your trayterous and rebellious deuise of your heartes to reuolt wholye from my seruice to the Idoles of the Gentiles among whom you are But surely I will ouershwart you and though you doe make the Babilonians more fauourable to you I my selfe will bee your Aduersarie and by mightie hande and extremitie of punishment will force you whether you or no to acknowledge me your Lorde and god It shall not come to passe as you thinke that you shall * quietly serue stocks and stones with Idolators I wil not neglect fugitiue seruants as slacke maysters are woont to doe Seeing that I haue once taken you into my couenant I will by sharpe punishment And by my indignation powred out vpon you make you desirous and glad to come againe vnder my obedience I will bring you from the people and gather you out of the countrie c. God signifieth that he will not breake couenant with them but as he had promised by his Prophets so would he doe in deede that is he would bring them from among those Countries wherin they are scattred but in such sort as the godly only should haue comfort thereby and the wicked no cause at all to reioyce He threatneth to deale with them as he did with their fathers in the wildernesse of Egipt For in Egipt he declared his iustice by sundrie kindes of punishment When they murmured against God in the wyldernesse manye of them he consumed with fyre Num. 11. When Dathan and Abyram rose against Moses 250. perished with fyre and the residue the earth swalowed vp yea and the next day again 14000. and 700. were destroyed Num. 16. When they spake against Moyses at an other time a great nūber were slaine by Serpentes Num. 21. In this sort of iudgement God here Protesteth that he will deale with the wicked Israelites and by such meanes as it were cull out and purge away the obstinate and rebellious transgressours from the other so that they shall neuer enioy the lande of Israel agayne wyth comfort and quietnesse As their fathers which God brought out of Egipt because of their often Disobedience * neuer came into the lande of promise euen so the Prophet sayth those euill children that without repentance continued in their abhominations should neuer haue the quiet fruition of their Countrie againe Notwithstanding that for his promise sake he would deliuer bring home the Residue which eyther by teaching of his Prophets or by punishment or any other meanes did forsake their wycked wayes and turne againe to the obedience of his lawe As for you O house of Israel c. Go you and serue euery man his Idoles c. Forsomuch as they would not yeelde to obey God and to follow his law with scornefull reproch he biddeth them go on according to their owne fantasies wholy to serue euery man his Idoles and not to mixt withall the Title of his name and so distaine it By which wordes we may perceiue that God will not be matched with other but haue worship done wholy to himselfe Hovv long sayth Elias halte you on both sides If the Lorde be God follovv him If Baal go after him VVhat agreement can there be betvveene Christ and Belial saith Saint Paule And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs That vve cannot serue tvvo maysters We must therefore learne also to serue Christ wholy and not to mixt Idolatrous Superstition wyth the truth of his Gospell For vpon my holy hill euen vpon the high hill of Israel sayth the Lorde c. These wordes that follow may be literally vnderstanded of such of the Israelites brought out of Captiuitie as by manifold plages did repent and learne to worship God sincerely not after their owne deuises as they dyd before in their highe places but according to the prescript of Goddes worde And therefore being restored into their Countrie God signifieth their deuotion should be acceptable vnto him and all their Sacrifices pleasant And for somuch as the Prophets doe oftentymes breake out from thinges of present state in the worlde vnto the blessing to come in the promised seede and Sauiour this place maye also verye well be interpreted of the spirituall Israel that is the Church and people of God vnder Christ For by the Holy hill and highe mountayne of Israel or Sion is vnderstanded the Church because the Apostles were first sent from thence to preache the Gospell in all the worlde Of this hill speaketh Esay 2. cap. and Micheas 4 cap. The hill of the Lords house shall be prepared in the height of the mountaines and all Nations shall presse vnto him The * Sacrifices of Christians which are acceptable vnto God the * sacrifices which he wil require of them are earnest prayer thankesgyuing for his benefites the sacrifice memorial of the Lords supper * charitable reliefe of their poore brethren and their owne soules and bodies consecrated to his seruice In these will he delight and these shall be to him as A svvete sauour There shall you call to remembrance your owne wayes and all your workes c. The Repentant Iewes after Captiuitie shall call to remembrāce sayth the Prophet their owne naughtie wayes and workes against the lawe of God and with heauie harts being sorie and * ashamed of them shall acknowledge and * confesse that euen by their owne iudgements they were worthy by Gods iustice to haue bene cleane cut of from him and that it is of his onely mercie and goodnesse that he hath wrought otherwise And that for his owne names sake and for his owne glorie in performing his couenant he hath restored them into their Countrie againe In like maner christian men by the free mercies of God being deliuered from the captiuitie of Sinne Satan and Death and broughte home into holye Mount Sion the Church of God and heauenly Hierusalem doe call to remembrance their olde wickednesse and abhominations wherein they lyued to the dishonour of God and reproch of the worlde and therefore are * ashamed of them and * confesse in their harts that they were worthie of the wrath of God by perpetuall damnation to be cut from his presence And in that it is otherwise done that it proceedeth of the Riches of his goodnesse towarde mankynde layde out aboundantly vnto them in Christ Iesu our Sauiour The 18. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezech. 24. IN the ninth yeare in the tenth Moneth the tenth day of the Moneth came the worde of the Lorde vnto me saying 2 O thou sonne of man wryte thée the name of this daye yea euen of this present day for the king of Babylon set himselfe against Ierusalem this selfe same day 3 And shewe the rebellious house a Parable and speake vnto them thus sayth the Lord God Prepare a pot set it on and powre water into it 4 Gather the péeces thereof into it euery good péece the thigh and the shoulder
they are called to repentance But they giue themselues to banquetting and with manifest contempt of GOD encourage one an other to surfetting and dronkennesse and that with such obstinacie as though they beleeued there were no life after this Therefore will God bring both vpon people and gouernours wylde beastes of the fielde to deuour them that is cruell and Bloudie enimies that shall destroy them The. 4. sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning praier Esay 57. THe righteous perisheth and no man regardeth it in his heart good godly people are taken away and no man considereth it namely that the righteous is conueyed away from the wicked 2 He conuneth into peace and godly men rest in their chambers and before the godly man goeth peace 3 Come hither therefore ye charmers children ye sonnes of the adulterer and the whore 4 Wherein take ye your pleasure vpon whome gape ye with your mouth and bleare out your tongue Are yée not children of transgression and a féede of dissimulation 5 Ye make your fier vnder the Okes and vnder all gréene trées and ye offer children in the vallcis and dennes of stone 6 Thy part shall be with the stonie rockes by the riuer yea euen these shall be thy part for there thou hast poured meate and drinke offering vnto them shoulde I delight in that 7 Thou hast made thy bed vpon high mountaines thou wentest vp thither and there thou hast slame sacrifices 8 Behinde the doores and postes hast thou set vp thy remembrance when thou hadst