tihvavy of €Ke l^olo^vcal ^tmimvy PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY ^«<- PRESENTED BY Samuel Agnew, Esq. 1014 - 1880 March 26, 1851 Digitized by tine Internet Arcliive in 2014 littps://arcliive.org/details/worksofjamespilkOOpilk THE WORKS JAMES PILKINGTON, B.D. dFor tfje ilutiUcation of m fflSiorfe© of tljc ^at5cr» anU (ffarlp ©saritne of tijc lElcformrtr THE WORKS O K y JAMES PILKINGTON, B.D., LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM. EDITED FOR BY Till REV. JAMES SCHOLEFIELD, A.M., RKGir.s PROFKSSOR OK GREEK, CAIUnRIDliK. THE CAMBRIDGE PBINTKD AT UNIVERSITY M.DCCC.XLII. PRKSS. CON T E N T S. PAfiK Biographical Notice of Pilkiiig-toii i Exposition upon the Prophet Haggai (1500, 1662) 1 Exposition upon the Prophet Olwdiah (1562) 201 Exposition upon certain chapters of Neheiniah (1585) 27-'> The Burning of St Paul's Chureli: Confutation of an Addition, (1563) 497 Answers to Popish Questions (1563) 617 M 1 SCELLANK< )US PI VjVK». Sermon on Bucer and Phagius (1560) (iol Letter to the Earl of Leicester (1564) G58 Extracts from the Statutes of Rivington School GG^ •Tractatus de Prsdestinatione 67" •Epistola ad Andream Kingsmill (1564) 079 Notes 080 Index 089 * Now first piililished. PHIHOETON THSOLOGICALi BISHOP PILKINGTON, James Pilkington' was born at Rivington in Lancashire in the year 1520, and was the third son of Richard Pilkington Esq. of Rivington Park, a gentleman of an ancient and ho- nourable family, which had early embraced the doctrines of the reformed religion. There is no record to shew where he re- ceived the rudiments of his education ; but about his sixteenth year he was admitted a member of St John's College-, Cam- bridge, where he proceeded to the degree of A.B. in the year 1539, and was elected fellow on the 26th of March in the same year. He afterwards took the degrees of A.M. 1542, and B.D. 1550, but it does not appear that he ever took the higher degree of D.D.; whether out of disregard to it, as Baker intimates, or from the whole course of his pursuits being sud- denly interrupted by the troubles consequent on the accession of queen Mary. ^ It appears from Baker's MSS. that the bishop's brother, Leonard, signed his name Pilkinton on his admission to liis fellowship, and on his restitution (having been ejected under queen Mary) Pilkington. - This is doubtful. Mr Whitaker in his memoir of the bishop, pre- fixed to the "Statutes and Charter of Rivington School," conjectures that he was first admitted at Pembroke Hall, from the circumstance that the fellows of that college, in their congi-atulatory letter to archbisliop Grindal (1576), boast of having had among their alumni bishops of Carlisle, Exeter, Winchester, Durham, London, and York. But Baker's MS. History of St John's College distinctly asserts that he was admitted of St John's; which however is not incompatible .with his having first entered at Pembroke, and afterwards removed. In one of the Regis- trai-y's lists of degrees James Pilkington of Pembroke occurs; but it is doubtful whether this can have been the same that was elected fellow of St John's in 1530. [pilkington.] 11 lilOGRAPHIOAI. NOTICE He was zealous in forwarding the Reformation ; and while residing on his fellowship, read theological lectures gratui- tously on the Acts of the Apostles in the public schools ; of the importance of which in tliat deeply interesting crisis, as well as of the general estimation in which he was held, we may judge not only from the testimony of Bucer, that he " acquitted himself learnedly and piously," but also from the fact of his being subsequently appointed to take a part in the disputation on the popish tenets, held at Cambridge on the 20th and 24th of June, 1549, a record of which is preserved in the second volume of Foxe's Acts and Monuments. In December, 1550, he was appointed, by Edward the sixth, to the vicarage of Kendal in Westmoreland, wliich however he resigned in the following year, probably from his preference of a college residence. ^Ve heai- nothing more of him until about the year 1554, when, to avoid the Alarian persecutions, he, with many other eminent divines, retired to the continent; and lived at Zurich, at Basil, and lastly at Geneva. At Basil he read lectures on Ecclesiastes, both epistles of St Peter, and that of St Paul to the Galatians ; but there is no evidence to shew that these lectures were ever printed, and Tanner statement to that effect may naturally be traced to the mis- take of his authority {Bal. i. e. Bale) confounding the delivery of the lectures, and the conversational discussion of them, with publication'. ^ " John Bale says, he had expounded both the Epistles of St Peter, and had then Solomon's Ecclesiastes under his hands; but these, I suppose, were never published." Baker's MS. History of St John's College. Bale's woi ds are : Quorum Jacobus (sc. Pilkintonus) Salomonis Ecclesiasten, utramque D. Petri epistolam, ac Paulum ad Galatas; Ri- cardus, &c. • * • nobis qui adhuc BasUea; sunius, piissime ac doc- tissime exposuerunt. Sed eovum seripta nondum prodierunt in lucem : quod tamen, Deo fortunante, futurum speramus. Vi\Tint hoc anno Domini 1.558, quo ista scripsimus. Balei Scriptorum lUustrium M. Bry- tanniffi posterior pars, p. 113. Basil. 15.59. — Strype says the same thing, but he does not any where sijcak of the>^e expositions as having been OF BISIIOI' I'lLIvINGTON. Upon the deatli of queen Mary, in 1558, the exiles made prepai-ation for returning home. Pillcington was then at Frank- fort ; and wlien tlie letter from the English church at Geneva was received there, exhorting to " unanimity in teaching and practising the knowledge of Ood's word" upon arriving in their own country, he was the first to sign on behalf of the church at Frankfort, and therefore probably was himself the writer of, the "peaceable letter" sent in reply, which is cei-- tainly mai-ked by great wisdom and moderation ; the general purport of which was, that the appointment of ceremonies would rest not with themselves, but with persons duly au- thorised; that they would "submit to such orders as sliould be established by authority, being not of themselves wicked ;" that the reformed churches might differ in ceremonies, so that they agreed in the chief points of religion ; and lastl}-, that in case of the intrusion of any that were offensive, they would " brotherly join to be suitors" for their reformation oi' abolition On his return to England, he was associated with Bill, Parker, Grindal, Cox, Guest, Whitehead, and May, as com- missioners to revise the Book of Common Prayer; being appointed to that office by a proclamation issued in December, 1558, and the work was completed in April of the following year. In this year, 1559, he was appointed also one of the commissioners for visiting Cambridge, to receive from the heads of houses and others their oath of allegiance to the queen and of her supremacy. By this visitation all ordinary jiu-isdiction in the university was suspended ; and on the 20th of July he was admitted Master of St John's College and Re- gius Professor of Divinity: whether "by the act," or only "with printed ; nor are they mentioned in the Catalogue of English printed l)ooks, 1,59.5, by ]\Iaunscll, where the expositions of Aggciis, Abdias, and Nehemiah, printed in this collection, are noticed. ^ See Strype, Annals, i. i. p. 2G3. 8vo. iv EIOGRAPHICAI, NOTICE the consent" of the visitors, and whether their extraordinarj- powers superseded the regular modes of election, does not ap- pear. Fuller says, and perhaps correctly, that " Bullock, the (popish) Master of St John's, was put out, and Pilkington put in" by the commissioners. It is certain however, that he was greatly esteemed in those high offices, as a mln of deep learn- ing and great piety, and one of the revivers of Greek htera- ture in the university, being associated with Sir John Cheke and others in settling the pronunciation of that language. In 1560, at the solenm commemoration of Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius, held at Cambridge, to obliterate the indig- nities offered to their remains by the commissioners of Car- dinal Pole in the reign of Mary, he pronounced the funeral oration on those esteemed reformers, an outUne of which is preserved in the appendix to the Scripta Anglicana Martini Buceri, and in Foxe's Acts and Monuments, and which forms the seventh article in the present volume. In the same year he pubhshed his Exposition of the Pro- phecy of Haggai, of which Str}-pe says, " It came forth sea- sonably, and on purpose to stir up well-minded people, to go forward with the reformation of religion vigorously ; for it was perceived there was too much coldness in the matter among those that were chiefly employed about it'." A second edition of it was published in 1562, which wa.s accompanied with an exposition of Obadiah, written on the same plan and with the same object. About this time he married Alicia, daughter of Sir John Kingsmill ; and at first, it is thought, from the prejudices of the time against married clergy, concealed the connexion : a supposition which is strengthened by, if not altogether founded on, an expression in his will, in which he mentions his wife as " Alice Kingsmill. my now known wife." • Strype, Annals, i. i. p. 343. 8vo. OF BISHOP PILKIXGTON. V At the close of the same year (1560), he was nominated, at the age of forty", to the See of Durham, of which he was the first protestant bishop. He had the royal assent on the 20th of February ; was consecrated on the 2nd of March ; received part of the temporalities on the 2oth ; and was en- throned in the cathedral on the 10th of April. Afterwards, in the year 1565, he succeeded in obtaining the restitution of all the lands belonging to the bishoprick, except Norhamshire ; not however without the hard condition of paying to the crown an annual pension of iJl020. He did not resign the mastership of St John's College till the following October (1561), and was then succeeded in it, as well as in his professorship, by his brother, Leonard Pilkington, B.D. who however did not long retain it, being presented by the bishop in 1563 to the valuable i-ectory of Whitburn. About the same time another brother, John, was made Archdeacon, being already a Prebendary; and in 1565 the bishop collated his youngest clerical brother, Laurence, to the vicarage of Norham. On the 8th of June, 1561, he preached a memorable sermon at St Paul's cross, on the destruction of St Paul's Cathedral by lightning ; in which he exhorted the people to "• take the dreadful devastation of the church to be a warning of a greater plague to follow, if amendment of life were not had in all estates." In this sermon he denounced certain abuses of the church, and the conversion of the building to purposes unbecoming a place set apart for Cod's worship. His observations called forth an angry reply, in the form of " An Addition to the causes" which the bishop had assigned for the calamity ; the purport of which was to attribute the burning of the cathedral to very different causes, namely, "that the old fathers and the old ways >\ere left, together with blas- - Strvpc says, ^'agod -lo," hut tliis is a mistake, .luiiah; i. i. p. L'yo, rm. lilOGRAPIIICAL NOTICK pheming God in lying sermons preached there ; polluting the temple with schismatical service, and destroying and pullmg down altars set up by blessed men, and where the sacrifice of the mass was ministered'." In answer to this bishop Pilking- ton wrote the "Confutation of an Addition with an Apology, &c." which was published in 1563. In his fomer writings he had laboured earnestly to promote the work of the Ee- formation, and had only meddled incidentally with the weapons of controversy : but now, being fairly challenged into the field, he did not shrink from manfidly and vigorously grappling with the whole subject at issue between the two churches. In this encounter he shews himself thoroughly acquainted with all the sophistries and "strong delusions" and "lying wonders" of popei-y : he pursues the enemy into his strong holds, and lays open to the light of day the system which with such high pretensions had so long tyrannized over the conscience, and insulted the understanding, of mankind. A morbid delicacy, or a false liberality which refuses to believe that there is any great evil in popery, will doubtless complain of the author's unspai-ing exposui-e of its system, and the occasional coarse- ness of his invective against *it ; but considerable allowance must surely be made for one writing at that time and under those circumstances, when the champions of the truth were standing on the field of battle, and yet panting from the conflict of life and death. The occasion required energy and determination to overthrow the adversary, rather than the "soft answer to turn away his wrath." The bishop's own apology for some broad statements in his " (ionfutation " bears indirectly upon this point, and is entitled to every consideration : " I would not have blotted so much paper with so much wickedness, nor filled your ears and eyes with so much filthiness, but that he provoked me to it, and calls that good which is evil, and light darkness" (p. 591.) ' Sti-ype, Aimak, i. i. p. 390, &c. OK BISllOl- I'irjvINGTOX. vii A letter written by liiiu in lo6i to Pariter, archbishop of Canterbury, is preserved; which, as it shews his care and anxiety for the improvement of his diocese, and is illustrative of his character, may be not improperly introduced here. The immediate object of the letter was to reconnnend an individual, named Gargrave or Hargrave, for the vicarage of Rochdale ; and having spoken highly of his qualiiications and lu'ged the importance of the appointment, he proceeds to complain of the general negligence and relaxed morals of the clergy in the north : "It is to be lamented," he says, "to see how negligently they say any service, and how seldom, I have heard of a commission for ecclesaistical matters, directed to my lord of York ; but because I know not the truth of it, I meddle not. Your cures, all except Rochdale, be as far out of order, as the worst in all the country. The old vicar of Blackbui-ne resigned for a pension, and now liveth with Sir John Biron. Whalley hath as ill a vicar as the worst ; and there is one come thither, that hath been deprived or changed his name, and now teacheth school there, of evil to make them worse. If your grace's officers lust, they might amend many things. I speak this for the amendment of the country ; and that your grace's parishes might be better spoken of and ordered. If your grace would, eitlier yourself, or by my lord of York, amend those things, it were very easy. One little examina- tion or commandment to the contrary would take away all these and more. The bishop of Man liveth here at ease, and as merry as Pope Joan-. The bishop of Chester hath compounded with my lord of York for his visitation, and gathercth up the money by his servants; but never a word spoken of any visitation or reformation : and that he saitli lie doth of friendship, because he will not trouble tlie country, - i. e. John. I'opc John XII. is the person who pivc occasion to the pi-overb. vm BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE nor put them to charge in calling them together. I beseech you, be not weary of well-doing; but with authority and counsel help to amend that is amiss. Thus, after commen- dation, I am bold boldly to write, wishing good to my countrj', and fm-therance of God's glory. God be merciful to us, and grant nt libere currat evangeliuml Vale in Christo. Cras profecturus Dunelmuni, volente Deo, Tuus " Ja. Ai/feX/J6i'."^ In the same year also he wrote his letter to the earl of Leicester, pleading for some indulgence on behalf of the re- fusers of the habits. The affinity between this letter, and the Epistola Consolatoria mentioned in Tanner's list, is ex- plained in a note on p. 6-58 of the present volume ; and no further remark is necessary here, except to notice the appa- rently unwarrantable suspicion of Baker, that Pilkington was not the author of it ! "If," says he in his MSS., "liis letter to the earl of Leicester, witten after he was bishop of Dur- ham, were really his, a man would have as hard an opinion of him, as he seems there to have of the ceremonies." But as it is, " quoted by the puritans," he supposes it may have emanated from them: only, he adds, "so far we may sup- pose the charge to be true, that he was a favourer of the party; otherwise there could be no ground or pretence to fasten such letters upon him^" Afterwards, in delineating his character, he speaks of him as "Papismi osor, in Puri- tanos pronior." It is not an easy thing to form a correct and candid judgment of the conduct of exalted individuals in difficult circumstances. The remark especially applies to the state of things in the reign of Elizabeth. ' Strypc's Life of Parker, Book ii. cli. SC. Pag. 1G3 of Baker's MS. Hktor;/ of St John's College, transcribed from his MSS. iu the British Museum, and picserved in St John's College Library. OF BISHOP PILKINGTON. ix It is related by Fuller, that bishop Pilkington and his family narrowly escaped with their lives, in the northern rebellion of 1569; when the insurgents, having gained a tem- porary success, entered Durham, celebrated mass in the cathedral, and tore and trampled under foot the protestant Bible. He was peculiarly obnoxious to them, both as a protestant and a married prelate ; and fled into the south, with his wife and infant daughters, who, according to the same authority, were obliged to assume the disguise of beg- gars' clothes. A wretched, but faithful picture of the country at the close of this insurrection, is given in a letter of the bishop's to Sir William Cecil : "Jesus help. Right honorable. According to y''r L. apointment, I have sent mie manne to know bi your gudd meanes the Q. Ma*'" pleasure, for mie reparing homeward. Now mie L. Sussex is comen, I tiust some gudd order shall be taken for the cuntre ; iff mie presence might doe anie gudd, I wold attend as y"r wisdom shall think mete or apoint me. The cuntre is in grete miserie ; and as the Shireff writes, he can not doe justice bi ani number off' juries, off suche as be untouched in this rebellion, unto thei anther quited by law or pardoned bi the Q. Ma"°. The number of offenders is so grete, that few innocent are left to trie the giltie : and iff the forfeted landes be bestowed on such as be straungers, and will not dwell in the cuntre, the peple shall be withoute heades, the cuntre desert, and no number off freeholders to doe justice bi juries, nor service in the warres. What cumfort it is to goe now into that cuntre, for him that wold live quietlie, y^r wisdom can easilie judge. Butt God is present ever with his peple, and his vocation is not rasslily to be forsaken, nor his assistance to be doAvted on. His gudd will be done. And iff' I goe downo in displeasure, my presence sliall doe more harme than X DIOGRAl'IIICAL NOTICE giicld. Tlie Lord grant you his spirit of wisdom to provide peace for this afflicted reahne ! 4 Januarii. Y"rs ever, Ja. Ai/yoX^i." " To the R' Honorable Sir W'" Oecyll Knt., Cheef Secretarie to our Soveraigne Ladie the Queue's Majestic." The immense forfeitures of the leaders in this rebellion reverted, of right, to the bishop, as prince Palatine within his diocese : but the queen seized them without much regard to his pretensions. Upon his suing her majesty for resti- tution, the parliament interfered, and passed an act vesting them pro hac vice in the crown. The popish party were unceasing in their machinations to undermine the protestant establishment in England; and in the university of Louvain, to which many English had retired for the prosecution of their studies, principles were instilled into their minds directly tending to this end. Cer- tain conclusions there maintained, which declai-ed it to be "unlawful for the civil magistrate to have anjihing to do in ecclesiastical matters," having about this time been brought to the knowledge of bishop Pilkington, he transmitted them at once to the secretary of state, Sir AV'illiam Cecil, adding his own judgment of them as follows : "I have sent your honour such conclusions as be disputed at Lovain, and sent over hither. "Wise men do manel, that polity can suffer such seed of sedition. Although for trial of the doctrine it were not amiss to hear the adversary, what he can say; yet that doctrine being received, and the contrary suffered to be spread abroad, to the troubling of the state, in my opinion is dangerous. God turn all to the best ! But surely evil OF niSIIOl' riLKlNGTON'. XI men pick nuich evil out of sucli books, even against the polity ' The bishop ibunded a free grammar school at Rivington, "for tlie bringing up, teaching, and instructing chikh-en and youth in grammar and other good learning, to continue for ever;" and endowed it with lands and i-ents of considerable value in the county of Durham, which the trustees lately ex- changed for others in the immediate neighbourhood of Riving- ton. The school adjoins the church, which was built by his father; and in which there is a rude painting on wood, representing the bishop's parents and their twelve children kneehng, with a curious inscription. The queen's letters patent for the foundation were signed on the 13th of May, 1566, and the school was opened in the course of the same year. Bishop Pilkington died at Bishop- Auckland, on the 23rd of January, 1575, aged 55, leaving his wife, and two daughters, Deborah and Ruth, surviving him : his only other children, Isaac and Joshua, died young in his life time. A copy of his will is preserved : it bears date the 4th of February, 1571, and is in these words: "To be hurried with as few popish ceremonies as may be, or vain cost. My books at Auckland to be given by my brother Leonard, according to my notes, to the school at Ri\'ington, and to the poor collegers, and others. Alice Kingsmill, my now known wife, and De- borah and Ruth my daughters, executors. If my wife die, I require the Ladie Constance Kingsmill, or George her son, to be executor, and have the bringing up of my children. Item. I require Edmund, arclibishop of York, Thomas Langton, and my brother Leonard, to be supervisors of all my goods be north of Trent. And of my goods be south, I make super- visors my good lord the earl of liedford and Richard Kings- Strype, Aumt/x, u. i. p. o82. xii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE railL I wold my wife wold give some token to Sir William KingsmiU and her other brothers and sisters, according to her ability." Two codicils were afterwards added on the 21st of January, 1575, two days before his death. He was buried at Auckland ; but his remains were after- wards removed to Dm-ham Cathedral, and interred in the choir before the high altar : where a monument was erected to his memory, to which were affixed brass plates with the following inscriptions, (besides an epicedium by John Foxe,) long since effaced ; but of which copies are preserved in Wood's Athenae Oxonienses, and Willis's Cathedral Antiquities. 1. D. Jacobo Pilkingtono Episcopo Dunelm. dioc. (cui per annos 14, menses 10, et dies 23, maxima fide prsefuit) Lancastrensi, ex equestri Pilkingtonorum familia, Rivingtonia; oriundo ; et schola? ibid, grammaticalis sub nomine et auspiciis Elizabetha; Reginse fundatori piissimo : Cantabrigise in Col. D. Johan, primum alumno, post magistro, ac tandem in acad. ipsa professori disertissimo. In Aggeum et Abdiam et in Nehemise partem Anglice interpreti vere Ecclesiastico. Mariana tempestate religionis ergo inter alios Pios, Exuli Christiano. Eruditione, judicio, pietate, disputatione. concione, justitia et hospitalitate, viro sui seculi clarissimo. Aliciae ex equestri Kingsmillorum Sigmentonise in com. Hampton, marito ; ac Josua", Isaaci. Debora". ot Kuthsc, liberorum parenti sanctissimo. Aucklandire Episc. 2o Januarii 1575. Ehzab. Regin. 18, morienti, et ibi condito : posthac Dunclmi 24 Maii sepulto anno a'tatis 55. Domini Jef-;u servo posuit Robertus Swiftus. suus in Ecclcsiasticiy caneellarius et alumnus. OF mSIIOP PILKINOTOX. XUl 2. In Domini Jacobi Dunelniensis Episcopi obituni, Laurentii Huniphridi monumentuni . Hie jacet antistes, crudeli morte peremptus : Prsesulibus nescit parcere Parca ferox. Insignem pietate virum, gravitate verendum, Doctrina clarum, sustulit atra dies. Sic caro, sic gramen, sic oranis gloria fcenum : Sic cadit, ah ! nostri flosque decusque soli. Foxe, the niartyrologist, who was the bishop's friend and companion in exile, and who pi'ofited by his help, or at least his counsel, in the translation of Cranmers Defence into Latin, was afterwards, on the 2nd of September, 1572, appointed by him to a prebendal stall in his cathedral. In 1585, he published, with a preface of his own, the Commen- tary on Nehemiah, which the bishop had left unfinished at his death. A zealous protestant, bishop Pilkington possessed in an eminent degree that rare judgment and moderation, which are the characteristics of our early English reformers. He seems, (in the Avords of a late author',) to have fairly deserved the character which Strype and all the contemporary writers give of " the good old bishop of Durham, a grave and truly reverend man, of great piety and learning, and such frugal simplicity of life, as well became a modest christian prelate." The unkind- ness and sarcasm with which he is too generally spoken of by Baker in his MSS. may fairly be set down to the account of his prejudices, as an uncompromising non-juror ; and it is abundantly compensated by the lingering fondness with which Strype seems to cling to his memory, when he has occasion to ' Surtees, History of Durham, Vol. i. p. Ixxviii. xiv EIOGFAPHrCAL NOTICE mention him in " the last year of his life, and the last time we shall hear of him'." But it is still more interesting to refer to the unquestionable evidence of his own conduct and spirit, as exhibited in a touching letter wTitten by him to the lord trea- surer in the autumn of 1573, requesting the queen's permission to come into the south " for the avoiding the extremity" of a northern winter. " It had begun," he said, "so sharply with him already, that he feared the latter end would be worse. And therefore, if his lordship thought good to move her majesty that he might come up this winter, he should desire him to let him understand her highness' pleasure. That if his wisdom thought the time served not for such a motion, he should content him- self, and commit himself to his hand, that had both life and death, health and sickness, at his commandment. There is," added he, ''a highway to heaven out of all countries : of which free passage, I praise God, I doubt not^" The following is the list of his writings given by bishop Tanner, in his BlUiotheca, p. 600. I. Concio in Eestitutione Euceri et Fagii. Cantabr. A. jiDLx. Pr. " Beatus vir qui." Hujus .summa extat ad finem Buceri Scriptor. Anglic. Basil, mdlxxvu. f. p. 940. Vid. Fox. I. edit. mdlv. II. Expositio in Nehemiam: sc. in V. priora capita [morte prseventus hanc Expositionem Autor imperfectam reUquit.] Pr. "Although there be divers opinions." Lond. mdlvhi. [a mistake for mdlxxxv.] edita a Joh. Fox. III. Expositio in Aggseum. Pr. pr. "Althoughe the commen usage of dedicating." Lond. mdlx. 12rao. IV. Expositio in Abdiam. Pr. pr. " Lyke as in Aggeus, ^ Annals, ii. i. p. 568. 8vo. - Ibid. p. 438. OF BISHOP PILKINGTON. XV my endeavour and purpose." Lond. aidlxii. 8vo. Conjunc- tim, Lond. mdlxii. 8vo. V. Of the Causes of the burning of Paul's Cliurcli, against a libel cast in the streets of Westchester, A. mdi.xi. Pr. " Our Saviour Christ, when the Deviil." Lond. mdlxiii. 8vo. VL Expositio in Ecclesiasten, utraraque Petri Episto- 1am, ac Paulum in Galatas. Bal:'' VIL Eefutation of popish questions and cases of con- science. Strype, Elizab. 228. Vin. Disputatio cum doctore Glin. Cantab. 2-i Jun. MDXLix. Fox. p. 1384. IX. Li parte Eegistri, etc. tempore reg. Elizabethfe, 4to. in bibl. Bodl. MS. Hyper. Bodl. 9. 14. est Epistola con- solatoria (contra usum vestium pontif. in sacris) scripta a magistro doctore Pilkenton postea episcopo Dunelm. circa A. MDL. [rectius pro mdlxx. in MS. episcopus enim erat multo ante A. mdlxx.] Pr. " Gr. and Peace with."^ X. A long English letter to tlie earl of Leicester in behalf of the refusers of habits, dat. 25 Octob. mdlxiv. in Append. Strype in Vita Parker, n. xxv. XL Deus cui^ mlt miseretur, quern mlt indurat. Ti'ac- tatus Jacobi Pilkintoni, dum erat studens Cantabrigise, Pr. " Humana temeritas cum audet." MS. coll. Corp. Chr. Cantabr. Miscell. B. p. 223. XIL Epistolae tres Mattli. Parkero MSS. coll. Corp. Chr. Cantab. Miscell. i. 519. et Strype in Vita Parker. 182. To this list Watt (Bibliotheca Brltannica) adds, XIIL Certayne Godly Exercises, Meditations and Pray- ers, &c. Set forthe by certayne godly lerned men, viz. T. Lever, R. Coles, Ja. P. (James Pilkington.) ' See the note, p. ii. " See the note, p. C58. A mere mistake. The MS. has cuius. xvi niOGRAPHICAL NOTICE, &C. But in this V(ilume there is only one prayer stated to be Pilitington's, viz. that printed in p. 273 of the present edition. The " Defence of the EngUsh Service," which Watt also adds, is no doubt that defence which is contained in the Answer to popish Questions subjoined to the " Confu- tation." For Strype (Annals, i. i. p. 201.) speaks of it as an answer to "a paper of questions;" and in his account of the answer quotes the substance of what is contained in pp. 626-8. of this edition. The author himself refers more than once to his Expo- sition on Ezra ; and particularly in p. 367 of this volume he seems to speak of it as if it were in print. If it ever was printed, it seems to be now irrecoverably lost. Probably bishop Pilkington wrote comments on several books of scrip- ture, which have perished in MS. COMMENTARY THE PROPHETS HAGGAI AND OBADIAH. [PILKINGTON.] 1 tfft one torrecteti^ tfje otJjtr netolg alrtltB, anU boti) at large ^ JjetlateB. STfje earnest loue tfjat 5 teatc to t{)B Ijousc Ijatl) tatcn mt. ^sal. hii. 3oan. it. iltltneed ttattf tourneH atoagc m;) anger dccausc ^e tsas moueti tnitf) lone of me. iaum. nD. Smprtntctl at lonBon 6t? SSaillcam Seres. 156a. A PREFACE TO ALL THAT LOVE THE EARNEST PROMOTING OK GOD'S GLORY IN HIS CHURCH BY TRUE RELIGION. Although the common usage of dedicating books is to require the defence of some worthy personage of learning or authority for the thing that is written; yet the majesty of the matter in this book is such, that it rather defends than seeks defence ; and the example of the Prophet, which writes it not to one, but many, suffers me not to send it to any one sort of men particularly, but generally to all that should unfeignedly promote the increase of God's glory, because all degrees of men do owe a duty to the building of this God's house. And if any offence be taken (as, God knows, none is purposely given) the defence of many is greater than of a few ; and that authority or credit, which one man alone cannot bring to pass, all jointly together shall more easily obtain. The Prophet is sent from God to the prince, the high priest, and the people: so I speak to the rulers, the ministers, and commonalty. The chief intent of his prophecy is to stir all to the speedy building of God's house, which they had so long neglected : my labour is to bring some of every sort (for all is not possible) to an earnest furthering of God's true religion, of late most mercifully restored unto us, which not long ago most cruelly was persecuted, of many yet hated, and of every man almost now too coldly followed and practised. But if this prophecy were read and deeply considered with such a hungry desire of God's glory, as 4 PREFACE. the Prophet spake and wrote it, and I for my part and poor abihty have declared it ; I doubt not, but the good should be stirred by God's Spirit more earnestly to seek God's glory, and the froward should be afraid of God's plague, and ashamed stubbornly to strive against the truth continually. The state of religion in these our miserable days is much like to the troublesome time that this prophet lived in : God grant that after many grievous stoiins it may take like root in us, as it did then in them! After the long captivity of God's people in Babylon, God gave them gra- Ezrai. cious king Cyrus, which set them at liberty and sent them home to build God's house : so after our long Eomish slavery God raised us up good kings, which restored us God's book that long had been buried, and loosed us from the bondage of strange gods, foreign powers, cruel hj'po- crites, and wicked idols. And as after that short freedom Esther i. under good Cyrus ensued the cruelty of Haman, for ne- gligently handling God's building; and not long after mild Mace. i. Ester, came bloody Antiochus for their falling from God : so for our talking gospel, and not worthily walking nor fol- lowing it, under our gracious late Josias, crept out a swarm of Romish wasps, stinging to death all that would not wor- ship their gods, nor believe their doctrine. God for his mercy's sake grant, that now for our un- thankful coldness in God's cause under our mild Ester burst not out again bloody Antiochus with his whelps, justly to avenge our cold slackness in God's religion and insensible dulness. God's word is never offered and given in vain, or 2 Cor. ii. to use at our pleasm-e : but it works either salvation in them that hear, believe and follow it, or else condemnation in them that proudly despise it, stm-dily rebel, or forgetfully do hear, and unthankfuUy receive his mercies. Therefore as after a storm follows a calm, and after winter comes PREFACE. 5 summer; so now, where God hath given a breathing time, (lest our weakness had not been able to have borne his heavy displeasui-e any longer,) let us earnestly apply our work, while we have time; for the night will come when no man shall be able to work. If this be true (as it is most true indeed) that every deed of our Saviour Christ is our instruction ; and also that what things soever are written, they be written for our Rom. xv. learning, as St Paul teacheth; let us call to remembrance, what zeal and earnest love our Saviour Christ especially shewed in building his Father's house, and restoring the true understanding of the scriptures from the superstitious glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees, and also what a fer- vent desire of promoting God's glory our fathers have shewed afore us, that we may be good scholars of our school- master Christ Jesus, and obedient children, walking in the steps of our fathers. Our Lord and Saviour Christ, coming into the temple and finding it full of buyers, sellers and changers, was grieved to see God's house so misused, gat a whip and drove them all out, saying, " My house is a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves:" so surely all Christians, which unfeignedly bear the name of Christ, and zealously love the building of his house, would gladly see sin punished, and lament that the whip of God's discipline is not shaken in God's house to the driving out and confusion of all greedy thieves, which if they cannot get in at the door by lawful means, will climb in at the win- dow, and for a little money will sell the bodies and souls of Christ's sheep, and make God's house the pope's market place. But as she that had so much work to do, that she could not tell where to begin, sat her down and left all un- done : so 1 say, worldly wise men see so many things out of order in God's house, and so little hope of redress, that 6 PREFACE. they cannot tell which to correct or amend first, and there- fore let the whip lie still, and eveiy man to do what him lust, and sin to be unpunished. And not only this evil reigns, but the world is come to such a dissolute liberty and negligent forgetting of God, that men sleeping in sin need not so much a Avhip to drive any out of the church, (so few come there,) but they need a great sort of wliips to drive some few thitherward. For come into a church on the sabbath day, and ye shall see but few, though there be a sermon; but the ale-house is ever full. Well worth the papists therefore in their kind: for they be earnest, zealous and painful in their doings ; they will build their kingdom more in one year with fire and faggot, rectin"s?n ^^^^^ ^^^^ gospellcrs wiU do in seven. A popish sum- is godly, jnoner, spy, or promoter will drive more to the church with a word to hear a latin mass, than seven preachers •will bring in a week's preaching to hear a godly sermon. If this be not true, remember the late days of popery, and see who diu-st offend him that ware a shaven crown. Who looked so h^h then, but he would give place to a priesfs cap ? and now who regards the best preacher ye have ? O what a condem- nation shall this be to all such as have the whip of God's correction in their hand, to see the wicked so diligent and earnest in their doings to set up anticlu-ist; and christian rulers and officers of all sorts, having the whip of con-ec- tion in their hand both by God's law and the prince's, so coldly behave themselves in setting up the kingdom of Christ, that neither they give good example themselves in diligent praying and resorting to the church, nor by the whip of discipline drive others thitherward ! Where appears in any Chi-istians, in these our days, this earnest zeal of Clu-ist, to promote God's glory by such correction, that we may say we be his followers? I fear rather that Christ, of whom we PREFACE. more talk, than diligently follow or earnestly love, for this cold slackness that he sees in us will say unto us, " Be- cause ye be neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out ofRev.iii. my mouth." Woe be to that realm where God is compelled to take the whip in hand to punish sin, because the rulers will not ! great shall be the plague thereof. Phinees turned away God's anger from his people, because so zealously he avenged God's quarrel, and punished that wickedness which other winked at. David, seeing God's glory defaced, and his enemies so contemptuously to forget the law of the Lord, was so grieved that he said, " the earnest love that he Psai. cxix. bare toward God made him to pine away, because his enemies had forgotten the word of God." Elias fleeing from cruel Jesabel, threatening to kill him because he had de- stroyed Baal's priests, lived in wilderness, desired he might ^ ^"S^ xix die, for he was weary of his life to see how many were fallen to idolatry, and how few (or none, as he thought) worshipped truly the living God. Though Jehu was an evil man otherways, yet God gave him a worldly blessing, and commended him for his earnest zeal in rooting out the pos- terity of Achab, pulling down Baal and his sacrificing ^ Kings x. priests, making a common jakes of the house where they worshipped him. St Paul, seeing the Corinthians rather rejoicing than lamenting or punishing that filthiness com- mitted among them, that one of them had defiled his step- ' ^• mother, writes unto them, rebukes them all sharply, because they did not correct him, and wills them all to assemble themselves in the name of God, to excommunicate and give him to Satan that had done this wickedness, not to eat and drink with him, that he might be ashamed, repent and amend. So whereas this great zeal and love toward God and liis house building stands either in correcting evil and la- menting the defacing of God's glory, or else in wishing and PREFACE. doing good thereto, and furthering it to our powers : for the first part to be earnestly followed, these few examples shall serve; for the other there be so many, that it is harder to tell where to end, than where to begin. Moses in the wilderness, willing to make a tabernacle and place where the people should resort to worship their God, mole God's' princes and people so liberal to offer and bring to pleases him. the making thereof gold, silver, precious stones, silk, purple, Exod. XXXV. jj^jj.^ timber, of all sorts such plenty, that they would have given more than needed. David, earnestly desiring to build a house for the Lord, (if God would have suffered him,) left his son Salomon so great plenty of all things necessary to that building in a readiness, that he finished that costly building in seven years. Good King Cyrus restored again to God's people all that covetous Na- bucho' had robbed from them : Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes, and his princes gave out of their treasures to the building Ezravi. vii. of the temple and maintenance of their sacrifices according to the law of Moses sufficiently, that they might pray for the king, his children, and the commonwealth. Constanti- nus the first, worthily called Magnus, a christian emperor, gave great liberty to the bishops and other ministers. Jus- tinianus, Theodosius, Carolus Magnus, Ludovicus Pius, &c., augmented and increased the same with lands and laws. This zeal and earnest love to build God's house and nkemfr'^"' P"'^^^^ ^^'^^ fathers: this liberality was in princes fathers. rulers, that understood not God's benefits and mercies so plentifully as we do. They pacified God's wTath in correcting sm, and we provoke his plagues with heaping up of sin. They were grieved and weary of their lives, when they see God's enemies despise his word; we wink and cloke it, we laugh and smile at it, and think it not [' Nabuclio: Nabuchodonozor, or Nebuchadnezzar. Ed.] PREFACE, 9 to be a fault. They were offended if wickedness were un- punished, and the party not ashamed that sinned; and we be offended if any man go about to see it punished, or the offender ashamed. They were liberal in giving, relieving and maintaining the ministry; we are greedy in snatch- ing and plucking away from them. They were ready to defend with privileges the ministers, that they should not be withdrawn from doing their duty ; and we bind them to such clogs that they cannot do their duty : they restored All that was taken from them; and we study daily how to get more from them. When I compare these doings to- gether, and see how good success the one had, and God's church was gloriously builded that way, both under the law and the gospel; it makes me to quake, when I look what shall fall upon us, going so far clean contrary way. Surely both they and we go not in the right way. The Lord for his crucified Ohrisfs sake, which came down from the bosom of his Father to teach us to build him a house here, that afterward Ve might reign in glory with him there, grant us all, in all degrees from the highest to the lowest, such an earnest simple love to the true building of his house, as the prophet here teaches us, that uprightly we might walk the right way that he hath gone afore us. If the prince and nobility will maintain that honourable estate that God hath called them to, and avoid the bond- age of foreign powers ; if the bishops and clergy will feed God's people with the lively food of our souls, God's doc- trine and discipline, and not with man's inventions; if the people will truly serve God and obey their prince, flee from idolatry, and escape God's plagues; let us jointly together earnestly abhor popery, correct sin, turn unto the Lord, delight in his Avord, reverence his ministers, be diligent in prayer, that we may be lively stones, meet for his building. 10 PREFACE. and become the temples of the Holy Ghost, where he with the Father and the Son, three persons and one God, may dwell and be praised'. I. P. L. 0. D^ My earnest love to God hath pined me away, because my enemies have forgotten thy words. Psalm cxix. I have been earnestly zealous for the Lord God of hosts, because they have forsaken thy covenant. 1 Kings xix. [' In the first edition, 1560, it is added : Among many other things that I, a poor workman in God's liouse, woukl have said to encourage other workmen, and specially those that should he the chief builders and pillars of his church, these few things at this time shall sei-ve, because the printer makes haste, and I have not leisure. James Pylkynton, Maistcr of S. Jolm's Colledge in Cambridge, to the readers. Then follow the two verses quoted above. Ed.] [2 These letters need explanation. In the first edition,* on the title page immediately after the passage from Numbers, followed the initials, I. P. L. C. and the Preface was signed by the Author as Master of St John's College, Cambridge. See the preceding note. Here we find, in the second edition, the Preface signed like the title page of the former edition, only with the addition of D. — the Author having in the mean time removed from the Mastership of St John's to the Bishoprick of Durham. It seems therefore, the initials are to be in- terpreted: James Pilkington, Lancastriensis, (he was a native of Lancashire,) Cantabrigiensis, Dunelmensis. Ed.] THE PRGPIIET AGGEUSl Chap. I. V. 1. Til tlie second year of hing Darius, i7i the sixth month, and the first day of the month, the loord of the Lord loas sent hy the hand of Aggeus the prophet unto Zeruhabel, the son of Salathiel, ruler of Juda; and unto Josua, the son of Josedec, the chief priest, saying. Inasmuch that the year, month and day, when this pro- Noting of phecy was spolcen, be so diUgently noted of the prophet ; stances is a and also that in which king's days, by whom and to whom tiie thin? is it was preached, is so dihgently mentioned, it makes much is teiiej. for proving the truth of the prophecy, and that we should the rather beheve it. For they that will teach lies, use not so exactly to declare the circumstances wherein things were done, lest, in examination of the same, things be proved contrary, and they found liai-s. But chiefly this The defer- long time here appointed of forty years teacheth us the "unish^*"' ^ patience and long sufferance of God, who will not punish so ciareth Ms soon as we do a fault, but tarry and look for our repent- ing^and'^our ance and amendment, as he did here so long bear the Jews, in weii And also it setteth before us the unthankful disobedience and slothful negligence of God's people, which after so mer- ciful a deliverance, and bringing them home again from Babylon to their own country, (from whence they were led prisoners by Nabuchodonozor) had so long and many years left off the building of that house, which God willed them so straightly to restore, and the good king Cyrus had given Ezrai. them liberty to do the same, and restored their old orna- ments to do it withal. And in them also we learn our own slothfulness to the fulfilling of God's laws : for of our- selves we be no better than they, nor more diligent in well doing, except God stir us up by his undeserved grace. Aggeus and Abdias (sometimes written Obdias) are the Greek forms of the Hebrew names, Haggai and Obadiah, wliich tlie Bishop uses according to the practice of his day. So Micheas, Esdras, for Micah, Ezra, &c. Ed.] 12 EXPOSITION UPON The J ews for their disobedience to God and his prophets Jeie. M. preaching his word, according to the prophecy of Jeremy, had their country spoiled, their city Jerusalem burned, their Jerusalem temple destroyed; they themselves were many killed, some stroyedfor for hunger in the besiege of the city did eat their own the piophef, children or duno-, and the rest were led prisoners to Babv- but after re- ° i. j turned. Ion by Nabuchodonozor, and there kept threescore and ten years in great bondage. After these years ended, by the good king Cyrus they had licence in the first year of his reign to go home and build their temple, as many as would, and all other might freely aid them with money toward that great costly work. Some good amongst them (but few in comparison) as Zorobabel, Josua, Nehemia, Mardocheus, Ezra ii. and other whose names are reckoned in Esdras, took in hand to be captains of this worthy work: and after they came to Jerusalem, they builded an altar to serve for to make their offerings and their sacrifices on, until the time that the Ezraiii. iv. temple was builded. The first and second years of their coming home to Jerusalem, they were something diligent about their Iniilding, and laid the ground-work of the temple. But after, partly for complaints of the rulers in the country (which were strangers, and placed there long afore by 2Kingsxvii. Salmanasar, and had accused them to the king, saying, "if they were suffered to build their city, they would rebel, as they were wont, and pay no more taxes ;") and partly for slothful negligence of themselves, they left off ■ building unto now, this second year of Darius, God sent this his prophet to stir them up to their work. Because Tce By this we may learn that when we lie long on sleep up ourselves in siu, w'e caunot wake up ourselves, until God stir us up prcaching'is by his prophets, his word, or holy Spirit. For David, teemed. after he had committed adultery with Uria's wife, and caused her husband to be slain, lay without remorse of conscience, without repenting for his evil doings, or asking mercy, until the prophet Nathan came and rebuked him for the same. Therefore let us not lightly regard the warn- ings of God sent unto us by his preachers, but thank- fully embrace them, praising his holy name, that not only he hath so patiently borne us so long, and not suddenly destroyed us wallowing in sin, and forgetting him without THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 13 repentance ; but now lastly hatli called us, by the preaching of his word and restoring his gospel by our gracious queen, to a new life, which God grant us for his Christ's sake. The Jews had now lien after their coming home almost forty years, not regarding the building of the temple ; where- fore God most lovingly sent his prophet to warn them of their duty, rebuke them of their negligences, and stir them up earnestly to go about that work. And although the counting of these years be hard to count, and are diversely reckoned of divers men, because they would make the Greek histories to agree with the scriptures ; I shall let all other histories pass, because they be too troublesome, and follow that only which the scripture teacheth ; for that is the easiest and plainest to understand, and without all doubt true. In John we read that the Jews asked our Saviour Christ John a. what marvellous sign he would Avork to persuade them, that he might do such things as he did. And he said to them : " Destroy ye this temple, and in three days I will build it This^trmpie again." He spake of his own body, which he would raise yea^s in ^ ' building. up the third day after they had put him to death : but they understood him of that great costly solemn temple of lime and stone, which now they were building, and therefore said : " Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou build it in three days?" Here we see how long this temple was in building : although some expound this place otherwise : yet this is not meant that they were conti- nually working on the same so long, (for partly they were forbidden and stopped by the kings that ruled after Cyrus, Ezra iv. and partly they were negligent and careless for it,) but that there were so many years from the beginning of that work unto the finishing of the same. In the second year of king Cyrus, which was also the second year of their returning home to Jerusalem from Babylon, they laid the foundations of the temple. In the second year of Darius, as this pre- sent place teacheth, they are willed by Aggeus to take in hand their work again ; and in the sixth year of this same Eziavi. Darius they finish it : so that from the second year of Cyrus, unto the sixth year of Darius, must be forty-six years wherein they were building, as St John saith. This was a great negligence of God's people, and unthankfulness, so 14 EXPOSITION UPON [cH. 1. "notewry'°"^ forgetting the building of the temple, and their duty fbr"ethim'^ to God, after so merciful and late restoring them to their seiveT"^ country: but this is all our crooked nature bent unto, except Philip, i. God do not only begin the good work in us, but also continually lead us in the same to the end. Therefore have we need to look diligently unto ourselves, and pray that God would not turn his merciful eyes from us: for if he never so httle Avithdi-aw his hand from us, and do not every minute guide all our doings, we fall into a for- getfulness of him and our duties. Many doubt also wliich Darius this was, that is here named of the prophet, because the Greek histories make men- tion of divers of that name, as Darius Histaspis, and Darius Longimanus, with other more. But because the scripture makes mention of none after Cynis'' time, but tliis one, I will seek no further, nor trouble you with such hard shifts as many do, to make the scripture and those histories to Untowhat agree. The scriptures make mention of no more kings for tempie was this building; time, but of Cyrus, Assuerus. Darius and Ar- taxerxes : therefore in their days must this whole historj', and those six and forty years mentioned of St John, be fulfilled. Assuerus I take to be husband to Queen Ester, and this Darius to be her son ; whereunto also the Hebrew commen- taries agree : and although other tliink otherwise, yet I see no scriptm-e that they bring. Cjtus gave first hcence Ezraiv. to the Jews to go home and build this temple. Assuerus moved by the accusations of the rulei-s, did forbid them to build any more, Darius brought up in the fear of God by 1 Esd. iv. his mother Ester, and seeing the wickedness of liis father, made a vow, that if he ever reigned after his father, he would build the temple ; and so in his second year he gave the Jews free liberty to go home and build their temple, renewed their commission, and gave them money liberally Ezravii. to do it witlial. Artaxerxes in his seventh year sent Esdras home again with great gifts, and gave Hberty to as many as would go with him ; and so the work was finished. Many do think probably, and to whom I can well agree, Artaxerxes. that the Seventh year of Artaxerxes was the seventh year of this same Darius here named, and that Artaxerxes and Darius is both one man. For Artaxerxes was a common THI3 PROPHET AGGEU3. 15 name to all the kings of Persia, as all the kings of Egypt were called Pharao first, and Ptolomeus afterward, what Piiarao. ' Ptolomeus. time so ever they lived in: and as all the emperors are called Caesar, although they have proper names of their own cssar. beside. But I \vill not enter further in this matter, for it is more subtile than profitable, and little edification is in the searching of it: every one judge as the scriptm-e will best bear, and as God shall teach him. The Jews in reckoning their years and months have divers sorts. For sometimes March is their first month and the beginning of their year, and specially when they count their solemn feasts, as God bad Moses, that the moon wherein Exod. xii. they came out of Egypt, should be the first moon in the year. Sometime was September, when all the fruits of the Divers sorts 11.,., o • 1 1 ofreckoning earth was gathered mto then- barns. Sometime they reckon years and iioi • n ^ • ^ ■ months, and irom the day of the coronation oi then* kms;s, as we use names of 1 • 1 • TVT 1 ''^i^ diversely to reckon also, and sometime to begin at JNew-year s months, day, sometime at the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, com- monly called the Lady-day in Lent, sometime from the day of coronation of our kings, and sometime when they pay their rents, as Michaelmas, Martimnas', Helenes day', &c. But their moons were reckoned to begin ever from the change of the moon, what day soever of om* moon it changed, and not by the calendar (for then there was none made), as we do. So that the first day with us in the calendar might be far from the change of the moon with them, as the 12th, 14th, 19th, 24th, or so forth. Their months for a long time, and their days always, had not proper names given them by men, as we have now, to call them Monday, Sunday, Wed- nesday, Friday ; and January, March, August, July. But they reckoned both their months and days, thus : the first, the second, the third, fourth, &c. Nor we read^ in the scripture any names given to months unto the time of Moses; and then had they no heathen names, as our days [' Days observed in the Roman church, the names of which only are retained in our calendar: St Martin's day being November 11, and Helen's day, or the Invention of the cross, May 3, on which latter day Helena, the mother of Constantine the great, was fabled to have found the true cross. En.] Nov we read: nor read we. Ed.] 16 EXPOSITION UPON and months liave now. So by this reckoning, this prophecy- was spoken in the second year of Darius's reign, beginning the year of the time of his coronation, whensoever it was; and in the sixth month from March, which is our August, ' and the first day, which is not Lammas, as we coimt, but the first of the change of the moon, what time soever it changed. The marking of this reckoning shall help you to understand divers places of scripture, if they be remem- bered, for because they use another manner of reckoning than we do. And although it seem to many but a small matter, by what names the days and months be called ; yet if we con- it is hurtful sider it well, there is a great thing in it. The Latin men to call days ' ° & by heathen and many other more give names to every day in the week names. •' ^ j j of some one of the stars, commonly called the planets, as though the stars ruled all things; as Sunday of the sun, Monday of the moon, Satm-day of Saturne : and the months many have tlieir names of emperors, as July, August, for a vain glory that their name shoidd not die with them. And divers other have their names of as light causes. If we remember tlie beginning of the names of two most solemn days in om* week, Wednesday and Friday, we shall better perceive the rest. Fabian and other chronicles tell, that when the Saxons invaded this realm, and there were seven kings ruling here at once, they brought with them two idols, the one called Woden, and the other Fria: or else, as other write, it was a noble captain and his wife, which for their worthiness were made gods ; and when they had overcome the Englishmen, they made two days in the week Wednesday, to be called Wednesday and Friday by the names of their false gods or captains, and so to be worshipped ; and those names we keep still. Why then may it not be thought to be in remembrance of those idols or captains, if every thing have their name after their beginning? And this may be thought the beginning of the Wednesdays and Fridays to be holier tlian the rest ; what pretence soever was found after to fast or hallow them. So this good can come by using the names of strange gods, that idols with false worshipping of God were set up. ^\^e never read in the scripture, nor in any ancient THE PROPIIKT AGCEUS. 17 writer on the scripture, that I remember, that either months or days were called by names of stars, men, idols, or false gods, but Feries, as Augustine often doth use to call them : yea, the pope's Portus' calleth the days in the week thus; the second, and the third Fery, &c. But now in time it is come to pass, that every day in the year is called by the name of some saint, and not in all countries alike, but as every country is disposed to worship their saints. In the New Testament I find no days named, but the first of the sabbath, &c., and the Lord's day, which I take kcv. i. to be the Sunday, when John saw his revelation. Thus superstition crept into the world, when men began to forget calling on the true and only God, and made them gods of every dead saint as they list. What can we say for ourselves, but that we put great Astrono- . . . . i o mei-s do evi superstition in days, when we put openly in calendars and j.",™''',"""^ almanacks, and say. These days be infortunate, and great J^JJ^g''"" matters are not to be taken in hand these days ; as though we were of God's privy council ? But why are they in- fortunate ? Is God asleep on those days ? or doth he not rule the world and all things those days, as well as on other days? Is he weary, that he must rest him in those days ? Or doth he give the ruling of those days to some evil spirit or planet? If God give to stars such power that things cannot prosper on those days, then God is the au- thor of evil. If stars do rule men those days, then man is their servant. But God made man to rule, and not bo ruled ; and all creatures should serve him. What shall be the cause ? If astronomers say true, every man at his birth by his constellation have divers things and desires appointed him. Why then, how can so many divers constellations in so many men at your birth agree, to make one day unlucky in your life to all men ? Either let him prove it by learning ; or for shame and sin hold your tongue. Stars may have some power on the natural qualities and actions of the body, and for physic ; but on the civil vo- luntary actions of Christians'' minds, none. St Paul says, the children of God be led with the Spirit [Rom. viii. of God : why then, not by stars. It is faithless superstition [' Portus: breviary. Ed.] 2 [piI.KlN(iT0N.] 18 EXPOSITION UPON [cii. to teach or believe such things ; that either at the birth or after we be ruled by stars. All astronomers could never tell why Jacob and Esau, brother twins, born in one mo- ment, should have so contrary natures. What star ruled when Sodom and Gomorrah were bm-ned, and the next towns escaped ? were all born under one star that then perished ? or all Noe's flood? was not then divers sorts, men and women, young and old, good and bad ^ Doth not the scrip- ture say that God made seven days, and when he had made all things, he did behold them aU, and they were very good? Why shall we then be bold to call them evil, in- fortunate, and dismal days? If God rule our doings conti- nually, why shall they not prosper on those days, as well as on other ? God blessed the seventh day : and yet we dare call that infortunate, evil, and cursed, which he blessed. Although it be impossible to redress this old common error, so deeply rooted in all tongues and countries ; yet it is not unprofitable to note the beginning of these things, that this superstition may be something known. AV^hen God made seven days, he called them the first, the second, third, fourth, (Sic. ; but the last day he called the sabbath, which betokens rest, and hath not the name given to be called of any other creature, man, saint, star, or idol; but as the name sounds, so should we on the seventh day rest from all bodily labour, except need compel, but specially from all Sebeue? ^^^^V '^^"^ "'^^ ^^8'^^* '^^'^y make holy men edTy'^rit- remembered, nor surest to avoid idolatrj'. It were caiii'nffdays ^^^^^^ be done by writing the chronicles, lives and deaths, nlmes"^ of sucli as werc godly indeed, and not every rascal, as Boniface Legenda a'urea, the Legend of lies, does. Pope Boniface the VIII., finding them of Farrare worshipping twenty years one Hermanius as a saint, digged him out of the ground, and burned him for a heretic and author of the sect called Fratricelli, and forbad to worship such evil men'. So I [' Hseresin Fraticellorum, sacramenta et potestatem ecelesiasticam contemnentium, proraiscuos concubitiis cxercentium, animarum pur- gatarum bcatitudincm ad cxtremuin judicii diem usque diffem do- centium, condemnavit [Bonifacius Papa VII. -v-ulgo VIII.] Corpus cujusdam Hermanni, qui, ut scril)unt Platina et Sanderus, Fraticellorum dux crat, Ferrarite exliumari et cremari jussit, licet pro sancto cole- THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 19 tliinlc we, scraping together a number of saints as we list, worsliip many evil persons. Wliat holiness was in Thomas ^j^^j^.'^^^f Becket, A\liich had gotten two clays in the calendar called canteibury. by his name, and priests must evermore mumble him one wicked memory in matins and evensong? If papists, rebels, and traitors to their kings, as this stout champion of the pope was, may be thus rewarded, it is no marvel if many rebel against their kings as he did. In that that he saith, " the word of the Lord was sent by the hand of Aggcus the prophet," it teaches the duty both of the hearer and the preacher. For neither must we teach anvTiiewT'i \ . - of God IS thing of man's devices, nor the hearer must regard him so much which preaches, that for his cause we must either more Relieved, or less believe the thing which is taught, (for the preacher takes his authority of the word of God, and not the word takes his authority of the preacher ;) but only because it is the word of God, of whose truth we must not doubt, but with obedience receive it. Unto the preacher saith St Peter, " He that speaks, let him speak as the words of God :" i Pet. iv. and Aggeus being but a poor Levite, keeping this rule, was not to be desj^ised more than the priest. And whereas preaching and believing the things preached is the highest and most pleasant service and worship of God ; what thing should be taught, and what punishment is for them which do it not, the scripture teaches plain. St ]\Iatthew saith : " They worship mo in vain, teaching learnings which are the commandments of men." And the false prophet, which runs Deut. xviii. before he be sent and deceives the people, speaking in the name of God that which he was not commanded, or else speaking in the name of false gods, shall be put to death. Therefore let the prating pardoner, or the popish priests, retur. Concil. Tom. xxviii. p. G75, Paris. 1G44. — But the true name appears to be Fmtricelli, as given in tlie Bishop's text, and in the following extract: "This Hermann lived at Ferrara in this century, Xeyioii' Trda-a t^'ova'iai'i VTrepc^ov(Tai<; VTrora'^''|'' lions' dens, as Daniel was, or whip and scourge us, as the apostles were ; we must suffer with Daniel, and say with the 42 EXPOSITION UPON apostles, " We must rather obey God in doing our duty, than man forbidding the same;" knowing always, that God hath ever ways enough to deliver us out of their dangers, if he will, as he did Daniel and the apostles; or else will strengthen us to die in his quarrel, whether soever shall be more for his glory and the edifying of his chm-eh. If the sheriff should bid thee one thing, and the king command thee another, \vilt thou obey the lower officer afore the higher I So is the king God's imder officer, and not to be obeyed before him. Luke xiv. It is written, that " if any man come to Christ, and hate not father and mother, wife and children, brother and sister, yea, even liis own life," rather than forsake and offend God, " he can be none of Christ's scholars." Christ takes all excuses siatt. V. fj.Qj^ ug when he saith : " If thy right eye let thee, pull it out; if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; for it is better to go into life with one eye and one hand, tlian to be cast into hell with both thine eyes and hands." In the ninth of Luke, when Christ called two disciples to follow him, the one .said, " Let me go and bid them farewell at home ;" and the other said, " Let me go and bury my father, and then I will come." But our Saviour Christ would suffer neither of them both to go to do so little things and honest, as reason would judge, but saith: " Let the dead bury the dead; and he that puts his hand to the plough and looks back, is not meet for the king- Luke xvii. dom of God." " Hemember," he saith, " Lofs wife," how she for looking back was tm-ned into a pillar of salt. Therefore there is no excuses admitted in not building God's house, and that earnestly. Frincesmay Yet is not tliis SO spokeu of the prophet, that it is im- to their de- lawful for noblemcu to have costly houses, so it be not above Rree.sothey . •' housefirst'* '^^^8'^'®^- ^^'^^^^ Oppressing the poor, or that they take not more pleasure and pains in building their own houses than God's ; but that they should study and take more pains 2 Sam. vii. build God's house than their own. For David, Salomon, and other good kings, had gorgeous houses according to their estate : but when David had builded him a goodly house, he sat down, looked on it, and remembered how the^ark of God, and the treasures that God had given them, were but in tents covered with sackcloth, made of goat's hair ; he was sorry, Psai. cxxxii. sware an oath, and made a vow to the God of Jacob, that he V, 3, 4.] THE PROl'HET AGGEUS 43 would not go into his liouse nor his bed, and that he would neither nap nor sleep, nor take rest, until he had a place for the Lord to dwell in, and builded his house. Such a desire have all good men to the building of God's house in all ages, that they will prefer God's matters and the common profit of many afore their own. But here in this people, as among us also, the rich men would not, the poor could not; the priests had forgotten the law, and followed their own fantasies; the unlearned knew not how to do it; young men were given to pastimes, old men to greediness, noblemen greedily to get', and unprofitable to spend it ; the common sort, as men without guides, fol- lowed their own wills: summer was too hot, and winter was too cold : so that no sort of men nor time was given to the building of God's house ; but every man followed his own will, and either they could not, would not, or durst not go about the building of God's house. Thus we in England, vvhile we have lien following om- own fantasies, and seeking vain ex- cuses under pretence of religion, have destroyed religion; and in pulling away superstition did seek our own pi-ofit and pro- motion. To pull down abbeys, colleges, chantries, and such dens of thieves, we are ready enough, because we hoped to vain excu- have part of the spoil ourselves ; but to maintain schools and buiuiin!- hospitals was not for our profit : to take away masses, idols, not unpreaching prelates, we durst not, sometime for fear of the king's displeasure, sometime for rebellion or insurrections of the commons ; otherwhiles, to bear M'ith the weakness of the people, or for loss of life or goods, or some such like excuse, we would not. But Salomon, to pull away all fond, feigned excuses, teaches divers good lessons and worthy to be noted. To Fearful, the sluggish fearful man, that feareth and casteth perils to do that which God commandeth him, he saith, mocking and piov, xxii. rebuking him thus : " There is a lion in the way, saith the slothful man (when he is willed to do his duty), and he will worry me if I go :" which is as much to say. Cast no perils in serving God; go diligently about to do thy dutj'; and God will defend thee, though thou go through lions, wolves, bears, bishops, and all wild beasts : and that we should more [} The fiist edition reads, noblemen to ambition, and — Ed.] 44 EXI'OSITIO.V UPON boldly do our duties to God without fear of man, St John in his Revelation, xxi., saw: "The fearful, unbelievers, abomi- nable, murderers, &c., shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." sioThVui"^'' slothful delicate man, which will not forego liis pleasures, he saith: "As the door is turned in and out upon the hinges and gins, so is the sluggard rolled about in his bed from one side to another:" as though he should say, As the door when it is opened or shut, it stirs in and out, but it stirs not out of his place, but is on the hinges still ; and the sluggard that rolls himself from one side of the bed to another, is a sloven still, and lies slovening in his bed, taking no pains to do good : so they that be given to any kind of pleasure, if they stir to any thing, it is so little that it doeth no good; they roll but from one side to another, from one pleasure to another, to seek where they may find most ease. They move as the snail doth, alwaj's creeping and never the Worldlings, further. Unto them that seek excuses, that either they dare Eccies. xi. not or cannot, he saith : " He that watches the winds doth not sow, and he that marks the clouds shall never mow :" as if he should say. As he that waits for a good wind to sow in, or whether any clouds arise betokening rain, or there be none at all but great drought towards, that he may mow, shall never sow nor mow: for either blows the north wind, and that is too cold ; or the south, and that is too hot ; or the east, and that is too dry; or the west, and that is too wet ; and the wind is ever in one of these comers, and ever is it drought or clouds like to rain when the wind is so: so he that waits when he may build God's house, and have the world with him without displeasure of the rulers, the people, the clergy, or the laity, shall never do his duty; for ever the gospel hath some enemies. Therefore he concludes, say- Eccies. xi. ing : "Sow thy seed in the morning and in the evening, and let not thine hand cease ;" meaning, that evening and morn- ing, early and late, fair weather and foul, with favour or with The gospel displeasure, we should not cease to build God's house. Do IS never ' enemies 5® know that God and the world are enemies; and he that will please the one shall displease the other; and im- Matt. vi. possible it is to please both ? Never look to have the world to favour thee, when thou goest about to serve God : and if V. 5, 4.] THE PROPHET AGGF.17S. 45 thou wilt seek the friendship of the world, thou shalt be an james iv. enemy to God. So saith St Paul to Timothy: "Preach the 2 Tim. iv. word, be earnest, reprove, rebuke in season and out of sea- son;" spare no time, place, labour, nor person; lay it amongst them, tell them their duty, let it work as God will. Do thou thy duty, and as much as in thee lies; and let God alone with the rest. God requires nothing of thee but thy labour : the increase belongs to God alone to give as he thinks good. St Paul, comparing himself with the other apostles, jj^^"'-^!'^^- saith, he " laboured more than any of the rest, and filled all places and countries with the gospel betwixt Jerusalem and Illyricum ;" but he never tells how many he converted to the faith, for that is the work of God, and neither he which 1 Cor. iii. grafts, nor he which waters, is anything, but God which gives the increase. And although the scripture require that a preacher, which is a steward of God's house, must be ware as a serpent and simple as a dove, and the weakness of our brethren that have not learned their liberty, must be borne with for a time; yet are we not bidden always to do it, nor be so wise that to please man we displease God. ^Vhen our How far tiie Saviour Christ had taught that it was lawful to eat all kinds be borne" of meats, at all times, for all men, in all places, the Pha- risees were angry with him, and his disciples told him of their anger; but he answered: "Let them alone; they be Matt. xv. blind guides of the blind : " he passed not for the offend- ing of them, for they might have learned the truth if they had lust. So must we bear with the weak until they be taught sufficiently : and if they will not learn, we must not lose our liberty for their foolishness, but answer them as Christ did. And as the faithful husband is not bound to the un- 1 cor. vii. faithful wife, if she will not abide with him ; so is not our liberty bound to the froward superstitious papists that will not learn. It is better to offend, says Gregory, than to for- sake a truth : and Chrysostom' teaches, that when more com- modity comes by offending than hurt, we must not care for the offence : but this commodity that he means is not worldly, [' Aia Sf; TouTO, orav juv 'liri ttoXv to kc^jSo? kui t»)c tov a-KavidXov j3\d(3r}': nei^ov, Karacpfjove? twv (TKai/CaXi^ufievuv. Contra eos qui subintroductas liabent vii'gines. Tom. i. p. 284. Pniis. 1834. Ed.] 4G EXPOSITIOX UPOX [cH. r. I cor.viii. i,ut godly, and bringing many to Christ. " I had rather never eat flesh," saith St Paul, " than offend my brother but that is spoken for the weak, that have not been sufficiently taught, and all dou1)ts they can lay, taken away ; but to the stubborn, sturdy, stiffnecked papists (which teach that some meats at some times are unclean and unholy for some men to eat, and so makes man to serve crcatiu-es in conscience, that he dare not handle that over which God made him lord) he never said so, but contrarily, " Let them alone ; they be blind guides of the bUnd." Like is to be said in marriage of priests, hand- ling their chalice, corporas', and such other burdens as they lay not only on the bodies, but miserably on the consciences, Gal. V. of them which will believe them. " Stand in the liberty to the which ye be called," saith St Paul, " and be not subject to such yokes and beggarly ceremonies:" let not such Cay- phas tread you down; but keep your consciences in knowledge free to use freely all the good creatures of God made for your use, according to the scripture, with soberness and thanksgiving. Thus all the people is chid here for their disobedience, that they builded not God's house, although they were for- bidden by the king, or could make like excuses. God sent them all home to do this work, and required it of them all ; and^yet they were all so far from doing it, that they let it lie, not only unbuilded, but waste, desert, never regarding it. All sorts There was work for all sorts of men, the costly pieces for the ill God's rich, the meaner for the common sort, and the felling of trees, carrying mortar, &c. for the poorest and simplest. Exod. XXXV. When Moses should make the tabernacle and tent, where- in they should resort to serve God until the temple was builded, the rich sort offered gold, silver, brass, iron, silk, and such like; but the poorest when they came and brought but goats' hair, it was thankfully taken, and did good service in that work ; for the uppermost cloth, that covered the tent, was made thereof to keep away rain and storms. And to the younger sort, that they should not think themselves unmeet, saith St 1 Tim. iv. Paul, "Let no man despise thy youth;" and generally to every Rom. xiii. man he saith, " It is now time to rise out of sleep." Bring [' Corporas: the cloth on which the cousecrated wafer was de- posited. Ed.] V. r,, 4:] THE PROPHET AGfiEUS. 47 so much to this building as you can ; let no fault be found in you for lack of good will. God will take in good part the little ye can do. Let not the simplest think, I am un- worthy to do such things, God needs not my labour, I am too vile to serve him ; or it belongs not to me : for he only is worthy whom God makes worthy, and he only is welcome whom he will vouchsafe to take in good worth. Of ourselves i9«'''^^'."f himself IS the best man living is unworthy ; and the more unworthy that "f^l^p'^^^'^^i thou thinkest thyself unfeignedly, the more worthy thou art '» '""'J- afore him. Gedeon, when he was taken from threshing his Judges vi. corn, and made a captain to deliver God's people, said: "Who am I, the youngest and least of all my brethren, or what is my father's house, that his stock afore all the rest should be taken to this honour V So said Saul also, taken from the i Sam. ix. plough following his oxen, and made a king: and as long as he continued in this lowliness of mind, and did his duty, he was a good king. So Amos keeping beasts, an herdman, Amos vii. and pulling mulberries off the trees, when he was called to be a prophet, wondered that God would call such a simple man as he was to that high office. So the Virgin Mary, when Luke i. the angel saluted her, wondered that God Avould call such a poor maiden and virgin to be the mother of his Son. But ever he that thinks himself unworthy, God takes him as worthy; and those that think so highly of themselves that they be worthy, God refuses, and makes unworthy. There- fore let every man that feels himself in conscience withdrawn '>? spoken to •' _ _ _ himself. from doing his duty to God by any kind of sin, say thus to himself: Is it time for thee to delight thyself in this or that kind of sin, and God's house unbuilt i Think that God hath left this in writing to rebuke him, and stir him up to be more diligent in repairing his house wherein God dwells. And let every man comfort himself that God not only re- quires, but takes in good part, the least service that the poorest man living can do. And as he said afore in the second verse, " This people saith, It is not time to build," &c., noting the unkindness of that people, to whom he had so often and long been so loving a lord and master ; so he saith now, " This house lies waste," ness""li''e' to set out before them the greatness of their disobedience; Pjji''f,",7.fj|t that they did not neglect and leave unbuilt a common house, gg-ng [i^g. 48 EXPOSITION UPON [cH. I. a bishop's palace, or an abbey; but that house wherein God 1 Kin?s viii. himself said he would dwell, where only they should offer their sacrifices, which only not out of the whole world, but among the places, towns, and cities in all Jewr^-, he chose by name to be worshipped in ; in which only he was most delighted, and made promise to Salomon in the dedication of the same, that he would hear the prayers of them tliat there called upon him in faith. That house, they did not only suffer it to de- cay, but were so forgetful of it that they let it lie waste, desolate, laid no hand to it, as though it belonged not to them, nor it were their duty ; they had so far forgotten God, which willed them so straitly to do it. The Lord for his mercy sake grant, that the same unkindness may not be laid justly against us, which leave that house unbuilt, yea, tread under our feet like filthy swine, wherein not the sacrifices of Moses are offered, but for the salvation of wliich Christ of- fered his body a sacrifice to be killed, and his blood shed, and in which liis Holy Spirit dwells, if through unthankfulness house drive him not away. This house is the holy church of Christ generally, and our own bodies and souls particularly, which be not only members and parts of his mystical body, but the temple and house where the Holy Ghost dwells, and wherein he will chiefly be worshipped. The text. y. 5. And llow thus sttiih ihe Lord of hosts: Consider in your hearts your mm leays. 6. You have sown much, and Irought in hut little ; ye have eaten, and not been satisfied ; ye have druni; and not been filled with drink; ye have been clothed, aiid not Tcept warm ; ye have wrought for wage, and put your wages in a purse with a hole in the bottom. Although ye have lien long without consideration of your duty toward God and his house building ; and have been sore punished of God, and not known the cause of it ; and have sought your pleasure and profit, but not obtained them, being so blinded in fulfilling your worldly lusts ; } et now the mighty Lord of hosts and power, whom all other creatures (except you) obey, gives you warning now to consider better in your heart your time past, and not so negligently weigh V. 5, 6.] Tun PROPHET AGr.EfS. 49 the working of God with you; for he hatli long punished you to have had you to amend, and ye regard it not at all. Sin l;.^,",''",.'!,;,, of itself is darkness, and whosoever walks in sin walks in "ithont feelinu- ot darkness, and knows not what he doeth : and if a man give pi^ll^gs** '"^ liimself to be ruled by sin, it makes of fools madmen, and darkens so the reason, that it knows not what to do or say. They had thus many years been plagued, and knew not the cause why, but laid it on some other chance than not building God's house, which was the chief cause ; or else, like insen- sible beasts without the fear of God, regarded it not, as though it had come of some natural cause, and God had not plagued their sin. But as his disease is most perilous, which lies sick and feels not his sickness, nor cannot complain of one part more than another, (for then the disease hath equally troubled the whole body;) so they which lie wallowing in sin, so forgetting God and all goodness, that they feel no remorse of conscience, are desperate and almost past all recovery : yet God, most mercifully dealing with this people, sends his prophet to warn them, and stir them out of their sleep, that there they should no longer so lightly weigh God's displea- sure towards them, but deeply weigh why and wherefore these plagues were thus poured upon them. The schoolmaster cor- rects not his scholar, nor the fother his child, but for some fiiult, and for their amendment : no more hath God sent these plagues to you so many years, but to remember you of your disobedience tov.'ards him, and that ye should turn to him. But if the lewd scholar or unthrifty son do not regard the correction laid upon him, nor consider not the greatness of his fault, nor the displeasure of his father or schoolmaster, there is no goodness to be hoped for of him : so is it with you, if ye thus lightly or else not at all consider your life past, God's dealing with you, and how evil things have pros- pered with you all the time ye thus have disobeyed God. "When the life of man pleases God," says Salomon. " all P""^^- "^■i- things prosper and go forwards with him :" but when he of- fends his God, all creatures turn to his hurt and hinderance. "If thou hear the voice of the Lord thy God," saith IMoses, Deut.xxviii. "and keep all the conunandments which I teach thee, the Lord will make thee greater than all other people : thou shalt be blessed in the city and in the field ; thy children, the fruit 4 ['.'ir.KiNG rox.] EXPOSITION IIPOX of the earth, and all thy cattle, thy sheep and oxen shall be blessed, and increase : but if thou hear not the voice of the Lord thy God, and keep his commandments, thou shalt be cm-sed in the town and in the field; thy children shall be cursed, and the fruit of the earth, and the fmit of thy cattle, thy sheep and thy oxen : the Lord will send upon thee need and trouble and destruction on every thing thou goest about, until he destroy thee," &c. These plagues, when they fall in any country, are not lightly to be considered. o?God'"s^^ But as the physician, seeing in a glass by the water the dl?i?entfy ^i^ease within the body, by the learning searches out the cause lea'J-ched disease, and ministers good things for the same ; so in looking in the glass of God's word, the diseases and sins which are in commonwealths, we shall soon perceive the cause of these plagues, and wholesomely minister some profitable and comfortable remedies for the same. God is here so good to his people, that he makes them judges themselves, and mistrusts not the cause but, if they would consider it well, it would move their hard hearts : therefore he sends them not to any strange judges, but bids them be judges themselves, weigh it well first, and then judge ; for the thing of itself is so plain that, if they had not altogether been blind, they should in the midst of these plagues have perceived God's anger and their own wickedness, neither of which they had yet worthily considered. " Ye have sown much," saith the prophet, " and brought into your barns but little :" ye have wrought and toiled, j e have spared no labour, thinking to have em-iched yourselves thereby and filled your barns: but all was in vain, for ye sought not first to be reconciled with God, which ye ought to have done, and fulfilled his will and not your own. Psai. xxiv. " The earth is the Lord's, and all the plenty on it ;" and it obeys the will of God in serving him, and ginng her fruits to them that love the Lord their God, and not to them which disobey God, that made and rules both man and the whole earth. Let the greedy carle tliink then, that though he be the o^\Tier of the land and field by man's law, yet he is not the lord and master over him whom the earth will obey in Our labour bringing forth her fruit. Let him dig, ditch, and delve, weed, e^repTGod stoue, liarrow, plough, sow, mow, clot and roll, root up trees and bushes, water, hedge, and water-fm-row, or what other V. 5, G.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 51 thing soever he can devise to make the ground fruitful : yet there can no fruit grow, nor increase come, but by the gift and blessing of the living Lord. It is written of king Kaun- Kauntus. tus', king of this realm, that as he was standing by the water side after a great rain, marking how the water did rise, by leisure so it increased that it met his foot where he stood : and he being so proud in his heart, that he thought what- soever he said every thing would obey, straight commanded the water that it should rise no further, nor wet his master's feet any more : but when he saw that the water rose still, and would not obey him, but ran into his shoes, he perceived his foolishness, and confessed there was another God and king above him, whom the waters would obey : so shall all greedy churls well perceive, when they have wrought them- selves weary, and gotten little, that all increase comes from the Lord, and not of themselves. For David saith, that pro- Psai. ixxv. motion comes neither from the east nor the west, but the Lord is judge. It is not the way to wax rich, to get much, but to get it rightly; "for it is better," saith David, " to Psai. xxxvii. have a little righteously gotten, than to have the great riches of sinners nor it is not the way to be filled, to gather much together, but thankfully to take and use that little which thou hast, and be content therewith. These rich gluttons, which the prophet rebukes here, did eat and drink so well, so costly, so finely, and so much as they could devise ; and yet they were never full, but the more they drank, the dryer they were, and one good feast provoked another, and their study was how to fill their greedy stomachs. A drunken man is always dry, according to the proverb; and a gluttonous appetite is never filled, but the more daintily he is fed at one meal, the more desirous is he at the next. All greedy affections of man's heart are No desires unsatiable, if they be not bridled with the fear of God. And but by ffraee the way to rule them is not to follow their lusts and de- it under, sires, but to keep them under and not let them have their full desire. The dropsy desires drink, and drink increases it : so evil desires if they be followed, they increase, and in refraining them they decay. Crescit amor mimnii, quantum Ovidius. ipsa pecunia crescit: that is to say, " as thy money increases, [' Kauntus; Canute. Ed.] 4—2 52 EXPOSITION UPON' SO does the love of it." Therefore, if thou wilt have thy meat to do thee good, and thy drink to slake thy thirst, take it soberly with thanksgiving at God's hand; acknow- ledge it to be the good creature of God, given to nourish thy necessity, and not to fill thy beastly appetite. So St 1 Cor. I. Paul saith, " ^Vhether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God:"" as though he should ap- point how much a man should eat and drink ; that is to say, so much that the mind be not made sluggish by cramming in meat, or pouring in drink, that it cannot lift up himself to the praising of God. Eat not so Therefore he that eateth until his belly ache, or that he that it make . ^ii-iit theeunjusty he down to slccp that he cannot praise God, which hath God. fed him ; or he that di-inks till his eyes water or his tongue begin to swerve, swear, stut or prate, he doeth it not to the glory of God, which is his duty, nor to the nourishing of his weak body, which is lawful and necessary: but he kindles such an unnatural heat in his body, that it stirs up his appetite to desire more tlian it should, and is not con- tent with enough, (and that be called here not to be filled nor satisfied in eating and drinking;) or else it overcomes the stomach, and is undigested, and fills the body full of slug- gishness, makes it unlusty and unmeet to serve God or man, not nourishing the body but hurting it, and last of all casts him into many kinds of incurable diseases and desperate Lukexvi. deaths. Look the end of the rich glutton in the gospel, feasting every day with his bretlu-en, and at length cast into hell fire without hope; but the poor beggar Lazarus, that A thin diet was Content to gather up the crumbs (if he might have had fear of God them) whicli fell from the glutton's table, was carried up by than feast- augels to the bosom of Abraham to joy without end. Daniel Dan. i. taken prisoner to Babel, being but a boy, and having a fine diet and costly meats appointed for him by Nabuchodonozor the king from his own table, because he was born of the king's stock, desired his tutor to give him coarse meat, brown bread, pottage and water : but when his tutor said he durst not, because the king had given contrary commandment ; and if he through eating such coarse meat should not be so well- liking as his fellows, then the king would be angry with him: " Well," said Daniel, " prove me but ten days, and if I look V. 5, 6.] THE I'ROVHET AGGEUS. 53 not so well and lusty as my fellows, then I will desire no more :" but God blessed him and his meat, so that he w as so well fed as they which had all dainties, as lusty, as health- ful and well-likins' as his fellows. For except God bless thy f^<""''7^ meat and give it strength to feed thee; and except God strengthen thy nature to digest thy meat, and thee to take j'","^!'",^^^^^, profit of it ; either it shall lie wallowing in thy stomach, and J.'^^„','of f^^^j thou shalt vomit it up again, or else it shall lie within thy body unprofitable, stinking as in a sink or kennel, and en- gender infinite diseases within thee. But if God bless thee and thy meat, though it be never so coarse and thou so hungry, thou shalt digest it, and it shall feed thee, and make thee as lusty, as strong, as healthful, as well liking, as he which is fed with capon, partridge, quail, pheasant, or the finest dishes he can devise. And as God here by this prophet willeth them to consider well in their o\vi\ hearts whether these things were true indeed; so God bids us now look ourselves, and judge whether it be not so amongst us to this day. Look how many of your poor neighbours eat brown bread, drink thin di'ink, have little flesh, live with milk, butter and cheese, lie on the straw without mattress or feather-bed ; and judge yourselves whether they be not more lusty, strong, healthful, and well-liking than thou, when thou art crammed full of all dainties which thou can invent or desire. Thus we may see what it is to eat and drink, and not be tilled therewith, as the prophet saith in this place. We wonder much at the great miracles of God, when he changed water into blood and plagued Egypt, when he turned ExoiI. vii. water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and such John a. other, because they were done but seldom. But surely to feed our bodies Avith meat is as Q-reat a miracle, if it be well ' a miracle considered, as any other such thing that God works. What any- is more marvellous, than to see the flesh of the sheep or ox, beast, fish or fowl, which thou did see yesterday running in the fields, flying in the air, or swimming in the water, this day to be changed into thy flesh and blood, and the sub- stance of thy body? We are not nourished only with acci- dents and qualities of things, as smells and ta.stings ; but with the substance of that thing which we eat and drink'. Nourishing is defined of the physicians to be a changing of N'ourishins". .54 EXPOSITION UPON the nourishment into the substance of the body which is nourished. All the works of God, if they be well considered monne^s of "ature, are miracles and above all reason : but God's works our dull blindness is so ffreat, that because we see them dailv, makes them o ' j i to seem no we rcoard them not ; and because we be cloved with them, miracles, . . . themsewes plenty is no dainty, we consider them not worthily. But lie wonder- surely, if we had these great miracles of God afore our eyes, as we ought to have, how by his mighty power he changes the substance of that which we eat and drink into the sub- stance of our flesh and blood ; we should cat and drink with more reverence than we do, more diligently thank him that he would vouchsafe to feed us, and wonder at his mighty power that he can, and praise his merciful goodness that he will, work such a miracle so oft, and so wonderful a work upon such ^■ile worms, greedy gluttons, and unthankful crea- tures as we be, and sustain our sinful nature by feeding us so marvellously, and changing the good nature of his other creatures, which never sinned, and yet are killed for us to feed us; changing them, I say, into the substance of our 1 Kings xix. bodies, which can do nothing of themselves but sin. Elias, fleeing from Jezabel, found a therfe' cake baked in the ashes, and a dish full of water at his head, when he waked out of sleep, and was commanded by the angel to rise and eat, for he had a long journey to go. And when he had eaten, he walked in the strengtli of that bread forty days and forty nights, eating nothing else. So shall all they which fear the Lord, as Elias did, in their persecution be able and strong to do great things by slender meat and drink (as we this day have proved), God blessing them and their meat, be it never so coarse and simple : and they that seek to strengthen themselves by dainty meats, forgetting God, shall not be fill- ed in eating and drinking, nor have profit of that which they receive ; but the more they have the more they shall desire, and never think they have enough, as the prophet here saith. Pin reisnin? Such is the stinking nature of sin, that while it lies lurk- wiiM^t*" ing in the heart of man, ruling hiin. and not ruled of him he hath do" bv grace, but stirring him to a furtlier forgetting of God him ^'ood. • ° P Old editions thenr. Therf is the word used hy '\VicklifFc and others for unleavened. Ed.] V. 5, (>.] rUE PUOl'IIKT AGOEUS". 55 and his duty ; that it w ill not let the corn grow in the field and increase, it will not suffer the meat and drink to feed thee, but it shall go through thee unprofitably as through a sink (which as it avoids one filth, is ready gaping to re- ceive more) ; it doth not quench, but rather increase thy appetite. God will not bless any thing thou goest about; thy clothes will not keep thee warm, nor thy money will abide in thy purse, but shall waste away, thou not weeting how nor Avhen, as if there were a hole in the bottom. To a good man every thing shall serve and prosper; but to an evil man nothing shall do good. "What a wonderful thing- is this, that the more a man eats and drinks, the more he shall desire and not be filled ; the more clothes he putteth on, the colder he is ; yea, if he have never so warm a fire nor soft feather bed, he shall be more grieved with cold, than they which fare coarsely, be homely apparelled, and lie hard ! Let every man judge how true this saying of God is. These fine fingered rufflers with their sables about their neclis, their fine furred gowns, corked slippers, trimmed bus- kins, and warm mittens, they chill for cold and tremble when they come abroad; they cannot abide the wind to blow on them; yea, and always the more tenderly they keep them- selves, hurting or not helping the poor, by the just punish- ment of God the more are they pierced with cold themselves: contrariwise, the labouring man can abide in the field all the long day, when the north wind blows, with few clothes on him, and never grieved with cold : he hath his health, feeds savourly on brown bread, thin drink, and a poor sup- per: yea, many poor beggars run from door to door with few clothes on them and torn, dining with a piece of bread under a hedge when they can get it, and at night lapping themselves in a little straw, not once in a week filling their bellies ; yet they look more lusty, healthful, strong, than thou which hast thy cieled chamber, furred stomacher, long gown, and good cheer. And what can be the cause of this, but that God blessed the one which is content with his poor kind of life, and thanks God for it, thinking it better than he is worthy ; and the other, which thinks so highlv of him- Costiy a self, that nothing is good enough for hini, taliuig no care ^^o^^'J but how to cherish himself most tenderly, God doth not bless •tG i-..\'i'ositio\ vvoy [ch. i. him, nor those tilings on which liis pleasure is set? The Deut. xxix. Israelites in wilderness desiring flesh had quails great plenty given them; but when the meat was in their mouths, the Exod. xvi. plague fell on them : and after repenting, they were so bless- ed of God, that their shoes and clothes lasted them forty years; and those clothes which the fathers had worn, the children were content to use afterward. But these tender pernels^ must have one gown for the day, another for the night ; one long, another short ; one for winter, another for summer ; one furred through, another but faced ; one for the work day, another for the holy day ; one of this colour, and another of that ; one of cloth, another of silk or damask ; change of apparel, one afore dinner, another after, one of Spanish fashion, another Turkey; and to be brief, never con- tent with enough, but always devising new fashions and strange: yea, a ruffian will have more in a ruff and his hose than he should spend in a year. I read of a painter that would paint every country man in his accustomed apparel, the Dutch, the Spaniard, the Italian, the Frenchman ; but apparel' when he came to the Englishman, he painted him naked, and gave him clothe, and bad him make it himself, for he changed his fashion so often, that he knew not how to make it: such be our fickle and unstable heads, ever devising and desiring new toys. But what ? would ye have all apparel alike ? There be divers degrees of authority, and so better apparel for them. I do not wish all alike, but every one according to his de- gree. Give a king cloth of gold and silver, a duke velvet and silk, a marquis satin and damask ; then an earl, a lord, a baron, a knight, an esquire, a gentleman, a yeoman, accord- ing to their degrees ; and see whether those shall not be compelled to go in a russet coat, which now spend as much oh apparel for him and his wife, as his father would have kept a good house with. God grant every one might be brought to his degree ! Matt. X. Our Saviour Clirist bad his disciples, they should not have two coats : but we, because we will be most unlike his scho- lars, have our presses so full of apparel, that many know [} Pemels: pimpernel, a flower that always "shuts up its blossoms before rain." Ed.] V. 5, 6.] THE PKOPIIET AGGEUS. 57 not how many sorts and change of raiment they have. We are in the number of those rich men, to whom St James saith, "Woo," because they had so great plenty of apparel, •'""'^^ ^• that the moths did eat them, and their poor neighbours went cold and naked, wanting them. And although those be wondei-ful and strange kinds of plagues that God laid upon them for their sins, that neither the corn nor the fruit of the earth could increase, their meat would not feed them, nor drink fill them, nor their clothes keep them warm ; yet this is most marvellous, that the money which they had in their purses, would not abide with them, but wasted away, they could not tell how, not profiting them, but even as though it had fallen out at the bottom of their purses, or that their purses had been torn so fast, it went from them as they gat it, they did not thrive by it. But such is the wisdom of God, that which way we think to enrich our- selves, displeasing him, the same is turned to our own hurt, and we be catched in our own snares. A man would think his money sure enougli when it were in his purse : but lay it where thou wilt, under lock and key, yea, in stone houses Evil gotten if thou wilt ; if it be wrongfully gotten, or niggardly laid up, thdve.""^'"' and not bestowed to relieve the need of other, as occasion requires, rather than thou shalt enjoy that wicked mammon, the rust and canker shall eat it, thieves shall steal it, or fire shall come from heaven, if it cannot some other ways, and destroy thee and it, rather than thou shalt continue wealthy contrary to God's will, disobeying him. It is with money as in corn and other fruits : for as he that sows much, and that in good ground, reaps much, so he that liberally bestows much of his truly gotten goods on the needy mem- bers of Jesus Christ, shall be enriched much of Christ : for the poor are the good ground that brings thee forth much increase by the blessing of God. " I have seen," saith Sale- Prov. xi. mon, "some give their own goods, and they waxed richer: other scrape that which is not their own, and are ever in need." So he that will thrive, must first get it righteously, and after spend it liberally : for that which is evil gotten, though it be after dealt in alms, displeases God. When bhnd father Toby heard a kid blea in his house, he bids them take heed that it be not stolen. He saith also to his •^8 KXPOSITION UPON [cH. 1. Tob. ii. son : " Of thine own substance give alms" (but that which Tob. iv. is evil gotten, is not thine own), "and if thou have much, give much ; and if thou have but a little, yet give it will- ingly." These men whom the prophet here rebukes, did none of all these things : for neither it was well gotten, nor liber- ally spent. What marvel was it then, though it fell out of the purse bottom, and consumed away they wist not how, nor yet did them any good ? This greediness was so far grown into all sorts of men, that the poor labouring man, which wrought for his day's wage, was not content to work a true day's work, but would loiter and be idle, make his work subtle and full of craft and deceit, have a greater wage than his work was worth. Jer. vi. It was true now also, that Jeremy complained on in his time, saying : " From the highest to the lowest, from the Evil gotten prophet to the priest, all study for covetousness and deceits." that which But I would wish all such greedy guts to mark this simili- comeby. tude of Chrysostom, where he compares a penny evil gotten, and laid amongst the other silver which is truly come by, to a worm that Ues at the heart of an apple. For as she first corrupts the heart of the apple, and that once being rotten, it rots the next piece unto him, and so forth every piece that which is next unto him, until the whole apple be rotten (though for a great space it seem on the outside to be a fair hard apple and sound) ; so that evil gotten penny, saith Chrysostom, shall infect that which lies next him, and so forth every one his fellow, until all be wasted. Thus the plague being general, that all sorts of men were punished, and nothing did go forward with any Icind of men, because generally all sorts had sinned ; and God requiring generally of all sorts that his house should be built ; it proves that everj' one had a portion to do in the building of God's house, and that none could be excused from this work. So we in England all be guilty, all have lieen punished, because every sort of men should have laid his helping hand to the building of God's house, reforming liis religion, restoring and maintaining his gospel, which none or very few have earnestly done : and therefore all these plagues have fallen upon us that these people felt, yea,, and more too; for all that would hold fast their profession, either were cast into V. ,'), f).] THE PKOI'HET AGGEIIS. 59 the fire or banished. No country has more belly cheer than we, and we eat as tliough we were hungry still. None has more store of apparel, and yet we be a-cold. How our money has wasted, if T seek but only of the sundry falls of money, many can remember, and yet feel the smart of it ; though I trust much good shall follow on it. The Lord for his mercy open our eyes, that we may see and consider the cause of these plagues which he hath laid on us so long, and speedily turn us to amend those fiiults for which we be punished ! For even from the highest unto the poor labouring man we have all sinned, and one plagued another : yea, servants have sought to wax wealthy by great wages taking and little working : but, as this prophet saith, their wages was put into a bottomless purse, and they have not thriven by it. Wliat hath been the end of ambitious and covetous men, from the highest to the lowest, which never being content with enough desired more; he which is not blind may see it more among us than all Christendom. v. 7. Thus saith the God of hosts: consider in your hearts Text, your men icays. 8. Go up to the hill, and bring home timber, build this house ; and I will have delight in it, and I will be glo- Tar;. (Uveii rijied, saith the Lord. siory. The prophet hath never done enough in beating' in the authority and majesty of his God that sent him with his com- mission to his people, and never speaks things in his own name ; but in the beginning and ending of these short verses addeth the glorious name of God Jehova, calling him the Lord of hosts, at whose commandment all creatures be, and who will arm all his creatures to fight against all such as either do not build his house and hinder his glory, or else stop them which would further it. With such words of fear and power must all stubborn stomachs be pulled down : and they which will not be overcome by gentleness to do their duty, must be feared with authority. Thus must preachers An example learn to temper their tongues, never to speak but that which ers.'''^'^*'^'' they find in God's book : and where the people be hard- ^' Second edition, bearing. See p. 84, repeat and beat in. Ed.] 60 EXPOSITION UPON hearted to believe and stiff-necked to hear, they must use such words of God's majesty and power, which will make stony hearts to tremble ; and where fear reigns, there to com- fort and raise them up by the gentle loving mercies of God offered to the world in his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And yet once again he refers them to their own judgment, and bids them consider in their own hearts their own ways, and be judges themselves. As if he should say : Hitherto have ye followed your own desires, and have had no profit in so doing ; but being sundry wise plagued ye have not considered it. Nothing that ye have gone about hath prospered with you : your fruit of the earth hath not increased ; yom- meat and drink hath not fed you ; your clothes hath not kept you warm ; your money wasted in your purse, ye could not tell how. But now build my house, and mark your own doings well, whether every thing shall not be blessed and increased that ye go about. I will be delighted in your building, and I will shew my glory to the whole world among you, in de- fending you, and that my house and worship there. I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and no enemies shall over- come you : the earth shall be fruitful unto you ; your meat, drink, clothes and money shall feed and nourish you. Choose you whether ye will let my house lie unbuilded still, and still be plagued ; or ye will repair it diligently, and be blessed. " Go up to tlie hill, bring home timber, and build this house these three things God requires of them, and he promises them two blessings for them ; first, that he will be delighted in that house building, then that he will shew his glory amongst them. For these causes, rather than for worldly profit, they should be more earnestly stirred to do their duty, when they were certain that they pleased God in so doing. Ezraiii. The hill that he wills them to go to is Libanus, as appears in Esdras\ which is not within the bounds of Jewry, but of Tyrus and Sidon : for there grew the fairest trees of any 1 Kings V. country. From thence had Salomon trees in his time also for the same building. This figure doth teach us, that as [' Esdras : Ezra. It is here and elsewhere quoted by the author as the 1st book of Esdras, according to the practice then in use of calling the book of Nehemiah the second book of Esdras or Ezra. See the fith Article of our Church. Ed.] V. 7, 8.] THK PROPHET AOCiEl'-S 61 God's temple was then buikled of trees that grew amongst J^'^J^i^'iY^" the heathen people ; so when the full time was comen, Christ's iiiciniiers church should be buikled of the Gentiles and heathen people, chmcii. when the gospel should be preached through all the world. And this is comfortable for us, that although we be not born of Jews, yet we be trees meet to build God's house on ; and God wills us to be brought home to him by the preaching of his word, that we may be partakers of that house, wherein he will d\\ell, and be delighted in us, and among whom he will shew his glory. He bids them climb up the hill, draw home trees, and build the house ; which all be words of great Tiie painful !• 1 1 • CI • <> '^Ijour must labour and pains, and speaks nothinc; of the easier sort of be borne 1 • ■ -1 ^ P ■ o witbont work, as devising, casting the work, framing the posts, &c., respect, but wills them not to refuse the greatest labour that belongs thereto, and that nothing should be thought painful that God commands. And he bids thein not look for any great worldly wealth when they had done, (although God of his goodness \\oukl give them that beside ;) but think this a sufficient re- ward, that God was pleased in their doings, and would shew his glory among thein. This is the greatest reward that we can look for, M'hen God is delighted with us : and happy is that people to whom it falls. What have the angels in heaven more, than that God is delighted to be among them, and shew his glorious majesty to them ? Thus in building God's house we may make of earth heaven, and of men angels. For where God shews himself glorious, there is heaven : and we shall be like angels, delighting ourselves in praising our God ; and God will be delighted and dwell with us, shewing his glorious majesty to us, be our God and bless us. ^Vhen they had fallen these trees and carried them home, lest they should turn them to their own use, and build their own houses with them, he saith, " Build this house," mean- ing the house of God and temple which God had chosen among all other places, and where only he willed them to offer their sacrifices. In which we are taught, that we should not turn to our own pleasure those things which God will have dedicate to himself and to the building of his house. Necessary If England had not been so greedy to turn to their own use goo'is'are church goods, which should have necessarily been bestowed takVn a''way. 62 EXPOSITIOX UPON every par- ticular to the building of God's house, we should not have felt God's rod so sharply, but God would have been pleased, and shewed his glory among us. But when men would not give lands fast enough to ab- beys, then the pope, rather than his chaplaias should want, would rob many parishes to feed his monks. God grant that the gospel may restore that justly, which the pope took \\Tong- fuUy away, and gave them yet a right name of impropria- tions, because improperly they be taken away, and properly belong to the parishes. The workman is worthy his hire: he that serves the gospel, must live of the gospel. There- fore those impi'opriations, which take away the preacher's living, be against the word of God. But what, doth this belong to us or our time ? doth God require of us to build him abbeys, nunneries, chantries, &c.? ^^"neraMv'^s'^ No, surely ; but this was an outward exercise for that gross, churc/i°or 'lard-hearted people for a time to be exercised in, that they should not build temples to idols ; and teacheth us to build God's spiritual house, wherein we may offer spiritual sacri- fices and prayers to him, wherein he is ^^ell delighted and will shew his majesty. This house is now for us to be un- derstood generally the whole church and company of Christians, and the body and soul, the heart, mind, or conscience of all Christians particularly, wherein God dwells by his holy Spirit, as St Paul saith to the Corinthians : " Do ye not know that your bodies be the temples of the Holy Ghost," and which he hath sanctified to be kept holy for himself alone by bap- tism, and for the which Christ hath died that we might hve by him, whom he hath redeemed with his blood, and washed clean from all sin, that we should live no more to om* own lusts and desires, but to him that hath redeemed us? It is written, that God dwells not in temples made \\'ith hands, nor is worshipped with any work of man's hands; but he is a Spirit, an invisible substance, and will be worshipped in spirit and truth ; not in outward words only of the lips, but with the deep sighs and groanings of the heart, and the whole power of the mind, and earnest hearty calling on him in prayer by faith. And therefore he doth not so much require of us to build him a house of stone and timber ; but hath willed us to pray in all places, and hath taken away that V. 7, 8.] TTIE I>nOPIIF.T AGGEUS. 63 Jewish and popish hohness, which is thought to be more in God is wor- one place tlian another. All the earth is the Lord's, and spirit ami 1 . . 1, , 1 • • • It ^ 1 • 1 '■''1 places. he IS present ni all places, hearing the petitions oi them which call on him in faith. Therefore those bishops, which think with their conjured water to make one place more holy than the rest, are no better than Jews, deceiving the people, and teaching that only to be holy which they have censed, crossed, oiled, and breathed upon. For as Christ said to the woman, thinking one place to be holier to pray in than another, " Woman, John iv. believe me, the time is come when ye shall worship neither at Jerusalem nor in this hill; but the true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and truth so is it now said, the place makes not the man holy, but the man makes the place holy; and ye shall not' worship your idols, stocks and stones, neither at Walsingham, Ipswich, Canterbury nor Sheen'*; for Grod chooses not the people for the place sake, 2 Mace. v. but the place for the people's sake. Hut if ye be in the midst of the field, God is as ready to hear your faithful prayers, as in any abbey or nunnery ; yea, a thousand times more : for the one place he hates, as defiled with idolatry, and the other he loves as undefiled and clean. If the good man lie in prison, tied in chains, or at the stake to be burned for God's cause ; that place is holy for the holiness of the man, and the presence of the Holy Ghost in him, as Tertullian saith. Yet there should be common places appointed for the Common people to assemble and come together in, to praise our God : prayer for where the apostle rebuked them, which would not resort anpninteii. with the rest of the Christians to make their common prayers together, to hear his word and receive his sacraments ; it proves they had some common place to resort to. And where St Paul requires that all things should be done in a comely 1 Cor. xiv. order, what can be more comely or agreeing to good order, than to have a time appointed, and a place to resort unto together, to worship our only God? Nay, how shall they come together, except place and time be appointed ? How shall they know when and whither to resort, unappointed ? The first edition is followed: the second has do worship. Ed.] An old hamlet of Richmond, where was formerly a Carthusian convent. Ed.] 64 EXPOSITION UPON How can the shepherd teach his sheep, if he have not a Acts I. xvi. fol(J to gather them together in ? In the apostles' time, when the rulers were not christened, they resorted into private houses and chamliers, and by the waterside, to worship their God ; but when princes became christened, they had churches appointed for them : yet all these prayers and preachings that were privily in parlours and by the waterside, were as pleasant to God (yea, better peradventure, for commonly they came of a greater and better love and faith) as ours be now. Those also which then were buried in no hallowed church nor church- yard, nor christian moulds, as they be called (when it is no better than other earth, but rather worse, for the conjuring that bishops use about it) were no worse than they which Maikv. were buried with all solemnity. It appears in the go.spel, Luke vii. by the legion living in graves, the widow's son going to burial, Heb. xiii. Christ buried without the city, &c., that then they buried not Burials out in liallowed churchyards by any bishops, but in a several place of chuicli or . , „ , •' . , '• ' . , . , the yarii. appointed lor the same purpose without the city ; which cus- tom remains to this day in many godly places. As that then was lawful and no hurt to the dead, so is it now; and one place is as holy as another to be buried in. saving that comely order requires the bodies not to be cast away, because they were the temples of the Holy Ghost, and shall be glorified at the last day again, but seemly to bo buried, and an honest place to be kept, several from beasts and unreverent using Bishops' the same, for the same use. It is popish to believe that which make not the bisliops do tcacli ; that place to be more holy than the Eoiy, nol"'^ rest which they have hallowed, as thev say, with washing it God to hear . . . . / . ' . ' ■ c the"e°t\7 ^^^^ their conjured water, crossings, censings, processions, &c., elsewhere, and that God will hear our prayers afore one idol or image rather than another, or in one abbey, as pleases them to ap- point him, rather than another. Where it pleases them to grant many days of pardon, there God must hear their prayers sooner, and work more miracles : so God is become their servant, and shall be where they will appoint him. But blessed be that God our Lord, which by the hght of his word doth confound all such wicked and fond fantasies, as they can de- vise to fill their bellies and maintain their authority. The vsc of Churches be God's school house, the preacher is a school- master sent from God to teach us his word, we be his scholars, V. 7, 8.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 65 and thitlier must resort to learn our lessons and his holy will, to amend our lives, to make our prayers to him, desiring mercy for our wickedness past, and beg grace and strength for that which is to come ; to thank him for all his good- ness so mercifully poured upon us, to receive his sacraments, and profess our faith which we have in him. For these causes must we have churches as common places to resort unto, and use them with such comeliness as becomes men pro- fessing Christ, and not to bind any holiness to this church or that church, as though it lay in us to make holy or un- holy when and what we lust : as St Mary's in Cambridge was holy enough to say mass in for three year space, and all that would not hear it must be prisoned, although Bucer was there buried ; but when it pleased the CarnaFs commis- sioners' to say it was not holy, because ho lay buried there, then the heretic must be digged up and burned, or their masses were worth nothing : all other might lie still, and not hurt their masses, though they were of his opinion. The house of God, now for us left to build, is sometime called in scripture generally the whole company of Christians, God's house and sometime every particular man ; as St Paul teaches Ti- particular, mothy how to live in the house of God, which is the church i Tim. iii. and congregation of God, the pillar and seat of truth. And to the Hebrews it is written, "You be the house of God neb. [iii.c] particularly also it is said to every man, " Do ye not know i cor. vi. that your bodies be the temple of the Holy Ghost I and he that defiles the temple of God, him will God destroy." Again: "Ye be the husbandry of God and the building of God." And [i cor. iii. St Peter saith, "Ye are built like lively stones for a spiritual I'kterii. house of God." This spiritual house must be diligently builded of us ; and the building of this house of wood and stone among the Jews was a figure of this spiritual house build- ing for our days. This is that which St Paul calls so often edifying or building one another; and that edification which EJifyin?. he speaks so much of in all his epistles, that is as nuich to say as one to stir up another to virtue and godliness. For [' The commissioners sent down to Cambridge by Cardinal Pole, anno 1557, to purge it of heresy; by wliose direction the bones of Buccr were dug up from St Mary's Church, and tliosc of Phagius from St Michael's, and burned in the market-place, — I'or Carnal see note p. 77. En.] 5 [PII.KINGTON.] 