people of 〈…〉 it is not yet time too buylde gods 〈◊〉 And so because the rebuke is general 〈◊〉 all sortes younge and olde 〈…〉 learned and vnlearned they maye 〈◊〉 stande that it is their duties to build goâ—â— house what manner of men so euer they be What a comforte is this for the poor vnlearned man whan he heareth that 〈◊〉 refses not but requires takes in good woorthe that litle seruice whiche he 〈◊〉 and willes him to builde his house 〈◊〉 welâ— as the â—yche that he should not 〈◊〉 god loues not poore men nor 〈◊〉 are not able to serue him but he loue 〈◊〉 onelye the â—yths and learned and they muâ—â—â— serue hym Nor agayne he most not thinke I maye doe what I will God cares not for me noâ— he hath no worke for me to doe in his house It is in buyldinge Gods spirituall house as it is here with vs in oure buyldinges In buyldinges there bee maister Masons and CarpeÌ„ters which do deuise the worke drawe out the facion of it set their men on woorke there bee also some that fell trees cary stones bringe morter and make cleane the place c. So in buyldinge gods house there be riche learned there be poore and meaner learned but the lowest and meanest of al as he is the creature of God and made not him selfe soo god hath some woorke for him to doe and requires his seruice If he be not a ruler or a preacher yet he hath wyfe and chyldren whome he must se liue in the feare of god and that god wil require of his hand and though he be not maried but both lame blind yet he hath a body and soule which Christe dyed for and they be the house of God and temple of the holy Ghost which we should buylde and of that thou shalte make accoumpt He that hath receyued greater giftes hath a greater charge and more worke shall be looked for of him but if he haue no more but life in him and be not able to styrre any part of him neither hande nor foote yet god will looke that hys mynde shal be continually occupied 〈◊〉 prayer for him selfe and others that he 〈◊〉 no dronkard glutton c. and thynke noâ— but this is the hyghest seruice that the 〈◊〉 man liuing can do to god Such a louinâ—e god is our god euen to the poorest man lâ—uing that he geues him as wel as the rycâ—â— all thinges indifferently whiche shoulde bring hym to heauen as baptisme fayth â–ª hoope and charitie repentaunce prayer fasting auoyding whoredom theft murther anger c. all are as coÌ„mon as easâ—â— to come by or rather more easy for the poore then the ryche He disdaynes not but thaÌ„kefully takes the poorest seruice that 〈◊〉 least creature he hath can do so that he 〈◊〉 it diligently and willingly wil reward that litle so done as liberallye as he doeth the greater He that hath receyued muche shall make a counte of muche and he that hath but litle yet shall make a counte 〈◊〉 that litle But this is marueylous that where all sortes of the people were in faulte 〈◊〉 Prophet is sent by commission from god â–ª namely to Zerubabel the chiefe ruler iâ— the common wealth and to Iosua the hye Priest as though they had onely synned or they coulde or shoulde remedye thys matter What reason seemes this that when many do offende a few shal be rebuked when all the people be negligent the chiefe rulers both in Ciuil matters of the comoÌ„ wealth and the chiefe Prieste highest in matters of religion are blamed This is the hye wisedom of god the mans wyt can not attayne vnto and there is greate reason if it be wel considered why it shoulde be so God our heauenly father knowinge the crookednes of mans heart how readye we be all to euil hath appoiÌ„ted rulers in the comon wealthe too minister iustice punish sinne defend the right cause meÌ„ to do their dueties And in his churche he hath placed Preachers to teache his lawe to pul downe superstitioÌ„ Idolatry too styrre vp the slouthful negligeÌ„t to serue and fear him If either the one or bothe of these rulers be negligeÌ„t in their office the people which be alwais readi to seke their owne ease pleasurs fal froÌ„ god but god wil punish the ruler for their negligeÌ„ce that neither they did their duties theÌ„ selfs nor see the people doe theirs and thei shal be gilty of the sins of the people and partakers of their wickednes because it was done through their negligence in not punishing and seing the people do their duties bothe to god and man Speake to Zerubabell yâ— soÌ„ne of Salathiel ruler of Iehuda and to Iosua Whan God gathered his church 〈◊〉 â–ª he appointed Moyses and Aaron two â—â—â—thren to be the chief rulers of the people the one in religion and the other in Ciuil matters to teach vs that these two kinâ—â— of rulers be lawful and necessary in a common wealth that they should loue sticke together like brethren