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
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
not punish them and they them selues were killed in battayle and the Arke of god was taken by gods enemies so shal the fathers of the people perish if they punish not faultes of the people He that desires a Bishops office sayth sainct Paule desires a good labour he cals it not a good Lordshippe nor idlenes and wealth but labour What a manne the labourer should be Ezechiel tels particulerly saying woo to the Sheptheardes 〈◊〉 Israel whiche fede them selues not 〈◊〉 flock ye haue eaten the fat ben clotheâ— with the wol but ye haue not streÌ„gthneâ— the weake nor healed the sicke nor brouâ—â—â— home the straye nor soughte the loste but ye haue ruled ouer them with sharpnesse â–ª These be the dueties of good Shepeheardes and their labours and not maskyngâ— Masses mumming mattyns and babbâ—â— they knowe not what and he that either can not or will not doe these thinges seekinge his owne ease and wealth and not bringe the people to god is a theefe murtherer Also the PatroÌ„ of a benefice or Bisshop which admitte any suche as can not doe these dueties to haue cure of soules are partakers of his wickednes and as much as in them lyes murther so manye soules as perish this wayes for wante of wholsome doctrine Sainct Paule sayes to Timothy laye not thy hande rashly on any man nor without good triall apoint hym a Minister least thou be partaker of of other mens sinnes· We muste neyther do euil our selues nor consent to other to do it but as muche as in vs lyes stoppe it for bothe the doer and he which agrees to it are woorthye deathe as saincte Paule saieth But he that places an vnworthye or vnable minister wittingly in a benefiâ—e consentes to the euill whiche he doth because he might stoppe hym from it if he woulde and therefore is he woorthye death also A Tayler that is not cunninge to make a gowne maye mende hose a Cobler that can not make shooes maye mende them a Carpenter whiche is not cunninge too make the house yet may he square trees or fell them but an vnable priest to teach is good to nothinge in that kynde of lyfe or ministerye ye are the salte of the earthe saieth our sauioure Christ but if the salt haue lost his saltnes wherwith shal it bee salted it is not good inough to be caste on the dunghill for so it woulde doe good in dunginge the fielde but it is mete for nothinge but to be cast in waies to be troden vnder oure feete So these priestes whiche haue not the salte of gods woorde to season mans soul with all are mete for nothinge in the kinde of lyfe but to be put to some occupation whiche they can doe and get their liuing with the sweate of their face and not occupye a place amonge gods Shepeherdes seinge they be rather dum and deuouring dogges than good Preachers Are not we in Englande 〈◊〉 like fault When god sâ—â—rred vp our 〈◊〉 as chiefe in the realme and 〈◊〉 Cranmer Archebishoppe of Canterbâ—â—â— with others for matters in religion 〈◊〉 driue the byers and sellers of Masses â–ª 〈…〉 Trentaâ—s c. oute of gods 〈◊〉 whiche they had made a denne of 〈◊〉 was not this in al oure mouthes it is 〈◊〉 yet tyme to buylde gods house â–ª the 〈◊〉 can not beare it we feare strauÌ„ge prinâ—â—â— and rebellions as thoughe god were 〈◊〉 to suffer Idolatry for a time 〈◊〉 not or coulde not promote his owne maâ—â—ters without oure politike deuises 〈◊〉 almoste as many years haue we lyen 〈◊〉 as these men did and not buylâ—â—â— gods house but pulled it downe buyldâ—â— oure owne houses goodly withoute anye stoppe or feare where rebellion 〈◊〉 shoulde haue ben feared because it 〈◊〉 done oft with the iniurie of others as by extreme raising of rents takinge 〈◊〉 incomes and fines c. by these meanes â—â—â—king our owne rest and profite It waâ—tâ— not muche of so many yeares since kynâ—â— Henry began to espy the Pope yet goâ—â— house is not buylt What maruell is it then if we haue ben thus greuouslye plâ—â—ged for oure negligence in thus doing 〈◊〉 that euery one hath ben soughte oute too death that was iudged to loue gods woorde When the good kynge Cyrus had geuen free liberty to the Iewes euery one to go home that woulde the moste parte had so wel placed them selues in straunge countries and waxed soo wealthye that they woulde not go home when they might to buylde gods house What maruayll was it thaÌ„ if god to punish this great wickednes sturred vp king Assuerus by the meanes of HamaÌ„ to make proclamation thorough all countries that it should be lawfull for any man too kyl all the Iewes he coulde to take their goods and order theÌ„ at their pleasur that if gentlenes coulde not driue theym home too serue God yet sharpenes should compel them to go build gods house And hath it not ben soo in Englande taught that all Gospelers shoulde be destroyed and shoulde not leaue one to pisse againste the wall And this thinge god of loue and mercy did vnto