discouered thy selfe to another than me when thou wentest vp and made thy bed wider and with those Idolles hast thou made a couenaunt and louedst their couches where thou sawest them 9. Thou wentest streight to kings with oyle and diuers oyntments that is thou hast sent thy messengers farre of and yet art thou fallen into the pitte 10 Thou art wearie for the multitude of thine owne wayes yet saydest thou neuer There is no hope thou hast had the life that thy handes wrought and therfore thou art carelesse 11 For whom wilt thou be abashed or feare séeing thou hast broken thy promise remembrest not me neither hast me in thine heart Thinkest thou that I also will holde my peace as aforetime that thou fearest me not 12 Yea verily I will declare thy goodnesse and thy workes but they shall not profite thee 13 When thou cryest let thy chosen heape deliuer thée but the winde shall blōwe them forth and vanitie shall take them all away neuerthelesse they that put their trust in me shall inherite the lande and haue my holy hill in possession 14. And therefore thus he sayth Make plaine make plaine and clense the streete take vp the stumbling blockes out of the way of my people 15 For thus sayeth the hie and excellent euen he that dwelleth in euerlastingnesse whose name is the holye one I dwell hie aboue and in the sanctuarie and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite doe I dwell that I may heale a troubled minde and a contrite heart 16 For I chide not euer and am not wroth without ende but the blasting goeth from me and is included in the body and I made the breath 17 I am wroth with him for his couetousnesse I smite him I hide 〈◊〉 and am angrie and he turneth himselfe and followeth the way of his owne heart 18 I haue séene his wayes and I heale him I leade him and restore to him comfort and to those that were sorie for him 19 I make the fruites of thankesgiuing that he may say Peace peace vnto them that are farre of and to them that are nie sayth the Lorde I make him whole 20 But the wicked are like the raging sea that can not rest whose water fometh with the mire and grauell 21 Euen so the wicked haue no peace sayth God. The Exposition vpon the .lvij. Chapter of Esay The righteous perisheth and no man regardeth it in his heart c. IN these two first verses the Prophet reprooueth the Negligence and dulnesse of the people in considering the worke of God that is when they see the good godly righteous men eyther cruelly slaine by Tyrannes or otherwise dying by common death they weigh not gods meaning and purpose nor vnderstande what therby is pretended to come vpon the worlde They thinke the wicked that liue longer and remaine after them are happier than they But God taketh them away that they may not beholde and be pertakers of those miseries and heauie plagues that he will bring vpon the wicked Beholde sayth God to good king Iosias thou shalt be conueyed to thy graue in peace that thine eies may not see all the euils that I vvill bring on this place The common sort thinke the death of the Godly is miserable but the Prophete here affirmeth that they departe from trouble and miserie of this life and go to Peace in that place where they rest in ease quietnesse as it were men in their Chambers safe from all trouble and daunger Blessed are they therfore that die in the Lorde for they rest from their labours but the wicked in their death are cursed for that the worme of their conscience neuer dyeth Come hither therefore ye Charmers children ye sonnes of the adulterer c. In a good part of this Chapter following the Prophete bitterly inueigheth agaynst the wicked that derided the worde of God and his Prophets and gaue themselues to witchcraft sorcery Idolatry and false worshipping of God * contrary to his lawe and holy woorde By Charmers children and Sonnes of Adulterers he vnderstandeth those that delighted in charming the spirituall whordome of superstition and Idolatrie VVho is it saith Esaias against vvhome you so take pleasure in iesting scoffing whom doe you mocke at whome is it that you gape with your mouthes lill out your tongues you thinke you doe this against me and such other the Preachers and Prophetes of God that he sendeth to call you from your wickednesse But I will you to vnderstand that they bee not agaynst vs but agaynst God that sent vs. * It is God that you contemne and mocke in vs It is God agaynst whome you gape and lyll out your tongues You will seeme to be the people of GOD but all thys reproch of your scorninges lyghteth vpon hym You wyll chalenge to be of hys Church and of the number of them that worshippe him and yet his worde and doctrine is it against which you shewe al this dispite You will seeme to be good and godly but you are in deede transgressors hypocrites and dissimulers giuing the name of Gods true worship to your superstition and Idolatrie You are not contented to followe the prescript of my holye worde commaunding you to sacrifice and doe worshippe to me before the * Arke in the Temple but you seeke straunge wayes of worshypping
God euen in the very point staieth him saying Lay not thy hande vpon the childe nowe I knowe that thou fearest God. In which words he sheweth also that the feare of God is the Roote of true obedience God knewe before that Abraham did feare him but by this maner of speaking the scripture gyueth vs to vnderstande that GOD doth not regarde the Shewe and pretence of hys feare and worship but the true * Practise of the same in deede that the world also may vnderstand the same and * glorifie God therein They are detestable to God that pretend to feare and worship him and doe not in deede but by hipocrisie and dissimulation Therfore doth he extoll here the Faith of Abraham that shewed so notable proofe therof And Abraham lifting vp his eyes looked and beholde there was c. God of his singuler prouidence by such meanes as his wisedome onely knoweth prepared this Ramme to be their vpon the sodaine to be offered in the place of Isaac And Abraham to make a solemne and perpetuall Memoriall not of his owne Doing but of gods Mercies chaungeth the name of the place calling it The Lorde will see to signifie that God is readie and at hande alwaye to His and seeth them in their distresse and neede And the Angell of the Lorde cryed to Abraham the seconde time c. Thys is the fruite of Abrahams fayth and obedience that by the Mouth of the Angell of God he hath Confirmed vnto him the great Blessings that God before had promised But for somuch as the reason why God doth here so blesse Abraham is added in thys wise Because thou hast done thys thing and hast not spared thy only sonne c. There may seeme two great Doubts to be moued First howe this may stande with the Free Promise of the same blessing made to Araham cap. 12. before he shewed this obedience Secondly because this part of the blessing In thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed doth appertain to the Spirituall and Heauenly blessing in the Sauiour of the world Christ Iesu It may seeme by the words that the same blessing did depēd vpon this Fact of Abraham so that if he had not this done that promise had not bene performed For he sayth Because thou hast done this thing c. and because thou hast heard my voyce But thys maye seeme verie absurde and repugnant to the Scriptures that the Sauing of the worlde by Christ should be graunted because of the Obedience of Abraham and not of the Free mercie of God. To these doubtes we must answere that with out exception these Promises were made and in dewe tyme performed of the free mercie of God and loue towarde not Abraham alone but all mankinde also not regarding their Worthinesse but his Owne goodnesse And when God sayth Because thou hast done this thing and because thou hast heard my voyce we must vnderstande that God for our imbecillitie and weake capacitie in heauenly matters speaketh in this place as he doth in manye other after the Maner of Men. For a man oftentimes hath a fauourable inclination to loue an other and that of his owne motion without any consideration of desert in the person and vpon the same loue