fruits other things that god made for mans necessitie are perished punished turned into an other nature for the sinne of m an yea not onely worldlie things but his holy Temple law word religion the arke of God the Cherubins the pot with Manna the mercy seate Aarons rod with all therest of his holy Iewels were giuen vnto the wicked Nabuchadnezzers hand for the disobedience of the people God will rather suffer his opē enemies to enioy his wonderful benefits then his flattering friends When Adam had sinned the earth which afore was decked with al good fruits brought forth weeds to punish thē withal For the wickednes of Sodom God not onely cruellie destroied the people in it but to this day that pleasant ground which afore was like paradise is now barren full of filthie mire slitche tarre c. and the aire of it so pestilent as diuers doe write that if any birdes slie ouer it it killeth them The whole countrie of Iewrie a plentifull land flowing with milke and honie of his owne nature by the disobedience of the people became a barren land as Dauid teacheth in his psalme The lord turneth a fruit full ground into a barren for the wickednes of the dwellers in it Ierusalem was not onely destroyed now thus pitiously by the Babilonians but after ward by Vespasian the Emperour and had not one stone left standing on another and the Iewes driuen out ofit who now liue scattered through the world abhorred of all good men and vnder Gods heauie rodde for crucifying the Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God and their continual despising of him Let euerie man therefore learne reuerently in the feare of God to liue for sinne will not onely be punished with euerlasting death in the world to come but euen in this life man him-selfe is plagued and all things that should serue or pleasure him shalbe turned to his destruction because he would not serue his God as he ought to do What can be a more righteous iudgement of God then so to order things that no creature of God shal serue a wretched man which will not serue not feare the Lord his God and creator Sinne is so vile in Gods sight that ne will punish those innocent vnsensible and vnreasonable creatures as the stones in the wall the house wherein thou dwellest the earth whereby thou liuest which neuer sinned for the sinne of thee wretched man O consider how God abhorreth sinne and disobedience of his word that he could neuer be pacified but by the death of his owne deare sonne Christ Iesus for thy sinnes O miserable man consider thy wretched state thy sinnes pulled thy Lord Christ from heauen to hell from ioy to paine thou causedst him to be whipped and hanged on a tree thrust to the heart with a speare by his blood to saue the thou causedst him to die that thou mighst liue If thou shouldest deale thus with another man thy fellow what wouldest thou thinke thou hadst deserued And when thou hast thus misused thy Lord and Christ the sonne of God crucifiing him againe and yet continuest in sinne contemning his commaundements treading the sonne of God vnder thy feete and esteeming the blood of his eternall Testament as a prophane thing how canst thou looke vp vnto him how canst thou hope for mercie Wicked men are so horrible in Gods sight that the Angels in heauen abhorre them the creatures on earth disobey them good men flie their companie and diuels in hel pull them vnto them and yet malice hath so blinded them that they cannot turne vnto the Lord. But whatsoeuer there is in vs O God forget not thou thy selfe shew thy selfe a God stil though we forget thee As thou louedst vs when we were thine enemies so loue vs still now whom thou hast made thy freinds and bought so dearely and turne vs good God that we may loue thee Remember O Lord wherof we be made from the earth we came on the earth we liue and delightin earthly things vnto the earth we shall returne thou canst not looke for heauenly things to come from so vile a matter this earthly nature cannot be chaunged but by thy heauenly spirit deale not with vs therefore O Lord in iustice as we deserue but in thy great mercie which is our sure saluation and let thy manifold mercie deuoure our manifold miserie that our manifold sinnes be not laid to our charge Gratious God forgiue vs as our miserie is endlesse so is thy mercie much more large then we can thinke As we see God deale in his anger with this Citie for the sinne of the people that dwelled in it so he will deale with all obstinate breakers of his law in all ages and places without respect of persons The walls of the citie may well be compared to the Magistrats which both defend the people from their enemies and also gouern the Citizens within as the walls keepe out other from inuading so they keepe in the inhabitants from straying abroade the gates of the Citie may well be compared vnto the ministers which open the dore of life to all penitent persons by the comfortable preaching of mercie promised in Christ shut heauen gates against al reprobate and impenitent sinners by terrible thundring of his vengeance threatned to such in his worde The walls are destroied and the gates burned when the rulers and ministers doe not their duetie but care for other things And as this wretched people had iustly for their disobedience neither walls left to keepe out the enemie nor gates to let in their friends but all were destroied so shall all godles people be left without godly Magistrats to gouerne them and liue in slauerie vnder tyrants that oppresse them and also without comfortable Ministers to teach them and be led by blinde guides that deceiue them and so the blinde lead the blinde both fall in to the ditch to their vtter and endles destruction They be not worthie to haue either Magistrate or preacher that will not obey lawes nor beleeue the worde This Osee the Prophet foretold them should fall on them saying The people of Israell should sit manie daies without a Prince without sacrifice and Image without the Ephod and Teraphin and yet in the end they should returne vnto their God But they feared not these threatnings then no more then we doe now yet as they fell on them then so will they fall on vs now After that Nehemiah had thus diligentlie vewed the walls and the breaches of them he was more able to render a reason and talke with the rulers how they might be repaired A good rule for all those that haue anie charge commited to them that they should first priuatlie consider the things they haue to doe them-selues and then shal they be more able to consider who giueth best counsel for the doing of it Rashely to enter on it a wise man will not nor open his minde to
