Christe alone for of his fulnes al we haue receiued as saint Ihon saieth And where we haue giftes of the holye spirite by measure so muche as pleases god of his goodnes to geue Christ oure Lorde and sauiour had the fulnes of the spirite without all measure that of hys fulnesse wee all might receiue part Christ hath the fulnesse of the gifts of the spirite so muche that although he geue part too vs all yet he hath nothinge lesse him self For as the Sunne geues light plentifull to the whole world and yet kepes the self same light within it self so oure sauioure Christe God and man hath the perfite fulnes of all goodnes in him selfe and yet geues part to vs as he thinkes good not losinge anye pece of that he hath him selfe but lightninge oure darkenes with that light which he hath withiÌ„ him self Saint Paule saith he is our wisedom righteousnes holines and redemption because he geues vs all these thinges As it is in fleshe soo is it in all other creatures although a probable obiectioÌ„ to the contrari maye be made out of the scriptures them selues Oure sauiour Christe saying woo to the Scribes and Pharise is which taught that he which swore by the temple or the aultar was nothing but if he swore by the golde of the temple or the offering on the aultar he was in faut semes to teache contrarye for he ads vntoo more sayinge that the temple makes the golde holy and the aultar the offring and that he which sweares by the aultar sweareth by it and those thinges whiche be on it and he that sweares by the teÌ„ple sweares by it him whiche is in it as thoughe the temple the aultar made other things holy Sainct Paule speakinge of the marriage of the faithful and the vnfaithefull saieth that the vnfaithful part is made holy by the faithful But here you must marke that this holines which sainct Paule speakes of beloÌ„ges nothing to the saluation or forgeuenes of sinne of the vnholy party but teaches that such mariage to coÌ„tinue is not vnlawful whoredome the chyldren so borne be not bastards HeatheÌ„s That other holines in the temple and the aultar is but suche a holines as Moyses teaches in his law which than was a ceremony but is now taken away therfore beloÌ„gs not to vnto vs. Any thing is called holy by the law of Moyses which is dedicated to serue god in any kind of ceremoni or seruice in the temple is no more turned to serue man in any kind of ciuil matter or in his house or els which by his institution signifies some holy thing vntoo vs. But these be called holy not because any holines for saluation is in them or that they can geue holines to other things but because the ende vse where vnto they be turned is holy Nothing beside man caÌ„ receiue this true holines for faith is the instrument means wherby true holines is receiued which profit to saluation whereof the Prophete speakes here chiefely But it is not so with the euilnes sinne of man for yâ— doeth not only defile the man when it is in him but all that the euil maÌ„ doth is euil also as all the touches the thing which is defiled is defiled also For as a carâ—on doeth not onelye smell euill it selfe but infectes all that come nere it So that man whiche is defiled in soule doth defile all thinges that he takes in hand Ualentianus a christiaÌ„ man turned from Idolatrye to the knowledge of Christ afterwarde made Emperour when other had cast vpon him suche holye water as thei made to their Idols he was angrye with theym that they defiled hys coate and smote the priest that gaue hym the holy water moued him to sacrifice For he thought as truth is that whatsoeuer was consecrated too Idols was soâ— filthye that it defiled whatsoeuer it touched if it was receiued with such opinion of holines as they thought Some read here if he that is defiled by the deadde doe touche c. the sence is bothe one of this that Many vncleane thinges were in Moyses lawe that whosoeuer touched theym shoulde bee vncleane also as he that touches a dead body shal be vncleane .7 days and he that hathe the fluxe of seede shal be vncleane he that touches the bed where suche haue lyen or sits where they haue sitten shal be vncleane also But this is not so muche for the vncleanes whiche is in the dead body or the sede by nature for bothe be the good creatures of God as the vnder this figure God woulde teache vs that we shoulde not as muche as touche sin whiche is the death of the soule Likewise the euyll lustes whiche raygne whaÌ„ the flux of the sede is be the causes which make them vncleane which suffer suche diseases and affections So that whether we reade he that is defiled in soule or he that is defiled by the dead it is sinne that bothe do meane For that not onely defyles but killes the soule which doth it And sinne is such that it defiles all that touch it as Strack saieth comparing it to pitch He that touches pitche is defiled with it Sainct Paule saieth also euil communications corrupt good maners Dauid saieth the sinners prayer is turned into sinne The good man therefore makes all his woorkes good and the euill defiles euery good thinge he takes in hande This verse teaches plaine that the hole life of an euill man whatsoeuer hee doeth is defiled For as sainct Paule requires