forme vpon hym and a voice was heard from heauen sayinge Thys is my beloued sonne in whome is my delyte Mathew iii. and .xvii. Marke .i. and .ix. Luke iii. and .ix. and all the Gospell of Saynte Ihon wrytten for the same purpose agaynste the Ebeonites Agayne Romaynes i.viii.ix and .xi. Corinthyans .v. Galathyans .iiii. Philippians .ii. Collossians ii.i Timothe ii.iii Tytus ii Hebrues i.v Yf the testymony of one of your Rabbynes O Iewes or of your phantastycal Prophetes O you rennagates Anabaptystes seme great vnto you Let the voyce of God from heauen the testemonye of all hys holye Prophetes Patriakes Martyrs Apostles doctours and faythful wytnesses of all ages be greater and of more wayghte vnto you Let your own saluacion be more deare then the deuyles delusion Let the author of truth be heard and banysh the authour of lyes The Lord God sayth by his holye Prophete Ezechiel Ezechiel xxxiiii I alone wyll feede my flocke straight he addeth My seruaunte Dauyd shall feede so that you maye see that boothe theese are but one whose feedynge you muste desyre yf you bee not of the loste sheepe for there is no waye to God the father but by Christe whyche is heare called the seruaunte Dauyd neyther canne anye manne come to Christe the onelye shepehearde of sowles vnles the father drawe hym A Prayer VVherefore O Lord God and heauēly father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob whiche dyddest promise vnto Abraham that thou wouldest bee the God of hys seede for euer Whyche haste promysed also too subdue Moab Esau that is to saye all heathen miscreauntes too thy chosen Israel and to gather vnder one shephearde thy seruaunte Dauid Christe oure sauioure all they scattered shepe bothe of the Iewes and Gentyls that there myghte bee one sheppehearde and one folde Mercyfullye beholde thy flocke amonges them boothe dyspersed and scattered erryng wanderynge and goynge astraye wyth peruerse myndes and erronyous opinions farre from thy foulde not knowinge as yet nor regardynge the voyce of thy sonne the onlye good shepherd which did geue hys soule for his shepe And draw them we besech the home agayne to the fold of thy son Iesus Christ wythoute whō there is no saluaciō no cōforte no health no hope no stay of cōscience But imserable wanderynge from erroure to erroure and in in the ende vtter desperacion Haue mercye therfore of thy miserable stray shepe for theyr shepherde sake for thy prayse sake and for the glorye of thyne owne name for the amplyfyinge and enlargyng the kyngdome of thy sonne Christ who is declared God all readye in the flesh by hys manyfest miracles iustified in spyryte sene of the angels preached amonge the people beleued vpon in the world and receyued in glory and shortly shal come in the same glory to make hys ennemyes hys footestole So be it Nowe to oure Prophete from whom we maye seme to haue made ouer longe a digression same that this wicked time requireth it Therefore wil he geue them The Text He wyll geue them to the Babilonians and Romaines to be vexed oppressed and euyll entreated And then whē all semeth mooste myserable and desperate shal thys chylde bee borne whyche shall gather together this scattered people thys is it whiche we laboured to declare in the .iiii. Chapter Howe Messiah shoulde come in a tyme mooste myserable whē the scepter shuld be taken from Iuda and geuen to a foran Tyraunt as it was geuen to Herode a Romayne at the commyng of Christ And euer before was it in the hand of some of theyr own Prynces eyther of theyr kinges either of theyr Machabees either of theyr coūsalours whome they called Sanhedrin How be it Herod hauing the whole nacion suspected dyd take away all their offycers and set in hys captaynes But here is promysed a newe delyuerance when thys chylde commeth a restoryng and gatheryng of the chyldren of Israell together Whych we do vnderstande to be already begone when he did come into the worlde in fleshe to preache the glad tydynges of hys kingdome in openynge hys fathers greate mercye and good wyll towardes vs mooste vile and wretched synners and too make of vs Gentylles whych were lykedomme and dead stones touchynge the knowledge of GOD chyldren vnto Abraham and true Israelytes To make vs whych were not his people to be accepted as hys people and then shal it be most perfitely fulfylled in the end when ther shal be but one shepeherd one fold The Text And he shal stand and feede in the strengthe of the Lord and in the hyghe name of the Lorde hys God and they shal returne for nowe shall he be magnyfyed to the endes of the earth Loo the power of Messiah it shal be no fleshly or humane power but it shall be the power of the euerlyuynge Lorde and the hye name of God wherein he shal feede hys flocke as Christ sayeth in the .x. of Ihon I am the good shepherd and I do know mi shepe I am knowē of mine euen as the father knoweth me euen so do I know the father and I do laye downe my soule for my sheepe No man taketh it from me but I do laye it downe of my selfe I haue power too laye it downe and I haue power too take it agayne My sheepe dooe knowe my voyce and folow me and I do giue them euerlastyng lyfe neyther shal they perysh for euer Neyther shal any man take theym forth of my hād My father which gaue me thē is greater then all and no man can take them forth of my fathers hād I and my father are al all one Who can bring a more cleare exposicion of the feadynge and power of Messiah thē he here doth hymselfe Neither may it trouble any scrupulous cōsciēce that the prophet nameth him his god for so sayth Christe that his father did giue him thys shepe meanynge as he beinge fyrste in the forme of God wythoute all wronge equal vnto God did make hym self of no reputaciō like vnto man in the forme and shape of manne so dyd God gyue hym all thynges and was named hys God As he was man humbled and broughte downe euen too verye deathe wherein hee cryed bearynge oure myseryes and fealynge the wrathe of God againste vs for oure synnes Eloi Eloi My God my God whye haste thou forsaken me wherefore also God hathe exalted hym to the hyghest authoryty and geuen hym a name whyche is aboue all names that in the name of Iesu al knees shoulde bowe of heauenlye thynges of earthlye thynges and of infernall spyrytes And all tounges shoulde confesse that Iesu is the Lorde too the glorye of God the father lo the manhode in that he calleth his God and receyueth of the father and Godhead of Messiah in that all knees shall bowe and worshyp hym lyke as in the .xlv. Psalme He is thy Lorde thou shalte worship hym Where as in Deuteronomi .vi. it is written thou shalt worship
Salomon by the flattering of his wifes was brought to Idolatrye Sampson to his owne destruccion And infinite other that haue falleÌ„ som into one vice some in an other and ar length to shamefull endes by the flatterye of fayned friendes Beware of flatterers therefore O kinges and princes for be sure when so euer you shal delite in them you shal not long continue withoute shame The moste present poyson to a Prynce is flatterye Beware I â—aye therefore For Iudas when he flattereth mooste fayre is moost readye too be traye his master Ioab when hee kisseth Amasa and and Abner and sheweth mooste frendshippe is ready to kil them Abimelech when he flattereth hys .lxx brethrene is all readye throughe ambicion appoyncted too destroye them Dadila when shee flattereth Sampson too knowe his strength hath the Philistines priuilye hid in her house Absalom dothe call to his feaste by flattery and ther slai his brother Ammon and withdraweth the heartes of the people by flattery froÌ„ hys father Dauid and at lengthe dryueth him forth of his kingdom Wherin appeareth the smal trust to be had to the wicked worldlings and crafti flatterers though they offer great freÌ„dship though thei be our brethreÌ„ though thei ly in our owne bosoÌ„s And hear mai we set before our eies who ar to be trusted in this wicked worlde so full of disceit and who are not They onlye which do seke godlines and vertue and setteth much bi the truth of the woorde of God for thys truthe is mightier then women then wine then the kinge it ouercommeth all It conquereth falshed it condempneth flattery it driueth away blindnes it causeth the blinde to se the yong scoler to be wyser then the great Doctor it trieth al it espieth all it iudgeth it condemneth al. To the author and geuer of this truth be al glorye for euer Let vs no longer trust to manne therfore or make fleshe our arme in thys our wicked time wherin al are geuen to falshode to flatterye to deceit to couetous to ambicion to lyinge slaunderynge to al euils and wickednesse But contraryewise say with our Prophet euery one of vs bothe kinge and subiecte The Text I will loke vnto the Lorde I wil trust vnto God my sauior my God wil heare me Whether it be in the day of my visitacion wheÌ„ aduersitie shal come vpoÌ„ me or in the day of prosperitie wheÌ„ these flatterers shal folow me I wil regard nothing but the Lord I wil truste to none but to God my sauiour The Lorde God is the measurer of mi trouble he can wil hear my cry deliuer me from al peril Therfore wil I cal vnto the Lord with the holy king Dauid Psa iii. Psalm iii. O God how are mine ennemies multiplied howe manye doth rise vp against me Many doth say vnto mi soul his God shal not saue him but thou O God act the sheilde ouer me My glory and the lifting vp of my head I wil cry vnto the Lord wyth my voyce and he wil hear from his holy hil O thou mine enemy reioise not against me that I am falleÌ„ The Text I am risen vp againe And thoughe I shuld sit in darknes the Lord is my lght I wyl beare the displesure of the Lord because I haue sinned against him whiles that heaueng my cause do iudgmeÌ„t for me For he wil briÌ„g me into light I shal se his rightousnes TheÌ„ mine enemi shal behold be ashamed which saith vnto me wher is the lord thy god mine eies shall behold her and now shall she be troden vnder the foote like the mire of the stretes Three thnges are here to be obserued in