to know whether they should be suffered to go forward in their buylding or not But God so moued the kyngs heart that he gaue theÌ„ not onely libertye to buylde but money alsoo to do it with all by the strength of God they had not onely geuen the enterpryse but also went forwarde in their building askinge no licence at all of anye man before they were complayned on This strength hath Gods woord wheÌ„ it is worthelye receiued that it maketh a man to forget his owne profite yea laÌ„des wyfe chyldren goodes and life maÌ„fully to beare death pryione fyre and displeasure of princes so that he maye do his dutye to his Lorde God and escape his displeasure Peter who denied his maister at the voice af a handmayde after he had receiued the holy Ghoste was bolde to confesse hym before lordes and princes euen to the deathe Paule in furious rage of his persecution was striken doune and of a wolfe rose vp a lambe Nicodemus that afore durst not be knowen to be Christes disciple or beare hym any good wil after durst aske the body of Pylate and bouâ—dly buried it Thus where true fayth is geueÌ„ to God commaundinge any thing to be don or to the preachinge of hys woorde it makes of haters louers of fearfull bolde of persecuters preachers and doeth wholye chaunge the nature of manne as Dauid sayeth The lawe of the Lorde is without spot turninge the mindes of men Thys was neither treason nor rebellion against the kynge to do that which God by his prophete so straitly commaunded as was declared and noted before but they were rather traytours to God that had not of soo many yeares gone more earnestly aboute that buildinge of Gods house as God willed them to do And where he calles God their God yet after so great and longe disobedience it commendes vnto vs the long suffering and merciful goodnes of our God that wil not forsake vs for a fault or twoo nor in a yeare or twoo but continually beareth with vs callinge vs to hym by all meanes possible and woulde not one of the leaste too perishe All the daye longe sayeth God by his prophet Esay I haue stretched out my handes to a people that speakes against me and faytheles But of this is inough spoken before And where he addeth this and sayeth they went wrought in the Lords house the .xxiiii. daye of the .vi. moneth and the â–ª same seconde yeare of Darius it teaches vs the earnestnes of them towardes theyr woorke nowe after they were thus awaked and sturred vp out of their sleepe They had but three wekes and .iii. daies bothe to heare this preaching of Aggeus and to make ready their tooles to woorke withall whiche time had ben litle inough to haue prepared their tooles in although they had not hadde any other busines too haue ben occupied withall The prophete was sent from God the first daye of the .vi. moneth as appeares in the firste verse nowe the .xxiiii. daye of the same moneth they began to renue their woorke with a lusty courage so the whole tyme both too heare the preaching and prepare all thinges necessarie For their greate woorke was but three weekes and three dayes Soo earnestly doeth true â—aithe woorke where God is truely feared and his commaundement reuerently obeied that thei can not be quiet vntil they haue done that whiche God commaundes There is nothinge now that can hinder them froÌ„ this woorke neither the feare of the kynges displeasure nor the costlines of the greate worke nor the gredines of their owne profite whiche they sought so muche before neither the greatnes of their disobedience in so longe forgetting their lorde God but with one minde and courage thei sette vp this great costly woorke manfully continuinge in it happely finish it in 4. yeares space notwithstanding the great lets hinderaunce and accusations that were made againste them to the kynge other diuers wayes many This promise that God had made theÌ„ that he woulde be with them had so encouraged them the nothing coulde stop them frome their woorke but as Dauid goinge to fighte with Golias was not afrayd of al his strength harnes nor yet his power and mighte but sayde thou commest agaynste me trustinge in thyne owne strength and I come to fight with thee with this litle slinge and fewe stoones in the name of the lyuynge God of Israel so they were bolde in him onely to sette on thys great woorke If they were thus sturred vp by thys litle preachynge what dulnes shall wee thynke too bee in oure selues that after suche continuall cryinge and callinge can not be awaked to do our duties Is it any maruayle that God doeth so often and soo greuouslye plague vs seinge we shoulde without all excuses doe it whiche he commaundeth vs and yet in so long tyme we can not be broughte too feare hym as wee shoulde doe We maye also learne what a treasure it is to haue Gods worde amoÌ„gst vs seinge it is the ordinarie way that he hath ordeined to bring vs vnto hym by what a grefe it is too want the continuall preachinge of thesame and also the wickednes of the Papistes that thus do robbe the people of it and woulde make them to beleue that it were not necessary for theÌ„ but bringes them in to heresies and that it is the mother of all heresie and mischief that there was neuer good worlde since the scripture was in Englishe with such like blasphemies But if we marke the scriptur throughly in all ages we shall finde yâ— in good kings dayes whiche maintained Gods woorde his true religion as Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ioas Ezechias Iosias in Iuda onely there was more pleÌ„ty of all worldly blessinges then there was in all Israell beside where as the scripture was not regarded Again if ye marke wel all the auÌ„cient heretikes eueÌ„ from the beginning as Arrius Pelagius UaleÌ„tinus MarcioÌ„ Sabellius Donatus Eutyches c. You shall finde none at all or verye fewe that were vnlearned but all for the moste part were great clarkes and by this reason theÌ„ the learned rather then the vnlearned shuld be kept from the scriptures if reading the scripture make heretikes For men fail chiefely into heresies when they trust too their owne wittes learning forsakinge or not submitting their wittes vnto gods wisedom coÌ„teined in hys infallible worde and truth If they will let the people heare the scripture in sermons I canne not tell why they shoulde not be suffered to reade it Why shoulde rather heresy come by readinge then by hearinge Naye thys is their meaninge they woulde haue no preachinge nor yet readinge sauinge of their dirty dragges of popery which maintaines their ydle lordelines where as the scripture setteth out their wickednes whiche they will not haue knowen nor yet once touched The Lorde for hys mercie sake defende vs from their tiraÌ„ny Amen ¶ A prayer MOst
goodes whiche shoulde haue necessarely ben bestowed to the buyldinge of gods house we shoulde not haue felt gods rodde so sharpeli but God would haue ben pleased and shewed his glorie amonge vs. But whan men would not geue laÌ„dâ— fast inough to Abbeys than the Pope rather than his chapleÌ„s should want would robbe many Parisshes to fede his moÌ„kes God graunt that the gospell maye restore that iustly whiche the Pope toke wrongfully awaye and gaue them yet a rightâ— name of impropriations because improperly thei be takeÌ„ away properly belong to the parishes The workemaÌ„ is worthy hys byre he that serues the gospel muste lyue of the gospel Therfore those impropriacions whiche take awaye the Preachers liuinge be againste the woorde of God But what doeth this belong to vs or oure time doth goo require of vs to build him Abbeis Nunries Chauntries c. no surely but this was an outwarde exercise for that grosse harde harted people for a time to be excused in that they should not buylde temples to Idols â–ª and teacheth vs to buylde god spirituall house wherin we maye offer spirituall sacrifices prayers to him where in he is well delited will shew his Maiestye This house is nowe for vs to be vnderstande generallye the hole churche and companye of Christians and the bodye and soule the hearte minde or conscience of all ChristiaÌ„s particularly wherein god dwels by his holy spirite as sainct Paule saieth to the Corinthians Do ye not knowe that your bodyes be the temples of the holy ghoste and whiche he hath sanctified to be kept holy for him self alone by Baptisme and for the whiche Christe hath died that we mighte liue by 〈◊〉 whome he hathe redemed with hys 〈◊〉 and wasshed cleane from all sinne 〈◊〉 shoulde liue no more to our owne lustes and desires but to him that hath redemed vs. It is written that God dwels not in Tempels made with handes nor is worshipped with any worke of maÌ„nes haÌ„des but he is a spirite an inuisible substance and wil be worshipped in spirite truthe not in outwarde woordes onely of the lippes but with the depe sighes grâ—ninges of the heart and the hole power of the mynde and earnest hearty callinge on hym in prayer by faithe And therfore he doeth not so muche require of vs to â—uyld him a house of stone and timber but hath willed vs to praye in all places and hath taken awaye that Iewish and Popish holinesse whiche is thoughte too be more in one place than an other All the earthe is the Lordes and he is present in all places â–ª hearinge the peticions of them which call on him in faithe Therfore those Bishops which thinke with their coniured water too make one place more holy than the reste are no better than Iewes deceyuinge the people teachinge that onely to be holy which thei haue censed crossed oyled and breathed vpon For as Christ saide to the womaâ— thinkinge one place to be holier to 〈◊〉 than an other Woman beleue 〈◊〉 time is come whaÌ„ ye shal worship 〈◊〉 â—t Ierusalem nor in this byl but the true worshippers shal worship God in spirite truthe so is it now saide the place makes not the man holy but the man makes the place holy and ye shal doe worship youre Idols stockes stones neither at Walsingham Ipswich CaÌ„terbury nor Shene for God chuses not the people for the place sake but the place for the people sake But if ye be in the middest of the fielde God is as ready to heare youre faithfull prayers as in any Abbey or Nunrye yea a thousand times more for the one place he hates as defiled with Idolatry and the other he loues as vndefiled and cleane If the good man lye in pryson tyed in chaynes or at the stake to be burned for Gods cause that place is holy for the holines of the man the presence of the holy Ghooste in him as Tertullian sayeth Yet there shoulde be common places appointed for the people too assemble and come together in to prayse oure God For where the Apostle rebuked them whiche woulde not resorte with the rest of the Christians to make their common praiers together to hear his woorde and receiue his sacraments it proues they had some common place to resort to And where saincte Paule requires that all thinges should be done in a comely order what can be more comely or agreing to good order then 〈◊〉 haue a time appointed and a place too resorte vnto together to worship oure onely God Nay how shal they come together â—â—cept place and time be appointed Howe shal they know when whither to resort vnappointed How canne the sheepehearde teache his sheepe if he haue not a folde to gather them together in In the Apostles time when the rulers were not christened they resorted into priuate houses and chauÌ„bers by the water side 〈◊〉 worship their God but when princes became christened they had churches appoâ—â—â—ted for them yet all these prayers preachinges that were priuely in parlers and by the waterside were as pleasaunte too God yea better peradueÌ„ture for coÌ„monly they came of a greater and better lâ—ue 〈◊〉 faith as ours be now Those also whiche than were buried in no halowed churche nor churcheyarde nor christeÌ„ moldes as they be called when it is no better then other earth but rather worse for the coÌ„mâ—â—â—â— that Bishops vse about it were no worse then they which were buried with al soleÌ„nitie It appeares in the gospel by the Legion liuing in graues the widdows some going to burial Christ buried withoute 〈◊〉 Citie c. that then thei buried not in halowed Churchyeardes by any Bishops but in a seuerall place appointed for thesame purpose without the Citie which custome remains to this day in many godli places As that theÌ„ was lawful no hurt to the ded so is it nowe one place is as holy as an other to be buried in sauinge that coÌ„ly order requires the bodies not to be cast awai because thei were the temples of the holy ghost shal be glorifed at the last dai again but semely to be buried an honest place to be kept seueral froÌ„ beastes vnreuereÌ„t vsing thesame for thesame vse It is Popish to beleue that which the bishops doe teach that place to be more holi then the rest which thei haue halowed as thei sai with washing it with their coÌ„iured water crossing ceÌ„sings processioÌ„s c. that God wil hear our praiers afore one Idol or Image rather then an other or in one Abbey as pleases theÌ„ to apoint him rather than an other Wher it pleases theÌ„ to grauÌ„t mani daies of pardon ther God must hear their praiers soner work mo miracles so God is become their seruauÌ„t shal be wher thei wil apoint him But blessed be the God our lord which by the
mighty Lord and merciful father which didst stir vp the Iewes too the buyldinge of thy house by the preachinge of thy Prophete Aggeus we thy miserable creatures oppressed with sinne and liuing in blindenes beseche thee for thy mercy sake haue mercy vpon vs and thrust out diligēt woorke men intoo thy haruest sende out faithfull preachers whiche maye by the harde threateninges of thy lawe and comfortable promises of thy gospel awake all thy people out of their dead slepe wherin thei lie walowing forgetting thee their dutye We haue all sinned from the hyghest to the lowest in not earnestly professinge thy holy woorde and religion Both the princes rulers and magistrates bisshops ministers of all sortes and all the people no state nor condiciō of men hath done their duetie herein vntoo thee oure onely Lorde and God Therfore we all with heauy heartes fall doune flat afore thy throne of grace and maiestie we begge craue aske thee forgeuenes of oure greate sinnes opē oure eyes O good God that we maye consider the plagues whiche thou haste layde on vs so longe for oure great disobedience towardes thee and thy woorde Geue vs newe heartes and renue thy holy spirite wtin vs O Lord that both the rulers may faithfully minister iustice punishe sinne defende and maintaine the preachinge of thy woorde and that all ministers may diligently teache thy dearely beloued flocke purchased by the bloud and death of thine owne and onely deare sonne oure Lorde and that all people maye obediently learn and folowe thy lawe too the glorie of thy holy name for Christes sake oure onelye Lorde and Sauioure ¶ The .ii. Chapter IN the .vii. moneth and the .xxi daye of the moneth was the woorde of the Lorde sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophete sayinge verse 2 Speake to Zerubabell y◠sōne of Salathiel ruler of Iehuda and to Iosua the sonne of Iosede◠the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunte of the people sayinge verse 3 Who is left amongst you that hathe sene this house in his former glory and what a one you se it now is it not like as it were nothinge in your eies ¶ As concerning the rekening of yeares monethes and daies ynough was spoken in the first chapiter and what it is too bee sent by the hande of a Prophete who soo lust there he maye reade This message sent now in the .7 moneth and the nexte that comes in the .9 declare the good will of God towardes thē that buylde his house and howe ready God is to further all their doinges They began to worke the .xxiiii. daye of the sixt moneth and had cōtinued to the .21 daye of the .7 moneth and then leaste the feare of the kynge or the rulers shoulde discourage them they had nede to be comforted therefore Aggeus is sente vnto them agayne too encourage theym leaste they shoulde haue fainted or lefte of workinge Agayne in the .8 moneth is the Prophete Zachary sente vnto them and in the .9 moneth Aggeus is sent twise all because thei should not let their worke slip but with a courage finish it and that also they might see how true it is that to euery one that hath it shal be geuen and for them whiche woorke couragiously in the Lordes vyneyarde how wel the Lord is delited with them and blesses them Thus God knowinge the weakenes of this people euerye mooneth sendes newe messages vnto them that they maye vnderstande what a care he hath ouer them and that they shoulde trust in hym which had al thinges in his handes to rule at his pleasure and not to trust in them selues whiche of them selues coulde do nothing Let vs therfore worke in the Lords house and no doubt he will sende vs comfoorte ynough Nowe where he is bidden speake to Zerubabel the prince to Iosua the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunt of the people ▪ and so often reherses theym in this same order in this prophecie it doeth vs too vnderstande that there is one doctrine of saluation to be taughte vnto all sortes of mē and that all sortes are bounde to hear and learn thesame and besides that it teaches the prefermente of the ciuil magistrate or ruler to the priest as was noted before And herein we shall chiefly learn the wickednes of them that withholde the scriptures from the lay people saying it is not mete for them too be so muche occupied in hearinge thesame For the Prophet saith here sundry times that he was sente to all the people as well as to the rulers therfore it was their dutie to learne and heare his message as diligētly as it was the rulers And this is a greate occasion why that all rulers shoulde behaue thē selues lowly towards the people seing God hath made all thynges as concerninge saluation comon and of one sorte bothe too poore and riche that by this meanes he mighte encrease brotherly loue betwixt both partes There is one Lorde god saieth s. Paule of all bothe poore and ryche one holy Ghoste that makes vs all holy one baptisme one faithe that we beleue one sauioure Iesu Christ one father in heauen vnto whom we praye one euerlastinge kyngedome whiche we all loke for one scripture and woorte to teache vs one sacrament for vs all wee bee borne gotten dye and buried all in like and a greate knottell is of loue amongest vs seinge wee speake one language beinge of one countrye or towne and one ayre whiche we receiue one fyre Sunne Moone Starres earth herbes trees corne cattel fishe foole that we be fede on We goe stande slepe worke all alike c. All the difference that is betwixt vs is this that one is hygher in authoritie better clad or fed hathe a prouder coate or a softer bed or more store of money landes or seruauntes then an other hath whyche thinge helpe not to saluation But what vayne thinges these be to reioyce in or to despise one another for that wātes them the thinges them selues do declare For he that wantes all these not necessarie thinges to saluation is commonly better man more lustye stronge and healthfull then the other as is sayde in the verses before And to reioyce is auncient bloude what can be more vayne Do we not all come of Adam our earthly father and say we not all Our father whiche art in heauen halowed c. How can we crake then of oure auncient stocke seinge we came all bothe o◠on earthelye and heauenly father If ye marke the commō saying how gentle bloude came vp ye shall see howe true it is When Adam dalue and Eue span Who was than a gentle man And although no nation hais any thing to reioice in of them selues yet Englande hais lesse than other we glory much to be called Britans but if we consider what a vacabunde Brutus was and what a company he brought with him there is small cause of glori For the Saxōs of whome we come also there is lesse
cloyster of Monkes and that house of Friers with suche like Who woulde spende one pennye soo euill if he thought that it should beare witnes againste him and condemne him at the laste daye It is for lacke of faith that such vnthrifts doe mispend Gods their maisters monei because they thinke it is their owne not the Lordes as the Prophete saieth here Thirdely if this were beleued as it ought too be it woulde make vs neyther to grudge against God that geues plentye many times to the euyll men and the honester sorte liues more barelye nor wee shoulde not disdaine to see one preferred before oure selues in more wealth or authoritie We shoulde also contente oure selues with that porcion which God hath geuen vs not murmuringe nor sorowing that we haue lesse then other This thing hath often greued Iob Dauid Ieremye Abacuk and other holy men that they did see euyll men in wealth and good meÌ„ in trouble and they coulde neuer satisfy theÌ„ selues in this what should be the cause oâ— it vntil thei entred into the saÌ„ctuary of the Lord there thei spied that the riches of the earth is the Lords to dispose at his holy wil pleasur And because it pleases God to bestow so much or so litle vpoÌ„ this maÌ„ or that maÌ„ it is iuste and I shoulde content my selfe therewith knowinge that whatsoeuer he doeth it is good because he doeth it and no man muste grudge or disdayne ther at The will of God is the rule of all iustice righteousnes as because God will haue it so therfore it is good iust and righteous Gods will is the firste and chiefe cause of all thinges so that when we see that God will haue it so we must not aske why he wil haue it so but be content therewith sit doune and quiet our selues praysinge his goodnes and marueylinge at his wysedome that rules all thinges so well and wisely And with that litle porcion that it hath pleased him to geue vs we shal content our selues when we consider that he owes nothinge to any man but the whiche he geues he geues it freelye and liberally so much as he knowes better then thou thy selfe what is meete for thee to haue Thou whiche haste litle thinke thus with thy selfe My good God father who hath ruled and doth rule all thinges at his owne will and pleasure whose wisedome I am not able to perceiue and whose vnspeakeable loue towardes me in geuinge his onely sonne to dye for me I canne not vnderstande He that loues me better theÌ„ I loue my selfe he I saye knoweth that if I had more riches and wealth I should be to wanton and so displease hym and if I had to litell I shoulde deale vntruely and blaspheme hym Therfore praysed be his wisedome whiche doeth not ouerlode me with more than he will geue me grace too discharge nor lets me want necessaries that I fall not to any falshode or vntruth Howe can I loue hym ynough that geues me all necessaries and doeth not charge me with superfluities The euill men whiche haue suche plentie of all thinges he woulde wynne them with gentlenes and by gentlenes drawe them vnto hym but in thee that haste lesse he wil let al the worlde knowe that thou louest him not for any greate wealthe whiche he geueth thee as euill flatterers manye time doe but euen as duty and that thou wilt bear the crosse of pouertie willingli rather theÌ„ forsake hym What a misbeliefe is it to thinke that God doeth not geue and dispose his goods so wel and wisely but that many can deuise it better And if we hadde once this faithe rooted in oure heartes that he doth all for the best it woulde make vs saye howsoeuer we oure selues or other haue muche or litle It is the Lorde that doeth it let hym do the semeth good in his sighte And if we loose it by fyre or robberie wee shall bee content to saye with Iob the Lord gaue it and the Lorde tooke it awaie and as it pleases the Lorde so it is done the name of the Lorde be praysed What a pryde is this in man to thinke that he coulde deale his goods better then God hath done Or that it were better for suche men and such to haue more or lesse then they haue as though we were wiser then God and if thinges lay in our haÌ„ds we coulde doe them better then he can or doth Our sauioure Christe cals it lacke of fayth when we mistruste the power of him that he can not or the goodnes of God that he will not prouide necessaries for vs chiefely if we seke the kyngdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and sayethâ— Marke the byrdes of the ayre howe they neither sowe nor mowe nor gather intoo the barne and yet your heauenlye father feedes them how muche more will he doe you ye of litle faythe There is nothing can greue that faithfull heart so whiche constantly beleues the golde and siluer is the Lordes but it wold vndoutingly loke and hope for al necessaries by Gods prouision to be geuen hym and if ordinarie meanes didde fayle that the Rauens shoulde feede him as thei did Elias the stoones shoulde flowe out water as in the wildernes or water shoulde be turned into wine as in Cana of Galile or that â—itle which they haue should so encrease that it shoulde be sufficiente vntyll plentye came as the handfull of meale of the poore wydowes or els one sclender dynner shoulde strengthen them so vntyll they came where they mighte haue more sufficiently as Elias walked in the streÌ„gth of one therfe cake .xl. dayes eatinge nothinge els For it is as easye for God to prouide for hys people by some one of these wayes or other like as by any other ordinarie meanes as in the beseeginge of Samaria where they eate their owne children and dunge and the next daye suche plenty a bushel for a grote But this is euer moste sure that those whiche bee of God can not lacke For as sainct Paule reasons he that hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen hym for vs al how can it be but with him he hathe geuen vs all thinges and for hys sake he will denie vs nothing mete for vs Howe can he denye vs a pece of bread meate or a cooâ—e that hath geueÌ„ his only sonne Christ Iesus to dye for vs Can a worldly earthly father if he se his child waÌ„t wepe aske him meat deny him wil he not rather spare it froÌ„ his owne belly then see him weepe or want And shall we thinke that God hathe lesse pitie and loue towarde vs then one of vs hath towardes another Whiche thinges all considered they and all wee whiche haue Gods house to buylde should not discourage our selues for pouertie or lacke of habilitie For the Lorde of hostes saieth all golde and siluer is his â–ª and he wil geue
they shall fynde present comfort and peace patiently to beare all such sorow as shal be laide on them When as Emperours were not Christened greate was the persecution yet coulde they not preuaile When heresies began to springe in the Church than God raised vp Augustine and others to withstande them and the mo that they were the more was the truth tried out and florished but after that the Pope had conquered all good learning decayed and the deuell thereby had lulled all on sleepe then came this outwarde worldly peace where the moste parte submitted them selues to the beast and his peace was the bitterest thinge that coulde be before God and greatest trouble to all good consciences For then outwarde peace broughte in Lordely pryde whiche harmed more then any persecution as Bernarde sayeth But nowe after that the light appeares agayn with what peace of conscience can and doe men offer them selues to the fire thoughe the Pope and his clergye rage lyke Lyons or mad dogges What great learning hathe God reueled in our time more then before and chiefly it hath ben done because of errours heresies sectes and controuersies that be abroade that Gods chosen people should not lyue in blindnes styl that his goodnes may be knowen And althoughe persecution be great yet God strengthens his to dye for his truth in most quiet peace to the shame of their persecutours Wher there is no striuinge there is no victorye where ther is no victory there is no praise nor reward Therfore God of his gret loue that his people may haue most noble victories greatest reward suffreth them to be troubled by the deuyll hys ministers but not to be ouercomen Where the tormentours rage because thei can not ouercome the simple souls holding fast the faith which thei would pul from them for the whiche thei striue God so strengthens hys that they suffer all tormentes with more peace of conscience then the tormentours delaye it on theÌ„ whiche deuise the deaths for them But not onely this inwarde peace but an outwarde alsoo was geuen them as longe as they displeased not the Lord. God coÌ„maunded that euery man amongst the Israelites should come thryse a yeare to IerusaleÌ„ to worship him there least thei should grudge saying who shal defend our countrie when we are gone so far froÌ„ home our enemies wil inuade and destroy vs God promises that he will defende their couÌ„try in the mean time that thei shuld haue no harme Thus thei beleuing God were bold to go to IerusaleÌ„ to serue God leuing none at home to kepe their goods landes but a few wemen chyldren So we if we would serue the Lord a righte maintayne his true religion our enemies shoulde not hurt vs but wemen and chyldren shoulde be able to defende vs if wee will not serue him as he hathe appointed there is no worldly power able to defend vs but we and they shall perishe altogether verse 10 In the .xxiiii. daye of the .ix. moneth and the second year of Darius was the message of the Lorde sent by the haÌ„de of Aggeus the prophet saying verse 11 Thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes Aske I praye thee yâ— priestes the law sayinge verse 12 If any man beare holy flesh in the lap of his garmeÌ„t do touche with his lappe bread or brothe wyne oyle or anye kynde of meate shall it bee made holy the Priestes aunswered and saide no. verse 13 And Aggeus sayd if he that is defiled in soule do touche any of these whether shal it be defiled the Priestes aunswered and said it is defiled verse 14 Aggeus aunswered sayd So is this people and so be these folke before my face sayeth the Lorde and so is all the woorke of their handes and whatsoeuer they bringe hyther it is defiled ¶ For the rekeninge of monethes years dayes and such other particular wordes â–ª we sayde ynough before Now is the Prophet sent to appose the priestes in the law of God and make theym geue sentence againste them selues The lippes of the Prieste kepe knowledge and they shall aske the lawe of his mouthe saieth Malachy And therfore to see what knowledge they had in the lawe of the Lorde what aunswer they woulde make he was sent to examine them and he puts foorthe hys question so wisely that he makes them to condemne them selues by their owne iudgement He is bidden them aske theÌ„ oute of the lawe of God and not out of the Popes lawe nor yet any mans lawe whiche often through bribes is ended as a man is frended but out of Gods boke which with out parcialitie speakes indifferentlye on all partes and neither feares the riche for his might and authoritie nor hath foolish pitie on the poore for his pouertie but vprightly iudges right and condemnes sin wheresoeuer it is founde If the priestes in Moyses law had this charge geuen theÌ„ to be so cunninge in the scriptures yâ— they shoulde be able to aunswere all doubtes whiche coulde be asked them How much more shoulde oure Priestes nowe be able by the scripture to teache all which be ignoraunte and aunswere all doubtes that can bee moued for saincte Paule sayeth a minister shoulde be able too exhorte wyth holsome doctrine and confute false But if ye wante one too keepe a Curre rather then a Cure to be a Hunter or a Fawkener to be an ouerâ—ear of your workemen to be youre stuarde or loke to your sheepe and cattell too be youre Gardiner kepe youre Orcharde or write youre busines who is meter for anye of these businesses then syr Ihon lackelatine What a wickednes is thys that they shoulde take such paynes to be so cuÌ„ninge in these thinges that God lookes not for oâ— them and in those thinges that God hathe charged theym withall they can saye nothing at all they be dumme Dogges not able to barke in rebukinge sinne blynd guides not able to rule their flocke but if the worlde be on their side they can theÌ„ playe the woode Dogges bytinge snatching at euery man near them and let no honest man dwel in rest by theÌ„ but accuse burne and condemne all that speake against their mischiefes If there be a treÌ„tall to be saiee or any money to be gotteÌ„ for masses Diriges Relikes pardons c. then who is so ready as they they can smell it out a great sorte of myles of But if a man waÌ„t comforte in conscience woulde vnderstaÌ„d his duety towards God or Gods goodnes towardes vs they be blinde beastes ignorant doltes vnlearned asses and can saye nothing but make holy water bid them saye a Ladies psalter The questions which he putteth forth here teÌ„d to this purpose that by one thing which is like he may proue an other lyke For loke as halowed fleshe did not halow these thinges which it touched so did not the goodnes whiche was in some of them make the rest holy But
