2 Lyke as at an hote fyre and that the malicious might boyle avvay as the water doth vpon the fire whereby thy name might be knowne among thine enimies and that the Gentiles might tremble before thée 3 When thou wroughtest wonderous straunge workes we looked not for them thou camest downe and the hilles melted at thy presence 4 For â—ite the beginning of the worlde it hath not bene heard or perâ—â—yâ—ed neyther hath any eye séene another God 〈◊〉 thée which duest so much for them that put their trust in thée 5 Thou helpest him that doth right with chearefulnesse and them that thinke vpon thée in thy wayes but 〈◊〉 thou hast 〈◊〉 angrie for we offended and haue bene euer in sinne though the worlde haue cleaued to them yet shall we be saued 6 We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges we fall euersecâ—â—â—â— as the leafe for our sinnes carie vs away lyke the winde 7 There is no man that calleth vpoÌ„ thy name that standeth vp to take holde by thâ—â— therefore hydest thou thy 〈◊〉 from vs and consumest vs because of our sinnes 8. But 〈◊〉 O Lorde thou father of oures we arâ— thy clay and thou act our potter and we all are the worke of thy I. Be not to sore displeased O Lord and kéepe not our offences to long in thy remembrance but consider that we all are thy people 10 The Cities of thy Sanctuarie lye waste Sion is a wildernesse and Hierusalem a desert 11 Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our commodities and pleasures are wasted away 12 Wilt thou not be intreated O Lorde for all this wilt thou holde thy peace scourge vs so sore The Exposition vpon the. 64. Chapter of Esay O that thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe c. THis Chapiter is a parcell of that matter that was conteined in the former For from the seuenth verse of the .lxiij. Chapiter vnto the ende of this is a Prayer made by Esaias for the people to vse in time of their grieuous affliction in which they are taught with how great * humblenesse and sorrow of hart they should confesse their sinnes for which that Plague was seâ—t Secondly at whose handes they should looke for deliuerance that is * at Gods hande alone Thirdly how they should comfort themselues and * strengthen their faith with the Memory of those woÌ„derful actes that God had done for them and their fathers before time In this place they breake out to an earnest wishe Oh say they that thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe when our fathers were oppressed in Aegipt though they looked for no such goodnesse at thy hande yet thou diddest vouchsafe to come * downe from heauen to delyuer them and that with so great Maiestie and Terrour through thy wonderfull works that thy name was known and dreadfull not only to thine own people * but also to thine enimies whom thou didst mightily consume In the * Desert also thou wast continually with them to defende them And when thou purposedst to publish thy law vnto vs thou camest downe from Heauen with so great Maiestie of thunder and lightning that as water boyleth and consumeth ouer the fyre so did the Mountaine * Sinai seeme to melt away being in a great smoke with thy presence O that thou wouldest now doe the like in working our deliuerance that thy name might be knowne and thy Maiestie feared euen among the myghtiest of thyne enimies c. The rest of the Chapiter folowing is plaine and easie to be vnderstanded The Sunday called Septuagesima at Morning prayer Genes 1. IN the beginning God created heauen and earth â— 2 And the earth was without fourme and 〈◊〉 boyde and darkenesse vvas vpon the face of the déepe and the spirite of God moued vpon the face of the waters 3 And God saide Let there be light and and there was light 4 And God saw the light that it was good and God deuided the light from the darknesse 5 And God called the light day and the darkenesse night and the euening and the morning were the first day 6 And God saide Let there be a Firmament betwéene the waters and let it make a deuision betwéene waters and waters 7 And God made the Firmament and set a deuision betwéene the waters which vvere vnder the firmament and the waters that vvere aboue the firmament and it was so 8 And God called the firmament heauen and the euening aud the morning were the second day 9 And God sayde Let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered togither into one place and let the drie lande appeare and it was so 10 And God called the drie lande the earth and the gathering togither of the waters called he the seas and God sawe that it was good 11. And God sayde Let the earth bring forth budde and gréene hearbe apt to séede and fruitfull trées yéelding fruite after his kinde which hath séede in it selfe vppon the earth and it was so 12 And the earth brought forth gréene herbe apt to séede after his kinde and trée yelding fruit which had séede it in selfe after his kinde 13 And God saw that it was good And the euening and the morning were the third day 14 And God sayde Let there be lights in the firmament of heauen that they may deuide the day and the night and let them be for signes and seasons and for dayes and yeares 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heauen that they may giue light vpon the earth and it was so 16 And God made two great lightes a greater light to rule the day and a lesse light to rule the night and he made starres also 17 And God set them in the Firmament of the heauen to shine vpon the earth 18 And to rule the day and night and to make difference betwéene the light and the darkenesse and God saw that it was good 19 And the euening and morning were the fourth day 20 And God sayde Let the waters bring forth moouing creature that hath life and foule that may flie vpon the earth in the open firmament of heauen 12 And God created great whales and euery liuing and mouing creature which the waters brought forth after their kind and euery fethered foule after their kind and God saw that it was good 22 And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiplie and fill the waters of the sea and let foule multiplie in the earth 23 And the euening and morning were the fift day 24 And God sayde Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde cattell worme and beastes of the earth after his kind and it was so 25 God made the beast of the earth after his kinde and cattell after his kinde and euery thing that créepeth vpon
the earth after his kinde and God sawe that it was good 26 God sayde Let vs make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them haue rule of the fishe of the sea and of the foule of the ayre and of cattell and of all the earth and of euery créeping thing that créepeth vpon the earth 27 So God created man in his owne Image in the Image of God created he him male and female created hée them 28 And God blessed them and God sayd vnto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenishe the earth and subdue it and haue dominion of the fishe of the sea and foule of the ayre and of euery liuing thing that mooueth vpon the earth 29 And God sayde Beholde I haue giuen you euery hearbe bearing séede which is in the vpper face of all the earth and euery trée in the which is the fruite of a trée bearing séede that they may be meate vnto you 30 To euery beast of the earth also and so euery birde of the ayre to euery such thing that créepeth vpon the earth which doth liue I haue giuen euery gréene herbe for meate and it was 31 And God sawe euerye thing that he had made and beholde it was excéeding good And the euening and the morning were the sixt day The Exposition vpon the first Chapter of Genesis In the beginning GOD created heauen and earth c. THis booke is called Genesis because in the very first entrāce therof by the course of sixe dayes worke is declared the Beginning Creation and as it were the first Natiuitie of heauen and earth and all thinges therein conteyned by the mightie worde and wisedome of God made and framed of Nothing Which the Spirite of God mooued his faythfull seruant Moyses to do thereby as well to refell that generall and grosse errour of the Idolatrous Gentiles throughout the whole worlde which gaue themselues ouer to the * worship and seruice eyther of common and base creatures either of false and vainely deuised Gods As also to * shew that the God of Israel was the Onely True and Almightie God maker of Heauen and of Earth and all the partes thereof In that he sayth In the beginning God made heauen and earth c. we haue to learne First that the worlde is * not of euerlasting Continuance as some vaine Philosophers haue taught but that being made by God certainely it had a beginning and euen as certainely shall in due time haue an ende As it is sayde Psal 102. In the beginning O Lorde thou lay dest the foundation of the earth and the heauens be the workes of thy fingers They shall perish but thou shalt continue for euer c. Secondly that it was not made of it Selfe by Chaunce or otherwise as Democritus dreamed but by the workemanship of some other beside it selfe Thirdly that it was made by God that therby we might be admonished of his great Wisedome Power and goodnesse towarde Mankinde to whose vse principally these things might seeme to be framed Fourthly that it was made of nothing and therefore we may not Imagine as some wickedly haue done that there was a Matter whereof the world was made coeternall with God himselfe before all Beginning And here it is to bee wished that all Christian heartes would enter into a perfect Consideration of this Worke of God in Creating of the world so that when they looked vp into heauen and sawe the Sunne the Moone the Planets the Starres and all the furniture thereof keeping their orders and courses they woulde thinke earnestly wyth themselues that they sawe the meruelous workemanship of God their heauenly Father Maker and Creator of all things And when they consider the Ayre the Water the Earth and all things therein conteyned in their kindes and places and offices distincted that they woulde Remember the same was made by the same our God and gracious Lorde to the vse of vs mortall men By this meanes should they discende from the faith of their Creation to the fayth and beliefe of Gods diuine * Prouidence and tender Loue and care that hee beareth toward mankinde which in all afflictions is the most assured stay and comfort This did Dauid to his great consolation as well in the eight Psalme as in the. 104. and many other And the spirite of GOD mooued vpon the face of the earth c. The confused Heape of heauen and earth was without shape vnperfect and darke and yet not vtterly deade but was indued with the strength of Gods spirite and so made liuely to continue vnto