in his bookes of Leuiticus and Numbers The Arke of witnes Ex. 25.27.28 Another signe sacrament instituted of God by the Arke of the couenant described in Exodus being a holy signe dedicated to receiue the holy and heauenly answers to the end to bring the people to the remembrance feare and obedience of God to honour accompany the Arke of the couenant Many other exterior signes were ordeyned of God as the ornaments and consecration of Priestes Ephod specially the ornament called the Ephod the which and the sacrifices the Israelites did abuse by their Idolatries Another holy signe there was of the purging and sprinkling water ordeined by God to Moyses and Aaron the high Priest Purging water consecrated Numb 19. This sprinkled water was consecrated with ashes gathered by a clean person of the sacrifice offered in Holocausta To witte of a Cowe all redde without any spot and which had neuer bin laboured The Wood ordeyned to make the fier for the burnt offering was Cedar Hisope Purple with Crimsin With this water were sprinkled polluted persons for the purging and cleansing of their corporall defilings Exod. 38. At the entring of the Temple or Tabernacle was a Lauer made of Brasse forged first with the images of the women of Israell in this Lauer was put the sprinkling water wherewith the sacrificers are sprinkled before the celebrating of their sacrifices to the end they might be purified and obtaine grace remission of their sinnes After the death of the great Priest Aaron the people of Israell vnthankfull to God for the goodnes sent them of him murmuring as annoyed with the heauenly Manna freely giuē vnto them for their noriture were punished by the biting of venemous serpēts But the merciful God gaue vnto them an holy signe whereby they should be saued and restored to health to wit the brasen serpent lifted vp in the aire a figure of Iesus Christ crucified Brasen serpent Iohn 3.7 These were in summe the most part of the signes sacrifices and sacraments ordeyned of God in the first Church of the Israelites figures of the true and perfect sacrifice performed by Iesus Christ the true Messias and euerlasting Priest sitting at the right hand of God the Father Sacraments brokē by Adam Gene. ◠Now resteth the summe to bring forth how man by his owne proper fault did fall in obliuiō and disobedience of God his creator abusing Gods fauour and corrupting the holy signes sacrifices sacraments ordeyned to him What perswaded our first father and his companiō to bide themselues at the hearing of Gods voice but because they had abused the holy signe and broken the lawe of the fruits to them forbiddē This holy signe which our first and vniuersall father had abused was the originall of other vices and corruptions hereafter described into the which all men are fallen sauouring of the corrupted lumpe of Adam Leauing the particuler corruptions of the signes Corruption of the sacrifice by Aaron Exo. 32 Deut. 9. sacrifices and sacraments before the law written by Moyses we will begin to bring forth briefly the most notable error committed by the most great sacrificers as Kings Priests and others hauing the chiefe gouernement of the people When Moyses was abiding in the mount Synay to receiue the commandements of God his brother Aaron the high Priest forged a calfe of gold of the golden earings giuen vnto him by the people of Israell he builded an aulter offered incense and celebrated sacrifice causing the common people to worship the molten Image Was not this an abusing of the Sacrifices ordeined of God and a corrupting of the true vsage of the same in causing the calfe to be worshipped in place of the slaine and offered sacrifice as it was appointed in the law Corruption of the sacrifice by Nadab Abihu Leui. 10 Numb 11. His sonnes also Nadab Abihu were not they cōsumed with fire for abusing the vse of sacrifices in taking vnhallowed wood and corrupting the law The people of Israel vnthankfull for the goodnes done vnto them in being deliuered from the Pharaōical captiuity did they not murmure against the holy sacrament of heauenly Manna when they did disdaine and contemne this bread of life Iosua and demanded flesh to eate Achan the sonne of Charmes did not he violate the lawe of the holy signes when he committed sacriledge and kept backe the spoyles of Ierico vowed consecrated to God for sacrifices If any more curiously desire to see the continuall abuses and corruptions of the people themselues Iudg. 2.3.6.8.9 let him reade the histories of the Iudges of Israel and in all times he shall find man neuer to be content with the true worshipping ordeined of God But in steed of outwarde signes ordeined of God to draw the people to feare and obediēce they haue forged inuentions And in place of reuerencing the alters and arke couenant in the name of the only God being outward sacred signes The Israelites infected with the Idolatries of their neighbours the Syrians Iudges 10 Sidonians Moabites Ammonites and Philistines did erect alters vnto their strange Gods The vngentle sacrifice of Iephtha Iudg. 11. Baal and Astaroth Ieptha Iudge and Captain of the Israelites did not he corrupt the lawe of Sacrifices when he sacrificed his owne proper daughter excusing himselfe by a vow which hee made Iudg. 8.9 Idolatry by the Ephod Iudg. 17.18 which was not appointed to him of God The holy signe ordayned of God for the high Priest to celebrate sacrifices in called Ephod the vppermost garment was not it abused by Gedeon captaine of the Israelites when as of the spoiles of the Madianits and of their earings he made an Ephod of gold whereby the people fell into great idolatrie How