goodes whiche shoulde haue necessarely ben bestowed to the buyldinge of gods house we shoulde not haue felt gods rodde so sharpeli but God would haue ben pleased and shewed his glorie amonge vs. But whan men would not geue laÌ„dâ— fast inough to Abbeys than the Pope rather than his chapleÌ„s should want would robbe many Parisshes to fede his moÌ„kes God graunt that the gospell maye restore that iustly whiche the Pope toke wrongfully awaye and gaue them yet a rightâ— name of impropriations because improperly thei be takeÌ„ away properly belong to the parishes The workemaÌ„ is worthy hys byre he that serues the gospel muste lyue of the gospel Therfore those impropriacions whiche take awaye the Preachers liuinge be againste the woorde of God But what doeth this belong to vs or oure time doth goo require of vs to build him Abbeis Nunries Chauntries c. no surely but this was an outwarde exercise for that grosse harde harted people for a time to be excused in that they should not buylde temples to Idols â–ª and teacheth vs to buylde god spirituall house wherin we maye offer spirituall sacrifices prayers to him where in he is well delited will shew his Maiestye This house is nowe for vs to be vnderstande generallye the hole churche and companye of Christians and the bodye and soule the hearte minde or conscience of all ChristiaÌ„s particularly wherein god dwels by his holy spirite as sainct Paule saieth to the Corinthians Do ye not knowe that your bodyes be the temples of the holy ghoste and whiche he hath sanctified to be kept holy for him self alone by Baptisme and for the whiche Christe hath died that we mighte liue by 〈◊〉 whome he hathe redemed with hys 〈◊〉 and wasshed cleane from all sinne 〈◊〉 shoulde liue no more to our owne lustes and desires but to him that hath redemed vs. It is written that God dwels not in Tempels made with handes nor is worshipped with any worke of maÌ„nes haÌ„des but he is a spirite an inuisible substance and wil be worshipped in spirite truthe not in outwarde woordes onely of the lippes but with the depe sighes grâ—ninges of the heart and the hole power of the mynde and earnest hearty callinge on hym in prayer by faithe And therfore he doeth not so muche require of vs to â—uyld him a house of stone and timber but hath willed vs to praye in all places and hath taken awaye that Iewish and Popish holinesse whiche is thoughte too be more in one place than an other All the earthe is the Lordes and he is present in all places â–ª hearinge the peticions of them which call on him in faithe Therfore those Bishops which thinke with their coniured water too make one place more holy than the reste are no better than Iewes deceyuinge the people teachinge that onely to be holy which thei haue censed crossed oyled and breathed vpon For as Christ saide to the womaâ— thinkinge one place to be holier to 〈◊〉 than an other Woman beleue 〈◊〉 time is come whaÌ„ ye shal worship 〈◊〉 â—t Ierusalem nor in this byl but the true worshippers shal worship God in spirite truthe so is it now saide the place makes not the man holy but the man makes the place holy and ye shal doe worship youre Idols stockes stones neither at Walsingham Ipswich CaÌ„terbury nor Shene for God chuses not the people for the place sake but the place for the people sake But if ye be in the middest of the fielde God is as ready to heare youre faithfull prayers as in any Abbey or Nunrye yea a thousand times more for the one place he hates as defiled with Idolatry and the other he loues as vndefiled and cleane If the good man lye in pryson tyed in chaynes or at the stake to be burned for Gods cause that place is holy for the holines of the man the presence of the holy Ghooste in him as Tertullian sayeth Yet there shoulde be common places appointed for the people too assemble and come together in to prayse oure God For where the Apostle rebuked them whiche woulde not resorte with the rest of the Christians to make their common praiers together to hear his woorde and receiue his sacraments it proues they had some common place to resort to And where saincte Paule requires that all thinges should be done in a comely order what can be more comely or agreing to good order then 〈◊〉 haue a time appointed and a place too resorte vnto together to worship oure onely God Nay how shal they come together â—â—cept place and time be appointed Howe shal they know when whither to resort vnappointed How canne the sheepehearde teache his sheepe if he haue not a folde to gather them together in In the Apostles time when the rulers were not christened they resorted into priuate houses and chauÌ„bers by the water side 〈◊〉 worship their God but when princes became christened they had churches appoâ—â—â—ted for them yet all these prayers preachinges that were priuely in parlers and by the waterside were as pleasaunte too God yea better peradueÌ„ture for coÌ„monly they came of a greater and better lâ—ue 〈◊〉 faith as ours be now Those also whiche than were buried in no halowed churche nor churcheyarde nor christeÌ„ moldes as they be called when it is no better then other earth but rather worse for the coÌ„mâ—â—â—â— that Bishops vse about it were no worse then they which were buried with al soleÌ„nitie It appeares in the gospel by the Legion liuing in graues the widdows some going to burial Christ buried withoute 〈◊〉 Citie c. that then thei buried not in halowed Churchyeardes by any Bishops but in a seuerall place appointed for thesame purpose without the Citie which custome remains to this day in many godli places As that theÌ„ was lawful no hurt to the ded so is it nowe one place is as holy as an other to be buried in sauinge that coÌ„ly order requires the bodies not to be cast awai because thei were the temples of the holy ghost shal be glorifed at the last dai again but semely to be buried an honest place to be kept seueral froÌ„ beastes vnreuereÌ„t vsing thesame for thesame vse It is Popish to beleue that which the bishops doe teach that place to be more holi then the rest which thei haue halowed as thei sai with washing it with their coÌ„iured water crossing ceÌ„sings processioÌ„s c. that God wil hear our praiers afore one Idol or Image rather then an other or in one Abbey as pleases theÌ„ to apoint him rather than an other Wher it pleases theÌ„ to grauÌ„t mani daies of pardon ther God must hear their praiers soner work mo miracles so God is become their seruauÌ„t shal be wher thei wil apoint him But blessed be the God our lord which by the