towarde him doth freely promise him some good benefite and pleasure But when he seeth the good will of the partie towarde him againe he is greatly Delited therewith and the more he doth declare it by his readie seruice the more he is incensed to performe his Liberall Promise to him and to assure him of the same In the like maner doth God deale here with Abraham The principall Causes of these blessings and the Performance thereof are the Truth and Free mercie God as it maye appeare in that they were made to Abraham not onely * before he did this but before Isaac was borne The second cause that moueth God here to repeat them and to confirme Abraham in the assurance of them was his * Faith and obedience in this place declared After these thinges one tolde Abraham beholde Milcha she hath c. This may seeme straunge to the worldly Man that Abraham forsaking his countrie at the calling of Almightie GOD and hauing the promise of great increase of his seede at the length when he was an Hundred peares of age hath but One sonne and Nahor his brother who taried behinde and had no promise of God hath by that time a Number of children So the Blessings and Promises of God in this life seeme not to take such force but the vngodlye be more happie then they But the onely sonne of Abraham was not giuen by the Common Course of Nature as Nahors were but of the mightie Power of God aboue all Nature or reason and before the birth of the Child he had the Promises of gods blessings and the assured couenāt of God that he would be * His God and the God of his Seede which was a far greater Felicitie then the Multitude of Nahors children The second Sunday in Lent at Morning prayer Genesis 27. AND it came to passe that when Isahac wasxed olde and his eyes were dimme so that he could not see he called Esau his eldest sonne and sayee vnto him My sonne And he sayde vnto him Here am I. 2 And he sayde Beholde I am nowe olde and know not the day of my death 3. Now therefore take I pray thée thy weapons thy Quiuer and thy Bowe and get thée to the fielde that thou mayest take me some veneson 4 And make me well tasting meates such as I loue and bring it to me that I may eate that my soule may blesse thee before that I die 5 But Rebecca heard when Isahac spake to Esau his sonne And Esau went into the fielde to hunt veneson and to bring it 6 And Rebecca spake vnto Iacob hir sonne saying Beholde I haue hearde thy father talking with Esau thy brother and saying 7 Bring me veneson and make me daintie meate that I may eate and blesse thée before the Lord afore my death 6 Now therefore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I commaunde thée 9 Get thée to the flocke and bring me thence two good kiddes from the goates and I will make of them pleasant meates for thy father such as he loueth 10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father that he may eate and that he may blesse thée before his death 11 Then sayde Iacob to Rebecca his mother Beholde Esau my brother is a hearie man and I am smooth 12 My father shal peraduenture féele me and I shall séeme vnto him as though I went about to beguile him and so shal I bring a cursse vpon me and not a blessing 13 And his mother sayde vnto him Vpon me be the cursse my 〈◊〉 onely heare my voyce and go and fetch me them 14 And Iacob went and fet them and brought them to his mother and his mother made
Carnall affection and loue towarde his elder Sonne hee sought to Transfer the blessing of God heritage of preheminence in the couenant of God vnto him Wherein he might seeme to ouerthwart the Election of God which coulde not be done without some offence and therefore GOD did suffer him to be Deluded by his Wife and Childe And yet this humaine affection in Isaac was ioyned with a constant fayth in the fauor of God wherby he beleeued that aswel himself as other Patriarks were ordeined y good instruments of God by their blessings to denounce and declare the Heritage and Succession of the Couenant of God made to Abraham and his Seede And Rebecca spake vnto Iacob her sonne saying beholde I haue heard c. Moses here declareth by what Craft the blessing was transferred to Iacob from Esau And truely this dealing of Rebecca is not without blame For albeit she could not rule her husbande and Cause him to yeelde to the declared purpose of God in preferring Iacob the yonger brother yet shoulde she not haue vsed so vncomely and vnlawfull meanes to worke the thing by Counterfeyting and Vntruth If she * knewe as she did in deede that it was the Immutable purpose electiō of God She should haue paciently looked and haue abidden vntill God had wrought it by such waies as he thought good if she could not by any godly perswasiō haue brought it to passe But such Frailetie God often in his Saintes of his great mercie pardoneth when it is not done of Malicious minde and purpose as surely it was not in Rebecca but of a desire by some meanes or other to bring that to effect which she knewe was the will of God. Then saide Iacob to Rebecca his mother Beholde Esau my brother c. Iacob did to easily yeelde to his Mothers perswasion and as in his words he shewed that he feared his father and was lothe to enter his displeasure so he shoulde haue feared GOD much more and Considered what a blemishe it was to purchase his blessing by Coūterfayting vntruth For although he respected a right ende that is to attaine that which was the * promise of God yet by Such meanes he should not haue done it Then saide Isaac vnto Iacob come neere and I will feele thee my sonne c. Isaac did suspect that he was abused therefore Tryeth the matter by all meanes he can But it pleased God to dull hys senses partly to shewe that Man laboureth in * vaine to ouerthwart hys Purpose that which he is determined to haue partly that by this maner of correction he might punishe and Chastice his Immoderate affection towarde Esau his elder sonne God giue thee of the dewe of heauen of the fatnesse of the earth c. Vnder these worldly blessings the auncient fathers conteined the Heauēly promises Albeit they be not vitered so Plainly as they haue bene sence in the time of the Gospell For Gods will was to deale with thē vnder tipes * and figures of worldly things And therefore the lande of Chanaan and the Fertilitie thereof is a tipe of the heauenly and euerlasting Felicitie with God and the Subiection of enemies doth signifie the Conquest and ouerthrowe of our Spirituall enimies to whome we were thrall and in daunger When Esau hearde the wordes of his father he cried alowde c. A man might think that Gods mercy would haue bene mooued with this * heauie and sorrowful complaynt of Esau for the losse of his fathers blessing but it is euident that this lamentation did not proceede of a Sound fayth and true Repentance but rather of a prowde minde and of a Desperate furie and rage as it maye appeare by the Hatred that he protested and by the bitter wordes greeuous Threatnings that after he vsed against hys brother Manacing that after his fathers death he would assuredlye kill him And of what affection he was and howe smally he esteemed his birth right and the felicitie that might come thereof he declared when he Solde the same to Iacob his brother for a messe of wortes And she called Iacob her yonger sonne saide vnto him thy brother c. The blessing that Isaac had giuen to his yonger sonne might seeme of Small force seing he was brought euen nowe presently into so great Feare to be Slaine by hys brother and this was vndoubtedly no small temptation and trouble to the minde of Rebecca that she sawe her sonne whome she so tenderly loued by her Fact to be brought in daunger of Present death But yet did she and her son so much esteeme this Blessing that rather then they woulde yeelde it vp to Esau to haue his fauour he was Contented to go into voluntarie Banishment and she to forgo the Presence and Companie of her sonne that she so much esteemed By this example in Iacob we must learne to take paciently if after the hope of Gods blessing and of his fauour * immediatly the Crosse of affliction do followe and not for the trouble and daunger of the