worde vpon vs and we lyke most brutyshe beastes hauing as yet refused the same and taken no delyght at all therein let vs harken what he sayth vnto vs. Unto whom shall I speake and admonishe sayth the Lord that they may heare Beholde their cares are vncircumcised and they can not hearken beholde the worde of the Lorde is vnto them as a reproch and they haue no delight at all therein For the Pastores they are become as beasts and haue not sought the Lord therefore haue they none vnderstanding And the wise men of the worlde they are ashamed of the worde of God Lo saith the Lord. They haue reiected the worde of the Lord and therefore what wysedome can there be in them And the people lykewyse they are spoyled for lacke of knowledge and haue also refused it Therfore heare O earth sayth the Lord I wyll cause a Plague to come vpon this people euen the fruite of their owne imaginations and because they haue refused knowledge I wyll also refuse them and as they haue not taken heede vnto my worde but cast it off euen so wyll I cast off them Wherfore seeing that the Lord hath commaunded the earth to heare what a controuersie he hath therewith and euer more hath had and onely for the contempt and reiecting of his holy worde and we as full of impietie in that kinde as euer any Nation was My purpose is to bring to your remembraunce his iudgementes of olde and to lay them before your eyes as the Prophet sayth he did before his to the end that who so is wyse amongst you as sayth the same Prophet may obserue and vnderstand these thinges and also beholde with the Apostle both the louing kindnes and the seueritie of the Lord His louing kindnes towardes all those that haue delighted in his holy word and by faith imbraced his couenantes therein conteyned and with willingnes obeyed his commandementes and his seuerity against all those that haue rebelled against him and the same That so when you haue heard seene how seuere a Iudge the Lord is you may with all speede euen while it is called To day get you to the Booke of God that so you may heare his voyce and to plough vp the fallowe grounde of your hart that so that immortall seede of the worde of God may take such deepe roote therein as that it may beget you anew euen to the bringing foorth of fruite not only of thyrty or sixty folde but also euen of a full hundreth The which the Lord for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs euery one Amen The Iudgementes of God vpon the Angelles that sinned and likewyse vpon our fyrst Parentes and the rest of the olde worlde SO farre foorth as the Scripture speaketh of Angelles or of other creatures or of any other matter els whatsoeuer so farre may we be bolde to speake and not further For the hid thinges belonge vnto the Lorde but the reuealed thynges belonge vnto vs and our chyldren for euer sayth Moses First then for those Angels which through rebellion agaynst the Lorde beganne to exalt them selues not being contented with their first estate but grudging therat and also repining at the glorious estate of Mankinde and so leauing their owne habitation and calling them the Lord hath not spared but cast them downe euen into the bottomles pit of Hell and hath delyuered them into cheynes of darknes to be kept vnto damnation euen vnto the Iudgement of the great and terrible day of the Lorde Agayne our fyrst Parentes whom the Lorde had created in so glorious an estate euen after his owne image and lykenes and giuen them rule ouer the workes of his handes and dominion and Lordshyp ouer all his creatures yet full sone forgate they his precepts and cast off his commaundementes Wherefore he suffered not them to continue in this their fyrst honour but presently tooke he away euen all their glory and so they became lyke vnto the Beastes that peryshe And through that one offence of theirs sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne which death went ouer all men for asmuch as all men haue sinned for by that one offence the fault came on all men to their vtter condemnation And Kain their eldest Sonne who was of the wicked euen that seede of the Serpent that should begin to bruse the heele of the seede of the woman hee I say made plaine their corruption for he continued in striuing against the Lord and despised the couenant of saluation pronounced to his father Adam in Paradise the which couâ—…nant he was taught as well as his brother Abell and yet would he not imbrace the same by faith as his brother did but made a mocke thereat and trode vnder foote the Sonne of God So that this his great wickednes by the euent appeared in that he murdered his owne brother whereby hee shewed himselfe to be of his Father the Deuill who as our Sauiour sayth was a murderer from the beginning that is to say from the very first day of Adam his creation for the which cause this Kaâ—…n had an open curse and was excommunicated from the presence of the Lorde euen as a vacabonde and a runnagate giuen ouer to his owne wayes His wicked posteritie as rotten braunches of an euill roâ—…te hold on in the lyke vngodly dealings and euill sayings Unto whom Henoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied