downe and theyr highe lokes be brought lowe saythe Esay which is the meaninge of oure Prophete The Text And the hils shal melt For oure God is a consuminge fyre and who is able to abide the heat of his heauye displeasure and as Esay saith the Lorde shall come in fyre and hys Chariot shall be lyke a whyrle winde to vtter forthe hys furye wyth greate rage hys rebuke in the flame of fyre For in the fyre and the sweard shal the Lorde Iudge all fleshe Esay lxvi Now where the proude world dothe thinke that the lord liueth in the heauēs not seing nether regardīg their doings vpō earth our Prophet rebuketh that grosse opinion and telleth thē that as he dyd come terryble downe vpon the mounte Sinai when he dyd geue the lawe of the .x. commaundementes So wyll he come wyth fyre to make theyr heartes to melte when he wyll aske accomptes of the kepynge and fulfillynge of these holye commaundemēts The whiche fearefull communication and threatninge maye worthely cause vs in these latter daies vpon whom the end of the world is come to quake and tremble consideringe oure careles life whiche do al thinges so wilfullye and wickedlye as thoughe either ther were no God at al or no daye appoynted to make aunswere for oure doinges But the Lorde wyll come spedely from hys holye temple For the wickednes of Iacob The Text. all this and for the synne of the house of Israel After the Prophet haue threatned vtter destruccyon of the .ii. kingdomes Samaria Ierusalē set forthe by open similitude of the moūtaines melting the vallies cleauing in sondre like as wax doth before the fyrye flame he sheweth the cause of the ruin of thē bothe of the greate wrathe of God as all prophecies bee generall beynge geuen by one spirit whych seeth to the end euermore stryuyng agaynst the syn of al nacions So doth the spirite teach vs that the only cause of Gods wrath in al ages and al places is the synne and wyckednesse of the world for the which he said once It repenteth me that I made man Genesis .vi. For synne God destroyed the whole world whych he had made bothe man and beast saue only a seede reserued in the Arke to preach hys iustyce hys mercy in a new world renewed by hys spirit For the proude synful words of the old Giantes did the great plage of the confusion of languages come vp on the world whyche we doo feele vnto thys day so that one man vnto another beyng of a straunge nacion is made as it were a dombe and speecheles beaste For syn were the .v. cytyes brente wyth fyre For synne wer the old Giants Og kynge of Basan and the monstruous seede of Suachim destroyed For synne the Cananites the Heuites the Hethites the Iebusites and to be short after them who were placed in theyr Countryes the chosen Israelites beynge in noumber lyke the sande of the sea were myserably wasted destroyed and consumed The .iiii. pryncipall Monarchies whyche Daniel descrybeth be all beaten downe for sinne And the .x. litle hornes or kingdomes also hathe beene euery one of them ofter then once changed and translated Finally al realmes countryes townes and cities shall for synne haue the like ruine and destruccion Some sooner and sorar to cause the rest to repent and at the length all because the reward of synne is destrucciō by the myghty Lord hys vnchangeable ordynaunce So sore a thynge is synne in the syghte of God that who so euer synneth deserueth death This was the old learning which the Lord taught Adam in Paradise whych al the seede of Adam feeleth and tasteth continuallye and yet can neyther see nor auoyde the cause of theyr destruccion but as Media dyd say Euen seyng wittyng and wyllyng we do perysh Who was the cause of synne to Iacob was it not Samaria The Text and who of the hie places of Iuda was it not Ierusalem Thys sentence can not stand as it is cōmonly translate what is the syn because the interogatiue in the Hebrew is the Masculine gēder therfore must be referred to the author of the synne and hye places wherunto the aunswer also serueth that Samaria and Ierusalem that is to say the chefe cities and kings courtes are the causes of al wyckednes Idolatrous abhominacion Euen so so said Elias to king Achab Thou and thy fathers house hath troubled Israel whych haue forsaken the commaundements of God and followed Baalam For lyke as the kyng and court is such are the people as the experience of al ages playnelye teacheth For the people alwayes by flatteryng and counterfaityng kynges and princes doth imitate follow their maners condiciōs And thys is nothing vnnatural that the body and inferiour members shuld follow the qualities disposicion of the heade but rather impossible that it shuld be inclined any other waies Here is to be noted for the variety of trāslacion of thys text that it is a defectiue sentence and by sondry interpreters is diuerstye supplied lyke as many mo are in the old testamēt For the Hebrue tonge in sētēces of vehemencye and also of great haste doth leaue out certain words easy to be vnderstād itti mi who wyth me ha shalam how peace such eclypsed phrasies haue we in the