we haue a cleare testimonye of the resuscitation of the dead to come where the vngodly shal be punysshed with payns perpetuall and the godly endewed with ioye eternall The professours of this doctryne shal aryse ayen vnto lyfe By the doctrine of cryste of the prophets and apostles professed and receyued the trwe chirche is 〈…〉 from the Synagog of anticryst Here it is taught also the chirche not to be the most multitude but often to be but a litle miserable sorte afflic with pouerty presoâ—s and persecucion with many other calamities and the wyked enimies of god for the more parte to bere rule to be emprours and kinges popes cardinals bisshops c. And to haue the wealthy vayn glorye of this worlde But when these vtwarde apperances offende manis reason which being ignorant of the wrathe of God ayenst synne yet cleauing in the nature of man dreameth these rulers rather to be beloued of God to whom he geueth victory impery riches rule therfore it is necessarye to note this premoni cion teaching vs how we shulde knowe the chirche of God where we shuld seke it euen onely in that coÌ„gregacion which receiueth enbraceth with perel of their lyues the doctryne delyuered by the prophets by Cryste his apostles And let not the 〈…〉 kinges rulers nor ryches nor their gloriouse titles nor the multitude nor longe customs nor the holy names of their holy mother the chirche moue the to esteme them for the peple of god whiche ether castaway neglecte or 〈…〉 the vniuersal doctrine of the prophets and apostles orels openly and pertinatly defende imagis supersticion vaine ryts idle ceremonies and Papistrye Here also thou seeste the anticrystis bothe seculare and spirituall prophecied to come in the second third but especially in this last Monarchie where in thei shall moste cruelly towerds the ende of the worlde greuously persecute resiste the gospell here I say ar these aduersaries to crist lyuely setforth iÌ„ their own colors and as it were with Daniels finger pointed forthe also howe wherewithe and when thei shal be destroid Men must be prudent in diuiding and receiuing the prophets documents Thei must loke whiche parte containeth the laws whiche preche the promises the gospell For vnto these principalls allother things muste be referred Note also whiche parte declareth the documents As what can be said clerelyer and euideÌ„tsier ayenst the iews then that Daniel af firmeth cryste to must haue had ben borne during yet the comoÌ„ weal of Moses Wherfore that horrible destruccioÌ„ of hierusalem and ruyne of the hole londe of Iuda nowe paste 1474. yeres do testify cryste to be borne it refuteth their madde and cursed pertinacye Here must we note the lessons of the trwe inuocacion worship of God As wheÌ„ Daniel prayeth he aknowlegeth to God onely his owne and their synnes for whom he prayeth asketh of God onely delyuerance in the faith and confidence of his mercye adding by expresse name For the lorde cryste his sake that is for Messias his sake promised This forme of prayer with confidence of the mercy of God promised for crystes sake we ought to vse in these last and perlous days now be we taught who be the chirche and therwith monisshed to flye and â–ª that false coloured coÌ„pany that contende to blot out the name and glory of cryste defende their images supersticiouse rites cere and papistry ayenst the gospel vnder the name of the chirche or of any other begged glitering gay titles Nether ought this thing to be neglected that to confirme our myndis God hathe geuen vs prophecies of all sortes concerning the externe kingdoÌ„s so that by the iust fulfilling of euery thing as it was prophecied we haue trwe testimonys that owr scripture is Gods worde no nother but this owr faithe to be the trwe faithe also And that we shuld be warned and tolde when cryste shal come and wheÌ„ we must loke for the ende of the worlde And when we see althingis to haue had come to passe and be fulfilled whiche were prophecied then we shuld beleue euen these same also to be lykewyse fulfilled whiche yet this daye the scriptures testifie to come orels we se them presente Whiche prophecies the clâ—resyer to be vnderstandeÌ„ it is necessary we know the ages of the worlde and the order of the. 4. Monarchies and the nowmber of the tymes howlong thei stode A brife supputacion of the Ages and yeris of the worlde FOr the beter vnderstanding of this prophete I will diuyde the worlde as saith the house of Elie into 3. ages and then aftir Daniels storye into 4. Monarchies The house of Elie thus saith Six thousand yeris shal the world stande and aftir that it shall fall and be destroiâ— Two thousand yeris it shall stand vn der the lawe vnwriten called the lawe of nature â–ª writen from the begining in menis hertis Two thousande yeris vnder the lawe writen by Moses Two thousande vnder cryste and his gospell aâ— be it this last thousand yeris be not fulfilled for that the sinnes and wikednes of this worlde being so