yet shall he be as still as a Lambe before the shearer and not open his-mouth 8 From the 〈◊〉 and iudgement was he taken and his generation who can declare for he was cut of from the grounde of the lyuing which punishment did go vpon him for the transgression of my people 9 His graue was giuen him with the condemmned and with the riche man at his death whereas he did neuer violence nor 〈◊〉 〈…〉 him with infirmitie that when he had made his 〈…〉 of the Lorde shall prosper in 〈◊〉 hande 11 Of the trauaile and labour of his 〈…〉 the fruite and be satisfied my righteous 〈…〉 knowledge iustifie the multitude for he shall 〈…〉 their sinnes 12 Therefore will I giue him among the great ones his part and he shall deuide the spoyle with the mighty because he giueth ouer his sioule to death 〈…〉 The Exposition vpon the. liij Chapter of Esay But who hath giuen credence vnto our preaching or to whome c. ESay in sundry places of hys prophecies speaketh so plainely of the vocation of the gentyles to the fayth of the kingdome of Christ of his merueylous byrth of his stocke and kindred c. that he is of a auncient wryters esteemed as an Euangelist recording thinges past rather then a Prophet foretelling things to come albeit he was before the comming of Christ aboue 750. yeares And yet of all the parts of his prophecies is there none wherein he doth so plainely speake of Christ of the state of his life of his death and passion and of the fruites thereof as he doth in this present chapiter Neyther is there any place of the olde Testament out of the which so manye allegations be made by Christ and his Apostles as out of this part of Esay The Prophete in the latter ende of the former chapiter had sayde that as Christ should be published and knowne among all the Gentiles so the state and maner of his lyfe should be so * base and simple as all men should woonder at it Therefore in the begynning of this chapiter as it were vnder the person of the Apostles and first preachers of the Gospell he breaketh 〈◊〉 to a lamenting of the * small number of them that at the publishing of this doctrine would giue credence to it So straunge and so * vnlikely a thing shall it seeme to them to haue saluation by one that in continuance of the worlde appeared so meane a person as Christ should be especially seing the Prophets in other places described the Messias as a myghtie Prince and king For he did growe before the Lorde like as a branch and as a roote in c. Shootes or branches doe sometime spring vp in drie barraine groundes but bicause â—hey haue not moysture and fatnesse of the earth they prosper not nor proue faire and large to see to So Christ when he came in fleshe and sprang vp here in the soyle of this drie and horraine worlde entring his spirituall kingdome he shewed not hymselfe of anye notable continuance and authoritie nor flourished in the worlde with princely maiesty and power but appeared rather as a thinne slender and vnprofitable shoote more meete to be cast into the fyre or to be trodden vnder foote then to looke for any great fruite of it Therefore when they behelde him they sawe no maiestie in hym but esteemed him as an abiect as * an outcast and as a contemptible person not worthye so much as once to be looked on This euydently appeareth to haue bene in Christ aswel in the residue of his lyfe as especially at his death passion wheÌ„ they scorned and 〈…〉 when they buffeted him and crowned him 〈…〉 when they preferred a robber and a murderer before him when they cried away with him awaye with him and crucifie him finally when with great despite they hanged him betweene two theeues Howbeit he onely hath taken on him our infirmitie and borne our paines c. And yet sayth the Prophet in the person of the Church of God this CoÌ„temptible Person whom we esteemed as a worme of the earth was the only man that hath 〈◊〉 vpon him out infirmitie and borne our paines When we saw him not only so base and simple but so 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 A shéepe of all cattell is most foolish and the flock being once scattered euery one runneth his way and not one knoweth how to Returne to the folde vntill he be fet by the shepeherde By this Similitude he expresseth our waywardnesse ignorance and blindnesse that being once gone astray from God we neyther * can nor will nor know howe to returne to him againe vntill our gracious and good pastor Christ Iesu vpon whome God hath layd our sinnes doe seeke vs and * Bring vs home to the folde vpon his shoulders Hee suffered violence and was euill entreated and did not open c. The Sheepe whether he be shorne or led to the slaughter he neuer byteth nor strugleth