.3 king 19. The Prophete Aggeus IN the seconde yeare of Kynge Darius in the vi moneth the firste daye of the moneth the word of the Lord was sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophet vnto Zerubabell the son of Salathiel ruler of Iuda and vnto Iosua the Sonne of Iosedec the chief Priest saying ¶ In asmuch that the yeare moneth and day when this Prophecy was spoken be so diligentlye noted of the Prophete and also that in which kinges daies by whom and to whom it was preached is so diligentlye mencioned it makes muche for prouynge the trueth of the prophecie and that we shoulde the rather beleue it For they that will teach lies vse not so exactly to declare the circumstances wherein thinges were done least in examynation of the same thinges be proued contrary and they founde liers But chiefly this long time here appointed of xl yeares teacheth vs the pacience and long sufferaunce of god who wil not punishe so sone as we do a faulte but tary and looke for oure repentaunce and amendmente as he did here so longe beare the Iewes And also it setteth before vs the vnthankful disobedience and slouthfull negligence of gods people whiche after so mercifull a deliueraunce and bringing them home againe from Babilon to their owne countrey from whence they were led prisoners by Nabuchodonozor had so longe and manye yeares left of the building of that house which God willed them so straightly to restore and the good King Cirus had giuen them liberty to do the same and restored their old ornamentes to doe it withall And in them also we learne our owne slouthfullnes to the fulfillinge of gods lawes For of our selues we be no better then they nor more diligēt in wel doinge except God stirre vs vp by his vndeserued grace The Iewes for their disobedience to god and his Prophetes preachinge his worde according to the Prophecy of Ieremy had their country spoyled their Citie Ierusalem burned their Temple destroyed they them selues were manye killed some for hunger in the besiege of the Citie did eat their owne children or donge and the rest were led prisoners to Babylon by Nabuchodonozor and there kept three score and ten yeares in great bondage After these years ended by the good king Cirus they had lycence in the first yeare of his reigne to go home and build their temple as manye as would and all other might freelye aide them with monie toward that great costly woorke Some good amongst them but fewe in comparison as Zorobabell Iosua Nehemia Mardocheus and other whose names are rekened in Esdras toke in hande to be Captaines of this worthye worke and after they came to Ierusalem they builded an altar to serue for to make their offeringes and their sacrifices on vntil the time that the Temple was builded The first and seconde yeares of their comming home to Ierusalem they were some thing diligent about their building and laide the ground worke of the temple But after partlye for complaintes of the rulers in the country whiche were straūgers and placed there longe afore by Salmanasar had accused them to the king saiyng if they were suffered to build their Cytye they woulde rebell as they were wont and paye no more taxes and partly for slouthfull negligence of them selues they left of buildinge vnto nowe this seconde yeare of Darius God sent this his Prophet to stirre them vp to their worke By this we may learne that when we lye longe on sleepe in sinne we can not wake vp our selues vntil God stirre vs vp by his Prophetes his word or holy spirite For Dauid after he had committed adultery with Urias wife and caused her husband to be slaine laye without remorse of conscience without repenting for his eull doinges or asking mercy vntill the Prophet Nathan came and rebuked him for the same Therfore let vs not lightly regarde the warninges of God sent vnto vs by hys preachers but thankfully embrace them praisinge his holye name that not only he hath so paciently borne vs so long and not sodenlye destroyed vs walowing in sinne and forgettinge him without repentaunce but now lastlye hath called vs by the preachinge of his worde and restoring his gospel by our gracious Queene to a new life which god graunt vs for his Christes sake The Iewes had now lyen after their cōming home almost xl years not regardīg the building of the temple wherfore God mooste louinglye sente his Prophete to warne them of their dutye rebuke them of their negligences and stirre theym vp earnestly to go about that worke And although the counting of these yeares be harde to count and are diuersly reckened of diuerrs men because they would make the greke Histories to agre with the scriptures I shall let all other Histories passe because they be to troublesome and folow that onelye whiche the scripture teacheth for that is the easiest and plainest to vnderstande and without al doubt true In Iohn we reade that the Iewes asked our sauior Christ what marueylous signe he would worke to perswade theym that he might do suche thinges as he did And he sayd to them distroye ye this temple in thre dayes I wil build it agayne He spake of his owne body whiche he would rayse vp the third day after they had putte him to death but they vnderstoode him of that greate costlye solēne Tēple of lyme stone whiche nowe they were building and therfore said Fourty six yeres was this temple in buildinge And wylte thou buylde it in three dayes Here we se howe longe this temple was in buyldynge althoughe some expounde thys place otherwise yet this is not ment that they were contynuallye workynge on the same so longe for partly they were forbidden and stopped by the Kynges that ruled after Cyrus and partlye they were negligent and carelesse for it but that there were so many yeares from the beginninge of that worke vnto the finishing of the same In the second yeare of Kinge Cyrus whiche was also the seconde yeare of their returninge home to Ierusalem from Babilon they layd the foundacions of the temple In the second yeare Darius as this presēt place teacheth they are willed by Aggeus to take in hand their worke againe ▪ And in the sixt yeare of this same Darius they finyshe it so that from the seconde yeare of Cyrus vnto the sixte yeare of Darius must be .xlvi. yeares wherein they were building as S. Iohn sayth This was a great negligence of Gods people and vnthankefulnes so long forgetting the building of the temple and their duty to god after so mercifull and late restoring them to their coūtry but this all our croked nature bent vnto except God do not onelye begin the good woorke in vs but also continuallye leade vs in the same to the ende Therfore haue we neede to loke diligentlye vnto our selues pray that god would not turne
grace strengthâ— and boldnes to offer oure bodies to deathe withoute feare for the buildinge of Gods house rather then to see it lye waste troden vnder fete What greater comfort caÌ„ any Christians haue than in geuing their bodies to death for the buildinge of thys house whan he hears God saye that he is delited in their so doiÌ„g that he wil shew his glorie in them What greater promocion can a maÌ„ come to than to be one such instrumeÌ„t wherin God wil be delited and shew his glorie Death of the body is greuous to the flesh but death of the soule is a thousand times more fearful too a good man the one is a litle painfull for a tyme the other hath grefe without ende Therfore Christ saieth feare not them whiche kyll the bodye and can not hurt the soule but fear him which can cast bothe bodye soule into hel fire Suche an earnest loue shoulde we haue to the buildinge of Gods house bothe the hearers teachers bothe to build be builded by al meanes possible because he is so well delighted in it that we should feare neither losse of goods nor yet death of body no nor displeasur of maÌ„ so that we maye please God haue hym delighted in our doynges To please man is but a smal thinge but to please God is the greatest good thinge that can be he the honours me saieth God I wil glorifi him and he that coÌ„fesseth me before men I wil confesse him before my father and he that is ashamed of me I will bee ashamed of hym and he that denies me before men I wil denie hym before my father in heaueÌ„ verse 9 Ye haue looked for muche beholde it is but litle ye haue