about thee Lord and our Lorde and to teache the ignoraunt to haue a deepe consideracion of the magesty of thys Lord whych is whych hath bene and whych shal be by whom al creatures haue theyr being so oft as they do heare the Lord named and so cal them to the reuerence of the name of God so longe bi vs Christians contempned dispised and vyllanously blasphemed with vsual othes and abhominable periurie Where as the Iewes dare not speake nor wryte thys greate name wyth meruelous obseruacaons muche reuerence to oure great shame I do speake it whyche do tosse lyke a tennes ball wythout al feare and reuereÌ„ce the name of oure Lord God froÌ„ mouth to mouth accountinge him vnmete for all good companye especyallye for a kynges court whyche wyl not take the name of god in vain at eueri other word Oh ye blasphemers muste this be the firste entrye into your Courts and companye to shake of the feare of God So despitefullye to breake hys hollye precept and commaundemente so contumelyouslye to abuse hys holye name greate before all creatures hygh before the aungels and terryble to the deuils Learne some other couretynge before thys Lord in his dreadful maiesty come downe amonges you You can talke reuerentlye of the kynges Maiestye hys hyghnes hys hanorable counsayle my Lordes grace my Lorde Bishops grace and my ladyes grace is ther nothinge left for the Lord of al Lords the kynge of all kynges but Gods bloude Gods wouÌ„ds Gods passioÌ„ blasphemyng outragiously both God the father his son Christ who for to saue vs shed his blud suffered these woundes and bitter passion Is neyther God who created thee nor Iesus Christ who redemed thee of no more reputacion Is this right courtyng to set so light by thy creacion thy redempcion thy saluacion Then cursed be courtyng wo worthe the wycked companye Here al people The Text. hearken thou earth and al that therin is The Lord God be a wytnes against you the Lord froÌ„ his holy teÌ„ple Loo no kynges course is excepted but al people muste doo reuerence vnto thys Lorde al knees muste bowe before hys magesty The heauen is hys seate the earth is hys foote stoole The kynge in hys pryuy chamber hath thys Lorde a wytnes of hys dooynges The Lords of the priuay counsayle can not shutte foorth of the counsayle chamber thys vnreprouable wytnesse No Kynge no Courte no Emperoure no Poope Prelate shal woorcke so pryuelye but thys Lord shal espye and se shal both wytnes and iudge al their doinges Let vs therfore tremble and diligently gyue eare when the Lord speaketh and wyth feare and reuerence humble oure selues to his name Desiringe as his sonne taughte vs his name too bee sanctified halowed renowmed reuereÌ„sed and magnified and waitinge most obedientlie whyles hys holye wyll bee fulfylled Moyses dothe cal heauen and earth to witnes against vs as doth our Prophete Micha Deuternomi iiii xxx and xxxii So dothe Esaie also in hys firste Chapter teachinge vs that the heauens that is to say the heauenly spyrytes and aungels the earthe that is too saye al menne create vppon thee earth shallbeare wytnesse at the great and terryble tyme of God hys laste Iudgemente wythall trewe preachers and Prophetes agaynste oure synfull stubbernes whyche wyl not repent beynge so ofte admonished Yea the euerliuinge and euerlastynge Lorde in his dreadefull Magestye commeth as an vnreproueable wytnesse too aduenge the contempte of his hollye name and all other abhominations as this oure watche manne warneth wyll wee not yet stoupe abate oure Pryde plucke downe oure highe courtlie lokes halte couÌ„tenaunces and leaue oure bleather blowne bragges sette forth wyth shamlesse othes too the contempte of God his holye name and that bytter passion whiche Christe oure sauioure suffered for vs. Well the Lorde is higher then al and hee wil shortlye come downe from his holly temple Then wo to the exâ—â—n of pryde the blasphemers of his name Wo to the ambicious Tiraunts and couetous caitifes Wo to the dronken in theyr lustes eyther heare in Englande or elles wher for there is one God whych hateth synne euer sence he made manne and one sprite whyche hath by the holye woorde vttered synne rebuked it and foughten againste it frome the begynnynge one Lorde whyche shall bee boothe wytnesse and iudge ouer all fleshe whyche shall come sodaynelye vppon the wycked strongelye and myghtely lyke an hayle storme lyke a whyrle wynde or lyke a sooden floude of waters fallynge vpon a great plaine Esay xxvii The Text. For loo God shal come forthe of hys place he shal come down and walcke vppon the hyghe places of the earth And the hils shall melte vnder hys feete the valaies shal cleaue in sonder eueÌ„ as the waxe melteth against the fyre and as the waters whiche fal downe with violence Oure Prophete Micha doothe paint the commyng of the Lord to iudgment boothe wyth the Iewes and also wyth the hole worlde wyth mooste euydent similitudes of comming downe and walkynge whyche canne be applyed vnto God who fylleth all places but only bi borowed speache as Moises did saye Gen. iii. God did walke in Paradyse at the euentyde because he did then open his Magestye mooste presentlye vnto Adam howbeit vpon our sauiour Christ whome we beleue bodilye too be in one place not in al according to the saying of the angel vnto the wemen He is not heare after hys resurreccyon but the men of Galile stode and beheld his humane body go vp into the heauens and the aungels saide agayne vnto them ye meÌ„ of Galile this same Iesus shal com againe as ye haue seene hym go vp in to the heauens Actes i. and God hathe appoynted a day saythe Paule when he wyll iudge the worlde wyth ryghteousnes by thys man whom he hath raysed from deathe Act. xvii The whyche daye and tyme of the Lordes comming seemeth here to be chieflye and pryncypallye descrybed thoughe the destruccyon of the Iewes be therewyth insumate for thus dothe Christe hym selfe cople bothe together .xxiiii. of Mathew and Dauid in the .xvii. Psalme doothe adioyne the daye of hys perticuler deliueraunce to thys daye of the Lordes coÌ„minge sayinge the Lorde hathe hearde my voyce frome hys holye temple The earthe was moued and trembled and the foundacyons of the Mountaynes were troubled shaken The smoke did come forthe in hys wrathe and the fyre dyd flame from hys face so that cooles were kindled therwith he bowed down the heauens came down and darknes vnder his fete Of this daye and of these hygh places whereupon the Lorde shall walke speaketh Esay the Prophete In that daye the Lord alone shal be exalted for it shall come vppon all the hyghe and proud vpon al them that ar arrogant and they shal be broughte lowe and vp on all the hyghe Ceder trees of Lybanus and vpoÌ„ al the Okes of Basan vpon al the high hilles and vpon euerye high tower the pryde of meÌ„ shal be brought
haue but lyghtelye touched we maye perceiue that no teste can be founde for mannes soule in our own inuencions But the farther manne wadeth in hys fonde intentes and fantastical imaginacion the farther he slydeth from God vnsure that he hathe done any thing acceptable in the sight of God Therfore must we which are seruaunts and creatures learning our own weaknes by the fal of others turne to our master lord and creator to know what his word cōmaundeth in the agony of cōsciēce cōsidering that the turnīg frō the creator to creatures hath bene the groūd of al Idolatry euery mā chusing to hīself the Idol of his own hart Some the son some the Moone some the .vii. starres some Saturn some Iupiter some Mars some Venus some Marcurye And dotinge farther some haue worshypped Calfes some Cockes some Serpents some Dogges some Asses some Gotes And in oure Popyshe wickednesse wee oure selues haue worshypped stockes stones and geuen diuine honours almost to all manner of creatures a vyle wafer cake did we honour as our God in dede and when that was lifte vppe betwyxte the Priestes fingers we saide we dyd se oure maker and knocked and kneeled crowched and kyssed withoute all measure And the Priest when he did eate it thoughte he did receiue hys maker and made so manye fonde gestures ioyened with infinite supersticions that thereby we may marcke if we haue nothinge elsse too leade vs that the fayened and false worshyppe of God hathe no ende not staye can neuer tell where too consyste doothe alwaye disquiet and neuer satysfye nor quiet the conscience Therefore for the loue of our own souls of the quiettinge of oure owne conscyence let vs vnfainedlye repente of al oure falsed goddes and fayned worshyppe of God and knowledg that ther is but one God whyche broughte the children of Israel forthe of Egipte from the house of bondage and hath deliuered vs the spirituall Israell frome the Egypte of synne end erroures from the bondage of the deuyll Deathe and hel and broughte vs into the lybertye of hys chyldren by the deathe of his owne sonne And by his holye spyryte poured into our heartes doth teache vs to crye father father Let vs knowledge I saye that thys Lorde our God is but one God whome we muste loue with all oure hearte with all our soule with all oure strength him must we feare and hym onlye must we worshippe and in hys name onlye maye we sweare By the whiche woordes wee maye learne