punish these obstinate people for their longe disobedience it is as well the propertie of God to shew iustice and punishe sinne as mercifully to help the weake and repentaunt heart and mercy is not so in God that iustice is banished As the Lorde sayde he would whistle and with hissinge call for Nabuchodonozor to come and destroye Ierusalem so now he sendes messengers to come bidde them fighte againste Edom. Yet Nabuchodonozor in iustly punishing the Iewes and Edomites and that by the commaundemente of God sore offendeth God because he was proude of the victory cruell in murther and couetuous of spoylinge ambitious in raueinge and neuer thought he had ynough and therfore was his kyngdom afterward distroyed by the iustice of God So the dede as it is of God is good pure and iuste but beinge defiled of vs with addinge our euill affections to it as whan good wyne is put into an euil vessel It is sinne and damnable and yet is God free from all oure sinne wickednes and no causer therof but a hater and reuenger of all wickednes But here is doubted who these be the heard this voyce of the Lorde how thys message was sent to the Gentils To the firste parte I had rather saye that the Prophete speakes of him selfe in the plurall number as though they were many that hearde it whiche kinde of speaking is coÌ„mune in the scripture as Paul sayes If we haue sowen you spirituall thinges is it muche or els that the other Prophetes whiche prophesie againste Edom herde the same sayinge frome God as well as he did and they altogether or Abdias alone in their names saies we heard a sayinge from the Lorde c. And soo this sayinge shoulde be true and the rather beleued because so many did agre in one sayinge Againste Edom prophesied Esai 21.34 Iere. 49. Ezech. 35 â–ª Amos. 1 But moste plainly earnestly and orderly agreinge with this Abdia almooste woorde for woordâ— does Iere. 49. Whose wordes if ye compare with this present prophecie ye shall see the agreinge truthe of Gods spirite in his scripture a great light shal be ministred too this place therby It is no lâ—sse doubt howe this message was sent who was the minister that caried it for some thinke that Abdias was sente with thys Embassage him selfe to stirre vp Nabâ—chodonozor and his people to destroy these Edomites but other to whome I had rather agre thinâ—◠〈…〉 deuil by gods sufferance put intoo the minde of theym too worke his wil and iustice vpon them God calles Nabuchodonozor his seruaunte for suche causes althoughe the deuill moued him to it and sayes that he did him good seruice in executing his iudgemente as the hangman serues the kinge in punisshing offenders and the Ialer in prisoning theÌ„ as wel as other do in their kynde office Yet is God no more the cause of their sin and euil doing than the king is of the offences and roberies of the people but God like a righteous iudge of iustice must nedes punishe suche faultes as other magistrates doe in their common wealth But like as this voice of the lord was not herd by the eares of the body of the Prophetes but put into their myndes by the worke of God as he thought good So I thinke this message was not sente by any man but as whan Embassadors be sent or rumors of warre be certainly spred Kyngs prepare theym selues too warre so these people stirred vp of God by iustice too punishe their sinne and sette forwarde of the deuill to satisfie their wicked desyres ryse vp altogether too fight againste Edom and destroyed it So the Lord vsed the deuill as his Iaylor and hangman to be a lyinge spirite in the mouth of Achabs prophetes and send him to warre that he might there perishe and gods righteous senteÌ„ce be executed wher he sayde that the dogges shoulde licke hys bloude where they did licke vp Naboths Thus God in his scripture speakinge too men vses to speake as men for as menne by messages or rumours of robberies are stirred vp to warre so the Lorde by some mete meane as though it were by messengers woulde stirre vp the Chaldes too destroye Edom. The cause of this warre and destruction was as Ezechiell sayes .35 because the Edomites whiche should haue beÌ„ helpers vnto the Israelites in their trouble because they were not onelye neighboures their kyngdomes ioyninge together but also they came of twoo brethern Iacob Esau whiche thinge shoulde haue knitie them in brotherly loue they did not onely not help them but cruelly persecute them continually I will destroy thee sayes the Lorde and make thee desolate because yâ— hast had a continuall hate against the Israelites and diddest feare them with the swearde in the time of their trouble Amâ—s telles the same cause likewise almoste with the same woorde So thys is the case of Gods people that