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
examples of tyrants belong the most wherof bearing rule both farre and néere being combred with feare and trembling do vse a most heedie and pikeout watch for the safetie of their bobies The report is that Alexander ne-neuer laye with his wife Thebe whome hee loued most intirely but he first csmmaunded a Barbarian soldier to goe before him to the chamber and to search al his bed very carefully But Masinissa although his kingdome was al ouer Asia and had 54. Sonnes so thought that none in all the worlde would be trusty enough vnto him that he rather vsed a watch of dogges then of men to preserue his lyfe What shal wee say of Dionysius who that he might not dread the Barbers razars would needes haue his daughters learne the Barbars craft to whom being grown to yeares of discretion he fearing to cōmitte any cutting instrument caused his beard to be burned of with walnut and other nut shales being set on fyre But the nightes were so troublesome vnto him that hee fenced his chamber no otherwise then if it had beene his tenies with ditches trenches which were laid ouer with a hanging bridg With whom also thou maist reckē the kings of our time which do rather cōmit the safe custodie of their bodies to foren barbarous guardes then to their owne country men but from whence commeth this because they hauing an euill conscience wtin themselues cannot but feare those whom they knowe they haue done great wrong vnto But they haue no hope in God whome either they know not or els do scoffingly despise or perceiue that he is wrathfull against them The condition of the godly is farre otherwise which saye with the Apostle If God be with vs who can be against vs. Being stirred vp with the consideration of these thinges let vs hope in God let vs cal vpon him let vs giue vp our selues vnto him a liuing sacrifice let vs diligently follow the studie of righteousnesse and trueth that we may happily ende the course of this life and in time to come liue alwaies in heauen with Iesus Christ our lord to whome al thankes giuing honour glory and power be due for euer Amen The eleuenth Sermon The text 14 REioyce O daughter Syon be ye ioyful O Israel Be glad reioyce with al thy hart O daughter Ierusalem 15 The Lorde hath taken away thy Iudgements Hee hath cast out thine enemies The king of Israel euen the Lorde is in the middes of thee thou shalt see no more euill 16 In that day it shal be said to Ierusalem feare not thou O Syon let not thine handes be faint 17 The Lord thy God in the mids of thee is mighty he will saue he will reioyce ouer thee with ioy he wil quiet himself in his loue he wil reioyce ouer thee with ioy 18 After a certaine time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee and them that beare the reproch for it 19 Beholde at that day I will bruse all that afflict thee and I will saue her that haulted and gather her that was cast out and I will get them prayse and fame in all the Landes of their shame 20 At that tyme will I bring you againe and then I will gather you For I will giue you a prayse and a name among al the people of the earth when I turne backe your captiuitie before your eyes saith the Lorde The argument and vse of this present place AS the Prophet hath made afraide the hypocrites those that were remedilesse with a grieuous threatning of punishment so he comforteth the godly with a ioyfull promise of deliuerance And euen now he taught that they must not be offended at their captiuitie at those reproches which then they were to take vppon them For it is so farre of that God will suffer his Church to perishe and come to decay that by this captiuitie and exercise of affliction it shall be more increased and made more pure But because that deliueraunce out of Babylon was a figure of that common redemption which we haue in Christ the Prophet by that occasion describeth the Church and kingdome of Christ and bringeth many things which cannot be otherwise vnderstood then of Christ as those thinges are that hee spake a little before of the calling of the Ethiopians and other nations of the peace of the godly and protection of God which he promiseth vnto them but because the Church should be exercised with many tribulations which oftētimes cause the truth of the promises to be doubted of he addeth a more full confirmation of this place And first he doth generally describe the happy state of the Church being filled with gladnes and reioycing Afterward he doth with new promises comforte them which might doubt of the assistaunce of God in the end he returneth to the promise of deliuerance And vnder the figure of the olde people hee setteth out the Church of Christ teaching of whome it must bee gathered what shall become of the enemies thereof what also of the godly whome hee promiseth to chaunge the shame of this life with eternall glory He promiseth a ioyfull and glorious deliuerance First he saieth Reioyce O daughter Syon be ye ioyful O Israel be glad and reioyce with al thy hart O daughter Ierusalem These thinges he speaketh to the captiues or to them that were to be led into captiuitie that they might conceiue not onely a firme and sure hope of deliuerāce but also may know that it may bee full of glory and reioycing As if one carry the messages of deliuerance to one which in prison looketh euery houre for the sentence of death should say Reioice and be glad for now thou shalt be deliuered Or as if a Phisition cōtrary to al hope should promise health to him that lyeth deadly sick for confirmation sake should bid him to be of good chéere and reioyce But the Prophet speaketh the selfe same matter in many words Because it is a very harde matter for them that are brought into affliction to conceaue sure hope of deliueraunce when they be on euery side beset with the terrors of death And hitherto serueth that reckoning vp of causes which by and by after the Prophet addeth amonge the which this is first The Lorde hath taken away thy Iudgements That is he hath drawne euery action and stopped the course of the lawe as we call it which he had commenced against thée together with those punishmēts which ye had deserued for transgressing This agreeth with that saying of Isay who in like maner foreshewing of their returne from Babylon doeth admonish the Priestes and Prophets of their dutie and saith Esay 40. Comfort ye yea comfort ye my people saith your God Speake vnto the heart of Ierusalem and crye vnto her for her warfar is finished and her iniquitie is forgiuen For that that our Prophet speaketh here of the taking away of Iudgements is there expounded by the forgiuing of sinnes for
