goodes whiche shoulde haue necessarely ben bestowed to the buyldinge of gods house we shoulde not haue felt gods rodde so sharpeli but God would haue ben pleased and shewed his glorie amonge vs. But whan men would not geue laÌ„dâ— fast inough to Abbeys than the Pope rather than his chapleÌ„s should want would robbe many Parisshes to fede his moÌ„kes God graunt that the gospell maye restore that iustly whiche the Pope toke wrongfully awaye and gaue them yet a rightâ— name of impropriations because improperly thei be takeÌ„ away properly belong to the parishes The workemaÌ„ is worthy hys byre he that serues the gospel muste lyue of the gospel Therfore those impropriacions whiche take awaye the Preachers liuinge be againste the woorde of God But what doeth this belong to vs or oure time doth goo require of vs to build him Abbeis Nunries Chauntries c. no surely but this was an outwarde exercise for that grosse harde harted people for a time to be excused in that they should not buylde temples to Idols â–ª and teacheth vs to buylde god spirituall house wherin we maye offer spirituall sacrifices prayers to him where in he is well delited will shew his Maiestye This house is nowe for vs to be vnderstande generallye the hole churche and companye of Christians and the bodye and soule the hearte minde or conscience of all ChristiaÌ„s particularly wherein god dwels by his holy spirite as sainct Paule saieth to the Corinthians Do ye not knowe that your bodyes be the temples of the holy ghoste and whiche he hath sanctified to be kept holy for him self alone by Baptisme and for the whiche Christe hath died that we mighte liue by 〈◊〉 whome he hathe redemed with hys 〈◊〉 and wasshed cleane from all sinne 〈◊〉 shoulde liue no more to our owne lustes and desires but to him that hath redemed vs. It is written that God dwels not in Tempels made with handes nor is worshipped with any worke of maÌ„nes haÌ„des but he is a spirite an inuisible substance and wil be worshipped in spirite truthe not in outwarde woordes onely of the lippes but with the depe sighes grâ—ninges of the heart and the hole power of the mynde and earnest hearty callinge on hym in prayer by faithe And therfore he doeth not so muche require of vs to â—uyld him a house of stone and timber but hath willed vs to praye in all places and hath taken awaye that Iewish and Popish holinesse whiche is thoughte too be more in one place than an other All the earthe is the Lordes and he is present in all places â–ª hearinge the peticions of them which call on him in faithe Therfore those Bishops which thinke with their coniured water too make one place more holy than the reste are no better than Iewes deceyuinge the people teachinge that onely to be holy which thei haue censed crossed oyled and breathed vpon For as Christ saide to the womaâ— thinkinge one place to be holier to 〈◊〉 than an other Woman beleue 〈◊〉 time is come whaÌ„ ye shal worship 〈◊〉 â—t Ierusalem nor in this byl but the true worshippers shal worship God in spirite truthe so is it now saide the place makes not the man holy but the man makes the place holy and ye shal doe worship youre Idols stockes stones neither at Walsingham Ipswich CaÌ„terbury nor Shene for God chuses not the people for the place sake but the place for the people sake But if ye be in the middest of the fielde God is as ready to heare youre faithfull prayers as in any Abbey or Nunrye yea a thousand times more for the one place he hates as defiled with Idolatry and the other he loues as vndefiled and cleane If the good man lye in pryson tyed in chaynes or at the stake to be burned for Gods cause that place is holy for the holines of the man the presence of the holy Ghooste in him as Tertullian sayeth Yet there shoulde be common places appointed for the people too assemble and come together in to prayse oure God For where the Apostle rebuked them whiche woulde not resorte with the rest of the Christians to make their common praiers together to hear his woorde and receiue his sacraments it proues they had some common place to resort to And where saincte Paule requires that all thinges should be done in a comely order what can be more comely or agreing to good order then 〈◊〉 haue a time appointed and a place too resorte vnto together to worship oure onely God Nay how shal they come together â—â—cept place and time be appointed Howe shal they know when whither to resort vnappointed How canne the sheepehearde teache his sheepe if he haue not a folde to gather them together in In the Apostles time when the rulers were not christened they resorted into priuate houses and chauÌ„bers by the water side 〈◊〉 worship their God but when princes became christened they had churches appoâ—â—â—ted for them yet all these prayers preachinges that were priuely in parlers and by the waterside were as pleasaunte too God yea better peradueÌ„ture for coÌ„monly they came of a greater and better