no nor so much as openeth his mouth to bleate to signifie any Misliking By this he discribeth the great obedience and * pacience of our Sauiour Christ at the time of his passion sufficiently declared by the Euangelistes This place and certaine verses folowing are interpreted by saint Peter 1. Pet 2. and Actes 8. by Philip to the Eunuch From the prison and iudgement was hee taken and his generation c. This is to be vnderstanded of the Resurrection of Christ and deliuerance from death and miserie Although Christ was taken bounde despiteously entreated adiudged to die last of all put to * most reprochfull death yet he was by Gods mightye hande deliuered from miserie from bondes from death and restored to life and glorie for euer to endure For Christ sayth Paule being raysed from death dyeth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him No man therefore is hable to declare the euerlasting age and continuance of Christ The cause why he was so Glorified is in the latter part of the verse set forth for that he did vouchsafe to die and suffer punishment for the sinnes of the people of God. His graue was giuen him with the condemned and with the rich man c. By the Rich man is ment the cruell and violent oppressor and by the Graue the maner and place of his death So that the sense is he suffered and was put to death in that place that was appointed for the wicked and condemned persons that vse extortion and violence whereas he * neuer did iniurie neither vttered deceyte with his mouth Yet hath it pleased the Lord to smite him with infirmitie that when c. The death and passion of Christ for our sinnes was not the worke of enimies but of our mercifull * God and heauenly father God sayth the Prophete would strike him with infirmitie to the ende that when he had * giuen his
shame they are driuen to vâ—â—ode their vntemperate stomacks No merueyle though God punishe such exceeding grieuously as he shreatneth Esay 5. And Ham the father of Chanaan seing the nakednesse of his father c. Thus God punisheth vndiscrete Parents that 〈…〉 as he had done 〈…〉 And Sem and Iaphet taking a garment layde it vpon their shoulders c. As in Ham we haue a Paterne of a lewde and vnnaturall sonne so haue we in Sem and Iaphet an example of good and godly children not onely nothing at all delighting in the reproch of their Father but being hartily sorie for the same and with all Reuerence Shamefastnesse and modestie * seeke â—o hide that vncomelynesse that had happened vnto him And this in deede is the office of good children not as Ham to Discrie and blase abroade the Shame of their parentes but with 〈◊〉 Secrecie and honestie to hide such blemishes as shall happen vnto them And Noah awooke from his wine c. and saide cursed be Chanaan c. This is the Curse of Ham and his wicked Posteritie as a dewe rewarde of his vndewtifulnesse towarde his father And also she Blessing of Sem and Iaphet wherewith God prospered them as well for this their Reuerence towarde their Paâ—entes as for their other Obedience to the 〈◊〉 of god This curse of Ham the blessing of Sem 〈◊〉 Iapher â–ª with their poslepitie was vttered by Noah in way of prophecie For Ham 〈◊〉 the father of the inhabitants of the lande of Chanaan that was subdued by the mightie hand of God and deliuered in subiection to the Israelites after their comming out of Egypt Of Sem 〈…〉 the people of Israel whom God merueilously preserued and brought into that lande of promise where they were Lords ouer the posteritie of Ham. Of Iaphet and his progenie came the most part of the Gentiles which a long time were seperated from the knowledge of God and so deuided from their brethren of the Iewes and of the posteritie of Sem. But at the comming of Christ by the sweete voyce of the Gospel they were brought vnder one * Sheephearde and one Folde and so according to the blessing of their father Noah dwelled in the tentes of Sem and were partakers of the promises * first made to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel So that this is an euident testimonie of the Calling of the Gentiles euen by the mouth of the holy Patriarke so manye hundred yeares before in deede it was performed The sunday called Quinqua gesima â–ª at Euening praier Genesis 12. AND the Lord sayde vnto Abram â—et thâ—e out of shy Countrey and out of thy Nation and from thy fathers house vnto a lande that I will shew thée 2 And I will make of thée a great people and will blesse thée and make thy name great that thou shalt be a blessing 3 I will also blesse them that blesse thée 〈◊〉 curse thâ— that curse thâ—â— in thée shall 〈…〉 of the earth be 〈◊〉 4 And so Abrâ—â— departed as the Lordâ—had 