A briefe exposition of such Chapters of the olde testament as vsually are redde in the Church at common praier on the Sundayes set forth for the better helpe and instruction of the vnlearned By Thomas Cooper Bishop of Lincolne Whatsoeuer things are written before time they are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. ¶ Imprinted at London by H. D. for Rafe◠Newbery dwelling in Fleetestreete An Epistle to the Reader I Am not of that opinion good christian Reader that I thinke the scriptures of God as touchinge the substance of doctrine contained in them be of such difficultie to the learned and skilfull in the tongues that they may not with the assistance of Gods grace and meane diligence easily atttaine to the vnderstanding of them But for somuch as God worketh nowe by ordinarie meanes and not by miraculous inspiration as hee did in the Apostles time it can not be denied but that to the vnlearned reader or hearer that wanteth the helpe of knoweledge and vnderstanding they may bring some difficultie as well for the matter in sundrie particular places as generally for the phrase and maner of penninge farre differing from other writers Wherefore I thought it woulde not be vnprofitable to the Church of Christ nor vnpleasaunt to the Godly if for the help and furtherance of such vnlearned persons I did set foorth some briefe and plaine exposition of the Chapters of the old testament which vsually are red in the Church on the appointed dayes of common prayer Beside the motion of some godly persons and other causes wherewith I haue bene induced herevnto one principall is this that the aduersaries of the Gospell when they are by vs blamed for keeping the people of God in ignorance of the Scriptures and hauinge their common prayer in a straunge tongue haue nothing more readie then this answere that the common people do not only heare the Psalmes and other partes of the Scripture euen nowe that they be in English with as little fruit and small edefying as they did before but also with some perill of conceiuing erronious and false opinions by hearing those thinges which they doe not vnderstande This answere as it is vntrue in a great part for that we see manye nowe which conceiue good instruction and sweete comfortes by hearing the Scriptures redde where none did before so I cannot denie but in some it is to true But surely in such persons as either vpon 〈◊〉 opinion mislike the seruice and state of religion or else as men giuen ouer to the cares of the world and lustes of the flesh haue no sense of God or godlynesse Otherwise there is no man so simple but that by learning the Scriptures although hee vnderstande not the whole matter nor euerye clause therof yet he shall light vpon some partes whereby he may gather both good instruction of his faith and profitable lessons for the amendement of his life Yea and the verye Godlesse wordling that is furthest from all true sense of Religion and holynesse shall heare those terrible threatninges of Gods iustice that when God shall touch him by sickenesse or other affliction bee hee neuer so desperate shall make his conscience to quake But that the more good might bee wrought in mens hearts and the lesse euill conceyued in erronious opinions I thought some such traueile as this is might be a very good meanes and especiallye where they lacke the presence of some learned and discrete mā to teach them In this doing albeit my conscience did beare me witnesse of a good meaning and did put mee in hope to doe some good thereby yet to confesse the truth I both was and yet am somewhat abashed to giue my traueiles abroade vnto the world I know how daintie these days are and haue felt by experience how waiwarde and vncharitable many be in scanning of other mens doinges very ready to shake euery fillable and letter and without any iust cause at all to obiect heynous and blasphemous crimes If I please not such persons gentle Reader thou maist not greatly maruaile For in dede neither doe I seke it neither thinke my selfe hable to doe it I write not to them I write to the good and modest Christian that delighteth in reading and hearing of the worde of God and lacketh those ordinarie helps whereby he may the sooner attaine to the vnderstanding of it And this my purpose considered I trust shall bee sufficient to moue the godlye learned of the Church to interprete my doinges to the best and to take this my small traueile in good parte although they finde not in it a number of things which are of necessitie to be looked for in such woorkes as are layde forth for learned men to traueile in They shall not finde here either eloquence in penning or great shewe and varietie of learning or curious triall and conference of expositions and translations or large discourses of difficult matters in controuersie These things the wise and learned know are fitter for mother kinde of writing then for this They shall finde here a briefe and easie exposition of the texte