worlde to forgoe the sweete promises of God. Neyther must we seeke to purchase the quietnesse of thys lyfe with the Losse of Goddes Heauenly Blessing The second Sunday in Lent at Euening praier Genesis 34. DIna the daughter of Lea which she bare vnto Iacob went out to sée the daughters of the lande 2 Whom when Sichem the sonne of Hemor the Heuite Lord of the countrie sawe he tooke her and laye with her and defiled her 3 And his heart laye vnto Dina the daughter of Iacob and he loued that damsell and spake kindely vnto her 4 And Sichem spake vnto his father Hemor saying Get me this maiden vnto my wife 5 And Iacob heard that he had defiled Dina his daughter his sonnes being with their cattle in the fielde and Iacob helde his peace vntill they were come 6 And Hemor the father of Sichem went out vnto Iacob to commune with him 7 And when the sonnes of Iacob comming out of the fielde heard it it grieued them and they were not a little wroth bicause he had wrought folly in Israel in that he had lyen with Iacobs daughter which thing ought not to be done 8 And Hemor communed with them saying The soule of my sonne Sichem lōgeth for your daughter I pray you geue her him to wyfe 9 And make maryages wyth vs and giue your daughters vnto vs and take our daughters vnto you 10 And ye shall dwell with vs and the lande shall be before you dwell and doe your businesse therein and haue possessions therein 11 And Sichem sayde vnto her father and vnto her brethren Let me finde grace in your eies and whatsoeuer ye appoint me that wyll I geue 12 Aske fréely of me both dowrie and giftes and I wyll giue according as ye saye vnto me so that ye geue me the damsell to wyfe 13 But the sonnes of
Malice towards him but God vsed their Malice for the instrument of his glorie And God was with Ioseph and he became a luckie man continuing in the c. By this example in Ioseph we haue to learne that God oftentimes Suffereth those that he loueth most deerely and by whome he will set foorth the Glorie of his name to be cast unto * Trouble and Affliction But yet he is so carefull for them that he doth not onely Stay the power of the wicked towarde them but also worketh them Grace Fauour and Credite euen with Heathens and vngodly persons such as this Putifer the Egyptian and the keeper of the prison were So that vnder his * very Enimies he doth preserue hys elect and chosen Ioseph was nowe become a Bondeman and afterwarde is made a Prisoner and yet God increaseth him with his blessings Whereby we may vnderstande that God hath a loue and care of his thoughe they be neuer so base so simple and so Miserable in the worlde And the Lorde blessed the Egiptians house for Iosephs sake c. God for his electes sake doth not onely oftentimes Spare the godlesse and Wicked Persons but also * blesseth them with increase of worldly benefites by that meanes to asswage their furious and Tyrannicall spirites towarde them that they may liue in more Quiet and comfort vnderneath them And after this his master wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph and saide c. Nowe falleth out a newe temptation to Ioseph by his masters wife through which he was cast into greater trouble then euer he was before In Putifars wife yo haue y example of a wicked and Adulterous woman who although she had a Noble man to her husband that honoured and loued her yet of a sinnefull and shamelesse nature being a Woman Woeth this godly yongman her own Seruant and entiseth hym to horrible Aduterie moued onely therevnto by the good giftes and blessings of God as well in the Bodie as in the minde of Ioseph And in thys her diuelish purpose gyueth not ouer by sundrie repulses but with impudent Obstinâ—â—â— contrarie to the nature of Womanhead contynueth in the same euen to the vsing of Violence to the yong man And when she sawe his Constancie to be such as by no way shée could winne him with shamelesse Malice to cloke and colour her owne wickednesse as the * maner of such persons is she accuseth hym to her husband that he would haue Rauished her and by that occasion caused him to be cast into prison In Iosepth you haue the example as wel of a faithful seruant as of a Chast yong man hauing the feare of God before hys eyes For albeit he were vnmaried in the Heate of yong yeares and prouoked by his Ladie and Maistres at sundrie times watching fitte occasions of secreasie for so lewde a purpose yet could he neuer be wonne to yeelde to such vnthankfull Villanie toward his Maister of whome he had bene intertayned with so great fauour Yea and when by the Malice of the woman the matter was brought to extremitie he rather chose bothe to * leese the Fauour and credite wyth his maister and to abide all Miserie Imprisonment yea and Death also then any way to haue his Conscience touched with so Fowle a sinne before God. And Iosephs maister tooke him and put him in prison in the place c. This was great Lightnesse and rashenesse in Putifar eyther by the blinde Rage of Ielousie or by Immoderate affection and Credite toward his lewde wife without iust and further Examination to condemne a seruant whom he had of long time Tried so Faithfull and profitable and in whome he had seene the euident tokens of Gods Fauour and assistance in all his doings But the Lorde was with Ioseph c. and gotte him fauour with c. God neuer leaueth his but in the * deepest afflictions is with them and procureth them reliefe The thirde Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Genesis 42. ANd Iacob seyng that there was corne in Egypt said vnto hys sonnes Why gape ye one vpon another 2 And he sayde Beholde I haue heard that there is corne in Egypt get you downe thyther and bye vs corne from thence that we may lyue and not dye 3 So went Iosephes ten brethren downe to bye corne in Egypt 4 But Beniamin Iosephs brother would not Iacob sende with his other brethren for he sayde Lest peraduenture destruction come vpon him 5 And the sonnes of Israel came to bye corne among other that came for there was dearth in the lande of Chanaan 6 And Ioseph was gouernour in the lande solde to all the people of the lande And Iosephes brethren came and bowed themselues with their faces downe to the ground before him 7 When Ioseph sawe his brethren he knewe them and made hymselfe straunge vnto them and spake roughly vnto them saying Whence come ye They answered Out of the lande of Chanaan to bye vittayle 8 And Ioseph knewe his brethren but they knewe not him 9 And Ioseph remembred his dreames which he dreamed of them and saide vnto them Ye are spies and to sée where the lande is weake is your comming 10 And they saide vnto him Nay my Lorde but to bye vittayle thy seruantes are come 11 We are all one mans sonnes and meane truely and thy seruantes are no spies 12 And he sayd vnto them againe Nay but to sée where the lande is weake is your comming 13 And they saide We thy seruants are twelue brethren the sonnes of one man in the lande of Chanaan and behold the yongest is this day with our father and one no man weteth where he is 14 And Ioseph sayde vnto them That is it that I spake vnto you when I sayde Ye are spies 15 Hereby ye shall be proued by the lyfe of Pharao ye shall not go hence except your yongest brother come hither 16 Send out one of you which may fet your brother and ye shall be kept in prison that your wordes may be proued whether there be any truth in you or else by the lyfe of Pharaoye are but spies 17 And he put them altogither in warde thrée daies 18 And Ioseph sayd vnto them the thirde day This doe and liue for I feare God. 19 If you be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison and go ye carie corne to put avvay the famine from your housholde 20 But bring your yongest brother vnto me and so shall your wordes be tried true and ye shall not die And they did so 21 And one sayde to another We haue verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therfore is this trouble come vpon vs. 22 And Ruben answered them saying Saw I not vnto you that you should not sinne against the laâ— and ye would not heare and sée