¶ Aggeus and Abdias Prophetes the one corrected the other newly added and both at large declared The earnest loue that I beare to thy house hath eaten me Psal. lxix Ioan. ii Phinees hath tourned awaye my anger because he was moued with loue of me Num. xxv Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres 1562. ¶ A Preface to al that loue the earnest promotinge of Gods glorye in his Churche by true religion ALthoughe the commen vsage of dedicating bookes is to require the defense of some woorthye personage of learnynge or authoritye for the thing that it is written yet the maiestie of the matter in thys boke is such that it rather defendes than sekes defence and thexample of the Prophet whych wrytes it not to one but manye suffers me not to sende it to any one sorte of menne particularly but generallye to all that should vnfeinedly promote the encrease of Gods glory bicause all degrees of men do owe a dutye to the buildinge of this gods house And if anye offence be taken as God knowes none is purposelye giuen the defence of manye is greater than of a fewe and that authoritye or credite which one manne alone can not bring to passe al iointly together shal more easely obtaine The Prophet is sent from God to the Prince the highe Priest and the people so I speake to the rulers the ministers and comminalty The cheef intent of his Prophecie is to stirre all to the spedye buildinge of Gods house whiche they had so long neglected my labour is to bring some of euery sort for al is not possible to an earnest fortheringe of gods true religion of late most mercifullye restored vnto vs which not long agoe most cruellye was persecuted of manye yet hated and of euery man almost now to coldlye folowed and practised But if this Prophecy were read and depelye considered with such a hungry desire of gods glorye as the Prophete spake and wrote it and I for my parte and pore abilitie haue declared it I doute not but the good should be stirred by gods spirit more earnestly to seke gods glory the froward shuld be afrayed of gods plague ashamed stubbernely to striue against the trueth cōtinually The state of religion in these our miserable dayes is much like to the troublesom time that this Prophet liued in God graunt that after many greuous stormes it may take like roote in vs as it did than in them After the long captiuity of gods people in Babilon god gaue them gracyous king Cyrus which set them at liberty and sent them home to builde Goddes house So after our longe Romish slauerye God raysed vs vp good kynges which restored vs gods booke that long had bin buried and loused vs from the bondage of straunge gods forreyn powers cruell hipocrites and wicked Idols And as after that short fredome vnder good Cirus ensued the crueltye of Hamman for negligently handling gods buildinge And not long after milde Ester came blouddy Antiochus for their falling from god So for our talking gospel and not worthely walking nor folowing it vnder our gracyous late Iosias crept out a swarm of Romish waspes stinging to death all that would not worship their Gods nor beleue their doctrine God for his mercies sake graūt that now for our vnthankful coldnes in gods cause vnder our myld Ester burst not out again bloudy Antiochus with his whelpes iustly to auenge our cold slacknes in gods religion and insensible dulnes Gods word is neuer offered and geuen in vaine or to vse at our pleasure but it workes eyther saluacion in them that here beleue and folowe it or els condemnacion in them that proudely despise it sturdely rebell or forgetfully do heare and vnthankfullye receyue his mercies Therefore as after a storme folowes a calme and after winter comes sommer so nowe where God hath geuen a breathing time lest our weakenes had not bene able to haue borne hys heauy displeasure anye longer let vs earnestlye applye our worke whan we haue time for the nyghte wyll come whan no man shall be able to worke If this be true as it is most true in deede that euerye dede of our sauiour Christ is our instruction also that what thynges soeuer are wrytten they be writtē for our learning as S. Paul teacheth let vs cal to remēbraunce what zele earnest loue our sauiour Christ especially shewed in building his fathers house and restoringe the true vnderstanding of the scriptures frō the supersticious gloses of the Scribes Pharises and also what a feruent desire of promoting gods glory our fathers haue shewed afore vs that we may be good scolers of our schoolemaister Christe Iesus and obedient childrē walking in the steppes of our fathers Oure Lorde and sauyour christ comming into the temple and finding it full of biers sellers and chaungers was greeued to see Gods house so misused gate a whippe and droue them al out saiyng My house is a house of praier but ye haue made it a denne of theues so surely al Christians whiche vnfeynedly◠beare the name of christ and zelously loue the building of his house woulde gladlye see sinne punyshed and lamente that the whip of Gods disciplyne is not shaken in gods house to the driuing out and confusion of all gredy theues which if they can not get in at the dore by lawfull meanes wil climbe in at the wyndowe and for a litle money wil sel the bodyes and soules of Christes sheepe and make gods house the Popes market place But as she that had so much worke to doe that she could◠not tell where to begin sate her downe left al vndone so I say worldly wise men see so many thinges out of order in Gods house and so little hope of redresse that they can not tell which to correct or amēd first and therefore let the whippe lye stil and euery man to do what him lust sin to be vnpunished And not onely this euil reignes but the worlde is come to such a dissolute liberty and negligēt forgetting of god that men sleping in sinne nede not so much a whip to driue anye out of the Churche so fewe come there but they nede a great sorte of whips to driue some fewe thitherwarde For come into a Church on the Sabboth day and ye shall see but few though there be a sermon but the alehouse is euer full Wel worth the Papistes therfore in their kind for they be earnest zelous and painful in their doinges they will build their kingdom more in one yeare with fire and fagot than the colde gospellers will do in seuen A popishe summoner spy or promoter will driue mo to the church with a worde to heare a latin masse than seuen Preachers will brynge in a wekes preaching to heare a godly Sermon If this be not true remember the late dayes of popery and see who durst offend him that weere a shauen crowne Who loked so high