66 KXPOSITION UPON [cH. I. as the building goes forward and increases by laying to one stone after another, and one post or tree after another, until the house be finished ; so we, by going forward daily in the fear of God and godliness, shall at length be a meet bouse The for God to dwell in. This house is the body and soul of ho'ilse'of man, which must be built with daily hearing God's word, /prayer, mercy, and faith, with godly exercises ; as St Paul Eph. ii. saith, " Ye be citizens with saints, and of God's house, builded This house ou the foundation of the apostles and the prophets." God, tinuai re- because he would have us always praying and calling on him pairing and ./ i ./ o o helps of all for his help, hath so ordered the matter, that this eartlily house of ours, wherein he dwells, should always be in build- ing or repairing; and that we should not be idle, and thinlc we had done our duty, but ever desiring him to help for- ward the building of this his house. If we overcome one evil affection, straightways rises another ; and after one temp- tation Cometh another ; and the devil never ceases to throw Psai. cxxvii. down our house. David saith, " Except the Lord build the house, they labour but in vain which build it." Let us do all we can therefore, and pray the Lord to fm-ther our work; the mlers with the sword defend the good and punish the evil; the preachers with the word, the school- masters by their teaching, the fathers by bringing up their children, the masters by correction of their servants, the peo- ple in obeying their heads and neighbourly love : and every one defend true religion to the uttermost of his power, drive away the pope and his baggage ; and, as occasion requires, guide the ignorant, rebuke crooked stomachs, amend faults in the fear of the Lord, and bring into the right way all such as run astray, that they may be meet houses for God to dwell in. Thus hath every man a part in building God's house : but the greatest portion is left to every man, which is his own conscience, to amend that he finds amiss in him- self, because every man knows himself best. Great faults only do appear unto the world, and by rulers must be punished : but the privy hid faults which every man knows in himself, for the most part (for no man knows all that be within him- self) must be corrected within himself, by prayer, sighing, re- Psai. xix. pentance, and asking forgiveness. David saith, "Who knoweth his own faults ? Lord, cleanse me from my privy, hid, and V. 7, 8.] THE PROPHET AGGEL'S. 67 secret sins, and spare thy servant from otlier men's sins." Thus must every one himself severally, and jointly all together, climb up to the hills, that is, our lofty minds, and cut down the peevish desires of our hearts, though it be painful: and also correct the highminded, which are called often in the scripture hills ; and cut down the high trees, growing on the tops of them : that is to say, to bring into good order the '^^^^ °nu"fbe high men of the world, which should give good example for the people to follow, and to punish their faults, and rebuke them as well as the lower sort. They must neither for fear nor flattery leave them unpunished, nor say that is good which is evil afore God. For as God hath given one law for all men, high and low, to live after, and like a righteous judge will punish all that break it ; so must all indifferently be pu- nished here (if rulers and ministers do their duty) that break his laws. God hath given no more liberty to sin to the rich than to the poor, nor hath not willed the one to be punished and the other to escape ; but generally and indifferently hath said to all, " That soul which sins it shall die and, " In Ezek. xviii. judgment ye shall regard no person," but justly judge that which is just, neither condemn the poor because he is poor, Exod. xxiii. nor deliver the rich because he is rich. So must the preacher tell every man his duty; spare neither high nor low; neither flatter the rich for rewards, nor fear the mighty for high looks or bitter words : for when he does his worst, he cannot hurt Matt. x. thy soul, but a little punish thy body. These are hard hills to climb, and crooked trees to frame meet for any work : yet it must be done, and God requires this of every man's hand, to bring something to the building of his house, and according to his power. And if we mark these words well, we shall see our o^vn We are like nature set afore us. For as trees growing on the top of hills have a rough bark, crooked knots, long boughs, and therefore unmeet for any building, until they be fallen, pilled, squared, drawn home; and can do nothing of all these them- selves : so we, as long as we be wandering in the mountains and wild woods of this world, being highly minded and in great wealth or authority above others, as on an hill, we have froward proud minds, and not meet for God's house, until we be made lowly in our own sights, and foil flat down 68 EXPOSITION Ul'DX [cif. I. at Christ's feet, and have the rough bark of our old Adam pulled off, and our croolied affections cut away, be mortified, and drawn home by the learning of his word and working of his Holy Spirit. For that which is high and set by amongst 2Cor. iii. men is abominable afore God; and, as St Paul saith, "We are not able of ourselves as of ourselves to think a good thought much less then to cast away all this frowardness of our corrupt nature, until God bring us home, and make us meet for the building of his house, which he doth by Uom. X. preaching, as it is written : " How shall they hear without a preacher I for faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God and our Saviour Christ saith by St joii. vi. John: "No man comes to me, except my Father draw him." As the scripture calls a good man the good tree that brings forth good fruit, and the evil man the evil tree with evil fruit ; so the jihilosopher defines a man to l^e a tree with the root upward. For as a man receives at the mouth nou- rishment for the whole body, and has his head decked with hair ; so the tree by the root draws nourishing to it, and decks his boughs with leaves : and as the head of man is upward, so is the root to the tree, though the unlearned be- lieve it not. Many other things there be wherein they be like the one the other : but I will not stand to rehearse all. God grant us such preachers that we may hear, and so to hear that we may believe, and so to believe that we may bear good fruit, and be drawn home like good trees, all frowardness cut off, and we made meet for the building of God's house! GodNmiich Now briefly to consider how God performed his promises, ti'e'fiuiWin? in being delighted in that house, and shewing them his glory; 01 115 louic. ^j^^ yviiQie history of the Machabees and other like do de- clare and tell the great glory which appeared in them. The HeiioUoius. king Sent Heliodorus to bring him the treasure of the tem- ple : but Onias the good high priest would not deliver it, but with his fellows stood still looking for help from God, in 2 Mac. iii. their priestly apparel, according to the law ; and that God was delighted in their doing, trusting and calling on him, it ap- peared then : for he shewed his mighty glory in defending them that maintained his religion, not yielding to tyrants; V. 7, 8.1 THK I'nol'HE'l- AGGEUS. 69 and punislicd Heliodorus for laying violent hands on tlie money, which was laid up tliere for the fatherless and widows. Likewise Alexander the Great, which conquered all countries Alexander, about hini, after he had gotten Tyrus and Sidon, sent to Jerusalem for a tribute, thinking it too small a thing, and not worthy the cost and labour to carry his host thither for the winning of it, and that they would yield unto him for a word : yet when the high priest, fearing God more than him, denied to be his subject and tributary, Alexander came with all his power, purposing to have destroyed all ; but the priests meeting him in their priestly apparel, not to fight, but to see how God would defend his people, Alexander lighted off his horse, worshipped the high-priest', and con- fessed him to be the only God whose priest he was, and that in liis country, afore he came forth, ho saw a like vision bidding him do no wrong to such men : and afterwards he granted them great liberty, and did them no harm. But most wonderfully this glory appeared, that where every man must go thrice a year to Jerusalem to worship and sa- crifice, God promised and performed it, that he would defend their land until they came again. Their land was compassed round with their enemies; they left none at home but women and children ; yet God was so well delighted in this their doing, that as long as they did it, they prospered, and no enemies durst invade their land, while they were worshipping God : but when they did it not, they were overcome, and lost their land. If all men in England should go th rice in the year to London, leaving none at home but women and children, [' Joseplms's account states that he worshipped the name of God inscribed on the liigh priest's mitre : 'O '/np WXi^avdpo':, ert TroppiaBev iciav to juew irXrjdo'; qv rait AtuKa?? {(rdrjcri, toJ<; oe lepeT? ■wpoeiiTwra': cv ra?? /Juo-o-i'i/aic avToiv, Tov Ce ap^tepea ev rrj vuKivdwri kui hia'^pva-ta o-toAj;, ko) eTri Tf/? Ke^aXr]'! e'^ovTa Ttjv Kiiapiv koi to y^pvtrovv eV auTr;? eXaa-jjia, (i TO Tuv Qeov iyeypaiTTO ouofxa, •irpo' avoid . tllClll. this, because there is no remedy to escape it ; but that in hearing this we should repent and so escape it. All the threatenings of God are to be understood with this condition, if ye do not repent and amend ; as Jonas coming unto Ki- neve said, "Yet forty days and Nineve shall be destroyed:" ™">''''oi> presupposing, if they did not ask mercy; but they asked it Jonah iii. and escaped. Jeremy saith, " If this people repent them of Jer. xviii. their evil, I will repent also, saith God, of that evil which I purposed to send upon them." If God were disposed to plague as often as he threatens, he would never give warn- ing nor time to repent in, nor promise mercy to them that repent, but would suddenly come and destroy without all mercy. And where he works all for our comfort, it were a dou- ble sorrow, both to be punished, and know it so certainly aforehand that it cannot be escaped: but he gives them and us this warning, that we might turn and by repentance ob- tain mercy in time. God never sends plague into the world, God ^ives but he gives warning before it come, that they may repent •^'^foie iie and escape, as Amos saith : " The Lord will do nothino-, ^mus iil but he sheweth it first by his servants the prophets." Be- fore he dro\\'ned the world, he stirred up Noe, whom Peter 2 Pet. ii. calls the eighth preacher of righteousness ; who as he was making his ark a hundred and twenty years, and told them the anger of God towards them for their sins, that they might amend and avoid the danger coming by repentance, so some laughed at him, and few cared for him, and there- lore were all drowned save eight persons. Lot preached in Gen. xix. Sodom, and when they would not amend, fire from heaven destroyed them. Before the destruction of Jerusalem by Nabuchodonozor God sent many prophets many years to warn them beforehand, whose writings also we have, as Esay, Jeremy, O.see, &c.; and before the last destruction by the liomans Christ himself came, and also sent his apostles to teach repentance : but when all was in vain, then they utterly perished. Have not we in England been as diligently warned liy our preachers, and almost all in vain ? What shall we look for then, but destruction, if we amend not I Thus God 90 EXPOSITION UPON of his endless mercy never cometh suddenly upon us to de- stroy us ; but mercifully warns us, that we be not taken in our sins, and so perish : and ever he stirs up the sluggish, either by his Spirit, word, minister, or else his gentle correction, to call for his mercy. Calling. j^jj^ where he saith, " I will call a drought or the sword upon the earth, &c.," this kind of speaking is often used in the scripture, and betokeneth nothing but the power of God, that he is able to do it so easily, as to speak a word As soon as or call for it: and that as soon as he spake it, so soon it Godcalls.all ' \ ' things obey, should be done, as when one of us cometh at another's call- ing. Grod doth all by his word : and to say a thing is to do it with him; and as soon as he saith the word, so soon it is done with him. Saying and doing are two divers things with us, and much pain we take to do a thing after it be spoken : but with God it is not so, but as the psalm saith, Psai.cxiviii. " He spake, and all things were made; he commanded and they were created." Moses speaketh more plainly in the Gen. i. making of the world, and saith : " God said. Let there be light made, and let there be made the sun and stars, beasts and fishes; and they were made straight ways." So when isai. V. [2f..] God brought Nabuchodonozor to destroy Jerusalem and the country, he said he would call and hiss or whistle him from the north, and he should come : God called, and he came. So all other things, drought, hunger, plague, sword, do tarry and wait for God's calling; and as soon as he whistles, they come straight, and nothing dare or can withstand his calling, as David saith: "Fire, hail, snow, ice, and tempests which do his commandment." Seeing therefore his tlireatening is not to destroy, but to save and bring us to repentance, let us turn by time, that he be not weary of calling ; and desire him not to order us according to his justice, but after his endless mercies : for else shall that be true of Prov. i. Salomon, " I called, and ye refused, and therefore I will laugh at your destruction," saith the Lord. Tiiehorri- And where God threatens to destroy wheat, wine, oil, this" sin not all fruits of the earth, and labour of man, yea, man himself God's house and beast, for not building his house : let us consider the the plagues, horrible filthiness of this sin especially in not building his house, that it will not let any creature of God serve man, V. 10, 1].] THE PROPHET AGGEl'S 91 so long as he thus displeases God. This sin doth not only stop the fruits of the earth, but it flieth up to heaven, and locks it up, and so hardens the clouds that no rain nor deAv can be wrung out to moisten the ground withal. Such is the just judgment of God, that where G od of his mercy made all things in heaven and earth, sun, moon, stars, cattle, fish, fowl, corn, herbs and trees, to serve man, so that man would serve him, reverence, fear and worship him as his only Lord and God, Maker and Saviour; so when he did disobey him, and served God of his own devising, or brake his command- Throujii sin ments, he should have those creatui-es which God appointed jvouia wii- to serve him at the first, to disobey him, to rebel against man.' him, and as it were to avenge God's quarrel upon that man which disobeyed the living God, their Lord and Master ; and they would not willingly serve him, which would not willingly serve and obey their God and King. When Adam was in paradise, as long as he obeyed God, so long all creatures obeyed him, as appointed of God to be their lord and ruler, as the psalm saith, "Thou hast made all things subject under Psai. viii. his feet, sheep and oxen, and all beasts of the field, birds of the air, and fishes of the sea:" but so soon as he brake God's commandment, and eat of the fruit which God forbad him, all things began to disobey him, and as it were would avenge that disobedience done against God their maker. The earth would not bring forth her good fruit willingly, but weeds, brambles, and briars : no kind of beasts would obey him, but waxed wild and i-ebelled against him. The tokens of this just punishment remains on us to this day, and shall to the world's end. The earth will biing forth no good fruit willingly, but with much labour, toiling, tilling, dunging, harrowing, sowing, &c. ; as though it should say to man, I will not serve thee, nor yet willingly give thee any fruit at all. So neither horse, dog, ox, nor sheep, nor any other living thing, is tame at the first to obey man ; but it must have many stripes, or it will be brought to any good order to serve him. And many beasts, as lions, bears, wolves, j'i^"^ be so wild, that they will not serve man at all, but still f'-^atuifs _ ' , ' _ siiouui re- remain his continual enemies, always ready to devour him. member us ^ J J ot our tall As often as we see any of these fierce beasts, which are so 3,';t^^^;t^'.'^ cruel, we should remember the first cause why they were so s'"- 92 EXPOSITION UPON turned, and be so fierce against us; and we should then lament our sin, which was the only cause of this so great a plague and change. God hath left them amongst us to be our schoolmasters, that when we see and consider them to be so ready to take vengeance upon us for our disobedience to God, we should much more fear God himself, which is a more righteous judge, and both is able and will punish us more grievously than they do or can, if we repent not and ask mercy by time. These cruel beasts are set before us for examples of greater things ; that as we fear to fall into the danger of these ravening beasts, so we should much more fear to fall into the hands of the Almighty and living God, whose anger is a thousand times more grievous than the cruelness of any beast. And it is not only with one creature or two, that they disdain to serve us willingly, but every one, as St Paul saith : Rom. vul. u ffi^g creature is subject to vanity not ^^•illingly, but for his cause which hath made it subject under hope." Here we see that no creature would serve us willingly, but for God's cause who hath so pointed them to do. So that of them- selves we can get no profit nor service of those that have no life ^A'ithout much labour, and taming them by strength and violence which have life : yet for the hope they both have to be delivered from this service, for the time they do obey us according to God's ordinance. God's ma- Also in the destruction of these his creatures, that they jesly IS de- _ . ■flared in his should not scrvo sucli evil men, God declares himself not creatures, do'not'rufe ''"'^ ^® ^^^^ '"ift'ity Lord in making and creating them, them. ljut also a merciful God in blessing them with fruitful in- crease, when his people served him rightly ; and also a right- eous judge in taking them away for our sins, when they be not so plentiful as they have been to us. For as plenty of them is a token of his mercy and favour, and that it is he only which regards, loves, feeds, nourishes and increases the least creatures which he hath made ; so the taking them away, or the barren unfruitfulness of them, is a sign of his anger and displeasure. It is not, as ye commonly say, St Anthony save my hog ; St Loy, my horse ; St Blase, my house ; St ApoUony help in the tooth-ache ; St Roche for the plague, &c. : but he that made all saves all, guides all, rules all, V. 10, 11.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS, 93 feeds all, blesses all, and increases all ; and takes them from us at his will and pleasure, as Job saith : " The Lord gave Jobi . it, the Lord took it away, &c." These were lessons that the heathen people, and we also, might and should have learned by the making and ruling of the world, that God did rule all things; and because they did not, they were justly punished. Shall then we christian men think God to be weary of ruling his creatures, and put them to some Romish saints' hands, that are more able and willing to rule them better than he can and wilH If this were true, saints should be more merciful, able and willing to help, than God himself, which can do nothing but love, and hates nothing that he made : but so to think were most horrible blasphemy against his majesty ; for he should be an evil Lord and master, if he so lightly regarded his servants, his creatures, that he would put them to other men's ruling. " God hath not left himself without witnesses," Acts xiv. saith St Luke, " giving rain and fruitful times." As these works were sufficient witnesses to the heathen of God's good- ness, and that he ruled all, and that their just condemna- tion followed, if they did not believe ; so is unseasonable weather, with taking away his fruits, just tokens of his anger for our sins. Therefore, where we have the same works suffi- cient witnesses unto us both of his anger and good will, and also his wonderful works written in the scriptures to teach us ; what can we say for ourselves, if we do not wor- ship him our only God, seeking help at his only hand, in whom only it is to be found and received I God doth not only make all things, but ruleth them also according to his good will and pleasure : he is not weary of well doing, but guides even the least of his creatures. He makes grass to Psai. cxivii. grow on the hills, and herbs to serve men : he giveth meat to the cattle and to the young ravens ; yea, he feeds the birds of the air, which work not nor spin, sow nor mow, reap nor carry into the barns. And briefly to speak: " all p^»)-,<^'^'*'- things doth look," saith David, "that thou shoulde.st give them meat in due season : if thou open thy hand and feed them, they are full of goodness ; but if thou withdraw thy hand, they fall, vade away, perish and turn into earth, whereof they were made." Thus must all wheat, wine, oil, fruits of 94 KXPOSITION UPOX the earth, and beasts perish for the sin of man, and not building God's house: but they prosper and increase to them wliicli love him, maintain his true religion, and fear him. The two last words, where he saith, Alan and all handy labour shall be destroyed also, they be more notable in the Hebrew, than can be well expressed in one word in English. For where the Hebrew hath divers words to signify a man, iTnosch those be noblemen; Aenosch, and they be so called of their sorrows and infirmities they be subject to ; Adam. here is written Adam, which betokens the common sort of people. The word that here signifieth labour, betokens not every kind of labour, as that which is easy or for pleasure ; but it signifies that labour, which the poor man doth until excifsed ^® weary, even the vilest and sorest drudging labour. By (n"'God's'^' which both we are taught, that God would not spare house. tijg simplest and basest man living ; but as they had sinned in not building his house, so should they perish : lest they should think or say. We did not this fault, but our rulers ; or, we were not able to take it in hand; or, if they had begun, we would have followed; or such like fond excuses. God requires his house to be builded, his word and rehgion to be kept and maintained, as well of the lowest as the highest ; and they which do not, shall not escape unpunished. Therefore wicked is that saying under persecution, " Let the preacher stand to it; what doth it belong to me!" If the master must teach, ought not the scholar to learn ? May the scholar deny or dissemble with God, and the master must not? What privilege has the scholar more to do evil, than the master ? That is sin to the one and the other. " He that denies me afore men," says Christ, " I will deny him afore my Father." Man hath this general name given him to be called Adam, of another Hebrew word that signifieth the earth, Adama; which word was placed afore, when he said he would destroy all that the earth bringeth forth : and in Latin man is also Homo. called Homo ex humo ; which allusion and likeness in words we cannot well speak in English, but it is as much to say : Man is called earth, because he is made of earth, as Jeremy icr. xxii. saith, " Earth, earth, earth, hear the w^ord of the Lord." And Abraham talking with the Angel of God, and demand- V. 10, 11.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 96 ing divers questions, said : " Let not my Lord be grieved Gen. xviii. if I yet once again ask my Lord, seeing I am earth and ashes." This sliould put us in remembrance, that is, as it is pro- oft as we hear this name Adam, that we are earth and i. 'ni, mijcr ashes, and are come of the sinful seed of Adam our first we be. father, who was made of the earth, and for breaking God's commandment returned into earth again, from whence he came, as we shall all at our appointed time. If this were well considered, it would make our proud peacock's feathers to fall, when we remember from whence we come, and whither we shall, and how we be not able to think of our- selves a good thought; but that all our goodness is given us of Clod, and unto him we be traitors and tliieves, if we be proud of his gifts, and give not him worthy thanks for them, but take the praise to ourselves. Thus by degrees doth Grod increase his plagues and threat- ening; not destroying us at the first, but by laying on us one little rod at the first he biddeth and warneth us to beware of the next, for that will be greater if we amend not. This he doth by his other prophets also. In OsceHoseav. he compares himself to the moth and lion in punishing: for the moth doth not eat up clothes hastily, but by leisure and by little and little ; but the lion devoureth up all at once. So, saith God, I will be no more only as a moth in clothes, in punishing you so gently and by leisure ; for by that gentle kind of punishing ye wax worse and worse : but I will come now as a lion, and destroy you quickly; for ye abuse my gen- tleness, and I cannot hold my hands any longer beside you. Lord, soften our hard hearts, that where we be guilty in the same fault of negligent building thy house, we may hear and fear those great threatenings towards us ; we may dread thee, and obtain mercy for our sins past, and hereafter be more diligent to serve thee. v. 12. Then Zemhahel the son of SalatUel, and Josua the son The tea. of Jehozadac tlie high priest, and all the remnant of the people, gam ear unto the mice of the Lord their God, and unto the words of Aggeus the prophet, inas- much that the Lord their God sent him : and the people were afraid in the sight of God. 9(» EXPOSITION- rpo\ [cH. I. Angel. 13. j^jid Aggeus, the messenger of the Lord, said in the messages of the Lord to the i^^ople, saying : I am with you, saith the Lord. Hitherto from tlie beginning liath been notliing but chiding and threatening for their great neghgence in building God's house : now follows the profit and commodity that came by such a sharp kind of rebuking. They began to "give ear unto it," mark it, and were afraid to hear and consider those plagues, which yet hanged over their heads : they believed those sayings to be true, which Aggeus said unto them, and they feared God. This is the ordinary way that God useth to teach by, and which the scripture sets before us to learn to believe in God and fear him : first, to rebuke sin and declare the anger of God towards sinners, and preach repentance, Jiatt. iii. as John JJaptist and our Saviour Christ began to preach : Kom. X. It Repent ; the kingdom of God is at hand." '• Faith cometh by hearing," saith St Paul, "and hearing by the word of God:" therefore he that will believe, and have his faith in- creased, must be diligent in the scriptm-es, to hear sei-mons, and mark \;hat God saith unto us there. What marvel is it if the papists have so little faith, seeing they read not the scripture, and hold opinion that it is not necessary, yea, not to be suffered that the scripture should be much read or taught, but the pope's laws, customs and decrees I The wliole scripture hath these two chief parts, into the Gosin']. which it is divided, the law and the gospel. The law contains properly the setting forth of sin, threatenings, curses, God's anger toward sin, remorse of conscience for the same, damna- tion, hell, despair: the gospel contains comfort, hope, forgive- ness, mercies in Christ, heaven, salvation, agreement with God. Rom. iv. Thus teaches St Paul, saying, " The law works anger" within a man in conscience towards himself, for displeasing his Lord tfod; and also declares what is sin, and the anger and just Rom. iii. judgment of God for sin. " By the law comes the knowledge Rom. vii. of sin." Again he saith, " I had not known coveting, lust- ing, and desiring for any unlawful thing to have been sin, except the law had said, Thou shalt not lust nor covet." Rom. i. The gospel " is the power of God to save all that believe" Matt. ^i. in Christ, which saith, " Come to me, all ye that labour V. 12, 13.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS 97 and are laden, and I will refresh you and, " Thus God Joim iii. loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," &c. with many such like promises : as, " If any man sin, we have i Joim ii. an advocate with the Father," &c. This profit came here to this people, by preaching the law of God and threatenings unto them, that they which were afore so forgetful of their duties, now hearing the great anger and vengeance of God that hanged over their heads, ready to fall on them, it stirred them up to do their duties and fear God. Thus may we here see the fond and tender ears of them, which would not hear nor have the law preached, but altogether the sweet com- fortable promises and mercies in Christ; nor cannot abide the anger of God and just judgment for sin to be taught, saying, It brings a man into despair, and that it is not now in the time of grace meet to be preached. A man as he is made of body and soul, so hath he the law given him to beat down the lusts of the flesh, and Law. keep him in due fear to his Lord and God : and lest the soul should despair, when it considers the greatness of the sin which the flesh and mind draws him to, he hath the com- fort of Christ offered unto him in the gospel. So, lest we be Gospel, proud and forget God, we have the law given to set before us the righteousness of those things which God requires of us, and our weak unableness to fulfil the same, and the righteous sentence of death and God's anger pronounced upon Gaiat. iii. all that fulfil not the same law. But lest we should despair, we have the unspeakable mercies of God offered unto us in his Son, which by his death hath conquered death, and paid the full price for the sins of the \\hole world. He biddeth us, when we feel our own weakness and unableness to fulfil his law, to come unto him, ask help and mercy at his hands, and doubt not thereof but it shall be granted. For as we see in judgments here amongst us, there is a royal seat set where the judge sits ; he that is accused stands at the bar, holds up his hand, hears his indictment read, witness is brought in against him, and he justly condemned to death : so we shall see Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge of the world, that will not be bribed, sit in his seat of majesty at the last day, and all the company of angels about him ; and we shall stand at the bar, as accused and indicted for breaking that righteous 7 [I'lI.KINGTON.] 98 EXPOSITION UPON law of his word : the devil, which enticed us so to do, shall bear witness that to be true, yea, and our own conscience Matt. XXV. also: the fear of that fearful sentence, "Go, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels," shall make us to tremble. And of mercy there is no hope at all, except we do as we read of a woman, which when she Alexander, stood before Alexander the Great, and was condemned, she said, " I appeal from thee, 0 king." Alexander wondering at her said, " Thou art a mad woman : dost thou not know that every appellation is from a lower judge to a higher? but who is above me ?" Then said she, " I know thee to be above thy laws, and that thou may give pardon ; and therefore I appeal from justice to mercy, and for my faults desire par- don." So we, when we look into the righteous law of God's word, and see him ready to condemn us, and om* conscience witness that we have deserved death ; we must appeal from justice and our deservings unto his pardon and forgiveness, and both call and trust to be partakers of that salvation, which he hath purchased and offered to the whole world. His mercies do pass all our miseries, as far as God is greater than man ; and his pardon can forgive all that call on him. This is not to be lightly considered, that it is said, " They heard the voice of the Lord their God, and the word of Ag- geus the prophet." What needed both to have been written, seeing they were both one ? for the words of Aggeus were the same that the Lord bad him speak, as he hath said divers times before. Here in this example we shall leam two good lessons; one for the preacher, and another for the hearer. nbilkl'd ill^ The preacher must not be afraid to rebuke sin in all sorts all estates. degrees of men, as here Aggeus did rebuke both Zeru- babel, the chief civil ruler in the commonwealth, and Josua the high priest and chief in religion, and also the whole peo- ple beside, and threatens the plagues indifferently to all with- out any flattery or respect of person. So do all the prophets, isai. i. ggay calls the rulers fellows with thieves, and princes of Sodom and Goinorrha, because they followed their wicked- 1 Kings xvii. ness. And when Achab a king asked Elias, whether it was he troubled all the country, (because it was so long a drought, for the space of three years and a half without any rain or V. 12, 13.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 99 dew,) he answered the king boldly, and said, Nay, it is tliou and thy father's house that hast pulled this righteous plague upon thee and thy whole realm. Where all have sinned, all nnist be rebuked : for as God, a most righteous judge, will punish all sin, so must his preachers indifferently warn and rebuke all sorts of sinners ; or else God will require their Ezek. iii. blood at their hands, if they perish without their warning, as Ezekicl saith. The hearer must not disdain to learn of i^is'iai" not t(i hear anil the simj)lest preacher that he heareth, as Josua the high priest hero doth not disdain to hear the rebuking of Aggeus, being but a poor Levite and a simple man in comparison of him : no, nor yet Zerubabel, the chief ruler, and born of the stock of Judah, the king's stock, disdains him. If a preacher should rebuke the pope, a cardinal, an archbishop or bishop, a doctor, or a babbler in divinity, would they not disdain to hear such simple men? Would they not say, as hath been said of late to many, when they were examined before An- nas and Caiphas, Becomes it thee to speak thus to my lord bishop? art thou wiser or better learned than he? shall he become thy scholar? "W^as not the like said to our Saviour Christ, "Dost thou answer the high bishop so?" What J"''" would the pope or cardinal say, if a man should threaten such vengeance of God towards him, as Aggeus doth here to the high priest ? Paul, the second pope of that name, P'''"! when he had wrongfully taken lands and offices from divers, and cast them all in prison, and would not hear any suitors speak for them; at length by much ado when Platina him- self came to him, and could get no help, at the last he required of the pope that he might be heard and judged by his own law. Then the pope looking cruelly on him said : " What tellest thou me of the law ? Dost thou not know, that whatsoever I say is law? Am not I St Peter's vicar, and all laws are within my breast, and I cannot err whatsoever I say? Am I not pope, and may disannul the decrees of my predecessors, and do what me lust? Thus it shall be, thus I am determined'." Thus speak holy popes, when simple men ask their right, or tell them of any faults : their proud stomachs cannot abide to be rebuked of any man. [' The account is given by Platina himself, De Vitis I'ontificum, p. 297, Colon. 1540. Ed.] 7-2 ' with the world. 100 KXPOSITION UPON [cH. 1. Was not this common also in England in the papists' mouths, when the gospel was preached, to deface the truth : " Who are your preachers now, but young men, unlearned and not skilled in the doctors? And who teaches the other old learning, but my lord bishop, master doctor, ancient bache- lors in divinity, and prove it by the ancient writers f These are gay glorious words indeed, if they had been true : but although young men did teach, yet their doctrine was most wholesome and approved by the scriptures and all good WTiters; which is most to God's glory, that opened the mouths of younglings, to confound the doting of old fools. Simple men confirmed with their blood and constant deaths witi, which before both master doctor and my lord bishop also allowed and taught with mouth and hands subscribing, until contrary rulers arose : but then, for flatter}- and their belly, they destroyed the same with all their might and power that they taught before. So, when and liow often soever the world shall change, the most of them, as men without conscience, will be ready to do the like, and make a face as though they believed the same to be true ; but not one of them will adventure his body to be burned for the dirty dregs of popery : and yet are they not ashamed to teach and maintain the same with fire and sword, so long as the world- is on their side. There is scarce a more certain argument of an obstinate papist, than to look how- simple a man he is that preaches, and not to believe his doctrine for the simpleness of the man ; nor to look at the thing which he teaches, how true it is and spoken by God. Let all Christians hear and be content with Christ's holy word, as most and only sufficient doctrine to save our souls; and disdain none that brings it, be he • iv. never so simple. St Paul saith, "Christ died for our sins, and rose for our righteousness and where this is one of the greatest treasures that we have by Christ, to be made righteous by him, mark who were the first preachers of it. Mary Magdalene and the other women, w-hich went early in the morning with ointments to the sepulchre, they see Christ first of all other after his resurrection, and were sent to teach it to the apostles and Peter. Should we not be- lieve this resurrection, because that women taught it first ' Tlie elilpi- must not disdain to lienr his fault of the V. 12, la.] HE rilOPHET AGGEUS. 101 Apollo, a mighty learned man in the scriptures, submitted liiniself to be further taught in true religion of 'Priscilla Acts xviii. and Aquila, a simple man and his wife. Timothy and John the evangelist were both very young when they were call- i Tim. iv. ed to bo preachers. Peter the elder apostle is content to caiat. ii. be rebuked of Paul his younger. Judith, that good woman, judituviii. corrected the elders, priests and rulers in Bethulia, mis- trusting God's help and providence for them, when they would yield up the city. David, a man according to God's 2 sam. xii. own heart, hears most willingly the prophet Nathan rebuke him, who was of much less estimation than he. And king Ezechias heareth Esay rebuke him of his faults. These and 2 Kings xx. such other examples be written to teach us, that the elder, in what authority soever he be, or by what name soever he be called, should willingly suffer the just rebuke of the younger, bringing the word of God for him. Further, where he adds this twice, saying, " The Lord their God, the Lord their God it is very comfortable for all sinners that have long lien in sin, that they should not despair of God's mercy, but speedily turn by repentance. The long-suffering of God is far above our deserts, and had suffered this people thus long to lie in sin, and yet had not cast them off; but doth vouchsafe to send his prophet to them, to rebuke them and stir them up to their duties, call- ing himself their God, which had forgotten and forgiven all rJady^o'au their former disobedience ; who now was and would continue '"''P<;»'ant. their good, gracious, and merciful Lord and God still. Who can despair to obtain grace and pardon for all his great offences, seeing set before him the loving gentleness of our good God and Master, which offereth undesired his mercies so plentifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people, his free pardon a poena et culpa, from all pain due to sin or the guilt thereof ; which also calls himself their God, and by continual earnest crying of this his prophet awakes them out of this dead sleep of sin, wherein they had lien so long, and left his house unbuilded ? "It is commonly said," saitluer.iii. Jeremy, "if a man put away his wife for adultery, will he take her again! yet thou", saith God to his people, "although thou hast played the harlot with many whores, yet turn unto me, and I will receive thee again, saith the Lord thy God," 102 EXPOSITION UPON 0 merciful Lord, praised be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberal promises offered unto us in thy Son Christ Rev. iii. Jesu our Lord. Thou standest at the door of our conscience, knocking to be let in, offering thyself to dwell with us if we would receive thee. There is no time so long that a man hath run from God in, nor any time so short to ask forgiveness, but if he will turn, God is ready to forgive him. The Gentiles ha^ lien in sin above four thousand years from the beginning of the world to the death of Christ, without any true teaching or knowledge of God : and yet, when they received the gospel by the preaching of the apostles, they were most gently re- ceived of Christ into the number of his people. The thief hanging on Christ's right hand on the cross, asking mercy in the hour of death, obtained it. So that neither the great- ness of sin, nor the long time that man hath continued in it, nor the shortness of time to ask forgiveness in, can stop the great unspeakable mercies of God, to pardon the sins of the whole world. Why should we then mistrust the goodness of our God, seeing he is the maker of the same law whereby we shall be judged, and also able to dispense withal, and par- don the breakers of the same law, if he will ; who also shall be judge and executor of the same law, as pleases him ? But that the people should rather believe his word, he saith, the Lord their God sent him; no strange God, but the mighty God of hosts, and the living God of Israel : nor he ran not before he was sent, but soberly looked for the calling of God, and then did his message faithfully. This is an example for all ministers to follow, that they do not with bribery or flattery thrust themselves into any office, but patiently tarry the calling of the Lord their God, which can and will call them at such time as he judges them Ministers necossary to servo him. AYho would be so bold to buy a thrust benefice, or flatter for a bishoprick, if he did think them in office. to be offices in God's house, and that they must make ac- count to God for his people? He that comes before he be sent for, oftentimes comes before he be welcome : and he that climbs in at the window is a thief; for the door is made to come in by. But because these popish prowlers seek not the profit of the flock, but to fill their bellies, they care not how they come by it, so they may have it; and think they V. 12, 13.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 103 have done God good service, and the people well content, when they teach them never a word of scriptui-e, but have said mass, made conjured water, or sung an antiphone of our Lady. If they had this true stedfast opinion of God, as they ought to have, that he were a loving Father to his household, and a wise Master that could and would set wise stewards over his house, and that whosoever presumed to take any office in his house uncalled, were a thief, and should be sharply punished ; a man could not hire them for money, to take any cure of teaching God's people, until they were inwardly' moved of God to do it for love to the people, and not for their own gain. They woidd also provide to be ordinarily called by man, lest he which should teach and see others keep good order, should be proved the first breaker of all good laws and orders. If a stranger should violently thrust in himself to be the shepherd of thy sheep, thou woiUdest ask him who sent for him, what he had to do there ; and thou wouldest rather think him to be a thief and a mur- derer of thy sheep, than a trusty servant : so surely, if thou come to take charge of God's people, before he inwardly move thy conscience to pity his people, and outwardly by order call and place thee where he thinks good, he will judge thee a thief, a wolf, a devourer, and not a feeder. After they heard that the word of God was sent unto them by Aggeus, and had weighed and considered diligently how true his sayings were, that so many years they had suf- fered so great plagues ; they began to fear, and believe that the threatenings following woidd also prove true : and then they humbled themselves in the sight of God, and were afraid indeed. This profit had they by hearing the word of God, that they acknowledged their own sins, that they had offended the gracious goodness and majesty of God in not regarding his house so many years; and for fear then they began to take in hand again that work wherewith they were so straitly charged. Thus faith comes by hearing the word of God ; and hy hearing and giving ear to his threatenings, our slow and sluggish dulness is raised up to take in hand God's work, and build his house. How necessary fear is, David teaches, [' So the first edition : the second, inward moved. Ed.] 104 EXPOSITION fPOX [cH. 1. Fsai. c.\i. saying, " Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." So now, when they feared tliese tlireatenings, they waxed wise and turned to the Lord. Truth it is, that the anger of God is not always to be taught, and that it brings not a man to perfection : for IJavid calleth the fear of the Lord' but the beginning of wisdom, and not the perfection thereof; and 1 John iv. St John saith, " Perfect charity casts out fear." But yet The^Yie ^'^^ Ordinary way to pull down proud stomachs, and to preached, bring them to know their own vileness ; and it also stirs up slothful minds to be more diligent to do their duties. St Paul Gal. iii. saith, " The law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Clirist that where we see ourselves justly condemned by God's righteous law, and that we be not able to stand in judgment with him, Job ix. nor answer one thing for a thousand that shall be laid against us, we should run to Christ for pardon, confessing oiu* faults, and ask mercy. Thus they had the right use of the law, not bringing them to despair with all these tlireatenings, but corafoi-ting them to go to God and confess their sins, and hope for mercy in Fearcoes^ Christ. St Augustine compares fear to the bristle, which love follows, is on the shoemaker's thread : the bristle goeth through the hole first, but it draws a long and a strong thread after it : so the fear of God's vengeance first goeth before, and throws down a man in his own sight ; and then foUoweth the long thread of God's mercies in Christ offered to the whole world. The scripture teaches two sorts of fear : The one which is godly, when we fear our God with love and reverence, and would not displease him for the love we bear him ; and this Psai. xix. remains for ever, as David says, " The holy fear of the Lord Fear for continues for ever." Another kind of fear is, not to do well love, and fear toes- for the lovc of God and goodness itself, but that we mav cape pain. . escape punishment ; as the thief will not steal, not for love of any righteousness or reverence to God, but to escape the gallows. This is that fear which cannot stand with perfect Fear is like charity, but is cast out. Fear in a man's mind is like the the thunder. .... thunder m the air: for as when the air is covered with clouds, the sun darkened, tempests begin to arise, lightnings and fire fly from heaven, rumbling and noise is in the air, the clouds burst, and the thunder-crack comes, the rain falls, [' Both editions have fmr of (he God. Ed.] V. 12, 13.] THE I'ROPHET AGGEUti. 105 and straight follows sunsliine and fair weather; so when a man, for fear of his sins, in conscience lies flat down in the sight of God, confessing his sin, as one oppressed with the burden and vileness thereof ; complains to Clod, accuses him- self, groans, sobs, and sighs like the thundei'-crack, dare not look up towards heaven for his wickedness, but condenms himself ; at the last bursts out on weeping, and the tears like rain-drops come trickling down his cheeks : straightways follows quietness of mind, God offers him pardon and clearness of conscience, with wondering and praising the unspeakable goodness of God for his mercies and comfort in Christ his Son offered to such a troubled conscience. In the latter verse is first declared the worthiness, au- thority, high title and rule given to the preachers, for the connnendation of their office. Aggeus here is called "the angel of the Lord," as some in English do translate it, or the messenger, or embassador, which signify all one thing unto us. So these names with such like are given to preachers in the scripture, to set forth the highness of their vocation and authority that God calleth them to. The worldly-wise men, Woriiiiinoss considering the decay of the living of bishops and priests, miniktei j. and that they be not so much esteemed and as wealthy, as when they were loitering, lordly, unpreaching prelates, and ruled all, would say, ' Shall I make my son a minister, and when I have spent all I have on him, he shall neither be able to help my other children, nor yet scarce able to live himself, but shall be disdained of all sorts of men ; and if he preach the truth, he shall be in jeopardy of his life ? Or shall I marry my daughter to a priest T — with such like uncomely sayings : ' nay, I trow not ; there is more profit by the law or physic i yea, if he be but a pen-clerk, an auditor or receiver-, I will provide for him better any of these ways.' The goods of the church are the goods of the poor : woe therefore be to them that rob the church so by impropriations, that neither the minister nor the poor can be relieved ! For l)y that means the necessary food of the preacher is given to idle bellies : and these worldlings declare themselves to desire nothing but worldly wealth, in thus doing or so saying, liut if they mark this and other places of the scriptures, and \J Both editions have deceiver. Ed.] 106 EXPOSITION UPON The preach- would liave their children made worshipful, they shall find worshipful, more worshipful names given to the preaching minister, than to any one sort of men. The noblest creatures that God hath made be the hea- venly spirits and angels, which be always in heaven most happy for the continual beholding of liis glory ; and for their office' sake are chosen and called angels, because they be sent on his message, and do most willingly go at his command- Anjrci. ment. This word "angel" betokens not the substance of the creature, but the office ; and is a Greek word signifying a messenger, or embassador : this name "angel" was commonly used to be given to these heavenly messengers, whom God sends [on] his message from his holy place of majesty : as Gabriel the angel was sent to the virgin Maiy, and other to brangci? Joseph, Daniel, Moses, &c. This name is also given to the preachers for the heavenly comfort that they bring to man Rev. i. ii. f^Qjjj Qq^^ whosc mcssengcrs they be. In the Revelation St John writes to the seven angels, that is to say, to the seven ministers, of the seven congregations or churches in Marki. Asia. John Baptist was called the angel of the Lord, or embassador, sent to prepare his ways. And whom do kings use to send embassadors, but such as be faithful and trusty, whom they love, and [to] whom they dare commit secret and weighty matters unto? What can be more worshipful than to be God's embassador, and in such trust with him that Eph. vi. God will vouchsafe to send him on his message? St Paul desires the Ephesians to pray for him, that h,e might have utterance given him to speak and preach the gospel freely, for the which he was sent embassador. 2 Corinthians v, he saith his embassage stood chiefly in this point, to reconcile us to God. stewards. Is not the steward's office an high office, and of great- est credit in great men's houses, and at their commandment and appointing all things be done? They provide and give all in their master's house meat in due season, &c. St 1 Cor. iv. Paul therefore saith, " Let a man thus think of us, that we be the servants of God and stewards of his secret mysteries," M.itt. xxiv. ^vhich be meat for our souls. St Matthew in a parable calls the preachers stewards, appointed over God's house, to give Por'tcrs!''' their fellow-servants meat in due season. St Mark calleth V. 12, 1,3.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 107 them porters in God's house, having in commandment to watch that no thieves nor imruly persons come in to trouble the house. They be called " the light of the world," to lead Light. other the right way : they be "the salt of the earth," to season Sait. us, that by corruption we do not smell evil before God : they be God's soldiers, to fight for his people, as St Paul says, " No man goes to war on his own wages." They be watch- watiiimcn. men, to give warning when enemies come. They be dogs, to nos:s. bark and awake us out of our deadly sleep, when we forget God. They be the mouth of God, that where we were not able to stand in the sight of God, if he should speak unto us in his glorious majesty, he doth vouchsafe to speak unto us by the mouth of his minister, being a man as we be, and whom we should believe to be sent from God as long as he teaches Christ and his word. These names of trust and credit are given to preachers for the commendation and setting forth of their office, which they bear in God's house ; and that they should not think it a vile, but a most worshipful room. And to make them more regarded, the Lord counts those injuries done to himself, which be done to his preachers, saying : " He that despises jiatt. [x.] you, despises me ; and in what town soever ye come, if they will not receive you, shake the dust off your feet, and it shall bear witness against them in the day of judgment." And because he joins to the next saying, " In the mes- sages of the Lord ;" it doth us to weet the faithfulness of this prophet in his duty, that he speaks nothing but the words of the Lord truly, which sent him ; which rule all true preachers should follow. But of this is enough spoken in the verses before. Now follows the glad tidings of the gospel to comfort this people withal after the great threatenings of God, which the prophet here pronounced in the former verses. For as God works in his creatures, that after winter comes summer, and after a storm fair weather: so in the .spiritual doctrine of our souls, first he teaches repentance, preaches the law, threatens vengeance for sin, casts down man in his own sight, and lets him look even into hell with fear of conscience for his disobedience ; but afterwards he comforts him, raises him up, and heals him, that this may be found true that is said of our Saviour Christ, " I came not to call the righteous, Matt. 108 EXPOSITION UPOX [cH. I. but sinners to repentance and " they that be whole need not the pliysician, but the sick." finft'toVe prophets use the same trade in teaching, as Esay taught, and in his first chapter calleth the Jews worse than beasts ; for then the * gospel. " the ox would know his master, and the ass his master's manger, but they would not know their God and the rulers he calls the " princes of Sodom," and " fellows with thieves." Jonas also in the beginning of his prophecy saith, "Within forty days Nincve shall be destroyed." Sophony's' first words be, that God " will destroy man, beast, fowl, corn, and fruit of the earth." But afterwards every one of them prophesies of Christ, promises blessing from God, with increase of all wealth and goodness. Likewise John Baptist began his Matt. iii. preaching: " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And oiu- Saviour Christ began his preaching with the self- same words, Peter in his first sermon, after they received Acts iii. the Holy Ghost, rebuked the Jews sharply for crucifying Christ the giver of life, and for asking Barabbas a mm-derer to be delivered unto them : but when their conscience pricked them, they asked what they should do ; and he comforts them, bids them repent, and be baptized every one of them in the name of Christ. So here, after the sharp preaching of the law, and threatening of God's plagues, followeth the sweet comfort of the gospel ; for he saith, "I am with you, saith the Lord :" as though he should say. Let nothing grieve you, neither the greatness of the sin, that ye have been so negligent in forgetting the building of this house so long; nor the great cost, as though ye were not able to bear and perform it ; nor be not afraid of the king's officers which stopped you ; for "I am with you, saith the Lord," whose power they cannot withstand, whose mercy passeth your misery, and who can pardon and forgive more than you can sin, and who shall be judge of your doings, and am able to forgive all things trespassed against me. All the riches of the earth is mine, and I bestow it as pleases me : the hearts of kings and rulers be in ray hand, and I rule them as I think good: when I will, they shall shew you favour and friendship ; and when they lust they shall not stop, hurt, nor hinder my work according to their desire or pleasure, as Zeplianiiih's. Ed.] V. 12, 13.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. • 109 much as they would : but those that fear and love me, I will bless, and they shall not have any harm, and my works shall prosper and go forwards in their hands, as I think good, in despite of all their foes : therefore let nothing fear nor trouble you ; for I, whom all things do obey, am with you, saith the Lord. These are but few words in number, but they are mighty in operation and working, where they be received with an earnest faith ; and so mighty, that whosoever hears and be- lieves them to be spoken of God, is not afraid to attempt anything, be it never so great and hard. When Jacob was Gen. xui. doubting and afraid, whether he should go into Egypt to his son Joseph or no, God spake to him and said, "Jacob, be not afraid ; for I will go down into Egypt with thee, and I will bring thee out again also."' Then Jacob, fearing neither God's help the death of his son Joseph, nor the displeasure that might stirreth us up to enter- come to him and his, if either he or yet Joseph offended pi isi- meat the king ; nor yet lest Joseph should lose his authority by a new king, as it is commonly seen ; nor the jeopardy of the journey, no, nor yet any other worldly thing that could or might chance, [but] went into Egypt boldly with all his children and substance, and was defended by God. When Moses keeping .sheep saw the fire in the bush, and God Exod. iii. said unto him, that he would send him to king Pharao to deliver his people, he was afraid and marvelled that he, being but a shepherd, should be sent on such a message to so mighty a prince: but after that God had promised him that he would be with him, he was encouraged, and took in hand to go to Pharao on his embassage, and to lead God's people out of Egypt. When God sent his angel to Gedeon, Jmi?. vi. threshing his corn, and said he should deliver the people from their enemies, which invaded their country and lay as thick in number as grasshoppers do in the field; Gedeon doubted at the matter, until such time as God said unto him, that he would be with him. And after trial of his faith in that promise made unto him, he durst with three hundred naked men, having no weapons but earthen-pots, a fire-brand and horns in their hands, set on their enemies which fled all away, as soon as they heard the potsherds knocked together. 110 EXPOSITION UPON Matt. vwiii. Qm- Saviour Christ, after his ascension, sending his apos- tles into the whole world to preach and baptize, addeth no greater thing to comfort them withal in this great and dan- gerous enterprise, that so few unlearned men should conquer the whole world, but saith, "Behold, I am with you, even to the end of the world." What good success their preach- ing had, we at this present day yet feel and see : and also, how he is present always with his, even to the end; and Johnxvii. Yioyf true his prayer is, that he did not pray only for his apostles, but for all that should believe on him by their preach- Rom. viii. j^g When St Paul saith that he was persuaded, that nei- ther nakedness, prison, hunger, persecution, nor life, neither death, angels, nor powers could pull him from the love in Christ Jesu ; he had nothing to strengthen himself withal, Actsxxvii. but that God promised that he was with him, and then he boldly said, " If God be with us, who can be against us f All be but dust, worms, and vileness in his sight: nothing can prevail against those, whom he doth assist with his grace. Therefore, when we doubt to take in hand any good work, which agrees with the word of God, for any worldly reasons or carnal fear ; let us stir up our faith, and hear God speaking and saying unto us, " I am with you, be ye not afraid." If thy conscience bear thee sure witness, that thou seekest no- thing but the glory of God, and the profit of his people; no doubt God will assist thee in such enterprises, and offers this his promise to thee also, saying, " I am with thee : be not afraid," but go on forwards, and I will bless thy doings, seem it never so hard or impossible to thee. 14. The Lord leaked up the spirit of Zeruhahel, son of SalatMel, prince of Juda, and the spirit of Josua son of Josedec the high priest, and the spirit of cdl the remnant of the people: and they went and wrought in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15. In the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the se- cond year of king Darius. This is a notable metaphor, and worthily sets forth thtf nature of sin, in that he saith, " The Lord waked up the V. 14, 15.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. Ill .spirit of all this people:" for sin is a sleep of the soul, having no fear nor feeling of Crod, so long as a man lies in it. " It is now time," saith St Paul, " to awake out of Rom- ">"• sleep," meaning sin. God in his word by such outward bodily things declares unto us the nature of spiritual things, j|™'^J^°f both good and evil. As the dead body lies rotting and stink- ing in the grave, fearful to look on, and grievous to re- member ; so when we lie buried in sin, we stink in the sight of God ; he cannot abide to look at us, nor will remember us. And as we, when the body lieth on sleep in the bed, which is an image of our grave, can neither see, feel, hear, taste, smell, understand, nor yet move out of the place, until we be awaked, nor can take any pleasure at all in any one creature of God ; so when we lie wallowing in sin, we nei- ther see the majesty of God with the eyes of our faith, nor feel his mercies offered unto us in his dear Son and our only Saviour Christ Jesus, nor yet can we taste at all how sweet the Lord is. Our ears are stopped from hearing good counsel ; we perceive nothing at all of God's goodness to- wards us; his word is not savoury unto us, neither yet be we moved or stirred up to do any one good work of charity. But now it pleased the Lord, pitying their misery, to wake them up out of this dead sleep, and set them in hand with building of his house again. But where he had preached to them both the law and the gospel, threatenings and comforts ; with the plagues they were moved to nothing but fear, as is said in the verses before : but after they heard the glad tidings of the gospel, that God promised to be with them; then they were awaked out of their sleep, and wrought lustily. So it is the gospel that l^^^^^L quickens and gives life ; but the law kills, fears, and threatens. s°^p}^ ' o ' 'J quickens. For as after sleep the body being awaked, it is fresh, lusty, strong and courageous to do his work; so after the fearful threatenings of the law when we hear the glad tidings of the gospel, that God will be our Lord and dwell with us, the mind is comforted, strengthened, and moved up to do his duty. And as a man is judged to be waking when he can do the office of a man, as talk, work, write, or such like ; so is man awaked out of the sleep of sins, when he lives in charity, fears God, and walks according to his law in his vocation. 112 EXPOSITION UPON Further, as when a man lies in his dead sleep, he cannot awake, except some noise awaken him, or some other call him ; so can we not arise out of sin, except the Spirit of God, or his preacher, which is his watchman, with often crying unto us awake us. "Cry" therefore "and cease not," saith isai. iviii. Esay the prophet ; " Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and tell my people tlieir wickedness." So that it is the trumpet of God's word continually sounding in our ears, which is the only way to awake us out of this sinful sleep. But the papists turn the order, and say. Cease and cry not ; hold thy peace, and say nought ; live in rest and be still ; and so let all go to havoc, and the people perish. Thus we may learn here the necessity of preaching, and Prov. xxix. what inconvenience follows where it is not used. " Where l)reaching fails," saith Salomon, " the people perish :" there- is'^mSst"^ fore let every man keep himself in God's school house, and necessary. Jgarn liis Icsson diligently ; for as the body is nourished with meat, so is the soul with the word of God, as St Matthew Matt. iv. saith : " A man doth not live hy bread only, but in every word that comes from the mouth of God." This is then the or- dinary way to keep us in the fear of God, and continual remembrance of the last day, often and diligently to read and hear God's word preached unto us : for that is it which doth Eccius. vii. and will kill sin in us, as it is written, " Remember the last end, and thou wilt not sin." Rom. X. Faith is kept and increased by the same means that it is gotten : it is gotten by hearing, and hearing comes of the word : let us therefore hear and read it diligently. What is the cause that the papists lie so sound on sleep in their abominations, but that they care not for preaching, nor think it so necessary; and because they would not be told of their faults, that they might amend them ? Where sin is not re- buked, it is not known to be sin : nor it will not be amended, without much crying on. David the good king and true prophet of God, after he had gotten with child Urias' wife, could not awake out of that sleep of sin, until he was warned by the prophet Nathan, notwithstanding all and singular such great gifts, which God hath endued him withal ; but invented one policy after another to cloke his 2Sam. xi. wlioredom and naughtiness withal. First, he sendeth for V. 14, 15.] THE I'nOPHET AGGEUS. 113 Urias home, being his faithful soldier in his wars, willing him to go home to his wife ; thinking that, if he had lien by her, the child might have been called his. But when he saw that Urias would not go home to his wife, he devised to send him with letters unto Joab the captain, that he should be set in the fore front, when the town should be assaulted, and that his fellows should flee from him, that he might be slain. This policy David wrought so privily, that he thought no man should espy it: for who dm-st open the king's letters 'I But at length cometh Nathan the prophet, and telletli him a parable, how there was a rich man, that had many sheep, and a poor man his neighbour had but one, which he loved most dearly : the rich man took this one sheep from the poor man, and Nathan asked what this man had deserved. Then answered David in anger, and said, he deserved death : then said Nathan, Thou hast given a very good sentence : it is even thou thyself that hast done this deed ; thou shalt die. For thou hast many wives, and couldest not be content with them, but hast taken thy poor neigh- bour's, Urias'' wife." Then cried David, " I have sinned and made that worthy psalm fifty and one: "O God, have mercy on me according to thy great mercy, and according to thy many mercies wash away my wickedness. And yet more wash me from my wickedness, &c." But before Nathan came, he lay without feeling of his sin, or yet any remorse of conscience at all knowing that he had done evil. So when the good king Ezechias, being restored to his for- 2 Kings xx. mer health, had letten the embassadors of the king of Babel, which came to rejoice for his recovery, see all his treasure and jewels, being very proud of them ; Esay the prophet comes unto him, and asketh what they had seen : he told him : Well, saith Esay, even from thence a king shall come to rob and spoil all these treasures that thou hast been proud of. Then the king knowledged his fault, but not before he was rebuked by the propliet. Peter, until he was rebuked of Paul for his dissimulation with the gentiles, did not leave Gai. ii. it. Joas was a good king, as long as Jehoiada the high priest ^chron. lived ; for he followed his good counsel : but after he fell from God, when he would hear no good counsel at all. 8 [iMMCIXOTON-.] 114 EXPOSITION UPON Thus we see liow necessary it is for us fo be kept in God's school, and hear the trumpet of his word sounding continually in our ears, to awake us up out of this deadly sleep of sin, and stir us forward to a diligent doing of our duties. What a pride is this for us to think so highly of ourselves, that we be so far more holy, strong, wise, learned, more aljle to stand, than these good men were; and that we need not such continual teaching and counsel, but that we may well enough want it ! These men fell when they heard not the voice of the prophets : and yet we, that are not so much worthy as once to be compared unto them in the gifts of God, think we shall stand of ourselves. welchlg Many will say, ^Vhat should I do at the sermon? I know ou^^lt." much before I go, as I shall learn there : I can read the scripture at home, and comfort myself sufficiently. These are better than they that will neither hear nor read, but say, I know there is no more but do well and have well : I know this is all that can be said, Love God above all things, and thy neighbour as thyself : I can say my pater noster and my creed as well as he ; and further I know, that in the one is contained all things necessary to be asked at God's hand, and in the other all that is to be believed : and what can or should a man have more than this 1 — These sayings, although they bo true, yet are they most brutish, and nothing else in very deed but naughty excuses to cloke our slothful wicked- ness withal; and signify plain that we would not in any wise have preaching, because we would not hear our faults rebuked, nor yet our minds exercised in meditation of God and his goodness, of our own sin and misery. St Paul to Phil. HI. ^Y\e Philippians saith, that he was not ashamed to write one thing often to them, and it was for theii- safety. The Matt. .\xv. parable of the five foolish virgins and the five wise teacheth plainly, that both the wise and the foolish did both nap, slumber, yea, and fall hard on sleep ; wherein is set before us all our natures, whether we be foolish or wise : we fall on sleep forgetting God, when we should watch for his coming, though we think never so highly of ourselves, if we have not the light and burning lamp of God's eternal word burning in our hearts. "What a foolislmess is it to think that we can or sliall V. 14, 15.] THE PROPHET ACGEUS. 115 stand, wlicre as every one hath fallen that is gone before us; or that we shall escape, where every one else hath been taken ! There is not the best learned man, but he needs often to hear the preachings and counsel of others, although he can comfort himself in his private studies and in reading the scriptures never so well. For as the physician, when he is sick, cannot heal himself, nor hath not his judgment so per- fectly as he had before he was sick, but seeketh help at another physician's hand ; so the learnedcst man living, as long as he liveth, and beareth sinful flesh about with him, shall have sinful and froward lusts and affections reigning in him, which blindcth his sight, that he seeth not his own sins, until he be warned of them by others. St Peter saith he would put them in remembrance of their duty, as long as ^ Pet- "• he lived, although they knew it well. What should move Paul so often and so earnestly to write unto Timothy and to Titus, having such worthy gifts as they had, if they need not to bo warned of their duties ? For what cause should either David have had the prophet of God, Nathan, sent of God ^ '^'^ himself unto him, or yet Ezechias the prophet Esay, either the apostles to be sent forth by couples together, or yet to ^"^'^ meet in counsel at Jerusalem, and there to decree hard mat- ters, if one should not learn at another? And mark here that he saith, all were fallen on sleep, and lay still on sleep, until the Lord awaked them up by this his prophet Aggeus ; both Zerubabel the prince and chief ruler in the commonwealth, Josua the high priest and chief in religion, and all the people also : not so much as one from the highest to the lowest that did his duty herein, but were all fallen on sleep. What would the pope say, if a man should tell him he pope were on sleep and fallen from God ? Would he not straight- ways rage, fret and fume, and say that he was God's vicar, or at least Peter's successor here in earth, and that he could not err, but every thing which he did or said was both good and also godly ? Surely this high priest, otherwise a very good man, bearing the figure of Christ, and much commended in Zachary the prophet, and having his authority given him of God, and coming unto it by descent also according to the law of Moses, had thus foully fallen on sleep, and forgotten 8—2 116 EXPOSITION UPON [cn. God : and sliall wo tliiiilc tliat tlie pope, living in the puddle of sin, given to follow all pleasure, and usurping authority against God and his saints, cannot do or say amiss? And as I noted before, so it is not to be lightly con- sidered, that where so often the prophet here rehearseth the names of Zerubabel and Josua, the two chiefest rulers ; yet ruieHs'' evermoro setteth in order the civil magistrate and power pSs?^ before the chief priest, to signify the pre-eminence and pre- ferment that he hath in the commonwealth and other mat- ters, more than the chief priest, by what name so ever he be called, whether it be the pope, archbishop, or metropoli- tan. They that iiiiiidnot When they were thus awaked, "they went and \M-ought hm.sVlicep house of the Lord their God." This is a sure ar- III sill. gument that a man is awaked, and not still on sleep, when he can and will go work about his business. It is not enough to say he is awaked and will work, but to work indeed. So differs the hypocrite and dissembler from the true charitable man, that the one hath nothing but fair, glosing words, and the other, as oft as he hath occasion offered, doth it indeed, without boasting or cracking of it : for lie that doth not work in very deed, is on sleep still, what fair face soever Matt. vii. & ]je make on it. The gospel saitli plainly, that " by their fruits ye shall know them." And the two sons, whereof the one, when his father bade him go work in his vineyard, .said he would and did not, the other said nay, and went, only he that wrought did his father's will. So only be they awaked, which work in the Lord's house : the other either slumber, dream, or else be hard on sleep, and do not their due work in building the house of the Lord our good God. When they began to lay the foundation of this temple, 2Kingsxvii. the people of the countrj-, which were placed there by Sal- manasar, would have holpen them to build, and said they worshipped the same God that they did, (because they per- ceived that the good king Cyrus favoured them at that pre- sent;) but after that Assuerus, the next king following, had stopped them from building any more, they were most earn- estly against them. The good men that were amongst them perceived their dissembling, and would not suffer them to work with them. So many amongst us, which be papists indeed, V. 14, 15.] THE PROPIIKT AGGEUS 117 when they see that tliey sliall please the rulers, will cry most earnestly for the building of God's house, and pretend as though they would work most stoutly : but if they see the world turn, they \\'ill be the first and most earnest destroyers of the same. Such false brethren must be most diligently taken lieed of, and not be suffered to join themselves with the true \\ orkmen, lest they betray all the good ; as we both feel and see our papists to have done, to the slander of God and his word, our hurt and shame. St Paul telleth often - Cor. xi. how great dangers he was in ; but he complaineth of none more than of false brethren, which make a shew of godli- ness, and yet are most wicked within, even very wolves in lambs' skins. But these men, after they were thus awaked by the preaching of Aggeus, went and wrought, now no longer about their own houses, as before, seeking their own profit and commodity ; but in the house of the Lord of hosts, whose power now they feared, and mighty hand they had felt so long, and yet not worthily regarded the heaviness of his displeasure, nor his great plagues that he had laid upon them so many years. It was noted in the verses before, why God is called' the Lord of hosts, which is for the great, mighty, sundry, and divers ways that he hath conquered, and uses to conquer, those which i-ebel against him. This is the strength and power that comes by the word of God ; that where it is diligently heard and faithfully believed, it ^^''^^^('jj'Jfg maketh us altogether new men, of loiterers workers, and al- !;fJJ' together lusty and courageous, and afraid of no displeasure, so that we may work in the Lord's house. If w e mark in what sort and case these people were, we shall better perceive what effect this little short i)reaching took in them. They had lien many years not regarding the building of God's house, for fear of the king's displeasure, who had commanded the rulers in the country to stop the building of that house : but now, partly for fear of the plagues which the mighty Lord of hosts had threatened to lay on them, and chiefly that God had promised that he would be with them, they were so stirred up that they regarded not now their own gain and pleasure, nor they lis EXPOSITION UPON [cH, I. feared not the king's officers'' displeasure, which had for- bidden tliem to build any more ; but straight without suing for a new commission or licence of the king, or speaking with the king's officers, they set up their work, knowing that he which promised would be with them, and that they should prosper well in it, for ho was able and would per- Ezrav. form it. In Esdras it appears what bold answer they make, when the king's officers asked them by what authority they began to renew their old work ; and that letters wore sent to king Darius, to know whether they should be suffered to go forward in their building or not. But God so moved the king's heart, that he gave them not only libei-ty to build, but money also to do it withal : and by the strength of God they had not only given the enterprise, but also went for- ward in their building, asking no licence at all of any man, before they were complained on. This strength hath God's word when it is worthily re- ceived, that it maketh a man to forget liis own profit, yea lands, wife, children, goods, and life, and manfully to bear death, prison, fire, and displeasure of princes, so that he may do his duty to his Lord God, and escape his displeasure. Peter, who denied his Master at the voice of a handmaid, after he had received the Holy Ghost, was bold to confess Acts ix. him before lords and princes even to the death. Paul, in furious rage of his persecution, was stricken down, and of j.iiin iii. & a wolf rose up a lamb. Nicodemus, that afore durst not be known to be Christ's disciple, or bear him any good will, after durst ask the body of Pilate, and boldly buried it. Thus where true faith is given to God, commanding any thing to be done, or to the preaching of his word, it makes of haters lovers, of fearful bold, of persecutors preachers, and doth wholly change the nature of man, as David Psai. xix. saith, "The law of the Lord is without spot, turning the minds of men." This was neither treason nor rebellion against the king, to do that wliich God by his prophet so straitly commanded, as was declared and noted before ; but they were rather traitors to God, that had not of so many years gone more earnestly about that building of God's house, as God willed them to do. V. 14, 1.5.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 119 And where ho calls God their God yet after so great and long disobedience ; it commends unto us the long suffering God is long- and merciful goodness of our God, that will not forsake us for a fault or two, nor in a year or two, but continually beareth with us, calling us to him by all means possible, and would not one of the least to perish. " All tlie day long," saith God by his prophet Esay, " I have stretched out my isai. ixv. hands to a people that speaks against me, and faithless.'" But of this is enougli spoken before. And where he addeth this, and saith, " They went and wrought in the Lord's house the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, and the same second year of Darius it teaches us the earnestness of them towards their work, now after they were thus awaked and stirred up out of their sleep. They had but three weeks and three days, both to hear this preaching of Aggeus, and to make ready their tools to work withal ; which time had been little enough to have prepared their tools in, although they had not had any other business to have been occupied withal. The prophet was sent from God the first day of the sixth month, as appears in the first verse; and now, the twenty-fom-th day of the same month, they began to renew their work with a lusty courage : so the whole time both to hear the preaching, and prepare all things necessary for their great work, was but three weeks and tlu:ee days. So earnestly doth true faith work, where Faithful God is truly feared, and his commandment reverently obeyed, no iieiays. that they cannot bo quiet until they have done that which God commands. There is nothing now that can hinder them from this work, neither the fear of the king's displeasure, nor the costliness of the great work, nor the greediness of their own profit, which they sought so much before, neither the greatness of their disobedience in so long forgetting their Lord God ; but with one mind and courage they set up this great costly work, manfully continuing in it, and happily finish it in four years' space, notwithstanding the great lets, hinderance, and accusations that were made against them to the king, and other divers ways many. This promise that God had made them, that ho would be with them, had so encouraged them, that nothing could stop them from their 120 EXPOSITION vvoy I snm. xvii. work : but as David, going to fight with Goh'as, was not afraid of all liis strength, harness, nor yet his power and might, but said, " Tliou coniest against me trusting in tliine own strength, and I come to fight with thee with this little sling and few stones, in the name of the living God of Israel so they were bold in him only to set on this great work. If they were thus stirred up by this little preaching, what dulness shall we think to be in ourselves, that after such con- tinual crying and calling cannot be awaked to do our duties ! Is it any marvel that God doth so often and so grievously plague us, seeing we should without all excuses do it, which he commandeth us; and yet in so long time we cannot be brought to fear him as we should do ! We may also learn, what a treasure it is to have God's word amongst us, seeing it is the ordinary way that he liath ordained to bring us unto Scripture is him by ; and M'hat a grief it is to want the continual preaching necessary •' _ . anVno™^"' saiuc : and also the wickedness of the papists, that cause of thus do rob the people of it, and would make them to believe that it were not necessary for them, but brings them into heresies, and that it is tlie mother of all heresy and mischief, and that there was never good world since the scripture was in English, with such like blasphemies. But if we mark the scripture throughly in all ages, we shall find that in good kings' days, which maintained God's word and his true religion, as David, Salomon, Josaphat, Joas, Ezechias, Josias, in Juda only there was more plenty of all worldly Ijlessings, than there was in all Israel beside, where as the scripture was not regarded. Again : if ye mark well all the ancient heretics, even from the beginning, as Arius, Pelagius, Valcntinus, Marcion, Sabellius, Donatus, Eutyches, &c., jou shall find none at all, or veiy few, that were unlearned, but all for the most part were great clerks ; and by this reason then the learned, rather than the unlearned, should be kept from the scriptures, if reading the scripture make heretics. For men fall chiefly into heresies, when they trust to their own wits and learning, forsaking or not sub- mitting their wits unto God's wisdom contained in his infallible word and truth. If they will let the people hear the scripture V. 14, 15.] THE PKOPHET AGGEUS. 121 in sermons, I cannot tell why they should not be suffered to read it. ^Vhy should rather heresy come by reading than by hearing ? Nay, this is their meaning, they would have no preaching, nor yet reading, saving of their dirty dregs' of popery, which maintains their idle lordliness ; whereas the scripture setteth out their wickedness, which they will not have known, nor yet once touched. The Lord, for his mercy's sake, defend us from their tyranny ! Amen. A PRAYER. Most mighty Lord and merciful Father, which didst stir up the Jews to the building of thy house by the preacliing of thy prophet Aggeus : we thy miserable creatures, oppressed with sin, and living in blindness, beseech thee for thy mercy sake, have mercy upon us, and thrust out diligent workmen into thy harvest ; send out faithful preachers, which may by tlie hard threatenings of thy law, and comfortable promises of thy gospel, awake all thy people out of their dead sleep, wherein they lie wallowing, forgetting thee and their duty. ^Ve have all sinned from the highest to the lowest, in not earnestly professing thy holy word and religion ; both the princes, rulers, and magistrates, bishops, ministers of all sorts, and all the people : no state nor condition of men hath done their duty herein unto thee, our only Lord and God. Therc- Ibrc we all with heavy hearts fall down flat afore thy throne (if grace and majesty : we beg, crave, and ask thee forgiveness of our great sins : open our eyes, 0 good God, that we may ]'_' Old editions dniggcis, which is a form soiiictinu-s used for dntys. But see p. 100, 1. 22. Ed.] 122 A PRAYER. consider the plagues, wliicli tliou hast laid on us so long for our great disobedience towards thee and thy word. Give us new hearts, and renew tliy Holy Spirit within us, 0 Lord ; that both the rulers may faithfully minister justice, punish sin, defend and maintain the preaching of thy word, and that all ministers may diligently teach thy dearly beloved flock, pur- chased by the blood and death of tliine own and only dear Son our Lord, and that all people may obediently learn and follow thy law, to the glory of thy holy name for Clu-ist's sake, our only Lord and Saviour. ClIAP. II. V. ]. In the seventh month, and the twenty-fir&t day of i^/"? tuc text. month, was the word of the Lord sent ly the hand of Aggeus the prophet, saying : 2. Speak to Zeruhabel, the son of Salathiel, ruler of Je- huda, and to Josua the son of Josedec, the chief priest, and to the remnant of the people, say ing : 3. Who is left amongst you, that hath seen this house in his former glory? and tvhat a one you see it now! is it not liJce as it icere nothing in your eyes ? As concerning the reckoning oF years, months, and days enough was spoken in the first chapter : and what it is to be sent by tlic hand of a prophet, whoso hist, there he may read. This message sent now in the seventh month, and the next that comes in the ninth, declare the good will of Clod towards them that build his house, and how ready God is to further all their doings. They began to work the twenty- ibnrth day of the sixth month, and had continued to the twenty-first day of the seventh month ; and then, lest the fear of the king or the rulers should discourage them, they had need to be comforted : therefore Aggeus is sent unto them again to encourage them, lest they should have fainted or left off working. Again, in the eighth month is the prophet Zachary sent unto them, and in the ninth month Aggeus is sent twice ; and all because they should not let their work slip, but with a courage finish it ; and that also they ^.^^ ^ ,^ might see how true it is, that "to every one that liath it [|".';',','|']|',,('" shall be given," and for them which work courageously in sc"'-' the Lord's vineyard, how well the Lord is delighted with them and blesses them. Thus God knowing the weakness of this' people, every month sends new messages unto them, that they may under- stand what a care he hath over them, and that they should trust in him which had all things in liis hands to rule at his [' First edition Ids. Ei)."l 124 EXPOSITION L'PON pleasure ; and not to trust in themselves, which of themselves could do nothing. Let us therefore work in the Lord's house, and no doubt he will send us comfort enough. Now, where he is bidden speak to Zerubabel the prince, to Josua the chief priest, and to the remnant of the people ; and so often rehearses them in this same order in this pro- phecy; it doth us to understand, that there is one doctrine of salvation to be taught unto all sorts of men, and that all sorts are bound to hear and learn the same: and besides that, it teaches the preferment of the civil magistrate or ruler to the priest, as was noted before. And herein we shall chiefly learn the wickedness of them that withhold the scriptures from the lay people, saying, it is not meet for them to be so much occupied in hearing the same. For the prophet saith here sundry times, that he was sent to all the people as well as to the rulers ; and therefore it was their duty to learn and hear his message as diligently as it was the rulers'. And this is a great occasion, why that all rulers should behave themselves lowly towards the people, Aiithinjs seeing God hath made all things, as concerning salvation, nre Riven°to comuiou and of One sort both to poor and rich, that by men in like, this means he might increase brotherly love betwixt both Eph. iv. parts. " There is one Lord God," saith St Paul, " of all," both poor and rich, one Holy Ghost that makes us all holy, " one baptism, one faith" that we believe, one Saviour Jesus Christ, one Father in heaven unto whom we pray, one ever- lasting kingdom which we all look for, one scripture and Avord to teach us, one sacrament for us all; we be born, gotten, die, and buried all in like ; and a great knot it is of love amongst us, seeing we speak one language, being of one country or town, and one air which we receive, one fii-e, sun, moon, stars, earth, herbs, trees, corn, cattle, fish, fowl, that we be fed on : we go, stand, sleep, work all alike, &c. All the difference that is betwixt us is this : that one is higher in authority, better clad or fed, hath a prouder coat or a softer bed, or more store of money, lands, or servants, than another hath; Mhicli thing helps not to salvation. But what vain things these be to rejoice in, or to despise one another for that wants them, the things themselves do declare. V. ], 2, 3.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 125 For he that wants all these not necessary things to salvation, is commonly better man, more lusty, strong, and healthful than the other, as is said in the verses before. And to re- joice in ancient blood, what can be more vain l Do we not all come of Adam, our earthly father 1 and say we not all, " Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed, fcc." ? How can we crack then of our ancient stock, seeing we came all both of one earthly and heavenly Father ? If ye mark the common saying, how gentle blood came up, ye shall see how true it is : When Adam dalve, and Eve span, Who was then a gentleman? Up start the carle, and gathered good. And thereof came the gentle blood.' And although no nation has anything to rejoice in of them- selves, yet England has less than other. We glory much to be called Britons; but if we consider what a vagabond Brutus was, and what a company he brought with him, there is small cause of glory. For the Saxons, of whom we come also, there is less cause to crack. So that of Brutus we may well be called brutes for our brutish conditions, and of the Saxons saxi, that is, stout and hard-hearted : but if we go up to Cain, Japhet, and such other fathers of us gentiles, we may be ashamed of our ancestors : for of all these we come, that knew no God. TuUy, a heathen philosopher, telleth how many ways men iiowautiio- came first to have great possessions, and waxed moj-e wealthy and mighty in the earth than others did : either by coming into void places, (saitli he) wliere as none did dwell, and then every man took to himself as much ground as he would ; or else they got it in the wars by power from others; or bought it ; or else by gift, or descent. So that at the first wo were all alike, not one better than another : and we sliall be also all alike angels at the last. For in heaven there is no higher place for rich men, nor lower for the poor ; but every man according as he hath done, so shall he receive. If the \j The last two Hnes are wanting in the second edition. In both editions the first line has rfa/re, as here printed: Chaucer uses da/fe in the preterit tense. Ed.] 126 EXPOSITION UPON [cil. II. poor and rich man's blood were Ijoth in one basin, how should tlie one be known to be better than the other, seeing we crack so much of it ? Yet doth this derogate nothing from that honour and dignity, which is due to all princes and magistrates in this life of all sorts of men: but it is only spoken how all sorts shall obtain the life to come, and that we should not overmuch rejoice in worldly vanities, but in God alone, that we have him for om- God. And whereas the prince, priest, and people, have all one lesson taught them, and no difiPerenco at all is made betwixt them, how to please God, we may see the wickedness of our priests, that by their trentals and other masses can help, as they say, others to heaven, but they themselves care not for such baggage, and buy none of them for themselves, because they think them unprofitable ; or else they see there is another way to heaven than this, and therefore will not use this at all for themselves, but deceive others therewith : or rather they care not for heaven, but will here live at ease, and enrich themselves, they care not how, not hoping for another life. But the prophet here, and all the scrip- ture throughout, teaches one way of salvation for all sorts of men, whatsoever they be, how to live and die and enjoy heaven. The efTect of this message now is to comfort them, that they should not faint in their work, but manfully go on for- wards, and luckily finish the building of God's house, being discouraged at nothing. Many there were that, beside the fear of the king's displeasure, which had forbidden them to build any more, seeing the gorgeousness of the old temple builded by Salomon, and how slender a house this would be in comparison of that, were sore grieved at it and discom-aged. Esdras writeth, that when the ground-work and foundation was laid, some which had seen the old temple, how costly, great, and solemn it was, were very sorry to see this, how slender a work it would be in comparison of the old; and therefore they fell on weeping when as they considered it. The younger sort which had not seen the old temple, that was destroyed by Nabuchodonozor, and now seeing this go so well forward, took their instruments, sang psalms, and praised God that had given them so good and prosperous V. 1, 2, 3.] Tiiii: rnopiiET aggeus. 127 success; and were right glad that they might have such a house to resort unto, to make their prayers and sacrifices in, althougli it were not so costly and pleasant as they would wish. In which two sorts of men the one, as Esdras saith, wept because this house was not costly enough, nor becoming the majesty of God their Lord ; the other did sing and rejoice, that they had one so good a house as this was. We may learn the sorrow which good chi-istian hearts take, when they see God's true religion, not only coldly set forth, and negli- i"^*?;} gently followed, but also if it be not in such perfection as rcii-iun. it ought to be, and as they have seen or yet would wish. Also we be taught how we should rejoice, when we have any honest little house and religion granted unto us, to serve and worship our Lord and God in, so that it be according to his word: for the primitive chm-ch was glad, if they could get private houses to teacli in. The noise was so great, as Esdras saith, that a man could not discern whether was greater, the noise of them that sung, or of them which wept : therefore the prophet saith to them, which were so sorry and heavy for the slendcrncss of this building, that although this house seemed nothing in comparison of the other in beauty in their sight, yet it should appear a more glorious house afore God than the first. And so it came to pass, as afterwards it shall appear. must be borne seen this house in his former glory, &c.", the strong patience sCmnsiy, and longsuffering of the people of God, that had borne their gecnfiong. cross so long, and wore not weary of it ; but were very sorry that they could not have God worshipped so solemnly as they would. There was none that could have seen the first temple of Salomon standing in his glory, and now this second temple beginning to be renewed, but he must at the least be four- score years old, and yet be not past ten years old, wheiji it was destroyed by Nabuchodonozor. The years of the captivity in Babylon were seventy, as Jeremy promised, and the foundation of this temple was laid under Cyrus, the second year of their returning: so that if wo take these years besides those seventy years of captivity, they must have so many also after tlioy were born, that they might be able to remember the temple standing, which can 128 EXPOSITION UPON [ciI. II. be no less than ten years, or twelve : so that, all counted, they could be no less, but rather more, than fourscore years old: but if we reckon to this second of Darius, they must be anno 130 years old at the least. This I speak to note, how manfully they had borne their banishment under heathen kings, where they were prisoners, mocked, and evil entreated : whereas we are so tender, that we cannot abide a little sorrow for Christ's sake under christian rulers, nor cannot depart from our flesh pots and belly cheer. We call the Jews sturdy and stiff-necked people : but if we compare ourselves to them in many points, we shall find ourselves much worse. They Ps. cxxxvii. sat on the water-banks of Babylon seventy years weeping, and hanged their harps in the willows, instead of the temple, when they had sung their psalms : they were mocked, and yet manfully did they bear all sorrows : we being banished or punished under christian rulers, yet cannot be content with necessaries; but grudging that we want our old flesh pots of Egypt and our supei-fluous dainties, murmur and grudge at God's doings, and provoke his vengeance upon us. Matt. xxiv. 'jijg apostles coming to our Saviour Christ, and shewing him the goodly building and workmanship of this temple, which they now builded, wondered at the costly fineness of it : but these old men, which had seen the first temple of Salomon's building, wept because it was not good enough, nor to be compared to the first. Notwithstanding all the fineness of it our Saviour Christ told them that the days would come, when their enemies should come, besiege it, destroy it, and not leave one stone standing upon another : and so it came afterwards to pass by the Romans. The first house, if ye mark in the life of Salomon, where is de- scribed all the fashion of it, length, breadth, thickness, and height of the walls, the wideness of the house, and what things and jewels were in the house, it is much more gor- geous, costly, and pleasant than this second temple is, whose greatness Esdras telleth in the sixth chapter : but the things that were done in this second house by Christ and his apo- stles, were much more wonderous than those which were done 1 Kin?^ X. in the first. It was great glory that the queen of Saba came from the utmost part of the earth to see the first temple : but it was much more glorious that into the second temple V. I, 2, 3.] TIIF. PROniET AGGEUS. 129 came the Son of God from heaven, to preach his Fatlier\s will and the glad tidings of the gospel. As in the restoring of this second temple many old men did weep, because it was not so great, gorgeous, costly, and glorious as the first was ; so now in the restoring of the gospel many weep, when they see not the churches so well decked and furnished as before. The pope's church hath all things tI'^<; pleasant in it to delight the people withal : as for the eyes, their god hangs in a rope', images gilded, painted, carved most c'hiist's finely, copes, chalices, crosses of gold and silver, banners, &c. with relics and altars ; for the ears, singing, ringing, and organs piping ; for the nose, frankincense sweet, to wash away sins (as they say) holy water of their own hallowing and making ; priests an infinite sort, masses, trentals, diriges, and pardons, &c. But where the gospel is preached, they knowing that God is not pleased but only with a pure heart, they are content with an honest place appointed to resort together in, though it were never hallowed by bishop at all, but have only a pulpit, a preacher to the people, a deacon for the poor, a table for the communion, with bare walls, or else written with scriptures, having God's eternal word sounding always amongst them in their sight and ears; and last of all, they should have good discipline, correct faults, and keep good order in all their meetings. But as they wept to see this second house no more costly nor pleasant to the eye ; so our poor papists weep to see our churches so bare, saying they be like barns, there is nothing in them to make curtsey unto, neither saints nor yet their old little god. liut hereafter it appears, whether of these churches God is more de- lighted withal. For although these ceremonies in the old law were given by Moses for the hardness of the people, to keep them exercised, that they fall not to idolatry of the gentiles ; yet is there no mention of any of these in the New Testament, nor yet commandment now, neither to us nor them, but forbidden to be used of all, both of us and them. We be no longer under shadows, but under the truth : Christ hath fulfilled all, and taken away all such dark kind of cere- [' The pix, 01- box with the consecrated wafer, hiinp; up by a cord over the altar. En.] 9 130 EXPOSITION UPON [Cfl. 11. monies, and liatli placed the clear light of his gospel in his church to continue to the end. But the pope hath thrust the church full of more blind and wicked ceremonies, than ever Moses did : and where Acts XV. Peter said (when the apostles were consulting how many ceremonies should continue for a time) that it was not meet to lay on the gentiles" necks the yoke of Moses' law, which neither they nor their fathers could hear ; yet the pope, with cracks to be St Peter's vicar, contrary to St Peter's saying will lay on all people such a heap of his own ceremonies, and that under pain of cursing, as the Jews had never the like in foolish blindness, nor more in number. St Augustine saith, that Christ in the New Testament was content with few sacraments in number, but which were in signification most worthy, as baptism and the Lord's supper ' : but the pope hath made so many as pleased him, and that such as no scripture can allow. Thus we are taught here, not to esteem the goodness of things by an outward and glorious shew, but to be content with tlie homely simpleness that Christ taught us in his church, and used himself: for that is more pleasant than all the gorgeous device of man's brain. The wit of man is never content to submit itself to the wisdom of God, but pleases itself more in his owti inventions, than in that which God commands : but the gospel saith plainly, Lukexvi. that that which is so excellent in the sight of man is abo- minable in the sight of God. The text. y. 4. But iioip he stroHff, Zerulabel, saith the Lord, and be of pood courage, Josua, the son of Josedec, the chief priest, and pluck up your courage, all people of the earth, saith the Lord, and work; for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts. 5. / v:ill perform the promise which I made tcith you, when ye came out of Egypt; and my Spirit shall dwell in the midst of you: be not afraid. [} Sacramcntis numero paucissimis, observatione facillimis, signifi- catione prestantissimis, societatem novi populi colligavit; sicuti est haptisnius Tiinitatis nomine consecratus, communicatio corporis et sanguinis ipsius. Epist. ii. 54. Tom. ii. p. 186. P.ivis, 18.3G. En.] V. 4, 5.] THE PROPHET AP.GEUS. 131 Lest we faint in the midst of our work, where dangers be great and lets many, there is need of great comfort. The king's officers aslced them oftentimes, who gave tliem leave to renew this building, and what commission they had : the work was great and costly, and their own rulers and bretii- ren by bribing and usury had polled them so sore, that they might well think they were not able to finish it ac- cordingly : their sins and negligence were great, that they had deserved such plagues. Therefore to comfort them withal, God sends his prophet to encourao-e them all gene- They that o o Jiavp fallen rally, and particularly those by name which were chief in the most are^ commonwealth and religion, as Zerubabel and Josua, which comforted, had offended most, because they, being rulers, did neither their duty themselves, nor yet caused others to do theirs, which both they should have done ; first, in giving good example themselves, and after in seeing others to have done their duties in this building. I3ut as our Saviour Christ, after that he arose from death, sent Mary Magdalene and the other women to the disciples generally, and to Peter chiefly by name, both to comfort them all together (because they all had forsaken him), and to encourage namely Peter, because lie cracked most that he would never betray him, but after- ward fell the foulest of them all, and therefore had need to be comforted more than all ; so now Zerubabel and Josua by name are comforted of the prophet, because they had been more negligent than the rest, and should have been better than the rest. " Tell my disciples," .saith our Saviour Christ Mark xvi. to the women, " and tell Peter, that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me, as I told them before." Such a loving God is our Lord and INIaster, that lest weak con- sciences should despair, except they have comfort of forgive- ness, he sends unto them by name, he speaketh to some by name. The rest of the people are bidden be of good courage, for the Lord God would be with them, pardon and forgive them, aid them and further their doings ; but not by name, as these other were, because their offences were not so great as the rest were. So God hath yet in his church both general absolution. Absolution, and forgiveness of sins offered unto all by preaching his word, and promise made in Christ to the believers ; and also par- 9—2 132 EXPOSITION UPON [CH. II. ticular, to comfort the weak conscience withal, when as he applies to himself the promise declared unto him, and be- lieves the same. Work on still, saith the Lord, and be not dismayed of any trouble which ye see towards : for although ye think that many hosts of men be against you, yet fear ye not; for I the Lord of hosts, which have all my creatures ready harnessed to fight against them that strive against you my people, I say, I am with you. Who can prevail against you, when I am on your side ? How can any creature, that is but vile worms and ashes in comparison of me the ever- lasting God, prevail against me their God and Creator 1 Mark before, and ye shall better perceive here, why he doth so often call himself the Lord of hosts ; which is chiefly, because in such dangerous enterprises they had need of some strong man to take their part ; and where he had so many hosts ready to defend them as all his creatures from the highest to the lowest, they should not fear, for they had one stronger on their side to fight for them than all others could be that should fight against them. The selfsame words of comfort that were given them at the beginning to enterprise the building withal, are now re- peated again, that they should more manfully continue in the It is one same. Even so is it the .selfsame doctrine, faith and belief, which we by the which we are received into the number of God's peo- are received . ■, n into God's pie first by baptism ; by the which we increase and go tor- wjinch w/^^^ wards in t!ie same faith ; and by the which also we shall tiipfcarof enjoy heaven at the last: for even as in a child, when' he God, and by •' ' wiiich we be ffrows to 1)6 a mail, remains the same substance that was saved; and that in all m the child before, but now is made stronger bv age, and sorts of . & men. casts away all childish toys ; so in the same faith, which we profess in our baptism, must we grow and learn the full un- derstanding of it, that it may be felt sweeter unto us daily more and more while we live, even to our last end. And as the words are all one here, to comfort the rulers and people withal; so that faith is one also, by the which we shall all be saved. God hath not appointed one way nor gospel for the rich, and another for the ]Joor ; but all have one, as is said before: and so is he with all alike, as well with the people as with the rulers. He is not a partial God, but he When wanting in the second edition. En.] V. i,5.] 'IIIE riiOl'lIET AGGKUS. 133 is with .ill and defends all alike, jjrovidiiio; for all indiffei-- ently ; and will defend the simplest as well as the hif>liest, the people and subjects even as well as the prince. For as a natural father provides for and loves every child, and a good prince will not so look to one piece of his realm that he neglects the rest ; so (rod, our heavenly King and Father, will not so love some of his people that he will liate the rest, nor so ])rovide for a few that the other shall want ; but most lovingly provide for all, and saitli he will he with them all that work his work. With whomsoever God dwells, he can want nothing, no moi"e than he that stands in the sun can want light : for in God is the well of all goodness, and he gives part thereof to all them that be his, and that he takes into his tuition. "What comfort is in these words, and what it hath caused all faithful men to take in liand when God so promised them, enough was said before. Almost all the notable things in the scripture were taken in hand by the comfort that was taken in these few words, " I am with thee," and by the sure faith that was given to God by them. And as God requires nothing here of them but to work, and other things he himself would care for; so in all other our doings he reserves to himself the success and going forward of things, and nothing; .shall be ours but the work. He will give in- Let"swork, ^ , ... I"""*^- crease to all good things that are taken in hand in his name, ] (pv^-'^^ It will work such a fear in us towards God, that Sefiiifv? for no need or vantage we \A'0uld take or yet get one penny wrongfully, either by flattery, perjuiy, usury, bribery, lying, stealing, deceit, false weights and measures, or by any other unlawful means. For who durst take one half-penny, if that he were persuaded that it were God's, his Lord and ]\Iaker, who hates and punisheth all falseness ? Who dare be a thief and a traitor to God that is in heaven, who made and rules all in earth? But because he thinks it to be such a man's, and that God seeth him not, and man shall not perceive it; without all shame he deceiveth man, and robbeth his Lord God and heavenly Father. Therefore, ^hen the devil puts in thy heart to get any thing wrongfully, think with thyself : ' What shall I do l shall I be a thief to my Lord God, who made me and saved me ? these goods be not this V. 8, ().] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 151 man's only, but they be my Lord God's, who Iiath made him his steward over them, and unto whom he nmst make ac- count of them. And although I can deceive man in getting of them, yet God seeth all things, and nothing is hid from him.'' If true faith considered these things thus, no man would nor durst use any deceit in any kind of thing. Secondh/, If this saying were duly considered that all gold and silver is the Lord's, who durst misspend or waste, one farthing of it nnthriftly upon things not necessary? God hath given man all his creatures to serve for his necessary use : but to be a drunkard, a whore-hunter, a gamer, a swash-buckler', a ruffian to waste his money in proud ap- parel, or in hawking, hunting, tennis, or in such other un- profitable pastimes, but only for necessary refreshing of the wit after great study or travail in weighty affairs, he hath (I say) not allowed thee one mite. Eead the scriptures through, and thou shalt not find where gentlemen be allowed be°ano^wed to waste their money upon vain pastimes or unprofitable, ^i^^"te^hi3 more than the poor simple man is. In all good common- wealths there be no laws that give more liberty to sin to the rich than to the poor. God our heavenly Father, like a rich wise steward, deals his money abroad to us his serv- ants, some more, some less, as he thinks good; and saith unto us all, " Work until I come," and increase this por- ^^^-^ tion that is given you. Poor and rich hath this said unto him, and every one shall make an account unto him, and it shall be said to every one, " Make account of thy steward- ship." Look in the law of God, and there shalt thou find how to bestow thy money : and if thou cannot find it agreeing with God's word, it is evil, howsoever thou bestow it. For as a rich man giveth his man money, sends him to the market, and bids him not bestow his money as he list, but appoints him how to do it, thus nmch upon such things, and thus much upon other ; so God hath given us his scrip- ture as a ride to follow in bestowing his money or other gifts. And although men or things be not there named, whereon to bestow it ; yet the degrees and sorts of both, as the poor and necessaries, be often beaten into our heads. Gentlemen and young rufflers may not say as they com- Swash-buckler: swaggerer. Ed."] 152 EXPOSITION UPOX [CH. II. monly use, ' Is not my money mine own ? May I not spend it as me lust? who shall correct mel what would ye have me to do ? Shall I build castles and towers with it I I have more than I can get spent: the next rent day is at hand. Shall I be a lout, and sit in a corner? Nay, it be- cometh a gentleman to make merry and ruffle it. Shall I not make good cheer, that other may fare the better? Let me make merry when I am young: I will wax sad, wise, and thrive, when I am old.' But thou which tliinkest thus, Lukexvi. remember the evil steward, which when he was called to account, and could not discharge his reckoning, gave away his master's goods that he might maintain his idleness. But he was put out of office, as all they shall be cast from God's face, which likewise unprofitably spend that portion which God hath given them. Thinkest thou that God will allow this account, if thou say, ' Thus much is spent upon whores, this at cards, this at dice, this on masking, this on mumming, this at bear-baiting, &c.?'' Nay, nor yet on massing, gilding of saints, painting of stocks and stones, setting up roods, buying of popish pardons, giving money to this cloister of monks, and that house of friars, with such like. Who would spend one penny so evil, if he thought that it should bear witness against him and condemn him at the last day? It is for lack of faith, that such unthrifts do misspend God's, their Master's money; because they think it is their own, and not the Lord's, as the prophet saith here. Thinlli/, If this were believed as it ought to be, it would make us neither to grudge against God, that gives plenty many times to the evil men, and the honester sort lives more barely ; nor we should not disdain to see one preferred be- fore ourselves, in more wealth or authority. We should also content ourselves with that portion which God hath given us, not murmuring nor sorrowing that we have less tlian jobxxi. other. This thing hath often grieved Job, David, Jeremy, jer. xii. " Abacuk, and other holv men, tliat they did see evil men in Habak. i. . wealth, and good men in trouble ; and they could never sa- tisfy themselves in this, what should be the cause of it, until they entered into the sanctuary of the Lord, and there they spied that the riches of the earth is the Lord's, to dispose at his holy will and pleasure. And because it V. S, 9.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 153 pleases God to bestow so much or so little upon this man or that man ; it is just, and I should content myself there- with, knowing that whatsoever he doeth, it is good because he doeth it, and no man must grudge or disdain thereat. The will of God is the rule of all justice and righteousness: as because God will have it so, therefore it is good, just, and righteous. God's will is the first and chief cause of all things: so that, when we see that God will have it so, wc Tonrcraii must not ask, why he will have it so ; but be cojitent there- wisdom with, sit down and quiet ourselves, praisino; his goodness, and muKi m aii ' 1 o o trouble. marvelling at his wisdom, that rules all things so well and wisely. And with that little portion that it hath pleased him to give us, we shall content ourselves, when we con- sider that he owes nothing to any man, but that which he gives, he gives it freely and liberally, and so nmch as he knows better than thou thyself what is meet for thee to have. Thou which hast little, think thus with thyself : ' My good God and Father, who hath ruled and doth rule all things at his own will and pleasure ; whose wisdom 1 am not able to perceive, and whose unspeakable love towards me in giving his only Son to die for me I cannot understand ; he that loves me better than I love myself ; he, I say, knoweth that if I had more riches and wealth, I should be too wanton and so displease him ; and if I had too little, I should deal untruly and blaspheme him. Therefore praised be his wisdom, which .doth not overload me with more than he will give me grace to discharge ; nor lets me want necessaries, that I fall not to any falsehood or untruth. How can I love him enough, that gives me all necessaries, and doth not charge me with superfluities!' The evil men which have such plenty of all things, he would win them with gentleness, and by gentle- ness draw them unto him : but in thee that hast less, he will let all the world know that thou lovest him not for any great wealth which he giveth thee, (as evil flatterers many time do,) but even as duty, and that thou wilt bear the cross of poverty willingly, rather than forsake him. What a misbelief is it, to think that God doth not give and dispose his goods so well and wisely, but that many can devise it better ! And if we had once this faith rooted in our hearts, that he doth all for the best ; it would make us 154 EXPOSITION UPON [CH. II. say, howsoever we ourselves or other have much or little, T Sam. iii. u jg j^^j.