they lust in the best pastures and to breake his hedges that in so doinge the sooner they be fat the sooner they may be slayne So God those people whiche he loues not in Christ his sonne he lets them take theyr pleasure correctes them not for their amēdement but lets them woorke their iuste condempnation in geuinge theym vp too their owne lustes Euery father saith the apostle correctes his chyldrē those which he correctes not be bastards And although correction of God seme sharp and bitter for the present tyme ▪ semes to come of hat◠and not of loue yet the ende is sweete louing profitable that he may geue vs his holines A vessel if it be foule muste be scoured before wine be put in it he that wil make his ground fruitfull must first pull vp the weedes before he sowe good seede So by these sharpe medecines of Gods correction muste the bodye be purged that the mynde maye bringe foorth his due fruyte in feare and reuerence Let vs in Englande therfore remember Gods plagues whiche we haue suffered of Gods good wil so longe and many for oure amendement and let vs lamente oure hardenes of heart that haue ben soo greuously longe punished and yet haue not duely considered the heauines of Gods hande nor the greatnes of oure sinnes whiche haue so prouoked his anger vppon vs. We are sufficiently taught by all exāples before vs if we wil learne by these present plages that we feele what a greuous thinge horrible synne it is in Gods sight to leaue Gods house vnbuylte yet lyke vnreasonable beastes and vnsensyble we neyther feare oure good God as ◠Lorde nor loue hym as a father as Malachie sayeth If I be youre Lorde where is the feare ye owe me If I be youre father where is the loue that is due vnto me From hence foorthe God promises too blesse their fruite and woorkes and they had not so great scarsenes before but now they shoulde haue as great plentye So that whan man turnes vntoo God God turnes vntoo hym when man amendes God lookes cherefully on hym where before he was angry whan man leaues sinninge God leaues plaginge whan man buyldes Goddes house and maintaineth his true religion God blesseth his house all that is in it As Moyses teaches If thou heare the voyce of the Lorde thy God to doe his commaundement thou shalte be blessed in the Citie in thy house in the fielde c. And howe came all thys to passe that they were so amended by preachinge rather then plaginge for that whiche coulde not bee obtayned in 40. yeares plagues was gotten in three weekes preachinge Aggeus came the firste daye of the 6. moneth and the 24. of thesame thei beganne to worke so they hadde no more tyme too preache in nor too prepare their tooles in but three weekes and three dayes Suche a stronge thing is the woorde of God sharper then a twoo edged swoorde and pearcinge to the deuision of the minde soule and where it is earnestly receiued it makes many to feare no deathe nor displeasure nor to thinke any thing painfull so that he maye please hys God Therfore let vs haue it in reuerence vse it heare it reade it marke it remember it and practise it for in it is shewed vntoo vs all the counsaill of God and it is sette for a sufficient doctrine to vs to sturre vs vp too the doinge of our dutye and saluation of our soules to the worshipping of God and vnderstanding his goodnes offered vnto vs. Also a worthy example it is to be folowed of all that haue correction of other that when the rodde will not serue to proue wordes and counsayle For often many be suche that they wil do more for a woorde then a stripe and often strokes harden the heart when gentlenes wynnes and perswades verse 20 The woorde of the Lorde was spoken the second time vnto Aggeus in the .xxiiii. daye of the moneth saying verse 21 Speake too Zerubabell the ruler of Iuda saying I wil trouble heauen and earthe also verse 22 And I wil destroy the seate of the Kyngedomes and I will breake in sunder the strengthe of the Kyngdoms of the Heathen and I wyll throwe doune the Chariots and the ryders in them the Horses shall fall doune and the ryders on them and the noblest shal be slayne by the swoorde of hys brother verse 23 In that day saieth the Lord of hoostes I will take thee Zerubabell sonne of Salathiel my seruaunt saieth the Lorde and I will put thee as a signette because I haue chosen thee sayeth the Lord of hoostes ¶ The people of God nowe going diligently aboute to buylde the Lords house and woorkinge at it now three ful monethes did so well please the Lorde that he sent his Prophete twyse on a daie to comforte and encourage them in their doings least they shoulde fainte or bee slacke in goinge forwarde as they were before Such a louing Lord is our good God vnto his people that he will mayntayn and set forwarde all suche as go about diligently to walke in their vocation and buyld hys house to their power Euery moneth from the beginninge of the restoringe of thys Temple they hadde one message or other from God by his Prophete too will them to continue and go forwarde in this well doinge and buylding Gods house In the syxte and seuenth moneth came this Prophete Aggeus with goddes message vnto them as is sayde before In the eyght moneth comes Zacharias the Prophete In the 9. moneth comes this Prophete agayne twyse on a daye frome God with comfortable promises in the 11. moneth comes Zachary againe So whyle they were thus diligent to do their duty God was as ready to shewe them mercye and will be to all whiche do the like as he hath promised that to euery one that hath it shal be geuen Therfore if we be desirous to haue encrease of the Lordes blessinges let vs be diligent to encrease that littel whiche we haue geuen vs first and it shall be encreased to muche more He bringes the Lordes message and not hys owne like a true seruaunt not for money as the Popes pardoners and Priestes do but freely and willinglye comes twise a daye as the Lorde appointes hym Contrariwise if the people folow not the which they be taught God takes his woord and Prophetes from them It is written of a holy father called Felix whiche when certaine desired hym too preache he sayde In time past when men did as they were taughte God opened many preachers mouthes nowe the people will not learne therfore God stoppes their mouthes He is now sent to Zerubabel the prince and chief ruler specially by name but not as though this promise perteined to hym onely and not to the rest of the people but by hym to the rest of the people Under the name of Zerubabel is conteyned
Alexander finding kynge Darius thus deadly wounded of hys seruaunt for iustice sake to punishe suche traytours bended doune the toppes of twoo yonge trees and tied the legges of Bessus to them and let thē swynge vp sodenly agayn and so rent him in peces Likewise Dauid when one came vnto hym telling him how he had slayne Saule his enemy thinkinge thereby too picke a thanke and get a rewarde of Dauid he was by the commaundemente of Dauid slayne and so shoulde all traitours which be false to their maisters be serued Thus the kynge beinge slaine the kingdome was broughte frome the Persians too the Gretians as the Prophete telleth here Where God saieth by his Prophete that he will destroy the kyngdome throw doune the horses and horsemen c. we be taught that God maketh kynges pulleth doune and chaunges kyngdomes frome one people too another for the sinnes of the people as Sirach sayeth and maketh to rule whome pleaseth hym The lande spued out the rulers and people in it for their sinnes and God gaue it to the Iewes Therefore let not princes trust in their greate strength and power for it is the Lorde God that geueth victory as he thinketh good whether thei be good rulers or euyl they be sette vp of God as Salomon saieth in the name of God by me kynges doe raygne and oure sauioure Christ sayd to Pilate thou shouldest haue no power ouer me excepte it were geuen thee from aboue If thei be good rulers it is Gods good blessinge and free mercye if they be euyl it is of iustice to punish oure sinnes as Iob saieth God makes hypocrites to rule for the sinnes of the people What cause haue we then in Englande to complayne that God deales so sharpely with vs that where we haue ben lōge hypocrites afore hym he punished vs of late a whyle with hypocrites too bee in auctoritie ouer vs whan the Saxons inuaded this realme droue out the Englishemen and ruled as kyngs the state of the cōmonwealth was much lyke to these our days and the lyke sinnes reygned in all sortes of men bothe hygh and lowe nobilitie people rulers and subiectes prelates and clergie the moste parte were greate hypocrites and superstitious cruel couetous proude gluttons whorehunters ambitious Therefore let vs amende or we shal be geuē vp to the Spanyardes Scottes Flemmynges or Frenchmen as we were then to the Saxons God gaue hys people into the handes of the Babiloniās and other people rounde aboute theym whiche were then the commen scourges of the worlde and so wil he do with vs as he hath done to our fathers afore vs if we doe not amende for he hateth sinne in all ages and will punishe it But as God comfortes his people here nowe buyldinge his house and sayeth he will throwe doune that kyngdome which than troubled them so he will be as good vnto vs if we worshippe hym truely and he will destroye them that trouble vs. Hys loue too his people is greatest as he saith he that touches you touches the apple of my eye So tender is our God ouer vs as we be ouer our eyes whiche be the tenderest partes of vs and he wil mooste assuredlye reuenge all displeasure done vnto vs for he can no more see his people take wronge and be oppressed now then afore times He is no chaungelinge nor his loue waxes not colde nor olde wee be hys chyldren and the members of his misticall bodye as they were now to whome he promiseth this helpe he is oure Lorde God and father louinge his chyldren and members in al ages and pouring his blessinges on them for Christes sake in whom he hath chosen them therfore he wil shew the like mercies vnto vs and of iustice reuenge all displeasures done too vs for hys sake The last verse maketh aunswere too an other obiectiō which the Iewes might haue made againste the Prophete saying If this kyngedome shal be throwen doun and so great warre shal be as though heauen earth should go together then shall we be destroyed we are but few in nūber there is but few of vs come home again what shal we do then how shal we escape being compassed about with so strong and many enemies we shal be deuoured To this God maketh aunswer biddeth them not be afrayde for in the day whē this great trouble shal come I wil take the Zerubabel my seruaunt whom I loue saieth the Lord I wil kepe thee as my priuie signet thou shal not perish saieth the mightie Lord of hostes because I haue chosē thee So good a God comfortable lorde is our God to all his people in all ages that he will leaue no doubte vntaken awaye that can discomfort his chyldren But he will satisfie all whiche can be sayde and pul al feare from vs. Therfore Zurubabel is here promised too bee deliuered out of all daūgers of that great warre trāslating of the kingdō from the Persians to the Gretians so that he shoulde catche no harme But here ryseth a harde question how this should be true that God woulde deliuer Zurubabell in that daye of soo greate trouble seinge that he liued not so longe but dyed within .14 yeares after his Prophecie Zurubabel was the firste prince of Iuda whiche ruled the people after theyr returning home frome Babylon he came home with the people was their capitayn and had now ruled a .40 yeares he ruled in all but .52 yeares as the history sayeth and this destruction of the kingdom of the Persians was not fulfilled of 145. years afterwardes or nere hande so much How could he then be deliuered in that dai and died so long afore vnto this mai be aūswered that which was said afore that promises made to kinges that fathers are dot too be applied to thē selues onely but they be made also too their chyldren subiectes shal be fulfilled in long years afterwards ▪ rather thē at the prosent so wil God exercise our faith in patiētly lokīg for his cōming whē his holy wisedom shall thinke good and not when oure foolishe rashnes shall wishe and desire hym to come Promises made vnto Abrahā Isaac Dauid and Iacob c. were not fulfilled in their dayes but to their chyldren long afterwardes so God makes promise here too these princes and rulers that all the subiectes maye knowe that they be conteined also in thesame truce and leage of God that the promise concernes them also and they shal be deliuered in that daye frome all the daūger of warre and enemies that shall come vpon them And it is as muche as though the Prophete shoulde say thou Zerubabell and thy kyngedome all thy people and subiectes be not afrayde for in those troublesome daies I wil saue you and kepe you as diligently as my rynge priuate seale And that they might the more earnestly beleue it he called hym seruaunt whereby he mighte well
him agayne by suche tokens So God wyll bothe by hys spirite poure his loue into our hearts and let vs se the care that be taketh for vs and will also by outwarde sacramentes as badges marke vs for hys people by thesame seale vs surely too hym selfe and sturre vs vp to loue him agayn and looke diligently to oure dutie If earthely lords and princes will soo safelye defende theyr seruauntes let them not doubt but God that is Lorde of lordes will defende hys people frome all daungers and wronges be they neuer so manye and soo greate if they woulde earnestly in faithe call vpon hym in the daye of their trouble forsake their owne strengthe witte and policâ—e truste in him onely Dauid sayeth wel the Lord is not delited in the streÌ„gth of an horse nor the strong legges of man but the Lorde is wel pleased with them the which feare him with them that trust in his mercy There is no waye sooner to prouoke Gods anger and make hym to forsake vs in trouble than to trust to our selues and in our owne witte strength policie for that is as muche to take the praise to oure selues from him and mistrust God that he can not or wil not defeÌ„d vs. And although we must not trust in oure selues yet wee muste vse all meanes whiche he hathe ordeined for oure defence For as we muste be diligent to do all good workes and not put our trust of saluation in them but sai with saincte Luke whan ye haue done all that I commaunded you saye ye bee vnprofitable seruauntes so we must vse alwayes lawefull to defende oure selues yet saye our help is from the Lord which hath made both heauen and earth he hath ordeyned suche meanes to saue vs by and workes by thesame our deliueraÌ„ce whan pleaseth him sometimes too shewe hys power he deliuereth vs without such ordinarie meanes And why wil God thus saue them for any goodnes in them which had so longe forgotteÌ„ him his house or for their good workes who had so loÌ„g ben so disobedieÌ„t no but euen because I haue chosen thee saieth the Lord. This is the first chiefest cause why he bestoweth his goodnes vpoÌ„ any people â–ª eueÌ„ because he hath chosen theÌ„ in Christ afore the world was made for this cause he coÌ„tinueth bestowing his blessing to the ende vpon theÌ„ whom he hath once chosen Saincte Paule reasoninge of this matter putteth twoo causes wherfore God shuld loue iustifye and chose vs either freely of grace and mercy saieth he or for the goodnes of oure woorkes If it shoulde bee for oure woorkes than sayeth he it can not be of grace and if it be of free grace loue and mercie than is it not for our woorkes neither paste nor too come for than grace shoulde not bee grace saieth he if it were not thus freely geuen If God shoulde chose vs for anye goodnes in vs than hee shoulde but doe one good turne for another and freely withoute rewarde doe nothinge whiche is mooste againste his nature that doeth good for euyll yea and where he seeth no possibilitie of goodnes or rewarde to be looked for Who hath geuen him anye thinge firste and he shal be recompensed agayne sayeth sainct Paule as though he shoulde saye no. I haue chosen you and ye haue not chosen me sayde Christe to his disciples and Apostles And as he thus chose theym soo he choses all whiche he choosen and so he will declare his fre grace loue and mercy to al which be his freely euen because it pleased hym to chose them and they deserued not to be chosen of him but rather to be caste away from hym Whan God promised too deliuer his people in like distresse by hys Prophete he sayde for myne owne sake for myne owne sake I will doe it And not onely thus in bodely deliuerauÌ„ce but in forgeuenes of sinnes he saies likewise it is I it is I whiche forgeueth thy sinnes for myne owne sake Thus freely God oure heauenly father for the loue whiche he beareth too vs in his sonne Christe in whome he had chosen vs from the beginninge and for whose sake he continueth hys fauour to vs he I saye bestowes all his blessinges freely on vs bothe in bodye and soule in this lyfe and after The will of God is the firste cause of doinge all good thinges and whan he wil all thinges worke and they him whan he wil not thei staye and cease so because his chosing of vs coÌ„meth of his free will mercy it is the firste and chiefest cause of our saluation If he shoulde be sturred too chose vs for our goodnes whiche he foresees in vs that is euer vnperfite or if for any other cause within vs or without vs than he shoulde not be the firste cause and mouer of all thinges But sainct Luke sayth In him we lyue be and are moued That whiche moues an other thinge is in nature afore that whiche is moued also it is better stronger and wyser but to say that any ting is stronger wyser or better than God is treason and blasphemie too his maiestie therfore his will is the firste cause of all our goodnes Thus our good God teaches vs comforte his people that all thinge shal turne to the best to them which loue him be the troubles neuer so many and great the maÌ„s witte can not tel how to escape Let kings and princes fal together by the eares kyl murther shewe what crueltye they can gette or lose kyngdoms warre fighte or what they can deuise God will saue and deliuer his people if it please him oute of all their handes Whan Pharao persecuted the Iewes thorough the read sea God saued his people and drouned the Egiptians In the wildernesse whaÌ„ Seon and Ogge two mightie kynges denied them vitayles and passage God destroied them bothe and gaue their landes to his people After they came to the lande promised he droue oute 7. mightie people and delte it to the Iewes and when all the Heathen people whiche dwelt rounde about them made warre againste his people hee destroyed them all In Babilon when they were prysoners vnder Balthasar kynge within the cytye and Darius kynge of the Medes with Cyrus the king of the Persians beseginge the cytye rounde aboute that none shoulde escape when the cytye was taken God did not onely deliuer hys people from all the cruell handes of these three mighty kynges but gaue them such fauour in the sighte of Cyrus that he not onely hurte them not but set them at libertie sente them home to their countrye gaue them licens too buylde this temple restored their Iewels whiche Nabucadnezer tooke awaye and gaue free licens to euery man to helpe theym with money as muche as they woulde Who coulde haue thought Gods people shoulde haue ben now deliuered oute of the handes of three Heathen kynges beinge
the Pope first seeking aid at princes hands finding fauor ouerwhelmed theÌ„ all at length as the woode bind and vndermining them as the heady waters hais throwen theÌ„ doune these many yeares vnto it pleased God to opeÌ„ the eyes of some few to consider their estate and seke for remedy No kingdom people nor religion that withstode god and his truthe can be found but it hais ben ouerthrowen Babylon the first wurst continued longest yet it had an ende by the Persians The Persians GreciaÌ„s and Romains can not altogether compare in tyme with Babilon yet thei be vainquisshed away Poperi hais troubled gods churche a long tyme but nowe throughe goddeâ— mercy it melts away like snowe afore the sunne But Christ saieth our religion and people professing the same without all kynde of Popish superstition haue ben from the beginninge continued in all ages from time to time and at these dayes the Lords name be praised therefore hole countries do abhorre his abhominations In the middes of all mischief whan euerye kynde of fleshe had so defiled him self that god of iustice drowned the hole world except eight persons yet was there found kept vndefiled and calling vppon the liuinge god with true faythe holye Seth Enos Enoch Noe c. In Idolatrous Chaldae was faithfull Abraham Sarai Nahor and Lot c. In superstitions Egipt liued innocently Iacob and hys sonnes Moises Aaron c In the wildernes wandred in gods feare Iosue Caleb Phines Eleazar c whan the number of gods people encreased in the tyme of the Iudges and kings there were so many godly men found amonge the people beside men of power as GedeoÌ„ Iephthe Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias that thei can not be numbred Against Iesabel stode vp Elias Eliseus Abdias c. In the captiuitie were Esdras Daniel Aggeus Nehemias with many moe Against Haman and Holophernes stode Ester Mardocheus Iudith and Alier What valiaÌ„t warriors the Machabees were against bloudy Antiochus the auncient father Eleazar the manly mother of the vii brether soo cruellye murthered the history declares From Christes time to consider gods stout souldiors it is harder to tell where to beginne than where to make an ende The Apostles and Martirs so cruelly tormeÌ„ted be so many and so wel knowen that they nede not to be rehersed What stormes than can the Pope deuise with his clergy to oppresse deface and ouerthrow god his woorde religion or people Can thei be more cruel thaÌ„ Nero Diocletian Domitian Can rhei passe Iesabel Nebucadnezar Antiochus or suche like beastlye tormentors In the spite of all the mightie persecutours God blessed his Surely their mischeuous malice bloude thirsty tyranny passe all these in madnes and yet if they could passe them selues in cruelty all is vain He is stronger that is with vs than any can be against vs. The deuil is cruel in his meÌ„bers but the louing Lord forsakes not his Let not the wicked thaÌ„ triuÌ„phe nor gods peple be disamaied God our father for loue will trie his people what they will beare for his sake but of mercy he will not lay to heauy loodes on vs nor forsake vs the Lord of strength and power will shew hys glory in our weakenes that by his mightie hande suche weake bodyes may be strengthened to suffer that that passes reason The oftner that the goldsmith tries his gold in the fyre beates knockes it with hys hammer the finer is the gold the more that god tries our faith in the fornace of teÌ„ptation the more he loues vs and the more we glorifie hym The stormy winter caÌ„ not ouerwhelm the fruites of Sommer Weedes be many yet the corne is not deuoured wylde beastes be cruel yet god defends the shiftles sheepe Many fishes be raueners yet the yong fish encreases the Hawkes be gredy yet shifts the littell byrds Dogs hunte folow the chase most gredily â–ª yet escapes safeli the fearfull hare Sommer is raging hoate yet the leaues make a comfortable colde shadow the windâ— blowe boustously yet stand faste the low busshes whan the great ookes are ouerthrowen the waues of the sea are rough hudge yet safelye slips away the slyding shippe the rage of fyre is swaged with water the heady streames are kepte in with bankes Vnruly people are brideled by lawes hote burning feuers are coled by medecines â–ª Thus euer against an extremite God hais prepared a remedy that fearfull man shuld not mistrust gods carefull prouidence that he takes for hym How should proud Popery than thinke too conquere all by might and cruelty that god defendes so fatherly and why should gods people be afraid at euery storme he that smites heales and he that sends trouble gyues strength Let vs therfore pluck vp our stomackes and pray with s. Augustine Dâ— quod iubes iube quod vis Lord giue me streÌ„gth to do and beare that that thou commaundes and commaunde what thou will It is wonderfull to consider the folishnes of the wicked which in politie wold seme so wise The higher that a man climmes the nerer and more daungerous is hys fall the greater weighte that is cast on the soner it breakes the faster a maÌ„ runnes â–ª the sooner he is wery the forther that the bowe is drawen the sooner it flies in peeces The heauier that the cart is loden the slower it goes the hooter that the fyre is the lesse whyle it continues The more greuous that the disease is the shorter it is Tyrannes raygne not long wylde beastes the crueller they be the more thei be hunted and killed In summe No violent thinge can longe endure Yet foolish Papistes thinke wyth cruelty to wishe their will to raygne like lordes of the lande and stablish their kingdom on earth and to bring it so to passe that not onely menne dare not or will not withstande them but willingly beleue folow doe and practise whatsoeuer they commaunde them they can not be so ignorant to not knowe these thinges and wilfully to wishe againste knowledge and conscience muste nedes be a great madnes Gods woord Christian faith and religion is of that nature that the more it is persecuted the more it thriues the more it is hated the more good men loue it the faster that thei be puld from it the more they runne vnto it Let theym therefore consider howe God hais wrought in other kyngdoms ouerthrowing theÌ„ all that set vp them selues against him â–ª and howe yet he works in the naturall course of thinges to teache vs by them his like working for vs spirituall thinges and let theym looke for no lesse aâ— ouerthrowe at gods hande in his appointed time If these things can not perswade them to stai their rage I woulde thei would coÌ„sider to whom thei make them selues seruaunts that thei mighte be ashamed to serue so vile a maister They geue place to the deuill for all cruelti is of him they bâ—â—ome his instruments whereby he workes hys feates they be his slaues
and drudges at commauÌ„dement to doe that he biddes but were made too serue and feare their Lorde god thei be driuen ledde of hym like brute beastes forgettinge hym that made them and their sely tormented brether that praye for them vnnaturally forgetting them selues to be men they regarde not mans life but vnmercifully spilles and spoiles them And for what ende or purpose to satisfie if thei could euer be full their bloudy appetites to fill their idle bellies to rule like kynges too bee glorious in the world to oppresse the simple to deceiue the ignorant deface gods truth to fede the people with lies to set vp their god the Pope to deface Christe and his merites to hyde his woorde and set vp superstitious Idolatrye where they shoulde doe all thinges to the contrary because in such their doynges all true Christians abhorre them But in these our miserable daies where it pleased god of his vndeserued â—ercy to staie their rage in burning prisoning gods seli soules that mischief which their bloudy handes and cruell herts darre not attempte their poysenfull tunges spue out Now ceases fire and faggot yet their sclaunderous lieng lippes are not stopped where thei dar not blaspheme the doctrine soo frelye as thei bee wont now thei inuei against the teachers professors of it with suche termes as please theym though neuer one be true But as Samuel saide too the people whan he had anointed Saul kinge Speake here afore the Lord and his anointed king whether I haue taken any mannes Oxe or Asse or haue oppressed any one of you or taken bribe I will restore it and they were not able to charge him and yet were wery of him so I dout not but thei be not able iustli to burdeÌ„ the preachers with such lies as thei deuise against them and if any be for my parte I wish theym not to be hid This kynd of persecutioÌ„ is as greuous to an honest hert aâ— the other is but a iustified mynde in this case will turne him selfe to the Rord beare his crosse thankefully knowledge that the scholer is not aboue his maister If Christ our lorde escaped not these tunges but they calde him Samaritane and sayde he had a deuill let no Christian loke too be free Dauid felte these panges whan he prayed Lord deliuer my soule from wicked lippes froÌ„ a deceitfull tunge If they remembred Gods threteninges to all suche they would not be so talkatiue What shal be geuen thee thou craftye tunge says Dauid Euen sharpe arowes and burninge cooles aunswers the holy Ghoste and agayne the Lord will destroy all crafty lips and proud tuÌ„ges Woulde God that these wicked men vnderstode these threateninges to be true that God would faithfully fulfill them to their confusion if they did beleue them they woulde tremble and quake for feare of them and not be so ready too speake what please them Many thinke their tunges too be their owne and that they maye speake what they lust and wordes to be no grefe nor kynde of persecution but blessed Dauid is of contrary opinion whan he compares suche tunges to swordes poisonfull stinging of serpents sharp rasers c. Thus be we fallen in such miserable daies where vnder Popery we be tormeÌ„ted persecuted with all extremitie vnder the Gospell we be slaundered reuiled that we maye iustly saye with the Apostle we are counted as shepe apointed to the slaughter dayly If these fearfull examples greuous ouerthrowe of the wicked and so many from the beginninge can not perswade these cruel haters of God hys woorde murtherers of his saincts their brether to abate their pride swage â—heir malice if thys perticular prophecie writen for that purpose too teache all bloudy butchers proude Caiphas that a like destruction will fall on them as it did on Edon can not help than let them marke the manifolde threateninges of 〈◊〉 Lord where he thunders against such wicked doers Be not afraid saies the Prophete thou Israell my seruaunte for I am with thee fear not for I am thy God that streÌ„gthens thee helps thee Behold they shal be ashamed confounded all that fighte against thee all that gain say thee shall perish and bee brought to nought c. Again thou art the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shal be ashamed they that goe from thee shal be writen in the earth and not in heauen But this sede of Esau in our daies is wors than olde Edon â–ª as their dedes well declare whaÌ„ Iacob was banished .xx. yeares Esau was content to mete his brother Iacob returning homeward too forget all olde grudges to take vse him as his freÌ„d and brother but our Edomites would not receiue their banished brother returning home forget no olde malice nor vse any frendship toward theÌ„ but with word and dede shew all crueltie thei could deuise agaiÌ„st them yet so coÌ„tinue To this some of the wiser forte peraduenture wil sai there is iust cause why thei should do so thei be not vsed as Iacob did his brother Esau. Iacob sente great gifts too his brother Esau toke nothing frome him but lette him liue where he lusted In dede this may be a greate cause for they are so wel pleased with giftes and wealth that in the middes of their rage a littell bribe would haue loosed heauy chaines of yron and quenched hote flaming faggots But nowe though many thinges â—ay be suffered in teÌ„porall matters yet the discipline of the gospell will not suffer persecutors too occupie the place of feders nor wolues the rowme of shepeherds If true discipline might take place not onely murtherers apostates forsaking that religioÌ„ which afore thei professed and taught should be deposed froÌ„ theyr office but al turntippets that turn with the world and kepe their liuings still should haue no office in Christs church vntyll thei made satisfaction by open repentaunce afore the congregatioÌ„ But alas for pitie for lacke of sharp discipline thei lie lurkinge and loking for that daye whan they maye turne to their old vomitt again en king their haÌ„ds in bloude and laugh in their sleues too see suche coldnes in religion to serue the liuing Lord wher they were so earnest bold and diligent to sette vp their owne deuises Yet all things considered it is no meruail why the good men succeding in the place of such euyl persons be so euyl spoken of at these dayes Eor as he that ripes in a dungehyll is infect with the smell therof a longe time after though he were neuer so cleane afore and be that comes to a house infected with the pestilence is soone takeÌ„ therwith though he be neuer so souÌ„d afore yea the better complexion the soner smiteÌ„ so good men now searchinge the festerd cankers and riping the stinking duddels of Poperi for a time smell euil in the noses of the wicked seme to
