the faythfull in that day may comfort themselues and arme their consciences agaynst the temptation and offence rissing in the world by the prosperitie and successe of the wicked For where before it is promised that Christ in his kingdome shall take away all mourning sorowe and weeping from his people and deliuer them from all miserie and oppression and contrarywise that he will threshe downe the wicked to dust to them that looke into the outwarde face of the world and as naturall men onely consider the thing it may seeme to be all cleane contrary aâ—d the wicked to flourishe and prosper in all felicitie and the good and godly to be kept vnder in shame sorow and miserie As it appeareth in the * Parable of good poore Lazarus and the riche prowde glutton Agaynst this offence as I haue sayde doth the Prophete here arme and comfort the people of God. The first comfort is this VVe haue a strong Citie saluation shall God appoynt in steede of walles and Bulwarkes That is howsoeuer the couÌ„tenaunce of the worlde seemeth towarde vs howsoeuer the wicked seeme to be in great strength and glorie and we in great weakenesse and miserie yet haue we a strong Citie a mightie Citie the Church of God the heauenly Hierusalem in which the Lorde God himselfe our saluation is in steede of VValles and Bulwarkes agaynst all the pride and strength of the worlde as he sayth also by hys Prophete Zacharie 2. I will be a fierie wall rounde about them and a glorie in the middes of them This Citie is the Church the foundation thereof is Christ and his doctrine the walles and bulwarkes the might and maiestie of Christ agaynst which the gates of Hell and all the * powers of Sathan cannot preuaile The gates to enter into this Citie is the preaching of the Gospell and that not in one place onely but in all places of the worlde and wheresoeuer the Gospell is preached there is a gate to enter into this Citie of god The way to enter is by fayth to embrace the gospell of Christ The Citizens that doe enter are all faithfull which are * iustifyed by fayth in the bloud of Christ And of them is it that he speaketh in the seconde verse Open you the gate that the righteous people may enter in c. Wherefore when these gates be opened by the messengers of God and preachers of his gospell let all that tender their health and saluation make speede to receyue it that they may enter into this Citie where onely the sure strength of God is for euer more to saue and deliuer For he hath brought downe the high minded Citizens as for the prowde c. This is the seconde argument of consolation in this Psalme to stirre vp the people of God to confidence and constancie agaynst the tentation before mentioned For he describeth how mightily Christ ouerthroweth the wicked that seeme to themselues and to the worlde to bee in greatest glorie and felicitie He hath pulled downe sayth he the high minded Citizens This is it that the blessed virgine speaketh in her song He hath deposed the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke And yet was not shee that spake thus of her selfe greatly exalted in sight of the worlde but remayned simple and poore But in the kingdome of Christ and in heauenly glorie before God she was exalted to a very high degree and contrariwise the enimies of the Gospell and the prowde of the worlde that is the obstinate Iewes and other aduersaries were in the same respect throwne downe and afterwarde also in the worlde by gods mightie hand grieuously plagued The path of equitie wylt thou graunt vnto the iust O thou most righteous c. The right way and the path of equitie which Christ our Lorde graunteth to his subiectes is the preaching of his gospell in that must they walke that will go the streight way to heauen All other waies be but errours and wicked seducings what countenance soeuer be set vpon them Therefore say the sayntes of God In the way of thy iudgementes O Lorde that is in the truth of thy Gospell haue we put our trust in thee thy name also and the remembraunce of thee is the thing that our soule longeth for and that not once in a yeare * but day and night continually For then onely may men learne iustice truely when thy iudgements are in the earth that is when thy doctrine and Gospell is preached sincerely and truely This place is diligently to be noted that we may thereby be more inflamed to the whole some doctrine of the Gospell For the most part thinke it a matter smally apperteining to them and turne ouer the care thereof to Ministers and such olde men as can do little else then come to the Church and heare preachinges and are as they say past the worlde And they themselues followe theyr worldly businesses their Marchandies their husbandrie and other occupations and feele nothing at all that longing and greedie desire of god and his Gospell that the prophet here speaketh of Shal the vngodly man be fauoured which hath not learned righteousnesse c. Shall grace mercie be offered to the wicked shal the Gospel be preached shal remission of sinne in Christ Iesu shall the fauour of God and eternall life be declared vnto them when as they will not learne to doe iustice they will not amend they will not accept the mercy of God But although the euen plaine and smooth waye of Gods holye worde be offered them yet will they still wander after theyr owne pathes to errour and * vngodlynesse and will not see the glory of the Lorde Lorde when thy hande is lift vp to strike they see it not but they shall see it c. That is when thy mightie hande is lifted vp in the meruelous woorkes of glorifying thy sonne by miracles by his woonderfull resurrection from the dead by the sending of the holyghost by publishing of the Gospell throughout the worlde and by thy heauie plagues threatned to all the * refusers therof they yet will not see and vnderstande it But when that the same Christ thy sonne shall come in his maiestie and reueale his glorie to the whole worlde then shall the wicked contemners of christ be ashamed in such sort that they shall * pine away with enuie of those things that they shal see to happen to the people of God and be deuoured and consumed with eternall fyre Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouide peace for thou also hast wrought c. Before he had spoken of the wicked but nowe he addeth the other part of the contrary comparison what shall be done to the faythfull and godly As if he had sayde The vngodly shall be ashamed and pine away and be consumed with fyre but vnto vs the faythfull and godly our Lorde and Sauiour Christ giueth * peace that
lif◠as a Sacrifice for sinne he might see the seede of his faythfull posteritie made happie for euer and that this will and deuise of the lord might prosper be throughly wrought by him Of the trauayle and labour of his soule shall he see the fruit and be satisfied c. He declareth what fruite Christ shall haue by his Death and Passion For the labour trauaile sorowe anguishe care and reproch that he sustayned as well in all the residue of his life as especially at his death he shall with ioy and gladnesse beholde and be satisfied with true and eternall felicitie and the fruites of all heauenly goodnesse and blessinges and that not onely for himselfe but for * all them that through fayth shall acknowledge the same and beleeue in him For it followeth that this righteous seruant of God Christ Iesu through his knowledge shall iustifie many that is shall pay the raunsome for theyr sinnes reconcile them to God and cause them through the price of his bloud to be accounted iust before god For this in deede is our true Iustificatiō whē we of our selues sinfull by the mercie of God in Christ Iesu are accepted as iust Therefore will I giue him amōg the great ones his part and he shall deuide c. In this verse as in a conclusion the Prophete reciteth the chiefe poyntes of Christes death and the benefites that come to the faythfull thereby First his * obedience in giuing ouer his soule to death Secondly that he was * reputed among sinners and wicked persons Thirdely that he was an * innocent and dyed not for his owne sinnes but for the sinnes of Mankinde Fourthly that he is nowe become an * Intercessour for sinners and in the dignitie of the high priest according to the order of Melchisedech Wherefore sayth God the father I will giue him his part among the great ones and he shall Conquer subdue Sathan with all his power and take awaye the spoyle of his Kingdome and bring to his owne subiection all Nations euen to the vttermost boundes of the earth This verse also is expounded of Christ by Christ himselfe Luke 22. and Marke 15. The 3. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 55. COme to the waters all ye that be thirstie and ye that haue no money come bye that ye may haue to eate come bye wine and milke without any money or money worth 2 Wherefore doe ye laye out any money for the thing that féedeth not and spende your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not But hearken rather vnto me and ye shall eate of the best and your soule shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me take héede I say and your soule shall lyue for I will make an euerlasting couenant wyth you euen the sure mercies of Dauid 4 Beholde I gaue him for a witnesse among the folke for a Prince and a teacher vnto the people 5 Lo thou shalt call an vnknowne people and a people that had no knowledge of thée shall runne vnto thée because of the Lorde thy God and the holye one of Israell which glorifieth thée 6 Séeke the Lorde whyle he may be founde and call vpon him whyle he is nye 7 Let the vngodly man forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lorde so shall he be mercifull vnto him and to our God for he is verie readie to forgiue 8 For thus sayth the Lorde My thoughtes are not your thoughtes and your wayes are not my wayes 9 But as farre as the heauens are higher then the earth so farre doe my waies excéede yours and my thoughtes yours 10 And like as the raine and snow commeth downe from heauen and returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth maketh it fruitefull and gréene that it may giue corne vnto the sower and bread to him that eateth 11 So the worde also that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne againe voyde vnto me but shall accomplishe my will and prosper in the thing whereto I sende it 12 And so shal ye go forth with ioy and be led with peace the mountaines and hilles shall sing with you for ioye and all the trées of the fielde shall clappe their handes 13 For thornes there shall growe Firre trées and the Myrre trée in the stéede of bryers and this shall be done to the praise of the Lord and for an euerlasting token that shal not be taken away The Exposition vpon the. lv Chapter of Esay Come to the waters all yee that be thirstie and ye that haue no money come c. THE Prophet in the former Chapiters had euydentlye spoken of the Gospell of Christ and of the benefites that come to his Church by it nowe he earnestly calleth and exhorteth all men to heare the same and by faith to receyue it and not to hearken after other doctrines whereby they cannot haue true comfort of conscience What auayleth it that Christ dyed for mankinde and purchased great benefites for them if they doe * not Beleeue it nor shew themselues destrous to obtaine it Come therefore sayth he to the waters c. By the Water to drinke and by the Breade to eate he meaneth the same water and bread that Christ speaketh of Iohn 4. 6. VVhosoeuer sayth he shall drinke of the water that I shall gyu◠him shall neuer thirst againe but the water that I shall giue him shal be a foūtaine springing to euerlasting life And again as touching the bread Iohn 6 I am the breade of life that discended from heauen If one eate of this breade he shall liue for euer The Water and Breade then wherevnto the Prophet in this place calleth is Christ Iesus offered to vs in his Gospell And by Wine Milke he vnderstandeth the same thing For there is none other foode whereon our Soules can feede but Christ his Doctrine in which are cōprehended al things wherby we are nourished to euerlasting life Here is to be noted First that God to this heauēly foode calleth not one nor two but * All excepting no coūtrie no state no kinde or degree of persons Secondly that he calleth thē that be Thirsty that is such as long after it or greatly desire it He calleth not those that * swell in trust and confidence of their owne worthynesse and therefore thinke they haue small neede of Christ and hys Gospell No nor such as liue in * securitie and delight of worldly Pleasure and therfore haue no care for the fauour of God nor desire of eternall life but such he calleth as haue feare of God in their consciences and sence of his wrath against sinne Thirdly is to be obserued that he offerth these things Freely without any respect of our * worthynesse and therfore sayth Come and bye wythout mony Wherefore doe ye laye
the Lorde Kéepe equitie and doe right for my sauing health shall come shortlye and my righteousnesse shall be opened 2 Blessed is the man that doth this and the mans childe which kéepeth the same he that taketh heede that hée vnhalow not the Sabboth that is he that keepeth himselfe that he doe no euill 3 Then shall not the straunger which cleaueth to the Lord say Alas the Lord hath shut me cleane out from his people neyther shall the gelded man say Lo I am a drie trée 4. For thus sayth the Lorde vnto the gelded that kéepeth my Sabboth namely that holdeth greatly of the thing that pleaseth me and kéepeth my couenant 5 Vnto them will I giue in my householde and within my walles a better heritage and name then if they had bene called sonnes and daughters I will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not perish 6. Againe the straungers that sticke to the Lorde to serue him and to loue his name and to be his seruantes and all they which kéepe themselues that they vnhalowe not the sabbath namely that they fulfill my couenant 7 Them will I bring to my holy Mountaine and make them ioyfull in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted vpō mine aulter for my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people 8 Thus sayth the Lorde God which gathereth together the scattered of Israell I will bring yet an other congregation to him 9 Come all ye beastes of the fielde that yée may deuour all the beastes of the woodde 10 For his watchmen are all blinde they haue altogether no understanding they are aldumbe dogges not being hable to barke they are sléepie sluggish are they and lie snorting 11 They are shamelesse dogges that be neuer satisfied the shepeheardes also in like maner haue no vnderstanding but euery man turneth his owne way euery one after his owne couetousnesse with all his power 12 Come say they I will fetch wine so shall we fill our selues that we may bée drunken and doe to morow like as to day yea much more The Exposition vpon the. 56. Chapter of Esay Thus sayth the Lorde keepe equitie and doe right for my sauing health c. THE Prophet in thys place declareth what God requireth at our handes when he hath shewed hys mercie and goodnesse toward vs that is that we should not liue still in sinne and wickednesse but shew the * true fruites of repentance and leade our life in equitie and iustice And his reason cause that he alleageth is this that his sauing health and his righteousnesse is nigh at hand and readie to be opened to vs Wherby is to be gathered that the narre God is to vs in mercie and goodnesse the narre * we should be to him in vertuous and godly lyfe Blessed is the man that doth this and the mans childe which keepeth c. In accompting him * happie and blessed that imbraceth this doctrine and lyueth godlye he giueth to vnderstande that manye will be harde harted and not followe it but least their waywardnesse should be an hinderanre to the better disposed he pricketh them forwarde with the commendation of the thing by the great Fruit that commeth of it that is true Blessednesse And bicause the Saboth day is the chiefe signe of the worship of God by that he vnderstandeth all the partes of true pietie and godlynesse and not onely the outwarde obseruation of the day Then shall not the stranger that cleaueth to the Lorde saie Alas c. Straungers Eunuches as appereth Deut. 23. were by the lawe excluded from certaine priuileges among the Iewes and not had in such credite and estimation as they that were Iewes borne Wherefore the Prophet by the name of straungers and Ennuches or gelded men vnderstandeth all them which in any respect or in consideration of any reproch might seeme to be vnworthye of the grace of God or to be accompted of the number of his people And therefore in this place he sheweth that the free grace of God whereof he hath spoken before should be such as they also should be made partakers of it which before were straungers from God and seemed not to haue any accesse to the throne of his mercie and goodnesse This is it that Saint Paule speaketh of Ephe. 2. At that tyme you were wythout Christ as aliauntes from the common weale of Israell straungers from the Testamentes of promise c. but nowe in Christ Iesu you which sometymes were farre of are made nighe by the bloud of Christ God therefore to the fruition of his mercie in Christ Iesu calleth of all sortes of men euen of the meanest and lowest * without respect of persons and excludeth neyther Iewe nor Gentile nor forrainer nor other so that they serue him and keepe his couenant To the gelded men he promiseth that he will giue them a better name then if they were called Sonnes daughters of Israel meaning that he woulde gyue them that name whereby they should be written in the boke of lyfe and accompted Citizens of heauen of the householde of god To the Strangers he promyseth that he wyll bring them into the holye Mounte of his Church and make them members therof that he will make them * gladde in his house of prayer by hearing their desires and satisfying their requestes that the offerings and Sacrifices of their godly and vertuous workes shall be accepted before him Come all ye beastes of the fielde that yee maie deuour all the beastes of c. Nowe Esaias seeing the people of God exceedinglye Misled and brought in daunger of Gods highe displeasure by them that should haue bene their Instructors and teachers with great heate he addeth a verie bitter and grieuous reproufe of those to whome the charge and gouernement of them was committed and therein comprehendeth not onely Bishops Priestes and Prophetes but also Princes Iudges and Magistrates which two states God hath appointed as two eyes to direct and guyde his Church As if the Prophete had sayde It behooueth the Gouernours of the people of God to be skilfull and * learned but these are blinde and ignorant and altogither without vnderstanding They should * be Instructors and Counsaylours to direct the people but they are Dumbe dogs not able to barck or giue warning of any daunger They should be Watchfull diligent and painefull but they shew themselues sleepie and sluggish and are giuen ouer to Idlenesse Ease and pleasure of the world not passing what corruption eyther of life or doctrine grow among their people They shoulde as good Pastours * feede their sheepe but they feede themselues and through immoderate greedy * Couetousnesse become as shamlesse dogges that neuer be satisfied but alwaies crauing They should be * sober giue * example to other of the feare of God and obedience to his worde when