for their religion they shall haue enemies of their own house kinsfolke and frendes as thys day well declares And oure sauioure Christe sayde he came not to set peace but too deuide the father agaynste the sonne c. Where hatred falles betwixt brethern frendes and specially for religion it is the cruelst hate that can be This hate began betwixt Iacob and Esau for losinge hys blessinge but it continued and encreased with the tyme in their chyldreÌ„ posterite The eldest sonne as the Hebrews wryte had than priuileges afore the yonger as they haue commonly now The eldest thaÌ„ succeded in his fathers authorite was reuerenced of his brethern he had also double porcion of his fathers goods as other say and also enioyed their priesthod wher wordlings that care for nothyng so much as the worlde haue lost their worldly honor authorite how do thei rage sinne Esau whan he hadde loste and solde these thinges he sought his brothers death as our papistes that woulde be counted the elder brether losinge their worldly estimation theyr belly chere and lordlines their wealth and proude priesthode They freat and fume burne and kyll all that gaynesay theÌ„ as the Edomites did But as thaÌ„ for Cain the wicked his sede although the elder brother God chose Abel the yonger Seth and Enos for Ismael the elder Isaac the yonger for Esau Iacob for Ruben Iuda Leui and Dauid the yoÌ„gest of seuen bretherne and as of no reputation in respect of his other brethern but set too kepe shepe so God to pull doune the pride of man in these daies also choses the abiects to setfoorthe his glory refusinge the proude Pharises and disdaining holy hypocrites and at the lengthe will destroye them as he threatens here the Edomites For God to comfort his people that the wicked shoulde not euer prosper the chosen people liue in continuall miseri lest they fall awaye from God through ouer greate aduersities threatens too destroye theyr enemies and deliuer
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
first verse coÌ„taines generally that whiche the verses folowinge declare by particulars The pride violence iniuries wrongs and robberies that thei shewed toward their brother Iacob be the causes of this their destruction Iacob EdoÌ„ are not here taken for the two brethren the sonnes of Isaac but for the hole seede stocke posterite chyldren and issue borne of them bothe so that as hatred began in Esau against Iacob in their fathers lyfe yea in their mothers wombe in so much that Esau persecuted his brother Iacob to deathe so sore that Iacob was caused too flee to his vncle LabaÌ„ so the hatred persecution enemite did coÌ„tinue in their children vnto this time was fulfilled that the Prophet speakes of here whan the posterite of Esau was vtterly destroied And this is comfortable both for the long sufferinge of God afore he doe extremely punishe and also a true profe of his iustice that although he do differ his punishing long yet he is a righteous iudge and will come at the length and be auenged on his enemies and deliuer his chyldren that haue ben so loÌ„g oppressed vnder their enemies Therefore as the good nede not to be disscouraged as thoughe their God cared not for them so the wicked shall not triuÌ„phe as though they might do what they list God woulde not call them to a count They had thus persecuted Iacob and his posterite aboue a thousande yeare that continually afore thei were destroied and coulde neuer be satisfied of their crueltie therefore partly too stoppe their raginge and bring them to the knowledge bothe of God them self partly to feare other for folowinge the like exaÌ„ple if they shoulde be vnpunished but specially for the crying of the poore oppressed people whoÌ„ God takes in to his custodie to be their tutor the Lorde will rise to shewe him selfe glorious mighty and merciful pull doun his enemies deliuer his oppressed as Dauid sayes for the misery of the poore and the sighinge of the wretched I will rysâ— says the Lorde c. Why should Gods people than be dismaide whan they be persecuted seinge they haue so mighty a iudge that canne and will deliuer them whan it shall be metest for his glorie their comfort Refer the vengeaunce to me says the Lorde and I wil reuenge it Let vs therfore submit our selfs vnder his handes patiently loke for his coming for no dout he will come When Moses led the people through the wildernes and came nere the boundes of Edom he asked licence to passe throughe their contree kepinge the high wayes hurting them in no behalfe in so much that they woulde paye for the water that they draÌ„ke but they more like no men then cosins cominge of the same stocke and father beinge not contente with this churlishnes to denie theym passage