saying Beholde you wicked ones the Lorde commeth with thousands of his Saincâ—…s to giue iudgement against al men and to rebuke all the vngodly amongst them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodlie committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against the Lorde Now if you will know what they sayd the holy Ghost doth tell you how that they sayde vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and lykewise they asked what the almightie colde do for them notwithstanding he had filled their houses with all good things Yea and moreouer though Noe were a Preacher of righteousnesse vnto these wicked ones by the space of sixe score yeares all which time he prepared himselfe to the making of the Arke through the which he condemned the whole worlde yet notwithstanding they made but a floute of the threatninges of the Lord saying Where is the promise of his comming for euer since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And moreouer tush say they let vs eate and drinke and take our pleasure Let vs marrie and giue in marriage Let vs build our houses huge and high and so foorth And thus were these wicked wretches willingly ignorant euen vnto the very day that Noe went into the Arke and would not know how that the same word which in the begeinning caused the waters to vncouer the earth might
you not vnderstand that the sayinges of the prophets might be fulfilled Now if you aske me in what sort the prophets before time had testified of Christ whereby they might haue knowen him to be that Messias that should come into the worlde the answere is very plentifull and very plaine and many of them did knowe that then was the time that the kingdome of God was to appeare and all the sort of them might haue knowne as well if they had considered well of the ninth of Daniel for there doth the angel Gabriel tell Daniel when Christ the king should be killed euen to the very houre of the day wherin he dyed Likewise they had Moses and all the prophetes euen vnto Iohn to lead them as it were by the hand vnto Christ and that at sundrie times and in diuers manners so that it will not be amisse to run briefly them ouer to shew you in what sort as I neere as I can he was described vnto them First then where as Adam by his disobedience brought not onely death vpon himselfe but also vppon all his posteritie and withall lost that dominion and Lordship he had ouer the creatures of God euen the very day of his creation the verie same day was Christ proclaymed heire of the world and a ful conquerour of Satan in these wordes I will put enmitie sayth the Lord vnto Satan betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede thy seede shal bruise the heele of the seede of the woman but her seede euen hee that speciall seede meaning Christ shal breake thy head the which came so to passe when as the fulnesse of time was come that is when as our sauiour tooke the nature of man vpon hym and so through death destroyed him who had the power thereof that is to say the deuill this olde serpent The which seede of the woman was also sayd by Noe to be the blessed God of Sem whom also Sem resembled Hee was also sayde by the Lord himselfe to be that special one seede of Abraham Isaake and Iacob in whome all the nations of the earth shoulde be blessed Likewise he was spoken of by Iacob to be that special childe Shillo the Lyon of y â— tribe of Iuda who if he did but lye downe and couch none durst stirre him vp and that vnto hym the people should be gathered the which Lyon of the tribe of Iuda that holy man Iob saw to be his redeemer and was most assured to see him one day with his owne eyes and none other for him although wormes should destroy that body He was also sayd by the Lord himselfe to be that angel of the couenant that kept their fathers in the way and brought them into the land of Canaan as also that star of Iacob whome Balam prophet false though he were sawe to strike the costes of Moab and to subdue all the sonnes of Seth. He was also said by Moses to be that great prophet whome the Lord would rayse like vnto him vnto whom all the world should hearken as also by the Lord himselfe that he should build an house vnto his name and that he would establish the throne of his kingdome for euer and that he would say vnto him I will be thy father and thou shalt be my sonne Likewise it was sayd of Christ by the prophet Dauid that the Lord sayd vnto him Thou art my sonne this day begat I thee that forasmuch as the Lord delighted not in sacrifices he should come to doe the will of God That in his heart his whole law should fully rest That he would not conceale the righteousnes thereof but declare it in the great congregation euen in the middest of the congregation would hee declare the name of the Lord amongest his brethren and how that notwithstanding that yet would the kinges and princes of the earth assemble themselues together agaynst hym That they woulde make him the contempt of the people haue hym in derision mocke hym and nod their heades at him That they would hit him in the teeth with the trust he had in the Lord as though hys hope therein