east winde all that night and made the sea dry land and the waters were deuided 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea vpon the drie ground and the waters were a wall vnto them on their right hande and on their left hand 23 And the Egiptians folowed and went in after them to the midst of the sea euen all Pharaos horses his charets and his horsemen 24 And in the morning watche the Lorde looked vnto the hoast of the Egiptians out of the piller of the fyre and of the clowde and troubled the hoast of the Egiptians 25 And tooke of his charet whéeles and caried them away violently So that the Egiptians said Let vs flie from the face of Israel for the Lorde fighteth for them against the Egiptians 26 And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thine hande ouer the sea that the waters maye come againe vpon the Egiptians vpon their charets and vpon their horsemen 27 And Moyses stretched forth his hande ouer the sea and it came againe to his course earely in the morning and the Egiptians fled against it and the Lorde ouerthrewe the Egiptians in the midst of the sea 28 And the water returned and couered the charets and the horsemen and all the hoaste of Pharao that came into the sea after them so that there remayned not one of them 29 But the children of Israel walked vpon drie lande through the midst of the Sea and the waters were a wall vnto them on the right hande of them and on the left 30 Thus the Lorde deliuered Israel the selfe same daye out of the hande of the Egiptians and Israel sawe the Egiptians dead vpon the sea side 31 And Israel saw that mightie power which the Lord shewed vpon the Egiptians and the people feared the Lorde and beléeued the Lorde and his seruant Moyses The Exposition vpon the. 14. Chapter of Exodus And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying c. For Pharao will say c. IN this Chapter is described the great daunger that the Israelites were in after their departure out of Egipt at the redde sea and their merueylous deliuerance from the same Whereby we see that although Moses and the children of Israel did folowe the calling of God were guyded by his angels at their departure yet were they not quite out of perill and daunger Yea rather because Pharao had deliuered them against his will by Gods mighty hande he pursueth them nowe more eagerly and doth his best to worke them greater perill Euen so those which Christ hath deliuered out of the bondage of Satan by the might of his power haue not yet their Full tranquillitie and quietnesse but rather because he was forced to deliuer them he stryueth by all his ministers to worke them greater trouble Therefore we must not imagine that assoone as we followe Gods calling in this lyfe in the professing of Christ and his Gospell that we are by and by in the lande of promise flowing with Milke and Honie But yet still remayneth to vs whyle we are here the dangers of enimies of the Sea of the wildernesse of hunger of thirst of colde of heare c. as we see happened to the Israelites for our instruction Againe as we see this daunger happened to the Israelites not without the knowledge of God for he telleth Moyses of it before hande Euen so we must vnderstande that those troubles that happen to vs Come not wythout the certayne knowledge and prouidence of god Therefore we may not * murmure as the Israelites did and mistrust God or impute the same to euill fortune to the Deuill or to euill men but paciently looke for Gods purpose therein with sure trust of his helpe if the same be eyther for his glorie or for our commoditie Lastly God doth not sende such troubles and daungers to his people for that he meaneth to forsake them leaue them succourlesse to their enimies but rather that he may glorifie his name and set forth his exceeding mercies sauing helth towarde them that followe the calling of his holye worde And it was tolde the king of Egipt that the people fledde and the hart c. Here may we learne the Disposition of the wycked which after the example of Pharao and the Egiptians being somtime broken with the plagues and punishmentes of God with hipocrisie for the time seeme to repent them and to leaue their euil But so soone as Gods heauie hande is taken from them and any occasion giuen of mischiefe as saint Peter sayth They fall as Dogges to their vomet and Hogges to their vvalovving in the myre For such it were better neuer to haue knowne the way of Iustice then after knowledge to forsake it Moreouer the wicked haue great hope in their Deuillish attempts but God turneth it to their owne confusion as we see here by Pharao and the Egiptians And when Pharao drewe nighe the children of Israel lift vp c. The nature of affliction is as fyre to Trie the good and sounde hartes from hypocrites and dissimulers
out of the lande For I wore that he whome thou blessest is blessed and whome thou cursest is cursed 7 And the elders of Mâ—ab and the elders of Madian departed hauing the revvarde of the soothlaying in their hande And they came vnto Balaam and tolde him the wordes of Balac 8 He answered them Tarie here this night and I wyll bring you worde as the Lorde shall saye vnto me And the Lordes of Moab abode with Balaam 9 And God came vnto Balaam and saide What men are these wyth thée 10 And Balaam saide vnto God Balac the sonne of Ziphor king of Moah hath sent vnto me saying 11 Beholde there is a people come out of Egipt and couereth the face of the earth come nowe therefore and curse them for my saâ—e so it may be that I shal be hable to ouercome them in battaile and to driue them out 12 And God said vnto Balaam Go not thou with them neyther curse the people for they are blessed 13 And Balaam rose vp in the morning and saide vnto the Lordes of Balac Get you vnto your lande for the Lorde will not suffer me to go with you 14 And the Lordes of Moab rose vp and went vnto Balac and saide Balaam would not come with vs. 15 And Balac sent againe a greater companie of Lords and more honourable then they 16 Which came to Balaam and tolde him Thus sayth Balac the sonne of Ziphor Oh let nothing let thée but come vnto me 17 For I will greatly promote thée vnto great honour and will doe whatsoeuer thou sayest vnto me come I pray thée curse this people for my sake 18 And Balaam answered and saide vnto the seruantes of Blalac If Balac would geue me this house full of Siluer and Golde I can not go beyonde the worde of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more 19 Nowe therefore I praye thée tarie ye here this night that I may wit what the Lord will say vnto me more 20 And God came vnto Balaam by night and sayde vnto him If the men come to cal thée rise vp and go with them but looke what I say vnto thée that shalt thou doe 21 And Balaam rose vp earely and sadled his asse and went with the Lords of Moab 22 And the wrath of God was kindled because he went and the angell of the Lorde stoode in the waye to be against him as he rode vpon his asse and his two seruauntes were with him 23 And when the asse saw the Angel of the Lord stande in the way and hauing his sword drawne in his hand the asse turned aside out of the waye and went out into the fielde And Balaam smote the asse to turne her into the way 24 But the angel of the Lorde stoode in a path betwéene the vineyardes and there was a wall on the one side and another on the other 25 â–ª And when the asse saw the Angel of the Lorde she thrust her selfe vnto the wall and crusht Balaams foote against the wall and he smote her againe 26 And the Angell of the Lorde went further and stoode in a narrowe place where was no waye to turne eyther to the right haude or to the left 27. And when the asse sawe the angel of the Lorde she fell downe vnder Balaam and Balaam was wroth and smote the asse with a staffe 28 And the Lorde opened the mouth of the asse 〈◊〉 she saide vnto Balaam What haue I done vnto thée that thou hast smitten me nowe three times 29 And Balaam saide vnto his asse Because thou hast mocked me I would also there were a sword nomine hand for euen nowe would I kill thée 30 And the asse saide vnto Balaam Am not I thine asse which thou hast ridden vpon since the first time vnto this day Was I euer wont to doe so vnto thée He saide nay 31 And the Lorde opened the eyes of Balaam and he sawe the angell of the Lorde standing in the way hauing his sworde drawne in his hande he bowed himselfe therefore and fell flatte on his face 32 And the Angell of the Lord saide vnto him Wherfore hast thou smitten the asse these thrée times Beholde I came out to withstand thée because thine hart hath declined out of the way before me 33 And the asse saw me and turned from me nowe three times or else if she had not turned fro me I had surely slaine thée and saued her aliue 34 Balaam saies vnto the angell of the Lorde I haue sinned for I wisâ— not that thou stoodest in the way against me Now therefore if it displease shée I will turne home againe 35 The angell of the Lorde saide vnto Balaam Go wyth the men but what I saye vnto thée that shalt thou speake And so Balaam went with the Lordes of Balac 36 And when Balac heard that Balaam was come he went out to méete him vnto a citie of Moab which is in the border of Arâ—on in the vttermost coast 37 And Balac saide vnto Balaam Did I not sende for thée to call thée and wherefore camest thou not vnto me Am I not hable in déede to promote thée vnto honor 38 And Balaam made answere vnto Balac Lo I am come vnto thée and can I now say any thing at all The worde that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speake 39 And Balaam went with Balac and they came vnto a citie of stréets 40 And Balac offered oxen and shéepe and sent thereof to Balaam and to the Lords that were with him 41 And on the morowe Balac tooke Balaam and brought him vp into the his places of Baal that thence he might sée the vttermost part of the people The Exposition vpon the .xxij. Chapter of Numb And the children of Israel departed and pitched in the fieldes of Moab c. IN the ende of the former .xxi. Chapter it was sayde that Schon king of the Amorhites did conquere take from the king of Moab all his lande euen vnto Arnon which as maye in this place appeare is not so to be taken but that there was a portion of lande yet remayning to the Moabites ouer which Balach their king raygned But in likelyhood his kingdome was not so mightie that he durst with his power wythstande the Israelites and therfore he craueth of the Madianites and other his neighbours that they woulde ioyne with him agaynst them The Moabites discended of one of the daughters of Loth the Madianites came from Abraham by Cethura and therefore were they as kinne vnto the Israelites and shoulde in curtesse euen by the Lawe of nature haue vsed more gentlenesse vnto them passing through their Countrey The Historie of this Chapiter and of the next following comprehendeth many matters worthie the obseruing First it sheweth that Satan by his instruments ceaseth not continually by Violence and force by craft and subtiltie by all the meanes he can to worke trouble daunger and confusion to the people and Church of god And
on the contrarie part it setteth forth howe God as a carefull protectour doth Defende the same and turneth all the endeuours of their enemies to their greater commoditie and benefite As here he turneth their 〈◊〉 that was purposed into a notable blessing He sent messengers therefore to Balaam the sonne of Peor c. It is not likely that this Balaam as some doe gather shoulde haue dwelt in Mesopotamia For that country is a great number of miles from Moab so that it could not wel be that he could haue bene twise sent for within so short space as the circumstances of this Historie doe signifye It maye be that he dwelt in the countrie of Madian or there about Eastwarde from Moab so that by that occasion the king of Moab did the sooner here of his fame which from the other place so many hundred myles of he coulde not doe We reade cap. 31. that Balaam was sâ—aine amonge the Madianites and therby he may appeare to haue bene of that countrie Neyther is it to be thought that this Balaam was an ordinarie Prophete of God and indued with the spirite of continuall prophecie and charge of doctrine as the other Prophetes were For 2. Pet. 2. he and his fellowes are condemned I thinke rather he was a Southsayer or Sorcerer which vsed the helpe of euill spirites and by them did some straunge things that brought him in admiration with the Heathnishe people of those partes And yet when the cause of Gods people came in hande it pleased God by his holy spirite for the time to Bridle his wicked affection to stop his couetous mouth and to vse his tongue euen against his will as an instrument to blesse his people and by prophecie to shewe to his enimies the cause why he did so singulerly preserue them that is because the true Messias should descende of them And this interpretatioÌ„ can not seeme strange and repugnant to the scriptures that God for the time putteth his spirite of Prophesie euen into the wicked to their further condemnation For we read in Samuel when Saule sent his men to apprehend Dauid although they went to an euill purpose yet the spirite of God entered into them so that they prophecied yea and the reprobate Saule himselfe folowing after them with the same minde did prophecie also whereof rose this common saying Is Saule also among the Prophets He answered them Tarie here this night and I will bring you worde c. At the first sight there doth appeare a great shew of Holinesse that he will not go with them no nor giue them any answere vntill he knewe Gods pleasure therein but all was but Hypocrisie For he woulde gladly haue gone with them for couetousnesse of the great rewardes that were promised to him But the spirite of God Brideled his couetous minde and ouerruled his tongue and doynges that his Heathen enimies might thereby learne their Vanitie and foolishe striuing agaynst him and his people Get you vnto your lande For the Lorde will not suffer me to go with you c. Here Balaam bewrayeth somewhat his Hypocrisie If his minde had beene Syneere and had made vnto them a free answere that they striued in vaine agaynst those that God had blessed they would neuer haue sent vnto him the seconde message but by a doubtfull answere he did the more inflame them For when he sayth God would not suffer him to go vvith them he signifieth there was a good will in himselfe if that he might haue done it and therefore thought they by further intreatie and more Hope of gaine to perswade him Then Balac sent againe a greater companie of Lordes and more honorable c. By the former plaine answere that God gaue willing Balaam not to go both Balach the king of the Moabites shoulde haue learned his vaine trauaile agaynst the people of God and Balaam the Prophete also to haue chaunged his couetous affection into a sincere mind in folowing that thing which he vnderstoode to be Gods pleasure But the Heathen king thought God to depende vpon mans pleasure and that he would haue bene * mutable as man was And the Couetous prophet increasing his hypocrisie retayned the same corruption of mind that he did before When Balaam said If Balach vvould giue me his house full of siluer and golde I can not go beyonde the vvorde of the Lorde c. It might seeme to haue proceeded of a great Holinesse and submission to the will of god But if he spake it Sincerely why did he tempt God againe with a newe question Did he thinke God mutable and to be woonne to wickednesse as himselfe was Surely his endeuour doth declare no other opinion to haue bene in him but that the â—pirite of God would also be Double and mutable as the euill spirites were whose councell he had before vsed And therefore he sheweth that he had no sounde fayth or feare of God but onely was caried away with his Couetous desire if God woulde in any wise haue suffered him But it may then be sayde whie did God yeelde vnto him and bid hym go with those seconde Messengers Truly not because he Lyked eyther the minde of Balaam or the thing it self but that he gaue ouer an obstinate maÌ„ to the affection of his owne minde that both he and they that sent for him might with more shame and griefe Learne the will of God which at this first answere they would not receyue And the wrath of God was kindled because he went and the Angell c. By this we may vnderstande that God lyked not the endeuour of Balaam and therfore not onely with greater daunger bringeth him to learne his pleasure but to his reproche causeth a verye Asse to see and vtter that which he blinded with couetousnesse woulde not conceyue And whereas touching the * speaking of the Asse the Deuill may put into our heartes some vngodly cogitations to the discredite of the holy scriptures we must stay our selues vpon these wordes And the Lorde opened the mouth of the Asse If then it were the Lords doyng it is not here tolde as any ordinarie doyng but miraculously as the woonderful worke of God 〈◊〉 the abashing of his enimies and comfort of the faythfull that feare god We thinke it no great matter for a man to cause a Pie or Popingay to vtter certaine distinct wordes and speaches Wee maye not then iudge it so Vncredible a matter if it be attributed to God for his glorie sake and to reproue the wicked that he maketh an Asse to speake seeing especially that the Fynest tongued man if Gods gift had not beene in the beginning could no more haue framed his tongue to speach then now an Horse or an Asse can doe The Lorde therefore is Lorde of speach and vtterance and can at his pleasure giue it to those creatures that haue it not and take it from them that haue it as it appeareth by Zacharie
so in the land whither ye go to possesse it 6 Kepe them therfore do them for that is your wisedom and vnderstanding in the syght of the people that they may heare all these ordinances and say Surely it is a wise and vnderstanding people it is a great nation 7 For what other nation is so great that gods come so nie vnto as the Lord our God is nie vnto vs in all things as oft as we call vnto him 8 Yea and what nation is so greate that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day 9 Take héed to thy self therfore and kéepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things which thyne eyes haue séen and that they depart not out of thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sonnes thy sonnes sonnes 10 Specially the day that thou stodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lorde sayde vnto me Gather me the people together and I will make them heare my words that they may learne to feare me all the days that they shal liue vpon the earth that they may teach their children 11 Ye came and stode also vnder the mountayn the mountayn burnt with fire euen vnto the middes of heauen and there was darknesse cloudes mist 12 And the Lord spake vnto you oute of the middes of the fire and ye hearde the voyce of the wordes but sawe no similitude but hearde a voyce onely 13 And he declared vnto you his couenant which he commaunded you to do euen ten commaundements which he wrote vpon two tables of stone 14 And the Lord cōmaunded me that same season that I should teach you ordinances and lawes which ye ought to do in the land whither ye go to possesse it 15 Take therefore good héede vnto your selues as pertaining vnto your soules for ye sawe no maner of image in the day that the Lorde spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middes of fire 16 Lest ye marre your selues make you a grauen image picture of any maner of figure whether it be the likenesse of man or woman 17 The likenesse of any maner of beast that is on the earth or the likenesse of any maner fethered foule that flyeth in the ayre 18 Or the likenesse of any maner worme that créepeth on the earth or the likenesse of any maner fish that is in the waters beneath the earth 19 Yea and lest thou lift vp thyne eyes vnto heauen and when thou séest the sunne the Moone and the starres with al the hoast of heauen shuldest be driuen to worship them and serue them and shuldest worship and serue the things which the Lord thy God hath made to serue all nations vnder the whole heauen 20 But the Lord hath taken you and brought you out of the yron fornace euen out of Egypte to be vnto him a people and inheritaunce as ye be this daye 21 Furthermore the Lord was angrie with me for youre wordes and sware that I should not go ouer Iordane that I should not go in vnto that good lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thée to inheritance 22 But I muste dye in this land and shall not go ouer Iordane but ye shall go ouer and possesse that good land 23 Take héed vnto your selues that ye forget not the appointment of the Lord your God which he made with you that ye make you no grauen image or likenesse that the lord thy God hath forbidden thée 24 For the lord thy God is a cōsuming fire a ielous God. 25 When thou shalt beget children and thy children beget children and shalte haue remained long in the lande if ye do wickedly and make any maner of grauen image and worke euill in the sight of the Lorde thy God to prouoke him to anger 26 I call heauen and earth to recorde against you this daye that ye shall shortly perishe from of the lande wherunto you go ouer Iordane to possesse it ye shall not prolong your dayes therein but shall vtterly be destroyed 27 And the Lord shal scatter you among the people and ye shal be left fewe in number among the nations whither the Lord shall bring you 28 And there ye shall serue Gods which are the work of mans hande wood and stone which neither sée nor heare nor eate nor smell 29 If frō thence thou shalt seke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him * if thou seke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 30. When thou art in tribulation and when all these things that be here spoken of are come vppon thée euen in the latter dayes if thou turne to the Lorde thy God and shalt be obedient vnto his voyce 31 For the Lorde thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thée neither destroye thée nor forget the appoyntment of thy fathers which he sware vnto them 32 For aske of the dayes that are paste which were before and since the day that God created man vpō the earth and aske from the one side of heauē vnto the other if euer there came to passe suche a great thing or whether anye such like thing hath ben hearde as this 33 Did euer any people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the middes of a fire as thou hast heard yet lyued 34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a people frō among nations by temptations by signes by wonders by warre by a mighty hande by a stretched out arme and by great sightes according to all that the Lord your God dyd vnto you in Egipt before your eyes 35 Vnto thée it was shewed that thou mightest knowe that the Lord is God and that there is none other but he 36 Out of heauen he made thée heare his voyce that he might instruct thée and vpō earth he shewed thée his great fire thou heardest his word out of the middest of the fire 37 And bycause he loued thy fathers he chose their séede after thē and brought thée out in his sighte w his mightie power * out of Egipt 38 To thrust out natiōs greater mightier than thou before thée to bring thée in to geue thée their land to inheritāce as it is come to passe this day 39 Vnderstand therfore this day and consider it in thine hearte that the Lorde is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath neither is there any other 40 Thou shalt kepe therfore his ordināces hys commaūdements which I cōmaund thée this day y it may go wel with thée with thy childrē after thée and that thou maist prolong thy dayes vpō the earth which the lord thy God geueth thée for euer 41 Then Moyses seuered thrée cities on the other syde of Iordane toward the sun rising 42 That he shoulde flée thither whych had kylled hys neighboure vnwares and hated him not in