that ther◠is but one God only who onlye oughte to be worshypped feared loued trusted and hooped vpon which the wordes of swearing in his name importeth Thys oure God then whose worshyppe wee doo teache is that almyghtye power whyche made heauen and earthe by hys woorde and by the same throughe hys spyryte doothe gouerne al creatures therin Sauing Israel and drowning Pharao Sauyng hys chosen of free mercy and grace and condempnynge the wycked hypocrytes by iuste iudgement Thys our God is a spyrite as Christ our aldermaster teacheth vs they whych worshyp hym must worship in spirite and truthe Ihon .iiii. And seeyng he is a spirit pure from bodyly corrupcion and therfore hauyng no neede of our bodely seruice Hys true worshyp can not consist in bodely exercise whych lasteth but the tyme it is in doinge but in the inward holines of the hart which euermore encreaseth spryngeth forth into life euerlasting Such a worshyppe therfore our Prophet teacheth whyche ariseth and springeth forth of the secret reuerence and feare of God hys sacrate magesty whych is not seruyse but child lyke wherby we are not onlye affrayed to dysplease God oure father but also prompt and redy lyke obediente chyldren to expresse in our lyuyng Iudgement and merci the two special propertyes greatest shew of hys image which appeareth vnto hys creatures Prouer. i. Therfore is thys feare called the begynnyng of wysedome and the spyryte of feare Esaa .ix. begynneth the worke whyche the other sprytes of wysdome vnderstandyng the spyryte of counsell and strengthe the spirite of knowledge and true holinesse and accomplisheth fulfilleth So that thys spirite of feare dothe go before in al the hartes of them whiche God dothe chuse to worship him in spirite and truth makinge theym afraied to do homage and worship to any thinge saue their Lorde God onlye eyther anye otherwise then hee requireth and commandeth Afraied euermore to do any thing wherin they do not know hys open pleasure Thys feare was in Cornelius befor he had the perfit knowledge of God and in the menne of Israell vnto whome Peter did saye O brethren and children of Abraham and thei amonges you which feareth God vnto you is the woord of saluacion sent in the Psas ciii Euē as the father hath mercye of his children so hath the Lord mercye of them that feare him and the merci of the Lorde is for euermore vpon them whyche feare him The cause is that they whiche do fear the Lorde are alwaies ready with heart and minde to do thinges pleasaunt vnto him and to abstaine from the contrary His displeasure do they feare like louynge chyldrene If theyr heauenly father be pleased they do reioice if he be offended they doo crye for mercye so that of hym they do teast in prosperiti of him they do hange in aduersitie accordinge to hys owne commaundemente by hys chosen vessell Dauid Call vppon me in the daye of thy trouble and I shal deliuer the and thou shalte worshippe me So that this inuocacion after some interpretoures is the true worship of God And surelye seinge Paule Romaines .x affirmeth that who soeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued No manne canne denye but an eareneste callynge vppon God comprehendeth the true worshippe which God requyreth and contayneth in it perfyte religion because it hath fayth the ground of all vertues for howe canne they call vppon God whyche dooe not beleue in hym Romaynes .x. And they whyche dooe call vppon other creatures hathe affiance truste and faythe in those thinges elsse woulde they neuer call vppon theym Thys faythe spryngynge of the fyrste parte whiche was the feare and reuerence of God his hygh Maiesty supplyeth the seconde poynte of the worshippe of God whych requyreth a knowledge of God For how can we beleue in hym whō we haue not knowē Rom. x. Hereby doo wee gyue glorye and worshyppe vnto God that is too say we knoweledge hym too be true in all hys promyses And because without faythe it is impossible to please God this faith maketh vs suer that wee doo worshippe hym as wee shoulde and certifieth vs that wee bee the chyldrene of God and that oure woorckes are acceptable in hys syghte Hereby did Abell in hys sacryfyce more truly worshyppe God then dyd hys brother Caine. Abraham also and hys wyfe Sarai by faythe were the true worshyppers of God and receyued the promyse Elizabeth also gaue more glorye and worshippe vnto God
frō generaciō to generaciō And in the Psal cxxx most playnelye The Lorde hathe sworne to Dauid and wyll not deceyue I wyll set vpon thy seate the fruite of thy wombe the whyche place holy Peter alledginge to the Iewes Actes .ii. doth name it the fruyte of the loynes of Dauid forseinge by the spyryte that suche an Artycle of oure faythe whyche shoulde be so much impugned hadde neade to bee payneted wyth moost playne woordes And what canne be more playne I praye you to declare hym too haue bene verye fleshe and verye manne then thus to haue named him too haue come of thee seede of thee loynes and forthe of the wome of Dauid And if you do stycke of the woorde and name of a manne reade .iii. kinges .ii. chapter Thou shalte alwaye haue a manne to sit in thy seat ouer Israel and in the ende the seate of Dauid shall bee stable before the Lorde for euer So that thys maye be suffycyente too all theym whyche wyth anye thynge wyll be satisfied that the Messiah and sauyoure promysed is verye man Who so wyl search mo scryptures lette hym read the .vii. of Esaye where is playnelye Prophecyed that he shall be borne of a Virgin in the iiii Chapter he is called the braunche of the Lorde and the fruyte of the earthe where bothe hys natures are touched Like as oure Prophete dothe mooste plainelye painte him foorthe in boothe kindes also sayinge that he shoulde be borne in Bethlem a village of small reputacion because it was able too make but a small noumber in the musters and taxes when the people were noumbred by hondrethes and thousandes as was then vsed and we doo vse the same styll to thys daye The whyche woordes of oure Prophete that hee shoulde come foorthe of lytle Bethlehem to rule ouer Israell doothe declare hys mannehode lyke as the woordes folowing His comminge foorthe is from old from euerlastinge vttereth hys Godhead For only God hathe bene frome euerlastynge Thus is your Messiah painted vnto you God and manne O vnbeleuinge nacyon The stone whiche you doo refuse being folishe builders is made the chief cornor stone of God his holy buildinge Esay did also vtter this vnto you in moste plaine wordes saying A child is born vnto vs a son is geuē vnto vs vpō his shulder shal be the kingdome and he shall be called meruelous the counsel geuer the myghtye God the euerlastynge father the Prince of Peace of the multiplying of his kingdome and of hys peace there shal be no ende He shall sette vppon the seate of Dauid and vpon his kingdome to sette vp the same and too stablyshe it in equitie and rightuousnes from hensforthe for euermore Esaye .ix. Heare is he named a childe borne whiche shoulde be king which oppresseth his manhode All the other wordes do moste playnelye describe the pore and propertyes of hys God heade who so shall worthelye ponder them and if nothinge canne serue to satyfye your styffe stomackes onles you haue the hyghe name of God Iouah ascribed to oure Christe youre Messiah as some of you impudently canne answer Vouchsafe to reade the Prophet Ieremy in the .xxiii. chapter and ther you shal most plainly find it so Lo the daies shal come faith the Lord and I will raise vp to Dauid a rightuous braunche and he shall raigne kinge and prospere He shal do iudgemente and iustice in the earthe In those dayes shal Iuda be saued Israel shal dwell boldly this is hys name wherewyth they shall call hym Iouah Sidkenu by interpretacion God whych is whiche hathe beene whyche shall be by whome all thynges haue theyr being is oure ryghteousnes for so muche is cōprehended in the Hebrew Iouah as was sayde in the fyrste leafe And thys is the hyghe name whyche the Iewes do agre neuer to be geuen to any creature Therfore we do conclude against thē that our Christ is God the only creatour of whō al creatures haue their essēce substaūce beyng as thys word importeth Agayn wher as it is wrytten Psalme .c.ix. The Lorde sayed vnto my Lord sytte of my right hand whiles that I make thyne enemies thy fotestole And Christ our Lord demaundeth of your Doctoures Pharyses if Christe were Dauid sonne as the scriptures compelled them too confesse How then calleth Dauid hym lord by the spyryte so longe afore And if he be Dauides Lorde howe then is he hys sonne The whiche questyon hath vexed your braynes whyche denye hym too be God thys M. ccccc yeres Therfore fall downe and worshyppe oure Christe as God lyke as the xc.vi Psalme doth teache you that al the aungels of heauen shall worshyp hym and you shal vnderstande not onlye thys questyon but al those same places of the Psalms and Prophetes whyche you doo nowe reade wyth a vayle and myste before your eyes Psalme xliiii.lxxxviii cix cxxxi Esa iiii vii viii.ix.xi.xxviii.xl.xlii.xlv.xlvi.xlix.lii liii lxii Ieremy xxiiii.xxx.xxxiii Ezech. xvii xxxiiii.xxxvii Daniel ii.ix. Mich. v. Agge ii Baruch iii. Osee xiii vi Ioel. ii Amos. ix