wherein I can be worshipped but onely the * expresse Image of my Deitie my sonne Christ Iesu your Sauiour and the true Messias Wherefore yet agayne I say vnto you beware of the Idolatrie of the Gentiles and cleaue fast vnto me For * my deuises shall stedfastly be established and I will fulfill all my pleasure and whatsoeuer I haue declared to you by my Prophets for your comfort Yea euen as I haue promised you I will bring a Birde out of the East that is a noble king of the Persians that shall with great power breake into Babilon trausferre the Empire from them and restore you to your Countrey againe And not onely this but I wil also in conuenient and short time bring forth my iustice and sauing health and set my saluation in Sion and my glorie in Hierusalem by the comming of the Messias and Sauiour of the worlde The 2. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 51. HEarken vnto me ye that holde of righteousnesse and ye that séeke the Lord take héede to the stone wherout ye are hewen and to the graue wherout ye are digged 2 Consider Abraham your father and Sara that bare you howe that I called him alone and blessed him and increased him 3 Therefore shall the Lorde comfort Sion and repaire all hir decay making hir desert as a Paradise and hir wildernesse as the garden of the Lorde Myrth and ioy shall be founde there thankesgyuing and the voyce of praise 4 Haue respect vnto me then O my people both highe and lowe and laye thine eare vnto me for a lawe and an ordinance shall go forth fro me to lighten the gentiles 5 It is harde by that my health and my righteousnesse shall go forth and the people shall he ordered with mine arme the Ilandes that is the Gentiles shall hope in me and put their trust in mine arme 6 Lift vp your eyes towarde heauen and loke vpon the earth beneath for the heauens shall vanishe awaye lyke smoke and the earth shall ware olde lyke a garment and they that dwell therem shall perishe in like maner but my saluation shall endure for euer and my righteousnesse shal not cease 7 Hearken vnto me ye that haue knowledge in righteousnesse thou people that hearest my lawe in thine heart feare not the reuylings of men be not afraide of their blasphemies 8 For wormes and mothes shall eate them vp like cloth and weell but my righteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing health from generation to generation 9 Wake vp wake vp and be strong O thou arme of the Lorde wake vp like as in time past euer and since the the worlde beganne 10 Art not thou the same arme that hast wounded the prowde and hewen the Dragon in péeces Art not thou euen the same which hast dryed vppe the déepe of the Sea which hast made plaine the sea ground that the deliuered might goe through 11 Therefore the redéemed of the Lorde shall turne againe and come with ioy vnto Sion continuall ioy shall be on their heade and mirth and gladnesse shall be with them and sorrowe and wo shall flie from them 12 Yea I euen I am he that in all things giueth you consolation what art thou then fearest a mortall man and the childe of man which goeth away as doth the floure 13 And forgettest the Lorde that made thée that spreade out the heauens and layde the foundation of the earth but thou art euer afrayde for the sight of thine oppressour which is ready to doe harme where is the wrath of the oppressour 14 The exile maketh haste to be loosed that he dye not in prison and that his bread fayle him not 15 I am the Lorde thy God that diuide the sea and his waues shall rage whose name is the Lorde of hosts 16 I haue put my wordes in thy mouth and haue defended thée in the shadowe of my hande that I maye plant the heauens and lay the foundation of the earth and saye vnto Sion Thou art my people 17 Awake awake and stande vp O Ierusalem thou that from the hande of the Lorde hast drunken out the cup of his wrath thou that hast supped of and sucked out the slumbring cup to the bottome 18 For among all the sonnes whome he hath begotten there is not one that maye holde it vp and not one to leade it by the hande of all the sonnes that he hath nourished 19 Both these things are happened vnto thée but who is sory for it yea destruction wasting hunger and sworde but who will comfort thée 20 Thy sonnes lye comfortlesse at the heade of euerye stréete like a taken venison and are full of the terrible wrath of the Lorde and punishment of thy God. 21 And therefore thou miserable and dronken howbeit not with wine heare this 22 Thus sayth the Lorde thy Lorde and God the defendour of his people Beholde I will take the slumbring cup out of his hande euen the cup wyth the dregges of my wrath that from henceforth thou shalt neuer drinke it more 23 But I will put it into their hand that trouble thée which haue spoken to thy soule Stoupe downe that we may go ouer thée make thy body euen with the grounde and as the stréete to go vpon The Exposition vpon the. lj Chapter of Esay Hearken vnto me ye that holde of righteousnesse and ye that seeke c. THe good and godly people in the time of Esay seeing themselues fewe in number and hearing by the Prophetes that they shoulde be ledde captiue into Babilon greatly feared that all faythfull and true worshippers of GOD should in that persecution be vtterly consumed Therefore God here speaketh to them and comforteth them signifying that he will not onely in that trouble of Babilon preserue his chosen and elect of the Iewes but also not long after greatly encrease the number of his Church by the* accesse of all Nations that he would call to the light of his truth and to his true worship by the promised Messias and Sauiour of the seede of Abraham And first he willeth them to consider The rocke wherout they were hewen and the denne whereout they were digged that is as he expoundeth himselfe Abraham their father and Sara their mother of whome they discended and that God called Abraham being but one man* out of his Countrey and suffered him to liue in Chanaan to the age of an hundred yeres and his wife fourescore without children and yet that he so encreased him that his issue prooued innumerable as the * sande of the sea And by this example he willeth them all other faithful to vnderstand that though his Church people appere to the world to be neuer so much afflicted or to be brought to so low an ebbe yet he will increase and multiplie it with exceeding numbers and bring them out of miserie and trouble vnto great ioy
myrth and comfort Yea that he will repayre the ruine and decaye of his Church and make their desert and wildernesse a Paradise and garden of pleasure The ruine and decay of Sion are the lost sheepe of the house of Israell which Christ and his Apostles restored The Desert and VVildernesse are the Gentiles which of olde had refused the true knowledge of God and therefore were as straungers to the promise of saluation But the se deserts God made pleasant Gardens by the teaching and publishing of his Gospell This is it that he promiseth when he sayth A lawe and ordinance shall go forth from him to lighten the Gentiles The time is euen at hande that my health and righteousnesse shall go forth c. Be of good cheere my people sayth God and be not ouerwhelmed with the heauinesse of your affliction It is euen at hande that not onely my sauing health shall go forth to preserue you but the might and strength of mine arme also by the preaching of the Gospell to gouerne and guide all other Nations Inso much that the * inhabitantes of the Islandes and other countryes shall beleeue in me and put their trust in my name And do you not mistrust this health and saluation that shall come to you by the Messias For * heauen and earth with all the inhabitours thereof shal vanish away as smoke but the iustice and saluation wrought by the sonne of God shall be most certaine and continue for euer Therefore my people that vuderstand righteousnesse feare not the * reuilings raylinges and reproches of men that shall fall vpon you for the profession of my name and truth For your enemyes shall be consumed as a garment with mothes and my sauing health that you trust in shall stande stedfast for euer and euer Wake vp wake vp and be strong O thou arme of the Lorde c. In these three verses next following God comforteth his people with the example of their deliuerance out of Egypt But his maner of vtterance is with great maiestie figuratiuely turning hys speech to his owne diuine power the sense whereof is this Thou mightie power of God that manye tymes since the beginning of the worlde hast shewed thy selfe rayse thy selfe now in this great anguishe and care that his people are nowe in Is not that mightie arme hable to deliuer his seruāts now in this miserie which before time did * wound the pride of Aegypt and wyth thy woonderous workes hew in peeces that dreadful Dragon Pharao and dryed vp the sea and made it to stande as * walles on eche side of thy people passing through and resolued the same againe to the confusion of thy enimies Therefore let not the Redéemed of the Lord feare but that they shal with ioy returne againe to Sion and there remaine with muche myrth and gladnesse It is I it is I that in all things giueth you consolation what art thou then c. God sharply rebuketh his people for Timorousnesse and continuall mistruste in all their aduersities It is I sayth he it is not Abraham nor Moyses nor Aaron nor any of my Saynts your Predecessours but euen I my selfe the mightye God your Lorde that doth alwaye * comfort and helpe you Seeing then the Idols that your enimies trust in are so Vaine as I haue tolde you and they themselues so Fraile and mortall and on the contrary part I your Lord your assured God so mightie and of so great force as I haue alway declared my selfe aswell in the creation of the worlde as in the preseruation of you and delyuerance out of Aegypt from your prowde oppressour whome I then brought full lowe and made him glad to hasten you away out of the Exile that you then were in and gaue you the * treasures of hys people that you might not want breade and sustenance by the way seeing I say all this is so why doe you still mistruste and feare the power of vain men seeme they in the worlde neuer so terrible Remember therefore my promises whereby I haue assured you that I will deliuer you and acknowledge you for my people Awake awake and stande vp O Hierusalem thou that from the hande c. The Lorde here comforteth his people in telling them that he wil take the scourge of his wrath from them and lay it vpon their enimies By the Cuppe and by drinking it is vsuall both in the olde testament and newe to vnderstande Affliction as in Hier. 25. Take this cup of wine of my furie at my hand c. And Christ himself in his agonie Mat. 26. Let this cuppe passe from me c. that is this scourge of my Crosse and passion The plaine sense of thys place is O my Church be of good comfort for albeit thou hast for a time through my wrath for thy sinnes beene grieuously afflicted and no man either would or coulde comfort and helpe thee yet after I shall come through thy repentance of my mercie pardoning thy sinnes this my bitter Cup of affliction shall be taken from thee and * poured vpon the heades of those that haue oppressed thee to their vtter confusion By the Slumbring or poisoned cuppe he meaneth the grieuous aduersities that hath so touched and weakened them as they are not almost hable to stande but stagger and reele as they go as it were men halfe deade Thy sonnes lye comfortlesse at the heade of euery streate like a taken venison c. In these verses he describeth the great miserie that the Iewes were in at theyr captiuitie in Babilon not onely cruelly murdered in all Cities but pyning for hunger and dying in the streetes as it appeareth by the hystorie of Tobie The. 2. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 53. BUt who hath gyuen credence vnto our preaching or to whome is the arme of the Lorde knowne 2 For he did growe before the Lorde like as a branche and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neyther beautie nor fauour when we looke vpon him there shall be no fayrenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym 3 He is despised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorrowes and infirmities We haue reckened him so vile that we hid our faces from him 4 Howbeit he onely hath taken on him our infirmitie and borne our paines yet we did iudge him as though he were plagued and cast downe of God. 5 Whereas he notvvithstanding was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse for the paine of our punishment was layde vpon him and with his stripes are we healed 6 As for vs we are all gone astraye lyke shéepe euery one hath turned his owne way but the Lorde hath throwne vpon him all our sinnes 7 He suffered violence and was euill intreated and did not open his mouth he shal be led as a shéepe to be slaine
fire and wood but where is the beast for a whole burnt sacrifice 8 Abraham aunswered My sonne God will prouide a beast for a whole burnt sacrifice and so they went both together 9 And when they came to the place which God had shewed him Abraham buylt an aulter there and dressed the woodde and bound Isahac his sonne and layde him on the aulter aboue vpon the wood 10 And Abraham stretching forth his hande tooke the kniâ—e to haue killed his sonne 11 And the angell of the Lorde called vnto him from heauen saying Abraham Abraham And he sayde Here am I. 12 And he sayde Lay not thy hande vpon the childe neyther doe any thing vnto him for nowe I knowe that thou fearest God hast for my sake net spared thine onely sonne 13 And Abraham lifting vp his eyes looked and beholde behinde him there was Ramme caught by the hornes in a thicket and Abraham went and sooke the Ramme and offered him vp for a whole burnt offering in the stéede of his sonne 14 And Abraham called the name of the place The Lorde will sée As it is sayde this day In the mount will the Lorde be seene 15 And the aungell of the Lorde cried vnto Abraham from heauen the seconde tyme. 16 And sayd By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thyne onely sonne 17 That in blessing I will blesse thée and in multiplying I will multiplie thy séede as the starres of heauen and as the sande which is vpon the sea syde and thy séede shall possesse the gates of his enimies 18 And in thy séede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast heard my voyce 19 So turned Abraham againe vnto his yong men and they rose vp and went together to Béer-saba and Abraham dwelt at Béer-saba 20 And after these things one tolde Abraham saying Beholde Milcha she hath also borne children vnto thy brother Nachor 21 Hus his eldest sonne and Buz his brother and Camuel the father of the Syrians 22 And Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Iidlaph and Bethuel 23 And Bethuel begat Rebecca These eight did Milcha beare to Nachor Abrahams brother 24 And his concubine called Reumah she bare also Tebah and Gaham Thahas and Maacha The Exposition vpon the .xxij. Chapter of Genesis After these sayings God did tempt Abraham and sayde vnto him c. MOses in this Chapter setteth forth a singuler and rare History and in deede woonderfull whether you consider God commaunding the thing or Abraham obeying and readie to perfourme it In that he sayth God tempted Abraham we must vnderstande that God tempteth not * as the Deuill and his Ministers doe to induce a man to sinne but to Trie and Prooue hys faith that not because he is ignorant what is eueÌ„ in the Secrets of mans heart But eyther that he may knowe his owne weakenesse as he did to the * Israelites in the desert or to the ende that that thing which is excellent in him may be notoriously knowne to the example of all other and to the aduauncement of his glorie And so doth he in this place tempt Abraham to set before the eyes of all posteritie a singuler example of Faith and Obedience Take thy sonne thine onely sonne Isahac whome thou louest c. This Tentation ryseth by sundrie degrees to an exceeding great triall of the fayth of Abraham to kill any Innocent person may seeme an vniust and cruell thing much more to kill not one of his Aliance and kindred onelye but his owne naturall Sonne yea and his Onely sonne and that onely sonne that he at the appoyntment of God loued so tenderly and vpon * whom the Fulfilling of the promise and blessing of God did seeme to depende this I say was a marueylous triall of his fayth And it was no small tentation also that it might seeme vncredible that the true and lyuing God should nowe delite in the sacrifice of mans bloud It was neuer before done Nor Adam nor Abel nor Noe were willed to doe the like Yea God him selfe had shewed Gen. 9. that he detested the shedding of mans bloud Therefore Abraham might haue suspected that this commaundement was not of God but of the Deuill to drawe him and his sonne to the displeasure of God and to defeate and ouerthrow the fulfilling of the blessing of all the Nations in earth by his seede But so * strong was Abrahams faith as al this could not shake it no not though both he and his wife were past children by the course of Nature Then Abraham rose vp early in the morning and sadled his Asse c. This is in Abraham an example of a wonderfull Obedience It maye appeare that this man euen from the beginning of his calling had setled his minde both constantly to Beleue whatsoeuer God promised were it neuer so vnpossible to humaine reason and also wyllingly to obey that he was commaunded by him though it seemed neuer so lothsome displeasant and odious in the sight of the worlde He * forsooke his naturall countrie He liued wyllingly as an exile in a straunge land being pressed with * famine He bare it paciently and went into Egypt He by the appointment of God put from his his elder sonne * Ismaell whome he loued and setled his hope altogither vpon the yonger And nowe sheweth himselfe readie to offer his life also at the coÌ„maundement of the Lord Such is the fayth and obedience of the saintes of god For they alwaye cleaue to the sincere and Simple worde and commaundement of god If there be any thing therein that seemeth difficulte straunge or absurde that they leaue to the wisedome and prouidence of God to the vnderstanding wherof they are not hable to attaine And in deede right Faith Obedience are grounded and stayed vpon these two things that is the Truth and the Omnipotencie of god If his promise seeme vnpossible thereby shake our faith it is Staied vp by the consideration of his Truth For he can not * but speake that is True seeme it neuer so vnpossible And againe if we doubt of the truth we strengthen our selues with his Omnipotency and therefore appeare it to mans weakenesse neuer so vntrue yet God is hable to performe it With these two pyllers did Abraham stay vp his fayth and set forwarde is readie obedience that is declared in all this historie And Abraham stretching forth his arme tooke the knife to haue killed c. Nowe the purpose of God is opened and the matter declared that whatsoeuer GOD caused Abraham hitherto to do was not to this ende that his sonne should be Sacrificed but that his fayth and Obedience toward God should be tried and testified to the worlde For when Abraham had prepared and done all thinges and was nowe in readinesse to haue offered vp his Son in sacrifice the Angell of