vnto thy fathers Abraham Isahac and Iacob and shall geue to thée great and goodly Cities which thou buildedst not 11 Houses full of all maner of goodes whych thou filledst not and weâ—â—es digged which thou diggedst not vineyardes and Oliue trées whych thou plantedst not and when thou hast eaten and arte full 12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thée out of the land of Egipt from the house of bondage 13 Thou shalte feare the Lorde thy God and serue hym and shalte sweare by his name 14 Sée that ye walke not after straunge Gods the Gods of the Nations which are about you 15 For the Lorde thy God is a Ielous God among you least the couÌ„tenance of the Lord thy God be moued to wrath against thée and destroy thée from the face of the earth 16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye did in the place of temptation 17. But you shall diligently kepe the commaundementes of the Lord your God and his testimonies and his ordinaunces which he hath commaunded thée 18 And thou shalt doe that which is ryght and good in the sight of the Lord that thou mayst prosper that thou mayst go in and possesse that good lande which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers 19 To cast oute all thine enemies before thée as the Lord hath said 20 And wheÌ„ thy sonne asketh thée in time to come saying What meaneth these testimonies ordinances and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commaunded you 21 Then thou shalt say vnto thy sonne We were Pharaos bondmen in Egipt the Lord brought vs out of Egipt with a mightie hande 22 And the Lorde shewed signes and wonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharao and vpon all his housholde before our eyes 23 And brought vs oute from thence to bring vs in and to geue vs the lande which he sware vnto oure fathers 24 And he hath commaunded vs to doe all these ordinaunces and to feare the Lorde oure God for our wealth al the dayes of our life as it is come to passe this day 25 Moreouer this shal be oure righteousnesse before the Lorde oure God if we take heede and kéepe all these commaundementes as he hath commaunded vs. The exposition vpon the .vj. Chapter of Deuteronomie These are the commaundementes ordinances and lawes whiche c. MOyses purposing to exhorte the Israelites to a diligent and faithfull obseruation of the law of God beginneth with the repetition of that whereof he hath before sundry tymes spoken that is that the lawes whiche he dothe so earnestly admonishe them to keepe are * not his nor deuised of his owne brayne but suche as were deliuered him of the Lord and of that Lord which had not only euer shewed himself their gratious and good God but also * chosen them to be his peculiar people and vndertaken to defende them from all their enimies and therfore that they coulde not without most iust blame refuse obedience therevnto And for so muche as Saincte Paule sayeth VVhatsoeuer is written is written to our instruction I thinke there is no better maner of exposition seing the text is plaine inough of it selfe than to apply the same vnto vs We haue far greater cause by our obedience to sette forth the glorie of God than they had First then as Moyses exhorteth the Israelites wée muste feare god For as Salomon sayth The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome This feare will not onely beate downe our pryde and confidence in oure selues but also will bee as a brydle to staye vs from euill and to represse the wicked iustes and affections that rise in vs contrary to the law of god * Feare of the Lorde represseth sinne sayeth Iesus Syrach Chap. 1. And Salomon Prouerb 8. Feare of the Lord doth hate euill Contrarywise where feare of God is not men run headlong to all wickednesse yet must not this feare be in the faithfull a bonde and seruile feare wherein we think of God only as he is a terrible iudge for so Satan * and the wicked do feare God But our feare muste be ioyned with the earnest loue of god We muste not onely feare God for his iustice but wee muste* loue him also for his mercie and goodnesse towardes vs And therefore Moyses afterward addeth Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might This Loue of God in the faithfull * doth far more earnestly bridle them from the disobedieÌ„ce of gods holy lawes than feare can doe For they that by a sure faith haue the true sense of Gods infinite mercies towards them and therby vnfaynedly loue hym are more* readie to please God and to shewe themselues thankful to him than feare of his iustice can make them lothe to displease and offende him by sinne and wickednesse The one of these that is Feare muste represse and keepe vnder olde Adam and the carnall man The other that is Loue doth set forwarde and encourage the spirituall and newe man that is begotten in Christ Iesu Moreouer forsomuch as our corruption is so great and our inclination vnto euill so ready that we soone forget our duties towarde God after Moyses his counsell wee must seeke by all meanes that we can to* imprinte his holy will in oure heartes to sette it before oure eyes and to make it* continually as it were to ring and sound in our eares This will best be doone by the diligent reading hearing and meditating of the holie Scriptures by whiche the wil of God is learned For this cause Dauid sayeth that Hee is blessed whiche delighteth in the lawe of the Lorde and exerciseth himselfe therein both day and nighte This is it that Moyses meaneth when he biddeth the Israelites that they should Talke of the lawes of God in theyr house By the way Lying downe to bedde Rising vp in the morning That they shoulde bee as a sygne in theyr hands as a Frontlet before their eyes and VVryte them on their doore postes That is by all meanes they can to make them selues famyliar with them that by the fleshe and the worlde they myghte not bee drawne to forgetfulnesse thereof And when the Lorde thy God hathe broughte thee into the lande c. This is an other good Instruction that Moyses vseth to the Israelites and behooueth vs also to follow that is that with earnest consideration we call to mynde the * inestimable benefites that God hath doone for vs whiche are farre greater and of more worthinesse than are these worldly benefites whiche God here is reported to haue done for the Israelites For he doth not only continually from tyme to tyme bestowe vpon vs the lyke worldly and outwarde blessings to our no small comfort and quietnesse in this lyfe but hath also enriched vs with his spirituall* treasures and blessings as
golden Calfe hauing no respect of Aliance or Kinred Exod. 32 and yet are they reported To haue Consecrated their handes vnto the Lorde That whyche is appoynted by GOD can not seeme to bee agaynste hys Lawe Iaell was of the people of God and therfore might she well adde her helping hande to their deliuerance especially agaynste an vnrepentant Tiranne and seeyng the same to bee appoynted by God. The .ij. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Iudges 5. THen Debora and Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang the same day saying 2 Praise ye the Lorde for the auenging of Israell and for the people that became so willing 3 Heare O ye kings hearken O ye Princes I euen I wyll syng vnto the Lorde I wyll syng prayse to the Lorde God of Israell 4 Lorde when thou wentest out of Seir when thou departedst out of the féeld of Edom the earth trembled and the heauens rayned the cloudes also dropped water 5 The Mountaines melted before the Lorde euen as did Sinai before the Lord God of Israell 6 In the dayes of Samgar the sonne of Anath in the dayes of Iael the hye wayes were vnoccupied and the trauaylers walked thorough bywayes 7 The inhabitauntes of the townes were gone they were gone in Israell vntyll I Debora came vp whyche came vp a mother in Israell 8 They chose newe Gods and then had they the enimie in the gates was there a shield or speare séene among fortie thousande of Israell 9 My heart loueth the gouernours of Israel and them that are willing among the people O praise ye the Lord. 10 Speake ye that ryde on fayre asses ye that dwell by Midden and that walke by the wayes 11 For the noyse of the archers among the drawers of water ceassed there shall they speake of the righteousnes of the Lord his righteousnes in his vnfensed townes in Israel then shall the people of the Lord goe downe to the gates 12 Vp Debora vp get thée vp and sing a song arise Barak and leade the captiuitie captiue thou sonne of Abinoam 13 Then shall they that remayne haue dominion of the proudest of the people the Lorde hath geuen me dominion ouer the mightie 14 Oute of Ephraim was there a roote of them againste Ameleck and after thée Beniamin among thy people Out of Machir came rulers and out of Zabulon they that handle the pen of the writer 15 And of Isachar there were Princes with Debora and Isachar and also Barak he was sent on foote into the valley for the diuisions of Ruben vvere great thoughtes of heart 16 Why abodest thou among the shéepe foldes to heare the bleatings of the flockes for the diuisions of Ruben were great thoughtes of hearte 17 Gilead also abode beyonde Iordane and why doth Dan remaine in shippes Aser continued on the sea shore and taried in his decayed places 18 But the people of Zabulon haue ieoparded their liues vnto the death like as did Nephthali in the hye places of the féelde 19 The kings came and foughte then foughte the Kings of Chanaan in Thanack by the waters of Megiddo and wanne no money 20 They foughte from heauen euen the starres in their courses foughte againste Sisara 21 The riuer of Kison swept them away that auncient riuer the riuer Kison O my soule thou hast marched valiauntly 22 Then were the horse hoofes smitten a sunder by the meanes of the praunsings that their mightie men made 23 Curse ye the Citie of Meros sayde the Angell of the Lord curse the inhabitantes thereof bycause they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie 24 Iael the wyfe of Haber the Kenite shal be blessed aboue other women blessed shall she be aboue other women in the tent 25 He asked water and she gaue him milke she brought foorth butter in a Lordly dyshe 26 She put her hande to the nayle and her righte hande to the Smithes hammer with the hammer smote shée Sisara and smote his heade wounded him and pearsed his temples 27 He bowed him downe at her féete he fell downe and laye styll at her féete he bowed hymselfe and fell and when he had sunke downe he laye there destroyed 28 The mother of Sisara looked oute at a wyndowe and cryed throughe the lattesse Why is his charet so long a comming Why tary the whéeles of his charets 29 All the wyse Ladyes answered her yea and her owne wordes answered her selfe 30 Surely they haue founde they diuide the spoyles euery man hathe a damsell or two Sisara hathe a praye of diuers coloured garmentes euen a praye of rayment dyed with sundrye colours and that are made of néedle worke rayment of diuers colours and of néedle worke on both sides whiche is méete for him that is chiefe in distributing of the spoyles 31 So perishe all thine enemyes O Lorde but they that loue him let them be as the Sunne when he ryseth in his might And the lande had rest fortie yéeres The Exposition vpon the fifth Chapter of Iudges Then Debora and Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang the same daye c. NO kinde of worship is to God more pleasant nor by the holye Ghost in the Scriptures more earnestly required than when God hathe shewed the great benefites of his mercie towarde his people that they * for the same declare themselues Thankefull and prayse his holie name therefore Call vpon mee saieth God by his Prophete Dauid in the daye of they trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me not that God needeth oure Glorifying or praysing beyng of himselfe most Glorious and worthy praise but he * deliteth in Thankfulnes and also for our causes would haue his enemies by that meanes feared when they vnderstande him to be declared by his people to be so terrible and mightie a punisher of his sinfull and wicked aduersaries And on the other parte that they which be weake and fainte may haue their faith Strengthened and more readily commit themselues vnto his mercy when they perceiue him to be so willing and gracious a God beyonde all Deserte Expectation of his mere goodnesse to deliuer them Therefore Debora doth here the parte of a good and faithfull Gouernour that is both her selfe so ready and also * willeth the residue of hir people in this pleasant triumphant Song to the terrour of the enemies and comfort of the faithfull to Set forth the Mightie mercifull goodnesse of God towarde them The like examples we haue in Moyses at the redde Sea In * Anna for her sonne Samuel In * Iudith for her victorie ouer Holophernes c. The People that became so vvilling were the tribes of Zabulon and Nepthalie who did readily folowe the Appointment of God declared by Debora and for the same doth she here and afterwarde Praise them and Reproue the other Lorde when thou wentest out of Seir when thou departedst out of the. c. Debora praiseth God by
as it were in iudgement cleareth him selfe that he neuer hurted them neuer wrought trouble griefe vnto them whereby they might pretende cause to reuolt from him but alway hath shewed him selfe their gracicious mercifull and bountifull Lord euer readye to assiste and helpe them and miraculously with mightie hande to deliuer them As for example out of Aegipt from the sterne Tirannie of Pharao and his people In the wildernesse from manye dangers by the meanes of Moyses Aaron Marie their sister indued with the spirite of prophecie From the wicked deuises of Balach at which time he turned the Cursing that was sought agaynst them into a notable blessing By this wee also haue to take heede that wee doe not contemne the worde of God and reiect the memorie of his exceeding benefits that he hath of late yeares done for vs least it be grieuously laide against vs as the like is here vnto the Iewes Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe to the hye God c. As the Prophet before made as it were God him selfe to accuse the Iewes euen so here doth he bring in the people of the Iewes cōsulting asking by what meanes by what sacrifices by what satisfactions they may please God and appease his wrath and displeasure Here is to be noted that as the faithfull when they perceiue God to be displeased resort to his holy worde and out of that learne what to doe to please God so other that are vnfaithfull when he hath beaten into their mindes some sense of his wrath as he had here done to the Iewes they cannot ascende to any higher consideration then the wisedome of the flesh and of the worlde And therefore giue themselues to worke reconsiliation by externall things as sacrifices outward kneelings fastings and tormentings of the bodie iudging that God also maketh great account of those outwarde thinges which they themselues greatly esteeme and wherein they iudge principall holinesse to consist But God being a spirite sheweth himselfe to delight in that holinesse only that is in spirite and in truth And therefore in the 8. verse the Prophete aunswering their question sayeth God hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Whereby he taketh from them their pretence of ignoraunce or rather reproueth their obstinate impudēcie wherby they moue such questions As though God had not by his seruant Moises and by his Prophetes declared oftentimes vnto them what true worship he looketh for at their handes and wherewith his anger will be appeased that is with repentaunce and the true fruites therof Such as are the doing of iustice when not onely the Magistrate dealeth vprightly in iudgement but also euerye priuate man according to his office and calling The loue of mercie and pitie consisting in all the workes of Charitie The humblenesse of our hartes submitting our selues to the will and pleasure of God declared in his worde For To walke with God is to walke before him according to the appointment of his holy will and worde The Lordes voyce cryeth vnto the Citie and the man that shal be saued c. In this part of the chapter the Prophete chargeth them with their sinnes wherewith they had displeased god The Lordes voyce is the preaching and teaching of his worde You haue heard sayth the Prophete what * dueties God requireth of you neyther can you in this pretende ignorance For the Lord doth his part diligently when he sendeth his Prophets to you that be of this Citie and to all other likewise that be in your case and by them crieth to you that you should repent and doe those fruites of repentaunce And therefore the faythfull and good man that hath care of his saluation doth consider it and feare the name of thee O Lorde But you O stiffe necked Ievves shewe your selues to contemne his voyce and to neglect his calling Therefore seeing you will not heare that voyce calling you to saluation hearken to this voyce that assureth you of your punishment rodde and destruction Then layeth he before them their grieuous faultes and offences that is Riches vniustly gotten False measures False waightes and balances Crueltie Lying Falsehoode and deceyte as well in their occupying and bargayning as in all other dealing and for these thinges sayth he the Lorde will take in hande to punish them Therefore I will take in hande to punishe thee and to make thee desolate c. This is vttered in the person of God I wyll therefore punish thee sayth the Lorde and take all those my good gifts frō thee which hath made thee so prowde and obstinate not ouely so but bicause thou wilt not repent and turn from thy sinnes O thou wicked Citie I will vtterly destroy thee and make thee desolate The first plague is famine and that in a strange maner that they should haue to eate and yet there meate not prosper with them The seconde plague that by inward mischiefe among themselues that is by discorde discention or other like meanes by giuing credite to the false Prophetes that were among them they shoulde worke their owne ouerthrowe The thirde is that all meanes of help succour and refuge should be taken from them and that those whome they would seeke to saue the Lorde would deliuer to the sworde The fourth is that their goodes and the fruites of the grounde shoulde be spoyled and taken from them and that they shoulde enioy no part of their labours therein The last is that they should be vtterly wasted caried away captiue and be a scorne and reproch to all people The. 21. Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Habacuc 2. I Will stande vpon my watch and set me vpon the tower and will looke and sée what he will say vnto me and what I shall answere to him that rebuketh me 2 And the Lorde answered me and sayde Write the vision and make it plaine vpon tables that hée may runne that readeth it 3 For the vision is yet for an appoynted time but at the last it shall speaks and not lye though it tarie waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay 4 Beholde he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by his fayth 5 Yea in déede the prowde man is as he that transgresseth by wine therefore shall he not endure because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth vnto him all nations and heapeth vnto him all people 6 Shal not all these take vp a parable agaynst him and a taunting prouerbe agaynst him and say Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his howe long and he that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay 7 Shall they not rise vp sodenly that shall bite thée and awake that shall stirre thée and thou shalt be their pray 8 Because thou hast spoyled