threatens them forther that if they wold not passe by all their countrie not once be so bold as to entre within their coastes they would by and by feight against them with all their power So Moyses to kepe peace ledde the people by a great compasse round about and what sayde God to this did he bid destroy them No but cleane coÌ„trarie he bade them not to feight agaynst them not onely theym but he sates vnto them thou shall not harme EdoÌ„ because he is thy brother Note here the patience longe suffering of Goddes people that wolde not once attempt to reuenge such displeasures vnkindnes and iniuries done vnto them and againe note the churlishnes of feined frends hypocrites and dissemblers whiche will shewe no gentelnes to Gods people though they maye do it withoute their hurte o displeasure of anye man Is not the worlde full of suche vnthankefull vnkinde and vnnaturall folke at thys daie S. Paul complaines of suche as caste of all naturall affection that shoulde be amonge men as whan thei whiche be all of one house stocke and kindred comen of one great grandfather or auncetors bee so cruell one againste an other the nature whiche workes in bruiâ—e beastes hays no place in them one to loue or help an other he calles theÌ„ Sine affectu as though he shuld saye if nature canne not worke nor moue them whiche moues stoones trees herbes and beastes what hope is there that the Gospell whiche is so farre aboue and contrarie to nature should take any place in them So sainct Paull calles theym whiche doe not prouide for theym and theirs wors than infideles Therefore it was necessarye some greate plague too fall on this people that hadde so ferre forgotten nature that they woulde not let theym passe throughe their countrie nor drinke of their waters which thei would paye for But this is the merke betwixte Gods chyldren and the diuels the Gospeler the papiste the true christian an hypocrite that the one will suffer wronge doe good for euyll praye for theym that hate hym bee contente wyth a lyttell not murmuringe but the bloudy papiste is proude cruel murtheringe oppressinge the innocent merciles hatinge withoute reconciliation euer sekinge to hurte that thei maye liue like lordes of the lande idel bellygods What a comfort is thys for Goddes poore afflicted people â–ª that although God doe longe suffer them to bee vexed of their enemies yet he wil not suffer them to be ouerwhelmed but he will vtterly roote out the wicked whan he beginnes to execute his iustice on them He that touches you says God to his people by the Prophete Zacharie touches the appel of myne eye What parte of man is more tender than the eye or whiche parte doe we take more care for than that yet if the eie be sore or dimme of sight we will laye sharpe bytinge waters or pouders in it to eat oute the webbe perle or blearednes so will God although he loue his people so tenderly lay sharpe bytinge salues purging medicines corrosines lauÌ„cings lettinge bloude yea and cutte of rotten membres lest the hole body perish or rotte awaye But all that is for fatherly loue to driue vs vnto him to make vs weri of the worlde to purge carnall cares eat out the dead rotten phantasies of our mindes let out the brused bloude or cut awaie by death some for the example of other too strengthen them boldly to confesse the truth and glorifieng of his name by suche concâ—nstant witnes of our weake natures A littell worldly shame as it is thoughte of worldly but not godly men maie light on Gods people for a time but euerlastiÌ„g shame shall confounde their enemies for euer afore God A short temporal punishment maye greue Gods chyldren for a tyme but their haters shall bee vtterly destroyed for euer The Israelites were asshamed for a time in their captiuitie whaÌ„ Esau ioined with Nabuchodonozor to destroi them yet afterward were brought home agayne but now shoulde these bee vtterly destroied for euer without recouerie The Philistines for a tyme made the
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