〈…〉 himâ— and Let 〈◊〉 with him and Abram was 〈◊〉 and fiue yeares olde when he departed out of Haran 5 And Abram tooke Sarai his wife and Lâ—t his brothers sonne and all their substance that they had in possession and the soules that they had begotten in Haran and they departed that they might come into the lande of Chanaan and into the lande of Ehâ—â—aan they came 6 Abram passed through the lande vnto the place of Sichem vnto the plaine of Morâ—h And the Chanaanite was then in the lande 7 And the Lord appearing vnto Abram sayde Vnto thy séede will I giue this lande and there builded he an aulter vnto the Lorde which appeared vnto him 8 And remoouing thence vnto a mountaine that was eastwarde from Bethell he pitched his tent hauing Bethell on the west side and Hai on the east and there be buylding an aulter vnto the Lorde did call vpon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram tooke his iourney goyng and iourneyng towarde the south 10 And then there was a famine in that lande and therefore went Abram downe into Egypt that he might soiourne there for there was a griouous famine in the lande 11 And when he was come néere to enter into Egypt he sayde vnto Sarai his wife Beholde I know that thou art a fayre woman to looke vpon 12. Therefore shall to come 〈…〉 that when the Egiptiâ—◠〈…〉 wife and they will she is his but they saue thée aliue 13 Say I pray thée that thou art my sister that I may fare well for thy sake and that my soule may liue through thy occasion 14 And so when Abram was come into Egipt the Egiptians 〈…〉 for she was very fayre 15 The princes also of Pharaâ— sawe 〈◊〉 and commended hâ—â— before Pharad and the woman was taken into Pharaâ—â— house 16 〈…〉 for her sake and he had shéepe 〈…〉 and mayde seruants 〈…〉 17 But the Lorde plagued Pharao and his house wyth great plagues because of Sarai Abrams wife 18 And Pharao calling Abram sayde Why hast thou done this vnto me 19 Why diddest thou not tell me that she was thy wife why saydes thou She is my sister and so I might haue taken her to be my wife Nowe therefore beholde there is thy wife take her and go thy way 20 And Pharao gaue his men commaundement concerning him and they conueyed him forth and his wife and all that he had The Exposition vpon the .xij. Chapter of Genesis And the Lorde sayde to Abram Get thee out of thy Countrey c. GOd would not haue his chosen seruant Abram whome of his singuler grace hee had appoynted to a great purpose any loÌ„ger to be Tempted Troubled Afflicted among the wicked Chaldees though they were of his kinred And therefore * willeth him to depart Here we haue to note that when it pleased God to Cal one whom he might appoint to be Father of the faythfull he did not choose him out of the Posteritie of the Wicked but from the Generations of the Godly though they were now fallen to great corruption and liued in Idolatrie And this person doth God call Freely not in respect of anye Woorthinesse or dignitie in the partie For there are not here recited any merites or deserâ—es in Abram why God shoulde so it but 〈◊〉 proceeded only of the Mere grace and Free election of God. By this departure of Abram out of his wicked Countrey If may seeme to be drawne into question whether a godly man maye liue among hys wicked Countrey men or no but is bound in conscience to depart from them wheÌ„ Vice naughtinesse doth increase To this it may be answered that there are two causes for which a godly man may ought to Forsake the Companie and habitations of the wicked 1 The one is if he can not be out of daunger of Life and
We be all but dead men 34 And the people tooke their dough before it was sowred which they had in store béeing bounde in clothes vpon their shoulders 35 And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moises â–ª and they borowed of the Egyptians iewels of siluer and iewels of golde and rayment 36 And the Lord gaue the people fouour in the fight of the Egyptians so that they grâ—â—nted such things as they had reâ—â—red and they robbed the Egyptians 37 And the children of Israel tooke their iourney from Ramesis to Suchoth sixe hundred thousand men of foote beside children 38 And a great multitude of sundrie other nations went also with them and shéepe and oxen and excéeding much cattell 39 And they baked vnleauened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt for it was not sowred For they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tary neither had they prepared for themselues any prouision of meate 40 The dwelling of the children of Israell which they dwelled in Egypt was foure hundred thirtie yeares 41 And when the foure hundred and thirtie yeares were