most glorious in the eyes of the Lorde and be geuen as a lyght of the Gentiles that so he myght be their saluation vnto the ende of the worlde Lastly Christ was seene by this euangelâ—… call Prophet sittyng vpon his glorious and high throne and the Seraphims standing before him and crying holy holy holy is the Lorde God of hostes the whole worlde is full of thy glory And therefore the Prophet maketh a proclamation saying Beholde thou daughter Sion thy Sauiour commeth vnto thee beholde his wages is with hym and his worke before hym Aryse therefore O Ierusalem and be bryght for thy lyght is come and the glory of the Lord is rysen vpon thee Agayne it was sayde of Christe by the Prophet Micheas that notwithstanding Bethlehem were but lytle amongst the thousandes of Iuda yet shoulde there come one thence who should rule in Israel euen one whose goinges foorth had been from the beginning and from euerlastyng And by the Prophet Hosea to be that king Dauid vnto whom the Israelites should seeke of whom the Lord would say Out of Egypt haue I called thee my Sonne The which Sonne by the Prophet Ieremie was sayd to be that noble Ruler that should arise from amongst them selues as also that ryghteous branche which shoulde growe vp vnto the house of Dauid to perfourme those good thynges promised to the house of Israel and Iuda And by the Prophet â—…zekiel to be that one Sheephearde which should be set ouer them to feede them and to be a Prince amongst them and to be that plant of renowme vnto whom the crowne and diademe did specially belong as being that Michael their chiefest Prince as sayth the Prophet Daniel who woulde stande vp for their defence and so delyuer them not onely from those beastly kingdomes that long tyme ouerruled them here on earth but also as the Prophet Hosea sayth euen from the kingdome of hell and death Moreouer it was sayde of Christe agayne by the Prophet Daniel that notwithstanding Nabuchadnezzer saw hym to be but as a base stone in his base eyes yet such a stone he was in the eyes of Daniel as should dash those beastly kingdomes all to pouder That he shoulde become a great mountayne and that the whole earth should be filled with his glory That he shoulde come in the cloudes of heauen and approch againe vnto the Ancient of dayes That the Lord God woulde geue him dominion honour and a kingdome that shoulde neuer be destroyed and that all people nations and languages shoulde serue him Againe it was sayd of Christ by the prophet Amos that he should raise vp y e tabernacle of Dauid that was fallen downe That he should rayse vp the ruines thereof as in the dayes of old And therefore sayth the prophet Aggai vnto the people be not discouraged but haue patience yet a little and you shal see that euen he the glory and desire of all nations will speedily come Wherefore reioyce greatly O daughter Sion sayth the prophet Zachary shout for ioy O daughter Ierusalem because thy king commeth vnto thee euen hee doth come to thee whose name is called the branch he by whom thy temple shall be built euen one that shall beare the glory of the Lorde that shall sit and rule vppon his throne and be a priest thereon for euer euen one who notwithstanding will come but poorely as riding on an Asse yet shal all mountains be made as plaines that agaynst him will stand vp one that shall be able to bring foorth the head stone of thy temple and that with shoutinges and crying grace grace vnto it one that shal be able to saue not onely himself but Ierusalem also euen to saue Ierusalem sayth this prophet shoulde Christe be able through the bloud of his euerlasting couenant Moreouer it was sayd of Christ by the prophet Ieremie that in his dayes Iuda should be saued and Israel should dwell safely That they shoulde be no more deuided into two kingdomes as sayth the prophet Ezechiel but that they should be as one people and haue one king to raigne ouer them euen one king whose name as saith the prophet Ieremy they should call the Lord our righteousnesse And therfore sayth the prophet Micheas why doest thou cry out with lamentation O daughter Sion as though there were no king in thee Be not afrayd for one shall raigne in thee foreuer euen one that shall stand and feede in the strength of the Lord and in the maiestie of the name of the Lord his God euen one who shall be thy peace when Ashur or anie such like commeth agaynst thee And yet for al this would they value him for nought saith the prophet Zachary euen value him for thirtie smal peeces of siluer And that because they would so doe hee sheweth that the Lord would raise vp a sheepheard euen a sheepheard y â— would not looke the thing was lost neither would he heale the thing was hurt that woulde not feede the thing that would stand vp but eate the fat leaue the flocke euen one that would in no wise lay downe hys lyfe for hys sheepe And therefore it was sayd by the prophet Daniel that when Christ the true sheepheard should come That he would lay down hys life for hys sheepe and not for hymselfe That he would confirme the couenant for them and seale it with his bloud That he would cause all sacrifice and oblation to cease That he would consume wickednes and abolish sinnes That he would make reconciliation for iniquities and bring in euerlasting righteousnesse That he would seale vp vision prophecie And lastly that the whole common weale of Iudea should be consumed by that abhominable campe of the Romaine infidels euen consumed and washt away as with a floud if they would not regard this true king priest and sheepheard And therfore it was sayd by the prophet Malachie that the Lord would send his messenger before hym to prepare his way and that the Lord whome they sought should speedily come to his temple euen that messenger of the couenant whom they desired to behold But yet sayth the prophet like a purging fire and like fullers sope that so he might trie them euen as siluer is tried And therefore the Lord gaue them a speciall commandement euen in the last clause of the olde testament to remember the law of Moses his seruaunt which hee commanded hym in Horeb for all Israel with all his statutes and iudgementes all which should leade them if they would vnto Christ this Angel of the euerlasting couenant And thus you see in part after what sort the prophetes dyd paynt out Christ vnto them who when he came did al things that before were written of hym that so all thse sayinges of the prophets might be fulfilled and yet beleeued they not
whereby is meant that whosoeuer were a tree planted by the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles and watered with the graces of the holy spirite shoulde be a fruitfull tree indeede and whosoeuer were a fish nourished by the same waters of the holy spirit should be sure to liue for euer And likewise it was further sayd That whosoeuer they were of al the families of the earth that woulde not goe vp to this citie to worship the king Iehouah of hostes and to keepe the feast of tabernacles that vpon them shoulde come no raine whereby is also meant that vppon them that woulde not worship the Lord according to the rule of his owne most perfect word as the faythfull companie of christians ought to doe vpon them I say that would not so doe should fall no part of that gratious raine the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles And moreouer it was further said That whosoeuer they were that should be found fighters agaynst this citie and the king therof shoulde be smitten with a very great plague euen with so great a plague as that it should consume both their flesh eyes and toonges and therefore according to these prophesies it was reuealed vnto Iohn presently vpon the destruction of the low Ierusalem in what sort the heauenly should be built and who they were that fought and still woulde fight agaynst the same which were the Romaine Emperours and the popes their successors which popes most vehemētly should continue afflicters of the high Ierusalem as y ◠former had begun with the low and likewise a certayne time shoulde continue it agaynst the high Therefore we are here to consider the state of Rome and to marke howe the Lord hath reserued them as a corporation of moste filthy beasts and as a cage of vnleane kytes for hys wrath to ayme at while the worlde shall stand And why so Euen because that by their policie was the king of this high Ierusalem the Lord of life crucified and because that this his citie the companie of faithful Christians by them should continually be persecuted likewise for that they would refuse to be norished by those waters of life euen the most pure doctrine of the holy prophets apostles and for that by them the brightnesse thereof shoulde be continually darkened euen darkened by the smoke that should arise from that bottomlesse pit of their owne doctrines preceptes and foolish traditions and so by that meanes turne those liuely fountaines the doctrines and preceptes of the holy prophetes and apostles from waters of life into waters of bitter gall and wormewood yea euen vnto filthy salt pittes of eternall death and destruction For these and such like causes I say hath the Lord set that cage of Romaine infidels as a marke for his wrath to ayme at while the world shall stand and hath also described them and their villanies by the moste horrible villanies of all ages throughout the old testament and onely to the intent to giue vs warning to auoyd them as also theyr maners and theyr condemnation First then I will shewe you in what sort saint Iohn describeth the Romaine Emperours and afterwardes in what sort the corporatiō of filthy popes The Emperours he describeth in