deedes of wickednesse and the worke of robberie c. By these words that folow it may well be gathered what he ment by the former figuratiue Speech For he saith Their counsailes are wicked counsailes * harme and destruction is in their wayes This is the plaine effect of the Cockatrice Egges But the way of peace they knowe not in their goings is no equitie c. They hate peace and quietnesse and be altogether giuē to Strife Cōtention Variance Iniury and violence Yea all their deuises and wayes are so crooked and ouerthwart that they tende to trouble and businesse so that he that followeth them shall neuer be quiet And this is the cause that equitie is so farre from vs and that c. Hitherto the Prophete hath paynted out the vices and wickednesse of the hypocrites that they might the better vnderstande for howe grieuous causes God was displeased with them and that the cause was in them selues and not in Gods harde dealing Therefore he nowe sheweth how great punishments by Gods iust iudgement doe light vpon them for the same First that as they haue * vsed other so they are now by their enimies oppressed with violence and iniurie and the righteousnesse and helpe of God is farre from them and doeth not deliuer them Secondly that where through their hypocriticall fasting without repentance they looked for light that is for felicitie and the brightnesse of Gods helpe and comfort they haue * darkenesse that is aduersitie and certaine token of his heauy displeasure Yea they are wrapped in so great trouble calamitie and miserie as they are vtterly astonied and at their wittes ende and cannot tel what to deuise to helpe themselues but are as men blinde and in great darkenesse that grope by the walles to get out of a maze or intricate place and can finde no way Thirdely that when they see themselues so beset with misery as they can with no shift ease themselues they sometimes * breake out for sorow and roare like a Beare sometime they lament and mourne as a Doue and looke for succour and helpe at the goodnesse of God and yet it is farre from them For seeing they haue deceyued the expectation of God in looking that they should repent meruail though he * frustrate their hope againe in looking for equitie and goodnesse at his hande For our offences are manye before thee and our sinnes testifie c. The Prophet in way of lamentable complaint confesseth the manifolde and great offences of the people which yet they coulde not bee brought in themselues to acknowledge Namely that they departed from the Lorde and rebelled against him with trayterous imaginations and woulde not obey his worde That they vsed falsehoode and dissimulation in their heartes when they spake faire with their tongues That Iudgement and righteousnesse was gone farre from them because truth and equitie was cleane ouerthrowne and could take no place among them Yea right and honestie was so hateful that he which would vpon the feare of God refraine himselfe from euill and not deale in wickednesse as they did was in * daunger to be spoyled Which great enormitie was vnto the Lorde very vnpleasant He sawe also that there was no man righteous and he wondered c. As the Prophete hath shewed before that God of great and iust cause had plagued his people So nowe he declareth that of his owne good and mercifull motion without the helpe or entreatie of any man he is enclined to deliuer them and doth prepare and as it were arme himselfe to be reuenged on their enimies God sayth the Prophete seing and wondering that among all his people there was not one worthie the name of a righteous and iust man that might helpe and entreate for them of his owne strength and goodnesse taketh vpon him to deliuer them And he armeth himselfe with righteousnesse as a Breast plate with health as a Helmet with wrath displeasure as a coate with zeale and ielousie towarde his people as a cloake and so goeth on as a mightie Prince to be reuenged on his enimies in so terrible maner that all the partes of the Earth euen the very Islandes and those that be furthest of shal tremble and wonder at it yea and submit themselues vnto the maiestie of his name When the Prophete sayth that They shall feare the name of the Lorde from the rysing of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Diuerse doe interprete it to be spoken of the comming of the Gentiles all the partes of the Earth to the true knowledge of God when that he should sende his Messias and Sauiour to subdue not onely worldely aduersaries but especially * Satan and all the spirituall enimies of his people which are the stirrers of all trouble and affliction against his Church And in deed in the promise of euery great and notable deliueraunce the Prophete vseth to end it with applying of the same to the deliuerance that should be made by the promised seede and Sauiour of the worlde * For in him and by him all particular promises tooke their effect But vnto Sion there shall come a redeemer and vnto them in Iacob c. As this may be well vnderstanded of the particular deliuerance from the miserie and affliction whereof he hath spoken before So it is especially ment of the general deliuerance and restoring that should be made by Messias For Paule Rom. 11. may seeme so to interprete it although in wordes he be somewhat diuerse following in deede Septuagin interpretes The redeemer of Sion and of those Israelites that turne from their wickednesse and cleaue vnto the Lorde is Christ Iesus who redeemeth them frō Sinne Errour Idolatrie and * all maner of vngodlinesse wherewith they were before ouerwhelmed I wil make this couenant with them sayeth the Lorde My spirite that is c. This couenant God maketh with all the faithfull not onely of the house of Iacob but of all other Nations also and of his whole Church that is that the grace of his holy Spirite and the truth of his Worde and Gospell shall * neuer depart from them Wheresoeuer therefore the Spirite of God is and the truth of his Worde there is his true Church and contrariwise whersoeuer the Church is there is the truth of his Worde and the grate of his Spirite And where his Worde is reiected and mans Deuises followed there is not his true Churche though they glorie in the name of the Church neuer so much This is a notable commendation of the ministerie of Gods Worde and preaching of his Gospell being a portion of Gods couenant with his elect and an vnfallible token of his true Church The 5. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 64. ◠That thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe that the mountaines might melt away at thy presence
in the thirde of S. Iohns Gospell This is the coÌ„demnation that the light came into the world and the worlde loued darkenesse more then light Wherefore in the foure next verses the Prophet foreseing the obstinacie of the Iewes in refusing Christ and their delightin witches sorcerers and soothsayers more than the superstitious Chaldees and Philistines and the confidence in their ryches and strength of horses and chariots and trust in forraine friendes and woorshipping of Idols foreseeing I say all these thinges and also that the secrete but iuste iudgement of God for the same had giuen them ouer he saith he wil not pray to god for them but leaueth them to his iustice and desireth him not to pardon them their obstinacie and wickednesse Therefore forgiue them not sayth he Get thee into the rocke and hide thee in the grounde for feare of the Lord c. The Prophete doth here insult vpon the stubburne Iewes as if he had sayde Oh you wicked generation seeke refuge if you can in the rocke seeke corners to hide you in the caues of the earth and though you doe finde such places you shall not scape from the wrath indignation of god Yea if you were shut vp and inclosed in a rocke the iustice of God woulde finde you out and plague you for your sinnes And not you onely but all the proude of the earth who in the glorie and securitie of their wealth set vp their faces against the liuing god Were they as high as the Ceders of Lybanus yea or any mountaines in the whole earth Were they as strong and stiffe necked as the Okes of Basan Were they of as great force as fenced Castelles and Towers or as gorgeous as the ships of Tharsis or as highe minded and loftie as Lucifer The mightie Lord of hostes shall putte them downe and make them bende and his glory onely shall be aduaunced in the day of his wrath As for your Idoles they shall be destroyed and brought to confusion and your selues that haue made them your gods and put your trust and confidence and your whole delight in them shall see so little helpe of your miserie by them that you shal be ashamed of them and cast them into holes cliftes of rockes to hide them and your owne grosse folly from the face and maiestie of the Lorde Therefore leaue of the trust and confidence that you haue conceyued in your selues or in anye strength of man and put your trust in the Lorde alone For mans life is brickle and fraile euen as the breath passing out of the nosthrils Out of this Chapiter are these lessons to be learned 1. First wee haue to learne the authoritie and truth of Gods holy word and his Prophets which so many hundred yeares before did so euidentlye tell of the kingdome of Christ the conuersion of the Gentiles the reiecting of the Iewes which from the beginning had bene accounted the chosen people of God. 2 Secondly that the chiefe studie of the church of Christ ought to bee to instruct the people of God in his wayes and on the other part that it is their duetie that associate themselues vnto the Church not onely to learne his wayes but also to walke in his pathes and to declare their profession in the behauiour of their life 3 Thirdely that they which be the Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem and the true members of the Church of Christ vse not by strife and contention fighting and warre to seeke one the hurt of the other but studie to liue together in vnitie and concorde charitie and brotherly loue as the children of one father and heyres of one kingdome 4 Fourthly that we beware least through our obstinate refusing of the Gospell of Christ we be giuen ouer by almightie God and cast into perpetual induration and vtter confusion as the Iewes were in whome we see euen to this day a dreadfull example of Gods seuere iustice 5 Fiftly that witchcraft sorcerie soothsaying and confidence in worldly strength and riches are odious to almightie GOD for that these things doe leade men from that trust and confidence that they should haue in God alone and turne the glorie of God vnto creatures which is directly agaynst the first commaundement The seconde Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 5. NOwe will I sing my beloued friend a song of my friend touching his vineyarde My beloued friende hath a vineyarde in a verye fruitfull plenteous ground 2 This he hedged and gathered out the stones from it and planted it with the choysest vine In the middes of it builded he a tower also made a wine presse therein and he looked that it should bring him grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes 3 Nowe O Citizen of Hierusalem and man of Iuda iudge I pray thée betwixt me and my vineyarde 4 What more coulde haue bene done for it that I haue not done wherfore then hath it giuen wilde grapes where I looked to haue had grapes of it 5 Well nowe I shall tell you howe I will doe with my vineyarde I will take the hedge from it that it may perish and breake downe the wall therof that it may be troden vnder foote 6 I will lay it waste it shall neither be digged nor cut but beare thornes and briers I will also forbed the clowdes that they shall not raine vpon it 7 As for the vineyard of the Lord of hostes it is the house of Israell and the man of Iuda the plant of his pleasure Of these he looked for equitie but sée there is oppression for righteousnesse and lo it is a crying 8 Wo vnto them that ioyne one house to another and bring one lande so nie vnto another that there is no more place Will ye be placed alone in the middes of the earth 9 These things are in the eares of the Lorde of hostes of a truth great and fayre houses shall be without any dweller in them 10 And ten acres of vines shall giue but a quarl and thirtie bushels of séede shall giue but an Ephâ—â— 11 Wo be vnto them that rise vp earely to follow â—â—kennesse continuing vntill night till they be set on fire with wine 12 In their feastes are harpes and lutes tabrets and pipes and wine but they regarde not the worke of the Lorde and consider not the operation of his handes 13 Therefore commeth my folke into captiuitie bicause they haue no vnderstanding Their glorie is familyâ—â— with hunger and their multitude dried vp with thirst 14 Therefore gapeth hell and openeth hit mouth maruelous wide that their glorie multitude and wealth with such as reioyce in her may descende into it 15 Thus hath man a fall and is brought low and the high looke of the prowde shall be layde downe 16 But the Lorde of hostes shal be exalted in iudgement and God that is holy is sanctified in righteousnesse 17 Then shall the shéepe eate as they were woont and the rich
or to forsake his people but for to* exercise and trie their fayth and to stirre them vp to more earnest prayer and calling vpon his name and that in the ende their deliueraunce may be both to his people more pleasaunt to himselfe more glorious and to the aduersaries the greater confusion Nowe when Ezekia had receyued the letter of the messengers c. Here is to be learned the nature and condition of a true* fayth which riseth against the greatnesse of tentation as it is written that the stocke of the Palme tree doth agaynst an heauie burthen layde vpon it God increaseth the daunger and Ezechias encreaseth his fayth and feruencie in prayer Neyther doeth he giue ouer as the maner of the flesh is but paciently continueth and wayteth for the comming of Gods mightie hand and fulfilling of his promise and resorteth to his old succour and sanctuarie of prayer and calleth vpon God. In whome you maye learne also the maner of true prayer first proceeding out of a * coÌ„stant a strong fayth secondly directed to the * ouely liuing and true GOD thirdely notsomuche desiring their owne deliueraunce and worldelye benefite as the * setting oute of the glorie and name of God. For to that ende the whole course of his prayer tendeth This is the aunswere that the Lorde hath giuen concerning Sennacherib c. As Ezechias continueth in constant fayth and prayer so doth the Lord in comforting and promising helpe by the mouth of his Prophet vntil their full deliuerance be wrought which not long after he putteth in execution mightily and miraculously Wherein we haue to obserue the force * strength of constant earnest and faythfull prayer which is such that albeit God doth for the exercise thereof deferre his working yet in the ende if ordinarie meanes want he will miraculously by his Aungels from heauen worke the help and deliuerance of his faythfull people calling vpon him rather then they shall perishe in their daunger and their enimies triumph ouer them Thou with thy seruants hast hlasphemed the Lorde and thus holdest thou c. The Lorde by his prophete reprooueth the pride and blasphemie of the tyranne and rehearseth the prowde bragge that he made of himselfe By the mountaynes and sides of Libanus he meaneth the kingdomes and cities of those people that Sennacherib had conquered and by Ceders and Firre trees and the chiefest of their wooddes he vnderstandeth their kinges princes and strong holdes By the consuming of their fensiue waters he noteth that by pollicie and labour he deriued away and turned the course of such waters as were lettes and stayes to his purpose Hast thou not heard what I haue taken in hande and brought to passe c. The Prophete in the person of God reprooueth the proude bragge of the Assirian Prince Doest thou thinke sayth the Lord that thou by thy owne pollicie and wisdome hast conquered so many Cities and kingdomes hast thou not heard what I haue done in times past I * haue before time declared by my Prophets that I would destroy wicked kingdomes and punishe the naughtinesse of men by the spoyle of their Cities yea and with the rodde of Chasticement to correct euen mine owne people and bring their Cities to heapes * of stone that haue I nowe done by thee as by mine instrument Wherefore although thou thinkest thy selfe to haue done great feates by these conquests and turnest all this to thine owne glorie It was not thou but I that did it For thou haddest not bene hable without me to haue woonne one poore towne I knowe thy wayes thy goyng foorth and thy comming home I did first set thee in thy royall throne and then stirred thee to vndertake these great enterprises agaynst the kingdomes of the earth for their punishment And nowe I see thou doest not acknowledge mee but settest vp thy countenaunce and blasphemous mouth agaynst me as a furious and madde man Therefore I tell thee I will put a * ring in thy â—osâ— and a bitte in thy lippes that albeit thou shew thy selfe neuer so wilde and wanton a Colt I wil turne thee euen the same way that thou camest I will giue thee also this token O Ezekia this yeare shalt thou eate c. Least Ezechias and his people should be discouraged with the long delay God signifyeth that the warre should yet continue three yeares and that in the meane time he woulde almost * miraculously maintaine them from famine The first yeare by that which groweth of it selfe the second by that which falleth of the former haruest and the thirde yeare in which the warre shoulde be ended and they deliuered by their ordinarie and quiet labour and trauaile of the ground Thus the aungell of the Lord went forth and slue of the Assirians hoast c. Here is declared the execution of that promise that god had made by his prophet Esay the miraculous deliueraÌ„ce of his people wherin we haue to note first the seuere iustice of God against a prowd and blasphemous tyranne killing in one night by his aungell .185000 of his souldiours Secondly the long suffering of God who suffered Sennacherib to go * vnpunished three yeares that if he would haue repeÌ„ted he might haue found mercie Thirdly that the wicked sometime escape from meane daunger and by Gods prouidence are reserued to greater As heare Sennacherib escapeth killing by the Aungell and is murthered of his owne sonnes in the seruice of his * Idolatrous Gods because he would not acknowledge the true God. The first Sunday after Christmasse at Euening prayer Esay 38. ABout this time was Ezekia sicke vnto death and the Prophete Esay the sonne of Annos came vnto him and sayde Thus commaundeth the Lord Set thine house in order for thou must die and not escape 2 Then Ezekia turned his face towarde the wall and prayed vnto the Lorde 3. And sayde Remember O Lorde I beseech thée that I haue walked before thée in truth and a stedfast hart and hane done the thing that is pleasant to thée And Ezekia wept â—ore 4 Then sayd God vnto Esay 5 Go and speake vnto Ezekia The Lorde God of Dauid thy father sendeth thée this worde I haue heard thy prayer and considered thy teares beholde I will put fiftene yeares mo vnto thy lyfe 6 And deliuer thée and the Citie also from the hande of the king of Assyrla for I will defende the Citie 7 And take thée this token of the Lorde that he will doe it as he hath spoken 8 Beholde I will turne the shadow of Ahaz diall that nowe is layde out with the Sunne and bring it tenne degrées backward So the Sunne turned ten degrées backwarde the which he was descended afore 9 A thankesgiuing vvhich Ezekia king of Iuda vvrote vvhen he had bene sicke and vvas recouered 10 I thought I should haue gone to the gates of hel when mine age was shortned