zacharye iii. xiii Malache iii. Ionah the fygure of Christ hys deathe and resurreccion Whych places I doo note for the godly that they may se Christ to haue beene the shoote anker of the Prophetes ▪ and chyefe marke of theyr Prophecyes What shall I nede to brynge forth anye place of the newe Testament seinge that standeth hollye vpon this doctryne that Iesus Christe is God and manne and by thys you maye knowe the spirite of God saythe Saynt Ihon. Euerye spirite whych confesseth Iesus Christ to become in the flesh is of God Ihon. iiii And euery spirit which doth not confes Iesu Christ to becom in the flesh is not of God And this is the spirit of Antechrist saythe Saynt Ihon. And before in the thyrde Chap. Who is a lyer but he that denyeth Iesus too bee Christe Thys same is Antychryste whyche denyeth boothe the father and the sonne And who so denyeth the sonne neither hath the father Therefore embrace the sonne and receyue hym wyth a kysse leaste hee be angry and you do perysh forth of the way Psal ii We do know that the son of God is come and hath geuen vs hartes to know hym whych is true and we are in thys truthe in hys sonne Iesus Christ Thys is the true God and euerlastyng lyfe i. Ihon. v. We doo confesse wyth S. Paule that Christe is borne of the Iewes as touchyng the flesh which is God in al thynges to be praysed for euer Rom. ix We do professe thys faith whych holye Ihon Baptyste preached That our sauiour Christ though he dyd come after Ihon as touchyng the carnal natiuity Yet is he far mightiar then Ihon and Baptiseth vs wyth the holy Gost and wyth fyre Hys fan is in hys hand to pourge hys flower and he wyll gather hys wheate into hys barne and burne the chaffe wyth vnquenshed fyre We do beleue that at hys Baptyme the holye Goste dyd come downe inuisible
Iacob after he haue made theyr ennemyes theyr footestoole whyche all the Prophetes doo make as the chyefe marke and ende of theyr Prophecyes for the comforte of the chosen Israel as is at large before wrytten and wonderfullye set forth in Ezechiel xxxvii xxxviii and .xxxix. Chapter And it shall bee in that The Text same day sayth the Lord and I wyl destroy thy horse forth of the myddâ—st of thee and breake thy charyots I wyl destroye thy cytyes and ouercome al thy municions I wyll destroye thyne enchauntmentes and thou shalte haue no sothlaiers I wil destroi thyne Idols and thyne ymages forth of the myddes of thee and thou shalt not worship any more the worke of thyne owne hands And I wyl pluck vp thy groues forth of the middes of the and I wyl destroy thy cityes And I wyll bee auenged in my wrathe and fury vpon the people which hath not heard me Although thys prophecy be by many expounded of the Iewes yet had I rather to take it as spoken of the HetheÌ„ and so it very wel agreeth wyth all the other prophetes whych strayghte after the deliueraunce of Israel froÌ„ amongs the heythen dothe alwayes threaten a terryble destruccion to theyr enemyes Of whom so euer it is spoken we muste marke for what cause it is spoken to teach vs that syn is the cause of destruccion to al kyngdomes The trust in charyotes in horses in walled cytyes and strong holdes In enchauntmentes and Idols are the cause of God hys wrath indygnacion and heauy dyspleasure Especially Idolatry enchantment and couniuryng whych are the spiritual fornicacion these are the crymes that God heare and euery wher dothe threaten to auenge in hys wrath and fury Deut. iiii vii And thorow the whole booke Iosue xxiii xxv Dyd he not woÌ„derfuly destroi xxiii thousand of the Israelytes vppon one day by theyr owne pristes Leuits for Idolatry Exod. xxxii Did not God geue them into theyr enemyes handes for folowing the wayes of the Hethen Iudges ii.iii.iiii.vi.viii.x Dothe he not threaten alwaies to take theÌ„ of the face of the earth and destroy theÌ„ for it Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomi and in al the Prophets Doth not God appeare vnto Solomon afterward declare the same vnto him .iii. Re. ix saying that if Israell shulde worship straunge gods he wold take him away and make him a by word amongs the heatheÌ„ And when it shulde be demaunded why God had destroied this people whome he had chosen this shulde be answered because they haue worshipped straunge goddes therefore hathe the Lorde broughte vpon vs al this euil .iii. kinges .ix. This we knowe now liuinge especially in this realme and se and ar taught to be mooste true by the mouthe of God in our time as was SolomoÌ„ But a great parte of vs haue Idolatrye hidde in our hearts as hadde Solomon and none of vs do earnestlye repent of the Idolatry by vs committed no more then did SolomoÌ„ therfore shal we suffer shame with Solomon and oure posteritie shal be despised as it shal be taughte more at large Nowe for the stronge doctrine and spirituall fornicacion of enchauntemente and coniuracyon of sothesaying or diuinacion on lesse it be spedelye stopped by the wyl of God workinge the care of such thinges in the harte of our kinge counsalers it shal shortlye braste forthe so farre amonges vs as it dyd amonges the Iewes a lyttle before theyr laste destruccyon whereof Iosephus wryteth Ant. xx cap. iiii xi.xii that they dyd forsake the true Prophetes of God and sought after Sorcerers and soothe sayers So saythe Esay that the Lorde hadde forsaken his people the house of Iacob because they were more full of enchauntementes then was the Arabians and as full of sothsaiers as the Philistines and wyth straunge doctryne they hadde satisfied their selues Esaye .ii. So canne I come into no corner of thys realme where I finde not or heare not of some of theese In Oxforde and in Cambridge wher God hys holy word shoulde banyshe thys blyndenesse there be masters for the nonest which after they haue studyed Astronomye whyche after they haue studied Astronomye and come to the iudicials of Astrology and found some experiments true and some false when the placynge of the Planettes in theyr appoynted houses and theyr aspectes and respectes wyl not serue their fonde purposes Then loo muste they enter in too Necromancye and call some deade spirit forth of hys graue wyth the bind of a swalow or a cat 〈◊〉 please the deuill to accepte that lewde sacrifice and hear haue they infinite supersticioÌ„s of times of wordes of places of the putrefactyon of that bloude and other lyke madnes whiche I am a shamed too rehearse and sorye too remember consyderynge that manne was made by God to beare hys image and therefore too looke and to do seruice to no suche vyle creatures especyallye to hys auncyente ennemye the Deuill for whose acquaintaunce all these Coniurers hath suche care and maketh suche preparacye wyth watching wyth fastinge with crossynge wyth M cccccc supersticions obseruacyons for the destruccion of theyr owne soules as no man wyl for theyr owne saluacyon They saye they vse good woordes the greate name of God Iehouah Adonai Otheos Sotor Manuel Sabaoth and I wot not what So did oure Coniurers in the kyngdome of the Romyshe Ante christe vse some good woordes and the lyke names aboute the coniurynges of Belles of salt of water of oile of wine of breade of Palmes and such lyke but they dyd mixt therwyth many blasphemyes yea and the good wordes whatsoeuer they dyd speake were neuer applied to that purpose whyche God appointed but too theese their owne imagined phantasyes of coniurynge God his creatures whyche alwaye hath bene accounted abhomination before God Deuter. xviii For looke howe farre the heauens are from the earthe and so farre are my waies froÌ„ your waies and mi thoughtes from your rhoughtes saythe the Lorde Esaye .lv. yea too the sinner saythe the Lorde why doste thou take my name in thy mouthe Psalm .l. That theese open euyl doers and manyfest transgressours agaynste God hys holye commaundemente oughte rather too tremble at the magnyfycente magestye of God his holye name then thus lewdlye too alledge it in they re charmes These Cambredge coniurers haue scolers in the countryes abroade whych seketh howe to haue familier spirites whiche they doo tearme too haue a Bee in a boxe to teache them to play at the Dice Cardes and other leud pastimes And some muste haue Marcurius well placed to helpe at a pynsh when they canne fynde no monye vnder crosses to brynge it by some other vnshamefull shyftes Some muste haue Venus in her fauorable aspecte coniured into an aple to wyll the sauoure of wemen Some must haue Saturne for wysdome Iupiter for honoures Mars for battel whiche ar the verye Deuelyshe delusyons wherewyth the Deuyll blyneded the Babylonyans Egiptians and Cananees And in oure Popyshe tyme broughte in