being at a Sermon by some then there are vnto God for the benefit of his word taught therin yea some Preachers also I feare me can be contented nowe and then to ioyne with their hearers to rob God of his glory I meane such as seeke for credit by their auditorie But leauing these Pickthanke Hearers and Preachers which carrye the prayse from God vnto that wil of god whervnto he hath foreordained them I returne Seeing therefore it pleased God moreouer and besides many other blessinges bestowed vpon you to enrich your heart with this precious pearle of loue to his word which is a true token of the new man put on so that the heat thereof now flameth out to the benefit of many dwelling in Kings Hatfield and the places thereabout in those parties of Essex by reason of that godly exercise of preaching which it pleased god by your worships meanes to bring in thither that thereby many might bee raysed from their death in sinne vnto the life which is in Christ Iesus others confirmed in the fayth and all dispisers left without all excuse vnto Iudgement seeing I say it hath pleased God to make you haue such a loue to his word thereby declaring that ye are of God and that he hath taken you not onely from the number of Gods professed enemies but also of godlesse Gospellers whose name is all that they haue of christianitie I thought my part the premisses considered and hauing not only many wayes when I was in those partes but since my departure also experienced your worshippes good dealing towardes me to offer vnto your godly protection these fewe dayes trauell in the alone Englishinge of these M. Gualters Sermons vpon the Prophet Zephaniah being perswaded that Sermons shal neuer miisse good intertainment there where such a loue of Sermōs is wherby I was the rather imboldened to request your worships godly patronage against such as can passe by nothing without some wrāgling Crauing moreouer that ye would allowe and accept in good part this my doing how small soeuer as a token of my thankfull minde which would not stay to do that that I ought if I cold do that that I cānot But this I haue don least I should be vnto your worshippe as the Humble bee is vnto the fayre flower which when she hath sucked honny out thereof leaueth it and departeth or like the Swallow which hauing bred in a mans chimney getteth her self thēce leauing nothing behind her but her nest of clay What profit shall come therof I knowe not what I would shoulde come God knoweth onely my hope is that it shall not be altogether vnprofitable for who dare but go forward when god threatneth him for standing still who can sleepe when the trumpet that foundeth out Gods Iudgement cryeth so loude in his eares awake who can but look to the amendment of his whether children and seruants seeing the Lorde threatneth to visit those children and seruantes that are wicked yea though they belong to the king Who wil be holden backe from reforming abuses not onely in himself but also in those that be vnder him when hee heareth the Lord say that he wil make a speedie riddance of all such as in meekenesse of heart haue not sought him and wrought his Iudgement All which thinges with many other are at large set out in this Prophesie directed especially against such which while they might would not for some worldly respecte reforme them selues from those grosse enormities and blind superstitions wherwith they were entāgled notwithstanding they were ofte called therefroe by the Ministers of God the Prophetes whome he sent vnto them The Lorde graunt that we may lay these thinges to heart and so apply them vnto our selues that the fearce wrath of the Lord that hangeth ouer our heades and is already threatned to fall vpon vs may bee turned away or if it must needes come because no warning will serue vs yet that all those whome the knowledge and appearing of his grace hath called from the lustes and vngodly vanities of the worlde vnto the working of his Iudgementes in lowlinesse of minde may be hidden in that day But that I breed not irkesomnes in sted of bringing profit I cease to speake of these thinges which are more at large and very truly though plainly laid open in these sermons shewing as wel the meaning of this Prophesie as applying the doctrine therein contained to that vse wherevnto it was first reuealed which in no age could more fitly bee done than in this grisly old and down stouping age of the worlde which by reason of blinde and wilfull ignorance is made drunke with the pleasures of sinne whose ende is death that stayeth not And as it may agree with other countries yet with none better and more fitly than with England which is now ouerspread with the selfe same abhominations which the Prophet Zephaniah reckneth vp as causes why the Lord made a clean dispatch of Iuda and Ierusalem as it may appeare to him that shall compare our ouerflowing iniquities in England with those that the Prophet setteth downe in the first and third Chapters of his booke for the which the fearce wrath of the Lord came vpon them and for the suffering of the like we also are with patience to prepare our selues