the Iewes But for that it is an ordinarie time appoynted for the people of God to assemble heare the declaration of those maruellous workes of God which as at thys tyme were done after the Ascention of Christe into Heauen For then dyd Christe declare and confirme the Maiestie and trueth of hys Gospell wyth wonderfull Miracles So that it was euidente that he onelye was the trewe Messias and Sauioure that the same Holy Ghost had spoken of manye yeares before vnto the Patriarkes and Prophetes And bycause at the tyme of Pentecost when the Holye Ghost was giuen the Gospell firste began to be published we may not thinke that one or two Festiuall dayes is appointed for the perfourmance thereof but from that first Pentecost vntill the worldes ende should be to vs one perpetuall VVhitsonday in which we should wyth thankesgiuing reioyce for our spiritual fredome and take in the fruites of Christs blessed Passion and Resurrection Thou shalte obserue also the feast of the Tabernacles seuen dayes c. This Feast of the Tabernacles or Tentes was Solemnised the .15 of September when they had not gathered in all their fruites graine and wine All the tyme of this Feast for the space of seuen dayes they dwelt in Tentes or Bowthes of grene trees and obserued sundry ceremonies and oblations declared Num. 28. 29. Leuit. 23. and other where The causes of the ordinance were partly to put them in mind of their former Condition Whence they came and that it was God that firste made them to dwell in Tentes in the wildernesse whē he brought them out of Egipt Secondlye that they mighte remember the wonderfull miracles and benefites that God did in maintayning and Preseruing them vntill they came into the lande of Chanaan where they founde in steede of Tentes and Tabernacles goodlye strong Cities and faire houses to inhabite and by this occasion were they willed to compare the Felicitie that they shoulde be in the land of Chanaā with the Necessity hard state that they had before when they were constrained to inhabite in Bouthes Tabernacles and thereby learne not to waxe insolent but to giue thankes to God the Authour of that great blessing None of these Feastes might be Solemnised in any place but where the Lord had chosēto set his name would especially be called vpō that as I haue said in the time of Dauid was Hierusalē Before that where the Tabernacle of God was Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities which the Lord. c. Now Moises addeth certaine politicall orders and instructions for choise of cōuenient Magistrates in their common weale and for the sincere vpright dealing therin For seing the Iudgemēt Seate of y Magistrate is as it were a sanctuary a place of reliefe succour for the succourlesse the poore and needy and other whatsoeuer persons oppressed by iniurie it might seme most lamentable if they comming thither for succour shuld light vpō Theues Robbers that wil sell right for gaine and money Therfore Moises willeth Magistrates Iudges in anye wise to beware of* Partialitie Briberie as y thing that shutteth vp the eyes of discretion and wisedome and corrupteth al true Iudgement For saith he Gifts doe blind the eyes of the vvise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous Thou shalte plante no Groues of anye trees neere vnto thee c. The heathen vsed to plante Groues of wood about the Chappels of their Idols sometime made Pillars to set their false Gods on wherefore bicause God will haue his Religion not to agree with the Idolatours worship of the Gentils he briefely forbiddeth those two things Trinitie Sundaye at Morning prayer Genesis 18. ANd the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of Mamre and he sate in his tent doore in the heate of the day 2 And he lift vp his eyes and loked and lo thrée men stoode by him and when he sawe them he ranne to meete them from the Tent doore and bowed himselfe towarde the ground 3 And said Lorde if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight passe not away I pray thée from thy seruant 4 Let a litle-water I praye you be fet washe your féete and refreshe your selues vnder the trée 5 And I will fet a morsell of bread to comfort your heartes withall and then shall you goe your wayes for therfore are ye come to your seruant And they said Doe as thou hast said 6 And Abraham went apace into the Tent vnto Sara and said Make redy at once thrée measures of fine meale kneade it and make cakes vpon the hearth 7 And Abraham running vnto his beastes fet a calfe tender and good and gaue it vnto a young man and he hasted to make it ready at once 8 And he toke butter and milke and the calfe which he had prepared and set it before them and stoode himselfe by them vnder the trée and they did eate 9 And they saide vnto him Where is Sara thy wife He answered Beholde in the Tent. 10 And he said I will certainely returne vnto thée if I liue and so Sara thy wife shall haue a sonne That hearde Sara in the Tent doore which was behinde him 11 Abraham and Sara were both olde well stricken in age and it ceassed to be with Sara after the manner as it is with women 12 Therefore Sara laughed within her selfe saying Now I am waxed olde shall I geue my selfe to luste and my Lord olde also 13 And God saide vnto Abraham Wherefore did Sara laugh saying Shall I of a suertie beare a childe whiche am olde 14 Is anye thing vnpossible to God According to the time appoynted will I returne vnto thée if I liue and Sara shall haue a sonne 15 Then Sara denyed it saying I laughed not for she was afraide And he saide It is not so but thou didst laugh 16 And the men rising vp from thence loked toward Sodome and Abraham went with them to bring them on the waye 17 And the Lorde sayde Shall I hyde from Abraham that thyng whiche I doe 18 Seyng that Abraham shall surely be a greate and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him 19 I knowe this also that he will commaunde hys children and his housholde after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and to doe iustice and iudgement that the Lorde maye bryng vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him 20 And the Lorde sayde Because the crye of Sodome and Gomorrhe is greate and because their sinne is excéeding gréeuous 21 I will goe downe now and sée whether they haue done altogether according to that crye which is come vnto me and if not I will knowe 22 And the men departed thence and went to Sodomewarde but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord. 23 And Abraham drew neare and said Wilte thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked 24 If there be
ende of the Chapter Esay prophecieth that god hauing destroyed the naughtie and rebellious people wil restore and reforme the kingdome of Israell by Christ Iesu the true Messias by him giue them true iustice and integritie And that he may the more aggrauate their present fault in so wicked reuolting from God the Prophete in the person of God himselfe by admiration wooondreth howe it commeth to passe that that Citie which before time hath bene ioyned to almightie God as a faythfull pure chast spouse hath nowe forsaken him as a light strumpette and giuen ouer hir selfe to all corruption and naughtinesse In so much that there is neyther in Prince nor people any integritie or vpright dealing but altogither corruption vnfaythfulnesse counterfeyting forgerie dissimulation falsehoode deceyte oppression and briberie and that is it that he meaneth when he sayth Their siluer is turned to drosse and their wine is mixed with water Meaning therby that their sinceritie and integritie in all maner of dealing is turned to falsehoode and forgerie And therefore with sorrowe and groning he protesteth that he will ease his stomacke * and be reuenged of this his froward and stubburne people which for that cause he calleth nowe his enimies And yet least such as haue some feare of GOD should haue their consciences to much shaken with this terrible threatning he doth * comfortably qualifie the grieuousnesse thereof signifying that hee will not cleane destroy his Church but with the fire of affliction will purge the drosse and corruption from it that they which feare God and haue the grace of repentaunce by this meanes beeing put in minde of their dutie and seperated from the wicked and obstinate may serue him more trulye and sincerely in all maner of Godlinesse And notwithstanding he plainely sayeth that the wicked transgressours that haue forsaken God and cleaned to superstition and Idolatrie for that he meaneth by their trees and gardens which they had chosen shal not escape the scourge but he destroyed and brought to coÌ„fusion togither with their Idols Vnder trees and in groues or gardens they were woont to sacrifice to their Idols Out of this Chapter are these lessons to be taken 1 First that we do not trust and glorie in the bare names of Christen men the Church of Christ the people of God the children of God for these names are burthens vnto vs and notes of vnthankefulnesse as the like were to the Iewes if we serue not God sincerely according to our profession and therfore cannot turne away the displeasure of God from vs which he iustly conceiueth for our sinnes 2 Secondly that we be not negligent and contemptous in hearing the worde of God and preaching of his holy will calling vs to repentance lest he call heauen and earth and his vnsensible creatures to witnesse agaynst our obstinacie as he did agaynst the Iewes 3 Thirdely that we be not vnmindefull of the great benefits of God from time to time bestowed vpon vs but that with thankfull heartes and obedient mindes we acknowledge and confesse the same least we be iustly in the sight of god esteemed more dull and thankelesse than the brute beastes are to their maysters and keepers 4 Fourthly when God shall for our sinfulnesse fatherly chastice vs with any scourge of aduersitie whether it be with warre sedition trouble sicknesse pouertie vexation of minde or any other affliction publique or priuate of purpose by that louing correction to bring vs home to him againe by repentance that we doe not stubburnely stande agaynst him as the Iewes did but with humble and repentant heartes submit our selues and flie to him for mercie through Christ Iesu our Sauiour 5 Fifstly that we flatter not our selues and think to winne Gods fauour by externall and superstitious worshipping of God being inwardly destitute of true fayth toward God and vnfeyned loue or vpright dealing towardes our brethren For God doth here notably declare how he lotheth and abhorreth such maner of hypocrisie 6 Sixtly when want of repentance and the multitude and greatnesse of our sinnes shall prouoke the iustice of god to lay his heauy hand vpon vs by raysing vp of cruell Tyrannes or bringing in of forraine enimies by his iust iudgement to spoyle our countrey or people that we conceyue this comfort of his great mercie that he will not vtterly and for euer destroy his Churche and the number of them that feare him but by this meanes will purge them from their owne corruption and from the infection of the wicked ones that they may more sincerely serue him in spirite and in truth The first Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay 2. THe selfe same worde that Esay the sonne of Amos sawe vpon Iuda and Hierusalem 2 And this shall come to passe in the latter dates The hill of the Lordes house shal be prepared in the heigth of the mountaines and shal be higher than the hilles and all nations shall prease vnto him 3 And a multitude of people shall go * speaking thus one to another Come let vs ascende to the hill of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and * he will instruct vs of his wayes and we will walke in his pathes for * out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the Lorde from Hierusalem 4 And shall * giue sentence among the heathen and shall * reforme the multitude of people they shall breake their swoordes also into mattocks and their speares to make sythes And one people shall not lift vp a weapon against another neither shall they learne to fight from thenceforth 5 Come ye O house of Iacob and let vs walke in the light of the Lord. 6 For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Iacob bicause they be replenished vvith euils from the east and with sorcerers like the Philistines and in straunge children they thinke themselues to haue inough 7 Their lande is full of siluer and golde neither is there any ende of their treasure their lande is also full of horses and no ende is there of theâ—â— charrettes 8 Their lande also is full of vaine Gods and before the worke of their owne hands they haue bowed themselues yea euen before the thing that their owne fingers haue made 9 There knéeleth the man there falleth the man downe before them therefore forgiue them not 10 Get thée into the rocke and hide thée in the grounde for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of his Maiestie 11 The high lookes of man shall be brought lowe and the hawtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lorde alone shall be exalted in that day 12 For the day of the Lord of hostes shall be vpon all the prowde loftie and vppon all that is exalted and he shall be brought lowe 13 And vpon all high and stoute Cedar trées of Libanus and vpon all the okes of Basan 14 And vpon all the high mountaynes and vpon all the high hilles
15 And vpon euery highe tower and vpon euery fenced wall 16 And vpon all the shippes of Tharsis and vpon all pictures of pleasure 17 And the pride of man shall bée brought downe and the loftinesse of men shall be made low and the Lorde alone shall be exalted in that day 18 As for the Idols he shall vtterly abholishe 19 And they shall créepe into holes of stone and into caues of the earth for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of hys maiestie when he ariseth to destroy the vvicked ones of the earth 20 In the selfe same day shall man cast away his Gods of siluer his Gods of golde into the holes of Mowles and backes which he neuerthelesse had made to him selfe to honour them 21 And they shall créepe into the cliftes of the rockes and into the toppes of the harde stones for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of his maiestie when he ariseth to destroy the vvicked ones of the earth 22 Ceasse therefore from man in whose nosthrilles there is breath for wherein is he to be accounted of The exposition vpon the seconde Chapter of Esay The selfe same word that Esay the sonne of Amos saw vpon Iuda c. IN the first verse is conteyned the same matter that was in the first of the Chapter before In the three next verses Esay prophecieth of the kingdome of Christ the aduauncement of his Church and the conuersion of the Gentiles that shoulde be in the latter dayes that is when the ceremoniall law and the figures and sacrifices appoynted by Moises should haue an end in the truth of the very Messiah Christ Iesu the sauiour of the worlde The Temple of Hierusalem was buylded by Solomon vppon mount Sion and was the onely chosen place where God would be specially woorshipped and serued so that in sundrie places of the Psalmes it is sayd that The Lord had chosen * Sion for his habitation bicause of the Arke of his presence there in the temple reserued For this cause in the scriptures Sion and Hierusalem are taken for the type and figure of the true Church of God vnder Christ As saint Paule to the Hebrues You are come to the mounte Sion and to the Citie of the lyuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of aungels and vnto the congregation of the first borne That is to say to the blessed Church of Christ Wherefore in this place by the Hyll of the Lordes house that is mount Sion is ment the Church of Christ the congregation of the faythfull which at the comming of Christ should be aduaunced aboue all the kingdomes of the earth and enlarged with great glorie by the conuersion of the Gentiles from their Idolatrie to the fayth of Christ throughout the whole worlde The glorie and aduauncement of the Church which is here so highly spoken of muste not bee thought to consist in the honour power and riches of the worlde wherein the Church is alway contemptible but in the heauēly doctrine strong faith true worshipping of God charitie patience constancie and all Godly giftes of grace which meruelously shined in the Godly fathers and first professours of christian Religion that followed after Christ in all Nations and Countreys of the earth For as Christes kingdome is spirituall so is the glorie of the same spirituall and not worldly When the Prophete sayth Come let vs ascende to the hill of the Lorde he to the reproofe of the Iewes doth note the readinesse and willingnesse of the Gentiles in whose person this is spoken not only to imbrace the fayth of Christ themselues but also cheerefully to encourage other to the same Which may appeere in this that by the preaching of the Apostles within thirtie yeares as Eusebius sayth all the Nations of the earth were woonne to the fayth of Christ and the receyuing of his Gospell And he will instruct vs in his wayes Hereby is to be noted that the chiefe care and studie of the true church of Christ ought to be in the instructing of his people what his wayes are and not to leade thē into mens fantasies or into their own deuises Out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the lord c. The law of grace and truth that is the Gospell of christ Iesu * began first in Hierusalem There christ preached in the Temple there he wrought many miracles * there he sent downe the holyghost vpon his Apostles From * thence he sent his messengers and preachers of his Gospell into all partes of the worlde to reforme the people and bring them by repentance from Idolatrie and wickednesse to the true worshipping of God and vertuous conuersation of life that is to make them subiectes to the kingdome of Christ They shall breake their swoordes into mattocks and their speares c. As the Gospell is a doctrine of reconciliation and peace making betweene God and vs through Christ Iesu our sauiour so doth it pacifie and quiet men among themselues also In so much that they which be the true members of the kingdome of Christ doe not vse to striue by fighting and warre for their priuate quarelles but liue togither in vnitie loue and concorde Or if any doe otherwise it is a great burthen to their consciences and an euident note of their imperfection Insomuch as they shew themselues not to haue that * badge or cognizance whereby the seruauntes and subiectes of Christes kingdome are knowne And yet doth not this place prohibite Princes and Magistrates to make warre for the maintenance of iustice and godlinesse For they haue the sworde put into their handes by God whose ministers they are for the defence of them which are cōmitted to their charge the widowe the fatherlesse and the poore and innocent oppressed Come ye O house of Iacob and let vs walk in the light of the Lorde In this fift verse the Prophete by emulation of the Gentiles prouoketh the Iewes vnder the name of the house of Iacob to imbrace the fayth of Christ and walke in the light of his Gospell As if he had sayd Beholde straungers whom we esteemed as a foolish people that alway worshipped Idols and liued in all vncleannesse with how great desire forsake they their Idols and seeke after the true God Are not we ashamed that we are the last that are ioyned to Christ and his Church To vs the law was giuen to vs the Prophetes preached Christ was borne among vs he is our heritage come let vs imbrace him if we glorie to be of the house and posteritie of Iacob it should be assured to vs that Christ is that promised seede For Iacob prophecied Hunc fore expectationē Gentium that he should be the expectation of the Gentiles now you see our father Iacobs promise fulfilled c. Let vs walke therefore in this light of the Lorde for this Sauior is the true light But as Christ sayth
