and in the cause of their sister Cozbi the daughter of a lorde of the Madianites which was slain in the day of the plague for Peors sake The exposition vpon the .xxv. Chapter of Numeri And Israell aboade in Sittim and the people began to commit whoordom c. THe offence that is described in thys chapter to haue bene committed by the childreÌ„ of Israel may seme to be wroughte by the * wicked policie of the false prophet BalaaÌ„ who seeing before that the fauor of god was much enclined to the Israelites did aduertise the Moabites to suffer their wiues daughters to be carnally abused by them to the end that their God being * displeased with their whooredome adulterie might forsake them and so leaue them to the daunger of theyr enimies This was a maruellous way wardnesse in the Israelites that neyther with aduersitie nor prosperity they could be reteined in their dutie toward God. In aduersitie they * sundry tymes murmured against God. And now in prosperitie being come to a * fertile couÌ„trey and hauing great successe of * victorie they are caryed away with loosenesse and wanton lust towarde straunge women and thereby prouoke the heauie * wrath of God against them Wherfore by this example we are admonished in bothe states of Fortune to beware and to call earnestly vnto God for the assistaunce of his grace that wee be not caryed from the remembrance of our dutie eyther with the griefe of the tone or with the pleasauntnesse of the tother In this example also wee haue to obserue howe perillous the companie of * wicked women is not onely for the grieuousnesse of whoordome it selfe but also for the perill that is least we be ledde also by the poysoned pleasure therof vtterly to * forsake God and to contemne his holy lawe and true worship And the Lord sayde take al the heades of the people and hang them c. Iustly doth Saincte Paule 1. Corinth 10. admonishe vs to beware of whooredome and fornication least the lyke perill of Gods wrath doe lyghte vpon vs also The common multitude of the offenders were slayne by hande as aâ—ter doth appeare but the heades and ryngleaders of the people to that wickednesse that is the Princes Magistrates and rulers who shuld haue stayed and punished this foule offence are by God commaunded to be hanged vp against the sunne that their * punishement mighte be the more grieuous to the terror of other For the prince or greate person offendeth double bothe in the filthinesse of the deede it selfe and also in the example whereby he draweth a number to the lyke naughtynesse Suche as the greate persons are suche commonly are the people Wherfore wel saith wisedom cap. 6 The mightie persons shal myghtily be punished A notable lesson is here to be gathered of al them which at this day make so smal accompt of fornication whooredome and adulterie as though it were no synne at all yea as though it were a praise or glorie to them to be knowne and taken to be suche persons And beholde one of the children of Israell came and brought vnto c. This was a notable spectacle of the coÌ„tempt of God and all good men when Moyses and the people were before the doore of the Tabernacle bewayling and lamenting the wickednesse that was encreased among them and by their prayers tears sought to turne the displeasure of God froÌ„ theÌ„ this maÌ„ as it were in despite of them all and of God himselfe in their syghtes brought a straunge strumpet into his tent to be abused of himselfe and of his children By this example it may appeare that wickednesse was growne to a very * high degree among them seing that they had therin caste away al shame * and feare of God. This was none of the common sort of people that coÌ„mitted this outrage He was a lorde and a noble man of the house of Simeon the strumpet also was a Lady or GeÌ„tlewoman the daughter of Sur an head ruler of the Madianites Wherby it appereth what kinde of persons doe soonest breake out to suche foule examples of the contempt of god And as the offence committed was greuous so was the Authour and manner of the punishment extraordinarie For Phinees was a priest and no ciuile Magistrate his * office was to serue God in the teÌ„ple and not by death to punish offenders yet bicause the example of the wickednesse was horrible he was stirred vp vndoutedly by the spirit of God in the vehemencie of his zeale for Gods cause to vse an extraordinarie punishmeÌ„t of those persons that with such despite of Gods lawe and true worship did grieue the heartes of all good men in their heuie distresse And therfore though this fact of Phinees be greatly praised both here and in other * places of the holy Scripture yet being but a peculiar instinction of God in this one cause it is not to be taken as an example coÌ„monly of all persons to be folowed For if euery priuate man should take vpon him to punish offences and that by death it would grow to very greate disorder But Magistrates and they