Apostles and Peter Shoulde we not beleue this resurrection because that wemē taught it first Apollo a mightye learned man in the scriptures submitted hym selfe to be further taught in true religion of Priscilla and Aquila◠simple man his wyfe Timothy Ihon the Euangeliste were bothe verye yonge when they were called to be preachers Peter the elder Apostle is content to be rebuked of Paull his yonger Iudith that good woman corrected the Elders Priestes and Rulers in Bethulia mistrusting Gods helpe and prouidence for them whē they woulde yelde vp the Citye Dauid a man accordinge to Gods owne heart heares most willingly the Prophet Nathan rebuke hym who was of muche lesse estimation then he And kynge Ezechias heareth Esai rebuke him of his faultes These and suche other examples be written to teach vs that the elder in what authoritie so euer he be or by what name so euer he be called shoulde willingly suffer the iuste rebuke of the yonger bringinge the woorde of God for hym Further where he addes this twyse sayinge the Lorde their God the Lorde their God it is verye comfortable for all sinners that haue longe lyen in sinne that they shoulde not dispaire of Goddes mercie but spedely turne by repentaunce The longe sufferinge of God is farre aboue our desertes had suffered this people thus longe to lye in sin yet had not caste them of but doth vouchesafe to send his Prophet to thē to rebuke them stirre them vp to their duties calling him selfe their God whiche had forgottē forgeuen all their former disobedience who nowe was woulde continue their good gracious and mercifull Lorde and God styll Who can dispaire too obtayne grace and pardon for all his greate offences seinge set before him the louinge gētlenes of oure good God and maister which offereth vndesired his mercies so plētifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people his free pardon A poena et culpa from all payne due to sinne or the gylte thereof whiche alsoo calles him selfe their God and by continual earnest cryinge of this his Prophete awakes them out of this deadde sleepe of sinne wherein they had lyen so long and left his house vnbuylded It is commonly saide saieth Ieremye if a man put away◠his wyfe for adulterye will he take her agayne yet thou sayeth God to his people although thou hast played the harlot with many hoores yet turn vnto me and I wil receiue thee againe sayeth the Lorde thy God O mercifull Lorde praysed be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberall promises offered vnto vs in thy sonne Christ Iesu oure Lorde Thou standest at the doore of our conscience knockinge too be let in offeringe thy selfe to dwell with vs if we would receiue thee There is no time so longe that a man hath run from God in nor any time so short to aske forgeuenes but if he will turne God is ready to forgeue him The Gentiles hadde lien in synne aboue foure thousande yeares from the beginninge of the worlde to the deathe of Christe withoute any true teachinge or knowledge of God and yet whan they receiued the Gospell by the preaching of the Apostles they were most gently receiued of Christe into the number of his people The thefe hanginge on Christes right hand on the crosse askinge mercy in the houre of deathe obtained it So that neither the greatnes of sinne nor the longe tyme that man hathe continued in it nor the shortnes of tyme to aske forgeuenes in can stoppe the great vnspeakeable mercies of God to pardō the sinnes of the whole worlde Why should we than mistrust the goodnes of our God seinge he is the maker of thesame lawe whereby we shal be iudged also able to dispence withal pardon the breakers of thesame lawe if he will who also shal be Iudge and Executer of thesame lawe as pleases him But that the people should rather beleue his woorde he saieth the Lorde their God sente him no straunge God but the mightie God of hostes and the liuing God of Israel nor he ranne not before he was sent but soberly looked for the callinge of God and then did his message faithfullye This is an example for all ministers too folowe that they doo not with bribery or flattery thrust them selues into any office but paciently tary the calling of the Lord their God which can and wil call them at suche tyme as he iudges them necessarye to serue him Who woulde be so bolde to bye a Benefice or flatter for a Bishoprike if he did thinke them to be offices in Gods house and that they must make a count to God for his people He that comes before he be sent for oftentimes comes before he be welcome and he that climbes in at the wyndowe is a thefe for the doore is made to come in by But because these Popishe prollers seke not the profit of the flocke but to fyll their bellies thei care not how thei come by it so they maye haue it and thinke they haue done God good seruice the people well content when they teache them neuer a woord of scripture but haue saide Masse made cōiured water or song an Antiphone of our Lady If they hadde this true stedfaste opinion of God as they ought to haue that he were a louinge father to his household and a wise maister that could and woulde set wise Stuardes ouer his house and that whosoeuer presumed to take any office in his house vncalled were a theefe and should be sharpelye punished A man coulde not hire them for money to take any cure of teaching Gods people vntill they were inward moued of God to do it for loue to the people not for their owne gayne Thei woulde also prouide to be ordinarely called by man leaste he which should teache and se others kepe good order should be proued the first breaker of all good lawes orders If a straunger shoulde violently thrust in him self to be the Shepeheard of thy shepe thou wouldest aske him whoo sent for him what he had to do there and thou wouldest rather thinke him to be a thefe and a murtherer of thy Sheepe then a trusty seruaunt So surely if thou come to take charge of gods people before he inwardly moue thy conscience to pitie hys people and outwardly by order cal and place thee where he thinkes good he will iudge thee a theefe a Wolfe a deuourer and not a feeder After they hearde that the woorde of God was sent vnto them by Aggeus and had wayed and considered diligently how true his sayinges were that so many yeares they had suffered soo greate plagues they beganne so feare and beleue that the threateninges folowinge woulde alsoo proue true and than they humbled theym selues in the sight of God and were afraid in dede This profit had thei by hearing the word of God that thei knowledged their owne sinnes that thei
a stone kylles Golias so stroÌ„gly harnised A bishop of MeÌ„tz beiÌ„g persecuted with rats froÌ„ house to house fled into a towre he hais staÌ„diÌ„g in the mids of the riuer lying a mile froÌ„ any laÌ„d but the rats folowed him swaÌ„me ouer neither dores nor stoone walles coulde kepe theÌ„ out but thei woried hiÌ„ for his vnmercifulnes to the people in a year of dearth Thus our God may wel be called 〈◊〉 Lord of hostes which hath so many weapoÌ„s diuers to punishe vs withal as fyre water earth darkenes frogges lyse greshoppers catterpillers pestileÌ„ce hayle drought c. so that ther is no help to be disobedieÌ„t striue against hiÌ„ â–ª for he wil haue the victory There is waies aboue beneth vs within vs wtout vs to throw vs down at his pleasur there is no remedy but to obey him either willingly be rewarded or els against our wils bee punished His power is not yet minished but he fights stil with his enemies that al glori may be his He hath foughteÌ„ sore of late with his vtter enemy the Pope with what weapoÌ„s â–ª with a goose feather old cloutâ— wherof be made peÌ„ne paper such 〈…〉 hath he vsed to do this feate as the world hates despises But he hath so shaken hys â—eat that his fal is begunne euery man whiche is not wilfully blinde sees it His abhominations his wickednes is 〈◊〉 to the worlde as the Prophete saieth â— will shewe thy filthy partes in thy facâ— â–ª wil set foorthe thy nakednes to people These be the ordinaunces great GuÌ„nes and Bulwerkes that he will sette by his Churche with and pull downe Antiâ—christ that all victorie maye be his which by suche small and weake thinges 〈…〉 downe