Noble By Multitude the commons and poorer sort The seuententh verse is a * consolation of the poore and godly which were oppressed by the couetous and wicked drunkardes and shal remaine after their plague and take the fruition of that wealth that the wicked were constrayned to leaue as waste For by the names of sheepe and straungers he meaneth the Godlye that were left after the punishment of the wicked and had their houses and landes taken from them into the which they were nowe restored againe The thirde sower grape is Obstinacie in sinne and manifest derision and contempt of god and his woorde That is it that the Prophete meaneth when he sayth Wo bee to them that drawe wickednesse with cordes of vanitie c. That is that with vaine allurements doe leade their mindes to increase in wickednesse and adde sinne to sinne whatsoeuer perswasion shall be made to the contrarie As by thinking that that is no sinne which in deede is sinne or that that is but a small offence and pardonable which is an heynous and grieuous offence before god Which at the length breake out of this that they * deryde and scoffe at the threatning of Gods iustice And say O you Prophets and Preachers you threaten Gods plague to come vpon vs but in the meane season we enioy our pleasant life so that God doth shewe himselfe rather to be content with our maner of liuing then with yours or if he do not when his plagues light vpon vs then tell vs of them but it appeareth they are * long in comming and god is not so readie to punish as you say he is The residue of the sower grapes are not onely the cloking of vices with the faire names of vertue and disgracing of vertues with the foule names of vices but also pride selfelyking and bryberie in Magistrates which are plaine in the text Agaynst all which he threatneth his grieuous plagues and sayth Hee will destroy great and small strong and weake among them that is both roote and braunche And after that to their vtter confusion he will bring vpon them a mightie armie of straungers Nations dwelling farre of which shall be lustie couragious and fierce earnestly bent agaynst them and well appoynted in all maner of weapons munition and furniture Which is ment of that hoste that Vespasian and Titus brought to the siege and destruction of Hierusalem The seconde Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay .24 BEhold the Lord maketh the earth waste and empty he turneth it vpside downe and scattereth abroade the inhabitours thereof 2 And the priest shall bée as the people and the mayster as the seruaunt the mistresse like the mayde the seller like the byer he that lendeth vppon vsurie like him that boroweth vppon vsurie the creditour as the dettour 3 The lande shall be cleane wasted and vtterly spoyled for so the Lorde hath spoken 4 The earth is sorie and consumeth away the worlde is féeble and perisheth the prowde people of the earth are come to naught 5 The earth also is become vnprofitable vnder the inhabitours thereof which haue transgressed the lawes chaunged the ordinannce broken the euerlasting couenant 6 Therefore hath the curse consumed the earth and they that dwell therein are fallen into trespasse Wherefore the inhabitours of the earth are perished with drougth and fewe men are left behinde 7 The wine fayleth the vine hath no might all they that haue béene merie of heart are come to mourning 8 The mirth of tabrets is layde downe the noyse of such as haue made meriâ—is ceassed the ioye at the harpe is at an ende 9 They shall drinke no more wine with mirth strong drinke shall be bitter to them that drinke it 10 The Citie of vanitie is broken downe euery house is shut vp that no man may come in 11 In the stréetes is there a crying because of wine all cheare is vanished away the mirth of the lande is gone 12 In the Citie is left desolation and the gate is smitten with destruction 13 For in the middes of the lande euen among the people it shall come to passe as at the shaking of Oliues as the grapes are when the wine haruest is done 14 They shall lift vp their voyce and make a mery noise and in magnifying of the Lord shal they crie out of the west 15 Wherefore prayse ye the Lorde in the valleyes euen the name of the Lorde God of Israell in the Iles of the sea 16 From the vttermost part of the earth haue we hearde prayses and mirth because of the righteous and I sayde I knowe a thing in secrete wo is me the transgressours haue offended the transgressours haue grieuously offended 17 Fearefulnesse the pit and the snare are vpon thée O thou that dwellest on the earth 18 It will come to passe that whosoeuer escapeth the fearefull noise shall fall into the pitte and he that commeth out of the pitte shall be taken with the snare for the windowes from on high are open and the foundations of the earth are mooued 19 The earth is vtterly broken downe the earth hath a sore ruine the earth quaketh excéedingly 20 The earth shall réele to and fro like a dronkarde and shall be remooued like a tent and the iniquitie thereof shall be heauie vpon it it shall fall and not rise vp againe 21 And in that day shall the Lorde visite the hoast aboue that is on hie and the kinges of the worlde that are vpon the earth 22 And they shall be gathered togither as they that be in prison and they shall be shut vp inward and after many dayes shall they be visited 23 The moone shall be abashed and the sunne ashamed when the Lorde of hostes shall raigne in mount Sion and in Hierusalem with worship and in the sight of such as shall be of his counsell The exposition vpon the. 24. Chapter of Esay Beholde the Lord maketh the earth wast and emptie he turneth it c. IT is not vnknowne that vntill the coÌ„ming of our sauiour Christ the Iewes only were the Church and chosen people of god and the Gentiles that is al other nations of the earth of which number we also are were as straungers from god giuen ouer to Idolatrie wickednesse and had no true sense nor knowledge of God and his right worship But after that the Iewes obstinately had * refused Christ and his Gospel preached vnto them and the Apostles were sent to publish the same into the whole worlde the Iewes by Gods iust iudgement were reiected to be no more of the Church of god and the other Nations of the earth before time kept from the true knowledge of God were then receyued and chosen as his Church and people Of this reiecting of the Iewes and of the horrible desolation of their Countrie and Citie Hierusalem For their obstinacie in refusing Christ the true Sauiour offered vnto them and of the calling of
the Gentiles doth the Prophete speake in this Chapter This plague of Gods heauy iudgement vpon the Ievves doth the Prophet set forth in forme of a waste or desolation made in warre For albeit the Ievves after their reiecting were in deede by warre vnder Vespasian and Titus brought to miserable waste and desolation yet is this place not onely to be vnderstanded therof but also and specially of their Spirituall calamitie being vtterly refused to be the people of God and turned out of all that heauenly riches glory blesse and comfort that they had before through the lawe promise and couenant of almightie God made vnto them Which was a farre more grieuous plague than the spoile of their Countrie and subuersion of their Citie For by that the glorie of Gods kingdome among them was rased and defaced In warre men eyther are slaine or cast out of their Countrie the lande is made waste from inhabitance goodlye buildinges are ouerthrowne There is no regarde of priest or people maister or seruant maistresse or mayde riche or poore c. all sortes are spoyled and feele the plague thereof And then needes must the inhabitantes lament and mourne and the whole Countrey be turned into an horrible and miserable fourme and shape As this was the outward waste so was the Spirituall desolation no lesse but rather more grieuous For they were bereft of all that maiestie and glorie that they had before God they remained no longer the people of god Fewe of them came to the knowledge of saluation Both priest and people mayster and seruant and al other sortes without difference were cast of from God and the benefite of all his blessings To conclude kingdome and priesthoode and all the treasures of heauenly knowledge were taken from them And that not by the hande of anye mortall Prince but by the mightie power of god For the Lorde sayth he shal make waste the land the Lord hath spoken it The cause is added in the fift verse They haue transgressed the lawes They haue chaunged the ordinances They haue broke the euerlasting couenant That is to say They haue transgressed the lawe of the tenne commaundementes prescribing the true worship of God and dutie towarde theyr neighbours they haue not kept the ordinaunces appoynted for the gouernement of their common weale and externall forme of Religion they haue broken the euerlasting Couenant and testament whereby God had bounde himselfe for euer to bee the God of Abraham and of his posteritie For they reiected that happie seede of Abraham * Christ Iesu in whome promise was wade that all the nations * of the earth should be blessed This was of all other the most grieuous offence For they that reiect Christ and his Gospel reiect from them selues all hope of Saluation Therefore hath the curse consumed the earth and they that dwell c. This curse is that which God threatneth * Leu. 26. and * Deut. 28. agaynst them that keepe not his law Cursed shalt thou be in the Citie and cursed in the fielde cursed shall be the fruite of thy bodie and the fruite of thy lande c. The wine faileth the vine hath no might all they that haue bene merie c. By the decay of wine myrth solace and minstrelcie he signifieth that he will take from them all those his creatures wherin they did delight and take pleasure and cast them into * lamentation sorowe and mourning and want of all comfort both before God in conscience and before the world outwardly The citie of vanitie is broken downe euery house is shut vp c. The destruction of Hierusalem and the sorowfull desolation therof is described in these three verses For in the middes of the lande euen among the people it shall come c. Because he hath before prophecied of the destruction of the lande and kingdome of Iurie and of the reiection of that people least it might bee thought that God shoulde haue no face or countenaunce of a Church in the whole worlde he signifieth here both that some reâ—â—â—anâ— of the Iewes should be saued as S. Paule wryteth and also that he will rayse vp a more ample and glorious church of all the other Nations of the earth which shall giue prayse and glorie to his name This is it that he meaneth in the .13 verse when he saith That it shal fal out as in the latter end of haruest some Oliues and some clusters of grapes will bee left on the trees being but a small portion in comparison of the whole Euen so some of the Iewes should receyue Christ and be saued and those but fewe in respect of the whole Nation that were reiected In the 14. 15. and 16. verses by those that shall crie out of the west and prayse the Lorde in the valleyes and in the Isles of the sea and from the vttermost partes of the earth He meaneth the number of the Gentiles in all places that professing the Gospell and saluation by Christ shall giue prayse and glorie to the name of God for the same I knowe a thing in secrete I know a thing in secrete wo is me c. Here the Prophete breaketh out to sorrowfull lamentation for the reiecting of his people and countreymen from the fauour of god through their obstinate transgression as if he had sayde * wo is me for that I doe with sorrowe and heauinesse of heart foresee that at the reuealing of the Gospell by Messiah many other nations imbracing the same fewe of my Countriemen shall receyue the sweete comfort thereof For they shall heynously and grieuouslye transgresse in contemning and refusing Christ the Messiah and Sauiour And therefore God shall by his iust wrath refuse and cast of them also from the number of his people Fearefulnesse the pit and the snare are vpon thee O thou that dwellest c. To this place Esay hath prophecied as it is noted before of the reiecting of the Iewes and calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge of god Nowe he telleth what shall become also of the other wicked inhabitours of the earth and kingdomes of the worlde which shall continue in wickednesse after the gospel published and the kingdome of Christ spred and enlarged by Christ and his Apostles and especially towarde the latter ende of the worlde VVhen the Church and kingdome of Christ who is the Lorde of hostes shall be set vp in Sion and Hierusalem that is in the Church of God with so great maiestie and heauenly brightnesse that it shal farre passe the Sunne and the Moone then shall these troubles happen to the wicked of the worlde He that shall escape the fearefull noyse shall fall into the pit and he that scapeth the pit shall light into the snare that is they shall haue no quietnesse nor rest but shall runne out of one calamitie into an other vntill they perish vtterly For euen as in the generall deluge so shall the windowes
of heauen be opened and God shall powre downe his plagues vppon the wicked and vurepentaunt contemners of the Gospell And the very earth it selfe and the powers and kingdomes thereof shall stagger and reele and in the end consume and take a newe shape For the iniquitie thereof shall be as an heauie burthen vnto it c. The thirde Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 25. THou art my Lorde my God I will magnifie thée I will giue thankes vnto thy name for thou hast brought woonderfull things to passe according to thine olde councels truly and faythfully 2 Thou hast made a Citie a heape of stones and brought a strong towne into decay the habitation of straungers hast thou made to be no Citie neyther shall it be buywed anye more 3 Therefore shall the mightie people giue glorie unto thée the Citie of the valiant heathen shall feare thée 4 For thou hast bene a strength vnto the poore and a succour for the néedie in his trouble a refuge agaynst euil weather a shadowe agaynst the heate for the blast of raging men is like a storme that casteth downe a wall 5 Like as the heate in a drie place wasteth all things so shalt thou suppresse the noyse of aliauntes the heate is abated with the shadowe of the clowde euen so shall God asswage the noyse of the cruell tyrannes 6 And in this mountaine shall the Lorde of hostes make vnto all people a feast of plenteous and delicate things euen of most pleasant and daintie dishes 7 And in this mountaine shall the Lorde destroy the couering that all people are wrapped in and the hanging that is spred vpon all nations 8 As for death he hath destroyed it for euer and the Lorde God shall wipe away teares from all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away out of all the earth for so the Lorde hath sayde 9 And or that day it shall be sayde Lo this is our God we haue wayted for him and he shall saue vs this is the Lorde in whome we haue hoped we will be merie and reioyce in the saluation that cometh of him 10 For in this mountaine shall the hande of the Lorde ceasse and Moab shall be threshed vnder him euen as straw is troden to dung on the dunghill 11 And he shall stretch out his hande in the middes of them as he that swimmeth casteth out his handes to swimme and with the strength of his handes shall be bring downe their pride 12 The strong holde also and defence of thy walles hath he ouerthrowne cast downe and brought them in the grouned euen vnto dust The exposition vpon the .xxv. Chapter of Esay Thou art my Lorde my God I will magnifie thee I will giue thanks c. THe Prophet in this Chapter foreseeing in spirit and earnestly considering the meruelous * preseruation of the church and kingdome of Christ euen in the middest of the furious raging of this worlde coulde not but breake out to the great prayse extolling of the same his woonderfull goodnesse and clemencie saying Thou art my Lorde my god c. The thing for the which he extolleth Christ Iesu the Messias and sauiour for he is that Lord and God to whom he speaketh is that he maruelously preserueth his Church and people and fulfilleth all his counsayles and promises * truely and faythfully For albeit they seeme often to be prolonged and deferred so that the faithlesse iudge them to be false and vaine yet in the ende they prooue alway most firme and true and are fulfilled with great glorie These counsayles and promises consist in two poyntes The one is that Christ will ouerthrowe and vtterly confounde all Empires and Kingdomes of the worlde all Princes and Tirannes and all other whatsoeuer they be that afflict and persecute the Godly that professe his name and of this speaketh he in the seconde and thirde verses The other poynt is that he will * deliuer and preserue from all euill his Church people seeme they neuer so miserable poore and contemptible in the worlde and of this speaketh hee in the other partes following Thou hast made a city an heape of stones and brought a strong towne c. By the time past the Prophete signifyeth what GOD doth presently and alway will doe in his Church and by the singuler number speaking of one Citie he meaneth many so that the sence is I therefore prayse thee O thou Messias and Sauiour my Lorde and God that by thy mightie power thou doest ouerthrow and bring to vtter confusion the great Cities principalities and powers of the worlde that persecute thy Church and afflict thy people and repell thy Gospell This is it that thou promisest to Abraham our father saying I wil blesse them that blesse thee and I will curse them that curse thee c. And therefore all powers that will not * submit themselues to thee shall perish and come to desolation Therefore shall the mightie people giue glorie vnto thee Vers 3. the Citie of c. Great principalities and Cities contemning and persecuting thy worde are therefore brought to cōfusion that other by their example may learn to feare thy name and acknowledge thy maiestie and mightie power For thou hast beene a strength vnto the poore and a succour for c. This is the seconde part of the counsayles and promises of Christ that he faythfully perfourmeth that is that he preserueth and succoureth his people in all their affliction and therefore to the great comfort of all that are troubled in conscience or otherwise is called here The strength of the poore The succour of the needie A refuge against euill weather and tempestuous troubles A shadow agaynst the heate of persecution to saue and keepe his people And here is it to be obserued diligently that the people of GOD are often afflicted and persecuted in this worlde and therefore that all which will submit themselues to the kingdome of Christ must looke for * no better entertainement here and yet with strong fayth conceyue this comfort that their king their Lorde and God will either mightilye deliuer them presently and bee reuenged of their enimies or else giue them that strength of spirite that they shal not onely paciently suffer that which shal be laid vpon them but also as S. Paule sayth * Glorie in their afflictions that God hath thought them worthie to suffer for his names sake And in this mountaine shall the Lorde of hostes make vnto all people a feast c. The Mount here spoken of is the hill of Sion whereby the Church is figured The feast is the feast of his Gospell published and calling all men to the sweetenesse of euerlasting life which was first preached in Hierusalem by Christ himselfe where also he bestowed the daintie and delicate dishes of his holy spirite and heauenly graces to all them that receyued his Gospell that is to say The
