that fearfull sentence go ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Deuill and his aungels shall make vs to tremble And of mercy there is no hope at all excepte we doe as we reade of a womaÌ„ whiche when she stoode before Alexander the great and was condempned she said I appeale from thee o Kynge Alexander wonderinge at her sayde thou arte a madde woman doest thou not know that euery appellacion is frome a lower iudge to a hygher but who is aboue me Then sayde shee I knowe thee too be aboue thy lawes and that thou maye geue pardon and therfore I appeale froÌ„ iustice to mercie and for my faultes desire pardon So we when wee loke into the righteous lawe of Gods woorde see him ready to condemne vs and oure conscience witnes that we haue deserued death we must appeale from iustice and our deseruings vnto hys pardon and forgeuenes bothe call and truste to be partakers of that saluation which he hath purchased and offered to the whole worlde Hys mercies doe passe all oure miseries as farre as God is greater than man and his pardoÌ„ can forgeue all that call on hym This is not too be lightely considered that it is sayde they hearde the voyce of the Lord their God and the woorde of â—â—gues geus the Prophete What neded bothe to haue ben written seinge they were bothe one for the woordes of Aggeus were thâ— same that the Lorde badde him speake 〈◊〉 he hath saide diuers times before He be in this example we shall learne twoo gâ—â— lessons one for the preacher and all other for the hearer The Preacher muste 〈◊〉 bee afrayde to rebuke sinne in all 〈◊〉 and degrees of men as here Aggeus dyd rebuke bothe Zerubabel the chief ciuil râ—ler in the common wealth and Iosua the hye Priest and chief in religion and also the whoole people beside and threatens the plages indifferentlye to all withoute any flattery or respect of person So do all the Prophetes as Esaye cals the rulers felowes with theeues and princes of Sodome and Gomorrha because thei folowed their wickednes And when Achab a kinge asked Elias whether it was he that troubled all the countrye because it was so longe a droughte for the space of three yeares and a halfe without any rain or dewe he aunswered the kynge boldely and sayde naye it is thou and thy fathers house that hast pulled this righteous plagâ—â—â—â—on thee and thy whole realme Where 〈◊〉 haue sinned all muste bee rebuked for as God a moste righteous Iudge will punishe all sinne so must his Preachers indifferently warne and rebuke al sortes of sinners or els God wil require their blud at their handes if they perishe withoute their warning as Ezechiel sayeth The hearer must disdaine to learne of the simplest preacher that he heareth as Iosua the high Priest here doth not disdaine to hear the rebuking of Aggeus being but a poore Leuite and a simple man in comparison of him no nor yet Zerubabel the chief ruler borne of the stocke of Iuda the kinges stocke disdaynes him If a preacher should rebuke the Pope a Cardinall an Archebishop or Bishop a Doctour or a babler in Diuinitie woulde they not disdaine too heare suche simple men Woulde they not saye as hathe ben sayde of late to many when they were examined before Annas and Cayphas becomes it thee to speake thus to my Lorde Bishop arte thou wyser or better learned then he Shall he become thy scholer Was not the like saide to oure Sauioure Christe doest thou aunswere the hyghe Bishoppe so What woulde the Pope or Cardinall saye if a man shoulde threaten suche vengeaunce of God towardes him as Aggeus doeth here to the highe Priest Paule the seconde Pope of that 〈◊〉 when he had wrongfully taken landeâ—â— offices from diuers and caste theym all 〈◊〉 pryson and woulde not heare any 〈◊〉 speake for them At lengthe by much 〈…〉 whan Platina him selfe came to him 〈◊〉 coulde get no help at the laste he 〈◊〉 of the Pope that he might be hearde 〈◊〉 by his owne lawe Then the 〈◊〉 lokinge cruelly on him sayde what 〈◊〉 thou me of the lawe doest thou not 〈◊〉 that whatsoeuer I say is law Am not 〈◊〉 sainct Peters Uicar and all lawes are 〈◊〉 in my breste and I can not erre whatsoeuer I saye Am I not Pope and may disanull the decrees of my predecessours 〈◊〉 do what me lust Thus it shall be thus I am determined Thus speake holy Popes when simple men aske their right or tell them of any faultes their proude stomackes can not abide too bee rebuked of anye man Was not this common also in Englande in the Papistes mouthes when the Gospell was preached to deface the 〈◊〉 Who are your Preachers nowe but yoÌ„g men vnlerned and not skilled in the Doctours And who teaches the other old learninge but my lorde Bishop maister Doctour auncient Batchelers in Diuinite proue it by the auncient writers These are gay glorious woordes in deede if they had ben true but although yonge men did teache yet their doctrine was moste wholsome and approued by the scriptures and all good writers whiche is moste to Gods glorie that opened the mouthes of yonglinges to confounde the dotinge of olde fooles Simple men confirmed with their bloude and constant deathes that whiche before bothe maister doctour and my lord Bishoppe also allowed and taughte with mouthe and handes subscribinge vntyll contrary rulers arose but than for flatterie and their belly they destroied thesame with all their mighte and power that thei taught before So whan and howe often soeuer the world shal chaunge the most of theÌ„ as meÌ„ without conscience will be ready to do the lyke and make a face as thoughe they beleued thesame to be true but not one of theym will auenture his bodye to be burned for the dirty dregges of Poperye and yet are they not ashamed to teache and maintain thesame with fyre and swoorde so longe as the worlde is on their side There is scarce a more certain argument of an obstinate Papist then to loke how simple a maÌ„ he is that preaches and not to beleue his doctrine for the simplenes of the man nor too looke at the thinge whiche he teaches how true it is and spoken by God Let all Christians heare and be contentâ— with Christes holy worde as most only sufficient doctrine to saue our soules and disdayn none that bringes it be he 〈◊〉 so simple Saincte Paule sayeth Christe died for oure sinnes and rose for our righteousnes where this is one of the greatest treasures that we haue by Christe to be made righteous by hym marke whoâ— were the firste preachers of it Mary Magdalene and the other wemen whiche weÌ„t earely in the morning with ointments to the Sepulchre they se Christ first of all other after his Resurrection and wer sent to teache it to the
our appointed time If this were well considered it woulde make our proude Peacockes feathers too fall when we remember frome whence we come and whither we shall and how we be not able too thinke of oure selues a good thoughte but that all oure goodnes is geuen vs of God and vnto him we bee traytours and theeues if we be proude of his giftes and geue not him worthy thaÌ„kes for them but take the prayse to oure selues Thus by degrees doth God encrease his plages and threatning not destroying vs at the firste but by layinge on vs one litle rodde at the first he biddeth warneth vs to beware of the next for that wil be greater if we amend not this he doth by his other Prophetes also In Osee he coÌ„pares hym self to the mothe Lyon in punishing for the mothe doth not eate vp clothes hastely but by leasur by litle and litle but the Lyon deuoureth vp all at once So saieth God I will be no more onely as a mothe in clothes in punishing you so gently and by leasure for by that gentle kynde of punishinge ye waxe wors◠〈◊〉 worse but I will come now as a LioÌ„ and destroye you quickely for ye abuse my geÌ„tlenes and I can not hold my handes any longer beside you Lorde soften oure harâ— hearts that wher we be gilty in thesame fault of negligent buyldinge thy house we may heare and feare those great 〈◊〉 teninges towardes vs wee maye driâ—â—â— thee and obtayne mercy for our sins paâ—â— and here after be more diligente too serue thee verse 12 Then Zerobabel the sonne of Salathiel and Iosua yâ— sonne of Iehozadac the hyghe Priest and all the remnauÌ„t of the people gaue eare vnto the voyce of the Lorde their God and vnto the woordes of Aggens the Prophete â—â— as much that the Lord their God sent hym and the people were afraid in the sight of God verse 13 13 And Aggeus the messenger of the Lorde sayd in the messages of the Lorde to the people sayinge I am with you saieth the Lorde ¶ Hitherto from the beginninge hathe ben nothinge but chydinge and threateninge for their greate negligence in buyldinge Gods house nowe folowes the profite and commoditie that came by suche a sharpe kynde of rebukinge They began to geue eare vnto it marke it and were afrayde too heare and consider those plages whiche yet hanged ouer their heads they beleued those sayinges too bee true whiche Aggeus sayde vnto them and thei â—eared God This is the ordinary way that God vseth to teache by whiche the scripture sets before vs to learne too beleue in God and feare him First to rebuke sinne and declare the anger of God towardes sinners and preache repeÌ„taunce as Ihon Baptist and oure sauioure Christe began to preache repent the kyngdome of God is at haÌ„de Fayth commeth by hearing saith sainct Paule and hearinge by the woorde of God therefore he that will beleue and haue his fayth encreased must be diligent in the scriptures too heare sermons and marke what God saieth vntoo vs there What maruayl is it if the Papistes haue so litle faith seing thei reade not the scripture and hold opinion that it is not necessary yea not to be suffered that the scripture should be muche read or taughte but the Popes lawes customes and decrâ—es The whole scripture hath these .ii. chiefe partes into the whiche it is deuided the lawe and the Gospell the lawe contaynes properly the setting forth of sinne threatninges curses Gods anger toward sinâ—â— remorse of conscience for thesame daÌ„nation hel despaire the Gospel contains coÌ„fort hope forgeuenesse mercies in Christ heauen saluation agrement with God Thus teaches s. Paule sayinge the lawe workes anger within a man in conscieÌ„ce towards him self for displeasing his 〈◊〉 God and also declares what is sinne the angre and iust iudgement of God for sin By the law comes the knowledge of syn Agayn he saieth I had not knowen coueting lusting and desiring for any vnlawfull thing to haue ben sinne except the law had said thou shalt not lust nor couet The gospel is the power of God to saue al that beleue in Christ whiche saieth come to me all ye that laboure and are laden I will refreshe you thus God loued the worlde that he gaue his onelye begotten sonne c. with many suche like promises as if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father c. this profit came here to this people by preaching the law of God and threatninges vnto theym that they whiche were afore so forgetful of their duties now hearing the great anger vengeaunce of God that hanged ouer their heads ready to fal on them it styrred them vp to do their duties and fear God Thus maye we here se the fonde tender eares of them which would not heare nor haue the law preached but all together the swete comfortable promises mercies in Christ nor can not abide the anger of God iuste iudgement for sinne to be taught saying it bringes a man into dispaire and that it is not nowe in the time of grace mete too be preached A man as he is made of bodye soule so hath he the lawe geuen hym too beate doune the lustes of the fleshe and keepe hym in due feare to his Lorde and God least the soule should despaire when it coÌ„siders the greatnes of the sinne whiche the fleshe and mynde drawes hym to he hath the coÌ„fort of Christ offered vnto him in the gospell So least we be proud forget God we haue the lawe geuen too set before vs the righteousnesse of those thinges which God requires of vs oure weake vnableâ—nes to fulfill thesame and the righteous sentence of deathe and Gods anger proâ—nounced vpon all that fulfill not thesame lawe But least we shoulde despayre 〈◊〉 haue the vnspeakeable mercies of God â—â—â—fered vnto vs in his sonne whiche by hys death hath conquered death and paied the full price for the sins of the whole world He biddeth vs when we feele oure owne weakenes vnablenes to fulfill his law to come vnto hym aske help and mercy at his handes and doubte not thereof but it shal be graunted For as we see in iudgementes here amongest vs there is a royal seate set where the iudge sittes he that is accused standes at the barre holdes vp his hande heares his enditement redde witnes is broughte in againste him and â—â— iustly condempned to death so we shal see Iesus Christe the righteous iudge of the worlde that will not be brybed sit in hys seate of maiesty at the laste daye all the companye of Aungels about him and we shall stande at the barre as accused enâ—yted for breakinge that righteous lawe of his woorde the deuill whiche entised vs so to do shal beare witnes that to be true yea and our own conscience also the feaâ— of