downe and theyr highe lokes be brought lowe saythe Esay which is the meaninge of oure Prophete The Text And the hils shal melt For oure God is a consuminge fyre and who is able to abide the heat of his heauye displeasure and as Esay saith the Lorde shall come in fyre and hys Chariot shall be lyke a whyrle winde to vtter forthe hys furye wyth greate rage hys rebuke in the flame of fyre For in the fyre and the sweard shal the Lorde Iudge all fleshe Esay lxvi Now where the proude world dothe thinke that the lord liueth in the heauēs not seing nether regardīg their doings vpō earth our Prophet rebuketh that grosse opinion and telleth thē that as he dyd come terryble downe vpon the mounte Sinai when he dyd geue the lawe of the .x. commaundementes So wyll he come wyth fyre to make theyr heartes to melte when he wyll aske accomptes of the kepynge and fulfillynge of these holye commaundemēts The whiche fearefull communication and threatninge maye worthely cause vs in these latter daies vpon whom the end of the world is come to quake and tremble consideringe oure careles life whiche do al thinges so wilfullye and wickedlye as thoughe either ther were no God at al or no daye appoynted to make aunswere for oure doinges But the Lorde wyll come spedely from hys holye temple For the wickednes of Iacob The Text. all this and for the synne of the house of Israel After the Prophet haue threatned vtter destruccyon of the .ii. kingdomes Samaria Ierusalē set forthe by open similitude of the moūtaines melting the vallies cleauing in sondre like as wax doth before the fyrye flame he sheweth the cause of the ruin of thē bothe of the greate wrathe of God as all prophecies bee generall beynge geuen by one spirit whych seeth to the end euermore stryuyng agaynst the syn of al nacions So doth the spirite teach vs that the only cause of Gods wrath in al ages and al places is the synne and wyckednesse of the world for the which he said once It repenteth me that I made man Genesis .vi. For synne God destroyed the whole world whych he had made bothe man and beast saue only a seede reserued in the Arke to preach hys iustyce hys mercy in a new world renewed by hys spirit For the proude synful words of the old Giantes did the great plage of the confusion of languages come vp on the world whyche we doo feele vnto thys day so that one man vnto another beyng of a straunge nacion is made as it were a dombe and speecheles beaste For syn were the .v. cytyes brente wyth fyre For synne wer the old Giants Og kynge of Basan and the monstruous seede of Suachim destroyed For synne the Cananites the Heuites the Hethites the Iebusites and to be short after them who were placed in theyr Countryes the chosen Israelites beynge in noumber lyke the sande of the sea were myserably wasted destroyed and consumed The .iiii. pryncipall Monarchies whyche Daniel descrybeth be all beaten downe for sinne And the .x. litle hornes or kingdomes also hathe beene euery one of them ofter then once changed and translated Finally al realmes countryes townes and cities shall for synne haue the like ruine and destruccion Some sooner and sorar to cause the rest to repent and at the length all because the reward of synne is destrucciō by the myghty Lord hys vnchangeable ordynaunce So sore a thynge is synne in the syghte of God that who so euer synneth deserueth death This was the old learning which the Lord taught Adam in Paradise whych al the seede of Adam feeleth and tasteth continuallye and yet can neyther see nor auoyde the cause of theyr destruccion but as Media dyd say Euen seyng wittyng and wyllyng we do perysh Who was the cause of synne to Iacob was it not Samaria The Text and who of the hie places of Iuda was it not Ierusalem Thys sentence can not stand as it is cōmonly translate what is the syn because the interogatiue in the Hebrew is the Masculine gēder therfore must be referred to the author of the synne and hye places wherunto the aunswer also serueth that Samaria and Ierusalem that is to say the chefe cities and kings courtes are the causes of al wyckednes Idolatrous abhominacion Euen so so said Elias to king Achab Thou and thy fathers house hath troubled Israel whych haue forsaken the commaundements of God and followed Baalam For lyke as the kyng and court is such are the people as the experience of al ages playnelye teacheth For the people alwayes by flatteryng and counterfaityng kynges and princes doth imitate follow their maners condiciōs And thys is nothing vnnatural that the body and inferiour members shuld follow the qualities disposicion of the heade but rather impossible that it shuld be inclined any other waies Here is to be noted for the variety of trāslacion of thys text that it is a defectiue sentence and by sondry interpreters is diuerstye supplied lyke as many mo are in the old testamēt For the Hebrue tonge in sētēces of vehemencye and also of great haste doth leaue out certain words easy to be vnderstād itti mi who wyth me ha shalam how peace such eclypsed phrasies haue we in the Englishe tong as howe nowe horsse horsse Samaria was the kyngs of Israels seate as we reade .iii. Kyng .xvi. Amry king of Israel bought the hyl Thamor of Themer and buylte it for his palace wher as the kyngs wer named before to raygne in Thyrsa as appeareth in the same chapter This Samaria is much blamed in scripture because of the goldē calfes which Ieroboam set vp al the kings of Israel in this city chiefely maintained after hym And Ierusalem is annexed as her sister by byrth being both of one people brought forth of Egipt and also like of condiciō in al kynde of abhominacions as the thyrde chapter of Ieremye and xxiii of Ezechiel dothe at large vnder the names of Ahola and Aholiba declare Wher as Ierusalē is accompted muche more wycked because she could not beware by her systers fall but encreased her abhominacions and therfore much more greuouslye to be iudged and condempned In what case then are we lyuyng in these euil daies in our great cities courtes and kyngs houses whych haue not the terryble example of one of thē only but of infinite other set before our eies We do reade of the wycked kynges in Ierusalem Achas and Manasse which dyd not onlye excede in wyckednes the kynges of Israell and prynces of Samaria but they are charged that they far passe the wyckednesse of that people whyche the Lorde dyd driue forthe before them for theyr synnes And abhominations the wicked Cananees wher the kynges and Prynces were so euyl the people coulde not be good therfore did come vpon them horrible destruccyon at the ende What shall we saye in these perilous tymes wherin al men
cōplaineth religion to be neglected charity to be clene quēched al good maners orders peruerted and corrupted couetousnes so depelye grounded and ryot so rooted in theyr hartes whyche haue authorytye ouer vs that these poysons are spred lyke smyttinge lepryes from the heade to the hole bodye euen to the soules of the feete and lowest mēbers Repente we saye O you prynces iudges of the earth remember these examples of olde consyder that al is laid vpon your backes for you must answer for the sinnes of the people euen you I saye whiche shuld be as it wer earthlye goddes vnto the people to minister all goodnes Become not deuils the authors of euil and wickednes haue ofte in minde the godli sayings of the boke of wisdome that power is geuen vnto you of the Lord authoriti frō the hiest which shal examine your woorkes shal serch your very thoughts because that you being the ministers of his kīgdome haue not vsed righte iudgement nor kept the law of righteousnes nether haue you walked after the wil of God Horribly therfore and spedelye shal he appeare vnto you for a moste straite iudgment shal be to them in authoritie Vnto the smal mercye shal be shewed but the mighty shal be mightely tormēted c as in Sapi. vi Repente we crie again O ye lords of the earthe of your former negligens in religion Lay downe your couetouse ambicion sease from ryot and your lasciuious wantonnes Awaye with your stinkinge fornycacyon Let go your oppression and extorsion Sease to do euil Learne to doo good Least you do perish with these .ii. cities afore named Samaria Ierusalē The pore people your subiects muste nedes folow your exāple if you do vnfainedly repēt as did the kīgs princes of Niniue Lyke as they can not eskape vnpunished if you do sinke in sin with the princes of Sodō But oh wher be the exāpls proclamaciōs of the kings prynces of Niniue which admonished of theyr syns by Ionah only proclaimed a fast for yong olde mā beast cōmanding most straitly that they shuld crye vnto the Lord with al theyr might euery man torne frō his euil way frō the wickednesse wherein he was practised That God might repent of his word turne awa his wrath But you contrariwise not repenting but forgetting how you haue offēded God with your old idolatry do abuse his light now sent amōgs you to the satitfying of your lusts to condēnaciō of your owne soules cause god his holy word the preachers therof to serue your couetusnes You do make proclamaciōs daily I do graūt against the couetous dealings of your inferior members subiects but be sure the body can not be deliuered of this disease except the head be first pourged Wherfore be warned in tyme by the prophets and preachers for if we stil both head fote continue in euil we must loke to gether to perish with the wicked world before vs. The Text I wyll laye Samaria in forowes to plant vines I wil cast down her stones into the valei raise her foundacyons Lo vtter destrucciō is threatned to this cytye for the wickednes of the inhabitantes And it was performed which the prophet speketh by Salmanasar San herib Phul Theglathphelaser as appeareth in the .iiii. boke of the kinges the xvii .xviii. chap. And shal our polluted Samaritās of Londō escape vnpunished the Iewes could not medle with the Samaritās wtout polluciō neither cā the faithful come to London but they are contaminate Their eies with filthye sightes are ful of adultery their eares with wicked tales blasphemies ar obturate made deaffe theyr mindes with infinite errours occupied with the diuersity of diuilish delucions demēted that neither Samaria neither Sodō it self hath deserued before god mā any sorar or more extreme punishment God is ther none amōgs thē nether yet erthly king as appeareth by their lawes cōtēpned no loue amongs mē no shame fastnes amonges women no fayth no fear no trust no cōfidēce no master cōtent wyth one offyce and callynge no seruaunt for loue doth shew obediēce In shadow and outward shewe haue banished Idolatry and changed theyr religion yet do they serue the deuil styll as much as euer they dyd in al kynde of abhominaciō Therfore shal thys Englysh Samaria be wasted and destroyed because from this sea all sinful poodles of England doth flow spread abrode And al the grauen ymages of Samaria shall bee broken in peeces The Text the gyftes and offerings shall be brent wyth fyre and all her temples shal I make desolate for she hath gathered all of the hyre of an harlot and to the hyre of the harlot they shall bee returned The grauen Images the goldē calues what so euer the Assyryans foūdin Samaria they spoiled and waisted it they destroied theyr townes tēples as is towched .iiii. Kynges .xvii. They dyd take away their golden calues Hosea .viii. wherby the lying Lord would vtter the weakenes of those fayned gods whych could not helpe them selues and the foolyshnes of all men whyche wyll worshyp such broken cesterns that can hold no water Yea theyr foolyshnes shameles abhominacion is muche more vttered in that the Prophet sayth that Samaria had gathered all thys of the hyre of the harlot charging thē as doth Ezechiel .xvi. Chap. that where vnto all common whores ther is geuē rewards Israel lokinge for no rewarde of her Idols with whom she hathe ren of whoringe hath contrariwise made thē riche with her giftes and rewardes But as goodes euill gotten muste nedes be euil spente according to the common Prouerbe so now commeth it to passe that these ryche Iewels golde and siluer offered Idols in Samaria are caried into Babilon to be dedicate to their Idoles againe or elsse are readye to be conuerted vpon suche harlottes as communelye foloweth suche garrisons of orderles sowgioures and by the cursse of god and mooste heauy temptacion as we do se in our time that whiche was gotten by spiritual fornicacion is spent in beastly and bodely whoredome Wherefore I shal mourne and yel The Text I shal go spoiled naked I must murne lyke the dragōs wayle lyke the Estriches The Prophet brasteth forth wyth teares wyth sighing sobbing yelling and criyng to lament the state of these myserable tymes which he dyd see and behold to hang ouer the heades of his people So doth Christ our Sauiour seynge Ierusalem wept ouer it So doth Esaiah So doth Ieremiah and al true prophets and preachers lamēt and bewaile the miseries whych nedes must followe the synneful stubbernes of the wycked Thus alwayes the wycked worlde greueth the holy spirit of God in these holye men but neuer wyl they mourne for theyr own sins vnles it be so as our prophet may be ryght wel vnderstand that afflyccion daunger and distres do giue them vnderstandyng as in theyr feareful famine when the delycate
slayne them You muste by the iuste and righteous iudge haue the like vnto you measured The Lorde dothe euen nowe beginne to bringe his yoke vppon your neckes whiche might cause you to stope with flying away with your fine Phisik with al your inuencioÌ„ you caÌ„not auoide it he suffereth you yet to liue behold it in others that he may prouoke you to repeÌ„tance but the time is at haÌ„d if you doo not repeÌ„t wheÌ„ ether with this or other plage more greuous you shal be wholy destroyed TheÌ„ shal the false prophets which haue flatred you in your wickednes make lameÌ„tacioÌ„ cry out for your destruccioÌ„ whiche sodeÌ„ly shal come vpoÌ„ you Their idle braines shal muse and meruel how this land promised to be yours shuld be take with the enemye Yea after they shal be taken together with you by the enemy they shall promise you to be restored as did Hanamah Hiere xxviii sayeinge I haue broken the yocke of the kynge of Babilon But at lenghte he shall se hys hope all vayne whiles the enemye deuideth the lande as it was deuided too the Lutheans and Babilonians iiii kinges xvii reade the latter end of the .xxxiii. of Ezechiell for the declaracyon of thys Texte howe shal he take that is myne Therefore shall there be none whiche shall deuyde the lotte by lyne vnto the in the congregacicion of the Lorde The text Because you haue imagined mischefe against other by couetousnes extorsion violeÌ„ce oppressioÌ„ haue wroght broght forwarde your wicked deuises therfore shal you be so spoiled that you shal haue no hope to haue your possessioÌ„s restored but shal be vtterly roted forthe bothe of this coÌ„gregacioÌ„ whoÌ„ the lord hath with such miracles broght forth of Egipt fostered cherished in wildernes hitherto so wonderfullye guided and gouerned and also with the ryche gloten you shall bee secluded from the holye companye reastynge in Abrahams bosome For the rotynge oute of the .x. trybes so that other nacyons occupyed theyr enherytaunce rede .iiii. kynges xvii For the other .ii. trybes we do know that they coÌ„tynue scattered in all countryes vnto thys day What shal we nowe loke for onlesse we doo repent whose syn in nuÌ„ber dothe farre passe theirs oure iniquities are lyke the sand of the sea Thinke we not that it is the same God which refused his chosen people for theyr sinne Do not prophecye thus shal they saye The Text Lette theim not Prophecy least they be put to shame Thus hathe the wycked worlde alwayes resysted the spyryte of God and laboured to quenche the sprytes to stop the mouthes of the Prophetes to putte them to shame as they supposed Therfore saith Ieremy I am made a laughinge stocke all the daye longe Ieremye .xx. They dooe all deryde me because nowe a longe space I haue cryed agaynste theyr iniquitie and tolde them of destruccion and the worde of the lord was laid vnto me as a rebuke and shame all the daye longe Therefore saythe Esaye The people prouoketh my wrathe they are lying chyldren chyldren which wyll not heare the law of the Lord whiche do saye vnto the Prophetes and seers see not and Prophecye not vnto vs thinges that are lighte but speake pleasaunte thynges vnto vs. Esay .xxx. Thus the vnkinde people doth alwai hate the truthe and rather then they wil departe from theyr beastlye lustes wherin they wallow lyke swyne they wyl desyre Christ hym selfe to depart with the Gaderines and Satazens This is the condempnacion of the world that light is come into the worlde and men loue rather darckenes then lyghte Therfore are they geuen ouer into myndes reprobate to do things vncomely fylled with al vnrightuousnes whoredome crafte and couetousnes Romaines .i. Thys is the heauye temptacyon from the whyche we oughte too desyre oure heauenlye father at thys presente too delyuer vs for euen nowe wyckednesse hathe so gotten the Masterie and Flatterers are hadde in suche estimation that our tender and delycate eares canne not abyde the trewth of goddes spyryte to scrape theym But wyth contencion sedicion and I wot not what els shal the true Preacher be charged to stoppe his mouthe if it bee possyble But there is one euen the father of sprites whiche alone can eyther open or stop the mouthes of the spirites Ther was one Phassur in the time of Ieremy the Prophete whych with strokes and imprisonmente woulde haue bette downe hys spyryt We haue hadde lyke Phassurs in our time mo theÌ„ one wherof some of them hath bene plaged wyth Phassur let the reste be warned For it is not â—eâ—tmye nor Latimer nor Leauer nor Hoper nor Beacon nor Horne that speaketh vnto them but the spirite of God whyche alwaye by suche weake vessels doothe so vtter it self that when theese are gone other commeth of theyr ashes And if these shuld not speake the verye stones shoulde crye oute agaynste oure wyckednes For Ieremye woulde haue holden hys peace when he was so euyll handled but he saide that the fyre of this spirite was in his heart and with in his bondes that he was weried wyth holdynge it in and colde refrayn no longer Then setteth hee forthe the feare of menne agaynste hym but streyghte hee addeth theese comfortable woordes The Lorde is wyth me lyke a strong Giaunte and therefore shall they fall head long whych persecute me and they shal not preuaile agaynste me but shall bee put to shame because they cannot prosper but an euerlastyng shame shal come vpon them whiche shal neuer be forgotten O you Englyshe Phassurs fear and tremble for thys is your iudgment from the Lorde of spyrytes The shame you wold lay vpon the true preachers lasteth but an howre no it is no shame but the greatest honor you caÌ„ do theÌ„ But your shame is euerlastinge The Hebrewe Naâ—aph hych is here translate to Prophecye and to speake is borowed by Metapher from the raine whyche of manye small droppes doothe grow to greaft abundance and maketh the earth fruteful in the ende So dothe the woorde of God therefore saythe Moses Deuteronomi .xxxii. my doctrine shal drop downe like the rayne O thou that arte called the house of Iacob The Text is the spyryte of the Lorde shortned are not these his works ar not mi words good to him that walketh vpright Thou that wyl be called by the name of the choseÌ„ people though thou be not so thou oughtest to know the power of God thou should thynke that the same spirite whych hath drawen foorthe the sweard agaynst the old world the same spirit whych hath foughten wyth Pharao and drowned hys army which hath for theyr synnes dryuen forth the Cananees before thee and hathe not spared the kynges Saule and Ieroboam the same spirit hath not hys arme shortned that for lacke of power it shoulde be afrayed of the face of any man to keepe sylence at commaundemente no thou knowest that these wonders afore rehersed and the terryble plages now threatned are the woorkes
