The first Sermon vpon the Prophet Zephaniah.

BEcause God would haue his word, which in tyme past, hée hath reuealed by the mini­sterie of his seruātes the prophets, to be in vse, or to serue not only for those auncient times, but hath co­uered the same word being cōmitted to writing, vnto y^e succeding posterities, y^t out thereof, men of al tymes and ages, myght receaue instruction and consola­tion: Of the titles of the Prophets. wée may not thinke that it was rashly done of the Prophets, in pread­ioyning to their writinges certeine ti­tles, or inscriptions, in the which, they do declare the nature or kinde of their doctrin, setting out also what they them selues were, and what time they pro­phecied. For as by these thinges they procured vnto their doctrine credence, and authoritie: so they sende the Rea­ders to the historie of their times. The diligent consideration whereof doeth teach in what stéede their doctrine may stand vs. And certeinly these thinges [Page] offer them selues of vs to be conside­red in the inscription, or title, which the Prophet Zephaniah vseth, wherein these thrée thinges very manifestly are comprehended.

[...]re a­ [...] [...]word For first he admonisheth, how his doctrine ought to be regarded, when hée speaketh thus, The word of the Lorde which came to Zephaniah: therfore he auoucheth that he bringeth the word of God, which he had learned of a peculi­ar, or priuate reuelation, least any man should thinke, that hée thrust vpon the Church his owne dreames or inuenti­ons. For we know that it is very dili­gently forséene as well in the olde te­stament, as in the new, that no voyce but Gods onely should be heard in his Church: but thou must note that that is expresly called the word of GOD, which not God him self published from heauē but that which y^e Prophets first without al doubt with liuely voyce, or word of mouth preached: but after­wardes comprehended in writing. It might be thought a point of arrogancie or pride in them, for intituling theyr [Page] bookes after such a sort, 2. Pet. 1.22. except it were knowne that they did it by vertue of their office, that as the Ambassadours of God him selfe, they should warrant the trueth of their doctrine. But the A­postle Peter in like manner rendreth a reason of that matter, when he saieth, that the holy Ghost was with, or assis­ted the Prophets, and in his latter E­pistle chap 1. sending the godly to the doctrine of the Prophets hee writeth thus: The prophesie in tymes past came not by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost, and the matter it self declareth that this thing was truely spoken by the Apostle. For all the doc­trin of the Prophets is occupied about the consideration of mans saluation, then about fayth and the worship of God, and conuersation of life: Lastly about the fortelling of things to come: but of all these thinges there is no one, wherein there appeareth not manifest argumentes of Gods spirite. For, as much as belongeth to the considerati­on of saluation, they teach no other [Page] way then that which is comprehended in the first promises made by GOD, whereof also Christ Iesus is the fulfil­ler and mediatour for vs, whome God the father before all beginnings hath appoynted to be the Sauiour of man­kinde: but if thou hast regarde vnto fayth, the worship of God, as also vnto whatsoeuer thinges apperteine to the conuersation of lyfe, they teach nothing which agréeth not, eyther with the law of nature, or the tenne commaunde­ments, conteining the law of nature, approued or allowed of, by the consent of all men: but in their prophecies, or foreshewinges there appeareth such knowledge of thinges to come, that all men examining those prophecies, with the thinges comming to passe accor­dingly, must néedes confesse that the same farre passeth the reach of mans reason: For that we may let passe those thinges, which they foretolde to men of their time, or of their countrey, who will not affirme that they receaued of the spirite of Christ those things, which they foretolde of his death, resurrection, [Page] enlarging of his kingdome, and of the ende of the world? these thinges ought considerately to bee marked against those which do call their writings ey­ther into question, or els with open mouth affirme, that they belonge no­thing at all vnto vs. For what reason doth enforce vs to doubt of those things which we sée confirmed by so many, and those so certeine testimonies? Fur­thermore séeing in these prophecies, is conteined the worde of God, where­vnto all men must be subiect, who will affirme that it belongeth not vnto him selfe, except hée which with professed vngodlinesse dare denie vnto God his obedience?

What this Prophet Ze­phaniah [...] Moreouer not onely the name of Zephaniah is here set downe, but his father also, and his graundfather, his fathers graundfather and great graunfather are named: touching whome although there is not els where in the Scriptures, any thing extant, neyther yet that doctrine of the Iewes deserueth much credence, which affirme that so many of the [Page] Prophets fathers as are by name mē ­tioned in the scriptures, were Pro­phets: Notwithstanding, for myne owne part, I doubt not, but the ances­ters of Zephaniah were men renou­med with authoritie, and honour: Be­cause it should be ridiculous to record the names of men vnknowne, & of no fame, & y^t vnto the fourth degrée. Nei­ther yet do I affirme that it is done to this ende, that he would get any cre­dence to his doctrine from the renown of his foreelders. But I teach men to marke the counsayle of God, who out of all states of men, separeth ministers vnto him selfe, whose trauaile hée may vse in y^e publishing of his word. Some reporte that Isaye the Prophet was of the bloud royall: as for Ieremie, we know that he was borne of the Priests linage. Amos confesseth that from his youth hée was a shepheard, from whose condition of lyfe Elyseus did not much disagrée; whom Elyas by the commaun­dement of God, from the plow called to the office of a Prophet. There bée o­thers, whose bare names are onely spe­cified, [Page] in somuch that it is altogether vnknowne what was their state, or condition of lyfe. Furthermore there is none, that is ignoraunt how in the newe testament also men of diuers states and conditions, were called to the function of teaching: which thing doubtlesse was done by the singular counsell of God, that his worde of vs should be lesse suspected, it being also taught by the way, that the same word belongeth to men of euery place, and state of lyfe, neyther that any man is barred, from that sauing health, which is taught by the same worde: but he wich shutteth out him self through vn­beliefe, of whom more shall be spoken els where.

The tyme of Zephaniah and this historie. Thirdly the time of Zephaniah is declared, in the dayes of Iosia the Son of Amon, king of Iuda, hee was there­fore of the last which prophecied before the captiuitie, and of the same tyme with Ieremy, excepted that Ieremy be­ing longer occupied in this office, was one of them which remained stil in the citie: But this our Prophet propheci­fied [Page] vnder Iosia onely, but the argu­ment of his sermon may be gathered out of the historie of those times, which is mentioned in the second booke of the kinges, the 22. and 23. chapters, and 2. Paral. 34. and 35. chapters. The vse of this Prophecie. That historie declareth, that after Manasses sucéeded Amon his Sonne, which fol­lowed the former wickednesse of his father, but the example of repentaunce, wherein his sayde father went before him, hée woulde not followe: it came therefore to passe by the iust iudgement of God, that hée was slaine by his own houshold seruauntes. Hée being dis­patched, his Sonne Iosias came to the kingdom, being as yet but eight yeares olde, yet shewing by manifest argu­ments, that hée was of a godly and ho­ly disposition. For out of hand he began to séeke the Lorde, and assoone as hée was of age and authoritie, in the 12. yeare of his reigne, he began a refor­matiō, as wel in Iudaea, as in the land of Israel, where some remnaunt of vnknowne, and poore men aboade, [Page] when the Assirians had translated into captiuitie the greater parte of the peo­ple. Then euery where he pulled down the altars, Idolles, groues, and as it was prophecied of him 357. yeares before hée burned the bones of the wic­ked sacrificing Priestes vppon their altars, the next yeare following, Ie­remy began to prophecie, who by tea­ching, admonishing, and exhorting, greatly furthered this begunne worke of reformation: but in the 18. yeare of Iosia, when hée had set his minde to repayre the Lordes house, the booke of the lawe was founde, which hither­to through the negligence and vngod­linesse of the kinges, ano priestes had layne together vnknown, and no whit regarded: which when Iosias had heard read, being admonished by the threatninges of the sayde booke of the wrath of God, and punishment that hanged ouer their heades, hée cut his garmentes, and sending messengers vnto Hulda the prophets asked coun­sell as concerning the will of God. And [Page] without delaye, he taking the Lordes cause in hand, with greater zeale called together the nobles of his kingdome, with all the people, and when hée had caused the bookes of the law to be read openly vnto them, hée renewed the co­uenaunt with the Lord, and by publike authoritie hée appoynted a reformati­on whereby was rooted out of the land of Iuda and Israel, what abhominati­on or superstition so euer remained in the first reformatiō. Moreouer while these things were in this order accom­plishing, some yéelded their hearty obe­dience vnto the king, and with a sin­cere loue of godlinesse, submitted them selues to the reformation: but the grea­ter part of the people, & noble men did in huggermugger foster those supersti­tions, and vngodly worship, wherwith they were accustomed in the dayes of the former kinges; least they shoulde haue bene cut of altogether: as by this it may appeare that after the death of Iosia, they all returned sodenly vnto wickednesse, and brought in againe those superstitions, which erst while [Page] were abandoned. Here therefore it was, that this our Prophet Zephaniah was sent to be a felow companion with Ieremy in this businesse, that he might call into the way those louers of theyr own superstition; but with threatned destruction to frighten those which were past amendment. This thing hée performeth in thrée sermons, which are declared in like number of chapi­ters. First he manaceth the plagues hanging ouer their heads, the horrible­nesse wherof, together with the causes he setteth out very diligently: secondly he teacheth the repentance, and because he knew that the nations néere abor­dering would vngodlily and malapert­ly triumph ouer the perishing Iewes, he also foretelleth that the iudgement of God shall fiercely inuade them: yea hée threatneth punishment to the Assyrians them selues, that the Saintes shoulde not be offended at their triumphings. The third thing he bendeth against Ie­rusalem, and threatneth destruction vnto the same, that he might shake from them their vaine confidence of [Page] outwarde assistance. But in the lat­ter end of his prophecie, hée promiseth restoring again to y^e godly: & according to the vsuall or common order of the prophets, he adioyneth a prophecie of the blessed & health being the kingdom of Christ.

We haue spoken these thinges con­cerning the historie of the tyme of Ze­phaniah, and the argument of his ser­mons, more largly, because they make not only for the opening or vnderstan­ding of the prophecies: but also serue very much for our instruction. For we are admonished by this example, with what great fayth and godlinesse, the reformation of the Church ought to bée taken in hande, and how they may bée deceaued, which thinke that they haue done sufficiently, if they haue remoued out of the way, exter­nall abuses, leauing in the meane sea­son many other thinges, which serue eyther for lust or pleasure, or els do mi­nister occasion for new or old supersti­tions, for what care can be too much in this matter, considering that it is well [Page] known, how little the most godly king Iosia did profit in so many yeares with his zeale. Or what shall we promise vnto our selues from these lame, or wi­lyly begunne reformations, seing those thinges fell so soone to ground, which Iosia not without the counsell of the most holy prophetes had set vp? questi­onlesse (as Christ saieth) there will al­wayes be some, which to the new wine of the gospell, will preferre the olde wine of superstitions, and for the most part, degenerating sonnes, doe succéede in the roomes of their godly fa­thers, vnto whome it séemeth but a small matter to decline to superstiti­on, being ignoraunt with how much perill, and what great paines theyr fathers tooke, in casting them out: of which thing the booke of Iudges set­teth forth examples in them, that suc­céeded their fathers, which in the wil­dernesse sawe the workes of GOD, they being altogether ignoraunt, and without knowledge of all those thinges.

Furthermore we are taught, how the [Page] godly Magistrates, and faythfull Mini­sters ought not to cease, though they perceaue that they profit but a little, and that the reformation which they desire to bring in, shall not abyde. For both these considerations might haue reclaymed Iosia from his purpose, if hée would haue bene ordered by mans rea­son: for hée was not so without vnder­standing, that he could not marke the selfe will frowardnesse of his nobles and the people, which the prophets did euery day reproue. Hee heard also that that deadly time, by destinie appoynted was not far of, wherein after his death, first the worship of God, thē the whole kingdome, with the citie and temple should be ouerthrowne. Notwithstan­ding he doeth his duetie, and the same with him do Ieremy, and Zephaniah, whome God gaue him as counsellers, and helpers: Let them follow this care whosoeuer are placed vpon the same stage, or condition of lyfe: neyther let them thinke that their labour shalbe in vaine. Forgiue, that all things faile, yet they shall deliuer their own soules, [Page 9] as the Lorde saieth to Ezechiel his pro­phet.

Wée are furthermore admonished by the consideration of these thinges, what remaineth for those, which set them selues against godly reformati­ons. First with GOD they are made without all excuse, for as much as they do wickedly dispise the libertie of true worship and pure religion being offe­red vnto them. The wickednesse and tyranny of their Kings might in some parte haue excused the Iewes, if there had bene none ther which studied to bring againe the law of GOD, and way of holy worshippe deliuered from him. But séeing y^e Manasses as yet was fresh in memorie, who was an exam­ple of repentance, worthy to be remem­bred, and had alwaies before their eies the care of Iosia; and did for the space of 20. yeares, within a little more or les vnder him fréely inioy the word or doc­trine of trueth, and yet would not for­sake their superstitions, but fell backe vnto them, by euery first little occasion: it appeareth plainly, that they were se­duced [Page] by their own obstinat & froward malice, and that they haue nothing to hide their vngodlines withall: therfore the horrible destruction and ouerthrow of their kingdome and citie followed: & God with y^e babylonish fire tooke away those superstitious and wicked kindes of worshipping, which with the health­ful light of his word could not be remo­ued. I would to GOD they would be more diligent in consideration of this example, vnto whom at this time God hath restored his word, & the frée prea­ching therof: For there is neuer wan­ting among thē those which with tooth and nayle do hold their old superstitiōs, and do eyther slouthfully neglect the li­bertie granted of God, or do dishonestly offer it to be abused: that they may cury some fauor w^t christs professed enimies.

The beginning of the first Sermon. These things being thus before spo­ken of, let vs come to the exposition of the first sermon, the beginning wherof is very tragical or dolefull, and contei­neth a dreadful threatning of a destru­ctiō of the whole land: but y^e cause of so great vehemencie was, because hée had [Page 10] to doe with the indurate and open con­temners of Gods word, and first in ge­neral hée crieth out, saying: In destroy­ing, I will destroy all thinges from the face of the earth, saith the Lord: and hée bringeth in the name of the Lord vnto them which were accustomed to scoffe at, and despise the sermons of the Pro­phets; but by and by after he adioyneth a diuision, and that which he had spo­ken generally, hée declareth by their se­uerall kindes. I will destroy (saith hée) man and beast, I will destroy the birds of the ayre, and the fishes of the sea, and ruines shalbe to the wicked, that is to say: I wil take all thinges away which the wicked are busie to kéepe, that they may minister occasion of sinne to the ignorant, and vnskilfull; & as much as may be gathered of those things y^t fol­low he so calleth y^e reliques of supersti­tion which hee hath shewed to bee kept with great care, & that it may be surely known that God for the sinnes of men will shewe forth his wrath, hee repea­teth it againe: And I will cut of man from the face of the earth &c. the mea­ning [Page] whereof is this, My seruaunte Iosia remoued away many thinges. But because through your vngodlines, many thinges yet remaine, being con­trary to my lawes, verily I my selfe will bring forth broomes much more rough, wherewith these abhominable reliques, with their Patrons or defen­ders, shalbe cleane purged &c. But here we must marke that destruction is also threatned vnto beastes: which is not spoken hiperbolically as the Iewes i­magine: but was performed in déede as histories do witnesse: for Hierony­mus vpon these wordes writeth thus: The cities lying waste, and men being slaine, there was made a scarcitie and rarenes, of beastes, of flying fowle, and of fishes: Whereof the countrey called Illiricum is witnesse, Thracia also, and the soyle where I tooke my beginning, where all things are perished, except the heauen and the earth, the growing brambles, and thicke bushy places of woodes &c. We may in this acknow­ledge the Iudgement of God, and his wonderful prouidence when we sée that [Page 11] in very populous countryes, the mears and riuers abound with fish, the woodes with wilde beastes and birdes, so that they cannot bee rid or emptied by any hunting: & againe on the other side, that those riuers should be without fish, and that there should appeare neither beast nor bird in those woodes where no man is, by any engine to take them: neyther may we thinke that these things come to passe rashly, and vncounselled of: for as all these things are created for mans vse, so there is no cause why they should be spared, where men are taken away. Let vs in these and such like examples acknowledge the iudgement of God, and all drowsinesse being shaken off, let vs returne from our sins vnto God, by Iesus Christ, who by the worthines of his owne blood hath pacified his fa­thers wrath, to him be thanks giuing, honour and glory and power for euer.

Amen.

The second Sermon vpon the 4. 5. and 6. verses.

The argument and vse of this present place. ZEphaniah in the beginning of his sermō vseth a most grieuous thret­ning, wherin he denounceth to all men in generall, the horrible iudgement of God. For with the obstinate and fro­ward he must deale very sharply, if per­aduenture they might be stirred vp to a more diligent regard of their saluation. And how necessarie a more sharpe, and franke manacing of punishments is, they do quickly feele in thēselues, which [Page 12] by the rule of God his law, do examine the disposition of their owne flesh: but when punishments are generally de­nounced, two things for y^e most part do alwaies hinder, y^t we cannot be amen­ded; for eyther we thinke that the mat­ter belongeth not vnto vs, or els wée complaine of the ministers roughnesse, or sharpenesse: as though they should dispightfully deale against vs, being in­nocēt, & hauing deserued no such thing. It shall bée néedefull therefore to deale plainely, y^t euery one may know, & in themselues acknowledge the causes of Gods wrath. The Prophet Zephany in this present place performeth both these thinges. For first hee bendeth these threatninges against the king­dom of Iuda & Ierusalem: thē he shew­eth the wickednesses, which must with such plagues be purged: this place ther­fore teacheth vs to iudge of the calami­ties of our time, & what sins they must eschew, which would that their affairs should be well séene vnto. For the first he speaketh thus in the person of God. I will stretch my hande ouer Iuda, [Page] and ouer all the inhabitants of Ierusa­lem. He bendeth his threatning of the punishment against Iuda and Ierusalem. Gene. 19. By the stretching out of the hand, he declareth y^e gesture of him that stri­keth, and that because he hath purpo­sed to bring vppon them no vsuall or common plague. But Iuda and Ieru­salem are named of purpose, because vnder these names they alwayes pro­mised them selues safety. For Iacob long before spake of Iuda, saying: the scepter shal not departe from Iuda, nor the Lawegiuer from betwixt his feete. vntil Shilo come, and the nations flow vnto him. Psal. 132. Iere. 7. Moreouer there were promi­ses apparaunt, which before hand did signifie, that the kingdome should bée established to Dauids posteritie for e­uer: namely in respect of Christ, who (as concerning the fleshe) should bee borne of that stocke: which promises they did expound of an earthly king­dome, and those that were proud, were not a little incouraged by this: that when the Israelites were caried away captiue into Assiria, they with their kingdome remained still in safetie. But Ierusalem, besides that it was the [Page 13] kings seat, being famous by reason of the temple and religion, vaunted in the promise of God, which had saide that this should bee his resting place for e­uer. And we know by Ieremy his ser­mons how proudly they were woont to obiect vnto the Prophets, the worthi­nesse of their citie, if at any time they were reproued of them. Therfore Ze­phaniah telleth them, that al that their confidence was vaine, and to no pur­pose, seeing that before all others, hee threatneth Iuda and Ierusalem. But from hence a generall doctrine may bée gathered: namely y^t such as frowardly striue against God, can be in safetie by no outward prerogatiues, or promises made vnto them. For all are ioyned with a conditiō, which whosoeuer neg­lecteth, doeth in vaine so violently pull vnto them the promises, frō the which they haue parted them selues, through their owne faulte. Moreouer with how much more honour God hath vouchsa­fed to beautifie vs: so much more dete­stable and grieuous is the faulte of our vnthankfulnesse, wherevnto we haue [Page] runne, by reason of disobedience: These thinges may well be laide in the way of those Romish ones, which obiect vn­to vs their Rome: That that ought to be ac­knowledged. For what hath God at any time saide as concerning that ci­tie, whereby it may bee proued that that ought to be acknowledged y^e chiefe seate and head of the Church, but that we may graunt that those thinges bée true, which they falsely auouche? what shal they perteine vnto thē which haue no lesse fowly fallen from the godlines of their forefathers then y^e Iewes, & in­habitāts of Ierusalē did? let those also think that the same thing is spoken vn­to them which are accustomed to glory in the doings of their elders, when as they them selues are infamous thro­rowe their owne sinnes and wicked­nesse &c.

He accuseth the wickednesse of the Iewes. But y^t they should not think that they should be punished otherwise then they had deserued, he maketh a catalogue or scrowle of their sins, for the which they deserued to be cut of; and yet he doth not here name their vsurie, riot, lust, incest, murders, and such like offences, which [Page 14] wise men & of better report cōmōly are wont to condemn. But those which in y^e iudgement of God are more horrible, althogh men make smal account of thē, as namely the corruption of religion, & this, that they would not subiect them­selues to the reformation established by Iosia: let vs consider euery thing in or­der. First I will cut of (saieth he) the remnaunte of Baal from this place. The remnaunt of Baal. Baal was the God of the Sidonians, as Hieronymus hath noted in his commē ­taries vpon Hosea, being the same that Belus is, which by the commandement of Simiramis, was worshipped of the Babylonians. Of whome it is suffici­ently knowne, out of the olde Poets, and storie writers, that the kings of the Sidonians tooke their beginning. Vir­gil doubtlesse writeth that Dido, when she entertained Aeneas, dranke wine in the same bowle, wherein Belus, and al since him were wont to do &c. 1. Reg. 18. Achab king of Israel was y^e first that brought this Gods seruice into the holy Land, when he had maried Iesabel, the kings daughter of Sidon. From hence the cō ­tagion [Page] came into the land of Iuda, that there also temples and Altars were e­uery where erected vnto Baal, & althogh Iosia (as we said before) had pulled thē downe, yet there were not wanting, which had their pictures and images, in their houses at home, which they wor­shipped superstitiously. And these were the remnants of Baal, which God thret­ned to cut of. But let those thinke that this is spoken vnto them, whosoeuer are carefull to keepe the remnaunt of Baal, whiles reformation of doctrin and religion is established. This doe they which priuily doe conueie out of Chur­ches, Images, painted Tables, relikes of Saincts, and instruments of super­stitiō, that they should not be destroyed with the rest: as many also as cause new Images to be made, at their own cost, wherevnto they burne lightes at home and pray before them, and wor­ship them, with whome also they espe­cially do deserue to be reckoned, which carefully kéepe in minde superstitious praiers, and do teach the same to their children; so sowing the séedes of super­stition [Page 15] into their tender mindes. These men are the most noysome plagues of the Church; for it commeth to passe that by them the doctrine of the word cannot haue his profit with those which at home haue their teachers of errours: and the same doe forthwith conceiue great hatred against the trueth, if at a­ny time their manners bee somewhat more fréely rebuked by y^e word of God. But there is no doubt but GOD hath his broomes wherewith hee wil purge, not without their great plague and pu­nishement, those reliques of supersti­tion.

Secondly he threatens that hee will cut of the name of Chemarim with the Priests: Kemarim. 2. hee speaketh of the ministers of forbidden and vnlawful worshippe, which were many and diuers, against God his ordinaunce: For he had sanc­tified vnto him selfe the tribe of Leuy: out of that tribe ought to be taken the high Priest, vnto whome the authori­tie of the word and holy rites appertei­ned: he had those which together with him did minister about the worde, and [Page] sacrifices, for that saluation which was common to all, and if there were any other offices, those did God distribute amongest the rest of the Leuiticall fa­milies, as in the bookes of Moses it is set out at large. But they, being not contented with the one and onely true God, enterteined straunge Gods, and therefore they stoode in neede of new sa­crificing Priests, to do seruice for those said false Gods: herevpon it came, that priestes were appoynted vnto Baal, of whome there is often mention made in sacred historie, neither is it to be doub­ted but that other Gods also had their sacrifices, which tooke vpon them these forē ceremonies, which before were ne­uer known. There were moreouer be­sides these a kind of seueral priests cal­led Kemarim, 2. Reg. 23. which (as we read, were appointed by the kings of Iuda to burn Frankencense in the high places, and in the citites of Iuda, and all about Ierusalem: which (as some suppose) tooke their names of their blacke appa­rel: some thinke they were so called, be­cause of their feruentnes: First because [Page 16] they were set on fire with a wonderfull zeale of religion, or rather superstition: as those Seraphical doctors are, which of foolish and superstitious men, are cal­led the lightes of the worlde. But be­cause they were especially appoynted to burne Frankencense, I suppose they were rather so called by reason of that office. For this worde Kemar a­mong the Hebrewes signifieth to ware hotte, and also wax blacke, and because the Prophet doeth coupple them with the Priestes, it is euident that they were a kind of men of inferiour degrée, skilfull in those mysteries, or that they were as it were clearks, or sexstons, or some vnder minister to them which were in the highest rowme: as in pope­rie the Masse Priests, chappell Clarke, or vnder Curat alwaies attending vpō the Church, and seruing the turn of the rich and fat Canons, and Pastors; such are woont to be greatly accounted of, be­cause y^e other fatlings taking their ple­sure carelesly these do throughly go tho­row with, & do perfourme al holy rites, & ceremonies belonging to the Church, [Page] and these I warrant you liue, not only by begging. And this was the cause that although those fatter Baalites, were taken away, yet these fellowes togeather with their Idolles, and cer­taine Priestes, seeming more holy then others, were priuily maintained of such as were superstitious. But be­cause this was done contrarie to the Lawe, Deut. 13. which appoynteth that the false Prophet, and seducer, must bee put to death, God himselfe draweth out the sworde of his iudgement against them. But these things agrée meruellous fit­ly, vnto these our times. For it is well knowne, that Christ vnto his Church hath appoynted teachers, which should gather it together, and gouerne it with the doctrine of the Gospel, Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 12. and that hee would not haue it ouerburde­ned with an idle companie of supersti­tious men. For although Paule may séeme to haue appointed in the Church, degrées of Ministers, saying that some were appoynted Apostles, some tea­chers, some Euangelists, and some pro­phets: yet all those were ordained vnto [Page 17] this end, that the doctrine of the Gospel might bee reteined, wherewith the Church, can onely, and alone, be gathe­red together, and preserued. But after that the Gospel being neglected, Rome beganne to bee mad for superstition, new orders of Ministers also crept in, and seauen generall degrées were ap­poynted. First, dorekéepers, readers, exorcistes, or adiurours, attendentes, subdeacons, deacons, priestes, or sacri­ficers. But againe among these, some were chappel clarkes, or vndercurats, vpon whose backes, for the most parte, was laide the care and charge of the ho­ly Church matters, other were pastors of parishes, or Canons, who vnder pretence of religion, gaue themselues to ease and pleasure: and of these, some were wardens, or such as had the ouer­sight of matters; some were Deans, o­ther some were gardians, others were chaunters, the vnder priestes in like manner according to the number of their Gods and offices, had their seue­rall names, and vnto these, the Monks, [Page] the Nuns, the Friers, y^e Lolhards, the Begutes, those of the elder sorte, and of the younger, the heremits &c. And sure­ly thou shalt find an innumerable com­panie of idle persons, 2. Tim. 3. or els very ill oc­cupied, whereof some did fraudulently take their Church goodes to their owne vses. Other some (as Paule saith) crept into houses, and abused the simplicitie of the superstitions, and made traines also to get the priuate goodes of many men. And because those inferior orders do cary amōg the vnskilful multitude, the perswasion of pouertie, and religi­on; they also found many fauourers, if at any time the reformation of the Church were begunne. But they did es­pecially hurt the Church for this cause, that although they feigned them selues to giue place to the gospel: yet amongst their like they did priuily defend the su­perstitious worship, and did incense the minds of very many against the truth, and Ministers thereof. Example may bee brought euery where for this matter, and christian Princes and cōmon wealthes not a few haue tried, [Page 18] how much men of this kinde of grist, can do. But let al these know that God will defend his owne cause, who also with deserued punishmēt will amearce these Kemarims, & such as fauour thē.