whereby the vnlearned reader may not only the sooner attaine to the true sense and meaning of the holyghost the authour of the Scriptures but also learne some godly instructions out of the same If I had written to the learned I woulde haue indeuoured to my power in some other points to haue satisfied their expectation but in this I haue tempered my selfe wholye to the vnderstanding of the most simple My meaning was before I had published anye part to haue written of so manye of the Chapters as are redde on the dayes of common praier and also of the Psalmes But forsomuch as my health and some other necessarie businesses will not suffer me to doe it with so much speede as my desire was I thought it not good in the meane time to stay from them that nede the help hereof so much as I haue presently done The residue as God shall giue mee strength and leasure I minde in conuenient time to finishe and so I leaue thee to the direction of Gods holy spirite and these my doings to the charitable iudgement of the godlye Vale Faultes escaped Fol. 32. b. for Capter reade Chapter 33. a. for the same and distinctly read plainly and distinctly 64. a. for continuance reade countenance 79. a. for felicie read felicitie 82. b. for Waruell though read no Waruell though 101. for where read were 111. a. for If reade it 113. a. for peregrinage reade pilgrimage 119. a. for ta obserue reade to obserue 124. b. for mercie God reade mercie of God. 127. a. for Isaac olde reade Isaac waxed olde 139. b. for be the life reade by the life 143 b. for then the vndertaking reade then by the vndertaking 147. a. for interprete reade Interpreters 175. b. for fellowes reade followers 239. a. for that Woises here vttereth that is reade
Saintes of God that is to Iudge thē the good seruāts of God and the blessed Ministers of his vnestimable Benefites towarde Mankinde but yet not so that wee make them Gods by worshipping of them by putting trust and confidence in them and by calling on them in the time of our distresse For those pointes of * honor belongeth to God alone can not be giuen to other without manifest perill of Idolatrie And therefore it may be thought that the prouidence of God did hide and keepe secrete the bodie of Moyses from the Ievves Deut. 34. that they myghte not haue that occasion to abuse it to Idolatrie Thirdly wee haue to obserue by the example of Moyses that albeit God sometyme doth punish good mē temporally for offences cōmitted yet he doth not perpetually reiect them but after their death acknowledgeth thē for his seruants as he did here call Moyses notwithstanding that for his mistrust at the * Waters of strife he did cut him off frō enioying that lād of promise Fourthly lette vs learne That when good Princes or Magistrates be taken away that it is in the hand of God to * place others and that his diuine Prouidence hath singular care therof as we may vnderstand as wel by this place as by a number of other examples in the scriptures God punished Nabuchadnezer Daniel 4. Vntill he vnderstode that the moste high ruled in the kingdom of men and gaue it to vvhō he lusted All the places that the soales of youre feete shall treade vpon c. In this place the Lord as it were boūdeth out that land countrey that by his promise he gaue to the seede and issue of Abraham On the East part vnto the great riuer Euphrates vnto which the bounds of the dominion of the Ievves were extended vnder Dauid and Salomon and not before On the West with the great Sea that is the middle Sea whiche is here called Great in comparison of those pooles which in the Hebrue tongue are called Seas as the Sea of Tyberias On the Northe with Mounte Libanus On the Southe wyth the Desertes of Arabia and the Countrie of Aegypte In these bounds is cōteined the whole land of Chanaan There shal not a man be hable to withstand thee all the dayes of thy life c. Forsomuche as Iosuah might iustely be abashed to take vpon him that Charge and gouernement whiche besides the way wardnesse of the people was ioyned with so greate Difficultie and * danger it pleaseth God in this place to Comfort and strengthen hym with the assured* promise of his assistāce and good Successe in his doings against all his enimies whatsoeuer they be Out of which words al good Princes Magistrates Officers may gather singular instruction of comfort to Animate them against the difficulties troublous Storms of their charge which are such as oftētimes hath caused euē Heathen persons rather to desire to liue a Priuate life than to abide the hazard and daunger thereof And surely there is no State of men that needeth so greate comforte of the Prouidence and care of Almightie GOD for them as Princes and Magistrates do Their office is not only to * Establish and Spread the true Religion and worshipping of God but also to * represse the contrarie To make and defende good lawes agaynst all kynde of enormities To iudge iustly and to defende the cause of the poore and innocente againste