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
before it come that they may repent and escape as 〈◊〉 saieth the Lorde will do nothinge but â—â— sheweth it first by his seruaunts the Prophetes Before he drouned the worlde â—â— styrred vp Noe whome Peter calles 〈◊〉 eyghte preacher of righteousnes whâ—â— he was making his Arke a hundreth and twenty yeares and tolde them the 〈◊〉 of god towardes theÌ„ for their sinnes 〈◊〉 they might amende and auoide the daâ—â—â—ger comminge by repentaunce so 〈◊〉 laughed at him and fewe cared for hymâ— therfore were al drowned saue eyght pâ—â—sons Lot preached in Sodom and 〈◊〉 they would not amend fire from heauen destroyed them Before the destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonozer God 〈◊〉 manye prophetes manye yeares to warâ—â— them before hande whose writinges also we haue as Esay Ieremy Osee c. and before the laste destruction by the Româ—â—nes Christ himselfe came and also 〈◊〉 his Apostles too teache repentaunce but when all was in vayne then they vtterly perished Haue not we in Englande ben as diligently warned by our preachers almost all in vayne What shall we loke forthen but destructioÌ„ if we amend not Thus God of his endles mercy neuer coÌ„meth sodenly vpon vs to destroye vs but mercifully warnes vs that we be not takeÌ„ in oure sinnes and so perish and euer he stirres vp the sluggish eyther by his spirite worde minister or els his gentle correction to call for his mercy And where he saieth I will call a â—rought or the swoorde vpon the earth c. this kynde of speaking is ofteÌ„ vsed in the scripture and betokeneth nothinge but the power of God that he is able too doe it so easely as to speake a woorde or call for it and that as soone as he spake it so soone it shoulde be done as whan one of vs coÌ„meth at anothers callinge God doth all by his woorde and to saye a thinge is too do it with him and as soone as he saieth the woorde so soone it is done with him Sayinge doinge are two diuers things with vs and muche payne we take to doe a thinge after it be spoken but with God it is not so but as the Psalme saieth he spake and al thinges were made he commaunded and they were created Moyses speaketh more playnely in the making of the worlde and saieth God said let ther be light made let there be made the Sunne and starres beastes and fysshes and they were made straight wayes So when God brought Nabuchodonozor to destroy Ierâ—salem and the countrye he said he woulde call hysse or whistle him from the North and he should come God called he came So all other things drought huÌ„ger plage sworde do tarye and wayte for Gods câ—â—linge and as soone as he whystles they come straighte and nothing dare or canne withstande his callinge as Dauid saieth fyre hayle snowe yse tempestes which doe his commaundement Seing therfore his threatninge is not to destroye but too saue and bringe vs to repentaunce let vs turne by time that he be not weary of callinge and desyre hym not to order vs accordinge to his iustice but after his endelesse mercies for els shall that bee true of Salomon I called and ye refused therfore I will laugh at your destruction saith the Lorde And where God threatens to destroye wheat wyne oyle all fruits of the earth â–ª and labour of man yea man him self and beast for not building his house Let â—s consider the horrible filthines of this sin especially in not buildinge his house that it will not let anye creature of God serue man so longe as he thus displeases God This sinne doth not onely stoppe the fruites of the earth but it flieth vp to heauen and locks it vp and so hardeÌ„s the cloudes that no raine nor dewe can be wrong oute to moysten the ground withall Suche is the iust iudgement of God that wher God of his mercy made all thinges in heauen earthe Sunne Moone Starres Cattell Fishe foule corne herbes and trees too serue man so that man would serue him reuerence feare and worship him as hys onely Lord and God maker and sauiour so when he did disobeye him serued God of his owne deuising or brake his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes he shoulde haue those creaturs whiche God appointed to serue him at the first to disobey him to rebel against hym and as it were to auenge Gods quarel vpoÌ„ that man which disobeyed the liuing God their Lord maister and they would not willingly serue hym whiche woulde not willingly serue obey their God kinge When AdaÌ„ was in Paradise as loÌ„ge as he obeyed God so loÌ„g all creatures obeied him as apoiÌ„ted of God to be their lord ruler as the Psalme saieth thou haste made all thinges subiect vnder his feete shepe and oxen and all beastes of the fielde birds of the ayre and fishes of the sea but so soone as he brake Gods commaundemente and eate of the fruite whiche God forbad hym all thinges began to disobey him and as it were would auenge that disobedience done againste God their maker The earth woulde not bring forth her good fruit willingly but weedeÌ„s braÌ„bleâ— and bryers no kinde of beastes woulde obeye him but waxed wilde and rebelled againste him The tokens of this iust punishment remaines on vs to this daye shall to the worldes ende The earth will bringe forth no good fruit willingly but with muche labour toylinge tillinge duÌ„ginge barowinge sowinge c. as though it shoulde saye