wombe and in his so great sorrowes and paines when as he might come forth by and by that is for that they remained obstinate and stubborne so long a while in those their sinnes albeit being admonished or warned by God of the punishments to come and hanging ouer their heads for the same and so earnestlie moued by God vnto repentance they might if they would or did beleeue God deliuer themselues from these dangers The Prophet therefore continueth this similitude the which he had begun from the paines and trauailing of women with child Vers 14. I will redeeme them from the power of the graue I will deliuer them from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction repentance is hid from mine eyes A promise of helpe and deliuerance A Promise of helpe and deliuerance vnto those which shall conuert or turne their minde vnto God both that these by this meanes may be stirred vp vnto true repentance of heart and also that those faithfull ones which were left in that people might hope well in the midst of the afflictions or troubles of the vngodly and should not faint and bee discouraged For God promiseth that it shall come to passe that he will saue them continually and preserue them against all danger and captiuitie yea and finally against present death it selfe And this is the first promise of God toward the remnant of the Israelites and all those that repent to wit that when as others perish they shall be deliuered and saued notwithstanding For as Paul writeth to the Romanes cap. 8. ver 31 36 37. If God be on our side who can be against vs And albeit As it is written For thy sake are we killed al the day long we are coūted as sheep for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things wee are more then conquerors through him that loued vs. For as it is 1. Cor. 11. ver 32. When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned of the world For God will redeeme thē from the graue and deliuer them from death it selfe albeit that they seemed to bee abiding in the very iawes and mouth of hell And this mercie of God toward himselfe doth Dauid acknowledge Psal 30. ver 3. saying vnto God O Lord thou hast brought vp my soule out of the graue thou hast reuiued me from those that goe downe into the pit The reason followeth because God shall be the death of death it selfe the destruction of the graue it selfe and that for euer and alwayes in the fauour of those that are his So great doubtles is the power of God ouer all things that he hath rule euen ouer death it selfe and the graue and doth destroy them when he pleaseth for the good and fauour of those that are his And this doe wee that are the faithfull daylie feele the whilest we are deliuered out of the midst of troubles and dangers in the which we had cast away all hope of deliuerance as Paul doth witnesse of himselfe 2. Cor. 1. ver 9 10. in these words Yea we receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom wee trust that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs. But this benefite of God shall then in most full measure fall out vnto vs when as we shall fully inioy that eternal and euerlasting life after the rising againe of our bodies by and through Christ as Paul expoundeth this place 1. Cor. 15. ver 54.55 Vers 15. * For he shall grow Though he grew vp amōg his brethren * After that an East wind shall come euen the winde of the Lord shall come vp from the wildernesse and drie vp his veine and his fountaine shall be dried vp he shall spoyle the treasure of all pleasant vessels Another promise of God toward the faith full ANother promise of God toward the selfe same godly and men that from Idols turne themselues vnto the true God and do repent And this is a most excellent increase vnto the former benefite The godly shall not only be saued by God euen in the midst of the punishments of the vnfaithfull but also they the selfe same shall in health and saftie fructifie or bring forth fruite and that among their brethren that is to say among the other godly elect of God whom they shall greatly edifie and profite with their holines and doctrine And this also may be referred vnto the multiplying of the nation and increasings of that people and not only vnto the fruite the which they shall bring forth by their example in stirring vp and confirming or strengthening others vnto godlines For this latter is the most true end both of our adoption made by God and also of our conseruation to wit the edifying or profiting of others And so Christ Ioh. 15. ver 16. teacheth his Disciples That he hath chosen them and ordained them that they go and bring forth fruite and that their fruit remaine So Dauid testifieth of himselfe Psal 32. ver 8. that he will instruct and teach others in the way of godlines wherein they ought to walke when he sayth I will instruct thee with mine eye And this is a great thing which is added among their brethren For so much the more acceptable is this fruite because it redoundeth vnto the Church also and vnto the edifying of the godly So by the selfe same reason doth Paul praise the Colossians 1. Colos 10. when he prayeth for them That they might walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God Furthermore the time also is added after which these things shall come to passe The time of the comming to passe of these things And this setting downe of the time is indefinite or not certaine the which comprehendeth a long space of time and not the very moment instant and poynt of time as Luk. 21. ver 25. when he sayth Then there shal be signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres c. So Matth. 24. ver 29. Immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sunne be darkened and the moone shall not giue her light c. Now this time was added in this place that the promise before going might appeare to bee more true and certaine the time of the fulfilling whereof also is certaine set and determined with God For these things shall not be done before that the same East winde to wit the Assyrian shall in such sort haue afflicted or punished the Israelites that the fountaines and veines from whence the Israelites doe flowe and spred abroade may seeme by him to haue been stopped and their springs dried vp that is before that he may seeme by destruction vtterly to haue blotted out that
done of euery godly man in so great confusion of â—he world and hurly burly of things that he be not swallowed vp or perish with the world but may bee deliuered and himselfe escape safe out of so great shipwrackes to wit that he truly call vpon the name of God according vnto true faith and according vnto the commandement of God So Christ hauing preached of the same afflictions teacheth that this onely remedie is then left vnto those that are his namely that by true faith patience and with feruent earnest calling vpon the name of God they do adioyne themselues vnto the hearing of the true doctrine of the Gospell as the Eaglâ—â— doe vnto the dead carkasse Matth. 24. ver 28. And cap. 10. ver â—â— she sheweth That he which indureth to the end shall be saued Aâ—â— Luk. 21. ver 19. he sayth vnto his Disciples By your patience pâ—ssâ—â—â— your soules The reason why they shall be deliuered The reason is added because euery one that is whiâ—â— out of any nation shall call vpon the true God to wit by true faâ—â—â— for otherwise he cannot truly be called vpon the same shall 〈◊〉 saued by God and shall escape safe out of so many shipwrackes whether he be a Iew or of the Gentiles So doth Paul expound this place Rom. 10. ver 13.14 For this promise whereof he speaketh now is generall and appertaineth generally vnto all nations and not vnto the Iewes alone but vnto all the true remnants of the Church out of what nation soeuer the Lord shall call them vnto himselfe and vnto the true knowledge of him as the Prophet himselfe doth expound it and Peter also Act. 10. ver 35. when he saith In euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him So then there is here both a remedie set forth vnto the godly and also a cause of this remedie Two things yet to be noted Further there are yet two things added in this verse One the foundation of this cause the other the place wherein this true calling vpon God is and consequently the saluation of men 1. The foundatioÌ„ of the former cause The foundation of this cause is the free promise of God For God will in such sort doe this because he hath freely so promised and calleth those whom he desireth to saue 2. The place where this inuocation must be For here the Prophet speaketh of an effectuall calling of God whereby men are truely conuerted vnto God through faith the which faith it self also is meerely free as is also the promise of God of the sauing of some certaine men Rom. 11. ver 5. Euen so then at this present time there is a remnant through the election of grace 1. The free promise of God So then the meere or only mercie and grace of God towards men is the foundation of this saluation and hope of the godly 2. The place Zion and Ierusalem that is the true church of God The place is added in the which God is truely called vpon and consequently where there is true saluation and escaping not so much indeed of the bodie or out of the dangers and afflictions of this life as of the soule and from euerlasting damnation the which 〈…〉 most fearfull death and punishment and most especially of all men to be dreaded as Christ teacheth Matth. 10. ver 28. where he sayth Feare ye not them which kill the bodie but are not able to kill the sâ—â—le but rather feare him which is able to destroy both bodie and soule in hell Now this place is Sion Ierusalem that is to say the Church of God the which is gouerned and grounded vpon his word For in this place Sion and Ierusalem are set against the kingdome of Israel and the infidell kingdoms the which how honorable wealthie and great soeuer they shall then be yet if they shall not haue the pure word of God there shall be in them no saluation for men but saluation only shall be in the citie of God in Sion the which 〈◊〉 the pillar and keeper of his trueth There then shall be the saluation of men yea and that only where there shall be true inuocatioÌ„ or calling vpon the name of God Wherefore the word Sion doth not restraine this promise of God vnto the Iewes only dwelling in that earâ—hly Sion for then should not this grace of God be general as it is notâ—ithstanding but vnder this name Sion is signified the Church of God at all times and into what parts and quarters of the world soeuer it shall then bee scattered For there is saluation of soules because that there is true faith and the true Christ and consequently there is the true God and grace and forgiuenes of sinnes CAP. 3. Vers 1. For behold in those dayes and in that time when I shall bring againe the captiuitie of Iudah and Ierusalem A confirmatioÌ„ of the former promise taken from the remouing of the lets or enemies of the Church A ConfirmatioÌ„ of the former promise of the safetie of the Church of God to come euen in the midst of those troubles and hurlie burlies of the world the which were described in the chapter before And it is taken from the remouing away of the lets or enemies of the Church whom God will ouerthrow be they in number neuer so great and neuer so much to be feared Wherefore nothing shall let God from performing that his promised deliuerance and safetie vnto his Church So Amos 9.15 So Mich. 7. ver 8. And such repetitions as these and such comforts are very necessary and needfull for the godlie least they faint by reason of the continuance of the euils and troubles or bee feared with the multitude of the enemies so be brought into despayre In a word through this whole chapter is promised the ouerthrow of the enemies of the Church and of such as doe afflict or trouble it The time in the which God shall performe these things But this verse containeth the noting out of the time wherein these things shall be done by God namely when as God shall bring againe the captiuitie of Iudah that is to say when as he shall gather together his scattered Church For this promise is generall and comprehendeth the whole time in the which there shall be or â—â—maine any Church in this world For albeit God sometime haue gathered his Church more noblie and with greater renowme oâ—â— of her miserable scattering into other countries as after the captiuitie of Babylon vnder the Machabees especially by the preaching of the Gospell after the comming of Christ yea and noâ— in these last times doth gather it together of his great mercy restoring vnto vs and renuing the light of the Gospell yet is it notwithstanding most true that God is alwayes present with his Church and doth keepe it and breake the power of the enemies thereof that they destroy it not vtterly Wherefore how
worship him for euer OVT OF EPIPHAnius his booke of the life of the PROPHETS The lyfe and death of the Prophet Oseas OSee the Prophet the sonne of Beeri borne in Belemoth Osee of the stocke or tribe of Isachar gaue a signe and a wonder to wit that the Lord should come from heauen into the earth and that this should be the token of his comming if that same oke in Seloin be of it selfe clouen into twelue parts and doe become so many okes And so it came to passe He prophesied not a little of the fornication and whoredome of his nation When hee had layde downe his life in peace he was buried in his owne lande The lyfe and death of the Prophet Amos. AMos the Prophet borne in Theuca of the land of Zabulon Amos. was father vnto the Prophet Esaias And beeing continually beaten of Amasias the Priest of Beth el he was laid waite for and rayled at In the ende the sonne of Amasias slewe him striking him about the temples with a club because that he had checked him about the snares of the two calues of gold But yet breathing he went into his owne countrey and there dying was buried with his Auncetours The lyfe and death of the Prophet Micheas MIcheas the Prophet the Marathite Micheas was borne of the tribe of Ephraim When as he had shewed many things vnto Ahab king of Iuda he dyed beeing cast downe headlong by Ioram the sonne of Achab because he had reprooued him for the iniquities of himselfe and of his Auncetours the which they had committed He beeing deliuered from the prison of his bodie founde a tombe alone by himselfe at Maratha in his owne land neere vnto Polyandrum And his tombe is most famous euen vntill this day The lyfe and death of the Prophet Iohel IOhel the Prophet Iohel borne of the tribe of Reuben in the lande of Bethor prophesied many things ouer Ierusalem and or the ending of nations He also ended his daies in peace and was buried at Bethor in glorie and honour The life and death of the Prophet Abdiu ABdihu the Prophet born in Sichem Abdihu and in the land of Bethachamar This is he who caried the halfe Centurion or peâ—e Captaine and whome Elias the Thesbite spared He went down to speake with the king and after this being a forsaker of the kings ordinance he stucke vnto Elias the Prophet and became his disciple for whose sake sustaining many things he was saued And ending his life he was buried with his father in the land of Bethachamar The lyfe and death of the Prophet Ionas IOnas the Prophet was of the lande Cariathamarim Ionas not farre from Azotus a citie of the Greekes neere vnto the Sea At that time the Prophet Elias reprooued Achab the prince of Samaria The same Elias when as he gat him selfe into the wildernes by reason of a great famine the which he had called vpon the lande where beeing nourished by ravens he quenched his thirst with the water of the brooke and