all them that hate thée 16 Thou shalt consume all the nations whiche the Lorde thy God shal deliuer thée thyne eye shal haue no pitie vpon them neither shalte thou serue their gods for that shall be thy decaye 17 If thou saye in thyne hearte These nations are mo than I howe can I caste them out 18 Thou shalte not feare them but remember what the Lord thy God did vnto Pharao and vnto all Egypt 19 The greate temptations whyche thyne eyes sawe and the sygnes and wonders and the myghtie hande and stretched out arme whereby the Lorde thy God broughte thée oute so shall the Lorde thy God doe vnto all Nations of whome thou arte afrayde 20 Moreouer the Lorde thy God will sende hornets among them vntyll they that are lefte and hyde themselues from thée bée destroyed 21 Thou shalte not feare them for the Lord thy God is among you a myghtie God and a terrible 22 For the Lorde thy God will put oute these nations before thée by a little and a lyttle thou mayest not consume them at once leaste the beastes of the fielde increase vpon thée 23 But the Lorde thy God shall giue them before thée and shall destroye them with a myghtie destruction vntill he haue brought them to naught 24 And hée shall delyuer theyr Kings into thyne hande and thou shalte destroye their name from vnder heauen There shall no man bée able to stande before thée vntyll thou haue destroyed them 25 The grauen Images of their Gods shalte thou burne with fyre and couet not the gold and siluer that is on them nor take it vnto thée least thou be snared therein for it is an abhomination before the Lord thy God. 26 Bryng not therefore abhomination into thyne house least thou be a cursed thing as it is but vtterly defye it and abhorre it for it is a cursed thing The Exposition vpon the seuenth Chapter of Deuteronomie When the Lorde thy God shall bring thee into the lande c. FOrsomuche as not onely the Israelites but all mankinde through natural corruption are verie prone to Idolatrie and superstition Moyses as a good gouernour and Father dothe* forwarne them of one great daunger whereby if they tooke not heede they might soone be caried or led awaye from the true worship of god And that is the league alliance and mariadge with Heathens and suche as were of corrupt faith and religion For they which willingly ioyne with infidels doe as it were drawe in one yoke with them to their owne destruction Drawe not sayth sainct Paule in one yoke with the vnfaithfull Wherby surely he meaneth ioyning with them in al those wayes by whiche wee maye be broughte into their familiaritie They that meane faythfully to serue God must alwaye haue * separation betwene them and the wicked Therfore Gods will is that wee shoulde not onely wyth open consente not ioyne with them but bycause of our owne frayltie that will bee soone mysledde to beware of all theyr allurements But bicause if we wil haue no societie with the wicked we muste* leaue thys lyfe we must make some difference betweene such contractes as doe linke vs vnto them and other whyche leaue vnto vs oure christian faythe and libertie without daunger So long as wee liue among the vnfaithfull wee cannot shunne the societie of those thinges that appertaine vnto common lyfe as it appeareth in Loth but if we goe further by leagues of nygh frendshippe and * ioyning in defence one of the other or in mariage or suche lyke surely wee open a wyde gap to the deuill to tempte vs and to drawe vs by little and little to corruption of Faith and Re igion or at the least wyse to stoppe our mouthes and staye oure endeuours from the defence and furtherance of Gods true worship against superstition and idolatrie When Moyses not onely forbyddeth ioyning in familiaritie with the wicked but also willeth them to Smite and vtterly destroy them nor to Haue anye compassion on them it maye not seeme eruell or vniust They haue for their warraunte the commaundemente of GOD who besyde that hee is Lorde of the whole worlde and had promised the countrey where the Chananiâ—es dwelt vnto his people to inhabite foure hundred yeares before for their wickednesse mighte iustly haue destroyed them as he declareth to Abraham Gen. 15. And if then from that time to this the space of foure hundred yeres of his great mercie God gaue them respite to repente and they contynued styll in wickednesse and encreased theyr synnes to full measure thys straighte punishemente that God here and in other places commaundeth can not in any wyse seeme crueltie and extremitie but to out example a token of his * iust iudgemeÌ„t against the obstinate and vnrepentant sinner If God say Leui. 18. That the earth did spue them out for their sinne as beeing wearie of the stenche thereof the people of GOD as his instrumentes myghte iustely destroye them and pulled daunger vpon them selues when they did not For oftentymes God vpbraydeth them with sharpe reprofe for that they spared those that he would haue punished For thou arte an holye people vnto the Lorde thy God. c. In this part Moyses putteh them in mind that God hath chosen them among all nations of the earthe to bee hys peculiar people and declareth wyth what cause hee was moued so to doe and to what ende The cause of Gods election he sheweth to be his * onely loue mercie and truthe and not any respecte of woorthynesse honour or multitude in them For they were the waywardest the basest and the smallest people of a greate multytude Only of his mercie he called Abraham the father of the faithfull and set his loue vpon him and promised with assuraunce of an othe that hee woulde bee * his God and the God of his seede and then he woulde giue the * land of Chanaan as an heritage vnto his seede Therfore to fulfyll thys hys promyse as a true and faithfull Lord though they otherwise deserued he hath remained their good God and giueÌ„ to them his lawe that they mighte not be ignoraunt of his holy wil. c. The end whervnto God did chose them was not that they should continue in superstitious idolatrie and wickednesse but that they should be an * holy people vnto him and studie to obserue his lawes and ordinaunces and for that purpose hath he from tyme to tyme ben so gratious and merciful vnto them The same admonition muste we also learne to applie vnto our selues God of his meere mercie and not of our* worthinesse hath chosen and called vs to bee his people and membres of his Churche and partakers of all those promyses that hee hath made to mankinde in Christe and that not to this ende to continue in sinne and sensual lyfe for he hath not called vs to vncleannesse sayeth Saincte
Paule but to * liue before him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And * we are his worke builded on Christe Iesu to those good workes which he hath prepared for vs to walke in Vnderstande therefore that the Lorde thy God is God and that a true c. The people of Israell are here aduertised that God their Lorde is a true and a iust Lorde that he sitteth as* iudge of the whole worlde And as of his truth he hath and will fulfill* all that he hathe promysed them so woulde he of his iustice*rewarde the good that obeyed hys lawes and ordinaunces and woulde punish the contrarie To the fulfillers of his will hee promiseth the blessing of the frute of their wombe their lande corne wyne and oyle the increase of theyr kyne shepe and other cattell the taking awaye from them all manner of * syckenesses and infyrmities and especiallye suche lothesome and noysome sores and diseases as they knewe were among the Aegyptians Fynally * victorie ouer theyr enimies and all felicitie of thys lyfe If wee doe not see the promise of worldly felicitie and this general decree of God alway to take place among the faithfull but that the better sorte of men are often in more misery and the* wicked worldlings in more prosperitie we must consider first that* no man no not the best doth so fulfill the lawe of God that he can of iustice require to haue the rewarde due therevnto Secōdly that either the * deuil of spite worketh trouble in this world to the seruāts of God bicause he is wel assured he can not hurt thē in the life to come or else the fatherly prouidence of Almightie God doth think it more saife for his children in this wicked worlde to be vnder the crosse and affliction that they may the * more often remember him and not be caried away with the faire allurementes of this lyfe wherewith Satan as by a poysoned bayte doth draw hys impes vnto him If thou saye in thyne hearte these nations are moe than I. c. Bicause it might seeme a very difficulte and almost vnpossible matter that the Israelits shuld conquer and driue out of their countrey suche a number of mighty people as dwelt in the lande of promise God by the mouthe of his seruannt preuenteth that cogitation and assureth them that he wil be their helper and assister and* wil fyght for them against those sinfull people and that not only by ordinarie meanes of warre but also that he wold bring hornets and other noysome flyes and vermine to weerie and consume them And for confirmation of their faith herein he willeth them to remember the Strange signes and wonders and the Mighty hand and Stretched out arme that in their knowledge and syght he vsed agaynst Pharao and the Aegyptians at the tyme of their deliueraunce By this also wee haue to learne so often as GOD willeth vs to doe that thing which in face of the world may seeme harde and difficulte and aboue oure power to bring to passe that we* dispaire not but wyth strong faithe vndertake it beeing well assured that the same GOD that wylled vs to doe it is hable also to bryng it to passe by vs. The grauen Images of their Gods shalt thou burne with fire c. Before God forbad thē to worship the gods of the Gentiles now he commaundeth to*destroye and * burne with fyre theyr Images yea and in token of their vtter detestation of suche idolatrie not onely to alter their shape and fygure in melting them but not so muche as turne to theyr owne vse the matter that they were made of lest by hauing the matter in some price they shoulde be snared and somewhat the more enclyned to Idolatrie Althoughe thys were but a politique precept for the time to the Iewes yet may wee gather therby how lothsome odious and detestable Idolatrie is to God. The fifthe Sundaye after Easter at Mornyng prayer Deuteronomie 8. AL the commaundementes whyche I commaund thée this day shall ye kéepe for to doe them that ye maye liue and multiplye and goe in and possesse the lande which the Lorde sware vnto our Fathers 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lorde thy God led thée this fourtie yeares in the wildernesse for to humble thée and to proue thée and to knowe what was in thine hearte whether thou wouldest kepe his commaundementes or no. 3 He humbled thée and suffered thée to hunger and fedde thée with Manna which neither thou nor thy fathers knewe of to make thée knowe that a man doth not lyue by bread only but by euery vvorde that procéedeth out of the mouth of the Lorde doth a man liue 4 Thy rayment waxed not olde vpon thée neyther dyd thy foote swell these fourtye yeares 5 This also shalte thou consider in thine heart that as a man chastiseth his sonne so the Lord thy god chastiseth thée 6 Therfore shalt thou kepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God that thou walke in his wayes and feare him 7 For the Lorde thy God bringeth thée into a good land a land in the which are riuers of water and fountaines and deapthes that spring out of valleys and hylles 8 A land wherin is wheate and barlie vineyardes figge-trées and pomgranates a land wherein is oyle oliue hony 9 A lande wherein thou shalt eate breade without scarcenesse neither shalte thou lacke anye thing a lande whose stones are Iron and out of whose hylles thou shalte digge brasse 10 When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good lande which he hath geuen thée 11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not kepe his commaūdements his lawes and his ordinances which I cōmaunde thée this day 12 Yea and when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast buylt goodly houses and dwelt therein 13 And when thy beastes and thy shéepe are waxen manye and thy siluer and Golde is multiplied and all that thou hast is encreased 14 Then beware least thine heart rise and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thée out of the land of Egipt and from the house of bondage 15 And which was thy guide in the great terrible wildernesse vvherin vvere fierie serpentes scorpions drouth without any water But he brought out water for thée out of the rocke of flint 16 He fed thée in the wildernesse with Manna which thy fathers knew not for to humble thée and to proue thée and that he myght so doe thée good at the latter ende 17 Least thou shouldest saye in thine heart My power and the might of mine owne hande hath prepared mée this aboundaunce 18 But remember the Lorde thy God for it is
he which geueth thée power to get substaunce for to make good the promise which he sware vnto thy fathers as appeareth this daye 19 And if thou forget the Lorde thy God and walke after straunge Gods and serue them and worship them I testifie vnto you this day that ye shall surely perishe 20 As the nations which the Lorde destroyed before your face so ye shall perishe bycause ye would not be obedient vnto the voyce of the Lord your God. The exposition vpon the .viij. Chapter of Deuteronomie All the commaundements whych I commaunde thee this day c. FOrsomuche as the Israelites were not nowe far of from the land of Canaan Moyses putteth them in minde therof and signifieth that the same God which did require them to be obedient vnto hys lawe was nowe euen at the poynt to fulfill his promise and to set them in possession of that countrey and therefore that they shoulde be more willing and readye to folow him and to obserue his ordinances He willeth them also to haue in remēbrance how God vsed them in the wildernesse for the space of fourtie yeares by hunger thirst some other aduersityes* trying them whether they would remaine his faithfull and obediente people or no. For God did not bring them into those distresses and lacke of foode other things necessary bicause he hated them but as a good father to proue them and humble their hearts before him and that they might learne and vnderstand that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god For thoughe there were no foode in the world to sustaine mans life yet is God hable by his diuine prouidence miraculously to preserue vs As he did feede them in the wildernesse with * Manna from heauen a foode that neither they nor their forefathers euer heard of and caused the stony* rocke to yelde them water to quenche their thirst yea and moreouer caused their rayment in fourtie yeares space neuer to * weare or consume nor theyr feete to swell or be greeued wyth contynuall trauayle These strange things wrought he that they mighte learne to put their truste in him and be well assured that so great daunger could neuer come vnto them but that he was hable readily woulde deliuer them oute of it if they dyd faithfully serue him And therfore Moyses wylleth them to harken vnto this theyr gracious Lord to feare him and to walke in his wayes For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good lande c. Moyses describeth vnto them the * fertile and plentifull countrey that God had prouided for them flowing with aboundance of all fruites commodities delectable pleasures that they might be the more * willing and ready to shewe their thankfull obedience towarde him If the same land of Canaan be not at this day so fertile as is here reported nor answerable to many parts of Moyses his description but lieth in a great part wast as some trauailers declare we may not thinke it straunge For beside the mutation that naturallie may come to any coūtrey in the space of .3000 yeares it pleased God of his goodnes at this time here mentioned to make it y more fruitfull bicause of his chosē people that he promised to place there which good blessing may well be thought to haue continued so long as his people kept his commaūdement and contynued in any tollerable obedience of the lawes and ordinaunces by him appoynted But when they both fell from the true obseruation of the outwarde lawe and also reiected the true Messias and Sauioure of the worlde no meruaile if that curse fell both vpon them their land which before God had oftentimes threatened whereby great alteration therof might fall When thou haste eaten therefore and fylled thy selfe thou shalt blesse c. The Israelites are here warned in the time of their prosperitie the enioying of Gods benefites that they shew themselues thankfull ernestly to take hede that in time of their* wealth they waxe not wanton forget God by whose goodnesse they are in that felicitie Howe necessary this admonition might then be to them and is also presently to all other the common course of mans lyfe righte well declareth What one among an hundred is there which by wealth continuall successe doth not wax insolent and forget his duety toward God Moises in his song chap. 32. of this booke saith of the Israelites Thou art vvel fedde Thou are growē thicke Thou arte euen laden vvith fatnesse and he hath forsaken God his maker Regarded not the Lord of his saluation In which wordes he prophecied before hand what wold come to passe among them and therfore ernestly he willeth thē here to take hede VVhen thou hast eaten filled thy selfe saith he and builded goodly houses c. Bevvare least thy hearte rise and thou forgette the Lorde thy God. Here he noteth wherby mē in such case ar moued to forget God that is Rising of their hearte with pride insolencie of minde For fewe there are that in great wealth prosperitie can holde themselues within the boundes of modestie and humblenesse but so sone as they perceiue them selues to flourish be * aloft their minde also in such sort swelleth with selfliking that they doe not onely contemne other but let slippe also the feare of God himselfe and by litle litle are caried on through the allurement of Satan that they cleane fal from him Let Solomon hereof be a notable example and Christ himself said That it was as hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God as for a Camell to go through a needels eye Therefore Moyses calleth the Israelites to remembrance and willeth them not to forget what they were in Egipt and in the wildernesse and how louingly mercifully God then dealte for them gaue them * all things at their nede that by that meanes they might the sooner acknowledge him to be the * authour and worker of al their prosperitie and so continne in his true worship and obedience Otherwise if they goe from their Lord God and giue themselues to the worshipping of strange gods he protesteth denounteth to them that they shall assuredly perishe and be destroyed in like maner as they had seene God to worke the confusion of other nations before their faces For where the mercie of God and his bountifull goodnesse eyther is abused or will not preuaile his Iustice and seueritie must needes take place The fifth Sundaye after Easter at Euening prayer Deut. 9. HEare O Israel thou passest ouer Iordane this daye to goe in and possesse nations greater and mightier than thy self cities great and walled vp to heauen 2 A people great tall the children of the Anakims which thou knowest of and of whom thou hast heard say who can