the worldes ende And GOD sayde Let there be light and there was light We may not here conceyue that God hath any corporall Voyce or such maner of Speach as doth proceede by tongue and lippes from mortall men For to Speake in God is nothing but with an assured and effectuall will to determine with himselfe and to doe that he hath determined We haue here to learne also that all thinges were made by the mightie power of Gods worde that is to say by the Wisdome Purpose and Counsaile of God which was Christ Iesu the seconde person in Trinitie as saint Iohn doth expounde it in his Gospel In the beginning sayth he was the VVorde and the VVorde was with God and God was that VVorde The same was in the beginning with God and all things were made by it c. And God saw the light that it was good and God deuided the light c. This maner of Iudgement God giueth of all things that he made he sayth not God sawe that they were pleasant beautifull and faire but that they were * Good. Whereby we may learne that God did not so much respect his owne glorie in the fairenesse of his workes as he did the benefite and and Commoditie of Mankinde to whose vse he made them Let there be a Firmament betweene the waters and let it make a deuision c. Let there be a Firmament that is as the Hebrue speaketh A Stretching out or a Setting abroad betweene waters and waters Vnto thys maner of speaking the Scripture often alludeth as Esay 42. He that made the heauens and spreade them abroad c. And in the 40. Chapiter He spreadeth out the heauens as a couering he stretcheth them out as a Tent to dwell in c. And Psal 104. He stretcheth out the heauens as a Curtaine Wherefore it maye well be gathered that this Firmament is nothing but a large Stretched out space betweene waters and waters betweene waters aboue and waters beneath and such as we see betweene the clowdes which are the vpper waters and the Sea and Ryuers which are the neather waters by Gods ordinaunce gathered into their appointed places All that is aboue vs is deuyded into two partes the one called Aether which is the vpper part of the Firmament wherein the Starres Planets are the other called the Aire
which is agayne deuyded into three partes The vpper Region next the Firmament The middle Region where the Clowdes and vpper waters by Gods prouidence are stayed to the great benefite of the world and The neather part left for the commoditie of Gods Creatures to liue and breath in The vpper waters are reserued aswell to make the earth * Fruitfull by sending them downe in due season according to his gracious prouidence as also by hys iustice in way of punishment to work the Plague of Sinfull men as we euidently see in the example of the * generall Deluge and in sending vnseasonable weathering to take from vs the fruites of the earth Let the earth bring forth budde grene hearbe apt to seede and fruitfull c. When we see these faire and manifold Commodities of the earth the greene Grasse the bewtifull Flowers and hearbes the Fruites of Trees and Graine to the singular benefite of man and beast we must not thinke that the same cōmeth by course of Nature only but by the singular Prouidence of God sending the same to the Reliefe of his creatures For the sweet cōfort of this place read Psal 104. He causeth grasse to growe for cattell and herbes for the vse of men that he maye bring forth Foode out of the earth both VVine that maketh gladde the hart of man and Oyle to make him haue a cheerefull countenance and also Bread to strengthen mens harts God hath made not onely fruites of one kinde but of Innumerable sorts that we might thereby vnderstande the bountifull goodnesse and riches of his mercies towardes vs. Let there be lightes in the Firmament of heauen that they may deuide c. Et sint in signa c. The vse and benefite of the Moone Sunne and Planets is not onely to giue light vnto the worlde but to make distinctions of Times and seasons as Sommer VVinter Autumne the Spring also Yeares Moneths VVekes dayes and houres which distinction much serueth to the vse and commoditie of mans life And God made the beaste of the earth and euery thing that creepeth c. Hereby we haue to learne that the Prouidence of God stretcheth not onely to Man Beast Fishe Foule such like but to the verie smallest things and of least estimatiō as Wormes Flees Fleas and other Vermine whatsoeuer be they in mans fight neuer so contemptible For God vseth the same at his pleasure eyther to the benefite or to the punishment of Mankinde as it may very well * appeare by sundrie of the Plagues of Aegipt wherein he vsed these things for his instruments And God sayde let vs make man in our Image after our likenesse c. After God had created and made perfite all the Furniture of Heauen and earth and by his wisedome marueylously distincted eche thing in hys kinde place and office he lastly commeth to the Making of mankinde as that thing vnto whose vse principallie al other his creatures might seeme to be framed That he in the vse of them might vnderstande the great goodnesse of his Lorde and Maker towarde him and for the same yeelde vnto him true Worship and glorie Concerning Man he noteth here briefely 3. thinges his Creation his Dignitie his Blessing and encrease Of his Creation it will be spoken in the next chapiter more particularly Of his Dignitie aboue all other Creatures this is one euident testimonie that he sayth not let Man be made as he sayde before of other things Let there be a lyght Let there be a Firmament c. But to declare vnto vs that it was a Worke of greater worthynesse He as it were calleth in cōsultation his VVisdom that is the seconde person in Trinitie and hys Vertue or VVoorking Power that is his Holy spirit and saith Let vs make man. So that in the making of Man is a more perfite token giuen of the Three Persons in Trinitie then in the Creating of any other part of the worlde And further to declare the Dignitie of man He was made according to the * Image of God whereby we maye not thinke as some wicked heretikes haue done that God hath a like proportion of body as we see man to haue For that is not the Image or likenes that is here spoken of but as God was Wise Iuste Mercifull Good Innocent Holy Immortall so was Man made by God wise iuste mercifull good innocent holy immortall and to expresse a more perfite lykenesse he was made of power and appointed Lorde and Ruler ouer all the other Creatures of the worlde This Image by the fall of Adam was almost cleane blotted out and restored againe by the * second Adam Christ Iesu to that perfectnesse that this frayle and mortall lyfe might beare carying continually about with vs in our bosomes the * stings of our corruption lyricking vs forward still to vngodlynesse The blessing of encrease and multiplying that God giueth vnto Man declareth that he was made Male and Female to the ende that by lawfull procreation they might fulfill the earth and raise vp a large and great Church or congregation of holy Creatures to giue Honor and glorie to their Lorde and maker Wherefore it cannot be thought that Mariage and the lawfull ioyning of Man and Woman is an euill or an vncleane thing but the lawfull and good ordinance of God himselfe And therfore well sayth Saint Paule Honorable in all persons is VVedlock and the bedde vndefiled but VVhooremaysters and Adulterers God will iudge God sawe euery thing that he had made and beholde they were exceeding c. This Iudgement of God that here he gyueth vpon hys workes pronouncing them to be all verie Good ought to be vnto vs a Rule that we presume not to speake or thinke otherwise of them and shewe our selues therein vnthankfull to our God maker If there be eyther fruites or herbs or beasts that we accompt and call Euill or Hurtfull it riseth eyther of our Vnperfitnesse that vnderstande not the right vse of them or else of the Curse of God for the Sinne and fall of Adam by which as Man himselfe so diuers other Creatures are fallen frō that Perfection in which they were first made by GOD So that the Sinne of Man and not Gods creation is cause therof The Sunday called Septuagesima at Euening prayer Genesis 2. THus the heauens and earth were finished and all the hoast of them 2. And in the seuenth day God ended his worke which he had made And the seuenth day he rested from all his worke which he had made 3 And God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from al his worke which God ordened to make 4 These are the generations of the heauens and of the earth when they were created in the daye when the Lorde God made the earth and the heauens 5 And euery plant of the fielde before it
was in the earth and euery herbe of the fielde before it grewe For the Lorde God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth neyther vvas there a man to till the grounde 6 But there went vp a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground 7 The Lorde God also dyd shape man of the dust of the ground and breathed into hys nosethrilles the breath of life and man was a liuing soule 8 And the Lorde God planted a Garden eastwarde in Eden and there he put the man whome he had shapen 9 Moreouer out of the ground made the Lorde God to growe euery trée that was fayre to sight and pleasant to eat The trée of life in the middest of the Garden and the trée of knowledge of good and euill 10 And out of Eden there went forth a ryuer to water the Garden and from thence it was deuided and became into foure heades 11 The name of the first is Pison the same is it that compasseâ—h the whole lande of Hauilab where there is golde 12 And the golde of the lande is very good There is also Bdellium and the Onix stone 13 The name of the second riuer is Gihon the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia 14 The name of the thirde Ryuer is Hidekel and it goeth towarde the east side of Assyrta and the fourth ryuer is Euphrates 15 And the Lorde God tooke the man and put him into the gardeÌ„ of Eden that be might worke it and kéepe it 16 And the Lorde God commaunded the man saying Eating thou shalt eate of euery trée of the garden 17 But as touching the trée of knowledge of good And euill thou shalt not eate of it For in what daye so euer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death 18 And the Lorde God sayde It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an helpe lyke vnto hym 19 And so out of the grounde the Lorde God had shapen euery beast of the fielde and euery foule of the ayre and brought them vnto man that he might sée howe he woulde call them For likewise as man named euery lyuing thing so was the name thereof 20 And the man gaue names to all cattell and foule of the ayre and to euery beast of the fielde but for man