should fall from the Babilonians being now in their great pride to the Persians which were yet of no great name or that there shoulde one rise among the Persians whose name should be Cyrus Then I say so long before in so vncredible and so vnlikely a time was this promise and prophesie vttered to the great assurance of Gods truth and mightie prouidence not onely in this matter but in all partes of his holy worde giuen vs by the same spirite of truth that this was The 1. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 46. BEl is fallen Nabo is broken downe whose images were a burthen for the beasts and cattell to ouerlade them and to make them wearie 2 They are sunke downe and fallen together for they maye not ease them of their burthen therfore must they go into captiuitie 3 Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all ye that remayne yet of the house of Israell whom I haue borne from your mothers wombe brought you vp from your byrth 4 It is euen I which shal beare you vnto your last age I haue 〈◊〉 you I will also nourishe you beare you and saue you 5 Whome will ye make me like or to whome wyll ye make me equall or compare me that I should be like him 6 Take out siluer and golde out of your purses and way it and hire a Goldesmith to make a God of it that men may knéele downe and worship it 7 Yet must he be taken on men shoulders and borne and set in his place that he may stande and not moue out of his place and if one crye vnto him he giueth no answere and deliuereth not the man that calleth vpon him from his trouble 8 Consider â—hys well and be ashamed go into your owne selues 9 Remember the things that are past since the beginning of the worlde that I anâ— God and that there is else no God yea and that there is nothing like vnto me 10 In the beginning of a thing I shewe the ende thereof and I tell before things that are not yet come to passe My deuise standeth stedfastly stablished and I fulfill all my pleasure 11. I call a byrde out of the East the man by whom my counsayle shall be fulfilled out of straunge countries as I haue spoken so will I bring to passe assoone as I thinke to deuise a thing I doe it 12 Heare me O ye that are of an hie stomacke but farre from righteousnesse 13 I shall bring forth my righteousnesse it is not farre and my health shall not carie long away I will lay health in Sion and in Israel my glorie The Exposition vpon the xlvj of Esay Bel is fallen Nabo is broken downe whole images were a burthen c. FOr somuch as GOD by his Prophets had threatned that Hierusalem should be destroyed and the people ledde Captiue into Babilon Esay in this chapiter and others doth instruct and exhort such as were faythfull of the people of God that they should not be * offended wyth their owne 〈◊〉 that God for the it offences had sient vpon them al it with the * prosperitie and successe of Babilon and so by that occasion fall from the worshipping of the true God to the Idols of the Gentils Therefore he here denounceth that Bel and Nabo the great golden Idols of the Chaldees in whome they put their trust shall be pulled downe and caried away in Cartes vpon beastes backes by Cyrus and the Persians in the conquest of Babilon and in the transferring of the Empire vnto the Persians That meaneth he when he sayth Their Image shall be a burthen for the beasts c. and that the same being made of Golde were so heauie that they should wearie euen strong cattell and cause them to sinke vnder the burthen Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all ye that remaine yet of the c. God doth here warne his people againe what great difference is betweene the vaine Idols of the Gentiles and himself who hath euer had * care for them and preserued them euen like a most tender mother yea farre more carefully and tenderlye then any carnall mother can doe * For as the mother beareth the childe in the wombe bringeth it forth into the worlde feedeth cherisheth and keepeth it so long as it is not able to prouide for it selfe so when it commeth to age shee shaketh a great part of her care away But God beareth vs in the purpose of his Election bringeth vs forth with the knowledge of our redemption in Christ Iesu feedeth and cherisheth vs with the continuall foode of his heauenly doctrine saueth vs and caryeth vs in his armes from all daunger by the might of his prouydence that not onely in infancie and yoâ—ng age as mothers doe but in olde age and in all Times as It maye well appeare by the preseruâ—â—â—on 〈…〉 his Church euen in these latter and daungerous dayes against all the assaultes of 〈◊〉 and hys instruments Whome will you make me like or to whom will ye make me equall c. Seing that the tender mercie and goodnesse of God towards his people is such as he hath declared he doth here sharpely reproue them that forsaking his true worship prescribed in hys law seeke to honor him in Idols and Images and thereby to make hym so * vyle that they compare and resemble hym to the basest of hys creatures And therefore he doth here againe deride and scorne their industrie and readinesse to bestow all maner of * cost and charges and to pull out of their purses Golde Siluer to set forth Idolatrous worshipping of God by Images whereas they will make great daunger to bestowe anye thing to aduaunce Gods holy worde and true worship according to the same This is a notable place against all such as seeke to defende the vse of Images by saying that they doe not thinke them to be Gods nor worship them as Gods but that they doe worship God in them by them For here you vnderstande that God neither will be * resembled by any Image nor worshipped in it For first the making of Images to worship of directly agaynst the commaundement of god and secondly he cannot be pleased wyth any worship 〈…〉 which is directed to him in in 〈◊〉 Name of 〈◊〉 Only * sonne Christ Iesu and not vndâ—r the pretence of any Image Remember the things that are past since the bâ—ginning of the worlde c. This is an exhortation to such of his people as were inclined to the worshipping of Images Remember sayth he that which I haue tolde you of the vanitie of Idols and Images and consider that they haue their beginning of mortall * wicked men not hable to helpe themselues and that I your God am * euerlasting without beginning and without ending knowing and vnderst anding all things and that there is no Image
ende of the Chapter Esay prophecieth that god hauing destroyed the naughtie and rebellious people wil restore and reforme the kingdome of Israell by Christ Iesu the true Messias by him giue them true iustice and integritie And that he may the more aggrauate their present fault in so wicked reuolting from God the Prophete in the person of God himselfe by admiration wooondreth howe it commeth to passe that that Citie which before time hath bene ioyned to almightie God as a faythfull pure chast spouse hath nowe forsaken him as a light strumpette and giuen ouer hir selfe to all corruption and naughtinesse In so much that there is neyther in Prince nor people any integritie or vpright dealing but altogither corruption vnfaythfulnesse counterfeyting forgerie dissimulation falsehoode deceyte oppression and briberie and that is it that he meaneth when he sayth Their siluer is turned to drosse and their wine is mixed with water Meaning therby that their sinceritie and integritie in all maner of dealing is turned to falsehoode and forgerie And therefore with sorrowe and groning he protesteth that he will ease his stomacke * and be reuenged of this his froward and stubburne people which for that cause he calleth nowe his enimies And yet least such as haue some feare of GOD should haue their consciences to much shaken with this terrible threatning he doth * comfortably qualifie the grieuousnesse thereof signifying that hee will not cleane destroy his Church but with the fire of affliction will purge the drosse and corruption from it that they which feare God and haue the grace of repentaunce by this meanes beeing put in minde of their dutie and seperated from the wicked and obstinate may serue him more trulye and sincerely in all maner of Godlinesse And notwithstanding he plainely sayeth that the wicked transgressours that haue forsaken God and cleaned to superstition and Idolatrie for that he meaneth by their trees and gardens which they had chosen shal not escape the scourge but he destroyed and brought to coÌ„fusion togither with their Idols Vnder trees and in groues or gardens they were woont to sacrifice to their Idols Out of this Chapter are these lessons to be taken 1 First that we do not trust and glorie in the bare names of Christen men the Church of Christ the people of God the children of God for these names are burthens vnto vs and notes of vnthankefulnesse as the like were to the Iewes if we serue not God sincerely according to our profession and therfore cannot turne away the displeasure of God from vs which he iustly conceiueth for our sinnes 2 Secondly that we be not negligent and contemptous in hearing the worde of God and preaching of his holy will calling vs to repentance lest he call heauen and earth and his vnsensible creatures to witnesse agaynst our obstinacie as he did agaynst the Iewes 3 Thirdely that we be not vnmindefull of the great benefits of God from time to time bestowed vpon vs but that with thankfull heartes and obedient mindes we acknowledge and confesse the same least we be iustly in the sight of god esteemed more dull and thankelesse than the brute beastes are to their maysters and keepers 4 Fourthly when God shall for our sinfulnesse fatherly chastice vs with any scourge of aduersitie whether it be with warre sedition trouble sicknesse pouertie vexation of minde or any other affliction publique or priuate of purpose by that louing correction to bring vs home to him againe by repentance that we doe not stubburnely stande agaynst him as the Iewes did but with humble and repentant heartes submit our selues and flie to him for mercie through Christ Iesu our Sauiour 5 Fifstly that we flatter not our selues and think to winne Gods fauour by externall and superstitious worshipping of God being inwardly destitute of true fayth toward God and vnfeyned loue or vpright dealing towardes our brethren For God doth here notably declare how he lotheth and abhorreth such maner of hypocrisie 6 Sixtly when want of repentance and the multitude and greatnesse of our sinnes shall prouoke the iustice of god to lay his heauy hand vpon vs by raysing vp of cruell Tyrannes or bringing in of forraine enimies by his iust iudgement to spoyle our countrey or people that we conceyue this comfort of his great mercie that he will not vtterly and for euer destroy his Churche and the number of them that feare him but by this meanes will purge them from their owne corruption and from the infection of the wicked ones that they may more sincerely serue him in spirite and in truth The first Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay 2. THe selfe same worde that Esay the sonne of Amos sawe vpon Iuda and Hierusalem 2 And this shall come to passe in the latter dates The hill of the Lordes house shal be prepared in the heigth of the mountaines and shal be higher than the hilles and all nations shall prease vnto him 3 And a multitude of people shall go * speaking thus one to another Come let vs ascende to the hill of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and * he will instruct vs of his wayes and we will walke in his pathes for * out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the Lorde from Hierusalem 4 And shall * giue sentence among the heathen and shall * reforme the multitude of people they shall breake their swoordes also into mattocks and their speares to make sythes And one people shall not lift vp a weapon against another neither shall they learne to fight from thenceforth 5 Come ye O house of Iacob and let vs walke in the light of the Lord. 6 For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Iacob bicause they be replenished vvith euils from the east and with sorcerers like the Philistines and in straunge children they thinke themselues to haue inough 7 Their lande is full of siluer and golde neither is there any ende of their treasure their lande is also full of horses and no ende is there of theâ—â— charrettes 8 Their lande also is full of vaine Gods and before the worke of their owne hands they haue bowed themselues yea euen before the thing that their owne fingers haue made 9 There knéeleth the man there falleth the man downe before them therefore forgiue them not 10 Get thée into the rocke and hide thée in the grounde for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of his Maiestie 11 The high lookes of man shall be brought lowe and the hawtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lorde alone shall be exalted in that day 12 For the day of the Lord of hostes shall be vpon all the prowde loftie and vppon all that is exalted and he shall be brought lowe 13 And vpon all high and stoute Cedar trées of Libanus and vpon all the okes of Basan 14 And vpon all the high mountaynes and vpon all the high hilles
15 And vpon euery highe tower and vpon euery fenced wall 16 And vpon all the shippes of Tharsis and vpon all pictures of pleasure 17 And the pride of man shall bée brought downe and the loftinesse of men shall be made low and the Lorde alone shall be exalted in that day 18 As for the Idols he shall vtterly abholishe 19 And they shall créepe into holes of stone and into caues of the earth for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of hys maiestie when he ariseth to destroy the vvicked ones of the earth 20 In the selfe same day shall man cast away his Gods of siluer his Gods of golde into the holes of Mowles and backes which he neuerthelesse had made to him selfe to honour them 21 And they shall créepe into the cliftes of the rockes and into the toppes of the harde stones for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of his maiestie when he ariseth to destroy the vvicked ones of the earth 22 Ceasse therefore from man in whose nosthrilles there is breath for wherein is he to be accounted of The exposition vpon the seconde Chapter of Esay The selfe same word that Esay the sonne of Amos saw vpon Iuda c. IN the first verse is conteyned the same matter that was in the first of the Chapter before In the three next verses Esay prophecieth of the kingdome of Christ the aduauncement of his Church and the conuersion of the Gentiles that shoulde be in the latter dayes that is when the ceremoniall law and the figures and sacrifices appoynted by Moises should haue an end in the truth of the very Messiah Christ Iesu the sauiour of the worlde The Temple of Hierusalem was buylded by Solomon vppon mount Sion and was the onely chosen place where God would be specially woorshipped and serued so that in sundrie places of the Psalmes it is sayd that The Lord had chosen * Sion for his habitation bicause of the Arke of his presence there in the temple reserued For this cause in the scriptures Sion and Hierusalem are taken for the type and figure of the true Church of God vnder Christ As saint Paule to the Hebrues You are come to the mounte Sion and to the Citie of the lyuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of aungels and vnto the congregation of the first borne That is to say to the blessed Church of Christ Wherefore in this place by the Hyll of the Lordes house that is mount Sion is ment the Church of Christ the congregation of the faythfull which at the comming of Christ should be aduaunced aboue all the kingdomes of the earth and enlarged with great glorie by the conuersion of the Gentiles from their Idolatrie to the fayth of Christ throughout the whole worlde The glorie and aduauncement of the Church which is here so highly spoken of muste not bee thought to consist in the honour power and riches of the worlde wherein the Church is alway contemptible but in the heauēly doctrine strong faith true worshipping of God charitie patience constancie and all Godly giftes of grace which meruelously shined in the Godly fathers and first professours of christian Religion that followed after Christ in all Nations and Countreys of the earth For as Christes kingdome is spirituall so is the glorie of the same spirituall and not worldly When the Prophete sayth Come let vs ascende to the hill of the Lorde he to the reproofe of the Iewes doth note the readinesse and willingnesse of the Gentiles in whose person this is spoken not only to imbrace the fayth of Christ themselues but also cheerefully to encourage other to the same Which may appeere in this that by the preaching of the Apostles within thirtie yeares as Eusebius sayth all the Nations of the earth were woonne to the fayth of Christ and the receyuing of his Gospell And he will instruct vs in his wayes Hereby is to be noted that the chiefe care and studie of the true church of Christ ought to be in the instructing of his people what his wayes are and not to leade thē into mens fantasies or into their own deuises Out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the lord c. The law of grace and truth that is the Gospell of christ Iesu * began first in Hierusalem There christ preached in the Temple there he wrought many miracles * there he sent downe the holyghost vpon his Apostles From * thence he sent his messengers and preachers of his Gospell into all partes of the worlde to reforme the people and bring them by repentance from Idolatrie and wickednesse to the true worshipping of God and vertuous conuersation of life that is to make them subiectes to the kingdome of Christ They shall breake their swoordes into mattocks and their speares c. As the Gospell is a doctrine of reconciliation and peace making betweene God and vs through Christ Iesu our sauiour so doth it pacifie and quiet men among themselues also In so much that they which be the true members of the kingdome of Christ doe not vse to striue by fighting and warre for their priuate quarelles but liue togither in vnitie loue and concorde Or if any doe otherwise it is a great burthen to their consciences and an euident note of their imperfection Insomuch as they shew themselues not to haue that * badge or cognizance whereby the seruauntes and subiectes of Christes kingdome are knowne And yet doth not this place prohibite Princes and Magistrates to make warre for the maintenance of iustice and godlinesse For they haue the sworde put into their handes by God whose ministers they are for the defence of them which are cōmitted to their charge the widowe the fatherlesse and the poore and innocent oppressed Come ye O house of Iacob and let vs walk in the light of the Lorde In this fift verse the Prophete by emulation of the Gentiles prouoketh the Iewes vnder the name of the house of Iacob to imbrace the fayth of Christ and walke in the light of his Gospell As if he had sayd Beholde straungers whom we esteemed as a foolish people that alway worshipped Idols and liued in all vncleannesse with how great desire forsake they their Idols and seeke after the true God Are not we ashamed that we are the last that are ioyned to Christ and his Church To vs the law was giuen to vs the Prophetes preached Christ was borne among vs he is our heritage come let vs imbrace him if we glorie to be of the house and posteritie of Iacob it should be assured to vs that Christ is that promised seede For Iacob prophecied Hunc fore expectationē Gentium that he should be the expectation of the Gentiles now you see our father Iacobs promise fulfilled c. Let vs walke therefore in this light of the Lorde for this Sauior is the true light But as Christ sayth