expyred euen the selfe same day departed all the hostes of the Lorde out of the lande of Egypt 42 It is a night to bée obserued vnto the Lorde in the which he brought them out of the lande of Egypt This is that night of the Lord which all the children of Israell must kéepe throughout their generations 43 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moises and Aaron This is the law of Passeouer there shall no straunger eate thereof 44 But euery seruant that is bought for money after that thou hast circumcised him shall eate thereof 45 A straunger and an hyred seruant shall not eate therof 46 In one house shall it be eateâ— thou shalt 〈◊〉 none of the fleshe out of the house neither shall ye breake a boâ—e thereof 47 All he congregation of Israell shall obserue it 48 If a straunger also dwell 〈◊〉 you and will helde passeouer vnto the Lord let him circumcise all that be â—â—les and then let him come and obserue it and he shall be as one that is borne in the lande for no vncircumcised person shall eate thereof 49 One maner of lawe shall be vnto him that is borne in the lande and vnto the straunger that dwelleth among you 50 And all the children of Israel did as the Lorde commaunded Moyses and Aaron so did they 51 And the selfe same day did the Lorde bring the children of Israell out of the lande of Egypt with their 〈◊〉 The Exposition vpon the .xij. Chapter of Exodus And the Lord spake vnto Moises c. Saying this Moneth c. THe Historie of the oppression of the children of Israell in Aegypt and their maruelous deliuerance from the tyrannie of Pharao described in the former Chapters doth as it were in a liuely Image set before our eyes our spirituall deliuerance from the tyrannie of Pharao the deuill and from the heauie burthens of Sinne and Wickednesse wherwith we were ouerwhelmed in the Aegypt of this worlde Our Pharao is the Deuill our Aegypt is this worlde our bondage is the subiection to Satan and his kingdome our taskes of Bricke are the grieuous burthens of our sinnes our Moises is Christ our Deliuerance is the Conquest that our Sauiour Christ made of Sin Satan Hell and Death by the merite of his passion And as the night before the Israelites were Deliuered it pleased God to ordeyne them a Sacrament whereby they should from time to time call into theyr remembrance the great benefite of God shewed vnto them and yeeld most heartie thankes to him for the same Euen so our sauiour Christ the night before he went to his passion thereby to worke our deliuerance * ordeyned the holye Sacrament of his last supper wherby we might confirme in our memorie the worke of our redemption and set forth his death vntill his last comming This Sacrament of the Iewes now here discribed in this Chapter is called the Passeouer because by the sprinkling of the doore postes with the bloud of the lambe God willed his Angell to Passeouer the houses of the Israelites and not to strike them with that punishment wherewith he plagued the Aegyptians In like maner when Almightie God seeth the bloud of the Innocent Lambe his deere sonne Christ Iesu sprinckled vpon the doore postes of our Consciences by Fayth in his Passion the execution of his wrath due for sinne doth passe and not light vpon vs as it doth vpon the Reprobate and Wicked that haue not Fayth nor Beleeue his Gospel But forsomuch as this whole Sacrament of the Iewes Passeouer is nothing but a comfortable sweete preaching to vs of the death of Christ and the mysterie of our redemption I thinke it good to note some chiefe and particuler poyntes thereof vnto you The Pascall lambe as I haue sayde is Christ Iesu for so sayth saint Paule Our Passeouer is offered Christ Iesu And for this cause also Iohn the Baptist poynting vnto him sayde Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the VVorlde This Lambe must be without spot to note therby the innocencie of our Sauiour Christ who therefore of saint Peter is called The Immaculate and vndefiled Lambe For in him there was no sinne although he tooke vpon hym the Burthen of all our sinnes This lambe was taken From among the sheepe to declare the humanitie of Christ who was taken out of the flocke of that breede that God before had blessed in Abraham And therefore sayth saint Paule to the Hebrewes He tooke not the nature of Angels vpon him but the seede of Abraham The Passeouer was killed in the euening and latter part of the day and so Christ came to redeeme and deliuer Mankinde towarde the latter ende of the worlde The bloud of the Lambe Sprinckled vpon the doore postes as is before sayde is the bloud of Christ by fayth sprinckled in our consciences As the flesh of the Lambe might not bee eaten