lâ—ue 〈◊〉 faith as ours be now Those also whiche than were buried in no halowed churche nor churcheyarde nor christeÌ„ moldes as they be called when it is no better then other earth but rather worse for the coÌ„mâ—â—â—â— that Bishops vse about it were no worse then they which were buried with al soleÌ„nitie It appeares in the gospel by the Legion liuing in graues the widdows some going to burial Christ buried withoute 〈◊〉 Citie c. that then thei buried not in halowed Churchyeardes by any Bishops but in a seuerall place appointed for thesame purpose without the Citie which custome remains to this day in many godli places As that theÌ„ was lawful no hurt to the ded so is it nowe one place is as holy as an other to be buried in sauinge that coÌ„ly order requires the bodies not to be cast awai because thei were the temples of the holy ghost shal be glorifed at the last dai again but semely to be buried an honest place to be kept seueral froÌ„ beastes vnreuereÌ„t vsing thesame for thesame vse It is Popish to beleue that which the bishops doe teach that place to be more holi then the rest which thei haue halowed as thei sai with washing it with their coÌ„iured water crossing ceÌ„sings processioÌ„s c. that God wil hear our praiers afore one Idol or Image rather then an other or in one Abbey as pleases theÌ„ to apoint him rather than an other Wher it pleases theÌ„ to grauÌ„t mani daies of pardon ther God must hear their praiers soner work mo miracles so God is become their seruauÌ„t shal be wher thei wil apoint him But blessed be the God our lord which by the
is the spirite of truthe because he leades vs into all truth and putteth vs in remembraunce of all thinges whyche Christ him self caught before but no new doctrine he bringes of his owne And because our sauiour Christ is taken from vs in hys bodelye presence he promises vs that this spirite shall dwell with vs not for a tyme but too the ende and therefore wee shoulde not feare But is this a sufficient cause too perswade a man that he should not fear the power of kinges or worldly trouble because the spirite of God dwelles with hym yea truly For what spirite can preuayle against the holy spirit which is the power of God It is written of Gedeon whan he enterprised that venterous acte to fight againste Gods enemies that the spirite of the Lorde bid clothe and defend Gedeon as our clothes doe vs and so he obteined that noble victorie with so few agaiÌ„st so many And not to be afraide in suche trouble is the woorke of the holy Ghoste as Esaie called hym the spirite of boldnes strength and wisedom Peter whan he denied hys maister for the woordes of an handmaide after he receiued the holy Ghoste did and durste confesse hym too the deathe before princes and rulers So sayde oure sauiour Christe to hys Apostles when ye shal staÌ„d before Kyngs and rulers take no thought what or howe ye shall speake for in that houre it shal be geuen vnto you what you shall speake For it is not you that speake but the spirite of youre father which speaketh in you And although to worldly wisedome thys spirite seemes but a small thinge yet it is moste true that s â–ª Paule saith that which is folishnes before God is wyser then me and that whiche is weake before God is stronger then men And he that hath this spirite dwellinge in hym needes not too feare any power be it neuer so greate for if God be for vs who shall be againste vs and if he take his breath and spirite from the mightiest princes they are troubled vade awaye verse 6 For thus saieth the Lorde of hostes yet one litle time shal be and I will trouble the heauens and the earth the sea the lande verse 7 And I will trouble all people and the desire of all people shall come and I wil fyll thys house with glory saieth the Lorde of hostes ¶ The Prophete goeth on forth with this comforth to all people and promises not onely that God woulde be with theym in hys buyldinge whiche they shoulde finish in fewe yeares folowinge but intoâ— the temple also which thei did now build God woulde sende his sonne Christ Iesus to preache his fathers will whom all people looked for and desired hys comminge and he woulde fyll that house with glory that they shoulde not neede to care for the smalnes of it if they woulde onelye with courage woorke God woulde fulfill the rest And that they shoulde know him too be able to fulfyll hys promise he cals hym selfe by the glorious name of the Lorde of hostes so often here in these verses that they maye vnderstande all creatures too bee at hys commaundement that none coulde preuaile againste that whiche he woulde haue done as is saide before But this is a straunge kynde of comforte too tell theym of suche a trouble as shoulde trouble heauen and earth sea laÌ„d and all people and yet they should be glad of it and that it shoulde come not long after The tyme when this trouble chauÌ„ced was about .500 yeares after that this prophete had thus spoken