â—he glor◠〈◊〉 the world 〈◊〉 although their faltes were greuous yet oure good God is contente with a litle rebukinge of them and doeth no more but caste in their â—eeth their vnthankefulnes and saieth this people saies it is not yet tyme to buyld the house of God as though he should saye this people whome I chose amongest all the world and in respecte of whome I seme to regarde no other people buâ— them bestowinge winge on theym onelye â—â— chiefly any blessinges whose fathers I broughte out of slauery in Egipt made them lordes of this plenteous lande destroyinge the dwellers of it subduingâ— their enemies round about theÌ„ to whomâ— I sende my Prophetes in all 〈…〉 will and pleasurâ— and whomâ— now of late when they were led prysoners to Babylon I brought home agayne and restored to them their landâ—â—â— â–ª and willed nothinge of them but to buylde my house and kepe my lawes this vnkinde people I say saies it is not yet time to build gods house This stifnecked people that will neither be ouercomeÌ„ moued with geÌ„telnes to do their duties nor yet feare my plagues and threatninges will not diligently go about to do that whiche I willed them so straitly to do The rod is sharp to the flesh when we be beaten but too a gentle hearte there can be no sharper rebuke then to haue his vnkindnes caste in his teeth My people saies god by his prophet in what thing haue I offended thee that thou doest so disobeye me or what haue I done to thee tell me And that we shuld better consider our vnthankfulnes he coÌ„pares vs to beastes saies the Oxe knowes his maister the Asse knowes hys master stable and manger but my people will not know me So saieth Ieremy the Turtel swalow and the Storke knowes their times of the yeare to come but my people know not the iudgement of the lord If a kinge shoulde mary a poore woman â–ª and make her Queene and when she displeased him shoulde saye vnto her where thou wast but a poore woman and neuer loked to haue ben maried to me I forsake all other women for thy sake and made thee my wife felow hath it becomen that to do this fault agaiÌ„st me If she haue any honest heart in her it will make her burst out into tears aske forgeuenes so wil it moue any christiaÌ„ heart that feares god wheÌ„ he heares his vnthaÌ„kful disobedieÌ„ce laiâ—d to his charge specialli if he coÌ„sider what goodnes and how often he hath reciueâ— aâ— gods haÌ„ds how forgetful he hath ben again to so louing a Lord god The lord for his mercies sake grauÌ„t vs such teÌ„der hartâ— that we may burst out into tears wheÌ„ we coÌ„sider his goodnes our wickednes his vndeserued mercye our great vnthaÌ„kefulnes What a bitter griefe shal this be toâ— hear him lay our vnkiÌ„dnes to our charge I gaue you a good king many true preachers my word pleÌ„teously my sacrameÌ„ts purely rooted out Idolatri deliuered you froÌ„ strauÌ„gers with all wealthe yet you would not feare me what can we say for shame but condeÌ„pne our selfs God grauÌ„t we mai for thaÌ„ he wil not condeÌ„ne vs. I do not doubt but many of theÌ„ had great excuses to lay for theÌ„ selfs if thei had ben asked why they did not buyld gods house aswel as we haue for our negligeÌ„ce in the same doinge Some would say we are forbidden by the king his officers so they were in dede as apperes in Esdras Some we muste first prouide a house for our selues to dwell in for our wyues and childreÌ„ Other we are vnlerned we know not how to do it Other we be poore not able to take in haÌ„de such a costly woorke Other let the rulers begiÌ„ we wil help Other we shal not lose our life goods if we disobey the Kings coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t But god would alow no such excuse but castes in all their teethes their disobedieÌ„t vnkindnes sayes This people say it is not yet tyme too buylde gods house The priestes would say it is not our duty to buyld but to offer sacrifices sing Psalmes as wee be appointed The rulers might say their office was to see the commoÌ„ wealth well ruled and not too meddle in suche matters The people mighte saye it belonged not to them beinge suche a costly thinge that required wisdome learning ryches â–ª and power but they muste applye their husbandrye marchaundise c. Euen as they sayde in the Gospel I haue boughte a Farme or v. yoke of Oxen that I wil not come hold me excused Or I haue maried a wyfe that I can not come so none could or woulde take goddes woorke in hande thereto â—et that one sorte shoulde not 〈◊〉 them selues blameless and the wherâ—â—â—â— fault or that one should not 〈…〉 other because theâ— theâ—â— were 〈…〉 men the reste and woulde haue 〈◊〉 Gods house more gladlye than other 〈◊〉 prophets sent to rebuke them all 〈◊〉 were gylty in not buylding And 〈◊〉 not the rulers saye it is not 〈…〉 buylde gods house or the 〈…〉 or the 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 men generally all this
not punish them and they them selues were killed in battayle and the Arke of god was taken by gods enemies so shal the fathers of the people perish if they punish not faultes of the people He that desires a Bishops office sayth sainct Paule desires a good labour he cals it not a good Lordshippe nor idlenes and wealth but labour What a manne the labourer should be Ezechiel tels particulerly saying woo to the Sheptheardes 〈◊〉 Israel whiche fede them selues not 〈◊〉 flock ye haue eaten the fat ben clotheâ— with the wol but ye haue not streÌ„gthneâ— the weake nor healed the sicke nor brouâ—â—â— home the straye nor soughte the loste but ye haue ruled ouer them with sharpnesse â–ª These be the dueties of good Shepeheardes and their labours and not maskyngâ— Masses mumming mattyns and babbâ—â— they knowe not what and he that either can not or will not doe these thinges seekinge his owne ease and wealth and not bringe the people to god is a theefe murtherer Also the PatroÌ„ of a benefice or Bisshop which admitte any suche as can not doe these dueties to haue cure of soules are partakers of his wickednes and as much as in them lyes murther so manye soules as perish this wayes for wante of wholsome doctrine Sainct Paule sayes to Timothy laye not thy hande rashly on any man nor without good triall apoint hym a Minister least thou be partaker of of other mens sinnes· We muste neyther do euil our selues nor consent to other to do it but as muche as in vs lyes stoppe it for bothe the doer and he which agrees to it are woorthye deathe as saincte Paule saieth But he that places an vnworthye or vnable minister wittingly in a benefiâ—e consentes to the euill whiche he doth because he might stoppe hym from it if he woulde and therefore is he woorthye death also A Tayler that is not cunninge to make a gowne maye mende hose a Cobler that can not make shooes maye mende them a Carpenter whiche is not cunninge too make the house yet may he square trees or fell them but an vnable priest to teach is good to nothinge in that kynde of lyfe or ministerye ye are the salte of the earthe saieth our sauioure Christ but if the salt haue lost his saltnes wherwith shal it bee salted it is not good inough to be caste on the dunghill for so it woulde doe good in dunginge the fielde but it is mete for nothinge but to be cast in waies to be troden vnder oure feete So these priestes whiche haue not the salte of gods woorde to season mans soul with all are mete for nothinge in the kinde of lyfe but to be put to some occupation whiche they can doe and get their liuing with the sweate of their face and not occupye a place amonge gods Shepeherdes seinge they be rather dum and deuouring dogges than good Preachers Are not we in Englande 〈◊〉 like fault When god sâ—â—rred vp our 〈◊〉 as chiefe in the realme and 〈◊〉 Cranmer Archebishoppe of Canterbâ—â—â— with others for matters in religion 〈◊〉 driue the byers and sellers of Masses â–ª 〈…〉 Trentaâ—s c. oute of gods 〈◊〉 whiche they had made a denne of 〈◊〉 was not this in al oure mouthes it is 〈◊〉 yet tyme to buylde gods house â–ª the 〈◊〉 can not beare it we feare strauÌ„ge prinâ—â—â— and rebellions as thoughe god were 〈◊〉 to suffer Idolatry for a time 〈◊〉 not or coulde not promote his owne maâ—â—ters without oure politike deuises 〈◊〉 almoste as many years haue we