c. and the Lordes daie which I take too be the Sundaie when Ihon sawe his Reuelation Thus superstition crepte intoo the worlde when men began too forgette callinge on the true and onelye God and made them gods of euery deadde sainct as they list What can we saye for oure selfs but that we put greate superstition in dayes when we put openly in KaleÌ„ders and Almanacks and say these dayes be infortunate great matters are not to be taken in hand these dayes as thoughe we were of gods priuie counsell But why are they infortunate Is God a sleepe on those dayes or doeth he not rule the woorlde and all thynges those daies as well as on other dayes Is he weary that he muste reste hym in those daies Or doth he geue the ruling of those daies to some euill spirite or planete if God geue to Starres suche power that things caÌ„ not prosper on those daies than God is the author of euyll If Starres doe rule men those daies than man is their seruaunt But God made man to rule and not be ruled and all creatures should serue him What shall be the cause If Astronomers saye true euery man at his byrthe by his constellation haue diuers things and desires appointed him Why than howe canne soo manye diuers constellations in so many men at your byrth agre â–ª to make one daye vnlucky in your lyfe to all men Eyther let him proue it by learning or for shame and sinne holde yourâ— tounge Starres maye haue some power on the naturall qualities and actions of the bodye and for phisicke But on the Ciuyll voluntarie actions of Christians myndes none Sainct Paule sayes the chyldreÌ„ of god be led with the sprite of god why thaÌ„ not by Starres It is faithles superstitioÌ„ to teache or beleue such things that either at the byrth or after we be ruled by Starres All Astronomers coulde neuer tell why Iacob and Esau brother twynnes borne in one momeÌ„t shoulde haue so contrarie natures What Starre ruled when Sodome and Gomorre were burned and the next townes scaped were all born vnder one starre that then perisshed or all Noes floudde was not thaÌ„ diuers sortes men and womeÌ„ yong and olde good and badde Doeth not the scripture saye that god made seuen dayes and when he had made all thinges he did beholde them all they were very good Why shall we then be holde to call them euill infortunate and dismall dayes If god rule oure doinges continually why shal they not prosper on those dayes as wel as on other God blessed the seuenth daye and yet we dare call that infortunate euil and cursed whiche he blessed Althoughe it be vnpossible to redresse this olde common errour so depely rooted in all tunges and countries yet it is not vnprofitable to note the begiÌ„ning of these thinges that this superstition maye bee some thinge knowen When god made seuen dayes he called them the firste the second thirde fourth c. But the last day he called the Sabboth whiche betokens rest and hath not the name geuen too bee called of any other creature man sainct starre or Idoll but as the name soundes so should we on the seuenth daye reste froÌ„ all bodely labour except nede compel but specially from all filthy sinne This is not the right waye to make holy men too be remembred nor surest to auoyd Idolatrie It were better to be done by writing the Chronicles liues deathes of suche as were godly in dede and not euery Rascall as Legenda aurea the Legend of Lies does Pope Boniface the .viii finding theÌ„ of Farrare worshippinge .xx yeares one Hermanius as a sainct digged him oute of the ground and burned him for an Heretike and authour of the sect called Fratricelli and forbad to worshippe such euyl men So I thinke we scraping together a number of sainctes as we liste worshippe many euill persons What holines was in Thomas Becket whiche had gotten twoo dayes in the Kalender called by his name and Priestes must euermore mumble him one wicked memory in Maâ—tins â— Euensong If papistes rebels and traytours to their kinges as this stout Champion of the Popes was maye be thus rewarded it is no marueyle if many rebell against their kinges as he did In that that he saieth the worde of the Lord was sent by the hand of Aggeus the Prophet it teaches the duety bothe of the hearer and the preacher For neither must we teach any thinge of mans deuises nor the hearer must regard him so muche whiche preaches that for his cause we muste either more or lesse beleue the thinge whiche is taughr for the preacher takes his authoritie of the woorde of God not the woordâ— takes his authoritie of the preacher but onely because it is the woorde of God of whose truth we must not doubt but with obedience receiue it Untoo the preacher saieth sainct Peter he that speakes lette him speake as the woordes of God Aggeus being but a poore Leuite kepinge this rule was not to be despised more theÌ„ the priest And where as preaching beleuing the thinges preached is the hyghest and mooste pleasaunt seruice and worship of god what thinge shoulde bee taughte what punishment is for them whiche doe it not the scripture teaches playne Saint Mathew saieth they worship me in vain teaching learninges whiche are the commaundementes of men And the false Prophet whiche runnes before he be sent and deceiues the people speakinge in the name of God that whiche he was not coÌ„maunded or els speaking in the name of false gods shal be put to death â–ª Therfore let the pratinge pardoner or the Popishe priestes take hede in whose names they speake and what they teache when for the gredy gayning of a litle money they condemne them selues and set out to sell Heauen â–ª Purgatory Hell as thei were al in their power to geue at their pleasur In the Popes name they promise xl.lx an hundreth daies of pardon for a Trental they mai be brought from Hel. The true Prophetes of God as appeareth in theyr writinges alwaies vse to say thus saieth the Lorde the woorde of God was spoken to me c. but the Popes creaturs as Pardoners priestes fryers c. say thus saith Pope Alexander Gregory Ihon ClemeÌ„t or some suche other like and nothing wil they do without money Let the true preacher teache the mercies of god that God hath so loued the world that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne that euery one whiche beleues in him shall not bee damned but haue lyfe euerlasting yet shal the dronken pardoner and sir Ihon Lacklatin bee better beleued then Christe whiche spake these wordes promised it yea rather the people wil â—ye forgeuenes of their sinnes at the Pope and such his messengers haÌ„ds then take it frely at christ paying nothing therfore suche as the brutishe blinde vnthankefulnes of the worlde Come bye