when the brooke was dried vp heâ— was an hungred and remooued vnto Saraptha a citie or towneâ— Sidonia It seemeth that in this some other things before and hereafter that Epiphanius was deceiued and therefore no futher to be credited then he hath the word of God to warrant him vnto a certaine poore woman a widowe the mother oâ— Ionas and entred into her house Nowe the woman left nothing vndone of that which he commanded her And he did eate and blessed her as well in her grayne as in her oyle and he remained with her for he could haue no aboad with the vncircumcised And when as Ionas the sonne of this widow was deceased God raised him vp by Elias and restored him aliue vnto his mother because of the entertainment which she gaue him When Ionas therefore came vnto full age he was sent vnto Ninive to the Assyrians and when as he went about to flie from God he was swallowed vp of a Whale in his iourney minding to haue gone vnto Tharsus And going forth againe out of the Whale he preached in Ninive Then the Ninivites repented before God made God to become fauourable vnto them but Ionas ouertaken with heauines returned vnto his natiue countrey and did not thinke good to remaine at home but taking vnto him his mother was a soiourner in Sur in the land of the Heathen for he said least peraduenture it be cast in my teeth that my prophesie against the Ninivites was vaine or false When as therefore he dwelled in the land of Saar he died there and was buried in the caue of Cenezeus the Iudge And the same Prophet prophesied that when they should see in Ierusalem innumerable strangers from the West the same citie should be pulled vp by the roote and vtterly be destroyed The lyfe and death of the Prophet Nahum NAhum the Prophet Nahum was borne at Elckesi beyond the riuer Iordan towards Hegabar of the tribe of Simeon This is that Prophet who after Ionas gaue a signe and a wonder ouer Ninive that in time to come it should be destroied by sweete waters and earthly fire That which in the end came to passe because that fire out of an earthquake compassing it round on euery side water also comming by and by from the wildernes drowned all the higher places of the citie As for Nahum he gaue ouer his life in peace and resteth in quiet death in Begabar in his owne home The life and death of the Prophet Abacuk ABacuk the Propher borne in the countrey of Bexzochar Abacuk and tribe of Simeon When as before the taking of it he did foresee the captiuitie of Ierusalem he did greatly lament both over the citie and also ouer the people of the same And when as Nabuchodonosor drewe neere Ierusalem to destroy it he fled into Ostracine and remained a dweller there in the land of Ismael But when as the Chaldees breaking vp from Ierusalem returned into their owne countrey with the spoile and captiues and the remnant of the citie Ierusalem went downe into Egypt this Prophet comming againe into his owne countrey serued the reapers in his field For he had sowen barly but straight as he had prepared meate for them he prophesied vnto his saying I shall goe into a farre countrey and returne quickly but if I make any long stay set you before our reapers what to eate And beeing carried vpon the sudden into Babylon he gaue Daniel his dinner who was in the caue with the lyons After comming forth he stood with his reapers as they were now at supper did not impart vnto any man any thing of this matter which had happened Furthermore within fewe dayes after Abacuk shewed afterwards out of Babylon that the people should returne to Ierusalem He gaue them also a signe which dwell in Indea namely that they should see in the Temple a great light shining clearely and so should behold
3. The reason of Ionas his righteousnes or iust cause the which reason doth utterly overthrow it selfe which reason forsooth is this because God is mercifull therefore he shall be contemned or despised of men nay rather the selfe same effects of the mercy of God do proove the power and efficacie or force of God in the ministerie of Ionas as he that converted those Ninivites being desperate persons And God is praised for his mercy and long sufferance Roman 2.4 Psal 136. throughout the whole Psalme Vers 3. Therefore now O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to die then to live The second amplification of Jonas his sinne THE second amplification of the sinne of Ionas taken from the immoderate heat of his anger the malapertnesse of his wit who will not only have himselfe and his cause to be acquitted cleared before God albeit the same were false but is moreover so carried away with the same force of his wrath that therfore he wisheth for death because that God followeth not his iudgement mind against the Ninivites See whither in the ende the wisdome of the flesh doeth carrie even godly men and how it is indeed enmitie against God as Paul tearmeth it Rom. 8.7 Two parts of this verse 1. The second part of Ionas his prayer There are two partes of this verse the first is the second part of Ionas his prayer the which sheweth the vehement earnest desire of Ionas in the thing which hee asketh noted in these wordes I beseech thee saith he againe and Thou O Lorde also because it is better For by these wordes is declared and painted forth a greater malapertnesse in Ionas then before and the same more damnable or to be blamed who is so unappesably angry because of the falling out of the matter otherwise then hee thought meete in his wisdome This doubtlesse hereby appeareth to be true the which Iames saith cap. 1. vers 20. The wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God 2. The thing asked The second part is the thing it selfe the which he asketh Ionas doth not therefore wish for any small hurt unto himselfe but even for death it selfe And albeit that it be lawfull for the godly sometimes to wish for death Jn what cases death may be wished for so farre forth as this life of ours is a shoppe of sinnes as Paul calleth it the body of this death and wisheth to be delivered therefrom Rom. 7. ver 24. or in respect that death it selfe is the last degree and entrance unto us to behold Christ and so Paul desireth to be loosed and to be with Christ yet to wish for death by and through dispaire and impatiencie in troubles of minde through wearinesse of this life which is the gift of God through pride of minde or our wrastling and striving against the providence of God is wicked and ungodly So Elias wisheth to die through wearinesse of life and feare of Ieâ—abel and desireth God saying 1. King 19 4 Jt is now enough O Lorde take my soule for I am no better then my fathers Jonas most impatient These wordes therefore of Ionas It is better for me to die then to live are the wordes of a man most impatient and do not conteine a comparison of one good thing with another good thing but doe shewe a most bitter feeling of burning anger and the assault of a man now able to refrain himselfe no longer It is better that is to say it is more to be wished for of me thus carried away with the trouble and unquietnesse of my mind Vers 4. Then said the Lord Doest thou well to be angrie The iudgement of God concerning this fact of Jonas NOwe followeth the sentence or iudgement of God concerning the fact praier anger of Ionas Therefore this place with the whole place following is a commoration or staying in laying out of things more particularly For Ionas doth seuerally discourse what was said done followed after his praier First therfore we are to heare the voice of God concerning this anger of Ionas to the end that no man should excuse it as Ierom hath done God condemneth it what faire glosse so euer it may seeme to carie And he doth afterwards shewe a reason of this his condemning of it confirmeth the same by a notable falling out of a like matter in the end God doth approue the same euen vnto Ionas himselfe who at the length resteth satisfied and contented therewith all Hereof appeareth that how wise soeuer the carnall or fleshly reasons of men may seeme vnto vs to be how fit glorious agreeable vnto the matters taken in hand that they al notwithstanding do vanish away like smoke or that they are to vaile the bonnet as it were to strike sayle vnto the wisdom of God alone that whatsoeuer God shal ordaine to the contrarie or will to be done that same be liked alowed of vs that we wholly rest our selues vpon his prouidence for the counsails of God are not onely diuers from our counsails as the Lord saith Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts nor my waies your waies but also God is infinite waies wiser then we as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 1.25 That the foolishnes of God is wiser then men the weaknes of God stronger then men Yea in the ordering of all things in particular also in general he alone is the best iudge and Moderator whose counsaâ—â—â— and works albeit they be often hidden and wonderfull vnto vs yet are they alwaies most iust and well framed and for this cause to be allowed Vers 5. So Ionas went out of the citie and sat on the East side of the citie and there made him a booth and sat vnder it in the shadow till he might see what should be done in the citie Where Ionas became after his preaching vntill the 40. daies were ended SEcondly here is described where Ionas became in the meane season whilst after his preaching had through the whol city of Ninive he waiteth for the end of the matter that is of his threatnings This verse then is a further making plaine of the matter the which ought to be read by a parenthesis So long therefore vntill the 40. daies were out after the diligent execution of his office in the citie Ionas goeth aside out of the citie abideth notwithstaÌ„ding in the cuntrey neere adioyning in his cottage the which he had built vnto himselfe at the East side of the citie for a litle time And here are two things to be noted to wit the wisdome and patience of Ionas His wisdome in that he departeth from the citie The wisdome of Ionas beleeuing that it will come to passe that the Niniuites should be destroied Least therfore that he should be wrapped in the same iudgement with them he doth wisely remoue himselfe from theÌ„ and
changing the persons themselues wholely that they may both in heart conceiue and thinke of God aright 2 After what manner and also in lippes speake of God aright For both these waies are men vnpure by nature For he saith that he will chaunge the lippes or language of the nations signifying thereby by the figure Synecdoche What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos cap. 5. ver 21. the conuersion of the whole man as he also doth vnder the name of lippes Isay 6. ver 5. where the Prophet saith Wo is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell in the middes of a people of polluted lippes c. Thirdly what shall be done namely the nations 3 What shall be done yea that all nations and not one only as in times past the Iewes alone but all the olde difference betweene circumcision and vncircumcision being taken away shall call vpon the name of the Lord by the part vnderstanding the whole worshippe and seruice of God by the figure Synecdoche And therefore to make this the more plaine he addeth They shall serue Iehouah that is the true God and not their idols any more nay they shall cast them away into holes and dennes and shall detest and curse them yea and all of them shall do this with one shoulder that is they shall do it with one consent in one faith and charity as Luke speaketh of the disciples and other the godly Act. 1. ver 14. That they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication c. and cap. 2. ver 46. That they continued dayly with one accord in the temple c. For the word shoulder figuratiue or metaphoricall signifieth a consent in faith and charity and one common endeuour as God speaketh of his people Ierem. 32. ver 39. when he saith I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of them and of their children after them But the accomplishment and fulfilling of this prophesie was by the preaching of the gospell after the passion or suffering of Christ Vers 10. From beyond the riuers of Ethiopia the daughter of my dispersed praying vnto me shall bring me an offring An amplification of the former benefit by the farnes of the place from whence they shall be called vnto the Church AN amplification of the former benefit by the rehearsing or reckoning vp of the place farre off and of those which shall then be called vnto the Church For euen from that same Ethiopia the which is beyond the riuer namely beyond Nilus for in this place I thinke that Ethiopia and not Arabia to be signified shall sacrifices be brought vnto God by those people which shall be there so also by others which shall euery where be scattered ouer the face of the earth and so consequently the Ethiopians like as other people of the world shall serue God Wherefore I referre the word dispersed vnto all nations of what place soeuer professing the true God and not vnto the Iewes alone scattered through the world And there is mention made by the Prophet of the daughter of the dispersed affectionatly namely both to describe the earnestnes of the nations in seruing God and that this so godlie and ioyfull a spectacle or sight of women worshipping and seruing of God and of virgins especially might stirre vp and moue affections Vers 11. In that day shalt thou not bee ashamed for all thy workes wherein thou hast transgressed against me for then will I take away out of the midst of thee them that reioyce of thy pride thou shalt no more be proud of mine holie mountaine THis is a staying still about the same matter in the which is reported the greatnes of the benefites of God toward his Church to come after such a sort and maner the which is wholly contrarie vnto the shame miserie and infamie or reproch of the Iewes described before Two notable benefits of God toward his Church to the end that by this matching together of contraries the grace and mercie of God toward those that are his may appeare to bee the more singular and excellent And here are two notable benefites rehearsed and described by the adioynts that is to say 1 Forgiuenes of sinnes partly by the consequents or things following after partly by the antecedents or things going before First remission or forgiuenes of sinnes 2. Holines of life or regeneratioÌ„ afterward holines of life or regeneration which should afterward insue And first forgiuenes of sinnes by this that God himselfe promiseth that it shall come to passe 1. Forgiuenes of sâ—nnes that the things which the Church hath committed shamefully against her selfe yet shall they not bring any shame vpon her no not before God himselfe because her sinnes shall be forgiuen her So then the benefite of forgiuenes of sinnes is described by the consequent for shame or blushing is the reward of sinne What these figures are see Amos nap 5 ver 21. and cap. 4. ver 12. And vnder this name both Synecdochically and also Metaphorically is the horror or fearfulnes also the shamefulnes of sinne described Furthermore the greatnes of this benefite appeareth by this for that God promiseth that he will wipe away not only one or two sinnes but all sinnes not only those which the Church hath committed of ignoraÌ„ce but also those which she hath committed through rebellion frowardnes or stubbornnes of minde for so much doth the word import Pasâ—hang the which the Prophet vseth So great certes is the benefit of God toward his Church by and for Christ so great is his loue and so fauourable and mercifull is he For in Christ as Paul writeth Ephes 1. ver 3.4 hath God blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world c. And as it is Colos 1. ver 22. In the bodie of his flesh through death hath he now reconciled vs c. Now as for regeneration of life the same also is described in this place both by things going before and also by things following 2. Regeneration By things antecedent or going before when he sayth I will take pride out of the midst of thee that is from the very bottome of thine heart and those which stirre thee vp thereunto will I roote out By the consequents or things following when he sayth Thou shalt not adde to bee proude or Thou shalt not bee proud any more that is thou shalt not sinne of contempt or despite of my word and sooth or flatter thy selfe through pretence or colour of my Temple So then the first word pride sheweth the cause of sinnes namely Pride loftines of minde which maketh vs to despise God And the latter sentence containeth the effects of this pride Wherefore both of them are away from the truely regenerate