vs that wher we woulde not know him by gentlenes wee shoulde be compelled by the rod and sharpenes to seke him All faultes in oure late Popery were they neuer so great might be pardoned saue this to loue gods word But as God tooke Haman in his owne deuise and the vengeaunce light on hym and his so god hath mercifullye deliuereâ— many in Englande from the persecuters gloriously called many too be his witnesses in the fyre and turned the deuises of his enemies on their owne headdes and sharpely destroyed them whiche murthered his sainctes when they thought moste to haue enioyed the worlde at their will Therfore let vs thinke that God speakes to vs by his Prophet sayinge this people of Englande to whome I haue geuen so plentiful a land deliuered them so often and sent them my preachers and whome when they forgot me and their duty I pu nished sometimes sharpelye of fatherlye loue sometime gently that they mighte turne to me yet they say it is not yet time to buyld gods house for fear of their own shadowes they woulde lye loytering still and not be waked out of this slepe Let vs consider what benefites we haue receiued daily of our good god and se what a grefe it is to be vnthaÌ„keful haue our vnkindnes thus cast in our teeth Poore cities in Germany coÌ„passed about with their enemies dare reforme religioÌ„ through wtout any fear god prospers theÌ„ yet this noble realme which all princes haue feared dare not We wil do it by our owne polycies not by committinge the successe to God and so we shall ouerthrowe all verse 3 And the woorde of God was sent by the hand of Aggeus the Prophet sayinge verse 4 It is time for you that ye should dwel in your celled houses this house lye waste ¶ This
cloyster of Monkes and that house of Friers with suche like Who woulde spende one pennye soo euill if he thought that it should beare witnes againste him and condemne him at the laste daye It is for lacke of faith that such vnthrifts doe mispend Gods their maisters monei because they thinke it is their owne not the Lordes as the Prophete saieth here Thirdely if this were beleued as it ought too be it woulde make vs neyther to grudge against God that geues plentye many times to the euyll men and the honester sorte liues more barelye nor wee shoulde not disdaine to see one preferred before oure selues in more wealth or authoritie We shoulde also contente oure selues with that porcion which God hath geuen vs not murmuringe nor sorowing that we haue lesse then other This thing hath often greued Iob Dauid Ieremye Abacuk and other holy men that they did see euyll men in wealth and good meÌ„ in trouble and they coulde neuer satisfy theÌ„ selues in this what should be the cause oâ— it vntil thei entred into the saÌ„ctuary of the Lord there thei spied that the riches of the earth is the Lords to dispose at his holy wil pleasur And because it pleases God to bestow so much or so litle vpoÌ„ this maÌ„ or that maÌ„ it is iuste and I shoulde content my selfe therewith knowinge that whatsoeuer he doeth it is good because he doeth it and no man muste grudge or disdayne ther at The will of God is the rule of all iustice righteousnes as because God will haue it so therfore it is good iust and righteous Gods will is the firste and chiefe cause of all thinges so that when we see that God will haue it so we must not aske why he wil haue it so but be content therewith sit doune and quiet our selues praysinge his goodnes and marueylinge at his wysedome that rules all thinges so well and wisely And with that litle porcion that it hath pleased him to geue vs we shal content our selues when we consider that he owes nothinge to any man but the whiche he geues he geues it freelye and liberally so much as he knowes better then thou thy selfe what is meete for thee to haue Thou whiche haste litle thinke thus with thy selfe My good God father who hath ruled and doth rule all thinges at his owne will and pleasure whose wisedome I am not able to perceiue and whose vnspeakeable loue towardes me in geuinge his onely sonne to dye for me I canne not vnderstande He that loues me better theÌ„ I loue my selfe he I saye knoweth that if I had more riches and wealth I should be to wanton and so displease hym and if I had to litell I shoulde deale vntruely and blaspheme hym Therfore praysed be his wisedome whiche doeth not ouerlode me with more than he will geue me grace too discharge nor lets me want necessaries that I fall not to any falshode or vntruth Howe can I loue hym ynough that geues me all necessaries and doeth not charge me with superfluities The euill men whiche haue suche plentie of all thinges he woulde wynne them with gentlenes and by gentlenes drawe them vnto hym but in thee that haste lesse he wil let al the worlde knowe that thou louest him not for any greate wealthe whiche he geueth thee as euill flatterers manye time doe but euen as duty and that thou wilt bear the