THe first verse conteynetâ— the tytle which briefly noteth what the thing is by whome it was vttered agaynst what place and people and in what time It is a vision that is a prophesie or reuelation declared by almightie God and therefore not to be esteemed as any maâ—s deuise and vttered by Esaias the sonne of Amos descending of the royall lyne of the kings of Iuda Who prophecied in the raignes of Ozias Ioathan Achas and Ezechias as it may be thought by the space of fourescore yeares And vttered this prophecie agaynst the nation of Iurie and Hierusalem the chiefe and royall citie thereof that is to say against that Nation that God had chosen of all other for his peculier people and had mainteyned and preserued it with great benefites and yet nowe was fallen from his true worshippe vnto Idolatrie sinne and wickednesse And therefore sayth he Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken c. That he may the more earnestly mooue that dul and hard harted people he beginneth with a tragicall exclamation and calleth heauen earth to witnesse agaynst them as if he had sayde Forsomuch as the vnthankfulnesse and wicked stubburnnesse of this people is such as they will giue no eare to the worde of God earnestly calling them to repentaunce I turne my speeche to you O heauens and speake to thee O earth Though heauen be 〈◊〉 of yet â—â—ely it will heare though the earth be hard and stonie yet it will relent and be moued but this people will not bend this Nation will by no meanes be reclaymed * Yea they are more dull and vnâ—â—nsible in the vnderstanding of Gods will and of his great goodnesse toward them than the 〈…〉 beastes are For what Oxe doth not from 〈◊〉 himselfe to his mayster that keepeth him What Asse doth not acknowledge and looue those that feede him But my people sayth the Lord whom I haue cherished whome I haue * fostered as my * children with all care and tendernesse do not onely with vnthankfull mindes forget my benefites but with stonie and stubburne heartes refuse to heare my calling and in all maner of wickednesse bende themselues against me and striue to prouoke my wrath and indignation agaynst them Whie should ye be stricken any more for ye are euer falling away c. From the beginning of the fift verse to the tenth he doth greatly amplifie their wayward stubburnnesse declaring that as they could not be woonne to repentance nor mooued to turne to their gracious Lorde by consideration of his exceeding great benefites towarde them so neyther could they be reclaymed nor anye thing at all mooued with the grieuous plagues and punishmentes which to that onely purpose as a mercifull father he had brought vppon them but rather by the same hys plagues they increased in stubburnnesse waxed euery day worse than other And therfore sayth he To what ende should I plague or scourge you with aduersitie any further seeing your obstinacie is such as you will increase in wickednesse and still heape sinne vpon sinne and offence vpon offence The Realme of Iurie may well be resembled to a mans bodie the heade and heart whereof is the Citie Hierusalem and the King and Princes with the residue of the inhabitants thereof and the other cities and townes as the inferiour members All which I haue grieuously touched with my seuere iustice and sharpe punishments so that from the * crowne of the head to the sole of the foote from the highest Citie to the lowest Village from the noblest person to the basest subiect there is none but he hath felt the bitter smart thereof and that in such sort as no Phisition is hable to cure or heale their festured sores that is nor King nor Counsaylour nor Prince nor Priest nor Prophete can helpe the miserie of this kingdome and restore it to the prestinate state and integritie againe Their lande lyeth waste their Cities are burnt with fire straungers possesse their Countrey their possessions are spoyled their royall Citie Hierusalem is left desolate as a lodge in a vineyard or a Cotage in a Cucumber garden that hath no house neere vnto it their people are slaine their glorie decaied their strength consumed yea if the Lorde of hys great mercy had not * left theÌ„ some coÌ„fort through the promised séede of Messiah their desolation had beene euen as the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha and yet I say all this notwithstanding are their hearts nothing mooued to repent or to turne to the Lorde for mercie Heare the worde of the Lorde ye Lordes of Sodoma and hearken c. And for that they did flatter themselues in the middes of this great wickednesse with a vaine opinion of hypocriticall iustice and superstitious worshipping of God as thoughe by suche meanes they should winne his fauour towarde them The Lorde plainly sheweth that he doth lothe and abhorre their sacrifices and offerings their festiuall dayes and their solempne meetinges yea though they were commaunded by his owne lawe so long as they were voyde of * inwarde holinesse of heart and minde and distayned with sinne and wickednesse both before God and the worlde In which place the more to mooue them almightie God seemeth to labour with diuersitie of woordes to lette them vnderstande how little account he maketh of such externall worshipping being destitute of true holinesse right worshipping in spirite in truth VVhy offer you sayth he so many sacrifices c. I am full of them I haue no pleasure in them VVho required them at your hands Offer no more It is but lost labour It is * abhominable vnto me I may not away with them They are wicked I hate them They make me weary I cannot abide them I will not heare your prayers I will turne mine eyes from you By all which wordes God sheweth how little he regardeth hipocrisie where true holinesse waÌ„teth Then from the sixtenth verse to the .xxj he sheweth what is the right way to winne his fauour Make you cleane sayth he put away your wicked thoughts and deuises Ceasse from doing euil Learne to do good Applie your selues to equitie Deliuer the oppressed Helpe the fatherlesse Heare the widowes complaint For these are the true fruites of right repentance And then If your sinnes were as red as scarlet in token that you had deserued bloud and confusion they shall be as white as snow in testimonie that by Gods mercie ye be cleared from them This if you will doe the Lorde will looke fauourably on you and prosper you but if you continue obstinate and rebellious as hytherto you haue done the sworde of Gods wrath shal vtterly deuour you for his owne mouth hath spoken it and therefore thinke not that it is mans worde onely How happeneth it then that the faithfull Citie which was full of equitie c. From the .xxj. to the
is perpetuall * felicitie and tranquilitie For Christ hath obteyned for vs of God the father all those blessings that we haue not onely bodily but also and specially spirituall that is * remission of sinnes * imputing of Christes iustice to vs and the spirite of GOD to * mortefie the lustes of the flesh whereby we haue * peace and quietnesse of conscience before God and the worlde The dead will not liue they that be out of life will not rise againe c. Here entereth the first part of an other contrary comparison betweene the wicked and the godly and in this verse he sayth of the wicked that they doe die and liue not againe for their resurrection shall bee to them a death perpetuall and no life And although they seeme to prosper and flourishe long on earth to the annoyance of the godly yet the Lorde visiteth them in due time * and rooteth the memorie of them out of the earth so that they shall neuer ryse againe to glorie Thou hast increased the people O Lorde thou hast increased c. This is the other part of the coÌ„parison touching the godly as if he had sayde Thou O lord christ destroyest the wicked and rootest out theyr memorie neuerthelesse thou doest gather thy Church and increase the number of thy people that thy glorie may be spred and extended to the vttermost boundes of the earth And yet doest thou not gather them to rest and quietnesse of this life but to great vexation and affliction and therfore doe they resort to thee in theyr trouble * and poure out their prayers to thee in the time of thy chastening For * thy chastening they do acknowledge it to be whatsoeuer commeth Although it be the hande of the wicked yet they knowe it to proceede from thy fatherly prouidence to their great benefite and commoditie that their fayth may be increased their spirite styrred vp to call vpon thee Thy dead men shall liue euen as my body shall they rise againe c. The wicked although they flourish for a tyme in this worlde yet shall they not liue in blesse after the resurrection of the deade but shall die for euer But the godly that haue liued here in trouble and dyed in thee shall rise againe to lyfe and ioyes euerlasting Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doores c. This is a consolation in the person of Christ exhorting his people paciently for a time to beare the affliction and trouble of this life and to enter into the closets and secretes of their heartes and call vpon the name of the Lord for the succour and strength of his holy spirit vntill the time of his indignation be past For the Lorde in short time will come * to visite the wickednesse of the earth and the earth shall no longer keepe secrete but * disclose the bloud and crueltie that hath beene shewen to the saintes of God that his iustice may proceede agaynst them for the same The fourth Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 30. ALas for those disobedient children sayth the Lorde that they will take counsayle and not of me that they will take a secrete aduise and not out of my spirite and therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne 2 Euen they that walke to go downe into Egypt and haue asked no question at my mouth but séeke strength in the might of Pharao and trust in the shadow of Egypt 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharao be your confusion and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your shame 4 For his Capitaynes were at Zoan and his Ambassadours came vnto Hanes 5 They were ashamed of the people that could doe them no good and that might not helpe them nor shewe them any profite but were their confusion and rebuke 6 The burthen of the beastes of the South In a lande of trouble and anguish from whence shall come the yong and olde Lion the viper and fierce serpent that flieth agaynst them that vpon coltes beare their ryches and vpon camels their treasures to a people that can doe them no good 7 For vaine and nothing worth shall the helpe of the Egyptians be therefore haue I cryed vnto Hierusalem they shall haue strength inough if they wil settle their minds in quietâ—esse 8 Now therefore go thy way and write this beâ—ore them in a table and note it in a booke that it may finally remaine and be kept still for euer 9 For this is an obstinate people and dissembling children children that refuse to heare the law of the Lorde 10 For they say vnto the séers Sée not and to them that be cleare of iudgement Looke not out right things for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs looke out errours 11 Get you out of this way depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. 12 Wherefore thus sayth the holy one of Israell Because your heartes rise agaynst this worde and because you trust in wrong dealing and peruerse iudgement and put your confidence therein 13 Therefore shall ye haue this mischiefe for your destruction and fall like as an hie wall that falleth because of some ryft or blast whose breaking commeth sodainly 14 And the hurt thereof is like an earthen vessell which breaketh without helpe so that in the bursting of it there is not founde one sheuer to fetch fire in or tos take water withall out of the pitte 15 For thus sayth the Lord God euen the holy one of Israell In repentance and in rest shal ye be safe in quietnesse and sure confidence shall be your strength but ye haue had no lyst thereto 16 For ye haue sayde No but we will escape through horses therefore shall ye flie and we will get vs vp vpon swift beastes and therfore shall your persecutors be swifter 17 A thousande shall flie at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of fiâ—se shall ye all flie till ye be left as a ship mast vpon the top of a mountaine and as a breaken vpon aâ— hill 18 Therefore â—oth the Lorde cause you to wayte that he may haue merrie vpon you to the intent that he may haue the preeminence when he is gratious vnto you for the Lord is the God of iudgement Blessed are all they that hope in him 19 If the people remaine in Sion and at Hiesrusalem thou shalt not be in 〈◊〉 but at the voyce of thy complaint shall he haue mercie vpon â—hée and when he â—â—reth it he shall giue thée an aunswere 20 And though the Lorde giue you the breade of trouble and the water of aduersitie thy raine shall be no name sâ— scant but thine eyes shall sée thy raine 21 Yea and thâ—â—e eare shall heare the talking of him that both speake behinde thée This is the way walke yâ— in it turne not aside neither to the right hande nor to the left 22
should fall from the Babilonians being now in their great pride to the Persians which were yet of no great name or that there shoulde one rise among the Persians whose name should be Cyrus Then I say so long before in so vncredible and so vnlikely a time was this promise and prophesie vttered to the great assurance of Gods truth and mightie prouidence not onely in this matter but in all partes of his holy worde giuen vs by the same spirite of truth that this was The 1. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 46. BEl is fallen Nabo is broken downe whose images were a burthen for the beasts and cattell to ouerlade them and to make them wearie 2 They are sunke downe and fallen together for they maye not ease them of their burthen therfore must they go into captiuitie 3 Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all ye that remayne yet of the house of Israell whom I haue borne from your mothers wombe brought you vp from your byrth 4 It is euen I which shal beare you vnto your last age I haue 〈◊〉 you I will also nourishe you beare you and saue you 5 Whome will ye make me like or to whome wyll ye make me equall or compare me that I should be like him 6 Take out siluer and golde out of your purses and way it and hire a Goldesmith to make a God of it that men may knéele downe and worship it 7 Yet must he be taken on men shoulders and borne and set in his place that he may stande and not moue out of his place and if one crye vnto him he giueth no answere and deliuereth not the man that calleth vpon him from his trouble 8 Consider â—hys well and be ashamed go into your owne selues 9 Remember the things that are past since the beginning of the worlde that I anâ— God and that there is else no God yea and that there is nothing like vnto me 10 In the beginning of a thing I shewe the ende thereof and I tell before things that are not yet come to passe My deuise standeth stedfastly stablished and I fulfill all my pleasure 11. I call a byrde out of the East the man by whom my counsayle shall be fulfilled out of straunge countries as I haue spoken so will I bring to passe assoone as I thinke to deuise a thing I doe it 12 Heare me O ye that are of an hie stomacke but farre from righteousnesse 13 I shall bring forth my righteousnesse it is not farre and my health shall not carie long away I will lay health in Sion and in Israel my glorie The Exposition vpon the xlvj of Esay Bel is fallen Nabo is broken downe whole images were a burthen c. FOr somuch as GOD by his Prophets had threatned that Hierusalem should be destroyed and the people ledde Captiue into Babilon Esay in this chapiter and others doth instruct and exhort such as were faythfull of the people of God that they should not be * offended wyth their owne 〈◊〉 that God for the it offences had sient vpon them al it with the * prosperitie and successe of Babilon and so by that occasion fall from the worshipping of the true God to the Idols of the Gentils Therefore he here denounceth that Bel and Nabo the great golden Idols of the Chaldees in whome they put their trust shall be pulled downe and caried away in Cartes vpon beastes backes by Cyrus and the Persians in the conquest of Babilon and in the transferring of the Empire vnto the Persians That meaneth he when he sayth Their Image shall be a burthen for the beasts c. and that the same being made of Golde were so heauie that they should wearie euen strong cattell and cause them to sinke vnder the burthen Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all ye that remaine yet of the c. God doth here warne his people againe what great difference is betweene the vaine Idols of the Gentiles and himself who hath euer had * care for them and preserued them euen like a most tender mother yea farre more carefully and tenderlye then any carnall mother can doe * For as the mother beareth the childe in the wombe bringeth it forth into the worlde feedeth cherisheth and keepeth it so long as it is not able to prouide for it selfe so when it commeth to age shee shaketh a great part of her care away But God beareth vs in the purpose of his Election bringeth vs forth with the knowledge of our redemption in Christ Iesu feedeth and cherisheth vs with the continuall foode of his heauenly doctrine saueth vs and caryeth vs in his armes from all daunger by the might of his prouydence that not onely in infancie and yoâ—ng age as mothers doe but in olde age and in all Times as It maye well appeare by the preseruâ—â—â—on 〈…〉 his Church euen in these latter and daungerous dayes against all the assaultes of 〈◊〉 and hys instruments Whome will you make me like or to whom will ye make me equall c. Seing that the tender mercie and goodnesse of God towards his people is such as he hath declared he doth here sharpely reproue them that forsaking his true worship prescribed in hys law seeke to honor him in Idols and Images and thereby to make hym so * vyle that they compare and resemble hym to the basest of hys creatures And therefore he doth here againe deride and scorne their industrie and readinesse to bestow all maner of * cost and charges and to pull out of their purses Golde Siluer to set forth Idolatrous worshipping of God by Images whereas they will make great daunger to bestowe anye thing to aduaunce Gods holy worde and true worship according to the same This is a notable place against all such as seeke to defende the vse of Images by saying that they doe not thinke them to be Gods nor worship them as Gods but that they doe worship God in them by them For here you vnderstande that God neither will be * resembled by any Image nor worshipped in it For first the making of Images to worship of directly agaynst the commaundement of god and secondly he cannot be pleased wyth any worship 〈…〉 which is directed to him in in 〈◊〉 Name of 〈◊〉 Only * sonne Christ Iesu and not vndâ—r the pretence of any Image Remember the things that are past since the bâ—ginning of the worlde c. This is an exhortation to such of his people as were inclined to the worshipping of Images Remember sayth he that which I haue tolde you of the vanitie of Idols and Images and consider that they haue their beginning of mortall * wicked men not hable to helpe themselues and that I your God am * euerlasting without beginning and without ending knowing and vnderst anding all things and that there is no Image