lyen 〈◊〉 as these men did and not buylâ—â—â— gods house but pulled it downe buyldâ—â— oure owne houses goodly withoute anye stoppe or feare where rebellion 〈◊〉 shoulde haue ben feared because it 〈◊〉 done oft with the iniurie of others as by extreme raising of rents takinge 〈◊〉 incomes and fines c. by these meanes â—â—â—king our owne rest and profite It waâ—tâ— not muche of so many yeares since kynâ—â— Henry began to espy the Pope yet goâ—â— house is not buylt What maruell is it then if we haue ben thus greuouslye plâ—â—ged for oure negligence in thus doing 〈◊〉 that euery one hath ben soughte oute too death that was iudged to loue gods woorde When the good kynge Cyrus had geuen free liberty to the Iewes euery one to go home that woulde the moste parte had so wel placed them selues in straunge countries and waxed soo wealthye that they woulde not go home when they might to buylde gods house What maruayll was it thaÌ„ if god to punish this great wickednes sturred vp king Assuerus by the meanes of HamaÌ„ to make proclamation thorough all countries that it should be lawfull for any man too kyl all the Iewes he coulde to take their goods and order theÌ„ at their pleasur that if gentlenes coulde not driue theym home too serue God yet sharpenes should compel them to go build gods house And hath it not ben soo in Englande taught that all Gospelers shoulde be destroyed and shoulde not leaue one to pisse againste the wall And this thinge god of loue and mercy did vnto vs that wher we woulde not know him by gentlenes wee shoulde be compelled by the rod and sharpenes to seke him All faultes in oure late Popery were they neuer so great might be pardoned saue this to loue gods word But as God tooke Haman in his owne deuise and the vengeaunce light on hym and his so god hath mercifullye deliuereâ— many in Englande from the persecuters gloriously called many too be his witnesses in the fyre and turned the deuises of his enemies on their owne headdes and sharpely destroyed them whiche murthered his sainctes when they thought moste to haue enioyed the worlde at their will Therfore let vs thinke that God speakes to vs by his Prophet sayinge this people of Englande to whome I haue geuen so plentiful a land deliuered them so often and sent them my preachers and whome when they forgot me and their duty I pu nished sometimes sharpelye of fatherlye loue sometime gently that they mighte turne to me yet they say it is not yet time to buyld gods house for fear of their own shadowes they woulde lye loytering still and not be waked out of this slepe Let vs consider what benefites we haue receiued daily of our good god and se what a grefe it is to be vnthaÌ„keful haue our vnkindnes thus cast in our teeth Poore cities in Germany coÌ„passed about with their enemies dare reforme religioÌ„ through wtout any fear god prospers theÌ„ yet this noble realme which all princes haue feared dare not We wil do it by our owne polycies not by committinge the successe to God and so we shall ouerthrowe all verse 3 And the woorde of God was sent by the hand of Aggeus the Prophet sayinge verse 4 It is time for you that ye should dwel in your celled houses this house lye waste ¶ This
before it come that they may repent and escape as 〈◊〉 saieth the Lorde will do nothinge but â—â— sheweth it first by his seruaunts the Prophetes Before he drouned the worlde â—â— styrred vp Noe whome Peter calles 〈◊〉 eyghte preacher of righteousnes whâ—â— he was making his Arke a hundreth and twenty yeares and tolde them the 〈◊〉 of god towardes theÌ„ for their sinnes 〈◊〉 they might amende and auoide the daâ—â—â—ger comminge by repentaunce so 〈◊〉 laughed at him and fewe cared for hymâ— therfore were al drowned saue eyght pâ—â—sons Lot preached in Sodom and 〈◊〉 they would not amend fire from heauen destroyed them Before the destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonozer God 〈◊〉 manye prophetes manye yeares to warâ—â— them before hande whose writinges also we haue as Esay Ieremy Osee c. and before the laste destruction by the Româ—â—nes Christ himselfe came and also 〈◊〉 his Apostles too teache repentaunce but when all was in vayne then they vtterly perished Haue not we in Englande ben as diligently warned by our preachers almost all in vayne What shall we loke forthen but destructioÌ„ if we amend not Thus God of his endles mercy neuer coÌ„meth sodenly vpon vs to destroye vs but mercifully warnes vs that we be not takeÌ„ in oure sinnes and so perish and euer he stirres vp the sluggish eyther by his spirite worde minister or els his gentle correction to call for his mercy And where he saieth I will call a â—rought or the swoorde vpon the earth c. this kynde of speaking is ofteÌ„ vsed in the scripture and betokeneth nothinge but the power of God that he is able too doe it so easely as to speake a woorde or call for it and that as soone as he spake it so soone it shoulde be done as whan one of vs coÌ„meth at anothers callinge God doth all by his woorde and to saye a thinge is too do it with him and as soone as he saieth the woorde so soone it is done with him Sayinge doinge are two diuers things with vs and muche payne we take to doe a thinge after it be spoken but with God it is not so but as the Psalme saieth he spake and al thinges were made he commaunded and they were created Moyses speaketh more playnely in the making of the worlde and saieth God said let ther be light made let there be made the Sunne and starres beastes and fysshes and they were made straight wayes So when God brought Nabuchodonozor to destroy Ierâ—salem and the countrye he said he woulde call hysse or whistle him from the North and he should come God called he came So all other things drought huÌ„ger plage sworde do tarye and wayte for Gods câ—â—linge and as soone as he whystles they come straighte and nothing dare or canne withstande his callinge as Dauid saieth fyre hayle snowe yse tempestes which doe his commaundement Seing therfore his threatninge is not to destroye but too saue and bringe vs to repentaunce let vs turne by time that he be not weary of callinge and desyre hym not to order vs accordinge to his iustice but after his endelesse mercies for els shall that bee true of Salomon I called and ye refused therfore I will laugh at your destruction saith the Lorde And where God threatens to destroye wheat wyne oyle all fruits of the earth â–ª and labour of man yea man him self and beast for not building his house Let â—s consider the horrible filthines of this sin especially in not buildinge his house that it will not let anye creature of God serue man so longe as he thus displeases God This sinne doth not onely stoppe the fruites of the earth but it flieth vp to heauen and locks it vp and so hardeÌ„s the cloudes that no raine nor dewe can be wrong oute to moysten the ground withall Suche is the iust iudgement of God that wher God of his mercy made all thinges in heauen earthe Sunne Moone Starres Cattell Fishe foule corne herbes and trees too serue man so that man would serue him reuerence feare and worship him as hys onely Lord and God maker and sauiour so when he did disobeye him serued God of his owne deuising or brake his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes he shoulde haue those creaturs whiche God appointed to serue him at the first to disobey him to rebel against hym and as it were to auenge Gods quarel vpoÌ„ that man which disobeyed the liuing God their Lord maister and they would not willingly serue hym whiche woulde not willingly serue obey their God kinge When AdaÌ„ was in Paradise as loÌ„ge as he obeyed God so loÌ„g all creatures obeied him as apoiÌ„ted of God to be their lord ruler as the Psalme saieth thou haste made all thinges subiect vnder his feete shepe and oxen and all beastes of the fielde birds of the ayre and fishes of the sea but so soone as he brake Gods commaundemente and eate of the fruite whiche God forbad hym all thinges began to disobey him and as it were would auenge that disobedience done againste God their maker The earth woulde not bring forth her good fruit willingly but weedeÌ„s braÌ„bleâ— and bryers no kinde of beastes woulde obeye him but waxed wilde and