abominabâ—â— so rank and rype the persecucion so greuouse God must for his promise sake Mat. 24. and for his chosens sake shorteÌ„ the dayes lest al flesshe perisshe The first age conteined in the first 2000. stode from the creacion vnto Abraham being 5o yeris olde whiche was 344. yeris aftir Nohes flowde which floude was froÌ„ the creacion in the yere 1656. The seconde age in the seconde 2000. recheth from the said yeres of Abraham vnto the birth and passion of cryste Cryste was borne in the yere from the creacion of the worlde 3978. and preueÌ„ted the ende of the fowerth millenarie by 22. yeris And why verely because we shuld know that as he hathe with his firste coming into flesshe preuented the ende of the seconde age euen so will he with his laste coming to iugement preuent the ende of the last age and sixt millenarie This third age in this laste 2000. begane at the birthe or rather aftir the ascension of Cryste and shal continâ—w vnto the destruction of the worlde at crystis coming to iugemeÌ„t Of this age there be past this daye from the birth of cryste 1545. and from his passion 1512. and from the final destruccion of Ierusalem and the iews comon weal 1474-And thus is the world old 5523. or aftir a nother manis rekening 5528. Which rekening is thus gathered in the bible First from the creacion to Nohes floude there were yeres 1656. From thence to Abrahams going forthe out of chaldei 363. From thence to the going forth of the Israefits out of Aegipte 430. From thence to the first building of the temple in the. 4. yere of Salomons raigne 480. yeris FroÌ„ thence to the captiuite in babiloÌ„ 429 The captiuite dured 70. yeris And here was the age of the worlde 3428. yeris From the captiuite to
synnes with rightuousnes Of the which the defenders of their merits and aduersaries to faith iustifying can take no holde as they seme to themself For the very rightwisnes or forme of rightwyse making before god is onely of faith wherby oure synnes be sorgeuen of y e which faith trew almose and workis of mercy procede as doth the light from the sonne and heat out of the fyer Synnes be redemed before god in the rightwysenes of faith And they be redemed before men in the rightwysenes of the lawe of good workis of mercye as ye se here the almose to the pore to folowe at the redeming and remission of synnes before god in the rightwysenes of faith So that the kyngs iust dealing his mercy compassion of the pore were the testimonies of his repentance iustificacion by faith This counsell of daniel coÌ„taineth the hole lawe gospell First to know our synnes by y e lawe then to repente and by faith to be absolued of which all as out of the tree ther procede y e frutes of repentance faith that is the workis of loue and mercye to the pore afflicted This counsell of daniel geuen to the kyng declareth God straightly to require of the kyngs and princes not onely the obedience of his ten commandemeÌ„ts but also princely iustice that is the diligent cure and charge of his chirche which was then as it is nowe cruelly entreated in captiuite of menis tradicions by the chirche vnderstande his subiectes to whom the kynge 〈…〉 a publike peace and fredome quietly to heare tryst the worde of god preched And what Daniel taught his kyng the same ought all prechers to teche their kynges For danielis doctryne perteineth to all emâ—… kynges and preachers vnto the worldis ende and especially vnto this last tyme of the last Monarchye wherin the same face of y e churche apereth which then was sene ☞ Nethelesse yet came all these thinges ouer the kyng Nebucadnezar For aftir 12. monethes the kynge walkinge in his princely palace of Babylon sayd thus Is not this great and mighty Babylon which I myself haue buylded by my nowne mighty power into the glory of my maiestey a worthy bewtye for a kinges house familye Whyles the kynge was thus speking there fyldowne a voice from heauen sayinge Vnto the oh kynge Nebucadnezar it is answerde and decrede that thy kyngdome shal be taken from the thou shalt be casten out fro menis companye and with wylde beastis shalt thou lyue eatinge grasse lyke an oxe tyll thy seuen tymes be passed ouer to then tent thou shuldst knowe the moste hyghe God to gouerne and rule the kyngdome of mortall men to change and to geue them to whom he willeth And euen in the same hower was this thing so fulfilled in Nebucadnezar that fro men was he casten forth to eate grasse lyke an oxe to lye forth wette vnder the skye vntyll his heares were growne lyke y e fethers of egels and his nailes lyke the clawes of byrdes These wordes speaketh thâ— kynge of himselfe as it were spoken in the persone of another man All these thynges came to him because he corrected and fered by dreames and monisshed by Daniel yet wold he not repent and amende his lyfe Nether did it repent god of his sentence But he toke him in the middis of his vngodlynes when he thought himself most sewer welthy blowinge forth his