â–ª that the one with the woorde and the other with the sworde shoulde ioyntely buylde gods house pull downe Antichrist the Pope and set vp the kingdome of Christ. When the chyldren of Israel had committed idolatry in Baal Peor and fallen to adultry with the woâ—men of Moab Moyses in the name of god commauâ—des all the Rulers of the people to be hanged on gallowes againste the Sunne beâ—cause they did not their dueties in keping the people from such mischiefe To the preachers saieth Ezechiel thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watche manne to the house of Israel thou shalt heare woordes of my mouth and shew them from me If I saye to the wicked thou wicked thou shalt dye the death thou wilt not speak to him that he maye kepe him frome hys wickednes the wicked shal dye in his wickednes but I wil require his bloudde of thy handes but if he wil not leaue hys wickednes when thou tel best him he shall dye in his wickednes â–ª and thou hast saued thine owne soule because thou hast done thy duety in warning him By these punishementes we maye se that it is neyther the duety of Ciuyll rulers by what name so euer they be called to be negligeÌ„t in their duety or to set in an euill deputy for them to gather vp the profites that they may go hawke or hunte game or keepe whores for god that gaue theym that authoritiye will loke â–ª for a count for it of them nor that it is lawfull for Bishop Deane â–ª Archedeacon â–ª Prebendarie or Parson to set in a parish priest to make coÌ„iured water serue the people in a straunge tunge which neither he nor they vnderstande for by these meanes the people be not amended Hely hauing complayntes made to him of the vnhappines of his chyldren fell and brake his necke because he would
¶ Aggeus and Abdias Prophetes the one corrected the other newly added and both at large declared The earnest loue that I beare to thy house hath eaten me Psal. lxix Ioan. ii Phinees hath tourned awaye my anger because he was moued with loue of me Num. xxv Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres 1562. ¶ A Preface to al that loue the earnest promotinge of Gods glorye in his Churche by true religion ALthoughe the commen vsage of dedicating bookes is to require the defense of some woorthye personage of learnynge or authoritye for the thing that it is written yet the maiestie of the matter in thys boke is such that it rather defendes than sekes defence and thexample of the Prophet whych wrytes it not to one but manye suffers me not to sende it to any one sorte of menne particularly but generallye to all that should vnfeinedly promote the encrease of Gods glory bicause all degrees of men do owe a dutye to the buildinge of this gods house And if anye offence be taken as God knowes none is purposelye giuen the defence of manye is greater than of a fewe and that authoritye or credite which one manne alone can not bring to passe al iointly together shal more easely obtaine The Prophet is sent from God to the Prince the highe Priest and the people so I speake to the rulers the ministers and comminalty The cheef intent of his Prophecie is to stirre all to the spedye buildinge of Gods house whiche they had so long neglected my labour is to bring some of euery sort for al is not possible to an earnest fortheringe of gods true religion of late most mercifullye restored vnto vs which not long agoe most cruellye was persecuted of manye yet hated and of euery man almost now to coldlye folowed and practised But if this Prophecy were read and depelye considered with such a hungry desire of gods glorye as the Prophete spake and wrote it and I for my parte and pore abilitie haue declared it I doute not but the good should be stirred by gods spirit more earnestly to seke gods glory the froward shuld be afrayed of gods plague ashamed stubbernely to striue against the trueth cōtinually The state of religion in these our miserable dayes is much like to the troublesom time that this Prophet liued in God graunt that after many greuous stormes it may take like roote in vs as it did than in them After the long captiuity of gods people in Babilon god gaue them gracyous king Cyrus which set them at liberty and sent them home to builde Goddes house So after our longe Romish slauerye God raysed vs vp good kynges which restored vs gods booke that long had bin buried and loused vs from the bondage of straunge gods forreyn powers cruell hipocrites and wicked Idols And as after that short fredome vnder good Cirus ensued the crueltye of Hamman for negligently handling gods buildinge And not long after milde Ester came blouddy Antiochus for their falling from god So for our talking gospel