founde he not an helpe like vnto him 21 The Lorde God caused a déepe sléepe to fall vpon Adam and he slept and he tooke one of his ribbes and closed vp the place with fleshe in steade thereof 22 And the ribbe which the Lorde God hath taken from man made he a woman and brought her vnto the man. 23 And man sayde This is nowe bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh she shall be called woman bicause she was taken out of man. 24 For this cause shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall be ioyned with his wyfe and they shall become one fleshe 25 And they were both naked the man and his wyfe and were not ashamed The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Genesis Thus the heauens and earth was finished and all the hoast of them c. SEing that when Man was made the whole worlde had his perfection and ending it maye appeare that all thinges by Gods goodnesse were made for man and to his vse which consideration oâ—â—ght to moue men to bee thankefull vnto God for so great and vnestimable Benefites and to * doe all things to his Honour and glorie according to the ende of their Creation For as the world was made for Man So Man was created to set forth the praise and glorie of god By this worde Hoste he meaneth the Furniture of heauen and Earth and the Multitude of all Gods creatures belonging to them both And therfore when God is often in Scripture called* The Lorde of Hostes it is ment he is the Lord and maker of all Creatures and hath them all at hys commaundement eyther to defende his people or to worke punishment vpon his Enimies And the seauenth daye he rested from all the workes that he made c. Verie well saith Augustine God rested the seauenth day from the worke of Creation but he neuer Ceaseth from the rule of his gouernance For the same God that in the beginning made Heauen and Earth and all Creatures contayned in them doth now also continually Preserue Maintaine and gouerne the same Therefore we are no 〈◊〉 nowe daylie bounde to thanke God for the Preseruation of his Creatures to our vse then we were at the beginning for Making of them We maye not thinke that Creatures once made doe preserue and prosper themselues by a course of Nature oâ—ely but that it is the finger of God and his gratious Prouidence that woâ—â—eth coÌ„tinually in them By him saith Saint Paule wee haue our Being we Liue and we Mooue And to the Hebr. Sustayning all things by the worde of his power And God blessed the seauenth day and sanctified it because c. There are 4. causes why God sanctified the seuenth day 1 The first because he ceased from the making of any mo new Creatures 2 The second for the Worthynesse of mankinde whose creation and making was the Ende of the whole worlde 3 The thirde that it might be an institution and ordinance of a worship due vnto God on the behalf of Man wherby he should set forth his prayse and Glory and acknowledge his vnestimable goodnesse towarde him 4 The fourth that it might be a Figure of Immortality and of our eternal Rest with God in heauen after the ende of the worlde For the Lord God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth c. At the beginning thinges that grewe on the Earth were brought forth by God without raine and without labour of mans hande but afterward God giueth in commaundement that Man should Manure the Earth and God did sende Raine to season and moyst it Wherefore Men must Laboure and traueile Plant and Sowe and not looke to eate the fruites of the Earth * in Idlenesse And yet must he not so trust in his worke and labour as though it coulde be of any force or worke benefite vnto him without the goodnesse of God in Seasoning the Earth and prospering his labors and traualles The prouidence of God will haue both to go togither Mans painefull labour and Gods gracious working The Lord also did shape man of the dust of the Grounde c. Here Moyses returneth againe to the worke of the sixt day and expoundeth nowe that he left vnspoken before that is that God made the body of Man of the dust of the Earth He had before sayde that God did make Man according to his owne Image which was the greatest Dignitie that could be giuen vnto Man But nowe least by that pretence he should be puffed vp with Pride he setteth before his eyes his Base
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
that Woises vttereth is and leaue out that 241. b. for but oblation reade but an oblation 242. b. for had not gathered reade had now gathered 261. a. And made to them his lowe leaue it out 279. a. for of his flocke reade of his stocke 293. b. had ruled leaue out had 296. b. for to be thought that reade to be thought but that for in his flocke reade in his stocke 320. b. for moysting reade moysture 321. b. for this their beautie reade this the beautie 322. a. for by this benefite reade by his benefite 337. b. for the chil reade the children 354. a. for benefices reade benefites 355. b. for endue reade endure 350. a. in the .11 side of Ddd. for continuance reade countenance 380. b. for riches his benefites reade riches of his benefites 382. b. for other Iewes did reade other Iewes did thinke IN the Copie that the Printer vsed sundrie applications of the text were striken out bicause I thought them somewhat troublous to the vnlearned reader and bicause the quotations in the margent that were made for the confirmation of such applications were not so plainly striken out they printed the same quotations and thereby it commeth to passe that sundry of them in the margent are not fitlye to the places which they are set against as these especially that folowe Fol. 2. b. Deut. 3. b. 15. Psal 77. d. 41. Fol. 4. a. Esay 66. a. 3. Psal 51. d. 17. Psal 39. b. 9. Fol. 13. b. lo. 10. a. 3. 2. Tim. 2. c. 19. 2. Pet. 2. b. 9. Fol. 14. a. 1. Tim. 4. a. 1. Fol. 17. a. Iacob 4. e. 9. Psal 74. b. 8. Fol. 18. a. 1. Reg. 20. e. 30. Fol. 24. b. Eccle. 7. b. 14. Fol. 25. a. Exod. 5. e. 21. Rom. 7. b. 13. Fol. 57. a. Iacob 4. c. 10. Fol. 104. b. Dan. 14. a. 8. 10. Fol. 206. a. 1. Cor. 7. d. 19. Gal. 6. d. 15. Fol. 207. a Io. 4. d. 24. 2. Cor. 3. d. 17. Phil. 3. a. 3. Esay 43. b. 7. Fol. 215. b. Psal 108 d. 29. Psal 110. a. 1. Luc. 1. g. 68. Ephe. 1. a. 3. Fol. 232. a. Ephe. 4. a. 4. The first Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 1. THe vision of Esay the sonne of Amos which he sawe vpon Iuda and Hierusalem in the dayes of Vzia and Ioathan Ahaz and Ezekia kings of Iuda 2 Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lord hath spoken I haue nourished and brought vp children and they haue done vnfaythfully against mée 3 The Oxe hath knowne his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israell hath not knowne my people hath giuen no heede 4. Ah sinfullnation a people laden wyth iniquitie a seede of the wicked corrupt children they haue forsaken the Lorde they haue prouoked the holy one of Israell vnto anger they are gone backwarde 5 Why should ye be stricken any more for ye are euer falling away euery heade is diseased and euery haâ—â— heauy 6. From the sole of the foote vnto the heade there is nothing sounde in it but woundes blaynes and puâ—ifiyng sore they haue not bene sained neyther wrapped vp neyther molified wyth the oyntment 7 Your land is wasted your Cities are burnt vp straungers deuour your lande before your face and it is made desolate as it were the destruction of enimies in the time of warre 8 And the daughter of Sion shall be left as a cotage in a vineyarde like a lodge in a garden of Encumbers like a besieged Citie 9. Except the Lorde of hostes had left vs a small remnant we should haue béene as Sodoma and like vnto Gomorra 10 Heare the worde of the Lord ye Lordes of Sodoma and hearken vnto the lawe of our God thou people of Gomorra 11 Why offer ye so many sacrifices vnto me will the lord say I am full of the burnt offerings of weathers and of the fatnesse of fedde beastes I haue no pleasure in the blood of bullocks lambes goates 12 When ye come to appeare before me treading in my courtes who hath required this at your handes 13 Offer me no mo oblations for it is but lost labour incense is an abhominable thing vnto me I may not away with your newe Moones your sabbathes and solemne méetings your solemne assemblies are wicked 14 I hate your newe Moones and appoynted feastes euen from my very heart they make me wearie I cannot abide them 15 When ye holde out your handes I will turne mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers yet I will heare nothing at all seeing your handes are full of bloud 16 Wash you make you cleane put away your euill thoughtes out of my sight ceasse from doing of euill 17 Learne to doe well applie your selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherlesse to his right let the widowes complaint come before you 18 And then go to sayth the Lorde let vs talke together though your sinnes be as red as scarlet they shal be as white as snowe and though they were like purple they shall be as white as wooll 19 If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the lande 20 But if ye be obstinate and rebellions ye shall be deuoured with the sworde for the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it 21 Howe happeneth it then that the faythfull Citie which was full of equitie is become vnfaythfull as a whore Righteousnesse dwelt in it but now murtherers 22 Thy siluer is turned to drosse and thy wine mixt with water 23 Thy princes are wicked and companions of théeues they loue gifts altogither and gape for rewardes As for the fatherlesse they helpe him not to his right neyther will they let the widowes causes come before them 24 Therefore saith the Lorde God of hostes the mightie one of Israell Ah I must ease me of mine enimies and auenge me of mine aduersaryes 25 And I shall lay my hande vpon thée and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne 26 And set thy iudges againe as they were sometime and thy senatours as they were from the beginning and then thou shalt be called the righteous Citie the faythfull Citie 27 Sion shall be redéemed with equitie and her conuertes with righteousnesse 28 But the transgressours and the vngodly and such as forsake the Lorde shall altogither bée vtterly destroyed 29 For ye shall be confounded for the trées which ye haue desired and ye shall be ashamed of the gardens that ye haue chosen 30 For ye shall be as a trée whose leaues are fallen away and as a garden that hath no moystnesse 31 And the very strong one of your Idols shall be as towe and the maker of it as a sparke of fire and they shall both burne together and no man quench them The exposition vpon the first Chapter of Esay The vision of Esai the sonne of Amos which he saw vpon Iuda c.