too man I will not serue thee nor yet willingli geue thee any fruit at all So neither horse dog oxe nor shepe nor any other liuinge thing is tame at the first to obey man but it must haue many stripes or it will be broughte to any good order to serue him And many beastes as Lions Beares Wolues be so wilde that they will not serue man at all but still remaine his continuall enemies alwayes ready to deuour him As often as we see any of these ferce beastes whiche are foâ— cruell we shoulde remeÌ„ber the firste cause why they were so turned and bee so ferce againste vs and we shoulde then lamente oure sinne whiche was the onely cause of this so greate a plage and chaunge God hath left them amongst vs to be our scholemaisters that when we se and consider them to be so ready too take vengeaunce vpon vs for oure disobedience to God wee shoulde muche more feare God him selfe whiche is a more righteous iudge bothe is able and wil punish vs more greuously then they do or can if we repente not and aske mercy by time These cruell beastes are set before vs for examples of greater thinges that as we feare to fall intoo the daunger of these raueninge beastes â–ª so we shoulde muche more feare too fall into the handes of the almightie and liuinge God whose anger is a thousande tymes more greuous than the cruelnes of
that fearfull sentence go ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Deuill and his aungels shall make vs to tremble And of mercy there is no hope at all excepte we doe as we reade of a womaÌ„ whiche when she stoode before Alexander the great and was condempned she said I appeale from thee o Kynge Alexander wonderinge at her sayde thou arte a madde woman doest thou not know that euery appellacion is frome a lower iudge to a hygher but who is aboue me Then sayde shee I knowe thee too be aboue thy lawes and that thou maye geue pardon and therfore I appeale froÌ„ iustice to mercie and for my faultes desire pardon So we when wee loke into the righteous lawe of Gods woorde see him ready to condemne vs and oure conscience witnes that we haue deserued death we must appeale from iustice and our deseruings vnto hys pardon and forgeuenes bothe call and truste to be partakers of that saluation which he hath purchased and offered to the whole worlde Hys mercies doe passe all oure miseries as farre as God is greater than man and his pardoÌ„ can forgeue all that call on hym This is not too be lightely considered that it is sayde they hearde the voyce of the Lord their God and the woorde of â—â—gues geus the Prophete What neded bothe to haue ben written seinge they were bothe one for the woordes of Aggeus were thâ— same that the Lorde badde him speake 〈◊〉 he hath saide diuers times before He be in this example we shall learne twoo gâ—â— lessons one for the preacher and all other for the hearer The Preacher muste 〈◊〉 bee afrayde to rebuke sinne in all 〈◊〉 and degrees of men as here Aggeus dyd rebuke bothe Zerubabel the chief ciuil râ—ler in the common wealth and Iosua the hye Priest and chief in religion and also the whoole people beside and threatens the plages indifferentlye to all withoute any flattery or respect of person So do all the Prophetes as Esaye cals the rulers felowes with theeues and princes of Sodome and Gomorrha because thei folowed their wickednes And when Achab a kinge asked Elias whether it was he that troubled all the countrye because it was so longe a droughte for the space of three yeares and a halfe without any rain or dewe he aunswered the kynge boldely and sayde naye it is thou and thy fathers house that hast pulled this righteous plagâ—â—â—â—on thee and thy whole realme Where 〈◊〉 haue sinned all muste bee rebuked for as God a moste righteous Iudge will punishe all sinne so must his Preachers indifferently warne and rebuke al sortes of sinners or els God wil require their blud at their handes if they perishe withoute their warning as Ezechiel sayeth The hearer must disdaine to learne of the simplest preacher that he heareth as Iosua the high Priest here doth not disdaine to hear the rebuking of Aggeus being but a poore Leuite and a simple man in comparison of him no nor yet Zerubabel the chief ruler borne of the stocke of Iuda the kinges stocke disdaynes him If a preacher should rebuke the Pope a Cardinall an Archebishop or Bishop a Doctour or a babler in Diuinitie woulde they not disdaine too heare suche simple men Woulde they not saye as hathe ben sayde of late to many when they were examined before Annas and Cayphas becomes it thee to speake thus to my Lorde Bishop arte thou wyser or better learned then he Shall he become thy scholer Was not the like saide to oure Sauioure Christe doest thou aunswere the hyghe Bishoppe so What woulde the Pope or Cardinall saye if a man shoulde threaten suche vengeaunce of God towardes him as Aggeus doeth here to the highe Priest Paule the seconde Pope of that 〈◊〉 when he had wrongfully taken landeâ—â— offices from diuers and caste theym all 〈◊〉 pryson and woulde not heare any 〈◊〉 speake for them At lengthe by much 〈…〉 whan Platina him selfe came to him 〈◊〉 coulde get no help at the laste he 〈◊〉 of the Pope that he might be hearde 〈◊〉 by his owne lawe Then the 〈◊〉 lokinge cruelly on him sayde what 〈◊〉 thou me of the lawe doest thou not 〈◊〉 that whatsoeuer