be infected with a worâ— plage than the other Their places may â—e well â—â—med with the scripturs Cathedrae pestileÌ„tiae the seats of pestileÌ„ce because thei either infect the good or elles sore assaultes them This miserie good men must be coÌ„tent patiently to beare for this is our nature more than any other people alwaies to repine be greued with the present state In the late daies of persecutioÌ„ those which now be eye sores to loke on were much desired and wisshed for and those that now be lamented were than commenly cursed of the greater and better sort Than all cryed Lord god deliuer vs this once and we wil be most ware euer here after how we offende thy diuine maiestie but now being deliuered we are worse more vnthankefull and disobediente thanne euer afore which wickednes surely the righteous god will not let escape without heauy plages To make an ende if any natural pitie or merci of man were in them or if like men they woulde be ruled by reason these threateninges and examples of the wicked might moue stony hearts but seinge many of them be so blinded in their wickednes that it nedes not or bootes not to speake vnto them to the rest whose heartes God hais some thinge touched and are not altogether caste of God I saye thus muche Consider for gods loue and helth of your owne soules who they be that ye hate and persecute thei be gods creatures hys handy worke made lyke to his owne image and similitude they whome ye murther so innoceÌ„tly be those that Christ lâ—â—ed so derely that he wold dye with moste bitter paynes for them rather thaÌ„ they shoulde perish they be many of them youre kinsfolke the moste parte your neyghbours but euery one is your countreman spekinge thesame language that ye doe true subiectes too thesame prince that ye shoulde faithfully obey and members of thesame common wealth they saued your lyues and goods not seking your vndoinge whan it laye in their handes Consider how vnnaturall a thing it is thus to fight againste nature· remember howe daungerous in gods sight it is thus vnthankefully to prouoke his anger thinke on how in your late raging madnes God sodenly cut you of and yet patiently taries too see if ye woulde haue new hearts whan that daye came which ye so longe loked for ye had not euerye thinge after your owne will but many heauy plages God laid on you and surely whansoeuer God sendes the like agayne for oure vnthankefulnes and not for your goodnes all can not fal as ye woulde wishe Surely if God lyke a father sharpelye correct hys childreÌ„ what can hys enemyes loke for geue place to nature feare God loue your brother in Christe liue quietly like freÌ„ds and subiects to one prince washe your bloudy handes and heartes with bitter wepinge teares take to you pitefull mindes loue them that wishe you good leaue youre raginge madnes lest ye perishe in youre obstinate blindnes so shall God the Lorde blesse both you and vs contrary to oure desertes for his own mercies and not for any our goodnes through his derely beloued sonne Christ â–ª who offerd hym selfe a swete sacrifice for vs all that we shoulde sacrifice our selues to hym mortifyinge all carnall lustes that we maye lyue and dye to him and afterward be glorified with hym too whome vvith hys father and holy spirite three persons and one God bee glorye and prayse in all congregations now and euer Amen Psal. cxxxvii ¶ Remember O Lorde the behauior of the chyldren of Edon in the daye of Ierusalem whan they sayde doune with it doune with it too the grounde The vision of Abdy ¶ Thus sais the Lord god to Edom we hearde a voyce from the Lorde and a message was sents to the Heathen sayinge ryse and let vs go fighte agaynste her in warre THys Prophete is not long in wordes but he is pithie in senteÌ„ce he entreates not manye nor dyuers maters but thys one is weightie depely to be considered for euen as Apothecaris vse to put their costlist medicynes and ryche men their greatest Iuels in some littell boxe or chest soâ— God our heaueÌ„ly scholemaister vses many times to teache in short writings so much of his heauenly wisedom as many other tymes ye shall not finde in longe bookes likewise of learned men in one witty sentence and figure will declare as much wit and eloquence as the commen sort wil do in long volumes And as a litle gold is woorth a greate deale of brasse a smalle Diamond is better thaÌ„ a number of right stones so in this shorte Prophete is more learninge comforte and godly wisedome than ye shall finde in searching longe and sondry sortes of the learnedst Philosophers or eloquence Orators The Prophets vse to cal theyr writings visions or sights for diuerse causes firste because none shoulde take in hande to be Gods messenger to teache his people but he that is lightened of the Lord hais his eyes and sight opened to see the misteries of God For vnto the blinde sinner says God why dost thou declare my righteousnes and takes my testameÌ„t in thy mouth and again if the blinde leade the blinde both fall in the pytte Secondly because they open the eyes and geue sight too the blind as Dauid sais the declaring of thy woordes lightens and geues vnderstandinge to the simple ones and also thy woorde is a lanterne to my feete a light to my pathes Thirdly and last of all because of the certainty of the things which they writte that is to wete they were not tales whiche he had heard of our men but whiche he sawe him selfe by the eyes of faith Things that a maÌ„ heares of others oft be false but of those which he sees him selfe no man doubtes as the Poete sais one witnes that sees it with his eye is more to be beleued than tenne that harde it by report For this certainty Prophetes were called seers commenlye of all men In olde time as it is written whan they went to aske counsaill of God they sayde come let vs go to the seer But how can he see these thinges whiche were not done in his lyfe time but longe after he sawe theym not in a dreame nor in a coniurers glasse nor by the vayn forsight of the Starres as Astronomers deceyuinge the world woulde make menne beleue they can tel them their destinies and things to come but he sawe theÌ„ by the eyes of faith when God which can not lye had shewed these thinges vnto him afore haÌ„d proued theÌ„ true afterward in dede This is the surest way of knowledge and seinge for those thinges which I beleue and se with the eyes of fayth be surer than those that I see with my bodely eye or fele with my hande God is truth it selfe and therefore those thinges that he teaches must nedes be true and that faith and credeÌ„ce which is geuen to his
The coniurers that stode afore Pharao working miracles thought thei shoulde haue defaced Moyses set vp them selues but Pharao was drowned with his hoste Moyses with his people was deliuered and the coniurers grauÌ„ted that the liuinge God wrought in Moyses Achitophel counsailing Absalon to folow his father Dauid that same nighte he beganne to rebell lest in deferringe time he shoulde escape thoughte Absalon shoulde haue ben a kinge but God proued his worldly wise counsaill to be folishnes for whan he see that he was not beloued nor his counsail folowed he went and haÌ„ged him self but Dauid escaped and Absalon was slain Whan Haman had obtained a proclamation for the distroinge of al the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus he thought him selfe wiser than all the worlde and that he shoulde haue ben promoted him self and the people of God spoiled and destroied But Haman was hanged on the same galowes Mardocheus promoted the Iewes deliuered Whan Saul promised Dauid his daughter for the killinge of an hundreth Philistines â–ª not for loue but thinkinge Dauid shoulde haue ben killed him self afore he had kylled so many he thought he had done politicly but Dauid kylled them all maryeâ— hys doughter and was kyng after hym For whiche thinge onely Saul abhorred him The Scribes and Phariseis thinking if Christ were once dead thei should be safe neuer hear tel more of hiÌ„ but after his death thapostles wrought mo miracles in his name than he did him selfe beinge aliue and mo beleued in him after his death than euer did whan he was aliue Thus all the scripture proues plain that that whiche worldly wisedome thinkes best to set vp them selues by and too destroye Gods people is proued too be the destruction of all those that truste in it whan thei loke for moste comfort of their deuise it turnes to their owne hurte as we see it hays chaunced by Gods merciful prouideÌ„ce to our papistes for bringing in the Spaniardes trusting by that people to maintayne their superstitious popery ydell lordly authorite The wisedome of this worlde says the apostle is foolishnes afore God The wiser thou art afore men not hauinge the glorie of God afore thine eyes euer studyinge howe too set foorthe his will to the world the more foole thou art the craftier thou art to set vp thy self the soner thou workes thine own destruction How many of the worldly policie mâ—Ì„ haue ben trapped in their own snare here amoÌ„g vs haue not they whan they were highest in auctorite suffered death by the same their own lawes thus ye se that al worldly wisedoÌ„ againste God is nought that it is no wisedoÌ„ in dede but folishnes And althoughe worldly wittes doe many things wel for a time yet whaÌ„ they trust in it most stande most in nede of it they shal be deceiued as the nexte verse saies Shall I not in that daye destroie saies the Lord the wisemen froÌ„ Edom. c. And as it is in worldly wittes policies that they be all vain whan thei striue against God so is it in the spiritual kingdoÌ„ of Christ in his woord church for the dregges of Poperie with their CanoÌ„s Decrees shal be throwen doune can not alwaies maintaine those idel bealy gods the Popes chaplens but as thei haue ben cast doun by tymes euer so shal thei at length be troden vnder fote to their confusion Like is the case of subtil scholemeÌ„ with their distinctioÌ„s defacing Christ his truth neither settiÌ„g forth the maiestie of God his sonne Christ Iesus nor edifying with coÌ„fortable promises the weak conscieÌ„ces nor opening the misteries of the scriptur but with folish gloses defacing the mercies of God taught in his holy word burdening men with traditions vnwriteÌ„ verities or rather vanities their own dreames phantasies all which God abhorres says al that worship him teching maÌ„s doctrine worship him in vain These all such like conning of the wisedoÌ„ of the flesh be euerlasting death as Paul saies sensual carnall deuelish as Ia. termes theÌ„ mere ignoraÌ„ce of God his mercies for a natural sensual man perceiues not the things of God And to conclude generally all wisedom that settes vp it selfe in any kinde of thinges whatsoeuer it be it is no wisedom it shall confounde all that vse it or truste in it and whan thei would moste gladly enioye it they shall surelye not haue it There is no wisedome nor counsaill againste the Lorde sayes Salomon the Pope with all hys rabel is not so wise to throwe doune Christ as the Scribes and Phariseis were in their time as they were confounded so shall all that rebell agaynste the sonne of God whyche by the mighte of hys holy spirite in the mouthe of his true Apostles disciples and ministers beiÌ„g but poore simple abiects a despised people in the sight of the worlde hais ouerthrowen tyrannes stopped blaspheminge mouths confouÌ„ded the wyse learned and declared his strengthe in oure weaknes that there is no power wisedoÌ„ streÌ„gth nor policie that preuailes against him or his people and because they didde glorie so muche in their wisedom and policie the Lord countes if a glorious thing to throw them doune because the glorie may be geueÌ„ to him alon for such a noble victorie he says Shal I not thrâ—w theym doune as though he should saye No man shall haue the praise of it but I my selfe I will destroye them with myne own haÌ„des in that daye whan thei loke not for it trust moste in them selues The towre of Babel the cytyes Niniue and Ierusalem beinge greate and mightie were sodenlye ouerthrowen whan they thoughte not on it The wisedome of God purposes one thinge and the wisedom of man an other so wisedome shall ouercome wisedome the pride of man shal be ouercomen by the mightye hande of God God taries longe to haue his enemies too turne by repentaunce too see their owne folye and aske forgeuenes but whan he sees there is no remedye nor hope of their amendemente hee comes lyke a sharpe and righteous iudge and vtterly ouerthrowes theim But not onely their wisedom wisemen perished but their stronge men shal be afrayde also because euery noble man amonge theym shoulde be afraide as the laste verse sayes What a case shal these people be in whan neither wysedome nor strength shall serue Theman signifies by interpretation the south and it is also the name of one of their chiefe cities and therfore some translate thy strong men shall be afraide of the southe because Nabuchodonozor came with his hoste frome the south â—o so Babilon stode southward from them or better the strongest men of ThemaÌ„ thy chiefe cytye shall be afrayde and so Ieremie vses it there is no more wisedoÌ„ in ThemaÌ„ it is thought of many learned and that probably that Iob dwelled in this countrie afore Esau was borne and
married Dina Iacobs daughter as Philo saies that Eliphas also the Aminites one of Iobs frendes whiche came to comfort him as he sate on the dunghyl dwelled in this citie Theman and therof was called the Aminites and wel it may be so for in his counsailinge and confortinge of Iob he speakes oft more worldly than godly although wittely wisely the latter ende of the verse some rede euery one of the hyll Esau some the noble men as the Targ. redes but both wel inough For Isch signifies bothe euery one also a man but suche one as is noble Therfore I ioyne theym together and saye euery noble man and so I expresse bothe their meaninges So here is plainly taughte the neither wisedom nor strength can preuail againste the Lord. All gloryinge craking reioicing or boasting that any man hays of hym selfe or any thinge beside God is vaine and wicked for this muste alwaies be afore vs. He that glories let him glorie in the Lorde and Cyprian sais well wee must glorie in nothinge because nothing is oures We haue receiued al from God therfore all praise must be geuen to him that giues al. What hays thou says s. Paul that thou hays not receiued of God and if thou haue receiued it why crakes thou on it as though thou had not receiued it What a proude soule is he that will bee proude of his borowed coate or paynted sheath God clothes vs and couers our filthy nakednes with his godly gifts what vnthankefull treason is it than to take the praise from hym to oure self and not render due thankes vnto him for them Marke here the difference betwixte true wisedome and boldnes earthly worldly witte and power whan daunger comes the godly wise man will commit him self holy to God lokinge for helpe deliueraÌ„ce at his handes or elles patiently beare it without any dismaiyng whatsoeuer God lays on him for he knowes well the things are not ruled by fortune nor that any thing can fall on him withoute the good will of his good God and louinge father But the worldly wise man whan he sees worldly witte power and politie faile he thinkes all the worlde failes and things be without recouery he trusteth not in God and therfore no meruaill if he be left desolate Of the good mans feare in the time of aduersite writes Ieremie blessed is he that trustes in the Lorde for he shall be a tree planted by the waters and in the drught he shall not be carefull nor cease to beare frute And Dauid also sayes Psal. Thou shalt not be afraid of fear in the night c. The wicked contrariwise shall be afraide at the fall of a leaf one shall chase a thousande and ten thousande as God threteÌ„s in Deute by Moyses He will lie flater swere and what ye wil haue him to doe rather than lose his profit The like says Ieremie of theym to they shall bee a rede shaken with the winde Thei shal dwell in drie wildernes in a salt grounde The people whiche dwelte in the lande promised to the Israelites whan they heard tâ—â— what wonders God wrought in the wildernes and the reade sea for his people seinge them come nere vnto theym hearinge the victories thei hadde againste the kinges See and Og their hearts melted in their bodies like waxe as Rahab confessed too the spies whiche Iosue sente but Rahab her selfe shee plucked vp her heart trusted in God and was deliuered where the other perished So the good Gabaonites that feared God yelded theÌ„ selfe to Iosue and were saued the other that trusted in their owne strengthe and woulde trie it with the sweerde for all their brag were faint hearted and ouercomen So the Philistines seing Goliath their grauÌ„d Captaine slaine of Dauid beinge but a chylde in comparison of hym fled awaye poste where the Israelites afore were sâ—â— afraide that they durst not sturre Thus God turnes the course of thinges whan pleases him that those whiche afore were dismaid plucke vp their courage wynne the victorie and those that were stoute bragginge of them selues afore nowe be made cowards runne awaye flie thinkinge the daungers greater than they be in dede It does euidently appeare here also how the Lorde raises vp one wicked to plage and throw doun an other These Edomites had ioined them selues with their neighbours to trouble pore Iacobs seede and his people but nowe the mater is so turned that one wicked persecutes destroyes and plagues another and Nabuchodonozor destroies Edom. Wicked Iehu was raised to throw doune cruel Iesabel and all the kynges of Israell called the .10 tribes beinge all euill euery one murthered his predecessor and was killed of his successor Howe many Popes haue vsed thesame practise in poisoning one an other that they might come aloft it were more longe and tedious to tell than hard to finde In .12 year space vnder one Emperour were .8 Popes Wherof euery one almoste persecuted an other beinge dead and digged vp out of the earth beheaded them as Formosus Stephanus â–ª c. Some other raigned but a moneth and poisoned one an other as Cranty writes verse 10 For the violence towarde thy brother Iacob shame shall confounde thee thou shall be destroied for euer verse 11 In that daye did thou staÌ„de against him euen in that dai whan straungers didde take his goodes whan straungers entred hys gates and whan thei cast lotte for IerusaleÌ„ thou also was one of theÌ„ Thou shalt not loke in the day of thy brother nor in the day whan straunge thinges shal happen hym nor thou shalte not reioice againste the chyldren of Iuda in the daye of their destruction nor thou shalte not open thy mouthe boastingly in the dai of their trouble verse 13 Thou shalt not enter the gates of my people in the daye of their destruction nor thou shall not looke on their trouble in the daye of their miserie nor thou shall not stretch out thy self vpon his goodes in the daye of his destructioÌ„ verse 14 Nor thou shall not stande in the crosse wayes to kil them that flee nor thou shall hem them that be left in the daye of their trouble For the day of the Lord ouer all people is at hande as the hayes done thei shal do vnto thee like punishmente shall fall vpon thine owne head As ye haue dronkeÌ„ vpon my holy hyll so shall all people drinke continually they shal drinke and swalowe vp and shall be as though thei were not ¶ Now folowes the declaration of the causes of Gods anger and heauy displeasure against Edom lest any man shoulde thinke God vniuste in his doinges or too sharpe in his punishinges Some woulde thinke a lesse punishment might haue suffised to haue corrected theym with all but whan they shall consider howe great and greuous the sinnes of them were it shall be iudged to litel a punishmeÌ„t for so many fautes The
destructions are wont to finde fauour and thoughte to be innocente yet now they shal be as extremely punisshed as the rest And as ye haue dronke and made mery on my hyl Sion and Moria where the teÌ„ple was buylded and God worshipped ye laught to see it destroied burned cast doune so shall your enemies drink laugh and make merye on youre hylles where youre stronge holdes were buylded whan they shal throw them doun conquer your landes and leade you captiues and prisoners make you slaues robbe your goods and treasours laughe you too scorne and worke their pleasure on you and youres they shall swalowe you and youres vp soo cleane leauing nothing behinde them deuoure all your goods as though ye had neuer ben dwelling there and as though no suche thinges had ben This is the â—ust iudgement of God to doe agayne thesame thinges to his enemies that thei did too his people and rewarde like with like If he should shewe sharper punishmente men woulde call him cruell if lesse many woulde iudge that he coulde not woulde not or durst not Therfore he renders eueÌ„ thesame againe that both his enemies his people may cal him a righteous iudge For fewe will or iustely can blame hym that does but like for like So saies Dauid let the people reioice for thou iudges thy people righteously Adonibezeâ— a Heathen that chopped of the toes and fingers of .70 kinges whiche he conquered was so serued him selfe whan he was taken and than confessed he God to be righteous in doinge to him as he had done to other Absalon killed his brother with the swerde violentlye and perished with the swerde him self Ioab smote Abner vniustly and Dauid commaunded him to bee likewise handled He that came bringinge woorde to Dauid that he had killed Saul thinkiÌ„g thereby to haue piked a thaÌ„ke and goten a bribe of Dauid was commaunded by Dauid to be slaine for laying his hand on the anointed of the Lorde contrary to his expectation Thus by these few and suche other examples the rightuous iudgements of God and merciful dealing in his punishing appeare that although his enemies rage and furye in their doinges and in their madnes care not what crueltye they shewe yet God although he mooste iustly might accordinge to their desertes reuenge with more sharpnes he will not but rewarde with like Let all cruel papistes and persecutors of Gods people take hede therefore what violence they shewe for although God seme to suffer for a time yet he wil come at his apointed time to do liuer his and reward theym with the lyke measure that they haue shewed too other And of all causes and iniuries God canne suffer none wors vnauenged than that whiche is counted against IerusaleÌ„ hys temple his religion and where he is honored for that touches his owne person His honor he says him self he will gyue to no other he is a ielous God And the first chiefe commaundement is to worshippe him alone too haue no other Goddes but him for els he punishes to the thyrde and fourth generation of them that hate him Can any countrie or people be founde froÌ„ the beginninge whiche rebelled againste God and his people but God hays throwen them doune Can than our antichristes or any hater mocker of God or hys people at this daye by what name soeuer they bee called loke for any lesse than too receyue thesame measure that they haue gyuen other nay nay for surely the mo examples that thei haue had to teache theÌ„ and they will not learne the greater shal be their condemnation And let them not thinke that this day of vengeaunce is so ferre of seing that so many thinges crie on the Lorde to hasten his cominge Euery creature in heauen earth quicke and dead grones and trauails loking for our ful deliuerance The soules vnder the aultare crie howe longe o Lorde is it that thou reuenges not oure bloude and these be not fewe in number for from the bloude of the righteous Abel all innocent bloude shal come on you The spirite and the spouse crie come and he that hears cries come Merci to help his oppressed and iustice to reueÌ„ge crie come Lorde Iesus quickly Can God stoppe hys eares from all these cryinges No no let them assure them selues their daies be at hande they shall perishe euerlastingly yf they repent not and Gods people shall be deliuered to his glorie Come Lorde Iesus let all crie and he wil come The churche of Christ is the spouse of Christ and he is oure housbande he our head and we hys members and parte of his mistical bodye he oure father and wee hys chyldren he oure God and we hys creatures he oure kynge and we hys subiectes he our Lord and maister and we hys poore seruaunts Christ our brother and we felow heyres with him he loues vs better and takes more thought for vs than we doe for oure selues Greate is the loue of the mother towarde her chyldren yet greater is Gods loue towarde vs. Although the mother can forget the chylde sayes the Prophete I will not forget thee Yea as the henne will feight for her chekins so will oure God for vs againste all oure enemies How oft would I haue gathered thee vnder my winges as the henne her chekens sayes oure sauioure Christ. Oure bodies are the temple wherein he dwelles yea we are the liuely stones wherof his house is buylt we be of his household cyâ—â—â—ens burgeis and freemen in heauen his familiar frendes whome he loued so derely that his sonne should dye that we might liue And that we should not doubt of his good will but that he hays gyueÌ„ vs all his treasure he sayes He that spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all how can it be but hee hays gyuen all thinges with him c. Let no man therfore doubte of Gods good will towardes vs seinge God him selfe hayes declared so many wayes his excedinge greate loue towardes vs by so many similitudes and lette no papiste reioice nor triumphe againste Gods people as thoughe God cared not for theÌ„ had cast them awaye or woulde not delyuer them For he will come in dede not be slow Peter sayes the Lord is not slow in cominge as some thinke but patienly taries for vs c. Can any housbande see his wyfe take wrong or any man hate or neglected his owne fleshe can the father denie his chylde any thinge he askes or if he aske bread will he gyue him a stoone is any more ready to help his people than God will not a king defend his subiects the maister his seruaunte or lorde his tenaunt will not brotherly loue moue him that is loue it selfe as s. Ihon sayes too haue pitie on vs he hays boughte vs too dere to see vs caste awaye Will he doe lesse for vs then the Henne for her chekeÌ„s or the brute beast for her ionge ones No