Mary when the Aungel saluted her wōdred that God would cal such a poore mayden virgyn to be the mother of his sonne But euer he that thinks him self vnworthy God takes him as worthy those that thinke so highly of thē selues that they be worthy God refuses makes vnworthy Therefore let euery man that feeles him self in consciēce withdrawē frō doing his duty to god by any kynd of sin say thus to him self Is it tyme for thee to delite thy self in this or y◠kynd of synne gods house vnbylt Think y◠god hath left this in writing to rebuke hī styrre him vp to be more diligēt in repairīg his house wherin god dwels And let eueri mā cōfort him self that god not onli requires but takes in good part the least seruice that the poorest mā liuing cā do And as he saide afore in the seconde verse this people sayeth it is not tyme to buylde c. nothinge the vnkyndenes of that people to whome he had so often and longe ben so louinge a Lorde and maister So he sayeth now this house lyes waste to set out before them y◠greatnes of theyr disobedience that they did not neglect and leaue vnbuylt a common house a Bishop◠palaice or an Abby but that house wherin God him selfe sayde he woulde dwell where onely they shoulde offer their sacrifices whiche onely not oute of the whole worlde but amonge the places townes cytyes in all Iewry he chose by name too be worshipped in in whiche onely he was moste delited and made promys to Salomon in the dedicacion of thesame that he woulde heare the prayers of the that there called vpon hym in faith That house thei did not onely suffer it to decaye but were so forgetful of it that they let it lye waste desolate layde no hande to it as thought it belonged not to them nor it were theyr duety they hadde so farre forgotten God whiche willed them so straightely to do it The Lord for his mercy sake graunt that thesame vnkyndnes maye not be layde iustly against vs whiche leaue that house vnhuylt yea treade vnder oure feete like filthy swyne wherin not the sacrifices of Moyses are offered but for the saluation of whiche Christ offered his bodye a sacrifice to be kylled and his bloude shed and in whiche his holy spirite dwelles if thorough vnthankefulnes we driue him not awaye This house is the holy churche of Christe generally and oure owne bodyes and soules particulerly which be not only membres and partes of his misticall body but the temple and house where the holye Ghoste dwelles where in he wil chiefly be worshipped verse 5 And now thus sayth the Lord of hostes cōsider in your harts your owne waies verse 6 You haue sowen muche and broughte in but litle ye haue eaten and not ben satisfied ye haue dronke and not ben filled with drinke ye haue ben clothed and not kept warme ye haue wrought for wage put your wages in a purse with a hole in the botome ¶ Although ye haue lien lōg without consideratiō of your duty toward God hys house buylding haue ben sore punished of god not knowē the cause of it haue sought your pleasur profit but not obtained them being so blinded in fulfillinge your worldly lustes yet now the mightye Lord of hostes power whome all other creaturs except you obey giues you warning now to cōsider better in youre heart your tyme past not so negligētly wey the working of god with you for he hath lōg punished you to haue had you to amend ye regard it not at all Synne of it self is darkenes whosoeuer walkes in sinne ▪ walkes in darkenes knowes not what he doeth if a man geue him self to be ruled by sin it makes of fooles mad men darkenes so the reasō that it knowes not what to do or saye They had thus many yeares ben plaged knew not the cause why but layd it on some other chaūce then not building gods house which was the chief cause or els like insensible beastes without the feare of God regarded it not as though it had come of some natural cause god had not plaged their sinne But as his disease is most perillous which lies sicke feeles not his sickenes nor can not cōplayne of one parte more than an other for thā the disease hathe equally troubled the whole body so they which lye walowing in syn so forgetting God al goodnes that thei fel◠no remorse of consciēce are desperate almost past all recouery yet God most mercifully dealing with this people sendes his Prophet to warne them sturre thē oute of their slepe that their thei should no longer so lightly wey Gods displeasure towardes them but depely wey why and wherfore these plages were thus poured vpō them The scholemaister correctes not his scoler nor the father his child but for some fauts for their amendment no more hath God sent these plages to you so many yeares but to remēber you of your disobediēce towards him that ye should turn to hym But if the leude scoler or vnthrifty sonne do not regarde the correction laid vpō him nor cōsider not the greatnes of his faulte nor the displeasure of his father or scholemaster ther is no goodnes to be hoped for of him so is it w e you if ye thus lightly or els not at all cōsider your lyfe paste Gods dealing with you how euil things