owne gloriouse pryde his triumphes and magnificence not rendering the glorye vnto god and therfore by this voice from heauen was he thus condempned and punisshed God had taryed longe enough for his repentaÌ„ce but because he was euery daye worse and worse he printed into him the depelyer his punishment rebukinge him the more sharply But here let vs note the condicion and state of an impeniteÌ„t kynge for all his godly teachings prechings to him exhortacioÌ„s monicioÌ„s and godly bokis delyuered him by his prophetes and lerned men He walked vp and downe whiche is a token of an ydle and priuate persone he behelde his gloriouse cosily buyldings with sich wordiâ— as declared wherin stode his transitory felicite and vayne affectis Here thou seist a kyng ouer so many nacions prouinces and tongues ydely walking praysing himself as though in all his so wyde a realme there had bene no seriouse thinge for him to do How many poore afflicted persecuted good men were there oppressed was daniel and his felowes the peple of god there preching vnto him in captiuite all thinke ye well entreated Wanted the kynge at that tyme no good counsell nor lerning where stode the pore men with there causes to be hearde Whatsoeuer honest paste tymes as they call them be imagined for kyngis to recreate their spirits pressed with studye and labours for the preseruacion of their realmes defense of their pore and punisshing of malefactours yet in their passe tymes let them beware lest iustice equite and iugement be neglected as they were in this kyngis ydle deambulacion For by siche ydle securite kyngis haue fallen with Nebucadnezar into arrogancy pryde and at last into blasphemyes and so cast out of god from their realmes And especially siche noble men as haue bene endewed with great giftis prosperouse successes For when they worship their giftis their powrs strength triumphes victories their ryches c. as their strange gods then beginne they to despise the very god Whose comminacions once neglected they will themselues to be worshipped for goddis Example of Sennacherib thinking himself stronger then God Timothe of Athenes bosted himselfe openly in his oracion sayinge This victory haue I done and not fortune Great Pompeius sayd he wolde with one spurne of his fote fill all Italie And thus by siche securite fill Nebucadnezar into pryde and synned agaynste the first table trusting to miche to his owne wysedom and strength rightwyssnes policye and power of which ydolatry he fill into the breaking of the second table euen into the oppression and persecutinge of the chirche of God Also God not to maye bere nor suffere long these sewer and welthey proude contempners of his worde namely the rulers of his peple not onely by all the comminacions of god but also by the example of all kynges and princes destroyed for their securite and pryde we maye well confirme it Howe miserably was Sennacherib destroyed 〈…〉 Timothe aftir that proude sayinge nothinge prospered And howe wretchedly Pompeius that vpspurner of the erth perisshed Lucanus describeth it And how heuey was the image of this kynge Daniel here paynteth him tellinge him not onely to lese his kyngdome but also his mynde and glorye which was miche beter Further more that this example of the wrath of god not being able to bereâ— sewer and prwde kynges be not wryten for ploughe men and carters but for emâ—… and kynges to lerne them most of all to fere god when they most flourissh haue yet moo examples If god in dauid crystes father might
princes neuerwant Thei laid ayenst the king the ferme auctorite of his actis lawes saying it shulde be a perellose example and to boldean enterpryse to make any innouacions and changes of the olde religion laudable customes rites cere c. At laste therfore the king ouercomen by the importune wiked perswasions of these peruerse couÌ„sellers permitted to them their mischeuouse dryft Nethe lesse a cristen prince ought to haue a princely manly herte in gods cause and of no weaknes to geue place to his maliciouse magistrats priestis Be ought himself to take the boke of the lawe in his own haÌ„d to studye be lerned aboue all his Magis bisshops and counsel to But because this king sinned not of a set purpose willingly therfor a non was he smiten with pitie and repentance but so were not the false accusers of daniel and the wiked counsellers It folowth therfore that the king repented with so manly a faith that he punisshed these accusers and his couÌ„sellers of this perellouse nouite and mutacion put into his head so vngodly Wold God all emperours and kings wold practize this Darius his example Thei be persewers which nether loue nor will heare nor reuerence the true doctryne nor will suffer themselues to be taught nor study to profit therin nether will defende the teachers and prechers thereof nether suffer it to be setforth which themselues know it to be trwe and godly But had leauer to bury and burne it and bringe it into