of a good man that whether he eate or drinke or whatsoeuer he do he shoulde do all to the glorie of God So the euil man if he eate drinke slepe wake talke worke â–ª or be Idle all is defiled before the Lord. For an euil tree can not bring foorth good frute nor figges growe on bryers yea let him studye praye faste geue almisse bye â—rentals geue his body to be burned or do what he can deuise and it is defiled If I had all faith saieth sainct Paule so that I coulde make mountaines to sturre out of their places if I knowe all secretes geue my goods in almes and my body to be burned I am nothinge better it profites me nothinge if I lacke charitie All euyl men lacke charitie For by this shall ye bee knowen too be good men and so my schollers if ye loue one another sayeth our sauiour Christ therefore whatsoeuer they do it is defiled The good man if he eate or drinke he doth it with thankes giuinge to God for suche sustenaunce righteously gotten and soberly takes it to refreshe his weake nature that he may the better serue his Lorde God If he woorke vse marchaundise or anye other kynde of lyfe he doth it so much for his own as for the comen profit But the euil man either geues not due thankes for his meate
Mary when the Aungel saluted her wōdred that God would cal such a poore mayden virgyn to be the mother of his sonne But euer he that thinks him self vnworthy God takes him as worthy those that thinke so highly of thē selues that they be worthy God refuses makes vnworthy Therefore let euery man that feeles him self in consciēce withdrawē frō doing his duty to god by any kynd of sin say thus to him self Is it tyme for thee to delite thy self in this or y◠kynd of synne gods house vnbylt Think y◠god hath left this in writing to rebuke hī styrre him vp to be more diligēt in repairīg his house wherin god dwels And let eueri mā cōfort him self that god not onli requires but takes in good part the least seruice that the poorest mā liuing cā do And as he saide afore in the seconde verse this people sayeth it is not tyme to buylde c. nothinge the vnkyndenes of that people to whome he had so often and longe ben so louinge a Lorde and maister So he sayeth now this house lyes waste to set out before them y◠greatnes of theyr disobedience that they did not neglect and leaue vnbuylt a common house a Bishop◠palaice or an Abby but that house wherin God him selfe sayde he woulde dwell where onely they shoulde offer their sacrifices whiche onely not oute of the whole worlde but amonge the places townes cytyes in all Iewry he chose by name too be worshipped in in whiche onely he was moste delited and made promys to Salomon in the dedicacion of thesame that he woulde heare the prayers of the that there called vpon hym in faith That house thei did not onely suffer it to decaye but were so forgetful of it that they let it lye waste desolate layde no hande to it as thought it belonged not to them nor it were theyr duety they hadde so farre forgotten God whiche willed them so straightely to do it The Lord for his mercy sake graunt that thesame vnkyndnes maye not be layde iustly against vs whiche leaue that house vnhuylt yea treade vnder oure feete like filthy swyne wherin not the sacrifices of Moyses are offered but for the saluation of whiche Christ offered his bodye a sacrifice to be kylled and his bloude shed and in whiche his holy spirite dwelles if thorough vnthankefulnes we driue him not awaye This house is the holy churche of Christe generally and oure owne bodyes and soules particulerly which be not only membres and partes of his misticall body but the temple and house where the holye Ghoste dwelles where in he wil chiefly be worshipped verse 5 And now thus sayth the Lord of hostes cōsider in your harts your owne waies verse 6 You haue sowen muche and broughte in but litle ye haue eaten and not ben satisfied ye haue dronke and not ben filled with drinke ye haue ben clothed and not kept warme ye haue wrought for wage put your wages in a purse with a hole in the botome ¶ Although ye haue lien lōg without consideratiō of your duty toward God hys house buylding haue ben sore punished of god not knowē the cause of it haue sought your pleasur profit but not obtained them being so blinded in fulfillinge your worldly lustes yet now the mightye Lord of hostes power whome all other creaturs except you obey giues you warning now to cōsider better in youre heart your tyme past not so negligētly wey the working of god with you for he hath lōg punished you to haue had you to amend ye regard it not at all Synne of it self is darkenes whosoeuer walkes in sinne ▪ walkes in darkenes knowes not what he doeth if a man geue him self to be ruled by sin it makes of fooles mad men darkenes so the reasō that it knowes not what to do or saye They had thus many yeares ben plaged knew not the cause why but layd it on some other chaūce then not building gods house which was the chief cause or els like insensible beastes without the feare of God regarded it not as though it had come of some natural cause god had not plaged their sinne But as his disease is most perillous which lies sicke feeles not his sickenes nor can not cōplayne of