to * whom God hath committed the sworde may here learne with how earnest zeale they should see to the repressing and punishing of synne and wickednesse and not as commonly they doe eyther winke at it without punishment or so triflingly punishe it that it is rather a mockerie than a punishment Then God spake to Moyses saying Phinees the sonne of Eleazar c. By this God sheweth that Phinees was led by his instinction to the zelous execution of that punishment therfore doth not only shewe him selfe to lyke well of it but also rewardeth him with the * perpetual annexing of the high priesthood to him and to his house posteritie Here good princes and magistrates may learne that God with great blessing will rewarde the iust and with sharp punishment correct the authors of wickednesse and vice The third Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Deuteronomie 4. NOw therfore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances lawes which I teach you for to do them that so ye may liue and goe in and possesse the land whiche the Lorde God of your fathers giueth you 2 Ye shal put nothing vnto the worde which I commaund you neither shal you take ought from it that ye may kéepe the coÌ„maundements of the Lorde your God whiche I commaunde you 3 Your eyes haue séene what the Lorde did against Baal Peor for all the men that folowed Baal Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed from among you 4 But ye that cleaue vnto the Lord your God are aliue euery one of you this day 5 Behold I haue taught you ordinances lawes such as the Lord my God coÌ„maunded me that ye should do
and the straunger the fatherlesse and the widdowe that are among you in the place whyche the Lorde thy God hathe chosen to put hys name there 12 And remember that thou waste a seruant in Egypte and thou shalte obserue and doe these ordinaunces 13 Thou shalte also obserue the Feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes after that thou hast gathered in thy corne and thy wine 14 And thou shalt reioyce in thy feast thou and thy sonne thy daughter thy seruaunt and thy maide the Leuite the straunger and the fatherlesse and the Widowe that are within thy gates 15 Seuen dayes shalte thou kéepe a solemne feast vnto the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde shall choose for the Lorde thy God shall blesse thée in all thy fruites and in all the workes of thine handes therfore shalte thou be glad 16 Thrée times in a yéere shall all thy males appeare before the Lorde thy God in the place whiche he shall choose in the feast of unleaucned because in the feast os weekes and in the feast Tabernacles and they shall not appeare before the Lorde emptie 17 Euery man shall geue according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lorde thy God which he hath geuen thée 18 Iudges and officers shalt thou make thée in all thy cities which the Lord thy God geueth thée throughout thy tribes and they shal iudge the people with iust iudgement 19 Wrest not thou the lawe nor knowe anye person neither take anye rewarde for giftes doe blinde the eyes of the wyse and peruert the wordes of the righteous 20 That whiche is iuste and righte shalte thou folowe that thou mayest lyue and enioye the lande whych the Lord thy God geueth thée 21 Thou shalte plante no groue of anye trées neare vnto the aulter of the Lorde thy God which thou shalt make thée 22 Thou shalte set thée vp no Piller which the Lord the God hateth The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Deuteronomie Obserue the moneth of newe corne that thou maiest offer the Passouer c. THe Israelites in this place are commauÌ„ded wyth all diligence to obserue the three principall Feastes wherein they were appointed especially to resort to the place that the Lorde would choose that is the Citie of Hierusalem The first Feast was the Passouer called here the Moneth of nevvecorne and by vs noted vnder the name of Easter The second was Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and by vs VVhitsontide The thirde was the Feast of Tabernacles As touchyng the Passouer there is more large declaration of it vpon Exodus 12. redde on Easter day It was solemnised the first moneth that is the moneth of Marche and here is called the Moneth of nevve corne bycause fruite and graine then began to growe toward ripening For in those countries being many degrees more Southward narre the sunne Haruest is much sooner than with vs Northwarde At this Feast besyde other ceremonyes they were appoynted to offer vnto God a certayne small portion of their eares of new corne therby confessyng that theyr towardnesse of Haruest was of Gods onely goodnes and also praying that he would vouchsafe to prosper to their vse that which was on the grounde for this cause especiallye is the tyme of this Feast called the Moneth of newe corne The principall cause of the Institution* of the Passouer was to