brought it into the house and I haue bloweÌ„ on it And why so sayeth the Lord of hostes â–ª because thys is my housâ— whiche lieth waste and 〈◊〉 runne euery one to his owâ—â— house ¶ The chiefest reasons too perswade 〈◊〉 euill man to leaue any wicked wayes 〈◊〉 to set before him and often to put hym 〈◊〉 remembrauÌ„ce howe God hath ben angryâ— with hym when he did such thinges and punished him as long as he laye in suche forgettinge of his Lorde God and also to threaten him with greater plagues if he do continue in them styll Bothe these kyndes of counsayle doeth the Prophete here vse to sturre them vp to buylding of this house of God He bothe sundry 〈◊〉 cals to their remembraunce the great pâ—â—â—ges whiche they suffered ofte and longe afore tyme for not buyldinge Gods house and also biddes them not thinke that all their sorowe was at an ende but more greater scourges was hanging ouer their heads if they would not buylde his house earnestly and if they ceased not to sinne God woulde not cease to punish them and if they continued styll not regardinge the buyldinge of his house God woulde continue still encreasinge his curses on theÌ„ Ye haue ben gredy desiringe muche sayth the prophet ye haue scraped and scratched together all ye could laye your handes on ye haue spent your money and wroughte youre selues weary thinkinge to enriche your selues by suche meanes but beholde and marke it well and it is come but too litle Where the scripture vses to saye beholde there it tels some notable straunge thinge as this is here that their laboure wasted awaye vnprofitably they coulde not tel how That waye wherby all other waxe wealthy hathe done you no good those meanes whiche God vses to woorke by in other and blesse them in you it hath not gone forwardes accordinge to youre expectation and lokinge for yea and that whiche is most merueilous youre corne other fruites hath not onely not encreased in the fielde but wheÌ„ it hath ben brought into the barnes it hath consumed there you coulde not tell how A man woulde thinke his corne were sure inoughe when it is in the barne for whilest it is in the fielde it is subiect to many daungers as blassinge myldews frost byting thunder beating layde with a raine or shakeÌ„ with the wind stoleÌ„ or eaten with beastes c. but euen in youre varnes saieth God I haue blowen on it It is as easye for me saieth God to waste it in the house as in the field For if I but blow on it it is not able to stande in my sight And as afore he saide their money fell out of the purse botome so now in their houses their fruites were not sure No locke vp in stoone houses if ye will it is as easy for God too consume it there as to blow a blast with hys mouth yea nothing shal withstande hym whatsoeuer ye deuise but he will take it froÌ„ you ye shal not haue your pleasure by displeasing God nor any thing shall prosper with you vntil ye build him his house that is to say maintain his pure religioÌ„ defend his honour forsake your vain pleasures refrain your gredy coueteousnes The defeÌ„ding of true religion with a good godly life is nowe the true buyldinge of Gods house nowe commaunded vnto vs and that man Citie or countrye whiche doeth not build this house so hath shall haue the like plages fall on theym vntyll they ernestly build this house of the Lords For as a kinge is stablished in his kingedome whan his godly lawes are taughte kepte and that realme is strongly buylded and blessed of God wher good order is maintained so is Gods church coÌ„gregatioÌ„ wel surely builded where gods word religion is purely taught sin punished vertue embraced God can no more suffer his lawes to be conteÌ„ned or his honor geuen to Idols thaÌ„ kings can suffer their kingdoms to be betraied to their enemies For as in the hole history of the Iewes coÌ„mon welth in the boke of the Iudges and the kings while the people liued in the fear of the Lord kept his religion geuen theÌ„ from God thei were defended by god from all enemies round about theÌ„ were thei neuer so many so stronge But when they would worship God either as thei lust theÌ„ selues or not at al or els as he did not appoint them thaÌ„ they were geuen into the hand of the Philistins Ammonites Chaldees Egiptians c. somtime for the space of .40 yeares sometime .18 sometime 70. and whan they were least three years So shall all they that buylde not or pull doune Gods true religioÌ„ set vp the Popes taughte by manne and not of God lykewise be punished or worse eyther wyth hunger pestilence swoorde or blynde ignoraunce not knowynge God and bee geuen vp too theyr owne lustes without remorse of conscyence or anye feare of God whyche is the greatest plague that can be Marke oute of oure owne Chronicles what was the estate of thâ—â— oure Realme when we were made Tributaries to the Romayns by Iulius Ceasar and so continued .400 yeares more Or
and persecutes them that loue Christ and his woord or wil not beleue him his doinges to be aboue the scripture all these thinges he would not do except he thought his wais the better Howe many orders of monkes Freeres Nunnes Chanons Heremites Pylgrymages Pardonnes Reliques Sainctes Masses Holy water hathe he sette in hys Churche whiche all the scripture castes awaye as noughte because they bee not taughte vs by God but inuented by the Pope for hys vantage and vayne glorie What diuersitie is amoÌ„g them although they charge the gospelers with the falselye when thei put their holines in their coats some saye a whyte Coule is more holye some saye a blacke an other sorte a graye Some saye masse of Requiem is beste other saye of Scala coeli Some of the fiue woundes some of 〈◊〉 Lady Some praye to one sainct as 〈◊〉 in gods fauour and some to other Some vse trinite knots and other sainct Katâ—â—â—rins Some haue saincte Tronions 〈◊〉 other oure Ladies and many the golâ—â—â— Fridayes In the schooles some holde 〈◊〉 sainct Thomas some of Duns and 〈◊〉 of Gabriel or Bacon Some holde of Fraâ—â—â—ces in religion some of Dominike 〈◊〉 of Augustin but the holiest was s. 〈◊〉 For as Fasciculus temporum saies he was 〈◊〉 holy that he broughte too heauen 〈◊〉 5555. Popes .24 Cardinals .2000 Archebishops .7000 Bishops .15000 Deanes 5000. Abbots .74 beside many Nunnes and holy Sisters and Priestes O holy â— Benet that was more holy than so many Popes Freeres Cardinals c. And wrâ—â—ched Popes that can bringe other to heauen and not them selues Some priestes saie matins masse and after Yorkes vse some of Sarum some Bangor and other of common sanctorum But neuer one seekes Christ as he shoulde accordinge too the scripture They haue made them schoolemaysters whom they will folow of their own deuisinge where as God the father hathe appointed his sonne Christ and sayd this is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well delited heare hym And he is that Prophete of whom Moyses wrote saying the Lorde youre God will rayse a Prophete from among youre brethren like vnto me hym shall ye heare and that soule whiche will not heare him shall perishe He is the wisedome of God the father by whome he hath shewed his mercie and power to the whole worlde and by whome he hath confounded the mightie and wise of the world and he is God withoute beginninge These other whiche they call sainctes or rather make them their Gods are founde of late and it is not manye yeares synce they liued It is not since Fraunces Augustine and Dominic lyued muche aboue â—00 years and if those be the pillers of Gods churche now howe did it stande afore their daies If these be the meanes to bringe vs to heauen now howe do they that died before that these men were born and knowen God witnesses of his sonne Christ that he is the Lambe whiche was slayne from the beginninge of the worlde and that by his deathe the sinnes of the whole worlde are forgeuen that whatsoeuer we aske hym in his name he will geue vs. We haue no suche promise made vs in any other creature and therefore if we aske any thing in their names God nedes not to geue it vs for he hath not bouÌ„d him selfe by any promise as he hath to his son Christ. God hath not found a new way of late for vs to be saued by but hath apointed one means for all ages by which only we shal please him that is the merites death of his deare