few words Standstil saith Moses behold and marke the end when ye are not able the Lord him selfe will sight for you these cruell enemies whom ye see this day ye shall neuer see any more And so it came to passe for by Gods mighty hand the Israelites passed through the Sea safe and Pharao with his people were drowned The scripture teacheth that the fearfull vnfaithfull murtherers adulterers inchaunters Idolaters and liers shal haue their parts in the burning lake of fire and brimstone If ye will not sticke vnto this God and feare him as children ought to loue and reuerence their father yet feare him as seruants doe their masters and as ill men doe which are afraid of punishment and forbeare ill doing for feare rather then for loue The greeuous punishment which is threatned to fearefull men is the second and euerlasting death bothe ofbodie and soule which whosoeuer hath any true feare of God in him will tremble quake when he thinketh on it be not therefore afraid of them but plucke vp your stomaches and boldlie stand in the defence of that Citie which the Lord God hath giuen you to serue him in To fight for sonnes daughters wiues and houses I thinke it were an easie matter to perswade anie man for they be our flesh and bones and we be readie ynough to such matters and surelie not without a cause for both the law of god the law ofnature bindeth vs to defend them in their wel doings Moses in his law saieth that if thou traueyling by the way doe sinde thine enemies asse fallen in the mire vnder his load thou shalt not passe by but help him vp surelie the meaning of this law was not for the asse but as Saint Paul alledging the like law thou shalt not mussle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne sayed Had God care for the Oxe Nay verely but for you it is writen that ye should feede your painful teachers which labour for you as the Oxe So I say this law was not made for the Asse his sake but euen for thy enemie who is ouerloden as the Asse was and speciallie those to whom thou art bound by nature for else thou art worsse then an infidel But in this matter men are sone resolued what to doe there is a harder matter in mens minds that is whether we should fight for Religion as these men did or no. We see great troubles in manie countries against their Princes in our days for religion and many doubt what they may do herein Let the case stand as these mens did it is sone answered These Samaritans Sanballat and his fellowes were no Princes but subiect to Artaxerxes as the Iewes were nor had anie authoritie ouer them they were Gods enemies and did the Iewes wrong that would not suffer them to goe forward with that building which the King had giuen them licence and commission to do Therefore they might iustlie defend them selues against such theeues Further here is to be noted also that they defend thē selues onelie doe not inuade the other offering anie violence to them but would quietlie enioy their owne if they might And this is a greate difference in the warrs whether a man stand to defense of him selfe his people in any cause or doe inuade others and offer them wrong Defending a mans selfe is alowed by all lawes in manie causes and yet in religion by flying and not by drawing the sword against his Prince but to rebell and draw the sword against thy lawfull Prince for religion I haue not yet learned nor cannot alow off it nor I cannot see how so manie martirs in all ages would haue submitted them selues to death willinglie if they might haue fought for it Peter drew his sword to cut of Malchus eare and would haue fought for his master but Christ Iesus bad him put vp his Sword for if the matter stoode by fighting he could aske his heauenlie father and he would giue many thousands of Angels to fight for him The Prophet biddeth the Israelites in their captiuitie in Babilon pray for the life of Nebucadnezar Balthasar his sonne seeke for the peace of the Citie in which they were prisoners and not trouble them S. Paul biddeth pray for all them that were in authoritie and then was Nero Emperour a beast in condition rather then a man yet he must be prayed for Dauid would neuer hurt King Saul though he might and had him in his daunger sundrie times might haue killed him if he would Therefore as Christ ouercame his enemies by suffring so they that be Christes shall get the victorie by patientnes bearing the crosse not by rebelling drawing the sword As Nehemiah therefore here encourageth the Nobles Rulers and people manfullie to stand in defence of their countrie Citie wiues children breethren and howses against their enemies so in the spirituall kingdome of Christ must the Preachers Pastors encourage all sorts from the highest to the lowest manfully to stand to that wholsome doctrine of saluation which they haue bene taught out of Gods holie booke and not be afraid nor chaunge with euerie blast of winde and turne with the world as