the faythfull in that day may comfort themselues and arme their consciences agaynst the temptation and offence rissing in the world by the prosperitie and successe of the wicked For where before it is promised that Christ in his kingdome shall take away all mourning sorowe and weeping from his people and deliuer them from all miserie and oppression and contrarywise that he will threshe downe the wicked to dust to them that looke into the outwarde face of the world and as naturall men onely consider the thing it may seeme to be all cleane contrary aâ—d the wicked to flourishe and prosper in all felicitie and the good and godly to be kept vnder in shame sorow and miserie As it appeareth in the * Parable of good poore Lazarus and the riche prowde glutton Agaynst this offence as I haue sayde doth the Prophete here arme and comfort the people of God. The first comfort is this VVe haue a strong Citie saluation shall God appoynt in steede of walles and Bulwarkes That is howsoeuer the couÌ„tenaunce of the worlde seemeth towarde vs howsoeuer the wicked seeme to be in great strength and glorie and we in great weakenesse and miserie yet haue we a strong Citie a mightie Citie the Church of God the heauenly Hierusalem in which the Lorde God himselfe our saluation is in steede of VValles and Bulwarkes agaynst all the pride and strength of the worlde as he sayth also by hys Prophete Zacharie 2. I will be a fierie wall rounde about them and a glorie in the middes of them This Citie is the Church the foundation thereof is Christ and his doctrine the walles and bulwarkes the might and maiestie of Christ agaynst which the gates of Hell and all the * powers of Sathan cannot preuaile The gates to enter into this Citie is the preaching of the Gospell and that not in one place onely but in all places of the worlde and wheresoeuer the Gospell is preached there is a gate to enter into this Citie of god The way to enter is by fayth to embrace the gospell of Christ The Citizens that doe enter are all faithfull which are * iustifyed by fayth in the bloud of Christ And of them is it that he speaketh in the seconde verse Open you the gate that the righteous people may enter in c. Wherefore when these gates be opened by the messengers of God and preachers of his gospell let all that tender their health and saluation make speede to receyue it that they may enter into this Citie where onely the sure strength of God is for euer more to saue and deliuer For he hath brought downe the high minded Citizens as for the prowde c. This is the seconde argument of consolation in this Psalme to stirre vp the people of God to confidence and constancie agaynst the tentation before mentioned For he describeth how mightily Christ ouerthroweth the wicked that seeme to themselues and to the worlde to bee in greatest glorie and felicitie He hath pulled downe sayth he the high minded Citizens This is it that the blessed virgine speaketh in her song He hath deposed the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke And yet was not shee that spake thus of her selfe greatly exalted in sight of the worlde but remayned simple and poore But in the kingdome of Christ and in heauenly glorie before God she was exalted to a very high degree and contrariwise the enimies of the Gospell and the prowde of the worlde that is the obstinate Iewes and other aduersaries were in the same respect throwne downe and afterwarde also in the worlde by gods mightie hand grieuously plagued The path of equitie wylt thou graunt vnto the iust O thou most righteous c. The right way and the path of equitie which Christ our Lorde graunteth to his subiectes is the preaching of his gospell in that must they walke that will go the streight way to heauen All other waies be but errours and wicked seducings what countenance soeuer be set vpon them Therefore say the sayntes of God In the way of thy iudgementes O Lorde that is in the truth of thy Gospell haue we put our trust in thee thy name also and the remembraunce of thee is the thing that our soule longeth for and that not once in a yeare * but day and night continually For then onely may men learne iustice truely when thy iudgements are in the earth that is when thy doctrine and Gospell is preached sincerely and truely This place is diligently to be noted that we may thereby be more inflamed to the whole some doctrine of the Gospell For the most part thinke it a matter smally apperteining to them and turne ouer the care thereof to Ministers and such olde men as can do little else then come to the Church and heare preachinges and are as they say past the worlde And they themselues followe theyr worldly businesses their Marchandies their husbandrie and other occupations and feele nothing at all that longing and greedie desire of god and his Gospell that the prophet here speaketh of Shal the vngodly man be fauoured which hath not learned righteousnesse c. Shall grace mercie be offered to the wicked shal the Gospel be preached shal remission of sinne in Christ Iesu shall the fauour of God and eternall life be declared vnto them when as they will not learne to doe iustice they will not amend they will not accept the mercy of God But although the euen plaine and smooth waye of Gods holye worde be offered them yet will they still wander after theyr owne pathes to errour and * vngodlynesse and will not see the glory of the Lorde Lorde when thy hande is lift vp to strike they see it not but they shall see it c. That is when thy mightie hande is lifted vp in the meruelous woorkes of glorifying thy sonne by miracles by his woonderfull resurrection from the dead by the sending of the holyghost by publishing of the Gospell throughout the worlde and by thy heauie plagues threatned to all the * refusers therof they yet will not see and vnderstande it But when that the same Christ thy sonne shall come in his maiestie and reueale his glorie to the whole worlde then shall the wicked contemners of christ be ashamed in such sort that they shall * pine away with enuie of those things that they shal see to happen to the people of God and be deuoured and consumed with eternall fyre Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouide peace for thou also hast wrought c. Before he had spoken of the wicked but nowe he addeth the other part of the contrary comparison what shall be done to the faythfull and godly As if he had sayde The vngodly shall be ashamed and pine away and be consumed with fyre but vnto vs the faythfull and godly our Lorde and Sauiour Christ giueth * peace that
Ye shall destroy also the couering of your siluer Images and the decking of your golden Idols euen as filthinesse shalt thou put them away and thou shalt say vnto it Get thée hence 23 Then shall God giue raine vnto thy séede that thou shalt sow the ground withall and breade of the increase of the earth which shall be fat and very plenteous in that day also shall thy cattell be fed in large pastures 24 The oxen likewise and the yong Asses that eare the ground shall eate cleane prouender which is purged wyth the winde and the fan 25 Finally vpon euery hie mountaine and hill shall there be riuers and streames of waters in the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall 26 Moreouer the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the Sunne light shall be seuen folde and haue as much shine as in seuen dayes beside when the Lord bindeth vp the fore of his people and healeth the stroke of their wounde 27 Beholde the fame of the Lorde commeth from farre and his presence is so hote that no man is able to abide his lippes are full of indignation his tongue is as 〈◊〉 fire 28 His breath is a vehement flood of water that reacheth vp to the neck that he may sift away the heathen in the â—ine of vanitie and his breath is a bridle of errour in the rawes of the people â–ª 29 And ye shall sing like 〈◊〉 in the night when the holy solemnitie beginneth and ye shall haue gladnesse of hart like as when one commeth with 〈…〉 he hill of the Lorde and to the most mightie one 〈…〉 And the Lorde shall cause his glorious voles to be hearde and shall declare his stretched ouâ— arme with a terrible countenauncee and with the flame of a consuming fire with noysome lightning with a showre and with hayle stones 31 For through the voyce of the Lorde shall Assur be destroyed which 〈◊〉 other men with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it shal come to passe that whither soeuer he goeth the rod shall rleaue vnto him which the Lorde shall lay vpon him with tabrets and harpes and with great warre shall he fight agaynst his host 33 For the fire of hell is ordeyned from the beginning yea euen for the king is it prepared this hath the Lorde set in the déepe and made it wyde the burning wherof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lorde which is like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it The exposition vpon the .30 Chapter of Esay Alas for those disobedient children sayth the Lorde that they will take c. AT what tyme the Assirians vnder * Senacherib in the tyme of Ezechias inuaded Iurie and put Hierusalem in great feare * many of the Princes and people were verye earnest to haue selâ—â— for succour into Egypt â–ª and might hardly be perswaded otherwise And 〈◊〉 they were commaunded by God in their distresse to put their trust in him and not seke helpe at the heathen and godlesse people that were 〈…〉 Esay in this 〈…〉 from that put 〈◊〉 and sayth 〈…〉 dicut children sayth the Lorde that contemning my worde whereby I haue promised them helpe agaynst the Assirians will 〈◊〉 followe theyr owne 〈…〉 of my holy spirite seeke ayde of straungâ—â—â— for their defence and so adde 〈◊〉 vpon sinnes not onely disobeying my worde in taking that aduice but stubburnely refusing my calling back from the execution 〈◊〉 purpose They 〈…〉 and confidence that they shoulde haue in me and follow their owne counsayle and seeke their owne strength by the power of the * Aegyptians But that vaine shadow of Pharoes power and the Aegyptians shall be their confusion Yea they sende theyr Princes in ambassage to the farremost partes of Aegypt that is to Zoan Hanes with rich presentes and giftes in seruile maner to craue ayde of a godlesse people that shall neyther be willing nor * hable to helpe them The burthen of the beastes of the South In a lande of trouble c. The Prophete doth not onely reprooue theyr doyng but amplifyeth their follie shewing that they take great and daungerous iourneyes with their beastes lâ—aden wyth treasure to passe into Aegypt through the wildernesse which is here noted by the lande of anguish and trouble and by the wayes were assaulted by Lyons and other wilde beastes â–ª and 〈◊〉 with great hurt and daunger And all to bie the helpe of them that â—â—re not hable to succour them whereas they might haue had the readie helpe of God at home If according to his worde and preaching of his Prophete they would haue called vpon him and put their trust in hims Nowe therefore go thy way write this before them in a table c. These wordes be spoken in the person of God to the Prophete willing him to write this prophesie and to set it in the sight of the people that it might remain for an euerlasting memorie against them and that all ages might thereby vnderstand what an * obstinate stubburne and waywarde people this was that by no preaching or teaching of the Prophetes of GOD could be withdrawne from their vnfaythfull deuises For they say vnto the Seers Se not and to them that be cleare c. By the name of Seers and those that vnderstand he meaneth the Prophetes and Preachers that God had sent vnto them In this place therefore Esay painteth forth the waywarde obstinacie and contempt of Gods worde before mentioned In so much that they did not only turne away their eies their eares and all their sences from the doctrine of his truth but also derided the same and desired to haue it vtterly rooted out and taken away Of which virulent furie of the wicked ryseth all affliction persecution and trouble against the prophets and messengers of god For when once they can not abide the truth then seeke they all meanes to * vexe them by whome it is offered and brought vnto them Looke not out right thinges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs c. It cannot be thought that any people can be so obstinately blinded that they will with so * open wordes * protest that they will not here the truth vnder the name of the truth or that they will with plaine wordes desire to be deceiued and be led into errour by flatterie but rather with a countenaunce of hypocrisie will detest the truth vnder the name of falsehood and errour because it is to them sharpe and vnpleasaunt and vnder the name of truth and godlinesse desire to haue * erronr and falsehoode beeyng to them more pleasaunt and acceptable because it is more * agreeing to theyr fantasies But the Prophete here pulleth of their visarde and letteth them be seene as they are inwardely in heart and mynde in deede abhorring the truth Wherefore thus sayth the holy one of Israell Because your heartes rise c.
〈◊〉 had receyued the letter of the messengers 〈…〉 vp into the 〈…〉 the Lorde 15 And 〈…〉 on this maner 16 O Lorde 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 is God of all the kingdomes of the worlde for thou onely hast 〈…〉 heauen and earth 17. 〈…〉 Lorde and 〈◊〉 open 〈…〉 wordes of 〈◊〉 which hath 〈…〉 to blasphéeme the liuing God. 18 It is true O Lorde that the kings of Assiria haue conquered all kingdomes and landes 19 And cast their Gods in the 〈◊〉 for those were 〈◊〉 Gods but the workes of mens handes of wood or 〈◊〉 therefore haue they destroyed them 20 Nowe therefore 〈…〉 O Lorde our God from the handes of 〈…〉 that all the kingdomes of the earth 〈◊〉 know that thou onely art the Lorde 21 Then Esay the sonne of Amos fent vnto Ezekia saying Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israell wheras thou hast made thy prayer vnto me as touching Sennacherib the king of Assiria 22 This is the aunswere that the Lorde hath giuen concerning him Dispised art thou and mocked O daughter Sion he hath shaken his heade at thée O daughter of Hierusalem 23 But thou Sennacherib whome hast thou defied and blasphemed Agaynst whom hast thou lifted vp thy voyce and exalted thy prowde â—ookes euen agaynst the holy one of Israell 24 Thou with thy seruants hast blasphemed the lord and thus holdest thou of thy selfe â–ª I wil couer the hie mountaynes and sides of Libanus with my horsemen and there will I cut downe the hie Ceder trées and the fayrest Firre trées I will vp in the heigth of it and into the chiefest of his 〈…〉 If there be no water I will graue and drinke and as for waters of defence I will drie them vp with the féete of mine hoast 26 Yea hast thou not heard what I haue taken in hand and brought to passe of old time That same will I doe now also and waste destroy and bring strong Cities vnto heapes of stones 27 For their inhabitours shall be like lame men brought in feare and confounded they shall be like grasse and gréene hearbes in the fielde like the hay vpon house toppes that withereth before it be growen vp 28 I know thy wayes thy going forth and thy comming home yea and thy madnesse agaynst me 29 Therefore thy furiousnesse agaynst me and thy pride is come before me I will put my ring in thy nose and my bridle bitte in the â—awes of thée and turne thée about euen the same way thou camest 30 I will giue thée also this token O Ezekia this yeare shalt thou eate such as groweth of it selfe and the seconde yeare that which springeth againe of the same in the thirde yeare ye shall sowe and reape yea ye shal plant vineyardes and enioy the fruites therof 31 And such of the house of Iuda as are escaped shall come togither and the 〈◊〉 shall take roote beneath and bring forth fruit aboue 32 For the escaped shall go out of Hierusalem and the remnant from the mount Sion and this shall the zeale of the Lorde of hostes bring to passe 33 Therefore thus sayth the Lorde concerning the king of the Assirians He shall not come into this Citie and shall shoote no arrow into it there shall no shield hurt it neither shall they call ditches about it 34 The same way he came he shal returne and not come at this Citie sayth the Lord. 35 And I will keepe and saue this Citie sayth he for mine owne and for my seruant Dauids sake 36 Thus the aungell of the Lorde went forth and slue of the Assirians host an hundred foure seore and fiue thousand and when men rose vp earely in the morning beholde they 〈…〉 and all my full of â—eads 〈◊〉 37 So Sennacherib the king of the 〈◊〉 brake vp and dwelt at Niniâ—e 38 Afterwarde it chaunced as he prayed in the temple of Nesroch his God that 〈◊〉 and Sarazer his owne sonnes â—â—ue him with the sworde and fled into the lande of Armenia and Asarhaddon his sonne raigned in his steede The exposition vpon the .xxxvij. Chapter of Esay When Ezechias heard that he rent hys clothes and put on sackcloth c. THis Chapiter is annexed to the former as a part of the same historie the declaration wherof is so plaine and easie to be vnderstanded that the text needeth no exposition at all Only you haue to obserue certaine good and whole some lessons to be gathered out of it And first you haue to note in Ezechias and his people a great * zeale for the glorie of the name of God wherewith they may seeme to be more touched then with their own miserie and distresse For all the while their countrey was in spoyling as they shewed themselues somewhat troubled so yet did they not declare so great sorowe But after that they heard the name and power of the God of Israel so blasphemed they rent and toare their clothes and after the maner of the Countrey thereby declared extreeme sorow detestation and abhorring of so great wickednesse This zeale of Gods holy name and glorie shoulde we follow and be * earnestly mooued in heart and minde when we heare the Gospell of Christ and the truth of his worde reuiled and euill spoken of but the maner of the worlde is otherwise Men are much mooued with their owne reproches and seeke reuengement of euery light worde and small iniurie but for the hinderance of Gods glorie and of his worde we make small account Secondly here is to be obserued and diligently to be learned by the example of the good king Ezechias and his people what we ought to doe in our great miserie and distresse that is not neglecting such meanes as God hath giuen and by hys worde alloweth to helpe vs to put our whole trust and confidence in God and with repentant hearts humble mindes to * flie to him by earnest praier and calling vpon his blessed name for helpe For so here doth Ezechias and his people and with all seeketh meanes to confirme and strengthen theyr fayth being somewhat shaken with the instruction of Gods holy worde and promises For that cause doth he here sende to Esay the Prophete by whose mouth God giueth them great comfort and willeth them not to feare For sayth he in the Lordes name I will rayse vp a winde agaynst him and hee shall heare a rumour that shall carie him backe into his Countrey agayne and yet shall he not so escape for euen there I will destroy him Say thus to Ezekia king of Iuda Let not thy God deceyue thee c. Heare we haue to learne that God oftentimes after promise and comfort of deliuerance giuen doth for the time encrease and double as it were the affliction of his people as he doth here to Ezechias and his subiects by this seconde message being in deede more terrible and blasphemous than the former And yet doth he not this that he mindeth to breake promise