crosse of pouertie willingli rather theÌ„ forsake hym What a misbeliefe is it to thinke that God doeth not geue and dispose his goods so wel and wisely but that many can deuise it better And if we hadde once this faithe rooted in oure heartes that he doth all for the best it woulde make vs saye howsoeuer we oure selues or other haue muche or litle It is the Lorde that doeth it let hym do the semeth good in his sighte And if we loose it by fyre or robberie wee shall bee content to saye with Iob the Lord gaue it and the Lorde tooke it awaie and as it pleases the Lorde so it is done the name of the Lorde be praysed What a pryde is this in man to thinke that he coulde deale his goods better then God hath done Or that it were better for suche men and such to haue more or lesse then they haue as though we were wiser then God and if thinges lay in our haÌ„ds we coulde doe them better then he can or doth Our sauioure Christe cals it lacke of fayth when we mistruste the power of him that he can not or the goodnes of God that he will not prouide necessaries for vs chiefely if we seke the kyngdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and sayethâ— Marke the byrdes of the ayre howe they neither sowe nor mowe nor gather intoo the barne and yet your heauenlye father feedes them how muche more will he doe you ye of litle faythe There is nothing can greue that faithfull heart so whiche constantly beleues the golde and siluer is the Lordes but it wold vndoutingly loke and hope for al necessaries by Gods prouision to be geuen hym and if ordinarie meanes didde fayle that the Rauens shoulde feede him as thei did Elias the stoones shoulde flowe out water as in the wildernes or water shoulde be turned into wine as in Cana of Galile or that â—itle which they haue should so encrease that it shoulde be sufficiente vntyll plentye came as the handfull of meale of the poore wydowes or els one sclender dynner shoulde strengthen them so vntyll they came where they mighte haue more sufficiently as Elias walked in the streÌ„gth of one therfe cake .xl. dayes eatinge nothinge els For it is as easye for God to prouide for hys people by some one of these wayes or other like as by any other ordinarie meanes as in the beseeginge of Samaria where they eate their owne children and dunge and the next daye suche plenty a bushel for a grote But this is euer moste sure that those whiche bee of God can not lacke For as sainct Paule reasons he that hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen hym for vs al how can it be but with him he hathe geuen vs all thinges and for hys sake he will denie vs nothing mete for vs Howe can he denye vs a pece of bread meate or a cooâ—e that hath geueÌ„ his only sonne Christ Iesus to dye for vs Can a worldly earthly father if he se his child waÌ„t wepe aske him meat deny him wil he not rather spare it froÌ„ his owne belly then see him weepe or want And shall we thinke that God hathe lesse pitie and loue towarde vs then one of vs hath towardes another Whiche thinges all considered they and all wee whiche haue Gods house to buylde should not discourage our selues for pouertie or lacke of habilitie For the Lorde of hostes saieth all golde and siluer is his â–ª and he wil geue
¶ Aggeus and Abdias Prophetes the one corrected the other newly added and both at large declared The earnest loue that I beare to thy house hath eaten me Psal. lxix Ioan. ii Phinees hath tourned awaye my anger because he was moued with loue of me Num. xxv Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres 1562. ¶ A Preface to al that loue the earnest promotinge of Gods glorye in his Churche by true religion ALthoughe the commen vsage of dedicating bookes is to require the defense of some woorthye personage of learnynge or authoritye for the thing that it is written yet the maiestie of the matter in thys boke is such that it rather defendes than sekes defence and thexample of the Prophet whych wrytes it not to one but manye suffers me not to sende it to any one sorte of menne particularly but generallye to all that should vnfeinedly promote the encrease of Gods glory bicause all degrees of men do owe a dutye to the buildinge of this gods house And if anye offence be taken as God knowes none is purposelye giuen the defence of manye is greater than of a fewe and that authoritye or credite which one manne alone can not bring to passe al iointly together shal more easely obtaine The Prophet is sent from God to the Prince the highe Priest and the people so I speake to the rulers the ministers and comminalty The cheef intent of his Prophecie is to stirre all to the spedye buildinge of Gods house whiche they had so long neglected my labour is to bring some of euery sort for al is not possible to an earnest fortheringe of gods true religion of late most mercifullye restored vnto vs which not long agoe most cruellye was persecuted of manye yet