all sorts in this land haue done to the offence of Gods maiestie and their great reproch and specially ofthose that were the heades and should haue bene staies to others Religion is not a thing at the pleasure of Princes to chaunge as they list though the outward circumstances in it may be chaunged by them but it is the vnchaungeable will and determinate pleasure of the almightie Lord of heauen and earth decreed by high Court of parlament in heauen afore the world was made and declared vnto man by his Prophets and Apostles in such times as his infinite wisdome thought meete and cannot be altered by anie man nor authoritie in anie age I am God and am not chaunged saith the Lord my thoughts and my waies are not like your thoughts and waies which are euer changeable and vncertaine but I am euer one and chaunge not Stick therfore fast vnto that Lord which shrinketh not a waie from his people but manfully deliuereth them by suffering we shall haue the victory as our Captaine Christ Iesus had for if we suffer with him Saint Paul saith we shall reigne with him In bearing his crosse and sufferance then standeth our conquest not in Rebelling in dying to him and not liuing to our selues Marke now the mightie hand of God fighting for his people and the cowardly harts ofthese boasting braggers how sone they come to nought they but hard tell that the Iewes vnderstoode their conspiracie how they thought to haue come sodenlie murthered them that they were readie in armoure to withstand and defend them-selues against them their harts faile them they runne away lay downe their weapons and the Lord defeated their whole purpose and deuises Thus lightheads they had that when they heard tell
Conquest of sinne death hell the world the slesh that afterward we may reign with thee in thy blessed Kingdome which thou hast so deerely purchased for vs by the death of thy Christ our sauiour thy sonne our Lord to whom with thee and thee holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer Amen CHAP. 5. 1. And there was a great crie of the people made and their wiues against their breethren the Iewes 2. And there were that said our sons our daughters we are many therfore we must take corne that we may eate liue 3. And there were some that saide our fieldes and our vineyeards and our houses we haue laid to pledge that we might haue Corne in this hunger 4. And there were some that said we haue borowed money for the Kings tribute vppon our landes and vineyeards 5. And now as the flesh of our breethren is so is our flesh and as their children be so are our children and marke we bring into bondage our sonnes and our daughters as seruants and there be some of our daughters in bondage alreadie and there is no powre in our hands our lands and our vineyeards are in other mens hands WHile that Nehemiah had traueiled him selfe wearie in keeping watch and ward and setting the people to building the wals againe and thought all was quiet both within the Citie and safe against the vtter enemie behould now bursteth out a new sore worsse then the former The people and their wiues come with open mouth and make an outcry against the rich and Rulers among them which vnmercifullie had spoyled and oppressed them in so much as they were not able to liue Such is the state of Gods people here in the earth that as our master Christ saieth He came to ouerthrow the workes of the deuil so the deuil ceaseth not by al meanes to ouerthrow or at the least so much as in him is to hinder by his partakers the building ofGods house the setting forth of his glorie And to declare the vehemency of the crie the holy ghost noteth it by such a word in the Ebrew as signifieth those vprores outcries which are made in Rebellious or Seditious Riots or els ofsuch as crie out for great grief anguish ofheart The parties that make their crie are the common people and women of which it is hard to tell whether of them is often more importune in outcrying many times without iustcause The people if they smart a litle haue not their owne wils fulfilled are ready to exclame women can weep and howle when they list and the basest sort are the worst The parties against whome they crie be the Iewes their countrie-men breethren in kindred and professing one religion If this oppression and cruel dealing had bene by straungers where no mercie is commonlie shewed nor looked for it would haue bene lesse marueiled at and lesse it would haue greeued them but to be entreated cruelly by their countriemen kinsmen those that serued the same God and professed the same Religion that they did and at whose hands they looked for aid and comfort this was thought so straunge that it would make anie astonied to heare tell of it With these circumstances the holy ghost setteth out the greatnesse of the cry to make it more horrible in mens sight so the more easilie to bring them to repentaunce and make them ashamed of their cruel