like as he who is defiled in soule did defile al the workes that he taketh in hande euen hys prayer and sacrifices c. so thei did also defile al which kepte companye with theym by theyr euill example This kynde of teaching by parables and similitudes which be like in matter consequence and truth althoughe diuers in woordes is pithy too perswade and is vsed sundrye times in the scipturs to bringe a man to geue sentence against hym selfe As when Nathan tolde Dauid the similitude of the ryche man that had many sheepe and the poore man that had but one and that the riche man had taken the poore mans one sheepe Dauid sayd◠he had deserued death not vnderstanding that Nathan did meane Dauid him selfe to haue done this thinge who gaue thys sentence of death against him self because he had so many wyues of his owne yet coulde not be content with them but toke Urias wife also So when the woman of Thecua fayned her self to be a poore widow and her twoo sonnes hath the one kylled the other and the officers woulde haue put y◠other too deathe for murtheringe his brother she makes supplication to the kynge Dauid desiring that her other sonne mighte not be put to death for she had rather lose the one sonne which was kylled thē haue the other now put to death also For then all her comfort was gone When Dauid had graunted her request that her sonne shoulde not dye for this murther thē sayd she Why should not the king bring home againe his sonne Absalon whiche kylled his brother Ammon but suffer him to dye also banished Thus Dauid was deceiued by the woman whiche vnder the names of her owne sonnes made sute for Absalō the kynges sonne by the coūsayll of Ioab and Dauid thoughte in reason he shoulde be as ready to shewe pitie to his own son Absalon as to another and gaue sentēce so againste him selfe So the priestes here graunting that whatsoeuer touches him who is defiled in soule that thinge is also defiled to proue and geue sentence agaīst them selues condemninge all their owne dedes too be noughte and defiled because thei them selfes were wicked and defiled· What wickednes were in this people Esdras tels when he diuorces suche a nūber as had married Heathen wyues contrary to the lawe and Nehemias when he tels howe by bribery and vsurye they had polled their poore brethren gotten their goods and landes into their handes and howe they had all offended God in not byldinge this temple this Prophete teaches here plaine These with diuers other grosse sins had defiled this people therfore all that they did and touched was defiled ▪ Sinne is so vile and filthy that it defiles euen those thinges whiche God hym self hath commaunded Esay saieth your sabboth daies and other feastes my soule abhorres◠yet God had cōmaunded them his owne mouth to obserue suche feastes Esaye saith also he that offers an Oxe is as if he killed a man and he that sacrifices a sheepe is as though he brained a Dogge And again sacrifice offerīg for sin thou hast not required But Esay addeth a reason why God shoulde hate that whiche he once cōmaunded saith your handes are ful of bloud ye do not hear the widowes the fatherles c. Seing then sin hath suche a strēgth in it that it makes God to hate those things which he ordeined him selfe howe much nede haue we to take hede what we do least in thus offending God we make him to forsake both vs all that we shuld haue good of That is called holy flesh which was offered to the Lord whereof sometime the whole was burned sometime that part which remained was eatē of the Priests them that brought it to be sacrificed If that flesh then whiche was thus halowed by the cōmaundemēt of God had not thys strēgth in it to halow the lap of a garmēt wherin it was caried so the lap to halowe what thing so euer it should touche howe can the Popes coniured water whiche he cals holy make the man or house where it is sprinkled so holy that no deuils dare enter The deuill durst tempt our Sauioure Christ yet they say he feares their cōiured water as thoughe it were holier then Christ hym selfe Where hath he any promise from God of such foolishnes what cā their holy asshes holy palmes holy crosses holy belles holy creame relikes moldes chalice corporas fire candels beades or that which is their most holy relike their oyle wherwith they anointe their shauelinges Priestes and Bishops do They would make mē beleue that the oyle hath suche holines in it that whosoeuer wanteth it is no Priest nor minister Therfore in the late daies of popery oure holy bishops called before them all such as were made ministers without suche greasinge and blessed thē with the Popes blessing anointed them then all was perfit they might sacrifice for quicke dead but not marry in no case yet kepe hoores as many as they woulde If any of their such greased disciples were traitour felō or heretike that he had deserued death in token that their oyle was so holye and had entred so depe in to the flesh but bringing no holynes with it for than their anointed shuld not haue fallen so sore as they did and do before anye suche offender coulde suffer death he must firste be deposed of all that he receiued from the Pope of his orders apparell and haue all that skynne of hys croune fingers pared of or scraped because they were greased with their oyle What oyle vsed the Apostles in makinge ministers or what scripture is for it The holy flesh whiche was offered too God by his owne commaundement had not thys power to halow the thinges which it touched and yet their holy water and grease must haue it Is this like to be true doeth not all their false fayned holinesse which they putte in thinges made holy by theyr owne halowinge onely and not by God fall by this one sentence of Gods mouthe Can any thinge be more playnely spoken againste all their iuglinge then this For the same reason that is againste fleshe is against all their holy toies by what name soeuer they be called If they will not beleue God and his scripture let thē beleue the Priestes their elders and prodecessours yea and that whiche they crake so muche of that is a generall counsayle whiche they thinke can not erre The Prophete here is sent to all the Priestes and here is aunswered in all their names by generall consente and counsayle that holy flesh can not halow that thing which it touches If it be so in one halowed thīg as it is in this flesh why shoulde it not be so in all other likewise There is no creature whiche can geue that holines to an other which is in it self this thinge belonges to
freelye for the whiche he was sent Embassadoure .ii. Corinthians v. he sayeth his Embassage stoode chiefelye in this pointe to reconsile vs to God Is not the Stuardes office an highe office of greatest credite in greate mens houses and at their commaundement and appointinge all thinges be done They prouide geue all in their maisters house meate in due season c. Sainct Paul therfore saieth let a man think thus of vs that we be the seruauntes of God and Stuardes of his secrete misteries whiche be meate for 〈◊〉 soules Sainct Mathew in a parable calles the preachers Stuardes appointed 〈◊〉 Gods house to geue their felow seruants meate in due season Saint Marke called them porters in Gods house hauinge in â—â—â—maundement too watche that no theeues nor vnrulye persones come in too trouble the house They be called the light of the worlde to leade other the righte waye they be the salt of the earthe to season vs that by corruption we doe not smel euil before God They be Gods souldiours to fight for hys people as s. Paul sais No man goes to warre on his owne wages They be watchemen to geue warning when ennemies come They be Dogges to barke awake vs out of oure deadly sleepe when we forget God They be the mouthe of God that where we were not able too stande in the sighte of God if he shoulde speake vntoo vs in his glorious maiestie he doeth vouchesafe to speake vnto vs by the mouthe of hys minister beynge a man as we bee and whome we shoulde beleue to be sente from God as longe as he teaches Christ hys worde These names of trust and credite are geuen to preachers for the commeÌ„dation and settinge foorth of their office whiche they beare in Gods house and that they shoulde not thinke it a vyle but a moste worshipfull roume And to make theym more regarded the Lorde countes those iniuries done to him selfe which be done to his preachers sayinge he that despises you despises me in what rowme soeuer ye come if they will not receyue you shake the dust of youre feete it shall heare witnes againste them in the daye of iudgement And because he ioynes too the nexte saying In the messages of the Lord it doth vs to weete the faithfulnes of this Prophete in his dutie that he spekes nothing â–ª but the words of the Lord truly which seÌ„t him which rule al true preachers should folow But of this is inough spokeÌ„ in the verses before Now folowes the glad tidings of the Gospell to comfort this people with all after the great threateniÌ„gs of God which the Prophet here pronouÌ„ced in the former verses For as God workes in