and not worthely walking nor folowing it vnder our gracyous late Iosias crept out a swarm of Romish waspes stinging to death all that would not worship their Gods nor beleue their doctrine God for his mercies sake graūt that now for our vnthankful coldnes in gods cause vnder our myld Ester burst not out again bloudy Antiochus with his whelpes iustly to auenge our cold slacknes in gods religion and insensible dulnes Gods word is neuer offered and geuen in vaine or to vse at our pleasure but it workes eyther saluacion in them that here beleue and folowe it or els condemnacion in them that proudely despise it sturdely rebell or forgetfully do heare and vnthankfullye receyue his mercies Therefore as after a storme folowes a calme and after winter comes sommer so nowe where God hath geuen a breathing time lest our weakenes had not bene able to haue borne hys heauy displeasure anye longer let vs earnestlye applye our worke whan we haue time for the nyghte wyll come whan no man shall be able to worke If this be true as it is most true in deede that euerye dede of our sauiour Christ is our instruction also that what thynges soeuer are wrytten they be writtē for our learning as S. Paul teacheth let vs cal to remēbraunce what zele earnest loue our sauiour Christ especially shewed in building his fathers house and restoringe the true vnderstanding of the scriptures frō the supersticious gloses of the Scribes Pharises and also what a feruent desire of promoting gods glory our fathers haue shewed afore vs that we may be good scolers of our schoolemaister Christe Iesus and obedient childrē walking in the steppes of our fathers Oure Lorde and sauyour christ comming into the temple and finding it full of biers sellers and chaungers was greeued to see Gods house so misused gate a whippe and droue them al out saiyng My house is a house of praier but ye haue made it a denne of theues so surely al Christians whiche vnfeynedly◠beare the name of christ and zelously loue the building of his house woulde gladlye see sinne punyshed and lamente that the whip of Gods disciplyne is not shaken in gods house to the driuing out and confusion of all gredy theues which if they can not get in at the dore by lawfull meanes wil climbe in at the wyndowe and for a litle money wil sel the bodyes and soules of Christes sheepe and make gods house the Popes market place But as she that had so much worke to doe that she could◠not tell where to begin sate her downe left al vndone so I say worldly wise men see so many thinges out of order in Gods house and so little hope of redresse that they can not tell which to correct or amēd first and therefore let the whippe lye stil and euery man to do what him lust sin to be vnpunished And not onely this euil reignes but the worlde is come to such a dissolute liberty and negligēt forgetting of god that men sleping in sinne nede not so much a whip to driue anye out of the Churche so fewe come there but they nede a great sorte of whips to driue some fewe thitherwarde For come into a Church on the Sabboth day and ye shall see but few though there be a sermon but the alehouse is euer full Wel worth the Papistes therfore in their kind for they be earnest zelous and painful in their doinges they will build their kingdom more in one yeare with fire and fagot than the colde gospellers will do in seuen A popishe summoner spy or promoter will driue mo to the church with a worde to heare a latin masse than seuen Preachers will brynge in a wekes preaching to heare a godly Sermon If this be not true remember the late dayes of popery and see who durst offend him that weere a shauen crowne Who loked so high
grace strengthâ— and boldnes to offer oure bodies to deathe withoute feare for the buildinge of Gods house rather then to see it lye waste troden vnder fete What greater comfort caÌ„ any Christians haue than in geuing their bodies to death for the buildinge of thys house whan he hears God saye that he is delited in their so doiÌ„g that he wil shew his glorie in them What greater promocion can a maÌ„ come to than to be one such instrumeÌ„t wherin God wil be delited and shew his glorie Death of the body is greuous to the flesh but death of the soule is a thousand times more fearful too a good man the one is a litle painfull for a tyme the other hath grefe without ende Therfore Christ saieth feare not them whiche kyll the bodye and can not hurt the soule but fear him which can cast bothe bodye soule into hel fire Suche an earnest loue shoulde we haue to the buildinge of Gods house bothe the hearers teachers bothe to build be builded by al meanes possible because he is so well delighted in it that