sonne Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 Lord. He is the strong rocke vpon whom what house soeuer is buylded shall stande all other be builded on the sande therefore shall fall Therfore Englande howe canst thou escape the greate plages written in thys booke that had banished the worde of God that the people might not haue it nor read it the shepe heard not the voice of the true shepeheard but the straunge language of Wolues Hierelinges thefes yea thou wast come to suche a shamelesnes and hatred of Gods woorde that thou could not suffer the clere light of the gospel to shyne nor the shryl trumpet of Gods moste holye woorde to sounde in thine eares whiche would confound all such enemies of God to haue any place at al in thee Marke wel EnglaÌ„d in how miserable an estate thou wast that thou mightest not hear God speake to thee by his woorde nor beleue what he teaches thee but whatsoeuer pleases the Pope to commaund thee or the parliameÌ„t to decree What are those bishops woorthye to haue which in one yeare space coÌ„firmed the preaching of the gospel of christ and pure minestringe of Gods sacrameÌ„ts and thesame men within thesame yeare with thesame impudent mouthes blasphemous tunges brought in the Pope set by Idols banished Christe and his holye supper appointed for all men that wil to receiue it together toke awaye his holye gospell and sacrameÌ„ts and placed by their authoritie the masse for one shaueling to eate vp all and blesse the people with the empty Chalice and burned his preachers to fyll their bellies Moyses commaunded suche blasphemers of gods name to be stoned and yet they beare the name and title of ministers in Christes churche If the Iewes deserued all these vengeaunces because they didde not buylde gods house what had thou O Englande deserued in this defacinge and pullingâ—-doune and haste thus chauÌ„ged gods house into a denne of theeues and made it the Popes market place to bye and sell Heauen Hell and Purgatorie to deceiue christen soules and deface the deathe and passion of oure sauioure Christe Thou didst set vp Idols to be 〈◊〉 and sought helpe at stockes stones therfore howe muche nede haste thou 〈…〉 vnto God that he woulde geue thee 〈◊〉 rulers for thou must beleue as they 〈◊〉 and if they loue not God thou shalte heare him speake vnto thee by his worde if 〈◊〉 will not worship God arighte thou 〈◊〉 not be suffered to do it if thou would Can any people escape vnpunished 〈◊〉 thus mockes God Or if Gods mercy 〈◊〉 not vnspeakeable coulde he haue 〈◊〉 his handes thus longe but haue 〈◊〉 oute his vengeauÌ„ce and throwen his thâ—â—â—derbolts in euery corner of thee to 〈◊〉 thee before these dayes If thou wilt not glorify God in repentinge he will glorifie him selfe in destâ—â—nge thee Marke howe manye daies 〈◊〉 hath forborne to punishe thee so manye dayes haste thou had of his endlesse merci â–ª graunted thee to repent in and if thou 〈◊〉 it not by times loke not for the contrary but thou shalt be made an example to the whole worlde a laughinge stocke too thy enemies a pray and slaue to all countries rounde aboute thee What can be thoughte of those which will euer folowe that whiche the prynce desires but that they seeke their owne pleasure and profite with all diligence whiche the prophete cals
that fearfull sentence go ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Deuill and his aungels shall make vs to tremble And of mercy there is no hope at all excepte we doe as we reade of a womaÌ„ whiche when she stoode before Alexander the great and was condempned she said I appeale from thee o Kynge Alexander wonderinge at her sayde thou arte a madde woman doest thou not know that euery appellacion is frome a lower iudge to a hygher but who is aboue me Then sayde shee I knowe thee too be aboue thy lawes and that thou maye geue pardon and therfore I appeale froÌ„ iustice to mercie and for my faultes desire pardon So we when wee loke into the righteous lawe of Gods woorde see him ready to condemne vs and oure conscience witnes that we haue deserued death we must appeale from iustice and our deseruings vnto hys pardon and forgeuenes bothe call and truste to be partakers of that saluation which he hath purchased and offered to the whole worlde Hys mercies doe passe all oure miseries as farre as God is greater than man and his pardoÌ„ can forgeue all that call on hym This is not too be lightely considered that it is sayde they hearde the voyce of the Lord their God and the woorde of â—â—gues geus the Prophete What neded bothe to haue ben written seinge they were bothe one for the woordes of Aggeus were thâ— same that the Lorde badde him speake 〈◊〉 he hath saide diuers times before He be in this example we shall learne twoo gâ—â— lessons one for the preacher and all other for the hearer The Preacher muste 〈◊〉 bee afrayde to rebuke sinne in all 〈◊〉 and degrees of men as here Aggeus dyd rebuke bothe Zerubabel the chief ciuil râ—ler in the common wealth and Iosua the hye Priest and chief in religion and also the whoole people beside and threatens the plages indifferentlye to all withoute any flattery or respect of person So do all the Prophetes as Esaye cals the rulers felowes with theeues and princes of Sodome and Gomorrha because thei folowed their wickednes And when Achab a kinge asked Elias whether it was he that troubled all the countrye because it was so longe a droughte for the space of three yeares and a halfe without any rain or dewe he aunswered the kynge boldely and sayde naye it is thou and thy fathers house that hast pulled this righteous plagâ—â—â—â—on thee and thy whole realme Where 〈◊〉 haue sinned all muste bee rebuked for as God a moste righteous Iudge will punishe all sinne so must his Preachers indifferently warne and rebuke al sortes of sinners or els God wil require their blud at their handes if they perishe withoute their warning as Ezechiel sayeth The hearer must disdaine to learne of the simplest preacher that he heareth as Iosua the high Priest here doth not disdaine to hear the rebuking of Aggeus being but a poore Leuite and a simple man in comparison of him no nor yet Zerubabel the chief ruler borne of the stocke of Iuda the kinges stocke disdaynes him If a preacher should rebuke the Pope a Cardinall an Archebishop or Bishop a Doctour or a babler in Diuinitie woulde they not disdaine too heare suche simple men Woulde they not saye as hathe ben sayde of late to many when they were examined before Annas and Cayphas becomes it thee to speake thus to my Lorde Bishop arte thou wyser or better learned then he Shall he become thy scholer Was not the like saide to oure Sauioure Christe doest thou aunswere the hyghe Bishoppe so What woulde the Pope or Cardinall saye if a man shoulde threaten suche vengeaunce of God towardes him as Aggeus doeth here to the highe Priest Paule the seconde Pope of that 〈◊〉 when he had wrongfully taken landeâ—â— offices from diuers and caste theym all 〈◊〉 pryson and woulde not heare any 〈◊〉 speake for them At lengthe by much 〈…〉 whan Platina him selfe came to him 〈◊〉 coulde get no help at the laste he 〈◊〉 of the Pope that he might be hearde 〈◊〉 by his owne lawe Then the 〈◊〉 lokinge cruelly on him sayde what 〈◊〉 thou me of the lawe doest thou not 〈◊〉 that whatsoeuer I say is law Am not 〈◊〉 sainct Peters Uicar and all lawes are 〈◊〉 in my breste and I can not erre whatsoeuer I saye Am I not Pope and may disanull the decrees of my predecessours 〈◊〉 do what me lust Thus it shall be thus I am determined Thus speake holy Popes when simple men aske their right or tell them of any faultes their proude stomackes can not abide too bee rebuked of anye man Was not this common also in Englande in the Papistes mouthes when the Gospell was preached to deface the 〈◊〉 Who are your Preachers nowe but yoÌ„g men vnlerned and not skilled in the Doctours And who teaches the other old learninge but my lorde Bishop maister Doctour auncient Batchelers in Diuinite proue it by the auncient writers These are gay glorious woordes in deede if they had ben true but although yonge men did teache yet their doctrine was moste wholsome and approued by the scriptures and all good writers whiche is moste to Gods glorie that opened the mouthes of yonglinges to confounde the dotinge of