and haue wanteâ— the 〈◊〉 of my yeares 11 I spake within my selfe I will neuer visite the Lorde the Lorde I say in this life I will neuer sée man among the dwellers of the worlde 12 Mine age is 〈◊〉 together and taken away from 〈…〉 I haue hewen of my lyfe by my sinnes like as a weauer cutteth of his webbe he will with pining sickenessâ— make an ende of mée yea he will make an ende of me in one day 13 I thought I would haue liued vntill the morowe but he bruised my bones like a Lion and in one day thou wilt make an ende of me 14 Then chattered I like a swalowe and like a Crane and mourned like a Doue I lift vp mine eyes into the heigth O Lorde sayde I my sicknesse kéepeth me downe 〈◊〉 thou me 15 What shall I say the Lorde hath made a promise to me yea and he him selfe hath perfourmed it I 〈◊〉 therefore so long as I liâ—e sremember this bitternesse of my life 16 O Lord to all those that shall liue hereafter yea to all men shall it be knowne that euen in those yeares I haue a ioyfull life and that it was thou that causedst me to sléepe againe thou hast giuen life to me 17 Beholde bitter as gall was my pensiuenesse so sore longed I for health and it was thy pleasure to deliuer my life from the filthie pit for thou it is O Lorde that hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe 18 For hell prayseth not thée death doth not magnifie thée they that go downe into the graue prayse not thy truth 19 But the liuing yea the liuing knowledge thée as I doe this day the father telleth his children of thy faythfulnesse 20 To heale me it is the Lordes worke and we will sing my songs in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of our life 21 And Esay sayde Take a playster of figges and lay it vpon the sore so shal it be whole 22 Then sayde Ezekia O what a myracle is this that I shall go vp into the house of the Lorde The exposition vpon the .38 Chapter of Esay About this time was Ezechias sicke vnto death and the Prophete Esay c. IN this Chapter we haue the example of an other grieuous tentation of the good king Ezechias Who being deliuered from the daunger of the Assirians as is declared in the former Chapter read at morning prayer is now cast into a grieuous and daungerous sickenesse yea and hath the Prophete sent vnto him to denounce as it were from the mouth of God himselfe that he shoulde assuredly die At what time this sicknesse happened it is not certaine whether before the siege of Hierusalem or after But more likely it is that it happened afterwarde For otherwise so notable a circumstance in the time of the siege could not haue bene among other omitted By this example we haue to learne that God * often sendeth many grieuous tentations euen to the good and godly sometime by warre sometime by sickenesse sometime by vniust infamie and reproche sometime otherwise In all which we must learne constantly to continue in fayth and prayer and neuer to dispayre For that GOD of his fatherly prouidence doth it not for our hurt and hinderaunce but for the triall and increase of our fayth Then Ezechia turned his face towarde the wall and prayed c. It is not to be merueled that Ezechias was touched with * sorow by the message of death declared to him by the prophet He was a natural man and therfore abhorred death in his flesh he feared it to be some token of Gods displeasure towarde him because the prophet brought him that message from god He had not yet made perfect the good reformation of his countrey that he had begun and finally he had yet no issue to succeede him Remember O Lorde I beseech thee that I haue walked before thee in truth c. Here Ezechias in this distresse to our good example resorteth to his olde Sanctuarie of prayer and calling vpon god Neyther doth he as it may seeme in his prayer eyther quarrell with God as dealing hardly with him or glorie in his owne worthinesse and vertues But rather comforteth himselfe and stirreth vp his fayth agaynst that tentatioÌ„ which happely Sathan then did put into his minde that he should be reiected and reprobated of God therfore sayth he that all that he did proceeded from a good heart and minde and respected therein the good will and pleasure of God according to his holy worde wherein he might well and did comfort his troubled minde with the * testimonie of a good conscience yet not so that he would therevpon stande in iudgement before God. Then sayde God vnto Esay c. This alteration of sentence is not to be thought mutabilitie or vnconstancie in GOD who by the same Prophete before had denounced death to the same partie For the threatnings and promises of God are oftentimes conditionall and not of determinate purpose in himselfe and therefore vpon the fulfilling of the condition may they without note of inconstancie be altered As it appeareth in the threatning of the Niniuites Ionae 1 and of the king of Gerar. Genes 20. which afterwarde by their repenting and turning to God was altered and so was it here with Ezechias I will put fiftene yeares moe vnto thy life And deliuer thee and the Citie also c. Beholde the effect of earnest prayer and the readie and mercifull goodnesse of GOD towarde them that call vpon him who doth not onely heare his prayer but also confirmed his promise thereof by a notable and straunge miracle A thankesgiuing which Ezechias king of Iuda wrote when he had beene sicke c. This good king Ezechias would not passe ouer with silence the great benefite that God shewed in restoring him to his health and by his Example teacheth what all good men should doe when they feele the great mercies of God wrought in them that is not onely to make it knowne to them that we liue withall but also to cause it to remaine in remembrance to posteritie that Gods name therby may be the more glorified and other the better comforted Thus did * Moyses this did * Anna Samuels mother thus did * Dauid * Ionas * Zacharie * Simeon and the blessed virgine * Marie In the first part of this praier he rehearseth the pensiue sorowful cogitations that he conceyued in his hart in time of his sicknesse through the feare of death hell In the latter he acknowledgeth the mightie worke of God yealdeth prayses for the same I thought I should haue gone to the gates of hell when mine age c. By these wordes it maye appeare in what sort Ezechias did beholde death and whye he shewed himselfe so pensiue therein that is because hee thought himselfe out of the fauour of GOD and therefore in daunger of hell fire
For death in deed is terrible to them that in such sort consider it but to them that in strength of * fayth beholde it ioyned with the fauour of God it is very pleasaunt and therefore sayde Paule I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Mine age is folden together and taken from me like a sheepeheards cottage c. By this maner of speech he signifieth that God had determined to take this worldly life from him in short time to transferre him to another place as the maner of sheepeheardes in that countrey is to remooue their Cotes from place to place as they chaunge the Pasture and place of feeding theyr Cattell I thought I should haue liued till the morow but he bruised my bones c. I was sayth he in so great dispaire of my life that at night I was in doubt through the vehemencie of my sicknesse whether I should liue vntil the morning Yea I was so farre past as I was not hable to speake distinctly but vttered a confuse chattering like the noise of a Swallow or Crane and a mourning like the noyse of a Doue Thou it is O Lorde that hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe c. Here Ezechias plainely confesseth what the cause was of his sickenesse and of his restoring to health * Sinne was the cause of his sickenesse and the mercy of God forgiuing the same and turning them from his sight was the cause of his deliuerance Wherefore it cannot be thought when before he sayth he walked in truth and a stedfast heart before God that he sought thereby to be iustified in the sight of GOD but rather as I haue sayde before that he vttered those wordes in comfort of himselfe that he was not vtterly reiected of God albeit he were then punished For hell prayseth not thee death doth not magnifie thee nor they that go down c. The Sense of this verse is vtterd in many of the Psalmes as in the. * 6. the. * 87. and the. * 117. The deade shall not prayse thee nor all that go downe into the pit c. By which wordes and the like neyther Dauid nor Ezechias denie that the spirite of the dead haue their actions before God to his glorie or affirme that they perish together with the bodie But they signifie that those that be deade buried and layde in the graue ouerwhelmed wyth earth haue no longer their bodily Actions in the Church of God here in this worlde nor cannot set forth among men liuing here the clemencie mercie and goodnesse of God toward them to the prayse and glorie of his name in this worlde like as the liuing may The dead as touching their body are in y graue as touching their soules they are in heauen but so as they cannot* returne into the worlde to preach declare and set forth to men the maiestie iustice and mercie of God. The .2 Sunday after Christmas at Morning prayer Esay 41. BE still you I landes and hearken vnto me let the people lay their strength together let them come hither and then shewe their cause we will go to the 〈◊〉 together 2. Who raysed vp the iust man from the east and called him to go forth who cast downe the people and subdued the kinges before him that he may throwe them all to the grounde with his sworde and scatter them like stubble with his bowe 3 He foloweth vpon them and goeth safely himselfe and that in a way where before his foote had not troden 4 Who hath made and created these things euen he that called the generations from the beginning euen I the Lorde which am the first and with the last 5 The Isâ—es saw and did feare and the endes of the earth were abashed drew 〈◊〉 and came hither 6 Euery man helped his neighbour and sayde to his brother Be strong 7 The Carpenter comforted the Goldsmith and the Goldssmith the Hammerman saying Sowder win do very well in it they fastened it with naâ—â—es that it shoulde not be mooueel 8 But thou Israell art my seruant thou Iacob whom I haue chosen thou art the séede of Abraham my beloued 9 Thou art he whome I led from the endes of the earth for I called thée euen from among the glorious men of it and sayde vnto thée Thou art my seruaunt I haue chosen thée and not cast thée away 10 Be not afrayde for I am with thée Melt not away as waxe for I am thy God to strengthe thée helpe thée and kéepe thée with the right hande of my righteousnesse 11 Beholde all they that resist thée shall come to confusion and shame and thine aduersaries shall be destroyed and brought to naught 12 So that who so séeketh after them shall not finde them thy destroyers shall perishe and so shal they that vndertake to make battell agaynst thée be as that is not and as a thing of naught 13 For I the Lorde thy God will strengthen thy right hande euen I that say vnto thée Feare not I will helpe thée 14 Be not afrayde thou little worme Iacob and thou despised Israell for I wil helpe thée sayth the Lorde and the holy one of Israell thy redéemer 15 Beholde I will make thée a treading cart and a newe stayle that thou mayest threshe and grinde the mountaynes and bring the hilles to powder 16 Thou shalt fanne them and the winde shall carie them away and the whirle winde-shall scatter them but thou shalt reioyce in the Lord and shalt delight in the holy one of Israell 17 When the thirstie and poore séeke water and finde none and when the tongue is drie of thirst I giue it them sayth the Lorde I the God of Israell forsake them not 18 I bring forth flooddes in the hilles and welles in the plaine fieldes I turne the wildernesse to riuers and the drie lande to conduites of water 19 I plant in the wast ground trées of Cedar Boxe Myrre and Oliues and in the drie I set Firre trées Elmes and Hawthornes together 20 All this doe I that they altogether may sée and marke perceyue with theyr heartes and consider that the hande of the Lord maketh these things and that the holy one of Israel bringeth them to passe 21 Stande at your cause sayth the Lorde and bring forth your strongest ground sayth the king of Iacob 22 Let them bring forth their Gods and let their Gods tell vs what shall chaunce hereafter yea let them shew vs the thinges that are past what they be let them declare them vnto vs that we may take them to heart aud knowe them hereafter 23 Either shew vs things for to come and tell vs what shall be done hereafter so shall we know that ye are Gods doe some thing either good or bad so will we both knowledge the same and tell it out 24 Beholde ye are Gods of naught and your making is of naught yea abhominable is the man that
their heartes that they cannot perceyue 19 They 〈◊〉 not in their mindes for they haue neyther knowledge nor vnderstanding to thinke thus I haue brent one péece in the fire I haue baked bread with the coles thereof I haue rosted flesh withall and eaten it and I will now of the residue make an abhominable Idoll fall downe before a rotten péece of 〈◊〉 20 Thus doth he but lose his labour 〈…〉 turne him aside so that 〈…〉 to thinke Do not 〈…〉 Israel 〈…〉 serue me O them backwarde and make their cunning foolishnesse 26 He doth set vp the purpose of his seruant and fulfilleth the counsayle of his messengers concerning Hierusalem he sayth it shall be inhabited and of the Cities of Iuda they shal be builded againe and I will repayre their decayed places 27 He sayth to the depth Be drie and I will drie vp water flouds 28 He sayth of Cyrus he is my heardman so that he shall fulfill all thinges after my will he sayth also of Hierusalem It shall be builded and of the temple It shall be fast grounded The exposition vpon the. 44. Chapter of Esay But heare now O Iacob my seruant and Israel whom I haue chosen c. FOrsomuche as God in the ende of the former Chapter had charged his people with Sinne and grieuous 〈◊〉 and that for the same some 〈◊〉 should come vpon them by their captiuitie in Babilon Here in thys place he doth adde sweete words and a gentle and mercifull mitigation comfort saying as it were Albeit grieuous 〈◊〉 shall come vpon thee being led away captiue 〈◊〉 Babilon yet heare now what I thy Lorde and 〈◊〉 that haue * 〈◊〉 and preserued thée by my diuine prouidence euen from thy mothers wombe will doe for thée my chosen seruant Albeit thou Iacob art nothing in thy selfe and that no nobilitie in thee or worthinesse 〈◊〉 deliuer thee from this wrath and great calamitie yet the adoption and choyse that I thy heauenly father of my meere mercie in my Sonne the Melsias Sauiour haue vouchedsafe to make of thee man be of sufficient force to deliuer thee and to turne all the benefites of the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes vpon thee that is not onely thy wonderfull dispatch out of Babilon but also the watering with the knowledge of the true doctrine of Saluation and the gift of my holy spirite whereby thou and all those that by fayth shall shewe themselues to be thy true posterity and of the number of mine elect shall grow and prosper in all goodnesse submitting their selues to the profession of my holye name Therefore * feare not nor flit not from my true worshipping to the Seruice of the Idols of Babilō 〈…〉 〈…〉 in face of the worlde Wherefore I say againe be not afrayde I haue tolde you and warned you before Put your trust in me All caruers of Images are but vaine and the carued Images that they loue c. Vnto the ende of the twenteth verse In this seconde part of the Chapter GOD doth sharpely and grieuously reprooue and at large scornefully deride the fonde blindenesse and furious rage and madnesse of those that make Gods Idols or Images for themselues to worship And as it is pleasant in this place to consider how he painteth out the busie vanitie of them that make the Idols and the fonde and importunate desire of those that long for them and the vnsensible grossenesse of such as be giuen to the worship of them Euen so may it seeme horrible in the sight of God and man that man indued with reason and the most honorable creature of god should euer fal to so extreme Blindenesse as that he will aduenture with his owne handes to make him a God or an Image to worship as god But some will say no man was euer so blinde to thinke the images Gods or to worship them as Gods and so crie the Papistes at this day for their defence and say they haue Iniurie when they be so charged And yet surely is their defence herein no better than the defence of the Heathen and Gentiles whom God here thus mocketh and reprooueth For they had the same answeres and pretences and yet is it euident that both the one and the other do so rage in their madnesse that so soone as they be made by a Mortall wicked and Sinfull man they thinke them to haue a certain deuine Grace in them and therefore doe they Cap and kneele vnto them call vpon them Burne incense and set vp candels and other giftes before them and runne Hundreds of myles to worship them And if they shoulde shewe and declare to the world the very True worship to the Liuing God they could not set it out by more euident meanes Wherfore dearely beloued earnestly consider with your selues how pitifully you haue bene abused in the time of Papistrie and by Gods * commaundement giuen straitly to the contrary and by this place of the Prophete now read Learne you how wickedly and how displeasantly you haue done in his sight Consider this O Iacoh Israell for thou art my seruant c. Nowe God returneth to an other warning and comforting of his people that seing the Idols of the Gentiles and all that worship them seeme they for the time neuer so prosperous are in deede in the sight of God vaine wicked and odious and seing that he is the gracious Lorde that hath Made them Preserued them * Chosē them to be his seruants * redeemed them and forgiuen their sinnes That they should not * feare nor starte * from hym by any temptation or affliction but in their hartes reioyce and giue thankes continually for this hys great goodnesse and mercie towarde them which is such as not onely they but also in their behalfe * Heauen Earth Mouutaines Woods Trees and all the other creatures of God should triumph and be gladde of and giue glorie and praise vnto hys name Towarde the ende he doth in plaine and flatte wordes renewe the promise of their deliuerance from Babilon and sayth he will fulfill the words of his seruants the Prophets and that their Citie Ierusalem should be repayred again their Temple buylded and that it should be done by a king of the Persians named Cyrus Surely this is a notable place to confirme the certainetie of Gods prouidence in disposing of things and the * truth of his worde and Prophets in foretelling the same For these wordes were vttered by the Prophet long before Cyrus was borne From the death of Esaie vnder Manasses vnto the birth of Cyrus was aboue an hundred yeres and a good space before the Citie of Ierusalem was destroyed the people ledde captiue into Babilon yea when the Iewes themselues for the most part coulde not be perswaded that such misery should come vpon them and therfore hated and persecuted the Prophets and when as yet no man coulde dreame that eyther the Empire