goodnes am bold to creepe in at a corner and present my felfe before thy throne of mercie quaking trembling at thy feareful iudgements sharpe iustice against sinne I offer vnto thee this poore soule carkesse the worke of thy owne hands made glorious by thee but foulie defaced by me I Lord I God do most humbly with a heauie hart and troubled mind beseech thee I most earnestlie with bitter teares beg craue of thee to cast me not away out of thy sight but gratiouslie to heare my praier For although thou dwellest in thy highe and holie place in heauen yet thou lookest downe into the earth to heare the sighing of the poore and deliuer the oppressed and though thou be greate and feareful in all thy workes yet I know thou art great in mercie and rich in goodnes For although thou hast punished sharplie yet thou sauest more mercifully Adam was cast out of Paradice in iustice yet had mercy offered vnto him in great plenty The entising of a woman made him to offend thee the blessed seed of the same woman hath bruised the serpents poisonful head deliuered vs. Thou therefore that art a God oftrueth keepest promise and shewest mercie to them that loue thee keepe thy commaundements looke pitifully on vs which forsaking our selues hang vpon thee and though we see thy deserued rod yet we fly to thy promised mercie though we haue not kept our promise made vnto thee in our Baptisme that we should forsake the Deuil world and flesh serue honour and faithfully obey thee our onely Lord God with al our hart strength powre soule yet art thou a true God in keeping thy promise and not casting vs of When we run from thee thou callest vs againe and not destroying vs sodenly tariest for our amendement When we hate thee and become thy open enemies thou remembring thy promise made to Abraham Dauid and our fathers seekest by all meanes to bring vs home againe to thee though we be vnfaithful thou art true though we forget thee thou remembrest vs. Though we deserue to be cast away from thee without al hope of redemption yet when thou fatherlie correctest vs in the midst of thine anger thou rememberest thy mercie and receiuest vs againe to thee We graunt O Lord that we doe not loue thee nor keepe thy commaundements as we ought yet Lord thou that art loue and charitie it selfe and louest all things that thou hast made and in thy deare sonne Christ Iesus doest imbrace vs not looking at our deserts but at his worthines who hath fulfilled the lawe for vs and made vs partakers of thy rightcousnes Lord God heare vs and haue pitie on vs. O thou Lord God of all mercie which neuer didst cast anie awaie that fled vnto thee open they eares heare the praiers of me thy humble suter shal I be the first whom thou wilt not heare Is thy mercie all spent none left in store for vs Open thy eies O god of our saluation behold the miserable state of thy poore people Our citie lieth waste the walles vnbuilt our enemies rush in on euerie side and we are a laughing stocke vnto them thou heardst the crying of Agar being cast out of her house thou lookedst at the oppression of Egipt thou pitiedst the woful sighing of Anna when thy people were oppressed of any enemies round about them thou raisedst vp one Iudge or other to deliuer them Consider O Lord I beseech thee our woful state we are spoiled on euerie side marke and hearken to the praier which I thy poore seruante make vnto thee which seest al secrets this day continually crying night daie with a simple vnfeined hart not for mine owne selfe whom thou hast so well placed in the courte with plentie of all things but for my breethren the children of Israel thy seruants the ofspring of thy deerbeloued Iacob which be in great heauines While they be in miserie I cannot be merrie Their greife is my sorow and their welfare is my reioysing I graunt O Lord we haue gricuouslie offended thee yet haue we not cast thee of nor forsaken thee to be our Lord we be thy seruants though vnthristy vnthankful miserable thou art a God rich in mercie to all that turne vnto thee I confesse O gratious God that the children of Israell haue sinned against thee yea not onely they O Lord but I my fathers house haue haynouslie broken thy commaundements and yet we dispaire not to obtaine thy fauour againe as children that haue offended their louing father There is none of vs free we plead mercie and not iustice we stand not in defence of our doings but yeald your selues into thy merciful hands While thou giuest vs a hart to praie we continually beleeue thou wiit heare vs in the end O Lord correct thou vs after thine owne good will and pleasure but giue vs not vp to the lust of thy enemies which blaspheme thee saying their God hath forsaken them their God cannot nor will not help them they hate vs not so much for our owne sinnes as for that we be called thy seruants O Lord let not thy holie name be ill spoken of through our wickednes rise and defend thine owne cause cast not awaie thy seruants in thy heauie displeasure What vantage canst thou haue in giuing vs ouer to thy foes they shall laugh when we shall weepe they will slaunder thy goodnes for our forgetfulnes of thee Thou promisedst O Lord by the mouth of thy Prophet that in what howre so-ever the sinner did repent thou wodlst no more remember his wickednes nor laie it to his charge We weepe we confesse and acknowledge our manisold wickednes wherewith we our fathers haue offended thee we cal for mercy we praie night and daie not doubting but thou wilt keepe thy promise in deliuering hearing vs in thy duetime Though we haue broken our promise in disobeying thee yet if it please thee thus to try our faith exercise our patience by laying on vs thy heauie hand and sharp correction thy good will be done giue vs strength to beare that thy wisdome will laie vpon vs laie on vs what thou wilt Thou gauest vs thy lawe to be a bridle to rule our wicked desires keepe vs within the compasse of them but we like mad men or rather wilde and vntamed beasts that cannot be tyed in cheines nor holden in anie bands haue outragiouslie broken all thy commaundements No lawes could rule vs no saying compell nor correction could staie vs but wilfullie we followed our owne phantasies There is nothing o Lord that thou canst laie to our charge but we willinglie and franklie confesse our selues guiltie thereof for we haue neither kept thy commaundements which thou gauest vs by Moses thy seruant wherein priuatlie we might learne how to direct our liues both towardes the our God and also toward all men Nor the ceremonies