the glorie of God He foreshewed also of the ouerthrow of the Temple that the overthrow thereof should be in Ierusalem by a people from the west Then said Carbasus Dabir shall be deuided inâ—o two parts also the heads or chapters of the two pillars shall be taken from the midst and no man shall know where they are oâ— whither they came but they shall be carried out by Angels into the desart where the tabernacle of Martyrdome was lately made and in them the Lord shall know in the end that they shall lighten the persecuted by the serpent as from the beginning And the Lord shall keepe them from the shadow of death and they shalâ— be in the holy tabernacle This Prophet prophesied not a fewâ— things of the comming of the Lord and two yeares before the people returned from Babylon death tooke him and he was buried with great honour in his owne countrey The lyfe and death of the Prophet Sophonias SOphonias the Prophet was a Sarabathite Sophonias or of the mount Sarabatha and of the tribe or stocke of Simeon He also prophesied of the citie Ierusalem namely that it should be farre better it were built in length and bredth Also vpon the ouerthrowe oâ— nations and like wife the destruction of the wicked and the comming of the Lord. He died in the reuelation of the Lord and was buried alone in his ground The lyfe and death of the Prophet Aggeus THe Prophet Aggeus when as he was but yet a very young man Aggeus came from Babylon vnto Ierusalem and prophesie plainly of the returne of the people And he sawe with his eye the building of the Temple at Ierusalem He there first of all sanâ— Alleluia which is to say Let vs set forth with prayses the liuing God Amen which is expounded So be it So be it He therefore died in the same place and was buried in the ground neere vnto the Priests with honour and glorie And therefore euen vnto thiâ— day we sing Alleluia which is said to be the song of Aggeus and Zacharias The lyfe and death of the Prophet Zacharias ZAcharias the Prophet the sonne of Barachias Zacharias came from the land of the Chaldees and as he went he prophesied many things vnto the people and for demonstration sake shewed many miracles This is hee which told Iosedeck vnto his face there shall a sonne be borne of thee who entring into the ministerie shall sacrifice vnto the Lord at Ierusalem He also blessed Salathiel in his sonne saying He shall beget a sonne and shall giue him to name Zorobabel Zacharias also gaue a token of Cyrus the king of the Persians and that vnto victorie He likewise shewed a signe touching Croesus the king of the Lydians and concerning Astyages the king of the Medes And he prophesied furthermore of the publike seruice the which king Cyrus should doe at Ierusalem and he set him forth with praises and did not smally blesse him Further touching his owne foretelling in Ierusalem the which they call prophesie and of the ouerthrowe of nations and of the building of the Temple at Ierusalem and finally he expounded some things with a certaine double iudgement concerning the idlenes and slouth as well of the Prophets as of the Priests Hee died in extreame age in the lande of Iudea and was buried next vnto the Prophet Aggeus The lyfe and death of the Prophet Malachias MAlachias the Prophet was of the tribe of Zabulon Malachias He is said to haue bin borne after the returne of the people from Babylon in Sopha to wit in the land of Zabulon He from the beginning of his age and whilst he was a yong man is reported to haue liued a blamelesse life Certaine things are prophesied by him of the comming of the Lord and of the iudgement of the deade and that the ceremonies with the Lawe of Moses shall haue an ende and be amended And when as all the people did reuerence him as a man indued with no lesse holinesse then mildenesse they gaue him to name Malachias the which if a man require the interpretation soundeth an Angel For he was of a marueilous excellent beautie And what so euer Malachias said besides in his prophesie he was thought that an Angel 〈◊〉 daily instruct him and declare vnto him as it is said also to haue bin done in the time of the Anarchi or when there was yet 〈◊〉 gouernment as is set downe in Spharphetiâ—â— that is in the book of the Iudges And this Prophet beeing as yet a young man dâ—â—â— before his time and was laid by his Auncetours in his owne field OVT OF THE PREFACE of Ierome vpon Ioel. Diversitie in the order and placing and placing of the xij Prophets THere is not all one order or maner of placinâ— of the XII Prophets with the 70. Interpâ—â—ters as is retained or kept in the truth of 〈◊〉 Hebrew For the 70. make Amos the seconâ— Micheas the third Ioel the fourth Abdâ—â— the fift Ionas the sixt Naum the seuenth Hâ—bacuk the eight Sophonias the ninth Aggâ—us the tenth Zacharias the eleuenth Malacâ—â— as the twelft The order of the Prophets in the Hebrew But the Hebrewes after Osee the which with thâ—â— both is the first read Ioel the second Amos the third Abdias tâ—â— fourth Ionas the fift Micheas the sixt Naum the seuenth Habâ—â—cuk the eight Sophonias the ninth Aggeus the tenth Zachaâ—â—â— the eleuenth Malachias the twelfth who also is the last And because I haue once reckoned vp all the Prophets of one volume seemeth vnto me profitable briefely to set downe the Etymologiâ— or significations of their names both in Greeke and Latinâ— Osee whome they interpret Sozon we may call a Saviour 〈◊〉 Archomenos The significations of their names Beginner Amos Bastazon which in latine is caâ—led Portans a Bearer Abdias Doulos Kuriou that is the seruaâ—â— of the Lord. Ionas Peristera that is a Doue Macheas Hostioâ—â— a name giuen of two parts of speach the which with vs soundeâ—â— Who as it were or who will Naham Paraklêsis that is comforting Abakuk Perilambanon that is imbracing 〈◊〉 wrastling Sophonias Kekrumenos kuriou that is the hiddeâ— of the Lord. Aggeus Heortaxon whome we may call Feast vall or solemne Zacharias Mâ—neme kuriou that is The remembrance of the Lord. Malachias Aggelos mou that is my Messenger All which in what sense they are to be taken shall be shewed in their bookes Now the foure other Prophets that we make vp the number of sixteene are Esaias Ezechiel Ieremias Daniel and they haue this vnderstanding Esaias is called Soteria kuriou that is the Saluation of the Lord. Ezechiel Kratos kuriou the which we may terme the Strength or commandement of the Lord. Hieremias Huthelos kuriou that is the high one of the Lord. Daniel Ekrine me kurios that is the Lord hath iudged me Ex Isidori Etymologicôn lib. 7. cap. de Prophetis OSee Sauiour or sauing Osee For when as he did prophesie the
these all he should be so offended that the same parrie might be iudged to be the cause of so great trouble unto the rest Now the prophet doth amplifie or enlarge these things both that his owne fault may appeare the greater and also that the mercy of God towards him may be acknowledged to be the more singular and finally that thorough the feare of so great a iudgement and danger the rest may bee â—â—e more fearefull and learne to obey God when he calleth For men very seldome grow to cast lots concerning the giving 〈◊〉 themselves unto death The casting of lots upon life death extraordinarie and in what coses used and this not except either God him selfe by some extraordinary signe or token as we haue said before 〈◊〉 shew that he is angry with some one among many or that some thing be extraordinarily to be asked of God the which men by their owne and worldly wisdom without the iust offence of some other are not able to declare Hereof are gathered two things the one that such was the tempest of the sea at that time Two things to be noted 1 so sudden strange and unusual that all men might easily perceive that it was sent from heavâ—â— by God being angry with some one of them Therfore that thâ— might be knowen by common consent they runne unto lots 〈◊〉 if it were to enquire at the mouth of God himself For this is a thiâ—â— knowen among men not utterly void of goodnes and godlines even by the very light of nature Gods provideÌ„ce doth appeare in the lawfull use of lots that in the use of such things 〈◊〉 wit in the casting of lots God and the providence of God doâ— shine forth and appeare For Salomon Prov. 16.33 saith Thâ— lot is cast into the lappe but the whole disposition therof is of the Lâ—â—â— Yet Ierome affirmeth that this was therefore done of these infedels because that alwayes among profane and heathen men the use of lottes hath bene common even in matters of small importance 〈◊〉 point in what cases lottes both have and also may be used The other point is to be noted to wit that lots have anâ— may be used both among profane and also among godly men 〈◊〉 matters extraordinary and immediatly depending upon the wâ—â— of God as Iosh 7. for the finding out of Achan 1. Sam. 14. foâ— the trying who had eaten meate contrary unto the oth takenâ— them by Saul Act. cap. 1. for the choosing of Matthias in the roome of Iudas Hereupon lots that are lawfull are called consultory and divisorie But such as are divinatorie whereby they tell of things by way of soothsaying and lusorie or such as aâ—â— used in play are to be condemned and disallowed the which aâ—â— not onely curious but also prophane and heathenish Further doubt not but that albeit these as Ierom saith ranne easily to câ—sting of lottes according unto the custome in those times used yet that they tooke this course and counsell with one consent by the only instinct or secret motion of God because that God himselfe was minded to lay open before all men the fault of his blockish prophet and to bring to light the things which he did hide and keepe close And for this cause did the lot fall upon Ionas Vers 8. Then said they vnto him Tell us for whose cause this evill is come upon vs What is thine oâ—cupation and whence commest thou VVhich is thy countrey and of what people art thou THE figure Commoratio or staying in or upon a matter as in this place upon the particulars of the tryings out of Ionas his fault The figure commoratio For here is severally set downe after what maner at the length and by what degrees God both manifested or opened the fault of Ionas and also punished him for the same And first of all he openeth the sinne of Ionas by Ionas himselfe who first did stoutly hide and smother up the same 1. The sinne of Jonas uttered by himselfe For he maketh him the Cryar as it were and the Teller of all things as they fell out or were done But first of all he is asked by the other passengers woondring at this man beeing so hated of God And they aske him diligently to the ende they may finde out from whence that his fault might arise that they may admonish him and finde a remedie for that evill or mischiefe if by any meanes it may be Therefore it proceeded not of curiositie but of charitie and love and carefulnesse and trouble for the avoyding of the daunger and offence of God that they so diligently enquire of Ionas what is his occupation what is his countrey who is his people from vvhence hee commeth For by these sundry circumstances they supposed might be understood and learned in what thing especially Ionas had offended God or else by all likelihoode that he followed some unhonest trade as theeves and murtherers are wont to doe or that he was descended and come of some nation altogether prophane as the Canaanites c. Therefore they aske and enquire of the cause of the disease and sore that they may if they can bring a medecine and not to understand of certaine new matters and such as they never heard of before Vers 9. And hee ansvvered them I am an Hebrevv and I feare the Lorde God of heaven which hath made the sea aâ—â— the drie land The answer of Jonas THE answer of Ionas and the same indeed very short bâ—â— in the which he sheweth unto them all things at large bâ—â— that which is here recied or rehearsed conteineth onely thâ— summe and substance of the whole matter And here two thingâ— are to be observed 1. Ionas his true confession and marked First Ionas him selfe freely at truly confesseth the matter it selfe as it was Therefore this aâ—swer of Ionas and his free confession carrieth a token of hâ— earnest repentance and of a feeling of the iudgement of Goâ— now by God himselfe stirred up 1. What he â—nswereth and wrought in him Seconâ—ly is to be noted what he answereth namely that hee is of sâ—â—â— a nation as feareth the true God that is of the Hebrewes aâ— that he also feareth the true and almightie God and which haâ—â— power ouer this selfe same troubled sea as he who is the â—â—ker of the sea and of the lande And all these things doth Ionâ—â— rehearse not to commend unto them his owne godlinesse oâ— shewe himselfe to be voide of blame or to purge or cleare hâ— selfe or to lessen his fault but to increase it by taking aâ—â—â— from himselfe all excuse of ignorance or shifting of the maâ—â— Futher in this place Ionas doth not now call himselfe a prophâ—â— being privie vnto his fault and lest by so doing he might brâ—â—â— this so holy an office into contempt and in this respect Paulâ— nieth himselfe worthy to be called an Apostle 1. Cor. 15.9 â—â—ing For
