light of his word doth coÌ„fouÌ„d all such wicked foÌ„d faÌ„tasies as thei can deuise to fil their bellies maintayne their authoritie Churches be Gods schoole house the preacher is a schoole maister sent from God is teache vs his woorde we be his scholers and thyther must resort to learn oure lessons and his holy wil to amend our liues â–ª to make our praiers to him desiring mercye for our wickednes past and beg graâ—e and strength for that whiche is to come to thanke him for all his goodnes so mercifully poured vpon vs to receiue his Sacraâ—mentes and professe our fayth which wâ— haue in him For these causes must we haue churches as common places to resâ—â— vnto vse theÌ„ with such comelines as beâ—comes men professing Christ and not 〈◊〉 binde any holines to this churche or thâ— churche as though it laye in vs too maâ—â— holy or vnholy when and what we lust As sainct Maries in Cambridge was had inough to saye masse in for three yeaâ—â— space all that woulde not heare it musâ—â— be prisoned althoughe Bucer was theâ— burried but whan it pleased the Carnalâ— commissioners to saie it was not holy beâ—cause he laye buried there than the Heretike muste bee digged vp and burned 〈◊〉 their masses were woorth nothinge Aâ— other mighte lye still and not hurte theâ—â— masses though they were of his opinion The house of God nowe for vs left 〈◊〉 buylde is sometime called in scripture generally the whole company of Christians and sometime euery particular man as sainct Paul teaches Timothe how to liue in the house of God whiche is the churche and congregation of God the piller seat of truth And to the Hebrues it is writen you be the house of God perticularly also it is sayde to euery man doe ye not know that your bodyes be the temple of the holy ghosts and he that defiles the temple of God him wil God destroy Again ye be the husbandry of God and the building of god And sainct Peter saieth ye are buylt like liuely stones for a spirituall house of God This spiritual house muste be diligently buylded of vs and the buyldinge of thys house of wood and stone amonge the Iewes was a figure of this spiritual house buyldinge for oure dayes This is that whiche sainct Paule calles so often edifiynge or buyldinge one an other and that edification whiche he speakes so muche of in all his Epistles that is as much to saye as one to sturre vp an other to vertue and godlines For as the buyldinge goes forward and encreases by laying to one stone after an other and one poste or tree after an other vntill the house be finished So we by goinge forwarde dayly in the feare of God and godlines shal at lengthe bee â— meete house for God too dwell in This house is the bodye soule of man whiche must be buylt with dayly hearinge Godâ— woorde praier mercie faith with godly exercises as s. Paule saieth ye be cytezens with saincts of Gods house builded in the fouÌ„dacion of the Apostles the prophetes God because he would haue vs alwaies praying calling on hiÌ„ for his help hath so ordred the matter that this eartâ—â— house of ours wherin he dwels should alwaies be in building or repairinge that we should not be ydle and thinke we haâ— done our duty but euer desiringe him 〈◊〉 help forward the building of this his 〈◊〉 If we ouercome one euil affectioÌ„ straight waies rises an other after one teÌ„ptaâ—â— cometh an other the deuill neuer ceases to throw doune oure house Dauid saâ—â—th except the Lord build the house they labor but in vayn which build it Let vs doe all we can therfore pray the lord to further our worke the rulers with the sword defeÌ„d the good punish the euil the preachers with yâ— word the scholemasters by their teaching the fathers by bringing vp their childreÌ„ the maisters by correctioÌ„ of their seruaÌ„ts the peple in obeyiÌ„g their heads neighborly loue euery one defend true religioÌ„ to the vttermost of his power driue away the Pope his baggage and as occasioÌ„ requires guide the ignoraÌ„t rebuke croked stomaks ameÌ„d fautes in the feare of the Lord bring into the right way all such as run astrai that thei may be mete houses for God to dwell in Thus hath euery maÌ„ a part in bylding gods house but the greatest porcioÌ„ is lefte to euery man which is his own conscieÌ„ce to amend that he finds amisse in him self because euery man knowes him self best Great faultes onely do appeare vnto the worlde by rulers muste be punished but the priuy hid faults which euery maÌ„ knowes in him self for the moste parte for no man knowes all that be within him self muste bee corrected within him selfe by prayer sighinge repentaunce and asking forgiuenes Dauid saieth who knoweth his owne faults Lord clense me from my priuy hid secret sins spare thy seruauÌ„t frome other mens sins Thus must euery one him self seuerally and iontly altogether clime vp to the hils that is our lofty mindes cut doune the penishe desires of oure heartes though it be painfull also correct the hye minded