restorer of thy stocke and Countrie Yea if thou turne thy feete from the sabbath so that thou doe not the thing c. As the Iewes fasted so did they keepe the Sabbath day that is Externally and in way of hypocrisie not rightly and as God appointed Therefore he doth here also teach them the true maner of solemnising his holy day The * Sabbath was ordained that they should learne to doe she will of God to walk in his way and to * heare and reade his worde But they solowed their owne will they walked in their owne way they harkened to their owne deuises wherfore sayth God if thou follow not thine owne will if thou walke not in thyne owne wayes if thou harken not to thyne owne deuises but giue glorie vnto my name then shalt thou keepe an acceptable Sabbath in my sight then shalt thou through peace and quyetnesse of coÌ„science delight in the Lorde Then will Iaduance thee aboue other kingdomes of the earth Then will I feede the with the fruites of Iacobs heretage that is with all those blessings that are to come by the promysed â—eede and Sauiour of the Worlde The 5. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 59. BEholde the Lordes hande is not so shortened that it can not helpe neyther is his eare so stopped that it may not heare 2 But your misdeedes haue seperated you from your God and your sinnes hide hys face from you that he heareth you not 3 For your handes are defiled with bloud and your fingers with vnrighteousnesse your lippes speake leasings and your tongue setteth out wickednesse 4 No man regardeth righteousnesse and no man iudgeth truely euery man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth deceipt conceyueth wearinesse and bringeth forth euill 5 They bréede Cockatrice egges and weaue the Spiders webbe who so eateth of their egges dyeth but if one treade vpon them there commeth vp a Serpent 6 Their webbe maketh no cloth and they may not couer them with their labours their deedes are the déedes of wickednesse and the worke of robberie is in their handes 7 Their féete runne to euill and they make haste to shed innocent bloud their counsels are wicked counsels harme and destruction are in their wayes 8 But the waye of peace they knowe not in their goings is no equitie their wayes are so crooked that whosoeuer goeth therein knoweth of no peace 9 And this is the cause that equitie is so farre from vs and that righteousnesse commeth not nigh vs we looke for lyght loe it is darkenesse for the morning shyne sée we walke in the darke 10 We grope like the blinde vpon the wall we grope euen as one that hath none eyes we stumble at the noone day as though it were towarde night in the falling places lyke men that are halfe dead 11 We reare all like Beares mourne still like Doues we looke for equitie but there is none for health but it is farre from vs. 12 For our offences are many before thée and our sinnes testifie against vs yea we must confesse that we offende and knowledge that we doe anâ—â—sse 13 Namely transgresse and dissemble against the Lorde and fall away from our God vsing presumpteous and â—rayterous imaginations casting false matters in our hearts 14 And therefore is equitie gone aside and righteousnesse standeth farre of truth is fallen downe in the stréete and the thing that is plaine and open may not be shewed 15 Yea the truth is taken awaye and he that refrayneth himselfe from euill must be spoyled when the Lorde saw thâ—s 〈◊〉 displeased him fore that there was no equitie 16 He sawe also that there was no man righteous and he wondred that there was no man to helpe hym wherefore he helde him by his owne power and he sustayned hym by his owne righteousnesse 17 He put righteousnesse vpon him for a breast plate he set the helmet of health vpon his head he put on wrath in the steade of clothing and tooke iealousie about him for a cloke 18 Euen as when a man goeth forth wrathfully to recompence his enimies and to be auenged of his aduersaries he will recompence and reward the Ilands 19 They shall feare the name of the Lorde from the rysing of the sunne and his maiestie vnto the going downe of the same for he will come as a violent water streame which the winde of the Lorde hath moued 20 But vnto Sion there shall come a redéemer and vnto them in Iacob that turne from wickednesse sayth the Lorde 21 I will make this couenant with them sayth the Lorde My spirite that is vpon thée and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy chylders children from this time forth for euermore worlde without ende sayth the Lorde The Exposition vpon the lix of Esay Beholde the Lords hand is not so shortened that it cannot helpe c. IT is no doubt but the Prophet doth in all this Chapiter answere the cogitations of the wycked hypocrites mentioned in the Chapiter before which did impute the calamitie that God had sent vpon them not to their owne sinnes as they * should haue done and so bene moued to repentance but to the great seueritie and sharpenesse of almightie GOD towarde them Therfore the Prophet here sheweth that God lacketh in himselfe neyther Power nor Will to helpe them but that he is hindered and stayed by their naughtinesse and wicked life which at large he reciteth First he chargeth them with * Bloud Crueltie violeÌ„ce and Extortion which is to be thought to haue beene both in Magistrates and priuate persons Secondly with * vntruth Falshoode and Lying as well in doctrine by their Priests false Prophets as by other in contractes bargaines Thirdly with vnrighteousnes and Corrupt iudgment through hatred loue or briberie Fourthly that they put their trust in vanitie craftie deuises and wicked doings They breede Cokatrice Egges and weaue the Spiders webbe who so eateth c. By this figuratiue Speech he reproueth the studies endeuours and workes of the wicked which all are eyther as Cockatrice Egges * poysonous and hurtfull either as Spiders Webbes vnder a faire shew Vaine and vnprofitable If a man vse their counsayles thinking them to be good they shall worke him destruction euen as the Egges of a Cockatrice to him that eateth them If a manne any way touch them he shall be in daunger of the poysonous infection that commeth of them Therfore the best way is to shun their Companie The Spiders webbes although they be finely and artificially wrought yet serue they to no vse neyther can men make any garment of them wherewith to couer them from the weather So the counsailes of the wicked thoughe they seeme neuer so finely deuised yet are they * vnprofitable wyll helpe a man nothing at all Their deedes are the
the * deliuerance from the tyrannie of Satan sinne and Antichrist * the knowledge of his holy worde * light of his Gospel wherby we are to be made the children of God and * heires not of the land of Chanaan and the fruites and pleasures therof but of the celestiall Ierusalem the kingdome of God and eternall lyfe with Christe Iesu in heauen And if the consideration of worldly benefits might be so good a stay vnto the Israelites how much more ought these to be vnto vs if we think our selues worthie the name of christiās See that you walke not after straunge gods and the gods of the nations c. As the Ievves and by them all other are forbidden to worship straunge gods so are we also to woorship the liuing God with straunge worship that is with any other worship than he himselfe in his holie worde hath appointed We must beware therefore that wee fall not away from Gods true worship * in spirit truth vnto idolatrie superstition and fonde* deuises of men therby thinking to please god For as god is a ielous God and will be worshipped alone and not with other false Gods so is he a seuere God and delyghteth more in single obedience to his woorde than in sacrifice superstition or any of mans deuised holinesse thoughe it seeme neuer so pleasant in the sight of the worlde or to be done of neuer so good an intent * Saule when he spared the fat beastes of the Amalekites for sacrifice might seme to haue done it for a good purpose But God dyd so muche mislyke it that for the same he cast hym bothe oute of his fauoure and out of the kingdome of Israell And when thy sonne asketh thee in time to come saying What meane c. It is not sufficient for vs to know the true worship of God oure selues but we must desyre also to instruct * and teache other and especially oure owne * children that Gods true Religion may be deliuered from hande to hande and so be enlarged to our posteritie How farre from this are a greate number of suche as will be called Christians and neither can nor will teach theyr sonnes and daughters themselues nor yet procure them to bee instructed by other no nor to come thyther where by order they are appoynted to bee taughte the principles of christian faith Surely it muste needes be thoughte they haue small feare of God little sense of the mysterie of oure redemption in Christe no regarde of the good estate of their chyldren or of the saluation of their owne soules They should teache theyr children in lyke manner as Moyses here commaundeth the Iewes and saye We were of oure selues and of oure* owne natures as bondeslaues and subiecte to Sathan synne and Hell And it pleased Almightie God of his exceeding greate mercie withoute any regarde of woorthynesse in vs to sende downe his only and dearely beloued sonne from heauen to take fleshe of the blessed virgin and here liued in this worlde in great contempt and reproche and at the laste was put to moste cruell death by his passion paying the ransome for oure sinnes and for vs satisfied the Iustice of God. So that we by* him are nowe reconciled to God haue remission of our sinnes and in his sight are reputed iust and appoynted heires of eternall lyfe wyth Chryste Iesu For thys cause doe me* assemble togyther in the house of Prayer and vse the Sacramentes and mysteries of oure Religion thereby to call into our remembraunce this vnestimable benefite and to* giue thankes vnto him for the same and to pray for the assistance of his holy spirite that in all vertuousnesse and holynesse of lyfe we may shewe our selues thankefull and studie to liue according to thys our holye vocation that the name of God maye in vs bee praysed This I saye shoulde they teach their children to make them to vnderstande why they be called Christians and what the substance of true religion is The fourth Sunday after Easter at Euenyng prayer Deuteronomie 7. WHen the Lorde thy God shall bring thée into the land whither thou goest to possesse it and hathe caste oute many nations before thée the Hethites the Gergesites the Amorites the Chanaanites the Pherezites the Heuites and the Iebusites seuen nations greater and myghtier than thou 2 And when the Lorde thy God hathe sette them before thée thou shalte smyte them and vtterly destroy them and make no couenaunt with them nor haue compassion on them 3 Thou shalte make no mariadges with them neyther giue thy daughter vnto his sonne nor take hys daughter vnto thy sonne 4 For they will deceyue thy sonne that he should not folowe mée and they shall serue straunge gods and then wil the wrath of the Lorde waxe hotte agaynst thée and destroy thée sodeinly But thus ye shall deale with them ye shall ouerthrowe their aulters and breake downe their pillers cutte downe their groaues and burne theyr grauen Images wyth fyre 6 For thou arte an holy people vnto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thée to be a special people vnto himselfe aboue all nations that are vpon the earth 7 The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you bicause ye were mo in numbre than any people for ye were the fewest of all people 8 But bycause the Lorde loued you and bicause he wold kéep the othe which he had sworne vnto your fathers therfore hath the Lorde brought you out through a mightie hande and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hande of Pharao king of Egypt 9 Vnderstande therefore that the Lorde thy God he is God and that a true God which kéepeth appointment and mercie vnto them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes throughout a thousande generations 10 And rewardeth them that hate him to their face so that he bringeth them to naughte and doth not deferre the time but rewardeth him that hateth him before his face 11 Kéepe thou therefore the commaundementes and ordinances and lawes which I commaunde thée this daye that thou do them 12 If ye hearken vnto these lawes and obserue and do them the Lord thy God also shall kéepe vnto thée the couenant and the mercie whiche he sware vnto thy fathers 13 He will loue thée and blesse thée and multiplie thée he wil also blesse the frute of thy wombe and the fruite of thy lande thy corne thy wyne and thyne oyle and the increase of thy kine and thy flocks of shéep in the land which he sware vnto thy fathers to giue thée 14 Thou shalt be blessed aboue all nations there shall be neither man nor woman vnfruitfull among you nor any of your cattell shal be barren 15 Moreouer the Lord wil take away from thée all maner infirmities and will put none of the euill diseases of Egypt which thou knowest vpon thée but will sende them vpon
Paule but to * liue before him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And * we are his worke builded on Christe Iesu to those good workes which he hath prepared for vs to walke in Vnderstande therefore that the Lorde thy God is God and that a true c. The people of Israell are here aduertised that God their Lorde is a true and a iust Lorde that he sitteth as* iudge of the whole worlde And as of his truth he hath and will fulfill* all that he hathe promysed them so woulde he of his iustice*rewarde the good that obeyed hys lawes and ordinaunces and woulde punish the contrarie To the fulfillers of his will hee promiseth the blessing of the frute of their wombe their lande corne wyne and oyle the increase of theyr kyne shepe and other cattell the taking awaye from them all manner of * syckenesses and infyrmities and especiallye suche lothesome and noysome sores and diseases as they knewe were among the Aegyptians Fynally * victorie ouer theyr enimies and all felicitie of thys lyfe If wee doe not see the promise of worldly felicitie and this general decree of God alway to take place among the faithfull but that the better sorte of men are often in more misery and the* wicked worldlings in more prosperitie we must consider first that* no man no not the best doth so fulfill the lawe of God that he can of iustice require to haue the rewarde due therevnto Secōdly that either the * deuil of spite worketh trouble in this world to the seruāts of God bicause he is wel assured he can not hurt thē in the life to come or else the fatherly prouidence of Almightie God doth think it more saife for his children in this wicked worlde to be vnder the crosse and affliction that they may the * more often remember him and not be caried away with the faire allurementes of this lyfe wherewith Satan as by a poysoned bayte doth draw hys impes vnto him If thou saye in thyne hearte these nations are moe than I. c. Bicause it might seeme a very difficulte and almost vnpossible matter that the Israelits shuld conquer and driue out of their countrey suche a number of mighty people as dwelt in the lande of promise God by the mouthe of his seruannt preuenteth that cogitation and assureth them that he wil be their helper and assister and* wil fyght for them against those sinfull people and that not only by ordinarie meanes of warre but also that he wold bring hornets and other noysome flyes and vermine to weerie and consume them And for confirmation of their faith herein he willeth them to remember the Strange signes and wonders and the Mighty hand and Stretched out arme that in their knowledge and syght he vsed agaynst Pharao and the Aegyptians at the tyme of their deliueraunce By this also wee haue to learne so often as GOD willeth vs to doe that thing which in face of the world may seeme harde and difficulte and aboue oure power to bring to passe that we* dispaire not but wyth strong faithe vndertake it beeing well assured that the same GOD that wylled vs to doe it is hable also to bryng it to passe by vs. The grauen Images of their Gods shalt thou burne with fire c. Before God forbad thē to worship the gods of the Gentiles now he commaundeth to*destroye and * burne with fyre theyr Images yea and in token of their vtter detestation of suche idolatrie not onely to alter their shape and fygure in melting them but not so muche as turne to theyr owne vse the matter that they were made of lest by hauing the matter in some price they shoulde be snared and somewhat the more enclyned to Idolatrie Althoughe thys were but a politique precept for the time to the Iewes yet may wee gather therby how lothsome odious and detestable Idolatrie is to God. The fifthe Sundaye after Easter at Mornyng prayer Deuteronomie 8. AL the commaundementes whyche I commaund thée this day shall ye kéepe for to doe them that ye maye liue and multiplye and goe in and possesse the lande which the Lorde sware vnto our Fathers 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lorde thy God led thée this fourtie yeares in the wildernesse for to humble thée and to proue thée and to knowe what was in thine hearte whether thou wouldest kepe his commaundementes or no. 3 He humbled thée and suffered thée to hunger and fedde thée with Manna which neither thou nor thy fathers knewe of to make thée knowe that a man doth not lyue by bread only but by euery vvorde that procéedeth out of the mouth of the Lorde doth a man liue 4 Thy rayment waxed not olde vpon thée neyther dyd thy foote swell these fourtye yeares 5 This also shalte thou consider in thine heart that as a man chastiseth his sonne so the Lord thy god chastiseth thée 6 Therfore shalt thou kepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God that thou walke in his wayes and feare him 7 For the Lorde thy God bringeth thée into a good land a land in the which are riuers of water and fountaines and deapthes that spring out of valleys and hylles 8 A land wherin is wheate and barlie vineyardes figge-trées and pomgranates a land wherein is oyle oliue hony 9 A lande wherein thou shalt eate breade without scarcenesse neither shalte thou lacke anye thing a lande whose stones are Iron and out of whose hylles thou shalte digge brasse 10 When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good lande which he hath geuen thée 11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not kepe his commaūdements his lawes and his ordinances which I cōmaunde thée this day 12 Yea and when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast buylt goodly houses and dwelt therein 13 And when thy beastes and thy shéepe are waxen manye and thy siluer and Golde is multiplied and all that thou hast is encreased 14 Then beware least thine heart rise and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thée out of the land of Egipt and from the house of bondage 15 And which was thy guide in the great terrible wildernesse vvherin vvere fierie serpentes scorpions drouth without any water But he brought out water for thée out of the rocke of flint 16 He fed thée in the wildernesse with Manna which thy fathers knew not for to humble thée and to proue thée and that he myght so doe thée good at the latter ende 17 Least thou shouldest saye in thine heart My power and the might of mine owne hande hath prepared mée this aboundaunce 18 But remember the Lorde thy God for it is