this sort I saw a beast sayth he arise out of the sea hauing the mouth of a Lyon the feete of a Beare the colour of a Leopard seuen heades also and ten hornes As if hee should haue sayd I sawe euen one moste vgly and monstrous beast compounded of those foure the which my fellow seruant the prophet Daniel sawe in the seuenth of hys booke the which beast hath not onely borowed from Ashur that is from the Babylonians Meedes Persians the lyons mouth and beares feete nor from Kittim all readie dead that is from the Grecians the Leopards colour nor from Gog Magog that is from Syria and Egypt the tenne hornes and teeth but hath also the Dragon that old serpent readie euen to giue him hys whole throne power and authoritie likewise and onely to the intent hee might be the more able to make warre against thys citie of faithfull Christians and that so hee might be able to ouercome them and to force them to forsake the word of god and the testimonie which the mayntayned so to haue them to doe worship vnto him and to the Dragon who gaue hym his power but yet notwithstanding all this his strength hee could not ouercome them no although hee persecuted them dayly euen to the losse of their goodes landes life and all for the which cause the wrath of God and of the lambe was so stirred vp against these prophane Emperours as that they were forced in these dayes to wish the mountaynes to fall vpon them and to desire the hilles to couer them euen to couer them from the presence of him that sate vppon the throne and from the wrath of the lambe for the great day of hys wrath was come and therefore they were not able to stand before hym For as the Lord Iesus was that Michael that stood vp for the desence of his people agaynst those tyrantes in Daniel euen so was hee in like maner in the dayes of these prophane Emperours for hee fought agaynst them as riding vppon a white horse as hauing a bowe in his hand with sharpe arrowes to pearce the hartes of them his enimies And moreouer as hee was a iudge sitting vppon a fiery throne from whose presence riuers of fire ishued to consume those beasts in Daniel euen so was he in like maner in the dayes of this beast y e Romaine Emperours for he sent his threefold iudgementes vpon them as sword famine and death altogither the which plagues were expressed by three horses red blacke and pale So that like as these prophane Emperours had shed the bloud of hys seruants the holy martyrs euen so the holy and iust Lord was stirred vp with reuenge to spill and shed theyr bloud and to giue it them in great aboundance to drinke and in y e end vtterly to roote them out So then this beast hauing now the wound of a sword one head cut off Sathan not able by hym to preuayle agaynst the Church you are to looke for that other instrument of hys to appeare in hys likenesse that is you are to looke for a description of that corporation of beastly popes who are not lesse in strength and mischiefe then the former were but rather far exceeding them in both and therefore most fitly is their power described by a beast of the same forme of the other But before I come to saint Iohn to shew you that I will giue you a note or two from the Apostle Paul that so you may see how fitly they agree in the discouery of this latter beast that so you may the better hereafter beware and take heede least you be
well as the former forasmuch as the popes had ten nations or kingdomes to yeeld obedience vnto theyr power as the former had to theyrs And to make the matter more playne that Idolatrous Rome was reuiued agayne by these popes saint Iohn hath another vision shewed hym which is this Hee seeth a beast aryse out of the earth hauing two hornes like vnto the lambe Meaning thereby that these popes would come as pretending great shew of religiō and as if they were the vycars of Christ that lambe of God but hee telleth you that he spake like the Dragon and that hee did all that the first beast could doe that was before hym yea and that hee caused the image of the former beast to be made and gaue hym spirite and life and made all the earth to worship hym whose deadly wound by them was healed And furthermore for their helpe therein saint Iohn sheweth you that this lambe should worke great signes and wonders euen so great as if it were to bring fire from heauen as Elyas did to the end that as hee thereby caused all Israel to turne from the worship of Ieroboams calues vnto the Lord to worship him euen so in a contrary sort woulde this lambe seeke with the signes which were permitted hym to doe to turne all men both small and great rich and poore free and bond from the worship of the Lord to the worship of the beast and to force them thereby to receiue his marke eyther in their right hands or in y t forheads or at leastwise to beare his name or the number of hys name for vnlesse they would so doe they shoulde neyther buy nor sell but be killed So that heere you see how fitly this agreeth with the other vision for the popes to be reuiuors of the former beast and also howe fitly it falleth out according to that whiche our sauiour and saint Paul before had told you that is that there should come false prophets which woulde come in sheepes clothing but inwardly be rauening Wolues and that they woulde come with all lying signes woonders and sleightes of deceice and therefore is it that our sauiour giueth vs so great charge to take heede of them And moreouer therefore is it that it pleaseth hym to paynt them out so playne vnto vs for although they woulde seeme neuer so muche to beare the hornes of a lambe or neuer so much to pretend religion or shew of holynesse yet the Lord hath so plainly noted them by one especiall mark aboue the rest as that euery simple man may know them howsoeuer they would seeme to change their shape that is their voyce the whiche you see saint Iohn sayth is all one with the Dragons And therefore although Sathan come not now as vnto Adam and Euah nor as in the daies of the primitiue Church That is although he come not now in y ◠carkas of a luttle serpent nor yet in the forme of a seuen headed beast but contrariwise euen in the skinne of a poore and simple lambe yet the voyce being the selfe and same you may knowe hym howsoeuer he transformeth himselfe It is good for you here then to consider the voyce both of the one and of the other The voyce of the serpent and of the beast commandeth that whiche God forbiddeth and forbiddeth that which God commandeth euen so doth the voyce of this counterfeit lambe as for example The voyce of God forbiddeth the making of grauen images to bowe downe vnto them but the voyce of this counterfeit lambe commandeth the making of them and the bowing vnto them The voyce of God commandeth prayer to be made vnto him alone and not vnto any other but the voyce of this counterfeit lambe forbiddeth prayer to be made vnto God alone and commaundeth it to bee made vnto Saintes withal The voyce of God sayth that whosoeuer he be that beleeueth in Christ his sonne shall be sure to haue pardon of his sinnes through the shedding of his moste precious bloudbut the voyce of this counterfeit lambe sayth that whosoeuer he be that will beleeue hym hee shall be sure to haue pardon for his sinnes through the bloud of the leaden bulles whiche for his monie hee will send hym The voyce of God sayth that better were it for hys ministers to speake fiue wordes in the church to the vnderstanding of his people that so they might say Amen thereunto then to speake ten thousand in a strange toonge vnto the which the people cannot say Amen but the voyce of this counterfeit lambe sayth better is it for hys ministers to speake ten hundreth thousand in a strange language vnto the whiche the people cannot say Amen then to speake one word to their vnderstanding least so they shoulde spye out their knauerie Agayne the voyce of God commaundeth vs not to abstaine from meates but to abstayne from sinne and celleth vs that it is not the meate which a man eateth that can defile him but the sinne that resteth in his heart and yet dare the voyce of this counterfeit lambe command men to abstaine from meates and to make them beleeue that vnles they doe so vpon such dayes as he appoynteth they shall not onely be defiled therewith but also be damned for euermore therby especially if they eate but a bit vpon good Friday Furthermore the voyce of God commaundeth marriage as a moste lawfull thing vnto all men but the voyce of this counterfeit lamb forbiddeth it as an vnlawfull thing vnto some men The voyce of God forbiddeth his ministers the exalting of themselues aboue their brethren but the voyce of this counterfeite lambe exalteth himselfe not onely aboue hys brethren but also aboue all that are called Gods and moste presumptuously setteth himselfe in the temple of the Lord God as if hee were God commaunding what him liketh and forbidding what hym li◅teth as most like a suttle serpent in one thing which is to be noted aboue all others that is whereas the voyce of the Lord God commaundeth all men to read and meditate in hys holy word that so they might weare hys cognisance and be retayners vnto his kingdome the voyce of this counterfeyte lambe forbiddeth it that so they might weare his marke be retayners vnto his kingdome And therfore is it that hee dealeth most impudently as followeth that is wheras the voyce of the Lord God commandeth vs to worship feare him that made heauen and earth the sea and all fountaines of water and that wee should giue glory to him and to the Lambe that standeth on mount Sion because he onely was worthy forasmuch as hee hath redeemed vs vnto God by hys bloud I say whereas the voyce of the Lord God commandeth vs thus to do and contrariwise forbiddeth vs the worship of the Beast or his image threatning withall that if any man doe worship the beast