dealings When the deuil preuayled not by Sanballat and his fellowes to ouerthrow the building he setteth now on the poore common sort and womē to crie out against their rulers thinking by this meanes to ouerthrow all rather then to procure anie remedie orreliefe for them Though God of his accustomed goodnesse turning oft our wicked doings to the setting forth of his Glorie by this meanes wrought their deliueraunce and libertie Such is the wisdome of our God that by our foolishnesse he declareth his mightie powre wisdome maiestie our ill dealing sheweth forth his iustice mercie that against our wil meaning 2. And there were that said The cause of their Crie is set forth in these 4. verses following Hunger need oppression pinching pouertie and pining penurie made them so to crie out And this is to common a fault in our daies in the preaching of the gospel Some of the pooter sort though they had not lands and goods yet God as he vseth commonlie had blessed them more then the richer sort with children so manie that they could not tell how to gett bread for them except they should sell them as slaues and where they were free borne they should now become bond and be vsed as beastes What a griefe that is to a good father that loueth his childe deerely in the feare of God to be driuen by the vnmercifull dealing of the rich to sell his owne children for bondmen I leaue it to the consideration of those that be natural and louing Parents for none can expresse the greatnes of that griefe but he that hath bene pinched with it and felt the smart of it When Iacob should send litle Beniamin into Egipt with his breethren for corne it was long or he could be brought to it and he almost had rather died for hunger then let him goe from him What a loue had Dauid toward his wicked sonne Absolon euen in the midst of his rebellion and what charge gaue he to his captaines that they should not kill him Such is the loue of natural Parents towards their children that they will loue them and cannot cast them of euen in their ill doings though manie times the children be most vnthankeful Libertie is a thing that euerie man naturallie desireth and by all meanes seeketh for therefore bondage must needes be such a thing as euery man doeth abhorre and slie from yet hunger is such a thing that it will breake stonie walls and rather then a man will beare it continuallie he will sell landes goods wife children yea him-selfe to be slaues for euer Nay hunger is so pinching a paine that a woman will eate her owne childe as in the siege of Ierusalem in Samaria and Saguntine yea a man his owne flesh rather then he will die for hunger Hunger of all thinges maie not be abidden what inconuenience soeuer fall out after Consider then what miserable case these poore men were in that had so manie children and could get no bread to put in their mouthes and wicked men the richer sort were they that had brought them to this pouertie and now would not releeue them in this their extremitie We read of a Bishoppe of Mentz in Germanie called Hatto who had great store of corne and would not releeue the pcore with it in time of great dearth but let the rats eate it in reuenge of which God raised so manie Rats about him that they droue him from house to house to saue his life and where he had a strong towre in the
be more secretly done he chooseth the night season rather then the day to doe it in a few men to wait on him rather then many no moe horsse then his owne all the rest on foote for making noise many men and horsses would sone haue bene espied one troubled another made a great noise haue bewrayed his counsell which he kept so secret to him selfe that he tould it not to any man what he went about and ifhe had gone alone he might haue fallen into some daunger oflife hauing none to help him The night is the quietest tyme to deuise things in for then all things be quiet euery man keepeth his house and draweth to rest no noyse is made abroade the eies are not troubled with looking at many things the senses are not drawne away with phantasies and the mynde is quiet Many men would haue committed the doings of such things to other men and would haue trusted them to haue vewed the walls and after to haue certified him of their doings in what case they were and how they might most speedelie be repayred but Nehemiah lest he should haue wrong information giuen him though he was a man of great authoritie did not disdaine to take the paines him-selfe breake his sleepe and rode about the walls him-selfe to teach vs that nothing should be thought painfull at any time nor disdainfull to anie man of what estate so-euer he were to set forthe the building of Gods Citie and dwelling place which euerie man ought to doe in his calling Dauid when the Arke of God was brought out of Abinadabs house played on instruments and after cast of his Kinglie apparell for reioysing daunced afore the Arke in his