had bene frustrate That they would like bulls of Bashan nay like dogges compasse hym about pearce hys handes and feete giue him vineger to drinke cast lottes vppon his garmentes and part them amongest them and yet notwithstanding all this their spight the Prophet sheweth that the Lorde would laugh them to skorne and breake them to peeces like a potters vessell That he would set Christ as king vpon y â— holy hill of Sion and deliuer hym from the contentions of the people That hee would grant him the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost partes of the earth for his possession That he should be the head therof and that a people whom he had not knowne should serue hym euen such as were the kinges of Tarshish and of the Iles who should bring hym presentes and also such as were the kinges of Sheba and Seba who should bring hym giftes yea and that all kings vpon earth should worship him and all nations serue hym and that as soone as they should heare hym they should obey hym and be in subiection to hym and that whosoeuer would not kisse the sonne should be sure to perish but those that would put their trust in hym should be blessed for euermore Againe it was sayd of hym by the same prophet that hee would so loue righteousnesse and hate iniquitie and be so carefull for the house of the Lord that the zeale he would haue thereof would euen eate hym vp and that the Lord woulde therefore annoynt hym with the oyle of gladnesse aboue hys fellowes That hee would cause hys name to be remembred throughout all generations euen hys glorious name for euer and euer And that all nations should blesse hym and be blessed in hym and giue thankes vnto hym worlde without end And that notwithstanding all the râ—…ge of the deuill and his ministers yet should none euill come neere vnto hym for the Lord would giue hys Angels charge ouer hym to keepe him in all his wayes that hee should not hurt hys foote agaynst a stone And that notwithstanding himselfe should be that stone which the builders would refuse yet should hee be made the head of the corner Moreouer this holy Prophet sheweth that the Lorde woulde not leaue the soule of Christ in graue neyther suffer hym his holy one to see corruption That he would rayse him vp from death to life and crowne him with glory and honour That hee should ascend on high and leade captiuitie captiue That he shoulde sit at the right hande of God vntil he had made his enimies his fotestoole And lastly that he shoulde continue there a Sacrificer for euer after the order of
to Scripture for the Lord wyl in no case like that you shoulde be troubled about many matters with Martha but wyll haue you without all excuse to choose the best part with Marie because that in deede is y e most excellent thing you can desire I meane the hearing of his voyce continually as Marie did that so you may haue all his most gracious words printed in your hart as Moses speaketh And why so Euen to the intent you may be able to rehearse them continually vnto your chyldren and that so you may be able to teach them and your selfe to knowe aright how that he IEHOVAH your God is one and that there is none but he according as he requireth in that first great Commaundement saying Heare O Israel IEHOVAH thy God IEHOVAH is one Therefore yf you holde them happie as happie blessed they are whose God this Iehouah is and that your selfe woulde be of this happie sort you must learne to know him aright that is you must learne to know according to the Scriptures how that vnder this name and nature there be three the Father the Worde and the holy Ghost and that these three are but one God for the Worde is the Sonne and yet he is IEHOVAH as S. Iohn in his twelfth teacheth you out of Esai the sixth And the holy Ghost is IEHOVAH as S. Paule in the Actes 28. teacheth you out of the same text of Esai And how this name IEHOVAH is opened S. Iohn in Apocalips the first sheweth you in this sort I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende sayth the Lord euen he who was who is and who will be The knowing of this true God who is but one as also that the seconde person in this Trinitie was to take the nature of man that so he might suffer to the intent that in death he might destroy him that had the power thereof and so geue lyfe vnto the worlde The knowing of this I say according to the Scripture the which in all ages most playnely hath been manifested is the chiefest thing the Lorde requireth at your handes therefore you are to vnderstande that the holy Prophetes and Apostles did euer first and most chiefly labour to set foorth this and afterwardes exhorted men to walke according to their dueties layde downe in the seconde Table For you are not to thinke that when Iohn the Baptist came preaching in y e wildernes that his only drift was to bring the people to a more perfection of workes although after their demaunde he tell them that thus and thus they were to do but you are to vnderstande that most chiefly his drift was to bring them to a change of iudgement and to a more perfection of this knowledge and to a repentaunce of their former ignoraunces and a beleefe in Iesus