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
A COMMENtarye vpon the Praphet Mycha Wrytten by Antony Gilby Anno domi M.D. Li. ☞ A preface wyth the sum of the Chapters and the tyme and lyfe of the Prophet ¶ The word of God to Micha of Maresha in the dayes of Iotham Achas Iehiskiah kings of Iuda whyche he dyd see ouer Samaria and Ierusalē WE do nede no newe Prophets We do nede no mo Prophecyes We do nead no mo Miracles sygnes or tokens whyche nowe do lyue in these latter dayes if we will call olde thynges to memorye neither of wee wyll beleue the olde hystoryes reported by Moyses and the terryble threatnynges of the Prophets Could wee beleue if the greateste miracles of raysinge the deade to speake amongs vs were wroughte in oure dayes as Christe oure sauyoure saythe too the ryche glotten Wherfore suffer me I beseeche the too renewe olde thynges wrytten by thys Prophete Micha the mooste earneste rebuker of vyce in hys tyme and the mooste dylygente watch man to warne bothe of good and euyl for to come vpō his people and if so be that the wordes of this olde truthe do chayfe your olde sores in thys perilous tyme wherein all olde euyls seme too haue dysgysed them selues wyth new vysers rather suffer them to be ripped to the hearde coore then to spurne impudentlye against the prycke to striue agaynst the streame For the time is at hande by the vnchaungeable appoyntmente of the euerliuinge Lord moste myghtye Iudge when euery man shal be tryed and Iudged approued of refused by the thoughtes of hys hearte by the woordes of hys mouthe and by the fruyts of his owne imaginacions Therfore this diligent watchman warneth especiallye of this iudgment in the entrye into his prophecye in the fyrste Chapter sayinge that the Lord hym selfe wyll come downe moste terrybly to the wycked the mountains shall melte the valeis shall vade and vanish like waxe before the firy flame And in the seconde chapter he crieth forthe woo dampnacion and the sore vengaunce of God agaynste the vaine thoughtes and Imaginacions of thee mighty men of the world against their wicked workes and threatenynges of the true Prophetes In the thyrde Chapter he rypeth more neare the coare of theyr crueltye and extorsion He vttereth the flattery of their chaplaines as we do cal them the false prophetes flearynge vppon them for aduauntage and bolsterynge them vp in wyckednesse the lynkynge together of the Iudges and high Offycers theyr brybery and auarice and for theyr wyckednes he threatneth vtter desolacion to their cities In the .iiii. he promiseth a kingdom farre contrarye to thys kyngedome to come vppon earthe full of knowledge quietnes and peace which is the kingdome of Messiah wherin all the chosē Iacob shal be restored to theyr honour promysed and theyr ennemyes vtterlye destroyed In the .v. he threatneth the desolacion of Ierusalem the robbers doughters as Iherome dothe translate and immediatlye adioyneth a large plain promise of Messiah oure sauiour to be borne in Bethlē a despised vyllage he declareth hym to be both God man and sheweth howe he shall fede Iacob and be his peace But he shall fede the land of Nimroth with their ennemies wyth theyr owne swearde poyntes In the sixte he contendeth wyth the people in the person of God for their ingratitude teachynge the true worshyppe of God to stande in iudgmente mercye and the reuerēce of the sacrate magesty of the almyghtie He detesteth in the parson of God al dysceytful dealyng and promiseth worthy recompens and iust rewardes for al euyll doers In the .vii. and last Chapter the prophet bewaileth the skarsitye of the good the smal truste of worldely frendeshyp he teacheth paciēce he geueth comfort he promyseth delyueraunce to faythfull Iacob to the shame and confusyon of God hys ennemyes and the land and prayse of God hys greate mercye truthe Amen This haue we heare in this Prophet holesome doctryne for al ages For the spyryte of God seeth from time to time contynuallye oure iniquytyes and stryueth euermore there agaynste No hyll is so hyghe no valleye