and yet he cals it but one litle time And this maye well bee called a litle tyme in respecte of God with whome all thinges are present before hys sighte withoute tyme and a .1000 â–ª yeares with hym is as yesterdaye which is paste and he hym selfe is before all times not coÌ„teyned in tyme but liuing for euer wythout tyme. Or els it is called a little tyme in respect of that longe time wherin their fathers had so long looked for the coÌ„ming of Christ and so muche desired hym and yet see hym not It was now aboue 3000. yeare since he was promised to AdaÌ„ about 2000. since he was so often spoken of too Abraham and .1000 since it was renued to Moyses and after to all the Prophetes from tyme too tyme in respecte of whiche 500. maye well be called a litle tyme. This trouble whiche he sayeth shoulde trouble heauen earthe sea lande and all people is described by these mightie wordes to set out the greatnesse of the trouble by the figure called Hyperbole and not the trouble was suche that heauen earth sea and lande shoulde feele it be troubled therewith whiche are insensible creatures and can feele nothinge that troubles them but thus by these woordes the scripture vses too tell the greatnes of any thinge that it speakes of Moyses and Esaye because the people were harde hearted and woulde not heare their sayinges to set foorthe theyr hardnes of heart and the greatnes of that message which they had froÌ„ God to speake saye thus â–ª Heare ye heaueÌ„s and geue care thou earth c. Sainct Paule saieth by the like figure euery creature grones and trauayles lookinge for the laste daye wherin they shall be deliuered froÌ„ this vayn corruptioÌ„ wherin they serue not because deade creatures can grone or trauayle but for the great desire that they haue to see that day of oure redeÌ„ption fulfilled as the woman whiche trauels grones desires too be deliuered out of her payn to be restored to her former quietnes or els it may be taken that all creatures in all these places should be troubled But if this trouble shoulde be so great how can it be a promise of ioye and comfort Who can be merye to hear tel of such a greate trouble Surelye this is not promised to the euil but to the good For as our Lord maister Christ saieth speaking of the trouble that should be in the destructioÌ„ of Ierusalem the latter ende of the world woo be to theÌ„ that be with chyld geue sucke in those daies the wicked shall wish the hyls to fal on theÌ„ hide theÌ„ â–ª thei shuld seke for death â–ª it shuld flee froÌ„ theÌ„ So he saith to the good in the midst of all the desperat â—orow wherin the euil man caÌ„not tel what to Lifte ye vp your heades and bee merye for your redemption and deliueraunce is at hande So after this shorte time that he speaketh of this greate trouble whiche shall be at the byrthe preachinge miracles and deathe of oure sauioure Christe shoulde be but onely to the wicked For the good men shoulde as muche and more reioyce because of that daye of saluation and redemption was comen he whome all people looked for had now appeared to the comfort of all good men And thys trouble shoulde not be so
woulde not turne vnto me saieth the Lorde For this cause then that thei shuld turne to him did he sende these plages not for hate or harme to his people But what a wickednes harde heartes were these men of that amonge so many threateninges so great plages and in so many yeares they woulde not turne vntoo the Lorde Here appeares howe true it was that he sayde before that all were fallen on sleepe bothe prince prieste and people vntyll the Lorde awaked vp all their spirites to see their greate disobedience and to goo aboute their buyldinge And also this declares how vnable and vnwillinge we bee to do good vntyll God styrre vs vp by hys grace God deales with vs as the shepehearde doeth with his sheepe If a sheepe runne from his felowes the shepeherde settes his dogge after it not to deuoure it but too bringe it in agayne So our heauenly shepehearde if any of vs his sheepe disobey him he settes his dogge after vs not too hurte vs but too bringe vs home to a consideration of oure dutye towardes this oure heauenly father and louinge sheepehearde Gods dogges be pouertye banishmeÌ„t sickenes euyll rulers dearth death war ignoraunce superstition losse of goods or frendes c. Who coulde haue holden hys handes beside such a sturdye people not vtterly haue destroyed theÌ„ where no sorte of men amonge suche a number for soo many plages in so many yeares woulde turne to their lord God Here therefore maye appeare the longe suffering of God who doeth not sodenly in a rage take vengeaunce on vs as soone as the faulte is done as one of vs doeth towardes an other but taries so longe too looke for oure amendement and repentaunce Also it is euidente howe true that is whiche God sayeth all the daye longe I stretched oute my handes too an vnfaythfull and rebellious people Oure sauioure Christ saieth