^^ ^j^j^^ docth it ; let him do that seemeth good in his sight." And if we lose it by fire or robbery, we shall Job i. be content to say with Job, " The Lord gave it, and the Lord took it away ; and as it pleases the Lord, so it is done : the name of the Lord be praised." What a pride is this in man, to think that he could deal his goods better than God hath done ; or that it were better for such men and such to have more or less than they have : as though isai.iix. we were wiser than God, and if things lay in our hands, we could do them better than he can or doth ! Our Saviour Matt. vi. Christ calls it lack of faith, when we mistrust the power of him that he cannot, or the goodness of God that he will not, provide necessaries for us, chiefly if we seek the king- dom of God and the righteousness thereof, and saith, " Mark the birds of the air, how they neither sow nor mow, nor gather into the barn, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them : how much more will he do you, ye of little faith !" There is nothing can grieve that faithful heart so, which constantly believes that gold and silver is the Lord's, but it would undoubtedly look and hope for all necessaries by God's provision to be given him; and if ordinary means did fail, iKin?sxvii. that the ravens .should feed him, as they did EUas ; the i:xn(i. xvii. stones should flow out water, as in the wilderness ; or water John ii. .should bo turned into wine, as in Cana of Galilee ; or that little which they have should so increase, that it should be iKiii-s xvii. sufficient until plenty came, as the handful of meal of the poor widow's ; or else one slender dinner should strengthen The faithful them so. Until thev came where thev might have more suffi- caunot lack ' ^ . o necessaries, ciently, as Elias walked in the strength of one therfe cake forty days, eating nothing else. For it is as easy for God to provide for his people by some one of these ways or other 2 Kings vii. like, as by any other ordinary means ; as in the besieging of Samaria, where they eat their own children and dung, and the next day such plenty, a bushel for a groat. But this is ever most sure, that those which be of God cannot Rom. viii. lack. For, as St Paul reasons : He that hath not spared his own Son, but hath given him for us all ; how can it be, but with him he hath given us all things ;" and for his sake he will deny us nothing meet for us! How can he deny V. 8, 9.] THE I'ROPIIET AOr,Ei:S. 155 us a piece of bread, meat, or a coat, tliat bath given bis only Son Christ Jesus to die for us? Can a worldly earthly father, if be see his child want, weep, and ask him meat, deny hini? will he not rather spare it from his own belly, than see him weep or want? And shall we think that God hath less pity and love toward us, than one of us bath to- wards another? "Which things all considered, they and all we, which have God's bouse to build, should not discourage ourselves for poverty or lack of ability : for the Lord of hosts saith, all gold and silver is his; and he will give suiRcient to bis own building. And although many of them thought that this later house would be nothing so pleasant, gorgeous and costly as the first; and therefore they wept when the ground work was laid, as was said before; yet to comfort them with, that they should with better courage and stomach go about it, he promises them, that "the glory of this later house" shall be more than the first, and they shall not only have enough to build withal, but it shall be a more gorgeous house in the sight of God than the first was. The first temple had in it the golden candlestick, the golden censer, the golden altar, the cherubins, the golden ark of the Lord, wherein was the tables of Moses, the rod of Aaron, and the pot of manna, the golden table : it bad also Urim and Thummin, with divers other relics, which all wiiat tilings make a or many of them were destroyed by Nabuchodonozor and others which spoiled the temple: so that, although other jew- i^tst. els and ornaments were restored by the good king Cyrus, yet we do not read, (and the Eabbins also think,) that these were not in the second temple ; and of Urim and Thummin Esdras seems to speak plain that they were not there. Ezra ii. What should make then this bouse more glorious than the first, seeing it wanted these outward glorious and pleasant things to the eye, and in such ornaments was nothing to be compared with the first? Surely nothing but this, that we spake of before, that our Saviour Christ presented himself therein, preached his Fathers will and the glad tidings of the gospel, rebuked the traditions and ceremonies of the scribes and Pharisees, healed all diseases. Therefore may we gather here this necessary argument upon these words of 156 EXPOSITION UPON the prophet; that the church is more pleasant in the sight of God, where the gospel is preached, God's majesty and his mercy declared, than where all the ceremonies of Moses or the pope do shine so gloriously to the sight of the world. Let the papists examine well by these words, whether their copes, chalices, vestments, crosses of gold and silver, their singing, ringing, censing, their images, relics, pardons, con- jured waters, &c., be more pleasant service to the Lord our God, than where the trumpet of God's word sounds in our ears, to stir us up to the praising of God, and pulling down of our own crooked froward nature and stomachs. There can be nothing found in this second house, but it was all and much more to be had in the first, save the preaching and miracles of Christ and his apostles. For this point only therefore, wherein it did excel the first, it did please God more than the first: therefore must it needs follow, that those companies and churches please God better, where his lively word is preached, and the sacraments without great pomp commonly and purely ministered, than where they go about with dead ceremonies to serve him, though they be never so glorious outwardly. Let us be ashamed then of these lewd sayings : ' What should I do at the church ? I may not have my beads : the church is like a waste barn : there is no images nor saints, to worship and make curtsey untot little god in the box is gone' : there is nothing but a little reading and preaching, that I cannot tell what it means : I had as lief keep me at home.' This is a woeful saying, that because we may not worship God as we lust ourselves, we will not worship him at all. This is idolatry, to leave that kind of worship which he hath appointed us in his word, and devise a new sort of our own, which God shall either be content withal, or else be without. The heathen people would say, when they see the people so fool- ish to think that God would be worshipped with gold and silver, Bicite, poniifces, in templo quid facit aurum?' — which is to say, ' Tell us, 0 ye bishops, what good doth gold in the temple?' Ambrose saitii : "The sacraments look not for gold; and those things which are not bought with gold, [} See above, p. 129. Ed.] P Persius, Sat. ii. 69. Ed.] V. 8, 9.] THE PKOPHET AGGEUS. 157 cannot please with gokP." And the best writers do witness, that it was better wlien the Lord's supper was ministered in wood and glass, and the priests were pure as gold and did preach, than when the priests were wood and the cups gold, — that is to say, dumb, unlearned, unpreaching prelates, and yet would minister the sacrament in cups of gold and silver. The riches and treasures of the church belong to the poor; and upon them should all the goods of the church be bestowed, which is remaining of the preacher's livings, and not to feed idle belly-gods withal, as monks, friars, priests, &c. Such a godly answer made the godly and true deacon Laurence, when as the emperor sent his man to spoil the church of the treasure that there was. He commanded Laurence in the emperor's name to deliver him all the treasure in the church : Laurence required a few days' respite to gather all the goods together; which being granted, at the day appointed he gathered all the poor folks in Rome together. When the emperoi-'s servant came, think- ing to have received the whole treasure, and calling for Lau- rence asked where the treasure was, Laurence shewed all the poor people, and said, "Behold the treasure of the church^!" Thus w^as the goods of the church then bestowed, and not to maintain the pope, nor yet his carnal cardinals in their ruffian rout and idleness, &c. The peace which he promises to send, " in this place," is not so much an outward peace, although they had that peace as long as they feared the Lord : but here is meant the peace of conscience, which Christ brought from heaven ; as the angels sang at his birth, " Glory be to God on high, and Luke ii. in earth peace, &c." And he is not only the peacemaker betwixt God and man, but peace itself, as St Paul calleth him, saying, " He is our peace, which hath made of both Eph. ii. one," as was noted before. It is more to call him the peace itself, than to call him the peacemaker betwixt God and man, pacifying the Father's wrath for our sins, and purchasing P Quid enim dices ? Timui ne temi>lo Dei ornatus decsset ? Re- spondebit : Aurum sacramenta non quserunt; neque aiiro placent, quae auro non erauntur. De Officiis, Lib. ii. cap. 28. T. iv. p. 61. Paris. 1632. En.] Sec above, p. 144, and the note. Ed.] 158 EXPOSITION' UPON pardon for all our wickedness. The peace of conscience when we believe God to be our Father for Christ's sake, forgiving all our sins, and bestowing all his goodness on us, is the greatest comfort that can be, though the world rage never so John xvi. much against us ; as our Saviour Christ saith, " In the world you shall have affliction and trouble, but in me you shall Joim xiv. have peace" : and again, " I leave my peace among you, and I give my peace unto you, &c." And although the church of God is often more forgetful of his goodness received, when isai.xxxviii. they have worldly peace, (as the prophet saith, " In this out- woridiy vvard worldly peace my bitterness is most bitter",) and there- peace IS . . . . ... ouT'andVn ^'''^^ neccssary it is to be tried by adversity, heresies, impri- ti" ra'^n-'"" sonments, death, and other cruelties ; yet in the midst of all qiiieT' '^ trouble they shall find present comfort and peace patiently to bear all such sorrow as shall be laid on them. AN'hen as emperors were not christened, great was the persecution, and yet could they not prevail. When heresies began to spring in the church, then God raised up Augus- tine and others to withstand them ; and the more that they were, the more was the truth tried out and flourished : but after that the pope had conquered all, good learning decayed, and the devil thereby had lulled all on sleep ; then came this outward worldly peace, where the most part submitted them- selves to the beast, and his peace was the bitterest thing that could be before God, and greatest trouble to all good consciences. For then outward peace brought in lordly pride, which harmed more than any persecution, as Bernard saith. But now, after that the light appears again, with wliat peace of conscience can and do men offer themselves to the fire, though the pope and his clergy rage like lions or mad dogs ! ^Vhat great learning hath God revealed in our time more than before ! And chiefly it hath been done because of eiTors, heresies, sects and controversies that be abroad, that God's chosen people should not live in blindness still, and that his goodness may be known. And although persecution be great, yet God strengthens his to die for his truth in most quiet peace to the shame of their persecutors. ^Vhere there is no striving, there is no victory: where there is no victorj-, there is no praise nor reward : therefore (iod of his great love, that his people may have jnost noble victories and greatest V. 8, 9.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 139 reward, suffereth tliem to be troubled by the devil and his ministers, but not to be overcome. Where the tormentors rage, because they cannot overcome the simple souls, holding fast the faith which they would pull from them, and for the which they strive ; God so strengthens his, that they suffer all torments with more peace of conscience, than the tormen- tors do lay it on them, which devise the deaths for them. But not only this inward peace, but an outward also was given them, as long as they displeased not the Lord. God commanded that every man amongst the Israelites should come thrice a year to Jerusalem to worship him there : and Exod.xxxiv. lest they should grudge, saying, ' Who shall defend our country when we are gone so far from home ? our enemies will invade and destroy us God promises that he will de- fend their country in the mean time, and that they should have no harm. Thus they believing God were bold to go to Jerusalem to serve God, leaving none at home to keep their goods and lands, but a few women and children. So we, if we would serve the Lord aright, and maintain his true religion, our enemies should not hurt us, but women and children should be able to defend us : if we will not serve him as he hath appointed, there is no worldly power able to defend us, but we and they shall perish all together. v. 10. In the ticenty -fourth day of the ninth month, and The text. second year of Darius, was the message of the Lord sent by the hand of Aggeus the prophet, saying, 11. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Asl; I pray thee, the priests the law, saying, 12. If any man hear holy flesh in the lap of his garment, and do touch with his lap bread or broth, wine, oil, or any Mud of meat, shall it be made holy? The priests ansivered and said. No. 13. And Aggeus said: If he that is defiled in soid do touch any of these, whether shall it be defiled? The priests answered and said. It is defiled. 14. Aggeus answered and said: So is this people, and so be these folk before my face, saith the Lord, and so is all the work of their hands ; and whatsoever they bring hither, it is defiled. 160 EXPOSITION UPON [CH. II. For the reckoning of months, years, days, and such other particular words, we said enough before. Now is the prophet sent to appose' the priests in the law of God, and make Mai. 11. them give sentence against themselves. " The lips of the priest keep knowledge, and they shall ask the law of his mouth," saith Malachy : and therefore, to see what know- ledge they had in the law of the Lord, and what answer they would make, he was sent to examine them; and he puts forth his question so wisely, that he makes them to condemn themselves by their own judgment. He is bidden ask them out of the law of God, and not out of the pope's law, nor yet any man's law, which often through bribes is ended as a man is friended, but out of God's book, which without partiality speaks indifferently on all parts, and nei- ther fears the rich for his might and authority, nor hath foolish pity on the poor for his poverty, but uprightly judges right, and condemns sin, wheresoever it is found. If the priests in Moses' law had this charge given them, to be so cunning in the scriptures, that they should be able to an- ^h''^ m'. swer all doubts, which could be asked them ; how much more should be ' ' the'^scrlp" Should our priests now be able by the scripture to teach all ture. which be ignorant, and answer all doubts that can be moved ! Tit. i. for St Paul saith, a minister " should be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine, and confute false." But if ye want one to keep a cur rather than a cure, to be a hunter or a fal- coner, to be an overseer of your workmen, to be your steward, or look to your sheep and cattle, to be your gardener, keep your oi-chard, or write your business, who is meeter for any of these businesses than Sir John Lacklatin I What a wicked- ness is this, that they should take such pains to be so cun- ning in these things that God looks not for of them ; and in those things which God hath charged them withal, they can say nothing at all ! they be dumb dogs, not able to bark in rebuking sin ; and blind guides, not able to rule their flock. But if the world be on their side, then can they play the wood" dogs, biting and snatching at every man near them, and let no honest man dwell in rest by them ; but accuse, burn, and condemn all that speak against their mis- [} Appose: question, pose. Ed.] Wood: mad. Ed.] V. 10 l-l.] THE l-nOPHET AGGEUS. 161 chiefs. If there be a trental to be said, or any money to be gotten for masses, diriges, rehcs, pardons, &c. then who is so ready as they ? They can smell it out a great sort of miles off. But if a man want comfort in conscience, would understand his duty towards God, or God's goodness towards us ; they be blind beasts, ignorant dolts, unlearned asses, and can say nothing but make holy water, and bid them say a lady's psalter. The questions which he putteth forth here tend to this purpose, that by one thing which is like he may prove another like. For like as hallowed flesh did not hallow these things which it touched ; so did not the goodness which was in some of them make the rest holy. ]3ut like as he who is defiled in soul did defile all the Avorks that he taketli in hand, even his prayers and sacrifices, &c. so they did also defile all which kept company with them by their evil ex- ample. This kind of teaching by parables and similitudes, similitudes which be like in matter, consequence and truth, although t.i'ui of divers in words, is pithy to persuade, and is used sundry times in the scriptures, to bring a man to give sentence against himself. As when Nathan told David the similitude 2 sam. xii. of the rich man that had many sheep, and the poor man that had but one ; and that the rich man had taken the poor man's one sheep ; David said he had deserved death, not understanding that Nathan did mean David himself to have done this thing, who gave this sentence of death against himself, because he had so many wives of his own, and yet could not be content with them, but took Urias' wife also. So when the woman of Thecua feigned herself 2 ^"i"- to be a poor widow, and her two sons had the one killed the other, and the officers would have put the other to death for murdering his brother ; she makes supplication to the king David, desiring that her other son might not be put to death, for she had rather lose the one son which was killed, than have the other now put to death also ; for then all her comfort was gone : when David had granted her request, that her son should not die for this murder, then said she, " ^Vhy should not the king bring home again his son Ab- salon, which killed his brother Amnion, but suffer him to die also lianishcd Thus David was deceived by the woman, 11 [I'lLKlNGTON.] 162 EXPOSITION UPON [cH, II. which under the names of her own sons made suit for Ab- salon, the king's son, by the counsel of Joab : and David thought in reason he should be as ready to sliew pity to his own son Absalon as to another, and gave sentence so against himself. So the priests here, granting that whatsoever touches him who is defiled in soul, that thing is also defiled too, prove and give sentence against themselves, condemning aU their own deeds to bo naught and defiled, because they themselves were wicked and defiled. What wickedness were in this Kzrax. people, Esdras tells, when he divorces such a number as had married heathen wives contrary to the law; and Nehemias, Nehem. v. when he tells how by bribery and usury they had polled their poor brethren, and gotten their goods and lands into their hands: and how they had all offended God in not building this temple, this prophet teaches here plain. These with divers other gross sins had defiled this people ; and there- Sin defiles fore all that they did and touched was defiled. Sin is so those things , •' iiin!s?if'' filthy, that it defiles even those tilings which God isau""''^' '^™s^lf hath commanded. Esay saith, " Your sabbath-days and other feasts my soul abhors;" and yet God had com- manded them his own mouth to observe such feasts. Esay isai. ixvi. saith also, " He that offers an ox is as if he killed a man, and he that sacrifices a sheep is as though he brained a Psai. xi. dog:" and again, "Sacrifice and offering for sin thou hast not required." But Esay addeth a reason why God should hate that which he once commanded, and saith, " Your hands are full of blood ; ye do not hear the widows' and the fatherless'' cause," &c. Seeing then sin hath such a strength in it, that it makes God to hate those things which he or- dained himself; how much need have we to take heed what we do, lest in thus offending God we make him to forsake both us and all that we should have good of! Holy nesh. That is called holy flesh which was offered to the Lord, and whereof sometime the whole was burned, and sometime that part which remained was eaten of the priests and them that brought it to be sacrificed. If that flesh then, which was thus hallowed by the commandment of God, had not this strength in it, to hallow the lap of a garment wherein it was carried, and so the lap to hallow what tiling soever it should touch ; how can the pope's conjured water, which V. 10 — 14.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 163 he calls holy, make the man or house where it is sprinkled so holy, that no devils dare enter? The devil durst tempt our Saviour Christ ; and yet they say he fears their con- jured water, as though it were holier than Christ himself. Where hath he any promise from God of such foolishness? What can their holy ashes, holy palms, holy crosses, holy Popes have bells, holy cream, relics, moulds, chalice, corporas, fire, candles, for their , hallowing beads, or that which is their most holy relic, their oil, where- of things, with they anoint their shavelings, priests, and bishops, do? They would make men believe that the oil hath such holi- ness in it, that whosoever wanteth it is no priest nor mi- nister. Therefore in the late days of popery our holy bishops called before them all such as were made ministers with- out such greasing, and blessed them with the pope's bless- ing, anointed them, and then all was perfect ; they might sacrifice for quick and dead : but not marry in no case, and yet keep whores as many as they would. If any of their such greased disciples were traitor, felon, or heretic, that he had deserved death, (in token that their oil was so holy, and had entered so deep into the flesh, but bringing no ho- liness with it ; for then their anointed should not have fallen so sore as they did, and do ;) before any such offender could suffer death, he must first be deposed of all that he received from the pope of his orders and apparel, and have all that skin of his crown and fingers pared off or scraped, because they were greased with their oil. What oil used the apostles in making ministers, or what ^ scripture is for it ? The holy flesh which was offered to God the pope's tradition by his own commandment had not this power to hallow the can^haiiow things which it touched ; and yet their holy water and grease thing, must have it. Is this like to be true? doth not all their false feigned holiness, which they put in things made holy by their own hallowing only, and not by God, fall by this one sentence of God's mouth ? can any thing be more plainly spoken against all their juggling than this ? For the same reason that is against flesh, is against all their holy toys, by what name soever they be called. If they will not be- lieve God and his scripture, let them believe the priests, their elders and predecessors ; yea, and that which they crack so nuich of, that is a general council, which they think can- 11—2 I 161 EXPOSITION rPON [CH. II. not err. Tlie prophet here is sent to all the priests; and here is answered in all their names by general consent and counsel, that holy flesh cannot hallow that thing which it touches. If it be so in one hallowed thing, as it is in this flesh, why should it not be so in all other likewise? makethus' There is no creature which can give that holiness to o'niy'hath ^"other which is in itself: this thing belongs to Christ alone; ofhouness ^'^^ ^''^^ '"^ fulucss all we have received," as St John saith. And where we have gifts of the Holy Spirit by measure, Joh°n iif'' much as pleases God of his goodness to give ; Christ our Lord and Saviour had the fulness of the Spirit without all measure, that of his fulness we all might receive part. Christ hath the fulness of the gifts of the Spirit so much, that al- though he give part to us all, yet he hath nothing less himself. For as the sun gives light plentiful to the whole world, and yet keeps the self-same light within itself; so our Saviour Christ, God and man, hath the perfect fulness of all goodness in himself, and yet gives part to us as he thinks good, not losing any piece of that he hath himself, but lightning our darkness with that light which he hath within himself. St icor. 1. p^y] gaith, he "is our wisdom, righteousness, hohness, and redemption," because he gives us all these things. As it is in flesh, so it is in aU other creatures; although a probable objection to the contrary may be made out of the Matt, xxiii. scriptures themselves. Our Saviour Clirist, saying, " Woe to the scribes and Pharisees," which taught that " he which swore by the temple or the altar was notliing, but if he swore by the gold of the temple, or the offering on the altar, he was in fault," seems to teach contrai7 ; for he adds unto more, saj ing that the temple makes the gold holy, and the altar the offering; and that he which swears by the altar, sweareth by it and those things which be on it; and he that swears by the temple, swears by it and him ■which is in it ; as though the temple and the altar made 1 Cor. vii. other things holy. St Paul, speaking of the marriage of the faithful and the unfaithful, saith that the unfaitliful part is made holy by the faithful. But here you nuist mark, that this holiness, which St Paul speaks of, Ijelongs nothing to the salvation or forgiveness of sin of the unholy party; but teaches that such marriage to continue is not unlav.iul and V. 10 — IK] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 165 whoredom, and the children so born be not bastards and heathens. That other holiness in the temple and the altar is but such a holiness, as Moses teaches in his law, wliich then was a ceremony, but is now taken away, and there- fore belongs not unto us. Any thing is called holy by the Holy, law of Moses, which is dedicated to serve God in any kind of ceremony or service in the temple, and is no more turned to serve man in any kind of civil matter, or in his house ; or else, which by his institution signifies some holy thing unto us. But these be called holy, not because any holi- ness for salvation is in them, or that they can give holiness to other things ; but because the end and use whereunto they be turned is holy. Nothing beside man can receive this true holiness : for faith is the instrument and means whereby true holiness is received, which profit to salvation, whereof the prophet speaks here chiefly. But it is not so with the evilness and sin of man : for sin defiles not only the that doth not only defile the man, when it is in hini, but man him- all that the evil man doth is evil also ; as all that touches the thiiiff which is defiled, is defiled also. For as a car- and "lat ^ ' . . use ills rion doth not only smell evil itself, but infects all that come company, near it ; so that man which is defiled in soul doth defile all things that he takes in hand. Valentinianus', a christian man, turned from idolatry to the knowledge of Christ, and afterward made emperor, when other had cast upon him such holy water as they made to their idols, he was angry with them that they defiled his coat, and smote the priest that gave him the holy water and moved him to sacrifice. For he thought (as truth is) that whatsoever was conse- crated to idols was so filthy, that it defiled whatsoever it p Kai 7ap RaAci/Tii/iai/o? eKcho':, 6 fiiKpoi/ va-repov /3n/6i ynpduiv eKaTepbidev Se tui/ Ovpcov eicTTtjiceicraii vtio- Kopot, TTepipi'iai'Tiiplot'; tou? eiVio'i'Ta? ■KpoKaOaipovret, cJc tvojxi'Cpv, ]ljiT(ihrj oe Tou jiacriXeui'; (('"/ou/Jtroc tj; -^XaviOi pavica ircXuaanav eice BaAci'Tiuiai'oV, <»' fSaeut. vii. they should entice us to idolatry ? W as not Sampson over- jud-. xvi. come in keeping company with Dalida' I What a proud presumption then is this to think, I am strong enough, wise enough to take heed to myself, in what [' The Greek form of the name Ddilnh. En.] 170 EXPOSITION UPON company soever I shall come ! For except you be wiser than Salomon, or stronger than Sampson, thou shalt be overcome as they wore. When thou shalt sit among papists, and hear them blaspheme thy God and praise their idolatry ; how canst thou escape with a safe conscience undefilcd, if thou hold thy peace 2 Yea, and if thou have not greater grace and learning to judge good and evil, thou shalt hear some crooked reasons which shall deceive thee, and peradventure entangle thee and bring thee from God's truth. If thou sit by, hear the truth spoken against, and will not defend it to thy power, Matt.xii. thou art guilty to thy Lord God : for Christ saith, "He that is not with me is against me." If thou speak in God's cause, thou shalt be in danger of thy life and goods, or both. These things well considered would make them which have the fear of God in them to mark this lesson well, and fly evil com- pany : for whatsoever the evil man, who is defiled in soul, touches, it is defiled. Where the prophet saith here, that "the people and the works of their hands and all that they brought thither to offer, was defiled also," it moves this hard question : whether the evilness of the minister do defile his ministery, and God's sacraments which he ministers ? First mark, that the minister, mmwilr '^"^ ^ drunkard, an adulterer, or covetous, &c. he doth t'h('''s'acra-' '^"""^ strength of the sacrament which he ministers; word evil "either yet defiles any man that receiveth at his hands : but iCor. xi. to himself he ministers damnation, as St Paul saith, "He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks his own dam- nation." But he saith, sibi ipsi,^ "to himself" (for so is the Greek, and not "to thee") he receives judgment. If we should flee ministers because of their sin, whom shall we then hear ? for who wants sin ? So in preaching, as long as they say true, hear them, though their doctrine condemn thera- Matt. xxiii. solvcs : for Christ saith, " In Moses' chair sit the scribes and Pharisees; do as they bid and teach you, but do not as they do." So he that is baptized of an evil minister, is as well baptized as he that receives it of the good, and as iiuich doth it profit him : for else so much difference should be betwixt their baptisms, as is betwixt the goodness of the ministers ; and the baptism of the better minister should ex- P Kpl/jia eavT(o tcO'iet k«i ir'wti. Ed.] 10—14.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. 171 eel the baptism of the worse : and then might we well say, " I am Paul's, I am Apollos', and I am Cephas' which i Cor. i. Paul forbids. The goodness of baptism hangs upon God who did institute it, and not on the minister which gives it. Let them look therefore, which will be so holy, that ra- ther they will sit at home than here pray or communicate with such a minister as pleases them not, what scripture or example they follow. Esay, Jeremy, Aggeus, yea, Christ and his apostles, forsaked not Jerusalem, but diligently kept the feasts appointed by God, and offered their sacrifices accord- ing to the law; though the temple was full of eviP priests, scribes and Pharisees. As long as God's institution in his sacraments and sacrifices was kept, they did not so much respect the goodness or evilness of the minister : no more ought thou to do. Then, if the evilness of the minister do not hurt me which J^'f^JJJyf,""' receives the sacrament, why am I forbidden to communicate ' *' popisli with papists at their mass ? Surely, not so much for the masses, evilness of the men themselves, as the wickedness of the order and thing which they minister. For when thou comest to the communion with the papists, and, according to St Paul, would eat of that bread and drink of that cup ; they will neither give thee bread nor wine according to Christ's in- stitution, (for they say the substance is changed, and there remains no bread;) but they will give thee an idol of their own making, which they call their God. They come not to- gether according to Christ's rule, to break the bread ; but they creep into a corner, as the pope teaches them, to sa- crifice for the quick and the dead, to sell heaven, harrow^ hell, and sweep purgatory of all such as will pay. They come not to communicate with the people, but to eat up all alone. Therefore, because they have changed Christ's ordinance in his supper, broken his commandment, and set up their own device, we must not meddle with them in such things as they have done contrary to God and his word. Their bap- Baptism of tism, although it have many evil things blend in among, y^t '^^^^^^'^ . and yet P Second edition, Civill (the c im'pcTieci) priestes : the passage is not faitiiful in the first. En.] are to he P Harrow : plunder or destroy. Chaucer and Spenser liotli speak ' □'jfjiptis',, of Christ as having hurrowed hell. Ed.] 172 EXPOSITION UPON [CH. II. because they keep the substance of the sacrament, the words and fashion that Christ himself used, it is nothing so evil as their mass is : although it be as much to be abhorred of all good men as may be; and good men ought to seek as much as may be to have their children christened in a chris- tian congregation and of a godly minister, where no such conjuring nor misuse is practised. Yet if he cannot come by such a one as he would wish, let not the christian parent think his child to be worse baptized, because the minister lizck. xviii. is wicked : for every one shall sink in his own sin, and the father shall not die for the child, nor the child for the father, nor the minister for him which receives at him, nor he that receives for the evilness of the minister; although that minister, which so wickedly corrupts the good sacraments and holy ordinances of God, doth minister them to his own damna- tion and judgment. Then, to conclude this place : the prophet here exhorts the people to the building of the temple. For although they had an altar to sacrifice on for the time, yet because they left undone that building which God sent them home to do, and willed them so straitly to do it, they brake his com- Disobeiii- mandment in not building, and so were defiled with sin of defiles all disobedience. And the heart being once so defiled, all their works which came from such a defiled heart must needs be iSiim.xv. defiled also. "When Saul was commanded by God to destroy all the Amalekites, and all that had life among them, and to spare none ; he was moved with a foolish pity and covet- ousness, and saved the fairest and fattest cattle to sacrifice unto God : but God because of his disobedience cast him and all his posterity from the kingdom; and Samuel tells him, that " obedience is better than sacrifice." Some woidd think it cruelness to kill the beasts which made no faidt ; and other would think it holiness to save for God's sacrifice the fattest and fairest : but that is not cruelness which God bids, neither is that good which he forbids, whatsoever worldly God's com- reason can say to the contrary. Therefore let us without all n^^^^tl)n excuso do that which God commands, and seek no starting txcuse. holes; for then we deceive ourselves. These people might allege poverty, the king's authority who forl)ad them to build : but nothing can defend us, where that is left undone which God V. 10 — 14.] TllK PROPIIKT AOGEIIS. 173 commandeth, but it is sin. And wliere this sin of disobe- dience reigns, there the man and all that he doeth is defiled. Therefore, if they would that any thing which they did or took in hand should please God, they must wash away this filthy disobedience, build this temple, and all should be well. If we would apply these things to ourselves and our times, we should with hearty repentance build God's house much more diligently than we do. And truly, although we have had great plagues, yet is there greater behind, if we do it not throughly without halting: for "the servant which knowetli his master's will, and doeth it not, shall have many stripes." V. 15. Now consider, I pray you, in your hearts from n(ir>rs Thus iiiust uot God's plagues and works be lightly passed tried ami over, but deeply considered wherefore he punisheth, and the that tiic ' offenders tried out and punished that God's plague may may cease, cease : for before it will not. If the rulers be negligent in punishing sin, as their duty requires, God must needs take it in hand himself; for sin must needs be punished, and he is a righteous God, and will as well punish the sinner as reward the good : but if man do punish the fault, God will not ; for he punishes not twice for one fault. Therefore let us no more be so negligent in not regarding God's plagues, lest in despising little gentle ones we provoke him to pour his whole wrath on us, as these men did. He bids them look backward, not at one year or two passed, but even from the beginning "whole forty yeai*s, since V. 15 19.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS. l77 one stone was laid on another in the foundation of the tem- ple," and till all that time that they left off their building; and to remember how unfruitful and unseasonable years they had. The corn did not yield the half that men looked for, or yet judged it to be; the wine not three parts of that they hoped for in thus many years together : therefore they should have known, that all was for their disobedience in not building the Lord's house. But liow came all this to pass? who was the worker of these plagues ? was it wind, mildew, hail, storms or tempests, which did all this? Indeed they had all these and many more ; but God saith, " I smote you with blasting winds, and mildew, and hail, all the works of your hands." In which he teaches, that wind, hail, mildew, storm and tem- pests, be his sei-vants, go his messages, where he will, de- stroying so much and so little, when and where as it pleases him, as David saith, "Fire, hail, snow, ice, and tempests, Psai.cxivi which do his commandment." And because no such harm Although comes by chance or by the ruling of the stars, but all be cnatmes his creatures, serve and obey his holy will and pleasure ; he ye^.ne can calls it his own deed, and saith, " I smote you." There- deed, fore by his just judgment it is done, whatsoever is destroyed: and murmur or grudge we must not at his doings, thinking him to do us wrong, or deal like a tyrant with us ; but thankfully bear it, knowing that by such light punishment he wills us to amend and escape a greater. We must say with Job, "The Lord gave it, and the Lord took it away: Job i. as the Lord willeth, so let it be : blessed be the name of the Lord now and ever." If we could thus with a reverent fear acknowledge God's working in all his punishing, we would not seek unlawful means in danger of fire; as St Aga's letters', the holy candle, or a hawthorn in lightning, the hallowed bell to ring in thunder, &c. : and it would be a great quietness to our minds, that we should patiently and willingly bear all crosses that he shall lay upon us, lest we seem to grudge [' "St Agathe's letters" are mentioned in one of our Homilies, (Sermon on Good Works, Part 3,) in an enumeration of various kinds of " papistical superstitions and abuses." Agatha was a martyr of the tliird century. Ed.] 12 [PILKINGTON.] 17S EXPOSITION UPON at his doings, which were no small fault. When Job had lost all that he had, yet he accused neither devil, enemies, nor any other man, but said, " If we received good things at the Lord's hands, why should we not suffer e\i\ also? The Lord gave it, and the Lord took it away." Though the devil of malice stirred up such men to commit such robbery against Job, and they of covetousness or envy did spoil and rob the good man, and so both the devil and his members in all their doings heap their own condemnation, because they do it of such a wicked mind and for so evil a purpose and end ; yet the good man in such plagues hath a further respect to God, thinking that he which ruleth all, and suffereth these things, by such means trieth his patience: amf 'ustke therefore he thankfully taketh it. So in one deed God's maifcTand ^^^^■> ^^^^^ J"^* punishment for our sins and trial of om- faith "ueity, patience, do appear; and also the malice of the devil oneXe^ towards US, and the frowardness of us one towards another. But because the end and purpose wherefore it is done be so far divers, we work our own damnation willingly, when we do any wickedness one towards another : and God is not the cause nor yet the enticer of us to any evil, but a just punisher of all sin. Mark here diligently the merciful goodness of our good God and Father in punishing his people ; how he destroys not utterly first their wives and children, or plagues them fir°stglntiy ^^^^ extreme diseases, but begins gently with their com and to punish, otjjgj. fj.yj^g^ fjy. ^jjgjjj^ ^^.jjQgg iQgg jjjigi^^ ijgtter bear: yet nevertheless by these little ones he gives them warning to amend ; or else he will punish them more grievously, and come nearer unto them in such things as they love more dearly ; and at length they and all theirs should perish, if they would not amend. Thus saitli God, [2 Sam. vii. « J ^jn yjgj^ jj, j.jjg Qf men," that is to say, gently : Psal. Lxxxix. and David in God's name saith, " I will visit their wicked- ness with a rod, and their sins with a scourge; but my mercy I will not take away from them, nor I will not hurt them, as I am a true God." Thus, like a father and not like a tyrant, he punishes to amend and not to destroy, to save and not to condemn, for love and not for envy, to pull us from our wickedness to liim, and not to make us to hate V. 15—19.] THE PnOPIIET AGGEUS. 179 Ilim or run from him, first by little ones, that we may avoid greater, and not in them utterly perish. The end of God's punishing this people so long appears ^^^^.^^^^^ here, when he saith, " You would not turn unto me, saith o"'- , ' ' protit, and the Lord." For this cause then, that they should turn to sufleis long, him, did he send these plagues; and not for hate or harm to- his people. But what a wickedness and hard hearts were these men of, that among so many threatenings, so great plagues, and in so many years, they Avould not turn unto the Lord ! Here appears, how true it was that he said before, that all were fallen on sleep, both prince, priest and people, until the Lord awaked up all their spirits to see their great disobedience, and to go about their building. And also this declares, how unable and unwilling we be to do good, until God stir us up by his grace. God deals with us as the shepherd doth with his sheep: if a sheep run from his fellows, the shepherd sets his dog after it, not to devour it, but to bring it in again : so our heavenly Shepherd, if any of us his sheep disobey him, he sets his dog after us, not to hurt us, but to bring us home to a consideration of our duty towards this our heavenly Father and loving Shepherd. God's dogs be poverty, banishment, sickness, evil rulers, dearth, death, war, ignorance, superstition, loss of goods or friends, &c. Who could have holden his hands beside such a sturdy people, and not utterly have destroyed them ; where no sort of men among such a number, for so many plagues, in so many years, would turn to their Lord God? Here {^^^^""""^ therefore may appear the long-suffering of God, who doth not suddenly in a rage take vengeance on us, as soon as the fault is done, as one of us doth towards another ; but tarries so long to look for our amendment and repentance. Also it is evident, how true that is which God saith, " All the day Rom. x. long I stretched out my hands to an unfaithful and re- bellious people." Our Saviour Christ saith, he stands andRev.iii. knocks at the door, and would come in, and we will not let him in. The Lord for his mercy's sake soften our hearts, that we despise not such gentle callings, and be found in the miraber of such hard hearts; lest wc be given up to our 12—2 180 EXPOSITION UPON own lusts, and so perish in our own wickedness. When we read and liear this sturdy disobedience towards God, we thinlc this people to be the worst under heaven; and if we had been in their case, we would not have been so disobedient : but if we look at ourselves, and without flattery examine our own consciences and behaviour towards God, we shall find that we have been plagued no less than they, and have had God's long sufferance and benefits shewed towards us no less than they; and yet we have not learned so much, yea, less than they. God of his goodness amend it in us for Christ's sake ! And because they had been so negligent in not con- sidering God's plagues and works among them so many years; yet twice again in this verse he wills them not lightly to consider it, nor forget it any longer, as they had done beforetimes, but deeply to weigh why those plagues had fallen upon them. God works nothing in vain, but for om- learning and great profit, that we may remember our duty the better, and more reverently worship him hereafter. It is no small fault so lightly to consider God's works to- wards us : for that we might the better do it, he hath given man only reason as a chief treasure, that we may do the same ; and also taught us by his word to do so. Therefore, if we do it not, we are worse than beasts, which have not reason to consider such his workings. No kind of fruit, corn, vines, figs, pomegranates, olives, had prosperously increased of all these years ; which could not be but for some great cause : and yet they passed but lightly on it, neither fearing God the more, lest he should increase the plagues, nor amended their lives, that he might Remember- j^jg j^^ud froui plaQ-uino; tlieiu any longer. Often and inf our sins l oo JO workgTOd^ earnest remembering of our disobedience towards God, and in us. considering his scourges for the same, works in all good hearts Luke XV. an earnest amendment of life. The unthrifty son in the gospel, that had spent all his portion of goods unthriftly, when he was driven by hunger to remembrance of himself and his misbehaviour, comes home to his father, submits himself, con- fesses his fault, saying, " Father, I have sinned against heaven and thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son ;" and so is received to mercy. The publican, acknowledging his V. 15—19.] THE PROPHET AGGEUS 181 sins, went liome righteous. St Paul, remembering how he i Tim. i. was a persecutor, cruel, a blasphemer, is kept in an humble and lowly knowledge of himself. Esdras and Daniel, con- Dan. ix. fessing their disobedience and sins of the whole people, know- ledge their misery, God's justice in punishing, and so obtain mercy. Moses, to teach the Jews to be pitiful to strangers, bids them remember, how they were strangers in Egyj)t and '^^'i- slaves to Pharao : for in so considering their old estate and heavy case that they were in before, they should learn the better to pity strangers and consider their heaviness. This by remembering diligently, our case and state past with God's punishment for our sins, we shall learn our misery, call for help of God, and be more ware hereafter, that we fall not into the like sins, and so procure God's anger and heavier hand, heaping our own damnation. God sends such things to teach us our duty; and if we do not learn, he will cast us out of his school. No good schoolmaster will suffer such lewd scholars in his school as will not learn, when they be sufficiently taught both by gentleness and sharpness, by things past and present, by example of others and experience of themselves. And where these plagues began to fall upon them, even after the ground-work of the temple was laid, and when they left off building ; a man would think God dealt extremely with them, which would not spare them any thing at all, but for the first fault punishes so sharply and continues so long. But, as the Machabees teach, when he hath reckoned the cruelty 2 Mace. vi. and persecution of Antiochus, lest a man should think God hated his people for dealing so sharply with them, he saith, " God did it for love, and that he loved them more than all God's , other people, because by correction he would so soon call them i** » fi^f " i t- ■> J ... . of his love. back, and not let tliem live in sin still, as he did other na- tions." The Gentiles whom he punished nothing so sharply, but let them live at their pleasure, they knew him not, wor- shipped him not ; he gave them not his word nor his pro- phets, but let them take their pleasure, as though he cared not for them. David, considering the divers plagues and sick- ness which God laid on him, said, "It is good for me that Psai. cxix. thou hast corrected and humbled me ; for Ijefore I was cor- 182 EXPOSITION UPON rected, I sinned." For as a man^ will suffer those beasts which he appoints to be killed, to go where they lust in the best pastures, and to break his hedges, that in so doing, the sooner they be fat, the sooner they may be slain ; so God, those people which he loves not in Christ his Son, he lets them take their pleasui'e, corrects them not for their amend- ment, but lets them work their just condemnation, in giving them up to their own lusts. " Every father," saith the apostle, " corrects his children ; and those which he corrects not be bastards." And although correction of God seem sharp and bitter for the present time, and seems to come of hate and not of love ; yet the end is sweet, loving, and profitable, that he may give us his holiness. A vessel, if it be foul, must be scoured before wine be put in it ; and he that will make his ground fruitful, must first pull up the weeds, before he sow good seed : so by these sharp medicines of God's cor- rection must the body be purged, that the mind may bring forth his due fruit in fear and reverence. Let us in England therefore remember God's plagues, which we have suffered of God's good will, so long and many, for our amendment ; and let us lament our hardness of heart, that have been so grievously and long punished, and yet have not duly considered the heaviness of God's hand, nor the greatness of our sins which have so provoked his anger upon us. AVe are sufficiently taught by all examples before us, if we will learn, and by these present plagues that we feel, what a grievous thing and horrible sin it is in God's sight to leave God's house unbuilt : and yet, like unreason- able beasts and unsensible, we neither fear our good God as aiac. 1. ^ Lord, nor love him as a father, as Malachy saith, " If I bo your Lord, where is the feai- ye owe me ? If I be your father, where is the love that is due unto me?" From henceforth God promises "to bless their fruit and works : " and they had not so great scarceness before, but now 'us^vHen'' ^^'^y should have as great plenty. So that when man turns ^turn to yj^^Q Qq^^ turns unto him : when man amends, God P TIic first edition reads, the butcher wiV/— altered in the second to the a man will — where the first word appears to have been left by mis- take. Ed.] V. ]5_19.] THE PROl'HET AGGEUS. 183 looks cheerfully on him, where before lie was angry : when man leaves sinning, God leaves plaguing : when man builds God's house, and maintaincth his true religion, God blcsseth his house and all that is in it. As Moses teaches: " If Deut.xxviii. thou hear the voice of the Lord thy God, to do his com- mandment, thou shalt be blessed in the city, in thy house, in the field, &c." And how came all this to pass, that they were so amended? By preaching rather than plaguing : for that which could not ^^''^ygg''"^ be obtained in forty vears' plaaaies, was gotten in three weeks' more than •' •' 1 o ' o ^ plagues. preaching. Aggeus came the first day of the sixth month, and the twenty-fourth of the same they began to work ; so they had no more time to preach in, nor to prepare their tools in, but three weeks and three days. Such a strong thing is the word of God, sharper than a two-edged sword, Heb. iv. and piercing to the division of the mind and soul : and where it is earnestly received, it makes many to fear no death nor displeasure, nor to think any thing painful, so that he may please his God. Therefore let us have it in reverence, use it, hear it, read it, mark it, remember it, and practise it : for in it is shewed unto us all the counsel of God; and it is set for a sufficient doctrine to us, to stir us up to the doing of our duty and salvation of our souls, to the worship- ping of God, and understanding his goodness offered unto us. Also a worthy example it is to be followed of all that have Gentleness . is oft better correction oi other, that when the rod will not serve, to prove timn siiarp- words and counsel : for often many be such, that they will do more for a word than a stripe ; and often strokes harden the heart, when gentleness wins and persuades. V. 20. The vmrd of the Lord was spolcen the second time ?.] [^'' Frercs: friars. Ed.] 206 EXPOSITION UPON [tiik and temples (as the prophets did tell afore) are made dens of wild heasts, owls and other filthy birds : so since Christ, that which emperors manfully conquered, the pope by subtlety devoured, made himself a prince of princes; but now by the power of God's word preached he is made a laughing stock to all those whose eyes the Lord has opened to see his abominations ; and all realms that afore feared him, now God visiting his people, fall from hun. For as the wood- bine leaning to a tree climbs up and spreads itself over all the branches, unto it have overgrown and killed the whole tree ; and as a strong heady stream, undermining great high banks, at length makes all to tumble into the water, and washes it away : so the pope, first seeking aid at princes' hands and finding favour, overwhelmed them all at length, as the wood-bine, and undermining them, as the heady waters, has thi-own them down these many years, imto it pleased God to open the eyes of some few to consider their estate and seek for remedy. No kingdom, people, nor religion, that withstood God and his truth, can be found, but it has been overtlirown. Ba- bylon, the first and worst, continued longest; yet it had an end by the Persians. The Persians, Grecians and Romans cannot all together compare in time with Babylon, and yet they be vanquished away. Popery has troubled God's church a long time ; but now, through God's mercy, it melts away like snow afore the sun. But Clii'ist saith, our religion and peo- ple professing the same, without all kind of popish supersti- tion, have been from the beginning, continued in all ages from time to time ; and at these days (the Lord's name be praised therefore !) whole countries do abhor liis abomina- tions. In the midst of all mischief, when every kind of fiesh had so defiled himself, that God of justice drowTied the whole world except eight persons, yet was there found kept un- defiled, and calling upon the living God with true faith, holy Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noe, &c. In idolatrous Chaldee was faithful Abraham, Sarai, Nahor and Lot, &c. In supersti- tious Egypt lived innocently Jacob and liis sons, Moses, Aaron, &c. In the wilderness wandered in God's fear Josue, Caleb, Phines, Eleazar, &c. When the number of God's people increased in the time of the judges and kings, there PREFACE.] THE I'R0P.I1ET ABDIAS. 207 were so many godly men found among the people, beside men of power, as Gedeon, Jephthe, David, Josaphat, Eze- chias, Josias, tliat they cannot be numbered. Against Je- sabel stood up Elias, EHseus, Abdias, &c. In tlie captivity were Esdras, Daniel, Aggeus, Nohemias, with many more. Against Haman and Holophernes stood Ester, Mardocheus, Judith, and Aher. What valiant warriors the Machabees were against bloody Antiochus, the ancient father Eleazar, and the manly mother of the seven brether so cruelly nuir- dered, the history declares. From Christ's time to consider God's stout soldiers, it is harder to tell where to begin than where to make an end. The apostles and martyrs, so cruelly tormented, be so many and so well known, that they need not be rehearsed. What storms then can the pope devise with his clergy to oppress, deface and overthrow God his word, religion or people ? Can they be more cruel than Nero, Diocletian, Domitian? Can they pass Jesabel, Nebu- chadnezzar, Antiochus, or such like beastly tormentors ? In the spite of all the mighty persecutors, God blessed his. Surely their mischievous malice and blood-thirsty tyranny pass all these in madness : and yet, if they could pass them- selves in cruelty, all is vain. He is stronger that is with us, than any can be against us. The devil is cruel in his members, but the loving Lord forsakes not his. Let not the wicked then triumph, nor God's people be dismayed, God om* Father for love will try his people, what they will bear for his sake; but of mercy he will not lay too heavy loads on us, nor forsake us : the Lord of strength and power will shew his glory in our weakness, that by his mighty hand such weak bodies may be strengthened to suffer that that passes reason. The oftener that the gold- smith tries his gold in the fire, beats and knocks it with his hammer, the finer is the gold : the more that God tries our faith in the fiu-nace of temptation, the more he loves us, and the more we glorify him. The stormy winter can- not overwhelm the fruits of summer. Weeds be many, yet the corn is not devoured. Wild beasts be cruel ; yet God de- fends the shiftless sheep. Many fishes be raveners ; yet the young fish increases. The hawks be greedy ; yet shifts the little birds. Dogs hunt and follow the chase most greedily; 208 EXPOSITION, UPON [the yet escapes safely the fearful hare. Summer is raging hot; yet the leaves make a comfortable cold shadow: the winds blow boustously ; yet stand fast the low bushes, when the great oaks are overtlu-own. The waves of the sea are rough and huge ; yet safely slips away the sliding ship. The rage of fire is swaged with water ; the heady streams are kept in with banks. Unruly people are bridled by laws : hot burning fevers are cooled by medicines. Thus ever against an extremity God has prepared a remedy, that fearful man should not mistrust God's careful providence that he takes for him. How should proud popery then think to conquer all by might and cruelty, that God defends so fatherly ? and wliy should God's pco|)le be afraid at every storm ? He that smites, heals ; and he that sends trouble, gives strength. Let us therefore pluck up our stomachs, and pray with St Au- gustine, Da quod jubcs, ct jabe quod : " Lord, give me strength to do and bear that that thou commandest, and command what thou will." It is wonderful to consider the foolishness of the wicked, which in polity would seem so wise. The higher that a man climbs, the nearer and more dangerous is his fall : the greater weight that is cast on, the sooner it breaks : the faster a man runs, the sooner he is weary : the further that the bow is drawn, the sooner it flies in pieces : the heavier that the cart is loaden, the slower it goes : the hotter that the fire is, the less while it continues: the more grievous that the disease is, the shorter it is. Tyrants reign not long: wild beasts, the crueller they be, the more they be hunted and killed. In sum, no violent thing can long endm-e. Yet foolish papists think with cruelty to wish their will to reign like lords of the land, and stablish their kingdom on earth, and to bring it so to pass, that not only men dare not or will not withstand them, but willingly believe, follow, do and practise whatsoever they command them. They cannot be so ignorant to not know these things; and wilfully to wish against knowledge and conscience must needs be a great madness. God's word, christian faith and religion is of that nature, that the more it is persecuted, the more it thrives; the more it is hated, the more good men love it ; the faster [} Confess. Lib. x. Cap. xxix. Ed.] PREFACE,] THE PROPHET ABDIAP 209 that they be pulled from it, the more they run unto it. Let them therefore consider, how God has wrought in other king- doms, overthrowing them all that set up themselves against him ; and how yet he works in the natural course of things, to teach us by them his like working for us spiritual things: and let them look for no less an overthrow at God's hand in his appointed time. ' If these things cannot persuade them to stay their rage, ' I I would they would consider to whom they make themselves s j servants, that they might be ashamed to serve so vile a ' master. They " give place to the devil," (for all cruelty is '1 i of him:) they become his instruments, whereby he works * . his feats: they be his slaves and drudges at commandment to do that he bids, but were made to serve and fear their Lord God : they be driven and led of him like brute beasts, le forgetting him that made them, and their sely* tormented "1 brethren, that pray for them: unnaturally forgetting them- selves to be men, they regard not man's life, but unmerci- i fully spills and spoils them. And for what end or purpose? fi to satisfy (if they could ever be full) their bloody appetites, to to fill their idle bellies, to rule like kings, to be glorious f in the Morld, to oppress the simple, to deceive the ignorant, ow and deface God's truth, to feed the people with lies, to fc set up their god the pope, to deface Christ and his merits, fc to hide his word, and set up superstitious idolatry: where the they should do all things to the contrary, because in such villi their doings all true Christians abhor them, and But in these our miserable days, where it pleased God Yet of his undeserved mercy to stay their rage in burning and sign prisoning God's sely souls, that mischief, which their bloody irtli, hands and cruel hearts dare not attempt, their poisonful iter tongues spue out. Now ceases fire and faggot, yet their and slanderous lying lips are not stopped, where they dare not 1 1* blaspheme the doctrine so freely as they be wont : now they «li inveigh against the teachers and professors of it with such (ireat terms as please them, though never one be true. But, as tlijt Samuel said to the people, when he had anointed Saul king, ives; " Speak here afore the Lord and his anointed king, whether i Sam. xii. faster I have taken any man's ox or ass, or have oppressed any one £^ Sely: simple, inoffensive. Ed.] 14 [PII.KINGTON.] 210 EXPOSITION II POX [the of you, or taken bribe ; and I will restore it ;" and they were not able to charge him, and yet were weary of him : so I doubt not, but they be not able justly to burden the preachers with such lies as they devise against them : and if any be, for my part I wish them not to be hid. This kind of persecution is as grievous to an honest heart as tlie other is : but a justified mind in this case will tiu-n himself to the Lord, bear his cross thankfully, and knowledge that the scholar is not above his master. If Christ our Lord escaped not these tongues, but they called him Samaritane, and said he had a devil, let no Chiistian look to be free. David felt these pangs Psai. cxx. when he prayed, " Lord, deliver my soul from wicked hps and from a deceitful tongue." If they remembered God's tlireatenings to all such, they would not be so talkative. "What shall be given thee, thou crafty tongue?" says David: "Even sharp arrows and bm-ning coals," answers the Holy Psai. xii. Ghost. And again, " The Lord MiU destroy all crafty lips and proud tongues." "Would God that these wicked men under- stood these threatenings to be tnie, and that God would faith- fully fulfil them to their confusion ! If they did beheve them, they would tremble and quake for fear of them, and not be so ready to speak what please them. Many think their tongues to be their own, and that they may speak what they lust, and words to be no grief nor kind of persecution : but blessed Psai. lii. David is of contrary opinion, when he compares such tongues to swords, poisonful stinging of serpents, sharp razors, &c. Thus be we fallen in such miserable days, where under popery we be tormented and persecuted with all extremity, and under the gospel we be slandered and reviled, that we may justly say with the apostle, " We are counted as sheep appointed to the slaughter daily." If these feaiful examples and grievous overthrows of the vvicked, and so many from the beginning, cannot persuade these cruel haters of God and his word, murderers of his saints and their brethren, to abate their pride and swage their malice ; if this particular prophecy written for that purpose (to teach all bloody butchers and proud Caiphas, that a hke destruction will fall on them, as it did on Edon) can not help ; then let them mark the manifold threatenings of the Lord, isai. xii. where he thunders against such wicked doers. " Be not PREFACE.] THE PliOPIIET ABDIAS. 211 afraid," says the prophet, " thou Israel my servant, for I am with thee ; and fear not, for I am thy God that strengthens thee and helps thee. Behold, they shall be ashamed and eon- founded all that fight against thee, and all that gainsay thee shall perish and be brought to nought, &c." Again : " Thou ^vii. art the hope of Israel : all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that go from thee shall be written in the earth," and not in heaven. But this seed of Esau in our days is worse than old Edon, as their deeds will declare. When Jacob was banished twenty years, Esau was content to meet his brother Jacob retm-ning homeward, to forget all old grudges, to take and use him as his friend and brother : but our Edomites would not receive their banished brother returning home, forget no old malice, nor use any friendship toward them; but with word and deed shew all cruelty they could devise against them, and yet so continue. To this some of the wiser sort peradventure wiU say. There is just cause why they should do so: they be not used as J acob did his brother Esau : Jacob sent great gifts I to his brother Esau, took nothing from him, but let him ) live where he lusted. Indeed this may be a great cause: for 8 they are so well pleased with gifts and wealth, that in the midst of their rage a little bribe would have loosed heavy i chains of iron, and quenched hot flaming faggots. But now, iS though many things may be suffered in temporal matters, yet the discipline of the gospel will not suffer persecutors to sr ■ occupy the place of feeders, nor wolves the room of shepherds, y, If true discipline might take place, not only murderers and ii apostates, forsaking that religion which afore they professed ep and'taught, should be deposed from their office ; but all turn- tippets, that turn with the world and keep their livings still, be should have no office in Christ's church, until they made satis- ide faction by open repentance afore the congregation. But alas for bis pity ! for lack of sharp discipline they lie lurking and looking leir for that day when they may turn to their old vomit again, ose cnking' their hands in blood, and laugh in their sleeves to see like such coldness in religion to serve the living Lord, where they ,lp; were so earnest, bold, and diligent to set up their own devices, ori Yet, all things considered, it is no marvel why the good iiol [' Eukiug : inking. So used by Wickliffe, 8 Jolm, 13. En.] 212 EXPOSITION UPON- [the men, succeeding in the place of such evil persons, be so evil spoken of at these days. For as he that rips in a dunghill is infect with the smell thereof a long time after, though he were never so clean afore ; and he that comes to a house infected with the pestilence is soon taken therewith, though he be never so sound afore, (yea, the better com- plexion, the sooner smitten ;) so good men now, searcliing the festered cankers and ripping the stinking duddles' of popery, for a time smell evil in the noses of the wicked, and seem to be infected with a worse plague than the other. Their places may be well termed with the scriptures Cathedrae Pestilentioe, " the seats of pestilence," because they either infect the good, or else sore assaults them. This misery good men must be content patiently to bear: for this is our nature more than any other people, always to repine and be grieved with the present state. In the late days of persecution those which now be eyesores to look on, were much desired and wished for; and those that now be lamented, were then commonly cm-sed of the greater and better sort. Then all cried, " Lord God, deliver us this once, and we will be most ware ever hereafter, how we offend thy divine majesty;" but now being delivered, we are worse, more unthankful and disobedient than ever afore : which wickedness surely the righteous God will not let escape without heavy plagues. To make an end : if any natural pity or mercy of man were in them, or if like men they woidd be ruled by reason, these tlireatenings and examples of the wicked might move stony hearts : but seeing many of them be so blinded in their wickedness, that it needs not or boots not to speak unto them ; to the rest, whose hearts God has something touched, and are not altogether cast of God, I say thus much: Consider for God's love, and health of your own. souls, who they be that ye hate and persecute : they be God's creatures and his handy work, made like to his own image and simihtude : they whom ye mm-der so innocently, be those that Christ loved so dearly, that he would die with most bitter pains for them, rather than they should perish: they be many of them your kinsfolk, the most part your neighbours ; but evei-y one is yom- countryman, speaking the same language that ye do, [' Duddles: bundles of filthy rags. Ed.] PREFACE.] THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 213 true subjects to the same prince that ye sliould faithfully obey, and members of the same commonwealth : they saved your lives and goods, not seeking your undoing, when it lay in their hands. Consider how unnatural a thing it is thus to fight against nature : remember how dangerous in God's sight it is thus unthankfully to provoke his anger. Think on how in your late raging madness God suddenly cut you off, and yet patiently tarries to see if ye would have new hearts. When that day came which ye so long looked for, ye had not every thing after your own wiU, but many heavy plagues God laid on you ; and surely, whensoever God sends the like again for our unthankfulness, and not for your goodness, all can not fall as ye would wish. Surely, if God like a father sharply correct his children, what can his enemies look for? Give place to nature, fear God, love your brother in Christ, live quietly like friends and subjects to one prince : wash your bloody hands and hearts with bitter weeping tears: take to you pitiful minds : love them that wish you good : leave your raging madness, lest ye perish in your obstinate blindness: so shall God the Lord bless both you and us, contrary to our deserts, for his own mercies, and not for any om- goodness, through his dearly beloved Son Christ, who offered himself a sweet sacrifice for us all, that we should sacrifice ourselves to him, mortifying all carnal lusts, that we may live and die to him, and afterward be glorified with him; to whom with his Father and Holy Spirit, three Persons and one God, be glory and praise in all congregations, now and ever. Amen. Psalm cxxxvii. Eemeniber, O Lord, the behaviour of the children of Edon, in the day of Jerusalem, when they said, Down with it, down with it, to the ground ! THE VISION OF ABDY. V, 1 . This saitJi the Lord God to Edom : We heard a voice from the Lord, and a message was sent to the heathen, saving, Bise, and let us go fight against her in war. This prophet is not long in words, but he is pithy in sentence : he entreats not many nor divers matters ; but this one is weighty and deeply to be considered. For even as apothecai-ies use to put their costliest medicines, and rich men their greatest jewels, in some little box or chest ; so Grod, our heavenly schoolmaster, uses many times to teach in short writings so much of his heavenly wisdom, as many other times ye shall not find in long books. Likewise of learned men in one witty sentence and figure vnW declare as much wit and eloquence, as the common sort will do in long volumes. And as a little gold is worth a great deal of brass, and a small diamond is better than a number of right stones ; so in this short prophet is more learning, comfort, and godly wisdom, than ye shall find in searching long and sundi-y sorts of the learnedest philosophers or eloquentest' orators. pScies are prophets use to call their witings visions or sights, <^?'ilTanny of the pope. These Edomites, against whom he writes, were not so cruel as our men were and be. And therefore your destruction shall be the greater at the ap- pointed time, than this other was. Let us not flatter them nor ourselves, because they be our countrymen, or because we would not see the destniction of our country. For the Lord is a righteous God, and will sharply punish .sin, where- soever he finds it, if we do not earnestly beg his pardon, mercy and forgiveness, with amendment of hfe. But it is to be feared, that as Abdias did no good to his country folks, because they would not hear him ; so much labour is lost in our country, because they stop their ears, and will hear nothing l)ut that which pleases them : for it is true that our Matt.xiii. Saviour Clu-ist says, "There is no prophet without honour and credit, but in his own country." Yet nevertheless lift up yoiu- voice, blow the trumpet of God, and tell the peo- ple their faults, lest they perish and their blood be required at your hands : discharge yourselves, rebuke them earnestly, and let it take root and profit as God wiU, which gives all increase as he thinks good. If they hear not, they perish in their own sins, and thou art free. The preface that he puts here before gets him great au- thority and credit with the hearers, and declares him also to be a true prophet of God, because he speaks nothing in his own name, but says the Lord God had put these words in his mouth, and he was author, and Abdias but the mes- senger to speak them to his people. A worthy example for all teachers to follow, that they never say things but out of God's book, and that they may say for every thing that they teach, " Thus says the Lord." This saying is mo.st common in all the prophets, and to be followed of all preachers; as 1 Pot. iv. St Peter says, " If any man speak, let him speak but the words of God." But of this enough is said in sundiy places of Aggeus. Edom, unto whom the Lord speaks here, is all the peo- ple of Idumea, being so called of Edom their first father, bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities," was "first suspected and condemned after his death, and then digged out of his grave, and given to the secular power, and so burned for a heretic." Foxe's Acts and Monuments, Vol. vii. p. 90, &c. 1838. Ed.^ 219 as the scriptures uses to call the people by the name of the father. So were the Jews called Israel of Jacob, which was called Israel, their old father : likewise Ephraim, Joseph, Jehuda, of these their old ancestors. This Edora is Esau, Jacob's brother, as he is called in Genesis, "Esau, he is Edom. Edom and had that name given him for his colour that Gen. xxxvi he had when he was born, or of the colour of the pottage, for the which he sold his birth-right for unto his brother Jacob, when he was hungry. Esau was also called Seir, ^en- ^^^^i which signifies rough, because of the roughness of his skin • and for this cause these people of Edom, and their country, is sundry times in the prophets called Seir also. Or if we seek further, Edora may have his name of Adam ; for they Adam, be wi-itten both with one letter in Hebrew, save that they differ in points: Adam signifies to be red; wherefore Edom for his cruelty in shedding blood may well be so called. As our cardinals in their red scarlet robes, which be the fol- lowers of these Edomites, do well declare in their apparel the blood-thirsty minds within, and their outward deeds have declared them to the whole world : but they say, their red apparel signifies they should abide by the truth to their blood-shed. Adam also l^etokens a man, and one of the common sort : so these men were not noble afore God, which is only the true nobility, but enemies to his word and his people. Adama signifies also the earth ; so that from whence Adama. soever we shall derive this word Edom, and all that be de- rived hke it, they signify no good people, but earthy, worldly, cruel, blood-thirsty, mortal and abjects. Of the two brethi-en, Jacob and Esau, came these two people, the Israelites and the Edomites. And as Esau did ever hate and persecute his brother Jacob, so his stock and posterity did continu- ally hate and persecute the children of Jacob. This is the secret judgment of God, that of one good father, Isaac, came two so contrary children ; the one so wicked, the other so good, and this \\icked hatred to con- tinue in the hearts of their children's children, so many ages after. But this is to teach us the free grace of God, with- out any deserts on our part, whensoever he calls any to the tnie knowledge and fear of him ; and that [it is] neither the goodness or evilness of the father that makes a good or an 220 EXPOSITION UPON [V- ftther'' ^^"''^ ' many good fathers have had evil children, and rifevi^sSn! fathers good children. Adam had good Abel and wicked "rary°"and ^^^^ ' S^^^ ^^'1 Cham : Abraham had so the good. })qi\i carnal Ismael and the spiritual Isaac : Isaac had the beloved Jacob and the hated Esau: David had both proud Absalon and wise Salomon : so that the soul of the father Ezek. xviii. is the Lord's, as well as the soul of the son ; and the soul that sins shall perish, and not the father for the son, nor the son for the father, as the prophet says: but every one shall die in his own sins. So has there been from the be- ginning, in the house and children of one father, both good and evil, both carnal and spiritual, where the one has per- secuted the other : as there is now in the outward church of Christ and company of them that call themselves Chris- tians, both true people and faithful, and also hypocrites, dis- semblers and cruel persecutors of their brethren, as these late days well declared, where the father persecuted the son, and the son the father; the man the wife, and the wife the man: which all and such other our Saviour Christ declares to be consequents to the gospel. Therefore can none doubt of the truth of the gospel now taught, and who be the true followers of the same, but he that is wilfully blind, seeing all these and many other true tokens fulfilled in our days. And where he says, " We heard a saying from the Lord, and a message was sent to the heathen, that they should go fight against Edom he declares by what authority these people came to destroy the Edomites : not sent by any kings or the high priest, but it was the Lord God, which would use Nabuchodonozor and his people for a scourge of his jus- tice, to the punishing of these wicked people. It must not be thought strange that God lets one people plague another, seeing the scriptures is so full of it : for as God shews his mercy unto his people by the help and means of other men, (for God works nothing without means.) so he does not plague 1 Kings xii. Other without some means, and lets one people destroy another. AVhen Eoboam would have fought against Jero- Au plagues boam, for withdi-awing ten tribes from him, the Lord spake God, yet ^mto him, and bad him he should not fight with him ; for the sins in thinff was his deed, and he willed it should be so. All God's plaguing ~ one another, crcaturcs be but his servants to do his pleasure ; to help and ].] THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 221 comfort where it please him, and to punish, correct, try, and destroy where it please him. But all other creatures, except man, do not sin in de- stroying or hurting man, because they have no evil affection of mind in doing it : only man sins in his doings, because he adds to his doings some evil affection of his own mind, or else is stirred to it of the devil. So Job says, "The Lord hasJoi'i- given, and the Lord has taken away; the Lord's name be praised." He calls it not the deed of the Sabees or Chaldees that robbed him, but the Lord's ; and yet they sore offended God in so doing : for they did it not to try Job, as God would •have had it, but of a greedy covetousness to rob him, and a malicious mind, because he was so wealthy, which thing they disdained. Joseph says that his brethren, which sold him to Gen. the Ismaelites, were not the cause of his coming into Egypt, but the good will of God ; for the Lord turned the malice of his bre- thren both to the promotion of Joseph and all their comforts. The Lord therefore now, when the sin of this people was ripe, and when he had tried long enough for the amendment of them, and they would not turn unto God, but abused his patience and long-suffering ; he sends forth his messenger to the heathen about, to come and justly to punish these obstinate people for their long disobedience. It is as well the property of God to shew justice and punish sin, as merci- fully to help the weak and repentant heart ; and mercy is not so in God, that justice is banished. As the Lord said, he would whistle and with hissing call for Nabuchodonozor, to isai. come and destroy Jerusalem ; so now he sends messengers to come bid them fight against Edom. Yet Nabuchodonozor, in justly punishing the Jews and Edomites, and that by the commandment of God, sore offendeth God, because he was proud of the victory, cruel in murder, and covetous of spoiling, ambitious in raveing [ravening], and never thought he had enough : and therefore was his kingdom afterwards destroyed by the justice of God. So the deed, as it is of God, is good, piu-e and just : but being defiled of us, with adding our evil affections to it, as when good wine is put into an evil vessel, it is sin and damnable; and yet is God free from all our sin and wickedness, and no causer thereof, but a hater and revenger of all wickedness. 222 EXPOSITION UPON [V- But liere is doubted, who these l)e that heard this voice of the Lord, and how this message was sent to the gentiles. To the first part I had rather say, that the prophet speaks of himself in the plural number, as though they were many that heard it: which kind of speaking is conmion in the 1 Cor. ix. scripture ; as Paul says, " If we have sown you spiritual things, is it much ?" — or else, that the other prophets, whicli prophesy against Edom, heard the same saying from God as well as he did, and they all together, or Abdias alone in their names says, " We heard a saying from the Lord, &c." And so this saying should be tnie and the rather believed, because so many did agree in one saying. Agaiast Edom ttds^otcl^ prophesied Esay, xxi. xxxiv. Jere.xlix. Ezech. xxxv. Amosi. But most plainly, earnestly, and orderly agreeing with this Abdias, and almost word for word, does Jere. xlix., whose words if ye compare with this present prophecy, ye shall see the agreeing truth of God's Spirit in his scripture, and a great light shall be ministered to this place thereby. How the It is no less doubt how this message was sent, and who was sent, was the minister that carried it : for some think that Ab- dias was sent with this embassage himself to stir up Na- buchodonozor and his people to destroy these Edomites ; but other, to whom I had rather agree, think that the devil by God's sufferance put into the mind of them to work his will Jer. XXV. and justice upon them. God calls Nabuchodonozor his ser- vant for such causes, although the devil moved him to it, and says that he did him good service in executing his judg- ment ; as the hangman serves the king in punishing ofi^enders, and the jailor in prisoning them, as well as other do in their kind and office : yet is God no more the cause of their sin and evil doing, than the king is of the offences and robberies of the people : but God, like a righteous judge, of justice must needs punish such faults as other magistrates do in their commonwealth. But like as this voice of the Lord was not heard by the ears of the body of the prophets, but put into their minds by the work of God, as he thought good ; so I think this message was not sent by any man : but as when embassadors be sent, or rumours of war be certainly spread, kings prepare themselves to war ; so these people, stirred up of God by justice to punish their sin, and set forward I-l THF. PROPHET ABDIAS. 223 of the devil to satisfy their wicked desires, rise up all together to fight against Edoni, and destroyed it. So the Lord used the devil as his jailor and hangman to be a lying spirit in i Kings xxii. the mouth of Achab's prophets, and sent him to war that he might there perish, and God's righteous sentence be ex- ecuted, where he said that the dogs shoidd lick his blood where they did lick up Naboth's. Thus God in his scripture, speak- ing to men, uses to speak as men : for as men by messages or mmours of robberies are stirred up to war; so the Lord by some meet mean, as though it were by messengers, would stir up the Chaldees to destroy Edom. The cause of this war and destruction was, as Ezechiel of\^i,^s"4'r says, XXXV, because the Edomites, which should have been helpers unto the Israelites in their trouble, (because they were not only neighbours, their kingdoms joining together, but also they came of two brethren, Jacob and Esau, which thing should have knit them in brotherly love,) they did not only not help them, but cruelly persecute them continually : " I will destroy thee," says the Lord, " and make thee desolate, be- cause thou hast had a continual hate against the Israelites, and didst fear them with the sword in the time of their trouble." Amos tells the same cause likewise, and almost with the same word. So this is the case of God's people, that for their reli- gion they shall have enemies of their own house, kinsfolk toVe e "-^^ and friends, as this day well declares. And our Saviour Christ said, " He came not to set peace, but to divide the father against the son, &c." Where hatred falls betwixt brethren and friends, and specially for religion, it is the crudest hate that can be. This hate began betwixt Jacob and Esau for losing his blessing ; but it continued and in- creased with the time in their children and posterity. The eldest son, as the Hebrews write, had their privileges afore pj.'^'j'^^ the younger, as they have commonly now. The eldest then succeeded in his father's authority, was reverenced of his bre- thren : he had also double portion of his father's goods, as other say, and also enjoyed the priesthood. Where world- lings, that care for nothing so much as the world, have lost their worldly honour and authority, how do they rage and sin ! Esau, when he had lost and sold these things, he sought 224 EXPOSITION UPON [V. his brother's death : as our papists, that would be counted tlie elder brethren, losing their worldly estimation, their belly cheer and lordliness, their wealth and proud priesthood, they fret and fume, burn and kill all that gainsay them, as the Edomites did. the'^eidlf But as then for Cain the wicked and his seed, although h," ttfe' wodd elder brother, God chose Abel, the younger, Seth and the ymm^er ^nos ; for Ismacl the elder, Isaac the younger ; for Esau and abjects. Jacob ; for Euben Juda and Levi ; and David, the youngest of seven brethren, and as of no reputation in respect of his other brethren, but set to keep sheep ; so God, to pull down the pride of man in these days, also chooses the ab- jects to set forth his glorj-, refusing the proud Pharisees, and disdaining holy hypocrites, and at the length will de- shairno?*"* stroy them, as he threatens here the Edomites. For God, to pernor the ^omfort liis people, that the wicked should not ever prosper, misln''^'" chosen people live in continual misery, lest they fall away from God through over great adversities, threatens to destroy their enemies, and deliver them, if they will abide his leisure. But as destruction is here prophesied to Edom for their cruelty ; so shall all haters of God's people perish at the 1^ where're- length. Where as difference is in religion, there can be no true fifrs'j"bit heart nor stedfast love. For seeing God is love itself, that joirrtcf over- love whicli is not in God, but raised of carnal and worldly throw It. j-easons, when the world turns, must needs change, and shew itself what a love it was, and where it was grounded : but that which is builded on God will continue, because he changes not, and aU their' change with time. These Edomites joined them- selves with Nabuchodonozor, when he came to destroy Jerusa- lem ; as Pilate and Herod, which afore were enemies, agreed to crucify Christ our Lord, and as oiu- papists did now with the Spaniards, to destroy the gospel and his professors. The Text. y. 2. Beliold, I Will make thee a little one among the heathen; thou shalt be very much despised. 3. The pride of thy heart has deceived thee, because thou dioellest in the open places of the rock, and in the height is thy dioelling, and says in thy heart. Who sliall draw me to the earth ? [' Qu. other. Ed.] 2, 3, 4.] THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 225 4. If thou will climb up as high as an eagle, and if thou will make thy nest among the clouds, from thence I will make thee come doion, says the Lord, Where as the scripture uses to put this word, " Behold," Behow. it betokens some notable thing to follow ; as when the prophet isai. vii. said, " Behold, a maid shall conceive and bear a son," he signified that it should be a notable birth and conceiving of a child, and contrary to the course of nature, and that the child which was born should be wonderful. So says David, " Behold, I was conceived in sin ;" betokening the great corruption, infirmity and defiling of our nature in our con- ception. "Behold, as the eyes of the servants are at their Psai. cxxiii masters' hand," says David, signifying that he would be more diligent in watching what the Lord God would do, and what were his holy will for him to do, than the lowest and dili- gentest servants would be to watch what their masters would will and command them to do. In the same sense says the prophet here, " Behold," and mark it well, what I will say unto thee ; for it is no small matter, and truly it shall come to pass. Likewise in the threatenings in our own tongue we use to say, ' Mark what I say to you, take heed to yourself, for I jest not ; remember my words well ; for I will be even with you, and I will do it in deed,' and such like sayings. " Behold, mark well," says the Lord, what I say : " I will make thee a little one among the heathen :" thou that think- est so highly on thyself, and thinkest thyself to be so strong, so mighty and greater than thy fellows, " I will make thee a little one among the people" where thou dwellest, and less than any people about thee. Thou flatterest thyself of thy strength, might, power, multitude, strong holds, and to be greater than thy neighbours, people or countries about thee; and thinkest none is able to conquer thee, or pull thee down, or worthy to be compared unto thee : but I will pull thee down, says the Lord ; I will cut thy comb ; I will abate thy strength, pluck down thy courage and high stomach ; I will throw down thy castles and strong hold ; and whatsoever thou rejoicest in, I will take it from thee, and make thee more vile and slave, less and weaker than any people round about thee. Thou shalt well know that there is a God, which can and 15 [PILKINGTON.] 226 EXPOSITION UPON [v. will be avenged on all high minds, and will let all such lusty stomachs see what it is to be proud in their own eyes, and rebels against him and his people. God casts in their teeth that, where he had given them a narrow place to dwell in among the hills, they were proud of it, as though it were the plenteoust place in the country. They were proud of a tlung of nought in comparison of other Mai. i. places, as Malachi says, " The Edomites I have placed in the mount Seir." He speaks not all these words in number and order, but so many in effect and purpose ; and to the same meaning he writes them in the preterite tense, as though phets for the thing Were done and past : for so all the prophets use speaklhat *° spealc by the preterite tense such things as shall not be thaUs to' ^^^^ many years after, and yet shall as certainly come to come. pass, as though they were now done and past. In this sort Psai. said David, " They have wounded my hands and feet as though the thing were done and past, which was not fulfilled unto Christ our Lord had suffered. Also of the mm-der of Jer. xxxi. the children by Herod spake Jeremy, as though it had been done and past : '• A noise was heard in Eama, weeping and much lamenting;" with infinite such other like, which were not fulfilled of many years after. And because the whole country and people j)leased themselves so highly, and stood so much in their own conceit, God threatens them further, that they shall be much despised. The righteous judgment of God is commonly to punish Lukexri. US by the same parts wherein we offend him. The rich glutton, that sinned so grievously in his feasting and ban- quetting, now desires a drop of cold water, and cannot have Judges i. Adonibezec, which had cruelly used his victories, and had chopped off" the hands and feet of sixty kings, whom he conquered and made them gather up the crumbs under his table with the dogs, was used after the same sort him- self, when he was overcome by the Israelites. Thus teaches wisd. xi. the wise man: "By what thing a man sins, he shall be punished by the same." This people had much and many years despised the Israelites \vithout cause : they had highly avanced themselves in their own conceit : therefore justice requires that they should be despised again, and should un- derstand how vile a thing pride is in the sight of God, and THE PROPIIKT A DMAS. 227 llow Iiorribly it procures his great anger to fall upon us, when we one despise another. And although Nabuchodo- nozor was the worker of this destruction, and minister ex- ecuting God's justice upon this wicked people of Edom, yet the Lord says himself that he will do it, and it shall be counted his deed. So Job says, that the Lord had given and taken away his goods, although the Chaldees and Sabees robbed him, as we noted afore. Thus must we in all things in aii things that be done, whether they be good or evil, (except sm, which God hates and causes not,) not only look at the se- cond causes, which be but God's means and instruments whereby he works, but have a further eye, and look up to God. If they be good things that he bestows upon us, think not nor marvel not so much at the man or the means whereby it is wrought, but lowly praise the Lord God which has vouchsafed to use such a way to thy comfort : and if it be evil adversity that is fallen upon thee, do not so much murmur and grudge against him or the thing by which it was done, but look up to thy Lord God, which author, being displeased with thy sin, will this way correct thee, and bring thee to repentance, amendment of life, and the knowledge of thyself, thine own vileness, and his holy majesty, mercy, and power, whom thou hast provoked so to punish thee, and yet in mercy, and not as thou hast de- served ; or else he will try thy patience, and declare thy faith and hope that thou hast in him to the world, that his might may be praised in thy weakness, which although of thine own self thou be not able to suffer such adversity, yet by the strength of his Spirit thou both can and will. In the next verse is declared the cause of this great destruction, and God's vengeance so grievously poured upon this people. It was the same sin that drove Adam out of paradise, being not content with his own state, but would be fellow with God; and out of which, as out of a root, springs all mischief. " The beginning of sin is pride," saith Pride. Ecclesiasticus, x. when a man leaves considering of his own vileness, and the mighty power and majesty of God, (which author of both is able to work lowliness in any honest heart,) and begins to flatter and please himself in any good gift that he has within him or without him, in body or soul, in 15—2 228 EXPOSITION UPON [V. worldly wealth or wisdom; for then he forgets God and him- self, runs headlong to all mischief, offending God and hurting himself. The pride of this people was both sundrj- and great, both of mind, wisdom and polity, strength of body, holds, castles and towers, wealth and plenty of corn and cattle ; that it might be well said of them, that which proves true in all, wealth makes wanton. We will entreat of all these in order, as the prophet does, and set them out something more at large. The kind of pride that here is touched, wherein they rejoiced so much, trusting in themselves and offending God, was their strong holds, their high castles, builded on the top of the rocks so strongly, that they were sure enough, as they thought, from all hurt and danger, that they should not be overcome. These be pleasant things to a worldly wit, and therefore we are soon taken with the love of them. To declare the inexcusable pride of this people, the prophet says, " The pride of thine own heart has deceived thee as though he should say, ' It is not God, nor the devil only, nor any other man's counsel or persuasion, that has taught thee this or beaten it into thy head ; but it is even thyself, thine own device and free will, thine own proud heart, and vain trust that thou hast taken in thine own strength and goods.' It is a notable word, that the Holy Ghost puts here, when he says, " The pride of thine own heart has deceived thee and well declares the nature of pride, and well-spring of all sin to begin in thy heart and thine own free will. " From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, &c." as St Matthew says, xv. And well may that be said to deceive man, that under the cloke of godli- ness, honesty, profit, or pleasure entices a man to it, where in the end it proves wicked, hurtful, and displeasant. For except it had in the beginning some fair shew of some good- ness in it, no man would be allured to it. If it were good in deed, it were no deceit ; but because it is not, it may well be said to deceive, of i^omi Pride among all other sins has this property, that it thiugs. ever rises of some good thing that a man has given him of God, and takes the praise of it himself. For no man is so foolish to rejoice in any thing that is evil of itself, except 2, .'i, 4.] THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 229 it have some appearance of goodness in it. When (lod gives a good gift to any man, then the devil and his own frovvard nature makes him not to give God due thanks for it, but to rejoice in himself, as though he himself were wor- thy all the praise for finding out or using well such a gift. Thus the Pharisee, being proud of his own righteousness in fasting, holiness, and paying his tithes, abuses the good gifts of God, and takes part of the praise to himself, which should be given wholly to God alone ; and also in pride he contemns the poor publican, which sat praying by him, be- cause he was not so holy as he was. So strong holds and castles is the good gift of God ; but to rejoice in them, not putting his whole trust and deliverance in God, is a great pride and unthankfulness to God, which has given thee such gifts to stir thee up rather to praise him, which has taught thee to find out the profitable use of such things. J3ut it is hard for a worldly man to have these, and not be proud of them ; and therefore he says, " Thy pride has deceived thee." Beauty is the good gift of God ; but because in out- Beauty, ward appearance it seems good, it soon deceives man, en- ticing him to evil, rather than to praise God in it. The wise man says, " Look not in the face of a maiden, lest ye eccIus. ix. be enticed with her beauty." Towers, castles, holds, bul- Holds, warks, be ordained by the provision of God to defend his people : but yet must we ever know, that in vain labours the watchmen, be they never so many, wise and strong, to de- fend the city, except the Lord defend it, as David says. Psai. cxxvii. What an unthankful pride is this toward God, that when he has given us wit to devise such engines of war to defend ourselves withal, and liberally bestowed on us men and money to make such things withal ; and then we do rob him of his due glory, and take that praise to ourselves which is due to him, and rejoice in ourselves ! Because they dwelt and builded their holds on the tops of hills, they thought no man should be able to climb up to hurt them, except he could fly : and though undermining will hurt many times, and throw down great castles ; yet where the building is on the hard rock of stone, as this was, they can not mine through the rock: so that above, except they could fly, they could not come near them ; nor by low they could not pierce 2S0 EXPOSITION UPON the hard stones of tlie ground-work, l)eing so many, hard, Wine. deep and strong. Wine is pleasant to look on, sweet to taste and cheer the hearts of man ; yet in drinking it soon deceives a man, and overcomes the brain, and therefore the Prov. xxiii. wise man counsels, saying, " Delight not thyself in looking on the wine, when it shines merely in the glass." The Riches"' ^^o^ds of womon are sweet, yet oft full of poison. Riches is 1 Tim. vi. the good gift of God, yet the apostle calls them the nets of the devil, because under a fair pretence we be soon tangled with the desire of them. So generally to speak of all the crea- tures of God, when they be loved or trusted in for themselves, and not for his cause that made them, they deceive us. not"frea- Consider not therefore the beauty, strength, wealth, com- themseives ^^^^tj pleasm'e of any creature in itself, for then it will surely deceive thee : but lift up thy mind to him that made them for thy use and commodity, and praise him for his great care that he takes for thee, in making of them and giving thee the use of them ; and so shalt thou not be deceived by them, but receive profit thyself, giving him his due honom-, when thou knowledgest thy God to work thy salvation, pleasure, or commodity by such his creatures. The Lord has given herbs divers strength to heal divers diseases ; but if in sick- Physic. ness we trust in the physician or his medicines, we be de- Psai. ciii. ceived in his good creatures. For, as David says, "It is the Lord that heals our diseases," and is at our bedside when we be sick. So these people, having received a strong and plenteous country at the merciful hands of God, forgat him that gave it them, trusted in their own strength, wisdom and polity ; and so be ' the fair outward shew of these things, pride crept in, deceived them, and made them to trust in themselves. And well it may be said to have deceived them, because it crept in under such a fair pretence, and also be- cause, when they looked to have been saved by them, they were soonest deceived ; their holds wherein they tnisted were thrown down, their country conquered, and the people spoiled and destroyed. Thus does all worldly things, with a goodly outward show, deceive a man when he trusts most in them. Horses. " A horse is a deceitful thinnf," savs David : and again, " Some Psal.xxxiii. . , . , . , , , , trust in their chariots, and some m the horses ; but we trust [■ Qu. Ed.] 2, 3, 4.J THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 231 in the name of our Lord God." Wlien the people would have gone into Egypt for succour, the prophet said, " Egypt isai. xxxvi. is but a reed." Golias trusted in his harness and strength ; but David in God's name overthrew him. Trust not there- fore in any worldly thing ; for it will sure deceive thee, when thou lookest for help of it. No, trust not in princes, be Princes, they never so mighty: for Nabuchodonozor, walking in his gorgeous palace, considering his mighty strong city of Ba- i>an. iv. bylon, containing sixteen miles square, as Pliny teaches, his many kingdoms and people that were his subjects, thought he should never have fallen; and then suddenly was he cast out of his kingdom, and lived and eat grass with beasts. What could be devised stronger than the tower of Babel 1 but how Gen. xi. suddenly vanquished [vanished] that vain hope away ! That which is added, " Thou sayest in thy heart, Who shall di-aw me down to the earth ?" teaches us thus much, that it is not only these gross outward sins, as murder, theft, whoredom, and such like, but even the fine thoughts of our own hearts, which we think that none knows but ourselves, which God will judge and be avenged of them. They did not so much blasphemously crack openly, saying, " Who shall draw us down?" as they thought it in their hearts, and privily laughed in their selves at God's people, being so few, hated, oppressed, and despised of all round about them ; and thought themselves so strong, that none durst be bold to touch them. Likewise speaks David, "The wicked man said f^^^'^^'j in his heart. There is no God :" meaning not so much, that there was no God, or that they did so openly speak of him, as that they thought God had no care over them, or knew not things done on earth; as he says in another psalm, " Is there knowledge in the height ? or who sees us even in these gross sins V Our Saviour Christ says, " He that Matt. v. looks at a woman to lust for her has committed adultery." Therefore let us not deceive ourselves, sayinr;, " Thought is ^'P^ '''^^ ' f o mind be free or, " I may think what I lust," or, as the psalm damnable, says, " Our lips are our own, and who is our God V for as Psai. xii. God has create and made our hearts and all our powers of our souls, so will he have a count of them, be served with them, and have them to think on his majesty, mercy and goodness, and be praised that ways as well as in our out- 232 EXPOSITION UPON ward deeds: and if we do use them for other purposes, it deserves damnation. In the last verse the Lord makes answer: What shall be- come on Edon for all their great cracks, proud looks, strong holds, or any thing that they rejoiced in? And he says, I will not only draw thee down to the bare earth, from the tops of the hills, where thou delightest thyself in thy strong holds; but if it were possible that thou could "fly as high as the eagle, and build thy nest among the stars, from thence I would draw thee down, says the Lord." Herein we may see, how horrible a thing it is to forsake God, hang on our self, or trust in any worldly strength. " Let not the wise rejoice in his wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, nor the rich in his riches," says Jeremy. And these things all to be true shall well appear in this prophet, proved by particulars: for the people had all worldly wealth wherein to rejoice ; but they were deceived in them all, and destroyed, as hereafter shall appear. But this is ever the wisdom of the flesh, to rejoice in things contrary to God ; and therefore is it worthily condemned by his ex- ample. The worldly man says, when his enemies come against him, it is good abiding within strong walls, and see whether they can fly over them like birds, or undermine them like conies: but the godly man says with Eliseus, being besieged of the king within the city, and his boy came and told him, " Fear not, for there is more with us than with them." Afterward he desired the Lord to open his boy's eyes, that he might see how many were on their side : the Lord gave him sight, and he saw the hills full of angels and chariots ready to fight for him : and beside that the Lord blinded his enemies, and Eliseus led them into the midst of Samaria, among their enemies, where God bade him feed them, and not harm them ; for it was not he that had brought them thither, but the Lord his God. The worldly man, when persecution comes, thinks, ' Shall I leave ray country, friends, and goods, go into a strange land, I know not whither, and whose language I understand not T But the faithful man, hearing God speak to his conscience, as he did to Abraham, "Come out of thy countrj' and from thy friends, into a land that I will shew thee; serve me, % .3, 4.] THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 233 and fall not to idolatry;" he will obey with faithful Abra- ham, knowing that God will guide all those that love and follow him, and that his country is wheresoever God is served, and these be his friends and cousins that fear the Lord; as our Saviour Christ said, "These be ray mother, brether,' and Matt. xii. sisters, that hear the word of God and keep it." The tower of Babel was builded a wondrous height, and Nimrod with Gen. xi. his companions would have gotten an everlasting name by it: but the Lord, perceiving their proud enterprise, disap- pointed them and scattered them abroad into all countries. Satan was an angel in heaven, but for his disobedience is now made a devil in hell. Nabuchodonozor was the mightiest i^- prince, yet afterward made a very beast. Herod was proud ^^^'^ of his great eloquence, and straight after was worried of life. Rabsaces, blaspheming the living God of Israel, and avant- ing himself in his great conquests, as though they had been gotten by their idoFs power, had almost two hundred thou- sand slain in his camp in one night by the angel of God, ^^1"^^ and without man's power, in the time of good Ezechias. The Madianites, lying so thick as grasshoppers in the field, thought they should have devoured God's people at their pleasure ; but God send his captain Gedeon, which with three hundred ^ naked men, unharnessed, having lamps in one hand and earth pots in the other, vanquished them all. Thus it is true that the psalm says, " If I climb up into heaven, thou art Psii.cxxxix. there ; and if I get down into hell, thou art there also ; and there thy hand shall rule me." The whole scripture, if ye go through it, is nothing else but a perpetual teaching, how God always throws down the proud, and lifts up the simple and lowly. Oh, if the papists would be as earnest to set up the true glory of God, as they be diligent spaniels to seek all ways possible to set up that vile puddle of idolatry of their god, the pope ! In all ages have been some people that have been plagues to the rest ; and yet God has thrown them down at length : so no doubt the papists be now; but their fall will be incurable when it comes, although they be a great scourge almost to all Christendom, and flourish for a time. \} The three forms brether, brethern, and brethren arc used by the author. Ed.^ 234! EXPOSITION UPON [v. Mark well the last words of the prophet, "I will make thee come down, says the Lord." The destruction of tliis people was done by Nabuchodonozor many years after, and yet the Lord calls it his own deed, and says he will pull them down. So, as I have noted afore, &c. that is called It is called the Lord's deed, which is done by his servants, whether deed tiiat they be good or bad : for by such means the Lord will cor- the servants , . do. rect US, bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and him. In all such worldly corrections therefore let us not look so much at him that vexes us, or murmur and grudge at him; but look who has sent him, whose servant he is, and where- fore he comes: for he comes from God to do and teach us good : and then we shall patiently bear whatsoever comes. And because they should not flatter themselves, as though these things should not thus come to pass, he joins unto it, " The Lord says as though he should say, Flatter not yourselves, I speak not of mine own head: the God of all truth, that can not lie, says thus : therefore most certainly look for it. He that is a righteous judge of all creatures, and both can and will be avenged on all e\il doers, and will deliver us his people out of the hands of their oppressors, when he has sufficiently declared the patient abiding and deep sighing of the oppressed, and abiden long enough for the turning of the proud enemies, when he sees no amend- ment to be hoped for, he will then come in deed, fearful for his enemies, and comfortable for Iiis poor people ; as the Psai. xii. psalm says, " For the misery of the poor and the sighing of the oppressed I will rise, says the Lord." Who shall be able to stand, when he says he will pull down? yea, who dare be bold to look, when he shews his anger i Deceive not yourselves, he will come. The Text. y. 5. If thieves had come to thee, and if robbers in the night, how should thou have holden thy peace ? Would they not have stolen sufficient for themselves ? If grape gatherers had come to thee, would they not have left some clusters ? 6. But hoio have they searched Esau, and ransacked their hid things! After that the prophet has told them that they shall be destroyed, now he tells them after what sort, and of what THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 235 things they should be spoiled. Edoin was a country not only compassed about with hills, that no enemies could enter, and fortified with strong holds and castles on the top of the hills, as appears afore; but it was a plenteous country also of all fruits, and full of wise men of great polity: Avhich all should be taken from them, with all their things that they rejoiced in. And where he uses two similitudes here, one of thieves and of grape gatherers, which both, wheresoever they come, do much harm and take all things at their pleasure, spare nothing, Init search all privy corners, where any thing can be hid ; yet these spoilers should be much worse, and more cruelly entreat them. This first part of the similitude has two arguments of their cruelness in it ; and it is as much as though he should have said thus to them : If thieves should come in the day time to spoil thee, or robbers in the night season, thou could not have holden thy peace, but would have called and cried for help of thy neighbours ; thou would have prepared thyself to have foughten with them, to have with- stand them, to have defended thine own goods, and to have taken or killed them that thus violently came on thee : but when these destroyers shall come, thou shalt not be bold to whisper, to cry, to call for help ; or else, if thou cry never so loud, it is but vain to defend thyself or rescue thy goods; but fearfully like a sheep lie still, and like a coward let them do to thee what they please ; it shall be fulfilled in thee, that Grod threatens to the breakers of his law, that '*one shall chase a thousand, and ten men ten thousand:" yea, and that Deut.xxviii. which is more marvellous, they shall be afraid at the fall of Levit'. xxvi. a leaf. Or if we read thus, (so the Hebrew word signifies both ways,) " How should thou have been destroyed !" then this is the meaning, that although thieves and robbers would have destroyed them, yet that destruction should not^ have been like to this : so extreme a plague should this be to them, that * these other were not worthy to be compared unto it. The latter token of their great destruction is, that the Babylonians, when they come, should deal worse with them than thieves or robbers would : for thieves, when they come, they do not [( take all, but the best things they find, lest they should not to [} Not is required by the sense: wanting in the old edition. Ed.] 236 EXPOSITION UPON flee fast enougli away, or be bewrayed by many things when they should be known. And again, they use not to tarry long in robbing a house, for fear lest some should espy them, and come upon them suddenly. But the Chaldees should not be afraid of any company of men, when they should over- run them; nor be content with a few things, but destroy all after them; and that which they could not carry away, they would utterly mar by some means, that they should have no good of that which was left. They would not be content with a few things, as thieves, but they would have all : they would not hastily run away for fear of any help coming to rescue them ; but they would without fear spoil, and tarry their leisure, searching all corners, not caring who shall espy them. And, that which is more marvellous, thieves, although they come suddenly upon a man, giving no warning, that a man might prepare himself to stand in his own defence, should not do so much harm as the Assyrians should, coming not suddenly upon them, nor they unprepared, but being prepared, and although they knew of their coming, and had all kind of weapons to defend themselves withal, yet they should not be able nor bold to defend themselves or their country, but should utterly perish, be robbed, spoiled and destroyed. The latter similitude of grape gatherers declares this more plainly. Grape gatherers, although they search every branch, and peep under every leaf, lest they leave any grapes growing behind them, (and yet they were commanded in the law by Moses to leave some growing of all kind of fruit behind them ; and if they let any fall, they should not turn again to take it up, but let the poor come gather and glean,) yet these greedy cormorants, so covetous that they never had enough, so greedy that they were never filled, they would not leave one cluster growing behind them, but so utterly spoil them, that they would leave nothing at all, neither for poor nor rich. They would spare neither man nor woman, old nor young, house nor land, town nor castle ; beasts of all sorts without mercy should be wasted, burned, and destroyed. The latter verse shews this utter destruction at large in few words, saying, " But how have they searched Esau, and ransacked their secret things !" — as though he should say THE PROPHET ABDIAS. 237 to them, Although thieves, robbers, grape gatherers, use to do much harm, wheresoever they come, and nothing can escape their hands ; yet it shall be nothing like unto this destruc- tion, that these of Babylon shall do. This destruction shall be incurable ; these shall spoil, kill and destroy without mercy. Nabuchodonozor, when he comes with his men, shall search and ransack all your secret places and corners, that nothing shall escape them. In sacking of towns men be wont to cast their plate, money, jewels, and such other treasures into deep wells, to dig them in the earth or some privy place, where none or few uses to come, or few would mistrust any thing there to be hid : but when he comes, hide your trea- sures where you lust; cast them into jakes, dunghills, cisterns, or blind corners, where please you ; it shall not skill, it shall be espied, and shall not escape : ye shall not have profit of any thing ye have. He wonders at the utter destruction of them, when he says, " How have they searched and ransacked the secrets !" — as if he should say. It shall be unlike unto all other doings : no reason would think what great cruelty in searching and spoil shall be shewed unto thee ; it shall be so horrible, so contrary to men's looking for, and so far un- like to all that has been shewed to any other people. And marvel not at this extremity shewed unto you : good reason it is, that they which have comforted themselves in their worldly things beside God, that they should be so cor- rected of God, that they should understand that there is no help, succour or comfort, but in God ; and they which would not know God in prosperity, must now drink of his justice in adversity. He had given plenty to them of all fruits, corn, catties, and all kind of riches ; but this could not move them to knowledge him to be their Lord and God, giver and saver both of man and beast : therefore now must they taste of the rod, to know there was a God whom they had offended. God does not give us his benefits, riches and blessings to make us trust in ourselves or any other creature, but to stir up our minds to heaven, to look on him, trust in him, call on him, and praise him : therefore it was right that all these should be taken from them, to bring them to the know- ledge of themselves and his justice, which can not abide such things. This is the reward due for all such as will not shew 238 EXPOSITION UPON mercy, but cruelty to them that be in distress; they shall find the same cruelty and nieasure given them again, when they shall be in need ; they shall ask mercy, call for help, but find none. Gen. xiiv. Joseph's brethren, when they would shew no mercy to their brother, when he desired them, were straitly looked on for a time, and sharply spoken unto, when they came into EgyiDt : and then they could confess that God had worthily rewarded them their unkindness that they shewed their brother Joseph. Nabuchodonozor with all his cruel proud men, which spoiled, conquered and cruelly entreated all counti-ies about them, were served with like measure at Cyrus' hands, when he overcame them : he destroyed their city, and conquered their country. And as our papists, with their spies in all corners, would let no man dwell in rest, but accuse, com- plain, imprison, and burn them, and had rather fulfil the bloody desires and minds of the cruel murderers and butchers, than shew any gentleness to God's people, (and all to pick a thank or get a bribe of the proud bishops or hard hearted and never satisfied horse-leeches, the lawyers;) so their time will come, when they shall feel God's heavy wTath and dis- pleasure against them with such grief of conscience, that the}- i!ev. vi. shall wish for death, and not find it, desire the hills to cover them from the face of the Lamb, and yet be without com- fort. These be the Edomites, that persecute the true sons of Jacob at this day: these be the false brethren, that be moved neither with the fear of God's love to his word, nor natural to their brethren, countr)'men and lunsfolk ; but, like brute beasts, devour all afore them, satisfying their own lusts and desires, increasing their ovsti condemnation, if they turn not and repent with tears. TiieText. y. 7. Even unto the harder of thy country have they cast out thee, and persecuted all men tchich were in league and confederate tcifh thee: the men that made peace vnth thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; and time tliat eat thy bread have wounded thee privily: there is no tcisdom in him. 8. Shall I not in that day, says the Lord, destroy the imse men from Edom, and wisdom from the hill df Esau ? 7, 8, 9.] THE PROPHET ABDIAS, 239 9. Tlie strong men of Theman shall be afraid, because every one of the hill Esau shall be destroyed. This plagiie, that God threatens to this people now, is of two sorts; and that, because they had double offended. Ac- cording as it is the policy of princes to join themselves in league and friendship with princes that dwell near unto them, that by their help they might be the stronger and more feared, and also to have wise men of the counsel; so had these Edomites sought the friendship of all the mighty countries about them, and picked out also the worldly-wisest men they could find to be their rulers; thinking that by polity and wisdom of the one, and the strength, power, and riches of the other, they should be able to defend themselves against I- all men that would proffer them wrong; yea, they should le rather under this pretence be bold to do other men wrong, s, and none should once be so bold to say, Why do ye so ? ik This is a common practice likewise at these days, of such A as would hurt other, — but that either they dare not nor le can not, — to run always under some great man's wing, to s- bear the name of his servant, wear his livery, or be one sf of his retinue, that under this colour he may disquiet the a whole country where he dwells, and no man dare be so bold B- to blame him. DS But God hates all such as forsake him, and hang on them- te selves ; takes all such in their own devices, and that wherein lor they think to save themselves is turned to their own de- lit, struction. These people, says the Lord, with whom thou wj art in league, thinking thereby to save thyself, and be stronger ley than all other, even the selfsame people shall rise up against thee, take part with thy enemies, and drive thee out of the borders of thy own country. You would think it a great oil! pleasure if, when thou were conquered and overcome, thou III might dwell in thine own country still, paying tribute and fill taxes to Nabuchodonozor and other about thee; but thou, 4 that hast been so cruel to thy brethern, God's people, the :/|; sons of Jacob, shall not find so much favour and friendship at their hands, as to dwell in thy own land, but shall be (.