long time was this holy outward signe Ephod abused an Image being erected by the mother of Michas in Silo Priests sacrificers appointed expresly to sacrifice thereunto an Altar builded and the true vse of sacrifices corrupted So long as the temple continued in Silo into what wicked manners did the Priestes and sacrificers fall which were ordeined of God for the ministrie of sacrifices and holy sacraments when they vsurped by long possession to haue this priuiledge of the people 1 Sam. 2. that when they did sacrifice the flesh of the offered sacrifice was seething their boy or seruant hauing a three grained flesh-hooke of yron in his hand had liberty to catch out of the potte or caldron all that he could cary with his hooke Further the leuiticall tiranny was such that this seruant of the Priest had libertie to demand of the sacrifice giuer flesh to roste for the sacrificer otherwise to take it by force euen as he would Was not this a great abuse and detestable corruption practised by the Pristes and chiefe sacrificers vnder the pretēce of sacrifices What greater corruption can be declared then that of the sonnes of the chiefe Priest
Ely called Ophni Phinees Ophni Phinies corrupters of the sacrifices 1 Samuel 4 Who vnder the preteÌ„ce of deuotion comitted shameful whoredome with the couered women behinde the holy Tabernacle instituted of God for the which wickednes they were miserably slaine and the Arke of couenaÌ„t taken away by the Philistines Which they set in the Temple of their God Dagon 1 Samuel 7.6 The arke of the holy couenant but God not suffering this holy signe thus to bee prophaned threw downe the Image Dagon sent grieuous punishments to the Philistines in such sort that they were coÌ„strained to restore the Arke of the couenant of God Against corruption of holy signes This holy signe was so precious that forasmuch as the Bethsamits which were not of the order of the Leuits had abused it 50000 of the common people and 70. of the chiefe rulers were rooted out and slaine by the vengeance of God This example might make all those to tremble which enterprise to abuse the holy signes and sacraments ordeyned of God 2. Samuel 6. Vzzah Vzzah also for that he abused the same sacred signe notwithstanding that hee did it of a good intention for to lift vp the Arke of witnes hanging to much on the one side was hee not punished with death Of others abuses committed by the Israelits there is many examples Osias 2 Chron. 26. Osias was punished with leprosie for abusing the sacrifices in taking vpon him the ministery of encensing appointed to the priests onely Saul he first elected King of the Israelites was slaine and his kingdome giuen vnto another as was declared before of Samuel for abusing the sacrifices Saul 1 Sam. 13. Ioseph lib. 7 cap. 4. of the Iewes antiquities and suffering his people to commit the like abuses His successours in the kingdomes of Iuda and Israel haue not they alwaies continued in abusing and corrupting the sacrifices and sacraments ordeined of God when they did offer sacrifices to the Gods Astaroth of the Sidonians 1 Kigs 8.11 to Chantos of the Moabites and to Melcom or Moloch of the Ammonites in so much that they builded temples and oratories euen to offer incense and to doe sacrifices vnto them Ieroboam king of the Israelites Hieroboam 1 Kings 12. did not only cause a golden calfe to be erected as the high Priest Aaron had abused before but also did ordaine two golden Kine in the two Temples of Bethlel and Dan and ordained strange Priests corrupting the law of God and causing them to doe sacrifice after the fashion of Aaron 1. Kings 14. This Idolatrie and corruption of sacrifices did continue among the Israelites more than 400. yeares during the raigne of their kinges who had taught them to corrupt the true vse of the sacrifices in chapels and particuler oratories builded on the tops of hils and thicke forrests consecrated in violating the law of sacrifices ordained by God in the holy temple within the holy cittie 1. Kings 15. For particuler examples of the abuses committed against the true vse of sacrifices the historie of Maâ—cha mother of king Asa is manifest who erected an Image of the God Pan and did consecrate and dedicate vnto him a thicke forrest offering sacrifices vnto it Achab another king of the Israelites did erect an Altar Achab. 1. Kings 16. and made sacrifices to the God Mars otherwise called Baal vnto whom he dedicated a grone to satisfie his wicked wife Iesabel Hee caused also another Altar and Temple to be erected to the God of the TyriaÌ„s he ordained Priests Sacrificers Ioseph lib. 8. chap. 10. and instituted foure hundred false Prophets Ochosias His sonne and successour Ochosias taught of his father to corrupt the vse of the sacrifices 2. Kings 1. did not onely offer to Baal otherwise called Mars but went forward in greater abuse he builded a Temple vnto the God of Accoronites called by Iosephus Myos Ioseph lib. chap. 1. and by the Greekes Priapus vnto the which God he did sacrifice To be short what more abhominable corruption can bee described Purgatorie 2. kings 16. 