brutishnesse Secondly in these Marriners and passengers 2. These marriners hold the death of the godly precious there is to be noted an image and shadow of true pietie or godlinesse as being such who doe account and hold as precious the death of the godly and such as feare God like as in his eyes it is so taken Psal 116. vers 15. where it is written Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saintes Now the cause of this their deliberation or counsell taking was because that storme and raging of the sea abated not nor ceased Vers 12. And he said unto them Take me and cast me into the sea so shall the sea be calme unto you for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you The answer of Jonas The answer of Ionas unto the former deliberation the which in like maner conteineth two things First the answer it selfe of Ionas secondly the reason of the same Ionas answereth that he only is to be cast into the sea The reason for that for his sake only this tempest by meanes whereof they all were in danger hath arisen and continueth and so shall continue untill hee as a sacrifice have received and suffered due punishment at the handes of God for this his rebellion And as well in the answer as also in the reason of the same appeareth Ionas his true repentance and amendment who now doeth franckly acknowledge his offence and fault and the punishment the which God taketh and executeth upon him is ready to undergo without any grudging nay he doeth willingly offer himselfe thereunto and with his owne mouth pronounceth or declareth him-selfe worthy of the same This therefore is a true description of true repentance that is of an earnest acknowledgement of sinne and of a minde changed Ionas maketh this answerwith a true propheticall spirit and apprehending or laying hold of his God by faith the which is opposed or set against that sluggishnesse or blockishnesse the which was in Ionas before The same appeareth David Psal 51. in Peter Mat. 27 It appeareth furthermore thaâ— Ionas spake these things and made this answer with a true propheticall spirit not of any grudging of mind against God not of any excessive feare not through hatred or wearinesse of life because that he was now knowen to be a rebell unto God nor finally moved with light or humane and worldly coniectures but because God by lottes did openly and as it were with his owne voice rouze him up and aske and call for him unto punishment Ionas therfore doth not rashly offer himselfe unto death but wiâ—â— undergoe that punishment the which God evidently from heaven did lay upon him and that willingly because God so wiâ—â— have it Vers 13. Neverthelesse the men rowed to bring it to the lande bâ— they could not for the sea wrought was troublous against then The thirde part of this 1. chap. the contents of the same THE third part of the chapter in the which is contained the execution of Gods punishment laide upon Ionas for his rebellion And first of all there is before it set downe the purgation or excuse of the Marriners and passengers themselues leâ—â— any man might thinke them to have done this of a certaine crueltie of minde And in the verse following is conteined their praâ—er and protestation before God The excuse is in that they assâ—â— alwaies before they come unto Ionas himselfe The example of the marriners They rowe wiâ—â— all the might they can the which here in Hebrew soundeth anâ— signifieth as much as the latine word sulcare mare to forowthâ— sea For the Marriners with their oares doe make as it were fuâ—rowes and ditches in the sea when they row They proove witâ— all their might to bring the ship unto the land and shore Theâ— wrastle against the winde and the tempest They suffer themselves also to be in that danger untill that they indeed doe find that they assay all things in vaine as namely having God himselfe striuing against them Then come they unto that last remedie wherein appeareth their singular humanitie or curtesie and compassion For to have compassion on the afflicted or such as are in miserie and to mourne with them that mourne is the law of humanitie it selfe and not onely the commandement of Paul This example ought iudges for to follow An example for iudges and such as haue authoritie by the appointment of the law for the punishment of malefactours or offenders to wit iudges of life and death that they doe not rashly nor of a certen thurst and delight to shed mans blood punish and condemne men that are even worthy of death For this is to murther and cut the throats of men and not to punish Vers 14. VVherefore they cried unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee let not us perish for this mans life laye not vpon vs innocent blood for thou O Lorde hast done as it pleased thee The prayer of the marriners conteining three points THE prayer of the marriners and passengers wherein they purge themsclues before God as they did before clear them selves before men of all suspicion of cruelty or conceived hatred against his servant when as they executed upon him these iudgements of God This prayer containeth three things 1. That God will turne froÌ„ them the presens danger First they pray that God will turne away froÌ„ them that present danger the which hung over their heads for that one mans sake Wherin they secretly in their mind consider the law of Distributive iustice To wit that punishment doeth follow the authours and causes of the same that no man is iustly punished for another mans offence as Abraham in his prayer unto God for the sparing of the good among them of Sodom Gomorrah Gen. 18.25 seemeth to confirme speaking unto God for them after this maner Be it farre from thee from doing this thing so slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be even as the wicked be it farre from thee Shall not the iudge of all the world do right 2. They pray against the death of Ionas The second they pray against the death of Ionas that it namely be not laide to their charge and that they be not punished therfore when as in this behalfe they are only the executioners and instruments of Gods iudgement and will For God himself calleth for him unto death They adde the third thing for the which they both excuse themselves also doe praise God for his righteousnesse iustice They excuse theÌ„selves because it lieth theÌ„ upoÌ„ to execute those things the which God will have doth declare 3. They excuse themselves and praise God And they praise god in coÌ„fessing that wheÌ„ as god decreeth these things coÌ„cerning Ionas that he doth this iustly and according unto his owne proper right and most iust rule
that swallow d vp Ionas was of the kinde of Whales and standing and set as it were to receiue him whom God would leaue with him to keepe It is manifest that this fish was of the kinde of Whales who are of so huge a greatnes and so wide bellied that they can swallow downe whole men Some will haue this fish to be called a Lamia or Sea dog others a fish called Brechinechis others the fish called a whirle-poole of the which the Psal 104. ver 26. speaketh and some do translate him Leviathan as it is in the Hebrue Plin. lib. 32. nat hist cap. 1. writeth of a Whale that was found the which was 600. foote long and 360. foote broad read him lib. 9. cap. 5. Thirdly 3. The means of Ionas his deliuerance amplified by the circumstance of time he doth amplifie the manner of his deliuerance by the circumstance of time For he was in the belly of that fish by the space of three daies and three nights and yet all this notwithstanding neither did the fish nor Ionas die The which is an other plaine miracle For who can be and remaine aliue so long hauing his breath stopt For the fish did not by and by cast forth Ionas againe but after three daies Christ our Lord Mat. 12. cap. ver 40. compareth the time of his buriall by the which his bodie â—ay in the sepulchre with the time that Ionas was shut vp in the â—ellie of the whale as it were in a sepulchre or graue For as Ionas saith he was three daies and three nights in the whales bellie so shall the sonne of man he three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth whereof it commeth to passe that I suppose in this place part of a day to be taken for an whole day as it was in the three daies of Christ and not three whole naturall daies Question But here Ierome mooueth a question how Ionas liued there Answer I answer either by water the which came into the bellie of the fish or else that he was there sustained by God without meate Therefore let vs know that this in Ionas was a figure and signe of the buriall of Christ so the Lord vseth euen the sinnes of his vnto his glorie and the opening of his secrets And this Ionas in deed is that same Christian Arion Vers 2. Then Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his God out of the fishes bellie What Ionas did in the bellie of the fish ORder For here Ionas telleth in order what followed afterward that is to say what he did lying in the fishes bellie by that whole three daies space And he saith that he praied and that vnto that same true God whome before he called the Lorde of heauen and earth as vnto him that peculiarly was his God also He therefore teacheth three things 1. He praieth First that he praied both in minde and also in voice it selfe Wherein the excellent faith and patience of Ionas appeareth who goeth eueÌ„ vnto the same God whome notwithstanding he did within him selfe feele to be angrie with him to wit by a wonderfull faith and feeling of his mercie the which towards his can neuer be drawne drie he praieth vnto him He doth not therefore as infidels vtterly cast away all hope he doth not as Atheists or godlesse persons murmur or curse God not as hypocrites fret and whet or repine against God but by faith praieth vnto him euen at that time when as he is sorest vexed or troubled the which things these wordes out of the bowels or bellie of the fish doe declare that is to say out of the midst of the graue wherein he lay in a manner deade as Iob confesseth of himselfe That he will trust in God though he slay him 2. He prayeth vnto God 3. He calleth him his God and reprooue his waies in his sight Iob 13. ver 15. Secondly he praieth vnto God the Lord and not vnto idols Thirdly he calleth him his God wherein he sheweth that he praieth of true faith who doth not onely acknowledge God to be the true God and Lord ouer all but doth finde and feele him to be peculiarly his God that is the God of euery true faithfull person Hereby appeareth how that the repentance of Ionas was true repentance springing from a true faith whereunto notwithstanding he was called backe of God by a most hard and grieuous punishment Vers 3. And said I haue cried in mine affliction vnto the Lord and he heard me out of the bellie of hell cried I and thou hearest my voice APlaine declaring of the matter For he sheweth what hee praied For this is here a rehearfall of Ionas his prayer as he wrote it after his comming forth of the fish but yet in such sort as he conceiued it before in the fishes bellie A rehearsal of Ionas his praier as he wrote is after his deliueraÌ„ce hauing so before coÌ„ceiued is in the fishes bellie And first of all he doth briefely here set downe the summe or effect of the same Afterwardes by the figure Commoration or staying vpon the recitall of the particulars he doth more at large declare the same by parts that the infinite or endlesse mercie of God may of vs be better vnderstoode and of vs be hoped for in our troubles Further here is liuely painted out as it were in colours the greatnes of the daunger wherein Ionas was The summe of Ionas his praier The summe of Ionas his prayer is this Ionas prayed in that his most lamentable affliction or miserie nay being in the midst of the sepulchre or graue of death making request vnto God and that with most earnest affection and was also heard of God So God commandeth vs in our troubles for to doe and promiseth that he will heare vs Psal 50. ver 15. Call vpon me saith God in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And Dauid to encourage vs hereunto sheweth in his owne example that he so did and was deliuered Psal 116. ver 3 4 6. When the snares of death compassed me saith he and the griefes of the graue caught me when I found trouble and sorow Then I called vpon the name of the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord deliuer my soule I was in miserie and he saued me So then that most sharpe feeling of death in the which Ionas was letted not but that he readily had recourse vnto God that afflicted or troubled him and with great and daily praier and affection turned him selfe vnto him and with indeauour For this doth the wordes of calling and crying signifie whereupon he saith that he was heard Such is the sense or feeling of the godly touching immutable or vnchangeable mercie of God towardes them through Christ as Paul teacheth when he saith For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor
not water enough to giue the men themselues drinke last of aâ—â— whole cities came by heapes and companies to seeke for water by meanes of the ouermuch thirst and drieth Hereby appeareth thâ—â— the seasons of the yeare are not gouerned and ruled by fortune 〈◊〉 by the starres themselues but by God whether they fall out to beâ— fruitfull or els barren And thus much doth Paul teach Act. 14. vers 17. when he saith That God left not himselfe without witnesse in the he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons fâ—â—ling our hearts with foode and gladnesse Vers 9. I haue smitten you with blasting and mildew your greâ—â— gardens and your vineyards and your figge trees and your oliâ—â— trees did the palmer worme deuoure yet haue ye not returned vâ— to me sayth the Lord. 3. Barrennes of the earth and of the fruites thereof THe third punishment barrennes of the earth and of the fruite of all sortes wherein doubtlesse the wrath of God did appeare For not onely one sort of fruite failed but all sorts Therefore both the herbes and also the vines and figge trees and oliues were barren at one time and also beaten and strooken with a parching and burning winde the which brought blasting the palmer worme moreouer and the caterpiller deuouring and eating that which was left as God by Ioel doth witnesse of a like plague cap. 1. ver 4. where he sayth That which is left of the palmer worme hath the grashopper eaten and the residue of the grashopper hath the canker worme eaten and the residue of the canker worme hath the caterpiller eaten Vers 10. Pestilence haue I sent among you after the manner of Egypt your young men haue I slaine with the sword and haue taken away your horses and I haue made the stinke of your tents to come vp euen into your nostrels yet haue you not returned vnto me sayth the Lord. 4. The pestilence THe fourth punishment the Pestilence The fift Warre in the which so many men and horses were slaine that the very stinke of them in the tents killed vp the Israelites The sixt punishment 5 Warre Captiuitie But the Pestilence was greatest 6. Captiuitie the which the similitude taken from Egypt doth declare And of this Egyptian pestilence recordeth the Psal 78. ver 49.50 as especially sent of God in these words He cast vpon them the fiercenes of his anger indignation and wrath and vexation by sending out of euill angels He made away vnto his anger he spared not their soule from death but gaue their life to the pestilence Vers 11. I haue ouerthrowne you as God ouerthrew Sodom and Gomorah and ye were as a firebrand pluckt out of the burning yet haue ye not returned vnto me sayth the Lord. 7. The subuersion and ouerthrow of their land after some fearfull and strange maner THe seuenth punishmeÌ„t the subuersion or ouerthrowing of their lands either by some opening of the earth or whether it happened by any other meanes as by floud or burning For this the Scripture doth not set downe after what manner it was but that this ouerthrow was wonderfull and horrible or fearefull and a manifest iudgement of GOD against the Israelites appeareth in this place by a double comparison to wit of Sodom and Gomorah and also of a fireband By the similitude of the fire brand he signifieth that all perished not but that some were saued albeit very hardlie Of this fearefull destruction of Sodom and Gomorah from whence the first comparison is taken Peter in his 2. Epist cap. 2. ver 6. sayth That God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorah into ashes condemned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly And agreeably vnto Peter doth Iude also teach that God his fearefull iudgement against Sodom and Gomorah ought to be a warning vnto all others to flee from sinne in the 7. verse of his Epistle As Sodom and Gomorah and the cities about them which in like manner as they did committed and followed straunge flesh are set forth for an ensample and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire The addition in the end of euery one of the punishments Furthermore it is to be noted what is added vnto all the punishments at the end of