olde fooles Simple men confirmed with their bloude and constant deathes that whiche before bothe maister doctour and my lord Bishoppe also allowed and taughte with mouthe and handes subscribinge vntyll contrary rulers arose but than for flatterie and their belly they destroied thesame with all their mighte and power that thei taught before So whan and howe often soeuer the world shal chaunge the most of theÌ„ as meÌ„ without conscience will be ready to do the lyke and make a face as thoughe they beleued thesame to be true but not one of theym will auenture his bodye to be burned for the dirty dregges of Poperye and yet are they not ashamed to teache and maintain thesame with fyre and swoorde so longe as the worlde is on their side There is scarce a more certain argument of an obstinate Papist then to loke how simple a maÌ„ he is that preaches and not to beleue his doctrine for the simplenes of the man nor too looke at the thinge whiche he teaches how true it is and spoken by God Let all Christians heare and be contentâ— with Christes holy worde as most only sufficient doctrine to saue our soules and disdayn none that bringes it be he 〈◊〉 so simple Saincte Paule sayeth Christe died for oure sinnes and rose for our righteousnes where this is one of the greatest treasures that we haue by Christe to be made righteous by hym marke whoâ— were the firste preachers of it Mary Magdalene and the other wemen whiche weÌ„t earely in the morning with ointments to the Sepulchre they se Christ first of all other after his Resurrection and wer sent to teache it to the
Apostles and Peter Shoulde we not beleue this resurrection because that wemē taught it first Apollo a mightye learned man in the scriptures submitted hym selfe to be further taught in true religion of Priscilla and Aquila◠simple man his wyfe Timothy Ihon the Euangeliste were bothe verye yonge when they were called to be preachers Peter the elder Apostle is content to be rebuked of Paull his yonger Iudith that good woman corrected the Elders Priestes and Rulers in Bethulia mistrusting Gods helpe and prouidence for them whē they woulde yelde vp the Citye Dauid a man accordinge to Gods owne heart heares most willingly the Prophet Nathan rebuke hym who was of muche lesse estimation then he And kynge Ezechias heareth Esai rebuke him of his faultes These and suche other examples be written to teach vs that the elder in what authoritie so euer he be or by what name so euer he be called shoulde willingly suffer the iuste rebuke of the yonger bringinge the woorde of God for hym Further where he addes this twyse sayinge the Lorde their God the Lorde their God it is verye comfortable for all sinners that haue longe lyen in sinne that they shoulde not dispaire of Goddes mercie but spedely turne by repentaunce The longe sufferinge of God is farre aboue our desertes had suffered this people thus longe to lye in sin yet had not caste them of but doth vouchesafe to send his Prophet to thē to rebuke them stirre them vp to their duties calling him selfe their God whiche had forgottē forgeuen all their former disobedience who nowe was woulde continue their good gracious and mercifull Lorde and God styll Who can dispaire too obtayne grace and pardon for all his greate offences seinge set before him the louinge gētlenes of oure good God and maister which offereth vndesired his mercies so plētifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people his free pardon A poena et culpa from all payne due to sinne or the gylte thereof whiche alsoo calles him selfe their God and by continual earnest cryinge of this his Prophete awakes them out of this deadde sleepe of sinne wherein they had lyen so long and left his house vnbuylded It is commonly saide saieth Ieremye if a man put away◠his wyfe for adulterye will he take her agayne yet thou sayeth God to his people although thou hast played the harlot with many hoores yet turn vnto me and I wil receiue thee againe sayeth the Lorde thy God O mercifull Lorde praysed be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberall promises offered vnto vs in thy sonne Christ Iesu oure Lorde Thou standest at the doore of our conscience knockinge too be let in offeringe thy selfe to dwell with vs if we would receiue thee There is no time so longe that a man hath run from God in nor any time so short to aske forgeuenes but if he will turne God is ready to forgeue him The Gentiles hadde lien in synne aboue foure thousande yeares from the beginninge of the worlde to the deathe of Christe withoute any true teachinge or knowledge of God and yet whan they receiued the Gospell by the preaching of the Apostles they were most gently receiued of Christe into the number of his people The thefe hanginge on Christes right hand on the crosse askinge mercy in the houre of deathe obtained it So that neither the greatnes of sinne nor the longe tyme that man hathe continued in it nor the shortnes of tyme to aske forgeuenes in can stoppe the great vnspeakeable mercies of God to pardō the sinnes of the whole worlde Why should we than mistrust the goodnes of our God seinge he is the maker of thesame lawe whereby we shal be iudged also able to dispence withal pardon the breakers of thesame lawe if he will who also shal be Iudge and Executer of thesame lawe as pleases him But that the people should rather beleue his woorde he saieth the Lorde their God sente him no straunge God but the mightie God of hostes and the liuing God of Israel nor he ranne not before he was sent but soberly looked for the callinge of God and then did his message faithfullye This is an example for all ministers too folowe that they doo not with bribery or flattery thrust them selues into any office but paciently tary the calling of the Lord their God which can and wil call them at suche tyme as he iudges them necessarye to serue him Who woulde be so bolde to bye a Benefice or flatter for a Bishoprike if he did thinke them to be offices in Gods house and that they must make a count to God for his people He that comes before he be sent for oftentimes comes before he be welcome and he that climbes in at the wyndowe is a thefe for the doore is made to come in by But because these Popishe prollers seke not the profit of the flocke but to fyll their bellies thei care not how thei come by it so they maye haue it and thinke they haue done God good seruice the people well content when they teache them neuer a woord of scripture but haue saide Masse made cōiured water or song an Antiphone of our Lady If they hadde this true stedfaste opinion of God as they ought to haue that he were a louinge father to his household and a wise maister that could and woulde set wise Stuardes ouer his house and that whosoeuer presumed to take any office in his house vncalled were a theefe and should be sharpelye punished A man coulde not hire them for money to take any cure of teaching Gods people vntill they were inward moued of God to do it for loue to the people not for their owne gayne Thei woulde also prouide to be ordinarely called by man leaste he which should teache and se others kepe good order should be proued the first breaker of all good lawes orders If a straunger shoulde violently thrust in him self to be the Shepeheard of thy shepe thou wouldest aske him whoo sent for him what he had to do there and thou wouldest rather thinke him to be a thefe and a murtherer of thy Sheepe then a trusty seruaunt So surely if thou come to take charge of gods people before he inwardly moue thy conscience to pitie hys people and outwardly by order cal and place thee where he thinkes good he will iudge thee a theefe a Wolfe a deuourer and not a feeder After they hearde that the woorde of God was sent vnto them by Aggeus and had wayed and considered diligently how true his sayinges were that so many yeares they had suffered soo greate plagues they beganne so feare and beleue that the threateninges folowinge woulde alsoo proue true and than they humbled theym selues in the sight of God and were afraid in dede This profit had thei by hearing the word of God that thei knowledged their owne sinnes that thei