Apostles and Peter Shoulde we not beleue this resurrection because that wemē taught it first Apollo a mightye learned man in the scriptures submitted hym selfe to be further taught in true religion of Priscilla and Aquila◠simple man his wyfe Timothy Ihon the Euangeliste were bothe verye yonge when they were called to be preachers Peter the elder Apostle is content to be rebuked of Paull his yonger Iudith that good woman corrected the Elders Priestes and Rulers in Bethulia mistrusting Gods helpe and prouidence for them whē they woulde yelde vp the Citye Dauid a man accordinge to Gods owne heart heares most willingly the Prophet Nathan rebuke hym who was of muche lesse estimation then he And kynge Ezechias heareth Esai rebuke him of his faultes These and suche other examples be written to teach vs that the elder in what authoritie so euer he be or by what name so euer he be called shoulde willingly suffer the iuste rebuke of the yonger bringinge the woorde of God for hym Further where he addes this twyse sayinge the Lorde their God the Lorde their God it is verye comfortable for all sinners that haue longe lyen in sinne that they shoulde not dispaire of Goddes mercie but spedely turne by repentaunce The longe sufferinge of God is farre aboue our desertes had suffered this people thus longe to lye in sin yet had not caste them of but doth vouchesafe to send his Prophet to thē to rebuke them stirre them vp to their duties calling him selfe their God whiche had forgottē forgeuen all their former disobedience who nowe was woulde continue their good gracious and mercifull Lorde and God styll Who can dispaire too obtayne grace and pardon for all his greate offences seinge set before him the louinge gētlenes of oure good God and maister which offereth vndesired his mercies so plētifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people his free pardon A poena et culpa from all payne due to sinne or the gylte thereof whiche alsoo calles him selfe their God and by continual earnest cryinge of this his Prophete awakes them out of this deadde sleepe of sinne wherein they had lyen so long and left his house vnbuylded It is commonly saide saieth Ieremye if a man put away◠his wyfe for adulterye will he take her agayne yet thou sayeth God to his people although thou hast played the harlot with many hoores yet turn vnto me and I wil receiue thee againe sayeth the Lorde thy God O mercifull Lorde praysed be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberall promises offered vnto vs in thy sonne Christ Iesu oure Lorde Thou standest at the doore of our conscience knockinge too be let in offeringe thy selfe to dwell with vs if we would receiue thee There is no time so longe that a man hath run from God in nor any time so short to aske forgeuenes but if he will turne God is ready to forgeue him The Gentiles hadde lien in synne aboue foure thousande yeares from the beginninge of the worlde to the deathe of Christe withoute any true teachinge or knowledge of God and yet whan they receiued the Gospell by the preaching of the Apostles they were most gently receiued of Christe into the number of his people The thefe hanginge on Christes right hand on the crosse askinge mercy in the houre of deathe obtained it So that neither the greatnes of sinne nor the longe tyme that man hathe continued in it nor the shortnes of tyme to aske forgeuenes in can stoppe the great vnspeakeable mercies of God to pardō the sinnes of the whole worlde Why should we than mistrust the goodnes of our God seinge he is the maker of thesame lawe whereby we shal be iudged also able to dispence withal pardon the breakers of thesame lawe if he will who also shal be Iudge and Executer of thesame lawe as pleases him But that the people should rather beleue his woorde he saieth the Lorde their God sente him no straunge God but the mightie God of hostes and the liuing God of Israel nor he ranne not before he was sent but soberly looked for the callinge of God and then did his message faithfullye This is an example for all ministers too folowe that they doo not with bribery or flattery thrust them selues into any office but paciently tary the calling of the Lord their God which can and wil call them at suche tyme as he iudges them necessarye to serue him Who woulde be so bolde to bye a Benefice or flatter for a Bishoprike if he did thinke them to be offices in Gods house and that they must make a count to God for his people He that comes before he be sent for oftentimes comes before he be welcome and he that climbes in at the wyndowe is a thefe for the doore is made to come in by But because these Popishe prollers seke not the profit of the flocke but to fyll their bellies thei care not how thei come by it so they maye haue it and thinke they haue done God good seruice the people well content when they teache them neuer a woord of scripture but haue saide Masse made cōiured water or song an Antiphone of our Lady If they hadde this true stedfaste opinion of God as they ought to haue that he were a louinge father to his household and a wise maister that could and woulde set wise Stuardes ouer his house and that whosoeuer presumed to take any office in his house vncalled were a theefe and should be sharpelye punished A man coulde not hire them for money to take any cure of teaching Gods people vntill they were inward moued of God to do it for loue to the people not for their owne gayne Thei woulde also prouide to be ordinarely called by man leaste he which should teache and se others kepe good order should be proued the first breaker of all good lawes orders If a straunger shoulde violently thrust in him self to be the Shepeheard of thy shepe thou wouldest aske him whoo sent for him what he had to do there and thou wouldest rather thinke him to be a thefe and a murtherer of thy Sheepe then a trusty seruaunt So surely if thou come to take charge of gods people before he inwardly moue thy conscience to pitie hys people and outwardly by order cal and place thee where he thinkes good he will iudge thee a theefe a Wolfe a deuourer and not a feeder After they hearde that the woorde of God was sent vnto them by Aggeus and had wayed and considered diligently how true his sayinges were that so many yeares they had suffered soo greate plagues they beganne so feare and beleue that the threateninges folowinge woulde alsoo proue true and than they humbled theym selues in the sight of God and were afraid in dede This profit had thei by hearing the word of God that thei knowledged their owne sinnes that thei
¶ Aggeus and Abdias Prophetes the one corrected the other newly added and both at large declared The earnest loue that I beare to thy house hath eaten me Psal. lxix Ioan. ii Phinees hath tourned awaye my anger because he was moued with loue of me Num. xxv Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres 1562. ¶ A Preface to al that loue the earnest promotinge of Gods glorye in his Churche by true religion ALthoughe the commen vsage of dedicating bookes is to require the defense of some woorthye personage of learnynge or authoritye for the thing that it is written yet the maiestie of the matter in thys boke is such that it rather defendes than sekes defence and thexample of the Prophet whych wrytes it not to one but manye suffers me not to sende it to any one sorte of menne particularly but generallye to all that should vnfeinedly promote the encrease of Gods glory bicause all degrees of men do owe a dutye to the buildinge of this gods house And if anye offence be taken as God knowes none is purposelye giuen the defence of manye is greater than of a fewe and that authoritye or credite which one manne alone can not bring to passe al iointly together shal more easely obtaine The Prophet is sent from God to the Prince the highe Priest and the people so I speake to the rulers the ministers and comminalty The cheef intent of his Prophecie is to stirre all to the spedye buildinge of Gods house whiche they had so long neglected my labour is to bring some of euery sort for al is not possible to an earnest fortheringe of gods true religion of late most mercifullye restored vnto vs which not long agoe most cruellye was persecuted of manye yet hated and of euery man almost now to coldlye folowed and practised But if this Prophecy were read and depelye considered with such a hungry desire of gods glorye as the Prophete spake and wrote it and I for my parte and pore abilitie haue declared it I doute not but the good should be stirred by gods spirit more earnestly to seke gods glory the froward shuld be afrayed of gods plague ashamed stubbernely to striue against the trueth cōtinually The state of religion in these our miserable dayes is much like to the troublesom time that this Prophet liued in God graunt that after many greuous stormes it may take like roote in vs as it did than in them After the long captiuity of gods people in Babilon god gaue them gracyous king Cyrus which set them at liberty and sent them home to builde Goddes house So after our longe Romish slauerye God raysed vs vp good kynges which restored vs gods booke that long had bin buried and loused vs from the bondage of straunge gods forreyn powers cruell hipocrites and wicked Idols And as after that short fredome vnder good Cirus ensued the crueltye of Hamman for negligently handling gods buildinge And not long after milde Ester came blouddy Antiochus for their falling from god So for our talking gospel and not worthely walking nor folowing it vnder our gracyous late Iosias crept out a swarm of Romish waspes stinging to death all that would not worship their Gods nor beleue their doctrine God for his mercies sake graūt that now for our vnthankful coldnes in gods cause vnder our myld Ester burst not out again bloudy Antiochus with his whelpes iustly to auenge our cold slacknes in gods religion and insensible dulnes Gods word is neuer offered and geuen in vaine or to vse at our pleasure but it workes eyther saluacion in them that here beleue and folowe it or els condemnacion in them that proudely despise it sturdely rebell or forgetfully do heare and vnthankfullye receyue his mercies Therefore as after a storme folowes a calme and after winter comes sommer so nowe where God hath geuen a breathing time lest our weakenes had not bene able to haue borne hys heauy displeasure anye longer let vs earnestlye applye our worke whan we haue time for the nyghte wyll come whan no man shall be able to worke If this be true as it is most true in deede that euerye dede of our sauiour Christ is our instruction also that what thynges soeuer are wrytten they be writtē for our learning as S. Paul teacheth let vs cal to remēbraunce what zele earnest loue our sauiour Christ especially shewed in building his fathers house and restoringe the true vnderstanding of the scriptures frō the supersticious gloses of the Scribes Pharises and also what a feruent desire of promoting gods glory our fathers haue shewed afore vs that we may be good scolers of our schoolemaister Christe Iesus and obedient childrē walking in the steppes of our fathers Oure Lorde and sauyour christ comming into the temple and finding it full of biers sellers and chaungers was greeued to see Gods house so misused gate a whippe and droue them al out saiyng My house is a house of praier but ye haue made it a denne of theues so surely al Christians whiche vnfeynedly◠beare the name of christ and zelously loue the building of his house woulde gladlye see sinne punyshed and lamente that the whip of Gods disciplyne is not shaken in gods house to the driuing out and confusion of all gredy theues which if they can not get in at the dore by lawfull meanes wil climbe in at the wyndowe and for a litle money wil sel the bodyes and soules of Christes sheepe and make gods house the Popes market place But as she that had so much worke to doe that she could◠not tell where to begin sate her downe left al vndone so I say worldly wise men see so many thinges out of order in Gods house and so little hope of redresse that they can not tell which to correct or amēd first and therefore let the whippe lye stil and euery man to do what him lust sin to be vnpunished And not onely this euil reignes but the worlde is come to such a dissolute liberty and negligēt forgetting of god that men sleping in sinne nede not so much a whip to driue anye out of the Churche so fewe come there but they nede a great sorte of whips to driue some fewe thitherwarde For come into a Church on the Sabboth day and ye shall see but few though there be a sermon but the alehouse is euer full Wel worth the Papistes therfore in their kind for they be earnest zelous and painful in their doinges they will build their kingdom more in one yeare with fire and fagot than the colde gospellers will do in seuen A popishe summoner spy or promoter will driue mo to the church with a worde to heare a latin masse than seuen Preachers will brynge in a wekes preaching to heare a godly Sermon If this be not true remember the late dayes of popery and see who durst offend him that weere a shauen crowne Who loked so high