the violence and iniurie of the oppressoure Yea and oftentimes to leuie warre either againste the * foraine enemies or to represse wicked and rebellious * subiectes which things if they doe faithfully and diligentlye it cannot be but they shall cast themselues into so great perils daungers as will greatly abashe and trouble them if by this place and suche other they doe not * conceaue an assured trust in the helpe and assistaunce of God whose Magistrates and Officers they be For this cause doth God so oftē repeate here vnto Iosue that he should be Strong and Stoute and Bolde and of good Courage for that he vvould be vvith him and not faile him in anie distresse c. Onlie be thou strong and of a stoute courage that thou mayest obserue c. Aboue all things God will haue a Prince or Magistrate to be constante earnest and of stoute courage in the obseruation and maintenance of his holy lawe and so to cleaue to his word that he depart not from it Either on the right hand by adding Superstitious holines vnto it Either on the lefte hande by Altering or Diminishyng any thing therin conteined For this cause doth he so straitely charge Iosua in thys place to bende his studie especially to his lawe and to occupie his minde therin both daye and nighte By whych wordes their * wicked errour is reproued which bothe dehorte Princes from the Study of the Scriptures as a thyng not fitte for them and also pull from them the charge to see vnto the Maintenance of true Religion and Holinesse as a matter that litle belongeth to their office But God here doth not onely require it of Iosue but also addeth a promyse that So he shall doe vviselie in all that he taketh in hand and make his vvaies and doyngs prosperous Then Iosuah commaunded the Officers of the people saying c. This is the second part of the chapiter wherin Iosuah vndertaketh the office and sheweth example of his Faith and Obedience to the calling of almightie god For albeit there mighte appeare many things in sighte of the worlde to deterre him from it yet because he had the calling of God and the promise of his assistaunce he cleaueth to that and is not driuen backe wyth the apparance of anye worldlye daunger like to fall vnto him Vpon this Pillar ought all good Princes to staye themselues in their calling and in doyng anie thing that apperteineth to their office Iosuah putteth the people also in mind of their duetie and appoynteth them in good order and Policie what to doe Wherin Magistrates also haue to learne that althoughe their chiefe staie and comforte be in the prouidence promise of God whose Ministers they are yet they may not neglect suche lawfull and Politique meanes in doyng of things as by the which God commōly vseth to giue Salftie Successe Victorie to his people For to neglecte ordinarie meanes so long as a man maye haue them vse them is rather to tempt God than truelie to put confidence and trust in him The Rubenites and Gadites Iosuah appointeth to goe before their brethren bicause they had their possession assigned them on that side of Iordane and forsomuche as they had that preheminence first to know their portion of the lande of Promise it might seeme good reason that they did abide the greater burden vntill their brethrē also were settled in their places that shoulde be allotted vnto them And so the Rubenites and Gadites did promise to
quietnesse vnto common weales and the restrayner and brideler of all aduersarie powers that they worke not so much trouble and daunger to the people of God as otherwyse they would doe And therfore that both wee and all suche whome God blesseth with those giftes ought to shew our selues Thankful and to accept the same as his gracious mercie to allure vs to Repentance And you haue seene all that your Lord God hath done vnto all these c. Iosuah putteth them in mynde of the benefites of God shewed vnto them and dothe assure them that the same their Lorde and god will also performe the residue of his promyse and make perfecte the worke that he hath begonne if they doe continue in his faythfull obedience By proofe and triall of that is * past he exhorteth them to the vndoubted expectation of those things that were to come By this that Iosuah foure tymes in this place repeateth The Lord youre God wee may not thinke that he is not the God of other Nations also For God is the Generall Lord and gouernour not only of all Nations but also of al particuler Persons creatures of the world * and by him do they liue and haue their being But the Iewes he hadde chosen as his peculiar People and deliuered to them his lawe made to them his lawe and made to them his promises especially and therfore is he here called The Lorde their God. Whē he sayth that God hathe fought for them we are taught that all Victorie and good Successe in warre cōmeth of God * vnlesse he doe fight for vs all labor strength of men is in vayne And the same God dothe alway assist his people and giue Victorie vnto them vnlesse their