his creaturs that after wynter comes sommer after a storm fair weather So in the spiritual doctrine of our souls first he teaches repeÌ„taÌ„ce preaches the law threateÌ„s veÌ„geauÌ„ce for sin castes doune man in his owne sight and lettes hym looke euen into hell with fear of conscience for his disobedience but afterwardes he comforts hym rayses hym vp and heales him that this may be fouÌ„d true that is sayde of oure sauiour Christ I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce they that be whole nede not the Phisicion but the sicke All the Prophetes vse thesame trade in teachinge as Esays in hys firste Chapter calleth the Iewes worse then beastes for the Oxe woulde knowe hys maister and the Asse his maister maÌ„ger but they wold not knowe their God And the rulers he calles the princes of Sodome felowes with theefes Ionas also in the beginninge of hys prophecy saieth within .xl. dayes Niniue shal be destroyed Sophones first woordes be that God will destroy man beast foole corne and fruite of the earthe but afterwardes euery one of theym prophecies of Christe promises blessinge frome God with encrease of all wealth and goodnes Likewise Ihon Baptiste began his preaching repent for the kingedome of heauen is at hande And oure sauioure Christ beganne his preachinge with the selfe same woordes Peter in his firste sermon after they receiued the holy Ghoste rebuked the Iewes sharpely for crucifyinge Christe the geuer of lyfe and for askinge Barrabas a murtherer to be deliuered vnto them but when their conscience pricked them they asked what they shoulde doe and he comfortes them biddes them repent and bee baptised euery one of them in the name of Christ. So here after the sharpe preaching of the lawe and threateninge of Gods plages foloweth the swete coÌ„fort of the Gospell for he sayeth I am with you saieth the Lorde as though he shoulde saye lette nothinge greue you neither the greatnes of the sinne that ye haue ben so negligeÌ„te in forgettinge the buildinge of this house so longe nor the greate coste as thoughe ye were not able to beare and perfourme it nor be not afrayd of the kinges officers whiche stopped you for I am with you saieth the Lorde whose power they can not withstaÌ„de whose mercie passeth your miserie and who can pardon and forgeue more than you can sinne and who shal be iudge of youre doinges and am able too forgeue all thinges trespassed against me All the ryches of the earthe is myne and I bestowe it as pleases me the heartes of kynges and rulers be in my hande and I rule them as I thinke good whan I wyll they shall shew you fauour and frendship and when they lust they shall not stoppe hurt nor hinder my worke accordinge to their desire or pleasure as muche as they woulde but those that feare and loue me I will blesse and they shall not haue anye harme and my woorkes shall prosper and go forwardes in their handes as I thynke good â–ª in despite of all their foes therefore let nothinge feare nor trouble you for I whome all thinges do obey am with you saieth the Lorde These are but few wordes in number but they are mighty in operation and working where they be receiued with an earnest faith and so mightye that whosoeuer heares and beleues them to be spoken of God is not afrayde too attempt anye thinge be it neuer so greate hard When Iacob was doubting afraid whether he should go into Egipt too hys sonne Ioseph or no God spake too hym sayde Iacob be not afrayde for I will goe doune into Egipt with thee I wil bring thee out again also Then Iacob fearinge neither the death of his sonne Ioseph nor the displeasure that mighte come to hym his if either he or yet Ioseph offended the kyng nor yet least Ioseph shoulde lose his authoritie by a new kyng as it is coÌ„moÌ„ly sene nor the ieopardy of the iourneye no nor yet any other worldly thing that coulde or might chaunce but wente into Egipte boldely with all his chyldren substauÌ„ce and was defended by God When Moises keping sheepe sawe the fyre in the bushe and
The coniurers that stode afore Pharao working miracles thought thei shoulde haue defaced Moyses set vp them selues but Pharao was drowned with his hoste Moyses with his people was deliuered and the coniurers grauÌ„ted that the liuinge God wrought in Moyses Achitophel counsailing Absalon to folow his father Dauid that same nighte he beganne to rebell lest in deferringe time he shoulde escape thoughte Absalon shoulde haue ben a kinge but God proued his worldly wise counsaill to be folishnes for whan he see that he was not beloued nor his counsail folowed he went and haÌ„ged him self but Dauid escaped and Absalon was slain Whan Haman had obtained a proclamation for the distroinge of al the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus he thought him selfe wiser than all the worlde and that he shoulde haue ben promoted him self and the people of God spoiled and destroied But Haman was hanged on the same galowes Mardocheus promoted the Iewes deliuered Whan Saul promised Dauid his daughter for the killinge of an hundreth Philistines â–ª not for loue but thinkinge Dauid shoulde haue ben killed him self afore he had kylled so many he thought he had done politicly but Dauid kylled them all maryeâ— hys doughter and was kyng after hym For whiche thinge onely Saul abhorred him The Scribes and Phariseis thinking if Christ were once dead thei should be safe neuer hear tel more of hiÌ„ but after his death thapostles wrought mo miracles in his name than he did him selfe beinge aliue and mo beleued in him after his death than euer did whan he was aliue Thus all the scripture proues plain that that whiche worldly wisedome thinkes best to set vp them selues by and too destroye Gods people is proued too be the destruction of all those that truste in it whan thei loke for moste comfort of their deuise it turnes to their owne hurte as we see it hays chaunced by Gods merciful prouideÌ„ce to our papistes for bringing in the Spaniardes trusting by that people to maintayne their superstitious popery ydell lordly authorite The wisedome of this worlde says the apostle is foolishnes afore God The wiser thou art afore men not hauinge the glorie of God afore thine eyes euer studyinge howe too set foorthe his will to the world the more foole thou art the craftier thou art to set vp thy self the soner thou workes thine own destruction How many of the worldly policie mâ—Ì„ haue ben trapped in their own snare here amoÌ„g vs haue not they whan they were highest in auctorite suffered death by the same their own lawes thus ye se that al worldly wisedoÌ„ againste God is nought that it is no wisedoÌ„ in dede but folishnes And althoughe worldly wittes doe many things wel for a time yet whaÌ„ they trust in it most stande most in nede of it they shal be deceiued as the nexte verse saies Shall I not in that daye destroie saies the Lord the wisemen froÌ„ Edom. c. And as it is in worldly wittes policies that they be all vain whan thei striue against God so is it in the spiritual kingdoÌ„ of Christ in his woord church for the dregges of Poperie with their CanoÌ„s Decrees shal be throwen doune can not alwaies maintaine those idel bealy gods the Popes chaplens but as thei haue ben cast doun by tymes euer so shal thei at length be troden vnder fote to their confusion Like is the case of subtil scholemeÌ„ with their distinctioÌ„s defacing Christ his truth neither settiÌ„g forth the maiestie of God his sonne Christ Iesus nor edifying with coÌ„fortable promises the weak conscieÌ„ces nor opening the misteries of the scriptur but with folish gloses defacing the mercies of God taught in his holy word burdening men with traditions vnwriteÌ„ verities or rather vanities their own dreames phantasies all which God abhorres says al that worship him teching maÌ„s doctrine worship him in vain These all such like conning of the wisedoÌ„ of the flesh be euerlasting death as Paul saies sensual carnall deuelish as Ia. termes theÌ„ mere ignoraÌ„ce of God his mercies for a natural sensual man perceiues not the things of God And to conclude generally all wisedom that settes vp it selfe in any kinde of thinges whatsoeuer it be it is no wisedom it shall confounde all that vse it or truste in it and whan thei would moste gladly enioye it they shall surelye not haue it There is no wisedome nor counsaill againste the Lorde sayes Salomon the Pope with all hys rabel is not so wise to throwe doune Christ as the Scribes and Phariseis were in their time as they were confounded so shall all that rebell agaynste the sonne of God whyche by the mighte of hys holy spirite in the mouthe of his true Apostles disciples and ministers beiÌ„g but poore simple abiects a despised people in the sight of the worlde hais ouerthrowen tyrannes stopped blaspheminge mouths confouÌ„ded the wyse learned and declared his strengthe in oure weaknes that there is no power wisedoÌ„ streÌ„gth nor policie that preuailes against him or his people and because they didde glorie so muche in their wisedom and policie the Lord countes if a glorious thing