3. The Starre worship. Thirdly he threatneth those that worship the host of heauen vppon their house tops. Hee meaneth the star wor­shippers: for they are called the host of heauen, as well for their mouing, and order which they haue kept euer since the creation: as also because men be­ing superstitiously led, haue thought that the same haue a working power vpon the earth; and haue accustomed vnder them, as it were vnder Gods to subiect the affaires of men. This was a very olde errour, especially amongst them of the East, which first of al others beganne to view the mouing of the stars, and according to the corruption of mans wit, tooke from thence the oc­casion of superstition, from whence they ought to haue acknowledged the power of God, being the creatour of all thinges. But it appeareth by the hi­storie [Page] of Iosia, y^t this superstition pre­uailed also, euen vnto the Iewes: for it is written that Iosia tooke away the horses which the kings of Iuda had ap­pointed for the seruice of the Sunne, & that he also burned the chariots of the Sun. And there is also mention made of the altars which Achaz had builded vpon the roufe of his supping chamber. For they imagined that this worship should be so much the more liked of and allowed, if it were done in an opē place, and as it were in the sight of the Sun, and we knowe that in those countries their house toppes were flat, that they might serue for one to walk on, and many other purposes. But it is very like, that after the reformation made by Iosia, they practised their superstition more priuily, and onely in night time. But God testifieth that hée is not ignoraunt of their doinges, and threatneth that in short time hée will cut them of. Let them consider this in these dayes, that professe Iudiciall as­trologie, or that they can determine or [Page 19] iudge of matters by their star gazing. For questionlesse they do worship the starrs, no lesse then the Gentiles did in time past, and doe playnely bring a­gaine vnto vs, that heathenesse pro­phanenesse, while the first doe adorne the starres with the names of Gods, of whome there ought not to bée any mention amonge christians; then they make subiect vnto the same stars all the euents or falling out of mat­ters: yea man himselfe, as pertaineth to his manners, and such thinges as outwardly befall him: all which thinges are knowne to depend vppon the eternall prouidence of God alone, and that out of the scriptures: This vngodlynesse is intollerable, where­with wée sée in Michea that the king­dome of Christ hath no agréement: and therefore they shall not escape the iudgement of God whosoeuer they bée that follow it.

The mixture of the true religi [...] and false together. Fourthly hee accuseth those that doubled in religion: for they would séeme to bée forsakers of the true God, [Page] for as much as they boasted both of the GOD of their Fathers, and kept the temple which Salomon buylded. But for as much as they ioyned there­with forren Gods and straunge wor­shippe, they made a certaine min­glemangle, or rather cōfusiō of true re­ligion with superstitions. And (as Ely­as saide) they haulted on both sides. He sayeth therefore that the hande of the Lorde shall come vnto them which worshippe and sweare by the Lorde, and by Malchom: That is, which ioyne the worshippe of the true God, and the worshippe of Malchom to­geather. By Malchom some vnder­stande the king or patrone of any man, or his GOD of whome hée is garded or defended. Other thinke that this was spoken of the GOD of the Amonites, which is knowne in those dayes to haue béene honou­red of the Iewes. But what soeuer it is, it taketh nothing from the sense or meaning. For the Prophet accu­seth them, which being not content [Page 20] with the one and onely true GOD, added moreouer vnto them their owne deuices. This was done contrary to the Lawe, whereby straunge Gods were forbidden, which also commaun­deth vs to loue, feare, and worshippe the one onely true GOD, with all our soule, and with all the strength, and power that wée haue, and so lea­ueth vs nothing to giue vnto straunge or false Gods. Here also no lesse then before is condemned the superstition of the men in our age, which to GOD the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, doe ioyne other Saincts, vpon whome they do call in the tyme of their aduer­sitie, vnto whome they make vowes, or els vse them as Mediatours and intercessors vnto GOD for them, contrarie to that, that Christ saieth in the 14. of Ihon, No man commeth to the Father but by mee. These saincts are these mens Malchomes, which thing they themselues cannot denie, séeing they do not onely call them their Patrons, and defendours, but also [Page] celestiall potentates. They therefore shal also féele the ielousie of the Lorde, who because hée hath espoused vs vn­to him selfe alone in Christ Iesus doeth not suffer any counterfeite to be admitted with him &c.

Calling vpon & swearing be ioyned together Furthermore it is worthy singu­lar consideration, that with swearing the Prophet ioyneth inuocation: the cause thereof is, that both of them be­long vnto the worshippe of GOD, and (as it shall bée declared by and by) an oath doeth include in it inuocation, and hath the forme of inuocation or prayer. For it is a solempne promise whereof wée make GOD a witnesse and reuenger. They therefore that sweare, giue vnto GOD his honor, in that they professe that hée knoweth all thinges, that hée is true, iust, and omnipotent; which both can, and will defende those that speake a trueth, and also be reuenged vpon those that abuse his name by deceipte and lying: where­fore it is often vsed for the whole wor­ship of GOD, or true token thereof. [Page 21] For Esaias, Esay. 19.45. when hée prophecied that Egypt should at some tyme bée light­ned with the knowledge of the true God, amongst other things doeth saie, & 5.6. that they shall sweare by the Lorde of hostes. And the same Prophet in an other place bringeth in the Lord spea­king thus, Euery knee shall bowe vn­to mee, and euery tongue shall sweare vnto mee. Againe hée treating of the Church, and of the studies and manners of the godly, saieth, He that shall blesse him selfe in the earth, shall blesse him selfe in the true God, and he that shall sweare, shall sweare by the true God. More places of like sorte might bée alledged. Because there­fore that an oath is a parte of the wor­ship of God, which wée may not trans­late from him vnto his creatures, they ought to sweare by his name onely which wil vse the same godly and law­fully, as they ought to doe. There bée precepts for this matter, as namely those: Exod. 13. Keepe all thinges whatsoeuer I commaund you, and you shal not men­tion [Page] the names of other Gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. Also, Iosu. 22. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship him, and sweare by his name. And againe, Feare the Lord, thy GOD, and serue him, cleaue vnto him, and sweare by his name. Yea Io­sua lying vppon his death bead, admo­nished the Israelites that they shoulde not sweare by the names of the Gods of the Gentiles. In which saying, wée ought to remēber that the same lawes being ratified, and not to be remoued, are also to bée kept amonge the Chri­stians; and that those doe greatly of­fend against them, which when they sweare, do couple the names of saints, with the true God. For so, while they make them to bée priuie, or to haue the knowledge of their hidden secretes, and appoynt them reuengers of their pro­mises, they giue vnto them that honour which is due vnto God onely. Fur­thermore they doe plainely inuocate or call vppon Sainctes when they say, so God shall helpe mée and all Saints. [Page 22] But that inuocation is due onely vnto God, it is better knowne, then that it néedeth to be shewed in many words the Martyrs sawe these thinges longe since, which had rather suffer most cru­ell punishment, then they would swear by other Gods. A notable ex­ample against swearing by that ought not. Among the which, the godlynesse of Policarpus was singular, whome neyther threatnings, nor flat­tering entreaties coulde once moue to sweare by Caesars fortune, although hée might readily haue excused the matter, because fortune is the God, which by his counsell doeth gouerne and direct mens behests. But hée rather regar­ded what the wicked enimies vnder­stoode by the word [fortune], then how the denyall of his fayth might by any meanes be couered before men. Let vs in these dayes follow the constancie of this man, least while wée raught after vnprofitable escapings, wée deserue to bée numbred with them, vnto whome the Prophet Zephanie denounceth this horrible iudgement of God.

5. Backsliding Fiftly hée passeth verie plainely to the [Page] wicked, and such as were bakslyders. I will cut them of also (saieth hee) that haue gone backe from the Lorde. He compareth them to vntrustie soul­diers, which flye from the battayle, while others encounter with their e­nimies: and by and by after hée tea­cheth what they bée, namely such, as do not seeke the Lorde, nor enquire af­ter him. God is sound in his worde, wherein hée maketh him selfe, and his will knowne vnto men. They there­fore séeke him truely, that heare his worde attentiuely, and doe diligent­ly followe that way of worshippinge GOD, and trade of lyfe, that is taught therein. And againe, they bée faythlesse startbackes, as many as doe prolonge the time to heare the worde of GOD: such for the most part pre­tende ignoraunce: but for as much as they will not heare GOD, though hée speake vnto them, this their igno­raunce is wilfull, and grosse, and ther­fore deserueth not any way to bée ex­cused. And wée are taught so in this [Page 23] place, that the contempte of GOD his worde is the fountaine, or head of all fallinges from GOD, and su­perstitions. For they that forsake this worde, doe follow their owne fancies, and so goe astray, & hauing knowledge, they cannot tell what to doe. This may bée séene in the Iewes, they had a worshippe or religion taught them of GOD, they had the doctrine of the Lawe and the Prophets, whome God sent dayly vnto them, as if they had béene receiuers. Notwithstanding all these béeing vtterly despised, they fol­lowed their owne dreames, and ther­fore deserued to bée entangled with er­rours. The same thing at this time hath befallen the Papistes, they haue the scriptures, as wel as we, w^c they ac­customed to reade & singe in their Chur­ches. And many also doe reade the same at home priuately. Besides this they haue the Lordes Prayer, the Apostles Créede, or Articles of the fayth, the ten commaundementes, Baptisme, & such like, all which thinges doe sende vs to GOD, and doe teach vs in him [Page] to séeke the way of saluation. Yet notwithstanding they are turned to the creatures: and so hauing know­ledge, they willingly forsake the true way of saluation. The degrees of superstition But let vs consi­der the degrees of superstition, which the Prophet in this place maketh men­tion of. The first is, when the rem­naunt of superstitions is kept, when GOD graunteth libertie to reforme thinges, craftie dissemblers doe attend vpon these superstitions, wherevnto they beare great good will, and doe by little and little spreade them aborad, by & by after followeth open Idolatrie: but least wée shoulde séeme to forsake GOD altogether, first there is in­uented a certaine mixture, but the same at the length degenerateth to a playne defection or falling from God: and these thinges certainely, euen at this day are séene euery where: and doe we as yet meruaile at the wrath of GOD hanging ouer our heades? Let vs learne therefore to attend and waite vpon the word of God, to flye all [Page 24] occa­sion of euil: but let vs séeke for al salua­tion onely in GOD, through the me­rit of his Sonne Iesus Christe, to whome bée thankes giuing, honour, glory, and power for euer.

Amen

The third Sermon.

The argument and vse of the [...] present place. BEcause Zephaniah began with a grieuous thretning of punishmēt, by & by after he sheweth y^e causes thereof, least hée should séeme to haue spokē any thing rashly, or of some wicked affecti­on; but he hath especially accused those [Page 25] thinges that concerne religion, which they had corrupted with many super­stitions, seeing that they fauoured those thinges secretely, which Iosia woulde haue had destroyed. But as the disposi­tion of mā, is naturally prone to sinne and errour: so when punishment is denounced, eyther hee murmureth a­gainst God, as though hee were more vniustly dealt with, then hée deserued: or else he fenceth himselfe about, with outwarde assistance, and thinketh he is in safetie, eyther because of his digni­tie or wealth, or because of his might, or power, and such like. Those therfore that are so disposed, must be answered very flatly, least peraduenture, they should continue eyther stil to murmure agaynst God, or els being withholden by reason of their vaine confidence, they shoulde neglect the care of repentance, by the which they might be brought in­to fauour with God. This thing doeth the. Prophet Zephaniah performe in this place. For first hée answeareth too their grudgings, and telleth them that the punishmentes which they haue de­serued, [Page] can be auoyded by no meanes, neyther yet by any colourable pretence of excuse whatsoeuer. Then he doth as it were by name rehearse those, which thought themselues placed without all reache of weapon, by reason of their dignitie and great power. Afterward hée passeth to describe the punishment: and this hée doeth more at large conti­nue vnto the end of the Chapter. Wée are taught in this place, that when GOD hath to doe with vs, by his threatnings, no persuasion of the flesh, wherewith it is woont to fawne vppon vs, ought to be allowed of, but we must rather apply al our diligence vnto this, that wée forsaking our sinnes, and im­bracing Christ, may agayne be brought into fauour with him.

He inforceth the answearers to silence. First hee méeteth with these aun­sweares, and taketh from them all hope of escaping skotfrée. Bee still (sayeth hée) at the presence of the Lord GOD, as though hée shoulde say, I heare what you are woont to counter­chatte, as though the things I threa­ten, [Page 26] shoulde neuer be. But I wisse it becommeth you not, too reason with GOD, who forasmuche as he is iust and omnipotent, cannot be conuinced of any vnrighteousnesse. And he also doth easily inforce suche vnto silence, as dare gaynsay: or speake contrarie vn­to him. Bee still therefore in his pre­sence, that is to say, the persuasions of your fleshe beeyng repressed and reie­cted, submitte your selues wholly vn­der his gouernment and correction. He geueth a reason of this his saying: For the day of the Lorde is at hande. So he calleth the time of reuenge, or punish­ment, which GOD taketh of his e­nimies because then especially, he doeth the thing that belongeth vnto him, and doeth indeede declare himselfe, too bee such, as hee is opened vnto vs in the scripture. But he saieth that the time is at hande, because of those, which by reason of the staying thereof promised themselues to scape vnpunished: & ther­fore (as we may reade elsewhere, doe referre y^e day of y^e Lord, vnto the tyme yet long to com, to y^e end they may pro­uoke vnto themselues greater delights [Page] in their vngodlinesse, but hée sheweth that that day is very neere when he ad­deth. The Lorde hath prepared his Sa­crifice & sanctified his guestes, he spea­keth according too the custome of that people which then was well knowen vnto them all. For they that would of­fer a sacrifice of thankesgeuing, first they prepared the sacrifice, that is, some beast that shoulde be offered: then they called their friendes to the holy feaste, which was furnished with the fleshe slayne for the sacrifice; wherevnto none might come, except he were purified or made holie, according to the lawe. The Lorde therefore fayneth, that hee will make a sacrifice, and keepe a holy day, and that shortly, because the sacrifice is already prepared: and those are sancti­fied that must eate thereof. But by the name of Sacrifice he vnderstandeth the Iewes that must be slaine by the Chal­dians, and Babylonians, which in this holy busines must bee vnto God, as it were Priestes. By which name Nabu­cadnezar in Ieremie Iere. 25. is called y^e seruant of the Lord: And Isay Isai. 13. in the same sense [Page 27] calleth the Meades & Persians, the san­ctified of God, because he had decreed by their Ministerie, to cut of Babylon. But by the guests which God hath bid­den, we may very fittingly vnderstande the foules and beastes, wherevnto hee hath determined to cast out the fleshe of those his enemies to be deuoured. For in like manner in the reuelation, where the battell of Christ, with Antichrist is described, wee reade, Apoc. 19 that the Angell spake with a loude voyce to the Byrdes of the ayre, Come and gather ye togea­ther vnto the Supper of the great God, that ye may eate the flesh of kinges and the fleshe of high Captaines, & the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the fleshe of all free men and bond men, & of small and greate, &c. But in that that the prophet vseth the similitude of a Sacrifice, he seemeth also to vpbraide their vnlawfull holie rytes, and those thinges that are woont to followe or al­wayes to accompany them, as wanton­nesse, lust, and carelesse confidence: as if he should say, go to, seyng it is so per­mitted, [Page] Goe forward, make sacrifices, and in the same mocke with God, you shall not long doe thus, for very short­ly God will haue his sacrifices of dedi­cation and will keepe holy day, where­in hee will content or satisfie himselfe with your flesh and blood, offered as it were in Sacrifice.

The slaughter of the wicked compared vnto a Sacrifice. But it is woorthy diligent conside­ration, that the slaughters of Gods wicked enimies, are compared to sacri­fices. The Spirite of GOD doeth this, not onely because of the bloodshed which is committed euery where, but also because the glory of GOD is ad­uaunced in the punishment of the wic­ked. For first the Iustice of GOD doeth euidently shewe it selfe, which sometime séemeth too bée asléepe, when as they become saucy agaynst GOD, and without punishment. Then the trueth of that woorde is made good, when they beare those punishmentes, which were threatened in the same long before. In this also wée sée the in­uincible power of GOD, which will [Page 28] they, nill they, inforce them that cram­med themselues with beastly pleasure, and coulde not bee persuaded by anye meanes, to offer themselues vnto him a liuely sacrifice, to bee a sacrifice them­selues, and to bée deuoured of wylde beastes, whose vnsatiablenesse, and bloody cruelty they followed. They ought diligently to marke these things, whose ministery the Lorde vouchsafeth too vse, in punishing the wicked: for if they beyng inflamed with a godly zeale, doe the Lordes businesse diligently, and accomplish his glory valiantly, in puni­shing the wicked. They offer vnto God a most acceptable Sacrifice: and shall in so doing, obteyne immortal reward, & commendation. We haue an example of this matter in Phinees, the sonne of Eleazar, who, for killing of Zambrie committing filthinesse with his Ma­dianatish Harlot, Num. 25. is very highly com­mended, as one which by that déede, or rather most pleasing Sacrifice turned the wrath of GOD from Israel. And of the selfsame God pronoūceth saying:

Behold I make my couenant & peace with him, as well he, as his seede after him, shall haue the couenaunt of the Priesthood for euer, because he was ze­lous for his God, and put himselfe in danger for the children of Israel. 2. Reg. 10. In like maner God commendeth Iehu, be­cause he bestowed great diligēce in cut­ting vp by the rootes, the stocke of wic­ked Achab, and Iezabel, and in destroy­ing the Priestes of Baal. And for this cause doth promise him a kingdom vn­to the fourth generation. And we read that the wrath of God came vpon Saule and Achab: 1. Sam. 15. 1. Reg. 20. bicause Achab kept Benha­dad the king of Syria aliue, and Saule kept Agag the Amalekite, whom God had adiudged worthy of death. And the sentence of Ieremy is well ynough kno­wen, wherein, he threatning destructi­on to the nation of the Moabites, stir­reth vp theyr enimies, crying: Iere. 48. Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lorde negligently: And cursed is he that kee­peth his sworde from blood. For seing as we haue sayde before, that the pu­nishmentes of the wicked doeth make [Page 29] for the woorship of God, it becommeth those not to be slacke and negligent in executing the same, which woulde bée counted the true woorshippers of GOD. Let therefore the Magi­strates alwayes meditate vppon these things, least while through foolish pity, they, sparing the wicked, prouoke the wrath of God against themselues. But they that are punished for their wicked­nesse, whether it be publikely or priuat­ly, let them remember these men and neyther murmure against God, ney­ther yet conceaue in their mindes, that there was either hatred or vniust desire of punishment: but let them rather bée still in the presence of the Lorde, & with pacience submitte themselues vnto his correction, for so it will come to passe, that those thinges will worke together vnto them for good, which otherwise would bring destruction, the examples which make for this purpose, we haue els where alleadged, He nameth those that be for all others ought to be fi­nished. as of Dauid, Da­niel, & the Emperour Mauritius, wher­vnto many others may be added which they y^t reade histories doe euery where [Page] méet w^tal. But let vs returne again to our Prophet, who in order beginneth to name those, which especially deserued to be punished, and surely he reckoneth those first which in comparison of other thoughte themselues safe without all danger of hurting. Where wée may sée how full of danger the condicion of pro­phets and ministers of the woorde, is, for that they are constrained too accuse, or reproue them, whom most of al it be­houed to haue fauourable, and assistent vnto them, which also were able to doe them the greatest harme. But he recko­neth vp three sortes of men, vnto whom afterwarde hee addeth the fourth. The first place he appoynteth to the Princes and to king Iosia his sonnes. Of whom doubtlesse he therfore beginneth bicause they were the chiefe Authours of wic­kednesse, and offences: and the sacred hystory doeth sufficiently witnesse, that these threatninges were not in vayne. For Ioachas that came vn­to the kingdome after his Father Io­sia was slayne, after hée had reyg­ned [Page 30] onely thrée Monethes was ledde away Captiue into Egypt, and there was put too death. The kyng of E­gypt appoynted Ioakim in his stéede, which, when Nabucadnezar had conquered Egypt, became his Tri­butary and Seruaunt: and not long after for his rebellion, he was taken & carried away captiue by the same Na­bucadnezar, and dying in the iour­ney, lacked the right of honourable Buriall. For the Babylonians threw out his carkase too bée torne in péeces of the beastes and foules of the aire, as Ieremy had before prophesied, Iere. 12. say­ing: Hee shoulde bee buried as an Asse. After him succéeded Iecho­nias, who also healde the king­dome but thrée Monethes, and as Ie­remy persuaded him, he went willingly into banishment, and was carried too Babylon with the costly vessels of the Lords house. After him came Zedechias who as he passed all that had béene be­fore him, in wickednes & trechery, so he was most greuously punished. For after hée had abidden the siege a long tyme, [Page] at length this Citie being taken, and he caught in his flight, was carried to Nabuchadnezar in Ribla. Who, when in his sight he had slaine his sonnes, and the more noble men that came out of Iu­da, and put out his eyes, he was bound in chaynes, and led away to Babylon. The Lorde therefore doth most truely foreshewe this matter by his Prophete Zephaniah, saying: And it shalbee in the day of the Lordes Sacrifice, that I will visite the Princes, and the kinges children, &c. But wée are admonished by these examples what things remaine for those children, that doe degenerate from their fathers godlinesse: and how they are deceiued that by reason of the vertue of their foreelders, doe promise to themselues that all thinges shalbée cocke sure, and very ioyfull. For it is so farre away y^t they for this cause should scape vnpunished for their wickednesse, that beyng thereby made more without excuse, doe susteine more grieuous pu­nishment: for that that came to passe v­pon these, doth also befall many others priuatly, yea and lighteth vpon whole [Page 31] nations publikely, which haue degene­rated from the vertue of their Aunce­stors. Let Parentes in like maner con­sider these thinges: that first of all they may bee diligent in bringing vp their children, neither let them thinke that any care therein is superfluous: then let them learn pacience, if they perceiue that they haue profited but a little by al theyr care, and that theyr children doe degenerate, for this commonly befal­leth the children of God, that they sel­domly haue children that follow them in godlines and vertue: and God suffe­reth this thing to come so to passe, that it may be knowne that the children of God are borne, not of fleshe and blood, but of the séede of his worde, which be­yng receyued by true fayth, and quicke­ned by the power of the spirite, doeth re­generate or beget vs anew. This must be marked of vs, when wée reade that Ismael Abrahams sonne was a mocker, that Esau was geuen too gluttony and lust, and that the sonnes of Iacob were wicked both against their father & bro­ther, and that Absalom was incestuous [Page] and a manqueller.

2. They that did weare strange Appar­rell. Secondly God threatneth that hée wil visit those which weare strange at­tire. This may bee expounded twoo wayes. For eyther he accuseth their ri­ot, and lightnesse, wherein they became like other foreine & barbarous nations, in apparrell: or els hée speaketh of the superstitious, woorshippers of false Gods, which by their straunge and vn­accustomed apparrell, did professe their Godlinesse and Religion. Neyther shall wée erre as I thinke, if wée, ex­pound the place of them both. For wée knowe out of Ieremy, that the Iewes at that time did intreate Leagues with foren nations. Which doubtlesse was the cause, that they woulde imi­tate their manners, and attire: and howe much those that bée superstitious doe attribute vnto apparrell, it may be gathered by the Monkes and Masse Priestes, which thinke it a sinne, that neuer can bée purged, if they shoulde al­ter them neuer so little. Here that com­meth into my minde which is reported of Pope Iulius the thirde by those that bée [Page 32] of credit: He (as many men do know) was a very vngodly and malapert de­spiser of all religion. Hée doubted not sometime among his acquaintaunce to speake those things, wherein he both o­penly reprehended the boldnesse of the Bishops, and also the foolishnesse of the people, that so woondred at them. It came to passe at a certaine time, as hée walked vp and downe his chamber, his goune and coate for the great heate bée­ing layde apart, y^t two of his Cardinals that came too speake with him were at his chamber doore. These when they sawe that hée was not clad, as hée was woont to be, went backe and durst not enter into his chamber. But he cōman­ded them to come in, and not to doubt a­ny thing: and being come in, he caused them to doe off theyr attire, as hee had doone. For séeing (saith he) that I being in the shadowe am so whot, how much more are your garmentes a burden vn­too you, that haue come so farre too talke with mee? doe you therfore in like manner lay aside your gounes and coates, and neuer stay at the matter. [Page] But they prolonging the time because they were bashfull, he compelled them so to doe. And when afterwarde he had walked a while betwixt them, what thinke you (saith he) that our Citizens of Rome woulde say, if they shoulde see vs walke thus through the citie. They made him answeare saying, Now tru­ly, holy Father, they woulde thinke vs some Iesters, neither woulde they suf­fer vs to passe without some reproche. Then he sayde vnto them, you see ther­fore my brethren howe greatly wee are bound to our apparrell, that doeth saue vs from such iniuries, and doth procure vs so great opinion of holinesse: Iulius spake very flatly as the matter was: and I doe not doubt, but many in their minds doe say the selfsame thing which woulde bee counted religious with the formost, and yet laugh closely in theyr sléeues when they sée the wide open sot­tishnesse of the foolish common people, nay of Princes themselues, which be­cause of these Hobgoblins, and stage­like attyre haue them in reuerence and reputation. But let vs (and that not [Page 33] negligētly consider, that this is recko­ned amongst the causes of destructi­on, which in mans iudgemēt séemeth to be but a small thing: but to him, that will more narowly weigh the matter, it shal by and by appeare, that by apparell sinne is committed many wayes. For as for riotousnesse and pride, wherewith vain and light per­sons doe vaunt themselues: who will affirme, that they doe acknowledge their faultes, or repent them of them, which are proude of their apparell? which (as the scripture saieth) began, because of sinne, which also ought to admonish vs of our state and conditi­on, as often as we put them eyther on or of: and therefore these persons doe as if some wicked fellow should get him praise by the haulter, which for his wickednesse hée hath deserued.