euery one of them yet ye haue not returned vnto me For this addition sheweth that the minde of the Israelites was not onely sluggish and careles in so great miseries and punishments as who were not herewithall stirred vp and moued but also that it was desperate and past recouerie in this idolatrie the which they would by no meanes cast off to returne vnto the true knowledge and worship of God by true repentance of minde And such are the punishments of obstinate or stubborne persons as appeareth Isai 5. ver 25. Therefore is the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people and he hath stretched out his hand vpon them and hath smitten them that the mountaines did tremble and their carkases were torne in the midst of the streetes and for all this his wrath was not turned away but his hand was stretched out still And in the Psal 32. ver 9.10 Dauid counselleth that we should not be without sense and feeling of our sinnes and as vnbridled colts runne on headlong in wickednesse least that we be curbed and bridled by God who hath many punishments for the vngodly Be not sayth he like an horse or like a mule which vnderstand not whose mouthes thou doest binde with bit and bridle least they come neere thee Many sorrowes shal come to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him Vers 12. Therefore thus will I doe vnto thee O Israel and because I will doe this vnto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel The conclusion of the place before going THe conclusion of the whole former place with an exhortation The conclusion is this namely that the punishments threatned ver 2. and 3. to the Israelites the Peeres and Nobles because of their sinnes before recited shall assuredly come to passe except they do earnestly repent There followeth therfore an earnest exhortation and a weightie and conceiued also in the name of God himselfe that they might auoyd these iudgemeÌ„ts of God so consequently whilest there is yet some time left goe against the fearefull wrath of God as it were to entreate him before hand and that by earnest repentance of minde Wherefore this verse hath these two especiall parts to wit a conclusion and an exhortation And this place sheweth what is the most certaine and readie way to turne the iudgements of God from our beads namely if we refraine from our sinnes and turne vnto God and vnto a better mind For by this meanes and conuersion or turning of our minde we do meet God euen running as it were vpon vs and being angrie with vs and doe finde him easie to be
lesse that the discourse of our speaking of them and reckoning of them vp can be exact and perfect as it ought to be So then this verse and that which followeth doe shewe wa t manner of marriage this spirituall marriage of God with vs is What maner of marriage that of God is with vs shewed by sundrie effects of the same and after what manner wee are to enter into it And this first verse teacheth what manner of marriage it is by the sundrie effects thereof of the which this is the first that this couenant and marriage is perpetuall and not for a time For albeit that sometime it seeme for a season to bee broken off yet it lasteth and indureth notwithstanding For God his election by Christ is vnuariable or vnchangeable 1. It is perpetuall as his good will and louing affection towards his Church cannot be chaunged or broken off by any meanes whatsoeuer as appeareth Rom. 8. in the end of the chapter Who shall separate vs sayth Paul most comfortably from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword In all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Secondly 2. It is most holie and constant in respect of God this selfe same marriage in respect of God is in righteousnesse and iudgement that is to say it is most holie and constant or stedfast For I take the word righteousnesse in this place for the things promises themselues wherein the bargaine and couenant of this marriage doth consist And all these are most holie and most iust to wit such as is this that we may haue the true God for our God that we may worship him and he on the other side will haue and take vs for his people For all these couenants are the substance of this marriage and doe containe truely most lawfull and most holie promises I take the word iudgement for the constancie and stedfastnesse of the former conditions or couenants For all these doth God for his part performe and stedfastly fulfill And in respect of our selues 3. It is in mercie and compassion in respect of our selues this selfe same marriage is in the bounteousnes and compassion of God towards vs that is to say it doth euery where shewe and declare the singular bounteousnes of God proceeding from his meere mercie and compassion So is it declared in the Psalme 85. And these things doe set out what manner of marriage our spirituall marriage with God is Vers 20. I wil euen marrie thee vnto me in faithfulnes and thou shalt know the Lord. How this marriage betweene God and vs is contracted NOw the Prophet teacheth how this same spirituall marriage is begun and contracted of vs with God namely in faith towards God alone and in the sincere and true knowledge of him And in deede they are the true Church and Spouse of God the which doe know God truly and that not after any sort whatsoeuer but out of his word written So doe I in this place vnderstand this verbe Thou shalt know by Rom. 10. ver 14. where inuocation or calling vpon God is sayd to come by faith and faith by hearing and hearing by preaching c. And it is not sufficient or enough to know God out of his word written but faith also must be had in him whereby wee may with all our heart rest in his promises through Christ and depend or hang vpon him alone But here faith went before knowledge Faith going before knowledge and how because that in the holie Scriptures oftentimes the effects are wont to be rehearsed before the causes as being better knowne vnto vs but yet in the order of causes knowing or knowledge goeth before faith Vers 21. And in that day I will heare sayth the Lord I will eueâ— heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth Why certaine earthly blessings are here againe repeated LIke as in the verses before the Prophet repeated or rehearsed againe some spirituall blessings to the end that he might beate them the more and more into our heads and shewe that they were diligently to be considered and weighed of vs so doth he here also repeate or rehearse againe and set downe certaine earthly benefites both that they might assuredly perswade themselues in the penurie and want of all things that yet notwithstanding these should come and that they should be giuen them of God and also that they might vnderstand by what meanes and after what sort so great store and plentie of good things as was promised before ver 19. might be powred out vpon them And this selfe same is of force to confirme and strengthen vs also in the promises of God how greatly soeuer we are to struggle and wrastle with a desperate estate of all things Three things to be noted But here are three things to be noted The one the time In that day that is at that time in the which God shall gather his Church of the remnants of Israel 1. The time and not forthwith or at such time as they peraduenture might thinke that it should come to passe the impatiencie of their mindes pressing them 2. Who promiseth The second who promiseth these things that is Iehouah that is to say he that is the true God true of his word and almightie whose will nothing can withstand The third 3. What he promiseth what he promiseth to wit a most readie and most certaine way whereby great plentie and store of all things and earthly blessings shall insue and followe For the Lord God shall heare the heauens and the heauens the earth and on the contrary side great scarcitie and want of all things happeneth when as the heauen is of brasse and the earth of yron Deut. 28. that is to say the temperature and disposition of the heauen is not answerable nor agreeable vnto the earth that it may bring forth her fruites and God giueth not the euening and morning rayne Iam. 5. ver 7. The which the godly husbandman with long patience looketh for at the hands of God For Behold sayth Iames the husbandman wayteth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and latter rayne And so doth Zacharie teach them to begge the same of God for the increasing of the fruites of the earth cap. 10. ver 1. saying Aske you of the Lord rayne in the time of the latter rayne so shall the Lord make white cloudes and giue you showres of rayne and to euery one grasse in the field How God is sayd to heare the heauen But God is
licentiousnes or ouer great libertie of vices The first of these is a most exceeding great heate and violent sway of al vices the which boyleth vp Of their great earnestnes in committing all kind of sinnes and heateth in the breasts of these men as a most hote furnace And surely experience of things teacheth this to be most true that nothing can be seene more wanton then the manners of these once forlorne Nobles nothing more malapert then their lust nothing more shamelesse then their boldnes and finally nothing more hote and earnest then their desires be they neuer so vniust and vnlawfull in such sort forsooth doe they abuse the height and glorie of their authoritie and dignitie as if there ought to be no let vnto them nothing to hinder their wishings and as if all things were to be at their becke and commaund Therefore whatsoeuer enterprise they would haue effected be it neuer so shamefull filthie vngodly and vniust they thinke it lawfull to bring it to passe and therefore in all their actions their desire of bringing the same about and of putting them in practise boyleth and seetheth as it were a most hote and fierie furnace 2 Of their eating vp the Kings treasures and ouerthrowing of the state The second effect is that these same wicked Courtiers doe consume their Iudges that is both their Kings and also their Princes whome they ought to maintaine increase For partly they emptie and draw drie the treasuries of their Princes whome they haue at their owne commaund and doe robbe and spoile the same craftily getting and stealing the Kings coyne into their owne handes and partly they doe ouerturne and in the end destroy their Princes and their most florishing estate with those their wicked counsels The which thing to be most true both the historie of all ages and also this time of ours will most euidently and clearely witnesse For the Nobles and these lewd and bad Courtiers doe in the end bring their Lords and masters into such narrow straights for money and other matters through their most wicked vices counsels charges and priuie whisperings that their Kings themselues can not afterwards winde out againe from this pouertie but lie ouerwhelmed in the same and perish therein at the last with their kingdome 3 Of their driving away of all feare of God and godimes out of the harts of their kings and rulers The third effect that by the meanes of these Nobles and badde Courtiers all feare of God and godlines is in such sort shaken off from the Kings that when as they perish they call not vpon God as namely beeing vtterly vnmindefull and forgetfull of him the which is great vngodlines vnto the which notwithstanding those Princes are drawne which giue care vnto these lewd Courtiers or beare any fauour or liking towards them This because it hath appeared sufficiently in the Kings of Israel many of the which haue died naturally or bin slaine violently without the calling vpon of the true God there is no neede that it should be confirmed or prooued with any more examples But here out appeareth vnto what passe in the end that estate groweth of a kingdome or common-wealth wherein such Nobles and wicked Courtiers mockers of God can doe all things and haue the Kings at their becke and what manner of death and life that of their Kings themselues in such a state vseth for to be such namely as the death and life of Atheists or godlesse and most wicked persons accustomably is See the Psal 101. in the which Dauid maketh protestation that he will purge his Court and kingdome of such bad members And Psal 75. he complaineth of the like growing of thinges out of square through the badde practises of such kinde of persons and sheweth that he will be carefull to bring things vnto a better course and that hee was not tongue-tied at such abuses in the wicked in these wordes The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolued but I will establish the pillers of it I said vnto the foolish Be not so follish and to the wicked Lift not vp the horne And there is an old saying and a true concerning those Courts where such wicked Courtiers beare all the rule and sway Let him get him out of the Court which hath a desire to be godly Vers 8. Ephraim hath mixt himselfe among the people Ephram is as a cake on the hearth not turned The conclusion describing their vngodlines and the iudgements of God bent against them for the same THe Conclusion wherein is described the vngodlines of these men and the iudgements of God against them declared Their vngodlines in this that Ephraim hath mixed himselfe with the Heathen and such people as are altogether Idolatours both in making marriages with them by the which they became more corrupt and also in other things leagues traffiques and entring into societies or fellowships all which things by the lawe of God they were forbiddē for to do So thē here in this place Ephraim is shewed to haue become vtterly Heathenish and so consequently that Israel whome God had chosen and culled out as a peculiar people vnto himselfe and had commanded by Moses to be holy and to remaine pure and seuered from the vncleannes of the infidels And so much the more sharnefull and vnexcusable the sinne of this people appeareth nowe for to be and their rebellion the greater The word Ephraim albeit by consequent it may signifie the whole people of Israel yet properly and chiefly in this place it is here taken for the Nobles For their ruine and fall doth shewe and drawe with it the miserie and destruction of the whole people the which was afterwards to ensue And this was one vngodlines of the Israelitish Nobilitie as the fountaine and originall of al their wickednes and corruption to wit their common mingling of themselues and their societie or fellowship with vncircumcised people For godlines was then vtterly exstinct or put out among them Now followeth and is described their punishment to wit these selfe same both Nobles and people 2 Their punishment for the same shall be most pleasantly deuoured and eaten vp of these Heathen vnto whome they a dioyne themselues as if they were some fine and daintie cake the which is wont to be baked onely on one side that it may be the more pleasant in eating For such iunkets spice cakes and such like other daintrels are wont to be baked but on one side and not on both sides Therefore looke howe greedily those cakes are eaten vp by the guests so sweetly is the whole cuntry of the Israelites eaten vp that is to say consumed wasted pilled deuoured of the infidell people with whome they mingle themselues That which euen at this day also appeareth to be true in those common-wealths and godly kingdomes the which draw and seeke vnto themselues forraine helpes and aydes especially of Infidels For in the ende they are vtterly consumed