stand before the children of Anac 3 Vnderstand therfore this daye that the Lord thy God is he which goeth ouer before thée as a consuming fire he shall destroy them and he shal bring them downe before thy face So thou shalt caste them out bring them to naught quickly as the Lorde hath sayde vnto thée 4 Speake not thou in thine heart after that the Lorde thy God hath cast them outs before thée saying For my righteousnesse the Lorde hath brought me in to poâ—â—esse this lande but for the wickednesse of these natioÌ„s the Lord hath cast theÌ„ oute before thée 5 It is not for thy righteousnesse sake or for thy right heart that thou goest to possesse their land But for the wickednesse of these Nations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thée to perfourme the worde which the Lorde thy God sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isahac and Iacob 6 Vnderstande therefore that it is not for thy righteousnesse sake that the Lorde thy God dothe gyue thée this good lande to possesse it séeyng thou art a stifnecked people 7 Remember and forget not howe thou prouokedst the Lord thy God to anger in the wildernesse since the day that thou diddest depart out of the lande of Egipt vntill ye came vnto this place ye haue rebelled against the Lord. 8 Also in Horeb ye prouoked the Lorde to anger so that the Lord was wroth with you to haue destroyed you 9 When I was gone vp into the mount to receiue the tables of stone the tables of the couenaunt which the Lorde made with you and I abode in the mount fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes when I neither dyd eate breade nor drinke water 10 And the Lorde deliuered me two tables of stone written with the singer of God and in them were conteined all the wordes which the Lorde said vnto you in the mount out of the middes of the fire in the day when ye came together 11 And when the fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes were ended the Lorde gaue me the two tables of stone the tables of the couenaunt 12 And the Lorde sayde vnto mée Arise and get thée downe quickly from hence for thy people which thou hast brought out of Egipt haue marred all â–ª they are turned at once oute of the waye which I commaunded them and haue made them a molten image 13 Furthermore the Lorde spake vnto me saying I haue séene this people and beholde it is a stifnecked people 14 Let me alone that I may destroy them and put oute the name of them from vnder heauen and I will make of thée a mightie nation and greater than they be 15 And I turned me and came downe from the hill euen from the hill that burnt with fire and the two tables of the couenaunt were in my handes 16 And I loked and beholde ye had sinned against the Lorde your God and has made you a molten calfe and had turned at once out of the way which the Lord had commauÌ„ded you 17 And I toke the two tables and cast them oute of my two handes and brake them before your eyes 18 And I fell downe flat before the Lorde as at the firste time and fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes I did neither eate breade nor drynke water bycause of all your sinnes which ye sinned in doying wickedly in the sighte of the Lorde in that ye prouoked him vnto wrathe 19 For I was afrayde that for the wrath and fiercenesse wherwith the Lord was moued against you he would haue destroyed you But the Lord heard me at that time also 20 The Lord was verye angry with Aaron also to haue destroyed him and I made intercession for Aaron also the same time 21 And I toke your sinne the Calfe which ye had made and burnte him with fire and stamped him and grounde him verye small euen to dust and I caste the dust thereof into the brooke that descended out of the mount 22 Also at the burning place at the place of tempting and at the Sepulchres of lust ye prouoked the Lord to anger 23 Likewise when the Lorde sent you from Cades Barnea saying Go vp and possesse the land which I haue giuen you you rebelled against the worde of the Lorde your God and neither beloued him nor hearkened vnto his voyce 24 You haue bene rebellious vnto the Lord since the day that I knew you 25 And I fell downe flat before the Lord fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes as I fell downe before for the Lorde sayde he would destroy you 26 I made intercession therefore vnto the Lorde sayde O lorde God destroy not thy people and thine inheritaunce which thou haste deliuered through thy great goodnesse and which thou haste broughte out of Egipt through a mightye hande 27 Remember thy seruauntes Abraham Isahac and Iacob and looke not vnto the stubbernesse of this people nor to their wickednesse and sinne 28 Least the lande whence thou broughtest them saye The Lorde is not able to bring them into the lande whych he promised them and because he hated them therfore hath he caryed them out to slay them in the wildernesse 29 Beholde they are thy people and thine inheritaunce which thou broughtest oute in thy mightye power and in thy stretched out arme The Exposition vpon the .ix. Chapter of Deuteronomie Heare O Israel thou passest ouer Jordane this day to goe in and possesse c. THe Israelites were a proude wayward and vnthankefull people sone forgetting Gods benefites done vnto them Wherefore the purpose of Moises is in this chapter to * beate into their memorye that they were made the heires of the land of Chanaan came to al that felicitie wherin they either had or should be onely by the free goodnes and mercye of God for his promises for his couenauntes sake and not by their owne strength or for their owne worthines In this to perswade them he vseth two reasons especially The one by comparing them with the people of that couÌ„trey The other by the example of their owne wayward and rebellious doyngs against God. As touching the former he sayth the people of that countrey were farre greater in number mightier in power than they were For manye of them were of the race of the * Giaunt Anac strong and mightie persons as the messengers that went to viewe the lande did bryng worde So that they were stricken with feare * murmured against GOD as hauing brought them to a land vnpossible for them by conquest to get Wherefore if GOD by hys mightye hande did worke it for them they oughte to acknowledge they did stande and depende onelye vpon hym And as they were not hable to worke thys of their owne strength so coulde they not iustlye thinke that GOD did it for them of dutie or for their owne worthines but rather that they had deserued the cleane contrarye at his hande and that he letteth theÌ„ vnderstand as I haue
suche as by Gods lawe were compted vncleane and needed purification by the order of the lawe but of Sacrifices none such might eat before they were purged But as God permitteth them to eate fleshe so he forbiddeth them to eate the bloud the whiche hee doth Leuit. 17. farre more earnestly The lyke * inhibitioÌ„ he vsed also to Noah after the deluge Whiche God didde to accustome his people to a more myldenesse among themselues that they shoulde not be readie to murder and slaughter For when by Gods ordinance they had learned to spare the Bloud of beastes they must nedes think it a greater* crueltie to shed mans bloud Therfore in Genesis God immediately after the prohibition to eate the bloud of beastes addeth VVhosoeuer sheadeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shead Thou mayste not eate within thy gates the tythe of thy corne c. As Moyses hadde shewed them that they might eate fleshe so now he telleth them what they may not eate that is their tythe the fyrst borne of their cattell their vowes their freewil offerings c. For of all these so muche as was Gods portion was allotted to the fynding of his ministers the Priests the Leuites and also the poore people as maye in parte appeare Nu. 18. And therfore they myght not eate them at home that they might not defraud the ministers of God of whom they* ought to haue care and therefore God chargeth them that they doe not forsake the Leuite but the residue of the same * Sacrifices that was not appointed to the Priests c. they are commanded to eate before the Lord that is at his Tabernacle where hee chiefly declared his presence When the Lorde thy God shall enlarge thy border as he hath promised c. Here is repeated the same thing that was spoken Verse 15. 16. that they might eate fleshe according to their habilitie that God had giuen them and how they might eate it that is as a common meate not as a Sacrifice There is added also a more large and earnest* prohibitioÌ„ of eating of bloud bycause in the bloudis life or the vitall spirites so that it may seeme crueltie to eate bloud To eate bloud of it selfe was not a matter of so greate momente and therefore when God presseth so earnestly the prohibition and with so great punishmente it is euident the Lawe tendeth to some other ende that is that they might esteme the Liues of all things and especially of Man to be precious And therfore saith he The bloud is the life But thy holy thinges whiche thou hast and thy vowes thou shalt take c. This maketh the former Precept more plain and sheweth euidently that the cause whiche God would haue no mo places of worship than one was that the diuersitie of places and Aultars might not among that wayward people cause so many Seueral Gods as they had seuerall places of worship Therefore are they willed here to bring al Holy things that is such as be dedicated to God or appointed for Sacrifice to that appointed place where the Lord wolde choose to be worshipped Take heede and heare all these wordes which I commaund thee c. Forsomuch as the Imitation of that people that dwelled in the land of Chanaan mighte bee a great occasion easily to leade them to Idolatrie and worshipping of strange gods Moyses heere straightly forbiddeth them not so muche as to Enquire of the maner of their false Gods. For this is lightly the beginning of all Idolatrie when men vnderstanding the simplicitie of Gods true worship curiously Enquire of mens deuises whether there be any thing in theÌ„ worthy obseruation which they may adde as they thinke to beautifie the simplicitie of Gods coÌ„maundement and so by little and little fall eyther to flat Idolatrie or to very Grosse superstition Wherefore God bridleth here this loosnesse of his people and saith They may not do so to their Lorde God for hee did not onely mislike those false worshippings but dyd Hate them Loth them accompted them Abhominable and especially that Horrible vse of Burning their sonnes and daughters vnto deuils Therefore to knit vp this instruction God commaundeth them that they shoulde cleaue faste vnto his worde and not in any poynte to alter it eyther By adding any thing thereto or by taking any thing therefro As if hee had sayde that all studies and indeuours of men to woorship him not proceding out of this* roote of his holy word and law seemed they neuer so godly were superstitious wicked and abhominable in his syght And therefore they may seeme to breake the first commaundement and to frame vnto themselues strange Gods which worship God in any other maner than in his worde is appoynted For this cause doth Esaie chap. 29 threaten horrible punishment to suche persons Bicause saith God this people hath vvorshipped mee vvith their mouth and their hartes farre from mee and their feare tovvards mee hath proceded of the commaundementes of men I vvill doe maruels among this people For the vvisedome of their vvise men shall perishe c. Seing therfore the whole worship of God that these many yeares hath ben in the Churche of Rome hath bene altogither Mans deuise besyde and contrary to the word of God no maruell if God hath so * blynded and astonied thewisedome vnderstanding of the chiefe doctours and best learned of them that they stand in defence of very grosse errors and superstitions The Sunday after the Ascention at Euenyng prayer Deuteronomie .xiij. IF there aryse among you a Prophete or a dreamer of dreames and giue thée a signe or a wonder 2 And that signe or wonder which he hath sayde come to passe and then saye Lette vs goe after straunge Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them 3 Hearken not thou vnto the wordes of that prophete or dreamer of dreames For the Lorde thy God proueth you to knowe whether ye loue the Lorde youre God with all your heart and with all your soule 4 Ye shall walke after the Lorde youre God and feare him kéepe his commaundementes and hearken vnto his voyce you shall serue him and cleane vnto him 5 And that prophet or dreamer of dreames shall dye bicause he hath spoken to tâ—rlie you awaye from the Lorde your God whiche brought you out of the lande of Egypte and deliuered you out of the house of bondage to thrust thée out of the waye whiche the Lorde thy God commaunded thée to walke in and therfore thou shalt put the euill away from thée 6 If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thyne owne sonne or thy daughter or the wyfe that lyeth in thy bosome or thy frende which is as thyne owne soule vnto thée entice thée secretely saying Let vs go and serue straunge gods which thou haste not knowne nor yet thy fathers 7 And they be any of the gods of the people
Moyses Num. 32. by reading of whiche place this wil be the better vnderstanded And they answered Iosuah saying All that thou hast commaunded vs c. In this thirde parte of the chapiter the people shewe their obedience vnto that Prince and leader that was by God appointed vnto them All things saye they That thou hast commaunded vs vve will doe Whereby we maye learne an example of obedience to Magistrates not onely of obedience but also of carefull loue toward them For that it was that here moued the people to praye for Iosuah saying The Lorde thy God be vvith thee as he vvas vvith Moyses Whereby we are taught also to pray to God for the good estate of oure Princes that we maye quietlye liue vnder them as S. Paule saith in honestie and godlines The first Sunday after Trinitie at Mornyng prayer Iosua 10. NOwe when Adonizedec King of Hierusalem had heard howe Iosuah had taken Ai had destroyed it and how that as he had done to Iericho and her king euen so he had done to Ai and her king and how the inhabitours of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them 2 They feared excéedingly for Gibeon was a great Citye as any Citie of the kingdome and was greater than Ai and all the men thereof were verye mightie 3 Wherefore Adonizedec king of Hierusalem sente vnto Hoham king of Hebron and vnto Pira king of Iarmuth and vnto Iaphia king of Lachis and vnto Dabir king of Eglon saying 4 Come vp vnto me and helpe me that we maye smite Gibeon for they haue made peace with Iosuah and with the Children of Israel 5 Therefore the fiue kinges of the Amorites the kyng of Hierusalem the kyng of Hebron the kyng of Iarmuth the king of Lachis and the king of Eglon gathered themselues together and went vp they with all their hoastes besieged Gibeon and made warre against it 6 And the men of Gibeon sent vnto Iosuah to the hoast in Gilgal saying Withdraw not thy hand from thy seruants come vp to vs quicklye and saue vs and helpe vs for all the kings of the Amorites which dwell in the mountaynes are gathered together agaynst vs. 7 And so Iosuah ascended from Gilgal he and all the people of warre with him and all the men of might 8 And the Lorde saide vnto Iosuah Feare them not for I haue deliuered them into thine hande neither shall anye of them stande againste thée 9 Iosuah therefore came vnto them sodenly and went vp from Gilgal all night 10 And the Lorde troubled them before Israel and slue them with a greate slaughter at Gibeon and chased them along the way that goeth vp to Bethoron and smote them to Azeka and Makeda 11 And as they fled from before Israel and were in the goyng downe to Bethoron the Lorde caste downe greate stones from heauen vpon them vntill Azeka and they dyed there were moe dead with hayle stones than they were whom the children of Israel slue with the sword 12 Then spake Iosuah to the Lorde in the daye when the Lorde deliuered the Amorites before the Children of Israel and he saide in the sighte of Israel Sunne stande thou styll vpon Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon 13 And the Sunne abode and the Moone stoode styll vntyll the people auenged themselues vpon their enemyes Is not this written in the booke of the righteous So the Sunne abode in the middest of heauen and hasted not to goe downe by the space of a whole daye 14 And there was no daye like that before it or after it that the Lorde heard the voyce of a man for the Lord fought for Israel 15 And Iosuah returned and all Israel wyth him vnto the campe to Gilgal 16 But the fiue kings fled and were hyd in a caue at Makeda 17 And it was tolde Iosuah saying The fiue kings are founde hyd in a caue which is at Makeda 18 And Iosuah saide Roule great stones vpon the mouthe of the caue and set men by it for to kepe it 19 And stande ye not styll but folow after your enimies and smite all the hindmoste and suffer them not to enter into their Cities for the Lorde your God hath deliuered them into your hand 20 And when Iosuah and the Children of Israel had made an ende of slaying them with an excéeding greate slaughter tyll they were wasted the reste that remayned of them entred into walled Cities 21 And all the people returned to the hoast to Iosuah at Makeda in peace neither dyd anye man moue his tongue againste the Children of Israell 22 Then sayde Iosuah Open the mouth of the caue and bring out those fiue kings vnto me out of the caue 23 And they dyd so and broughte those fiue kinges vnto him out of the caue euen the king of Hierusalem the King of Hebron the king of Iarmuth the king of Lachis and the king of Eglon. 24 And when they broughte oute those fiue Kings vnto Iosuah Iosuah called for all the men of Israel saide vnto the chéefe of the men of warre which went with him Come néere and put your féete vpon the neckes of these Kings And they came néere and put their féete vpon the neckes of them 25 And Iosuah sayde vnto them Ye shall not feare nor be faint hearted but be strong plucke vp your heartes for thus shall the Lorde doe to all your enemyes against whom ye fighte 26 And then Iosuah smote them and slue them and hanged them on fiue trées and they hanged styll vpon the trées vntyll the euenyng 27 And at the goyng downe of the Sunne Iosuah gaue commaundement and they toke them downe of the trées and caste them into the caue wherin they had béen hyd and layde great stones in the caues mouthe vvhich remaine vntyll this day 28 And that same daye Iosuah tooke Makeda and smote it with the edge of the swoorde and the kyng thereof also destroyed he vtterlye wyth all the soules that were therein and let none remaine and he did to the king of Makeda as he did vnto the king of Iericho 29 Then Iosuah went from Makeda and all Israel wyth him vnto Libna and fought against Libna 30 And the Lorde delyuered it and the King thereof into the hande of Israel and he smote it with the edge of the sworde and all the soules that were therein He let non◠remaine in it but did vnto the King thereof as he did vnto the King of Iericho 31 And Iosuah departed from Libna and all Israel with him vnto Lachis and besieged it and assaulted it 32 And the Lord deliuered Lachis into the hand of Israel which toke it the seconde daye and smote it with the edge of the sworde and all the soules that were therin doyng according to all as he had done to the citie of Libna 33 Then Horam king of Geser came vp to helpe Lachis and Iosuah smote him and his