haue prospered with you all the time ye thus haue disobeyed god Whē the life of mā pleases god saies Salomō all things prosper go forwards with him but whā he offendes his god all creaturs turn to his hurt hinderaunce If thou heare the voyce of the Lord thy God saith Moyses and kepe all the commaundementes which I teache thee the Lorde wil make thee greater than al other people thou shalt be blessed in the citie and in the fielde thy chyldren the fruit◠of the earth and all thy cattel thy shep◠▪ Oxen shal be blessed and increase but yf thou heare not the voyce of the Lorde thy God and kepe his cōmaundements thou shalt be cursed in the towne in the field◠thy chyldren shal be cursed and the fruit◠of the earth and the fruit of thy cattel thy sheepe and thy Oxen the Lord will sende vpon thee nede and trouble and destructiō on euery thinge thou goest aboute vntyll he destroye thee c. These plagues when they fall in any country are not lightlye to be considered But as the Phisicion seing in a glasse by the water the disease within the body by the learninge searches out the cause of the disease and ministers good things for thesame so in lokinge in the glasse of gods worde the diseases and sinnes which are in common wealthes we shall soone perceyue the cause of these plagues wholsomely minister some
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
woulde not turne vnto me saieth the Lorde For this cause then that thei shuld turne to him did he sende these plages not for hate or harme to his people But what a wickednes harde heartes were these men of that amonge so many threateninges so great plages and in so many yeares they woulde not turne vntoo the Lorde Here appeares howe true it was that he sayde before that all were fallen on sleepe bothe prince prieste and people vntyll the Lorde awaked vp all their spirites to see their greate disobedience and to goo aboute their buyldinge And also this declares how vnable and vnwillinge we bee to do good vntyll God styrre vs vp by hys grace God deales with vs as the shepehearde doeth with his sheepe If a sheepe runne from his felowes the shepeherde settes his dogge after it not to deuoure it but too bringe it in agayne So our heauenly shepehearde if any of vs his sheepe disobey him he settes his dogge after vs not too hurte vs but too bringe vs home to a consideration of oure dutye towardes this oure heauenly father and louinge sheepehearde Gods dogges be pouertye banishmeÌ„t sickenes euyll rulers dearth death war ignoraunce superstition losse of goods or frendes c. Who coulde haue holden hys handes beside such a sturdye people not vtterly haue destroyed theÌ„ where no sorte of men amonge suche a number for soo many plages in so many yeares woulde turne to their lord God Here therefore maye appeare the longe suffering of God who doeth not sodenly in a rage take vengeaunce on vs as soone as the faulte is done as one of vs doeth towardes an other but taries so longe too looke for oure amendement and repentaunce Also it is euidente howe true that is whiche God sayeth all the daye longe I stretched oute my handes too an vnfaythfull and rebellious people Oure sauioure Christ saieth he standes and knockes at the doore and woulde come in we wil not let hym in The Lorde for his mercies sake softeÌ„ oure heartes that we despise not such gentill callinges and be founde in the nuÌ„ber of suche hard heartes least we bee geuen vp to our owne lustes and so perish in our owne wickednes When we reade and heare this sturdye disobedience towardes God we thinke this people to be the worste vnder heauen and if we had ben in theyr case we wolde not haue ben so disobediet But if we loke at oure selues withoute flattery examine oure owne consciences behauiour towardes God wee shall fynde that we haue ben plaged no lesse then thei haue had Gods loÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce benefites shewed towardes vs no lesse then thei yet we haue not learned so much yea lesse than they God of hys goodnes amende it in vs for Christes sake And because they hadde ben so negligent in not considering Gods plages and woorkes amonge them soo many yeares yet twyse agayne in this verse he willes them not lightly too consider it nor forget it any longer as they had done before tymes but depely to way why those plages had fall vpon them God workes nothing in vayne but for oure learninge greate profite that we maye remember our duty the better and more reuerentlye worshyp him hereafter It is no smale faute so lightly to consider Gods workes towards vs for that we might the better doe it he hath geuen man onelye reason as a chiefe treasure that we maye do thesame also taught vs by hys woorde to do so Therefore if we do it not we are worse theÌ„ beastes whiche haue not reason too consider suche hys woorkinges No kynde of fruyte corne vynes figges pomegranates oliues hadde prosperously encreased of all these yeares â–ª which coulde not be but for some greate cause yet they passed but lightely on it neyther fearinge God the more least he should encrease the plagues nor amended their lyues that he mighte holde his hande from plaginge them any longer Often earnest remembringe of our disobedience towardes God and consideringe hys scourges for thesame workes in all good herts an earnest amendement of lyfe The vnthrifty sonne in the Gospel that had spent all his porcion of goods vnthriftely when he was dryuen by hunger to remembraÌ„ce of him self and his misbehauiour Comes home to his father submittes hym selfe confesses his faute saying Father I haue sinned agaynste heauen and thee and am not woorthy to be called thy sonne and so is receyued to mercy The Publican acknowledginge hys sinnes went home righteous Saincte Paule remembringe howe he was a persecuter cruell a blasphemer is kept in an humble