be done with these kings of theirs They also shal be cut off and that in a moment of time and with a light arme or very easily to wit in such sort as the fome arising vpon the waters ceaseth to be vanisheth away and is smitten off And verely where as it is said A man is but a bubble euen the same appertaineth vnto kings also and therefore Esay giueth this counsel cap. 2. ver 22. saying Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nostrels for wherein is he to be esteemed And we haue seene immediatly before out of the Psal 62. That the chiefe men are but vanitie and lies and Kings are as easily throwne downe by GOD as other men For Psal 76. ver 12. Dauid affirmeth That God shall cut off the spirite of Princes he is terrible to the kings of the earth and therefore are they as easily cast down from their seates by God and also slaine of him as are any other men in like manner Vers 8. The high places also of Auen shall be destroyed euen the sinne Israel the thorne and the thistle shal grow vpon their altars and they shall say to the mountaines Couer vs and to the hils Fall vpon vs. The fourth amplification of the punishment to come THe fourth amplification of the punishment to come taken from the places them selues into the which it shal breake For not only the idols themselues shal be destroied and the kings also but the places in like manner in the which the idols were worshipped in the land in that kingdome of Israel as are their idol-temples high places altars and such other like places Surely all colour of escaping the iudgement of God must be taken away from idolators because that they imagine and forge vnto them selues infinite exceptions and defences against it Furthermore al thinges must needes be rooted out and taken away the which haue serued to the hurting and dishonouring of the maiestie of God as appeareth by the 40. chap. of Esay ver 19 20. But the place cap. 30 ver 22. is a great deale more plaine for this purpose as I take it where God derideth the vanitie of men in sparing for no cost charges and labour in making of idols which in their foolish opinion should not be mooued but stande sure for euer whereas a little after he sheweth that both these and al that put their trust in them when the Lorde shall once blowe vpon them shall wither and the whirlewinde shall take them away as stubble Wherefore the ouerthrow of the places which haue beene dedicated to the worship of idols is here fore-told and the same signified to be most lamentable and reprochful setting downe the cause hereof to wit for that they were the very sinne of Israel that is the sinne of idolatrie was contained in those places wherewith the Israelites and the same ten tribes did chiefly offend of God and prouoked him against them aboue the rest of their sinnes For there was not onely idolatrie among those ten tribes but other offences also reigned there as we haue seene but God was more angred with their idolatrie then with their other sinnes whereof it commeth to passe that these words euen the sinne of Israel being set down by a parenthesis and put in the same case with that which went before What Parenthesis is see Oseas cap. 8. v. 2. are of very great force and weight Againe the whole ruine of these places is threatned and not in some part and as I haue said it is threatned to be full of reproch and shame For the briars and thornes and other like bad weedes which are heaths of desert places and vnpleasant shall come vp and growe vpon their ruinated and broken downe altars So Esay cap. 5. ver 6. God threatneth that he will lay his vineyard wast that it shall not be cut nor digged but briars thornes shal grow vp in it And c. 7. v. 24. he sheweth that the whole land shall in his anger be so ouergrowne with thē that it shal become as it were a wildernes and a couert for al wilde and hurtfull beastes that a man except he be well armed shal not be able to passe there but with danger of his life and therefore he saith With arrowes and with bowe shall one come thither because all the land shall be bryars and thornes Furthermore this selfe same punishment shal be ful of horrour and sudden feare like to make them runne madde withall to wit because it shal be vnlooked for of the idolators The punishmēt shal be ful of wonderfull suddaine feare Wherefore they shal be so awhaped and tremble at the same casting downe and ouerthrowing of their altars that they shal preferre death before life and they shal be ouertaken with so great terrour and sorrowe of minde that they shal say vnto the mountaines Couer vs and vnto the hils Fal vpon vs. This phrase and kinde of speaking doth Christ repeate Luc. 23. ver 30. and the like is Esay 2. ver 19. when as he describeth or setteth forth the exceeding trembling and dismaying of minde that shal come to passe the which men shal conceiue of the vnlooked for and sudden iudgements of God against them and when as he sheweth that they shal not be safe in any place So when Dauid wil signifie his desire to haue his enemies brought vnto that plight that they shal be so feared as that they shal not know what counsel to take nor which way to turne them selues he praieth against them Psal 35. ver 6. after this manner Let their way be darke and slipperie and let the Angel of the Lorde persecute them Vers 9. O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah there they stoode the battell in Gibeah against the children of iniquitie did not touch them The rendring of a reason why they shall be so grieuously punished THe rendring of a reason why God wil so grieuously punish thē to wit because that of olde they haue begunne to sinne against God and haue not since that time repented although they haue bin admonished or warned by the most manifest iudgements and threatnings of God And here is a very long time rehearsed wherein the Israelites liued most wickedly and against the commaundements of God namely from the daies in the which the Gabaonites or Gibeonites committed that most shameful villanie the which is reported Iudg. 19. This selfe same fact was called before cap. 9. ver 9. a most exquisite rare or passing wickednes or most deepe corruption Doubtles it appeareth by this place that the same historie is very auncient and that the Gibeonites sinned in that sort straight after that they were by Iosua brought into the promised lande and inioyed the possession thereof quietly that is to say so great a benefite of God and the same so very lately bestowed vpon them For that which is there reported I iudge to haue fallen out before the
Concerning this their estate and God his then mercy towards them conferre this place with that of the Psam 81. vers 6 7. where wee finde it thus I haue withdrawen his shoulder from the burthen and his handes haue left the pots Thou calledst in affliction and I deliuered thee and answered thee in the secret of the thunder And with Exod. 20. vers 2. where God himselfe putteth them in minde both of their former condition and of his deliuerance speaking to them in this wise I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now this was a most large and plentifull testimony or witnes of his loue in that he brought the selfe same tribes out of Egypt hauing now adopted or chosen them vnto his sonnes Which myracle and worke of God is most knowen This place applied vnto Christ. But Math. cap. 2. ver 15. applieth this same vnto Christ whom God the father for a time led aside into Egypt because of the persecution of Herod In the which it is true that the couenant of GOD with the Iewes at that time seemed to bee vtterly broken off when as GOD because of their vnthankfulnesse withdrewe his sonne out of the whole countrey of Israell and then it seemed to bee againe restored when as afterward hee called the selfe same his sonne backe againe into the same land of Israel But as I sayd Matthew applyeth these things vnto Christ because that the same thing was to be fulfilled in the head the which figuratiuely and in a shadow was done in the whole body Vers 2. They called them but they went thus from them they sacrificed vnto Baalim and burnt incense to images An amplification of the former benefit THe first amplification of the former benefite of GOD by the contrary that is by the contrary stubbornnes of this people who had receiued so great a benefite from God For albeit they were most often put in minde hereof by the Prophets to acknowledge the same yet for all that did they not acknowledge God or consecrate and giue themselues vnto him nay the more diligently they were called backe vnto this duetie so much the more disobediently they departed from him and forsaking the same true God their benefactor did cleaue both vnto Baalims and vnto their images This is the summe of the amplification 2 Things here to be noted But there are two things here to be noted The one to wit that God was not contented once or to haue bestowed one benefit only vpon the Israelites 1 The bestowing and continuing of benefits vpon them wherwith notwithstanding he called them as it were from death vnto life but also continued them afterwarde For he raised vp vnto them and gaue them continually Prophets and his seruants the which might put them in minde of their duety towards God And so God promiseth by Moses Deut. 18. vers 15. That he will rayse vp vnto them a Prophet like vnto him from among them euen of their brethren vnto whom they should hearken And Act. 7. vers 37. this is againe confirmed by the Martyr Steuen And likewise Zach. 1. 2 That thereby they are not bettered but waxe worse worse The other poynt to be noted is that the Israelites all this notwithstanding became the harder and the worse departed the farther and the more from God by how much they were called back more neerely and often vnto him the which no doubt is a shew a note of desperate or vnrecouerable and past and all hope disobedience and stubbornnes of minde Vers 3. I led Ephraim also as one should beare them in his armes but they knew not that I healed them The second amplification of the same benefite THe second amplification of the same benefite taken from the place but the person onely by whome they were admonished or warned is here changed For in the verse before he speaketh of the Prophets but in this place of God The Israelites therefore despised not onely the Prophets of God but also God himselfe teaching them and diuerse waies going about to bring them into the way againe Nay moreouer that which is a signe of brasen-faced shamelesnes and vnamendable rebellion against God the more earnestly they were by God brought into the way and called back from idols the more egerly and hotly did they worship those their idols and embraced them the more straightly and sweetly in their armes and bosomes Finally they neuer acknowledged themselues to haue bin relieued by God in their greatest afflictions for here he compareth afflictions vnto most grieuous diseases and resembleth the deliuerance from those afflictions vnto the healing and medicine of a griefe but such was the obstinate and stubborne malice of their minde and their vncurable idolatrie they attributed all benefites all deliuerances of theirs vnto their idols as vnto the authors of them and for this cause sacrificed vnto them This place especially concerneth the enemies of God his people but generally all such as doe imitate them in the like sinnes and not vnto the true God as hath bin shewed before cap. 4. ver 14.8 ver 11. And of this complaineth God against them by the Prophet Ioel cap. 3. ver 5. after this manner Ye haue taken my siluer and my golde and haue caried into your temples my goodly and pleasant things Vers 4. I led them with cordes of a man euen with the bands of loue and I was to them as he that taketh off the yoke from their iawes and I layde the meate vnto them The third amplification of the former benefite THe third amplification of the same benefite described before And it is taken from the entire or earnest and most louing affection of God himselfe For there could not any thing be done more kindly vnto the Israelites then it which then was done by God vnto them neither could there any thing be performed more louingly vnto them For God witnesseth that at that time he drewe and brought forth the Israelites by al those waies and meanes whereby any thing is done or bestowed vpon any man heartily louingly and friendly For he defended them against the Egyptians egerly pursuing after them he fed them with meate from heauen by the space of 40. yeares he kept their garments whole and sound in the wildernes he saued them harmlesse from wilde beastes he led them in all their whole iourney with great carefulnes by a fierie pillar by night and by a cloude by day And thus much doth Moses testifie of God in his song Deuter. 32. ver 10 11. when hee saith He found him in the lande of the wildernes in a wast roaring wildernes he led him about he taught him and kept him as the apple of his eye As an egele stirreth vp her nest fluttereth ouer her birds stretcheth out her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone led him
passe of that former vice to wit pride of minde And this is one of the vices that Ezechiel cap. 16. ver 49. reckoneth vp in the Sodomites as the ground of many others as may appeare Beholde this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome pride fulnes of bread and abundance of idlenes was in her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hand of the poore For when as men doe challenge or attribute vnto themselues those things which they haue receiued of God then doe they robbe God of his prayse and in the ende forget him For at the last as Habacuc speaketh they sacrifice vnto their net and not vnto God cap. 1. Vers 7. And I will be vnto them as a very lyon and as a Leopard in the way of Asshur The threatning of a punishment against the Israelites THe threatning of a punishment the which shall be layde vpon the Israelites by God because of that their vnthankfulnes and consequently vpon all those which slide and departe from the true worship of God vnto idolatrie I will be vnto them saith God as a Lyon and that an olde Lyon For so doe I translate those verbes by the future tense But as concerning Lyons Plinius out of Polybius lib. 8. Natural Histor. cap. 16. writeth That they when they bee olde doe greatly lust after men because that strength faileth them now to pursue and follow after wilde beasts The Nature of an old Lyon Wherefore it is not without emphasis or force that God bringeth the similitude of a lyon especially of an olde lyon that is one that is more cruell vnto men that he may the more terrifie and feare the Israelites and all Idolators The Lord addeth I will be vnto them as a Leopard in their waies and iourneyes For I will lie in wayte for them and marke whither they goe and which way that I may set vpon them teare them and slay them vpon the sodaine and priuily before they be aware as the Leopard vseth for to doe The Leopard And to this purpose doth the prophet Ieremie vse the similitude of a Leopard cap. 5. ver 6. where he sayth A Leopard shall watch ouer their cities euery one that goeth out thence shall be torne in peeces because their trespasses are many and their rebellions are increased And Plinius lib. 10. Natur. Histor cap. 34. See Aelianus likewise lib. 2. de histor Animal where hee sayth That the Leopard in taking of his pray is farre more subtill and crafty then the Ape And by this double similitude which God bringeth we vnderstand that God wil not deale with them by open force onely but also as by lying in wayt that is to say that he will steale vpon Idolators vpon the sodaine when they thinke vpon no such matter that he may punish both them most sharply because of their vnthankfulnes towards him also these their such blasphemous superstitions And therefore Psalm 2. ver 12. the Psalmist exhorteth that they yeeld and submit themselues vnto Christ least that vengeance and destruction come sodainly vpon them before they thinke on it Kisse the sonne sayth he least he be angry and yee perish in the waye when his wrath shall sodaynely burne Vers 8. I will meete them as a Beare that is robbed of her whelpes and I will breake the kal of their heart and there will I deuour them like a Lyon the wilde beast shall teare them An amplification of the same punishment by a double similitude AN amplification of the same punishment For God by a double similitude painteth out the grieuousnes thereof that Idolators and men hardened in their sinnes at the length might be moued and repent by some meanes at the horror or terriblenes of so great a punishment Moreouer I translate all these verbes by the future tense I wil meet I wil teare I wil deuour that they may shew containe a punishment to come and not already past The Lord therefore sayth I will meete them as a Beare robbed of her whelpes at which time she is already of her selfe a fierce and cruel beast and becommeth most furious eager See AElianus de Histor Animal lib. 5. cap. 14. This similitude Hushai 2 Sam. 17. ver 8. vseth of Dauid vnto Absalon to signifie the fiercenes of him and his men in reuenging the iniurie offered them by Absalon Thou knowest sayd Hushai thy father and his men that they be strong men and are chafed in minde as a Beare robbed of her whelpes in the field Finally as a Lyon saith the Lord yea as a great Lyon and most strong I wil teare them and rent them and deuour their kall or bowels that is to say I will deale most cruelly against them to wit for God himselfe doth expound this in this verse by sending most cruell beasts in vpon them the which at the commaundement and appointment of God shall execute all these things by tearing the Israelites in the wayes and by lying in waite for them and deuouring them in their iourneyes To be shorte wilde and cruel beastes are often in the Scriptures reckoned vp among those foure horrible and fearefull plagues with the which God punisheth wicked men Ezech. 