vnthankfulnesse in abusing his Benefites doe moue his iustice by his and their enimies to punishe them Goe to therfore and be of good courage that you take heed and do all that c. This is the ende why God eyther blesseth his people wyth Tranquillitie and quietnesse or giueth them Victorie agaynste enimies that they maye continue in the obedience of his blessed will declared in his holie woorde which consysteth not onely in the Knowledge of his Lawe and in the externall professyng of the same in wordes or outwarde behauiour but in deede and in hearte and mynde And therefore sayth Iosuah Take heede and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moyses yea and that in suche sorte That they goe not aside on the righte hande or on the lefte For God * loueth obedience more then all the gay deuises of mans Brayne and therfore will be worshipped according to his holy worde Neyther companie with these nations that is with them that c. How daungerous the Fellowship Companie of the wicked is we see too too many examples dayly before our faces And if we be loth to come in that Cōpanie by which we thinke our bodies shall be infected with any contagious disease much more ought we to fear the Infection of our Soules and to dread least * by societie of persons corrupted either in life or religion we shuld be ledde from the true Seruice of god No mā * Toucheth pitch but he shal be defiled with it No man or woman vseth the companie of them that be euill but he taketh some hurte by thē either in Life or Credite In that he saith Make no mention of their Gods he dothe not forbidde them to name Dagon Astaroth or Baalim but y they shoulde make no Honorable Mētion of them nor vse their names with reuerence but with Detestation But especially they might * not Sweare by thē For to y persō or thing by which any mā sweareth he doth attribute diuine Power and Worship that is That he seeth the harts and cogitations of men That hee knoweth their secrete partes That hee can and will rewarde the good and punishe the wicked Therefore let men consider with what conscience they can sweare by Saints departed or by any Person or Thing be it neuer so Holy other than God alone whose onely Power and Propertie it is to vnderstande the inwarde Thoughtes of man. One man of you shall chase a thousand for the Lord your God. c. In the Leuit cap. 26. If you keepe my commandements sayth the Lord you shall persecute your enimies and they shall fall vvith the svvorde before you and fiue of you shall persecute an hundred and an hundred of you shal persecureten thousand In this place he sayth One of you shall persecute a thousande whereby he giueth to vnderstande that God will abundantly fulfyll hys promise vnto them Example wherof God shewed in sundrye places of the Scriptures as Iudic. 7. by Gedeon 1. Sam. 14. by Ionathas 2. Chro. 20 ▪ by Iosaphat 32. by Ezechias If you go backe and cleaue vnto the reste of these Nations c. As before he hath exhorted by consideration of the great benefites that God had and would do for them if they cōtinued in his obediēce so nowe he moueth them by Laying before thē the threatnings of Gods iust plagues and punishments if they did otherwise and reuolted from his true worship saying that God would not only not destroy those people that were among them but hee woulde suffer them to bee vnto the Israelites as snares and traps to take and entangle them in wickednesse As Scourges in their sides to vexe and trouble them as Thorns in their eyes to greeue them and to bleare their eyes that they shoulde not discerne good from euill falshoode from truth light from darknesse c. And bycause nothing could be more dangerous vnto them or a greater snare to lead them from God than to ioyn in Societie League or Mariage with those wicked people Therefore he oftē earnestly willed them to beware of that Wherby Christiā Princes and people that professe the truth of Christes Gospell ought also to learne how perilous it is for them to * linke in League or Mariage with the enimies or aduersaries of the same least God make them vnto vs as Snares as Whips and as Thornes in our eyes c. Behold this day do I enter into the way of all the worlde and ye knowe c. By this fashion of Speaking that He entred the way of al the world he meaneth Death which * way all liuing Creatures of this worlde must tread Wise and Learned mē haue deuised remedies for al maner of diseases but neuer any could Inuent how to put away Death That is the assured end wherto in this world we shal come whether we sleepe or wake or whatsoeuer we do we Hasten to this end So * little assurance haue we of this miserable life wherewith wee are so greatly in loue In the ende Iosuah putteth them in mynde that as God of his great mercie hath and will assuredly fulfyll his promyses so that one