mens wastes shall straungers deuour 18 Wo be vnto them that draw wickednesse with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with a cart rope 19 Which vse to speake on this maner Let him make spéede and hasten his worke that we may see it let the counsaile of the holy one of Israell come and drawe nie that wée may know it 20 Wo be vnto them that call euill good and good euill which make darkenesse light and light darknesse that make sower sweete and swéete sower 21 Wo be vnto them that are wise in their owne sight and thinke themselues to haue vnderstanding 22 Wo be vnto them that are strong to suppe out wine and expert men to set vp dronkennesse 23 Wo be vnto them that giue sentence with the vngodly for rewardes but condemne the iust cause of the righteous 24 Therefore like as fier licketh vp the strawe and as the flame consumeth the stubble euen so their roote shall be as corruption and their blossome shall vanish away lyke 〈◊〉 for they haue cast away the law of the Lorde of hostes and despised the worde of the holy one of Israell 25 Therefore is the wrath of the lorde kindled agaynst his people and hath stretched forth his hande vpon them yea he hath smitten them and the hilles did tremble and their carâ—aâ—â—s did lie torne in the open stréetes and in all this the wrath of God hath not ceassed but his hande stretched out still 26 And hée shall giue a token to a people of a farre countrey and shall hisse vnto them from the end of the earth and beholde they shall come hastily with spéede 27 There shall not be one faint nor féeble among them no not a sluggish nor sléepie person there shall not one of them put of his girdle from his loynes nor loose the latchet of hys shoe 28 His arrowes are sharpe and all his bowes bent his horse hooâ—es are as flint his cart whéeles like a whirle winde 29 His crie is as it were of a Lion and he roreth like Lions whelpes they shall rore and hantch vp the pray and no man shall recouer it nor got it from them 30 In that day he shal be so fierce vpon him as the raging of the sea then one shall beholde the land lo darknesse and sorrow and the light is darkened in the heauens thereof The exposition vpon the fift Chapter of Esay Nowe will I sing my beloued friende a song of my friend c. THe parable of the * vine vsed by the Prophete in this fift Chapter doth vnder figuratiue and borowed speach containe in effect the same matter that was vttered in the beginning of the first Chapter that is the great goodnesse of God towarde the Nation of the Iewes the vnthankfulnesse of the people and the plague or punishment threatned for the same And euen the same three things haue you here to note The beloued friend that the Prophete speaketh of in the first verse is God himselfe the vineyarde is the house of Israell the chosen vine the people of Iurie the 〈…〉 that it was planted in the lande of promise flowing with milke and body the the hedge or bounde that he set about it was the prouidence of God and defence of his good Aungels together with princes magistrates lawes both politike and other by him appoynted The stoning was the casting out of the Idolatrous Chanaanites and other heathen enimies before them the tower that he builded was the name of God and maiestie of his presence among them The watchmen in the tower were his prophets which were sent in his name to forewarne his people of all daunger iminent to them either from God or their worldly enimies The vine presse was sincere and true doctrine according to the law of god with the knowledge of his true worship which hee gaue to them only of all the Nations of the earth And therefore when God had thus husbanded fenced and dressed his vine he might iustly looke for sweete grapes out of the which pleasant and acceptable â—uyâ—e should haue beene pressed to hys delight and glorie The sweete grapes that God looked for were true fayth and worshipping of the name of God obedience to his holy commaundements a charitable and louing minde toward their neighbours In gouernment of the common welth integritie and diligent keeping of the lawes punishing of the wicked defence of the widow fatherlesse poore innocent But coÌ„trary to the hope and expectation of this heauenly husband the vnkindly vine brought 〈◊〉 and â—inking wilde grapes that is infidelitie and mistrust in GOD superstition Idolatrie murdering of his prophetes and messengers hatred grudge and malice among themselues oppression crueltie briberie extortion couetousnesse dronkennesse banketting and all voluptuous and filthie liuing yea and aboue all contempt and hatred of Gods worde Wherfore god iustly threatneth that he will take away from them the care of his diuine prouidence and the gouernmeÌ„t of good lawes and princes wherwith they were defended that they may so lie open to the spoyle of their enimyes And also that he will not sende anye more among them his prophetes nor the heauenly dewe of his grace and wholesome doctrine whereby before time they were instructed Finally that he will take all his good giftes and benefites from them wherewith before they were aboundantlye blessed In the residue of the Chapter the Prophet vpbraydeth them with the perticuler wilde grapes with which the lord was displeased as Couetousnesse and Extortion Dronkennesse and Banketting Securitie and contempt of Gods worde c. As touching Couetousnesse he reprehendeth the greedie heart and minde that thinketh it hath neuer inough For otherwise it is not sinne to haue two howses or two peeces of ground so it be not with the oppressioÌ„ or iniurie of our neighbour But to haue so couetous a minde that he thinketh all to little for himselfe and therefore as Chrisostome sayth woulde take from the poore if they could the very vse of the sonne and are grieued to see their neighbours vse the common elements of the worlde that it is that the Prophete here so sharpely rebuketh and therefore threatneth that God will make their fayre gaye houses desolate and their lande barraine vnto them which they haue purchased with so great iniurie and oppression of other In so much that * ten Acres of vines shall scant yeelde one quart of wine and thirtie bushels of seede scant one pecke The seconde vice is Dronkennesse * and banketting with musicke and wantonnesse which the Prophete threatneth that God will punish with captiuitie and extreeme famine and hunger in so much that both riche and poore shall die for hunger in great multitudes For that is it he meaneth wheÌ„ in the .14 verse he sayth Hell gapeth and openeth her mouth wide to receyue the number of them that shall die as it were in a generall plague or murreyne By Glorie he meaneth Riche and
that region he thought vpon Abraham and sent Lot out from the middest of the ouerthrowe when he ouerthrewe the cities in one of the which Lot dwelled 30 And Lot departed out of Soar dwelled in the Mountaine with his two daughters for he feared to tary in Soar but dwelled in a caue he his two daughters 31 And the elder saide vnto the yonger Our father is olde and there is not a man in the earth to come in vnto vs after the maner of all the worlde 32 Come let vs giue our father wine to drinke and lye with him that we maye saue séede of our father 33 And so they gaue their father wine to drinke that night and the elder daughter went and laye with hir father and he perceyued it not neither when she lay downe neyther when she rose vp 34 And on the morrowe the elder saide vnto the yonger Beholde yesternight laye I with my father let vs make him drinke wine this night also and go thou and lye wyth him that we may raise vp séede of our father And they made their father drinke wine that night also 35 And the yonger arose and lay with him and he perceyued it not neyther when she laye downe neyther when shée rose vp 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot wyth childe by their father 37 And the elder bare a sonne and called his name Moab the same is the father of the Moabites vnto this day 38 And the yonger bare a sonne also and called his name Bennami the same is the father of the children of Ammon vnto this day The Exposition vpon the xix Chapter of Genesis And there came two Angels to Sodome and Loth seing them arose vp c. IN the begynning of this Chapiter is set before vs a worthye and notable example of * hospitality diligently to be considered as well for the great Humanitie declared in it as also because of that Admonition that the Apostle giueth to the * Heb. By hospitalitie saith he some vnwares haue receyued Angels into their intertainment By which wordes we are instructed not onely to vse Hospitalitie but also are directed to consider the Examples of Abraham and Loth that the same thing may happen by Gods good Prouydence to vs that did to them that is by that occasion to haue the great blessing of God and Deliuerance from his dreadfull plagues This must we doe as Loth and Abram did Readily Willingly Earnestly and Humbly And before they went to reast the men of Sodome compassed the house c. Thys place is diligently to be weyghed that the heynous and Horrible Sin of the Sodomites may be vnderstāded and by it the Iustice of Gods iudgement worthyly considered First they assault the house of a Iust and Innocent man their neighbour and that not by Authoritie of any Officer and Magistrate but of their owne priuate affection to satisfie their wicked vnnaturall filthy lust And this did not two or three but the whole Multitude of the City declaring an vniuersal and Generall corruption euen from the childe to the olde gray heares without restraint or correction of any Lawe Officer or Magistrate So that beside the greatnesse of the offence generally spredde there appeareth an open Impunitie whereby all men were suffered to giue themselues ouer to Filthinesse and that with such impudencie that they openly declared themselues to haue * no regarde either of God or of mā but with bold and Shamelesse faces and with filthie mouthes in open speech breathed out that wickednesse that of it selfe is horrible to be thought and conceiued in the minde Bring the men out vnto vs say they that we may knowe them c. * Such Impudencie in Sin is alway an assured token that the grieuous plague of God is at hande And last of all when they were by iust Loth godly and vertuously perswaded to the contrary they did not onely with Indurate heartes reiect his Admonition but with reproch and threatning vsed violence against him Wherefore their sinne may well appeare to haue come to full Ripenesse and most iustly to haue pulled on their heades the dreadfull vengeance of God from heauen Let vs moreouer