poore Ephod to glorifie his God withall Michol his wife looking forth at a window and seeing him daunce laught him to scorne asked him if he were not ashamed to daunce so nakedlie afore such a companie of women as though he had bene but some light scoffing fellow But Dauid was so zealous a man earnest to glorify God by al meanes that he forgat him-selfe to be a King abasedhim-selfe with the lowest and simplest said to Michol that he would yet more lowelie cast downe him selfe so that his God might be glorisied in his doings Michol for mocking of him was barren all her life had no children but Dauid for this humbling of him-selfe was blessed of the Lord. Moses for sooke to liue in pleasure in Pharaos court tobe called his daughters sonne chose to liue in trouble with his Breethren the Iewes to keepe lethros sheepe so that he might serue the Lord. Our sauiour the perfect Paterne of all humblenesse did not disdaine to washe the Myrie feete of his disciples and wype them and last of all as though that had not bene base enough he humbleth him-selfe to the sclanderous death of the Crosse and to hang on a Crosse betwene two theeues for vs being his enemies as though he had bene a third he loued vs so tenderly that he would goe to hell that we might goe to heauen he would die so vilde a death to purchase vs so glorious a life and suffer the paines due to our sinnes that we might enioy the pleasures of heauen God graunt al estates this humblenes of mind that for his cause that forsooke al worldly honour they may be content to abase them-selues to suffer al paines reprochfull things in the world for the furtherance of the building of Gods Citie such humble abasing of them-selues is the greatest honor that euer they shall get all worldly pompe without this vilde shameful In that he telleth no man what he went about that God had put it in hismind to doe it he declareth that it was not his owne deuice nor came from any man but God him-selfe was the mouer of it therefore was more earnestlie to be followed He that will learne to keepe counsell in deede let him learne of Nehemiah here to tell no man not to his dearest friend Manie will come to his friend and say I can tell you a secret matter but ye must keepe in counsell and tell no body what folishnes is this that thou wouldst haue another to keepe thy counsell secret to him selfe thou thy selfe canst not keepe it secret to thy selfe wouldst thou haue another man to doe that for thee which thou wilt not do for thy selfe Keepe thine owne counsel and then thou shalt not neede to feare lest other men bewray thee And if thou wouldst haue another mā to keepe thy counsel he wil thinke thou shouldst not haue told it thy selfe and then it had bene safe enough but in telling him he telleth another friend he sayeth to him as thou saidst to thy friendafore I can tel you a thing that was told me secretly but you must keepe counsel tell no body so with going from friend to friend it will be knowne to al men Therefore the surest onely way to haue counsell kept secret is to follow Nehemiah here and tel it to no man though he be thy deare freind for he hath other friends to tell it to as thou didst tell it him If any doe marueil why Nehemiah was thus earnest in this building and refused no paines nor ieoperdy but with courage went through them all he telleth a sufficient cause here him selfe and sayeth his God had put it in his heart to doe it He taketh not the glorie of it to himselfe but giueth all the praise to God alone as we must doe in all good things Whensoeuer God putteth any good thing into mans heart to doe he driueth him so forward that he cannot eat sleepe nor rest quietly vntill it be done he thinketh all time long and lost that is not bestowed on it therefore they that be so colde in their worke that they care not whither it goe forward or not are not moued by God The holy gost which worketh this great desire in vs is called fire Iohn Baptist said he baptized in water but he that came after him should baptize them with the holy ghost fire The holy ghost fel on the apostles in firie tongues and our sauiour Christ said he came to set fire on the earth and what would he els but that it should burne These be spoken to teach vs that those which are moued of God are earnest in their doings God loueth not those that be luke warme he wil spew them out of his mouth you must be either an earnest friend or an open enemie he loueth no dissemblers you must be eyther hotte or cold he that is not with him is against him double-dealers are the worst people that be they are good neither afore God nor man an open enemie is better then a flattering friend all which sayings doe teach vs to be earnest in gods worke or els he putteth it not into our hart Salomon commendeth plaine dealing so much