is perpetuall * felicitie and tranquilitie For Christ hath obteyned for vs of God the father all those blessings that we haue not onely bodily but also and specially spirituall that is * remission of sinnes * imputing of Christes iustice to vs and the spirite of GOD to * mortefie the lustes of the flesh whereby we haue * peace and quietnesse of conscience before God and the worlde The dead will not liue they that be out of life will not rise againe c. Here entereth the first part of an other contrary comparison betweene the wicked and the godly and in this verse he sayth of the wicked that they doe die and liue not againe for their resurrection shall bee to them a death perpetuall and no life And although they seeme to prosper and flourishe long on earth to the annoyance of the godly yet the Lorde visiteth them in due time * and rooteth the memorie of them out of the earth so that they shall neuer ryse againe to glorie Thou hast increased the people O Lorde thou hast increased c. This is the other part of the coÌ„parison touching the godly as if he had sayde Thou O lord christ destroyest the wicked and rootest out theyr memorie neuerthelesse thou doest gather thy Church and increase the number of thy people that thy glorie may be spred and extended to the vttermost boundes of the earth And yet doest thou not gather them to rest and quietnesse of this life but to great vexation and affliction and therfore doe they resort to thee in theyr trouble * and poure out their prayers to thee in the time of thy chastening For * thy chastening they do acknowledge it to be whatsoeuer commeth Although it be the hande of the wicked yet they knowe it to proceede from thy fatherly prouidence to their great benefite and commoditie that their fayth may be increased their spirite styrred vp to call vpon thee Thy dead men shall liue euen as my body shall they rise againe c. The wicked although they flourish for a tyme in this worlde yet shall they not liue in blesse after the resurrection of the deade but shall die for euer But the godly that haue liued here in trouble and dyed in thee shall rise againe to lyfe and ioyes euerlasting Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doores c. This is a consolation in the person of Christ exhorting his people paciently for a time to beare the affliction and trouble of this life and to enter into the closets and secretes of their heartes and call vpon the name of the Lord for the succour and strength of his holy spirit vntill the time of his indignation be past For the Lorde in short time will come * to visite the wickednesse of the earth and the earth shall no longer keepe secrete but * disclose the bloud and crueltie that hath beene shewen to the saintes of God that his iustice may proceede agaynst them for the same The fourth Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 30. ALas for those disobedient children sayth the Lorde that they will take counsayle and not of me that they will take a secrete aduise and not out of my spirite and therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne 2 Euen they that walke to go downe into Egypt and haue asked no question at my mouth but séeke strength in the might of Pharao and trust in the shadow of Egypt 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharao be your confusion and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your shame 4 For his Capitaynes were at Zoan and his Ambassadours came vnto Hanes 5 They were ashamed of the people that could doe them no good and that might not helpe them nor shewe them any profite but were their confusion and rebuke 6 The burthen of the beastes of the South In a lande of trouble and anguish from whence shall come the yong and olde Lion the viper and fierce serpent that flieth agaynst them that vpon coltes beare their ryches and vpon camels their treasures to a people that can doe them no good 7 For vaine and nothing worth shall the helpe of the Egyptians be therefore haue I cryed vnto Hierusalem they shall haue strength inough if they wil settle their minds in quietâ—esse 8 Now therefore go thy way and write this beâ—ore them in a table and note it in a booke that it may finally remaine and be kept still for euer 9 For this is an obstinate people and dissembling children children that refuse to heare the law of the Lorde 10 For they say vnto the séers Sée not and to them that be cleare of iudgement Looke not out right things for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs looke out errours 11 Get you out of this way depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. 12 Wherefore thus sayth the holy one of Israell Because your heartes rise agaynst this worde and because you trust in wrong dealing and peruerse iudgement and put your confidence therein 13 Therefore shall ye haue this mischiefe for your destruction and fall like as an hie wall that falleth because of some ryft or blast whose breaking commeth sodainly 14 And the hurt thereof is like an earthen vessell which breaketh without helpe so that in the bursting of it there is not founde one sheuer to fetch fire in or tos take water withall out of the pitte 15 For thus sayth the Lord God euen the holy one of Israell In repentance and in rest shal ye be safe in quietnesse and sure confidence shall be your strength but ye haue had no lyst thereto 16 For ye haue sayde No but we will escape through horses therefore shall ye flie and we will get vs vp vpon swift beastes and therfore shall your persecutors be swifter 17 A thousande shall flie at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of fiâ—se shall ye all flie till ye be left as a ship mast vpon the top of a mountaine and as a breaken vpon aâ— hill 18 Therefore â—oth the Lorde cause you to wayte that he may haue merrie vpon you to the intent that he may haue the preeminence when he is gratious vnto you for the Lord is the God of iudgement Blessed are all they that hope in him 19 If the people remaine in Sion and at Hiesrusalem thou shalt not be in 〈◊〉 but at the voyce of thy complaint shall he haue mercie vpon â—hée and when he â—â—reth it he shall giue thée an aunswere 20 And though the Lorde giue you the breade of trouble and the water of aduersitie thy raine shall be no name sâ— scant but thine eyes shall sée thy raine 21 Yea and thâ—â—e eare shall heare the talking of him that both speake behinde thée This is the way walke yâ— in it turne not aside neither to the right hande nor to the left 22
〈◊〉 had receyued the letter of the messengers 〈…〉 vp into the 〈…〉 the Lorde 15 And 〈…〉 on this maner 16 O Lorde 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 is God of all the kingdomes of the worlde for thou onely hast 〈…〉 heauen and earth 17. 〈…〉 Lorde and 〈◊〉 open 〈…〉 wordes of 〈◊〉 which hath 〈…〉 to blasphéeme the liuing God. 18 It is true O Lorde that the kings of Assiria haue conquered all kingdomes and landes 19 And cast their Gods in the 〈◊〉 for those were 〈◊〉 Gods but the workes of mens handes of wood or 〈◊〉 therefore haue they destroyed them 20 Nowe therefore 〈…〉 O Lorde our God from the handes of 〈…〉 that all the kingdomes of the earth 〈◊〉 know that thou onely art the Lorde 21 Then Esay the sonne of Amos fent vnto Ezekia saying Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israell wheras thou hast made thy prayer vnto me as touching Sennacherib the king of Assiria 22 This is the aunswere that the Lorde hath giuen concerning him Dispised art thou and mocked O daughter Sion he hath shaken his heade at thée O daughter of Hierusalem 23 But thou Sennacherib whome hast thou defied and blasphemed Agaynst whom hast thou lifted vp thy voyce and exalted thy prowde â—ookes euen agaynst the holy one of Israell 24 Thou with thy seruants hast blasphemed the lord and thus holdest thou of thy selfe â–ª I wil couer the hie mountaynes and sides of Libanus with my horsemen and there will I cut downe the hie Ceder trées and the fayrest Firre trées I will vp in the heigth of it and into the chiefest of his 〈…〉 If there be no water I will graue and drinke and as for waters of defence I will drie them vp with the féete of mine hoast 26 Yea hast thou not heard what I haue taken in hand and brought to passe of old time That same will I doe now also and waste destroy and bring strong Cities vnto heapes of stones 27 For their inhabitours shall be like lame men brought in feare and confounded they shall be like grasse and gréene hearbes in the fielde like the hay vpon house toppes that withereth before it be growen vp 28 I know thy wayes thy going forth and thy comming home yea and thy madnesse agaynst me 29 Therefore thy furiousnesse agaynst me and thy pride is come before me I will put my ring in thy nose and my bridle bitte in the â—awes of thée and turne thée about euen the same way thou camest 30 I will giue thée also this token O Ezekia this yeare shalt thou eate such as groweth of it selfe and the seconde yeare that which springeth againe of the same in the thirde yeare ye shall sowe and reape yea ye shal plant vineyardes and enioy the fruites therof 31 And such of the house of Iuda as are escaped shall come togither and the 〈◊〉 shall take roote beneath and bring forth fruit aboue 32 For the escaped shall go out of Hierusalem and the remnant from the mount Sion and this shall the zeale of the Lorde of hostes bring to passe 33 Therefore thus sayth the Lorde concerning the king of the Assirians He shall not come into this Citie and shall shoote no arrow into it there shall no shield hurt it neither shall they call ditches about it 34 The same way he came he shal returne and not come at this Citie sayth the Lord. 35 And I will keepe and saue this Citie sayth he for mine owne and for my seruant Dauids sake 36 Thus the aungell of the Lorde went forth and slue of the Assirians host an hundred foure seore and fiue thousand and when men rose vp earely in the morning beholde they 〈…〉 and all my full of â—eads 〈◊〉 37 So Sennacherib the king of the 〈◊〉 brake vp and dwelt at Niniâ—e 38 Afterwarde it chaunced as he prayed in the temple of Nesroch his God that 〈◊〉 and Sarazer his owne sonnes â—â—ue him with the sworde and fled into the lande of Armenia and Asarhaddon his sonne raigned in his steede The exposition vpon the .xxxvij. Chapter of Esay When Ezechias heard that he rent hys clothes and put on sackcloth c. THis Chapiter is annexed to the former as a part of the same historie the declaration wherof is so plaine and easie to be vnderstanded that the text needeth no exposition at all Only you haue to obserue certaine good and whole some lessons to be gathered out of it And first you haue to note in Ezechias and his people a great * zeale for the glorie of the name of God wherewith they may seeme to be more touched then with their own miserie and distresse For all the while their countrey was in spoyling as they shewed themselues somewhat troubled so yet did they not declare so great sorowe But after that they heard the name and power of the God of Israel so blasphemed they rent and toare their clothes and after the maner of the Countrey thereby declared extreeme sorow detestation and abhorring of so great wickednesse This zeale of Gods holy name and glorie shoulde we follow and be * earnestly mooued in heart and minde when we heare the Gospell of Christ and the truth of his worde reuiled and euill spoken of but the maner of the worlde is otherwise Men are much mooued with their owne reproches and seeke reuengement of euery light worde and small iniurie but for the hinderance of Gods glorie and of his worde we make small account Secondly here is to be obserued and diligently to be learned by the example of the good king Ezechias and his people what we ought to doe in our great miserie and distresse that is not neglecting such meanes as God hath giuen and by hys worde alloweth to helpe vs to put our whole trust and confidence in God and with repentant hearts humble mindes to * flie to him by earnest praier and calling vpon his blessed name for helpe For so here doth Ezechias and his people and with all seeketh meanes to confirme and strengthen theyr fayth being somewhat shaken with the instruction of Gods holy worde and promises For that cause doth he here sende to Esay the Prophete by whose mouth God giueth them great comfort and willeth them not to feare For sayth he in the Lordes name I will rayse vp a winde agaynst him and hee shall heare a rumour that shall carie him backe into his Countrey agayne and yet shall he not so escape for euen there I will destroy him Say thus to Ezekia king of Iuda Let not thy God deceyue thee c. Heare we haue to learne that God oftentimes after promise and comfort of deliuerance giuen doth for the time encrease and double as it were the affliction of his people as he doth here to Ezechias and his subiects by this seconde message being in deede more terrible and blasphemous than the former And yet doth he not this that he mindeth to breake promise
restorer of thy stocke and Countrie Yea if thou turne thy feete from the sabbath so that thou doe not the thing c. As the Iewes fasted so did they keepe the Sabbath day that is Externally and in way of hypocrisie not rightly and as God appointed Therefore he doth here also teach them the true maner of solemnising his holy day The * Sabbath was ordained that they should learne to doe she will of God to walk in his way and to * heare and reade his worde But they solowed their owne will they walked in their owne way they harkened to their owne deuises wherfore sayth God if thou follow not thine owne will if thou walke not in thyne owne wayes if thou harken not to thyne owne deuises but giue glorie vnto my name then shalt thou keepe an acceptable Sabbath in my sight then shalt thou through peace and quyetnesse of coÌ„science delight in the Lorde Then will Iaduance thee aboue other kingdomes of the earth Then will I feede the with the fruites of Iacobs heretage that is with all those blessings that are to come by the promysed â—eede and Sauiour of the Worlde The 5. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 59. BEholde the Lordes hande is not so shortened that it can not helpe neyther is his eare so stopped that it may not heare 2 But your misdeedes haue seperated you from your God and your sinnes hide hys face from you that he heareth you not 3 For your handes are defiled with bloud and your fingers with vnrighteousnesse your lippes speake leasings and your tongue setteth out wickednesse 4 No man regardeth righteousnesse and no man iudgeth truely euery man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth deceipt conceyueth wearinesse and bringeth forth euill 5 They bréede Cockatrice egges and weaue the Spiders webbe who so eateth of their egges dyeth but if one treade vpon them there commeth vp a Serpent 6 Their webbe maketh no cloth and they may not couer them with their labours their deedes are the déedes of wickednesse and the worke of robberie is in their handes 7 Their féete runne to euill and they make haste to shed innocent bloud their counsels are wicked counsels harme and destruction are in their wayes 8 But the waye of peace they knowe not in their goings is no equitie their wayes are so crooked that whosoeuer goeth therein knoweth of no peace 9 And this is the cause that equitie is so farre from vs and that righteousnesse commeth not nigh vs we looke for lyght loe it is darkenesse for the morning shyne sée we walke in the darke 10 We grope like the blinde vpon the wall we grope euen as one that hath none eyes we stumble at the noone day as though it were towarde night in the falling places lyke men that are halfe dead 11 We reare all like Beares mourne still like Doues we looke for equitie but there is none for health but it is farre from vs. 12 For our offences are many before thée and our sinnes testifie against vs yea we must confesse that we offende and knowledge that we doe anâ—â—sse 13 Namely transgresse and dissemble against the Lorde and fall away from our God vsing presumpteous and â—rayterous imaginations casting false matters in our hearts 14 And therefore is equitie gone aside and righteousnesse standeth farre of truth is fallen downe in the stréete and the thing that is plaine and open may not be shewed 15 Yea the truth is taken awaye and he that refrayneth himselfe from euill must be spoyled when the Lorde saw thâ—s 〈◊〉 displeased him fore that there was no equitie 16 He sawe also that there was no man righteous and he wondred that there was no man to helpe hym wherefore he helde him by his owne power and he sustayned hym by his owne righteousnesse 17 He put righteousnesse vpon him for a breast plate he set the helmet of health vpon his head he put on wrath in the steade of clothing and tooke iealousie about him for a cloke 18 Euen as when a man goeth forth wrathfully to recompence his enimies and to be auenged of his aduersaries he will recompence and reward the Ilands 19 They shall feare the name of the Lorde from the rysing of the sunne and his maiestie vnto the going downe of the same for he will come as a violent water streame which the winde of the Lorde hath moued 20 But vnto Sion there shall come a redéemer and vnto them in Iacob that turne from wickednesse sayth the Lorde 21 I will make this couenant with them sayth the Lorde My spirite that is vpon thée and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy chylders children from this time forth for euermore worlde without ende sayth the Lorde The Exposition vpon the lix of Esay Beholde the Lords hand is not so shortened that it cannot helpe c. IT is no doubt but the Prophet doth in all this Chapiter answere the cogitations of the wycked hypocrites mentioned in the Chapiter before which did impute the calamitie that God had sent vpon them not to their owne sinnes as they * should haue done and so bene moued to repentance but to the great seueritie and sharpenesse of almightie GOD towarde them Therfore the Prophet here sheweth that God lacketh in himselfe neyther Power nor Will to helpe them but that he is hindered and stayed by their naughtinesse and wicked life which at large he reciteth First he chargeth them with * Bloud Crueltie violeÌ„ce and Extortion which is to be thought to haue beene both in Magistrates and priuate persons Secondly with * vntruth Falshoode and Lying as well in doctrine by their Priests false Prophets as by other in contractes bargaines Thirdly with vnrighteousnes and Corrupt iudgment through hatred loue or briberie Fourthly that they put their trust in vanitie craftie deuises and wicked doings They breede Cokatrice Egges and weaue the Spiders webbe who so eateth c. By this figuratiue Speech he reproueth the studies endeuours and workes of the wicked which all are eyther as Cockatrice Egges * poysonous and hurtfull either as Spiders Webbes vnder a faire shew Vaine and vnprofitable If a man vse their counsayles thinking them to be good they shall worke him destruction euen as the Egges of a Cockatrice to him that eateth them If a manne any way touch them he shall be in daunger of the poysonous infection that commeth of them Therfore the best way is to shun their Companie The Spiders webbes although they be finely and artificially wrought yet serue they to no vse neyther can men make any garment of them wherewith to couer them from the weather So the counsailes of the wicked thoughe they seeme neuer so finely deuised yet are they * vnprofitable wyll helpe a man nothing at all Their deedes are the