Moreouer, offence is committed a­gainst the Lawe of God, and nature, which teach that the vse of apparell is, that our bodies should be honestly couered therewith, and so preserued from the rage of the weather: but they [Page] that become riotous about it, doe al­most suffer the more vnseemely parts of the bodie to be either bare, or els they lay thē out after a more beastly maner, thē if they shold be séen altoge­ther vncouered, & in others they stir vp & prouoke most vngodly thoughts and concupiscence. And furthermore that pride maketh vs vnmindefull of our condition: wherevppon it com­meth that wée also forget God, and proudly despise our neighbor. Moreo­uer wée doe vnséemely abuse our wealth, wherewith wée ought to re­lieue the pouertie of others. I speake nothing now of y^e lightnes of y^e mind, which is proued by no argumēt more manifestly, thē if we despising y^e attire of our owne nation being also recei­ued from our elders, should dote vp­on straunge and vnaccustomed appa­rell. Wee may not thinke therefore that it was done at a venture, that God made lawes as concerning ap­parell. Deut. 22. 1. Co 11. 2. Tim. 2. 1. Pet. 3. And thereof also the Pro­phets and Apostles doe very often ad­monish vs. And they are adiudged [Page 34] worthy of destruction, which with ry­ot and pride do offend about the same. And we sée it come to passe very of­ten, that they which are delighted with forren attyre, do proue by expe­rience those enemies that come from far, vnto whom they bée made a pray, or are deliuered as a bootie: but as for those superstitious fellowes, they through their hypocrisie commit sin, while they make boaste and vaunte them selues with a shadowe of godli­nes. Thē they defile thēselues w^t sacri­ledge, whē y^e honor which is due vnto Christ, they attribute vnto rags, and in them they looke to haue the reward of righteousnes & saluation. Besides this w^t monstrous rashnes they do in­uent diuers formes of religiō, & with an vnprofitable & superstitious diffe­rence of apparel, they cut in péeces the vnitie of the Church, sanctified with the bloud and spirite of Christ, & ther­fore they are worthy with their appa­rell, to come to destruction.

Thirdly, And I will visit (saith hée) in that day, euery one that daunceth [Page] proudly vpon the thresholde, which fill their maisters houses with vilo­lence and wrong. Hée speaketh of the Ministers of noble men, which as in al thinges they be accustomed to flat­ter their maisters: so to plesure them, they oppresse any man eyther with o­pen violence, or with hidden subtiltie. For they daunce vpon the thresholde, that is with much mirth and impu­dencie, they inuade other mens hou­ses, that take violently away, and do al things as they lyst: yea these things are done without controulement, so that part of the bootie bée brought to their maisters, whose houses in the meane season are filled with wealth gotten by violence and wicked polli­cie. In which place wée sée how many things are vniustly & wickedly com­mitted, and that vnder godly Kinges and Princes, while they them selues eyther sée not all thinges, or els cannot represse their vntamed sa­uadgenesse. For it is out of doubt that Iosia restored in like manner those lawes and ordinaunces, whereby [Page 35] wrongfull violence was forbidden. Notwithstanding, this wickednesse was wrought, he not knowing there­of, and they that would haue made complaint vnto the King, could not haue accesse vnto him. But let such remember, that the Lord doeth neuer leaue the afflicted and oppressed desti­tute: who in his appointed time doth take away the tyrantes, and with them doth punishe al those that offred themselues to serue their crueltie. Let them consider this, whosoeuer they be, that for hyre let out their help vnto kinges that wage vnnecessary and vniust wars, and being hired for wages fil other mens countries with fire and slaughter, but their own hou­ses with bloody spoyles.

The descripti [...] of the punish­ment. Furthermore let vs come to the third part of this place, wherein the Prophet doeth describe the punish­ment, and teacheth how grieuous the same shall be, & how it shal inuade or rush violently vppon them all about, and euery where. There shalbe in that day (saith the Lord) the voyce of cry­ing, [Page] from the fish gate, and howling from the second gate, and a great de­struction from the hils, &c. Hee na­meth the vttermost bounds of the ci­tie, that he may shewe that the cala­mitie doeth hang ouer it all. I take it that the fish gate was in that parte of the Citie, by the which men went downe to Ioppa, vnto the sea, and through the which, fishe with other marchandise comming vp, from the sea, were brought in, and the former or first parte of the citie conteyning the market, the counsell houses or courtes and other more notable pla­ces adioyned vnto it. On the other side was Hamischene, that is, the se­cond part of the citie, wherein Hulda the Prophetesse dwelled, as the histo­rie of the Kinges declareth. 2. Reg. 22. In the third place he nameth the hils, wher­with the citie was compassed, as out of the Psalmes, and many other pla­ces of the Prophets it may appeare. The meaning is therefore, that the miserie shalbe so great, that in euery part of the citie shalbe heard y^e noyse & howling of them that be woefully af­flicted: [Page 36] and here hée addeth by the way of detestation, Howle ye inhabiters of the lowe place, for the cōpany of the marchāts is destroied, al they that ca­ry siluer are cut of. The worde sig­nifieth eyther Clay or Myre, called morter or els a spice Morter. In these words he cōprehendeth the fourth kind of them, that before all other must bee puni­shed, that is to say, the Marchants, whom hee calleth the inhabiters of the place of morter, either because they dwell in the lower or neather parte of the citie, or els because all things among thē was filled with the tinkling of morters, as is wont to be among the swéete powder makers, or those y^t make swéet ointments, the A­pothecaries, & men of like trade, that minister prouocatiōs to delights and voluptuous pleasures: but he sheweth that it will come to passe, that those which now swimmed in sensualitie, should smart for it, & should be pown­ded as it were in a morter by their e­nemies. And because the Marchants were in al parts of the citie, partly by reason of their aliances, wherw^t they wer linked together, & did partly trust in their riches: y^e prophet saith. All the [Page] companie of the Marchauntes is de­stroyed, and all such as caried monie are cut of. In which wordes he de­priueth them of all confidence, affir­ming, that they shall perish together with their merchāts. But it is worth the consideration, that hee threatneth the marchāts with peculiar plagues. For they while, they be altogether gi­uen to their own pleasure, are the au­thors of many vices: for they bring in strange and foren delightes, and doe wonderfully increase excessiue plea­sure; ouerthrowing all good instructi­on, order, discipline, and example of manners: that wee may here speake nothing at all of those things, y^t they commit, contrary to all equitie, and right, and against the care of charitie, as else where is declared more at large. But we are all without excep­tion here taught, what remaineth for them, which will not submit them­selues to the lawes of God, but cast of al order, and godly institution. Those fellowes are woont in the middest of their pleasure, to singe, to sporte, and [Page 37] make much ioly royoting, but in the ende these things be turned to mour­ning; that they do no lesse fill all pla­ces with howling and lamentation, then they were troublesome before with their vntimely singing and pa­stime. Let vs learne therfore to take héede vnto our selues, that we follow not the examples of such men: neither let vs be offended with the vnaccus­tomed hautinesse of them, that com­mit such things. But let vs lay vp all hope of euerlasting felicitie in God, through Iesus Christ, who shortely will come in the clowdes of the ayre to deliuer his, and to beate down the loftines of these men with deserued punishment: to him be thanks giuing honour, glory, and power, for euer.

Amen.

The fourth Sermon.

The argument and vse of this present place. THe Prophet hath hitherto reuea­led certaine kind of sinnes, wher­with the Iewes vnder the reigne of Iosia, prouoked the wrath of God a­gainst themselues. Among them this was chiefe, that they set them selues against the godly reformation, and did priuily mayntaine those super­stitions that were condemned in the law. Therfore he thretned very grie­uous plagues, which they especially [Page] should féele, which thought thēselues most of all in safetie: as namely, the Princes, the kings children, the mar­chantes, the courtiers and their offi­cers, and as many besides, as wal­lowed in wealth. But in this place he goeth forward, and doth without ex­ception reproue in generall all hypo­crits, and prophane despisers of God, and doth in such wise threaten them with punishments and plagues, that he taketh from them al things wher­in they might put any confidence a­gainst the same threatninges. Hence we may learne that God is neither deceaued with an outward shew, nei­ther yet that hee can be let with any force of man, but that he may take ex­ecution vpon them.

He threatneth destruction to the carelesse hypocrites. First he speaketh vnto the hypo­crites and carelesse despisers of God, shewing what they are, and y^t they can no way escape the iudgement of God. And it shall bee in that tyme, (saith hée) that I will searche Ierusalem with lightes, &c. As if hée shoulde saye, you thinke that I cannot sée you, [Page 39] and that you shall escape the fierce­nesse of my Iudgement, but you are much deceaued by this perswasion. For euen nowe my Lampes and Lanterns are readie, wherewith I will make a searche through out the citie, and I will drawe out those that lurke in the most priuie cor­ners. Yea I will set the Citie on fire by the Babylonians, that no one may bee suffered to hide him selfe in the darke. Those therefore shall then be layd open, and made manifest, which now very cunningly doe counterfeite a care of holynesse, being in déede al­together wicked, and are against the reformation which is done ac­cording to my Lawe. And by and by after he sheweth in plaine words of whome hée speaketh: I will visit (saieth hée) those men that are fro­sen in their dregs. Riches and wealth are sometyme called dregges: as Ie­remy speaking of the Moabites, sayeth, Ier. [...]. Moab was rich from his youth, and he tooke his ease in his dregges, or setled vpon his lees &c. [Page] this séemeth to bee the reason of the worde (Lées or Dregs) that as dregs are the refuse of wine, and by reason of their owne weightinesse doe go to the bottome: so the riches of this life are a certaine superfluous matter, or substance, which for as much as they doe consist of the earth, neither can they them selues bée lifted vp to hea­uen, neither yet doe they suffer those that set their mindes vppon them, to mount aloft to the consideration of heauenly things, but all to be drench them in earthly cares. Moreouer, as the wine being troubled with the dregs, cannot be vsed, vntill they set­tle them selues into their place, or els the wine be dreaned into an other vessell: so the care of riches is woont to disturbe y^e whole race of mans life, to hinder godlynesse, to make men vnfit, and vnworthy to receiue the kingdome of heauen: neyther can a­ny other order bée taken for our safe­tie, then by making our wealth sub­iecte vnto vs; that it may serue for [Page 40] our necessary vses, and not rule ouer vs; but that we should set our minds frée, and at libertie from the care and disquietnesse thereof. Moreouer dregs in an other signification, are taken for extreame miserie, or calamitie, as where Isay writeth that the Iewes shall drinke the Cuppe of the Lorde euen to the dregges: Isay. 15. although the first signification doeth not vnfitly a­grée to this present place, for as much as hée spake before of the wealthy Marchauntes, and by and by after threatneth the taking away of their riches: yet y^e prophet séemeth to me to haue considered a more deepe and hid­den matter, as namely the naturall corruption of the minde, which be­ing taken or drawne from the sinnes of our first parents, except it be cor­rected by the spirite and worde of GOD, is gathered together as it were a certaine vlcer, or masse of filthy mater hydden in the flesh, se­cretly increasing and créeping on, [...] vn­till at length it breake out into open [Page] vngodlines, and manifest denying of God. And vnto this sense the Pro­phet himselfe agreeth in adding, that (They say in their heartes, the Lorde will doe neither good nor ill.) For in these words hée sheweth the thoughts of the wicked, which, as most filthy dregges, haue their abyding place in their heartes, wherewith they being deceaued, imagine a God vn­to them selues, who (as the Epicure sayeth) walketh too and fro by the poles of heauen, and regardeth not the affaires of men, doing neither good to them that worship him, nor harme to them that despise him: where wée are taught to what passe they come, which leauing the worde of God, followe the dreames of their owne reason. The properties of hypocrites. And do professe the same very greatly. They dissemble in good earnest for a little space, a very feruent care of godlynesse, and doe professe the same very greatly: but hauing respect to their mindes, wher­in there is some perseuerance of the heauenly diuine power, they spende their whole tyme and trauell [Page 41] about idle and those starke steruing superstitions. But when they per­ceiue that they cannot profite any thing at all thereby, and that they can not in verye déede attribute much to those thinges which they know that they themselues and suche like haue inuented: all feare of the mighty power of God being at length shaken of, they deny GOD, and do wickedly despise all kinde of holines: although not openly, yet in their heartes, as the Prophet saieth, allu­ding to that saying of Dauid, Psal. 14. The foo­lishe man hath said in his heart, there is no God) and by this it is euident, without all nay, that these thoughts or rather perswasions abide in their hearts, because they liuing most wic­kedly and wholly ouerrun with sinne doe notwithstanding promise them­selues that nothing shal miscary with them: adding moreouer as if it pleased them to mocke with God whom erst while they denied in their hearts, y^t they are not afraid to thrust vpō him [Page] their superstitious and idle ceremo­nies, which they knowe to be mani­festly agaynst his wil reuealed in his word. Such persōs may bleare mens eyes, with their vain shewe, but they can in no wise deceiue God, who ne­uer wanteth lightes, and lampes, wherewith he pearceth to the finding out of the most hidden corners of the heart, and doeth afterward reprooue their vngodlinesse openly: and being brought into light, he doth worthily punish them, in the sight of the whole worlde. Examples we haue in those, which, when they haue ouerlong de­spised God: being at the length ouer­come by the testimony of their owne conscience, fall into despayre, and be­ing as yet aliue in the flesh, do behold before their faces, those furies of hell, which very often doe offer vnto them occasiō and cause of selfquelling. And although these thinges come not al­wayes to passe in this life, yet the day will one day come, when they shall stande before the Tribunall seate of Christ, where their vngodlinesse shal [Page 42] both be reuealed, & they worthily pu­nished for y^e same: but in the mean sea sō this place must be drawn to y^e iudg­ments, wherw^t God in this life puni­sheth sins: y^t we may learn y^t the hand of God is present euery where, & that they can be hiddē in no lurking place, though neuer so secret, whom he hath ordained vnto punishment. For that we may stay vpon the historie of our owne Prophet, we reade that Zede­chia, and those heades of the people that were left, when they sawe that the Citie was taken of the Babylo­nians, fledde away, by a certaine by way, or priuie passage: Iere. 39. but by Gods iudgement which followed them, they were taken by the way, and be­ing brought againe from their escape, and running away, were grieuously punished for their vngodlinesse: but in y^e last winning of the citie, which was done by Titus, they were found in the very priuies, and there put to death. that fled thither to hide them selues. Wee méete such examples in hy­stories euery where which might [Page] serue vs to learne to feare and obey God.

But because he began to speake of the punishment, he doth define it, that they may knowe what it shalbee: 2. Tim. 3. Namely the winning of theyr citie, & spoyling of their goods. In which two kindes he comprehendeth all thinges that are wont to followe the sacking, or rifling of a citie, Their goodes, saith he, shalbe spoyled, and their houses lie wast. And so he teacheth them, that in short time and without any greate a­doe they shoulde bee conquered, that were thought inuincible: and that they may acknowledge the iudge­mēt of God in these things, he borow­eth threatnings from the lawe, wher­by hee may more plainly expresse this matter. They shal build houses (saith he) and not inhabite them, they shall plāt Vineiards, & not drink wine ther­of. We haue spokē els where of these spéeches, so that we néed not make a­ny stay in them, yet it shalbe profita­ble to note how miserably they are deceiued w^c take great paynes by hooke [Page 43] and by crooke to heape vp riches, and doe not geue vnto GOD his honour, who only blesseth our trauels. They i­magin that mans blessednesse consi­steth in the abundance of riches, but they being for the most parte preuen­ted by the suddayne, and vnlooked for iudgement of God, do reape but small commoditie from their wealth, which they haue gotten with such pains and trauell. Viewe the Parable which Christ in Luke propoundeth of the foo­lish and sumptuous proude rich man, wherof we may see very many exam­ples euery day, wherby y^e frowardnes of men ought more to bee lamented: which can be moued by no examples or perswasions, to geue ouer the out­ragious paines taking, to waxe riche, and to séeke the kingdome of God, and to apply themselues too godlinesse, which hath promises of this life and of the life to come. 1. Tim. 4.

He threatneth the winning and sacking of the Citie. Furthermore because the wicked doe on euery side reache after waies to escape, and doe put their confidence in externall assistance, he now descri­beth [Page] more at large that, which he had threatned before in generall wordes, and he taketh al things away y^t they were wont to obiect either in sport or good earnest. He shewet that God is their e­nemie. First they thought that there was no man that durst attempt any thing against their nation fenced on euery side with so many garisons: therfore he saith, The day of the Lord is at hand. He setteth before their eies the day of the Lorde, that they may vnderstand that this shalbe the work of God, who can weaken their force and strengthen any enemies against them whatsoeuer. In the meane sea­son he forewarneth the godly by this speache, that in the time of captiuitie they may acknowledge the hande of God, and that they should not think that any thinge came to passe by chaunce or fortune. But from hence wee may gather a generall doctrine, namely y^t no man put his trust either in his own strēgth, or contemne such enemies as are sent of God. For if the day of the lord, that is to say the time of destinie, bée at hande, wherein [Page 44] God hath ordained to punish any na­tion, our owne strength cannot helpe vs, and the counsell of the most wise shalbe to no purpose, as wee may beholde in the examples of ma­ny nations euen from the beginning of the world. Againe, whosoeuer they be, that are punished, let them thinke that they are punished of God, and let them returne vnto him: which thing to doe, is the onely way of safe­tie in the time of aduersitie, as the scripture teacheth, according to that saying, Be ye turned vnto me, and I will be turned vnto you.

He sheweth that it is neere at hand. Secondly they referre this day of the Lorde vnto the time yet long to come, that by prolonging the time, they myght take their pleasure. (Hée sayeth) therefore, That it is at hande, and that by re­peating the same, hée addeth, and it maketh hast. By the which words he admonisheth that y^e iudgements of God are not to be wayed according to the presēt state of things, but after his [Page] worde, which is grounded and sure, howsoeuer it séemeth otherwise too flesh and blood. For although he doeth at sometimes defer the punishment, yet he doeth it of his iust iudgement, and determinate counsell, when ey­ther the faith of those that be his, must be exercised, or the mesure of the wic­ked fulfilled. But in the meane time, that iudgement slacketh not, where­with they must be punished: neyther doth the destruction sléepe which God appoynted for them. For as we waxe olde without any féeling, although gray hayres créepe vpon vs and wee perceiue it not: so vpon them that bée carelesse, and hauing nothing lesse in their mindes, that day commeth on very fast, wherewith God will pu­nish the wickednesse of all men. Wée sée examples here euery day, when those that bée richest of all others, are stripped out of their wealth, disea­ses comme vppon them vnlooked for, while they take their pleasure in securitie: and those that a little be­fore might bée thought to bée no lesse [Page 45] then halfe Gods, are thrust downe from the highest steppe of renowne into the lowest state of reproch, igno­minie and shame, and that, that com­meth to passe vpon some of priuate condition, wée see also to befall whole kingdomes and nations publikely: what? doeth not the Apostle say that that last day shall then come, when most men being deceaued with the pleasures and carelesnesse of the flesh, shall say, peace, peace. O that wée would oftē bethink vs of these things, that in shorte time wee might profit greatly in godlynesse, &c.

He sheweth the greatnes of the punishment. Thirdly they thought that this pu­nishment should bee but light, which peraduenture shoulde passe lightly o­uer their country: and in Isay, cap. 28 these sayings of the wicked are well knowne, Wee haue made a league with death, and a couenaunte with hell, though a scourge runne ouer and passe through, it shall not come nye vs, &c. Hée méeteth them there­fore, and calleth it the great day of the Lorde, because hée had appoyn­ted [Page] too punishe them with a peculi­ar and vnwoonted kinde of seue­ritie. For he addeth to expound him­selfe with all, The voice of the day of the Lord is bitter. He calleth the how­ling and crie of those that must then be punished, the voice of the day of the Lorde. They shall crie (sayth he) and bewaile their calamitie very bit­terly, which notwithstanding they cannot escape, but hee seemeth to set these outcries against the sermons of the Prophets, which called them day­ly to repentance though in vayne by offering vnto them the woord of God. Whether also that may bee referred, that is spoken by Zacharie in his first Chapter, It shall come to passe that as God hath cryed, and they haue not heard, so they shall cry and I will not heare them, sayth the Lord of hostes: This ought to be wel marked, as oft as God seemeth to deale hardly w^t vs, if at any time he do speedily deliuer vs calling vppon him, let vs then thinke how often we haue passed ouer his voice with deafe eares, and then wee [Page 46] shall perceiue that hee doeth vs no wrong. Furthermore, that w^c he ad­deth, belōgeth to the enlarging of the mischiefe, saying, There the strong man shall crye, that is, the calamitie shalbe so great, that it shall constrain the most valiaunt and strong men to howle very miserably, and by and by after he doth by a collection geather or heape vpp together what soeuer may make for y^e setting out of y^e calamity of y^t time. That day is a day of wrath, that is, he hath appointed this day for his wrath and indignation which you haue set on fire by your wickednes, A day of trouble and affliction, a day of destructiō & desolatiō, y^t is, that time shall be ful of calamitie, that w^c way soeuer you turn you, al shalbe a mise­rable and huge wastnes, also a day of clowdes & darknes a day of obscu­ritie & blacknes. By y^e darknes he vnderstādeth extreme euils & thretneth y^t they shal not know their own state, w^c thing he sheweth afterward more plainly by y^e parable of thē y^t be blind. but this is y^e ende of this destruction, y^t he purposeth to scare these froward [Page] Hypocrites, which so securely haue flattered them selues in their owne wickednes, and vnlawfull pleasures. Iosa. 22. And it is good to cal oftē to our minds such examples, when we seeme to bée most happy, that we may bethinke vs what hath befallen others, and what may come vppon vs, séeing no man is free from those thinges which are of the nature of man. This conside­ration will make vs to be lesse puffed vpp with present happines, and ther­fore the rather to stay vpon Gods fa­uourable goodnes.

4. He thretneth their munition. Fourthly they trusted in their strong Bulwarkes and Fortresses, and therefore he adioyneth, saying: A day of the Trumpet and Alarum o­uer the fenced cities and hye towers. as though he should say, You thinke that your countrie is inuincible, and that none can come vnto it. But it shall come to passe, that yee shall heare the Hornes of your enemies, rushing vppon you, and not onely abroade in the fieldes, but your e­nemies Trumpets shall sound their [Page 47] Tarra Tantara, with a terrible noyse in your best fenced cities, and highest towers of your strong holdes, and no fortresses can defend you, or put back the force of the enemie. And surely it is well knowen, that it fal­leth out very miserably with them, that haue any hope in fenced places. For it commeth too passe for the moste parte, that eyther their mu­nition togeather with all their fur­niture for their warre, doe come into their enemies handes, whilest they that haue prepared them, dare not for feare defende them: Or els they become vntoo them, like a prison, whilest the time of their besieging they fall without vppon the enemies swoorde: But with­in are plagued, with hunger, sedi­tion, noysome and pestifferous stincke, and in the ende perishe in moste horrible exile. This came too passe vnder Zedechia when the Ba­bylonians did besiege their citie: and then after also when it was besieged by the Romanes, which when they [Page] had taken it, made it éeuen with the ground. And in these dayes we are not without examples which prooue that vayne is the confidedce of muni­tion. Let vs say with Solomon, The name of the Lorde is a most strong Tower, whether, when the iust man fleeth, he is cleane without all gun­shotte.

He taketh away all confidence of wisdome and distresse. Fifthly, they trusting too their wisdome, did please themselues won­derfull well in their owne counselles in taking great paines to bring their abordering nations into league with them: and by séeking outwarde as­sistance round about: as we may sée in Ieremie, he saith therefore, And I will bring distresse vpon men, & they shall walke like blinde men, that is, I will bring their aboundance into such a streight, that all their coun­selles being shuffled together, they shall wander heere and there, & dash vpō euerie thing, as thē y^t be blinde. And least he shoulde séeme to be cruel & vniust in threatning these thinges, he doeth againe by the way insinu­ate [Page 48] the cause, which is, They haue sin­ned against the Lorde. For so he both vpbraideth thē with the contempt of Gods woord, and spoyleth them of all hope, because there can be no safetie vnto them against whom God is an­gry. Therefore (saith he) Their blood shall be poured out like dust, that is, their enemies shall haue no more re­gard of their blood, then if they straw abroad dust or sand. And their fleshe as doung. The hebrewe woord is Le­chumaei, deriued of the same ra­dical that Laechaem commeth of, which signifieth bread or meate: and there­fore some, not vnfitly in my iudge­ment, do expound it of the bodies of y^e delicate fed felowes, w^c were accu­stomed to pāper thēselues with plea­sures and daintie fare: and God for the most parte is woont in that sorte to punish those vncleane swine of y^e Epicures herd: that forasmuch as they make their belly and those thinges that belong to it their God, they being slain like swine, shoulde be throwne away after a shamefull manner, or [Page] els wanting the rite of burial, should become foode to the wilde and cruell beastes. Or els being buryed, shoulde féede so many more wormes, by how much more foggie, fatte, and grosse, their bellyes were. That wée may speake nothing of them that being a­liue are gnawn with wormes, wher­of Antiochus, Herod, Nero and many others are examples: the considerati­on whereof, ought to moue vs to for­sake the pleasures of the filthy fleshe, and to striue or contende to come to heauenly things.