whiche are called often in the scripture hylles and cutte doune the highe trees growinge on the toppes of them That is to saye to bringe into good 〈◊〉 the high men of the world whiche should geue good exaÌ„ple for the people to folowe and to punishe their fautes and rebuke them as well as the lower sorte They muste neither for feare nor flattery leaue theym vnpunished nor saye that is good which is euil afore God For as God haâ—â— geuen one lawe for all men highe lowe to liue after and like a righteous iudge wil punishe all that breake it So must al indifferently be punished here if rulers â— ministers do their duety that breake hyâ— lawes God hath geuen no more libertyâ— to sinne to the ryche than to the poore 〈◊〉 hath not willed th one to be punished and the other to escape but generally indifferently hath sayd to all that soule whiâ—â— sinnes it shal dye and in iudgemente ye shal regarde no person but iustly iudge yâ— whiche is iust neyther condeÌ„yne the poorâ— because he is poore nor deliuer the ryche because he is ryche So must the preacher tell euery man his duetye spare neither high nor low neither flatter the ryche for rewardes nor feare the mightye for highe lokes or bitter woordes for whan he does his worst he can not hurte thy soule but a litle punish thy body These are hard hyls to clim and croked trees to fraine meete for any worke yet it muste be done God requires this of euery mannes hande too bringe some thinge to the buylding of his house and according to his power And if we marke these woordes well we shal see our
they shall fynde present comfort and peace patiently to beare all such sorow as shal be laide on them When as Emperours were not Christened greate was the persecution yet coulde they not preuaile When heresies began to springe in the Church than God raised vp Augustine and others to withstande them and the mo that they were the more was the truth tried out and florished but after that the Pope had conquered all good learning decayed and the deuell thereby had lulled all on sleepe then came this outwarde worldly peace where the moste parte submitted them selues to the beast and his peace was the bitterest thinge that coulde be before God and greatest trouble to all good consciences For then outwarde peace broughte in Lordely pryde whiche harmed more then any persecution as Bernarde sayeth But nowe after that the light appeares agayn with what peace of conscience can and doe men offer them selues to the fire thoughe the Pope and his clergye rage lyke Lyons or mad dogges What great learning hathe God reueled in our time more then before and chiefly it hath ben done because of errours heresies sectes and controuersies that be abroade that Gods chosen people should not lyue in blindnes styl that his goodnes may be knowen And althoughe persecution be great yet God strengthens his to dye for his truth in most quiet peace to the shame of their persecutours Wher there is no striuinge there is no victorye where ther is no victory there is no praise nor reward Therfore God of his gret loue that his people may haue most noble victories greatest reward suffreth them to be troubled by the deuyll hys ministers but not to be ouercomen Where the tormentours rage because thei can not ouercome the simple souls holding fast the faith which thei would pul from them for the whiche thei striue God so strengthens hys that they suffer all tormentes with more peace of conscience then the tormentours delaye it on theÌ„ whiche deuise the deaths for them But not onely this inwarde peace but an outwarde alsoo was geuen them as longe as they displeased not the Lord. God coÌ„maunded that euery man amongst the Israelites should come thryse a yeare to IerusaleÌ„ to worship him there least thei should grudge saying who shal defend our countrie when we are gone so far froÌ„ home our enemies wil inuade and destroy vs God promises that he will defende their couÌ„try in the mean time that thei shuld haue no harme Thus thei beleuing God were bold to go to IerusaleÌ„ to serue God leuing none at home to kepe their goods landes but a few wemen chyldren So we if we would serue the Lord a righte maintayne his true religion our enemies shoulde not hurt vs but wemen and chyldren shoulde be able to defende vs if wee will not serue him as he hathe appointed there is no worldly power able to defend vs but we and they shall perishe altogether verse 10 In the .xxiiii. daye of the .ix. moneth and the second year of Darius was the message of the Lorde sent by the haÌ„de of Aggeus the prophet saying verse 11 Thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes Aske I praye thee yâ— priestes the law sayinge verse 12 If any man beare holy flesh in the lap of his garmeÌ„t do touche with his lappe bread or brothe wyne oyle or anye kynde of meate shall it bee made holy the Priestes aunswered and saide no. verse 13 And Aggeus sayd if he that is defiled in