raw so must not Christ be receyued as a raw an vnperfite or an vnsufficient Sacrifice only for originall sinne or for our sinnes before Baptisme onely or for the sinnes of some and not of other But for a sufficient Sacrifice and ful Satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde that eyther hath bene or hereafter shall be For as Paule saith to the Hebrewes VVith one oblation once made he made perfite all that be sanctified The Lambe must be eaten with bitter herbes in signification that the receyuing of Christ by fayth in this worlde is ioyned with the bitternesse of Affliction and Trouble For whosoeuer will liue holily in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Nothing must be left of the lambe vntill the morning to note that we must repent and beleeue in Christ while we be in this life and not deferre the matter to another time For Christ can
and in the cause of their sister Cozbi the daughter of a lorde of the Madianites which was slain in the day of the plague for Peors sake The exposition vpon the .xxv. Chapter of Numeri And Israell aboade in Sittim and the people began to commit whoordom c. THe offence that is described in thys chapter to haue bene committed by the childreÌ„ of Israel may seme to be wroughte by the * wicked policie of the false prophet BalaaÌ„ who seeing before that the fauor of god was much enclined to the Israelites did aduertise the Moabites to suffer their wiues daughters to be carnally abused by them to the end that their God being * displeased with their whooredome adulterie might forsake them and so leaue them to the daunger of theyr enimies This was a maruellous way wardnesse in the Israelites that neyther with aduersitie nor prosperity they could be reteined in their dutie toward God. In aduersitie they * sundry tymes murmured against God. And now in prosperitie being come to a * fertile couÌ„trey and hauing great successe of * victorie they are caryed away with loosenesse and wanton lust towarde straunge women and thereby prouoke the heauie * wrath of God against them Wherfore by this example we are admonished in bothe states of Fortune to beware and to call earnestly vnto God for the assistaunce of his grace that wee be not caryed from the remembrance of our dutie eyther with the griefe of the tone or with the pleasauntnesse of the tother In this example also wee haue to obserue howe perillous the companie of * wicked women is not onely for the grieuousnesse of whoordome it selfe but also for the perill that is least we be ledde also by the poysoned pleasure therof vtterly to * forsake God and to contemne his holy lawe and true worship And the Lord sayde take al the heades of the people and hang them c. Iustly doth Saincte Paule 1. Corinth 10. admonishe vs to beware of whooredome and fornication least the lyke perill of Gods wrath doe lyghte vpon vs also The common multitude of the offenders were slayne by hande as aâ—ter doth appeare but the heades and ryngleaders of the people to that wickednesse that is the Princes Magistrates and rulers who shuld haue stayed and punished this foule offence are by God commaunded to be hanged vp against the sunne that their * punishement mighte be the more grieuous to the terror of other For the prince or greate person offendeth double bothe in the filthinesse of the deede it selfe and also in the example whereby he draweth a number to the lyke naughtynesse Suche as the greate persons are suche commonly are the people Wherfore wel saith wisedom cap. 6 The mightie persons shal myghtily be punished A notable lesson is here to be gathered of al them which at this day make so smal accompt of fornication whooredome and adulterie as though it were no synne at all yea as though it were a praise or glorie to them to be knowne and taken to be suche persons And beholde one of the children of Israell came and brought vnto c. This was a notable spectacle of the coÌ„tempt of God and all good men when Moyses and the people were before the doore of the Tabernacle bewayling and lamenting the wickednesse that was encreased among them and by their prayers tears sought to turne the displeasure of God froÌ„ theÌ„ this maÌ„ as it were in despite of them all and of God himselfe in their syghtes brought a straunge strumpet into his tent to be abused of himselfe and of his children By this example it may appeare that wickednesse was growne to a very * high degree among them seing that they had therin caste away al shame * and feare of God. This was none of the common sort of people that coÌ„mitted this outrage He was a lorde and a noble man of the house of Simeon the strumpet also was a Lady or GeÌ„tlewoman