thys humble confession of the sinner whether thou do vnderstaÌ„d it in the persoÌ„ of a perticuler synner or in the parsoÌ„ of the multitude of Israel led into captiuity Fyrst a consideracion and know ledgynge of the synnes committed agaynst God and therefore pacience to beare and to suffer what so euer the lord shal lay vpoÌ„ theyr backs SecoÌ„dly wher such as are chastened of the Lord are alwayes of the wycked world despised reuiled and skorned vniustli and without cause whych doth augment theyr heauines Here is the aduenging therof and the iudgement of theyr innocencye towardes theyr enemies whych do persecute them committed vnto God Thirdlye here is ful and perfit fayhte of God hys fauour in the middes of the afflyccions and hope of a comfortable ende of them to the glory of god to the confusion shame and destruccion of al hys enemyes to be learned For the fyrst Dauid cryeth O Lorde enter not thou into iudgemeÌ„te with thy seruaunt for in thy syghte no lyuynge creature shal be iustified For the second part he dare be bold to say iudge me accordynge to my ryghtuousnes and the xxxv Psa thorowe out for this purpose For the third he saith Though I do syt in darcknes and in the shadow of death yet arte thou with me So fyrmelye perswaded of God hys fauoure in the middes of the trouble are the elect of God that they saye alwaye with Paule who shall separate vs from the fauoure of God shal affliccyon shal anguishe shal persecucion shall hunger shall nakednesse shall peryl daunger or swearde Naye thou haste thus appointed ordeyned and therefore warned vs longe before That we shoulde bee slayne euerye daye for thy sake and counted like shepe readye to the slaughter but in al this we do ouercome by him whiche hathe loued vs. And as Paul saith in another place we do glorye in oure afflyccion knoweinge that affliccion bringinge pacience pacience bringeth trial and hoope in the ende whiche is neuer shamed This lesson of comforte maye euerye pryuate personne fealinge him selfe smitten for hys synne learn of our Prophet But farther nowe hee speaketh in the person of the Iewes and of the hole church chosen of God and the like thinges for them maye bee marked besydes the fall of the Chaldees of Antechrist of al Tirauntes persecutoures of the elect people whiche shall by the conqueste of Christe theyr heade make all theyr enemies as theyr foote stole to treade vpon theym lyke the myre of the streate as is here prophecied Therfore must we bear pacientli a litle while and we shal satisfye our eyes with the sight of theyr fall by the iuste iudgmente of God and venginge oure cause like as they haue with oute cause vniustly triumphed ouer vs hated oppressed and murthered vs deseruing no such cruelty at theyr hands for too the Lorde longeth vengaunce And he wyll perfourme it Reade the .v. Chapter of wisdome to the end For the declaration of all thys To note also the Phrases of lyghte and darckenesse lighte signifieth knowledge and comfort Esaye ii.ix.xlii.xlix.lx.lxi Mathew .iiii. Luke .ii. Darkenes the contrary persecution blyndenesse sorowe Esaye .xiii. Lamentacions .v. Micha iii. Psam .lxix. To se also and to beholde the ennemye is to reioyse at the fall of hym whiche the
A COMMENtarye vpon the Praphet Mycha Wrytten by Antony Gilby Anno domi M.D. Li. ☞ A preface wyth the sum of the Chapters and the tyme and lyfe of the Prophet ¶ The word of God to Micha of Maresha in the dayes of Iotham Achas Iehiskiah kings of Iuda whyche he dyd see ouer Samaria and Ierusalē WE do nede no newe Prophets We do nede no mo Prophecyes We do nead no mo Miracles sygnes or tokens whyche nowe do lyue in these latter dayes if we will call olde thynges to memorye neither of wee wyll beleue the olde hystoryes reported by Moyses and the terryble threatnynges of the Prophets Could wee beleue if the greateste miracles of raysinge the deade to speake amongs vs were wroughte in oure dayes as Christe oure sauyoure saythe too the ryche glotten Wherfore suffer me I beseeche the too renewe olde thynges wrytten by thys Prophete Micha the mooste earneste rebuker of vyce in hys tyme and the mooste dylygente watch man to warne bothe of good and euyl for to come vpō his people and if so be that the wordes of this olde truthe do chayfe your olde sores in thys perilous tyme wherein all olde euyls seme too haue dysgysed them selues wyth new vysers rather suffer them to be ripped to the hearde coore then to spurne impudentlye against the prycke to striue agaynst the streame For the time is at hande by the vnchaungeable appoyntmente of the euerliuinge Lord moste myghtye Iudge when euery man shal be tryed and Iudged approued of refused by the thoughtes of hys hearte by the woordes of hys mouthe and by the fruyts of his owne imaginacions Therfore this diligent watchman warneth especiallye of this iudgment in the entrye into his prophecye in the fyrste Chapter sayinge that the Lord hym selfe wyll come downe moste terrybly to the wycked the mountains shall melte the valeis shall vade and vanish like waxe before the firy flame And in the seconde chapter he crieth forthe woo dampnacion and the sore vengaunce of God agaynste the vaine thoughtes and Imaginacions of thee mighty men of the world against their wicked workes and threatenynges of the true Prophetes In the thyrde Chapter he rypeth more neare the coare of theyr crueltye and extorsion He vttereth the flattery of their chaplaines as we do cal them the false prophetes flearynge vppon them for aduauntage and bolsterynge them vp in wyckednesse the lynkynge together of the Iudges and high Offycers theyr brybery and auarice and for theyr wyckednes he threatneth vtter desolacion to their cities In the .iiii. he promiseth a kingdom farre contrarye to thys kyngedome to come vppon earthe full of knowledge quietnes and peace which is the kingdome of Messiah wherin all the chosē Iacob shal be restored to theyr honour promysed and theyr ennemyes vtterlye destroyed In the .v. he threatneth the desolacion of Ierusalem the robbers doughters as Iherome dothe translate and immediatlye adioyneth a large plain promise of Messiah oure sauiour to be borne in Bethlē a despised vyllage he declareth hym to be both God man and sheweth howe he shall fede Iacob and be his peace But he shall fede the land of Nimroth with their ennemies wyth theyr owne swearde poyntes In the sixte he contendeth wyth the people in the person of God for their ingratitude teachynge the true worshyppe of God to stande in iudgmente mercye and the reuerēce of the sacrate magesty of the almyghtie He detesteth in the parson of God al dysceytful dealyng and promiseth worthy recompens and iust rewardes for al euyll doers In the .vii. and last Chapter the prophet bewaileth the skarsitye of the good the smal truste of worldely frendeshyp he teacheth paciēce he geueth comfort he promyseth delyueraunce to faythfull Iacob to the shame and confusyon of God hys ennemyes and the land and prayse of God hys greate mercye truthe Amen This haue we heare in this Prophet holesome doctryne for al ages For the spyryte of God seeth from time to time contynuallye oure iniquytyes and stryueth euermore there agaynste No hyll is so hyghe no valleye so low that he seeth not He shaketh the foundacyōs of the earthe when he rebuketh the world in the rygoure of his wrath Let vs therfore remember the olde world before vs plaged for synne drowned for theyr wyckednes and feare the fyre of goddes wrath threatned by the Prophetes to be kyndled in these laste tymes to the euerlastynge destruccion of all euyll doers who wyth the deuyll and his aungels shal haue aworme the whyche shal hereafter gnaw and grate theyr conscience for euer and a fyry tormente whyche shall neuer be quenched whereof our Prophet warneth the wycked worlde threatnyng woo and damnacyon wyth feruente spryt and sorow of hearte brastynge forth into teares yellynge and syghinge for the euils he dyd saye towardes them Micha i. For thys Prophet Micha semeth to be another Eliah feruent in spyryt and zeloous for the glory of God he was of the pryncelye trybe of Iuda and therefore acquaynted wyth the pryuy practises of the potentates prynces he did wel inoughe know theyr ydle deuyses theyr vayne imagynacyons and cold espye the lynkynge together of the highe officers and Iudges He liued in the time of Esaiah Hoseah and Amos vnder these .iii. kinges Iothana Achas Hezechiah A man of suche an hygh reuelacyon that Esaiah dare alledg the greateste mysteryes of his hole prophecy of the spiritual kyngedome of Christe and of the greate tranquyllytye vnder him by the same woordes that thys manne of God Micha hadde spoken theym It shal be in the laste daies and so forth Esa .ii. Hieremiah also alledgeth hym by name sayinge Micha of Marescha was a Prophet in the dayes of Ezekiah and saythe to al the people of Iuda Thus saythe the Lorde of hostes Sion shal be plowed lyke the feilde and Iherusalem shall be an heape of stones and the hyll of the house of the Lord shal be an hyghe woode Hierem .xxvi. and the came is red the thyrde Chapter of oure Prophet worde for word We do reade of ii Prophetes of this name The fyrst is named Micha the sō of Iemla an Israelite whom Achab did saye that he had onlye lefte one a lyue amonges all the Prophets of the lord but I do hate hym saythe he for he neuer Prophecyed good towardes me .iii. kynges .xxii. The other is of Iuda our prophet which liued almost .ii. C. yeres after the first Micha He was borne in a city called Maresha which is in the trybe of Iuda Iosua .xv. Hys propheci is general to al cities cuntries but vnto Ierusalē to Samaria he chiefly vttereth hys threatninges because there he dyd knowe and see theyr wyckednes to bee great amongs whom he dyd see cruelti extorsiō tyranni couetousnes auarice ambicion the cōtempt of God his true religion Idolatry and lyke abhominaciōs to raygne not onely vnpunyshed but by the chiefe Lordes greatest Peares and Prynces practysed vsed and frequented In