shalbe done according to the rule thereof we must learne to worshyp him according to the same in no case to go one foote farther For as Moses was not to do any thyng about the Tabernacle or for the geuing of lawes statutes ordinances rites ceremonies or whatsoeuer according to his owne wyl or fantasie but in all thinges to do according to the paterne and prescription shewed him in the Mount and elswhere by the Lord no more must we in the very smallest thing we take in hand concerning the worshyp of the Lorde but in all thinges therein must we also be directed by the most pure perfect worde of God For as the Cloude was a direction to their Iornies in the Wildernesse and they not to steppe one foote forwarde or backwarde farther then by it they were ledde Euen so the Lawes there geuen by the Lord are a most perfect rule for men to walke by whyle the worlde shall stande For wherewithall sayth the Prophet shall a young man clense his way The holy Ghost doth answere Euen in taking heede thereto according to the worde of God and therefore did the holy Prophetes and Apostles alwayes pray that it woulde please the Lord to direct their steps according to the same For in no case can the Lord abide any will worship seeme it neuer so holy but in all thynges wyll he be worshypped according to his holy wyll layde downe in his holy worde for otherwyse we worshyppe him in vayne as our Sauiour sayth If insteade of the doctrine of his holy worde we obserue the preceptes and foolysh traditions of men so that To obey his holy worde as the Prophet Samuel sayth is better then al kind of sacrifice and to hearken therunto is better then the fatte of Rams Therefore let vs pray with the holy Prophet that it woulde please the Lord to encline our hartes vnto his law not vnto couetousnesse and that we may esteeme al his preceptes most pure and iust hate al false wayes and abhor al vaine inuentions Seeing that euery man is but as a beast by his owne knowledge we must learne to be made wyse by the worde of God NOw that we know the Lord hath created vs to none other ende but to set foorth his prayse glory and seeing we know also that no prayse or worshyppe wyll please him but that which shalbe done accordyng to his holy worde let vs pray vnto him with the holy Prophet that euen as it hath pleased him to make vs and to fashion vs euen so it woulde please him therefore to geue vs vnderstandyng that we may learne his commaundementes and chuse the way of trueth And agayne seeing that euery man is but as a Beast by his owne knowledge as the Prophet Ieremie doth say and seeing also the Prophet Dauid confessed him selfe so to be vntyll he went into the house of the Lorde and so through his holy worde became wyse We ought therefore to pray vnto the Lorde to geue vs grace to leaue of from leaning any longer vnto our owne wysedome as the holy Ghost vs warneth and onely to hearken withall the holy Prophetes and Apostles what the Lorde wyll say vnto vs that so his holy worde may be a Lanterne to our feete and a lyght vnto our pathes and that by his counsell alone we may be guyded as the Prophet saith euen vnto righteousnes iudgement equitie and to euery good path which thing being done and preceptes kept it shalbe vnto the Lorde a sacrifice of a more sweete smelling sent then the fatte of thousandes of Rammes and Goates or riuers of Oyle Wherefore I beseeche al you that are as my selfe euen of the simpliest sort vnto whom onely I direct my speeches and such as feare the Lord that you woulde cause your eares to hearken vnto wysedome and incline your hartes to vnderstandyng But what am I that I shoulde so beseeche you since that Wysedome her selfe doth intreate you and dayly offereth her selfe vnto you And yet because the holy Ghost commaundes that we should one exhort another I can not chuse but with the holy Prophet euen desire you to taste and see how sweete the Lord is Now if you aske me what this wysedome is that you shoulde hearken so vnto her and this vnderstanding that you shoulde so incline your hartes thereto the Lord himselfe doth tell you Behold sayth he the feare of the Lord is wysedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding And in an other place the Knowledge of holy thinges is vnderstanding and the only way for you to finde the feare of God which is to haue wysedome and to finde the knowledge of holy thinges which is to haue vnderstandyng is for to repayre vnto the worde of God for the Lorde onely geueth wysedome and out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding So that if you searche and seeke in the Booke of God you shall be sure to finde the knowledge of the Lord and then as he is knowen of you euen so shall you feare him and also by your continuall meditation therein you shall be sure to be made wyse vnto saluation for the worde of God is fully able so to do as sayth the Apostle and therefore in any wyse see that you alwayes pray vnto the Lorde that it woulde please him to geue you such a taste therein as that it may be more sweeter vnto your hart then the Hony or the Hony combe vnto your mouth yea and more desired for your necessitie then golde yea then much fine golde or treasures for your plentie The which the Lord for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs euery one whereby we may haue suche a feeling and knowledge therein as that the bryghtnesse of the glorious Gospel may shyne most cleerely in our mindes euen to the vtter abolishyng of our former and most damnable darkenesse Certayne Obiections vpon the former exhortation answered PEraduenture you wyl now say vnto me yf it be so that we can not attayne vnto Wisedome which is to vnderstande holy thynges and those holy thinges not to be founde vnlesse we read and meditate in the Booke of God alas that is so hard that we cannot attayne vnto the vnderstandyng thereof and agayne it is for great Clarkes and not for vs simple soules to meddle withall for many tymes the vnlearned peruert the Scriptures euen to their owne destruction and so I haue heard some say that S. Peter sayth they do so But I may say vnto you in the name of God Be not deceyued for it is the subtiltie of Satan that so perswadeth you and not you onely but almost all men generally throughout the whole world And wherfore trow you doth he so Surely to none other ende but that his owne kingdome may be the better thereby maynteyned for euen as the kingdome of God is dayly inlarged where his worde is
all his sayinges because that some Prophecies in y e holy Scriptures there are whose euent is not altogether in Scripture shewed and yet by those Prophane stories you may see they tooke effect as namely the Prophet Daniel and also the Reuelation of S. Iohn the which by eye sight we are also able to witnes how that Booke is fulfilled by the Popes in all their dealinges But yf you thinke that you can not attayne vnto perfect wysedome and knowledge of Christe without the helpe of other Books then are you greatly deceyued for the Worde of God is an absolute perfect rule sayth the Apostle and fully able to make you wyse in Christ and by it onely may you attayne to the perfect knowledge of Christ without the helpe of any other and is also playne and easie of it selfe for your vnderstanding yf you wyll the Lord beleeue as I sayde before especially yf you wyll come in simplicitie of hart and cast off your owne wysedome for in very deede that is the onely hinderance of the attayning thervnto Agayne some Bookes there are which take vpon them to lay downe preceptes for your lyfe conuersation which bookes yf you thinke you are bounde to read as well as the Scriptures then are you also as greatly deceiued for the Lord hath commaunded you vpon payne of damnation to reade the Scripture because in deede it is the very lyfe and norishment of your soule but as for the reading of such kinde of Bookes you haue no such charge neyther was it needefull for you so to haue because there is nothing that the hart of man can thinke on eyther for vertue to imbrace or vice to eschew but the Booke of God doth contayne a rule and precept for it and therefore what neede we the helpe of man to lay downe preceptes for our lyfe when as the Lorde him selfe hath taken vppon him to be our Guyde and Teacher Therefore in the name of God take heede of the subtiltie of Satan in this poynt aboue all others that is that he deceiue you not so herein as to make you beleeue that you shall attayne vnto as great wysedome or holynes by the wrytinges of men as you shall do by the booke of God or that the booke of God is not perfect of it selfe to instruct you fully in all thinges touching your saluation for then hath he you euen as he woulde therefore rather then he shoulde make you so to thinke better were it for you with them of Ephesus to burne them all yea though the price of all such Bookes were founde to be in value worth fiftie thousande peeces of siluer And God doth know a most heynous sinne it is and reigneth most abundantly amongst vs here in Englande euen this that we esteeme a great deale more of the preceptes and doctrines of men then we do of the Booke of God so that as that hath been the very cause of the destruction of all the worlde greatly it is to be feared least the lyke plague wyll befall vs and our Nation for how fewe haue we that doth take so great delight in the booke of God as to make it the chiefe ioy and reiocing of their hartes as the Prophet Ieremie did make it vnto his Therefore much more