one parte more than an other for thā the disease hathe equally troubled the whole body so they which lye walowing in syn so forgetting God al goodnes that thei fel◠no remorse of consciēce are desperate almost past all recouery yet God most mercifully dealing with this people sendes his Prophet to warne them sturre thē oute of their slepe that their thei should no longer so lightly wey Gods displeasure towardes them but depely wey why and wherfore these plages were thus poured vpō them The scholemaister correctes not his scoler nor the father his child but for some fauts for their amendment no more hath God sent these plages to you so many yeares but to remēber you of your disobediēce towards him that ye should turn to hym But if the leude scoler or vnthrifty sonne do not regarde the correction laid vpō him nor cōsider not the greatnes of his faulte nor the displeasure of his father or scholemaster ther is no goodnes to be hoped for of him so is it w e you if ye thus lightly or els not at all cōsider your lyfe paste Gods dealing with you how euil things haue prospered with you all the time ye thus haue disobeyed god Whē the life of mā pleases god saies Salomō all things prosper go forwards with him but whā he offendes his god all creaturs turn to his hurt hinderaunce If thou heare the voyce of the Lord thy God saith Moyses and kepe all the commaundementes which I teache thee the Lorde wil make thee greater than al other people thou shalt be blessed in the citie and in the fielde thy chyldren the fruit◠of the earth and all thy cattel thy shep◠▪ Oxen shal be blessed and increase but yf thou heare not the voyce of the Lorde thy God and kepe his cōmaundements thou shalt be cursed in the towne in the field◠thy chyldren shal be cursed and the fruit◠of the earth and the fruit of thy cattel thy sheepe and thy Oxen the Lord will sende vpon thee nede and trouble and destructiō on euery thinge thou goest aboute vntyll he destroye thee c. These plagues when they fall in any country are not lightlye to be considered But as the Phisicion seing in a glasse by the water the disease within the body by the learninge searches out the cause of the disease and ministers good things for thesame so in lokinge in the glasse of gods worde the diseases and sinnes which are in common wealthes we shall soone perceyue the cause of these plagues wholsomely minister some
with a safe conscience vndefiled if thou holde thy peace yea and if thou haue not greater grace and learning to iudge good and euill thou shalte heare some crooked reasons whiche shal deceyue thee peraduenture entangle thee and bring thee froÌ„ gods truth If thou sit by heare the truthe spoken agaynste and will not defende it to thy power thou art gylty to thy Lorde God For Christe sayeth he that is not with me is againste me If thou speake in Gods cause thou shalt be in daunger of thy life and goods or bothe These thinges well considered would make them which haue the feare of God in them too marke this lesson well and flye euyll companye for whatsoeuer the euyll man who is defiled in soule touches it is defiled Where the Prophetâ— saieth here that the people and the woorkes of their hands and all that they brought thither â—o offer was defiled also it moues this hard question whether the euilnes of the minister do defile his ministerie and Gods Sacraments whiche be ministers First marke that the minister if he be a dronkarde an adulterye or couetous c. he doth not hurt the strengthe of the Sacrament which he ministers neither yet defiles any maÌ„ that receiueth at his handes but to him self he ministers daÌ„nation as sainct Paule sayth he that eates and drinkes vnwoorthelye eates and drinkes his owne damnation But he sayth sibi ipsi to hym selfe for so is the Greke and not to thee he receiues iudgement If we shoulde flee ministers because of their sinne whome shall we than heare for who wantes sinne So in preachinge as longe as they saye true heare theym thoughe their doctrine condempne them selues For Christ saieth in Moyses chayre sit the Scribes and Phariseis doe as they bid and teache you but do not as they doe Soo he that is baptised of an euill minister is as well baptised as hee that receyues it of the good and as muche doeth it profite him for els so muche difference shoulde be betwixt their baptismes as is betwixt the goodnes of the ministers and the baptisme of the better minister shoulde excell the baptisme of the woorse and then might we well saye I am Paules I am Apolloes and I am Cephas whiche Paule forbiddes The goodnes of baptisme hanges vpon God who did institute it and not on the minister whiche geues it Let them loke therfore whiche 〈◊〉 so holy that rather thei wil sitte at home than here pray or communicate with such a minister as pleases them not what scripture or example they folow Esay â–ª Ieremi Aggeus yea Christ and his Apostles forsaked not Ierusalem but diligently kept the feastes appointed by God and offered their sacrifices accordinge too the lawe though the temple was full of Ciuill priestes Scribes and Phariseis As longe as Gods institucion in his Sacramentes and sacrafices was kept thei did not so muche respect the goodnes