|V driven not only out of thy strong holds and wealthy places of it, but even out of all the coasts and borders of the 240 EXPOSITION UPON [V. same ; and tliat by those which thou takest for thy friends, and in whom thou puttest thy trust. Such shall be the case of all those that forsake the Lord, and put their trust in themselves or their friends. When the people of God would have gone to Egj'pt again for succour, when Nabuchodonozor had subdued all the country-, Jer. xiii. Jeremy cried still, No, they should not do so; for where they looked for help, they should find woe : for Nabuchodonozor overcame Egypt also, and then all that fled thither were in worse case than if they had tarried in their country- still. isai. xxxvi. "Egypt is a reed," says Isaie, "and they that flee thither shall perish." In dangerous times there is no succour to be found, but at the Lord's hands : for when the Lord sees that in prosperity we forget him, he sends us adversity, that for fear we should be compelled to look for help at his hands. Such a loving God is he unto us, that he would win us by all means possible; but if we can be drawn to him by no way, he gives us over, that we may work justly our own condemnation without excuse, having nothing to lay for ourselves. Moreover those that made peace with these people de- ceived them, and those that eat their bread wounded them privily. This is the reward of worldly wisdom, that when they trust most in them, they shall be soonest deceived ; and when they look for help of them, they shall be the first that True love is shall wound them. There can be no true love, which is not tiie godly. ° grounded in God and for his sake: for where as God only is sought for, there is love and truth itself ; wheresoever he is not, there is neither truth nor true love. That love which is grounded on worldly causes, when the world changes, it fails too. If it be for beauty, profit, or friendship, as soon as these be gone, farewell love, friendship is gone. Nabu- chodonozor, whom they feared, and looked for promotion at his hands, was now comen to destroy Edom ; and therefore all the country about was not only ready to fall from the Edomites, with whom they were in league afore, giving them no help; but were the first and cruellest enemies that they had, ready not only not to help them, but to drive them out of their own country. Who pretended a greater love to Christ than Judas, and who sooner betrayed and denied him? How many examples is England able to give of such 7, 8, f).] TIIF I'lIOPIIET ARniA; 211 as, while tlioy were in autliority, tliey were feared ratlier tiian loved, (although it was called love, fair faces were outwardly, promises, oaths, bands, marriages were made, and all devices that could be, to make it sure ;) but when they fell, they which were thought dearest friends were become open ene- mies, accusers and condemners, in hope to climb into his room, or catch part of his goods or lands. David complains Psai. xm. of such as made fairest face of friendship, and did eat of the e same dish, and yet soonest deceived him. I. These words in the Hebrew be written in the preterite P'eter I -111 tense. I tense, but spoken that so it should come to pass as sure « as if it were now done : according as the custom of the pro- s phets is, to speak tliat which is to come as though it were it done, where other languages use to speak such things in s. future tenses. Jl But the latter end of the verse, where he says, " there le is no wisdom in him," (that is to say, in them, or all the )B Edomites, by a common figurative speech in Hebrew, where the singular is put for the plural, as in the S9th psalm, " I e- will visit their wickedness with a rod, tc. but my mercy im I will not take from him," them,)' — is most marvellous; for en who will believe, or who can judge the contrary, but that nl it is great wisdom and policy to the strengthening, defence, lat and maintaining of a country, to have strong holds in it, and lot to be in league with their neighbours round about them, as ily these men were? But Ood saj-s, "there was no wisdom in he them," nor in this their doing : not because it is not lawful for ick God's people to have, use, or make such things in their com- , it monwealth for their defence and keeping out their enemies, but )on that they may not do these things to put their trust in them ; ta- or when they have them, to despise their Lord God, seek- at ing no help at his hands, but trust in their own strength, [ore thinking themselves able to defend themselves against all the enemies; as though God did nothing, nor victory and de- lem fence were not of him. And again, when they have such iej strong defence, they may not use it to the hurt of God's lieu j)OoplG; as these wicked proud Edomites did both against loie God, their brethren and the people of God. Died ! This is right wisdom to forsake himself and hang upon Slfl [' Tlie old edition is coufustd : tuki' from hint. Them is viust. En.] IG [I'll.KINCTOX.] 242 EXPOSITION UPON [V- God, to know that no policies are good which is agaiast God's people, nor to think themselves strong by hurting Exod.vii. others. The conjurers that stood afore Pharao working mi- racles, thought they should have defaced Moses and set up themselves: but Pharao was drowned with his host, Moses with his people was dehvered, and the conjurers granted 2Sam. xvii. that the living God WTOught in Moses. Achitophel, coun- selling Absalon to follow his father David that same night he began to rebel, lest in deferring time he should escape, ^sdoni is t'^ought Absalon should have been a king : but God proved foolishness, jjjg worldly-wise counsel to be foolisliness ; for when he see that he was not beloved nor his counsel followed, he went and hanged himself : but David escaped, and Absalon was Estherv.vii. slain. When Haman had obtained a proclamation for the destroying of all the Jews, and made a gallows for Mar- docheus, he thought himself wiser than all the world ; and that he should have been promoted himself, and the people of God spoiled and destroyed: but Haman was hanged on the same gallows, Mardocheus promoted, and the 1 Sam. xviii. Jews delivered. When Saul promised David his daughter for the killing of an hundred Philistines, not for love, but thinking David should have been killed liimself afore he had killed so many, he thought he had done politicly; but Da- vid killed them all, married his daughter, and was king after him: for which thing only Saul abhorred him. The Luke XX. scribes and Pharisees, thinking, if Christ were once dead, they should be safe, and never heai- tell more of him : but after his death, the apostles wTought more miracles in his name than he did himself, being alive, and more believed in him after his death, than ever did when he was alive. Thus all the scriptm-e proves plain, that that which worldly wisdom thinks best to set up themselves by, and to destroy God's people, is proved to be the destruction of all those that trust in it; and when they look for most comfort of their device, it turns to their own hmi, : as we see it has chanced by God's merciful providence to our papists for bringing in the Spaniards, trusting by that people to main- tain their superstitious popery and idle lordly authority. " The 1 Cor iii. wisdom of this world," says the apostle, " is fooUshness afore God." The wiser thou art afore men, not having the glorA- 7, 8, 9.] TIIR PROPHET ABDIAS. 243 of God afore thine eyes, ever studying how to set forth his will to the world, the more fool thou art : the craftier thou art to set up thyself, the sooner thou workest thine own destruction. How many of the worldly policy men have been trapped in their own snare here among us! Have not they, when they were highest in authority, suffered death by the same their own laws ? Thus ye see that all worldly wisdom against God is nought ; and that it is no wisdom indeed, but foolishness. And although worldly wits do many things well for a time, yet when they trust in it most, and stand most in need of it, they shall be deceived, as the next verse says : " Shall I not in that day destroy, says the Lord, the wise men from Edom," &c? And as it is in worldly wits and policies, that they be all vain when they strive against god's^'aV God ; so is it in the spiritual kingdom of Christ, in his word and church : for the dregs of popery, with their canons and decrees, shall be thrown down, and cannot always maintain those idle belly gods, the pope's chaplains ; but as they have been cast down by times ever, so shall they at length be trodden under foot to their confusion. Like is the case of subtle schoolmen with their distinctions, defacing Christ and his truth ; neither setting forth the majesty of God and his Son Christ Jesus, nor edifying with. comfortable promises the weak consciences, nor opening the mysteries of the scrip- ture; but with foolish glosses defacing the mercies of God taught in his holy word, and burdening men with traditions, unwritten verities, or rather vanities, their own dreams and fantasies ; all which God abhors, and says, " All that wor- Matt. xv. ship him, teaching man's doctrine, worship him in vain." These and all such like, coming of " the wisdom of the Rom. viu. flesh," be everlasting death, as Paul says, and " sensual, James iii. carnal, and devilish," as James terms them, and mere ig- norance of God and his mercies : for a " natural sensual i cor. ii. man perceives not the things of God." And to conclude, generally all wisdom that sets up itself in any kind of things, whatsoever it be, it is no wisdom ; it shall confound all that use it or trust in it ; and when they would most gladly enjoy it, they shall surely not have it. " There is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord," says Prov. xxi. Salomon^ The pope with all his rabble is not so wise to 16—2 244 EXrOSITION UPOX tlirow down Clirist, as the .scril)es and Pharisees were in their time : and as they were confounded, so shall all that rebel against the Son of God, which by the might of his Holy Spirit, in the mouth of his true apostles, disciples and ministers, being but poor simple abjects and a despised people in the sight of the world, has overthrown tyrants, stopped blaspheming mouths, confounded the wise and learned, and declared his strength in our weakness, that there is no power, wisdom, strength nor policy that prevails against him or his people : and because they did glory so much in their wisdom and policy, the Lord comits it a glorious thing to throw them down ; and I)ecause the glory may be given to him alone for such a noble victory, he says, " Shall I not throw them down?" — as though he should say, No man shall have the praise of it, ])ut I myself ; I will destroy them with mine own hands in that day when they look not for it, and trust most in themselves. The tower of Babel, the citit-s Nineve and Jerusalem, being great and mighty, were sud- denly overthrown when they thought not on it. The wisdom of God purposes one thing, and the wisdom of man another: so wisdom shall overcome wisdom, and the pride of man shall be overcome by the mighty hand of God. God tarries long to have his enemies to turn by repentance, to see their own folly, and ask forgiveness : but when he sees there is no remedy nor hope of their amendment, he comes like a sharp and righteous judge, and utterly overthrows them. But not only their wisdom and wise men perished, but their "strong men shall be afraid also, because every noble man among them should be afraid," as the last verse says. AVhat a case shall these people be in, when neither wisdom Theman. nor strcngtli shall serve ! Theman signifies by interpreta- tion the itoiiih, and it is also the name of one of their cliief cities; and therefore some translate, " Thy strong men shall be afraid of the south," because Nabuchodonozor came with his host from the south ; for so Babylon stood southward from them: or better, '"the strongest men of Theman," thy Jer. xiLx. chief city, shall be afraid ; and so Jeremy uses it, " There is no more wisdom in Theman." It is thought of many learned, and that probably, that Job dwelled in this country afore Esau was born, and married Dina, Jacob's daughter, 7, 8, 9.] TUF. rnoPIIET AUDrAS". 245 as Philo says; and tliat Eliplias also the Thoiuanite', one of Job's friends, whicli came to comfort him as he sat on Job the dungliill, dwelled in this city Theman, and thereof was called the Tliemanite': and well it may be so; for in his counsellings and comforting of Job he speaks oft more worldly than godly, althongh ^^•ittily and wisely. The latter end of the verse some read, "Every one of the hill Esau;" some, "the noble men," as the Targum reads; but both well enough. For Isch signifies both everi/ one, and also isch. a man, but such one as is noble. Therefore I join them together, and say, " every noble man ;" and so I express both their meanings. So here is plainly taught, that neither wisdom nor strength can prevail against the Lord. All glorying, cracking, rejoicing or boasting, that any man has of himself, or any thing beside God, is vain and wicked: for this must always be afore us, "He that glories, let him glory in the Lord ;" and Cyprian says well, " We must glor}' in nothing, because nothing is ours : we have received all from God, and therefore all praise must be given to him, that gives alP." "What hast thou," says St Paul, " that i Cor. iv. thou hast not received of God? and if thou have received it, why crackest thou on it, as though thou had not received itV What a proud soul is he that will be proud of his borrowed coat, or painted sheath ! God clothes us, and covers our filthy nakedness with his godly gifts : what unthankful treason is it then, to take the praise from him to ourself, and not render due thanks to him for them ! Mark here the difference betwixt true wisdom and bold- Godiy-«ife. ness, and earthly worldly wit and power. 'When danger comes, the godly-wise man will commit himself wholly to God, looking for help and deliverance at his hands ; or else patiently bear it without any dismaying, \^'hatsoever God lays on him : for he knows well that things are not ruled by fortune, nor that any thing can fall on him without the good will of his good God and loving Father. But the worldly- [' Old edition, the Aminites. Ed.J In proprias laudcs odiosa jactatio est; quamvis non jactatum possit esse, sed gvatum, quicquid non vivtuti liominis ascribituv, sed de Dei munero pnedicatur. • • • Dei est, inquam, Dei omne quod possumus. De Gratia Dei, ad Donatum. Pag. 2. Oxon. 1700, Ed.] 246 EXPOSITION UPON wise man, when he sees worldly wit, power and polity fail, he thinks all the world fails, and things be without recovery : he trusteth not in God, and therefore no marvel if he be left desolate. Of the good man's fear in the time of ad- jer. xvii. versity writes Jeremy: "Blessed is he that trusts in the Lord, for he shall be a tree planted by the waters, and in the drought he shall not be careful, nor cease to bear fruit." Psai. iii. And David also says, " Thou shall not be afraid of fear in the night, &c." The wicked contrariwise shall be afraid at the fall of a leaf : one shall chase a thousand, and [two] ten So^i.^ao.]'' thousand, as God threatens in Deuteronomy by Moses. He will lie, flatter, swear, and what ye will have him to do, rather than lose his profit. The like says Jeremy of them too : " They shall be a reed shaken of the wind. They shall dwell in di-y wilderness, in a salt ground." The people which dwelt in the land promised to the Israelites, when they heard tell Josh. ii. what wonders God wrought in the wilderness and the Red Sea for his people, and seeing them come near unto them, and hearing the victories they had against the kings. See and Og, their hearts melted in their bodies Hke wax, as Rahab confessed to the spies which Josue sent ; but Rahab herself she plucked up her heart, tnisted in God, and was delivered where the other perished. So the good Gabaonites Josh. ix. that feared God yielded themselves to Josue, and were saved : the other that trusted in their own strength, and would try it with the sword, for all their brag were faint hearted and I Sam. xvii. overcome. So the Phihstines, seeing Goliath their grand captain slain of David, being but a child in comparison of him, fled away post; where the Israelites afore were so afraid that they durst not stir. Thus God turns the course of things when pleases liim, that those which afore were dismayed, pluck up their courage and win the victory; and those that were stout, bragging of themselves afore, now be made cowards, run away and fly, thinking the dangers greater than they be indeed. One wicked It does evidently appear here also, how the Lord raises amiher. up ouc wicked to plague and tlu'ow down another. These Edomites had joined themselves with theii- neighboiu-s to trouble poor J acob's seed and his people ; but now the mat- ter is so turned, that one wicked persecutes, destroys and plagues another, and Nabuchodonozor destroys Edom. Wicked 247 Jehu was raised to throw down cruel Jesabel : and all the 2 Kings ix, l bold as to enter within their coasts, they would by and bye fight against them with all their power. So Moses, to Dcut. ii. keep peace, led the people by a great compass round about ; and what said God to this I did he l)id destroy them ? No ; but clean contrary, he bade them not to fight against them ; not only them, but he says unto them, " Thou shalt not harm I'jdom, because he is thy brother." Note here the patience and long suffering of God's peo- ple, that would not once attempt to revenge such displeasures, unkindness and injuries done unto them. And again note the churlishness of feigned friends, hypocrites and dissem- blers, which will shew no gentleness to God's people, though tliey may do it without their hurt or displeasure of any man. Is not the world full of such unthankful, unkind, and un- natural folk at this day? St Paul complains of such as cast off all natural affection, that should be among men : as when they which be all of one house, stock and kindred, coming of one great grandfather or ancestors, be so cruel one against another, that nature, which works in brute licasts, has no place in them, one to love or help another : 111' calls them sine affectu ; as though he .should .'^ay, if Rom. i. nature can not work or move them, which moves .stones, trees, herbs, and beasts, what hope is there that the gos- which is so far above and contrary to nature, should take any place in them? So St Paul calls them which do not provide for them and theirs, " worse than infidels." i Tim. v. 250 KXPOSITION lU'OX [V. Wherefore it was necessary, some great plague to fall on this people that had so far forgotten nature, that they would not let them pass through their country, nor drink of their waters, which they would pay for. But this is the mark betwixt God's chosen and the devil's, the gospeller and the papist, the true Christian and an hy- pocrite ; that the one will suffer wrong, do good for evil, pray for them that hate him, be content with a little, not murmuring; but the bloody papist is proud, cruel, murder- ing, oppressing the innocent, merciless, hating without re- conciliation, ever seeking to hurt, that they may hve like lords of the land and idle belly gods. What a comfort is .eodiy^^this for God's poor afflicted people, that although God do Iv^cked ^^"S suffer them to be vexed of their enemies, yet he will not suffer them to be overwhelmed ; but he will utterly root out the wicked, when he begins to execute his justice on 1. ii. them ! " He that touches you," says God to his people by the prophet Zachary, "touches the apple of mine eye." ^N^hat part of man is more tender than the eye? or which part do we take more care for than that? Yet, if the eye be sore or dim of sight, we will lay shai-p biting waters or powders in it to eat out the web, pearl, or blearedness. So will God. although he love his people so tenderly, lay sharp biting salves, purging medicines, cori-osives, lancings, letting blood, yea, and cut off rotten members, lest the whole body perish or rot away. But all that is for fatherly love, to di-ive us unto him, to make us weary of the world, to purge carnal cares, eat out the dead rotten fantasies of our minds, let out the bruised blood, or cut away by death some for the ex- ample of other, to strengthen them boldly to confess the truth and glorifying of his name by such constant witness of our weak natm-es. A little worldly shame, as it is thought of worldly, but not godly men, may light on God's people for a time ; but everlasting shame shall confound their ene- mies for ever afore God. A short temporal punishment may grieve God's childi'en for a time ; but their haters shall be utterly destroyed for ever. The Israelites were ashamed for a time in their captivity, when Esau joined with Nabucho- donozor to destroy them; and yet afterwards were brought home again: but now should these be utterly destroyed for 10 — 16'.] HE I'nOPHKT ABDIASi. 251 ever without recovery. The Philistines for a time made the Israelites ashamed : but after that David had slain Goliath, i sam. xvii. the Philistines were vanquished, slain, and every day more and more rooted out. The verses following declare the cause of the destruction of Edom. First, because when Nabuchodonozor sacked their city Jerusalem, entered the gates and cast lot on Jerusalem, who should have the best part, spoiled their good, burned their houses and temple, beat down their walls, and made havoc of all, " Thou, Edom, stood among them," took their parts, robbed as fast as the best, cast lot \vith them which should be thy part ; and when other would have shewn pity, thou cried, as the psalm says, "Down with it, down with ^^i^-^ them, even to the bottom;" leave not one stick standing, leave not one stone upon another. 0 what cruel words are these, that they which were cousins, and should have been friends unto this people, when their enemies would have shewn pity, they cry, Down with them, down with them ; leave not one piece standing ! The Scots invading England made a like brag among themselves, to destroy all afore them ; and the morning afore the battle was fought, they played at dice for all the dukedoms and great cities in England, who should have them : but God turned them in their own pride ; for their king was slain in the field, and aU the host discom- fited to their great loss and shame'. Where brotherly love required that thou shoidd have holpen thy brother Jacob and his seed, thou stood by and looked on, and would not help, when such strange things and destruction fell on him : yea, not only that, but ye re- joiced at their hai-m, and stood boasting and cracking against them, where thou should have been a comfort, and delivered of them. It is hard to tell whether he offends God more that does the wrong and oppresses another, or he that stands by laughing, mocking and scorning, and may help and will not; but sure both be damnable. David complains of such as hurt the oppressed, "They have persecuted him whom Psai. ixa. thou hast smitten, and they increased my sorrow and again, " They sang rhymes against me, as thej' sat th-inking wine." They that stood mocking at our Saviour Christ, hanging on P The battle of Flodden Field, a.d. 1513. Ed.] 252 EXPOSITION- UPON tho cross, were as guilty of liis death as they that criicifierl iMatt.xxvii. hiiji ; "Thou that destroycst the temple of God, hail, king Rom. i. of the Jews! Let him save him, if he will have him." They which consent to any wickedness are as well guilty as they that do the deed. It is against all humanity that, when God punishes, man should also lay on more sorrow heside. No beast, if another stick fast in the mire or fall under his load, will stand mocking or hurting him, or laying on more weight to hold it down : and what beastliness or worse rather is this, that man should rejoice at another man's harm ! it is against nature of man. God bids by Moses, that if ye see Kxnd. xMii. thine enemy's ass fallen under his load, that thou shall not pass by, but thou shall help to lift him up : and surely God does not command this so much for the ass's .sake, as the man's ; as St Paul says in a like case, in muzzling the labour- ing ox, " Has (lod care for oxen And if we be taught thus to shew this friend.ship to our enemy and his ass, much more it will be required at our hands for our friends and neighbours. But they had so far forgotten all gentlene.ss, that they were more ready to do them hanu than their open enemies were and strangers. " They burst open their gates, and went in with the first, laid hands upon their goods, and spoiled them as fast as the best." Yea, they were not con- tent to stand by, look on, and rob them; but they stood in the cross ways, that if any escaped, ran away, or made shift to save himself, they either were ready to kill him, or else take him prisoner, and bring him and deliver him into the hands of his enemies. 0 miserable cruelness, that would not let them live which had once escaped danger, nor would not let them flee away which were once delivered from their enemies ! AVhat a pleasure had these wicked men in mur- dering and robbing their brethren, that could not suffer them to escape which had once escaped ! Yea, all this cruelty they shewed when the Lord had forbidden them : for so the Hebrew reads all these cruel parts negatively, forbidding them so to do. And because they had done so cruelly to their brethren, and contrary to God's commandment, the plagues fell on them which the next verse speaks of. The Chaldee targum reads them all affimi- atively, saying, " Thou did stand against thy brother ; when 10— If).] thp: prophet abdias. 253 tlie heathen robbed liim, entered his city, cast lot for Jeru- salem, thou took their parts, stood looking on him in the day of his destruction, and spake boastingly against him ; thou robbed him, and stood in the cross ways to kill them that ran away to save themselves." The sense and meaning is all one, whether we read them affirmativelj' or negatively ; for the one casts in their teeth their cruelty, and the other forbids them it, and shews that for this their unkind and wicked behaviour toward their brethren, God's people, they should drink such as they had given other. This is the common practice of the world, that when a man is down, then even those which were his feigned friends afore, will be the first that shall work him displeasure. When Absalon had gathered a great company, and driven out his father, then those that were David's counsellors and flattering friends, were the first that forsaked him ; saw the world change, 2 Sam. ran to Absalon, and thought there was most profit to get 1 Kins to be gotten that way. ]}ut if I should apply this to antichrist, the pope, and his pigs, we shall easily perceive how true it is not only afore, but in these our miserable days. ^V^hen ^"ertiger, king of this realm, would forsake his lawful wife the queen, and marry the daughter of Hengist a Saxon, then to defend that naughty deed nuist the Saxons be brought in contrary to the people's mind ; and so at length they conquered all, and made them- selves kings, driving out the Englishmen. Of what one cruel point can our unmerciful papists excuse themselves at this day, but they have been as cruel against the brethcrn in this realm for religion, as Edom was against Jacob '{ For the maintaining of the idolatries, when they see that the most part of the realm had espied their wickedness and proud tyranny that they I'niiist would exercise against the people of (Jod, they see there was the lui no way to keep their pomp and feed their idle bellies, but by might, power, and strong hand. So these caterpillars, caring not how they come by it so that they had it, better they think it to danger the whole realm, than idolatry be not maintained, their pope honoured, poor souls bought and sold, their greedy ambitious desires set aloft, that they may rule like lords. When they see their brethren cast in the fire, they stand by laughing, boasting their false doctrine, cracking to root out all 254 EXPOSITION UPON [V. that love the gospel, and not to leave one alive that is sus- pect to love any good religion. These gi-eedy cormorants, if they see any that had a good living that they list to have, by and bye they set one of their promoters or other to accuse him, and never ceased iinto they had driven him out. Yea, when the pope's spaniels some would speak against such cruelty, and wish more gentleness to be used, they would most earnestly be against it, and yet call themselves spiritual. Nero, when any evil chanced, or he had done any mischief himself and set fire in Rome, would say the Christians were cause of it, or had done it, to bring them in hatred with the people. So our papists, if there was unseasonable weather, or any thing did displease the people, they said it was because these gospellers were not yet rooted out, but suffered to live : when any was content to forsake country, house, wife, lands, and goods, according to God's commandment, rather than defile himself with wickedness, submitting himself to their abominations, they would rail on him, calling him runagate, traitor, heretic, and what pleased them. And because they would be like Edomites in all points, which watched their cross ways to kill those that escaped ; so the papists, if any gospeller had escaped their hands, they would send command- ments into other countries to call them home, lay watches and spies in all corners to catch such as they Iizst to have, and bring them home like prisoners, which never had offended. What strait watch was laid in eveiy haven to catch them that came in or out, though they were but poor afflicted men, and banished members of Christ ! What rejoicing, if any was taken ; and what strait commissions to search hat goods any such banished person had left behind him, and in whose hands it was, that it might be taken from them ! What great cracks their great Nimrod' and captain made, that he woidd p " Seeing the professors were fled out of their bloody hands, they thought to be even with them by endeavouring to hinder all supplies of money and provisions to be sent them ; sa^ang that they ' would make them so hungiy, that they should eat their tingers' ends.' These words Gardiner in great passion had uttered in Calais, being there embassador with Cardinal Pole and others." Strj'pe, Memorials, Vol. III. i. ch. xxxi. p. 403. 8vo. where he proceeds to illustrate this by a quotation from Bishop Pilkingtou. See the passage at p. 197 of this edition. Ed.] .0-16.] Tlir; PBOPHET ARDIA: 255 l)ring all such runagates (as it pleased him to term them) to such need, that they should eat their fingers for hunger, it is not unknown to the world : that they might thus prove themselves true Edomites, in robbing their poor brother Jacob. But that we may perceive our papists to bo the true seed of the spiritual Edom, mark the beginning, and it shall more easily appear. Edom, which is Esau, lost his father's blessing, by which ^on°"?^,iJr( lie should have had authority over his brother, and that was [J^^^ ^Jj^""" the chief cause of hatred toward Jacob : so our papists, by cause the gospellers teach them to be humble, as Chi-ist was, and to leave their lordliness over God's flock, they perse- cute them to death. Esau, to fill his belly, lost his birth- right, by which he should have had double portion of his father's goods, to his l)rother : so our popes, because they may not have double honom*, promotion, riches, and wealth to other, as their father the pope has, they hate all that gainsay them. Esau was rough skinned, a wild man of con- ditions, and a hunter : so our hypocritical popes be of cruel and rough conditions, hunters for promotions, yea, hawkers and hunters in deed, and given to all pleasm-e, rather than to feed God's sheep. We read in the scripture of two no- table hunters, and they were both naught, Nimrod and Esau : but among the popish priests ye shall find few but he can keep a cm- better than a cure, can find a hare, keep a ken- nel of hounds or a cast of hawks, better than many other; and because they will be cunning in tlieir occupation and all kind of hunting, they hunt for pluralities of benefices a trlhus ad centum et tot quot ; yea, they can hunt whores (for they say, it is better to have a whore than a wife) so cun- ningly, that they may teach a school of it. Edom hunted tVu- venison and good cheer : so can oiu- belly gods, the popes, Sir John Smell-smoke, smell a feast in all parishes near him, sit at ale house, carding, dicing, bowling, drinking from morn- ing to night, thinking he lias served God well when he has mumbled his matins, some piece roasted over the fire, some sod over the pot, some chased over the fields, some chopped, some chowed ; that if their God Avere not coming, he could never set them together. Other of the higher sort can sit drinking with their malvesey, marmalade, sucket, figs, raisins, and green 25G EXPOSITION UPON ["• ginger, &c. and say they fast, punish their bodies, and go the right way to heaven : even as right as a ram's horn. Esau, because he had lost authority over his brother, per- secuted him so sharply, that he lived banished twenty years : so our Edomites (I had almost said. Sodomites) banish their brethren for ever, if they can; yea, curse them to hell, be- cause they may do much there by their many friends, not leaving them any room in their purgatory, because they be lords of the soil, and none shall dwell there, except he take a lease and pay rent to them. Esau, because he would not obey but displeased his parents, married divers wives of the heathens round about him, contrary to God and example of all his good forefathers : so our papists, abhorring lawful marriage, follow carnal whores ; and living in spiiitual adul- tery, worship false gods, images, stocks and stones, the works of man's hands, and follow all men's traditions in all countries about, gadding from country to country a pilgrimage, to buy pardons, and rob Christ of his due honour. But I nuist make an end of their ungodliness, which hn- no end ; and let them which would see more of their doin^- confer the life of Jacob and Esau together from the begin- ning to the end ; and then they shall easily see how truly these antichrists do resemble their father Edom, that all things which is here prophesied may be well and truly applied to them. It shall be sufficient for me thus briefly at this time in these few things to have compared them together, and have opened, the way and given an example for the ruder sort to follow, in comparing them further together, and setting out worthily their M'iekedness, if any tongue or pen could suffi- ciently do it. AVhat shall be the end and reward of such cruelty, pride, rejoicing, robbing, killing their brethren, the two last vei-ses declare. The day of vengeance over all people that have so violently handled God's flock is at hand : God has borne long enough, he will not see his sheep any longer devom-ed: he has tarried sufficiently for their repentance, if they would have turned : he sees there is no hope of amendment ; he will now be avenged of his enemies, and that most justly. For " even as thou, 0 Edom, hast done to him, it shall be done to thee and what measure thou hast given other, the same shall be 10 — IC] THE PROPHET ACDIAS. 257 measured to thee again." Such punishment shall it be, that it shall extend even unto thy infants, which in all other de- structions are wont to find favour, and thought to be inno- cent; yet now they shall be as extremely punished as the rest. And as ye have drunk and made merry on my hill Sion and Moria, where the temple was builded and God worship- ped, and ye laughed to see it destroyed, burned and cast down ; so shall your enemies drink, laugh and make merry on your hills, where your strong holds were builded, when they shall throw them down, conquer your lands, and lead you captives and prisoners, make you slaves, rob your goods and treasui-es, laugh you to scorn, and work their pleasure on you and yours : they shall swallow you and yours up so clean, leaving nothing behind them, and devour all your goods, as though ye had never been dwelling there, and as though no such things had been. This is the just judg- ment of God, to do again the same things to his enemies that they did to his people, and reward like with like. If he should shew sharper punishment, men would call him cruel : if less, many would judge that he could not, would not, or durst not. Therefore he renders even the same again, that both his enemies and his people may call him a righteous judge : for few will or justly can blame him that does but like for like. So says Uavid : " Let the Psai. ixv people rejoice, for thou judgest thy people righteously." Judges i Adonibezec, a heathen, that chopped off the toes and fingers of seventy kings which he conquered, was so served himself when he was taken ; and then confessed he God to be right- eous in doing to him as he had done to other. Absalon killed his brother with the sword violently, and perished with 2 Sani. x the sword himself. Joab smote Abner unjustly, and David » commanded him to be likewise handled. He that came bringing word to David that he had killed Saul, thinking thereby to have picked a thank and gotten a brilje of David, was commanded by David to be slain for laying his hand on the anointed of the Lord, contrary to his expectation. Thus by these few and such other examples the right- eous judgments of God and merciful dealing in his punishing appear, that althnugli his enemies rage and fury in their J7 [piI.KlNUTON.j 258 EXPOSITION UPON doings and in their madness, care not what cruehy they shew; yet God, although he most justly might, according to their deserts, revenge with more sharpness, he will not but reward with like. Let all cruel papists and persecutors of God's people take heed therefore, what violence they shew: for although God seem to suffer for a time, yet he will come at his appointed time to deliver his, and reward them with i^Pils God the like measure that they have shewed to other. And of TufferMs causes aiul injuries God can suffer none worse unavenged, spcciaHyto than that which is counted against Jerusalem, his temple, be defaced, j^j^ j-giigiQ^, and wlierc he is honoured : for that touches isai. xiviii. jijg Q^y^ person. "His honour," he says him.self, "he will give to no other:" he is a jealous God, and the first and chief commandment is, to worship him alone, to have no Exod. XX. other Gods but him; for else he punishes to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. Can any country or people be found from the beginning, which rebelled against God and his people, but God has thrown them down? Can then our antichrists, or any hater, mocker of God or his peo- ple at this day, by what name soever they be called, look for any less than to receive the same measure that they have given other ? Nay, nay ; for surely the more examples that they have had to teach them, and they will not learn, the greater shall be their condemnation. And let them not think that this day of vengeance is so far off, seeing that so many things cry on the Lord to Rom. viii. hasten his coming. Every creature in heaven and earth, quick and dead, groans and travails, looking for our full deliverance. Rev. vi. The souls under the altar cry, " How long, 0 Lord, is it that thou revengest not our blood 2" And these be not few Matt. xxiii. in number; for "from the blood of righteous Abel all inno- Rev. xxii. cent blood shall come on you." "The Spirit and the spouse cry, Come, and he that hears cries. Come." Mercy to help his oppressed, and justice to revenge, cry, " Come, Lord «n4anre Jcsus, quickly." Can God stop his ears from all these cry- off""' ings ? No, no : let them assure themsekes, their days be at hand : they shall perish everlastingly, if they repent not, and God's people shall be delivered to his glory. "Come, Lord Jesus," let all cry, and he will come. The church of Christ is the spouse of Christ; and he is our husband, he 10— IG.] THE PROPHET APDIAS. 259 our liead, and we his members and part of his mystical body : lie our father, and we his children ; he our God, and we his creatures; he our king, and we his subjects; he our Lord and master, and we liis poor servants; Christ our brother, and we fellow heirs with him ; he loves us better, and takes more thought for us, than we do for ourselves. Great is tlie love of the mother toward her children; yet greater is God's love toward us. Although " the mother can forget isai. xiix. tlie child," says the prophet, " 1 will not forget thee yea, as the hen will fight for her chickens, so will our God for us against all our enemies. "How oft would I have gathered ^la"- xxiii. thee under my wings, as the hen her chickens!" says our Saviour Christ. Our bodies are the temple wherein he dwells ; i cor. iii. yea, we are the lively stones, whereof his house is built : we i Pet. ii. 1)0 of liis household, citizens, burgesses, and freemen in hea-upii. ii- \ en ; his familiar friends, whom he loved so dearly, that his Son should die that we might live. And that we should not doubt of his good will, but that he has given us all his treasure, he says, "He that spared not his own Son, butRom. viH. Li,ave him for us all, how can it be but he has given all things with him, &c.r Let no man therefore doubt of God's good will towards us, seeing God himself has declared so many ways his ex- ceeding great love towards us by so many similitudes: and let no papist rejoice nor triumph against God's people, as tliough God cared not for them, had cast them away, or would not deliver them. For he will come in deed, and not he slow. Peter says, " The Lord is not slow in coming, 2 pct. iii. as some think, but patiently tarries for us, (fee." Can any husband see his wife take wrong? or any man hate or ne- •r_\cct his own flesh ? Can the father deny his child any thing lie asks ; or " if he ask bread, will he give him a stone V mm. \U. I s any more ready to help his people than God ^ Will not .1 king defend his subjects, the master his servant, or lord Ill's tenant? Will not brotherly love move him that is love itself, as St John says, to have pity on us? He has bought us too dear to see us cast away. Will he do less for us tlian the hen for her chickens, or the brute beast for her young ones? No man will see his house pulled down over his head, but he will restore it. A good burghmaster and 17—2 2G0 EXPOSITION UPON ruler of a city will provide necessaries for his, that he has rule over. Therefore, seeing our God has taken all these names and offices on him, doubt not but he will do his part for us, if we do not run from him. He sets not deputies to do his office, nor is not weaiy of well doing: he bears not the name of these offices, and refuses the laliour, as prov. viii. men do ; but he says by Salomon, " My delight is to be Psai. cxxi. with the children of men and by David, " He neither slumbers nor sleeps, that watches Israel." The Text. V. 17. But in the hill Sion shall be escaping, and there shall he holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess the inheritance of them which possessed his. 18. And the house of Jacob shall be fire, and the house of Joseph the flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and shall burn them, and shall devour them, and there shall be no remnant of the house of Esau: for the Lord has spolcen it. 1.9. They shall possess tlie south part of the hill Esau, and the plain country of the Philistines, and they shall possess the country of Ephraim and the country of Samaria : Benjamin shall possess Galaad. 20. And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel, those which be the Canaanites unto Zarphat; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which be in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. 21. And there shall come saviours into the hill Sion, to Judge the Mil Esau ; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's. Mark here the diverse end of the good and bad, the persecuted and the persecutor, the true Christian and tlie hypocrite, the gospeller and the papist. The wicked flourishes for a time, but liis end is everlasting damnation : the man of Grod, looking for another kingdom than on the eai-th, is content to bear the cross here, under hope of that which is to come. The stock of Esau has hitherto triumphed against Jacob, God's people ; but now, when his wickedness is ripe, the Lord rewards' him according to his deserts. The hill Esau afore rejoiced in his strong holds, wealtliy country. [' Old edition, j-cxrnnli-. En.] 17-2..] THE I'KOl'HET ABDIAS. and the leagues made with all neighbours round about them: but now in the hill Sion shall be safe escaping, when Edom shall have no place to flee unto. In Sion, that is Jerusa- lem, and God's elect beloved people, shall be holiness, the true worshipping of God, the holy sanctuary and temple where God's holy name shall be called upon : whereas Esau in the mean time is defiled with idolatry, and given up to the hands of the gentiles. Yea, and fm-thermore Jacob shall possess the land of them that possessed his. And although God have promised to godliness, not only in the world to come, but in this life also, great blessings, as appears by Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Josias, Ezechias, J osaphat, which were of great riches ; yet this place do I not think to be so understand, that Jacob should ever possess the lands of Esau, although the scripture says that ' cinon. David and Jacob overcame the Edomites. But I think 2 Kings xiv. rather under this outward kingdom to be prophesied, that the kingdom of Christ, as the prophets use by worldly prosperity to declare the spiritual felicity, by the preaching of the gos- pel should be enlarged in those countries, which were now enemies to God and his people ; and so the spiritual seed of Jacob, the Christians, should by preaching conquer" and pos- sess Esau his land and the gentiles, which so sore hated and persecuted them afore. This is the nature of God's people, to be good to them which hate them, and to win them all to God, which have done them most displeasures : and this is the nature of God, to call them which be his utter enemies, and soften their stony hearts to make them meet houses for the Holy Ghost to dwell in ; and in the midst of their raging persecution to smite them down, as he did Saul, raise them up and make them Pauls, of wolves sheep, and of haters lovers of the truth. Thus shall Esau be destroyed, when his idolatry, superstition, false gods, and such wickedness shall be taken away : and Jacob shall possess him, when he shall turn him to the true worshipping of the living God, forsaking their idols and superstitions, and follow true rehgion. AVhat can be counted a greater conquest than to conquer the devil, and make all people subject to Christ? After rebuking their sin, and threatening them just punish- £- Old edition, confer. Ed. J 262 EXPOSITION UPON ment for the same, now follows comfort ; as ever after the law preached follows the gospel, and after correction comes sion. gi-ace and pardon. Sion is the church and congregation of Christ and faithful men believing in hira ; so that whosoever flees thither shall be safe, and whosoever is not under his wings and in the number of christian people, shall perish in the day of his wrath : as all living creatures, which were not in the ark with Noe, did perish with the waters, so all that be not of God's household shall be cast into outward darkness. This other promise, that God makes here unto the faithful seed of Jacob, that has his faith, is most no- table and comfortable : "In the hill Sion, the church of Clirist, there shall be the Holy One," as the Seventy read; or "holi- ness," as other; or "the sanctuary," as some, and holy place to worship God in purely. It skills not much which we read ; for the sense is all one, and the meaning is, that the church and faithful people of Christ shall not want the true reli- gion and knowledge of God. For the church of Clirist is the spouse of Christ and his mystical body : and if mortal men love their wives and bodies so dearly, that they will not forsake them or leave them comfortless, much less will Christ our Saviour not forsake us after that he has redeemed us, seeing he bought us and love us so dearly, being his ene- mies. This is then the greatest token of God's love to his people, when he gives them his true religion, and therefore most earnestly to be embraced of us. And this is the bless- ing taken from Esau and given to Jacob. Matt.xxviii. If wc read "the holy one," he is Christ, which promised 1 Cor. i. to be with us to the end of the world : he " is made to us of God our Father righteousness, holiness, wisdom and redemp- tion;" because that whosoever is holy receives it of him, and none is holy that has it not of him, though he have bulls, calves, pardons, relics, holy water, holy ashes, holy palms, holy cross, yea, and all the holiness that is in Eome, if he have not the Spirit of Christ. I am sure, they will not say they sell the Holy Ghost when they sell pardons, for that were simony: therefore they buy no holiness in them. If we read " holiness," then it is an upright life, true faith with pure 1 Thess. iv. worshipping of God. " This is the will of God," says St Paul, "your holiness." As they have but one God, so they wiU 17-2..] THE PKOl'lUCT AHDIAS. 263 worsliip him only, and as lie has taught thcni, and not after the device of man : they will also study for a holy life, as God commands, " Be ye holy, for I am holy." And if we read " holy place,"" or sanctuary to worship God in, it is Levit. xix. true also : for in all persecutions, and in tlie spite of the pope and all antichrists, there has been in all ages and shall be (for God so saying can not lie) true professors of God, although the most part of the world was blinded. So Christ comforts his, saying, "Fear not, thou little Hock." Lukexii. Thus in Christ's church, in spite of their foes, shall ever be Christ the head, knit to the body necessarily ; and as he is holy, so shall he make them holy that hang upon him, and so govern them by his Spirit, that they shall ever follow a holy kind of life, fleeing mischief and uncleanness ; and so shall they have also his sanctuary and holy place where to resort in aii perse- to worship their God, hear his word, and call upon him. .] 270 KXPOSITION UPON [V. and subjects of them both, the way to conquer and compass them both, tlie means to enjoy them both, and tlie jjleasures in them both when we have gotten them. Yet, notwithstand- ing all things in them be so contran', and worldly men by all ways possible go about to stop and hinder the getting of the other heavenly kingdom, to withdraw men from it, and envy the glory and increase of it ; yet " the kingdom shall be the Lord's" in spite of all his foes, and their ma- licious enterprises shall come to nought. Saviours. They be called saviours, because they teach the word of Judges. salvation ; and jiulrjes, because they will be righteous, and neither for gifts, bribery, nor partiality deliver the wicked, and condemn the innocent, hut uprightly according to the scripture preach salvation to the penitent, and condemnation to the hard hearted. Their judging shall not be in worldly matters, no more than their preaching and saving : but as their ministery is spiritual, so shall their commission, judg- ment, and deliverance be. In Esau is meant hj'pocrites, persecutors, false teachers and all evil doers. St Paul saj'S 1 Tim. iv. to Timothy, that " in doing these things," which he taught him, "he .should save himself and these that heard him." James i. St James called the gospel the word that " can save their Rom. i. souls ;" and to the Eomans it is called " the power of God unto salvation of every one that believes," because the mighty power of God, how he saves us, is declai-ed in it. But Christ is only the Saviour, properly speaking; and other be Acts iv. hut ministers and teachers of the same : for " there is no other name," as St Luke says, " under heaven, in which we must be saved." Thus in the church of Christ, Sion, shall be ever salvation preached, judgment ministered, and sin punished. Woe then be to them that flatter, lay pillows under their elbows, teach false doctrine, &c. and yet will have the rooms and names of preachers in the house and church of Christ! They be wolves, hirelings, and devourers of the flock of John ix. Christ. Christ says, he came to tiie judgment of the world, to condemn the works of the world ; and so for the same use he gives his Spirit still to his ministers, to set up his kingdom, and condemn the works of the world, anticlu-ist and his enemies. A kingdom cannot stand without minis- 17 — 21.] THE PROPHET AliDIAS. 271 tering of justice, punisliing sin, and maintaining the truth, delivering the innocent repenter, and condemning obstinates. So the ministers of Clirist's kingdom have power spiritual to loose and bind, as they see the scriptures teach them, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost : whose sins you forgive, they Joim xx. are forgiven;" but not whensoever Sir John Lacklatin will for money lay his hand on his head, whisper Absolutione ef remissione, &c. in Latin, that neither he nor the other weak conscience understands, it is not, I say, by and bye forgiven; but unto them it is said, " I will curse your blessings," and Mai. ii. I will bless your cursings. If the absolution be not given to the penitent heart, oppressed with the burden of sin, and seeking comfort in Christ, it is no more profitable than baptism or the communion is to a hypocrite or unpenitent sinner. Yea rather, it is to the condemnation both of the giver and receiver, if it be ungodly done, because they mis- use the good ministery of CJod. Therefore they that in ab- solving judge not, according to the commission of God's word committed unto them, be not saviours of the people, but deceivers. And where he says, " the kingdom shall be the Lord's," he condemns all that teach any doctrine in the church, to set up any other king or kingdom, but the word of God, which be his laws, given to his people, that they may live according thereto, knowing them to be his subjects, and him their king ; that so his kingdom may increase and be ruled by his laws, as earthly princes rule by their laws. There- fore the pope, teaching his decrees, setting up himself and his kingdom, as though he were lord of heaven and earth, purgatory and hell, and bringing the people to his obedience, as the chief ruler, is traitor to God and deceives the people. And to St Peter, whose vicar he says he is, he must needs The Pope •' most unlil be proved most unlike, and a traitor to Christ for drawing st Peter, men from him, and willing them to buy his pardon and for- giveness of sins at his hands, as though he were set to gather up Christ's tolling money; when St Peter teaches, "Ye beiPet. i. not redeemed from your vain and false superstition witii gold either with silver, &c." If we be not redeemed with money, then the pope lies, saying our sins be forgiven, if we buy pardons to forgive sin. St Peter sa^s, money does not for- 272 EXPOSITION UPON THE PROPHET ABDIAS. [v. 17 21. J give sins, but the blood of Christ Jesus: the pope says, Yes, or at least he will not do it without money. St Peter had his own wife ; the pope will none, nor let his clerg)', but whores as many ye will. St Peter said, he had neither gold nor silver; the pope will do nothing without gold or silver, as it is said, Quicquid Roma dabit, nugas dahit, ac- cipit aurum : " Whatsoever it be that Rome wiW give, trifles it will give, but gold it doth receive." St Peter was sub- ject himself unto Nero, a wicked infidel tyrant, and teaches other to be so in civil matters ; but the pope will rule all christian princes by rigour, depose them at his pleasure, and obey none, but his own lusts. Therefore it is plain to see, what is to be thought of his kingdom, and of such men as will rule with rigour over the flock of Christ, and will not feed God's sheep with his word, that the Lord may rule in his own kingdom by his own law and word, and his sheep hear the voice of their own true Shepherd, and flee from strangers, hirelings and wolves. It is not meet that God should be king, and the pope to make laws for him to rule by ; but God rules by his own laws. " Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will thrust out workmen into his harvest," that they may work truly for the setting up of his kingdom, and pulling down the pope's; and that we may grow to good corn, to be laid up in the Lord's barns, and be not light chaff, blo\Mi away with every puff" of doctrine ; but grounded upon the rock Christ Jesus, may surely stand against all storms; that we be not cast into outward darkness and everlasting fire, but may enjoy that unspeakable joy that he has prepared for them that love him and look for him. Amen. A PRAYEn. 273 A PRAYER. Most righteous Judge, God of all mercy and comfort, which by thy secret judgment and wisdom suffers the wicked to triumph and increase for a- time, for trial of the faith of thy well beloved little flock, and the mortifying of their lusts, but at length to the utter confusion of the enemies, and joyful deliverance of thy people : look down, we beseech thee, on thy dispersed sheep out of thy holy habitation in heaven, and strengthen our weakness against their furious rages; abate their pride, assuage their malice, confound their devices, where- with they lift up themselves against Clu-ist Jesus thy Son, our Lord and Saviour, to deface his glory and set up anti- christ. We be not able of ourselves to think a good thought, much less to stand against their assaults, except thy unde- served grace and mighty arm defend and deliver us. Perform thy promises made to Jacob, and stop the mouths of the cursed Edomites : call them to repentance whom thou hast appointed to salvation : bring home them that run astray, lighten the blind, and teach the ignorant; forgive all those that wilfully and obstinately rebel not against thy holy will ; let thy fearful threatenings parse' our stony hearts, and make us tremble at thy judgments. Make the examples of them, whom thou hast overthrown in their own devices, to be a warning for us, that we set not up ourselves against thy holy will. Grant free passage to thy holy word, that it may work effectually in us the blessed hope of our salvation, to the eternal praise of thy majesty, through our Mediator Christ Jesus, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, three Persons and one God, be praise and thanksgiving in all con- gregations, world without end. So be it. Jaco. P. Ep. Parse : pierce. Ed.] \J Jacobua Pilkington, Episcopus Dunelmensis. En.] [PILKINGTON.] 18 C Jmprentfir at Honlron, at tfft U3^0t enUe of ^au= Cl^urcte, at tlje gigne of tfje lE^eDgelioggr. Anno, 1 562. H Cum priuilegio ad Imprimen- duni solum. ,;, EXPOSITION UPON CERTAIN CHAPTERS OF N E H E M I A H. TO WHICH IS ADDED DR ROBERT SOME'S TREATISE OF OPPRESSION, AS INSERTED BY THE ORIGINAL EDITOR. 18—2 A GODLIE EXPOSITION VPON CERTEINE CHAP- ters of Nehemiah, written by that worthy Byshop and faithfull Pastor of the Church of Durham Master lAMES PJLKINTON. (') AND NOW NEWLIE PVBLISHED. In the latter end, because the Author could not Jiimh that treatise of Oppression which he had begonne, there is added that for a supplie, which of late was published by ROBERT SOME D. Ill Diuinitie. Psal. 12". 1. Except the Lord builil the house, they labour in vaine that build it : except the Lord keepe the citie, the keeper watcheth in vaine. Psal. 122. C. Praie for the peace of Jerusalem : let them prosper that loue thee. Psal. 80. 14. 15. Returne, we beseech thee, O God of hostes : looke downe from heauen, and behold and visit this vine. And the vineycard, that thy right hand hath planted, and the young vine, which thou niadest strong for thy selfe. Imprinted by Thomas Thomas printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1585. A PREFACE M. JOHN FOX, TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. As it is greatly to be rejoiced, and the Lord highly to be praised, for the happy enterprise of the godly work of Nehemiah, begun by the reverend and vigilant pastor of Christ his church of famous memory, M. James Pilkington, Bishop of Duresme ; so again it were to be wished that, if the Lord had thought it so good, his days might have con- tinued to the full pcrfiting of the same, which now is left unperfect, only containing five chapters by him expounded. For the setting out whereof, being requested hereunto, I thought to add these few lines in recommending the same to the godly reader, trusting no less than that whosoever will take pains in reading thereof, the same shall find his labour therein not altogether lost. And that for divers causes. First, for the better explaining of the chapters whereof he entreateth. Secondly, for the opening of ancient histories in- termixed withal, much needful to be known. Thirdly, for the opportunity of the time well serving for the purpose present. For as Nehemiah then by God's providence was set up for the re-edifying of the material temple of Jerusalem, de- stroyed by the liabylonians ; so in like sort the spiritual church of Christ, in this spiritual Babylonical captivity, being in long time in ruin and decay, standoth in great need of godly helpers and good workmen; as, blessed be the Lord! some we have seen, and do see, right zealously occupied to the shedding of their blood in repairing Christ his temple. 278 TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. Yet notwithstanding, the matter being of so great importance, and the time so dangerous, it shall not be amiss in these our days to be taught by the time before us. First, that the outward temple in Hierusalem, destroyed by the Babylonians, did lie waste for many years, it cannot be denied. Which being granted, it must needs follow, that either the said material temple doth bear no representation of the spiritual church of Christ (which cannot be denied,) or else that the same church of Christ must necessarily suffer some captivity and apostasy for a time by certain spiritual Babylo- nians in latter times: which being so, then must it likewise follow consequently, that as that former temple of God in Hierusalem, after long captivity, at length was restored again by the mighty hand of God ; so the like is to be accomplished in Christ his chm-ch, after long wrack and decay to be repaired again, as we see now come to pass. For what oppression, what tjTanny, what darkness hath overwhelmed the poor church of Christ these many years by the Komish Assyri- ans, who is so blind that seeth not? Wherefore much deceived be these our pope-holy pretensed cathoUcs; who, dreaming in their fantasies no other time church to be in earth but only their holy church of Rome, falsely so persuade themselves, because the outward state of their Romish church so glori- ously and richly shineth in the world, and therefore the true church of Christ is at no time to be blemished with ignorance and darkness, but continually flourish without spot or wrinkle in the eyes of men, never to suffer any ^^Tack or decay, but perpetually to be preserved from all ruin or distress. By which ruin if they mean the perpetual or final desolation of the true church of Clu-ist, true it is that the same shall never finally be forsaken nor overtlirowTi ; but for a time the same to suffer violence and oppression by enemies, it cannot be denied. For antichi-ist, by the secret permission of God. must have his own com-se, and reign here in the church for a time ; in which time, by the assm-ed testimony of St PauFs epistle, there must come a defection and apostasy : whereby is signified, no doubt, a spiritual and, as it were, a TO TIFE CHRISTIAN READER. •279 general departing from the right faith of the gospel for a time and space, till it shall please the Lord again to give his book to the mouth of his prophets, and to send down by his angel his measuring-reed, to measure the wasted temple of the Lord for the re-edifying again, as we read Revela. x. xi. Howsoever, antichi-ist in the mean space doth flourish in this world, sitting in the temple of God, boasting him- self as God, and drawing the faith of the people from God to himself. Certainly with the true church of Christ it standeth much otherwise, which must be brought down by antichrist, not to final destruction, but for a time to be op- pressed till it shall please God again to repair it, as we by experience have good proof to declare. Wherefore let no man marvel at the decayed state of Clu-ist his church, which hath been so long time continued; nor think the worse of the gospel now preached, as though it were a new faith or a new religion lately erected. If this gospel now preached virere not taught by Christ himself, by Paul and other apostles, let it be counted for new. If the pope's doctrine be not agreeing to the same, then let every man judge which is new and which is old. Briefly, let us take example of the ancient tabernacle or house of God, first set up by Moses, afterward more magnifically framed to the like proportion in timber and stone by Salomon, which house or tabernacle the Lord promised to stand for ever: yet notwithstanding the same temple of God (exemplifying no doubt the spiritual church of Christ here in eai-th) was utterly overthrown by the Babylonians for a certain space, and afterward repaired again by God's people with much difficulty and hardness of times; and after that the same again miserably despoiled and destroyed by wicked Anti- ochus. In hke manner the spiritual church of Christ, although it have the true promise of Christ to endure for ever, as it doth and ever shall do, yet lacketh not her Babylonians, her Antiochus, her overthrowers and temporal oppressors ; yet not so oppressed, but at length by labourers 280 TO THE CHRISTIAN' READER. and artificers of God is to be repaired again, albeit sent in great shai-pness of time : w e see it now come to pass. Which being so, let us therefore, comparing time with time, look well to the matter every man what he hath to do. Such as be builders may take example of those good builders there, of whom we read, that with one hand they builded and with the other they held their weapon, that is, the spiritual sword of God's word to keep off the enemy. Such workmen the Lord send into his vineyard to be diligent labourers, not loiterers; not brawlers, but builders, labour- ing and working, not with one hand, but with both hands occupied. And likewise upon these labourers the Lord send good overseers, such as this good Nehemiah ; who, not regarding his own private charges and expences, bestowed all his care in tendering and setting forward the erection of the Lord's house, to encourage the workmen, to proNide for their necessities, to defend them from enemies, to keep them in good order from strife and variance. For as everj' good building there best goeth forward, when the w^orkmen in one consent join themselves together ; so contrariwise, nothing more hinderetli the setting up of any work, as when the workmen are divided among themselves. Albeit dm-ing the time of Nehemiah we find no great stirs among the people ; or if there were any, it was soon composed by the wise handling of that good governor, as in the fifth chapter may appear. Wherefore for the better example to be taken of those distressed days, I thought it not amiss, in this so dangerous building up of Christ's church in the perilous latter times, this treatise of Nehemiah, compiled by the right reverend and famous prelate, M. James Pilkington, of blessed memor}-, to be published and commended to Chiistian readers; whereby all good labourers and overseers of Christ his church may receive some fruitful advertisement to consider in these so great affairs of the Lord his business, what is to be done and looked unto. THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. Benigne fac, Doming, in bona voluntate tua Sion, ut cedificeiitur muri Jerusalem. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed noniini tuo da gloriam. Ahn moriar, sed vivam et iiarrabo opera Domini. THE ARGUMENT UNPERFECT, AND SO MUCH THEREOF AS WAS FOUND IS HERE PUT DOWN. And because both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah entreat only of such things as were done under the kings of Persia, which few other parts of the scripture do ; it is not amiss something to toucli the manner of hving and behaviour both of the kings, people, and nature of the country, that thereby things may better be understood ; as Strabo in his book, Leovicius in his Varia Historia., and others have left them in writing. Susia was that part of the country which lay towards Babylon, wherein was also the chief city Susa, which was like in building imto Babylon. These were a quiet people, never rebellious, and therefore kings loved it the better; and Cyrus was the first that made his chiefest abode there. Other houses the king had, which were strong and costly, and where their treasure was kept. At Susis they lay in winter, at Ecbatana in summer, at Persepolis in harvest, in the spring at Babylon : Pagasabia, (labis, and other houses were not neglected, although destroyed with the king- dom shortly after by Alexander Magnus. The riclies of the kings were great; for when all was brought to Ecbatana, men report that there were 180 talents. This country of Susia was so fruitful, that their barley and wheat would bring forth an hundredfold or two hundred as much as was sown. Their kings be of one kindred ; and whosoever obeyeth not, he hath his head and arm cut oft' and cast away. They 282 THE ARGUMENT. marry many wives and keep many harlots. The kings yearly give rewards to them that have gotten most sons. The childi-en come not in their father's sight before they be four years old. Their marriages are made in March. From five years old unto fourteen they learn to shoot, pick darts, ride, and chiefly to speak truth. Their schoohnasters be men most sober, applying all things to the profit of their scholars. They call their scholars together afore day by ringing of a bell, as though they should go to war or to hunt. They make one of the king's sons their ruler, or some great men over fifty in a band; and command them to follow their captain thirty or forty furlongs, when he runneth afore them. They ask account of those tilings that they have learned, exercising their voice, breath, and sides to heat, cold, rain, and passing of rivers. They teach them to keep their armour and clothes dn', and to feed and live hardly like husband- men, eating wild fruits, as acorns and crabs. Their daily meat after their exercise is very hard bread, cardanum, salt, and flesh roasted. Their drink is water. They hunt on horseback with picking their darts, shooting their shafts, or casting with their sling. In the forenoon they are exercised with planting of trees or digging up the roots, or make harness, or apply themselves to working of hne, or making of nets. The kings give rewards to those that get the best game at running and other games, which they use every fi^" year. They bear ofiice and play the soldiere on foot horee, from twenty years old imto fifty. They be with a shield made like a diamond. Besides their quiv they have their crooked faulchion and daggers; upon their head a steeple cap, upon their breast a coat of plate. Their princes have their breeches triple-fold, and a coat with wide sleeves lined with white inside' to the knee, and the [} The old edition reads, and syde to the knee. But the passage Strabo, wMch is here translated, is : ^itojw Se ^ei/)i2tt)To« hiirXov^ t THE AHGUAIENT. 283 outside coloured. Their apparel in summer^ is purple, or else of divers colours; in winter of divers colours. Their caps like unto the mitres of their soothsayers ; their shoes high and double. The common sort wear a lined coat to the mid- leg, and about their head a roll of sindaP. Every man useth his bow and sling. The Persians fare daintily, having many and divers kinds of meat, and their tables shine with their plate of gold and silver. They debate their weighty matters at the wine. If they meet their fellows or acquaint- ance by the way, they kiss them: if they be poorer, they make cm-tesy. Their soothsayers they leave unburied to the birds. The greatest riches that the kings had were in build- ings; and they coined no more money than served the pre- sent need. The people were temperate in their hving, but their kings passed in excess. The king's attire of his head was of myrrh and other sweet gums. They kept commonly three hundi-ed women, which slept in the day, and sang and danced all the night. If the king would go to any of them, the floor was covered with fine arras. He rode seldom but in his chariot. If he suffered any man to come to his speech, he sat in a throne of gold, standing on four pillars, with precious stones. At the head of his bed were five thousand talents of gold, which were called the king's pillow ; at his feet were three thousand talents of silver, which was called his footstool : over his bed was a golden vine with golden branches and grapes drawn with precious stones. Thus for the Argument was finished, and no more thereof found. yovaTOi' d vircvivTij'; /nev AtuKoV, cliSwd^ d 6 ttrdvia. Lib. xv. Tom. 11. p. 1042. Oxon. 1807. Ed.] P Old edition, some : the con-ection is supplied by the original passage of Strabo, as before : inaTtov 0epov^ jueV ■noptpvpovv rj dvdivdv, ^£i- fiu)vo<; S' dvdivov. Ed.] Sindal: sindon, fine linen. Ed.] AN EXPOSITION PART OF THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH, BY MASTER JAMES PILKINGTON, LATE BISHOP OP DrRHAAI.' CHAPTER I. The xmrd of Nelmiiiah the son of Hachalia. Although there be divers opinions, whether Ezra or Nehemiah wrote this book; yet for niy part I rather believe, all reasons considered, that Nehemiah wrote it, as Wolfius well proveth it. But whether so ever the one or the other wrote it, if the authority of the writer may give any strength to the writing, or man's worthiness add any thing to the credit of God's holy scripture, it skilleth not much ; for they were both the true, learned, and faitliful servants of God. Yet surely this worthy man Nehemiah, which in English is to say, a comfort sent from God, to comfort his people in those troublesome times, should not be robbed of his well deserved thanks. But first God should be chiefly praised, that raised up so worthy a man, whose pedigree is unknown, and his father's too, in so ill a time to do not only so great things both in the commonwealth and religion, in peace and war: and then should Nehemiah also be worthily next com- mended, that so faithfully obeyed the Lord his God, so pain- fully travailed for the wealth of his country; also attained such learning that he could, and was so diligent in study among all his great affairs that he would, to the great glory of God and comfort of all his church unto the world's end, put these his own doings in writing. A worthy example for all that love religion, be servitors in the court, attend on the prince, bear office in the commonwealth, or captains in the 286 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. I. wars, to follow. For in all these things was Nehemiah famous: in religion earnest; in great favour with his prince; with all uprightness of life towards all; in war skilful, courageous and painful ; and with his pen so learned, that he could so clerkly put it in wxiting. Gentlemen therefore and men of the world are not boi-n to live in pastime and pleasure, as they list, and many do, no more than poor men ; but fii-st to serve the Lord, promote his word and religion earnestly, minister justice severely, maintain peace quietly, defend the commonwealth stoutly, reUeve the oppressed mightily, follow learning and study diligently; that so they may increase in virtue and honesty, as Nehemiah did, and after aU these great travails refresh themselves with honest pastimes measurably. Among the heathen princes such a one was Julius Caesar ; in the wars cunning and happy ; in government of the commonwealth commendable; and in learn- ing so excellent, tliat no man hath written more eloquently. Such hke were Alexander Severus and Marcus Aurelius, emperors. But I will not persuade much in God's cause with profane examples. And to return to our pm-pose, I would not have men think that the scripture taketh his authority and credit of the man that writeth it ; but the witer is to be credited for the Holy Ghost's sake, who inspired liim with such heavenly knowledge, and whose instrument he is for God to speak by. Scripture cometh not first from man, but from God ; and therefore God is to be taken for the author of it, Matt. X. 20. and not man. The gospel saith, "It is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you." And 2 Pet. i. 21. St Peter saith, " Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Augustine saith well, "The scripture is a letter sent from God the Creator unto man his creature'." Therefore, when thou readest this book or other parts of the scripture, do it as gladly and reverently, yea, and much more too, than thou wouldest use and read the prince's or thy friends' letters, seeing it is a letter sent to thee from [} Et de ilk civitate, unde peregrinamui-, litterae nobis venenint: ipsK sunt scripturae, quae nos hortantur ut bene Tivamus. Enarr. in Psal. xc. Tom. iv. p. 1387. Paris. 1836. Ed.] V. 1 k] AV KXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAII. 287 thy God for tliy salvation. God then is the chiefest author of this book, as he is of the rest of the scripture, and Nehemiah the pen or writer of all these mysteries. David said of himself, " My tongue is the pen of a writer that Psai. xiv. 2. writeth swiftly;" meaning the Holy Ghost to be the writer, and his tongue the pen. So Nehemiah was the author of this book, as David of the psalms. And because they should know which Nehemiah he was, he saith he was "the son of Hachalia." For there were divers others of that name, but not his sons. V. 1. It came to pass in the month of Nommher, and in The Text. twentieth year, that I was in the castle of Susan. 2. And there came Chanani, one of my brethren, he and men of Juda; and I asked them for the Jews which scaped and remained of the captivity, and for Jeru- salem. 3. And they said to me. The remnant which remained of the captivity there in the country he in great misery and reproach; and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates of it are burned with fire. 4. And it came to pass when I heard these words, I sat down and wept; and being sad certain days, I fasted and prayed before the Lord of heaven. The scriptures use not to reckon their months after the order of our calendars, but by the exchange of the moon ; for our calendars are not of that ancienty that the scriptures be by many years. The first month in the year with them began at the next change of the moon, whensoever it fell, after the 22nd day of March, when the days and nights be both of one length. And then was March called the first moon of the yeai-, whereas we make January our first moon. So this moon here, which is called Casleu, was the 9th month from it, and fell in the latter end of November, what day soever the moon then changed. The twentieth year that he speaketh of here, was of the reign of king Artaxerxes, as appeareth in the beginning of the 2nd chapter; of whom ye shall hear more there. Susan was the chief city of all the kingdom of Persia, where the king had both his palace 288 A\ EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. I, and a strong castle also of the same name, where his treasure was kept. This city (as Strabo writeth) was long, and in compass 15 miles about. Who this Chanani was, it appeareth not; but belike some honest man of good credit, and more earnest in religion and love to his country than others, because his name is put down in writing, and the others are not. And where Ne- hemiah calleth him lrotfi£)% it is not necessary to think that he was of the same father and mother that Nehemiah was; but either further off in kindred, or else of the same country and religion. For this word hrotlter in the scrip- ture signifieth all those sorts of brotherhood, that be any ways kinsmen, or else of any country and religion. St Paul Rom. ix. saith, " I wish to be accursed from Christ for my brethi-en and kinsmen after the flesh, which be the Israelites.'' AVhere he calleth all the children of Israel his bretlu-en, becaus they came all of one father, Jacob, long ago, and now were of one country and professed one God. AVhat occasion these men had to come to the court, it appeareth not, and therefore not necessary to be searched ; but belike some great suit for their countrj-, because they took so long a jom-ney in the winter and so unseasonable a time of the year, which men commonly use not to do for small causes. And by this we may learn a good lesson, that no time is so troublesome, no journey so long, but good men will not refuse it to serve God and their countiy. And where Nehemiah, walking abroad about the com-t, beginneth to examine them of the estate of the Jews, how they did, and of the city of Jerusalem, in what case it was, it declareth the great love that he had to his people, country, and religion. 0 worthy example for all courtiers to follow; sometimes to walk abroad, to see what suitors there be, and learn the state of the countrj- from whence they came, and help to further their good causes! The contrar}- is too commonly used : they lock themselves up, and will not be spoken with; their doors must be opened with silver keys, many means and friends must be made, and a long time of attendance, afore ye be heard, except some servant about them have some gentle remembrance to help you to their speech. And this is more common in the meaner sort V. 1 4.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 289 than the higher. Yet I say not that all walkers abroad and talking with suitors be ever good men. For "Absalon walked 2Sam. xv. afore the court gate, took them by the hand and embraced them, asked what suits they had, pitied their causes;" but for an ill purpose, to bring the king his father in hatred with the people, saying, "there was none about him that would hear and lielp them;" and to bring liimself in favour with the people, saying, " if he were king, he would do them 2 sam. xv. justice, hear their causes, and they should not wait so long but be quickly despatched." God deliver us from such cour- tiers ! for by this means he robbed the hearts of the people from their natural and liege prince, and by flattery won the people so to himself, that they rebelled against their king and set up Absalon. We need not at these days to complain of all courtiers, that they be so hard to speak to, and that many times the master is not at leisure, until the servant be pleased with something, though the master bid the contrary. For there be too many, that when suitors do come, they will learn too diligently what suit they have, out of what country they come; and then, if they will faithfully declare unto them, what office is there void in the country, or what good farmhold is to be had there at the prince's hand, or rather at any church, they jjromise they will help to further his suit diligently : but M hen they have learned all that they can, then they know him not when they meet him again the next day; or else give him fair words, with strange looks and many delays. By these means and such like they are so cunning in all corners of the realm, that they can perfectly tell what the prince or any man in the country hath : and if it be not presently void, they are content with a reversion, though it be many years to come ; yea, and often sue for the same thing that the poor man came for, saying, anotlier would have had it, if he had not stayed it ; and so under a cloak of friendship make him pay more than he needed. We seek what should be the cause of such needless dearths as the realm is full of : and surely, though many be given, yet I think none greater than this. For when these leases be granted, the landlord hath but his old rent, and the tenant no more but his old farmhold : but the leasemonger, that is crept in 19 [pii,kin(;to\.] 290 AN EXPOSITION Ul'ON NEHE.MIAH. [cH. I. betwixt the landlord and tiie tenant, goeth away with the sweet from them both. For first he racks the rent and sacks the tenant so, that he is not so able to sell his things so reasonably as else he might, nor serve the prince nor his landlord as he should ; nor the landlord, paying so dear for all things, is able to live as his elders did before. This undermining micher' liveth better than they both, and taketh no pains at all for it, that they both should live on, and the one relieve the other. Haman walked afore the court gates, to see who would reverence him, as he passed by, and who would not : poor Mardocheus, because he would not, was brought in great danger of his life, and all the Jews with him ; but God, that overthroweth such courtiers, deliver us from the like, and raise us up some godly Nehemiah to favour the common- wealth and religion, as he did ! The miserable end of Ab- salon, Haman, and such as we have seen in our days, maketh wise men to take heed how they live and behave themselves in the court : for none is so high, but by like offending of God they may have as great a fall. As this toucheth not the honest sort of courtiers, so the good ones will not be offended; and those that be guilty, God grant them to amend it ! 3. A7ul they said. After that Nehemiah had of good will towards his people and country so diligently inquired how they did, and in what case they were, Chanani and the other Jews that came with him declared in what miserable case the jieople were, in hatred and despised of all people about them, and that "Jerusalem, their city where God was chiefly worshipped, lay waste and burned and unbuilt." Thus God bringeth good men together, one to comfort another; and things are not ruled by chance : for both Nehemiah and these Jews lamented the miserable state of their people and country, and by their talk God provided a remedy. Nehemiah was in good state to live, and in great favour with the king; and needed not to trouble himself with the cares of his country, if God had not otherwise moved his mind to pity with talking with his countrymen. This good, then, courtiers, lawyers, and great men may have by talking with poor suitors, [} Micher: pilferer. Ed.] V. 1 4.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 291 that if there be any spark of grace in tliem, they will be moved with the lamentable complaint of poor suitors. Surely thou tliat art in authority, or hast learning, oughtest to think that the poor suitor cometh not to thee by chance: but the same Ood, that gave thee thy authority and learning, hath sent this poor man to thee to be relieved by thee. Look therefore upon him, hear him, as Salomon teacheth, saying, "The good man Piov. xxix. heareth the cause of the poor." Hide not thyself from him, consider his complaint, pity and help him; and not so much for money as for charity's sake; for so did good Nehemiah. What can be a greater grief to an honest heart, than to have all things that he doeth or saith, be they never so good, to be taken in ill part; to be hated and ill spoken of by all his neighbours ; to be slandered and belied, and to have displeasure where none is deserved ? In this case were the miserable Jews, then the beloved people of Grod, though now justly cast off for their wicked hate to our Christ, the Son of the living God. Beside that, their "city was burned, the gates stood open," that enemies might rush in, murder and spoil them when they list, except they should keep a continual great watch, which was too troublesome and costly for them. 4. And it came to pass. What good cometh by hearing poor men speak, appeareth here plainly in them that fear God. For that pitiful state, which he understood his brethren the Jews and that famous city Jerusalem to be in by their re- port, did so move his heart and grieve him, that he " sat down, and wept certain days, was sad for them, fasted, and prayed unto the Lord of heaven" for them. Hearing and seeing be two senses, which bring into the mind of man to consider all things that be painful or pleasant to others ; for except we see them or hear them, we cannot learn or un- derstand them, much less pity them, or be glad of them. St Paul saith likewise in God's cause, " Faith cometh by Rom. x. hearing." For when thou hearest the preacher declare the glorious majesty of God, his sharp punishing of sin, the wetched estate of man, that of himself can do nothing but sin, and the everlasting pains appointed for all hard-hearted sinners; it maketh him to quake, to enter into himself, con- demn himself, ask for mercy, and from thenceforth to be- come a new man : so when he heareth God's great mercy 19—2 292 AN EXPOSITION UPON XEIIF.MIAH. [cH. I. declared to man in Christ, it maketh him to beheve, love, obey, and follow so loving a Father. This profit then cometh by hearing the poor man's complaint, that it moveth them to pity, to tears, to fasting, and praying the Lord to relieve the misery of thy oppressed brother. Turn not therefore thy face from the poor; but hear them and pity them, as thou wouldost be heard and pitied thyself. So in religion, if thou wilt learn to fear God aright, to know thyself, amend thy life, and what blessing God hath prepared for thee, run not from the church, as many do, some for one cause, some for another, but none for good : but humble thyself in the sight of thy God and his people ; hoar his word reverently, believe it stedfastly, obey it diligently, pray earnestly ; and God shall heap liis blessings on thee plentifully. And tliat we may the better understand how this miser- able case of his brethren and country did touch his heart inwardly, he sheweth it by his behaviour outwai-dly: for the affections of the mind declare themselves openly in the face and behaviour of man, when they grow great in the heart. As, if we bo sorry, our countenance is heavy, sad and cloudy; if we be merry, our face hath a good colour, and sheweth itself pleasantly ; when we be ashamed of ill doing, we blush ; in fear we be pale, in anger high coloured and swollen in the face, &c. So this sorrow for his brethren did so pinch him at the heart, that he could not stand, but sat down; as a man's legs in heaviness are so weak that they cannot bear him: his heart was so bm-dened, that lie could not forbear, but brast out into tears; for certain days he could not be meiTy, eat nor drink, but fasted ; and in the end found no other remedy, but turned himself unto the Lord, fell unto prayer, assuring himself that God would hear him, and relieve them in his due time, when he thought good. By this we may learn how coldly they pray, that cannot bend nor kneel when they speak to the Lord ; or if they kneel, it is but on the one knee, and that must have a soft cushion under it, and a softer under his elbow. AV'eep he may not, for disfiguring his face ; fasting is thought hypo- crisy and a sliame : and when his paunch is full, then, as priests with their drunken nowls' said matins, and belked p Nowls: noils, iiodillcf:, heads. En. J V. 1 1.] A\ EXI'OSinON UPON NlillK-MIAII. 2!)3 out, Erudavit cor vieum verbum bonum-, with good devotion, as they thought; so he bhisters out a few blustering words, witliout (hiG consideration of them, and then he thinkcth he liatli prayed well. 0 wretched man, that forgettest thy God and thyself! Kemember what thou art, a lump of earth, a sink of sin, worms' meat ; and that belly which thou carest so much for, is but a stinking dunghill. Down, proud pea- cock ! consider, when thou praycst, that thou speakcst to the Lord of heaven and earth, at whose beck the devils do tremble : his thunderbolts fly abroad to punish thy sin : wlio in his anger drowned the whole world, except eight persons ; Gcn.vii.xix. burned Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven, to pull down thy proud heart, and teach thee to fear his majesty. Learn of the poor publican, which was so ashamed of his wicked life, that he durst not look up unto heaven, but condemning himself cried, " O God, be merciful L"ke xviii. unto me a sinner:" whereas the proud Pharisee stood stoutly, cracking of his holiness, as thou doest. Learn of the woman of Chanaan to be earnest in prayer : go not away from the Matt. xv. Lord, until thou feel thy conscience comforted and mercy promised : for no doubt the Lord will hear such a prayer. These outward things, as kneeling, weeping and fasting, are good helps and preparations unto prayer ; as Sara continued Tobit iii. three days in fasting and prayer, that the Lord would de- liver her from that shame : and so Toby maketh a general rule of it, saying, " Prayer is good, joined with fasting." Ecclesiasticus saith, " The prayer of him that humbleth him- eccIus. self pierceth the clouds, and she will not be comforted until ' she come nigh, nor go her way, till the highest God have respect unto her." God grant us here to learn to pity our poor brethren, and thus to prepare ourselves to pray for them, that our prayer may be heard in their need ! And although I noted afore the disordered life of some lewd courtiers, which make so much of their painted sheath, esteem themselves more than all the world doth besides ; and when they think they deal so cunningly that they be not seen, many one espieth them, and laughs full drily in £^ The vulgate translation of Ps. xlv. 1. which ouv version renders, "My heart is inditing a good matter." Literally, ^'hath bcl^l\ed out." Ed.] 294 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. I. their sleeves at them; yet now in this godly gentleman appeareth a contrary dealing, and he may be a worthy pattern for all courtiers to follow. The court is not ill of itself, but a man, if he will, may serve the Lord up- rightly, and also defend his church, and profit the com- monwealth mightily; and good men may live in it honestly. It is a dangerous place, I grant, to live in, and many oc- casions of ill are offered daily in it; yet not so wicked, but good men living in it may take great occasions to do Gen. xii. mucli good in it. Joseph in Pharao's court, a godless king, provided for all the country in the time of their great dearth and scarcity; relieved his father and brethren, then the only known chm-ch of God, in their necessity. Moses in the same Exod.xiv. court, though not under the same king, learned all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and delivered all the people from 1 Kings the slavery that they lived in. Abdias hid and fed a hun- dred prophets in caves by fifty in a company, whose lives Jesabel sought for, himself Iwing in the wicked court of Achab and Jesabel. David feared the Lord in the court of Saul, though he escaped oft not without many great dangers. Daniel, an ancient courtier, in three kings' days kept the law of God his Lord diligently ; and being in great authority with the king, had the charge of divers countries committed unto him, which he ruled faitlifidly, and relieved God's people mightily. So did his three companions, Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago. Mardocheus in the court of Assueiiis saved the king's life, whom his chamberlains Avould have murdered; Esth. vi. and delivered all the Jews, which were appointed all by Ha- Tom.i.Ep.6. man on one day to be slain. Jerome in his epistle com- mendetli one Nebridius, who, living in the court, and being nephew to the empress, behaved himself so virtuously, that all his suits were for the relief of the poor.' The place therefore maketh no man ill, but his illness cometh of liis own wicked and crooked mind. The dangerous hfe of cour- tiers, if they vnll rebuke sin, and not sing Placebo, the ex- Matt, xiv. ample of John Baptist, who lost his head for telling the truth, may suffice to teach. But let not good men be afraid: p Quicquid ab Impcratorc posccbat, clcemosjua in pauperes, pre- tium captivorum, misericordia in afflictos erat. Tom. i. Epist. ix. Fran- cofurt. 1684. Ed.] V. 5, 6, 7-] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 295 for God liath the heart of princes in his hand, to turn as pleaseth hini. Do thou thy duty in the fear of God; and he will defend thee, as he thinketh best. V, 5. And I said, I beseech thee, 0 Lord God of heaven, ihe Text, thou great and fearful God, which Jceepest covenant and mercy for them that love thee and keep thy com- mandments ; 6. Lei thy ears hearken, I beseech thee, and thy eyes be open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee this day, night and day, for the children of Israel thy servants, and Jcnoioledge for the sins of the children of Israel which they have sinned against thee; yea, I and my fathers house have sitmed. 7. We have outrageously sinned against thee, and have not kept thy commandments, and thy ceremonies and Judg- ments, iohich thou commandest Moses thy servant. As a man that is earnestly bent to prayer hath com- monly these outward things joined withal that were spoken of afore, as sitting or kneeling, weeping, a grieved mind, sad countenance, fasting and abstinence: so necessarily he must have a charitable mind and pitiful towards his brethren, and an earnest and lively faith towards God, (which both appear in Nehemiah;) for without these two his prayer can not be heard. His loving mind towards his brethren appeareth, in that he, leaving all other pastimes, so diligently inquir- eth of their estate and their country, and disdaineth not to hear them : but it is seen more evidently, when he weepeth and mourneth, fasteth and forbearetli dainties, as though he were in misery with them ; but specially, when he taketh so great pains and travail to do them good, as appeareth here- after throughout this book. His earnest faith appeareth, in that he prayeth, and that only " to the God of heaven," and with such vehement and meet words, as do declare his full mind, that he doubted not but God both could and would help them. In trouble no man asketh help but of him whom he thinketh will do him good : and because there is none so merciful to hear, and so willing to help, as God himself is, in all our griefs we must turn unto the Lord of 296 AN EXPOSITION Ll'ON NKHEMIAH. [cil. I. heaven alone : for other saint there is none that will help or Heb. xi. can help. The apostle saith, that " he which will come to the Lord must not only believe that there is a God, but also that he is a rewarder of them that seek him." This faith therefore let us bring with us when we pray. This faith did continue in Nehemiali, though he had lived so many yeaivs amongst the unbclicA-ing Persians ; which was a special gift of God to him in such troublesome times. In prayer let us ask only such things as may stand with God's good pleasure. For where many times foolishly we ask things to our own hurt, God of his wisdom and fatherly goodness doth James iv. not grant them; as St James teacheth us, saying, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask evilly, to spend it upon your lusts." I am afraid to enter into the opening of this prayer, because it is so perfect of itself, that it cannot be amended: yet for the help of the unlearned, for whose cause only I take these pains, 1 shall in few words open it more plainly. O thou Lord God of heaven and earth, which of thy mere love towards man madest heaven and earth, the sea, with all the furniture in them, as the sun, moon, and stars, fish, fowl, herbs, trees, corn, fruit and cattle, and appointed them to serve him, that he might sen-e, honour, and obey thee ; which not only rulest, feedest, governest and guidest them all according to thy good pleasure, but hast made heaven thy seat and the earth thy footstool, that from hence, out of this vale of miser}-, we should look up unto thee our only God, where thou reignest in thy majesty above all the heavens, and from whence we should look for our deliverance out of all troubles : 0 thou great and fearful God, whose creatures pass all powers of princes, against whom to strive is mere folly, and with whom to wrastle is extreme madness- whose might, wisdom, and justice is infinite; whose mercy goodness, and pity hath no end; which art so great, th thou fillest all places, and not concluded in any, but a present every where, and seest all things; whose majest surmounteth all creatures so far, that it cannot be contain' or ruled of any: thou great and fearful God, which in th anger threwcst thy angels that offended thee out of th glorious presence in heaven into everlasting dai'kness of hell V. 5, ('), 7.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 2.97 who in thy rage drowncdst all the world except eight per- sons ; wliich burnedst up Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and ^'<^"- ' brimstone from heaven ; which didst cast Adam and us all out of paradise for eating the forbidden apple ; who causedst the man to be stoned to death for gathering a few sticks Num. on the sabbath day; which man would judge to be but small faults, yet were great because they were contrary to thy commandments ; who killed Uzzah for upholding the ark being ready to fall; which plagued Pharao with frogs, flies and hailstones ; which made Nebuchadnezzar of a mighty king a vile beast to eat grass, and made Herod to be worried with lice: 0 thou great and fearful God, at whose beck the devils do tremble, the earth doth quake, and the heavens shoot out hot fiery thunderbolts, the clouds pour out great storms and tempests, to destroy thine enemies : 0 thou God of heaven, thou great and fearful God, I thy poor wretch, vile worm, and miserable creature, void of all goodness and full of all wretchedness, I forsaking myself, and trusting on thy good- ness, am bold to creep in at a corner, and present myself before thy throne of mercy, quaking and trembling at thy fearful judgments and sharp justice against sin. I offer unto thee this poor soul and carcase, the work of thy own hands, made glorious by thee, but foully defaced by me. I, Lord, I, God, do most humbly with a heavy heai-t and troubled mind beseech thee ; I most earnestly with bitter tears beg and crave of thee, to cast me not away out of thy sight, but graciously to hear my prayer. For although thou dwell- est in thy high and holy place in heaven, yet thou lookest down into the earth, to hear the sighing of the poor and deliver the oppressed ; and though thou be great and fearful in all thy works, yet I know thou art great in mercy and rich in goodness. For although thou hast punished sharply, yet thou savest more mercifully. Adam was cast out of paradise in justice, and yet had mercy offered unto him in great plenty. The enticing of a woman made him to offend thee, and the blessed Seed of the same woman hath bruised the serpenfs poisonful head, and delivered us. Thou there- fore, that art a God of truth, and keepest promise, and shcwest mercy to them that love thee and keep thy commandments, look pitifully on us, which forsaking omsclves hang upon thee. 298 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. I. and though we see thy deserved rod, yet we fly to thy pro- mised mercy. Though we have not kept our promise made unto thee in our baptism, " that we should forsake the devil, world and flesh, serve, honour, and faithfully obey thee our only Lord and God, with all our heart, strength, power and soul;" yet art thou a ti-ue God in keeping thy promise and not casting us off". When we run from thee, thou callest us again ; and not destroying us suddenly, tarriest for our amendment. When we hate thee and become thy open ene- mies, thou, remembering thy promise made to Abraham, David, and our fathers, seekest by all means to bring as home again to thee. Though we be unfaithful, thou art true : though we forget thee, thou rememberest us. Though we deserve to be cast away from thee, a\ ithout all hope of re- demption, yet when thou fatherly correctest us, in the midst of thine anger thou rememberest thy mercy, and receivest us again to thee. We grant, 0 Lord, that we do not love thee, nor keep thy commandments, as we ought: yet, Lord, thou that art love and charity itself, and lovest all things that thou hast made, and in thy dear Son Christ Jesus dost embrace us, not looking at om- deserts, but at his Morthi- ness, who hath fulfilled the law for us, and made us partakers of thy righteousness ; Lord God, hear us and have pity on us. O thou Lord God of all mercy, which never didst cast any away that fled unto thee, open thy ears and hear the prayers of me thy humble suitor. Shall I be the first whom thou wilt not hear ? Ls thy mercy all spent, and none left in store for us? Open thy eyes, 0 God of our salvation, and behold the miserable state of thy poor people. Our city lieth waste, the walls unbuilt ; our enemies rush in on every side, and we are a laughing stock unto them. Thou heardst the crying of Agar, being cast out of her house ; thou look- edst at the oppression of Egj'pt; thou pitiedst the woeful sighing of Anna; and when thy people were oppressed of any enemies round about them, thou raisedst up one judge or other to deliver them. Consider, 0 Lord, I beseech thee, our woeful state. We are spoiled on every side : mark and hearken to the prayer, which I thy poor servant make unto thee, which seest all secrets this day, continually crying night and day with a simple and mifeigned heart, not for V. 5, 6", 7.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 299 mine own self, whom thou hast so well placed in the court with plenty of all things, but for my brethren, the children of Israel thy servants, the offspring of thy dear beloved Jacob, which be in great heaviness. While they be in misery, I cannot be merry. Their grief is my sorrow, and their welfare is my rejoicing. I grant, 0 Lord, we have grievously offended thee; yet have we not cast thee off, nor forsaken thee to be our Lord: we be thy servants, though unthrifty, unthankful, and miserable; and thou art a God rich in mercy to all that turn unto thee. I confess, 0 gracious God, that the children of Israel have sinned against thee; yea, not only they, 0 Lord, but I and my father's house have hein- ously broken thy commandments : and yet we despair not to obtain thy favoiu* again, as children that have offended their loving Father. There is none of us free: we plead mercy, and not justice ; we stand not in defence of our doings, but yield om'selves' into thy merciful hands. While thou givest us a heart to pray, we continually believe thou wilt hear us in the end. O Lord, correct thou us after thine own good will and pleasure ; but give us not up to the lust of thy enemies which blaspheme thee, saying, Their God hath forsaken them, their God cannot nor will not help them: they hate us, not so much for our own sins, as for that we be called thy servants. O Lord, let not thy holy name be ill spoken of through our wickedness : rise and defend thine own cause ; cast not away thy servants in thy heavy dis- pleasure. What vantage canst thou have in giving us over to thy foes ? They shall laugh, when we shall weep : they will slander thy goodness for our forgetfulness of thee. Thou promisedst, 0 Lord, by the mouth of thy prophet, that m Ezek. xviii. what hour soever the sinner did repent, thou wouldst no more remember his wickedness, nor lay it to his charge. We weep, we confess and acknowledge our manifold wicked- ness, wherewith we and our fathers have offended thee: we call for mercy; we pray night and day, not doubting but thou wilt keep thy promise in delivering and hearing us in thy due time. Though we have broken our promise in dis- obeying thee, yet if it please thee thus to try our faith and exercise our patience by laying on us thy heavy hand and [} Old edition, yourselves. Ed.] AN EXl'OSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. 1. sharp correction, thy good will be done : give us strength to bear that thy wisdom will lay upon us, and lay on us what thou wilt. Thou gavest us thy law to be a bridle, to rule our wicked desires, and keep us within the compass of them; but we, like madmen, or rather wild and untamed beasts, that cannot be tied in chains nor holden in any bands, have outrageously broken all thy commandments. No laws could rule us, no saying compel, nor correction could stay us; but wilfully we followed our own fantasies. There is nothing, 0 Lord, that thou canst lay to our charge, but we willingly and frankly confess ourselves guilty thereof: for we have neither kept thy commandments, which thou gavest us by Moses thy servant, wherein privately we might learn how to direct our lives both towards thee our God, and also toward all men; nor the ceremonies, sacraments and sacrifices, which thou appointedst us to keep in thy religion, and in them to worship thee, we have not duly regarded and kept, but cast them away, and followed the fashions of tlie heathen people about us, and such as we devised ourselves. Our priests and prophets have taught us lies and devices of their own heads ; yet have we been more ready to hear, believe and follow them, than thy holy will and word, declared unto us in thy book of life. The civil laws, by which thou appoint- edst thy commonwealth to be ruled, we have broken and disobeyed, living at our own lust and pleasure. Our judges, rulers, and lawyers have sought their own gain more than justice to their people, oppressing them wrongfully. There is no goodness in no sort of us: prince, priest, people, judge, ruler, and all sorts from the highest to the lowest, we have all run astray : we deny it not, but M ith many tears and grievous heart we fall before thy throne of mercy, earnestly craving and faithfully believing to find mercy, grace and par- don at thy hands. With these and such like words he poured out his giief before the Lord. For no doubt he spake much more than is here written ; but these may suffice to teach us the like. The Text. v. 8. Ecmemler, I hesecch thee, the tcord that thou com- mandedst Moses thy servant, sayiiin, Ye icill offend, and I tcill scatter you amonrj the heathen : V. 8 11.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 301 9. And if ye. turn unto me, and kenp my commandments, and do them ; if ye were cast to ths uttermost parts of heaoen, from thence I will gather you, and vnll hrinrj you to the place which I have chosen to set my name tlure. 10. They are thy servants, and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed in thy great power and loith thy mighty hand. n . / beseech thee, my Lord, I pray thee, let thy ear he lent to the prayer of thy servants, which desire to fear thy name; and give good success, I pi'ay thee, to thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. And I teas the king''s cup-hearer. Give iiie leave, Lord, I beseech thee, to spealc unto thee, and put thee in remembrance of those tilings which thou seemest to us to have quite forgotten. Thou forewarnedst us by tliy faithful servant Moses, that if we offended thee, thou oeut. iv. wouldst drive us out of that pleasant country which thou gavest us, and scatter us among the heathen people in all countries ; yet, if we would turn unto thee again, and keep thy commandments, there was no part under heaven so far off, nor none so mighty or cruel against us, but thou wouldst bring us again and settle us in that place which thou hadst chosen and appointed us to call on thy name there. The first part, 0 God, we find too true : we have sinned, and thou hast punished us : we have broken thy laws, and thou hast scattered us into all countries : and if we lived among a people that knew thee, or loved thee, our banishment and loss of our country would be less grievous unto us. But, alas, good God ! we live amongst them that hate thee, and laugh at us : they worship gods of their own making, and think them to be of greater might than thou, tlie almighty and ever-living God, art. This grief we cannot digest : this is so tedious unto us, that we cannot be merry until thou restore us. After our long captivity by Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon thou seemedst to remember us something, and movedst the good king Cyrus to gi\e licence to as many as^ would to go home and build tliy temple again ; and this was some good token of thy love and favour towards us : but yet, alas ! O Lord, there be as many years or more past. 802 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. I. since Cyrus began this our deliverance ; and yet we live among the unbelieving Persians, a people as cruel and wicked as the Babylonians and the Chaldeans were : thou changest our captivity from one kingdom to another, and from country to country ; yet we never a whit the better. We are not brought to thy promised place and holy land : our city is burned up, and lieth uninhabited ; the walls are pulled down, and the gates lie open, that our enemies may rush in on every side, spoil and murder us at their pleasure. By thy good servant, king Darius, thou didst build us a temple to call upon thy name in it ; and that was some good hope that thou wouldst fully deliver us from om- enemies, and mercifully restore us to our undeserved countiy. Thou seemest, 0 Lord, to have kept part of thy promise ; but yet the gi-eatest part is be- hind. Remember, 0 God, I beseech thee, thy promise, and bring us home again; finish the thing that thou liast so prosperously begun. Thy enemies will think that either thou canst not or wilt not perform thy promise : arise, 0 Lord, and deliver us fully, that the world may know thou art a true Grod in keeping thy promise : let thy enemies see that there is no people so strong to hold us, nor country so far off, but thou both canst and wilt destroy them that rebel against thee, and fully deliver us and bring us home again. Pardon my rude boldness, gracious God, which so saucily speak unto thee ; the grief of my heart is so great, it brasteth out, I cannot hold in, but talk unto thee as one doth to another. The faithfid hope that I have in thee, that thou wilt per- form thy promise fully, maketh me thus boldly to speak; yet the greatness of our misery and the weakness of our faith maketh many to think that thou hast forgotten us. Bear with our weakness, and pardon our impatience. The sick man that lieth in great pains, and looketh for the physician's coining, thiuketh he cometh but slowly, when he maketh all the haste he can; and when he is come, except he give him some ease quickly, he thinketh that either he cannot or will not help him. But the wisdom of the physician is such, that if he should purge or let him blood presently, it were great danger; or if he should satisfy his fantasy, let- ting him eat and drink what he list, it would increase his pains; and therefore he tarrieth until he see better occa- V. 8 11.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NKHEMIAII. 303 sion given : so we, 0 Lord, lie in great pains, and think thou tarriest long : we would gladly have our desires ful- filled ; but thy wisdom seeth the time is not yet come. Give us patience, O God, to tarry thy leisure, or rather a speedi- ful deliverance. Our weakness is such, that we cannot but murmur and grudge at our delays, and think thou hast for- gotten us. Bear with our foolishness, O Lord, which can- not imdcrstand the secret wisdom of thy doings : we judge thee according to our own wits, as we think good, and sub- mit not ourselves to thy wisdom, which knowest what time is best and meetest for us to taste of thy undeserved good- ness. We think thou hast forgotten us, if thou speedily satisfy not our desires. Arise, gracious God, and deliver us, that the world may see that thou rememberest thy promise made so long ago to thy faithful servant Moses. This profit we have by reading thy scriptures, left unto us by thy ser- vants the prophets, that our faith is increased, our hope faileth not, but manfully tarrieth with patience for thy coming. Faith doubteth not, and hope is not weary, though our grudg- ing nature cannot be contented. Increase our faith, O gra- cious God, our hope and strength, that we fall not from thee : pardon our murmuring and mistrusting of thee : though our state be despised when we look at ourselves, yet when we remember thy promise, we cannot despair. We follow our father Abraham, who, contrary to hope by reason, hoped in thee that thou wouldest fulfil thy promise to him, though rea- son could not see it. And that thou mayst the more willingly do it, O Lord, consider who we be. We be thy servants ; other lords and masters we seek none: we are thy people, and thou our God and King. Can any master forsake his servant, or any king his subject, that humbly submittetli himself unto him ? Though we have sinned and deserved to be cast away from thee, yet art thou, 0 Lord, rich in mercy, a King of great power, and thy glory shall shine in our deliverance. Is any fault so great, that thou canst not forgive it? Is any man so hard-hearted, but at length he will be entreated? and shall any wickedness overflow thy goodness so far, that thou wilt not be entreated ? So many •years' punishment would satisfy a stony heart, and forgive and forget all that is past: think on us, O Lord, what metal 304 AN EXPOSITION" UPON" NEHEMIAH. [cH. I. we be made of, and deal not with us in the balance of justice, but in mercy. We are by nature earth, dust and ashes, and therefore heavy, sluggish, and forgetful : we are born of sin- ful parents even from the beginning ; and therefore of our- selves must needs follow their trade in ill doing: we be no angels, and therefore cannot serve thee as we should do. Take in good part, O Lord, our simple good will : that that wanteth in us, thy Messias, thy Son, our Lord and Clu-ist, hath ful- filled for us, and made us partakers of his righteousness. Look at him, O Lord, and not at us, who redeemed us with no gold nor silver, but by his own precious blood ; and let that price satisfy thee, and deliver us. I grant, 0 Lord, thou delivoredst our fathers from their bondage and slavery in Egypt, wherein we should have continued, if thy mighty hand, great power and strength had not made us free. And not only then, 0 Lord, we tasted of thy goodness, but ever since, when the Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, or other enemies round about us oppressed us, thou heardst us, thou deliveredst us ; and shall we now be clean forgotten I Arise, 0 Lord, speedily, and let thy people know that thou remem- berest them, and hast a care over them. How shall thy goodness be known, if thou have not a people to praise thee ? 1 beseech thee, Lord, pardon my importunity. I cannot de- part, until I obtain my suit at thy hands : though thou seem to deal hardly with us so many years, yet I will say with patient Job, "Although he kill me, yet I will trust in him still." I know thou lovest us, whatsoever thou doest unto us ; and therefore I will trust in thee still. Though thou hast seemed hitherto, O Lord, to look strangely on us, yet now bow down thine ear, and hear the prayer of me thy poor servant, and the prayers of all the rest of my sorrowful bre- thren, thy servants ; which would gladly, so far as the weak- ness of man's nature will suffer us, fear thy name. Thy Holy Spirit giveth us a desire to serve thee; but the rebel- lious flesh, which we received of our first father Adam, with- standeth all such motions, and di-awetli us from thee. Deal not with us, therefore, O (lod, in the rigour of thy justice, but in the unspeakable measure of thy mercies. Rule thy servant this day, and grant me to find grace and favour in the sight of this mighty king, Artaxerxes, whose cup-bearer V, 8 11.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 305 I am. It lieth most in him to help and to hinder us, to set us at Hberty or keep us prisoners still, to build our city or to let it lie waste. I see, 0 Lord, the fierceness of his nature, and how little he understandeth thy goodness to- wards him : but yet I know, 0 God, that the hearts of princes, even infidels, are in thy hands to dispose as thou thinkest good. Have pity therefore, 0 God, on thy people, and bend his mind to pity them. Other friends I do not seek; for without thee all suit and labour is in vain. A PRAYER. Lord God, which of thine own mere good will inspiredst thy prophets in old time with the knowledge of thy secret mysteries, and of thy great love towards us thy servants hast caused them to be put in writing, and hast preserved them from destruction by thy mortal enemies, that we might learn in them thy mercies, shewed to our fathers and promised to us ; give us, we beseech thee, a willing mind with reverence to hear and read thy holy word, declared in this book, and a diligent care to follow the same. Raise up, we pray thee, in these our latter days such faithful servants about the prince in the court, as Nehemiah was, that would pity the miserable state of the poor people and afflicted church, rather than seek their own ease, wealth, and profit. Grant us, we pray thee, to weep, fast, and pray with such love to our brethren and sure faith in thee, as Nehemiah had, and not to cease, imtil we have obtained some grace in thy sight, as he did. Our need and misery in these latter days are as great as was in his time; and yet we see it not. Thou correctest us, and we feel it not : thou teachest, and we will not learn. Thou hadst brought home part of the Jews from their captivity, and yet many remained behind : so. Lord, thou hast in our days opened the eyes of some, and delivered us from that Romish 20 [PILKINGTON.] 800 A PRAYEP. slavery wherein we were so long drowned : but, alas ! 0 Lord, many of our brethren lie blind and will not see, have ears and will not hear. Open their eyes, O God, and fully restore us, that we and they may jointly fear thee as our Lord, and reverently love thee as our dear Father, to the confusion of Satan and his partakers, and the everlasting glory of thy blessed name, and comfort of thy poor people, through Christ thy Son, our Lord and only Saviour. Amen. CHAP. II. V. 1. If came to pass in the month of March, in the ticentieth year of king Artaxerxes, that icine was afore Mm ; and I took up the wine, and I gave it to the king, and was not sad afore in his sight. 2. And the king said to me. Why is thy countenance so sad, and thou art not sick? It is nothing else than a heavy heart. I was very sore afraid. 3. And I said to the king, 0 king, God save thy life for ever. Why should not my countenance he sad, when the city and the place of my fathers'" burials lieth waste, and the gates are consumed with fire? 4. And the king said to me. For tchat thing dost thou ask? And I prayed to the God of heaven. 5. And I said to the king. If it he thought good to the king, and if thy servant find favour in thy sight, send me into Juda to the city of my fathers'' burials, that I may huild it. 6. And the king said to me, the queen sitting by Mm, How long will thy journey he, and when wilt thou return ? And it was thought good in the king''s sight, and he sent me ; and I ajjpointed him a certain time. The month Nisan, as it is called in the Hebrew here, is the first month of the year, as the scripture useth to reckon, and answereth unto our March, beginning at the first change of the moon after tlie twelfth' day of March, when the days and nights are both of one length. And although many doubt who this Artaxerxes was, I take it certainly to be him that was called Longimanus, Long-hand, because the one hand was longer than the other; as Edward the First was called Long-shanks because of his long legs. I love not to fill up books with moving doubt unto the unlearned, for whose cause specially I write ; and namely such doubts, as be harder in searching than profitable in understanding. The learneder sort, that list to try their wits, may search many men's tings, and see divers opinions ; but a most apparent truth Old edition, 12. Compare p. 28", "22nd day of March." Ed.] 20—2 308 AX EXPOSITION i;PO\ NEHEMIAII. [cH. II. simply told is best for the unlearned. Yet in the fourth chap- ter of Ezra' I have fully enough opened the matter, which I think after good consideration will be best liked of most men. Among many things, which prove the good disposition of Nehemiah, these certain times that he appointeth of hi.s doing most clearly declare the same. In the ninth month, November, in the latter end of the year, reckoning the year by the course of the sun, he received these heavy news of the misery of his people and country : and in the first month of the year following, (yet both these months fell in the twentieth year of the king Artaxerxes,) God gave him this occasion to speak for the relief of them to the king. It oft falleth out, that the latter end of the year by the course of the sun is the beginning of the year by the reign of the king : as our gracious queen Elizabeth began her happy reign in November, yet ISIarch in the year following is part of the same ) ear of her reign that November was in the beginning. All this while, four months at the least, from November to March, was Nehemiah sad, weeping, fasting, praying, and seeking some good occasion to .seek to the king for the relief of his country. After this sort will good men commend tlieir suits unto princes, first by weeping, fasting, and praying unto (Jod ; becau.se they know the prince's heart to be in God's hand, to dispose and turn as he thinketh good : but the wicked worldlings, tliat have not God afore their eyes, nor think not God to rule the world and princes too, seek clean contrary ways ; and by rewards, by him and by her, by flattering and dissembling, make their way, and break their suits unto princes. 