He [...]eth from them the trust of riches. Lastly they trusted in their riches, as though they coulde with them re­déeme their liues, and auoide euery kinde of daunger, as rich men are wont to doe, and that sometime with betraying their common countrey: but the Prophet answereth, that their siluer and golde cannot saue them in the day of the wrath of the Lorde. For God cannot be pacified with golde, which so inflameth the mindes of the enemies, that before Golde they thirst for the bloode of [Page 49] them that bee ouercome, which selfe same thing, Isay in his 13. Chapter threatneth against the Babyloni­ans, when hée speaking of the cruel­tie of the Medes and Persians, saieth: I will make a man more precious than fine gold, yea euen a man more worth than much golde of Ophir. But in this place hée addeth, All the earth shal be deuowred in the fire of his gelosie. Hée compareth the wrath of God vnto fire, that he may shew that it should be such as cannot be pacified. For he ad­deth, because it shall make a riddance, And that a very swift one, euen with al the inhabitants of the earth. And this is the conclusion of the first Sermon, which ought to serue vs vnto this vse, that we may learne to bee subiecte to Gods word, to feare him and serue him in spirite and trueth by Iesus Christ, to whom belongeth all thankes giuing honour, glory, and power for euer.

Amen.

The fifth Sermon.

The argument and vse of the second sermon. IN the first Sermon the Prophet Ze­phaniah, hath vnto those Iewes that fauoured Idolatrie and superstitiō, de­nounced from God, punishment that euē now hanged ouer their heads. The second Sermon followeth, which be­ing described in this Chapter, contai­neth an exhortation vnto repentance; and it doeth consist wholy of three partes. In the first parte hée dealeth with those Hypocrites, that outward­ly did allow of the reformation, but in the meane season did secretly main­taine superstition, and speaking more roughly to these, he vrgeth them with new threatnings, that they might be conuerted vnto the Lorde. In the se­conde part he commeth vnto the godly, which from their heart did consent vn­to the word of God, & that reformation [Page] that was established, but notwith­standing, they being deceiued by the example, and familiaritie of others, dealt ouer negligently, and did from them euery day receiue some vnclean­nesse. The Prophet handleth these more gently, and exhorteth them to go about the Lordes businesse with great zeale, and that they shoulde not suffer them selues once to be remoued from their duties. Last of all, for their be­hoofe, hee propoundeth a consolation, whereby hee remedieth that offence, which he perceiued would grow from the victories of their wicked enemies, and vnmeasurable triumphings of the nations next adioyning, which tooke meruellous great pleasure in the de­struction of Gods people. For hee tea­cheth that the Iudgement of God shall also come vnto thē, that as soone as he hath & vsed their labor & ministery in punishing of his own, then they in like manner shalbe punished for their sins.

He teacheth the hypocrits what they should do. In the first parte hee speaketh vnto the Hypocrites in these words, Search and gather your selues together, yea [Page 51] search I saye, and gather your selues together, ye nation, not worthy to be beloued. Hee calleth them a nati­on not worthye to bee loued, which may be vnderstood as wel actiuely y^t is, in respecte of their doing; or pas­siuely y^t is, in respect of their suffering. Actiuely, in this manner, that hee may shewe that in them there was no loue or desire of celestiall or heauenly thinges, neyther that they did desire the kingdome of God, wherevnto eue­ry one ought to striue and contende: passiuely thus, that they were not wor­thy of any loue or mercy, and that they could not any longer bee approued of God: both these expositions doe very well agrée vnto Hypocrites. For as for those thinges that belonge to hea­uen, they may easily neglect them, ney­ther doe they séeke for any thing in their religion, sauing their owne praise, namely that they may be séene of men. And surely God cannot ac­cepte nor away with those, that pro­phane the profession of fayth, with a lye, and dissimulation, the which [Page] that most excellent diuine power doth greatly abhorre. But what is it, that he doeth commaunde them? Searche (saith hee) and gather your selues to­gether. In the Hebrewe there is but one word, which the interpreters doe expounde two wayes. For some doe deriue it out of that Hebrew Radical, that signifieth stubble. And they affirm that here is noted a very diligent en­quirie or search, such as men are wont to vse in gathering together stubble, or other very smal things. Others affirm that it is deriued simply, and properly, of the Hebrew Radical, that signifieth to gather and congregate together: be­cause the matter is doubtfull, and yet both senses agrée very well with the purpose of the Prophet. I thinke that I shall not doe amisse, if I shall lay open both the senses, by translating that with two words, which in the He­brewe is spoken in one. For (hauing regarde to the first) hée admonisheth the Hypocrites that they content not them selues with a vaine shadowe, [Page 52] and outwarde ceremonies of benum­med superstitions: but for that they should descende more deeply into them selues, and by the rule of Gods worde examine whatsoeuer was in them, that so they might knowe theyr er­rors, and amende them being known: but hauing respecte to the other sense, hee exhorteth that they which nowe were deuided into many superstitions and sectes, woulde agree in one pro­fession of fayth and true religion: and that in the vnitie thereof, they shoulde bee gathered vnto one GOD, For hee had accused them before, that they worshipped GOD and the host of heauen, and that they did sweare by GOD and Malchom, and wee knowe that this is proper to the I­dolaters, that as soone as they are de­parted from the true GOD, euery one doeth inuent vnto him selfe newe Gods; and so are rent in sunder into very contrary sectes. Therefore this admonition of the Prophet was ve­ry necessary, that al men should know y^e God did not allow of their worship, [Page] [...] [Page 53] [...] [Page] except they should all bee turned vnto him onely.

What they must do that haue offended God in their superstition. But from hence wee may gather a generall doctrine, that wee shoulde thinke the same to bee spoken to all them, that haue offended GOD with their superstition, and vnlawfull ser­uing of him, whatsoeuer they bee. It is required of these (that the iudgemēt of fleshe and the world being put of and reiected) they should examine what­soeuer they haue, according to the rule of Gods worde. For séeing they did content themselues so well with their owne fancies, they will neuer suffer themselues to bée brought againe into the way, excepte some sharper correcti­on bée ministred. But if they shall take the same out of Gods word, who only can make lawes for his worship, they shall quickly vnderstande, that with one sentence, shall bee dampned, whatsoeuer thinges were inuented by them, that were superstitious: and receaued with authoritie and con­sent of all men: for it is the worde of GOD alone which Christ in the [Page 53] Gospell hath allowed of: In vaine doe they woorship me, teaching the pre­cepts of men. And againe, Euerie plant which my heauenly father hath not planted, shall be rooted out. Further­more they shall vnderstand, that God cannot be pleased with outward cere­monies, which wilbe woorshipped in spirit and trueth: neyther doth he hear­ken to their prayers, whose mindes are eyther wandering or farre away from him, or whose handes are defiled with blood. Moreouer when they come to deliberate vpon these matters, it is no lesse needefull for them, their wic­ked superstitions and perswasions be­ing vtterly abandoned, to be gathered together vnto God, and to the vnitie of his Church. This shal come to passe if they acknowledge God onely and a­lone: submitting themselues to be or­dered by his woord, and shall giue too Christ alone, the name and glorie of a Mediatour, and vnder him being head, growe together, with all his chosen into one bodie of his Church. This is the true and onely way of saluation, [Page] which is taught in the woord of God, and figured in the Sacraments, name­ly Baptisme and the Lordes Supper: the vse whereof among other thinges is to gather the Church together after a visible manner, and to preserue the vnitie of the members thereof. Besids this, as Iesus Christ the only sonne of God, is vnto vs the author of saluati­on, so he doth not bestow saluation any where, but vpon his Church which is his bodie, and therefore they are with­out saluation whosoeuer they be, that are without the fellowshippe of his Church. For they wander about vn­profitable superstitions, neyther can they euer be remedied, except they be gathered vnto God in Christ, as our Prophet doth admonish.

He prescribeth the Godly their dueties. But because our nature is slow in these thinges he addeth a reason wher­in he sheweth that it is needefull to put that speedilie in execution, which he commaundeth, Before (saith he) de­cree come foorth. So he calleth the counsell of God, or his sentence which earst while he hath pronounced by his [Page 54] Prophetes as touching theyr punish­mentes. For hee addeth a little after by the way of exposition: Before the fierce wrath of the lord come vpō you before: the day of the lords anger com vpon you. But he vseth very finely the Metaphor or translation of bringe forth or bearing, as women doe chil­dren. For so he sheweth that the iudge­ments or threatninges of GOD are not in vaine, but (as a woman with childe) to bée great with those punish­mentes, which were shortly to en­sue without all doubte: but as the byrth doeth not immeditately follow the conception, but hath a lawefull tyme limited by the Lawe of nature: so GOD, although hee had purpo­sed to punishe any, and hath also pro­nounced the sentence against them, yet hee deferreth the execution of his Iudgemente, and giueth space of repentaunce, and receiueth into fauour those that turne vnto him. For euen thus hee sayeth by Ieremy. [Page] I will speake sodenly against a nation, and against a kingdome to plucke it vp to root it out and to destroy it. But if this nation, against whom I haue pro­nounced, turne from their wickednes, I wil repēt of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them. &c. But if we a­buse the long suffering of God, our sins will waxe ripe vnto punishment, and God will bring forth his conceaued birth of iudgement threatned against vs, in chastising them with deserued plagues which would suffer thēselues to be reclaimed into the way by no meanes. It is profitable that wee should be occupied in the diligent con­sideration of these thinges, that we doe not after a slumbering manner, con­temne the threatnings of God. For as the birth doth necessarily followe, whē that y^t is conceaued is in a readi­nes thereto: So the necessitie of Gods iudgement against those, that stub­bornely waxe frowarde against him, cannot be auoyded. And heerevnto maketh that that the Prophet brin­geth in: as stubble shal pas away in one [Page 55] day, that is, If that decree of God doe once come foorth, and his fearce wrath waxe hot against you: you shalbe no more able to resist him, then the chaff is able to withstand the fire or winde. Nay this your kingdom obteined by so many yeeres trauell, and established by the succession of so many kinges, shall perish, falling to the ground in one day, or as it were in one minute or moment of an houre. I am not igno­rant that others doe read this sentence otherwise, but I sticke vnto the letter, neither will I willingly put in any sentences of myne owne to fill vp the matter for the helping of a feined or sense farre fetcht, séeing that of those thinges which are in the Hebrew, a fit sense or meaning may be drawne or gathered out. But wee are admoni­shed by this place, that none can be de­fended against God either by mans force, or long continuance of a king­dome, if he continue to be wicked stil: nay let vs rather thinke, that by howe much longer vngodlines hath continu­ed, it is come so much nearer his ende [Page] And as a huge mas of snow, is soone dis­solued w^t the heat of the son & windes: so at the burning heat of Gods Iudge­ment, all thinges doe melte, which sée­med to be eternall, and past ouercom­ming. The examples of most mightie kingdoms serue for this purpose, which storie writers haue reported, after con­tinuall conquestes of many yeares to haue sodenly falne to the ground.

He prescribeth duties for the godly. Nowe let vs sée the other parte of this place, wherein hee speaketh vn­to the godly after this manner. Seeke yee the Lord al ye meeke of the earth, which haue wrought his iudgement, seeke righteousnes, seeke lowlynes. &c. Moste haue interpreted the worde (Meeke) which in the Hebrewe ra­ther signifieth them that be afflicted or brought lowe. The seuentie interpre­ters therefore haue more narrowly weyed the deriuall, [...] and hadde tur­ned it (humbly) or (lowely:) for the Prophet meaneth those, that were made afrayde, and shaken as well with the former euilles, as newe [Page 56] threatninges of almightie GOD, and had submitted them selues vnto his word, and framed themselues to the reformation established by Iosia, vnto the which humbled in heart, the Prophet giueth this commendation, that They had wrought his Iudge­ment: that is to say, they had done their duetie, yet therwithal hée exhor­teth them to go forward in the same, & with their life and manners to beau­tifie the profession of theyr fayth. This example teacheth that the godly haue néede of instruction, admonition, ex­hortation, yea and sometyme of re­prehension: for the corruption of na­ture hath place also in them, whereby it commeth to passe, that they goe a­stray, being vnmindefull of their du­ties; as wee may sée in many exam­ples of the most deuoute worshippers of GOD. Their proud boasting ther­fore is ouer grosse & detestable, which as though they had attayned to the height of all perfection, cry out, that they néede no teaching or admonition [Page] and so not without iniurie & reproch reiect such as admonish them faythful­ly. Let vs see moreouer what the Prophet requireth of these.

They must seeke God. First hee comprehendeth the duetie of true godlynesse in generall, in that, that hée biddeth them séeke the Lorde. This precept is very often in the scrip­tures, and séemeth to bée superfluous: because it is well knowne that God is present euery where, and that he neuer departeth from vs, but the matter is not whether he be present with vs, and whether hée shewe argumentes of his presence, but that wée may vnderstand that hée is present with vs, and that wée should conforme our selues to his will, that wée may apprehend or laye holde vpon him after a healthfull ma­ner. But hauing regarde to this rea­son, hée is founde in his word, wherein he maketh himself and his wil known vnto vs, as we haue spoken els where. They therefore séeke him truely, which being bent vpon his word, do studie to promote his honour and glo­rie: which then at length shall come [Page 57] to passe when wée renounce and bid a­diew to our fleshly affections, and de­sires of the worlde, in so much that no­thing may now séeme pleasant or ioy­full vnto vs, but that only that agréeth with his will & that wée sée to be ioy­ned with his glory.

By what token it may appeare that wee seeke God. But because the hypocrits also pro­fesse this care, and woulde séeme al­together to bée such as seeke the Lord, and desire to aduaunce his glory, the Prophet sheweth by what tokens the godly ought to declare this studie and care. Namely by the studie of Iustice, and of méekenesse, or rather lowlinesse and humilitie. For hée addeth, seeke Iustice, seeke Meekenesse. It is the propertie of Iustice too giue to euery one his owne, and it reacheth as well vnto God, as vnto thy neighbour: but hée comprehendeth in the first member those things that belong to God, for as much as he commaundeth vs to séeke him: but that Iustice y^t belongeth vnto men, is twoe fold, to witte publique & priuate: publique iustice belongeth vn­to Magistrates, whose duetie is to pre­serue [Page] the common peace, to minister the lawe holyly, to rewarde the good, and punish the wicked, and what plea­sure these thinges ought to be vnto vn­godly Magistrates, it is knowne euen by that, that they are so often brought in, in the lawe and Prophets: and be­cause it is manifest, that no nation hath long abiden in safetie, wherin y^e lawes of the common wealth were ei­ther solde for money, or neglected. Pri­uate Iustice is that that belongeth to euery one particularly, and comman­deth vs to performe duetie to euery man, respecting as well our owne cal­ling as theirs. The effectes of this Iu­stice is, that we giue due honour to our parents, and al others, which are to vs in steede of parents: That parentes haue an honest regarde to their chil­dren, as well touching their bodies, as mindes: that wee bee carefull to profit our neighbour according to the rule of charitie, that wee doe him no iniurie, wherby either his body, or good name may be endamaged. To conclud [Page 58] that we bridle our thoughts and lusts so, that wee commit nothing against the Lawe of charitie and iustice: and verily they that séeke GOD with al their heart, doe neuer neglect those du­ties, which by his commaundement we owe vnto others. But that men should not please them selues in these thinges, or put the desert of saluation in them, the Prophet willeth them to studie for humilitie, which causeth vs to be wholy subiect vnto GOD, and teacheth vs to depend vppon his grace and goodnesse, as Christ admonisheth in Luke, Chap. 17. When wee haue done al, let vs say, wee are vnprofita­ble seruaunts. This may bee séene in all the Saints of GOD, whose pray­ers are, Psal. 143. & 130. Iohn. 15. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt, O God: for if thou be extreme to marke what is done amisse, O Lorde who may abyde it? Neither doe they at any tyme forget that saying of Christ, 1. Cor. [...] Without mee you can doe nothing: And that which the Apostle doeth plainely say, What [Page] hast thou that thou hast not receiued▪ but if thou haste receiued it, why boastest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it. But séeing God requi­reth these thinges of them that be god­ly, it is euident enoughe, what ac­count they are to be made of, which professing a loue of godlynesse, doe ey­ther not regarde the duties of Iustice, and lyue rather as an Epicure then a Christian, or els they put rewarde in them, and doe boaste that heauen is due for them, which the Pharesies did in time past, & all at this time doe, that are puffed vp with the leauen of papi­strie.

Moreouer the Prophet ministreth the reasons to the godly, whereby they may be stirred vp. He giueth hope of safetie to the godly. For first hée giueth them hope of saluatiō, least they should think, that they laboured in vaine: and should therefore become more slacke. For wée knowe that the godly doe of­tentimes beginne to be troubled, be­cause they feare, that they them­selues [Page 59] must bee in the same daunger, and perishe with the wicked. The Prophet Zephaniah therefore salueth this temptation, when hée saieth, If at any time yee may bee hidden in the day of the Lordes wrath. Hée promi­seth them a hyding, which they must haue vnder the winges and protection of GOD, least they should come to a wicked ende with others: but hée spea­keth modestly, or rather as it were in doubt, not because hée eyther doub­ted of the grace of God, or would per­swade others to doubte, but that they may admonish thē again of modestie, & lowlinesse, which hée had commended euen now. Least verily they shoulde thinke that GOD was necessarily tyed vnto them, or els that he were in their debte. Moreouer (as wée haue els where admonished) those promises ought to be vnderstood, not of remissi­on of sinnes (the promises whereof are surely established with the god­ly) but of the outward helpe of God, any deliuerance out of daungers, han­ging ouer their heads, which sometime [Page] is put of more longer, when néede re­quireth that wée shoulde haue longe exercise. But if the Prophet speake so modestly of the godly: what is to be thought of the wicked, which do de­spise the admonitions and threatnings of GOD? Peter sawe this, when hée sayde, 1. Pet. 4. If the righteous shall scarse bee saued, where shall the wicked, and the sinner appeare? For although the Citie, and the Temple being ouer­throwne, the people was carryed a­way vnto Babylon, yet they were hidden, and founde sure assistance in God, as many as folowed this coūsell. For Ieremy had y^e Babylonians assi­stant, & very helpful vnto him. Daniel and his fellowes were liberally ap­poynted, and were afterwarde ad­uaunced to very high degrées. Iecho­nias also, who being skarred with Ie­remies talke, went into voluntarie exile, and was wonderfully preserued many yeares. 2. Reg. 25. Iere. 52. And euill Merodach, had him in great regarde, being brought out of prison, and made him more ex­cellent [Page 60] then all his Princes. And it is no doubte, but many others also, that shewed them selues obedient vn­to GOD, tried the trueth of this pro­mise.

Secondly the Prophet sheweth the greatnesse of the daunger: that by this consideration he myght stir vp the god­ly to a constant trust of Gods promi­ses, and an earnest studie of godlynes: Because Haza is forsakē, and Ashkalon is made desolate, they shall driue out Ashdod at the noone day, and Ekron shalbe rooted vp. The meaning is, that the hurly burly of the warre, that was at hand, should be so great, that it should come euen to the néere Cities of the Philistins, which as yet were not ouercome, although they were sometime punished with great slaugh­ters. Paronomasia But the Prophet vseth a very beautifull resemblaunce of wordes, where hee speaketh of Gaza, and Ekron, which they that are skilfull of the Hebrewe tongue, may very well note, that they may easily see [Page] that y^e Prophets were neither vnskil­full of the arte of Rhetorique, neyther yet without their eloquence. But, saith he, They shal driue out Azotꝰ at noone day, that hée may shew that their ene­mies shall fall vppon them without feare openly at noone tide: but his mind was, before all others to name those cities, which wee knowe were most troublesome to the people of God: that by that occasion hee might passe to the third parte of this sermon wherein hée giueth a remedie for that offence, which sprange of y^e vntimely & vnméet reioycing of y^e heathen, whē y^e people of GOD were led away captiue. Let vs apply these thinges to our selues, and when we sée tokens of Gods wrath e­uery way appeare, let vs be humbled vnder his hande, and séeke him in righ­teousnesse and lowlinesse, and wee in like manner shall finde sure helpe and safetie for our selues in Christ Ie­sus to whom is due al thankesgiuing, all honour, glory and power for euer.

Amen.

The sixth Sermon.

The argument and vse of this place. THe prophet hauing exhorted y^e god­ly to constancie of faith, commeth to the 3. part of his sermon, wherein he thretneth destruction to the Gentiles, being their enemies. These were the special causes of this discourse: the 1. is y^e corruptiō of nature, wherby it cō ­meth to pas, y^t for y^e most part we looke vnto others, when we be afflicted, & do think y^t we are worse delt w^tal, thē we deserue, if so be y^e any feare better then we our selues. Which may be séene by Peter, Iohn. 21. whē he was by christ Iesus ad­monished of suffering y^e punishment of deth for y^e doctrin of the truth, & sought not, as he ought, to prepare himself ther to, but what should becōe of Iohn, whō he saw that christ loued more then y^e o­thers. An other is, y^e stumbling block, y^t was laid in y^e way of the godly, to their great grief, when they saw the wicked malapertly triumph ouer thē, being af­flicted vnder the crosse; & frō thence to take occasion to speake euill of faith & true religion, which thing was done when the people were led away to Ba­bylon: Abdia. Psal. 137. but the Prophet foreséeing this, [Page 62] teacheth them y^t God in déede will be­gin with the Iewes to punish, but wil passe from them to the nations adioy­ning, which must vtterly be destroyed, & that to the profit of his owne people, which at the length being returned frō their captiuitie, shall inioy al this land of the Heathen their enemies. And a­mōgst these he nameth the Philistins, the Moabits, &c, whom we know to be the auncient enemies of the Church, which vnder the cloak of a league, had before very notoriously mocked Eze­chia, & al the people of God. Isay. 20. Lastly hée addeth vnto these the Babylonians, which must also be punished of God, so soon as they haue finished their course. But this place conteineth a generall doctrine, and consolation. For first we are here taught, that God is the God, not only of his people, but also of other nations, & that he doth bend the rygor of his Iudgement against al men: se­condly we sée that it is no new thing, if any time we perceiue that the Church is very roughly dealte withall, and that no man ought to bee offended [Page] therewith, for then also hath God e­specially an eye vnto it, who as hee doeth refourme it with correction, so in the ende he turneth his iudgement a­gainst them that persecute it.

He threatneth the Philistines. But because in our sermon yester­day, he began to speake of the destructi­on of the Philistines, that he might as it were with this example make the Iewes afraide, he doeth of them begin this discourse: and in the entrance hee describeth the situation and manners of that nation: that thereby it may be knowne of whom he speaketh, and for what causes especially they must bee punished. Woe to the inhabitours of the sea coast: the nation of the Che­rethims: the woord of the Lorde is a­gainst you, O Canaan the land of the Philistines. He calleth the line or cost of the Sea, that countrie y^t is stretch­ed euē vnto the sea. For by a figure called Synecdoche or Metonimia, a line is takē for a lot or share falling to any mā, because men do vse a line in mea­suring or parting of ground. So doth [Page 63] Moses call Iacob, Deut. 32. that is to say, Israel the line of the Lordes inheritance: and Dauid sayth the lines are fallen to me in a faire grounde, Psal. 18. and, by and by af­ter expounding the same, he sayth, that a goodly inheritance befell him. But it is well knowne by them that haue written of countries to describe their situations, that all this coast borde­ring vpon the Sea, was in times past very famous by reason of fiue cities, whereof the Prophet hath alreadie na­med fower, as Amos also doth, which a little before threatned them with de­struction. Gaza lay more towardes the South, then any of the other: this was famous by reason of a hauē there, which Constantinus afterwarde after his own name called Constantia. But Iulianus restored vnto it againe the olde name, perhaps because of the ha­tred he bare to Constantinus, and for that he was delighted with the rem­nantes of Gentilitie or Heathennesse. Next vnto this was Geth, where Go­liah the Giaunt was borne, and is heere omitted, eyther because it was [Page] vtterly rased, or else was of lesse value then that it shoulde come in any reckoning: the third was Ash­kelon, where Antipater the Father of Herod the Greate was afterwardes borne: in the fourth place was A­zotus, which among all the cities of Syria, as Herodotus writeth, abode the longest siege, when Psalmeti­cus was King of Egypt, whereby it may appeare, that it was very well furnished for the warres. Meta calleth it the mart of the marchan­dise of all Arabia, which was the cause that it was so corrupted with ri­ot and delicatenes, that the manners of Azotus grewe into a byword. With these is Akron reckoned, being builded vpon the maine Land. Furthermore the Prophet tearmeth al that country by twoo names, whereby he sheweth foorth their manners. First he calleth them the nation of the Cheretims, that is to say, of thē that destroy and plucke vpp by the rootes. By which name one of Dauid his legions was called, being alwaies next vnto, or at the kings [Page 64] hand. Wee knowe that Warriours are roughe and cruell, and it is too bee beeleeued that they gotte them that name as bloody and cruell men are woonte too doe, which séeke for prayse by murdering and ouer­throw of whole nations. Then hee calleth them the Canaanites, partely because they came of the offspring of those that remained of y^e Canaanites, partly, that hee might shew, that how­soeuer they were outragiously bent, GOD made no more account of them, then of the Canaanites, which erastwhile hath appointed them vn­to destruction, And he doeth not without an earnest expressing of his entent or meaning, tell them by the way, that the woorde of the Lord is against them. As though hee shoulde say, the people of GOD must indeede be punished, and you shall see them led away into captiuitie but the iudgement of GOD will not stay there, but from thence it shall also come vntoo you, which muste no lesse be punished then they. By the example wee are admonished [Page] that the iudgmentes of God are some­time deferred, but not altogether ta­ken away: these should haue beene de­stroyed with the other Cananites a­about. 800. yeeres before this, when the Israelites entered the land promi­sed their fathers, Iosua bieng their captaine and guide. But they abode still in their roomes, partly through the slouth of the Israelites, who being a­mased with the labours and daungers thereto belonging, sought for ease and quietnes: partly by the determinate counsell of God, which woulde haue some to remaine, by whose vngodli­nes the vertue of the Israelites should be exercised, least they flowing in y­dlenes, should wax woorse and worse and come to nothing. But because they regarded not the counsell of God, but being puffed vp with pride, assaul­ted the church, shed innocent bloode, spent their life defiled with euery kind of wickednes, the Lord forsooke not his owne cause, but punished them being past mendment, with that ouerthrow which lately they had deserued. There [Page 65] bee in the histories many such exam­ples, in the studie whereof they ought diligently to be occupied, which there­fore promise them selues, that they shal neuer be punished, because as wel they, as their forefathers had liued long in their beastly & corrupt manners, not tasting thereby any harme, or discom­moditie: for God hath his certaine cau­ses, for the which hee winketh for a time, but he hath also appointed the ve­ry houre vnto euery one, wherein they must be plagued for their transgressi­ons.