here to runne to their owne houses that is as muche to sai as with al their wit and power they do satisfye their owne lustes seeke their pleasures hunt and gape for their own profit â–ª to enryche them selues buylde costly houses and laye lande too lande and neuer thinke they haue inough Woulde to God they whiche preache Christ were not gyltye in not buyldinge Gods house as they shoulde as well as others bee If it be taught of contencion ambicion or vayne glory Paule sayeth he is glad that Christ is preached but woo bee to him that teaches for suche causes and preaches not for pure loue and duety to his Lord God seekinge his own glorie All preachers must saye bee their giftes neuer so greate not vnto vs Lorde not vnto vs but to thy name geue all prayse and glorie And all the bearers muste saye wee do not beleue the worde because suche a man teaches it but because God spake it for the authoritie of the gospell hanges not on the messenger which bringes it but on gods maiestie whiche sendes it For as Peter and Ihon when thei had healed the blind begger and the people maruayled sayd why do ye wonder as though we had done this by our owne power and holines so 〈◊〉 all Preachers saye wonder not at vs 〈◊〉 prayse God whose messengers we be 〈◊〉 him whose spirit he hath geuen to speake in vs. For it is not we that speake when we speak any truth but it is the holy spirit of God that speaks in vs whose instrumeÌ„ts 〈◊〉 be Thus haue all partes ben giltie of 〈◊〉 building Gods house the Lord for 〈…〉 sake forgeue vs all that which 〈…〉 and styrre vp our mindes to do our 〈◊〉 more diligentlye frome hencefoorth 〈◊〉 we maye escape the plagues whiche â—â—â—lowe verse 10 Therefore the heauens 〈◊〉 shytte vp from geuing these dewe vpon you the earth is closed from yelding their fruite verse 11 And I will call a droughte vpon the earth and vpoÌ„ the hyls vpon the wheat vpon the new wyne vpon the 〈◊〉 and vppon whatsoeuer the earthe bringeth forthe vpon man and vppon beaste and vpon all the labour of youre handes Now folowes the other kynde of perswading which the Prophet vses that is of the great plages that hange ouer their heads yf they did continue in tâ—is stubbornes and would not build gods house For although they had suffered great thinges yet these were muche greater which were to come and God would not holde his haÌ„d vntill they went earnestly about to build his house as they were commaunded In the further verse he repeates the plages in other woordes whiche he spake of before and more playnlye toke the cause of all the scarcenes that was amonge them why of so great labour they had so litle fruite and encrease Here we may see how necessarie it is often to repeate and beate in one lessoÌ„ because we be so dul to learn And althoughe many be wearye to heare one thing often yet sainct Paule saieth to the Philippians I am not wâ—arye it is profitable for you to repeate one thiÌ„g ofteÌ„ The heaueÌ„s sayeth he haue ben locked vp from geuing any dew or rayn to you and the earth hath ben so harde drye by that meanes that no fruite coulde growe Maruayle not if the earthe be barren wheÌ„ moysture comes not from heauen for nothinge can multiply here except it be blessed from heauen And this is true not onely in worldely thinges but also in spiritual giftes of the soule to teache vs 〈◊〉 loke vp to heauen and from thence to 〈◊〉 and loke for all goodnes froÌ„ gods haÌ„dâ—â— What hast thou saieth sainct Paule which thou haste not receiued of God and sainct Iames saieth euery good gift and euery perfit gift is from aboue comming from the father of light For as the rayâ—â— and dewe from aboue watering the grâ—â—â— makes it fruitful so the grace of the holye Ghoste comminge frome God the father for his sonne Christes sake styrres vp 〈◊〉 myndes to al goodnes Thus by outwâ—â—â— blessinges God will teache vs to loke â—p to hym for all goodnes For as it is betwixt the earthe and the cloudes so 〈◊〉 betwixt God and oure heartes bothe 〈◊〉 vnfruitfull except they receyue blessinge from aboue But it had ben amonge them now 〈◊〉 it was in the time of Achab when Iesabel did so persecute the true Prophetes 〈◊〉 they were compelled to hyde them selues in Caues and DeÌ„nes of the earth Eliâ—â— tolde the kynge that there shoulde bee 〈◊〉 dewe nor rayne in all the countrye but at his woorde whan he sayde it should be for God had geuen that priuilege too the Prophete to set foorth his doctrine it rained not of three yeares and a halfe nor was any dewe but greate hunger famine and â—â—arcenes of all fruites in the countrye So nowe when Gods house laye vnbuilded the heauens did not water the earth but great barennes was of all thinges This is one of the plages that God threatens to sende on all countries for contemninge his woord sayinge I wil make heaâ—â—n as harde as brasse ouer youre heads 〈◊〉 ye shall not wringe out of it a droppe 〈◊〉 or rayne to comfort the earthe and I will make the earthe as harde as yron that it shall not geue her fruite and so for false worshippinge of God all countries haue ben diuers tymes thus punished Englande hath had many great droughtes and dearthes bothe in the time of Popâ—ri the gospell but if ye marke it well you shall finde greate diuersitie betwixte 〈◊〉 In the dearthes vnder the gospell it was not for wante of thinges that God 〈◊〉 not send them pleÌ„teously but through the wickednes of man whiche in so great plenty and blessinges of God made a neâ—â—â—es dearth For farmes were raised that farmers mighte not foorthe to sell 〈◊〉 they were wont Many thinges were gotten into few mens handes thei woulde sell as thei list not as thiÌ„gs were worth â–ª according to charitie beinge content with a reasonable gaines Corne was cariâ—â— out of the realme or solde through many handes or it came to the markets euery one woulde raise the price and haue sâ—me parte of gaines some woulde feede their Hogs with it els let it foist in their barnes be eateÌ„ with myse rather then they would bring it to the market to pull doâ—â— the price Men of honor worship were 〈◊〉 come shepemaisters and grasiers tyllâ—â—â— was turned into pastur and townes 〈◊〉 graunges all not to make thinges â—â—â—per whiche might haue suffered but â—â—â—rer which was is hurtful not tollerable But since the Pope was restored 〈◊〉 haue had vnseasonable weather bothe 〈◊〉 weate and droughte the earth hathe 〈◊〉 brought foorth her fruit strauÌ„gers 〈◊〉 deuoured much of that whiche ye had All your latin processions singing of gospelâ— vnder