and lowli knowledge of him self Esdras and Daniel confessinge their disobedience and sinnes of the hole people knowledge their miserie Gods iustice in punishinge and so obtayne mercie Moyses to teache the Iewes too be pitifull too straungers biddes them remember howe they were straungers in Egipte slaues to Pharao For in so consideringe their olde estate and heauye case that they were in before they should learne the better to pitie straungers and consider their heauines This by remembringe diligentlye oure case and state passe with Gods punishment for oure sinnes we shall learne oure misery call for helpe of God and bee more ware hereafter that we fall not into the lyke sinnes so procure Gods anger and heauier hand heaping our owne damnation God sendes such thinges to teach vs our duty and if we do not learn he wil cast vs out of his schole No good scholemayster will suffer suche lewde scholers in his schole as will not learne whaÌ„ thei be sufficiently taughte bothe by gentilnes and sharpnes by thinges past and presente by example of others and experieÌ„ce of them selues And where these plages began to fall vpon them euen after the grounde worke of the temple was laide when thei lefte of buylding a man wold thinke God dealt extremely with them whiche woulde not spare them any thinge at all but for the firste faulte punishes so sharply and continues so longe But as the Machabees teache when he hath rekened the cruelty and persecution of Antiochus least a man shoulde thinke God hated hys people for dealinge so sharpely with them he saieth God didde it for loue and that he loued theÌ„ more then al other people because by correction he woulde so soone call them backe and not let them lyue in sinne styll as he didde other nations The Gentiles whom he punished nothinge so sharpely but let lyue at their pleasure they knewe hym not worshipped hym not he gaue theym not his worde nor his Prophetes but let them take their pleasure as though he cared not for them Dauid considering the diuers plagues and sickenes whiche God layde on hym saide it is good for me that thou haste corrected and humbled me for before I was corrected I sinned For as theâ—â— maÌ„ will suffer those beastes which he apointes to be killed to go where
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
woorde can not deceyue but must nedes come too passe and bee as true as if I see them with my eye Whan Thomas Dydimus woulde not beleue excepte he see the prynte of the nayles Christe sayde blessed be they that beleue and se not O notable example for al true Prophetes teachers to folowe that they teache nothinge but that whiche they see in Gods booke and not mans learninge for that is full of deceit and that they mai call their preachinges visions and sights for the certaintie of them that thei be sene by a true faythe and founde in gods boke whiche can not lye and therefore they be as true and too be beleued as if wee sawe them with oure eyes Mans learning is darknes therfore can not be called visions or thinges sene but fained as Ezechiel says woo be to the foolishe Prophetes whiche folowe theyr owne spirite and se nothinge but of gods woorde it is sayde contrariwise we haue o surer wrytinge of the Prophetes to the whiche when ye geue attendaunce as to a candle shyninge in a darke place ye doe well vntoo the daye shyne and the daye Starre ryse in your heart Thus sainct Peter attributes thus to the scripture writinges of the Prophets that thei lighten our heartes and eyes as a candle doeth a darke place vntoo a fuller knowledge bee geuen vnto vs by the spyrite of God too dryue out ignoraunce As the daye Starre or daye it selfe dryues awaye darkenes Abdia or Oabdia as the Hebrewe cals hym is as muche to saye as the seruaunt of God wheren we learne who is he that wrytes this Prophete and from whome he comes the goodnes of our good God towarde his seruauntes that he lettes not them wander in ignoraunce but declares hys hole will and pleasur vnto thē that they perish not with the wicked world but he was not of suche sorte of seruaūts whiche sainct Ihon wrytes of The seruaūt knowes not what his maister does for suche be rather slaues whiche knowe not their maisters pleasures serue not of loue but feare But he seruid the Lord hys God in true worship for such sorte of seruauntes the Hebrew woord signifies and that kynde of seruice is true fredome as sainct Paul sayes Ye be made free frō sinne but ye are seruauntes to God Thus Paull Peter call them selfes not onely Apostles but also seruaūts of Iesu Christ therfore the Lorde vouchesaued to declare his hole will vnto hym his faythfull and beloued seruaunte concerninge thinges to come and the estate of the cruell Edomytes whiche did so cruelly handle Gods people and had persecuted them so longe and lyke a true seruaunte that loues hys felowes he kepes it not close too hys selfe but confortes others therewith Names in the scriptur bee not geuen in vayne but that soo often as they heare or thinke on their owne name so ofte they shoulde consider what they be taughte by it Abdia in thinkinge on his name shuld remember that he shoulde serue the Lord his God Abraham on the blissing of God whiche made hī a father of many people Zacharia that accordinge too hys name he shoulde continually remember the Lord. Peter that his faythe is the stronge rocke whereon Christ will buylde his churche for so the woorde signifies by interpretation so foorth in all others Therfore fathers doe well in geuinge their chyldren suche Christian names as may remēber them of their duetye to Godwarde call them not by Heathē names or feyned foolishe sainctes whiche can teache them no goodnes Many doeth thinke this Abdias to be the steward of Achabs house which had an 100. Prophetes of God in caues and fed them 50. in one cōpanye and as