this shal be a signe vnto thée that shall come vpon thy two sonnes Hophni and Phinehes in one day they shall dye both 35 And I will stirre vp a faithfull priest that shal doe according to my heart and minde and I will builde him a sure house and he shall walke before mine annoynted for euer 36 And all that are lest in thine house shall come and crouche to him for a péece of siluer and a morsell of breade and shall say Put me I pray thée in one office or other among the priestes that I may eate a morsell of bread The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of .1 Samuel And Hanna prayed and sayd My hart reioyceth in the Lord â–ª c. THis Hanna the wife of Helcana as is mentioned in the 1. Chapiter of this boke hauing bene long Baraine without childe to hir great reproch griefe of minde at the last through earnest praier obtained of god hir sonne Samuel and by hir vow dedicated him to the Seruice of god Wherefore in this chapiter stirred by the motion of Gods holie Spirit shee yeldeth most hartie thankes and praises to God for the same And albeit this be the chiefe purpose of Her speache yet in the vehemencie of her spirite she breaketh out to greater matter exceeding lie extolleth the mightye Power of God in other things also My hearte saieth she reioyseth whiche before was wrung with sorowe my Horne that is my strength and glory is now extolled which before was ouerthrowen in shame and reproche my Mouth is now free which erst was stopped with heauinesse and I reioyce not in mine owne strength or doyng but in the saluation of the Lorde The Lord our God is onlie Holie and of almightie Power and my gladnes in him is not vaine Therfore you wicked ones cease to Breath out the pride and arrogancie of your hartes his knowledge is infinite his power is exceding great is hable to bring to passe whatsoeuer he will haue done He ouerthroweth the mightie and breaketh their strength and power he setteth vp the afflicted and troubled persons compasseth them with his strength and assistance The riche that did feede at full he bringeth to pouertie and neede Suche as were oppressed with hunger he bringeth to greate plentie The baraine he maketh mother of manie children and such as had plentie of children he maketh baraine Yea the Lord killeth and bringeth euen from Deathes doore to Life againe The riche he pulleth downe out of his Glory and lifteth vp the poore from lowe estate euen to the dignitie of Princes The Stedinesse of the earth is in his handes and he caused it and hath placed all the other elements about it as it were their foundation whereon they rested The feete of his Saintes that is all their Workes Studies Indeuours and CouÌ„sailes he prospereth but the wicked he causeth to perishe in the darke cloudes of affliction All the enemies of God that set themselues against him and his truth with his mightie power he will from Heauen ouerthrowe and especiallie when he hath giueÌ„ his Kingdome to his anoynted Messias Sauiour that is to come But the sonnes of Helie were Children of Belial and knew not the Lord. c. Children of Beliall are dissolute loose young men giuen ouer to wickednesse and not staied or bridled with the feare God such the Sonnes of Helie are here described to be Contemners of God and of his holie ordinances Couetous Cruell Proude Gluttenous They were not Contented with those portions that the Lorde had assigned them Exodus 29. Num. 18. Leuit. 7. But by violence and extortion tooke from men what they lusted Which dealing caused the people to lothe the Sacrifices of God. So great a mischiefe is it if the Ministers of Gods Religion doe wickedly abuse to their gaine the Sacramentes of God or not deale in them with comelie Reuerence for the reproche of the Sacramentes tende to the dishonour of God. Howe greuous this offence of the Sonnes of Helie was in the sight of God it doth afterward appeare There might seme to be great blame in the Magistrates that seyng this outragious contempt of God and his Lawes would not seeke to Redresse the same But the Childe Samuel Ministred before the Lorde girded with c. To Minister before the Lorde is to Minister in the seruice of god Ephod was a little linneÌ„ garment from the shoulders downe toward the middle which the Leuites also vsed in the seruice of the Temple But the Ephod which the Priest wore was of another sorte and was made of Golde blewe Silke Purple Scarlet White twined sylke with brodered worke Exod. 28. Elie was verie olde and hearde all that his sonnes did vnto Israel and. c. Helie for age was not hable to execute the office of the Priest himselfe and therfore committed it vnto his sonnes who fouly abused it to gods dishonor and great offence of his people The women that are mentioned to haue wayted at the doore of the Tabernacle eyther came thither to be purified or to helpe forward the holie ministerie and by these wicked Priests were eyther by corruption allured to adulterie or by violence rauished And he said vnto them Why do ye such thinges for of all these people c. He should sharply haue rebuked them yea and with further punishement haue put them from the holie Ministerie as such persons that dishonoured the seruice of God but as a negligent man in Gods cause and a coâ—kering â—ather toward his children he reproueth them â—oldly sayde only that he Heard euil report of them and therfore they being now acustomed to their wicked doings were nothing amended therby When one hâ—rteth an other man he offendeth God but by Mediaâ—â—on but when he trespasseth in matter of Religion and holinesse he offendeth God Immediatly As touching these woordes that bee added They hearkened not to their father Bicause the Lord would slay them It maye seeme repugnant to that God speaketh by Ezec. cap. 18. As sure as I liue I vvill not the death of a sinner c. And in Esay cap. 28. God mynding to punishe the people saith that he wil do A strange work a strange act that is suche an one as vsually doth not belong vnto him Howe then doth he say here that Hee will slay them For answere herevnto we must know That God is not the directe Authoure of Deathe either of the soule or of the body For Deathe came in by sinne Rom. 5. Sinne was wrought by Satan father both of sinne Death and therefore is he iustly called of Sainct Iohn A manqueller Therefore when God punisheth or killeth he may well be saide to do A strange work and such a thing as in his simple reuealed will he doth not delite in S. Augustine noteth two kinds of VVill in God y one Simplex
that is his single Directe Will the other Retribuens that is his Requiting Wil wherby he killeth and punisheth For as in hys single and directe will he would not haue sinne so would he not haue the punishmēt of sinne but is Driuen vnto it by the impenitent synners that of his iustice he must needes giue them the reward of that wickednesse which he would not haue And therfore in his Simple and Reuealed will for the loue he beareth to mankinde he is grieued to see man cast him selfe into the daunger therof When God in Ezechiel saith I wil not the death of a sinner We must further vnderstād that there are two sorts of sinners The penitente and the Impenitent sinner God of his mercie * will not the death of the Penitente sinner although he haue iustly deserued it This Wil is so Firme Sure Resolute that he bindeth it with an oth saying As sure as I liue The Impenitent sinner of his iustice he must will punish by Death both of body and soule And such were the sonnes of Helie of whome here it is spoken There came a man vnto Hely and said vnto him thus saith the lord c. Now God sendeth his messenger to Helie to declare vnto him as well the grieuousnesse of his sonnes offēces cōtinued by his Slacknes as also the Great punishment that shuld come vnto him for the same The Men of God are all they which being lightned with the Spirite of God declare his wil vnto his people Some of which be ordinarie Ministers in the Church of God and so doth Paule cal Timothie The man of God Some ar extraordinarie for some peculiar purposes of greate importance as this messenger in this place was but who it was by name the Scripture expresseth not And here wee may learne that when the ordinarie