call to our remembrance that Christ himselfe compareth * the dayes of Noe and Loth vnto these latter dayes in which we nowe liue doth resemble them in deepe Securitie and excessiue Sensuall pleasure rising of great welth and riches Consider therefore this our age and beholde how Generall Corruption that there is in abusing the good giftes of God to all Losenesse of lyfe and sensualitie euen from the childe cockered vp in wantonnesse vnto the olde man that hath worne his age in the same Consider what Securitie what Impudencie yea and Impunitie in doing wickednesse and what Obstinacie and stubburnnesse there is in contemning and disdainfully with mockes and scornes reiecting all good and * godly Admonition to the contrary by whome soeuer it be made Surely it cannot be but that this State must speedily drawe eyther the Ende of the world and the general Day of iudgement or some Terrible plague from heauen for the wickednesse of mankinde And Lot went out of the doore vnto them and shut the doore after him c. In Loth we haue the example of a Godlye man dangerously aduenturing his life to the fury of wicked persons that by all perswasion he might withdrawe them from their mischieuous purpose But in this may seme some great blemish and imperfection that he did offer the Chastitie of hys daughters to be distayned wyth the Villanie of these vuchast Sodomites For although villanie practised with the Maydens had beene farre lesse grieuous than that which they offered to the strangers Yet S. Paule sayth VVe may not doe euill that good may come of it He ought in deede faith and courtesie to his Ghestes and shoulde by all lawfull meanes haue Defended them but hee was no lesse Bounde to his Daughters then to the Strangers but rather in nature much more Fathers haue authoritie ouer their Daughters but not to cause them to suffer villanie and Dishonestie in their bodyes and soules agaynst the lawe of god But it is to be thought that the good man was so astonied with the outragious wickednesse of the Sodomites that he coulde not well tell what to doe and therfore in these great Troubles of his minde to haue made this Vnlawfull Offer But the men put forth their hande and pulled Loth into the house c. When Good men be in great distresse in resisting the naughtie attempts of the wicked then God eyther * by the handes of hys Angels * or by other meanes of his diuine prouidence deliuereth them as he doth Loth here in this place striking the filthie Sodomites with blindnesse And the men sayde vnto Loth hast thou here any besides sonne in law c. Here appeareth the bountifull goodnesse of God towarde the faythfull who
fire and wood but where is the beast for a whole burnt sacrifice 8 Abraham aunswered My sonne God will prouide a beast for a whole burnt sacrifice and so they went both together 9 And when they came to the place which God had shewed him Abraham buylt an aulter there and dressed the woodde and bound Isahac his sonne and layde him on the aulter aboue vpon the wood 10 And Abraham stretching forth his hande tooke the kniâ—e to haue killed his sonne 11 And the angell of the Lorde called vnto him from heauen saying Abraham Abraham And he sayde Here am I. 12 And he sayde Lay not thy hande vpon the childe neyther doe any thing vnto him for nowe I knowe that thou fearest God hast for my sake net spared thine onely sonne 13 And Abraham lifting vp his eyes looked and beholde behinde him there was Ramme caught by the hornes in a thicket and Abraham went and sooke the Ramme and offered him vp for a whole burnt offering in the stéede of his sonne 14 And Abraham called the name of the place The Lorde will sée As it is sayde this day In the mount will the Lorde be seene 15 And the aungell of the Lorde cried vnto Abraham from heauen the seconde tyme. 16 And sayd By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thyne onely sonne 17 That in blessing I will blesse thée and in multiplying I will multiplie thy séede as the starres of heauen and as the sande which is vpon the sea syde and thy séede shall possesse the gates of his enimies 18 And in thy séede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast heard my voyce 19 So turned Abraham againe vnto his yong men and they rose vp and went together to Béer-saba and Abraham dwelt at Béer-saba 20 And after these things one tolde Abraham saying Beholde Milcha she hath also borne children vnto thy brother Nachor 21 Hus his eldest sonne and Buz his brother and Camuel the father of the Syrians 22 And Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Iidlaph and Bethuel 23 And Bethuel begat Rebecca These eight did Milcha beare to Nachor Abrahams brother 24 And his concubine called Reumah she bare also Tebah and Gaham Thahas and Maacha The Exposition vpon the .xxij. Chapter of Genesis After these sayings God did tempt Abraham and sayde vnto him c. MOses in this Chapter setteth forth a singuler and rare History and in deede woonderfull whether you consider God commaunding the thing or Abraham obeying and readie to perfourme it In that he sayth God tempted Abraham we must vnderstande that God tempteth not * as the Deuill and his Ministers doe to induce a man to sinne but to Trie and Prooue hys faith that not because he is ignorant what is eueÌ„ in the Secrets of mans heart But eyther that he may knowe his owne weakenesse as he did to the * Israelites in the desert or to the ende that that thing which is excellent in him may be notoriously knowne to the example of all other and to the aduauncement of his glorie And so doth he in this place tempt Abraham to set before the eyes of all posteritie a singuler example of Faith and Obedience Take thy sonne thine onely sonne Isahac whome thou louest c. This Tentation ryseth by sundrie degrees to an exceeding great triall of the fayth of Abraham to kill any Innocent person may seeme an vniust and cruell thing much more to kill not one of his Aliance and kindred onelye but his owne naturall Sonne yea and his Onely sonne and that onely sonne that he at the appoyntment of God loued so tenderly and vpon * whom the Fulfilling of the promise and blessing of God did seeme to depende this I say was a marueylous triall of his fayth And it was no small tentation also that it might seeme vncredible that the true and lyuing God should nowe delite in the sacrifice of mans bloud It was neuer before done Nor Adam nor Abel nor Noe were willed to doe the like Yea God him selfe had shewed Gen. 9. that he detested the shedding of mans bloud Therefore Abraham might haue suspected that this commaundement was not of God but of the Deuill to drawe him and his sonne to the displeasure of God and to defeate and ouerthrow the fulfilling of the blessing of all the Nations in earth by his seede But so * strong was Abrahams faith as al this could not shake it no not though both he and his wife were past children by the course of Nature Then Abraham rose vp early in the morning and sadled his Asse c. This is in Abraham an example of a wonderfull Obedience It maye appeare that this man euen from the beginning of his calling had setled his minde both constantly to Beleue whatsoeuer God promised were it neuer so vnpossible to humaine reason and also wyllingly to obey that he was commaunded by him though it seemed neuer so lothsome displeasant and odious in the sight of the worlde He * forsooke his naturall countrie He liued wyllingly as an exile in a straunge land being pressed with * famine He bare it paciently and went into Egypt He by the appointment of God put from his his elder sonne * Ismaell whome he loued and setled his hope altogither vpon the yonger And nowe sheweth himselfe readie to offer his life also at the coÌ„maundement of the Lord Such is the fayth and obedience of the saintes of god For they alwaye cleaue to the sincere and Simple worde and commaundement of god If there be any thing therein that seemeth difficulte straunge or absurde that they leaue to the wisedome and prouidence of God to the vnderstanding wherof they are not hable to attaine And in deede right Faith Obedience are grounded and stayed vpon these two things that is the Truth and the Omnipotencie of god If his promise seeme vnpossible thereby shake our faith it is Staied vp by the consideration of his Truth For he can not * but speake that is True seeme it neuer so vnpossible And againe if we doubt of the truth we strengthen our selues with his Omnipotency and therefore appeare it to mans weakenesse neuer so vntrue yet God is hable to performe it With these two pyllers did Abraham stay vp his fayth and set forwarde is readie obedience that is declared in all this historie And Abraham stretching forth his arme tooke the knife to haue killed c. Nowe the purpose of God is opened and the matter declared that whatsoeuer GOD caused Abraham hitherto to do was not to this ende that his sonne should be Sacrificed but that his fayth and Obedience toward God should be tried and testified to the worlde For when Abraham had prepared and done all thinges and was nowe in readinesse to haue offered vp his Son in sacrifice the Angell of
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