to throw them doune because the glorie may be geueÌ„ to him alon for such a noble victorie he says Shal I not thrâ—w theym doune as though he should saye No man shall haue the praise of it but I my selfe I will destroye them with myne own haÌ„des in that daye whan thei loke not for it trust moste in them selues The towre of Babel the cytyes Niniue and Ierusalem beinge greate and mightie were sodenlye ouerthrowen whan they thoughte not on it The wisedome of God purposes one thinge and the wisedom of man an other so wisedome shall ouercome wisedome the pride of man shal be ouercomen by the mightye hande of God God taries longe to haue his enemies too turne by repentaunce too see their owne folye and aske forgeuenes but whan he sees there is no remedye nor hope of their amendemente hee comes lyke a sharpe and righteous iudge and vtterly ouerthrowes theim But not onely their wisedom wisemen perished but their stronge men shal be afrayde also because euery noble man amonge theym shoulde be afraide as the laste verse sayes What a case shal these people be in whan neither wysedome nor strength shall serue Theman signifies by interpretation the south and it is also the name of one of their chiefe cities and therfore some translate thy strong men shall be afraide of the southe because Nabuchodonozor came with his hoste frome the south â—o so Babilon stode southward from them or better the strongest men of ThemaÌ„ thy chiefe cytye shall be afrayde and so Ieremie vses it there is no more wisedoÌ„ in ThemaÌ„ it is thought of many learned and that probably that Iob dwelled in this countrie afore Esau was borne and
and persecutes them that loue Christ and his woord or wil not beleue him his doinges to be aboue the scripture all these thinges he would not do except he thought his wais the better Howe many orders of monkes Freeres Nunnes Chanons Heremites Pylgrymages Pardonnes Reliques Sainctes Masses Holy water hathe he sette in hys Churche whiche all the scripture castes awaye as noughte because they bee not taughte vs by God but inuented by the Pope for hys vantage and vayne glorie What diuersitie is amoÌ„g them although they charge the gospelers with the falselye when thei put their holines in their coats some saye a whyte Coule is more holye some saye a blacke an other sorte a graye Some saye masse of Requiem is beste other saye of Scala coeli Some of the fiue woundes some of 〈◊〉 Lady Some praye to one sainct as 〈◊〉 in gods fauour and some to other Some vse trinite knots and other sainct Katâ—â—â—rins Some haue saincte Tronions 〈◊〉 other oure Ladies and many the golâ—â—â— Fridayes In the schooles some holde 〈◊〉 sainct Thomas some of Duns and 〈◊〉 of Gabriel or Bacon Some holde of Fraâ—â—â—ces in religion some of Dominike 〈◊〉 of Augustin but the holiest was s. 〈◊〉 For as Fasciculus temporum saies he was 〈◊〉 holy that he broughte too heauen 〈◊〉 5555. Popes .24 Cardinals .2000 Archebishops .7000 Bishops .15000 Deanes 5000. Abbots .74 beside many Nunnes and holy Sisters and Priestes O holy â— Benet that was more holy than so many Popes Freeres Cardinals c. And wrâ—â—ched Popes that can bringe other to heauen and not them selues Some priestes saie matins masse and after Yorkes vse some of Sarum some Bangor and other of common sanctorum But neuer one seekes Christ as he shoulde accordinge too the scripture They haue made them schoolemaysters whom they will folow of their own deuisinge where as God the father hathe appointed his sonne Christ and sayd this is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well delited heare hym And he is that Prophete of whom Moyses wrote saying the Lorde youre God will rayse a Prophete from among youre brethren like vnto me hym shall ye heare and that soule whiche will not heare him shall perishe He is the wisedome of God the father by whome he hath shewed his mercie and power to the whole worlde and by whome he hath confounded the mightie and wise of the world and he is God withoute beginninge These other whiche they call sainctes or rather make them their Gods are founde of late and it is not manye yeares synce they liued It is not since Fraunces Augustine and Dominic lyued muche aboue â—00 years and if those be the pillers of Gods churche now howe did it stande afore their daies If these be the meanes to bringe vs to heauen now howe do they that died before that these men were born and knowen God witnesses of his sonne Christ that he is the Lambe whiche was slayne from the beginninge of the worlde and that by his deathe the sinnes of the whole worlde are forgeuen that whatsoeuer we aske hym in his name he will geue vs. We haue no suche promise made vs in any other creature and therefore if we aske any thing in their names God nedes not to geue it vs for he hath not bouÌ„d him selfe by any promise as he hath to his son Christ. God hath not found a new way of late for vs to be saued by but hath apointed one means for all ages by which only we shal please him that is the merites death of his deare sonne Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 Lord. He is the strong rocke vpon whom what house soeuer is buylded shall stande all other be builded on the sande therefore shall fall Therfore Englande howe canst thou escape the greate plages written in thys booke that had banished the worde of God that the people might not haue it nor read it the shepe heard not the voice of the true shepeheard but the straunge language of Wolues Hierelinges thefes yea thou wast come to suche a shamelesnes and hatred of Gods woorde that thou could not suffer the clere light of the gospel to shyne nor the shryl trumpet of Gods moste holye woorde to sounde in thine eares whiche would confound all such enemies of God to haue any place at al in thee Marke wel EnglaÌ„d in how miserable an estate thou wast that thou mightest not hear God speake to thee by his woorde nor beleue what he teaches thee but whatsoeuer pleases the Pope to commaund thee or the parliameÌ„t to decree What are those bishops woorthye to haue which in one yeare space coÌ„firmed the preaching of the gospel of christ and pure minestringe of Gods sacrameÌ„ts and thesame men within thesame yeare with thesame impudent mouthes blasphemous tunges brought in the Pope set by Idols banished Christe and his holye supper appointed for all men that wil to receiue it together toke awaye his holye gospell and sacrameÌ„ts and placed by their authoritie the masse for one shaueling to eate vp all and blesse the people with the empty Chalice and burned his preachers to fyll their bellies Moyses commaunded suche blasphemers of gods name to be stoned and yet they beare the name and title of ministers in Christes churche If the Iewes deserued all these vengeaunces because they didde not buylde gods house what had thou O Englande deserued in this defacinge and pullingâ—-doune and haste thus chauÌ„ged gods house into a denne of theeues and made it the Popes market place to bye and sell Heauen Hell and Purgatorie to deceiue christen soules and deface the deathe and passion of oure sauioure Christe Thou didst set vp Idols to be 〈◊〉 and sought helpe at stockes stones therfore howe muche nede haste thou 〈…〉 vnto God that he woulde geue thee 〈◊〉 rulers for thou must beleue as they 〈◊〉 and if they loue not God thou shalte heare him speake vnto thee by his worde if 〈◊〉 will not worship God arighte thou 〈◊〉 not be suffered to do it if thou would Can any people escape vnpunished 〈◊〉 thus mockes God Or if Gods mercy 〈◊〉 not vnspeakeable coulde he haue 〈◊〉 his handes thus longe but haue 〈◊〉 oute his vengeauÌ„ce and throwen his thâ—â—â—derbolts in euery corner of thee to 〈◊〉 thee before these dayes If thou wilt not glorify God in repentinge he will glorifie him selfe in destâ—â—nge thee Marke howe manye daies 〈◊〉 hath forborne to punishe thee so manye dayes haste thou had of his endlesse merci â–ª graunted thee to repent in and if thou 〈◊〉 it not by times loke not for the contrary but thou shalt be made an example to the whole worlde a laughinge stocke too thy enemies a pray and slaue to all countries rounde aboute thee What can be thoughte of those which will euer folowe that whiche the prynce desires but that they seeke their owne pleasure and profite with all diligence whiche the prophete cals