they saye 16 Their arrowes are sodain death yea they themselues be very Giants 17 This people shall eate vp thy fruite thy meat yea they shal deuoure thy sonnes thy daughters thy shepe thy bullocks they shal eat vp thy grapes figgs As for thy strong wel defensed cities wherin thou diddest trust they shal bring to pouertie that through the sworde 18 Neuerthelesse I wil not theÌ„ haue done with you saith the Lord. 19 But if they say Wherfore doth the lorde our God al this vnto vs Then answer them Bicause y lyke as ye haue forsaken me serued straÌ„ge gods in your laÌ„d euen so shal ye serue straÌ„gers out of your land 20 Preache this vnto the house of Iacob crie it out in Iuda and saye thus 21 Heare this thou foolish vndiscrete people Ye haue eies but ye sée not eares haue ye but ye heare not 22 Feare ye not me saith the lord will ye not tremble at my presence which bynd the sea with the sand by a coÌ„tinual decrée so that it caÌ„not passe his boundes for though it rage yet can it do nothing though the waues therof do â—wel yet may they not go ouer 23 But this people hath a false obstinat heart they are departed gone away froÌ„ me 24 They thinke not in their hearts O let vs feare the lord our God who giueth vs rain early late when néed is which kepeth euer stil the haruest for vs yerely 25 Neuertheles your misdéeds haue turned these froÌ„ you your sinnes haue robbed you of good thin ges 26 For amoÌ„g my people are found wicked persons y priuily lay snares wait for meÌ„ to take them destroy theÌ„ 27 And lyke as a net is full of birdes so are their houses full of that whiche they haue gotten with falshood and deceipt Hereof commeth their great substance and riches 28 Hereof are they fatte and wealthye and are more mischeuous than any other they minister not the lawe they make no ende of the fatherlesse cause yea and they prosper yet they iudge not the poore according to equitie 29 Shoulde I not punish these things sayeth the Lorde should not I be auenged of all suche people as these be 30 Horrible and gréeuous things are done in the lande 31 The Prophetes teache falsly and the preachers receiue gifts and my people hath pleasure therin what will come thereof at the laste The Exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Hieremie Looke through Hierusalem behold and see seeke through hir streetes also c. THe Prophete Hieremie in the former Chapiter had notably described the comming of Nabuchodonosors armie into Ievvrie and the greate waste and spoyle that he should make of that countrey euen to the very walles of the citie Hierusalem whiche therfore should be in greate feare euen as a woman in trauayle with chylde Therfore in this place before hee noteth the destruction of that Citie he maketh proofe and declaration of the Iustice of God in doing of it For we see commonly when God punisheth the wicked for their offences that they are so obstinate and stiffenecked and so farre from anie sense of true repentaunce and turning to God that they murmure against god and accuse him for dealing ouer Rigorously and Cruelly with them and that he punisheth them more sharply and grieuously than their offences Deserue Wherfore God by his Prophet sheweth that they are so farre ouerwhelmed with their wickednesse as there is not left one Iust maÌ„ amoÌ„g them in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of whom he might Spare them therefore that of his Iustice he muste of necessitie punish them Looke sayth he through Hierusalem beholde and see seeke thoroughe her streates c. In which words God willeth euen the whole Worlde to looke diligentely into the state of that Citie that was called by the name of The holie Citie to see whether there were any thing or Person in it in respect whereof he shoulde shewe Mercie toward it For though they can saye The Lord liueth yet they sweare to deceyue c. Here the Prophete detecteth their Hipocrisie and signifieth that albeit they pretend to be the People of God and to haue a reuereÌ„ce to the name of God and therefore will call him to witnesse in their affaires and Sweare by his name as by that which they accoÌ„pt very Holie yet it is but wicked Hipocriste in them and indeede the Prophanation of the name of god For they sweare falsely and vntruly to* deceyue their neyghbour and to worke their vniuste deuises so by Periurie make the Name of God a Cloake meane to further their owne Wickednesse Wheras God Looketh only vpon faith and truth and regardeth not the faire * PreteÌ„ce of his Name when the true Reuerence therof is not in their hearts This place ought to teach vs that the Name of the * Churche or People of God the Title of Christians the Externall Sacraments of christian Religion are not sufficient to moue the Fauour of God toward vs nor to make vs his people vnlesse the feare of God and true Holynesse be in our heartes In the begynnyng of the thirde Verse whiche in deede shoulde be a parte of this secoÌ„d the Prophet altereth the Person and turneth the speach vnto God himselfe Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentance thou hast corrected c. This was of exceding great Stubbornesse in