and the straunger the fatherlesse and the widdowe that are among you in the place whyche the Lorde thy God hathe chosen to put hys name there 12 And remember that thou waste a seruant in Egypte and thou shalte obserue and doe these ordinaunces 13 Thou shalte also obserue the Feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes after that thou hast gathered in thy corne and thy wine 14 And thou shalt reioyce in thy feast thou and thy sonne thy daughter thy seruaunt and thy maide the Leuite the straunger and the fatherlesse and the Widowe that are within thy gates 15 Seuen dayes shalte thou kéepe a solemne feast vnto the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde shall choose for the Lorde thy God shall blesse thée in all thy fruites and in all the workes of thine handes therfore shalte thou be glad 16 Thrée times in a yéere shall all thy males appeare before the Lorde thy God in the place whiche he shall choose in the feast of unleaucned because in the feast os weekes and in the feast Tabernacles and they shall not appeare before the Lorde emptie 17 Euery man shall geue according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lorde thy God which he hath geuen thée 18 Iudges and officers shalt thou make thée in all thy cities which the Lord thy God geueth thée throughout thy tribes and they shal iudge the people with iust iudgement 19 Wrest not thou the lawe nor knowe anye person neither take anye rewarde for giftes doe blinde the eyes of the wyse and peruert the wordes of the righteous 20 That whiche is iuste and righte shalte thou folowe that thou mayest lyue and enioye the lande whych the Lord thy God geueth thée 21 Thou shalte plante no groue of anye trées neare vnto the aulter of the Lorde thy God which thou shalt make thée 22 Thou shalte set thée vp no Piller which the Lord the God hateth The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Deuteronomie Obserue the moneth of newe corne that thou maiest offer the Passouer c. THe Israelites in this place are commauÌ„ded wyth all diligence to obserue the three principall Feastes wherein they were appointed especially to resort to the place that the Lorde would choose that is the Citie of Hierusalem The first Feast was the Passouer called here the Moneth of nevvecorne and by vs noted vnder the name of Easter The second was Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and by vs VVhitsontide The thirde was the Feast of Tabernacles As touchyng the Passouer there is more large declaration of it vpon Exodus 12. redde on Easter day It was solemnised the first moneth that is the moneth of Marche and here is called the Moneth of nevve corne bycause fruite and graine then began to growe toward ripening For in those countries being many degrees more Southward narre the sunne Haruest is much sooner than with vs Northwarde At this Feast besyde other ceremonyes they were appoynted to offer vnto God a certayne small portion of their eares of new corne therby confessyng that theyr towardnesse of Haruest was of Gods onely goodnes and also praying that he would vouchsafe to prosper to their vse that which was on the grounde for this cause especiallye is the tyme of this Feast called the Moneth of newe corne The principall cause of the Institution* of the Passouer was to put them in continuall remembrance of Gods maruellous benefite in passing away his plague from them and not striking them when hys Angell* killed all the firste borne of Egipte At this Feast by the space of seueÌ„ dayes they might eate no leauened bread whereby they were put in minde of their Hastie dispatch out of Egipte For albeit Pharao was obstinately set not to let them goe yet God by his mighty plagues so Brake his harte that he did not onely deliuer them but forced them to depart with such spede as they coulde not abyde to leuen their dowe but caried it away on their shoulders Whiche their hastie departure â—â—s some trouble to them and thereof doth this vnleauened bread put them in remembrance and for that cause is called here The bread of tribulation As for all other ceremonies appertainyng to this Feast they are expounded in the chapiter aboue mentioned Seuen weekes shalt thou number to thee and beginne to number c. From the day after that the Measure or Portion of newe corne was offered vnto the Lorde whiche I thinke was in the ende of the Feast of Passouer reckning seueÌ„ ful Sabathes or wekes to the nexte daye after the seuen weekes ended are iuste fiftye dayes was the time appoynted for the Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and in Exodus 23 The Feast of Haruest and wyth vs as I haue sayd is named VVhitsontide The firste cause of the ordynance of thys Feaste was that they mighte remember the Libertie that God had geuen them and shewe themselues thankefull for the same For fiftie dayes after their comming out of Egipte God gaue them the Lawe in Mount Sinay and first ordained them a free State and Policie by peculiar Lawes among themselues whereas before they were in bondage and lyued in miserable oppression vnder the Lawes and * tyrannie of the Egiptians An other cause of the Institution hereof was that they myghte offer a newe Oblation vnto God that is two Loaues of new Corne baked as the first Fruites in way of thankesgeuing to the Lorde So that they did not offer onelye the Measure of Newe corne before Haruest but Oblation also towarde the ende of Harueste And thereby are taughte as We also shoulde be that the Fruites of Harueste come not eyther of the Fertilitie of the grouÌ„d or of their owne Labour and trauayle but of the singuler Fauour and Blessing of God and therefore that they should vse the same not to Ryote and DrunkeÌ„nesse but wyth reuerence and * thankesgeuyng The third cause of the Institution was that it might be a figure both of the true Libertie of conscience and of the spirituall Haruest that was to come vnder the true Moyses and Deliuerer Christ Iesu For euen as fiftye dayes after the deliuerie of the Chyldren of Israell oute of Egipte they had the Lawe geuen them in Mounte Sinay So the fiftieth daye after oure deliuerance from the Tyrannie of Sinne and Sathan by the Deathe and Resurrection of Christe whiche was the true* Passouer The holye Ghoste was sente downe from Heauen which myghte not onelye wryte the eternall lawe of God in oure heartes make vs free Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem but also by the Apostles and other good Ministers labourers might* gather together the Spirituall Haruest of God throughoute the whole worlde and that all Faithfull might receyue the firste Fruites of the benefytes of hys Deathe and Resurrection We do not therfore Obserue this day supersticiously bicause the like was ordeined among
At Sodome and in all general plagues the yong children that neuer in Act offended were partakers of the punishment c. These things may seeme repugnant to Gods iustice here defended by Ezechiel And this was it that the Israelites and Ievves did finde themselues Grieued withall Ieroboam sayd they did set vp the golden Calues and Manasses mainteyned Idolatrie and corrupted the law of God but the punishment falleth vpon vs To this we haue to answere that when God sayd Exod. 20. That he vvoulde punishe the sinnes of the fathers c. vnto the thirde and fourth generation he added of them that hate me If the children hate God and Followe theyr fathers Idolatrie and sinfulnesse although God of his mercie Spare their fathers in Wordly punishment he will plague them and so muche the more Because they would not beware by their fathers offences and consider Gods goodnesse towarde them in graunting them Time and Space to repent But some will aske whie God sayth he will punish The sinnes of the fathers vpon their children seeing the children haue their owne sinnes for which they are iustly punished It may be answered Because if their Fathers had not so grieuously offended their Punishment might haue bene longer Deferred As God is mercifull so he is Iust and forsomuch as his pacience and mercie hath Long borne with their wickednesse and looked in vaine for their repentance his Iustice must needes take place and at Length light vpon them with due punishment So that they are the Sooner and more Grieuously punished for their wicked Parents and yet not without their Owne iust desertes and euill doings Wherefore to conclude with Ezechiel the Iewes in their lewde Prouerbe did blasphemously depraue Gods Iustice seeyng their owne vniust doinges in Following the foote steppes of their sinfull Fathers did pull his iust wrath vpon them And yet it cannot be denied but that God Sometimes doth punishe some for the cause or by the occasion of other Abraham and Iacob felt the smart of famine and hunger euen as Sinfull men did and they of the house of Pharao and Abimeleck were plagued for their Princes cause But beside that which is sayde before that no man is so Righteous in the sight of God but that he Iustly deserueth punishement we must moreouer consider that Gods Scourges are not alway nor to all persons of One sort Towarde the wicked they are Plagues of his Iustice towarde the Godly they are Exercises and Medicines by which he healeth their corruptions practiseth their fayth and Stirreth them vp the more earnestly to call vpon him So that he maketh it to them as a Schoole of discipline to retaine them in more Feare of his name that they be not caried away with the wicked Allurements of the worlde as the vngodly are We may not therefore thinke God to deale vniustly when sometimes we see him to wrappe good men in those plagues wherewith he punisheth the Vngodly In those Properties of a Iust man which are recyted and sundrie times repeated in this Chapter the Prophete may seeme to omit and leaue out many workes of Iustice but in one general clause he comprehendeth all other As when he sayth And hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgements If there had beene any such Iust man among the Iewes he might with some countenance haue quarreled with GOD punishing him being Innocent for his fathers offences But there was neuer yet any that * perfectly fulfilled the Statutes and lawes of god Therefore all mens mouthes are in that case stopped There hath beene many good men whose vnperfite obedience it hath pleased God in respect of the Promised seede and Sauiour of the worlde to accept as Iust and so to account them before him But otherwise neyther the childe this day borne nor the Angels in heauen are pure in his sight The Prophete vndoubtedly reciteth these Properties and workes of Iustice especially because men in them most commonly and Notoriously in those dayes offended so that he choked them from their blasphemous Obloquie by the testimonie of their owne Consciences which tolde them that in these poyntes they were not innocent but iustly susteyned Gods Plague euen for their Owne sinnes and not for their Fathers onely And hath not eaten vpon the hilles he hath not lift vp his eyes to the Idole c. He meaneth Sacrifycing and keeping of their holy Feastes in the highe Places so often mentioned in the bookes of Kings and the Chronicles For as the Gentiles and Heathens were wont on Hilles to haue Chappels and aulters for their False Gods euen so the Iewes and Israelites after their Temple buylded appointed place chosen did make Aulters on high places and therin worshypped sometime the lyuing God but disorderly sometyme Idoles and false Gods by the imitation of the Gentiles Neyther hath come neere a woman remooued c. He meaneth a woman hauing hir naturall and Monthly Disease because to seeke the companie of a woman at that time is lothsome to nature and a token of immoderate lust and affection But hath restored the detter his pledge he that hath not spoyled any c. The Prophet meaneth the Pledge or gage of a Poore man which hath borowed any thing of him The Lawe is Exod. 22. If thou haue taken the garment of thy neighbour to pledge before the sonne go dovvn thou shalt restore it to him and he addeth Because hee hath nothing else to couer hym c. Whereby it maye appeare he speaketh of a Poore man. And Deut. 24. the matter is made more plaine For after a larger declaring of this lawe of Charitie he sayth If he be a pore man thou shalt not sleepe vvith his pledge in thy house If this man get a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes c and doth not c. Our fathers are to be folowed but only in those things that be good but if they shall eyther giue vs example of that which is Contrarie to the wyll of God yea eyther commaunde vs to doe it surely they are not to be obeied And yet in these days we haue manye that wyll Tye themselues verye streightly to Follow their Parents Religion but if there were any Example in them of vertuous and Honest lyfe that they neuer remember Such persons imbrace in their Fathers that is euill and neglect that is good If the vngodly will turne awaye from all his sinnes that he hath done c. Of this place maye be taken a singular Comfort for all them that are tormented in their consciences for the heauie burden of their sinnes For God here * proclaymed Mercie and forgiuenesse to all that Repent them of their former wickednesse and sayth it shall not be Mentioned vnto them be it neuer so great It is a great craft of the Deuill first by all Flattering allurements of the worlde to cause men grieuously to offende and when they