fewe there be to be founde that do make so rare accompt thereof as the holy man Iob did that is to esteeme of the wordes of God euen much more then he did of his appoynted foode but in the contrary multitudes do take euen that delyght therefore take heede of that in any wyse Now it may be that you wyll aske me agayne What part of the Scripture it is that you were best to reade The answere is euen all for so you may learne by the last Commaundement of our Sauiour that I spake of for be commandeth to search the Scriptures so that al which is called Scripture you must search for all that doth testifie of him And so you see S. Luke sayth he began at Moses and all the Prophetes that is from the beginning of Genesis to the ende of Malachie for the old Testament which only then was written and all that was nothing els but to teach Christ And now you haue also the new Testament which tendeth to none other ende then the former did and that is to teache Christ. For so the Apostle sayth I taught nothing but what Moses and the Prophetes did say shoulde come And in an other place I kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God and what was that To wit that Christ shoulde suffer and that he shoulde be the fyrst that shoulde rise from the dead and shoulde shewe lyght vnto the people and to the Gentiles So that you may see that all the Scripture tendeth to none other purpose but to teach you that and therefore you must of necessitie reade all that so you may as S. Luke sayth Acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof you haue been instructed not onely by the Euangelistes and the Apostles who haue declared vnto you the thinges of Christe from the day that Zacharias went into the Temple and that the Angell tolde Marie concerning her conception but also what you haue been instructed by Moses and the Prophetes euen from the day that he was first promised that so you may be able to deliuer the glory thereof from poynt to poynt and to stande firme your selfe agaynst all the assaultes of the Deuyll Yea but you wyll say agayne S. Paule of whom you spake before forbids vs Genealogies and commaundes that we shal geue no heede vnto them because they are endles and breede questions rather then godly edifiyng which is by fayth And so in deede a great number of our Guydes wyll tell vs. For many times because we fynd them very hard we go to them to aske the meaning thereof then their answere is that the Genealogies tende not to edification but rather to strife and contention and therefore is it that S. Paule forbiddes them And so likewyse for many other harde places in the Bible when we goe to aske them whose lyppes shoulde preserue knowledge What is the meaning of such and suche places in steade of resoluing vs they cast them off as superfluous not tending to our saluation Therefore why do you say that all the Scripture testifieth of Christ and is profitable for our saluation and must of necessitie of vs be read and learned I wyll tel you why no not I but the holy Ghost wyll tell you how that all the Wordes of the Lorde are most pure wordes yea more pure then golde which in the fire seauen times is tryed And moreouer the same Apostle that you say speaketh agaynst them wyll tell you the contrarie for sayth he What so euer thinges are written aforetyme meaning in the Scriptures are written for our learnyng Therefore woo be vnto those blinde Guydes
to Scripture for the Lord wyl in no case like that you shoulde be troubled about many matters with Martha but wyll haue you without all excuse to choose the best part with Marie because that in deede is y e most excellent thing you can desire I meane the hearing of his voyce continually as Marie did that so you may haue all his most gracious words printed in your hart as Moses speaketh And why so Euen to the intent you may be able to rehearse them continually vnto your chyldren and that so you may be able to teach them and your selfe to knowe aright how that he IEHOVAH your God is one and that there is none but he according as he requireth in that first great Commaundement saying Heare O Israel IEHOVAH thy God IEHOVAH is one Therefore yf you holde them happie as happie blessed they are whose God this Iehouah is and that your selfe woulde be of this happie sort you must learne to know him aright that is you must learne to know according to the Scriptures how that vnder this name and nature there be three the Father the Worde and the holy Ghost and that these three are but one God for the Worde is the Sonne and yet he is IEHOVAH as S. Iohn in his twelfth teacheth you out of Esai the sixth And the holy Ghost is IEHOVAH as S. Paule in the Actes 28. teacheth you out of the same text of Esai And how this name IEHOVAH is opened S. Iohn in Apocalips the first sheweth you in this sort I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende sayth the Lord euen he who was who is and who will be The knowing of this true God who is but one as also that the seconde person in this Trinitie was to take the nature of man that so he might suffer to the intent that in death he might destroy him that had the power thereof and so geue lyfe vnto the worlde The knowing of this I say according to the Scripture the which in all ages most playnely hath been manifested is the chiefest thing the Lorde requireth at your handes therefore you are to vnderstande that the holy Prophetes and Apostles did euer first and most chiefly labour to set foorth this and afterwardes exhorted men to walke according to their dueties layde downe in the seconde Table For you are not to thinke that when Iohn the Baptist came preaching in y e wildernes that his only drift was to bring the people to a more perfection of workes although after their demaunde he tell them that thus and thus they were to do but you are to vnderstande that most chiefly his drift was to bring them to a change of iudgement and to a more perfection of this knowledge and to a repentaunce of their former ignoraunces and a beleefe in Iesus Christ. For you see he telleth them playnely that the kingdome of God was euen now at hand and that a stronger then he came presently after him who in deede was before him and that him selfe was not worthy to stoope downe and vnlose the latchet of his Shoes and that although he baptised but with water yet he that came after him woulde baptise with the holy Ghost and with Fire and that he would come with his Fanne in his hand to make cleane his floore and to gather his Wheate into his Garner and to burne vp the Chasse with vnquenchable Fire And therefore vnles they did beleeue in him which shoulde come after him that is in Christ Iesus they woulde prooue to be this chasse Wherfore he telleth his kinsmen the Iewes that notwithstanding they for their partes began to say within them selues We haue Abraham to our Father and therefore we are the onely people because the couenauntes and promises of God belong onely vnto vs and also for that the Oracles of God were committed chiefly vnto vs and also because we are the Circumcision whereby we are separated from the sinners of the Gentiles I say notwithstandyng they beganne to bragge in this sort of all these outwarde thynges yet he telleth them that vnles they did beleeue in him of whom all the Prophetes before had spoken and was now come into the worlde they shoulde finde them selues to be this Chasse here spoken of and not the good Seede of the woman and of faythfull Abraham but euen the naturall seede of that olde Serpent their father the Deuill and that God was able to rayse vp sonnes vnto Abraham in steade of them euen of the very stones Whereby is meant that whereas the Gentiles vnto that time had hartes as hard as stones for asmuch as they regarded not to knowe the Lorde aright and therfore he regarded not the time of this their ignorance but suffered them to runne on in the hardnes of their hartes euen to their owne destruction Yet now he admonisheth all men eâ—…ery where to repent them of their former ignorance and beleeue the Gospell Yea now Iohn telleth them that the axe is put euen to the very roote of the trees and therefore yf these Gentiles woulde repent them of their former ignorances and beleeue in Christ as faythfull Abraham did then shoulde they be counted the sonnes of Abraham and the other shoulde be cut off euen according as the Apostle sayth Those which are of fayth are the chyldren of Abraham And againe He is not a Iew which is one outwardly neyther is that circumcision which is outwarde in the fleshe but he is a right Iew which is one within and whose hart is filled so full with the knowledge of God that he can alwayes prayse the Lorde aright and likewyse that is true circumcision which is of the hart and in the spirit and not in the letter and therefore yf these Gentiles woulde be such they shoulde then be the true circumcision in deede yea they should then be the true seede of Abraham and also the right Iewes and so their praise shoulde be of God and not of men Agayne whereas the Apostle vrgeth the Hebrewes to be led forward vnto perfection you are not to thinke he meaneth it of workes although no man will be so madde as to thinke otherwyse but that by those that haue knowledge a perfection of workes must also be practised for otherwyse because you shall not mistake me I tell you still your knowledge is in vayne For what hast thou to do with my couenant in thy mouth sayth the Lorde if thou hatest to be reformed And therfore as we are to grow vp in knowledge so are we also as the Apostle saith to grow vp in holines but in this place you are to vnderstande that the Apostle meaneth it of the perfection of knowledge which not onely y â— Hebrewes but also all others ought to attayne vnto that so they might see how Christ was answerable to all the former types figures shadowes and ceremonies in
