that vnto the fourth degrée Neither yet do I affirme that it is done to this ende that he would get any credence to his doctrine from the renown of his foreelders But I teach men to marke the counsayle of God who out of all states of men separeth ministers vnto him selfe whose trauaile hée may vse in the publishing of his word Some reporte that Isaye the Prophet was of the bloud royall as for Ieremie we know that he was borne of the Priests linage Amos confesseth that from his youth hée was a shepheard from whose condition of lyfe Elyseus did not much disagrée whom Elyas by the commaundement of God from the plow called to the office of a Prophet There bée others whose bare names are onely specified in somuch that it is altogether vnknowne what was their state or condition of lyfe Furthermore there is none that is ignoraunt how in the newe testament also men of diuers states and conditions were called to the function of teaching which thing doubtlesse was done by the singular counsell of God that his worde of vs should be lesse suspected it being also taught by the way that the same word belongeth to men of euery place and state of lyfe neyther that any man is barred from that sauing health which is taught by the same worde but he wich shutteth out him self through vnbeliefe of whom more shall be spoken els where The tyme of Zephaniah and this historie Thirdly the time of Zephaniah is declared in the dayes of Iosia the Son of Amon king of Iuda hee was therefore of the last which prophecied before the captiuitie and of the same tyme with Ieremy excepted that Ieremy being longer occupied in this office was one of them which remained stil in the citie But this our Prophet prophecified vnder Iosia onely but the argument of his sermon may be gathered out of the historie of those times which is mentioned in the second booke of the kinges the 22. and 23. chapters and 2. Paral. 34. and 35. chapters The vse of this Prophecie That historie declareth that after Manasses sucéeded Amon his Sonne which followed the former wickednesse of his father but the example of repentaunce wherein his sayde father went before him hée woulde not followe it came therefore to passe by the iust iudgement of God that hée was slaine by his own houshold seruauntes Hée being dispatched his Sonne Iosias came to the kingdom being as yet but eight yeares olde yet shewing by manifest arguments that hée was of a godly and holy disposition For out of hand he began to séeke the Lorde and assoone as hée was of age and authoritie in the 12. yeare of his reigne he began a reformatiō as wel in Iudaea as in the land of Israel where some remnaunt of vnknowne and poore men aboade when the Assirians had translated into captiuitie the greater parte of the people Then euery where he pulled down the altars Idolles groues and as it was prophecied of him 357. yeares before hée burned the bones of the wicked sacrificing Priestes vppon their altars the next yeare following Ieremy began to prophecie who by teaching admonishing and exhorting greatly furthered this begunne worke of reformation but in the 18. yeare of Iosia when hée had set his minde to repayre the Lordes house the booke of the lawe was founde which hitherto through the negligence and vngodlinesse of the kinges ano priestes had layne together vnknown and no whit regarded which when Iosias had heard read being admonished by the threatninges of the sayde booke of the wrath of God and punishment that hanged ouer their heades hée cut his garmentes and sending messengers vnto Hulda the prophets asked counsell as concerning the will of God And without delaye he taking the Lordes cause in hand with greater zeale called together the nobles of his kingdome with all the people and when hée had caused the bookes of the law to be read openly vnto them hée renewed the couenaunt with the Lord and by publike authoritie hée appoynted a reformation whereby was rooted out of the land of Iuda and Israel what abhomination or superstition so euer remained in the first reformatiō Moreouer while these things were in this order accomplishing some yéelded their hearty obedience vnto the king and with a sincere loue of godlinesse submitted them selues to the reformation but the greater part of the people noble men did in huggermugger foster those superstitions and vngodly worship wherwith they were accustomed in the dayes of the former kinges least they shoulde haue bene cut of altogether as by this it may appeare that after the death of Iosia they all returned sodenly vnto wickednesse and brought in againe those superstitions which erst while were abandoned Here therefore it was that this our Prophet Zephaniah was sent to be a felow companion with Ieremy in this businesse that he might call into the way those louers of theyr own superstition but with threatned destruction to frighten those which were past amendment This thing hée performeth in thrée sermons which are declared in like number of chapiters First he manaceth the plagues hanging ouer their heads the horriblenesse wherof together with the causes he setteth out very diligently