for God is no partial God he is no accepter of persons and therefore we must needes follow them in punishment whom we are not onely like but also do go before in sinne Onely the name of God be magnified for euer more for that his working grace in the hearts of his little flocke whome hee promiseth to hide in the day of vengeaunce and wrath and graunt that the same may take dayly increase in your heart so reformed to allow of his truth and that you haue some attending vppon you who not contented with a ciuill lyfe wherwith many deceaue them selues is inwardly reformed with a hart hungring and thirsting for the appearing of the Lorde Iesus so the rest what soeuer they bee not stasting of the sweete mercies of God his loue appearing in Iesus Christ and therfore attending not vpon you but that that is yours may be brought as well to the inwarde feeling as outward profession of the same goodnes if it bee his will that vngodlinesse may be suppressed in them or els that they maybe cut of from you as rotten mēbers not meete for so sound an head that the immortall commendations of the heathen captaine Cornelius may alwayes follow Syr Thomas Barrington a true Christian Knight which is that he feared God and all his housholde And thus committing the successe of all things to him that is able to do exceding aboundantly aboue that that wee can either speake or thinke and your Worship to the protection of the same Almightie I end this 4. of Iune 1580. Your Worships in the Lord Moses Wilton ¶ The Argument according to the Geneua correction SEeing the great rebellion of the people and that
Christ saieth there will alwayes be some which to the new wine of the gospell will preferre the olde wine of superstitions and for the most part degenerating sonnes doe succéede in the roomes of their godly fathers vnto whome it séemeth but a small matter to decline to superstition being ignoraunt with how much perill and what great paines theyr fathers tooke in casting them out of which thing the booke of Iudges setteth forth examples in them that succéeded their fathers which in the wildernesse sawe the workes of GOD they being altogether ignoraunt and without knowledge of all those thinges Furthermore we are taught how the godly Magistrates and faythfull Ministers ought not to cease though they perceaue that they profit but a little and that the reformation which they desire to bring in shall not abyde For both these considerations might haue reclaymed Iosia from his purpose if hée would haue bene ordered by mans reason for hée was not so without vnderstanding that he could not marke the selfe will frowardnesse of his nobles and the people which the prophets did euery day reproue Hee heard also that that deadly time by destinie appoynted was not far of wherein after his death first the worship of God thē the whole kingdome with the citie and temple should be ouerthrowne Notwithstanding he doeth his duetie and the same with him do Ieremy and Zephaniah whome God gaue him as counsellers and helpers Let them follow this care whosoeuer are placed vpon the same stage or condition of lyfe neyther let them thinke that their labour shal be in vaine Forgiue that all things faile yet they shall deliuer their own soules as the Lorde saieth to Ezechiel his prophet Wée are furthermore admonished by the consideration of these thinges what remaineth for those which set them selues against godly reformations First with GOD they are made without all excuse for as much as they do wickedly dispise the libertie of true worship and pure religion being offered vnto them The wickednesse and tyranny of their Kings might in some parte haue excused the Iewes if there had bene none ther which studied to bring againe the law of GOD and way of holy worshippe deliuered from him But séeing the Manasses as yet was fresh in memorie who was an example of repentance worthy to be remembred and had alwaies before their eies the care of Iosia and did for the space of 20. yeares within a little more or les vnder him fréely inioy the word or doctrine of trueth and yet would not forsake their superstitions but fell backe vnto them by euery first little occasion it appeareth plainly that they were seduced by their own obstinat froward malice and that they haue nothing to hide their vngodlines withall therfore the horrible destruction and ouerthrow of their kingdome and citie followed God with the babylonish fire tooke away those superstitious and wicked kindes of worshipping which with the healthful light of his word could not be remoued I would to GOD they would be more diligent in consideration of this example vnto whom at this time God hath restored his word the frée preaching therof For there is neuer wanting among thē those which with tooth and nayle do hold their old superstitiōs and do eyther slouthfully neglect the libertie granted of God or do dishonestly offer it to be abused that they may cury some fauor with christs professed enimies The beginning of the first Sermon These things being thus before spoken of let vs come to the exposition of the first sermon the beginning wherof is very tragical or dolefull and conteineth a dreadful threatning of a destructiō of the whole land but the cause of so great vehemencie was because hée had to doe with the indurate and open contemners of Gods word and first in general hée crieth out saying In destroying I will destroy all thinges from the face of the earth saith the Lord and hée bringeth in the name of the Lord vnto them which were accustomed to scoffe at and despise the sermons of the Prophets but by and by after he adioyneth a diuision and that which he had spoken generally hée declareth by their seuerall kindes I will destroy saith hée man and beast I will destroy the birds of the ayre and the fishes of the sea and ruines shal be to the wicked that is to say I wil take all thinges