2. Kings 16.23 In the booke Alcoran Asoar 29.46 Asoar 5. ignem geheÌ„na non nisi numero dierum preterminato animas sentire docet Alcor liber ad diem vetitatri omnes accedere operum â—orum mercedem accepturas Asoar then the inuention of the fire Purgatorie wherewith the Israelites did transgres causing their children to passe through the fire in Tophet a valley of the sonnes of Ennon sacrifizing vnto the God Moloch This corruption of sacrifices notwithstaÌ„ding that it was in the time of Moises yet the Idol Moloch in the valley of Ennon was not cast downe till the raigne of King Iosias more then nine hundred yeares after Moyses Neuertheles this abuse doth continue among the Arabians and Affricans to this present so that the Alcoramists and Mahometists haue this beliefe that the soules of the departed must paste through the fire to bee purged and purified from their offences By this briefe gathering a man may clearely perceiue that from the begining of the world man by his owne fault hath fallen into the bottome of errour and corruption of holy signes sacrifices and sacrameÌ„ts ordained to him of God But the principall abuse Cause of the corruption of sacraments whereof is sprung the originall of all Idolatrie entred by this meanes that fleshly carnall men did sticke more to the visible signes and outward ceremonies then to the things signified by the Sacraments Apo 13. for in place of circumcisiing their hearts Deut. 10.30 and cuting away of the old skin of sinne to be regenerated and purified by the bloud of the heauenly sacrifice offered before all worlds they haue taken circumcisioÌ„ carnally for the cutting of the carnall skinne Wherefore did they not follow the interpretation of God by Moyses to circumcise the foreskin of their heartes Wherefore did not the children of Israel giue credit to the good prophet Ieremie Ierem. 4. which admonished them of the spiritual circumcision and to circumcise the forekinne of their hearts in putting away the foreskinne of their naturall corruption The like is come to passe of the sacrifices and holy signes ordained of God for figures of the sacrifice fulfilled by Iesus Christ For the carnall man resteth in the corporall bloud of earthly beasts where he ought to lift vp his spirit to heauen to comprehend and conceiue that which is figured and signified by the sacrifices of beastes offered vp For this therefore the iustice of God is declared by the Prophets What neede haue I saith the Lorde God of your sacrifices Esry 1. I am weary of your offerings of sheepe Moreouer I take no pleasure in the bloud of beasts lambes and goates offered Wherefore trauell you to addresse Altars vnto me I will none of your offerings and vaine sacrifices I abhorre your incense I can not suffer your new moones your Sabbaoths
your assemblies and your feasts all is but vanitie I hate your feastes of new moones O Israelites and your solemne feasts I am wearie in suffering so much You haue goodly directed your prayers vnto mee I will not heare you any more for the abuses which you haue committed with your handes embrued with bloud Psalm 51. Esay 66. Ierem. 7. Moreouer I will not receiue of the house of Israel any Bull because your sacrifices are not pleasing vnto me Eccle. 7. I am as well pleased with the offering of a beast as with the murthering of a man and with the offering of Incense as with the worshiping of an Idoll Wherefore then saith God doe ye take so much paines to seeke Incense vnto Sabba and odours from far countreyes to offer and make sacrifices vnto me wherein I delight not Who hath moued you O Israelites to erect images vnto the Gods Moloch and the star Rompham during the time that you were in the Wildernesse where I did nourish you with my heauenly Manna Your feasts be odious vnto me your offerings oblations Amos. 5. and sacrifices for the health I will reiect your offerings do displease me Mich. 6. After what manner should one prepare himselfe to God Shall it bee by sacrifices of Bullocks of one yeare Doth God take pleasure in a great number of sheepe offered vnto him Or in a great quantitie of holy oyles To him saith the Prophet shall I offer of the first borne for the remission of sinnes Our good God hath very cleerely declared that seruice which he commaÌ„deth Psalm 51. follow equity loue mercie and of an humble and contrite heart fal downe before him for obedience is more worthy then sacrifice or the fatte of offered Rammes 1. Samuel 15. What gaue an occasion to God to put away those sacrifices and sacrameÌ„t which hee himselfe had ordained buâ— the abuse and corruption which the Israelites had coÌ„mitted taking ouer grossly the signes and ceremonies ordained to draw them to feare and obedience For in place of conceiuing that which was figured by the signes and corporall sacrifices they did rest in the fleshe of the beastes offered And in stead of cutting away the foreskinne of their hearts they rested in the carnall circumcision and in the meane time turned away from the true worshiping of God addressing themselues to creatures As to starres to the queene of hâ—auen and other strange Gods offering to them incense building for them temples preparing for them priests chaplaines and sacrificers to offer vnto them oblations and sacrifices Moreouer to accoÌ„plish this corruption they did sacrifice with the bloude of innocents offering of them and causing them to passe through the fire of Purgatorie in the valley of Tophet Wherefore for the abuse committed by the children of Israell against the holy sacraments 4 Esdr 1. sacred signes and sacr fices ordeyned of God it was saide vnto them by the Prophets 4 Esdr 1. that God would no more of their feastes of their newe Moones of their circumcision nor of their sacrifices celebrated by people idolatrous and full of bloud When the vnsercheable wisedome of God did perceiue the hardnes and infidelity of the people of Israel which did euer continue to commit idolatry by corrupting the holy signes sacraments and sacrifices in place of acknowledgeing the infinite goodnes of God which had deliuered them from the Pharaonicall tyranny which had nourished them in the Wildernesse which had