than but he woulde geue place to a priestes cappe and now who regardes the best preacher ye haue O what a condemnacion shall this be to al such as haue the whip of gods correctioÌ„ in their hande to se the wicked so diligeÌ„t and earnest in their doinges to set vp Antichrist and Christian rulers and officers of al sortes hauing the whip of correction in their hande both by gods lawe and the Princes so coldely behaue them selues in settinge vp the kingdom of Christ that neither they giue good example theym selues in diligente prayinge and resorting to the church nor by the whippe of dyscipline driue others thitherward Where apperes in any christians in these our dayes this earnest zele of Christ to promote gods glory by suche correction that we maye say we be his folowers I feare rather that Christ of whoÌ„ we more talke than diligently folowe or earnestly loue for this cold slacknes that he sees in vs will say vnto vs. Bicause ye be neither hote nor colde I will spue you out of my mouthe Wo be to that Realm where god is compelled to take the whip in hand to punish sinne bicause the rulers will not great shal be the plage thereof Phinees turned awaye gods anger from his people bicause so zelously he auenged gods quarell and punished that wickednesse which other wincked at Dauid seing gods glory defaced and his enemies so contemptuouslye to forget the lawe of the lorde was so greued that he said The earnest loue that hee bare towarde God made him to pine awaye bicause his ennemies had forgotten the worde of God Elias fleing from cruell Iesabell thretninge to kill him bicause he had destroied Baals priestes liued in wyldernesse desired he might die for he was wery of his life to see how manye were fallen to Idolatrye how few or none as he thought worshipped truly the liuing god Though Iehu was a euil man otherwaies yet god gaue him a worldly blessing and commeÌ„ded him for his earnest zele in rooting out the posterity of Achab pulling down Baall and his sacrificinge priestes makinge a common Iakes of the house where they worshipped him S. Paule seing the Corinthians rather reioysinge then lamentinge or punishinge that filthinesse committed amonge them that one of theym had defiled his stepmother wrytes vnto them rebukes al theÌ„ sharply bicause they did not correct him and willes them al to assemble them selues in the name of god to excomminicate and geue him to Sathan that had done this wickednes not to eat and drinke with him that he might be ashamed repent and amend So whereas this great zele and loue towarde god and his house buildinge standes either in correcting euill and lamenting the defacing of gods glorye or els in wisshinge and doing good therto and fortheringe it to our powers for the first part to be earnestlye folowed these fewe examples shall serue for the other there be so manye that it is harder to tell where to ende then where to beginne Moyses in the wildernesse wyllinge to make a Tabernacle and place where the people should resort to worship their god had the Princes and people so liberall to offer and bringe to the makinge thereof golde siluer precious stones silke purple heare iron brasse and timber of all sortes such plentye that they would haue geuen more then neded Dauid earnestly desiringe to builde a house for the Lord if god would haue suffered him lefte his son Salomon so great plenty of al things necessary to that buildinge in a readines that he finished that costly building in seuen yeares Good king Cirus restored again to Gods people al that couetous Nabucho had robbed from them Cirus Darius Artaxerxes and hys Princes gaue out of their treasures to the buildinge of the temple and maintenaunce of their sacrifices according to the lawe of Moyses sufficientlye that they myght pray for the king his children the common wealth Constantinus the firste worthelye called magnus a Chrystyan Emperour gaue great liberty â—â— the Bishoppes and other ministers Iustinianus Theodosius Carolus magnus Ludouicus Pius c. augmented and encreased the same with landes and lawes This zeale and earnest loue to build gods house and punishe sin was in our fathers this liberality was in Princes and rulers that vnderstoode not gods benefites and mercies so plentifully as we do They pacified gods wrath in correcting sinne we prouoke his plages with heapinge vp of sinne They were greued and wery of their liues when they see Gods enemies despise his worde we winke and cloke it we laugh and smile at it and thinke it not to be a fault They were offended if wickednesse were vnpunished and the partye not ashamed that sinned and we be offended if any man go about to see it punished or the offendour ashamed They were liberall in geuinge relieuinge maintaining the ministery we are greedy in snatching and plucking away from them They were ready to defende with priuileges the ministers that they shoulde not be withdrawen from doing their dutie and we bind them to such clogges that they can not do their dutye They restored all that was taken from them and we study daily how to get more from them When I compare these doinges together and see howe good successe the one had and gods Church was gloriouslye builded that waye bothe vnder the law the gospell it makes me to quake when I loke what shall fall vpon vs going so farre cleane contraryway Surelye both they and we go not in the right way The lord for his crucified Christes sake which came downe from the bosom of his father to teache vs to builde him a house here that afterward we might raigne in glory with him there graunt vs all in all degrees from the higheste to the lowest suche an earneste simple loue to the true buildinge of hys house as the Prophete here teaches vs that vprightly we might walke the right way that he hath gone afore vs. If the Prince and nobylitye will maintaine that honorable estate that god hath called them to and auoyde the bondage of forreine powers If the Bishoppes and clergie will feede Gods people with the liuely foode of oure soules gods doctrine and discipline and not with mannes inuentions If the people will trulye serue God and obey their prince flee from Idolatrye escape gods plagues let vs iointly together earnestly abhorre poperie correct sinne turne vnto the Lord delight in his worde reuerence his ministers be diligent in prayer that we maye be liuelye stones mete for his building and become the temples of the holy ghoste where he with the father and the sonne .iii. persons and one god may dwell and be praysed I. P. L. C. D. My earnest loue to God hath pined me away because my enemies haue forgotten thy wordes Psalm 119. I haue bene earnestlye zelous for the Lord god of hostes because they haue forsaken thy couenaunt
.3 king 19. The Prophete Aggeus IN the seconde yeare of Kynge Darius in the vi moneth the firste daye of the moneth the word of the Lord was sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophet vnto Zerubabell the son of Salathiel ruler of Iuda and vnto Iosua the Sonne of Iosedec the chief Priest saying ¶ In asmuch that the yeare moneth and day when this Prophecy was spoken be so diligentlye noted of the Prophete and also that in which kinges daies by whom and to whom it was preached is so diligentlye mencioned it makes muche for prouynge the trueth of the prophecie and that we shoulde the rather beleue it For they that will teach lies vse not so exactly to declare the circumstances wherein thinges were done least in examynation of the same thinges be proued contrary and they founde liers But chiefly this long time here appointed of xl yeares teacheth vs the pacience and long sufferaunce of god who wil not punishe so sone as we do a faulte but tary and looke for oure repentaunce and amendmente as he did here so longe beare the Iewes And also it setteth before vs the vnthankful disobedience and slouthfull negligence of gods people whiche after so mercifull a deliueraunce and bringing them home againe from Babilon to their owne countrey from whence they were led prisoners by Nabuchodonozor had so longe and manye yeares left of the building of that house which God willed them so straightly to restore and the good King Cirus had giuen them liberty to do the same and restored their old ornamentes to doe it withall And in them also we learne our owne slouthfullnes to the fulfillinge of gods lawes For of our selues we be no better then they nor more diligēt in wel doinge except God stirre vs vp by his vndeserued grace The Iewes for their disobedience to god and his Prophetes preachinge his worde according to the Prophecy of Ieremy had their country spoyled their Citie Ierusalem burned their Temple destroyed they them selues were manye killed some for hunger in the besiege of the Citie did eat their owne children or donge and the rest were led prisoners to Babylon by Nabuchodonozor and there kept three score and ten yeares in great bondage After these years ended by the good king Cirus they had lycence in the first yeare of his reigne to go home and build their temple as manye as would and all other might freelye aide them with monie toward that great costly woorke Some good amongst them but fewe in comparison as Zorobabell Iosua Nehemia Mardocheus and other whose names are rekened in Esdras toke in hande to be Captaines of this worthye worke and after they came to Ierusalem they builded an altar to serue for to make their offeringes and their sacrifices on vntil the time that the Temple was builded The first and seconde yeares of their comming home to Ierusalem they were some thing diligent about their building and laide the ground worke of the temple But after partlye for complaintes of the rulers in the country whiche were straūgers and placed there longe afore by Salmanasar had accused them to the king saiyng if they were suffered to build their Cytye they woulde rebell as they were wont and paye no more taxes and partly for slouthfull negligence of them selues they left of buildinge vnto nowe this seconde yeare of Darius God sent this his Prophet to stirre them vp to their worke By this we may learne that when we lye longe on sleepe in sinne we can not wake vp our selues vntil God stirre vs vp by his Prophetes his word or holy spirite For Dauid after he had committed adultery with Urias wife and caused her husband to be slaine laye without remorse of conscience without repenting for his eull doinges or asking mercy vntill the Prophet Nathan came and rebuked him for the same Therfore let vs not lightly regarde the warninges of God sent vnto vs by hys preachers but thankfully embrace them praisinge his holye name that not only he hath so paciently borne vs so long and not sodenlye destroyed vs walowing in sinne and forgettinge him without repentaunce but now lastlye hath called vs by the preachinge of his worde and restoring his gospel by our gracious Queene to a new life which god graunt vs for his Christes sake The Iewes had now lyen after their cōming home almost xl years not regardīg the building of the temple wherfore God mooste louinglye sente his Prophete to warne them of their dutye rebuke them of their negligences and stirre theym vp earnestly to go about that worke And although the counting of these yeares be harde to count and are diuersly reckened of diuerrs men because they would make the greke Histories to agre with the scriptures I shall let all other Histories passe because they be to troublesome and folow that onelye whiche the scripture teacheth for that is the easiest and plainest to vnderstande and without al doubt true In Iohn we reade that the Iewes asked our sauior Christ what marueylous signe he would worke to perswade theym that he might do suche thinges as he did And he sayd to them distroye ye this temple in thre dayes I wil build it agayne He spake of his owne body whiche he would rayse vp the third day after they had putte him to death but they vnderstoode him of that greate costlye solēne Tēple of lyme stone whiche nowe they were building and therfore said Fourty six yeres was this temple in buildinge And wylte thou buylde it in three dayes Here we se howe longe this temple was in buyldynge althoughe some expounde thys place otherwise yet this is not ment that they were contynuallye workynge on the same so longe for partly they were forbidden and stopped by the Kynges that ruled after Cyrus and partlye they were negligent and carelesse for it but that there were so many yeares from the beginninge of that worke vnto the finishing of the same In the second yeare of Kinge Cyrus whiche was also the seconde yeare of their returninge home to Ierusalem from Babilon they layd the foundacions of the temple In the second yeare Darius as this presēt place teacheth they are willed by Aggeus to take in hand their worke againe ▪ And in the sixt yeare of this same Darius they finyshe it so that from the seconde yeare of Cyrus vnto the sixte yeare of Darius must be .xlvi. yeares wherein they were building as S. Iohn sayth This was a great negligence of Gods people and vnthankefulnes so long forgetting the building of the temple and their duty to god after so mercifull and late restoring them to their coūtry but this all our croked nature bent vnto except God do not onelye begin the good woorke in vs but also continuallye leade vs in the same to the ende Therfore haue we neede to loke diligentlye vnto our selues pray that god would not turne
c. and the Lordes daie which I take too be the Sundaie when Ihon sawe his Reuelation Thus superstition crepte intoo the worlde when men began too forgette callinge on the true and onelye God and made them gods of euery deadde sainct as they list What can we saye for oure selfs but that we put greate superstition in dayes when we put openly in KaleÌ„ders and Almanacks and say these dayes be infortunate great matters are not to be taken in hand these dayes as thoughe we were of gods priuie counsell But why are they infortunate Is God a sleepe on those dayes or doeth he not rule the woorlde and all thynges those daies as well as on other dayes Is he weary that he muste reste hym in those daies Or doth he geue the ruling of those daies to some euill spirite or planete if God geue to Starres suche power that things caÌ„ not prosper on those daies than God is the author of euyll If Starres doe rule men those daies than man is their seruaunt But God made man to rule and not be ruled and all creatures should serue him What shall be the cause If Astronomers saye true euery man at his byrthe by his constellation haue diuers things and desires appointed him Why than howe canne soo manye diuers constellations in so many men at your byrth agre â–ª to make one daye vnlucky in your lyfe to all men Eyther let him proue it by learning or for shame and sinne holde yourâ— tounge Starres maye haue some power on the naturall qualities and actions of the bodye and for phisicke But on the Ciuyll voluntarie actions of Christians myndes none Sainct Paule sayes the chyldreÌ„ of god be led with the sprite of god why thaÌ„ not by Starres It is faithles superstitioÌ„ to teache or beleue such things that either at the byrth or after we be ruled by Starres All Astronomers coulde neuer tell why Iacob and Esau brother twynnes borne in one momeÌ„t shoulde haue so contrarie natures What Starre ruled when Sodome and Gomorre were burned and the next townes scaped were all born vnder one starre that then perisshed or all Noes floudde was not thaÌ„ diuers sortes men and womeÌ„ yong and olde good and badde Doeth not the scripture saye that god made seuen dayes and when he had made all thinges he did beholde them all they were very good Why shall we then be holde to call them euill infortunate and dismall dayes If god rule oure doinges continually why shal they not prosper on those dayes as wel as on other God blessed the seuenth daye and yet we dare call that infortunate euil and cursed whiche he blessed Althoughe it be vnpossible to redresse this olde common errour so depely rooted in all tunges and countries yet it is not vnprofitable to note the begiÌ„ning of these thinges that this superstition maye bee some thinge knowen When god made seuen dayes he called them the firste the second thirde fourth c. But the last day he called the Sabboth whiche betokens rest and hath not the name geuen too bee called of any other creature man sainct starre or Idoll but as the name soundes so should we on the seuenth daye reste froÌ„ all bodely labour except nede compel but specially from all filthy sinne This is not the right waye to make holy men too be remembred nor surest to auoyd Idolatrie It were better to be done by writing the Chronicles liues deathes of suche as were godly in dede and not euery Rascall as Legenda aurea the Legend of Lies does Pope Boniface the .viii finding theÌ„ of Farrare worshippinge .xx yeares one Hermanius as a sainct digged him oute of the ground and burned him for an Heretike and authour of the sect called Fratricelli and forbad to worshippe such euyl men So I thinke we scraping together a number of sainctes as we liste worshippe many euill persons What holines was in Thomas Becket whiche had gotten twoo dayes in the Kalender called by his name and Priestes must euermore mumble him one wicked memory in Maâ—tins â— Euensong If papistes rebels and traytours to their kinges as this stout Champion of the Popes was maye be thus rewarded it is no marueyle if many rebell against their kinges as he did In that that he saieth the worde of the Lord was sent by the hand of Aggeus the Prophet it teaches the duety bothe of the hearer and the preacher For neither must we teach any thinge of mans deuises nor the hearer must regard him so muche whiche preaches that for his cause we muste either more or lesse beleue the thinge whiche is taughr for the preacher takes his authoritie of the woorde of God not the woordâ— takes his authoritie of the preacher but onely because it is the woorde of God of whose truth we must not doubt but with obedience receiue it Untoo the preacher saieth sainct Peter he that speakes lette him speake as the woordes of God Aggeus being but a poore Leuite kepinge this rule was not to be despised more theÌ„ the priest And where as preaching beleuing the thinges preached is the hyghest and mooste pleasaunt seruice and worship of god what thinge shoulde bee taughte what punishment is for them whiche doe it not the scripture teaches playne Saint Mathew saieth they worship me in vain teaching learninges whiche are the commaundementes of men And the false Prophet whiche runnes before he be sent and deceiues the people speakinge in the name of God that whiche he was not coÌ„maunded or els speaking in the name of false gods shal be put to death â–ª Therfore let the pratinge pardoner or the Popishe priestes take hede in whose names they speake and what they teache when for the gredy gayning of a litle money they condemne them selues and set out to sell Heauen â–ª Purgatory Hell as thei were al in their power to geue at their pleasur In the Popes name they promise xl.lx an hundreth daies of pardon for a Trental they mai be brought from Hel. The true Prophetes of God as appeareth in theyr writinges alwaies vse to say thus saieth the Lorde the woorde of God was spoken to me c. but the Popes creaturs as Pardoners priestes fryers c. say thus saith Pope Alexander Gregory Ihon ClemeÌ„t or some suche other like and nothing wil they do without money Let the true preacher teache the mercies of god that God hath so loued the world that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne that euery one whiche beleues in him shall not bee damned but haue lyfe euerlasting yet shal the dronken pardoner and sir Ihon Lacklatin bee better beleued then Christe whiche spake these wordes promised it yea rather the people wil â—ye forgeuenes of their sinnes at the Pope and such his messengers haÌ„ds then take it frely at christ paying nothing therfore suche as the brutishe blinde vnthankefulnes of the worlde Come bye
freely without money saieth the prophet and agayn It is I it is I that put awaye thy sinnes for mine own sake than it is not for thy money nor the Popes bulles nor pardons Let the world therfore take hede for if the blind lead the blind bothe fall in the diche This miserable common excuse which is so often in their mouths shal not excuse them when they say thus we are taught oure ghostly fathers sayes so our fathers before vs haue so beleued Christ sayes ye shal both fall in the pytte Beleue no doctrine that teaches to go too heauen other wayes then by Christ frely or whiche is not written and conteined in the Bible for that onely is the perfecte woorde of God and whiche onely teaches true saluation Loke the Popes testamēts throughout called his decrees decretals and you shal not once ther be taughte too seke comforte at Christ in any trouble of mind but onely to set out his vain glorie that he is Lord of heauen earth Purgatory Hell if thou liue neuer so wickedly he his Chaplains haue full authoritie to bring thee frō Purgatory so that thou bring them money I thinke it hath not ben oft hearde tell of that any prieste euer saids Tretal without money or hyred any said for thē selfes but if thei were good why should they not haue them for thē selues If they had charity thei would say them for the poore as wel as for the rich they would not suffer so many poore soules to lye broyling in Purgatory as they think do no they would do nothing night nor day all their liues but saye Masses yf they had such loue towardes their brethrē as they should and if thei were able so to deliuer them For what charitie is in hym that maye helpe his brother and will not by all meanes possible But they shew by their doinges their meaning well inough when thei turn thē to the people saye of your deuotion charitie pray ye for the soul of N. as though they should say we praye for money without charitie but ye muste do frely of deuotiō without mony These false Prophetes Papistes and members of Antechrist came not in the Lordes name nor speake his worde therfore they be accursed Also in that he sayeth the woorde was sent by the hād of Aggeus we are taught how to esteme preaching Ministers by this Hebrew kynde of speaking For as the hand serues to do mo thinges withal then any part of the bodye so whan they will signify any thing too be done by the ministery and seruice of any man thei vse to saye it was done by the hande of suche a man Therfore the woorde and message whiche he brought was the Lordes Aggeus was but the seruaunt that broughte it So must we thinke of the preachers they be but seruaunts though they be neuer so good and learned preachers their message is the worde of the Lord. Thus sayes Christ it is not you that speake but it is the spirite of your father which speakes in you Sainct Paul also teaches how we shoulde thinke vpon him and others such preachers when he sayes let a mā iudge thinke thus of vs that we be the seruāts of Christe and dispensers of gods secrete misteries Therfore they which seke rather to be lordes then seruaunts be hinderers of preachinge gods woorde rather then faithfull teachers of gods holye will to his people are not to be counted amōge the seruaunts and ministers of Christe but rather enemies sekinge their owne glorie more then gods And as Aggeus did not go this message afore he was commaunded and sente by god and therfore was a true Prophet so they whiche thrust in them selues to teach not called by god nor sent by man ordinarely come often afore they be welcome are not true Prophetes For it is writtē let no man take honor vntoo him but he whiche is called of god as Aaron was And if the worser learned bee preferred afore the better to the ministery if thei be bothe true teachers let not the better disdain hym but know god to se further thē he doth and that there be iust causes why the other is preferred afore him Whereas Zerubabell is firste named here and set in order afore Iosua the high priest and the prophet Aggeus was sente by commission from god to the ciuyll magistrate first it teaches the preeminence the Temporall rulers haue afore priestes by what name so euer they be called If the Pope should haue receyued suche letters as these be and sene a layman preferred named afore hym he would not haue ben well content and specially such a man as Zerubabel was beinge neither king nor Emperour What a rayling letter wrote pope Adriane the fourth an English mā to Frederic the Emperour ▪ because the Emperour in his letters hadde set his nam◠afore the Popes writing thus his superscription of his letters Fredericke by the grace of God Emperour c. vnto the holy father Adriane Pope If he had written thus to the most reuerent and holy father the pope Adriane gods vycar here in earth c. your poore and humble seruaunt Frederick by the grace of god Emperoure of Almaine c. had placed the Popes name before his owne al had ben wel Because he did not he called the Emperoure traytour and rebell against god and sainct Peter c. The common welth of the Iewes was ruled first by Iudges from Moyses vntoo Saule then by Kinges frome Dauid too their captiuitie in Babilon and now last from their returning home vnto Christe ▪ by princes of the stocke of Iuda Their Iudges were raysed vp of god too deliuer the people sometime of one tribe or kindred sometime of other as pleased god ◠the chyldren did not succede the father lo suche authoritie Kinges were alwayes of the stocke of Iuda onely ◠the sonne was King after the father but these princes although they were for the moste parte of the stocke of Iuda and the successiō was by heritage except the Machabees yet they had not a kingly maiesti croune power for they were but as mayres or Dukes head men amongest the people as the Hebrew woorde signifies Pachath and yet they be preferred before the highe priest By whiche we muste learne chiefe power in all cōmon wealthes to be ioyned with the temporall swoorde thoughe he be but a meane man and that euery man as S. Paule sayes must be subiect vnder hym Chrisostome notes well writing on that place that euery man must obey the Ciuil power whether he be Apostle Euāgelist prophet or by what name so euer he be called Sainct Peter hym selfe being Bishop as they saye at Rome and of whome they clayme all their authoritie too bee aboue prynces Kynges and Emperoures was not onely obediente too the Ciuill rulers hym selfe but left written in his Epistle
lye walowing in thy stomake thou shalte voâ—â—â— it vp agayne or els it shall lye within 〈◊〉 body vnprofitable stinking as in a syâ—â—â— or cannel engender infinite diseases w â— in thee But if God blesse thee thy meat though it be neuer so course and thou 〈◊〉 hongry thou shalt digest it it shal feede thee and make thee as lusty as stronge as helthfull as wel likinge as he whiche is fed with Capen Partriche Quayle Feason or the finest disshes he caÌ„ deuise And as God here by this Prephete willeth them to consider wel in their owne hearte whether these thinges were true in dede so God biddes vs now loke our selues and iudge whether it be not so amongst vs to this daye Loke howe many of youre poore neighbours eate broune bread drink thin drink haue litle flesh liue with mylke butter cheese lye on the straw without mattres or fetherbed iudges youre selues whether they be not more lusty strong healthful wel liking thaÌ„ thou wheÌ„ thou art croÌ„med full of all dainties which thou caÌ„ inuent or desire Thus we maye see what it is to eate drinke and not be filled therewith as the Prophet saieth in this place We wonder muche at the great miracles of God when he chaunged water into bloud plaged Egipt whaÌ„ he turned water into wyne at the wedding in Cana of Galile and such other because they were done but seldom But surely to feede oure bodies with meat is as great a miracle if it be wel considered as anye other suche thing the God workes What is more marueylous then to se the flesh of the sheepe or Oxe beast fish or foule which thou did se yesterday running in the fieldes flieng in the ayre or swimming in the water thys day to be chaunged into thy flesh bloud and the substaÌ„ce of thy bodye We are not norished onely with accideÌ„tes qualities of things as smels tastinges but with the substance of that thing which we eate and drinke Norishing is defined of the Phisiâ—ions to be a chaunging of the norishment into the substaÌ„ce of the body which is norrished All the workes of God if they be wel considered in theyr own nature are miracles aboue all reason but our dul blindenes is so greate that because we se them dayly we regarde them not and because we be cloyed with them and plenty is no dainty we consider them not woorthelye But surely if we had this great miracles of God afore oure eyes as we oughte too haue how by his mighty power he chaunges the substaunce of that which we eate and drinke in to the substauÌ„ce of our flesh and bloude we shoulde eate and drinke with more reuerence than wee doe more diligently thanke hym that he would vouchsafe to fede vs and wonder at his mighty power that he can and prayse his mercyâ—full goodnes that he will woorke suchâ—â— miracle so oft and so wonderfull a workâ— vpon suche vyle wormes gredy gluttoâ—â— and vnthankeful creatures as we be and sustaine oure sinful nature by feding with so meruelously and chaunginge the gooâ— nature of his other creatures whiche neuer sinned and yet are kylled for vs too feede vs chaunginge them I say into the substaunce of oure bodyes whiche can doe nothinge of them selues but sinne Elias fleinge from Iezabel founde a therse calm baked in the asshes and a dishe ful of water at his head whaÌ„ he waked out of slepâ— and was commaunded by the Aungell to ryse and eate for he had a long iourney to go And when he had eaten he walked in the strength of that bread .xl. dayes and â—â— nightes eatinge nothinge els So shal all thei whiche feare the Lorde as Elias did â–ª in their persecution be able and strong to do great thinges by sclender meat drink as we this day haue proued God blessing them and their meat be it neuer so course and simple and they that seeke to strengthen them selues by dainty meats forgetting God shal not be fylled in eatinge and drinkinge nor haue profite of that which they receyue but the more they haue the more thei shal desire neuer thinke they haue inough as the Prophete here sayeth Suche is the stinkinge nature of syn that whyle it lies lurkinge in the heart of man ruling him and not ruled of hym by grace but sturringe him too a further forgettinge of God and his duety that it wil not let the corn growe in the fielde and increase it wil not suffer the meat drinke to feede thee but it shall goe thorowe thee vnprofitably as through a sinke which as it auoydes one filthe is ready gapinge to receiue more it doeth not quentch but rather increase thy appetite God will not blesse any thinge thou goest about thy clothes will not keepe the warme nor thy money will abyde in thy purse but shal wast away thou not weeting how nor when as if there were a hole in the bottome To a good man euerye thinge shall serue and prosper but to an euil man nothing shall do good What a wonderfull thing is thiâ— that the more a man eates drinkes the more he shall desire and not bee filled the more clothes he putteth on the colder he is yea if he haue neuer so warme a fire nâ— soft fether bed he shall be more greued 〈◊〉 colde then they whiche fare courselye be homely apparaled lye harde Let euery man iudge how true this sayinge of God is These fyne fingered Rufflers with their Sables about their neckes their fine fâ—â—red gounes corked slippers trimmed buâ— kyns warme myttons thei chyl for coâ—â— and tremble wheÌ„ they come abroade thei can not abide the winde to blow on them yea and alwaies the more tenderly they kepe them selues hurting or not helping the poore by the iust punishmente of god the more are they pearced with colde them selues Contrariwise the labouring man can abide in the felde all the long dai whâ— the Northwynd blowes with few clothes on him neuer greued with cold he hath his health fedes sauerly on brown bread thin drinke a poore supper yea manye poore beggers runne froÌ„ doore to doore with few clothes on theÌ„ torne dyuing with â— pece of bread vnder a hedge wheÌ„ they can get it at night lappiÌ„g theÌ„ selfs in a litle straw not once in a weke filliÌ„g their â—eâ—lies yet they loke more lustye healthfull stroÌ„g then yâ— which hast thy celed chaÌ„ber furred stomacher loÌ„g goune good chere And what can be yeâ—ause of this but that God blessed the one which is coÌ„tent with his poore kynde of lyfe thankes God for it thinking it better then he is worthy and the other whiche thinkes so highly of him self that nothing is good inough for him taking no care but how to cherish hiÌ„ selfe most tenderly God doth not bles him nor those things on which his pleasure is set The