Apostles and Peter Shoulde we not beleue this resurrection because that wemē taught it first Apollo a mightye learned man in the scriptures submitted hym selfe to be further taught in true religion of Priscilla and Aquila◠simple man his wyfe Timothy Ihon the Euangeliste were bothe verye yonge when they were called to be preachers Peter the elder Apostle is content to be rebuked of Paull his yonger Iudith that good woman corrected the Elders Priestes and Rulers in Bethulia mistrusting Gods helpe and prouidence for them whē they woulde yelde vp the Citye Dauid a man accordinge to Gods owne heart heares most willingly the Prophet Nathan rebuke hym who was of muche lesse estimation then he And kynge Ezechias heareth Esai rebuke him of his faultes These and suche other examples be written to teach vs that the elder in what authoritie so euer he be or by what name so euer he be called shoulde willingly suffer the iuste rebuke of the yonger bringinge the woorde of God for hym Further where he addes this twyse sayinge the Lorde their God the Lorde their God it is verye comfortable for all sinners that haue longe lyen in sinne that they shoulde not dispaire of Goddes mercie but spedely turne by repentaunce The longe sufferinge of God is farre aboue our desertes had suffered this people thus longe to lye in sin yet had not caste them of but doth vouchesafe to send his Prophet to thē to rebuke them stirre them vp to their duties calling him selfe their God whiche had forgottē forgeuen all their former disobedience who nowe was woulde continue their good gracious and mercifull Lorde and God styll Who can dispaire too obtayne grace and pardon for all his greate offences seinge set before him the louinge gētlenes of oure good God and maister which offereth vndesired his mercies so plētifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people his free pardon A poena et culpa from all payne due to sinne or the gylte thereof whiche alsoo calles him selfe their God and by continual earnest cryinge of this his Prophete awakes them out of this deadde sleepe of sinne wherein they had lyen so long and left his house vnbuylded It is commonly saide saieth Ieremye if a man put away◠his wyfe for adulterye will he take her agayne yet thou sayeth God to his people although thou hast played the harlot with many hoores yet turn vnto me and I wil receiue thee againe sayeth the Lorde thy God O mercifull Lorde praysed be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberall promises offered vnto vs in thy sonne Christ Iesu oure Lorde Thou standest at the doore of our conscience knockinge too be let in offeringe thy selfe to dwell with vs if we would receiue thee There is no time so longe that a man hath run from God in nor any time so short to aske forgeuenes but if he will turne God is ready to forgeue him The Gentiles hadde lien in synne aboue foure thousande yeares from the beginninge of the worlde to the deathe of Christe withoute any true teachinge or knowledge of God and yet whan they receiued the Gospell by the preaching of the Apostles they were most gently receiued of Christe into the number of his people The thefe hanginge on Christes right hand on the crosse askinge mercy in the houre of deathe obtained it So that neither the greatnes of sinne nor the longe tyme that man hathe continued in it nor the shortnes of tyme to aske forgeuenes in can stoppe the great vnspeakeable mercies of God to pardō the sinnes of the whole worlde Why should we than mistrust the goodnes of our God seinge he is the maker of thesame lawe whereby we shal be iudged also able to dispence withal pardon the breakers of thesame lawe if he will who also shal be Iudge and Executer of thesame lawe as pleases him But that the people should rather beleue his woorde he saieth the Lorde their God sente him no straunge God but the mightie God of hostes and the liuing God of Israel nor he ranne not before he was sent but soberly looked for the callinge of God and then did his message faithfullye This is an example for all ministers too folowe that they doo not with bribery or flattery thrust them selues into any office but paciently tary the calling of the Lord their God which can and wil call them at suche tyme as he iudges them necessarye to serue him Who woulde be so bolde to bye a Benefice or flatter for a Bishoprike if he did thinke them to be offices in Gods house and that they must make a count to God for his people He that comes before he be sent for oftentimes comes before he be welcome and he that climbes in at the wyndowe is a thefe for the doore is made to come in by But because these Popishe prollers seke not the profit of the flocke but to fyll their bellies thei care not how thei come by it so they maye haue it and thinke they haue done God good seruice the people well content when they teache them neuer a woord of scripture but haue saide Masse made cōiured water or song an Antiphone of our Lady If they hadde this true stedfaste opinion of God as they ought to haue that he were a louinge father to his household and a wise maister that could and woulde set wise Stuardes ouer his house and that whosoeuer presumed to take any office in his house vncalled were a theefe and should be sharpelye punished A man coulde not hire them for money to take any cure of teaching Gods people vntill they were inward moued of God to do it for loue to the people not