familiar an other euen to the death Howe hath one Bishop deposed and burned an other not to be an earnester preacher then the other was but more lordely and cruell persecutour But this is euer true that Christ oure sauioure saide should folowe the preachinge of hys woorde that who so will bee his disciple must forsake him selfe and all pleasurs of the fleshe and those whiche be of his own house shall be his enemies Although this is marueylous that in suche trouble there shoulde bee ioye comforte yet this is more marueylous that after all people were thus troubled for yâ— Gospell they shoulde come vnto it beleue it â–ª receyue it not regardinge any sorow whiche was ioyned therwith no not fearinge the losse of their liues so thei might enioye it Feare maketh a man too runne awaye and not to come But this is the nature of the Gospell that the more it is persecuted the more it florishes as Dauid saith the righteous man florishes like a palme tree The palme tree is suche that if a greate waighte be layde on it the broder it spreads and florishes And as camomylle with treadinge on it and walkinge waxes thicker So the good man the more he suffereth for hys Christe the more is his faithe encreased And as the husbande manne that will reape muche must sowe muche so the moe that dye for the woorde of God the moe encrease too folowe the same As we commonly saye of the asshes of heretikes ryse vp a newe sorte It can not be but when men see one so constantly stande in defence of hys opinion that he geues hym selfe to the death for it they will begin too consider what a thinge it was that he died for and that no man will rashly cast hym selfe awaye When they see the truthe of it and God opens their eyes to perceyue they are moued to offer them selues to thesame death and ieopardy also Cypriane writes that the bloud of martirs is the seede of the Churche whereof ryse and encrease mo as of the sede in the fielde springes newe corne Augustine lykewise saieth of theÌ„ that were persecuted for Christ and his woorde they were tyed in chaynes â—orments they were whypped slain burned they were imprisoned thei were kylled torne in peeces yet they encreased Thei wer so far froÌ„ fear the not onely thei denied hiÌ„ not but the more sorow they had the mo beleued on him And wheÌ„ saint Laurence se his bishop Xistus being than Pope to be drawen to death he said Quo is patâ—â— sine Diacono quod non soles That is to saye Father whither goest thou withoute thy Diacon whiche thou waste not wont to do Well saieth he thou shalt folowe me not longe after and so it came to passe in dede for he died for Christe to It is written of one notable womaÌ„ which when she hearde tell of the daye of execution and that many shoulde bee putte too death for Christes sake she toke her child in her armes vncalled for runnes thyther that she might professe her faith and be put to death with them As she was â—uÌ„ninge shee met the officer goinge too see them put to death he seing her make such haste asked her whether she went and she tolde hym whye saieth he knowest thou not that there shal be a greate number put to death and that I goe to see it done yes saieth shee I knowe it well therefore I go that I may dye with them Then said the officer why doest thou carye thy chyld with thee and shee sayde that it may be a martir to dye for Christ. The officer meruaylinge that the Christians did not fear death sent the Emperour woorde that he woulde not go to put them too death but he shoulde sende another if he would haue it done Likewise in the Actes whan the priestes for bad the Apostles too preache anye more in Christes name and whypped theÌ„ the more they preached and thoughte theÌ„ selues happy that they were thoughte woorthye to suffer suche thinges for his names sake And for all the cruelnes of the rulers Peter turned twoo thousande at one sermon three thousande at an other which came saying Brother what shall we do beinge pricked in conscience ranne not awaye but came as the chylde to the father when he is afraide When Paule Silas had ben whypped all daye and locked in the stockes at nighte in the deepe dungeon and were watched with souldiers The chaynes fel of them the keper perceiuinge the pryson doore open by it self and thinking the prisoners were escaped woulde haue kylled him selfe But after that he see they were all there and perceiued the greate woorke of God he fell doune desired them to go in to his house wasshed their stripes beleued in Christ and was baptised There is no people vnder heauen but they haue once receiued the Gospell that can not be sayd truely of any other kynde of learninge in the worlde Their sounde hath gone throughe the whole world saith the Psalme The Philosophers neuer agreed all in one kynde of learninge but had manye sectes amongest them nor the whole worlde neuer receiued thym nor any heresye was generally receyued but onely the scripture hath ben vniuersallye taughte and receyued whiche is a sure argument of the truthe of it Aske of me â—aieth God the father to his sonne Christe and I will geue the people for thy heritage and the vttermoste partes of the earth for thy possession Many suche generall promises there bee wherein the turninge of all people on the earth too the Gospell is conteined and since the coÌ„ming of Christe perfectly fulfilled The heresye of Transubstanciation Purgatorie Priestes not too mary ministringe the Lordes supper in one kynde the Popes supremicie the Greke church neuer receiued nor yet doe And although at the counsaile at Florence a fewe semed to agree to it yet were they shente for soo doinge whan they came home it would not be receiued Before the deathe of oure sauioure Christe God hath chosen to hym but onely the Iewes to be his people but after they had refused too receiue hym for their redemer he had his Apostles go into the whole worlde preache to all creatures Now was the time come that al were called of all sortes degrees countries states many were turned vnto God There is no people vnder heaueÌ„ that can excuse them selfe by ignoraunce but they haue ben sufficiently taughte For s. Paule saieth that the Heathen before Christ was borne were without excuse for wher they knew God and worshipped him not as God therfore god gaue them vp to their owne lustes By the creature his inuisible power and maiesty maye be knowen that he is a God And therfore the mooste vnlearned is withoute excuse for this is sufficient to teache them to knowe there is but one God and too worship him as a God
sufficient to his owne buyldinge And although many of them thought that this later house woulde be nothinge so pleasaunte gorgious and costly as the first and therfore they wept wheÌ„ the grouÌ„d worke was layde as was sayde before yet to comforte theym with that they shoulde with better courage stomake go aboute it he promises them that the glorie of this later house shal be more then the first and they shall not onely haue inough to builde withall but it shall bee a more gorgious house in the sighte of God then the firste was The firste temple had in it the golden candlesticke the golden censer the golden aultare the Cherubins the golden Arke of the Lorde wherein was the tables of Moyses the rodde of Aaron and the pot of Manna the golden Table it hadde alsoo Urim and Thummin with diuers other relickes which all or many of them were destroyed by Nabuchodonozor and others whiche spoyled the temple So that although other iewels and ornameÌ„ts were restored by the good kynge Cyrus yet we do not reade the Rabbyns also thinke that these were not in the second temple and of Urim and Thummin Esdras semes to speake plaine that they were not there What shoulde make then this house more glorious than the first seinge it wanted these outwarde glorious pleasaunt thinges too the eye and in suche ornaments was nothinge to bee compared with the first Surely nothinge but thys that we speake of before That oure sauioure Christe presented him selfe therein preached hys fathers will and the glad tidinges of the Gospel rebuked the tradicions and ceremonies of the Scribes and Phariseis healed all diseases Therefore maye we gather here this necessary argument vpon these woordes of the Prophet that the churche is more pleasaunt in the sight of God where the Gospel is preached Gods maiesty and his merci declared then where all the