The punish­ment of the Philistine. But let vs sée what the Prophet threatneth against these Philistines. I will roote thee out, that there be none to inhabite thee. Therefore he threat­neth a generall destruction, and after­ward describing the face of the earth, discouered to the inhabitantes thereof, he saith, that the Sea cost shalbe dwel­linges and cotages for the shepheards, & sheepfolds. He nameth y^e line of the Sea or sea coast: again, y^t he may com­pare the present state of the countrey with that destruction that followed [Page] not much after. The meaning is this: that coast of the Philistines that lyeth next vnto the Sea, which at this tyme, by reason of the hauens, and thronge of Merchants is famous. In the furniture of Cities and Towers, in princely building of Palaces, moste pleasaunt store of orchardes and gar­dens, doeth far passe other nations, shal in short time be destroyed, and be­come a receptacle for poore shepheards, which shall driue their heards thither: and it shall come to passe that their winecellers and their warehouses, made vnder the earth, filled with most pleasaunt spices, shall be turned into shéepefoldes. And thus hée sheweth the iust iudgement of God, which will pu­nish them with horrible destruction, which haue destroyed other countries, and haue gotten themselues a name of their destroying, in that they would be called Cherethim, which is (of de­stroyers.) This is the lot of al them y^t be such: and certenly the law of nature fayleth not, which is confirmed by the authoritie of Christ himselfe, saying: [Page 66] With what measure you mete vnto o­thers, with the same shall others mete vnto you. Whereof because we haue spoken more at large in an other place, it may suffice to haue noted these thinges. But because the Prophet spake these things for the comfort of the godly: he teacheth also that all this shall fall out for their good. For he ad­deth, The sea coast shalbe for the rem­naunt of the house of Iudah: that is, al this country shal fal to them, which by the singular goodwill of God, shall be preserued out of Iudah. They (I say) shall féede there, and shall rest in the houses of Askalon in the night: where the circumstance of the time doth note the quietnesse, and doeth promise that the possession of the land shall be safe, and without daunger. Hee addeth in the place of confirmation, Because the Lord their God wil visit them, & bring again their captiuitie: which was ne­cessarily adioyned, because it should haue bene a mockery to promise these coūtries to thē, which he said should be caried vnto Babylō) except they were [Page] made very certaine of their returne. But he restraineth this promise to them that remayne, (as other Pro­phets doe also) because the number of the wicked was the greatest, which must vtterly be destroyed. But these thinges are fulfilled two manner of waies: for first they that returned frō Babilon, had these countries in posses­sion, and in the historie of the Macha­bes, Macha. 10.11.13. it is written of Ionathan and Si­meon, that they brought Gaza and As­kalon with the places there about into the Iewes subiection. Againe we reade in the Acts, Acts. 8.9. that the Apostles with the preching of the Gospel ouerwent these very same cities with the whole coun­trey of the Philistines, so that they came vnder the gouernment of Christ, who being borne of Iuda, as touching the fleshe, of the remnaunt wherof hee spread his kingdome al about both far and néere. And here againe doeth the worthines of the Church appeare, for whose cause God doth either preserue & kéepe in safetie most mightie nations, or els doth scatter and cut them of, if [Page 67] they continue to molest or trouble the same: we haue brought exāpls herof in an other place, neither ought wee to doubte thereof, although it be some­time brought to a small number. For there will alwayes be some remnant, wherof as of a most fruiteful séede the Church doeth spring againe, and is wonderfully spread abroade, contra­ry to that that all men might looke for.

The Moabit [...] and Amonites. Furthermore the Prophet passeth from the Philistines vnto the Moabits and Amonites, whome he coupleth to­gether, because they were brethren, and did with like rage at all times in­uade the people of GOD: they came of Lot, whom Moses testifieth to haue bene dronken, and to haue laine with his daughters. And although they were nigh of bloud to the Iewes; Amos. 1. [...]. yet (as wee haue noted in Amos) they bare an enemies minde against them. But they did then especially declare their hartes, when the Iewes were led away captiues by the Babyloni­nians. For then they triumphed o­uer [Page] them, being ouercome, and went aboute to stretch the boundes of their kingdome euen vnto Iuda, as we shall heare by and. This was a great and very bitter corsey, wherewith the faith of very many was tryed, when they saw the chosen people of GOD to be ouercome by the wicked; and the Gen­tiles borne of incest, safely to enioy their possessions: and should heare the reproches of the same wherewith they did girde at, and defame the true reli­gion, or did hazard or bring into daun­ger the glory of God himselfe. The Prophet Zephaniah therefore dealeth diligently against them. For first be­cause GOD may séeme vnto many to be blinde and deafe, séeing that such thinges were committed and spoken by these, and that without punish­ment: he bringeth in him selfe, saying: I haue heard the reproch of the Mo­abites, and the rebukes of the children of Ammon, wherby they vpbrayded my people, and magnified them selues against their borders. In which words [Page 68] hée describeth their wickednesse, and teacheth them, that hée is not igno­raunt of any of those thinges. As tou­ching their sinnes, he accuseth them of two thinges. First, because they re­proched the Iewes, and spake many things cōtumeliously, not only against the Iewes, but also against GOD and his true religion, which these Iewes professed. The other is: be­cause they exalted themselues: that is, they enterprised many thinges very proudly against their broders, while they would haue layde the countrey of the Iewes vnto their own land. Amos in like manner rebuketh this desire of inlarging their kingdome, in the Amonites, which affirmeth that they absteined not from ripping vp of wo­men great with childe; insomuch that by that kinde of crueltie they constrained the Galaadites to yéelde them selues. And Ieremy speaketh vnto the same, Iere. 49. Hath Israel no childe? haue they none to inherit? why ther­fore doth Malchom possesse Gad, and [Page] his people dwel in his cities. Both these sinnes were before all others very de­testable, and woorthy of greeuous pu­nishment, for triumphing ouer them that were brought lowe, they offended against the lawe of nature, which tea­cheth to bewayle thē, & in y^e calamities of others to acknowledg that the com­mon chance of all men is befraught with misery and wretchednesse. But for asmuch as they gaue the raine to sausie speech both against god & his seruice it appeared y^t they had put of altast of religion. Againe, forasmuch as they inuaded that land which God had pro­mised to Abraham, and did giue it, not without many wonders, to be inha­bited of his posteritie, this iniurie rea­ched both vnto God himselfe, neyther yet did they shewe themselues thanke­full as they ought vnto Abraham, who in time past brought their progenitour into this land, & being takē captiue he deliuered him from the hand of his e­nemies. These things ought too bee marked of those that are pricked with the like desire of bearing rule. For we [Page 69] know that God in olde time distribu­ted to euery natiō his land or country. They therfore offend against him who soeuer they be that streatch out farther their boundes being by him appointed. And although God vseth their wodnes in punishing those that abused his giftes and benefites, yet the selfe same shall not scape vnpunished, as we haue taught in an other place by many ex­amples. But in this place it is full of most sweete comfort, that he saith, he hath heard their reproches & rebukes. For heereby they might learne, that God would neuer leaue to care for thē, although he suffred them some space to be afflicted, but that that is spoken of them ought to be applyed vnto all: for God both heareth and seeth in euery place of the earth whatsoeuer is pur­posed against those that be his. And be­cause his glory is coupled with their safetie, he neuer doeth neglect it. Let vs therefore be mindful of these things as often as we heare the reproches and scoffes of the wicked, neither let vs [Page] think that eyther the glorie of God, or our welfare is any whitte impayred thereby.

The punish­ment of the Moabites and Ammonites. But lest any man should thinke that God is but an ydle beholder, hee denounceth the punishment, which he hath determined to plague thē with, and that with such an earnest auou­ching, that therevnto he addeth an oathe, saying (as I liue) which is to say, as surely as I am God & liue for euer, so surely shall that come to passe that I now speake. And that the au­thoritie of this protestation may be the greater, the Prophet maketh a description of God, calling him the God of Is­rael, the Lord of hosts comprehending therin the power and goodnes of God, that he might shewe that he is able to bring to passe whatsoeeuer he threat­neth against his wicked enemies: and that he will do it because he is bound to his people by a peculiar couenaunt. But what is it that he thretneth? that Moab shalbe as Sodome, and the Chil­dren of Ammon as Gomorha. &c. He vseth those examples which the Pro­phetes [Page 70] alleage for the most parte when they woulde declare any extreame mi­series or calamities: but because they were not vtterly burned vpp with fire from heauen, he addeth to expounde himselfe, their place shalbe ouergrown with nettles, and shalbe Saltpits, and a perpetual desolation. The meaning therefore is, as the cities of the Sodo­mites & of thē of Gomorrha together with all their fieldes are turned into a stinking lake, and (as Strabo writeth) into a soyle that fometh dust & ashes: euen so shall all the region of the Mo­abites and Amonites be made desolate and barren, and shall so remaine for e­uer. And surely it is well knowne, that those nations were neuer resto­red againe, and that with them their kingdomes also and whole gouerne­ment of their common welth came to naught: sauing that in these latter a­ges a mixt multitude of vagabondes, out of all nations flocked thither, which vsurped to thēselues y^e auncient name of y^e Arabiēs. And these, because they neuer submited thēselues to any [Page] lawful gouernment, liued for the most part by rapine. And Mahomet com­ming of their offspring, began supersti­tion in the Turkes kingdome, But as he spake of the Philistines: so also hee speaketh of these: The remnnat of my people shal spoyle them, & the remnāt of my folke shall possesse them. Which thing because it cannot be expounded of the Iewes returning from Babi­lon, it must be referred to the Apostles and their disciples, which preached Christ in these countries also, and they ordeyned Churches as the holy Scrip­ture beareth witnesse of Paule. And christian Religion flourished in those quarters, [...]allat. [...]. for certaine yeeres, vntill Mahomets outrage, as I sayd before, troubled all Churches. But the exam­ple of these nations doeth teach what remaineth for them, that neuer cease to vexe or assault the Church of God. For séeing they would not giue place vnto Christ, vnto whom his father hath giuen al natiōs, yea the vttermost borders of the earth: they were woor­thie in the ende to loose all that they [Page 71] had: & there can no order other wise be taken for them and their countrie, but by submitting themselues to be gouer­ned by Christ. Heerevnto serueth the vehement conclusion of this place. This fell vppon them for their pride, because they were reproched and mag­nified thē selues against the people of y^e Lord of hostes. He dooth principally name their pride, that the Iewes might be lesse greeued therewith when they shoulde heare that they should be so greeuously punished for the same, and hee calleth them the people of the Lord, that he might destroy the wic­kednes of the other nations more at large, and might prooue more assured­ly that the iniuries which they offred them, should not be vnpunished. But let vs learne out of this place, that no­thing is so detestable and hateful vnto God as pride: that principally where­with men doe aduaunce themselues a­grinst God and his woorde, and doe desire to oppresse his Church. This is the cause of many sinnes, which God suffreth not to scape vpunished, we [Page] néede not to bring any examples, be­cause they that read histories, do méete with them euery where, and many do fall out euery day, both priuate and publik, that may witnes these things, therefore let not the pride of the wic­ked, which continueth not long, offend any man, but let vs be humbled vnder the mightie hand of the Lorde, which shiltreth those, that are afflicted vnder the crosse, and will in the end make them inheritors of the heauenly glory, with his Son Iesus Christ: to whome be thankes giuing, glory, honour and power, world without end.

Amen.

The seuenth Sermon.

The argument and vse of this place. THey that be godly, know that af­flictions are sent from aboue, that they being chastised therewith, might amend, and be made safe: yet the same are wont greatly to be offended, if in the meane season while they be aflic­ted, they sée the wicked and open ene­mies of God to be in prosperitie, and not without the reproch of the name of God and his true worship to triumpe ouer them. This befell the Iewes when they were led away vnto Ba­bylon. For the Philistines reioyced in their miserie, whom Dauid afore time had brought in subiection: the Moabits and the Amonites being of their owne blood, leaped for ioy, and together with their enemies scoffed at them. And in an other place we saw that the Idume­ans did the like: & before these things [Page 73] came to passe, the power of the Egypti­ans, and Ethiopians, was great, who slew the most godly king Iosia, being ouercome in battaile, and caryed Io­acham his sonne into Egypt. Besides this they sawe the power of the Baby­lonians to increase very huge, which did openly professe hatred against the true GOD and his true religion, and did tauntingly hit the same in the téeth of the miserable captiues. Here there­fore was néede of diligent instruction, which the Prophet in this third parte of this sermon adioyneth. For he tea­cheth that GOD beginneth with his people to punish, but afterwarde hee passeth from them vnto the other Gen­tiles, which now tooke pleasure in the miserie of his people. And a litle before he spake of the destruction of the Phili­stines, and after of the Moabites, and Ammonites: & in his prophecies hath brought in certaine things of the king­dome of Christ vpon earth, and of the spreding or dispersing thereof. Now it followeth of the rest.

He sheweth that the kingdome of God shall be spread euery where. In the beginning before he doth by [Page] name reprehend any, hée confirmeth that he had spoken as touching the en­ioying of the enemies Lande, and ad­uauncing the kingdome of Christ o­uer thē, and he answered twoo things which séemed especially to bée against the matter, that is to say, the huge host of the enemies, and the worshippe of their Gods, which was established by the succession of so many yeares and victories. The Lorde (saieth he) will be terrible vnto them: for hee will con­sume all the Gods of the earth, and euery man shall worshippe him from his place: euen all the Iles of the hea­then. The meaning is thus: The power of these Gentiles séeme in déede to be such, as cannot be ouercome, nei­ther that the matter shal euer come to that passe, that these false Gods be­ing reiected, the worshippe of the true GOD shall bée placed in their lands. But this matter must not bee tri­ed by mans witte, but wée must be­holde what GOD both can, and will doe, but hee which in his deter­minate counsell hath hitherto suffe­red these thinges to come to passe, as [Page 66] if eyther hée would not, or could not de­fend the glory of his owne name; when that time shall bee expired, which hee hath before limited, hée will shew his power, not without great terror a­gainst those his enemies: so that they shall not be able to resist him, but that he wil execute y^t, that he hath now pro­mised.

But as touching those Gods of the Gentiles, whome the boldnesse of very foolish men inuented, and the foo­lishnesse of them that be superstitious hath brought into so great regarde: the same God will bring it to passe, that they being worne, wasted or weak­ned with a rotting consumption, shall wyther and come to nothing, and dye out of y^e remembrance of men. Then shall that golden time beginne, when euery man shall worship the true God from his place. That is, when true re­ligion shal be spred through the whole worlde, and not as it hath bene (hi­therto) tyed to one nation, yea all the Iles of the Gentyles shall worshippe him alone: but it is to be [Page] noted, that the Hebrewes call the re­gion lying beyonde the seas, the Iles of the Gentiles, all which in tymes past, we know to be drowned in yrkesome superstitions, and to haue bene cleane separated from the true worshippe of God. These thinges were in part ful­filled, when all these nations together with their Gods & superstitions were by the horrible iudgement of God cut of, and cleane wiped away. And then also when Nabucadnezar (being chastised with the rod of GOD) by his kingly edictes proclamed the true worship of God, through all the East parts: which thing Cyrus also and Da­rius did after him. Dani. 3.4.6. But these thinges were fulfilled principally in Christ, which is this great stone in déede, y^t be­ing rowled back without mens hands, made an end of those old Monarchies: Daniel had foretole that it should so come to passe: at whose comming al­so the Gods of the heathen were con­sumed, and came to nothing. For first in those dayes the Iewes were scat­tered [Page 75] almost ouer all the worlde, a­monge whome; Luke writeth that many were religious: who although they wanted the knowledge of Christ, yet they spread the séede of more pure religion, as concerning the worship­ping and praying vnto one GOD, and from thence also they procéeded afterwarde to those thinges that did concerne the promised Sauiour of mankinde. Acts. 8. Afterwarde followed the Apostles, which by the frée prea­ching of the Gospel stoode against those their Gods and superstitions, and the Oracles ceased at that time also (as the story writers of the heathen doe testifie,) whereof the greatest au­thoritie of those Gods did depende. And so by little and little it came to passe, that those Gods, with their superstitious seruing of them, came to nothing: and they being rooted out of mens remembraunces, the true knowledge of GOD, shined ouer all nations, which then did inuocate and worshippe him, not onely at [Page] Ierusalem, but ouer all the worlde, and that in spirite and trueth as Christ him selfe hath taught. Iohn. 4. And that this thing was brought to passe neither by the counsell nor strength of men, but by y^e woonderful power of God it is thereby manifest, y^t the prea­ching of the Gospell preuailed ouer all the world, notwithstanding manie Romane Emperours, who then ruled ouer al nations, stroue against it. Nay when Iulianus the Apostata, bent all his force to restore againe the supersti­tions of the Gentiles, God by a most manifest and dreadfull token declared that now an appointed consummation was come, wherby those superstitions must wither & bee quite extinguished. The Temple of Delphos is destroyed. For the temple of Delphos, then the which none was more renoumed, in the worlde, by reason of the antiqui­tie of the oracle, was swallowed vpp and vtterly destroyed with an Earth­quake and fire powred downe from heauen, and that euen then when Iulianus sente Ambassadours thi­ther, [Page 68] to enquire what shoulde be the ende of the Persian warre. And sée­ing before this, it was foure times on a flaming fire, that is. First when the people of Thessalia called y^e Phlegians or Iapites burned it: secondly in the time of the Persian warres: thirdely when the people of Phocis, did set it on fire: And lastly when the army of Brennus, destroyed Grece, and was notwithstanding so oftentimes resto­red againe. But when God destroyed it without mans hand, it was neuer againe restored. Besides this it is known, that the names of these Gods were forgotten amongest most men: and of so many thousandes, as Varro plainly reporteth that were worshyp­ped in tyme past, scarse a certaine fewe are remembred by name, which the braynsicke, and vngodly Astrolo­gers did thrust vppon those that be ig­noraunt and vnskilfull. Zephaniah therefore hath truely foretolde this thing, that hee myght comfort his people. And this Prophecie ought to serue vs, to the same purpose, that [Page] wee suffer not our eyes to bee daseled with the power of superstitions of the wicked. For that God in very déede is dreadfull, euen Iesus Christ, to whom euery knée must bow, and euery toung sweare by, which as in times past hee crashed in sunder the Gods of the na­tions, so in this last olde age of the worlde, hée will abolish all antichri­stian worship, & all men, that woulde that the same should be preserued and kept, striuing against him in vaine. The discription of the kingdome of Christ. But in the meane season, this descrip­tion of the kingdome of Christ, must be diligently marked, that wee may learne to iudge as well of our selues, as of others that bragge of that name. In it shall all false Gods bee consu­med, because they cannot bee mat­ched with him, that giueth his glory to none other. Besids this euery one doth worship him in their place, neither do they tie him to any certain place, whō they know to be present euery where, and whose glory is spreade ouer all. They therfore doe in vaine chalenge to them selues the name of Christ, which [Page 77] eyther ioyne any copartners with him or any Gods to bee his vicege­rents or vicars, and that with his true worshippe doe myngle vnprofitable superstitions. As many also as bynde his merit to certaine places, and doe from hence so declare it, against that he himselfe hath aduertized. But these trifles and superstitiōs being let passe, let vs imbrace the goodnesse of God, who as he hath conteyned abundantly all the way of saluation in Christ, so he offreth vs his presence euery where, that wée neede not run from place to place, nor yet spende our time in tri­fling superstitions.

The Ethiopi­an [...] Egiptians. These thinges being before hande declared, the Prophet passeth to the E­thiopians, saying: Ye Ethiopians shall be slaine by my sword with them. But we must before all thinges note, that the Egyptians and the Ethiopians or Morians were ioyned together vnder one king; namely because the Egypti­ans stretched the bondes of their Em­pire vnto these Morians. And againe we read that the Morians somtime ru­led [Page] in Egypt of whom these are na­med by Eusebius. Sabacus (whom the scriptures cal, So or Sua) Sebicus Thar­racus & Merres. 2. Reg. 17. It was néedeful y^t he should make special mētion of these, be­cause there was many both olde and newe iniuries of them offered, against the people of God: for in times past, the Israelites had serued a harde bon­dage in Egypt. 2. Par. 12. Sesakus also, in the reigne of Roboam, wasted Iuda and tooke away the treasures of the Tem­ple, 2. Par. 14. and of the kings house, vnto whom the Morians were now ioyned, as the scriptures doe declare. Also Sera the Morian made ware vppon the King of Asia, then the which we scarse read that any was waged with greater number of souldiers. For it is reported that hee had a thousande thousandes of souldiers, 1000000. which were all slaine together. Esay. 18. But vnder Ezechia they made a craftie league: and in Isay are read the wordes of the Morians, ful of pride, wherwith they did despite­fully rebuke the miserie of the Iewes. Go ye swift messengers (say they) to a [Page 70] nation that is scattered abroade and spoyled, vnto a terrible people from their begynning, and hitherto: a na­tion by little and little euen troden vnder foote, whose Lande the flouds haue spoyled, &c. Furthermore the very same afterwards slew Iosia, that holy & most wel disposed king: which was the most principall cause, why the Iewes (the strength of their own kingdome being wasted) lay open to the inuasion of forren enemies: least therefore any should bée offended, at the sucéedings of this faythlesse and cruell nation, it was needefull that the destruction therof should be threat­ned. Wherefore God adding this par­cell to those that before were declared, saieth by his Prophet: And ye Mori­ans also shall be slaine with my sworde with them. As though he should say: it is so far, y^t the Ammonits, & Moabites shuld escape those plagues y^t they haue deserued, y^t those that be farthest of shal not escape thē: & he did of purpose name the Morians rather thē y^e Egyptians, y^t therby he might shew the rigour of [Page] Gods iudgement to be past auoyding. Ieremie also after the same manner threatneth the Egyptians, that they must likewise be subiect to y^e Babylo­nians. But in Isay the Lorde saith, that the Egyptians, the Morians, and Sabies shalbe a ransome, wherewith his people must be redéemed out of cap­tiuitie. And y^t these things were truely foretolde, histories doe plainely shew. For Ieremie threatning a moste la­mentable destruction to those Iewes, that would not obey the commaunde­ment of the Lord; but fled intoo Egypt to king Aepryem, whome he calleth Ophra, among other thinges (he saith) this shalbe to you a signe (saith the Lord) that I wil visite you in this place. &c. Beholde I will deliuer Pharao be­ing Ophra the king of Egypt into the handes of his enemies, and into their handes that lye in waite for his life. As I haue deliuered Zedechia the king of Iudah into the hands of Nabucad­nezar &c. But Iosephus recordeth that Nabucadnezar the fifth yeere after Ierusalem was taken, conducted his [Page 79] armie into the lower Syria, and that after the Moabites and Ammonites were ouercome, he went into Egypt: and that hauing slaine the king therof, he appointed an other in his place. And Herodotus writeth that Apries was strangled by Amasis the captaine, which afterwardes succeeded him in the kingdome. But these two writers may easily be reconciled. For Nabu­cadnezar was the Captaine general of the warre, vnto whom Amasis re­uoulted, who afterwarde receiued for a rewarde of Nabucadnezar the king­dome of Egypt, for his affaires that were faithfully handled in his behalfe. From that time therefore the kings of Egypt were benefactours to the Ba­bylonians, but after that the Monar­chie of the East came to the Persians, Cambysis put Psammenitus from the kingdome, and slewe him after­warde, for his attempting of newe matters: And from that time Egypte was without a King about the space of an hundreth and twelue yeeres, vntill the time of Darius Nothus, in [Page] the sixt yeere of whose reygne Amyr­theus Saires reuoulted, and became a newe king of Egypt. By the which example we are admonished that the iudgement of God cannot be eschewed or auoyded by any force of men. And it is principally to be remembred, that God saide, They shoulde be slaine by his swoorde, whome it is well known to be slaine by the Babylonians and Persians. All they therefore are the sworde of God, by whose ministerie he doeth execute his iudgement, although they very seldomely vnderstande this mysterie. So in like manner Senna­cherib is called the rod of the Anger of the Lord. And it is profitable to note such kind of speeches, that in those ad­uersities, which befall vs, wée may acknowledge the hande and iudge­ment of GOD, and so become more patient in bearing those thinges that are sente of him.