afterwarde when the Saxons diuided this Realme into .7 kingdoms droue out all or most and best of the Englishmen ruled as long Or when WilliaÌ„ Conquerour subdued all too him selfe at his pleasure and ye shall finde that thesame wickednes raigned then that was now like to haue made vs slaues too the Pope and straungers The rulers were ambicious dissemblers the bishops lordly and vnpreachinge Prelates the people couetous Gods woorde vnknowen and in no degree of men was there any truthe Thus for oure sinfull disobeyinge of God not defendinge hys true religion haue we ben geueÌ„ in to the handes of all countries rounde about 〈◊〉 to the Romains and Normains from the South to the Saxons from the Easte too the Danes and Scots frome the Northe What daunger was of late froÌ„ the West he that woulde not see shoulde haue felt if God had not holpen in tyme. And leaste they shoulde thinke these plages to be layde on them for some other causes the Prophete tels theym in gods name here what was the cause of al these sorowes and shoulde prouoke also these other whiche folowe to be poured on theÌ„ if they did not amende Because this my house saieth God lies waste vnbuilded not regarded of you and ye runne euerye one into his owne house sekinge his own pleasure and profit God wil not suffer his honour to be geuen to anye other or anye other no not oure selues too be preferred before him The Lawier in the gospel askinge oure maister Christe whiche was the firste and greatest commaundement when he hearde this aunswer thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy minde with all thy soule with all thy strength he did alowe it and saide that was the chiefest in dede shall we Christen men thinke other things to be preferred before gods will or our own desires to be more loued and more earnestly fulfilled then gods Naye marke what great plages fel on any countrye we shal see and finde this to be true in all ages that forgettinge gods true religion hath pulled Gods anger alwaies most greuously vpon the people What causes the Iewes at this daye too be driuen oute of their countrye their Citie and Temple vtterly destroyed and they theÌ„ selues abhorred of all men but denying Christe to be their sauiour and not receiuinge hys gospel nor buyldinge his house What causes most part of those people to whâ—â— sainct Paul wrote his Epistles which wâ— haue to this daye and many other countries to among whom the other Apostles preached to be geuen vp nowe intoo the Turkes Heathens haÌ„des but that they fell from their faith which they first receiued by the Apostles preaching forsakeâ— their christeÌ„ religion What caused those greuous plages in Egipte but that Pharao would not let the people worship God as Moyses sent from God did will hym What caused Nabuchodonozor of a mightye kynge to be made a vyle beaste â–ª eate hay as Oxen doe but that he woulde not know God and his owne wickednes set vp Idols and kylde them whiche woulde not worship them What caused the chyldren of Israel to haue suche welth for the most part vnder Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias which wer good kinges restored religion other tymes to be plaged vnder IeroboaÌ„ Athalia Achaâ— Manasses other wicked kings of whom it is so oft written of euery king in Israel that thei walked in the waye of Ieroboam maintaining Idolatry Nothinge surely but the good kings defended Gods true religion set foorth his woorde buylded his house God blessed theÌ„ therefore the other pulled it doune set vp Idolles persecuted his Prophetes burned or hyd vp his scripturs holy woorde folowinge their owne fantasies the teachinges of the false Prophetes and preachers God plaged them therfore And if ye marke the history of the Pope and Mahomet ye shall finde that at the sametime that the Pope in the West part of the world began to get authoritie ouer Kinges and countries too set abrode hys superstition and the people receyued it forsaking Gods religion Mahomet then began in the East parte too growe in authoritie and conquere Countries and hath euermore soo done since that tyme because the people fell from true religion and the more that Countries haue fallen to folowinge of supersticion and forsakinge Christe hys woorde and religion the stronger waxed the Turke and Pope as Goddes plagues too punishe vs and â—e lyke too doe euery daye more more vntyll they be driuen out of Gods church and Christes woord religion and Sacramentes be restored to their simplicitie as Christe did ordeyne them Whan Gregory the firste Pope of that name had denied Ihon archebishop of CoÌ„stantinople striuing with him afore the Emperour Mauritius that Constantinople shoulde be the chiefe churche and that the Bishoppe there shoulde be the chiefest Bishop in authoritie aboue al other Bisshops and sayde that wosoeuer desired the blasphemous name or authoritie was the forerunner of Antichrist Phocas the next Emperour folowing graunted by muche sute Boniface the thirde about the yeare of our Lord. 607. that the bishop of Rome shoulde be the chiefest bishop of all other and therefore is he the blasphemous forerunner of Antichrist as Gregory said full well It was a worthy graunte of suche a wicked Emperour to set vp a Bishop like him selfe Phocas murthered his lord and maister Maurice the Emperoure killed his wyfe and chyldren in his owne sighte â–ª and made him selfe Emperoure Afterwarde he made Boniface the Pope head Bishop ouer all and in Rome the chiefe Thus oure holy father gat his suprimaci by a wicked Emperour not from Peter as he sais but one thefe set vp an other Peter Act. iii sais gold and siluer I haue none but the Pope sais as the Deuil said to Christ whan he tempted him shewed him all the kingdomes and riches of the earth All these are mine I geue theÌ„ to whome I lust I wil geue thee theÌ„ if thou will fal doune and worshippe me So sais the Pope but he lies as his father the deuill did This thinge once graunted the .xii. yeare of Heraclius the nexte Emperoure after Phocas Machomet the greate Prophete of the Turks inuaded ChristeÌ„dom the yeare of the Lorde 623. Honorius beinge Pope and almost droue the Emperour out of his Empire made him glad with money to bye peace vnhonorably And since the time the Turke hath growen bygger and bygger in the East countries subduing al to him self but the Emperour weaker and weaker the Pope hath taken from hym mooste parte of hys Empire and rules in the West partes is Emperoure in dede the other hauinge onely the name of an Emperour The religion and authoritie of Machomet the Turkes greate prophete and the Popes religion or rather superstition suprimaci began thus in one age within xvi
Apostles and Peter Shoulde we not beleue this resurrection because that wemē taught it first Apollo a mightye learned man in the scriptures submitted hym selfe to be further taught in true religion of Priscilla and Aquila◠simple man his wyfe Timothy Ihon the Euangeliste were bothe verye yonge when they were called to be preachers Peter the elder Apostle is content to be rebuked of Paull his yonger Iudith that good woman corrected the Elders Priestes and Rulers in Bethulia mistrusting Gods helpe and prouidence for them whē they woulde yelde vp the Citye Dauid a man accordinge to Gods owne heart heares most willingly the Prophet Nathan rebuke hym who was of muche lesse estimation then he And kynge Ezechias heareth Esai rebuke him of his faultes These and suche other examples be written to teach vs that the elder in what authoritie so euer he be or by what name so euer he be called shoulde willingly suffer the iuste rebuke of the yonger bringinge the woorde of God for hym Further where he addes this twyse sayinge the Lorde their God the Lorde their God it is verye comfortable for all sinners that haue longe lyen in sinne that they shoulde not dispaire of Goddes mercie but spedely turne by repentaunce The longe sufferinge of God is farre aboue our desertes had suffered this people thus longe to lye in sin yet had not caste them of but doth vouchesafe to send his Prophet to thē to rebuke them stirre them vp to their duties calling him selfe their God whiche had forgottē forgeuen all their former disobedience who nowe was woulde continue their good gracious and mercifull Lorde and God styll Who can dispaire too obtayne grace and pardon for all his greate offences seinge set before him the louinge gētlenes of oure good God and maister which offereth vndesired his mercies so plētifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people his free pardon A poena et culpa from all payne due to sinne or the gylte thereof whiche alsoo calles him selfe their God and by continual earnest cryinge of this his Prophete awakes them out of this deadde sleepe of sinne wherein they had lyen so long and left his house vnbuylded It is commonly saide saieth Ieremye if a man put away◠his wyfe for adulterye will he take her agayne yet thou sayeth God to his people although thou hast played the harlot with many hoores yet turn vnto me and I wil receiue thee againe sayeth the Lorde thy God O mercifull Lorde praysed be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberall promises offered vnto vs in thy sonne Christ Iesu oure Lorde Thou standest at the doore of our conscience knockinge too be let in offeringe thy selfe to dwell with vs if we would receiue thee There is no time so longe that a man hath run from God in nor any time so short to aske forgeuenes but if he will turne God is ready to forgeue him The Gentiles hadde lien in synne aboue foure thousande yeares from the beginninge of the worlde to the deathe of Christe withoute any true teachinge or knowledge of God and yet whan they receiued the Gospell by the preaching of the Apostles they were most gently receiued of Christe into the number of his people The thefe hanginge on Christes right hand on the crosse askinge mercy in the houre of deathe obtained it So that neither the greatnes of sinne nor the longe tyme that man hathe continued in it nor the shortnes of tyme to aske forgeuenes in can stoppe the great vnspeakeable mercies of God to pardō the sinnes of the whole worlde Why should we than mistrust the goodnes of our God seinge he is the maker of thesame lawe whereby we shal be iudged also able to dispence withal pardon the breakers of thesame lawe if he will who also shal be Iudge and Executer of thesame lawe as pleases him But that the people should rather beleue his woorde he saieth the Lorde their God sente him no straunge God but the mightie God of hostes and the liuing God of Israel nor he ranne not before he was sent but soberly looked for the callinge of God and then did his message faithfullye This is an example for all ministers too folowe that they doo not with bribery or flattery thrust them selues into any office but paciently tary the calling of the Lord their God which can and wil call them at suche tyme as he iudges them necessarye to serue him Who woulde be so bolde to bye a Benefice or flatter for a Bishoprike if he did thinke them to be offices in Gods house and that they must make a count to God for his people He that comes before he be sent for oftentimes comes before he be welcome and he that climbes in at the wyndowe is a thefe for the doore is made to come in by But because these Popishe prollers seke not the profit of the flocke but to fyll their bellies thei care not how thei come by it so they maye haue it and thinke they haue done God good seruice the people well content when they teache them neuer a woord of scripture but haue saide Masse made cōiured water or song an Antiphone of our Lady If they hadde this true stedfaste opinion of God as they ought to haue that he were a louinge father to his household and a wise maister that could and woulde set wise Stuardes ouer his house and that whosoeuer presumed to take any office in his house vncalled were a theefe and should be sharpelye punished A man coulde not hire them for money to take any cure of teaching Gods people vntill they were inward moued of God to do it for loue to the people not for their owne gayne Thei woulde also prouide to be ordinarely called by man leaste he which should teache and se others kepe good order should be proued the first breaker of all good lawes orders If a straunger shoulde violently thrust in him self to be the Shepeheard of thy shepe thou wouldest aske him whoo sent for him what he had to do there and thou wouldest rather thinke him to be a thefe and a murtherer of thy Sheepe then a trusty seruaunt So surely if thou come to take charge of gods people before he inwardly moue thy conscience to pitie hys people and outwardly by order cal and place thee where he thinkes good he will iudge thee a theefe a Wolfe a deuourer and not a feeder After they hearde that the woorde of God was sent vnto them by Aggeus and had wayed and considered diligently how true his sayinges were that so many yeares they had suffered soo greate plagues they beganne so feare and beleue that the threateninges folowinge woulde alsoo proue true and than they humbled theym selues in the sight of God and were afraid in dede This profit had thei by hearing the word of God that thei knowledged their owne sinnes that thei
freelye for the whiche he was sent Embassadoure .ii. Corinthians v. he sayeth his Embassage stoode chiefelye in this pointe to reconsile vs to God Is not the Stuardes office an highe office of greatest credite in greate mens houses and at their commaundement and appointinge all thinges be done They prouide geue all in their maisters house meate in due season c. Sainct Paul therfore saieth let a man think thus of vs that we be the seruauntes of God and Stuardes of his secrete misteries whiche be meate for 〈◊〉 soules Sainct Mathew in a parable calles the preachers Stuardes appointed 〈◊〉 Gods house to geue their felow seruants meate in due season Saint Marke called them porters in Gods house hauinge in â—â—â—maundement too watche that no theeues nor vnrulye persones come in too trouble the house They be called the light of the worlde to leade other the righte waye they be the salt of the earthe to season vs that by corruption we doe not smel euil before God They be Gods souldiours to fight for hys people as s. Paul sais No man goes to warre on his owne wages They be watchemen to geue warning when ennemies come They be Dogges to barke awake vs out of oure deadly sleepe when we forget God They be the mouthe of God that where we were not able too stande in the sighte of God if he shoulde speake vntoo vs in his glorious maiestie he doeth vouchesafe to speake vnto vs by the mouthe of hys minister beynge a man as we bee and whome we shoulde beleue to be sente from God as longe as he teaches Christ hys worde These names of trust and credite are geuen to preachers for the commeÌ„dation and settinge foorth of their office whiche they beare in Gods house and that they shoulde not thinke it a vyle but a moste worshipfull roume And to make theym more regarded the Lorde countes those iniuries done to him selfe which be done to his preachers sayinge he that despises you despises me in what rowme soeuer ye come if they will not receyue you shake the dust of youre feete it shall heare witnes againste them in the daye of iudgement And because he ioynes too the nexte saying In the messages of the Lord it doth vs to weete the faithfulnes of this Prophete in his dutie that he spekes nothing â–ª but the words of the Lord truly which seÌ„t him which rule al true preachers should folow But of this is inough spokeÌ„ in the verses before Now folowes the glad tidings of the Gospell to comfort this people with all after the great threateniÌ„gs of God which the Prophet here pronouÌ„ced in the former verses For as God workes in his creaturs that after wynter comes sommer after a storm fair weather So in the spiritual doctrine of our souls first he teaches repeÌ„taÌ„ce preaches the law threateÌ„s veÌ„geauÌ„ce for sin castes doune man in his owne sight and lettes hym looke euen into hell with fear of conscience for his disobedience but afterwardes he comforts hym rayses hym vp and heales him that this may be fouÌ„d true that is sayde of oure sauiour Christ I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce they that be whole nede not the Phisicion but the sicke All the Prophetes vse thesame trade in teachinge as Esays in hys firste Chapter calleth the Iewes worse then beastes for the Oxe woulde knowe hys maister and the Asse his maister maÌ„ger but they wold not knowe their God And the rulers he calles the princes of Sodome felowes with theefes Ionas also in the beginninge of hys prophecy saieth within .xl. dayes Niniue shal be destroyed Sophones first woordes be that God will destroy man beast foole corne and fruite of the earthe but afterwardes euery one of theym prophecies of Christe promises blessinge frome God with encrease of all wealth and goodnes Likewise Ihon Baptiste began his preaching repent for the kingedome of heauen is at hande And oure sauioure Christ beganne his preachinge with the selfe same woordes Peter in his firste sermon after they receiued the holy Ghoste rebuked the Iewes sharpely for crucifyinge Christe the geuer of lyfe and for askinge Barrabas a murtherer to be deliuered vnto them but when their conscience pricked them they asked what they shoulde doe and he comfortes them biddes them repent and bee baptised euery one of them in the name of Christ. So here after the sharpe preaching of the lawe and threateninge of Gods plages foloweth the swete coÌ„fort of the Gospell for he sayeth I am with you saieth the Lorde as though he shoulde saye lette nothinge greue you neither the greatnes of the sinne that ye haue ben so negligeÌ„te in forgettinge the buildinge of this house so longe nor the greate coste as thoughe ye were not able to beare and perfourme it nor be not afrayd of the kinges officers whiche stopped you for I am with you saieth the Lorde whose power they can not withstaÌ„de whose mercie passeth your miserie and who can pardon and forgeue more than you can sinne and who shal be iudge of youre doinges and am able too forgeue all thinges trespassed against me All the ryches of the earthe is myne and I bestowe it as pleases me the heartes of kynges and rulers be in my hande and I rule them as I thinke good whan I wyll they shall shew you fauour and frendship and when they lust they shall not stoppe hurt nor hinder my worke accordinge to their desire or pleasure as muche as they woulde but those that feare and loue me I will blesse and they shall not haue anye harme and my woorkes shall prosper and go forwardes in their handes as I thynke good â–ª in despite of all their foes therefore let nothinge feare nor trouble you for I whome all thinges do obey am with you saieth the Lorde These are but few wordes in number but they are mighty in operation and working where they be receiued with an earnest faith and so mightye that whosoeuer heares and beleues them to be spoken of God is not afrayde too attempt anye thinge be it neuer so greate hard When Iacob was doubting afraid whether he should go into Egipt too hys sonne Ioseph or no God spake too hym sayde Iacob be not afrayde for I will goe doune into Egipt with thee I wil bring thee out again also Then Iacob fearinge neither the death of his sonne Ioseph nor the displeasure that mighte come to hym his if either he or yet Ioseph offended the kyng nor yet least Ioseph shoulde lose his authoritie by a new kyng as it is coÌ„moÌ„ly sene nor the ieopardy of the iourneye no nor yet any other worldly thing that coulde or might chaunce but wente into Egipte boldely with all his chyldren substauÌ„ce and was defended by God When Moises keping sheepe sawe the fyre in the bushe and
God sayde vntoo him that he woulde sende him to kinge Pharao to deliuer hys people he was afraide merueyled yâ— he being but a shepeheard should be sent on such a message to so mighty a prince But after that God had promised him that he woulde be with him he was encouraged and toke in hande to go to Pharao on his embassage to lead Gods people oute of Egipt When God sent his Aungell too Gedeon threashing his corne and sayd he shoulde deliuer the people from their enemies which inuaded their countrye and laye as thicke in nuÌ„ber as Greshoppers do in the fielde Gedeon doubted at the matter vntyll such time as God said vnto him that he wold be with him And after triall of his fayth in the promise made vnto him he durst with .100 naked men hauing no weapons but earthen pottes a fire braÌ„d horns in their haÌ„ds set on their enemies which fledde all awaye as soone as they hearde the pâ—t sheardes knocked together Oure sauioure Christe after hys Ascencion sending his Apostles into the whole worlde to preache and baptise addeth no greater thinge to comforte them with all in this great and daungerous enterprise that so fewe vnlearned men shoulde conquere the whole world but saythe behold I am with you euen too the ende of the worlde What good successe their preachinge had we at this present daye yet feele and see and also howe he is presente alwayes with his euen too the ende and howe true his prayer is that he didde not praye onely for his Apostles but for all that should beleue on hym by their preachinge WhaÌ„ sainct Paule sayeth that he was perswaded that neither nakednes pryson huÌ„ger persecution nor lyfe neither deathe aungels nor powers could pull hym from the loue in Christ Iesu He had nothinge is strengthen hym self withall but that God promised that he was with him and then he boldely sayde if God bee with vs whoo can be against vs All be but dust worms and vylenes in his sight nothing can preuayle againste those whome he doeth assist with his grace Therfore whan we doubte to take in hande anye good woorke whiche agrees with the woorde of God for any worldlye reasons or carnal fear let vs styrre vp our fayth and heare God speaking and saying vnto vs I am with you be ye not afrayd If thy conscience beare thee sure witnes that thou sekest nothinge but the glory of God the profite of his people no doubt God will asist thee in suche enterprises offers this hys promise to thee also sayinge I am with thee be not afrayde but go on forwardes and I will blesse thy doinges seme it neuer so hard or vnpossible to thee verse 14 The Lord waked vp the spite of Zerubabel sonne of Salathiel prince of Iuda and the spirite of Iosua sonne of Iosedec the high Prieste the spirite of all the remnauÌ„te of the people and they went and wroughte in the house of the Lorde of Hostes theyr God In the .xxiiij. daye of the sixt moneth in the second year of kynge Darius ¶ This is a notable Metaphore worthely sets foorth the nature of sin in that he saieth the Lord waked vp the spirite of all this people for sinne is a sleepe of the soule hauing no feare nor feling of God so long as a man lyes in it It is nowe tyme saieth sainct Paule to awake out of slepe meaning sinne God in his woord by such outward bodely thinges declares vnto vs the nature of spiritual thinges both good and euill As the dead body lyes rottinge stinking in the graue fearfull to looke on and greuous too remember so when wee lye buried in sinne we stinke in the sight of God he can not abyde to loke at vs nor will remember vs. And as we when the body lieth on slepe in the bedde whiche is an image of our graue can neither se fele heare taste smell vnderstande nor yet moue out of the place vntil we be awaked nor can take any pleasure at al in any one creature of God So when we lye walowinge in sinne we neyther see the maiestie of God with the eyes of oure faythe nor feele hys mercies offered vntoo vs in hys deare sonne and oure onely Sauioure Christe Iesus nor yet can wee taste at al howe sweete the Lorde is Oure eares are stopped from hearing good counsayll we perceiue nothinge at all of Gods goodnes towards vs his word is not sauery vnto vs neither yet bee wee moued or stirred vp too doo anye one good woorke of charitie But nowe it pleased the Lorde pitying their miserie too wake them vp out of thys dead sleepe and sette them in hande with buylding of his house agayne But where he had preached too them both the law the gospell threatnings coÌ„fortes with the plages they were moued to nothing but feare as is saide in the verses before but after they hearde the glad tidinges of the gospell that God promised to be with them then they were awaked out of their sleepe and wroughte lustely So it is the gospell that quickenes and geues lyfe but the law kylles feares and threatens For as after sleepe the bodye being awaked it is freshe lustye stronge and couragious to do his worke so after the fearful threatninges of the law when we heare the gladde tidinges of the gospell that God will be oure Lorde and dwell with vs the minde is comforted strengthened moued vp to do his dutye And as a man is iudged too be wakinge when he canne doe the office of a manne as talke woorke write or suche like so is manne awaked out of the slepe of sinnes when he lyues in charitie feares God walkes accordinge to his lawe in hys vocation Further as wheÌ„ a man lyes in hys dead slepe he can not awake except some noise awaken him or some other call hym 〈◊〉 can we not arise oute of sinne excepte the spirite of God or his preacher which is his watcheman with often cryinge vnto vs awake vs. Crye therefore and feare not saieth Esaye the prophete lifte vp thy voice lyke a trumpette and tell my people their wickednes So that it is the truÌ„pet of Gods woorde continually sounding in oure eares whiche is the onely waye too awake vs out of this sinfull slepe But the Papistes turne thorder and saye cease and crie not holde thee peace sai nought lyue in rest and bee still and so let all goe to hauoc and the people perishe Thus we maye learne here the necessitie of preaching and what inconuenieÌ„ce folowes where it is not vsed Where preachinge fayles saieth Salomon the people perishe therefore let euery man kepe hym selfe in Gods schoolehouse and learne his lesson diligently for as the bodye is norisshed with meate so is the soule with the woorde of God as sainct Mathew saieth A man doeth not liue by bread onely but
is the spirite of truthe because he leades vs into all truth and putteth vs in remembraunce of all thinges whyche Christ him self caught before but no new doctrine he bringes of his owne And because our sauiour Christ is taken from vs in hys bodelye presence he promises vs that this spirite shall dwell with vs not for a tyme but too the ende and therefore wee shoulde not feare But is this a sufficient cause too perswade a man that he should not fear the power of kinges or worldly trouble because the spirite of God dwelles with hym yea truly For what spirite can preuayle against the holy spirit which is the power of God It is written of Gedeon whan he enterprised that venterous acte to fight againste Gods enemies that the spirite of the Lorde bid clothe and defend Gedeon as our clothes doe vs and so he obteined that noble victorie with so few agaiÌ„st so many And not to be afraide in suche trouble is the woorke of the holy Ghoste as Esaie called hym the spirite of boldnes strength and wisedom Peter whan he denied hys maister for the woordes of an handmaide after he receiued the holy Ghoste did and durste confesse hym too the deathe before princes and rulers So sayde oure sauiour Christe to hys Apostles when ye shal staÌ„d before Kyngs and rulers take no thought what or howe ye shall speake for in that houre it shal be geuen vnto you what you shall speake For it is not you that speake but the spirite of youre father which speaketh in you And although to worldly wisedome thys spirite seemes but a small thinge yet it is moste true that s â–ª Paule saith that which is folishnes before God is wyser then me and that whiche is weake before God is stronger then men And he that hath this spirite dwellinge in hym needes not too feare any power be it neuer so greate for if God be for vs who shall be againste vs and if he take his breath and spirite from the mightiest princes they are troubled vade awaye verse 6 For thus saieth the Lorde of hostes yet one litle time shal be and I will trouble the heauens and the earth the sea the lande verse 7 And I will trouble all people and the desire of all people shall come and I wil fyll thys house with glory saieth the Lorde of hostes ¶ The Prophete goeth on forth with this comforth to all people and promises not onely that God woulde be with theym in hys buyldinge whiche they shoulde finish in fewe yeares folowinge but intoâ— the temple also which thei did now build God woulde sende his sonne Christ Iesus to preache his fathers will whom all people looked for and desired hys comminge and he woulde fyll that house with glory that they shoulde not neede to care for the smalnes of it if they woulde onelye with courage woorke God woulde fulfill the rest And that they shoulde know him too be able to fulfyll hys promise he cals hym selfe by the glorious name of the Lorde of hostes so often here in these verses that they maye vnderstande all creatures too bee at hys commaundement that none coulde preuaile againste that whiche he woulde haue done as is saide before But this is a straunge kynde of comforte too tell theym of suche a trouble as shoulde trouble heauen and earth sea laÌ„d and all people and yet they should be glad of it and that it shoulde come not long after The tyme when this trouble chauÌ„ced was about .500 yeares after that this prophete had thus spoken and yet he cals it but one litle time And this maye well bee called a litle tyme in respecte of God with whome all thinges are present before hys sighte withoute tyme and a .1000 â–ª yeares with hym is as yesterdaye which is paste and he hym selfe is before all times not coÌ„teyned in tyme but liuing for euer wythout tyme. Or els it is called a little tyme in respect of that longe time wherin their fathers had so long looked for the coÌ„ming of Christ and so muche desired hym and yet see hym not It was now aboue 3000. yeare since he was promised to AdaÌ„ about 2000. since he was so often spoken of too Abraham and .1000 since it was renued to Moyses and after to all the Prophetes from tyme too tyme in respecte of whiche 500. maye well be called a litle tyme. This trouble whiche he sayeth shoulde trouble heauen earthe sea lande and all people is described by these mightie wordes to set out the greatnesse of the trouble by the figure called Hyperbole and not the trouble was suche that heauen earth sea and lande shoulde feele it be troubled therewith whiche are insensible creatures and can feele nothinge that troubles them but thus by these woordes the scripture vses too tell the greatnes of any thinge that it speakes of Moyses and Esaye because the people were harde hearted and woulde not heare their sayinges to set foorthe theyr hardnes of heart and the greatnes of that message which they had froÌ„ God to speake saye thus â–ª Heare ye heaueÌ„s and geue care thou earth c. Sainct Paule saieth by the like figure euery creature grones and trauayles lookinge for the laste daye wherin they shall be deliuered froÌ„ this vayn corruptioÌ„ wherin they serue not because deade creatures can grone or trauayle but for the great desire that they haue to see that day of oure redeÌ„ption fulfilled as the woman whiche trauels grones desires too be deliuered out of her payn to be restored to her former quietnes or els it may be taken that all creatures in all these places should be troubled But if this trouble shoulde be so great how can it be a promise of ioye and comfort Who can be merye to hear tel of such a greate trouble Surelye this is not promised to the euil but to the good For as our Lord maister Christ saieth speaking of the trouble that should be in the destructioÌ„ of Ierusalem the latter ende of the world woo be to theÌ„ that be with chyld geue sucke in those daies the wicked shall wish the hyls to fal on theÌ„ hide theÌ„ â–ª thei shuld seke for death â–ª it shuld flee froÌ„ theÌ„ So he saith to the good in the midst of all the desperat â—orow wherin the euil man caÌ„not tel what to Lifte ye vp your heades and bee merye for your redemption and deliueraunce is at hande So after this shorte time that he speaketh of this greate trouble whiche shall be at the byrthe preachinge miracles and deathe of oure sauioure Christe shoulde be but onely to the wicked For the good men shoulde as muche and more reioyce because of that daye of saluation and redemption was comen he whome all people looked for had now appeared to the comfort of all good men And thys trouble shoulde not be so