for their owne gayne Thei woulde also prouide to be ordinarely called by man leaste he which should teache and se others kepe good order should be proued the first breaker of all good lawes orders If a straunger shoulde violently thrust in him self to be the Shepeheard of thy shepe thou wouldest aske him whoo sent for him what he had to do there and thou wouldest rather thinke him to be a thefe and a murtherer of thy Sheepe then a trusty seruaunt So surely if thou come to take charge of gods people before he inwardly moue thy conscience to pitie hys people and outwardly by order cal and place thee where he thinkes good he will iudge thee a theefe a Wolfe a deuourer and not a feeder After they hearde that the woorde of God was sent vnto them by Aggeus and had wayed and considered diligently how true his sayinges were that so many yeares they had suffered soo greate plagues they beganne so feare and beleue that the threateninges folowinge woulde alsoo proue true and than they humbled theym selues in the sight of God and were afraid in dede This profit had thei by hearing the word of God that thei knowledged their owne sinnes that thei
sayd with a voice heard from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased hear hym Or els it maye well be taken for the promise whiche is written in the .22 of Exodus where it is sayde beholde I wil sende my aūgel or messenger before thee and he shal leade thee in the waye shall driue all thy ennemies oute before thee whose lande thou shalte posses This Aūgell was Christe Iesus who is called the Aungell of the greate counsayle because he broughte from the bosome of his father the secrete counsayle of God and preached hys greate loue to the worlde An aungell is no more but a messenger or Embassadoure from God to declare and preache his will and pleasure to the worlde And that Christe was present with the Israelites and guided thē in the wildernesse Sainct Paule telleth playne that they tempted Christe and murmured agaynst him and Christe was the rocke The meaning and effecte of this promise is no more but that as God was presente with their fathers whan he brought them out of Egipt and deliuered them oute of al daungers were thei neuer so many nor so great brought them in to the land that he promised thē So he woulde nowe be present with them deliuer them and finishe their woorke yf they woulde woorke earnestlye neyther mistrusting hys mercie but that he would be with them and defende them againste the rulers whiche hated them nor fearing his power but that he was able too perfourme his promise vnto them If wee mistruste eyther his good will towardes vs that he will not or hys power that he can not delyuer vs wee prouoke his anger too deuoure vs and can not looke for helpe at his handes to saue vs for nothing offendes hys maiestie more then mistrust vnfaithfulnes or doubtinge as sainct Iames sayth he that doubtes is like a waue of water driuen with wynde too and fro and that man whiche so doubtes can lok◠too obtayne nothinge at Gods handes he gyues all hys giftes too them that bee faythefull and beleue that hee is bothe a true God perfourmyng all that he promyses merciful and willing to help al which in their neede call vpon hym and able too fulfill all that he saieth They that either doubte or denye his offered mercie or power to helpe denye hym to be a God Therfore feare not but beleue me too be youre God and I will deliuer you and defende you as I did youre fathers and ye shall finish this temple by my protection As I did bring them into the lande which I promised them ▪ droue out their enemies and gaue them the lande to dwell in So according to this promise it came to passe to this people now for in .4 yeares space next folowing they finished that tēple as Esdras teaches So good spede had they after that they beleued his promise that he woulde be with them But here maye be moued a greate question howe this is true that God saieth by this Prophet here that he broughte them out of Egipt whā this people neuer came there but about a .1000 years before Moyses brought out their fathers through the read sea where Pharao was drouned after that he would not beleue the great wonders wrought in his sight nor fear the Lord that had so oftē greuously plaged hym for hādling his peple so cruelly The scripture vses oft to geue that which was done to the fathers as thoughe it were done to the chyldren As when Melchisedecke tooke tithes of Abraham he is saide also to haue takē tithes of Leui whiche was not borne of many yeares after because he was conteined in the loynes of Abraham and afterwarde borne of his stocke and sede So likewise saieth sainct Paule By one man sinne entered into the worlde