5. ver 17. God sayth vnto the Iewes So will I send vpon you famine and euill beasts and they shall spoyle thee and pestilence and blood shall passe through thee and I wil bring the sword vpon thee I the Lord haue spoken it And cap. 14.21 For thus sayth the Lord God How much more when I send my foure sore iudgments vpon Ierusalem euen the sword and famine and the noysome beaste and pestilence to destroy man and beast out of it Vers 9. O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in me is thine helpe The figure Epiphonema what it is see Ionas cap. 2. vers 9. THe figure Epiphonema or acclamation wherein both the cause is shewed of so great miseries the which shall fall out vnto the Israelites and all this notwithstanding there is here also painted out the compassion of God toward this nation perishing in their owne wickednes And this speech of the Prophet consisteth vpon sentences opposite or cōtrary one to another by the which the matter it selfe is made the playner And briefly by this meanes the iustice of God is cleared from all cauilling and false accusation and men are shewed in trueth to bee the cause of their owne destruction Therefore that which Augustine sayth is most true O man it is of thine owne that thou art vnto thy selfe a diuel and author of death but it commeth from GOD that thou art saued So then this course of thy wicked life hath destroyed thee ô Israel For that hath brought thee into these miseries because it hath prouoked the anger and iust iudgement of God against thee wherewith thou art vndone and in the end shalt vtterly fall and be destroyed So Deut. 33. ver 27. wherefore the vngodly and rebels doe pull vpon their owne heads
the punishments wherewith they are punished and that through their owne fault and willingly Hereof commeth that Paradoxe or strange opinion in shew of Chrysostom but otherwise indeede most true No man is hurt but of himselfe For in trueth men are causes vnto themselues of death and of punishments That which the prophane or heathen Greeke Poet I meane Homer lib. 1. Odyss doth teach very well But our helpe and our saluation is from God onely And so doe the godly confesse and say Psalm 124. ver 8. Our helpe is in the name of the Lorde which hath made heauen and earth Wherefore I translate the worde ki but that this sentence following but in me is thine helpe may bee opposite or contrary vnto that which went before to wit one that is thy wickednes hath destroyed thee and may make it playne by the aduersatiue particle but Vers 10. I am where is thy King that should helpe thee in all thy cities and thy Iudges of whom thou saydst giue me a King and Princes A twofold reason of the former sentence A Rendring of a reason of the former Epiphonema or acclamation and sentence and the same twofolde The one direct as I may so tearme it the which is taken from the nature of God The other indirect 1. Direct the which is drawen from the remouing or taking away of that same chiefe ayde the which the Israelites had chosen vnto themselues 2 Indirect to wit their king and Princes in whom they trusted very much So then the first reason briefly indeed but yet plainely sheweth that God is neuer the author of death destruction or perdition vnto any For he is he which is of himselfe and who of himselfe can only be the cause of life The Lord therefore sayth I will be and I am So Exod. 3. ver 14. God declareth that his power whereby all things are and haue their being and are vpholden by the selfesame word to wit I am He is then wherefore properly he cannot be the cause of not being vnto any thing And this is the proper nature of GOD and the first reason the which I called direct The latter reason refuteth all other foundations and groundes of their owne helpe saluation and deliuerance sought out by them selues that is which the Israelites through the great error of their minde had inuented and deuised vnto themselues And these doth God remoue and take away that men may learne to stay vpon God alone But here in this verse is but one of their grounds rehearsed namely the kings and princes vpon whom the Israelites at that time leaned more then vpon others see before cap. 3. vers 4. that by the figure Synecdoche the Prophet may comprehend the rest What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos cap. 5. ver 21. and by a reason from the greater vnto the lesse shewe that they shall be vnprofitable vnto them The Israelites therefore desired for themselues a King and Princes to raigne ouer them by a perpetual succession the which after the manner of other Princes should haue the superioritie and rule ouer them should order their bottels and defend them from forraine enemies as if there were not ayde enough in those iudges the which God for the time raysed vp vnto them that is to say they did put more trust in mortall men then in the one and eternall God and seeke for more ayde and helpe at their hand then they did from God And therefore 1 Sam. cap. 8. ver 20. being wearie of their iudges they make answer vnto him Nay but there shall be a king ouer vs and we also will be like all other nations and our King shall iudge vs and goe out before vs and fight our battailes But this thing displeased Samuel as appeareth before in the same chapter ver 6. When they said Giue vs a King to iudge vs and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord. And it hath a great vehemencie and force and a bitter mocking of them in that God here asketh them Where is now their King and these deliuerers whom they so greatly desired vnto themselues as if they should alwaies be safe vnder them So Esai 57. ver 13. God mocketh the idolators saying When thou criest let them that thou hast gathered together deliuer thee but the winde shall take them all away vanitie shall pull them away but he that trusteth in me shall inherit the land and shall possesse mine holy mountaine Vers 11. I gaue thee a King in mine anger and I tooke him away in my wrath A Confirmation of the former sentence whereby God will remoue and take away A confirmation of the former sentence and dooth remoue and take away that ayde and helpe which the Israelites did put in their Kings and Princes And it is taken from the euent or issue and falling out of matters the which was daylie to bee seene most lamentable among them and contrarie vnto that confidence and trust that the Israelites had in their Kinges and Princes For it was a thing which was before the eyes of all men to wit that God did giue remoue take away often and daily not onely according to the pleasure of his minde but also in his furie and hot wrath and anger those Kings and Princes in whom these Israelites and all idolators doe so greatlie trust Isidorus lib. 3. cap. 4. de summo Bono Moueth this question A question When as the Apostle saith There is no power but from God how saith the Lord of the rule and Princedome of some They shall reigne but not by me and afterward by the same Prophet I will giue them a King in my wrath As if he should say not from mee being well pleased but from mee being angrie with them Answer Whereby plainly appeareth that both the good power and also the euill power is of GOD but the good power or gouernour hee giueth when hee is pleased the euill when hee is displeased with vs. So then God giueth and taketh Princes as he pleaseth because that he is the King of Kinges and Lord of Lords who of his mere and absolute power and full right and authoritie giueth all the kingdomes of the world to whome he will and gouerneth and ordereth them by whom he will And therefore the Prophet Isay saith of God cap. 40. ver 23. He bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the iudges of the earth as vanitie And hereun to agreeth the Psalmist Psalm 76. ver 12. speaking of God thus He shall cut off the spirite of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth See more to this purpose Dan. 3. Thus far then kingdomes and Kinges doe defend vs How far Kings can help or not help vs. can doe some thing are of force and power as God will haue them to be of force and our fortresses But when as hee decreeth that they shall be of no strength they bring vs no helpe or ayde at all Further God pronounceth or
and from this place begin the exceeding great promises and graces of God by Christ towards those that are his wherein consisteth the shutting vp or end of all the old prophesies Therefore in all the rest of this whole chapter are reckoned vp sundrie kinds of the gifts of God towards the godly And first of all those which goe first in the order of nature that the rest may bee giuen and added And to the end that we may haue God appeased with vs 1. For giuenes of sinnes the forgiuenes of our sinnes is the first in order of all God his benefites For so long as he remaineth offended with vs so long can we hope for no good thing from him albeit by nature he be neuer so bounteous For Isai 59. ver 2. he sayth vnto them Your iniquities haue separated between you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare And Paul Rom. 5. ver 1. sheweth that there is no peace between God and our consciences vntill we haue the forgiuenes of our sinnes sealed vp by faith in our hearts that in Christ before him we be accepted for righteous Then being iustified by faith sayth he we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Againe ver 9 10. Much more then being now iustified by his bloud wee shall be saued from wrath through him For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life And this forgiuenes of sinnes here in this place is described by a Metaphor taken from the curing of wounds I will cure What the figure Metaphora is see Amos cap. 4 ver 12. or heale their turning away or rebellion sayth the Lord and their offences be they neuer so grieuous and hainous such as is that their turning away or rebellion whilest men forsake God and cleaue vnto Idols Further euery sinne is a disease and wound of the minde and the greater that the sinne is so much the more greatly is our mind sick also Therefore when as God of his only free grace forgiueth vs our sinnes he then doubtlesse healeth our wounds but our spirituall wounds And so Dauid speaketh saying of God Psal 147. ver 3. He healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their sores And after that God for his owne sake hath done away our sinnes 2. The loue of God towards vs. he beginneth for to loue vs to wit for that he doth in Iesus Christ his only begotten Sonne acknowledge vs to bee pure and vnblameable For his righteousnesse doth hide clothe and couer vs Ephe. 1. And this loue of God is his second benefite toward vs. For the good will and loue of God followeth the forgiuenes of our sinnes and this second benefite commeth in order vnto that former but not contrarie wise that is God first forgiueth our sinnes and then loueth vs and not first loueth vs and afterwards forgiueth our sinnes And God loueth vs of his owne accord not for any deseruing of ours or for any excellencie of our nature or for any our vertues but freelie and because he will Lastly is added the third benefite so verely God doth heape benefites vpon benefites towards those that are his 3. His anger is turned away from vs. to wit his anger is turned away from vs so that now he thinketh not to punish vs but mindeth and purposeth to doe vs good For where the anger of God is there also is punishment where God is appeased and fauourable there floweth and is felt good will and euery kind of good thing as appeareth by the verses following Vers 5. I will be as the dewe vnto Israel he shall grow as the lillie and fasten his rootes as the trees of Lebanon A Staying still in the same matter For other benefites of God are reckoned vp towards the godly the which doe followe after those former And here first of all in this verse and that which followeth is rehearsed the multiplying of their seede 4. Multiplying of their seede and fructifying or increasing of the nation This promise was a token vnto the fathers of the spirituall grace of God and of that same blessed seede the which was as yet then for to come to wit it was an earnest or pledge confirmation and signe of Christ Deuter. 28. Further the same is promised vnder diuers similitudes and that nothing here spoken should seeme to be impossible because of the miseries and troubles the which should fall out in this people in the first place that is set downe the which may take all such difficulties or doubts out of the mind of men 1. The similitude of dewe To wit that God himselfe and the blessing of God shal be like vnto a dew wherwith this nation being sprinckled shall spring and increase exceedingly how fewe soeuer shall be left aliue in it For the earth being moystened with the dew of heauen and with the showers of God and also plants and trees being watred with raine doe bring foorth both their seede and also their flower So the writer vnto the Hebrews cap. 6. ver 7. sayth that the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth herbes meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God And so the Psalmist Psal 65. ver 9. speaketh of the fructifying of the earth by God his watring blessing of it in these words Thou visistest the earth and waterest it thou makest it very rich c. Wherefore when as God promiseth that he through his fauour wil performe to this people and seede left be it neuer so small the same thing the which the dewe giueth vnto herbes and trees no man may doubt but that out of those remnants an innumerable people may come and also shall come I will be a dew vnto Israel sayth the Lord. Whereof shall come to passe that Israel shall flourish and spring as a Lillie and shall spred his rootes as Lebanon that is to say as the trees of the mountaine Lebanus the which are most high and tall 2. The similitude of the trees of Lebanus And looke how trees are lifted vp with their tops vnto heauen so much doe they go downward with their root into the deepe of the earth that is to say so much the greater rootes doe they send foorth whereby they may be vpholden as Virgil teacheth and that truely lib. 4. Aeneid Therefore it shall come to passe that the rootes of this nation albeit neuer so short when as it shall be conuerted vnto God shall be most broad and wide stretch out themselues euery way and on euery side 3. The similitude of the Lillie Concerning the Lillie flower how pleasant and sweete he is vnto vs the common consent of all men doth teach as also for that of the most naturall Philosophers his flower which is somewhat broad is