our appointed time If this were well considered it woulde make our proude Peacockes feathers too fall when we remember frome whence we come and whither we shall and how we be not able too thinke of oure selues a good thoughte but that all oure goodnes is geuen vs of God and vnto him we bee traytours and theeues if we be proude of his giftes and geue not him worthy thaÌ„kes for them but take the prayse to oure selues Thus by degrees doth God encrease his plages and threatning not destroying vs at the firste but by layinge on vs one litle rodde at the first he biddeth warneth vs to beware of the next for that wil be greater if we amend not this he doth by his other Prophetes also In Osee he coÌ„pares hym self to the mothe Lyon in punishing for the mothe doth not eate vp clothes hastely but by leasur by litle and litle but the Lyon deuoureth vp all at once So saieth God I will be no more onely as a mothe in clothes in punishing you so gently and by leasure for by that gentle kynde of punishinge ye waxe wors◠〈◊〉 worse but I will come now as a LioÌ„ and destroye you quickely for ye abuse my geÌ„tlenes and I can not hold my handes any longer beside you Lorde soften oure harâ— hearts that wher we be gilty in thesame fault of negligent buyldinge thy house we may heare and feare those great 〈◊〉 teninges towardes vs wee maye driâ—â—â— thee and obtayne mercy for our sins paâ—â— and here after be more diligente too serue thee verse 12 Then Zerobabel the sonne of Salathiel and Iosua yâ— sonne of Iehozadac the hyghe Priest and all the remnauÌ„t of the people gaue eare vnto the voyce of the Lorde their God and vnto the woordes of Aggens the Prophete â—â— as much that the Lord their God sent hym and the people were afraid in the sight of God verse 13 13 And Aggeus the messenger of the Lorde sayd in the messages of the Lorde to the people sayinge I am with you saieth the Lorde ¶ Hitherto from the beginninge hathe ben nothinge but chydinge and threateninge for their greate negligence in buyldinge Gods house nowe folowes the profite and commoditie that came by suche a sharpe kynde of rebukinge They began to geue eare vnto it marke it and were afrayde too heare and consider those plages whiche yet hanged ouer their heads they beleued those sayinges too bee true whiche Aggeus sayde vnto them and thei â—eared God This is the ordinary way that God vseth to teache by whiche the scripture sets before vs to learne too beleue in God and feare him First to rebuke sinne and declare the anger of God towardes sinners and preache repeÌ„taunce as Ihon Baptist and oure sauioure Christe began to preache repent the kyngdome of God is at haÌ„de Fayth commeth by hearing saith sainct Paule and hearinge by the woorde of God therefore he that will beleue and haue his fayth encreased must be diligent in the scriptures too heare sermons and marke what God saieth vntoo vs there What maruayl is it if the Papistes haue so litle faith seing thei reade not the scripture and hold opinion that it is not necessary yea not to be suffered that the scripture should be muche read or taughte but the Popes lawes customes and decrâ—es The whole scripture hath these .ii. chiefe partes into the whiche it is deuided the lawe and the Gospell the lawe contaynes properly the setting forth of sinne threatninges curses Gods anger toward sinâ—â— remorse of conscience for thesame daÌ„nation hel despaire the Gospel contains coÌ„fort hope forgeuenesse mercies in Christ heauen saluation agrement with God Thus teaches s. Paule sayinge the lawe workes anger within a man in conscieÌ„ce towards him self for displeasing his 〈◊〉 God and also declares what is sinne the angre and iust iudgement of God for sin By the law comes the knowledge of syn Agayn he saieth I had not knowen coueting lusting and desiring for any vnlawfull thing to haue ben sinne except the law had said thou shalt not lust nor couet The gospel is the power of God to saue al that beleue in Christ whiche saieth come to me all ye that laboure and are laden I will refreshe you thus God loued the worlde that he gaue his onelye begotten sonne c. with many suche like promises as if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father c. this profit came here to this people by preaching the law of God and threatninges vnto theym that they whiche were afore so forgetful of their duties now hearing the great anger vengeaunce of God that hanged ouer their heads ready to fal on them it styrred them vp to do their duties and fear God Thus maye we here se the fonde tender eares of them which would not heare nor haue the law preached but all together the swete comfortable promises mercies in Christ nor can not abide the anger of God iuste iudgement for sinne to be taught saying it bringes a man into dispaire and that it is not nowe in the time of grace mete too be preached A man as he is made of bodye soule so hath he the lawe geuen hym too beate doune the lustes of the fleshe and keepe hym in due feare to his Lorde and God least the soule should despaire when it coÌ„siders the greatnes of the sinne whiche the fleshe and mynde drawes hym to he hath the coÌ„fort of Christ offered vnto him in the gospell So least we be proud forget God we haue the lawe geuen too set before vs the righteousnesse of those thinges which God requires of vs oure weake vnableâ—nes to fulfill thesame and the righteous sentence of deathe and Gods anger proâ—nounced vpon all that fulfill not thesame lawe But least we shoulde despayre 〈◊〉 haue the vnspeakeable mercies of God â—â—â—fered vnto vs in his sonne whiche by hys death hath conquered death and paied the full price for the sins of the whole world He biddeth vs when we feele oure owne weakenes vnablenes to fulfill his law to come vnto hym aske help and mercy at his handes and doubte not thereof but it shal be graunted For as we see in iudgementes here amongest vs there is a royal seate set where the iudge sittes he that is accused standes at the barre holdes vp his hande heares his enditement redde witnes is broughte in againste him and â—â— iustly condempned to death so we shal see Iesus Christe the righteous iudge of the worlde that will not be brybed sit in hys seate of maiesty at the laste daye all the companye of Aungels about him and we shall stande at the barre as accused enâ—yted for breakinge that righteous lawe of his woorde the deuill whiche entised vs so to do shal beare witnes that to be true yea and our own conscience also the feaâ— of
in euery woord that comes from the mouth of God This is then the ordinary waye to kepe vs in the feare of God and continual remembraunce of the laste daye ofteÌ„ and diligently to reade and heare Gods woord preached vnto vs for that is it which doth and will kyll sinne in vs as it is written remember the laste ende and thou wilte not sinne Faith is kept and increased by thesame meanes that it is gotten it is gotten by hearing and hearing comes of the worde let vs therfore heare and reade it diligeÌ„tli What is the cause that the Papistes lye so sounde on sleepe in their abhominatioÌ„s but that they care not for preachinge nor thinke it so necessarye and because they woulde not be tolde of their faultes that they mighte amende them Where sinne is not rebuked it is not knoweÌ„ to be sin nor it will not be ameÌ„ded without muche cryinge on Dauid the good kynge true Prophete of God after he had gotten with chylde Urias wyfe coulde not awake out of that slepe of sinne vntyll he was warned by the Prophet Nathan notwithstandinge all and singuler suche great giftes whiche God hath indued him with all but inuented one policy after another to cloke his whoredome and noughtines withall First he sendeth for Urias home beinge his faithfull souldiour in his warres willinge hym to go home too his wyfe thynkinge that if he had lyen by her the childe might haue ben called his But when he sawe that Urias woulde not go home too his wyfe he deuised to send him with letters vnto Ioab the captain that he should be set in the fore frount when the towne should be essaulted and that his felowes shoulde flee from him that he mighte bee slaine This policie Dauid wroughte soo priuelye that he thoughte no man shoulde espie it for who durst open the kinges letters But at lengthe commeth Nathan the Prophete and telleth him a parable howe there was a ryche man that hadde many sheepe and a poore man his neyghbour had but one whiche he loued mooste dearely the ryche man toke this one shepe from the poore man and Nathan asked what this man had deserued Then aunswered Dauid in anger and sayde he deserued death then sayd Nathan thou hast geuen a very good sentence it is eueÌ„ thou thy selfe that haste done this deede thou shalt dye For thou haste manye wyues couldest not be conteÌ„t with them but hast taken thy poore neyghbours Urias wife Then cried Dauid I haue sinned made that worthy Psalme fifty and one O God haue mercie on me according to thy great mercie and accordinge to thy manye mercies washe awaye my wickednesse And yet more washe me froÌ„ my wickednes c. But before Nathan came he laye without feelinge of his sinne or yet anye remorse of conscience at all knowinge that he had done euill So when the good kynge Ezechias beinge restoreo to his former healthe hadde letten the Embassadours of the kinge of Babel whiche came to reioyce for his recouerye see all his treasure and iewels beinge very proude of them Esaye the Prophete comes vnto him asketh what they had seene he tolde hym well saieth Esaye euen from thence a king shal come to robbe and spoyle all these treasurs that thou hast ben proude of Than the kynge knowledged his faulte but not before he was rebuked by the Prophete Peter vntyll he was rebuked of Paule for hys dissimulation with the Gentiles did not leaue it Ioas was a good