sayd with a voice heard from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased hear hym Or els it maye well be taken for the promise whiche is written in the .22 of Exodus where it is sayde beholde I wil sende my aūgel or messenger before thee and he shal leade thee in the waye shall driue all thy ennemies oute before thee whose lande thou shalte posses This Aūgell was Christe Iesus who is called the Aungell of the greate counsayle because he broughte from the bosome of his father the secrete counsayle of God and preached hys greate loue to the worlde An aungell is no more but a messenger or Embassadoure from God to declare and preache his will and pleasure to the worlde And that Christe was present with the Israelites and guided thē in the wildernesse Sainct Paule telleth playne that they tempted Christe and murmured agaynst him and Christe was the rocke The meaning and effecte of this promise is no more but that as God was presente with their fathers whan he brought them out of Egipt and deliuered them oute of al daungers were thei neuer so many nor so great brought them in to the land that he promised thē So he woulde nowe be present with them deliuer them and finishe their woorke yf they woulde woorke earnestlye neyther mistrusting hys mercie but that he would be with them and defende them againste the rulers whiche hated them nor fearing his power but that he was able too perfourme his promise vnto them If wee mistruste eyther his good will towardes vs that he will not or hys power that he can not delyuer vs wee prouoke his anger too deuoure vs and can not looke for helpe at his handes to saue vs for nothing offendes hys maiestie more then mistrust vnfaithfulnes or doubtinge as sainct Iames sayth he that doubtes is like a waue of water driuen with wynde too and fro and that man whiche so doubtes can lok◠too obtayne nothinge at Gods handes he gyues all hys giftes too them that bee faythefull and beleue that hee is bothe a true God perfourmyng all that he promyses merciful and willing to help al which in their neede call vpon hym and able too fulfill all that he saieth They that either doubte or denye his offered mercie or power to helpe denye hym to be a God Therfore feare not but beleue me too be youre God and I will deliuer you and defende you as I did youre fathers and ye shall finish this temple by my protection As I did bring them into the lande which I promised them ▪ droue out their enemies and gaue them the lande to dwell in So according to this promise it came to passe to this people now for in .4 yeares space next folowing they finished that tēple as Esdras teaches So good spede had they after that they beleued his promise that he woulde be with them But here maye be moued a greate question howe this is true that God saieth by this Prophet here that he broughte them out of Egipt whā this people neuer came there but about a .1000 years before Moyses brought out their fathers through the read sea where Pharao was drouned after that he would not beleue the great wonders wrought in his sight nor fear the Lord that had so oftē greuously plaged hym for hādling his peple so cruelly The scripture vses oft to geue that which was done to the fathers as thoughe it were done to the chyldren As when Melchisedecke tooke tithes of Abraham he is saide also to haue takē tithes of Leui whiche was not borne of many yeares after because he was conteined in the loynes of Abraham and afterwarde borne of his stocke and sede So likewise saieth sainct Paule By one man sinne entered into the worlde and by syn death and hath gone through all in whō all haue sinned So we all that now liue or hereafter shall doe all before vs haue sinned in Adam and broken Gods commaundemente as well as Adam did because we were conteined in his loines as it were parte of him and toke our sinfull nature of him in his sede posteritie As we see those ryuers which spring out of littel welles are of thesame nature that the head and springe is whereof thei come though they runne .2 or 300. myle of thorough diuers countries and as those crabbes are soure this daye that growe on the crabbe tree whiche is .200 or .300 yeares olde because the first roote and plāte was sower So wee all be sinfull that be borne of Adam and soure as he was because he the first tree was suche a one the spring whereof we come was corrupte filthye So likewise God saieth he broughte thys people out of Egipt whiche neuer hadde ben there because he deliuered their fathers thence in whose loynes they were conteined and should haue ben born ther and subiect to thesame slauerie that their fathers were if God of his greate mercie mightie power had not deliuered their fathers thence and broughte them into the lande whiche he promised them And as the mercie whiche had ben receiued in times paste is a token argument of like merci and grace to be shewed when soeuer wee stande in the like neede and distresse soo here that they shoulde loke for a sure helpe at Goddes hande nowe in these daungers that they were in he putteth theym in remembraunce of that greate deliueraunce whiche not their fathers onelye but they also had before out of Egipt that they should not be afraide now but loke for sure help The daunger was greater before oute of whiche thei were deliuered and yet they escaped it So now Gods power and good will beinge no lesse towarde theym then before they shoulde loke for the like helpe of God as before He promises theym here that his spirite shoulde dwell with them therefore they shoulde not be afraide For as before he sent his Aungell to guyde them in the wildernesse so now he woulde sende hys holy spirite vnto them to dwell with thē whiche shoulde teache them all thinges that they doubted of or were ignoraunte in shoulde comforte theym in all daungers and distresse and deliuer them from al perilles that were towarde them therfore they shoulde not feare But as the other parte of the promise concernes Christ whiche shoulde come to deliuer them out of spirituall bōdage and slauerye of sinne and the spiritual Egipt So this part here concernes the sendinge of the holy Ghoste whome Christ sayde he woulde send to dwell with vs and be our comfortour to the ende And as the buylding of this second tēple betokens the churche of Christ builded by the preaching of the Gospell So here is the holy Ghoste promised whiche he sayde should not come excepte he wente awaye from them Thys spirite is called a comforter because he strengthēs vs in all our trouble he