made so long a goe to thy faithfull seruant Moses This profit we haue by rea ding thy scriptures left vnto vs by thy seruants the Prophets thatour faith is increased our hope faileth not but manfullie tarieth with patience for thy comming Faith douteth not hope is not wearie though our grudging nature cannot be contented Encrease our faith O gratious God our hope strength that we fall not frō the pardon our murmuring mistrusting of thee though our state be despised when we looke at our selues yet when we remember thy promise we cannot disp aire We follow our father Abraham who contrary to hope by reason hoped in thee that thouwouldest fulfil thy promise to him though reason could not see it And that thou maist the more willinglie doe it O Lord consider who we be We be thy seruants other Lords masters we seeke none we are thy people thouour God King can anie master forsake his seruant or anie king his subiect that humbly submitteth himselfe vnto him though we haue sinned deserued to be cast away frō thee yet art thou O Lord rich in mercy a king of great powre thy glorie shal shine in our deliuerance Is any fault so great that thou canst not forgiue it Is any man so hard harted but at length he wil be entreated shal any wickednes ouerflow thy goodnes so farre that thou wilt not be intreated So many yeares punishment would satisfie a stonie heart forgiue forget all that is past thinke on vs O Lord what metal we be made of deale not with vs in the ballance of Iustice but in mercie We are by nature earth dust and ashes and therfore heauie sluggish and forgetfull we are borne of sinfull parents euen from the beginning and therefore of our selues must needes follow their trade in ill doing we be no Angels therefore cannot serue thee as we should doe Take in good parte O Lord our simple good will that that wanteth in vs thy Messias thy sonne our Lord Christ hath fulsilled for vs made vs partakers of his righteousnes Loke at him O Lord and not at vs who redeemed vs with no gold nor siluer but by his owne pretious blood let that price satisfy thee deliuer vs. Igraunt O Lord thou deliuerest our fathers from their bondage slauerie in Egipt wherein we should haue continued if thy mightie hand great powre strength had not made vs free And not only then O Lord we tasted of thy goodnes but euer since when the Philistims Ammonites Moabites or other enemies round about vs oppressed vs thou heardst vs thou deliueredst vs shal we now be cleane forgotton Arise O Lord speedely and let thy people knowe that thou remembrest them and hast a care ouer them How shal thy goodnes be knowne if thou haue not a people to praise the I beseech thee Lord pardon my importunitie I cannot departe vntil I obteine my sute at thy hands though thou seeme to deale hardly with vs so many yeares yet I will saie with patient Iob although he kill me yet I will trust in him stil. I know thou louest vs what so-euer thou doest vnto vs and therefore I will trust in thee stil. Though thou hast seemed hitherto O Lord to loke strangely on vs yet now bowe downe thine eare and heare the praier of me thy poore seruante and the praiers of all the rest of my sorowful breethren thy seruants which would gladly so farre as the weaknes of mans nature will suffer vs feare thy name Thy holie spirit giueth vs a desire to serue thee but the rebellious flesh which we receiued of our first father Adam withstandeth al such motion's and draweth vs from thee Deale not with vs therefore O God in the rigour of thy Iustice but in the vnspeakable measure of thy mercies Rule thy seruante this daie and graunt me to finde grace fauour in the sight of this mighty king 〈◊〉 whose cupbearer I am It lieth most in him to help and to hinder vs to set vs at libertie or keepe vs prisoners stil to build our Citic or to let it lye waste I see O Lord the feircenesse of his nature and how litle he vnderstandeth thy goodnes towards him but yet I know O God that the harts of Princes euen Infidels are in thy hands to dispose as thou thinkest good Haue pitie therefore O God on thy people bend his minde to pitie them Other friends I doe not seeke for without thee all sute and labour is in vaine A PRAIER LOrd God which of thine owne meere good will inspiredst thy Prophets in olde tyme with the knowledg of thy secret misteries and of thy great loue towardes vs thy seruants hast caused them to be put in writing and hast preserued them from destruction by thy mortall enemies that we might learne in them thy mercies shewed to our fathers and promised to vs giue vs we beseech thee a willing minde with reucrence to heare read thy holie word declared in this booke and a diligent 〈◊〉 to followe the same Raise vp we praie thee in these our latter daies such faithful seruants about the Prince in the Courte as Nehemiah was that would pitie the miserable state of the poore people afflicted Church rather then seeke their owne ease wealth and profit Graunt vs we praie thee to weepe faste and praie with such loue to our breethren and sure faith in thee as Nehemiah had and not to cease vntill we haue obteined some grace in thy sight as he did Our need and miserie in these latter daies are as great as was in his time and yet we see it not Thou correctest vs and we feele it not thou teachest and we will not learne Thou hast brought home parte of the Iewes from their captiuitie and yet manie remained behinde so Lord thou hast in our daies opened the eies of some and deliuered vs from that Romish slauerie wherein we were so long drowned but alas O Lord many of our breethren lie blinde and will not see haue eares and will not heare Open their eies O God and fullie restore vs that we and they may ioyntlie feare thee as our Lord and reuerentlie loue thee as our deare Father to the confusion of Sathan and his partakers and the euerlasting glorie of thy blessed name and comforte of thy poore people through Christ thy Sonne our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen CHAP. 2. 1. It came to passe in the moneth of March in the 20. yeare of king Artaxerxes that wine was afore him and I toke vp the wine and I gaue it to the King and was not sad afore in his sight 2. And the king said to me why is thy countenance so sad and thou art not sicke It is nothing else then a heauie heart I was verie sore afrayde 3. And I said to the king O king God saue thy life for euer Why should not my countenance be sad when the