I say is law Am not 〈◊〉 sainct Peters Uicar and all lawes are 〈◊〉 in my breste and I can not erre whatsoeuer I saye Am I not Pope and may disanull the decrees of my predecessours 〈◊〉 do what me lust Thus it shall be thus I am determined Thus speake holy Popes when simple men aske their right or tell them of any faultes their proude stomackes can not abide too bee rebuked of anye man Was not this common also in Englande in the Papistes mouthes when the Gospell was preached to deface the 〈◊〉 Who are your Preachers nowe but yoÌ„g men vnlerned and not skilled in the Doctours And who teaches the other old learninge but my lorde Bishop maister Doctour auncient Batchelers in Diuinite proue it by the auncient writers These are gay glorious woordes in deede if they had ben true but although yonge men did teache yet their doctrine was moste wholsome and approued by the scriptures and all good writers whiche is moste to Gods glorie that opened the mouthes of yonglinges to confounde the dotinge of olde fooles Simple men confirmed with their bloude and constant deathes that whiche before bothe maister doctour and my lord Bishoppe also allowed and taughte with mouthe and handes subscribinge vntyll contrary rulers arose but than for flatterie and their belly they destroied thesame with all their mighte and power that thei taught before So whan and howe often soeuer the world shal chaunge the most of theÌ„ as meÌ„ without conscience will be ready to do the lyke and make a face as thoughe they beleued thesame to be true but not one of theym will auenture his bodye to be burned for the dirty dregges of Poperye and yet are they not ashamed to teache and maintain thesame with fyre and swoorde so longe as the worlde is on their side There is scarce a more certain argument of an obstinate Papist then to loke how simple a maÌ„ he is that preaches and not to beleue his doctrine for the simplenes of the man nor too looke at the thinge whiche he teaches how true it is and spoken by God Let all Christians heare and be contentâ— with Christes holy worde as most only sufficient doctrine to saue our soules and disdayn none that bringes it be he 〈◊〉 so simple Saincte Paule sayeth Christe died for oure sinnes and rose for our righteousnes where this is one of the greatest treasures that we haue by Christe to be made righteous by hym marke whoâ— were the firste preachers of it Mary Magdalene and the other wemen whiche weÌ„t earely in the morning with ointments to the Sepulchre they se Christ first of all other after his Resurrection and wer sent to teache it to the
sayd with a voice heard from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased hear hym Or els it maye well be taken for the promise whiche is written in the .22 of Exodus where it is sayde beholde I wil sende my aūgel or messenger before thee and he shal leade thee in the waye shall driue all thy ennemies oute before thee whose lande thou shalte posses This Aūgell was Christe Iesus who is called the Aungell of the greate counsayle because he broughte from the bosome of his father the secrete counsayle of God and preached hys greate loue to the worlde An aungell is no more but a messenger or Embassadoure from God to declare and preache his will and pleasure to the worlde And that Christe was present with the Israelites and guided thē in the wildernesse Sainct Paule telleth playne that they tempted Christe and murmured agaynst him and Christe was the rocke The meaning and effecte of this promise is no more but that as God was presente with their fathers whan he brought them out of Egipt and deliuered them oute of al daungers were thei neuer so many nor so great brought them in to the land that he promised thē So he woulde nowe be present with them deliuer them and finishe their woorke yf they woulde woorke earnestlye neyther mistrusting hys mercie but that he would be with them and defende them againste the rulers whiche hated them nor fearing his power but that he was able too perfourme his promise vnto them If wee mistruste eyther his good will towardes vs that he will not or hys power that he can not delyuer vs wee prouoke his anger too deuoure vs and can not looke for helpe at his handes to saue vs for nothing offendes hys maiestie more then mistrust vnfaithfulnes or doubtinge as sainct Iames sayth he that doubtes is like a waue of water driuen with wynde too and fro and that man whiche so doubtes can lok◠too obtayne nothinge at Gods handes he gyues all hys giftes too them that bee faythefull and beleue that hee is bothe a true God perfourmyng all that he promyses merciful and willing to help al which in their neede call vpon hym and able too fulfill all that he saieth They that either doubte or denye his offered mercie or power to helpe denye hym to be a God Therfore feare not but beleue me too be youre God and I will deliuer you and defende you as I did youre fathers and ye shall finish this temple by my protection As I did bring them into the lande which I promised them ▪ droue out their enemies and gaue them the lande to dwell in So according to this promise it came to passe to this people now for in .4 yeares space next folowing they finished that tēple as Esdras teaches So good spede had they after that they beleued his promise that he woulde be with them