hated and of euery man almost now to coldlye folowed and practised But if this Prophecy were read and depelye considered with such a hungry desire of gods glorye as the Prophete spake and wrote it and I for my parte and pore abilitie haue declared it I doute not but the good should be stirred by gods spirit more earnestly to seke gods glory the froward shuld be afrayed of gods plague ashamed stubbernely to striue against the trueth cōtinually The state of religion in these our miserable dayes is much like to the troublesom time that this Prophet liued in God graunt that after many greuous stormes it may take like roote in vs as it did than in them After the long captiuity of gods people in Babilon god gaue them gracyous king Cyrus which set them at liberty and sent them home to builde Goddes house So after our longe Romish slauerye God raysed vs vp good kynges which restored vs gods booke that long had bin buried and loused vs from the bondage of straunge gods forreyn powers cruell hipocrites and wicked Idols And as after that short fredome vnder good Cirus ensued the crueltye of Hamman for negligently handling gods buildinge And not long after milde Ester came blouddy Antiochus for their falling from god So for our talking gospel and not worthely walking nor folowing it vnder our gracyous late Iosias crept out a swarm of Romish waspes stinging to death all that would not worship their Gods nor beleue their doctrine God for his mercies sake graūt that now for our vnthankful coldnes in gods cause vnder our myld Ester burst not out again bloudy Antiochus with his whelpes iustly to auenge our cold slacknes in gods religion and insensible dulnes Gods word is neuer offered and geuen in vaine or to vse at our pleasure but it workes eyther saluacion in them that here beleue and folowe it or els condemnacion in them that proudely despise it sturdely rebell or forgetfully do heare and vnthankfullye receyue his mercies Therefore as after a storme folowes a calme and after winter comes sommer so nowe where God hath geuen a breathing time lest our weakenes had not bene able to haue borne hys heauy displeasure anye longer let vs earnestlye applye our worke whan we haue time for the nyghte wyll come whan no man shall be able to worke If this be true as it is most true in deede that euerye dede of our sauiour Christ is our instruction also that what thynges soeuer are wrytten they be writtē for our learning as S. Paul teacheth let vs cal to remēbraunce what zele earnest loue our sauiour Christ especially shewed in building his fathers house and restoringe the true vnderstanding of the scriptures frō the supersticious gloses of the Scribes Pharises and also what a feruent desire of promoting gods glory our fathers haue shewed afore vs that we may be good scolers of our schoolemaister Christe Iesus and obedient childrē walking in the steppes of our fathers Oure Lorde and sauyour christ comming into the temple and finding it full of biers sellers and chaungers was greeued to see Gods house so misused gate a whippe and droue them al out saiyng My house is a house of praier but ye haue made it a denne of theues so surely al Christians whiche vnfeynedly◠beare the name of christ and zelously loue the building of his house woulde gladlye see sinne punyshed and lamente that the whip of Gods disciplyne is not shaken in gods house to the driuing out and confusion of all gredy theues which if they can not get in at the dore by lawfull meanes wil climbe in at the wyndowe and for a litle money wil sel the bodyes and soules of Christes sheepe and make gods house the Popes market place But as she that had so much worke to doe that she could◠not tell where to begin sate her downe left al vndone so I say worldly wise men see so many thinges out of order in Gods house and so little hope of redresse that they can not tell which to correct or amēd first and therefore let the whippe lye stil and euery man to do what him lust sin to be vnpunished And not onely this euil reignes but the worlde is come to such a dissolute liberty and negligēt forgetting of god that men sleping in sinne nede not so much a whip to driue anye out of the Churche so fewe come there but they nede a great sorte of whips to driue some fewe thitherwarde For come into a Church on the Sabboth day and ye shall see but few though there be a sermon but the alehouse is euer full Wel worth the Papistes therfore in their kind for they be earnest zelous and painful in their doinges they will build their kingdom more in one yeare with fire and fagot than the colde gospellers will do in seuen A popishe summoner spy or promoter will driue mo to the church with a worde to heare a latin masse than seuen Preachers will brynge in a wekes preaching to heare a godly Sermon If this be not true remember the late dayes of popery and see who durst offend him that weere a shauen crowne Who loked so high