The destructiō of the Assirians and of Niniuie. But let vs returne to our Pro­phet, which in the last place foretel­leth also of the destruction of the As­syrians. For although their king­dome [Page 78] was translated to the Babyloni­ans, yet Niniuee stoode still, being the kinges seate or place where the courte lay, and the name of the Assy­rians, was not as yet vanquished: as it is manifest by the storie of Manas­ses, whom the Princes of the armie of the king of Ashur are reported too haue carried away bound vnto Baby­lon. And no doubt Niniuée as yet was in reputation and greate price, as well for the olde and auncient re­noume thereof, as also for that, not the woorst fortresse of their kingdome was from those parties. Therefore the Prophet saith that it must be de­stroyed, and that from thence the Lord will begin to punish them, which had so long afflicted his people: and first he doth bréefly cōprehend y^t whole matter in these words: And he wil stretch his hand vnto the North, and wil destroy Ashur, & he wil make Niniuie wast, like the wastnes of the wildernes. He ma­keth mentiō of the north, because he regardeth the situation of Iuda, in respect whereof Assyria is reported to lye to­wards y^e north: but he nameth Niniuis [Page] before all others, because this citie with her great shewe and goodly me­moriall, of her auncient dignitie did dasell the eyes of very many, and see­med to be inuincible: but he sayth, that it must be destroyed, which thing ma­ny affirme to be done by Nabucadne­zar Priscus, in the twentie yeere of the reigne of Iosia, when a little before Phaortes king of the Medes with all his power was slain by the Assyrians, as Herodotus witnesseth, which per­aduenture was the cause, why the Ba­biloniās thought that the citie must be ouerthrowne, lest the Assyrians tru­sting as wel vppon the maiestie, & fur­niture thereof, as being also puffed vp with their late victorie, should enter­prise a reuoulting. Let vs note princi­pally that all this came to passe by the hand of God. For the Prophet (spea­king of him) saith He will stretch his hand against the north, and so foorth. But how many among the Niniuites thought that this thing should come to passe? Let not therefore the faire shew of smiling fortune deceiue any man. [Page 81] For if the Poet hath truely said, that kinges haue long armes: Let vs think y^e lord hath arms both much more lon­ger, and more strong, which no man can escape. Furthermore hée be­ing about to describe the manner of their destruction, heapeth together all thinges, which are wont to set forth a horrible desolation. Al the flocks (saith he) of the beastes of the nations, shall ly in the middes of it. That is, al man­ner of wild & sauadge beastes, from di­uers countries and nations, shal come together vnto that place. And he ad­deth, And the Pellican and the Owle shall abyde all night in the vppermost postes of it, the voyce of byrdes shall sing in the windowes, and desolation shalbe vpon the postes, for the Ceders shall bee vncouered. These thinges are very notably set against the ryot and pride, which the Niniuites practi­sed in their palaces. Appes and Mon­kies, and Parrats or Popiniayes were séene there, with other beasts and birds of like sorte, where with vaine and lose carped knightes, are accusto­med [Page] to bée delighted, in the meane time hauing no regarde of the poore and needy. Musicall harmonie was there heard, yea al houses and stréetes range with the noyse of those songes, which were deuised for theyr lust and pleasure, the gates and entries of great men were thronged with clientes, guests, strangers, trencherslaues, scof­fers, counterfeites, or tumblers, and such like smellers out of wicked courtes. But the Prophet saith, that this geare must bee chaunged into a most dolefull sight of thinges, so that nothing could bee found there, but sa­uadge and cruell beastes, and direfull and most noysome birds, and he shew­eth the cause of this so great alteration. Because (saieth he) Isay. 13. the Ceder is vnco­uered. He speaketh of the enemie that should pluck down the finely wrought Ceder plankes, whereby this desolati­on must néedes follow. Isay hath al­most the like place, where hee descri­beth the ruine of Babylon. The holy Ghost foresawe that these examples shoulde bee reserued for all ages to [Page 82] come, that by them wée might learn, what remayneth for them, which af­ter they are become rich through their rapine, craft, and bloudshed, are be­come high minded by reason of their sumptuous buildinges, gorgeous ap­parell, and costly housholde furniture. All thinges are in the ende destroyed, wherein they thought that not the least parte of their blessednesse did consist. Let vs therefore studie to bee temperat, and séeing we be but straun­gers in this worlde, let vs haue our minde occupied about our heauenly countrey, and about the tabernacles of euerlasting life, rather then these earthly palaces, which wee must forgoe when we doe least bethinke vs thereof. But the Prophet not being content with these things, doth further­more triumph against the citie: partly because it made for the glory of God, that the fall therof should be euidently known vnto al men, partly y^t he might shew that the ruin therof should be ful of shame & rebuke: & therfore y^t no man néeded to be offēded at the glory therof. [Page] This (saith hée) is that reioycing Citie, that sat carelesse, and said in her heart, I am, and there is none but mee. But so hée reproueth the pride wherewith the Niniuites vsed to aduaunce them selues aboue all others, so that they estéemed of others, as scarce of men: and by and by after, leading his hea­rers, as it were to beholde the matter, hée saieth by the way of wondring, How is she made desolate, and a lodg­ing for wilde beastes! As if hée should say, who séeing at any time the great magnificencie thereof, woulde haue thought that this thing shoulde euer haue come to passe? And to the end he may shew, that it shalbe spoyled with­out the comfort of any compassion to be had towardes it, hee sheweth what others shall doe, when hee saieth, E­uery one that passeth by, shall hysse and wagge his hand at it. These bee the gestures of them that vpbrayde any man for his miserie, together with a detestation of that wickednesse, which they committed. But it shall skyll very much, if with greater diligence [Page 83] wee consider the causes of this so so­rowfull, and most dreadfull destruc­tion. Niniuie reioiced in her conquests, and great riches, and being made proude therewith, after a wicked sort, despised other Cities, and nations: fur­thermore she being boulde hardie, and carelesse, neglected also the iudgement of God, which she prouoked euery day by her transgressions. And that shee might want no kinde of sinne, she per­secuted the Church also in most cruell wise. These therfore are the thinges, that make Cities and kingdoms hate­full vnto God, and bring destructions vpon them: wee méete with like exam­ples euery where. For we know that that which befel these, came afterward in like manner vppon the Babyloni­ans. And Iohn prophecieth almost in the same words, that y^e same thing shal fall vpon Rome, and in our time there be examples as well publique as pri­uate, y^t cōfirm the truth of these things, and prouoke in vs y^e care of saluation, & y^e comfort vs against the wicked enter­prises of tyrants. And these things are [Page] thus spoken vpon the second sermon of Zephaniah, wherein he reproueth the hypocrites, and admonisheth the godly of their duetie, & giueth them instructi­ons against offences: let vs think that the same thinges are spoken vnto vs; and following the counsell of the Pro­phet, let vs séeke the Lord, and let vs witnesse our vpright care of godlinesse by doing the thing that is right, and by méekenesse, that among the harde and bitter chaunces of these latter times, wee being hidden vnder the winges of God, may preserue our soules, and in time to come may liue in the heauens, with Christ Iesus our onely Sauiour, to whome all thankes giuing, honour, glory and power is due for euer.

Amen.

The eight Sermon.

The argument and vse of this third sermon. THe Prophet in the former Ser­mons hath hitherto very sharpely reproued the wickednesse and supersti­tion of the Iewes, and hath denoun­ced those punishments, which they had deserued: but as for the godly that re­mained, being admonished of their du­tie, hee comforteth them, that they shoulde take no offence, eyther by the conquestes of their enemies, or yet at the reproofes of the nations that laye next vnto them, shewing that it shall come to passe, that they shalbe brought againe out of captiuitie, and that they shall possesse the land of those nations, which thing wee sée truely fulfilled in Christ. But because the Prophet did not profit them any whit: now hee ad­deth the third Sermon, wherein hee inueigheth very manifestly agaynst Ierusalem, and doeth altogether, as it were by name reproue them, that had the gouernment of thinges. And [Page 85] he doeth first of all rebuke their sinnes. Secondly he sheweth the punishmēts for the same. Lastly because there was some godly yet remaining, to the end he might comfort them, he promiseth them a restoring againe, which was fully accomplished in Christ: as con­cerning whose kingdome, he set downe this prophesie, which as it is most e­uident and plaine, so is it also verie ful of comfort; wherein likewise is con­teined the whole way of our saluation. But this sermon setteth foorth an ex­ample woorthie of remembraunce, wherein the ministers of the Church are taught with what frankenes, they ought to deale, with that remedilesse companie of men, that knowe not too repent, as also to haue consideration of the godly: least they also being vanqui­shed with the terrour of their threat­nings, should be made without hope of the fruite of their laboures. This pre­sent place belongeth to the first parte. And first he dooth generally accuse the helpelesse corruption of the citie. But afterwarde he confirmeth his accusa­tion, [Page] by reckoning vp their sinnes, and by and by after, least they should deny them, hee dealeth by name with those, wherein they did most offend.

He accuseth the helplesse cor­ruption of Ie­rusalem. The summe of his accusation is this: Woe to her that is filthy and polluted to the robbing Citie. He set­teth these thinges against their vaine bragging and boldenesse, wherewith they were puffed vp. For séeing the temple and place of outward worship, was at Ierusalem, and the high courte also of all the kingdome, they challen­ged the chiefe prayse of holynesse and iust dealing vnto them selues: but the cause of this perswasion was for that they thought, that holynesse and godly­nesse consisted altogether in outward ceremonies, and that the puryfyinges of the lawe did suffice to clense sinne. He teacheth therefore that this their perswasion was both vaine and hurt­ful, seing that in the iudgement of God they were polluted & vncleane, & ther­w^tal violēt robbers & tyrants: yea they inhabited a citie, that might rather be thought a most filthy brothel house and [Page 86] dēne of théeues, cōsidering that among thē nothing was as it ought to be, ney­ther in religiō, nor yet in y^e administra­tion of ciuill affayres. The prophet I­say in his 1. cap. inueigheth against the same citie almost in like maner; when he calleth the princes Sodomits, & the people to be of Gomorrha, and hauing reiected all their rites (he saith) How is the faythfull citie become a harlot? it was full of iudgement, and iustice did abyde in it, but now they are mur­therers. We shall afterwarde heare the causes of so fore and grieuous com­plaint. But now let vs note, that that citie, then the which none in all the world was more famous, is burdened with such heinous crimes: for we may let passe the common things that bring worthines and renowne vnto cities, as wealth, antiquitie, and victories &c. Al which it wāted not, & for the which it is of Pliny called the most renouned citie in al the world. First it was praise worthy that long since, namely 1000. and 300. yeare before Zephaniah pro­phecied, Melchesedek, whom we know [Page] to be a figure of Christ, was both king and priest therof. Againe Dauid made it the kinges seate, from whose tyme vnto Iosia, are reckoned seuenteene kinges, which in it reigned continual­ly one after an other: besides this, God vouchsafed to make it the place for his Temple, and mysticall woorship, who also beautified the same with most li­berall promises. For he had saide of it in the 132. Psalm. This is my resting place for euer: heere will I dwell, be­cause I haue had a loue vnto it. More­ouer and besides all these thinges, it was a figure of the Church, which af­ter the ascention of Christ, began there too bee gathered together, by which name it is chiefly commended in the Psalmes. But all these thinges pro­fited not. But that it is sayde to be fil­thily polluted, a robbing citie, yea an harlot, and as Sodome, when it did not agree to the dignitie thereof. No outwarde woorthines therefore can be preiudiciall to the woorde of God, neither yet any glory of titles ought to bleare the eyes of the ministers of the [Page 87] woorde, that they should spare those y^t they sée woorthie to be sharply repre­hended, the rashe headinesse of the Romish ones is heere also reprooued, who because of the olde excellencie of Rome their citie, and because of their predecessours, that were so notable, by reason of their learning, godlinesse, and crowne of martyrdome, doe cha­lenge vnto themselues a certaine fran­chesse, exemption or freenes from all thinges. But what haue they, that may be compared with the woorthines of Ierusalem, séeing it is well known, that those thinges bee lying fables, which they so without all shame and swinishly affirme of Peter, and the A­postles, that they sate as Bishoppes in Rome. But that we may giue that all those thinges are true, what is it vnto them, which nowe long since haue wanderingly forsaken the steps of their godly forefathers?

By reckoning vp their sinnes he confirmeth his accusatio [...] But that the Prophet bee not thought a reuiler, he prooueth that Ie­rusalem is euen such, by making a di­ligent reckoning vp of their sinnes, the [Page] first sin in it, y^t it heard not the voice of the lord, speaking vnto thē in the law & by his prophets. The word of God in deede was preached, and Iosia had foreseene that the booke of the law was read openly, and many were the ser­mons of the Prophets, among whom this our Zephaniah and Ieremy were chiefe. But the most did disdaine to heare them, either because they hated the word of God, wherwith they heard their faultes reproued: or els because they thought they stoode in no néede of any teaching or instruction: and if a­ny did heare, yet they obeyed not, but suffered themselues to be caryed away with their most filthy delightes. But the prophet not without consideration beginneth of this. For séeing that God in his word hath made his wil known vnto vs, and doeth in the same offer Christ vnto vs, by whose merit we are sanctified: there is no other way for vs to obtaine sanctification, but by hearing of his word, and hauing heard it, to imbrace it w^t a true fayth, which maketh al the vnderstanding and wis­dome of our flesh subiect thereto: Christ in the 15. of Iohn speaketh of this, whē [Page 88] he saieth, his Disciples were cleane through his worde, which they had be­léeued. But againe from thence it fol­loweth, they cannot be but filthy, vn­cleane and prophane, yea as Christ saieth in the 8. of Iohn, the very chil­dren of the deuill, which will not heare the word of God. For they both retain their natural corruption, and do more­ouer defile them selues dayly with new sinnes, when they want that doc­trine which is able to kéepe them in their duties. 2. They wou [...] not beare an [...] correction. Secondly he sayth, They receiued no correction. Hee sheweth that they were remedilesse; and the Prophet hath regarde to the order that God as a most faythfull father vseth in reforming those that be his: for first he teacheth them louingly, & in plaine precepts he cōpendiously setteth down his wil, and what he would haue vs to do, but if he sée vs slack & drowsie, then he addeth admonitiōs, exhortatiōs, re­prehensions, and more sharpe correcti­ons, wherevpon Isay saide long agoe, Esay. 58. Crye with thy throate, and cease not, lift vp thy voyce like a trumpet, tell my people their offences, and the house of Iacob their sinnes. 1. Tim. 5. 2. Tim. 4. And the [Page] Apostle biddeth Timothie not only to teach and admonish, 1. Tim. 5. 2. Tim. 4. but also to reproue and rebuke, and that before al men, to the end that others may be made afraid from sinning: but if God profit not by that meanes, then he taketh roddes in hand, and sendeth either diseases, or els hunger & famishment, or els he stirreth vp the terrors of warre, or els he loa­deth and pincheth with other aduersi­ties, as it séemeth good vnto himselfe. But if there be any that doe despise all these thinges, and will not be taught, nor reproued, nor rebuked, & do more­ouer cast behinde them his sharpe cor­rections, and doe not therein acknow­ledge the hand of God, who with his fatherly rods laboureth to bring them to a better minde: out of all doubt they be remedilesse and past all hope. And that the Iewes vnto whome Zepha­niah speaketh these thinges, were such, the hystorie of those times doth a­boundantly declare. [...]. Incredulity Thirdly hee ad­deth: She trusted not in the Lorde. This followeth of the former, and doeth also note al kinde of vngodlines. [Page 89] For as they that trust in God, do from y^t their faith, reform the whole course of their life to the seruice of God: so on the contrary part, they that trust not in God, are wont to despise his word, and therefore order all thinges according to their own will, and consequently do rush into euery kinde of forbidden wic­kednesse. And because they trust not in God, they turn to the creatures, and inuent new superstitiōs, wherby they promise them selues perfecte safetie. Morouer forasmuch as in this life they haue no hope in God, they are ouercom with couetousnes, and turne to naugh­tie policies, and while they apply their mindes thereto, they breake all the lawes, as well of Iustice, as of chari­tie: besides this when they trust not in God, they imagine that whatsoeuer thinges are spoken of the rewardes of euerlasting life, and of the plagues to come, are nothing but fantasies and dreames, which is the cause that they are so swallowed vp with delightes, and loue of pleasure, onely caring for this one thing, that it may go wel with [Page] them in this life, being no more care­full for the lyfe to come, then bruite beastes are wont to bee. Wilfull reuoul­ting. It followeth in the fourth place, Neyther do they draw neere to their God. This is the sequele of the former, for (as the Apo­stle saieth) Heb. 11. He that commeth to God, must beleeue that God is, and that hee is a rewarder of them that seeke him. But he vpbraydeth them, because they being not onely content to reuoult, abode stil therin, neyther doe thinke at any time how they might méet w^t him: but it maketh for the setting out of their sinne more at large in that (hee saieth) vnto their God. For it is as though he should say, GOD will be called and be their GOD, because he hath adopted them vnto him selfe, and bound them by couenaunt, because hee offereth him selfe vnto thē in his word, and doth allure them by his dayly bles­singes, because all the day long, as it is to be séene in the Prophet Isay,) Esay. 56. Hee stretcheth forth his handes vnto them, although they will not drawe néere vnto him, but turne away from him, [Page 90] as from a most cruell enemie: and these are the argumentes wherewith Zephaniah proueth that Ierusalem is a defiled and a polluted Citie. But if a man should séeke for these thinges a­mong them, that professe the name of Christ, it will by and by appeare what may be iudged of vs. For doubtlesse the word of GOD is preached, and GOD hath reuealed the long hidden knowledge thereof, that I doubt whe­ther euer since the Apostles time it hath shined more cléerly, or bene more common: yet the most eyther heare it not, or els they heare it sléepily, euen as it were a song nothing belonging to them, as GOD by his Prophet E­zechiel complaineth of his people the Iewes. Ezech. 33. Many also heare it with lay­ing in waight, that so they might get some occasion of euill speaking. I speake nothing of them nowe, that accuse this doctrine of falshoode, and persecute it with fire and sworde. But if they be admonished, or corrected som­what sharply, thou shalt sée thē staring mad, which before séemed tollerable. [Page] God therefore punisheth with diuers kindes of diseases, with hunger, war; & by his wōderful tokēs, he thretneth more grieuous plagues: but where is there any, that doeth in them acknow­ledge the hande of God, and that doth confesse that these are the worthy punishmentes of our vnthankefulnes and contempte of his word. Further­more although God in his sonne Christ do offer saluation to them that bee vn­thankful and vnworthy, and doth pro­mise his assistaunce to them that im­brace him; yet because no man belée­ueth him, the whole worlde is rent a­sunder into a thousand superstitions: and as it commeth first to passe, that one must bee in daunger for the fayth, the most doe deny it very dishonestly, that so they may get vnto themselues, the fauour and friendship of the world. And forasmuch as God hath no lesse bound him selfe vnto vs, then in times past he did vnto the Iewes; nay hath more fully shewed in Christ those thinges which afore time were pro­mised more darkly, and hath moreouer [Page 91] in the Sacraments sealed vnto vs his grace yet thou shalt sée few draw néere vnto him: yea although Christ cry and say, Come vnto me al ye that trauaile and be heauie laden, and I wil ease you. Thou shalt sée notwithstanding most men run after rotten Images, being become famous bicause of some lying miracles, or els after an vncleane com­panie of massing Priests and Monkes, or els to wallow still, after a beastly manner in all kinde of filthy myre. We therefore are filthy, polluted, and vncleane, howsoeuer wee boast in the name of Christ, except we wil say, that Zephaniah did the Iewes an iniurie, whome for this cause he called pollu­ted and vncleane.

He accuseth those by nam [...] that did mo [...] offend. But when sinnes be punished, all men for the most part will confesse the grieuousnesse thereof. But few will acknowledge the same in them selues, nay euery one perswadeth himself, that he is faultlesse. Now therfore the Pro­phet goeth from the reckoning vp of their sins vnto the persons thē selues, and reckoneth them in order, which [Page] most of al offēded in these things. The chiefe among these, were those y^t had the gouernement of thinges as well in the Church as in the common wealth: and he reprooueth these first, not because he would excuse the base multitude from sinne, but that it may more plainly ap­peare that in al the body there was no­thing whole & sound, considering that such lothsome diseases were founde in the head. First the prin­ces. But beginning with the prin­ces, he saith, These are as the roring Lyons in the middest of her. He com­pareth them to Lions, & that to such as rore through hunger and woodnes, that he might reproue their tyranny, and crueltie, wherewith they were ac­customed, in the time of Manasses and Ammon, & which they exercised as yet vnder Iosia, for as much as he eyther knewe not of it, or els could not redres it. 2. Iudges. Then he sayth, That their Iudges are as wolues in the night: that is, too too hungry and rauenous, so that they leaue no bones vntill the morning. But he speaketh of their deuouring of giftes and taking rewardes, which [Page 92] is the greatest plague that iudgement hath. For if (as Cicero spake for his friend Plaucius) that Iudge is euer vn­iust, that either inueieth, or sauoureth: what shal we say of him, that in iudge­ment hunteth after gaine, then the which nothing hath greater force too mooue the mindes of men. For the same Cicero, or rather experience being witnes saith that abounding wealth, is wont to weaken the religion & trueth of iudgementes. Iethro sawe this, that would haue Iudges to be haters and enimies to couetousnes. Exod. 18. In this present place therfore the Pro­phet complaineth that wrongfull dea­ling did by force come vppon them pub­likely, and that their court or towne­house for pleading causes, became a spoyling place for robbers, in that that hee compareth the iudges to hungry wolues. But seeing they were such vn­der Iosia, that most godly and wel dis­posed king, what shall we thinke they were vnder Manasses and Ammon, who were them selues farthest of all, from Religion? therefore the [Page] order of that common wealth, which hangeth of one alone, is full of daun­ger: because it is impossible that one should either heare or sée all thinges that are done among the people. But let them which (trusting of this) doe peruert Iudgement, remember that they haue God a séeing witnesse of al y^t they doe, which is wont alwaies to be in the midst of the assemblies of Iud­ges, according as it is written Psal, 82. God is in the companie of Gods, hee is Iudge among Gods. 3. Prophets. Furthermore he passeth from the Iudges, to the tea­chers, saying: Her Prophets are lyght and wicked men. He speaketh of the false Prophets, of which sorte it is wel knowne by Ieremy, that there were many, with whome he had much a do. He calleth them light as well for their learning, as also for the loose con­uersation and corrupt maners of lyfe. For as for their doctrine, they framed it to the mindes of their hearers, and spake pleasaunt things, as the vngod­ly in Isay do commaund the prophets. But this is an especiall parte of light­nesse, [Page 93] vnder the cloake of the name of God, to séeke for priuate commoditie, and to take part with sin, wherewith it is well knowne that God is angry. But that in the course of their life, they were most dissolute, it appeareth by Isay, Isay. 56. who accuseth the seducers of his time, of dronkennesse and loue of gluttonie: & such as are wont to be had in reputation among the vngodly. First because of the likenes of their manners, then because they willingly laye open their authorite, neither can they withstand those whome they sée to liue very licenciously. The Prophet therefore doth not without good consi­deration had, reckon them amonge the number of those, that were the au­thors of their common destruction, which thing I would to God all mini­sters woulde in these dayes consider, and whosoeuer are also delighted with such, whome Christ affirmeth to bee like vnsauerie salte, &c. 4. Priestes. Lastly he re­proueth the Priests, and these (saieth he) haue defiled the sanctuarie, and broken the Law. By the name of sanc­tuary [Page] he vnderstādeth al the outward woorship and whatsoeuer holy rites were then vsed, the priestes did defile them, partly because they did execute or minister thē carelesly or prophane­ly, partly because they did peruert their vse and made a cloake for their wic­kednesse by that, wherewith all men ought to haue beene stirred vp to the studie of godlines and consideration of the promised Sauiour. For they pla­cing in these outwarde thinges the re­compence of their sinnes and desert of saluation, made the temple with al the holy exercises therof, a den of theeues, as Ieremie speaketh of them. But be­cause this could not be done without the corruption of doctrine, he saith, that they brake the law, that is, they wre­sted it violently into a contrary mea­ning which was done then, when (as I said euen now) they placed desert or merit in those thinges, which did ra­ther argue the corruptiō of our nature, and which should haue led them, as it were a schoolemaister vntoo Christ. This corruption of woorshippe and [Page 94] doctrine reigned also in Christes tyme, who openly bringeth certain examples thereof, and teacheth that it must bee amended. And I would to God that the same were not founde in many Churches in these our dayes. For what do those papall fellowes, that to the Pope and his horned Bishoppes do violently wring those thinges which by the Apostles were spoken, as cōcer­ning the Church and ministerie of the woorde, and so by the woord of Christ do establish their outragious tyrannie: when also they doe defend their more then vnchast single life? The diffe­rences of meates, Images, the sacrifice of the masse, and other vngodlinesse of like sort, by the testimonies of the scriptures, falsely reported and wickedly wrested aside, and doe therewithall liue in such order, that through them the whole ministerie of the Church is euill spoken of. I will not now speak of their selling of priestes orders, their Simoniacall faire of sacraments their woorkes of supererogation, their [Page] indulgences, their fire of purgatorie, their holy Masses of Requiem, and dyriges for them that be dead, and whatsoeuer other thinges els they haue inuented to the impayring of the merit of Christ, and contrary to the doctrine of his trueth: there­fore the same tymes, and the same manners doe requyre the same pu­nishmentes, whereof it shall be spo­ken in their place. Now let vs note the example of Zephaniah, who be­ing but one alone, tooke vppon him the cause of the trueth against the Prophetes and Priestes, and doeth accuse them openly. For that wee may let passe those Prophets, whome wee knowe by Ieremy to haue runne, and were not sent. Yet it is well knowne that the Priestes were ap­poynted by GOD: and by lawe­full succession they did discende from Aaron: notwithstanding the Pro­phet Zephaniah blameth them, and doeth pronounce them worthy of pu­nishment. From whence then hath the Pope obtayned y^t his priuiledge, [Page 95] who although hee leade soules to hel, will yet bee reproued by no man? But wee reade that Peter was re­buked of Paule, and that openly, when hee went not right to the trueth of the Gospell. Gala. 2. Or who canne beare them in these dayes, which say that manyfest and open abuses are not to bee taken away, except it bee by the authoritie of a generall councell, whereof now there can bee no hope, and wherevnto, they that now haue some yeares beene accused, will ne­uer submitte them selues? But will godly Princes and heades of the peo­ple hazarde the lyfe of so many thou­sandes of soules, while these decea­uers gette vnto them selues, as it were a whot sering yron? Let them rather by this one argument acknow­ledge the tyrannie of these men. But let them which haue escaped their handes, shewe them selues thank­full vnto GOD, let them followe his worde, and receiue his correction. But let them haue all hope of sal­uation [Page] onely in his grace, and to him that calleth, let him draw néere, by Christ Iesus, who is the way, the trueth and the lyfe: to whome all thanks giuing, honour, glory and pow­er bee due for euer.

Amen.

The nienth Sermon.

The argument and vse of the place. THe vngodly are oftentimes so con­uinced of their wickednesse, that they cannot deny that, that they haue done, yet they neuer scarse acknow­ledge, how grieuous their offences be, but seeke euery where for starting holes, that they should not be enfor­ced to confesse that they haue deserued any punishment. Wherfore the mini­sters must vse great diligence and se­ueritie, that they may not onely re­proue and accuse the déedes of the wic­ked, but also shew of what sorte they be: and also lay before them, the iudge­ment of God that cannot be escaped. This doeth Zephaniah very diligent­ly. For a little before hée reproued those sinnes that reigned in Ierusa­lem, and as it were by name rebuked those that sinned principally. But be­cause he knew they would make ma­ny shifts to cloak their iniquitie with­all, and bring them selues into a fooles paradise, hée goeth forwarde now. And [Page 97] first he bereaueth them of their vaine hope, wherewith they flattered them selues by reason of the adoption, and promises of God. After this he rebu­keth very sharpely their remedilesse malice, wherwith they being hardned, were not once moued with many ex­amples, or admonitions whatsoeuer. Lastly he denounceth those punishe­ments, which God would execute v­pon them. But this place serueth very well for our time, for it teacheth how to iudge of the maners of our age, and doth therwithall set out the vse of ad­monitions and examples, wherewith GOD would stirre vs vp vnto repen­taunce.