brought them into the fruitfull lande promised vnto them and which so many times had succoured them in the warres against their neighbours the Cananites Moabites Madianites Philistines Ammonites Syrians Sidonians Sicyonians and other enuious people Neuertheles this rude people did continue in their idolatries taught them by their Priestes Sacrificers Kinges and Princes without turning to the true worshipping of one onely God Wherefore after the great mercy and long tarying of the iust Iudge which by all manner corrections woulde haue brought againe his people by diuine vengeance particularly as by raising vp of warres by captiuity bondage by diuiding of the kingdome parted betweene Roboam and Ieroboam the successors of Salomon plunged in the depth of idolatry in inward warres among the people diuided and by other scourges accustomed to correct those whom God doth fauour to the end to bring them to his feare and obedieÌ„ce In the end these people 4 King 15.24 to much hardened and waxen old in their Idolatries were taken into miserable bondage vnder thy tyranny of Infidels Assirians idolatrous Babylonians their Realmes quite ouerthrowen But within a little while after that this selfe same people by the great mercy of God was deliuered from the hands of vnfaithfull tyrants was set againe at liberty and was restored to their land of promise Ioseph 13. cap. the Iewish antiquitie they fell againe to their Idolatries more then euer before vnder the gouernement of their Sacrificers and high Priestes which ioyned the temporalty and spiritualty so together that they were clad with Scepter Iosephus in the booke of the antiquities of the Iewes Roial and Crowne Then succeeded the heresies of the Pharisees of the Saduces Esseens Galileans Masbutheens Hemerobaptistes and Samaritans corrupted by the diuersity of strange nations which had inhabited and subdued the country of Samaria neere vnto Iudea For the Babylonians did worship for their God Soccobenoth the Cutheens PersiaÌ„s hauing for their God Mergal or Mergel the HemateÌ„ses called vpoÌ„ their God Asima the Annoys did worship their God Nebahaze and Thartace the Sepharuainenses did hold vpon their Gods Aaramelech Anamelech Vnto the which Gods they sacrificed their children causing them to passe through the fier Thus then when all kinde of Idolatrie was spread among the Isralites the sacrifices were altogether corrupted the Priestes became byers and sellers couetous tyrants and Idolaters the people paied tribute to the tyrants of Rome their country of Iudea made one with the Prouince ioyning vnto Syria vnder the power of the Romains Iosephus lib. 15. cap. 3. Io ephus lib. 18. cap. 3 Euâ—rop lib. 1. cap. 2. The order also the lawe election of the high Priests was corrupted their dignitie abastarded altogeather insomuch that without regard of the Leuiticall race the high ptiestes were appointed by Consuls or Lieutenants of Rome as pleased them And whereas before they continued during their liues now they changed yeâ—ely And when as the Scepter was taken from the stocke of Iuda Genes 49. and her kingdome quite ouerthrowne as before it was prophecied The incoÌ„prehensible greatnes of God did manifest it selfe by his sonne begotten before all worlds which did so humble himselfe that he tooke humane flesh of the virgins wombe to redeeme his people and restore them to grace before God For as in Adam by his breaking and abusing of the holy signe giuen vnto him to keepe A conferring of Adam with Iesus Christ all the lumpe of mankind was
then the bread that nourisheth and maintaineth the heart and life of men Luk. 9. Matt. 15. When Sathan tooke vpon him to tempt Iesus Christ to declare vnto vs that he was very man did he not chose bread to entice him to change stones into bread When Iesus Christ did celebrate his feastes to giue food one time vnto 5000. men the other time vnto 4000. persons did hee not shew his might vnder the signe of bread When he taught vs to make our praiers vnto God Matth. 6. Luk. 11. did he not ordeine the Lordes prayer to beseech God to giue vs our daily bread And not onely in the holy Bible is there mention made of bread for corporal common food But also the sacrificers celebrated by the Priests of the Hebrues there was a lawe prescribed of the bread ordeyned of God Exod. 21. Leui. 4.21 Matth. 11. 1 King 21. Esay 30. Prouerbs 20. Ezec. 4. namely sweat bread without leauen other bread there was called shew bread which the priests did renue euery weeke eate which Dauid vsed being presented vnto him by Achemelech the high Priest cotrariwise this terme bread is applyed vnto breade of wickednesse vnto breade of lying Malac. 1. Psal 23. Ezech. 12. Oze 7. Deut. 8. Matth. 4. Luk. 4 vnto bread of sorrow vnto vncleane bread of idolatry vnto vncleane bread offered at the Altar vnto the bread of trembling and vnto the bread of teares The Ephraimites also are called the bread of ashes not turned that is to say in part baked part not circuÌ„cised Idolators Wherefore O Massesaiers Capharnaits Math 25. ye must not be so hardened rooted in your fleshlinesse that you regard not the phrases of the holy scriptures in that which the terme of bread is sometime taken for the earthly bodily bread as when it is said that man liueth not by bread only Math. 15. Mark 7. but also by all that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Somtime also bread is taken for the word of God and for doctrine when Iesus Christ commanded his Apostles to take heede for eating of the leauened bread of the Scribes and Pharisees are not these termes of bread and leauen taken and interpreted for the doctrine of the