suffered to reade them selues But it is true that saincte Ihon sayeth he that doeth euill hateth the light and will not come to the light leaste his euill doinges be reproued And this too be true their coÌ„mon sayinges declare when they sayde it was neuer good worlde since euery shoomaker coulde tell the priestes duty They were ashamed of their faultes therfore woulde haue you in blindnes styll that ye shoulde see neither youre own faultes nor tell them of theirs for that speciallye they can not abide But oure good God whan he blessed his people and offereth his pardons he sendes manye teachers open diuers waies to learne and 〈◊〉 he is most angry he takes away his worâ— that they shall not see how to amend aâ— Amos sayeth I will sende a hunger vntâ— the earth not a hunger of bread but of the woorde of God that they shall seke it 〈◊〉 East to West and not finde it Therforâ— they whiche take awaie his woorde or be hinderers therof are nothing els but inâ—struments of his wrath and gods 〈◊〉 to his people And that they should the more diligeÌ„tly marke the message which he broughte 〈◊〉 tels them in whose name he spake saith the Lord of hostes spake those wordes 〈◊〉 as the Hebrewe is Iehoua whiche is aâ— muche to saye as that god of mighte maiesty and power whiche hath his beinge â— substaunce of hym selfe and by whome aâ— other thinges stande and be and without whome all thinges fall to nothinge if he do not vpholde them he speaks these wordes The other worde ioyned with all wheÌ„ he cals him the god of hostes is a word of feare and reuereÌ„ce as Iehoua is a name of loue and power so that if either they loued hym as a father and God of power or els feared him as a Lord and maister one that had many hostes of souldiers 〈◊〉 conquere them with all if they did rebell agaynste him still they shoulde receiue obey this message In like maner God by Malachy rebukes the people which called hym father and maister in wordes but in dedes woulde nothinge doe as he taughte them and sayth if I be your father wher is my loue that you owe me if I be youre maister where is the feare that is due too me This woorde and name is seldon red in the new Testamente too call hym the god of Hostes because it is a worde of fear more then loue and rather threatens theÌ„ comfortes whiche the newe Testamente doeth not commoÌ„ly Sainct Iames sayes the withholden wages of them that haue reaped your fieldes cries vengeaunce in the eares of the Lorde of hostes It is as muche to saye in this place as thus sayes that mighty Lorde of hostes whome if ye heare and obey he will make all his creatures to serue and obey you but if you be disobedient to hym styll he hath many armies and hostes to fight with against you and all his creatures from the hyghest to the lest shall be harnised agaynste you Thinke not that if ye escape one plague that ye shall escape the rest for differring or escapinge one is but to see whether ye will amende before the nexte come His arowes and thuÌ„derboltes are neuer speÌ„t but he hathe new in store and in the ende the victorie shall be his and all disobedieÌ„t shall perish And for the better vnderstandinge of this to be true the scripture hath sette oute diuers examples where Goâ— hath fought agaynst maÌ„ with all his creatures to let hym see how diuers kyndes of hostes he hath to beate him down with all The Aungels destroyed Sodome and Gomorre with fyre and brymstone kylled with pestilence in three dayes space lxx thousande for Dauids offence alsâ—â— in one nighte destroyed in the tentes of Sennacherib .clxxxv. thousand The Sun at the commaundemente of Iosua stoode styll geuing him lighte vntill Gods enemies the Amorites in the chase were kylled by hym so that one daye was as longe as twoo In Egipt the Starres Sunne gaue no lighte too the Egiptians but the darkenes was soo greate grosse thycke mystes that no manne sturred out of hys place and men might grope the mystes feele them with their hande but wher the chyldren of Israell were the SuÌ„ne shone bright and pleasauntly Againste Sisara Bod foughte out of heauen The water drouned the whole worlde saue .viii. persons vnder Noe. The redde Sea suffred Gods people to passe but it drouned Pharao and all his hoste The earth swalowed my quicke Dathan Corah and Abiâ—â—n and all those rebels with them In Egipt stormes of baâ—â—e killed the Egiptians 〈◊〉 after and destroyed their corn but harmed not the Israelites So the Towre 〈◊〉 Siloe fell and killed 〈◊〉 within it Such a drought was in the time of Elias that it rained not for the space of iii years and a halfe Suche hunger in all couÌ„tries that Iacob with all his house went intoo Egipt and there also the Egiptians for hunger solde their lande their cattel wyves chyldren and themselves to be bond men and slaues to their kynge In the besiege of Samaria for huÌ„ger an Asses head and Doues dung was solde dere and women did eate their owne children