hatered and sclaunder Let these men thus synninge ayenst the holy gost loke neuer to repent but to haue the present iugement of God ouer them And these dampnable wretches Paul biddeth vs aftir once and the seconde warning to esâ—ie we as heretiques for thei be condempned by their owne testimonye Let kings therfore by Darius his example aknowleg their infirmities and studye strongly to go forthe with the verite pray with him that sayd Lorde I beleue but yet helpe my vnbeleif ☞ Then the kinge going into his palace went to bed souperlesse no meat brought him he slept not that night as sone as it was daye syght the kinge arose went spedely to the denne of the lyons and beinge therat he with a moorninge voyce called daniel sayinge Oh daniel the seruant of the lyuing god hath not y e power of thy god whom always thou hast worshipped delyuered the from the lyoÌ„s Anon daniell answerd the kinge sainge oh king euer moughst thou lyue My god hath sent me his aungell which hath closed vp the lyons mouthes that thei shuld not hurt me For before him am I founde innocent nether ayenst the oh kinge haue I coÌ„mitted any fawlte Then was the king excedengly ioifull and commanded daniel to be plukt out of the denne in whom now plukt out there was no hurte founde done to him of the lyons because he beleued in his god Then at the kings commandemeÌ„t were his accusers enimies brought forth which w t their chyldren and wyues were throne into y t lyons whom ere they coulde come to the floer of the denne the lyons toke them broke all their bones The cruell vnreasonable lyons were meker to Daniel then his owne felowes The merciable kinge gote mercy of god and repented he departed from these his wyked counselerswith great heuines he refused all meat mirthe and solace consyderinge his so faithfull a counseller and seruaunt of god thus to be entreated Of this example maye some of oure bisshops and some Crysten princes be asshamed themselues in all delicat excesse wealthe to see daysy the innocent blode shed for the trewth their subiectis for their salfgard and defence of their realmes to be slayne themselues in the mean tyme playing and banketing Daniels wordis to the king thus teache him Oh kinge of this mayst thou lerne the iustice of god before whom I am founde innoceÌ„t in this mater and haue not offended the. I had trewly offended the greuously yf I had worshiped y t with my peticions prayers for so had I confirmed the in thy nowne synnes â–ª making the to beleue thyne acte to haue bene godly Now the king aftir his repentaÌ„ce and gladnes coÌ„ceiued beginneth to iâ—gâ—iustelyer he commandeth the innocent to be drawne out from the lyoÌ„s his false accusers to be throne vnto them And for because they went about to deprrue the kinge of his most wyse counseller best beloued frende therfore did the kinge iustely punisshe these false accusers with their beste beloued wyues and chyldren But wherfore was daniel delyuered Because he beleued saith the text in his God I cannot se els now a dayes wherfore men be persecuted and brent casten into oure lordely lyons mouthes but because thei beleue in their God one alone for all sufficient for their faith onely in him to be iustifyed of him onely to depende to him onely to praye him onely to call vpon c. vpon no saynt nor non els to worshippe no not images It was nether the kinges repentant heuines nor his fastinge and watching nor yet daniels innoceÌ„cie nor prayers that closed vp y e lyons mouthes but it was cryst y e messager of his heuenly father because daniel beleued in him Here be emperours and kinges taught to retract and call in ayen their vniust lawes actis articles decrees and proclamacioÌ„s to punisshe the counsellers and auctours of siche actis Which ensample all hinges ought this daye diligently to loke vpon Also all siche vngodly actis and lawes we be bounde with daniel to not obey but rather to flye out of the lande then to be yoked with them Sely innocent daniel was casten into the lyons signifying the innoceÌ„t poore chirche of god euer to haue the most sâ—â—ong empreours kings and princes and the deuyll to withe the pope and all his lyons to be hyrpersâ—wers To be breif Darius and daniel be serforth to vs the example of the mercye of god daniels accusers are thexample of y e wrath of god The example of Darius first teacheth the office of a crystiane to repent to beleue and to aknowleg his synnes aftir the lawe and gospell and to saue the godly dampne the vngodly The kinge without meat and sleape all the daye and night continueth For the lawe is as it were a fyery veper euer bighting euen y t comminacion of god saying I shall viset thy synnes for the kinge ayenst his faith and conscieÌ„ce had commanded daniel to be destroyd for kepinge the first precept of god He thus commanded it not as the king and lorde but as an idolater murtherer of innocents But the kinge to see daniel a lyue conceiued no lesse â–ª miracle in his conscience then was the delyuerance of daniels bodye Greate therfore is the ioye of y e faithfull aftir their crosse thus to se god to preserue glorifye them Then king Darius vnto the peple nacions all tongues vpon the vniuersall