ceremonies of Moyses or the Pope do shyne so gloriously to the sighte of the worlde Let the papistes examyne well by these woordes whether their Copes Chalices Uestiments crosses of gold and siluer their singing ringing sencing their Images reliques pardons coniured waters c. be more pleasaunt seruice to the lord our God then where the troÌ„pet of Gods woord sounds in our ears to stir vs vp to the praising of God and pullinge doune of our owne croked froward natur and stomakes There can be nothing fouÌ„d in this secoÌ„d house but it was all much more to be had in the firste saue the preachinge and miracles of Christe his Apostles For this point onely therfore wher in it did excel the first it didde please God more then the first therfore must it nedes folow that those companies and churches please God better where his liuely worde is preached the Sacramentes withoute great pompe comenly purely ministred â–ª then where they go about with dead ceremonies to serue him though thei be neuer so glorious outwardly Let vs be ashamed then of these â—ewd sayinges what should I doe at the churche I maye not haue my beades the Church is like a waste bearn there is no Images nor sainctes too worshippe and make cursy vnto littell God in the boxe is gone there is nothinge but a littel redinge and preaching that I canne not tell what it meanes I hadde as liefâ— kepe me at home This is a woful sayinge that because we maye not worship God as we lust our selues we wil not worship hym at all This is Idolatry to leaue that kynd of worship which he hath apointed vs in his woorde and deuise a new sorte of our own which God shall either bee content withal or els be without The Heathen people woulde saye when they see the people so foolish to thinke that God woulde be worshipped w e golde siluer dicite pontifices in templo quid facit aurum which is to say tel vs O ye bisshops what good doth gold in the temple Ambrose saieth the Sacraments loke not for golde and those thinges which are not boughte with golde can not please with gold And the best writers do witnes that it was better when the Lords supper was ministred in woode and glasse the Priestes were pure as golde did preache thaÌ„ when the Priestes were woode the cuppes golde that is to saye dumme vnlearned vnpreaching prelates and yet would minister the SacrameÌ„t in cuppes of golde and siluer The riches treasures of the church beloÌ„g to the poore vppon theym should all the goods oâ— the church be bestowed which is remaining of the preachers liuings not to fede ydle bellygods withall as monkes friers priestes c. Suche a godly aunswere made the godly true deacon Laurence when as the Emperour sente his man to spoyle the church of the treasure that there was He coÌ„mauÌ„ded Laurence in the Emperours name to deliuer him all the treasure in the church Laurence required a few dayes respite to gather al the goods together which being graunted at the day appointed he gathered all the poore folkes in Rome together When the Emperoure seruaunte came thinking to haue receiued the whole treasure callinge for Laurence asked where the treasure was Laurence shewed al the poore people and sayde beholde the treasure of the churche Thus was the goods of the churche than bestowed and not too maintayne the Pope nor yet his carnall Cardinalles in their ruffian rowte and ydlenesse c. The peace whiche he promises to send in this place is not so muche an outward peace although thei had that peace as loÌ„g as thei feared the Lorde but here is ment the peace of conscience whiche Christe brought from heaueÌ„ as the Aungels song at his byrth Glory be to God on hygh and in earth peace c. and he is not onely the peace maker betwixt God and man but peace it selfe as saincte Paule calleth hym saying he is our peace which hath made of bothe one as was noted before It is more to call him the peace it selfe than to call him the peace maker betwixte God man pacifying the fathers wrath for our sinnes and purchasinge pardon for al our wickedned The peace of conscience whan we beleue God to be oure father for Christes sake for geuinge all oure sinnes and bestowinge all his goodnes on vs is the greatest comforte that can be thoughe the worlde rage neuer so muche againste vs as oure Sauioure Christe sayeth in the worlde you shall haue affliction trouble but in me you shal haue peace And again â–ª I leaue my peace among you and I geue my peace vnto you c. And althoughe the churche of God is often more forgetfull of his goodnes receyued whan they haue worldely peace as the Prophete sayeth In this outwarde worldly peace my bitternes is moste bitter and therfore necessari it is to be tried by aduersitie heresies imprisonments death other cruelties yet in the middest of all trouble
they shall fynde present comfort and peace patiently to beare all such sorow as shal be laide on them When as Emperours were not Christened greate was the persecution yet coulde they not preuaile When heresies began to springe in the Church than God raised vp Augustine and others to withstande them and the mo that they were the more was the truth tried out and florished but after that the Pope had conquered all good learning decayed and the deuell thereby had lulled all on sleepe then came this outwarde worldly peace where the moste parte submitted them selues to the beast and his peace was the bitterest thinge that coulde be before God and greatest trouble to all good consciences For then outwarde peace broughte in Lordely pryde whiche harmed more then any persecution as Bernarde sayeth But nowe after that the light appeares agayn with what peace of conscience can and doe men offer them selues to the fire thoughe the Pope and his clergye rage lyke Lyons or mad dogges What great learning hathe God reueled in our time more then before and chiefly it hath ben done because of errours heresies sectes and controuersies that be abroade that Gods chosen people should not lyue in blindnes styl that his goodnes may be knowen And althoughe persecution be great yet God strengthens his to dye for his truth in most quiet peace to the shame of their persecutours Wher there is no striuinge there is no victorye where ther is no victory there is no praise nor reward Therfore God of his gret loue that his people may haue most noble victories greatest reward suffreth them to be troubled by the deuyll hys ministers but not to be ouercomen Where the tormentours rage because thei can not ouercome the simple souls holding fast the faith which thei would pul from them for the whiche thei striue God so strengthens hys that they suffer all tormentes with more peace of conscience then the tormentours delaye it on theÌ„ whiche deuise the deaths for them But not onely this inwarde peace but an outwarde alsoo was geuen them as longe as they displeased not the Lord. God coÌ„maunded that euery man amongst the Israelites should come thryse a yeare to IerusaleÌ„ to worship him there least thei should grudge saying who shal defend our countrie when we are gone so far froÌ„ home our enemies wil inuade and destroy vs God promises that he will defende their couÌ„try in the mean time that thei shuld haue no harme Thus thei beleuing God were bold to go to IerusaleÌ„ to serue God leuing none at home to kepe their goods landes but a few wemen chyldren So we if we would serue the Lord a righte maintayne his true religion our enemies shoulde not hurt vs but wemen and chyldren shoulde be able to defende vs if wee will not serue him as he hathe appointed there is no worldly power able to defend vs but we and they shall perishe altogether verse 10 In the .xxiiii. daye of the .ix. moneth and the second year of Darius was the message of the Lorde sent by the haÌ„de of Aggeus the prophet saying verse 11 Thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes Aske I praye thee yâ— priestes the law sayinge verse 12 If any man beare holy flesh in the lap of his garmeÌ„t do touche with his lappe bread or brothe wyne oyle or anye kynde of meate shall it bee made holy the Priestes aunswered and saide no. verse 13 And Aggeus sayd if he that is defiled in soule do touche any of these whether shal it be defiled the Priestes aunswered and said it is defiled verse 14 Aggeus aunswered sayd