kynge as longe as Ioiada the highe prieste liued for he folowed hys good counsayle but after he fell frome God when he woulde heare noo good counsayle at all Thus we see howe necessari it is for vs to be kept in Gods schoole and heare the truÌ„pet of his woorde soundinge continually in oure eares to awake vs vp out of thys deadly sleepe of sinne and styrre vs forwarde to a diligent doinge of our dueties What a pryde is this for vs to thinke so highly of our selues that we be so farre more holy stronge wise learned more able to stande then these good men were and that we nede not suche continual teachinge and counsayle but that wee maye wel inough want it These men fel when they heard not the voice of the Prophetes and yet we that are not so muche worthy as once to be compared vnto them in the giftes of God thinke we shall stande of oure selues Many will saye what should I do at the sermon I knowe as muche before I go as I shall learne there I can reade the scripture at home and comfort my selfe sufficiently These are better then they that will neither heare nor reade but say I knowe there is no more but do wel and haue well I knowe this is all that can be saide loue God aboue all thinges and thy neighbour as thy selfe I can saye my Pater noster and my Crede as well as he further I knowe that in the one is conteined all thinges necessary to bee asked at Gods hande and in the other all that is to be beleued and what can or should a man haue more than this These sayings although they be true yet are they moste brutishe nothinge els in very dede but noughtye excuses to cloke oure slouthful wickednes withall signifie plaine that we would not in any wise haue preachinge because we woulde not heare oure faultes rebuked nor yet oure myndes exercised in meditation of God and his goodnes of oure owne sinne and miserie Sainct Paule to the Philippians saieth that he was not ashamed to write one thinge often to theÌ„ and it was for their safetye The parable of the .v. foolishe virgins and the .v. wyse teacheth playnely that bothe the wise and the foolish did bothe nap slumber yea fall harde on sleepe where in is set before vs all our natures whether we be foolish or wyse we fall on sleepe forgetting God when we shoulde watche for his coÌ„ming though we thinke neuer so hyghly of oure selues if we haue not the light burning lampe of Gods eternall woorde burning in oure heartes What a foolishnes is it to thinke that we can or shall stande where as euerye one hath fallen that is gone before vs or that we shall escape where euery one els hath ben taken There is not the best learned maÌ„ but he nedes often too heare the preachinges and counsayle of others althoughe he can comfort hym selfe in hys priuate studies and in readinge the scriptures neuer soo well For as the Phisicion when he is sicke canne not heale hym selfe nor hath not hys iudgemente soo perfectelye as he hadde before hee was sicke but seeketh helpe at an other Phisicions hande Soâ— the learnedst man liuinge as longe as he lyueth and beareth synfull fleshe aboute with hym shall haue sinnefull and froâ—warde lustes and affections rayninge 〈◊〉 hym whiche blyndeth hys sighte that he â—eeth not his own sinnes vntil he be
mighty Lord and merciful father which didst stir vp the Iewes too the buyldinge of thy house by the preachinge of thy Prophete Aggeus we thy miserable creatures oppressed with sinne and liuing in blindenes beseche thee for thy mercy sake haue mercy vpon vs and thrust out diligēt woorke men intoo thy haruest sende out faithfull preachers whiche maye by the harde threateninges of thy lawe and comfortable promises of thy gospel awake all thy people out of their dead slepe wherin thei lie walowing forgetting thee their dutye We haue all sinned from the hyghest to the lowest in not earnestly professinge thy holy woorde and religion Both the princes rulers and magistrates bisshops ministers of all sortes and all the people no state nor condiciō of men hath done their duetie herein vntoo thee oure onely Lorde and God Therfore we all with heauy heartes fall doune flat afore thy throne of grace and maiestie we begge craue aske thee forgeuenes of oure greate sinnes opē oure eyes O good God that we maye consider the plagues whiche thou haste layde on vs so longe for oure great disobedience towardes thee and thy woorde Geue vs newe heartes and renue thy holy spirite wtin vs O Lord that both the rulers may faithfully minister iustice punishe sinne defende and maintaine the preachinge of thy woorde and that all ministers may diligently teache thy dearely beloued flocke purchased by the bloud and death of thine owne and onely deare sonne oure Lorde and that all people maye obediently learn and folowe thy lawe too the glorie of thy holy name for Christes sake oure onelye Lorde and Sauioure ¶ The .ii. Chapter IN the .vii. moneth and the .xxi daye of the moneth was the woorde of the Lorde sente by the hande of Aggeus the Prophete sayinge verse 2 Speake to Zerubabell y◠sōne of Salathiel ruler of Iehuda and to Iosua the sonne of Iosede◠the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunte of the people sayinge verse 3 Who is left amongst you that hathe sene this house in his former glory and what a one you se it now is it not like as it were nothinge in your eies ¶ As concerning the rekening of yeares monethes and daies ynough was spoken in the first chapiter and what it is too bee sent by the hande of a Prophete who soo lust there he maye reade This message sent now in the .7 moneth and the nexte that comes in the .9 declare the good will of God towardes thē that buylde his house and howe ready God is to further all their doinges They began to worke the .xxiiii. daye of the sixt moneth and had cōtinued to the .21 daye of the .7 moneth and then leaste the feare of the kynge or the rulers shoulde discourage them they had nede to be comforted therefore Aggeus is sente vnto them agayne too encourage theym leaste they shoulde haue fainted or lefte of workinge Agayne in the .8 moneth is the Prophete Zachary sente vnto them and in the .9 moneth Aggeus is sent twise all because thei should not let their worke slip but with a courage finish it and that also they might see how true it is that to euery one that hath it shal be geuen and for them whiche woorke couragiously in the Lordes vyneyarde how wel the Lord is delited with them and blesses them Thus God knowinge the weakenes of this people euerye mooneth sendes newe messages vnto them that they maye vnderstande what a care he hath ouer them and that they shoulde trust in hym which had al thinges in his handes to rule at his pleasure and not to trust in them selues whiche of them selues coulde do nothing Let vs therfore worke in the Lords house and no doubt he will sende vs comfoorte ynough Nowe where he is bidden speake to Zerubabel the prince to Iosua the chiefe Priest and to the remnaunt of the people ▪ and so often reherses theym in this same order in this prophecie it doeth vs too vnderstande that there is one doctrine of saluation to be taughte vnto all sortes of mē and that all sortes are bounde to hear and learn thesame and besides that it teaches the prefermente of the ciuil magistrate or ruler to the priest as was noted before And herein we shall chiefly learn the wickednes of them that withholde the scriptures from the lay people saying it is not mete for them too be so muche occupied in hearinge thesame For the Prophet saith here sundry times that he was sente to all the people as well as to the rulers therfore it was their dutie to learne and heare his message as diligētly as it was the rulers And this is a greate occasion why that all rulers shoulde behaue thē selues lowly towards the people seing God hath made all thynges as concerninge saluation comon and of one sorte bothe too poore and riche that by this meanes he mighte encrease brotherly loue betwixt both partes There is one Lorde god saieth s. Paule of all bothe poore and ryche one holy Ghoste that makes vs all holy one baptisme one faithe that we beleue one sauioure Iesu Christ one father in heauen vnto whom we praye one euerlastinge kyngedome whiche we all loke for one scripture and woorte to teache vs one sacrament for vs all wee bee borne gotten dye and buried all in like and a greate knottell is of loue amongest vs seinge wee speake one language beinge of one countrye or towne and one ayre whiche we receiue one fyre Sunne Moone Starres earth herbes trees corne cattel fishe foole that we be fede on We goe stande slepe worke all alike c. All the difference that is betwixt vs is this that one is hygher in authoritie better clad or fed hathe a prouder coate or a softer bed or more store of money landes or seruauntes then an other hath whyche thinge helpe not to saluation But what vayne thinges these be to reioyce in or to despise one another for that wātes them the thinges them selues do declare For he that wantes all these not necessarie thinges to saluation is commonly better man more lustye stronge and healthfull then the other as is sayde in the verses before And to reioyce is auncient bloude what can be more vayne Do we not all come of Adam our earthly father and say we not all Our father whiche art in heauen halowed c. How can we crake then of oure auncient stocke seinge we came all bothe o◠on earthelye and heauenly father If ye marke the commō saying how gentle bloude came vp ye shall see howe true it is When Adam dalue and Eue span Who was than a gentle man And although no nation hais any thing to reioice in of them selues yet Englande hais lesse than other we glory much to be called Britans but if we consider what a vacabunde Brutus was and what a company he brought with him there is small cause of glori For the Saxōs of whome we come also there is lesse