He answereth theyr boasting. In the entraunce he méeteth with their boasting, and vaine confidence, wherwith they replied against the pro­phets. For if at any time they repro­ued their sin, and shewed the punishe­ment thereto belonging, they would obiect and say, wee are the peculiar people of God, whom it is wel known to abide among vs. For these are his owne wordes: Leuit. 26. I will pitch my taber­nacle [Page] in the middes of you, and my soule shall not abhor you. I will walke in the middes of you, and will be your God, & you shalbe my people. And the same God speaking of the Citie of Ie­rusalem, saieth: This is the place of my rest for euer. Furthermore as Ie­remy writeth: They cryed, who could cry most, the temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lorde. The Prophet graunting to these things, maketh an­swer, saying, the iust lord is amōg you, he will doe none iniquitie, &c. As if he should say, I confesse in déede, that the iust Lorde is in the mids of you, and there is no néede why ye shoulde obiecte these thinges, as though I knew them not. But you must there­withall remember, what propertie that God is of, which you so cry out to bée among you. As namely hee is iust, and will do no iniquitie: therefore although he haue bound him selfe vnto you, and hath amonge you appoynted his dwelling place: yet he wilbe iust for euer more, neither wil he chaunge his nature for your causes, y^t hee should ei­ther [Page 98] frame himself vnto your sinnes, or wincke perpetually at these your ma­ners, no, but in the morning, yea be­tims in the morning he wil declare his Iudgementes. But the worde Iudge­ment is taken two waies, when in the speach it is referred vnto God. For first it signifieth his worde, wherein he ma­keth his iudgemēts or statutes known vnto vs. And in this sense the Prophet Dauid saide: My soule is brought lowe for the longing desire it hath vn­to thy Iudgements, at al times. Againe I haue not erred from thy Iudgemēts, for thou hast informed me. Secondly the execution of the sentence of God is signified by the worde Iudgement. Both senses agrée very wel to this pre­sent place: and as I thinke I shal not vnfitly expound these words thus. God wil neuer fail to do as he shold, for ear­ly in y^e morning, y^t is speedily, & as often as occasiō shal serue, he wil declare his word, whereby he will admonish vs of our dutie, & rebuk thē y^t erre from him, but if hee profit not them, he bendeth more sharp iudgement against them, & those whome he séeth remedilesse, hee [Page] punisheth as they doe deserue, and by and by after he bringeth in whereby he may more at large set abrode their stubborne frowardnes, and yet the wic­ked will not learne to be ashamed, that is, although these thinges are knowne to all men, although you haue seen not a fewe and those no common examples of iudgementes that testifie, that he is a sharpe reuenger of vngodlines: you boast also in his presence, yet such is your frowardnes, y^t as yet you knowe not to be ashamed: that is, that you should bee abashed in the presence of God himselfe. But you perseuer with­out shame to doe those thinges before him, whereof ye would be ashamed in the eyes of men. It agreeth herevnto that God spake by Ieremie almost a­bout y^e same time, Iere. 3. Thou hast the fore­heade of an harlot, thou hast refused to be ashamed. And in Ezechiel they be called men of an harde and stiffe fore­head.Ezech. 3.

The vse of the presence of God But we are taught in this place, what vse wee shoulde haue of the pre­sence of God, whereof we make no lesse [Page 99] bragge then the Iewes did in times past, verily not that wee being proude thereof should promise too our selues safenes from all punishment, as hypo­crites vse to doe: but that by often me ditating therevpon, we should be spur­red to an earnest care of Godlines, and honestie. Seneca long since admo­nished, to the ende wee might auoyde secrete offences, that wee shoulde al­wayes thinke that some sowre fellowe as Scipio, Lelius or Cato were a present beholder, and a witnes of our doings. But how much more shall we be pro­uoked therevnto, if it neuer bee out of our minde, that whatsoeuer we eyther speake or doe, we doe it in the sight of God and his Angelles: let this thought therfore be alwaies in our mind, & as it were pul vs by the eare: vz. that God is present with vs, and that we cānot de­ceiue his sight which searcheth y^e heart and reines. Then let vs call to minde of what sort he is, and that is, hee is iust and holy, who (as Dauid sayth) hateth all them that woorke iniqui­tie, and falleth vppon the vngodly as it [Page] were a consuming fire, according to that saying of the Apostle, Our God is a consuming fire. They that bethinke them of these thinges in good earnest, will by and by (if they haue any sparke of godlines within them) begin in their heartes to abhorre sinne, and shall per­ceiue that a new and vnaccustomed care of godlines beginneth too spring, and wil also be ashamed eyther to speak or doe those thinges before God, wher­of they would be ashamed in the behol­ding of any honest man. So the Apo­stle Paule in the 2. Cor. 6. teacheth vs to vse this consideration. For when he had brought the words of God which we alleaged before, by and by he addeth out of Esay, Esay. 42. wherefore departe out of the middest of them, and separat your selues, saith the Lorde, and touch no vncleane thing.

But heere appeareth the desperate cor­ruption of our nature, All men confesse that God is present euery where, that he séeth all thinges, that he heareth all thinges, that he knoweth all thinges. in the meane season, a man shall finde [Page 100] very fewe, that trust in him, that stay vpon him, or that in his presence doe giue themselues to christian godlines, and holines of life, without the which, (as y^e Apostle witnesseth) no man seeth God. Who therfore seeth not that the most of them that confesse him in their mouth do deny him in their déedes, and that they be of y^e number of those that say in their heart, there is no God, the Lord séeth not, neither doth the God of Iacob vnderstand. &c. Nay that wee may let passe these that be common, which beeing violently carried away with beastly pleasures, doe thinke very seldomely of God, or heauenly things, what shal we say of the diuines, which when they teach, not onely that pre­sence of God, that is deliuered in the Scriptures, but doe also force a bodily presence of Iesus Christ, and that with great a doe, and yet in the meane tyme both commit, and speake such thinges as doe sufficiently beare witnesse, that they beléeue nothing lesse then that thing which they doe repeate so often. For if they did eyther thinke [Page] that God saw these thinges, or did be­leeue that Christ Iesus were present with his Church vnto whom we must heereafter giue account for euery ydle woorde: Surely they woulde neuer writhe the Scriptures so wickedly, they would neuer speak so rakehellike of those holy mysteries, they would ne­uer so disquiet y^e church with these their proude conflictes and brauling con­tentions, much lesse with such repro­ches defame those faithfull ministers of Christ, that haue well deserued of the Church: Or tryumph for the blod­shed of the holy Martyres. Or who would thinke they woulde speake such foolish absurd, and thinges against the scriptures, if they beleeued there were eyther heauen or hell? Now the authority of princes standeth with them, but y^e age to come wilbe of an other minde, and surely Christ will looke vnto the cause of those that bee his, whose name they doe so without all shame a­buse.

He prooueth their helpelesse contumacie. But let vs returne to our Prophet who doth more at large lay abrod with [Page 101] this argument also, the shamelesse and incureable frowardnes of his time, be­cause as yet they were not amended, neyther by examples, nor yet by any admonitions or warninges, but were rather become woorse. And surely the force of examples is very great, in so­much that they which cannot be moo­ued by any reasons, are ofttimes made afraide from their sinnes by examples, when they see that those their offences had an euell ende with others. And the Poet affirmed that he is happy, whom other mens harmes doe make too be­ware. But they that reiect them to­geather with all faithfull admonitions are not only vnhappy men, but also of a desperate malice, and woorthy to be punished any way. But God prooueth y^t these are such, when he sayth, I haue destroyed the nations, their pallaces are layde wast, I haue made their streets desolate, that there is none that passeth by. &c. He doeth not onely alleage sim­ply the destruction of the nations, but doeth withall heape together whatsoe­uer lamentable and doleful thinges are [Page] wont to fall out therein; that he may declare that those examples of his Iu­stice, which he shewed, were not cōmō, wherwith they might haue bin freight­ned, if they had had any féeling at al left in them: and hither may be referred whatsoeuer things came to passe, from the time that hee had brought their Fathers out of Egypt, for then was Pharao destroyed with his horses, and charets & the country of the Madianits myserably destroyed and made waste: Then were the mightie kinges Seon and Ogge punished for their vngodli­nesse and crueltie. After this there fol­lowed many such examples vnder the Iudges, and Dauid against the Philistines, the Idumeans, Moabites, Amo­nites and Syrians, all which God pu­nished very grieuously. Moreouer those things, were freshe in y^e remembrance of them all, which Salmanazar & Se­nacherib had done very cruelly in the land of Israel & Iudah, and which they knew were executed vpon y^e ten tribes, that for the same sinnes were lead a­way into Assiria, wherof they were cō ­tinually warned by the Prophetes. I [Page 102] wil not now speak of the people of the East, y^t were first oppressed by the ar­mies of the Assyriās, & were afterward beaten downe afresh by the tyranny of the Babylonians: neither yet haue I onely done these thinges (saieth God) but that ye might vnderstand the vse of them all, I haue geuen you pro­phets, by whome I haue spoken vnto you, & haue said: surely thou shalt feare me, and receiue my correction. And his dwelling shall not bee destroyed, That is, thy dwelling, whatsoeuer I haue appointed as concerning the same (for in the prophets the chaunge of per­sons doe oftentimes come.) In which wordes he testifieth, that he hath pre­scribed them a very certaine and short way of saluation, and hath giuen them sure hope, that he wil spare their land, if they will but nowe at the last feare him, and yéelde them selues to be or­dered by him. But what did they? They rose erly in the morning, & corrupted all their waies. He setteth their selfwill & disobedience against his faythfulnes and care for them. As if hee shoulde say, as I arose early, and shewed [Page] my iudgementes by saying, admonish­ing, exhorting and reprouing, and haue also endeuored to make them afaide with the examples of other nations: so they made no lesse spéede to corrupte their owne wayes, and are become worse and worse. Who would not therefore say, that they were altoge­ther remedilesse, and worthy of any punishment?

The vse of examples. But these wordes of God do teach what profit they should reape from those examples which are shewed vpō others. Namely this, that we shoulde thinke that God doth not onely punish them, that for their wickednesse haue deserued punishment, but also to ad­monish others, that they should call to minde what they haue deserued. And that by spéedie turning vnto the Lord, they might escape those plagues, that are readie to fall vpon them. Christ himself teacheth this vse, when he rea­soneth of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with the sacrifice, and those other, on whome the Tower of Siloe fell and pressed to death. For [Page 103] Luke saieth, Chap. 13. Doe ye thinke that they were sinners more then all others? I say vnto you, nay: but except ye repēt, ye shal likewise perish. But the great goodnesse of God appeareth in this, that when hee may take sodaine vengeance vppon vs, as often as wée sinne against him; yet he vseth these forewarnings, that he may prouide for the safetie of those that be his. But I would to God we would marke this in these daies: for what nation is there in all the world, vpon the which God hath not shewed examples of his Iu­stice, within these 50. or 60. yeares, what desolations, destructions, and mi­series haue we not séene? neither doth the course of God his Iudgements con­taine them selues within the bounds of that part of the worle, that is known, but wayes also of the vnknown sea, haue bene opened vnto couetous and rashly disposed men, that they also, that from the beginning of the worlde hi­therto, haue liued naked, and without armour, and hauing no knowledge of this our part of the world, should also [Page] knewe what belongeth to the force of warres. But how fewe there be that herein acknowledge the Iudgement of GOD the matter it selfe declareth. For most men following the example of the Iewes, doe either persecute the trueth, and make warre against God himselfe, or els vse the pretence therof vnto a headlong libertie of offending. It is not therfore without good cōside­ration, that certaine prudent and wise harted men do thinke that some great mischiefe, and a certaine generall de­struction is readie to fall vppon all the worlde: which cannot be escaped by a­ny other way, then if we followe the counsell of God, presently set before our eies: Thou shalt feare mee (saieth he) and receiue my correction. In two members hee comprehendeth all the way of godlinesse: for the feare of God cannot consist without his know­ledge, and a true fayth: nay that feare, that is such as children beare to their parents commeth hereof, which is ad­ioyned with y^e loue of god, which is the beginning of true wisdome, & bringeth [Page 104] lowlines, which maketh a man by the obedience of fayth, wholy to submitte himselfe vnto God and his word. But by the worde (correction) is noted a minde that doeth patiently beare cha­stisment, which is alwayes accompa­nied with a godly and honest lyfe, and which in euery poynt is agréeable to the fayth and profession of a christian man: whosoeuer doth set these things before themselues to be considered, doe waxe wise by other mens examples, and doe easily escape the Iudgement of God, or at y^e least being bettered there­by, do obtaine euerlasting life.

He denounceth the punishment But GOD addeth a most heauie thretning to their frowardnes, and his rebuke, saying: Therfore waite you v­pon mee vntill the day that I ryse vp vnto the pray, &c. The meaning is, I haue hitherto done al thinges which might soften you, and make you relēt, but y^t you are more hard thē the stones. I haue also for a time w^theld mine in­dignatiō, y^t there should not want space of repētāce: but I looked for it in vain, seing ye are become worse, & ye thinke [Page] that I am like vnto your selues. Now therefore waite you vnto that day, wherein I will arise to pray, and tea­ring in péeces as you haue deserued, and you shall not waite in vaine, as I haue done: for this now is my Iudge­ment and vnchangeable decrée, That I wil gather together all nations & all kingdoms, that I may powre out mine indignation, and the furiousnes of my wrath vpon them, &c. But that that he speaketh here in fewe wordes, is more at large set out in Ieremy, where these things are to be found. Iere. 25. for that ye haue not hearkened to my wordes: there­fore I will sende for all the families of the north (saieth the Lorde) and for Nabuchadnezar the king of Baby­lon, my seruant, and I will bring them into this Land, and vpon all these na­tions which are round about, and will destroy them vtterly, and cut them vp by the rootes, &c. And by and by after he maketh a catalogue or scrowle of those kingdomes and kings that must be rooted vp. And that none should pro­mise to themselues deliueraunce by [Page 105] their strength, he addeth, Because in the fire of my Ielousie all the earth shall be consumed. Hee attributeth zeale vnto him selfe, as also in the ten commaundementes, least any man should imagine that God is like an Epicure, or idle. And he compareth him to fire, the force whereof cannot be o­uercome. Moreouer he threatneth the whole world, least they should thinke that they should escape: all the whole reason of God his Iudgement, is ex­pressed in these wordes. The reason of Gods iudgmēt. For in that he biddeth them waite, and nameth the day also wherein hee will rise to the pray, he sheweth that he is not caryed away with a blinde outrage, but that hée doeth order all thinges by his iust Iudgement, and hath his appoynted times, when hée will render to euery one as they haue deserued. Further­more he testifieth that all nations are subiect to his iudgement. For whosoe­uer sinneth without law (saith Paule) Rom. 2. shall perish without law: and who soe­uer sinneth in the law, shalbe iudged by the law, Moreouer we are taught y^t [Page] they cannot be escaped of all those that with their stubborne contempt of his worde prouoke his wrathfull indigna­tion, and surely histories beare recorde that it was in déede fulfilled that hee threatned them by his prophets, which also doth set before vs many examples: wherby we are taught that the Iudge­ments of God cannot be escaped by any force or counsel of man. Let vs in these dayes be minedfull of these things, and for as much as wee want neither ad­monitions nor examples, wherewith GOD calleth vs into the way, let vs giue héede vnto them, and feare the Lord, and submit our selues to the yoke of his correction, so it shall be giuen vs to inioy the hoped for, and promised sal­uation in Iesus Christ our Lorde: to whome all thankes giuing, honor, glo­ry and power be due for euer.

Amen.

The tenth Sermon.

The argument and vse of this sermon. THe Prophets doe with great graui­tie reprooue the wickednesse of men and do threaten also the wrath of God, and grieuous plagues against them. But therewithall they haue a diligent regard of the godly, vnto whom they bring in, by the way, the promises of saluation, least they should with such threatninges cast them into dispaire. The Prophet Zephaniah also vseth the same order in this sermon. For hi­therto he hath very sharpely reprooued the helplesse frowardnes of the Iewes, and to them that know not howe to re­pent, he hath threatned the dredful vē ­geance of God, who hath decreed al­togeather to cut off this nation, which thing doubtlesse began first to be done by the Babylonians, but was after­warde fully accomplished by the Ro­mans, which brought vtter destruction vpon that citie and nation. But that no man should thinke that God hath a­brogated his olde promises as concer­ning the Messias, and euerlasting con­tinuance of his Church, and so shoulde be brought into the danger of dispaire: [Page 107] now he turneth his talke to the godly, and teacheth in many woordes, that it shalbe so farre from hauing any thing diminished from the promises of God, as concerning the restoring againe of mans saluation, and of his Church, that it shall rather be increased, and spreade farther abroade. This last parte therefore of our Prophet contey­neth a description of the Church, with­all the way of our saluatiō; from whēce we shall learne, what way wee must keepe what is the condicion of y^e church vpon earth, also what be the dueties of them that desire to be the members thereof and saued therein.

The spreading abrode of the church among the Gentiles is promised. First least the ouerthrowe of Iew­rie might seeme to bring any losse or damage to the Church, he saith that it shal rather be enlarged by the comming of those therevnto, which hitherto haue beene separated from it. I will turne to the people (saith he) a pure language and they shall all cal vpon the name of the Lord &c. A pure language he calleth the preaching of the Gospell, which be­ing cleane without al dregges of mens [Page] traditions, doth worke in men sancti­fication and holynesse of lyfe. He saith that he will turne, or rather reach this vnto all people, wherewith they being lightened, & cleared, or gathered vnto the church, which in the diuorse of the nation of the Iewes was thought y^t it should be extinguished. He sheweth the end of this preching, when he saith that al may cal vpon the name of the Lord & serue him with one shoulder, that is, w^t one cōsent & agréeable care & dili­gence, & that they should not worship a numberlesse companie of gods, or be deuided into diuers sects; afterward he sheweth that the boundes or limites of the Church shalbe meruellous wide. when he addeth, saying: Beyond the ri­uers of Ethyopia shalbe my suppliāts: That is, they y^t are humbled vnto me, and the daughter of my dispersed peo­ple (for he calleth the congregation of gods children which before she cōming of Christ were dispersed not only in di­uers places, but also through sects, in error that was common, & are yet vnto this day banished among the middes of [Page 108] their enemies ouer all the world (shall bring me an offering, y^t is to saye, that honour and worship which is due vnto me. These things were in part fulfilled when they being returned from Baby­lon ordained a newe forme of their Church & cōmon wealth, & in the pro­uinces of Babylon where they were scattered, they left some sparks or séeds of the more pure knowledge of GOD, which was the cause y^t in farthest coun­tries there were some that think more rightly of God, & his worship; yet these things were but prohems or preambls or as it were entrances only of things whervnto christ Iesus brought an end & ful accōplishment: Iohn. [...]. whom Iohn wit­nesseth, to haue come & died to this pur­pose, that hee might gather together in one the dispersed children of God. He, when the work of our redemptiō was finished in earth, and had ascended into heauē, turned this pure language vnto his people, to wit, by sending his holy spirit that appeared in the liknes of fie­rie tongues, which also being receiued, his Apostles went out into all the worlde, and gathered all nations [Page] to the knowledge and true woorship of God: so it came to passe that in al parts of the world there arose some that cal­led vpon the name of the Lord, and of­fered those spirituall sacrifices, which onely are approoued of God, and that thou maist know the trueth of this ora­cle or prophecie, this that is heere spo­ken of, began to be fulfilled, according to the meaning of the letter when the Ethiopian eunuch of Queene Candace by Phillips preaching being conuerted vnto Christ, opened the doctrine of faith afterwarde to his owne countrymen. Nay, it is wel knowne by the example of the said eunuch, that the Ethiopians had euen then some knowledge of the Scriptures and of the true God, for woorshipping of whom, he came to Ie­rusalem, and read the sermons of Esay as Luke writeth. Olde Writers also recorde, that Matthias the Apostle wēt into Ethiopia, and preached the Gos­pel to that nation: & we are not with­out faithfull recorde, at this time that affirme, that Christian religion bea­reth the sway among the Ethiopians, [Page 109] and that in a few ceremonies only they differ from vs. And it is also to be be­leeued, that the principles of the old and apostolical doctrine, was preserued in that countrey both longer, and more without corruption: which country be­cause it is defended with the farre dis­taunce of places and immoderate heat of the sunne, was lesse troubled with warres, which afterwarde turned all the world in very horrible wise almost vpside downe. Yea although in our dayes the outrage of Mahomet, and frantike dotages of the Papistes su­perstitions, haue corrupted religion e­uery where, yet there are found in e­uery place, which call vpon the Lorde Iesus, and professe a true faith in him, and that time seemeth to bee euen at hand, wherin the Gospel must be prea­ched to all the worlde, as Christ hath foretolde.

The disposing of the Church is the worke of God. But thou must marke by the way that God in this present place witnes­seth, that all this is his worke. For I (saith hee) will turne to this people a pure language, &c. Therefore the en­larging [Page] of the Church is the worke of God, neither ought any thing to be at­tributed here vnto the diligence or strength of men. For it is gathered to­gether by the preaching of the worde, and groweth into an vnitie of the same body vnder Christ the head thereof, but both these thinges do hange vpon the onely grace of GOD, that v­seth to sende ministers to them, whom he will haue made the heires of salua­tion, and doeth make cleare the minds of the same with fayth, wherewith they lay hand on the saluation that is offered vnto them. For howe shall they preach (saieth the Apostle) Rom. 10. except they be sent? And we reade that Paule was sometime forbidden to preach in Asia, and Bithinia, Acts. 16. & was sent to the Macedonians, whome it was then ne­cessary to be instructed in the fayth: and the same Apostle saieth, 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. Iohn. 6. that Ministers in déede do plant and water, but that increase is giuen only by God, and that faith is the gift of the same God, which maketh vs to bee partakers of righte­ousnes and saluation. For he was ac­quainted [Page 110] with that saying of Christ. No man commeth to me, except my Father draw him. These thinges serue well to confute them, that make such great brags of the strength of fréewill, and cry out that we offer iniurie vnto God, in that we refer all thinges to his becke, they are accustomed to hould vp that saying of Paule, as if it were Aiax his target, vz. That god would that all men should be saued, and come to the knowledge of the trueth, And they refuse all interpretation, which refer­reth those wordes to the elect of al pla­ces and degrées of men. Let them ther­fore tell vs, why God doth not bestow vpon al men indifferently the meanes of saluation: why doth he not lighten all mens mindes with faith? why did he suffer the whole worlde to be decea­ued so many hundred yeares? why doth hee not in these dayes also open a doore to the preching of the Gospell in many nations: they trifle in déede ve­ry much about the Gospell long since preached ouer al the world by the Apo­stles: but what doth this appertaine to [Page] the people of our time, which are al­together ignoraunt what was done in their countries in time past and gone. Let them say what they will, and into what shape soeuer they turne them selues, they shal yet be enforced to con­fesse, that the outwarde calling is not vniuersall nor common to all men. By what reason will they then proue, that election is generall, séeing this must néedes follow that, & that must néedes follow this election or choise, according to the saying of the Apostle: Rom. 8. Whom he hath preordeined, those also hee hath called. We are therfore inforced to ac­knowledge the hidden counsell of God in these mysteries, which it becōmeth vs to adiure with all humilitie, and most faithfull proclaming of his grace: and not after a proud and Phareséelike bouldnesse of our strength, to bring to the examination of our reason.

The duties of the faythfull. But let vs sée also what be the du­ties of them, vnto whome God will turn this pure language, that he may lighten them, with the knowledge of his sonne and their saluation. The [Page 111] first duetie is, that they should call vp­pon the name of the Lorde. Vnder in­uocatiō or calling vpon, he containeth fayth also. For (saith Paule) Rom. 1 [...]. how shall they call vpon him, whome they haue not beleeued? Notwithstanding hée had rather vse the tearme of calling v­pon, then of fayth, that wee might knowe, that his meaning is, of that fayth which consisteth in a vaine and dead opinion, but of that, that vttereth it selfe by open confession, & true wor­ship of God. But let vs marke the pro­phets manner of speaking, that (for the Lorde) would rather say, the name of the Lord: Namely that he might put a difference betwixt the inuocation of them that beléeue indéed, and them that be but hypocrites, and prophane Gen­tiles. For al men are wont to boast of their calling vpon GOD, when as by common reason they are taught that there is a God, that gouerneth all the world, and that we ow vnto him wor­ship and inuocation: yet notwithstan­ding not all doe call vppon the name of the Lord. That is, they do not acknow­ledge [Page] him to be such, as the scriptures declare him to be, and as he hath made him selfe manifest in his sonne. But they deuise Gods vnto them selues of their owne braine, which indéede are no Gods. But the godly being taught by the scriptures, do call vpon the true God, euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore they onely may be counted for the true worshippers of God. The second dutie is, y^t they serue him with one shoulder. This may bee vnderstoode two wayes. First thus: that they being without hypocrisie, do worshippe the onely one true God, and haulte not on both sides; as Elyas spake of the Israelites. 1. Reg. 18. The German phrase of speaking is agréeable to the Hebrew phrase, wherin they are saide to cary on both shoulders, which do­ing any thing dissemblingly, réele now this way, now that way. 2. Thus: to wit, here is noted an agreement be­cause they were not deuided into di­uers sectes and opinions, whereby they might ouerthrowe the fayth of many: but rather ioyne their studies and la­bours [Page 112] in one, that true religion may come vnto many. The thirde is, they humble them selues vnto him and of­fer him a gift: namely that that hee requireth, and that which is due vnto him. But men ow them selues wholly vnto God, they giue thē selues therfore wholy vnto him by faith, they call vp­pon him alone in all their necessitie, they acknowledge that all their wel­fare commeth from him, and doe ad­dresse their whole life, and al that they haue, vnto his appointment, and make his glory the principall ende thereof. But séeing these bee exercises of them that be godly indeede, it is euident e­nough what a man may iudge of the folke of our time, which neither call onely vpon GOD, neither lend their hand to others that be godly, but sub­mit themselues as slaues vnto sinne, and offer them selues a Sacrifice to the diuell, while they liue in such order, that through them Christian fayth and Religion is euill spoken of.