2 Lyke as at an hote fyre and that the malicious might boyle avvay as the water doth vpon the fire whereby thy name might be knowne among thine enimies and that the Gentiles might tremble before thée 3 When thou wroughtest wonderous straunge workes we looked not for them thou camest downe and the hilles melted at thy presence 4 For â—ite the beginning of the worlde it hath not bene heard or perâ—â—yâ—ed neyther hath any eye séene another God 〈◊〉 thée which duest so much for them that put their trust in thée 5 Thou helpest him that doth right with chearefulnesse and them that thinke vpon thée in thy wayes but 〈◊〉 thou hast 〈◊〉 angrie for we offended and haue bene euer in sinne though the worlde haue cleaued to them yet shall we be saued 6 We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges we fall euersecâ—â—â—â— as the leafe for our sinnes carie vs away lyke the winde 7 There is no man that calleth vpoÌ„ thy name that standeth vp to take holde by thâ—â— therefore hydest thou thy 〈◊〉 from vs and consumest vs because of our sinnes 8. But 〈◊〉 O Lorde thou father of oures we arâ— thy clay and thou act our potter and we all are the worke of thy I. Be not to sore displeased O Lord and kéepe not our offences to long in thy remembrance but consider that we all are thy people 10 The Cities of thy Sanctuarie lye waste Sion is a wildernesse and Hierusalem a desert 11 Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our commodities and pleasures are wasted away 12 Wilt thou not be intreated O Lorde for all this wilt thou holde thy peace scourge vs so sore The Exposition vpon the. 64. Chapter of Esay O that thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe c. THis Chapiter is a parcell of that matter that was conteined in the former For from the seuenth verse of the .lxiij. Chapiter vnto the ende of this is a Prayer made by Esaias for the people to vse in time of their grieuous affliction in which they are taught with how great * humblenesse and sorrow of hart they should confesse their sinnes for which that Plague was seâ—t Secondly at whose handes they should looke for deliuerance that is * at Gods hande alone Thirdly how they should comfort themselues and * strengthen their faith with the Memory of those woÌ„derful actes that God had done for them and their fathers before time In this place they breake out to an earnest wishe Oh say they that thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe when our fathers were oppressed in Aegipt though they looked for no such goodnesse at thy hande yet thou diddest vouchsafe to come * downe from heauen to delyuer them and that with so great Maiestie and Terrour through thy wonderfull works that thy name was known and dreadfull not only to thine own people * but also to thine enimies whom thou didst mightily consume In the * Desert also thou wast continually with them to defende them And when thou purposedst to publish thy law vnto vs thou camest downe from Heauen with so great Maiestie of thunder and lightning that as water boyleth and consumeth ouer the fyre so did the Mountaine * Sinai seeme to melt away being in a great smoke with thy presence O that thou wouldest now doe the like in working our deliuerance that thy name might be knowne and thy Maiestie feared euen among the myghtiest of thyne enimies c. The rest of the Chapiter folowing is plaine and easie to be vnderstanded The Sunday called Septuagesima at Morning prayer Genes 1. IN the beginning God created heauen and earth â— 2 And the earth was without fourme and 〈◊〉 boyde and darkenesse vvas vpon the face of the déepe and the spirite of God moued vpon the face of the waters 3 And God saide Let there be light and and there was light 4 And God saw the light that it was good and God deuided the light from the darknesse 5 And God called the light day and the darkenesse night and the euening and the morning were the first day 6 And God saide Let there be a Firmament betwéene the waters and let it make a deuision betwéene waters and waters 7 And God made the Firmament and set a deuision betwéene the waters which vvere vnder the firmament and the waters that vvere aboue the firmament and it was so 8 And God called the firmament heauen and the euening aud the morning were the second day 9 And God sayde Let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered togither into one place and let the drie lande appeare and it was so 10 And God called the drie lande the earth and the gathering togither of the waters called he the seas and God sawe that it was good 11. And God sayde Let the earth bring forth budde and gréene hearbe apt to séede and fruitfull trées yéelding fruite after his kinde which hath séede in it selfe vppon the earth and it was so 12 And the earth brought forth gréene herbe apt to séede after his kinde and trée yelding fruit which had séede it in selfe after his kinde 13 And God saw that it was good And the euening and the morning were the third day 14 And God sayde Let there be lights in the firmament of heauen that they may deuide the day and the night and let them be for signes and seasons and for dayes and yeares 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heauen that they may giue light vpon the earth and it was so 16 And God made two great lightes a greater light to rule the day and a lesse light to rule the night and he made starres also 17 And God set them in the Firmament of the heauen to shine vpon the earth 18 And to rule the day and night and to make difference betwéene the light and the darkenesse and God saw that it was good 19 And the euening and morning were the fourth day 20 And God sayde Let the waters bring forth moouing creature that hath life and foule that may flie vpon the earth in the open firmament of heauen 12 And God created great whales and euery liuing and mouing creature which the waters brought forth after their kind and euery fethered foule after their kind and God saw that it was good 22 And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiplie and fill the waters of the sea and let foule multiplie in the earth 23 And the euening and morning were the fift day 24 And God sayde Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde cattell worme and beastes of the earth after his kind and it was so 25 God made the beast of the earth after his kinde and cattell after his kinde and euery thing that créepeth vpon
God euen in the very point staieth him saying Lay not thy hande vpon the childe nowe I knowe that thou fearest God. In which words he sheweth also that the feare of God is the Roote of true obedience God knewe before that Abraham did feare him but by this maner of speaking the scripture gyueth vs to vnderstande that GOD doth not regarde the Shewe and pretence of hys feare and worship but the true * Practise of the same in deede that the world also may vnderstand the same and * glorifie God therein They are detestable to God that pretend to feare and worship him and doe not in deede but by hipocrisie and dissimulation Therfore doth he extoll here the Faith of Abraham that shewed so notable proofe therof And Abraham lifting vp his eyes looked and beholde there was c. God of his singuler prouidence by such meanes as his wisedome onely knoweth prepared this Ramme to be their vpon the sodaine to be offered in the place of Isaac And Abraham to make a solemne and perpetuall Memoriall not of his owne Doing but of gods Mercies chaungeth the name of the place calling it The Lorde will see to signifie that God is readie and at hande alwaye to His and seeth them in their distresse and neede And the Angell of the Lorde cryed to Abraham the seconde time c. Thys is the fruite of Abrahams fayth and obedience that by the Mouth of the Angell of God he hath Confirmed vnto him the great Blessings that God before had promised But for somuch as the reason why God doth here so blesse Abraham is added in thys wise Because thou hast done thys thing and hast not spared thy only sonne c. There may seeme two great Doubts to be moued First howe this may stande with the Free Promise of the same blessing made to Araham cap. 12. before he shewed this obedience Secondly because this part of the blessing In thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed doth appertain to the Spirituall and Heauenly blessing in the Sauiour of the world Christ Iesu It may seeme by the words that the same blessing did depēd vpon this Fact of Abraham so that if he had not this done that promise had not bene performed For he sayth Because thou hast done this thing c. and because thou hast heard my voyce But thys maye seeme verie absurde and repugnant to the Scriptures that the Sauing of the worlde by Christ should be graunted because of the Obedience of Abraham and not of the Free mercie of God. To these doubtes we must answere that with out exception these Promises were made and in dewe tyme performed of the free mercie of God and loue towarde not Abraham alone but all mankinde also not regarding their Worthinesse but his Owne goodnesse And when God sayth Because thou hast done this thing and because thou hast heard my voyce we must vnderstande that God for our imbecillitie and weake capacitie in heauenly matters speaketh in this place as he doth in manye other after the Maner of Men. For a man oftentimes hath a fauourable inclination to loue an other and that of his owne motion without any consideration of desert in the person and vpon the same loue towarde him doth freely promise him some good benefite and pleasure But when he seeth the good will of the partie towarde him againe he is greatly Delited therewith and the more he doth declare it by his readie seruice the more he is incensed to performe his Liberall Promise to him and to assure him of the same In the like maner doth God deale here with Abraham The principall Causes of these blessings and the Performance thereof are the Truth and Free mercie God as it maye appeare in that they were made to Abraham not onely * before he did this but before Isaac was borne The second cause that moueth God here to repeat them and to confirme Abraham in the assurance of them was his * Faith and obedience in this place declared After these thinges one tolde Abraham beholde Milcha she hath c. This may seeme straunge to the worldly Man that Abraham forsaking his countrie at the calling of Almightie GOD and hauing the promise of great increase of his seede at the length when he was an Hundred peares of age hath but One sonne and Nahor his brother who taried behinde and had no promise of God hath by that time a Number of children So the Blessings and Promises of God in this life seeme not to take such force but the vngodlye be more happie then they But the onely sonne of Abraham was not giuen by the Common Course of Nature as Nahors were but of the mightie Power of God aboue all Nature or reason and before the birth of the Child he had the Promises of gods blessings and the assured couenāt of God that he would be * His God and the God of his Seede which was a far greater Felicitie then the Multitude of Nahors children The second Sunday in Lent at Morning prayer Genesis 27. AND it came to passe that when Isahac wasxed olde and his eyes were dimme so that he could not see he called Esau his eldest sonne and sayee vnto him My sonne And he sayde vnto him Here am I. 2 And he sayde Beholde I am nowe olde and know not the day of my death 3. Now therefore take I pray thée thy weapons thy Quiuer and thy Bowe and get thée to the fielde that thou mayest take me some veneson 4 And make me well tasting meates such as I loue and bring it to me that I may eate that my soule may blesse thee before that I die 5 But Rebecca heard when Isahac spake to Esau his sonne And Esau went into the fielde to hunt veneson and to bring it 6 And Rebecca spake vnto Iacob hir sonne saying Beholde I haue hearde thy father talking with Esau thy brother and saying 7 Bring me veneson and make me daintie meate that I may eate and blesse thée before the Lord afore my death 6 Now therefore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I commaunde thée 9 Get thée to the flocke and bring me thence two good kiddes from the goates and I will make of them pleasant meates for thy father such as he loueth 10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father that he may eate and that he may blesse thée before his death 11 Then sayde Iacob to Rebecca his mother Beholde Esau my brother is a hearie man and I am smooth 12 My father shal peraduenture féele me and I shall séeme vnto him as though I went about to beguile him and so shal I bring a cursse vpon me and not a blessing 13 And his mother sayde vnto him Vpon me be the cursse my 〈◊〉 onely heare my voyce and go and fetch me them 14 And Iacob went and fet them and brought them to his mother and his mother made
the bushe was not consumed 3 Therefore Moyses sayde I will go nowe and sée this great sight howe it commeth that the bushe burneth not 4 And when the Lorde sawe that he came for to sée God called vnto him out of the middest of the bushe and sayde Moyses Moyses And he answered Here am I. 5 And he saide Drawe not nigh bither put thy shwes of thy féete for the place wheron thou standest is holy ground 6 And he saide I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob And Moyses hid his face for he was afrayde to looke vpon God. 7 And the Lorde sayde I haue surely séene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their crye from the face of their taske maisters for I knowe their sorrowes 8 And am come downe to deliuer them out of the hande of the Egiptians and to bring them out of that land vnto a good lande and a large vnto a lande that floweth with mylke and hony euen vnto the place of the Chanaanites and Hethites and Amorites and Pherezites and Heuites and of the Iebuâ—ites 9 Nowe therefore beholde the complaint of the children of Israel is come vnto me and I haue also séene the oppression wherewith the Egiptians oppressed them 10 Come thou therfore and I will send thée vnto Pharao that thou mayest bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt 11 And Moyses â—aide vnto God what am I to go vnto Pharao and to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt 12 And he answered For I will be with thée and this shall be a token vnto thée that I haue sent thée After that thou hast brought the people out of Egipt ye shall serue God vpon this mountaine 13 And Moyses sayde vnto God Beholde vvhen I come vnto the children of Israel and shall say vnto them The God of your fathers hath sent me vnto you And if they saye vnto me what is his name what answere shall I giue them 14 And God answered Moyses I am that I am And he said Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel I am hath seÌ„t me vnto you 15 And God spake further vnto Moses Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel The Lorde God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you This is my name for euer and this is my memoriall into generation and generation 16 Go and gather the elders of Israel togither and thou shalt say vnto them The Lorde God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob appeared vnto me and sayde In visiting haue I visited you and knowe that which is done to you in Egypt 17 And I haue sayde I will bring you out of the tribulation of Egypt vnto the lande of the Chanaanites and Hethites and Amorites Pherezites and Heuites and Iebusites euen into a lande which floweth with milke and hony 18 And they shall heare thy voyce then both thou and the elders of Israel shall go vnto the king of Egypt and saye vnto him The Lorde God of the Hebrews hath met wyth vs and nowe let vs go we beséech thée thrée dayes iourney into the wildernesse and doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde our God. 19 And I am sure that the King of Egypt will not let you go no not in a mightie hande 20 And I will stretch out my hande and smite Egypt with all my woonders which I will doe in the mids thereof and after that he will let you go 21 And I will get this people fauour in the sight of the Egyptians so that when ye go ye shall not go emptie 22 But euerye wyfe shall borowe of her neighbour and of her that soiourneth in her house Iewels of Siluer and Iewels of Golde and rayment and ye shall put them on your sonnes and daughters and shall robbe the Egiptians The Exposition vpon the thirde Chapter of Exodus Moses kept the sheepe of Iethro his father in lawe priest of Madian c. AS in the other Chapters before haue bene declared the great Oppression and Miserie of the children of Israell in Aegypt so in this Chapter and the residue folowing is set forth the great and mercifull Goodnesse of Almightye God deliuering them from the same And as touching Moises whom God had chosen to be his Instrument herein we may in him learne howe God vseth commonly to deale with his Elect. This Moses was at this time of all men in the worlde most acceptable to God whome euen from his mothers wombe he had chosen to be the Deliuerer of hys people and the Publisher of his lawe And yet it pleased him to suffer the same Moyses to be in Banishment * fortie yeares not onely among heathen persons but in the poore and harde condition of a Sheepehearde And yet may we not thinke that God at the same time did Contemne Moyses but vndoubtedly had great Care of him and while he was in the trauaile of a Sheepeheard did prepare for him an Office farre aboue the Dignitie or maiestie of any earthly Prince The like we see in Ioseph in Dauid in Daniel and in our sauiour Christ himselfe And the Angell of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire c. When God of his goodnes was disposed to Deliuer his people out of Aegypt because of 〈…〉 matter of Great weight in the sight of 〈…〉 Vnpossible the Egyptians being Mighty 〈◊〉 and the Israelites Poore and miserable and for that Moyses might doubt of his Calling to so great a purpose God vseth at the beginning a stravnge and woonderfull Miracle of a Fyre burning in a bush and yet the bush not consumed therewith I thinke it not so profitable to recite the Allegories that many interpreters do mention in this place For the true and simple 〈◊〉 is as I haue sayde that God purposing to call Moyses to Deliuer his people doth Confirme him there in by this Miracle of the burning Bushe that he might not Doubt but that the voyce that spake 〈◊〉 him was in dede from God and not by the Delusion of any Man. And when the Lorde sawe that he came to see God called vnto him c. It is no repugnancie that the Scripture before reported that the Angel appeared in a Flaâ—e office here in this place â—yth that God Called Moyses For God speaketh by his Angels as he doth by his Prophets and other Ministers God is the Maister and Instructer and the Angell is the Minister in the name and authoritie of God doing the Message When he sayth The place is holy he meaneth not that the Ground or earth was of it selfe more Holy or acceptable to GOD than anye other place was 〈◊〉 God minded in that place to Reueale himselfe and his holy Will vnto Moyses and afterwardes in the same place to Publishe his