put them in continuall remembrance of Gods maruellous benefite in passing away his plague from them and not striking them when hys Angell* killed all the firste borne of Egipte At this Feast by the space of seueÌ„ dayes they might eate no leauened bread whereby they were put in minde of their Hastie dispatch out of Egipte For albeit Pharao was obstinately set not to let them goe yet God by his mighty plagues so Brake his harte that he did not onely deliuer them but forced them to depart with such spede as they coulde not abyde to leuen their dowe but caried it away on their shoulders Whiche their hastie departure â—â—s some trouble to them and thereof doth this vnleauened bread put them in remembrance and for that cause is called here The bread of tribulation As for all other ceremonies appertainyng to this Feast they are expounded in the chapiter aboue mentioned Seuen weekes shalt thou number to thee and beginne to number c. From the day after that the Measure or Portion of newe corne was offered vnto the Lorde whiche I thinke was in the ende of the Feast of Passouer reckning seueÌ„ ful Sabathes or wekes to the nexte daye after the seuen weekes ended are iuste fiftye dayes was the time appoynted for the Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and in Exodus 23 The Feast of Haruest and wyth vs as I haue sayd is named VVhitsontide The firste cause of the ordynance of thys Feaste was that they mighte remember the Libertie that God had geuen them and shewe themselues thankefull for the same For fiftie dayes after their comming out of Egipte God gaue them the Lawe in Mount Sinay and first ordained them a free State and Policie by peculiar Lawes among themselues whereas before they were in bondage and lyued in miserable oppression vnder the Lawes and * tyrannie of the Egiptians An other cause of the Institution hereof was that they myghte offer a newe Oblation vnto God that is two Loaues of new Corne baked as the first Fruites in way of thankesgeuing to the Lorde So that they did not offer onelye the Measure of Newe corne before Haruest but Oblation also towarde the ende of Harueste And thereby are taughte as We also shoulde be that the Fruites of Harueste come not eyther of the Fertilitie of the grouÌ„d or of their owne Labour and trauayle but of the singuler Fauour and Blessing of God and therefore that they should vse the same not to Ryote and DrunkeÌ„nesse but wyth reuerence and * thankesgeuyng The third cause of the Institution was that it might be a figure both of the true Libertie of conscience and of the spirituall Haruest that was to come vnder the true Moyses and Deliuerer Christ Iesu For euen as fiftye dayes after the deliuerie of the Chyldren of Israell oute of Egipte they had the Lawe geuen them in Mounte Sinay So the fiftieth daye after oure deliuerance from the Tyrannie of Sinne and Sathan by the Deathe and Resurrection of Christe whiche was the true* Passouer The holye Ghoste was sente downe from Heauen which myghte not onelye wryte the eternall lawe of God in oure heartes make vs free Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem but also by the Apostles and other good Ministers labourers might* gather together the Spirituall Haruest of God throughoute the whole worlde and that all Faithfull might receyue the firste Fruites of the benefytes of hys Deathe and Resurrection We do not therfore Obserue this day supersticiously bicause the like was ordeined among
heauenly foode of Christ himselfe * Iohn 6. Remission of sinne * Reconciliation Acceptation * Iustification before God The assured gift of euerlasting * life and The inheritance of the kingdome of God. In this Mountaine therefore was the table as it were first spredde for this heauenly banquet and from thence were the messengers sent into all partes of the worlde to bid the ghestes as Christ signifieth by a parable Math. 22. and Luke 14 â–ª And in this Monntaine shall the Lorde destroy the couering c. The couering and hanging or the mourning garment wherin all men are wrapped is Corruption and Sinne whereby sorrow daunger shame and reproch is come vnto them by which death also hath inuaded them * For death is the rewarde of sinne But the daunger both of the one and of the other and the sorrowe weeping and heauinesse that commeth by them is cleane taken awaye by Christ Iesu as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15. * VVhere is thy sting O death O hell where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne the power of sinne is the lawe but thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victorie by Christ Iesu Therefore with glad and thankfull heartes the Prophete maketh the people of God and subiectes of the kingdome of Christ to reioyce and triumph for the same saying Lo this is our God wee haue wayted for him and he shall deliuer vs c. Here the Prophete noteth the three sacrifices wherewith the