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 first verse conteynetâ— the tytle which briefly noteth what the thing is by whome it was vttered agaynst what place and people and in what time It is a vision that is a prophesie or reuelation declared by almightie God and therefore not to be esteemed as any maâ—s deuise and vttered by Esaias the sonne of Amos descending of the royall lyne of the kings of Iuda Who prophecied in the raignes of Ozias Ioathan Achas and Ezechias as it may be thought by the space of fourescore yeares And vttered this prophecie agaynst the nation of Iurie and Hierusalem the chiefe and royall citie thereof that is to say against that Nation that God had chosen of all other for his peculier people and had mainteyned and preserued it with great benefites and yet nowe was fallen from his true worshippe vnto Idolatrie sinne and wickednesse And therefore sayth he Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken c. That he may the more earnestly mooue that dul and hard harted people he beginneth with a tragicall exclamation and calleth heauen earth to witnesse agaynst them as if he had sayde Forsomuch as the vnthankfulnesse and wicked stubburnnesse of this people is such as they will giue no eare to the worde of God earnestly calling them to repentaunce I turne my speeche to you O heauens and speake to thee O earth Though heauen be 〈◊〉 of yet â—â—ely it will heare though the earth be hard and stonie yet it will relent and be moued but this people will not bend this Nation will by no meanes be reclaymed * Yea they are more dull and vnâ—â—nsible in the vnderstanding of Gods will and of his great goodnesse toward them than the 〈…〉 beastes are For what Oxe doth not from 〈◊〉 himselfe to his mayster that keepeth him What Asse doth not acknowledge and looue those that feede him But my people sayth the Lord whom I haue cherished whome I haue * fostered as my * children with all care and tendernesse do not onely with vnthankfull mindes forget my benefites but with stonie and stubburne heartes refuse to heare my calling and in all maner of wickednesse bende themselues against me and striue to prouoke my wrath and indignation agaynst them Whie should ye be stricken any more for ye are euer falling away c. From the beginning of the fift verse to the tenth he doth greatly amplifie their wayward stubburnnesse declaring that as they could not be woonne to repentance nor mooued to turne to their gracious Lorde by consideration of his exceeding great benefites towarde them so neyther could they be reclaymed nor anye thing at all mooued with the grieuous plagues and punishmentes which to that onely purpose as a mercifull father he had brought vppon them but rather by the same hys plagues they increased in stubburnnesse waxed euery day worse than other And therfore sayth he To what ende should I plague or scourge you with aduersitie any further seeing your obstinacie is such as you will increase in wickednesse and still heape sinne vpon sinne and offence vpon offence The Realme of Iurie may well be resembled to a mans bodie the heade and heart whereof is the Citie Hierusalem and the King and Princes with the residue of the inhabitants thereof and the other cities and townes as the inferiour members All which I haue grieuously touched with my seuere iustice and sharpe punishments so that from the * crowne of the head to the sole of the foote from the highest Citie to the lowest Village from the noblest person to the basest subiect there is none but he hath felt the bitter smart thereof and that in such sort as no Phisition is hable to cure or heale their festured sores that is nor King nor Counsaylour nor Prince nor Priest nor Prophete can helpe the miserie of this kingdome and restore it to the prestinate state and integritie againe Their lande lyeth waste their Cities are burnt with fire straungers possesse their Countrey their possessions are spoyled their royall Citie Hierusalem is left desolate as a lodge in a vineyard or a Cotage in a Cucumber garden that hath no house neere vnto it their people are slaine their glorie decaied their strength consumed yea if the Lorde of hys great mercy had not * left theÌ„ some coÌ„fort through the promised séede of Messiah their desolation had beene euen as the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha and yet I say all this notwithstanding are their hearts nothing mooued to repent or to turne to the Lorde for mercie Heare the worde of the Lorde ye Lordes of Sodoma and hearken c. And for that they did flatter themselues in the middes of this great wickednesse with a vaine opinion of hypocriticall iustice and superstitious worshipping of God as thoughe by suche meanes they should winne his fauour towarde them The Lorde plainly sheweth that he doth lothe and abhorre their sacrifices and offerings their festiuall dayes and their solempne meetinges yea though they were commaunded by his owne lawe so long as they were voyde of * inwarde holinesse of heart and minde and distayned with sinne and wickednesse both before God and the worlde In which place the more to mooue them almightie God seemeth to labour with diuersitie of woordes to lette them vnderstande how little account he maketh of such externall worshipping being destitute of true holinesse right worshipping in spirite in truth VVhy offer you sayth he so many sacrifices c. I am full of them I haue no pleasure in them VVho required them at your hands Offer no more It is but lost labour It is * abhominable vnto me I may not away with them They are wicked I hate them They make me weary I cannot abide them I will not heare your prayers I will turne mine eyes from you By all which wordes God sheweth how little he regardeth hipocrisie where true holinesse waÌ„teth Then from the sixtenth verse to the .xxj he sheweth what is the right way to winne his fauour Make you cleane sayth he put away your wicked thoughts and deuises Ceasse from doing euil Learne to do good Applie your selues to equitie Deliuer the oppressed Helpe the fatherlesse Heare the widowes complaint For these are the true fruites of right repentance And then If your sinnes were as red as scarlet in token that you had deserued bloud and confusion they shall be as white as snow in testimonie that by Gods mercie ye be cleared from them This if you will doe the Lorde will looke fauourably on you and prosper you but if you continue obstinate and rebellious as hytherto you haue done the sworde of Gods wrath shal vtterly deuour you for his owne mouth hath spoken it and therefore thinke not that it is mans worde onely How happeneth it then that the faithfull Citie which was full of equitie c. From the .xxj. to the
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