soule do touche any of these whether shal it be defiled the Priestes aunswered and said it is defiled verse 14 Aggeus aunswered sayd So is this people and so be these folke before my face sayeth the Lorde and so is all the woorke of their handes and whatsoeuer they bringe hyther it is defiled ¶ For the rekeninge of monethes years dayes and such other particular wordes â–ª we sayde ynough before Now is the Prophet sent to appose the priestes in the law of God and make theym geue sentence againste them selues The lippes of the Prieste kepe knowledge and they shall aske the lawe of his mouthe saieth Malachy And therfore to see what knowledge they had in the lawe of the Lorde what aunswer they woulde make he was sent to examine them and he puts foorthe hys question so wisely that he makes them to condemne them selues by their owne iudgement He is bidden them aske theÌ„ oute of the lawe of God and not out of the Popes lawe nor yet any mans lawe whiche often through bribes is ended as a man is frended but out of Gods boke which with out parcialitie speakes indifferentlye on all partes and neither feares the riche for his might and authoritie nor hath foolish pitie on the poore for his pouertie but vprightly iudges right and condemnes sin wheresoeuer it is founde If the priestes in Moyses law had this charge geuen theÌ„ to be so cunninge in the scriptures yâ— they shoulde be able to aunswere all doubtes whiche coulde be asked them How much more shoulde oure Priestes nowe be able by the scripture to teache all which be ignoraunte and aunswere all doubtes that can bee moued for saincte Paule sayeth a minister shoulde be able too exhorte wyth holsome doctrine and confute false But if ye wante one too keepe a Curre rather then a Cure to be a Hunter or a Fawkener to be an ouerâ—ear of your workemen to be youre stuarde or loke to your sheepe and cattell too be youre Gardiner kepe youre Orcharde or write youre busines who is meter for anye of these businesses then syr Ihon lackelatine What a wickednes is thys that they shoulde take such paynes to be so cuÌ„ninge in these thinges that God lookes not for oâ— them and in those thinges that God hathe charged theym withall they can saye nothing at all they be dumme Dogges not able to barke in rebukinge sinne blynd guides not able to rule their flocke but if the worlde be on their side they can theÌ„ playe the woode Dogges bytinge snatching at euery man near them and let no honest man dwel in rest by theÌ„ but accuse burne and condemne all that speake against their mischiefes If there be a treÌ„tall to be saiee or any money to be gotteÌ„ for masses Diriges Relikes pardons c. then who is so ready as they they can smell it out a great sorte of myles of But if a man waÌ„t comforte in conscience woulde vnderstaÌ„d his duety towards God or Gods goodnes towardes vs they be blinde beastes ignorant doltes vnlearned asses and can saye nothing but make holy water bid them saye a Ladies psalter The questions which he putteth forth here teÌ„d to this purpose that by one thing which is like he may proue an other lyke For loke as halowed fleshe did not halow these thinges which it touched so did not the goodnes whiche was in some of them make the rest holy But
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
sayd with a voice heard from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased hear hym Or els it maye well be taken for the promise whiche is written in the .22 of Exodus where it is sayde beholde I wil sende my aūgel or messenger before thee and he shal leade thee in the waye shall driue all thy ennemies oute before thee whose lande thou shalte posses This Aūgell was Christe Iesus who is called the Aungell of the greate counsayle because he broughte from the bosome of his father the secrete counsayle of God and preached hys greate loue to the worlde An aungell is no more but a messenger or Embassadoure from God to declare and preache his will and pleasure to the worlde And that Christe was present with the Israelites and guided thē in the wildernesse Sainct Paule telleth playne that they tempted Christe and murmured agaynst him and Christe was the rocke The meaning and effecte of this promise is no more but that as God was presente with their fathers whan he brought them out of Egipt and deliuered them oute of al daungers were thei neuer so many nor so great brought them in to the land that he promised thē So he woulde nowe be present with them deliuer them and finishe their woorke yf they woulde woorke earnestlye neyther mistrusting hys mercie but that he would be with them and defende them againste the rulers whiche hated them nor fearing his power but that he was able too perfourme his promise vnto them If wee mistruste eyther his good will towardes vs that he will not or hys power that he can not delyuer vs wee prouoke his anger too deuoure vs and can not looke for helpe at his handes to saue vs