and by syn death and hath gone through all in whō all haue sinned So we all that now liue or hereafter shall doe all before vs haue sinned in Adam and broken Gods commaundemente as well as Adam did because we were conteined in his loines as it were parte of him and toke our sinfull nature of him in his sede posteritie As we see those ryuers which spring out of littel welles are of thesame nature that the head and springe is whereof thei come though they runne .2 or 300. myle of thorough diuers countries and as those crabbes are soure this daye that growe on the crabbe tree whiche is .200 or .300 yeares olde because the first roote and plāte was sower So wee all be sinfull that be borne of Adam and soure as he was because he the first tree was suche a one the spring whereof we come was corrupte filthye So likewise God saieth he broughte thys people out of Egipt whiche neuer hadde ben there because he deliuered their fathers thence in whose loynes they were conteined and should haue ben born ther and subiect to thesame slauerie that their fathers were if God of his greate mercie mightie power had not deliuered their fathers thence and broughte them into the lande whiche he promised them And as the mercie whiche had ben receiued in times paste is a token argument of like merci and grace to be shewed when soeuer wee stande in the like neede and distresse soo here that they shoulde loke for a sure helpe at Goddes hande nowe in these daungers that they were in he putteth theym in remembraunce of that greate deliueraunce whiche not their fathers onelye but they also had before out of Egipt that they should not be afraide now but loke for sure help The daunger was greater before oute of whiche thei were deliuered and yet they escaped it So now Gods power and good will beinge no lesse towarde theym then before they shoulde loke for the like helpe of God as before He promises theym here that his spirite shoulde dwell with them therefore they shoulde not be afraide For as before he sent his Aungell to guyde them in the wildernesse so now he woulde sende hys holy spirite vnto them to dwell with thē whiche shoulde teache them all thinges that they doubted of or were ignoraunte in shoulde comforte theym in all daungers and distresse and deliuer them from al perilles that were towarde them therfore they shoulde not feare But as the other parte of the promise concernes Christ whiche shoulde come to deliuer them out of spirituall bōdage and slauerye of sinne and the spiritual Egipt So this part here concernes the sendinge of the holy Ghoste whome Christ sayde he woulde send to dwell with vs and be our comfortour to the ende And as the buylding of this second tēple betokens the churche of Christ builded by the preaching of the Gospell So here is the holy Ghoste promised whiche he sayde should not come excepte he wente awaye from them Thys spirite is called a comforter because he strengthēs vs in all our trouble he
is the spirite of truthe because he leades vs into all truth and putteth vs in remembraunce of all thinges whyche Christ him self caught before but no new doctrine he bringes of his owne And because our sauiour Christ is taken from vs in hys bodelye presence he promises vs that this spirite shall dwell with vs not for a tyme but too the ende and therefore wee shoulde not feare But is this a sufficient cause too perswade a man that he should not fear the power of kinges or worldly trouble because the spirite of God dwelles with hym yea truly For what spirite can preuayle against the holy spirit which is the power of God It is written of Gedeon whan he enterprised that venterous acte to fight againste Gods enemies that the spirite of the Lorde bid clothe and defend Gedeon as our clothes doe vs and so he obteined that noble victorie with so few agaiÌ„st so many And not to be afraide in suche trouble is the woorke of the holy Ghoste as Esaie called hym the spirite of boldnes strength and wisedom Peter whan he denied hys maister for the woordes of an handmaide after he receiued the holy Ghoste did and durste confesse hym too the deathe before princes and rulers So sayde oure sauiour Christe to hys Apostles when ye shal staÌ„d before Kyngs and rulers take no thought what or howe ye shall speake for in that houre it shal be geuen vnto you what you shall speake For it is not you that speake but the spirite of youre father which speaketh in you And although to worldly wisedome thys spirite seemes but a small thinge yet it is moste true that s â–ª Paule saith that which is folishnes before God is wyser then me and that whiche is weake before God is stronger then men And he that hath this spirite dwellinge in hym needes not too feare any power