and often strike vpon your thygh with sorowe of hart as the Prophet Ieremie also speaketh Now it may be you wyll say agayne Euery one can not reade neyther hath euery one leysure to get suche great and perfect knowledge as you speake of And moreouer many dye before they come to yeeres of discretion as also many in their mothers wombe How then shall all these do shall none be saued but those that vnderstande the whole Bible Yes forsooth for yf they do in steadfast fayth but touch the hemme of Christ his garment they shalbe saued for aswell doth he accept the poore Wydowes myte as the Riche mans great gyft especially yf it come with such willingnes of hart that yf they had or coulde get more more they woulde geue But seeing that fayth is the gyft of God and seeing also that the ordinarie meanes that he hath appoynted to come thereby is the hearing and reading of his holy worde we must euery one of vs desire the sincere Milke thereof as the Apostle Peter sayth that so we may growe thereby both in fayth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ. And most meete and necessarie it is that so we shoulde do for seeing that Satan goeth about lyke a roaring Lion continually seeking whom he may deuoure How muche more needefull therefore is it that we should continually be as carefull to get such skill in the handling of the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God as that we may be able not onely to resist him but also to wounde him most deadly therewithall for otherwyse yf we shall be founde ignoraunt in the vse of our weapon we shall be sure to receiue most deadly woundes our selues because that ignoraunce therein shall not excuse any man Therefore whether a man can read or no that shall not excuse him for yf he can not he must haue the more care to be taught by others that in any wyse he may get some knowledge in this spirituall weapon offered for his helpe least when he shoulde geue the woundes he receiue them most deadly him selfe And as for Chyldren which die in their mothers wombe or before they come to be of discretion to vse y â— ordinarie meanes we must commende them vnto the Lord who is able without the meanes to saue whom pleaseth him being elected in Christ before the worlde was made the which Babes elected it pleaseth the Lorde to inlighten their mindes by the working of his holy spirite euen in their mothers wombes as well you may perceiue by Iohn y e Baptist who when he heard but onely the voyce of the mother of our Lord sprang for ioy as also by the Prophet Ieremie of whom the Lord sayth before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee and so foorth Now as it pleaseth the Lorde to inlighten such Infantes as are elected by such secrete meanes as pleaseth him so is he able to do the lyke vnto all others of greater yeeres But since that he hath appoynted an ordinarie meanes for such to come by the knowledge of his Sonne we must looke to that and desire of the Lord that it woulde please him to inlighten our mindes thereby And whereas you say that all men haue not tyme and leysure to attayne vnto skill and knowledge in the booke of God That is not so for yf they woulde bestowe but that one day of seauen which the Lord hath commaunded them eyther in hearing the worde or reading therein themselues they myght attaine vnto very great knowledge yea so great as that they might be able at the least to geue a sound reason of their fayth yea and to auoyde the deadly blowes of Satan although not able to cast off al especially if that one day were bestowed with like delyght and desire of the atteyning thereunto as they woulde do yf it were a worldly commoditie or vayne desire they shoulde seeke after How much more knowledge trow you myght then be attayned vnto yf men woulde bestow all the houres therein the which they bestow in vayne delights as huntyng hauking tabling dicing carding bouling shooting or any such lyke no doubt but to a woonderful great knowledge euen to so great as that they shoulde be able then to bryng foorth as the Lorde speaketh euen their most strong reasons wherby they myght so foyle Satan and his ministers as that they woulde be ashamed and afrayde to offer combate with them any more So that if men woulde consider with them selues how short the tyme of their abode is here and also how vncertaine and so learne with Moses to pray vnto the Lord that it woulde please him to teach them to number these their few dayes aright that so they myght apply their hartes vnto wysedome No doubt but they shoulde attayne vnto plenty thereof For the Lorde hath so promised But the Deuyll hath so bewitched men and so blinded them and beareth such sway with them that they had rather spende a whole yeere yea all their lyfe tyme in those vayne thinges which tende to none other ende then to draw them vnto him who seeketh for them which is the Deuyll then they woulde bestow one houre yea one minute of an houre in those thinges that shoulde tende to their saluation and to the pleasing of their maister and Sauiour Christ so that in them is fulfilled the saying of the Apostle For in the last dayes sayth he Men shall be louers of pleasures more then louers of God And notwithstanding our Sauiour doth dayly call and seeke for them euen to shroude them as the Henne woulde do her Chickens yet wyll they not come vnder the couert of his winges for ought that he can do but thinke it is enough yf they can say as commonly they do I beleeue in Christe and hope to be saued by hym as well as you although I take no such paynes to get this great knowledge for what neede I so to do For is it not sayd He that beleeueth in him shall neuer perishe but haue eternall lyfe Which is true in deede yf they knewe what they spake but they must well know it is not enough to speake the bare wordes for so much one myght make a Parrat to do but their beliefe must be setled vpon him accordyng to the testimonie which Moses and the Prophetes haue geuen of hym that so they may say with Peter We beleeue and also know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the lyuing God therefore this speech of theirs doth import nothing els but euen to contemne Christ so for men to content them selues with slothfulnes And therefore the holy Ghost doth geue vnto such a maruellous great reproofe saying O you foolyshe how long will you loue foolyshnes and you skornefull how long wyl you hate knowledge So that by this their hating of knowledge it may well appeare they are none of Christes
houre of the day when Christe the King the most holy that Lambe of God shoulde be killed which was the ende and summe of all Moses sactifices and ceremonies and therefore they shoulde ceasse accordyng as the Angell sayth when Christ shoulde perfourme this the which fell out according to Gods decree vpon the very same day that the Lambe we now speake of was killed And lykewyse that the promyse was made to Abram and also that the commaundement came foorth for the Iewes to returne from Babell and therefore no maruell though Moses tell them it is a woonderfull day yea suche a day as is to be obscru◅d throughout their generations So that yf they shoulde haue had no more teaching but onely this to ha◅e ledde them vnto Christ they myght haue seene him most clecrely herein and had been enough to haue made them voyde of all excuse But many and manifolde wayes besides this was Christ preached vnto them as in all other their bloudie sacrifices For they might well knowe that notwithstanding the bloud of bulles and of goates and the ashes of an heifer being sprinckled sanctified as touching the purifiyng of the flesh yet was it not able be it neuer so often ◅princkled to purge and make cleane their consciences and therefore they were driuen to looke for one to come who through his eternall spirite would offer hymselfe without spot to God that so hee might purge their consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord. Agayne they might well know it was neither burnt offring nor sinne offring that the Lord required or delighted in For what great pleasure could it be vnto the Lord to haue the bodie of a poore beast wholy burnt and therefore they were driuen to looke for one to come who would fully doe the will of God and in whose heart his whole lawe should fully rest and who by offering his owne body once for all should runne through all the fire of afflictions and torments due vnto man Againe he was preached vnto them by y e scape Goate for they might well knowe it was not the backe of a poore goate that could so carrie away their sinnes as neuer to be burthensome againe vpon their owne backes and therfore they were driuen to looke for one to come who should be able being cast down with the burden thereof to raise himselfe vp againe and to carry them so cleane away vppon his backe as that their owne backs should neuer be troubled againe with the weight thereof Furthermore he was preached vnto them by the cloude and pillar of fire in the wildernesse for they might well knowe that he was that pillar that gaue them the true light also that cloude that led them the right way Againe he was preached vnto them by the rocke that followed them and also by the Manna for they might well knowe that he was that spiritual rocke from whom flow gush out waters of life to all those that aske of him and likewise they might as wel know that he was that true Manna which came down from heauen of the which who so eateth spiritually