Examples we also ought to conâ—â—iue an assured hope in the trueth of Gods promises when in ouâ— great perils and daungers we call vpon God and praye to him for his helpe and deliuerance The fiue Kings fledde and were hidde in a Caue at Makeda c. These fiue Kinges fledde and thought they had escaped the Plague of God bycause they were not killed eyther with the sworde of the Israelites or with the Hayle from Heauen But God of his Iustice reserued them to a greater and a more notable Punishmente bycause the were the Ringleaders and chiefe stirrers of others to withstande the People of God. In like maner Sennacherib 2. Croni 32. escaping the Daunger of Battaile was murdered in the Temple of his Gods that he serued Iosuah when he vnderstode the Kings were hidde in the Caue he prouided them to be kepte in Saâ—â—etie but he dothe not omitte the oportunitie wyth speede to followe his enemies and so to subdue them that they might not be hable afterward to recouer their power worke him newe trouble In this that Iosuah causeth his Captaines to set their feete vpon the Neckes of the Kings it may seme a barbarous Crueltie but he knew they were the enemies of God and vnderstode also that his people did often Mistrust the promises that God had made vnto them therefore his meaning was by this signe to assure them that as God had donâ—e by these enemyes that might seeme the most mightie so he woulde doe also by the residue and therefore willed them not to doubte or to be * fainte hearted but to be well assured of the assistaunce of their Lorde and God so long as they faithfullye serued him thoughe their enemies did seeme neuer so mightie And the same in effect God did Iustifie immediatlie For they did not only with good successe conquere these fiue kinges that were conspired but also a number of other cities and Principalities that are here reckened vp euen to the ende of this Chapiter as Makeda Libna Lachis Gazer Eglon Hebron and Debir If Iosuah killed in these victories Man Woman and Child we may not thinke it crueltie in him For he had the speciall commaundement of God so to doe Suche were their Sinnes and offences in the sighte of God. And Saul and Achab maye be an example to all Princes what daunger it is to shewe Mercy to them whom God for Iust causes to his secrete wisedome knowen woulde haue to be punished The first Sunday after Trinitie at Euenyng prayer Iosua 23. ANd it came to passe a long season after that the Lorde had giuen rest vnto Israel from all their enemies round aboute that Iosuah waxed olde and was striken in age 2 And Iosuah called for all Israel and for their elders their heades their iudges and officers and saide vnto them I am olde and stricken in age 3 And ye haue séene all that the Lorde your God hathe done vnto all these nations before you howe the Lorde your God hymselfe hath fought for you 4 Beholde I haue diuided vnto you by Lot these nations that remayne to be an inheritaunce for youre Tribes from Iordane with all the nations that I haue destroyed euen vnto the great sea Westwarde 5 And the Lorde your God shall expell them before you and cast them from oute of your sighte and ye shall conquer their lande as the Lord your God hath saide vnto you 6 Be ye therefore of a good courage that ye kepe and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moyses that ye bowe not aside therefrom to the ryghte hands nor to the lefte 7 Neyther company with these nations that is with them that are lefte wyth you neyther make mention of the name of theyr Gods nor cause to sware by them neyther serue them nor bowe your selues vnto them 8 But sticke faste vnto the Lorde your God as ye haue donne vnto thys daye 9 So shall the Lorde caste oute before you great nations and mightye as no man hathe béene able to stande before you hitherto 10 One man of you shall chase a thousande for the Lord your God he fighteth for you as he hath promised you 11 Take good heede therfore vnto your selues that ye loue the Lorde youre God. 12 Els if ye goe backe and cleaue vnto the reste of these Nations that remaine with you and shall make mariages with them and goe in vnto them and they to you 13 Be ye sure that the Lorde your God will no more cast oute all these Nations from before you but they shal be snares and trappes vnto you and scourges in your sydes and thornes in your eyes vntyll ye peryshe from this good lande which the Lorde your God hath giuen you 14 And beholde this daye doe I enter into the waye of all the worlde and ye knowe in all youre heartes and in all youre soules that nothyng hath fayled of all the good things which the Lorde your God promised you but all are come to passe vnto you and nothing hath failed thereof 15 Therefore as all good thinges are come vpon you which the Lorde your God promised you so shall the Lord bryng vpon you all euyll vntyll he haue destroyed you from thys good lande whiche the Lorde youre God hathe giuen you 16 When ye haue transgressed the Testamente of the Lorde youre God whych he commaunded you and haue gone and serued straunge Gods and bowed your selues to them then shall the wrathe of the Lorde waxe whote vpon you and ye shall perishe quickly from the good land whiche he hath giuen you The Exposition vpon the .xxiij. Chapter of Iosuah And it came to passe a long season after the Lorde had giuen rest c. THe Lande of Chanaan was nowe by the Israelites possessed The portions were allotted to eche Tribe all things appertaining aswell to the state of the common weale as of Religion was nowe established And Iosuah their Prince and Captaine waxen olde and farre stricken in yeares Therefore he as a good Prince drawing nowe to the ende of his life sheweth himselfe to haue had a care not onelye for the good gouernemente of the people of God in his life time but also that the true * worship of God and obedience to Gods holy worde mighte continue among them to Gods glory after his life time And therefore in this place he calleth the People and vnder Magistrates together vseth vnto them a verye fatherly exhortation to continue in the loue obedience and true worship of God declaring vnto them the greate benefites and blessings of God that shall come to them if they doe so the assured daunger of his wrathe and displeasure to be poured vpon them if they did otherwise As touching that is saide in the first verse After the Lord had giuen rest vnto Israel wee are by it instructed to acknowledge God only to be the Author * giuer of Peace Tranquillitie and
golden Calfe hauing no respect of Aliance or Kinred Exod. 32 and yet are they reported To haue Consecrated their handes vnto the Lorde That whyche is appoynted by GOD can not seeme to bee agaynste hys Lawe Iaell was of the people of God and therfore might she well adde her helping hande to their deliuerance especially agaynste an vnrepentant Tiranne and seeyng the same to bee appoynted by God. The .ij. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Iudges 5. THen Debora and Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang the same day saying 2 Praise ye the Lorde for the auenging of Israell and for the people that became so willing 3 Heare O ye kings hearken O ye Princes I euen I wyll syng vnto the Lorde I wyll syng prayse to the Lorde God of Israell 4 Lorde when thou wentest out of Seir when thou departedst out of the féeld of Edom the earth trembled and the heauens rayned the cloudes also dropped water 5 The Mountaines melted before the Lorde euen as did Sinai before the Lord God of Israell 6 In the dayes of Samgar the sonne of Anath in the dayes of Iael the hye wayes were vnoccupied and the trauaylers walked thorough bywayes 7 The inhabitauntes of the townes were gone they were gone in Israell vntyll I Debora came vp whyche came vp a mother in Israell 8 They chose newe Gods and then had they the enimie in the gates was there a shield or speare séene among fortie thousande of Israell 9 My heart loueth the gouernours of Israel and them that are willing among the people O praise ye the Lord. 10 Speake ye that ryde on fayre asses ye that dwell by Midden and that walke by the wayes 11 For the noyse of the archers among the drawers of water ceassed there shall they speake of the righteousnes of the Lord his righteousnes in his vnfensed townes in Israel then shall the people of the Lord goe downe to the gates 12 Vp Debora vp get thée vp and sing a song arise Barak and leade the captiuitie captiue thou sonne of Abinoam 13 Then shall they that remayne haue dominion of the proudest of the people the Lorde hath geuen me dominion ouer the mightie 14 Oute of Ephraim was there a roote of them againste Ameleck and after thée Beniamin among thy people Out of Machir came rulers and out of Zabulon they that handle the pen of the writer 15 And of Isachar there were Princes with Debora and Isachar and also Barak he was sent on foote into the valley for the diuisions of Ruben vvere great thoughtes of heart 16 Why abodest thou among the shéepe foldes to heare the bleatings of the flockes for the diuisions of Ruben were great thoughtes of hearte 17 Gilead also abode beyonde Iordane and why doth Dan remaine in shippes Aser continued on the sea shore and taried in his decayed places 18 But the people of Zabulon haue ieoparded their liues vnto the death like as did Nephthali in the hye places of the féelde 19 The kings came and foughte then foughte the Kings of Chanaan in Thanack by the waters of Megiddo and wanne no money 20 They foughte from heauen euen the starres in their courses foughte againste Sisara 21 The riuer of Kison swept them away that auncient riuer the riuer Kison O my soule thou hast marched valiauntly 22 Then were the horse hoofes smitten a sunder by the meanes of the praunsings that their mightie men made 23 Curse ye the Citie of Meros sayde the Angell of the Lord curse the inhabitantes thereof bycause they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie 24 Iael the wyfe of Haber the Kenite shal be blessed aboue other women blessed shall she be aboue other women in the tent 25 He asked water and she gaue him milke she brought foorth butter in a Lordly dyshe 26 She put her hande to the nayle and her righte hande to the Smithes hammer with the hammer smote shée Sisara and smote his heade wounded him and pearsed his temples 27 He bowed him downe at her féete he fell downe and laye styll at her féete he bowed hymselfe and fell and when he had sunke downe he laye there destroyed 28 The mother of Sisara looked oute at a wyndowe and cryed throughe the lattesse Why is his charet so long a comming Why tary the whéeles of his charets 29 All the wyse Ladyes answered her yea and her owne wordes answered her selfe 30 Surely they haue founde they diuide the spoyles euery man hathe a damsell or two Sisara hathe a praye of diuers coloured garmentes euen a praye of rayment dyed with sundrye colours and that are made of néedle worke rayment of diuers colours and of néedle worke on both sides whiche is méete for him that is chiefe in distributing of the spoyles 31 So perishe all thine enemyes O Lorde but they that loue him let them be as the Sunne when he ryseth in his might And the lande had rest fortie yéeres The Exposition vpon the fifth Chapter of Iudges Then Debora and Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang the same daye c. NO kinde of worship is to God more pleasant nor by the holye Ghost in the Scriptures more earnestly required than when God hathe shewed the great benefites of his mercie towarde his people that they * for the same declare themselues Thankefull and prayse his holie name therefore Call vpon mee saieth God by his Prophete Dauid in the daye of they trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me not that God needeth oure Glorifying or praysing beyng of himselfe most Glorious and worthy praise but he * deliteth in Thankfulnes and also for our causes would haue his enemies by that meanes feared when they vnderstande him to be declared by his people to be so terrible and mightie a punisher of his sinfull and wicked aduersaries And on the other parte that they which be weake and fainte may haue their faith Strengthened and more readily commit themselues vnto his mercy when they perceiue him to be so willing and gracious a God beyonde all Deserte Expectation of his mere goodnesse to deliuer them Therefore Debora doth here the parte of a good and faithfull Gouernour that is both her selfe so ready and also * willeth the residue of hir people in this pleasant triumphant Song to the terrour of the enemies and comfort of the faithfull to Set forth the Mightie mercifull goodnesse of God towarde them The like examples we haue in Moyses at the redde Sea In * Anna for her sonne Samuel In * Iudith for her victorie ouer Holophernes c. The People that became so vvilling were the tribes of Zabulon and Nepthalie who did readily folowe the Appointment of God declared by Debora and for the same doth she here and afterwarde Praise them and Reproue the other Lorde when thou wentest out of Seir when thou departedst out of the. c. Debora praiseth God by
rehearsing some of his former actes done for his people in the Wildernesse and namelye at their departure from Mount Seir in the lande of the Edomites the posteritie of Esau Deu. 2. We reade that the Israelites had Coasted about Seir the space of .38 yeres and were not greatlye terrible to anye of theyr enemies But when by Gods appointment they departed from thence towarde the land of Chanaan He being their Guide Leader in the Pillar of Fire and the cloud he did with such Maiestie then deale for them that the Chananites and other enemies were strickeÌ„ with Feare as if the Earth had shaken or HeaueÌ„ had poured downe Stormes Tempestes against them or as the MouÌ„taines had melted with fire and Smoke as Sinay did at the presence of the Lorde when he gaue his law vnto his people In the dayes of Samgar the sonne of Anath in the dayes of Iahel c. Before Debora had praised God as the Ancient Patrone of Israel now she commeth to this noble deliueraÌ„ce that it pleased him to his greater Glory and more Terrour of his enemies to worke by her a Simple Fraile womaÌ„ Samgar was a Valiant man and Iudged Israel and sâ—ue sixe Hundred Philistines with an Oxe goade as it is mencioned in the. 3. Chapiter But he deliuered not Israel so but that they were deteyned in so miserable Oppression of the Chanaanites as they coulde not goe out of their Cities with out Spoyling or killing neither in the high way as trauellers neither as husband meÌ„ in the fieldes So that both Tillage of laÌ„d traffike of Marchandice was vtterly decayed among them vntill this Victorie and deliuerance wrought by Debora who Gouerned Iudged the people of God rather as a carefull Mother then a sterne Prince Wherefore in this place by comparison with Samgar who yet was a good man She amplifieth this present Mightie worke of God done by Her. They chose newe Goddes and then had they the enemie in the gates c. So sone as the people * forsoke God and fell to Idolatrie he caused their enemies to plague them with Warre in suche sorte that of a great number of thousandes of the Israelites not one durste take speere and shielde against their oppressours My harte loueth the Gouernours of Israel and them that are willing c. As if Debora had saide It is the exceeding mercie of God that he thus deliuered his people by a fewe of the Basest and Weakest of them wherfore my harte desireth nothing more than that all you of * Israel shoulde praise the name of the Lorde And first I admonishe you that are Princes * and Chiefe men and ride on faire Asses and sitte to Iudge the people or dwell in the Citie of Midden I admonishe you also that be wayfairing men and trauaile eyther in Marchandice or otherwise For that Libertie that you were restrained from before through oppression is nowe * restored to you The noyse of the Archers that Murdered and Robbed them which in this drie Countrey droue your cattaile to water is now ceased and you are out of feare and may both kepe your Cattell and goe safelie to prouide water Yea in those places and other vnfenced townes where you laye open to the spoile of enemies you may now boldly set forth the Righteousnes of the Lord you may salfelie goe downe to the gates places of Iudgement to haue Iustice ministred vnto you Vp Debora vp gette the vp and sing a song Arise Barak c. The Prophetes and Saintes of God neuer thinke themselues earnest enoughe in giuyng Thankes Praysing of God and therfore they often vse such stirrings and prouocatioÌ„ of themselues She willeth Barak also now in triumphe to leade them Captiue which before kepte him and other in moste Miserable Captiuitie Yea saieth She the * poore remnant of Israel that is not worthie to be called an Armie for that they were of the poorest and weakest of the people shall haue DominioÌ„ ouer those Proude mightie Chanaanites that did so sternely vse them Out of Ephraim was there a roote against Amelek and after thee c. In these verses Debora reciteth by what Instrumentes it pleased God to giue this victorie and what Tribes they were that folowed Barak and which they were that did not accompanye him First out of Ephraim Hir selfe and other as the Roote and beginning Nexte a small number oute of Beniamin Thirdlie a companie of Strong warlike men out of the Tribe of Manasses a â—hiefe Citie whereof was Macher And oute of Zabulon and Nephthalie a number more fitte for Learning to handle the Penne than with Sword shielde to deale against the enemie For that She meaneth by these wordes To handle the penne of the vvriter The tribe of Isachar also sente worthie and experte men and therefore are they here Ioyned in praise and coÌ„mendatioÌ„ with Barak The Tribes then that gaue aide to this victorie were Ephraim Beniamin Manasses Isachar Zabulon and Nephthalie Iuda Simeon Leuie and Gad are not spoken of Ruben Dan Asar are mencioned with reprofe For that it is that she meaneth by these words For the diuisions of Ruben vvere great thoughtes of harte c. The Rubenites dwelt in the fertile Pastures beyonde Iordane semed to be more carefull for their Sheepe and Cattaile than for the freedome and good state of their countrey and therefore throughe Pride and disdaine woulde not accompanie Debora and Barak Gilead Dan are for like cause reproued A sar that dwelte toward the Sea coste and set their mindes vpon their shippes and the decayed places of their countrey But these pretences could not in the sight of God * excuse theÌ„ when they by his Prophetesse were called to further the DeliueraÌ„ce of his people For it may seme they could haue bene content to liue in thraldome vnder the Heathen and godlesse enemies So that they might tollerablie enioye their worldly riches The tribe of Zabulon and Nepthali is praised bicause although they were not Valiant warlike men but of the meanest sort of the people yet they Hasarded their liues for the Libertie of their countrey The kings came and fought then fought the kings of Chanaan in Thanach c. Nowe She sheweth how fiercelie the Kings that is Sisara the other Noble captaines that were in his armie did assaulte the Israelites and with how great confidence and hope of Spoyle they set vpon them by the Riuers of Thanach Megiddo but to their owne Ouerthrow and confusion For the Lord * fought for his people from Heauen and so abashed their enemies that they scaÌ„t durst abide the Sight of theÌ„ Iosephus writeth that such a Tempest of wind storme of Hayle came in the faces of the Chanaanites that they were not hable to stand before the Israeltes Yea a great nuÌ„ber of them in â—â—eeing were drowned and as it were
Svvept avvay with the Riuer Kison by which the fielde was foughte Yea and the horse men fled with suche violence that they rent their horses hoofes Curse ye the Cittie of Meros sayde the Angell of the Lorde Curse the. c. Meros was a Citie of the Israelites neere to Thabor where the victorie was gotten therfore vnexcusable because they came not forth to helpe and by the Angell of God are here cursed Whereby all men are taught* not to withdrawe their helping hand when God calleth to the deliuerance of his people from the wicked tirannie of the oppressour In the residewe the Prophetisse pleasantly setteth forth the gesture Policie and stoutenesse of Iael in killing Sisara with the great reproche of that proude and confident tiranne that so long vnder his Prince had oppressed Gods people In the ende to the comforte of the faithful in waye of conclusion or rather of a triumphant reioysing She addeth that God in like maner will deale* with all his enemies and they that loue him and put their trust and confidence in his mercy shall prosper and Florishe as the Sunne risen to his might that is when he is come to his midde dayes course The thirde Sunday after Trinitie at Mornyng prayer 1. Samuel 2. ANd Hanna prayed and sayde Myne heart reioyceth in the Lorde and mine horne is exalted in the Lorde my mouthe is wyde open ouer mine enemies for I reioyce in thy saluation 2 There is none holye as the Lorde for without thée is nothing neither is there any of strength as is our God. 3 Talke no more proudely let not arrogancie come out of your mouthes for the Lorde is a God of knowledge and his purposes come to passe 4 The bowe with the mightie men are broken and they that were weake haue girded themselues with strength 5 They that were full haue hyred oute themselues for breade and they that were hungrye ceasse tyll the barren haue borne seuen and she that had many children is waxed féeble 6 The Lorde killeth and maketh aliue bryngeth downe to the graue and fetcheth vp againe 7 The Lorde maketh poore and maketh riche bringeth lowe and heaueth vp on hye 8 He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dounghill to set them among princes and to make them inherite the seate of glorye For the pillers of the earth are the Lordes and he hath set the worlde vpon them 9 He will kéepe the féete of his Saintes and the wicked shall kepe scilence in darkenesse and in his owne might shall no man be strong 10 The Lordes aduersaries shall be destroyed of him and oute of heauen shall be thunder vpon them the Lorde shall iudge the endes of the world and shall giue mighte vnto his king and exalte the horne of his annointed 11 And Elkana went to Ramath to his house and the lad did Minister vnto the Lord before Eli the priest 12 But the sonnes of Eli were Children of Belial and knew not the Lord 13 And the priests custome toward the people was that whensoeuer anye man offered anye offering the priests lad came whyle the fleshe was a séething and a fleshhooke with thrée téeth in his hand 14 And thrust it into the panne kettle caldron or pot and al that the fleshhooke broughte vp that the priest toke for him selfe And so they dyd vnto all the Israelites that came thither to Silo. 15 Yea and thereto before they burnt the fat the priests lad came and sayde to the man that offered Geue fleshe that I maye roste it for the priest for he will not haue sodden fleshe of thée but rawe 16 And if any man saide vnto him Let them burne the fat according to the custome and then take as muche as thyâ—e heart desireth Then he would answere him Yea thou shalt giue it mée now and if thou wilt not I will take it with violence 17 And the sinne of the young men was verye great before the Lorde for men abhored the offering of the Lord. 18 But the childe Samuel Ministred before the Lordâ— girded with a linnen Ephod 19 Moreouer his mother made him a little coate and brought it to him from yéere to yéere when she came vp with her husband to offer the yéerely sacrifice 20 And Eli blessed Elkana and his wife and sayde The Lord giue thée séede of this woman for the petition that she asked of the Lorde And they went vnto their owne home 21 And the Lord visited Hanna so that she conceyued and bare thrée sonnes and two daughters and the childe Samuel grewe before the Lorde 22 Eli was very olde and heard all that his sonnes did vnto all Israel and howe they lay with the women that wayted at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation 23 And he saide vnto them why doe ye suche things for of all these people I heare euill reportes of you 24 Oh nay my sonnes for it is no good reporte that I heare howe that ye make the Lordes people to trespasse 25 If one man sinne against another the iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne againste the Lorde who will be his dayseman Notwithstanding they hearkened not vnto the voyce of their father bicause the Lord would slay them 26 The childe Samuel profited and grewe and was in fauour both with the Lorde and with men 27 And there came a man of God vnto Eli and saide vnto him Thus saith the lorde Did not I plainely appeare vnto the house of thy father when they were in Egipte in Pharaos house 28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest for to offer vpoÌ„ mine aulter and to burne incense and to weare an Ephod before me and I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offeringes made by fyre of the Children of Israel 29 Wherefore treade ye downe my sacrifice and mine offering which I commaunded in the Tabernacle and honourest thy children aboue me to make your selues fat of the first fruites of all the offeringes of Israel my people 30 Wherfore the Lorde God of Israel sayth I saide that thy house and the house of thy father should walke before me for euer but now the Lord sayth That be farre from mée for them that worshippe me I will worshippe and they that despise me shall come to shame 31 Beholde the dayes come that I will cut of thine arme and the arme of thy fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thine house 32 And thou shalt sée thine enemie in the habitation of the lord in all the wealth which God shall giue Israel and there shall not be an olde man in thine house for euer 33 Neuerthelesse I will not destroy euery one that come of thée from mine aulter to make thine eyes to faile and to make thine heart sorowfull and all they that be multiplied in thine house shall dye vvhen they be men 34 And