Church of Christ and his people do worship him 1 The first is Fayth and Beleefe of hart noted in this word VVe haue wayted for him that is with constant fayth we haue abidden hys comming being assured that he would deliuer vs. 2 The second is Confession with the mouth For we must not onely beleeue in heart that Christ Iesu is the sauiour of the worlde as S. Paule sayth but also confesse with mouth and therefore sayth the Prophete here Lo this is our God c. 3 The thirde is Triumphant gladnesse in heart and conscience for the saluation happened by christ our Sauiour which is vttered in these wordes VVe will reioyce and be mery in the saluation c. For in this Mountaine the hande of the Lorde shall abide c. By the hande of the Lorde he vnderstandeth the power and maiestie of Christ that shal remaine alway in his Church For I am with you sayth he to the ende of the worlde that is in vertue power and maiestie of his Godhead though as touching his humanitie he be absent in heauen on the right hande of God the father By the name of Moab that shoulde be threshed and troden vnder lyke a dunghill he meaneth all the enimies and aduersaryes of Christ and his Gospell vpon whom our Sauiour Christ shal stretch out his hande like one that swimmeth that he may thresh them and beate them as it were to dust and bring to confusion all their glorie and great strength The Moabites were the sworne and perpetual enimies to the Israelites and therefore by that name doth he note all the aduersaryes of the people of God. The thirde Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay 26. IN that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iuda We haue a strong Citie saluation shall God appoynt in steade of walles and bulwarkes 2 Open ye the gates that the righteous people which kéepeth the truth may enter in 3 By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace bicause they put their trust in thée 4 Put ye your trust alway in the Lorde for in the Lorde God there is strength for euermore 5 For he hath brought downe the high minded Citizens as for the proude citie he hate brought it lowe euen to the grounde shall he cast it downe and bring it vnto dust 6 The foote euen the foote of the poore and the steps of such as be in necessitie shall treade it downe 7 The path of equitie wilt thou graunt vnto the full O thou most righteous thou shalt order the path of him that is righteous 8 Yea in the way of thy iudgements O lord haue we put our trust in thée thy name also and the remembraunce of thée is the thing that our soule longeth for 9 My soule hath longed for thée al the night and with my spirit which is within me will I séeke thée earely in the morning for when thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitours of the worlde shall learne righteousnesse 10 Shall the vngodly man be fauoured which hath not learned righteousnesse but â—â—th wickedly in â—he earth where nothing ought to be done but that which is righteous he shall not sée the glorie of the Lorde 11 Lorde when thy hande is lift vp to strike they sée it not but they shall sée it and be confounded with the zeale of the people and the fyre that consumeth thine enimies shall douour them 12 Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouide peace for thou also â–ª hast wrought all our workes in vs. 13 O Lorde our God other Lordes besides thée hath subdued vs but we will be mindefull onely of thée and of thy name 14 The deade will 〈…〉 they that be out of life wyll not rise againe therefore hast thou visited and rooted them out and destroyed all the memorie of them 15 Thou hast increased the people O Lorde thou hast increased the people thou art glorious thou hast sent them far of vnto all the costes of the earth 16 Lord in trouble haue they visited thée they poured out their prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 17 Like as a woman with childe that draweth nie towardes hir trauayle is sorie and cryeth in hir paynes euen so haue we béene in thy sight O Lorde 18 We haue bene with childe and suffered paine as though we had brought forth winde for there is no saluation in the earth neyther doe the inhabiters of the worlde submit themselues 19 Thy deade men shall liue euen as my body shall they rise againe awake and sing ye that dwel in dust for thy deawe is euen as the deawe of hearbes and the earth shall cast out them that be vnder her 20 Come my people enter thou into thy chambers shut thy doores about thée hyde thy selfe for a little while vntill the indignation he ouerpast 21 For beholde the Lorde is comming out of his place to visite the wickednesse of such as dwell vpon earth the earth also shall disclose her bloudes and shall no more hide them that are slaine in her The exposition vpon the .26 Chapter of Esay In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iuda We haue a strong citie c. AFter that the Prophete in the former Chapter hath recyted the benefites that câ—me to them that acknowledge â–ª Christ the true Messias and sauiour he nowe maketh a song or psalme in meeter wherewith