chap. ye haue sene how greuouse affliccions shuld come ouer the Iewes by Antiochus and their owne bishops in the thirde monarchie Now shall ye see what horrible calamities folowed in the. iiii and last Monarchie euen the most cruell destruccion that euer was of the Iewes what greuouse persecucions oure Anticrystes vnder this last monarchie shall excercyse to the ende of the worlde For in this last monarchie it was prophecied cryst to be borne and crucifyed whose death and persecucion both of his owne bodye of his members and of his allmighty sauinge worde because it is the most horrible blasphemye and greuousest cryme it requireth the most heuey plage and most mercilesse blodye destruccion Now therfore awake ye persewers of cryst and his worde lyft vp youre heuye headis repent be ye conuerted to god for the axe of his wrath is nowe bent at the tree rote the swerde is drawne and forth stretched to smyte downe the wyked persewers of his worde ☞ In the first yere of Darii the sone of Ahasueri borne out of the Medis raigning ouer the Chaldeis In the first yere I saye of his raigne I Daniel perceyued in the bokis the nowmber of the yeres now fulfylled of the which the lorde spake by Ieremie the prophete that Ierusalem shuld lye waast 70. yeres Wherfore I turned vnto my lorde god with my supplicacion and prayers vsing them in abstinence sak and asshes Cyrus kinge of the Persies and Darius the sone of Astyagis were the firste kinges of the seconde Monarchie called the Persians and Medis This Darius raigned but two yere with Cyrus and is not that Darius here mencioned the sone of Ahasueri Cyrus was called farre of to defende his costes from the Scithians there warring vi yeres and left his sone Cambyses to raigne in his stede at home in the lande of Persie Cyrus was slayne of the Scithians as wryteth Herodotus aftir whom his cruell sone Cambyses reigned skant one yere of this Darius that firste reigned with Cyrus there is mencion in dani 5. and. 6. For it was he that suffred Daniel to be casten to the lyons Aftir Cambyses death for that he was wyked and forbode the buylding of y e temple and returne of the Iewes which all his father Cyrus commanded the posterite of the kingis of the Medis was extinct Cambyses dyinge without yssewe Then the Magi which were the preistis did set vp one of their faccion to rule the empire but he was sone put downe and slayne Then was the seconde Darius chosen by the neinge of the horse which was called Darius Hystaspis of Metasthene called Priscus Artaxerxes and Ahassueâ—us which had to wyfe quene Esther bywhom he had this man called here Darius also tonamed Longimanus or Darius Hystaspis his sone Cyrus raigned xxii yeares Cambyses one yeare and Magi one yere Ahasuerus xx yere and thus haue ye 44. yeres from the ende of the captiuite and of the. 70. yeres mencioned in Ieremye to this firste yeare of Darius Longimane Ahasuerus sonne In the which daniel here prayeth remembring the. lxx yeres of Iere. For all this long whyle ceassed the building of the cyte and temple and miche peple of the Iewes remayned styll at Babylon and in Persie with Daniel Esdra and Neemiaâ— the cause why the moste parte taryed yet styll dispersed amonge the gentils was for some had their substance among them some sawe that the worke at home was so forboden of Cambyses that it went not forthward and despeyered of the reedificacion therof and some did set naught by that goodly lande of Iuda but had rather pleasure in the idols of the gentyles then in the trewe religion of God many moo causes there were of their so long taryinge For it was as harde a returne from Babylon to Iudea as was from out of Egypte into the same lande lengere were they in returninge now ere they were all brought from Babylon For they returned here now some and then some as Cyrus permitted them the buyldinge beinge forboden and letted all these 44. yeres vnto y e second yere of thissame Darius Longimane so horribly hatethe god synne Wherfore daniel now seinge the lxx yeres of Ieremye past and also more then xl yeres to and yet the most part of the peple there taryinge styll and nether temple nor cyte of Ierusalem buylded he consydering the synnes of the peple to be the cause of this breache and delaye fyll to prayer as ye see him inflammed there vnto at the reading of Ieâ—emye calling now vpon god almighty and the most mercyfull father of Iesu Cryste oure delyuerer to be made certeiner not onely of the tyme of Ierusalem to be reâ—difyed and â—yen to be at laste vtterly destroyd but also of the tyme of the coming of cryst into flesshe which tyme to knowe so insily was geuen to no prophete so long before but onely to Daniel of the which example of Daniel to be folowed of all