the people thus the Lord sayth against them WheÌ„ they haue any thing to byte vpon then they preache that all shal be well but if a man put not soÌ„thing in their mouthes they preach of wat against him Therfore your visioÌ„ shal be turned to nyght and your prophecying to darknes The sun shall go downe ouer these Prophets and the day shal be darcke vnto them Then shal the vision seers be ashamed and the sothsayers confouÌ„ded yea they shal be faine al the packe of them to stop their mouthes for thei haue not gods woorde Lyke as the princes Iudges and gouernours hath bene turned from Gods to minister goodnes vnto Tyrants workyng al wickednes So shall God hymselfe brynge vpon theyr heades heauye destruccion And as the booke of wisdoÌ„e sayth these mighty men shal haue more terrible torment Sapie vi Then thought they cry vnto the Lord he wyl not heare theym but hyde his face froÌ„ them lyke as they haue turned theyr faces froÌ„ the poore rather regarded Hawkes and Hounds dice and cardes dauncing and tossinge of balles lyke babes then the pyteous coÌ„plaintes of theyr poore meÌ„bers made of the same molde boughte wyth one price with them And as for theyr chaplaynes whych do chop with theÌ„ their benefices geueth an whol yeres rent or thei enter or greater gaine peradueÌ„ture so long as my lord they can agree of couenauÌ„ts or that my lord wil get them mo promocioÌ„s they wil tel my lord he may hawke he mai hunt he mai bowle he may play at the bal what he wyl so he do stop their mouthes with somwhat al is wel it please youre grace but against theyr poore brethren which haue nothynge to geue theym they are cruell and deuouring wolfes They pole their parishners they pyl theyr tenauntes they send polling proctors are most redy by al meanes to trouble the poores to moue war against him both with theyr good word to my lord if nede be other pretipractise To these wicked hipocrits shal come darknes angwish sorow heuynes al the wooes and cursses all the plages spokeÌ„ of in the scriptures Thys great misery is ment bi night darknes as we may perceyue Esa v. xiii Ierem. xv Mat. xxiiii Here note also the terryble sentence of God his sincere iustice against the wycked whych shal cry vnto god and shal not be herd wher alway he heareth the good before they do crye Esay .lxv. he reiecteth the wycked wyth theyr sacrifie Esay .lxvi. The Text But I am ful of the power of the spirit of god ful of iudgemeÌ„t and strength to shew vnto Iacob hys iniquity and to Israell hys syn Here this I beseche you O princes of the house of Iacob and dukes of the house of Israel which do make iudgemente abhominable do peruert al equity building Sion in blud Ierusalem in wickednes Her princes did iudge for rewarde her priestes did preach for wagyes her prophets dyd prophecy for mony stil made the Lord their staffe saying is not the lorde in the mids of vs ther shal com none euyll vpoÌ„ vs. Therfore for your cause Sion shal be plowed lyke the field Ierusalem shal be an heape of stones the hyll of the temple shal be an hie woode Marke the mighty power of god his holy sprit o princes he causeth the prophets to speake or els thei do remain spechles Ieremye saythe I can not speake because I am a chylde But what answereth the Lorde saye not so Ieremy that thou arte a chylde for thou shalte go to all that I shall sende the and shal speke al that I shall commaunde the Feare not before theyr faces for I am with the to delyuer the saythe the Lord ye do set theÌ„ ouer the people sayth the Lord ouer kyngdomes to roote vp and to destroy too waste and scatter to buylde and too plante I shall cause the not too feare theyr faces for I haue made the lyke a walled cytye an yron pyller and a brasen wall to the kynges of Iuda to the Prynces and priestes and to all the people of the lande they shal fyghte against the but they shall not preuaile for I am wyth the sayethe Lorde to delyuer the. O whye are you faynte hearted whiche haue the lyke Offyce what can be sayde more to encorage you Whye dare you not crye agaynste the wyckednes of our tyme as the prophets dyd in theyr time Dothe not oure iusticiaries and iudges peruerte iustyce and make their iudgementes abhomynable Is there no rewardes in the handes of oure Prynces are al these fayre houses about LondoÌ„ or elsse wher gotteÌ„ with good coÌ„scyence and buylded without bloude Nay sure lye for one of youre greate builders dyd wryte worthelye vpon his walles a confession for al hys felowes No man waxeth ryche but by the discommoditie of others but you are but hyrelynges preachynge for wages and canne espye no faultes Yet dare you saye for these ramping Lions haue not they banyshed the Popishe religion is not God amonges vs haue not they set forth the Bible ar not they Gospellers Yes to theyr open shame doutlesse for heretofore ther was some pretence of religion some colorable cloke of vertue and honestye that is shaken of I do graunt and not so much lefte as fyg leaues to couer their shame howe can God be amonge thys people amonges whome the Deuyll raygneth and rageth by couetous ambicion whordome exhortacion contempt of true religion and all â—uâ—ill gouernaunce They haue set forthe the Bible that al menne may se how far thei do swarue in life froÌ„ God hys hollye woorde They are called Gospellers in spyte as I doo take it of the holye Gospell For the holye Gospell of God is slaundered and euyll spoken of booth of oure Papistes in EngLande and in other nacions so farre as our Englysh gospellyng is knowen Because in the beginning therof al things wer compelled to serue theyr couetousnes and lasciuious lybertye and so it is styl continued True relygion is sought of no body priuate gayne whyche aryseth of the great possessions of the spoiled kyngdom is sought of euery bodye and how perilous a thing it is to bryng such cursed spoyle into out houses read the .vii. of Iosue of Achan the sonne of Charmy and repent wyth the Niniuits both kyng whyche shal aunswer for all these iniquytyes and Dukes Earles Barons Byshops whyche do turne to your priuate commodityes thynges dedicate to publyke vses Repente I saye lest wyth Ierusalem your houses be turned into heapes of stones Ieremi .xxvi. hath the same sayinge forth of our prophet and our sauiour in .xix. of Luke The .iiii. Chapter The Text BVt it shall come in the last dayes that the hil of the house of the lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaynes and it shal be taysed aboue all theyr toppes and the people shall flowe vnto it Much people shal go and
saye let vs goo vp into the hyll of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs of hys waies and we shal walke in hys pathes for the lawe shall go forth of Sion and the worde of the Lord from IerusaleÌ„ and he shal iudge many nacioÌ„s and correct strong and myghty people for a loÌ„g tyme. And they shal breake theyr swerds into shares and theyr speares into syckles And one nacion shall not lyfte a sweard against another neither shal thei lern the feates of war ani more but eueri maÌ„ shal sit vnder his vyne vnder hys fygtree no man shal a fraye hym for the mouth of the lord hathe spoken it Esay the Prophet in hys secoÌ„d chap. hathe his same Prophecye the which of all our interpretours and of the Iewes also is vnderstande to be of theyr Messiah and Christe oure sauiour but after a sondrye sorte For we do take it that the Prophet in his time seing in the earthlye Ierusalem religion neglected iudgment peruerted and iustice banished did caste vp the eies of his spirite into that great and highe hyl wherof Ihon speaketh in the .xxi. of his reuelacion and did see the house of the Lorde the spouse of the Lambe the greate city the holy Ierusalem comminge down from heauen hauynge the clearnes of God and al maÌ„ner of vertues and al kynde of knowledge whiche is mente by those manyfolde stones there named So that al the people whiche shall be saued shall come therunto shal walke in the lyghte therof and the kyngs of the earth shal bring theyr glorye vnto it Nothing polluted or defyled shall enter into it Apoca. xxi Thus semeth Saynte Ihon to vtter in other woordes the same Prophecy