is the spirite of truthe because he leades vs into all truth and putteth vs in remembraunce of all thinges whyche Christ him self caught before but no new doctrine he bringes of his owne And because our sauiour Christ is taken from vs in hys bodelye presence he promises vs that this spirite shall dwell with vs not for a tyme but too the ende and therefore wee shoulde not feare But is this a sufficient cause too perswade a man that he should not fear the power of kinges or worldly trouble because the spirite of God dwelles with hym yea truly For what spirite can preuayle against the holy spirit which is the power of God It is written of Gedeon whan he enterprised that venterous acte to fight againste Gods enemies that the spirite of the Lorde bid clothe and defend Gedeon as our clothes doe vs and so he obteined that noble victorie with so few agaiÌ„st so many And not to be afraide in suche trouble is the woorke of the holy Ghoste as Esaie called hym the spirite of boldnes strength and wisedom Peter whan he denied hys maister for the woordes of an handmaide after he receiued the holy Ghoste did and durste confesse hym too the deathe before princes and rulers So sayde oure sauiour Christe to hys Apostles when ye shal staÌ„d before Kyngs and rulers take no thought what or howe ye shall speake for in that houre it shal be geuen vnto you what you shall speake For it is not you that speake but the spirite of youre father which speaketh in you And although to worldly wisedome thys spirite seemes but a small thinge yet it is moste true that s â–ª Paule saith that which is folishnes before God is wyser then me and that whiche is weake before God is stronger then men And he that hath this spirite dwellinge in hym needes not too feare any power be it neuer so greate for if God be for vs who shall be againste vs and if he take his breath and spirite from the mightiest princes they are troubled vade awaye verse 6 For thus saieth the Lorde of hostes yet one litle time shal be and I will trouble the heauens and the earth the sea the lande verse 7 And I will trouble all people and the desire of all people shall come and I wil fyll thys house with glory saieth the Lorde of hostes ¶ The Prophete goeth on forth with this comforth to all people and promises not onely that God woulde be with theym in hys buyldinge whiche they shoulde finish in fewe yeares folowinge but intoâ— the temple also which thei did now build God woulde sende his sonne Christ Iesus to preache his fathers will whom all people looked for and desired hys comminge and he woulde fyll that house with glory that they shoulde not neede to care for the smalnes of it if they woulde onelye with courage woorke God woulde fulfill the rest And that they shoulde know him too be able to fulfyll hys promise he cals hym selfe by the glorious name of the Lorde of hostes so often here in these verses that they maye vnderstande all creatures too bee at hys commaundement that none coulde preuaile againste that whiche he woulde haue done as is saide before But this is a straunge kynde of comforte too tell theym of suche a trouble as shoulde trouble heauen and earth sea laÌ„d and all people and yet they should be glad of it and that it shoulde come not long after The tyme when this trouble chauÌ„ced was about .500 yeares after that this prophete had thus spoken and yet he cals it but one litle time And this maye well bee called a litle tyme in respecte of God with whome all thinges are present before hys sighte withoute tyme and a .1000 â–ª yeares with hym is as yesterdaye which is paste and he hym selfe is before all times not coÌ„teyned in tyme but liuing for euer wythout tyme. Or els it is called a little tyme in respect of that longe time wherin their fathers had so long looked for the coÌ„ming of Christ and so muche desired hym and yet see hym not It was now aboue 3000. yeare since he was promised to AdaÌ„ about 2000. since he was so often spoken of too Abraham and .1000 since it was renued to Moyses and after to all the Prophetes from tyme too tyme in respecte of whiche 500. maye well be called a litle tyme. This trouble whiche he sayeth shoulde trouble heauen earthe sea lande and all people is described by these mightie wordes to set out the greatnesse of the trouble by the figure called Hyperbole and not the trouble was suche that heauen earth sea and lande shoulde feele it be troubled therewith whiche are insensible creatures and can feele nothinge that troubles them but thus by these woordes the scripture vses too tell the greatnes of any thinge that it speakes of Moyses and Esaye because the people were harde hearted and woulde not heare their sayinges to set foorthe theyr hardnes of heart and the greatnes of that message which they had froÌ„ God to speake saye thus â–ª Heare ye heaueÌ„s and geue care thou earth c. Sainct Paule saieth by the like figure euery creature grones and trauayles lookinge for the laste daye wherin they shall be deliuered froÌ„ this vayn corruptioÌ„ wherin they serue not because deade creatures can grone or trauayle but for the great desire that they haue to see that day of oure redeÌ„ption fulfilled as the woman whiche trauels grones desires too be deliuered out of her payn to be restored to her former quietnes or els it may be taken that all creatures in all these places should be troubled But if this trouble shoulde be so great how can it be a promise of ioye and comfort Who can be merye to hear tel of such a greate trouble Surelye this is not promised to the euil but to the good For as our Lord maister Christ saieth speaking of the trouble that should be in the destructioÌ„ of Ierusalem the latter ende of the world woo be to theÌ„ that be with chyld geue sucke in those daies the wicked shall wish the hyls to fal on theÌ„ hide theÌ„ â–ª thei shuld seke for death â–ª it shuld flee froÌ„ theÌ„ So he saith to the good in the midst of all the desperat â—orow wherin the euil man caÌ„not tel what to Lifte ye vp your heades and bee merye for your redemption and deliueraunce is at hande So after this shorte time that he speaketh of this greate trouble whiche shall be at the byrthe preachinge miracles and deathe of oure sauioure Christe shoulde be but onely to the wicked For the good men shoulde as muche and more reioyce because of that daye of saluation and redemption was comen he whome all people looked for had now appeared to the comfort of all good men And thys trouble shoulde not be so