conspiracy that was intended against them by Sanballat and his fellowes be worthie more praise or dispraise It was theire dutie to haue come home stood in stormes and help to build Ierusalem as well as these other their fellowes did but God which turneth our negligence and foolishnes to the setting forth of his immortal goodnesse and wisdome gaue them a good will and boldnes to further that building as they might and sturred them vp to come often times open vnto them in Ierusalem the great conspiracie that was intended against them that they might be readie to defend themselues when-soeuer they were assaulted It greeued them to vnderstand the mischiefe that was purposed both to haue their breethrens blood cruellyshed also that building to be ouerthrowen and though they durst not come and ioyne with them both in battaile and working yet they are to be commended that they so pitied their breethren and the worke that they gaue warning of that great conspiracie purposed against them Thus God vseth the seruice of all men and creatures to the benefit and comfort of those that feare him truely So among wicked people manie times doe good men dwel both to bring them from their wickednes by their good example and counsell and also to be a reliefe to other good men abroad in other places when occasion shall serue Thus was Lot in Sodom Ioseph in Pharaos house and Daniell in Babylon and if these Iewes had not dwelt abroad among the Samaritans and Arabians this conspiracie had not bene opened to the builders in Ierusalem but they should haue bene sodenly slaine afore they knew of their comming Thus is Gods prouidence care for his people when they vnderstand not their owne daunger to be praised and this naturall loue that these Iewes bareto their Countrie and Breethren in fore-warning them to defend them-selues is to be followed of all good men Demeratus of Lacedemon was vniustlie banished his countrie yet when he heard that the Athenians would make warre against his countrie he gaue his countrie-men warning of it that they might be in a readinesse to defend them-selues When the Israelites had made the Golden calfe and God in his anger would haue destroyed them Moses falleth to prayer though they oft rebelled against him and desireth the Lord to pardon them or els to put him out of his booke Saint Paul wisheth to be accursed from Christ so that he might winne his breethren the Iewes to the Lord Christ though they oft sought his death Thus good men wil forget displeasures done vnto them and be readie alwaies to help and comfort their Countrie and speciallie those that be of the houshold of faith This may be a comfort to all good men that as God opened this conspiracie to his people at this time by the Iewes that dwelt farre from them so his fatherlie care neuer faileth them that loue him but he will defend and deliuer them for he maketh his enemies if they be made priuie of anie such mischiefe so babling that they will open it eyther for vaine Glorie briberie malice or else their owne consciences doe accuse them that they cannot quiethe suffer such a mischiefe to be wrought And although they were thus oft and out of all corners warned of this conspiracie yet they could scarselie be brought manie of them to beleeue anie such thing to be attempted it was so horrible and incredible Good men iudge others to be like them selues simple and plaine dealers and cannot easilie be perswaded that anie man would goe about such a mischiefe But the gospel teacheth that we should be wise as serpents as simple as doues the serpent is wise to saue his owne head and hide him selfe vntill the daunger be past and the doue will not crastelic deuise anie harme to anie other so the man of God must be wise as the serpent and not be carelese of his saftie for God hath giuen him reason to defend him selfe and foresee mischiefes and prouide for them nor he must not be craftie to hurt others as the doue is not but he must rather thinke that the wicked men whom Sathan hath so possessed will leaue nothing vndone that may ouerthrow the good therefore they ought to be as wise circumspect diligent to defend them-selues their countrie from such mischiefes by all honest meanes as the other shall be busie to deuise or doc them anic harme or else they shallbe guiltie of their owne destruction and manie others which cannot be defended in conscience nor the Lord can alowe it in iustice being hurtfull to so manie 13. I set in the lowe places Nehemiah by leauing the Court where he liued in case is now come to a goodlie bargaine First he was master of the worke set euerie man in order that none loytered nor wrought otherwyes then he was appointed and that none troubled his fellowes dayly dabling in the mire morter and clay as long as he might and yet would not be wearie with great displeasure and grudging of those that should be his friends and helpers but now is become a warrier is driuen to put on armour keepe watch and ward night and daie and ouersee them him selfe to sett his people in aray and