many in another in the tyme of Iezabels cruel persecutiō now by gods prouidēce fedes many thousandes with hys holsome doctrine And although the holye scriptures do not playnly shewe that he was thesame Abdia in dede yet probable enough it is as many learned men thinke Unto whose mynde also I can well agree that it is thesame man He was one that feared the Lorde as he sayde to Elias was a straunger borne in Sychem of Idumea as some thinke and not a Iewe borne but turned after to the lawe of the Lorde forsakinge the wickednes of his people Hys writing is so muche more notable because beinge a straunger hee prophecies agaynste his owne countrye and therfore the trewer be lyke also it is and without percialitie spoken because none will willingly threaten suche distruction to hys natiue countrye as he does here but he that is a true seruaūt of God withoute sparinge will speake his maysters message frely truelye againste his dearest frendes if the Lord God sende hym Thys prophecie is more meete also for these our dayes because we were vnder the lyke persecution that he was or worse for the true Prophetes of God were not suffered to hyde them selfes in dennes wildernes as they might do than vnder cruel Achab and Iesabel but were moste cruelly throwen intoo the fyer yea the madnes of Gods enemies was so muche that they coulde not be satisfied with thē bloude of theym that were on lyue but the whiche was seldome redde of amonge the Heathen They pull vp the dead bodyes whiche were buryed many yeares before to burne their bones and strawe their asshes abrode as maister Bucer Paulus Fagius c. yea of theues for praying god to deliuer vs from the tyrāny of the Pope These Edomytes agaīst whō he writes were not so cruell as oure men were be And therfore your distruction shall be the greater at the appoynted tyme than thys other was Let vs not flatter theym nor our selfes because they be oure countrye men or because we woulde not see the destruction of oure countrye For the Lorde is a righteous God and will sharpely punishe synne wheresoeuer he fyndes it yf we doe not earnestlye begge hys pardon mercy and forgeuenes with amēdement of lyfe But it is to be feared that as Abdia did no good to his countrie folkes because they woulde not heare hym So muche labor is loste in oure countrye because they stop their eares and will heare nothinge but that whiche pleases theym for it is true that our sauiour Christ says There is no Prophete without honor and credite but in his owne countrye yet neuerthelesse lifte vp your voyce blowe the trumpet of God and tell the people theyr faultes lest they perishe and their bloude be required at your handes discharge your selfs rebuke them earnestlye and lette it take rote and profit as God will whiche geues all increase as he thinkes good If they heare not they perishe in their owne synnes and thou art free The preface that he puts here before gets hym greate aucthoritie and credit with the hearers declares him also to be a true Prophete of God because he speakes nothinge in hys owne name but says the Lord
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
.3 king 19. The Prophete Aggeus IN the seconde yeare of Kynge Darius in the vi moneth the firste daye of the moneth the word of the Lord was sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophet vnto Zerubabell the son of Salathiel ruler of Iuda and vnto Iosua the Sonne of Iosedec the chief Priest saying ¶ In asmuch that the yeare moneth and day when this Prophecy was spoken be so diligentlye noted of the Prophete and also that in which kinges daies by whom and to whom it was preached is so diligentlye mencioned it makes muche for prouynge the trueth of the prophecie and that we shoulde the rather beleue it For they that will teach lies vse not so exactly to declare the circumstances wherein thinges were done least in examynation of the same thinges be proued contrary and they founde liers But chiefly this long time here appointed of xl yeares teacheth vs the pacience and long sufferaunce of god who wil not punishe so sone as we do a faulte but tary and looke for oure repentaunce and amendmente as he did here so longe beare the Iewes And also it setteth before vs the vnthankful disobedience and slouthfull negligence of gods people whiche after so mercifull a deliueraunce and bringing them home againe from Babilon to their owne countrey from whence they were led prisoners by Nabuchodonozor had so longe and manye yeares left of the building of that house which God willed them so straightly to restore and the good King Cirus had giuen them liberty to do the same and restored their old ornamentes to doe it withall And in them also we learne our owne slouthfullnes to the fulfillinge of gods lawes For of our selues we be no better then they nor more diligēt in wel doinge except God stirre vs vp by his vndeserued grace The Iewes for their disobedience to god and his Prophetes preachinge his worde according to the Prophecy of Ieremy had their country spoyled their Citie Ierusalem burned their Temple destroyed they them selues were manye killed some for hunger in the besiege of the Citie did eat their owne children or donge and the rest were led prisoners to Babylon by Nabuchodonozor and there kept three score and ten yeares in great bondage After these years ended by the good king Cirus they had lycence in the first yeare of his reigne to go home and build their temple as manye as would and all other might freelye aide them with monie toward that great costly woorke Some good amongst them but fewe in comparison as Zorobabell Iosua Nehemia Mardocheus and other whose names are rekened in Esdras toke in hande to be Captaines of this worthye worke and after they came to Ierusalem they builded an altar to serue for to make their offeringes and