shall liue for euer Againe he was preached vnto them by the brasen serpent for they might wel knowe it was he that must so ◅e lifted vp as that he that beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue eternall life Againe he was preached vnto them by the high sacrificer his whole office for they might well knowe that he was but a figure for the time present because he was not suffered to indure by reason of death and therefore they were driuen to looke for one to come whiche shoulde not be made priest after the lawe of the carnall commandement but after the power of the endlesse life that is one who should liue for euer after the order of Melchisedech being made with an othe by him who will not repent Againe seeing there came no suche perfection by the giftes and sacrifices which their high priest once a yeere offered as to take away either his owne sinnes or the sinnes of the people but that euery yeere there must be a remembrance againe because of this imperfection I say they were driuen to looke for one to come who should be able perfectly to saue those that would come vnto God by him and who would in the end appeare to take away their sinnes by the sacrifice of his owne bodie once made and so enter not into the holy places made with handes but euen into y ◠very heauen it selfe to appeare in the sight of God and there to sit for euer to make intereession for them and by whose bloud they might be bold to enter into that holy place themselues euen by that newe and liuing way which he would prepare for them not through the vaile of silke but euen through the very vaile of his owne flesh And thus was Christ preached vnto them by all the sacrifices and ceremonies done according to the law for they might well know that they were al but as shadowes of those good things which were to come Againe hee was preached vnto them in most plaine speeches euen in the first saying deliuered on the mountaine for whereas the Lord sayth vnto them I am Iehouah thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of boudage it must needes be in respect of Christ that he calleth himselfe their God for otherwise he is vnto men euen A consuming fire Againe and so to conclude this speeche Christ was preached vnto them in most comfortable and also most terrible sort as by the effect they found it Behold saith the Lord I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I haue prepared Beware of him saith the Lord and heare his voyce for I tel thee he will not spare your misdeedes because my name is in him But if thou hearken vnto his voyce and doe all that I speake then I will be an enimie vnto thine enimies and will afflict them that afflict thee for mine angell shall go before thee and bring thee into the land of the Ammorites y ◠Hethites the Peresites the Cananites the Heuites and the Iebuzites and I will destroy them but if ye turne from me and serue their Gods surely it shall be your destruction Now here you see againe in what plaine words Christ was preached vnto thē for they might well know that this Angel must needes be Christ the sonne of God and so the Apostle expoundeth it euen of this Angel of the couenant which Malachie also speaketh of For who is the brightnesse of the glorie or thē ingrauen forme or the verie character of the person of the father but onely Christ In whome as the Apostle saith dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead euen corporally Who although he had not as yet taken the nature of man yet he
it Being altogether disobedient to receiue doctrine though he taught them rising vp yeerely and instructed them continually yet would they not heare neyther would they remember what he had done vnto Shilo but stil prouoked hym vnto the like anger with the workes of their handes for they became such rebellious traytors that the Lordes ministers the prophetes knewe not vnto whome they should speake and admonish because the word of the Lord was vnto them as a reproch and they had no delight at all therein neyther would they take any heede thereto nor to his lawes but cast them off and rather inclined to the statutes of Omry and kept all the maner of the house of Ahab And therefore because they cast off the law of the Lord of hostes and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel his wrath was so kindled agaynst them that as a flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of y e flame euen so became their roote as a rottennesse so that theyr land shooke them cleane off for in the dayes of Iehoiakim Iehoakin Zedekias the wrath of the Lord was so kindled that he stirred vp the spirite of the Caldeans that bitter and furious nation against them and gaue them into the hands of Nebuchadnezar king of Babel who carryed them into the land of Shinar euen to the place where the Hebrew toonge at the first was confounded by the foolish building of the seuentie families so likewise at this time almost vtterly lost and the Lord caused them to remaine there as dead bones for the space of seuentie yeeres vntil their owne land had payd her sabbothes according as y e Lord long before by Moses had told theÌ„ For sayth he If ye wil not obey me but walke stubbornly agaynst me and despise mine ordinances and abhorre my lawes then will I walke stubbornly agaynst you and I will scatter you amongst the heathen and will draw out a sword after you and your land shalbe wast your cities desolate then shall the land inioy her sabbothes as long as it lyeth voyd and ye shall be in your enimies land that so your land may rest inioy her sabbothes euen all the dayes that it lyeth voyd it shall rest because it did not rest in your sabbothes when ye dwelt vpon it and euen so it came to passe for hauing neglected their sabbothes of euery seuenth yeare they were carried vnto their enemies land vntill theyr owne land had her fil of her sabbothes for al the daies that she lay desolate she kept sabboth to fulfill seuentie yeares according as the prophet Ieremy did likewise tell them who for the space of fortie yeares laboured amongest them before he could make them beeleue that so it should be but yet in y â— end they found it most true for the Lord of hostes bent hys bowe as an vtter enimie agaynst them and his right hand was stretched out as an open aduersary so that he powred out his fierce wrath like fire and consumed all his pallaces and destroyed his strong holds and made her aduersaries the chiefe and her enimies to prosper agaynst her euen agaynst Ierusalem the perfection of bewtie did he cause the Chaldeans to prosper who brake downe the walles thereof and burnt the house of the Lord and the kings house and all the great houses in Ierusalem burnt they with fire and the holy vessels and all the instruments of the house of the Lord by these prophane were carryed to Babell So that notwithstanding the kinges of the earth and all the inhabitantes of the worlde would not haue beleeued as the prophet sayth that euer the aduersarie and the enemie should haue entered into the gates of Ierusalem yet now did they enter euen into the very sanctuary and made a noyse in the house of the Lord as in the day of solemnitie and stretched out their handes vppon all her pleasant thinges and thus was this famous citie made solitarie that was ful of people yea she that was great amongst the nations became now as a widdow and shee that was as a princes amongest the prouinces was nowe made tributary and the Lord caused her feastes and sabbothes to be forgotten yea he vtterly forsooke his altar and abhorred his sanctuarie so that the waies of Sion as it were lamented because no man came to her solemne feastes but in stead thereof the enimies that passed by clapped their handes at her hissing and wagging their heades at the daughter of Ierusalem saying Is this the citie that men call the perfection of bewtie and the ioy of the whole earth yea all her enimies opened their mouthes against her in y e day of her destruction saying Let vs deuoure her for certainly this is the day that we looked for we haue found it seene it therefore downe with her say the sonnes of Edom and rase her walles yea rase theâ—… euen to the very foundation thereof And thus most despitefully did all her enemies helpe forward her affliction and reioyce ouer her in this her visitation and those that were the tayle are nowe become the head and aduance themselues as Lordes ouer them but from the daughter of Sion is all bewtie departed and her princes are now become as heartes that finde no pasture yea all the noble princes of Sion which were comparable to fine gold are now esteemed but as earthen pitchers and all those that were brought vp in skarlet are nowe driuen to imbrace the doong and those that fed most delicately perish now in the streetes yea the toonge of the suckling childe cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst and the yong children aske bread but no man breaketh it vnto them but rather the hands of the pitifull women are vpon their owne children to seeth â—…em to be their meate euen vpon the fruite of their owne boâ—… children of a span long So that here we may say againe 〈◊〉 behold both the louing kindnesse and the seueritie of the Lord his louing kindnesse towardes the house of Israel and Iuda so long as they delighted to heare hys voyce and were willing to obey hys commandementes and hys seueritie so soone as they reiected the same according as by all hys prophetes he had tolde them euen so came the curse vpon them as it is written in the law of Moses The iudgementes of God vppon the Iewes after their returne from Babell vnto our sauiour Christ his birth and also of their vtter reiection within seuentie yeares after for not receiuing hym THe prophet Daniel being carried into Babylon in the third yeare of Iehoiakim king of Iuda and continuing there vnto the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persia and vnderstanding also by the scriptures the number of yeares whereof the Lord had spoken vnto the prophet Ieremie how that he would accomplishe seuentie yeares in the desolation