But here maye be moued a greate question howe this is true that God saieth by this Prophet here that he broughte them out of Egipt whā this people neuer came there but about a .1000 years before Moyses brought out their fathers through the read sea where Pharao was drouned after that he would not beleue the great wonders wrought in his sight nor fear the Lord that had so oftē greuously plaged hym for hādling his peple so cruelly The scripture vses oft to geue that which was done to the fathers as thoughe it were done to the chyldren As when Melchisedecke tooke tithes of Abraham he is saide also to haue takē tithes of Leui whiche was not borne of many yeares after because he was conteined in the loynes of Abraham and afterwarde borne of his stocke and sede So likewise saieth sainct Paule By one man sinne entered into the worlde and by syn death and hath gone through all in whō all haue sinned So we all that now liue or hereafter shall doe all before vs haue sinned in Adam and broken Gods commaundemente as well as Adam did because we were conteined in his loines as it were parte of him and toke our sinfull nature of him in his sede posteritie As we see those ryuers which spring out of littel welles are of thesame nature that the head and springe is whereof thei come though they runne .2 or 300. myle of thorough diuers countries and as those crabbes are soure this daye that growe on the crabbe tree whiche is .200 or .300 yeares olde because the first roote and plāte was sower So wee all be sinfull that be borne of Adam and soure as he was because he the first tree was suche a one the spring whereof we come was corrupte filthye So likewise God saieth he broughte thys people out of Egipt whiche neuer hadde ben there because he deliuered their fathers thence in whose loynes they were conteined and should haue ben born ther and subiect to thesame slauerie that their fathers were if God of his greate mercie mightie power had not deliuered their fathers thence and broughte them into the lande whiche he promised them And as the mercie whiche had ben receiued in times paste is a token argument of like merci and grace to be shewed when soeuer wee stande in the like neede and distresse soo here that they shoulde loke for a sure helpe at Goddes hande nowe in these daungers that they were in he putteth theym in remembraunce of that greate deliueraunce whiche not their fathers onelye but they also had before out of Egipt that they should not be afraide now but loke for sure help The daunger was greater before oute of whiche thei were deliuered and yet they escaped it So now Gods power and good will beinge no lesse towarde theym then before they shoulde loke for the like helpe of God as before He promises theym here that his spirite shoulde dwell with them therefore they shoulde not be afraide For as before he sent his Aungell to guyde them in the wildernesse so now he woulde sende hys holy spirite vnto them to dwell with thē whiche shoulde teache them all thinges that they doubted of or were ignoraunte in shoulde comforte theym in all daungers and distresse and deliuer them from al perilles that were towarde them therfore they shoulde not feare But as the other parte of the promise concernes Christ whiche shoulde come to deliuer them out of spirituall bōdage and slauerye of sinne and the spiritual Egipt So this part here concernes the sendinge of the holy Ghoste whome Christ sayde he woulde send to dwell with vs and be our comfortour to the ende And as the buylding of this second tēple betokens the churche of Christ builded by the preaching of the Gospell So here is the holy Ghoste promised whiche he sayde should not come excepte he wente awaye from them Thys spirite is called a comforter because he strengthēs vs in all our trouble he
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
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
Paul your holines As they haue but one God so they will worshippe him onely and as he hais taught them and not after the deuise of man thei will also studie for a holy life as God commaundes Be ye holy for I am holy And if we reade a holy place or sanctuari to worshippe God in it is true also for in all persecutions in the spite of the Pope and all Antichrist there hays ben in all ages and shal be for God so sayinge can not lye true professors of God althoughe the moste parte of the worlde was blinded So Christe coÌ„forts his sayinge feare not thou litel flocke Thus in Christes churche in spite of their foes shall euer be Christ the heade knit to the bodye necessarely and as he is holy so shal he make them holy that heng vpon him so gouerne them by his spirite that they shall euer folow a holy kinde of lyfe fleinge mischiefe and vnclennes and so shal thei haue also his sanctuari and holy place where to resort to worship their God here is worde and call vpoÌ„ him AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob Dauid in their waÌ„drings called vppon their God taughte their chyldren too feare the Lorde made their sacrifices and God reueled him self to them againe and neuer forsaked them In the captiuite of Babylon thoughe not in the temple yet they coulde by the water bankes singe psalmes on their instrumentes Whanne Christ was crucified the disciples kepte them together in a