for nothing offendes hys maiestie more then mistrust vnfaithfulnes or doubtinge as sainct Iames sayth he that doubtes is like a waue of water driuen with wynde too and fro and that man whiche so doubtes can lok◠too obtayne nothinge at Gods handes he gyues all hys giftes too them that bee faythefull and beleue that hee is bothe a true God perfourmyng all that he promyses merciful and willing to help al which in their neede call vpon hym and able too fulfill all that he saieth They that either doubte or denye his offered mercie or power to helpe denye hym to be a God Therfore feare not but beleue me too be youre God and I will deliuer you and defende you as I did youre fathers and ye shall finish this temple by my protection As I did bring them into the lande which I promised them ▪ droue out their enemies and gaue them the lande to dwell in So according to this promise it came to passe to this people now for in .4 yeares space next folowing they finished that tēple as Esdras teaches So good spede had they after that they beleued his promise that he woulde be with them But here maye be moued a greate question howe this is true that God saieth by this Prophet here that he broughte them out of Egipt whā this people neuer came there but about a .1000 years before Moyses brought out their fathers through the read sea where Pharao was drouned after that he would not beleue the great wonders wrought in his sight nor fear the Lord that had so oftē greuously plaged hym for hādling his peple so cruelly The scripture vses oft to geue that which was done to the fathers as thoughe it were done to the chyldren As when Melchisedecke tooke tithes of Abraham he is saide also to haue takē tithes of Leui whiche was not borne of many yeares after because he was conteined in the loynes of Abraham and afterwarde borne of his stocke and sede So likewise saieth sainct Paule By one man sinne entered into the worlde and by syn death and hath gone through all in whō all haue sinned So we all that now liue or hereafter shall doe all before vs haue sinned in Adam and broken Gods commaundemente as well as Adam did because we were conteined in his loines as it were parte of him and toke our sinfull nature of him in his sede posteritie As we see those ryuers which spring out of littel welles are of thesame nature that the head and springe is whereof thei come though they runne .2 or 300. myle of thorough diuers countries and as those crabbes are soure this daye that growe on the crabbe tree whiche is .200 or .300 yeares olde because the first roote and plāte was sower So wee all be sinfull that be borne of Adam and soure as he was because he the first tree was suche a one the spring whereof we come was corrupte filthye So likewise God saieth he broughte thys people out of Egipt whiche neuer hadde ben there because he deliuered their fathers thence in whose loynes they were conteined and should haue ben born ther and subiect to thesame slauerie that their fathers were if God of his greate mercie mightie power had not deliuered their fathers thence and broughte them into the lande whiche he promised them And as the mercie whiche had ben receiued in times paste is a token argument of like merci and grace to be shewed when soeuer wee stande in the like neede and distresse soo here that they shoulde loke for a sure helpe at Goddes hande nowe in these daungers that they were in he putteth theym in remembraunce of that greate deliueraunce whiche not their fathers onelye but they also had before out of Egipt that they should not be afraide now but loke for sure help The daunger was greater before oute of whiche thei were deliuered and yet they escaped it So now Gods power and good will beinge no lesse towarde theym then before they shoulde loke for the like helpe of God as before He promises theym here that his spirite shoulde dwell with them therefore they shoulde not be afraide For as before he sent his Aungell to guyde them in the wildernesse so now he woulde sende hys holy spirite vnto them to dwell with thē whiche shoulde teache them all thinges that they doubted of or were ignoraunte in shoulde comforte theym in all daungers and distresse and deliuer them from al perilles that were towarde them therfore they shoulde not feare But as the other parte of the promise concernes Christ whiche shoulde come to deliuer them out of spirituall bōdage and slauerye of sinne and the spiritual Egipt So this part here concernes the sendinge of the holy Ghoste whome Christ sayde he woulde send to dwell with vs and be our comfortour to the ende And as the buylding of this second tēple betokens the churche of Christ builded by the preaching of the Gospell So here is the holy Ghoste promised whiche he sayde should not come excepte he wente awaye from them Thys spirite is called a comforter because he strengthēs vs in all our trouble he
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