muche to the bodies and goodes of the wicked men as to the mynde and conscience nor this ioye shoulde not be so muche worldly and outwarde to the good as too the soule and inwarde Greate worldlye peace was in all the worlde when oure sauioure Christe was borne but that peace whiche the Aungels sange glorie be to God in hygh in earth peace is rather the peace of conscience because God and man were now reconciled and peace was made betwixt vs and God because his sonne had taken oure nature vpon hym and was made man but vnto the wicked it maye alwayes well be sayd there is no peace too the wicked sayeth the Lorde What a trouble was Herode in whan the wyse men came asked where was he that was born king of the Iewes The scripture sayeth that Herode and all Ierusalem was troubled at this questioÌ„ Herode thoughte he shoulde lose his kingdome and the scribes Phariseis thought that their authoritie was gone whiche thinge greued them so much that thei had rather haue hadde no Christe then loste that authoritie But Herode deuises a policie to saue him selfe withall and kylles all the chyldren that were twoo year oldâ— and vnder thinkinge amongest theym all he shoulde haue kylled Christe and he had rather haue kylled all then the onely Christ shoulde escape What a trouble was he in whaÌ„ he caused such a murther for fear or a yonge chylde What reason is it that suche a kynge shoulde so much feare a yoÌ„g chylde But God prouided well ynoughe for hys sonne and was as wyse readye mercifull to saue deliuer hys soÌ„ne christ as the other was subtil and cruel to murther him for Herode had rather slea all yâ— chyldren then that one Christe shoulde escape God had Ioseph take Marie and the chylde Iesus and â—lee into Egipt tarye there vntyll he gaue hym contrary word What trouble were the Scribes Phariseis in whan for his doctrine preachinge and miracles whiche were so wonderful that they coulde not tell what to saye but sometimes saide Do we not saie wel that thou arte a Samaritan and haste a deuil another time they woulde haue throwne hym doune of the hyll and agayn thei say it hath not ben heard of frome the beginninge that any man hath opened the eies of hym that was born blinde and agayn a manifest wonderfull signe they haue wrought we can not denie it and also yf we let hym alone thus the whole worlde will folow him Howe was the other Herode which beheaded Ihon Baptist troubled when he heard of his miracles wold haue hadde him to haue wrought some in his sighte Howe was Pilates wyfe troubled in her dreame for hym and sente her husbande woorde that he shoulde not medle with him howe gladly woulde Pilate him selfe haue deliuered hym wasshed his hands to declare his innocencie and sayde he founde nothinge woorthye of deathe in him Howe were all the Priestes afearde when they heard tel that he was rysen froÌ„ death and gaue money to the watchemen to â—aye hys Disciples came and stole hym aâ—â— ye when they slept Why shâ—uld they feare a dead man â—f we were a man only he coulde not hurte them if a God they coulde not withstande him â–ª What trouble were the priestes in when they forbad the Apostles to preache any more in Christes name and folowed the counsel of Gamaliel sayinge if it were of God they coulde not abolishe it Why shoulde they bee afrayde of a deadde man Howe was kynge Agrippa troubled whaÌ„ Paule had defended his cause and sayde to hym thy greate learninge O Paule maketh thee madde How were the great learned Philosophers in AtheÌ„s troubled when Paule preached the resurrection of the dead and of Christe and sayde What meanes this sawer of newe doctrine hee semeth too teache newe Gods What a trouble was the Emperour Tiberius in when Pilate wrote to him of the preachinge miracles of Christ and he demaunded that the whole parliament of Rome woulde worshippe hym as a God But they consideringe that he is a gelous God and that he will haue no other worshipped with him but all honor muste be geuen to him onely denied him to be a God or yet to be worshipped there as God What caused Pope Leo the x. to bee so afraide whan Zuinglius beganne too preache the Gospell but that hee perceyued the lighte of Gods woorde woulde deface his pompe pryde and sette abrode all his wickednes too the worlde to be laught at and least he should go forwarde in preachinge and rebuking hys abhomination he sent hys letters too him sealed vnder hys bull of lead willing hym too holde his peace and preache no more suche of thinges he woulde geue hym what liuinge and as many bishoprikes as he woulde yea to be a Cardinall and whatsoeuer he woulde aske excepte his owne seate to be Pope But be lyke a true Preacher went on forwardes in hys busines settinge vp Christe and pulling doune Popery What makes the Pope at this daye hys Clergy too burne persecute empryson all that loue the Gospell but that they feare to loose their lordlines make their bellye 's their God and woulde lyue at ease like lords of the lande What makes theÌ„ to denye Christ to be a Goâ— not so muche in playne woordes as in doctrine dedes couertly but that they se they get muche ryches by reliques pylgrimages sainctes masses pardons c. whiche do as much in effect as denye Christes too bee God because they seeke helpe by these meanes in their troubles and forgeuenes of sinnes with comforte of conscience which all belong so vnto Christ that whosoeuer sekes them other wayes or els where then at his handes onely do as muche as in them lyes as to make Christ no God robbe hym of that honour whiche is due to him only and geue it to Gods of their own making What maruayle is it if they folow the olde decree of the Romaynes in their parliament where they denied Christ to be receiued and worshipped for a God because he shoulde not haue all honour alone as it is due to him onely Thus we se what great trouble it is to the wicked to haue Christ and his doctrine to come abroade and how true this was that the Prophet saith here and what trouble hath ben and shal be too the ende where the Gospell is preached The father shal deliuer the soÌ„ne to death and the sonne shall ryse agaynste the father so shal the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother brother againste brother c. whiche thinges we all see at this daye to haue comen to passe Howe many wyues rather then they woulde forsake God haue suffered death forsaken husbande chyldren goodes and countrye and willinglye banished theym selues and so haue many good husbandes also Howe hath one brother persecuted another One frende
though they neuer reade scripture who so euer doth not worship him by this naturall knowledge is iustly condēpned We reade of Anthony that holye father whiche lyued in wildernes and beinge so farre vnlearned the he could not reade was asked of his frēd how he passed the time away seing he liued alone had no bokes yes saith Anthony I wāt no bokes for all the creatur◠of God are my bokes I read learne his maiesty out of his creatures as you do out of your bokes And surelye thei be goodly bokes to be loked on to be hold the Sūne the Moone stars birds fishes beastes herbes corne grasse trees hyls ryuers c. And he is worse then a beast that can goe looke at all these and not loue prayse wonder at his strength power wisedom and goodnes whiche hath made all these to serue vs. The starres kepe so good an order course in their mouinges the vertue of herbes help diseases and all fishe foule beastes fede and serue man whiche thinges come from him who is Lorde of nature not of them selues These maye better be called laye mens and the vnlearned peoples bokes than ymages and idols whiche bee like vnto whome soeuer it pleases the painter to make them like If all the ymages of any one sainct were laide together they woulde all be vnlike one too another in many pointes and what a Monster shuld he be that shoulde be like all these If the reliques as armes head legges scalp heire teeth ▪ c. were together in one place that are saide too be worshipped in many ▪ some should haue two or three heads moe legs and armes than a hors woulde cary their gylded cootes painted faces should teache rather to be proude and to playe the harlot than sobernes simplicitie holines and lowlines as becommes the godly and saintes in dede After when he addes the desire