the daughter of Sur an head ruler of the Madianites Wherby it appereth what kinde of persons doe soonest breake out to suche foule examples of the contempt of god And as the offence committed was greuous so was the Authour and manner of the punishment extraordinarie For Phinees was a priest and no ciuile Magistrate his * office was to serue God in the teÌ„ple and not by death to punish offenders yet bicause the example of the wickednesse was horrible he was stirred vp vndoutedly by the spirit of God in the vehemencie of his zeale for Gods cause to vse an extraordinarie punishmeÌ„t of those persons that with such despite of Gods lawe and true worship did grieue the heartes of all good men in their heuie distresse And therfore though this fact of Phinees be greatly praised both here and in other * places of the holy Scripture yet being but a peculiar instinction of God in this one cause it is not to be taken as an example coÌ„monly of all persons to be folowed For if euery priuate man should take vpon him to punish offences and that by death it would grow to very greate disorder But Magistrates and they to * whom God hath committed the sworde may here learne with how earnest zeale they should see to the repressing and punishing of synne and wickednesse and not as commonly they doe eyther winke at it without punishment or so triflingly punishe it that it is rather a mockerie than a punishment Then God spake to Moyses saying Phinees the sonne of Eleazar c. By this God sheweth that Phinees was led by his instinction to the zelous execution of that punishment therfore doth not only shewe him selfe to lyke well of it but also rewardeth him with the * perpetual annexing of the high priesthood to him and to his house posteritie Here good princes and magistrates may learne that God with great blessing will rewarde the iust and with sharp punishment correct the authors of wickednesse and vice The third Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Deuteronomie 4. NOw therfore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances lawes which I teach you for to do them that so ye may liue and goe in and possesse the land whiche the Lorde God of your fathers giueth you 2 Ye shal put nothing vnto the worde which I commaund you neither shal you take ought from it that ye may kéepe the coÌ„maundements of the Lorde your God whiche I commaunde you 3 Your eyes haue séene what the Lorde did against Baal Peor for all the men that folowed Baal Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed from among you 4 But ye that cleaue vnto the Lord your God are aliue euery one of you this day 5 Behold I haue taught you ordinances lawes such as the Lord my God coÌ„maunded me that ye should do
their staffe of bread and send dearth vpon them to destroy man and beast foorth of it 14 And though Noe Daniel Iob these thrée men were among them yet shall they in their righteousnesse deliuer but their owne soules saith the Lord God. 15 If I bring noysome beastes into the land they spoils it and it be so desolate that no man may passe throughe it for beastes 16 If these thrée mē were also in the middest therof as truely as I liue saieth the Lorde God they shall saue neither sonnes nor daughters but be onely deliuered them selues and as for the land it shal be waste 17 Or if I bring a sworde vpon this land and say Sword goe through the lande so that I slay downe man and beast in it 18 And if these thrée men were therin as truely as I liue saith the Lord God they shal deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters but onely be saued themselues 19 If I send a pestilence into this land and powre out my sore indignation vpon it in bloud so that I roote out of it both man and beast 20 And if Noe Daniel and Iob were therin as truely as I liue saith the Lord God they shall deliuer neither some nor daughter but saue their owne soules in their righteousnesse 21 Moreouer thus saith the Lord God How much more when I sende my foure troublous plagues vpon Hierusalem the sworde hunger perilous beastes and pestilence to destroy man and beast out of it 22 Beholde there shal be a remnant saued therin whiche shall bring forth their sonnes and daughters behold they shal come forth vnto you and ye shall sée their way and their enterprise and ye shal be comforted concerning the euill that I haue brought vpō Hierusalē euen cōcerning all that I haue brought vpon it 23 They shall comfort you when ye shall sée their way and workes and ye shall know how that it is not without a cause that I haue done al against Hierusalem as I did saith the Lorde God. The Exposition vpon the .xiiij. Chapter of Ezechiel There