this shal be a signe vnto thée that shall come vpon thy two sonnes Hophni and Phinehes in one day they shall dye both 35 And I will stirre vp a faithfull priest that shal doe according to my heart and minde and I will builde him a sure house and he shall walke before mine annoynted for euer 36 And all that are lest in thine house shall come and crouche to him for a péece of siluer and a morsell of breade and shall say Put me I pray thée in one office or other among the priestes that I may eate a morsell of bread The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of .1 Samuel And Hanna prayed and sayd My hart reioyceth in the Lord â–ª c. THis Hanna the wife of Helcana as is mentioned in the 1. Chapiter of this boke hauing bene long Baraine without childe to hir great reproch griefe of minde at the last through earnest praier obtained of god hir sonne Samuel and by hir vow dedicated him to the Seruice of god Wherefore in this chapiter stirred by the motion of Gods holie Spirit shee yeldeth most hartie thankes and praises to God for the same And albeit this be the chiefe purpose of Her speache yet in the vehemencie of her spirite she breaketh out to greater matter exceeding lie extolleth the mightye Power of God in other things also My hearte saieth she reioyseth whiche before was wrung with sorowe my Horne that is my strength and glory is now extolled which before was ouerthrowen in shame and reproche my Mouth is now free which erst was stopped with heauinesse and I reioyce not in mine owne strength or doyng but in the saluation of the Lorde The Lord our God is onlie Holie and of almightie Power and my gladnes in him is not vaine Therfore you wicked ones cease to Breath out the pride and arrogancie of your hartes his knowledge is infinite his power is exceding great is hable to bring to passe whatsoeuer he will haue done He ouerthroweth the mightie and breaketh their strength and power he setteth vp the afflicted and troubled persons compasseth them with his strength and assistance The riche that did feede at full he bringeth to pouertie and neede Suche as were oppressed with hunger he bringeth to greate plentie The baraine he maketh mother of manie children and such as had plentie of children he maketh baraine Yea the Lord killeth and bringeth euen from Deathes doore to Life againe The riche he pulleth downe out of his Glory and lifteth vp the poore from lowe estate euen to the dignitie of Princes The Stedinesse of the earth is in his handes and he caused it and hath placed all the other elements about it as it were their foundation whereon they rested The feete of his Saintes that is all their Workes Studies Indeuours and CouÌ„sailes he prospereth but the wicked he causeth to perishe in the darke cloudes of affliction All the enemies of God that set themselues against him and his truth with his mightie power he will from Heauen ouerthrowe and especiallie when he hath giueÌ„ his Kingdome to his anoynted Messias Sauiour that is to come But the sonnes of Helie were Children of Belial and knew not the Lord. c. Children of Beliall are dissolute loose young men giuen ouer to wickednesse and not staied or bridled with the feare God such the Sonnes of Helie are here described to be Contemners of God and of his holie ordinances Couetous Cruell Proude Gluttenous They were not Contented with those portions that the Lorde had assigned them Exodus 29. Num. 18. Leuit. 7. But by violence and extortion tooke from men what they lusted Which dealing caused the people to lothe the Sacrifices of God. So great a mischiefe is it if the Ministers of Gods Religion doe wickedly abuse to their gaine the Sacramentes of God or not deale in them with comelie Reuerence for the reproche of the Sacramentes tende to the dishonour of God. Howe greuous this offence of the Sonnes of Helie was in the sight of God it doth afterward appeare There might seme to be great blame in the Magistrates that seyng this outragious contempt of God and his Lawes would not seeke to Redresse the same But the Childe Samuel Ministred before the Lorde girded with c. To Minister before the Lorde is to Minister in the seruice of god Ephod was a little linneÌ„ garment from the shoulders downe toward the middle which the Leuites also vsed in the seruice of the Temple But the Ephod which the Priest wore was of another sorte and was made of Golde blewe Silke Purple Scarlet White twined sylke with brodered worke Exod. 28. Elie was verie olde and hearde all that his sonnes did vnto Israel and. c. Helie for age was not hable to execute the office of the Priest himselfe and therfore committed it vnto his sonnes who fouly abused it to gods dishonor and great offence of his people The women that are mentioned to haue wayted at the doore of the Tabernacle eyther came thither to be purified or to helpe forward the holie ministerie and by these wicked Priests were eyther by corruption allured to adulterie or by violence rauished And he said vnto them Why do ye such thinges for of all these people c. He should sharply haue rebuked them yea and with further punishement haue put them from the holie Ministerie as such persons that dishonoured the seruice of God but as a negligent man in Gods cause and a coâ—kering â—ather toward his children he reproueth them â—oldly sayde only that he Heard euil report of them and therfore they being now acustomed to their wicked doings were nothing amended therby When one hâ—rteth an other man he offendeth God but by Mediaâ—â—on but when he trespasseth in matter of Religion and holinesse he offendeth God Immediatly As touching these woordes that bee added They hearkened not to their father Bicause the Lord would slay them It maye seeme repugnant to that God speaketh by Ezec. cap. 18. As sure as I liue I vvill not the death of a sinner c. And in Esay cap. 28. God mynding to punishe the people saith that he wil do A strange work a strange act that is suche an one as vsually doth not belong vnto him Howe then doth he say here that Hee will slay them For answere herevnto we must know That God is not the directe Authoure of Deathe either of the soule or of the body For Deathe came in by sinne Rom. 5. Sinne was wrought by Satan father both of sinne Death and therefore is he iustly called of Sainct Iohn A manqueller Therefore when God punisheth or killeth he may well be saide to do A strange work and such a thing as in his simple reuealed will he doth not delite in S. Augustine noteth two kinds of VVill in God y one Simplex
they saye 16 Their arrowes are sodain death yea they themselues be very Giants 17 This people shall eate vp thy fruite thy meat yea they shal deuoure thy sonnes thy daughters thy shepe thy bullocks they shal eat vp thy grapes figgs As for thy strong wel defensed cities wherin thou diddest trust they shal bring to pouertie that through the sworde 18 Neuerthelesse I wil not theÌ„ haue done with you saith the Lord. 19 But if they say Wherfore doth the lorde our God al this vnto vs Then answer them Bicause y lyke as ye haue forsaken me serued straÌ„ge gods in your laÌ„d euen so shal ye serue straÌ„gers out of your land 20 Preache this vnto the house of Iacob crie it out in Iuda and saye thus 21 Heare this thou foolish vndiscrete people Ye haue eies but ye sée not eares haue ye but ye heare not 22 Feare ye not me saith the lord will ye not tremble at my presence which bynd the sea with the sand by a coÌ„tinual decrée so that it caÌ„not passe his boundes for though it rage yet can it do nothing though the waues therof do â—wel yet may they not go ouer 23 But this people hath a false obstinat heart they are departed gone away froÌ„ me 24 They thinke not in their hearts O let vs feare the lord our God who giueth vs rain early late when néed is which kepeth euer stil the haruest for vs yerely 25 Neuertheles your misdéeds haue turned these froÌ„ you your sinnes haue robbed you of good thin ges 26 For amoÌ„g my people are found wicked persons y priuily lay snares wait for meÌ„ to take them destroy theÌ„ 27 And lyke as a net is full of birdes so are their houses full of that whiche they haue gotten with falshood and deceipt Hereof commeth their great substance and riches 28 Hereof are they fatte and wealthye and are more mischeuous than any other they minister not the lawe they make no ende of the fatherlesse cause yea and they prosper yet they iudge not the poore according to equitie 29 Shoulde I not punish these things sayeth the Lorde should not I be auenged of all suche people as these be 30 Horrible and gréeuous things are done in the lande 31 The Prophetes teache falsly and the preachers receiue gifts and my people hath pleasure therin what will come thereof at the laste The Exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Hieremie Looke through Hierusalem behold and see seeke through hir streetes also c. THe Prophete Hieremie in the former Chapiter had notably described the comming of Nabuchodonosors armie into Ievvrie and the greate waste and spoyle that he should make of that countrey euen to the very walles of the citie Hierusalem whiche therfore should be in greate feare euen as a woman in trauayle with chylde Therfore in this place before hee noteth the destruction of that Citie he maketh proofe and declaration of the Iustice of God in doing of it For we see commonly when God punisheth the wicked for their offences that they are so obstinate and stiffenecked and so farre from anie sense of true repentaunce and turning to God that they murmure against god and accuse him for dealing ouer Rigorously and Cruelly with them and that he punisheth them more sharply and grieuously than their offences Deserue Wherfore God by his Prophet sheweth that they are so farre ouerwhelmed with their wickednesse as there is not left one Iust maÌ„ amoÌ„g them in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of whom he might Spare them therefore that of his Iustice he muste of necessitie punish them Looke sayth he through Hierusalem beholde and see seeke thoroughe her streates c. In which words God willeth euen the whole Worlde to looke diligentely into the state of that Citie that was called by the name of The holie Citie to see whether there were any thing or Person in it in respect whereof he shoulde shewe Mercie toward it For though they can saye The Lord liueth yet they sweare to deceyue c. Here the Prophete detecteth their Hipocrisie and signifieth that albeit they pretend to be the People of God and to haue a reuereÌ„ce to the name of God and therefore will call him to witnesse in their affaires and Sweare by his name as by that which they accoÌ„pt very Holie yet it is but wicked Hipocriste in them and indeede the Prophanation of the name of god For they sweare falsely and vntruly to* deceyue their neyghbour and to worke their vniuste deuises so by Periurie make the Name of God a Cloake meane to further their owne Wickednesse Wheras God Looketh only vpon faith and truth and regardeth not the faire * PreteÌ„ce of his Name when the true Reuerence therof is not in their hearts This place ought to teach vs that the Name of the * Churche or People of God the Title of Christians the Externall Sacraments of christian Religion are not sufficient to moue the Fauour of God toward vs nor to make vs his people vnlesse the feare of God and true Holynesse be in our heartes In the begynnyng of the thirde Verse whiche in deede shoulde be a parte of this secoÌ„d the Prophet altereth the Person and turneth the speach vnto God himselfe Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentance thou hast corrected c. This was of exceding great Stubbornesse in the Iewes and of Indurated heartes that they coulde not bee moued to Repentance no not with the heauie Plagues and punishments that God did bryng vpon them to that ende yea they rather hardened their faces as it wer againste God and became shamelesse in their wickednesse casting of al consideration of Godlynesse and Honestie Therfore I thought in my selfe peraduenture they are so simple and c. Forsomuch as it might be thought the Simple Foolishe people did amisse by Ignorance and errour only and that the wyser and better sort had more Care of the feare seruice of God hee turneth nowe to the Princes Priests Magistrates and Rulers and sheweth that they also whiche of duetie should haue ben not only Instructers Leaders Guyders to other but also correcters Punishers of their Leudnesse were become more stubborne and dissolute than they and had cleane cast froÌ„ them the bond and Yoke of Obedience to the Holie Will Lawe of god So that there myght seeme no Hope eyther in Prince or People in Riche or poore in Learned or Ignorant but that they All were giuen ouer to their owne Lustes and Sensual appetites Wherfore a Lyon out of the wood hath hurte them and a Wolfe in the. c. By the Lion the VVolfe and the Leopard the Prophet meaneth the Assyrians the Aegyptians and sundrye other Enimies that shoulde come vpoÌ„ them and so straightly Besiege them in their Cities that not One shuld be hable to goe out but shoulde be Taken and Slayne
for punishment thereof cause them to be led Captiue into Babilon to serue strange Lordes and Maisters in a Countrey that was not theirs Preache this vnto the house of Iacob and crie it out in Juda. c. God leaueth nothing vndone whereby this Stubburne people may declare themselues vnexcusable if they doe not Repent forsake their wickednesse and therefore chargeth the Prophete that they lacke not Teaching and Preaching and the euident declaration of Gods Iustice to come vpon them and that in such maner as they maye not thinke it to be Wordes onely and bare Threatninges to feare them but that they maye be well assured that they shall be as truely perfourmed in dede as they were vttered in wordes And then if they did not obey they shoulde shew themselues to be not only a Blockishe a folishe people but in dede as indurate Storkes and Stones and altogether like those Idolles that they worshipped which had eyes and yet sawe not and eares and yet hearde not c. but did suffer the Worde of God to passe as if it had bene spoken to Vnsensible creatures To the further amplification and condemnation of their Obstinacie in reiecting al obedience and Feare of God he compareth them to the Sea. The Sea saithe he then whiche there is nothing more forcible and violente yet at my Decree and appointment dothe it* tarie within his boundes and in his greatest rage and swelling of Waues dothe not breake oute beyonde the bankes of light Sande and Grauell Hereby this People mighte be taughte how great my Power is so learne to Feare me as their God and to Obey me as their Lorde that made them and all the worlde beside but they are more dull of vnderstanding than the* Vnsensible creatures and further from obedience than the furious and raging Surges of the Sea. Although the exceeding might and power of God in bounding the Sea within certaine Limites did not moue them to feare his Maiestie yet considering that of his fatherly Prouidence he sent them Raine in due times all maner of Seasonable weathering to temper the grouÌ„d that it mighte bring forth Fruites to their vse and commoditie it should haue somewhat enclined their hartes to Loue his Fatherly goodnesse and Reuerently to haue serued him But they were as vâ—thankefull toward the Goodnesse and mercie of God as they were obstinate against his Power and Maiestie Neuerthelesse youre misdeedes haue turned these from you c. Hereby we are taught that when God taketh from vs the Fruites of the Earth and his other good blessinges the cause thereof is our owne Sinfulnesse and forsaking of God and his true Seruice In the 26. and 27. verses the Prophete reckeneth vp some of their offences and especiallye their Falsheade Deceipte and Crafte in trapping and snaring the simple and by vniust and suttell meanes drawing them into daunger so that it maye appeare there remayned among them no Faithe nor Trueth nor Integritie and vprighte dealing but altogether couetous craftinesse iniurie and oppression And as the People were giuen to extortion and oppression so were the Magistrates negligent in ministring Iustice in defending the innocent and punishing the violence of the oppressour and wrongfull doer Yea and the * verye Prophetes also Preachers and Priests which should haue instructed and taught both People and Magistrate were themselues giuen ouer to Couetousnes and Briberie and by false prophecying teaching noseled the people in their wickednesse and in the contempt of God and of his true Prophetes And therfore God denounceth that he must needes of his Iustice punishe both them and all suche other wicked People as they are The .14 Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ieremie Cap. 22. THus sayeth the Lorde Goe downe into the house of the King of Iuda and speake there these wordes 2 And saye Heare the worde of the Lord thou king of Iuda that sittest in the kingly seate of Dauid thou and thy seruants and thy people that goeth in and out at these gates 3 Thus the Lorde commaundeth Kepe equitie and righteousnesse deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not gréeue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherlesse nor the wydowe and shed no innocent bloude in this place 4 And if ye kéepe these things Faithfully then shall there come in at the doore of this house Kinges to sit vpon Dauids seate they shal be caryed in charrets and ryde vpon Horses bothe they and their seruantes and their people 5 But if ye will not be obediente vnto these commaundementes I sweare by myne owne selfe sayeth the Lorde this house shal be waste 6 For thus hathe the Lorde spoken vpon the Kinges of Iuda Thou Gileaâ— arte vnto me the heade of Libanus shall I not make thée so waste as the Cities that no man dwell in 7 I will prepare a destroyer with his weapons for thée to hewe downe thy especiall Cedar trées and to caste them in the fire 8 And all the people that goe by this Citie shall speake one to another Wherefore hathe the Lorde done thus vnto this noble Citie 9 Then shall it be answered Because they haue broken the couenaunt of the Lorde their God and haue worshipped and serued strange Gods. 10 Maurne not ouer the dead and be not woe for them but be sorie for him that departeth awaye for he commeth not againe and séeth his natiue countrey no more 11 For thus sayeth the Lorde as touching Sellum the Sonne of Iosias King of Iuda which raigned after his father When he is caryed oute of this place he shall neuer come hither againe 12 For he shall dye in the place wherevnto he is led captiue and shall sée this lande no more 13 Woe worthe him that buyldeth his house with vnrighteousnesse and his parlours with the good that he hath gotten by violence which neuer recompenceth his neighbours labour nor payeth him his hire 14 Who thinketh in himselfe I will builde mée a wyde house and gorgious parlours who causeth wyndowes to be hewen therein and the séelings and ioystes maketh he of Cedar and painteth them with Sinoper 15 Thinkest thou to raigne nowe that thou haste inclosed thy selfe with Cedar Dyd not thy father eate and drynke and prosper well as long as he dealt with equitie and righteousnesse 16 Yea when he helped the oppressed and poore to their righte then prospered he well from whence came this but onely because he knewe me saith the Lorde 17 Neuerthelesse as for thine eyes and thyne heart they looke vpon couetousnesse to shedde Innocent bloude to doe wrong and violence 18 And therefore thus sayth the Lorde against Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias King of Iuda They shall not mourne for him as they vse to doe Alas brother alas sister neither shall they say vnto him Alas for that noble prince 19 But as an asse shall he be buryed corrupte and bée caste withoute the gates of