appoint them their standing places giuing them their weapons and teaching them what they should doe Such reward shall they haue that sorsake the world and will build Gods house and Citie God and the world cannot be friends and that maketh so few Courtiers to tread this trodde Moses being brought vp in Pharaos house and might haue bene called as sonne to Phà raos daughter refused the Court and chose to be in trouble with his breethren the Iewes and serue the Lord rather then to haue all the dainties in the Court liuing in Idolatrie and displeasure of God I know not many courtiers which might thaue liued in the court with such fauour authoritie would not to set by these two men God encrease the number make many earnest folowers of them Nehemiah now like a good Captaine setteth some of his souldiers in trenches that they could not be seene be-low where the walls were lowest that if any entred there they should be entrapped by and by some he setteth on the top of the walls with their bowes that they might both be seene far of so make the enemy afraied to come neere when they should see them in such readines also that they might shoot farre of at them and hurt them afore they could assault the walls And like a wise Captaine he setteth all of one kindred together that one should be true to another as kinsfolkes will rather then Strangers It hath bene a common practise with vs of late to take the souldiers of one countrie from their Captaine whome they know and loue and put them to a straunger whome they know not what goodnes hath come of it let wise men iudge in my opinion little or none except
great tokens of Gods prouidence and good wil toward Nehemiah none is greater then that he being a prisoner a straunger borne and one not of their religion seruing Idols but worshiping the true lyuing God should be called to such a place of credit and worshipp to be the kings cupbearer and taster None vseth to put anie to such offices of trust but such as be thought to be of great honestie truth and fidelitie No doubt many of the Persians desyred that office and disdained that Nehemiah a straunger should enioy an office of that credit authoritie where he might haue free accesse to the king and take occasion to moue his sute for himselfe or his friende Yet this is Gods accustomed goodnes that when his people be in trouble he always prouideth some to be about the prince which both may and will help to defend them In this long captiuitie vnder king Darius was Daniel his fellowes in great authoritie with the king vnder king Assuerus were Ester Mardocheus vnder king Cyrus were Ezra Zorobabel others vnder Artaxerxes was Nehemiah in great fauour wich al being Iewes borne did wonderfully relieue cōfort the oppressed people in this great extremitie vnder heathen kings A strange worke of God to cause heathen Princes to fauour and defend the religion that they knew not and to defend that people which their subiects hated But such a louing lord is our God to vs that though he punish his owne people sharplie for a tyme yet he casteth them not away for euer and if he lay on heauy loade yet he giueth them strength to beare it Here may be mooued a harde question on these mens doings whither it be lawfull now for a Christian man to serue a heathen Prince or no as they did then let the case stande as it doeth here and it is easy to answere These men all were prisoners taken out of their owne countrie by violence liued vnder heathen kings therfore ought faithfullie to serue and quietly to obey them So liued Ioseph in Egipt vnder Pharaoh so Daniell Mardocheus Ezra Nehemiah and others So did Ieremie and Baruch the Prophets teach them to liue saing vnto all the Iewes then being Captiues vnder infidels Pray for the life of Nebuchad-nezzar Baltasar his sonne seeke the peace of that countrie whitherye be caried away prisoners and be not troublers of the common-wealth So Saint Peter taught the christians in the beginning of their receyuing of the gospel that seruants should not forsake their masters though they did not yet beleeue but serue them faithfullie obey them reuerentlie yea though they were hard froward to them So Saint Paul and Peter both biddeth the faithfull wife not to leaue her vnfaithfull husband but behaue ' her selfe more honestly that by her wel doing the husband may be wonne to the lord Gods holy name not ill spoken of through them What good could a rude vnfaithfull people thinke of that God or religion that would teach the seruante or wife to runne away from their masters or husband The scripture teacheth no such thing but all faithfulnes duetie and obedience toward all men so far as we offend not God But in these dayes if anie should leaue the companie of Christian people willinglie and goe serue an infidel king for vantage sake that were il done differeth farre from the case of these good people and maie not be done except it were to goe and