euerie one would amend another see other mens faults but not his owne and therefore all lie still as they did nothing amended and euery one maketh courtesie who shall beginne Sophonie the Prophet complaineth of his time and saith Thy rulers are roaring Lions thy iudges are rauening wolues in the euening and will not leaue the bones vntill morning thy prophets are lewd and vnconstant thy Priests haue desiled the holy place broken thy law Micheas crieth out saieth there is not a goodman lest on the earth and not a righteous man among men all lie in waite for blood euerie man hunteth his brother vnto death c. God grauntour times were not like Among vs it is merilie said of some that there be some Courts where law is executed without conscience Another where conscience is without law the third where neyther law nor conscience the fourth where both law and conscience shall rule I can rather pray for then looke for vntill the last day come when the righteous Iudge shall iudge both with law conscience In the meane time we may mourne and turne vnto the Lord that he may forgiue vs and receiue vs in his manie and great mercies for we are full of manie great miseries The pride of weomen is through the fault of men therfore they be blameles God amend vs all It is written that Ioseph in Egipt vsed the people almost of like sort that they doe here and yet is he praised and these iustlie reproued which possiblie some marueile at not vnderstanding the diuersitie of their doings Ioseph laid vp corne in the time of plentie when euerie man had ynough these men did it at al times without respect in plentie and scarsitie Ioseph brought the monie into the Kings cofers to serue the common wealth these men laid it vp in their owne Cofers to their owne priuate vse Ioseph bought their cattell for such price as they were worth these men pay not the iust price for anie thing they take Ioseph buieth their land and maketh the people bond vnto the King restoring them againe the land the King finding the seede to sowe the people onelie laboring to till the ground And where we thinke we deale courteously if we let them sow to halfes the Egiptians haue the fourth part for their labour and paie the king the fift part of the encrease for the land and seede but these men kept all in their owne hands Ioseph bought not the Priests lands but gaue them alowance of such things as they wanted out of the kinges store and these men like vnto our daies if they can scrape anie thing from the Church that is a pastime among all other to laugh at and thought best gotten So much more is a minister of Gods gospell thought meeter to be spoiled by these cutpursses then Ioseph thought meet to doe to those Idolatrous priests Ioseph opened his barnes in time of dearth and sold liberallie to the needie these men the greater that the neede was the faster they lockt it vp vntill they had their desire of the poore Ioseph restored their land and tooke but the fift part of the increase these men restore nothing and yet take interest As this cruell dealing toward their breethren and countrie-men was thought straunge to be found amongst this people in the time that God had shewed to them such great mercies in restoring them againe to their countrie giuing them the liberty to build their temple and Citie with great gifts liberalitie and fauour of the kings vnder whom they were bondmen and slaues So it is much more marueil that among Christians in the time of the gospell 〈◊〉 mercifullie restored vnto vs so freelie taught greater crueltie should be found and exercised then among the hard harted Iewes or Infidell pagans But this is the common practise of Sathan that in no age people nor countrie he can be quiet to see Gods kingdom set vp and florish and his powre fall but he will rage storme besturre him and by all deuises that may be and by all powre that he can ouerthrowit And seeing this is no new thing but hath fallen out diuers times afore let vs not now be astonied nor dismaied at it nor murmure and grudge against the doctrine of our saluation so mercifullie offred vnto vs as though it were not the true word of God because men liue so far contrarie to that which is taught and they openlie professe The deuill is content when he cannot ouerthrow the trueth of the doctrine to deface it so much as he can with the ill life of those that professe it But the gospell teacheth vs what to doe in this case saying doe as they say but doe not as they doe The doctrine is good though they be ill The trueth and worthines of Gods word hangeth not on our life and doings but our life and doings should be reformed by Gods word for that it is a Lanterne to our feete and a light to our stepps that we may know when we be in the right way and how to come into it We must be iudged by Gods word and not it by vs we must be ruled by it and not ouerrule it according to our phantasies we must hang on Gods true saying and not on mans cuill liuing Because the Author being preuented by death could not finish the rest of this treatise much lesse of this and the other Chapters which remaine vntouched I thought it good for the better instruction of the reader and in stead of a supplie for this point of Oppression which that godlie zealous father had begonne to annex and set downe that which of late was published by Robert Some D. in Diuinitie To the Reader IT hath pleased an English papist to giue out in print that the Church of Roome doth both teach and require actuall restitution and that our Church doth neyther His speech of vs is verle slaunderous and my treatise against oppression is argument ynough to confute him If they of Rome teach and require actuall restitution it is no worke of supererogation they doe no more but their dueties If we should fasle in this cleare point we deserue great condemnation at almightie Gods hands I confesse that a man is good therefore iustified in Gods sight before he doth goodworkes but with-all I set downe this that goodworkes doe followe him that is truelie iustified and that such as haue oppressed or iniured anie man shall not be pardoned at Gods hands vnlesse they make actuall restitution if they be able to doe it If anie require proofe of this I referre him to this Treatise of mine against oppression A GODLIE TREATISE AGAINST the foule and grosse sinne of OPPRESSION Question VVHat is oppression Answere It is vniust dealing vsed of the mightier either by violence colour of lawe or anie other cunning dealing against such as are not able to withstand them The ground of this definition is conteined in these places of