lawe and blessed Worde and therefore he doth call it Holy. For like cause â—acob called the Place where in a * dreame he sawâ—â— ladder goyng vp to heauen and the Lorde standing at the toppe of it by the name of The terrible house of God and gate of heauen Hierusalem is * called the Holy Citie because Gods worde and his true worship was there declared Take away the Worde of God and his diuine Presence and the Place of it selfe is Indifferent as other are As touching that God willeth Moyses to put of his Shooes by that token or ceremonie of his Bare feete he woulde strike into him a Reuerence towarde that Vision that in the name of God appeared vnto him And also that he should now resigne and giue ouer that State that he was in at that time and submit himselfe wholy to the Will of God nowe at this time reuealed vnto him and to this present calling to be the Deliuerer of his people For in the .4 of Ruth the putting off of the Shoe is a token of Resigning or giuing ouer his Right to an other I am the God of thy father the God â—f Abraham the God of Isaac c. This is that notable Sentence which Christ vseth in the .22 of Math. to proue the Resurrection and that the Soule liueth after it is Departâ—d from the body and therewith stopped the mouthes of the Saduces And the Lorde sayde I haue surely seene the trouble of my people c. Such is the goodnesse of God that when helpe and succour seemeth vtterly Desperate then he offereth his mercie and mightlly Deliuereth euen when his people Least thinke of it Thereby are we taught at no time to Despayre of Gods Help seeme it neuer so Hard or Vnpossible to the world Then is Gods Glorie most set foorth when in greatest Difficultie he Deliuereth The Israelites were nowe more Vniust in the sight of God â—hen that they might Hope for any Reliefe at his 〈◊〉 For they had almost Forgot GOD and his true Worship And is the world they were more Weak and Miserable then eyther three many man see them coulde Deuise whiche ware it â—ought he wrought In this great Distresse God calleth â—â—ses and offereth their Deliuerance not in respect of any Worthinesse in them but partly of his great Pitie that he tooke of their miserie and aâ—â—â—iction â–ª partly for the truth of his * Promises that he had made to their Forefathers â–ª Abraham Isaac and Iacob And herby teacheth vs to the great strengthning of our fayth that although there be much vnworthinesse in vs yet â–ª for his truthes sake and for the Glorie of his name he will fulfill his Promises and worke the safetie of his people agaynst all the gates of hell Come thou therefore and I will sende thee vnto Pharao c. Here Moyses is called to this office of a Deliuerer of the people of GOD and we by him are taught not Ambiciously to offer our selues to any high Office or Function but diligently to followe that State that we be in and loke in all things for the Calling of God eyther by himselfe or by hys Officers to whome he hath giuen Authoritie And Moises sayde vnto God what am I to go vnto Pharao c. This Refusall was not of Disobedience to the will and calling of God but a Confessing and acknowledging of his Infirmitie as afterwarde Gâ—deon and othere did As if he had sayde I am but a poore Sheepehearde and seaâ—t hable to kepe my sheepe from the wilde beastes of the Desert But the Aegyptians are a Mightie people and their king a sterne and Prowde Tiranne therefore O Lorde I see a great vnfitnesse in my selfe for such a purpose As it is Sinne to withstande the Calling of God so is it a Vertue to acknowledge his Weakenesse and Dishabilitie And he answered for I will be with thee and this shall be a token c. If God had promised Moyses an infinite number of mightie Armyes to worke this exployte it had not bene halfe so much as that in this place he offereth * For if God himselfe be with vs all the Power of the World is in vaine against vs He doth also strengthen his Weakenesse with further assurance that this his calling should be of such Force and of so good Effect in the ende that in the same Place He and they togither should Worship theyr God that hath Deliuered them And Moyses said vnto God when I come vnto the children of Israel c. Moyses being nowe well Confirmed for himselfe and his owne Calling desireth also that he may be hable by some euident meanes to Assure the Israelites of the same least when he came vnto them and declared that he was appoynted their Capitain and Deliuerer they should Refuse him and aske from what God he was sent For the Israelites being brought vp a long time among Idolatours in Aegypt had almost forgot the True and liuing God of their fathers Therefore Moises desireth to know here the Name of God which was some Timerous Curiositie in Moyses and therefore God by his answere signifieth that he should Stay himselfe vpon his Worde and Promises made both now to him and before time to his and their forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob rather then to enquire for his name whose Nature Maiestie and Power is vnspeakable and not to be vttered by any Name Wherefore God answereth I am that Iam and say vnto the children of Israel I am hath sent me vnto you c. That is the Beear and the onely Vnsearchable Substance that hath his being of himselfe and of none other and of whom all things that are * haue their Being Life and Moouing Euen I that eternall God that is nowe and euer hath beene who in the beginning made Heauen and earth gaue Life and Being vnto all Creatures and that afterwarde made his Promise and Couenant to your fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob that he woulde be their God and the God of their Seede that God I say * mindefull of his promises and pitying your miseryes hath nowe sent me vnto you to be your Capitaine and guide to deliuer you out of that great Tyrannie and Crueltie wherwith you are now Oppressed in Aegypt And they shall heare thy voyce then both thou and the elders of Israel c. Now he Instructeth Moyses what he shall pretende to Pharao in his message that he may suffer them to go Wherein it may with some offence appeare as though God did teach Moyses to Lie. For the chief purpose was not in the Desert to do Sacrifice to God but to conuey themselues away out of Aegypt into the lande of Chanaan For answere wherevnto we must consider 1 First that Peculier things done Extraordinarily by the Inspiration or commaundement of God are not to be taken as Generall Rules or examples for all men to followe 2 Secondly there
not be beneficiall to them that in this life doe not acknowledge him The Paschall Lambe Must be eaten with vnleauened breade to declare that the fayth of Christ may not be mixed eyther with the Sourenesse of error and false doctrine or with corruption of Sinfull and wicked life but altogither with truth and sinceritie Therefore Christ gaue his Disciples warning That they should beware of the * leauen that is the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisies and Saduces And saint Paule to the Corinth Our passeouer is offered Christ Iesu c. Therfore let vs solemnize the feast not in the leauen of malice and craftinesse but in the vnleauened breade of sinceritie and truth The loynes of them that eate the Passeouer must be gyrded as prepared to a iourney in token that they that doe receyue Christ must be as Pilgrimes in this life and in readinesse to passe out of the Egypt of this world into the land of promise our heauenlye Heritage For we haue not here a Citie or place to dwell in but we must looke alwayes to the heauenly Hierusalem that our Sauiour hath purchased for vs. And therefore Luk. 12. Christ warneth vs That vve should haue our loines gyrded and lampes in our handes like vnto seruants that are readie looking for their maister vvhen he vvil come This feast of the Passeouer was ordeyned to be kept once euery yeare not only that the people shoulde themselues call to remembrance their Deliuerie but also by that occasion from time to time instruct their youth and teach them to vnderstande Gods great goodnesse towarde them and his Miraculous woorkes by hys myghtie hande wrought for them Wherefore we also at the solemnising of the memoriall of oure Passeouer should not onely * set forth the death and passion of Christ and the great mercies of GOD thereby brought vnto vs but teach our youth and children also that they may in like maner vnderstande the Benefit of our redemption in Christ and the sweet comfort that riseth thereof And Pharao called vnto Moses and Aaron by night saying rise vp c. Here is the effect of Gods mightie working for his people and the fulfilling of his promise that the obstinate and harde hearte of Pharao which had set himselfe against Gods purpose was nowe so broken that he was not onely wylling to let the Israelites go but also did Hasten them away to depart with speede so that they could not haue time to prepare themselues eyther bread or meate for the iourney in so much that they were faine to take their dowe before it was sowred and carie it on their shoulders And in remembrance of this fulfilling of their promise and of their speedie deliuerāce he willed them euer after to Solemnise the feast of vnleauened bread And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moyses c. In this place is to be obserued the fulfilling of an other promise of God made not onely to Moses in the third Chapiter of this booke but to Abraham also manye yeares before Gene. 15. Knowe thou sayth God that thy seede shall be a straunger in a lande that is not his and the people therof shall keepe them vnder in bondage and shall afflict them foure hundred yeares but I will iudge that people and afterwarde they shal depart with great substance This promise is here fulfilled For the Israelites depart with great Treasure that they borrowed of the Egiptians As touching the doubt howe the Israelites might spoyle the Egiptians by borrowing their Iewels and not minding to come againe I haue spoken in the exposition of the thirde Chapiter Vers 21. 22. And the children of Israel toke their iourney from Ramesis to Sucoth c. God had promised to Abraham that he woulde multiply his seede as the starres of Heauen which we see in this place also notablie fulfilled Iacob entered into Egipt but with sixtie and sixe persons and nowe although they liued in great seruitude and bondage many yeares in so much that their men Children were slaine and murdered yet they be nowe growen to this great number of men beside Children The dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelled in Egipt c. This number of yeares is not to be accompted from the entrance of Iacob into Egipt with his familie for that was but two hundred and ten yeres But the reckening must begin from that time that Abraham went into Egipt because of the Famine and from the time that the Promise was made to him for the blessing of his seede Gen. 15. This may appeare by the wordes of S. Paule Gal. 3. This I say that the lawe which beganne afterwarde beyonde 430. yeres doth not disanull the testament c. Whē Paule sayth The law that was made afterward he meaneth after the Promise made to Abraham whereof he had spoken in the wordes immediatly before So that from the promise made to Abraham vnto the making of the lawe was but little aboue .430 yeares And then all that time can not be assigned to the dwelling of the children of Israel in Egipt after Iacob came thether But because the seede of Abraham was so many yeares Pilgrimes in straunge landes therefore is it so sayde in this place Easter day at Euening praier Exodus 14. ANd the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 2 Speake to the childrē of Israel that they turne and pitche their tentes before Pi-hahiroth betweene Migdol and the sea ouer against Baal-sephon and before that shal they pitch by the sea For Pharao wil say of the children of Israel They are tangled in the lande the wildernesse hath shut them in 4 And I will harden Pharaos heart that he shall followe after you and I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his hoast The Egiptians also shall knowe that I am the Lorde And they did so 5 And it was tolde the king of Egipt that the people fledde And the heart of Pharao and of his seruants turned against the people and they saide Why haue we done this that we haue let Israel go out of our seruice 6 And he made readie his charet tooke his people with him 7 And tooke sixe hundred chosen charrets and al the charets of Egipt and captaines vpon euery one of them 8 And the Lorde hardened the heart of Pharao king of Egipt and he folowed after the children of Israel but the children of Israel went out with an highe hande 9 And the Egiptians folowed after them and all the horses and charets of Pharao and his horsemen and his hoast ouertooke them pitching of their tent by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth before Baal-sephon 10 And when Pharao drew nigh the children of Israel lift vp their eies and beholde the Egiptians folowed after them and they were sore afraide and the children of Israel cried out vnto the Lorde 11 But they saide vnto Moyses because there were no graues in
stand before the children of Anac 3 Vnderstand therfore this daye that the Lord thy God is he which goeth ouer before thée as a consuming fire he shall destroy them and he shal bring them downe before thy face So thou shalt caste them out bring them to naught quickly as the Lorde hath sayde vnto thée 4 Speake not thou in thine heart after that the Lorde thy God hath cast them outs before thée saying For my righteousnesse the Lorde hath brought me in to poâ—â—esse this lande but for the wickednesse of these natioÌ„s the Lord hath cast theÌ„ oute before thée 5 It is not for thy righteousnesse sake or for thy right heart that thou goest to possesse their land But for the wickednesse of these Nations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thée to perfourme the worde which the Lorde thy God sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isahac and Iacob 6 Vnderstande therefore that it is not for thy righteousnesse sake that the Lorde thy God dothe gyue thée this good lande to possesse it séeyng thou art a stifnecked people 7 Remember and forget not howe thou prouokedst the Lord thy God to anger in the wildernesse since the day that thou diddest depart out of the lande of Egipt vntill ye came vnto this place ye haue rebelled against the Lord. 8 Also in Horeb ye prouoked the Lorde to anger so that the Lord was wroth with you to haue destroyed you 9 When I was gone vp into the mount to receiue the tables of stone the tables of the couenaunt which the Lorde made with you and I abode in the mount fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes when I neither dyd eate breade nor drinke water 10 And the Lorde deliuered me two tables of stone written with the singer of God and in them were conteined all the wordes which the Lorde said vnto you in the mount out of the middes of the fire in the day when ye came together 11 And when the fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes were ended the Lorde gaue me the two tables of stone the tables of the couenaunt 12 And the Lorde sayde vnto mée Arise and get thée downe quickly from hence for thy people which thou hast brought out of Egipt haue marred all â–ª they are turned at once oute of the waye which I commaunded them and haue made them a molten image 13 Furthermore the Lorde spake vnto me saying I haue séene this people and beholde it is a stifnecked people 14 Let me alone that I may destroy them and put oute the name of them from vnder heauen and I will make of thée a mightie nation and greater than they be 15 And I turned me and came downe from the hill euen from the hill that burnt with fire and the two tables of the couenaunt were in my handes 16 And I loked and beholde ye had sinned against the Lorde your God and has made you a molten calfe and had turned at once out of the way which the Lord had commauÌ„ded you 17 And I toke the two tables and cast them oute of my two handes and brake them before your eyes 18 And I fell downe flat before the Lorde as at the firste time and fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes I did neither eate breade nor drynke water bycause of all your sinnes which ye sinned in doying wickedly in the sighte of the Lorde in that ye prouoked him vnto wrathe 19 For I was afrayde that for the wrath and fiercenesse wherwith the Lord was moued against you he would haue destroyed you But the Lord heard me at that time also 20 The Lord was verye angry with Aaron also to haue destroyed him and I made intercession for Aaron also the same time 21 And I toke your sinne the Calfe which ye had made and burnte him with fire and stamped him and grounde him verye small euen to dust and I caste the dust thereof into the brooke that descended out of the mount 22 Also at the burning place at the place of tempting and at the Sepulchres of lust ye prouoked the Lord to anger 23 Likewise when the Lorde sent you from Cades Barnea saying Go vp and possesse the land which I haue giuen you you rebelled against the worde of the Lorde your God and neither beloued him nor hearkened vnto his voyce 24 You haue bene rebellious vnto the Lord since the day that I knew you 25 And I fell downe flat before the Lord fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes as I fell downe before for the Lorde sayde he would destroy you 26 I made intercession therefore vnto the Lorde sayde O lorde God destroy not thy people and thine inheritaunce which thou haste deliuered through thy great goodnesse and which thou haste broughte out of Egipt through a mightye hande 27 Remember thy seruauntes Abraham Isahac and Iacob and looke not vnto the stubbernesse of this people nor to their wickednesse and sinne 28 Least the lande whence thou broughtest them saye The Lorde is not able to bring them into the lande whych he promised them and because he hated them therfore hath he caryed them out to slay them in the wildernesse 29 Beholde they are thy people and thine inheritaunce which thou broughtest oute in thy mightye power and in thy stretched out arme The Exposition vpon the .ix. Chapter of Deuteronomie Heare O Israel thou passest ouer Jordane this day to goe in and possesse c. THe Israelites were a proude wayward and vnthankefull people sone forgetting Gods benefites done vnto them Wherefore the purpose of Moises is in this chapter to * beate into their memorye that they were made the heires of the land of Chanaan came to al that felicitie wherin they either had or should be onely by the free goodnes and mercye of God for his promises for his couenauntes sake and not by their owne strength or for their owne worthines In this to perswade them he vseth two reasons especially The one by comparing them with the people of that couÌ„trey The other by the example of their owne wayward and rebellious doyngs against God. As touching the former he sayth the people of that countrey were farre greater in number mightier in power than they were For manye of them were of the race of the * Giaunt Anac strong and mightie persons as the messengers that went to viewe the lande did bryng worde So that they were stricken with feare * murmured against GOD as hauing brought them to a land vnpossible for them by conquest to get Wherefore if GOD by hys mightye hande did worke it for them they oughte to acknowledge they did stande and depende onelye vpon hym And as they were not hable to worke thys of their owne strength so coulde they not iustlye thinke that GOD did it for them of dutie or for their owne worthines but rather that they had deserued the cleane contrarye at his hande and that he letteth theÌ„ vnderstand as I haue