and therefore all these plages haue fallen vpon vs that these people felt yea and more to for all that would holde fast their profession either were caste into the fyre or banished No countrye hays more bely chere thā we we eate as though we were hūgry stylle None hais more store of apparell and yet we be a colde Howe oure money hais waisted if I seke but onely of the sundrye falles of money many can remēber and yet feele the smart of it though I truste muche good shall folow on it The Lord◠for his mercy open oure eyes that we may see and consider the cause of these plages whiche he hath layde on vs soo longe and spedely turne vs to amende those faultes for whiche we be punished For euen frō the highest vnto the poore laboringe man we haue all sinned and one plaged an other yea seruaūts haue thought to waxe wealthy by greate wages takinge litle workinge but as this Prophete saieth their wages was putte into a bottomles purse ▪ they haue not thryuē by it What hath ben the ende of ambicious and couetous men from the hyghest to the lowest whiche neuer beinge contentente with inoughe desired more He whiche is not blinde may se it more amonge vs then all Christendome verse 7 Thus saith the God of hostes consider in your hearts youre owne wayes verse 8 Go vp to the hyll and bringe home tīber builde this house and I will haue delighte in it and I will be glorified sayeth the Lorde ¶ The Prophete hath neuer done inough in bearinge in the authorite and maiestye of his God that sent him with his commission to his people neuer speakes thinge in his owne name but in the beginninge and ending of these short verses addeth the glorious name of God Iehoua calling hym the Lorde of hostes at whose commaundement all creatures be and who will arme all his creaturs to fight against all suche as either do not buylde his house hinder his glori or els stoppe them which woulde further it With suche woordes of feare power must all stubborn stomakes be pulled downe thei whiche wil not be ouercome by gētlenes to do their duty must be feared with authorite Thus must preachers learn to tēper their tūgs neuer to speake but that which they find in Gods booke where the people be hard harted to beleue stifnecked to heare they muste vse suche woordes of gods maiestie power which will make stony hartes to trēble where feare raignes ther to cōfort raise thē vp bi the gētle louīg mercies of god offered to the world in his sonne Iesus christ our Lord. And yet once again he referres thē to their own iudgmēt bids them cōsider in their own hartes their own waies be iudges them selues As if he should saye hitherto haue ye folowed your own desires haue had no profit in so doing but being sūdry wise plaged ye haue not cōsidered it Nothing that ye haue gone aboute hath prospered with you your fruite of the earth hath not encreased your meat drink hath not fed you youre clothes hath not kepte you warm your money wasted in your purse ye could not tell how But now buyld my house and marke your owne doings wel whether euery thing shall not be blessed encrease that ye go about I wil be delited in your buylding I will shew my glorie to the whole world amonge you in defending you that my house worship ther. I wil be your God ye shal be my people no enemies shal ouercome you the earthe shal be fruitful vnto you your meat drink clothes money shal fede and norish you chuse you whether ye wil let my house lye vnbuylded stil still be plaged or ye will repare it diligently and be blessed Go vp to the hyl bringe home tymbr◠and buylde this house these three thinges God requires of theym and he promises them twoo blessinges for them firste that he will be delited in that house buylding than that he wil shewe his glory amōgest them For these causes rather than for worldly profit they shoulde be more earnestly stirred to do their duety whan they were certaine that they pleased God in so doinge The hil that he wils them to goe too is Libanus as appeares in Esdras whiche is not within the bonds of Iewry but of Tyrus and Sidon for there grewe the fairest trees of any countrye Frome thence had Salomō trees in his time also for thesame buyldinge This figure doeth teache vs that as Gods temple was than buylded of trees that grew amonges the Heathen people so whā the full time was comen Christes churche shoulde be buylded of the Gentiles and Heathen people whan the gospel shoulde be preached thorough all the worlde And this is confortable for vs the although we be not born of Iewes yet we be trees meete too buylde gods house on god wils vs to be brought home to him by the preaching of his word that we maye be partakers of that house wherein he wil dwel and he delited in vs ▪ and amonge whome he wil shew his glorie He bids them climbe vp the hill draw home trees and buyld the house which al be woords of great labour and pains and speakes nothing of the easier sorte of work as deuisinge casting the worke framing the postes c. But willes them not to refuse the greatest laboure that belonges theretoo and that nothinge shoulde bee thought painfull that God commaundes And he bids them not loke for any greate worldly wealth whan they had done although God of his goodnes woulde geue them that beside but thinke this a sufficient rewarde that God was pleased in their doinges and woulde shew his glory amonge them This is the greatest reward that wee can loke for whan God is delited with vs and happy is that people to whome it falles What haue the Aungelles in heauen more than that God is delited to be amōge them and shew his glorious maiestye too them Thus in buyldinge gods house we maye make of earth heauen and of men Aungels For where God shewes him self glorious there is heauen and we shall be like Aungels delightinge oure selues in praysing our God and god will be delited and dwel with vs shewinge his glorious maiestye to vs be oure god and blesse vs. When they had fallen these trees and caryed them home least they shoulde turn them to their owne vse and buylde their owne houses with them he saieth buylde this house meaning the house of God and temple which god had chosen amonge all other places and where onelye he wille◠them to offer their sacrifices In which we are taughte that we shoulde not turne to oure owne pleasure those thinges which God wil haue dedicate to him selfe and to the buyldinge of his house If England◠hadde not ben so gredye to turne to their owne vse churche
before it come that they may repent and escape as 〈◊〉 saieth the Lorde will do nothinge but â—â— sheweth it first by his seruaunts the Prophetes Before he drouned the worlde â—â— styrred vp Noe whome Peter calles 〈◊〉 eyghte preacher of righteousnes whâ—â— he was making his Arke a hundreth and twenty yeares and tolde them the 〈◊〉 of god towardes theÌ„ for their sinnes 〈◊〉 they might amende and auoide the daâ—â—â—ger comminge by repentaunce so 〈◊〉 laughed at him and fewe cared for hymâ— therfore were al drowned saue eyght pâ—â—sons Lot preached in Sodom and 〈◊〉 they would not amend fire from heauen destroyed them Before the destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonozer God 〈◊〉 manye prophetes manye yeares to warâ—â— them before hande whose writinges also we haue as Esay Ieremy Osee c. and before the laste destruction by the Româ—â—nes Christ himselfe came and also 〈◊〉 his Apostles too teache repentaunce but when all was in vayne then they vtterly perished Haue not we in Englande ben as diligently warned by our preachers almost all in vayne What shall we loke forthen but destructioÌ„ if we amend not Thus God of his endles mercy neuer coÌ„meth sodenly vpon vs to destroye vs but mercifully warnes vs that we be not takeÌ„ in oure sinnes and so perish and euer he stirres vp the sluggish eyther by his spirite worde minister or els his gentle correction to call for his mercy And where he saieth I will call a â—rought or the swoorde vpon the earth c. this kynde of speaking is ofteÌ„ vsed in the scripture and betokeneth nothinge but the power of God that he is able too doe it so easely as to speake a woorde or call for it and that as soone as he spake it so soone it shoulde be done as whan one of vs coÌ„meth at anothers callinge God doth all by his woorde and to saye a thinge is too do it with him and as soone as he saieth the woorde so soone it is done with him Sayinge doinge are two diuers things with vs and muche payne we take to doe a thinge after it be spoken but with God it is not so but as the Psalme saieth he spake and al thinges were made he commaunded and they were created Moyses speaketh more playnely in the making of the worlde and saieth God said let ther be light made let there be made the Sunne and starres beastes and fysshes and they were made straight wayes So when God brought Nabuchodonozor to destroy Ierâ—salem and the countrye he said he woulde call hysse or whistle him from the North and he should come God called he came So all other things drought huÌ„ger plage sworde do tarye and wayte for Gods câ—â—linge and as soone as he whystles they come straighte and nothing dare or canne withstande his callinge as Dauid saieth fyre hayle snowe yse tempestes which doe his commaundement Seing therfore his threatninge is not to destroye but too saue and bringe vs to repentaunce let vs turne by time that he be not weary of callinge and desyre hym not to order vs accordinge to his iustice but after his endelesse mercies for els shall that bee true of Salomon I called and ye refused therfore I will laugh at your destruction saith the Lorde And where God threatens to destroye wheat wyne oyle all fruits of the earth â–ª and labour of man yea man him self and beast for not building his house Let â—s consider the horrible filthines of this sin especially in not buildinge his house that it will not let anye creature of God serue man so longe as he thus displeases God This sinne doth not onely stoppe the fruites of the earth but it flieth vp to heauen and locks it vp and so hardeÌ„s the cloudes that no raine nor dewe can be wrong oute to moysten the ground withall Suche is the iust iudgement of God that wher God of his mercy made all thinges in heauen earthe Sunne Moone Starres Cattell Fishe foule corne herbes and trees too serue man so that man would serue him reuerence feare and worship him as hys onely Lord and God maker and sauiour so when he did disobeye him serued God of his owne deuising or brake his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes he shoulde haue those creaturs whiche God appointed to serue him at the first to disobey him to rebel against hym and as it were to auenge Gods quarel vpoÌ„ that man which disobeyed the liuing God their Lord maister and they would not willingly serue hym whiche woulde not willingly serue obey their God kinge When AdaÌ„ was in Paradise as loÌ„ge as he obeyed God so loÌ„g all creatures obeied him as apoiÌ„ted of God to be their lord ruler as the Psalme saieth thou haste made all thinges subiect vnder his feete shepe and oxen and all beastes of the fielde birds of the ayre and fishes of the sea but so soone as he brake Gods commaundemente and eate of the fruite whiche God forbad hym all thinges began to disobey him and as it were would auenge that disobedience done againste God their maker The earth woulde not bring forth her good fruit willingly but weedeÌ„s braÌ„bleâ— and bryers no kinde of beastes woulde obeye him but waxed wilde and rebelled againste him The tokens of this iust punishment remaines on vs to this daye shall to the worldes ende The earth will bringe forth no good fruit willingly but with muche labour toylinge tillinge duÌ„ginge barowinge sowinge c. as though it shoulde saye too man I will not serue thee nor yet willingli geue thee any fruit at all So neither horse dog oxe nor shepe nor any other liuinge thing is tame at the first to obey man but it must haue many stripes or it will be broughte to any good order to serue him And many beastes as Lions Beares Wolues be so wilde that they will not serue man at all but still remaine his continuall enemies alwayes ready to deuour him As often as we see any of these ferce beastes whiche are foâ— cruell we shoulde remeÌ„ber the firste cause why they were so turned and bee so ferce againste vs and we shoulde then lamente oure sinne whiche was the onely cause of this so greate a plage and chaunge God hath left them amongst vs to be our scholemaisters that when we se and consider them to be so ready too take vengeaunce vpon vs for oure disobedience to God wee shoulde muche more feare God him selfe whiche is a more righteous iudge bothe is able and wil punish vs more greuously then they do or can if we repente not and aske mercy by time These cruell beastes are set before vs for examples of greater thinges that as we feare to fall intoo the daunger of these raueninge beastes â–ª so we shoulde muche more feare too fall into the handes of the almightie and liuinge God whose anger is a thousande tymes more greuous than the cruelnes of
had offeÌ„ded the gracious goodnes and maiesty of God in not regardinge his house so manye yeares and for feare than they began to take in hande agayne that woorke wherewith they were so straitly charged Thus faithe comes by hearinge the woorde of God and by hearinge geuing eare to his threatnings our slowe sluggishe dulnes is raysed vp to take in hande Gods woorke and builde his house How necessarie feare is Dauid teaches saying feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisdome So nowe when they feared these threatninges they waxed wise turned to the Lorde Truth it is that the anger of God is not alwayes to be taught that it bringes not a man to perfection for Dauid calleth the feare of the God but the beginninge of wisedome and not the perfection thereof and sainct Ihon sayeth perfecte charitie castes oute feare But yet it is the ordinarie waye to pull doune proud stomackes and to bringe them to knowe their owne vilenes and it also stirres vp slouthfull myndes to be more diligent to do their duties Sainct Paull sayeth the law is a scholemaster to bring vs to Christ that where we see oure selues iustly condempned by gods righteous lawe that we be not able to stande in iudgement with him nor aunswere one thinge for a thousande that shal be layde agaynste vs wee shoulde runne to Christ for pardon coÌ„fessinge oure faultes and aske mercie Thus they had the righte vse of the lawe not bringinge them too dispayre with all these threateninges but comfortinge theÌ„ to go to God and coÌ„fesse their sinnes and hope for merci in Christ. Sainct Augustin compares feare to the bristel whiche is on the shomakers thrid the bristle goeth thorowe the hole firste but it drawes alonge and a stronge thred after it so the feare of gods vengeaunce firste goeth before and throwes doune a man in his owne sighte and then foloweth the long thred of gods mercies in Christe offered too the hole worlde The scripture teaches twoo sortes of feare The one whiche is godly when we feare oure God with loue and reuerence woulde not displease him for the loue we beare him and this remaines for euer as Dauid sayes The holy feare of the Lorde continues for euer On other kinde of fear is not to doe well for the loue of God and goodnes it selfe but that we maye escape punishment as the thefe will not steale not for loue of anye righteousnes or reuerence to God but to escape the galowes This is that feare whiche can not stande with perfect charitie but 〈◊〉 cast out Feare in a mans mynde is like to the thunder in the ayre For as when the ayre is couered with cloudes the Sunne darkened tempestes begin too arise lighteninges fyrâ— flye