he standes and knockes at the doore and woulde come in we wil not let hym in The Lorde for his mercies sake softeÌ„ oure heartes that we despise not such gentill callinges and be founde in the nuÌ„ber of suche hard heartes least we bee geuen vp to our owne lustes and so perish in our owne wickednes When we reade and heare this sturdye disobedience towardes God we thinke this people to be the worste vnder heauen and if we had ben in theyr case we wolde not haue ben so disobediet But if we loke at oure selues withoute flattery examine oure owne consciences behauiour towardes God wee shall fynde that we haue ben plaged no lesse then thei haue had Gods loÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce benefites shewed towardes vs no lesse then thei yet we haue not learned so much yea lesse than they God of hys goodnes amende it in vs for Christes sake And because they hadde ben so negligent in not considering Gods plages and woorkes amonge them soo many yeares yet twyse agayne in this verse he willes them not lightly too consider it nor forget it any longer as they had done before tymes but depely to way why those plages had fall vpon them God workes nothing in vayne but for oure learninge greate profite that we maye remember our duty the better and more reuerentlye worshyp him hereafter It is no smale faute so lightly to consider Gods workes towards vs for that we might the better doe it he hath geuen man onelye reason as a chiefe treasure that we maye do thesame also taught vs by hys woorde to do so Therefore if we do it not we are worse theÌ„ beastes whiche haue not reason too consider suche hys woorkinges No kynde of fruyte corne vynes figges pomegranates oliues hadde prosperously encreased of all these yeares â–ª which coulde not be but for some greate cause yet they passed but lightely on it neyther fearinge God the more least he should encrease the plagues nor amended their lyues that he mighte holde his hande from plaginge them any longer Often earnest remembringe of our disobedience towardes God and consideringe hys scourges for thesame workes in all good herts an earnest amendement of lyfe The vnthrifty sonne in the Gospel that had spent all his porcion of goods vnthriftely when he was dryuen by hunger to remembraÌ„ce of him self and his misbehauiour Comes home to his father submittes hym selfe confesses his faute saying Father I haue sinned agaynste heauen and thee and am not woorthy to be called thy sonne and so is receyued to mercy The Publican acknowledginge hys sinnes went home righteous Saincte Paule remembringe howe he was a persecuter cruell a blasphemer is kept in an humble and lowli knowledge of him self Esdras and Daniel confessinge their disobedience and sinnes of the hole people knowledge their miserie Gods iustice in punishinge and so obtayne mercie Moyses to teache the Iewes too be pitifull too straungers biddes them remember howe they were straungers in Egipte slaues to Pharao For in so consideringe their olde estate and heauye case that they were in before they should learne the better to pitie straungers and consider their heauines This by remembringe diligentlye oure case and state passe with Gods punishment for oure sinnes we shall learne oure misery call for helpe of God and bee more ware hereafter that we fall not into the lyke sinnes so procure Gods anger and heauier hand heaping our owne damnation God sendes such thinges to teach vs our duty and if we do not learn he wil cast vs out of his schole No good scholemayster will suffer suche lewde scholers in his schole as will not learne whaÌ„ thei be sufficiently taughte bothe by gentilnes and sharpnes by thinges past and presente by example of others and experieÌ„ce of them selues And where these plages began to fall vpon them euen after the grounde worke of the temple was laide when thei lefte of buylding a man wold thinke God dealt extremely with them whiche woulde not spare them any thinge at all but for the firste faulte punishes so sharply and continues so longe But as the Machabees teache when he hath rekened the cruelty and persecution of Antiochus least a man shoulde thinke God hated hys people for dealinge so sharpely with them he saieth God didde it for loue and that he loued theÌ„ more then al other people because by correction he woulde so soone call them backe and not let them lyue in sinne styll as he didde other nations The Gentiles whom he punished nothinge so sharpely but let lyue at their pleasure they knewe hym not worshipped hym not he gaue theym not his worde nor his Prophetes but let them take their pleasure as though he cared not for them Dauid considering the diuers plagues and sickenes whiche God layde on hym saide it is good for me that thou haste corrected and humbled me for before I was corrected I sinned For as theâ—â— maÌ„ will suffer those beastes which he apointes to be killed to go where