'When queen Ester should speak to the king for the deliverance of the J ews her people, as Nehemiah should here, she bade INIardocheus go and will all the Jews to fast and pray for her, that she might find favour in the king's sight, and obtain her suit for them : and by these godly means both Ester and Nehemiah prospered in their requests. But because every one cannot have access to speak unto the king, and break his suit himself, (nor it is not fit tliat it should so be,) it is not ami.ss to use the means of some good man about the prince to open the suit unto him sim- [} It does not appear tliat the Exposition on Ezra was ever priated. Ed.] V. 1 ()'.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 309 ply in the fear of God, coinmitting tlie success thereof by earnest prayer to God''s good will and pleasure. And better it shall be for them thus simply to walk in the fear of (lod, and to fail in the suit, than by lying, flattery, or bribery to obtain it. A hard lesson for courtiers to follow, but a most true and godly way ! ^Vhen Absalon was out of favour with - sam. xiv. his father David, by the means of Joab and the woman of Tliecoa he was brought in again; but by practice rather than upright dealing, and therefore it prospered not. Nehemiah had hitherto kept his inward sorrow so secret, that the king perceived it not : but it overcame him now, and he was not able to cover it any longer. What earnest love was this in him toward his country, that thus long- fasted and prayed ! and we are so nice, that what danger soever hangeth over us, we cannot forbear a dinner, that by some abstinence from the belly we may more earnestly give ourselves to prayer. They that with reverence will con- sider God's secret providence and care that he hath for his people, how he governeth all things, yea, even those that seem outwardly of no value, after such a sort, that his heavenly wisdom and fatherly love doth most manifestly appear in them toward those that seek him, may here sec a manifest example of it. Not by chance (for so nothing falleth out,) but by God's great providence, the king had wine afore him, was dry, and called for drink. Nehemiah also, as God had ap- pointed, stood by; and as his office required, being his cup- bearer, took up the cup, tasted and gave it to the king to drink, looking very sadly, which he was not wont, and princes love not to have any to do so about them. Upon this sad look falleth out all the matter, which otherwise he durst not open. The king demandeth what maketh him so sad: Ne- hemiah openeth his grief : the king asketh what he would have : Nehemiah maketh his petition : the king granteth it, and sendeth him to build Jerusalem, and giveth him liberally things necessary to the doing of it. A weighty matter to rise by occasion of a sad countenance: but thus our God of small things can bring forth great matters. David used to sit at king Saul's table, until he fell in displeasure with him : when he saw lus place empty, Saul would ask \\liere he was, that he came not to dinner. And if he spake angrilj^, Jona- 310 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. II. than, Saul's son, would let David know, that he might keep him out of Saul's danger: thus by an empty place at the table David's hfe was divers times saved. Ester, when she would go to speak for her people, and of long time afore had not seen the king, nor might not come in his presence except she were sent for, putteth on her costly apparel, and standeth afore the king's window, where she might be seen. The king, seeing her, sendeth for her; and she, spying her time, maketh her suit to the king for her people, and de- livereth them. Thus of small occasions God worketh great things, that we may know that he ruleth all things, be they never so small in man's sight. But among many great tokens of God's pro\'idence and good will toward Nehemiah, none is greater, than that he, being a prisoner, a stranger born, and one not of their re- ligion, serving idols, but worshipping the true living God, should be called to such a place of credit and worship, to be the king's cup-bearer and taster. None useth to put any to such offices of trust, but such as be thought to be of great honesty, truth and fidelity. No doubt many of the Persians desired that office, and disdained that Nehemiah, a stranger, should enjoy an office of that credit and authority, where he might have free access to the king, and take occasion to move his suit for himself or his friend. Yet tliis is God's accustomed goodness, that when his people be in trouble, he always provideth some to be about the prince, which both may and will help to defend them. In this long captivity, under king Darius was Daniel and his fellows in great au- thority with the king ; under king Assuenis were Ester and Mardocheus ; under king Cyrus were Ezra, Zorobabel and others ; under Artaxerxes was Nehemiah in great favour : which all, being Jews born, did wonderfully relieve and com- fort the oppressed people in this great extremity under hea- then kings. A strange work of God, to cause heathen princes to favour and defend the religion that they knew not, and to defend that people which their subjects hated ! But such a loving Lord is our God to us, that though he punish his own people sharply for a time, yet he casteth them not away for ever; and if he lay on heavy load, yet he giveth them strength to bear it. V. 1 h".] A\ EXPOSITION U1>0N NEIIEMIAII. 311 Here may be moved a hard question on these men's doings, whether it be lawful now for a christian man to serve a heathen prince or no, as they did then. Let the case stand as it doth here, and it is easy to answer. These men all were prisoners, taken out of their own country by violence; lived under heathen kings; and therefore ought faithfully to serve and quietly to obey tliem. So lived Jo- seph in Egypt under Pharao: so Daniel, Mardochcus, Ezra, Nehemiah, and others. So did Jeremy and Baruch the prophets teach them to hve, saying imto all the Jews, then being captives under infidels, " Pray for the life of Nebuchad- Jor. xxix. nezzar and Baltasar his son ; seek the peace of that country whither ye be carried away prisoners, and be not troublers of tlie commonwealtli." So St Peter taught the Christians in the beginning of their receiving of the gospel, that ser- vants should not forsake their masters, though they did not i Pet. ii. yet beheve, but serve them faithfully and obey them rever- ently; yea, though they were hard and fro ward to them. So St Paul and Peter both biddeth the faithful wife not to i cor. vii. leave her unfaithful husband, but behave herself more honestly, ^ that by her well doing the husband may be won to the Lord, and God's holy name not ill spoken of through them. What good could a rude unfaithful people think of that God or religion, that would teach the servant or wife to run away from their masters or husband? The scripture teacheth no such thing, but all faithfulness, duty, and obe- dience toward all men, so far as we offend not God. But in these days, if any should leave the company of christian people willingly, and go serve an infidel king for vantage sake, that were ill done, and differeth far from the case of these good people, and may not be done, except it were to go and preach. Good men afore rehearsed dissembled not their God nor their religion ; but among the infidels boldly confessed it, as all Christians ought to do in all places, and afore all men, though they be cruel against them. 2. And the king said. The good will of the king toward Nehemiah appeareth, in that he marketh the counte- nance of his servant so diligently, (which kings use not com- monly to do, but to such as they love dearly,) and asketh the cause of his sadness. Some would rather have chid him, ol2 AN EXPOSITION UPON XEHEMIAH. [cil. II. and bid hiin go out of the king's presence ; for princes may not have any occasion of heaviness shewed before them, but all devices that can be to make them merry : yet God would by this means move the king's heart to pity his man, and by granting his suit comfort his heavy heart. The king, be- like, was a wise man : for by a heavy countenance he could perceive the heaviness of his heart. A good kind of rea- soning and .seldom untrue. The heart is the beginning and well-spring of all affections and motions of the body, and by outward signs sheweth what it thinketh inwardly. Momus', which is one that findeth fault with all things, when he was willed to tell what fault he could find in the fashion and shape of man, sayeth, Man was not rightly made ; for that his heart was locked up secretly in his breast, that his thoughts could not be espied : he should have had some glasses set there, that his thoughts might be seen. But he that will diligently mark the countenance and beha^^ou^ of a man, shall easily perceive what the heart thinketh. Hypocrites may dissemble and cloak them for a time; but time will soon descry them to a wise man. Salomon say- Prov. XV. 13. eth, "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, and by the sorrow of the heart the mind is heavy." Ecclesias- ticus saith, " A wise man is known by his countenance and the next verse is, " A man's garment, laughter and going declare what a man is." Gregory Nazianzen, when he saw Julianus Apostata, the emperor, fii-st, by his coun- tenance and foolish moving of his body conjectured truly of his wickedness and falling from God, which followed after- invectiva2. Ward; and cried out, "O Lord God, how great a mischief cap!!!;."' is nourished in the empire of Rome!"* Other affections likewise, when they grow much, as this sorrow of Nehemiali P An allusion to Luciaii, Hermotbnus, sec. 20. Tom. i. p. 759. Hemsterh. Ed.] P TovTov Trpo Tuiv epymi' edeaadiiiiv, ilv kui e'lri tiui/ tpyiov tyviopinct. Kui ci /loi ■KaptjTav Tive<; tuiv TtjvtKavTa avvovTinv kvli uKovaavTiav, ov ^aAcTrcoc uv enupTvpijaav ok, tTreiS;; Tavra eOe- aadixriv, cJCuc eipdcy^dfuii/, O'lOV kukov t; 'Pwna'iuiii (-/>;) Tp€(p(t ! Orat. IV. (Invectiva in Julian, ii.) Tom. i. p. 122. Paris. 16o0. Niccpho- rus, as referred to by the author, cites the passage, supplying the yij, which is wanting in Gregory. Ed.] V. 1 6.] AN EXVOSmON i:i'ON NEHEMIAH. 313 did, work greatly. When Ophni and Phinees were slain, and the ark of God taken, Eli their father, hearing the news, for sorrow fell off his chair, and died : and Phinees' wife, being near the time of her childbirth, hearing the death of her hus- band, fell on travail, and died for sorrow. When the blessed virgin Mary came to salute Elizabeth, " the child sprang in her womb for joy." So much a merry heart can do. I cannot tell, whether the wisdom of Nchemiah in bridling his affection, that in so great a sorrow he cried not out like a woman, or the good disposition of the king that so pitied tlie sorrowful heart of his man, is worthy more praise: but surely both are to be followed of all Christians. Affec- tions must be holden under, that they grow not too much ; and heavy hearts would be comforted. For as the king, see- ing the sad countenance of his man, diligently searched out the cause of his sorrow; so Christians, when one seeth an- other in heaviness, should brotherly comfort him, and "weepRo™-^"- with them that weep," as though we were partakers of the same sorrow, according to the rule of St Paul, " If one i Cor. xu. member of the body, be it never so small, be in pain, the rest of his body is grieved" also, and every member seeketli to ease it as they may, so they be naturally linked together. So should all Christians, being members of Christ's mystical body, one bear the grief of another, and help to relieve him. When Nehemiah had been thus long sad, weeping, fasting, and praying, he was now cast into a very great fear, by reason of the king's earnest requiring the cause of his sadness. Thus one sorrow followeth another, and a christian man's faith and patience is continually exercised : when one grief is ended, it hath another straightways following. The king said, " This sorrow must needs come from a heavy heart, seeing thy body is not sick." This toucheth a man near, when he must needs open the secrets of his heart to a king, whom he cannot tell how he will take it, or what opinion he hath of him. Many thoughts and suspicions rise in good men's hearts, as well as ill men's, and cast them into great fear: for every man is subject to affection, of his own natui-e. Nehemiah might fear lest the king had heard some accu- sation against him, or had taken some displeasure with him, or would not grant his request, or some other would hinder 314 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAII. [cH. 11. his suit, or might lose his office, &:c. and therefore no mar- vel if he were sore afraid : but a strong faith will boldly pass through all such cares, and trusting in God, will con- Psai. xxxiv. tinue his good purpose. '• The troubles of the righteous be many," saith IJavid, "but the Lord will deliver him out of them all," 3. And I said. After that he had something overcome his fear, and recovered his spirits, he declareth unto the king the cause of his sadness. The majesty of a king will make any good nature afraid to speak unreverently, though they be daily in company with him and favour, as Nehemiah was. And though the courtesy of a prince be such, that he will abase and humble himself familiarly to use his subject ; yet the sulyect should not over boldly nor saucily behave him- Diogenes. sg]f toward liis prince. Diogenes said, A man should use his prince or peer as he would do the fire. The fire, if he stand too near it, will burn him ; and if he be too far off, he will be a cold. So to be over bold, without blushing or reverence, bringeth in contempt of both sides; for the king will think him too saucy, and the subject will forget his duty : and to be over strange and afraid ^^ill cause the king to think him to be of an ill nature, and not bearing a good heart towards him. Therefore Nehemiah, not over bold with his prince, with most humble obeisance wisheth the king good life, as the common phrase of the scripture useth to speak, and plainly telleth the true cause of his sorrow and sad coun- tenance. Hero we may learn the duty of Chiistians, that live under heathen princes : that is, they may not only sers^e them, but ought humbly to obey and reverence them. For surely this kind of salutation in Nehemiah, to pray for the king's life, was not holy water of the com-t from the teeth out- ward, Saluta lihenter ; but from an unfeigned heart desiring it. St Paul, who lived under the emperor Nero, as wicked a man as ever the earth bare, biddeth to pray for all " kings and them that be in authority," (which then were all infidels,) "that under them we may live a quiet life with all godliness and honesty." And if thou thinkest such ill men are not to be prayed for, yet for the quietness of Grod's chiu-ch thou must pray for them, that God would so ride their hearts, that under them we may live a peaceable and godly life. For l-b'.] AN UXI'OSITION UJ'ON NEHEMIAH. 315 that is the reason that St Paul yieldeth, tliough such wicked men will not learn their own salvation themselves. After that Nehemiah had thus dutifully behaved himself to the king, so that there could be thought no just cause of any evil suspicion in him toward the king; then he boldly declareth the cause of his sadness, and saith, "the city where his fathers lay buried lay waste, and the gates were burned." And is this so great a cause why Nehemiah should bo so sad, weep, fast, and pray so long? had he not seen nor heard of greater cities and countries than it was, which were destroyed as miserably as it was? Babylon, which was much bigger than J erusalem, was conquered not long afore by Cyrus ; Samaria, their neighbour, by Sennacherib and Salmanasser, &c. But this city had a greater cause to be lamented for than others. For it was taken from wicked men by God's mighty hand, and given to God's people : it was increased with many benefits from God, beautified with religion, priests, a temple to worship the living God in ; strengthened by many worthy princes and laws; and was a wonder of the world. It was " the holy city," because it was dedicated to the Lord's service ; though the people were evil that dwelt in it, and misused it. The gospel saith, the devil tempting Christ our Matt. iv. Saviour " took him into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple;" and Christ our Lord, foreseeing the Luke xix. destruction of it to be at hand, wept for it. This was then the cause of Nehemiah's sorrow, that God was dishonoured; for that this city, which was dedicated to his name, and given to his people to serve him in, was now defaced by heathen princes; his religion decayed, and people subject to strangers. A zealous man cannot abide any thing without great grief, that seemeth to deface the glory of his God. But if these causes were not, yet the natural love to his country had been sufficient to move him to tears. For as it is a pitiful sight to see a prince or nobleman to be cast from his dignity, to be spoiled of his honour, lands and goods, and become a carter and drive the plough, or lie tied in prison ; so surely it must needs move any heathen man, to see the city where he and his elders were born and buried, to be overthrown, lie open to all enemies, unfenced with walls or gates, and be inhabited with a few cottages. 316 AN KX POSITION- IPON XEHEMIAH. [cH. II. and no better than the poorest ragged hamlet in a countiy : much more Nehemiah must needs be touched for this city, which was so famous throughout the world. There may be good reasons alleged beside these, why he should weep for his city and country ; as because it was a great relief and succour in all needs, to all that lived in it from time to time, and a great strength to the country about it. But what is that, to be sad for the place where his elders were buried 2 Is there any holiness in the ground, that it is better to be buried there than elsewhere ? or the dead men any thing the worse, if they be pulled out of their graves I What is the cause I Indeed it was called holy in divers places of the scriptures, as other outward things be, that are appointed and consecrated to a holy use. St Matthew saith that divers .■Matt.xxvii. dead bodies, '-after the resurrection of our Lord and Master, Chi-ist Jesus, rose out of their graves, came into the holy city, and appeared to many." This holiness came not by holy-water casting, or hallo\ving of popish bishops which hallowed chm-cli or churchyard ; but by God's appointing, and choosing it for his dwellingplace, where he would be 1's.n. cxxxii. worshipped, as the psalm teacheth, " The Lord hath chosen Sion, he hath chosen it for a dwellingplace for himself : this is my restingplace for ever ; here will I dwell, because 1 have chosen it." So on (rod's behalf and appointing it for a place where ho would be worshipped, it was holy, though the wickedness of the people had defiled it. and justly pro- cured God's anger to destroy it. Christ Jesus our Lord, finding his temple full of all usurers, buyers and sellers, gat Luke xix. a whip, and drave them out, saying, " My house is a house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." So, by Gods appointing it was "a house of prayer," and by man's misusing of it " a den of thieves." And he, seeing the wicked- Matt, xxiii. ness of the people in it, wept for it, and said, "Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest to death them which are sent to thee, how oft would I have gathered thee, as the hen doth her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not !" The prophets of old time for the wickedness of the people in it liave likewise rebuked Jerusalem sundry times: isai. i. " How is this faithful city, which was full of justice, now Ezck. xvi. become a harlot!" And again: "Hear, thou harlot,"' speaking V. 1 G. ] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 317 to Jerusalem. Thus one thing, by God's appointing it to a holy use, may be called holy ; and by man's misusing of it become most unholy. But the place itself maketh nothing holy, as it is written: God chose not the man for the place sake, but the place for man's sake ; and therefore this city did not make the dead men holy that were buried in it, nor any thing the worse if they were buried out of it. Therefore the papists are both wicked in teaching the peo- ple, that one place is more holy than another to be buried in, as in the church rather than in the churchyard, and near the high altar rather than in the body of the church ; and they are thieves also in picking poor men's purses for the same. In these were many abuses, as in any one thing. But he that will keep these three rules shall not err. First, that he do not cast oiit the dead bodies imburied, to be devoured of wild beasts ; nor bury them in dunghills, ditches, or such like places, where none else is buried. Dio- genes, when his friends asked him. How he would be buried? bade them cast him out, it skilleth not how. " Why," say they, "the beasts will devour thee." "Nay then," saith he, " lay my staff by me, and I shall drive them away." A barbarous saying, and meet for a heathen man'! Yet I think the laying of the meteyard in the grave with the dead man came upon some such like cause, or else to drive away devils. Socrates, when he was asked the like question, an- swered more honestly, and bade liury him so as were most easy for his friends. The second is, to a cold (treat cost and sumptuovmess, as shrines, tombs, tapers, torches, candles, mourning coats, feast- ings, &c. which do no good to the dead, and are too chargeable and unprofitable to their friends. Yet, if civil policy add some solemnity to princes and noblemen, as their coat, armour, flag, sword, head-piece and recognizance, 1 dare not utterly condemn it; and yet would wish it more moderately used than many times it is. As there was difference in them, while they lived, from the common sort and state ; so there may be in their burials for policy's sake, but for no religion or holiness at all. [' Yet not so barbarous, if the reniaindcT of the story be told : Quipoteris? illi: non enim senties. Quid igitur mihi ferarum laniatus oberit, nihil sentienti ? Cie. Tusc. Qusest. i. 104. Ed.] 318 AN EXPOSITION UPON XEHEMIAH. [CH. 11. The third thing to be observed is, that no superstition should le committed in tliem ; wherein the papists infinitely offend: as in masses, diriges, trentals, singing, ringing, holy water, hallowed places, years', days' and month-minds', crosses, pardon-letters to be buried with them, mourners, de profundis, by every lad that could say it, dealing of money solemnly for the dead, watching of the corpse at home, bell and banner, with many more than I can reckon. These three abuses taken away, remaineth that comely order which christian charity requireth : as, to have neighbours quietly to accompany the corpse to the grave, as it was in Luke vii. the poor ^vidow's son of Naim ; brotherly to comfort those that lost their friends, as the Jews did Mary and Martha for their brother Lazarus ; to confirm faith in the resurrection of the dead in the selfsame body, that there is put in the earth ; to prepare themselves to die daily, not knowing when our course shall come ; to praise the Lord, that granted the man so long a life among us with honesty, and in the end gave him a stedfast faith to seek his salvation only in Christ Jesus, who hath conquered death, hell and sin. by his own death, and by his rising from death hath justified us, and will raise us up from the grave in the end to live with him in heaven without end. The comely using of these in God's church is a great comfort to all good Cliristians, and the want of them a token of God's wrath and plague. Abraham Gen. XV. was promised burial in his ripe age, as a blessing from God : 2 Kings. Josias was promised that he shoidd be buried in peace, and 2Sam.ii. not See the plagues that should follow. The Gabeonites are praised of God, and rewarded also of David, for that they buried king Saul and his son, though the father was 1 Kings xiv. an ill man. Contrariwise, to king Jeroboam and Achab was threatened for a plague, that he and his posterity should not be biu-ied, but devoured of beasts ; and to king Joachim was foretold it, that he should be buried as an ass for his Tobit V. falling from God. Tobias was chiefly commended for burning the dead bodies of his countrymen that were cruelly slain. Thus burial is commended; and to want it was great re- The minding or remembrance of the dead, attended %vith feasting, at particular periods after their decease. The "month's mind" was generally used in our country; the "day's mind" &c. elsewhere. Ed.] V. 1 — 6'.] AN EXPOSITION lirON NEIIEMIAH. S19 proof. Jeremy tlireateneth them, that lor tlieir wicked hfe they Jp.r. xx"- should be pulled out of their graves. The place of burial need- eth no bishop's blessing nor popish hallowing; but every comely place is holy enough, so it be reserved for that use only. It is called in the Greek Coimeterion, {KomxrjTripioi',) that is, a sleeping place, and in the Hebrew Beth-liaiaim, that is, the house of the living; thereby to teach us, that the body sleepeth, and the souls live, as Salomon saith, " The earth shall go to the earth from whence it was, and the soul shall return to him that gave it." Abraham bought a field to Gen. xxiii. bury his in, and there was he and his posterity buried : and that was a common custom, continued long after by the judges and kings of Judah. So Gedeon, and generally the rest, were Judj. viii. buried. It is said of king Osias, that he was " buried in the 2 Chron. =^ _ XXVI. field where the other kings afore him were buried," in a place kept for that use only. And the gospel teachcth, that with the money which Judas sold Christ our Lord for, they " bought Ma"- xxvii. the potter's field to bury strangers in." These places were sometimes within cities, sometimes without, as Jesus Christ our Master was buried in a garden without the city Jeru- salem ; and he met the poor widow of Naim at the gates Luke vii. of the city, going farther to bury her son. It was long after, afore they used either church or churchyards. Likewise mourning for the dead would be bridled, that it be not too much, and seem to grudge at God's doings in taking our friends from us. David wept for his child, and 2 sam. xm. prayed whilst it was sick; but after it was dead, he wept no more. Our Saviour Christ cast the minstrels and mourners Matt. ix. both out of the doors, when he raised up the J'oung woman m her father's house. By which we are taught, that we should not dance with minstrels (for that is too barbarous and against nature,) nor to be grieved with the death of our friends, nor desperately mourn with the heathen, as though there were no life after this. " I would not have you igno- rant," saith St Paul, " of them that sleep in death, that ye moiu-n not, as they that have no hope" to rise again. Sirach appointeth a reasonable time for reasonable mourning, saying, " Mourning for the dead is two or three days ;" and before he addeth, "or seven daj's at the most." The cost that is made for the dead is rather, as St Augustine saith full well. 320 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CII. II, "a comfort for the living, than help for the dead'." For sure it is comfortable to all good folk to see our friend in his life-time to have behaved himself so honestly, that his neighbours bear him so good will after his death, that they will see him buried; and it strengtheneth our faith of the resurrection, when the bodies are not cast away, as beasts' bodies be. And although this general doctrine of comeliness be most true and comfortable, yet many times the case falleth out so, that many a good man cannot enjoy this kind of burial. In persecution many good martyrs have been devoured of wild beasts ; many torn in pieces, and hanged on gibbets ; many burned, aad their ashes cast into the water : yet these good men were nothing the worse for wanting their grave. For the kingdom of God standeth not in outward things, but in true faith in (iod by Christ. For as it profiteth not an evil man any thing at all to be solemnly buried ; so it hurteth not a good man to want it in these cases, if he cannot get it. 2 Cor. V. Every one shall receive then, as he hath done in his life ; and not after his death, nor his costly burial. We read of the Lukexvi. rich glutton, that he "was buried,'" and no doubt co.stly, as all his life was gorgeous; but poor Lazarus gat little cost at his death, that could find so little mercy in his life : yet was the glutton "in hell" for all his pomp, and poor Lazanis "in Abraham's bosom'' in joy. But among all other foolishness in popery, I cannot but marvel at this, that in their great solemn singing for the dead they would not use, but forbid Alleluia to be sung. If the Romish church be the true church, and all well that they command, why should the late sjTiagogue of Rome deface that which the best bishops of Rome allowed of ! Jerom jer. Ep. 30. writeth in liis thirtieth Epistle, called Epitaphium Fabiolce, that at the burial of that noble woman " the people of Rome were gathered to the solemn funeral ; and there the psalms did sound aloud, and Alleluia, rebounding with his echo on high, did shake the gilded ceilings of the temple. On one side a company of young men, on another .side were old [' Proinde omnia ista, id est, curatio funeris, conditio sepulture, pompa exsequiarum, inagis sunt vivorum solatia quam subsidia mor- tuoruin. De Civ. Dei, Lib. i. cap. xii. Ed.] V. 1 fi.] A\ KXPOSITION- UPON' XKHEAHAil. "21 men whicli sano- t'ortli the praises and tleeds of that good woman. And no marvel," said he, '-if men rejoice of her sal- vation, of whose conversion the angels in heaven were glad." The like is written in the twenty-seventh Epistle ad Etisto- chimn for her mother Panla. In this I note the old church of Rome, that at such solemn funerals they sang Alleluia on high, as the papists do now on Easter day. Then they praised God for the dead, for so Alleluia signifieth ; and now they pray (lod for the dead to get money withal. Then they re- joiced of their salvation ; and now they weep for fear of the pope's purgatory. " Blessed are they that die in the Lord," saith St John. \Miy, then they go not from pains here to mi- sery tliere. \\\\y should the new Romish SMiagogue mislike that good ancient order J The one of them must needs err; wlu'ch many think cannot be, and specially in this our age. There be other controversies in these our days abroad, which might have been very well left untouched, if the quiet- ness of God's church had been dutifully sought, as it ought to be : as, " whether the ministers should bury the dead, as the common order appointeth ; and whether burial sermons are to be suffered and used, &c." This place giveth no great occa- sion to entreat of such matters, and therefore I shall let them pass. J love not contention, but do earnestly require every one in his calling for God's cause to seek peace with all their might ; and those that profess Jesus Christ, I desire the Lord that they would join with their brethren in pulling down the Romish antichrist, the common enemy of all God's doctrine and religion, leaving such unprofitable contentions which breed division. And if they have too many burial sermons in the city, God grant us some more in the country ! Thus much have I spoken by occasion of Nehemiah's mourning for "the place of his fathers' burial;" not for the loss of the houses, city or walls; or that he was troubled with such superstitious opinions of thinking any holiness in the place, or that the dead folk were any thing worse in wanting their covering in the earth ; but that he was grieved to see the city, which God chose himself to be worshipped in, and those good men, whose bones did rest there, or had faithfully served the Lord in their life, now to be given to heathen men's hands, God's religion neglected, the state of 21 [PM.K,XUT0N.] ti22 AX KXPOSiTiox i;po.v nf.iiemiaii. [ch. i:. tlie commonwealth and good laws overtlirowii, God's enemies to triumph over them, as though tlieir God could not or would not restore them. This should grieve all Christiaas in all ages, when they see the glory of the living God any ways blemished. God grant us this zeal unfeignedly ! 4. And the kinr/ said. After that the king understood the cause of his sorrow and sad countenance, he both pitied the case and his man's heavy heart ; and God so moved the king to favour his suit, that he asked him " what he would have f \Vhen Nehemiah perceived the king's good inclination towards him and his suit, afore he would declare his petition, he tm'ned him unto the God of heaven, and prayed him that he would so guide his tongue, that he should speak nothing which might justly offend the king, and also that he would so move the king's heart that his request might be granted. A worthy example for all Christians to follow in their suits making to the prince. He goeth not to any great man, nor to any other Avhicli was in favour with the king, to desire liini to speak for him, to commend his cause, to persuade the king to grant his request; which he might lawfully ha-\e done. Also, he offereth no rewards nor like pleasure to any man ; but turneth him to the God of heaven, as the chiefest governor of all goodness, which setteth up rulers, and putteth down kings, and is King of kings, and prayetli him to prosper his suit. He prayeth to no idols nor saints, though he lived among that idolatrous nation ; for he knew they could not help him ; but faithfully called on the living God, which his good fathers had wor- shipped of old time. This prayer was not so much in .speak- ing or l-:neeling, but a lifting up of his mind towards God, 1 Sam. i. and desiring him to further his suit. Anna made like prayer, when sh.e poured out lier sorrow before the Lord, moving her lips, but speaking never a word ; in so much that the high priest thought she had been drunken. For it falletli out oft, that in great sorrow a man cannot let a tear fall, the heart being oppressed with grief, and yet he at another time will weep tenderly: so in prayer ofttimes, the more earnestly that a man prayeth, the less he can speak, his heart being so earnestly given to call on the Lord. As when Moses was in groat heaviness, and prayed for the children V. 1 ().J A\ FXPOSITIOX ri>0\ XF.lIRMrAll. .j2:> of Israel, being in tliat great distress, God said unto him, " Why cricst tiioii unto uie V and yet there is not one word Kxod. xiv. written, that lie cried or said. It is the praying and cry- ing of the heart, that Cod is so much delighted withal; and yet never the worse, if it burst out into words, and shew itself. Let no man then excuse himself, and say he cannot pray, except he were in the church or in his chamber alone ; for in all places he may lift up his mind to Ciod, though he were in the market or mountain; and with hearty prayer, though he speak not at all, desire the Lord to hear him, as Nehemiah doeth here in tlie presence of the king and many others. And no doubt, if he pray in faith and for such things as further the glory of God, the Lord will hear him. Let us learn here to begin all our doings with prayer unto the Lord, and we shall speed so nuich the better. 5. And I said. When Nehemiah had made his short prayer in so earnest a faith, and perceived the king's good will towards him, then Mith all humbleness, not appointing the king what he should do, but referring all to his con- sideration and wisdom, desireth him, that if he thought it good, if Nehemiah himself were thought a fit man for the purpose, or his service had been acceptable to the king, that it would "please him to send him to Jewry," to the city where he Mas born, and his elders lay buried, that he might "build it up again." No marvel that Nehemiah was afraid, and prayed earnestly for good success in his suit : for he knew well that the Jews were counted a rebellious people, and hated of all countries about them ; and the king might think him to make his suit for building of Jerusalem, that they might settle and strengthen themselves against him and other kings, and claim their old liberties that they had afore. But God so moved the king's heart, that he had no suspi- cion of any such enterprise by Nehemiah, his faithful and trusty servant. With such modesty princes would be dealt \\itlial, and not roughly nor unreverently : for so Nehemiah doth here most dutifully. If many men had their choice at the king's hand now a days, to ask what they would, as Nehemiah might have done here, would they not ha\e asked castles, lands, offices, and autliority for them and their issue, that 21—',' 324 ,\ EXPOSITION UPON NEHE.MIAII. [ni. II. they might have been great men in the world ; and not the liuilding of a city, whicli would have Ijeen a trouble and cost unto them rather than any profit, and when they liad finished it, it had not been tlieir own, l)ut other should have en- joyed it, and they little the better lor it ? But such is the zeal of them that love the Lord, that they will seek to build and not to pull down, as many do, and will prefer all things that may further the glory of God, though it be with their own loss, rather than seek their owti profit with the hin- derance of it. Terentius, a nobleman, captain under the emperor Valens, when he had been in wars and sped well, the Theodo.-. emperoT. liking well of his good service, bade him advise cap. 32. himself what he would make suit for, and he woidd reward liim lilierally. Terentius, being a zealous man in religion, and poieeiving the great heresy of the Arians to be much favoured, (and the emperor himself being thought to be in- fected tlierewith,) could not abide such blasphemy agaiast Jesus Christ our Saviour, put this supplication in writing, and with most humble reverence and earnest desire required the emperor to grant him his request, and he would think his service fully recompensed. The effect of his supplication was, -'that it would j)lease the emperor to grant the tine Christians a church to serve and worship the Lord Jesus in separately from the Arians, which dishonoured him ; for it was not fit among the Christians to hear such blasphemy Niteph. xi. agaiast the Lord Christ, as they spued out." The emperor, reading his supplication, and con.sidering the effect of it, was very angry, pulled it in pieces, and threw it away, chid with Terentius, that he could devise nothing to ask but tliat. Terentius gathered up the pieces of paper courteou.sly. and said, "if he could not be heard in God's cause, he would not make further suit for his own profit'." 0 noble captain ! where is thy fellow Who hath done the like, but Nehemiah here. Ester, and some few other? God increase the number of such religious men about princes! and then they will not gape so fust as they do, to pluck ui f^aaiXev, Kn\ e^io to cwpuv, koI t-rtjiov oJk cuVi/itw aKOtrov yap KpiTij^ o Ttoi' oAo)/' Kpni)^. V. VA. Palis. 1544. — Niccphonis merely repeat*! Theodoret. En.] V. 1 — ().] AN KXI'OSITIOX ITON MCHEAIIAH. o25 and pull away irom Ciod and his ministers all that thoy may scratch or scrape, to the dishonour of God, defacint^' of his glory, decay of the ministery, religion, and all good learning; thinking most highly of themselves, that they be worthy to have all things, where in deed they deserve least, and the more they get the less are they satisfied. It is a full con- tentation to all good men, when they see God glorified in his church, word, and ministery; for then they know, if they du- tifully seek, that the Lord w ill not see them lack that which shall be necessary for them ; and they will content themselves with that portion that God giveth them, and will not greedily seek for other men's things wrongfully, to the dishonour of the high God. 6. lind the king said. When the king had considered his request, he advised himself well, and was both loth to deny him his suit, and also to forego so faithful a servant ; asked him how long he would be absent, and when he would return. So did the queen too, which sat by the king: they both loved him so well, and would not have him long from them. A special gift of God, to sec a stranger born, of that religion and people which were hated of all the world, to be in such favour with the king and queen, and to find such favour and grace in their sight, that he gave licence and all other necessary things to build that citj-, which had been noisome to so many kings about them. But such is the merciful goodness of our God towards his church and people, that he will make strangers and their enemies to defend and help them: as Pharaoh and Assuerus did, by the good Gen. ^ means of Joseph and Ester, &c. i And because " the queen sat by," it is like that there was some solemn feast that day ; for the queens of Persia used not to come into the king's presence, but when they were called for by name, as it is written in the book of Ester : and Strabo writeth, that the Persians " used to debate of weighty matters, when they were refreshed with w ine." This might be a great cause of the great I'ear that Nchemiah was in, as he said before, to see the (|uoen jjrcscnt, and many other great men beside, no doubt, as is coumionly used at such solemnities. It will n)ake any good nature afraid to speak to a king, but nuich more in the presence of so m^uy 326 AN KXl'O.SITION Ul'ON NEllE.MIAII. [( li. II. estates, who might be hindert-r.s his suit, and counsel the king to the contrary. But when God will pity his peo- ple, and have things forward, he will so move kings' hearts, that nothing shall hinder that he will have done. And so the king did grant liini his request, gave him leave to go build that city, and sent him away honourably, and rewarded him liberally, as followeth. Nehemiah appointed the king a time of his return to . him again ; but when, it is not here mentioned; yet such a time as the king was content withal. In the last chapter of this book it appeareth, that in the twelfth year following Nehemiah returned unto the king, and yet gat licence again to go to Jerusalem. But whether this was the time that he appointed to return, it is not written, and therefore uncertain ; and being unwritten and uncertain, it is not so necessary to be known, nor curiously to be searched ; but we may content ourselves to be ignorant of it, as of all imeertain, unwi-itten. and unnecessaiy traths. v. 7. And I mid unto the king. If it be thouglit good to the Jcing, let them give me letters to the captains bt- 2^ond the river, tnhich may convey me until I come into Jelmda ; S. And letters also to Asa2)h, keeper of the king'^s n-oods, that he may gire me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace, ii'hich is near the temple, and for the walls of the city, and for the house which I shall enter to. And the king gave me, according to the hand of my God, which was good toward me. 9. And I came to the captains beyond the river, and gave them the king^s letters; and the king sent icith me captains of the army and horsemen. 10. And Sanballat the Horonite and Tobias, that sercaiit and Ammonite, heard of it, and they tcere grieved with great sorrow that a. man was come to seek any good for the children of Israel. Nehemiah was a glad man, that the king had granted his request; and sleepeth not his purpose, nor letteth the time slip ; but with all diligence prepareth things necessary- for his journey. And first, because the journey was long. V. 7 — 50. 1 A\ rxi'OMi'iToN" ri'o.x nkiik.mimi. ."27 and dangerous for t'lieiiiics, tliat liatrd him and all the Jews, lest he should have some disi)Ieasure done him by the \\'ay, he desu-eth the king, that his council and secretaries might give him a passport, and grant him men to conduct him safely into Jcwi-y. A bold request for so mean a suljject, being but the king's cupbearer, a stranger, and born of that people and country which all the world hated. What could have been done more for the noblest man in the country, or for the best servitor the king had i I cannot tell whether it is to be more marvelled at, that either he durst ask it, or that the king would grant it. But Neheniiah perceived (Jod's good will and the king's favour toward him, and was bold to ask : Grod prospered his suit, that the king granted his request. And as afore, so here mark also, that he doth not boldly and rashly appoint the king what he should do, but with all modesty referreth his request imto the king's wisdom and discretion, to grant or deny, and saith, " If it be thought good to the king." Again, he doth not with bribes or flat- tery procure the king's letters to be signed privily, (as many do, that make unhonest suits, and would not have their matter debated by the wiser sort, lest so it might be denied;) but he requireth, that they which are ;!j)p()inted for that pur- pose, and do such things by good advice, as chancellors and secretaries, might give him letters to the captains beyond the river Euphrates, (for that is meant by the river, because it was more notable than any other river in the country, and did divide the kingdom of Persia from other countries about it,) over which into Jewry he might pass. It might be thought strange to some, that Nehemiah here asketh not only of the king his letters of passport, but also a number of soldiers, to conduct him safely into Jewry. For Ezra, when he had licence of the king to take the same Ezraviii. journey, and build the temple, neither asked nor had any to conduct him safely on his way, though the danger was as great then, and he was afraid as well as Nehemiah was now. Why should Nehemiah ask now, seeing he served and trusted in that same God that Ezra did, and was as earnest and zealous in religion as he was? why should this be lawful or commendable in the one, and not in the other? Causes may be rendered divers. There was difference in o'28 A\ EXPOi-rrioN upon nkiikmiah. [< ii. ii. the persons and times. Ezra was a priest, cunning in the law, and had oft taught boldly afore the king and his nobles, how sure and safe they were from all dangers, that put their trust in God alone: and if he should have afterwards been afraid, he should have seemed to have spoken untruly afore, and his God should not have been thought able or willing to defend his people that trusted in him. Nehemiah was a cour- tier, and in great favour with the king, and had not so openly and boldly spoken of God's providence and care towards his people as Ezra had, (though he believed it as faithfully as the other did,) and therefore might more boldly, ^^ithout reproach of his God or his doctrine and sajings, ask it. Yet this proveth not, that preachers may not at any time require a safe conduct of princes, to whom it be- longetli to provide in dangerous times, that passage by the Actaxxui. ]y\g\i yy^y j^^^y \jQ gafe aud quiet. Paul, as we read, when the Jews had "sworn that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him," desired an under-captain to bring his nephew (who told him of that conspiracy) to the high captain, to declare so much to him, and desired that he would provide some safety for him, that he were not mur- dered by the way: and in this doing Paul neither offended man, nor distrusted of God's providence and care toward him. Again, in that great and long storm that Paul and Acts Nxvii. jjjg fellows Were in on the sea. where they looked for nothing but to be drowned, the angel of God told Paul, that " God had given him the lives of all that were with him in the ship," and none of them should perish ; yet afterward, when the mariners would have cunningly conveyed themselves out of the ship, " under pretence to have cast anchor," Paul told the high captain, that if he suffered them to go out of the ship, they should all perish : and this he did not say, as doubting of the angel's true message, nor of God's good will and mighty hand, able to deliver them, but to teach us that, although God have made us promise of his mercy, we may not tempt him, lie down, and sleep carelessly, but diligently to look for and use such helps and means, as God hath appointed us to work by. God worketh all goodness in us himself, and yet hath appointed means for us to use and do such things, the which wc may in no caf:C neglect ; and \-. 7 !0.] AN EXI'OSITION CCON m:iikmiaii. o'2'.) \ct all praise is due to liini, whatsoever we do ; ibr it is lie that botli ordaineth tlie end of all things, how they shall come to pass, and also the means, liow tliey shall be brought to pass, and prospereth all them that, forsaking themselves, use such means and hang on him, knowing the beginning, midst, and end to be ruled and come to pass as he appointed. God inspired the apostles with all knowledge of the scriptures suddenly, which were unlearned and never went to the school ; yet may not we think that we will be learned after the same sort, without study and prayer : for then we tempt God, refusing such helps as he hath appointed for us to come to learning by. And though we study and pray never so much, yet we shall understand nothing until he give us his Holy Spirit, the schoolmaster of all truth, to lighten our minds and give understanding- of his holy will. We beisai. x. like an axe in the carpenter's hand, which though it be a good one, yet the praise of the good w-o)-k that is done with it is to be given to the man, and not to the axe. Such things be we in God's hand, by whom he worketh his will and glory, though not unsensible, as dead things be, yet as unable to work any good thing without him, as the axe is without the carpenter ; for of ourselves \\ g " are not able to think" a good thought, as the apostle saith, that all praise 2 Cor. iii. may be his, that blesseth and prospereth both us and the means that he hath appointed for us to work by, and bringetli it to a good end. We nuist think likewise of God's doings and ourselves in all other things, sin except, that he "worketh all in all," yet not without us ; that all may say with David, " Not unto us, 0 Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name rsa>- ^nv. give all praise and glory." Thus we see that some man may at some times do that another may not ; yea, one man himself cannot do at all times that he may well do at some times. Hut, this general rule being kept, that God's glory be not defaced ])y doing of it, it may be done of all men at-all times. Paul wrought for his living, when he preached, which others did not, nor are bound to do ; and he might have lived of his preaching, as well as others did : yet the time was such, and the people so peevishly bent to slander the gospel of God, that Paul ibr- barc to use that liberty which (iod gave him, and would not •330 AX i;.\i>orsrno\ i j-ox nkiik.miaii. [f ii. ii. be thought to preach for gains ; but w i-ought for his living, would not he chai-geable to any man. Such was the case here, that Ezra might not ask help, and Nehemiah might. 8. And letters also. Nehemiah^ wisely considering what he wanted yet to the finishing of such a work as he went about, perceived he should need timber; and therefore de- sired the king's letters of ^\•arranty " to Asaph, keeper of his woods, that he might deliver him such trees and so many, as would ser^'e his purpose, both for the building of the gates, the tow ers of the palace near the temple, the city walls, and the house that he should dwell in himself." And here we shall see the king worthy great pi-aise, though he was but barbarous; that for policy's sake, and wealth of his comitry, both preserved his woods, and set a keeper over them, that they should not be wilfully wasted. A good ex- ample for princes, to foresee the like in theii" countries in all ages; for conmionwealths cannot stand without the use of woods in many kind of things. Nehemiah is also much to be commended, that although he was in so great authority and favour with the king, yet he would not take of his woods without his licence and warrant, as many do. If these two things were kept in this land, that both the prince's woods, and others too, should be preserved, faithful keepers set over them, and none delivered without sufficient warrant, we should not find the great lack that we generally do. What spoil hath been made of woods in our remembrance, wise men have noted, but few gone about to amend it, though many have lamented it. AVhat common dealing hath been practised to get such lands of the prince and other men, as were well wooded, into their hands, and when they had spoiled the woods, racked the rents, and deeply fined the tenants, then to return the same land into the prince's hand again, or sell it over to others, and get as much, it is too well known through- out th§ realm, and to the hurt of many, at this day. Nehemiah coiUd ask nothing so much, but the king did grant it speedily. God did so move the king's heart, and prospered Nehemiah's doings, in so much that he giveth all the praise to God alone, and saith, '• the hand of his God was good toward him," to set forward his good purpose of building Jerusalem. Nehemiah knew well that God was V. 7 10. J A.\ I'XPOSITION' tM'ON' NKHK.MIAII. 331 the common (iod of all people and nations, both by creation and go\-ernnient of them : but because he seemed to favour him more than he did other, in giving him boldness to open his grief unto the king, wisdom to make his humble suit without offence unto the king, and so good success to haxo all things granted that he required of the king, so unlocked for, he calleth him his God, as if he loved or cared more for him than for the rest of the world. This is the common use of the scripture, to call him the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and Daniel, because he did l)oth deliver them out of such trouble as none else could or would, or any hath been so oft and wonderfully delivered as they M'cre ; and also, did so bless and prosper them and their doings, as the com- mon sort of men were not wont to be. So they that see their o\mi misery, and how little goodness, but rather punish- ment, they deserve at God's hand, when they see the Lord pity them, remember them, help them, and bless them, they conceive by and bye such a love toward God, that it would please him to look upon them, that for joy they burst out into tears, they call him their God, because they feel his good will and favour so much toward them, and more than to other, yea, much more than they could deserve or be bold to look for at his hands. And as one man useth to help another by putting forth his hand to raise him that is fallen, to give him such things as he wanteth, and to put away and defend him from such things as may hurt him ; so it is called " the good hand of God," when he either bestowetli his bless- ing and good things upon us, or when he pntteth away such dangers and evils from us, as might hurt us, as it were with his mighty and merciful hand. 9. And I came to the caiHalus. Nehemiali hath now taken his leave at the court, and loseth no time ; but \\lien he had provided all things necessary for his journey, he speedeth himself forward, and thinketh all time lost that is not bestowed in relieving his country, being in such misery. A strange example, to see a courtier leave that wealth, ease, and authority that he was in, and go dwell so far from the court, where commonly it lalleth out that he which is out of sight is out of mind and soon forgotten, in an old, torn, and decayed city, a rude people and poor country, where o32 AX p:xi'o.sn io\ i I'ox NEUiiMiAii. [di. ii. lie slioiikl not live quietly for lii.s enemies, but take pains to build himself -riditKevat' tu Xfua- Tiavaii/ (jwXov ftrj eK^ijTeTadat /itv, tfxirtcrov ce Ko\d^eia.s was .a ser\ant, and yet crept into great authority, as the otlier was. Tliese two points may well agree to the papists, and all enemies of Clod's truth ; for they will lurk privily, until time serve them to shew their cruelty, and then they will rage fiercely : and so will slaves and ser\ ants, that come to authority from base degree. Salomon saith, " There Prov. be three things that trouble the world," whereof the first is "a servant when he cometh to be a ruler for then he waxeth so proud and cruel, that he forgetteth what he was, he dis' daineth all men but himself. The papists are bastardly born of spiritual whoredom, serve the pope as slaves in all his superstitions : they come of Agar the bond woman, and not of Sara the free woman ; and therefore hate the true children of God, which believing the promises of God are saved, and they will be saved by their own works, contrary to the scripture ; and so grieved when they see any thing prosj)er with them, that for very malice and envy they pine away ; as these two wicked imps do liere shew themselves, because they would not see Jerusalem restored. As the building of this Jerusalem had many enemies, so the repairing of the heavenly J erusalem by the preaching of the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus hath many more. The malice and envy of worldlings against all those tliat set up the kingdom of Christ, and pull down the pride of man's heart, is so great that it can never bo satisfied. If malice had not blinded these men, what harm was it to tliem to ■see the Jews do well, and God worshipped there ? The Jews never went aljout to invade or conquer their country ; and yet they could not enjoy their own country without much trouble of these envious people. Envy ever disdaineth to see other do well, and specially such as live well and serve the Lord Chri.st, and is glad of other men's mischief and harm, for then they think none shall be able to withstand their pleasures and devices. The people of Canaan, when Josh, they heard of Josua and the Israelites coming with so great courage to possess their country, were so dismayed, that their courage melted away like wax at the fire. Herod and all Jerusalem were astonied, when they heard toll that a new king Christ, being but a child, was born ; and yet the angels suno- for jov. When our Saviour Christ was S80 A\ r.vposmox i pox XF.itr.MiAii. [f ii. ii. crucified and buried, his disciples were sad, and the Jews rejoiced: but when Christ had conquered death, and was risen aojain, then the disciples were glad, and the Jews were sad. Thus one thino- worketh diversely in divers men. Nehe- niiali was glad that he had found such favour with the king to liuild Jerusalem ; Sanballat and his fellows were as snrrv that any should do it. The gospel hath foretold that it should so fall out with the worldlings and the godly : the one shall rejoice, when he seeth God's glory flourish; and the other shall be grievously tormented in conscience. " The Joi:. xvi. world .shall be glad," saith St John, " but ye shall weep ; and yet this your sorrow shall be turned into joy for God 1 Cor. X. will not see his servants overwhelmed with ti-ouble, but he will deliver them. David, describing at large the manifold blessings that God poureth on them that fear him, in the end Psai. cxii. of the jisalni saith. --The ungodlv shall see it, and it shall grieve liim ; he \^ ill gnash with his teeth, and pine away for malice ; but the desire of the ungodly shall perish." There cannot be a greater grief to an ill man. than to see a good man do well. When there was a question moved before king Frederic among his physicians, what was best to make the sight clear, and some said fennel, some saladine, some glass, some other things, as they thought good; Actius Sincerus, a nobleman .standing by, said he thought envy was the best : when every man either laughed or marvelled at his .saying, lie yielded a reason, and said. " Envy maketh any thing that she seeth to appear better than it is ; for- the envious man thinketh anotlier man's corn to be better than his own, and another man's cow to give more milk, and the least good thing that a good man hath seemeth great in his eye, that cannot see other thrive, and espieth diligently with great grief the smallest things the good man doeth ; and that is," said he, '• to make the eye sight clearest, when every small thing shall be liest espied." Envy is worse than any poison of other beasts. The snake, the adder, the toad, have deadly poison in them, wherewith they hurt others, and yet it hurteth not themselves: but envy is so poisonful a thing, that it killeth him that hath it fii-.st, and hurteth not other : for he fretteth with himself, he fumes, Jio pines away to see othere do well ; he eateth not. nor V. 6 10.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 337 sleepeth quietly, nor can be merry until he see some mischief fall on the good man : and as the canker eateth and consum- eth hard iron and brass, so malicious envy with iretting consumeth out envious stomachs. When Sanballat and To- bias, hearing but of Nehemiah's coming into the country, and that he had found such favour with the king to build Jerusalem, were thus grieved with malicious envy to see the Jews do well ; what sundry attempts they made afterwards to overthrow that building, the residue of this book will de- clare. How the envious papists, disdaining to see God's gospel take place in any country, do rage, fret, fume, pine away for sorrow and anger; how they have blooded and bathed their hands in their brethren's blood, and yet cannot be quiet, the world seeth it too well, good men lament it, justice crieth vengeance, and God will revenge it. v. 11. And I came to Jerusalem, and I ims there three days. nieXext. 12. And I rose in the night, I and a feio men with me, and told no man what God had put in my heart to do in Jerusalem : and there was no beast with me, but the beast which I sat upon. 13. And I went forth at the valley gate in the night, and before the dragon''s toell to the dunghill gate ; and con- sidered the tmlls of Jerusalem which were broken down, and the gates tvhich were consumed vnth fire. 14. And I passed over to the ioell gate, and to the king''s fishpool, and there was no room for the beast under me to pass. 15. And I went up in the night by the brooJc, and I con- sidered the uiell ; and coming back I came by the valley gate, and returned. Nehemiah hath now done with the court, and is come to Jerusalem, which he so much desired : he was weary of the noise and solemnity of the court, and thought he should live more quietly in his country ; but it I'alleth out clean contrary: for his trouble and danger is double to that it was afore; and he cometh from the court to the cart, and from a pleasant life to a careful. After his long journey he resteth himself and his company three days, knowing 22 [l>II,KlNGT0.\.] 338 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. li- the weakness of man's body to be such, that it cannot con- tinually endure labour, but must be refreshed with ease and rest. Thus must good men in authority not overlay their servants with continual labour, but let them have reasonable time of rest : for God made the sabbath day, that both man and beast might rest, and not be oppressed with continual toiling: such a consideration he had of man's weakness. We do not read of any great solemnity that the Jews used to welcome him withal, being their countryman, and coming from the court so honourably, with such a band of men to conduct him, and being in so great favour with the king: it is like, if that there had been any such thing, it would have been declared, as well as his estate was in the court afore. It was but a hard beginning, to have Sanballat and Tobias, two of the greatest men in the country, to lower so at his coming, and no greater rejoicing made of his country- men, for whose sake he took all those pains : but nothing can discourage him ; on forward he goeth with his purpose. These three days, though he rested with his body, his mind was not yet quiet : he Avas still devising how he might best and speedily go about liis building; how he might open to his countrymen the cause of his coming; how he might persuade them to join with liim in that work ; and to declare unto them the king's commission and good will toward him, and what favour he found in the court. For they might well doubt, if they should enterprise so great a work without the king's licence, they might run into great displeasure, seeing they had so many enemies in the country about them, that with all their might had sought the hinderance of that building so many years. They themselves had lien so long in despair, followed their own business, sought then- own gains, and cared not for building their o\ra city, nor sought any ways how to do it; they had almost so far forgotten their God, oppressed the poor, and fallen to so great wicked- ness, as appeareth hereafter, that they had no care of religion in the most part of them. 12. And I rose in the night. After that Nehemiah had thus long debated with himself, how this work should be taken in hand, he could not sleep, but riseth in the night, taketh a few of his men with him on foot, and he himself V. 11 15.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 339 on his imile, and ridetli round about Jerusalem, viewetli the walls, in what place they were worst destroyed, and how they might most speedily be repaired. If he had taken his view in the day-time, every man would have stood gazing on him, wondering what he went about, and have hindered it ; and not unlike, some would have been offended at him, and his enemies round about would, as much as they durst or could, have stopped his enterprise. The night therefore was thought to be the quietest time to do this in, and he is content to break his sleep for the furtherance of this great good work, A good example for all men, and especially for those that be in authority in the commonwealth, as Nehemiah was now, and for those that have the charge of CJod's church committed unto them, not to be idle, even in the night season to break a sleep, yea, watch all night, if need be, to set forward the building of God's house and city. The physician will watch with his patient all night, if need be : the good captain will not sleep all the night long, though he have set his watch afore ; but he will sometimes at the second watch, sometimes at the third, arise and see whether his watchmen be fallen on sleep, and what they do, or whether any enemies draw near or no : so should every Christian privately for himself break his sleep, lift up his mind unto the Lord, call upon him by faithful prayer, call for mercy at his fatherly goodness, commend himself and all God's people to his gracious protection, desiring that all stumbling-blocks, which be hinderers of his glory, may be taken away; but spe- cially those that be negligent to watch a whole night in prayer, devising what ways God's glorious name, gospel, and religion may best be increased, his kingdom enlarged, Christ glorified, and antichrist confounded. David saith, he "rose at midnight Psai. cxix. to give praise" unto the Lord's blessed name. Our mortal enemy, Satan, never sleepeth night nor day, but continually " goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may de- vom- ;" and if we had not as good a watchman to watch for our safety when we sleep, we should be swallowed up every hour. "Behold," saith David, "he neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, Psai. cxxi. that is the watchman of Israel." All praise be to that merciful God, which taketh such care for his miserable people, and watch- eth when we sleep, that our enemy devour us not suddenly ! 22—2 340 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAII. [CH. 11. Lukevi. Our Saviour Chi-ist, to give us example of this diligent watching to pray in the night, prayeth the whole night him- self in the mount, afore he chose his apostles to preach. Josh. X. Josue marched forward all the night long, to fight with the Amorites, and overcame them. Gedeon in the night season laiXg. vi. pulled down the altar of Baal tliat his father had made, and the grove of wood that was near unto it, being afraid to do it in the day time for fear of his father s house and people thereby; and in the night also set on the Madianites, and vanquished them. So good men let no time pass, wherein occasion is given them to further God's gloiT, night or day, but earnestly follow it until they have brought their pui-pose to effect. And that this viewing of the walls might be more secretly done, he chooseth the night season rather than the day to do it in ; a few men to wait on him, rather than many ; no more horse than his own, and all the rest on foot, for making noise. Many men and horses would soon have been espied, one troubled another, made a great noise, and have bewrayed his counsel, which he kept so secret to himself, that he told it not to any man what he went about : and if he had gone alone, he might have fallen into some danger of life, having none to help him. The night is the quietest time to devise things in; for then all things be quiet, every man keepeth his house and draweth to rest ; no noise is made abroad ; the eyes are not troubled with looking at many things ; the senses are not drawn away witii fantasies, and the mind is quiet. Many men would have committed the doings of such things to other men, and would have trusted them to have viewed the walls, and after to have certified him of their doings, in what case they were, and how they might most speedily be repaired : but Nehemiah, lest he should have wrong information given him, though he was a man of great authority, did not disdain to take the pains himself, brake his sleep, and rode about the \\alls himself, — to teach us that nothing should be thought painful at any time, nor disdainful to any man, of what estate soever he were, to set forth the building of God's city and dwelling-place, which everv- man ought to do in his calling. David, when the ark of God was brought out of AbinadaFs house, played on instruments, and V. 11 1,?.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 341 after cast off' liis kingly apparel, and for rejoicing danced afore the ark in his poor ei)hod, to glorify his Clod withal. Michal his wife, looking forth at a window, and seeing him 2 Sam. vi. dance, laughed him to scorn, and asked him if he were not ashamed to dance so nakedly afore such a company of women, as though he had been but some light scoffing fellow. But David was so zealous a man and earnest to glorify God by all means, that he forgat himself to be a king, abased him- self with the lowest and simplest, and said to ]\lichal, that he would "yet more lowly cast down himself," so that his Ood might be glorified in his doings. Michal for mocking of him was barren all her life, and had no children ; but David for this humbling of himself was blessed of the Lord. Moses Heb. xi. forsook to live in pleasure in Pharao's court, and to be called his daughter's son, and chose to live in trouble with his brethren the Jews, and to keep Jethro's sheep, so that he might serve the Lord. Our Saviour, the perfect pattern of all humbleness, did not disdain to wash the miry feet of his Joh. xui. disciples, and wipe them : and last of all, as though that had not been base enough, he humbleth himself to the slanderous death of the cross, and to hang on a cross between two thieves for us, being his enemies, as though he had been a third : he loved us so tenderly, that he would go to hell, that we might go to heaven ; he would die so vile a death, to purchase us so glorious a life ; and suffer the pains due to our sins, that we might enjoy the pleasures of heaven. God grant all estates this humbleness of mind, that for his cause, that forsook all worldly honour, they may be content to abase themselves, to suffer all pains and reproachful things in the world for the furtherance of the building of God's city ! Such humble abasing of themselves is the greatest honour that ever they shall get : all worldly pomp witl out this is vile and shameful. In that he " telleth no man what he went about, and that God had put it in his mind to do it," he declareth that it was not his own device, nor came from any man, but God himself was the mover of it, and therefore was more earnestly to be followed. He that will learn to keep counsel in deed, let him learn of Nehemiah here to tell no man, not to his dearest friend. Many will come to his friend, and say, I 342 AN EXPOSITION- UPON NEHEMIAH. [f H. II. can tell you a secret matter, l^ut ye must keep in counsel and tell nobody. What foolishness is this, that thou wouldst have another to keep thy counsel secret to himself, and thou thyself canst not keep it secret to thyself! Wouldst thou have another man to do that for thee, which thou wilt not do for thyself? Keep thine own counsel, and then thou shalt not need to fear lest other men bewray thee. And if thou wouldst have another man to keep thy couasel, he will think thou shouldst not have told it thyself, and then it had been safe enough : but in telling him, he telleth another friend, and he saith to him as thou saidst to thy friend afore, I can tell you a thing that was told me secretly, but you must keep counsel and tell nobody : so with going from friend to friend, it will be known to all men. Therefore the surest and only way to have counsel kept secret Ls to follow Nehe- miah here, and tell it to no man, though he be thy dear friend ; for he hath other friends to tell it to, as thou didst tell it him. If any do mai-vel why Nehemiah was thus earnest in this building, and refused no pains nor jeopardy, but with courage went through them all, he telleth a sufficient cause here him- self, and saith, his " God had put it in his heart to do it." He taketh not the glory of it to himself, but giveth all the praise to God alone, as we must do in all good things. When- soever God putteth any good thing into man's heart to do, he (h-iveth him so forward, that he cannot eat, sleep, nor rest quietly, until it be done : he thinketh all time long and lost, that is not bestowed on it : therefore they that be so cold in their work, that they care not whether it go forward or not, are not moved by God. The Holy Ghost, which worketh this great desire in us, is called fire. John Bap- Luke m. tist said, ho "baptized in water, but he that came after him should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and fire." The Actsii. Holy Ghost fell on the apostles in fiery tongues; and our Lukexii. Saviour Clii'ist said, he "came to set fire on the earth, and what would he else but that it should burn V These be spoken to teach us, that those which are moved of God are earnest Rev. iii. in their doings. God loveth not those that be "lukewarm ;" he " will spue them out of his mouth." You must be either an earnest friend or an open enemy: he loveth no dissem- V. 11 1.).] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAII. 343 biers ; you must be eitlier liot or cold : " he tliat is not with him is against" liim : double dealers are the worst people that be ; they arc good neither afore God nor man : an open enemy is better than a flattering friend. All which sayings do teach us to be earnest in God's worlc ; or else he putteth it not into our heart. Salomon coramendcth plain dealing so much, that Prov.xxvii. he saith, " The wounds that a friend giveth are better than the crafty kisses of him that hateth thee." This heavenly fire burneth up all desires in man, and kindleth all goodness in him. Jeremiah, when he saw the word that he preached to be contemned of the people, he waxed very sad ; he would preach no more : but when he had holden his tongue liut a little while, he said " the word within Jer. xx. him was like a burning fire ; it burst out, he could not hold it in," and he fell to preaching again : he was so grieved to see God dishonoured, and so earnest to bring the people to knowledge of their duty, that he could not hold his peace, but needs must preach again. When Jesabcl persecuted Helias, because he had killed Baal's priests for their idolatry, he fled into the wilderness, and the angel finding him asked • Kings xix. him what he did there. Helias said, " I am earnestly zea- lous and grieved for thee, O Lord God of hosts, that the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, &c." Moses ExocI. xxxii. loved his people so well that, when God would have destroyed them, he prayed to forgive them, or else to put him out of his book. The Holy Ghost told St Paul, that in every town Acts xx. there were chains and troubles ready for him ; but he said he cared not, his life was not dear to him, so that he might run his course. For his countrymen also he wished to be "accursed from Christ," so that they might l)e saved. The other apostles, when they were whipt for preaching Christ Jesus, went away " rejoicing that they were thought worthy to suffer any worldly shame for his name's sake." Such an earnest love should every one have, both the magistrate to do justice and punish sin, and the preacher to root out evil doctrine and preach Christ purely, that nothing should make them afraid, but they should liuild God's city, the heavenly Jerusalem, boldly: nothing shoidd weary them, and all labour should be pleasure, so that they might serve the Lord. Phinees, when he saw whoredom and wickedness Num. xxv. 344 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. 11. abound, and none would punish it, taketh the sword himself, when others would not, and killed the man and woman, being both of great parentage, in their open whoredom. God was so well pleased with this zealous deed of Phinees, that could not abide to see sin unpunished, and trod's' glory so openly defaced, that he blessed him and his issue for it Johnii. jifter him. Our Saviour Christ, when he saw God's house appointed for prayer misused, "gat a whip and drave them out." Thus whensoever God putteth any thing into man's heart to do, it pricketh him on forward, that he cannot rest until he have finished it. Neheraiah was here moved by God to this work. God for his mercy's sake inflame many men's hearts with the like earnest desire of building God's spiritual city, that the workmen may be many, strong and courageous; for the work is great and troublesome, the ene- mies many, malicious, and stout hinderers, in number infinite, and true labourers very few. Gregory saith well, there is no such pleasant sacrifice afore God, as is the earnest zeal to win souls unto the Jurtg. xxi. Lord. The men of Jabes Gilead, when the Israelites joined all together to punish that ^\icked adultery in Benjamin, stood by, looked on, and would take part with neither of them ; not knowing who should get the victory, thinking to scape best and pick a thank in meddling on neither part: but for such double dealing the Israelites set on them after- ward and destroyed them. A just reward to fall on such as will stand by, and look how the world goeth, meddle of no side for fear of a change, or else ever join with the stronger part. How full the world is this day of such double-faced popish hypocrites, that will turn with every wind, good men lament, and God must amend when pleaseth him. They be the worst men that live. Such men be of no religion : some call them neuters, because they are earnest on no side : some call them uterques, because they be of both sides as the world changeth: some call them omnia, because, if a Turk or any other should come, they would yield unto them all. They be lilce free-holders ; for whosoever purchaseth the land, they hold of them all, though every year come a now master. But they say, best it is that they be of no religion : for as there is but one God, so there is but one religion ; and he that knoweth V. 11 15.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAII. 345 not the true God and religion, knoweth none at all, although he make himself every day a new God and a new religion, and the more the worse. 13. And I went forth. In these next verses is no- thing but the way described, by which he went to take the view of the walls, how they were pitifully destroyed, and how they might best and most speedily be repaired. The gates of cities have their names on some occasion outwardly given, as the north-gate and the east-gate, I)ecause it goeth northward or eastward: sometimes of them that builded them, as Lud-gate and Billings-gate, of Lud and 13illinus : some- times of things that are brought in or carried out of the city by them, as the fish- gate, the dunghill-gate, &c. This gate that he goeth out at first is called the " valley-gate," because the way into the valley of Josaphat, which lay afore it eastward, betwixt it and mount Olivet, was through it. This valley was called Josaphafs by reason of a noble victory that God gave Josaphat there. Divers people joined ^ci" themselves together against Josaphat ; but God so ordered the matter, that one of them killed another, and Josaphat, looking on, after the slaughter came and took all their riches and spoil, and he delivered without any stroke giving. The "dragon's weH" had its name of some venomous serpent lying there: the "dunghill-gate," because the filth of the city was carried out that way : the " well-gate" and "king's fish-pool," because there was great plenty of water ponds, watering places, &c. "The brook" he speaketh of is thought to be Cedron, which is spoken of in the gospel, John xviii. Nehemiah, when he had viewed all the walls, returned in at the same gate that he went out at : but in some places he found so great store of rubbish of the broken walls, that he could not pass on horseback ; so miserably were they torn and overthrown, and all the gates that should be shut were burned to ashes. O righteous God and miserable people ! God of his mercy foretold them by his prophets, that if they fell from hira and served other gods, these mischiefs should fall on them : but they, blinded in their own affections, be- lieved it not. O stony heart, learn here how vile a thing sin is in God's sight: for not only the man that doeth sin is punished, but the earth, the country, the stones, the \\'alls. 346 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. II. the city, trees, corn, cattle, fish, fowl, and all fruits, and other things that God made for man's necessity, are perished, punished, and turned into another nature for the sin of man: yea, and not only worldly tilings, but his holy temple, law, word and religion, the ark of Grod, the cherubims, the pot with manna, the mercy seat, Aaron's rod, with all the rest of his holy jewels, were given unto the wicked Nabuchad- nezzars hand for the disobedience of the people: and God will rather suffer his open enemies to enjoy his wonderful benefits than his flattering friends. "When Adam had sin- ned, the earth, which afore was decked with all good fruits, brought forth weeds to punish them withal. For the wcked- ness of Sodom God not only cruelly destroyed the people in it, l>ut to this day that pleasant ground, which afore was like paradise, is now barren, full of filthy mire, shtch, tar, &c., and the air of it so pestilent, as divers do write, that if any birds fly over it, it killeth them. The whole country of Je\\Ty, a plentiful land, "flowing with milk and honey" of his own nature, by the disobedience of the people became Psal. cvii. a barren land, as David teacheth in his psalm, " The Lord turneth a fruitful ground into a barren for the wickedness of the dwellers in it." Jerusalem was not only destroyed now thus piteously by the Babylonians, but afterwards by Vespa- sian the emperor, and had "not one stone left standing on another," and the Jews driven out of it, nho now live scat- tered through the world, abhorred of all good men, and un- der God's heavy rod, for crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and their continual despising of him. Let every man therefore learn reverently in the fear of God to live : for sin will not only be punished with ever- lasting death in the world to come, but even in this life man himself is plagued, and all things that .should serve or pleasure him shall be turned to his destruction, because he would not serve his God as he ought to do. AVhat can be a more righteous judgment of God, than so to order things, that no creature of God shall serve a wretched man, which will not serve nor fear the Lord, his God and Cre- ator? Sin is so vile in God's siglit, that he will punish those innocent, unsensible, and unreasonable creatures, as the stones in the wall, the house wherein thou dwellest, the V. 11 15.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEJIIAH. 347 earth whereby thoii livest, whicli never sinned, for the sin of thee, wretched man. O consider how God abhorreth sin and disobedience of his word, that he could never be paci- fied, but by the death of his own dear Son Christ Jesus for thy sins ! O miserable man, consider thy wretched state ! Thy sins pulled thy Lord Christ from heaven to hell, from joy to pain ; thou causedst him to be whipped, and hanged on a tree, thrust to the heart with a spear, by his blood to save thee: thou causedst him to die, that thou mightest li\'c. If thou shouldst deal thus with another man thy fellow, what wouldst thou think thou hadst deserved ? And \\ hcn thou hast thus misused thy Lord and Christ, the Son of God, cnicifying him again, and yet continuest in sin, contemning his commandments, " treading the Son of God Heb. x. under thy feet, and esteeming the blood of his eternal tes- tament as a profane thing," how canst thou look up unto !iim, how canst thou hope for mercy? Wicked men are so hoiTiljle in God's sight, that the angels in heaven abhor (hem, the creatures on earth disobey them, good men fly tlieir company, and devils in hell pull them unto them : and yet malice hath so blinded them, that they cannot turn imto the Lord. But whatsoever there is in us, 0 God, forget not thou thyself ; shew thyself a God still, though we forget thee. As thou lovedst us when we were thine enemies, so love lis still now, whom thou hast made thy friends, and bought .so dearly; and turn us, good God, that we may love thee. Remember, 0 Lord, whereof we be made : from the earth we came, on the earth we live, and delight in earthly things ; unto the earth we shall return : thou canst not look for heavenly things to come from so vile a matter; tliis earthly nature cannot be changed but by thy heavenly Spirit : deal not with us therefore, 0 Lord, in justice as we deserve, but in thy great mercy, which is our sure salvation, and let thy manifold mercy devour our manifold misery, that our manifold sins be not laid to our charge. Gracious God, forgive us : as our misery is endless, so is thy mercy, and iinich more large than wo can think. As we see God deal in his anger with this city, for the sin of the people that dwelled in it, so he will deal with all 348 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. II. obstinate breakers of his law in all ages and places, without respect of persons. The walls of the city may well be com- pared to the magistrates, which both defend the people from their enemies, and also govern the citizens within ; as the walls keep out other from invading, so they keep in the inhabitants from straying abroad : and the gates of the city may well be compared unto the ministers, which open the door of life to all penitent persons by the comfortable preach- ing of mercy promised in Christ, and shut heaven gates against all reprobate and impenitent sinners, by terrible thundering of his vengeance, threatened to such in his word. The walls are destroyed, and the gates burned, when the rulers and ministers do not their duty, but care for other things. And as this wretched people had justly, for their disobedience, neither walls left to keep out the enemy, nor gates to let in their friends, but all were destroyed ; so shall all godless people be left without godly magistrates to govern them, and live in slavery under tyrants that oppress them, and also without comfortable ministers to teach them, and be led by blind guides that deceive them, and so "the blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch," to their utter and end- less destruction. They be not worthy to have either magis- trate or preacher, that will not obey laws nor believe the word. This Osee, the prophet, foretold them should fall on them, saying, " the people of Israel should sit many days without a prince, without sacrifice and image, without the ephod and teraphim, and yet in the end they should re- turn unto their God." But they feared not these threaten- ings then, no more than we do now : yet as they fell on them then, so will they fall on us now. After that Nehemiah liad thus diligently viewed the wails, and the breaches of them, he was more able to render a reason, and talk with the rulers how they might be repaired. A good rule for all those that have any charge committed to them, that they should first privately consider the things they have to do themselves, and then shall they be more able to consider who giveth best counsel for the doing of it. Kashly to enter on it, a wise man will not, nor open his mind to others, until he have advised himself privately first what is best to be done : and so shall he be best able both V. 1] 15.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NF.HEMIAH. 349 to render a reason of his own doings, and also to judge who givetli best advice. V. 16. The magistrates knew not wJiithet^ I went, or lohat /The Text. did ; and to the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the workmen, I told nothing hitherto. 17. And I said unto them. Ye ktioto the misery that we be in, how Jerusalem is wasted, and her pates burned in the fire: come, and let us build the walls of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 18. And J told them of the hand of my God, that it tvas gracious toward me, and also the Mng''s word that he spake unto me; and they said. Let us rise and build: and they strengthened their hands to good. Nehemiah not only, like a godly zealous man, is diligent to set forward this work, but also, like a very wise man, shevveth in his doings the chief properties of him that hath weighty matters committed unto him. He that hath great matters to do nmst be faithful and trusty, and also secret, and keeping counsel close, as the poet saith, Fide et taciturnitate est opus\ And where every sort must be made privy in such a work, hitherto he had opened it to never a one. 17. And I said unto them. After Nehemiah had thus long kept his purpose secret, and diligently viewed the walls, how great the breach was, how it might be best and speedily repaired, and was able to talk with all sorts, and render a reason of his doings to every one, both high and low in authority, to the common sort of the Jews, to the workmen, priests and rulers ; he now propoundeth the matter unto them all ; and in few words, after he had declared the misery that they were in, and how that famous city lay open to all ene- mies to invade, to their great shame, exhorteth and encou- rageth them to fall to the building of the walls, and live no more in such shame and reproach, as they had done, but recover their old estimation again ; for he had found favour both in God's sight and the king's. There be two kind of reasons to persuade a man to do any thing : the one is, if he declare liow hurtful and shameful Q' Terence, Andr. i. i. Fidelity and sccresij are necessary. En.] 350 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEnEMIAH, [cir. II. it is to do or suffer such a thing to be done or undone : the other reason is, to open unto him what good help and en- couraging there is to set it forward. The shame was great, that for their great sin and disobedience God's people, who cracked so mucli of their good God, should live in such slavery under infidels, as though their God could not or would not deliver them. The hope to prosper well in this building was great, for that both God and the king had shewed great tokens of their good wills for the furtherance of this good work. Both these kinds of persuasions he useth here : his words be not many, but effectual. For as the shame was, to lose their city, so the glory should be greater in recovering it ; and wise men use and love few words ; for either those will serve good men, or more will not. The woeful sight of those broken walls, and this miserable slavery of the people in it, were sufficient to move a stony heart to pity, though never a word were spoken by any man : but those weighty reasons, well considered, made them all to fall to work with great cou- rage. What man had so little feeling of God and honesty, that would not help to build God's city and their own country? Those that love to hear themselves talk, and with many words to colour their ill meaning, may here learn how a simple truth, plainly told in few words, worketh more in good men's hearts, than a fair painted tale that hath little truth and less good meaning in it. An honest matter speaketh for itself, and need- eth no colouring ; and he that useth most flattering and subtle words, maketh wise men mistrust the matter to be ill. A few words well placed are much better than a long unsavoury tale. 18. And I told them. After that Nehemiah had briefly set afore them the misery they lived in, the crael destruction of Jerusalem, which God chose for liimself to dwell in, and what shame it was for them, not to recover by well doing that which their fathers for their wickedness lost ; he now declareth unto them, as a full reason to persuade any man that would be persuaded, and saith, "both the hand of his God was gracious toward him in this enterprise, and the king's words ^\•ere very comfortable." AVhen a man hath both God and the king of his side, what needeth he more' who can hurt him ? what should he doubt or be afraid oV. what would he have further I God had given him such a favour V. 16 IS.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NF.HEMIAII. 351 in the king's sight, that as soon as he asked licence to go ! and biiikl the city, where his fathers lay buried, it was granted ; I and the liberality and good will of the king was so great, that j he granted him both soldiers, safely to conduct him to Jeru- salem, and also commission to his officers for timber to I this great building. What should they mistrust or doubt of now ? There wanted nothing but a good will and courage on their side : if they would rise and work lustily, no doubt the work would be finished speedily. Nehemiah still calleth him Ms God, as though God heard ; his prayer only, and moved the king's heart to give him licence to build this city, which many, divers times, had wished and laboured for, and could not get it. He thought this to be so great a blessing of God, that he can never be thankful enough for it, and therefore calleth him his God. He that loveth his God earnestly, rejoicetli in nothing so much as when he seeth those things prosper, whereby God's glory may be shewed forth. He careth more for that, than for his own pleasure and profit. And when such things go backward, it grieveth him more than any worldly loss that can fall unto himself. And though some wavering worldlings may say, the king might die, or change his good will from them ; and God many times, when he hath given a good beginning for a while, yet in the end he cutteth it off ; and by this means discourage other from this work, and will them not to meddle; the time might change, and then they might be blamed ; and Nehemiah, although he w'as in great favour with the king at this present, yet, being absent long from the court, might soon be forgotten ; others, that bare him no good will, might creep in favour and bring him into displeasure, (for in the court commonly, out of sight, out of mind;) these and such other reasons would soon withdraw dissemblers from their good furtherance of this work ; yet God so wrought with them all, that they all boldly took this work in hand and finished it. God, of his great goodness, for the better exercising of our faith hath thus ordered the course of things, that although, when we look into the world, we shall find many things to withdraw us from doing our duties to his majesty, yet by his Holy Spirit ho hath given us faith and hope of his promised good- 352 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAB. [CH. II. ness, that nothing should discourage us from doing our duties : for we liave him on our side that hath all things at his commandment, and whose purpose none can withstand. Let the world therefore waver never so much ; let it threaten never such cruelty ; let it counsel and persuade as craftily as it can, to meddle in no such matters of God : yet good men cannot be quiet, until they have shewed their good will, to the uttermost of their power, for the further- Gen. xii. ance of God's work and obedience of his will. Abraham, when he was bidden to leave his country and kinsfolk, and go into that place that God would shew him, might have many reasons to stay him : as, that he could not tell how to live when he came there, that he should want the comfort of his friends, live amongst strangers, and those that would rather hurt him than help him : yet none of these could stay him, but he would follow whither the Lord would lead. God Gen. xxii. ijade him sacrifice his son Isaac, having no issue, and yet promised him that " in his seed all nations should be blessed." Abraham could not tell how these two should stand together, both to kill his son and to have issue of him : yet he doubted Heb. xi. not in faith but, rather than his promise should not be true, God would raise him from death, to beget and raise up seed Gen. xxii. after him. When Isaac, going to be sacrificed, asked his father where the sacrifice was that should be killed, (for he had the wood on his back and the fire in his hand,) Abra- ham, not doubting, though not knowing how, where, nor when it should be done, said, " God will provide himself a sacrifice, my son and proceeded to sacrifice his son, until the angel stayed him, and shewed him a ram in the bushes, which he should offer unto tlie Lord instead of his son. The apostles, when our Saviour Jesus Christ sent them out to preach ^\^thout bag or wallet, money, or staff", made no question how they should live, or defend themselves against so many enemies, or how they should teach others, that never went to school themselves to learn ; but obeying his commandment, and be- lieving his promise, went forth boldly, and did their message diligently, and God blessed their doings wonderfully. "\Mien they came again unto him, and told him how well they had sped, he asked them whether they wanted any thing by the i.uke xxii. ^yay^ while they were in his service I and they said, Nay. Thus V. iG 18.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAII. S53 good men will not be withdrawn from serving their God, though many worldly reasons might withdraw them : and God will so increase their faith to go forward, that nothing shall discom-age them. They will rather stick to God's promise than any cunning practice of man. A good beginning is a great reason to persuade a man that God will give good suc- cess unto the end. David comforteth himself to kill Goliath, because he killed a lion and a bear when he was young, keeping sheep. God never doeth any thing in vain; but when his faith- ful servants take things in hand of mere love and duty to further his glory, he ever bringeth it to good effect. The good success that God hath given us afore, should persuade us that he will give us more. Hypocrites, faint-hearted soldiers, double-dealers, and those that be not grounded upon a sure faith and hope of his promised goodness, oft fail of their purpose through their own default. God hath promised nothing to such dissemblers, and those that trust him he never faileth. Let all those therefore, that fear the Lord unfeignedly, boldly begin the Lord's work, continue it sted- fastly, look for the mighty furtherance of the same iaithfully; and no doubt they shall have it. Who ever to this day trusted in the Lord in vain, but he had good success in his doings { Let no man mistrust God's goodness to further those good things that he taketh in hand : let us work dili- gently, and conmiit the success unto him boldly; no doubt he will bring it to good pass. When they had well considered Nehemiah's words and liis good counsel, they cast all perils away, and said, " Let us rise and build those decayed walls." Let us linger no longer, but speedily fall to labour, and recover that with our diligence that our fathers lost by disobedience. Now they buskle and bowne ' themselves to this work ; they spit on their hands, and take better hold than afore ; they buckle them- selves to labour with courage, not to be driven from it any more. So much can a few words spoken in the fear of God uprightly by some man at some times do, that cannot be gotten at other times by many persuasions. Aggeus, when they had lain many years on sleep, forgetting the building of God's house, with like few words so encouraged them to r' Itiisk/e, the saiiio liii.>ik, \nv\m-e. Bmnir I cniinot explain. En.] 2.-) [VII.KINGTOX.] 354 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CR. II. work, that they finislied the temple in four years, which afore had lain almost forty years unlooked at. So can God make them earnest in a short time, when pleaseth him, which afore had been cold and neghgent. And this courage that they gather now came rather by gentle persuasions than by fearful threatenings : for good natures are moved rather with the glad tidings of the gospel than sharpness of the law. The law threateneth correction, the gospel promiseth blessings: the law killeth, the gospel quickeneth : the law breedeth fear, the gospel bringeth love : the law casteth down, the gospel reareth us up : the law layeth om- sin to cm- charge; the gospel saith, C'ludst hath paid the price for our reconciliation. A gentle kind of preach- ing is better to win weak minds, than terrible thundering of vengeance. Yet is the law most necessary to be taught, to pull down froward hearts, and bring them to knowledge of themselves. I see divers of the prophets terribly threaten the wickedness of their time ; yet I see none of them, that doth so mightily dissuade them from their ungodly life, as Aggeus and Nehemiah with their mild dealing bring so many to re- pentance. Both be good and necessary; but the gospel more comfortable, and the law fearful. Fear maketh a man many times to fly from ill, but love maketh him willingly to do Cant. viii. good. Salomon saith, " Love is as strong as death : " for as all things yield unto death, so nothing is too hard or painful for him that loveth, but he will adventure at all perils, until he get the thing that he loveth. St Paul saith, Rorn.viii. " Who shall Separate us from the love of Chi-ist Jesus ? Shall trouble, anguish, persecution, hunger, nakedness, jeopardy, or the sword r' If thou wouldst have a man earnest in any thing, rather draw him to it by love, than drive him to it by fear : bring him once to love it earnestly, and nothing shall make him afraid to stand to it manfully. Fear maketh men cold, discourageth them, and many times tm-neth them to hatred. That preacher therefore, which will win most imto God, shall rather do it by gentleness than by sharp- ness, by promise than by threatenings, by the gospel than by the law, by love than by fear : though the law must be interlaced to throw down the malice of man's heart; the flesh must be bridled by fear, and the spirit comforted with V. 16 18.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 355 loving kindness promised. Nehemiah useth both the law and the gospel to persuade tliem withal. The seventeenth verse layeth afore them the misery they were in, to live under heathen and strange princes, the pitiful sight of their broken wall, their gates burned, whereby they lived in continual danger of the enemy round about them to be spoiled and murdered : the shame was no less than the loss, that they could not repair and recover by their well-doing that their fathers lost ; and they had dwelled so many years in it since king Cyrus gave them licence to go home again: all which were the heavy burdens and curse of the law. But this verse setteth afore them the gracious goodness of God and the king, which had given great tokens of their good Avill and favour toward the work, of their mere mercy : and so both the law and the gospel laid afore them the misery taken away and mercy offered unto them; they should most thankfully receive the goodness promised, and avoid the great burden of misery that they so long had borne. This kind of teaching is very meet to be followed of all preachers, and those that shall speak unto a people where all sorts of states are to be persuaded; for these kinds of reasons touch all sorts of men, and if it be done in the fear of God, it will work as it did then. Those be the best scholars that will learn without the rod ; yet none so good but at times he needeth the rod : and a wise schoolmaster will make such choice of his scholars whom he will have learned, that he shall profit more with gentleness than ciiielty ; land such asses as must continually have the whip, are meeter to be driven from the school to the cart, than by their loitering to hurt others. V. 19. Sanhallat the Horonite, and Tobias the servant, an ^m- The Text. motiite, and Gesem the Arabian heard it, and they mocked us, and said. What is this thing that ye do? do ye fall away from the king? 20. And I answered them, and said unto them. The God of heaven is he that hath granted us prosperity ; and ice his servants loill rise up and build: and as for you, there is no portion and right nor remembrance in Jerusalem. 23—2 SSG AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. II. These men, as tliey were sad at Nehemiali''s first coming, when they see that any man had found such favour with the king to do good to Jerusalem, so now were they almost mad for anger, when they heard that they went about to build the walls of Jerusalem. Openly to withstand them, or forbid them to work, they durst not, because they had the king's commission to do so ; but so much as they durst, they discourage them : they mock them, they threaten to accuse them, and of that which would make any man afraid ; they lay rebellion to their charge, and say, they would build that city for no other cause, but that they would make them- selves strong against the king, fall away from him, set up a king amongst themselves, obey none, but use their own liberty, and rule all about them, as they did afore. These men bare some authority in the country ; and hke proud braggers, and dissembling malicious enemies to God and his word, they would hinder so much as they could this building. The world is too full at this day of such like dissembling hypocrites. The one sort, if they come up of nought, and get a badge ' pricked on their sleeve, though they have little, yet they look so big and speak so stoutly, that they keep the poor under their feet, that they dare not rout.' All must be as they say, though it be neither true nor honest : none dare say the contrary. But the dungeon dissembhng papist is more like unto them: for he careth not by what means to get it, by fear or by flattery, so that he can obtain his purpose. These men first mock the Jews, and scornfully despise them for enterprising this building, thinking by this means to discourage poor souls, that they should not go forward in this work : after that they charge them with rebellion. These two be the old practices of Satan in his members, to hinder the building of (lod's house in all ages. Judas in his epistle saith. that " in the last days there shall come mockers, which shall walk after their own wicked lusts." Peter and Paul foretold the same. Our Saviour Clu-ist, though lie was most spitefully misused many ways, yet never worse [' Badge : a mark or ornament, usually of silver, shewing that they were in the service of some nohleman or powerful person. En.] I - Rout : make a stir, rehel. En.] V. 1<), 20.] AN liXPOSlTIOM UPON NEIIKWIAII. oo7 than wlien they mocked him ; both Herod, Pilate, the prietsts and the Jews. It is tliought but a small matter to mock simple souls, and so to withdraw them from God ; but Salomon saith, " He that niocketh shall be mocked and David, " He frov. iii. that dwelleth in the heavens shall mock them, and the Lord Psai.ii. shall laugh them to scorn." This shall be the just reward of such scorners. It is justly to be feared, that as the Jews were given ^.Si^"' up to Nebuchadnezzar for mocking the prophets and preachers of their time, as it is written ; so we, for our bitter taunting, scoffing, reviling, disdaining, and despising of God's true minis- ters at these days, shall be given into our mortal enemies' hands. What is more common in these days than, when such hickscorners'^ will be merry at their drunken banquets, to fall in talk of some one minister or other I Nay, they spare none, but go from one to another, and can spy a mote in other men, but cannot spy their own abominations. Christ was never more spitefully and disdainfully scoffed at, than these lusty ruffians open their mouths against his preachers : but the same Lord Christ saith of his disciples, that " he which despiseth them despiseth him." What reward the mockers of Christ shall have, I think every man knoweth. Good men with heavy hearts commit themselves and their cause unto the Lord, and pray with David, " Lord, deliver my soul from wicked lips and from a deceitful tongue." Salomon saith, [Prcv.i.] " God will laugh when such shall perish." Michal, wife to 2 Sam. vi. David, was barren all her life for mocking her husband, when he played on his harp and danced afore the ark of God. The children that mocked Eliseus, and said, " Come up, thou bald 2 Kings ii. pate, come up," were all devoured suddenly of wWd bears, that came out of the wood hard by. David, amongst many miseries that he complaineth of, saith, that "the scorners made Psai.ixix. their songs of him," when they were at their drunken feasts ; and when he seeth no remedy how to escape their poisonful tongues, he patiently turneth him unto the Lord, conmiitteth all to him, and in the latter end of the psalm (iod comforteth him, and telleth him what sundry mischiefs shall fall on them for their despiteful dealing. When Ik-lshazzar, king of Ba- Dan. v. P In an old allegorical drama, printed by Wj nkyn de ^^orde, //?/c/re- scorner is represented as a liljcitinc who scoff's at religion. Ed.] 358 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. II. bylon, made his dranken feast to his great men, and called for the vessels and jewels which Nebuchadnezzar brought from Jerusalem, that he and his harlots might eat and drink in them in despite of the living God of Israel, a hand appeared writing on the wall, which Daniel expounded, when none of his soothsayers could do it, and said, his kingdom should be taken from hira; and so it came to pass: for the same night Belshazzar was slain, and Darius king of the Medes possessed his kingdom. A just reward for all such drunken mockers of God, his people, religion, and ministers ; and yet our merry toss-pots will take no heed. Gen. xxi. Sarah saw Ismael playing with Isaac her son, and said to Abraham, " Cast out the handmaid and her son, for he- shall not be heir with my son." But St Paul, alleging the Gal- same text, calleth this playing persecution, and saith, " As he that was born after the flesh did persecute him that was born after the spirit, so it is now : but the scripture saith. Cast out the handmaid and her son, for he shall not be heir with the son of the free woman." So shall all scornful mockers, jesters, and railers on God, his word, religion and people, be cast out into utter darkness, and not be heirs of God's king- dom with his children. This playing and mocking is bitter persecution, and therefore not to be used of good men, nor against good men and lovers of religion : yet at this day he is counted a merry companion and welcome to great men's tables, that can rail bitterly or jest merrily on the mini.sters. Such is our love towards God, his word, and ministers : but sure, he that lovetli God and the word in deed, cannot abide to hear the preachers ill spoken of undeservedly. I cannot tell whether is worse, the scoffer, or the glad hearer. If the one had no pleasure in hearing such lewd talk, the other would not tell it. The other thing they charge the Jews withal is rebellion, falling from the king, and setting up a kingdom amongst them- 1 Kinffs selves. When Elias rebuked Achab and the people to return unto the Lord, Achab saith unto him, " Art thou he that troubleth Israel V " Nay," saith the prophet, '• it is thou and thy father's house." Eebuking him and teaching truth was counted troubhng of the commonwealth and the king. ^VTiat was the cause that king Saul and his flatterers hated poor V. 19, 20.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 359 David so much, and so cruelly sought his death, but that the people sang, after that Goliah was slain, that " Saul had killed i sam xviii. a thousand, and David his ten thousand"? Which was as much to say as. they thought that David was a mightier man than Saul, and meeter to be king. Daniel set open his windows, and contrary to the king's commandment prayed thrice a day unto Dan. vi. the living Lord, and therefore was accused of disobedience to the king, and cast to the lions'' den to be devoured of them. The Israelites in Egypt, when Clod blessed them, and increas- ^xod. i. ed them to a great people, were accused that they waxed so many and wealthy, that they would rebel against the king ; and therefore, to keep them under, were oppressed by the task- masters, and set to make brick for their buildings. When our Lord and Master Christ Jesus was born, the wise men Matt. ii. asked, " Where the king of the Jews was?" Herod was mad, and killed all the children of two years old and under, lest any of them should come to be king and put him down. When our Saviour Christ said, his "kingdom was not of this John xvUi. world," then said Pilate, "Thou art a king then?" Whereupon the Jews took occasion to accuse him of treason; and said, " Every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against the emperor ; for we have no king but the emperor." The apostles Acts v. were accused, that they had troubled the commonwealth by preaching Christ, and filled Jerusalem with their doctrine, contrary to the commandment of the priests and elders. Jason was drawn out of his own house for lodging Paul, being accused that he had troubled the world, and disobeyed the emperor. When St Paul had preached Christ in Athens, Acts .wii. he was accused for troubling the state hy teaching his new doctrine. Thus ever the building of God's house by preaching of the gospel hath been charged M'ith rebellion, disobedience to princes, and troubling of the commonwealth and peace. But good men have not been dismayed at such big words, but with good courage have proceeded in their work, having the testimony of a good conscience that they be not guilty of any such thing. 20. And I ansimred. This was the first push, but not the worst, that they had to discourage them for proceeding in this building ; and not unlike but it made some afraid to hear such big words, and so great matters laid to their o60 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. II. charge, by men of such authority as they were. But as they were not ashamed so unjustly to accuse God s people, so Nehemiah steppeth forth, as boldly answereth for them all, and defendeth their doings. A worthy example for all those that be in authority to follow : they have not the sword com- mitted unto them in vain; they ought to defend, both by word and deed, in their well doings those that be committed unto them. Their duty is not to suffer God's enemies to invade or hurt, slander or blaspheme, those that they have charge over, but di'aw the sword, if need be, to drive away such wolves, and punish such wicked tongues. It is not, as we commonly say, when any danger or persecution ariseth for the doctrine, or that the ministers are untruly reported of, Let the preachers defend it, it is their duty and vocation ; we are not learned, it belongeth not to us; oiu- care is for the commonwealth only. Religious magistrates will neither do so nor say so : they will not suffer, as much as in them lieth, the church, religion, doctrine, nor the ministers to be ill spoken of, reviled, defaced, nor overrun. They be mouths, to speak for God's people, as Moses was unto Pharao : they be hands to fight for them ; they be rulers to defend the Judg. xi. good, and punish the evil. Jephthah, when the Ammonites lought against Israel, defended the cause in disputation by words, and after in battle with sword. The good king xv^'i?''^ Ezechias, when he received the blasphemous message and let- ters from Rabshakeh against God, his temple, people and religion, he seeketh by all means to defend them aU, and encourage the people not to fall away from their God in that great danger. When Holofemes railed on God and his people, Achior and Judith defend them, and she cutteth off isam. xvii. his head. When the great giant Gohah reviled the people of God, and provoked them to fight with him hand to hand, if they durst, for the ^^ctory, none was found that durst do it ; but poor David, with no strong weapons, but his sling and a few stones, killed that lusty champion, and delivered Num. xvi. his people. When Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, with their fellows, railed against Moses and Aaron, God's tnie ministers, Moses, committing the revenge of it to the Lord, warned the people to depart from their company, lest they perished with them by that strange death : and straightways the earth V. ly, '20.] AN EXI'OSITION Ul'ON NEHEJMIAII. o61 opened, and swallowed up them and their goods and tents where they dwelt, quick into hell. Nay, women were not spared; for Mary, Moses' sister, was smitten with a leprosy for [Num.xii.] railing on Moses her brother, God's lieutenant over them. As the magistrate therefore both with word and sword must defend God's cause, his religion, temple, people, mi- nisters and doctrine; so must the preacher and those that be learned, with their pain, prayer, preaching, and all other means that they can : yea, if our goods or lives were required for the defence of it, no state of man ought to refuse it. For this end are we born and live, to glorify our God and set forth his praise : for this purpose are all things given us, and therefore must not be spared, but spent and bestowed, when his glory requireth. For this cause Esaias the pro- phet gave his body to be sawn in sunder with a saw of iron. For this cause Jeremy was cast into a dungeon of Jcr. xxxvUi. mire and filth, Daniel into the lions"' den: St Paul pleadeth his cause oft in chains at Jerusalem and at Rome, afore Festus, Felix, and Agrippa ; and our Lord and Master Christ Jesus, afore Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod: John Baptist lost his head for this quarrel ; and no good man will think any thing too dear to sjjend in Christ his Master's cause. For this cause Tertullian, Ireneus, Justinus, Athanasius, Chry- sostom, Nazianzenus, have written great books against the heathens which railed on our religion. What infinite num- ber of martyrs have stood stoutly and given their lives in the same quarrel! He that hath seen any learning can better tell where to begin than where to make an end of reckon- ing ; the number is so infinite : and our late days have given sufficient proof thereof, under that bloody butcher Bonner, that the most ignorant, if he will open his ears and eyes, might hear and see great plenty. But alas ! the fiery faggots of those days were not so grievous then, as the slanderous tongues be now in our days. Nebuchadnezzar made a law, " that if any did i)lasplicme the uan. iii. God of Sidrach, Mesach, and Abednago, ho should be slain, and his house made a dunghill." Moses made a law, that every Levit. ww. blasphemer should be stoned to death. Seeing God and princes have made such strait laws against such lewd railcrs, good rulers should sec some correction done, and not with silence 362 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. II. to suffer ill men to talk their pleasure on God's city, religion, and ministry. While others possibly made courtesy to speak and answer these busy braggers and quarrellers, Nehemiah steppeth forth boldly, defendeth this cause stoutly, answereth their false accusation truly, oncourageth the people manfully to go forward with their work, despiseth their brags, and telleth them plainly, that they "have no part nor right, nor are worthy to be remembered in Jenisalem." The effect of Nehemiah's answer was, that the God of heaven had given them good success hitherto in moving the hearts of king Cyrus and Darius first to the building of the temple, and now of Artaxerxes to restore the city ; they were his servants and worshipped him, and he stirred them up to this work ; for of themselves they were not able to do such things. They served no idols nor false gods, they needed not to be ashamed of their Master, the God of heaven was their Lord, and they his people, he was their master and they his servants ; he their king and they his subjects : they would go forward with their work, they must have a city to dwell in to serve their God, who would defend them in this their well doing: these men had no authority to stop or forbid them to work, they had nothing a [to] do in Jerusalem, nor any authority; they would not obey them, but with all dili- gence apply this work imtil it be finished. The apostles, when they were forbidden, preached and would not obey, but said, they must obey God that bade them. Thus must all they that take God's work in hand, confess it to come from God, and that he blesseth their doings, that all the praise may be his, and that tliey of themselves be weak and unable to do such things without his special gi-aee and assistance. All good men in such enterprises mil say with David, Psai. cxv. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give all the glory." If these wicked men had had any worldly shame or fear of God in them, they would have quaked and trembled: as the good men rejoiced to have God on theii- side to further them ; so they, when they heard the God of heaven named to be against them, and that it was his doing, they would have forsaken their idols, and have furthered this building, or at least have sitten still and not hindered it. For who is able to \vithstand his will, or liinder that he V. 19, 20.] AN EXPOSITrON UPON NEHESIIAH. 363 will have forward ? The devils in hell quake and tremble at the naming and considering of God's majesty ; but these wicked imps not only now, but sundry times, as appeareth hereafter in this book, most cruelly, spitefully and craftily go forward in their old malice, and by all means seek the overthrow of this building. So far worse is a devil incarnate in an ill man, than by himself in his own nature. When the devil will work any great mischief, he taketh commonly one man or other, angel or creature, to do it by, knowing that he shall do it more easily that way than if he should attempt it by himself. How is every murder, false witness, whoredom, robbery, &c. committed, but when the devil stirreth up one man against another ? Let every good man therefore take heed unto himself, how he yieldeth unto sin : for in that doing he maketh himself a slave to the devil, and his instrument to work by. One devil will not offer that villainy to another devil to make him his slave ; but if he can bring man unto it, there is his rejoicing. Take heed therefore, O man. In that they confess themselves to be " the servants of the God of heaven," it is as much to say as, they wrought not for themselves, nor at their own appointment, nor for their own profit : they wrought for their master's cause, and for his glory. (Srood servants in all their doings will seek their master's profit and praise, not their own : they live not for themselves, but all the profit of their doings returneth to their masters. If they take any thing to themselves more than their master giveth them, they be thieves unto him, they do him no true service. Let all the builders of God's house therefore, whether they be rulers in the commonwealth, as Nehemiah was now, or of the learned sort in the mi- nistry, or elsewhere, not only confess in words that they be servants to the God of heaven, but most humbly, simply, and boldly shew it in their deeds, that they seek their master's praise and glory, the common profit of their country and not their own ; that they work for him, and not for themselves ; and that they serve him not for any worldly respect, or gain, or honom-, but uprightly for conscience sake serve and obey him, yield all praise to his glorious name, taking nothing to themselves, and being not afraid to go forward in his build- ing for any braggers, knowing that all the pride of man's ob'l AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [(,H. 1!. lieait, which setteth up himself against the God of lieaven. is vile and vain; and that their God will defend his ser- vants, and confound his foes. It is no rebellion against princes to do that which God commandeth : for princes themselves are bound, as well as other meaner degrees, to serve the Lord God of heaven with all their might and main ; and unto the same God they must make account of their doings, as all other must. For this building they had the king's commission, and therefore it was no treason to do it. It is more glorious to be called God's servants, than to have all the titles of honom- and dignity that the world can give. He that sers'eth the Lord truly is master of sin, hell, death, and the devil, and by the assistance of God's Holy Spirit shall not be overcome of them, but shall overcome and conquer them : which is greater Actsxvi. honour than any worldly prince can give. The woman that had an evil spirit in her confessed Paul and his fellows to be " the servants of the mighty God, and that they taught them the way of salvation." See then, how de\ils are afraid of God's seiTants. Paul in all his epistles rejoiceth in no- thing more than terming himself an apostle and servant of Christ Jesus. The Holy Ghost told Paul, that in every city, Acts XX. where he should come, there were chains and troubles ready for him ; but he said, he " cared not for them, for his life was not dear to him, so that he might run his race, and testify the glorious gospel of God." Be not ashamed there- fore of thy master; for our Saviour Christ saith, that "whoso- ever denieth him afore men, he will deny him afore his Father in heaven." AVorldly masters will not cast away their faithful f^ervants, but maintain them as they may ; and thinkest thou that God will forsake his servants ? Thinkest thou a mortal wretched man to be more loving to thee than the eternal God and merciful Father, that made thee, feedeth thee and dcfendeth thee, when man cannot help thee ? — yea, loveth thee lietter than thou lovest thyself, and stayeth thee from run- ning from him, when thou woiddst willingly seek thine own destruction wilfully. Stand to boldly, forsake him not cow- Euseb. iv. ardly. Polycarpus, an old man, when he should suffer mar- Nic'cph. iii. tyrdom, was advised by some to have pity on his old age, and not so stiffly to stand. " Nay," saith he, " I have served my V. 19, 20.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIATI. "Gj master Christ these eighty-six years, and he did me never harm; I will not forsake him now in ray last days'." Thus Neheraiah stoutly answering tliem, and boldly en- couraging his fellows, goeth forward with the work, contemn- eth their mocking and false accusations, and falletli to his building again. So must all good builders of God's house neither be afraid nor weary of scornful mockers' threaten- ings, accusations or violence ; but manfully go forward to the end, knowing that their God is stronger, wiser, and more willing to defend his people, than his enemies shall be to hurt them. " He that putteth his hand to the plough, and Lukeix. looketli backward, is not meet for the kingdom of God," saith Christ our Lord. " And he that continueth unto the end shall be safe." Our Saviour Christ, when he preached that " what- Matt. xv. 20. soever went in at the mouth did not defile a man," was told by his disciples that that doctrine offended the Pharisees : but he answered them, and said, " Every plant that my Father hatli not planted shall be plucked up, &;c." As though he should say, Their doctrine is not from my Father, and therefore cannot stand : let those blind guides alone, seeing they be wilful and obstinate, and will not learn : go ye forward with preaching of the gospel, care not for them. So every good man must continue, that he may say with St Paul, "I have kept my 2 Tim. iv. faith, I have run my race, the crown of righteousness is laid up in store for me, &c." After that Nehemiaii had thus boldly answered them, and encouraged his countrymen to their work, he now turnetli him to Sanballat and his fellows, and sheweth himself to make as little account of them as they made of him, and saith, "As for you, ye have no right, part, nor remembrance in Jerusalem ;" as though he should say, What have you to do with us in this building? ye are not Jews born, as we be, ye lielong not to Israel, nor are partakers of his blessing : [[' Vj-yKeintnou ce tou ijyovjitvou kcii Xe^ovrtK, "Ojiun-ov, k«i avoKuau (tc, \oitopri icpwi/ tirt/3ali'eiv irpodvpmv fiiu>\va>, 'ETn'o-^ti, (pua-KiDf, k. t. \, * ■■■ * * Ae'^ou Se tov ieapov, (1) Geo? clvwdev r>]v "^rjcpov eTTf/'i/eyKei'' cl\t]dov<; d' vyiela. 572. cd. IfiO.".. Kn.] 2G [t'IT.KI\(!T0N.] 402 AN EXPOSITION tTPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. IV. a while, and look for a day, and apply it better when it cometh than ye did : the last was lost for want of good look- ing to in time. But the good Christian will with patience go forward, and not be ashamed of God nor his word, nor afraid of such proud brags, nor amazed at their bitter scoffs. He knoweth that " all which will live godly in Cluist Jesu must suffer persecution," and that all good fathers from the begin- ning have suffered the same ; and prepareth his back and shoulders patiently to bear all sorrows for his Master's caase. Psai.ixxix. David complaineth in all good men's names, " We are become a mocking stock to our neighbours, a laughing matter and scoffing to them that be round about us." When Peter had preached the fearful last day to be at hand, they mocked 2 Pet. iii. him, sayiug, " Where is the promise of his coming, that thou hast so long talked of? Since our fathers died, do not all things continue as in the beginning?" But enough was said of this matter afore in the second chapter, nineteenth verse. This is then the remedy that David useth in all these griefs : fall to prayer, commend thy cause unto the Lord, [Psai.xxTii.] fall not from him for any storm, "tarry the Lord's leisure," and play the man ; comfort thy heart, look for the Lord's Psai. cxxiii. coming, and say unto him mth David, " Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are utterly despised. Our soul is full of the slanders of these wealthy worldlings, and despising of the proud." No doubt, the Lord will comfort thee and confound them, as om- days have well declai-ed. The Text. v. 4. Hearken thou, 0 onr God, for we are despised; turn their shame upon their otcn head, and make them despised in the land of their captiviti/. . 5. Cover not their wickedness, and let not their sin be put out of thy sight ; for they have provoked the huilders. G. Then we builded the wall, and the whole was joined together unto the half height, and the people had a mind to work. After that he had described the mockings and threaten- ings that they had for their bold enterprise in building, to discourage and drive them from it, if they could, if it had V. 4, 5, 0.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 403 been possible, he now declareth what remedy and comfort he found by prayer at the Lord's hand. Nehemiah, seeing their great danger, turneth him to the Lord, the people praying Avith him, and saith: Our God, that hast chosen us only, though most unworthy, for thy people amongst the whole world, and whom only we worship, and at whom we seek for help and deliverance in all our trouble, hearken, we beseech thee, O Lord ; bow down thine ear and hear our prayers ; for thou art a righteous judge and mighty revenger of all thy faithful servants : we, thy poor people, are in a miserable case : we looked for aid at our neighbom-s' hands, and they are our utter enemies : we hoped for comfort of them, and they utterly despise, mock and contemn us: but thou art a God that never forsakest any that come unto thee, nor easiest any away that faithfully trust in thee : hear us, 0 gracious God, and turn their own shame, that they would lay on us for building thy city, on their own heads : that villainy that they would do to us, let it fall on themselves. If thou let this cruelty scape unpunished, thou shalt he thought negli- gent and careless of thy people : these Samaritans, that be so cmel against us, be sti*angers in the country where they dwell, as we were in Babylon ; they were brought out of their own country, and placed here by Esar-haddon, king of Assyria : make them, O Lord, to be despised in this land of their captivity, as well as they despised us in our misery. 0 Lord, let not their wickedness be hid, but make it known to all the world and all ages to come, how despitefully they deal with, us for thy sake : others will attempt the like, if this scape unpunished. Forgive not their sins, but ever keep them in thy remembrance : thou shalt not be thought a righteous judge, if thou wink at such wickedness : they hinder not our own buildings, but they provoke the builders of thy house and city. They despise us because we serve thee. They hate us, not for any of our wickedness, but for the hatred that they bear to thy house, religion, and city, which they would have lie waste, overthrown and trodden down. We grant we have deserved to be cast away from thee, if thou deal with us in justice ; and yet after thy fatherly correction we obediently return and submit ourselves unto thee ; whereas they contemptuously still rebel against thee, and hate us 26—2 404 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. IV. because we love thee. If tliey did persecute us for our own deserts, we would bear it ; but to see thy majesty defaced we cannot abide it : they would have thy city to lie unbuilt, that men might speak ill of thee, that thou were a weak God, not able to defend thy people, that call on thy name, so mightily as their idols do them that know not thee. The shame that they would lay on us shall turn unto thee, O Lord : for it is done unto us for thy sake, and hatred of thee and thy word. Avenge thy own quarrel, 0 God, and look not at our own deserts : for though we have grievously offended thee, yet we repent, and they obstinately stand in defence of their own wickedness. 0 Lord, forget not this malicious dealing of them toward us for thy sake ; abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices that they intend against us : comfort and encourage thy poor work- men and builders, whom they provoke to anger, and grant us, that we may, by thy aid, with good success finish that which we have, through thy goodness, so well begun. Amen. Out of his prayer may arise two doubts : one, -wlmtker it be godly ^ and good men may use the like that he prayeth for here, that is, that the same ill may fall on them that they would do imto the Jews; the other, tliat their sin should not he forgiven them. The scripture teacheth both to pray for our enemies, and to forgive them, and also that God would revenge their cause himself in his justice. Our Saviour Christ prayeth for them that crucified him, saying, " Father, forgive them, for Actsvii. they know not what they do." St Stephen likewise. But Psal. vii. David many times jjrayeth the contrary, as, " Let his sorrow be turned on his own head, and let his wickedness fall upon his Psal. ixix. own pate." Again, "Let them be confounded and asliaraed that seek for my life, and let them be driven back and ashamed that seek to do me evil." These psalms and others are full of such like speeches. And where some expound such places to be a prophecy and foretelling of such miscliiefs as should fall on them, rather than a wishing or praying that they should fall, it is not ill that they say ; but it may be doubted whether it be most agreeing to the text. But howsoever it be, this must be most taken heed of, that in all such prayers nothing be asked of malice against the party, which is hard for our froward nature to do, but only for the glory of God, which is to be sought in V. J, ().] AN POSITION UPON XEHE.MIAII. 405 all our doiiips and prayers, which may be in shewing his justice. In the Lord's prayer we say, " Hallowed be thy name we desire not God only that he would direct both every man in his doings to set forth his glory, that his name may be hallowed ; but also that he would stay, confound, and take away all hin- derers of the same, with all their devices and subtle prac- tices ; that, all stumbling-blocks being taken away, his name may be sanctified in all nations. So prayed David, " O my 2 sam. xv. God, make the counsel of Achithophel to seem foolish." So in the conmiandments, the affirmative is included in the nega- tive, and the negative in the affirmative; as, "Thou shalt not kill :" wherein we are not only forbidden all cruelty, but are commanded to relieve, succour, and help, by all means that we may. Nehemiah hateth not the men, but their wicked- ness: so we learn to put a difference betwixt the man and the sin of man, and pray for mercy to the one, and justice to the other. Man is God's good creature, and to be be- loved of all sorts : sin is of the devil, and to be fled of all sorts. And it is a great difference, whether we pray for revenging our own private quarrel, which may not be in any case ; or it be for God's cause and glory, which we would seek the furtherance of by all means we may. 6. Then we huilded the %mll. This verse declareth what they got by this short prayer. The people's heart was encou- raged to go forward with this work, insomuch that they repaired all the breaches of the wall, and joined it all together, as though it were one whole sound wall, and never had been defaced afore. Prayer is a sovereign salve for all sores : for it will heal not only the wounds of the body and soul, but also hard stony walls. This is the common practice of all good men, when they be scorned for the Lord's sake, to turn them- selves unto humble prayer, commit the cause unto the Lord, who will justly revenge his own quarrel, when he thinketh good. David, when he had complained unto God how the "judges did Psai. ixix. mock him, and the drunkards and minstrels sang their songs against him" to make them merry withal, and could find no remedy, he saith thus, after that he was sore grieved at them, "But I, 0 Lord, made my prayer unto thee;" and then the Lord comforted him. Likewise king Ezechias get- teth him to the temple, when Eabsachis had railed against 2 Kings xv 406 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [f H. IV. the living Lord, and written blasphemous letters : he read the letters in the sight of God, falleth to prayer, and de- sireth the Lord to help him in that extremity; and his God delivered him. This prayer of Nehemiah is not long; for God regardeth not so much the lengtli of our prayer, as the earnest hearty desire of the mind, with an humble submission of himself to the Lord's good will and pleasm-e, repenting earnestly for his offences, and faithfully hoping without mistrast for the Lord's comfortable assistance, when and as he shall think good. By this prayer they obtain at the Lord's merciful hand boldness to go forward with their building, and to contemn their proud mocks and brags : they finish the whole length and the height of the wall, in despite of their enemies : and the people were not weary of working, but the more they wought, the more de- sirous they were to work still; for the good success that they had in building hitherto did encourage them to go forward with it, and they doubted not but that God was with them, and therefore feared no other. Let us learn therefore at these good men's examples, to be bold and constant in well doing, and not to fear every brag and blast of wind. Let us be as a lusty horse, that goeth thi-ough the street, and careth not for the barking of every cur that leapeth forth, as though he would bite hiin : so let us not be afraid of the barking curs, nor look backward, but go on forth, not changing with every tide : and the mighty Lord will strengthen our weak- ness with good success to finish his building : for so have all good men done from the beginning. The Text. v. 7. It Came to jxiss that wlien Sanballat and Tobias, the Arabians, the Ammonites and the Azdodites heard tell that a salve was come on the wall of Jerusalem, and that the breaches of it beoan to be stopped up, they were very wroth. 8. And they conspired all together to no and besiege Je- rusalem, and to make a scattering in it. 9. But we prayed unto our God, and set a watch by them day and night in their sight. 10. And Judas said. The strength of the bearers is decayed. V. 7 II.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 407 and there is muck mortar, and we are not able to build on the wall. 11. And our enemies said, They shall not knoio nor see till we come into the middle of them, and ive shall slay them, and make the work to cease. As good men go forward with God's work, so the wicked swell for anger, increase in malice against them, and, by all means possible, not only by themselves go about to overthrow all their good enterprises, but they seek all the partakers that they can get, and will refuse no kind of man, be he never so ill, to join with them, so they may obtain their purpose, and hinder the Lord's building. Sanballat and Tobias afore thought with their bitter scoffs, big words, and haughty looks to have dashed these poor souls out of countenance, and made them to leave building : but now, when they see they were not afraid, but wrought more lustily, they make other devices ; they will fight for it, they gather a great company of neigh- bours, as ill as themselves, and will set upon them, kill them, and overthrow their building. Such a thing is malice once earnestly in man's mind conceived, and specially for religion, that it so blindeth a man, that he seeth not what he doeth, nor what will follow of his doings. He that falleth from God wandereth in darkness, and cannot tell what ho doeth, where he is, nor whither he goetli ; but the farther he stirreth, the farther he is out of the way, and the more darkness he is in ; for " God is light," " the way, truth, and life," and he that hath not God for his guide cannot find the true way to everlasting- life. Let every man therefore, that will walk uprightly in the fear of God, take heed how he once give place to any wicked- ness : for if the devil get a little entrance into thee, he will draw thee clean away with him, if God be not more merciful to hold thee. When the devil tempted Eve, he appeared in likeness of a serpent, — to teach us, that as the head of the serpent is the greatest part of the body, and wheresoever the head getteth in, the whole body foUoweth easily ; so the devil, if he once enter into man's heart, he will creep into all parts, and never cease, until he possess the whole man, and bring him to everlasting death with him and destruction in this world, as he did with Judas, entering into him first by little and little. 408 AN EXPOSITION t^POX NEHEWIAH. [cn. IV. but after that Jesus Christ " had given him the sop," he did so fully possess him, that straightways he betrayed his master, the Lord of life, into the hands of wicked men, to be put to most vile death, and all for greediness of a little money. SanbaUat by the help of Tobias had now gotten a great band of soldiers, of others, and specially of Arabians, Am- monites and Azdodites, to fight for him against these sely souls, and for no other quarrel, but because they heard say that they had repaired all the breaches of the walls of Jerusalem. Their foolish madness appeareth the more, because they rage so fiercely for only hearing how well the work went forward, as though that had been the greatest faidt that they could have committed. Wisdom would have tried, whether such tales had been ti-ue, afore they had believed them : but anger is so hot an affection, that it cannot abide to be inled by reason. There is no difference betwi.xt an angi-y man and a mad man, but that anger lasteth but for a time, and continueth not still, as madness doth. Ira furor hrevis est, "Anger is a short madness," saith the poet ; and again, Impedit ira animuin, ne possit temere vcrum : "Anger letteth the mind, that it cannot see the tmth." St James i. James therefore biddeth, "Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger : for the anger of man worketh not the righteousness of God." And though anger ought to be suppressed in all things, that it grow not to any extremity, yet is it most chiefly to be holden down when any correction is to be executed. Tully teacheth well, Qui i rat us accedit ad po'nam, nunquam mediocritatem illam tenebit. qua; ed inter nimium ct parum^ : "He that punisheth when he is angry cannot keep that mean, which is betwixt too much and too little." Theodosius the emperor, when he had caused a great number to be slain in his anger at Thessalonica, and for his rashness in so doing was cxcoinnumicated by Am- brose, bishop of Milan, after that he knew his fault and openly confessed it, made a law that no execution should be done on any offender, whom he judged to die, afore thirty days were expired, that he might have so long time to con- [' De Officiis, Lib. i. cap. 25. Ed.1 y. 7 — 11.] A\ i:xi>o*riio.\ ii'o\ xiiriEMiAn. iO'J sider in, whether he had judged rightfully-. God grant every j^Rnftin-] man a dih'gent care to foresee that he do nothing in his capl is. anger unadvisedly, but with patient modesty may do all things in the fear of Cod ! Tobias was an Ammonite, of the seed of Amnion, whom Lot begat of his own daughter in his drunkenness ; and as Gen. xix. they were ever utter enemies to the Jews, though they were near kinsmen, the one being come of Abraham, the other of Lot his nephew, so now, having such a man of authority their countiTman to be their captain, as Tobias was, they were more easily drawn to join with them, that by this occasion they might more easily revenge old quarrels against the Jews more bitterly. The Arabians were their next neighbours, a wild mountain people, living much by robbery, and therefore easily brought to such a mischief. The Azdodites were one corner of the Philistines, their old enemies, and would rather run to such a mischief unbidden, than tarry for any calling for. So we may see, how readily one wicked man will be drawn to help another, and how the wickedness of one will infect another that will give ear unto it. But good men arc oft left to themselves, without help or comfort at mans hand, as the Jews were here now; and the church of God hath been from the beginning subject to such dangers, and shall be to the end, that God's glory may more evidently shine in defending of it, in despite of all their foes. The metaphor, or kind of speech that is used here, when he saith, "a salve was come on the walls of Jerusalem," is taken from chirurgeons, who, when they heal wounds, join the flesh together again which afore was cut in sunder : so the new breaches of the walls, which afore lay gaping open, were now joined together and made sound, as though it were one whole sound wall. And as it was such a grief to these wicked men, to hear tell only that the walls went well for- ward in repairing; so is it at this day the greatest grief that God's enemies can have, when they hear tell tliat re- P Lege sanxit in postenun, ut seiUenti;c principum super animad- versione prolatae in diem tncesiminn ah executorihus dittencntiir ; quo locus niiseriuoi-diic vel, si res tulisset, i>cenitentiic iion )>eiiret. Auctoics Hist. Eccles. Lib. xi. (Ruffini ii.) cap. 18.— It was done at Ambrose's suggestion. See Tlieodoret. Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 18. En.] 410 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. IV. ligion goeth forward in any country : then they conspire, both by themselves and tlieir friends, and specially by that hazard Tobias, their pope, so much as in them Heth, though it be with fire and sword, or any other cruel device, to overthrow it. 8. And tliey conspired. When they perceived that mock- ing taunts, high looks, nor proud words could not drive them from their building, they will now make open war against them, to dash them out of countenance, put them to their shifts, and scatter them asunder, tliat being amazed at such a company coming on them suddenly, they should not a.s- semble any more to work there. Thus the wicked never cease by all means to hinder God's building; but as Satan their father " goetli continually about, like a roaring lion, to devour" the Lord's flock, so do they : but our God is as diligent to save us that they do no hurt, and watcheth us when we do sleep, that they overcome us not. Pilate and Herod were Luke xxiii. not friends afore ; but to condemn our Lord Christ Jesus they soon agreed, and were friends afterward. So thus many kind of people, \\hich agree not well many times among them- selves, yet now to overthrow Jerusalem they all put on ar- mom-, join themselves together, become friends, and agi-ee all Psai. ii. in one miscliief. David marvelleth to see, how all sorts of people and princes conspire together against the Lord Christ, and crieth out, " Why do the heathen so fret, and the people devise vain things ? the kings of the earth have risen to- gether, and the princes liave assembled together against the Lord and his Anointed." But when David had considered all their raging madness, he comforteth himself, and saith, '• He that dwelleth in the heavens shall mock them, and the Lord shall laugh them to scorn, &c." So shall God's faithful little flock be defended and comforted in all their troubles unto the end, and their proud enemies shall be confounded. But this is all oiu- froward nature bent unto, that we be so ready to mischief and slow to do good. 9. But we irrayed. As Nehemiah declareth the mani- fold troubles that fell on them for this building, so also he setteth forth their merciful deliverance and God's favour to- wards them. For if Satan should continually assault us, and the Lord leave us to ourselves, man's weakness were not able to stand ; so strong and subtle is he, so miable and wretched V. 7 11.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAIl. 411 are we. They forsake themselves therefore, and by humble prayer submit themselves to their God, who never failed them in all assays. Prayer is a sure anchor in all storms; and they never perish that humbly fly unto it, and faithfully cleave unto it. Prayer is a salve for all sores, yea, it healeth not only body and soul, but even hard stony walls. No kind of eartlily physic that God hath made is good for all kind of folk at all times, and all kind of diseases : but this hea- venly physic of prayer in wealth and woe, in plenty and poverty, in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and in health, in war and peace, in youth and age, in life and death, in mirth and sadness, yea, in all things and times, in the begin- ning, midst and ending, prayer is most necessary and com- fortable. Happy is that man that diligently useth it at all times. But he that will so effectually pray that he may ob- tain the thing he desireth, must first prostrate himself in the sight of his God, as this people did, (for so the Hebrew word here signifieth,) forsaking himself as unable to help himself, condemning himself as unworthy to receive such a blessing at the Lord's hand ; and yet nothing doubting but that his God, that never forsaketh them that unfeignedly fly unto him, will deal with him in mercy and not in justice, deliver him and comfort him, not for any goodness that he findeth in him, but of his own mere pity, love, grace, and mercy, whereby he may shew himself a glorious God, a present help and succour to all afflicted and oppressed nu'nds. He that findeth anything in himself, to help and comfort himself withal, needeth not to pray ; but he that seeth and feeleth liis present want and necessity, he will beg earnestly, crave eagerly, confessing where his relief is to be had. No man will pray for that thing which he hath or thinketh himself to have; but we ever ask, desire, beg, and pray for that we want. Let us therefore in all our supplications and prayers unto the Lord first confess our beggarly poverty and unableness to help ourselves, the want of his heavenly grace and fatherly assistance; and then our gracious God will plentcously pour his blessings into our empty souls, and fill them with his grace. If we be full already, there is no room left to take any more: therefore we must know ourselves to be empty 412 AX EXPOSITION- UPON NEHEMIAH. [cH. IV. and liungry, or else we shall not earnestly desire this hea- venly comfort from above, which is requisite in all prayer. For he that asketh coldly getteth nothing; and the more that we confess our own weakness, our want, and unable- ness, the more we confess our God to be ahnighty, rich in mercy, possessing all things in his own hands, and dealing them abroad to his poor people where he seeth them need, and sending the rich empty away. And as we must thus cast down ourselves in ourselves by faith to our God, and to pray to no other, but unto the living Lord that made hea- ven and earth, as this people doeth, and therefore call him " their God." For if we seek help at any other, we mis- tnist him, we do not faithfully believe on him, and then we Psai. 1. shall not be heard of him. " Call on me in the day of thy trouble," saith thy God, " and I will deliver thee ;" and I ask no other reward but to glorify, praise and thank me, knowing thy safety and deliverance to come from me. Hut these men did not only pray to their God, but ac- cording to their duty they put themselves in a readiness to defend themselves against their enemies, which is lawful for all men to do. It is not sufficient to pray, and then to neglect such means as God hath appointed us to use for our defence and comfort, no more than it is to say, when he hath prayed, I will live without meat and drink, and (iod himself shall feed me. For as the Lord hath taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," so he hath 2 Thcss. iii. Commanded us to work for it, and saith, " He that doth not labour, let him not eat." So here it was not sufficient to call upon their God, though he was most mighty and loving unto them ; but they keep watch and ward, put on armour, take their weapons, not cowardly creeping into corners, but stand forth stoutly on the top of the walls by the workmen's elbows in the sight of their enemies, that they might see that they were not afraid of them, but would manfully defend themselves and the workmen against all assaults they could devise. They had a stronger God to defend them, than any devil could be to hurt them, or overtlu-ow their work. So prayer and God's providence destroyeth not policy, but maintaineth it ; and when they be joined together, God blesseth them both, as his own ordinance. They knew well V. 7 11.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHKMIAII. 413 how true it was that David said, " Except the Lord defend P^ai. cxwii. the city, the watchmen watch in vain that keep it." But when the Lord defendetli it, and the watchmen do their duties faitlifully, trusting in the Lord, and not fooHshly brag- ging of their own strength and power, then is that city well and strongly kept. The children of Reuben, Gad, and the |'g£J" j*- half tribe of Manasse, as it is written, when they fought against the Agarens, gat the victory, and all because they joined prayer with their i)Ower, not trusting in themselves, but in the mighty Lord of hosts, who heard them and over- threw their enemies. Thus must good captains learn to join prayer with policy, if they look to obtain the victory, and not trust in horse, spear, shield or other kind of weapons. God ruleth those that fear him in battle as well as in peace, and those that trust in their own .strength he will overthrow. Constantine the great, that worthy emperor, our country- man', taught his soldiers daily to pray thus: "We know- ledge thee, O Lord, we know thee for a King : we call on t^onstaut. thee for our help ; from thee we have the victory, and by thee we are conquerors. We give thee thanks for this pre- sent prosperity, and by thee we hope for things to come. We all are humble suitors unto thee, that our emperor and his godly children may be preserved safe, long to live, and we humbly beseech thee that he may be a valiant conqueror, And that captains may not do what they list, but must learn to defend good causes only, Theodosius, the good em- peror, teacheth in his prayer that he maketh for himself, saying: " 0 Almighty God, thou knowest that I have taken [} One traditionary account represents Constantine to have been born in England; but it is very doubtful, (iibbon adopts that wliich assigns his birth to Naissus in Dacia. His fother Constantius died at York. En.] fxovov o'liafiev Qtdv, tre jiaaiXea jvuipil^unei/' rre ftotjPoi' avaxaKoCiJieda' irapd (rov Ta? i/Ikui r'lpaiieda, Ciu n-ov kpcl-TTnw TWV e')^dp(ov KarecTTrifieii' cro\ tj/V twi' vTrappdnTton d^yadwi' 'xdpiv -/vaipiCijfUV rre Kai twv hcWovtwv f ATTi't^o/if i'. (tou Trdrre^ kcTui yivopeda, toi/ rijierepov (iatrkXta \\u>v(TTavT'ivov, ■jriutav Tt aunw 6eo(j)t\c7f EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. 423 to have murdered Assuerus, their king and master ; but Mar- Esth. vi. docheus openeth his treason, and the king was saved. Ben- hadad, the king of Syria, made war against Joram, king of Israel, and by coimsel of his servants laid ambushments privily to trap Joram, the king of Israel, by the way; but Eli- seus the prophet, perceiving that Joram would go the way where the ambush was laid in wait for him, gave the king warning, and bade him go another way : when Eenhadad heard tell that his secret purpose and counsel was known to Joram, and he came not that way, he was angi-y with his serA'ants, and said they had betrayed and opened his counsel to Joram. " Nay," saith one of his servants, " there is a 2 Kiiiss vi. prophet in Israel, Eliseus, and he openeth whatsoever thou speakest in thy privy chamber." King Herod minding subtilly Matt. ii. to kill the young babe, Christ Jesus, craftily bade the wise men go and learn "where the new king was born, and he would come and worship him," as well as they did : but the gracious God, which never faileth at need, bade them go ano- ther way, and not tell Herod ; for he meant to kill the young- babe Christ. The wicked Jews made a " vow, they would nei- Acts xxiii. ther eat nor drink until they had killed Paul :" but PauFs sister's son, when he heard their conspu-acy, opened it, and the captains set soldiers to defend him, and deliver him out of their hands. I cannot tell, whether these Jews which dwell abroad in divers countries, and came and told them in Jerusalem of the conspiracy that was intended against them by Sanballat and his fellows, be worthy more praise or dispraise. It was their duty to have come home, stood in storms, and help to build Jerusalem, as well as these other their fellows did : but God, which turneth our negligence and foolishness to the setting forth of his immortal goodness and wisdom, gave them a good will and boldness to further that building as they might, and stirred them up to come often times, and open unto them in Jerusalem the great conspiracy that was intended against them ; that they might be ready to defend themselves when- soever they were assaulted. It grieved them to understand the mischief that was purposed, both to have their brethren's blood cruelly shed, and also that building to be overthrown; and though they durst not come and join with them both in 424 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. IV. battle anrl workin"-, yet tlicy are to be commended that they so pitied their brethren and the work, that they gave warning of that great conspiracy purposed against them. Thus God nseth the service of all men and creatures to the benefit and comfort of those that fear him truly. So among wicked people many times do good men dwell, both to bring them from their wickedness by their good example and counsel, and also to be a relief to other good men abroad in other places, when occasion shall serve. Thus was Lot in Sodom, Joseph in Pharao's house, and Daniel in Babylon; and if these Jews had not dwelt abroad among the Samaritans and Arabians, this conspiracy had not been opened to the builders in Jerusalem ; but they should have been suddenly slain, afore they knew of their coming. Thus is God's providence and care for his people, when they understand not their own danger, to be praised ; and this natural love, that these Jews bare to their country and brethren, in forewarning them to defend themselves, is to be followed of all good men. Demaratus of Lacedemon was unjustly banished his countiy: yet when he heard that the Athenians' would make war against his country, he gave liis countrjinen warning of it, that they might be in a readiness to defend themselves. When the Israelites Exod.xxxii. had made the golden calf, and God in his anger woidd have destroyed them, Moses falleth to prayer, though they oft rebelled against him, and desireth the Lord to pardon them, Rom. ix. or else to put him out of his book. St Paul wisheth " to be accursed from Christ," so that he might win his brethren the Jews to the Lord Christ, though they oft sought his death. Thus good men will forget displeasures done unto them, and be ready always to help and comfort their country, and specially those that be of the household of faith. This may be a comfort to all good men, that as God opened this conspiracy to his people at this time by the Jews that dwelt far from them, so his fatherly care never faileth them that love him, but he will defend and deliver them : for he maketh his enemies, if they be made fvivy of any such mischief, so babbUng that they will open it, either for vain glory, bribery, malice, or else their own consciences do accuse them, that they cannot quietly suffer such a mischief to be wrought. And although they were [' The Persians. See Herodotus, vii. 239. Ed.] V, 12 1.5.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAII. 425 thus oft, and out of all corners, warned of this conspiracy, yet they could scarcely be brought, many of them, to believe any such thing to be attempted; it was so horrible and incredible. Good men judge others to be like themselves, simple and plain dealers, and cannot easily be persuaded that any man should go about such a mischief. But the gospel teacheth that we should " be wise as serpents, and as simple as doves." The serpent is wise to save his own head, and hide himself until the danger be past ; and the dove will not craftily devise any harm to any other : so the man of God must be wise as the serpent, and not be careless of his safety, (for God hath given him reason to defend himself, and foresee mischiefs, and provide for them;) nor he must not be crafty to hurt others, as the dove is not : but he must rather think, that the wicked men, whom Satan hath so possessed, will leave nothing undone that may over- throw the good; and therefore they ought to be as wise, cir- cumspect, and diligent to defend themselves and their country from such mischiefs by all honest means, as the other shall be busy to devise or do them any harm, or else they shall be guilty of their own destruction and many others'"; which can- not be defended in conscience, nor the Lord can allow it in justice, being hurtful to so many. 13. / set in the low places. Neliemiah by leaving the court, where he lived in ease, is now come to a goodly bar- gain. First, he was master of the work, set every man in order, that none loitered, nor wrought otherwise than he was appointed, and that none troubled his I'cllows ; daily dabbling in the mire, mortar and clay, as long as he might, and yet would not be weary, with great displeasure and grudging of those that should be his friends and helpers ; but now is be- come a warrior, is driven to put on armour, keep watch and ward night and day, and oversee them himself ; to set his people in array, and appoint them their standing places, giving them their weapons, and teaching them what they should do. Such reward shall they have that forsake the world, and will build God's house and city : God and the world cannot be friends; and that maketh so few courtiers to tread this trode. Moses, being brought up in Pharao's house, and might have been called as son to Pharaos daughter, refused the court, and " chose to be in trouble 426 A.V EXPOSITION UPON' NEHEMIAH. [cH. IV. with his brethren the Jews," and serve the Lord, rather than to have all the dainties in the court, living in idolatry and dis- pleasure of God. I know not many courtiers, wliich might have lived in the court with such favour and authority, and would not, to set by these two men. God increase the num- ber, and make many earnest followers of them ! Nehemiah now, like a good captain, " setteth some of his soldiers in trenches," that they could not be seen below, where the walls were lowest, that if any entered there, they shoidd be entrapped by and bye : some he " setteth on the top of the walls with their bows," that they might both be seen far off, and so make the enemy afraid to come near, when they should see them in such readiness; and also that they might shoot far off at them, and hurt them afore they could as- sault the walls. And Uke a wise captain, he setteth "all of one kindred" together, that one should l>e true to another, as kinsfolks will rather than strangers. It hath been a common practice with us of late to take the soldiers of one country from their captain, whom they know and love, and put them to a stranger whom they know not : what goodness hath come of it, let wise men judge ; in my opinion little or none, except it were the private profit of the captain. But sure it is not wthout great cause, that the Holy Ghost declareth here the order that Nehemiah set them in "by their kindreds" together, teaching us that nature will move one kinsman to be truer in all dangers to another of his kindred, rather than to a stranger ; and that one kinsman will open his grief to his friend, and take com- fort at his hand, rather than to him whom he knoweth not. He cannot be bold with a strange captain nor a strange soldier, and that discourageth him, and casteth down his spirits ; but when neighbours, friends, and cousins are to- gether imder a captain whom they love and know, it em- boldeneth them, they cleave together like burrs; if one be in danger, the rest will not forsake liim : where as strangers every man seeketh to save himself, and careth not for his fellow, but letteth him shift for himself as he may. This godly example of Nehemiah in placing friends together is to be followed, rather than the private profit of one captain. How strangely strange captains have used their strange sol- V. 12 15.] AN EXPOSITION UPON NEIIEMIAH. 427 diers, it is strange to remember; and pity it is to see the soldier, how unwilling he is to serve among strangers, and many times doth serve but slowly. I have seen, when a mean gentleman hath gone to the wars, his tenants would strive who should go with him first; and if he refused any to go, he thought his master loved him not : but now, by this dividing of neighbour from neighbom-, friends and friends from other, neither the gentleman that cannot have his trusty men about him, nor the soldier having not such a captain and fellows as he loveth, trusteth, and knowcth, both the master and the man seeketh by all means to tarry at home, and so the worst men are thrust out to serve, which is to be lamented. God amend it ! It is possible, some will think me too saucy, to enter into matters wherein I am not skilled : but that forceth not, the truth must be spoken, though some do grudge ; and this ex- ample of Nehemiah shall defend me, whatsoever is said to the contrary. The scripture teacheth generally every man his duty, what kind of life soever he live ; and God will require that every man should frame himself to that rule : therefore the preacher may enter into consideration of every man's duty, so far as the scripture leadeth him, even to the controlling of the mint, as master Latimer of worthy memory, being found fault withal for meddling in such matters, alleged the pro- phet, saying, " Thy silver is turned into dross." When John isai. i. Baptist began to baptize, and all sorts of people resorted unto Luke iii. him, amongst whom came the soldiers too, he taught both the soldiers and all the rest how to behave themselves in their kind of life, if they would receive the gospel. Here may be noted also, what simple kind of weapons were then used in the wars, and how many cruel and subtle devices we have of late devised one to kill another. Here is none other mentioned but the sword, if they joined hand- strokes; the spear to push them away, if they scaled the walls, and the bow to shoot afar off, to keep them from coming near the walls. What glory this realm hath gotten with these weapons, and specially by the bow, all chronicles declare, and all nations for that feared us : but how in shooting the old glory of this land is decayed, and gaming and ale-houses haunted, to the hurt of the youth, wasting of their money. 428 A.N- EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [(•n. IV. \\ cakcning of their strength, and decay of this worthy exerci.se, good men lament, and few go about to amend. Shooting is a special thing, not given to all men and nations, but chiefly to the Jews first, wliile their kingdom stood ; then to the Persians, who yet can do something with it; and then to the Englishmen, who have wrought great feats by it. Few histories make any mention of other countries, that could or did use it much in the wars; and if there were some few among them that could do something in it, it was to small purpose or none in the battle. Look at our neighbours round about us, even to the Scottish man, which goeth nearest unto us, and coming both of one ancestor ; and it will easily appear how true it is. If any shoot ill favouredly, we say "he shooteth like a Scot ;" and yet some few of them shoot well too. The scripture, which is ancienter than any kind of learning Gen. .\xi. by many years, maketh mention, that Ismael, Abraham's son, "was a cunning archer:" king Asa had out of one little tribe 2Chron.xiv. of ]?enjamin two hundred and fourscore thousand archers. I Sam. xxxi. King Saul was chased with bowmen, and slain with the Phi- listians. The sons of Eeuben, Gad and Manasses were good warriors and bownmen forty and four thousand seven himdred and threescore. Judas Maccabeus set his bowmen in the fore- front of the battle. Pliny, lib. vii. cap. 5, writeth that Perses, the son of Perseus, of whom the Persians had their surname, should be the first deviser of shafts ; but how untruly it is re- ported, these scriptures afore rehearsed, which were long afore this time, will testify. By the which the ancienty of the scrip- ture appeareth afore all other learning. And yet the papist will stand on his ancienty, and say they have all old learning on their side, where their fathers the popes were but yesterday in comparison of the scriptures, which were elder than any of these by three thousand years : but such lewd doctrine meet to come from them that will not obey the truth. The Persians loved shooting so well, that they set an archer on their coin of gold which was of great value, as we do th~ angel : and, as we used to say, when a man hath great suits^ and cannot be so well heard as he would wish, that he must make angels to speak for him, and they cannot be said nay, which thing by report is too common and tnie at this day ; so the king of Persia, being offended at Agesilaus, gave the V. 12 — 15.] .\N rxposiTioN upon' nkiiemiati. 42.0 Athenians tliirtv tlioiisand pieces of this srea,t coin of gold of theirs ; which thing when Agesilaus understood, lie said merrily, but yet truly, that " he was driven away with thirty thousand bowmen," (meaning their coin of gold, whicli had an archer coined on it,) " and how should he a poor man be able to withstand so many archers 2" No more, truly, than our men can say angels nay. For the feats of war done by our elders in this land with bo\\men, I refer it to be con- sidered by our own chronicles. ]3ut I will not enter into a full discourse of this matter, it belongeth not so much to our purpose ; this short touching of it shall suffice now. Whoso listeth to see more of the commendation of it in time of peace, may read that learned book which Master Ascham wrote of it.' As these Samaritans ceased not continually to hinder the building of this earthly Jerusalem, so Satan by his members, papists, and Arians, See. ccascth not in every age to liinder tlie comfortaljle Iniildiiig oi' Clu-ist''s kingdom and spiritual Jerusalem by all means that lie can devise, and never more fiercely than now in our days. Jhit as God stirred up Ne- hemiah then to defend and encourage the jjeople to go for- ward with tlieir building, notwithstanding their cruel assaults; so the Lord stirreth uji some few to stand in defence of this truth, and (iod's enemies win not at their hands so mucli as they look for. And as Nohemiah here " setteth the people in order I)y their kindreds, with their swords, spears, and bows, to defend the workmen," so should good magistrates place every where stout soldiers of one doctrine and religion, endued with the special gifts of the Holy Ghost, as kno\\ledge of tongues, dis- cerning of spirits and doctrines, able to confute the false and defend the truth with gifts of utterance, eloquence, and per- suading, and with government to bridle the unruly and trouble- some folk, that the flock of Christ Jesus, which he bought so dearlj-, be not drawn away headlong by devilish doctrine from their Lord and Shepherd of their souls, the Lord Christ. God for his mercy sake stir up the hearts of magistrates, and specially courtiers, to set this example before themselves, and diligently to follow it; that we be not found more neg- P Toxopliilus, tlie Sdioolc of Shootiiigc. Loiul. 1.544. Ed.] 430 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. IV. ligent in tliis our free liberty under the light of the gospel, in serving om- God faithfully, than these poor Jews were under the ceremonies of Moses after their captivity. A la- mentable case, to see how bold and earnest these Jews were against so many fierce enemies, and how cold, negligent, and careless we that bear the names of Christians be. Lord, in- crease our faith, help om- unbelief, and make us with courage to work at thy building. We are lulled on sleep ; we wallow in wealth and forget thee ; we seek our own advancement in the world, and care little or nothing for the advancement of thy kingdom, thy glory, thy people, and the wholesome doctrine of salvation declared unto us in thy holy word. 14. And when I saw them, I rose and said to the nobles. After that Nehemiah had thus, like a good captain, set the people in array by their kindreds, appointed them their stand- ing places and weapons, and conveyed himself into some cor- ner to breathe and refresh himself, he looked about him, and, behold, Sanballat, Tobias, and their fellows were at hand, appeared in sight, and marched forward in battle array to- ward the walls stoutly, to dash them out of countenance, if it had been possible. But then Nehemiah, though he was weary and sat down to rest himself, bestirred him, rose up quickly, forgat that he was weary, plucked up his spirits, and called the nobles, officers, and the people together: and because the time would not suffer him to use many words, the enemies drawing so near, he maketh a short but a pithy oration to them, and in effect so much as could have been spoken in a long time and at leisure ; and all to this end, to embolden them to cast away the fear of man, and fear the mighty Lord of hosts, in whose hand it was to dispose as he thought good : and not only that, but the honesty of the cause was such, that they could not without great shame and reproach leave it undefended, so far as their power would stretch. They fought against infidels for the maintenance of God his true religion ; they fought for their bretliren, for their sons, their daughters, their wives, houses, life, lands and goods. They had of late been in captivity, they felt the smart, what it was to live under strange princes ; God had mercifully restored them to their country again, and prospered well the begiiming of their buildings; and should they now cowardly V. 12 15.] AN- EXPOSITION UPON NETIEMIAII. 431 fly away, lose all that they had gotten, fall into their own slavery, live among idolaters, their wives and children to be prisoners afore their face? He that had any blood in him, and either feared God or loved his country and people, would first step out in so good a cause, manfully defend it, spend his blood in it, would strive who should be the first and foremost to give the onset, not doubting but that mighty God, who had so prospered their doings hitherto, would with good success finish it to their great comfort and perpetual com- mendation. Joab useth the same reason to Abisai and his soldiers, to " fight for their people and country." God never 2 Sam. x. faileth them that fail not themselves : do thou thy duty, and no doubt God wiU fill out the rest. What a com'age had Nehemiah, that, being come thither but of late, durst speak so boldly to the noblemen and rulers with the people, which should have taken the matter in hand themselves, and encouraged others, rather than he ! But in God's cause, when those that should be furtherers of it wax cold, and either will not or dare not, then those whom God doth thus earnestly move, may and ought, so much as in them is, encourage all sorts of men manfully to go forward in serving the Lord. And whereas fear is a great hinderer of all well doing, he beginneth to pluck away that block first, which being removed, boldness must needs follow and take place. Fear not, saith he, their brags, their stern coun- tenance and proud looks, their glistering armour, their great bands of soldiers, their mighty captains, their long spears and sharp swords ; they are cowards, their heart faileth them, they are like mules with golden trappers and costly foot-cloth, which outwardly shew bravely unto the eye, but underneath are slow asses and dull beasts. So these big boasting Thra- sones and vaunting milites gloriosi make a shew of great matters, as though they would and could pull down all, de- stroy all afore them at their pleasure, where indeed they be fainthearted lubbers, and dare do nothing, as it appeareth hereafter. Our God is an almighty Lord, at whose look the earth quaketh and the devils tremble ; and these wretches be vile worms' meat, mortal men, God's enemies, and chil- dren of darkness. Our God alone is strong enough for all the devils in hell, and out of hell, with all their members 432 AN EXI'OSITIOX UPON NEITKMIAII. [cir. IV. and partakers. Why should ye he afraid to fight in liis [Psii. cxv.] quarrel 1 " He hath done Avhat he will in heaven, earth, and hell," as the psahn saith. All things bend when he doth beck, and all be at his call and commandment. Shrink not from this captain, and he will defend you : manfully fight under his banner, and the victory shall be yours. The worst that the wretches can do you is to hui-t the body ; but our God teacheth us to "fear him that casteth both body and soul into hell fire." llemember the old grand captain of our fathers, Moses, when Pharao with a mighty power chased them to the Red Sea, where the people were afraid, and saw no remedy but either leap into the sea and be drowned, or else tarry Pharao and be killed; call to remembrance, I say, what IMoses, in the like distress and jeopardy then that Exod. xiv. ye he now in, said unto them in few words : " Stand .still,"' saith Moses, behold, and mark the end ; when ye are not able, " the Lord himself will fight for you : these ciiiel ene- mies wliom ye see this day, ye shall never see any more." And so it came to pass : for by God's mighty hand the Israelites passed through the sea safe, and Pharao with his peojjle were drowned. Rev. xxi. The scripture teacheth that " the fearful, imfaithful, mur- derers, adulterers, enchantei-s, idolaters, and liai-s shall have their parts in the burning lake of fire and brimstone." If ye will not stick unto this God, and fear him as cliildren ought to love and reverence their father, yet fear hun as servants do their masters, and as ill men do, which are afraid of punishment, and forbear ill doing for fear rather than for love. The grievous pimishment which is threatened to fear- ful men, is the second and everlasting death both of body and soul : which whosoever hath any true fear of God in him, will tremljle and quake when he thinketh on it. Be not therefore afraid of them, but pluck up your .stomachs, and boldly stand in the defence of that city, which the Lord God hath given you to serve him in. To "fight for sons, daughters, wives and houses," I tliink it were an easy matter to persuade any man ; for they be our flesh and bones, we be ready enough to such matters ; and surely not wi out a cause, for both the law of God and the law of nat- bindeth us to defend them in their well doings. Moses ' 15.] AV KXPO. ospol tcaclieth. Christ our Saviour saith also, that when " tai-es and darnel appeared among tlie good corn, that it was done by the enemy, when men were on sleep." ^Vatch there- fore and pray continually, that we be not taken napping. These young men stood not naked, but had armour of all sorts, both to defend themselves and to hurt the enemy ; to shoot and smite far off, and keep them that they drew not neai' : so must every Christian in his spiritual battle against Satan and his members "jiut on the whole spiritual armour of God," which St Paul teacheth him, that he may " quench the fiery darts of Satan," and not stand naked of Cod's grace, trusting in his own strength. It is marvel to see how Ne- hemiah, being so long a courtier, is now become so cunning a soldier on the sudden, being not used to it afore : he set- teth " the young men before" to bear the brunt of the battle, as most strong and able to bear it ; and " the rulers come behind," as being wise men to direct and teach the younger sort what they should do, and how to behave themselves: young heads of themselves are unskilful, and therefore it is necessary they shoidd be directed by others; so that, when youthful corn-age is governed by the sage counsel of the wise and ancient ruler, tlie battle will fall out well. Tully said well, Parvi sunt arma /oris nisi sit consilium domi: and as it were determining whether strength or wisdom in the ware be more profitable, he saith, Cedant arma togce, concedat Imrea linpufc.^ Courage and strength without wisdom is foolish rashness, and wisdom without courage and strength is fearful cowardliness : join them together, and they make a perfect soldier. And here the wise ruler cometh behind in a place of more safety, and as it were a tiling more necessary in the wars to save a wise captain and counsellor, than to save the strong and lusty soldier. The stronger that a man is, wanting wisdom, the sooner he overthroweth hiiuself : as a tree that the wind hath shaken loose at the root, the higher and greater that it is, the sooner it is overthrown. In persecutions, there- fore, every man must stand armed with these spiritual wea- [} Dc Offic. I. 22. Arms abroad arc of little use without counsel at home. — Let anns give place to the gown, ;iik1 the laurel (of war) to cloquciicc. Ed.] 440 AN EXPOSITION UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. IV. pons, and the preachers would be preserved so much as may he, lest the people, being destitute of faithful guides and counsellors, cowardly fall away, or else overthrow themselves by rash dealing. When the emperor Julian took displea.surc with Athanasius, and needs would have him banished, the Nicepii. X. people wept, and he comforted them, saying, " Be of good cheer; this is but a little cloud, it will pass away'." 17. T/icy that built. Not only the young men were thus weaponed, set in order, and exercised to pains-taking, and taught to defend their fellows ; but "the workmen" themselves, both that were master-masons, and cunning in their occupa- tion, and also the common labourer, both they that laid on the burdens, and they that bare burdens of stones and mor- tar, had every one " his sword or his dart" by him while they wrought, that they might be ready to keep off the enemy, defend themselves, when need shall require. This kind of weapon was to pick, as a dart, and is light and easy to can-y, and would not hinder their working much ; and so " with the one hand they \\T0ught, and with the other hand they held their weapon." 0 worthy workmen ! 0 noble captain Nehe- miah ! what a godly sight was this, to see every one so full of courage that they feared not the enemy, and so willing to work that they would not be weary, but with the one hand work, and with the other hand hold their weapon ! Let christian men look into this notable example, and be ashamed of themselves, that are afraid of everj' blast of wind. And where these people, being under the dark sha- dows and heavy burden of Moses' law, would take these pains for building an earthly city to serve their God in, yet we that live under that blessed light of the gospel, so plen- tcously poured on us, lie loitering, and will not open our eyes to see the light, nor put forth om- hand to receive that which is so freely offered to us, that it would fall into our mouths if we would gape. Let the fine courtier, that had rather be a dainty carpet gentleman, than a labourer at God's building, look at Nehemiah, and learn to be like him. P "¥jV0ev Toi Kcii (pevyeiv Kara to tou ftamXeto': BttTirKr/ia fiiu^ojievo':, TO?? Tnfii avTov na-)^a\\o\) ceivm troiovfievoi'; Tf;i/ (pvyaciiaii aVci/iVd? (iVf, QapptWc, cii Texva* vecpvcptov yap ted any, must make actual restitution. Num. V. C, God saith thus unto Moses : " Speak unto the children of Israel, ' ' AVTien a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, and transgi'ess against the Lord, when that person shall trespass, then they shall confess their sui wliich they have done, and shall restore the damage thereof with liis principal, and put the fifth part of it more thereto, and shall give it unto him against whom he hath tres- passed. But if the man have no kinsman, to whom he should restore the damage, the damage shall be restored to the Lord for the priests' use, &c." AFe are taught in this place, to whom this actual restitu- tion must be made, even to Iiini whom we have injured : if he be dead, we must restore it to his kinsman ; if he have no kinsman alive, actual restitution must be made to Almighty God for the priests' use, and in our time for the poor's use. Judg. xvii. Jlichali robbed his mother of eleven hundred shekels of silver: his ■ mother did not know that he had it ; but he had remorse of that sin, and made actual restitution. 1 Sam. xii. Samuel saith thus of liimself : " AVhose ox have I taken ? whose ass have I taken? or whom have I done wTong to? or whom have I hurt ? or of whose hands have I received any bribe to blind my eyes therewith? and I will restore it you, &c." It is certain that Samuel did not deal either cori-uptly or unjustly in his office: if he had, he would have made actual restitution. Zaccheus was sometimes very disordered in his Hfe : it pleased our Saviour Christ to be a good God unto liim, and to lodge in liis house. Zaccheus, having feehng of liis former wants, uttered these words, " If I have taken from any man by forged cavillation, I restore him four- fold." If Zaccheus of Jericho after his conversion was content to restore fourfold, it is a good consequent, tliat they have little sense of religion, which will not restore the principal. AfJAINST OPPBKSSION. 471 Question. If a inan have deceived, robbed, or oppressed othei' men, shall he he pardoned at God's hand, if he make not actual restitution ? Answer. God will not pardon him, unless he make actual restitution, if he be able to do it: my reasons are these. " If the wcked restore the pledge, and give again that he had rob- Ezek.xxxiii. bed, he shall surely live and not die, saith the Lord." Therefore it 12', i3.^ "'' is a sure consequent, that he shall not live eternally, which, being in ease to make actual restitution, doeth it not accordingly. " Is not this the fasting that I have chosen, to loose the bands of isai. iviii. 6, wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go ^• free, and that ye break eveiy yoke, &c. ? Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say. Here I am, &c." If the oppressor must let the oppressed go free, he must make actual restitution. If Almighty God will not hear the prayer of the oppressor, until he let the oppressed go free, it is a necessai-y conse- quent, that God will not pardon him. Augustme is very flat for this point: "If men be able to make Epist. 54. actual restitution, and do it not, poenitentia non agitur, scd fingitur^ :" that is to say, " their repentance is no repentance," and their sm shall not be pardoned until actual restitution be made. Question. If a man have secretly either robbed or deceived another, and is very willing to make restitution, hut cannot do it without some worldly danger and disgrace to himself, what must he do in this case ? Answer. Let him send that wliich he hath taken imjustly by some trusty messenger to him whom he hath wronged, and let his name be con- cealed. Question. If he tliat hath taken unjustly from others, hath wasted all, and is not able to make restitution, what shall he do? Answer. Such a one must desire pardon very humbly at God's hand, and water the earth with his tears. 4. It is the duty of the magistrate to deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor. " Execute judgment in the morning, (that is, carefully and without Jer. xxi.12. delay,) and deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor, saith the Lord, &c." "Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the I^ai. i. 17. [1 9i enini res aliena, propter quam peecatum est, cum reddi possit, non redditur, non agitur poenitentia, sed finsitur. August. Epist. liv. (ci.m.) Tom. ii. p. 794. Ed. Paris. 1830. Ed.] 472 DR some''s godly treatise fatherless, and defend the widow." Almighty God commandeth the magistrates to execute judgment in the morning ; therefore they must use no delays in doing justice. God commandeth the magistrates to seek judgment; therefore, in cases of oppression, they must not stay till they be called for. God commendeth unto the magistrates all that are oppressed, but specially the fatherless and widow, because they want the defence of their parents and husbands, and every man goeth over where the hedge is lowest. Jer. xxii. "Josias executed judgment and justice: he judged the cause of the afflicted and poor," saith the Lord of Josias. Job xxix. Job saith thus of himself: " I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him, &c. I put on justice, and it covered me: my judgment was the eye to the blind, and I was a father unto the poor ; and when I knew not the cause, I sought it out diligently. I brake also the chaws of the unrighteous man, and plucked the prey out of his teeth, &e." It appeareth by this, that Job was a worthy magistrate. God send us many such as Job was ! The Shunamite, whose son Eliseus raised to life, sojourned in the tijue of famine seven years in the land of the Philistines: in her absence her lands and goods were unjustly entered upon: at her return she complained of the injury to Jehoram the king of Israel ; Jehoram without delay commanded an eunuch to restore her goods and lands 2 Kings viii. unto her: "Restore thou," saith Jehoram, "all that are hers, and all the fruits of her lands, since the day she left the land, even until this time." The Jews in Nehemiah's time were greatly oppressed: Nehemiah was very angry with the princes and rulers which oppressed them, Neh. V. and said unto them, " You lay burdens every one upon his brethren, &c. Restore unto them this day their lauds, their vineyards, their olives, and their houses." If it be the magistrate's duty to deliver the oppressed, they must take great heed, that themselves be neither principals nor accessaries Amos v. 7. in the sin of oppression. If they be guilty, "judgment shall be turned " into wormwood, and the righteous shall be sold for silver, and the poor for shoes:" that is to say, filthy bribes shall be more accounted of than men's lives, which are most precious. 5. The magistrate hseth nothing by delivering the oppressed. If he do it with a single heart, beside the testimony of a good conscience, (wliich is a continual feast,) he may assure himself of God's favour and blessing, and of the singular liking of all God's people. "Josias did eat and drink and prosper, when he executed judgment and justice, when he judged the cause of the afflicted and the poor." Job "delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him; and the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon him." Jer. xxii. Job xxvi. AGAINST OPPRESSION 473 Our sovereign Lady Queen Elizabetli hath dealt graciously with many poor suitors at the court : she hath spoken comfortably to them, and procured restitution accordingly. If it be no disgi-ace to tliis noble lady, which sitteth under the cloth of estate, to deliver the oppressed, it is no blot to inferior magistrates if they do the like. If the prince pleaseth God highly, and winneth the hearts of her subjects soundly, for relieving the oppressed, it is very certain, that those cormorants, which grind the faces of the poor, are accursed of God, and lose the hearts of his people. If the i)rince sitteth fast in the seat of her kingdom for tendering the cause of the oppressed, can they assure themselves of sitting quietly under their vines and fig trees, which eat bread baked with the tears of men? It is certain they cannot; for (besides the manifold curses of God and his people,) their own consciences do mightily sting them, and are enemies enough to tor- ment them. G. Oppressors shall be grievonsli/ punished. " Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's mark ; and all the Deut. xxii. people shall say. Amen." If they are accursed by God and his peo- ' pie, which remove the mark of the land, they are more accursed, which take away house and land. "Oppi'ession maketh a wise man mad." Madness is a grievous Eccles. vii. punishment. God punisheth oppression by madness, one gross sin by ^' another. " Ve have builded houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in Amos v. them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye sliall not drink wine of them." The reason of this is set down by Almighty God in the same verse, in these words : " Your treadings are upon the poor, and you take from him burdens of wheat," (that is to say, the ne- cessary relief of him and his family.) If the taking away of burdens of wheat from the poor was so great a sin, the taking away of arable ground, which by tillage and God's blessing bringeth relief to a man and his family, is no little sin. "'I hey shall not mourn for him," saith God of Joachim, the king Jer. xxii. of Juda, (which was a great oppressor;) "he shall be buried as an ass is buried, and cast forth (as a carrion above the gi-ound,) even with- out the gates of Jerusalem." Joacliim had closed himself in cedar, but that was not able to keep God's judgments from him. "The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the Hab. ii. ii. tiiaber shall answer it, &c." As if Almighty God should say. Rather than the vile dealings of oppressors should not come to light, the stone shall cry out of the wall, I am built of blood and iniquity ; and the beam out of the timber shall answer, I am built likewise of blood and iniquity. If the stones and beams of oppressors' houses give in their evidence (like honest jurates,) against such houses, the oppressors must prepare themselves to hear this fearful sentence pronounced by the Lord chief justice of heaven and earth against them: " VFoe Hab. ii. 12, -1-74 nil some's noni.y treatise unto liim that buildetli a town with blood, and crecteth a city by iniquity !" They which oppress others, do more liurt themselves than those All?. Epist. wliom they oppress. " The smart of the oppressed hath an end, the Kom. ii. smart of the oppressor is everlasting; for he heapeth unto himself wratli against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the just judgment of God'." There were never any oppressors so many and mighty, but at the Isai.xxx. 14, length they were met with. God's judgments have feet of wool, but they have arms of brass: it is long ere God begin; but when he striketh, he payeth home. Jer. V. " Woo unto them that imagine iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds! when the morning is light, they ])ractise it, because their hand hath power, and they covet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage: therefore thus saith the Lord, Mic. ii. 1, Behold, against this family have I devised a plague, whereout ye ' ■ shall not pluck your necks." God be merciful unto us, and make us afraid of his judgments ! 7. Oppressors have no religion in them. Isai. V. 7. " God looked for judgment, but behold oppression ; for righteousness, but behold a crying, &c." Judgment and righteousness are the true fruits of God's rehgion : therefore oppression is no branch of God's re- ligion : and consequently the oppressor is void of all rehgion. Vsal. xiv.4. "Do all the workers of iniquity know, that they eat up my Ijeojile as they eat bread ? they call not upon the Lord." Oppressors call not upon the Lord ; therefore they are void of reUgiou : for invocation is a pi-incipal and neeessai-y fruit of religion. If the oppressors say, that they stretch out their hands and make many prayers, I grant they Mfc'ii'i'*' •'^'™'&^i*y giveth them this answer, "I will hide mine eyes from you, 1 wiU not hear ; for youi- hands are fuU of blood." Jlal. iii. 5. " I will be a swift witness against those that wrongfully keep back the hireling's wages, and vex the widow and fatherless, an I oppress the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts, &c.'' They which oppress others fear not God ; therefore they are void of religion. If they say they fear God, they deserve no credit, because then- doings confute their speech. " A good tree bringeth forth good fruits," and a justifying faith appeareth by good works. Neh. V. 15. "The former governors did burden the people, but so did nit I," saith Nehemiah, " because of the fear of God." If Nehemiah did neither oppress nor deal hardly, because he feared God, it is manifest that oppressors fear not God, and therefore are void of rehgion. [' Utinam vel tantiun tibi obesset iniquitas, quam miseris et pauperibus facis, quan- tum obest ipais quibus earn facis 1 Illi enim ad tempus laborant ; tu autem vide quid tibi thesaurizes in die ira et revelationis justi judicii Dei, qui reddet unicuique secun- dum opera sua. August. Epist. ccxi. (ccxlvii.) Tom. ii. p. 794. Ed. Paris. 1836. Ed.] AOAINST OPPRESSION. 475 " When hp, (that is, Josias,) judged the cause of the afflicted and the Jer. x: poor, he prospered: was not this because he knew mel saith the Lord. But thine eyes and tliine heart, (he speaketh to Joachim, the king of Juda,) are but only for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, &c." Josias was a singular defence to the oppressed, because he did know and fear God: Joachim was a notable oppressor, because he did neither know nor fear God, that is to say, because he was void of God's religion. This which I have set down against oppression, may serve for oppressors to look upon, and to refonn themselves by. If it work their good, it is happy for them ; if it do not, let them remember that die they must, and that after death they shall Iiave a fearful judgment. The best advice that 1 can give to them which are oppressed is, that they desire the magistrate to be their defence. If by this ordinaiy means they camiot compass their own, they must patiently bear injuries, and commit their cause to Almighty God, who hath their flittings in his register, and their Psal. tears in his bottle, and will be surely, but yet justly, revenged of their oppressors. Veritas et dulcis est e.t nmara. Quando dulcis est, pnrcit ; qtiando amaru, curat. Aug. Epist, cc.\i'. ad Rortmlum. [' rrxLvn. in the later editions. See the last note. Ed.] 476 AN EXPOSITION' UPON NEHEMIAH. [CH. V. V. 6. And I was very angry, when I heard tlmr cry and these words. 7. And my heart within me advised me, and I chid the noblemen and the rulers, and I said imto them. Every one of you lay burdens on your brethren; and I as- sembled a great congregation against them. 8. And I said unto them. We have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which xcere sold to the Gentiles, as far as we were able ; and will ye sell your brethren again, and shall they be sold to us 9 And they held their tongue, and found not a word to speak. 9. And I said. The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of God, for avoiding the slander of the heathen which hate us ? 10. Both /, my brethren, and my servants, lent them money and com; I pray you, let us leave off these burdens. 11. / pray you, this day restore them their land, their vineyards, their olive gardens, and their houses, arid the hundredth part of money, and of the corn, and of the wine, and of the oil, which ye do exact of them. 12. And they said. We will restore them again, and we will require nothing of them ; we will do as thou hast said. And I called the priests, and did swear them to do according to these words. 13. And I also did shake my lap, and said. Let God thus shake every man which maintaineth not this word, out of his house and his labour; and after this man- ner let him be shaken out, and void. And all the mul- titude said Amen, and praised the Lord ; and the people did according to this word. Here we shall learn well, both what the cry of the poor oppressed prevaileth in the ears of the godly, and wliat a good ruler ought to do in such a case. Magistrates are mortal gods, and God is an immortal magistrate : therefore as the merciful God heareth in his holy habitation in hea- ven the cry of the miserable oppressed people in earth, so should every godly ruler hear and relieve the pitifid cry of the oppressed, being his brethren, seeing he is God's lieute- nant, and hath the sword and law in his hand to bridle such V. 6 13.] AN EXI'OSITION CI'ON NEHEMIAH. 477 ill doers, and must not for favour, gifts, nor fear, suffer it unamended : else ho doeth not his duty unto the mighty Lord, who set him in that place, gave him the authority, and will ask a strait account how he hath used it to the relief of the oppressed. Nehemiah, hearing this open outcry of the people, and fear- ing the inconvenience that might follow of it, dealeth wisely. First, as justice requireth, he is very angry at it, and yet with wisdom bridleth his affection, that he doth not rashly punish them, but after due consultation within himself, and good advice taking, first with \Aords sharply rebuketh them, and after by authority compclleth them, not only henceforth to leave their cruel dealing, but also to restore that which they had so wrongfully gotten. Some be of opinion, that a magistrate should not be moved with anger in doing his office, but give every man fair words, pass over matters slowly, please all men, though he do them little good ; but, the truth being well considered, it may be judged otherwise. Lactantius writeth a book Do Ira Deiy wherein he proveth that God himself is angry ^ and every anrjer is not sin. If God then be angry against sin, why may not a good man in God's cause then do the same ^ Hate not the man, but his ill doing; be not angry with- out a just cause unadvisedly ; keep not thy anger long, that it grow not into hatred ; let it be no more nor no less than the fault deserveth, and let it be without raging, fuming, fretting, swelling, and raving and disquieting of body or mind ; not for malice of revenging, but for pity or justice to cor- rect and amend : and anger well qualified is not ill. Phi- nees, being angry with the filthy whoredom committed openly and unpunished by those that were in authority, took his sword, killed both the parties in his zealous anger, and for so doing the Lord blessed him, and " the plague ceased." Moses is called the "mildest man upon earth;" and yet in his anger Exod. he threw down the tables wherein God wrote the ten com- mandments, and brake them, when he saw they had made the golden calf. Jesus Christ our Lord was angry, when he "whipt the buyers and sellers out of the temple." St Mark saith, "he looked on them round about with anger." Every anger therefore is not ill. 478 Aiv lixmsrnoN i pon nehk.miau. [cii.v. — l.';.J This is not spoken to give liberty to auger, for we are too ready to it by natui'e ; but rather to bricUe it, seeing it standeth on so narrow a point to keep measure in. This qualifying of anger is declared in the scriptui-e, as that it [Ephes. iv.] should uot Continue : St Paul saith, " Let not the sun set upon youi- anger and that it should not be rashly without cause, nor more than the cause requireth, the gospel teacheth, Matt. V. saying, He that is angry with his brother without a just cause is guilty of judgment." This anger of Nehemiah was just in all circumstances, and kept the nde of St Paul, " Be angry and sin not which is a hard point to keep. FINIS. SOLI i)E0 SIT GLORIA. BURNING OF ST PAUL'S CHURCH THE ADDITION AND CONFUTATION OF THE ADDITION. of \$aule^ cWxct) in aon= Don in tl^e peare of oure UorH 1561, anDtfie iiii. Uap of Dune i)C ISS{)tnsnge, at i1)tu of t^t clocbr, at after noone, islitt^ tonttnutU tctrible ant) i)elplt9se bnto m¥- n WERE THESE GREATER SIN- ners,than the rest? No: I saye vnto you ex- cept ye repent, ye shall all lyke- wyse peryshe. Luc. 13. (•) C Jmpritttrlr at Eontron fig aoillpam S^trc^, Utefllpnge at iffc tairet txiOc of ^otDkd, at nfc Spgnc of ti)c fgclrgcs tjog. (.) AN ADDICION, WITH AN AP- POLOGIE TO THE CAUSES OF BRINNYiNGE ' OF PAUIiE S CHURCH, THE WHICH CAUSES WEKE UTTRED AT HAULE'S CROSSE BY THE REUERENU BYS- SHOP OF DURESME, THE Sin OF JUNE, 15U1.-' Although Almighty God be patient, merciful, and long-suffering, willing all sinners to repent their wickedness, to rise from sin, and come to his mercy ; yet, if sinners will not amend after monition and warning had, at the last God strikes suddenly and sore, as appears in the scripture by Sodom and Goraorra, upon the which cities God rained fire and brimstone, wherewith the five cities were destroyed miserably. Also Pharao and the Egyptians, that would not be moved [' Brinniuj: burnina:, as brent is the old form of the participle Imnif.— The oc- casion of this controversy is thus stated by Strype : " Wlien by lightning, on the 4th day of June, tliis year, [1561] the steeple, the bells, and roof of St Paul's church were burnt, a papist, soon after this accident, spread certain papers about at West Chester concerning it. * * * And whereas, June 8, that is, the next Sunday after this fire, Pilkinjton, bishop of Durham, preached at Paul's Cross, and took notice in his sermon of the dreadful devastation of this church, exhorting the people to take it to be a warning of a greater plague to follow to the city of London, if amendment of life were not had in all estates : he did also recite certain abuses of the said church ; as talking, buying and selling, fighting and brawling there : he shewed also, how the virtue of obedience to superiors was much decayed in those days: these causes assigned for this judgment were reflected upon in the said paper; making the chief causes rather to be, ' that the old fathers and the old ways were left, together with blaspheming God in lying sermons preached there, polluting the temple with schismatical service, and destroying and pulling down altars, set up by blessed men, and where the sacrifice of the mass was ministered.' This occasioned the writing of a tract in confutation of the paper aforesaid; printed by Will. Seres, ann. 1563." Strype, Annals, Vol. i. Part i. p. 390. Ed.] p It is to be regretted, that the sermon preached by the bishop on the occasion referred to is not now extant. It does not indeed clearly appear that it ever was printed, though it is so stated by Surtees, History of Durham, p. ixxviii. and others; but Strype, whose authority is referred to, (see the last note,) makes no mention of its being printed. In his life of Grindal, p. 53—55, fol. Lond. 1710, he gives a full account of the circumstances of the fire, and of the bishop's sermon, which was "preached with great applause of the hearers," and appears to have embraced many points afterwards enlarged upon in the "Confutation." "All this," he adds^ "and much more was written in Latin, and afterwards entered into Bishop Grindal's Register by his special command to Peter Johnson, his Registrary, for a perpetual memory of this fire and of so great a destruction."— We have therefore the "Addition" without that to which it was originally added. This " Addition" was put forth anony- mously by John Moren, or Morwen, Bonner's chaplain, and replied to in the Bishop's " Confutation." Ed.] 31 [PILKINGTON.] 482 THE BURNINfi OP PAUlV I)y tlio words of Moses and Aaron, nor with the ten jtlagues, at last were suddenly drowned in the sea. Also Chore, Dathan and Abiron, witli a great number of people, that would not obey the ministration of Aaron and the priests ap- pointed by God, but went from them, seeking a new way to serve God; part of them were suddenly swallowed up of the earth, and part brent suddenly with fire from heaven in the tabernacle. After, when the people of Jerusalem would not hear the true prophets of God, but would believe false lying prophets, and so declined from the steps of David, Ezecliias, and Josias, wliich walked in the fear of God; because they forsook their fathers' steps, and fell to idolatry, the temple was brent, the city destroyed, and the people taken cap- tives to Babylon. Also our Saviour Christ, for the tender love he had to mankind, came into tliis world; by his doctrine he gathered twelve apostles disciples, and a great multitude of people in one unity of faith, and sanctified them, his church, by his precious blood-shedding, J " committing the rule and government of his church to the bishops :" after his ascension he sent the Holy Ghost in Jei-usalem, in likeness of fiery tongues, among the apo.stles, and straightway they preached as the Holy Ghost taught them: and there in Jerusalem St Peter converted a great multitude to the faith, which faith at Jerusalem was first taught and declared upon by a council of the apostles and seniors, if. "there St James being bishop, and there said mass:" and afterward the same faith was taught in all lands, as the prophet David says. In omnem terrum exivit sonus eorum. The faith of Christ's church hath been from time to time established by general councils : the which faith what country soever hath forsaken it, hath been miser- ably scourged and plagued; as about forty years after the ascension of our Saviour Christ, because the Jews would not abide in that re- ligion that was decreed by the apostles, and walk in their steps, miserably Jerusalem was plagued with fire, pestilence, famine, battle, and murder. Also in aU other countries, as well with the Greeks as other parts of the world, when the people have declined from the fear of God, forsaking the steps of blessed fathers, miserably they [II. liave been plagued. And " in England, where the faith of Christ and " true religion was planted about the year of our Lord 182. by Eleu- " therius, pope, sending legates to Lucius then king of England, which " converted this realm to the faith, and established true religion in " England, wliich continued two hundred years ;" but when the people did declme from the fear of God, and the steps of God and blessed fathers, they came to great calamity and misery by the scourge of God. Cadwallader, last king of the Britons, did confess by the hand of God with pestUence and famine they were driven out of this land. IV. " After that again, tliis land being inhabited with Saxons, being Pai- " nims, St Gregoiy, pope of Rome, about the year of our Lord God, .595. " sent St Augustine and other monks with liiiu into England, Ethel- " bert being king ; and then St Augustine and his company by their " doctrine and virtuous living planted the faith, and so established a AN ADDITION. 483 " true religion in England : the which faith and religion ever when " the people have declined from it, they have felt great calamities, as " well by the hand of God, as by the conquest of the Danes, and " after by the Normans ; and sith the conquest from time to time" God liath plagued this realm for sin and infidelity. And "now, whether V. " the people of this realm be declined from the steps of St Augustine " and other blessed fathers and saints, which had mass and seven sa- " craments in the church ,• and God was honoured night and day in " the church with divine service ; I think there is no man so simple " but he may easily perceive, except malice have blinded his heart. " As in St Paul's church in London, by the decrees of blessed " fathers, every night at midnight they had matins, all the forenoon " masses in the church, with other divine seiTice and continual prayer ; "and in the steeple anthems and prayers were had certain times:" but consider, how far now contrary the church has been used; and it is no marvel, if God have sent down fire to bum part of the church as a sign of his wi-ath. And where a reverend bishop at Paul's cross did exhort the people to take the burning of Paul's to be a warning of a greater plague to follow to the city of London, if amendment of life be not had in all estates, it was well said: but we must add, accedentem ad Deum oportet credere; the scripture says, " He that will come to God must first believe." St Paul says, " Without faith it is Heb. xi. impossible to please God:" and the prophet Jeremy saith by the Jer. vi. Spirit of God speaking. State super vias, et interrogate de semitis antiquin, qiue sit bona ; et ambulate in ea, et invenietis refrigerium ani- mdbus vestris ; that is, " Stand upon the ways of blessed fathers, and consider and ask of the old paths and high-ways, which is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find refreshing to your souls." " First search, whether the faith and religion now used was taught VL " with the blessed fathers in Christ's church in times past : ye shall " prove by no record of authority or chronicle, that this manner of " service now used in the church was ever heard tell of afore Luther's " time, which is not forty years old. Therefore it is to be rejected " and put away, as a new-fangled doctrine and schismatical : there- "fore come back again unto the old fathers' steps," as well in faith and religion, as godly conversation and living ; or a greater plague is at hand. " Also, where the said preacher did recite certain abuses of the yiL " said church, as talking, buying and selling, fighting and brawling ; "although these be very evil and worthy much rebuke, yet there be " worse abuses, as blaspheming God in lying sermons, polluting the " temple with schismatical service, destroying- and pulling down holy " altars, tliat were set up by good blessed men, and there the sacrifice " of the blessed mass ministered according to the order of Christ's " catholic church. Yea, where the altar stood of tlie Holy Ghost, the " new bishops have made a place to set their tails upon, and there " sit in the judgment of such as be catholic and live in the fear of " God. Some they deprive from their livings ; some they commit to 31—2 484 THE BURXING OF PAUl's "prison, except they will forsake the catholic faith, and embrace a faith "and religion, that has no foundation laid by general council nor blessed " fathers in times past, but invented by heretics that do not agree one " with another nor themselves." Thus the bishops that now be have abused the church, and polluted it, as the prophet Jeremy says, " They have put oflFendicles in the house of God, and polluted it." Also the said preacher in his sermon at Paul's cross did declare the virtue of obedience to be much decayed in these our days ; but he leaves VIII. out, who they be that cause disobedience. For "there is none more " disobedient than the new bishops and preachers now a days, which " disobey the universal church of Christ : the which church whosoever Matt, xviii. " ^yjj] obey, our Saviour in the gospel commands us to take them " as infidels. As, where the universal church of Christ commands mass " and seven sacraments, as necessary for our salvation, they call it " abomination with their blasphemous mouths : where the church " commands to fast, they command to eat : where the church com- " mands continual prayer of the clergy, they call it superstition and " blind ignorance : where the church commands the clergy to live in " chastity, they command and exhort the clergj' to marriage : where " the church and all laws, civil and canon, yea, the laws of this realm " do prohibit marriage of priests, they allow marriage of priests, obeying " no law, but follow their own carnal lust. Yea, where the Queen has " given strait commandment to abstain from flesh in Lent and other "daj's commanded by the church, these new preachers and protestants "have eaten flesh openly, to the great slander of other:" so they obey neither the Queen nor the church; so that Almighty God complains Isai. lii. by his prophet Esay, Tola die hlasphematur nomen meuni : " With these men God is continually blasphemed." " Woe be to you," says Esay, " that call good evil, and evil good, putting darkness light, and Ezek. \Kxii, light darkness ;" as by Ezechiel says Almighty God, " The priests have contemned my law, and have polluted my sanctuary." Also Osee the prophet does say, " The bread that they do offer is full of mourning, and all that eat thereof shall be defiled." We may see how they contemn all that blessed fathers, holy martyrs and saints have decreed : they disobey all that have been virtuous and IX. goo'^ ii» Christ's catholic church. As now of late " they liave invented a " new way to make bishops and priests, and a manner of service and " ministration, that St Augustine never knew, St Edmund, Lanfranc, St " Anselm, nor never one bishop of Canterbury, saving only Cranmer, " who forsook his profession as apostata: so that they must needs con- " demn all the bishops in Canterbury, but Cranmer, and he that now is ; " all the bishops in York, saving Holgate, and he that now is : although " St ^\'ilfred, St AYilliam have been taken for saints, and were bishops " in York. In Coventry and Lichfield St Chad was bishop, and many " blessed bishops : and he that is bishop now can find not any one that " was made as he is, nor of his religion. Therefore he must prove, all " bishops of Lichfield were deceived, walked in blindness and igno- " ranee ; or else he that now is must needs be deceived and be in blind- AN ADDITION. 485 " ness. In Duresiiic liavc been many good fatlicis; but he tliat is now " bishop can not find any one predecessor in that see, that was of his " religion, and made bishop after such sort as lie was : so that he that " now is must take in hand to condemn all the bishops afore him, that " they were in ignorance and blindness, or else they will come to his " condemnation at the day of judgment. And this in all bishopricks in " England : some can find one, and some none, that ever was of their " religion. ^Vhat arrogancy may be thought in those men that will take " in hand to condemn' so many blessed fathers all to be in blindness !" But now they say, they have found a light, and reform religion ac- cording to the primitive church. Then "seeing they reform religion so y, " well (as they say), it were meet, as they forsake all the religion that " their predecessors used, as mass, matins, ministration of sacraments, " that they should also forsake houses, parks, lands and revenues, that " their predecessors had, and go from place to place for God's sake " and preach," and then were some likelihood of reformation : or else it may be called rather a defonnation than a reformation. " In Christ's church has ever been a succession of bishops from the XI. " apostles' time to this day, in every see. And Tertullian says : ' If in " any see there be a bishop that walks not in his fathers' steps, he is " to be counted a bastard, and no true inheritor in Christ's church.' " Saint Cyprian does say : ' They that be made bishops out of the " order of the church, and not by tradition and ordinance of the apos- " ties, coming by succession from time to time, are not bishops by the " will of God,' but thieves and murderers," coming to kill the flock of Christ with heresy and lies. And " where the said preacher does af- XI I. " firm greater matters than the burning of Paul's to have chanced in " time of superstition and ignorance, (as the church of Paul's was " burnt in the first year of Stephen, and the steeple of Paul's set on " fire by lightning in the time of king Henry the VI.,) they that count " that to be the time of superstition and ignorance, when God was " served devoutly night and day, the people lived in the fear of God, " every one in his vocation, without reasoning and contention of mat- " ters of religion, but referred all such tilings to learned men in gene- " ral councils and universities, there to be disputed : then was the " commandments of God and virtue expressed in living ; now all is " in talk and nothing in living: then was prayer, now is prating: then " was virtue, and now is vice : then was building up of churches, houses " of religion and hospitals, where prayer was had night and day, hos- " pitality kept and the poor relieved ; now is pulling down and de- " stroying such houses, where God should be served, hospitality kept, " and the poor relieved ; by means whereof God's glory is destroyed, " and the commonwealth impoverished : then was plenty of all things, "now is scarceness of all things: therefore operibus crcdite ;" the fruit ■will shew whether then was superstition and ignorance, or now in these days. Further: where the time word of God is taught the Holy Ghost [' 01(1 edition, contemn; but it is afterwards quoted condemn. Ed.] 486 THE nURNING Oi' PAUl's. does so work thercwitli, that virtue does increase: but as the pro- Hos. iv. phet says, nicut populus ita et sacerdos, " as the people be, so God Jere. viii. sends them pi-iests." Apprehenderunt mendacium et noluerunt reverti, "the people have apprehended a lie and will not come back, but Jere. vii. trust in Ijdng sermons which will not profit them," as Almighty God says by liis prophet Jeremy, thinking they have done well because they have done tliese abominations, says God by his prophet Jeremy. So as the priests be, so be the people : blinded in heresy, as God says Isai. vi. by liis prophet Esay, that their hearts do not understand, their eyes do not see, their ears be stopped for hearing the truth : so that this may well be called the time of superstition and ignorance, calling Isai. V. darkness light, and light darkness, that which is evil good, and good evil. And for the burning of Paul's church which lie speaks of "was XIII. "in time of civil war, and not destroyed by the hands of God, as it was "at this time," whosoever reads the chronicles shall perceive that and this be not like. Therefore beware of false prophets and preachers, which come with fair words in their mouths of the gospel, but mark the fruits that come of their preaching; how they have set the people in such case, that no prayer is used, no fasting, little alms- XIV. deeds, "all liberty used;" what disobedience children be in against their parents, how untrusty servants be, what swearing and blas- pheming of God is used of all people ; what theft, whoredom, craft, subtlety and deceit: these be fruits that come of this new-fangled doctrine. Therefore return back again to the steps of good fathers afore us: be not carried away, as St Paul says, with a strange and diverse doctrine ; " embrace the religion and faith taught in Christ's " church from time to tune continually, and frame your living ac- " cordingly ; or else God's vengeance hangs over your heads, ready " suddenly to fall upon you: so says the scripture, and let this token " of burnmg of Paul's be an example and token of a greater plague " to foUow, except ye amend." A CONFUTACION OF AN AD- BICION, WITH AN APPOLOGYE WRITTEN AND CAST IN THE STRETES OF WEST CHESTER, AGAYNST THE CAUSES OF BURNYNG PAULE'S CHURCH IN LONDON: WHYCH CAUSES, THE REUEREND BYSHOP OF DU- RESME DECLARED AT PAU- LE'S CROSSE 8. JU- NII. 1561. Our Saviour Christ, when the devil spake the truth plainly, did not confute or gainsay it : but when he did It frowardly, Christ rebuked him sharply. As when the devil said, " Jesus of Nazareth, what have we to do with thee ? art Luke iv. thou come to destroy us ? I know that thou art the Holy One of God;" he did not refuse nor deny that truth which he spake: but when the devil tempted him to throw him- self down from the pinnacle of the temple, he rebuked him Matt. iv. quickly, because he alleged the true scripture maliciously. So it is not sufficient to do a good deed barely, or speak the Truth mu truth only, except it be done rightly, and with such circum- uttered, stances as be necessarily required to make it good : as, that it be from the heart, and for God's cause willingly, &c. In like manner, where this scavenger, sweeping the streets with his books (as a fit broom and officer thereto), has spoken the truth, not truly, because it is for an evil purpose and frowardly, I shall pass over it with silence : but where he follows his master, the father of lies, in falsifying the truth, or racking the scripture subtilly, I shall by God's grace let the world see his juggling, and by truth truly uttered disclose his shame- less lying. The first examples that he brings, declaring how God does justly plague the obstinate sinners, that \\\\\ not repent after many warnings given, are true all : but being alleged to bring us back to popery, and for another purpose than God our Lord has taught them, they be craftily misused, and ye see 488 THE BURNING OF PAUl'h. [sect. whose footsteps he followed. And as he uses them to per- suade us to superstition, so they may and ought to be used specially, for maintaining true religion. The rhetoricians teach, that such kind of beginnings as may be appHed to two contrary parts, are faulty. Therefore, seeing I may use the self-same reasons and words, that he has from the beginning hitherto, to train us to love and embrace our godly reformed religion, he cannot much crack of his wisely placed examples or reasons. But I will not stick with him in such small points as these, although they be false : but I will join with him in matters of weight, and those chief points of religion which he has touched, and we differ from him and his sort in them. I. Committing the nile and govcmment of his Church to the Bishops, &c. The first is concerning the authority and government given to bishops over God's church : wherein his words are not so untrue, as they contain a false doctrine and meaning in them. If ye think that I too boldly enter to judge his mean- ing, confer these words with such as follow in his own witing, wherein untruly he claims those privileges to his bishops, which neither he nor they are able to justify; and there at large ye shall easily perceive what he means by these few words here. But I will follow him where away he leads me ; and because he does here but briefly touch it, I shall like- wise shortly pass over it, and more throughly search it, where he does more at large press it. In the beginning of their late revived tyranny, and afore they had obtained their long desired authority to reign over kings and princes, it was my chance to talk with one of their stoutest champions, and of those that he calls the godly bishops in prison. Among sundry things that were to be re- dressed in talk, as he thought, he took this self-same matter fii-st, and said it was not fit lor any temporal officer to sit as judge on any priest or spiritual man, specially in any spiritual What au- matter. For the same cause began Thomas Becket to rebel mshops against his prince, not suffering his priests to be punished ihc church, for their nuirders and robberies ; and now like good children they I'ollow his steps. I asked, ^V'hy i for the laws were then I.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 489 as they be now ; and both very well, that justices in their sessions and assizes might and should inquire who then of- fended the civil laws and the order of religion established, whether he were priest or other. He answered, that in the 20th of the Acts of the Apostles it was plain that God had set the bishops to govern the church. I said, that was another kind of government that St Paul there grants to bishops, and dilfers from that which kings or princes claim and ought to have. " No," says he, " mark the words, and it is ad rc- ffendum ecclesiam, et regere regum est : therefore bishops have authority to rule as kings."" " No," said I, " if ye will be judged by the word, the Greek word must be judge in this case ; for in Greek it was first written and spoken : and there will appear another kind of government, far diverse from that which belongs to princes. The Greek word in that place is Troifmiveiv, which signifies to feed, as the shepherd feeds his sheep ; and yet not without all government or authority, but only such a simple kind of rule and authority as shep- herds have over their flock. If ye will confer one place of the scripture with another, where this word is read or found, (which is the best kind of interpreting the scripture rightly, as St Austin teaches,) and see what kind of govern- ment it signifies there, then this place shall more easily be understand." " Feed the flock that is among you," says i Pet. v. St Peter. "Feed my sheep," says our Saviour Christ tojohnxxi. Peter. Where, and in other like places also, the same Greek word, that is commonly translated in the Acts, regere, to rule, is put, and signifies (as ye see) to feed. The same word is applied also to our Saviour Christ in the gospel, where is declared Matth. ii. plainly, what kind of authority it signifies : " Thou, Bethleem, in the land of Juda, thou art not the least of the princes of Juda ; for out of thee shall there come to me a prince, that shall rule, or feed, my people Israel." Also, " I am the John x. good Shepherd," says Christ ; where likewise is the same Greek word placed. Then, if Christ our Lord had any tempo- ral jurisdiction, or these other places, using the same Greek word, contain any such thing, they might have some appear- ance to claim their usurped authority : else, it is not probable to give the same word in that place alone that meaning, contrary to so many other places having the self-same word. 490 THE BURNINr; OF PAUL's. [.SECT. Nay, further to say: did not oui- Lord and Master Jesas Christ refuse this worldly authority himself, when it was offered unto liira, and the one brother desired him to "divide the inheritance" betwixt him and liis other brother? He Luke xii. would not, but said, " Who appointed me a divider betwixt youV — as though he should say, It is not my calling, nor belongs to me. His kingdom was not of this world ; but he came to teacli his Father's will. Likewise he taught liis Luke .\xii. apostles not to challenge this superiority, saying, " The princes of the people have rule over them, but it shall not be so among you ; but lie that would be the greatest, shall be the least that they might follow his steps tridy. But the manifest place, where the proper signification of Eph. iv. this word appears, is in Paul, where he reckoas what officers Grod has set in his church, and says, " First he set some apostles, other prophets, some evangelists, other shepherds and teachers." These shepherds, which are noted there by the same word that they claim their authority by, are placed by St Paul almost the lowest officers in God's church : then much more they cannot have the highest room in the common- wealth and church both. I know, the Greek poets attribute this word to kings, but I trust they build not on heathen men's writings ; and yet that name there is given them for their fatherly love towards their subjects, rather than their royal authority. But com- pare them with shepherds that keep our sheep in deed, of whom they have their name ; and easily their nature, property, office, and authority shall be spied. God's people are called oft Psai. ixxix. in the scripture sheep, (as, "We thy people and the sheep of thy pasture will praise thee;") and their teachers are called shepherds: because the one should in living follow the sim- plicity and obedience of sheep ; and the other, the careful pains and diligence of shepherds, in feeding, healing, relieving, guiding, correcting, &c. Look then, what temporal authority the shepherd has over his sheep ; and the same spiritual power have the bishops over the church. The good shepherd will not let his sheep feed in hiuiful and roating' pastures, but will remove them [} Rooty, rowty: coarse, or over-rank; said of grass or com. Brockett's Glossary of north country words. Ed.] I.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 491 to good feeding grounds : no more will God\s good shepherds let God's people and his brethren be poisoned with false doctrines, but by his authority root out and confute them. The true shepherd, if he see the wolf or fox come to devour the flock, he will watch and defend the fold : so should the good bishop by his office. The good shepherd will save the scabbed sheep, bring home the stray, and feed the weak and hungry : so will the good bishop, according to his duty. The good shepherd, if his sheep be unruly, will set his dog to pull him down and tame him : if any cannot be healed, he will cut it off, and kill it, for infecting the rest : so will God's good bishop with the threatenings of God's vengeance pull down the unbridled stomachs of the people, make them to tremble and quake at God's judgments ; and if any cannot be reclaimed, he \vill cut him off by excommunication, separate him from the fellowship of God's people, not suffer him to communicate the Lord's supper, which is the band of brotherly love, and forbid all good folk his company, if through such shame he may be brought to knowledge his fault and amend, that he may joyfully be received as a brother in the company and fellowship of God's people again, and communicate with them in prayer, doctrine, discipline, and sacraments, as afore. In these points the authority of bishops is so great, that it extends to prince, pope, and prelate, and none is exempt ; but as they be subject to God's word, sacraments, and doctrine, so must they obey God's true minister and dicipline. As for example, the good bishop Ambrose did sharply correct and ex- communicate the emperor Theodosius for a rash murder done by his commandment : and whether he is more praiseworthy that would or durst rebuke and excommunicate so mighty a prince, or the good emperor, that willingly submitted him- self and obeyed his correction, it may be doubted. " The power and authority then of bishops is spiritual, belong- ing to man's soul, as their office and ministery is ; and it stands chiefly in these two points, in doctrine and discipline. As the temporal officer in the commonwealth has not the sword com- mitted to him in vain, but to defend the good, and punish the evil ; to smite the enemy and save the subject ; to prison the froward, and loose the guiltless : so has God's minister in his [•■' See above, p. 381. Ed.] 492 THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sECT. church full power and authority to teach sound doctrine and confute the false ; to beat down haughty minds, and raise the weak ; to bind and loose the conscience by \irtue of God's word ; to throw into hell the obstinate, or lift into heaven the penitent; to cast out of God's church, and receive again, such as he right- ly judges by the scriptures meet for mercy or justice. And as St Peter calls Christ our Lord "the Shepherd and liishop of our souls so those bishops that follow Clirist will challenge no more authority to tiiem, than their Master Christ had. I am sure this pleases him well to hear, specially of my mouth, that such spiritual authority is given to spiritual min- isters, to execute on all sorts of people : for as they belie us in other things, saying, we teach false doctrine, and move the people to sin ; so they say, that in denying them their usurped authority, we take from them that which is due to them. Yet in granting thus much unto them I mean not, as they teach, that priests and bishops have this power of themselves, or when they be greased with the pope's oil, that they may exe- cute it when and on whom it pleases them ; but that God works it by them, as his wisdom thinks good, when they use them as he appointed them. For as the judge or pursuivant, tiiat brings the king's pardon to save a thief on the gallows, is but the prince's servant, and not the chief saviour and deli- verer of the condemned ; so in this absolving and raising up the sinful clogged conscience, the cliief praise and work is God's, and the bishop or minister is but God's servant, going his message by his word and commandment, to save and loose them whom it pleases God to offer this grace unto. But methink I hear him say. If bishops in temporal causes have not this authority, why sit they so oft by commission now under the gospel in temporal matters? Indeed, forso- much as they sit by commission, it proves that it belongs not to their office, as appointed by God, but in that they ser\e the prince, as they be bounden. 'Who wills and commands them bv commission to serve in such place and time ? The bishop's office is chiefly taught in the scripture by the Holy Ghost, and from him he i-eceives his commission, and is not invented by pope or man. If ye compare together St Paul's bishop, de- scribed in Timothy and Titus, with such toys as the pope's prelates are ordained to play and feed the people withal, they COMrUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 493 are as like as black and white. St Paul's bishop is in the first place licensed to marry : the pope's are forbidden wives, and allowed whores for money. St Paul's bishop must preach : the pope's think it shame to stand in the pulpit. St Paul wills his bishop to " have his children obedient with all reverence :" the popish priest's children sit by other men's fires, and brought up most wantonly. The pope has commanded his bishops to christen bells and ships, to hallow mitres and staves, rings, church-yards, altars, superaltars, albs, vestments, chalices, corporas, palms, ashes, candles, water, fire, bread, oil, cream, flowers, strips, swords, crowns, fingers, &c. This is their whole life ; and yet not one such word appointed them by God in scripture. What is this but to forsake God's ordinance, and follow their own devices, to prefer man and his doings to the wisdom of the Holy Ghost s When he has done all these things, he may say, he has served his master the pope, and done his commandment, but not one thing that God bids him. Yet remains one doubt unanswered in these few words, ^ when he says, that " the government of the church was com- 'l mitted to bishops," as though they had received a larger and | higher commission from God of doctrine and discipline than ; other lower priests or ministers have, and thereby might chal- j lenge a greater prerogative. But this is to be understood, [' that the privileges and superiorities, which bishops have above j other ministers, are rather granted by man for maintaining of ' better order and quietness in commonwealths, than commanded by God in his word. Ministers have better knowledge and utterance some than other, but their ministery is of equal dig- nity. God's commission and commandment is like and indiffe- rent to all, priest, bishop, archbishop, prelate, by what name soever he be called, "Go and teach baptizing in the name Mail of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost : " and again, " Whose sins soever ye forgive, they are forgiven, and what- Joim soever ye loose in earth, it is loosed in heaven, &c." Likewise the Lord's supper, by whomsoever, being lawfully called, it be ministered, it is of like strength, power and holiness. St Paul calls the elders of Ephesu's together, and says, "the Holy Ghost Acts made them bishops to rule the church of (iod:" he writes also to the bishops of Philippos, meaning the ministers : for neither Ephesus nor Philippos were so great towns, but one little 494' THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sECT. bishoprick is a greater compass of ground ; then they needed not many bishops. Therefore this diversity of absolving sias, invented by idle brains, that a simple priest may absolve some small ones, other greater belong to the bishop ; the archbishop claims another higher sort ; the rest and foulest sort pertain to popes and cardinals, as the fathers and maintainers of them ; a!it'hoHty ' ^ ^^J'' foolish and childish to Ijeheve, that I think "ower all needful to speak of them : they are not grounded on God's word, and therefore must needs be untrue, and not to be credited, because our faith hangs only on the holy scripture. Greedy covetousness to em-ich themselves has invented these, as also the rest of their superstition, which they term rehgion. St Jerome, in his commentary on the i. chapter ad Tit. says, that " a bishop and a priest is all one ;" and in his epistle ad Evagrium he says, that "the bishop, wheresoever he be, he is of the same power and priesthood'." Rome makes him not better, nor England makes him worse. A bishop is a name of office, labour, and pains, rather than of dignity, ease, wealth, or idleness. The word episcopus is Greek, and signifies a scoutwatch, an overlooker, or spy ; be- cause he should ever be watching and warning, that the devil our enemy do not enter to spoil or destroy. And as in war the watchmen, scouts, or spies, if they fall on sleep or be neghgent, they betray their fellows, and deserve death ; so in God's church, if the bishops watch not dihgently, and save their sheep, God has pronounced sentence of death against them by his prophet. Ezek. xxxiii. " I made thee a watchman to the house of Israel, says the Lord : thou shall hear the word of my mouth, and declare it them from me. If I say to the wicked, Thou wicked, thou shalt die, and thou wilt not warn him to take heed to his way, he shall die in his wickedness, but his blood I will require of thee." But I think the holy bishops he cracks so much of, have \} Qui, qualis presbyter debeat ordinari, in consequentibus disserens, hoc ait, Si quis est sine criinine, unius uxoris vir, et cetera, postea intulit, Oportet enim episcopum sine crimine esse, tanquam Dei dispensatorem. Idem est ergo presbyter qui episcopus. In Titum, c. i. v. .5. T. iv. p. 413. Paris. 