might seme to be touched with some Feare of God but yet not so greatlye but that they feared the Prince more and especially the multitude of them And therefore did they put the matter so vnto him that they would not doe otherwise than stoode with his Pleasure Some of them did more Freelye deale with the King as Elnathan Dalaiah and Gamariah and in his most vehement rage with some Danger of their owne state liues perswaded intreated him not to Burne the booke But nothing could staie his Furie but that before he had hearde it redde through eueÌ„ in Contempt of God of his worde and Threatnings he out it in peeces and cast it in the fire When God in the wordes of his Prophete did so terribly Thunder in the eares of the king he should haue bene Greatly moued therwith and haue * Rent tore his garments in token of the inward feare and Sorow of his hearte knowing most assured Danger to hang ouer both him and his kingdome But after the maner of Indurate hartes as a furious beast he Rageth eueÌ„ against God himself thinketh by Fire as it were to Consume his Threatnings If he thought it to be the doyng of poore Hieremie onely why did he make so great accompt of the matter and shew himselfe so much grieued therwith seyng he knewe that so contemptible a person as he iudged him to be coulde not of himselfe worke hurte to him or to his realme If his conscience trembling at the matter dyd tel him that the Authoritie of God was in those wordes why did he so furiouslie storme at the thing as thoughe he had bene hable by his rage to haue Discountenanced the wrath of God toward him and his people But cruell Hipocrites haue euer some * pretenses of reason to bolster vp their obstinacie against God his Prophetes and therefore caused he Hieremie and Baruch to be sent for if God had not hyd them and by his prouidence kepte them from his furie and wicked purpose For God vseth to preserue his Messengers from danger and perill euen maugre the heades of all his Enemies vntill their full and appointed time be come that his Name may be glorified his Truth enlarged by their Death Nowe after the King had burnte the booke and the sermons which c. The wicked persecuters thinke by crueltie and violence to Suppresse and Extinguishe the worde of God and his trueth but by his prouidence it riseth more Strongly against them to their greater confusion Ioakim thoughte by casting the Booke of Hieremies Prophecies into the fire he had as it were cutte of the hande of God and deliuered himselfe and his kingdome from those plagues that weare denounced by those * Seditious and Factious men as he toke them Hieremie and Baruch But beholde that he and all his mighte vnderstande that he struggled in vaine and stroue againste the streame the prouidence of God publisheth another booke containing not onely the same matter but also an euidente declaration of Gods iuste Iudgement and sharpe punishment to come vpon that wicked King and his stocke that is that his owne deade Corpse shoulde be caste forthe contemptuouslie withoute Buriall as is saide in the former Chapiter and that none of his issue and generation in righte descente should sit any time in the throne of Dauid after him For Iechonias his Sonne raigned onely three monethes and was ledde away Captiue so that he might scantly seme to haue raigned and Sedechias was his Vncle and was set vp in despite of him and his Sonne Iechonias or Ioakim after whoÌ„ they had no King of that directe liue but Zorobabel vntill the comming of the Messias Christ Iesu who was The yong branche that sprang a freshe out of the olde vvorne stocke of Iessie as oute of a roote that had not flourished in manye yeares before Yea and he assureth both the King and al his people though they did neuer so contemptuously refuse to hearken to his worde that he woulde visite their wickednesse and bring vpon them all those euils that he hath promised In like maner God in al ages dealeth with the persecuters of his word and holy Scriptures and neuer more than in these latter dayes The enemies of the Gospell haue thoughte to suppresse Gods trueth by burning the godly writings of learned men and by destroying the Preachers and professours of the same with fire and with the sworde shedding their bloude most cruellie But the prouidence of God raiseth other euen of the ashes of them that doe as constantly teache and defende his truth euen to the faces of them and maugre their heartes publishe the Gospell in writing more largely thaÌ„ euer it was before And so wil it be vntill God bring their iuste deserued plagues vpon their heades though they in the meane time to the heaping of his greater wrath vpon them in furious rage kill and sâ—ea some of his Saintes which he hath appointed that way to glorifie his name The .16 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ezechiel Cap. 2. ANd then said he vnto me Stâ—nde vp vpon thy féete O thou sonne of man and I will talke with thée 1. And the spirite 〈…〉 when he had spoken vnto me and set me vpon my féete so that I hearde him that spake vnto me 3 And he said vnto me Thou sonne of man I sende thée to the Children of Israel to a rebellious people which haue rebelled againste me both they and their forefathers haue wickedly behaued themselues againste me euen vnto this verye daye 4 For they are children of a harde face and stiffe heart I doe send thée vnto them thou shalte say vnto them Thus saith the Lorde God. 5 And whether they will heare or refuse for they are a rebellious house yet they maye knowe that there hath bene a Prophet among them 6 And thou sonne of man feare theÌ„ not neither be afraide of their wordes for briers thornes are with thée and thou doest dwell among scorpions feare not their wordes nor be abashed at their lookes for they are a rebellious house 7 And thou shalt speake my wordes vnto them whether they will heare or refuse for they are rebellious 8 Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I say vnto thée and be not thou rebellious like the rebellious house open thy mouth and eate that I giue thée 9 And I loked and behold a hand was sent vnto me and loe in it was a roule of a booke 10 And he opened it before me and it was written within and without and there was written therin lamentations and mourning and woe The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Ezechiel And then saide he vnto me stand vp vpon thy feete O thou sonne of man c. IN the firste Chapiter of this Prophete in a vision was declared what He was of how greate aucthoritie that called Ezechiel that is the Omnipotente and euerliuing
the colour and maintenaunce of their Doings and deale Fiercely in wordes and countenaunce with them that Teache the contrarie as the Papistes and other Aduersaries doe at this daye agaynst the true Ministers of god But they must Comfort them selues and as he willeth his Prophete Ezechiell in this place not be afrayde nor abashed thereof It is the ordinarie meanes of them that bee Enimies to GOD and to his Truth If in the heate of their Spirite they call vs Schismatikes Heretikes vnlearned vile contemptible yea dogges and dounghilles of the Earth yet must wee not bee so Ouerthrowne therwith as for it to leaue our office and duetie of Teaching vndone but rather with great Constancie set our selues agaynst their waywarde Wickednesse and By the Povver of God and armour of Righteousnesse passe through honour and dishonour good reporte and euill and neuer yelde or giue place to the Stubburne Enimies Though they bee as Thornes vnto vs and euery way Moleste and greeue vs though they bee as Scorpions and wyth the venim of their sclaunderous tongues poysonously stinge vs yea oftentymes vnto verie death yet muste wee remember that in this place God speaketh to Ezechiel Feare not their vvords but speake my truth vnto them vvhether they vvil heare it or refuse it Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I saye vnto thee c. There is none meete to be the Messenger of God and the teacher of his people but suche a one as hath bene firste Taught of him and at His hande learned his holie Will and the mysteries of his Truth Therefore the Prophete is here willed To open his mouthe and to eare all that the Lorde doth giue him that is That hee shoulde Faythfully receyue at his Hande and diligently Imprinte in his Memorie and in his Hearte digeste all the woordes that the Lorde shoulde speake vnto him For so God sayth to him in the 3. cap. verse 10. This booke is described to bee written vvithin and vvithoute that is to Conteyne muche and Plenteous matter touchyng the Children of Israell and all bytter and vnpleasaunt shewyng the Signes and tokens of Gods wrathe agaynst them so that they coulde Conceiue nothyng thereof but matter of Sorrovv Mourning Lamentation and VVoe For seing the Sweetenesse of his Promises coulde not allure them he endeuoreth to breake their Stubborn heartes wyth the terrible Threatnings of his displeasure In the .8 Verse God armeth his Prophet agaynst an other Temptation wherwith the myndes of many are caryed awaye and enclined eyther not to Receyue the woorde of God or when they haue receyued it to Reuolte from it againe and that is the Consent of the Multitude thinking the contrarie Wherfore hee sayeth vnto Ezechiell Obey thou all things that I shall saye vnto thee and bee not lyke this Rebellious house I knowe it maye seeme an Harde tentation to thee to teache the contrarie of that which they all thinke and defende to bee true and with a verie * few good men to stande against the whole multitude and Consent of them which are called and compted my People But I tell thee what soeuer they Pretende and howesoeuer faire Titles and tokens they haue had of my Fauoure they are a Stiffenecked and rebellious People whiche vnder their faire Pretenses sette them selues agaynste mee and my Holie will. Therefore beeware thou be not like them nor Yelde not to their Consente and Multitude but cleaue faste to my woorde and to that I saye vnto thee * For one man with my Truth is better and more to be credited than the whole World agreeing in the contrarie The lyke Instruction god vsed to Esai cap. 8. warning him That hee should not vvalke in the vvay of that people nor speake vvordes of Conspiracie that is of CoÌ„sent or agreement in one opinion VVhen this people shall say Conspiracie be not afrayde of them but sanctifie the Lorde of hoastes and let him be your feare and dreade S. Peter in his first Epistle cap. 3. verse 14. 15. alludeth to the same place confirming the faithfull against the Conspiracie and agreement of the Ievves in Persecuting the Gospell It behoueth vs also in these latter and perilous dayes in so greate a multitude conspiring against the worde of God and the profession of his Truthe to arme oure selues with the same weapons of Comforte wherwith we see God furnished his Prophetes and Apostles against the countenaunce of the whole worlde This sending foorthe of Ezechiell is more largely declared by the Prophete hymselfe in the thyrde Chapiter The .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezechiell 14. THere resorted vnto me certain of the â—â—ders of Israel and sat downe by me 2 Then came the word of the Lorde vnto mée saying 3 Thou sonne of man these men haue sette vp their Idols in their heartes and put the stumbling blocke of iniquitie before their face shoulde I then answere them at their request 4 Therfore speak vnto them say vnto theÌ„ thus saith the Lorde God Euery man of the house of Israel that setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face and commeth to the Prophete vnto that man will I the Lord my selfe giue answere when he commeth according to the multitude of his Idols 5 That the house of Israel maye be snared in their owne heartes because they be cleane gone from me all of them thorowe their Idols 6 Wherfore tell the house of Israel thus saith the Lorde God Returne and cause to returne from your Idols and turne your faces from all your abhominations 7 For euery man whether he be of the house of Israel or a stranger that soiourneth in Israel which departeth from me and setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his wickednesse before his face and commeth to a Prophete for to aske counsell at me through him vnto that man will I the Lord giue answere by mine owne selfe 8 I will set my face against that man and will make him to be an example for other yea and a common by word and will roote him oute of my people that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 9 And if that Prophete be deceiued when he telleth a thing then I the Lorde my selfe haue deceiued that Prophete and will stretche oute my hande vpon him to destroy him out of my people of Israel 10 And they shal be punished for their wickednesse according to the sinne of him that asketh shall the sinne of the prophete be 11 That the house of Israel may wander no more from me neither be any more defiled in all their transgressions but that they may be my people and I their God saith the Lorde God. 12 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 13 Thou sonne of man when the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse I will stretche out my hand vpoÌ„ it and breake
their staffe of bread and send dearth vpon them to destroy man and beast foorth of it 14 And though Noe Daniel Iob these thrée men were among them yet shall they in their righteousnesse deliuer but their owne soules saith the Lord God. 15 If I bring noysome beastes into the land they spoils it and it be so desolate that no man may passe throughe it for beastes 16 If these thrée mē were also in the middest therof as truely as I liue saieth the Lorde God they shall saue neither sonnes nor daughters but be onely deliuered them selues and as for the land it shal be waste 17 Or if I bring a sworde vpon this land and say Sword goe through the lande so that I slay downe man and beast in it 18 And if these thrée men were therin as truely as I liue saith the Lord God they shal deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters but onely be saued themselues 19 If I send a pestilence into this land and powre out my sore indignation vpon it in bloud so that I roote out of it both man and beast 20 And if Noe Daniel and Iob were therin as truely as I liue saith the Lord God they shall deliuer neither some nor daughter but saue their owne soules in their righteousnesse 21 Moreouer thus saith the Lord God How much more when I sende my foure troublous plagues vpon Hierusalem the sworde hunger perilous beastes and pestilence to destroy man and beast out of it 22 Beholde there shal be a remnant saued therin whiche shall bring forth their sonnes and daughters behold they shal come forth vnto you and ye shall sée their way and their enterprise and ye shal be comforted concerning the euill that I haue brought vpō Hierusalē euen cōcerning all that I haue brought vpon it 23 They shall comfort you when ye shall sée their way and workes and ye shall know how that it is not without a cause that I haue done al against Hierusalem as I did saith the Lorde God. The Exposition vpon the .xiiij. Chapter of Ezechiel There resorted vnto me certaine of the Elders of Israel and sate downe c. THe Israelites which had fallē from God to Idolatrie and false worship liuing nowe in banishmente and Captiuitie in Babilon were sore greued with these greate miseries tirannicall oppressions which they by the Chaldees sustained and yet were nothing at all moued to repent and turne frō their wickednes Wherfore some of the Elders of thē retaining still in their heartes not onely an inclination but an earnest affection to continue in their Idolatry desirous to heare some good tidings of their deliuerance at the hand of Ezechiel the Prophete of God with Dissimulation Hipocrisie came vnto him and sitting by him began to moue question howe they shoulde behaue themselues in the Captiuitye and what they mighte beste doe what God had reuealed vnto him touching them what hope there was of the restoring of Hierusalem And forsomuch as the Prophete might haue ben deceiued by their Hipocrisie haue thought that they had truely and sincerely repented God openeth their Dissimulation vnto him teacheth him home he shall answere them according to their desertes These men saith God that come vnto thee are Hipocrites and dissimulers and be not inwardlie as they pretende out wardlye For whereas the Hart of my people shuld be the Seate of my true worshippe and their Life a declaration of my glory vnto the world These men cleane contrary haue set vp Idols in their heartes long still to continue in the worshipping of them And the wicked life which they openly leade is as a stumbling blocke to many other whereby they are caused to fall frō me Should I then be sought for by such as they are or shoulde I ansvvere them at their request which by suche dealing doe in a maner openlie delude me and seme not to esteme me as a God For if they did they must needes knowe that their wicked Hipocrisie coulde not be hid from me Out of this place we haue to learne First howe depely the wicked vse to dissimule to pretende an obedience to God and a loue to his trueth when in their heartes they meane nothing lesse In like manner the Scribes and Phariseis often came to Christ wherfore we must take hede and beware of them Secondly we are taught that God knoweth all thinges and that the secretes of our heartes are not hid from him All things are open to the eies of God saith Paule And Salomon The eies of God in euerie place beholdeth both the good and the euill We must so liue therfore as we be sure that we haue God witnesse of all euen our moste secrete doings yea of the very cogitations and deuises of our hartes Thirdly we are instructed how to come vnto god or to his Prophetes to learne that is sincerelie and truely And we Come vnto God when we come to reade or to heare his holie Worde and scriptures And therfore muste we doe it with a simple a true meaning harte least it fall out to vs as it did to these olde dissimuling Israelites Therfore speake vnto them and say vnto them thus saith the Lorde c. Forsomuch as their impudencie was suche that notwithstanding the loue of Idolatry that reigned in their hartes and the greate wickednesse that to the offence of other appeared in their liues yet they durste to come to Ezechiel to learne the will of God and his determination touching them God willeth his Prophete to tell them that he will answere them himselfe but not as they hoped and desired nor any thing at all to their liking but in suche sorte as of his Iustice they for their horrible Idolatry and other wickednesse deserued For that is ment by these wordes According to the multitude of his Idolles In such sorte saith God I will answere them as I wil make openly knowē that is now secrete and hidde and that all men shall vnderstande there is not one iote of godlye motion in them And I vvill so snare them in their ovvne consciences that they th̄selues shall declare to the world they thought not in their hearts as they pretended out wardly to haue done The cause of this vnpleasant answere that God maketh to them is for that through Idolatry they had forsaken him Therefore God as a mercifull Lorde desirous rather to haue them amende then to perishe biddeth his Prophete to will them either vnfainedly to returne frō their Sinfull life and abhominable Idolatrye and also to cause other to returne whome by their example and instruction they had misledde or els that they shoulde be sure to haue a verye vnpleasante answere at the mouth of God himselfe whether they were Ievves naturally borne or suche * strangers as were Circumcised and professing the Law and Couenante of God did liue among them When God requireth that they should not only themselues amende and turne