of Ierusalem knew very well that in the first yeare of Darius of the seede of the Medes as also of Cyrus king of Persia these seuentie yeares were expired Whereupon he turneth hymselfe vnto the Lord with fasting and in sackcloth and ashes making his confession and praying O Lord God which art great and fearefull and keepest couenant and mercy toward all them whiche loue thee and toward them whiche keepe thy commandementes but wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgementes For we would not obey thy seruaunts the prophetes which speake in thy name to our kinges to our princes to our fathers and to all the people of the land O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee to vs open shame as appeareth this day vnto euery man of Iuda and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem yea vnto all Israel both neere and farre off through all the countries whither thou hast driuen them because of their offences that they haue committed agaynst thee O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our kinges to our princes and to our fathers because we haue sinned agaynst thee Yet compassion and forgiueuesse is in the Lord our God albeit we haue rebelled agaynst him For we haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his lawes which he had layd before vs by the ministerie of his seruantes the prophetes Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy law and are turned backe and haue not heard thy voyce therefore the curse is powred vppon vs and the othe which is written in the lawe of Moses the seruant of God because we haue sinned agaynst hym and hee hath confirmed his wordes which he spake agaynst vs agaynst our iudges that iudged vs by bringing on vs a great plague for vnder the whole heauen hath not bene the like as hath bene brought vpon Ierusalem All this plague is come vpon vs as it is written in the lawe of Moses yet made wee not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turne from our iniquities and vnderstand thy trueth therefore hath the Lord made readie 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 voyce And now O Lord our God that hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mightie hand and hast gotten thee renowne as appeareth this day wee haue sinned we haue done wickedly yet O Lord according to all thy righteousnesse I beseeche thee let thine anger and thy wrath be turned away from thy citie Hierusalem thine holy mountaine for because of our sinnes and for the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem and thy people are a reproche to all that are about vs. Now therefore O Lord our God heare the prayer of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon thy sanctuary that lyeth wast for the Lords sake O my God incline thine care and heare open thine eies and behold our desolations and the citie wherupon thy name is called for we doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people So here you see a prayer framed vpon a sounde grounde and squared by that iust rule of Moses and according to the forme of that by Salomon with full assurance beeing done according to that rule that the Lord would shewe himselfe a righteous iudge and therefore whiles hee was speaking and praying and confessing his own sinnes and the sinnes of his people Israel and presenting his supplications before the Lord his God for the holy mountaine of his God euen while he was thus praying which was about the time of the euening oblation came the Angel Gabriel vnto him to giue knowledge and vnderstanding of their deliuerance and not onely how that at the very beginning of his supplications the commaundement came forth to returne them from Babylon but also that from that very houre the former seuentie yeares were to be multiplied by seuen and then should Christ the king the most holy be killed and not for himselfe but to confirme the couenant of olde made for the many of all nations that would imbrace the same By the bloud of which couenant they should be freed from confusion and redeemed not onely from the bondage of the outward but also of the spirituall Egypt and Babell and which bloud beeing shed for the remission of sinnes and for a reconciliation of all their iniquities should cause all sacrifice and oblation to cease So that here this welbeloued prophet who alwayes abode constant in the true worship of his God notwithstanding the rage of the enimie was shewed the summe and effect of all Moses and was also heard in that which he required for the Lord euer in wrath remembring mercy doth also at this time remember his mercie and promise of old made vnto their fathers and so bringeth them to the holy hill of Sion agayne euen to that freshe springing mountaine from whence suche gratious streames of doctrine continually issued as were sufficient if rightly vsed to coole the intollerable heate of all the soules that euer were or shalbe in y e world thither I say were these Iewes the people of God agayne brought And from whence Euen from a most filthy pit that without any such water which deliuerance was so great and myraculous as that from this time forward they were not to say any more the Lord liueth that brought the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liueth that brought them out of the land of the North and from all the landes where he had scattered them yea it was so strange and so farre beyond their expectation as that when it came to passe they were euen like vnto men that dreamed or as men amased at so sodayn a decree and their mouthes were then filled with laughter and their toonges with ioy yea they confessed that the Lord had done great and woonderfull thinges for them But full soone doe they forget it for notwithstanding all this his great mercy and iudgementes shewed vnto them yet still they rebelled agaynst hym prophaning his holy Sabbaothes agayne and making them dayes of marchandice and also ioyned themselues with strang women of y â— land contrary to the law yea they greatly neglected the worke of his holy temple and citie saying The time is not yet come that y â— Lordes house should be built but they thought it was high time to build for themselues that so they might be setled againe in their sieled houses though the Lordes house lay wast Wherfore he was
you not vnderstand that the sayinges of the prophets might be fulfilled Now if you aske me in what sort the prophets before time had testified of Christ whereby they might haue knowen him to be that Messias that should come into the worlde the answere is very plentifull and very plaine and many of them did knowe that then was the time that the kingdome of God was to appeare and all the sort of them might haue knowne as well if they had considered well of the ninth of Daniel for there doth the angel Gabriel tell Daniel when Christ the king should be killed euen to the very houre of the day wherin he dyed Likewise they had Moses and all the prophetes euen vnto Iohn to lead them as it were by the hand vnto Christ and that at sundrie times and in diuers manners so that it will not be amisse to run briefly them ouer to shew you in what sort as I neere as I can he was described vnto them First then where as Adam by his disobedience brought not onely death vpon himselfe but also vppon all his posteritie and withall lost that dominion and Lordship he had ouer the creatures of God euen the very day of his creation the verie same day was Christ proclaymed heire of the world and a ful conquerour of Satan in these wordes I will put enmitie sayth the Lord vnto Satan betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede thy seede shal bruise the heele of the seede of the woman but her seede euen hee that speciall seede meaning Christ shal breake thy head the which came so to passe when as the fulnesse of time was come that is when as our sauiour tooke the nature of man vpon hym and so through death destroyed him who had the power thereof that is to say the deuill this olde serpent The which seede of the woman was also sayd by Noe to be the blessed God of Sem whom also Sem resembled Hee was also sayde by the Lord himselfe to be that special one seede of Abraham Isaake and Iacob in whome all the nations of the earth shoulde be blessed Likewise he was spoken of by Iacob to be that special childe Shillo the Lyon of y â— tribe of Iuda who if he did but lye downe and couch none durst stirre him vp and that vnto hym the people should be gathered the which Lyon of the tribe of Iuda that holy man Iob saw to be his redeemer and was most assured to see him one day with his owne eyes and none other for him although wormes should destroy that body He was also sayd by the Lord himselfe to be that angel of the couenant that kept their fathers in the way and brought them into the land of Canaan as also that star of Iacob whome Balam prophet false though he were sawe to strike the costes of Moab and to subdue all the sonnes of Seth. He was also said by Moses to be that great prophet whome the Lord would rayse like vnto him vnto whom all the world should hearken as also by the Lord himselfe that he should build an house vnto his name and that he would establish the throne of his kingdome for euer and that he would