out any money for the thing that feedeth not c. As God by his Prophet calleth his people to the liuely Water heauenly Foode before mentioned so doth he rebuke them that they bestowe their cost labour trauayle to attaine that which in deede is no foode and wherwith their Soules cannot be relieued that is to saye that they leaue the liuely fountayne of Gods mercie in Christ Iesu and seeke after saluation by their owne works or by the obseruation of mens Deuises Traditiōs and Doctrines wherwith God by his Prophet in another place doth protest that * They worship him in vaine Encline your eares and come vnto mee take heede I say and your soule c. That which before he vttered Figuratiuely he speaketh nowe in plaine wordes that is that they should harken and giue dyligent eare vnto Hys doctrine and not be ledde away by the Fantasies of men For sayth he * I will make my euerlasting couenant with you I once promised to Dauid my seruant that of his seede I would bring forth a Sauiour of the worlde by whome I woulde be reconcyled to all them that beleeued in him and that I would chose thē as my Sonnes and heires of euerlasting lyfe This promise or couenaunt that by my othe I confirmed confirmed I will * keepe and performe to you for euer Cleaue therefore to my doctrine and swerue not from it Beholde I gaue him as a witnesse among the people for a prince c. This may be Literally spoken of Dauid But prophetically it is ment of Christ whome he sayth he gaue to the people as a * witnesse to Iustify the promise of his mercy made vnto them as a Prince to gouerne and rule them with the direction of his Spirit as a Teacher to instruct and lead them into all truth Loe thou shalt call an vnknowne people and a people that had no knowledge c. Esay prophecieth of the calling of the Gentiles and sayth that Christ by his Apostles shall * call that people that neuer knewe him before and that they shall gladly and readily runne after him because of the comfortable and sweete Doctrine of the Gospell that he published Seeke the Lorde while he may be founde and call vpon him c. After the publishing of his mercie through the Messias and Sauiour Christ Iesu he nowe exhorteth the Iewes and in them all other to turne to God by earnest repentance while his mercie and goodnesse is so freely offered For if they stubburnly refuse when God is neere at hande and calleth to mercie he will * afterwarde turne his face from them and be so farre of in his displeasure that he will not heare their prayers God is sayde to bee Nigh when by the Preachers and teachers of hys Gospell he calleth to repentance and exhorteth to imbrace his mercie liberally and bountifully offered And then to be Farre of and hard to be Found when for theyr obstinacie of his iustice he turneth his eyes from them and wil not heare their crying complayning at all as he threatneth in the first of this Prophete Esay The reason which the Prophete vseth to mooue them to repentance is the exceeding great * Readinesse and inclination of God to mercy and forgiuenesse especially towarde all them that with Sorrowfull and contrite hearts turne vnto him For thus sayth the Lorde My thoughtes are not your thoughtes c. I knowe sayth God you are all greedie of reuengement and seeke for euery small offence to be wreaked but I am not so Your mercy is Wauering and mutable but mine is Cōstant and perpetuall You are merciful by Pangues and passions but it is of my Nature and substance to be mercifull Wherefore you may not measure my wayes and cogitations by your owne Heauen and earth are not so farre distant nor so farre vnlike as your corrupt Nature and mine is Lyke as the raine and snowe commeth downe from heauen c. By this notable similitude is painted out the truth force and efficacie of the promise of Gods mercie which is the Gospel of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ The raine and snow commeth downe from heauē not to be as an idle spectacle or to return vp into the ayre agayne without vse or profite but to moysten the earth and to make it * fruitfull This is the vse wherevnto the prouidence of God hath appoynted it and this doth it perfourme whensoeuer it lighteth on grounde that is not altogether stonie and harde Euen so is it with the Gospell of our Saluation by Christ which proceded out of the mouth of God and was promised by him from the beginning of the worlde and was appoynted by his goodnesse not to be published * in vaine but so to fall moysten the field of Gods Church that it may be fertile and in deed bring forth the fruit of remission of sinnes Adoption into the Children of God Iustice before God and the world and Assurance of euerlasting life This is the true and right vse of the Worde of God and of his holy Gospell whereby we are assured of his mercy Neither is there any thing more certaine than that it shall worke this effect if it light not on heartes * harder than any stone and such as through stiffenesse and want of fayth will not receyue the Moysture of it And so shall you go forth with ioy and be led with peace the mountaynes c. He numbreth here fiue kindes of fruites that shall spring of the doctrine of the Gospell The first is that as Moyses led forth the children of Israell out of Aegypt euen so shall Christ leade forth and deliuer the faythfull people of God from the bondage of Sathan and all their spiritual enimies to their exceeding great ioy and comfort The seconde that he shall not onely leade them forth with ioy but in peace also and shall make them Quiet in conscience and set them in such safety that neither Trouble nor Afflictiō nor Death nor Hell shall be hable to hurt them The thirde that Mountaynes and Hilles that is all the creatures of God and euen the verye Aungels in heauen shall triumph and reioyce for this our Deliuerance out of that thraldom wherinto we fell by the offence of our first father Adam The fourth that the sweete dewe of the Gospell for Briers and Thornes shall bring forth Firre Mirre and other fruitful trees that is for wicked vniust and naughtie persons it shall make iust good and godly men Thus sayth saint Paule you were whoremasters adulterers wanton persons worshippers of Images but now you are washed you are sanctified you are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus Christ The fift that the immortall prayse and glorie of God shall bee set forth in the Church among hys Saintes for this his great Mercies The. 3. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 56. THus sayth
7 To deale thy breade to the hungrie and to bring the poore wandring home into thy house when thou séest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe froÌ„ thine owne flesh 8 Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thy health flourishe right shortly righteousnesse shall go before thée and the glorie of the Lord shall embrace thée 9 Then if thou callest the Lord shall aunswere thée if thou criest he shall say Here I am yea if thou layest away from thée thy burthens and holdest thy fingers and ceassest from vngracious talking 10 If thou hast compassion vpon the hungrie and refreshest the troubled soule then shall thy â—â—ht spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day 11 The Lorde shall euer be thy guide and satisfie the desire of thine heart in the time of drought and fill thy bones with marie thou shalt be like a fresh watred garden and like the fountaine of water that neuer leaueth running 12 Then the places that haue euer bene waste shall be builded of thée there shalt thou lay a foundation for many kinreds thou shalt be called the maker vp of the breach and the builder againe of the waye to dwell in 13 Yea if thou turne thy féete from the sabbath so that thou doe not the thing which pleaseth thy selfe in my holy day and thou call the pleasant holy and glorious sabbath of the Lorde and that thou giue him the honour so that thou doe not after thine owne imagination neyther séeke thine owne will nor speake thine ovvne woordes 14 Then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lorde and I will carie thée hie aboue the earth and féede thée with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lordes owne mouth hath so promised The Exposition vpon the .lviij. Chapter of Esay Crie now as loude as thou canst leaue not of lift vp thy voice c. THe Prophete in this Chapter reciteth and telleth as it were euen from the mouth of God himselfe the wordes that he spake vnto him agaynst the Hypocrisie and other wickednesse of his people Crie sayth he as loude as thou canst and cease not deale not coldely and faintly with them but * vehemently earnestly yea and continually For of all other Hypocrites that stand in opinion of their owne iustice are most * difficultly reclaymed and most hardly brought to the acknowledging and confessing of their owne wickednesse without which they can neuer truely repent They will see me good and godly they will pretende to seeke me dayly and to knowe and vnderstande my wayes they will aske and desire to learne right iudgement as though they were in deede good people and had not forsaken me theyr Lorde God But all is but hypocrisie and dissimulation For wherin doe they put their trust in time of my plague and scourge that I send vpon them or howe thinke they to procure their reconciliation vnto my fauour again By confessing their sinnes and flying to my mercie as they should doe No no but in their workes of Hypocrisie VVherefore say they doe we fast torment and punish our selues with straitnesse of life and thou dost not see it nor regarde it As though their outward Fasting or going in heare and sackcloth were a thing so worthie in my sight as in respect thereof I should deliuer them Fasting is good if it be vsed as an outward testimonie of that* earnest repentance and sorowe for your sinnes that inwardly is in deede in your heartes But if you trust in the worthinesse thereof and thinke * thereby to deserue my fauour it is wicked and abhominable in my sight Your fast is a fast of hypocrisie For in the verye day of your fasting the lust and affection of your owne will doth still continue and you * follow your sute strife and contention against your poore brother and creditour euen for a small trifle as egrely fiercely and cruelly as euer you did as though you fasted to shewe fiercenesse and violence and not to vse mildenesse and mercie Thinke you this fasting can please me when you go hanging downe your heades with presence of sorow and holinesse and in your heartes haue nothing but fiercenesse and crueltie Doth not this Fasting rather please mee That thou lose the wicked bandes c. After God hath discouered the hypocrisie of his people he now sheweth what the right Fast is that he delighteth in and what the true meanes is to procure hys Fauour which he noteth in twoo poyntes The one that they vse * clemencie towarde their Creditours and ease them of the wicked bondes of vsurie and extortion wherein they haue wrapped them and take from them the heauie burthens and yokes by which they doe oppresse them driue them oftentimes to sel landes goodes and all that euer they haue and to leaue wife and children in most miserable beggerie The other poynt is mercie and * liberalitie to the poore and needie and to such as be in affliction or trouble anie way whome to the vttermost of their power with theyr substaunce they ought to relieue considering that they are their owne fleshe and creatures of the same God which hath giuen them abundance Vnder these are conteyned all the workes of mercie Then shall the light breake forth as the morning and thy health flourish c. Nowe followeth ample and great rewardes wherewith they shall be blessed that vse these workes of mercie First their Light that is their felicie good successe shall breake out and be euident to all men Secondly their helth and good estate shall flourishe and encrease dayly more and more Thirdly their Iustice shall haue good * testimonie and fauour before God who of his mercie will accept it Fourthly God shall embrace them and saue them harmelesse in * all their necessities Fiftly God will heare their prayers and be * ready whensoeuer they call vpon him If thou layest awaye from them thy burthens and holdest thy fingers c. That the things may more deepely sinke into memorie he repeateth againe the same workes of mercie and in other wordes the same promises of rewarde In the middes of thy Darknesse that is of thy Aduersitie thy Light that is thy Felicity shall spring vp and thy aduersitie shall be turned into felicitie The Lord shal alway be thy guide thy Patrone and Defender â–ª In the time of drought scarcitie he shall plentifully satisfie thy hartes desire and fill thy bones with marrow and make thee strong Thou shalt euer Prosper and spring like a newe watered Garden and like a Fountaine that is neuer drie â–ª Yea thou shalt so grow in welth as thou shalt not onely aduance thine owne decayed familie and kindred but to the benefite of the common weale repaire Places and Waies wasted fallen to ruine and so haue the name of the
God euen in the very point staieth him saying Lay not thy hande vpon the childe nowe I knowe that thou fearest God. In which words he sheweth also that the feare of God is the Roote of true obedience God knewe before that Abraham did feare him but by this maner of speaking the scripture gyueth vs to vnderstande that GOD doth not regarde the Shewe and pretence of hys feare and worship but the true * Practise of the same in deede that the world also may vnderstand the same and * glorifie God therein They are detestable to God that pretend to feare and worship him and doe not in deede but by hipocrisie and dissimulation Therfore doth he extoll here the Faith of Abraham that shewed so notable proofe therof And Abraham lifting vp his eyes looked and beholde there was c. God of his singuler prouidence by such meanes as his wisedome onely knoweth prepared this Ramme to be their vpon the sodaine to be offered in the place of Isaac And Abraham to make a solemne and perpetuall Memoriall not of his owne Doing but of gods Mercies chaungeth the name of the place calling it The Lorde will see to signifie that God is readie and at hande alwaye to His and seeth them in their distresse and neede And the Angell of the Lorde cryed to Abraham the seconde time c. Thys is the fruite of Abrahams fayth and obedience that by the Mouth of the Angell of God he hath Confirmed vnto him the great Blessings that God before had promised But for somuch as the reason why God doth here so blesse Abraham is added in thys wise Because thou hast done thys thing and hast not spared thy only sonne c. There may seeme two great Doubts to be moued First howe this may stande with the Free Promise of the same blessing made to Araham cap. 12. before he shewed this obedience Secondly because this part of the blessing In thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed doth appertain to the Spirituall and Heauenly blessing in the Sauiour of the world Christ Iesu It may seeme by the words that the same blessing did depēd vpon this Fact of Abraham so that if he had not this done that promise had not bene performed For he sayth Because thou hast done this thing c. and because thou hast heard my voyce But thys maye seeme verie absurde and repugnant to the Scriptures that the Sauing of the worlde by Christ should be graunted because of the Obedience of Abraham and not of the Free mercie of God. To these doubtes we must answere that with out exception these Promises were made and in dewe tyme performed of the free mercie of God and loue towarde not Abraham alone but all mankinde also not regarding their Worthinesse but his Owne goodnesse And when God sayth Because thou hast done this thing and because thou hast heard my voyce we must vnderstande that God for our imbecillitie and weake capacitie in heauenly matters speaketh in this place as he doth in manye other after the Maner of Men. For a man oftentimes hath a fauourable inclination to loue an other and that of his owne motion without any consideration of desert in the person and vpon the same loue towarde him doth freely promise him some good benefite and pleasure But when he seeth the good will of the partie towarde him againe he is greatly Delited therewith and the more he doth declare it by his readie seruice the more he is incensed to performe his Liberall Promise to him and to assure him of the same In the like maner doth God deale here with Abraham The principall Causes of these blessings and the Performance thereof are the Truth and Free mercie God as it maye appeare in that they were made to Abraham not onely * before he did this but before Isaac was borne The second cause that moueth God here to repeat them and to confirme Abraham in the assurance of them was his * Faith and obedience in this place declared After these thinges one tolde Abraham beholde Milcha she hath c. This may seeme straunge to the worldly Man that Abraham forsaking his countrie at the calling of Almightie GOD and hauing the promise of great increase of his seede at the length when he was an Hundred peares of age hath but One sonne and Nahor his brother who taried behinde and had no promise of God hath by that time a Number of children So the Blessings and Promises of God in this life seeme not to take such force but the vngodlye be more happie then they But the onely sonne of Abraham was not giuen by the Common Course of Nature as Nahors were but of the mightie Power of God aboue all Nature or reason and before the birth of the Child he had the Promises of gods blessings and the assured couenāt of God that he would be * His God and the God of his Seede which was a far greater Felicitie then the Multitude of Nahors children The second Sunday in Lent at Morning prayer Genesis 27. AND it came to passe that when Isahac wasxed olde and his eyes were dimme so that he could not see he called Esau his eldest sonne and sayee vnto him My sonne And he sayde vnto him Here am I. 2 And he sayde Beholde I am nowe olde and know not the day of my death 3. Now therefore take I pray thée thy weapons thy Quiuer and thy Bowe and get thée to the fielde that thou mayest take me some veneson 4 And make me well tasting meates such as I loue and bring it to me that I may eate that my soule may blesse thee before that I die 5 But Rebecca heard when Isahac spake to Esau his sonne And Esau went into the fielde to hunt veneson and to bring it 6 And Rebecca spake vnto Iacob hir sonne saying Beholde I haue hearde thy father talking with Esau thy brother and saying 7 Bring me veneson and make me daintie meate that I may eate and blesse thée before the Lord afore my death 6 Now therefore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I commaunde thée 9 Get thée to the flocke and bring me thence two good kiddes from the goates and I will make of them pleasant meates for thy father such as he loueth 10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father that he may eate and that he may blesse thée before his death 11 Then sayde Iacob to Rebecca his mother Beholde Esau my brother is a hearie man and I am smooth 12 My father shal peraduenture féele me and I shall séeme vnto him as though I went about to beguile him and so shal I bring a cursse vpon me and not a blessing 13 And his mother sayde vnto him Vpon me be the cursse my 〈◊〉 onely heare my voyce and go and fetch me them 14 And Iacob went and fet them and brought them to his mother and his mother made
that neyther conueniently they might * marie wyth the Inhabitants of that Countrey neyther in deede that they did meane so to doe but to be reuenged they suffered the Sacrament of Gods Couenant to bee Distayned of the Faythlesse and Heathen persons Their woordes pleased Hemor and Sichem his sonne c. When Hemor the Prince and his Sonne and all the residue of the people at their perswasion did so easily yeelde to the motion of Iacobs Sonnes woâ—â— any further instruction it is euident they had no conscience at all nor passed what Religion they receyued nor what God they worshipped so they might be in hope either to satisfie their bodily pleasure or to attaine some Worldly Commoditie and rychesse For these were the onely causes and respectes that mooued them And where such mindes are both in Prince and Subiectes there can not want aboundance of all euill Wherefore albeit it be not expressed in the text it may well be gathered there were great Vices generally among theÌ„ that prouoked the Wrath of God agaynst them And the thirde day while they were sore two of the sonnes of Iacob c. Albeit onely the two sonnes of Iacob are here named it is not likely they did the thing alone but that they were the chiefe causers and Capitaynes and had other of their brethren and of their fathers familie with them without their fathers consent or at the leastwise pretending that they would doe nothing but fetche home their Sister who was there vniustly detayned and not making him priuie of their whole purpose But Iacob sayde to Simeon and Leuie ye haue troubled me and made me c. Iacob chasticeth his Sonnes and sheweth how Rashly and vndiscretely they haue done and into how great daunger they had brought both hym themselues and al that euer apperteyned to them And surely if GOD had not of his diuine Prouidence marueylously Preserued his people lesse daunger coulde not haue followed then Iacob speaketh of But the Rashnesse and Heate of yong men is such that they are so blinded with the desire of theyr owne phantasies and affections as they regarde no perilles nor thinke any Councell to be like to their owne The thirde Sunday in Lent at Morning prayer Genes 39. IOseph was brought vnto Egypt and Putiphar a Lorde of Pharaos and his chiefe stewarde an Egyptian bought him of the Ismaelites which had brought him thither 2 And God was with Ioseph and he became a luckie man continuing in the house of his mayster the Egyptian 3 And his mayster saw that God was with him and that God made all that he did to prosper in his hande 4 And Ioseph found grace in his maysters sight and serued him And he made him ouerseer of his house and put all that he had in his hande 5 And it came to passe from the time that he had made him ouerséer of his house and ouer all that he had the Lorde blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake and the blessing of the Lorde was vpon all that he had in the house and in the fielde 6 And therefore he left all that he had in Iosephs hande and he knewe nothing with him saue onely the breade which he did eate And