willes of them that hate thée euen to the daughters of the Philistines which are ashamed of thyne abhominable wayes 28 Thou hast played the whoore also with the Assyrians bicause thou waste insatiable yea thou hast I say with them played the harlot and yet hadst thou not inough 29 Thus hast thou furthermore multiplied thy fornication from the lande of Chanaan vnto the Chaldées and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith 30 How weake is thine heart sayth the Lord God séeing thou doest all these euen the workes of a presumptuous whoorishe woman 31 Buylding thy hye places at the heade of euery waye and makest thy hye places in euery stréete thou haste not ben as an other whoore that holdeth scorne of a rewarde 32 But as a wyfe that breaketh wedlocke and taketh other in stead of hir husband 33 Giftes are giuen to al other whoores but thou giuest rewardes vnto al thy louers rewardest them to come vnto thée on euery side for thy fornication 34 It is come to passe with thée in thy whoordomes contrary to the vse of other women yea there hath no suche fornication ben committed after thée séeing that thou giuest giftes vnto other no reward is giueÌ„ thée therfore thou art contrarie 35 Therfore heare the word of the lord O thou harlot 36 Thus sayth the Lord God Bicause thou haste poured out thy brasse discouered thy filthines through thy fornications with thy louers and with all the idols of thine abhominations and in the bloud of thy children whom thou hast giuen them 37 Behold therefore I will gather together all thy lâ—uers with whom thou hast taken plesure yea and all them whome thou haste loued and euery one that thou hatest I will I saye gather them together rounde about against thée and will discouer thy shame before them that they may sée all thy fylthinesse 38 Moreouer I will iudge thée as a breaker of wedlocke a murtherer recompence thée thine owne bloud in wrathe and ielousie 39 I will giue thée ouer into their handes and they shall destroy thy hie place breake downe thy hie places they shall strippe thée also oute of thy clothes thy fayre iewels shall they take from thée and so leaue thée naked and bare 40 Yea they shall bring a company vpon thée which shall stone thée with stones thrust thée through with their swordes 41 They shall burne vp thy houses with fire and punishe thée in the sight of many women thus will I make thée ceasse from playing the harlot so that thou shalt giue out no more rewardes 42 So will I make my wrath toward thée to rest and my ielousie shall depart from thée and I will ceasse and be angry no more 43 Seing thou remembredst not the dayes of thy youth but haste fretted me in all these things behold therfore I wil bring thine owne wayes vpon thy head saith the Lorde God so that thou shalte not commit any more mischiefe vpon all thine abhominations 44 Behold all they that vse common prouerbes shall vse this prouerbe also against thée saying Such a mother such a a daughter 45 Thou art euen thy mothers owne daughter that hath cast of her husband her children yea thou art the sister of thy sisters which forsooke their husbandes their children your mother is an Hithite and your father an Amorite 46 Thine eldest sister is Samaria thée and her daughters that dwell vpon thy lefte hand but thy younger sister that dwelleth on thy right hande is Sodoma and her daughters 47 Yet hast thou not walked after their wayes nor done after their abhominations as a litle and a litle but in all thy wayes thou hast bene more corrupt than they 48 As truely as I liue saith the Lorde God Sodoma thy sister with her daughters haue not done as thou hast done and thy daughters 49 Beholde the sinnes of thy sister Sodoma were these Pride fulnesse of meate and aboundance of welnesse these things had she and her daughters besides that they strengthed not the hand of the poore and néedie 50 But they were hautie and committed abhomination before mée therefore I toke them away as I sawe good 51 Neither hathe Samaria done halfe of thy sinnes yea thou haste excéeded them in thine abhominations and haste iustified thy sisters in all thine abhominations whiche thou haste done 52 Therefore thou whiche didst condemne thy sister beare thine owne shame for thine owne offences that thou haste committed more abhominably than they did whiche in déede are more righteous than thou arte be thou I say ashamed and beare the shamefull rebuke séeing that thou hast iustified thy sisters 53 Therefore I will bring againe their captiuitie the captiuitie of Sodom and her daughters the captiuitie of Samaria and her daughters and the captiuitie of thy captiuities among them 54 That thou maist take thine owne confusion vpon thée and be ashamed of all that thou haste done in that thou haste comforted them 55 And thy sister Sodom and her daughters shall returne to their former state Samaria also and her daughters shall returne to their former state when thou and thy daughters shall returne to your former state 56 For thy sister Sodom was not heard of by thy reports in the daye of thy pride 57 Before thy wickednesse was discouered according to the time of the reproche of the daughters of Aram and of all the daughters of the Philistines rounde aboute her whiche dispise thée on all sides 58 Thou haste borne thy wickednesse and thine abhomination sayth the Lorde 59 For thus saith the Lorde God I might by right deale with thée as thou hast done which hast dispised the othe in breaking the couenant 60 Neuerthelesse I will remember my couenaunt with thée in the dayes of thy youth and I will establishe vnto thée an euerlasting couenante 61 Then shalte thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed when thou shalte receiue thy sisters both thy elder and thy younger and I will giue them vnto thée for daughters but not by thy couenaunt 62 And I will establishe my couenant with thée that thou maist knowe that I am the Lord. 63 That thou maist thinke vpon it and be ashamed neuer open thy mouth any more for shame of thy selfe when I am pacified toward thée for all that thou hast done sayth the Lorde God. The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Ezechiel Againe the woorde of the Lorde came vnto me saying Thou sonne of c. THe summe of this long Chapiter is contayned in these fewe woordes Shevve Hierusalem their abhominations For by a long figuratiue speache vnder the similitude of an Adulterous woman that without all shame moderation dealeth vnthankfully vnfaithfully with a louing and kind husbande the Prophete meruelously painteth forth and notably amplifieth the filthy abhominations spirituall adultries and other wickednes of that Citie and People In the firste parte he setteth forth their poore estate
was the sacrificings of their owne children to Idols which God seuerely prohibiteth Leui. 18. 20. Deute 12. In Ieremie cap. 7. We reade that not farre from Hierusalem in the tribe of Beniamin in the valley of Hinnon there was a Chappell and Alter in whiche they offered their children to the Idole Moloch This Idoll as some of the Hebrewes write was of brasse hollowe in which being glowing hote with fire they enclosed their Children to be slayne with a Miserable death and in the meane time that the crying of the childe might not be hearde to moue any pitie they made a noyse with Tabrets and drummes whereof that place was called Tophet Other opinions there are of the maner of this offering of Children which all declare it to be a wicked a diuelish vse and such as is to be wondered howe it should take place among the People of God. But what Idolatrie or erroure is so grosse whereinto mans corruption destitute of the Grace of God will not easily bee caste by example or any other lighte occasion It is not to bee let passe that God calleth the Children whythe they had begotten His Children bycause they were partakers of the promises and signed with the seale of his couenaunte Wee therfore that be Christians must know that our childrē are also the children of God partakers of those blessings that are promised to vs in Christ Iesu our Sauiour therfore that we do Iniurie to God himselfe whose Children they are if we doe not see them* Carefully brought vp in his feare And muche more if we as before tyme we haue done Bequeath them and in a maner Consecrate and Sacrifice them to the Seruice of men by thrusting them into Abbeyes and Monasteries there to Remayne in perpetuall bondage of Errour and superstition Thou hast committed fornication with the Aegiptians thy neyghbours c. There are two kindes of Spirituall fornication the one consisteth in Superstition and False woorshipping of God contrarye to his woorde or in Sacrificing to False gods In which kind God before hath noted that his People were vnsatiable and Fashioned themselues to the Seruice not onely of one or two but of a number of Idolatrous gods and builded chapels for them in euery corner much like to that maner whiche in many places of Christendome is yet to be sene how they haue done for their peculiar Sainctes The other Fornicatiō is vnlaufull Ioyning in league with Infidels and Idolaters therby to haue their ayde and defence whithe God seuerely in many places* forbiddeth For by that meanes his people are diuers tymes caryed away from his true Seruice to Idolatrie and the Woorshipping of their Gods with whom they are in League and frendeshippe by Consente in Religion thynking to haue their Fauour more assured Thus did the Iewes committe Fornication with the Aegyptians and leauing to putte theyr Truste in the Lorde their God * desired their Helpe againste their enimies And in like maner had they Doone at other tymes with the Assyrians and other People bordring vpon them For whiche they are here sharpely Reproued Our truste and Confidence shoulde bee tyed to GOD* alone in all our Trouble and distresse and if wee doe imparte it to other and seeke Helpe at any other than at God we committe Fornication with them and are as Adulterers in his sighte Therefore heare the worde of the Lord O thou Harlot c. In this thirde parte of the Chapiter God declareth their Punishemente and as it were pronounceth the sentence of his Iustice against them And bicause he is Determined to Iudge that Citie and countreye as an Adulterer and breaker of Wedlocke and of that Couenaunt that was betweene Him and them he noteth them by the name of An Harlot In the .36 Verse he briefly knitteth together the causes of their Condemnation punishmēt Bicause sayeh he thou haste poured oute thy brasse c. that is Bicause thou hast plentifully layd out thy money riches and treasure by presentes to purchase vnto thee and as it were to wowe new Louers frendes of strange Princes in whom thou mightest put thy truste and haue succour at thy neede * contrarie to my cōmaundement and therby Discouerest thy filthynesse and she west plainly that thou haste in thy hearte forsaken me thy Lord and adulterously haste coupled thy selfe with other and in them delightest and puttest thy confidence And bicause thou haste doone this not onely with wicked and Heathen Princes but also with a number of Idolatrous gods and offred the. Innocent bloud of thy Children to them Therefore I say beholde I will Greeuously punishe thee c. The maner of the Punishemente is that God will bring agaynste them bothe their Frendes with whome before tyme they haue ioyned in league as the Assyrians Chaldeis and Aegyptians and also their Auncient enimies the Philistines Idumeans and other al they gathered together shal behold their Nakednesse and filthinesse rewarde them as Louers do their old Strumpets that they Loth be weary of When Harlots be grown in age or touched with some foule disease their customers begin to detest shun them vpon any light occasion wil beate them taking from them al their gay Iewels and gorgious apparel will turne them out of the doores naked that all other may See what they are Euen so God signifieth that the Chaldees and Assirians shall do by the Iewes They shall Waste their countrey Destroy their citie Pull downe their temple and other places of Sacrifice also carie away into Babilon the golde and siluer and costly vessels belonging vnto the same which things were as the apparell ornaments and iewels wherewith Hierusalem was decked and so shall they turne the Iewes out of their Countrey Naked that all men may see theyr Filthinesse and consider howe Vnfaythfully they haue delt towarde their Lorde and God. By this meanes and by extreeme Pouertie God sayth he will make them to leaue their Idolatrie and enterteyning of foreyne Princes because they should not be hable through their Miserie to bestowe any more cost vpon them Then shall his wrath rest and his iealeousie and anger depart from them c. So long as a man hauing an Vnfaythfull woman is in any hope by meaue correction or iealeous carefulnesse to bring hir to amendment his minde cannot well be Quiet But when he is past hope and seeth her vtterly desperate and also hath seuerely punished her for the same he layeth asyde all trouble of minde and iealeous care that before he had for hit and letteth hir go like a Naughtie packe into the wide world And so GOD sayeth he will deale wyth the Nation of the Iewes Beholde all they that vse common Prouerbes shall vse this Prouerbe c. When the Prophets of God did threaten grieuous Plagues to come vpon the Iewes they in their heartes thought
hath done all these abhominations he shall die the death his bloude shall be vpon him 14 Nowe if this man get a sonne also that séeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done and feareth neyther doth such like 15 Namely that hath not eaten vpon the hilles neyther hath lift vp his eyes to the Idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbours wyfe 16 Neyther hath oppressed any nor hath withholden the pledge neyther hath spoyled by violence but hath gyuen his bread to the hungry and hath couered the naked wyth a garment 17 Neyther hath withdrawne his hande from the afflicted nor receyued vsurie nor increase but hath executed my iudgements and walked in my statutes this man shall not die in his fathers sinne but shall liue without fayle 18 As for his father because he hath cruelly oppressed and spoyled his brother by violence and hath not done good among his people lo he dyeth in his owne sinne 19 And yet say ye Wherefore then should not this sonne beare his fathers sinne Because the sonne hath done iudgement and righteousnesse he hath kept all my statutes and done them therefore shall he liue in déede 20 The same soule that sinneth shall die the sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquitie neyther shal the father beare the sonnes iniquitie the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon hymselfe also 21 But if the vngodly will turne away from all his sinnes that he hath done and kéepe all my statutes and doe the thing that is iudgement and right doubtlesse he shall liue and not die 22 As for all his sinnes that he did before they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall lyue 23 For haue I any pleasure in the death of a sinner sayth the Lorde God shall he not lyue if he returne from his wayes 24 Againe if the righteous turne from hys righteousnesse and doe iniquitie and shall doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall he lyue All the righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred but in his trāsgression that he hath committed in his sinne that he hath sinned in them he shal dye 25 And yet ye say The waye of the Lorde is not indifferent Heare therefore ye house of Israel is not my way equall or are not your wayes rather vnequall 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie and dyeth in the same in his iniquitie which he hath committed shal he die 27 Againe when the wicked turneth awaye from his wickednesse that he hath done doth iudgement and right he shall saue his soule aliue 28 Because he séeth and turneth away from all hys iniquitie that he hath committed he shall surely liue and not die 29 And yet sayth the house of Israel The way of the Lorde is not equall Are not my wayes equall O ye house of Israel are not your wayes rather vnequall 30 Therefore I will iudge you euery man according to his wayes O ye house of Israel sayth the Lord God returne and bring againe others from al your wickednesse so iniquitie shall not be your destruction 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye haue transgressed and make you a newe hart and a new spirite for why will he dye O ye house of Israel 32 Seing I haue no pleasure in the death of hym that dyeth sayth the Lord God bring agayne your selues then and ye shall lyue The Exposition vpon the .xviij. Chapter of Ezechiel The woorde of the Lorde came vnto mee saying what meane ye by this c. THe Prophetes often Preached vnto the Iewes that it could not be but God would grieuously punish them because they Continued in the sinnes of their forefathers and that he had long time of his Pacience borne with the offences of them both and therefore of Necessitie Gods Iustice must nowe be executed Vpon this occasion the Waywarde people easily beleeuing their fathers offences and hardly brought in perswasion of their Owne blasphemously murmured agaynst God and in their heartes condemned him of vniustice because the punishment of their fathers offences should light vpon them And to note this their Meaning they vsed this common prouerbe The fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge By Sower grapes they vnderstood Idolatrie sinne and wickednesse as appeareth Esay 5. which their fathers had committed and by Teeth on edge the griefe and paine of the punishment So that as I haue sayd their meaning was that God Iniuriously spared their sinfull fathers and punished the Innocent children In Hieremie also Cap. 31. it may appeare they vsed the same prouerbe Wherefore the Prophete Ezechiel in this place defendeth the Iustice of God agaynst their blasphemous Obloquie sheweth that as the wisdom of God might haue other respects in their punishments then they were hable to conceyue so they could not Rightly quarrel with God in that poynt because beside their fathers Wickednesse Euery man had his Owne sinnes for which in Iustice he might be Condemned and punished And the Prophet to this purpose vseth fiue eauses 1 The first is that the Iust man continuing in his Iustice and doing in all thinges rightly shall prosper and not be punished This doth he in the 5. 6. 7. 8. and. 9. verses Wherein also by particular properties he describeth a Iust man. 2 The second is if that Iust father beget a Wicked sonne his fathers Iustice shall not helpe him but he shal be punished for his Owne naughtines 3 The thirde if the Wicked man be getet a Iust sonne who seeing his fathers euill doings feareth God and liueth Vprightly he shall not die in his Fathers sinnes but liue be in y fauour of God. 4 The fourth if the vngodly man will Turne from his wicked wayes and keepe the lawes and statutes of God his sinnes that he did before shall not be Mentioned vnto him nor he punished for them 5 If the righteous turne from his righteousnesse and fall to Iuiquitie his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but he shall be plagued for his Transgression wherein he continueth For somuch as there are sundrie places of the Scriptures that in words seeme contrarie to the sayings of Ezechiel there may iustly seeme some Doubt to rise thereof I will sayth God requite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the sonnes to the thirde and fourth generation And againe If thou wilt not heare the voice of the Lorde c. cursed shall be the fruite of thy wombe and thy sonnes and thy daughters shal be deliuered to strangers The like we haue Exo. 34. and Hier. 23. and in many other places For Chams offence towarde his father the Curse and punishment lighteth vpon Chanaan Many thousandes perished for Dauids sinne
haue done to Laye their sinnes before their eyes that he may driue them to Desperation But here God sayth If the vngodlye wyll turne from their sinnes they shall neuer be mentioned vnto them If the righteous turne from his righteousnesse and doe the thing c. It is not sufficient for a man to beginne well in godlynesse and vertue and after to reuolte from it to wickednesse again But he must continue in his well doing Happie is he sayth Christ that contynueth to the ende He that setteth his hande to the Plough and looketh backe is not meete for the kingdome of God. It was not sufficient for Loths wife to depart out of Sodome her looking backe againe did turne her into a salt stone Be faithful vnto death sayth God and I wyll giue thee the crowne of lyfe Out of this Chapiter we may obserue these necessarie pointes First that God is Iuste and doth iniurie to no man And as the sonnes of the children shall not hurt the father onlesse they grewe by the fathers occasion so shall not the sinnes of the father hurt the sonne if he doe not followe the fathers steps Secondly we see that there were in those dayes many which carped and cauilled at the preaching of the Prophets and made matter of scoffing and iesting at it No meruaile therfore if we see the like in these dayes but their iesting tauntes will in the ende fall vpon their owne heades Thirdly we may learne the corruption of our owne nature For as these Iewes would seeme innocent in no wayes acknowledge their offences So doe we eyther denie our sinnes or wyth fayre pretences extenuate them and cast the fault vpon other Many that cannot be perswaded that God gouerneth all things yet when they sinne to excuse themselfe they impute the blame to the prouidence of god Oh say they it was my destenie I thinke God did worke me this shame to doe it So Adam at the begynning layde the fault to the woman which God had ioyned to hym and the Woman turneth ouer the blame to the Serpent But neyther did wyth humble harts acknowledge their disobedience Thys Propertie sticketh in the Nature of all the children of Adam The 18. Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ezechiel 20. IN the seuenth yere the tenth day of the fift Moneth certaine of the elders of Israel came for to aske counsayle at the Lorde and sate downe before me 2 Then came the worde of the Lorde vnto me saying 3 Thou sonne of man speake vnto the elders of Israel and say vnto them thus sayth the Lorde God are ye come to enquire of me As truely as I liue I will not be sought of you sayth the Lorde God. 4 Wylt thou not iudge them sonne of man wilt thou not iudge them cause them to vnderstand the abhominations of their fathers 5 And tell them thus sayth the Lord God In the day when I chose Israel and lift vp mine hande vpon the séede of the house of Iacob and was knowne vnto them in the lande of Egypt yea when I lift vp my hande ouer them and saide I am the Lorde your God. 6 Euen in the day that I lyft vp mine hande vnto them to bring them out of the lande of Egypt into a lande that I had prouided for them which floweth with my like and honie and is pleasant among all other landes 7 Then sayde I vnto them Cast away euery man the abhominations of his eyes and defile not your selues with the Idols of Egypt for I am the Lorde your God. 8 But they rebelled against me and would not hearken vnto me they did not cast away euerye man the abbominations of his eies neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt then I sayde I woulde powre out mine indignation ouer them and accomplishe my wrath vpon them yea euen in the midst of the lande of Egypt 9 And I wrought for my names sake that it should not be polluted before the heathen among whome they were to whome I was manifestlye knowne in bringing them forth of the lande of Egipt 10 Nowe when I had caused them to go out of the lande of Egypt and brought them into the wildernesse 11 I gaue them my statutes and shewed them my iudgementes which who so doth shall liue in them 12 I gaue them also my Sabbath daies to be a token betwixt me and them and thereby to knowe that I am the Lorde which halowe them 13 And yet the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wildernesse they would not walke in my statutes they haue cast away my iudgementes which who so doth shall liue in them and my Sabbath daies haue they greatly polluted then I said I would powre out mine indignation vpon them and consume them in the wildernesse 14 And I wrought for my names sake least it should be defiled before the heathen in whose sight I brought them out 15 Yet neuerthelesse I lift vp my hande vnto them in the wildernesse that I would not bring them into the lande which I gaue them that floweth with milke and hony and is a pleasure of all landes 16 And that because they cast away my iudgements and walked not my statutes but haue defiled my Sabbathes for their heart was gone after their Idols 17 Neuerthelesse mine eye spared them so that I would not destroy them not consume them in the wyldernesse 18 Moreouer I sayd vnto their sonnes in the wyldernesse Walke not in the statutes of your fathers kepe not their iudgementes and defyle not your selues with their Idols 19 I am the Lorde your God walke in my statutes kéepe my iudgementes and doe them 20 Halow my Sabbathes for they are a token betwixt me and you that ye may knowe how that I am the Lord your God. 21 Notwithstanding their sonnes rebelled agaynst me also they walked not in my statutes they kept not my iudgementes to fulfill them which he that doth shall lyue in them they prophaned my sabbath dayes I saide I would powre out myne indignation euer them and accomplish my wrath vpon them in the wildernesse 22 Neuerthelesse I withdrewe my hande and wrought for my names sake lest it should be defiled in the sight of the heathen before whome I had brought them forth 23 I lift vp my hande to them also in the wildernesse that I might scatter them among the heathen and strawe them among the nations 24 Because they had not kept my iudgements but cast aside my statutes and broken my Sabbathes and their eyes were after their fathers Idols 25 Wherefore I gaue them also statutes that were not good and iudgements wherein they should not liue 26 And I defiled them in their owne giftes in that they caused all that openeth the wombe to passe that I myght destroy them that they might knowe howe that I am the Lorde 27 Therfore speake vnto the house of Israel thou sonne of man and thou shalt