so low that he seeth not He shaketh the foundacyōs of the earthe when he rebuketh the world in the rygoure of his wrath Let vs therfore remember the olde world before vs plaged for synne drowned for theyr wyckednes and feare the fyre of goddes wrath threatned by the Prophetes to be kyndled in these laste tymes to the euerlastynge destruccion of all euyll doers who wyth the deuyll and his aungels shal haue aworme the whyche shal hereafter gnaw and grate theyr conscience for euer and a fyry tormente whyche shall neuer be quenched whereof our Prophet warneth the wycked worlde threatnyng woo and damnacyon wyth feruente spryt and sorow of hearte brastynge forth into teares yellynge and syghinge for the euils he dyd saye towardes them Micha i. For thys Prophet Micha semeth to be another Eliah feruent in spyryt and zeloous for the glory of God he was of the pryncelye trybe of Iuda and therefore acquaynted wyth the pryuy practises of the potentates prynces he did wel inoughe know theyr ydle deuyses theyr vayne imagynacyons and cold espye the lynkynge together of the highe officers and Iudges He liued in the time of Esaiah Hoseah and Amos vnder these .iii. kinges Iothana Achas Hezechiah A man of suche an hygh reuelacyon that Esaiah dare alledg the greateste mysteryes of his hole prophecy of the spiritual kyngedome of Christe and of the greate tranquyllytye vnder him by the same woordes that thys manne of God Micha hadde spoken theym It shal be in the laste daies and so forth Esa .ii. Hieremiah also alledgeth hym by name sayinge Micha of Marescha was a Prophet in the dayes of Ezekiah and saythe to al the people of Iuda Thus saythe the Lorde of hostes Sion shal be plowed lyke the feilde and Iherusalem shall be an heape of stones and the hyll of the house of the Lord shal be an hyghe woode Hierem .xxvi. and the came is red the thyrde Chapter of oure Prophet worde for word We do reade of ii Prophetes of this name The fyrst is named Micha the sō of Iemla an Israelite whom Achab did saye that he had onlye lefte one a lyue amonges all the Prophets of the lord but I do hate hym saythe he for he neuer Prophecyed good towardes me .iii. kynges .xxii. The other is of Iuda our prophet which liued almost .ii. C. yeres after the first Micha He was borne in a city called Maresha which is in the trybe of Iuda Iosua .xv. Hys propheci is general to al cities cuntries but vnto Ierusalē to Samaria he chiefly vttereth hys threatninges because there he dyd knowe and see theyr wyckednes to bee great amongs whom he dyd see cruelti extorsiō tyranni couetousnes auarice ambicion the cōtempt of God his true religion Idolatry and lyke abhominaciōs to raygne not onely vnpunyshed but by the chiefe Lordes greatest Peares and Prynces practysed vsed and frequented In
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
serpentine generacion whiche toileth trauaileth so carefullye to kyll me youre mother youe selfs and your brethren The Text If a man walke vaynelye and with opeÌ„ lies lyinge vnto you do sai I wil Propheci vnto you for wine and dronkeÌ„nes he shal be a Prophet vnto this people As though he shulde saye oh it is a very hard and vnpleasaunt thyng for the people to heare their vyces reprehended and destruccioÌ„ for syn prophecyed Therfore can thei not bear the true prophets they cannot away with theÌ„ but as Achab answered vnto king Iosaphat askinge for some one prophet of the Lorde after that .iiii. C. false prophetes had prophecied plesauÌ„t things Ther is one maÌ„ yet left one liue but I do hate him because he doth not propheci vnto me good iii. Re. xxii but euil but what foloweth this refusing of the true prophet and chusing of the false The Lord sendeth a stroÌ„g elusion causeth Achab to perish by the counsel of the wicked lying prohets which wold not be saued by the councel of the good and true prophets read the chapter see the iudgmeÌ„t of god against theÌ„ which do refuse true prophets Agayne of the Prophets which folow wyne dronkeÌ„ship They haue erred for wyne gone astray for