ministerie is corrupted and regardeth not the worde of God The Holie Ghost rayseth vp other extraordinarie to reproue them Examples hereof we haue in the Prophets and in Christ and his Apostles The Prophets and messengers of God alway vse this preface Thus sayth the Lorde wherby as Ambassadors from God they declare their Commission and that they mynd to vtter nothing but that wherof they haue warrant from God himselfe Ambassadors may not goe beyond their Commission nor the Messengers of God beyond his reuealed will. In this Message the Prophet first putteth Helie in mynde of the singular benefit that God gaue to his ancesters appointing the priesthood to remaine to that familie thereby the more to amplifie his vnthankfull negligence Then hee layeth before him his offence and trespasse done against God that for to benefite and pleasure his lewde Children he suffered the Sacrifice and true worshin of God not only to be abused or dishonored but to be brought to vtter Contempt and as it were trodē vnder foote and the harts of the people alienated from it Lastly he declareth his punishmente that God repenteth him of that priuiledge that he had giuen to hys familie and would take the same frō him that there should neuer be old man in his house but should dye as soone as they came to mans state bicause he so negligently abused the reuerend authoritie of his age That he should see that is That his posteritie should see his enimie and one that he did enuie in the house of the Lorde and that in the time of Salomon when the people of God had greatest prosperitie That they of his flocke should come to extreame pouertie and neede And in assurance that all these things in their due time should come to passe he giueth him this vnpleasant token that his two sonnes should Die both in one day This maye bee a terrible example to all Parentes Princes and Magistrates that by their slacknesse and remisse gouernemente suffer corruption of Gods true worship and wickednesse of life to encrease in their children or subiects for lacke of Seueritie and iust Punishment This punishmente of taking away the priesthoode from the house of Helie God doth not presently execute but differreth it vntill the reigne of Salomon when Sadoc was placed in Abiathars roome 3. Reg 2. In the meane time God of hys mercie gaue time to his posteritie to repente The .14 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ieremie Cap. 5. LOke thorough Hierusalem beholde and sée féeke thorough hir stréetes also within if ye can finde one man that doth equall and righte or seeketh for the truth and I shall spare that Citie saith the Lord. 2 For though they can saye The Lorde liueth yet they sweare to deceiue 3 Wheras thou O Lord lookest only vpon faith and truth Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentance thou hast corrected them for amendement but they refused thy correction they made their faces harder than a stone and would not amend 4 Therefore I thought in my selfe Peraduenture they are so simple and foolish that they vnderstand nothing of the Lords way and iudgements of their God. 5 Therefore will I go vnto their heads and rulers and talke with them if they know the way of the Lorde and iudgements of their God But these in like manner haue broken the yoke and burst the bondes in sunder 6 Wherefore a Lion out of the wood hath hurte them and a woolfe in the euening shall destroy them the Leopard doth lye lurking by their cities to teare in péeces all them that come therout for their offences are multiplied and their departing away is encreased 7 Shoulde I then for all this haue mercie vpon thée Thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no Gods and albeit that I fedde them to the full yet they fall to adulterie and haunt harlots houses 8 In the desire of vncleanely lust they are become lyke the stoned horse euery man neygheth at hys neighbours wife 9 Should I not correct this saith the Lorde shoulde I not be auenged of euery people that is like vnto this 10 Climbe vp vpon their walles beate them downe and destroy them not vtterly take away their battlements bycause they are not the Lords 11 For vnfaithfully hath the house of Israel and Iuda forsaken me sayth the Lord. 12 They haue denied the Lorde and sayde It is not hee that looketh vppon vs tush there shal no misfortune come vppon vs we shall sée neither sword nor hunger 13 As for the warning of the prophets it is but wynd yea there is not the word of God in them such things shall happen vnto themselues 14 Wherefore thus saith the lorde God of hostes Bicause ye speak such words behold y words that are in thy mouth will I turne to fire make the people to be wood that the fire may cōsume them 15 Lo I wil bring a people vpon you frō farre O house of Israel saith the Lord a mightie people an old people a people whose speach thou knowest not neither vnderstandest what
they saye 16 Their arrowes are sodain death yea they themselues be very Giants 17 This people shall eate vp thy fruite thy meat yea they shal deuoure thy sonnes thy daughters thy shepe thy bullocks they shal eat vp thy grapes figgs As for thy strong wel defensed cities wherin thou diddest trust they shal bring to pouertie that through the sworde 18 Neuerthelesse I wil not theÌ„ haue done with you saith the Lord. 19 But if they say Wherfore doth the lorde our God al this vnto vs Then answer them Bicause y lyke as ye haue forsaken me serued straÌ„ge gods in your laÌ„d euen so shal ye serue straÌ„gers out of your land 20 Preache this vnto the house of Iacob crie it out in Iuda and saye thus 21 Heare this thou foolish vndiscrete people Ye haue eies but ye sée not eares haue ye but ye heare not 22 Feare ye not me saith the lord will ye not tremble at my presence which bynd the sea with the sand by a coÌ„tinual decrée so that it caÌ„not passe his boundes for though it rage yet can it do nothing though the waues therof do â—wel yet may they not go ouer 23 But this people hath a false obstinat heart they are departed gone away froÌ„ me 24 They thinke not in their hearts O let vs feare the lord our God who giueth vs rain early late when néed is which kepeth euer stil the haruest for vs yerely 25 Neuertheles your misdéeds haue turned these froÌ„ you your sinnes haue robbed you of good thin ges 26 For amoÌ„g my people are found wicked persons y priuily lay snares wait for meÌ„ to take them destroy theÌ„ 27 And lyke as a net is full of birdes so are their houses full of that whiche they haue gotten with falshood and deceipt Hereof commeth their great substance and riches 28 Hereof are they fatte and wealthye and are more mischeuous than any other they minister not the lawe they make no ende of the fatherlesse cause yea and they prosper yet they iudge not the poore according to equitie 29 Shoulde I not punish these things sayeth the Lorde should not I be auenged of all suche people as these be 30 Horrible and gréeuous things are done in the lande 31 The Prophetes teache falsly and the preachers receiue gifts and my people hath pleasure therin what will come thereof at the laste The Exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Hieremie Looke through Hierusalem behold and see seeke through hir streetes also c. THe Prophete Hieremie in the former Chapiter had notably described the comming of Nabuchodonosors armie into Ievvrie and the greate waste and spoyle that he should make of that countrey euen to the very walles of the citie Hierusalem whiche therfore should be in greate feare euen as a woman in trauayle with chylde Therfore in this place before hee noteth the destruction of that Citie he maketh proofe and declaration of the Iustice of God in doing of it For we see commonly when God punisheth the wicked for their offences that they are so obstinate and stiffenecked and so farre from anie sense of true repentaunce and turning to God that they murmure against god and accuse him for dealing ouer Rigorously and Cruelly with them and that he punisheth them more sharply and grieuously than their offences Deserue Wherfore God by his Prophet sheweth that they are so farre ouerwhelmed with