secondly he teacheth the repentance and because he knew that the nations néere abordering would vngodlily and malapertly triumph ouer the perishing Iewes he also foretelleth that the iudgement of God shall fiercely inuade them yea hée threatneth punishment to the Assyrians them selues that the Saintes shoulde not be offended at their triumphings The third thing he bendeth against Ierusalem and threatneth destruction vnto the same that he might shake from them their vaine confidence of outwarde assistance But in the latter end of his prophecie hée promiseth restoring again to the godly according to the vsuall or common order of the prophets he adioyneth a prophecie of the blessed health being the kingdom of Christ We haue spoken these thinges concerning the historie of the tyme of Zephaniah and the argument of his sermons more largly because they make not only for the opening or vnderstanding of the prophecies but also serue very much for our instruction For we are admonished by this example with what great fayth and godlinesse the reformation of the Church ought to bée taken in hande and how they may bée deceaued which thinke that they haue done sufficiently if they haue remoued out of the way externall abuses leauing in the meane season many other thinges which serue eyther for lust or pleasure or els do minister occasion for new or old superstitions for what care can be too much in this matter considering that it is well known how little the most godly king Iosia did profit in so many yeares with his zeale Or what shall we promise vnto our selues from these lame or wilyly begunne reformations seing those thinges fell so soone to ground which Iosia not without the counsell of the most holy prophetes had set vp questionlesse as
that wée forsaking our sinnes and imbracing Christ may agayne be brought into fauour with him He inforceth the answearers to silence First hee méeteth with these aunsweares and taketh from them all hope of escaping skotfrée Bee still sayeth hée at the presence of the Lord GOD as though hée shoulde say I heare what you are woont to counterchatte as though the things I threaten shoulde neuer be But I wisse it becommeth you not too reason with GOD who forasmuche as he is iust and omnipotent cannot be conuinced of any vnrighteousnesse And he also doth easily inforce suche vnto silence as dare gaynsay or speake contrarie vnto him Bee still therefore in his presence that is to say the persuasions of your fleshe beeyng repressed and reiected submitte your selues wholly vnder his gouernment and correction He geueth a reason of this his saying For the day of the Lorde is at hande So he calleth the time of reuenge or punishment which GOD taketh of his enimies because then especially he doeth the thing that belongeth vnto him and doeth indeede declare himselfe too bee such as hee is opened vnto vs in the scripture But he saieth that the time is at hande because of those which by reason of the staying thereof promised themselues to scape vnpunished therfore as we may reade elsewhere doe referre the day of the Lord vnto the tyme yet long to com to the end they may prouoke vnto themselues greater delights in their vngodlinesse but hée sheweth that that day is very neere when he addeth The Lorde hath prepared his Sacrifice sanctified his guestes he speaketh according too the custome of that people which then was well knowen vnto them all For they that would offer a sacrifice of thankesgeuing first they prepared the sacrifice that is some beast that shoulde be offered then they called their friendes to the holy feaste which was furnished with the fleshe slayne for the sacrifice wherevnto none might come except he were purified or made holie according to the lawe The Lorde therefore fayneth that hee will make a sacrifice and keepe a holy day and that shortly because the sacrifice is already prepared and those are sanctified that must eate thereof But by the name of Sacrifice he vnderstandeth the Iewes that must be slaine by the Chaldians and Babylonians which in this holy busines must bee vnto God as it were Priestes By which name Nabucadnezar in Ieremie Iere. 25. is called the seruant of the Lord And Isay Isai 13. in the same sense calleth the Meades Persians the sanctified of God because he had decreed by their Ministerie to cut of Babylon But by the guests which God hath bidden we may very fittingly vnderstande the foules and beastes wherevnto hee hath determined to cast out the fleshe of those his enemies to be deuoured For in like manner in the reuelation where the battell of Christ with Antichrist is described wee reade Apoc. 19 that the Angell spake with a loude voyce to the Byrdes of the ayre Come and gather ye togeather vnto the Supper of the great God that ye may eate the flesh of kinges and the fleshe of high Captaines the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the fleshe of all free men and bond men of small and greate c. But in that that the prophet vseth the similitude of a Sacrifice he seemeth also to vpbraide their vnlawfull holie rytes and those thinges that are woont to followe or alwayes