ministers of y e worde we maye lerne not onely by the readinge of the prophetis to aske consolacion but also by the example of the prophetis to aske to be delyuered from the curse of the lawe and to obteyne of god the promises in cryst What thinke ye daniel thus tourned to god and seking the lorde prayed to obteyne and to be putt from him Verely euen this that ye see folowinge in his prayer wherin ye maye see howe he vsed the difference of the lawe and gospell But let vs heare Daniel prayinge ☞ In making my prayer vnto the lorde my God I confessed my self sayinge I beseche the oh lorde god greate and to be feared kepinge couenant and mercye with them that loue the and obserue thy preceptis heare me We be synners and haue offended we haue done vngodly and are fallen from thy commandement and gone bake from thy lawes We haue not heard thy seruaÌ„ts the prophets which in thy name taught and spake to oure kinges to oure rulers to oure fathers and to all the peple of the lande With the oh lorde is rightwysnes but shame is now vnto vs as thou seist it euen to vs the Iewes cytisens of Ierusalem Israelits nyghe and farre of dispersed and scatered of the into all the nacions for these synnes which we haue committed ayenst the. Oh god ours is the shame euen the shame of oure owne kinges of oure rulers and of oure fathers because both we and they haue synned ayenst the. But it is thy propertie oh lorde bothe to haue mercye and to forgeue vs for we haue forsaken the we haue not obeyed the voyce of oure lorde god to lyue aftir his lawe setforth before vs by his seruants the prophetes For all Israel hath transgressed thy lawe yea and hath fallen bak from the theâ— haue not obeyed thy voyce Because we haue thus synned lo the curse and othe wryten in the lawe of Moses thy seruaÌ„t are powred forth
sight haue I done that thou shuldst be fownde trw in thy promises and ouer come wheÌ„ thou art iuged that is to saye I knowlege myself to be not els but a sin ner and giltie in thy sight vt iustificeris that is In thus confessing myself I preise and declare thy iust punisshment also thy victory whyles peruerse ypocrites iuge the oh lorde to be to roughe and rigourose ayenst this owrsinfull nature accusing and condeÌ„pning thy iuste iugemeÌ„ts for that thei cannot submitt themselues worthy to suffer thy hande aknowleging themselues worthely punisshed And here is the grinning anger preuey poison in menis hertis ere thei can confesse god iustly to plage them fortheir sinnes and so confesse their sinnes to him and humbly aske forgeuenes as ye may see in the 3. verse of the. 32. Psal. dauid saing whyles I now helde my tongue and woldnot confesse my secrete sinnes there tormented me greuouse vexacion euen in my bones with continuall out roring For daye and night thy hand ley so heuey vpon me pressing me down that my moistnes was turned into the somer drynes And therfore Paul oft inculketh these two wordis God to be declared iuste and also iustifying that we might prayse him whylis he iustely punissheth vs and then not ascribing to ourselues any parte of our rightwyse making but beleue that god is the onely iustifier that is oureselues then to be pronownced iustifyed when god hath meâ—â—y on vs and forgeueth our sinnes It is sone said God is iuste and iustifying but out of the botome of our hertes paciently with teares to aknowlege the gretenes of our sinnes and to fele ourselues iustly punisshed for them and so humbly to aske forgeuenes for onely crystis sake is sampsons worke and hercules labor Necessary it is this doctrine of repentaÌ„ce and contricion to be ofte and continually preched to y t chirches that thei might trwly aknolege their sinnes to God and for their sinnes verely know it all these calamities affliccions warre and plages to be powerd forth vpon them As Ieremie saith 5. Owr sinnes haue thrust all goodnes from vs. And that in so doinge our lorde god declareth himself iuste rightwise in all his workis and is not the autor of euil though thei apere euill to owe sinfull nature euil iuging of god whiche will haue the victory when he is thus iuged But fayth must be the companion of this coÌ„tricion and setfast holde vpon the promises As here daniel not onely saith with the oh sorde there is iust dealinge rightwysnes in punisshinge but he addeth also with the is ther mercy and forgeuenes by which so ofte repeted he play nely excludeth oure owne meryts addinge not in oure rightwysnes and iuste lyuing do we aske it of y t but for thy great mercyes sake and for thy nowne anoynted crystis sake Let vs therfore vse these prayers and exercise these doctrynes vnto the which both the publyke and priuate calamities shulde excite vs. And namely now when the chirche of cryst is no lesse persecuted then it was in the Babylonyâ—â—â— exylie Wherfore this prayer ought now in the congregacions to be as effectuously and as feruently sunge and sayd for the chirches as did daniel in his lyke