power and diuine prouidence sharpely punisheth the malicious accusers Leauing herin a notable example to all princes straightly to punish and correct such as by craftie meanes seeke the destruction of the faithfull Seruants and Saintes of God. After this wrote king Darius vnto all people nations and tongues that c. The Good king could not satisfie himselfe but that he must also giue Straite charge through all his dominions that no other should be worshipped but the Liuing god As if he had sayde let decrees and proclamations no more â—inde your consciences whether they come from me or from any other if they be contrary to the law of Daniels god I my selfe haue learned howe farre mans lawes should take place and when they are to be abrogated * It is farre better to obey God then to obey man. I am but mortall dust and ashes but the true God liueth for euer He can punish and he can rewarde He therfore is to be feared They that put their trust in him as Daniel hath done can not lacke defence He liueth and is present when he seemeth to be absent and to neglect the care of his people He deliuereth when helpe and succour is lest looked for and in extremitie of daunger fayleth not Wherefore our commaundement is that you neyther feare nor worship any God but him The .20 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ioel. 2. BLowe vp a trumpet in Sion and showte in my holy hill let all the inhabitants of the earth tremble for the day of the Lorde is come for it is nie at hande 2 A darke and glomie day a clowdie and blacke day as the morning is spread ouer the mountaynes so is this populous and strong people like it there was none from the beginning nor shall be hereafter for euermore 3 Before him is a deuouring fire and behinde him a butning flame the lande is as a pleasant garden before him and behinde him a wast desert yea and nothing shall escape him 4 The shew of him is as the shew of horses and lyke horsemen so shall they runne 5 Lyke the noyse of charets vpon the toppes of the mountaynes they shall skip like the noyse of a flaming fire deuouring the stubble and as a strong people prepared to battayle 6 Before his face shall the people tremble the countenaunce of all folkes shall waxe blacke 7 They shall runne like strong men and clime the walles like men of warre and euery one shall march on in his way and they shall not linger in their pathes 8 No man shall thrust another but euery one shall walke in his path and if they shall fall on the sworde they shall not be wounded 9 They shall runne to and fro in the citie they shall runne vp and downe vpon the wal they shall clime into the houses they shall enter in at the windowes like a théefe 10 The earth shall quake before him the heauens shall tremble the sunne and the moone shall be darke and the starres shall withdraw their shining 11 And the Lorde shall giue his voyce before his hoast for his campe is excéeding great for he is mightie that executeth his commaundement for the day of the Lorde is great and verie terrible and who can abyde it 12 But nowe sayth the Lorde Turne you vnto me with all your heartes with fasting with wéeping and with mourning 13 And rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne you vnto the Lorde your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great goodnesse and he will repent him of the euill 14. Who knoweth whether the Lorde will returne and take compassion and will leaue behinde him a blessing euen meate offering and drinke offering vnto the Lorde your God. 15 Blowe vp a trumpet in Sion proclame a fast cal an assembly sanctifie the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ 16 Gather the people gather the elders assemble the children and sucking babes let the Bridegrome come forth of his chamber and the bride out of hir closet 17 Let the Priestes the Lordes ministers wéepe betwixt the porch and the aulter and let them say Spare thy people O Lorde and giue not ouer thine heritage to reproche that the heathen should rule ouer them Wherefore should they say amongst the heathen Where is their God 18 And then the Lorde will be iealous ouer his lande and will spare his people 19 Yea the Lorde will answere and say to his people Beholde I will sende you corne and wiâ—e and oyle and will satisfie you therewith and will not giue you ouer any more to be a reproch among the heathen 20 And I will remoue farre of from you the northen armie and I will driue him into a lanÌ„de barren and desolate with his face towards the east sea and his hinder parts towardes the vttermost sea and his stinch shall arise and his corruption shall ascend because he hath exalted himselfe to doe this 21 Feare not O thou lande be glad and reioyce for the Lorde will doe great things 22 Be not afraide ye beastes of the fielde for the fruitfull places of the desert are gréene for the trée beares hir fruite the figge trée and the vine yéelde their strength 23 Be glad then ye children of Sion and reioyce in the Lord your God for he hath giuen you moderate raine and he will sende downe for you the raine euen the first raine and the latter raine and in the first moneth 24 And the barnes shall be filled with corne and the presses shall ouerflowe with wine and oyle 25 And I will restore to you the yeres which the grashopper the canker worme the locuste and the caterpiller haue deuoured my great armie which I sent amongst you 26 And you shall eate in plentie and be satisfied and shall prayse the name of the Lorde your God which hath dealt wonderously with you and my people shall not be ashamed any more 27 And you shall know that I am in the middle of Israel and that I am the Lord your God and none but I and my people shall neuer be ashamed 28 And it shall come to passe after this I will powre out my spirite vpon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames your yong men shall sée visions 29 Also in those dayes vpon the seruantes and vpon the handmaydens will I powre out my spirite 30 And I will shewe wonders in heauen and in earth bloud and fyre and pillers of smoke 31 The sunne shall be turned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and terrible day of the Lord come 32 But whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued for there shall be deliuerance in mount Sion and in Hierusalem as the Lorde hath promised and also in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call The Exposition vpon the seconde Chapter of Ioel. Blowe vp a trumpet in Sion and showte in my holy
heard the threatnings of God read in the booke of his law Then are they acceptable vnto God and he doth not prohibite them For to that ende he willeth them here To fast To lament To weepe thereby to shewe the inwarde and repentant sorowe of their heartes That they may in this maner repent he declareth by the nature and properties of GOD that there is assured hope of mercie in God. For sayth he God is Gracious and of nature more prone to pleasure then to punishe He is Mercifull as a father mooued with compassion euen vpon the deserued miseries of his children He is of Long suffering and loth to be drawne to wrath and punishmēt He is of exceeding Bountie and goodnesse as a plentifull springing fountaine desireth still to poure out vpon vs the riches of his benefites and gracious gifts Lastly He will repent him of the euill that is he will alter his decree and reuoke his sentence of displeasure For all the sentences of punishment that god pronounceth vpon his people are euer ioyned with condition of repentance which if they shew he may and doth without note of Mutabilitie or inconstancie chaunge his purpose And therefore it is sayde here He will returne and leaue behinde him a blessing of meate offering c. Whereby he meaneth that where they were before oppressed with suche scarcitie that they had not beastes wherwith to do sacrifice to God nowe he woulde blesse them with Plentie c. Blowe vp a trumpet in Sion proclaime a fast call an assemblie sanctifie c. As before the Prophet exhorted them to priuate repentance and sorrow of hart so now he willeth them to declare the same by publique and open decree that in a cōmon daunger all generally might declare their repentant hartes and call vnto god In this he sheweth what the duetie of Rulers and Gouernours is when there are great tokens of the wrath of God to hang ouer their Countries and common weales The maner of this publique repentance is here at large set forth and a prayer deuised to the same purpose Vnto this must all sortes of men be assembled olde men children babes yea the newe maried man and his bryde out of the chamber of his pleasure But especially Priestes and the ministers of the Lorde must shewe themselues readie in this and by earnest prayer and weeping be as Mediatours betweene God and his people And the Lord will be ielous ouer his land and will spare his people c. The Prophet nowe comforteth the people and doth assure them what benefite they shall haue by their Repentance if they turne vnto god As the husbande cannot abyde to see his wyfe cruelly vsed of any other so will the Lorde be ielous ouer the lande of the Iewes his chosen people Where they were pinched with Famine and hunger through spoyle of the lande and barrennesse he will nowe sende them Corne Wine Oyle and plentie of all things necessarie for their sustenance He will remoue from them the power and armie of the Assyrians that came Northward against them and will so scatter them and put them to flight by his* Angell from heauen that they shall runne Eastward and Westwarde not knowing which waye best to saue themselues yea the prowde and * blasphemous speeche of the Capitaine Sinnacherib wherin he extolled his power against the lyuing God of heauen shal ascend as a stench or lothsome sauour to prouoke his displeasure against them Therfore Be glad sayth the Prophet Reioyce Feare not the Lorde will worke great things for you The beastes of the fielde shall prosper the ground shall be fruitfull the barnes shall be filled the Vine presses shall runne ouer The Lorde will sende you seasonable weathering the first rayne in the spring to make the Corne growe and the latter raine towarde the haruest to fill the eare yea he shall doe all things for you so fauourably that you shal perceiue him to be as it were present and dwelling in the middle of you And it shall come to passe after this I will poure out my spirite vpon all c. Vpon the occasion of the declaring of this comfortable and bountifull promise of the fauour of God towarde his people after their repentance Ioel breaketh out to speake of the spirituall kingdome of Christ of the * benefits that men should haue and the state of lyfe that shoulde be vnder him This is the ordinarie maner of all the Prophets to mixe the mention of Christ with their other doctrine of things pertayning to their present state Hereby signifying that all the benefites and blessings eyther worldly or spirituall that God giueth to his people are promised and perfourmed onely in respect of the Sauiour of the worlde and that promised seede Christ Iesu that was to come The Prophet therefore in this place putting the people of God in minde of the spirituall blessings of Messias first beginneth with the sending of the holy ghost which of all other was the greatest and in deede the summe of all the residue For albeit the whole riches and * treasures of Gods graces and goodnesse are giuen out by Christ Iesu yet can we not enioy the same * but by the Holy ghost The worke and effect of whome is * to open vnto men the will of God eyther by * prophecie and foretelling of things to come by word by visions by dreames or by interpretation and opening of the* misteries of religiō out of the holy scriptures and by * inclyning the harts and willes of the faithful to the obseruation of the lawe and commaundementes of god This is it that God speaketh of in Ieremie cap. 31. I will plant my lawe in the inward partes of them and write it in their hartes and from thenceforth shall no man teache his neighbour or hys brother saying know you the Lorde but they shall all knowe me from the lovvest to the highest c. And I will shewe wonders in heauen and in earth bloud and fyre and pillers c. Least that after the comming of Christ into the worlde the faythfull should perswade themselues that all trouble were paste and that they shoulde liue in rest and quietnesse as the Phariseys and other Iewes did the Prophet Ioel here declareth what a troublous and daungerous State there shoulde bee towarde the ende of the worlde and what wonderful * signes and straunge sights God woulde worke in all the elementes before the last comming of Christ to iudgement It maye seeme that Christ himselfe had respect to this place when he prophecied of the same matter Math. 24. and Luc. 21. This the Prophete doth not onely to forewarne the fiathfull people of God and to shake from them securitie but also to strike a feare in the heartes of the enimies of Gods people and of his Gospell that they doe not contemne him who will send so terrible signes
as it were in iudgement cleareth him selfe that he neuer hurted them neuer wrought trouble griefe vnto them whereby they might pretende cause to reuolt from him but alway hath shewed him selfe their gracicious mercifull and bountifull Lord euer readye to assiste and helpe them and miraculously with mightie hande to deliuer them As for example out of Aegipt from the sterne Tirannie of Pharao and his people In the wildernesse from manye dangers by the meanes of Moyses Aaron Marie their sister indued with the spirite of prophecie From the wicked deuises of Balach at which time he turned the Cursing that was sought agaynst them into a notable blessing By this wee also haue to take heede that wee doe not contemne the worde of God and reiect the memorie of his exceeding benefits that he hath of late yeares done for vs least it be grieuously laide against vs as the like is here vnto the Iewes Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe to the hye God c. As the Prophet before made as it were God him selfe to accuse the Iewes euen so here doth he bring in the people of the Iewes cōsulting asking by what meanes by what sacrifices by what satisfactions they may please God and appease his wrath and displeasure Here is to be noted that as the faithfull when they perceiue God to be displeased resort to his holy worde and out of that learne what to doe to please God so other that are vnfaithfull when he hath beaten into their mindes some sense of his wrath as he had here done to the Iewes they cannot ascende to any higher consideration then the wisedome of the flesh and of the worlde And therefore giue themselues to worke reconsiliation by externall things as sacrifices outward kneelings fastings and tormentings of the bodie iudging that God also maketh great account of those outwarde thinges which they themselues greatly esteeme and wherein they iudge principall holinesse to consist But God being a spirite sheweth himselfe to delight in that holinesse only that is in spirite and in truth And therefore in the 8. verse the Prophete aunswering their question sayeth God hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Whereby he taketh from them their pretence of ignoraunce or rather reproueth their obstinate impudēcie wherby they moue such questions As though God had not by his seruant Moises and by his Prophetes declared oftentimes vnto them what true worship he looketh for at their handes and wherewith his anger will be appeased that is with repentaunce and the true fruites therof Such as are the doing of iustice when not onely the Magistrate dealeth vprightly in iudgement but also euerye priuate man according to his office and calling The loue of mercie and pitie consisting in all the workes of Charitie The humblenesse of our hartes submitting our selues to the will and pleasure of God declared in his worde For To walke with God is to walke before him according to the appointment of his holy will and worde The Lordes voyce cryeth vnto the Citie and the man that shal be saued c. In this part of the chapter the Prophete chargeth them with their sinnes wherewith they had displeased god The Lordes voyce is the preaching and teaching of his worde You haue heard sayth the Prophete what * dueties God requireth of you neyther can you in this pretende ignorance For the Lord doth his part diligently when he sendeth his Prophets to you that be of this Citie and to all other likewise that be in your case and by them crieth to you that you should repent and doe those fruites of repentaunce And therefore the faythfull and good man that hath care of his saluation doth consider it and feare the name of thee O Lorde But you O stiffe necked Ievves shewe your selues to contemne his voyce and to neglect his calling Therefore seeing you will not heare that voyce calling you to saluation hearken to this voyce that assureth you of your punishment rodde and destruction Then layeth he before them their grieuous faultes and offences that is Riches vniustly gotten False measures False waightes and balances Crueltie Lying Falsehoode and deceyte as well in their occupying and bargayning as in all other dealing and for these thinges sayth he the Lorde will take in hande to punish them Therefore I will take in hande to punishe thee and to make thee desolate c. This is vttered in the person of God I wyll therefore punish thee sayth the Lorde and take all those my good gifts frō thee which hath made thee so prowde and obstinate not ouely so but bicause thou wilt not repent and turn from thy sinnes O thou wicked Citie I will vtterly destroy thee and make thee desolate The first plague is famine and that in a strange maner that they should haue to eate and yet there meate not prosper with them The seconde plague that by inward mischiefe among themselues that is by discorde discention or other like meanes by giuing credite to the false Prophetes that were among them they shoulde worke their owne ouerthrowe The thirde is that all meanes of help succour and refuge should be taken from them and that those whome they would seeke to saue the Lorde would deliuer to the sworde The fourth is that their goodes and the fruites of the grounde shoulde be spoyled and taken from them and that they shoulde enioy no part of their labours therein The last is that they should be vtterly wasted caried away captiue and be a scorne and reproch to all people The. 21. Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Habacuc 2. I Will stande vpon my watch and set me vpon the tower and will looke and sée what he will say vnto me and what I shall answere to him that rebuketh me 2 And the Lorde answered me and sayde Write the vision and make it plaine vpon tables that hée may runne that readeth it 3 For the vision is yet for an appoynted time but at the last it shall speaks and not lye though it tarie waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay 4 Beholde he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by his fayth 5 Yea in déede the prowde man is as he that transgresseth by wine therefore shall he not endure because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth vnto him all nations and heapeth vnto him all people 6 Shal not all these take vp a parable agaynst him and a taunting prouerbe agaynst him and say Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his howe long and he that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay 7 Shall they not rise vp sodenly that shall bite thée and awake that shall stirre thée and thou shalt be their pray 8 Because thou hast spoyled