man will see his house pulled doune ouer his head but he will restore it A good burgmaister and ruler of a citie will prouide necessaries for his that he hais rule ouer therfore seinge our God hays taken all these names and offices on him doubt not but he will doe his part for vs if wee doe not runne from him He settes not deputies to doe his office nor is not wery of well doinge He beares not the name of these offices and refuses the labor as men doe but he sais by Salomon My delite is to be with the chyldren of men and by Dauid he neither slumbers nor slepes that watches Israel verse 17 But in the hyll Syon shal be eschaping and there shall be holines and the house of Iacob shall possesse the enheritaunce of them which possessed hys verse 18 And the house of Iacob shall be fire the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau for stuble shal burne them and shall deuoure thē and there shal be no remnant of the house of Esau for the Lorde hays spoken it verse 19 They shall possesse the south parte of the hyll Esau the playne countrie of the Philistines and they shall possesse the countre of Ephraim and the coūtrie of Samaria Bēiamin shall possesse Galaad verse 20 And the captiuite of this hoste of the chyldrē of Israel those whiche be the Cananites vnto Zarphat and the captiuitie of Ierusalem whiche be in Sepharad shall possesse the cytyes of the South verse 21 And there shall come sauiours in to the hyll Syon to iudge the hyl Esau and the kyngdome shall be the Lords ¶ Marke here the diuerse ende of the good and bad the persecuted and the persecutor the true Christian and the hypocrite the gospeller and the papiste The wicked florishes for a time but his ende is euerlastinge damnation the manne of God lokinge for an other kyngdome than on the earth is content to beare the crosse here vnder hope of that which is to come The stocke of Esau hays hitherto triumphed againste Iacob Goddes people but now whan his wickednes is ripe the Lord rewarde him accordinge to his desertes The hyll Esau afore reioiced in his strōg holdes wealthy countrie and the leages made with al neighbors round about thē but now in the hill Sion shall be safe esscapinge whan Edom shal haue no place to flee vnto In Sion that is Ierusalem and Goddes elect beloued people shall be holines the true worshipping of God the hole sanctuarie and temple where Gods holy name shall be called vpon where as Esau in the meane time is defiled with Idolatrie and geuen vp to the handes of the gentils Yea and furthermore Iacob shal possesse the lande of them that possessed his And although God haue promised to godlines not onely in the worlde to come but in this life also great blessings as appeares by Iob Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid Iosias Ezechias Iosaphat whiche were of greate ryches yet this place doe I not thinke to be so vnderstand that Iacob should euer possesse the landes of Esau although the scriptur says that Dauid Iacob ouercame the Edomites But I think rather vnder this outward kingdom to be prophetied that the kyngdom of Christ as the Prophetes vse by worldlye prosperite to declare the spiritual felicite by the preachinge of the Gospell shoulde be enlarged in those coūtries which were now enemies to God and his people and so the spirituall seede of Iacob the Christians shoulde by preachinge conferre and possesse Esau his lande and the gentyls whiche so sore hated and persecuted them afore This is the nature of Goddes people to be good to the◠which hate them and to winne them all to God which haue done them moste displeasures and this is the nature of God to cal thē which be hys vtter enemies soften their stony hearts to make theym meete houses for the holy ghoste to dwel in in the middest of their raging persecution to smite them doune as he did Saul raise them vp make thē Paules of wolues sheepe of haters louers of the truthe Thus shall Esau be destroied whan his Idolatrie superstitiō false goddes such wickednes shall be taken awaye and Iacob shall possesse him whan he shal turne him too the true worshipping of the liuing god forsaking their Idols superstitions and folow true religion What can be counted a greater conquest than to conquere the deuil make all people subiect to Christ. After rebukinge their sinne threatening them iuste punishment for thesame now folowes cōfort as euer after the lawe preached folowes the gospel after correction comes grace pardō Siō is the church congregation of Christe faithfull men beleuing in him so that whosoeuer flees thither shal be safe whosoeuer is not vnder his winges in the nūber of christen people shal perishe in the dai of his wrath As all liuing creatures which were not in the Arke with Noe did perishe with the waters so al that be not of goddes houshold shal be cast into outward darknes This other promise that God makes here vntoo the faithfull seede of Iacob that hays hys faith is most notable confortable In the hyl Sion the church of Christ there shal be the holy one as 70. reade or holines as other or the sanctuarye as summe holy place to worship God in purely It skilles not muche whiche we reade for the sens◠is al one the meaning is that the churche and faithful people of Christ shal not wāt the true religion knowledge of god For the church of Christ is the spouse of Christ and his mistical bodye and if mortal men loue their wyues bodies so derelye that they wil not forsake them or leaue theim comfortles muche lesse will Christe oure sauiour not forsake vs after that he hays redemed vs seing he bought vs and loue vs so derely beinge hys ennemies Thys is than the greatest token of goddes loue to hys people whanne he gyues them hys true religion and therefore mooste earnestly too bee enbraced of vs And thys is the blessinge taken frome Esau and geuen to Iacob If we reade the holy one he is Christe whiche promised to bee with vs to the ende of the worlde he is made to vs of God oure father righteousnes holines wisedom and redemption because that who soeuer is holy receyues it of him and none is holy that hais it not of him though he haue bulles calues pardons reliques holy water holye asshes holy palmes holy crosse yea and all the holines that is in Rome if he haue not the spirite of Christe I am sure they will not saye they sell the holy Ghoste whan they sell pardons for that were symony therfore thei bye no holines in them If we reade holines than it is an vpright lyfe true faith with pure worshipping of God This is the wil of God says sainct