be it neuer so greate for if God be for vs who shall be againste vs and if he take his breath and spirite from the mightiest princes they are troubled vade awaye verse 6 For thus saieth the Lorde of hostes yet one litle time shal be and I will trouble the heauens and the earth the sea the lande verse 7 And I will trouble all people and the desire of all people shall come and I wil fyll thys house with glory saieth the Lorde of hostes ¶ The Prophete goeth on forth with this comforth to all people and promises not onely that God woulde be with theym in hys buyldinge whiche they shoulde finish in fewe yeares folowinge but intoâ— the temple also which thei did now build God woulde sende his sonne Christ Iesus to preache his fathers will whom all people looked for and desired hys comminge and he woulde fyll that house with glory that they shoulde not neede to care for the smalnes of it if they woulde onelye with courage woorke God woulde fulfill the rest And that they shoulde know him too be able to fulfyll hys promise he cals hym selfe by the glorious name of the Lorde of hostes so often here in these verses that they maye vnderstande all creatures too bee at hys commaundement that none coulde preuaile againste that whiche he woulde haue done as is saide before But this is a straunge kynde of comforte too tell theym of suche a trouble as shoulde trouble heauen and earth sea laÌ„d and all people and yet they should be glad of it and that it shoulde come not long after The tyme when this trouble chauÌ„ced was about .500 yeares after that this prophete had thus spoken and yet he cals it but one litle time And this maye well bee called a litle tyme in respecte of God with whome all thinges are present before hys sighte withoute tyme and a .1000 â–ª yeares with hym is as yesterdaye which is paste and he hym selfe is before all times not coÌ„teyned in tyme but liuing for euer wythout tyme. Or els it is called a little tyme in respect of that longe time wherin their fathers had so long looked for the coÌ„ming of Christ and so muche desired hym and yet see hym not It was now aboue 3000. yeare since he was promised to AdaÌ„ about 2000. since he was so often spoken of too Abraham and .1000 since it was renued to Moyses and after to all the Prophetes from tyme too tyme in respecte of whiche 500. maye well be called a litle tyme. This trouble whiche he sayeth shoulde trouble heauen earthe sea lande and all people is described by these mightie wordes to set out the greatnesse of the trouble by the figure called Hyperbole and not the trouble was suche that heauen earth sea and lande shoulde feele it be troubled therewith whiche are insensible creatures and can feele nothinge that troubles them but thus by these woordes the scripture vses too tell the greatnes of any thinge that it speakes of Moyses and Esaye because the people were harde hearted and woulde not heare their sayinges to set foorthe theyr hardnes of heart and the greatnes of that message which they had froÌ„ God to speake saye thus â–ª Heare ye heaueÌ„s and geue care thou earth c. Sainct Paule saieth by the like figure euery creature grones and trauayles lookinge for the laste daye wherin they shall be deliuered froÌ„ this vayn corruptioÌ„ wherin they serue not because deade creatures can grone or trauayle but for the great desire that they haue to see that day of oure redeÌ„ption fulfilled as the woman whiche trauels grones desires too be deliuered out of her payn to be restored to her former quietnes or els it may be taken that all creatures in all these places should be troubled But if this trouble shoulde be so great how can it be a promise of ioye and comfort Who can be merye to hear tel of such a greate trouble Surelye this is not promised to the euil but to the good For as our Lord maister Christ saieth speaking of the trouble that should be in the destructioÌ„ of Ierusalem the latter ende of the world woo be to theÌ„ that be with chyld geue sucke in those daies the wicked shall wish the hyls to fal on theÌ„ hide theÌ„ â–ª thei shuld seke for death â–ª it shuld flee froÌ„ theÌ„ So he saith to the good in the midst of all the desperat â—orow wherin the euil man caÌ„not tel what to Lifte ye vp your heades and bee merye for your redemption and deliueraunce is at hande So after this shorte time that he speaketh of this greate trouble whiche shall be at the byrthe preachinge miracles and deathe of oure sauioure Christe shoulde be but onely to the wicked For the good men shoulde as muche and more reioyce because of that daye of saluation and redemption was comen he whome all people looked for had now appeared to the comfort of all good men And thys trouble shoulde not be so