from heauen rumblinge and noise is in the ayre the cloudes burstes the thuÌ„der cracke comes the raine falles straight folowes Sunne shine and fayre weather So when a man for feare of his sinnes in conscience lyes flatte doune in the sighte of God confessinge his sinne as one oppressed with the burden vylenes therof complaines to God accuses him selfe grâ—nes sobbes and sighes like the thunder cracke dare not loke vp towardes heaâ—â—â— for his wickednes but condemnes hym selfe at the laste burstes out on wepinge the teares like rayn droppes come tricklinge doune his cheekes straighte wayes folowes quietnes of mind God offers him pardon and clerenes of conscience with wondering and praysinge the vnspeakeable goodnes of God for his mercies comfort in Christ his sonne offered to suche troubled conscience In the latter verse is first declared the worthines authoritie hye title rule geuen to the preachers for the coÌ„mendation of their office Aggeus here is called the AuÌ„gell of the Lord as some in Englishe doo translate it or the messenger or Embassadour whiche signifie all one thing vnto vs. So these names with suche like are geuen to preachers in the scriptur to set forth the highnes of their vocation and authoritie that God calleth them to The worldly wise men considering the decay of the lyuing of Bishops and Priestes that they be not so muche estemed and as wealthye as when thei were loytering lordely vnpreaching Prelates and ruled all woulde saye Shall I make my sonne a minister and when I haue spente all that I haue on hym he shall neither bee able too helpe my other chyldren nor yet scarce able too liue him selfe but shall be disdayned of all sortes of menne and if he preache the truthe he shall be in ieopardye of his life Or shall I marry my doughter to a priest with suche like vncomely sayinges naye I trowe not there is more profite by the lawe or Phisicke yea if he be but a penclarke an Auditoure or Deceiuer I will prouide for him better any of these waies The goodes of the Churche are the 〈◊〉 of the poore woo therfore be to them 〈◊〉 robbe the church so by impropriacioÌ„s thâ—â— neither the minister nor the poore can hee releued For by that meanes the necessâ—â—â— foode of the preacher is geuen to ydle bâ—â—lyes and these worldlinges declare them selues too desire nothinge but worldelyâ— wealth in thus doing or so saying But iâ— they marke this other places of the scriptures woulde haue their chyldren made worshipfull they shall finde mo worshipfull names geuen too the preachinge minister then to any one forte of men The noblest creatures that God hathe made be the heauenly spirites and Aungels whiche be alwaies in heauen moste happy for the continuall beholdinge of his glory and for their office sake are choseâ— and called Aungels because they be sent on his message and do moste willingly 〈◊〉 at his commaundement This woorde Aungell betokens not the substaunce of the creature but the office and is a Greke woorde signifyinge a messenger or Eâ—bassadour this name AuÌ„gell was coÌ„moÌ„ly vsed to be geuen to these heauenly messengers whom God seÌ„des his message froÌ„ his holy place of maiestie as Gabriel the Aungell was sent to the virgin Marye other to Ioseph Daniel Moises c. This name is also geuen to the preachers for the heauenly comfort that they bring to man froÌ„ God whose messengers they be In the Reuelation of sainct Ihon writes to the seuen aungls that is to saye to the seuen ministers of the seuen congregagations or â—hurches in Asia Ihon Beptist was called the aungel of the Lorde or Embassadour sent to prepare his wayes And whome do kynges vse to sende Embassadours but suche as be faithfull and trusty whome they loue and to whome thei dare commit secrete waightye matters vnto What can be more worshipful then to be Gods Embassadour in suche trust with hym that God will vouchesafe too sende hym on his message Saincte Paule desyres the Ephesians to praye for hym that he might haue vtteraunce geuen hym to speake and preache the Gospell
God sayde vntoo him that he woulde sende him to kinge Pharao to deliuer hys people he was afraide merueyled yâ— he being but a shepeheard should be sent on such a message to so mighty a prince But after that God had promised him that he woulde be with him he was encouraged and toke in hande to go to Pharao on his embassage to lead Gods people oute of Egipt When God sent his Aungell too Gedeon threashing his corne and sayd he shoulde deliuer the people from their enemies which inuaded their countrye and laye as thicke in nuÌ„ber as Greshoppers do in the fielde Gedeon doubted at the matter vntyll such time as God said vnto him that he wold be with him And after triall of his fayth in the promise made vnto him he durst with .100 naked men hauing no weapons but earthen pottes a fire braÌ„d horns in their haÌ„ds set on their enemies which fledde all awaye as soone as they hearde the pâ—t sheardes knocked together Oure sauioure Christe after hys Ascencion sending his Apostles into the whole worlde to preache and baptise addeth no greater thinge to comforte them with all in this great and daungerous enterprise that so fewe vnlearned men shoulde conquere the whole world but saythe behold I am with you euen too the ende of the worlde What good successe their preachinge had we at this present daye yet feele and see and also howe he is presente alwayes with his euen too the ende and howe true his prayer is that he didde not praye onely for his Apostles but for all that should beleue on hym by their preachinge WhaÌ„ sainct Paule sayeth that he was perswaded that neither nakednes pryson huÌ„ger persecution nor lyfe neither deathe aungels nor powers could pull hym from the loue in Christ Iesu He had nothinge is strengthen hym self withall but that God promised that he was with him and then he boldely sayde if God bee with vs whoo can be against vs All be but dust worms and vylenes in his sight nothing can preuayle againste those whome he doeth assist with his grace Therfore whan we doubte to take in hande anye good woorke whiche agrees with the woorde of God for any worldlye reasons or carnal fear let vs styrre vp our fayth and heare God speaking and saying vnto vs I am with you be ye not afrayd If thy conscience beare thee sure witnes that thou sekest nothinge but the glory of God the profite of his people no doubt God will asist thee in suche enterprises offers this hys promise to thee also sayinge I am with thee be not afrayde but go on forwardes and I will blesse thy doinges seme it neuer so hard or vnpossible to thee verse 14 The Lord waked vp the spite of Zerubabel sonne of Salathiel prince of Iuda and the spirite of Iosua sonne of Iosedec the high Prieste the spirite of all the remnauÌ„te of the people and they went and wroughte in the house of the Lorde of Hostes theyr God In the .xxiiij. daye of the sixt moneth in the second year of kynge Darius ¶ This is a notable Metaphore worthely sets foorth the nature of sin in that he saieth the Lord waked vp the spirite of all this people for sinne is a sleepe of the soule hauing no feare nor feling of God so long as a man lyes in it It is nowe tyme saieth sainct Paule to awake out of slepe meaning sinne God in his woord by such outward bodely thinges declares vnto vs the nature of spiritual thinges both good and euill As the dead body lyes rottinge stinking in the graue fearfull to looke on and greuous too remember so when wee lye buried in sinne we stinke in the sight of God he can not abyde to loke at vs nor will remember vs. And as we when the body lieth on slepe in the bedde whiche is an image of our graue can neither se fele heare taste smell vnderstande nor yet moue out of the place vntil we be awaked nor can take any pleasure at al in any one creature of God So when we lye walowinge in sinne we neyther see the maiestie of God with the eyes of oure faythe nor feele hys mercies offered vntoo vs in hys deare sonne and oure onely Sauioure Christe Iesus nor yet can wee taste at al howe sweete the Lorde is Oure eares are stopped from hearing good counsayll we perceiue nothinge at all of Gods goodnes towards vs his word is not sauery vnto vs neither yet bee wee moued or stirred vp too doo anye one good woorke of charitie But nowe it pleased the Lorde pitying their miserie too wake them vp out of thys dead sleepe and sette them in hande with buylding of his house agayne But where he had preached too them both the law the gospell threatnings coÌ„fortes with the plages they were moued to nothing but feare as is saide in the verses before but after they hearde the glad tidinges of the gospell that God promised to be with them then they were awaked out of their sleepe and wroughte lustely So it is the gospell that quickenes and geues lyfe but the law kylles feares and threatens For as after sleepe the bodye being awaked it is freshe lustye stronge and couragious to do his worke so after the fearful threatninges of the law when we heare the gladde tidinges of the gospell that God will be oure Lorde and dwell with vs the minde is comforted strengthened moued vp to do his dutye And as a man is iudged too be wakinge when he canne doe the office of a manne as talke woorke write or suche like so is manne awaked out of the slepe of sinnes when he lyues in charitie feares God walkes accordinge to his lawe in hys vocation Further as wheÌ„ a man lyes in hys dead slepe he can not awake except some noise awaken him or some other call hym 〈◊〉 can we not arise oute of sinne excepte the spirite of God or his preacher which is his watcheman with often cryinge vnto vs awake vs. Crye therefore and feare not saieth Esaye the prophete lifte vp thy voice lyke a trumpette and tell my people their wickednes So that it is the truÌ„pet of Gods woorde continually sounding in oure eares whiche is the onely waye too awake vs out of this sinfull slepe But the Papistes turne thorder and saye cease and crie not holde thee peace sai nought lyue in rest and bee still and so let all goe to hauoc and the people perishe Thus we maye learne here the necessitie of preaching and what inconuenieÌ„ce folowes where it is not vsed Where preachinge fayles saieth Salomon the people perishe therefore let euery man kepe hym selfe in Gods schoolehouse and learne his lesson diligently for as the bodye is norisshed with meate so is the soule with the woorde of God as sainct Mathew saieth A man doeth not liue by bread onely but
they lust in the best pastures and to breake his hedges that in so doinge the sooner they be fat the sooner they may be slayne So God those people whiche he loues not in Christ his sonne he lets them take theyr pleasure correctes them not for their amēdement but lets them woorke their iuste condempnation in geuinge theym vp too their owne lustes Euery father saith the apostle correctes his chyldrē those which he correctes not be bastards And although correction of God seme sharp and bitter for the present tyme ▪ semes to come of hat◠and not of loue yet the ende is sweete louing profitable that he may geue vs his holines A vessel if it be foule muste be scoured before wine be put in it he that wil make his ground fruitfull must first pull vp the weedes before he sowe good seede So by these sharpe medecines of Gods correction muste the bodye be purged that the mynde maye bringe foorth his due fruyte in feare and reuerence Let vs in Englande therfore remember Gods plagues whiche we haue suffered of Gods good wil so longe and many for oure amendement and let vs lamente oure hardenes of heart that haue ben soo greuously longe punished and yet haue not duely considered the heauines of Gods hande nor the greatnes of oure sinnes whiche haue so prouoked his anger vppon vs. We are sufficiently taught by all exāples before vs if we wil learne by these present plages that we feele what a greuous thinge horrible synne it is in Gods sight to leaue Gods house vnbuylte yet lyke vnreasonable beastes and vnsensyble we neyther feare oure good God as ◠Lorde nor loue hym as a father as Malachie sayeth If I be youre Lorde where is the feare ye owe me If I be youre father where is the loue that is due vnto me From hence foorthe God promises too blesse their fruite and woorkes and they had not so great scarsenes before but now they shoulde haue as great plentye So that whan man turnes vntoo God God turnes vntoo hym when man amendes God lookes cherefully on hym where before he was angry whan man leaues sinninge God leaues plaginge whan man buyldes Goddes house and maintaineth his true religion God blesseth his house all that is in it As Moyses teaches If thou heare the voyce of the Lorde thy God to doe his commaundement thou shalte be blessed in the Citie in thy house in the fielde c. And howe came all thys to passe that they were so amended by preachinge rather then plaginge for that whiche coulde not bee obtayned in 40. yeares plagues was gotten in three weekes preachinge Aggeus came the firste daye of the 6. moneth and the 24. of thesame thei beganne to worke so they hadde no more tyme too preache in nor too prepare their tooles in but three weekes and three dayes Suche a stronge thing is the woorde of God sharper then a twoo edged swoorde and pearcinge to the deuision of the minde soule and where it is earnestly receiued it makes many to feare no deathe nor displeasure nor to thinke any thing painfull so that he maye please hys God Therfore let vs haue it in reuerence vse it heare it reade it marke it remember it and practise it for in it is shewed vntoo vs all the counsaill of God and it is sette for a sufficient doctrine to vs to sturre vs vp too the doinge of our dutye and saluation of our soules to the worshipping of God and vnderstanding his goodnes offered vnto vs. Also a worthy example it is to be folowed of all that haue correction of other that when the rodde will not serue to proue wordes and counsayle For often many be suche that they