Pharisees heretikes When the woman of Canaan did demand grace and mercie for the health of her daughter holden with a sore disease Did not Iesus Christ answere that it was not lawfull to take the bread of the children and giue it vnto dogges In this answere is not the bread taken for life and health and not onely for the corporall nourishment Seeing then that bread is taken for the life of man the which hangeth chiefly of bread and wine and that the goodnes of God willing to applie it selfe vnto our infirmities would chuse those two signes notes and markes notable to signifie his body and bloud namely bread and wine being two substances common to all nations is that an occasion to imagine a carnall transubstantiation as if without the same God were not able inough to figure and represent really and sacramentally life to be giuen vnto vs yea euerlasting life by the communion of the holy bread and wine consecrated figures and signes of his body and bloud Matth. 6. Marke 14. Iohn 5. Iesus Christ spake these words That the bread was his body and the wine his bloud he said also That hee is the liuing bread that he is the breade of life that hee is the liuing breade which came downe from heauen he saith also that hee that eateth of this breade shall liue for euer Is this to bring in that by this word is Iesus Christ is turned transubstantiated into bread and is no more Christ but an accident without substance O detestable heresie O Massalians haue ye no more reason to interpret carnally these words this is my body to change the bread into his body then when he affirmeth that he is the bread to change him into bread coÌ„sidering that it is written that the partaking of this bread giueth life euerlasting Iesus Christ said Iohn 6. Matth. 26. Iohn 6. Hoc est corpus meum He saith also Hic est panis qui de coelo descendit In both these places is there not this word is bestowed Must we therefore bring in a witchcraft of traÌ„substantiatioÌ„ in place of sound interpreting of the scriptures by a likenes or familiar comparison of breade with Iesus Christ causing vs to vnderstand that by him life euerlasting is giuen vnto vs And by him our spirituall nourishment is giuen vs like as by the bread we haue our bodily foode How so euer it be we must alwaies haue recourse vnto the true interpretation of Iesus Christ the true Lawgiuer and author of the holy sacrament who putting forth his institution said in the first place that he was the bread of life then after that this bread is his flesh and his body which must be giuen for the health of the world He said that his flesh is true food and his bloud the true drinke he saith that hee that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall abide in him How doth he interpret this eating Iesus Christ doth interpret it himselfe by these words Iohn 6 He that commeth vnto mee stall neuer hunger hee that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Is not this the true eating and the true drinking neuer to haue hunger and neuer to haue thirst Behoueth it to get faith which consisteth in spirit behoueth it to addresse ourselues vnto Iesus Christ our heaueÌ„ly bread our spirituall drinke to fill vs for euer to quench euerlastingly our thirst of sinne to runne into a witchcraft of transubstantiation and to forge an accidence without a substance Wherefore O Massalians haue yee inuented another interpretation then that of Iesus Christ who witnesseth that the flesh profiteth nothing but the spirit quickneth and that his words are not carnall but spirituall giuing spirit and life by faith and hope that he is the sauiour of the world incarnat dead and crucified to giue vs eternall life and after rose againe ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father abiding an euerlasting Priest propiciator mediator and redeemer Let vs returne againe to this terme is which tormenteth the braines of the Masse sayers so sore Iohn 15. to imagine a transubstantiation If Iesus Christ hath said that he is the true vine that God his Father is a husbandman â—ohn 14 and we are the branches Is this to bring in this terme is a witchcraft of changing God into a Husbandman Iesus Christ into a vine and vs into vine branches If Iesus Christ is said to be the vnspotted lambe that blotteth out the sins of the world is this to bring in a transubstantiation If Iesus Christ hath said that he is the doore of the sheepe-folde by the which we must enter to saluation and that hee is the Shepheard and we the
the Lord God because your multitude is greater then the nations that are round about you and ye haue not walked in my statutes neither haue you kept my iudgements behold I euen I come against thee and will execute iudgement in the midest of thee euen in the sight of the nations For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eate their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers and I will execute iudgement in thee the whole remnant of thee wil I scatter into all the winds the third part of thee shal die with the pestilence with famine shall they be consumed in the middest of thee and another third part thereof shal fal by the sword round about thee and I will scatter the last third part into all windes And I will draw out a sword after them neither shall mine eye spare thee neither will I haue any pitie Thus shall mine anger bee accomplished I will cause my wrath to cease in them I will be comforted they shal know that I the lord haue spoken it in my zeale whē I haue accōplished my wrath in them Moreouer I will make thee wast abhorred amōgst the nations that are round about thee and in the sight of all that passe