Christ. For you see he telleth them playnely that the kingdome of God was euen now at hand and that a stronger then he came presently after him who in deede was before him and that him selfe was not worthy to stoope downe and vnlose the latchet of his Shoes and that although he baptised but with water yet he that came after him woulde baptise with the holy Ghost and with Fire and that he would come with his Fanne in his hand to make cleane his floore and to gather his Wheate into his Garner and to burne vp the Chasse with vnquenchable Fire And therefore vnles they did beleeue in him which shoulde come after him that is in Christ Iesus they woulde prooue to be this chasse Wherfore he telleth his kinsmen the Iewes that notwithstanding they for their partes began to say within them selues We haue Abraham to our Father and therefore we are the onely people because the couenauntes and promises of God belong onely vnto vs and also for that the Oracles of God were committed chiefly vnto vs and also because we are the Circumcision whereby we are separated from the sinners of the Gentiles I say notwithstandyng they beganne to bragge in this sort of all these outwarde thynges yet he telleth them that vnles they did beleeue in him of whom all the Prophetes before had spoken and was now come into the worlde they shoulde finde them selues to be this Chasse here spoken of and not the good Seede of the woman and of faythfull Abraham but euen the naturall seede of that olde Serpent their father the Deuill and that God was able to rayse vp sonnes vnto Abraham in steade of them euen of the very stones Whereby is meant that whereas the Gentiles vnto that time had hartes as hard as stones for asmuch as they regarded not to knowe the Lorde aright and therfore he regarded not the time of this their ignorance but suffered them to runne on in the hardnes of their hartes euen to their owne destruction Yet now he admonisheth all men eâ—…ery where to repent them of their former ignorance and beleeue the Gospell Yea now Iohn telleth them that the axe is put euen to the very roote of the trees and therefore yf these Gentiles woulde repent them of their former ignorances and beleeue in Christ as faythfull Abraham did then shoulde they be counted the sonnes of Abraham and the other shoulde be cut off euen according as the Apostle sayth Those which are of fayth are the chyldren of Abraham And againe He is not a Iew which is one outwardly neyther is that circumcision which is outwarde in the fleshe but he is a right Iew which is one within and whose hart is filled so full with the knowledge of God that he can alwayes prayse the Lorde aright and likewyse that is true circumcision which is of the hart and in the spirit and not in the letter and therefore yf these Gentiles woulde be such they shoulde then be the true circumcision in deede yea they should then be the true seede of Abraham and also the right Iewes and so their praise shoulde be of God and not of men Agayne whereas the Apostle vrgeth the Hebrewes to be led forward vnto perfection you are not to thinke he meaneth it of workes although no man will be so madde as to thinke otherwyse but that by those that haue knowledge a perfection of workes must also be practised for otherwyse because you shall not mistake me I tell you still your knowledge is in vayne For what hast thou to do with my couenant in thy mouth sayth the Lorde if thou hatest to be reformed And therfore as we are to grow vp in knowledge so are we also as the Apostle saith to grow vp in holines but in this place you are to vnderstande that the Apostle meaneth it of the perfection of knowledge which not onely y â— Hebrewes but also all others ought to attayne vnto that so they might see how Christ was answerable to all the former types figures shadowes and ceremonies in
commaund them to ouerflow the same agayne But yet they found it most true for in the seuenth age of this wicked generation the wrath of the Lord was well knowne amongst the sonnes of men for they were cut downe before the tyme and their foundation was as a Ryuer that ouerflowed So that he spared not this olde worlde which nowe had continued one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe yeeres but onely saued Noe with seuen more of his familie and brought in the floud vpon the rest of the worlde of the vngodly yea he commaunded the fountaines of the great deepe to be broken vp and the windowes of heauen were opened so that all the high mountaines that were vnder the whole heauen were couered because that the wickednes of man was great on earth and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his hart were onely euill continually And therefore did the Lorde smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes did he destroy the wicked Yea hee made them to perish as though they had been doung so that they which had seene them might say where are they nowe But if you will know what is become of their soules Saint Peter will tell you how that they are now in prison that is in hell for disobeying the spirit of Christ who then preached vnto them by the mouth of Noe while the Arke was