to accompany them as wantonnesse lust and carelesse confidence as if he should say go to seyng it is so permitted Goe forward make sacrifices and in the same mocke with God you shall not long doe thus for very shortly God will haue his sacrifices of dedication and will keepe holy day wherein hee will content or satisfie himselfe with your flesh and blood offered as it were in Sacrifice The slaughter of the wicked compared vnto a Sacrifice But it is woorthy diligent consideration that the slaughters of Gods wicked enimies are compared to sacrifices The Spirite of GOD doeth this not onely because of the bloodshed which is committed euery where but also because the glory of GOD is aduaunced in the punishment of the wicked For first the Iustice of GOD doeth euidently shewe it selfe which sometime séemeth too bée asléepe when as they become saucy agaynst GOD and without punishment Then the trueth of that woorde is made good when they beare those punishmentes which were threatened in the same long before In this also wée sée the inuincible power of GOD which will they nill they inforce them that crammed themselues with beastly pleasure and coulde not bee persuaded by anye meanes to offer themselues vnto him a liuely sacrifice to bee a sacrifice themselues and to bée deuoured of wylde beastes whose vnsatiablenesse and bloody cruelty they followed They ought diligently to marke these things whose ministery the Lorde vouchsafeth too vse in punishing the wicked for if they beyng inflamed with a godly zeale doe the Lordes businesse diligently and accomplish his glory valiantly in punishing the wicked They offer vnto God a most acceptable Sacrifice and shall in so doing obteyne immortal reward commendation We haue an example of this matter in Phinees the sonne of Eleazar who for killing of Zambrie committing filthinesse with his Madianatish Harlot Num. 25. is very highly commended as one which by that déede or rather most pleasing Sacrifice turned the wrath of GOD from Israel And of the selfsame God pronoūceth saying Behold I make my couenant peace with him as well he as his seede after him shall haue the couenaunt of the Priesthood for euer because he was zelous for his God and put himselfe in danger for the children of Israel 2. Reg. 10. In like maner God commendeth Iehu because he bestowed great diligēce in cutting vp by the rootes the stocke of wicked Achab and Iezabel and in destroying the Priestes of Baal And for this cause doth promise him a kingdom vnto the fourth generation And we read that the wrath of God came vpon Saule and Achab 1. Sam. 15. 1. Reg. 20. bicause Achab kept Benhadad the king of Syria aliue and Saule kept Agag the Amalekite whom God had adiudged worthy of death And the sentence of Ieremy is well ynough knowen wherein he threatning destruction to the nation of the Moabites stirreth vp theyr enimies crying Iere. 48. Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lorde negligently And cursed is he that keepeth his sworde from blood For seing as we haue sayde before that the punishmentes of the wicked doeth make for the woorship of God it becommeth those not to be slacke and negligent in executing the same which woulde bée counted the true woorshippers of GOD. Let therefore the Magistrates alwayes meditate vppon these things least while through foolish pity they sparing the wicked prouoke the wrath of God against
of Babylon The holy Ghost foresawe that these examples shoulde bee reserued for all ages to come that by them wée might learn what remayneth for them which after they are become rich through their rapine craft and bloudshed are become high minded by reason of their sumptuous buildinges gorgeous apparell and costly housholde furniture All thinges are in the ende destroyed wherein they thought that not the least parte of their blessednesse did consist Let vs therefore studie to bee temperat and séeing we be but straungers in this worlde let vs haue our minde occupied about our heauenly countrey and about the tabernacles of euerlasting life rather then these earthly palaces which wee must forgoe when we doe least bethinke vs thereof But the Prophet not being content with these things doth furthermore triumph against the citie partly because it made for the glory of God that the fall therof should be euidently known vnto al men partly that he might shew that the ruin therof should be ful of shame rebuke therfore that no man néeded to be offēded at the glory therof This saith hée is that reioycing Citie that sat carelesse and said in her heart I am and there is none but mee But so hée reproueth the pride wherewith the Niniuites vsed to aduaunce them selues aboue all others so that they estéemed of others as scarce of men and by and by after leading his hearers as it were to beholde the matter hée saieth by the way of wondring How is she made desolate and a lodging for wilde beastes As if hée should say who séeing at any time the great magnificencie thereof woulde haue thought that this thing shoulde euer haue come to passe And to the end he may shew that it shal be spoyled without the comfort of any