thathe say eth the wounds that a friend giueth are better then the craftie kisses of him that hateth thee This heauenly fire burneth vp al desires in man kindleth all goodnesse in him Ieremie when he saw the word that he preached to be contemned os the people he waxed verie sadde he would preach no more but when he had houlden his tongue but a litle while he said the word within him was like a burning fire it burst out he could not holde it in and he fell to preaching againe he was so greeued to see God dishonored and so earnest to bring the people to knowledge of their dutie that he could not hold his peace but needes must preach againe When Iesabell persecuted Helias because he had killed Baalls priestes for their idolatrie he fled into the wildernsse and the Angel sinding him asked him what he did there Helias said I am earnestly zealous grecued for thee O Lord God of hostes that the children of Israell haue for saken thy couenant c. Moses loued his people so well that when Godwould haue destroyed them he prayed to forgiue them or else to put him out of his booke The holie Ghost tolde Saint Paul that in eueric towne there were chaynes and troubles ready for him but he said he cared not his life was not deare to himso that he might runne his course For his countrie men also he wished to be accursed from Christ so that they might be saued The other Apostles when they were whipt for preaching Christ Iesus went away reioysing that they were thought worthie to suffer any worldlie shame for his names sake Such an earnest loue should euerie one haue both the magistrate to doe iustice and punish sinne and the preacher to roote out euill doctrine and preach Christ purelie that nothing should make them afraid but they should buyld Gods Citie the heauenlie Ierusalem boldie nothing shold wearie them and allabour should be pleasure so that they might serue the Lord. Phinies when he saw whoredome and wickednes abound and none would punish it taketh the sword him-selfe when others would not and killed the man woman being both of great parentage in their open whordome God was so well pleased with this zealous deede of Phinies that could not abide to see sinne vnpunished and Gods glorie so openlie defaced that he blessed him and his issue for it after him Our sauiour Christ when he saw Gods house appointed for prayer misused gat a whippe and draue them out Thus when-soeuer God putteth any thing into mans heart to doe it pricketh him on forward that he cannot rest vntill he haue finished it Nehemiah was heere moued by God to this worke God for his mercies sake enflame many mens hearts with the like earnest desire of buylding Gods spirituall Citie that the workemen may be many strong and couragious for the worke is great and troublesome the enemies manie malicious and stout hinderers in number infinite and true labourers verie few Gregorie saith well there is no such pleasant sacrisice afore God as is the earnest zeale to winne soules vnto the Lord. The men of Iabes Gilead when the Israelits ioyned altogether to punish that wicked adulteryin Beniamin stoode by looked on and wold take part with neyther of them not knowing who should get the victorie thinking to scape best picka thanke in medling on neither parte but for such double-dealing the Israelites set on them afterward and destroied them A iust rewarde to fall on such as will stand by and looke how the world goeth meddle of no side for feare of a change or els ioyne A iust reward to fal on such as will stand by looke how the world goeth medle on no side for feare of a change or els euer ioyne with the stronger parte How full the world is this day of such double faced popish hipocrites that will turne with euerie winde good men lament and God must amend when pleaseth him They be the worst men that liue Such men be of no Religion some call them Neuters because they are earnest on no side Some call them vterques because they be of both sides as the world changeth some call them Omnia because if a Turke or any other should come they would yeald vnto them all They be like free-holders for whosoeuer purchaseth the land they holde of them all though euery yeare come anew master But they say best it is that they be of no religion for as there is but one God so there is but one religion and he that knoweth not the true God and religion knoweth none at all although he make him-selfe euery day a new God and a new religion and the more the worsse 13. And I went forth In these next verses is nothing but the way described by which he went to take the vew of the walls how they were pitifully destroied and how they might best most speedelie be repaired The gates of Cities haue their names on some occasion outwardly giuen as the North-gate the East-gate because it goeth North-ward or East-ward sometimes of them that builded them as Lud-gate and Billings-gate of Lud and Billinus sometimes of things that are brought in or caried out of the Citie by them as the sish-gate the dunghil-gate c. This gate that he goeth out at first is called the vally-gate because the way into the vally of Iosephat which lay afore it East-ward betwixt it Mount oliuet was through it This valley was called Iosephats by reason of a noble victorie that God gaue Iosephat there Diuers people ioyned themselues togither against Iosephat but god so ordered the matter that one of them killed another Iosephat looking on after the slaughter came toke all their riches and spoile he deliuered without anie stroke giuing The Dragons-well had his name of some venemous serpent lyuing there The dunghil-gate because the filth of the citie was caried out thatway The wel-gate kings fish-poolc because there was great plentie of water-ponds watering-places c. The brooke he speaketh of is thought to be Cedron which is spoken of in the gospel Iohn the 18. Nehemiah when he had vewed al the walls returnedin at the same gate that he went out at but in some places he found so great store of rubbish of the broken walls that he could not passe on horsseback so miserably were they torne and ouerthrowne and al the gates that should be shut were burned to ashes Orighteous God and miserable people God of his mercie foretolde them by his Prophets that if they fell from him and serued other Gods these mischiefes should fall on them but they blinded in their owne affections beleeued it not O stony hart learne here how vile a thing sin is in Gods sight for not onely the man thatdoeth sin is punished but the earth the countrie the stones the walls the citie trees corne cattel fish fowle and al