preach Good men afore rehearsed dissembled not their God nor their Religion but among the infidels boldelie confessed it as all Christians ought to doe in al places and afore all men though they be cruell against them 2. And the king said The good will of the king toward Nehemiah appeereth in that he marketh the countenance of his seruant so diligentlie which Kings vse not commonlie to doe but to such as they loue dearlie and asketh the cause of his sadnes Some would rather haue chidd him and bid him goe out of the Kings presence For Princes maie not haue any occasion of heauines shewed before them but all deuises that can be to make them mery yet God would by this means moue the Kings heart to pitie his man and by graunting his sute comforte his heauy heart The King belike was a wise man for by a heauie countenaunce he could perceiue the heauines of his heart A good kinde of reasoning and seldome vntrue The heart is the beginning and well-spring of all affections and motions of the bodie and by outward signes sheweth what it thinketh inwardlie Momus which is one that findeth fault with al things when he was willed to tell what fault he could finde in the fashion and shape of man sayeth man was not rightlie made for that his harte was locked vpp secretlie in his breaste that his thoughtes could not be espied he should haue had some glasses set there that his thoughtes might be seene But he that will diligentlie marke the countenance behauiour of a man shal easelie perceiue what the heart thinketh Hypocrites may dissemble and cloake them for a time but time wil soone discrie them to a wise man Salomon sayeth A merrie heart maketh a chearefull count enance by the sorrow of the heart the minde is heauie Ecclesiasticus saith a wise man is knowne by his countenance the next verse is A mans garment laughter going declare what a man is Gregorie Nazianzen when he saw Iulianus apostata the Emperor first by his countenance foolish moouing of his bodie coniectured truly of his wickednes falling frō God which followed afterward cried out O Lord God how great a mischiefe is nourished in the empire of Rome Other affections likewise when they grow much as this sorow of Nehemtah did worke greatlie Whē Ophni Phinees were slaine and the Arke of God taken El their father hearing the newes for sorow fell of his chaire died Phinees wife being neare the time of her childe-birth hearing the death of her husband fell on trauell died for sorow Whē the blessedvirgin Marie came to salute Elizabeth the child sprang in her wombe for ioy So much a merrie heart can doe I cannot tell whither the wisdome of Nehemiah in bridling his affection that in so great a sorow he cried not out like a woman or the good disposition of the King that so pitied the sorowful heart of his man is worthy more praise but suerly both are to be followed of al Christians Affections must be holdē vnder that they grow not to much heauie heartes would be comforted for as the King seeing the sad countenance of his man diligently searched out the cause of his sorow so Christians when one seeth an other in heauines should brotherly cōforte him weepe with them that weepe as though we were partakers of the same sorow according to the rule of S. Paul If one member of the body be
many tymes turneth them to hatred That preacher therefore which will winne most vnto God shal rather doe it by gentelnes then by sharpnes by promise then by threatnings by the gospel then by the law by loue then by feare though the law must be enterlaced to throw downe the malice of mans hart the flesh must be bridled by feare and the spirit comforced with louing kindnes promised Nehemiah vseth both the law and the Gospel to persuade them withal The 17. verse laieth afore them the misery they were in to liue vnder heathen strange Princes the pitiful sight of their broken wal their gates burned wherby they liued in continual danger of the enemy round about them to be spoyled murthered the shame was no lesse them the losse that they could not repaire and recouer by their wel doing that their fathers lost they had dwelled so many yeares in it since king Cyrus gaue them licence to goe home againe all which were the heauie burthens cursse of the law But this verse setteth afore them the gratious goodnes of God and the King which had giuen great tokens of their good wil fauour toward the worke of their meere mercie so both the lawe and the gospel laide afore them the miserie taken awaie and mercie offered vnto them they should most thankfully receaue the goodnesse promised auoid the great burthen of miserie that they so long had borne This kinde of teaching is verie meete to be followed of all preachers and those that shall speake vnto a people where all sorts of states ar to be perswaded sor these kinds of reasons touch all sorts of men and if it be done in the feare of God it wil worke as it did then Those be the best