away which the wicked are busie to kéepe that they may minister occasion of sinne to the ignorant and vnskilfull as much as may be gathered of those things that follow he so calleth the reliques of superstition which hee hath shewed to bee kept with great care that it may be surely known that God for the sinnes of men will shewe forth his wrath hee repeateth it againe And I will cut of man from the face of the earth c. the meaning whereof is this My seruaunte Iosia remoued away many thinges But because through your vngodlines many thinges yet remaine being contrary to my lawes verily I my selfe will bring forth broomes much more rough wherewith these abhominable reliques with their Patrons or defenders shal be cleane purged c. But here we must marke that destruction is also threatned vnto beastes which is not spoken hiperbolically as the Iewes imagine but was performed in déede as histories do witnesse for Hieronymus vpon these wordes writeth thus The cities lying waste and men being slaine there was made a scarcitie and rarenes of beastes of flying fowle and of fishes Whereof the countrey called Illiricum is witnesse Thracia also and the soyle where I tooke my beginning where all things are perished except the heauen and the earth the growing brambles and thicke bushy places of woodes c. We may in this acknowledge the Iudgement of God and his wonderful prouidence when we sée that in very populous countryes the mears and riuers abound with fish the woodes with wilde beastes and birdes so that they cannot bee rid or emptied by any hunting againe on the other side that those riuers should be without fish and that there should appeare neither beast nor bird in those woodes where no man is by any engine to take them neyther may we thinke that these things come to passe rashly and vncounselled of for as all these things are created for mans vse so there is no cause why they should be spared where men are taken away Let vs in these and such like examples acknowledge the iudgement of God and all drowsinesse being shaken off let vs returne from our sins vnto God by Iesus Christ who by the worthines of his owne blood hath pacified his fathers wrath to him be thanks giuing honour and glory and power for euer Amen The second Sermon vpon the 4. 5. and 6. verses 4 I will also stretch out my hand vpon Iudah and vpon al the inhabitants of Ierusalem and I will cut of the remnaunt of Baal from this place and the names of Chemarims with the
and vnlawfull pleasures Iosa 22. And it is good to cal ofteÌ„ to our minds such examples when we seeme to bée most happy that we may bethinke vs what hath befallen others and what may come vppon vs séeing no man is free from those thinges which are of the nature of man This consideration will make vs to be lesse puffed vpp with present happines and therfore the rather to stay vpon Gods fauourable goodnes 4. He thretneth their munition Fourthly they trusted in their strong Bulwarkes and Fortresses and therefore he adioyneth saying A day of the Trumpet and Alarum ouer the fenced cities and hye towers as though he should say You thinke that your countrie is inuincible and that none can come vnto it But it shall come to passe that yee shall heare the Hornes of your enemies rushing vppon you and not onely abroade in the fieldes but your enemies Trumpets shall sound their Tarra Tantara with a terrible noyse in your best fenced cities and highest towers of your strong holdes and no fortresses can defend you or put back the force of the enemie And surely it is well knowen that it falleth out very miserably with them that haue any hope in fenced places For it commeth too passe for the moste parte that eyther their munition togeather with all their furniture for their warre doe come into their enemies handes whilest they that haue prepared them dare not for feare defende them Or els they become vntoo them like a prison whilest the time of their besieging they fall without vppon the enemies swoorde But within are plagued with hunger sedition noysome and pestifferous stincke and in the ende perishe in moste horrible exile This came too passe vnder Zedechia when the Babylonians did besiege their citie and then after also when it was besieged by the Romanes which when they had taken it made it éeuen with the ground And in these dayes we are not without examples which prooue that vayne is the confidedce of munition Let vs say with Solomon The name of the Lorde is a most strong Tower whether when the iust man fleeth he is cleane without all gunshotte He taketh away all confidence of wisdome and distresse Fifthly they trusting too their wisdome did please themselues wonderfull well in their owne counselles in taking great paines to bring their abordering nations into league with them and by séeking outwarde assistance round about as we may sée in Ieremie he saith therefore And I will bring distresse vpon men they shall walke like blinde men that is I will bring their aboundance into such a streight that all their counselles being shuffled together they shall wander heere and there dash vpoÌ„ euerie thing as theÌ„ that be blinde And least he shoulde séeme to be cruel vniust in threatning these thinges he doeth againe by the way insinuate the cause which is They haue sinned against the Lorde For so he both vpbraideth theÌ„ with the contempt of Gods woord and spoyleth them of all hope because there can be no safetie vnto them against whom God is angry Therefore saith he Their blood shall be poured out like dust that is their enemies shall haue no more regard of their blood then if they straw abroad dust or sand And their fleshe as doung The hebrewe woord is Lechumaei deriued of the same radical that Laechaem commeth of which signifieth bread or meate and therefore some not vnfitly in my iudgement do expound it of the bodies of the delicate fed felowes which were