troublose dayes And whylis I was speking in my prayer and confessinge myn owne synnes and the synnes of my peple Israel and layinge forth my supplicacion before the lorde my god for the holy hyll of my god whylis I was I saye yet in prayinge the man Gabriel whom afore I had sene in my vision came swystly fleinge vnto me and touched me aboute the eueninge oblacion tyme teaching me and speking with me saing Daniel now am I comen forth to geue y e knowleg Nethelesse assone as thou beganest to praye thy prayers were graunted fermely but I am come to tell it the because thou art so desyerouse to knowne these thinges that thou moughtst in very dede by expresse worde knowe it and vnderstande the vision Here must ye returne to the vision of daniel in the later ende of the. 8. chap. coÌ„cerninge Anticryst wherof Daniel was more troubled then certifyed which vision was tolde him to come to passe aftir a long tyme and was boden to close vp the vision but so that this vision was euer in his mynde studeinge therof desyering to knowe it more clerely therfore the aungell calleth him here y e man of desyers or couetinge to knowe these thinges in his dayly prayers but now at last he seing that the. lxx yeres of their captiuite were past and more then xl yeres also ouergone he prayed most effectuously and feruently with expresse wordis as ye haue sene it Wherfore y e aungell Gabriel is come to him to teache him more clerely of the vision By this Daniels prayer and confession we ought to lerne how studiouse and sorowfull we shuld be for other mens affliccioÌ„s euen as for oure â—â—â— It is therfore a great offence not to be moued with pitie at the plages of the peple comitted to thy cure and not to pray for them which I confirme with y e example of Samuel saying Far fro me be this synne that I shuld ceasse to pray god for you and to teache you the righte waye Also in that the aungell came so swiftly and touched him spekinge with him so familiarely it is shewed vs the aungels to be the seruants and ministers to the chosen at all tymes redye to standby teche the prechers and techers of the worde in thinges concernynge oure helthe and saluacion Also of the aungels wordis saynge Thy peticion was graunted ere thou beganest to praye we be taught that before we begyne to praye oure peticions to be hearde in heuen the lorde sayinge Before they shall calle vpon me I shall answere them whylis yet they be spekinge I will heare them Also as Daniels example inflammeth vs to praye to God and to beleue oure prayers to be hearde before they be ended euen so doth Gabriels example counforte vs to beleue aungels to be present w t be praying and to fight for vs alwayes ayenst the ga tis of hell But Gabriel exciteth daniel to be attent that he might in very dede in expresse wordes vnderstand the vision Wherfore let vs heare Gabriel declaring playnly y t tyme of crystis coming his death oure redempcion the ceassing of the Iewes ceremonies the prechinge of the gospell the takinge awaye of y e synnes and vtter fall of the Iewes comon we all And here is to be noted that when the peple in captiuite thought all the prophecies of cryst to be frustrate and themselues almost in despayer then god of his mercye conforted them with this assewered promise of Messias to come saying ☞ Lxx. hebdomades ther be prefixed and apointed for thy peple and forthy holy cytie and then shall synnes be consumed sealed vp and â—ouered and iniquite purged and the
office and dewty is to geue thankis to god for the frutes and shadewe of their tree and serue and obeye their prince praying incessantly for him And albeit the golden head and this fayer tree signi fyed the babyloni monarchie and kyng yet perteineth this doctryne vnto euery em â–ª 〈…〉 and prince yet lyuing which doinge his office is the very golden gifte most flourisshing frutefull tree of god Secondarily where he seeth the spedy watcher and holy aungell so haastely descending c. He monissheth the kynge warning him of the iugement of god and of his owne humiliacion and deiection For the voice of the holy watcher was y e sentence and decree of the most hygh god against the kynge which vseth his aungels thus to serue kynges and all good men which are sayd to come downe that they shulde knowe manifestly whether ther were so great arrogancye securite and ingratitude in the kynge or no as in Gene. 11. The lorde speaketh lykewyse of y e Sodomits I will go downe see whether the noyse which is comen vp to me be done in dede And ayen when they had buylded the towr of babel The lorde went downe to se the cyte which phrase of speche lerne all iuges to not be to swyft in sentence geuing but before all things diligently to serche oute and knowe the cause Here therfore first came downe the aungels and knewe the arrogancye negligent securite of the kynge Wherfore they 〈…〉 kut downe the tree That is to saye cast downe the kyng from his dignite and honour and let him be humbled Then