rebelled againste him The tokens of this iust punishment remaines on vs to this daye shall to the worldes ende The earth will bringe forth no good fruit willingly but with muche labour toylinge tillinge duÌ„ginge barowinge sowinge c. as though it shoulde saye too man I will not serue thee nor yet willingli geue thee any fruit at all So neither horse dog oxe nor shepe nor any other liuinge thing is tame at the first to obey man but it must haue many stripes or it will be broughte to any good order to serue him And many beastes as Lions Beares Wolues be so wilde that they will not serue man at all but still remaine his continuall enemies alwayes ready to deuour him As often as we see any of these ferce beastes whiche are foâ— cruell we shoulde remeÌ„ber the firste cause why they were so turned and bee so ferce againste vs and we shoulde then lamente oure sinne whiche was the onely cause of this so greate a plage and chaunge God hath left them amongst vs to be our scholemaisters that when we se and consider them to be so ready too take vengeaunce vpon vs for oure disobedience to God wee shoulde muche more feare God him selfe whiche is a more righteous iudge bothe is able and wil punish vs more greuously then they do or can if we repente not and aske mercy by time These cruell beastes are set before vs for examples of greater thinges that as we feare to fall intoo the daunger of these raueninge beastes â–ª so we shoulde muche more feare too fall into the handes of the almightie and liuinge God whose anger is a thousande tymes more greuous than the cruelnes of
that fearfull sentence go ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Deuill and his aungels shall make vs to tremble And of mercy there is no hope at all excepte we doe as we reade of a womaÌ„ whiche when she stoode before Alexander the great and was condempned she said I appeale from thee o Kynge Alexander wonderinge at her sayde thou arte a madde woman doest thou not know that euery appellacion is frome a lower iudge to a hygher but who is aboue me Then sayde shee I knowe thee too be aboue thy lawes and that thou maye geue pardon and therfore I appeale froÌ„ iustice to mercie and for my faultes desire pardon So we when wee loke into the righteous lawe of Gods woorde see him ready to condemne vs and oure conscience witnes that we haue deserued death we must appeale from iustice and our deseruings vnto hys pardon and forgeuenes bothe call and truste to be partakers of that saluation which he hath purchased and offered to the whole worlde Hys mercies doe passe all oure miseries as farre as God is greater than man and his pardoÌ„ can forgeue all that call on hym This is not too be lightely considered that it is sayde they hearde the voyce of the Lord their God and the woorde of â—â—gues geus the Prophete What neded bothe to haue ben written seinge they were bothe one for the woordes of Aggeus were thâ— same that the Lorde badde him speake 〈◊〉 he hath saide diuers times before He be in this example we shall learne twoo gâ—â— lessons one for the preacher and all other for the hearer The Preacher muste 〈◊〉 bee afrayde to rebuke sinne in all 〈◊〉 and degrees of men as here Aggeus dyd rebuke bothe Zerubabel the chief ciuil râ—ler in the common wealth and Iosua the hye Priest and chief in religion and also the whoole people beside and threatens the plages indifferentlye to all withoute any flattery or respect of person So do all the Prophetes as Esaye cals the rulers felowes with theeues and princes of Sodome and Gomorrha because thei folowed their wickednes And when Achab a kinge asked Elias whether it was he that troubled all the countrye because it was so longe a droughte for the space of three yeares and a halfe without any rain or dewe he aunswered the kynge boldely and sayde naye it is thou and thy fathers house that hast pulled this righteous plagâ—â—â—â—on thee and thy whole realme Where 〈◊〉 haue sinned all muste bee rebuked for as God a moste righteous Iudge will punishe all sinne so must his Preachers indifferently warne and rebuke al sortes of sinners or els God wil require their blud at their handes if they perishe withoute their warning as Ezechiel sayeth The hearer must disdaine to learne of the simplest preacher that he heareth as Iosua the high Priest here doth not disdaine to hear the rebuking of Aggeus being but a poore Leuite and a simple man in comparison of him no nor yet Zerubabel the chief ruler borne of the stocke of Iuda the kinges stocke disdaynes him If a preacher should rebuke the Pope a Cardinall an Archebishop or Bishop a Doctour or a babler in Diuinitie woulde they not disdaine too heare suche simple men Woulde they not saye as hathe ben sayde of late to many when they were examined before Annas and Cayphas becomes it thee to speake thus to my Lorde Bishop arte thou wyser or better learned then he Shall he become thy scholer Was not the like saide to oure Sauioure Christe doest thou aunswere the hyghe Bishoppe so What woulde the Pope or Cardinall saye if a man shoulde threaten suche vengeaunce of God towardes him as Aggeus doeth here to the highe Priest Paule the seconde Pope of that 〈◊〉 when he had wrongfully taken landeâ—â— offices from diuers and caste theym all 〈◊〉 pryson and woulde not heare any 〈◊〉 speake for them At lengthe by much 〈…〉 whan Platina him selfe came to him 〈◊〉 coulde get no help at the laste he 〈◊〉 of the Pope that he might be hearde 〈◊〉 by his owne lawe Then the 〈◊〉 lokinge cruelly on him sayde what 〈◊〉 thou me of the lawe doest thou not 〈◊〉 that whatsoeuer I say is law Am not 〈◊〉 sainct Peters Uicar and all lawes are 〈◊〉 in my breste and I can not erre whatsoeuer I saye Am I not Pope and may disanull the decrees of my predecessours 〈◊〉 do what me lust Thus it shall be thus I am determined Thus speake holy Popes when simple men aske their right or tell them of any faultes their proude stomackes can not abide too bee rebuked of anye man Was not this common also in Englande in the Papistes mouthes when the Gospell was preached to deface the 〈◊〉 Who are your Preachers nowe but yoÌ„g men vnlerned and not skilled in the Doctours And who teaches the other old learninge but my lorde Bishop maister Doctour auncient Batchelers in Diuinite proue it by the auncient writers These are gay glorious woordes in deede if they had ben true but although yonge men did teache yet their doctrine was moste wholsome and approued by the scriptures and all good writers whiche is moste to Gods glorie that opened the mouthes of yonglinges to confounde the dotinge of olde fooles Simple men confirmed with their bloude and constant deathes that whiche before bothe maister doctour and my lord Bishoppe also allowed and taughte with mouthe and handes subscribinge vntyll contrary rulers arose but than for flatterie and their belly they destroied thesame with all their mighte and power that thei taught before So whan and howe often soeuer the world shal chaunge the most of theÌ„ as meÌ„ without conscience will be ready to do the lyke and make a face as thoughe they beleued thesame to be true but not one of theym will auenture his bodye to be burned for the dirty dregges of Poperye and yet are they not ashamed to teache and maintain thesame with fyre and swoorde so longe as the worlde is on their side There is scarce a more certain argument of an obstinate Papist then to loke how simple a maÌ„ he is that preaches and not to beleue his doctrine for the simplenes of the man nor too looke at the thinge whiche he teaches how true it is and spoken by God Let all Christians heare and be contentâ— with Christes holy worde as most only sufficient doctrine to saue our soules and disdayn none that bringes it be he 〈◊〉 so simple Saincte Paule sayeth Christe died for oure sinnes and rose for our righteousnes where this is one of the greatest treasures that we haue by Christe to be made righteous by hym marke whoâ— were the firste preachers of it Mary Magdalene and the other wemen whiche weÌ„t earely in the morning with ointments to the Sepulchre they se Christ first of all other after his Resurrection and wer sent to teache it to the