woorde can not deceyue but must nedes come too passe and bee as true as if I see them with my eye Whan Thomas Dydimus woulde not beleue excepte he see the prynte of the nayles Christe sayde blessed be they that beleue and se not O notable example for al true Prophetes teachers to folowe that they teache nothinge but that whiche they see in Gods booke and not mans learninge for that is full of deceit and that they mai call their preachinges visions and sights for the certaintie of them that thei be sene by a true faythe and founde in gods boke whiche can not lye and therefore they be as true and too be beleued as if wee sawe them with oure eyes Mans learning is darknes therfore can not be called visions or thinges sene but fained as Ezechiel says woo be to the foolishe Prophetes whiche folowe theyr owne spirite and se nothinge but of gods woorde it is sayde contrariwise we haue o surer wrytinge of the Prophetes to the whiche when ye geue attendaunce as to a candle shyninge in a darke place ye doe well vntoo the daye shyne and the daye Starre ryse in your heart Thus sainct Peter attributes thus to the scripture writinges of the Prophets that thei lighten our heartes and eyes as a candle doeth a darke place vntoo a fuller knowledge bee geuen vnto vs by the spyrite of God too dryue out ignoraunce As the daye Starre or daye it selfe dryues awaye darkenes Abdia or Oabdia as the Hebrewe cals hym is as muche to saye as the seruaunt of God wheren we learne who is he that wrytes this Prophete and from whome he comes the goodnes of our good God towarde his seruauntes that he lettes not them wander in ignoraunce but declares hys hole will and pleasur vnto thē that they perish not with the wicked world but he was not of suche sorte of seruaūts whiche sainct Ihon wrytes of The seruaūt knowes not what his maister does for suche be rather slaues whiche knowe not their maisters pleasures serue not of loue but feare But he seruid the Lord hys God in true worship for such sorte of seruauntes the Hebrew woord signifies and that kynde of seruice is true fredome as sainct Paul sayes Ye be made free frō sinne but ye are seruauntes to God Thus Paull Peter call them selfes not onely Apostles but also seruaūts of Iesu Christ therfore the Lorde vouchesaued to declare his hole will vnto hym his faythfull and beloued seruaunte concerninge thinges to come and the estate of the cruell Edomytes whiche did so cruelly handle Gods people and had persecuted them so longe and lyke a true seruaunte that loues hys felowes he kepes it not close too hys selfe but confortes others therewith Names in the scriptur bee not geuen in vayne but that soo often as they heare or thinke on their owne name so ofte they shoulde consider what they be taughte by it Abdia in thinkinge on his name shuld remember that he shoulde serue the Lord his God Abraham on the blissing of God whiche made hī a father of many people Zacharia that accordinge too hys name he shoulde continually remember the Lord. Peter that his faythe is the stronge rocke whereon Christ will buylde his churche for so the woorde signifies by interpretation so foorth in all others Therfore fathers doe well in geuinge their chyldren suche Christian names as may remēber them of their duetye to Godwarde call them not by Heathē names or feyned foolishe sainctes whiche can teache them no goodnes Many doeth thinke this Abdias to be the steward of Achabs house which had an 100. Prophetes of God in caues and fed them 50. in one cōpanye and as many in another in the tyme of Iezabels cruel persecutiō now by gods prouidēce fedes many thousandes with hys holsome doctrine And although the holye scriptures do not playnly shewe that he was thesame Abdia in dede yet probable enough it is as many learned men thinke Unto whose mynde also I can well agree that it is thesame man He was one that feared the Lorde as he sayde to Elias was a straunger borne in Sychem of Idumea as some thinke and not a Iewe borne but turned after to the lawe of the Lorde forsakinge the wickednes of his people Hys writing is so muche more notable because beinge a straunger hee prophecies agaynste his owne countrye and therfore the trewer be lyke also it is and without percialitie spoken because none will willingly threaten suche distruction to hys natiue countrye as he does here but he that is a true seruaūt of God withoute sparinge will speake his maysters message frely truelye againste his dearest frendes if the Lord God sende hym Thys prophecie is more meete also for these our dayes because we were vnder the lyke persecution that he was or worse for the true Prophetes of God were not suffered to hyde them selfes in dennes wildernes as they might do than vnder cruel Achab and Iesabel but were moste cruelly throwen intoo the fyer yea the madnes of Gods enemies was so muche that they coulde not be satisfied with thē bloude of theym that were on lyue but the whiche was seldome redde of amonge the