So is this people and so be these folke before my face sayeth the Lorde and so is all the woorke of their handes and whatsoeuer they bringe hyther it is defiled ¶ For the rekeninge of monethes years dayes and such other particular wordes â–ª we sayde ynough before Now is the Prophet sent to appose the priestes in the law of God and make theym geue sentence againste them selues The lippes of the Prieste kepe knowledge and they shall aske the lawe of his mouthe saieth Malachy And therfore to see what knowledge they had in the lawe of the Lorde what aunswer they woulde make he was sent to examine them and he puts foorthe hys question so wisely that he makes them to condemne them selues by their owne iudgement He is bidden them aske theÌ„ oute of the lawe of God and not out of the Popes lawe nor yet any mans lawe whiche often through bribes is ended as a man is frended but out of Gods boke which with out parcialitie speakes indifferentlye on all partes and neither feares the riche for his might and authoritie nor hath foolish pitie on the poore for his pouertie but vprightly iudges right and condemnes sin wheresoeuer it is founde If the priestes in Moyses law had this charge geuen theÌ„ to be so cunninge in the scriptures yâ— they shoulde be able to aunswere all doubtes whiche coulde be asked them How much more shoulde oure Priestes nowe be able by the scripture to teache all which be ignoraunte and aunswere all doubtes that can bee moued for saincte Paule sayeth a minister shoulde be able too exhorte wyth holsome doctrine and confute false But if ye wante one too keepe a Curre rather then a Cure to be a Hunter or a Fawkener to be an ouerâ—ear of your workemen to be youre stuarde or loke to your sheepe and cattell too be youre Gardiner kepe youre Orcharde or write youre busines who is meter for anye of these businesses then syr Ihon lackelatine What a wickednes is thys that they shoulde take such paynes to be so cuÌ„ninge in these thinges that God lookes not for oâ— them and in those thinges that God hathe charged theym withall they can saye nothing at all they be dumme Dogges not able to barke in rebukinge sinne blynd guides not able to rule their flocke but if the worlde be on their side they can theÌ„ playe the woode Dogges bytinge snatching at euery man near them and let no honest man dwel in rest by theÌ„ but accuse burne and condemne all that speake against their mischiefes If there be a treÌ„tall to be saiee or any money to be gotteÌ„ for masses Diriges Relikes pardons c. then who is so ready as they they can smell it out a great sorte of myles of But if a man waÌ„t comforte in conscience woulde vnderstaÌ„d his duety towards God or Gods goodnes towardes vs they be blinde beastes ignorant doltes vnlearned asses and can saye nothing but make holy water bid them saye a Ladies psalter The questions which he putteth forth here teÌ„d to this purpose that by one thing which is like he may proue an other lyke For loke as halowed fleshe did not halow these thinges which it touched so did not the goodnes whiche was in some of them make the rest holy But
all theyr ennemies and mighte haue slayne theym lyke sheepe whan Haman had gotten lycens of the kynge to destroye the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus God sent queene Ester to saue his people and HamaÌ„ was hanged on his own galowes Whan Darius was slain by Alexander the kyngdoÌ„ brought to the GretiaÌ„s Alexander coÌ„ming to destroy IerusaleÌ„ because they denied hym tribute God soo turned his heart the he entreated theÌ„ wel submitted him self to the high priest meting him with the other priests in their priestly apparell coÌ„fessed their God to be the true God When the Romaines conquered the â—â—tians and the Iewes were vnder the rule of the Romaines they didde not greatly harme them vntil they crucified Christe denied hym too bee their God sayinge hys bloude be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren In the cruell persecutions afterwardes the more sorowe that was layde on Gods people the more they encreased Thus in all ages God deliuered his out of trouble or els taketh them to him selfe by some glorious death In these our dais when the mightiest princes of the worlde stryue and fighte cruellye who shal be the greatest rather then godliest God prouydeth alwayes some corner for his too flee into where they maye serue him And if they be persecuted from one place he prepares an other to receyue them And although persecution was greate amonges vs yet God shewed him self more glorious mightye and mercifull in strengthninge so many weake once to dye for hym than in so mercifully prouiding for them which were abroade although bothe be wonderfull What glorious crakes made proude persecutours that thei woulde make goddes poore banished people too eate theyr syngers for hunger but they had plentye for all the others crueltie Gods holy name be praysed therefore What a mercie of God is this that where we deserued to be cast from him for euer because of our wickednes he nowe corrected vs gentellye called vs to this honour that he punished vs not so muche for oure owne sinnes as that he called vs to the promotion of bearinge his crosse witnessinge to the world his truth and vouchedsafe to proue teach and confirme others in this his truthe by oure witnesse bearinge He called vs too thesame honour that he called his owne sonne Christe Iesus in suffering for hys names sake that wher as we suffer with hym we shal be glorified and raigne with hym Let the cruell Papistes consider therefore howe God hathe deliuered hys people out of their handes fulfilled thys his promise and kepte vs safely like hys priuie signet in these miserable dayes of their persecution Let the bloudy Bishops voyde of all religion and chaunging with the worlde to fyll their filthy bellies although they woulde nowe make men beleue they woulde be constant and stoutly confute that whiche afore they proued true by othes and doctrine Let them I saye consider whether they or the simple soules whiche they tormented haue gotten the victory The simple soule offered hym self to dye rather then to offend God by superstition or Idolatry The proude Cayphas threatened fyre faggotte if he forsoke not his true faith Thus whylest they striue for religion not for lyfe the poore meÌ„bers of christ hold fast their faith the proud prelate with his tormeÌ„ts can not ouercome Gods simple shepe They striue not for life but the simple man offeres it willingly rather than forsake the truthe so God euer confouÌ„des the wisedom of the world is glorified in the fooles abiectes God for his mercie sake grauÌ„t all his lyke boldnes to witstaÌ„d their crueltie whansoeuer God shall trye vs. A prayer MOst righteous iudge and merciful father which of loue did punish sharpely thy people being negligeÌ„t in buyldinge thy house that by suche sharpe correction they mighte be stirred vp to do their duty so haue pleased thee we acknowledge coÌ„fesse before the world thy diuine maiesty that we haue no lesse offended thee in this behalfe than they haue done that for all the sharp plagues which thou laide vpon vs we coulde not awake out of our deadly sleepe forgetting the earnest promotioÌ„ of thy glorie true religion but rather consented to the persecutioÌ„ of our brother thy true faithful people vntil now that of thi infinite goodnesse by geuing vs a gratious Queene restoring the light of thy worde that hast letten vs taste the treasurs of thy mercies in our extreme desperate miseries whaÌ„ for our wickednes we durst not for the gret power of thy enemies we coulde not hope nor loke for any such help or redresse at al. We fal doun flat therfor before the throne of grace desiring pardoÌ„ of this gret negligence of al our former offeÌ„ces prai thee that the wil not deal with vs as we haue deserued but as of thy own free wil thou promised thy people falling earnestly to thy work restoring of thy teÌ„ple that froÌ„ theÌ„ce forward thou would blesse al their worke fruits ouerthrow their enemies saue thy people that woldest make the house also more glorious thaÌ„ the first by the preaching of thy Gospel so we desire thee for Christes sake thy sonne our sauiour to be no lesse good gracious Lord vnto vs yet