in euery woord that comes from the mouth of God This is then the ordinary waye to kepe vs in the feare of God and continual remembraunce of the laste daye ofteÌ„ and diligently to reade and heare Gods woord preached vnto vs for that is it which doth and will kyll sinne in vs as it is written remember the laste ende and thou wilte not sinne Faith is kept and increased by thesame meanes that it is gotten it is gotten by hearing and hearing comes of the worde let vs therfore heare and reade it diligeÌ„tli What is the cause that the Papistes lye so sounde on sleepe in their abhominatioÌ„s but that they care not for preachinge nor thinke it so necessarye and because they woulde not be tolde of their faultes that they mighte amende them Where sinne is not rebuked it is not knoweÌ„ to be sin nor it will not be ameÌ„ded without muche cryinge on Dauid the good kynge true Prophete of God after he had gotten with chylde Urias wyfe coulde not awake out of that slepe of sinne vntyll he was warned by the Prophet Nathan notwithstandinge all and singuler suche great giftes whiche God hath indued him with all but inuented one policy after another to cloke his whoredome and noughtines withall First he sendeth for Urias home beinge his faithfull souldiour in his warres willinge hym to go home too his wyfe thynkinge that if he had lyen by her the childe might haue ben called his But when he sawe that Urias woulde not go home too his wyfe he deuised to send him with letters vnto Ioab the captain that he should be set in the fore frount when the towne should be essaulted and that his felowes shoulde flee from him that he mighte bee slaine This policie Dauid wroughte soo priuelye that he thoughte no man shoulde espie it for who durst open the kinges letters But at lengthe commeth Nathan the Prophete and telleth him a parable howe there was a ryche man that hadde many sheepe and a poore man his neyghbour had but one whiche he loued mooste dearely the ryche man toke this one shepe from the poore man and Nathan asked what this man had deserued Then aunswered Dauid in anger and sayde he deserued death then sayd Nathan thou hast geuen a very good sentence it is eueÌ„ thou thy selfe that haste done this deede thou shalt dye For thou haste manye wyues couldest not be conteÌ„t with them but hast taken thy poore neyghbours Urias wife Then cried Dauid I haue sinned made that worthy Psalme fifty and one O God haue mercie on me according to thy great mercie and accordinge to thy manye mercies washe awaye my wickednesse And yet more washe me froÌ„ my wickednes c. But before Nathan came he laye without feelinge of his sinne or yet anye remorse of conscience at all knowinge that he had done euill So when the good kynge Ezechias beinge restoreo to his former healthe hadde letten the Embassadours of the kinge of Babel whiche came to reioyce for his recouerye see all his treasure and iewels beinge very proude of them Esaye the Prophete comes vnto him asketh what they had seene he tolde hym well saieth Esaye euen from thence a king shal come to robbe and spoyle all these treasurs that thou hast ben proude of Than the kynge knowledged his faulte but not before he was rebuked by the Prophete Peter vntyll he was rebuked of Paule for hys dissimulation with the Gentiles did not leaue it Ioas was a good kynge as longe as Ioiada the highe prieste liued for he folowed hys good counsayle but after he fell frome God when he woulde heare noo good counsayle at all Thus we see howe necessari it is for vs to be kept in Gods schoole and heare the truÌ„pet of his woorde soundinge continually in oure eares to awake vs vp out of thys deadly sleepe of sinne and styrre vs forwarde to a diligent doinge of our dueties What a pryde is this for vs to thinke so highly of our selues that we be so farre more holy stronge wise learned more able to stande then these good men were and that we nede not suche continual teachinge and counsayle but that wee maye wel inough want it These men fel when they heard not the voice of the Prophetes and yet we that are not so muche worthy as once to be compared vnto them in the giftes of God thinke we shall stande of oure selues Many will saye what should I do at the sermon I knowe as muche before I go as I shall learne there I can reade the scripture at home and comfort my selfe sufficiently These are better then they that will neither heare nor reade but say I knowe there is no more but do wel and haue well I knowe this is all that can be saide loue God aboue all thinges and thy neighbour as thy selfe I can saye my Pater noster and my Crede as well as he further I knowe that in the one is conteined all thinges necessary to bee asked at Gods hande and in the other all that is to be beleued and what can or should a man haue more than this These sayings although they be true yet are they moste brutishe nothinge els in very dede but noughtye excuses to cloke oure slouthful wickednes withall signifie plaine that we would not in any wise haue preachinge because we woulde not heare oure faultes rebuked nor yet oure myndes exercised in meditation of God and his goodnes of oure owne sinne and miserie Sainct Paule to the Philippians saieth that he was not ashamed to write one thinge often to theÌ„ and it was for their safetye The parable of the .v. foolishe virgins and the .v. wyse teacheth playnely that bothe the wise and the foolish did bothe nap slumber yea fall harde on sleepe where in is set before vs all our natures whether we be foolish or wyse we fall on sleepe forgetting God when we shoulde watche for his coÌ„ming though we thinke neuer so hyghly of oure selues if we haue not the light burning lampe of Gods eternall woorde burning in oure heartes What a foolishnes is it to thinke that we can or shall stande where as euerye one hath fallen that is gone before vs or that we shall escape where euery one els hath ben taken There is not the best learned maÌ„ but he nedes often too heare the preachinges and counsayle of others althoughe he can comfort hym selfe in hys priuate studies and in readinge the scriptures neuer soo well For as the Phisicion when he is sicke canne not heale hym selfe nor hath not hys iudgemente soo perfectelye as he hadde before hee was sicke but seeketh helpe at an other Phisicions hande Soâ— the learnedst man liuinge as longe as he lyueth and beareth synfull fleshe aboute with hym shall haue sinnefull and froâ—warde lustes and affections rayninge 〈◊〉 hym whiche blyndeth hys sighte that he â—eeth not his own sinnes vntil he be
though they neuer reade scripture who so euer doth not worship him by this naturall knowledge is iustly condēpned We reade of Anthony that holye father whiche lyued in wildernes and beinge so farre vnlearned the he could not reade was asked of his frēd how he passed the time away seing he liued alone had no bokes yes saith Anthony I wāt no bokes for all the creatur◠of God are my bokes I read learne his maiesty out of his creatures as you do out of your bokes And surelye thei be goodly bokes to be loked on to be hold the Sūne the Moone stars birds fishes beastes herbes corne grasse trees hyls ryuers c. And he is worse then a beast that can goe looke at all these and not loue prayse wonder at his strength power wisedom and goodnes whiche hath made all these to serue vs. The starres kepe so good an order course in their mouinges the vertue of herbes help diseases and all fishe foule beastes fede and serue man whiche thinges come from him who is Lorde of nature not of them selues These maye better be called laye mens and the vnlearned peoples bokes than ymages and idols whiche bee like vnto whome soeuer it pleases the painter to make them like If all the ymages of any one sainct were laide together they woulde all be vnlike one too another in many pointes and what a Monster shuld he be that shoulde be like all these If the reliques as armes head legges scalp heire teeth ▪ c. were together in one place that are saide too be worshipped in many ▪ some should haue two or three heads moe legs and armes than a hors woulde cary their gylded cootes painted faces should teache rather to be proude and to playe the harlot than sobernes simplicitie holines and lowlines as