that is his single Directe Will the other Retribuens that is his Requiting Wil wherby he killeth and punisheth For as in hys single and directe will he would not haue sinne so would he not haue the punishmēt of sinne but is Driuen vnto it by the impenitent synners that of his iustice he must needes giue them the reward of that wickednesse which he would not haue And therfore in his Simple and Reuealed will for the loue he beareth to mankinde he is grieued to see man cast him selfe into the daunger therof When God in Ezechiel saith I wil not the death of a sinner We must further vnderstād that there are two sorts of sinners The penitente and the Impenitent sinner God of his mercie * will not the death of the Penitente sinner although he haue iustly deserued it This Wil is so Firme Sure Resolute that he bindeth it with an oth saying As sure as I liue The Impenitent sinner of his iustice he must will punish by Death both of body and soule And such were the sonnes of Helie of whome here it is spoken There came a man vnto Hely and said vnto him thus saith the lord c. Now God sendeth his messenger to Helie to declare vnto him as well the grieuousnesse of his sonnes offēces cōtinued by his Slacknes as also the Great punishment that shuld come vnto him for the same The Men of God are all they which being lightned with the Spirite of God declare his wil vnto his people Some of which be ordinarie Ministers in the Church of God and so doth Paule cal Timothie The man of God Some ar extraordinarie for some peculiar purposes of greate importance as this messenger in this place was but who it was by name the Scripture expresseth not And here wee may learne that when the ordinarie ministerie is corrupted and regardeth not the worde of God The Holie Ghost rayseth vp other extraordinarie to reproue them Examples hereof we haue in the Prophets and in Christ and his Apostles The Prophets and messengers of God alway vse this preface Thus sayth the Lorde wherby as Ambassadors from God they declare their Commission and that they mynd to vtter nothing but that wherof they haue warrant from God himselfe Ambassadors may not goe beyond their Commission nor the Messengers of God beyond his reuealed will. In this Message the Prophet first putteth Helie in mynde of the singular benefit that God gaue to his ancesters appointing the priesthood to remaine to that familie thereby the more to amplifie his vnthankfull negligence Then hee layeth before him his offence and trespasse done against God that for to benefite and pleasure his lewde Children he suffered the Sacrifice and true worshin of God not only to be abused or dishonored but to be brought to vtter Contempt and as it were trodē vnder foote and the harts of the people alienated from it Lastly he declareth his punishmente that God repenteth him of that priuiledge that he had giuen to hys familie and would take the same frō him that there should neuer be old man in his house but should dye as soone as they came to mans state bicause he so negligently abused the reuerend authoritie of his age That he should see that is That his posteritie should see his enimie and one that he did enuie in the house of the Lorde and that in the time of Salomon when the people of God had greatest prosperitie That they of his flocke should come to extreame pouertie and neede And in assurance that all these things in their due time should come to passe he giueth him this vnpleasant token that his two sonnes should Die both in one day This maye bee a terrible example to all Parentes Princes and Magistrates that by their slacknesse and remisse gouernemente suffer corruption of Gods true worship and wickednesse of life to encrease in their children or subiects for lacke of Seueritie and iust Punishment This punishmente of taking away the priesthoode from the house of Helie God doth not presently execute but differreth it vntill the reigne of Salomon when Sadoc was placed in Abiathars roome 3. Reg 2. In the meane time God of hys mercie gaue time to his posteritie to repente The .14 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ieremie Cap. 5. LOke thorough Hierusalem beholde and sée féeke thorough hir stréetes also within if ye can finde one man that doth equall and righte or seeketh for the truth and I shall spare that Citie saith the Lord. 2 For though they can saye The Lorde liueth yet they sweare to deceiue 3 Wheras thou O Lord lookest only vpon faith and truth Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentance thou hast corrected them for amendement but they refused thy correction they made their faces harder than a stone and would not amend 4 Therefore I thought in my selfe Peraduenture they are so simple and foolish that they vnderstand nothing of the Lords way and iudgements of their God. 5 Therefore will I go vnto their heads and rulers and talke with them if they know the way of the Lorde and iudgements of their God But these in like manner haue broken the yoke and burst the bondes in sunder 6 Wherefore a Lion out of the wood hath hurte them and a woolfe in the euening shall destroy them the Leopard doth lye lurking by their cities to teare in péeces all them that come therout for their offences are multiplied and their departing away is encreased 7 Shoulde I then for all this haue mercie vpon thée Thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no Gods and albeit that I fedde them to the full yet they fall to adulterie and haunt harlots houses 8 In the desire of vncleanely lust they are become lyke the stoned horse euery man neygheth at hys neighbours wife 9 Should I not correct this saith the Lorde shoulde I not be auenged of euery people that is like vnto this 10 Climbe vp vpon their walles beate them downe and destroy them not vtterly take away their battlements bycause they are not the Lords 11 For vnfaithfully hath the house of Israel and Iuda forsaken me sayth the Lord. 12 They haue denied the Lorde and sayde It is not hee that looketh vppon vs tush there shal no misfortune come vppon vs we shall sée neither sword nor hunger 13 As for the warning of the prophets it is but wynd yea there is not the word of God in them such things shall happen vnto themselues 14 Wherefore thus saith the lorde God of hostes Bicause ye speak such words behold y words that are in thy mouth will I turne to fire make the people to be wood that the fire may cōsume them 15 Lo I wil bring a people vpon you frō farre O house of Israel saith the Lord a mightie people an old people a people whose speach thou knowest not neither vnderstandest what
When the prophet sayeth The Lion out of the wood and a VVolfe in the euening hee noteth the Crueltie and fiercenesse of the enimies For the Lion when he commeth out of the wood for his pray is very hungrie and the VVolfe that hath missed his feeding al the day long is in the euening more greedy and fierce And such he signifieth that these Enimies shuld be The Lion Hath hurt thē saith Ieremie that is Shall hurte them For the manner of the Prophets is oftentimes by y time Past to note the time to Come as well in the threatnings of punishments as in the Promises of Gods good blessings And thereby do they signifie that the truth of either of thē is so assured as if they were Alredy perfourmed The cause of all the Afflictions and troubles that God casteth vpon his people is noted to be the encrease of their Wickednes and Contempt of God and his word Shoulde I then for all this haue mercie vpon thee Thy children haue c. God here sheweth that of necessitie his very Iustice forceth him Sharply to punish thē As if he had said Seeing I am the* Iudge of the world how should I let them escape vnpunished which so obstinately of purpose prouoke my wrath against them Should I not then make my glory and maiestie cōtemptible in the world Shuld I not make the wicked to think I were no God yea y there were no God at al that woulde punishe their naughtie and synfull lyfe Wherfore as of my Mercie I am most redie to pardon the Repentante sinner that leaueth his wickednesse and turneth to me So muste I of my Iustice sharply plague the obstinate and stiffenecked offender that runneth on headlong in his owne naughtie wayes God turning his speeche to the Citie Hierusalem sayth Hir children that is her inhabitantes hath vnthankfully also abused his benefites whiche he bestowed vpon them and when he fed them with Plentie and Abundance of al things they turned it to the Pāpering of their bodyes and to the mayntenance of their wanton lustes in suche sorte that they became as Stalions or stone horses euery one neighing at his neighbours wife By which comparison he maruelously setteth foorthe theyr outragious Incontinencie and Dissolute life and giueth vs also to vnderstand how easily Wealth and * plētie doth breed Loosenesse and wantonnesse if we learne not to vse with reuerence and feare the good blessyngs that GOD poureth vpon vs and that God also will bee auenged of vs for the same For the Iustice of God must needes punish the same in vs as well as he did in the Iewes and so hee heere earnestly affirmeth when he saith Should I not be auenged on euery people that is like vnto this c. Climbe vp vpon their walles beat them down and destroy them not vtterly c. This is spoken by God to the enimies of the Iewes as it were to hasten and encourage thē to Plague that naughty people By which maner of speaking God giueth his people to vnderstād both that the Inuasiō of their enimies that shoulde come vpon them was only at the appoyntment callyng of God and that they were therin the Ministers and * executioners of his iustice and also that they should be hable by no meanes to Escape the danger therof eyther by their Strong sensed Cities or otherwise In these wordes And destroy them not vtterly God limitteth the power of the enimies leaueth hope of Pardon to his people if they will in any tyme Repent and turne vnto him The goodnesse of God vseth all meanes that may be to prouoke them to leaue their wickednesse before he bring vpon them extreme Desolation and confusion In the 11. 12. 13. verses God agayne alledgeth the iuste causes of their Plague that is that they had vnfaythefully by Apostasie forsaken hym Denyed hys Prouidence contemned the Thretnings of his Prophets as * False Vain and foolishe and sayde that the Punishmentes of Warre Famin and Hunger should not light vpon them but on the Prophetes themselues that spake so muche of them Such is the obstinacie of the wicked against all godly Aduertisemēts that they wil not only not acknowledge them to be Good true but impute the cause of Gods wrath and displeasure to those Messengers that hee sendeth to call them to Repentance Wherfore thus sayth the Lorde of hoastes Bicause ye speake such words c. God sheweth howe grieuous and intollerable the Contempt of his word and ministers is in his sight how Seuerely he wil punish the the same Bicause saith he you haue thus Cōtemptuously thought and spoken of my worde vttred by my prophet as though it were * vain false and of no credite beholde sayth God turning his speache to Hieremie That woorde of which they make so small accompt and which they esteeme of so little Force I wil make as Fire in thy mouth that leude People shal be as wood or stubble And euē as certenly as Fire cōsumeth wood y is cast into it so assuredly shal the Might and Truth of that my Word vttered by thee bring vpon them the Plague and Desolation that it hath threatned vnto them In the .3 nexte Verses he describeth the Myght and cruell Barbaritie of those enimies that he would bring vpon them They shal be sayeth hee A mightie people whose power they shall not be hable to resiste An olde people that by long continuance in Empire and dominion is waxen Proud and sterne and therby will vse the lesse mercie A people whose speache they knew not and therby could not deale with them by entreatie to obtaine fauoure They are so mighty men and so ready Archers that none escapeth that they shoote at and therefore their Arrowes may well be saide to bee Sodaine death So barbarous and fierce they shall be as they will not spare either Sonnes or Daughters amōg you they wil Cōsume your meats your frutes your Grapes your Figges they wyl Destroy your sheepe your Oxen your bullockes and all your Cattell neither shall you haue any Defēce healpe or succoure against them For the sensed Cities wherein you trust shall in that day nothing healpe you but that by the force of the sword they shall bring you to great distresse and pouertie And although that this threatning be very terrible yet he saith further that He wyll not so haue done with them but will adde greter Plagues and punishments And therefore bycause God sawe their wayward obstinacie that they would not only not acknowledge their fault and repent but also would murmure against him as dealing cruelly and vniustly with them and punishing them without good cause Hee willeth the Prophete to answere this their blasphemous murmuring and tell them plainly That forsomuch as they had forsaken the true worship of the liuing God did Sacrifice to strange Goddes at home in their owne Lande whyche God had gyuen them He would nowe
might seme to be touched with some Feare of God but yet not so greatlye but that they feared the Prince more and especially the multitude of them And therefore did they put the matter so vnto him that they would not doe otherwise than stoode with his Pleasure Some of them did more Freelye deale with the King as Elnathan Dalaiah and Gamariah and in his most vehement rage with some Danger of their owne state liues perswaded intreated him not to Burne the booke But nothing could staie his Furie but that before he had hearde it redde through eueÌ„ in Contempt of God of his worde and Threatnings he out it in peeces and cast it in the fire When God in the wordes of his Prophete did so terribly Thunder in the eares of the king he should haue bene Greatly moued therwith and haue * Rent tore his garments in token of the inward feare and Sorow of his hearte knowing most assured Danger to hang ouer both him and his kingdome But after the maner of Indurate hartes as a furious beast he Rageth eueÌ„ against God himself thinketh by Fire as it were to Consume his Threatnings If he thought it to be the doyng of poore Hieremie onely why did he make so great accompt of the matter and shew himselfe so much grieued therwith seyng he knewe that so contemptible a person as he iudged him to be coulde not of himselfe worke hurte to him or to his realme If his conscience trembling at the matter dyd tel him that the Authoritie of God was in those wordes why did he so furiouslie storme at the thing as thoughe he had bene hable by his rage to haue Discountenanced the wrath of God toward him and his people But cruell Hipocrites haue euer some * pretenses of reason to bolster vp their obstinacie against God his Prophetes and therefore caused he Hieremie and Baruch to be sent for if God had not hyd them and by his prouidence kepte them from his furie and wicked purpose For God vseth to preserue his Messengers from danger and perill euen maugre the heades of all his Enemies vntill their full and appointed time be come that his Name may be glorified his Truth enlarged by their Death Nowe after the King had burnte the booke and the sermons which c. The wicked persecuters thinke by crueltie and violence to Suppresse and Extinguishe the worde of God and his trueth but by his prouidence it riseth more Strongly against them to their greater confusion Ioakim thoughte by casting the Booke of Hieremies Prophecies into the fire he had as it were cutte of the hande of God and deliuered himselfe and his kingdome from those plagues that weare denounced by those * Seditious and Factious men as he toke them Hieremie and Baruch But beholde that he and all his mighte vnderstande that he struggled in vaine and stroue againste the streame the prouidence of God publisheth another booke containing not onely the same matter but also an euidente declaration of Gods iuste Iudgement and sharpe punishment to come vpon that wicked King and his stocke that is that his owne deade Corpse shoulde be caste forthe contemptuouslie withoute Buriall as is saide in the former Chapiter and that none of his issue and generation in righte descente should sit any time in the throne of Dauid after him For Iechonias his Sonne raigned onely three monethes and was ledde away Captiue so that he might scantly seme to haue raigned and Sedechias was his Vncle and was set vp in despite of him and his Sonne Iechonias or Ioakim after whoÌ„ they had no King of that directe liue but Zorobabel vntill the comming of the Messias Christ Iesu who was The yong branche that sprang a freshe out of the olde vvorne stocke of Iessie as oute of a roote that had not flourished in manye yeares before Yea and he assureth both the King and al his people though they did neuer so contemptuously refuse to hearken to his worde that he woulde visite their wickednesse and bring vpon them all those euils that he hath promised In like maner God in al ages dealeth with the persecuters of his word and holy Scriptures and neuer more than in these latter dayes The enemies of the Gospell haue thoughte to suppresse Gods trueth by burning the godly writings of learned men and by destroying the Preachers and professours of the same with fire and with the sworde shedding their bloude most cruellie But the prouidence of God raiseth other euen of the ashes of them that doe as constantly teache and defende his truth euen to the faces of them and maugre their heartes publishe the Gospell in writing more largely thaÌ„ euer it was before And so wil it be vntill God bring their iuste deserued plagues vpon their heades though they in the meane time to the heaping of his greater wrath vpon them in furious rage kill and sâ—ea some of his Saintes which he hath appointed that way to glorifie his name The .16 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ezechiel Cap. 2. ANd then said he vnto me Stâ—nde vp vpon thy féete O thou sonne of man and I will talke with thée 1. And the spirite 〈…〉 when he had spoken vnto me and set me vpon my féete so that I hearde him that spake vnto me 3 And he said vnto me Thou sonne of man I sende thée to the Children of Israel to a rebellious people which haue rebelled againste me both they and their forefathers haue wickedly behaued themselues againste me euen vnto this verye daye 4 For they are children of a harde face and stiffe heart I doe send thée vnto them thou shalte say vnto them Thus saith the Lorde God. 5 And whether they will heare or refuse for they are a rebellious house yet they maye knowe that there hath bene a Prophet among them 6 And thou sonne of man feare theÌ„ not neither be afraide of their wordes for briers thornes are with thée and thou doest dwell among scorpions feare not their wordes nor be abashed at their lookes for they are a rebellious house 7 And thou shalt speake my wordes vnto them whether they will heare or refuse for they are rebellious 8 Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I say vnto thée and be not thou rebellious like the rebellious house open thy mouth and eate that I giue thée 9 And I loked and behold a hand was sent vnto me and loe in it was a roule of a booke 10 And he opened it before me and it was written within and without and there was written therin lamentations and mourning and woe The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Ezechiel And then saide he vnto me stand vp vpon thy feete O thou sonne of man c. IN the firste Chapiter of this Prophete in a vision was declared what He was of how greate aucthoritie that called Ezechiel that is the Omnipotente and euerliuing