whiche Micheas and Esaias dyd speake loÌ„g before Euen as the sprite of oure heaueÌ„lye father for the comforte of the electe shulde thus speake vnto vs. Be of good comforte my chyldren though you se mi worde despysed my lytle flocke scattered my pore oppressed it shal not be alwaye thus I haue appoynted a tyme. when I wyll haue the mastrye when I wyll rayse vp the hyll of my house my chosen I do meane aboue all hylles aboue all the hyghe and gloryous things in the worlde that the Heathen shall flowe vnto it The whyche thynge was fulfylled partlye when it pleased him at the time appointed to send his sonne so to be exalted that he shuld drawe althinges vnto hym When he commaunded all his to bee of good courage for he had ouercome the worlde when he spoeyled the Prynces and powers and put them to vtteraunce tryumphynge ouer theim by hym selfe Collo ii That thys hyll of the Lords house might be exalted Christe gaue him selfe for it that he myght sanctyfye it Epheci v. that he myght make it for hymself a gloryous congregacyon wythout spotte or wrynkle agaynst the whyche house because it standeth of a sure rock the gates of hell canne not preuayle neither death nor lyfe nor angels nor rule nor power shal be able to dryue this spirituall house forthe of gods fauoure no the Deuyls dare laye nothynge too the charge of thys churche and house of the faythfull For the Lorde euen the God of Iacob dwelleth in it and who dare stande againste it Thus lo the true temple of God and the house wherin the holy gost dwelleth which ar we so manye as do beleife .i. Cor. iii. at the commynge of oure sauyoure Christe was exalted sette aboue all the hyghe mountaynes great glori pompe pride of this world The whiche glorye beinge published by Christ and his Apostles it brought forth fruyte throughoute the hole worlde in Asia Africa and Europa Then began they to clyme vppe vnto the hil of God that is to the hil of knowledge to be taughte in the wayes of the Lord and to walke in his pathes as our Prophet dothe declare him selfe When the gospel dyd fyrste come forth of Sion and the gracious worde and wyll of the Lord did spring from Ierusalem Then they come from the East to the West to seke this glory to sit and rest in the bosome of faythful Abraham in this glorious Ierusalem Thys is the reaste that foloweth where all shall bee soo quyet that they shall breake theyr sweardes into Mattockes and they re speares into sythes neuer to stryue nor fyghte in thys holye hyll of the heauenlye Ierusalem Wherunto we muste lyfte vp the eyes of oure spyrytes contynuallye stryuinge to mortifye the fleshe whyche canne not enter therein because it is polluted Thys reaste is onlye begonne in thee spirituall manne in thys lyfe and canne not be made perfite tyil the last ennemye be ouercome whyche is deathe This is oure beleife grounded vpon scripture of this glorious raising vp of the hil of the house of the lord Now the Iewes doth stycke to the outwarde letter and naked wordes bothe in thys and manye other textes touchynge the restitution of their temple and kingdom And surely as the Lorde God seeth from the begynninge of al hys works to the ende of the same and hys gyftes are wythoute repentaunce and the sprete of God dothe promyse greate thynges to that nacyon because theyr fathers were the roote and theirs was the adoptyon glorye and testament to them was the law geuen the ceremonies and the promises of theÌ„ was christ concerning the flesh And so maiâ—â—t be by the secrete woorke of god that by this clear light of the gospel so wonder fully spred amoÌ„ges vs in these last daies they shall confesse their greate crymes and greuous offeÌ„ces of Christ refused and theyr blasphemyes agaynst the son of God and so God in them be glorified amongs al nacions which shal heare the mercies of the Lord towards them what promises they haue if they do repent read .xxx. of Deut. and of theyr returne in the last dayes Ose iii. S. Paul also seemeth to delate thys matter Ro. xi askynge for what purpose they dyd fall and aunswereth God forbyd that they al dyd so fal that they shoulde all perysh But by theyr fall saluacion dyd come to the Gentyles for thys purpose to prouoke them euen the Iewes to folow the same and farther sayth Paul if theyr fal were the ryches of the world and theyr decay the ryches of the Gentyls how much more the fulnes of theÌ„ And if the castyng awaye of the Iewes were the reconcilyng of the world what shall be the receiuinge of them but lyfe brought from the dead Agayne I wyll not haue you ignoraunt of this mystery sayth Paul that ye be not hye minded among your selues that blyndnes hath chanced to Israel But in parse whyles that the fulnes of the Gentyls shoulde enter and then al Israel shoulde be saued againe By the Gospel they ar enemyes for you but by the eleccion thei are bee loued for they re fathers For the gyftes and callynge of God are suche that he can not repent of them For like as
shall be fulfylled our Prophete vttereth in the laste day sayth he whyche laste dayes are alwaies spoken of the tyme of oure Christ the Messiah promysed For the Iewes do recken vi ages or tymes of most worthye reputacyon Fyrste from the creation of the world vnto the flud M. cccccc.lv yeres Then from the floude vnto the delyueraunce of the chyldrene of Israel forthe of Egipt ccccccc xc.m yeres Frome the delyueraunce of Israell vnto the gloryous buyledynge of the first temple bi Salomon cccc lxxx yeres From the buildinge of the teÌ„ple vnto the Babilonical captiuitie ccccxix yeres From the Babilonicall captiuitie to the comminge of Christ the true Messiah cccccc xxiii FroÌ„ Christ al these latter daies of his raigne by the Gospell M.d. Li. yeares whyche is the laste Into the whyche laste tyme of Christ al prophecies al historyes the Prophets them selues do loke and behold Therefore saith Christ your father AbrahaÌ„ did desyre to see my day he dyd see it and reioysed Againe blessed ar your eies whiche haue seene that whyche manye haue desired to see and colde not Therefore sayth Simeon nowe lette thy seruaunt depart in peace for myne eies haue sene thy saluacioÌ„ And aiust cause why these laste tymes shuld be loked for and made the marcke too shoote at and ende of all prophecy For streght after the fal of AdaÌ„ these tymes were promysed Thys was she second Adam the seede of the womaÌ„ in whome the worlde agayne shoulde be blessed Thys tyme was prefygured in the fludde This Christ shuld deliuer froÌ„ the hellye Pharao Thys is the true Salomon and kynge of peace buyldeynge hym a temple wythoute spotte Prophecye hys delyuereth frome Babylonycall bondage of Antechriste and all aduersarye powers so that there was no further to be loked for but thys tyme before the lawe Melchisedeke wythout father and mother did prefigure this In the law al ceremonies wer but shadowes Christe was the body in whoÌ„ al prophecies wer fulfylled al shadows ceassed So that these tymes of Christe maye worthelye bee called the laste tymes and as Paule calleth it to the Galathians and Ephesyans the fulnesse of tyme wherein all thinges were fulfilled The laste tymes also may they be called because they are mooste neare to the commynge of christ vnto iudgement whiche shal be the laste daye of al flesh the laste day of thys heauen and thys earth as Ihon speaketh Neyther may we thyncke muche that they were called the laste dayes and the laste tymes in the tyme of Christ and his Apostles and yet thus longe are continued For as Saynte Peter aunswereth to thys folyshe doubte wherwyth the fleshly are deluded One day with the Lorde is as it wer a thousand yere and a thousande yere as it were one daye And the Lorde is not slowe in commynge as the vnwyse do thinke him But paciente towardes vs not wyllynge any to perysh but to receyue all to repentaunce The Text For all people shal walke euery one in the name of their God and we wyll walke in the name of our god for euer and euer This semeth to be spoken of the prophet for a confirmation and an assuraunce to haue this great promise fulfylled because all nacions set vp some kynde of religin and haue some gods to whom they credite whom they do obey and folowe Yea the wycked world drowned in Idolatri and al abhominacions Imagyned of theire owne madde braines euerye one to haue hys seuerall GOD. All theyrs are but fayned gods sayeth he naye they are deuylles and no goddes But oures is the lyuynge GOD the lorde which hath made heauen and earth and wrought al the woÌ„ders both in heauen and earth we maye boldelye beleue him walcke and go forward in the power of his name foreuer how vnpossible so euer his promises do seme to the fleshe he is able to performe theÌ„ Though he do long deffer theÌ„ to try our fayth and to shew his power whervnto nothynge is vnpossible he lasteth for euer therfore we may neuer end our hope and trust of that thynge he promyseth In that day sayth the Lorde The Text I wyll gather her whyche halteth and is caste away her whoÌ„ I haue punyshed and I wyll make thee halt to haue a successyon and the outecaste to bee a stronge people and the Lorde shal raygne ouer them in mount Syon from hence foorthe for euer And thou O tower of the flocke the tower