by so shalt thou bee a reproch and shame a chastisement and an astonishment vnto the nations that are round obout thee when I shall execute iudgement in anger in wrath and in sharpe rebukes I the Lord haue spoken it and they shall know that I am the Lord and that I haue not said in vaine that I will doe this euill vnto them Hee that is farre off shall die of the pestilence and hee that is neere shall fall by the sword and hee that remaineth and is besieged Cap. 7. shall die by the famine Thus will I accomplish my wrath vpon them so will I stretch my hand vpon them and make the land wast and desolate in all their habitations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Crueltie is risen vp into a rod of wickednes none of them shall remaine nor of their riches nor of any of theirs neither shall there bee lamentation for them An end is come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come now I will shortly powre out my wrath vpon thee and fulfill mine anger vpon thee I will iudge thee acording to thy waies and I wil lay vpon thee all thine abominations The sword is without and the pestilence and famine within he that is in the field shall die with the sword and he that is in the citie famine and pestilence shal deuoure him all hands shal be weake and all knees shal fall away as water They shall cast their siluer in the streets and their gold cannot deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their soules neither fill their bowels for this ruine is for their iniquitie when destruction commeth they shall seeke peace but shall not haue it Calamitie shall come vpon calamity and rumor shal be vpon rumor then shal they seeke the vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priest and counsel from the ancient The king shal mourne and the Princes shal be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the land shal be troubled I wil doe vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements wil I iudge them and they shal know that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Woe vnto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit and haue seene nothing because with your lies you haue made the heart of the righteous sadde whom I haue not made sad and strengthned the hands of the wicked that hee should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life Therefore thus saith the Lord God because you haue spoken vanities seene lies therfore behold I am against you saith the Lord God and my hand shall be vpon the Prophets that see vanities and diuine lies they shal not bee in the assembly of my people neither shal they be written in the writings of the house of Israel neither shal they enter into the land of Israel for I wil deliuer my people out of your hand and you shal know that I am the Lord. And the word of the Lord came vnto mee saying sonne of man say vnto her Cap. 22. thou art the land that is vncleane thou hast offended in thy bloud that thou hast shed thou hast caused thy dayes to draw neere and art come vnto thy terme In thee haue they despised father and mother in the middest of thee haue they oppressed the stranger in thee haue they vexed the fatherlesse and widdow in thee are men that carrie tales to shed bloud Thou hast despised mine holy things and hast polluted my sabbaths in thee haue they taken gifts to shed bloud thou hast taken vsurie and the increase and thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by extortion and hast forgotten mee saith the Lord God There is a conspiracie of her Prophets in the middest thereof like a roaring lyon rauening the pray they haue deuoured soules they haue taken the riches and precious things they haue made her many widowes in the middest therof her priests haue broken my law and haue defiled my holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy and prophane neither discerned betweene the vncleane and the cleane and haue hid their eyes from my sabbaths and I am prophaned amongst them her Princes in the middest thereof are like wolues rauening the pray to shed bloud and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoyling and robbing and haue vexed the poore and the needy Ezechiel yea they haue oppressed the stranger against right I sought for a man amongst them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none Behold therefore I haue smitten my hand vpon the couetousnes that thou hast vsed and vpon the bloud which hath beene shed in the middest of thee Can their hart endure or can their hands bee strong in the dayes that I shall haue to doe with thee I the Lord haue spoken it and I will doe it as they gather siluer and brasse and iron and lead and tinne into the middest of the furnace to blow the fire vpon it to melt it so wil I gather you in mine anger and in my wrath and will put you there and melt you and you shal know that I the Lord haue powred out my wrath vpon you Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die When the righteous turneth from his righteousnes Cap. 33. and committeth iniquitie hee