fiftie righteous within the Citie wilte thou destroye and not spare the place for the fiftie righteous that are therin 25 That be farre from thée that thou shouldest do after this maner and slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be farre from thée Shall not the iudge of all the world doe according to right 26 And the Lord saide If I finde in Sodome fiftie righteous within the citie I will spare all the place for their sakes 27 And Abraham aunswering sayd Behold I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the Lord which am but dust and asshes 28 If there shall lacke fiue of fiftie righteous wilt thou destroy all the citie for lacke of fiue And he saide If I finde there fortie and fiue I will not destroy them 29 And he procéeded to speake vnto him againe and saide What if there shal be fortie founde there He aunswered I will not doe it for forties sake 30 He said vnto him againe Oh let not my Lord be angry that I speake What if there shall thirtie be founde there And he saide I will doe nothing if I finde thirtie there 31 He saide againe O sée I haue taken vpon me to speake now also vnto my Lord What if there shal be twentie found there He aunswered I will not destroye them for twenties sake 32 And he sayd Oh let not my Lord be angry I wil speake yet but this once What if ten shal be found there He answered I will not destroy them for tennes sake 33 And the Lord went his way assoone as he had left communing with Abraham and Abraham also returned vnto his place The exposition vpon the .xviij. Chapter of Genesis And the Lorde appeared vnto him in the plaine of Memre c. THis Chapter sheweth how God appered by his angels vnto his seruant Abraham Then how Abraham inuited and entertayned the Angels thinking them at the first to haue ben Men as they appeared And lastly howe the Angels reuealed to him the purpose of God to destroy Sodom and what talke Abraham had with them If we loke to the time of this appearāce it may be thought it was shortely after Abraham had circumcised himselfe and all his And thereby haue we to learne how diligent and * readie the prouidence of God is to Visit Comfort Confirme such as by true faith and obedience haue submitted themselues vnto his Religiō holy ordinaunces The chiefe cause of the sending of these angels vnto Abraham was to confirme to him and his wife Sarah the promise that he had made him of a Chyld by her of whom the Blessed seede should descende By the way also he reueleth to him the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha Why it pleased God to sende three Angels not two or one we must not with vayne curiositie search It is not wicked to think that he respected therin the mysterie of the holy Trinitie as many of the anciente Fathers haue writtē but whether that agree with the Simplicitie of the historie I leaue to the iudgement of the godly In Abraham we haue an example of a godly willing desire to entertain Strangers and to relieue them which is not vnfruteful for vs to consider First therefore Abraham sate at his Tent dore in the heate of the day vndoubtedly not of Idlenes but of purpose to espie if any trauailers passed by that he might entreate them to stay and take some reliefe And therfore whē he saw the Angels thinking them to haue ben Men He ran vnto thē He might haue called to them or sent a seruant but in running himselfe appeared a more godly willingnesse And when he came vnto them he bowed himselfe with all humblenesse though he had neuer seene thē before and called the one of them by the name of Lord for reuerēce thinking him happily a worthier person than the two other If sayth he I haue found fauour in thy sight passe not away c. So ready was this godly father to * liberalitie in entertainement that he signifieth they shuld rather do him a pleasure than receiue any benefite at his hād and that it were a reproch to him if they did not vouchsafe to tarie with him The things that he promised them were but smal A little water to wash their feete and a morsell of bread to comforte thē Which he doth to that end that their modestie and bashfulnesse might not think that they shuld be chargeable and burdenous to him so be the lother to tarie Mē in those coūtries vsed to trauaile cōmonly bare footed and therfore was it ease and comforte to wayfaring men to * wash their feete The place whither he biddeth thē to rest thēselues was vnder a tree Such was the simplicitie of y anciēt time they had not yet takē vp the wasting of their substāce in building of Gay houses gorgeous parlers This Reuerende Patriarke and father of the faithful whom god vsed so familiarly with his angels dwelt in a Tent or Tabernacle had no house at all to declare y he was but a * pilgrime in this land and had no place of long abiding And they saide do as thou hast said and Abraham went apace c. Forsomuch as it was the pleasure of god that it should not yet be knowne what the Angels were as Abraham was ready and willing to offer them such things as were for the reliefe of wayfaring mē as he toke them to be so do they will him to do as he had spoken concealing as yet that they were the Angels and messengers of God sent vnto him And Abraham in making the prouisiō sheweth the same humblenes ready good will that he declared in the bidding He wēt apace to Sarah into the Tent He ran vnto the beastes He fet a tender and a good calfe He prouided all that he had spoken not onely of the best but with speed For as he knew it to be curtesie to entertayne straungers so hee thoughte it no good manner to cause them to tarie longer than happily the necessitie of theyr busynesse woulde suffer them As wel by the place before mentioned as by the residue of this Entertainment we may learne that the worlde was not yet growen to such a nicitie tendernesse and delicacie in feeding other furniture as by Sensualitie men since that are come vnto and especially in these latter dayes Here some moue question how the Angels did eate or whether they did eat or no Seing that they be celestial Spirits and haue no Bodies that neede sustenance and feeding surely Godly Christians must not in such questions be curious As gods pleasure was that they shuld be taken as men for the time So of his diuine power whiche dayly worketh strange things he had prouided bodies for them to walke in and with the same bodyes did they eat althogh their Spiritual substance needed no sustenance And when
their appointed offices were done the meate and drinke vanished away togyther with the Bodies And they sayde vnto him where is Sarah thy wife he answereth c. In the former Chapiter we reade that Abraham had receyued a manifest declaration of the promise of a Sonne by Sarah his wyfe This promise vndoubtedlye Abraham beleeued but Sarah did not as may appeare by this place And therefore the Angell of God asketh for Sarah thereby to haue an occasion to renewe and confirme that promise and also to reproue Sarahs in credulitie who measured the promises of God by the * likelyhoodes of natur all power When the Angell said that at his returne Sarah shuld haue a Chylde it may be thought that Sarah listened behinde the Tente doore what talke the Strangers had with hir husbande Wherein she by example declareth how hard a matter it is to haue euē the honestest and most chast Matrones to leaue al maner of womanly Curiositie Although as a modest and sober wife she stayed within the Tent and came not foorth to shew hir selfe vnto the strangers yet could she not ouercome this tentation of curious desire to knowe what was spoken When Sarah he arde the Angel say she shold haue a childe she laughed at it as a vaine and vnlikely thing and therin vndoubtedly did greatly offēd For she might well knowe that promise came from God being so well agreeing with that which was spoken to hir husband not long before And therefore by vnlikelyhode of nature to deride it as false was in hir much rashnes But that which followeth was of womanly Bashfulnesse when she beeing charged for hir laughing beeing some what astonied doth denie it Sarah laughed not aloude as the maner of dissolute women is but softly within hir selfe When it is saide It ceased to bee vvith Sarah after the Maner as it is with VVomen The meaning is she had not those superfluities that all women naturally haue so long as they by age may haue children As hir Chastitie is to be reuerenced so was it a great blame and fault in hir not only to * Mistrust the promise of god but also to Laugh it to scorne bycause it seemed vnlikely to naturall Reason And the men rising vp from thence looked toward Sodome c. Abraham perfourmeth that whiche is the third parte of Hospitalitie that is Courtesie in dismissing his gests He taketh not his leaue of them at his Tent but perceiuing their iourney toward Sodom went part of the way with thē which his paines God well requited opening to him by his Angell the purpose to destroy Sodom for the horrible sinne and wickednesse thereof Shall I saith the Lord Hide from Abraham that thing whiche I doe seeyng that Abraham shall surely be c. It may be that one of the Angells to whome Abraham in all this storie had directed his speech vttered these words in the hearing of Abraham Wherin he noteth two causes why he wold reueale this thīg vnto him The one is the great preheminence of that promise that he had made to him before time of the Increase and multiplying of his seede Seing saith he that Abraham shall surely be a mighty Nation The other is For that he knewe him to be so godly a man as woulde not only himselfe liue in Iustice and iudgemente but also woulde Instruct his children and Houshold To keepe the way of the Lord. By thys Godly Parentes maye learne that it is theyr Office and duetie to see theyr families * instructed and taughte and that in the Way of the Lorde and to be Carefull for them that they may not onely liue vertuously and godly while they be children and seruants vnder them but after their life too But Fathers now a dayes are farre from this care They deuise howe to * leaue theyr chyldren Ryche and Wealthye but of the Instruction and teachyng how to keepe the way of the Lorde they haue God knoweth so small regard as thoughe it did Nothyng appertayne vnto them And the Lord saide because the crie of Sodome and Gomorha is greate c. There is a double Crie that soundeth in the eares of the Lorde The one is the crie of Wickednesse and Sinne and that is it the Angell here speaketh of The wickednesse of Sodome Cried vnto God that is was so great that it required ▪ Wrath and vengeance from God. Sometyme the Bloud of the oppressed and afflicted Sainctes of GOD dothe in lyke manner Crye vnto hym For so dydde the bloud of Abel crie vnto the Lorde When the Scripture sayth that God commeth Down to see or know any thing we may not thinke that there is eyther Mouing of place or want of Knowledge in god But then God is sayde to come Downe when he doth applye himselfe to worke somewhat to oure behoofe And then he is sayd to come to Knowe or See when hee so Worketh that eyther Men or his Angels may know God right well knew that the Sinne of Sodome after his long Pacience Suffring was come to full ripenesse but hee sent downe his Angels that not only Abraham and Loth but the Whole world also by their punishment should vnderstande how greeuous and detestable their synne was in the sighte of God. And Abraham drewe neere and sayde wilt thou also destroy the righteous c. The Saintes of God are alway Louers of mankynde and are greeued to vnderstande of the Plague and Punishmente euen of the wicked whome wyth all their heartes they would wishe rather to Liue and Repente than to dye in their sinnes Therfore Abraham here vnderstanding by the Angell that the Visitation of Sodome and those other Cities was at hande sheweth himself very careful for them and as it were by the remembrance of those good and iust mē that might be in it doth moue God to haue pitie on them and to spare their plague Good men doe not quickely dispaire of any seeme they neuer so euill And therfore Abraham thought in so great a Multitude that there must needes haue ben some mean number of good men for whose cause God wold extend his mercie also vpō the other If there had ben iust men in Sodome they must haue ben persons vncircumcised and no partakers of the couenāt of god And yet this Reuerend Patriarke being himselfe a iust man circumcised of the assured couenant with God and the Father of the Faithful did not in respect of himself contemne suche but made that accompte of them that if there had bene suche he would haue God to haue spared the wicked for their sakes In Abraham talking with God we see a certain strife between the Charitie and Loue that was in him toward the Sodomires and the consideration of his own humblenesse and vnworthynesse in the sight of god His Charitie moued him to intreate for them But the consideration of his owne vnworthinesse beeing but duste and ashes did on the other parte abashe hym and therefore doth
of Israell cried vnto the Lorde for he had 900. c. Where the Chanaanites had afflicted the people of Israell twenty yeares we may not thinke that in all that time before they neuer cried vnto God but happily their crying and calling vpon God before was rather in way of murmuring and muttering against God and the rod of his Chasticement but nowe when with repentant and sorowfull harts they pray vnto God and acknowledge their wickednesse and traÌ„sgression with redy mercy he heareth and helpeth them And Debora a prophetisse the wyfe of Lapidoth iudged Israell c. That God might make the deliueraÌ„ce of his people more glorious vnto him by the ministerie and * weaknesse of a woman he worketh it therby sheweth that neyther might of Princes nor policie of Captaines nor streÌ„gth of armies nor swiftnesse of chariots is hable to hold them in miserie that God wil haue deliuered In this that God chooseth a Woman to be a Prophetisse thereby the instructer teacher the guyd gouerner yea the Deliuerer of his people he sheweth that he doth not alway reiect that Sexe or kind from the ministerie of his holie will neyther in matters of Policie nor of Religion but that oftentymes he wil * vse them to his glorie as the good Nurses and Patrons of his Churche and people And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedes c. Some thinke that Debora had oftentymes before aduertised Barak that he should attempt the deliuerance of the people that he through Timorousnesse had stayed and therfore now she opeÌ„ly before the people declareth the same vnto him that in the Name Authoritie of God after the maner of Prophets adding the promise of God to hys further confirmation For sayeth she in the person of God I vvill bring or dravve vnto the ryuer Kison Sisara the Captayne c. And Barak sayde vnto hir If thou wilt goe with mee I will goe but and c. Barak in these woordes may seeme to haue somewhat doubted of his calling and therfore Debora signifyeth that the Glorie and chiefe Prayse of this Victorie shoulde bee giuen from him to a Woman Other thinke that he spake not this of any mistrust of his Calling but bicause he would be sure to haue hir with him as the Prophetisse of God by whose Wisedome he might be instructed to all oportunities And therfore S. August readeth in the text these words Bycause I knowe not vvhat day the Angell of God shal prosper mee When Debora willeth Barak to gather ten thousandemen wee muste consider that God had ben hable withoute MaÌ„s helpe to Subdue their enimies but by this he wold declare that hee dothe not reproue iust Warre nor the helpe of mannes strengthe when it is vsed wyth trust and confidence in Him. WheÌ„ God saith that he wil draw Sisara to the Riuer Kyson we may vnderstaÌ„d that God Draweth both to good also to Euil y is in the way of punishmeÌ„t but this he doth in a diuers maner WheÌ„ he Dravveth to Good he healeth our corrupt mindes by his Grace prepareth vs to that which otherwise we could not do When he Dravveth vs to Euill we neede no MotioÌ„ nor helpe therevnto beeing altogither by our Corruption bent vnto the same only God directeth oure euill doings to his Glorie and to oure Punishmente But Heber the Kenite whiche was of the children of Hobab father c. This is here added bycause of Iael Hebers wyfe who is after reported to kill Sisara wyth a Nayle c. The cause that moued Heber to liue separatly from his kinsmen is not here expressed It maye bee some lyke cause as moued Abraham and Loth to dwel asunder that is great Plentie of cattell and Scarsitie of pasture And Debora sayd vnto Barac Vp for this is the day in whiche the lord c. Iosephus writeth that Barac was muche abashed of the power of Sisara and woulde haue stedde into the Mountaynes but that hee was stayed by Debora who signifyed to hym that this was the tyme in which the Prouidence of God had appoynted to Deliuer Sisarah and his armie into his hands as the Historie declareth that in deede it did fall out Howbeit Sisara fled awaye on his fecte to the tent of Iael wife of Heber c. Sisara was a wicked and Cruell Tiranne a Persecuter of the people of God he trusted in his power and strength of his armie he had no smal trust in the AlliaÌ„ce and Confederacie of other neere vnto him and vpon * coÌ„fidence hereof of was puffed vp wyth Pryde and wyth extreme Tirannie soughte to oppresse the Israelites But when God * visited hys wickednesse neyther his Policie and experience in warre neither the power and Multitude of his Souldiours neither the Strength of his yron Chariottes coulde helpe hym but that hee Fledde and that on foote from a Small number of aduersaries and had reprochefull and villanous Death where he trusted for helpe and comfort So God vseth to deale wyth the enimies of his people And Jael went out to meete Sisara and sayde vnto him Turne in my lord c. It maye here be Doubted howe Haber Iaels husbande beeing of the people of God coulde haue League with a Heathen godlesse Prince Surely to haue such league as tendeth only to the saâ—fe Enioying of the Limites boundes of their Possession semeth not to be against the Scriptures Iacob had league with Laban And the children of Israel sauing seuen natioÌ„s had truce with other countreys aboute them But to desire ayde of them or to ioyne power with them in assistance any way may appeare vtterly to bee agaynste the worde of God and alwayes hathe fallen oute euill to them that haue vsed it As it maye appeare by the example of Iosaphat going with the king of Israel againste Ramoth in Gilead And God by his prophete reproued him for the same 2. Paral. But what shall we here saye of Iael who seemeth in the killyng of Sisara bothe to haue done against the League and couenant of peace betweene them and also to haue broken the lawe of Hospitalitie contrary to Nature and the preseruation of humane Societie Surely in other cases to breake League and Hospitalitie and vnder pretence of Frendshippe to Murther such as committe themselues vnto vs may well seeme a foule and horrible acte But that Iaell here doth was a certayne deuise and practise of Faythe and obedience towarde God. For as it is lawfull for any by what meanes he can to kill suche a person as the Prince hath proclaimed a Traitour and put out of his protection So was it lawfull for Iaell to kyll Sisara whome she nowe knew to be the enimie of God and the oppressour of his people and had declaration therof by the Prophetisse Debora as from the mouth of God hymselfe The Leuites killed the worshippers of the