the Iewes and of Indurated heartes that they coulde not bee moued to Repentance no not with the heauie Plagues and punishments that God did bryng vpon them to that ende yea they rather hardened their faces as it wer againste God and became shamelesse in their wickednesse casting of al consideration of Godlynesse and Honestie Therfore I thought in my selfe peraduenture they are so simple and c. Forsomuch as it might be thought the Simple Foolishe people did amisse by Ignorance and errour only and that the wyser and better sort had more Care of the feare seruice of God hee turneth nowe to the Princes Priests Magistrates and Rulers and sheweth that they also whiche of duetie should haue ben not only Instructers Leaders Guyders to other but also correcters Punishers of their Leudnesse were become more stubborne and dissolute than they and had cleane cast froÌ„ them the bond and Yoke of Obedience to the Holie Will Lawe of god So that there myght seeme no Hope eyther in Prince or People in Riche or poore in Learned or Ignorant but that they All were giuen ouer to their owne Lustes and Sensual appetites Wherfore a Lyon out of the wood hath hurte them and a Wolfe in the. c. By the Lion the VVolfe and the Leopard the Prophet meaneth the Assyrians the Aegyptians and sundrye other Enimies that shoulde come vpoÌ„ them and so straightly Besiege them in their Cities that not One shuld be hable to goe out but shoulde be Taken and Slayne
because the kinges commaundement was strayte and the fornace was excéeding hote the men that put in Sidrach Misach and Abednego the flambe of the fire destroyed them 23 And these thrée men Sidrach Misach and Abednego fell downe in the mids of the hote fierie fornace bounde 24 Then Nabuchodonozor the king was astonied and rose vp in all hast he spake vnto his councell and sayde Did not we cast thrée men bounde into the mids of the fire They answered and sayde vnto the king It is true O king 25 He answered and sayde Lo I sée foure men lose walking in the mids of the fire and they haue no hurt and the fourine of the fourth is like the sonne of God. 26 Vpon this went Nabuchodonozor vnto the mouth of the hote fierie fornace he spake also and sayde O Sidrach Misach and Abednego ye seruants of the hie God go forth and come hither And so Sidrach Misach and Abednego came forth of the middes of the fire 27 The Dukes Lordes and Nobles and the hings councell came together to sée these men vpon whome the fire had no maner of power in their hodyes insomuch that the very heare of their heade was not burnt and their clothes vnchaunged yea there was no smell of fire felt vpon them 28 Then spake Mabuchodonozor and sayd Blessed be the God of Sidrach Misach and Abednego which hath sent his Angel and deliuered his seruants that put their trust in him and haue altered the kings commaundement and ieoparded their bodyes rather then they woulde serue or worship any God except their owne God onely 29 Therefore I make a decrée that euery people nation and language which speake any blasphemie agaynst the god of Sidrach Misach and Abednego shall be drawne in péeces and their houses shall be made a sakes because there is no God that can deliuer after this sort 30 So the king promoted Sidrach Misach and Abednego in the prouince of Babilon The Exposition vpon the thirde Chapter of Daniel Nabuchodonosor the king made an Image of golde which was 60 c. THe Prophet Daniell in this historie setteth forth a Iyuely Image of the contentiō betweene the Church of God and the Sinagoge of Satan betweene the True worship of God and the wickednesse of Idolatrie and superstition First we haue to obserue in what things the false worship of God consisteth that is in Images and other externall ceremonies which God in his Scriptures expressely oftentimes and most * earnestly prohibiteth as that thing wherewith his true religion cannot stande And therfore it maye iustly be meruayled howe of late yeres they that haue had the scriptures of God among them and professe themselues to be pillars of Gods people could fall to so Grosse errour in Religion as that they durste bring the worshipping of Images into the Church of God against his expresse commaundement to the contrarie saying Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe any grauen Image c. Next haue we to consider Whence Idolatrie and false worshipping of God especially taketh authoritie and credite that is partly from the Founders and erectours thereof great Emperours Kings Princes and persons of Honour partly from the richnesse of the matter cunning workmanship and glorious pompe in the face of the worlde by which meanes it caryeth with it commonly the multytude the countinance of worldly power The charges of making this Image of Golde so high and so thicke may seeme huge monstrous and almost vncredible But therin is to be learned both what exceeding riches that Empire had gathered by the spoyle of the worlde and also howewastfully men giuen to