Ioseph was a goodly person and a well fauoured 7 And after this his maisters wife cast her cyes vpon Ioseph and sayde come lie with me 8 But he refused and sayde vnto his maisters wife Beholde my maister woteth not what he hath in the house with me and hath committed all that he hath to my hande 9 There is no man greater in the house then I neyther hath he kept any thing from me but onely thée because thou art his wife howe then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne agaynst God And after this maner spake shée to Ioseph day by day but he hearkened net vnto her to sléepe néere hir or to be in hir companie 11 And on a certaine day Ioseph entered into the house to doe his businesse and there was none of the housholde by in the house 12 Then she caught him by the garment saying lie with me And he left his garment in hir hande and fled and got him out 13 And when she sawe that he had left his garment in hir hande and was fled out 14 She called vnto the men of hir house and tolde them saying Sée he hath brought in an Hebrue vnto vs to doe vs shame for he came in to me to haue lyen with me and I began to crie with a lowde voyce 15 And when he hearde that I lift vp my voyce and cryed he left his garment with me and fledde away and got hym out 16 And she layde vp his garment by hir vntill hir Lorde came home 17 And she tolde him with these wordes saying This Hebrue seruant which thou hast brought vnto vs came vnto me to doe me shame 17 But assoone as I lift vp my voyce and cryed he left his Garment with me and fled out 19 When his mayster heard the wordes of his wife which she tolde him saying after this maner did thy seruant to me he waxed wroth 20 And Iosephs maister tooke him and put him in prison in the place where the kings prisoners lay bounde and there continued he in prison 21 But the Lorde was with Ioseph and shewed him mercie and got him fauour in the sight of the Lord of the prison 22 And the kéeper of the prison committed to Iosephes hande all the prisoners that were in the prison house and whatsoeuer was done there that did he 23 And the kéeper of the prison looked vnto nothing that was vnder his hande séeing that the Lorde was with him For whatsoeuer he did the Lord made it to prosper The Exposition vpon the .xxxix. Chapter of Genesis Joseph was brought vnto Egypt and Putiphar a Lorde of Pharaos c. MOses in this Chapter beginneth to set forth a notable example in Ioseph of the Prouidence and wisedome of God turning the enuious and Malicious indeuors of Iosephs brothers vnto the worke of his Glorie and preseruation of his people God was determined that after certaine yeares for the * Sinfulnesse of men there should by his iust iudgement come vpon all that part of the world a general Plague of Dearth and Scarcitie in which there was great daunger that Iacob and his sonnes and familie being the posteritie of the seede of Abraham to whom he had made his Couenant shoulde Perishe and die for Lacke of sustenance Therefore many yeares before taking occasion of hys brothers Malice he * sendeth Ioseph before into Egypt and there after some trouble at the length aduaunceth him to great Power and honour that he might be an helper and Succourer for his Father brethren in the time of their great Distresse The Brothers of Ioseph neyther foresawe any euill to come nor sought for any thing in their doings but the Satisfying of their owne Enuie and
times past therfore shuld he flée vnto one of the same cities and liue 43 Namely Bezer in the wildernesse euē in the plain coūtrey of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Gilead of the tribe of Gad Golan in Basan of the tribe of Manasse 44 And so this is the lawe which Moyses set before the children of Israel 45 These are the witnesses statutes ordinances which Moises told the children of Israell after they came out of Egipt 46 On the other side Iordane in the valley ouer against the house of Peor in the land of Sehon king of the Amorites which dwelt at Hesbō whō Moises the children of Israel smote after they were come out of Egipt 47 And possessed his land the land of Og king of Basan two kings of the Amorites which were on the other side of Iordane towarde the sunne rising 48 From Aroer which is by the banke of the riuer Arnon vnto moūt Sion which is Hermon 49 And all the plain on the other side Iordane eastward euen vnto the sea which is in the plaine vnder the springs of the hyll The Exposition vpon the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomie Now therfore hearken O Israell vnto the ordinaunces and lawes c. THis whole Chapter containeth nothyng but an earnest exhortation to the children of Israel not only with diligence to harken to the ordinances and lawes of God but also in dede to * obserue and performe the same bicause the lawe of God is a doctrine of practise and not of hearing onely The condition of their reward is added that so they might liue and possesse the lande For the promises of God made to them were * conditionall and depended vpon their obedience vnto his ordinances And in the second verse this is notable that he straightlye chargeth them That they do not adde any thing to his lawe nor Take any thing from it Therby declaring that God will be worshipped onely according to his worde and that all vnnecessarie traditions of mens deuises do * hinder Gods word and carie men from the simple trueth therof The first reason of exhortation that Moyses vseth is the exāple of the great sharp punnishment that God vsed vppon them that reuolted from him fell to the worshipping of Baal Peor the Idoll of the Madianites and Moabites as it is written Num. 25. The seconde reason is in the fifte verse by the aucthoritie of the lawe maker God himselfe For he saith I haue taught you ordinaunces such as the Lorde my God hath commaunded mee and thereby willeth them so to esteme the lawes not as the commaundements of * men onely but of God that appointed them The third reason is in the. 6. 7. verses by the renowne and fame of great wisdome and of the singular fauour and ready helpe of God toward them which shoulde be spred of them among all nations to their great comfort and commendation In the. 9. verse hee concludeth with admonition that they should not only themselues diligently remember the lawes of God but also * instruct and teach their children and posteritie in the same Speciallye the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb. c. In these verses is contained an other reason to moue thē by the remembrance of the * terrible manner and solemne maiestie that God in their sighte and hearing dyd vse in the publishing of his lawe with thunder and lightening earthquake with fyre cloudes and darknesse In so muche that they confessed themselues not to be * hable to abide the dredful maiestie therof as it is largely declared in the .20 of Exodus Take therefore good heede vnto youre selues as parteining vnto c. He straightly chargeth them to beware vpon daunger of their soules health that they did not make vnto themselues the Image of anye thing in heauen in earthe or in the water vnder the earth And signifieth that by the wisedome and prouidence of God in the publishing of the law they heard a voyce onely and sawe * no figure least they shoulde take vpon them by that figure to represent God which would not be represented by anye worldly thing This commaundemente he sundrye times repeateth to th ende to beate into their mindes howe odious Idolatry and the worshipping of Images and false gods was vnto him Furthermore the Lorde was angry with mee for your woordes c. By his own example Moises willeth them to beware howe they fell into the displeasure of God by disobeyng his holy will. For if the seueritie of his iustice was so sharpe * toward Moises for a litle mistrust in his promise how much more would it be vpon them if they did fall from his true worshippe to Idolatrie and to the open disobedience of his lawes and ordinances For saith he the Lorde is * a Consuming fire to destroye the obstinate disobedient and a Ielous God that will not suffer his glorye to be gyuen to other When thou shalte beget children c. I call heauen and earth to witnesse c. Moyses in this place moueth them to the diligent obseruing of the law of God by laying before them the threatnings of Gods iustice and * punishments that shall come vpō them for the contrary that is That they should perishe from the land whereunto they were goyng and should not therein prolong their dayes That the Lord shuld scatter them in subiectiō of other nations That he wold giue them ouer to the vnsensible worshipping of stockes and stones the workes of mens hands In which point we of this latter time haue to lerne that the grosse Idolatry that hath growen by pilgrimage and worshypping of Images hath beene the * iust plague of God sent vpon men bicause they departed from the obedience of Gods holy word vnto worshipping of him by their owne deuises and traditions of men If from thence thou shalt seke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him c. Least when the punishments before mentioned for their offences by Gods iust iudgemente should light vpon them they shoulde dispeire of the mercie of God and so cutte of the occasion of repentance in this place he sayth whē god doth cast thē out into strange nations if they doe * repent them of their wickednesse and seeke after their Lorde and God that he will receyue them to his mercie For God is to his people a mercifull father and not a terrible iudge And * when he punisheth he doth it not to destroy them but by a * fatherly correction to pull them frō their disobedience and wickednesse which whensoeuer they shall doe the bosome of his mercye and goodnesse is ready to receyue them For aske of the dayes that are past c. and aske if euer there came c. There is nothing
that can more moue either a godly person or anye man of common sense and reason to loue and obey one than to consider hys great works and benefites done for his defence and deliuerance out of thraledome and miserye Therefore Moyses willeth the children of Israell to descend into earnest * consideration with themselues how great and maruellous workes God had done for them That he chose them firste as his peculiar people among all the nations of the earth that when they were holden in miserable * captiuitie vnder the tyrannye of the Egiptians of his meere mercy without any regard of their worthynes and farre beyond their hope or expectation he by mightie * power deliuered them By his own voyce with great maiestie of signes and wonders he published hys law vnto them that they might not be ignorant of hys holye will and commaundementes He maruellously gaue victory vnto them against mighty * kings and Nations and to bring them into a blessed lande and countrey by his power not * their might he turned out the inhabitants thereof before them Therefore if after so great and many benefites they should reuolt from this so gratious mercifull and mightye a God they should shewe themselues very vnthankfull and worthy of great punishments TheÌ„ Moyses seuered three Cityes on the otherside of Iordane c. Bicause it semed not iust in the sight of God that they which had committed manslaughter vnwillingly by casualtie and chaunce should be punished as wilfull murderers or those that wittingly doe kil men or commit any other hainous offence Therefore God appoynted Moyses to assigne sixe Cities that myght be as sanctuaries for such persons to resorte vnto for their salftie Of which these are three that Moyses here in this place speaketh of Of the ordaining of these Cities of refuge you may read Num. 35. Deut. 19. Iosua 20. The thirde Sundaye after Easter at Euenyng prayer Deut. 5. AND Moyses called all Israel sayd vnto them Heare O Israel the ordinances and lawes whiche I speake in your eares this daye that ye may learne them fulfill them in déede 2 The Lord our God made a couenaÌ„t with vs in Horeb. 3 The Lorde made not this couenaunt with our fathers but with vs euen with vs which are al here alyue this day 4 The Lorde talked with you face to face in the mount out of the middes of the fire 5 And I stoode betwéen the Lord and you the same time and shewed you the word of the Lord For ye were afrayde at the sight of the fire and went not vp into the mount and he sayd 6 I am the Lord thy God which brought thée out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 7 Thou shalt haue none other gods in my presence 8 Thou shalt make thée no grauen image or any likenes of that which is in heauen aboue or that is in earth beneath or that is in the waters beneath the earth 9 Thou shalt neither bowe thy selfe vnto them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a Ielous God visiting the wickednesse of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation among them that hate me 10 And shewe mercy vpon thousands among them y loue mée and kepe my commaundementes 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 12 Kepe the sabbath day that thou sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thée 13 Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe 14 But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy Sonne nor thy Daughter nor thy man seruauÌ„t nor thy maide nor thine Oxe nor thine Asse nor any of thy â—â—ttell nor the stranger that is within thy gaâ—es that thy man seruaunt and thy maide maye rest as well as thou 15 Remember that thou wast a seruaunte in the lande of Egipt how that the Lord thy God brought thée out thence through a mightie hand a stretched out arme For which cause the Lord thy God coÌ„maunded thée to kepe the Sabbath day 16 Honour thy father and thy mother as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thée that thy dayes maye be prolonged and that it may go well with thée in the land which the Lord thy God geueth thée 17 Thou shalt not kyll 18 Thou shalt not commit adulterie 19 Thou shalt not steale 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 21 Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wife thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house his fielde his seruant or his maide his Oxe his Asse or ought that thy neighbour hath 22 These wordes the Lord spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the middes of the fire of the cloude of the darknesse with a great voyce added no more therto and wrote them in two tables of stone and deliuered them vnto me 23 And it came to passe that when ye heard the voyce out of the middes of the darknesse for the mountaine dyd burne with fire then ye came vnto me with the Captaines of your tribes and your Elders 24 And ye said Behold the Lorde our God hath shewed vs his glory and his greatnesse we haue hearde his voyce oute of the middes of the fire we haue séene this daye that God doth talke with man and he yet liueth 25 Now therfore why shoulde we dye that this great fire should consume vs If we heare the voyce of y Lord our God any more we shall die 26 For what flesh hath it bene that euer heard the voyce of the liuing God speaking oute of the middes of the fire as we haue done and yet did liue 27 Go thou and heare all that the Lord our God saith and tell thou vnto vs all that the Lord our God saith vnto thée we will heare it and doe it 28 And the Lorde hearde the voyce of your words when ye spake vnto me and the Lorde saide vnto me I haue heard the voyce of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thée they haue wel said all that they haue spoken 29 Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me kepe all my commaundements alway that it might go well with them and with their children for euer 30 Go and say vnto them Get you into your tentes againe 31 But stand thou here by me and I will tell thée all the commaundements ordinances lawes which thou shalt teach them that they may doe them in the land which I geue them to possesse 32 Take hede therefore that ye doe in déede as the Lorde your God hath commaunded you and turne not aside either to the righte hande or to the
left 33 But walke in all the wayes which the Lorde your God hath commaunded you that ye may liue that it may go well with you and that ye may prolong your dayes in the land which ye shal possesse The exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Deuteronomie And Moyses called all Israel and sayd vnto them heare O Israel c. MOyses purposing in this chapter by repetition to call to their remembraunce the lawe and commaundementes that god gaue vnto hys people in Horeb In these fine fyrst verses in way of a preface he exhorteth admonisheth them diligently to harkē to the lawes ordinances of God and that in such sort as they maye in dede* perfourme them and not onely by hearing receyue them For they conteyne that blessed couenaunt whereby both God did more euidently and notablie binde him self to be their god thā he did before time to their fathers and they also with like protestatiō submitted themselues to be his people so that they coulde not now without great blame fal frō his obedience I am the Lord thy God which broughte thee out of the land of Egipt c. Almighty God that his law might haue the greater reuerence maiestie with his people in the first entrance he * challengeth to himself the authoritie of a Lord God ouer them I am saith he the Lorde thy God * therby giuing thē to vnderstande that they ought of right to submit thē selues to his will and pleasure Secondlye he putteth them in mind of the great benefite of deliuerance that they had receiued at his hande * therby the more to moue allure them to obedience By these ten commaundements we may fully perfectly learne those things whereof by the law of Nature we haue but a single bare taste onlie that is First that we owe a * perfect loue reuerence and feare toward god Secondly that he is pleased with godlines and iustice displeased * with wickednesse and dishonestie Thirdlye by examining our liues according to this rule of his perfecte iustice that we are of our selues * vnworthye to be esteemed his creatures seing that we do not in our obedience fulfill that end * wherunto we were made by him And forsomuch as God the law maker is spirituall in this his lawe he speaketh not onely to our body in requiring external iustice but also to our soule requiring inward and spirituall integritie and in dede such puritie as the Angels in heauē haue as it may appeare by Christs own interpretation* Mathew 5. and likewise when he saith* Thou shalt loue God with al thy hart wyth all thy mind with all thy soule c. Moreouer to the right vnderstanding of these commaundements we must not onely consider the euils that by them God forbiddeth but the vertues and good things that are contrarie vnto the euill For in forbidding the euill he commaundeth the good As for example when he saith * Thou shalt not commit adultry he doth not onlie prohibite all vncleane actes thoughtes but also commaundeth the contrarie that we should moderate our whole life in all chastitie puritie and continencie yea to our powers prohibite vncleanesse in other also These wordes the Lorde spake vnto all your multitude in the mount c. That the wayward people might not discredite the law of God make the lesse accompt of it bicause he was the minister thereof Moyses in this place putteth them in minde that God himself with his owne * voyce gaue these commaundements in the hearing of them all that with so great * terrour and maiestie of thunder lightening fire earthquake that they themselues confessed they were not hable to abide it therfore ernestlie desired that Moyses might be a mediatour betwene God and thē in the deliuerie of his lawes binding themselues wyth this* promise that they would accepte fulfyll those lawes that he in the name of God should deliuer them wherfore he willeth them to take hede that they did in dede performe those things that God had commaunded not to turne aside from them either* on the righte hande or on the left that they might enioye the promises that God in like maner had made vnto them Oh that there were such an heart in thē that they would feare mee c. It is God onely that is hable to mollifie the stome harts of men giue them pliant and obedient willes to fulfill his commaundementes What may it meane then that God in this place both wishe to his people such an hart as would feare him seing that he only can giue it and they of thēselues not able to haue it Surely he doth not signifie hereby that men of their * owne free willes are hable to frame their harts to the perpetuall loue and feare of God. But he speaking after the manner of men declareth that it is a thing rather to be wished than to be looked for that the wayward people of the Iewes shuld for euer be obedient to his lawes and ordinaunces God by wishing that his people might or by commaunding that they shoulde kepe his commaundements doth not signifye that they haue of themselues power to doe them but by the commaundement they maye learne what they should doe and in finding wante in themselues be driuen to seke habilitie* where it is to be had that is at the mercy grace of almighty God. The fourth Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Deut. 6. THese are the commaundementes ordynaunces and lawes which the Lorde your God commaunded mée to teache you that ye mighte doe them in the lande whither ye goe to possesse it 2 That thou mightest feare the Lorde thy God and kepe all his ordinances and his commaundements which I commaund thée thou and thy Sonne and thy sonnes sonne all the dayes of thy life that thy dayes may be prolonged 3 Heare therefore O Israell and take héede that thou doe it that it may go well with thée and that ye may encrease mightily as the Lorde God of thy fathers hath promysed thée a land that floweth with milke and hony 4 Heare O Israel the lord our God is lorde onely 5 And thou shalte loue the lorde thy God with all thyne heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might 6 And these wordes which I commaunde thée this day shal be in thine heart 7 And thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the waye and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp 8 And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shal be as frontlettes betwéene thine eyes 9 And thou shalt write them vpō the postes of thy house and vpon thy gates 10 And when the Lord thy God hath brought thée into the land which he sware