God and the Lorde of Hoastes vnto whose dominion all Creatures are subiecte and by him are gouerned and maintayned Nowe the Prophete in this place hathe as it were his Commission deliuered vnto him and is sente as Gods Messenger vnto the Israelites liuing in banishmente and is instructed what maner of people they are how they will receiue him and howe he shall behaue himselfe toward them In the ende of the former Chapiter it is mentioned that Ezechiel seyng in a vision an Image of the glorie of God not being hable to abyde the Maiestie thereof fell downe vpon his face in like manner as we reade that Daniell did when he sawe a terrible vision And there vvas no strength saith he remaining in me c. and yet I hearde the voyce of his vvordes and fell astonied vpon my face Such is the frailtie of man as he is not hable to abide but a meane shadowe of the glorious Maiestie of God. But the same God suffereth not these good men that he hath ouerthrowne with terrour of his glorie to remaine long prostrate and cast downe but he comfortablie erecteth them with his spirite as we see in this place in Exechiel whom he not onelye commaundeth to stande vp vpon his feete that he may speake vnto him but also endueth him with his spirit that he may be hable so to doe For such is our weaknes that wheÌ„ we be once ouerthrowne we cannot rise of oure selues but onely by the mighte of Gods Holie grace and Spirite Wherefore sayth S. Paule VVe are not able of our selues to doe any thing but al our sufficieÌ„cie is of God And again Not of my self but of the grace of God in me Ezechiel therfore staÌ„deth not here vpoÌ„ his feet of himself but by the Spirite of God entring into him Neyther was the outward Word of God sufficieÌ„t for this Purpose For the Strength might of the word of God is by the Grace of his Spirite goeing alwaye with it The externall VVord as his blessed Instrument soundeth in the eare and moueth the sense but the Spirite of God worketh in the heart And he said vnto me thou sonne of man J sende thee to the children of c. Hovve shal they hear saith Paule vvithout prea ching and hovve shall they preache onlesse they be sent God therefore commonly vseth in notable maner to call his Prophets and they alwaye lightly declare their owne calling and sending as here Ezechiell dothe that they may not bee thought to haue Come of themselues * as they commonly do that are Seducers and deceiuers of the People but to be Sente and appoynted by God. Here is also declared to Whom and to what maner of persons the Prophet is sente that is to the children of Israel liuing nowe in Captiuitie and wyth greate Impacience murmurynge agaynste GOD and hys Iustice So that neyther by Teaching they coulde bee persuaded neyther by the Scourge and punishemente of God anye thing amended Therefore are they described to bee a Rebellious people euer Stryuing and settyng them selues agaynste GOD as their * Fathers had done before them A people of an Harde and impudente face whome Nothyng coulde make ashamed but rather wyth Stoute countenaunce will Defende their Wickednesse and Glorie in it and therefore by Hieremie also are they sayde To haue an Harlottes forheade They are noted also to bee a People of a Stiffe hearte that is of an Obstinate and headie mynde whome neyther Godly persuasion nor greuous punishmente coulde moue to retourne to God and acknowledge their fault When GOD obiecteth to his People the Imitation of their Forefathers wee also are Taughte to beware howe wee Stubburnely Staye oure selues agaynste the Callyng of God and his holie woorde and Gospell by the Imitation of oure Forefathers And yet wee see that men in these dayes shewâ— no greater grounde of their Consciences than to saye They will Beleeue and doe 〈◊〉 their Forefathers haue doone If that â—â—eason bee sounde as by this place and manye other wee are Taughte it is not Surely the Iewes might well seme excusable and not so much to be blamed for reiecting the doctrine of the Prophetes and of Christe and his Apostles For vpon that reason they chiefly grounded them selues Therefore wee oughte diligently to Learne by the vnfallible rule of Gods woorde Wherein oure Fathers dyd well and therein to followe them and contrarywyse gladly to Shunne and forsake those thinges that they doe otherwyse When God commaundeth Ezechiel to goe to the Children of Israell and saye vnto them Thus sayth the Lord both Preachers haue to learne that they remembre whose Messengers they are and that they Teache not the people of God their owne Phantasies and deuises but that only as Paule sayeth whyche they haue receyued of GOD that they maye boldly say with Ezechiel Thus sayth the Lord. And on the other parte the hearers and people are by the same woorde instructed when they heare the Preachers not to make accompte of them as simple men onely nor to accepte their wordes as the wordes of men but as the Doctrine of God whose ambassadours they are sent by him to enfourme them of hys holy will and pleasure and to leade them into his wayes The Preachers of God must not loke to haue their Doctrine by and by to be thankfully frutefully received or that their laboures 〈◊〉 shall haue fauourable and good Successe The Prince of this Worlde is enimie to God and to his cause and therfore wil not easily suffer them that forsake God and fighte vnder his Banner to yelde to the obedience of God and to be reformed at his callyng Therfore sayth God to Ezechiel VVhether they will heare or refuse giue not ouer thy function and office of teaching but let them knovve to their further Condemnation and to the takyng away of all Pretenses of ignorance That there hath ben a Prophet of God among them to gyue them warning and to cal them from their wickednesse I know and I tel thee before hand that they are a Rebellious and obstinate People and wyll not hearken vnto thy Preaching nor accepte thy Doctrine but thou haste my Commandemente and my Commission to confirme thee therfore performe that * Plant and water that stony and harde Ground and leaue the Increase and successe to me If they repent thou mayste haue Comforte of thy trauayle if they continue Stubburne they must haue Iustice for their Disobedience And thou sonne of man feare them not neither be afrayd of their wordes c. Suche is the Frayltie and timorousnesse of Man that hee cannot choose but bee Moued with the Clamour and obloquie of many agaynste hym Therefore God dothe heere strengthen and as it were Arme Ezechiell his Prophete agaynste the waywardnesse of that People and wylleth hym to take pacientely whatsoeuer they shall doe or saye Hypocrites ryse agaynste Gods truth and in woordes pretende Gaye and holye Titles and Names for
the colour and maintenaunce of their Doings and deale Fiercely in wordes and countenaunce with them that Teache the contrarie as the Papistes and other Aduersaries doe at this daye agaynst the true Ministers of god But they must Comfort them selues and as he willeth his Prophete Ezechiell in this place not be afrayde nor abashed thereof It is the ordinarie meanes of them that bee Enimies to GOD and to his Truth If in the heate of their Spirite they call vs Schismatikes Heretikes vnlearned vile contemptible yea dogges and dounghilles of the Earth yet must wee not bee so Ouerthrowne therwith as for it to leaue our office and duetie of Teaching vndone but rather with great Constancie set our selues agaynst their waywarde Wickednesse and By the Povver of God and armour of Righteousnesse passe through honour and dishonour good reporte and euill and neuer yelde or giue place to the Stubburne Enimies Though they bee as Thornes vnto vs and euery way Moleste and greeue vs though they bee as Scorpions and wyth the venim of their sclaunderous tongues poysonously stinge vs yea oftentymes vnto verie death yet muste wee remember that in this place God speaketh to Ezechiel Feare not their vvords but speake my truth vnto them vvhether they vvil heare it or refuse it Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I saye vnto thee c. There is none meete to be the Messenger of God and the teacher of his people but suche a one as hath bene firste Taught of him and at His hande learned his holie Will and the mysteries of his Truth Therefore the Prophete is here willed To open his mouthe and to eare all that the Lorde doth giue him that is That hee shoulde Faythfully receyue at his Hande and diligently Imprinte in his Memorie and in his Hearte digeste all the woordes that the Lorde shoulde speake vnto him For so God sayth to him in the 3. cap. verse 10. This booke is described to bee written vvithin and vvithoute that is to Conteyne muche and Plenteous matter touchyng the Children of Israell and all bytter and vnpleasaunt shewyng the Signes and tokens of Gods wrathe agaynst them so that they coulde Conceiue nothyng thereof but matter of Sorrovv Mourning Lamentation and VVoe For seing the Sweetenesse of his Promises coulde not allure them he endeuoreth to breake their Stubborn heartes wyth the terrible Threatnings of his displeasure In the .8 Verse God armeth his Prophet agaynst an other Temptation wherwith the myndes of many are caryed awaye and enclined eyther not to Receyue the woorde of God or when they haue receyued it to Reuolte from it againe and that is the Consent of the Multitude thinking the contrarie Wherfore hee sayeth vnto Ezechiell Obey thou all things that I shall saye vnto thee and bee not lyke this Rebellious house I knowe it maye seeme an Harde tentation to thee to teache the contrarie of that which they all thinke and defende to bee true and with a verie * few good men to stande against the whole multitude and Consent of them which are called and compted my People But I tell thee what soeuer they Pretende and howesoeuer faire Titles and tokens they haue had of my Fauoure they are a Stiffenecked and rebellious People whiche vnder their faire Pretenses sette them selues agaynste mee and my Holie will. Therefore beeware thou be not like them nor Yelde not to their Consente and Multitude but cleaue faste to my woorde and to that I saye vnto thee * For one man with my Truth is better and more to be credited than the whole World agreeing in the contrarie The lyke Instruction god vsed to Esai cap. 8. warning him That hee should not vvalke in the vvay of that people nor speake vvordes of Conspiracie that is of CoÌ„sent or agreement in one opinion VVhen this people shall say Conspiracie be not afrayde of them but sanctifie the Lorde of hoastes and let him be your feare and dreade S. Peter in his first Epistle cap. 3. verse 14. 15. alludeth to the same place confirming the faithfull against the Conspiracie and agreement of the Ievves in Persecuting the Gospell It behoueth vs also in these latter and perilous dayes in so greate a multitude conspiring against the worde of God and the profession of his Truthe to arme oure selues with the same weapons of Comforte wherwith we see God furnished his Prophetes and Apostles against the countenaunce of the whole worlde This sending foorthe of Ezechiell is more largely declared by the Prophete hymselfe in the thyrde Chapiter The .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezechiell 14. THere resorted vnto me certain of the â—â—ders of Israel and sat downe by me 2 Then came the word of the Lorde vnto mée saying 3 Thou sonne of man these men haue sette vp their Idols in their heartes and put the stumbling blocke of iniquitie before their face shoulde I then answere them at their request 4 Therfore speak vnto them say vnto theÌ„ thus saith the Lorde God Euery man of the house of Israel that setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face and commeth to the Prophete vnto that man will I the Lord my selfe giue answere when he commeth according to the multitude of his Idols 5 That the house of Israel maye be snared in their owne heartes because they be cleane gone from me all of them thorowe their Idols 6 Wherfore tell the house of Israel thus saith the Lorde God Returne and cause to returne from your Idols and turne your faces from all your abhominations 7 For euery man whether he be of the house of Israel or a stranger that soiourneth in Israel which departeth from me and setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his wickednesse before his face and commeth to a Prophete for to aske counsell at me through him vnto that man will I the Lord giue answere by mine owne selfe 8 I will set my face against that man and will make him to be an example for other yea and a common by word and will roote him oute of my people that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 9 And if that Prophete be deceiued when he telleth a thing then I the Lorde my selfe haue deceiued that Prophete and will stretche oute my hande vpon him to destroy him out of my people of Israel 10 And they shal be punished for their wickednesse according to the sinne of him that asketh shall the sinne of the prophete be 11 That the house of Israel may wander no more from me neither be any more defiled in all their transgressions but that they may be my people and I their God saith the Lorde God. 12 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 13 Thou sonne of man when the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse I will stretche out my hand vpoÌ„ it and breake
vnto him but cause other also to doe the like Wee are taughte the manner and nature of true repentance whiche throughe the feare of God hating wickednesse himselfe cannot abide it in other but by all the meanes he can seeketh to refourme the same and especiallye if his Conscience tell him that the same persons in anye parte haue bene misledde by his example I will set my face against that man and will make him to be an example c. Forsomuch as Threatning prophecies doe nothing at all or very litle moue the mindes of them that be obstinate because they thinke thē to be as it were Thunder without Lightening and vaine terroure withoute effecte therefore God declareth to them by his Prophete that the things be not so earnestly spoken but that they shal be as effectually put in execution And that he will in dede Set his face that is his countenance and whole power agaynst them and not onely make them a by worde and common Prouerbe vnto al men but cleane root them out of the number of his people that they may right well knowe that he is not onelye a threatning but also a Iuste and a punishing God whiche will in dede perfourme that that he hath spoken in woorde And bycause it mighte be that notwithstanding the Threatnings of Ezechiell they had some comforte in the sayings of their false and flattering Prophetes whiche framed themselues to speake vnto them things altogether delectable and pleasant God willeth them to take hede thereof for that their wickednesse in his iust Iudgement had deserued to be Deceiued by suche As Achab had bene long before againste Gods true Prophete Micheas The wicked haue alwayes their hirelings and flatterers that vpholde and maintayne them in their errours contrarye to the Messengers of God and the Teachers of his holye worde And that happeneth vnto them by their Iuste deserte because they haue before time so stubbournely disobeyed God when he called them by his true Ministers This is it that Sainte Paule saith that God woulde suffer the wicked in the latter dayes to be seduced by false Teachers Bicause they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and therefore vvould send them strong elusions that they shoulde beleeue lyes Many at these dayes doe harden themselues by like perswasions against the Preachers of the Gospell Oh saye they there be a Number of other learned mē that Teach otherwise thā they doe and in suche a time of contention and diuersitie of opinions Howe can we knowe what is the truth Let them therfore striue among themselues wee will liue and beleeue as we haue donne before time But they should learne by this place of Ezechiel that suche diuersitie of opinions troubles in Doctrine and Religion doe not happen in the church by Chaunce or fortune but by the Woorking and prouidence of God for the punishmente of the Sinnes of his people and especially for their waywarde neglecting and contemning of the worde of God Preached vnto them And therefore shoulde they be the more Carefull studious and diligente bothe in reading the Scriptures and in Praier to God that they might vnderstand the truthe and not so easyly eyther be Confirmed in Superstition or caried awaye to falshoode and Errour And they shal be punished for their wickednesse according to the sinne of c. As hee before had sayde that the People for their Stubbornesse shoulde bee plagued so here hee declareth that the lyke shoulde fall also vpon the false Prophetes And so proueth it true that Christe sayth If the blynd leade the blynde they shall both fall into the ditche The False teachers speak many things that they knowe to bee otherwyse than Truth and the Obstinate people will not abyde to heare them that vtter the truth and so Truthe depraued of the tone and refused of the tother pulleth Gods heauie Iudgemente vpon them bothe That the house of Israell bee led awaye no more from me through errour c. As God to the benefite of the faithful doth suffer false Prophetes and teachers and other Schismes and troubles to ryse among his people that their Faith maye bee the vetter tryed and proued So doth he to their lyke cōmoditie oftentimes greeuously Punishe bothe the false Teachers and Suche as giue credite to them For by that meanes the Faithefull and electe which through weakenesse and frayltie did before stagger and doubt in their consciences are confirmed and euidētly vnderstand the Iudgemēts of God in them Therefore sayth God That the house of Israel may be led no more c. By the House of Israell he dothe not note the whole people for among them were the Seducers and the People seduced but the Electe of God and those that were of the true seede of Abraham of which happily many were for the tyme Misseled by the false Prophets the example of other And now by the smart of their Punishement being quickened and as it were wakened out of their errours they looke more diligently and carefully vnto the truth of God and retourne from their Corruptions into the whiche they had bene carryed awaye before and beeing nowe Ioyned to the Couenaunte of God agayne become his People and Hee their God. And the woorde of the Lord came vnto me saying Thou sonne of man c. The Iewes were greatly stayed from Repentaunce by an hope and confidence that they had in the Prayers of holie men whiche they thought did liue among them Oh sayd they The Earnest prayers of so many Godly men and women as vndoubtedly are of the Iewes must needes be heard and obteyne fauour with God and to cause him to withdrawe his Plagues and punishmentes This Vayne confidence God by his Prophet in this second parte of the Chapiter taketh from them For where as he hath Foure plagues whiche he is determined to bryng vpon them that is Famine Wylde beastes the Sword and the Pestilence he doth assure them that if Noe Daniel and Iob or the Holiest men that euer liued were at this tyme amongst them they shoulde not by theyr Prayers in any one of these Plagues obtaine pardon for any but for themselues only No not for their owne sonnes and daughters or suche as were nighest to them muche lesse shoulde they be hable to preuaile by their Prayers now when God in his Iust displeasure shall cast vpon that wicked People not any one but all those Foure Plagues together When men go on forewarde in their wickednesse it is but a peruerse and vayne persuasion to thinke they shall escape the punishemente and Plagues of God by the Faith and Prayers of other They muste Repente themselues if they will looke to haue God turne his wrathe from them God speaketh fyrste seuerally of euery one of these Plagues and still addeth that Noah Daniell and Iob should not be hable to deliuer any but their owne soules Vers 13. 15. 17. 19. In the one and twentie