Heathen They pull vp the dead bodyes whiche were buryed many yeares before to burne their bones and strawe their asshes abrode as maister Bucer Paulus Fagius c. yea of theues for praying god to deliuer vs from the tyrāny of the Pope These Edomytes agaīst whō he writes were not so cruell as oure men were be And therfore your distruction shall be the greater at the appoynted tyme than thys other was Let vs not flatter theym nor our selfes because they be oure countrye men or because we woulde not see the destruction of oure countrye For the Lorde is a righteous God and will sharpely punishe synne wheresoeuer he fyndes it yf we doe not earnestlye begge hys pardon mercy and forgeuenes with amēdement of lyfe But it is to be feared that as Abdia did no good to his countrie folkes because they woulde not heare hym So muche labor is loste in oure countrye because they stop their eares and will heare nothinge but that whiche pleases theym for it is true that our sauiour Christ says There is no Prophete without honor and credite but in his owne countrye yet neuerthelesse lifte vp your voyce blowe the trumpet of God and tell the people theyr faultes lest they perishe and their bloude be required at your handes discharge your selfs rebuke them earnestlye and lette it take rote and profit as God will whiche geues all increase as he thinkes good If they heare not they perishe in their owne synnes and thou art free The preface that he puts here before gets hym greate aucthoritie and credit with the hearers declares him also to be a true Prophete of God because he speakes nothinge in hys owne name but says the Lord
Paul your holines As they haue but one God so they will worshippe him onely and as he hais taught them and not after the deuise of man thei will also studie for a holy life as God commaundes Be ye holy for I am holy And if we reade a holy place or sanctuari to worshippe God in it is true also for in all persecutions in the spite of the Pope and all Antichrist there hays ben in all ages and shal be for God so sayinge can not lye true professors of God althoughe the moste parte of the worlde was blinded So Christe coÌ„forts his sayinge feare not thou litel flocke Thus in Christes churche in spite of their foes shall euer be Christ the heade knit to the bodye necessarely and as he is holy so shal he make them holy that heng vpon him so gouerne them by his spirite that they shall euer folow a holy kinde of lyfe fleinge mischiefe and vnclennes and so shal thei haue also his sanctuari and holy place where to resort to worship their God here is worde and call vpoÌ„ him AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob Dauid in their waÌ„drings called vppon their God taughte their chyldren too feare the Lorde made their sacrifices and God reueled him self to them againe and neuer forsaked them In the captiuite of Babylon thoughe not in the temple yet they coulde by the water bankes singe psalmes on their instrumentes Whanne Christ was crucified the disciples kepte them together in a chamber praying and loking for the cominge of the holy Ghoste after whan persecution beganne some went to other countries some from house to house teachinge prayinge communicatinge and dealinge to the poore Paule sayes at Philippes by the water side thei were wonte too praye and in the middes blindnes of all Poperi hayes there euer ben some good men teachinge true doctrine and openinge their blasphemies for this can not be false that Christ promised his churche When the spirite whicâ— is the comforter shal come he shall leade you into all truthe I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde he that is of God heareth the woordes of God you heare not for because ye are not of God And my shepe heare my voice a straunger they doe not folow Therefore let all that be vnder the crosse and persecution se thei assemble together to praise God openly confesse him if it be possible or at the leste as muche as they maye folowing the example of the faithfull christians in the beginninge whiche in spite of their foes coulde not be holden from assembling together with prayers and songes afore the daye was lighte nor lette any papiste reioyce againste goddes scatered and persecuted flocke for this is the state and condition of goddes people and preachinge the gospell that they shal not want a crosse yet God will performe this promise that in Sion the holy one Christe will be with them to gouerne them in holines of lyfe purenes of religion and an earnest fayth trustinge in God and will geue theym a place to call vpon hym in that his might mercy grace to his people may appeare to the worlde in the sight of his enemies Whan Abraham and Iacob fledde into Egipte the EgiptiaÌ„s learned God which afore neuer heard of him in the captiuite of Babylon the Caldees Assyrians Babylonions Medes and Parsians with al other people amonge whome the Iewes were scatered lerned God of them