accustomed to paÌ„per theÌ„selues with pleasures and daintie fare and God for the most parte is woont in that sorte to punish those vncleane swine of the Epicures herd that forasmuch as they make their belly and those thinges that belong to it their God they being slain like swine shoulde be throwne away after a shamefull manner or els wanting the rite of burial should become foode to the wilde and cruell beastes Or els being buryed shoulde féede so many more wormes by how much more foggie fatte and grosse their bellyes were That wée may speake nothing of them that being aliue are gnawn with wormes wherof Antiochus Herod Nero and many others are examples the consideration whereof ought to moue vs to forsake the pleasures of the filthy fleshe and to striue or contende to come to heauenly things He â—…eth from them the trust of riches Lastly they trusted in their riches as though they coulde with them redéeme their liues and auoide euery kinde of daunger as rich men are wont to doe and that sometime with betraying their common countrey but the Prophet answereth that their siluer and golde cannot saue them in the day of the wrath of the Lorde For God cannot be pacified with golde which so inflameth the mindes of the enemies that before Golde they thirst for the bloode of them that bee ouercome which selfe same thing Isay in his 13. Chapter threatneth against the Babylonians when hée speaking of the crueltie of the Medes and Persians saieth I will make a man more precious than fine gold yea euen a man more worth than much golde of Ophir But in this place hée addeth All the earth shal be deuowred in the fire of his gelosie Hée compareth the wrath of God vnto fire that he may shew that it should be such as cannot be pacified For he addeth because it shall make a riddance And that a very swift one euen with al the inhabitants of the earth And this is the conclusion of the first Sermon which ought to serue vs vnto this vse that we may learne to bee subiecte to Gods word to feare him and serue him in spirite and trueth by Iesus Christ to whom belongeth all thankes giuing honour glory and power for euer Amen The Contents of the second Chapter HE exhorteth the wicked to repentance that they may escape the punishment 1. 2. The godly to be more zealous 3. Hee comforteth them by telling them of the destruction of theyr enemies vnto the ende of the Chapter The fifth Sermon The text 1 GAther your selues euen gather you O nation not worthy to be loued 2 Before the decree come forth and ye be as chaffe that passeth in a day before the fierce wrath of the Lorde come vpon you and before the day of the Lordes anger come vpon you 3 Seeke ye the Lord al the meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgementes seeke righteousnesse seeke lowlynesse if so be that yee may be hid in the day of the Lordes wrath 4 For Azzah shal be forsaken and Ashkelon desolat they shal driue out Ashdod at the noone day and Elkron shall be rooted vp The argument and vse of the second sermon IN the first Sermon the Prophet Zephaniah hath vnto those Iewes that fauoured Idolatrie and superstitioÌ„ denounced from God punishment that eueÌ„ now hanged ouer their heads The second Sermon followeth which being described in this Chapter containeth an exhortation vnto repentance and
tokens of Gods wrath euery way appeare let vs be humbled vnder his hande and séeke him in righteousnesse and lowlinesse and wee in like manner shall finde sure helpe and safetie for our selues in Christ Iesus to whom is due al thankesgiuing all honour glory and power for euer Amen The sixth Sermon The Text. 5 WOe to the inhabitants of the Sea coast the nation of the Cherethims the woord of the Lord is against you O Canaan the land of the Philistines I will euen destroy thee without an inhabitaunt 6 And the sea coastes shal be dwellinges and cotages for shepherdes and sheepefoldes 7 And that cost shal be for the remnant of the house of Iudah and to feed therevpon in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lodge toward night for the Lord their God shall visite them and turne away their captiuitie 8 I haue heard the reproch of Moab and the rebukes of the Children of Ammon whereby they vpbraided my people and magnified themselues against their borders 8 Therefore as I liue saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israell surely Moab shal be as Sodome and the children of Amon. c. The argument and vse of this place THe prophet hauing exhorted the godly to constancie of faith commeth to the 3. part of his sermon wherein he thretneth destruction to the Gentiles being their enemies These were the special causes of this discourse the 1. is the corruptiō of nature wherby it cōmeth to pas that for the most part we looke vnto others when we be afflicted do think that we are worse delt wtal thē we deserue if so be the any feare better then we our selues Which may be séene by Peter Iohn 21. whē he was by christ Iesus admonished of suffering the punishment of deth for the doctrin of the truth sought not as he ought to prepare himself ther to but what should becōe of Iohn whō he saw that christ loued more then the others An other is the stumbling block that was laid in the way of the godly to their great grief when they saw the wicked malapertly triumph ouer thē being afflicted vnder the crosse frō thence to take occasion to speake euill of faith true religion which thing was done when the people were led away to Babylon Abdia Psal 137. but the Prophet foreséeing this teacheth them that God in déede will begin with the Iewes to punish but wil passe from them to the nations adioyning which must vtterly be destroyed that to the profit of his owne people which at the length being returned frō their captiuitie shall inioy al this land of the Heathen their enemies And amōgst these he nameth the Philistins the Moabits c whom we know to