muche to the bodies and goodes of the wicked men as to the mynde and conscience nor this ioye shoulde not be so muche worldly and outwarde to the good as too the soule and inwarde Greate worldlye peace was in all the worlde when oure sauioure Christe was borne but that peace whiche the Aungels sange glorie be to God in hygh in earth peace is rather the peace of conscience because God and man were now reconciled and peace was made betwixt vs and God because his sonne had taken oure nature vpon hym and was made man but vnto the wicked it maye alwayes well be sayd there is no peace too the wicked sayeth the Lorde What a trouble was Herode in whan the wyse men came asked where was he that was born king of the Iewes The scripture sayeth that Herode and all Ierusalem was troubled at this questioÌ„ Herode thoughte he shoulde lose his kingdome and the scribes Phariseis thought that their authoritie was gone whiche thinge greued them so much that thei had rather haue hadde no Christe then loste that authoritie But Herode deuises a policie to saue him selfe withall and kylles all the chyldren that were twoo year oldâ— and vnder thinkinge amongest theym all he shoulde haue kylled Christe and he had rather haue kylled all then the onely Christ shoulde escape What a trouble was he in whaÌ„ he caused such a murther for fear or a yonge chylde What reason is it that suche a kynge shoulde so much feare a yoÌ„g chylde But God prouided well ynoughe for hys sonne and was as wyse readye mercifull to saue deliuer hys soÌ„ne christ as the other was subtil and cruel to murther him for Herode had rather slea all yâ— chyldren then that one Christe shoulde escape God had Ioseph take Marie and the chylde Iesus and â—lee into Egipt tarye there vntyll he gaue hym contrary word What trouble were the Scribes Phariseis in whan for his doctrine preachinge and miracles whiche were so wonderful that they coulde not tell what to saye but sometimes saide Do we not saie wel that thou arte a Samaritan and haste a deuil another time they woulde haue throwne hym doune of the hyll and agayn thei say it hath not ben heard of frome the beginninge that any man hath opened the eies of hym that was born blinde and agayn a manifest wonderfull signe they haue wrought we can not denie it and also yf we let hym alone thus the whole worlde will folow him Howe was the other Herode which beheaded Ihon Baptist troubled when he heard of his miracles wold haue hadde him to haue wrought some in his sighte Howe was Pilates wyfe troubled in her dreame for hym and sente her husbande woorde that he shoulde not medle with him howe gladly woulde Pilate him selfe haue deliuered hym wasshed his hands to declare his innocencie and sayde he founde nothinge woorthye of deathe in him Howe were all the Priestes afearde when they heard tel that he was rysen froÌ„ death and gaue money to the watchemen to â—aye hys Disciples came and stole hym aâ—â— ye when they slept Why shâ—uld they feare a dead man â—f we were a man only he coulde not hurte them if a God they coulde not withstande him â–ª What trouble were the priestes in when they forbad the Apostles to preache any more in Christes name and folowed the counsel of Gamaliel sayinge if it were of God they coulde not abolishe it Why shoulde they bee afrayde of a deadde man Howe was kynge Agrippa troubled whaÌ„ Paule had defended his cause and sayde to hym thy greate learninge O Paule maketh thee madde How were the great learned Philosophers in AtheÌ„s troubled when Paule preached the resurrection of the dead and of Christe and sayde What meanes this sawer of newe doctrine hee semeth too teache newe Gods What a trouble was the Emperour Tiberius in when Pilate wrote to him of the preachinge miracles of Christ and he demaunded that the whole parliament of Rome woulde worshippe hym as a God But they consideringe that he is a gelous God and that he will haue no other worshipped with him but all honor muste be geuen to him onely denied him to be a God or yet to be worshipped there as God What caused Pope Leo the x. to bee so afraide whan Zuinglius beganne too preache the Gospell but that hee perceyued the lighte of Gods woorde woulde deface his pompe pryde and sette abrode all his wickednes too the worlde to be laught at and least he should go forwarde in preachinge and rebuking hys abhomination he sent hys letters too him sealed vnder hys bull of lead willing hym too holde his peace and preache no more suche of thinges he woulde geue hym what liuinge and as many bishoprikes as he woulde yea to be a Cardinall and whatsoeuer he woulde aske excepte his owne seate to be Pope But be lyke a true Preacher went on forwardes in hys busines settinge vp Christe and pulling doune Popery What makes the Pope at this daye hys Clergy too burne persecute empryson all that loue the Gospell but that they feare to loose their lordlines make their bellye 's their God and woulde lyue at ease like lords of the lande What makes theÌ„ to denye Christ to be a Goâ— not so muche in playne woordes as in doctrine dedes couertly but that they se they get muche ryches by reliques pylgrimages sainctes masses pardons c. whiche do as much in effect as denye Christes too bee God because they seeke helpe by these meanes in their troubles and forgeuenes of sinnes with comforte of conscience which all belong so vnto Christ that whosoeuer sekes them other wayes or els where then at his handes onely do as muche as in them lyes as to make Christ no God robbe hym of that honour whiche is due to him only and geue it to Gods of their own making What maruayle is it if they folow the olde decree of the Romaynes in their parliament where they denied Christ to be receiued and worshipped for a God because he shoulde not haue all honour alone as it is due to him onely Thus we se what great trouble it is to the wicked to haue Christ and his doctrine to come abroade and how true this was that the Prophet saith here and what trouble hath ben and shal be too the ende where the Gospell is preached The father shal deliuer the soÌ„ne to death and the sonne shall ryse agaynste the father so shal the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother brother againste brother c. whiche thinges we all see at this daye to haue comen to passe Howe many wyues rather then they woulde forsake God haue suffered death forsaken husbande chyldren goodes and countrye and willinglye banished theym selues and so haue many good husbandes also Howe hath one brother persecuted another One frende
though they neuer reade scripture who so euer doth not worship him by this naturall knowledge is iustly condēpned We reade of Anthony that holye father whiche lyued in wildernes and beinge so farre vnlearned the he could not reade was asked of his frēd how he passed the time away seing he liued alone had no bokes yes saith Anthony I wāt no bokes for all the creatur◠of God are my bokes I read learne his maiesty out of his creatures as you do out of your bokes And surelye thei be goodly bokes to be loked on to be hold the Sūne the Moone stars birds fishes beastes herbes corne grasse trees hyls ryuers c. And he is worse then a beast that can goe looke at all these and not loue prayse wonder at his strength power wisedom and goodnes whiche hath made all these to serue vs. The starres kepe so good an order course in their mouinges the vertue of herbes help diseases and all fishe foule beastes fede and serue man whiche thinges come from him who is Lorde of nature not of them selues These maye better be called laye mens and the vnlearned peoples bokes than ymages and idols whiche bee like vnto whome soeuer it pleases the painter to make them like If all the ymages of any one sainct were laide together they woulde all be vnlike one too another in many pointes and what a Monster shuld he be that shoulde be like all these If the reliques as armes head legges scalp heire teeth ▪ c. were together in one place that are saide too be worshipped in many ▪ some should haue two or three heads moe legs and armes than a hors woulde cary their gylded cootes painted faces should teache rather to be proude and to playe the harlot than sobernes simplicitie holines and lowlines as becommes the godly and saintes in dede After when he addes the desire of all people shall come there is prophecied thecomminge of Christ in oure flesh nature to redeme vs from the bondage of hel syn and death whiche thinge al good men frō the beginninge haue desired It was a ioyfull thinge to perceiue Christe to come by the eyes of faith and happy was he to whome it was geuen to vnderstande and beleue in him to come but more happy did they thinke theym selues whiche did not onely beleue in hym to come but see hym present in fleshe Simeon a righteous mā alwayes occupied in praier desired to liue tyll the daye when he might see the Lord whiche request God graunted him when the chylde Iesus was presented in the tēple by his mother he tooke the chylde Iesus in his armes praised God and sayde Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in peace accordinge too thy woorde For mine eies haue sene thy sauīg health and so was well contented to dye after he had his desire Ihon Baptist beinge yong in his mothers wombe leaped for ioye as soone as his mother hearde the salutation of the virgine Marie comminge vnto her Anna the Prophetesse a widowe liuinge in fasting and prayer continuallye chiefely desired to see the daye of hys comminge Many kynges and Prophetes saieth sainct Luke haue desired to see that daie and haue not sene it Suche a greate desire for the encrease of their faythe haue all good men had to see Christ in our fleshe and nature that we might by his death bee deliuered from the slauery of hel sinne and death What a misery is it too be in bondage of consciences for our sinnes and Gods righteous iudgement and what a comforte is it to knowe that God is recōciled to vs by the death of his sonne This is the desyre of all good men whiche is fulfilled too vs in Christ. And he is called the desire of all people by the Hebrue phrase which is as muche to saye as moste desired So sainct Paule calles hym not onelye righteous peace maker but righteousnes and peace it selfe for soo haue suche woordes more strength when they be pronoūced like substantiues then the adiectiues haue What a desire had Esaye the Prophete whan he cried woulde to God thou wouldest burst the heauens and come doune For this peace that God sayeth he wil fyll thys house with glorie muche was saide afore But there he sayde onely he woulde shewe his glorie and nowe hee sayeth he will fyl it with glorie And this is to comforte them that were so sory because this house was litell in comparison of the other olde one and nothing so costli and glorious The fulnes of this glorie appeared whan Christe preached hys Fathers will healed diseases wroughte miracles rebuked the Scribes with their tradicions c. as was sayde before What greater glorie can be than to doe good too them whiche be hys enemies to helpe thē whiche can not helpe them selues and too doe it so frely that he looke for no reward in so doinge but euen of free pitie which he had on vs seinge vs lie in such miserie did shewe suche mercy as to redeme vs to take vs for his chyldren louers frendes to teache vs helpe vs and geue vs grace too doe his will worshippe hys maiestie feare hym and loue hym knowe oure owne weakenes and pardon oure negligence oure infirmitie oure forgetfull and vnthankefull disobedience Greate glorie was shewed in this house when as Alexander the greate called Magnus submitted hym selfe too the hyghe Prieste Gods minister confessinge his God to be the true God where afore he was purposed too haue destroyed Ierusalem and also whan Iudas Machabeus wyth hys bretheren after manye noble victories restored Gods religion But none of these fylled this house with glorie but some parte of it Onely Christe our Lord in whome is the fulnesse of the Godhead filleth this house with glory Christ filled this temple so ful of hys doctrine miracles by hym selfe and his Apostles that the fulnes thereof ranne throughe the whole worlde for there it began as in a springe and nowe hathe fylled the whole worlde therewith So liberall is he that he geueth not onely a parte but full and heaped measure euen to the toppe that it flowes ouer What a glorie of God was shewed in this house whan oute of all countryes vnder heauen were gathered deuout men to worshippe God there And after that the Apostles receyued the holye Ghooste whan Peter in his sermons conuerted .5 thousande Howe farre spread was thys glorie when the Eunuche of Quene Candace moued with the great reporte of that gorgious Temple came thither for too worshippe But thys wirkes the mighty Lorde of hostes woorkes whiche hathe all thinges at commaundemēt and truely fulfilles all his promises euen vntoo the ende verse 8 Golde is myne and siluer is myne saieth the Lorde of hostes verse 9 Greater shal be the glorie of this later house then of the further sayeth the Lorde of hoostes And in this place will
temple all should be well If we woulde applie these things to oure selues and oure times we shoulde with hearty repentaūce buyld Gods house muche more diligently than we doe and truely although we haue had greate plages yet is there greater behinde if we do it not throughly without halting For the seruaunte whiche knoweth his maisters will and doeth it not shall haue manye strypes verse 15 Nowe consider I praye you in youre heartes frome this daye backewarde afore one stoone was layde vpon an other in the house of the Lord. verse 16 Whyle they were so they came to a heape of corne of .xx. bushels and there was but x. ye came to a wyne presse to drawe .50 gallons there was but .xx. verse 17 I haue smytten you wyth blasting wyndes and myldewe and with hayle al the woorkes of youre handes you woulde not turne vntoo me sayeth the Lorde verse 18 Consider now in your heartes frō this daye backward from the .xxiiii. daye of the .ix moneth from that day whā the grounde woorke of the temple was layde consider it I say in your heart verse 19 Is your sede yet in the barne or haue youre vyneyardes Figgetrees ▪ Pomegranates and Oliuetrees not yet florished from this day foorth wil I blesse them ¶ The Prophete cals them here to an earnest and diligent consideration of the yeares past and the plages whiche they suffered so many so diuers so greuous straunge As though he shoulde saye vnto them thus ye are to negligēt in markinge Gods working towardes you which hath wrought so wōderful great thinges amōg you to the entent that ye shoulde returne vnto hym and be more diligente in buyldinge his house which so straitly charged you to do Marke thē now more diligētly for God did it to teache you youre duetie if ye woulde haue learned God doeth not onely teache vs by his woorde writing by Prophetes and preachinge but by hys dedes also and woorking If they be good and blessinges to loue and thanke him for all his goodnes bestowed on vs suche mysers and if they be sharpe and painfull to bring vs home agayne by repentaunce to aske forgeuenes of our faultes beware that we no more offende him Therefore these straunge plages whiche ye haue suffered so many yeares that the earth didde not yelde her fruite your meat drink did not fede you your clothes did not kepe you warme your money wasted in youre purses ye coulde not tell howe as thoughe it fell out of the bottome youre corne in the barnes consumed ye wiste not howe yea when it came to fanninge wyndowing a man thoughte in one heape he shoulde haue had .20 busshels he founde but .10 the halfe And in the wyne presse where ye thoughte too haue had .50 gallons almoste .3 partes lacked and were cōsumed and there was but .20 gallons A good husbande that hath much experience whē he comes too an heape of corne or a presse of wyne wil gesse within a fewe bushels or gallons howe muche is contayned in the whole but here in the corne too be deceiued the half in the wyne three partes was very straunge and coulde not be but as God sayde before that when it was brought into the house he didde blowe it awaye and so it consumed What a negligence was this to suffer suche plages soo many yeares and yet to be so harde hearted that they wayed them not but lightly let them passe not consideringe wherfore God sent them nor what fault was in thē to be amended whiche prouoked Gods anger so greuously againste them But such blindenes is in vs all that whan we bee vnder the rodde wee feele it not if God open not oure eyes to see hys displeasure yea rather of nature we murmur against his gentle corrections Or elles if God withholde hys heauye hande for a tyme to trye whether we will amende with litell correctiō before he lay on vs a greater we fall to oure olde faciōs and forget God his rod our duty and hys reuerence attributing such plages to vnseasonable wether pestilēt ayers or some euyl chaunce as though they came not frō God As when we had the sweate where so many dyed soo sodenly that men were astoned at it so many sicke that there was not hole folkes inoughe too kepe theym Then for that tyme we coulde cal on God repent restore euyll gotten goodes geue almes and be sory that we hadde not ben more liberall before tyme but as soone as it ceased we were as euill or worse then before So in the late dayes of bloudy persecution and cruel Popery how ofte with teares desired we God once agayne to restore vs and we woulde no more soo wickedly lyue and yet we be worse then before How many sweates rebelliōs dearthes vnseasonable yeares haue we had yet we haue forgotten thē as though thei came not frō God nor yet that God hadde not sent them to teache vs to turne to him by them The workinges of God whether thei be in blessinge or plaging present or past to our selues or others particularly or to a whole countrye generally are depely to be considered for he would teach vs many thinges by them if we had that grace wit and eyes to consider them Saincte Paule teaches the Corinthians by examples past long before that they should not murmur be Idolatours nor tempte Christ as their fathers did least they shoulde be destroied as their fathers were Howe often doeth the scriptur put the Iewes in remembrāce of their greate deliueraunce oute of the vyle bondage in Egipte and biddes them not trouble the straunger for they were straūgers in Egipt them selues and knew the greefes whiche straungers suffered In particular examples and plages he sayth Remember Lottes wyfe least in lokinge backe and desiringe youre olde lustes in Sodome ye perish as shee did Soo in good thinges also he teaches vs by examples paste ye see the sufferinge of Iob and the ende how the Lord rewarded hym sayeth saincte Iames mouinge vs too pacience in trouble And generally it is sayd to vs all What thinges so euer are written before hande they are written for oure learninge that by pacience and comforte of the scripture wee mighte haue hope So in thinges done in our time when we see Goddes anger poured vpon the whole Realme or one countrye or house as warre plage hunger dearthe sickenes fyre losse of landes or goods swete losse of frendes loke what greuous and notable sinnes then reygned in suche men or places and learn to auoyde the same least the lyke fall on thee For by that plague God teacheth all whyche heare of it too auoyde the lyke wickednes least lyke plagues fall on them If they will not learne what maruayle is it if they sincke in their owne sinne So if thou see thy neyghbour punished reioyce not at it ▪ but praye for him cōfort him and learne
the goodnes of God towardes thy selfe that where thou hast deserued more too bee punished then he yet God spares thee and geues the warning by his punishment too amende betimes leaste thy course be nexte and then shalte thou bee more greuouslye plaged because thou didst not learne to amende thy faultes by his correction and punishment If thy neighbour be in wealthe thou in trouble learne too amende thy faultes by his that God maye bestowe his benefites on thee as well as on hym Disdain not his welth nor be not sory for it whether he be good man or euyll for if he bee euyll God woulde wynne hym with gentlenes if he be good folow his doinges that God maye blesse thee also Thus shall wee learne of Gods doinges too comforte oure selues and amende oure owne lyues Howe diligent we shoulde be to search oute for what cause God plages vs we are taught by Iosua in castinge lotte with the people whan they were plaged who had angred God so greuousâ—y that he punished them so sharpely and so tried by the lotte that Acham was in the faulte So Saule tried by loâ—â—e that his sonne IonathaÌ„ had offended whan God so sharpelye punished them Ionas runninge from God was tried by lotte cast into the sea and the teÌ„pest ceased Thus muste not Gods plages woorkes be lightly passed ouer but depely considered wherefore he punisheth and the offenders tried oute and punished the Gods plage maye sease â–ª for before it will not If the rulers be negligente in punishinge synne as their duetye requires God must needes take it in hande hym selfe for syn muste needes be punished and he is a righteous God and will as well punish the sinner as rewarde the good but if man doe punishe the faulte God will not for he punishes not twyse for one faulte Therfore let vs no more be so negligent in not regardinge Gods plages leaste in despising litle geÌ„tle ones we prouoke hym to poure hys whole wrathe on vs as these menne didde He biddes them looke backewarde not at one yeare or twoo passed but euen froÌ„ the beginning whole fourty yeares synce one stoone was layde on an other in the fouÌ„dation of the Temple and tyll all the tyme that they lefte of their buyldinge and too remember howe vnfruitefull and vnseasonable yeares they had The corne didde not yelde the halfe that men looked for or yet iudged it to be the wyne not three partes of that they hoped for in thus manye yeares together â–ª therfore thei should haue knowen that all was for their disobedieÌ„ce in not buylding the Lordes house But howe came all this to passe who was the woorker of these plages was it wynde myldew hayle stormes or tempestes which did all this In dede they had all these and many mo but God sayeth I smote you with blastinge wyndes myldewe and hayle all the woorkes of youre handes In which he teaches that wynd hayle myldewe storme and tempestes be his seruaunts go his messages where he will destroying so muche and so litle whaÌ„ where as it pleases him as Dauid saith fyre hayle snowe yse tempestes which do hys commaundement And because no suche harme comes by chaunce or by the rulinge of the Starres but all be his creatures serue and obey hys holy will pleasure he calles it hys owne deede sayeth I smote you Therefore by hys iuste iudgemeÌ„t it is done whatsoeuer is destroied and murmure or grudge we muste not at hys doinges thynkynge hym too dooe vs wronge or deale lyke a tyranne wyth vs but thankefullye beare it knowing that by suche lighte punishmente hee willes vs co amende and escape a greater We muste saye with Iob the Lorde gaue it and the Lorde toke it awaye as the Lord willeth so let it be blessed bee the name of the Lorde nowe and euer If we coulde thus with a reuerent feare acknowledge Gods workinge in all hys punishinge we woulde not seke vnlawefull meanes in daunger of fire as s. Agas letters the holy candell or a hawthorne in lighteninge the halowed bell to ringe in thunder c and it would be a great quietnes to oure myndes that wee shoulde patiently and willinglye beare all crosses the he shall laye vpon vs least wee seeme too grudge at his doynges whiche were no small faulte When Iob had loste all that he had yet he accused neither deuyll enemies nor any other man but sayde if we receyued good thinges at the Lordes handes why shoulde we not suffer euyll also The Lorde gaue it and the Lorde tooke it awaye Thoughe the deuyl of malice sturred vp such men to coÌ„mit such robbery against Iob and they of coueteousnesse or enuye didde spoyle and robbe the good man and soo bothe the deuyll and hys membres in all their doinges heape their owne condemnation because they doe it of suche a wicked mynde and for so euyl a purpose and ende yet the good man in suche plages hath a further respecte to God thynkinge that he whiche ruleth all and suffereth these thinges by suche meanes trieth his patience and therefore he thankefully taketh it So in one deede Gods loue with iuste punishment for our sinnes and trial of our faither and pacience doo appeare also the malice of the deuill towardes vs and the frowardnesse of vs one towardes an other But because the ende purpose wherfore it is done be so farre diuers we woorke oure owne dampnatioÌ„ willingly whan we do any wickednes one towards another and God is not the cause nor yet the entiser of vs too any euyll but a iuste punisher of all synne Marke here diligentlye the mercifull goodnes of oure good God and father in punishinge his people howe he destroyes not vtterly first their wyues and chyldreÌ„ or plages them with extreme diseases but beginnes gently with their corne other fruites farre of frome theym whose losse they might better beare yet neuerthelesse by these litle ones he gyues theÌ„ warninge to amende or elles he will punishe them more greuously and come nerer vnto theÌ„ in suche thingess a thei loue more dearly â–ª and at length they and all theirs shoulde perishe if thei woulde not amende Thus saieth God I will visite you in the rodde of men that is to saye gentillye and Dauid in Gods name sayeth I wil visit their wickednes with a rodde and their sinnes with a scourge but my mercie I will not take away from them nor I wil not hurt them as I am a true God Thus like a father and not like a tyranne he punishes to amende and not too destroye to saue not to condempne for loue and not for enuye to pull vs from our wickednesse to hym and not to make vs too hate hym or runne from hym firste by litle ones that we maye auoyde greater and not in them vtterly perishe The ende of Gods punishing this people so longe appeares here when he saith you
woulde not turne vnto me saieth the Lorde For this cause then that thei shuld turne to him did he sende these plages not for hate or harme to his people But what a wickednes harde heartes were these men of that amonge so many threateninges so great plages and in so many yeares they woulde not turne vntoo the Lorde Here appeares howe true it was that he sayde before that all were fallen on sleepe bothe prince prieste and people vntyll the Lorde awaked vp all their spirites to see their greate disobedience and to goo aboute their buyldinge And also this declares how vnable and vnwillinge we bee to do good vntyll God styrre vs vp by hys grace God deales with vs as the shepehearde doeth with his sheepe If a sheepe runne from his felowes the shepeherde settes his dogge after it not to deuoure it but too bringe it in agayne So our heauenly shepehearde if any of vs his sheepe disobey him he settes his dogge after vs not too hurte vs but too bringe vs home to a consideration of oure dutye towardes this oure heauenly father and louinge sheepehearde Gods dogges be pouertye banishmeÌ„t sickenes euyll rulers dearth death war ignoraunce superstition losse of goods or frendes c. Who coulde haue holden hys handes beside such a sturdye people not vtterly haue destroyed theÌ„ where no sorte of men amonge suche a number for soo many plages in so many yeares woulde turne to their lord God Here therefore maye appeare the longe suffering of God who doeth not sodenly in a rage take vengeaunce on vs as soone as the faulte is done as one of vs doeth towardes an other but taries so longe too looke for oure amendement and repentaunce Also it is euidente howe true that is whiche God sayeth all the daye longe I stretched oute my handes too an vnfaythfull and rebellious people Oure sauioure Christ saieth he standes and knockes at the doore and woulde come in we wil not let hym in The Lorde for his mercies sake softeÌ„ oure heartes that we despise not such gentill callinges and be founde in the nuÌ„ber of suche hard heartes least we bee geuen vp to our owne lustes and so perish in our owne wickednes When we reade and heare this sturdye disobedience towardes God we thinke this people to be the worste vnder heauen and if we had ben in theyr case we wolde not haue ben so disobediet But if we loke at oure selues withoute flattery examine oure owne consciences behauiour towardes God wee shall fynde that we haue ben plaged no lesse then thei haue had Gods loÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce benefites shewed towardes vs no lesse then thei yet we haue not learned so much yea lesse than they God of hys goodnes amende it in vs for Christes sake And because they hadde ben so negligent in not considering Gods plages and woorkes amonge them soo many yeares yet twyse agayne in this verse he willes them not lightly too consider it nor forget it any longer as they had done before tymes but depely to way why those plages had fall vpon them God workes nothing in vayne but for oure learninge greate profite that we maye remember our duty the better and more reuerentlye worshyp him hereafter It is no smale faute so lightly to consider Gods workes towards vs for that we might the better doe it he hath geuen man onelye reason as a chiefe treasure that we maye do thesame also taught vs by hys woorde to do so Therefore if we do it not we are worse theÌ„ beastes whiche haue not reason too consider suche hys woorkinges No kynde of fruyte corne vynes figges pomegranates oliues hadde prosperously encreased of all these yeares â–ª which coulde not be but for some greate cause yet they passed but lightely on it neyther fearinge God the more least he should encrease the plagues nor amended their lyues that he mighte holde his hande from plaginge them any longer Often earnest remembringe of our disobedience towardes God and consideringe hys scourges for thesame workes in all good herts an earnest amendement of lyfe The vnthrifty sonne in the Gospel that had spent all his porcion of goods vnthriftely when he was dryuen by hunger to remembraÌ„ce of him self and his misbehauiour Comes home to his father submittes hym selfe confesses his faute saying Father I haue sinned agaynste heauen and thee and am not woorthy to be called thy sonne and so is receyued to mercy The Publican acknowledginge hys sinnes went home righteous Saincte Paule remembringe howe he was a persecuter cruell a blasphemer is kept in an humble and lowli knowledge of him self Esdras and Daniel confessinge their disobedience and sinnes of the hole people knowledge their miserie Gods iustice in punishinge and so obtayne mercie Moyses to teache the Iewes too be pitifull too straungers biddes them remember howe they were straungers in Egipte slaues to Pharao For in so consideringe their olde estate and heauye case that they were in before they should learne the better to pitie straungers and consider their heauines This by remembringe diligentlye oure case and state passe with Gods punishment for oure sinnes we shall learne oure misery call for helpe of God and bee more ware hereafter that we fall not into the lyke sinnes so procure Gods anger and heauier hand heaping our owne damnation God sendes such thinges to teach vs our duty and if we do not learn he wil cast vs out of his schole No good scholemayster will suffer suche lewde scholers in his schole as will not learne whaÌ„ thei be sufficiently taughte bothe by gentilnes and sharpnes by thinges past and presente by example of others and experieÌ„ce of them selues And where these plages began to fall vpon them euen after the grounde worke of the temple was laide when thei lefte of buylding a man wold thinke God dealt extremely with them whiche woulde not spare them any thinge at all but for the firste faulte punishes so sharply and continues so longe But as the Machabees teache when he hath rekened the cruelty and persecution of Antiochus least a man shoulde thinke God hated hys people for dealinge so sharpely with them he saieth God didde it for loue and that he loued theÌ„ more then al other people because by correction he woulde so soone call them backe and not let them lyue in sinne styll as he didde other nations The Gentiles whom he punished nothinge so sharpely but let lyue at their pleasure they knewe hym not worshipped hym not he gaue theym not his worde nor his Prophetes but let them take their pleasure as though he cared not for them Dauid considering the diuers plagues and sickenes whiche God layde on hym saide it is good for me that thou haste corrected and humbled me for before I was corrected I sinned For as theâ—â— maÌ„ will suffer those beastes which he apointes to be killed to go where