Englishe tong as howe nowe horsse horsse Samaria was the kyngs of Israels seate as we reade .iii. Kyng .xvi. Amry king of Israel bought the hyl Thamor of Themer and buylte it for his palace wher as the kyngs wer named before to raygne in Thyrsa as appeareth in the same chapter This Samaria is much blamed in scripture because of the goldē calfes which Ieroboam set vp al the kings of Israel in this city chiefely maintained after hym And Ierusalem is annexed as her sister by byrth being both of one people brought forth of Egipt and also like of condiciō in al kynde of abhominacions as the thyrde chapter of Ieremye and xxiii of Ezechiel dothe at large vnder the names of Ahola and Aholiba declare Wher as Ierusalē is accompted muche more wycked because she could not beware by her systers fall but encreased her abhominacions and therfore much more greuouslye to be iudged and condempned In what case then are we lyuyng in these euil daies in our great cities courtes and kyngs houses whych haue not the terryble example of one of thē only but of infinite other set before our eies We do reade of the wycked kynges in Ierusalem Achas and Manasse which dyd not onlye excede in wyckednes the kynges of Israell and prynces of Samaria but they are charged that they far passe the wyckednesse of that people whyche the Lorde dyd driue forthe before them for theyr synnes And abhominations the wicked Cananees wher the kynges and Prynces were so euyl the people coulde not be good therfore did come vpon them horrible destruccyon at the ende What shall we saye in these perilous tymes wherin al men
women were fayne to eate theyr owne tender babes to eate rates horsse heades the verye dounge of Asses when their king was caryed captyue and hys eyes put foorthe when the bewtye of theyr fayre women was wythered wyth waylyng wyth heate and burnynge of the weather when the playtynge of theyr haire was turned into baldnes and all theyr strong men slayne in battayle Then as Esaiah sayth theyr gates shal mourne and the citye beyng spoyled shal syt vpon the earth Esay iii. Thus maye it be verye aptly vnderstande eyther of the Prophet or of the people Of thys spoyle and nakednes Moyses by the mouthe of God dyd Prophecye Deuterno xxix Because they haue forsaken the couenaunt of God whych he hath made wyth theyr fathers when he broughte them out of the land of Egyptte shall theyr lande lye spoyled and wasted Agayne Hos cha iii. A long time sayth he shal the chyldren of Israell syt wythout kynge wythout Prynce without sacrifice wythoute altar Ephot Ieraphim Wherin is to be marked that the fall and destruccion of al cityes coūtryes are for seene to the spyryte of God and the cause of theyr ruyne is onely synne and wyckednesse euen the forsakynge of the Lorde This it is whiche shall make the proude Dragons whiche fometh forthe fyre frō theyr mouthes to yel and cry at the end for the misery whiche shall come vppon them This shal cause the greate Estriches to grone and mourne for verye distres and anguishe Fynallye this sinne shal cause al the earth to shake quake to yell and wayle when the word of god shal be poured forthe vpon it O Lorde be merciful vnto vs for our sinnes sake doo we fele at this daye thy heauye dyspleasure too rage and rayne throughe our hole realme and especiallye at this presente vppon thy house of Suffolke once beautifyed by thy gloryous Gospell but nowe by oure vnworthynes spoyled naked and byryued of the crowne of glorye of thy chosen vessels the hope honoure and comlines of that house O Lorde why dothe not the wycked peryshe whyche knoweth not the nor careth for thy commaundmēts But the iudgmente beginneth at thyne houshould chyldren the heard hearted Estriches and deuourynge Dragones shall yel and mourne in the ende The proude tirauntes are lykened to Dragons Ezechiel .xxxii. Iob. xl For the Dragons howe they dye pressed to deathe by the huge Elephante Plinius declareth Lib. viii Cap. xi The Estryches ar described Lib. x. Cap. i. Strabo Liber xvi Because her woūdes ar in curable The Text For to Iehuda is it nowe come it is come too the gates of my people euen to Ierusalem Lo this is the cause worthy of much moureninge weepinge and wailinge saithe oure Prophetes because Iehuda hath sinned and as Esay saith from the heade to the foote there is nothing but swelling soores stripes and wonds no place lefte where they maye be plaged anye more The wrathe of the Lord is so soore kindled that he hathe geuen thē vp to their owne sinful lustes therfore worthely hath also brought vpō thē miserable plagues the fyre of hys vengaunce canne not be quenshed but styll the Idolatrous people of Samaria too the chosen kyngedome it rageth from Iehuda euen to Ierusalem that holy citie whereunto the perpetual priesthode and kingedome vnto the comminge of Messiah was promised so that as Esay lamenteth the cities rounde aboute Ierusalem beinge destroied Ierusalem was lefte alone lyke a watche house in the vineyarde or the cottage in the garden of Cucummers and cleare withoute any