commaunded to releeue succour and help by al meanes that we may Nehemiah hateth not the men but their wickednes so we learne to put a difference betwixt the man and the sinne of man and pray for mercie to the one and iustice to the other Man is Gods good creature and to be beloued of all sortes Sinne is of the deuill and to be fled of all sorts And it is a great difference whether we pray for reuenging our owne priuate quarell which may not be in any case or it be for Gods cause and glorie which we would seeke the furtherance of by all meanes we may 6. Then we builded the wall This verse declareth what they got by this short prayer The peoples heart was incouraged to go forward with this worke in so much that they repaired all the breaches of the wall ioyned it all together as though it were one whole sound wall neuer had bene defaced afore Praier is a souereigne Salue for all sores for it will heale not onely the wounds of the bodie and soule but also hard stonie walls This is the common practise of all good men when they be scorned for the Lords sake to turne themselues vnto humble prayer commit the cause vnto the lord who will iustlie reuenge his owne quarell when he thinkerh good Dauid when he had complayned vnto God how the Iudges did mocke him and the drunkerds and minstrels sang their songes against him to make them merie withall and could finde no remedie he saith thus after that he was sore greeued at them but I O Lord made my prayer vnto thee and then the Lord comforted him Likewise King Ezechias getteth him to the Temple when Rabsachis had railed against the liuing Lord and written blasphemous letters he read the letters in the sight of God falleth to praier and desireth the Lord to help him in that extremitie and his God deliuered him This prayer of Nehemiah is not long for God regardeth not so much the length of our prayer as the earnest hartie desire of the minde with an humble submission of him-selfe to the Lords good will and pleasure repenting earnestly for his offences and faithfullie hoping without mistrust for the Lords comfortable assistance when and as he shall thinke good by this praier they obteine at the Lords mercifull hand boldenes to goe forward with their building and to contemne their prowd mockes and brags they finish the whole length and the height of the wall in dispite of their enemies and the people were not wearie of working but the more they wrought the more desirous they were to worke stil for the good successe that they had in building hitherto did encourage them to go forward with it and they doubted not but that god was with them therfore feared no other Let vs learne therefore at these good mens examples to be bolde and constant in wel doing and not to feare euery bragge and blast of winde Let vs be as a lustie horsse that goeth through the streete and careth not for the barking of euery curre that leapeth forth as though he would bite him so let vs not be afraid of the barking curres nor looke backward but goe on forth not changing with euerie tide and the mightie Lord will strengthen our weakenes with good successe to finish his building for so haue all good men done from the beginning 7. It came to passe that when Sanballat and Tobias the Arabians the Ammonites and the Azdodites heard tell that a Salue was come on the wall of Ierusalem and that the breaches of it began to be stopt vp they were verie wroth 8. And they conspired altogither to goe and besiege Ierusalem to make a scattering in it 9. But we prayed vnto our God and set a watch by them day and night in their sight 10. And Iudas said the strength of the bearers is decaied and there is much morter and we are not able to build on the wall 11. And our enemies said they shall not know nor see till we come into the midle of them and we shall slay them and make the worke to cease AS good men goe forward with Gods worke so the wicked swell for anger encrease in mallice against them and by all meanes possible not onely by them-selues go about to ouerthrow all their good enterprises but they seeke all the partakers that they can get and will refuse no kinde of man be he neuer so ill to ioyne with them so they may obteine their purpose hinder the Lords building Sanballut and Tobias afore thought with their bitter scoffes bigge words hautie lookes to haue dashed these poore soules out of countenance and made them to leaue building but now when they see they were not afraied but wrought more lustilie they make other deuices they will fight for it they gather a great company of neigbours as ill as them-selues and will set vppon them kill them and ouerthrow their building Such a thing is malice once earnestly in mans mynde conceiued and specially for religion that it so blyndeth a man that he seeth not what he doeth nor what will follow of his doings He that falleth from God wandereth in darkenes and cannot tell what he doeth where he is nor whither he goeth but the farther he stirreth the farther he is out of the way and the more darkenes he is in for God is light the way trueth and life and he that hath not God for his guid cannot finde the true way to euerlasting life Let euery man therefore that will walke vprightly in the feare ofGod take heede how he once giue place to any wickednes for if the deuill get a little entrance into thee he will drawe the cleane away with him if God be not more mercifull to holde thee When the deuil tempted Eue he appeered in likenes of a serpent to teach vs that as the head of the Serpent is the greatest parte of the bodie and wheresoeuer the head getteth in the whole bodie followeth easilie So the deuill if he once enter into mans heart he will creepe into all partes neuer cease vntill he possesse the whole man and bring him to euerlasting death with him and destruction in this world as he did with Iudas entring into him first by little and little but after that Iesus Christ had giuen him the soppe he did so fullie possesse him that straight waies he betrated his master the Lord of life into the hands of wicked men to be put to most vile death and all for greedines of a little monie Sanballat by the help of Tobias had now gotten a great band of Souldyers of others and specially of Arabians Ammonites and Azdodites to fight for him against these seelie soules for no other quarrell but because they heard say that they had repaired al the breaches of the walls of Ierusalem Their foolish madnes appeereth the more because they rage so fiersly for onely hearing how well