becommes the godly and saintes in dede After when he addes the desire of all people shall come there is prophecied thecomminge of Christ in oure flesh nature to redeme vs from the bondage of hel syn and death whiche thinge al good men frō the beginninge haue desired It was a ioyfull thinge to perceiue Christe to come by the eyes of faith and happy was he to whome it was geuen to vnderstande and beleue in him to come but more happy did they thinke theym selues whiche did not onely beleue in hym to come but see hym present in fleshe Simeon a righteous mā alwayes occupied in praier desired to liue tyll the daye when he might see the Lord whiche request God graunted him when the chylde Iesus was presented in the tēple by his mother he tooke the chylde Iesus in his armes praised God and sayde Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in peace accordinge too thy woorde For mine eies haue sene thy sauīg health and so was well contented to dye after he had his desire Ihon Baptist beinge yong in his mothers wombe leaped for ioye as soone as his mother hearde the salutation of the virgine Marie comminge vnto her Anna the Prophetesse a widowe liuinge in fasting and prayer continuallye chiefely desired to see the daye of hys comminge Many kynges and Prophetes saieth sainct Luke haue desired to see that daie and haue not sene it Suche a greate desire for the encrease of their faythe haue all good men had to see Christ in our fleshe and nature that we might by his death bee deliuered from the slauery of hel sinne and death What a misery is it too be in bondage of consciences for our sinnes and Gods righteous iudgement and what a comforte is it to knowe that God is recōciled to vs by the death of his sonne This is the desyre of all good men whiche is fulfilled too vs in Christ. And he is called the desire of all people by the Hebrue phrase which is as muche to saye as moste desired So sainct Paule calles hym not onelye righteous peace maker but righteousnes and peace it selfe for soo haue suche woordes more strength when they be pronoūced like substantiues then the adiectiues haue What a desire had Esaye the Prophete whan he cried woulde to God thou wouldest burst the heauens and come doune For this peace that God sayeth he wil fyll thys house with glorie muche was saide afore But there he sayde onely he woulde shewe his glorie and nowe hee sayeth he will fyl it with glorie And this is to comforte them that were so sory because this house was litell in comparison of the other olde one and nothing so costli and glorious The fulnes of this glorie appeared whan Christe preached hys Fathers will healed diseases wroughte miracles rebuked the Scribes with their tradicions c. as was sayde before What greater glorie can be than to doe good too them whiche be hys enemies to helpe thē whiche can not helpe them selues and too doe it so frely that he looke for no reward in so doinge but euen of free pitie which he had on vs seinge vs lie in such miserie did shewe suche mercy as to redeme vs to take vs for his chyldren louers frendes to teache vs helpe vs and geue vs grace too doe his will worshippe hys maiestie feare hym and loue hym knowe oure owne weakenes and pardon oure negligence oure infirmitie oure forgetfull and vnthankefull disobedience Greate glorie was shewed in this house when as Alexander the greate called Magnus submitted hym selfe too the hyghe Prieste Gods minister confessinge his God to be the true God where afore he was purposed too haue destroyed Ierusalem and also whan Iudas Machabeus wyth hys bretheren after manye noble victories restored Gods religion But none of these fylled this house with glorie but some parte of it Onely Christe our Lord in whome is the fulnesse of the Godhead filleth this house with glory Christ filled this temple so ful of hys doctrine miracles by hym selfe and his Apostles that the fulnes thereof ranne throughe the whole worlde for there it began as in a springe and nowe hathe fylled the whole worlde therewith So liberall is he that he geueth not onely a parte but full and heaped measure euen to the toppe that it flowes ouer What a glorie of God was shewed in this house whan oute of all countryes vnder heauen were gathered deuout men to worshippe God there And after that the Apostles receyued the holye Ghooste whan Peter in his sermons conuerted .5 thousande Howe farre spread was thys glorie when the Eunuche of Quene Candace moued with the great reporte of that gorgious Temple came thither for too worshippe But thys wirkes the mighty Lorde of hostes woorkes whiche hathe all thinges at commaundemēt and truely fulfilles all his promises euen vntoo the ende verse 8 Golde is myne and siluer is myne saieth the Lorde of hostes verse 9 Greater shal be the glorie of this later house then of the further sayeth the Lorde of hoostes And in this place will
Alexander finding kynge Darius thus deadly wounded of hys seruaunt for iustice sake to punishe suche traytours bended doune the toppes of twoo yonge trees and tied the legges of Bessus to them and let thē swynge vp sodenly agayn and so rent him in peces Likewise Dauid when one came vnto hym telling him how he had slayne Saule his enemy thinkinge thereby too picke a thanke and get a rewarde of Dauid he was by the commaundemente of Dauid slayne and so shoulde all traitours which be false to their maisters be serued Thus the kynge beinge slaine the kingdome was broughte frome the Persians too the Gretians as the Prophete telleth here Where God saieth by his Prophete that he will destroy the kyngdome throw doune the horses and horsemen c. we be taught that God maketh kynges pulleth doune and chaunges kyngdomes frome one people too another for the sinnes of the people as Sirach sayeth and maketh to rule whome pleaseth hym The lande spued out the rulers and people in it for their sinnes and God gaue it to the Iewes Therefore let not princes trust in their greate strength and power for it is the Lorde God that geueth victory as he thinketh good whether thei be good rulers or euyl they be sette vp of God as Salomon saieth in the name of God by me kynges doe raygne and oure sauioure Christ sayd to Pilate thou shouldest haue no power ouer me excepte it were geuen thee from aboue If thei be good rulers it is Gods good blessinge and free mercye if they be euyl it is of iustice to punish oure sinnes as Iob saieth God makes hypocrites to rule for the sinnes of the people What cause haue we then in Englande to complayne that God deales so sharpely with vs that where we haue ben lōge hypocrites afore hym he punished vs of late a whyle with hypocrites too bee in auctoritie ouer vs whan the Saxons inuaded this realme droue out the Englishemen and ruled as kyngs the state of the cōmonwealth was much lyke to these our days and the lyke sinnes reygned in all sortes of men bothe hygh and lowe nobilitie people rulers and subiectes prelates and clergie the moste parte were greate hypocrites and superstitious cruel couetous proude gluttons whorehunters ambitious Therefore let vs amende or we shal be geuē vp to the Spanyardes Scottes Flemmynges or Frenchmen as we were then to the Saxons God gaue hys people into the handes of the Babiloniās and other people rounde aboute theym whiche were then the commen scourges of the worlde and so wil he do with vs as he hath done to our fathers afore vs if we doe not amende for he hateth sinne in all ages and will punishe it But as God comfortes his people here nowe buyldinge his house and sayeth he will throwe doune that kyngdome which than troubled them so he will be as good vnto vs if we worshippe hym truely and he will destroye them that trouble vs. Hys loue too his people is greatest as he saith he that touches you touches the apple of my eye So tender is our God ouer vs as we be ouer our eyes whiche be the tenderest partes of vs and he wil mooste assuredlye reuenge all displeasure done vnto vs for he can no more see his people take wronge and be oppressed now then afore times He is no chaungelinge nor his loue waxes not colde nor olde wee be hys chyldren and the members of his misticall bodye as they were now to whome he promiseth this helpe he is