of the daughter of Syon to thee shall come to thee shall come I saye the fyrste kyngdome the kyngdome of the daughter of Ierusalem In that daye in the laste dayes in the tyme of Messiah for so doth al interpreters take it I wyll gather you sayeth youre God thoughe I haue chastened you cast you away and made you lame I wyl not fayle to make you a stronge people agayne and geue you a posterytye and succession wythoute anye ende and wythoute all noumber For I my selfe wyl be your kyng in the mount Sion for euer Thus dooth the Prophete contynue in the confyrmacion of these greate promises so darke vnto the flesh that wyth muche busynes it can hardly be perswaded in the promises of heauenly and spiritual works By the word haltynge our Prophete would insinuate and bryng into memorye how that Israel haltyng from god and clynshynge after Idols as Elyas chargeth them .iii. Reg. xxviii had so prouoked hym to anger that he had worthely made them halt and lame that is to say had greuously afflycted and skourged theym for so is the same woorde of haltynge vsed for greuous afflyccion Psalm xxv xxviii and thys Prophecye is red also Esa xxxv how the lame shal leape and skyp for ioy The Text And the Lorde shal raygne Tyrantes shal raygne no longer but the Lord shal raygne which teacheth vs styl that thys newe restored kyngdome shal be spiritual for al men are flesh and all theyr kyngdomes câ—rnal the kyngdomes of all menne haue an ende but thys hathe none ende therefore is thys the kyngdome of God the kingdom of the sonne of God whyche God the father dyd gyue hym that he shulde occupye the seate of Dauid hys Father and raygne in the house of Iacob for euer of hys kyngdome there shoulde be none ende as the aungel dyd saye to the blessed Virgin Heare maye the Iewes by thys place learn that theyr king whom they do looke for to be man of the seede of Dauid shal also be God for here he is called Iehouah by the hyghe name of God and his kyngdome named euerlastyng whyche onlye can be the kyngedome of God and not man All this we do see fulfylled in oure Christe and hys spyrytuall kyngdome so manye as doo beleue Christ to be God and maÌ„ and do feale howe by hys spyryte he begynneth to raigne in the heartes of hys chosen The laste verse is so vehementelye broughte forthe by the Prophete to confyrme thys promyse that euerye worde in it is twyse
lyke dyshonoure of God in oure George of Engeland oure Ladye of Walsingham oure Daruelgadder of Wales whereby wee muste vnderstande that there is one olde ennemye of oures the oulde Serpente whych hathe enuyed the honoure of one God and laboured too drawe vs therefrome euen frome the begynninge whiche wyth holye woordes and gloryous names and far fetched tearmes semeth too vtter hys wysdome lyke an aungell of light as Paule warneth But marke the ende of theym whyche suffer theym selues by hym too bee deluded desiring the deuyll too geue thē of hys Counsel Oure fyrste Parentes were by this craftye Serpentes subtyll Counsel dryuen forthe of Paradyse adiudged to death with al their posteritie Genes iii. King Saul counsayling with the sothesayer the wise womanne whome onlye he hadde lefte in hys lande was slayne wyth hys iii. sonnes the daye folowinge So muche doothe it aduayle too aske counsell of the deade for the liuinge or of the wicked spirites whyche do transforme them selues into the lykenesse of the deade as was heare in thys place of Samuel For as the deuyl hath no power of the good soules so canne hee not styrre theym too geue aunswere but as we haue sayde he canne transforme him selfe into anye lykenesse that he maye myghtelye woorcke in theese chyldrene of mischeife But marcke the ende I saye of al nacyons whiche doo leaue the Lorde and hys holye woorde for suche delucyons In hope to get some thynge thereby to satisfye theyr dyuelyshe myndes Some for the loue of women do trye it and other some for the grydy desyre of goods do practise it wyth manye other thynges whyche were to longe to tell nowe Was not this one of the greatest crimes wherfore Egipte was scourged and plaged Esaiah .xix. Wherefore was the Empyre of the Chaldees destroyed and proud Babilon brought down Esay aunswereth Al the euils did come vpon the O Babilon for the multitude of thyne owne charmes and the stobbourne of malyce of thy couniurers for thou haste comforted thy self in thy disceatfulnes and haste sayde no man seeth me Thyne owne connynge and thy wysdō haue disceiued the. Therfore shal trouble tal vpon the and thou shalte not knowe from whence it shal aryse Doo you beleife that God telleth truthe O you coniurars What is there but you can knowe it if it please youre great master the deuil But the Prophet sayth againe to your cōtrary Mischeife shall fall vppon the whyche thou shalte not be able to put of A sodayne myserye shal come vpon that or euer thou be aware Wherefore now go to the coniurers and to the multitude of thy wytches whom thou hast bene acquainted with al from thy youth if they mai help the or strengthen the Thou haste bene wearied with the multitude of thine owne counsels Nowe let thy heauen gasers thy starre starers thy Moone markers stande vp and saue the frome the thynges whyche shall come vpon the. Beholde they are stuble the fire hath brente them they cannot delyuer theyr own souls from the power of the flame and so foorthe too the ende Are not the Philistines and Canaces alwaye charged for these crimes to haue hadde their worthy desolacyon As for Israel Esay saith plainly that God old forsake it for thys Esay .ii. dyd lay the line of Samaria vppon Ierusalem therefore and the burthene of the house of Achab and dyd raise it as it were a wrytyng table .ii. Re xxi ii Chronicles .xxxiii. Yea when the Lorde wyll vtter his anger agaynste them he calleth them charmers chyldrene Come hither saythe he by hys Prophete you charmers childrē you aduouterous seede Esaye lvii Abroade in all places of Englande wheras I haue taryed haue I heard of wyse menne and wyse wemenne whyche can tell of thynges that are lost and canne saye manye sayinges for childrene and cattel whyche are forspoken and haue blessinges to saye ouer certaine herbes as ouer vernine and dil if they be gathered betwixte the mary dayes And about wemen wyth childe they can saye oure Ladye with the whyte smocke thy syde smock and such mad charmes .v. C. are vsed in the countryes whyche the spyrituall eies mighte espy if they had not theyr Greke name for nought And our Preachers shulde plucke away oure polytycall magistrates should punysh for the Lord sayth that these are the thynges and not the handlynge of the chalyce wherewyth the people are polluted Leuiti xix You shall not declyne to the charmers and of the wytches aske nothyng lest you be polluted by them Againe Leui. xx The soule which loketh after any sothsayer or charmer to commyt fornicacion wyth them I wyll set my face agaynst that soule and I wyll destroye hym from the myddes of hys people sayth the Lorde Agayne Deut. xviii the Lord commaundeth whē thou entrest the lande whyche the Lorde thy God geueth the beware thou doo not folow the abhominacions of that people Let none be founde amonges the whych caryeth hys chylde throughe the fyre or that asketh of the charmers eyther that obserueth dreames or dayes and times or of them whyche do marke the flying and crying of byrdes or of any enchaunters or of any deuyl couniurar or any soythsayer or any that haue familiar spirites or anye wyse menne or wise womenne eyther any that asketh councel at the deade for who so doothe theese he is abhomynable before God and for these abhominacions the Lorde thy God dothe roote them forthe before thy face Loo with how sore wordes and threatenynges the Lorde God detesteth forbiddeth all the kindes of these deuelishe inuencions whereby men doo runne a whorynge from God too abuse hys creatures in spirituall fornicacion These thinges haue I written occasyoned by oure Prophete of thys spyrituall fornicatyon Idolatrye and all kynde of diuynacyon whyche wee call so the saying prophecyinge charminge enchauntement wytchcrafte Magyke Astrologye Necromancye Chiromancy Geomanci or what other name so euer the deuyl shal inuēt to driue vs frō god to vayne creatures for the Deuyll hathe euer thys one woorcke in hande but hee deceyueth the symple with the shyfte of hys deskante by vanytye of woordes And I do warne all people to repente kynges Lordes Bishoppes Commons For none canne excuse theym selues of that spyrytuall fornycacyon wyth the late deposed Idole that Waser Cake Naye shall I call it deposed whyche is scantlye transposed wythoute anye feruent zeale or signe of repentaunce We haue not fealte Moises to make vs drink the bitter ashes therof with teares We haue not had Iehu to auenge God of hys ennemyes the Priestes of Baall ii kinges .x. We haue not wept and wailed and torne oure garmentes for verye anguishe of oure heartes We haue not caste awaye the ornamentes of our olde idolles the vessels that serued them as did the good yong king Iosiah We haue not destroied the sacrificers and steiers of oure Christe as yong Iosiah did with the Priestes of the hyghe places wyth al charmers witches and enchaunters To be shorte We