say vnto them thus sayth the Lorde God Yet in this also your fathers haue blasphemed me and grieuously transgressed against me 28 For after I had brought them into the lande for the which I lifted vp my hande to giue it vnto them when they sawe euery high hill and all thicke trées they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented their offering of anger there also they made their swéete sauours and powred out their wine offerings 29 And I saide vnto them What is that high place wherevnto ye resort and the name of it is called Bamah vnto this day 30 Wherefore speake vnto the house of Israel thus sayth the Lord God Are ye not defyled in the waies of your fathers and commit ye not whordome after their abhominations 31 For when ye offer your giftes and make your sonnes to passe through the fyre you are polluted with all your Idols vnto this day shall I answere you when I am asked O house of Israel As I liue sayth the Lorde God I will not be sought of you 32 And that vvhich commeth into your minde shall not be at all which you say We will be as the Gentiles as the kinreds of Countreys to serue wood and stone 33 As truly as I liue sayth the Lord God I my selfe will ruâ—e you with a mightie hande with a stretched out arme and with indignation powred out ouer you 34 And I will bring you from the people and gather you out of the countreys wherein ye are scattered with a mightie hande with a stretched out arme and with indignation poured out 35 And I will bring you into the wildernesse of the people and there I wil be iudged with you face to face 36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernesse of Egypt so will I pleade with you also sayth the Lord God. 37 I will cause you to passe vnder the rodde and I will bring you into the bonde of the couenant 38 And I will purge out of you the rebels and them that transgresse against me and bring them out of the lande of their habitation as for the lande of Israell they shall not come in it that you may know how that I am the Lorde 39 As for you O house of Israell thus sayeth the Lorde God Go you and serue euery man his Idols séeing that ye obey not me and pollute no more my holy name with your giftes and your Idols 40 For vpon my holy hill euen vpon the hie hill of Israell sayth the Lorde God shall all the house of Israell and all that is in the lande worship me and in the same place wil I fauour them and there wil I require your heaue offeringes and the firstlings of your oblations with all your holy thinges 41 I will accept your swéete sauour when I bring you from the Nations and gather you togither out of the landes wherein you haue bene scattered that I may be hallowed in you before the heathen 42 And ye shall know that I am the Lorde when I shall bring you into the land of Israell into the land for the which I lift vp my hande to giue it vnto your fathers 43 There shall ye call to remembraunce your owne wayes and all your workes wherein ye haue bene defiled and ye shall be cut of in your owne sight for all your wickednesse that ye haue done 44 And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I deale with you for my names sake and not after your wicked wayes nor according to your corrupt workes O ye house of Israell sayth the Lorde God. 45 Moreouer the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 46 Thou sonne of man set thy face towarde the way of Themanah and drop thy vvorde towarde the south and prophecie towarde the forrest of the south fielde 47 And say to the forrest of the south Here the worde of the Lorde thus sayth the Lorde God Beholde I will kindle a fire in thée that shall consume all the gréene trées with all the drie the continuall flame shall not be quenched and euerie face from the south to the morth shall be burnt therein 48 And all fleshe shall sée that I the Lorde haue kindled it and it shall not be quenched 49 Then sayd I Ah Lord God they say of me Doth not he speake parables The Exposition vpon the .xx. Chapter of Ezechiel In the seuenth yeare the tenth day of the fift Moneth certaine of the elders c. THe Iewes as is sayde in the former Chapter quarreled with God and thought it extremitie that theyr Fathers wickednesse shoulde be punished in them Wherfore in this place the Prophete declareth that as there fathers were euill and rebellious against God so were the children and posteritie also and therefore that they were iustly plagued by him in respect of themselues as well as of their fathers In the verie enterance of this speech he sheweth at what time and by what Occasion he preached this vnto them In the seuenth yeare sayth he c. that is from the captiuitie and banishment of Iechonias in Babilon For from that time as it appeareth in sundrie places they began their account partly to call to remembrance the Heauie iudgements of GOD agaynst them for their sinne partly to Comfort themselues with the promise of deliuerance after .70 weekes or yeares prophecyed vnto them by Hieremie and Daniell The occasion of this speach of Ezechiel is the same that was in .14 Chapter that is the comming of the Elders of Israel vnto him to haue answere from God of their estate and captiuitie that they were in They pretended to reuerence the Prophete as a father and instructer and that they were desyrous to learne at his hande what they should hope or what they might doe but meaning nothing lesse then syncerely to follow his teaching For if they had so purposed they woulde long before haue left those things with which God by his Prophets declared that he was greatly Displeased With like affection came they to Hieremie to consult of their fleeing into Aegypt but when hee had tolde them Gods will they would not beleeue him but followed their owne phantasie * Sedechias also coniured the same Hieremie to tell him plainly the will and purpose of God but when he heard it he made no account of it but by the motion of his Nobles cast him into prison With like affection oftentimes the Priestes the Scribes the Phariseyes the Saduces the Herodians came vnto Christ but neuer soundely to learne but rather take him in trip and thereby to worke him daunger In like sort many at this day pretende with fayre face a Loue of the truth and a Fauour of the Religion published according to the worde of God and therefore will come to Sermons and to seruice and when it serueth for their purpose will Speake agaynst Papistrie and with wordes vpholde the truth but with howe sounde minde and conscience their
your trayterous and rebellious deuise of your heartes to reuolt wholye from my seruice to the Idoles of the Gentiles among whom you are But surely I will ouershwart you and though you doe make the Babilonians more fauourable to you I my selfe will bee your Aduersarie and by mightie hande and extremitie of punishment will force you whether you or no to acknowledge me your Lorde and god It shall not come to passe as you thinke that you shall * quietly serue stocks and stones with Idolators I wil not neglect fugitiue seruants as slacke maysters are woont to doe Seeing that I haue once taken you into my couenant I will by sharpe punishment And by my indignation powred out vpon you make you desirous and glad to come againe vnder my obedience I will bring you from the people and gather you out of the countrie c. God signifieth that he will not breake couenant with them but as he had promised by his Prophets so would he doe in deede that is he would bring them from among those Countries wherin they are scattred but in such sort as the godly only should haue comfort thereby and the wicked no cause at all to reioyce He threatneth to deale with them as he did with their fathers in the wildernesse of Egipt For in Egipt he declared his iustice by sundrie kindes of punishment When they murmured against God in the wyldernesse manye of them he consumed with fyre Num. 11. When Dathan and Abyram rose against Moses 250. perished with fyre and the residue the earth swalowed vp yea and the next day again 14000. and 700. were destroyed Num. 16. When they spake against Moyses at an other time a great nūber were slaine by Serpentes Num. 21. In this sort of iudgement God here Protesteth that he will deale with the wicked Israelites and by such meanes as it were cull out and purge away the obstinate and rebellious transgressours from the other so that they shall neuer enioy the lande of Israel agayne wyth comfort and quietnesse As their fathers which God brought out of Egipt because of their often Disobedience * neuer came into the lande of promise euen so the Prophet sayth those euill children that without repentance continued in their abhominations should neuer haue the quiet fruition of their Countrie againe Notwithstanding that for his promise sake he would deliuer bring home the Residue which eyther by teaching of his Prophets or by punishment or any other meanes did forsake their wycked wayes and turne againe to the obedience of his lawe As for you O house of Israel c. Go you and serue euery man his Idoles c. Forsomuch as they would not yeelde to obey God and to follow his law with scornefull reproch he biddeth them go on according to their owne fantasies wholy to serue euery man his Idoles and not to mixt withall the Title of his name and so distaine it By which wordes we may perceiue that God will not be matched with other but haue worship done wholy to himselfe Hovv long sayth Elias halte you on both sides If the Lorde be God follovv him If Baal go after him VVhat agreement can there be betvveene Christ and Belial saith Saint Paule And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs That vve cannot serue tvvo maysters We must therefore learne also to serue Christ wholy and not to mixt Idolatrous Superstition wyth the truth of his Gospell For vpon my holy hill euen vpon the high hill of Israel sayth the Lorde c. These wordes that follow may be literally vnderstanded of such of the Israelites brought out of Captiuitie as by manifold plages did repent and learne to worship God sincerely not after their owne deuises as they dyd before in their highe places but according to the prescript of Goddes worde And therefore being restored into their Countrie God signifieth their deuotion should be acceptable vnto him and all their Sacrifices pleasant And for somuch as the Prophets doe oftentymes breake out from thinges of present state in the worlde vnto the blessing to come in the promised seede and Sauiour this place maye also verye well be interpreted of the spirituall Israel that is the Church and people of God vnder Christ For by the Holy hill and highe mountayne of Israel or Sion is vnderstanded the Church because the Apostles were first sent from thence to preache the Gospell in all the worlde Of this hill speaketh Esay 2. cap. and Micheas 4 cap. The hill of the Lords house shall be prepared in the height of the mountaines and all Nations shall presse vnto him The * Sacrifices of Christians which are acceptable vnto God the * sacrifices which he wil require of them are earnest prayer thankesgyuing for his benefites the sacrifice memorial of the Lords supper * charitable reliefe of their poore brethren and their owne soules and bodies consecrated to his seruice In these will he delight and these shall be to him as A svvete sauour There shall you call to remembrance your owne wayes and all your workes c. The Repentant Iewes after Captiuitie shall call to remembrāce sayth the Prophet their owne naughtie wayes and workes against the lawe of God and with heauie harts being sorie and * ashamed of them shall acknowledge and * confesse that euen by their owne iudgements they were worthy by Gods iustice to haue bene cleane cut of from him and that it is of his onely mercie and goodnesse that he hath wrought otherwise And that for his owne names sake and for his owne glorie in performing his couenant he hath restored them into their Countrie againe In like maner christian men by the free mercies of God being deliuered from the captiuitie of Sinne Satan and Death and broughte home into holye Mount Sion the Church of God and heauenly Hierusalem doe call to remembrance their olde wickednesse and abhominations wherein they lyued to the dishonour of God and reproch of the worlde and therefore are * ashamed of them and * confesse in their harts that they were worthie of the wrath of God by perpetuall damnation to be cut from his presence And in that it is otherwise done that it proceedeth of the Riches of his goodnesse towarde mankynde layde out aboundantly vnto them in Christ Iesu our Sauiour The 18. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezech. 24. IN the ninth yeare in the tenth Moneth the tenth day of the Moneth came the worde of the Lorde vnto me saying 2 O thou sonne of man wryte thée the name of this daye yea euen of this present day for the king of Babylon set himselfe against Ierusalem this selfe same day 3 And shewe the rebellious house a Parable and speake vnto them thus sayth the Lord God Prepare a pot set it on and powre water into it 4 Gather the péeces thereof into it euery good péece the thigh and the shoulder
In these verses next folowing is denounced a grieuous threatning of God agaynst such wilfull and obstinate refusers and contemners of hys worde Seeing sayth hee your wickednesse is such thus sayth that holy god that hath chosen Israel for his peculier people Because you haue refused this my worde and promise wherby I haue vndertaken to preserue and deliuer you from your enimies in all your aduersities and putte your trust in wrong dealing and peruerse iudgement by seeking helpe of Idolatours with money and ryches therefore I say shall extreeme destruction come vpon you And as an high wall if it begin to haue a clift falleth sodainly before men beware oâ— it so you which by the blessing of God haue beene hitherto highe and notable because you haue begun to be cleft with the breech of vufaythfulnesse and wickednesse shall fall vpon the sodaine to extreeme coÌ„fusion Yea and euen as an * earthen vessell so broken by the fall of a great stone vpon it that one sharde or shiuer is not left so big as to carie a cole of fire on or to take water out of a pitte so you I say that haue hitherto beene the vessels of Gods great merâ—ie shall be so oppressed and destroyed that scant any remnant shall be saued yea in the ende you shall be brought to so small a number that you shall be but here and there one as it were a maste of a shippe vpon a mountayne or a beacon vpon an hill Which shall remaine onely as a token of the great calamitie that by Gods hande shall fall vpon you Therefore doth the Lorde cause you to waite that he may haue c. Here the Prophete declareth a cause why they should leaue the helpe of straungers and put their trust in him that is because he hath determined to saue them from the Assirians if they will â—arie in their Citie and cal vpon him for helpe The Lord sayth he causeth you to wayte and deferreth hys doing not that he intendeth to forsake you but that he may merrifully and with the more glory of his iudgement deliuer you Therefore should ye be of good cheere and looke for the helpe of the Lorde For * blessed are they and good shall come vnto them that put their trust in the Lorde For this I doe assure you sayth the prophete if the people remaine in Hierusalem with quiet trust in God * though for the time they feele some trouble hurt and scarcitie by the enimies besieging them yet shall they not perish be oppressed but at their first complaint and calling vpon him he will haue mercie on them And although the Assirians shall seeme so to haue wasted their countrey that they shall not haue any sustenance to liue by God yet wil so mercifully deale with them that he shall giue them plentie of foode with raine and prosperous weathering to maintaine the same Yea and as a pastour folowing his flocke doeth guide them with his 〈◊〉 vnto the right way so shall the Lorde sende them Prophetes Princes and Rulers that shall gouerne and guide them that they in their doings may go neyther on the right hande nor on the left but keepe the straight and true way But the Lorde doth not onely require of them that they should remaine with quiet trust and coÌ„fidence in him but also that they should destroy and cast away their filthie Idols the * worship whereof hath led them from the true seruice of God and so caused them grieuously to offende and to stray from the right way of his worde appoynted Then shal God giue raine vnto thy seede that thou shalt sow the ground c. Againe the Prophete doth put them in minde of that great and good blessing of plentie and successe of all thinges that God would sende them if they would forsake their owne waywarde doings and turne to him by repentance These be the blessinges of wealth and prosperitie that he promiseth to them that followe his will. Deuter. 28. and Leuit. 26. Finally vpon euery high mountaine and hill there shall be riuers c. The Prophete sayth that at that time that god shall destroy great multitudes of the Assirians and pull downe their high towers that is ouerthrow their mightiest Princes then shall there be great store of water and springs on all the hilles of Iuda whereby their drie landes may be made battle and fertile Yea when God shall haue deliuered them out of daunger and restored them to their former libertie Then shall the light of the Moone be as the light of the Sunne c. That is God shall poure vpon his people so great ioy and gladnesse that the sunne and moone shal seeme to them to be farre brighter than before they were For to those that are in daunger and heauinesse the sunne and moone doe seeme darke and dimme and when they be deliuered al things for ioy seeme more bright and comfortable And because these particuler deliueraunces of the Iewes from their enimyes often in the Prophetes are figures of the great deliuerance of the people of God from their spiritual enimies by Christ Iesu this whole place may well be interpreted of the happie and * spirituall successe that by Christ shall come to the faythfull and of the great brightnesse of his holy spirite which then shoulde shiâ—e farre more plentifully then euer it did before Beholde the fame of the Lorde commeth from farre and his presence c. This is an other cause why that people shoulde stay themselues in the trust of God and not seeke other forraine ayde and strength For that he will destroye the Assirians and come vpon them as a dreadfull and terrible God his countenaunce his wordes yea the very breath of his mouth shall be so terrible to them that although they be a mightie nation yet shall they not be hable to abyde it but that he will shake and sift them and as it were with a * bitte in their mouthes so turne them that with all their power they shall fall downe and come to nothing Yea the Lorde shall cause hys terrible voyce to be heard among them and shall so stretch out his arme vpon them as he shall most dreadfully declare his grieuous anger towardes them euen as if he had sent downe flames of deuouring fire * lightning and stormes of haile from heaueu to consume them And this scourge of Gods wrath shall not depart from them whither soeuer they go Insomuch that the very king himselfe shall be touched with it and be partaker of that hell and deuouring fire that the iustice of God hath prepared for them euerlastingly The fourth Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay 32. BEholde a king shall gouerne after the rule of righteousnesse and the princes shal rule according to the ballance of equitie 2 And that man shall be vnto men as a defence for the winde as a refuge