170G. — Ubicunque fuerit episcopus, sive RomEe, sive Eugubii, sive C'onstantinopoli, sive Rhegii, sive Alexandria, siveTanis, ejusdemmeriti, ejusdem est et sacerdotii. Epist. ci. Ad Evangelum. (" Falsely in- scribed," say the Benedictine editors, "in the old editions. Ad Em- yrinm.") T. iv. Pars ii. p. 803. Ed.] ••] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 4.95 their calling of the Dutch name, that signifies biti' sheep, rather than of the Greek, that teaches to save sheep by his painful diligence. If they were not too much blinded in their own fool- ishness, they might see in the last subsidy granted in the time of their own reign', that they grant those to be their betters and above them, from whence they receive their authority. The parliament gives them and their collectors power to suspend, deprive, and interdite any priest that pays not the subsidy : in that doing they grant the parliament to be above them, and from it to receive their power; yea further, to let them see how they be contrary to themselves, they give a lay-man (as most part of their collectors were) power to interdite, suspend and absolve a priest : which both be contrary to their own doctrine. I had not thought to have said so much on these his few words; and yet much more hangs on this their opinion of claiming their usurped power above princes and other ministers. For if this their opinion were true, that God gave them such authority over his church as they claim, it might be said on them, as the poet says, Ovem lupo comtmistl^' that God had appointed wolves to keep his sheep. ir. There Saint James being Bisliop, and there said Mass. Alas, poor mass ! that has no better a ground-work to be built on than false lies, and so unlearned a proctor to speak for it. I pray you, who helped St James at mass? who hallowed his corporas, superaltar, chalice, vestments, &c.? who was deacon and sub-deacon to read the epistle and gospel \ who rang to the sacring, and served the pax V For I am as sure it was a solemn feast, and that these things wore done, as he is that St James said mass. He that told you the one, could have told you the P Anno 1.5.57. " The clergy gave her [queen Mary] an entire subsidy of eight shillings in the pound, ' now,' as the act ran, ' wlien the im- minent necessity of the defence of the realm required present aid and remedy.' The parliament gave her one subsidy, one 15th and one 10th." Strype's Memorials, Vol. in. Part ii. p. 105. Oxford, lti22. Ed.] P Terence, Eunuch, v. 1. You have committed the sheep to the care of the wolf. Ed.] []* Pax : A board, or plate of metal, on which there was a representa- tion of the crucifixion, handed round to the people at mass for them to kiss instead of a mutual salutation— the kiss of peace. Fosbroke. Ed,] 4.96 THE BURNING OF PAUL's. [sect. other as well as this, if he had lust ; and ye say your mass cannot be said without these trinkets. I pray you, what mass was it ? Began it with a great B. of requiem^ or scala cceli, or resurrexi, for the plague, or murrain of beasts ? part of a trental, or for all christian souls ? If ye will have us to believe it, ye must tell us some more. I pray you also, which St James was it ? for we read of divers of that name, both in the scrip- ture and others histories, living at that time. It is not enough to say, so it is ; but ye must prove it, if ye will be believed. I pray you, whose mass, as they term it, used he, and of whose making was it ? Chiysostom's or Basil's, Gregory's or Ambrose', or that which bears his own name of St James ? What lan- guage spake he ? Hebrew, Greek, or Latin ? These things must be proved, afore your Latin popish patched mass by so many popes in so many years, or it was brought to his perfection, can be proved. Do they think that, because my lord bishop, master doctor, or such scavengers and corner-creepers as this champion is, say it is so, and deceive the people with lies privily in corners, that none dare .say against it openly, but all their .sayings must be believed ? I do not take them to be of that authority or credit. But I will not stand with him in all these narrow points, although I could keep him much play in so doing. I agree that James, brother of our Lord, was bishop there at Jeru- salem, as the ancient writers testify : but that he said or did any thing like the popish clouted Latin mass, that I utterly deny. For that the church, altar, superaltar, vestments, cha- lice, &c. should be hallowed, afore they could have mass said in them, on them, or with them, it is plain written in their own law, de Consccm. distinct, i.' ^Vhen they have proved that St James had these hallowed, how and by whom they were hallowed, then I will believe he said their foolish mass, and not afore : for their mass cannot be done without them. Also, if they will be beheved, they must declare what order of mass he used : was it Chrysostora's, Basil's, Justin's, Tertulhan's, Sacrificia non nm super altare et locis Deo consecratis qfferantur. Sicut non alii quani sacrati Deo sacerdotes debent missas celebrare, sic non in aliis quam in Domino consecratis locis, id est in tabemaculis divi- nis precibus a pontiticibus delibutis missas cantare aut sacrificia offeiTe licet, Decret. Gratian. p. 1979. Antv. 1573. Ed.] II.] roN'FiJTATio\ or A\ ADDITrOX. 4f)7 Austin's, Dionysius', Isidorus\ Gregorv's, Rabanus", the Ro- mans', or whose else "i Surely all these were unborn many years after St James died, that it could not be theirs, ^\'hy, I am sure, some will say. Is there so many divers sorts of so many holy fathers to minister the Lord's supper, and our holy bisiiops of late have burned so many innocents, that would not use their only one disordered order of massing, as though all other were heretical and schisraatical, (as they term it,) but that only one which they have devised, disguised and misused I Yea, surely these diversities all be printed and to be had with many more godly ones, and therefore they cannot deny it : and because they be printed, I ^vill not stand to rehearse them wholly, for it were infinite. There is yet another liturgy in print, (which word they call and unlearnedly translate ever a ii/tf,<<.) l)eai-ing the name of St James: but even in their late raging time of madness, when they had gotten certain copies of tlieso (Jn't-k liturgies, or ministering the Lord's supper, thinking to have printed them, and that it would have stablished their doings, when in trial and translating them they see it fall out other- ways and to make against them, they let it alone, and sup- pressed it: like as the same holy father and cardinal' first printed his book, tliat he wrote against king Henry the eighth, to please the pope withal, and to stir the emperor to war against England for falling from poj^ery ; and after, his con- science accusing him to have done amiss, he burned all the books he could come by, and yet now they be commonly sold to his shame, as these liturgies be to theirs. All these orders of ministering the communion differ from their pope-holy relic, their Latin mass, in the chiefest points: that is, that the priest prays not alone, nor in a strange language, eats not, nor drinks up all alone, nor receives it for other ; sells it not for money, nor sweeps the pope's scalding house, his purgatory, with it ; but the people pray with him in their mother tongue, receive with him for the comfort of their own souls, and not for pocky pigs, scalled horse, nor scabbed sheep ; neither making trentals or merchandise of it, but in remembrance of Christ's death, who died for them. But that St James never said the popish mass, as they [' Cardinal Pole. The book referred to is his work cm tlie Kind's Supremacy, entitled !)/• Unitntp Krclt:iii^^>. Kd.] [I'lI.KIXr.TOX.] 498 THE nURNIXG OF PAITl's. [sect. Kpist. would father it on him, the pope himself grants. Pope Gre- capTs. gory the first (called the great for his great holiness and leai-ning, in comparison of the rest) says, that "the apostles con- secrated the host only with the Lord's prayer," when they minis- st James tered'. Then St James, if he ministered any thing at all there, never said ' ... mass. even by the pope's confession, never said their Latin mass, nor any thing like it. For that consecration in Latin of theirs has many long other prayers, crossings and blessings, and supersti- tious ceremonies, as all men see, beside the Lord's prayer. And in that .same-self chapter of Gregory, ye shall .see other diver- sities of ceremonies and prayers there rehearsed, wherein the Latin mass differs from the Greek and other. AVherefore it was not thought of old time to so many holy fathers a wicked thing to have divers orders in ministering the communion, though our bloody butchers will not swerve an inch from their father of lies, but burn all that gainsay them. How many toys, crossings, blessings, blowings, knoekings, kneelings, bow- ings, liftings, sighings, houslings, turnings and half turnings, mockings, mowings, sleepings, and apish playings, soft wiiis- perings, and loud speakings, have we to consecrate om- own devices withal, or it can be getten done ! Moreover, if St James should have used our Latin canon and privity of the mass (as they term it) in his con.secration, or any such like, he should have prayed to himself, and wor- shipped himself, being alive, which were a gi-eat absurdity to grant. For the Latin canon and privity of the mass is full of praying to saints, and names them particularly; among whom St James is one himself. Then St James using the Latin mass, as they say he did, he should have prayed to himself, and worshipped himself, being alive : wliicli I think, when they advise themselves better, they will not grant to be true nor meet to be done ; and with such w icked foolishness I trust they will not burden St James withal. Fiu^hermore it slvills much, what language St James used : for our holy bi- shops think it not meet that their holy relics should be uttered 1 Cor. xiv. in our English tongue. St Paul says, he " had rather speak five words that he understands, and to teach other, than ten Orationem autem doininicam idcirco mox post prccem dicimus, qui mos apostolonini fuit, ut ad ipsam solummodo orationem oblationis liostiam consecrarent. T. n. p. AGO. Basil. ).5C4. Kd.] II.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 499 thousand in a strange tongue:" our prelates say, Nay. "None will prepare himself to war, except he understand what the trumpet blows:"" no more can any learn his duty to CJod, if he understand not the thing that is taught, and the language. Our prelates say, that blind ignorance is the mother of de- votion; but Christ says, "Ye err, because ye know not the scripture :" then ignorance is the cause of error. By like God either understands not English, or else he is partial, and loves not our English tongue so well as the Latin : and yet to speak or understand divers languages is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Surely, if the Holy Ghost give the grace to speak and un- derstand divers languages, God cannot hate them that use any of them, nor disallow the gifts of the Holy Ghost in any man. We read (for they be turned into Latin and printed), that other countries have used of old time, and yet do at this day, their own language in ministering the Lord's supper. ^Vhy then may not England do the same ? What fault have we made, more than other 1 Chrysostom's order of the conmiunion, Basirs, and that which bears the name of St J ames, were writ- ten in the Greek, which the people understood, and answered in the same language. The Syrians, Ethiopians, Armenians, Muscovites, and the dominion of prester John do at this day, and ever did, use their own language when they ministered, and out of them are turned into Latin, that easily it may be seen how we differ. The good christian emperor Justinian com- mands plainly in his civil laws, Novell. Constitut. I2i and 126, " That all things should be done in the churches in those lan- guages which were known in the countries, and also that the words of baptism and the Lord's supper should be spoken in a loud voice, that thereby the devotion of the hearers might be stirred up' :" which all (although they were written a thousand P Ad hiBc jubemus ut oninus episcopi pariter et pvesbyteri non tacito modo, sed clara voce, qiut a fideli populo exaudiatur, sacram ob- lationem et prcces in sancto baptismo adhibitas celebrent ; quo majore exinde devotione in depromendis Domini Dei laudibus audicntium aniini cffcrantur. Ita eniiii et divus apostolus docet, dicens in prima ad Corin- thios epistola, Enimvero si solummodo benedicas spiritu, quomodo is, qui privati locum implet, dicet ad gi-atiarum actionem tuain Deo ipsum Amen, quando quidera quid dicas non videt? Novell. Constitut. cxxiii. De Ecdednstkis Biwrsis Cnpitttlis, p. 215. Paris. 15G2. Ed.] 32—2 500 THK BL'RXIXG OF PAUl's. [sect. years since) our I10I3' papists den}-, and say it was never done, nor ought to be done, nor that princes have any such authority to command or meddle in. Pope Pius the second bears wit- jEneasSyi- ness, that the Sclavons, when thev made suit to minister in vius,Histor. . * Bohemiea, their own tongiie, and the pope made courtesy to grant it. a voice was lieard from heaven, that every spirit and language should praise God; and so it was gi-anted them to use their own language'." The popish kind of marriage, although the rest was Latin, yet the best part was English : " I, N. take thee, N. to my wedded wife, &c. I, N. take thee, N. to my wedded husband, &c." If this was well, why not the rest also I If in making promises we use that language which we understand, why should we not do it to understand what God commands us ' Is a promise to man more to be considered than that which is made to God? If these things should be denied, they be in print, that every man may read; and there- fore I will not stand long in rehearsing of them. Are these tongues more holy than ours, that the holy mysteries may be used in them, and not in ours? I leave out the Bohemians and Waldenses, which have used to communicate in their own language many (though not all) these three hundred years. The Germans, the Italians, and the French I pass over, be- cause it is not old. But these countries, they will say, are in the east part of the world, and parts of the Greek church, which never was subject to their holy father, the pope, and in these things they do err; but the west church, worshipping the pope, would never suffer any such thing. In thus saying they prove the pope to be worse than the Turk, prester John, the Soplii. or any heathen prince, that will not suffer God's people to wor- ship their God in their own language, as they do. It is great marvel to me, why our holy prelates will not have the people to pray in English, seeing the common rude sort and altogether imlearned in all the far north parts of the realm, even the bor- [' Referunt Cyrillum, cum RoniEe ageret, Romano pontifici suppli- casse, ut Sclavorum lingua ejus gentis hominibus, quam baptizaverat, rem divinam faciens uti posset. De qua re duni in .sacro senatu disceptaretur, essentque non pauci contradictores, auditam vocem tanquam de c»lo in hiec verba missam, " Omnis spiritus laudet Doniinum, et omnis lingua confifeatur ei." Indeque datum Cyrillo indultum. 2En. Sylv. Historia Bohemica, cap. p. 9). Basil. 1.571. Ei>.] CONFL'TAl'ION 01' A.\ ADDITION. 501 dcrs, have ever used the Lord's prayer, tlie articles of our faitli, and ten commandments, and yet do, in Enghsh metre, differing nothing from the true sense of the scripture. Tliey never learned them in Latin, and cannot nor will not learn that they understand not. Surely, God's wisdom in their rude sim- plicity does confound these proud prelates' wicked popery. Yet is there remaining one of the foulest lies that is com- monly read or written in the pope's testament, the decrees whereon they build their faith ; which if this proctor and all his partakers can prove to be true, I will say with them. It is written de Consecra. distinct, i. cap. Jacobus., that " St James, the brother of our Lord, bishop of Jei-usalem, and Eusebius, bishop of Cesarea, made their mass'." If this have any likeness of a truth in it, let the world judge. St James was bishop of Jerusalem, and there lived continually, not wandering into other countries, as other apostles did, but there suffered mar- tyrdom, being thrown down from the pinnacle of the temple, where a fuller smote out his brains with a club. In Jeinisalem then their natural speech was Hebrew, and the prayers that they used in the temple were only the scriptures, and in the Hebrew tongue, a.s the Jews do to this day in their syna- gogues : (wherein they prove themselves better than the pa- pists, which in their churches have lew prayers of the scrip- ture, but many foolish ones devised of their own brain, and in a language that the people understand not.) Therefore, when they have proved that the Latin tongue ^\as used in Jerusa- lem, or that St James prayed in Latin, (although I doubt not but he had the giit of tongues, as well as other apostles had,) I shall then believe them. The order of the communion which is abroad in the name of St James, is in Greek; but that he wrote or spake Latin in Jerusalem, there is no probability in it. And if he made our Latin mass then, that should be used now throughout the world, why would he make another in Greek so far unlike to it 1 Both cannot be ti'ue, that he made one in Greek and \^ A (]uibus fuerit tradita misnurum cdubrutio. Jacobuj^, fratcr Do- mini secundum cavncni, cui priinum crcdita est Hieiosol^vniitana ecde- sia, ct Eusebius, Ca-sariensis episcopus, cujus claiitas per totuni orljcni rcfulsit in siriptuiis, addidenint nobis niissa? celebiationem, Djst. i. Gratinn. Pars iii. p. 1990. Antv. 1573. Ed.] 502 THE KURXIXG OF I'AULS. [siXT. another in Latin, so far unlike one to the other. Afterward the gloss upon this text of the pope's decree, afore rehearsed, de Consecra. distinct, i. says, that " St James made the canon of the mass, and Eusebius added other pieces to it afterward but beside that inconvenience which I spake of afore, that St James then should pray to himself, if that were true, a greater untruth would follow, that is, to pray to saints that were un- born, some one hundred, some two hundred, some three hun- dred year after, and more ; as to Cyprian, Cornelius, Lau- rence, Chrysogonus, Damianus, which, and such-like women as Luce, Agnes, Cecily, &c. are put in their canon, or privity of their Latin mass. Is this like, that St James, a saint him- self, would pray to a saint (if they were saints), that was yet unborn so many years after his death I But it may be thought that they knew these things to be so foolish, that if they were openly read and understand, they would be laughed at and despised, and therefore they enjoin their chaplains to speak softly when they say these things, that none should hear them what they say. If it were good, it were no danger in letting it be heard, for it would make them good that heard it (for faith comes by heai-ing), though their opinion is that it would be despised. But surely hearing is the way to make men good. Yet follows a greater inconvenience, if this pope's decree were true. For as the gloss there says that St James made their canon, so it says that Eusebius, which lived (as he says) under the emperor Julianus Apostata, should make the rest. How can their great relic, the mass, then be one thou- sand five hundred years old. as they crack it to be' This council of the apostles, where St James said mass (as this proctor says), was about fifty years after Christ our Lord was born, and not full twenty years after he was crucified, as many histories do testify ; but Eusebius lived under Julian the emperor three himdred and sixty year after the birth of our Saviour Christ: and now since Christ's birth it is one thousand five hundred and sixty-two. Then take three lum- dred and sixty out of one thousand five hundred and sixty- two, and so remains but one thousand two hundred and two. So by their own account they lie thi-ee hundred and sixty year in the ancienty of their mass. COXl-UTATION OF AX AUDIJIOX. 503 But yet a greater lie. Eusebius was a Grecian, and never wrote in Latin, that any history makes mention of: how then wi-ote he their Latin mass? Yea, where Gregory, Ijishop of Rome, in the epistle afore alleged says, that one Seholasticus ' Li'i'fvii. made the prayers of their canon, how can this be true that St James made it ? Dare they deny that which the holiest of the popes, their fathers, says is so ? But because they charge us with contrarieties and diver- sities of opinions, and are most in that fault themselves, I wll yet let them see more wherein they differ among them- selves. Isidonis, lib. i. de Orir/ine Officionim, cap. v, as Faber alleges him^, says that "St Peter ordained first the order of "^^'^"s*^'- the mass or prayers, with which the consecration is made, and that the whole world followed the same order and this was done by Peter at Antioch, as the same Joan. Faber says. Then how is that true, that St James and Eusebius made it at J erusalem I Nay, how can any of these sayings agree with Platina^, one of the pope's sworn men, which affirms that pope Sixtus appointed the Sanctus to be sung ; Gregory, the Kyrle, Eleeson ; Telesphorus, Gloria in excelsis ; J erome, the epistle and gospel ; Leo, the censing ; Innocentius L the pax ; Ser- gius, the Agnus, &c. ; which all lived a great sort of years asunder; and from the first to the last, afore it could be P Et valde mihi inconveniens visum ost, lit precem quam Seholasticus composuerat, super oblationem diceremiis ; et ipsam traditionem, quam Redemptor noster composuit, super ejus corpus et sanguinem non dicere- mus. Gregor. Op. T. ii. p. 060. Basil. 1564. Ed.] \y Isidorus, qui ante nongentos floruit annos, lib. i. de Origine Offi- ciorum, cap. .5. Ordo missic vel orationum, quibus oblata Deo sacrificia consocrantur, primum a S. Petro est institutus : cujus celebrationera uno eodemque modo totus pcrogit orbis, &c. Lib. iv. cap. iii. p. 07. I'e- tvus quidem missam celebravit Antiochitc. Lils. i. cap. ii. p. 8. Paris. 1564. Ed.] In celebrationc vero mandavit (Sixtus I.), ut Saiuiiis, suncfiis, sanctus, Dmiiiimn Deius .sahitoth cantaretur. Nuda priuio lui-c crant, ct omnia simpliciter tractaliantur. Petrus cnim iibi consccra^■crat, orationc Pater vaster usus est : auxit hscc niysteria Jacobus cpiscopus Hicrosoly- mitanus: auxit et Basilius; aiixere ct alii. Nam Celestinus missic in-- troitum dedit, Gregorius Kijrie eleeson, Gloria in e.rce/nis Deo Telesphorus, collationes Gelasius primus, epistolam et cvangclium Ilieronymus, * * « thus Leo tcrtius, osculum pacis Linoccntius primus; ut cancretur Ay- nns Dei, Scrgius pontifex instituit. Dc vitis Poutificum, p. 16. Colon. 1540. Ed.] .j04 the bcrmng of pavl's. [jixt. patelicd together, it \\as six liundred year' For Gregory was pope six hundred year after Christ was bom. Other sorts of reckoning there be, wliich pope added which part to the mass, and they agree not on the names ; but in the num- ber of years there is no great difference : for it was seven hundred year after Christ afore they had perfectly patched it together, and brought it in estimation, as appears by these reckonings. AVhere is now their one thousand five hundred year they crack so much on ? AVhen they have learned to speak the truth, and agree among themselves, they may better blame other that do not. I will not lay all their lies and dis- agreeings to their charge, for it were too long; but when they have answered these, then they shall have more. In the mean time, these are sufficient to let them see that have eyes, and be not wilfully blind, how vain their bragging lies be, when they crack that their superstition, which they tenn their re- ligion, is so old, and that the contraiy was never heard of unto now a few years past. There is another subtler sort of papist ; and when they see these things to be so foolish, that they liave no good ground- work, nor able to be defended, they say, that Christ himself said the first mass : and yet that is as untrue as the rest. For the reasons that I made against the canon of St James (as they call it), the same may more justly be applied for om- Saviour Christ. I am sm-e they will not say that he ate all alone, nor prayed to any saints; nor what kind of mass it was, they are not able to shew, and prove it so to be. I grant, and most true it is, that our Saviour Christ instituted the holy Commu- nion, or the Lord's Supper (as St Paul calls it) ; but for any thing done by him to prove their mass, I utterly deny. In his last supper he sacrificed not for the quick and the dead, as they do in their mass : but that sacrifice was offered by himself in his own body and blood shed on the cross, on Good Friday, the next day after that he instituted his holy Supper the night afore, and bid them do that in remembrance of him unto his coming again. This is tliat ^^•hich we desire all to follow : this is that M hich condemns their mass : this is that w hich we would have, all to eat and drink of that bread and cup with the min- ister, as he did with his apostles, and as St Paul wills the Corinthians to do ; and not one priest to stand lifting it over II.] COMLT.VnON 01- AX ADDITIOX. ."iOo hi.s head to be worsliipped, and the people to stand gazing at it, and be content with looking at it : and when they receive, to take both the bread and the cup, and not to rob God's people of the one half of the supper, the blood of our Saviour Christ, which he shed for the lay-people, as v.ell as for priests ; and bad them drink it, as well as the priests : for he loved them, and died for them, as well as for the priests. And priests can no more save themselves than they can, but have the same Saviour that they have, and must go to heaven the same way that they do. And because they crack so proudly of the ancienty of their j.^^^ mass', let me see in what ancient -writer they read of it or find the word written. I know they would fain have the word to be Hebrew : but if it be so, it rather makes against them than with them. For if it be a sacrifice of the Jews, then it is taken away by our Saviour Christ, and fulfilled by him, as all other sacrifices of Moses be ; or else, they be Jews, using those sacrifices which God forbad to use at these days after the coming of Christ. The apostle to the Hebrews says, that " if ^■ the priesthood be taken away and translate to another sort, then the law is taken away toof' but the priesthood of Aaron is taken away and all his sacrifices, (or else Christ is come in vain); why, then the law of sacrificing must be taken away too, as the apostle there says. If they consider the nature of the Hebrew word, they would not strive so much about it. They glory much that the name of their mass is inissah in Hebrew, and should be written, Deut. xvi, and thereof should missa come in Latin, or else the Hebrew name to remain still. The word missah signifies a freewill (f ift, that a man offers -willingly unto the Lord ; and not only that which the priests offer of then:- selves, but also which any other man freely brings to be offered : therei'ore, if this word or place make for them, it proves that all manner of men may say mass ; for every man may willingly bring what he lust to offer ; and then priests have spun a fair thread in alleging this against themselves, and proving that every man may say their mass. But the word signifies also a ^' In the Arts and Monuments of .Tohu Foxc, a coiitcni|)ovavy of bishop Pillviugton, will he found an interesting and valuable treatise ou the Origin and Canon of the Mass. iSec the beginning of Book x. Edit. 1.583. and in Vol. ii;. Edit. 1G84. En.] 506 THE lJUllMN'(i Ol- I'AUl's. [sECT. lifting up, as some do take it, and therefore they prove their elevation by it. Thus they be driven to hard sliifts, that they cannot well tell what to make of it. They are well content with either signification, or both, if they might keep it ; for the one bids men bring, and they would gladly take ; the other to lift up as a sacrifice, and that maintains tlieir state. Head the place, and then judge the meaning : "Thou shalt keep the holy day of weeks, says Moses (that is, Whit-sunday seven weeks after Easter), and thou shalt bring a gift of thine own free will according to thy power, as the Lord has blessed thee with much or little." This free gift is called luissah, and the people must give it : then, if it make any thing for mass, it makes also that the peo- ple should say mass ; for they bring every one this gift as they be able. The priests say not mass freely, but for money, and therefore it cannot be called a freewill gift on their part. But because they are delighted with gifts, and will not say mass freely, they rather ground themselves hereon, that they may not only sell, but raise the price of them, and lift it high over their heads. They may speak well of the gospel, if they would, or had any good natures in them. For their mass was never so honoured, nor at so great a price, as the gospellers have made it, at a hundred marks, where they will sell it for a groat ; and God forbid that ever it be better cheap ! Surely, if it be so good as they report it to be, it is too good cheap yet, and they with selling so good cheap have brought it out of estimation. A good thing cannot be too dear : and surely he that will lie broil- ing in purgatory for sparing one penny, a groat, or ten shilhngs for a trental, he has few friends ; and if he be able to pay it and will not, I will never be sorry for him, though he lie there still. There is another Hebrew word called mass, that signifies a tribute, which may well be applied to it, (because they be de- lighted with ancient names, I shall help them.) for it is the gi-eatest tax that ever was laid on the world. All princes, hea- then and christened laid together, never took such a tribute of the people, as the pope and his collectors do by mass. For mass princes have given whole countries, noblemen their land, and the people their goods ; they have disherited their children, and impoverished themselves, to feed the pope's chaplains and buy masses. Alas, dear pennyworths for so vile a tiling ! The II.] CO.NFin'ATION OF A\ ADDITKIN. 507 Dutch word messe helps them well too, which signifies a free mart or fair for all people to resort to with all wares to buy and sell, and with such liberty, that those evil men, which dare not nor may not come near at other times without danger, then may freely go and come without harm after that the market bell be rung, as they use. So is their mass. What ware soever is brought for it, it is welcome, they refuse none : wool, bacon, cheese, freers never refused ; and be he never so wicked, it is not denied him; it is a salve for all .sores, and heals all wicked- ness and sorrows, that fall either on man or beast. They would fain have it ancient, and therefore they seek the old authors, where the word missa may be found. They allege Ignatius, Clemens, Dionysius, Sozomenus, &c., where they would make men believe it were read. Indeed, in trans- lating these out of Greek they use the same word ; but he that has read his Greek grammar can soon understand, that there is no sucli word in Greek. Therefore, as the interpreter docs foolishly use the word, so foolishly they follow and believe him. The word is Latin, and is used in no Latin writer commonly afore Gregory the first, who lived six hundred vear after Christ, '.i''-v. Epis- " " ' tola 33. save twice or thrice only in Ambrose in his Epistle', and yet he lived four hundred year after Christ. Then they have not so great cause to crack of ancienty of the thing, nor of the word, seeing neither Hebrew, Greek, nor Latin can be proved to have such a word in such a signification the space of four hundred year after Christ, no, nor then neither; for though Ambrose used the word, yet it signifies far othervvays, as Ambrose's order of commimion well declares. I will not stand to rehearse the manifold interpretation of the Latin word, and what the meaning of it is, lest ye would laugh : hereafter, if occasion bo given by them, I shall more fully entreat of it. One thing I would demand of master proctor ; and if his answer be not ready, I am content he ask counsel, so that he answer substantially, that it may abide trial. Good Friday- J^.J'^",'^ '^'^^^^ mass, why does it differ from all the year beside? One of these three must needs follow, either that one mass only is good, and the rest naught ; or the rest good, and that naught ; or else (as I am sure he will say) both are good. If both be Ego tamcii inansi in muncro ; niissam faccrc ca-pi. Class, i. Epist. xx. § 4. En.] .508 THE HLRXIXG OF PAUl's. good, then there may be divers sorts of them : if there may be two divers sorts, and both good, why may there not be a tliird or a fourth as good 'i Why then may not the order now appointed in English be good too I On Good Friday there is neither epistle, nor gospel, ffloria in excelsis, nor creed, sanc- tm nor aqnus, canon nor privity, crossing, toying nor blow- ing, nor their words of consecration, pax, nor lie, luissa est, not so much as Dominus Tohiscmn, but straight after confiteor he leaps post haste over all to the Paternoster. Surely, if this be good one day, it may be used oftener : and this agrees best with that that (Jregory says, "The apostles consecrated only with the Lord's prayer and therefore it seems, that if any of their masses shoidd be good, that this goes next to the best and simplest sort, without all curiosity. If they may do all perfectly this day without their canon, then their canon and privity is not of so great force as they make it to be. For sure, if this be well on this day, it may be well on other days too ; for God is no changeling, nor he commands not one sort of communicating his supper to-day and another to-moiTow, but always such a one which agrees with his ^^■ord. Their common answer and solution is known, but it will not serve : they must provide better stuff, or else their doings be fooHsh. Bui to make an end of this great controversy for the ancienty of their mass, ye shall hear it determined by a mira- cle from heaven. AVhen there were divers sorts of masses, as they be called, used in Latin in divers places, as at Milan, and every where almost generally, there was used St Am- brose's order of communion, which there continues to tliis day, and Gregory's order was used also in other places ; the pope, to determine the matter, would try -whether should be allowed through his dominion ; for Gregory 's w as not used at all in France, and it was thought shame that Ambrose's order, being but a bishop, should be preferred to the pope's. There- fore he took either of their mass-books, as they term them, in an evening laid them on the altar, locked the church-doors, and desired God to declare by some miracle, whether book should be used generally of all sorts. In the morning Gre- gory's book-leaves were fomid scattered all the cluux-h over, and Ambrose's lay still; the doors being fast locked all night, as he says, but wise men may doubt. This miracle master pope. CONFUTATION OP AN ADDITION. 509 like a wise expounder of dreams, says, tliat as tlie leaves were torn and blown abroad all the church over, so should (Jre- gory's book be used throughout the world. For this was done by God, as well as their great god Bel did eat up all the meat that was set afore him all night, as Daniel writes. But that a man may not be wiser than mounser pope, I would in- terpret this great miracle thus : That God was angry with Gregory's book, and therefore rent it in pieces, and scattered it abroad ; and the other, as good, lay sound untouched, and at the least so to be preferred. This was done by pope Adrian the first, more than seven hundred and seventy-seven years after Christ ; and thus long their holy mass was in controversy afore it was determined. Then it lacks much of one thousand five hundred, as they untruly and proudly crack. These things are not written by any new men, or heretics, as it pleases them to term them, but by their own catholic fathers, I)u- randus arid Nauclerus'. Yea, Polychronicon, lib. vii. chap. 10, writes, that the white observant monks" use by their profession St Ambrose's order, and not ( Jregory's, even at these days : wherefore their mass is not general. I would they did make an end of lying, that we might make an end of reproving them, and both join together in worshipping the living God only, and believing his holy word afore all other. St Austin, in a like controversy of religion Q' Concilio igitur iterum congregato, omnium patrum fuit una sen- tentia, quod missale Aniljiosianum et Gregorianum super altave sancti Petri apostoli poncreiitur, plurimorum episcoporuni sigillis niunita, ct fores ecclesiae claudeventur, et ipsi tota noete orationi insistercnt, ut Dominus per aliquod signum indicaret, quod horum niagis ab ecclcsia servari vellet ; sicque per omnia factum est. Mane igitur ecclesiam in- trantes, utrumque missale super altare apertum invenerunt ; vol alii asserunt, Gregorianum penitus dissohitum et liuc illucquc (lispcrsum in- venerunt ; Ambrosianum vero sohimmodo apertum su\Kr altaro in endom loco, ubi positum fuerat, invenerunt. Quo signo edocti sunt divinitus, Gi-egorianum officium per totuni munduni dispergi, Ambrosianum vero tantum in sua ecclesia observari debere ; et sic usque hodie servatur. Gul. Durandi Rationale Divinorum OfHcionini, Lib. v. tap. ii. p. 130-40. Venet. 1(500. — Nauclerus's account, after tlic introductory circumstances, proceeds: Mane facto invenerunt missale Ambrosianum in loco suo dau- sum, Gregorianum vero apertum et per quaternos dispersum : ex quo statuerunt, &c. Chronica, Generat. xxi. p. Colon. 1.570. Ed.] "That order is named order (\stpisit nsis in Latin. '** They use Ambrose 'soffice, and have diargeof sick mcii, iVc" Polychron. vii. ] 0. En.] •'510 THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sFXT. Retract. I. betwixt liini and the Manichees, pra)'s thus : " 0 great and Almighty God, and God of all goodness, whom we ought to think and believe that thou art inviolable, incorruptible, and immutable ! O triple Unity, which all the church does worship, I, having experience of thy mercy toward me, pray thee humbly, that thou wilt not suffer them to differ from me in thy religion and worship of thee, with whom since I was a child I have had a most special agreement in fellowship of men. Amen'." God grant us all this to pray, and diligently endeavour our- selves to seek this unity of religion, in worshipping the living God only as he has taught us in his holy word, and no other- ways, for his Son's sake, our Lord and Christ ! So be it. III. " In England, where the faith of Christ and true religion was planted about the year of our Lord 182, Eleutherius, pope, sending le- gates to Lucius, then king of England, which converted tlus realm to the faith, and established true religion in England, which con- tinued 200 years." As the rest of all their doctrine is founded on the pope, so is this. This is their subtlety, to make men beUeve that England has ever received the christian faith and religion from Rome ; and therefore we must fetch it from thence still : which are both most untrue. If nothing else would, this one saying proves him to be unlearned, that thus .says. Gildas^, England 0"!' countryuiau, in his history says, that Britain received the thrfaUh gospel in the time of Tiberius the emperor, under whom Christ Rome^but in suffered. Does not Tertidlian, who lived at the same time tlme!"'^"^^' f>f this pope, write in his book against the Jews thus? "The Deus niagnc, Deus omnipotens, Dcus summae bonitatis, quem in- violabilem et incorruptibilem credi atque intelligi fas est, Trina Unitas, quam catholica ecclesia colit, supplex oro, expertus in me misericordiam tuam, ne homines, cum quibus milii a pueritia in omni convictu fuit summa consensio, in tuo cultu a me dissentire pei-mittas. T. i. p. -59. ed. Paris. 1830. En.] Interea glaciali frigore rigenti insulic, et velut longiore teirarura secessu soli visibili non proximo, verus ille non de finnamento solum temporali, sed de summa etiam coelorum arce tempera cuncta excedenti, universo orbi prsefulgidum sui coruscum ostendens tempore, ut scimus, summo Tiberii Csesaris, quo absque uUo impedimento ejus propagabatur religio comminata senatu noleute a priiicipe morte dilatoribus militum cjusdem, radios suos primum indulget, id est, sua prsecepta, Christus. Rerum Britannicarum Scriptores, p. 11(5, Fol. Heidelb. 1587. Ed]. III.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 1 1 apostles are declared in David's psalm to be the preachers of Christ. Their sound, he says, went out in all the earth, and their words unto the coasts of the earth. In whom else have all people believed but in Christ, which is now comen ? Whom have other people believed I The Parthians, the Medes, the Persians, they that dwell in Mesopotamia, Jury, Cappa- docia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, the strangers of Eome, the Jews, proselytes, men of Crete and Arabia; and other people, as now the diverse sorts of the Getes, and many coasts of the .Morians, all the borders of Spain, divers nations of France, and the places of the Britons, which the Romans could never :utain to, now are subject to Christ, and the places of Sar- matia, of the Danes, the Gemians, the Scythians, and of many iither hid people and provinces, and many isles unknown to us, and which now we cannot reckon. In all which places reigns the name of Christ, which is now comen^" Thus far Tertullian. Mark in how many countries, he says, the name of Christ reigned, it was so commonly and well be- lieved ; and how among them he reckons the wildest places of the Britons to be of the number : and these were cliris- tened in his time, who lived in the same pope Eleutherius' time. Then it was not pope Eleutherius, that first sent the christian faith hither, but they had received the gospel afore lie was born. Does not some chronicles tell, that Joseph of Arimathea came hither and preached here 1 No doubt, either he or some apostle, or scholar of theirs, had preached Christ C'ujus et priedicatores apostoli in psalmis David ostenduntur : '• 111 univcrsa," iiiquit, "terra exiit sonus eorum, et usque ad terminus teiiu' verba eorum." In quern enim alium universse gentes crediderunt, nisi in Christo, qui jam venit? Cui enim et alifc gentes crediderunt? " Parthi, Medi, Elamits, et qui inhabitant Mesopotaniiam, Armenian!, Phrygiam, Cappadoeiam, et incolentes Pontum et Asiam, Pamphyliam, immorantes iEgyptum, et regionem Africa;, qua." est trans Cyrenen, inliabitantes Romam et incolse tunc, et in Hierasalem Judaci," et ceterie ;4cntes : etiam Getulorum varietates, et Mauroi-um multi fines, Hispa- iiiarum omncs termini, et Galliarum diversae nationes, ct Britannorum inaccessa llonianis loca, Christo vero subdita, et Sarmataram, et Daco- 1 uni, ct Gcrmanorum, et Scytharum et abditarum multaiinn gentium, et provinciarum et insularum multarum, nobis ignotarum ; et quae enume- lare minus possumus: in quibus omnibus locis Christi nomen, ijui jam vcnit, regnat. .\dv. Judaos, cap. vn. En.] 512 THE BTTRNIXG OF PAt l. rsF.rr. here, and lie was received and beheved afore this pope was vuZ'nic. ^(i^i^- Beda writes, that in liis time and. almost a thousand nil. V. cap. ygar after Christ, here in Britain, Easter was kept in the full moon, what day in the week soever it fell on', and not on the Sunday after, as we do now. Wherefore it appears that these preachers came from the east part of the world, where it was so used, rather than from Eome, which condemned that use. Peradventure, Eleutherius helped to increase it, and send some jjreachers hither, but that he was the first it cannot be proved : yet would to God they would follow that gospel, religion, laws, and counsel, that Eleutherius gave king Lucius ! But let it be granted them, that Eleutherius established religion in England : will it make any thing for their pur- pose? Read the pope's epistle to the king, and then judge. There is groat controversy what time this king lived, a.s ap- pears in Fabian's table ; and therefore a froward man might doubt, whether any such thing were or not : but I will not deal so precisely with him. Eleutherius' " In the year from Christ's passion one hundred and sixty- kin^ Lucius, nine, the lord Eleutherius, pope, wrote thus to king Lucius. king of Britain, for the correction of the king and his nobles of the realm of ]3ritain : Ye required of us the Roman laws and the emperor's to be sent over to you. the which ye would practise and put in ure within your realm. The Roman laws and the emperor's we may ever reprove, but the law of God we may not. Ye have received of late, through God's mercy, in the realm of Britain, the law and feith of Christ : ye liave with you in the realm both the parts of the scriptures: out [' Permansit autem hujusmodi observantia paschalis apiid eos tempore non pauco, hoc est, usque ad annum dominies incaniationis 71C. per annos mo. Bed. Lib. in. cap. iv. — That time was a great question made and moved of the Easter day, tliat was not tliat time holden lawfully of Scots and of Britons.**" There in that one side came Colmannus the bishop and Hilda the abbess, and alleged for them that their predecessors were worthy men and holy, and held the Easter tide from the 14th day of the moon unto the 20th day of the moon ; and specially St John the Evan- gelist held so the Easter tide in Asia. In the other side against them Egylbertus, &c. alleged, that the manner and the usage of all holy church of Greeks, of Italy, of Rome, of Gallia, and of France should be set tofore the manner, custom, and usage of a corner of the world, that knew not the decrees of synod.s. Polychron. v. 17. See Be<].. Lib. iii. cap. xxv. En.] III.] COXFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 513 of them by God's grace, with the counsel of your realm, take ye a law, and by that law, through God's sufferance, rule your kingdom of Britain. For ye be God's vicar in your kingdom, according to the saying of the psalm, &c. " 0 God, give thy judgment to the king, and thy righteousness to the king's son." He said not, the judgment and righteousness of the emperor, but thy judgment and justice, that is to say, of God. The king's sons be the christian people and folk of the realm, which be under your government, and live and continue in peace within your kingdom, as the gospel says, " Like as the hen gathers her chickens under her wings, so does the king his people." The people and folk of the realm of Britain be yours, whom, if they be divided, ye ought to gather to concord and peace, to call them to the faith and law of Christ, and to the holy church, to cherish and maintain them, to rule and govern them, and to defend them always from them that would do them wrong, from malicious men and enemies, &c. A ^^^"J^ king has his name of ruling, and not of having a realm. Thou shalt be a king while thou rulest well : but if thou do not, the name of a king shall not remain with thee, and thou shalt lose it, which God forbid! The Almighty God grant you so to rule the realm of Britain, that ye may reign with him for ever, whose vicar ye be in the realm' !" This letter to king Lucius is quoted, as here translated, in Foxe's Acts and Monuments, Vol. i. p. 107- Ed. 1583. This letter is noticed by Usher, Spelman, Stillingfleet, and many others. Collier in liis Ecclcs. Hist, of Great Britain has given a full account of the particulars stated by historians respecting king Lucius. Concerning this letter, of which he gives a translation from Lambert de Priscis Anglorum Legibus, he states various objections against its authenticity, concluding thus: "Sir H. Spelman observes, that this letter is not to be met with till a thousand years after Eleutherius' death, and where it was first found, is altogether uncertain. The author of " The customs of London" printed it in the 12th year of Henry VIII. : afterward Lambert inserted it among the laws of Edward the Confessor ; but there it is printed in an italic letter, as a mark of its being spurious. Hoveden's manuscripts of about 400 years' standing take no notice of it ; and, which is remarkable, his contem- porary, Geoffrey of Monmouth, who did not use to suppress or overlook any British antiquities, says nothing about it. And as for the manuscript in Guildhall, London, it seems, at the most, to be no more than 200 years old." Collier's Eccles. Hist. 1708. Book i. Cent. 2. Mosheim observes, "These ancient accounts arc exposed to much doubt, and are rejected by the best informed persons." Vol. i. Cent. 2. En.] 88 [PII. KINGTON.] 514 THE BURNING OP PAUL S. [sect. Thus far the epistle. Mark, I pray you, what tliis good pope grants, and whether he be of this peevish proctor's opinion, or of his holy bishops' that he cracks so much on. First, he wills him not to take the Komans' laws to rule his realm by, for they may ever be reproved ; but to make laws according to the scripture, which never can justly be gainsaid, and by them to rule. Further, he calls the king "God's vicar" twice in this letter. Tliirdly, he says the king ought to call the people to the faith of Clu-ist. How can papists then be disobedient to kings, when they see the pope grant so much to kings ? The pope calls the king God's vicar ; and our papists deny it, and say the pope is God's vicar. The pope bids rule by the scripture, and refuses his own laws : but our holy bishops say scriptures make heretics, and will be subject to no laws but the Romans'. Lastly, he charges kings to bring the people to the faith : but our spirituality say, kings have nothing ado in ecclesiastical matters nor religion. They stick much on ancienty, and the pope's authority : and yet those godly things which godly ancient popes have said and decreed, they cannot abide, be- cause it takes away their authority and pride. Platina and Polychronicon' write, that this pope decreed that no man should refuse any meat that man eats. If this pope say true, why have we then commanded, upon pain of deadly sin, by papists so many superstitious kinds of fastings and for- bearing meats at certain times I If they be not superstitious, because they would bind the conscience with them, and make it sin to break them, let them prove it by the scripture to be godly. If they be catholics that believe and follow the pope, why are we called heretics in believing and teaching that which the pope has wi-itten 1 If they will be called the pope's dar- lings, why do they deny the pope's wTitings ? If true religion was stablished here by this pope, why then does this scavenger sweep the streets with contraiy doctrine to tliis pope, and with false lies ? If they would have us believe and honour the pope, they must first begin themselves. Who will think that he [} Idem etiam statuit, ne quis ob superstitionem cibi genus ullum respueret, quo humana consuetude vesceretur. Platina De Vitis Pontif. p. 21. After Soter Eleutherius was pope 1.5 years : he ordained that chris- tian men should not forsake nor forbear no meat that is skilful and rea- sonable for mankind. Polychron. Lib. iv. ch. 16. Ed.] CONFUTATION OP AN ADDITION. 515 gives good counsel, and would have men to follow him, which will be the first that will do and teach contrary to his own sayings ? These holy bishops of ours honour their pope in suf- fering for him, that never will thank them, and say, they would have all to do the same : yet they themselves are the first that teach and do contrary to this pope, and many other of the eldest sort, in all such things as please them ; and so they will correct him rather than follow the ancientest and best of them. IV. After that again, this land being inhabited with Saxons, being Pai- nims. Saint Gregory, pope of Rome, about tlie year of our Lord God, .595, sent Saint Austin and his company, who by their doctrine and virtuous livmg planted the faith, and so established a true religion in England: the which faith and religion ever when the people have declined from it, they have felt great calamities as well by the hand of God, as by the conquest of the Danes, and after by the Normans; and sith the conquest from time to time. As I noted afore, they derive all their religion from Rome, to make men believe that place (which is a sink of all sin, and esteemed of none but them that knows it not) to be the fountain of all godliness. But as I declared afore, that they forsake all the ancient goodness in Rome, so shall I by this pope's doings too let the world see, if they will, that in main- taining the pope in words by outward appearance, they utterly deny him in their deeds ; and they only pick out of the filthiest of them that which may maintain their superstition, pride, and tyranny. That the Saxons invaded and obtained this realm for the sins of the country, it is too plain ; but whether Austin planted true religion, the doctors may doubt, and his deeds will prove. It were too long to write all that Galfridus Britannicus in his history wrote, about the year of our Lord one thousand one hundred and fifty, in the latter end of his eighth book, cap. IV. how the holy learned bishops withstood the teaching of Austin at his coming into the realm, and the pope's autho- rity that sent him ; but these few words of his are sufficient to declare their mind. "In the mean while was, Austin sent of Gregory," he says, " into Britain to preach the word of God to the Englishmen, which almost had driven out all christian re- ligion of that part of the isle where they dwelt in Kent : but among some of the Britons the faith of Christ did yet flourish; 33-2 516 run: burning of paul's. [st.ct. and there were seven bishops, and an archbisliop, and many holy prelates and ablieys remaining, which taught their flock the right order. At liangor in one church were two thousand one hundred monies, which get their living with their hands : ^'thsttwd their abbot was called Dinoth. When Austin required of the pope'T'ie-""* bishops subjection, Dinoth proved by divers arguments tliat they ought [owed] him none. Then Ethelbert, king of Kent, perceiving that the Britons disdained to submit themselves to Austin, he stirred up the other Saxons' kings to fight against Dinoth and his clerks. They gathered a great army, and came to W est Chester, where Bremael was mayor. The monks and eremites met him there to pray for the safeguard of their people, Eldefridus, king of Northumberland, fought with Bremael, and slew one thousand two hundred monks, and had many of his own men slain. Then the dukes of Britain, hear- ing of his cruelty, Blederic duke of Cornwall, Margadud duke of South ^Vales, Caduane duke of North Wales, came and fought with him, and slew ten thousand of his men, and about sixty-six more ; and Blederic, that was the grand captain, was slain there'." Thus far says he. First mark here, that the christened Britons would not submit themselves to Austin, the pope's legate, as they that had fallen from religion did. Se- condly, that so many monks lived not idle, but wrought for their living. Thirdly, note the old practice of papists, to shed blood cruelly, if their .superiority be denied them. Polychronicon, lib. v. chap. 9, and Fabian, chap. 119, write all this same in effect, and also further, that Austin called a council for stablishing his religion ; and when the bishops asked Dinoth whether they .should go to it or no, he said they should go, and obey him if he behaved himself lowly, like a disciple of Christ. His lowliness they should try, if he would rise and reverence them when they come into the council. But when Austin gave no reverence to them at their coming, they were angry, and went their ways. Among other things mark also the pride of the Roman legates, that would not as much as make any kind of curtesy to so many bishops coming to the council. [' The passage is in Lib. xi. capp. xii. xiii. of Galfrcdiis, p. 8.5. of Rei-um Britannicarum Scriptores ^'etllstiorc•s, Hcidelbcrj^. 1.587. Tlie mayor of Chester is there called Brorinail, instead of Bi-eniael. En.] IV. J CONFUTATION OF A.\ ADDITION. 517 Gildas, which writing laments this miserable destruction of Britain by bringing in the Saxons, and complains as much of the decay and neglecting of religion as of wicked living in all sorts of men, from the highest to the lowest, to be the cause of this plague of God, and overthrow of the realm ; he sharply rebukes the kings, but priests and bishops rather more than any other sort of men : so that it seems to be a double plague, both in bringing strangers to rule, and strange religion to blind us withal. And because they crack so much of the religion that Austin brought in, ye shall see what he used. There be eleven questions wi-itten in the latter end of Gregory's works in Latin, which Austin, being in England, desired Gregory, pope of Rome, to write him his mind and opinion in them. The third question is this, which Polychronicon also touches, lib. v. ch. 9: " Why, seeing there is but one faith, there be divers customs of masses in the churches ; and one custom is in France, and another in Rome!" To this Gregory answers, that Austin "should pick out of the Romish church, or the French church, or any other, the best, and use them in England"." jNIark here, I pray you, the beginning and ancienty of their mass here in England, and the patching it together, and beggarly picking it out of all countries; and also, that the pope did not condemn those divers kinds of masses, as our butchers have, and burned them that gainsaid it ; and then ask my masters, that so shamefully lie and proudly crack their mass to be one thousand five hun- dred year old, whether these sayings be truly alleged or no. To the second that is asked, "While the faith is all one, why be there so many divers usages in churches ?" — hereto it is answered in this manner : " What thou knowest is most pleasing to God Almighty, gather thou together, and make that to be used in churches of England. Things be not loved for the place, but the places be loved for good things." Polychron. v. 9. Fo. clxxxiv. col. 4. — The -vvhole of Gregory's answer on this point is as follows : Novit frateriiitas tua Romanie eccle- sia; consuetudinem, in qua se meminit nutritam. Sed mihi placet, ut sive in Romana, sive in Gallicana, seu in qualibet ecclesia aliquid inve- nisti, quod plus omnipotenti Deo possit placere, sollicite eligas; et in Anglorum ecclesiam, quae adhuc in fide nova est, institutione pracipua quse de multis ecclesiis colligcre potuisti, infundas. Non enim pro locis res, sed pro bonis rebus loca amanda sunt. Ex singuhs ergo quibusque ecclesiis qua; pia, quae religiosa, qus recta sunt, elige ; et ha;c quasi in fasciculum coUecta apud Anglorum mentes in consuetudinem depone. Grogor. Op. Tom. ii. p. 1191. Basil. 1574. Ed.] 518 THE BURNING OF PAUL's. [sECT. But believe neither me nor them ; look your book of Gregory, and judge yourself who lies, chrfstening^. Fabian also writes, chap. 119 and 130, that this Austin christened the people in the river called Swale, in Swaldale, not far from York ; and that Paulinus, instead of fonts, at the same time (who was one of those whom Gregoiy sent from Eome hither to preach here) baptized many also both in the same river and in another called Gweni, in Gwensedale, in Yorkshire too'. Was it lawful then to christen without hal- lowing of fonts, yea, without fonts, without crossing, blowing, censing, salting, spitting, oil and cream, &c., and now is not ? Who has made it unlawful since ? Are we heretics in doing it without conjured water, as Austin did, whom they so much commend ? Nay, we do it not, nor wish it to be done, in the river, as they did, but in the church. Are they worthy to be called papists, and glory so much in it, which will not follow the pope's legate, nor allow his doings, and dispraise them that do as he did? I speak not this because I would be called a papist, or make the pope my schoolmaster ; but that we would not untruly be called forsakers of ti-ue religion and ancient customs of the church, when we have the old popes and ancient Romish church to teach and allow that which we do. And because this scavenger cracks so much of his holy bishops, that suffer so great pains for disobe\T[ng their prince, and cleaving to their holy father the pope, they that be not wil- fully blind shall see here, that there is none more enemy to that usurped power of the pope, claiming to be above other bishops and princes, nor to that blasphemous name, to be called the universal bishop of the whole church, than this Gregory was, as fully appears in sundry places of his works. In his time began this ambitious desire to creep into the mind of John, archbishop of Constantinople, to be called the head bishop of the world, because Maurice, then emperor, and head above many princes, lay then at Constantinople, and not at Rome, as his ancestors \} 'Wlien he had in one day christened ten thousand of Saxons or Angles in the west river, that is called Swale, before York, &c. Fabian, Chron. Cap. cxix. p. 116. Lond. 1559. From that time forward, by the term of six years, during the life of king Edwn, Paulinus christened con- tinually in both provinces of Deyra and in Brennicia, in the rivers of Gweny and Swala, which he used for his fonts. lb. Cap. cxxx. Ed.] .v.] CONFUTATION OV AN ADDITION. 519 did for the most part. While the emperor lay at Rome, the bishop there was more reverenced than other bishops were, as it is in all commonwealths, wheresoever the prince lies : therefore he thought that, like as when the emperor lay at Rome, the bishop was preferred above other (because commonly princes will have the learneder sort near them), so he thouglit that the emperor now lying at Constantinople, that that bishop should likewise be esteemed ; and therefore he caused the em- peror to write to Gregory, bishop of Rome, in this behalf, and that he should submit himself to the bishop of Constantinople. Gregory answers divers of the emperor^s letters sharply, godlily, wisely, and learnedly, saying, that neither he at Rome, nor the Neitiier other at Constantinople, nor no other in any place, should chal- lenge to him that proud name nor authority above other. ""^.'^jf^^j " None of my predecessors," says Gregory, " would use this cursed name (to be called the universal bishop of all); for if one Lib.iv.Epis. patriarch should be called universal, then the name of patri- archs should be taken from other : but God keep this far from a christian mind, that any man should challenge that to him- self, whereby he might any thing at all diminish the honour of his brether." Note, that he says none of his predecessors used this cursed name. Then in his time it began to be desired : then also they lie, saying that Christ gave this authority of being above other to Peter and his successors from time to time. He calls it also a wicked and cursed name, wherein they glory, and so much desire : wicked and cursed therefore is he that has it or desires it. He says further, they do their brether wrong in taking that honour from them that is due to them, which is, to be of like power and authority with them. If any man now a days should write thus, he would be called a railer, a fool, a prater, &c. but seeing this good pope says so to Lib. vi. Epis. ' o O I I J 30, cap. 194. them, let them take it among them, and believe their pope; for it is true. Again he says : " I say boldly, that whosoever calls himself, or desires to be called, the universal priest, in his pride he runs afore antichrist ; because in being proud he prefers himself above other^" This is their parts then that they play, [- Ego autcm fidenter dico, quia quisquis se univcrsalem sacevdotem vocat, vel vocari desiderat, in elatione sua antichristum prsecurrit, quia supei-biendo se ceteris prsEponit. Greg. Epist. Lib. vi. Epist. xxx. p. 888. Basil. 15G4. Ed.] 520 THE BURNING OF PAIIL's. [sect. to be antichrist's forerunners, or rather to be antichrist himself. Much good do it them with their popes, that so reward their followers : and, seeing their master gives them that name, they may be glad of it, and neither refuse it, nor be angry with them that so call them. It were an easy thing to take many such like sayings out of other doctors ; but because he cries out so oft of this holy father's religion, I keep me within his compass, and allege his iv.Epis. writings only. Gregory in his epistle to Maurice the emperor, among many other words, says thus: " Who is this that against the ordinance of the gospel, and against the decrees of the canons, presumes to take this new name ? Let this blasphe- mous name be far from cliristian men's hearts, to be called the universal bishop, by which the honour of all priests is taken away, when it is foolishly claimed of one man. This name was offered in the synod of Chalcedon to the Eomish bishop, but none of them did take this name of singularity, nor did agree to use it ; lest, while any private thing should be given to one man, all priests should be robbed of their due honour. He is to be bridled, which does wrong to the universal church, which by this private name sets himself above the honour of your empire, &c.'" Thus much Gregorj'. I marvel that the later popes scraped not these sayings out of Gregory's works, or else condemned not his books for heresy, seeing he does so plainly condemn their proud prelacy. But surely, as God has preserved the true text of the bible by the Jews, that are his enemies, to the com- fort of his people ; so for the glory of his name he has saved the writings of good popes, to condemn the fooUshness of the [' Quis est iste qui contra statuta evangelica, contra canonum decreta, no\'um sibi usui-pare nonien prasumit? • • • Sed absit a cordibus christianorum nomen istud blasphemiae, in quo omnium sacerdotum honor adimitur, dum ab uno sibi dementer aiTogatur. Certe pro beati Petri, apostolorum principis, honore per venerandam Chalcedonensem synodum Romano pontifici oblatum est. Sed nuUus eoinim unquam hoc singularitatis vocabulum assumpsit, nee uti consensit, ne dum privatum aliquid daretur uni, honore debito saeerdotes privavcntur universi. * • • Ille coercendus est, qui sanctae universali ecclesl.T injuriam facit, qui corde tumet, qui gaudere de nomine singularitatis appetit, qui honori quoque imperii vestri se per privatum vocabulum supei-ponit. Ibid. Lib. IV. Epist. xxxii. Tom. ii. p. 793. Basil. 1564. Ed.] IV.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 521 late presumptuous tyranny of popes after their times. Remem- ber that he calls it a blasphemous name, and that it is against the gospel and canons, that it was never used, and is a wrong to all the rest. Thus many years it was, six hundred and five, afore the pope had any supremacy gi-anted him ; but straight after his death, when Phocas had murdered the emperor Maurice his master, and made himself emperor, pope Boniface the third and fourth obtained at his hand, that Rome and the bishop there should be the head of other churches and bishops. A meet man to set up a bishop like himself! the one mur- dered his master, and the other kills souls. When they have answered this pope, that denies any of his predecessors to have had this name and authority, then they may crack that they have had it one thousand five hundred since St Peter's time. And where he says in the latter end, that when the people fell from this religion that Gregory send and Austin brought in, they felt great calamities by the conquest of the Danes and the Normans ; if he had advised himself well, he would not have said thus. But as Caiphas prophesied truly, saying, that "it was necessary that one man Christ should die for the people, and not all perish," not understanding what he said ; so this un- learned proctor has spoken more truly than he wots of. For God indeed plagued this realm for falling from true religion taught in his holy word, rather than by Austin, and submitting themselves to the pope, who, as ye heard, refused that name and authority. The conquest of the Danes was not long nor great, hut then followed the Normans, five hundred year since save five. And if ye mark, even about that time was Hildebrand, commonly called Gregory the seventh, pope, who with his fellows brought more wicked superstition into the church of God than ever was afore. Afore his time there was no swarm of idle monks and friars in England, nor in the world, but they wrought for their living; no such gadding of pilgrimages, selling of masses, &c. And therefore God justly plagued the world ior falling from him, and defiling themselves so filthily with the dregs of popery. I speak not this because I think all was well afore, or that all the doings of Gregory and Austin were perfect, liut to let you see that our papists leave the best, and pick out the woret to follow, as meetest for their purpose. 522 THE BURNING OP PAUl's. [sECT. V. Now, whether the people of this realm be declined from the steps of St Austin, and other blessed fathers and saints, which had mass and seven sacraments in the church, and God was honoured night and day in the church with divine service, I tliink there is no man so simple but he may easily perceive, except malice have blinded his heart. As in St Paul's church in London, by the decrees of blessed fathers, every night at midnight they had matins, all the forenoon masses in the church, vnth other divine sei-vice and continual prayer, and in the steeple anthems and prayers were had certain times. That the people of this realm be swerved from the steps of Austin, I will not greatly stick with him to grant : but how ? Not in falling from any goodness that he used (for that they either keep .still, or the better instead of it), but in refusing such abuses as he first began, and since his time the church of God has been overloaden by the pope's oppression withal. And because he says, that we swerve from Austin and other blessed fathers and saints, which had mass and seven sacraments ; who those fathers and saints be, I would he had named them, that it might be seen how truly he says. 1 think he durst not, nor yet can, lest he be taken with a loud lie. I think he means that Austin which is called the apostle of England, and not that other Austin, which is taken for one of the four doctors of the church. There is great difference betwixt them two, both in ancienty of time, in learning and godliness. The English Austin lived here six hundred year after Clirist, the other in Afric four hundred : and that the elder Austin and blessed fathers afore him agree better with our reformed re- ligion than with their popery, I boldly affirm ; and if he or his partakers have or can say any thing to the contrary, they should prove it better than they have done hitherto, or else the world may judge, that they more proudly brag (as Golias did God's 1 Sam. xvii.; people) than can truly prove it. But as David with his sling and stone overcame that mighty giant, so I doubt not but they shall find many, that with the simplicity of God's truth shall be able to confound their wicked subtlety. I am sure, he means chiefly the doctrine of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood : but in that he is already over- matched. I remember, in the time of that blessed king, Ed- ward the sixth. Doctor Ridley, late bishop of London, came in visitation to Cambridge ; and because that doctrine of the sacra- ment seemed strange then to many, he propounded this propo- CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 523 sition to tlic whole university to dispute on : That it could not be proved by any ancient writer, Greek or Latin, which lived a thousand year since, or within five hundred year after Christ, that the substance of the bread was changed in the sacrament to the substance of Clu-isrs body'. There was the eldest and stoutest champions of the whole university, and the pertest lusty young princocks'' also that could be picked out, to say what they could two or three days together : and one while they had liberty to speak what they could in defence of it, and another while to speak against them that withstood it with what reasons or authorities they could devise. Jiut the pithy solutions of that godly learned bishop were so strong then, that, unto the world changed, his enemies praised him, and wondered at his learning, and liked the doctrine so well, that their lusty younkcr would have turned bishop Oranmer's book into Latin, yea, and married too (as was needful), if the good king had lived awhile longer. If this be true in the chiefest point of their religion (as it is most true indeed), that they have not one ancient writer without wresting to seem to make for them, it is much more true in the rest. There is another conference of late betwixt the reverend bishop of Sarum'' and Doctor Cole, wherein tliat learned father lays to their charge, that for the rest of their trash (which they reverence as holy relics) they have neither scripture, ancient writer, doctor, nor general council, to defend their doings. The writings of good Cranmer and these learned bishops are in print, and yet unconfuted and in strength, although one attempted with small praise of late to defend Doctor Cole's part; but if they could have gain- stand it, no man doubts of their good will. They need not to fear their recognizance, fire nor fagot, nor any punishment ac- cording as they deserve ; their bloody laws are laid on sleep, though their hearts be bloody still. And because he but only names particularly mass and P See Foxe, Acts and Monuments, Vol. n. p. 1378. ed. 1.583. for a full account of this disputation. Ridley's Determinations are given p. 1387. See also Ridley's Works, Parker Society, p. 171. En.] [2 Princocks: pert forward youths. Perhaps from the Latin pracox, Ed.] P Bishop Jewell, whose challenge given in his sermon at Paul's Cross led to a con-cspondence wth Dr Cole. These letters were printed a.d. 1560, and arc reprinted in bishop Jewell's works. En.] 52* THE BUllXING OF PAI;l\s. [sect. seven sacraments, and proves it not to be so, I will not use many ways in disproving it ; for he is not a man of that au- thority, learning, nor credit, that because he says it is so, therefore straight it must be so, and be believed : for I may sav it is not so with as good reason as he, if saying without proof were sufficient. For their mass I said enough afore, and proved of what ancienty it was. I declared afore', how Gre- gory's mass-book was allowed seven hundred and seventy-seven years after Christ ; and also how Austin, by Gregory's command- ment, out of such diverse orders of massing as ye see in other countries, patched their order of mass together that they used here in England. Seeing then by their own doctors' confession it is manifest to be so many years after Christ, afore their mass took place here or elsewhere, I may boldly say, that never one holy father, afore Gregory, knew nor allowed any such kind of massing: for then was no such thing made nor used. These, unto they be answered, are sufficient. For their seven sacraments I will not say much at this time, because he stands not any thing in the proof of them. The question is meeter for the learned sort than the people, to try out such narrow points. The controversy is more about the word and name, than the thing itself and use of it. We use six of them that he calls sacraments as well as they, though not without great reason we forbear to call them all sacra- ments; and differ much in the doctrine, the order and using of them, with other ceremonies and language than they do. Bap- tism, the Lord's supper, confirmation of children, marriage, or- dering of ministers, we use them all as well as they, though not in the same sort that they, and teach the people to have them in reverence better than they. Confession is left free to all that feel themselves burdened in conscience, and want either counsel or comfort, and the weak and ignorant are moved to resort to a learned minister to receive the comfortable promises of absolu- tion and forgiveness of sin by the lively word of God, apphed to so troubled a mind as a sovereign salve for all such griefs. The only controversy in number then betwixt us is for ex- treme unction, whether that be so necessarj- to be observed continually in the church. The chief reason whereon they Janus V. ground it, is the saying of St James, " If any be sick, let him [' See pp. 508 and 517. Ed.] COXFUTATION OP AN ADDITION'. 525 call the elders of the congregation, and let them pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, S:c." The other place of St Mark, where the apostles used oil in Mark vi. healing the sick, though they allege it, it proves not their purpose, even as their own doctors teach. Then was a time of ^{'s^'^'^^"" miracles, and God gave that power of healing diseases to con- ^"acmm firm his gospel withal : now it is not lawful to look for such miracles. If they weigh the words of St James well, they will not so much glory in that their sacrament. St James bids them " anoint him with oil." I ask them, with what oil I I mean not, whether with oil-olive, or lamp-oil, or other kind of oil (although that question cannot be answered out of the text of the scripture, and yet, according to the general rule, I grant that where oil alone is named, there is meant oil-olive), but whether it be hallowed and consecrate oil, or common and unhallowed ? I trust, they will not say unhallowed ; for then their holy sacrament should stand on an unhallowed thing, which is a great inconvenience : then, if it must be consecrated, I ask with what words, and after what soi-t must it be done ? There is no words of consecration for the oil in St James, nor in any place of the scripture. If there be, let them .shew them : but their own doctors say that there is none. Then it must be hallowed with words of their own devising : why, then follows it consequently, that man is better than God ; which is blasphemy to grant. It is a greater might and power to make a holy thing than to make the unholy and bare thing itself, as the baker makes the bread, but Chrisfs holy ordinance sanctifies the bread in his holy supper ; but in this their sacrament, God should make the oil, and the bishop should make it holy. And because they stick so stiffly, that all consecrations stand in speaking certain words, I ask what those words be, where they be taught in the scriptures, and whether man have power of his own head to make a thing holier than God has done, and to de- vise the words himself also, wherewith it shall be consecrated and made so holy? The scripture has no such words; and that man should devise those holy words, is great absurdity. When these are answered, more may be replied against them. Again, I demand what scripture they have to prove that bishops only must hallow this oil ; for those that be sacraments indeed, as baptism and the Lord's supper, every priest has au- 526 THE BURNING OP PAUL S. [.SECT. thority to use, minister, and consecrate them according to their holy institution, and do all that belongs thereto, as well as the bishop. Is this their sacrament of an oiling more holy than the other, because bishops, as more holy men, are put to the doing and consecrating of the oil I Yet one doubt more. They have two sorts of oil to anoint withal, differing in holiness, con- secration, and use of them, and yet both hallowed by the bishop. One is of oil and balsam blend together, which is called com- monly oil and cream, wherewith bishops and priests in their con- secrating, and children are anointed in christening : and that is more holy than this for sick persons is, for this is oil alone Mag.senten- without Other things blend thereto, as their master teaches'. tiar. 111). 4. . . ° (list. 23. What scriptiu-e is there for these toys, and the consecrating of them ? St Paul says, that our meat "is sanctified by the word and prayer but I trust they will grant a better conse- cration than this, and more holiness in that oil than in oiu- daily meat. But how will they prove it I Fiurther, every sa- crament has a promise annexed of God working some spiritual grace by them in the receiver: liere is none such, but St James says, "the faithful prayer shall heal the sick man." The promise here named is corporal, bodily health, and is attributed to prayer, and not to then* sacrament. Then, as the promise is corporal, so was this oil a corporal medicine and salve for diseased bodies ; although I doubt not but then by such godly prayers and exhortations God wrought a spiritual grace in- wardly. Nothing was more commonly used for weak and weary bodies than oil in all those countries, and nothing does more ease the pains of the sick body than these supphng oils : there- fore, partly for the custom of the country, partly for the whole- some strength and medicinable nature of oil, and partly for an outward sign of an inward grace wrought by God (while that gift of healing diseases did continue in Clmst's church), St James bids them " call the ciders, anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the faithful prayer shall heal the sick person;" but what does that belong, or how is it to be apphed, to our days, where no such gift is ? I would fain make an end of Nec tamen omne oleum ad unctionein sanctificatum chrisma voca- tm-, sed illud solum quod miscetuv cum Ijalsamo, &c. Magister Senten- tiarum. Lib. iv. Dist. xxiii. cap. 1. Ed.J CONFUTATION OP AN ADDITION. 527 their foolishness, if it had any end. Their own doctors teach ; further, that this anointing takes not away mortal sin, but venial only, and that it must not be used as long as there is hope of hfe in the sick person-: then by their own doctrine it is not so holy a sacrament, nor a sacrament at all. Their opinion holds, that sacraments do both give grace and forgive sin, and should be given only to them that have use of reason to repent for their sins, and call on God for his mercy, being not children, but come to full age. This does not so, nor is so used by their own doctrine ; and therefore no sacrament. The pope's holy water is as good, or better, as this their sacrament, by this doctrine : for he says that his conjured water can forgive venial sin, and drive away devils too. Then, after their own teaching, this their sacrament is not so good as the pope's holy water ; for it can drive away devils, beside forgiving venial sin, which this oiling caimot. But thus to teach is to blaspheme God, in making God's sacraments worse than the pope's dregs. To conclude the authority and ancienty of this their sacra- ment, from whence it comes, and what it is, Polychronicon teaches, lib. v. chap. 5, that pope Felix IV. grandsire to pope Gregory's father, (mark, whether he was married or no.) ordain- ed the sick to be anointed with oiP. If ye look for greater authors, Volaterran teaches the same ' ; but I had rather prove it by their own doctors, because they call other new fellows. Then Cb-ist taught it not. Further, where he charges us with declining from the steps of blessed fathers, which ordained in Paul's matins to be had at midnight, all forenoon masses, and in the steeple anthems ; these things we do not only not deny, for we do not count such Non intelligit de mortalibus (Jac. v.) quia haec non remittuntur nisi in baptismo vel poenitentia : ergo de venialibus. Jo. Duns, Sent. iv. Dist. xxiii. Concl. i. — Ideo non debet conferri sano, nec qualitereunque exposito periculo mortis, " ' ncc qualitereunque Lnfirmo, sed periculose, ita quod probabiliter immineat sibi exitus de statu viatoris ad tcrminum. Concl. ii. Tom. n. p. 114. Venet. 1598. Ed.] [3 After John the fourth, Felix was pope four years. He was St Gregory's father's grandsire. He ordained that sick men should be anointed with holy oil, or they passed out of this life : and cursed patri- arch of Constantinople. En.] Quodque morientes ungercntur instituit. Comm. Urban. Anthro- polog. an. .533. Lib. xxn. p. 790. Ed. ICO??. Ed.] 528 THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sect. superstitious idolaters to be our fathers in religion, but we re- joice and praise God for our deliverance from such superstition. They crack much of blessed fathei-s, and yet name not who they be ; but much it shall not skill, for their deeds will prove mitins^''' '^o''"6ss. What great holiness was this, to have matins at midnight, when folk were on sleep in their beds ? Is not common prayer to be had at such hours, when the people might resort commonly unto it conveniently? if midnight be such a time most convenient, let the world judge. I grant, in the primitive church God's people had their prayers early afore day, because at other times they were not suffered ; but in those assembhes were not only monks or priests, but all sorts and degrees of men were gathered to pray, hear sermons, and receive the sacraments : for at other times of the day they durst not for the greatness of persecution. In Paul's and abbeys at their midnight prayers were none commonly, but a few bawling priests, young quiristers and novices, which understood not what they said ; the elder sort kept their beds, or were worse occupied. A prayer not understand in the heart, but spoken with the lips, is rather to be counted prating and bawling, than praying with good devotion. The elder sort, both in cathedral churches and abbeys, almost never came at their midnight prayer : it was thought enough to knoll the bells, and make men believe that they rose to pray : therefore they have not so much to crack of this their doing. The papists have a rule of their own making, to say their matins in, which I think was a great cause of these early matins, and also of saying them over night: Ante tempus 7neritn>n, in tempore debitum, post tempus peccatum. " To say matins afore the time due is a merit, to say them in due time it is duty, but after the appointed time is sin." But as all their religion is of their own devising, so is their reward : God has made them no such promise, and there- fore they can claim nothing at his hands. Forenoon For their continual massing afore noon, we praise God that has delivered us from it, as a thing contrary to his holy will and ordinance. St Paul says, that " when they came together to eat the Lord's supper, they should tarry one for another but these shorn, shaveling, shameless priests would neither receive together one of them with another, nor yet let the people have any part with them. Every one would creep into a corner to an CONFUTATION OF AX ADDITION. .'29 altar alone, there lift up on high, eat and drink up all alone, sell good pennyworths, and bless them with the empty chalice. Then all was well, as they thought, and God well served ; but to break God's commandment of receiving together, they passed not of it, so that they might follow their own device. I know their shift in writhing this text to their purpose, and saying, that St Paul spake this of that feast which they used then to have, when they received the communion : but that wresting will not serve ; for both for that feast, and all other kind of eating to fill their belly, St Paul gave that command- ment that follows, " If any man be an hungered, let him eat ' at home : have ye not houses to eat and drink in i or do ye despise the congregation of God f ' Seeing that Paul speaks there but of two sorts of eating, the one for hunger to fill their bellies, the other feeding the soul with the spiritual food of Christ's body and blood ; for nourishing and feeding om- weak bodies he bids us " eat at home," but for the lively food of our souls, in the sacrament of his body and blood, he bids us "tarry one for another;" for it is the seal and band of brotherly love, as well as the sacrament of Christ's body and blood. Every pillar in the church commonly had his altar, every altar his priest, and his god, to whom the altars were dedicate : thus, like men not regarding God's commandment, they fol- lowed their own devices; and yet having the truth revealed, they harden their hearts, and stop theii- ears, that they will not learn. For climbing up to the top of the steeple to sing their ^ anthems, I demand of them to shew a reason, if there be any, why it is done there, rather than on the ground? and why on such saint days rather than on other ? and why that time of the year rather than other ? When Eaal's priests were as- sembled against the prophet Elias, to try whether of them served the living God, and Baal's priests began to pray, and call on their God, but he would not hear them, Elias said, *' Ciy louder : peradventure your god is busy, he is chasing his enemies, from home, or on sleep :" so, unto ye find a better answer, I am content freely to lend you this, without paying any penny for it, that ye may frankly say, ye go up to the top of the steeple to call on your god, that he may the more easily 34 [PILKINGTON.] 530 THE BbRXING Or I'At'L-S. [sect. hear you, standing so high, rather than on' the ground so far off, and at night when other suitors take their rest : for all the day long peradventure he has been otherways occupied ; and now waxing old, his hearing decays so much, that if ye stand not near hand and cry loud, he cannot help you. These and such other are meet for them that serve strange gods : but he that calls on the living Lord knows him to be present in aU places, and therefore makes no such difference of them. Again, if according to their own doctrine a prayer made in a hallowed place be better than that which is made in an unhallowed, then better it is to stand on the ground than to climb on height ; for the top of the steeple was never hallowed, as the church was beneath. When such foolishness is wisely proved, we shall straight ways beheve it. VI. First search, whether the faith and religion now used was taught with the blessed fathers in Christ's church in times past. Ye shall prove by no record of authority or chronicle, that this manner of service now used in the church was ever heard tell of afore Luther's time, which is not forty year ago : therefore it is to be rejected and put away, as a new-fangled doctrine and schismatical : therefore come back again into the old blessed fathers' steps. In that he denies this faith and religion ever to be heard tell of unto within these forty years, and bids try the records whether it be true that he says, and seems to charge us with forsaking the old faith and fathers, alleging the epistle to the Hebrews, that " he that comes to God must believe," and that " without faith it is not possible to please God and Jeremy, that we should " search out the old way, and walk in it I am well content to stand with him in these points, and prove that tliis faith and religion was taught in Christ's church con- tinually from the beginning, and that this service now used goes nearer the order appointed in the scripture, than any that ever they have received from the pope. If we had not this faith spoken of to the Hebrews, we durst not so boldly come to the throne of grace, without making any more mediators than one only, Jesus Christ : whereas they, in making so paany means and intercessors for them, (as though God were a cruel judge, and not a merciful Father,) declare themselves to want this faith, in that they dare not so boldly come to the V,.] CONFUTATION OP AN ADDITION. 531 throne of grace, without such spokesmen as we use none ; for faith only makes us bold to come into God's presence, and beg of his grace. But according to their desire, let us "search out the old way" which is good, that we may walk in it. The faith of a christian man is generally contained in the preed, and particularly declared in the scripture at large; and whether we keep that better than they, let wise men judge. We do esteem these articles of the christian faith so much, with the Lord's prayer, and the ten commandments of Almighty God, that by common order it is appointed, and good minis- ters practise it, that children shall learn them, not in a tongue that they understand not, as the pope would have them, but in their mother tongue, with such a short declaration on it by a catechism, that now a young child of a ten year old can tell more of his duty toward God and man, than an old man of their bringing up can do of sixty or eighty year old. All the canonical scriptures we do so reverently receive, and faithfully believe, that we stand in contention with the papists, that nothing is to be believed as necessary to salvation, but only the old testament and the new : where their faith is never certain ; but when it pleases the pope or his council to make them a new article of their faith, or condemn or change any that they have, they receive it willingly, believe it faithfully, and follow it earnestly with fire and fagot. It is not long since that by common authority, where our creed has but twelve articles, they added six more articles, and with no less danger of withstanding them, than of life'. This six-stringed whip did vex God's people sore, unto God of his undeserved mercy provided a remedy. And where they think no faith nor religion to be good, council*, allowed or received, but that which is confirmed by general councils or written by the doctors ; for that I say, their reli- gious superstition cannot be proved by general council, nor doctor, as the reverend bishop of Sarum lays against doctor Cole : but so far as either general council or the doctors' wri- tings do agree with the body of the holy scripture^, we do not only reverently and willingly receive them, but diligently, so far forth as we may, practise them. They crack much of the autho- [' The bill of the six articles, passed in 1539, upholding by the penalty of death some of the most obnoxious dogmas of popeiy. En.] 34—2 532 THE B(JR\1N'G OF PAULS. [sect. rity of a general council, and blear the people's eyes with so glorious a name, and also with the reverend name of the fathers, doctors, and ancienty, where indeed they make more for us than them. If they considered what Gerson and Panormitanus' write, which were ancient fathers, and not new protestants, and were at the council of Basil, where it was disputed what authority a council has, they would not so stiffly stick to so weak a staft': "We must rather believe one simple layman," say they, "alleging the scripture, than the whole council to the contrarj ." Be Elect, ca. Sign'tjicastt. This thing was well proved true in the great Ni- cene council, where many would have forbidden priests' mar- riage, and only Paphnutius, being lumiarried, and alleging the scriptures which allow mari-iage in all men, did stop it.'^ Gregorj- Nazianzene says, that he "never see good end of a council."^ [' The following appears to be the passage of Panormitanus: Nam in concernentihus iidem etiam dictum unius privati esset prsferendum dicto papac, si ille moveretur melioribus rationibus novi et veteris testa- menti quam papa. Panormitan. Prima super primo Decretalium, T. I. p. 122. uol. 1. 1.534. The following is from Gerson, De Examinatione Doctrinarum, Pars i. Consideratio quinta: Jungatur huie consideration] cum sua declaratione duplex Veritas. Prima, staret quod aliquis simplex non auctorisatus; esset tarn excellenter in sacris litteris eruditus, quod plus esset credendum in casu doctrinali su« assertioni quam papae decla- rationi ; constat enim plus esse credendum evangelio quam papie : si doceat igitur talis eruditus veritatem aliquam in evangelio contineri, ubi et papa nescirct vel nltro erraret, patet eujus prsferendum sit judicium. Altera Veritas, talis eraditus deberet, in casu si et dum cclebraretur gene- rale concilium cui et ipse praescns esset, illi se opponere, si sentiret majo- rem partem ad oppositum evangelii malitia vel ignorantia declinare : cxemplum beatissimus dedit Hilarius. Gersoni Opera, Tom. i. p. 11. Edit. Antverp. 1706. Ed.] ce TM -jrep) tovtov fiovXevtirBai, toT^ fiev «,\Aoi<; tconei i/oixov: fTTCtirdytiv, iiriaKOirovi Ka\ •irpea-/3vTepovv ciaKoi'Ouv t£ koi i;7roO<; ce koi avTo7<: Kat to?? tovtui' yaixerati; tov /Lij rTa>(f)pove'iv alr'ta yei'ijo-eTcti. ~ * * eVi;Vf(T6 Ce Kcu t] (Tui'ocof T)]v jiov\i}v, Kat vep'i tovtov oucev evo/iodeTiiirei'. Sozomen. Eccles. Hist. Lib. i. cap. 23. En.] "I'^X" Td\t]6er ypdipew. w(tt( irdvTa (tvWoyov VI.] roMCTATIO.V OF AN ADUIIIOX. OoJ] They allege inucli general councils, when indeed very few of them be general : if it be but a provincial council, they them- selves grant that it may err. Now then look how many may be called, or are called, general in their own books, and ye shall find very few. Take heed therefore of these foxes, ye that will not be deceived, when they allege a council, and try even by their own book of councils, whether it be general or no. Ye shall find that every tenth that they allege is not general : then, being a particular and provincial, they give us leave to deny it ; and so they condemn their own doing, when they allege nothing but provincial councils. There is no creed made at any general councils, nor Athanasius' creed, but we willingly em- brace it, receive it, and believe it. Seeing then we openly pro- fess and teach all things contained in the holy scriptures, and all the articles of any creed detennined in general council, or witten by Athanasius, or any catholic father, how can it be that we be out of the faith I and how can it be, but this slanderous proctor of the pope has blasphemed God, belied his ministers, God's people and his truth Thus much I have spoken parti- cularly to purge us from his lying lips, where he speaks generally, naming nothing, but meaning all, that we should forsake both faith and religion, and devise a new one of our own ; where they themselves are guilty in this, as more plainly shall appear. This shall be sufficient, I trust, to them that will be satisfied, to declare that we be not out of the faith, seeing we profess our faith. Now to try whether we be fallen from the old Mays of holy fathers, and whether ancient records do testify this man- ner of church service to be godly, and have been heard tell of afore Luther's time, and whether it be elder than theirs, 1 am content to join with him in trial thereof. I trust they will be content to call ]\Ioses, David, and the prophets ancient fathers: why then, look what order of prayer was in the tabernacle of God, and Salomon's temple in their time, and see whether it our church '■ _ service go nearer our service, or the pope's portus l Read David's i'|^g'!f,^p7p"( psalm, and mark how many of them have their title directed cimrcii. to the chanter, or chief singer and player on the instruments, to Asaph, Heman, Dithura, &c., to be sung in the temple, and upevyfiv tiria-Koirtav, on jUt;cejuiias avvocov rk\o<; e'icov y^priaTov, nijoU \v30. Ed.] 534 THE BLRMNG OF PAUl's. [sECT. ye shall find a great sort such. Eead the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book of the Chronicles, and there it appears whom David appoints to be singers of the psalms in the temple with their posterity. Read the thirteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and there it appears that the law and the prophets were read in the temple ever>' sabbath-day, for their service, with a sermon. "After the reading," says St Luke, "of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to Paul and Barna- bas, saying, Ye men and brether, if ) e have any exhortation to the people, speak." Again, in the fifteenth chapter he says : " Moses has of old time them that preach him in every city in the synagogues, where he is read every sabbath-day." Mark what prayers or kind of service, as we term it, St Luke says here, was then used in the temple of Salomon : the law and the [irophets, he says, were read. In the Hebrew bible appears the division in the books of Moses, how far was read weekly and monthly. So that, as they had then the law and the prophets read in their temple for their common prayer and serA'ice, so have we now the psalter of David monthly read over, and one chapter of the old testament and another of the new read daily, in our churches, in our own tongue, as they had then in theirs. The new testament was not then wT-itten, so that it could not be read : but as the new testament now does more plainly set out to us the office and mediation of our Saviour Clirist, so did then the prophets more plainly speak of the coming of Clu-ist, than the law of ]Moses did signify him ; and therefore was orderly read with Moses the law, as a fuller declarer thereof : so that in effect our church service disagrees not from theirs, in this reading together of the old testament and the new in our com- mon prayer, as they read the law and the prophets together. This order is tlu-ee thousand year old : when they have proved their popish portus to be much above three hundred year old, then they may begin to try ancienty. Their matins and even- song are appointed them out of their portus : and when any old record of authority teaches them, that so many false mira- cles, feigned lies and tales, as be there written, with serAing such saints, as no scripture does allow, nor good history makes men- tion of, (but only the pope's calendai- and his scholai-s.) were used in the church for common prayer and God's service, then let them crack of the blessed fathers' steps that they follow. VI.J CONFUTATION- OF AN ADDITION. 535 Let them try their ancient portus of Sarum, York's use, Ban- gor, or the great diversity of friars, monks, canons, nuns, which for every order of them had their divers sorts of matins and evensong ; and if they be proved three hundred year old, they have much to rejoice in, and yet far short of three thousand. But of all other blasphemies the psalter of Brigit, where every word and prayer that David names God in, is turned to our Lady, is most horrible, to pervert the scripture to man's Jnfi^uu"^' fantasy. Pope Paul the third, but twenty year ago, was so ashamed of his portus, that he printed a new one, putting out many of the blasphemous lies that were in the old ; yet this popish pricker thinks all in it to be so good, that it cannot nor should not be amended. The English priests' portus and order of service, that he cracks so much of for ancienty, is full of memories' daily, and service of Thomas Becket twice in the year : and yet it is not long since he was bishop of Canterbury ; he lived under king Henry the Second, four hundred yeai- since. The feast of Corpus Christi, and the service of that day, was invented by pope Urban the fourth, scarce three hundred year since. The feast of the visitation of our Lady, commonly called the new found Lady-day, and the service for that day, is not two hundred year old, and de- creed by pope Urban the sixth. What ancienty then is their portus and mass-book of, which received these solemn feasts and their service of so late years? And yet he would make men believe that it has been from the beginning, and that old records make mention of them. Many such other may be found in their popish service, whereby it may easily be seen how falsely he brags of their ancienty. The ancientest beginning of their portus of Sarura was under William Conqueror, not five hundred year since, by Osmundus, the second bishop of Sarum, as Polychro- nicon writes. Lib. vii. chap. 3^; but it has been increased P Memories : commemorations, memorial services — a sense preserved in our communion service : " He did institute, and in his holy gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of tliat his precious death." Ed.] P After him the king's chancellor, Osmundus, was bishop twenty- four years. He builded there a new church. * * * Also, lie made the ordinal of the service of holy church, and named it the Comuetudinary. Now well nigh all England, Wales, and Ireland used that ordinal. ' Ed.] .536 THE r.LRMNC; OF PAUl".<. since with many a loud lie, as though they bhould strive who should tell the greatest lor the best game. Our se^^■icc has nothing in it but it is written in God's book, the holy JJible (where no lie can be found), saving Te Deum and a few collects or prayers, which although they be not contained in the scriptui-e, yet differing in words, they agree in sense and meaning with the articles of the faith and the whole body of the scripture. Their portus and missal has many untrue fables and feigned miracles for their lessons, written neither in the scripture, old history, nor ancient record of authority; many invocations of such as be no saints, and wickedly call- ing on saints of their own making, instead of the living God, as Thomas Becket, and many popes ; some charms, as St Agatha's lettei-s' for burning of houses ; some witchcrafts, as holy water for casting out devils, holy bread instead of the communion, ringing the hallowed bell in great tempests or lightnings, and all in an imknown tongue, contrary to God's commandment, yet craftily de\ised to deceive the people, lest in hearing them in their own tongue, and proving them false, they would laugh them to scorn. Ansegisus," Lib. i. cap. 20 and 76, writes that Charles the great emperor decreed, that nothing should be read in the churches, but oiJy the scriptures, nor any thing taught, but out of the scriptures ; but none is so ignorant, but he sees the popish ser\'ice and doctrine to agree little with the scriptures, and ours to con- tain nothing else but the scriptures. Now compare these to- gether, and judge whether that be the elder and more to be allowed, that has nothing in it but the scripture itself, and that which is drawn out of it, or that which is devised of man's \} See p. 177. The story is, that when the emperor, Frederic II. was about to destroy Agatha's native city, Catana, while engaged in prayer to the virgin Maiy, the book he had opened exliibited these words in golden letters: Noli ofFendere patriam Agathee, quia ultrix injurianim est. This was done tliree times ; and what result followed such a miracle, need not be told. En.] Capit. XX. Item in eodem concilio, ut canonici libri tantum legan- tur in ecclesia. lxxvi. Ut presbyteri quos mittitis per parocliias vestras ad regendum et pra?dieandum per ecclesias populum Deo sen-ientem ut recte ct honeste praedicent, et non sinatis nova vcl non canoniea aliquos cx suo sensu et non secundum scripturas sacras fingere et pnedicare populo. Baluzii Capitularia Regum Franconim. T. i. pp. 707, 716. Paris. 1G77. Ed.] roN'i irr.vTio.v of ax vdoition. 537 brains alone, beside and contrary to God's word. Is that new- fangled and schismatical, that contains nothing but the doc- trine of the prophets and apostles ; and is that ancient, that cannot be proved good at all ^ This text of Jeremiah, that bids them " search out the old way, and walk in it," does not mean all old ways; but he says, "Search of the old ways which of them is good, and walk in it," as though he should say, all old ways are not good. Tf all old ways were good, he would not bid try which were good : there- fore it is not enougli to have it old, but to have it good also, and then to cleave to it. If bare words would serve, there is manifest sayings for the contrary. Ezechiel says, ch . xx . " \Valk not in the commandments of your fathers, nor keep not their judgments." I might as well beat in this text as he the other, and of like strength : therefore it is not sufficient to say it is old, or to follow fathers ; but to try that it be good, and that godly fathers used it, and then be bold to follow it. Evil has been from the beginning as well as good, and there have been in all ages evil fathers as well as good. Cyprian notes well therefore and goodly, saying that " Christ said not that he was ancient custom, but he was the truth itself."' To follow Christ then, and his doctrine, is to follow the true old way. For he is both the truth itself, and was from the beginning : and those fathers that follow not his steps, are not our mark to follow, though the world do never so much reverence them. St Paul says to the Corinthians, " Be ye followers of me, even as I follow Christ:" this is then the right way of following fathers, as they followed Christ our Lord, and no other way ; for Christ is the way and truth itself. And because he charges us with schismatical doctrine and service, because we either differ from the pope's synagogue, or else we have not all one order in all points of our church service ; to them that be offended with such divers orders of ceremonies of pravers or ministering the sacraments in the church, Anselm shall an- [■' Nam consuetude sine veritate vetiistas erroris est : propter quod rclicto errove sequamur veritateni. * * ■ Quam veritatem nobis Cliristus ostendcns in evangelio suo dicit, " Ego sura Veritas." Propter quod si in Christo sumus, ct Christum in nobis habenuis ; si manemus in veritate, ct Veritas in nobis manet ; ea qua; sunt vera teneunius. Epist. i.xxiv. ad ronipeiuni. p. 317. Ed. Fell. Oxon. 1700. Ed.] 538 THE BURNING OF PAUl'( [sect. swer now, as he has done afore, in his Epistle iii. ch. 27. to the same case : "To the lord and his friend Waleram, by the grace of God the worshipful bishop of Nicenburge, Anselm the servant of Canterbury church, greeting, &c. "Your worship complains of the sacraments of the church, that they are not ministered every where after one sort, but are handled in divers places after divers sorts. Truly, if they were ministered after one sort, and agreeingly through the whole church, it were good and laudable : notwithstanding, be- cause there be many diversities which differ not in the sum of the sacrament, nor in the strength of it, or in the faith, nor all can be gathered into one custom, I think that they are rather to be borne with agreement in peace, than to be condemned with offence. For we have this from the holy fathers, that if the unity of charity be kept in the catholic faith, the diverse cus- tom hurts nothing. If it be demanded, whereof these divei-sities of customs do spring, I perceive nothing else than the diver- sities of wits; which although they differ not in the strength and truth of the thing, yet they agree not in the fitness and comeliness of the ministering. For that which one judges to be meeter oftentimes other think it less meet. And not to agree in such diversities, I think it not to swerve from the truth of the thing."' P Queritur vestra reverentia de sacramentis ecclesis, quoniam non uno mode fiunt ubique, sed divei-sis modis in diversis locis tractantur. Ubique si per universam ecclesiam uno modo et concorditer celebraren- tur, bonum esset et laudabile : quoniam tamen multie sunt diversitates, quae non in summa sacramenti neque in virtute ejus aut fide discordant, neque omnes in unam consuetudinem colligi possunt ; sstimo eas potius in pace concorditer tolerandas, quam discorditer cum scandalo daniuandas. Habemus enini a Sanctis patribus, quia si unitas servatur caritatis in fide catholica, niliil officit consuetude diversa. Si autem qusritur, unde istsD natae sunt consuetudinum varietates ; niliil aliud intelligo, quam huma- norum sensuum diversitates: qui quamvis in rei virtute et unitate non dissentiant, in aptitudine tamcn et decentia administrationis non con- cordant. Quia [quod] enim unus aptius esse judicat, alius sspe minus aptum ; neque in hujusmodi varictatibus non consonare puto ab ipsius rei veritate cxorbitare. Anselm. Epist. cxxxvi. Waleranno Numburg. Episc. Tom. iv. p. 157. Colon. 1612. Ed.J VH.] CONFUTATION OP AN ADDITION. 539 VII. Also, where the said preacher does recite certain abuses of the said church, as talking, buying and selling, fightingand brawling, (although these be very evil and worthy much rebuke,) yet there be worse abuses, as blaspheming God in lying sermons, polluting the temple with sehismatical service, destroying and ])ulling downi holy altars, that were set up by good blessed men, and there the sacrifice of the blessed mass ministered according to the order of Christ's catholic church. Yea, where the altar of the Holy Ghost stood, the new bishops have set their tails upon, and there sit in judgment of such as be catholic and live in the fear of God. Some they deiirive from their livings, some they commit to prison, except they will forsake the catholic faith, and embrace a faith and religion that has no foun- dation laid by general council, nor blessed fathers in times past, but invented by heretics, that do not agree one with another nor themselves. We both do agree the church of Paul's to be abused, and therefore justly plagued. God grant that henceforth it may be amended, that worse do not follow ! When Josue had con- josh. vi. quered Jericho so marvellously with carrying the ark of God about it, the priests blowing their trumpets and the people shouting, by the might of God rather tlian strengtli of man, he said, "Cursed be the man afore tlie Lord that builds up Jericho again : in his first-born son let him lay the foundation, and in his last child let him set up the gates of it." Which thing was i Kings truly verified many years after by Hiel of Bethel, as it is Avrit- ten. So God grant that the citizens of London may more warily build, and provision be made, that Paul's be not so mis- used again, as it has been, lest the like plague follow as did on Jericho, or worse. Surely, if vain glory be the cause to build a more stately house than it was, and not to foresee that God's house be better used for a house of prayer, than aforetime it has been, a greater scourge must needs follow. Costly solemn buildings are not to be condemned altogether in commonwealths; but if the merchants of London say, as Nimrod said to his fellows, " Come, let us build ourselves a city and tower, whose top may reach to the heaven, and let us get ourselves a name afore we be scattered abroad," surely they will be overthrown in their own device, as Babel was. God, and not man, will be glorified in God's house : God's house must be a house of prayer, and Paul's, not the proud tower of Babylon, nor the pope's market place, nor a stews for bawds and ruffians, nor a horse fair for brokei-s, 5i0 IHi; HIRMMi 01' l>ALI,"s. [>f:(.T. no. nor yet a bourse for merchants, nor a meeting-place for walking and talking. If a convenient place' to meet for honest assemblies cannot be found nor had conveniently other where, a partition might be had to close up and shut the praters from prayers, the walkers and janglers from well disposed persons, that they should not trouble the devout hearers of God's word, so that the one should not hear nor see the other. Grod has once again with the trumpet of his word, and the glad receiving of the people, thrown down the walls of Jericho, and the pope's bulwark there, by his own might, without the power of man, if man would so consider it and fear the Lord. No place has been more abused than Paul's has been, nor more against the re- ceiving of Christ's gospel : wherefore it is more marvel that Clod spared it so long, rather than that he overthrew it now. From the top of the steeple down within the ground no place has been free. From the top of the spire at coronations, or other solemn triumphs, some for vain glory used to throw them- selves down by a rope, and so killed themselves vainly to please other men's eyes. At the battlements of the steeple sundrj- times were used their popish anthems to call upon their gods with torch and taper in the evenings. In the top of one of the pinnacles is Lollards' tower,' where many an innocent soul has been by them cruelly tormented and murdered. In the midst alley was their long censer reaching from the roof to the gi-ound, as though the Holy Ghost came in their censing down in like- ness of a dove. On the arches,^ though commonly men com- plain of wrong and delayed judgment in ecclesiastical causes, yet because I will not judge by hearsay, I pass over it, saving only for such as have been condemned there by Annas and Cai- phas for Christ's cause, as innocently as any Christians could lie. For their images hanged on every wall, pillar, and door, with their pilgrimages, and worshipping of them, I will not stand to rehearse them, because they cannot be unknown to all men that have seen London, or heard of them. Their massing and many altars, with the rest of their popish service, which he so much extols, I pass over, because I answered them afore. p So named from the followers of the trath, called Lollards, con- fined there. En."] P The court of arches, the bishop's court, held in the cathedral. Ed.] VII.] rOXFl'TATIOX OF AN' ARDITIOX. />41 The south alley for usury and popery, the north for simony, and the horse fair in the midst for all kind of bargains, meet- ings, brawlings, murders, conspiracies, and the font for ordi- nary payments of money, are so well known to all men as the beggar knows his dish. The popish clergy began and main- tained these, and godless worldlings defend them ; where the poor protestant laments and would amend them. Judas' cha- peF under the ground, with the apostles' mass so early in the morning, was counted by report as fit a place to work a feat in as the stews or taverns. So that without and within, above the ground and under, over the roof and beneath, on the toj) of the steeple and spire down to the low floor, not one spot \\as free from wickedness, as the said bishop did then in his sermon declare ; so that we should praise God for his mercy in sparing it so long, and now tremble at his fearful judgment in justly revenging such filthiness. God, for his mercy's sake, grant it may now be amended ! Secondly, where it pleases him to term this church service now used schismatical, it is as true as afore, when he said that follow ' the oUl fa- no ancient record made mention of any such afore forty years f'^rs, and tlie papists past. AV'hy do ye call it a schismatical ? Because it differs J^^^|'^'''»"'a- from the pope's portus ? That it differs we deny not, but re- joice and praise God for it : but if it agree with the holy scrip- tures and the ancient fathers, as I have proved afore, then be ye schismatics in swerving from them, and not we. In our morning and evening prayer we agree with the old p"™";."" prayers of Salomon's temple, as I proved afore. In baptism Baplisni. we follow Christ Jesus, his apostles, Austin and Pauline, whom pope Gregory sent into England, in the chief points ; which all christened in unconjured water, without salt, spitting, oil, and chrism, &c. In the Lord's supper we receive together, as St Paul com- ^P'Jj'""' manded : and pope Gelasius teaches either to receive both parts, or to refrain from both ; for it is sacrilege to divide them. De Consecra. distinct, ii.^ AV'e give the people the cup of Christ's P " Misnamed on i)ui-pose for Jesus' C.'hapel." Strype, i. p. 392. Ed.] 1^* Item Gelasius Papa Majorico et Joanni cpiscopis: Comperimus autem quod quidain, sumpta tantummodo eorporis sacri poi'tione, a caliee sacrati cruoris abstincant. Qui pvoculdubio (quoniam nescio qua su- perstitione doeentur astringi) ant intogia sacramcnta percipinnt, ant ab 542 THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sect. Lib. i. Ep. 2. blood, as Well as to the priests, as Cyprian teaches, saying, "How do we teach or provoke them to shed their blood in con- fessing his name, if we deny them that shall be Christ's sol- diers the blood of Christ ? Or how do we make them meet to the cup of martyrdom, if we do not admit them to drink first in the church the cup of the Lord by the right use of commu- nicating' ?" Again, St Matthew says, " Drink ye all of this lest any should think himself exempt from drinking, he says, "Drink ye all." God is the God of the lay-people as well as of the priests, and offers his sacraments and salvation to them as well as to other. We move the people also often, and not once in the year, to receive the communion (as the papists do), following St Deeccie- Austiu, who savs, "Everyday to communicate, I neither praise siast. doff- . . , T ' , 1 .1 ■ • mat. cap. 53. nor dispraise it ; but 1 counsel and move all men to receive it on the Sunday, if the mind be without desire to sin."^ Chrysostom says, that when they ministered the communion in his church, Ad Heb^ "the deacon stood up, gave warning to the people, and said sanc- ta Sanctis, those holy mysteries were ready for them that were holy and had worthily prepared themselves :^ they that would not Homfa.**' receive went their ways, would not stand gazing on them that received, but thought themselves unworthy to be partakers of the prayers, which would not communicate."* The pope's law integris arceantur ; quia divisio unius ejusdem mysterii sine grandi sacrilegio non potest pervenirc. Uecretum Gratiani, &c. Tertia Pars. De Consecra. Distinct, ii. fo. cccxcviii. Antv. 1573. Ed.] [' Nam quo modo docemus aut provocamus eos in confessione nominb sanguinem suum fundere, si eis militaturis Christi sanguinem denega- mus? aut quo modo ad martyrii poculum idoneos facimus, si non eos prius ad bibendum in ecclesia poculum Domini jure comniuuicationis admittimus? Epist.Lvii.p.25.3. Ed. Fell.1700. Lib. i. Ep. ii. Erasm. Ed.] Q'^ Quotidie eucharistisE conimunionem perciperc nec laudo nec vitu- pero : omnibus tamendominicis diebus comraunicandum suadeo et hortor, si tamen mens in afFectu peccandi non sit. De Eccles. Dogmatibus Liber Gennadio tributus. Tom. vni. August, p. 1698. Paris. 1837. Ed.] "Orav yap eiVtj, Ta dyta tok dy'ioi^, tovto \eyti, E" ti? ouk eo-Tif 0710?, ntj ■KpoirWia. Chrysost. in Hebr. Hom. xvii. Tom. xii. p. 245. Paris. 1888. Ed.] \^ OwTfc) ct] Ka\ av -rrapayeyova^' -run v/Jliiou ijo-ac, yutra ndi'Tiav wijio>.oyr](ra<; eivai Ttov d^'iiau tio ,u»j ixerd tiov di/a^'iuv dvane'^iopt]- Kevai' -n-o)? tfieiva?, kui ov /xeTej^eK Trjv Tpa-rrs^t]^ ; 'Ai/a'fid? f'lfii, (pricriu. QuKovv Kai t»;9 KOivoivlm £K£ii/»;<; tj;? iv Tai<: eJ^^ar?. In Ephes. Hom. iii. Tom. xi. p. 27. Ed.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 543 says, de Consecra. distinct, ii : " The temporal men, which will not communicate at Easter, Whitsunday, and Christmas, are not catholics."' Let papists then note, what their master says to them. In burials we do not assemble a number of priests to sweep Burials, pwrgatory, or buy forgiveness of sins of them which have no authority to sell; but according to St Jerome's example we follow. " At the death of Fabiola," says he, " the people of Eome were gathered to the solemnity of the burial. Psalms Epitaph, were sung, and Alleluia sounding out on height did shake the gilded ceilings of the temple. Here was one company of young men, and there another, which did sing the praises and worthy deeds of the woman. And no marvel if men rejoice of her Balvation, of whose conversion the angels in heaven be glad"." Thus Jerome used burials. Likewise Gregory Nazianzene has his funeral sermons and orations in the commendation of the party departed : so has Ambrose for Theodosius and Valen- tinian the emperors, for his brother Satyrus, &c. Their dirige groats,' masses, and trentals, tapers, and ringings, have no foundation on the scripture nor good ancienty to maintain them. Jerome says, that Alleluia was sung so loud, that it made the church roof to shake : and our papists will not sing Alleluia at all, neither at burial, in Lent, nor Advent, and say they follow ancienty. Alleluia is as much in English as, " praise ye the Lord;" as though they should say, Praise the Lord that has called his servant out of this misei-y to himself in hea- P Ex Concilio Agatheno : Non habeantur catholici, qui his tribus tem- poribus communicare desinunt. Seculares, qui in natali Domini, pascha, pentecoste non communicaverint, catholici non credantur, nec inter ca- tholicos habeantur. Decret. Gratian. Tertia Pars. De Consecra. Dist. ii. Ep.] [' See above, p. 320. Necdum spiritum exhalaverat, necdum debi- tam Chiisto reddiderat animam ; et jam fatna volans tanti prcenunciu luctus, totius urbis populum ad exequias congre^abat. Sonabant psalmi, et aurata templorum reboans in sublime quatiebat Alleluia. Hie juvenum chorus, ills senum, qui carmine laudes femineas et facta ferant. * * * Nec mirum si de ejus salute homines exultarent, de cujus con- versione angeli laetabantur in coelo. Hieronymi Op. Epist. lxxxiv. (xxx.) Tom. IV. Pars ii. p. C62. Paris. 