their sacrifices on vntil the time that the Temple was builded The first and seconde yeares of their comming home to Ierusalem they were some thing diligent about their building and laide the ground worke of the temple But after partlye for complaintes of the rulers in the country whiche were straūgers and placed there longe afore by Salmanasar had accused them to the king saiyng if they were suffered to build their Cytye they woulde rebell as they were wont and paye no more taxes and partly for slouthfull negligence of them selues they left of buildinge vnto nowe this seconde yeare of Darius God sent this his Prophet to stirre them vp to their worke By this we may learne that when we lye longe on sleepe in sinne we can not wake vp our selues vntil God stirre vs vp by his Prophetes his word or holy spirite For Dauid after he had committed adultery with Urias wife and caused her husband to be slaine laye without remorse of conscience without repenting for his eull doinges or asking mercy vntill the Prophet Nathan came and rebuked him for the same Therfore let vs not lightly regarde the warninges of God sent vnto vs by hys preachers but thankfully embrace them praisinge his holye name that not only he hath so paciently borne vs so long and not sodenlye destroyed vs walowing in sinne and forgettinge him without repentaunce but now lastlye hath called vs by the preachinge of his worde and restoring his gospel by our gracious Queene to a new life which god graunt vs for his Christes sake The Iewes had now lyen after their cōming home almost xl years not regardīg the building of the temple wherfore God mooste louinglye sente his Prophete to warne them of their dutye rebuke them of their negligences and stirre theym vp earnestly to go about that worke And although the counting of these yeares be harde to count and are diuersly reckened of diuerrs men because they would make the greke Histories to agre with the scriptures I shall let all other Histories passe because they be to troublesome and folow that onelye whiche the scripture teacheth for that is the easiest and plainest to vnderstande and without al doubt true In Iohn we reade that the Iewes asked our sauior Christ what marueylous signe he would worke to perswade theym that he might do suche thinges as he did And he sayd to them distroye ye this temple in thre dayes I wil build it agayne He spake of his owne body whiche he would rayse vp the third day after they had putte him to death but they vnderstoode him of that greate costlye solēne Tēple of lyme stone whiche nowe they were building and therfore said Fourty six yeres was this temple in buildinge And wylte thou buylde it in three dayes Here we se howe longe this temple was in buyldynge althoughe some expounde thys place otherwise yet this is not ment that they were contynuallye workynge on the same so longe for partly they were forbidden and stopped by the Kynges that ruled after Cyrus and partlye they were negligent and carelesse for it but that there were so many yeares from the beginninge of that worke vnto the finishing of the same In the second yeare of Kinge Cyrus whiche was also the seconde yeare of their returninge home to Ierusalem from Babilon they layd the foundacions of the temple In the second yeare Darius as this presēt place teacheth they are willed by Aggeus to take in hand their worke againe ▪ And in the sixt yeare of this same Darius they finyshe it so that from the seconde yeare of Cyrus vnto the sixte yeare of Darius must be .xlvi. yeares wherein they were building as S. Iohn sayth This was a great negligence of Gods people and vnthankefulnes so long forgetting the building of the temple and their duty to god after so mercifull and late restoring them to their coūtry but this all our croked nature bent vnto except God do not onelye begin the good woorke in vs but also continuallye leade vs in the same to the ende Therfore haue we neede to loke diligentlye vnto our selues pray that god would not turne
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
assure him selfe that yf earthely lordes and maysters wil defende their seruauntes much more he that was kynge of heauen and earthe and Lord of Lordes mooste tender and louinge of hys subiectes woulde not see hys seruauntes oppressed violentlye troden vnder foote nor throwen doune but he would be their mighty deliuerer reuenge their wroÌ„gs What can he greater comfort to any people than to heare God vouchesafe too call him selfe their Lorde God and maister them hys seruauntes If this be thought soo greate a promotion that an earthelye lorde will take vs too his seruice speake cherefully to vs set vs in some office or let vs weare his lyuery it is muche more too be estemed to be seruauÌ„t to Iesus Christ to beare his crosse for that is his lyuery to fighte vnder his baÌ„ner and haue hym for our capitayne Men do commonly sue too be seruauntes vntoo noble men weare their lyueryes that whosoeuer seeth their coate maye feare them and vnder theyr maisters name they mai rule in their couÌ„trye like lords of the lande do wrong whaÌ„ they lust and euery man shall cal it right and thoughe they were slaues afore yet now they shal be euery gentilmans felow â–ª but they whiche weare Christes lyuerey be obedient and louing to all do no wroÌ„g but suffer praye for them which persecute them and do good for euill This lyuerye we muste weare if we will bee the lordes seruauntes and partakers of his promise and deliueraunce in the daye of trouble This similitude which the Prophete vseth of a ringe that God woulde keepe him as safely as his ring is takeÌ„ of kings and Princes which emoÌ„g all things kepe their seale signet and ringe moste surely either them selues or betake it too some moste trusty frende to kepe If the seale should be counterfeated stolen