sucoure obsessed besieged by Rabsace as appeareth .iiii. kings .xviii. Here by nowe Englande and all those people whome God hathe speciallye called in these oure times by the lighte of hys Gospel hathe greate cause too tremble and fear God his secrete iudgment consydering that we haue not so many promyses as hadde Ierusalem and theyr fall was for theyr vnthankefulnes and forgetfulnes of their duties towards god as appeareth by oure Prophete What shal we thē loke for like fal with the Germaines Nay much worsse much sorar because wee wyll not yet be warned Do not declare this in Gath neyther wepe you nor wayl you there The Text. in the houses of Sephratumble thy selfe in the duste A lyke lamentacion maketh Dauid for the deathe of Saull and Ionathas ii kings .ii. shew not this thing in Gath nor Askalon saithe he leste the vncircūcised Philistins do reioise at the fal of Israel Wherein is declared the cause that in Gathe named a city of the Phelistines whēce the great enemy Goliath did come the fal of god his people shoulde not be knowē least the vncircūcised should say wher is their God As the great Turck the prowde Pope with their adherents do not stick at this dai to sai of the Germaines that they were in an euill waye els shuld not god haue geuē thē to their enemies O let vs beware lest the name of God or his holye doctrine be by our wicked sinfulnes at anye time so hainouslye blasphemed But as for Ophir whiche is hear called Aphra for the hebrew allusion with Aphar whiche signifieth dust whiche was in the tribe of Beniamin one of the hyghe cities of Iuda the prophet byddeth it after the custome of mourners to mourn in dust ashes So ought we in our owne cōgregacions amōgs our selues bewaile our miseries the miseries of our brethrē thus iudging our selues we shal not be with the wicked cōdēned but by our vnfained repētaūce cause God to shew his mercye vpō vs as did the Niniuites repēting in ashes sackloth at the preaching of Ionas But O merciful god what flintish harts haue we The enemies of Christe do laugh reioise at these our miseries Yet we cā not bewaile thē The proude papists cā say they are plaged for theyr sinnes yet will we not espy them They do say I doo feare me ouertrulye that we neither do faste nor praye but cause the Gospell to serue oure folyshe fantasyes and therfore doth God send these plages vpon vs that we maye bee made newe vessels apte and mete to these spirituall workes therby to put awaye thy wrath so sore kindled against vs and to stop the mouthes of oure enemies The Text. Get the hēce Saphir with thine enhabitaunce thou haddest thy name of beauty but thou art naked with shame And zaenā whiche had the name of goinge forward shal not go forth to bewail Bethhazell the ennemye shall take from you through his long seige For the citizens of Maroth hathe sorowed for their ryches sake because that euyll is come frō the Lord vnto the gate of Ierusalem Yoke thi chariote with thi Dromedaries and swift running Camels O Lakis for thou wast the first beginning of the sinne of Israel the doughter of Sion for in the was foūd the wyckednes of Israell The Prophete doth reherse the cheife cities whence Ierusalem shoulde haue hadde healpe and succoure and setteth before
Iacob after he haue made theyr ennemyes theyr footestoole whyche all the Prophetes doo make as the chyefe marke and ende of theyr Prophecyes for the comforte of the chosen Israel as is at large before wrytten and wonderfullye set forth in Ezechiel xxxvii xxxviii and .xxxix. Chapter And it shall bee in that The Text same day sayth the Lord and I wyl destroy thy horse forth of the myddâ—st of thee and breake thy charyots I wyl destroye thy cytyes and ouercome al thy municions I wyll destroye thyne enchauntmentes and thou shalte haue no sothlaiers I wil destroi thyne Idols and thyne ymages forth of the myddes of thee and thou shalt not worship any more the worke of thyne owne hands And I wyl pluck vp thy groues forth of the middes of the and I wyl destroy thy cityes And I wyll bee auenged in my wrathe and fury vpon the people which hath not heard me Although thys prophecy be by many expounded of the Iewes yet had I rather to take it as spoken of the HetheÌ„ and so it very wel agreeth wyth all the other prophetes whych strayghte after the deliueraunce of Israel froÌ„ amongs the heythen dothe alwayes threaten a terryble destruccion to theyr enemyes Of whom so euer it is spoken we muste marke for what cause it is spoken to teach vs that syn is the cause of destruccion to al kyngdomes The trust in charyotes in horses in walled cytyes and strong holdes In enchauntmentes and Idols are the cause of God hys wrath indygnacion and heauy dyspleasure Especially Idolatry enchantment and couniuryng whych are the spiritual fornicacion these are the crymes that God heare and euery wher dothe threaten to auenge in hys wrath and fury Deut. iiii vii And thorow the whole booke Iosue xxiii xxv Dyd he not woÌ„derfuly destroi xxiii thousand of the Israelytes vppon one day by theyr owne pristes