dronkeÌ„nes the preiste the prophete hath both erred for strong drynke Esa xxviii they ar swallowed vp of the wine they haue erred in vision and fallen in iudgement So doth al that seketh gaine voluptuousnes plesures they ought not to be trusted they ar lyinge prophetes yet are they only of the blinde world magnified receiued mi lords wil haue none other to their chapleÌ„s for with a fat prebeÌ„d such mai be choked that thei wil folow mi lord in al his foÌ„d waies and allow al his wicked counsels but that Micha that telleth the truth he is thrust forth of the dores he is of a furious sprit mylord hateth him as vnmete for his house al good coÌ„pany The Text I wyl gather the together O Iacob I wyl gather the wholy I wyll gather and ioyne together the remnaunte of Israel I wyll putte them together like the sheepe of Bozra and lyke as the flock gathered in the fold They shal hurle together for the great multytude The spoyler is gone before theym they haue spoyled passed the gate they haue gone forth therby theyr kynge hathe gone for the before them and the Lorde as theire captayne Such a gloryous Prophecye doth the false prophets bring forth to king Achab Go vppe to Ramoth saye they and the Lorde wyll gyue it into thy handes Agayne zedechia made him hornes of yron and sayde thus sayth the Lord with these shall thou tosse and folde Siria whiles thou haue destroied it So doth this gloryous sentence appere to be brought in of our prophet as a flatterynge illusion of the false prophet wherby thei did kepe the people styll in the coÌ„teÌ„pt of god the true prophets promisyng theÌ„ lybertye and tryumphe ouer their ennemyes notwithstandinge their enormities and greate wyckednes Such flatterers we haue in all ages Therfore take hede O England then that thus tell the 〈…〉 the in thy wyckednesse with â—ayre promyses they doo deceiue the and do seeke benefyces and Bishopprickes that they maye fil theyr bellyes with wyne and strong drynâ—◠〈◊〉 as the Prophete said before I do know that thys texte is for the moost part vnderstande as a Prophecye of the commynge of Christe and it maye wel so be but I had rather so to expounde the prophetes that they myght seme to hange together by comelye ordre then to teare them in peaces Bozra was a cytye full of people ful of sheepe and catall wherunto the fals Prophetes therfore dooth lykeÌ„ theyr felicitie The iii. Chapter Vt I sayde heare I praye B you O Princes of Iacob dukes of the house of Israel Doth it not pertein vnto you to knowe iudgemeÌ„t you do hate the good loue the eul you do fle of the skin of their backs and the fleshe of their bones You haue deuoured thee flesh of my people plucked their skin from of them and haue broken their bones crushed theÌ„ in peaces as in a pot like the flesh in the middest of the Chaldren Princes ought to know iudgmeÌ„t thei ought to be wise meÌ„ fearing god yea staÌ„ding in gods stede to the people hauiÌ„g the truth within theÌ„ that thei nede not to seke it at their chapleÌ„s They ought to be meÌ„ which hateth auarice Exo. xviii for thei execute the iudgmeÌ„t of the lord Deu. i. whatsoeuer thei shal iudge shal redouÌ„d be required vpo theÌ„ .ii. Cori. xix but you do thiÌ„k you mailiue as you list O priÌ„ces dukes of oure wycked time you do not thinke that you haue takeÌ„ an office wherof you must geue answere But that you haue attayned to such honoures that ye shuld be accompted as earthly goddes that no man shulde be so beard ye as to talke of your doings and dare followe the Pope in making such proclamations though they be such in verye deade as our Prophet heare paynteth which ar so plaine they nede no interpretacion Therefore I do say with the Prophet Esay heare O ye deaffe men and sharpeÌ„ your sights to se O ye blynde But who is so blynde as my seruaunt or so deafe as my messengers whome I sent vnto them For who is so blinde as my people and they that haue the rule of theÌ„ They ar like as if thou vnderstodest much and kepe nothing or if one herd wel but wer not obedieÌ„t The Lorde be merciful vnto