Ioel threatens that God will sende four hoâ—â—eâ— one Grasshoppers an other of Caterpillers Blastinge and Locustes to deuoure all the fruiteof the grounde all that whiche one of these left the next shoulde destroye In Egipt marke what mighty men of warre God chose to fighte 〈…〉 frogs eueÌ„ into that kings 〈…〉 and hys hedde and flees 〈…〉 Pharao and the whole 〈…〉 and made them weary 〈…〉 the heades but by these meanes â—ob got the viâ—ry◠〈…〉 ten tribes were led awaye 〈…〉 wilde beastes encreased soo that the â—â—uoured the dwellers in the country because they feared not God God closed by y◠〈…〉 bes of at Abâ—milleths womeÌ„ that thei 〈◊〉 not beare chyldren because he did 〈◊〉 Abrahams wyfe When the Phâ—â—â—â—â— had taken the 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 God smote theÌ„ with â—mperours 〈◊〉 â—â—â—erses Herode â—iuers Emperours 〈◊〉 woryed with Lyfe Arrius â—ittinge 〈◊〉 priuye auoided all his guâ—s 〈◊〉 of a kyng was more a 〈…〉 liued in woods Gedeon with 〈◊〉 men knockâ—nge that poâ—â—â—erdes together made his eternal which were so many that they lay as thicke as greshoâ—pers vse to lye on the grounde to afraid the thei â—roue who â—â—ghte 〈◊〉 away 〈◊〉 if his felow stode in his 〈◊〉 he kylled him straight The walles of â—â—richo fel wont violeÌ„ce or hi◠〈◊〉 off 〈◊〉 SyriaÌ„s thinking thei heaâ—◠〈…〉 nâ—â—ght 〈…〉 their enemies came 〈…〉 whereâ—â—â—re was none such 〈…〉 〈…〉 all away â—udith a weake 〈…〉 prise in buildinge the towre of Babell was stopped by coÌ„fouÌ„ding their laÌ„guage the one could not vnderstaÌ„d an other Dauid a yoÌ„g man with a sling
light of his word doth coÌ„fouÌ„d all such wicked foÌ„d faÌ„tasies as thei can deuise to fil their bellies maintayne their authoritie Churches be Gods schoole house the preacher is a schoole maister sent from God is teache vs his woorde we be his scholers and thyther must resort to learn oure lessons and his holy wil to amend our liues â–ª to make our praiers to him desiring mercye for our wickednes past and beg graâ—e and strength for that whiche is to come to thanke him for all his goodnes so mercifully poured vpon vs to receiue his Sacraâ—mentes and professe our fayth which wâ— haue in him For these causes must we haue churches as common places to resâ—â— vnto vse theÌ„ with such comelines as beâ—comes men professing Christ and not 〈◊〉 binde any holines to this churche or thâ— churche as though it laye in vs too maâ—â— holy or vnholy when and what we lust As sainct Maries in Cambridge was had inough to saye masse in for three yeaâ—â— space all that woulde not heare it musâ—â— be prisoned althoughe Bucer was theâ— burried but whan it pleased the Carnalâ— commissioners to saie it was not holy beâ—cause he laye buried there than the Heretike muste bee digged vp and burned 〈◊〉 their masses were woorth nothinge Aâ— other mighte lye still and not hurte theâ—â— masses though they were of his opinion The house of God nowe for vs left 〈◊〉 buylde is sometime called in scripture generally the whole company of Christians and sometime euery particular man as sainct Paul teaches Timothe how to liue in the house of God whiche is the churche and congregation of God the piller seat of truth And to the Hebrues it is writen you be the house of God perticularly also it is sayde to euery man doe ye not know that your bodyes be the temple of the holy ghosts and he that defiles the temple of God him wil God destroy Again ye be the husbandry of God and the building of god And sainct Peter saieth ye are buylt like liuely stones for a spirituall house of God This spiritual house muste be diligently buylded of vs and the buyldinge of thys house of wood and stone amonge the Iewes was a figure of this spiritual house buyldinge for oure dayes This is that whiche sainct Paule calles so often edifiynge or buyldinge one an other and that edification whiche he speakes so muche of in all his Epistles that is as much to saye as one to sturre vp an other to vertue and godlines For as the buyldinge goes forward and encreases by laying to one stone after an other and one poste or tree after an other vntill the house be finished So we by goinge forwarde dayly in the feare of God and godlines shal at lengthe bee â— meete house for God too dwell in This house is the bodye soule of man whiche must be buylt with dayly hearinge Godâ— woorde praier mercie faith with godly exercises as s. Paule saieth ye be cytezens with saincts of Gods house builded in the fouÌ„dacion of the Apostles the prophetes God because he would haue vs alwaies praying calling on hiÌ„ for his help hath so ordred the matter that this eartâ—â— house of ours wherin he dwels should alwaies be in building or repairinge that we should not be ydle and thinke we haâ— done our duty but euer desiringe him 〈◊〉 help forward the building of this his 〈◊〉 If we ouercome one euil affectioÌ„ straight waies rises an other after one teÌ„ptaâ—â— cometh