the * deliuerance from the tyrannie of Satan sinne and Antichrist * the knowledge of his holy worde * light of his Gospel wherby we are to be made the children of God and * heires not of the land of Chanaan and the fruites and pleasures therof but of the celestiall Ierusalem the kingdome of God and eternall lyfe with Christe Iesu in heauen And if the consideration of worldly benefits might be so good a stay vnto the Israelites how much more ought these to be vnto vs if we think our selues worthie the name of christiās See that you walke not after straunge gods and the gods of the nations c. As the Ievves and by them all other are forbidden to worship straunge gods so are we also to woorship the liuing God with straunge worship that is with any other worship than he himselfe in his holie worde hath appointed We must beware therefore that wee fall not away from Gods true worship * in spirit truth vnto idolatrie superstition and fonde* deuises of men therby thinking to please god For as god is a ielous God and will be worshipped alone and not with other false Gods so is he a seuere God and delyghteth more in single obedience to his woorde than in sacrifice superstition or any of mans deuised holinesse thoughe it seeme neuer so pleasant in the sight of the worlde or to be done of neuer so good an intent * Saule when he spared the fat beastes of the Amalekites for sacrifice might seme to haue done it for a good purpose But God dyd so muche mislyke it that for the same he cast hym bothe oute of his fauoure and out of the kingdome of Israell And when thy sonne asketh thee in time to come saying What meane c. It is not sufficient for vs to know the true worship of God oure selues but we must desyre also to instruct * and teache other and especially oure owne * children that Gods true Religion may be deliuered from hande to hande and so be enlarged to our posteritie How farre from this are a greate number of suche as will be called Christians and neither can nor will teach theyr sonnes and daughters themselues nor yet procure them to bee instructed by other no nor to come thyther where by order they are appoynted to bee taughte the principles of christian faith Surely it muste needes be thoughte they haue small feare of God little sense of the mysterie of oure redemption in Christe no regarde of the good estate of their chyldren or of the saluation of their owne soules They should teache theyr children in lyke manner as Moyses here commaundeth the Iewes and saye We were of oure selues and of oure* owne natures as bondeslaues and subiecte to Sathan synne and Hell And it pleased Almightie God of his exceeding greate mercie withoute any regarde of woorthynesse in vs to sende downe his only and dearely beloued sonne from heauen to take fleshe of the blessed virgin and here liued in this worlde in great contempt and reproche and at the laste was put to moste cruell death by his passion paying the ransome for oure sinnes and for vs satisfied the Iustice of God. So that we by* him are nowe reconciled to God haue remission of our sinnes and in his sight are reputed iust and appoynted heires of eternall lyfe wyth Chryste Iesu For thys cause doe me* assemble togyther in the house of Prayer and vse the Sacramentes and mysteries of oure Religion thereby to call into our remembraunce this vnestimable benefite and to* giue thankes vnto him for the same and to pray for the assistance of his holy spirite that in all vertuousnesse and holynesse of lyfe we may shewe our selues thankefull and studie to liue according to thys our holye vocation that the name of God maye in vs bee praysed This I saye shoulde they teach their children to make them to vnderstande why they be called Christians and what the substance of true religion is The fourth Sunday after Easter at Euenyng prayer Deuteronomie 7. WHen the Lorde thy God shall bring thée into the land whither thou goest to possesse it and hathe caste oute many nations before thée the Hethites the Gergesites the Amorites the Chanaanites the Pherezites the Heuites and the Iebusites seuen nations greater and myghtier than thou 2 And when the Lorde thy God hathe sette them before thée thou shalte smyte them and vtterly destroy them and make no couenaunt with them nor haue compassion on them 3 Thou shalte make no mariadges with them neyther giue thy daughter vnto his sonne nor take hys daughter vnto thy sonne 4 For they will deceyue thy sonne that he should not folowe mée and they shall serue straunge gods and then wil the wrath of the Lorde waxe hotte agaynst thée and destroy thée sodeinly But thus ye shall deale with them ye shall ouerthrowe their aulters and breake downe their pillers cutte downe their groaues and burne theyr grauen Images wyth fyre 6 For thou arte an holy people vnto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thée to be a special people vnto himselfe aboue all nations that are vpon the earth 7 The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you bicause ye were mo in numbre than any people for ye were the fewest of all people 8 But bycause the Lorde loued you and bicause he wold kéep the othe which he had sworne vnto your fathers therfore hath the Lorde brought you out through a mightie hande and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hande of Pharao king of Egypt 9 Vnderstande therefore that the Lorde thy God he is God and that a true God which kéepeth appointment and mercie vnto them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes throughout a thousande generations 10 And rewardeth them that hate him to their face so that he bringeth them to naughte and doth not deferre the time but rewardeth him that hateth him before his face 11 Kéepe thou therefore the commaundementes and ordinances and lawes which I commaunde thée this daye that thou do them 12 If ye hearken vnto these lawes and obserue and do them the Lord thy God also shall kéepe vnto thée the couenant and the mercie whiche he sware vnto thy fathers 13 He will loue thée and blesse thée and multiplie thée he wil also blesse the frute of thy wombe and the fruite of thy lande thy corne thy wyne and thyne oyle and the increase of thy kine and thy flocks of shéep in the land which he sware vnto thy fathers to giue thée 14 Thou shalt be blessed aboue all nations there shall be neither man nor woman vnfruitfull among you nor any of your cattell shal be barren 15 Moreouer the Lord wil take away from thée all maner infirmities and will put none of the euill diseases of Egypt which thou knowest vpon thée but will sende them vpon
which are rounde aboute you whether they bée nye vnto thée or farre off from thée from the one ende of the earth vnto the other 8 Thou shalte not consent vnto him nor hearken vnto him thyne eye shall not pitie him neyther shalt thou haue compassion on him nor kéepe him secrete 9 But cause hym to be slayne Thyne hande shall bée fyrste vpon him to kill him and then the handes of all the people 10 And thou shalte stone him with stones that he dye bycause he hathe gone aboute to thruste thée awaye from the Lorde thy God whiche broughte thée out of the lande of Egypt and from the house of bondage 11 And all Israell shall heare and feare and shall doe no more any suche wickednesse as this is among you 12 If thou shalte heare saye in one of thy Cities whiche the Lorde thy God hath giuen thée to dwell in 13 That certaine men béeing the children of Beliall are gone out from among you and haue mâ—ued the inhabiters of their Citie saying Let vs goe and serue straunge gods whyche ye haue not knowne 14 Then thou must seeke and make search and enquire diligently and beholde if it be true and the thing of a suretie that suche abhomination is wrought among you 15 Then thou shalt smite the dwellers of that citie with the edge of the sworde and destroye it vtterly and all that is therein and the very cattell thereof wyth the edge of the swoorde 16 And gather all the spoyle of it into the middes of the stréete therof and burne with fyre bothe the citie and all the spâ—yle thereof euery whitte for the Lorde thy God and it shal be an heape for euer and shal not be built agayn 17 And there shall cleaue naughte of the damned thing in thyne hande that the Lorde maye turne from the fiercenesse of his wrath and shew thée mercie and haue compassion on thée and multiplie thée as hée hathe sworne vnto thy fathers 18 Therefore shalte thou hearken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God to kéepe all his commaundementes whiche I commaunde thée this daye that thou doe that whiche is right in the eyes of the Lorde thy God. The Exposition vpon the .xiij. Chapter of Deuteronomie If there arise among you aprophete or a dreamer of dreames c. IN the later end of the former chapter Moyses had willed the people in any wise to beware of the strange worship of heathen Gods Now he willeth theÌ„ to take heed of false teachers rising amoÌ„g themselues seking to â—educe them froÌ„ the true worship of God that in any wise they do not herken or giue credit vnto theÌ„ The Deuil enuying the true honor of God doth not only seke to blemish ouerthrow the same by forain enimies but also eueÌ„ at * howe in the house of God he rayseth False Doctours and teachers â–ª that vnder faire titles and goodly pretenses of holinesse maye draw the people of God from his known truth Wherefore Moyses here noteth the coloures wherewith the Deuill by his ministers in this case vseth to deceiue meÌ„ They wil take on them the name of Prophetes or such as haue reuelation from God by dreames yea and sometime he will help theÌ„ by Gods sufferance to * work some straunge and miraculous thing that by such a Syâ—ne or wonder they maye gather the greater credite in their false doctrine Wherfore God here fore warneth his faythful people to take heede of suche gaye tales and to suspecte such faire pretences and to cleaue only to hys word and hearken to * his voice from whyche if their teachers do swarue and wil them to do that is contrary thereto they must not beleeue them but accompt them as wicked Seducers and deceiuers This lesson is so giuen to the Israelites that it may bee also an instruction to all the faithfull in the Church of God at all times and especially in these latter dayes wherin the Holy Ghost hath giuen warning before hand that Antichrist and his ministers should vse the same meanes and that so mightely that if it were possible he should Seduce* euen the elect of God. When Moyses sayeth The Lorde your God proueth you c. we must vnderstande that God doth not tempt or proue of purpose to lead or induce to that whiche is euill or to lay stumbling blocks at which his people may take offence fall but only by such meanes to examine and â—rie them to make that knowne openly to the World which he knoweth to be inwardly in their hearts whether it be good or euill So did God tempt Abraham Gen 22. that his faith might be â—nown â—o al meÌ„ So did Christ tempt the womaÌ„ of ChanaaÌ„ wheÌ„ he called hir dogge and refused to heare her praier And for this and doth S. Paule saye 1. Cor. 11. that There must be â—â—ctes in the church that they that be proued may be knowne For this cause then God suffereth suche Soducers to be in his Churche that by them the Hypocrites and dissimulers may be tryed from the faythfull and electe Children of god The good man may some times by suche meanes fall into errour and be intrapped of the wicked but it is onely in some parte and for a time and after returneth againe by repentance which god suffereth in him to punish his Negligence that did not bestowe sufficient diligence in studiyng and meditating in the word of God or did not Liue seuerely according to his profession and calling When in the. 5. verse Moises saith And the Prophete or dreamer of dreames shal die c. He declareth that we must not only * discerne false teachers from other and beware of them but that they muste by the Magistrate be seuerelie punished to the example of other least the infectioÌ„ of their corrupt Doctrine do destroy the soules of many and disturbe the Churche of god In that he appointeth the punishment of Death we haue to note these circumstaunces That it must not be executed by euery Priuate maÌ„ but by the Magistrate who hath * Aucthoritie giuen of God to punishe the wicked That not euery one that hath dispersed some errour to the offence of the godly is by and by to be taken and put to Death but such onely as be principall Ringleaders seeke by all meanes they can to drawe the people of God to Apostasie and forsaking of his fettled and knowen truth and vtterlye to subuert the same And lastly that the Crime must be euidently knoweÌ„ and tried and the partie fully conuicted It semeth to many that it is Extremitie trueltie in matter of Religion conscience to vse the punishment of Death and they saye that Christ was milde and mercifull required his Disciples to folow his steppes In so much that wheÌ„ they desired fire to come from heauen to punishe euill persons he said They knew not of what spirit they vveare But let those men
Examples we also ought to conâ—â—iue an assured hope in the trueth of Gods promises when in ouâ— great perils and daungers we call vpon God and praye to him for his helpe and deliuerance The fiue Kings fledde and were hidde in a Caue at Makeda c. These fiue Kinges fledde and thought they had escaped the Plague of God bycause they were not killed eyther with the sworde of the Israelites or with the Hayle from Heauen But God of his Iustice reserued them to a greater and a more notable Punishmente bycause the were the Ringleaders and chiefe stirrers of others to withstande the People of God. In like maner Sennacherib 2. Croni 32. escaping the Daunger of Battaile was murdered in the Temple of his Gods that he serued Iosuah when he vnderstode the Kings were hidde in the Caue he prouided them to be kepte in Saâ—â—etie but he dothe not omitte the oportunitie wyth speede to followe his enemies and so to subdue them that they might not be hable afterward to recouer their power worke him newe trouble In this that Iosuah causeth his Captaines to set their feete vpon the Neckes of the Kings it may seme a barbarous Crueltie but he knew they were the enemies of God and vnderstode also that his people did often Mistrust the promises that God had made vnto them therefore his meaning was by this signe to assure them that as God had donâ—e by these enemyes that might seeme the most mightie so he woulde doe also by the residue and therefore willed them not to doubte or to be * fainte hearted but to be well assured of the assistaunce of their Lorde and God so long as they faithfullye serued him thoughe their enemies did seeme neuer so mightie And the same in effect God did Iustifie immediatlie For they did not only with good successe conquere these fiue kinges that were conspired but also a number of other cities and Principalities that are here reckened vp euen to the ende of this Chapiter as Makeda Libna Lachis Gazer Eglon Hebron and Debir If Iosuah killed in these victories Man Woman and Child we may not thinke it crueltie in him For he had the speciall commaundement of God so to doe Suche were their Sinnes and offences in the sighte of God. And Saul and Achab maye be an example to all Princes what daunger it is to shewe Mercy to them whom God for Iust causes to his secrete wisedome knowen woulde haue to be punished The first Sunday after Trinitie at Euenyng prayer Iosua 23. ANd it came to passe a long season after that the Lorde had giuen rest vnto Israel from all their enemies round aboute that Iosuah waxed olde and was striken in age 2 And Iosuah called for all Israel and for their elders their heades their iudges and officers and saide vnto them I am olde and stricken in age 3 And ye haue séene all that the Lorde your God hathe done vnto all these nations before you howe the Lorde your God hymselfe hath fought for you 4 Beholde I haue diuided vnto you by Lot these nations that remayne to be an inheritaunce for youre Tribes from Iordane with all the nations that I haue destroyed euen vnto the great sea Westwarde 5 And the Lorde your God shall expell them before you and cast them from oute of your sighte and ye shall conquer their lande as the Lord your God hath saide vnto you 6 Be ye therefore of a good courage that ye kepe and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moyses that ye bowe not aside therefrom to the ryghte hands nor to the lefte 7 Neyther company with these nations that is with them that are lefte wyth you neyther make mention of the name of theyr Gods nor cause to sware by them neyther serue them nor bowe your selues vnto them 8 But sticke faste vnto the Lorde your God as ye haue donne vnto thys daye 9 So shall the Lorde caste oute before you great nations and mightye as no man hathe béene able to stande before you hitherto 10 One man of you shall chase a thousande for the Lord your God he fighteth for you as he hath promised you 11 Take good heede therfore vnto your selues that ye loue the Lorde youre God. 12 Els if ye goe backe and cleaue vnto the reste of these Nations that remaine with you and shall make mariages with them and goe in vnto them and they to you 13 Be ye sure that the Lorde your God will no more cast oute all these Nations from before you but they shal be snares and trappes vnto you and scourges in your sydes and thornes in your eyes vntyll ye peryshe from this good lande which the Lorde your God hath giuen you 14 And beholde this daye doe I enter into the waye of all the worlde and ye knowe in all youre heartes and in all youre soules that nothyng hath fayled of all the good things which the Lorde your God promised you but all are come to passe vnto you and nothing hath failed thereof 15 Therefore as all good thinges are come vpon you which the Lorde your God promised you so shall the Lord bryng vpon you all euyll vntyll he haue destroyed you from thys good lande whiche the Lorde youre God hathe giuen you 16 When ye haue transgressed the Testamente of the Lorde youre God whych he commaunded you and haue gone and serued straunge Gods and bowed your selues to them then shall the wrathe of the Lorde waxe whote vpon you and ye shall perishe quickly from the good land whiche he hath giuen you The Exposition vpon the .xxiij. Chapter of Iosuah And it came to passe a long season after the Lorde had giuen rest c. THe Lande of Chanaan was nowe by the Israelites possessed The portions were allotted to eche Tribe all things appertaining aswell to the state of the common weale as of Religion was nowe established And Iosuah their Prince and Captaine waxen olde and farre stricken in yeares Therefore he as a good Prince drawing nowe to the ende of his life sheweth himselfe to haue had a care not onelye for the good gouernemente of the people of God in his life time but also that the true * worship of God and obedience to Gods holy worde mighte continue among them to Gods glory after his life time And therefore in this place he calleth the People and vnder Magistrates together vseth vnto them a verye fatherly exhortation to continue in the loue obedience and true worship of God declaring vnto them the greate benefites and blessings of God that shall come to them if they doe so the assured daunger of his wrathe and displeasure to be poured vpon them if they did otherwise As touching that is saide in the first verse After the Lord had giuen rest vnto Israel wee are by it instructed to acknowledge God only to be the Author * giuer of Peace Tranquillitie and