compassion to be had towardes it hee sheweth what others shall doe when hee saieth Euery one that passeth by shall hysse and wagge his hand at it These bee the gestures of them that vpbrayde any man for his miserie together with a detestation of that wickednesse which they committed But it shall skyll very much if with greater diligence wee consider the causes of this so sorowfull and most dreadfull destruction Niniuie reioiced in her conquests and great riches and being made proude therewith after a wicked sort despised other Cities and nations furthermore she being boulde hardie and carelesse neglected also the iudgement of God which she prouoked euery day by her transgressions And that shee might want no kinde of sinne she persecuted the Church also in most cruell wise These therfore are the thinges that make Cities and kingdoms hatefull vnto God and bring destructions vpon them wee méete with like examples euery where For we know that that which befel these came afterward in like manner vppon the Babylonians And Iohn prophecieth almost in the same words that the same thing shal fall vpon Rome and in our time there be examples as well publique as priuate that cōfirm the truth of these things and prouoke in vs the care of saluation the comfort vs against the wicked enterprises of tyrants And these things are thus spoken vpon the second sermon of Zephaniah wherein he reproueth the hypocrites and admonisheth the godly of their duetie giueth them instructions against offences let vs think that the same thinges are spoken vnto vs and following the counsell of the Prophet let vs séeke the Lord and let vs witnesse our vpright care of godlinesse by doing the thing that is right and by méekenesse that among the harde and bitter chaunces of these latter times wee being hidden vnder the winges of God may preserue our soules and in time to come may liue in the heauens with Christ Iesus our onely Sauiour to whome all thankes giuing honour glory and power is due for euer Amen The Contents of the third Chapter HE threatneth the gouernours of Ierusalem shewing how euery one seuerally offended 4. He sheweth how the Lorde dealt with them and setting before them the examples of other nations declareth how they did not profit thereby 8. Of the calling of the Gentiles 13. Hee comforteth the rest of the Iewes and so endeth The eight Sermon The text 1 VVOe to her that is filthy and polluted to the robbing Citie 2 She heard not the voyce she receiued not correction she trusted not in the Lorde she drew not neere her God 3 Her Princes within her are as roring Lyons her Iudges are as wolues in the euening which leaue not the bones till the morow 4 Her prophets are light wicked persons her Priestes haue polluted the sanctuarie They haue wrested the Lawe The argument and vse of this third sermon THe Prophet in the former Sermons hath hitherto very sharpely reproued the wickednesse and superstition of the Iewes and hath denounced those punishments which they had deserued but as for the godly that remained being admonished of their dutie hee comforteth them that they shoulde take no offence eyther by the conquestes of their enemies or yet at the reproofes of the nations that laye next vnto them shewing that it shall come to passe that they shal be brought againe out of captiuitie and that they shall possesse the land of those nations which thing wee sée truely fulfilled in Christ But because the Prophet did not profit them any whit now hee addeth the third Sermon wherein hee inueigheth very manifestly agaynst Ierusalem and doeth altogether as it were by name reproue them that had the gouernment of thinges And he doeth first of all rebuke their sinnes Secondly he sheweth the punishmēts for the same Lastly because there was some godly yet remaining to the end he might comfort them he promiseth them a restoring againe which was fully accomplished in Christ as concerning whose kingdome he set downe this prophesie which as it is most euident and plaine so is it also verie ful of comfort wherein likewise is conteined the whole way of our saluation But this sermon setteth foorth an example woorthie of remembraunce wherein the ministers of the Church are taught with what frankenes they ought to deale with that remedilesse companie of men that knowe not too repent as also to haue consideration of the godly least they also being vanquished with the terrour of their threatnings should be made without hope of the fruite of their laboures This present place belongeth to the first parte And first he dooth generally accuse the helpelesse corruption of the citie But afterwarde he confirmeth his accusation by reckoning vp their sinnes and by and by after least they should deny them hee dealeth by name with those wherein they did most offend He accuseth the helplesse corruption of Ierusalem The summe of his accusation is this Woe to her that is filthy and polluted to the robbing Citie He setteth these thinges against their vaine bragging and boldenesse wherewith they were puffed vp For séeing the temple and place of outward worship was at Ierusalem and the high courte