all theyr ennemies and mighte haue slayne theym lyke sheepe whan Haman had gotten lycens of the kynge to destroye the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus God sent queene Ester to saue his people and HamaÌ„ was hanged on his own galowes Whan Darius was slain by Alexander the kyngdoÌ„ brought to the GretiaÌ„s Alexander coÌ„ming to destroy IerusaleÌ„ because they denied hym tribute God soo turned his heart the he entreated theÌ„ wel submitted him self to the high priest meting him with the other priests in their priestly apparell coÌ„fessed their God to be the true God When the Romaines conquered the â—â—tians and the Iewes were vnder the rule of the Romaines they didde not greatly harme them vntil they crucified Christe denied hym too bee their God sayinge hys bloude be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren In the cruell persecutions afterwardes the more sorowe that was layde on Gods people the more they encreased Thus in all ages God deliuered his out of trouble or els taketh them to him selfe by some glorious death In these our dais when the mightiest princes of the worlde stryue and fighte cruellye who shal be the greatest rather then godliest God prouydeth alwayes some corner for his too flee into where they maye serue him And if they be persecuted from one place he prepares an other to receyue them And although persecution was greate amonges vs yet God shewed him self more glorious mightye and mercifull in strengthninge so many weake once to dye for hym than in so mercifully prouiding for them which were abroade although bothe be wonderfull What glorious crakes made proude persecutours that thei woulde make goddes poore banished people too eate theyr syngers for hunger but they had plentye for all the others crueltie Gods holy name be praysed therefore What a mercie of God is this that where we deserued to be cast from him for euer because of our wickednes he nowe corrected vs gentellye called vs to this honour that he punished vs not so muche for oure owne sinnes as that he called vs to the promotion of bearinge his crosse witnessinge to the world his truth and vouchedsafe to proue teach and confirme others in this his truthe by oure witnesse bearinge He called vs too thesame honour that he called his owne sonne Christe Iesus in suffering for hys names sake that wher as we suffer with hym we shal be glorified and raigne with hym Let the cruell Papistes consider therefore howe God hathe deliuered hys people out of their handes fulfilled thys his promise and kepte vs safely like hys priuie signet in these miserable dayes of their persecution Let the bloudy Bishops voyde of all religion and chaunging with the worlde to fyll their filthy bellies although they woulde nowe make men beleue they woulde be constant and stoutly confute that whiche afore they proued true by othes and doctrine Let them I saye consider whether they or the simple soules whiche they tormented haue gotten the victory The simple soule offered hym self to dye rather then to offend God by superstition or Idolatry The proude Cayphas threatened fyre faggotte if he forsoke not his true faith Thus whylest they striue for religion not for lyfe the poore meÌ„bers of christ hold fast their faith the proud prelate with his tormeÌ„ts can not ouercome Gods simple shepe They striue not for life but the simple man offeres it willingly rather than forsake the truthe so God euer confouÌ„des the wisedom of the world is glorified in the fooles abiectes God for his mercie sake grauÌ„t all his lyke boldnes to witstaÌ„d their crueltie whansoeuer God shall trye vs. A prayer MOst righteous iudge and merciful father which of loue did punish sharpely thy people being negligeÌ„t in buyldinge thy house that by suche sharpe correction they mighte be stirred vp to do their duty so haue pleased thee we acknowledge coÌ„fesse before the world thy diuine maiesty that we haue no lesse offended thee in this behalfe than they haue done that for all the sharp plagues which thou laide vpon vs we coulde not awake out of our deadly sleepe forgetting the earnest promotioÌ„ of thy glorie true religion but rather consented to the persecutioÌ„ of our brother thy true faithful people vntil now that of thi infinite goodnesse by geuing vs a gratious Queene restoring the light of thy worde that hast letten vs taste the treasurs of thy mercies in our extreme desperate miseries whaÌ„ for our wickednes we durst not for the gret power of thy enemies we coulde not hope nor loke for any such help or redresse at al. We fal doun flat therfor before the throne of grace desiring pardoÌ„ of this gret negligence of al our former offeÌ„ces prai thee that the wil not deal with vs as we haue deserued but as of thy own free wil thou promised thy people falling earnestly to thy work restoring of thy teÌ„ple that froÌ„ theÌ„ce forward thou would blesse al their worke fruits ouerthrow their enemies saue thy people that woldest make the house also more glorious thaÌ„ the first by the preaching of thy Gospel so we desire thee for Christes sake thy sonne our sauiour to be no lesse good gracious Lord vnto vs yet once againe going about to restore thy true religioÌ„ trâ—den doun defaced by the cruell papistes Send foorth O Lord many such faithfull preachers as wil set out thy glorie vnfeynedly open the hearts of thy people that they may se how far more acceptable vnto theâ— is the liuely preaching of thy holy woord than all the glittering ceremonies of Poperie deliuer vs we besech thee froÌ„ all our enemies saue and preserue our gracious Queene as thine own signet indue her her couÌ„sel with such reuereÌ„t fear of thee thy woord that all policie which is coÌ„trarie to thy woord set apart they mai vprightly seke ernestly maintain thy true glory minister iustice punish sin defend the right CoÌ„fouÌ„d most mightie God bring to naught all the deuises of suche as go about to ouerthrow thy woord true worship open our eyes that we may se how derely thou hast loued vs in Iesus Christ thy sonne our lord hold vs fast O Lord of hostes that we fal no more froÌ„ thee grauÌ„t vs thaÌ„kful obedieÌ„t hearts that we may encrease dayly in the loue knowledge fear of the encrease our faith help our vnbelefe that we being prouided for and releued in all our nedes by thy fatherli care prouideÌ„ce as thou shalt thiÌ„k good mai liue a godli life to the praise good exaÌ„ple of thi people after this life mai raign with thee for euer through Christ our sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghoste three persons one God be prayse thankes geuing in all congregations for euer and euer Amen ¶ Here endeth the prophete Aggeus ¶ A preface to
all the Enemies of God his woorde people Religion to leaue their wickednes and to comforte the good manfully too beare their madnes and patiently to loke for Gods goodnes LIke as in Aggeus my endeuor and purpose was that those that feare the Lorde shoulde be sturred vp to an earnest buyldinge of Gods house louinge of his woorde and maintaininge of true religion so in this shorte Prophete my trauall and meaninge is that the wicked vnderstanding how vainly they stryue with all their witte power policie against the poore simple innocent crucified Christ Iesus the almighti sonne of the liuing God the wisedome and power of God his father might cease their raginge madnes and not onelye that but also howe they shal be ouerthrowen in their owne deuises that they imagine against true Christians the misticall members of his body and churche or againste hys woord and religion as all their fathers haue bene frome the beginninge whose steppes they folow in hating and persecuting gods people Their stomackes be stout theyr pollices great their might is stronge their wittes are wile yea all the worlde is on their side yet in the ende they shall serue dastards ignorant helples witles and misers for as the wise man sais ther is no wisedom politie nor counsell againste the Lorde The more wisdom subtiltie strengthe or power that a man hais the more he hais it to hys owne destruction if he haue it not and vse it too the glory of God and comfort of hys people For as wylde beastes the more fearce and cruel that they be the more it harmes them and causes men to hunt and seke wais how too destroy them so the more that the wicked set vp theÌ„ selfes against the Lorde and oppresse hys people the readyer iâ— God to help and deliuer his and ouerthrowe the other Can they finde any rebels againste God hys woorde and people from the beginninge too thys day that hais preuailed agaynst the Lorde and hys chosen folke If there be none as it is mooste true none to be how can they loke to be the firste Why maye not true Christians boldely saye with Dauid than Why do the Heathen freate and fume and the people imagine vain thinges againste the Lorde and his anointed saying â–ª let vs brust in sunder their bondes and cast their yoke awaye froÌ„ vs. But it folowes he that dwels in the heauens will mocke them and the Lord will laughe them too scorne In the twoo first sinnes of Adam and soo orderly in al ages to these dayes it appeares how the wicked continually malice persecute the good but to the burt of theym selues and the prayse of the godly Cain killed his brother Abel thought he should haue ben blameles but Abels innocent bloude and suche like cried vengeance on Cain hys folowers from that daye to this and the righteous God reuenges it dayly and at length wil coÌ„demne the obstinate vtterly C ham mocked hys father Noe and hys seede the Canaanites persecuted Gods people the Iewes that came of Sem his brother therefore his posteritie was accursed of God to the worlds ende The proude Giants with their captain Nimrod buylding the tower of Babell to get them selues a name in earth were ouerthrowen in their owne deuise by God from heaueÌ„ Carnal Ismael sought to destroy the promysed Isaac but in vain Bloudy EdoÌ„ or Esau whom thys Prophete describes sought the deathe of his brother Iacob but the God of Abraham their father saued them Ioseph was solde into Egipt by hys brether and by the false accusinge of his maysties was wrongefully prysoned yet hee that sittes on hygh looked doune to the lowe dungeon of the pryson and raised Ioseph to be ruler and sauer of the lande The Egiptians oppressed Gods people for a tyme but the Lord of hostes drouned Fharao and hys companye for their crueltye againste them the frowarde people murmuringe often againste their captain Moyses some were swalowed vp with earth quick some burned with fire The Philistians and seuen nations rounde aboute Gods flocke kepte continual warre against them yet they coulde neuer deuoure them but were deuoured at the length Saul and hys flatterers banisshed and pursued poore Dauid whome his God of a shepeherde made a kynge mauger all his foes The ten tribes of Israel with their kyngs were enemies to Iuda Beniamin euermore yet though they were the stroÌ„ger mo in number thei were soner rooted oute The Chaldes Assirians PersiaÌ„s Grecians and Romaines the mightiest princes on the earth oft subdued the Iewes forsakinge theyr God but the Lorde their olde sauiour euer restored them agayne when they fought him vnto thei vtterly refused Christ their sauiour The Iewes crucified Christ Iesus oure Lorde thrust hym to the heart with a speare buried hym and layed a heauy stoone on hym thinkinge he should neuer ryse agayne a conqueror but in vain was all theyr spite and their labor lost Themperour many yeares cruellye tormented all that beleued in the Lord fondly thinkinge to haue by that meaneâ— ouerthrowen them The Pope in processe of time conquered almoste al princes except the Gretians vnto of late the Lord opening the eyes of some brake hys snares and deliuered hys folke MoÌ„kes and Ereres by mans traditions woulde haue ouerwhelmed true religion Papistes of late haue banisshed burned and persecuted many godly men so cruelly as no history speakes of the like thys thousande yeare willing to haue feared all frome euer acknowledging their Lord Christe Many Heretikes haue laboured to haue defaced Goddes truthe but al is in vain God his name bee praysed therefore hais ouerthrowen them in their highest ruffe laughed them to scorne and raised vppe that whiche they would most gladly haue vtterly oppressed â–ª For as death and the graue could not preuaile against Christ our head no more shall it against his bodye and members As Nimrod therefore Pharao Ieroboam Nebucadnezar Darius Alexander with all their kyngdoms and partakers be now vainquished and subdued by the Turke the Sophi and the Souldan priester Iohn other Heathen princes their couÌ„tries made wast strauÌ„gers possesse them their religion altered froÌ„ euill to wors their cytyes townes and temples as the Prophetes did tell afore are made dennes of wilde beastes owles other filthy byrds so sence christ that which Emperors maÌ„fullly coÌ„quered the pope by subtiltie deuoured made him selfe a prince of princes but now by the power of Gods woorde preached he is made a laughing stocke to al thosâ— whose eyes the Lord hais opened to see his abominations and all realmes that afore feared hym â–ª now God visiting hys people fal from hym For as the woodbinde leaning to a tree climbes vp spreades it selfe ouer all the branches vnto it haue ouergrowen and kylled the hole tree as a stroÌ„g â—eady streame vndermining great hygh bankes at length makes all to tumble intoo the water and wasshes it awaye so
god hadde put these woordes in his mouthe and he was aucthor and Abdyas but the messenger to speake theÌ„ to his people A worthy example for all teachers too folowe that they neuer saye thinge but oute of Gods booke and that they maye saye for euery thinge that they teache Thus sayes the Lorde this sayinge is mooste common in all the Prophetes and to be folowed of all preachers As sainct Peter says if any maÌ„ speake let hym speake but the woords of God But of this enough is sayde in sundrye places of Aggeus Edom vnto whom the Lorde speakes here is all the people of Idumea beinge so called of Edom their fyrst father as the scriptures vses too call the people by the name of the father So were the Iewes called Israell of Iacob whiche was called Israel their olde father Likewise EphraiÌ„ Ioseph Iehuda of these their old auÌ„cetors This Edom is Esau Iacobs brother as he is called in Genesis Esau he is EdoÌ„ and had that name geuen hym for his colour that he had when he was borne or of the colour of the potage for the whiche he solde hys byrthe righte for vnto hys brother Iacob when he was hongrye Esau was also called Seir whiche signifies rough because of the roughnes of his skynne and for this cause these people of EdoÌ„ and their couÌ„trye is sundery tymes in the Prophetes called Seyr also or if we seke forther EdoÌ„ maye haue his name of Adam for they be written bothe with one letters in Ebrew saue that they differ in poinctes Adam signifies to be read wherfore Edom for his crueltie in sheddinge bloudde maye well be so called As oure cardinalles in their readde Scarlet robes whiche be the folowers of these Edomytes do well declare in their apparell the bloude thristie myndes within and theyr outwarde dedes haue declared theym too the whole worlde but they say theyr read apparell signifies they shoulde abyde by the truthe to their bloude shed Adam also betokens a man and one of the common sorte soo these men were not noble afore God whiche is onely the true nobilitie but enemies to hys woorde and hys people Adama signifies also the earthe so that from whence soeuer we shal driue thys woorde Edom and all that be deryued lyke it they signifye no good people but earthy worldly cruel bloud thrystye mortal and abiects Of the two brethreÌ„ Iacob and Esau came these two people the Israelites and the Edomites And as Esau did euer hate and persecute hys brother Iacob so his stocke and posteritie did continually hate and persecute the chyldren of Iacob This is the secrete iudgement of God That of one good father Isaac came two so contrarie chyldren The one so wicked the other so good and this wicked hatred to continue in the heartes of their childers chyldreÌ„ so many ages after but this is to teache vs the free grace of God withoute any desertes on oure parte whan soeuer he cals any to the true knowledge feare of hym and that neyther the goodnes or euelnes of the father that makes a good or an euill chylde for many good fathers haue hadde euill chyldren and euill fathers good chyldren Adam had good Abell and wicked Cain Noe had good SeÌ„ and euill Cham Abraham had bothe the carnall Ismaell and the spirituall Isaac Isaac had the beloued Iacob and the hated Esau. Dauid had both proude Absalon wyse SalomoÌ„ so that the soule of the father is the lordes as well as the soule of the son and the soule that synnes shall perishe not the father for the sonne nor the sonne for the father as the Prophete sayes but euery one â—hal dye in his owne synnes So hays there ben from the beginning in the house and children of one father both good and euill bothe carnall and spirituall where the one hays persecuted the other as there is nowe in the outwarde churche of Christ and company of them that call them selues Christians bothe trewe people and faithfull and also hypocrytes dissemblers cruell persecutors of theyr brethren as these late dayes well declared wher the father persecuted the sonne and the sonne the father the man the wife and the wyfe the man whiche all suche other our sauiour Christ declares to be coÌ„sequentes to the Gospel Therefore can none doubt of the truthe of the Gospel now taught who be the true folowers of the same but he that is wilfully blinde seing all these many other true â—okeÌ„s fulfilled in our days And where he sayes we heard a sayinge frome the Lorde and a message was sent to the Heathen that they should go fight agaiÌ„st EdoÌ„ He declares by what aucthorite these people came to destroye the Edomites not sent by any kynges or the hygh Prieste but it was the Lorde God which would vse Nabuchodonozor hys people for a scourge of his iustice too the punishing of these wicked people It must not be thought straunge that God lettes one people plage an other seing the scriptures is so full of it for as God shewes hys mercy vnto his people by the helpe meanes of other men for God woorkes nothinge without meanes so he does not plage other without some meanes lets one people distroy an other When â—oâ—â—am would haue foughteÌ„ againste Ieroboam for withdrawing .10 Trybes from hym the Lorde spake vnto hym and bad hym he shoulde not fighte with him for the thinge was his dede he willed it shulde be so All gods creaturs be but his seruaÌ„ts to do hys pleasur to help comfort where it please hym and to punish correct trye or distroye where it please hym But all other creatures excepte man doe not synne in destroyinge or hurting man because they haue no euill affection of mynde in doynge it onely man sinnes in his doynges because he addes too hys doynges some euill affection of his owne mynde or els is stirred too it of the deuill So Iob says the Lorde hays geuen the Lorde hays taken away the Lords name be praysed He cals it not the dede of the Sabes or Chaldes that robbed hym but the lordes and yet they sore offended God in so doing for thei did it not to trie Iob as God woulde haue had it but of a gredye couetousnes to robbe hym and a malitious mynde because he was so welthye whiche thinge they disdayned Ioseph says that his brether whiche solde hym to the Ismaelites were not the cause of hys comminge into Egipte but the good wil of God for the Lorde turned the malice of his brether bothe to the promotion of Ioseph and all their comfortes The Lorde therfore nowe when the synne of thys people was rype anâ— when he had tryed longe ynoughe for the amendement of theym and they woulde not turne vntoo Cod but abused his patience and longe sufferinge He sendes foorthe hys messenger too the Heathen aboute to come and iustly to
theÌ„ if thei will abide his leasure But as destruction is here prophesied to Edom for their crueltye so shall all haters of Gods people perishe at the length Where as difference is in religion their can be no true hearte nor stedfast loue for seinge God is loue it selfe that loue whiche is not in God but reased of carnall and worldely reasons whaÌ„ the world turnes must nedes chaung shew it selfe what a loue it was and where it was grounded but that which is buildâ— on God will continue because hâ—e chauÌ„ge not all theyr chauÌ„ge with tyme. These Edomites ioyned them selues with Nabuchodonozor whan he came to destroye Ierusalem as Pylate and Herode which afore were enemies agreed too crucifye Christ oure Lord and as our papistes did now with the Spaniardes to destroy the Gospell and hys professors verse 2 Beholde I will make thee a littel one among the HeatheÌ„ thou shal be very much despised verse 3 The pride of thy heart hays deceyued thee because thou dwelles in the open places of the rocke and in the heightâ— is thy dwelling and says in thy hearte who shall drawe me to the earth verse 4 If thou wil climbe vppe as high as an Egle and if thou will make thy nest amonge the clowdes from thence I will make thee come doune says the Lorde ¶ Where as the scripture vses to put this woorde behold it betokens some notable thinge to folow as whan the Prophete sayde Beholde a mayde shall conceiue and beare a sonne he signified that it shoulde be a notable byrthe and conceyuinge of a chyld and coÌ„trary to the course of nature and that the chyld whiche was borne shoulde be wonderfull So sayes Dauid Beholde I was conceyued in sin betokeninge the greate corruption infirmitie and defiling of oure nature in oure conception Beholde as the eyes of the seruaunts are at their maisters hand says Dauid signifiyng that he would be more diligente in watchinge what the Lorde God woulde doe and what were his holy will for him to do â–ª than the lowest and diligentest seruaunts woulde be to watche what their maisters woulde will commaunde them to doe In thesame sense says the Prophete here Beholde marke it well what I will saye vnto thee for it is no small mater and truely it shal come to passe Likewise in threatninges in our owne tunge we vse to saye marke what I saye too you take hede to your selfe for I â—este not Remember my woordes well for I will be euen with you and I will do it in dede and such like sayinges Behold marke well says the Lord what I saye I will make thee a litle one among the Heathen thou that thinkes so highly on thy selfe and thinkes thy selfe to be so strong so mighty and greater than thy felowes I will make thee a litell one amonge the people where thou dwellest and lesse thaÌ„ any people about thee Thou flatterst thy selfe of thy strength might power multitude stronge holdes and too be greater than thy neighbours people or countries about thee and thinkes none is able too conquer thee or pull thee doune or worthy too be compared vnto thee but I will pull thee doune says the Lorde I will cut thy combe I will abate thy streÌ„gth pluck doune thy courage and highe stomacke I will throw doune thy castels and stronge holde and whatsoeuer thou reioicest in I will take it froÌ„ thee and make thee more vyle and slaue lesse and weaker than any people round about thee Thou shalt wel know that there is a God which can and will be auenged on all high myndes and will let al suche lusty stomackes see what it is to be proud in their owne eyes and rebelles against him and his people God castes in their tethe that where he hadde geuen theÌ„ a narow place to dwel in amoÌ„g the hyls they were proud of it as though it were the plenteoust place in the counâ—rye Thei were proude of a thinge of nought in comparison of other places as Malachie sayes the Edomites I haue placed in the mount Seir. He speakes not all these woordes in number order but so many in effect and purpose to thesame meaninge he writes them in the preteriâ— temps as though the thing were done past For so al the Prophets vse to speake by the preterit temps such things as shal not be done of many yeares after and yet shal as certainly come to passe as though thei were now done and past In this sort sayde Dauid Thei haue wounded my handes and feete as thoughe the thinge were done and past which was not fulfilled vnto Christ our Lord had suffered Also of the murther of the chyldren by Herode spake Ieremye as though it had ben done and past A noyse was heard in Rama wepinge and much lamentinge with infinite such other like which were not fulfilled of many yeares after And because the hole countrye and people pleased theym selues so highly and stoode so muche in their owne conceite God threatens them fâ—rther that they shal be much despised The righteous iudgement of God is-commoÌ„ly to punish vs by thesame partes wherin we offend him The riche gluton that sinned so greuously in his feasting baÌ„ketting now desires a drop of cold water can not haue it Adonibezec whiche had cruelly vsed his victories had chopped of the haÌ„ds fete of .60 kings whom he conquered made theÌ„ gather vp the cruÌ„mes vnder his table with the dogs was vsed after the same sort him self whaÌ„ he was ouercomen by the Israelites Thus teaches the wise man By what thing a maÌ„ sinnes he shal be punished by thesame This people had much many years despised the Israelites without cause thei had highly auauÌ„ced theÌ„ selfs in their owne conceate therfore iustice requires that thei should be despised again should vnderstand how vile a thing pride is in the sight of god how horribly it procures his gret anger to fal vpoÌ„ vs whaÌ„ we one despise another And although Nabuchodonozor was the woorker of this destructioÌ„ minister executiÌ„g gods iustice vpon this wicked people of Edom yet the Lord sayes him self that he will do it and it shall be counted hys dede So Iob sais that the Lord had gyuen and takeÌ„ awaye his goods although the Caldes and Sabes robbed him as wee noted afore Thus muste we in all thinges that be done whether thei be good or euil except sinne whiche God hates and causes not not onely looke at the second causes whiche be but Gods meanes and instruments wherby he workes but haue a further eye and loke vp to God If thei be good thinges that he bestowes vppon vs thynke not nor meruayll not so muche at the manne or the meanes whereby it is wrought but lowly praise the Lord God which hays vouchesaued to vse such away to thy comfort and if it be euil aduersitie that is fallen vpon