their wickednesse as there is not left one Iust maÌ„ amoÌ„g them in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of whom he might Spare them therefore that of his Iustice he muste of necessitie punish them Looke sayth he through Hierusalem beholde and see seeke thoroughe her streates c. In which words God willeth euen the whole Worlde to looke diligentely into the state of that Citie that was called by the name of The holie Citie to see whether there were any thing or Person in it in respect whereof he shoulde shewe Mercie toward it For though they can saye The Lord liueth yet they sweare to deceyue c. Here the Prophete detecteth their Hipocrisie and signifieth that albeit they pretend to be the People of God and to haue a reuereÌ„ce to the name of God and therefore will call him to witnesse in their affaires and Sweare by his name as by that which they accoÌ„pt very Holie yet it is but wicked Hipocriste in them and indeede the Prophanation of the name of god For they sweare falsely and vntruly to* deceyue their neyghbour and to worke their vniuste deuises so by Periurie make the Name of God a Cloake meane to further their owne Wickednesse Wheras God Looketh only vpon faith and truth and regardeth not the faire * PreteÌ„ce of his Name when the true Reuerence therof is not in their hearts This place ought to teach vs that the Name of the * Churche or People of God the Title of Christians the Externall Sacraments of christian Religion are not sufficient to moue the Fauour of God toward vs nor to make vs his people vnlesse the feare of God and true Holynesse be in our heartes In the begynnyng of the thirde Verse whiche in deede shoulde be a parte of this secoÌ„d the Prophet altereth the Person and turneth the speach vnto God himselfe Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentance thou hast corrected c. This was of exceding great Stubbornesse in the Iewes and of Indurated heartes that they coulde not bee moued to Repentance no not with the heauie Plagues and punishments that God did bryng vpon them to that ende yea they rather hardened their faces as it wer againste God and became shamelesse in their wickednesse casting of al consideration of Godlynesse and Honestie Therfore I thought in my selfe peraduenture they are so simple and c. Forsomuch as it might be thought the Simple Foolishe people did amisse by Ignorance and errour only and that the wyser and better sort had more Care of the feare seruice of God hee turneth nowe to the Princes Priests Magistrates and Rulers and sheweth that they also whiche of duetie should haue ben not only Instructers Leaders Guyders to other but also correcters Punishers of their Leudnesse were become more stubborne and dissolute than they and had cleane cast froÌ„ them the bond and Yoke of Obedience to the Holie Will Lawe of god So that there myght seeme no Hope eyther in Prince or People in Riche or poore in Learned or Ignorant but that they All were giuen ouer to their owne Lustes and Sensual appetites Wherfore a Lyon out of the wood hath hurte them and a Wolfe in the. c. By the Lion the VVolfe and the Leopard the Prophet meaneth the Assyrians the Aegyptians and sundrye other Enimies that shoulde come vpoÌ„ them and so straightly Besiege them in their Cities that not One shuld be hable to goe out but shoulde be Taken and Slayne
and fill it with the chiefe bones 5 Take one of the best shéepe and burne also bones vnder it let it boyle well and let the bones thereof séeth well therein 6 With that saide the Lord God on this maner Wo vnto the bloudy citie to the pot whose scumme is therin and whose scumme is not gone out of it bring it out péece by péece let no lot fall vpon it 7 For her bloud is in the middest of it vpon a high drye stone hath she powred it and not vpon the grounde that it might be couered with dust 8 That it might cause wrath to arise take vengeance I haue set her bloud vpon a highe drye rock that it shoulde not be couered 9 Wherefore thus sayth the Lorde God O wo be vnto the bloudthirstie citie for whom euen I my selfe wyll make a great fyre 10 And heape on much wood and kindle the fyre and séeth the fleshe and spice the pot so that the verie bones shall be brent 11 Moreouer I will sette the pot emptie vpon the coales so that the brasse thereof may be hot and burnt and the filthinesse of it may by molten in it and the scumme of it shall be consumed 12 She hath wearied her selfe wyth labour yet her great scumme is not gone of her in the fyre her scumme must be consumed 13 In thy filthinesse is wickednesse because I would haue purged thée and thou wast not purged from thy filthynesse thou shalt not be purged any more till I haue caused mine indignation to reast in thée 14 Euen I the Lorde haue spoken it yea it is come thereto all readie that I will doe it I will not go backe I will not spare I will not repent but according to thy waies and imaginations shall they iudge thée sayth the Lorde God. 15 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 16 Thou sonne of man beholde I will take awaye from thée the pleasure of thine eyes with a plague yet shall thou neyther mourne nor wéepe neyther shall thy teares run downe 17 Mourne in silence make no mourning of the deade binde the tyre of thy heade vpon thée and put on thy shoes vpon thy féete couer not thy lips and eate no mans bread 18 So I spake vnto the people betimes in the morning and at euen my wife died then vpon the next morowe I did as I was commaunded 19 And the people saide vnto me Wylt thou not tell vs what this signifieth toward vs that thou doest so 20 I answered them The word of the Lord came vnto me saying 21 Tell the house of Israel thus sayth the Lord God Beholde I will pollute my sanctuarie euen the glorie of your power the pleasure of your eyes your harts delight your fouâ—es and daughters whome ye haue left shal fall through the sworde 22 Lyke as I haue done so shall ye doe also ye shall not couer your lips ye shall eate no mans bread 23 And your tyre shal be vpon your heades and your shoes vpon your féete ye shall neyther mourne nor weepe but ye shall pine away in your iniquities and mourne one towardes another 14 Thus Ezechiel is your shewtoken according to all that he hath done ye shall doe when it commeth then ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde God. 25 Also thou sonne of man shall it not be in the day when I take from them their power the ioy of their honour the pleasure of their eyes the lifting vp of their soules their sonnes and their daughters 26 In that daye shall come one that is escaped vnto thée and bring it to the hearing of thine eares 27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped that thou mayst speake be no more dumbe yea thou shalt be their shewetoken that they may knowe howe that I am the Lorde The Exposition vpon the .xxiiij. Chapter of Ezechiel In the ninth yeare in the tenth Moneth the tenth day of the moneth c. THe Prophete being in Babilon foretelleth the time in which the Citie Hierusalem was besieged and by an allegorie of a potte set ouer the fire declareth how the Iewes for their obstinacie should be punished Whereby we also haue to learne what shall * happen to Kingdomes Cities Countreys and priuate men also which contemning the worde of God and often calling by his ministers remaine Obstinate and go on stil in their former wickednesse that is that by Gods iustice they shal come to vtter confusion Though it be a time deferred by Gods pacience and long sufferance * alluring to repentance yet after sundrie warninges at length it falleth in deede and then heape they vpon themselues greater wrath in the day of wrath First the time and verie day is noted which was the ninth yeare of the captiuitie of Iechonias or the reigne of Zedechias the tenth moneth answerable to our December in the tenth day of the moneth on which the king of Babilon came to the siege of Hierusalem as appeareth Hier. 39. .2 Reg. vltiÌ„o cap. The Prophete wrote this in Babilon a great number of miles from Iewrie therefore it maye seeme a great thing in the Prophet that in so large a distance of places before