a whirle winde to vtter confusion For so haue you seene it come to passe by all those mightie Monarchies Principalities that from time to time haue vexed and persecuted the Church of god Therefore sayth God faint not but put thy trust and reioyce in mee and in the holy one of Israell Christ Iesu the true Messias and Sauiour and wee wil not suffer you to miscary When as thirstie and poore seeke water and finde none and when their c. Here God promiseth the Iewes in captiuitie of Babilon and other of his Church that he will not onely defende them from persecution and pull downe their enimies but relieue them with such thinges as they want and supplie their hunger thirst and other necessities both worldly and spirituall But this place is specially to be vnderstanded of the spirituall graces of God in satisfying the poore hungrie and thirstie consciences wyth the blessed water of saluacion That is the true knowledge of God and the 〈◊〉 by Christ Iesu Of which water Christ himselfe speaketh in the fourth of S. Iohn VVhich shall be made a fountaine of water springing to eternall life Such fountaynes raysed God in many drie and barraine mountaynes whē he spredde abroade his true knowledge among the Gentiles As first for example in the Empyre of Babilon by occasion of a * dreame expounded by Daniel by the myracle of the yong men preserued in the * fierie fornace by the deliuerance of Daniel from the * Lions c. By which the worshipping of the liuing god was acknowledged and commaunded But especially he opened these fountaynes when he * sent abroade his Apostles and other furnished with the spirite of God to publishe the doctrine of saluation in all the partes of the earth whereby not onely a number of thirstie consciences were refreshed but theyr barren soules also made fruitfull and brought forth fayre and goodly trees of all sortes pleasaunt to beholde and yelding good fruites to the glorie of God and to the comfort of his people And all this only did the mightie hande of God. Stand at your cause sayth the Lorde and bring forth your strongest ground c. The Prophete in the person of God turneth his speech again to the gods of the Gentiles to the idolatrous worshippers of them * willeth them to stande to their cause and say the best for them that they coulde to proue them Gods. And because their greatest glorie was in prophesying and telling things to come he doth Chalenge them euē in that very poynt whereby he giueth to vnderstand that their predictiōs were either in things natural such as wise skilful worldly men might by obseruation foretell or else they were friuolous vaine and vncertaine and to bee interpreted on both parts Insomuch that euen their Oracles of Apollo accounted of all other the most certaine were esteemed euen among themselues by a common prouerb as Shipmēs hoses that might be fashioned to diuers purposes For by such subtil meanes the deuill did * delude those that were giuen to the worshipping of Idols And alwayes are they such as tende to the confirmation of vanitie and superstition and neuer to the correction of wickednesse and vice But the * Prophecies of the liuing God are alway not onely certaine and true but also of such matter as farre passeth either the common course of nature or humaine obseruation noting things with the circumstances and distinction of tymes persons and places And alway are directed to the maintenance of true religion and vertuousnesse of life and punishing of superstition Idolatrie vice and wickednesse Such are the prophecies of Daniel certaine hundred yeares before telling of the foure great Empyres and the destruction and ende of the same Such were the prophecies of Esay Hieremie and other concerning the captiuitie of Babilon the deliuerance of the people of God after a certaine appointed time Such was the prediction of all the Prophets generally touching the true Messias and Sauiour Christ Iesu with the * stocke that he shoulde come of the * place and * time of his byrth the maner of his * estate and life his miraculous * workes his * death * his resurrection and * ascention Wherfore the God of Israell is the true God and the Idolles of the Gentiles are nothing neyther are hable to doe any thing but by the delusion of the Deuill to the deceyuing of the wicked and naughtie men by Gods iust iudgement because they would not know the truth I haue waked vp one from the north and he shall come from the east c. That God may shewe himselfe onely to haue the vniuersall knowledge of things to come he in this place to the terrour of the Deuils by whose delusion the Idols of the Gentiles doe stand prophecieth of the cōming of Christ the Messias whom he rayseth vp and shall bring vnto him from the East and from the West of all