an other the deuill neuer ceases to throw doune oure house Dauid saâ—â—th except the Lord build the house they labor but in vayn which build it Let vs doe all we can therfore pray the lord to further our worke the rulers with the sword defeÌ„d the good punish the euil the preachers with yâ— word the scholemasters by their teaching the fathers by bringing vp their childreÌ„ the maisters by correctioÌ„ of their seruaÌ„ts the peple in obeyiÌ„g their heads neighborly loue euery one defend true religioÌ„ to the vttermost of his power driue away the Pope his baggage and as occasioÌ„ requires guide the ignoraÌ„t rebuke croked stomaks ameÌ„d fautes in the feare of the Lord bring into the right way all such as run astrai that thei may be mete houses for God to dwell in Thus hath euery maÌ„ a part in bylding gods house but the greatest porcioÌ„ is lefte to euery man which is his own conscieÌ„ce to amend that he finds amisse in him self because euery man knowes him self best Great faultes onely do appeare vnto the worlde by rulers muste be punished but the priuy hid faults which euery maÌ„ knowes in him self for the moste parte for no man knowes all that be within him self muste bee corrected within him selfe by prayer sighinge repentaunce and asking forgiuenes Dauid saieth who knoweth his owne faults Lord clense me from my priuy hid secret sins spare thy seruauÌ„t frome other mens sins Thus must euery one him self seuerally and iontly altogether clime vp to the hils that is our lofty mindes cut doune the penishe desires of oure heartes though it be painfull also correct the hye minded whiche are called often in the scripture hylles and cutte doune the highe trees growinge on the toppes of them That is to saye to bringe into good 〈◊〉 the high men of the world whiche should geue good exaÌ„ple for the people to folowe and to punishe their fautes and rebuke them as well as the lower sorte They muste neither for feare nor flattery leaue theym vnpunished nor saye that is good which is euil afore God For as God haâ—â— geuen one lawe for all men highe lowe to liue after and like a righteous iudge wil punishe all that breake it So must al indifferently be punished here if rulers â— ministers do their duety that breake hyâ— lawes God hath geuen no more libertyâ— to sinne to the ryche than to the poore 〈◊〉 hath not willed th one to be punished and the other to escape but generally indifferently hath sayd to all that soule whiâ—â— sinnes it shal dye and in iudgemente ye shal regarde no person but iustly iudge yâ— whiche is iust neyther condeÌ„yne the poorâ— because he is poore nor deliuer the ryche because he is ryche So must the preacher tell euery man his duetye spare neither high nor low neither flatter the ryche for rewardes nor feare the mightye for highe lokes or bitter woordes for whan he does his worst he can not hurte thy soule but a litle punish thy body These are hard hyls to clim and croked trees to fraine meete for any worke yet it muste be done God requires this of euery mannes hande too bringe some thinge to the buylding of his house and according to his power And if we marke these woordes well we shal see our
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
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
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
the policie of princes to ioine theÌ„ selfs in leage frendshâ—p with princes that dwell nere vnto theÌ„ that by their help thei might be the stroÌ„ger more feared also to haue wise men of the counsel so had these Edomites sought theÌ„ freÌ„dship of all the mightie countries about them picked oute also the worldly wisest men thei coulde finde to be their rulers thinking that by politie and wisedome of the one the strengthe power richesse of the other thei shoulde be able to defend them selues againste all men that would proferre them wroÌ„g yea thei should rather vnder this pretence bee bolde to do other men wroÌ„g none shuld once be so bolde to say why do ye so This is a comen practise likewise at these days of such as would hurt other but that either thei dare not nor can not to run alwayes vnder some greate mans winge to beare the name of his seruauÌ„t weare his liuery or be one of his retinu that vnder this colour he maye disquiet the hole countrie where he dwelles no man darre bee soo bolde to blame him but God hates al such as forsake him and hange on them selfs takes all suche in their owne deuises and that wherein they thinke too saue theym selues is turned to their owne destructioÌ„ These people sayes the Lord with whom thou art in leage thinkinge therby to saue thy selfe and be stronger than all other euen the selfe same people shall rise vppe againste thee take parte with thy ennemies and dryue the out of the borders of thy owne countrie You woulde thinke it a great pleasâ—â— if when thou were coÌ„quered ouercomeÌ„ thou might dwel in thine owne countrye