or blaÌ„ckes sealed with it what hurt or treasoÌ„ might be done thereby their landes offices or treasure mighte be geuen away the subiectes sturred to rebellion or the destruction of the hole common wealth might folow thereon Therfore that thei mighte moste certainly perswade them selues that in that troublesoÌ„ time of warre destruction of the kingdome of the Persians thei shoulde be moste safely kepte he saieth he wil kepe theym as hys ringe and seale that is too saye mooste safely And as when a frende sende his ringe or seale for a token to his frende it signifieth that he loueth hym moste derelye too whome he sendeth suche a pledge of loue frendship and also teacheth him that where he seeth his frendes ringe he shoulde not denye him his request nor doubte of the message that it shoulde be counterfeated so whan he names his ringe here they shoulde not doubt of his loue towardes them nor mistrust hys promise For as with vs whan Doctors be created thei haue a ring geuen them as a ceremony of honour and aucthoritie and in marriage the husbaÌ„d geueth hys wyfe a ringe for a sure pledge of loue so God our sauioure vnder this similitude of a ringe commendes his honour that he hath called vs vnto to be hys seruauntes and chyldren the loue he beares vntoo vs in that he hath marryed vs vnto hym in hys sonne Christe by the weddinge ring of sayth And the wedding apparell appeareth when Osee sayeth I will marye the to me in faith iustice iudgement mercie and many mercies Under this name of a seale he commeÌ„deth vnto vs also bothe his outward visible sacraments and the inwarde grace of the holy Ghoste working in our consciences by them Saincte Paule .iiii. to the Romaines called Circumcision a SacrameÌ„t of the olde lawe the seale of the righteousnes of faythe and as that was a seale in that time to our fathers of righteousnes so be our sacrameÌ„ts too vs in these dayes seales of Gods promises vnto vs al haue one strength vertue The scriptur of God is the indentur betwixt God vs wherin is conteined both the promises grace and mercy the God offereth to the world in hys sonne Christ also the conditioÌ„s which he requires to be fulfilled in our behalf the sacraments are the seales set to his indeÌ„ture to strengthen our faith that we do not doubt For as it is not ynough to write the conditions of a bargain in an indenture except it be sealed soo God for oure weakenes thought it not sufficient too make vs promise of his blessinges in writinge in hys scripture but he woulde seale it with hys owne bloude and institute his sacrameÌ„ts as seales of thesame truth to remaine too be receiued of vs in remembraunce of him and strengthning our faith Baptisme is a sacrament sealed by God and sealinge our consciences that God taketh vs for his chyldren and seruauntes and we offer and binde our selues to serue hym onely as a lorde and father The supper is also a sacrament wherein he fedes vs spiritually thus takeÌ„ into his seruice with his owne precious body and bloude and we rekening with oure selues where in wee haue offended hym aske mercye nothinge doubtinge to obtayne it and renewe oure bonde to hym whiche we haue so often broken and promise too doe soâ—â— more So that when God geueth these hys sacramentes to vs by his ministers wee receyue thesame the bargayn is ful made betwixt God and vs the writinge sealed deliuered we are become his people and he oure God we to serue loue honour and worshippe hym and he too helpe deliuer defende and prouide for vs al necessaries This inwarde sealinge of the conscience whiche is the seconde sorte of sealinge is where God poureth his loue so plentifully into our heartes by the holy Ghoste which is geuen vs that he beareth witnes too oure spirite that we be the childreÌ„ of God and sturreth vp oure myndes to call hym father father we haue a taste and felinge that God hath chosen and sealed vs for hys people with the holy Ghoste promised as saincte Paule sayeth This is a sure tokeÌ„ to a faythfull hearte that he is the chylde of God and God his father and of this he takes so greate comforte that in what trouble soeuer he fall he knoweth that God doeth it not of hate but of loue trieth hys faith that other may knowe thesame how earnestly he loueth his God and that nothinge can be so stronge to pull hym oute of his Goddes handes not for his owne strengthe but that God whiche holdeth hym is stronger then all Of suche as were thus sealed saincte Ihon in his Reuelation speaketh whan he sayeth That of euery tribeâ— there were .12 thousande sealed and saincte Paule teacheth Timothee that this grounde worke stand stroÌ„g hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who be hys For as noble men princes beare a loue to their seruauntes and for a witnesse of thesame will geue their outward Coignessance Badge and liuery wherby they maye be knowen from others sturreth vp their myndes to loue
all theyr ennemies and mighte haue slayne theym lyke sheepe whan Haman had gotten lycens of the kynge to destroye the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus God sent queene Ester to saue his people and HamaÌ„ was hanged on his own galowes Whan Darius was slain by Alexander the kyngdoÌ„ brought to the GretiaÌ„s Alexander coÌ„ming to destroy IerusaleÌ„ because they denied hym tribute God soo turned his heart the he entreated theÌ„ wel submitted him self to the high priest meting him with the other priests in their priestly apparell coÌ„fessed their God to be the true God When the Romaines conquered the â—â—tians and the Iewes were vnder the rule of the Romaines they didde not greatly harme them vntil they crucified Christe denied hym too bee their God sayinge hys bloude be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren In the cruell persecutions afterwardes the more sorowe that was layde