of all people shall come there is prophecied thecomminge of Christ in oure flesh nature to redeme vs from the bondage of hel syn and death whiche thinge al good men frō the beginninge haue desired It was a ioyfull thinge to perceiue Christe to come by the eyes of faith and happy was he to whome it was geuen to vnderstande and beleue in him to come but more happy did they thinke theym selues whiche did not onely beleue in hym to come but see hym present in fleshe Simeon a righteous mā alwayes occupied in praier desired to liue tyll the daye when he might see the Lord whiche request God graunted him when the chylde Iesus was presented in the tēple by his mother he tooke the chylde Iesus in his armes praised God and sayde Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in peace accordinge too thy woorde For mine eies haue sene thy sauīg health and so was well contented to dye after he had his desire Ihon Baptist beinge yong in his mothers wombe leaped for ioye as soone as his mother hearde the salutation of the virgine Marie comminge vnto her Anna the Prophetesse a widowe liuinge in fasting and prayer continuallye chiefely desired to see the daye of hys comminge Many kynges and Prophetes saieth sainct Luke haue desired to see that daie and haue not sene it Suche a greate desire for the encrease of their faythe haue all good men had to see Christ in our fleshe and nature that we might by his death bee deliuered from the slauery of hel sinne and death What a misery is it too be in bondage of consciences for our sinnes and Gods righteous iudgement and what a comforte is it to knowe that God is recōciled to vs by the death of his sonne This is the desyre of all good men whiche is fulfilled too vs in Christ. And he is called the desire of all people by the Hebrue phrase which is as muche to saye as moste desired So sainct Paule calles hym not onelye righteous peace maker but righteousnes and peace it selfe for soo haue suche woordes more strength when they be pronoūced like substantiues then the adiectiues haue What a desire had Esaye the Prophete whan he cried woulde to God thou wouldest burst the heauens and come doune For this peace that God sayeth he wil fyll thys house with glorie muche was saide afore But there he sayde onely he woulde shewe his glorie and nowe hee sayeth he will fyl it with glorie And this is to comforte them that were so sory because this house was litell in comparison of the other olde one and nothing so costli and glorious The fulnes of this glorie appeared whan Christe preached hys Fathers will healed diseases wroughte miracles rebuked the Scribes with their tradicions c. as was sayde before What greater glorie can be than to doe good too them whiche be hys enemies to helpe thē whiche can not helpe them selues and too doe it so frely that he looke for no reward in so doinge but euen of free pitie which he had on vs seinge vs lie in such miserie did shewe suche mercy as to redeme vs to take vs for his chyldren louers frendes to teache vs helpe vs and geue vs grace too doe his will worshippe hys maiestie feare hym and loue hym knowe oure owne weakenes and pardon oure negligence oure infirmitie oure forgetfull and vnthankefull disobedience Greate glorie was shewed in this house when as Alexander the greate called Magnus submitted hym selfe too the hyghe Prieste Gods minister confessinge his God to be the true God where afore he was purposed too haue destroyed Ierusalem and also whan Iudas Machabeus wyth hys bretheren after manye noble victories restored Gods religion But none of these fylled this house with glorie but some parte of it Onely Christe our Lord in whome is the fulnesse of the Godhead filleth this house with glory Christ filled this temple so ful of hys doctrine miracles by hym selfe and his Apostles that the fulnes thereof ranne throughe the whole worlde for there it began as in a springe and nowe hathe fylled the whole worlde therewith So liberall is he that he geueth not onely a parte but full and heaped measure euen to the toppe that it flowes ouer What a glorie of God was shewed in this house whan oute of all countryes vnder heauen were gathered deuout men to worshippe God there And after that the Apostles receyued the holye Ghooste whan Peter in his sermons conuerted .5 thousande Howe farre spread was thys glorie when the Eunuche of Quene Candace moued with the great reporte of that gorgious Temple came thither for too worshippe But thys wirkes the mighty Lorde of hostes woorkes whiche hathe all thinges at commaundemēt and truely fulfilles all his promises euen vntoo the ende verse 8 Golde is myne and siluer is myne saieth the Lorde of hostes verse 9 Greater shal be the glorie of this later house then of the further sayeth the Lorde of hoostes And in this place will
be content with a few thinges but destroye all after them and that which thei could not cary awaye they would vtterly marre by some meanes that they shoulde haue no good of that which was left Thei would not be content with a few thinges as theues but they woulde haue all thei would not haistly runne awaye for feare of any helpe cominge too rescow them but they woulde without feare spoile tary theyr leasure searchinge all corners not caring who shall espie them And that whiche is more meruailous theues althoughe they come sodenly vpon a man geuing no warninge that a man might prepare him self to stande in his owne defence shoulde not doe so much harme as the Assirians shuld cominge not sodenly vpon them nor they vnprepared but beinge prepared and although they knew of their coming had all kinde of weapons to defend them self withall yet thei shall not be able nor bold to defende them selfes or their countrye but shoulde vtterly perish be robbed spoiled and destroied The latter similitude of grape getherers declares this more plainly Grape getherers althoughe they searche euery branche pepe vnder euery leaf lest they leaue any grapes growing behind them and yet they were commaunded in the lawe by Moyses to leaue some growing of all kinde of fruite behinde them and if they let any fall they shoulde not turnâ— again to take it vp but let the poore come geyther and gleane yet these gredy cormorantes so couetous that they neuer hadde inoughe so gredye that they were neuer fyld They woulde not leaue one cluster growinge behinde them but soo vtterlye spoyle theym that they woulde leaue nothinge at all neither for poore nor ryche Thei woulde spare neyther man nor woman old nor yong house nor lande town nor castell beastes of all sortes withoute mercy shoulde be wasted burned and destroyed The later verse shews this vtter destruction at large in fewe woordes sayinge But howe haue thei searched Esau and ranseckt their secrete thinges as thoughe he shoulde saye to them although theues robbers grapegetherers vse to doe muche harme wheresoeuer thei come nothing can escape their handes yet it shal be nothinge like vntoo this destruction that these of Babylon shall doe This destruction shal be incurable these shall spoile kyll destroye without mercy Nabuchodonozor whan he comes with his men shal search and ranseck all your secrete places corners that nothinge shall escape them In sackinge of townes men be wonte to cast their plate money Iuels and suche other treasures in to depe welles too digge theÌ„ in the earth or some priuy place wher none or fewe vses to come or few wold mistrust any thinge their to be hidde but whan he comes hide your treasurs where you lust caste theÌ„ into â—akes dunghils cesterns or blinde corners where please you it shall not skil it shal be espied and shall not esscape ye shal not haue profit of any thing ye haue He wonders at the vtter destruction of them whan he says how haue thei searched and ranseckt the secretes as if he shoulde saye it shal be vnlike vntoo all other doinges no reason woulde thinke what great crueltie in searchinge spoile shal be shewed vnto thee it shal be so horrible so contrari to mens loking for so farre vnlike too all that hais ben shewed to any other people And meruaile not at this extremitie shewed vnto you good reason it is that they which haue comforted them selues in their worldly thinges beside God that they shoulde be so corrected of God that they shoulde vnderstande that their is no help succor or comfort but in â—od and thei whiche woulde not know God in prosperite muste nowe drinke of his iustice in aduersite He had geueÌ„ pleÌ„ty to them of all fruites corne cattels all kinde of riches but this coulde not moue them to knowledge him to be their Lorde and God giuer and sauer both of man and beast therfore now must they teste of the rodde too knowe ther was a God whome they had offended God does not geue vs his benefites riches and blessinges too make vs truste in oure selfe or any other creature but to stirre vp oure mindes too heauen to loke on him trust in hym call on him and praise him therefore it was right that all these shoulde be taken from them to bringe them too the knowledge of them selues and his iustice whiche