any messenger coulde bring worde thereof he was hable to say in truth This day Hierusalem is besieged As touching the exposition of the allegorie or figuratiue similitude The Potte is the citie Hierusalem The preparing of the pot to the fire is the comming to the siege thereof The Powring of the water is the assault thereof continuing two yeres For it was first besieged in the ninth yeare and taken in the eleuenth The calamitie affliction and trouble is The fire that maketh this pot boyle and bubble The Bones that in steede of wood nourisheth this fire is partly the death and slaughter of many Innocentes whose bloud was shed before time in that cruell Citie and cryed now to God for vengeance as the * bloud of Abell partly the multitude of all their other stubburne wickednesse inflaming the fire of Gods wrath against them The chiefe and principal Peeces of flesh cast into the pot are the Princes and chiefe men of greatest estimation not onely of that Citie but also of all the countrey about which fled thither for feare of spoyle before the siege The Chiefe bones are the strength of the principall Souldiours there appoynted for the defence of the Citie The VVell seething or boiling is the long continuing in the trouble of the siege in which time both strength of Souldiours and might of Princes within the Citie shoulde be consumed The Fome remayning still in the pot is the filthie froth of wickednesse and abhomination yet in all the boyling of this trouble remayning among them euen to the sight of all men and not Scummed away by Repentance When the Prophete sayth Bring it out peece by peece he signifieth that they shal not Al together be taken out
of the pot to be deuoured and consumed by death But some at one time and some at another Some by plage some by famine some by the sworde and yet that assuredly they should All perish and no state and condition be saued For that he meaneth by these wordes Let no lot fall vpon it that is let no choyse be made for the sauing of some and destroying of other For hir bloud is yet in it vpon an high dry stone hath she poured it c. Dne great cause of desolation often mentioned of the Prophetes is the cruell * murther and killing of Innocents wherewith God in this place heauily burdeueth the Citie Hierusalem When one poureth the bloudde of suche as be slaine vpon the ground and doth couer it with dust he seeketh so neare as he can to conceale and hide it but when he poureth it vpon an high drye stone he layeth it open to the sight of all men as beeing nothing afrayde or ashamed of it And by that forme of speech God here noteth the bolde and shamelesse crueltie that in the sight of the worlde that Bloudie Citie had vsed towarde poore Innocentes and therefore cryed for the wrath of God vpon them God therefore as it were in the heat of his displeasure breaketh out and cryeth VVo to that bloud thirstie Citie affirming that He himselfe will worke in this reuengement that He will make and kindle the fire put vnder wood seeth the flesh and spice the potte so that the verie bones shall be burnt In that God threatneth that he himselfe will do it he taketh from them all maner of hope eyther that they shal escape the extremitie of this mischief or that it shall not at all come to passe For they had * false Prophetes among them which did put them in comfort that the Citie should not be besieged or if it were that it should not so be takē but that they should escape Flesh dressed with spices is the more pleasant and eaten more greedily Therefore God threatneth He will spice the pot that is by the continuance and lingring of the siege he would set the Souldiours in such a wrath and anger as when they had taken the Citie they shoulde with more greedie stomackes put them vnto the sworde I will set the pot emptie ouer the coales so that the brasse thereof may be hote c. When the flesh and bones be consumed sayth God that is when the Princes people and Souldiours are perished and slaine I wil cause the pot that is the Citie it selfe to be set on coales burnt with fire that the filthie some of wickednesse which by no affliction could be taken away may be consumed with the vtter destruction of those persons which mainteyned it God first * sent his Prophets by instruction and teaching of his holy will to call them from their abhominable Idolatrie and sinfull life Then he cast vpon them some light and meane punishments to chasten them But seeing that foule and rustie pot would not by any meanes be scoured from the burnt froth that it was defiled with he sayth here by his Prophete there is no other remedie but vtter dissolution and consuming by his wrath which in earnest maner he protesteth he will not fayle to doe saying I will not go backe I will not spare I will not repent Thou sonne of man beholde I will take away from thee the pleasure of thine c. God by an other parable setteth forth his iudgements to the Iewes which partly were alreadie in captiuitie in Babilon partly as yet remayned at Hierusalem The Parable is this that God telleth the Prophete before hande of the sodaine death of his wife whiche he loued most tenderly and yet commaundeth him in any wise not to bewayle her death And if the people did aske him whie he did not lament the death of her that he esteemed so derely that he shoulde answere them it was done as a sign or token agaynst them Because the destruction of the Temple and the losse of their wiues and children at the taking of the Citie should be such a corosiue to their heartes as for extremitie of sorow they should not be hable to weepe any more then he did For extremitie of griefe sometimes vtterly drieth vp teares maketh that one cannot weepe God calleth his wife The pleasure of his eies because he aboue all worldely thinges delighted in her Moreouer when people mourned at the death of their friendes the maner of the Countrey was to lay away the ornament or attyre of their heades to put of their shooes and to go barefooted to couer their face and specially the nether part thereof vnder their eyes to fast not to eate meate or drinke wine or if they did it should be none other but such as was sent them by other But God willeth Ezechiel at the death of his wife to vse none of these ceremonies nor to shew any outward token of lamentation for his wife In the .18 verse the Prophet declareth that he did as God had bidden him In the morning of that day in which his wife died at night he tolde the people that his wife shoulde die sodainly whome all they knewe he loued very earnestly and the next day he came abrode among them not vsing any ceremonie of mourning And then the people saide vnto him wilt thou not tell vs what this signifieth c. To lament the death of a mans wyfe his children or deare friendes is not onely a thing vsuall with men but also such as nature it selfe doth allowe and Gods lawe not forbid Abraham mourned for his wife Sarah And Ioseph bewailed the death of his father When a deere friend is taken from a man he remembreth the benefites pleasures that he receyued by him and maye hardly forbeare euen the outwarde shewe of his sorrow Wherefore the people of the Iewes seing Ezechiel to behaue himselfe otherwise thought there was some Straunge matter in it and desired to knowe what it ment The Prophete answereth that he did it not of himselfe for that his nature might hardly beare it but by the commaundement of God thereby to signifie to them the great sorrow that should come vnto them The temple was called the * Sanctuarie of God wherein he especiallye shewed his presence Therein the Iewes dyd esteeme their greatest glorie to consist that the lyuing God had the Seate of hys presence among them as a testimonie of the couenant betweene him them So that it doth in sundrie places appeare they did put their greatest confidence in that outwarde token as in Hier. They cried The temple of God is with vs the temple of God is wyth vs And as well for this cause as also that the temple was so * gorgeously buylded by Salomon they delighted in it in their hartes and desired still to beholde it with their eies Wherefore the Prophet here sayth that