Paul your holines As they haue but one God so they will worshippe him onely and as he hais taught them and not after the deuise of man thei will also studie for a holy life as God commaundes Be ye holy for I am holy And if we reade a holy place or sanctuari to worshippe God in it is true also for in all persecutions in the spite of the Pope and all Antichrist there hays ben in all ages and shal be for God so sayinge can not lye true professors of God althoughe the moste parte of the worlde was blinded So Christe coÌ„forts his sayinge feare not thou litel flocke Thus in Christes churche in spite of their foes shall euer be Christ the heade knit to the bodye necessarely and as he is holy so shal he make them holy that heng vpon him so gouerne them by his spirite that they shall euer folow a holy kinde of lyfe fleinge mischiefe and vnclennes and so shal thei haue also his sanctuari and holy place where to resort to worship their God here is worde and call vpoÌ„ him AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob Dauid in their waÌ„drings called vppon their God taughte their chyldren too feare the Lorde made their sacrifices and God reueled him self to them againe and neuer forsaked them In the captiuite of Babylon thoughe not in the temple yet they coulde by the water bankes singe psalmes on their instrumentes Whanne Christ was crucified the disciples kepte them together in a chamber praying and loking for the cominge of the holy Ghoste after whan persecution beganne some went to other countries some from house to house teachinge prayinge communicatinge and dealinge to the poore Paule sayes at Philippes by the water side thei were wonte too praye and in the middes blindnes of all Poperi hayes there euer ben some good men teachinge true doctrine and openinge their blasphemies for this can not be false that Christ promised his churche When the spirite whicâ— is the comforter shal come he shall leade you into all truthe I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde he that is of God heareth the woordes of God you heare not for because ye are not of God And my shepe heare my voice a straunger they doe not folow Therefore let all that be vnder the crosse and persecution se thei assemble together to praise God openly confesse him if it be possible or at the leste as muche as they maye folowing the example of the faithfull christians in the beginninge whiche in spite of their foes coulde not be holden from assembling together with prayers and songes afore the daye was lighte nor lette any papiste reioyce againste goddes scatered and persecuted flocke for this is the state and condition of goddes people and preachinge the gospell that they shal not want a crosse yet God will performe this promise that in Sion the holy one Christe will be with them to gouerne them in holines of lyfe purenes of religion and an earnest fayth trustinge in God and will geue theym a place to call vpon hym in that his might mercy grace to his people may appeare to the worlde in the sight of his enemies Whan Abraham and Iacob fledde into Egipte the EgiptiaÌ„s learned God which afore neuer heard of him in the captiuite of Babylon the Caldees Assyrians Babylonions Medes and Parsians with al other people amonge whome the Iewes were scatered lerned God of them WhaÌ„ persecution beganne in Ierusalem after Christes Ascension the disciples scatered by persecution went and preached Christ to the Heathen whiche afore heard not of him In Englande after Wiclefs death whan persecution arose some died for the trueth constantly some fledde into Boemia and broughte the gospell thyther where it continues to this day although bothe Emperoure and Pope with al their mighte many sharp battels and bloudde sheddinge woulde haue rooted it oute What great assaulte the poore Waldeses haue suffered at diuers French kings handes goinge aboute to haue destroied them for their religion beinge a fewe in number and yet coulde neuer deface theÌ„ this .360 yeares it is piteous to heare Thus is this euer true that in Sion the true church of Christ shal be the holy one Christ sanctifieng all that beleue in him there shal be holines in faithe religion maners to the prayse of God there shal be also a sanctuari and holy place with asseÌ„bles in spite of their foes and persecutioÌ„ does not hurt but rather increase and further true religion thoughe not in the greater yet in the better parte of men For who soeuer the holy ghoste does enflame with an earnest zele to his religion they canne not kepe it within them they canne not abide to see their God and his woord blasphemed thei will braste oute and declare their faith and saye the earnest loue towardes thy house hais eaten me as oure Sauioure Christe did whan he see the teÌ„ple his fathers house so misused and hys religion contemned he gate whippes and droue them out Ieremie sayes the worde of God was to hym as a burninge fyre in his hearte and closed within his boones that he was not able too keepe it within him but woulde brust out This victory is sette oute more at large in the nexte verses folowinge where hee sayes the house of Iacob shal be fyre the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau the stable c. Here is no description of horse haines gunnes any greate hoste or such other worldly things where in princes doe conquire and triumphe As the house of Iacob is spirituall and the kyngdome of Christe so be the weapons souldiers and victorie The swords where with thei faught were as the apostle sais the woorde of god which is sharper than any twooedged swoord and perâ—es more the soule conqueres the affections pulles doune hygh stoÌ„mackes deper than the swoorde can the bodye The gunnes were the Apostles words as Iames and Ioan were called the sonnes of thunder because with suche great power thei thundered terribly preached and feared carnall mindes more than the thuÌ„der does and threw doune sinne more than any gunnes coulde the walles Whan Peter at two sermons conuerted 5000. and Paul filled all countries frome Ierusalem to Illyzicum with the gospell what Emperour is able to bee compared of suche men of warre Whan Charles the .5 Emperour beganne to raygne Luter and Zuinglius began thesame time to preache and whither he hays throwen doune stopped and hindered the gospell more with al the help that his gostly and superstitious prelates coulde gyue than they with their scholers haue set it foorth and shewed the wickednes of Popery defaced his pompe let them selues iudge The Pope with his partakers haue had strength power politie wit wisedome armure gunnes horses harnes men and money and whatsoeuer they could deuise these other haue foughten with preachiÌ„g writing and giuing