say vnto him I will be thy father and thou shalt be my sonne Likewise it was sayd of Christ by the prophet Dauid that the Lord sayd vnto him Thou art my sonne this day begat I thee that forasmuch as the Lord delighted not in sacrifices he should come to doe the will of God That in his heart his whole law should fully rest That he would not conceale the righteousnes thereof but declare it in the great congregation euen in the middest of the congregation would hee declare the name of the Lord amongest his brethren and how that notwithstanding that yet would the kinges and princes of the earth assemble themselues together agaynst hym That they woulde make him the contempt of the people haue hym in derision mocke hym and nod their heades at him That they would hit him in the teeth with the trust he had in the Lord as though hys hope therein had bene frustrate That they would like bulls of Bashan nay like dogges compasse hym about pearce hys handes and feete giue him vineger to drinke cast lottes vppon his garmentes and part them amongest them and yet notwithstanding all this their spight the Prophet sheweth that the Lorde would laugh them to skorne and breake them to peeces like a potters vessell That he would set Christ as king vpon y â— holy hill of Sion and deliuer hym from the contentions of the people That hee would grant him the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost partes of the earth for his possession That he should be the head therof and that a people whom he had not knowne should serue hym euen such as were the kinges of Tarshish and of the Iles who should bring hym presentes and also such as were the kinges of Sheba and Seba who should bring hym giftes yea and that all kings vpon earth should worship him and all nations serue hym and that as soone as they should heare hym they should obey hym and be in subiection to hym and that whosoeuer would not kisse the sonne should be sure to perish but those that would put their trust in hym should be blessed for euermore Againe it was sayd of hym by the same prophet that hee would so loue righteousnesse and hate iniquitie and be so carefull for the house of the Lord that the zeale he would haue thereof would euen eate hym vp and that the Lord woulde therefore annoynt hym with the oyle of gladnesse aboue hys fellowes That hee would cause hys name to be remembred throughout all generations euen hys glorious name for euer and euer And that all nations should blesse hym and be blessed in hym and giue thankes vnto hym worlde without end And that notwithstanding all the râ—…ge of the deuill and his ministers yet should none euill come neere vnto hym for the Lord would giue hys Angels charge ouer hym to keepe him in all his wayes that hee should not hurt hys foote agaynst a stone And that notwithstanding himselfe should be that stone which the builders would refuse yet should hee be made the head of the corner Moreouer this holy Prophet sheweth that the Lorde woulde not leaue the soule of Christ in graue neyther suffer hym his holy one to see corruption That he would rayse him vp from death to life and crowne him with glory and honour That hee should ascend on high and leade captiuitie captiue That he shoulde sit at the right hande of God vntil he had made his enimies his fotestoole And lastly that he shoulde continue there a Sacrificer for euer after the order of
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrimes on earth for they that say such thinges declare plainly that they seeke a country not hereupon earth but the desire a better that is an heauenly wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called theyr God and hath prepared for them an heauenly eitie Now then seeing that fayth is the ground of thinges hoped for and the euidence of thinges whiche are not seene Let vs in any wise vse the meanes that God hath appoynted to come therby And seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses Let vs also cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on so fast and let vs runne the race with patience that is set before vs still looking vnto our Lord and Souiour Iesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our fayth And let vs aboue all thinges take heede that we despise not him that speaketh For if all these whiche before I spake of and manie more escaped not which refused those that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heauen And seeing we know that the iudgementes of God are according to truth agaynst all them that haue so lyghtly regarded to heare and knowe and haue counted them worthy of death which haue done so let vs not thinke if we doe the same that we shall escape the iudgementes of God but that the like famine will befall vs and our nation that hath befallen others I do not meane a famine of bread as made of corne but of that heauenly bread the worde of God Therfore seeing his word is no vaine word as Moses saith concerning men but is euen their very life Let vs as y ◠Apostle sayth as new borne babes desire the sincere milke therof that so we may grow thereby both in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ especially forasmuche as that in the knowledge of him standeth our eternal life no where els is he to be found but in the holy scriptures for so he hymselfe hath sayd in these words Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life so you shal for they are they that testifie of me by whō you haue your life breath being and that eternally but you will not come vnto me sayth hee that ye might haue life Therefore hath the holy Ghost sayd in another place hee that obeyeth not the sonne of God shall neuer see life but the wrath of God abideth on hym Seeing therefore that the sonne hath giuen commandement to search the Scriptures and the father that we should not let them depart out of our mouthes and the holy Ghost hath pronounced a blessing onely on them whiche doe therein delight Let vs in anye wise take vnto vs as the Apostle commandeth euen the whole armour thereof and with the holy Prophet make it our onely meditation continually then shall we be sure to prosper and to haue good successe for so the Lord himselfe hath tolde vs yea then shall we be like a tree that florisheth beeing planted by the riuer side which bringeth forth her fruit in due season yea then shall our prosperitie be as a floud and our righteousnesse as the waues of the sea for then will the sonne of righteousnesse hymselfe ouershadow vs vnder whose winges we shall be sure to finde euerlasting health and safetie whereas otherwise we see that God is a consuming fire and hath troden downe the wicked that would not delight herein as wee haue seene in all ages Therfore most heartily I beseech you yea and beseech you agayne and agayne that you will alwayes remember that great commandement of the Lord our God whiche is this Euen to remember the law of Moses his seruant the which he hath commanded with al his statutes and iudgementes and also that most sure word of the holy prophetes with the commandementes of the apostles of our Lord and sauiour and to labour therein both day and night that so you may remayne no longer as children without vnderstanding but to bee of a most ripe age therin and that so it may be sayde of you This people is onely wise and of an vnderstanding heart For they haue knowne the holy scriptures from their childhood which are onely able to make them so to be Come therefore I beseeche you and let vs with the holy prophet confesse before all men say Oh how loue we the law of the Lord It is our onely meditation continually we haue had as great delight in the way of his testimonies as in all maner of riches Therefore shall our eyes preuent the night watches to meditate in hys word because the law of hys mouth is better vnto vs then thousandes of gold siluer yea we hys seruants wil continually meditate in hys statutes and hys testimonies shall be our delight and our onely councellors And because that by hys preceptes hee hath quickened vs wee will neuer forget his word but wee will still hearken vnto hys voyce that so wee may learne to feare it and diligently to obey it all the dayes of our life And we wil also set vp the Lord this day to be our God we wil walke in his wayes and keepe his ordinances hys commaundementes and his lawes for euer and his voice alone will we obey And so doing the Lord our God will set vp vs to be a pretious people vnto himselfe as he hath promised yea so shall wee be set on high aboue all nations of the earth in prayse in name and in glory yea so shall we be counted an holy people vnto the Lord whiche in time past were not a people so shall our enemies that dayly rise agaynst vs fall before our faces yea where as they come out one way agaynst vs they shall flie before vs seuen wayes yea so shall fiue of vs chase an hundreth of them and an hundreth of vs put ten thousand of them to flight as in good part of late we haue seene yea so will the Lord open vnto vs his heauenly treasure and giue vs rayne in due season whereby our land shall yeeld her increase and the trees of the field shall yeeld their fruit yea so shall our thressing reach vnto the vintage the vintage shall reache vnto sowing time yea so shall wee eate our bread in great plenteousnesse and dwell in our land in safetie yea so shall wee haue peace in our land and our sleepe be in quiet and none shall make vs afrayd yea so shall all the blessinges contained in the whole booke of God come vpon vs and ouertake vs if we shall hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord our God and obey it and delight in hys holy worde as in the chiefest