shall euen die thereby But if the wicked returne from his wickednes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shal liue therby Yee leane vpon your swords yee worke abomination and yee defile euery one his neighbours wise should yee then possesse the land Also thou sonne of man the children of thy people that talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of houses and speake one to another euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord for they come vnto thee as the people vseth to come and my people sit before thee heare thy words but they wil not do them for with their mouths they make iestes and their heart goeth after their couetousnes loe thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy wordes but doe them not Say thus vnto them thus saith the LORD GOD as I liue so surely they that are in the desolate places shall fall by the sworde and him that is in the open field will I giue vnto the beasts to be deuoured and they that be in the courts and in the caues shall die of the pestilence thē shall they know that I am the Lord when I haue laid the land desolate and waste because of their abominations which they haue committed Wo vnto the shepheards of Israel that feede themselues Cap. 34. should not the shepheards feede the flocks yee eate the fatte and ye cloath you with the wooll yee kill them that are fedde but you feede not the sheepe The weake haue you not strengthned and the sick haue you not healed neither haue you bound vp the broken nor brought again that which was driuen away neither haue you sought that which was lost but with cruelty and with rigour haue you ruled them and they were scattred without a shepheard and when they were dispersed they were deuoured of all the beasts of the field Therefore ye shepheards heare the word of the Lord As I liue saith the lord God surely because my flock was spoiled and my sheepe were deuoured of all the beasts of the field hauing no shepheard neither did my shepheards seeke my sheepe but my shepheards fedde themselues and fed not my sheepe Behold I come against the shepheards and will require my sheepe at their hands and cause thē to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the shepheards feede themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouths they shall no more deuoure them For thus saith the lord God behold I will search my sheepe and seeke them out I will seeke that which was lost and bring againe that which was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken wil strengthen the weake but I wil destroy the fatte and the strong and feede thē with iudgement because ye haue thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the weake with your hornes till ye haue scattered them abroad therefore will I helpe my sheepe and they shall no more be spoiled I will iudge betweene sheepe and sheepe And ye my sheepe the sheepe of my pasture are mine and I am your GOD saith the Lord God A new heart also wil I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I wil take away the stony heart out of your bodie and will giue you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes ye shall keepe my iudgements and do them and ye shall dwell in the land that I gaue to your fathers and ye shal be my people and I wil bee your God I will also deliuer you from al your filthines Thē shall you remember your owne wicked waies and your deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroied for your iniquities and for your abominations Be it knowne vnto you that I doe not this for your sakes but for my holy names sake saith the Lord God Therefore be ashamed and confounded O house of Israel for your owne waies Daniel against impenitent sinners cap. 9. Wee haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgements for we haue not obeied the voice of the Lord our God to walke in his waies which he hath laid before vs by the ministry of his seruants the Prophets Therfore hath the Lord made ready the plague and brought it vpon vs for the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voice Many shall be purified made white and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall haue vnderstanding but the wise shall vnderstand Heare the word of the Lord ye children of Israel Osea against impenitent sinners Cap. 4. for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing stealing and whoring they break out bloud toucheth bloud yet let none rebuke nor reproue another for thy people are as they that rebuke the priests my people are destroied for lack of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me and seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy childrē as they were encreased so they sinned against me they eate vp the sinnes of my people and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie And as theeues waite for a man so the cōpany of the Priests murther in the way by consent for they worke mischiefe Therefore wil I chāge their glorie into shame and there shall be like people like Priest for I will visit their waies vpon them and reward them their deedes Their drunkennes stincketh they haue committed whordome their rulers loue to say with shame bring ye whordome and wine and new wine take away their hearts Therefore shall the Land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off The Prophet shall fall with thee in the night and I will destroy thy mother They wil not giue their mindes to turne vnto their God for the spirit of fornication is in the middest of them they haue not knowen the Lord. The Princes of Iudah were like them that remoue their bounds therefore will I powre out my wrath vpon them like water I euen I wil spoile and go away I wil take away and none shall rescue it Wo vnto them for they fled away frō me destruction shal be vnto them because they haue transgressed against me though I haue redeemed them yet haue they spoken lies against me I haue written to them the great things of my lawe but they were counted as a strāge thing and they consider not in their heart that