or euylnes of the minister no more oughte thou to do Than if the euilnes of the minister do not hurt me whiche receyues the Sacrament why am I forbidden too communicate with Papistes at their masse Surely not so much for the euilnes of the men theÌ„ selues as the wickednes of the order and thinge whiche thei minister For whan thou commest to the CoÌ„munion with the Papistes and accordinge to saincte Paule woulde eate of that bread and drinke of the cuppe they will neither geue thee breade nor wyne accordinge to Christes institution for they saie the substaunce is chaunged and ther remaynes no bread but thei will geue thee an Idoll of their owne makinge whiche they call their God They come not together accordinge to Christes rule to breake the breade but they creepe into a corner as the Pope teaches theÌ„ too sacrifice for the quicke and the dead to â—el heauen harow hell and swepe Purgatorie of all such as wil paye They come not to communicate with the people but too eate vp all alone Therefore because they haue chaunged Christes ordinaunce in his supper broken hys commauÌ„dement and set vp their owne deuise we muste not meddle with them in such thinges as thei haue done contrarie to God his woorde Their baptisme although it haue manye euyl thinges blend in among yet because they kepe the substaunce of the SacrameÌ„t the woordes and facion that Christe hym selfe vsed it is nothinge so euyll as theyr masse is although it be as muche too bee abhorred of all good men as may be And good men oughte to seke as much as may be to haue their chyldren Christened in a Christian congregatioÌ„ and of a godly minister where no suche cuniuring nor misuse is practised Yet if he can not come by suche a one as he woulde wisshe lette not the Christian parente thynke hys chylde too bee woorse Baptised because the minyster is wicked for euerye one shall sinke in hys owne sinne and the father shall not dye for the chylde nor the chylde for the father nor the minister for him which receyues at him nor he that receiues for the euilnes of the minister although that minister which so wickedly corruptes yâ— good SacrameÌ„ts and holy ordinauÌ„ces of God doth minister theÌ„ to his owne dampnation and iudgemente Than to conclude this place the Prophete here exhortes the people to the buildinge of the temple For although they had an aultare to sacrifice on for the time yet because thei left vndone that building which God sent theÌ„ home to doe and willed them so straitly to do it they brake his commaundement in not buylding and so were defiled with sinne of disobedience And the hearte being ones so defiled all their woorkes whiche came from suche a defiled heart muste nedes be defiled also When Saule was commaunded by God to destroye all the Amelekites and al that had lyfe amonge them and to spare none he was moued with a foolish pitie and couetousnes and saued the fairest and lattest cattell to sacrifice vnto God But God because of his disobedience cast hym and all his posteritie from the kyngdome and Samuel telles him that obedieÌ„ce is better then sacrifice Some woulde thinke it cruelnes to kyll the beastes whiche made no faulte and other would thinke it holines to saue for Gods sacrifice the fattest fairest But that is not cruelnes whiche God biddes neither is that good which he forbiddes whatsoeuer woorldly reason caÌ„ saye to the contrari Therfore let vs with out all eâ—cuse do that which God commauÌ„des and seke no startinge holes for than we deceiue oure selues These people might alledge pouerty the kinges authoritie who forbad them to buylde but nothing can defende vs wher that is lefte vndone whiche God coÌ„maundeth but it is sinne And where this sin of disobedience raygnes there the man all that he doeth is defiled Therefore if they woulde that any thinge whiche they did or toke in hande shoulde please God they must washe awaye this fylthye disobedience buylde this
him agayne by suche tokens So God wyll bothe by hys spirite poure his loue into our hearts and let vs se the care that be taketh for vs and will also by outwarde sacramentes as badges marke vs for hys people by thesame seale vs surely too hym selfe and sturre vs vp to loue him agayn and looke diligently to oure dutie If earthely lords and princes will soo safelye defende theyr seruauntes let them not doubt but God that is Lorde of lordes will defende hys people frome all daungers and wronges be they neuer so manye and soo greate if they woulde earnestly in faithe call vpon hym in the daye of their trouble forsake their owne strengthe witte and policâ—e truste in him onely Dauid sayeth wel the Lord is not delited in the streÌ„gth of an horse nor the strong legges of man but the Lorde is wel pleased with them the which feare him with them that trust in his mercy There is no waye sooner to prouoke Gods anger and make hym to forsake vs in trouble than to trust to our selues and in our owne witte strength policie for that is as muche to take the praise to oure selues from him and mistrust God that he can not or wil not defeÌ„d vs. And although we must not trust in oure selues yet wee muste vse all meanes whiche he hathe ordeined for oure defence For as