in making Againe if you will know how they might know that the spirit of Christ did so the answere is that euen the very same Gospell that was preached vnto Adam and Eue in Paradise and afterwardes to Abell to Seth and the rest of the godlie was also preached vnto them And this preaching was that the Seede of the woman should breake the head of the Serpent which notwithstanding being but a verie short Sermon yet was it so effectall and so full of matter as that all the whole booke of God is no more then that But as the preaching of this Gospell was a sauour of life vnto life to all those that laide holde thereon euen so was it also a sauour of death vnto death to all those that reiected the same So that for this first age you see both the louing kindnesse and the seucritie of the Lorde The iudgements of God on Chams posteritie as also on their confederats vntill the giuing of the Lawe NOtwithstanding now the former desolation of all things breathing on earth the which a man would thinke shoulde haue been a terrour vnto men for euer after yet full soone do they forget it For an hundreth and about some thirtie yeeres after the flood in the daies of Peleg do the posteritie of Cham with their adherents reuiue the olde impietie of Kain and his wicked race in that they also despise the couenants of God and the blessing pronounced vnto Sem And so goe about to buyld a Cittie and a Towre whose top as they thought should reach vnto heauen wherby they might get vnto them selues a Sem or name But full soone was the holy Trinitie aware of this their wicked intent and so he came down from heauen in his fierce wrath to confound their most foolish deuices and also to scatter them from thence ouer the whole earth And therefore the name of it was called Babell or Confusion because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth so that they were not onely cut from the holy Language of Sem but also from the religion and true worship of the blessed God of Sem the which continued in his tents Agayne in the tenth age after the flood in the dayes of Abraham the wickednes of those fiue Cities in Canaan as Sodom Gomorrah Admah Zeboiim and Zoar brake out into such filthinesse as that the stincke thereof ascended vp into heauen and cryed for vengeance to be powred vpon them And notwithstanding the Lorde being mercifull and was intreated to haue spared them for ten◅e righteous men their sakes yet could they not therein be found so that their sinnes being so great and greeuous in the sight of GOD his great anger was so kindled against them that in his fierce wrath hee ouerthrew them and turned foure of them into ashes and condemned them and made them an e◅sample of eternall fier vnto all ages that afterwards should liue vngodly So that heere the curse of Noe vpon Cham extending to Canaan tooke effect on these some part of his wicked branches Likewise in the seuenth age from Abraham in the dayes of Moses the wrath of the Lord was manifested also in most vehement sort in Egypt euen in that land of cursed Cham vpon that proude Pharaoh and his countrie the which were other braunches euen of Cham himselfe that wicked roote I say the wrath of the Lord was manifested vpō them in most vehement sort by tenne seuerall plague◅ bestowed vpon man and beast and at last Pharaoh and all his host ouerwhelmed in the Red Sea For sayth he vnto Moses concerning the Lorde Who is he that I should heare his voyce and let Israell go I know not the Lord neyther will I let Israell go neyther do I regarde his words by you spoken for they are but vaine But the right hand of the glorious Lorde ouerthrewe these rebellious treatours which in this sort rose against him and sent foorth his wrath which consumed them as the stubble and also by the blast of his Nosethrils the waters were gathered and the floods stoode still as an heape yea the depthes congealed together in the hart of the Sea to intice them in but presently the waters couered them and they sancke to the bottome as a stone And why so because indeede they had forsaken the hope of Israell euen that most precious fountaine of liuing waters But he brought foorth them his chosen Israell through the middest of the Sea on drie ground and made the waters vnto them a wall both on the one side and on the other So that heere you may see againe both the louing kindnesse and the seueritie of the Lord his louing kindnes on Sem and his posteritie as also on all others that held the same fayth His most seuere seueritie on Cham and his posteritie as also on all other their confederats Now if you will knowe the chiefe cause why these horrible plagues befell them the aunswere is because they regarded not the preaching of the Gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. For as he was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that did beleeue in him and obey him euen so is it sayd that he that beleeueth not in y e Sonne of God nor giueth due obedience vnto him shall neuer see life but the wrath of God abideth on him But the very same Gospel that was preached vnto Sem ◅aphet and their posteritie was also preached vnto Cham and his posteritie Now