wyth Dauid that we fall into the hand of God rather then into the handes of men The second Chapter WO to them that imagin vanity and worke wyckednes vpon theyr beds and early in the mornynge wyll do the same The Text because that power is in theyr handes They couetted fieldes and haue goten them by extorcion houses haue they desyred and taken them awaye They haue by vyolence oppressed the man and hys house the man and hys herytage Oure Prophet here to fore hath chiefly rebuked the people for theyr Idolatry and vnthankfulnes towardes god Now when he commeth to touch theyr grosse couetousnes agaynste theyr brethren he is compelled to cry wo worthe them that thus wyckedlye lyinge vpon theyr soft beds wher they should thank God for hys benefits and pytye theyr brethern whych haue not the like doth cleane contrary imagin only lying vpoÌ„ theyr beds in the nyghte season howe they may work wyckedly agaynst their poore brethren and in the mornynge do speedelye perfourme theyr wycked dyuyses Thys is so playne it needeth no expositour the Prophet telleth theym what they imagin only how they maye get theyr neighbours house and liuing We al grauÌ„t thys is playne we say al the thys is true we do coÌ„fesse an euerlastyng wo and cursse shal come vpon such couetous caytyfes but whych of vs careth for it The poore man sayeth thys curs belongeth not to hym The Lords and riche menne they care but for the tyme. The Bishops and priestes do loke ouer as the deuyll dothe loke ouer Lincoln as is the common prouerb of that countrye or els durste they neuer practise for purchasyng other mens landes and houses to make theyr wifes ladies and theyr sons Lords Yet can I prayse the Bishops of the Popishe churche for their clenly coÌ„uetauÌ„ce of their matters in regarde of our protestauntes whyche thus opeÌ„ly shame theyr profession Wil you yet be a church all alone O English Bishops and and priestes wyll you neyther folow Christ nor his Apostles neyther the Bishoppe of Rome and his Bishoppes At you wyser then the one sort or wyl you be worsse then the other What shall Isai You do know inough What shall I heape scrypture and reasons agaynst you repente or elsse with the Prophete we muste all crye wo wo agaynste you it is youre ambycyon and couetousnesse that maketh oure Lords heades and gouernoures to do so euyll you can not worthelye rebuke them beinge euyll your selues Therefore our alder Master Christe commynge to reform the world begynneth wyth the Scribes and Pharises the Byshoppes and thee priests and thoÌ„dereth wo against them Sayinge the Scribes and Pharises set in Moyses seate whatsoeuer they commaunded you that looke you obserue kepe but do not accordiÌ„g to their works for they speake but thei do not Wo therfore vnto you saith Christe whiche shut the kyngedome of heauen vnto menne neyther enterynge youre selues neyther sufferinge theym that woulde enter Marcke for thee loue of youre owne soules howe lyke you be to these Pharises they did set in Moises seate and dyd teache and preache the lawe of God as you do somtimes But because they dyd loue the worldlye kyngdome and Lordeshyp more then the kyngdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ as Christe here chargeth theÌ„ that they wyl be greate and be called Lordes and masters by this lewd example they shut the kyngdome of heauen that neyther they nor other blynded by theyr ambycyon led astraye by their euyll example colde enter therin Woo vnto you Scribes and Pharises saythe he you Hypocrytes whyche doo deuoure the houses of the wyddowes vnder the pretence of longe prayer therfore shal you be more greuouslye punyshed You knowe that the goodes of your sees and churches althose lands and rentes whyche you receyue in youre Dioces are the goodes of the poore wedowes and fatherlesse And he that defrawdeth the pore is a Murtherer How dare you then deuoure thys to purchase landes for youre wyfe and chyldrene But you dooe it vnder the pretence of the Gospel as they dyd vnder the pretence of prayer therefore doothe Christe call you Hipocrites whiche vnder so holye a clooke dare couer your wickednes and he saythe forther youre damnacyon shall be greater Shall we goo forther and say Wo to you Scribes and Pharises whyche laboure so busylye wyth flearyng and flatteryng wyth threatnynge and prysonnynge to gather moo into your feloweshyppe too weare youre gaye geare too take youre vayne tytles wyth you that when they haue stepte forwarde too one peace of your supersticyon they become more soorar defenders of youre fondenesse then you were before them Shall we say Wo vnto you Scrybes and Pharyseis whych stryue for the gaye golden garmentes too be vsed at the Lords supper and for settynge of the aulter in the quyere and for rounde Cakes and for the people too gape and take theym in theyr mouthes lyke Babes But for the godlye ministracion of this holi supper and for the church and faithfull congregacion of Christe scattered a broade with Popyshe Boores deuoured wyth couetouse and greadye Wolfes Beares and Lions and trodeÌ„ vnder the fote with stinkinge Goates you do care nothynge I wyll goo no further but in the name of thys youre head Bishoppe whome you professe to folowe I warne you to repent least this woo and cursse come vpon you and for your causes vpon vs al. You are the salt of the earth if the salte be vnsauery what canne be seasoned therewyth I truste verelye there is some good amonges you that be Byshops and Priestes but in thys poynt ar you al that I knowe fowllye faultye that wyncke at your felowe Byshoppes and felowe priestes both in purchasing of Landes gatherynge of ryches and other abhominatyons Awaye wyth couetousnesse the roote of all euilles Awaye with your Lordlines which maketh you vnlyke Peter and take vnto you larges for your gold n Miter and mekenes for youre rotehet Bewyse as Serpents but simple as Doues So wicked Achab oppressing Naboth and his companions be they Noble menne be they penne menne wherof this worlde is ful I do cry wyth Esay the Prophet woo vnto you whych do iâ—ine house to house and field to field Esay .v. and with the Prophet Ieremye woo vnto hym that buyldeth his house in vnrightuousnes and his parlers not in Iudgement and wyth the Apostle Iames. Go to nowe you rych men weepe and howle vpoÌ„ the miseries whych shal come vpon you c. Ia. v. Know thys olde saying to be most true Euery rych man eyther is wicked or heyre to the wycked There be manye secret imaginacions and priuy practyses wherwyth both Byshops and other myghte here worthelye be charged but thys do I wryte secretly to admonyshe that they may be moued to repeÌ„taunce not openly to publish any pryuy secrete seyng theyr open crymes asketh speedy vengaunce Wherfore take heede al ye that imagyne vanitye and myckednes in youre secrete chambers thynkynge to begyle both God and man by your wyly
saye let vs goo vp into the hyll of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs of hys waies and we shal walke in hys pathes for the lawe shall go forth of Sion and the worde of the Lord from IerusaleÌ„ and he shal iudge many nacioÌ„s and correct strong and myghty people for a loÌ„g tyme. And they shal breake theyr swerds into shares and theyr speares into syckles And one nacion shall not lyfte a sweard against another neither shal thei lern the feates of war ani more but eueri maÌ„ shal sit vnder his vyne vnder hys fygtree no man shal a fraye hym for the mouth of the lord hathe spoken it Esay the Prophet in hys secoÌ„d chap. hathe his same Prophecye the which of all our interpretours and of the Iewes also is vnderstande to be of theyr Messiah and Christe oure sauiour but after a sondrye sorte For we do take it that the Prophet in his time seing in the earthlye Ierusalem religion neglected iudgment peruerted and iustice banished did caste vp the eies of his spirite into that great and highe hyl wherof Ihon speaketh in the .xxi. of his reuelacion and did see the house of the Lorde the spouse of the Lambe the greate city the holy Ierusalem comminge down from heauen hauynge the clearnes of God and al maÌ„ner of vertues and al kynde of knowledge whiche is mente by those manyfolde stones there named So that al the people whiche shall be saued shall come therunto shal walke in the lyghte therof and the kyngs of the earth shal bring theyr glorye vnto it Nothing polluted or defyled shall enter into it Apoca. xxi Thus semeth Saynte Ihon to vtter in other woordes the same Prophecy whiche Micheas and Esaias dyd speake loÌ„g before Euen as the sprite of oure heaueÌ„lye father for the comforte of the electe shulde thus speake vnto vs. Be of good comforte my chyldren though you se mi worde despysed my lytle flocke scattered my pore oppressed it shal not be alwaye thus I haue appoynted a tyme. when I wyll haue the mastrye when I wyll rayse vp the hyll of my house my chosen I do meane aboue all hylles aboue all the hyghe and gloryous things in the worlde that the Heathen shall flowe vnto it The whyche thynge was fulfylled partlye when it pleased him at the time appointed to send his sonne so to be exalted that he shuld drawe althinges vnto hym When he commaunded all his to bee of good courage for he had ouercome the worlde when he spoeyled the Prynces and powers and put them to vtteraunce tryumphynge ouer theim by hym selfe Collo ii That thys hyll of the Lords house might be exalted Christe gaue him selfe for it that he myght sanctyfye it Epheci v. that he myght make it for hymself a gloryous congregacyon wythout spotte or wrynkle agaynst the whyche house because it standeth of a sure rock the gates of hell canne not preuayle neither death nor lyfe nor angels nor rule nor power shal be able to dryue this spirituall house forthe of gods fauoure no the Deuyls dare laye nothynge too the charge of thys churche and house of the faythfull For the Lorde euen the God of Iacob dwelleth in it and who dare stande againste it Thus lo the true temple of God and the house wherin the holy gost dwelleth which ar we so manye as do beleife .i. Cor. iii. at the commynge