thee doe not so muche murmur and grudge agaynst hym or the thinge by whiche it was done but loke vp to thy Lorde God whiche author beinge displeased with thy sinne will this waye correct thee and bring thee to repentauÌ„ce amendement of lyfe and the knowledge of thy selfe thyne owne vylenes and hys holy maiestie mercye and power whome thou hast prouoked so too punishe thee yet in mercy and not as thou hast deserued or els he will trye thy pacience and declare thy fayth and hope that thou haste in him to the worlde that his might may be praysed in thy weakenes whiche althoughe of thine owne selfe thou bee not able to suffre suche aduersitie yet by the strength of his spirite thou bothe can and will In the next vse is declared the cause of this greate destruction and Gods vengeaunce so greuously poured vpon this people â–ª It was thesame sinne that droue AdaÌ„ out of Paradise beinge not content with his owne state but woulde be felow with God and out of whiche as out of a roote springes all mischiefe The beginning of sinne is Pryde sayeth Ecclesiasticus .10 Whan a man leaues consideringe of hys owne vylenes and the mightie power maiestie of God whiche aucthor of both is able to work lowlines in any honest hert and beginnes too flatter and please hym self in any good gift that he hays within hym or withoute him in body or soule in worldly wealth or wisedom for than hee forgets God and him selfe runnes headling to all mischief offending God hurtinge him self The pryde of this people was bothe sundry greate both of mind wisedom and politie strengthe of bodye holdes castels and towres wealthe and plenty of corne and cattell that it mighte be well sayde of them that whiche proues true in all wealth makes wanton We will entreate of all these in order as the Prophete does and sette them oute some thinge more at large The kinde of pride that here is touched wherein they reioyced so muche trusting in them selues and offendinge God was theyr strong holdes theyr high castels buylded on the top of the rockes soo strongelye that they were sure ynough as they thoughte froÌ„ all hurt and daunger that thei should not be ouercomen These be pleasaunt thinges too a worldly wit and therfore we are sone taken with the loue of them To declare the inexcusable pride of this people the Prophete sayes the pride of thyne owne heart hays deceyued thee as though he shoulde saye it is not God nor the deuill onely nor any other mans counsayll or perswasion that hays thaughte thee this or beaten it in to thy head but it is euen thy self thine owne deuise and free will thine owne proude hearte and vaine truste that thou haste taken in thine own streÌ„ght goods It is a notable woorde that the holy Ghost puttes here whan he sayes The pride of thine owne heart hays deceiued thee and well declares the nature of pride and wel springe of all sinne to beginne in thy heart and thine owne free wil. From the heart come euill thoughts murther adultery theft c. As sainct Matthew says .15 And well maye that be sayde too deceyue man that vnder the cloke of godlines honesty profite or pleasure intises a man to it where in the ende it proues wicked hurtfull and displeasaunt For except it had in the beginninge some fayre shew of some goodnes in it no man woulde be allured to it If it wer good in dede it were no deceate but because it is not it maye well be sayde to deceyue Pride amonge all other sinnes hays this propertie that it euer rises of some good thing that a maÌ„ hays geueÌ„ him of God and takes the praise of it hym self For no man is so foolish to reioice in any thinge that is euyl of it self except it haue some apparance of goodnes in it Whan God gyues a good gift to any man than the deuil and his own froward nature makes him not too gyue God due thankes for it but to reioyce in hym self as though he him self were worthy all the praise for findinge out or vsing wel suche a gifte Thus the Pharise beinge proude of his owne righteousnes in fastinge holynes and payinge his tithes abuses the good gifts of God and takes parte of the â—raise to him self whiche should be geuen holy to Cod alone and also in pride he contemnes The poore Publicane whiche sate prayinge by him because he was not so holy as he was So stronge holdes and castels is the good gifte of God but to reioice in them not puttinge his hole truste and deliuerance in God is a great pride vnthankefulnes to God which hays geueÌ„ thee suche giftes to stirre thee vp rather to prayse him whiche hays taught thee to find out the profitable vse of such things But it is harde for a worldly man to haue these and not be proude of them therefore he sayes thy pride hais deceiued thee Beauty is the good gifte of God but because in outward apperaÌ„ce it semes good â–ª it sone deceyues man entisinge him too euill rather then to prayse God in it the wyse man sayes loke not in the face of a mayden lest thou he entised with her beutie â–ª Towres castels holdes bulwarkes bee ordeined by the prouision of God to defend his people â–ª but yet muste we euer know that in vaine laboures the watchemen be they neuer so many wise and strong to defende the cytie except the Lorde defend it as Dauid sayes What an vnthankful pride is this toward God that whan â—e hays geuen vs wit too deuise suche engynes of warre to defende oure selues with all and liberally bestowed on vs men and money to make suche thinges withall than we doe rob him of his due glorie and take that praise to our selfs which is due to him and reioice in oure selues Because thei dwelt and buylded their holdes on the toppes of hils thei thought no man shuld be able to climme vp to hurt them excepte he coulde flie and though vnderminings will hurte many times and throw doune great castels yet where the buyldinge is â—n the hard rock of stone as this was thei cannot mine through the rocke so the aboue except thei coulde flie thei could not come nere theÌ„ nor by low thei could not pearce the hard stones of the grounde worke beinge so many harde depe and stronge Wyne is pleasant to loke on sweete too taste and chere the hearts of man yet in drinkinge it sone deceiues a man ouercomes the braine and therefore the wyse man counsails sayinge delite not thy self in loking on the wine whan it shines merely in the glasse The woordes of womeÌ„ are swete yet oft ful of poyson Riches is the good gift of God yet the Apostle cals them the nettes of the deuill because vnder a fare pretence we bee soone tangled with the desire of them So
be content with a few thinges but destroye all after them and that which thei could not cary awaye they would vtterly marre by some meanes that they shoulde haue no good of that which was left Thei would not be content with a few thinges as theues but they woulde haue all thei would not haistly runne awaye for feare of any helpe cominge too rescow them but they woulde without feare spoile tary theyr leasure searchinge all corners not caring who shall espie them And that whiche is more meruailous theues althoughe they come sodenly vpon a man geuing no warninge that a man might prepare him self to stande in his owne defence shoulde not doe so much harme as the Assirians shuld cominge not sodenly vpon them nor they vnprepared but beinge prepared and although they knew of their coming had all kinde of weapons to defend them self withall yet thei shall not be able nor bold to defende them selfes or their countrye but shoulde vtterly perish be robbed spoiled and destroied The latter similitude of grape getherers declares this more plainly Grape getherers althoughe they searche euery branche pepe vnder euery leaf lest they leaue any grapes growing behind them and yet they were commaunded in the lawe by Moyses to leaue some growing of all kinde of fruite behinde them and if they let any fall they shoulde not turnâ— again to take it vp but let the poore come geyther and gleane yet these gredy cormorantes so couetous that they neuer hadde inoughe so gredye that they were neuer fyld They woulde not leaue one cluster growinge behinde them but soo vtterlye spoyle theym that they woulde leaue nothinge at all neither for poore nor ryche Thei woulde spare neyther man nor woman old nor yong house nor lande town nor castell beastes of all sortes withoute mercy shoulde be wasted burned and destroyed The later verse shews this vtter destruction at large in fewe woordes sayinge But howe haue thei searched Esau and ranseckt their secrete thinges as thoughe he shoulde saye to them although theues robbers grapegetherers vse to doe muche harme wheresoeuer thei come nothing can escape their handes yet it shal be nothinge like vntoo this destruction that these of Babylon shall doe This destruction shal be incurable these shall spoile kyll destroye without mercy Nabuchodonozor whan he comes with his men shal search and ranseck all your secrete places corners that nothinge shall escape them In sackinge of townes men be wonte to cast their plate money Iuels and suche other treasures in to depe welles too digge theÌ„ in the earth or some priuy place wher none or fewe vses to come or few wold mistrust any thinge their to be hidde but whan he comes hide your treasurs where you lust caste theÌ„ into â—akes dunghils cesterns or blinde corners where please you it shall not skil it shal be espied and shall not esscape ye shal not haue profit of any thing ye haue He wonders at the vtter destruction of them whan he says how haue thei searched and ranseckt the secretes as if he shoulde saye it shal be vnlike vntoo all other doinges no reason woulde thinke what great crueltie in searchinge spoile shal be shewed vnto thee it shal be so horrible so contrari to mens loking for so farre vnlike too all that hais ben shewed to any other people And meruaile not at this extremitie shewed vnto you good reason it is that they which haue comforted them selues in their worldly thinges beside God that they shoulde be so corrected of God that they shoulde vnderstande that their is no help succor or comfort but in â—od and thei whiche woulde not know God in prosperite muste nowe drinke of his iustice in aduersite He had geueÌ„ pleÌ„ty to them of all fruites corne cattels all kinde of riches but this coulde not moue them to knowledge him to be their Lorde and God giuer and sauer both of man and beast therfore now must they teste of the rodde too knowe ther was a God whome they had offended God does not geue vs his benefites riches and blessinges too make vs truste in oure selfe or any other creature but to stirre vp oure mindes too heauen to loke on him trust in hym call on him and praise him therefore it was right that all these shoulde be taken from them to bringe them too the knowledge of them selues and his iustice whiche can not abide suche thinges This is the rewarde due for all suche as will not shewe merci but crueltie to them that bee in distresse thei shall finde thesame crueltie measure geuen them againe whan they shal be in nede they shall aske mercy call for help but finde none Iosephs brethren when they woulde shewe no mercy to their brother whan he desired them were straitly loked on for a time and sharpely spoken vnto whan thei came into Egipte and than they coulde confesse that God had worthely rewarded them their vnkyndenes that thei shewed their brother Ioseph Nabuchodonozor with all his cruel proude men which spoiled conquered and cruelly entreated all countries about them were serued with like measure at Cyrus handes whan he ouercame theym he destroied their cytye and conquered their countrie And as our Papistes with their spies in all corners would let no man dwel in reste but accuse complaine imprison and burne theym had rather fulfil the bloudy desires mindes of the cruell murtherers and bochers thaÌ„ shewe any gentilnes to Gods people and all to pike a thanke or gette a bribe of the proude Bishops or harde hearted neuer satisfied horsleches the lawers so theyr time will come whan thei shall fele Gods heauy wrath and displeasure against thâ— with suche griefe of conscience that they shall wishe for death and not finde it desire the hilles to couer them from the face of the lambe and yet be without comfort These be the Edomytes that persecute the true sonnes of Iacob at this day these be the false brethren that be moued neyther with the feare of Gods loue to his worde nor naturall to their brethren countremeÌ„ and kinsfolke but like brute beastes devoure all aforeth eÌ„satisfieng their owne lustes and desires encreasinge their own condemnation if they turne not and repent with teares verse 7 Euen vnto the border of thy countrie haue they caste oute thee and persecuted all men which were in leage confederate with thee the meÌ„ that made peace with thee haue deceiued thee preuailed against thee those that eate thy bread haue wouÌ„ded thee priuely there is no wisedom in hym verse 8 Shal I not in that day says the Lord destroy the wisemen from Edom wisedom from the hyl of Esau. verse 9 The strong men of Theman shal be afraide because euery one of the hyll Esau shall bee destroyed ¶ This plage that God threatens to thys people now is of two sorts that because they had double offended According as it is
them selues to the fire for the trueth Their weapoÌ„s were their tonges penne inke paper neuer sheddinge bloude but their owne and euer seking how to saue other mens soules sparing no labor nor fearing any displeasur So mighty weapons is the vndefiled law of the Lorde turning soules and hearers that neyther lyfe nor death aungels nor powers thinges present nor to come can pull them from the loue of oure God offered in Christ Iesus This fire that he speakes of here is the might of the holy ghost which came on the apostles in firie tuÌ„gs and so kindels the hearts of all the receyue the woord that it burn vp al carnal affections and worldly lustes so that for the glorie of God they care not what thei suffer Dauid prayes oft for this fire burne my renes and heart And Ihon in his reuelation sayes that these which be neyther hote nor colde God will spue them oute of his mouthe it is therefore a good fire that burnes vp the stuble whiche is false doctrine superstition and all euils as S. Paul calles it if any maÌ„ buyld hay wode stuble it shall perish c. The house of Iacob and Ioseph shall be the preachers and Esau shall be thus happely burned vp froÌ„ his former fylthy lyfe and turned too the Lord. The house of Ioseph coÌ„taines two tribes Ephraim and Manasses whiche were the chyldren of Ioseph but chosen taken of Iacob to be as his own sonnes whan he blessed theym all lyinge on hys death bed and made them equall enheritors with his own chyldreÌ„ of the land promised And because Ieroboam which first set vp the golden calues in Dan and Bethel and so prouoked all Israel to sinne Idolatrie in whiche they continued so many yeares was of the house of Ioseph and stocke of Ephraim lest thei shoulde thinke them selfs to be cast away of God and their sinnes coulde not be forgeuen he sayes thei shall be so hote folowers and setters foorth of Christ that they shal be lyke the flame shal turne Esau the geÌ„tils Heathen wicked men to the knowledge worshipping of the true God Such a merciful louing God is our Christ that eueÌ„ those that haue ben most traitors enemies to him he wil cal theÌ„ to most high honor Peter all the rest of the apostles denied our sauiour christ whaÌ„ he was takeÌ„ of the Iewes raÌ„ne awai froÌ„ him but he forsaked not theÌ„ nor cast not theÌ„ out of their apostleship but sent theÌ„ into al the world to preache the word of lyfe grace saluatioÌ„ gaue theÌ„ more fulnes of the holy ghost than thei had afore And because it is vncertaine in the scripture whither any of the Apostles were of the tribe of Ephraim yet in the later ende and whan all sort of Iewes shal be coÌ„uerted to the Lorde and so all Israell shal be saued if this be not yet performed in theÌ„ or but partly performed it shall be afore the laste daye more fully Thy woorde is fierie sayes Dauid and therfore it is no meruaill if it burne them vp that heare receiue it The woorde of god is not lyke other histories or learninge which do not moue or elles but litel sturre the hearers but suche grace and strength is gyuen by it to the ministers and hearers of the same that eyther it turnes them that heares it too a godly zeale and loue towarde his glorie and an vpright lyfe or elles it castes them in to the burninge fire of hell as the Apostle sayes He makes his aungelles spirites or winde â–ª and his ministers a flaminge fire and agayn the preachinge of Christes crosse is foolishnes too them that perish but to them that bee saued it is the power of God In the disputacions againste the Arrians where all the learned men could not confute Arrius a man vnlearned stoode vppe makinge a simple confession of his fayth openly and where as longe as thei thoughte to ouercome him by disputinge and by reasons He euer had to aunswer theym withall whan this simple playne man trustinge not to eloquence nor learninge but in the mighte of Gods spirite onely sekinge the glorie of God beganne to speake hee see such grace in his woordes and power ioyned withall that he was not able â—oo withstande it Arrius grauÌ„ted his one errour and the other to saye true So sainct Paul writinge agaynste false Prophetes saies his preachinge was not in eloqueÌ„te woordes of mannes wisedome but in power of the spirite and althoughe he was not eloquent in woordes yet not ignoraÌ„t in knowledge Thus shall hypocrites Antichristes and vnbeleuers be ouercomen by the mighte of Gods woorde and the holy Ghoste workinge with all and not by any worldly witte strength or politie as the Apostles preachinge toke place turned the hole worlde to receiue theyr doctrine after thesame sort But where he sayes there shall be no remnant of Esau left that shall be fulfilled in the latter daye where the wicked shall be cast into vnquenchable fire for in the meane time the good and bad shall be blend together so that wicked hypocrytes Idolaters shall be consumed bothe in thys world and after but in the fulnes of time whan God hays apointed and not whan we thinke for thei shal preuail a time as this wicked seede of Esau did for the trial of the good and exercise of their faithe that all men maye knowe that the godly loue the Lord vnfainedly Thus the house is put for them that be of the house of Iacob and Ioseph and not so muche for the carnall seede as for theym that haue and folowe the faythe of Iacob and Ioseph whiche be onely they that bee ordeined to lyfe And because they shoulde not doubt of the performance of the thing he addes the Lord hais said it As though he should sai this is no mans tale but the liuing Lord God that made both heaueÌ„ earth haue all things at his commaundemeÌ„t whiche is truth it self can not lie whiche is bothe able and wil performe it hais saide these wordes therfore they must nedes come to passe All men be liers but God onely can not be deceyued nor deceiue whatsoeuer he hais said that he wil performe CaÌ„ ye find any thing that he said he would do since the worlde was made but he hays done it beleue him therfore in this thing to for he will do it in dede The next verses which coÌ„tein so many people by name I thinke do not signifie these people onely to be counted for that is to possesse them to the faithe but all gentils people should receiue the word and these be putte by name specially because thei were the next countries about them and always their open enemies For if these whiche were euer moste bitter enemies should be conuerted by them much more other countries that were not so ernest
his mercifull eyes from vs for yf he neuer so little withdrawe his handâ— from vs and do not euerye minute guide all oure doyinges wee fall into a forgetfulnes of him and our dueties Manye doubte also whiche Darius this was that is here named of the Prophete because the Greeke hystories make mencion of diuers of that name as Darius Histaspis and Darius Longimanus with other mo But because the Scripture makes mencion of none after Cirus time but this one I will seeke no further nor trouble you with suche harde shyftes as many do to make the Scripture and those historyes to agree The Scriptures make mencion of no mo Kinges for thys building time but of Cyrus Assuerus Darius and â—rtaxerces Therefore in theyr dayes muste this whole historie and those sixe and fourty yeres mencioned of Saint Iohn be fulfilled Assuerus I take to be husbande to queene Ester and thys Darius to be her Sonne whereunto also the Hebrewe commentaries agree And althoughe other thinke other wyse yet I see no Scripture that they bringe Cyrus gaue first lycence to the Iewes to go home and buylde this temple Assuerus moued by the accusations of the rulers did forbid theim to buylde anye more Darius broughte vppe in the feare of God by his Mother Ester and seinge the wickednes of his father made a vow that if he euer reygned after his father he would buyld the temple and so in his seconde yeare he gaue the Iewes free libertie to go home and builde their temple renewed theyr Commission and gaue them money liberallye to do it withall Artaxerxes in his seuenth yeare sent Esdras home againe with geate giftes and gaue lyberty to as manie as woulde go with him and so the woorke was fynished Many do thinke probablye and to whoÌ„ I can well agree that the .vii. yeare of Artaxerxes was the seuenth yeare of thys same Darius here named and that Artaxarxes and Darius is both one man For Artaxerxes was a common name to al the kinges of Persia as all the kinges of Egipt were called Pharao firste and Ptolomeus afterward what time soeuer they liued in And as all the Emperours are called Cesar althoughe they haue proper names of their owne beside But I will not enter further in this matter for it is more subtile then profitable and litle edification is in the searching of it euery one iudge as the scripture will best beare and as God shall teache him The Iewes in reckeninge their yeres and moneths haue diuers soortes For sometime Marche is their firste moneth the beginning of their year and specially when they count their solempne feastes as God bad Moyses that the Moone wherin they came out of Egipte shoulde be the firste Moone in the yeare Sometime was September when al the fruites of the earth was gathered into their barnes Sometime they recken from the daye of the coronation of their Kinges as wee vse diuersly to recken also and sometime to begin at Newyears daie sometime at the Annunciation of the virgin Marie commoÌ„ly called the Lady daie in Lente Sometime from the daie of Coronation of oure Kynges and sometime when they paie their rentes as Mighelmas Martinmas Helenes daie c. But their moones were reckened to begin euer from the chaunge of the moone what daie soeuer of oure moone it chaunged and not by the Kalender for than there was none made as we do So that the first dai with vs in the Kalender might be farre frome the chaunge of the moone with them as the xii.xiiii.xix xxiiii or so foorth Their monethes for a long time and their daies alwaies had not proper names geuen them by men as we haue now to cal them Mondaie Sondai Wednesdaie Fridaie â–ª And Ianuary Marche August Iulye but thei reckened bothe their monethes and daies thus the first the second the third fourth c. Nor we reade in the scriptur any names geueÌ„ to monethes vnto the time of Moyses than had thei no Heathen names as oure daies and monethes haue nowe So by this reckning this Prophecie was spokeÌ„ in the second year of Darius raigne beginning the yeare of the time of his coronation when soeuer it was And in the sixt moneth from Marche whiche is oure August and the first dai which is not LaÌ„mas as we count but the first of the chauÌ„ge of the moone what time soeuer it chaunged The marking of this reckening shal help you too vnderstande diuers places of scriptur if thei be remembred for because thei vse another manner of reckening theÌ„ we doe And although it seme too many but a smale matter by what names the daies monethes â—e called yet if we consider it wel there is a great thing in it The Latin men and many other more geue names to euery daye in the weeke of some one of the Starres commonlye called the Planetes as though the Starres ruled al thinges As Sundai of the Sun MoÌ„daie of the moone Saterdai of Saturne thâ— monethes many haue their names of Emperours as Iuly August for a vain glory that their name should not dye with theÌ„ and diuers other haue their names of as light causes If we remember the beginninge of the names of twoo most solemne daies in our weeke Wednesdaie and Fridai we shall better perceiue the rest Fabian and other Chronicles tell that when the SaxoÌ„s inuaded this Realme and there were seuen Kinges ruling here at once thei broughte with them twoo Idols the one called Woden and the other Fria Or els as other write it was a noble Captain his wife whiche for their worthines were made Gods and when thei hadde ouercome the English men thei made two daies in the weeke to be called Wednesdai Fridaie by the names of their false gods or Captains and so to be worshipped and those names we kepe still Why than maie it not be thought to be in remembraunce of those Idols or Captaines if euery thinge haue their name after their beginninge And this maie be thought the beginning of the Wednesdaies Fridaies to beâ— holier then the reste what pretence soeuer was founde after to fast or halow theym So this good can come by vsing the names of straunge gods that Idolles with false worshipping of God were set vp We neuer readde in the scripture nor in anye aunciente writer on the scripture that I remember that either moonethes or dayes were called by names of Starres menne Idolles or false gods but Feries as Augustine often doeth vse too call theym yea the Popes Portues calleth the daies in the weekâ— thus the second and the third Fery c. But nowe in time it is come too passe that euerye daie in the yeare is called by that name of some saincte and not in all Countryes a like but as euerye Countrye is disposed too worshippe their sainctes In the new Testamente I finde no daies named but the first of the Sabboth
assure him selfe that yf earthely lordes and maysters wil defende their seruauntes much more he that was kynge of heauen and earthe and Lord of Lordes mooste tender and louinge of hys subiectes woulde not see hys seruauntes oppressed violentlye troden vnder foote nor throwen doune but he would be their mighty deliuerer reuenge their wroÌ„gs What can he greater comfort to any people than to heare God vouchesafe too call him selfe their Lorde God and maister them hys seruauntes If this be thought soo greate a promotion that an earthelye lorde will take vs too his seruice speake cherefully to vs set vs in some office or let vs weare his lyuery it is muche more too be estemed to be seruauÌ„t to Iesus Christ to beare his crosse for that is his lyuery to fighte vnder his baÌ„ner and haue hym for our capitayne Men do commonly sue too be seruauntes vntoo noble men weare their lyueryes that whosoeuer seeth their coate maye feare them and vnder theyr maisters name they mai rule in their couÌ„trye like lords of the lande do wrong whaÌ„ they lust and euery man shall cal it right and thoughe they were slaues afore yet now they shal be euery gentilmans felow â–ª but they whiche weare Christes lyuerey be obedient and louing to all do no wroÌ„g but suffer praye for them which persecute them and do good for euill This lyuerye we muste weare if we will bee the lordes seruauntes and partakers of his promise and deliueraunce in the daye of trouble This similitude which the Prophete vseth of a ringe that God woulde keepe him as safely as his ring is takeÌ„ of kings and Princes which emoÌ„g all things kepe their seale signet and ringe moste surely either them selues or betake it too some moste trusty frende to kepe If the seale should be counterfeated stolen or blaÌ„ckes sealed with it what hurt or treasoÌ„ might be done thereby their landes offices or treasure mighte be geuen away the subiectes sturred to rebellion or the destruction of the hole common wealth might folow thereon Therfore that thei mighte moste certainly perswade them selues that in that troublesoÌ„ time of warre destruction of the kingdome of the Persians thei shoulde be moste safely kepte he saieth he wil kepe theym as hys ringe and seale that is too saye mooste safely And as when a frende sende his ringe or seale for a token to his frende it signifieth that he loueth hym moste derelye too whome he sendeth suche a pledge of loue frendship and also teacheth him that where he seeth his frendes ringe he shoulde not denye him his request nor doubte of the message that it shoulde be counterfeated so whan he names his ringe here they shoulde not doubt of his loue towardes them nor mistrust hys promise For as with vs whan Doctors be created thei haue a ring geuen them as a ceremony of honour and aucthoritie and in marriage the husbaÌ„d geueth hys wyfe a ringe for a sure pledge of loue so God our sauioure vnder this similitude of a ringe commendes his honour that he hath called vs vnto to be hys seruauntes and chyldren the loue he beares vntoo vs in that he hath marryed vs vnto hym in hys sonne Christe by the weddinge ring of sayth And the wedding apparell appeareth when Osee sayeth I will marye the to me in faith iustice iudgement mercie and many mercies Under this name of a seale he commeÌ„deth vnto vs also bothe his outward visible sacraments and the inwarde grace of the holy Ghoste working in our consciences by them Saincte Paule .iiii. to the Romaines called Circumcision a SacrameÌ„t of the olde lawe the seale of the righteousnes of faythe and as that was a seale in that time to our fathers of righteousnes so be our sacrameÌ„ts too vs in these dayes seales of Gods promises vnto vs al haue one strength vertue The scriptur of God is the indentur betwixt God vs wherin is conteined both the promises grace and mercy the God offereth to the world in hys sonne Christ also the conditioÌ„s which he requires to be fulfilled in our behalf the sacraments are the seales set to his indeÌ„ture to strengthen our faith that we do not doubt For as it is not ynough to write the conditions of a bargain in an indenture except it be sealed soo God for oure weakenes thought it not sufficient too make vs promise of his blessinges in writinge in hys scripture but he woulde seale it with hys owne bloude and institute his sacrameÌ„ts as seales of thesame truth to remaine too be receiued of vs in remembraunce of him and strengthning our faith Baptisme is a sacrament sealed by God and sealinge our consciences that God taketh vs for his chyldren and seruauntes and we offer and binde our selues to serue hym onely as a lorde and father The supper is also a sacrament wherein he fedes vs spiritually thus takeÌ„ into his seruice with his owne precious body and bloude and we rekening with oure selues where in wee haue offended hym aske mercye nothinge doubtinge to obtayne it and renewe oure bonde to hym whiche we haue so often broken and promise too doe soâ—â— more So that when God geueth these hys sacramentes to vs by his ministers wee receyue thesame the bargayn is ful made betwixt God and vs the writinge sealed deliuered we are become his people and he oure God we to serue loue honour and worshippe hym and he too helpe deliuer defende and prouide for vs al necessaries This inwarde sealinge of the conscience whiche is the seconde sorte of sealinge is where God poureth his loue so plentifully into our heartes by the holy Ghoste which is geuen vs that he beareth witnes too oure spirite that we be the childreÌ„ of God and sturreth vp oure myndes to call hym father father we haue a taste and felinge that God hath chosen and sealed vs for hys people with the holy Ghoste promised as saincte Paule sayeth This is a sure tokeÌ„ to a faythfull hearte that he is the chylde of God and God his father and of this he takes so greate comforte that in what trouble soeuer he fall he knoweth that God doeth it not of hate but of loue trieth hys faith that other may knowe thesame how earnestly he loueth his God and that nothinge can be so stronge to pull hym oute of his Goddes handes not for his owne strengthe but that God whiche holdeth hym is stronger then all Of suche as were thus sealed saincte Ihon in his Reuelation speaketh whan he sayeth That of euery tribeâ— there were .12 thousande sealed and saincte Paule teacheth Timothee that this grounde worke stand stroÌ„g hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who be hys For as noble men princes beare a loue to their seruauntes and for a witnesse of thesame will geue their outward Coignessance Badge and liuery wherby they maye be knowen from others sturreth vp their myndes to loue