be the auncient enemies of the Church which vnder the cloak of a league had before very notoriously mocked Ezechia al the people of God Isay 20. Lastly hée addeth vnto these the Babylonians which must also be punished of God so soon as they haue finished their course But this place conteineth a generall doctrine and consolation For first we are here taught that God is the God not only of his people but also of other nations that he doth bend the rygor of his Iudgement against al men secondly we sée that it is no new thing if any time we perceiue that the Church is very roughly dealte withall and that no man ought to bee offended therewith for then also hath God especially an eye vnto it who as hee doeth refourme it with correction so in the ende he turneth his iudgement against them that persecute it He threatneth the Philistines But because in our sermon yesterday he began to speake of the destruction of the Philistines that he might as it were with this example make the Iewes afraide he doeth of them begin this discourse and in the entrance hee describeth the situation and manners of that nation that thereby it may be knowne of whom he speaketh and for what causes especially they must bee punished Woe to the inhabitours of the sea coast the nation of the Cherethims the woord of the Lorde is against you O Canaan the land of the Philistines He calleth the line or cost of the Sea that countrie that is stretched euē vnto the sea For by a figure called Synecdoche or Metonimia a line is takē for a lot or share falling to any mā because men do vse a line in measuring or parting of ground So doth Moses call Iacob Deut. 32. that is to say Israel the line of the Lordes inheritance and Dauid sayth the lines are fallen to me in a faire grounde Psal 18. and by and by after expounding the same he sayth that a goodly inheritance befell him But it is well knowne by them that haue written of countries to describe their situations that all this coast bordering vpon the Sea was in times past very famous by reason of fiue cities whereof the Prophet hath alreadie named fower as Amos also doth which a little before threatned them with destruction Gaza lay more towardes the South then any of the other this was famous by reason of a hauē there which Constantinus afterwarde after his own name called Constantia But Iulianus restored vnto it againe the olde name perhaps because of the hatred he bare to Constantinus and for that he was delighted with the remnantes of Gentilitie or Heathennesse Next vnto this was Geth where Goliah the Giaunt was borne and is heere omitted eyther because it was vtterly rased or else was of lesse value then that it shoulde come in any reckoning the third was Ashkelon where Antipater the Father of Herod the Greate was afterwardes borne in the fourth place was Azotus which among all the cities of Syria as Herodotus writeth abode the longest siege when Psalmeticus was King of Egypt whereby it may appeare that it was very well furnished for the warres Meta calleth it the mart of the marchandise of all Arabia which was the cause that it was so corrupted with riot and delicatenes that the manners of Azotus grewe into a byword With these is Akron reckoned being builded vpon the maine Land Furthermore the Prophet tearmeth al that country by twoo names whereby he sheweth foorth their manners First he calleth them the nation of the Cheretims that is to say of thē that destroy and plucke vpp by the rootes By which name one of Dauid his legions was called being alwaies next vnto or at the kings hand Wee knowe that Warriours are roughe and cruell and it is too bee beeleeued that they gotte them that name as bloody and cruell men are woonte too doe which séeke for prayse by murdering and ouerthrow of whole nations Then hee calleth them the Canaanites partely because they came of the offspring of those that remained of the Canaanites partly that hee might shew that howsoeuer they were outragiously bent GOD made no more account of them then of the Canaanites which erastwhile
the worlde amonge whome Luke writeth that many were religious who although they wanted the knowledge of Christ yet they spread the séede of more pure religion as concerning the worshipping and praying vnto one GOD and from thence also they procéeded afterwarde to those thinges that did concerne the promised Sauiour of mankinde Acts. 8. Afterwarde followed the Apostles which by the frée preaching of the Gospel stoode against those their Gods and superstitions and the Oracles ceased at that time also as the story writers of the heathen doe testifie whereof the greatest authoritie of those Gods did depende And so by little and little it came to passe that those Gods with their superstitious seruing of them came to nothing and they being rooted out of mens remembraunces the true knowledge of GOD shined ouer all nations which then did inuocate and worshippe him not onely at Ierusalem but ouer all the worlde and that in spirite and trueth as Christ him selfe hath taught Iohn 4. And that this thing was brought to passe neither by the counsell nor strength of men but by the woonderful power of God it is thereby manifest that the preaching of the Gospell preuailed ouer all the world notwithstanding manie Romane Emperours who then ruled ouer al nations stroue against it Nay when Iulianus the Apostata bent all his force to restore againe the superstitions of the Gentiles God by a most manifest and dreadfull token declared that now an appointed consummation was come wherby those superstitions must wither bee quite extinguished The Temple of Delphos is destroyed For the temple of Delphos then the which none was more renoumed in the worlde by reason of the antiquitie of the oracle was swallowed vpp and vtterly destroyed with an Earthquake and fire powred downe from heauen and that euen then when Iulianus sente Ambassadours