quietnesse vnto common weales and the restrayner and brideler of all aduersarie powers that they worke not so much trouble and daunger to the people of God as otherwyse they would doe And therfore that both wee and all suche whome God blesseth with those giftes ought to shew our selues Thankful and to accept the same as his gracious mercie to allure vs to Repentance And you haue seene all that your Lord God hath done vnto all these c. Iosuah putteth them in mynde of the benefites of God shewed vnto them and dothe assure them that the same their Lorde and god will also performe the residue of his promyse and make perfecte the worke that he hath begonne if they doe continue in his faythfull obedience By proofe and triall of that is * past he exhorteth them to the vndoubted expectation of those things that were to come By this that Iosuah foure tymes in this place repeateth The Lord youre God wee may not thinke that he is not the God of other Nations also For God is the Generall Lord and gouernour not only of all Nations but also of al particuler Persons creatures of the world * and by him do they liue and haue their being But the Iewes he hadde chosen as his peculiar People and deliuered to them his lawe made to them his lawe and made to them his promises especially and therfore is he here called The Lorde their God. Whē he sayth that God hathe fought for them we are taught that all Victorie and good Successe in warre cōmeth of God * vnlesse he doe fight for vs all labor strength of men is in vayne And the same God dothe alway assist his people and giue Victorie vnto them vnlesse their vnthankfulnesse in abusing his Benefites doe moue his iustice by his and their enimies to punishe them Goe to therfore and be of good courage that you take heed and do all that c. This is the ende why God eyther blesseth his people wyth Tranquillitie and quietnesse or giueth them Victorie agaynste enimies that they maye continue in the obedience of his blessed will declared in his holie woorde which consysteth not onely in the Knowledge of his Lawe and in the externall professyng of the same in wordes or outwarde behauiour but in deede and in hearte and mynde And therefore sayth Iosuah Take heede and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moyses yea and that in suche sorte That they goe not aside on the righte hande or on the lefte For God * loueth obedience more then all the gay deuises of mans Brayne and therfore will be worshipped according to his holy worde Neyther companie with these nations that is with them that c. How daungerous the Fellowship Companie of the wicked is we see too too many examples dayly before our faces And if we be loth to come in that Cōpanie by which we thinke our bodies shall be infected with any contagious disease much more ought we to fear the Infection of our Soules and to dread least * by societie of persons corrupted either in life or religion we shuld be ledde from the true Seruice of god No mā * Toucheth pitch but he shal be defiled with it No man or woman vseth the companie of them that be euill but he taketh some hurte by thē either in Life or Credite In that he saith Make no mention of their Gods he dothe not forbidde them to name Dagon Astaroth or Baalim but y they shoulde make no Honorable Mētion of them nor vse their names with reuerence but with Detestation But especially they might * not Sweare by thē For to y persō or thing by which any mā sweareth he doth attribute diuine Power and Worship that is That he seeth the harts and cogitations of men That hee knoweth their secrete partes That hee can and will rewarde the good and punishe the wicked Therefore let men consider with what conscience they can sweare by Saints departed or by any Person or Thing be it neuer so Holy other than God alone whose onely Power and Propertie it is to vnderstande the inwarde Thoughtes of man. One man of you shall chase a thousand for the Lord your God. c. In the Leuit cap. 26. If you keepe my commandements sayth the Lord you shall persecute your enimies and they shall fall vvith the svvorde before you and fiue of you shall persecute an hundred and an hundred of you shal persecureten thousand In this place he sayth One of you shall persecute a thousande whereby he giueth to vnderstande that God will abundantly fulfyll hys promise vnto them Example wherof God shewed in sundrye places of the Scriptures as Iudic. 7. by Gedeon 1. Sam. 14. by Ionathas 2. Chro. 20 ▪ by Iosaphat 32. by Ezechias If you go backe and cleaue vnto the reste of these Nations c. As before he hath exhorted by consideration of the great benefites that God had and would do for them if they cōtinued in his obediēce so nowe he moueth them by Laying before thē the threatnings of Gods iust plagues and punishments if they did otherwise and reuolted from his true worship saying that God would not only not destroy those people that were among them but hee woulde suffer them to bee vnto the Israelites as snares and traps to take and entangle them in wickednesse As Scourges in their sides to vexe and trouble them as Thorns in their eyes to greeue them and to bleare their eyes that they shoulde not discerne good from euill falshoode from truth light from darknesse c. And bycause nothing could be more dangerous vnto them or a greater snare to lead them from God than to ioyn in Societie League or Mariage with those wicked people Therefore he oftē earnestly willed them to beware of that Wherby Christiā Princes and people that professe the truth of Christes Gospell ought also to learne how perilous it is for them to * linke in League or Mariage with the enimies or aduersaries of the same least God make them vnto vs as Snares as Whips and as Thornes in our eyes c. Behold this day do I enter into the way of all the worlde and ye knowe c. By this fashion of Speaking that He entred the way of al the world he meaneth Death which * way all liuing Creatures of this worlde must tread Wise and Learned mē haue deuised remedies for al maner of diseases but neuer any could Inuent how to put away Death That is the assured end wherto in this world we shal come whether we sleepe or wake or whatsoeuer we do we Hasten to this end So * little assurance haue we of this miserable life wherewith wee are so greatly in loue In the ende Iosuah putteth them in mynde that as God of his great mercie hath and will assuredly fulfyll his promyses so that one
rehearsing some of his former actes done for his people in the Wildernesse and namelye at their departure from Mount Seir in the lande of the Edomites the posteritie of Esau Deu. 2. We reade that the Israelites had Coasted about Seir the space of .38 yeres and were not greatlye terrible to anye of theyr enemies But when by Gods appointment they departed from thence towarde the land of Chanaan He being their Guide Leader in the Pillar of Fire and the cloud he did with such Maiestie then deale for them that the Chananites and other enemies were strickeÌ„ with Feare as if the Earth had shaken or HeaueÌ„ had poured downe Stormes Tempestes against them or as the MouÌ„taines had melted with fire and Smoke as Sinay did at the presence of the Lorde when he gaue his law vnto his people In the dayes of Samgar the sonne of Anath in the dayes of Iahel c. Before Debora had praised God as the Ancient Patrone of Israel now she commeth to this noble deliueraÌ„ce that it pleased him to his greater Glory and more Terrour of his enemies to worke by her a Simple Fraile womaÌ„ Samgar was a Valiant man and Iudged Israel and sâ—ue sixe Hundred Philistines with an Oxe goade as it is mencioned in the. 3. Chapiter But he deliuered not Israel so but that they were deteyned in so miserable Oppression of the Chanaanites as they coulde not goe out of their Cities with out Spoyling or killing neither in the high way as trauellers neither as husband meÌ„ in the fieldes So that both Tillage of laÌ„d traffike of Marchandice was vtterly decayed among them vntill this Victorie and deliuerance wrought by Debora who Gouerned Iudged the people of God rather as a carefull Mother then a sterne Prince Wherefore in this place by comparison with Samgar who yet was a good man She amplifieth this present Mightie worke of God done by Her. They chose newe Goddes and then had they the enemie in the gates c. So sone as the people * forsoke God and fell to Idolatrie he caused their enemies to plague them with Warre in suche sorte that of a great number of thousandes of the Israelites not one durste take speere and shielde against their oppressours My harte loueth the Gouernours of Israel and them that are willing c. As if Debora had saide It is the exceeding mercie of God that he thus deliuered his people by a fewe of the Basest and Weakest of them wherfore my harte desireth nothing more than that all you of * Israel shoulde praise the name of the Lorde And first I admonishe you that are Princes * and Chiefe men and ride on faire Asses and sitte to Iudge the people or dwell in the Citie of Midden I admonishe you also that be wayfairing men and trauaile eyther in Marchandice or otherwise For that Libertie that you were restrained from before through oppression is nowe * restored to you The noyse of the Archers that Murdered and Robbed them which in this drie Countrey droue your cattaile to water is now ceased and you are out of feare and may both kepe your Cattell and goe safelie to prouide water Yea in those places and other vnfenced townes where you laye open to the spoile of enemies you may now boldly set forth the Righteousnes of the Lord you may salfelie goe downe to the gates places of Iudgement to haue Iustice ministred vnto you Vp Debora vp gette the vp and sing a song Arise Barak c. The Prophetes and Saintes of God neuer thinke themselues earnest enoughe in giuyng Thankes Praysing of God and therfore they often vse such stirrings and prouocatioÌ„ of themselues She willeth Barak also now in triumphe to leade them Captiue which before kepte him and other in moste Miserable Captiuitie Yea saieth She the * poore remnant of Israel that is not worthie to be called an Armie for that they were of the poorest and weakest of the people shall haue DominioÌ„ ouer those Proude mightie Chanaanites that did so sternely vse them Out of Ephraim was there a roote against Amelek and after thee c. In these verses Debora reciteth by what Instrumentes it pleased God to giue this victorie and what Tribes they were that folowed Barak and which they were that did not accompanye him First out of Ephraim Hir selfe and other as the Roote and beginning Nexte a small number oute of Beniamin Thirdlie a companie of Strong warlike men out of the Tribe of Manasses a â—hiefe Citie whereof was Macher And oute of Zabulon and Nephthalie a number more fitte for Learning to handle the Penne than with Sword shielde to deale against the enemie For that She meaneth by these wordes To handle the penne of the vvriter The tribe of Isachar also sente worthie and experte men and therefore are they here Ioyned in praise and coÌ„mendatioÌ„ with Barak The Tribes then that gaue aide to this victorie were Ephraim Beniamin Manasses Isachar Zabulon and Nephthalie Iuda Simeon Leuie and Gad are not spoken of Ruben Dan Asar are mencioned with reprofe For that it is that she meaneth by these words For the diuisions of Ruben vvere great thoughtes of harte c. The Rubenites dwelt in the fertile Pastures beyonde Iordane semed to be more carefull for their Sheepe and Cattaile than for the freedome and good state of their countrey and therefore throughe Pride and disdaine woulde not accompanie Debora and Barak Gilead Dan are for like cause reproued A sar that dwelte toward the Sea coste and set their mindes vpon their shippes and the decayed places of their countrey But these pretences could not in the sight of God * excuse theÌ„ when they by his Prophetesse were called to further the DeliueraÌ„ce of his people For it may seme they could haue bene content to liue in thraldome vnder the Heathen and godlesse enemies So that they might tollerablie enioye their worldly riches The tribe of Zabulon and Nepthali is praised bicause although they were not Valiant warlike men but of the meanest sort of the people yet they Hasarded their liues for the Libertie of their countrey The kings came and fought then fought the kings of Chanaan in Thanach c. Nowe She sheweth how fiercelie the Kings that is Sisara the other Noble captaines that were in his armie did assaulte the Israelites and with how great confidence and hope of Spoyle they set vpon them by the Riuers of Thanach Megiddo but to their owne Ouerthrow and confusion For the Lord * fought for his people from Heauen and so abashed their enemies that they scaÌ„t durst abide the Sight of theÌ„ Iosephus writeth that such a Tempest of wind storme of Hayle came in the faces of the Chanaanites that they were not hable to stand before the Israeltes Yea a great nuÌ„ber of them in â—â—eeing were drowned and as it were
Svvept avvay with the Riuer Kison by which the fielde was foughte Yea and the horse men fled with suche violence that they rent their horses hoofes Curse ye the Cittie of Meros sayde the Angell of the Lorde Curse the. c. Meros was a Citie of the Israelites neere to Thabor where the victorie was gotten therfore vnexcusable because they came not forth to helpe and by the Angell of God are here cursed Whereby all men are taught* not to withdrawe their helping hand when God calleth to the deliuerance of his people from the wicked tirannie of the oppressour In the residewe the Prophetisse pleasantly setteth forth the gesture Policie and stoutenesse of Iael in killing Sisara with the great reproche of that proude and confident tiranne that so long vnder his Prince had oppressed Gods people In the ende to the comforte of the faithful in waye of conclusion or rather of a triumphant reioysing She addeth that God in like maner will deale* with all his enemies and they that loue him and put their trust and confidence in his mercy shall prosper and Florishe as the Sunne risen to his might that is when he is come to his midde dayes course The thirde Sunday after Trinitie at Mornyng prayer 1. Samuel 2. ANd Hanna prayed and sayde Myne heart reioyceth in the Lorde and mine horne is exalted in the Lorde my mouthe is wyde open ouer mine enemies for I reioyce in thy saluation 2 There is none holye as the Lorde for without thée is nothing neither is there any of strength as is our God. 3 Talke no more proudely let not arrogancie come out of your mouthes for the Lorde is a God of knowledge and his purposes come to passe 4 The bowe with the mightie men are broken and they that were weake haue girded themselues with strength 5 They that were full haue hyred oute themselues for breade and they that were hungrye ceasse tyll the barren haue borne seuen and she that had many children is waxed féeble 6 The Lorde killeth and maketh aliue bryngeth downe to the graue and fetcheth vp againe 7 The Lorde maketh poore and maketh riche bringeth lowe and heaueth vp on hye 8 He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dounghill to set them among princes and to make them inherite the seate of glorye For the pillers of the earth are the Lordes and he hath set the worlde vpon them 9 He will kéepe the féete of his Saintes and the wicked shall kepe scilence in darkenesse and in his owne might shall no man be strong 10 The Lordes aduersaries shall be destroyed of him and oute of heauen shall be thunder vpon them the Lorde shall iudge the endes of the world and shall giue mighte vnto his king and exalte the horne of his annointed 11 And Elkana went to Ramath to his house and the lad did Minister vnto the Lord before Eli the priest 12 But the sonnes of Eli were Children of Belial and knew not the Lord 13 And the priests custome toward the people was that whensoeuer anye man offered anye offering the priests lad came whyle the fleshe was a séething and a fleshhooke with thrée téeth in his hand 14 And thrust it into the panne kettle caldron or pot and al that the fleshhooke broughte vp that the priest toke for him selfe And so they dyd vnto all the Israelites that came thither to Silo. 15 Yea and thereto before they burnt the fat the priests lad came and sayde to the man that offered Geue fleshe that I maye roste it for the priest for he will not haue sodden fleshe of thée but rawe 16 And if any man saide vnto him Let them burne the fat according to the custome and then take as muche as thyâ—e heart desireth Then he would answere him Yea thou shalt giue it mée now and if thou wilt not I will take it with violence 17 And the sinne of the young men was verye great before the Lorde for men abhored the offering of the Lord. 18 But the childe Samuel Ministred before the Lordâ— girded with a linnen Ephod 19 Moreouer his mother made him a little coate and brought it to him from yéere to yéere when she came vp with her husband to offer the yéerely sacrifice 20 And Eli blessed Elkana and his wife and sayde The Lord giue thée séede of this woman for the petition that she asked of the Lorde And they went vnto their owne home 21 And the Lord visited Hanna so that she conceyued and bare thrée sonnes and two daughters and the childe Samuel grewe before the Lorde 22 Eli was very olde and heard all that his sonnes did vnto all Israel and howe they lay with the women that wayted at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation 23 And he saide vnto them why doe ye suche things for of all these people I heare euill reportes of you 24 Oh nay my sonnes for it is no good reporte that I heare howe that ye make the Lordes people to trespasse 25 If one man sinne against another the iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne againste the Lorde who will be his dayseman Notwithstanding they hearkened not vnto the voyce of their father bicause the Lord would slay them 26 The childe Samuel profited and grewe and was in fauour both with the Lorde and with men 27 And there came a man of God vnto Eli and saide vnto him Thus saith the lorde Did not I plainely appeare vnto the house of thy father when they were in Egipte in Pharaos house 28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest for to offer vpoÌ„ mine aulter and to burne incense and to weare an Ephod before me and I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offeringes made by fyre of the Children of Israel 29 Wherefore treade ye downe my sacrifice and mine offering which I commaunded in the Tabernacle and honourest thy children aboue me to make your selues fat of the first fruites of all the offeringes of Israel my people 30 Wherfore the Lorde God of Israel sayth I saide that thy house and the house of thy father should walke before me for euer but now the Lord sayth That be farre from mée for them that worshippe me I will worshippe and they that despise me shall come to shame 31 Beholde the dayes come that I will cut of thine arme and the arme of thy fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thine house 32 And thou shalt sée thine enemie in the habitation of the lord in all the wealth which God shall giue Israel and there shall not be an olde man in thine house for euer 33 Neuerthelesse I will not destroy euery one that come of thée from mine aulter to make thine eyes to faile and to make thine heart sorowfull and all they that be multiplied in thine house shall dye vvhen they be men 34 And