we muste be diligent to do all good workes and not put our trust of saluation in them but sai with saincte Luke whan ye haue done all that I commaunded you saye ye bee vnprofitable seruauntes so we must vse alwayes lawefull to defende oure selues yet saye our help is from the Lord which hath made both heauen and earth he hath ordeyned suche meanes to saue vs by and workes by thesame our deliueraÌ„ce whan pleaseth him sometimes too shewe hys power he deliuereth vs without such ordinarie meanes And why wil God thus saue them for any goodnes in them which had so longe forgotteÌ„ him his house or for their good workes who had so loÌ„g ben so disobedieÌ„t no but euen because I haue chosen thee saieth the Lord. This is the first chiefest cause why he bestoweth his goodnes vpoÌ„ any people â–ª eueÌ„ because he hath chosen theÌ„ in Christ afore the world was made for this cause he coÌ„tinueth bestowing his blessing to the ende vpon theÌ„ whom he hath once chosen Saincte Paule reasoninge of this matter putteth twoo causes wherfore God shuld loue iustifye and chose vs either freely of grace and mercy saieth he or for the goodnes of oure woorkes If it shoulde bee for oure woorkes than sayeth he it can not be of grace and if it be of free grace loue and mercie than is it not for our woorkes neither paste nor too come for than grace shoulde not bee grace saieth he if it were not thus freely geuen If God shoulde chose vs for anye goodnes in vs than hee shoulde but doe one good turne for another and freely withoute rewarde doe nothinge whiche is mooste againste his nature that doeth good for euyll yea and where he seeth no possibilitie of goodnes or rewarde to be looked for Who hath geuen him anye thinge firste and he shal be recompensed agayne sayeth sainct Paule as though he shoulde saye no. I haue chosen you and ye haue not chosen me sayde Christe to his disciples and Apostles And as he thus chose theym soo he choses all whiche he choosen and so he will declare his fre grace loue and mercy to al which be his freely euen because it pleased hym to chose them and they deserued not to be chosen of him but rather to be caste away from hym Whan God promised too deliuer his people in like distresse by hys Prophete he sayde for myne owne sake for myne owne sake I will doe it And not onely thus in bodely deliuerauÌ„ce but in forgeuenes of sinnes he saies likewise it is I it is I whiche forgeueth thy sinnes for myne owne sake Thus freely God oure heauenly father for the loue whiche he beareth too vs in his sonne Christe in whome he had chosen vs from the beginninge and for whose sake he continueth hys fauour to vs he I saye bestowes all his blessinges freely on vs bothe in bodye and soule in this lyfe and after The will of God is the firste cause of doinge all good thinges and whan he wil all thinges worke and they him whan he wil not thei staye and cease so because his chosing of vs coÌ„meth of his free will mercy it is the firste and chiefest cause of our saluation If he shoulde be sturred too chose vs for our goodnes whiche he foresees in vs that is euer vnperfite or if for any other cause within vs or without vs than he shoulde not be the firste cause and mouer of all thinges But sainct Luke sayth In him we lyue be and are moued That whiche moues an other thinge is in nature afore that whiche is moued also it is better stronger and wyser but to say that any ting is stronger wyser or better than God is treason and blasphemie too his maiestie therfore his will is the firste cause of all our goodnes Thus our good God teaches vs comforte his people that all thinge shal turne to the best to them which loue him be the troubles neuer so many and great the maÌ„s witte can not tel how to escape Let kings and princes fal together by the eares kyl murther shewe what crueltye they can gette or lose kyngdoms warre fighte or what they can deuise God will saue and deliuer his people if it please him oute of all their handes Whan Pharao persecuted the Iewes thorough the read sea God saued his people and drouned the Egiptians In the wildernesse whaÌ„ Seon and Ogge two mightie kynges denied them vitayles and passage God destroied them bothe and gaue their landes to his people After they came to the lande promised he droue oute 7. mightie people and delte it to the Iewes and when all the Heathen people whiche dwelt rounde about them made warre againste his people hee destroyed them all In Babilon when they were prysoners vnder Balthasar kynge within the cytye and Darius kynge of the Medes with Cyrus the king of the Persians beseginge the cytye rounde aboute that none shoulde escape when the cytye was taken God did not onely deliuer hys people from all the cruell handes of these three mighty kynges but gaue them such fauour in the sighte of Cyrus that he not onely hurte them not but set them at libertie sente them home to their countrye gaue them licens too buylde this temple restored their Iewels whiche Nabucadnezer tooke awaye and gaue free licens to euery man to helpe theym with money as muche as they woulde Who coulde haue thought Gods people shoulde haue ben now deliuered oute of the handes of three Heathen kynges beinge