wil do more for a woorde then a stripe and often strokes harden the heart when gentlenes wynnes and perswades verse 20 The woorde of the Lorde was spoken the second time vnto Aggeus in the .xxiiii. daye of the moneth saying verse 21 Speake too Zerubabell the ruler of Iuda saying I wil trouble heauen and earthe also verse 22 And I wil destroy the seate of the Kyngedomes and I will breake in sunder the strengthe of the Kyngdoms of the Heathen and I wyll throwe doune the Chariots and the ryders in them the Horses shall fall doune and the ryders on them and the noblest shal be slayne by the swoorde of hys brother verse 23 In that day saieth the Lord of hoostes I will take thee Zerubabell sonne of Salathiel my seruaunt saieth the Lorde and I will put thee as a signette because I haue chosen thee sayeth the Lord of hoostes ¶ The people of God nowe going diligently aboute to buylde the Lords house and woorkinge at it now three ful monethes did so well please the Lorde that he sent his Prophete twyse on a daie to comforte and encourage them in their doings least they shoulde fainte or bee slacke in goinge forwarde as they were before Such a louing Lord is our good God vnto his people that he will mayntayn and set forwarde all suche as go about diligently to walke in their vocation and buyld hys house to their power Euery moneth from the beginninge of the restoringe of thys Temple they hadde one message or other from God by his Prophete too will them to continue and go forwarde in this well doinge and buylding Gods house In the syxte and seuenth moneth came this Prophete Aggeus with goddes message vnto them as is sayde before In the eyght moneth comes Zacharias the Prophete In the 9. moneth comes this Prophete agayne twyse on a daye frome God with comfortable promises in the 11. moneth comes Zachary againe So whyle they were thus diligent to do their duty God was as ready to shewe them mercye and will be to all whiche do the like as he hath promised that to euery one that hath it shal be geuen Therfore if we be desirous to haue encrease of the Lordes blessinges let vs be diligent to encrease that littel whiche we haue geuen vs first and it shall be encreased to muche more He bringes the Lordes message and not hys owne like a true seruaunt not for money as the Popes pardoners and Priestes do but freely and willinglye comes twise a daye as the Lorde appointes hym Contrariwise if the people folow not the which they be taught God takes his woord and Prophetes from them It is written of a holy father called Felix whiche when certaine desired hym too preache he sayde In time past when men did as they were taughte God opened many preachers mouthes nowe the people will not learne therfore God stoppes their mouthes He is now sent to Zerubabel the prince and chief ruler specially by name but not as though this promise perteined to hym onely and not to the rest of the people but by hym to the rest of the people Under the name of Zerubabel is conteyned
the Pope first seeking aid at princes hands finding fauor ouerwhelmed theÌ„ all at length as the woode bind and vndermining them as the heady waters hais throwen theÌ„ doune these many yeares vnto it pleased God to opeÌ„ the eyes of some few to consider their estate and seke for remedy No kingdom people nor religion that withstode god and his truthe can be found but it hais ben ouerthrowen Babylon the first wurst continued longest yet it had an ende by the Persians The Persians GreciaÌ„s and Romains can not altogether compare in tyme with Babilon yet thei be vainquisshed away Poperi hais troubled gods churche a long tyme but nowe throughe goddeâ— mercy it melts away like snowe afore the sunne But Christ saieth our religion and people professing the same without all kynde of Popish superstition haue ben from the beginninge continued in all ages from time to time and at these dayes the Lords name be praised therefore hole countries do abhorre his abhominations In the middes of all mischief whan euerye kynde of fleshe had so defiled him self that god of iustice drowned the hole world except eight persons yet was there found kept vndefiled and calling vppon the liuinge god with true faythe holye Seth Enos Enoch Noe c. In Idolatrous Chaldae was faithfull Abraham Sarai Nahor and Lot c. In superstitions Egipt liued innocently Iacob and hys sonnes Moises Aaron c In the wildernes wandred in gods feare Iosue Caleb Phines Eleazar c whan the number of gods people encreased in the tyme of the Iudges and kings there were so many godly men found amonge the people beside men of power as GedeoÌ„ Iephthe Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias that thei can not be numbred Against Iesabel stode vp Elias Eliseus Abdias c. In the captiuitie were Esdras Daniel Aggeus Nehemias with many moe Against Haman and Holophernes stode Ester Mardocheus Iudith and Alier What valiaÌ„t warriors the Machabees were against bloudy Antiochus the auncient father Eleazar the manly mother of the vii brether soo cruellye murthered the history declares From Christes time to consider gods stout souldiors it is harder to tell where to beginne than where to make an ende The Apostles and Martirs so cruelly tormeÌ„ted be so many and so wel knowen that they nede not to be rehersed What stormes than can the Pope deuise with his clergy to oppresse deface and ouerthrow god his woorde religion or people Can thei be more cruel thaÌ„ Nero Diocletian Domitian Can rhei passe Iesabel Nebucadnezar Antiochus or suche like beastlye tormentors In the spite of all the mightie persecutours God blessed his Surely their mischeuous malice bloude thirsty tyranny passe all these in madnes and yet if they could passe them selues in cruelty all is vain He is stronger that is with vs than any can be against vs. The deuil is cruel in his meÌ„bers but the louing Lord forsakes not his Let not the wicked thaÌ„ triuÌ„phe nor gods peple be disamaied God our father for loue will trie his people what they will beare for his sake but of mercy he will not lay to heauy loodes on vs nor forsake vs the Lord of strength and power will shew hys glory in our weakenes that by his mightie hande suche weake bodyes may be strengthened to suffer that that passes reason The oftner that the goldsmith tries his gold in the fyre beates knockes it with hys hammer the finer is the gold the more that god tries our faith in the fornace of teÌ„ptation the more he loues vs and the more we glorifie hym The stormy winter caÌ„ not ouerwhelm the fruites of Sommer Weedes be many yet the corne is not deuoured wylde beastes be cruel yet god defends the shiftles sheepe Many fishes be raueners yet the yong fish encreases the Hawkes be gredy yet shifts the littell byrds Dogs hunte folow the chase most gredily â–ª yet escapes safeli the fearfull hare Sommer is raging hoate yet the leaues make a comfortable colde shadow the windâ— blowe boustously yet stand faste the low busshes whan the great ookes are ouerthrowen the waues of the sea are rough hudge yet safelye slips away the slyding shippe the rage of fyre is swaged with water the heady streames are kepte in with bankes Vnruly people are brideled by lawes hote burning feuers are coled by medecines â–ª Thus euer against an extremite God hais prepared a remedy that fearfull man shuld not mistrust gods carefull prouidence that he takes for hym How should proud Popery than thinke too conquere all by might and cruelty that god defendes so fatherly and why should gods people be afraid at euery storme he that smites heales and he that sends trouble gyues strength Let vs therfore pluck vp our stomackes and pray with s. Augustine Dâ— quod iubes iube quod vis Lord giue me streÌ„gth to do and beare that that thou commaundes and commaunde what thou will It is wonderfull to consider the folishnes of the wicked which in politie wold seme so wise The higher that a man climmes the nerer and more daungerous is hys fall the greater weighte that is cast on the soner it breakes the faster a maÌ„ runnes â–ª the sooner he is wery the forther that the bowe is drawen the sooner it flies in peeces The heauier that the cart is loden the slower it goes the hooter that the fyre is the lesse whyle it continues The more greuous that the disease is the shorter it is Tyrannes raygne not long wylde beastes the crueller they be the more thei be hunted and killed In summe No violent thinge can longe endure Yet foolish Papistes thinke wyth cruelty to wishe their will to raygne like lordes of the lande and stablish their kingdom on earth and to bring it so to passe that not onely menne dare not or will not withstande them but willingly beleue folow doe and practise whatsoeuer they commaunde them they can not be so ignorant to not knowe these thinges and wilfully to wishe againste knowledge and conscience muste nedes be a great madnes Gods woord Christian faith and religion is of that nature that the more it is persecuted the more it thriues the more it is hated the more good men loue it the faster that thei be puld from it the more they runne vnto it Let theym therefore consider howe God hais wrought in other kyngdoms ouerthrowing theÌ„ all that set vp them selues against him â–ª and howe yet he works in the naturall course of thinges to teache vs by them his like working for vs spirituall thinges and let theym looke for no lesse aâ— ouerthrowe at gods hande in his appointed time If these things can not perswade them to stai their rage I woulde thei would coÌ„sider to whom thei make them selues seruaunts that thei mighte be ashamed to serue so vile a maister They geue place to the deuill for all cruelti is of him they bâ—â—ome his instruments whereby he workes hys feates they be his slaues
god hadde put these woordes in his mouthe and he was aucthor and Abdyas but the messenger to speake theÌ„ to his people A worthy example for all teachers too folowe that they neuer saye thinge but oute of Gods booke and that they maye saye for euery thinge that they teache Thus sayes the Lorde this sayinge is mooste common in all the Prophetes and to be folowed of all preachers As sainct Peter says if any maÌ„ speake let hym speake but the woords of God But of this enough is sayde in sundrye places of Aggeus Edom vnto whom the Lorde speakes here is all the people of Idumea beinge so called of Edom their fyrst father as the scriptures vses too call the people by the name of the father So were the Iewes called Israell of Iacob whiche was called Israel their olde father Likewise EphraiÌ„ Ioseph Iehuda of these their old auÌ„cetors This Edom is Esau Iacobs brother as he is called in Genesis Esau he is EdoÌ„ and had that name geuen hym for his colour that he had when he was borne or of the colour of the potage for the whiche he solde hys byrthe righte for vnto hys brother Iacob when he was hongrye Esau was also called Seir whiche signifies rough because of the roughnes of his skynne and for this cause these people of EdoÌ„ and their couÌ„trye is sundery tymes in the Prophetes called Seyr also or if we seke forther EdoÌ„ maye haue his name of Adam for they be written bothe with one letters in Ebrew saue that they differ in poinctes Adam signifies to be read wherfore Edom for his crueltie in sheddinge bloudde maye well be so called As oure cardinalles in their readde Scarlet robes whiche be the folowers of these Edomytes do well declare in their apparell the bloude thristie myndes within and theyr outwarde dedes haue declared theym too the whole worlde but they say theyr read apparell signifies they shoulde abyde by the truthe to their bloude shed Adam also betokens a man and one of the common sorte soo these men were not noble afore God whiche is onely the true nobilitie but enemies to hys woorde and hys people Adama signifies also the earthe so that from whence soeuer we shal driue thys woorde Edom and all that be deryued lyke it they signifye no good people but earthy worldly cruel bloud thrystye mortal and abiects Of the two brethreÌ„ Iacob and Esau came these two people the Israelites and the Edomites And as Esau did euer hate and persecute hys brother Iacob so his stocke and posteritie did continually hate and persecute the chyldren of Iacob This is the secrete iudgement of God That of one good father Isaac came two so contrarie chyldren The one so wicked the other so good and this wicked hatred to continue in the heartes of their childers chyldreÌ„ so many ages after but this is to teache vs the free grace of God withoute any desertes on oure parte whan soeuer he cals any to the true knowledge feare of hym and that neyther the goodnes or euelnes of the father that makes a good or an euill chylde for many good fathers haue hadde euill chyldren and euill fathers good chyldren Adam had good Abell and wicked Cain Noe had good SeÌ„ and euill Cham Abraham had bothe the carnall Ismaell and the spirituall Isaac Isaac had the beloued Iacob and the hated Esau. Dauid had both proude Absalon wyse SalomoÌ„ so that the soule of the father is the lordes as well as the soule of the son and the soule that synnes shall perishe not the father for the sonne nor the sonne for the father as the Prophete sayes but euery one â—hal dye in his owne synnes So hays there ben from the beginning in the house and children of one father both good and euill bothe carnall and spirituall where the one hays persecuted the other as there is nowe in the outwarde churche of Christ and company of them that call them selues Christians bothe trewe people and faithfull and also hypocrytes dissemblers cruell persecutors of theyr brethren as these late dayes well declared wher the father persecuted the sonne and the sonne the father the man the wife and the wyfe the man whiche all suche other our sauiour Christ declares to be coÌ„sequentes to the Gospel Therefore can none doubt of the truthe of the Gospel now taught who be the true folowers of the same but he that is wilfully blinde seing