Bel. Iudaic. cap. 18. So then henceforth or hereafter it shall neither bee destroyed as before and when as it shall be inhabited it shall not be dwelt in with feare Psal 121. Psal 144. because God shall defend it vnder the shadowe of his wings But this boldnes and safetie is rather to bee vnderstood spiritually then carnally as Paul teacheth Rom. 8. in the end of the chapter For as concerning men it hath been sayd vnto the godly Ye shall alwayes suffer trouble in this world Vers 12. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all people that haue fought against Ierusalem their flesh shall consume away though they stand vpon their feete and their eyes shal consume in their holes and their tongue shall consume in their mouth Why the Church shall dwel in safetie THe rendring of a reason of the former exposition For this cause shall the Church be inhabited in safetie because God shal strike the enemies thereof yea and that all of them with a very great and fearfull plague And not onely the men themselues but also the beasts that serued those men to aâ—â—â—â—â— and trouble the Church of God ver 15. Here therefore is threatned destruction vnto the enemies of the Church and the same most grieuous but yet vpon causes and naturall diseases And this verse containeth three things Three parts of this verse First the author of the plague and he is the true God Iehouah saith the Prophet shal smite them Secondly who shal be smitten namely 1. Who shall plague the enemies of the Church al people which haue fought against the church of God Lastly with what plague or punishment they shall bee smitten to wit with a fearfull plague but yet such a one the which shall not be done and bee altogether after an extraordinarie or miraculous maner 2. Who shall be smitten but such as with the which many are wont to dye They shall therefore pine away in their bodie yea and in their whole bodie 3. With what plague they shall be smitten the which these words flesh eyes and tongue doe signifie also very quickly to wit standing on their feete and with most bitter paines For a consumption is a most lamentable and most hard kind of death and which other men doe most greatly abhorre and lothe There are examples in Antiochus the Noble 1. Machah 6. Ioseph lib 12. Antiquit cap. 11. In King Herod Act. 12. In the Emperour Maximinus Eusâ—b lib. 8. hist Ecclesiast cap. 5. 16. In the Heretike Nestorius Theodor. lib. 2. Euagrius lib. 1. hist cap. 17. Vers 13. But in that day agreat tumult of the Lord shall be among them and euery one shall take the hand of his neighbour and his hand shall risâ— vp against the hand of his neighbour An extraordinarie iudgemeÌ„t of God vpoÌ„ the enemies of his Church A Threatning of the sayd iudgement of God against the enemies of the Church but extraordinarily and altogether miraculouslie to wit for that the selfe same enemies of the Church shall both be taken with a panical or distraughtfull kinde of sudden feare as they call it and also shall murther one another so that God shall destroy them by themselues Hereof wee haue examples in the Scriptures as Iudg. 7. ver 22. in the Madianites murthering one an other comming to fight against the Israelites and likewise 1. Sam. 14. ver 15.20 of a sudden feare sent by God vpon the armie of the Philistims by meanes whereof they fell one vpon another and slew each other and Christ hath foretold the like Matth. 24. ver 7. the which things also haue been since Christ yea and in our time to wit when as people which haue persecuted the Church of God haue afterward with mutuall warres and battels within themselues slaine one another and haue been most pitifull spectacles of this prophesie vnto the whole woâ—â—â— The which examples if the world our historie â—riters haue not marked their câ—relesâ—es doubtles is very great yet neuerthelesse do the examples hereof appeare in the Kings of Syria and of Egypt who after they haue afflicted the Church haue in like maner destroyed themselues Or Vers 14. And Iudah shall fight also * For Ierusalem A confirmatioÌ„ of the helpe of God against the enemies of the Church taken against Ierusalem and the arme of all the heathen shall bee gathered round about with gold and siluer and great abundance of apparel AN amplification or confirmation of the former helpe of God in the destroying of the enemies of his Church taken from the maner of the same and from the effects 1. From the maner of this help The maner is for that Iudah himselfe shall fight for Ierusalem and not against Ierusalem as some doe expound it And this doth signifie that the godly and such as are trulie faithfull shall with great courage and cheeâ—efulnes of minde fight for the defence of the glorie of God against the armed enemies of the same So the godlie are sayd Heb. 11. ver 34. by armes to haue conquered hosts of men and not only by praiers that by this place we may vnderstand the foolish Anabaptists to be soundly refuted or ouerthrowne who holde it vnlawfull to take armes or to make warres The effect of this help of God is declared in these wordes 2. From the effect of the same The riches of the nations neere at hand â—ound about shall bee gathered in Jerusalem namely gold and siluer and their apparrell for a spoyle taken from those enemies the which the godly shall haue vnto themselues God giuing it them Therefore the church shall plentifully and aboundantly be enriched with the spoyles of their enemies God in such sort defending it as of olde in times past he made them wealthie with the spoyles of the Egyptians Vers 15. Yet this shall bee the plague of the horse of the Mule of the Camel and of the Asse God his iudement against the bruite beastes which serued against the church What the figure Synecdoche is see Amoâ— cap. 5. ver 21. Three things to be noted and of all the beastes that bee in these tentes as this plague ANother part of Gods iudgement namely against the bruite beastes themselues and by the figure Syneedoche against all the instruments and furniture of the enemies of the Church which haue serued them whilest they afflicted the Church For they also shall be punished by the hand of GOD and with the same plague that the men themselues were punished and not onely one kinde of beastes as Horses or Mules but all which serued their turne Horses Mules Camels Asses 1. All things fighting against the glorie of God displease him and finallie of what sort soeuer they be whether they serued the enemies of the Church ordinarilie or extraordinarilie they shall be punished and smitten by the hand of God Wherefore this place teacheth three things first that not onely men indued
repent 845. destruction threatned vnto them 819 the Iewes are put in feare by other mens example 829. their affliction and deliverance 642 the Iewes punished for afflicting Gods Church 1091 the commendations of Iohn Baptist 2136 all Infants guiltie 488 Insecta what they are 745 Ioel. 60. his stocke 744. the time wherein he prophesied 743. his life and death 78 Ionas the first canonicall Prophet 205. he succeeded Elizeus 53 Ionas the true Arion of the Poets 107 Ionas threatneth destruction vnto Ninivie 688. vttereth his owne sinne 99 what Ionas did in the whales belly 182 Ionas his praier 183. his rebellion 91. his stocke 88. his miraculous deliuerance 110 Iosephus 687 three kinds of Ioy. 703 Isaias bare-footed 71 Israel is called an emptie vine 487 the Israelites were sinners of olde 520. rebelled against God a long time 497. serued Idols aboue 2. hundred yeares 362 God calleth dumb creatures to be witnes against the Israelites 656 what caused the Israelites to sinne against God so grieuously 504 the Israelites ascribe the cause of their benefit to other and not to God 358 the Israelites punishment for conteÌ„ning God 454 the Israelites in their captiuitie retained no seale of Gods couenaÌ„t 348 the Israelites riotous life described 238. their falling away froÌ„ their kingdome from the worship of God and from the Priesthoode 457. their superstition 244. their vnthankfulnes 435. their stubbornnes past recouerie 381. their incest crueltie and couetousnes 222 the dutie of Iudges 621 the kingdome of Iudah neuer restored to its former glory 597 the greatnes and certentie of Gods Iudgements 830 the Iudgements of God vpon his Church ought especially to be regarded 588 we are Iustified through Christ before God 854 K HOw farre Kings may helpe or not helpe vs. 552 L HE Laboureth in vaine that despiseth God 40 the doctrine of the Lawe twofold 501 the end of the first and second table of the Lawe 430 destruction followeth the loue of Lying 608 Losses stirre vp men to call on God 96 casting of Lots in what cases vsed 98. Gods providence appeareth in them ibid. the Loue of God towarde wicked men 823 effects of Gods Loue. 1000 M CEremonies restored by the Machabees 1082. whence the Machabees had their name 107 Magistrates called watchmen 672 the life and death of Malachy 81 Man is but a bubble 495. the cause of his owne destruction 549. by nature easily drawen to Idolatry 435 Markes bounds not to be remooved 416. a curse against them which do so ibid. how the Mariage betweene God vs is contracted 369 368 a promise of Messias to come 1128 his office 1129 Micheas later then Isaias and the time of his prophesie 576. his life and death 75 the highest degree of Miserie 741 Musicke in it selfe very lawfull 284 N NAhum prophesied of the ruine of Assyria 59. 688. the time wherein he lived 687. his life and death 79 It is a great commodity to have a good Neighbour 584. we ought to performe iudgement mercie vnto our neighbours 529. the maners of Noble men once forlorne become most wantoÌ„ 445 O OBadiah his calling is from God 858 when Oseas begaÌ„ to prophesie 340 why he is placed first among the small prophets 338. his life and death 75. he is commanded to marry a common harlot 341 P THE comfort of the Penitent 778 the People sinne after the manner of the princes 434 436 Philanthropeia what it is 510 the Philistines cruelty 211. there punishment 212 the office of the Priests and Levites 1123 why the Priests wete called Camarim or Chemerims 493 the state of the Priesthood described in Iosuah 940 The covetousnesse of Priests 112 Gods iudgements upon deceitfull Priests 1121 Princes should be examples of well doing 611 Princes reprehended 259 spirituall Promises 787 what Prophesie is generally 5 Prophesie of two sortes 10 Prophesie defined by Paul 19 Prophesie of greater vse then the gift of tongues 20. hath two endes 12. the instrumeÌ„tal cause of Prophesie 9 Prophesie vseth onely the mother tongue 20 divers names given to Prophets 3 God alwaies raised vp Prophets to put the Israelites in mind of their dutie 338 the excellencie of the bookes of the Prophets 13 the signification of the Prophets names out of Isidorus 83 how the writings of the godly Prophets have bene gathered 63 Rules to be obserued in expounding the Prophets 69 the signification of the Prophets names 82 the order of the Prophets in the Hebrew 82 in what age each Prophet lived 45 48 when the Prophets of the old Testament ceased 41. when the new ceased 43. when the true prophets of God began and ended 38. notes of true and godly Prophets 34 Gods Prophets shall prophesie whether they will or no that forbidde them 600 Prophets of the Gentiles 9 false Prophets are called Prophets 3 a description of false Prophets 605 false Prophets in three respects 35 titles given to false Prophets by the holy ghost 475 tokens of false Prophets 1086 why God suffereth the heathen Prophets to fore-tell some things of Christ 23 Poligamie of the Iewes 11â—0 the Popish confessours 388 what is ment by the holy Pots of Iudah 1114 Postellus the canker of Christianitie 475 after what maner we sinne after the same God punisheth vs. 464 the end of the Punishments of God 759 Pyromancie 10 R REformation of life must begin at the true worship of God 274 Regeneration a benefit of God 849 a description of true Religion 1103 what true Repentance is 256. 266. it only can stand against the threatnings of God 240. 264. the fruit thereof 564. it is the gif of God 1067 what manner of Repentance ours ought to be 100 who they be that truly repent 912 the prayer of the Repentant conteineth two things 561 when God is angry Riches availe nothing 828. they are not alwaies tokens of Gods favour 531 S VVHat Sacrifice is acceptable to God 472 Samaria why so called 242. the destruction thereof with the cause of the same 558 the Sardians in reproch are called dog-cheape slaves 798 the hardnesse of Saving the godly 828 Scriptures are to be vnderstood literally and spiritually 831 bad Shepheards appointed by God 1063. a description thereof 1064 who are signified by the name of Sheepe 1050 what Silence is commanded 263 who should be Simple as doves 449 Sinne condemned by the light of nature 101. a cause of divorce betweene God and vs. 523 when Sinnes are said to cry vp into heauen 91. no helpe from God vntil our sinnes be pardoned 553 Sophonias â—0 his life and his death 80 Spaine like to be a whip to correct the sinnes of the professours of the Gospell 870 the Spainyards crueltie 874 the Soule is not begotten 1067 the Standing still of the sunne and Moone and the meaning thereof 893 good Successe in affaires perswadeth the wicked that their dealings are good 530 T THe feast of Tabernacles 1112 true Teachers murdered 1088 false Teachers loose their authoritie 1084 the punishment of loytring Teachers 386 why the godly must come to the Temple of God 625 the second Temple finished in the 6. yeare of Darius 899 Tentation which God vseth to his children bringeth forth patience 326 Theodosius his good successe 1030 Truth getteth hatred 618 the Turks crueltie 874 Tyrants breake the lawe of consanguinitie 213. punished 212 Titus Vespasian destroied IerusaleÌ„ 1092 V VIctorie is to be attributed to God and not to men 1074 Vision threefold 29 Visitation what it is 672 Vagodly hate the godly 476 the Vnthankfull first exalt themselues secondly forget God 546 W VVHoredome 390 goeth together with surfetting 442 Wickednes is set downe vnder the figure of a woman 968 the diuers practises of the Wicked and of the godly 594 the note of a Wise man in the midst of troubles 264 Wo what it doth signifie 278 the Worde of God ought to be the rule of our life 402 what a misery it is to WaÌ„t the word of God 319 Workes of themselues please not God 990 991 Z ZAcharias 63. talketh with an Angel 917. his office calling froÌ„ God 910. his life death 81 the time of the prophesie of Zophonias 16 FINIS