chamber praying and loking for the cominge of the holy Ghoste after whan persecution beganne some went to other countries some from house to house teachinge prayinge communicatinge and dealinge to the poore Paule sayes at Philippes by the water side thei were wonte too praye and in the middes blindnes of all Poperi hayes there euer ben some good men teachinge true doctrine and openinge their blasphemies for this can not be false that Christ promised his churche When the spirite whicâ— is the comforter shal come he shall leade you into all truthe I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde he that is of God heareth the woordes of God you heare not for because ye are not of God And my shepe heare my voice a straunger they doe not folow Therefore let all that be vnder the crosse and persecution se thei assemble together to praise God openly confesse him if it be possible or at the leste as muche as they maye folowing the example of the faithfull christians in the beginninge whiche in spite of their foes coulde not be holden from assembling together with prayers and songes afore the daye was lighte nor lette any papiste reioyce againste goddes scatered and persecuted flocke for this is the state and condition of goddes people and preachinge the gospell that they shal not want a crosse yet God will performe this promise that in Sion the holy one Christe will be with them to gouerne them in holines of lyfe purenes of religion and an earnest fayth trustinge in God and will geue theym a place to call vpon hym in that his might mercy grace to his people may appeare to the worlde in the sight of his enemies Whan Abraham and Iacob fledde into Egipte the EgiptiaÌ„s learned God which afore neuer heard of him in the captiuite of Babylon the Caldees Assyrians Babylonions Medes and Parsians with al other people amonge whome the Iewes were scatered lerned God of them WhaÌ„ persecution beganne in Ierusalem after Christes Ascension the disciples scatered by persecution went and preached Christ to the Heathen whiche afore heard not of him In Englande after Wiclefs death whan persecution arose some died for the trueth constantly some fledde into Boemia and broughte the gospell thyther where it continues to this day although bothe Emperoure and Pope with al their mighte many sharp battels and bloudde sheddinge woulde haue rooted it oute What great assaulte the poore Waldeses haue suffered at diuers French kings handes goinge aboute to haue destroied them for their religion beinge a fewe in number and yet coulde neuer deface theÌ„ this .360 yeares it is piteous to heare Thus is this euer true that in Sion the true church of Christ shal be the holy one Christ sanctifieng all that beleue in him there shal be holines in faithe religion maners to the prayse of God there shal be also a sanctuari and holy place with asseÌ„bles in spite of their foes and persecutioÌ„ does not hurt but rather increase and further true religion thoughe not in the greater yet in the better parte of men For who soeuer the holy ghoste does enflame with an earnest zele to his religion they canne not kepe it within them they canne not abide to see their God and his woord blasphemed thei will braste oute and declare their faith and saye the earnest loue towardes thy house hais eaten me as oure Sauioure Christe did whan he see the teÌ„ple his fathers house so misused and hys religion contemned he gate whippes and droue them out Ieremie sayes the worde of God was to hym as a burninge fyre in his hearte and closed within his boones that he was not able too keepe it within him but woulde brust out This victory is sette oute more at large in the nexte verses folowinge where hee sayes the house of Iacob shal be fyre the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau the stable c. Here is no description of horse haines gunnes any greate hoste or such other worldly things where in princes doe conquire and triumphe As the house of Iacob is spirituall and the kyngdome of Christe so be the weapons souldiers and victorie The swords where with thei faught were as the apostle sais the woorde of god which is sharper than any twooedged swoord and perâ—es more the soule conqueres the affections pulles doune hygh stoÌ„mackes deper than the swoorde can the bodye The gunnes were the Apostles words as Iames and Ioan were called the sonnes of thunder because with suche great power thei thundered terribly preached and feared carnall mindes more than the thuÌ„der does and threw doune sinne more than any gunnes coulde the walles Whan Peter at two sermons conuerted 5000. and Paul filled all countries frome Ierusalem to Illyzicum with the gospell what Emperour is able to bee compared of suche men of warre Whan Charles the .5 Emperour beganne to raygne Luter and Zuinglius began thesame time to preache and whither he hays throwen doune stopped and hindered the gospell more with al the help that his gostly and superstitious prelates coulde gyue than they with their scholers haue set it foorth and shewed the wickednes of Popery defaced his pompe let them selues iudge The Pope with his partakers haue had strength power politie wit wisedome armure gunnes horses harnes men and money and whatsoeuer they could deuise these other haue foughten with preachiÌ„g writing and giuing