The Church is purged by the Crosse. But let vs returne againe vnto God, speaking by his Prophet, which promiseth that his church shalbe made more holy, and better purged, when he shall haue executed this Iudgement v­pon the nation of the Iewes. For hee addeth, In that day thou shalt not be ashamed for all thy workes, wherein thou hast transgressed against me. Hée speaketh not of a godly bashfulnesse, which the godly cōceaue of the remem­braunce of their sinnes, wherby also it commeth to passe, that they dare scars­ly lift their eyes to heauen, as Christ speaketh to the Publican. Luk. [...]. For this is not the smallest fruite of true repen­taunce, while it causeth that we do not returne again to our sinnes, out wher­of we are escaped through the grace of God. Which selfe same thing Paule noted, when he wrote, saying: Rom. 6. What fruite had you then in those thinges, wherof you are now ashamed? But this must be referred partely to the ef­fect of Iustification, which is of fayth, wrereby it commeth to passe that our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs, to our [Page 113] euerlasting confusion: Partly to the a­mendment of life and manners, which should be so great and so worthy, that it should as it were put out the infamy of the former life, & not suffer thesame to bee any more vpbraided vnto vs, & herevnto maketh that reason, which by and by after he addeth. For then I will take out of the middes of thee, those that reioyce in their pride. that is to say, that dignitie, which hitherto hath made you so loftie and bolde. But he speaketh of the hypocrites, which had alwaies this in their mouths, that this natiō was Gods peculiar, & priest­ly kingdome, and the inheritaunce of God, and boasted moreouer lustely in the Temple, sacrifices, and other wor­ship, and in the meane time they pro­phaned their profession with a wicked lyfe, and wonderful corrupt manners, and set abroade their religion to be de­rided of the Gentiles. So doth God himselfe expound this place, when hee addeth: And thou shalt not be proude any longer of my holy mountain. The meaning is, that there should be none [Page] any more that should séeke for prayse by their ydle titles of holines: but this rather shall be a common care vnto all men, vz. to do that in déede, that they professe in word. And these thinges he spake for the comfort of the godly, that they should not beare heauily the wret­chednes of their natiō, or the forsaking therof: for as much as GOD by this meanes would spread his Church not only throughout al nations, but would also purg the same from such reproofes and blemishes, wherwith it was now vexed: séeing it is permitted to al men, that vnder the pretence of the couenant and name of God, they should giue thē ­selues to most wicked delights. But let vs learne from these thinges, that no man ought in these dayes to bee offen­ded at afflictiō, séeing therby the church is not ouerthrown but exalted, and be­ing purged from their former faultes, proueth more glorious. Nay, if wee shall examin the matter rightly, it wil appeare, that we haue great néed ther­of. For as wee are by nature sinners, & ready vnto mischief: so when we eyther flow in Idlenes, or florish with many [Page 114] gifts, & séeme to haue al things wel ap­pointed, & fit for vs, by & by we are o­uercom with self trust & carlesnes, and so offer our selues to be ouertakē of the diuel & such as are deceauers: & such is the force of this mischief, y^t it cannot be cured, but by a more violent remedie. But this doth god put to by the crosse, y^t we being humbled therw^t, should lay aside those proud spirits, & al confidēce of external assistance & gifts being laid aparte, wee should regard him alone, & should watch & pray thervnto, that hée suffer vs not to bee swallowed vp of a­ny temptation.

The description of the Church by works. But the Lord goeth forward, & tea­cheth more diligently what they should be after that chastisment. For he saith, I wil make the remnant in the mids of thee a lowly people, afflicted, or poore. That is, bereaued of al worthines, and stript out of al external helpes, & which can make no boaste of any outward thing; & soone after hee declareth what they shal do. First they shall hope in the name of the Lorde. This belongeth onely to the godly, which for as much as they sée nothing in any place, [Page] wherein they may safely shroud them selues, this is their only stay, y^t they fly vnto God, who is called the reuenger of them that be oppressed, the defender of the poore, the patron of the widowes, the father of the fatherlesse, and the comfort of all them that be broken har­ted. They therefore put all their hope in his name, in this that they stay vp­pon his grace, righteousnesse, & trueth, which hee hath reuealed vnto vs in Christ Iesus his Sonne. And then the remnant of Israel (saieth he) shall doe none iniquitie. For they that be iusti­fied by Christ, worke righteousnesse, and because they be ioyned tegether by the bond of charitie, they abstain from euery wickednesse. Furthermore, Psal. 34. they shall not speake lyes, neither shall a de­ceitfull tongue bee founde in their mouthes. This is a sure token of an vncorrupt minde. For it is wel known that the speach is the declarer of the minde, wherfore we are comman­ded to set a watch before our mouth. And Iames saith that a man is then perfecte, [...]ac. 3. when hee slydeth not in his [Page 115] tongue. But these thinges containe a description of the Church, by the déeds and maners thereof. For in very déede it is a very poore and afflicted people, which hopeth in God alone, and doeth moreouer apply it self to righteousnes and trueth. It is said to be afflicted and poore, both because the Christians are lowe in heart, and haue nothing to doe with the trust of outwarde thinges, as we erst while admonished, as also be­cause they are exercised with dayly af­flictions, but in the mids of them they hope in the Lord, whose promises they beléeue. But in respect of men they ap­ply themselues to righteousnesse and harmelesnes, least they should annoy any man by their déedes, or deceaue him wickedly in their wordes. Where again it appeareth, what they are, that before GOD reioyce in the merite of their owne righteousnesse, and waxe proude against men, by reason of their outward giftes and faculties; who al­so if any aduersitie be at hand, doe be­wray that their heartes are farre from faith, but they liue a wicked and pro­phane [Page] life, and doe neither heare the trueth of Gods word paciently, nor yet in their businesss and daily talk studie for the truth, but do vnhonestly beguile whom they can, and by infinite means deceiue them.

The fruit of true godlynes. Furthermore the Prophet addeth a most notable cōmoditie of a true faith, and of godlines. And saieth, Because they shalbe fed, & shal lye downe, and there shalbe none to make thē afraide. In which words he promiseth the pro­tection & sauegarde of God, which with his worde feedeth them that beleeue in him, and doeth with his pow­er defende the same, that none euill can come to them. This is done both spiritually and corporally. For be­ing iustified by fayth, wee haue peace with God: and God doth wonderfully defend his Church: so that although most cruell enemies, beset it on euery side, yet the profit nothing at al against it, neyther yet can they take any of Christ his shéepe out of his handes, there is no neede of any longer decla­ration, séeing the matter it selfe doth [Page 116] shewe it, and we finde examples ther­of euery where. This place therefore teacheth what is the most esie and sure way to obtaine peace. This is in euery peoples mouth; and surely it is a most excellent gift, but very fewe there bee that séeke for true peace: this is that that doth quiet our minds with God, & doth make vs be without care & feare against the terrors of the world. This peace is not otherwise begonne in vs, then by the studie of godlynesse and a true fayth. For they that want it, are euer disquieted both within and with­out, that they seeme to be prepared for euery mischiefe. Hitherto doth exam­ples of tyrants belong, the most wher­of bearing rule both farre and néere, being combred with feare and trem­bling, do vse a most heedie and pike­out watch for the safetie of their bo­bies. The report is, that Alexander ne­neuer laye with his wife Thebe, whome hee loued most intirely, but he first csmmaunded a Barbarian sol­dier to goe before him to the chamber, and to search al his bed very carefully. [Page] But Masinissa although his kingdome was al ouer Asia, and had 54. Sonnes, so thought, that none in all the worlde would be trusty enough vnto him, that he rather vsed a watch of dogges, then of men, to preserue his lyfe. What shal wee say of Dionysius? who y^t he might not dread the Barbers razars, would needes haue his daughters learne the Barbars craft, to whom being grown to yeares of discretion, he fearing to cō ­mitte any cutting instrument, caused his beard to be burned of with walnut and other nut shales being set on fyre. But the nightes were so troublesome vnto him, that hee fenced his chamber no otherwise, then if it had beene his tenies with ditches & trenches, which were laid ouer with a hanging bridg. With whom also thou maist reckē the kings of our time, which do rather cō ­mit y^e safe custodie of their bodies to fo­ren & barbarous guardes, then to their owne country men; but from whence commeth this? because they hauing an euill conscience w^tin themselues, can­not but feare those, whom they knowe [Page 117] they haue done great wrong vnto. But they haue no hope in God, whome ei­ther they know not, or els do scoffingly despise, or perceiue that he is wrathfull against them. The condition of the god­ly is farre otherwise, which saye with the Apostle, If God be with vs, who can be against vs. Being stirred vp w^t the consideration of these thinges, let vs hope in God, let vs cal vpon him, let vs giue vp our selues vnto him a liuing sa­crifice, let vs diligently follow the stu­die of righteousnesse, and trueth, that we may happily ende the course of this life, and in time to come liue alwaies in heauen with Iesus Christ our lord, to whome al thankes giuing, honour, glory, and power be due for euer.

Amen.

The eleuenth Sermon.

The argument and vse of this present place. AS the Prophet hath made afraide the hypocrites, & those that were remedilesse, with a grieuous threat­ning of punishment: so he comforteth the godly with a ioyfull promise of de­liuerance. And euen now he taught, that they must not be offended at their captiuitie, & at those reproches, which then they were to take vppon them. For it is so farre of, that God will suf­fer his Church to perishe, and come to decay, that by this captiuitie and exercise of affliction, it shall be more increased, and made more pure. But because that deliueraunce out of Ba­bylon, was a figure of that com­mon redemption, which we haue in [Page] Christ: the Prophet by that occasion describeth the Church, and kingdome of Christ; and bringeth many things, which cannot be otherwise vnderstood, then of Christ, as those thinges are, that hee spake a little before of the calling of the Ethiopians, and other nations; of the peace of the godly, and protection of God, which he promiseth vnto them: but because the Church should be exercised with many tribula­tions, which oftētimes cause the truth of the promises to be doubted of, he ad­deth a more full confirmation of this place. And first he doth generally describe the happy state of the Church, being filled with gladnes and reioy­cing. Afterward he doth with new pro­mises comforte them, which might doubt of the assistaunce of God: in the end he returneth to the promise of de­liuerance. And vnder the figure of the olde people, hee setteth out the Church of Christ, teaching of whome it must bee gathered; what shall be­come of the enemies thereof, what also of the godly, whome hee promiseth to [Page 119] chaunge the shame of this life, with e­ternall glory.

He promiseth a ioyfull and glo­rious deliue­rance. First he saieth, Reioyce, O daugh­ter Syon, be ye ioyful, O Israel, be glad and reioyce with al thy hart, O daugh­ter Ierusalem. These thinges he spea­keth to the captiues, or to them y^t were to be led into captiuitie, y^t they might conceiue not onely a firme and sure hope of deliuerāce, but also may know that it may bee full of glory and reioy­cing. As if one carry the messages of deliuerance to one which in prison loo­keth euery houre for the sentence of death, should say, Reioice and be glad, for now thou shalt be deliuered. Or as if a Phisition cōtrary to al hope should promise health to him that lyeth dead­ly sick, & for confirmation sake, should bid him to be of good chéere, and reioyce. But the Prophet speaketh the selfe same matter in many words. Because it is a very harde matter for them that are brought into affliction to conceaue sure hope of deliueraunce when they be on euery side beset with the terrors of death. And hitherto serueth that rec­koning [Page] vp of causes, which by and by after the Prophet addeth, amonge the which this is first: The Lorde hath ta­ken away thy Iudgements. That is, he hath drawne euery action, and stopped the course of the lawe, (as we call it) which he had commenced against thée, together with those punishmēts which ye had deserued for transgressing. This agreeth with that saying of Isay, who in like maner foreshewing of their re­turne from Babylon, doeth admonish the Priestes and Prophets of their du­tie, and saith, Esay. 40. Comfort ye, yea comfort ye my people saith your, God. Speake vnto the heart of Ierusalem, and crye vnto her: for her warfar is finished, and her iniquitie is forgiuen. For that, that our Prophet speaketh here of the ta­king away of Iudgements, is there ex­pounded by the forgiuing of sinnes, for the course of iudgement cannot bee broken of, except offences be pardoned. Secondly it is added, He turneth away thine enemies namely those that haue held the captiuitie hitherto. Moreouer the king of Israel, euē the lord is in the [Page 120] mids of thee. God is said then to be pre­sent with vs, when by manifest argu­ments he doeth declare his goodnes and grace towards vs. And from hence hee bringeth in this saying: Thou shalt see no euil any more. That is to say, there shal not herafter be any thing, that can bring any trouble vnto thée. And these things verily were in part performed, whē being dismissed by Cyrus, they cam to their own again. For thē God took a­way their iudgements & ceased to pro­secute sute against them. He turned al­so their enemies far from them, when by the Medes & Persians he bereaued the Babylonians & Caldiās of their king­dome, and all their strength. Besides this, hee shewed in deede his presence and fauour: when to them being retur­ned again, he restored their temple and outward worship, which consisted al­together in the sacraments or outward signes of his heauenly grace & goodnes, and did wonderfully defende them a­gainst the craftie deuises of those nati­ons that lay next vnto them, & against the open force of foren enemies.

Redemption of Christ is com­mon. But because these things, as we said before, were foreshewes and entraun­ces, of that redemption which shoulde be in Christ, in him also they haue their accomplishment, and do containe the whole matter of our saluatiō. For we were all offenders, and most cruell e­nemies hunge on euery side ouer our heades. Satan accused vs, and did o­uercome vs, not onely by the law, but by the testimonie of our owne consci­ence. Death gaped for our soules, which entred in by y^e fal of our first pa­rents, and the sentence was pronoun­ced vpon vs miserable sinners. Cursed is he that doth not fulfill the words of this Lawe to do them: & al the people shall say, Amen. And there remained no other thing, but that the execution should followe this sentence, which would sinke al men in eternal destruc­tion. But here Christ came betwéene, who that he might take our cause vpon him, put on man of the Virgin Ma­ry, and soone after tooke away, and vt­terly abolished all that whole procee­ding of Gods Iudgement. For he pur­ged [Page 121] our sinnes by the worthines of his death: hee put away the hand writing of the law, & our own conscience, & fa­sted it to the crosse. Moreouer, he tyed vp our enemie the diuell, and the head of the old serpent being altoo brused, spoyled him of his kingdome; Col. 1. and o­uercame the world, y^t it might not pre­uaile any more against vs, but as for our flesh, he kéepeth it vnder by y^e spirit of regeneration, & holdeth it in duetie, and that hee might leaue nothing vn­done, he hath made death, which was the punishment of sinne, as it were the doore of euerlasting life. For by it we passe out of this valley of teares, and wretchednes into the places of the blessed. Al which things Paul through­ly perceiuing, wrote long since, Rom. 8. There is now no cōdemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus. Wherewith those wordes agrée, which Christ himselfe spake in Ihon: Iohn. 5. Verely, verely, I say vnto you, he which heareth my worde, and beleeueth him that sent me, hath eter­nall lyfe, and shal not come into iudge­ment, but hath escaped from death to [Page] life. And the sonne of God hath not on­ly performed these thinges for vs, but also is present with vs, euen in y^e mids of vs, as he hath promised: & although hée hath caryed his bodie away vp to heauen, that hee might be there as an interest or pledge to beare witnesse of that heuenly and blessed life of our bo­dies, which in time to come they shall haue, yet he neuer forsaketh his church: but is present with it with his worde, his spirit, his grace and desert, & with his protection and safegarde: wherev­pon it followeth very necessarily, that we can sée none euill, namely such as can destroy vs. The crosse verily must be borne, and (as Dauid saide) Psal. 34. Many are the troubles of the godly, but God deliuereth them out of all: who also causeth that all thinges for them worke together vnto God.

He promiseth the continuall abod and com­fort of the word But the Prophet goeth forwarde and addeth newe promises, where­by the godly may bee confirmed in the fayth. Nay, he affirmeth that there shall neuer want faythfull Preachers [Page 122] of GOD, which may alwayes of­fer & set before thē those promises. For in that day (saieth he) it shall be sayde to Ierusalem, feare not: and to Syon, let not thine hands be let downe. And so he repeateth that Prophecie, which erstwhile wee brought out of Isay: and the meaning is this. That your king Messias, which I sayde should alwayes be amongst you, will at all times stirre vp Prophets & teachers, which may comforte and incourage thee being in daunger: that you giue not ouer for any temptations, &c. And truely, as appertaining to their re­turne from Babylon, there wanted not then such as might cheere them being tyed many wayes, and with new exhortations daily confirm them. Of y^e nūber were Ezra, Nehemia, Hag­gey Zachary, & many others. But this promise doth principally belong to the kingdom of Christ, who to his Church (as the Apostle witnesseth) alwayes giueth some Apostles, some Prophets, some Euangelists, som pastors, & some doctors, &c: insomuch y^t he wil haue the [Page] ministerie of his word to remain for e­uer with his Church, whereby it may be both gathered together, and preser­ued. And it is worth the diligent mar­king, y^t both here & in many other pla­ces the ministrie of the word is recko­ned, among the argumēts of cōsolatiō, y^t we may learn to iudge of it rightly, & regarde it as we ought to doe. But vn­to many it séemeth a matter of small weight, and the godly themselues doe not alwaies acknowledg the gret good­nesse therof, especially when they haue peace and quietnes at will. But when either the daungers of persecution, or inward broylings doe aryse, by and by with great and carefull desire of the minde they aske after the word, which before they despised and cared not for.

The summe of the doctrine of the Church. But let vs in like manner note the summe of that doctrine, which must continually bee reteined in the church. The Prophet in these two poyntes doth comprehend it: Luke. 24. Feare thou not, let not thine handes be letten down. And they agrée with that parting, which Christ himselfe made, who deuided the [Page 123] preaching of his Gospell, into like ma­ny partes, when hee commaundeth to preach repentaunce, and remission of sinnes in his name. For herevnto be­longeth which he saith, Feare you not. For as much as the tremblinges of the conscience can no other way be pa­cified then by sure remission of sinnes, which we obtaine in Christ alone. Of that part the Angell beginneth, when to the shepheardes that were made afraid with a shining from heauen, he saith, Luke. 2. Feare not, for I bring you tidings of great ioy, &c. But it must be refer­red vnto repentance, that he saith, And let not thy handes be letten downe. Namely in performing those thinges, which God requireth of vs. But it is his will that wee should not onely for­sake our sinnes, and liue holyly & with­out blame, but also that wee should bée constant in faith and true religion, and that we should not suffer our selues to be remoued from it by any meanes. These two thinges must alwayes bee coupled together in the doctrine of the Church, least any should dispaire being [Page] swallowed vp of the conscience of their sinnes, or should vse the colour of grace and prosperous trust in the forgiuenes of sinnes licenciously to offend. But this place doeth principally condemne their slouth, which when they heare, that the restoring of the Church is the worke of God, do forthwith let downe their handes, and do disorderly let slip all occasion of doing well.

He meeteth with daungers and conscience. But there are two thinges that doe principally hinder these matters. That is to say, daūgers or difficulties, which the world obiecteth without number: And the guiltines of our sinnes, for the which we perceiue that God is angry with vs: therfor hee maketh answere vnto them both. And for the first hee saieth thus: The Lorde thy GOD in the middes of thee is strong, he will saue thee. He repeateth the summe that he had spoken before, and the meaning is this. Thou must not now consider what thou art able to doe, or what the world woulde not that thou shouldest do: but what God requireth of himself. For he is in the middes of thée, and he [Page 124] is mightie, and able to do all things: he therefore shall see you contending with the world and the prince thereof, and wil giue you strength, wherby ye may wrastle out of all difficulties, or hard­nesse of matters, and wil in the meane season wonderfully preserue you in the middes of daungers. Hauing regard to the other pointe, he saieth, He shall re­ioyce ouer the in ioy, &c. He preacheth the goodnesse of God, when he saieth that he will not cast vs away for our sinnes, so that rather as a louing fa­ther he will reioyce in the familiaritie of his children, yea he will quiet him­selfe (saith he) in his lore. That is, hée wil not fill all thinges with franticke and horrible outcries (as men that bee wrathfull, and hauing no stay of them selues are woont to doe) if he see vs of­fend at any time, but because he loueth vs, he will with silence ouerpasse ma­ny thinges, and will euen winke at our faultes, as the husbande that doeth pardon his wife many faultes, if so bee hee perceiue hir faythfull in the couenaunt of maryage.

I knowe that others doe expound it o­therwise, that is here spoken of the si­lence of God. But this meaning, as it disagréeth not from the purpose of the Prophet: so it is confirmed by the ex­ample of the scriptures, which in an o­ther place by the similitude of silence doth expresse the goodnes of god, wher­with he pardoneth our sins. For Isay prophecying of the méekenes of Christ, saieth. Esay. 42. He shall not contende nor cry, neither shall any man heare his voyce in the streetes, &c. But in this present place he repeteth for cōfirmation sake that, that he had spoken, of ioy, & saith: He shal reioyce ouer thee with ioy, &c. But all these thinges are to be conside­red of vs vnto that end, whervnto the Prophet spake them to y^e people of that age, namely that they may prouoke vs to do our duties, that we suffer not our selues to be affrighted either with the hardnesse of daungers, or guiltinesse of those sinnes which wee haue commit­ted. For seeing y^e loue of God is so great towardes vs, our slouth shalbe detesta­ble, yea and without all excuse, if wee [Page 125] become more faint harted in doing our duties, and doe therewith all not re­gard the glory of God, & our saluation.

Of whome the Church is ga­thered. But that the Prophet omit nothing, he returneth againe to the promise of deliuerance, and teacheth what kind of people the Lord wil bring againe; and then what shall become of the enimies therof, as also of all them that worship God. He comprehēdeth the first in few wordes, saying: From that time I will gather together thine afflicted, &c. He saith that he wil gather them together, namely that they may returne againe to their own, y^t wer dispersed through­out all the prouinces of the East. And that after a certain time, that is when the appoynted or foreordained time shal come This word moued is, in the Hebrewe, which doeth not signifie any time, but that, y^t of purpose is appoyn­ted as it were vppon agreement vnto some thing. But forthwith he addeth the cause, saying: They were of them: the burthen of reproch was vpon her. That is to say, I will deliuer them, be­cause they be members of my Church, [Page] which hitherto haue borne the burthen of reproch, that is, banishment being filled with reproch & shame. But least this promise should either be doubtful, or of small waight, he addeth further­more, because of the houge power of the Babylonians, and saith, Beholde I will bring all them that haue af­flicted thee in that day. As though he should say, there is no cause why yée should thinke, that the power of your e­nemies shal diminishe any thing at all of my promises: for when that appoin­ted time shall come, they must perish together also. Neither shall he néede to come from far y^t shall haue strength y­nough to beat thē downe: for behold e­uen I y^t rule ouer al, & at whose beck al thinges are either destroyed or preser­ued, wil shew my selfe an enemie vn­to them, and wil take vengeance vpon them, And saue her that halteth, & ga­ther her that was cast out. &c. So he tearmeth the people of Iudea, which because they halted very abhominably in religion, were cast out, and led away into exile. Neyther will I onely (saieth [Page 126] he) bring her againe, but get her prayse and a name: that is, I wil make them notable and famous in all the Land of their shame, that is, in their enemies Land, where hitherto they haue béene laid abroad to reproches and scornings. And that they may be the more confir­med in the trueth of their promises, hée doth repeat it almost in y^e same words. In that time I wil bring you away (saith he) and then will I gather you, because I will giue you a praise and a name a­mong al the people of the earth, when I turne backe your captiuitie before your eyes, saieth the Lord. Hee calleth their captiuities, speaking in the plural number, because (as we said euē now) the Iewes were banished into diuers prouinces. So that so many pry­sons might séeme to bee prepared for them, as there were prouinces, where­in they were helde captiue. And hée saieth, that hee will doe these thinges before their eyes, that therby he may declare, that this their deliuerance shoulde bee famous: but immediately [Page] he maketh mention of the appoynted time, y^t they might learn with greater patiēce to beare the abod of 70. yeares, which must first passe ere they be deli­uered, as also to prepare them to the exercise of the crosse. For we know the nature of the flesh: which either dispi­seth the promises of God altogether, or being caried hedlong away, doth think that they shoulde quickly bee expired. But hee hangeth to as it were a seale, that accustomed & vsuall clause, (saith the Lorde) which only is suffici­ent to prouok credence to these words: but the historie beareth recorde, y^t these things were indéede performed vnto y^e Iewes: for after these 70. yeares were expired, the Monarchy of the Babylo­nians was translated to the Medes, & Persians, & the Captiues had not only libertie to return again, but were also let goe w^t cōmendatiō & praise. &c. But because these things in y^e end had their full accōplishment in Christ, the same therfore ought to bee trāslated vnto his Church, that we may vnderstand what shalbe y^e conditiō therof for euer. Those [Page 127] that be afflicted & oppressed, are gathe­red vnto it. That is to say, such as in y^e Iudgement of the worlde, of all men séeme to bee the outcastes: The condition of the Church. Nay the church consisteth of the halting Syna­gogue of y^e Iewes, & multitud of the na­tions, which in times past were foren­ners, & expelled from the couenaunt of God, as we haue taught at large in the Prophet Michea. Mich. 4. Where the matter is ful of comfort, y^t God doth not alwaies neglect his people. But in their appoin­ted time doeth gather them togeather againe, whom he séemed to haue reiec­ted for a time because of their sinnes: Moreouer, although the power of the e­nemies of the church, be neuer so houge and their outrage neuer so vntamed, wherwith they indeuour to stay the re­stitution thereof: yet GOD partly by the spirite of his mouth, partely by his manifest power bringeth them to naught, y^t their counsels may vāish into smok, & they thēselues in the end perish with shame, that cease not to striue a­gainst it. But he maketh y^e godly that imbrace Christ, to haue a praise, and a [Page] name in all the earth. For God preser­ueth their memoriall, & maketh them glorious, although for a litle time they be hated of all men; and in the end suf­fer most shamefull deathes. This may be séene in the Prophets and Apostles, whose memoriall euen at this day is celebrated ouer al the world, though in times past they were reckoned the of­scowring of the worlde. Such is the state also of al y^e Martyrs, neither doth it come seldomly to passe, y^t the wicked enemies of the godly, do beare witnesse of their innocencie. So did Plinius Se­cundus declare the maners of the chri­stians to Traianus. And Cornelius Ta­citus defendeth their report against the reprofes of Nero, who wold haue had them blamed for burning the Citie. Moreouer God doeth euery day bring againe the captiuities of his Church, and doth after a wonderfull maner re­store it, euen then when al things séeme to be in desperate case. Eternall glory in the heauens will follow in time to come, and the crowne of righteousnes, that neuer fadeth, which the Lord hath [Page 128] prepared for all them that loue his cō ­ming. Let vs be constant therfore (O my brethren) not made afraid with the attempts of the world, it rageth in déed without gouernment. But let vs re­member that this is the last conflict of Antichrist, and that, that wished for day is not far of, wherein the whole frame of y^e world shal with vs be freed from corruption, but we shall possesse the promised kingdome with Christ Iesus our Sauiour, to whome all thankes giuing, honour, glory and power be giuen for euer. Amen.