sinners Cap. 1. A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master if then I bee a father where is mine honour and if bee a master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes vnto you O ye Priests that despise my name ye say wherin haue we dispised thy name my couenant was with Leuie of life peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name the law of truth was in his mouth there was no iniquitie found in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne many away from iniquitie For the Priests lippes should preserue knowledge they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes but yee are gone out of the way yee haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leuy saith the Lord of hostes therefore haue I made you also to be despised and vile before all the people because you kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the law from the dayes of your fathers haue you gone away from mine ordinances and haue not kept them returne vnto mee and I will returne vnto you saith the Lord of hostes but ye said wherein shall wee returne your words haue beene stout against mee saith the Lord yet ye say what haue we spoken against thee ye haue said it is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that we haue walked humbly before the Lord of hosts Therfore we count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednes are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered Then spake they that feared the lord euery one to his neighbour and the lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the lord and thought vpon his name and they shall be to me saith the lord of hosts in that day that I shall do this for a flocke and will I spare them as a man that spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God him that serueth him not For behold the day commeth that shal burne as an ouen and all the proud yea and al that do wickedly shal be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the lord of hostes and shall leaue theÌ„ neither roote nor braÌ„ch But vnto you that feare my name shall the sun of righteousnes arise health shall be vnder his wings and you shall go forth and grow vp as fat calues and ye shall tread downe the wicked for they shall be dust vnder the soules of your feete in the day that I shall do this saith the lord Cum fueris felix quae sunt aduersa caueto Rursus in aduersis melâ—us sperare memento Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos Nam leuius laedit quicquid praeuideris ante Nec multum timeas venturâ— tempora fati Non timet is morteÌ„ qui scit conteÌ„nere vitaÌ„ Passibus ambiguis fortuna volubilis errat Et manet in nullo certa tenaxque loco Sed modò laeta manet vultus modò sumit acerbos Et tantum constans in leuitate sua est Omnia sunt homini tenui pendentia filo Et subito casu quae valuere ruunt Tutior in terris locus est quam sedibus altis Nam fortuna leuat infima summa premit Et quodqunque libet tibi dat fortuna rapitque Irus est subito qui modò Croesus erat Singula quid repetam nil non mortale tenemus Pectoris exceptis ingenijque bonis Ludit in humanis diuina potentia rebus Et certam praesens non habet hora fidem Vt probet vt purget vt puniat vt mercatur Vt manifestetur gloria poena datur Itaque fac timeas et quae tibi laeta videntur Dum loqueris fieri tristia posse puta Deoptimo correctionis modo carmina composita ex diuersis auctoribus Moribus ingenuis cultus si charus amicus Esse nolit perfer post modò mitis erit Cumque mones aliquem nec se velit ipse monerâ— Si tibi sit charus noli desistere coeptis Ferreus assiduo consumitur annulus vsu Interit assidua vomer aduncus humo Quid magis est aurum saxo quid mollius vnda Dura tamen molli saxa cauantur aqua Gutta cauat lapidem non vt sed saepe cadendo Corrâ—pe sic charos non vt sed saepe monendo Flectitur obsequio curnatus ab arbore ramâ—â— Franges si vires experiere tuas Obsequio tranantur aquae nec vâ—â—cere posâ—is Flumina si contra qua rapit vnda nates Obsequium tigresque domat tumidosque leones Rustica paulatim taurus aratra sumit Tempore difficiles veniunt ad aratra iuuencae Tempore lenta pati fraena docentur equi Itaque ne cesses monitis sapientia crescit Rara datur longo prudentia temporis vâ—u Sola salus seruire Deo sunt caetera fraudes Declaratur in his versibus ex libello venerabilis Richardi Barclei militis DIuitias mundi fragiles qui corde sequetur Perdidit aeterni â—ertissima gaudia coeli Si tibi pulchra domus si splendidae mensa quid inde Si tibi spâ—nsa decens si sit generosa quid inde Si tibi sint nati si praedia magna quid inde Si fueris pulcher fortis dinesque quid inde Si doceas alios in qualibet arte quid inde Si faueat mundus si prospera cuncta quid inde Si rota fortunae te tollat ad astra quid inde Annos si regnes foelix per mille quid inde Tam cito praetereunt vt vanitas vt nihill inde Sola manet virtus qua glorificabimur inde Ergo Deo serui quia tot tibi prouenit inde Quodque fecisse voles in tempore quo morieris Hoc facias inuenis dum corpore sanuâ— haberis Et quocunque Die nil sancti egisse videbis Hunc tibi vel penitus deperijsse puta Ex eodem libello de eadem materia haec carmina componuntur SInt tibi diuitiae sit honos sit larga supellex Esse tamen vel sic bestia magna potes Denique quic quid eris nisi sit iustitia tecum Magna quidem dico bestia semper eris The Conclusion A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish goe on still and are punished Blessed is the man that feareth alway but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill The feare of the Lord leadeth to life and hee that is filled therewith shall continue and shall not be visited with euill A short exhortation and dialogue shewing that Christ is to all true Christians life and ioy and that death is their aduantage IT is good that we haue sometimes