all these many other true â—okeÌ„s fulfilled in our days And where he sayes we heard a sayinge frome the Lorde and a message was sent to the Heathen that they should go fight agaiÌ„st EdoÌ„ He declares by what aucthorite these people came to destroye the Edomites not sent by any kynges or the hygh Prieste but it was the Lorde God which would vse Nabuchodonozor hys people for a scourge of his iustice too the punishing of these wicked people It must not be thought straunge that God lettes one people plage an other seing the scriptures is so full of it for as God shewes hys mercy vnto his people by the helpe meanes of other men for God woorkes nothinge without meanes so he does not plage other without some meanes lets one people distroy an other When â—oâ—â—am would haue foughteÌ„ againste Ieroboam for withdrawing .10 Trybes from hym the Lorde spake vnto hym and bad hym he shoulde not fighte with him for the thinge was his dede he willed it shulde be so All gods creaturs be but his seruaÌ„ts to do hys pleasur to help comfort where it please hym and to punish correct trye or distroye where it please hym But all other creatures excepte man doe not synne in destroyinge or hurting man because they haue no euill affection of mynde in doynge it onely man sinnes in his doynges because he addes too hys doynges some euill affection of his owne mynde or els is stirred too it of the deuill So Iob says the Lorde hays geuen the Lorde hays taken away the Lords name be praysed He cals it not the dede of the Sabes or Chaldes that robbed hym but the lordes and yet they sore offended God in so doing for thei did it not to trie Iob as God woulde haue had it but of a gredye couetousnes to robbe hym and a malitious mynde because he was so welthye whiche thinge they disdayned Ioseph says that his brether whiche solde hym to the Ismaelites were not the cause of hys comminge into Egipte but the good wil of God for the Lorde turned the malice of his brether bothe to the promotion of Ioseph and all their comfortes The Lorde therfore nowe when the synne of thys people was rype anâ— when he had tryed longe ynoughe for the amendement of theym and they woulde not turne vntoo Cod but abused his patience and longe sufferinge He sendes foorthe hys messenger too the Heathen aboute to come and iustly to
punish these obstinate people for their longe disobedience it is as well the propertie of God to shew iustice and punishe sinne as mercifully to help the weake and repentaunt heart and mercy is not so in God that iustice is banished As the Lorde sayde he would whistle and with hissinge call for Nabuchodonozor to come and destroye Ierusalem so now he sendes messengers to come bidde them fighte againste Edom. Yet Nabuchodonozor in iustly punishing the Iewes and Edomites and that by the commaundemente of God sore offendeth God because he was proude of the victory cruell in murther and couetuous of spoylinge ambitious in raueinge and neuer thought he had ynough and therfore was his kyngdom afterward distroyed by the iustice of God So the dede as it is of God is good pure and iuste but beinge defiled of vs with addinge our euill affections to it as whan good wyne is put into an euil vessel It is sinne and damnable and yet is God free from all oure sinne wickednes and no causer therof but a hater and reuenger of all wickednes But here is doubted who these be the heard this voyce of the Lorde how thys message was sent to the Gentils To the firste parte I had rather saye that the Prophete speakes of him selfe in the plurall number as though they were many that hearde it whiche kinde of speaking is coÌ„mune in the scripture as Paul sayes If we haue sowen you spirituall thinges is it muche or els that the other Prophetes whiche prophesie againste Edom herde the same sayinge frome God as well as he did and they altogether or Abdias alone in their names saies we heard a sayinge from the Lorde c. And soo this sayinge shoulde be true and the rather beleued because so many did agre in one sayinge Againste Edom prophesied Esai 21.34 Iere. 49. Ezech. 35 â–ª Amos. 1 But moste plainly earnestly and orderly agreinge with this Abdia almooste woorde for woordâ— does Iere. 49. Whose wordes if ye compare with this present prophecie ye shall see the agreinge truthe of Gods spirite in his scripture a great light shal be ministred too this place therby It is no lâ—sse doubt howe this message was sent who was the minister that caried it for some thinke that Abdias was sente with thys Embassage him selfe to stirre vp Nabâ—chodonozor and his people to destroy these Edomites but other to whome I had rather agre thinâ—◠〈…〉 deuil by gods sufferance put intoo the minde of theym too worke his wil and iustice vpon them God calles Nabuchodonozor his seruaunte for suche causes althoughe the deuill moued him to it and sayes that he did him good seruice in executing his iudgemente as the hangman serues the kinge in punisshing offenders and the Ialer in prisoning theÌ„ as wel as other do in their kynde office Yet is God no more the cause of their sin and euil doing than the king is of the offences and roberies of the people but God like a righteous iudge of iustice must nedes punishe suche faultes as other magistrates doe in their common wealth But like as this voice of the lord was not herd by the eares of the body of the Prophetes but put into their myndes by the worke of God as he thought good So I thinke this message was not sente by any man but as whan Embassadors be sent or rumors of warre be certainly spred Kyngs prepare theym selues too warre so these people stirred vp of God by iustice too punishe their sinne and sette forwarde of the deuill to satisfie their wicked desyres ryse vp altogether too fight againste Edom and destroyed it So the Lord vsed the deuill as his Iaylor and hangman to be a lyinge spirite in the mouth of Achabs prophetes and send him to warre that he might there perishe and gods righteous senteÌ„ce be executed wher he sayde that the dogges shoulde licke hys bloude where they did licke vp Naboths Thus God in his scripture speakinge too men vses to speake as men for as menne by messages or rumours of robberies are stirred vp to warre so the Lorde by some mete meane as though it were by messengers woulde stirre vp the Chaldes too destroye Edom. The cause of this warre and destruction was as Ezechiell sayes .35 because the Edomites whiche should haue beÌ„ helpers vnto the Israelites in their trouble because they were not onelye neighboures their kyngdomes ioyninge together but also they came of twoo brethern Iacob Esau whiche thinge shoulde haue knitie them in brotherly loue they did not onely not help them but cruelly persecute them continually I will destroy thee sayes the Lorde and make thee desolate because yâ— hast had a continuall hate against the Israelites and diddest feare them with the swearde in the time of their trouble Amâ—s telles the same cause likewise almoste with the same woorde So thys is the case of Gods people that for their religion they shall haue enemies of their own house kinsfolke and frendes as thys day well declares And oure sauioure Christe sayde he came not to set peace but too deuide the father agaynste the sonne c. Where hatred falles betwixt brethern frendes and specially for religion it is the cruelst hate that can be This hate began betwixt Iacob and Esau for losinge hys blessinge but it continued and encreased with the tyme in their chyldreÌ„ posterite The eldest sonne as the Hebrews wryte had than priuileges afore the yonger as they haue commonly now The eldest thaÌ„ succeded in his fathers authorite was reuerenced of his brethern he had also double porcion of his fathers goods as other say and also enioyed their priesthod wher wordlings that care for nothyng so much as the worlde haue lost their worldly honor authorite how do thei rage sinne Esau whan he hadde loste and solde these thinges he sought his brothers death as our papistes that woulde be counted the elder brether losinge their worldly estimation theyr belly chere and lordlines their wealth and proude priesthode They freat and fume burne and kyll all that gaynesay theÌ„ as the Edomites did But as thaÌ„ for Cain the wicked his sede although the elder brother God chose Abel the yonger Seth and Enos for Ismael the elder Isaac the yonger for Esau Iacob for Ruben Iuda Leui and Dauid the yoÌ„gest of seuen bretherne and as of no reputation in respect of his other brethern but set too kepe shepe so God to pull doune the pride of man in these daies also choses the abiects to setfoorthe his glory refusinge the proude Pharises and disdaining holy hypocrites and at the lengthe will destroye them as he threatens here the Edomites For God to comfort his people that the wicked shoulde not euer prosper the chosen people liue in continuall miseri lest they fall awaye from God through ouer greate aduersities threatens too destroye theyr enemies and deliuer
generally to speake of al the creatures of God whaÌ„ they be loued or trusted in for them selues and not for his cause that made them thei deceiue vs. Consider not therfore the beauti strength wealth commodite pleasur of any creature in it self for thaÌ„ it wil surely deceiue thee but lift vp thy minde to hym that made them for thy vse commodite praise him for his great care that he takes for thee in making of them geuing thee the vse of them so shalt thou not be deceiued by them but receiue profit thy self geuiÌ„g him his due honor whaÌ„ thou knowledges thy God to worke thy saluation pleasure or commodite by such his creatures The Lord hais geuen herbes diuers streÌ„gth to heale diuerse diseases but if in sicknes we trust in the phisicioÌ„ or his medicines wee be deceiued in his good creatures For as Dauid sais It is the Lord that heales our diseases is at our bed side whaÌ„ we be sicke So these people hauing receiued a strong plenteous couÌ„trie at the merciful haÌ„des of God forgat him that gaue it theÌ„ trusted in their owne streÌ„gth wisdom politie so be the fare outwarde show of these thinges pride crept in deceiued theÌ„ made theÌ„ to trust in them selues And wel it mai be saide too haue deceiued theym because it crept in vnder suche a faire preteÌ„se also because wheÌ„ thei loked to haue ben saued by them they were soonest deceiued theyr holdes wherein they trusted were throwen doune their countrie conquired and the people spoiled destroied Thus does all worldly thinges with a goodly outwarde shew deceiue a maÌ„ whan he trustes most in them A horse is a deceitful thing sayes Dauid again some truste in their chariots some in the horses but we trust in the name of our lord God When the people woulde haue gone into Egipt for succour The Prophete saide Egipt is but a rede Golias trusted in his â—arnes streÌ„gth but Dauid in Gods name ouerthrow him Trust not therfore in any worldly thing for it will sure deceiue thee when thou lokes for help of it No truste not in princes be thei neuer so mighty for Nabuchodonozor walking in his gorgious palâ—yce coÌ„sidering his mighty strong citie of Babylon coÌ„teining .16 miles square as Plinie teaches his many kingdoms people that were his subiects thought he shuld neuer haue fallen thaÌ„ sodenly was he cast out of his kingdom liued eate gresse with beastes what could be deuised stroÌ„ger thaÌ„ the towre of Babel but howe sodenly vainquished that vain hope awaye That which is added thou saies in thy heart who shal draw me doun to the earthe teaches vs thus muche that it is not onely these grosse outwarde sinnes as murther thefte horedom and suche like but euen the fine thoughtes of our owne hearts whiche we thinke that none knowes but our selfs whiche God will iudge and be auenged of them Thei did not so much blasphemously crake opeÌ„ly saying who shal draw vs doune as they thought it in their hearts and priuely laughed in their selfes at Gods people being so few hated oppressed and despised of all round about them and thoughte them selfes so stronge that none durst be bolde to touch them Likewise speakes Dauid the wicked manne saide in his hearte there is no God meaninge not soo muche that there was no God or that they didde so openly speake of him as that they thoughte God had no care ouer theÌ„ or knew not thinges done on earth as he says in an other psal is their knowledge in the heighte or who sees vs euen in these grosse sinnes Our sauiour Christe sayes He that lokes at a woman too luste for her hays committed adultery therfore let vs not deceiue oure selfes sayinge thought is free or I maye thinke what I lust or as the Psal. sayes oure lips are oure owne and who is oure God for as God hais creat and made oure hearts and all oure powers of our soules so will he haue a counte of them be seruid with them and haue them to thinke vpoÌ„ his maiestie mercy and goodnes and bee praysed that waies as well as in our outward dedes and if we do vse theÌ„ for other purposes it deserues damnation In the laste verse the Lord makes aunswer w hat shal becom on EdoÌ„ for al their greaie crakes proud lokes stroÌ„g holdes or any thinge that they reioyced in And he saies I wil not only drawe thee doun to the bare earth frome the toppes of the hylles where thou delites thy selfe in thy stronge holdes but if it were possible that thou coulde flie as high as the Egle and buyld thy nest amonge the Starres from thence I woulde drawe thee doune says the Lorde Herein we maye see howe horrible a thinge it is to forsake God henge on oure selfe or trust in any worldly streÌ„gth Let not the wise reioice in his wisedome nor the stronge in his strengthe nor the ryche in his ryches sayes Iere. And these thinges all to be true shall wel appeare in this Prophet proued by particulers for the people had all worldly wealth wherin to reioice but they were deceyued in them al and destroied as here after shall appeare But this is euer the wisedom of the flesh to reioice in thinges contrary to God and therfore is it worthely condemned by hys exaÌ„ple The worldly man says whan hys enemies come against him it is good abiding wtin strong walles se whether thei can flie ouer theÌ„ like birds or vnder mine theÌ„ like conâ—es but the godly man sais with Eliseus being beseged of the king within the citie his boie came told him feare not for there is moe with vs than with theÌ„ Afterward he desired the Lord to opeÌ„ hys boies eies that he mighte see howe many were on their side the Lord gaue him sight he saw the hils ful of AuÌ„gels chariots ready to fight for him beside that the Lord blinded his enemies Eliseus led theÌ„ in to the middest of Samaria amonge theyr enemies where God bade him fede theÌ„ not harme theym for it was not he that had brought them thither but the Lorde hys God The worldly man whaÌ„ persecution comes thinkes shall I leaue my countrie frendes goods go into a strauÌ„ge land I know not whyther and whose laÌ„guage I vnderstand not but the faithful maÌ„ hering God speake to his conscience as he did too AbrahaÌ„ Come out of thy couÌ„trie froÌ„ thy freÌ„ds into a laÌ„d that I wil shew thee serue me fal not to Idolatri he wil obei with faithful AbrahaÌ„ knowing that God wil gide all those that loue folow him that his countrie is whersoeuer God is serued these be his frends cosins that feares the Lorde as our sauior Christ said these be my mother brether sisters that hear the woord of