WhaÌ„ persecution beganne in Ierusalem after Christes Ascension the disciples scatered by persecution went and preached Christ to the Heathen whiche afore heard not of him In Englande after Wiclefs death whan persecution arose some died for the trueth constantly some fledde into Boemia and broughte the gospell thyther where it continues to this day although bothe Emperoure and Pope with al their mighte many sharp battels and bloudde sheddinge woulde haue rooted it oute What great assaulte the poore Waldeses haue suffered at diuers French kings handes goinge aboute to haue destroied them for their religion beinge a fewe in number and yet coulde neuer deface theÌ„ this .360 yeares it is piteous to heare Thus is this euer true that in Sion the true church of Christ shal be the holy one Christ sanctifieng all that beleue in him there shal be holines in faithe religion maners to the prayse of God there shal be also a sanctuari and holy place with asseÌ„bles in spite of their foes and persecutioÌ„ does not hurt but rather increase and further true religion thoughe not in the greater yet in the better parte of men For who soeuer the holy ghoste does enflame with an earnest zele to his religion they canne not kepe it within them they canne not abide to see their God and his woord blasphemed thei will braste oute and declare their faith and saye the earnest loue towardes thy house hais eaten me as oure Sauioure Christe did whan he see the teÌ„ple his fathers house so misused and hys religion contemned he gate whippes and droue them out Ieremie sayes the worde of God was to hym as a burninge fyre in his hearte and closed within his boones that he was not able too keepe it within him but woulde brust out This victory is sette oute more at large in the nexte verses folowinge where hee sayes the house of Iacob shal be fyre the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau the stable c. Here is no description of horse haines gunnes any greate hoste or such other worldly things where in princes doe conquire and triumphe As the house of Iacob is spirituall and the kyngdome of Christe so be the weapons souldiers and victorie The swords where with thei faught were as the apostle sais the woorde of god which is sharper than any twooedged swoord and perâ—es more the soule conqueres the affections pulles doune hygh stoÌ„mackes deper than the swoorde can the bodye The gunnes were the Apostles words as Iames and Ioan were called the sonnes of thunder because with suche great power thei thundered terribly preached and feared carnall mindes more than the thuÌ„der does and threw doune sinne more than any gunnes coulde the walles Whan Peter at two sermons conuerted 5000. and Paul filled all countries frome Ierusalem to Illyzicum with the gospell what Emperour is able to bee compared of suche men of warre Whan Charles the .5 Emperour beganne to raygne Luter and Zuinglius began thesame time to preache and whither he hays throwen doune stopped and hindered the gospell more with al the help that his gostly and superstitious prelates coulde gyue than they with their scholers haue set it foorth and shewed the wickednes of Popery defaced his pompe let them selues iudge The Pope with his partakers haue had strength power politie wit wisedome armure gunnes horses harnes men and money and whatsoeuer they could deuise these other haue foughten with preachiÌ„g writing and giuing
them selues to the fire for the trueth Their weapoÌ„s were their tonges penne inke paper neuer sheddinge bloude but their owne and euer seking how to saue other mens soules sparing no labor nor fearing any displeasur So mighty weapons is the vndefiled law of the Lorde turning soules and hearers that neyther lyfe nor death aungels nor powers thinges present nor to come can pull them from the loue of oure God offered in Christ Iesus This fire that he speakes of here is the might of the holy ghost which came on the apostles in firie tuÌ„gs and so kindels the hearts of all the receyue the woord that it burn vp al carnal affections and worldly lustes so that for the glorie of God they care not what thei suffer Dauid prayes oft for this fire burne my renes and heart And Ihon in his reuelation sayes that these which be neyther hote nor colde God will spue them oute of his mouthe it is therefore a good fire that burnes vp the stuble whiche is false doctrine superstition and all euils as S. Paul calles it if any maÌ„ buyld hay wode stuble it shall perish c. The house of Iacob and Ioseph shall be the preachers and Esau shall be thus happely burned vp froÌ„ his former fylthy lyfe and turned too the Lord. The house of Ioseph coÌ„taines two tribes Ephraim and Manasses whiche were the chyldren of Ioseph but chosen taken of Iacob to be as his own sonnes whan he blessed theym all lyinge on hys death bed and made them equall enheritors with his own chyldreÌ„ of the land promised And because Ieroboam which