can not abide suche thinges This is the rewarde due for all suche as will not shewe merci but crueltie to them that bee in distresse thei shall finde thesame crueltie measure geuen them againe whan they shal be in nede they shall aske mercy call for help but finde none Iosephs brethren when they woulde shewe no mercy to their brother whan he desired them were straitly loked on for a time and sharpely spoken vnto whan thei came into Egipte and than they coulde confesse that God had worthely rewarded them their vnkyndenes that thei shewed their brother Ioseph Nabuchodonozor with all his cruel proude men which spoiled conquered and cruelly entreated all countries about them were serued with like measure at Cyrus handes whan he ouercame theym he destroied their cytye and conquered their countrie And as our Papistes with their spies in all corners would let no man dwel in reste but accuse complaine imprison and burne theym had rather fulfil the bloudy desires mindes of the cruell murtherers and bochers thaÌ„ shewe any gentilnes to Gods people and all to pike a thanke or gette a bribe of the proude Bishops or harde hearted neuer satisfied horsleches the lawers so theyr time will come whan thei shall fele Gods heauy wrath and displeasure against thâ— with suche griefe of conscience that they shall wishe for death and not finde it desire the hilles to couer them from the face of the lambe and yet be without comfort These be the Edomytes that persecute the true sonnes of Iacob at this day these be the false brethren that be moued neyther with the feare of Gods loue to his worde nor naturall to their brethren countremeÌ„ and kinsfolke but like brute beastes devoure all aforeth eÌ„satisfieng their owne lustes and desires encreasinge their own condemnation if they turne not and repent with teares verse 7 Euen vnto the border of thy countrie haue they caste oute thee and persecuted all men which were in leage confederate with thee the meÌ„ that made peace with thee haue deceiued thee preuailed against thee those that eate thy bread haue wouÌ„ded thee priuely there is no wisedom in hym verse 8 Shal I not in that day says the Lord destroy the wisemen from Edom wisedom from the hyl of Esau. verse 9 The strong men of Theman shal be afraide because euery one of the hyll Esau shall bee destroyed ¶ This plage that God threatens to thys people now is of two sorts that because they had double offended According as it is
Israelites ashamed but after the Dauid had slaine Goliath the Philistines were vanquished slaine and euery day more more rooted out The verses folowing declare the cause of the destruction of Edom. First because whan Nabuchodonozor sacked their cytye Ierusalem entred the gates caste lot on Ierusalē who shoulde haue the best part spoiled their good burned their houses Temple beate doune their walles and made hauoc of all Thou Edom stoode amonge them tooke their partes robbed as fast as the best cast lot with thē which shoulde be thy parte whan other would haue shewed pitie thou cried as the psal says Doune with it doune with theym euen to the botome leaue not one sticke standing leaue not one stoone vpon an other O what cruel woords are these that they which were cosins and should haue ben frendes vnto this people whan their enemies would haue shewed pitie they crie doune with them doune with them leaue not one pece standing The Scottes inuading Englande made a like bragge amonge them selues to destroie all afore them the morning afore the battel was fought thei plaide at dice for all the dukedoms great cities in Englād who shuld haue them but God turned them in theyr owne pride for their kyng was slain in the fielde all the hoste disconfited too theyr great losse and shame Where brotherly loue required that thou shoulde haue holpen thy brother Iacob and his seede thou stode by loked on and woulde not helpe whan suche straunge thinges and destruction fell on hym yea not onely that but the reioised at their harme and stode boasting and crakinge againste them where thou shoulde haue ben a comfort and deliuered of them It is harde to tell whether he offendes God more that does the wronge oppresses an other or he that standes by laughing mocking and scorning maye helpe and wil not but sure both be dampnable Dauid complaynes of such as hurt the oppressed they haue persecuted hym whom thou hast smitten and they increased my sorowe and againe they songe rymes againste me as they sate drinkynge wyne They that stode mockinge at oure sauiour Christ hanging on the crosse were as giltye of his deathe as they that crucified him Thou that destroyes the temple of God haile king of the Iues. Let him saue him if he will haue him they which consent to anye wickednesse are as well gilty as they that do the dede It is against al humanity that when god punishes man should also lay on more sorowe beside No beast if an other sticke fast in the mire or fal vnder his lode will stand mockinge or hurting him or laying on more weight to hold it down what beastlines or worse rather is this that mā shulde reioice at an other mans harm it is agaīst nature of man God bids by Moises that if thou se thine enemies Asse fallen vnder his lode that thou shall not passe by but thou shal help to lift him vp surely god does not cōmaūd this so much for the Asses sake as the mās as s. pa. a like case in muslinge the laboring oxe Hais God care for oxen if we be taught thus to shewe this frendship to oure enemie and his asse muche more it wil be required at oure handes for oure frendes neighbours But they had so ferre forgotten all gentilnes that they were more ready to doe them harme than their open ennemies were and straungers They brasse open their gates and wēt in with the first layde handes vpon their goods and spoiled them as fast as the best Yea thei were not cōtent to stande by loke on rob thē but they stode in the crosse wayes that if any escaped ranne awaye or made shifte to saue him selfe they eyther were ready to kyl him or elles take him prisoner and bringe him and deliuer him in to the hands of his enemies O miserable cruelnes that woulde not let them lyue which had once escaped daunger nor woulde not let them flee awaye which were once deliuered from their enemies What a pleasur had these wicked men in murthering and robbinge their brethern that coulde not suffer them to escape whiche had once escaped Yea all this crueltie thei shewed whan the Lord had forbidden them for so the Hebrue redes al these cruel partes negatiuely forbiddinge them so to doe And because they had done so cruelly too theyr brethern and contrari to Gods commaūdement the plagues fell on them whiche the nexte verse speakes of The Chalde targum redes theym all affirmatiuely sayinge thou didde stande agaynste thy brother whan the Heathen robbed hym entered his cytye cast lot for Ierusalē thou toke their partes stode lokinge on him in the daie of his destructiō and spake boastingly againste him thou robbed hym stode in the crosse wais to kyll them that ranne awai to saue them selfs The sēse and meaning is al one whither we rede them affirmatiuely or negatiueli for the one castes in their teethe their cruelty and the other forbiddes them it and shewes that for this their vnkinde wicked behauior toward their brether Gods people they shoulde drinke suche as they had geuen other This is the comen practise of the worlde that whan a manne is doune than euen those whiche were hys fained frendes afore will be the first that shall worke him displeasure Whan Absalon had gathered a greate companye and driuen out his father thā those that were Dauids counsailers and flattering frēds ▪ were the firste that forsaked him saw the world chaunge ran to Absalon thought there was most profit to get to be gotten that waye But if I shoulde applie thys to Antichrist the Pope and his pigges we shall easely perceiue howe true it is not onely afore but in these oure miserable daies Whan Uertiger kinge of this realme woulde forsake his lawful wife the Quene and marry the doughter of Hengist a Saxon thā to defend that noughty dede moste the Saxons be brought in contrary to the peoples minde and so at lēgth they conquered all and made them selfs kings driuing out the English men Of what one cruell poinct can oure vnmercifull papistes excuse them selfes at this daye but they haue ben as cruell againste the bretherne in this realme for religiō as Edō was againste Iacob For the mainteyninge of the Idolatries whan they see that the moste parte of the realme had espied their wickednes and proude tyranny that they woulde exercise againste the people of God they see there was no waye to kepe their pompe and feede their idel bellies but by might power and strong hād So these caterpillers caringe not howe they come by it so that they had it better they thinke it to daunger the hole realme than Idolatry be not mainteyned theyr Pope honoured poore soules bought and soulde their gredy ambitious desyres set a loft that they may rule lyke lords Whā they se their brethren cast in the