of oure sauyoure Christe was exalted sette aboue all the hyghe mountaynes great glori pompe pride of this world The whiche glorye beinge published by Christ and his Apostles it brought forth fruyte throughoute the hole worlde in Asia Africa and Europa Then began they to clyme vppe vnto the hil of God that is to the hil of knowledge to be taughte in the wayes of the Lord and to walke in his pathes as our Prophet dothe declare him selfe When the gospel dyd fyrste come forth of Sion and the gracious worde and wyll of the Lord did spring from Ierusalem Then they come from the East to the West to seke this glory to sit and rest in the bosome of faythful Abraham in this glorious Ierusalem Thys is the reaste that foloweth where all shall bee soo quyet that they shall breake theyr sweardes into Mattockes and they re speares into sythes neuer to stryue nor fyghte in thys holye hyll of the heauenlye Ierusalem Wherunto we muste lyfte vp the eyes of oure spyrytes contynuallye stryuinge to mortifye the fleshe whyche canne not enter therein because it is polluted Thys reaste is onlye begonne in thee spirituall manne in thys lyfe and canne not be made perfite tyil the last ennemye be ouercome whyche is deathe This is oure beleife grounded vpon scripture of this glorious raising vp of the hil of the house of the lord Now the Iewes doth stycke to the outwarde letter and naked wordes bothe in thys and manye other textes touchynge the restitution of their temple and kingdom And surely as the Lorde God seeth from the begynninge of al hys works to the ende of the same and hys gyftes are wythoute repentaunce and the sprete of God dothe promyse greate thynges to that nacyon because theyr fathers were the roote and theirs was the adoptyon glorye and testament to them was the law geuen the ceremonies and the promises of theÌ„ was christ concerning the flesh And so maiâ—â—t be by the secrete woorke of god that by this clear light of the gospel so wonder fully spred amoÌ„ges vs in these last daies they shall confesse their greate crymes and greuous offeÌ„ces of Christ refused and theyr blasphemyes agaynst the son of God and so God in them be glorified amongs al nacions which shal heare the mercies of the Lord towards them what promises they haue if they do repent read .xxx. of Deut. and of theyr returne in the last dayes Ose iii. S. Paul also seemeth to delate thys matter Ro. xi askynge for what purpose they dyd fall and aunswereth God forbyd that they al dyd so fal that they shoulde all perysh But by theyr fall saluacion dyd come to the Gentyles for thys purpose to prouoke them euen the Iewes to folow the same and farther sayth Paul if theyr fal were the ryches of the world and theyr decay the ryches of the Gentyls how much more the fulnes of theÌ„ And if the castyng awaye of the Iewes were the reconcilyng of the world what shall be the receiuinge of them but lyfe brought from the dead Agayne I wyll not haue you ignoraunt of this mystery sayth Paul that ye be not hye minded among your selues that blyndnes hath chanced to Israel But in parse whyles that the fulnes of the Gentyls shoulde enter and then al Israel shoulde be saued againe By the Gospel they ar enemyes for you but by the eleccion thei are bee loued for they re fathers For the gyftes and callynge of God are suche that he can not repent of them For like as
serued in the temple wyth praying and fastynge professed thys to bee the redemer of Israel Yea the voice of God from heauen in the presence of many people doth confyrme al thys saying thys is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare you hym The myracles wythout number both in hys lyfe tyme when he cured al dyseases both of body and soule When he caused the wyndes to cease the seas to obeye and deathe to geue place and in hys death when he caused the heauens to shet the earth to shake the sunne to loose hys lyght And after hys death also when he caused the hels to open the graues to geue againe theyr prysonats What wyll you haue more Hys mooste ennemyes the Scrybes and Pharyseis coulde not saye in conscience but that al these wonders were doone by the fyngar of God and the sougiours wyth theyr captayne whych kepte hym at hys deathe was compelled to crye Truelye thys is the verye sonne of God Math. xxvii Yea the verye deuyls were dryuen to confesse hym to bee Iesus the sonne of God Math. viii Mark .v. Luke .viii and yet some whych do beare his name called Christians and some twyse christened as they cal it dare denye vnto hym thys glory O blasphemye intollerable yea al the power of Sathan and all the gates of hel haue not bene able to beate downe the church buylt vpon thys confession as Christ out sauioure promysed Math. xvi thoughe contynuallye thys M.D. and Li. yeares they haue wyth the swerd hangyng and burnyng moste despitefully stryuen agaynst it and yet these blynde beastes dare attempt such foly Yea thoughe the Iewes thoughe the Turkes thoughe the Aryans and the Anababtistes and al the lying rable of the deuyls sougiers labour and striue al that in them lyeth to hinder and stop the kyngdom of this child borne in despysed Bethelem as he is man but commyng forth from old from euerlastyng as he is god Yet lo it is now dilated and spred a longe tyme throughe the whole world and at thys present moste gloryously spreadeth and triumpheth ouer al. Embrace therefore the sonne least he be angrye and you doo peryshe foorthe of the way al you ragyng people and vain imaginers agaynst our Christe Y◠you gather you and sette you agaynste thys Messiah the euerlyuing lord wyl laugh you to scorne For he hath anointed him kyng vpon Sion hys holye temple He wryteth it in hys euerlastyng decree He calleth hym hys sonne he geueth hym power ouer al people to rule them wyth the yron scepter and so folowing of the kyngdome of Christ Psal ii Agaynst the aduersaryes therefore of thys kyngdome whyche are the Antychristes wherof we are so oft warned in the scriptures Suffer me I pray you to make a short digression not for any sotie arguments that I wil bring against them for that is contrarye bothe to my purpose and profession But for my zele sake simply to vtter the words of truth yf by that way we may win but any one of thē It is not sayd for noughte by the holy Apostle Heb. iiii The word of god is lyuelye and myghtye in operacion sharper then any twoo edged swearde Therfore wyl I vse the sweard of God hys holy scriptures to cutte of theyr errours desyryng oure heauenlye father wil houte whom no man can come vnto Christ to drawe some of these blynded and loste shepe home againe to hys son Christe theyr only shepperde and to hys fold holy felowship of the faithful lyuynge in Christen vnytye to the glorye of hys name and the delatinge and enlargynge of his glorious kyngdome There be .ii. sortes of the aduersaryes of thys kingdome the one denieth him to be God the other to be mā wherfore I wyll declare and proue by open scriptures Christ God and Man FYrste that the Messiah promysed shulde be verye man euen of the seede of man as we doo reade Genes iii. that the womannes seede shal breake the serpentes heade agayne Gen. xii saythe God vnto Abraham in the shal al the kynredes of the earthe bee blessed and declaringe howe thys shall come too passe in thee xvii Chapter he promyseth to Abraham and to Sarai a sede wyth whom he wil make an euerlastynge leage and couenaunte And in the .xxii. Chapter after he had broughte thys promised seede to be a slaine sacrifice as the Lorde hadde commaunded thys was again from heauen pronounced that in the sede of Abraham all nacions shoulde be blessed And in the .xxvi. Chapter vnto his sonn◠Isaac was the same promyse renewed wyth these same words In thy sede shal al the nacyons be blessed Againe to his sonne Iacob in the .xxviii. of Genesis al the kynreds of the earthe shal be blessed in the and thy seede saythe the Lorde Agayne saithe Iacob in the spyryte of Prophecye to hys chyldrene The scepter shall not bee taken frome Iuda nor the ruler from his seat whyles that Messiah do come and to him shal the people be gathered Loo thus by playne testymonies mooste auncient euen from the beginninge maye it bee proued Messiah oure Christ to be appoynted man of the seede of manne And after the troublous tymes when all theyr captaines fayled as Micha dyd Prophecy then forthe of a litle village of the tribe of Iuda shuld come oure Christe the appointed and anoynted ruler ouer the faithful Israel And to let you vnderstande whyche are the ennemyes to Christ his kyngdome that you do striue in vayne there against mark that Balaam prouoked bi the king Balaac colde speake nothyng agaynste thys kingdome which he did se more thē a thousand .d. yeres to come after hym but dydde reuerence it a farre of saying There shal ryse a starre from Iacob and a rodde from Israel whiche shall stryke the captaynes of Moab Of Iacob shall come thys greate Lorde whyche shal destroye the remnaunte forthe of the cytye Numer xxiiii Thus are the enemyes of oure Christe compelled to knoweledge hym a man of the seede of Iacob and a gloryous kynge ouer all hys ennemyes tryumphynge Agayne Deut. xviii Moses the seruaunte of God dare say thus A Prophete vp frome amonges thy brethrene euen lyke me shall the Lorde thy God raise vnto the whosoeuer shall not heare hym I wyll requyre it of him Loo nowe heare is the humilitie of Christ his man hode set forthe but so that whosoeuer is the despiser of him and hys doctryne hathe thys playnly promised that he shall gyue accomptes for it and God hym selfe wyll questyon wyth hym the cause whye he hathe refused him For so standeth the Hebrewe Beware therfore as Esay sayth and take hede vnto your selues from the man whose breathe is in hys nostrelles for wherin he is reputed though he be very man and therfore despised yet is he of the Lorde onlye regarded Agayne in the Psalme lxxxviii We do reade I haue sworn to Dauid my seruaunte for euer wyll I prepare thy sede and wyl stablish thy seate