resorted vnto me certaine of the Elders of Israel and sate downe c. THe Israelites which had fallē from God to Idolatrie and false worship liuing nowe in banishmente and Captiuitie in Babilon were sore greued with these greate miseries tirannicall oppressions which they by the Chaldees sustained and yet were nothing at all moued to repent and turne frō their wickednes Wherfore some of the Elders of thē retaining still in their heartes not onely an inclination but an earnest affection to continue in their Idolatry desirous to heare some good tidings of their deliuerance at the hand of Ezechiel the Prophete of God with Dissimulation Hipocrisie came vnto him and sitting by him began to moue question howe they shoulde behaue themselues in the Captiuitye and what they mighte beste doe what God had reuealed vnto him touching them what hope there was of the restoring of Hierusalem And forsomuch as the Prophete might haue ben deceiued by their Hipocrisie haue thought that they had truely and sincerely repented God openeth their Dissimulation vnto him teacheth him home he shall answere them according to their desertes These men saith God that come vnto thee are Hipocrites and dissimulers and be not inwardlie as they pretende out wardlye For whereas the Hart of my people shuld be the Seate of my true worshippe and their Life a declaration of my glory vnto the world These men cleane contrary haue set vp Idols in their heartes long still to continue in the worshipping of them And the wicked life which they openly leade is as a stumbling blocke to many other whereby they are caused to fall frō me Should I then be sought for by such as they are or shoulde I ansvvere them at their request which by suche dealing doe in a maner openlie delude me and seme not to esteme me as a God For if they did they must needes knowe that their wicked Hipocrisie coulde not be hid from me Out of this place we haue to learne First howe depely the wicked vse to dissimule to pretende an obedience to God and a loue to his trueth when in their heartes they meane nothing lesse In like manner the Scribes and Phariseis often came to Christ wherfore we must take hede and beware of them Secondly we are taught that God knoweth all thinges and that the secretes of our heartes are not hid from him All things are open to the eies of God saith Paule And Salomon The eies of God in euerie place beholdeth both the good and the euill We must so liue therfore as we be sure that we haue God witnesse of all euen our moste secrete doings yea of the very cogitations and deuises of our hartes Thirdly we are instructed how to come vnto god or to his Prophetes to learne that is sincerelie and truely And we Come vnto God when we come to reade or to heare his holie Worde and scriptures And therfore muste we doe it with a simple a true meaning harte least it fall out to vs as it did to these olde dissimuling Israelites Therfore speake vnto them and say vnto them thus saith the Lorde c. Forsomuch as their impudencie was suche that notwithstanding the loue of Idolatry that reigned in their hartes and the greate wickednesse that to the offence of other appeared in their liues yet they durste to come to Ezechiel to learne the will of God and his determination touching them God willeth his Prophete to tell them that he will answere them himselfe but not as they hoped and desired nor any thing at all to their liking but in suche sorte as of his Iustice they for their horrible Idolatry and other wickednesse deserued For that is ment by these wordes According to the multitude of his Idolles In such sorte saith God I will answere them as I wil make openly knowē that is now secrete and hidde and that all men shall vnderstande there is not one iote of godlye motion in them And I vvill so snare them in their ovvne consciences that they th̄selues shall declare to the world they thought not in their hearts as they pretended out wardly to haue done The cause of this vnpleasant answere that God maketh to them is for that through Idolatry they had forsaken him Therefore God as a mercifull Lorde desirous rather to haue them amende then to perishe biddeth his Prophete to will them either vnfainedly to returne frō their Sinfull life and abhominable Idolatrye and also to cause other to returne whome by their example and instruction they had misledde or els that they shoulde be sure to haue a verye vnpleasante answere at the mouth of God himselfe whether they were Ievves naturally borne or suche * strangers as were Circumcised and professing the Law and Couenante of God did liue among them When God requireth that they should not only themselues amende and turne