thither to enquire what shoulde be the ende of the Persian warre And séeing before this it was foure times on a flaming fire that is First when the people of Thessalia called the Phlegians or Iapites burned it secondly in the time of the Persian warres thirdely when the people of Phocis did set it on fire And lastly when the army of Brennus destroyed Grece and was notwithstanding so oftentimes restored againe But when God destroyed it without mans hand it was neuer againe restored Besides this it is known that the names of these Gods were forgotten amongest most men and of so many thousandes as Varro plainly reporteth that were worshypped in tyme past scarse a certaine fewe are remembred by name which the braynsicke and vngodly Astrologers did thrust vppon those that be ignoraunt and vnskilfull Zephaniah therefore hath truely foretolde this thing that hee myght comfort his people And this Prophecie ought to serue vs to the same purpose that wee suffer not our eyes to bee daseled with the power of superstitions of the wicked For that God in very déede is dreadfull euen Iesus Christ to whom euery knée must bow and euery toung sweare by which as in times past hee crashed in sunder the Gods of the nations so in this last olde age of the worlde hée will abolish all antichristian worship all men that woulde that the same should be preserued and kept striuing against him in vaine The discription of the kingdome of Christ But in the meane season this description of the kingdome of Christ must be diligently marked that wee may learne to iudge as well of our selues as of others that bragge of that name In it shall all false Gods bee consumed because they cannot bee matched with him that giueth his glory to none other Besids this euery one doth worship him in their place neither do they tie him to any certain place whō they know to be present euery where and whose glory is spreade ouer all They therfore doe in vaine chalenge to them selues the name of Christ which eyther ioyne any copartners with him or any Gods to bee his vicegerents or vicars and that with his true worshippe doe myngle vnprofitable superstitions As many also as bynde his merit to certaine places and doe from hence so declare it against that he himselfe hath aduertized But these trifles and superstitiōs being let passe let vs imbrace the goodnesse of God who as he hath conteyned abundantly all the way of saluation in Christ so he offreth vs his presence euery where that wée neede not run from place to place nor yet spende our time in trifling superstitions The Ethiopian◠Egiptians These thinges being before hande declared the Prophet passeth to the Ethiopians saying Ye Ethiopians shall be slaine by my sword with them But we must before all thinges note that the Egyptians and the Ethiopians or Morians were ioyned together vnder one king namely because the Egyptians stretched the bondes of their Empire vnto these Morians And againe we read that the Morians somtime ruled in Egypt of whom these are named by Eusebius Sabacus whom the scriptures cal So or Sua Sebicus Tharracus Merres 2. Reg. 17. It was néedeful that he should make special mētion of these because there was many both olde and newe iniuries of them offered against the people of God for in times past the Israelites had serued a harde bondage in Egypt 2. Par. 12. Sesakus also in the reigne of Roboam wasted Iuda and tooke away the treasures of the Temple 2. Par. 14. and of the kings house vnto whom the Morians were now ioyned as the scriptures doe declare Also Sera the Morian made ware vppon the King of Asia then the which we scarse read that any was waged with greater number of souldiers For it is reported that hee had a thousande thousandes of souldiers 1000000. which were all slaine together Esay 18. But vnder Ezechia they made a craftie league and in Isay are read the wordes of the Morians ful of pride wherwith they did despitefully rebuke the miserie of the Iewes Go ye swift messengers say they to a nation that is scattered abroade and spoyled vnto a terrible people from their begynning and hitherto a nation by little and little euen troden vnder foote whose Lande the flouds haue spoyled c. Furthermore the very same afterwards slew Iosia that holy most wel disposed king which was the most principall cause why the Iewes the strength of their own kingdome being wasted lay open to the inuasion of forren enemies least therefore any should bée offended at the sucéedings of this faythlesse and cruell nation it was needefull that the destruction therof should be threatned Wherefore God adding this parcell to those that before were declared saieth by his Prophet And ye Morians also shall be slaine with my sworde with them As though he should say it is so far that the Ammonits Moabites shuld escape those plagues that they haue deserued that those that be farthest of shal not escape thē he did of purpose name the Morians rather thē the Egyptians
that therby he might shew the rigour of Gods iudgement to be past auoyding Ieremie also after the same manner threatneth the Egyptians that they must likewise be subiect to the Babylonians But in Isay the Lorde saith that the Egyptians the Morians and Sabies shal be a ransome wherewith his people must be redéemed out of captiuitie And that these things were truely foretolde histories doe plainely shew For Ieremie threatning a moste lamentable destruction to those Iewes that would not obey the commaundement of the Lord but fled intoo Egypt to king Aepryem whome he calleth Ophra among other thinges he saith this shal be to you a signe saith the Lord that I wil visite you in this place c. Beholde I will deliuer Pharao being Ophra the king of Egypt into the handes of his enemies and into their handes that lye in waite for his life As I haue deliuered Zedechia the king of Iudah into the hands of Nabucadnezar c. But Iosephus