frō generaciō to generaciō And in the Psal cxxx most playnelye The Lorde hathe sworne to Dauid and wyll not deceyue I wyll set vpon thy seate the fruite of thy wombe the whyche place holy Peter alledginge to the Iewes Actes .ii. doth name it the fruyte of the loynes of Dauid forseinge by the spyryte that suche an Artycle of oure faythe whyche shoulde be so much impugned hadde neade to bee payneted wyth moost playne woordes And what canne be more playne I praye you to declare hym too haue bene verye fleshe and verye manne then thus to haue named him too haue come of thee seede of thee loynes and forthe of the wome of Dauid And if you do stycke of the woorde and name of a manne reade .iii. kinges .ii. chapter Thou shalte alwaye haue a manne to sit in thy seat ouer Israel and in the ende the seate of Dauid shall bee stable before the Lorde for euer So that thys maye be suffycyente too all theym whyche wyth anye thynge wyll be satisfied that the Messiah and sauyoure promysed is verye man Who so wyl search mo scryptures lette hym read the .vii. of Esaye where is playnelye Prophecyed that he shall be borne of a Virgin in the iiii Chapter he is called the braunche of the Lorde and the fruyte of the earthe where bothe hys natures are touched Like as oure Prophete dothe mooste plainelye painte him foorthe in boothe kindes also sayinge that he shoulde be borne in Bethlem a village of small reputacion because it was able too make but a small noumber in the musters and taxes when the people were noumbred by hondrethes and thousandes as was then vsed and we doo vse the same styll to thys daye The whyche woordes of oure Prophete that hee shoulde come foorthe of lytle Bethlehem to rule ouer Israell doothe declare hys mannehode lyke as the woordes folowing His comminge foorthe is from old from euerlastinge vttereth hys Godhead For only God hathe bene frome euerlastynge Thus is your Messiah painted vnto you God and manne O vnbeleuinge nacyon The stone whiche you doo refuse being folishe builders is made the chief cornor stone of God his holy buildinge Esay did also vtter this vnto you in moste plaine wordes saying A child is born vnto vs a son is geuē vnto vs vpō his shulder shal be the kingdome and he shall be called meruelous the counsel geuer the myghtye God the euerlastynge father the Prince of Peace of the multiplying of his kingdome and of hys peace there shal be no ende He shall sette vppon the seate of Dauid and vpon his kingdome to sette vp the same and too stablyshe it in equitie and rightuousnes from hensforthe for euermore Esaye .ix. Heare is he named a childe borne whiche shoulde be king which oppresseth his manhode All the other wordes do moste playnelye describe the pore and propertyes of hys God heade who so shall worthelye ponder them and if nothinge canne serue to satyfye your styffe stomackes onles you haue the hyghe name of God Iouah ascribed to oure Christe youre Messiah as some of you impudently canne answer Vouchsafe to reade the Prophet Ieremy in the .xxiii. chapter and ther you shal most plainly find it so Lo the daies shal come faith the Lord and I will raise vp to Dauid a rightuous braunche and he shall raigne kinge and prospere He shal do iudgemente and iustice in the earthe In those dayes shal Iuda be saued Israel shal dwell boldly this is hys name wherewyth they shall call hym Iouah Sidkenu by interpretacion God whych is whiche hathe beene whyche shall be by whome all thynges haue theyr being is oure ryghteousnes for so muche is cōprehended in the Hebrew Iouah as was sayde in the fyrste leafe And thys is the hyghe name whyche the Iewes do agre neuer to be geuen to any creature Therfore we do conclude against thē that our Christ is God the only creatour of whō al creatures haue their essēce substaūce beyng as thys word importeth Agayn wher as it is wrytten Psalme .c.ix. The Lorde sayed vnto my Lord sytte of my right hand whiles that I make thyne enemies thy fotestole And Christ our Lord demaundeth of your Doctoures Pharyses if Christe were Dauid sonne as the scriptures compelled them too confesse How then calleth Dauid hym lord by the spyryte so longe afore And if he be Dauides Lorde howe then is he hys sonne The whiche questyon hath vexed your braynes whyche denye hym too be God thys M. ccccc yeres Therfore fall downe and worshyppe oure Christe as God lyke as the xc.vi Psalme doth teache you that al the aungels of heauen shall worshyp hym and you shal vnderstande not onlye thys questyon but al those same places of the Psalms and Prophetes whyche you doo nowe reade wyth a vayle and myste before your eyes Psalme xliiii.lxxxviii cix cxxxi Esa iiii vii viii.ix.xi.xxviii.xl.xlii.xlv.xlvi.xlix.lii liii lxii Ieremy xxiiii.xxx.xxxiii Ezech. xvii xxxiiii.xxxvii Daniel ii.ix. Mich. v. Agge ii Baruch iii. Osee xiii vi Ioel. ii Amos. ix zacharye iii. xiii Malache iii. Ionah the fygure of Christ hys deathe and resurreccion Whych places I doo note for the godly that they may se Christ to haue beene the shoote anker of the Prophetes ▪ and chyefe marke of theyr Prophecyes What shall I nede to brynge forth anye place of the newe Testament seinge that standeth hollye vpon this doctryne that Iesus Christe is God and manne and by thys you maye knowe the spirite of God saythe Saynt Ihon. Euerye spirite whych confesseth Iesus Christ to become in the flesh is of God Ihon. iiii And euery spirit which doth not confes Iesu Christ to becom in the flesh is not of God And this is the spirit of Antechrist saythe Saynt Ihon. And before in the thyrde Chap. Who is a lyer but he that denyeth Iesus too bee Christe Thys same is Antychryste whyche denyeth boothe the father and the sonne And who so denyeth the sonne neither hath the father Therefore embrace the sonne and receyue hym wyth a kysse leaste hee be angry and you do perysh forth of the way Psal ii We do know that the son of God is come and hath geuen vs hartes to know hym whych is true and we are in thys truthe in hys sonne Iesus Christ Thys is the true God and euerlastyng lyfe i. Ihon. v. We doo confesse wyth S. Paule that Christe is borne of the Iewes as touchyng the flesh which is God in al thynges to be praysed for euer Rom. ix We do professe thys faith whych holye Ihon Baptyste preached That our sauiour Christ though he dyd come after Ihon as touchyng the carnal natiuity Yet is he far mightiar then Ihon and Baptiseth vs wyth the holy Gost and wyth fyre Hys fan is in hys hand to pourge hys flower and he wyll gather hys wheate into hys barne and burne the chaffe wyth vnquenshed fyre We do beleue that at hys Baptyme the holye Goste dyd come downe inuisible
haue not earnestlye repented with mourninge and fastinge for theese abhomininacions as did the Niniuites Therefore as Olda answered too the good kinge Iosiah that the Lorde woulde shewe of his mercies vnto him because he did cutte his clothes and wepte when he hearde the threateninges of God againste his countries Neuerthelesse he woulde bring al those euilles vppon that place and vppon the inhabitauntes of the land because thei hadde forsaken God and worshipped straunge Goddes prouokinge God vnto wrathe in al the workes of their own handes So canne oure people and contrye nothynge at all repentyng of theyr former euyll but styll euer more and more prouokinge the wrathe of God vppon them Some by the desyre thei haue to theyr olde Idolles Some by theyr Sorcerers Charmes Enchantmentes soothesayinges Manye by adulterye lasciuious wantonnes and fleshlye lybertye and all by ambicion or couetousnesse pillinge pollinge and brybynge-from their brethren Looke for none other thynge onlesse they vnfaynedlye forthewith shewe the worckes of repentaunce but miserye calamitie destruction famine darthe diseases pestilence and theswearde in the ende of foraynenacyons Yea whyche is mooste terrible of al we do feale the wrathe of God so kendled amonges vs all readye that we are lyke Pharao hardened in our sinnes euen plaged contynuallye with the encrease of new vices and newe dyleases folowing Was there euer suche inuencions in any worlde for pollynge of the people was there euer suche shamelesse whordome suche wedlocke breakinge Can it be denied that Paul writeth to the Romains because they haue chaunged the glory of the God immortal in the lykenes of mortal corruptible creatures Therfore hathe God geuen theym to folowe the lustes of theyr owne heartes in vnclennes with shame to abuse theyr own bodies together Reade the Chapter to the ende and you shall see the wrath of God greuously kindled in that al the vyces ther named as the punishmentes of sinne by sinne are moste euidentlye fallen vpon vs. And we maye feale the saying of the Prophet Ose to be most true The spirit of fornicacion hath deceiued you you haue gon a whoring froÌ„ your God Therfore shal your doughters bee harlots and your wises be whores O mercyfull Lorde leade vs not into thys greuous temptacion that oure sin shoulde be punyshed wyth the encrease of syn by the geuyng ouer of vs miserable sinners to our owne lustes For who canne bee able too beate hys synnes if thou strayght obserue them O Lord Make vs not lyke Caine Pharao and Iudas whiche dyd heape synne vppon sinne But giue vs heartes lyke the Niniuites too repente for oure synnes Haue pytye vppon oure yonge Kynge whoÌ„ thou of thy mercy diddest wonderfullye vouchsafe to gyue vnto vs at what time wee waited worthelye for thy sore scourge whome thou dyddeste fashyon and preserue in hys mothers woÌ„be and bryng forth into thys lyght wyth lyke maruel of thy almighty power Whom thou haste defended and kept wyth thy myghtye arme thys tyme of hys infancye from domestical and for an enemies Vnder home in hys weake and moste teÌ„der age thou haste caused to shyne forth the cleare lighte of thys Gospell which hathe bet downe the Idolles and Idolatrous aulters through oute hys â—ealme whereby amonges the Papists Turkes and Iewes thou hast made thi Britains to be bruted How be it al this hast thou so wroughte vnder a yonge chylde that the glorye myghte come holye vnto the