we should feare neither losse of goods nor yet death of body no nor displeasur of maÌ„ so that we maye please God haue hym delighted in our doynges To please man is but a smal thinge but to please God is the greatest good thinge that can be he the honours me saieth God I wil glorifi him and he that coÌ„fesseth me before men I wil confesse him before my father and he that is ashamed of me I will bee ashamed of hym and he that denies me before men I wil denie hym before my father in heaueÌ„ verse 9 Ye haue looked for muche beholde it is but litle ye haue brought it into the house and I haue bloweÌ„ on it And why so sayeth the Lord of hostes â–ª because thys is my housâ— whiche lieth waste and 〈◊〉 runne euery one to his owâ—â— house ¶ The chiefest reasons too perswade 〈◊〉 euill man to leaue any wicked wayes 〈◊〉 to set before him and often to put hym 〈◊〉 remembrauÌ„ce howe God hath ben angryâ— with hym when he did such thinges and punished him as long as he laye in suche forgettinge of his Lorde God and also to threaten him with greater plagues if he do continue in them styll Bothe these kyndes of counsayle doeth the Prophete here vse to sturre them vp to buylding of this house of God He bothe sundry 〈◊〉 cals to their remembraunce the great pâ—â—â—ges whiche they suffered ofte and longe afore tyme for not buyldinge Gods house and also biddes them not thinke that all their sorowe was at an ende but more greater scourges was hanging ouer their heads if they would not buylde his house earnestly and if they ceased not to sinne God woulde not cease to punish them and if they continued styll not regardinge the buyldinge of his house God woulde continue still encreasinge his curses on theÌ„ Ye haue ben gredy desiringe muche sayth the prophet ye haue scraped and scratched together all ye could laye your handes on ye haue spent your money and wroughte youre selues weary thinkinge to enriche your selues by suche meanes but beholde and marke it well and it is come but too litle Where the scripture vses to saye beholde there it tels some notable straunge thinge as this is here that their laboure wasted awaye vnprofitably they coulde not tel how That waye wherby all other waxe wealthy hathe done you no good those meanes whiche God vses to woorke by in other and blesse them in you it hath not gone forwardes accordinge to youre expectation and lokinge for yea and that whiche is most merueilous youre corne other fruites hath not onely not encreased in the fielde but wheÌ„ it hath ben brought into the barnes it hath consumed there you coulde not tell how A man woulde thinke his corne were sure inoughe when it is in the barne for whilest it is in the fielde it is subiect to many daungers as blassinge myldews frost byting thunder beating layde with a raine or shakeÌ„ with the wind stoleÌ„ or eaten with beastes c. but euen in youre varnes saieth God I haue blowen on it It is as easye for me saieth God to waste it in the house as in the field For if I but blow on it it is not able to stande in my sight And as afore he saide their money fell out of the purse botome so now in their houses their fruites were not sure No locke vp in stoone houses if ye will it is as easy for God too consume it there as to blow a blast with hys mouth yea nothing shal withstande hym whatsoeuer ye deuise but he will take it froÌ„ you ye shal not haue your pleasure by displeasing God nor any thing shall prosper with you vntil ye build him his house that is to say maintain his pure religioÌ„ defend his honour forsake your vain pleasures refrain your gredy coueteousnes The defeÌ„ding of true religion with a good godly life is nowe the true buyldinge of Gods house nowe commaunded vnto vs and that man Citie or countrye whiche doeth not build this house so hath shall haue the like plages fall on theym vntyll they ernestly build this house of the Lords For as a kinge is stablished in his kingedome whan his godly lawes are taughte kepte and that realme is strongly buylded and blessed of God wher good order is maintained so is Gods church coÌ„gregatioÌ„ wel surely builded where gods word religion is purely taught sin punished vertue embraced God can no more suffer his lawes to be conteÌ„ned or his honor geuen to Idols thaÌ„ kings can suffer their kingdoms to be betraied to their enemies For as in the hole history of the Iewes coÌ„mon welth in the boke of the Iudges and the kings while the people liued in the fear of the Lord kept his religion geuen theÌ„ from God thei were defended by god from all enemies round about theÌ„ were thei neuer so many so stronge But when they would worship God either as thei lust theÌ„ selues or not at al