sortes of people of the heathen which together with him shall call vpon the name of the true and onely liuing god So sayth Christ Math. 8. Many shall come out of the east and out of the west and sit in the kingdome of God with Abraham Isaac and Iacob This prophecie we see was fulfilled by Christ and the lyke hereof neuer vttered any of the Gentiles Gods. But GOD himselfe it was that first gaue knowledge hereof at Sion and at Hierusalem and there fyrst declared that these people of the Heathen Nations shoulde come vnto him and as it were Poynted to them wyth his finger saying Beholde they are present This did he by Christ the principall Euangelist and after by other sent abroade from Hierusalem into the whole worlde This hath God pleaded his cause with the Gentiles and in the ende concludeth them and their Gods to be wicked and vaine The 2. Sunday after Christmas at Euening prayer Esay 43. BVt nowe the Lorde that made thée O Iacob and he that fashioned thée O Israell sayth thus Feare not for I haue redéemed thée I haue called thée by thy name thou art mine own 2 If thou goest through the water I will be with thée the strong floudes shall not ouerwhelme thée and if thou walkest through the fire it shall not burne thée and the flame shall not kindle vpon thée 3 For I am the Lorde thy God the holye one of Israell thy sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy deliuerance the Ethiopians and the Sabées for thée 4 Bicause thou wast déere in my sight and bicause I set by thée and looued thée I will giue ouer all men for thée and deliuer vp all people for thy sake 5 Feare not for I am with thée I will bring thy séed from the East and gather thée togither from the West 6 I will say to the north Let go and to the south kepe not back but bring me my sonnes from far and my daughters from the endes
lif◠as a Sacrifice for sinne he might see the seede of his faythfull posteritie made happie for euer and that this will and deuise of the lord might prosper be throughly wrought by him Of the trauayle and labour of his soule shall he see the fruit and be satisfied c. He declareth what fruite Christ shall haue by his Death and Passion For the labour trauaile sorowe anguishe care and reproch that he sustayned as well in all the residue of his life as especially at his death he shall with ioy and gladnesse beholde and be satisfied with true and eternall felicitie and the fruites of all heauenly goodnesse and blessinges and that not onely for himselfe but for * all them that through fayth shall acknowledge the same and beleeue in him For it followeth that this righteous seruant of God Christ Iesu through his knowledge shall iustifie many that is shall pay the raunsome for theyr sinnes reconcile them to God and cause them through the price of his bloud to be accounted iust before god For this in deede is our true Iustificatiō whē we of our selues sinfull by the mercie of God in Christ Iesu are accepted as iust Therefore will I giue him amōg the great ones his part and he shall deuide c. In this verse as in a conclusion the Prophete reciteth the chiefe poyntes of Christes death and the benefites that come to the faythfull thereby First his * obedience in giuing ouer his soule to death Secondly that he was * reputed among sinners and wicked persons Thirdely that he was an * innocent and dyed not for his owne sinnes but for the sinnes of Mankinde Fourthly that he is nowe become an * Intercessour for sinners and in the dignitie of the high priest according to the order of Melchisedech Wherefore sayth God the father I will giue him his part among the great ones and he shall Conquer subdue Sathan with all his power and take awaye the spoyle of his Kingdome and bring to his owne subiection all Nations euen to the vttermost boundes of the earth This verse also is expounded of Christ by Christ himselfe Luke 22. and Marke 15. The 3. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 55. COme to the waters all ye that be thirstie and ye that haue no money come bye that ye may haue to eate come bye wine and milke without any money or money worth 2 Wherefore doe ye laye out any money for the thing that féedeth not and spende your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not But hearken rather vnto me and ye shall eate of the best and your soule shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me take héede I say and your soule shall lyue for I will make an euerlasting couenant wyth you euen the sure mercies of Dauid 4 Beholde I gaue him for a witnesse among the folke for a Prince and a teacher vnto the people 5 Lo thou shalt call an vnknowne people and a people that had no knowledge of thée shall runne vnto thée because of the Lorde thy God and the holye one of Israell which glorifieth thée 6 Séeke the Lorde whyle he may be founde and call vpon him whyle he is nye 7 Let the vngodly man forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lorde so shall he be mercifull vnto him and to our God for he is verie readie to forgiue 8 For thus sayth the Lorde My thoughtes are not your thoughtes and your wayes are not my wayes 9 But as farre as the heauens are higher then the earth so farre doe my waies excéede yours and my thoughtes yours 10 And like as the raine and snow commeth downe from heauen and returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth maketh it fruitefull and gréene that it may giue corne vnto the sower and bread to him that eateth 11 So the worde also that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne againe voyde vnto me but shall accomplishe my will and prosper in the thing whereto I sende it 12 And so shal ye go forth with ioy and be led with peace the mountaines and hilles shall sing with you for ioye and all the trées of the fielde shall clappe their handes 13 For thornes there shall growe Firre trées and the Myrre trée in the stéede of bryers and this shall be done to the praise of the Lord and for an euerlasting token that shal not be taken away The Exposition vpon the. lv Chapter of Esay Come to the waters all yee that be thirstie and ye that haue no money come c. THE Prophet in the former Chapiters had euydentlye spoken of the Gospell of Christ and of the benefites that come to his Church by it nowe he earnestly calleth and exhorteth all men to heare the same and by faith to receyue it and not to hearken after other doctrines whereby they cannot haue true comfort of conscience What auayleth it that Christ dyed for mankinde and purchased great benefites for them if they doe * not Beleeue it nor shew themselues destrous to obtaine it Come therefore sayth he to the waters c. By the Water to drinke and by the Breade to eate he meaneth the same water and bread that Christ speaketh of Iohn 4. 6. VVhosoeuer sayth he shall drinke of the water that I shall gyu◠him shall neuer thirst againe but the water that I shall giue him shal be a foūtaine springing to euerlasting life And again as touching the bread Iohn 6 I am the breade of life that discended from heauen If one eate of this breade he shall liue for euer The Water and Breade then wherevnto the Prophet in this place calleth is Christ Iesus offered to vs in his Gospell And by Wine Milke he vnderstandeth the same thing For there is none other foode whereon our Soules can feede but Christ his Doctrine in which are cōprehended al things wherby we are nourished to euerlasting life Here is to be noted First that God to this heauēly foode calleth not one nor two but * All excepting no coūtrie no state no kinde or degree of persons Secondly that he calleth thē that be Thirsty that is such as long after it or greatly desire it He calleth not those that * swell in trust and confidence of their owne worthynesse and therefore thinke they haue small neede of Christ and hys Gospell No nor such as liue in * securitie and delight of worldly Pleasure and therfore haue no care for the fauour of God nor desire of eternall life but such he calleth as haue feare of God in their consciences and sence of his wrath against sinne Thirdly is to be obserued that he offerth these things Freely without any respect of our * worthynesse and therfore sayth Come and bye wythout mony Wherefore doe ye laye
which are rounde aboute you whether they bée nye vnto thée or farre off from thée from the one ende of the earth vnto the other 8 Thou shalte not consent vnto him nor hearken vnto him thyne eye shall not pitie him neyther shalt thou haue compassion on him nor kéepe him secrete 9 But cause hym to be slayne Thyne hande shall bée fyrste vpon him to kill him and then the handes of all the people 10 And thou shalte stone him with stones that he dye bycause he hathe gone aboute to thruste thée awaye from the Lorde thy God whiche broughte thée out of the lande of Egypt and from the house of bondage 11 And all Israell shall heare and feare and shall doe no more any suche wickednesse as this is among you 12 If thou shalte heare saye in one of thy Cities whiche the Lorde thy God hath giuen thée to dwell in 13 That certaine men béeing the children of Beliall are gone out from among you and haue mâ—ued the inhabiters of their Citie saying Let vs goe and serue straunge gods whyche ye haue not knowne 14 Then thou must seeke and make search and enquire diligently and beholde if it be true and the thing of a suretie that suche abhomination is wrought among you 15 Then thou shalt smite the dwellers of that citie with the edge of the sworde and destroye it vtterly and all that is therein and the very cattell thereof wyth the edge of the swoorde 16 And gather all the spoyle of it into the middes of the stréete therof and burne with fyre bothe the citie and all the spâ—yle thereof euery whitte for the Lorde thy God and it shal be an heape for euer and shal not be built agayn 17 And there