oure Lorde God and father louinge his chyldren and members in al ages and pouring his blessinges on them for Christes sake in whom he hath chosen them therfore he wil shew the like mercies vnto vs and of iustice reuenge all displeasures done too vs for hys sake The last verse maketh aunswere too an other obiectiō which the Iewes might haue made againste the Prophete saying If this kyngedome shal be throwen doun and so great warre shal be as though heauen earth should go together then shall we be destroyed we are but few in nūber there is but few of vs come home again what shal we do then how shal we escape being compassed about with so strong and many enemies we shal be deuoured To this God maketh aunswer biddeth them not be afrayde for in the day whē this great trouble shal come I wil take the Zerubabel my seruaunt whom I loue saieth the Lord I wil kepe thee as my priuie signet thou shal not perish saieth the mightie Lord of hostes because I haue chosē thee So good a God comfortable lorde is our God to all his people in all ages that he will leaue no doubte vntaken awaye that can discomfort his chyldren But he will satisfie all whiche can be sayde and pul al feare from vs. Therfore Zurubabel is here promised too bee deliuered out of all daūgers of that great warre trāslating of the kingdō from the Persians to the Gretians so that he shoulde catche no harme But here ryseth a harde question how this should be true that God woulde deliuer Zurubabell in that daye of soo greate trouble seinge that he liued not so longe but dyed within .14 yeares after his Prophecie Zurubabel was the firste prince of Iuda whiche ruled the people after theyr returning home frome Babylon he came home with the people was their capitayn and had now ruled a .40 yeares he ruled in all but .52 yeares as the history sayeth and this destruction of the kingdom of the Persians was not fulfilled of 145. years afterwardes or nere hande so much How could he then be deliuered in that dai and died so long afore vnto this mai be aūswered that which was said afore that promises made to kinges that fathers are dot too be applied to thē selues onely but they be made also too their chyldren subiectes shal be fulfilled in long years afterwards ▪ rather thē at the prosent so wil God exercise our faith in patiētly lokīg for his cōming whē his holy wisedom shall thinke good and not when oure foolishe rashnes shall wishe and desire hym to come Promises made vnto Abrahā Isaac Dauid and Iacob c. were not fulfilled in their dayes but to their chyldren long afterwardes so God makes promise here too these princes and rulers that all the subiectes maye knowe that they be conteined also in thesame truce and leage of God that the promise concernes them also and they shal be deliuered in that daye frome all the daūger of warre and enemies that shall come vpon them And it is as muche as though the Prophete shoulde say thou Zerubabell and thy kyngedome all thy people and subiectes be not afrayde for in those troublesome daies I wil saue you and kepe you as diligently as my rynge priuate seale And that they might the more earnestly beleue it he called hym seruaunt whereby he mighte well
all theyr ennemies and mighte haue slayne theym lyke sheepe whan Haman had gotten lycens of the kynge to destroye the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus God sent queene Ester to saue his people and HamaÌ„ was hanged on his own galowes Whan Darius was slain by Alexander the kyngdoÌ„ brought to the GretiaÌ„s Alexander coÌ„ming to destroy IerusaleÌ„ because they denied hym tribute God soo turned his heart the he entreated theÌ„ wel submitted him self to the high priest meting him with the other priests in their priestly apparell coÌ„fessed their God to be the true God When the Romaines conquered the â—â—tians and the Iewes were vnder the rule of the Romaines they didde not greatly harme them vntil they crucified Christe denied hym too bee their God sayinge hys bloude be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren In the cruell persecutions afterwardes the more sorowe that was layde on Gods people the more they encreased Thus in all ages God deliuered his out of trouble or els taketh them to him selfe by some glorious death In these our dais when the mightiest princes of the worlde stryue and fighte cruellye who shal be the greatest rather then godliest God prouydeth alwayes some corner for his too flee into where they maye serue him And if they be persecuted from one place he prepares an other to receyue them And although persecution was greate amonges vs yet God shewed him self more glorious mightye and mercifull in strengthninge so many weake once to dye for hym than in so mercifully prouiding for them which were abroade although bothe be wonderfull What glorious crakes made proude persecutours that thei woulde make goddes poore banished people too eate theyr syngers for hunger but they had plentye for all the others crueltie Gods holy name be praysed therefore What a mercie of God is this that where we deserued to be cast from him for euer because of our wickednes he nowe corrected vs gentellye called vs to this honour that he punished vs not so muche for oure owne sinnes as that he called vs to the promotion of bearinge his crosse witnessinge to the world his truth and vouchedsafe to proue teach and confirme others in this his truthe by oure witnesse bearinge He called vs too thesame honour that he called his owne sonne Christe Iesus in suffering for hys names sake that wher as we suffer with hym we shal be glorified and raigne with hym Let the cruell Papistes consider therefore howe God hathe deliuered hys people out of their handes fulfilled thys his promise and kepte vs safely like hys priuie signet in these miserable dayes of their persecution Let the bloudy Bishops voyde of all religion and chaunging with the worlde to fyll their filthy bellies although they woulde nowe make men beleue they woulde be constant and stoutly confute that whiche afore they proued true by othes and doctrine Let them I saye consider whether they or the simple soules whiche they tormented haue gotten the victory The simple soule offered hym self to dye rather then to offend God by superstition or Idolatry The proude Cayphas threatened fyre faggotte if he forsoke not his true faith Thus whylest they striue for religion not for lyfe the poore meÌ„bers of christ hold fast their faith the proud prelate with his tormeÌ„ts can not ouercome Gods simple shepe They striue not for life but the simple man offeres it willingly rather than forsake the truthe so God euer confouÌ„des the wisedom of the world is glorified in the fooles abiectes God for his mercie sake grauÌ„t all his lyke boldnes to witstaÌ„d their crueltie whansoeuer God shall trye vs. A prayer MOst righteous iudge and merciful father which of loue did punish sharpely thy people being negligeÌ„t in buyldinge thy house that by suche sharpe correction they mighte be stirred vp to do their duty so haue pleased thee we acknowledge coÌ„fesse before the world thy diuine maiesty that we haue no lesse offended thee in this behalfe than they haue done that for all the sharp plagues which thou laide vpon vs we coulde not awake out of our deadly sleepe forgetting the earnest promotioÌ„ of thy glorie true religion but rather consented to the persecutioÌ„ of our brother thy true faithful people vntil now that of thi infinite goodnesse by geuing vs a gratious Queene restoring the light of thy worde that hast letten vs taste the treasurs of thy mercies in our extreme desperate miseries whaÌ„ for our wickednes we durst not for the gret power of thy enemies we coulde not hope nor loke for any such help or redresse at al. We fal doun flat therfor before the throne of grace desiring pardoÌ„ of this gret negligence of al our former offeÌ„ces prai thee that the wil not deal with vs as we haue deserued but as of thy own free wil thou promised thy people falling earnestly to thy work restoring of thy teÌ„ple that froÌ„ theÌ„ce forward thou would blesse al their worke fruits ouerthrow their enemies saue thy people that woldest make the house also more glorious thaÌ„ the first by the preaching of thy Gospel so we desire thee for Christes sake thy sonne our sauiour to be no lesse good gracious Lord vnto vs yet once againe going about to restore thy true religioÌ„ trâ—den doun defaced by the cruell papistes Send foorth O Lord many such faithfull preachers as wil set out thy glorie vnfeynedly open the hearts of thy people that they may se how far more acceptable vnto theâ— is the liuely preaching of thy holy woord than all the glittering ceremonies of Poperie deliuer vs we besech thee froÌ„ all our enemies saue and preserue our gracious Queene as thine own signet indue her her couÌ„sel with such reuereÌ„t fear of thee thy woord that all policie which is coÌ„trarie to thy woord set apart they mai vprightly seke ernestly maintain thy true glory minister iustice punish sin defend the right CoÌ„fouÌ„d most mightie God bring to naught all the deuises of suche as go about to ouerthrow thy woord true worship open our eyes that we may se how derely thou hast loued vs in Iesus Christ thy sonne our lord hold vs fast O Lord of hostes that we fal no more froÌ„ thee grauÌ„t vs thaÌ„kful obedieÌ„t hearts that we may encrease dayly in the loue knowledge fear of the encrease our faith help our vnbelefe that we being prouided for and releued in all our nedes by thy fatherli care prouideÌ„ce as thou shalt thiÌ„k good mai liue a godli life to the praise good exaÌ„ple of thi people after this life mai raign with thee for euer through Christ our sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghoste three persons one God be prayse thankes geuing in all congregations for euer and euer Amen ¶ Here endeth the prophete Aggeus ¶ A preface to
the policie of princes to ioine theÌ„ selfs in leage frendshâ—p with princes that dwell nere vnto theÌ„ that by their help thei might be the stroÌ„ger more feared also to haue wise men of the counsel so had these Edomites sought theÌ„ freÌ„dship of all the mightie countries about them picked oute also the worldly wisest men thei coulde finde to be their rulers thinking that by politie and wisedome of the one the strengthe power richesse of the other thei shoulde be able to defend them selues againste all men that would proferre them wroÌ„g yea thei should rather vnder this pretence bee bolde to do other men wroÌ„g none shuld once be so bolde to say why do ye so This is a comen practise likewise at these days of such as would hurt other but that either thei dare not nor can not to run alwayes vnder some greate mans winge to beare the name of his seruauÌ„t weare his liuery or be one of his retinu that vnder this colour he maye disquiet the hole countrie where he dwelles no man darre bee soo bolde to blame him but God hates al such as forsake him and hange on them selfs takes all suche in their owne deuises and that wherein they thinke too saue theym selues is turned to their owne destructioÌ„ These people sayes the Lord with whom thou art in leage thinkinge therby to saue thy selfe and be stronger than all other euen the selfe same people shall rise vppe againste thee take parte with thy ennemies and dryue the out of the borders of thy owne countrie You woulde thinke it a great pleasâ—â— if when thou were coÌ„quered ouercomeÌ„ thou might dwel in thine owne countrye styll payinge tribute and taxes to Nabuchodonozor and other about thee but thou that hays beÌ„ so cruel to thy brethern gods people the sonnes of Iacob shal not finde so much fauor and frendship at their haÌ„ds as to dwell in thy owne lande but shal be driuen not onely out of thy strong holdes and wealthy places of it but euen out of all the coastes and borders of the same that by those whiche thou takes for thy frendes and in whome thou puttest thy trust Suche shal be the case of all those that forsake the Lord and put their trust in them selues or their frends When the people of God woulde haue gone to Egipt agayne for succour whan Nabuchodonozor had subdued all the countrie Ieremie cried styll no they shoulde not doe so for where they loked for help thei should find wo for Nabuchodonozor ouercame Egipt also and than all that fled thither were in wors case than if they had taried in their countrie styll Egipte is a rede sais Isaie and they that fâ—e thither shal perish in dauÌ„gerous times there is no succor to be fouÌ„d but at the Lords handes for when the Lord sees that in prosperite wee forgete hym he sendes vs aduersite that for feare weâ— shoulde be compelled too loke for helpe at his handes Suche a louinge God is he vnto vs that he woulde winne vs by all meanes possible but if we can be drawen to him by no waye â—e geues vs ouer that we maye worke iustly our owne condemnation without excuse hauinge nothing to laye for our selues Moreouer those that made peace with these people deceyued them and those that eate their bread woundeth them priuely This is the rewarde of worldly wisedom that whan they trust moste in them they shal be sonest deceiued whan thei looke for help of them they shal be the first that shall wounde them There can be no true loue whiche is not grounded in God and for his sake for where as God onely is sought for there is loue and truth it self wheresoeuer he is not there is neyther truthe nor true loue That loue whiche is grounded on worldly causes whan the worlde chaunges it failes to If it be for beauty profit or frendshippe as soone as these be gone fare well loue frendship is gone Nabuchodonozor whom thei feared and looked for promotion at his handes was now comen to destroye Edom and therfore all the countrie aboute was not onely ready to fall from the Edomites with whome thei were in leage afore giuinge theÌ„ no help but were the first cruelst enemies that thei had readye not onely not too help them but to dryue them out of theyr own countrie Who pretended a greater loue to Christ thaÌ„ Iudas who soner betraied denied him How many examples is England able to geue of such as while thei were in authorite thei were feared rather than loued althoughe it was called loue faire faces were outwardly promises othes bandes mariages were made all deuises that could be to make it sure but wheÌ„ thei fel thei which were thought derest frends were becomen opeÌ„ enemies accusers condeÌ„ners in hope to climbe in to his rowme or catch part of his goods or landes Dauid coÌ„plaines of such as made fairest face of frendshipe did eate of the same dishe and yet sonest deceiued him These wordes in the Hebrew be written in the preterit teÌ„ps but spoken that so it shoulde come to passe as sure as if it were now done accordinge as the custome of the Prophetes is to speake that which is too come as though it were done where other languages vse to speake suche thinges in future temps But the latter ende of the verse where he sais there is no wisedom in him that is to say in theÌ„ or al the Edomites by a coÌ„mon figuratiue speach in Ebrew wher the singuler is put for the plural as in the .89 psal I wil visite their wickednes with a rodde c but my mercy I will not take from him Them is most meruailous for who will beleue or who can iudge the contrari but that it is greate wisedome policie to the strengthening defence maintaining of a countrie to haue strong holdes in it and to be in leage with their neighbors rouÌ„de about them as these men were But God says there was no wisedoÌ„ in them nor in this their doiÌ„g Not because it is not lawful for Gods people too haue vse or make such things in their comen welth for their defence keping out their enemies but that thei mai not do these things too put theyr trust in theÌ„ or whaÌ„ they haue them to dispice their Lord God seking no help at hys haÌ„ds but trust in their own streÌ„gth thinking them selfs able to defend them selfs against all enemies as though God didde nothing nor victorie defence were not of him And agayne whan they haue suche strong defence they may not vse it too the hurt of Goddes people as these wicked proude Edomites did bothe against God their bretheren and the people of God This is right wisedoÌ„ to forsake him selfe and heng vpon God to know that no policies are good which is against Gods people nor to thinke them selues stronge by hurting others