and to no man mortall For the glorye of thy name therefore and for Iesus Christe hys sake whose honoure we doo seeke and kingdome wee desyre haue mercye vppon hym most mercyful father Make hym faythful as Dauid zealus lyke Hezechiah repentaÌ„t as Iosiah to hys people the professoures maynetayners of thy truth against all papistes Tuckes Iewes against al the powers of Antichrist Graunt thy manyfold and great mercyes that they may abhorre theyr owne wickednes and the wyckednes of their forefathers and walke nowe lyke the chyldren of thys great lyght the chyldren of thy kyngdome Graunte we besech thee O most mercyful father vnto al them whych do professe the truth of thy Gospel vnfayned repentaunce of al theyr syns fast confydence vpon thy great mercyes the renuing of theyr lyues according to the truth of thy word whych they do professe that they maye exhort one another to walk in thy light saying wyth the Prophete Osee Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord for he hath begone and wyll heale vs he wyll stryke vs and make vs whole Graunte this O Lord God that thy name be not euyl spoken of amonges thy enemyes So be it The .vi. Chapter HEare now what the euer liuing Lord sayth The Text Arise and contende wyth the mountaynes let the hyls heare thy voyce Heare O ye hyls the iudgement of the lord by whom al thynges haue theyr beynge and you strong foundacions of the earth geue eare for the lord hath a quarel wyth hys people and wyth Israel he wyl try hym selfe My people what haue I done to you or what greuous thynge haue I appoynted the aÌ„swer vnto me Because I haue brought the forth of the land of Egypte and from the house of bondage I haue redemed thee and I haue sent Moyses AaroÌ„ and Miriam before the. O my people remeÌ„ber I prai the what counsel Balake the king of Moab did begyn and what Bileam the son of Be or did answer hym from Siftim vnto Gilgal that thou myghtest know the ryghteousnes of the lorde After the sore threatenynges of the Gentyls the prophete returneth to reproue Israel the elect choseÌ„ people of ingratitude and vnthankefulnes callyng as it were heauen and earth to witnes as in the fyrst chapter and Esay .i. And first he sayth Geue good eare for you shal heare the euerlyuyng Lord the almyghtye by whome all thinges were create and do consist speake playnelye vnto you content to humble hym selfe so low as to opeÌ„ hys quarel to vtter the causes of hys wrath and to try him self in your owne coÌ„sciences to be faultles The Prophetes of all ages they are here coÌ„maunded to contende and striue wyth the mouÌ„taines and mighty meÌ„ of the world so is it theyr great labour peril danger to cause theÌ„ by any meanes to here the word of God Therfore was it sayd in the last verse of the fyft chap. I wil be aduenged in my wrath in my fury vpoÌ„ the people that hath not herd So that to harken to the voyce of God is better theÌ„ any sacrifice Therefore is heare so oft bet into the Iewes heades Here what the lord saith Let the hils here heare O ye mountaines thus the prophet warneth as it were a Bedle or Cryar of the common place to kepe sylence and to geue dylygent harkning to the voice of the almyghty He warneth the earth and al that therin is euen the very foundacions therof to gyue good eare Shal man then be deafe and stop hys eares The
downe and theyr highe lokes be brought lowe saythe Esay which is the meaninge of oure Prophete The Text And the hils shal melt For oure God is a consuminge fyre and who is able to abide the heat of his heauye displeasure and as Esay saith the Lorde shall come in fyre and hys Chariot shall be lyke a whyrle winde to vtter forthe hys furye wyth greate rage hys rebuke in the flame of fyre For in the fyre and the sweard shal the Lorde Iudge all fleshe Esay lxvi Now where the proude world dothe thinke that the lord liueth in the heauēs not seing nether regardīg their doings vpō earth our Prophet rebuketh that grosse opinion and telleth thē that as he dyd come terryble downe vpon the mounte Sinai when he dyd geue the lawe of the .x. commaundementes So wyll he come wyth fyre to make theyr heartes to melte when he wyll aske accomptes of the kepynge and fulfillynge of these holye commaundemēts The whiche fearefull communication and threatninge maye worthely cause vs in these latter daies vpon whom the end of the world is come to quake and tremble consideringe oure careles life whiche do al thinges so wilfullye and wickedlye as thoughe either ther were no God at al or no daye appoynted to make aunswere for oure doinges But the Lorde wyll come spedely from hys holye temple For the wickednes of Iacob The Text. all this and for the synne of the house of Israel After the Prophet haue threatned vtter destruccyon of the .ii. kingdomes Samaria Ierusalē set forthe by open similitude of the moūtaines melting the vallies cleauing in sondre like as wax doth before the fyrye flame he sheweth the cause of the ruin of thē bothe of the greate wrathe of God as all prophecies bee generall beynge geuen by one spirit whych seeth to the end euermore stryuyng agaynst the syn of al nacions So doth the spirite teach vs that the only cause of Gods wrath in al ages and al places is the synne and wyckednesse of the world for the which he said once It repenteth me that I made man Genesis .vi. For synne God destroyed the whole world whych he had made bothe man and beast saue only a seede reserued in the Arke to preach hys iustyce hys mercy in a new world renewed by hys spirit For the proude synful words of the old Giantes did the great plage of the confusion of languages come vp on the world whyche we doo feele vnto thys day so that one man vnto another beyng of a straunge nacion is made as it were a dombe and speecheles beaste For syn were the .v. cytyes brente wyth fyre For synne wer the old Giants Og kynge of Basan and the monstruous seede of Suachim destroyed For synne the Cananites the Heuites the Hethites the Iebusites and to be short after them who were placed in theyr Countryes the chosen Israelites beynge in noumber lyke the sande of the sea were myserably wasted destroyed and consumed The .iiii. pryncipall Monarchies whyche Daniel descrybeth be all beaten downe for sinne And the .x. litle hornes or kingdomes also hathe beene euery one of them ofter then once changed and translated Finally al realmes countryes townes and cities shall for synne haue the like ruine and destruccion Some sooner and sorar to cause the rest to repent and at the length all because the reward of synne is destrucciō by the myghty Lord hys vnchangeable ordynaunce So sore a thynge is synne in the syghte of God that who so euer synneth deserueth death This was the old learning which the Lord taught Adam in Paradise whych al the seede of Adam feeleth and tasteth continuallye and yet can neyther see nor auoyde the cause of theyr destruccion but as Media dyd say Euen seyng wittyng and wyllyng we do perysh Who was the cause of synne to Iacob was it not Samaria The Text and who of the hie places of Iuda was it not Ierusalem Thys sentence can not stand as it is cōmonly translate what is the syn because the interogatiue in the Hebrew is the Masculine gēder therfore must be referred to the author of the synne and hye places wherunto the aunswer also serueth that Samaria and Ierusalem that is to say the chefe cities and kings courtes are the causes of al wyckednes Idolatrous abhominacion Euen so so said Elias to king Achab Thou and thy fathers house hath troubled Israel whych haue forsaken the commaundements of God and followed Baalam For lyke as the kyng and court is such are the people as the experience of al ages playnelye teacheth For the people alwayes by flatteryng and counterfaityng kynges and princes doth imitate follow their maners condiciōs And thys is nothing vnnatural that the body and inferiour members shuld follow the qualities disposicion of the heade but rather impossible that it shuld be inclined any other waies Here is to be noted for the variety of trāslacion of thys text that it is a defectiue sentence and by sondry interpreters is diuerstye supplied lyke as many mo are in the old testamēt For the Hebrue tonge in sētēces of vehemencye and also of great haste doth leaue out certain words easy to be vnderstād itti mi who wyth me ha shalam how peace such eclypsed phrasies haue we in the Englishe tong as howe nowe horsse horsse Samaria was the kyngs of Israels seate as we reade .iii. Kyng .xvi. Amry king of Israel bought the hyl Thamor of Themer and buylte it for his palace wher as the kyngs wer named before to raygne in Thyrsa as appeareth in the same chapter This Samaria is much blamed in scripture because of the goldē calfes which Ieroboam set vp al the kings of Israel in this city chiefely maintained after hym And Ierusalem is annexed as her sister by byrth being both of one people brought forth of Egipt and also like of condiciō in al kynde of abhominacions as the thyrde chapter of Ieremye and xxiii of Ezechiel dothe at large vnder the names of Ahola and Aholiba declare Wher as Ierusalē is accompted muche more wycked because she could not beware by her systers fall but encreased her abhominacions and therfore much more greuouslye to be iudged and condempned In what case then are we lyuyng in these euil daies in our great cities courtes and kyngs houses whych haue not the terryble example of one of thē only but of infinite other set before our eies We do reade of the wycked kynges in Ierusalem Achas and Manasse which dyd not onlye excede in wyckednes the kynges of Israell and prynces of Samaria but they are charged that they far passe the wyckednesse of that people whyche the Lorde dyd driue forthe before them for theyr synnes And abhominations the wicked Cananees wher the kynges and Prynces were so euyl the people coulde not be good therfore did come vpon them horrible destruccyon at the ende What shall we saye in these perilous tymes wherin al men