styll payinge tribute and taxes to Nabuchodonozor and other about thee but thou that hays beÌ„ so cruel to thy brethern gods people the sonnes of Iacob shal not finde so much fauor and frendship at their haÌ„ds as to dwell in thy owne lande but shal be driuen not onely out of thy strong holdes and wealthy places of it but euen out of all the coastes and borders of the same that by those whiche thou takes for thy frendes and in whome thou puttest thy trust Suche shal be the case of all those that forsake the Lord and put their trust in them selues or their frends When the people of God woulde haue gone to Egipt agayne for succour whan Nabuchodonozor had subdued all the countrie Ieremie cried styll no they shoulde not doe so for where they loked for help thei should find wo for Nabuchodonozor ouercame Egipt also and than all that fled thither were in wors case than if they had taried in their countrie styll Egipte is a rede sais Isaie and they that fâ—e thither shal perish in dauÌ„gerous times there is no succor to be fouÌ„d but at the Lords handes for when the Lord sees that in prosperite wee forgete hym he sendes vs aduersite that for feare weâ— shoulde be compelled too loke for helpe at his handes Suche a louinge God is he vnto vs that he woulde winne vs by all meanes possible but if we can be drawen to him by no waye â—e geues vs ouer that we maye worke iustly our owne condemnation without excuse hauinge nothing to laye for our selues Moreouer those that made peace with these people deceyued them and those that eate their bread woundeth them priuely This is the rewarde of worldly wisedom that whan they trust moste in them they shal be sonest deceiued whan thei looke for help of them they shal be the first that shall wounde them There can be no true loue whiche is not grounded in God and for his sake for where as God onely is sought for there is loue and truth it self wheresoeuer he is not there is neyther truthe nor true loue That loue whiche is grounded on worldly causes whan the worlde chaunges it failes to If it be for beauty profit or frendshippe as soone as these be gone fare well loue frendship is gone Nabuchodonozor whom thei feared and looked for promotion at his handes was now comen to destroye Edom and therfore all the countrie aboute was not onely ready to fall from the Edomites with whome thei were in leage afore giuinge theÌ„ no help but were the first cruelst enemies that thei had readye not onely not too help them but to dryue them out of theyr own countrie Who pretended a greater loue to Christ thaÌ„ Iudas who soner betraied denied him How many examples is England able to geue of such as while thei were in authorite thei were feared rather than loued althoughe it was called loue faire faces were outwardly promises othes bandes mariages were made all deuises that could be to make it sure but wheÌ„ thei fel thei which were thought derest frends were becomen opeÌ„ enemies accusers condeÌ„ners in hope to climbe in to his rowme or catch part of his goods or landes Dauid coÌ„plaines of such as made fairest face of frendshipe did eate of the same dishe and yet sonest deceiued him These wordes in the Hebrew be written in the preterit teÌ„ps but spoken that so it shoulde come to passe as sure as if it were now done accordinge as the custome of the Prophetes is to speake that which is too come as though it were done where other languages vse to speake suche thinges in future temps But the latter ende of the verse where he sais there is no wisedom in him that is to say in theÌ„ or al the Edomites by a coÌ„mon figuratiue speach in Ebrew wher the singuler is put for the plural as in the .89 psal I wil visite their wickednes with a rodde c but my mercy I will not take from him Them is most meruailous for who will beleue or who can iudge the contrari but that it is greate wisedome policie to the strengthening defence maintaining of a countrie to haue strong holdes in it and to be in leage with their neighbors rouÌ„de about them as these men were But God says there was no wisedoÌ„ in them nor in this their doiÌ„g Not because it is not lawful for Gods people too haue vse or make such things in their comen welth for their defence keping out their enemies but that thei mai not do these things too put theyr trust in theÌ„ or whaÌ„ they haue them to dispice their Lord God seking no help at hys haÌ„ds but trust in their own streÌ„gth thinking them selfs able to defend them selfs against all enemies as though God didde nothing nor victorie defence were not of him And agayne whan they haue suche strong defence they may not vse it too the hurt of Goddes people as these wicked proude Edomites did bothe against God their bretheren and the people of God This is right wisedoÌ„ to forsake him selfe and heng vpon God to know that no policies are good which is against Gods people nor to thinke them selues stronge by hurting others