The coniurers that stode afore Pharao working miracles thought thei shoulde haue defaced Moyses set vp them selues but Pharao was drowned with his hoste Moyses with his people was deliuered and the coniurers grauÌ„ted that the liuinge God wrought in Moyses Achitophel counsailing Absalon to folow his father Dauid that same nighte he beganne to rebell lest in deferringe time he shoulde escape thoughte Absalon shoulde haue ben a kinge but God proued his worldly wise counsaill to be folishnes for whan he see that he was not beloued nor his counsail folowed he went and haÌ„ged him self but Dauid escaped and Absalon was slain Whan Haman had obtained a proclamation for the distroinge of al the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus he thought him selfe wiser than all the worlde and that he shoulde haue ben promoted him self and the people of God spoiled and destroied But Haman was hanged on the same galowes Mardocheus promoted the Iewes deliuered Whan Saul promised Dauid his daughter for the killinge of an hundreth Philistines â–ª not for loue but thinkinge Dauid shoulde haue ben killed him self afore he had kylled so many he thought he had done politicly but Dauid kylled them all maryeâ— hys doughter and was kyng after hym For whiche thinge onely Saul abhorred him The Scribes and Phariseis thinking if Christ were once dead thei should be safe neuer hear tel more of hiÌ„ but after his death thapostles wrought mo miracles in his name than he did him selfe beinge aliue and mo beleued in him after his death than euer did whan he was aliue Thus all the scripture proues plain that that whiche worldly wisedome thinkes best to set vp them selues by and too destroye Gods people is proued too be the destruction of all those that truste in it whan thei loke for moste comfort of their deuise it turnes to their owne hurte as we see it hays chaunced by Gods merciful prouideÌ„ce to our papistes for bringing in the Spaniardes trusting by that people to maintayne their superstitious popery ydell lordly authorite The wisedome of this worlde says the apostle is foolishnes afore God The wiser thou art afore men not hauinge the glorie of God afore thine eyes euer studyinge howe too set foorthe his will to the world the more foole thou art the craftier thou art to set vp thy self the soner thou workes thine own destruction How many of the worldly policie mâ—Ì„ haue ben trapped in their own snare here amoÌ„g vs haue not they whan they were highest in auctorite suffered death by the same their own lawes thus ye se that al worldly wisedoÌ„ againste God is nought that it is no wisedoÌ„ in dede but folishnes And althoughe worldly wittes doe many things wel for a time yet whaÌ„ they trust in it most stande most in nede of it they shal be deceiued as the nexte verse saies Shall I not in that daye destroie saies the Lord the wisemen froÌ„ Edom. c. And as it is in worldly wittes policies that they be all vain whan thei striue against God so is it in the spiritual kingdoÌ„ of Christ in his woord church for the dregges of Poperie with their CanoÌ„s Decrees shal be throwen doune can not alwaies maintaine those idel bealy gods the Popes chaplens but as thei haue ben cast doun by tymes euer so shal thei at length be troden vnder fote to their confusion Like is the case of subtil scholemeÌ„ with their distinctioÌ„s defacing Christ his truth neither settiÌ„g forth the maiestie of God his sonne Christ Iesus nor edifying with coÌ„fortable promises the weak conscieÌ„ces nor opening the misteries of the scriptur but with folish gloses defacing the mercies of God taught in his holy word burdening men with traditions vnwriteÌ„ verities or rather vanities their own dreames phantasies all which God abhorres says al that worship him teching maÌ„s doctrine worship him in vain These all such like conning of the wisedoÌ„ of the flesh be euerlasting death as Paul saies sensual carnall deuelish as Ia. termes theÌ„ mere ignoraÌ„ce of God his mercies for a natural sensual man perceiues not the things of God And to conclude generally all wisedom that settes vp it selfe in any kinde of thinges whatsoeuer it be it is no wisedom it shall confounde all that vse it or truste in it and whan thei would moste gladly enioye it they shall surelye not haue it There is no wisedome nor counsaill againste the Lorde sayes Salomon the Pope with all hys rabel is not so wise to throwe doune Christ as the Scribes and Phariseis were in their time as they were confounded so shall all that rebell agaynste the sonne of God whyche by the mighte of hys holy spirite in the mouthe of his true Apostles disciples and ministers beiÌ„g but poore simple abiects a despised people in the sight of the worlde hais ouerthrowen tyrannes stopped blaspheminge mouths confouÌ„ded the wyse learned and declared his strengthe in oure weaknes that there is no power wisedoÌ„ streÌ„gth nor policie that preuailes against him or his people and because they didde glorie so muche in their wisedom and policie the Lord countes if a glorious thing to throw them doune because the glorie may be geueÌ„ to him alon for such a noble victorie he says Shal I not thrâ—w theym doune as though he should saye No man shall haue the praise of it but I my selfe I will destroye them with myne own haÌ„des in that daye whan thei loke not for it trust moste in them selues The towre of Babel the cytyes Niniue and Ierusalem beinge greate and mightie were sodenlye ouerthrowen whan they thoughte not on it The wisedome of God purposes one thinge and the wisedom of man an other so wisedome shall ouercome wisedome the pride of man shal be ouercomen by the mightye hande of God God taries longe to haue his enemies too turne by repentaunce too see their owne folye and aske forgeuenes but whan he sees there is no remedye nor hope of their amendemente hee comes lyke a sharpe and righteous iudge and vtterly ouerthrowes theim But not onely their wisedom wisemen perished but their stronge men shal be afrayde also because euery noble man amonge theym shoulde be afraide as the laste verse sayes What a case shal these people be in whan neither wysedome nor strength shall serue Theman signifies by interpretation the south and it is also the name of one of their chiefe cities and therfore some translate thy strong men shall be afraide of the southe because Nabuchodonozor came with his hoste frome the south â—o so Babilon stode southward from them or better the strongest men of ThemaÌ„ thy chiefe cytye shall be afrayde and so Ieremie vses it there is no more wisedoÌ„ in ThemaÌ„ it is thought of many learned and that probably that Iob dwelled in this countrie afore Esau was borne and
busshes nor yet youre Orâ— pro 〈◊〉 his could get you Gods blessings but â—â—ther increased his anger â–ª When wereâ—â— compelled to eat acornes for bread but 〈◊〉 your popery falling froÌ„ God WheÌ„ 〈◊〉 Calys lost but in popery WheÌ„ was Bullen gotteÌ„ the Scots vanquished so maÌ„fully as vnder the gospel But this is the greatest plage of all lest regarded of you that the heauenly comfort of Gods worde was locked vp from you coÌ„fortable dew of Gods fauoure did not fall on you nor your earthly harts could bring forth good fruit worke of repentaunce And so that curse was fulfilled on you whiche is written I wil sende a hunger into the earthe not a hunger of breade but a hunger too â—eare the woorde of God that ye shall goe from the East vnto the West to heare it and shall not finde it The good men and true Prophets of God feling what a grief it was to want this dew of Gods woord seing heauen locked vp from the pleÌ„tifull preaching of thesame and desiring the coÌ„ming of Christ and comfortable promises of his gospell crye out O ye heauens send donne your dew from aboue and lette the cloudes rayne righteousnes let the earth be opened bringfoorth the sauiour But God be merciful vnto vs soften our hartes we are come to such a hardnes of hart â–ª that those thinges which good meÌ„ moste desired we most abhorre the gospel which they thought most happines treasur we are weary of it and woulde not haue it The seconde verse the Hebrue 〈◊〉 reades thus I haue called a drought vpon the earth and the hyls c. than it shoulde be nothinge but a repeatinge or an expâ—sition in mo woordes of that dearthâ— and scarcenes that was amonge them and so often spokeÌ„ of before but the Greke which I had rather folowe reades thus I will bring the sworde vpon the earth hyls â–ª c. If oure Hebrue bookes were withoutâ— pointes as theirs were whiche turned it into Greeke these pointes might be will ioyned to whiche signifie so as the Greeke is or els these pointes a litle chaunged 〈◊〉 maye be so translated also as the Greeke reades it I think it better to be an 〈◊〉 singe of the plage whiche God threatenâ— them withall to styrre theÌ„ vp to this buildinge rather then an often rehearsing 〈◊〉 these plages whiche were past And when he names here the hyls if wee reade it a drought as the Hebrue now pointed is it is not so great plage or maruell to see 〈◊〉 hyls barren and drye but if with the Grekâ— we reade the swoorde that is to saye thâ—â— enemies shoulde come and vtterly destroy all and they whiche fledde to the hyls 〈◊〉 saue them selues shoulde not escape 〈◊〉 their Castels and Towers whiche they had buylded in the toppe of Mountaines shoulde defende them it were more wonderfull and woulde strike a greater feare into them stirre them vp soner to buyld this house that they mighte auoyde these great daungers ensuing Thus he would pull them from trustinge in their stronge holdes on the mountaynes or els froÌ„ that holines whiche they put in those hylles within Ierusalem where thei thought no enemies coulde preuaile In Ierusalem were two hils Moria â—n whiche was buylded the temple SioÌ„ where was the kinges palace vnto which bothe God had promised many blessinges and therfore they might thinke theÌ„ selues sure there The Cytye was compassed afore time aboute with three walles with in the innermoste was the temple and the priestes lodginges within the second walle were the Leuites houses the Kinges palace the Uniuersitie houses of learninge .300 or mo within the vttermoste were the marchaÌ„unts and the people and yet their enemies with the sworde shoulde destroye all these There is no place so holy as to defend a wicked man nor the place makes the maÌ„ holye but a good man makes euery place whersoeuer he be holy When Ieremye preached that God would destroi the temple for the wickednes of the priestes the priestes could not abide too heare that but cried out the temple of God the temple of God yet Ieremy said styll he woulde doe vnto the house as he did vnto Silo and destroy it There is no creatur of God so holy but if a man doe abuse it God will geâ—e both him it to his enemies power if thei do not amend God suffered his holy Arke wherin were the tables written with his owne finger Aarons rod a pot full of Manna with other reliquies to be geuen into the Philistines handes for the wickednes of the people the priestes whiche bare it Ophni Phinees Elies sons 〈◊〉 likewise should these holy hyls all of theÌ„ be deuoured with the sworde if they builded not this house of God As long as thâ—â— kept gods true religion God defend them and his temple after it was buylded but when they forsaked Gods word religion God forsaked them gaue them into the handes of Antiochus which defiled the teÌ„ple set vp Idolles in it made a schoole of fence and Heathen learninge of it kylled all those that woulde not folowe him So was this prophecy curse than fulfilled thei destroied but specially when Titus Uespacian with the Romains destroyed it according as Christ said there shoulde not be one stone left standing vpon an other so there should nothing saue them excepte thei would not onely build this house but also defend and maintain his woord and true religion Those with all other lyke are written for vs to kepe vs in dew fear and reuerence to God and his woord least we suffer the like plages as they didde for falling from his holy woorde But here let vs chiefely marke the goodnes of God in this and all his other threatninges for he doth not tel vs this because there is no remedy to escape it but that in hearing this we should repent so escape it All the threatnings of god are to be vnderstand with this condicion if ye doe not repent and amende as Ionas comminge vnto Niniue sayd yet xi dayes Niniue shal be destroyed presupposing if they did not aske merci but thei asked it escaped Ieremy saieth if this people repent theÌ„ of their euil I will repent also saieth God of that euill whiche I purposed to sende vppon them If God were disposed to plage as often as he threatens he would neuer geue warninge nor time too repents in nor promise mercye to theym that repent but woulde sodenly come destroye withoute all mercie And where he workes all for oure 〈◊〉 it were a double sorow bothe to be 〈◊〉 and knowe it so certainly aforeâ—â—â—â— that it caÌ„ not be escaped but he geues theÌ„ and vs this warning that we might 〈◊〉 by repentaunce obtayne mercy in 〈◊〉 God neuer sendes plage into the worâ—â—â— but he geues warninge