or els as he did not appoint them thaÌ„ they were geuen into the hand of the Philistins Ammonites Chaldees Egiptians c. somtime for the space of .40 yeares sometime .18 sometime 70. and whan they were least three years So shall all they that buylde not or pull doune Gods true religioÌ„ set vp the Popes taughte by manne and not of God lykewise be punished or worse eyther wyth hunger pestilence swoorde or blynde ignoraunce not knowynge God and bee geuen vp too theyr owne lustes without remorse of conscyence or anye feare of God whyche is the greatest plague that can be Marke oute of oure owne Chronicles what was the estate of thâ—â— oure Realme when we were made Tributaries to the Romayns by Iulius Ceasar and so continued .400 yeares more Or
busshes nor yet youre Orâ— pro 〈◊〉 his could get you Gods blessings but â—â—ther increased his anger â–ª When wereâ—â— compelled to eat acornes for bread but 〈◊〉 your popery falling froÌ„ God WheÌ„ 〈◊〉 Calys lost but in popery WheÌ„ was Bullen gotteÌ„ the Scots vanquished so maÌ„fully as vnder the gospel But this is the greatest plage of all lest regarded of you that the heauenly comfort of Gods worde was locked vp from you coÌ„fortable dew of Gods fauoure did not fall on you nor your earthly harts could bring forth good fruit worke of repentaunce And so that curse was fulfilled on you whiche is written I wil sende a hunger into the earthe not a hunger of breade but a hunger too â—eare the woorde of God that ye shall goe from the East vnto the West to heare it and shall not finde it The good men and true Prophets of God feling what a grief it was to want this dew of Gods woord seing heauen locked vp from the pleÌ„tifull preaching of thesame and desiring the coÌ„ming of Christ and comfortable promises of his gospell crye out O ye heauens send donne your dew from aboue and lette the cloudes rayne righteousnes let the earth be opened bringfoorth the sauiour But God be merciful vnto vs soften our hartes we are come to such a hardnes of hart â–ª that those thinges which good meÌ„ moste desired we most abhorre the gospel which they thought most happines treasur we are weary of it and woulde not haue it The seconde verse the Hebrue 〈◊〉 reades thus I haue called a drought vpon the earth and the hyls c. than it shoulde be nothinge but a repeatinge or an expâ—sition in mo woordes of that dearthâ— and scarcenes that was amonge them and so often spokeÌ„ of before but the Greke which I had rather folowe reades thus I will bring the sworde vpon the earth hyls â–ª c. If oure Hebrue bookes were withoutâ— pointes as theirs were whiche turned it into Greeke these pointes might be will ioyned to whiche signifie so as the Greeke is or els these pointes a litle chaunged 〈◊〉 maye be so translated also as the Greeke reades it I think it better to be an 〈◊〉 singe of the plage whiche God threatenâ— them withall to styrre theÌ„ vp to this buildinge rather then an often rehearsing 〈◊〉 these plages whiche were past And when he names here the hyls if wee reade it a drought as the Hebrue now pointed is it is not so great plage or maruell to see 〈◊〉 hyls barren and drye but if with the Grekâ— we reade the swoorde that is to saye thâ—â— enemies shoulde come and vtterly destroy all and they whiche fledde to the hyls 〈◊〉 saue them selues shoulde not escape 〈◊〉 their Castels and Towers whiche they had buylded in the toppe of Mountaines shoulde defende them it were more wonderfull and woulde strike a greater feare into them stirre them vp soner to buyld this house that they mighte auoyde these great daungers ensuing Thus he would pull them from trustinge in their stronge holdes on the mountaynes or els froÌ„ that holines whiche they put in those hylles within Ierusalem where thei thought no enemies coulde preuaile In Ierusalem were two hils Moria â—n whiche was buylded the temple SioÌ„ where was the kinges palace vnto which bothe God had promised many blessinges and therfore they might thinke theÌ„ selues sure there The Cytye was compassed afore time aboute with three walles with in the innermoste was the temple and the priestes lodginges within the second walle were the Leuites houses the Kinges palace the Uniuersitie houses of learninge .300 or mo within the vttermoste were the marchaÌ„unts and the people and yet their enemies with the sworde shoulde destroye all these There is no place so holy as to defend a wicked man nor the place makes the maÌ„ holye but a good man makes euery place whersoeuer he be holy When Ieremye preached that God would destroi the temple for the wickednes of the priestes the priestes could not abide too heare that but cried out the temple of God the