Leuits for Idolatry Exod. xxxii Did not God geue them into theyr enemyes handes for folowing the wayes of the Hethen Iudges ii.iii.iiii.vi.viii.x Dothe he not threaten alwaies to take theÌ„ of the face of the earth and destroy theÌ„ for it Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomi and in al the Prophets Doth not God appeare vnto Solomon afterward declare the same vnto him .iii. Re. ix saying that if Israell shulde worship straunge gods he wold take him away and make him a by word amongs the heatheÌ„ And when it shulde be demaunded why God had destroied this people whome he had chosen this shulde be answered because they haue worshipped straunge goddes therefore hathe the Lorde broughte vpon vs al this euil .iii. kinges .ix. This we knowe now liuinge especially in this realme and se and ar taught to be mooste true by the mouthe of God in our time as was SolomoÌ„ But a great parte of vs haue Idolatrye hidde in our hearts as hadde Solomon and none of vs do earnestlye repent of the Idolatry by vs committed no more then did SolomoÌ„ therfore shal we suffer shame with Solomon and oure posteritie shal be despised as it shal be taughte more at large Nowe for the stronge doctrine and spirituall fornicacion of enchauntemente and coniuracyon of sothesaying or diuinacion on lesse it be spedelye stopped by the wyl of God workinge the care of such thinges in the harte of our kinge counsalers it shal shortlye braste forthe so farre amonges vs as it dyd amonges the Iewes a lyttle before theyr laste destruccyon whereof Iosephus wryteth Ant. xx cap. iiii xi.xii that they dyd forsake the true Prophetes of God and sought after Sorcerers and soothe sayers So saythe Esay that the Lorde hadde forsaken his people the house of Iacob because they were more full of enchauntementes then was the Arabians and as full of sothsaiers as the Philistines and wyth straunge doctryne they hadde satisfied their selues Esaye .ii. So canne I come into no corner of thys realme where I finde not or heare not of some of theese In Oxforde and in Cambridge wher God hys holy word shoulde banyshe thys blyndenesse there be masters for the nonest which after they haue studyed Astronomye whyche after they haue studied Astronomye and come to the iudicials of Astrology and found some experiments true and some false when the placynge of the Planettes in theyr appoynted houses and theyr aspectes and respectes wyl not serue their fonde purposes Then loo muste they enter in too Necromancye and call some deade spirit forth of hys graue wyth the bind of a swalow or a cat 〈◊〉 please the deuill to accepte that lewde sacrifice and hear haue they infinite supersticioÌ„s of times of wordes of places of the putrefactyon of that bloude and other lyke madnes whiche I am a shamed too rehearse and sorye too remember consyderynge that manne was made by God to beare hys image and therefore too looke and to do seruice to no suche vyle creatures especyallye to hys auncyente ennemye the Deuill for whose acquaintaunce all these Coniurers hath suche care and maketh suche preparacye wyth watching wyth fastinge with crossynge wyth M cccccc supersticions obseruacyons for the destruccion of theyr owne soules as no man wyl for theyr owne saluacyon They saye they vse good woordes the greate name of God Iehouah Adonai Otheos Sotor Manuel Sabaoth and I wot not what So did oure Coniurers in the kyngdome of the Romyshe Ante christe vse some good woordes and the lyke names aboute the coniurynges of Belles of salt of water of oile of wine of breade of Palmes and such lyke but they dyd mixt therwyth many blasphemyes yea and the good wordes whatsoeuer they dyd speake were neuer applied to that purpose whyche God appointed but too theese their owne imagined phantasyes of coniurynge God his creatures whyche alwaye hath bene accounted abhomination before God Deuter. xviii For looke howe farre the heauens are from the earthe and so farre are my waies froÌ„ your waies and mi thoughtes from your rhoughtes saythe the Lorde Esaye .lv. yea too the sinner saythe the Lorde why doste thou take my name in thy mouthe Psalm .l. That theese open euyl doers and manyfest transgressours agaynste God hys holye commaundemente oughte rather too tremble at the magnyfycente magestye of God his holye name then thus lewdlye too alledge it in they re charmes These Cambredge coniurers haue scolers in the countryes abroade whych seketh howe to haue familier spirites whiche they doo tearme too haue a Bee in a boxe to teache them to play at the Dice Cardes and other leud pastimes And some muste haue Marcurius well placed to helpe at a pynsh when they canne fynde no monye vnder crosses to brynge it by some other vnshamefull shyftes Some muste haue Venus in her fauorable aspecte coniured into an aple to wyll the sauoure of wemen Some must haue Saturne for wysdome Iupiter for honoures Mars for battel whiche ar the verye Deuelyshe delusyons wherewyth the Deuyll blyneded the Babylonyans Egiptians and Cananees And in oure Popyshe tyme broughte in