haters of them should rather be turned to them The Cananites be called of some men the Germanes Zarphat is thought too bee Fraunce and Sepharad Spaine by the Rabbines so that euen the vtmost parts of the worlde shal folow theym For in to these partes it is writen of some that the Apostles came or at lest their doctrine as Dauid says their sounde wente out in to the hole earth but whither they or their scholers came to teache the gospel it skilles not the thinge is proued plaine that these couÌ„tries once receiued the word faith of Christ howsoeuer thei be nowe drowned in Popery or fallen to Heathen Idolatry which shal be rooted out at leÌ„gth to notwtstaÌ„ding their malitiousnes now Haue not al the wicked tyrans Idolaters which raigned once in all these couÌ„tries be driueÌ„ out by the light of Gods word their cruelnes coulde not stoppe the faith of the Christians neyther with fyre swoorde nor any cruel deathe thei coulde imagine Yea the more cruell they were in persecutinge the more earnest were they in professinge and the mo they putte to death the mo encreased as Augustine sayes Christian men were bonden caste in pryson beaten racked burned cut in peces as butchers cut their fleshe â–ª kylled yet notwithstandinge all this they multiplied and encreased The laste verse promises Sauiors too come and iudge and the kingedome to be the Lordes This is notable to consider in the kyngedome of Christe that whiche is contrary to earthly kyngdomes Worldly princes whan they goe too conquere a countrie thei goe with fire and and swerde to destroye all that withstaÌ„de them but in Christes kyngedome there come sauiors to preache saluation too rebelles his enemies and haters if thei wil repent Earthely princes come with gunnes horse and barnes Christes disciples come to conquire the deuill and his members without bagge staf or money mortall priÌ„ces come with might and power of men the preachers of Christes kyngdom â–ª come in the might of Gods spirite which opens the eyes of the blinde and softens stony heartes and turnes theym too the Lorde Worldly princes do muche by flattery bribery or threatning to win the people but christes ministers come in mekenes of spirit prayinge and besechinge sekinge not their own vaÌ„tage but the turninge of the poore straye sheepe that they maye bringe theym home too the folde agayne Earthely princes feighte for an earthy kyngedome but the preachers of Christes gospel teache the way to heaueÌ„ peace of conscience the loue and fauor of God purchassed by the death of Christ Iesus â–ª So in all pointes as heauen earthe are contrarie soo are the kingdomes the ministers and subiectes of theym bothe the waye to conquere and compasse them bothe the meanes to enioye them bothe and the pleasures in them bothe whanne we haue gotten them Yet notwithstandinge all thinges in them be so contrary and worldly menne by all wayes possible goe aboute too stoppe and hinder the gettinge of the other heauenlye kyngedome to withdrawe men frome it and enuye the glorie and encrease of it yet the kingdome shall be the Lords in spite of all his foes and their malitious enterprises shal come to nought They be called sauiours because thei teache the woorde of saluation and iudges because thei will be rigâ—â—teous and neyther for giftes bribery nor partialitie deliuer the wicked and condemne the innocent but vprightly accordinge to the scripture preache saluation to the penitent and condemnation too the harde herted Their iudginge shall not be in worldlye maters no more than their preachinge and sauing but as their ministery is spirituall so shall their commission iudgemente and deliueraunce be In Esau is ment hypocrites persecutors false teachers and all euyll doers Saincte Paul sayes to Timothe that in doinge these thinges whiche he taughte hym he shoulde saue him selfe and these that hearde him Saincte Iames called the gospell the woorde that can saue their soules and too the Romaines it is called the power of God vnto saluation of euery one that beleues because the mightye power of God howe he saues vs is dâ— declared in it But Christ is onely the Sauiour properly speakinge and other bee but ministers and teachers of thesame for there is no other name as saincte Luke sayes vnder heauen in whiche we muste bee saued Thus in the churche of Christ Sion shall be euer saluation preached iudgemente ministred and sinne punished Woo than be to theym that flatter laye pillowes vnder their elbowes teach false doctrine c. And yet will haue the rowmes and names of preachers in the house and churche of Christe they be Wolues hierelinges and deuourers of the flocke of Christe Christe sayes he came to the iudgemente of the worlde too condemne the woorkes of the worlde and so for the same vse he geues hys spirite still too hys ministers to sette vp hys kyngedom and condemne the woorkes of the worlde antichrist and his enemies A kyngdom can not stande without ministering of iustice punyshinge sinne and maintaininge the trueth deliuering the innocent repenter and condemninge obstinates So the ministers of Christes kyngedome haue power spirituall to louse and binde as they see the scriptures teache them Receyue ye the holy ghoste whose sinnes you forgeue thei are forgeuen but not whan soeuer syr Ihon lacklatin wil for money lay his hand on his heade whisper Absolutione et remissione c. in Latin that neither he nor the other weake conscience vnderstaÌ„des it is not I saye by and by forgeuen but vnto them it is saide I will curse youre blessinges and I will blesse youre cursinges If the absolution be not geuen to the penitent heart oppressed with the burden of sinne and sekinge comforte in Christe it is no more profitable thanne Baptisme or the Communion is too an hypocrite or vnpenitente synner Yea rather it is to the condemnation bothe of the gyuer and receyuer if it bee vngodly done because they misuse the good ministery of God Therefore they that in absoluinge iudge not accordinge too the commission of Gods woorde committed vnto them be not sauiours of the people but deceiuers And where he sayes the kyngedome shall be the Lords â–ª he condemnes all that teache any doctrine in the churche to sette vp any other kynge or kyngedom but the woorde of God whiche be hys lawes geuen to hys people that they maye lyue accordinge thereto knowinge them to be hys subiectes and hym their kynge that so his kyngedome maye encrease and bee ruled by his lawes as earthy princes rule by their lawes Therfore the Pope teachinge hys Decrees settinge vp him selfe and hys kyngedome as though he were Lorde of heauen and earthe purgatorye and hell and bringinge the people to hys obedience as the chiefe ruler is traytour to God and deceiues the people And to saincte Peter whose vicar he sayes he is he muste nedes bee proued mooste vnlike and a traitour