of the almyghtye Why then wylte thou suffer thy flatterers styl to bolster the vp in thy wyckednes and bid the procede in thine own imaginacions saying that God is mercyful he wyl not stryke Surely the lord is mercyful and hys words are comfortable but as the Prophet telleth the if thou walke vpryght So doth Moyses in the geuynge of the promyses at the fyrst adde thys condicion If thou wylt heare the woorde of the Lorde keepe it and do it thou shalte haue all the blessynges promised But if thou wylte not heare the woorde of the Lorde to fulfyll all hys commaundementes the cursses wryten in the law shal come vpon the. Deue. xxviii Wherefore neyther the Iewes in theyr tyme neyther we in our tyme may boast of the promyses vnles in walkyng vprightly we wyl fulfil our condicions and couenantes And alredy my people is risen agaynst me lyke an enemy The Text they do rente of the coate and cloke one of another Euen from hym whyche walketh careles by the waye as thoughe he were eskaped from battayle The wyues of my people haue you dryuen from theyr houses full of pleasures and from theyr chyldren haue you taken my glorye for euer O Lorde was thys the fal of Israell because they dyd stand agaynste Gods commaundemente openlye to defende theyr wycked wayes When Naboth was kylled Iezabell dyd dryue oute the pore widow Yea as the Hebrew semeth to sound wheÌ„ one againste other one froÌ„ another Mimul did snatch sctatch take reno the pore bribing froÌ„ the rich the rych pilling polling the poore vnto the bare skin WheÌ„ the strauÌ„ger trauailing maÌ„ was spoiled robbed as though he had bene takeÌ„ prisoner in battel The theues by the hye wayes the Sherifes iudges had part of the spoil wheÌ„ their princes wer become lions lerned to raâ—â—ne for theyr pray to deuour meÌ„ had learned to make widowes as Ezechiell speaketh of Iehoiakim Eze. xix if these crimes wer the cause of the vtter destruccioÌ„ of the chosen kingdoÌ„ as the prophet vt the mouth of god here vttereth what caÌ„ we loke for which haue filled the measure of wickednes so ful the we may eueÌ„ now feele it ren oner into our owne bosomes but onli by the iust iugemeÌ„t of god to suffer the like at our enemyes hands that we haue done to our brethreÌ„ neyghbours And here might occasioÌ„ serue to charge out relm with the sore haÌ„dliÌ„g of widowes fatherles childreÌ„ bi our wicked lawes of wardes our sore lawes of felonies wherby the poore widow innoceÌ„t childreÌ„ ar spoiled but I haue touched it before we caÌ„ loke for none other thiÌ„g theÌ„ the Lord threatneth if we do not repeÌ„t which is as we do rede Exo. xxii that he wil make our wiues widowes our childreÌ„ fatherles let vs beware therfore how we do driue forth of theyr laÌ„ds houses the poore desolate widowes cause theyr chyldren by our cruel dealyng to blaspheme God and cursse theyr parentes agaynst God hys commaundemeÌ„t and therfore against hys glory and honour The last sentence From theyr chyldren haue they taken my glory for euer is by diuerse interpreters vnderstand of the adultry wherwyth the chyldren wer diffamed accompted as Bastards other because that the childreÌ„ robbed of their pareÌ„ts had now none to brynge theÌ„ vp to the glory of god And some because thei had not their pareÌ„ts whoÌ„ they might honore in gods stede vnto his glori Munsterus also in his anotioÌ„s bringeth a very good interpretacioÌ„ which doth answer to the word for euer wher the Lord had create maÌ„ to be immortal which work was for don by sin it pleased the lord god by perpetual procreacion to recouer maÌ„kynde froÌ„ destruccioÌ„ so to preserue the world by this lawful procreacioÌ„ of chyldreÌ„ to the accoÌ„plishing of hys gloryous workes in his church this thing is meÌ„t by the sauing of the womaÌ„ by the bringing foorth of childreÌ„ in the secoÌ„d chap. of the first epistle to Timothe and in the .cxxvii. Psalme this which Micha calleth the glorye of the Lorde Dauid dothe call it the enheritaunce of the Lorde and Christe confyrmeth it sayinge that hys kyngdome is of suche and that theyr aungels doth alwayes sethe face of his father Wherfore whether they be slayne by Herodes solgiers or by English murtherers whether they be made odious by ours or they stinking whoredome whether the glorye of God be taken frome the chyldren by the court of wardes or other cruelty better were it for that manne by whom they bee hurte be it kinge or Caiser not onlye to haue forsaken all worlolye glory but to haue a milstone tied about his neck to haue bene cast into the botom of the sea if adultery if oppressioÌ„ if tiraÌ„nye if extorsion finallye if anye kynde of vyce dooe raigne vnpunished in anye kingdome of the chiefe heades and magestrates muste bee charged therewith whiche as Paule saithe doothe not onlye the like but are fautors and fauorers to theÌ„ whych do so wickedly which thing the spirit of the Lord is not shortned to see to shew sharply to punishe The Text Aryse gette you hence Thys is not youre reste because youre land is poluted therfore shall it destroy you wyth detestable destruccion Lostyl continually the Prophet beateth into our eares that syn must nedes haue destruccion folowynge that is the reward of synne from the begynnynge in so much that thys same land of Iury whych was promysed to be theyr herytage for euer was spoyled waysted and destroyed after that it was wyth Idolatry polluted and as Moyses threatened Leuiti xviii the same land shoulde vomyte them like as it did the Cananites saying Beware that the lande doo not like wyse vomit you sorthe agayne if you do the lyke wyckednes as it dyd vomyte forth the people before you Wherfore lyke as the Prophetes of al ages when they dyd see syn raygne vnpunished dyd cry out against the gouernours pronouncing these and suche like sharpe sentences agaynst them So may the Prophets and preachers of our tymes holdlye by the same spirite pronounce and publysh like destruccioÌ„ and ruine to ours here in England especially seing our country contaminax wyth couetousnes and polluted with glotoni lechery al kynd of filthines doth bringe forth new kyndes of disseases to other contries old phisicioÌ„s vnknoweÌ„ Here appeareth the Paul writeth to the Roma that this creature subiect vnto our vanities against her wil mourneth groneth to be deliuered froÌ„ thys corruptible seruitute and semeth thus to saye vnto vs O my children whose wyckednes wyth much werines I haue thus long borne susteined I must nedes aâ— the leÌ„gth ease my selfe of so vnprofitable a burdeÌ„ For your sins am I strikeÌ„ with steriliti baraÌ„nes you do dig so depe in my bowels by your greedy couetousnes that I must nedes breathe forth sulphuzeal ephalations poysened breathynges to destroi such a
shall be fulfylled our Prophete vttereth in the laste day sayth he whyche laste dayes are alwaies spoken of the tyme of oure Christ the Messiah promysed For the Iewes do recken vi ages or tymes of most worthye reputacyon Fyrste from the creation of the world vnto the flud M. cccccc.lv yeres Then from the floude vnto the delyueraunce of the chyldrene of Israel forthe of Egipt ccccccc xc.m yeres Frome the delyueraunce of Israell vnto the gloryous buyledynge of the first temple bi Salomon cccc lxxx yeres From the buildinge of the teÌ„ple vnto the Babilonical captiuitie ccccxix yeres From the Babilonicall captiuitie to the comminge of Christ the true Messiah cccccc xxiii FroÌ„ Christ al these latter daies of his raigne by the Gospell M.d. Li. yeares whyche is the laste Into the whyche laste tyme of Christ al prophecies al historyes the Prophets them selues do loke and behold Therefore saith Christ your father AbrahaÌ„ did desyre to see my day he dyd see it and reioysed Againe blessed ar your eies whiche haue seene that whyche manye haue desired to see and colde not Therefore sayth Simeon nowe lette thy seruaunt depart in peace for myne eies haue sene thy saluacioÌ„ And aiust cause why these laste tymes shuld be loked for and made the marcke too shoote at and ende of all prophecy For streght after the fal of AdaÌ„ these tymes were promysed Thys was she second Adam the seede of the womaÌ„ in whome the worlde agayne shoulde be blessed Thys tyme was prefygured in the fludde This Christ shuld deliuer froÌ„ the hellye Pharao Thys is the true Salomon and kynge of peace buyldeynge hym a temple wythoute spotte Prophecye hys delyuereth frome Babylonycall bondage of Antechriste and all aduersarye powers so that there was no further to be loked for but thys tyme before the lawe Melchisedeke wythout father and mother did prefigure this In the law al ceremonies wer but shadowes Christe was the body in whoÌ„ al prophecies wer fulfylled al shadows ceassed So that these tymes of Christe maye worthelye bee called the laste tymes and as Paule calleth it to the Galathians and Ephesyans the fulnesse of tyme wherein all thinges were fulfilled The laste tymes also may they be called because they are mooste neare to the commynge of christ vnto iudgement whiche shal be the laste daye of al flesh the laste day of thys heauen and thys earth as Ihon speaketh Neyther may we thyncke muche that they were called the laste dayes and the laste tymes in the tyme of Christ and his Apostles and yet thus longe are continued For as Saynte Peter aunswereth to thys folyshe doubte wherwyth the fleshly are deluded One day with the Lorde is as it wer a thousand yere and a thousande yere as it were one daye And the Lorde is not slowe in commynge as the vnwyse do thinke him But paciente towardes vs not wyllynge any to perysh but to receyue all to repentaunce The Text For all people shal walke euery one in the name of their God and we wyll walke in the name of our god for euer and euer This semeth to be spoken of the prophet for a confirmation and an assuraunce to haue this great promise fulfylled because all nacions set vp some kynde of religin and haue some gods to whom they credite whom they do obey and folowe Yea the wycked world drowned in Idolatri and al abhominacions Imagyned of theire owne madde braines euerye one to haue hys seuerall GOD. All theyrs