theÌ„ for his righteousnes sake that his word might be magnified praised They do boast to knowe the woorde but beware the seruauÌ„t whiche knoweth dothe not shal be beaten with many stripes You do fle of the skiÌ„ of their backs If you do read the .xxxiiii. The Text of Ezechiel you shal se the difference betwyxt these euill pastors shepherds which fead theÌ„ selues with the spoil of the shepe the good sheperd which cherysheth his shepe Nowe wher our prophet sayth that the Prynces do hate the good meÌ„ and loue the euil it is the experience of al ages for dicers dauncers flatterers and such like ar receyued into their pryuyc hambers when true Preachers are prysoned And yf it chaunce that a noble man haue one honest man in hys house he is a sheepe amonges Wolues deluded and decyded by my Lordes owne minions and moste sage counsaylers at the length eyther banyshed or put to sylence because the whole course of hys lyfe conuersacion and coÌ„municacion is coÌ„trary to theirs and vnprofitable for theyr purposes Then shall they crye vnto the Lord The Text and he wil not heare them but wyl hide his face from them at that tyme lyke as they haue don euil in their wicked works Thus sayth the Lord of the prophets whych do seduce
wherewith worldlye menne are pleased as gold siluer precious stones gaye ornamentes and ryche gyftes cappynge knelinge curtesies to be sought farre of at Rome Compostella or at Ierusalem But to worship hym in the house of hartes in the chamber of out breastes in the temple of oure soule wherein he hath chosen hys mansion Ther to worshyp him not wyth mans imaginacyon and chosen holynes whyche hee calleth vayne worshippe and abhorreth it But in the worshyppe whych he appoynteth and commaundeth that is as his sonne declareth in spirit and truth By vnfained reuerence of god hys sacrate magesty By faythful truste in his vnfallyble promyses By loue not counterfayte towarde oure neyghboures Whych three frutful braunches growyng forth of the man newe regenerate by the spyryte of god must needes brynge foorthe manye spiritual workes as inuocacion prayer thankesgeuynge fastynge and mournynges for synnes almes and all the woorkes of mercye and pytye Who so walketh in these woorkes hee truelye worshyppeth God and hereby are the true and false worshyppers knowen in sonder the true churche and the chuche of Hypocrytes because these woorkes fayth feare and loue was not found in the olde world therefore was it drowned because theese three partes of the true woorshyppe was not founde amonges the Iewes therefore wer they destroyed Because theese woorkes of true woorshippe were not founde in the popyshe church therefore is it subuerted and if they be not shortelye founde in oure refourmed churches they shall wyth lyke shame be subuerted and destroyed Lette vs walke humblye therfore before oure Lorde and beware of of oure fall He doothe not suffer hys chosen so longe tyme as he doothe the reprobate The voyce of the Lord dothe crye vnto the cytye The Text A wyse man wyll feare thy name Heare the rodde and who it is whych hath appointed the certaine tyme vnto it Is ther yet in the house of the wycked tresure and the false measure O abhominacion Shall I iustyfye the wycked Ballaunce and the satchell of deceytefull wayghtes Her ryche men are replete wyth rauyne and her enhabytauntes hath spoken lyes and had deceitfull tounges in theyr mouthes Therfore wyl I make the sicke stryking the and makyng the desolate for thy sinnes Thou shalt eate and not be satisfyed for miserye shall go thorowe thee thou shalte go vnto thy wyfe but shee shal he barren and that whyche she doth brynge foorthe shall I geue vnto the swerd Thou shalt sowe and not reape thou shalte tread the Oliues but thou shalt not anoynt thy selfe wyth Oyle and treade the grapes but thou shalte not drynke thy wyne Because thou haste kepte the ordynance of Amry and al the abomynacioÌ„ of the house of Achab and hast walked in theyr counsailes Therefore wyl I geue the vnto desolacion and all thy enhabytauntes to be