temple of God yet Ieremy said styll he woulde doe vnto the house as he did vnto Silo and destroy it There is no creatur of God so holy but if a man doe abuse it God will geâ—e both him it to his enemies power if thei do not amend God suffered his holy Arke wherin were the tables written with his owne finger Aarons rod a pot full of Manna with other reliquies to be geuen into the Philistines handes for the wickednes of the people the priestes whiche bare it Ophni Phinees Elies sons 〈◊〉 likewise should these holy hyls all of theÌ„ be deuoured with the sworde if they builded not this house of God As long as thâ—â— kept gods true religion God defend them and his temple after it was buylded but when they forsaked Gods word religion God forsaked them gaue them into the handes of Antiochus which defiled the teÌ„ple set vp Idolles in it made a schoole of fence and Heathen learninge of it kylled all those that woulde not folowe him So was this prophecy curse than fulfilled thei destroied but specially when Titus Uespacian with the Romains destroyed it according as Christ said there shoulde not be one stone left standing vpon an other so there should nothing saue them excepte thei would not onely build this house but also defend and maintain his woord and true religion Those with all other lyke are written for vs to kepe vs in dew fear and reuerence to God and his woord least we suffer the like plages as they didde for falling from his holy woorde But here let vs chiefely marke the goodnes of God in this and all his other threatninges for he doth not tel vs this because there is no remedy to escape it but that in hearing this we should repent so escape it All the threatnings of god are to be vnderstand with this condicion if ye doe not repent and amende as Ionas comminge vnto Niniue sayd yet xi dayes Niniue shal be destroyed presupposing if they did not aske merci but thei asked it escaped Ieremy saieth if this people repent theÌ„ of their euil I will repent also saieth God of that euill whiche I purposed to sende vppon them If God were disposed to plage as often as he threatens he would neuer geue warninge nor time too repents in nor promise mercye to theym that repent but woulde sodenly come destroye withoute all mercie And where he workes all for oure 〈◊〉 it were a double sorow bothe to be 〈◊〉 and knowe it so certainly aforeâ—â—â—â— that it caÌ„ not be escaped but he geues theÌ„ and vs this warning that we might 〈◊〉 by repentaunce obtayne mercy in 〈◊〉 God neuer sendes plage into the worâ—â—â— but he geues warninge
all the Enemies of God his woorde people Religion to leaue their wickednes and to comforte the good manfully too beare their madnes and patiently to loke for Gods goodnes LIke as in Aggeus my endeuor and purpose was that those that feare the Lorde shoulde be sturred vp to an earnest buyldinge of Gods house louinge of his woorde and maintaininge of true religion so in this shorte Prophete my trauall and meaninge is that the wicked vnderstanding how vainly they stryue with all their witte power policie against the poore simple innocent crucified Christ Iesus the almighti sonne of the liuing God the wisedome and power of God his father might cease their raginge madnes and not onelye that but also howe they shal be ouerthrowen in their owne deuises that they imagine against true Christians the misticall members of his body and churche or againste hys woord and religion as all their fathers haue bene frome the beginninge whose steppes they folow in hating and persecuting gods people Their stomackes be stout theyr pollices great their might is stronge their wittes are wile yea all the worlde is on their side yet in the ende they shall serue dastards ignorant helples witles and misers for as the wise man sais ther is no wisedom politie nor counsell againste the Lorde The more wisdom subtiltie strengthe or power that a man hais the more he hais it to hys owne destruction if he haue it not and vse it too the glory of God and comfort of hys people For as wylde beastes the more fearce and cruel that they be the more it harmes them and causes men to hunt and seke wais how too destroy them so the more that the wicked set vp theÌ„ selfes against the Lorde and oppresse hys people the readyer iâ— God to help and deliuer his and ouerthrowe the other Can they finde any rebels againste God hys woorde and people from the beginninge too thys day that hais preuailed agaynst the Lorde and hys chosen folke If there be none as it is mooste true none to be how can they loke to be the firste Why maye not true Christians boldely saye with Dauid than Why do the Heathen freate and fume and the people imagine