they saye 16 Their arrowes are sodain death yea they themselues be very Giants 17 This people shall eate vp thy fruite thy meat yea they shal deuoure thy sonnes thy daughters thy shepe thy bullocks they shal eat vp thy grapes figgs As for thy strong wel defensed cities wherin thou diddest trust they shal bring to pouertie that through the sworde 18 Neuerthelesse I wil not theÌ„ haue done with you saith the Lord. 19 But if they say Wherfore doth the lorde our God al this vnto vs Then answer them Bicause y lyke as ye haue forsaken me serued straÌ„ge gods in your laÌ„d euen so shal ye serue straÌ„gers out of your land 20 Preache this vnto the house of Iacob crie it out in Iuda and saye thus 21 Heare this thou foolish vndiscrete people Ye haue eies but ye sée not eares haue ye but ye heare not 22 Feare ye not me saith the lord will ye not tremble at my presence which bynd the sea with the sand by a coÌ„tinual decrée so that it caÌ„not passe his boundes for though it rage yet can it do nothing though the waues therof do â—wel yet may they not go ouer 23 But this people hath a false obstinat heart they are departed gone away froÌ„ me 24 They thinke not in their hearts O let vs feare the lord our God who giueth vs rain early late when néed is which kepeth euer stil the haruest for vs yerely 25 Neuertheles your misdéeds haue turned these froÌ„ you your sinnes haue robbed you of good thin ges 26 For amoÌ„g my people are found wicked persons y priuily lay snares wait for meÌ„ to take them destroy theÌ„ 27 And lyke as a net is full of birdes so are their houses full of that whiche they haue gotten with falshood and deceipt Hereof commeth their great substance and riches 28 Hereof are they fatte and wealthye and are more mischeuous than any other they minister not the lawe they make no ende of the fatherlesse cause yea and they prosper yet they iudge not the poore according to equitie 29 Shoulde I not punish these things sayeth the Lorde should not I be auenged of all suche people as these be 30 Horrible and gréeuous things are done in the lande 31 The Prophetes teache falsly and the preachers receiue gifts and my people hath pleasure therin what will come thereof at the laste The Exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Hieremie Looke through Hierusalem behold and see seeke through hir streetes also c. THe Prophete Hieremie in the former Chapiter had notably described the comming of Nabuchodonosors armie into Ievvrie and the greate waste and spoyle that he should make of that countrey euen to the very walles of the citie Hierusalem whiche therfore should be in greate feare euen as a woman in trauayle with chylde Therfore in this place before hee noteth the destruction of that Citie he maketh proofe and declaration of the Iustice of God in doing of it For we see commonly when God punisheth the wicked for their offences that they are so obstinate and stiffenecked and so farre from anie sense of true repentaunce and turning to God that they murmure against god and accuse him for dealing ouer Rigorously and Cruelly with them and that he punisheth them more sharply and grieuously than their offences Deserue Wherfore God by his Prophet sheweth that they are so farre ouerwhelmed with their wickednesse as there is not left one Iust maÌ„ amoÌ„g them in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of whom he might Spare them therefore that of his Iustice he muste of necessitie punish them Looke sayth he through Hierusalem beholde and see seeke thoroughe her streates c. In which words God willeth euen the whole Worlde to looke diligentely into the state of that Citie that was called by the name of The holie Citie to see whether there were any thing or Person in it in respect whereof he shoulde shewe Mercie toward it For though they can saye The Lord liueth yet they sweare to deceyue c. Here the Prophete detecteth their Hipocrisie and signifieth that albeit they pretend to be the People of God and to haue a reuereÌ„ce to the name of God and therefore will call him to witnesse in their affaires and Sweare by his name as by that which they accoÌ„pt very Holie yet it is but wicked Hipocriste in them and indeede the Prophanation of the name of god For they sweare falsely and vntruly to* deceyue their neyghbour and to worke their vniuste deuises so by Periurie make the Name of God a Cloake meane to further their owne Wickednesse Wheras God Looketh only vpon faith and truth and regardeth not the faire * PreteÌ„ce of his Name when the true Reuerence therof is not in their hearts This place ought to teach vs that the Name of the * Churche or People of God the Title of Christians the Externall Sacraments of christian Religion are not sufficient to moue the Fauour of God toward vs nor to make vs his people vnlesse the feare of God and true Holynesse be in our heartes In the begynnyng of the thirde Verse whiche in deede shoulde be a parte of this secoÌ„d the Prophet altereth the Person and turneth the speach vnto God himselfe Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentance thou hast corrected c. This was of exceding great Stubbornesse in the Iewes and of Indurated heartes that they coulde not bee moued to Repentance no not with the heauie Plagues and punishments that God did bryng vpon them to that ende yea they rather hardened their faces as it wer againste God and became shamelesse in their wickednesse casting of al consideration of Godlynesse and Honestie Therfore I thought in my selfe peraduenture they are so simple and c. Forsomuch as it might be thought the Simple Foolishe people did amisse by Ignorance and errour only and that the wyser and better sort had more Care of the feare seruice of God hee turneth nowe to the Princes Priests Magistrates and Rulers and sheweth that they also whiche of duetie should haue ben not only Instructers Leaders Guyders to other but also correcters Punishers of their Leudnesse were become more stubborne and dissolute than they and had cleane cast froÌ„ them the bond and Yoke of Obedience to the Holie Will Lawe of god So that there myght seeme no Hope eyther in Prince or People in Riche or poore in Learned or Ignorant but that they All were giuen ouer to their owne Lustes and Sensual appetites Wherfore a Lyon out of the wood hath hurte them and a Wolfe in the. c. By the Lion the VVolfe and the Leopard the Prophet meaneth the Assyrians the Aegyptians and sundrye other Enimies that shoulde come vpoÌ„ them and so straightly Besiege them in their Cities that not One shuld be hable to goe out but shoulde be Taken and Slayne
hill let all the inhabitāts c. THe Prophet Ioel liued in the time of Esay and taught in Iuda in the reigne of Ezechias not long before the inuasion of the Assirians vnder Sinnacherib For although that good king to the vttermost of his power had restored the true worship of God yet a great number receyued it vnthankefully and both enclined in their heartes againe to Superstition and continued in most Detestable and sinfull liuing * Which was the cause that God did send the Assirians grieuously to plague them But of his woonted mercies before that terrible time of punishment should come he * sent his Prophetes to foretell them of it and to call them to repentance Among these was Ioel who nowe vttereth these wordes and purposing to call them to repentance layeth before them the terrible punishment that GOD will bring vpon them if they turned not vnto him His beginning is tragicall Blowe vp a trumpet sayth he c. Because their Plague shoulde be by inuasion of euimies and crueltie of warre he alludeth to warrefare and willeth the Scowtes and watchmen that is the Prophetes and teachers to sound the trumpet of Gods holy worde and giue men warning to prepare themselues to battaile that they were not taken with the plague of god ere they were ware This he willeth them to doe in Sion and in His holy hill His chosen Citie of Hierusalem that they might not thinke any holinesse of place should help them Yea and he speaketh to all the inhabitans of the lande of Iuda and biddeth them to Tremble and feare for that the Lord did not minde to dally with them or any longer to put of the time For sayth he The day of the Lord is come and is nigh at hande and you must repent with * speede if you will escape it By The day of the Lorde he meaneth the time appointed to Plague them for their vnthankfulnesse and contempt of Gods worde and the calling of his Prophetes A darke and glomie daye a clowdie and blacke day as the morning is spred c. By Glomie Clowdie and Blacke he signifyeth the heauie and sorowfull time that should be so lamentablie ouercast with grieuous afflictions and calamities that men shoulde not be hable to tell what to doe or howe to rid themselues from them Darkenesse commonly in scripture noteth trouble and heauinesse Light prosperitie and felicitie As the spring of the day and morning light sodainlye spreadeth it selfe ouer the mountaynes and cannot by any meanes be stayed So shall this mightye and strong people of the Assirians sodainely spread themselues and ouerwhelme euen the toppes of those mountaines that you thinke harde to be passed and that in such sort as they cannot be resisted For since the beginning was there neuer Empire eyther of so great force or of so long continuance of their dominion as this hath beene and is Therfore they shall be to you and to your Countrey as a raging and consuming fire The Land that was before their comming as a pleasant Garden or paradise after they be gone it shall be left lamentablie spoyled wasted and desolate Yea they shall come with such fiercenesse that with great speede they shall runne ouer the mountaynes and highe places as it were Horsemen or chariots in a plaine field Your men of warre Capiteynes and Souldiours in whom you may seeme to put some trust at the report of their comming shall tremble and waxe pale and wanne for exceeding great feare They shal runne against you as mightie Gyants and assaulting the walles of your strong and fenced Cities they shall doe it not onelye with suche strength but also with actiuitie nimblenesse and good order that one shall not be a let or impedimēt to the other but euery one shall kepe his place and araye And when they runne with desperate courage euen amonge your swordes and weapons they will doe it in such maner that you shall not be hable to hurt them And furthermore though your Cities be strongly walled and fenced with so great munition as they maye seeme vnpregnable they wil with such facilitie both enter and go to and fro as if the matter were to be done in the plaine fielde where no resistance is Finally their rage fiercenesse shal be so dreadfull that the earth shal quake the heauens shall tremble the Sunne Moone shall be darke the Starres shall withdrawe their light all the creatures of God shall be abashed to see that God will so grieuously plage his people And therfore they as it were hauing sense of the same before hand shal giue straunge signes and sightes vnto men to put them in minde to repent turne vnto God that he may withdrawe this his heauie hande from them For God it is that worketh it and by his voice calleth the Assirians they do nothing but execute his commaundement in punishing your waywarde and stubburne vnthankfulnesse and contempt of his worde In all this we see the Prophete hath done nothing but signify vnto the Iewes that no worldly thing should be hable to stay from them the grieuous punishmentes of God by the Assirians Neyther the plentifulnesse of the earth nor the great distance of the places nor the difficultie of the passages ouer hilles and mountaynes neyther the number of their Souldiours nor the strength of their Cities to the ende that they seeing all worldly helpe to fayle them maye the more readily repent and flie vnto God for his mercie But nowe sayth the Lord turne you vnto me with all your hearts with fasting c. Although the day of Gods wrath be nighe at hande yet the Prophete signifieth that there is time to repent because * no true repentance from the heart is euer to late And therefore vnder the person of God exhorteth them therevnto and telleth them what they shall doe Turne sayth he We must in repentance first Turne frō wickednesse of minde and dissolute life from Idolatrie Superstition and corruption of Gods true worship And we must Turne vnto God and submit our selues to his merrie and to be directed by his holy worde We are not willed to Turne to Saintes to Patriarkes to Prophetes to Fathers to Apostles or to any creature be he neuer so holy No nor yet to our owue inuentions and deuises of holynesse thereby thinking to raunsome our sinnes But we must Turne to the euerliuing God who is both willing as a father and hable as a mightie Lorde to helpe vs And this must we doe vnfaynedly VVith all our heartes Renting our mindes wyth sorow and not our garments with hypocrissie and outwarde shewe of griefe and repentance when we haue no true sense of Gods wrath inwardly in our heartes If renting of Garmentes and such other signes be vsed as tokens and witnesses to the worlde that we are in deede and vnfeynedly touched with exceeding sorow of hart as Iosias did when he
before his comming These things we haue seene in these latter dayes meruelously fulfilled in all the elements In the Sunne and Moone often Eclipses In the vpper parte of the aire blasing Starres Swoordes Pillars of fire fire Drakes flying in the Aire and other like impressions In the Earth Earthquakes and other straunge alterations In the Water many and exceding great floudes risings and swellings to the great griefe and annoyance of Mankinde And as there hath bene in all times some of those signes so in no age so manye as hath bene within these fewe yeares Whereby we must needes gather that we are fallen into those latter troublesome and perilous dayes thathere the Prophete speaketh of But whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued for c. The whole summe of our* saluation consisteth in * calling vpon the name of the Lord and in putting our* confidence and trust in his mercy and deliueraunce wrought for vs by the Sauiour of the worlde Christ Iesu Who suffred and dyed for vs by his resurrection made perfect the misterie of our Redemption At Mount Sion and in Hierusalem according to the vnfallible Promises of Almightie God. The. 20. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Micheas 6. HEarken ye nowe what the Lorde sayth Aryse thou and contende with the mountaynes and let the hilles heare thy voyce 2 Heare O ye mountaynes the Lordes quarrell and ye mightie foundations of the earth for the Lorde hath a quarrell agaynst his people and will pleade with Israell 3 O my people what haue I done vnto thée or wherein haue I grieued thée giue me answere 4 I haue brought thée out of the lande of Egypt and deliuered thée out of the house of bondage and I made Moises Aaron and Miriam to lead thée 5 Remember O my people what Balach the king of Moab had deuised against thée and what answere that Balaam the sonne of Beor gaue him from Sethin vnto Galgal that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lorde 6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lorde and bowe my selfe to the hie God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeare olde 7 Hath the Lord a pleasure in many thousandes of rammes or innumerable streames of oyle shall I giue my first borne for mine offences and the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule 8 He hath shewed thée O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thée namely to do iustly to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. 9 The Lordes voyce cryeth vnto the citie and the man that shall be saued considereth thy name hearken what is your rod and heare him that warneth you 10 Are not yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure which is abhominable 11 Shoulde I iustifie the false balances and the bagge of deceytfull weightes 12 For the rich men thereof are full of crueltie and thâ— inhabitants thereof haue spoken lies and haue deceytfull tongues in their mouthes 13 Therefore I will take in hande to punishe thée and to make thée desolate because of thy sinnes 14 Thou shalt eate and not haue inough yea thou shalt bring thy selfe downe in the middes of thée thou shalt flée but not escape and those that thou wouldest saue will I deliuer to the sword 15 Thou shalt sowe but not reape thou shalt presse out Oliues but Oyle shalt thou not haue to annoynt thy selfe with Oyle thou shalt treade out must but thou shalt drinke no wine 16 Ye kéepe the ordinances of Amri and all the customes of the house of Ahab ye walke in their counsels therefore will I make thée waste and cause thy inhabiters to be hissed at and ye shall beare the reproche of my people The Exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of Micheas Hearken you now what the Lorde sayth Arise thou and contende with c. THe Prophet Micheas blameth the Iewes for their wickednesse and declareth to them their punishment for y same 1 First he noteth their vnthankefulnesse for the great benefites that they haue receyued at his hande 2 Then he taketh from them al the confidence that they might haue had to please God with their Sacrifices and external Hypocrisie and sheweth what they should doe to please God rightly 3 Thirdly he sharpely rebuketh their obstinacie in contemâ—ing the worde of God and refusing to heare him 4 Lastly he openeth some of their particular faultes and denounceth their punishment that God will bring vpon them And all this doth he in maner of a pleading of Gods cause before Iudges which * maner the Prophetes diuerse times doe vse thereby to set out the Iustice of God and more euidently to declare that his people euen by the Iudgement of men or other common creatures are vnexcusable and by their owne wickednesse to pull vpon themselues iust and grieuous punishments In this place the Prophete by appointment of God taketh Mountaynes and Hilles and the verie Foundations of the earth to heare the cause and complaint of Almightie God agaynst his people of Israel And that is it that the Prophete vttereth in the person of God saying Arise thou and contende with the mountaynes c. And then he Obeying the appoyntment of God sayth Heare O you mountaynes the Lordes quarell c. As if he had sayde Forsomuch as the heartes of this people are so farre from God that not so much as one of them will consider and vnbe â—stande his cause I appeale to you hilles and mountaynes and make the vnsensible Creatures Iudges agaynst them In this the Prophet both noteth the hard hearts and the obstinate contempt of the Iewes particularly and also generally teacheth all then which in like maner contemne the worde of god that they shal by no meanes be hable to escape iust iudgement and condemnation For because the * who le world was made by God for vs and in all poyntes seruing to our vse perfourmeth that ende to the which it was made though all other Iudges and witnesses would fayle the very partes of the world and the coÌ„mon creatures will pronounce sentence against vs if we in our calling doe shewe our selues vnthankefull disobedient and rebellious agaynst God. O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee c. There is no one thing that in the Prophetes causeth more difficultie then the often and the sodaine chaunging of the Person wherefore that is here also to be obserued The second verse was vttered in the person of the Prophet these three verses God himselfe speaketh Although God were grieuously displeased with them yet he calleth them His people therby * shewing that he would be readie to receiue them to Mercie if they would turne vnto him and repente Then he lamentably vpbraideth them with the vnthankefull receiuing of his great benefites that he had done for them Whereby hee