errour can * poure out their treasures and substance towarde the maintenance of Idolatrie and superstition Whereas to finde the Ministers of Gods true Religion or to relieue their poore christian brethren they will grudge to giue a small portion yea or any thing at all but rather seeke to take that from them that by order they haue alreadie Are there not thinke you in Englande that when tyme was could be contented to giue fortie shyllings towarde the gylding of a gaie Image or twentie Nobles to bye a sute of Copes that nowe will not wythout murmuring giue sixe pence to bye a Byble or other Booke of seruice Then Nabuchodonosor sent forth to gather together the Dukes Lordes c. In these verses following is declared the dedication of this Idolatrous Image wherein Daniell verie liuely painteth forth both howe Idolatrie taketh credite of the glorie and maiestie of the worlde and also how readie and obedient all sorts and states of men shewe themselues to the furtherance of the same Here wanted nothing that could giue continuance to this Idole or cause the people to haue it in admiration The richnesse of the matter the straunge and monstrous biggenesse of the Image the Kings authoritie the straightnesse of the charge and great penaltie the consent and assemblie of Dukes Lordes noble persons Iudges Officers and Shiriffes the noyse of Cornets Trumpets Harpes Shalmes Psalteries Dulcimers and all maner of musicall instruments To all this commeth the exceeding readie Obedience of all the multitude of subiectes And surely it is much to be marueyled that in so great a number of Noble men of so great wisedome and experience such a multitude of people there should not so much as one rise vp say VVhy should men endewed with reason and vnderstanding and made to the * Image of God fall downe and vvorship a dumbe and vnsensible Idol that hath * eies and seeth not that hath eares heareth not that hath a mouth can not vtter one worde VVhy should he that is by Gods ordynance Lorde and maister of all earthly creatures crouche dovvne to an Idole made of mettall digged our of the grounde and framed to a fashion by mannes hande But such Men are when Gods spirite doth forsake them that no errour can be so grosse but they will readily encline vnto it Seing then so foule a wickednesse was here approued by so generall cōsent of all states we must by this Example take heede howe in matters of holynesse we grounde our consciences vpon the authoritie and consent of men seeme they in the worlde neuer so great of power neuer so wise learned or skilfull by experience But the worde of God onely must be the foundation grounde of consciences in all things that appertaine to the worship of God. Nowe weare there certaine men of the Chaldeis that went euen then c. It may verie well be thought that this Erection of the golden Image and the charge and worshipping of it was a cunning deuise put into the Kings head and wrought by some of the Nobles of purpose to intrap Sidrach Misaach and Abednago because they being straungers were in so great fauour of the Prince as in the sixt Chapiter we see they did worke against Daniell Such fetches cunning deuises haue the wicked of the worlde to
bring the innocent seruants of God into daunger when otherwise for disobedience to their Prince in matters lawfull or for any other dishonestie or vngodly lyfe they are not hable to fasten any lykely accusation vpon them When Daniel sayth They cryed our accusation of the Iewes he noteth their hatefull and eger mindes against them comming to the king as we say with open mouth and leauing nothing vndone or vntold that might aggrauate their fault or pull them into displeasure The extolling of the kings ordinance and decree the straite charge that he gaue to haue it obserued That they which disobeyed were Iewes that is Straungers and in deede of themselues odious as captiues That they shewed themselues vnthankfull to the king who had set them in place of hononr and made them great Rulers in his Prouinces That they shewed contempt and disdaine towarde the lawes of the Countrie wherevnto all the residue of his Subiectes with great reuerence did obey By this part of the historie we are taught that the seruauntes of God and those that will truely worship him shall not wante in this worlde accusers and Malicious persons that with all Spite shall draw them into daunger seeke their confusion They that will liue godly in Christ Iesu sayth Paule shall be sure to haue persecution Satan the Prince of the worlde will alwaye raise his Ministers to vexe and trouble the members of the Church of God and that commonly vnder the * colour of their holynesse and religion consisting in outward superstition and Idolatry Is there any greater matter at this day wherefore the enemies of the Gospell doe persecute the Professours of Gods true worship then because they will not acknowledge a peece of breade to be God nor will not worship their Images set vp in the Churches