are but fayned gods sayeth he naye they are deuylles and no goddes But oures is the lyuynge GOD the lorde which hath made heauen and earth and wrought al the woÌ„ders both in heauen and earth we maye boldelye beleue him walcke and go forward in the power of his name foreuer how vnpossible so euer his promises do seme to the fleshe he is able to performe theÌ„ Though he do long deffer theÌ„ to try our fayth and to shew his power whervnto nothynge is vnpossible he lasteth for euer therfore we may neuer end our hope and trust of that thynge he promyseth In that day sayth the Lorde The Text I wyll gather her whyche halteth and is caste away her whoÌ„ I haue punyshed and I wyll make thee halt to haue a successyon and the outecaste to bee a stronge people and the Lorde shal raygne ouer them in mount Syon from hence foorthe for euer And thou O tower of the flocke the tower of the daughter of Syon to thee shall come to thee shall come I saye the fyrste kyngdome the kyngdome of the daughter of Ierusalem In that daye in the laste dayes in the tyme of Messiah for so doth al interpreters take it I wyll gather you sayeth youre God thoughe I haue chastened you cast you away and made you lame I wyl not fayle to make you a stronge people agayne and geue you a posterytye and succession wythoute anye ende and wythoute all noumber For I my selfe wyl be your kyng in the mount Sion for euer Thus dooth the Prophete contynue in the confyrmacion of these greate promises so darke vnto the flesh that wyth muche busynes it can hardly be perswaded in the promises of heauenly and spiritual works By the word haltynge our Prophete would insinuate and bryng into memorye how that Israel haltyng from god and clynshynge after Idols as Elyas chargeth them .iii. Reg. xxviii had so prouoked hym to anger that he had worthely made them halt and lame that is to say had greuously afflycted and skourged theym for so is the same woorde of haltynge vsed for greuous afflyccion Psalm xxv xxviii and thys Prophecye is red also Esa xxxv how the lame shal leape and skyp for ioy The Text And the Lorde shal raygne Tyrantes shal raygne no longer but the Lord shal raygne which teacheth vs styl that thys newe restored kyngdome shal be spiritual for al men are flesh and all theyr kyngdomes câ—rnal the kyngdomes of all menne haue an ende but thys hathe none ende therefore is thys the kyngdome of God the kingdom of the sonne of God whyche God the father dyd gyue hym that he shulde occupye the seate of Dauid hys Father and raygne in the house of Iacob for euer of hys kyngdome there shoulde be none ende as the aungel dyd saye to the blessed Virgin Heare maye the Iewes by thys place learn that theyr king whom they do looke for to be man of the seede of Dauid shal also be God for here he is called Iehouah by the hyghe name of God and his kyngdome named euerlastyng whyche onlye can be the kyngedome of God and not man All this we do see fulfylled in oure Christe and hys spyrytuall kyngdome so manye as doo beleue Christ to be God and maÌ„ and do feale howe by hys spyryte he begynneth to raigne in the heartes of hys chosen The laste verse is so vehementelye broughte forthe by the Prophete to confyrme thys promyse that euerye worde in it is twyse
doubled That whyche he calleth the tower of the flocke because the people was gathered thyther thryse by the yere as the flocke is gathered into a folde he calleth it agayne the towre of the doughter of Sion and twyse hee saythe shall come that the Iewes shuld not despayre though they do se the time prolonged and defferred That whyche he called the fyrst kingdome hee calleth it agayne the kyngedom of the daughter of Sion promising them that the relygyon noble courage and iustice the glorye and wysdome of SalomoÌ„ or whatsoeuer was praise worthye in the begynnynge that same shal mooste fullye be restored in thys raygne of Messiah Esaye hathe the lyke in the ende of hys fyrst Chapter I shal restore thy iudges as in the beginning and the counsellers as at the fyrste Nowe whye doste thou crye wyth suche loude voyce The Text is there no kynge in the are thy counsaloures peryshed Because sorow is come vppon the as vppon the womanne that trauayleth As thoughe he shoulde saye I doo knowe my woordes wyll greue the so muche more as all thynges semeth vnto the fleshe desperate Thou dooste lacke thy noble captaynes and counsaloures vnto whoÌ„ thou haste trusted the whiche heretofore hath delyuered the. And because thou hast made flesh thy arme trustinge to muche to thy kinges and counsaloures and further haste exalted thy selfe whiche art but dust and ashes as thoughe thou haddeste power of thyne owne wythoute me and therefore are these sorowes come vpon the euen the sore panges and throwes of trauaylyng wemen Lamente The Text and sorowe O Doughter of Sion lyke the womanne trauayelynge for thou shalte nowe goo foorth of the citye thou shalte dwell in the feild Thou shalte goo to Babylon But thence shalte thou be delyuered There shall the Lorde redeme the frome the handes of thyne ennemyes Thou muste I saye to beate downe thys vayne confydence and hoope thou haste besydes me befoore chastened but be sure thou shalte bee delyuered in the ende Thus saythe the Prophete O see of the same delyueraunce Along time thou shalt looke for me and not be coupled to any housband nether yet ten of whoreyng and I wyll looke for the thou shalt be without king with out Prince and priest and after returne and seeke the Lord thy God and Dauid thy king and feare the Lord for thy good in the last dayes The Text And now shall many nacyons of the Heythen be gathered agaynst the saying she is polluted our eyes shal behold Syon and haue their desyre vpon her but they haue not knowen the thoughtes of the Lorde nor vnderstand hys couÌ„sel For he hath gathered them as a handful into the barne Aryse and threshe thou daughter of Syon for I wyl make the hornes of yroÌ„ and hooffes of brasse and thou shalt breake in peeces muche people And I shall dedycate vnto the Lorde theyr spoyle and theyr riches to the Lord of al the earth The Prophet gothe forthe to declare the state of the Iewes in the dayes of Messiah for of that tyme all do take it Now because the time is not come wherin the Iewes shall receyue oure Christ as theyr Messiah theyr God and theyr king I do iudge it vnmete for any man onlesse he haue some specyall Reuelacyon to wade anye farther then the opeÌ„ woorde of God in the secrete worckes whyche then shal be shewed nether may it be accompted as a greate â—aulte to anye of vs if we do clearlye confesse oure selues ignoraunte what or howe many nacyons shall be gathered agaynste Israell or howe they shal be destroyed but rather a greate presumptyon if we shuld rashlye to take vpon vs the cleare lyght of suche secrete misteryes Like as of the other part I suppose the rashe iudgmente of some whyche do say that the Iewes are so dampned and al together cast away that they cannot be restored as it appeareth euydentelye too bee pronounced agaynste the scryptures so ought it not to be allowed but brotherlye to be reproued As for those enemyes of theirs whyche reioyseth at thys longe captiuitie and maketh them a â—estynge stocke and a by woorde the Lorde sweareth Ezechiell .xxxvi. that they shall suffer shame and â—ewyl sanctyfye hys hyghe name whyche was polluted amonges the Gentiles and they shal knowe that he is God In the .xxxvii of Ezechiell God promyseth the restorynge of the Iewes by the raysynge of deade bones where in â—e breatheth the spyryt and lyfe whyche is the receiuinge of them wherunto Paule alludeth Roma xi saying what shal be theyr receyuynge but lyfe frome the deade Ezechiel xxxviii xxxix is this Prophecye of Micheas at the full sette foorthe who so shall haue the Reuelacyon of the spryte for to see thys wonderous woorckes as for vs to whome it is not fullye opened wee dooe praye that too the glorye of God and the renoume of hys hyghe name it maye in the due tyme be reuealed Cryinge in the meane season agaynst oure blyndenesse as did Paule wrytynge vppon the same hyghe mysterye O the profounde deepenesse of the ryches wysdom and knowledge of God howe vnsearcheable are thy wayes and incoÌ„prehensyble thy iudgements For who hath known the minde of the Lorde or who hath bene hys counsayle geuer Vnto vs it shall be enoughe whyles that tyme do trye the truthe further too consyder the ennemyes of Israell all mooste tryumphynge ouer it sodenly by the mighty haÌ„d of God destroied such as Pharao SaÌ„herib Rabsace Nebuchadnezer Antiochus Herod And oure ennemyes whyche are the spirituall Israel wonderfullye vanquished and by Christe and hys woorde put too confusion The Romyshe Antichrist wyth hys Idoles hys Cardynalles hys Byshoppes hys shauelynges Monks Chanons Fryers hys Priestes regulars and irregulers oute of al the rules and orders of honestye whych Heathen companye were entred oure lands were gathered agaynste vs. Countynge vs polluted Heretikes worthye too satysfye theyr bluddy eyes wysh our deathes hangynge and burnynge But they dydde not knowe the thoughtes of the Lorde that hee suffered theym too rage that hee myghte be glorified in the ende when they shulde be threshen to powder geuynge hys faythefull suche power that they shulde treade down al the power of theyr aduersary lyke chaffe to geue God the glorye of thys spoyle and too knowledge thys too bee hys woorcke to the glorye of hys name God graunte that we vnto whome God hathe geuen thys tryumphe be not forgetful to paye oure vowes vnto our Lorde The Prophete voweth in the personne of vs too dedycate and to geue hym not only the calfes of oure lippes but the riches and spoyle to be a moment and as he calleth it Anathema a thynge so separate vnto the Lorde that no manne may touch it much lesse conuert it to any pryuate vse Neyther is this the vow of our Prophet onelye but a playne commaundemente of God Deuter. vii Thou shalte brene wyth fyre theyr grauen Images Thou shalt not couet theyr syluer gold wherof they are