recordeth that Nabucadnezar the fifth yeere after Ierusalem was taken conducted his armie into the lower Syria and that after the Moabites and Ammonites were ouercome he went into Egypt and that hauing slaine the king therof he appointed an other in his place And Herodotus writeth that Apries was strangled by Amasis the captaine which afterwardes succeeded him in the kingdome But these two writers may easily be reconciled For Nabucadnezar was the Captaine general of the warre vnto whom Amasis reuoulted who afterwarde receiued for a rewarde of Nabucadnezar the kingdome of Egypt for his affaires that were faithfully handled in his behalfe From that time therefore the kings of Egypt were benefactours to the Babylonians but after that the Monarchie of the East came to the Persians Cambysis put Psammenitus from the kingdome and slewe him afterwarde for his attempting of newe matters And from that time Egypte was without a King about the space of an hundreth and twelue yeeres vntill the time of Darius Nothus in the sixt yeere of whose reygne Amyrtheus Saires reuoulted and became a newe king of Egypt By the which example we are admonished that the iudgement of God cannot be eschewed or auoyded by any force of men And it is principally to be remembred that God saide They shoulde be slaine by his swoorde whome it is well known to be slaine by the Babylonians and Persians All they therefore are the sworde of God by whose ministerie he doeth execute his iudgement although they very seldomely vnderstande this mysterie So in like manner Sennacherib is called the rod of the Anger of the Lord. And it is profitable to note such kind of speeches that in those aduersities which befall vs wée may acknowledge the hande and iudgement of GOD and so become more patient in bearing those thinges that are sente of him The destructiō of the Assirians and of Niniuie But let vs returne to our Prophet which in the last place foretelleth also of the destruction of the Assyrians For although their kingdome was translated to the Babylonians yet Niniuee stoode still being the kinges seate or place where the courte lay and the name of the Assyrians was not as yet vanquished as it is manifest by the storie of Manasses whom the Princes of the armie of the king of Ashur are reported too haue carried away bound vnto Babylon And no doubt Niniuée as yet was in reputation and greate price as well for the olde and auncient renoume thereof as also for that not the woorst fortresse of their kingdome was from those parties Therefore the Prophet saith that it must be destroyed and that from thence the Lord will begin to punish them which had so long afflicted his people and first he doth bréefly cōprehend that whole matter in these words And he wil stretch his hand vnto the North and wil destroy Ashur he wil make Niniuie wast like the wastnes of the wildernes He maketh mentiō of the north because he regardeth the situation of Iuda in respect whereof Assyria is reported to lye towards the north but he nameth Niniuis before all others because this citie with her great shewe and goodly memoriall of her auncient dignitie did dasell the eyes of very many and seemed to be inuincible but he sayth that it must be destroyed which thing many affirme to be done by Nabucadnezar Priscus in the twentie yeere of the reigne of Iosia when a little before Phaortes king of the Medes with all his power was slain by the Assyrians as Herodotus witnesseth which peraduenture was the cause why the Babiloniās thought that the citie must be ouerthrowne lest the Assyrians trusting as wel vppon the maiestie furniture thereof as being also puffed vp with their late victorie should enterprise a reuoulting Let vs note principally that all this came to passe by the hand of God For the Prophet speaking of him saith He will stretch his hand against the north and so foorth But how many among the Niniuites thought that this thing should come to passe Let not therefore the faire shew of smiling fortune deceiue any man For if the Poet hath truely said that kinges haue long armes Let vs think the lord hath arms both much more longer and more strong which no man can escape Furthermore hée being about to describe the manner of their destruction heapeth together all thinges which are wont to set forth a horrible desolation Al the flocks saith he of the beastes of the nations shall ly in the middes of it That is al manner of wild sauadge beastes from diuers countries and nations shal come together vnto that place And he addeth And the Pellican and the Owle shall abyde all night in the vppermost postes of it the voyce of byrdes shall sing in the windowes and desolation shal be vpon the postes for the Ceders shall bee vncouered These thinges are very notably set against the ryot and pride which the Niniuites practised in their palaces Appes and Monkies and Parrats or Popiniayes were séene there with other beasts and birds of like sorte where with vaine and lose carped knightes are accustomed to bée delighted in the meane time hauing no regarde of the poore and needy Musicall harmonie was there heard yea al houses and stréetes range with the noyse of those songes which were deuised for theyr lust and pleasure the gates and entries of great men were thronged with clientes guests strangers trencherslaues scoffers counterfeites or tumblers and such like smellers out of wicked courtes But the Prophet saith that this geare must bee chaunged into a most dolefull sight of thinges so that nothing could bee found there but sauadge and cruell beastes and direfull and most noysome birds and he sheweth the cause of this so great alteration Because saieth he Isay 13. the Ceder is vncouered He speaketh of the enemie that should pluck down the finely wrought Ceder plankes whereby this desolation must néedes follow Isay hath almost the like place where hee describeth the ruine