shall cleaue naughte of the damned thing in thyne hande that the Lorde maye turne from the fiercenesse of his wrath and shew thée mercie and haue compassion on thée and multiplie thée as hée hathe sworne vnto thy fathers 18 Therefore shalte thou hearken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God to kéepe all his commaundementes whiche I commaunde thée this daye that thou doe that whiche is right in the eyes of the Lorde thy God. The Exposition vpon the .xiij. Chapter of Deuteronomie If there arise among you aprophete or a dreamer of dreames c. IN the later end of the former chapter Moyses had willed the people in any wise to beware of the strange worship of heathen Gods Now he willeth theÌ„ to take heed of false teachers rising amoÌ„g themselues seking to â—educe them froÌ„ the true worship of God that in any wise they do not herken or giue credit vnto theÌ„ The Deuil enuying the true honor of God doth not only seke to blemish ouerthrow the same by forain enimies but also eueÌ„ at * howe in the house of God he rayseth False Doctours and teachers â–ª that vnder faire titles and goodly pretenses of holinesse maye draw the people of God from his known truth Wherefore Moyses here noteth the coloures wherewith the Deuill by his ministers in this case vseth to deceiue meÌ„ They wil take on them the name of Prophetes or such as haue reuelation from God by dreames yea and sometime he will help theÌ„ by Gods sufferance to * work some straunge and miraculous thing that by such a Syâ—ne or wonder they maye gather the greater credite in their false doctrine Wherfore God here fore warneth his faythful people to take heede of suche gaye tales and to suspecte such faire pretences and to cleaue only to hys word and hearken to * his voice from whyche if their teachers do swarue and wil them to do that is contrary thereto they must not beleeue them but accompt them as wicked Seducers and deceiuers This lesson is so giuen to the Israelites that it may bee also an instruction to all the faithfull in the Church of God at all times and especially in these latter dayes wherin the Holy Ghost hath giuen warning before hand that Antichrist and his ministers should vse the same meanes and that so mightely that if it were possible he should Seduce* euen the elect of God. When Moyses sayeth The Lorde your God proueth you c. we must vnderstande that God doth not tempt or proue of purpose to lead or induce to that whiche is euill or to lay stumbling blocks at which his people may take offence fall but only by such meanes to examine and â—rie them to make that knowne openly to the World which he knoweth to be inwardly in their hearts whether it be good or euill So did God tempt Abraham Gen 22. that his faith might be â—nown â—o al meÌ„ So did Christ tempt the womaÌ„ of ChanaaÌ„ wheÌ„ he called hir dogge and refused to heare her praier And for this and doth S. Paule saye 1. Cor. 11. that There must be â—â—ctes in the church that they that be proued may be knowne For this cause then God suffereth suche Soducers to be in his Churche that by them the Hypocrites and dissimulers may be tryed from the faythfull and electe Children of god The good man may some times by suche meanes fall into errour and be intrapped of the wicked but it is onely in some parte and for a time and after returneth againe by repentance which god suffereth in him to punish his Negligence that did not bestowe sufficient diligence in studiyng and meditating in the word of God or did not Liue seuerely according to his profession and calling When in the. 5. verse Moises saith And the Prophete or dreamer of dreames shal die c. He declareth that we must not only * discerne false teachers from other and beware of them but that they muste by the Magistrate be seuerelie punished to the example of other least the infectioÌ„ of their corrupt Doctrine do destroy the soules of many and disturbe the Churche of god In that he appointeth the punishment of Death we haue to note these circumstaunces That it must not be executed by euery Priuate maÌ„ but by the Magistrate who hath * Aucthoritie giuen of God to punishe the wicked That not euery one that hath dispersed some errour to the offence of the godly is by and by to be taken and put to Death but such onely as be principall Ringleaders seeke by all meanes they can to drawe the people of God to Apostasie and forsaking of his fettled and knowen truth and vtterlye to subuert the same And lastly that the Crime must be euidently knoweÌ„ and tried and the partie fully conuicted It semeth to many that it is Extremitie trueltie in matter of Religion conscience to vse the punishment of Death and they saye that Christ was milde and mercifull required his Disciples to folow his steppes In so much that wheÌ„ they desired fire to come from heauen to punishe euill persons he said They knew not of what spirit they vveare But let those men