vain thinges againste the Lorde and his anointed saying â–ª let vs brust in sunder their bondes and cast their yoke awaye froÌ„ vs. But it folowes he that dwels in the heauens will mocke them and the Lord will laughe them too scorne In the twoo first sinnes of Adam and soo orderly in al ages to these dayes it appeares how the wicked continually malice persecute the good but to the burt of theym selues and the prayse of the godly Cain killed his brother Abel thought he should haue ben blameles but Abels innocent bloude and suche like cried vengeance on Cain hys folowers from that daye to this and the righteous God reuenges it dayly and at length wil coÌ„demne the obstinate vtterly C ham mocked hys father Noe and hys seede the Canaanites persecuted Gods people the Iewes that came of Sem his brother therefore his posteritie was accursed of God to the worlds ende The proude Giants with their captain Nimrod buylding the tower of Babell to get them selues a name in earth were ouerthrowen in their owne deuise by God from heaueÌ„ Carnal Ismael sought to destroy the promysed Isaac but in vain Bloudy EdoÌ„ or Esau whom thys Prophete describes sought the deathe of his brother Iacob but the God of Abraham their father saued them Ioseph was solde into Egipt by hys brether and by the false accusinge of his maysties was wrongefully prysoned yet hee that sittes on hygh looked doune to the lowe dungeon of the pryson and raised Ioseph to be ruler and sauer of the lande The Egiptians oppressed Gods people for a tyme but the Lord of hostes drouned Fharao and hys companye for their crueltye againste them the frowarde people murmuringe often againste their captain Moyses some were swalowed vp with earth quick some burned with fire The Philistians and seuen nations rounde aboute Gods flocke kepte continual warre against them yet they coulde neuer deuoure them but were deuoured at the length Saul and hys flatterers banisshed and pursued poore Dauid whome his God of a shepeherde made a kynge mauger all his foes The ten tribes of Israel with their kyngs were enemies to Iuda Beniamin euermore yet though they were the stroÌ„ger mo in number thei were soner rooted oute The Chaldes Assirians PersiaÌ„s Grecians and Romaines the mightiest princes on the earth oft subdued the Iewes forsakinge theyr God but the Lorde their olde sauiour euer restored them agayne when they fought him vnto thei vtterly refused Christ their sauiour The Iewes crucified Christ Iesus oure Lorde thrust hym to the heart with a speare buried hym and layed a heauy stoone on hym thinkinge he should neuer ryse agayne a conqueror but in vain was all theyr spite and their labor lost Themperour many yeares cruellye tormented all that beleued in the Lord fondly thinkinge to haue by that meaneâ— ouerthrowen them The Pope in processe of time conquered almoste al princes except the Gretians vnto of late the Lord opening the eyes of some brake hys snares and deliuered hys folke MoÌ„kes and Ereres by mans traditions woulde haue ouerwhelmed true religion Papistes of late haue banisshed burned and persecuted many godly men so cruelly as no history speakes of the like thys thousande yeare willing to haue feared all frome euer acknowledging their Lord Christe Many Heretikes haue laboured to haue defaced Goddes truthe but al is in vain God his name bee praysed therefore hais ouerthrowen them in their highest ruffe laughed them to scorne and raised vppe that whiche they would most gladly haue vtterly oppressed â–ª For as death and the graue could not preuaile against Christ our head no more shall it against his bodye and members As Nimrod therefore Pharao Ieroboam Nebucadnezar Darius Alexander with all their kyngdoms and partakers be now vainquished and subdued by the Turke the Sophi and the Souldan priester Iohn other Heathen princes their couÌ„tries made wast strauÌ„gers possesse them their religion altered froÌ„ euill to wors their cytyes townes and temples as the Prophetes did tell afore are made dennes of wilde beastes owles other filthy byrds so sence christ that which Emperors maÌ„fullly coÌ„quered the pope by subtiltie deuoured made him selfe a prince of princes but now by the power of Gods woorde preached he is made a laughing stocke to al thosâ— whose eyes the Lord hais opened to see his abominations and all realmes that afore feared hym â–ª now God visiting hys people fal from hym For as the woodbinde leaning to a tree climbes vp spreades it selfe ouer all the branches vnto it haue ouergrowen and kylled the hole tree as a stroÌ„g â—eady streame vndermining great hygh bankes at length makes all to tumble intoo the water and wasshes it awaye so