was he for his melancholyâ— furye and haastines cast oute of his realme of his owne nobles which was for that tyme his confusion destruccion And now he not being aknowledged of his nobles nor of his comoÌ„s it is verefyed his branches to be 〈…〉 of both greate bowes and small twigges and all bothe his birdes and beastis to flye from him oh meruelouse soden mutacion of y e hyghe hande of god by his iust iugemeÌ„t to lese his subiects because himself wold not be a subiect vnto God which because now he lyued a beasily barbarosse lyfe beinge mad aâ—â— out of his witte he was counted worthely with beastis as to eate lyke meat with them to lye wett in stormes without to be associated with them his heare his nayles ouer growne his bodye made harde and wrinccled with cold and heate And that by seuen tymes that is half an heb domade euen thre yeres and an halfe For the persians diuide the yeare into 2. tymes that is into wynter somer or 7. tymes is taken for y e iust complete tyme sufficieÌ„t for his punishmeÌ„t geuen of god And here be we lerned y e holy a waking aungels to be the kepers of godly kinges their realmes in al their wayes as saith the Psal. The aungell of the lorde bullworketh rownd aboute y e godly Hitherto perteineth the examples of godly kinges of whom there was euer but a fewe euen in y e peple of god wytnes Iesus Syrache 49. Also the holy watching aungels do threaten plages vnto vngodly emâ—… and princes as ye here see him crye kutdowne the tree where ye see the example of arrogaÌ„t prowde ingrate negligeÌ„t princes transgressours of gods lawes and the nowmber of them to be great in the peple of god vnto whom their destruccioÌ„ is tolde them before of the prophets As saide â—onâ—s to the king of y e Niniuites There be yet but. 40. dayes before thy destruccion At laste we be lerned god to mitigat the plages to the trwe repentaÌ„te as biddeth the holy watcher the stok with the rotes to remayne that is his kingdom not vtterly to be destroyd yf he repente example of Niniue wihch repentant was reserued For the watchinge holy aungell sayde Thy kyngdom shall stand sâ—ill to the as long as thou aknowlegest the power and dominion therof to be of God So that in fine he saith no nother wais to be to conserue a kingdom but to abyde in the feare of god as testify eth the. 33. Psal. of all kings princes worthy to be lerned The sermon of daniel is the some of y e hole diuine scripture Iesus to witnes euen the mouthe of god commandinge to preche the lawe gospel thus saing preache ye in my name repentaÌ„ce and remission The counsel of daniel is the worde of god as it is clere by dauid daniels brother in cryste saing The worde of god is my counseller As daniel hath taught vs so it behoueth vs to teche other as saith Paul diuyde trwely imparte the worde of god to other wherfore wheÌ„ daniel wysshed that his counsel might please y e kinge he wolde teche the kinge no nother waye to eskape the wrathe of god to come then by repentaÌ„ce accordinge to the lawe and so to beleue all his symes to be forgeuen him for and thorowe onely the faith and confiâ—â—â—â—â— of the mercy of god promised in cryste Herof may the godly sprited be led into the knowledge of the other iugements of god For god nowe punissheth to amende vs w c shal at last if we amende not plage vs to punisshe vs. Nowe he seeth the figge tee planted in the vyne yarde he coming to seke therof frute none fynding biddeth y e vyne keper kut it downe saing wherfore occupieth it the grownde vnto whome he answerthe Sir let it yet this yere growe vntill I haue digged it aboute dunged the rote And if it bringe forthe frute it shal stonde orelis let it be kut down The vnthrifty sone taketh his fathers substance and spendeth it vicioeâ—sly at last was compelled to come to the hoggis troffe for hunger but aftirwarde he repented him remembring his fathers benignite and so he retourning home is receiued withe grete ioye Let vs conferre these lyke parables with this storye And we shal lerne our first parent 〈…〉 created of god to haue bene in so highe a dignite that he might haue bene compared with the aungels reching to heuen for that he was so excellently 〈…〉 with glorye innocencye beinge sewer immortal and lorde of the creatures of the erth of the sea and ayer made vnto the image of god But yet did this vnhappy felicite make him forgete god his maker and as an vnprofitable tree to be kut out of paradise But yet abode the stok in the rotes and in criste was his dignite conserued yea and encreased to in that he repented And euen thus haue we ourselfs lost our kyngdom loking for greuouser punishment vnlesse we obeye this most holsom counsell of daniel which couÌ„sell also all the scripture geueth vs and cryst exhorteth vs ernestly therunto Onely the deuyl reclameth and shutteth vp the bowels of mercye oure myndis he puffeth vp and entyseth vnto vnrightwysnes to make vs his perpetuall captiues The hebrwe text hath redeme thy