can deuour the poorest simple sheepe of the Lords if he cannot meete with a better pray The people are worthie no lesse praise then the rulers for they are as readie to obey as the other to commaund and so ioyning to gither in the feare of God brotherlie loue and due obedience to their rulers this worke goeth forward and God blesseth their labour As for me and my breethren Now lest Nehemiah should seeme to busie and impious to commaund all other and to doe nothing himselfe which were a point of oppression or tyrannie as Pharaoh did to the Israelits in Egipt he saith both he his breethren seruants and watch-men tooke as much paines as the worst of them which is the propertie of a good Captaine to doe for they wrought and watched so diligentlie that they put not of their cloathes to sleepe or take rest but onelie when they were foule and must needes be washed O worthie example God graunt vs manie such rulers and Captaines both in Gods Church and common-wealth When the people and souldiers shall see the rulers Captaines take paines as well as they doe it maketh them both ashamed if they draw back and also encourageth them to be with the foremost Iulius Cesar to encourage his souldiers would not take paines himselfe but the rather to stirre them more willinglie to labour he calleth them not souldiers nor commaundeth like a Captaine but gentlie speaketh vnto them calleth them fellowe-Souldiers as though he were no better then one of them So in great workes the chiefe master when it commeth to a dead lift or some daunger like to folow he will lay to his hand him felfe he will climbe he wil lift as busilie as anie of his seruants and say to them now good fellowes spitt on your hands lift once againe and we haue wonne it now play the men and we shall be past the worst streight waie Such examples of the better sort with gentle perswasions in words will make the common sort to refuse no paines be the danger neuer so great Abimelech when he would smother the men that fled into the towre of Sichem and could not get them out he gat first him selfe boughes of greene Trees and bad euery one of his Souldiers doe as they saw him doe When euerie man had loden him self with greene boughes Abimelech goeth first and setteth his boughes on fire the rest of the Souldiers seeing him so bold and forward they set their boughes on fire too and so easilie they killed them that were within with smoke So much can the example of a Captaine or good master doe God graunt manie such foregoers in Gods Church and then the people will follow fast ynough What maketh the people draw back so much at this day but that gentlemen preists goe not afore Want of good example and due correction maketh manie to doe ill without feare of God and man Dauid when he would stirr vp the people earnestlie to serue the Lord and diligentlie to resort to the Tabernacle of prayer saith O come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs reioice in the strength of our saluation He biddeth them not goe pray and he will goe play but he will be foremost him selfe in praysing the Lord call on them to follow When they were thus to watch and ward night and day to forgoe their pleasures take infinit paines in building this earthlie Citie and walls of Ierusalem it teacheth vs how diligent we ought to be in building the spirituall Ierusalem Christ his deare Spouse and Church by prayer preaching watching fasting and all other Godlie exercises A PRAIER AS thou O Lord of thy infinit and vndeserued goodnesse stirredst vp thy faithfull seruant Nehemiah to pitie the lamentable state of Ierusalem and gauest him such fauour in the sight of King Artaxerxes procuredst licence and liberty great rewards liberalitie to all them that would repaire the broken walles of the Citie mouedst his heart to leaue the wanton pleasures of the Court aud madest him willing to toile at thy worke not onelie prosperedst their doings but defendedst them from their mortal enemies manie and sundrie times being cruellie assaulted both by inward hypocrites and outward force so we beseech thee most mercifull father for thine owne mercies sake looke pitifullie at thy ragged and torne church the contēned spouse of thy deerely beloued son Christ Iesus raise vp some faithful seruants in euerie countrie that may obteyne such fauour in the sight of Chistian Princes that with freedome of conscience and quietnesse of the countrie the Kingdome of thy sonne and our sauiour may be truelie preached obedientlie receiued faithfullie beleeued and diligentlie followed to the ouerthrow of Antechrist and all his members and the endlesse comfort of thy poore afflicted people Confound O gratious God Sanballat Tobias and all their partakers which laugh to scorne the simplicitie of the Gospell and builders of the Church make them to be scorned that the world may see what foolish wickednes it is to rebell against thy holie will and how litle all such shall preuaile in the end Turne awaie all open violence that shall be deuised against vs outwardlie Keepe vs from ciuill warre and sedition inwardlie Confound all wicked counsells and conspiracies of Ahitophell with his fellowes and ouerthrow the subtill practises of Iudas and such hypocrits Encourage the people that they feare not their braggs nor bigge lookes but manfullie may stand in defence of thy trueth and boldlie confesse thee in all dangers knowing thee to be the onelie Lord and giuer of all victorie that none shalbe ashamed nor left succourles that flie vnto thee in their great necessitie Giue vs grace to pray and put our trust in thee as this people haue done afore vs that we may finde the like grace fauour and deliuer aunce that they did Giue vs we most humblie beseech thee O gratious God such guids and Rulers in the common-wealth as will worke with the one hand and fight with the other keepe watch and ward night and day to driue awaie the outward enemie and will defend thy poore sheepe from the Rebellious practises of Sathan among our selues Thurst forth such faithfull preachers for the adauncement of thy glory only which without any worldly respect of profit or pleasure may purely teach thy holy will declared in thy blessed word roote out all errours in doctrine and deformities in life and may by the powre of thy holie spirit bring home all those that be runne astray confirme and strengthen those that doe stand and raise vp those that be fallen that in vnity of minde brotherlie loue and Christian faith we may be liuelie stones in the spirituall building of thy house may acknowledge thee our onelie God and thou of thy accustomed goodnes and free mercy maist take vs to thy children and defend vs as our Lord Teach vs as a Schoolemaster feed vs as a Shepherd make vs partakers of thy glorious