on Gods people the more they encreased Thus in all ages God deliuered his out of trouble or els taketh them to him selfe by some glorious death In these our dais when the mightiest princes of the worlde stryue and fighte cruellye who shal be the greatest rather then godliest God prouydeth alwayes some corner for his too flee into where they maye serue him And if they be persecuted from one place he prepares an other to receyue them And although persecution was greate amonges vs yet God shewed him self more glorious mightye and mercifull in strengthninge so many weake once to dye for hym than in so mercifully prouiding for them which were abroade although bothe be wonderfull What glorious crakes made proude persecutours that thei woulde make goddes poore banished people too eate theyr syngers for hunger but they had plentye for all the others crueltie Gods holy name be praysed therefore What a mercie of God is this that where we deserued to be cast from him for euer because of our wickednes he nowe corrected vs gentellye called vs to this honour that he punished vs not so muche for oure owne sinnes as that he called vs to the promotion of bearinge his crosse witnessinge to the world his truth and vouchedsafe to proue teach and confirme others in this his truthe by oure witnesse bearinge He called vs too thesame honour that he called his owne sonne Christe Iesus in suffering for hys names sake that wher as we suffer with hym we shal be glorified and raigne with hym Let the cruell Papistes consider therefore howe God hathe deliuered hys people out of their handes fulfilled thys his promise and kepte vs safely like hys priuie signet in these miserable dayes of their persecution Let the bloudy Bishops voyde of all religion and chaunging with the worlde to fyll their filthy bellies although they woulde nowe make men beleue they woulde be constant and stoutly confute that whiche afore they proued true by othes and doctrine Let them I saye consider whether they or the simple soules whiche they tormented haue gotten the victory The simple soule offered hym self to dye rather then to offend God by superstition or Idolatry The proude Cayphas threatened fyre faggotte if he forsoke not his true faith Thus whylest they striue for religion not for lyfe the poore meÌ„bers of christ hold fast their faith the proud prelate with his tormeÌ„ts can not ouercome Gods simple shepe They striue not for life but the simple man offeres it willingly rather than forsake the truthe so God euer confouÌ„des the wisedom of the world is glorified in the fooles abiectes God for his mercie sake grauÌ„t all his lyke boldnes to witstaÌ„d their crueltie whansoeuer God shall trye vs. A prayer MOst righteous iudge and merciful father which of loue did punish sharpely thy people being negligeÌ„t in buyldinge thy house that by suche sharpe correction they mighte be stirred vp to do their duty so haue pleased thee we acknowledge coÌ„fesse before the world thy diuine maiesty that we haue no lesse offended thee in this behalfe than they haue done that for all the sharp plagues which thou laide vpon vs we coulde not awake out of our deadly sleepe forgetting the earnest promotioÌ„ of thy glorie true religion but rather consented to the persecutioÌ„ of our brother thy true faithful people vntil now that of thi infinite goodnesse by geuing vs a gratious Queene restoring the light of thy worde that hast letten vs taste the treasurs of thy mercies in our extreme desperate miseries whaÌ„ for our wickednes we durst not for the gret power of thy enemies we coulde not hope nor loke for any such help or redresse at al. We fal doun flat therfor before the throne of grace desiring pardoÌ„ of this gret negligence of al our former offeÌ„ces prai thee that the wil not deal with vs as we haue deserued but as of thy own free wil thou promised thy people falling earnestly to thy work restoring of thy teÌ„ple that froÌ„ theÌ„ce forward thou would blesse al their worke fruits ouerthrow their enemies saue thy people that woldest make the house also more glorious thaÌ„ the first by the preaching of thy Gospel so we desire thee for Christes sake thy sonne our sauiour to be no lesse good gracious Lord vnto vs yet once againe going about to restore thy true religioÌ„ trâ—den doun defaced by the cruell papistes Send foorth O Lord many such faithfull preachers as wil set out thy glorie vnfeynedly open the hearts of thy people that they may se how far more acceptable vnto theâ— is the liuely preaching of thy holy woord than all the glittering ceremonies of Poperie deliuer vs we besech thee froÌ„ all our enemies saue and preserue our gracious Queene as thine own signet indue her her couÌ„sel with such reuereÌ„t fear of thee thy woord that all policie which is coÌ„trarie to thy woord set apart they mai vprightly seke ernestly maintain thy true glory minister iustice punish sin defend the right CoÌ„fouÌ„d most mightie God bring to naught all the deuises of suche as go about to ouerthrow thy woord true worship open our eyes that we may se how derely thou hast loued vs in Iesus Christ thy sonne our lord hold vs fast O Lord of hostes that we fal no more froÌ„ thee grauÌ„t vs thaÌ„kful obedieÌ„t hearts that we may encrease dayly in the loue knowledge fear of the encrease our faith help our vnbelefe that we being prouided for and releued in all our nedes by thy fatherli care prouideÌ„ce as thou shalt thiÌ„k good mai liue a godli life to the praise good exaÌ„ple of thi people after this life mai raign with thee for euer through Christ our sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghoste three persons one God be prayse thankes geuing in all congregations for euer and euer Amen ¶ Here endeth the prophete Aggeus ¶ A preface to
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