to know whether they should be suffered to go forward in their buylding or not But God so moued the kyngs heart that he gaue theÌ„ not onely libertye to buylde but money alsoo to do it with all by the strength of God they had not onely geuen the enterpryse but also went forwarde in their building askinge no licence at all of anye man before they were complayned on This strength hath Gods woord wheÌ„ it is worthelye receiued that it maketh a man to forget his owne profite yea laÌ„des wyfe chyldren goodes and life maÌ„fully to beare death pryione fyre and displeasure of princes so that he maye do his dutye to his Lorde God and escape his displeasure Peter who denied his maister at the voice af a handmayde after he had receiued the holy Ghoste was bolde to confesse hym before lordes and princes euen to the deathe Paule in furious rage of his persecution was striken doune and of a wolfe rose vp a lambe Nicodemus that afore durst not be knowen to be Christes disciple or beare hym any good wil after durst aske the body of Pylate and bouâ—dly buried it Thus where true fayth is geueÌ„ to God commaundinge any thing to be don or to the preachinge of hys woorde it makes of haters louers of fearfull bolde of persecuters preachers and doeth wholye chaunge the nature of manne as Dauid sayeth The lawe of the Lorde is without spot turninge the mindes of men Thys was neither treason nor rebellion against the kynge to do that which God by his prophete so straitly commaunded as was declared and noted before but they were rather traytours to God that had not of soo many yeares gone more earnestly aboute that buildinge of Gods house as God willed them to do And where he calles God their God yet after so great and longe disobedience it commendes vnto vs the long suffering and merciful goodnes of our God that wil not forsake vs for a fault or twoo nor in a yeare or twoo but continually beareth with vs callinge vs to hym by all meanes possible and woulde not one of the leaste too perishe All the daye longe sayeth God by his prophet Esay I haue stretched out my handes to a people that speakes against me and faytheles But of this is inough spoken before And where he addeth this and sayeth they went wrought in the Lords house the .xxiiii. daye of the .vi. moneth and the â–ª same seconde yeare of Darius it teaches vs the earnestnes of them towardes theyr woorke nowe after they were thus awaked and sturred vp out of their sleepe They had but three wekes and .iii. daies bothe to heare this preaching of Aggeus and to make ready their tooles to woorke withall whiche time had ben litle inough to haue prepared their tooles in although they had not hadde any other busines too haue ben occupied withall The prophete was sent from God the first daye of the .vi. moneth as appeares in the firste verse nowe the .xxiiii. daye of the same moneth they began to renue their woorke with a lusty courage so the whole tyme both too heare the preaching and prepare all thinges necessarie For their greate woorke was but three weekes and three dayes Soo earnestly doeth true â—aithe woorke where God is truely feared and his commaundement reuerently obeied that thei can not be quiet vntil they haue done that whiche God commaundes There is nothinge now that can hinder them froÌ„ this woorke neither the feare of the kynges displeasure nor the costlines of the greate worke nor the gredines of their owne profite whiche they sought so muche before neither the greatnes of their disobedience in so longe forgetting their lorde God but with one minde and courage thei sette vp this great costly woorke manfully continuinge in it happely finish it in 4. yeares space notwithstanding the great lets hinderaunce and accusations that were made againste them to the kynge other diuers wayes many This promise that God had made theÌ„ that he woulde be with them had so encouraged them the nothing coulde stop them frome their woorke but as Dauid goinge to fighte with Golias was not afrayd of al his strength harnes nor yet his power and mighte but sayde thou commest agaynste me trustinge in thyne owne strength and I come to fight with thee with this litle slinge and fewe stoones in the name of the lyuynge God of Israel so they were bolde in him onely to sette on thys great woorke If they were thus sturred vp by thys litle preachynge what dulnes shall wee thynke too bee in oure selues that after suche continuall cryinge and callinge can not be awaked to do our duties Is it any maruayle that God doeth so often and soo greuouslye plague vs seinge we shoulde without all excuses doe it whiche he commaundeth vs and yet in so long tyme we can not be broughte too feare hym as wee shoulde doe We maye also learne what a treasure it is to haue Gods worde amoÌ„gst vs seinge it is the ordinarie way that he hath ordeined to bring vs vnto hym by what a grefe it is too want the continuall preachinge of thesame and also the wickednes of the Papistes that thus do robbe the people of it and woulde make them to beleue that it were not necessary for theÌ„ but bringes them in to heresies and that it is the mother of all heresie and mischief that there was neuer good worlde since the scripture was in Englishe with such like blasphemies But if we marke the scriptur throughly in all ages we shall finde yâ— in good kings dayes whiche maintained Gods woorde his true religion as Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ioas Ezechias Iosias in Iuda onely there was more pleÌ„ty of all worldly blessinges then there was in all Israell beside where as the scripture was not regarded Again if ye marke wel all the auÌ„cient heretikes eueÌ„ from the beginning as Arrius Pelagius UaleÌ„tinus MarcioÌ„ Sabellius Donatus Eutyches c. You shall finde none at all or verye fewe that were vnlearned but all for the moste part were great clarkes and by this reason theÌ„ the learned rather then the vnlearned shuld be kept from the scriptures if reading the scripture make heretikes For men fail chiefely into heresies when they trust too their owne wittes learning forsakinge or not submitting their wittes vnto gods wisedom coÌ„teined in hys infallible worde and truth If they will let the people heare the scripture in sermons I canne not tell why they shoulde not be suffered to reade it Why shoulde rather heresy come by readinge then by hearinge Naye thys is their meaninge they woulde haue no preachinge nor yet readinge sauinge of their dirty dragges of popery which maintaines their ydle lordelines where as the scripture setteth out their wickednes whiche they will not haue knowen nor yet once touched The Lorde for hys mercie sake defende vs from their tiraÌ„ny Amen ¶ A prayer MOst
mighty Lord and merciful father which didst stir vp the Iewes too the buyldinge of thy house by the preachinge of thy Prophete Aggeus we thy miserable creatures oppressed with sinne and liuing in blindenes beseche thee for thy mercy sake haue mercy vpon vs and thrust out diligēt woorke men intoo thy haruest sende out faithfull preachers whiche maye by the harde threateninges of thy lawe and comfortable promises of thy gospel awake all thy people out of their dead slepe wherin thei lie walowing forgetting thee their dutye We haue all sinned from the hyghest to the lowest in not earnestly professinge thy holy woorde and religion Both the princes rulers and magistrates bisshops ministers of all sortes and all the people no state nor condiciō of men hath done their duetie herein vntoo thee oure onely Lorde and God Therfore we all with heauy heartes fall doune flat afore thy throne of grace and maiestie we begge craue aske thee forgeuenes of oure greate sinnes opē oure eyes O good God that we maye consider the plagues whiche thou haste layde on vs so longe for oure great disobedience towardes thee and thy woorde Geue vs newe heartes and renue thy holy spirite wtin vs O Lord that both the rulers may faithfully minister iustice punishe sinne defende and maintaine the preachinge of thy woorde and that all ministers may diligently teache thy dearely beloued flocke purchased by the bloud and death of thine owne and onely deare sonne oure Lorde and that all people maye obediently learn and folowe thy lawe too the glorie of thy holy name for Christes sake oure onelye Lorde and Sauioure ¶ The .ii. Chapter IN the .vii. moneth and the .xxi daye of the moneth was the woorde of the Lorde sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophete sayinge verse 2 Speake to Zerubabell y◠sōne of Salathiel ruler of Iehuda and to Iosua the sonne of Iosede◠the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunte of the people sayinge verse 3 Who is left amongst you that hathe sene this house in his former glory and what a one you se it now is it not like as it were nothinge in your eies ¶ As concerning the rekening of yeares monethes and daies ynough was spoken in the first chapiter and what it is too bee sent by the hande of a Prophete who soo lust there he maye reade This message sent now in the .7 moneth and the nexte that comes in the .9 declare the good will of God towardes thē that buylde his house and howe ready God is to further all their doinges They began to worke the .xxiiii. daye of the sixt moneth and had cōtinued to the .21 daye of the .7 moneth and then leaste the feare of the kynge or the rulers shoulde discourage them they had nede to be comforted therefore Aggeus is sente vnto them agayne too encourage theym leaste they shoulde haue fainted or lefte of workinge Agayne in the .8 moneth is the Prophete Zachary sente vnto them and in the .9 moneth Aggeus is sent twise all because thei should not let their worke slip but with a courage finish it and that also they might see how true it is that to euery one that hath it shal be geuen and for them whiche woorke couragiously in the Lordes vyneyarde how wel the Lord is delited with them and blesses them Thus God knowinge the weakenes of this people euerye mooneth sendes newe messages vnto them that they maye vnderstande what a care he hath ouer them and that they shoulde trust in hym which had al thinges in his handes to rule at his pleasure and not to trust in them selues whiche of them selues coulde do nothing Let vs therfore worke in the Lords house and no doubt he will sende vs comfoorte ynough Nowe where he is bidden speake to Zerubabel the prince to Iosua the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunt of the people ▪ and so often reherses theym in this same order in this prophecie it doeth vs too vnderstande that there is one doctrine of saluation to be taughte vnto all sortes of mē and that all sortes are bounde to hear and learn thesame and besides that it teaches the prefermente of the ciuil magistrate or ruler to the priest as was noted before And herein we shall chiefly learn the wickednes of them that withholde the scriptures from the lay people saying it is not mete for them too be so muche occupied in hearinge thesame For the Prophet saith here sundry times that he was sente to all the people as well as to the rulers therfore it was their dutie to learne and heare his message as diligētly as it was the rulers And this is a greate occasion why that all rulers shoulde behaue thē selues lowly towards the people seing God hath made all thynges as concerninge saluation comon and of one sorte bothe too poore and riche that by this meanes he mighte encrease brotherly loue betwixt both partes There is one Lorde god saieth s. Paule of all bothe poore and ryche one holy Ghoste that makes vs all holy one baptisme one faithe that we beleue one sauioure Iesu Christ one father in heauen vnto whom we praye one euerlastinge kyngedome whiche we all loke for one scripture and woorte to teache vs one sacrament for vs all wee bee borne gotten dye and buried all in like and a greate knottell is of loue amongest vs seinge wee speake one language beinge of one countrye or towne and one ayre whiche we receiue one fyre Sunne Moone Starres earth herbes trees corne cattel fishe foole that we be fede on We goe stande slepe worke all alike c. All the difference that is betwixt vs is this that one is hygher in authoritie better clad or fed hathe a prouder coate or a softer bed or more store of money landes or seruauntes then an other hath whyche thinge helpe not to saluation But what vayne thinges these be to reioyce in or to despise one another for that wātes them the thinges them selues do declare For he that wantes all these not necessarie thinges to saluation is commonly better man more lustye stronge and healthfull then the other as is sayde in the verses before And to reioyce is auncient bloude what can be more vayne Do we not all come of Adam our earthly father and say we not all Our father whiche art in heauen halowed c. How can we crake then of oure auncient stocke seinge we came all bothe o◠on earthelye and heauenly father If ye marke the commō saying how gentle bloude came vp ye shall see howe true it is When Adam dalue and Eue span Who was than a gentle man And although no nation hais any thing to reioice in of them selues yet Englande hais lesse than other we glory much to be called Britans but if we consider what a vacabunde Brutus was and what a company he brought with him there is small cause of glori For the Saxōs of whome we come also there is lesse