Conquest of sinne death hell the world the slesh that afterward we may reign with thee in thy blessed Kingdome which thou hast so deerely purchased for vs by the death of thy Christ our sauiour thy sonne our Lord to whom with thee and thee holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer Amen CHAP. 5. 1. And there was a great crie of the people made and their wiues against their breethren the Iewes 2. And there were that said our sons our daughters we are many therfore we must take corne that we may eate liue 3. And there were some that saide our fieldes and our vineyeards and our houses we haue laid to pledge that we might haue Corne in this hunger 4. And there were some that said we haue borowed money for the Kings tribute vppon our landes and vineyeards 5. And now as the flesh of our breethren is so is our flesh and as their children be so are our children and marke we bring into bondage our sonnes and our daughters as seruants and there be some of our daughters in bondage alreadie and there is no powre in our hands our lands and our vineyeards are in other mens hands WHile that Nehemiah had traueiled him selfe wearie in keeping watch and ward and setting the people to building the wals againe and thought all was quiet both within the Citie and safe against the vtter enemie behould now bursteth out a new sore worsse then the former The people and their wiues come with open mouth and make an outcry against the rich and Rulers among them which vnmercifullie had spoyled and oppressed them in so much as they were not able to liue Such is the state of Gods people here in the earth that as our master Christ saieth He came to ouerthrow the workes of the deuil so the deuil ceaseth not by al meanes to ouerthrow or at the least so much as in him is to hinder by his partakers the building ofGods house the setting forth of his glorie And to declare the vehemency of the crie the holy ghost noteth it by such a word in the Ebrew as signifieth those vprores outcries which are made in Rebellious or Seditious Riots or els ofsuch as crie out for great grief anguish ofheart The parties that make their crie are the common people and women of which it is hard to tell whether of them is often more importune in outcrying many times without iustcause The people if they smart a litle haue not their owne wils fulfilled are ready to exclame women can weep and howle when they list and the basest sort are the worst The parties against whome they crie be the Iewes their countrie-men breethren in kindred and professing one religion If this oppression and cruel dealing had bene by straungers where no mercie is commonlie shewed nor looked for it would haue bene lesse marueiled at and lesse it would haue greeued them but to be entreated cruelly by their countriemen kinsmen those that serued the same God and professed the same Religion that they did and at whose hands they looked for aid and comfort this was thought so straunge that it would make anie astonied to heare tell of it With these circumstances the holy ghost setteth out the greatnesse of the cry to make it more horrible in mens sight so the more easilie to bring them to repentaunce and make them ashamed of their cruel dealings When the deuil preuayled not by Sanballat and his fellowes to ouerthrow the building he setteth now on the poore common sort and womē to crie out against their rulers thinking by this meanes to ouerthrow all rather then to procure anie remedie orreliefe for them Though God of his accustomed goodnesse turning oft our wicked doings to the setting forth of his Glorie by this meanes wrought their deliueraunce and libertie Such is the wisdome of our God that by our foolishnesse he declareth his mightie powre wisdome maiestie our ill dealing sheweth forth his iustice mercie that against our wil meaning 2. And there were that said The cause of their Crie is set forth in these 4. verses following Hunger need oppression pinching pouertie and pining penurie made them so to crie out And this is to common a fault in our daies in the preaching of the gospel Some of the pooter sort though they had not lands and goods yet God as he vseth commonlie had blessed them more then the richer sort with children so manie that they could not tell how to gett bread for them except they should sell them as slaues and where they were free borne they should now become bond and be vsed as beastes What a griefe that is to a good father that loueth his childe deerely in the feare of God to be driuen by the vnmercifull dealing of the rich to sell his owne children for bondmen I leaue it to the consideration of those that be natural and louing Parents for none can expresse the greatnes of that griefe but he that hath bene pinched with it and felt the smart of it When Iacob should send litle Beniamin into Egipt with his breethren for corne it was long or he could be brought to it and he almost had rather died for hunger then let him goe from him What a loue had Dauid toward his wicked sonne Absolon euen in the midst of his rebellion and what charge gaue he to his captaines that they should not kill him Such is the loue of natural Parents towards their children that they will loue them and cannot cast them of euen in their ill doings though manie times the children be most vnthankeful Libertie is a thing that euerie man naturallie desireth and by all meanes seeketh for therefore bondage must needes be such a thing as euery man doeth abhorre and slie from yet hunger is such a thing that it will breake stonie walls and rather then a man will beare it continuallie he will sell landes goods wife children yea him-selfe to be slaues for euer Nay hunger is so pinching a paine that a woman will eate her owne childe as in the siege of Ierusalem in Samaria and Saguntine yea a man his owne flesh rather then he will die for hunger Hunger of all thinges maie not be abidden what inconuenience soeuer fall out after Consider then what miserable case these poore men were in that had so manie children and could get no bread to put in their mouthes and wicked men the richer sort were they that had brought them to this pouertie and now would not releeue them in this their extremitie We read of a Bishoppe of Mentz in Germanie called Hatto who had great store of corne and would not releeue the pcore with it in time of great dearth but let the rats eate it in reuenge of which God raised so manie Rats about him that they droue him from house to house to saue his life and where he had a strong towre in the