hyssed and skorned and you shall beare the shame of my people The voyce of the Lorde The Lorde cryeth by hys preachers The Text by hys Prophetes by hys Apostles by his Messengers in al ages and al tymes to call vs to repentaunce He warneth of hys wyl and pleasure He telleth which is true worshyp and which is false And as he sayth by hys Apostle Paule Al the daye long haue I stretched foorthe my handes vnto an vnbeleuing people and a people that striueth against me Rom. x. And by hys owne son he sayth Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft wold I haue gathered the together as the hen gathereth her chyckens vnder her wynges thou wouldest not Math. xxiii Whych doothe vtter the fatherlye care of oure God alway callyng and crying vpoÌ„ vs. But who heareth his callynge who seeth hys power who feareth hys name Thusiah doth see it saith our Prophet that is to say wisdom or the wyse man wyl be warned For so doth the Hebrew interpreters expounde it And so it agreeth with the course of God his workiÌ„g at al times God calleth al. His souÌ„d of his voice goeth through the world yet scaÌ„tlicaÌ„ ther be one so wise to repent in the warning of the .vii. cities No mo wer found fearfull of God hys sore threatenynges but only Loth in the destruccion of the hoole worlde Noah was onlye founde wyse and obedyent In Ierusalem how fewe wer found obedyent when the Prophetes warned them to repente In oure world God grauÌ„t some one wise faithful maÌ„ may be found whych maye pray for vs as AbrahaÌ„ did for the Sodomits and geue warning of gods wrath hefore it fall vpon oure cities Heare the rodde the rod of God his great vengeaunce is readye shaken againste your cities The time is determined for your punishmeÌ„t Wil you not yet be warned to lay away wickednes repent of your euil waies wyl you kepe stil your euil gotten goods and treasures heaped bi extorsion How can your sinnes then â—ee pardoned My lawe commaundeth for thynges wronglye taken to paye foure foulde and fyue fould Haue you satisfyed my lawe and least your selues so greate treasures Nay you are so farre frome such equyty that of restitucion that you maineteyne styll youre bryberye and extorsyon You keepe styll in youre houses youre leane and bare measures your scant and false Bushelles too prouoke my wrathe and indygnatyon vppon you Your measure is scante of Corne and your chaffer but it is full of my wrathe and heauye dyspleasure Shall I iustyfye the wycked ballaunce Or as the Hebrew stanâ—eth wickednesse in the ballaunce If I shoulde leaue thys vnpunyshed I shoulde seame to iustyfye and alowe al the wickednesse that you do vse therein Where contrarywise I haue commaunded the too haue iuste ballaunce and euen wayghtes and true measures Leui. xix and in Deuteronomye .xxv. Thou arte commaunded not too haue dyuers wayghtes a greater and a smaller neyther to haue in thy house a bygge bushell and a small but that thou shalte haue a iuste and true wayghte an euen and true bushell that thou maye lyue a longe tyme in the land which the lord thi God geueth the. Ther furthermore art thou taught that I thy Lorde God doo abhorre hym that dothe these thinges and that I detest al vniust dealing as a thing abhominable and so doothe my seruaunte Salomon teache the. Prouerbe .xx that double waightes and dysceitefull ballaunce abhominable before thy Lord God Howe dareste thou then kepe in thy house eyther any false measure or thereby anye euyl gotten treasure Doste thou nothynge regarde me whyche haue thy lyfe breath in my hande Arte thou nothynge moued by my manyfolde benefytes nothynge afraied of my threatninges repente O repent and herken to my Prophetes or elsse my rod is readye to scourge thy wickednesse The tyme is determined by me the allmyghtye measurer of times onlesse you do repente O you wicked Marchaunts of London and and all other cities But O wicked worlde I do knowe your deuises You do hide vp your ware vntil it waxe scaÌ„t You do lessoÌ„ your measures You encrease your prices too make the pore your slaues yet