other dealings doe euidently declare I would to God there were not many such euen in the Boldmes of Godly men But I trust God will detect them as he doth here to Ezechiel and to their shame and rebuke teach his seruants to Beware of them For as they may Dissemble with the worlde and Abuse some true and honest meaning men so they cannot deceyue God who seeth the beâ—wels and Secretes of their heartes and will vse them accordingly Wilt thou not iudge them O Sonne of man wilt thou not iudge them c. This place is diuersly translated and enterpreted I thinke the playnest sense to be this O sonne of man enter not into disputation and reasoning with them and be not carefull to aunswere all their arguments and pretences For they Will not be taught of thee And therefore simplye and plainely to their iudgement and condemnation tell them what maner of men their fathers haue bene and what yet they remaine still themselues beginning euen at that time when I beganne first to bring them out of Egipt and so contynuing vnto this present day that they maye thereby knowe themselues In the day when I chose Israel and lift vp my hande vpon the seede c. This fashion of speaking To lift vp the hande doth signifie sometime to Sweare or take an oth because the Ceremonie or gesture of lifting vp the hand to heauen in taking an othe did signifie that they called God to wytnesse that they Concealed no truth nor Vttered any falshood or if they dyd they desired the same God to be ReueÌ„ged of them And in this signification of Swearing it is to be taken in this place because God in his concnant by othe did binde himselfe to be their God and to delyuer them Somtime To lift vp the hande signifieth to shewe his Power or strength eyther in Deliuering or Punishing or in Hurting and Stryking which signification maye also well serue in this Chapiter A lande which floweth with milke and honie and is pleasant among c. In manye places of the Scripture the lande of Chanaan is mentioned to flow with Milke and Honie that is to abounde with all things Necessarie not onely for susteynance but also for Delight and pleasure For in those dayes there was no more delectable feeding then Milke and Hony. S. Hierome who lyued a long tyme in that Countrie wryteth that it was a verie Delectable and fruitfull place but yet can we not thinke that it was then any thing in comparison of that it was before so long as they were the people of God and remayned in his obedience keeping his lawes and ordinances For when they had reiected the sonne of God and promised Messias it is likely the land it selfe also was striken for their wickednesse and thereby farre decayed from that it was in times past But they rebelled against mee and would not harken to me they did c. It is a testimonie of the great goodnesse mercie of God that he calleth earnestly to repentance before he strike and punishe his people for their sinnes And so did he then to the Israelites but they would not harken vnto him nor did cast away The abhominations of their eyes that is their wicked Idoles on which they dyd cast their eyes with great delight euen as they that be in vnchast loue be alwaye desirous to see and beholde them that they loue Vndoubtedly Idolatrie was vnpleasaunt to Ioseph and the other Patriarkes in Egipt and they did exhort their children to remain in the True worship of the liuing god Yet many of them as borne and bredde in Egipt were corrupted and fell to Idolatrie by the Imitation of that People Then were Moyses and Aaron sent from God vnto them and yet contynued they still in Idolatrie Whereby we may gather what was the Cause why God did so long suffer his people to continue in so miserable oppression in Egipt and did not sooner turne his mercifull continaunce towarde them And that was because they had almost Forgot him and his true Worship deliuered them by their Fathers and were gyuen to the worshipping of straunge Gods. And yet GOD would not euen Then poure out his wrath vpon them although they had iustly deserued it but for his Owne name sake and for the Couenant that he had made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob with his mightie hande he Deliuered them I wrought for my names sake that it should not be polluted before c. I stayde my selfe sayth God from Extremitie of my wrath and from working vtter destruction not for my people sake which in deede had iustly deserued it but for my Names sake that it might not be distained and euill spoken of among the Egiptians Amalechites and other Heathen Nations in whose sight my great works were wrought and which had Hearde of my purpose to delyuer my people And therefore would haue sayde that I had neyther beene hable nor willing to doe that which I had promised and therby to haue thought of me no otherwise then they dyd of their owne False Gods. This cause in this Chapiter so often repeated maye bring a singuler Comfort to the godly in time of affliction and trouble And therefore Moyses and other holy men haue alway staied most vpon that in their earnest prayers vnto God when he hath threatned or begunne any priuate or common plague desiring him that he would spare his people holde his mercifull hande ouer them though not for their Owne sakes which in no wise they haue deserued yet for his promise sake and for his Owne Names sake that the enemyes might not reioyce in the confusion of his people And these praiers haue euer taken good effect with God. Nowe when I hadde caused them to go out of the lande of Aegipt c. Hitherto the Prophete hath declared how their Fathers behaued themselues in Aegypt Before their deliuerance Now he sheweth how after his great benefites they Rebelled and murmured against him in the wildernesse As when Moses was in the Mountaine they made a golden calfe when God tried them with Want of meate and drinke they murmured They repined often against their gouernours and accusing them of treason and of a meaning to destroy the people were readie to haue stoned them The Histories are Exod. 15. 16. and 17. Num. 11. 14. 16. 20. and 21. The Sanctifying of the Sabboth mentioned verse .12 was a token that God had sanctifyed the Israelites euen as he had sanctifyed the Sabboth and had chosen them * as his peculier people and holy Priesthoode which should preserue and keepe his promises vntill they were fulfilled in Messias Christ Iesu who was the appoynted Sauiour of the worlde And that because they cast awaye my iudgements and walked not in my c. By this place and the like often vsed in this Chapter we haue to learne what be the Causes that mooue GOD to minde and purpose the vtter Desolation
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
hill let all the inhabitāts c. THe Prophet Ioel liued in the time of Esay and taught in Iuda in the reigne of Ezechias not long before the inuasion of the Assirians vnder Sinnacherib For although that good king to the vttermost of his power had restored the true worship of God yet a great number receyued it vnthankefully and both enclined in their heartes againe to Superstition and continued in most Detestable and sinfull liuing * Which was the cause that God did send the Assirians grieuously to plague them But of his woonted mercies before that terrible time of punishment should come he * sent his Prophetes to foretell them of it and to call them to repentance Among these was Ioel who nowe vttereth these wordes and purposing to call them to repentance layeth before them the terrible punishment that GOD will bring vpon them if they turned not vnto him His beginning is tragicall Blowe vp a trumpet sayth he c. Because their Plague shoulde be by inuasion of euimies and crueltie of warre he alludeth to warrefare and willeth the Scowtes and watchmen that is the Prophetes and teachers to sound the trumpet of Gods holy worde and giue men warning to prepare themselues to battaile that they were not taken with the plague of god ere they were ware This he willeth them to doe in Sion and in His holy hill His chosen Citie of Hierusalem that they might not thinke any holinesse of place should help them Yea and he speaketh to all the inhabitans of the lande of Iuda and biddeth them to Tremble and feare for that the Lord did not minde to dally with them or any longer to put of the time For sayth he The day of the Lord is come and is nigh at hande and you must repent with * speede if you will escape it By The day of the Lorde he meaneth the time appointed to Plague them for their vnthankfulnesse and contempt of Gods worde and the calling of his Prophetes A darke and glomie daye a clowdie and blacke day as the morning is spred c. By Glomie Clowdie and Blacke he signifyeth the heauie and sorowfull time that should be so lamentablie ouercast with grieuous afflictions and calamities that men shoulde not be hable to tell what to doe or howe to rid themselues from them Darkenesse commonly in scripture noteth trouble and heauinesse Light prosperitie and felicitie As the spring of the day and morning light sodainlye spreadeth it selfe ouer the mountaynes and cannot by any meanes be stayed So shall this mightye and strong people of the Assirians sodainely spread themselues and ouerwhelme euen the toppes of those mountaines that you thinke harde to be passed and that in such sort