first set vp the golden calues in Dan and Bethel and so prouoked all Israel to sinne Idolatrie in whiche they continued so many yeares was of the house of Ioseph and stocke of Ephraim lest thei shoulde thinke them selfs to be cast away of God and their sinnes coulde not be forgeuen he sayes thei shall be so hote folowers and setters foorth of Christ that they shal be lyke the flame shal turne Esau the geÌ„tils Heathen wicked men to the knowledge worshipping of the true God Such a merciful louing God is our Christ that eueÌ„ those that haue ben most traitors enemies to him he wil cal theÌ„ to most high honor Peter all the rest of the apostles denied our sauiour christ whaÌ„ he was takeÌ„ of the Iewes raÌ„ne awai froÌ„ him but he forsaked not theÌ„ nor cast not theÌ„ out of their apostleship but sent theÌ„ into al the world to preache the word of lyfe grace saluatioÌ„ gaue theÌ„ more fulnes of the holy ghost than thei had afore And because it is vncertaine in the scripture whither any of the Apostles were of the tribe of Ephraim yet in the later ende and whan all sort of Iewes shal be coÌ„uerted to the Lorde and so all Israell shal be saued if this be not yet performed in theÌ„ or but partly performed it shall be afore the laste daye more fully Thy woorde is fierie sayes Dauid and therfore it is no meruaill if it burne them vp that heare receiue it The woorde of god is not lyke other histories or learninge which do not moue or elles but litel sturre the hearers but suche grace and strength is gyuen by it to the ministers and hearers of the same that eyther it turnes them that heares it too a godly zeale and loue towarde his glorie and an vpright lyfe or elles it castes them in to the burninge fire of hell as the Apostle sayes He makes his aungelles spirites or winde â–ª and his ministers a flaminge fire and agayn the preachinge of Christes crosse is foolishnes too them that perish but to them that bee saued it is the power of God In the disputacions againste the Arrians where all the learned men could not confute Arrius a man vnlearned stoode vppe makinge a simple confession of his fayth openly and where as longe as thei thoughte to ouercome him by disputinge and by reasons He euer had to aunswer theym withall whan this simple playne man trustinge not to eloquence nor learninge but in the mighte of Gods spirite onely sekinge the glorie of God beganne to speake hee see such grace in his woordes and power ioyned withall that he was not able â—oo withstande it Arrius grauÌ„ted his one errour and the other to saye true So sainct Paul writinge agaynste false Prophetes saies his preachinge was not in eloqueÌ„te woordes of mannes wisedome but in power of the spirite and althoughe he was not eloquent in woordes yet not ignoraÌ„t in knowledge Thus shall hypocrites Antichristes and vnbeleuers be ouercomen by the mighte of Gods woorde and the holy Ghoste workinge with all and not by any worldly witte strength or politie as the Apostles preachinge toke place turned the hole worlde to receiue theyr doctrine after thesame sort But where he sayes there shall be no remnant of Esau left that shall be fulfilled in the latter daye where the wicked shall be cast into vnquenchable fire for in the meane time the good and bad shall be blend together so that wicked hypocrytes Idolaters shall be consumed bothe in thys world and after but in the fulnes of time whan God hays apointed and not whan we thinke for thei shal preuail a time as this wicked seede of Esau did for the trial of the good and exercise of their faithe that all men maye knowe that the godly loue the Lord vnfainedly Thus the house is put for them that be of the house of Iacob and Ioseph and not so muche for the carnall seede as for theym that haue and folowe the faythe of Iacob and Ioseph whiche be onely they that bee ordeined to lyfe And because they shoulde not doubt of the performance of the thing he addes the Lord hais said it As though he should sai this is no mans tale but the liuing Lord God that made both heaueÌ„ earth haue all things at his commaundemeÌ„t whiche is truth it self can not lie whiche is bothe able and wil performe it hais saide these wordes therfore they must nedes come to passe All men be liers but God onely can not be deceyued nor deceiue whatsoeuer he hais said that he wil performe CaÌ„ ye find any thing that he said he would do since the worlde was made but he hays done it beleue him therfore in this thing to for he will do it in dede The next verses which coÌ„tein so many people by name I thinke do not signifie these people onely to be counted for that is to possesse them to the faithe but all gentils people should receiue the word and these be putte by name specially because thei were the next countries about them and always their open enemies For if these whiche were euer moste bitter enemies should be conuerted by them much more other countries that were not so ernest