nor runne on Pilgrimage to stockes and stones wrought with mans hande and other lyke Idolatrous and supersticious wickednesse Therfore good men haue by this example great occasion to comfort and strengthen their fayth that it be not shaken with the terrour and feare of their cruell dealings This also is here to be obserued that onely Three poore Iewes to the maintenance of Gods true worship doe set themselues and hasard their liues against the King his Nobles Commons all the power of the Babilonicall Empire Which manifestly declareth howe little credite in matters of Religion should be gyuen to the reasons of Multitude Number and Generall consent For commonly the greater part in the world is the worse Gods Church is but a small flocke Elias stoode alone against Achab and all Israel So did Micheas against all the false Prophetes The Prophets onely against the whole Church of the Iewes Christ his Apostlēs against the Scribes and Pharaseis and all the learned Philosophers and mightie Princes of the worlde Then Nabuchodonosor in his anger wrath commaunded that Sydrach c. Nabuchodonosor is greatly mooued to see his ordinance and decree disobeyed and therefore maketh streight inquisition vpon the offenders In which he vseth all meanes that maye be to perswade them First with curteous wordes he signifieth that he could scantly beleue any such vnthankfulnesse or Disobedience to be in them and therefore willeth them against a time appointed seing he had set them in place of so great honour to declare themselues to be such men as will not to the euill example of other disobey his lawes Or if they would not consent to the worshipping of the Image which he had made that they should immediatly be cast into an hote fierie Furnace and thereby be made a Terrour to all such as woulde with contempt disobey his authoritie In the ende he added words of prowde blasphemie That there was no God that coulde delyuer them out of hys handes Whereby it maye appeare how Mutable Princes are and howe soone they are caried by the glorie of the worlde from the true feare and honour of God. In the .2 Chapiter when Daniel by the spirite of God interpreted the dreame which astonied all the wise men and Soothsayers of his Countrie Daniel was then greatly esteemed Sidrach Misach Abednago by his counsaile were set as Iudges in the Prouinces and Daniels God was declared to be The God of Gods the Lorde of Kings and the reuealer of secreates But nowe thorowe the incensing of wicked enimies the lyuing God is dishonoured an Idoll is set vp to be worshipped and the seruauntes of God and his owne faithfull Officers are brought to the fierie Furnace to be burned Such doting chaunges oftentimes hapneth to them that set their eyes onely vpon the power and glorie of earthly kingdomes Sidrach Misach and Abednago answered the king and saide c. The temptation of the Faithfull Encreaseth and the strength of Gods spirit encreaseth in them Wherefore there followeth now in this great danger a bolde and constant answere made vnto the King without flatterie or dissimulation without hypocrisie or worldly pollicie onely made in simplicitie and constancie of fayth As if they had said In all things lawfull we euer haue and will vnfaynedly obey thee as the Minister that is appointed by God to gouerne vs but if thou set vp thy selfe against the lyuing God who hath aduaunced thee to this great power and seeke by thy authoritie to drawe vs from his true worship to the honouring of Idols and false Gods he thou assured O king that we will not in that obey thee * For we are taught in matter of faith and holynesse to * obey God and not man. And we know right wel that that God whom thou bewitched with the glorie of thy worldly power doest blaspheme can deliuer vs out of thy handes from all thy strength if he see it to be to the glorie of his name But if his wisedome thinke it not meete so to doe for he will not doe alway that he can doe we let thee vnderstande without dissimuling or flatterie that we wil not serue thy Gods nor worship thy goldē Image Then was Nabuchodonozor full of indignation so that the countenance c. Here let vs consider what stormes of affliction the true professours of the syncere worship of God doe sustaine at the handes of cruell persecutors First they fal into the high indignation of Princes with whom they were before in great estimation Secondly when they come to punishment they are more cruelly vsed then any other offenders There were in the kingdome of Babilon theeues robbers adulterers murtherers extorcioners drunkardes and other like and yet we read of verie slacke punishment that they had But the seruants of God which neuer offended the king in any worldly Iustice but had bene his faythfull and profitable officers onely because they will not offend the liuing god and worship a golden Image haue the kings rage so greatly agaynst them that the fornace is cōmaunded to be made seuen times Hoter then it was woont to be