schollers that wil learne withont the rod yet none so good but at times he needeth the rod and a wise schoolemaster wil make such choyse of his schollers whom he wil haue learned that he shall profit more with gentlenesse then crueltie and such asses as must continuallie haue the whip are meeter to be driuen from the schoole to the Cart then by their loytring to hurt others 19. Sanballat the Horronite and Tobias the seruant an Ammonite and Gesem the Arabian heardit and they mocked vs said what is this thing that ye doe doe ye fall awaie from the King 20. And I aunswered them said vnto them the God of heauen is he that hath graunted vs prosperitie and we his seruants wil rise vp and build and as for you there is no portion and right nor remembrance in Ierusalem These men as they were sad at Nehemiahs first comming when they see that any man had founde such fauour with the King to doe good to Ierusalem so now were they almost mad for anger when they heard that they went about to build the walls of Ierusalem Openlie to withstand them or forbid them to worke they durst not because they had the Kings Commission to doe so but so much as they durst they discourage them they mocke them thei threaten to accuse them of that which would make any man afraid they lay rebellion to their charge and say they would build that City for no other cause but that they would make them-selues strong aginst the King fall away from him set vp a King amongst them selues obey none but vse their olde libertie rule all about them as they did afore These men beare some authoritie in the countrie and like proud braggers dissembling malitious enemies to God his word they would hinder so much as thy could this building The world is to full at this day of such like dissembling hipocrites The one soite if they come vp of nought get a badge pricked on their sleeue though they haue litle yet they looke so bigg speake so stoutly that they kepe the poore vnder their feete that they dare not route All must be as they say though it be neyther true nor honest none dare say the contrarie But the dungeon dissembling Papist is more like vnto them for he careth not by what meanes to get it by feare or by flatterie so that he can obteine his purpose These men first mocke the Iewes and scornefully despise them for enterprising this building thinking by this meanes to discourage poore soules that they should not goe forward in this worke After that they charge them with rebellion These two be the old practises of Sathan in his members to hinder the building of Gods howse in al ages Iudas in his epistle saith that in the last daies there shal come mockers which shal walke after their owne wicked lusts Peter Paul foretold the same Our sauiour Christ though he was most spitefullie misused many waies yet neuer worsse then when they mocked him both Herod Pilate the Priests and the Iewes It is thought but a smale matter to mocke simple soules so withdraw them from God but Salomon saith he that mocketh shalbe mocked And Dauid he that dwelleth in the heauens shall mocke them the Lord will laugh them to scorne This shal be the iust rewarde of such scorners It is iustlie to be feared that as the Iewes were giuen vp to Nebuchad-nezzer for mocking the Prophets and Preachers of their time as it is writen so we for our bitter taunting scoffing reuiling disdaining and dispising of Gods true ministers at these daies shalbe giuen into our mortall enemies hands What is more common in these daies then when such hickscorners wilbe merie at their drunken bankets to fall in talke of some one Minister or other Nay they spare none but goe from one to another and can spie a mote in other men but cannot spie their owne abhominations Christ was neuer more spitefully and disdainfully scoft at then these Lustie Russians open there mouths against his Preachers but the same lord Christ saith of his disciples that he which despiseth them dcspiseth him What rewarde the mockers of Christ shal haue I think euery man knoweth Good men with heauie harts commit them-selues and their cause vnto the Lord and pray with Dauid Lord deliuer my soule from wicked lipes aud from a deceitfull tongue Salomon saith God will laugh when such shall perish Michol wife to Dauid was barren all her life for mocking her husband when he plaied on his harpe and daunced afore the arke of God The children that mocked Elizeus and saied come vp thou baldepate come vp were all deuoured sodenly of wilde beares that came out of the wood hard by Dauid amongst many miseries that he complaineth of saieth that the scorners made their songes of him when they were at their drunken feasts and when he seeth no remedie how to scape their poysonfull tongues he paciently turneth him vnto the Lord committeth all to him in the latter end of the Psalme God comforteth him and telleth him what sundrie mischiefes shall fall on them for their despitefull dealing