as they cannot be resisted For since the beginning was there neuer Empire eyther of so great force or of so long continuance of their dominion as this hath beene and is Therfore they shall be to you and to your Countrey as a raging and consuming fire The Land that was before their comming as a pleasant Garden or paradise after they be gone it shall be left lamentablie spoyled wasted and desolate Yea they shall come with such fiercenesse that with great speede they shall runne ouer the mountaynes and highe places as it were Horsemen or chariots in a plaine field Your men of warre Capiteynes and Souldiours in whom you may seeme to put some trust at the report of their comming shall tremble and waxe pale and wanne for exceeding great feare They shal runne against you as mightie Gyants and assaulting the walles of your strong and fenced Cities they shall doe it not onelye with suche strength but also with actiuitie nimblenesse and good order that one shall not be a let or impedimēt to the other but euery one shall kepe his place and araye And when they runne with desperate courage euen amonge your swordes and weapons they will doe it in such maner that you shall not be hable to hurt them And furthermore though your Cities be strongly walled and fenced with so great munition as they maye seeme vnpregnable they wil with such facilitie both enter and go to and fro as if the matter were to be done in the plaine fielde where no resistance is Finally their rage fiercenesse shal be so dreadfull that the earth shal quake the heauens shall tremble the Sunne Moone shall be darke the Starres shall withdrawe their light all the creatures of God shall be abashed to see that God will so grieuously plage his people And therfore they as it were hauing sense of the same before hand shal giue straunge signes and sightes vnto men to put them in minde to repent turne vnto God that he may withdrawe this his heauie hande from them For God it is that worketh it and by his voice calleth the Assirians they do nothing but execute his commaundement in punishing your waywarde and stubburne vnthankfulnesse and contempt of his worde In all this we see the Prophete hath done nothing but signify vnto the Iewes that no worldly thing should be hable to stay from them the grieuous punishmentes of God by the Assirians Neyther the plentifulnesse of the earth nor the great distance of the places nor the difficultie of the passages ouer hilles and mountaynes neyther the number of their Souldiours nor the strength of their Cities to the ende that they seeing all worldly helpe to fayle them maye the more readily repent and flie vnto God for his mercie But nowe sayth the Lord turne you vnto me with all your hearts with fasting c. Although the day of Gods wrath be nighe at hande yet the Prophete signifieth that there is time to repent because * no true repentance from the heart is euer to late And therefore vnder the person of God exhorteth them therevnto and telleth them what they shall doe Turne sayth he We must in repentance first Turne frō wickednesse of minde and dissolute life from Idolatrie Superstition and corruption of Gods true worship And we must Turne vnto God and submit our selues to his merrie and to be directed by his holy worde We are not willed to Turne to Saintes to Patriarkes to Prophetes to Fathers to Apostles or to any creature be he neuer so holy No nor yet to our owue inuentions and deuises of holynesse thereby thinking to raunsome our sinnes But we must Turne to the euerliuing God who is both willing as a father and hable as a mightie Lorde to helpe vs And this must we doe vnfaynedly VVith all our heartes Renting our mindes wyth sorow and not our garments with hypocrissie and outwarde shewe of griefe and repentance when we haue no true sense of Gods wrath inwardly in our heartes If renting of Garmentes and such other signes be vsed as tokens and witnesses to the worlde that we are in deede and vnfeynedly touched with exceeding sorow of hart as Iosias did when he
the Iewes But for that it is an ordinarie time appoynted for the people of God to assemble heare the declaration of those maruellous workes of God which as at thys tyme were done after the Ascention of Christe into Heauen For then dyd Christe declare and confirme the Maiestie and trueth of hys Gospell wyth wonderfull Miracles So that it was euidente that he onelye was the trewe Messias and Sauioure that the same Holy Ghost had spoken of manye yeares before vnto the Patriarkes and Prophetes And bycause at the tyme of Pentecost when the Holye Ghost was giuen the Gospell firste began to be published we may not thinke that one or two Festiuall dayes is appointed for the perfourmance thereof but from that first Pentecost vntill the worldes ende should be to vs one perpetuall VVhitsonday in which we should wyth thankesgiuing reioyce for our spiritual fredome and take in the fruites of Christs blessed Passion and Resurrection Thou shalte obserue also the feast of the Tabernacles seuen dayes c. This Feast of the Tabernacles or Tentes was Solemnised the .15 of September when they had not gathered in all their fruites graine and wine All the tyme of this Feast for the space of seuen dayes they dwelt in Tentes or Bowthes of grene trees and obserued sundry ceremonies and oblations declared Num. 28. 29. Leuit. 23. and other where The causes of the ordinance were partly to put them in mind of their former Condition Whence they came and that it was God that firste made them to dwell in Tentes in the wildernesse whē he brought them out of Egipt Secondlye that they mighte remember the wonderfull miracles and benefites that God did in maintayning and Preseruing them vntill they came into the lande of Chanaan where they founde in steede of Tentes and Tabernacles goodlye strong Cities and faire houses to inhabite and by this occasion were they willed to compare the Felicitie that they shoulde be in the land of Chanaā with the Necessity hard state that they had before when they were constrained to inhabite in Bouthes Tabernacles and thereby learne not to waxe insolent but to giue thankes to God the Authour of that great blessing None of these Feastes might be Solemnised in any place but where the Lord had chosēto set his name would especially be called vpō that as I haue said in the time of Dauid was Hierusalē Before that where the Tabernacle of God was Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities which the Lord. c. Now Moises addeth certaine politicall orders and instructions for choise of cōuenient Magistrates in their common weale and for the sincere vpright dealing therin For seing the Iudgemēt Seate of y Magistrate is as it were a sanctuary a place of reliefe succour for the succourlesse the poore and needy and other whatsoeuer persons oppressed by iniurie it might seme most lamentable if they comming thither for succour shuld light vpō Theues Robbers that wil sell right for gaine and money Therfore Moises willeth Magistrates Iudges in anye wise to beware of* Partialitie Briberie as y thing that shutteth vp the eyes of discretion and wisedome and corrupteth al true Iudgement For saith he Gifts doe blind the eyes of the vvise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous Thou shalte plante no Groues of anye trees neere vnto thee c. The heathen vsed to plante Groues of wood about the Chappels of their Idols sometime made Pillars to set their false Gods on wherefore bicause God will haue his Religion not to agree with the Idolatours worship of the Gentils he briefely forbiddeth those two things Trinitie Sundaye at Morning prayer Genesis 18. ANd the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of Mamre and he sate in his tent doore in the heate of the day 2 And he lift vp his eyes and loked and lo thrée men stoode by him and when he sawe them he ranne to meete them from the Tent doore and bowed himselfe towarde the ground 3 And said Lorde if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight passe not away I pray thée from thy seruant 4 Let a litle-water I praye you be fet washe your féete and refreshe your selues vnder the trée 5 And I will fet a morsell of bread to comfort your heartes withall and then shall you goe your wayes for therfore are ye come to your seruant And they said Doe as thou hast said 6 And Abraham went apace into the Tent vnto Sara and said Make redy at once thrée measures of fine meale kneade it and make cakes vpon the hearth 7 And Abraham running vnto his beastes fet a calfe tender and good and gaue it vnto a young man and he hasted to make it ready at once 8 And he toke butter and milke and the calfe which he had prepared and set it before them and stoode himselfe by them vnder the trée and they did eate 9 And they saide vnto him Where is Sara thy wife He answered Beholde in the Tent. 10 And he said I will certainely returne vnto thée if I liue and so Sara thy wife shall haue a sonne That hearde Sara in the Tent doore which was behinde him 11 Abraham and Sara were both olde well stricken in age and it ceassed to be with Sara after the manner as it is with women 12 Therefore Sara laughed within her selfe saying Now I am waxed olde shall I geue my selfe to luste and my Lord olde also 13 And God saide vnto Abraham Wherefore did Sara laugh saying Shall I of a suertie beare a childe whiche am olde 14 Is anye thing vnpossible to God According to the time appoynted will I returne vnto thée if I liue and Sara shall haue a sonne 15 Then Sara denyed it saying I laughed not for she was afraide And he saide It is not so but thou didst laugh 16 And the men rising vp from thence loked toward Sodome and Abraham went with them to bring them on the waye 17 And the Lorde sayde Shall I hyde from Abraham that thyng whiche I doe 18 Seyng that Abraham shall surely be a greate and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him 19 I knowe this also that he will commaunde hys children and his housholde after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and to doe iustice and iudgement that the Lorde maye bryng vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him 20 And the Lorde sayde Because the crye of Sodome and Gomorrhe is greate and because their sinne is excéeding gréeuous 21 I will goe downe now and sée whether they haue done altogether according to that crye which is come vnto me and if not I will knowe 22 And the men departed thence and went to Sodomewarde but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord. 23 And Abraham drew neare and said Wilte thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked 24 If there be