wicked king Achas at which tyme not onely the Syrians made a great slaughter of them but also the Edomites and Philistines inuaded them Of which time these wordes may be well interpreted but farre better if to that also we consider that the Prophet wrappeth with it that Plague and Reproch which at this time was at hande to be brought vpō them and speaketh of it as of a thing past When God doth grieuously punishe any person for his sinnes His wickednesse is said To be discouered which before might seeme to lye hidde For God neuer plageth but Iustly and therefore all other may know and vnderstande by the sight of his plagues that those persons haue bene offenders against hym I might by right deale with thee as thou hast done which hast despised the c. The Prophetes alwayes vse to their sharpe Threatnings to adde Sweete promises and comfortes least such as haue some feare of God and sense of his iudgement should be driuen to desperation and thinke that the Promise made vnto them in the Messias and blessed seede of Abraham should be taken from them Therefore God here affirmeth that he will not deale with the remnant of the Iewes according to their deseruings but vpon their repentance will be Reconciled vnto them The most part of the people were euill and wicked and when the Prophetes threatned the wrath of God and their destruction they would obiect for their defence the couenant that God had made with them as to be Their God Their Defender and therefore esteemed they all the preaching of the Prophetes to be vayne because they thought Destruction could not come vpon them by that God to whome they were ioyned as His people This promise first begonne to Adam and being after confirmed to Noah and Abraham on Mounte Sinay by Moyses was throughly established at which tyme the people also yeelded to the same All things say they that the Lorde hath spoken we will doe and will be obedient to them This Othe and Couenant the Iewes had wholy Broken and reiected his lawe and true Worship therin contained God therefore telleth them that it is vaine for them to stay vpon the Bonde of the couenant seing they themselues had first broken it so that he by good right might deale otherwise wyth them But for so much as the Whole Multitude were not reiected but God had some Remnant of Faithfull and such as had feare of his name and remembrance of their othe and couenant as may appeare by Ieremie Ezechiell Baruch Daniel Tobie and others to their great comfort he saith that he will Remember his couenant made with them In the dayes of their youth that is in Egipt and at Mounte Sinay when they were but a yong people For although the Greater number were vnfaithful yet their doings should not cause him to breake promise with the residue but rather that he would establish with them an Euerlasting couenant that no time shoulde weare out And this is the Couenant that he speaketh of Hier. 31. Beholde sayth he the daies shall come that I will make a new couenant wyth the house of Israel and the house of Iuda not after the couenant that I made with their fathers c. vvhich couenant they brake c. But this shall be the couenaut that I will make with them I will plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and will write it in their hartes c. In which wordes the Prophet describeth the euerlasting couenant made in Christ Iesu the true Messias and the confirmation of the same by the sending of his Holy spirite into their heartes to direct them to the obseruation of his Law and blessed Will. In all the great Troubles that were towarde the people of God the Prophets vsed to erect them with the Promise of the true Sauiour that was to come Christ Iesu and so doth Ezechiell in this place For all other particular comfortes had their force and strength in him Then shalt thou remember thy ways and be ashamed when thou shalt c. God saide he would Remember his Couenāt made with them therfore he would haue them also To remember their wayes that is their Idolatry and Wicked life and to be * ashamed of them and earnestly from their harts Repent that they haue done so vnfaithfully towarde so gracious and louing a god When God sayth He will gyue their yonger and elder Sisters for daughters to them He speaketh not onely of Sodome and Samaria which before he mentioned but of all the Nations of the Gentiles which by the preaching of the Gospell should be brought to the knowledge of God and faith in Christ and so be made in deede the true children of Abraham and brothers and sisters to them that descended of the Promised seede The Gospell proceeded out of Ierusalem as Esay sayth A lavve commeth out of Syon and the vvorde of the Lorde out of Ierusalem Therefore the Gentiles might well acknowledge it in that respect to be their Mother they to be her sonnes and daughters The .17 Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezech. 18. THe worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 2 What meane ye by this common prouerbe that ye vse in the lande of Israel saying The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens féeth are set on edge 3 As truely as I liue sayth the Lord God Ye shall vse this byworde no more in Israel 4 Beholde all soules are mine like as the soule of the father is mine so is the soule of the sonne mine also the soule that sinneth shall die it selfe 5 But if a man be iust and doe that which is lawfull and right 6 And hath not eaten vpon the hilles he hath not lift his eyes to the Idols of the house of Israel neyther hath defiled his neighbors wife neither hath come neare a woman remoued 7 Neyther hath oppressed any man but hath restored to the detter his pledge he that hath not spoyled any by violēce hath giuen his bread to the hungrie and hath clothed the naked 8 And hath not gyuen forth vpon vsury neither taken any encrease he hath withdrawne his hande from iniquitie and hath executed true iudgement betwéene man and man. 9 And hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgementes to deale truely this is a righteous man he shall surely liue sayth the Lorde God. 10 If he nowe get a sonne that is a robber a shedder of bloud and doe any one of these things 11 Though he doe not all these things but eyther hath eaten vpon the hylles or defiled his neighbours wyfe 12 Or hath oppressed the poore and néedie or spoyled by violence or hath not restored the pledge or hath lift vp his cies vnto the Idols or hath committed abhomination 13 Or hath giuen forth vpon vsurie or hath taken encrease Shall this man liue he shall not liue Seing he
power and diuine prouidence sharpely punisheth the malicious accusers Leauing herin a notable example to all princes straightly to punish and correct such as by craftie meanes seeke the destruction of the faithfull Seruants and Saintes of God. After this wrote king Darius vnto all people nations and tongues that c. The Good king could not satisfie himselfe but that he must also giue Straite charge through all his dominions that no other should be worshipped but the Liuing god As if he had sayde let decrees and proclamations no more â—inde your consciences whether they come from me or from any other if they be contrary to the law of Daniels god I my selfe haue learned howe farre mans lawes should take place and when they are to be abrogated * It is farre better to obey God then to obey man. I am but mortall dust and ashes but the true God liueth for euer He can punish and he can rewarde He therfore is to be feared They that put their trust in him as Daniel hath done can not lacke defence He liueth and is present when he seemeth to be absent and to neglect the care of his people He deliuereth when helpe and succour is lest looked for and in extremitie of daunger fayleth not Wherefore our commaundement is that you neyther feare nor worship any God but him The .20 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ioel. 2. BLowe vp a trumpet in Sion and showte in my holy hill let all the inhabitants of the earth tremble for the day of the Lorde is come for it is nie at hande 2 A darke and glomie day a clowdie and blacke day as the morning is spread ouer the mountaynes so is this populous and strong people like it there was none from the beginning nor shall be hereafter for euermore 3 Before him is a deuouring fire and behinde him a butning flame the lande is as a pleasant garden before him and behinde him a wast desert yea and nothing shall escape him 4 The shew of him is as the shew of horses and lyke horsemen so shall they runne 5 Lyke the noyse of charets vpon the toppes of the mountaynes they shall skip like the noyse of a flaming fire deuouring the stubble and as a strong people prepared to battayle 6 Before his face shall the people tremble the countenaunce of all folkes shall waxe blacke 7 They shall runne like strong men and clime the walles like men of warre and euery one shall march on in his way and they shall not linger in their pathes 8 No man shall thrust another but euery one shall walke in his path and if they shall fall on the sworde they shall not be wounded 9 They shall runne to and fro in the citie they shall runne vp and downe vpon the wal they shall clime into the houses they shall enter in at the windowes like a théefe 10 The earth shall quake before him the heauens shall tremble the sunne and the moone shall be darke and the starres shall withdraw their shining 11 And the Lorde shall giue his voyce before his hoast for his campe is excéeding great for he is mightie that executeth his commaundement for the day of the Lorde is great and verie terrible and who can abyde it 12 But nowe sayth the Lorde Turne you vnto me with all your heartes with fasting with wéeping and with mourning 13 And rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne you vnto the Lorde your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great goodnesse and he will repent him of the euill 14. Who knoweth whether the Lorde will returne and take compassion and will leaue behinde him a blessing euen meate offering and drinke offering vnto the Lorde your God. 15 Blowe vp a trumpet in Sion proclame a fast cal an assembly sanctifie the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ 16 Gather the people gather the elders assemble the children and sucking babes let the Bridegrome come forth of his chamber and the bride out of hir closet 17 Let the Priestes the Lordes ministers wéepe betwixt the porch and the aulter and let them say Spare thy people O Lorde and giue not ouer thine heritage to reproche that the heathen should rule ouer them Wherefore should they say amongst the heathen Where is their God 18 And then the Lorde will be iealous ouer his lande and will spare his people 19 Yea the Lorde will answere and say to his people Beholde I will sende you corne and wiâ—e and oyle and will satisfie you therewith and will not giue you ouer any more to be a reproch among the heathen 20 And I will remoue farre of from you the northen armie and I will driue him into a lanÌ„de barren and desolate with his face towards the east sea and his hinder parts towardes the vttermost sea and his stinch shall arise and his corruption shall ascend because he hath exalted himselfe to doe this 21 Feare not O thou lande be glad and reioyce for the Lorde will doe great things 22 Be not afraide ye beastes of the fielde for the fruitfull places of the desert are gréene for the trée beares hir fruite the figge trée and the vine yéelde their strength 23 Be glad then ye children of Sion and reioyce in the Lord your God for he hath giuen you moderate raine and he will sende downe for you the raine euen the first raine and the latter raine and in the first moneth 24 And the barnes shall be filled with corne and the presses shall ouerflowe with wine and oyle 25 And I will restore to you the yeres which the grashopper the canker worme the locuste and the caterpiller haue deuoured my great armie which I sent amongst you 26 And you shall eate in plentie and be satisfied and shall prayse the name of the Lorde your God which hath dealt wonderously with you and my people shall not be ashamed any more 27 And you shall know that I am in the middle of Israel and that I am the Lord your God and none but I and my people shall neuer be ashamed 28 And it shall come to passe after this I will powre out my spirite vpon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames your yong men shall sée visions 29 Also in those dayes vpon the seruantes and vpon the handmaydens will I powre out my spirite 30 And I will shewe wonders in heauen and in earth bloud and fyre and pillers of smoke 31 The sunne shall be turned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and terrible day of the Lord come 32 But whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued for there shall be deliuerance in mount Sion and in Hierusalem as the Lorde hath promised and also in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call The Exposition vpon the seconde Chapter of Ioel. Blowe vp a trumpet in Sion and showte in my holy
before his comming These things we haue seene in these latter dayes meruelously fulfilled in all the elements In the Sunne and Moone often Eclipses In the vpper parte of the aire blasing Starres Swoordes Pillars of fire fire Drakes flying in the Aire and other like impressions In the Earth Earthquakes and other straunge alterations In the Water many and exceding great floudes risings and swellings to the great griefe and annoyance of Mankinde And as there hath bene in all times some of those signes so in no age so manye as hath bene within these fewe yeares Whereby we must needes gather that we are fallen into those latter troublesome and perilous dayes thathere the Prophete speaketh of But whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued for c. The whole summe of our* saluation consisteth in * calling vpon the name of the Lord and in putting our* confidence and trust in his mercy and deliueraunce wrought for vs by the Sauiour of the worlde Christ Iesu Who suffred and dyed for vs by his resurrection made perfect the misterie of our Redemption At Mount Sion and in Hierusalem according to the vnfallible Promises of Almightie God. The. 20. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Micheas 6. HEarken ye nowe what the Lorde sayth Aryse thou and contende with the mountaynes and let the hilles heare thy voyce 2 Heare O ye mountaynes the Lordes quarrell and ye mightie foundations of the earth for the Lorde hath a quarrell agaynst his people and will pleade with Israell 3 O my people what haue I done vnto thée or wherein haue I grieued thée giue me answere 4 I haue brought thée out of the lande of Egypt and deliuered thée out of the house of bondage and I made Moises Aaron and Miriam to lead thée 5 Remember O my people what Balach the king of Moab had deuised against thée and what answere that Balaam the sonne of Beor gaue him from Sethin vnto Galgal that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lorde 6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lorde and bowe my selfe to the hie God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeare olde 7 Hath the Lord a pleasure in many thousandes of rammes or innumerable streames of oyle shall I giue my first borne for mine offences and the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule 8 He hath shewed thée O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thée namely to do iustly to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. 9 The Lordes voyce cryeth vnto the citie and the man that shall be saued considereth thy name hearken what is your rod and heare him that warneth you 10 Are not yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure which is abhominable 11 Shoulde I iustifie the false balances and the bagge of deceytfull weightes 12 For the rich men thereof are full of crueltie and thâ— inhabitants thereof haue spoken lies and haue deceytfull tongues in their mouthes 13 Therefore I will take in hande to punishe thée and to make thée desolate because of thy sinnes 14 Thou shalt eate and not haue inough yea thou shalt bring thy selfe downe in the middes of thée thou shalt flée but not escape and those that thou wouldest saue will I deliuer to the sword 15 Thou shalt sowe but not reape thou shalt presse out Oliues but Oyle shalt thou not haue to annoynt thy selfe with Oyle thou shalt treade out must but thou shalt drinke no wine 16 Ye kéepe the ordinances of Amri and all the customes of the house of Ahab ye walke in their counsels therefore will I make thée waste and cause thy inhabiters to be hissed at and ye shall beare the reproche of my people The Exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of Micheas Hearken you now what the Lorde sayth Arise thou and contende with c. THe Prophet Micheas blameth the Iewes for their wickednesse and declareth to them their punishment for y same 1 First he noteth their vnthankefulnesse for the great benefites that they haue receyued at his hande 2 Then he taketh from them al the confidence that they might haue had to please God with their Sacrifices and external Hypocrisie and sheweth what they should doe to please God rightly 3 Thirdly he sharpely rebuketh their obstinacie in contemâ—ing the worde of God and refusing to heare him 4 Lastly he openeth some of their particular faultes and denounceth their punishment that God will bring vpon them And all this doth he in maner of a pleading of Gods cause before Iudges which * maner the Prophetes diuerse times doe vse thereby to set out the Iustice of God and more euidently to declare that his people euen by the Iudgement of men or other common creatures are vnexcusable and by their owne wickednesse to pull vpon themselues iust and grieuous punishments In this place the Prophete by appointment of God taketh Mountaynes and Hilles and the verie Foundations of the earth to heare the cause and complaint of Almightie God agaynst his people of Israel And that is it that the Prophete vttereth in the person of God saying Arise thou and contende with the mountaynes c. And then he Obeying the appoyntment of God sayth Heare O you mountaynes the Lordes quarell c. As if he had sayde Forsomuch as the heartes of this people are so farre from God that not so much as one of them will consider and vnbe â—stande his cause I appeale to you hilles and mountaynes and make the vnsensible Creatures Iudges agaynst them In this the Prophet both noteth the hard hearts and the obstinate contempt of the Iewes particularly and also generally teacheth all then which in like maner contemne the worde of god that they shal by no meanes be hable to escape iust iudgement and condemnation For because the * who le world was made by God for vs and in all poyntes seruing to our vse perfourmeth that ende to the which it was made though all other Iudges and witnesses would fayle the very partes of the world and the coÌ„mon creatures will pronounce sentence against vs if we in our calling doe shewe our selues vnthankefull disobedient and rebellious agaynst God. O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee c. There is no one thing that in the Prophetes causeth more difficultie then the often and the sodaine chaunging of the Person wherefore that is here also to be obserued The second verse was vttered in the person of the Prophet these three verses God himselfe speaketh Although God were grieuously displeased with them yet he calleth them His people therby * shewing that he would be readie to receiue them to Mercie if they would turne vnto him and repente Then he lamentably vpbraideth them with the vnthankefull receiuing of his great benefites that he had done for them Whereby hee