once againe going about to restore thy true religioÌ„ trâ—den doun defaced by the cruell papistes Send foorth O Lord many such faithfull preachers as wil set out thy glorie vnfeynedly open the hearts of thy people that they may se how far more acceptable vnto theâ— is the liuely preaching of thy holy woord than all the glittering ceremonies of Poperie deliuer vs we besech thee froÌ„ all our enemies saue and preserue our gracious Queene as thine own signet indue her her couÌ„sel with such reuereÌ„t fear of thee thy woord that all policie which is coÌ„trarie to thy woord set apart they mai vprightly seke ernestly maintain thy true glory minister iustice punish sin defend the right CoÌ„fouÌ„d most mightie God bring to naught all the deuises of suche as go about to ouerthrow thy woord true worship open our eyes that we may se how derely thou hast loued vs in Iesus Christ thy sonne our lord hold vs fast O Lord of hostes that we fal no more froÌ„ thee grauÌ„t vs thaÌ„kful obedieÌ„t hearts that we may encrease dayly in the loue knowledge fear of the encrease our faith help our vnbelefe that we being prouided for and releued in all our nedes by thy fatherli care prouideÌ„ce as thou shalt thiÌ„k good mai liue a godli life to the praise good exaÌ„ple of thi people after this life mai raign with thee for euer through Christ our sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghoste three persons one God be prayse thankes geuing in all congregations for euer and euer Amen ¶ Here endeth the prophete Aggeus ¶ A preface to
Paul your holines As they haue but one God so they will worshippe him onely and as he hais taught them and not after the deuise of man thei will also studie for a holy life as God commaundes Be ye holy for I am holy And if we reade a holy place or sanctuari to worshippe God in it is true also for in all persecutions in the spite of the Pope and all Antichrist there hays ben in all ages and shal be for God so sayinge can not lye true professors of God althoughe the moste parte of the worlde was blinded So Christe coÌ„forts his sayinge feare not thou litel flocke Thus in Christes churche in spite of their foes shall euer be Christ the heade knit to the bodye necessarely and as he is holy so shal he make them holy that heng vpon him so gouerne them by his spirite that they shall euer folow a holy kinde of lyfe fleinge mischiefe and vnclennes and so shal thei haue also his sanctuari and holy place where to resort to worship their God here is worde and call vpoÌ„ him AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob Dauid in their waÌ„drings called vppon their God taughte their chyldren too feare the Lorde made their sacrifices and God reueled him self to them againe and neuer forsaked them In the captiuite of Babylon thoughe not in the temple yet they coulde by the water bankes singe psalmes on their instrumentes Whanne Christ was crucified the disciples kepte them together in a chamber praying and loking for the cominge of the holy Ghoste after whan persecution beganne some went to other countries some from house to house teachinge prayinge communicatinge and dealinge to the poore Paule sayes at Philippes by the water side thei were wonte too praye and in the middes blindnes of all Poperi hayes there euer ben some good men teachinge true doctrine and openinge their blasphemies for this can not be false that Christ promised his churche When the spirite whicâ— is the comforter shal come he shall leade you into all truthe I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde he that is of God heareth the woordes of God you heare not for because ye are not of God And my shepe heare my voice a straunger they doe not folow Therefore let all that be vnder the crosse and persecution se thei assemble together to praise God openly confesse him if it be possible or at the leste as muche as they maye folowing the example of the faithfull christians in the beginninge whiche in spite of their foes coulde not be holden from assembling together with prayers and songes afore the daye was lighte nor lette any papiste reioyce againste goddes scatered and persecuted flocke for this is the state and condition of goddes people and preachinge the gospell that they shal not want a crosse yet God will performe this promise that in Sion the holy one Christe will be with them to gouerne them in holines of lyfe purenes of religion and an earnest fayth trustinge in God and will geue theym a place to call vpon hym in that his might mercy grace to his people may appeare to the worlde in the sight of his enemies Whan Abraham and Iacob fledde into Egipte the EgiptiaÌ„s learned God which afore neuer heard of him in the captiuite of Babylon the Caldees Assyrians Babylonions Medes and Parsians with al other people amonge whome the Iewes were scatered lerned God of them WhaÌ„ persecution beganne in Ierusalem after Christes Ascension the disciples scatered by persecution went and preached Christ to the Heathen whiche afore heard not of him In Englande after Wiclefs death whan persecution arose some died for the trueth constantly some fledde into Boemia and broughte the gospell thyther where it continues to this day although bothe Emperoure and Pope with al their mighte many sharp battels and bloudde sheddinge woulde haue rooted it oute What great assaulte the poore Waldeses haue suffered at diuers French kings handes goinge aboute to haue destroied them for their religion beinge a fewe in number and yet coulde neuer deface theÌ„ this .360 yeares it is piteous to heare Thus is this euer true that in Sion the true church of Christ shal be the holy one Christ sanctifieng all that beleue in him there shal be holines in faithe religion maners to the prayse of God there shal be also a sanctuari and holy place with asseÌ„bles in spite of their foes and persecutioÌ„ does not hurt but rather increase and further true religion thoughe not in the greater yet in the better parte of men For who soeuer the holy ghoste does enflame with an earnest zele to his religion they canne not kepe it within them they canne not abide to see their God and his woord blasphemed thei will braste oute and declare their faith and saye the earnest loue towardes thy house hais eaten me as oure Sauioure Christe did whan he see the teÌ„ple his fathers house so misused and hys religion contemned he gate whippes and droue them out Ieremie sayes the worde of God was to hym as a burninge fyre in his hearte and closed within his boones that he was not able too keepe it within him but woulde brust out This victory is sette oute more at large in the nexte verses folowinge where hee sayes the house of Iacob shal be fyre the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau the stable c. Here is no description of horse haines gunnes any greate hoste or such other worldly things where in princes doe conquire and triumphe As the house of Iacob is spirituall and the kyngdome of Christe so be the weapons souldiers and victorie The swords where with thei faught were as the apostle sais the woorde of god which is sharper than any twooedged swoord and perâ—es more the soule conqueres the affections pulles doune hygh stoÌ„mackes deper than the swoorde can the bodye The gunnes were the Apostles words as Iames and Ioan were called the sonnes of thunder because with suche great power thei thundered terribly preached and feared carnall mindes more than the thuÌ„der does and threw doune sinne more than any gunnes coulde the walles Whan Peter at two sermons conuerted 5000. and Paul filled all countries frome Ierusalem to Illyzicum with the gospell what Emperour is able to bee compared of suche men of warre Whan Charles the .5 Emperour beganne to raygne Luter and Zuinglius began thesame time to preache and whither he hays throwen doune stopped and hindered the gospell more with al the help that his gostly and superstitious prelates coulde gyue than they with their scholers haue set it foorth and shewed the wickednes of Popery defaced his pompe let them selues iudge The Pope with his partakers haue had strength power politie wit wisedome armure gunnes horses harnes men and money and whatsoeuer they could deuise these other haue foughten with preachiÌ„g writing and giuing