1706. Ed.] P The groat was a common charge for a dirige or dirge for the dead. Selden, Table Talk, speaks of "twenty dirgies at fourpence a piece." Ed.] o44 THE BURNING OP PAiri.'s. [sECT. ven : but the desperate papists say, Weep ; rejoice not for the dead, but mistrust of their salvation ; tliink that they be gone from one sorrow to another, and therefore buy masses apace ; the pope's proctors for money enough will sell that which God cannot, or will not, give freely, as they think. God is wear} , as they say, of well-doing, and turned over the matter to these the pope's proctors. tccics. xii. But Salomon teaches, that in death "the body turns to earth from whence it came, and the soul to him that gave it." Look how both body and soul is bestowed, whatsoever greedy gaping cormorants do say, to get money withal. " Blessed be the dead that die in the Lord," says St John ; "for they rest from their labours :" the popes say, the dead be accursed, and go into purgatory, from sorrows here to greater there : choose whether ye believe. Marriage. Jn marriage, as in other things beside, we are but too much like unto them : that is our fault generally, that we diifer not more from them in all our ministery. A\'e have all in English, where they have but " I, N., take thee, M., &c." And here I would ask master D. a reason, why this piece in marriage is used of them in English, and not more ; or the like in other sacraments? Is marriage so holy a thing, that the parties must needs understand in English, what promise the one makes to the other ; and other sacraments be not so to be regarded, what we promise unto God ? Do we not in baptism and the Lord's supper make as solemn a vow to God, to serve him only and forsake all other, as in marriage the one party does to the other ? Seeing then we differ not from the scripture nor ancient fathers, they do us much wTong to charge us with a schism, where they themselves are rather schismatics in swerv- ing from the ancient fathers' steps, than we that would bring home again their old religion. But as hitherto 1 have answered them out of their own doctors, so in this thing also I will be judged who be schis- matics by their own books. Look all the histories and chroni- cles written within tliis thousand year, and in religion ye shall find almost none called schismatics, but papists. For when there were two or three popes at once, and some countries followed one pope claiming to be head, and some another, so they made schisms. Papitits then are called schismatics com- VII.] CONFUTATION OP AN ADDITION 545 monly, and not protestants. Fasciculus teniporuM\ a boolc made by one monk of their own sect, rehearses twenty-three schisms betwixt popes and their partakers : when they find the third part of so many among the protestants, then they may have some face of appearance to call us schismatics. At the council of Constance were three popes in three diverse countries, Italy, France, and Spain, all claiming to be chief, and some cpuntries followed one, some another; but all were deposed, and a fourth chosen little more than a hundred and fifty year since ^. It were too long to rehearse all the schisms spoken of: whoso lust, there may read. This schism that I named last, and the other, when there was one pope at Home, and an- other at Avignon in France forty years together'', are the notablest, and troubled the world most, in striving who should have the most followers and partakers : the other I pass over for shortness sake, unto these be considered better of them, how they may defend themselves, that they be not proved schismatics. If that be schismatical service, when one differs Luke ww. from another, then be all orders of friars, monks, canons, nuns, York's use, Sarum, Bangor, &c., schismatical ; for they i Cur. x. differ every one from other. Now for pulling down altars, and ministering the commu- nion on tables, a few words to try, whether we do this with- out reason or example. First, our Saviour Christ ministered i ii'- v. cap. it sitting at a table : then it is not wicked but best to fol- low his doings; for he did all things well. St Luke says, that "the hand of the traitor was with him at the table." St Paul, for the use of it in his time, says, " Ve cannot be par- takers of the Lord's table, and the table of devils where it ajjpears plain, that both idolaters at their sacrifices, and the ■Christians also in their holy mysteries, used tables. Theodoret writes, that after Ambrose had excommunicated the emperor Theodosius, and received him again to the church, "the em- Q' The whole series is given in order, pp. xlv. — lxxxviii. Paris. 1524. En.] ['^ In the year 1410. Tlie popes were Gregory XII. Benedict XIII. Alexander V. and John XXIII. upon whose deposition Martin suc- ceeded. Ed.] From about the year 1.390 to 1447. Eu.] 35 [PILKINGTON.] TiiK lii RMXo OF Paul's, [sfxt. peror, lying flat on the ground, weeping and tearing the hair of his head for sorrow and shame of his offences, he rose up and offered at such time," says he, "as the gifts were offered at the holy tabled" Sozoraen writes, lib. viii. cap. vii. how Eutropius fled to the church as a sanctuary for succour, because he had offended the emperor : and when Jolin, bi- shop of Constantinople, "see him lie afore the holy commu- nion table, he preached unto him, and rebuked him of his pride, when he was in authority-." The canon of the great Nicene council says thus : " In the godly table we must not lowly cleave to the bread and cup set afore us; but lifting up our mind on high by faith, we must consider the Lamb of God to be set afore us in that holy table ^Vherein I note that they all call it a table, and not an altar, where they ministered the communion. This was four hundred year after Christ, above a thousand year since: why then, altars were not continued from the beginning, as they say, and we are not the first that used tables, but we would gladly re- store these old customs again. If Ambrose lawfully and well used tables at the communion at Milan, and the bishop at Constantinople in Greece, and elsewhere, I see no reason why we should be rebuked for following them, except they can prove that they did it against the scripture. I know that the scripture, and old writers also, make mention of altars : but that is because Moses in the law commanded them to offer their sacrifices upon altars, because the sacri- fices then commonly used were heav)-, as oxen, calves, sheep, &c., and tables were not able to .stand and bear such weights continually. These sacrifices were a figure and shado\\' of that only [} 'ETTfiBj/ C£ J Kaipov fxoAei tj; lepa rpaire^t] ra 6iopa irpo- a-ravTtvovrrdXeo}': einTpo-nevwv. eirtjKoXovOrjfTav ie (r^eSov oi irdiTuv eirl] diiaprtw 7rai/Tf\e»c dttoTepai tj koto dvdpairov tiuTO (f>v(i€>;, HfrafieXov/itvoi^: Ce Kat TroWanK afiapTavouai tTuyyvwutjv vefittv 6 0€oc TrapeKeXevtra-ro, ev tw ■jrapaiTeta-dat i Tt; 'E/WaCi, k. t. A. * * 6ji/ a-Ko-yr}v tojv iceafiaroiv ovy ofxo'iav -TTOtov/xei/ov^' o'l jueV jdp Travrtj epxj/V'^oov direj^ovrat, o'l ct twv €/l^|/u^ll)^' l)(0u<: piuvov^ peTaXapfidvovtrt' Tii/e? 2e re iraicwv Kat yvvaiKwv 7roirjTo. Euseb. Eccl. Hist. Lib. viii. cap. ix., where it is told of Phileas, bishop of Thmuis, and his fellow-martyr, Philoromus. Ed.] ETraiTiwi/Tai oe Tii/a? tmi/ avTov fiadt^rwv, to? jd/jKo KaTa/ieiJupo- Hevov;erc, iiimiini> ejus mouitionem et suseeptibilem jussioucm nefUnda su)ierl)ia cdutenqiserunt. Qui, convocatis secuui i)luribus religiosis et obedien- lilius sacardotibus, supcrbos ct inobedientcs gladio dignie exconi- iiiunicationis percussit: quam excommunicationeni bestiali insania (■•iiitemnentes, ministcrium sanctum polluere, quantum in ipsis est, non lormi.lant. Lib. ni. Kpist. exii. Tom. ir. p. l-!4. Colon. IG):.'. Kn.] 574 THE lii RNixr, or paul'h. [sect. than they ; for in the time of pope Paul the third, keeping his council at Trident a seventeen year since, came forth that worthy book laterirn, wherein is entreated the marriages of priests, and concluded that those which be married should not be divorced ; but whether any more should marry, it should be referred and deferred to a general council. These men were more reasonable, modest, and wise than our late brutish papists : for in the late days of their raging madness, contrary to this decree of the pope made not sixteen year afore, they divorced here with us all priests that afore were married. But when these old popes see how hard it was to drive priests from their wives, that hell-brand Gregory VII. decreed that none should hear his mass, that was married : and by this polity he Vjrought more to pass, than by excommunication or any other way. Such practices the pope's prelates are full of : for when the priests perceived their niinistery was despised, it made them something to relent, and at length altogether to quail. At the same time, and straight after the conquest, wei*e swarms of monks brought almost into all the cathedral churches of the realm. As at Duresme, in the year one thousand and eighty- three, the priests (which then were married) were brought from Dm-esme, and had the prebends of Aucland, Darnton, and Nor- ton ; and monks were placed in their steads at Duresme, in the eighteenth year of \\^illiam the Conqueror: and these prebends were then first founded and appointed for these secular married priests. O gentle papists of old time, that would not chsplace married priests, but provide livings for them, where om- Edom- ites persecute them without mercy ! Marriage, God's holy ordi- nance in pai-adise, and blessed, is punished of poper}- in the world: such is their wickedness. In other places, as A\'^inches- ter, Worcester, and elsewhere, tliis bringing in of monks and driving out married priests began a little afore the conquest under king Edgarus, but no great difference in the years. Dunstan and Oswalde, bishops of Worcester fii-st, and after of Canterbm-y and York, were great helpers in this matter. Os- walde thrust all the clerks out of ^\''orcester church, which would not be made monks. Ethelwoldus, bishop of AVin- chester, thrust out his married priests likewise, if they would not forsake their wives, and become monks, and placed monks in their stead ; but they so hated the monkish life, that they I ONFI'TATION O!' AN ADDITION'. ■'>7 '> were content to leave all rather than become monivs, every one of them save three. But after the death of Edgarus, Aelfer, king of Mercia, (which was the middle and chief part of England,) and many other nobles of the realm, drove out the monks, and brought in the married priests again. These and such like are written in the records of these churches, and were done many of them about the year of our Lord nine hundred and sixty-three, and after. Polychronicon also, in his sixth book, touches many of these things. These things I have spoken more largely, because he charges us with disobeying all laws, as though these were never done in England afore, and good men should not suffer them; and also, that the world may see how lewd, unlearned a proc- tor has taken their case in hand. If he were not too far past shame, he would not deny the laws of the realm to suffer priests' marriage, seeing the twenty-ninth Injunction, which the queen's highness set forth, entreats of their marriage only'. But this is their obedience that they shew to their princes, in denying their laws : and it is their old opinion, that injunctions be not laws, nor princes have that authority over them to make such laws. God give them better minds, or grant the prince better subjects ! It were too long to write all that may be said in this behalf, and it is not my meaning : only I would let them see which would learn, how wrongfully priests' marriage is accused. For the froward obstinate, that will not learn, but contemn and con- demn all that gainsay it, afore they hear them speak, I say with our Saviour Christ in a like case, " Let them alone, they be blind, and guides of the blind." They are not to l)e passed on: do as truth, God's word, and a good conscience teaches you, nothing- regarding their railing blasphemies. Austin, in his book Be ^ono Conjiigali, cap. 21 , comparing the chastity of marriage and single life together, says thus : " The virtue of continenty must be always in the power of the mind, but indeed it must be shewed as things and times change. For as there was not a diverse merit of suffering martyrdom in Peter that suffered cruel death, and in John that suffered not ; so there is not a diverse merit of chastity in John which was not married, and L' Queen Elizabeth's Injunctions published in lo.")!). Injunetioii xxix. See Bp. Siianow's Collection, p. TC Lond. 1(;7"). Kd.] 57(1 THK Tii nMNf; OF PAi;i.'s. [sept. ill Abraliam which gat children. For both his single life and this man's marriage served Christ, as the time changed ; but John had chastity both in power and deed, Abraham only in power'." Again, cap. '22, " Evil men say to him that is chaste. Art thou better than Abraham ? But when he hears it, let him not be afraid ; but say, I am not better, but the chastity of single men is better than the chastity of marriage^"" Again, cap. 23, " If we compare the things themselves together, it is sure that the chastity of continenty is better than the chastity of marriage, and yet both good : but when we compare the men together, he is the better that has a greater goodness and virtue in him than the other has"." Thus far Austin. Mark the difference that he puts betwixt the goodness of tilings them- selves, and tlie goodness of the men that have them. I am sure many will judge, that I speak this to please my So/0, lii). i. wife : but we read that Paphnutius unmarried, when some in c.lp. 23. . ' . the council \\ou\d have determined that priests should leave ibiii.cip.ii. their wives, per-suaded the contrary". Spiridion, being married, as he writes aho% and having children, was never the worse, or hindered to minister the sacraments. Clirysostom, in Lis liomily on the marriage in Cana of Galilee, Avrites thus: "Thou reprovest marriage, that they be a let to godhness : but wilt [} Qui vident contiuentis vii-fiitem in liabitu animi semper esse dehere, in opere autom pro reniin ae teini)orum opportunitate mani- festari. * " Quocirca sicut non est inipar nu'ritum patientia; in Pctro (]ui passus est, et in Joanne qui passus non est ; sic non est impar merituni eontinentie in Joanne i|ui nullas expertus est nuptias, et in Abraham qui filios generavit. Et illius enim ctelibatus et illius connubium pro tomporum distributione C'hristo niilitarant : sed eontinentiam Joannes et in opere, Abraliam vero in solo habitu habebat. Cap. xxvi. (21.) Tom. M. ]i. 504. Paris. 1836. En.] ["^ Ae per hoc ab eis, qui con-umpunt bonos mores colloquiis mails, inani et vana versutia dicitur liomini christiano continent! et nuptias rccusanti, Tu ergo melior quam Abraham ? Quod ille cum audierit, non pcrturbetur ; * * sed dicat. Ego quidem non sum melior quam Abraham ; sed melior est castitas ca;libum quam castitas nuptiarum. Ibid. xxni. (22.) Ed.] P Res ergo ipsas si comparemus, nullo modo dubitandum est melio- rem esse castitatem continentiie quam castitatem nuptiarum, cum tamen utrumque sit bonum : homines vero cum comparamiis, ille est melior qui bonum amplius quam alius liabet. Ibid, xxvni. (23.) Eu.] I* See above, j). 532. Ed.] [' See above, p. •)(>] . En.J VJir.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 577 thou know that it hurts not to have wife and children? Had not Moses wife and cliildren? Was not Ehas a virgin? Moses brought manna from heaven, and Ehas fire : God spake to Moses, and was conversant with Elias. Did not Moses make quails to come ? and Elias shut up heaven from rain with a word ? Did not Moses divide the sea, and brought through the people ? Was not Elias taken into heaven in a fiery chariot ? Did virginity hurt the one, or was wife and children a hindrance to the other ? Hast thou marked Elias in his chariot in the air, and Moses going on foot in the sea ? Mark Peter also, a i^iatt. pillar of the church, that he had a wife ; for it is written, that Jesus went in to Peter's mother-in-law, being sick, touched her, and the fever left her. Where there is a mother-in-law, there must needs be a wife and daughter-in-law. Seest thou not then that Peter had a wife ? Blame not marriage then, fcc." Thus far Chrysostom". I could shew you like examples of married ministers at these days, which are not hindered in their duty doing thereby, nor in any part of godliness ; but rather furthered, in that household cares be taken from them thereby, and in sickness they better cherished. These be enough for them that will be persuaded, or more will not serve. It is not hard to bring 2u emjSp'i^eK toV ^ct/ioi/, Kai /\c7ei<; oti e/xTrodia-nd ecTTir d yafjio'! ; oJccV efiTrooia-na irpoK evaefteiaii. f3ov\ei jiadciv oti ovdev 7ra- pafSXctTTTCi ej^eiv "/ui/cnKo ku\ Tehva ; M(oi/iTi;<; oJt^i yvva'iKa Ka\ tIkvu ei^ei/ ; 'HAia? ou't^: irnpOevo'; tju ; ou^i Mwuo-f/? fidvva Kartjyayev ck rov ovpavov ; oi't^i 'llAi'a? Trvp Kurriyayev eK tov ovpavnv ; ou't^i Miouff^c; opTvyofxrjTpav efeneTaa-ei/ ; 'HAi'a? tm Xoyto tov ovpavov eK\ei(Tev ; ou'^i ^luiva-fj 6 Geo'; wp'iXet ; ov^i koi 'HAi'a 0fo? cJ/iiiAei ; ov^t Mwuo-f/? ddXatra-av t; oti ku) FleTpo? yvva?Ka fi;^f ; /Ji; ti diafidXXr]'; tov yd/iov. Homil. contra Judaeos, ■Gentiles, et Haereticos. Tom. i. p. 1009. Paris. 1839.— But the genuine- ness of this Homily is questioned. Ei>.] 37 [PIT-KINGTON.] 578 TITE m-RNIXG OF PAIH.'s. [sECT. divers more authorities out of the pope's distinct, xxviii. and XXXI.' to prove this withal: but he that is father of all filthi- ness, is not worthy to bear witness in so honest a matter. In Moses' law, where every one should marry within his own tribe, the priests had this privilege, that they might marry with the king's stock : but our men abhor priests' mariiage, lest they should get gentlewomen, and so possiljly might in- herit their lands. God was not so wise to foresee these things as we be ; and that which God's wisdom thought good and commendable, we with our polities think hurtful and impro- fitable. God make us wise in him ! For the foolish writhing and racking of the scriptmes following, because they be so unaptly applied that a blind man may see them, I will not stand to set out his folly; for they contain no matter of weight against us. IX. They have invented a new way to make bishops and priests, and a manner of service and ministration that St Austin never knew, St Edmond, Lanfranc, St Anselni, nor never one bishop of Canterbury, saving only Cranmer, who forsook liis profession as apostata; so that they must needs condemn all the bishops in Canterbury but Cranmer, and he that now is; all the bishops of York, saving Holgate, and he that now is ; although St W'ilfride, St AV'illiara have been taken for saints, and were bishops in York. In Coventry and Lichfield St Chad was bishoj), and many blessed bishops ; and he that now is bishop, can find not any one that ever was made as he is, nor of his religion. Therefore he must prove all bishops of Lichfield were deceived, walked in blindness, and ignorance; or else he that now is must needs be deceived and be in blindness. In Duresme have been many good fathers ; but he that now is bishop cannot find any one predecessor in that see that was of his religion, and made bishop after such sort as he was: so that he that now is must take in hand to condemn all the bishops afore liim, that they were in ignorance and blindness, or they will come to his condemnation at the day of judgment. And this in all bishopricks in England ; some can find one, and some none, that ever was of their reUgion. AV'hat arrogancy may be thought in those men that will take in hand to condemn so many blessed fathers all to be in blindness! Here this proud papist triumphs, as though nothing could be said to the contrary. For our church service I said enough afore: now mark what weight his raging raihng words have. [' See p. 566. En.] I X.J COXFUTATfON OF AN ADDITION'. 579 He says St Edmond, Lanfranc, Anselin never knew such an ordering of priests and bishops : how proves he that { I think tliey did : for they hved in that age when rehgion began to decay, bhndness and superstition to creep into the world, and therefore could not be ignorant of such good order as had been afore them, although they themselves then began to change and bring in the contrary; whereof I declared part afore, as marriage of priests, church service, &c. To grant tliat so many bishops of Canterbury, York, Lichfield, and I )uresme were in blindness, he thinks it such an inconvenience as no man will do it ; and therefore these that now be bishops must needs be deceived. I am not of that opinion, to think it a shame to grant that bishops be deceived, either in that age or other: for there has been no man so holy (except Christ Jesus) but he has been deceived and ignorant in many things, even in religion. Did not Paul rebuke Peter for dis- sembling in meats with the Jews? Only Clu'ist has the full truth. That is the proud principle of popery, to think that they cannot be deceived: yet in that saying they are most foully deceived. The scribes and Pharisees used the same rea- sons against Christ our Lord, and the false prophets against the true, saying that they kept the old true learning, and the other brought in a new, and deceived the people. But in granting these old bishops to be made after another sort than these be now, what harm may follow? What an- cienty be they of? All since the conquest, and not past five hundred year since. Then it is but new in comparison of one thousand five hundred and fifty. And if our order agree with Christ's doings and his apostles' \M-itings better than theirs, are we to blame in forsaking them and following Christ and his apostles ? or are we to be counted devisers of a new way, when we follow that which is a thousand year elder than theirs ? Nay surely, their devices be new, and we restore the old religion again, practised and taught by Christ and his apostles, which they have defaced with their new devised su- perstition and popery. Whether is it more to contemn or coiTect these bishops of Canterbury, York, Lichfield, and Duresme, that he names, rather than Christ our Lord, Peter, Paul, Timothy, Titus, &c. ? Whether is to be judged elder, wiser, and godlier, these bishops that he names, which are 37—2 580 THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sECT. not five hundred year old, or Christ and his apostles, which be one thousand five hundred year old and more I In the Acts of the Apostles, where ^Matthias was chosen instead of Judas the traitor, where the seven deacons were chosen, and when Paul and Barnabas were sent forth to preach, how few ceremonies were used in comparison of that multitude Jn''o('^^^' "^^^^ich the papists use now ! And how much does it agree iniiiisters. yf[^^ q^j. j^Jjj^^j Ordering ministers better than with theii-s! When Paul taught Timothy and Titus to appoint ministers and bishops in every town, how far differs it from the pope's oiled shavelings! Acts i. Peter calls the disciples together, preaches unto them; they fall to prayer, and chose Mattliias instead of Judas. In the sixth of tlie Acts the apostles assemble the people, declare to them how they themselves should follow preaching, and wills them therefore to pick out men of honesty and godliness to serve the poor: they pray together, lay their hands on them, and made them deacons Actsxiii. provide for the poor. In sending forth Paul and Barna- bas, when they were assembled, to their ministery, they fasted, prayed, laid their hands on them, and send them forth. In the fourteenth, Paul and Bai'nabas " ordained in every church ministers," requiring the consent of the people by holding up their hands, as the Greek word there signifies'. In the first epistle to Timothy, chap. v. he bids him, that he " lay not his hands rashly on any man," where afore he had taught him sufficiently what manner of men, and with what qualities he should call and think them meet for the ministeiy. But because he finds not so great fault with the men tliat be called now a days, (although other do grudge at them,) as with the order and manner of their calling, I will only an- swer to that point which he touches. In these places of the scripture afore rehearsed, there be these things to be noted, in sending forth ministers. First, an assembly of the clergv and people, to bear testimony of their honesty and aptness that be called : for it must not be done in corners, lest such be admitted as be unworthy, and with whom some could or would have found fault, if it had been known and done openly. The ministery is so godly a vocation, that none ought to be admitted to it having any notable fault in them, or if they ■^eipoTovija-avre':, v. 2.*?. Ed.] IN-.] ('ONFUTATION Ol" AX ADDITION. 581 may not abide the trial and judgment of tlio multitude, yea, thougli they be heathens. For St Paul says, tliey must have good testimony of their honesty, even " of them that be out of the chm-ch." Secondly, I note they used exhortations, with fasting, prayer, and laying on of hands. These ceremonies we be sure are good and godly, because the apostles used them so oft : and these, except some great cause to the con- trary, are to be used of all in calling of the ministers. All these things the order now appointed observes, and no more : all the popish ceremonies be cut off as vain and super- fluous. The time of giving orders now is the holy day, when the people be assembled, that they may see who be called : and if they know any notable fault in any of them that are there to be appointed ministers or bishops, they may declare it, that they may be rejected as unworthy. The popish prelates give their orders on the Saturday, when the people is not present, and commonly at home in their chapels, where few resort to see. The bishops now use in giving their orders an exhortation, common prayer, the communion, and laying on of hands, which the apostles used. The pope and his prelates have devised of themselves clippings, shaving their crowns, an unlawful com- pelled vow to live unmarried, oil for anointing their fingers, and power to sacrifice for quick and dead, their double Latin matins and even song daily, with such a kind of apparel, that they be more like to Aaron and Moses, priests of the old law, than a simple preacher of Christ's gospel, or minister of his sacra- ments of the new testament. When we do that which Christ and his apostles did and used, we may be sure it is good, lawful, and necessary: when we add any thing of our own, it may be doubted on ; and if it be commanded as necessary, or as the true worsliip of God, it ought to be refused, changed, yea condemned. For Christ says, "They worship me in vain, teaching doctrines the com- n mandments of men." Therefore, as he reasons hei-e, that it should be too great an inconvenience to say, that these bishops which he names were blind and ignorant in their doings, and that they would come at the judgment to the condemnation of these new bishops which follow not their ways, I had ra- ther turn his argument against himself on his own head, and say, that it is a greater inconvenience, yea blasphemy, to 582 THE i!un.viN(; or i>ali.V. [sect. say that Peter, Paul, Timothy, Titus, &c., were in blindness, and had not tlie right order of appointing their ministers, but that these latter popish jjrelates have invented of late years a perfecter way to do it than they knew or used. Let them prove that either the ajjostles tliemselves, or any of their scholai-s, itsed clipping, shaving their crowns, the vow of single life, sacrificing for the dead, oiling their fingers or crown, their J ewish apparel, their hallowings, crossings, blessings, or such trash as their order is full of, and then blame this new order : but because they cannot, the scripture teaching no such thing, I say they be hypocrites, laying heavy loads on men's backs and consciences, yea, greater than any may bear, not touching them with their finger to ease them, but rather to press them down lower, in preferring man's dreams before the simple truth of the gospel. Christ and liis apostles, with their scholars, shall come in judgment to their condemnation, for that they have main- tained their own devices afore the infallible truth of the scrip- ture, the perfect rule and only example of all our doings and religion. Then, if our bishops now use all such order as the apostles themselves used (as in comparing them together it will easily appear), why should any pi-oud papist be so bold to correct mafin{ficat, to reprove them, and say that the pope has devised a better way than the apostles used ? Or why should any weak conscience, hanging on man rather than on God, be offended to see such vain, superfluous, and wicked toys left off and not used ? If they left out any thing that the apostles used, they might well be blamed : but seeing they had rather follow them as their schoolmasters, and not the pope, they were to be praised. Are popes wiser than the apostles ? Or shall papists, for following their father of lies, be preferred to protestants, which have God's word and his ti-uth, with the doings of the apostles, for their defence to allege for them ! God forbid ! But I think, this good proctor of the pope is offended, be- cause the new bishops run not to Eome themselves, or by their deputy to do their homage to their holy father, and swear an unlawful and traitorous oath against their lawful and natural prince, and bring home the holy relic, their pall, which many have bought so dear, that in gathering money for it they beg- gared their whole diocese. Yet, that the blind may see that these ragged popish clouts, which they think so holy relics and CONFri AriON Ol- A\ ADDI TIO.V. oSo necessary, are not of such worthiness, nor to be regarded so highly, it is easy to see even in this reahn and others, that both they have been not regarded of old time, and also that they had another fashion of making priests and bishops, than our papists of these days have, and more agreeing with the order that the new bishops use. Fabian writes, part iii. cap. Ix. that the bishop of St David's had no pall from Rome at Paii. all, from the time that Samson was bishop there, unto the time of king Henry the first, in which space were there twenty-one bishops'. Polychronicon writes, lib. v. cap. xii^ that North- umberland was without bishop thirty year ; without pall one hundred and twenty-five year ; nor had any altar at all unto the six hundred and twenty-third year of our Lord. Then these things are neither so ancient nor so necessary as papists would make men believe : seeing they had no altars, then they had no popish masses; for they may not be said but on a hallowed altar or superaltar. The pope decreed that all abbots and bi- shops, being chosen to their dignities, should come to Rome to be confirmed and blessed : by which means, he and the cardi- nals made them to pay such sums of money to be speedily dis- patched (as our under officers do now for expedition), that they impoverished many realms by it, and enriched themselves; by reason whereof king Edward the first, perceiving the bishop of Ely and the abbot of St Edmond's Bury, being then chosen to their dignities, to have spent so much money, was ashamed of it, and forbad any more to go thither afterward themselves. For they beggared their churches, or they could pay their debts, as Matthew Parisiensis writes all this at large and more, speaking against this decree of the popes. The bishops of Colen and Mentz pay either to the pope for their pall [' The said Sampson took with him the pall, and sailed into Amorica or Little Britain, and was there bishop of Dolence or Dolences. And from that time unto the first Henry's time, king of England, had sitten at Menevia, or St David's, one and twenty bishops, and all without pall. Chap. Lx. col. 3. — The pall was a short cloak, or rather strip of woollen cloth, worn by an archbishop, who received it from the pope. Ed.] P And so the church of men of Northumberland was without bishop- vick after Paulinus' death xxx. year ; and was without the use of pall six score year and five. * • • To fore that time was no church that had an altar in Brcnicia, till king Oswaldus had raised that cross at that battle. Lib. v. chap. xii. col. 5, 6. Ed.] 584 THE liLKMNG OF PAULS. twenty-four thousand ducats. The same man says also, that Thurstan, archbishop of York, going to a council, holden at Eemis by pope Calixtus, was forbidden of the king to be con- secrate of the pope, and sworn also : but he notwithstanding, as a wicked man, ol)tained of the wicked Romans by rewards to be consecrate there of the pope : which thing when the king heard tell of, he forbad him all places of his dominion. Tho- mas Hatfield, bishop of Dure.sme, chosen a. d. one thousand, three hundred and forty-five, and the nineteenth year of Ed- ward the third, payed to pope Clement the sixth nine thousand florins of gold, for his common sen'ice, beside five accustomed services, which were forty-three florins yearly : which appears by the pope's acquittance made to him. The bishop of Lyons declared in the council of Basil, that the pope liad nine millions of crowns yearly out of France of the bishops. A million con- tains ten hundred thousand. If these be not his griefs, perad- venture because they have not the cruche [crook] and mitre, as the old bishops had, displeases them : surely such horned beasts be fitter for the pope than the gospel ; for as the Latin proverb s^ays of unruly beasts, that they were wont to be known by hang- ing hay on their horns, fwnum hahet in cornu'; so these unruly popish cattle have their mark that they might be known by, their horned mitres ; or else, because they were of the generation of the horned beast, that Daniel in the seventh chapter and St John writes of in his Revelation, thirteenth and seventeenth. Read the latter end of Gildas^, our countrj-man, in his chronicle and chiding exhortation to the priests; and ye shall find, that in his time, which is a thousand year since, there were divers other parts of the scriptures appointed to be read out of the Acts of the Apostles and Peter's epistle, when they were appointed ministers and made priests, which the popish prelates use not in ordering their chaplains now. Whereby it may be gathered, that the ceremonies differed also. But the barbarousness of the time has been such since, that scarce any perfect memorial of their doings remain. The rude Saxons P Hoi-at. Satir. i. iv. 3-1. Ed.] In the Rerum Britannkarum Scriptores Vetmtiores, referred to before, p. 515. Audistis etiam illo die, quo multo dignius multoque rectius erat, ut ad carcerem vel catastam poenalcni quam ad sacerdofium traheremiui, &c. p. 145. Ed.] IX.] (JONFUrATlON OP AN ADDITION. .585 overran this realm, and destroyed all learning and religion, with help of the pope and his creatures, the monks and friars : so that unto now of late years very little good learning has been heard of. Dionysius Areopagus, as he is conmionly called, and whom they say was Paul's scholar, and of Avhom St Luke writes. Acts xvii., says in his book, (if it be his book, as they {^'j*- say it is,) that -'in making their priests and bishops in his time they used no more ceremonies, than to bring him that was to be called a bishop, to kneel afore the altar, to lay the l)ible on his head, and the bishop his hands also, with certain prayers and salutations."'' This simple fashion was used of old time, without any further ado. The priests and deacons had not all these ceremonies in their creating: and yet our bishops, which follow this ancient simplicity, are blamed that they have de- vised new fashions of their own, which never were heard of afore. I3ut by these few things that I have recited it may well be seen, how malice has l)linded their popish hearts, falsely to accuse the protestants of those things which are not true. And to put away all doubts, that may be moved for the ancienty and authority of their order and fashion of making priests and bishops, Polychronicon writes, lib. v. cap. 12, that pope Hono- rius sent to Honorius, bishop of Canterbury, the pall and the order how to make bishops : this was about the year of our Lord one thousand one hundred and twenty-sevea\ Look how ancient it is ; and they cry one thousand five hundred year old, where it is not past four hundred. And as Dionyse in this ordering of priests declares, how 'O /jieV iepdp-^ti<; c'tti ti/V lepafi-viKijv TcXeluia-in irpoaa-'/oficvo'!, ajxcpui TO) TToSe KXiVn? e-n-'iTrpoa-Oeu tov OvmacTTtjpiov, fVi Ke(pa\{]<; t'^e< TO deowapdhoTa \oyi(i nai rtpi 'lepap'^iKi^v '^eTpa, kg) tovtm tio TjOOTTip Trpo? Tov T6A0U1/T0? ainov lepap'^ov ra?? Trai/cf/eo-TnTai? ciri- K<\r)(Tf THE iii;K.\i.\(; of i'AL-i,'i<. [t-Ecr. far they differed in his time from all these popish toys, that this beast would burden the church and simple souls vvithal ; so shall ye find in him also, how much they differed in his age, in ministering the communion, in burj'ing the dead, and other such service and ceremonies, from the pope's s}-nagogue in our days : in so much that it may be truly said of this our re- ligion, that friar Mantuan said : Hcfc novifas non est novitas, sed vera vetmtas. The pope's superstition may well be called new, as I have proved by many particulars afore : but this of ours is both old and true, as it may be more fully proved than I have yet spoken. Therefore let them set better clerks to speak for them, and prove it by the scriptures, or else for shame hold their peace. But a scalled horse is good enough for a scabbed esquire ; and for so false a doctrine, so foolish unlearned a drunken dotel is a meet schoolmaster. They kno\\- well enough, that they be not able to stand in defence of it, and therefore they set up such a dolt, that when he takes a foil, no man will marvel ; and yet they shall think that the stout cham- pions are behind, which can bind bears and confute all men. But surely this nide ass is the mouth of them all to utter what they think, and they have no better ware than he has uttered : lot them put their helping hands to. and bring better stuff, if they have it ; but if they run to the later constitutions of Gregory and Clemens, or such like, we know what ancienty and authority they be of, and our answer is ready : for they themselves keep them not. AVhat religion the old bishops have been of from the be- ginning in these sees which he names, or how they were made, I tliink no good record declares. The rudeness of the times have been such, and such destruction of old monuments, both by inward and outward war, that none or few remains. I ^vill note only therefore such things as were done in our days, that every man knows, or else such as be in print. In Diu-esme I grant the bishop that now is and his predecessor were not of one religion in divers points, nor made bishops after one fashion. This has neither cruche nor mitre, never sware against his prince his allegiance to the pope : this has neither power to christen bells, nor hallow chalices and superaltars, &;c. as the other had; and with gladness praises God, that keeps him from such filthi- ness : his predecessor wrote, preached, and sware against the IX.] CONFL'I'ATIOX OF AN AUnil'ION. 587 pope, was justly deprived afterward for disobedience to his prince ; and yet, being restored, submitted himself to the pope again. Stout Stephen and bloody Bonner, with other cham- pions yet living, be in the like case. God defend all good people from such religion and bishops ! For these other holy bishops that he reckons and calls saints, if I should speak all that I know and they deserve, it were too long a book, and to wise men it would be thought a scorn, rather than a praise. There is no good ancient his- tory that makes mention of them; for they themselves are not ancient, nor long it is since they lived here. There is no better history than the pope's portus and Legenda Sanc- torum, with such like, that speaks of them ; and to read those miracles would make a horse to laugh : yet something will I say. In the time of that famous prince, Henry VIII., when God's enemy and the overthrower of all princes, the pope, was banished this realm, it was decreed well, that all doc- tors, deans, and other head men of the clergy, should de- clare to the people in their sermons the usurped power of the pope divers times in the year. Among other, one D. Str. preaching at York, and inveighing against the abuses of popery, (although in many things a papist himself,) and namely against his canonizing and making of saints; among other, he fell in talk of St William of York, and said, that St William's horse was more worthy to be made a saint, than St William himself. The reason was this: St William stwiiiiam on a time, when he was made new bishop, ridmg m his royalty over Ouse bridge within York, (as he was wont to do oft very gloriously, and as stoutly as Thomas Becket, in whose time he lived also,) the bridge brake, and many that followed were drowned. St William's horse, as full of cou- rage as his master, with wrestling and spurring up, saved himself and his master from drowning. The horse did the notable deed, and deserved the i)raise : but the master won the reward, and was made a saint by the pope. This and such other is enough, with the pope, to make his servants saints : but this bishop's life and doings otherwise, afore God and godly men, are in wickedness as evil as Thomas Becket's. He was so unhappy a man, that when he was first chosen bishop of York, the pope Eugenius would not confirm him, o8S THE BURNING OF PAUl's. [sECT. but made Henry Miu-clach bishop there in his stead. \Vhen both that pope and bishop \\'ere dead, then he was chosen again and made bishop of York, and coming so gloriously into the city as I spake of, the bridge brake for the weight of men that followed, as Legenda Nova Sanctorum says in St Edmond. his life. St Edmond was so holy, as the same worthy his- tory says, that when divers women came to liis chamber to him, he would not touch them. If ye believe him, he ever set great store by women, for honour of our lady, the same writer says also ; and when one of his friends rebuked him because he talked so oft with a certain wife, he said, "Seest thou not how fair she is, and oft sat by me, and yet I was never tempted with herf Polychronicon also tells the same tale, lib. vii'. Further, when one of his clerks, sitting at dinner, did eat nothing, because that day was ordinary to have his fit of a quartan, he asked why he did not eat: "because I look for my fit," says he. "I will make a cross on this lamprey in my dish," says Edmond, "and put in thy mouth in the name of the Trinity, and thou shalt be whole." But tliat such holy men may do what they lust, and have it for well, yet if poor souls should have done it, it would have been laughed at, and counted a charming ; for lamprey is very evil for a quartan. Lanfranc. Lanfrauc brought in the heresy of transubstantiation, Anseim. Anselm divorced mai-ried priests, and says also fm-ther, that Linus was the first bishop of Kome, writing in the latter end of his commentaries on the second epistle to Timothy-. Let the papists look their books, and see whether I say true; and then judge how truly they crack, that Peter was the first pope at Eome, and that all the rest have then- autho- rity from him. If this fool had looked, he should find some bishops of Canterbury, even papists, as Austin and Anselm, to have been of our religion in some opinion of the greatest matters, more than Cranmer: whose wTitings and doings, be- cause they be in print and so fresh memory-, like a barking cur in the night at the moonshine, he may declare his own malice rather than deface the godly memory of that holy [} Chap. XXXV. col. 8. En.] p Romse vero movantes te salutant Enhulus, et Pudens, et Linus, (iste Linus fuit primus Roraanse sedis episcopus,) et Claudia. Anselm. Tom. II. p. 379. Colon. 1612. Ed.] IX.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 589 martyr, and therefore I will not speak of hini. But that the world may see how lewdly he lies, when he says that no bishops have been of our religion, the same Legenda Sanctorum tells that Anselm, bishop of Canterbury, came to king Henry the first, to desire licence to go to Rome to pope Urban to fetch his pall. The king said, he knew him not for pope, nor it was not lawful for any to name any pope without his licence. The pi-elates and noblemen were called together, and Anselm accused; and all the bishops there said, it was not lawful for him to take Urban for pope in his realm, and keep his oath that he made to the king : and so all the bishops (except Rochester) forsaked him, and would not obey him as their archbishop. Judge now, whether any bishops in this realm have refused the pope afore tliese our days. And because I have entered to entreat of these holy fathers that he cracks so much on, I will shew you what is written in the life and history of Thomas 13ecket, bishop of Canterbury, Thomas their stinking martyr, and traitor to his prince. When the bishop was fled out of the realm, the king sent embassadors by the consent of the nobles and prelates to Rome after him, to declare the matter, and accuse him of disobeying the king, troubhng the realm and the clergy, and of perjury in not keep- ing the laws which he sware to first. The embassadors were Roger, archbishop of York, Gilbert, bishop of London, Roger, bishop of ^Vorcester, Hilary, bishop of Chichester, Bartholo- mew, bishop of Exeter, the Earl of Arundel, with many other noblemen and clerks. Their orations, wherein they accuse this holy traitor, be there in print severally, and somewhat long to recite; but judgQ indifferently, when so many bishops and the earl accuse Thomas Becket afore the pope so earnestly, whether we be to blame to accuse him now. The effect of the bishop of London's oration to the pope and cardinals was this ; and the other bishops' orations are like : Fathers, the care of the church belongs to you, that they which be wise might be cherished by you, and they that be unwise might be corrected, that they might be wise : but he is not thought wise to your wisdoms, that trusts in his own wisdom, and goes about to trouble the peace of his brother and the king. Of late there fell a debate in England betwixt the king and the clergy, for a light cause, which might have been easily •'590 TiiR nuii\i\c; of p.vijf,''s. |'>ect. bui-ied, if a gentle medicine had been ministered: but the bishop of Canterbury, using liis own will, and not ours, was too earnest, not considering what harm might come by such headiness. And because he could not get our consent, he went about to cast the fault of his rashness on our lord the king, and the realm: and that he might deface our bro- therly love, he flees away, no man compelling him, as it is written in the psalm, " The wicked flees when no man per- secutes him." The other bishop and earl follow with like or more vehement words. When king Egfride had married Etheldrede, and she had rather live a virgin than do the duty of a A\ife, the king St wiifricie. dcsired St ^Vilfride to counsel his wife to do her duty : the bishop would not, but rather encouraged her, divorced her, Lescnda made her a nun', and the king married another; which Nova banc. . torum^in counscl of Wilfridc was plam contrary- to St Paul, saying, "The woman has not power of her own body, but the man; for she cannot depart from her husband without licence, and but for a time." God keep us from such holy bishops! Polychronicon, lib. v. cap. xxii. declares a knot of these his holy fathers. Adelme, first priest, then abbot, and lastly a bishop, when he was tempted in the flesh, took a fair wench into bed with him while he might say the psalter; and yet would not marry-. Lib. vii. cap. ii, AN'alter, bishop of Hertford, was slain by a woman, which gored him in the .groin^ with her shears, because he would have ravished her. p Juucta est turn (Etlicldredu) regi prafato lege conjugali, non con- junctioni carnali. Cujus rci gratia beatum Wilfridum tain per se quam per alios rex convenit, orans et obsecrans quatenus regins persuaderet, lit omisso virginitatis proposito regise voluntati asscnsum prseberet. llle tainen non consentiens vigilanti aninio procurabat, nequa femine» mentis inconstantia propositum virginitatis postponeret, et terrenis Dlecebris .minium divicta supponeret. Sua enim erat industria ut \-irgo di- vortium qusreret, quatenus libertate potita secuhnn relinquere et regi eterna (sic) feliciter inliierere posset. Et factum est ita. Nam cum regi constaret nullo illam pacto a proposito posse mutari, licet invitus concessit, ut rclieto soculo, sicut volebat, virginitatis velamen acciperet. Lcgenda Nova Anglisc, fo. cceii. col. 4. Lond. 151G. Ed.] [- He took upon him this martjTdoni, that when he were tempted in his flesh, he would hold with him, &c. col. 2. Ed.] P This expression is slightly altered from the original. The storj- is in Polychi-on. Lib. vii. chap. ii. col. 2. Ed.] IX.] (OMTTATION- 01' A\ ADniTIOX. 591 Cap. xi, Walter, bishop of Durham, made women to serve him and the monks at the table, with their hair hanging down, where few scaped their hands'. Cap. xii, Giraldus, bishop of York, was, says he, "a lecherous man and a witch"." The same Polychronicon says also, lib. vii. cap. xxxi. that Fulco, a French priest, came to king Eichard the first, and bad him marry his three daughters. The king said, he had none : "Yes," says he, "pride, covetousness", and lechery." Then the king said : " Pride I give to templers ; covetousness to white monks; and lechery to prelates." This marriage was so knit then, that it could not be broken since; and this was the king's opinion of them. 0 holy fathers ! I trust, whosoever considers these things well, will judge the holiness of these good bishops, on whom he glories so much. The rest of the bishops which he names be such like ; and because he speaks not much of them, I will let them pass, for they be no better: and out of the same worshipful history ye shall read of them, because no learned man has thought meet to lose his time in commending such. They lived all since the conquest, not five hundred year since : all made saints, and promoted by the pope, and he by them : therefore they must need maintain his doings, and he theirs. 1 would not have blotted so much paper with so much wickedness, nor filled your ears and eyes with such filthiness, but that he provoked me to it, and calls that good, which is evil, and light, darkness : the rest be no better. In every bishoprick ye shall find some bishops, that were enemies to the pope and his doings in that blind age. In Lincoln, Robert Grosshead appealed from the pope to Jesus Christ, and wrote divers good books against many his doings. Ranold Pecocke of Chichester was condemned in the twenty-sixth year of Henry VI. for this new learning, and specially for saying Col. 2. But, continues Polychron. this is worthy to be greatly praised : for by his procuring, St Cuthbort's body was taken out of the grave, and clothed worshipfully in new clothing. En.] And Gyralde was avchbisliop after him, a lecherous man, a witch, and an evil doer, as the fame telleth. Cliap. xii. col. 2. Ed.] In the old edition, covetous : in I'olycliron. covetyxc. It occurs in the licginning of the chapter. Ed.] 592 THE BURNING OF PAUL S. [sect. that a general council and the church may err in religion. In the late days of popery were burned five bishops, and five banished : let them shew so many bishops that suffered within this thousand year for their god, the pope, and they might have some shew of honesty for them. It is a rare thing to see a bishop die for religion, and specially a papist. X. Seeing they reform religion so well, as they say, it were meet, as they forsake the religion that their predecessors used, as mass, matins, ministration of sacraments, that they should also forsake houses, parks, lands, and revenues, that their predecessors had, and go from place to place for d'od's sake and preach. If nothing else, this one saying will prove him a dissem- bling lying hypocrite. All the world knows, that the greatest fault and readiest that they have to lay against the gospel- time, is, that church-lands and livings are taken from spi- ritual men, and bestowed on other; and of this thing he complains himself in manifest words hereafter. Therefore it is manifest, that he would not liave the bishops to give away their lands, seeing he complains of the taking it away : but he would so fain find a fault in the new bishops, that rather than he find none, he will shew himself a fool in blaming them wherein they deserve it not, and which he thinks to be no fault indeed. Why they forsake their mass and matins, is sufficiently declared afore. ' For their houses, parks and lands, why some few that have any such do not forsake them that be left, there is good reason : but why other some have them not (that they might foi-sake them, if they should), I fear their popish predecessors have provided too well for them against reason. They keep house, and such lands as they can get, because they be not anabaptists, nor heretics, thinking it not to be lawful for them so to do, (for God s good creatures are ordained to serve God's good ministers;) and also, because they be not so superstitious as the observants friars, which thought themselves so holy that they might not handle money. They remember also, that God commands them to keep hospitality to their power : and because by this means it may the better Spiritual be donc, they do not refuse it, although greedily they do not lands. desu-e it. The prince also and commonwealth desires a service of them, which they cannot .';o well perform without these; CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 598 but chiefly for the maintenance of learning, which is so de- cayed ahnost remediless, and so httle hope to recover it, if these helps be clean taken away, that extreme blind ignorance is hke to follow this age. Look into the universities, and spy what ancient learned men ye find there, either papist or protestant. I am ashamed to tell, and it is to be lamented to see that there is so few, and it is earnestly to be begged at God's hand that it may be amended : but I fear it is rather to be wished than hoped for. This plague is over our heads not regarded, and cannot be avoided, howsoever the world go. These few that now live, both papist and protestant, must needs die. Where is there then any learned number to supply their rooms? There be few schools abroad to bring up youth ; but so many benefices so small, that no man will take them, and so the parishes be unserved, and the people wax without fear of God. The universities have many goodly fresh wits in them, but so young, and without a sufficient number of ancient guides to teach and rule tlieni, that many men's days shall bo spent afore any number come to ripeness, although for their young years many can do well. But fathers and mothers must an- swer this question ; and they, if they be asked why they keep not their children at school, will say, there is more profit to be had in making his son a lawyer, a physician, or any thing except a minister : for when they have bestowed all they can get on one child in the university, he shall not be able to live himself, nor help any friend he has ; where the lawyer will become a gentleman, a purchaser, within few years. They will do any thing with him, rather than make him a priest. St Paul bids, " He that is taught, let him give part of all his Gai. vi. goods to him that teaches him and the next words following be, "God is not mocked;" as though he should say. If ye deal not liberally with your teachers, and think nothing so pre- cious, but they should have their part of it in their need, ye but mock God in so mocking his ministers; but "he that dwells Psai. ii. in heaven will mock you again," says David. Let them weigh these words well, which in paying their tithes, if they find one sheaf, lamb, or fleece, worse than another, cast it out in scorn, and say it is good enough for a priest, or with worse words, as they be full of such. "If they sow spiritual things, is iticor. ix. 38 [I'lLKINGTON.] 594 THE BURNING OP PAULS. [sect. much if they reap your carnal tilings?" No, sure: ye have no- thing good enough to recompense their labour withal. In the primitive church it was not unlawful to have lands, though many sold their lands for to relieve the poor Christians withal. It is no more unlawfid to keep lands, than to keep the money for which he sold the lands ; and Peter said to Ananias that Actsv. sold his land, "Did it not remain to thee, and when thou had sold it, was it not in thine own power to do with it what thou would V So Peter grants that it was lawful for liim both to keep the lands, and to keep the money too, that he received when he liad sold it : and yet I doubt not but the new bishops, if case so should require, could be content to forego all, and Uve as God would, as their deeds of late well declared, so that they might serve God or his people the better, and rather than they defile themselves with popery. We read that divers of the holy fathers and bishops had lands with their churches : but it is folly to answer so curious a fool in a matter of no doubt, but invented of an idle scofSng brain. If ye demand, why some bishops have so little lands, few houses and parks, the reasons also be sundry : but surely, few or none have so much as to keep them out of debt, or to maintain that hospitahty which is looked for at their hands. Some of theu* lands and parks against their wills be exchanged by order of law : but the most part, the mahcious popish prelates, that were their predecessors, seeing their kingdom decay, and tliat professors of God's gospel should follow in their places, would rather give it women, children, horsekeepers, (I say no worse,) by lease, patents, annuities, than any that loves God should en- joy it. This is the greatest reason why they have not lands, and that cannot be avoided ; more is the pity. How many bishopricks in the realm have they impoverished by these means ! So that they which now succeed, are not able to re- lieve themselves nor the poor as they would and should. The multitude cry out on the protestants, that they keep not houses, like the papists, nor such a number of idle servants: they consider not how barely they came to their livings, what pensions they pay, and annuities, which their predecessors granted ; how all commodities be leased away from them ; what charges they bear for first-fruits, subsidies and tenths ; how they lack all household stuff and furniture at their entering ; so X.] CONFUTATION OF AN ADDITION. 595 that for three years' space they be not able to Hve out of debt, and get them necessaries. The popish prelates, afore they were bishops, had divers fat benefices and prebends, which they kept still for a commendam : they were stored of all necessaries of household afore they entered ; they paid no first fruits ; so that they may do on the first day more than the other can do in seven year. " If ye were of the world," says our Lord, " the John. > world would love you ; but because ye be not of the world, therefore the world hates you." The world loves the papists ; therefore they be worldlings, and not of God : the poor pro- testant, because he will not lie, not flatter, is despised of the world. The world gives to the papist honour, castles, towers, and all that it has : to the protestant if he give any thing, it is thought too much; and of those things that it gives, it gives the worst that can be picked out, and yet thinks it too good. Therefore, surely the one has his reward in this world : the other must look for it at God's hand. For the proud papist there is notliing good enough : for the poor protestant every thing is too good. What can the professors of God's truth therefore look to have here, but to follow the example of the apostles whose doctrine they teach, to suffer wi-ongs, slanders, contempt, to be counted as outcasts, and sheep ap- pointed to the slaughter ? When the pope's butchers are aloft, they broil and brenne, they prison, hang and torment the sely gospeller at their pleasm-e : when the protestant is at the best, and the world seems to laugh on him, he is scarce able to live, runs in contempt and slander of the world; and the lurking papist, looking for his day when he may run loose agam, gapes to satisfy his bloody heart and liands, which never will be satisfied with blood. Divers of these holy prelates, that he cracks so much of, had so leased out their houses, lands and parks, that some of the new bishops had scarce a corner of a house to lie in, and divers not so much ground as to grese [graze] a goose or sheep; so that some were compelled to tether their horse in their orchard : and yet have these holy fathers provided, that if they be restored (as they look for, as many think,) that they shall have all their commodities again. O notable cliai-ity, and meet for the chil- dren of such a father ! The Lord God for his mercy amend this at his good will and pleasure ! The people are so blind. 596 THE BURNING OF PAUL S. [sect. that they rather believe him that fills their belly, than him that teaches them Christ ; so rude, that they care more for the body than for the soul : even as Christ, when he filled five thousand with five loaves, they would have made him a king ; but with- in few days after they would have stoned him. Paul wrought for his own living, and would not be a burden to any congre- gation : yet he says, that it was lawful for him to take all his necessaries of them whom he taught. Clarysostom in the eighty- sixth homily on Matthew, \\Titing, entreats the like question, and tells causes why he and others had lands belonging to their churches. He says, " The unthankfidness of the people was such, that if they had not such provision, they should go a begging'." So surely I think now, if the bishops and ministers had not that provision, they might starve for hunger. Love and duty to God, his word, and ministers, is so decayed, that to get away from them is thought godliness, pastime and profit. Surely God will not have his servants so mocked : God turn from us for Christ's sake that which we deserve and provoke him to in these our doings ! Julianus apostata, the emperor that forsaked his faith, hearing that the gospel taught the Christ- ians to live in poverty and suffer persecution, took their goods from them, and punished them, saying, he would help them to heaven, because their gospel taught them to live poor and suffer : ^ so our papists, hearing the protestants preach poverty, and condemn their proud prelaty, have leased, granted, and given away their livings, that now the poor gospeller has scarce whereon to live, tlu-ough their malice. XI. In Christ's church has ever been a succession of bishops from the apostles' time to this clay, in every see. Tertullian says : " If in any see there be a bisliop that walks not in his fatlier's steps, he is ^' Kai yap fieff VfXtav t]iia<; Karaye\devT{i /ieAe'Tai";. * * aXXa Tk tj aizoXoylu tynXi]paTwii tovtuiu; ovk s in their summer, that they need not lo starve in this gentle winter: the world is so nmch their iriend, that they can lack nothing : they would fain be counted to suffer for religion, if any man would believe it'. The poor protestant, which has his liberty, lives in more misery, need, debt, reproach and contempt, than these the pope's prisoners, who, he says, have lost all. It is better in the world to be the pope's prisoner than Christ's preacher. God amend all ! v. Whether be priests in schism that minister tlie communion and other sacraments according to the book of common pi'ayer now sot forth? Tliis maimer of ministration of sacraments, set fortli in the book of common pr.aycrs, was never allowed nor agreed upon by tlie universal church of Christ in any general council or sacred synod ; no, not by the clergy of England at the last parliament : but only it was agreed upon by the laity, which have nothing ado with spiritual matters or causes of religion, but ought to stand to the decrees, judgment and detennination of the clergy in causes of faith and religion. For so it was used in the apostles' time, as appears in the Acts of the Apostles : As when the apos- Acts vi. ties took then order to make seven deacons, and when they put away Acts xv. the ceremonies of the old law. Such decrees as the apostles and clergy made at Jerusalem, without any council of the laity, St Paul and otlier P The papists had much liberty in the early part of queen Elizabeth's reign, till the bull of Pius V. in 1570 required them to rebel against their .sox ereigii. Even of Bomier, who was committed to the Marshalsca in 15C0, Stiype says: "He grew old in prison, and died a natural death in the year 1569, not suffering any want, or hunger, or cold. For he lived daintily, had the use of the garden and orchards, when he was minded to walk abroad and take the air; suffering nothing like ira- jirisonment, unless that he was circumscribed within certain ))ounds. Nay, he had his liberty to go abroad, but dared not venture: for the IH'ople retained in their hearts his late bloody actions. Strype, Annals, i, I liap. xi. p. 2)4. Oxford, 1824. Ed.] (524 QUESTION.? AND ANSWERS. of tlie apostles taught all countries and nations to obey and observe : and sitli the apostles' time the clergy has ever decreed matters of religion and faith. Nor it cannot be proved, that ever the laity in any country or nation, afore the last parliament, did presume to set forth a religion against the whole consent of the clergy. Therefore this manner of ministration of sacraments now used, being agamst the consent and determination of Acts XX. Christ's church, which ought to be ruled and governed by bishops, it must needs be schismatical, and they that use this manner of ministration must needs be in schism. The blessed martyr, St Cj-prian, does declare what danger they do stand in, that do use this manner of ministration against the order of Christ's church, saying these words: "They be enemies of the altar, and rebels against the sacrifice of Christ, contemning the bishops and forsaking the priests of God: they are bold to set up another altar with unlawful voices, to make another manner of praj'er, to profane with false sacrifices the verity of the blessed sacrament of the altar: nor they will not know them that fare about to do against the ordinance of God, for their bold rashness, by the punishment of God they shall be punished; as he punished Chore, Dathan, and Abiron, wliich would offer up sacrifice against the consent of Moses and Aaron : some were swallowed up of the earth, and the rest brent witli fire, to the terrible example of all others."' Hitherto be St Cyprian's words. Mai. i. Also Almighty God, by his holy prophet Malaclii, does cry out upon such priests as minister against the ordinance of Christ's church, saying, " they despise his name in offering up polluted bread." Hosea ix. The prophet Osee does call the sacrifice of such priests " bread of mourning, and all that eat thereof shall be defiled," says the prophet. Ezeii. xxii. Almighty God does complain by his ])rophet Ezeehiel, saying: "The priests have condemned my law, and ha\ e polluted my sanctuary." " Woe be unto you, that go from the truth," says our Lord by Esay. Our Lord Mai. ii. says by his proidiet, " except such priests will amend quickly and give glory to his name, they shall be brought into great necessity and poverty, and he will cui-se their blessings ; and because they have made void the pact of Levi, they shall be in contempt in all people." p Hostis altaris, adversus sacrificium Christi rebellis, pro fide perfi- dus, pro religione sacrilegus, inobsequens servus, filius impius, frater inimicus, contemtis episcopis et Dei sacerdotibus derelictis, constituere audet aliud altare, precem alteram illicitis vocibus faeere, Dominicse hostie veritatem per falsa sacrificia profimare ; nec dignatur scire, quo- niam qui contra ordinationem Dei nititur, ob temeritatis audaciam divina animadversione punitur. Sic Chore et Dathan ct Abiron, qui sibi contra Moysen et Aaron sacerdotem sacrificandi licentiam vindicare conati sunt, poenas statim pro suis conatibus pependerunt. Terra eompagibus ruptis in profundum sinum patuit, stantes atque viventes recedentis soli hiatus ahsorbuit. The fi''i' m\A t:tam])h' of others are afterwards mentioned. Cypr. De Unitate Ecek-ia', p. 88. ed. Fell. Oxon. 1700. En.] QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 625 The Fifth Answer. What if this order of ministering and common prayer was not agreed on by the universal church in general council ? Is it not good therefore ? Then is neither their Latin portus, nor missal and mass-book good; for the general church never al- lowed them, as I declared afore. It is free for all countries to differ in outward order of prayer and ceremonies, so that they agree in substance of doctrine with the scripture. But the laity, he says, has nothing ado with spiritual matters and religion, and alleges the Acts of the Apostles: how will he prove that none Actsxv. of the elders there were of the laity, nor none of the multitude in the choosing of the deacons? Unto it be well proved, it may well be doubted on. As in other things, so in this, he shews himself, how learned he is. When the law of God was neglected in the days of Saul, David coming to be king, and moved with love of religion, calls all the nobility and worship of the realm together, thirty thousand, and also the Lcvites and priests, to ^^j''™"- know their minds, whether they would bring home the ark of 2 sam. vi. God, and restore the religion decayed, or no ? And they an- swered all, "Yea." What a great parliament was this, and full of the laitj', to determine for receiving of religion ! Josaphat, 3 cinon. Ezechias, and Josias, good kings, sent their visiters abroad -^vii. through the realm, joining in commission from the king noble- men of the laity, to go in visitation with the Levites. Legenda in wiifrido. Sanctorum'' tells, how king Oswi called a synod at Whitby, for taking away that diversity of keeping Easter which was here in the realm, when some kept it in the full moon, what day of the week soever it fell on, other only on the Sunday follow- ing : wherein appears the authority that the king justly claims to himself in religion, even in that blind age, when he calls the learned men together to dispute on it, hears what they can say, and concludes so the matter himself that all otlier did follow his sentence. P Facta est itaquc synodus in monastciio Iliklsc aliliatissic apud Streneshnlch, quod modo Wliiteby vocafur, iilji qiucstio vcntilavi dclicrct ct tcrminari ; iil)i convciicnint rcges Oswi ct filius ejus AlfVcdus, Ailbertus episcopus cum bcato \Filfrido. * * Ilabito auteni silentio rex Oswi tali modo loquutus est : " Ilactenus, patrcs venerandi, scisina, &c. * • Ea re in banc mc scntentiam ipsa rationis nocessitas potissinmm duxit, qua- tenus utriusque partis defensores una venire jussio nostra constringcret, &c." Nova Legenda Anglia;. fo. ccc. ccci. Lend. 1510. Eu.J 40 [PlLKINGT.'ON.] 626 QUESTI0Nf5 AND ANSWERS. [quest. John Gerson and Panomiitanus, as I alleged afore', no new protestants, but ancient catholics, and both lieing pre- sent in the last councils at Constance and Basil, said they w ould rather beUeve a poor simple learned layman that brings and alleges the holy scripture, than all the whole council having no scripture for them. God's truth is not bound to mitres, bishops and priests alone; but lapnen may have, and oft have, better the ti-ue understanding of it, than those that look highest in the clergy : and therefore they are to be be- 1 chron. lieved and heard, as well as the priests. Did not king David, no priest, set in order the Levites, how they should resort in com'se to serve in the tabernacle, made the psalms, appointed them, how, where and when they should be sung 1 Ezechia-s and Josias pulled down the brazen serpent and other images. Actsxviii. Did not Priscilla and Aquila teach Apollo the mysteries of the scripture ? By these, I trust, it appears that lajinen may do something in religion. If these may not serve, look the statutes of Queen Mary, how she takes away one religion, and brings in another : and there is no more done now. How bhnd be they in their own causes, and partial to themselves ! But it was never heard of, he says, that the laity in any coun- try presumed to set forth a religion against the whole consent of the clergy, afore the last parliament. O proud brag ! Was all the clergy of the realm contained in a few horned popish bishops ? Was there no clergy in the university-, nor other parts of the realm, beside those few bishops I Did not many in the university and abroad in the realm use this service openly and commonly in theii- chm-ches, afore it was received or enacted by parliament? Because the rulers, the scribes, and all the priests. Acts iv. forbad the apostles in their parliament and council, that they should not preach Christ any more, were not the apostles there- fore of the clergy, or was not their doctrine good, because it was condemned in that wicked council ? Was there not a dis- putation for religion appointed by the queen's majesty, wherein yoiu* clergj' was afraid to utter their foolishness in defending their superstition, lest they had taken more shame in answering [} See p. .532. Ed.] 1^- Botli here and in tlio next line Strj'pe, (who quotes this passage, Amiids, Vol. I. p. 202. Oxford, 1824.) reads ttriiversitiex. The old edition of Pilkmgton has nrihrrsitie. En.] QtrESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 627 than they did in holding their peace, wliich well they could not r I think the universities, with so many places of the realm receiving religion, and these other disputing for it, may be counted to be some part of the clergy of the realm ; and so it was not received \vithout consent of the clergy. But these were not of the parliament : what then ? Is reUgion to be de- termined no where but in parliament 'i He is wont to say, and did afore, in universities and councils. To make a religion, as he terms it, no man has authority, (for that belongs to God alone;) but to restore pure religion, wliich has been defaced by superstition, princes in their countries ought to do, though their prelates be against it. Did not king Joas command the priests to restore the temple, and first ordained the poor man's chest in the church ? Did not Nabuchodonozor and Darius make proclamation through all their countries, without and against the consent of their priests, that all people should wor- ship Daniel's God 2 Though there was not a perfect order then set forth by them to do it in, yet it was much for heathen princes to do so, and it teaches christian princes how to do in the like case. But as Joas, Josaphat, Ezechias and Josias did not make a new religion, but restore that which afore was defaced and had long lien bm-ied; so our parliament did not set forth a new religion, but restore that which was godly, begun under good king Edward, confirmed by the parliament and the clergy then, but suddenly by violence trodden imder feet by bloody papists a little after. Yet all this satisfies not them; for nothing can be con- cluded as a law by parliament, say they, without consent of the clergy there present ; but this, having not their consent, cannot be counted a law, as they think. I had rather leave this to be answered by the lawyers than otherwise, because it is a mere temporal case to dispute on, and concerns their profession : yet that the world may see that something may be said in it, we grant him not this to be true, that no law at all can be made without consent of the bishops. Look yoiu* old statutes of parliament, when bishops were highest, afore Edward III. and ye shall read that they passed by the consent of the lords temporal and commons, without any mention of the lords P For an account of this disputation, see Stiype, Annals, Vol. i. cliap. iv. p. 128, &c. En.] 40—2 628 QUIvSTIOXS AND ANSWERS. [quest. spiritual; which statutes many of them stand in strength at this day. Then it may well be gathered, that the consent of the clergy was not always so necessary as they think it. If it be so strong a reason, as he thinks it to be, to have consent of the bishops, I will prove by the same reason, that it is as necessary to have abbots of the parliament : for they were present of old time, and their consent was required as well as the bishops', and but of late years they were put off the par- liament, and it is not long since the convocation house was separate from the parliament too. The la\\')ers, judges and justices, put in practice and execute these laws: therefore their doings may be a sufficient reason to lead the unlearned, what opinion they have of these statutes for religion, except justice Rascal, first executing them and after running away, may con- demn the rest, which I trust he may not. I think they would not execute them, except they had the streng-th and nature of laws : if they do contrary to their knowledge and opinion, they cannot be able to answer their doings. But I think no wise men are of this opinion ; only these corner-creepers that dare not shew their face, and would deceive the people, go about thus to deface all good and godly order that dis])leases them. In the days of blessed king Edward, they had the like fond opinion, that a king could not make laws in his minority until he come to full age : but this and that was only to hinder re- ligion, and to make the people disobey their j)rince : yet God has, and I trust will confound all such wicked devices. Cyprian's words are not truly alleged ; and if they were, what do they make against us I How could C\-prian write against our order, which he never knew, being found of so late years as they say ? And he does not mean them that differed in outward order of prayer, but that swerved from the substance and verity taught in the scriptures. In ceremonies he himself differed fi-om other countries, and every country almost fi-om others, as I declared afore : and the bishops which he speaks of, are as like our jjopisli prelates as ^Villiam Fletcher and the sweet rode. The prophet's words may all be turned against him and his, so wisely he applies them. VI. AVhether tlicy be in schism that minister no sacrament, hut only instead of divine service read chapters and psahiis, 6v;c. afore tlie people ? VI.] QI'KSTIONS AND ANSWERS. (l29 To read afore the people, instead of divine service, psalms and chapters, or other such like, being not appointed by the universal consent of the church of CJud, but against the decrees of the church, must needs bo schismatical, and they in schism that do it. For as the two sons of Aaron Lev. x. were stricken with sudden death, because they offered up strange fire, which was not appointed to them by IMoses and Aaron ; even so do they offend that will, instead of matins and evensong and other divine service appointed by the church, read psalms and chapters and such like, not- appointed by the catholic bishops lawfully consecrated. For our Saviour says in flic gospel : " He that will not hear and obey the church," Matt, xviii. that is to say, the bisliops, "take him as an infidel." And St Clement does say in an epistle that he writes to St James: "By the judgment of God they shall suffer everlasting torment in the fire of hell, that neglect the decrees of the church'." Therefore the holy martyr, St Cyprian, does say : " He that has not defiled his hands witli these wicked sacra- ments, and has polluted his conscience otherwise, let him not comfort himself that he needs to do no penance .« for he has broken his profession and canonical obedience, that he made to the bishops when he was made priest^." Also, this decree was made in the canons of the apostles : Si quis clericus aut laicus mjnagogam Judceonmi aut conventiculum hcereticorum ivgressusfuerit, iit preces cum illis conjinigat, dcponutin^ : that is, " If any of the clergy or laity shall enter into the synagogue of the Jews, or the company of the heretics, to say prayers with him []them,]] let him be deposed." The Sixth Answer. The cuckoo has but one song, and that is unpleasant : no more has this cokewold maker but one fooHsh false principle to ground his sayings on; that is, the Romish church. I said afore, (and no man is able to improve' it,) that the universal church never made any one order of service to be used through the whole world, but every country has and may have divers without (2^ HiEc ergo praecepta nemo credat absque sui periculo negligere vel dissimulare, quia in judicio Dei ignis aeterni tormenta sustinebit, qui ec- clesiastica decreta neglexerit. Clemens Rom. Epist. ad Jacob. Concil. Tom. I. p. 104. Paris. 1G44. But the epistle is considered spurious. Ed.] Nee sibi, quo minus agant poenitentiam, blandiantur, qui etsi ne- fandis sacrificiis manus non contaminavei-untjlibellis tamen eonscieutiam poUuerunt. •■' * * Minus plane peccaverit non videndo idola, nec sub oculis circumstantis atque insultantis populi sanctitatem fidei profanando, non polluendo manus suas funestis sacrificiis, nec sceleratis cibis ora maculando : hoc eo proficit, ut sit minor culpa, non ut innocens consci- entia. Cyprian. De Lapsis, p. 9.5, 00. Oxon. 1 700. En.] p Concil. Tom. i. p. 22. Canon 03. Ed.] Improve: disprove. En.] 630 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. [qUEST. offending, so they agree in one substance of true doctrine. He knows no church but Rome, and yet Rome never decreed any one general order for the whole world; nor the whole world never obeyed nor received any. The pope's portus and missal has been oft changed, as I proved afore, and every country ha.s their divers order of service. Aaron's sons did plainly agaiast God's express commandment, and therefore were justly plagued: ours do not so, and therefore they be not in like case, but unde- sei-vedly blamed. Clement's words and Cj-prian's, when they are proved to be truly alleged, touch not us, but such as he is ; for they knew no such priests nor church as he means, nor any such were many years after. The papists differ verj' httle from Jews ; for both of them set their whole religion in ceremonies and old customs. We stick stiffly to the word of God only, and build not on such vain foundations. Therefore he brings that canon against himself and his sort, being as superstitious as the Jews, and blinded obstinately in errors as heretics. VII. ^Vhethev is it la^vful for priests that say the communion also to celebrate mass ? Cyprianus The holy martyr, St Cyprian, says : " It is not leaful by and bye afore ^ penance done, to consecrate or touch with his wicked hands the body of our Lord, and with liis polluted mouth to receive the blood of our Lord ; but first let him do penanced" " Does thou think," says St Cyprian, " that our Lord will be so suddenly mitigated, whom thou has refused, and has more esteemed thy worldly hving than liiml^" St Cypiian says : " The bhnd love of their patrimony and worldly goods has deceived many, and bound them as it were in stocks and fetters, that they cannot follow Christ^." "A gi'eat number, for fear of words of such as be not [} A diaboli aris revertentes, ad sanctum Domini sordidis et infectis nidore manibus accedunt. Mortiferos idolorum cibos adhuc pene ruc- tantes, exlialantibus etiam nunc scelus suum faucibus, et contagia funesta redolcntibus, Domini corpus invadunt. * * Ante expiata deUcta, ante exomologesin factam criminis, ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio et manu sacerdotis, ante ofFensam placatam indignantis Domini et minantis, pacem putant esse, quam quidam verbis fallacibus venditant. De Lapsis, p. 92. Ed.] P Putasne tu Dominum cito posse placari, quem verbis perfidis abmiisti, cui patrimonium prseponere maluisti ? Ibid. p. 98. Ed.] P Decepit multos patrimonii sui amor c.ccus; nec ad recedendum parati aut expediti esse potuerunt, quos facultates su ears by popes, as was proved afore, afore the infallible truth of the gospel, which Jesus Christ himself brought from heaven, preached it, and commanded us all diligently to follow it. To be partaker of prayers made in other countries is true that we may, and to be wished of God that it were diligently used : but unto he have proved that we be partakers of sacraments, wise men will not believe it. No man is christened one for another, nor receives the communion one for another. This doctrine comes from the pope, and fed his chaplains fat, when they taught, that it was sufficient to come and see the priests lift up their sacrament, offer it for the dead and quick, and eat all up when they have done. XIII. ^Vhetlier is not every one, as well the priests as laity, boimd to obey the queen and her laws ? Both priests and the laity he bound to obey the queen and her laws, as far as God's law will permit : but no man ouglit to obey tlic queen and her laws against God and liis laws. For lauds, goods, and body, every one is bound to obey the queen and lier laws, and no man ought to disobey or resist her or liev laws : for God in tlie scripture commands. But for matters of faith and religion, pertaining- to our soul liealth, she hath notliing ado to meddle : for Christ himself hath dearly bought our souls with Iiis precious blood-sliedding, and committed tliem to the rule and government of the bisliops, wliich watch as to give an ac- count for our souls. Therefore the scripture commands us to obey the bisliops in matters of faith and religion pertaining to our souls' health, and the queen in temporal causes concerning lands, and goods, and body. G40 .] 43 [PILKINttTON.] 674 ■IKACTATI's omnia all humano nascuntur judicio, et iis qui nihil credant quod ratione humana non percipiunt. Crede apostolo cum dicit, Numquid injustitia apud Deum voluntati ejus quis re- sistit? Et, Annon habet figulus jjoiestatem ex eadem massa facere aliud vas in honorem, et aliud in contumeliam? Noli qusei'ere causara antecedentem aliquam, quse voluntatem Dei ad quicquam faciendum commoveat; sed illam intellige et crede priorem esse omnibus, et quje ceteras omnes ad agendum con- citet. Audi Augustinum contra Manichseos disputantem, qui cau- sam aliquam ponebant priorem voluntate divina, et quic illam ad' agendum impelleret, his verbis: " Causas voluntatis Dei," inquit, " quaerunt, cum voluntas ejus causa sit omnium quse sunt : si namque causam aliquam habet voluntas Dei, est ali- quid quod pra.'cedat voluntatem Dei ; quod dicere nefas est. Compeseat se ergo humana temeritas, et id quod non est non quEerat, ne id quod est non^ inveniat. Voluntas Dei causa est coeli et terrae, et ideo major est voluntas Dei quam ccelum et terra^'''' Haec Augustinus. Si ergo nulla causa, turn propter opera prsevisa nec miseretur nee indurat, sed solum quia vult, attestante apostolo: Non ex operibus, sed ex vocante, dictum est. Major serviet ininori: et priusquam nati essent, et boni aut etiam mali quicquam fecissent, dixit, Jacob dilexi et Esau odio hahui. Hie conquiescendum ; hie non disputandura, sed clamandum, () altitudo dicltiarum, S:c. Ha?c de voluntate. Misertus est nostri Dcus ante jacta fundamenta mundi, eripiens nos e massa perditionis in qua jacebamus submersi, et adoptavit nos in filios per Christum suum. in quo et nos elegit ante tempora, ut essemus sancti et irreprehensibiles coram eo : miseretur etiam et quotidie tanquam pater dispensans nobis sua dona pro sua prudentia, prout novit ea nobis fore usui. Ni- hil novum tamen donat; sed quod pro beneplacito suo nobis daturum se decrevit in Filio ante secula, id nobis distribuit per Spiritum in tempora. Novit intirmitatem nostram et te- raeritatem, quam inepti sumus ad dispensandum illius dona et conservandum : reservat ergo sibi thesauros suos ; et cum ad jjetendum aecedimus, effundit in nos quam opulente. P Ad illam ad MS. Ed.] [- Deost mn in .MS. Ed.] P De Gcncsi lontva Manidi. Lili. i. c. 4. Tnm. i. p. 1040. PniiV. IS-^fi. En.] I)R Pn -I'.DKSTIX AT 10 \ I'. Haec certitudo pi-edestinationis nostnc per Christum, et fixa sententia Domini, quia doerevit apud se quod nobis impertiret boni, aut a Christo alienatis nobis eveniret mali, (et sic quidem lit nulla de causa commutari queat quin quod'' statuit fuit, et quod non sit statutum non fuit,) alienum videtur nonnullis a reeepta doctrina et orthodoxorum scriptis, ut ferri non queat. Varum qui prajjudicatam non asserunt sententiam, longe aliud percipient ex iis quje dixero, non tarn quidem e cerebro meo, quam ex sacratissimis scripturarum penetralibus et patrum voluminibus. A patribus, quod illorura auctoritas plus apud nonnullos poterit quam Spiritus Sancti majestas in scripturis suis : Clre- goriiis, immensa bona ilia descripturus, quae nobis Pater per Filiura communicavit, et non poenitendo consilio suo et im- mutabili sententia prsedestinavit, in hrec verba prorumpit : " Nulla quae in hoc mundo fiunt, absque omnipotentis Dei consilio veniunt : nam cuncta Deus sequutura prsesciens ante secula decrevit, qualiter per secula disponantur. Statutum quippe jam est homini, vel quantum hunc mundi prosperitas sequatur, vel quantum adversitas feriat ; ne electos ejus aut immoderata prosperitas elevet aut nimia adversitas g;ravct. Statutum quoque est, quantum in ipsa vita mortal! tenipora- liter vivat : nam etsi annos quindecim Ezechiae regi ad vitam addidit omnipotens Deus, cum eum mori permisit, tunc eum pra3scivit esse moriturum. " Per prophetam Dominus dixit, quo tempore mori merebatur : per misericordiam vero illo eum tempore ad mortem distulit, quod ante secula ipse praescivit. Nec propheta ergo fallax, quia tempus innotuit quo mori merebatur ; nee divina statuta con\Tilsa sunt, quia ut ex largitate Dei anni vitse crescerent, hoc quoque ante secula prsofixum fuit, atquc spatium vitsp, quod inopinate foris est additum, sine augmento in praescientia fuit intus statutum. •■ ■"" Potest hoc quoque juxta spiritum intelligi ; quia nonnunquam in virtutibus proficere conamur, et quredam dona percipimus, a quibusdam vero repulsi in imis jacemus. NuUiis enim est, qui tantum virtutis apprehendat, quantum desiderat, quia omnipo- tens Deus, interiora discernens, ipsis spiritalibus profectibus modum ponit, ut ex hoc quod homo apprehendere conatur et Drost qnoil in MS. Ed.] 43-2 676 TRACTATUS non valet, in illis se non elevet quie valet. Unde Paiilas, in tertium coelum raptus, post revelationeni non valebat esse tran- quillus et intentatus'," ne extoUeretiu-. Eursusde eo disputans, quod nullus possit mori nisi eo ipso momento quo moritur, plura asserit in eandem sententiam, quje et utilia et jucunda sunt lectu, ego tamen tempori consulens singula prsetereo. Alibi sic quoque generaliter : " Quicquid foris futurum est in opere, intus jam factum est in prisdestinatione"." Advertite per Deum quod dicit, hajc sic statuta esse ante secula, quae nobis distribuit per tempora ; turn quid boni et mali sequeretur singulos, turn etiam quamdiu in hoc ergastulo corporis viveretur, et postremo quantos progressus in virtutibus facere- mus, quia hsec dividit singulis Spiritus prout wit. Et talia non' sunt dona Dei et vocatio, ut eum dedisse aut non dedisse poeniteat: sed sic omnia moderatur pro prudentia sua tam bene, ut melius quicquam excogitari non queat, nec aliter fieri quam sit hodie debebat. Eadem sunt quse docet Evan- gelista, quamvis non eisdem verbis : Passer non cadit in ter- ram, qualiter dona sua dispartiat, acceptorem personarum fore clamamus : si non futm-a merita vel bona vel mala respiciat, et ideo vel misereatm- vel indm-et, injustum esse pronunciamus. Si quempiam rejiciat qui nihil mali .sit commeritus, statim culpam omnem in Deum rejicimus, et auctorem flagitiorum nostrorum contendimus ; et quia quod Dominus decrevit facimus, placemus nobis in nostris vitiis, et peccata recte facta dici volumus. Potius de tanta majestate sic cogitare fas est. Deus est : quicquid cogitat bonuni est ; quod facit justum est : sapientisc ejus non est numerus : nihil ergo cogitari mehus poterat. Nos tanquam lutum sumus in iUius manu : injustus esse non potest, si te matidam et vas in con- Gregor. Op. Exposit. in Job. Cap. xiv. Tom. ii. p. 313. Antvei-p. 161.5. ubi quaedam aliter leguntur. En.] \y Ibid. p. 716. in Job. xxxvni. 4, &c. Ed.J Dcest non in MS. Er.] BK PRjKDESTINATIONE. 677 tumeliam fecerit, quia figulus est. Causani ne qu;cras cur sic te fecerit, sed adniirare tantam prudentiam, cujus consilii ratio- nem in faciendis rcl)us perspicere non potes. Potius deplora caecitatem tuam, quod in tantis tenebris versaris, quam illius justitiam culpes, cujus splendorein intueri non potcs. Dcsine humano judicio divina consilia metiri : potius te intra tuos limites contine, et ne causam perquiras quod ita te fecerit, sed ilium cole qui te ita fecerit. Nihil tibi debet : age perinde gratias, si quid dederit; et ne obmurmm-es, si non tantum quantum alii acceperis : respondet enim tibi, Amice, non facio tibi injuriam; nihil tibi debui, ne succenseas ergo quod plus aliis quam tibi dederim. Estne oculus tuus malus, quod ego bonus sum? et annon licebit mihifacere de meis quod voliiero, et quibus libuerit impartire, et quibus visum fuerit subtrahere? Tu, homo, quis es qui respondeas Deo ? Disce loqui de Deo et sentire, quemadmodum ipse in scripturis suis per Spiritum suum loquitm" : ne time ; si sic loquaris, non errabis, nisi novos lo- quendi modes tibi fingas. Sic dicit Dominus de seipso : quod tradit in reprobum sensum ; excoecat cor populi ne intelligant, et aures aggravat ne audiant ; inducit in tentationes ; indurat Pharaonem ; odit Esau prius quam natus, et boni quicquam aut mali fecisset ; facit vasa qutcdam in contumeliam ; pne- cepit Semei maledictis proscindere et lapidibus impetere David ; seducit prophetas, errare facit, indurat cor nostruni, ne timea- mus ilium ; immittit spiritum malum in Saul ; abstulit omnia bona Job ; voluit occidere filios Heli ; projicit a facie sua, et Spiritum Sanctum aufert, obliviscitur nostri ; non est malum in civitate quod non facit ; immittit spiritum mendacem in pro- phetas Achab; praeparat vasa ir?c, scindit regnum Israel, et dat Jeroboam impio : mors et vita, bona et mala a Domino ; mittit operationem crroris, ut credant mendacio. Hffic et multa similia eisdem verbis de seipso pronunciat Dominus. Cur ergo timebimus sic de illo loqui, quemadmodum ipse nos docuit et loqui voluit ^ Stulta est prudentia, qua Domino placere studemus, cum tristitiam istarum rerum saepe lenitate verbi mitigare velimus. Non opus habet prudentia nostra ad tollenda quie nobis videntur esse injusta. Injustus es, si illud ei surripis quod ille sibi vindicat : non est tam otio- sus aut invidus, ut vclit uspiam deesse suis et gubernationem suarum rerum aliis concredere. Ne nega hsec esse vera, quia G78 TRACTATUS DE PR.fCDESTIXATIOXE. ratione non potes capere cur sint' vera : satis tibi sit quod ha;c dixerit, et sua dici voluit. Nimis negligens suarum rerum esset, si hsec in suo regno sine se fieri perraitteret: omnia non poterat, si haec depellere non poterat et voluerit : imbecillis esset, si haec invito illo fierent : sapientissimus non haberetur, si haee futura ignoraret, sed fortuito aut in ignoniiniam Creatoris cederent. Sed qui excitavit Pharaonera ut in eo ostenderet potentiam suani. et potest et vult ex summis flagitiis nostris summam sibi comparare gloriam : et qua; a te percipi non pos- sunt, cur fierent, ab illo cur fiant pervidentur clarissirae. Proinde cum nullus voluntati ejus resistere queat, qu«- cunque fiunt, eo volente fiant est necesse : et cum omnia quse vivunt, moventur, et sunt, ab eo vivunt, moventur, et sunt, et in eo, ab uUa actione ille abesse non potest, sed omnibus agendi vires subministrat. Plura possem et vellem, sed plura non vellet tempus. [> MS. sif. En.l EPISTOLA AD ANDREAM KINGSMILL. (Mt>. Bodl. Mus. 6r>. olim'J.) Gratia et pax. Gratulatorias tuas literas cum prlnias turn postremas grato quo decuit animo accepi, ot magnas ob illas ago gratias. Perge porro in bonis literis, et cursum quem cepisti perfice. Dominus novit, qui has tibi dedit, in quem usum tibi subserviet. Otium tibi suppetit, ut Latine ct Grtecc ad me scribas. Negotia mea non sfepe, in initiis tenninorum (quos vocant jurisconsulti) prjcsertim, vix amicos salutare, aut de rebus gravioribus pro dignitate cogitare sinunt. Da igitur vcniam, si non qutc velles aut ego cxoptem scribam : nam defatigatus ad haec pauca accedo. Quod Cicero' de Hercule Prodico scribit, hoc tibi jam ego sic venire ex literis sororis tuai intelhgo. Ule cum in viam vohiptatis amoenam et virtutis asperam incidissct, qua potissi- mum ingrederetur, dubitavit : tu num in conteniptae theolo- gise an in splendidse jurisconsultorum scientise scholam te tradas, ignoras. At bono sis animo : fidelem habes ducem et consultorem, qui ad exoptatum suiun propositum te deducet. Si cui cestnuii, desit saplentia, inquit Jacobus, jwiat ah eo qui dat, et dahitur. In veteri lege de rebus dubiis consule- bant Dominum per sacerdotera : is indutus Urim et Thum- mim, (gemmis in veste sacerdotali,) si resplenduerint, aggre- diendum confidenter responsa ferebat. Sic tu, Andrea. avhpiXe- prostratus coram Domino, pete ap-^iepea Xpicrrov rjueTepov' pulsa, quaere ; benignus est Dominus, dabit, aperiet, invenies. In qua parte splendescentem Christum et mentem tuam magis illustratam videris, in illam inclina ; si perturbatam et dejec- tani senseris, devita : nam pacis et consolationis Deus noster auctor est. At mc vis aliquid dicerc ? Vis enim certo, et in talibus non libenter respondere soleo. Non is sum e cujus consilio pcndcas, neque per quem in aliquid certum vitic genus te con- [' Di' Offidis, I. .32. Ei).] 680 EPISTOLA AD ANDEEAA1 KINGSMILL. jicias : sed qiium dicendum est, ingenue quid sentio dicam. " Dat Galenus opes, dat Justinianus honores quod vel pueri norunt : quid Christus ? ci-ucem et carceres. Elige jam : quid tibi videtur ? Potes cum psalmista dicere, Elegi ahjectus esse in doino Dei magis quam haUtare in tabernaculis peccatorura ? Si potes, sequere : sin minus^ ora ut possis ; est enim Domi- nus exercituum et potens; non sinet suos milites labescere. Proponunt leges nostra; prsemia quidem, at peritura; sed Christus coronam, non lauream nec auream, sed teternam. Oonsiliis principuni intersunt jurisperiti; at theologi Dei patris mandata deferunt : imo non solum secreta illius intel- ligunt, sed et interpretes illius sunt, ac cum eo regnabunt, regesque ipsi erunt, modo prius fideliter serviant. Difficillima est haec deliberatio, fateor, de deligendo certo vitse genere ; sed hsec non e re ipsa nascitur dubitatio, sed ex teipso, vel iis quae in vita contingunt : nam si hsec inter se conferas, iniqua est comparatio ; et tantum hoc illi prseponde- rat, quantum ccelum terne, si dignitatem rei subjectte spectes. Divina oracula e ccelo sunt delapsa, auctorem habent Deum ipsum : majestas eorum tanta, ut vel Satanam ipsum compri- mant ; Veritas ac certitudo talis, ut nec fallere nec falli queant; usus tam necessarius in omnem eventum vitse, ut sine his beate vivi non possit. Mentem in co3lum sublevant: doctorem et interpretera habent Spiritum veritatis : in adversis sunt solatio, in prosper is ornamento. Hsec sola mentem pertiurbatam pacare possunt, mores formare, et inexhaustos fontes misericordise mi- seris aperire ' : hfec ignaros docent, lapsos erigunt, robustos confirniant : ex his solum salus petenda, Deus invocandus ; promissorum certitudo firmissima ad incitandum, minseque gravissima; ad deterrendum proponuntur. Jiu-a humana humi repunt, ab hominibus inventa : pro varietate loci varia, incerta, contentionum fomes : mentem perturbant, animum abducunt a meditatione rerum coelestium et saluti propinquiorum. Quid Cyprianus de sui temporis legislatoribus scripsit ? pete ex epis- tola 2. 1. II-. Confer cum nostris hac tempestate, et num illos superant, adverte. Non hsec dico quod leges condemnem aut earum studium, sed ut quantum inter has intersit appareat. Sunt quidem leges et earum interpretes in republica bene in- [} MS. reperire. Ed.] P Ad Donatum, de Gratia Dei. p. 6. ed. Fell. Oxon. 1700. En.] KPISTOLA Al) ANDREAM KINGSMILI,. 681 stituta adeo necessariic, ut sine his constare nequeat neque pax publica conscrvari. Non ergo de dignitatc rerum est aliqua dubitatio. De teipso dubitas: non satis instructus tibi videris; non bene jacta fundamenta, manus illotai, lingua balbutiens, elo- quentise carentia, aninii juveniles, raysteria profunda; in re- prehendendis principibus pericula, paupertas, exilium, ignes, equuleus, et maloruin omnium tolerantia : hsec quidem sunt quae pku-imos deterrent, hsec causari solent. His moti Moses, Jereraias, Jonas legationem Domini detractabant ; at vide quid Dominus responderit: Qui finxit os, et illud aperld. Si gloriam illius, non tuani quseras, dabit os et sapientiam, cui contradici nequit. Etiam nostra praemeditatio luculentum coe- num humanje eloquentiaj majus non mundat, sed coinquinat. In Hebraicis tantos progressus si feceris, quantos in Grsecis et Latinis, multis non opus erit interpretibus. Timotheus in ipsa adolescentia fit episcopus ; et quantumcunque sunt ardua mysteria, Spiritus veritatis omnem dabit intelligentiam. De ferenda cruce si dubites, non est serous supra Dominutn: communis est hfcc fors et omnium conditio, ut persecutionem patiantur qui pie volunt vivere. Quamprimum apostolos emisit, prsemonuit, 3Iiiio vos sicut oves in medio luporum. Ora Domi- nutn, tit extrudat in messem ; nam volens vix quisquam exit. Non te pigeat laboris in legibus perdiscendis impensi ; nam vellem et ego magna pecunia vel minimam partem cognitionis tuse redimere. Magnam conciliat concionatori benevolentiam, si possit de jure respondere aut oppressis consilio adesse. Dominus concessit apostolis vim miraculorum edendoruni, ut * indocta plebs avidius eos audiret, et evangelium libentius in eorum animos influcret. Sic enim sunt aft'ecti maxima ox parte omnes, ut f'acilius credant, faveant, anient, a quo beneficium expectant, vel quos sibi consilio aut auxilio profuturos sperant. Sic ergo tu pro sapientia tua haec iitraque conjunge, ut hsec prsesit, ilia prosit ; hsec sit velut domina, et ilia ancilla : furtivis quibusdam horis sic stude, ut et illud quod hactcnus imbibisti de legibus, retineas, adaugcas, et in usum paupcrum qui consilio carent convertas ; et maximum quod datur temporis in sacras literas impende. Quod si Dominus ut publico pro- fitearis leges te vocat ad annum unum aut alterum, ne contem- nas : potes enini interim in Hebraicis sic proficere, ut paratior fi(S2 EPISTOLA AD AXDRKAAI KIXOSMIIJ. et instructior ad theologiani accedas ; et aniioi uui accessio auctoritatera secum adferet. Etsi Dominus ssepe " Vte" intonat legis peritis, Paulus tanien, ne vocatio rejicienda putaretur. viriun Zenam bonum jurisperitum reperit quein commendet. Quaeris adhuc, quos auctores et historiographos tibi legen- dos censeam. E vetcribus maxime popularis S. Chnsostomus, et formando concionatori accommodatissimus. Contentiones illius setatis acutissime tractavit Augustinus, e cujus epistolis velut compendium totius illius doctrinse hauries. E recentiori- bus duo sunt clarissima lumina Calvinus et Martyr : sed ille exlex est et devius, attentum petens leetorem ; hie facilitate sua fluit, et tamen pondus rerum subtiliter satis inquirit. Historiae seriem ab Adam ad Christum et Jerusalem subversara deducit Josephus; post Christum ad papas' Eusebius ; post Gregorium Magnum paparum tyrannidem succincte et satis luculenter descripsit dominus Barnes noster et Bate. Chronographorum infinitus est numerus ; sed illis per otium poteris uti ; et inte- rim contextum scripturse potissinmm, qua lingua conscribe- batur, familiarem tibi facito : sic enim per omnes scriptores inoffenso pede pervagaberis ; et quis dexterrirae sit interpre- tatus, sine errore judicabis. Vides quomodo, quicquid in buccam venerit, calamus er- rando obliteravit : sed mallem apud te loquendo peccare, quam tacendo ingratus haberi. Saluta fratres tuos meosque adeo quam potes officiosissime : quod tibi in hac re dictum sit, et illis dictum esse puta : et quum tres unus sitis, his unis, qui et unus esse vobiscum velim, vos omnes compellari existimo. Commendatissimum me habe domino D. Humfrey et domino Sampsono, Bernardo, et omnibus qui Christo bene volunt. James Pilkinton the bishop of Duresmes lettre to his brother in law Andrew Kingsmill, fellow of Allsoules College, in Oxon. 1564. MS. rid papas post Grrfforiiim Jlayiium Eiisebiit.s ; pupunim. En.] NOTES. Note A. Page 141. On the jiassage of Tertullian cited in the note a recent Editor re- murks: Totum lioc dcscripsit Eusebius, et hist, suae eccles. ii. 2.inseruit. NaiTat idem Scvcrus et .iElius Lampridius: Tanaq. Faber tomo ii. Epist. 12. inultis cvincere conatur, deceptum esse Tertullianum, veritatemque hujus rei elevat. Argumentis quatuor utitur: Quod historia ex libro supposito sit hausta, Actis Pilati scilicet. Quod religionis curam nullam gcsscrit Tiberius, unde Suetonio dicitur circa deos ac religioncs inyligm- tior. Quod senatus Romanus sub Tiberio ad vilissimain adulationem prohxpsus, ne hiscere quidem contra principem ausus fuissct. Quod cx chronologia pateat, christianum nomen eo tempore vix notum Roma' fuisse. Quibus adde infensum potius Tiberium, ut Judico, ita et christi- ano, nomini fuisse, ut clare patet cx Sueton. cap. xxxvi. ubi i)cr ximilia xcctantes nulli nisi christiani intelligi possunt. — See Tertullian. Semlcr. Tom. VI. Ind. v. Tibirius, Hate Magd. 1825. The passage of Eusebius is as follows : Ko< ctj Ttjt; irapaco^ov tov 3<«ti/^09 t'liiuiv dva(TTUv jiiioixevwv, to irep) TtJ? eK veKpwv dva<; tov '^ojri]po<; t'lfxwv 'I^/o■oi;, cU ira'i/Tat »)'ot/ Ka0" oXtji X\a\aiarTivri<: fSefiotjueva, FIiXaTOQ Ti/3e^i(j) /3a(Ti/\e7 Koivovrar oj? Ta'<; TC oAAaT avTou trvdonevo'; TCpaTe'ia^, koi w? oti ufTa BdvaTOv ck uCKpiov aVacTTair, rjor/ fito? e'mai irapd toT? tto/Wok eircTTicTTevro. tuh Oe 'Yt^epiov uvcveyK(w fxeu tj/ j/itoi/ Xoyuu tj;i 'Vwpa'iuiv (iovXr]<:, TOV 'Yt[i(piov, rjv Kai -rrpoTepov f^i'^^c yviufitiv Tiipt'i(TavTU, ftijOfi/ UTOTTOV Kcnd T»j? TOV XpKTTOu cicacTKaAia"; eTrivotjaai. TOUTa Tc^Ti/AAiai/o?, TOU? 'Via/xalbtv v6nov<: );Kpi/3(0K(«c dv>]p, tu tc aAA« O'iof^ov, K(ti Ttov iidXia-Tcc cVi 'Piu'/jf;? XapTrptav, k. t. A. He then proceeds to quote the passage of Tertullian cited in the note. 684 N'OTES. A modem witer, IMosheim, states the position of tJie question in the following terms : Ex iraperatoi-ibus Tiboiius Christum inter populi Romani deos co- optare voluisse, at senatu rcsistcntc liaud potuissc, fertur. Quod licet multis hodie parum videatur prohabile, sunt tamen egregii viri, qui, magnis ducti rationibus, licerc sibi his accedere negant. Institutionum HistoriEc Eccles. Sec. i. cap. iv. Note B. Page 142. A full account of this circumstance is given by Hottinger : Constantiae vero documenta dedit [Zuinglius] luculentissima, quando nullis vel pontificum promissis, \ c\ pontificionim minis aut insidiis a proposito terreri potuit. Promissiones Pontificis liberalissima.s fuisse, vel spem saltern non obscuram lautioris conditionis factam, probat Adri- ani VI. Breve, quod vocant, an. Chr. 1.523. d. 23 Januarii ad Zuinglium scriptum. Archetypon in bibliotheca adhuc publica asservatur; ecty- pum ita sonat : " Dilecte fili, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem : Remittimus venerabilem fratrem, Ennium, episcopum Vcrulanum, Prae- latum, domesticum nostrum et apostolicae sedis nuntium, hominem pru- dcntia et fide jiraestantem, ad istam invictam, nobisque et huic sanctse sedi conjunctissiraam nationcm, ut dc maximis rebus nos, eandem sedera, totamque cliristianam rcmpublicam concementibus, cum ilia' agat. Licet autem ci dederimus in mandatis, ut ea communiter cum omnibus et publice tractet ; tamen cum de tua egregia -lirtute specialiter nobis sit cognitum, nosque devotionem tuam aretius amemus ac diliga- nius, ac peculiarem quandam in te fidem habeamus, mandavimus eidem episcopo. nuncio nostro, ut tibi separatim nostras literas redderet, nos- tramque erga te optimam voluntatem declararet. Hortamur itaque devotionem tuam in Domino, ut et illi omnem fidem habeas-; et quo nos animo ad honores tuos et commoda tendimus, eodem tu in nostris et diets sedis apostolica? rebus jiroeedas, de quo gratiam apud nos invcnies non mediocrem. Datum Romsc, &c." Eadem epistola inserta est 3rpo to? o'Sou? pov, TOV /jifj afiapTavew pe ev -yAaxrcrj; /xov' ievTcpov aKOU(rai ptj a'l/e^o'/jiei/oc dve^x^wprja-ev, ctpKc'iaOai tpi^aw TOVTto tw iv\ o-ti'^m, tdv Cvvt]6w epyw avTov eKfiadeTv. eyKa\et7-avTo<; Be tov TropacecwKOTO? TOV (TT'f^ov, CiaTi e^aiirivia'iov ■wapaCpanovTo^ tov ■^povov /xrj e(o- poLKfi avTov, UTreKplvaTO oti tov \jya\ixov tov a-Tf^ov oiVco tw epyo e^epadov. fiCTci tuvtu ce iroAAoi/? 67ri/3iou? j^p6vov<;, Trpoi Tiva Twv yvuiplijiwv epuiTtjcravTu cl tov o-ti^oi/ t^ifiadtv, 'Ei/ u\oK, '((prjy ivveaKa'iieKa eVeo-i /uoAis avTov TrpdrTeiv e^efxadov. ERRATUM. In p. 48G, the figures in the margin are misplaced. The XIII. should be whore the XIV. now stands, opposite " all liberty used," and the XIV. should be removed five lines lower. These figures and the accompany- ing marks of quotation arc to indicate the corresponding sections of the bishop's Confutation. INDEX. A. Abbeys, hospitality of, 610; gluttony, Ac, ib. Abdia, meaning of, 210; some think bin; the same as Ahab's steward, 217. Abel, a chosen vessel, l(i8. Abimelech, 451. Abraham's faith, .352. Absalom, 289, 309. Absolution, general and particular, 131. Acta Conciliorum, 19, 22, 029. Actius Sincerus, 33t!. Adam, meaning of, 94, 95, 219; sup- posed to be buried in .Jerusalem, 373; his fall, 447. Adelme, bishop, 590. Adonibezec, 257. Adrian, the emperor, built ,+;iia, 372, 37.5. Adrian IV. pope, his arrogance, 22. VI. his ofters to Zuingle, U2, m. /Elia, the city built by Adrian in place of Jerusalem, 372. jEneas Svlvius (see Pius II. pope.) 687. Attections in religion, divers good, 127 ; of the mind shewn in the face, 292, 312; must be kept under, 313. Aga, St, (Agatha's) letters, 177, 536, 503. Agathon, 042. Agesilaus, 429. Agrippa, troubled at Paul'.s preaching, 141. Ahasuerus, king, husband to Esther, 14 ; raised up to punish the Jews, .37. Ahithophel, 242. Alexander, his visit to Jerusalem, 69, 148; appealed from, 98; his answer to Darius, 187; punishment of lies- sus, 188. Alexander, pope, 601. Alleluia, not used by papists at fune- rals, 320; anciently used, 321, .543. [pil.KINGTON-.] ' Altar of the Holy Ghost, 483, 539; I altars, use and meaning of, 547. ' Ambrose, 156, 381, 409, 491, 507, 043, I 546, 556, 566. 1 Ammonites, 409. I Analogy between David and Christ, I 37I-2 ; Adain and Christ, 374 ; the earthly and heavenly Jerusalem, i 375. j Anastasius, pope, 001. ; Angels, 134; happiness of, 61. Angel, j a piece of money, 429. Anger, when good, 391, 477 ; a kind of madness, 408 ; sin of, 478. Ansegisus, ap. Baluz. Capit. 530. Anselm's letter to Waleram, .538, 620; forbids priests' marriages, 571, 588 ; pope Paschal's letter to him, .572; his letter to his archdeacon, 573 ; I accused for acknowledging pope Ur- ! ban, 589. Anthems in St Paul's, 483 ; why in the steeple, 52!t. Antilogia Papa;, 686. Antiochus Epiphanes, 4, 88. I .Vntiquity to he followed, iliat of I ( hrist and his apostles, 579. Antony, the monk, 146. Apostles, their faith, 352 ; the true- fathers, to whose steps we should re- turn, 615. Apostolical Canons, 500, 629. Apparel, costly, 55, 50 ; love of, re- proved, 380-7. j Appose, pose or question, 160. ! Arches, court of, 540. Arius, his death, 29. 1 Artaxerxes, name of Persian kings, 14, j 307. Ascham's To.ivp/ii/iis, 429. 1 Astronomers censured, 17, 18. ' Athanasius, 440. I Augustine, 130, 144, 158, 208, 209, 280, 320, 471, 474, 475, 542, 5,57, 57.5, 012, 617, 020, 032, 041, 601, 674. Augustine, missionary to England, ' 482, 483, 515; his reception, 516; 44 690 INDEX. his letter to Gregory, 517; his christening, 518; England declined from his steps, 522 ; established mass and seven sacraments, 618. Aurelius, Marcus, 286. Authority, how it began, 125. B. Babel, tower of, 30, 231. Babylon, greatness of, 231 ; country of, &c. 281, &c. Babylonian captivity, Romish slavery compared to, 4, 277 ; Babylonians' cruelty to the Edomites, 235, &c. Badge, priclied on the sleeve, 35(;. Bale, ii. Baptism, of faithful ministers to be preferred to that of papists, 171 ; sin after, 448; our vows in, 621. Baronius, 76. Basil, fell by an earthquake, 607. Bayard, a horse, GIG. Beasts, their disobedience reminds us of our sin, 91. Becket, Thomas, canonized, 19; his service, 535, 536, 557 ; accused be- fore the pope, 589; quarrel with Henry II., 640. Bede, 447, 512. "Behold," its use, 72, 225, 459. Benedict IX. pope, 602. Bene't, St, 80, 550. Bernard, 158, 445. Billingsgate, 345. Bishop's office laborious, 36, 494, 604; blessings, (i4; popish, 82, 197, 603; church committed to government of, 482, 488; succession of, 485; their authority, what, 488; spiritual, in doctrine and discipline, 491 ; how to be executed, 492; their temporal authority derived from the prince, ib. ; grounds of their superiority, 493 ; Universal, a cursed name, 519 ; popish, their oath to the pope, 555 ; protestant, impoverished by their predecessors, 592, 594-5; by tradition of the apostles, 605. Bishoping, confirmation, 553. Blasphemy, law of, 301. Body and blood of Christ, how receiv- ed in the Lord's supper, 552. Bohemians, came to England to hear Wickliff e, 634. Boniface, made pope by Phocas, 76, 521. VIII. pope, 18. Bonner, called a butcher, 361, 400, 587, 623. Boulogne won, 70, 86. Bow, great importance of, in war, 428. Brast, brust, burst, 264. Brent, briuning, burnt, burning, 481. Brether, brethern, brethren, 233. Brother, how used in scripture, 187, 288. Bucer, dug up from his grave, 65 ; his disinterment and restitution. 651 ; his learning, ib. ; his doctrine, 655. Builders of God's house must seek his glory, 303; must not fear mockers, 365 i blessedness of being one, 366; will have uo fellowship with hypo- crites, 367. Burials, out of the church or church yard, 64; place of, 316; three rules for burials, 317-8; comely order in, 318; in the English service, 543. Burning of St Paul's cathedral, cir- cumstances of, 481 ; a warning, 483, 648; whether by lightning or by accident, ib. Buskle, prepare, 353. C. Cffisar, Julius, 280, 451. Calais lost, 70, 80. Calendar, of the Roman church, 15, 19. Canaanites, what, 268. Canterbury burnt, 607- Canute, 51. Capitolina, built by Adrian, 372. Captain, benefit of a stout one, 377; especially Christ, 383; good, duties of, 449. Captivity in Babylon, length of, 127. Carthage, third council of, 566. Casleu, .f ewish month, 287. Catholic church, agrees in the sub- stance of doctrine, differs in cere- monies, 552; what? 617; papists divided from, 618; never had one order of service, 629. INDEX. 691 Cedron, brook, 345. Celibacy of clergy, 'f27 ; difficulty of enforcing it, .^ifi?. Ceremonies, of the old law, 1211 ; po- pish, 130. Chabrias, a saying of his, 377. Chance, things do not tuni out by, but by providence, 308. Charlemagne's decree for reading scrip- ture in churches, 530. Charles V., opposer of the gospel, 2(15, 653. Charms, popish, 1/7, 536, 503. Children, said to have that which their fathers had, 133. Choreb, ckereb, explained, 8". Christ, his zeal for God's house, 5; the only schoolmaster, 81 ; salvation only by, 81; before his incarnation present with the fathers, 134; promise of, 138; connected with trouble, 139; trouble at his birth, 140, 33,j; the desire of all people, 147-8 ; glory of in his church, 148; his kingdom sha- dowed forth by temporal conquests, 261 ; the Holy One, 262 ; in Sion, 264 ; difference of his kingdom from an earthly one, 269 ; all night in prayer, 340 ; his voluntary humilia- tion, 341 ; zeal for the hoifee of (lod, 344 ; signified by different gates of J erusalem, 3/8-9 ; his body and blood, how received in the Lord's supper, S.52; his one sacrifice for sin, 021. Christians serving heathen, lawfulness of, 31 1 ; accused of troubling the state, 359. (;hrysostom, 23, 45, 58, 542, 570, 596, 609, 630, 682. Church, use of, 64; to be built for God's glory, 639. Church goods, not to be taken away, 61. Cicero, 317, 408, 439, 079. Clemens, held wives should be com- mon, 600. Clemens Ronianus, 029. Comfort, most to greatest offenders, 131. Communion service of the English Church not contrary to our vows in baptism, 634, 639. Communion table instead of altars, 545. Confession, 553; on what grounded, 554. Conjuring among the Jews, 385. Consecration of the elements by the apostles, 498, 508, 635. Constantine the Great, 8, 413, 041. Constantius, the emperor, 637. Contentment with God's will, 153. Corah, &c., their punisliment, 28, 624. Corporas, 46. Councils, popery not proved by gene- ral, 531 ; Gregory's (of Nazianzum) opinion of, 532 ; but few general, 533; our religion older than, 549. Courtiers, Nehemiah an example to, 288; their character, 289, 309; ex- amples of good, 294. Cranmer, his reformation, 37 ; his dis- putation at Oxford, 400; book on the sacrament, 523, 547. Crantz, or Krantz, Albert, 247. Creatures, the, obey God, 69, 90; re- fuse to serve man through man's sin, 91 ; not to be considered in them- selves, 230. Cross, must be borne strongly, though it seem long, 12"; the livery of Christ, 191 ; cross-week, 556. Cruche, crook, 584, 686. Cyprian, 144, 245, 537, 542, 597, 605, 017, 019, 624, 628, 029, 630, 631, 632, 033, 034, 680. Cyrus, raised up to deliver God's people, 4, 11, 12; restores the vessels of the temple, 8. D. Dalida, Delilah, 109. Daniel, his diet iji Babylon, 52; his visions, 186. Darius, how far removed from Cyrus, 13; son of Esther, 14; same with Artaxerxes, ib. ; his embassy to Alexander, 187. David, his zeal for God, 7 ; for the ark, 340 ; collects for building the temple, 8 ; reproved by Nathan, 12, 112, 161 ; kills Goliath, 30, 120, 360, 415 ; ana- logy between him and Christ, 371-2; tomb of, 389. Days of the week, how named, 16 ; cer- 44 — 2 6.02 INDEX. tain ilays improperly called unfortu- nate, 17, 18. Dearths in England, 2ii9 ; in the time of popery, Oil. Bemaratus, 42-1. Accr/ilis, excommunication, ;!81. Devil, the, works with God and man in one deed, 178; incarnate, worse than in his own nature, 'Mi; con- stantly hinderins,' the building of God's house, 488, 58!), 590, 607, 625. Lent, flesh eaten in, 484; diversities of fasting in, 560. Leo, pope, 601. III. pope, 602. X. confounded with Adrian VL, 142. Liberius, pope, 601. Liberty, love of, 455. Linus, first bishop of Rome, 588. lyither, lazy, 447. Lollards" tower, 540. l>ord of hosts, 48, 59 ; a name rarely used in the New Testament, 27 ; why God calls himself, 132, 138. Lord's day, 17. Love, faithful, seeks no delays, 119; true, only among the godly, 240; draws to earnestness in religion, 354 ; of parents, 456. Lucian, 312. Lucius, king of England, 482, 510, 597. Ludgate, 345. Lukewarmness reproved, 342. I/Uther, his preaching, 265. M. 3\Iaccabees,23, 68, 181, 207. .llacedonius, bishop, 637. JMagister Sententiarum, 526. .AIa;,'islrates, the walls of a city, 348 ; their duty to defend religion, 360 ; to care for the church, 429 ; to deliver the oppressed, 471-2, 476. .■Mahomet, God's plague, 75; his rise, .Malice, blinds men, 407. 3Ian, different names of, 94 ; God and the devil, work together in one deed, 178. Marcellinus, pope, 601. ^Marriage, in the English church, .544 ; accounted a sacrament, yet denied to priests, 553; of priests condemned by papists, allowed in the Greek church, ."64. .■Martyrs, their blood the seed of the church, 144. Mary, the Virgin, her humility, 47. Mass, &c., differences in, 81, 496, 497; at Jerusalem, 482, 495; Latin, full of prayers to saints, 498, 592 ; by whom made, 501-2; language used in, 499 ; its antiquity denied, 502 ; de- termined by a miracle, 508; its dif- ferent parts, by whom appointed, 503 ; the first, said by Christ, 504 ; origin of the name, 505; price of a mass, 506 ; the word in Ambrose, 507 ; Good- Friday mass, 507-8; mass, not catholic, 548; forbidden to married priests, 574. Classes, popish, we must not communi- cate at, 171, 633; forenoon, 483, 528. JJatins, midnight, 483, 528; papists' rule about matins, 528. Means to be used, not trusted in, 194. Measure, second, what, 391. Meats, popish differences in, 46. Melchisedec, 370. Memories, memorials, 535. .Mentz, Hatto, bishop of, 30, 456, 612. Mercy, ready to all repentant, 101 ; former, a pledge of future, 136. ."Messages of God, how sent, 222. 31iclier, pilferer, 290. Minds, month-minds, &c., 318. Jlinisters, not to thrust themselves into oflice, 102; must not forsake their flocks, 441. Ministry, zeal for maintaining and thf contrary, 9 ; unprofitable, in a worldly view, 105,593; in all, of equal digni- ty, 493. INDEX. 697 iMiriam(Mary), 361. Alissah, dOK. Jloabites, build with the Jews, 384. Mocking, sin of, 3,')7, 401 ; Ishmael's, 3d8. Momus in Lucian, ;!12. Monks brought into the catliedral churches, ,')74. Jlonths, names and reckoning of, 1 '> ; how reckoned in scripture, 21i7, 307. iMonth-minds, 318. Mordecai, (Mardocheus), 384, 423, lidO. Jloren, or Morwen, Bonner's chaplain, 481. Moriah, Isaac offered up on, 374. Woses, making the tabernacle, 8, 78 ; jealous for God's word, 24 ; incul- cates the teaching of it, 2H ; and Aaron associated as rulers, 35 ; for- saking Pharaoh's court, 341, 425. Mosheim, 19, 513, (!!!4. Mourning for the dead, to be bridled. 319. 3Iumble-matins, a nick-name of popish priests, 26. N. Namely, 34, 40. Names, in scripture not given in vain, 216. Nauclerus, 509, 567, 052. Nebridius, a courtier, 294. Nebuchadnezzar, 8, 12, 29, 75, 238, 361 ; offended God, though he was his in- strument, 221 ; his pride and punish- ment, 231, 233. Nectarius, bishop of Constantinople, 553. Negligence in building God's house, 11, 13, 90 ; in captains and preachers deprecated, 438. Nehemiah, meaning of his name, 285 ; his example recommended, 286, 443 ; to courtiers, 440 ; his prayer para- phrased, 296-305 ; his promotion in the Persian court, 310, 325; his modest boldness, 314, 327 ; his love to his country, 315; his prayer for divine guidance, 322 ; difference be- tween him and Ezra in going to Jeru- salem, 327; liis zeal in leaving the court, 332; his conduct on arriving at Jerusalem, 337-8; his secrecy, 341, 349; liis zeal inspired by God, 342 ; boldness in withstanding their enemies, 360, 362 ; seeks comfort in prayer, 403 ; his laboriousness, 425, 450 ; a wise captain, 426 ; his address to the nobles, 430, 443 ; diligence and trust, 444. Nero, 254, 314. Nethinims commended, 391. Neuters, uterques, omnia, 344. Nicene council, 532, 546, 549. Nicephorus, 312,364, 375, 376, 381,440. Nicholas I. pope, 602. Night, prayer by, 339. Noah's flood, 28. Nonest, nonce, purpose, 644. Noting of time and circumstances an evidence of truth, 11. Nowls, heads, 292. Numbers, errors in, 687. O. Oil, used in popish hallowing, 163; hallowed for extreme unction, 525; two kinds of, 526 ; how used in east- ern countries, ib. Olympias, 637, 638. Opposers of God's truth always over, thrown, 206. Oppression, complaint of, 454, 457, 458 ; by their own countrymen, 459 ; various kinds of, 461-2; general prac- tice of, 465; what it is, 469; its un- lawfulness, ib. ; restitution required of oppressors, 470-1 ; they shall be punished, 473; have no religion in them, 474. Or, ere, 8(i. Ordering of ministers, the English service censured by papists, 484, 578 ; the scripture method, 580 ; our order agrees to this, the popish differs, 581 ; the ancient method, .584-5. Oswij king, called a synod, 625. Ox, an emblem of a good builder, 380. P. Pall, brouglit from Rome, 582; several sees a long time without it, 583; 698 INDEX. Edward I. forbid bishops to go to Home for it, ib. ; Rome enriched by it, -.84. Palladii'-s, 2fi. Pambo, a monk, 2(!, Panormitanus, b'M, fi20. Paphnutius vindicates the marriage of the clergy, .532, .57(5. Papists, their zeal and success, 6; their priests sell heaven, &c., 20; withhold frod's word from the people, 25, 120; differences among, 80, 81, .54!) ; change with the world, 100, 197, 5i50; despise preaching, 112; their dissimulation, 117; their worship, 129; fear the gospel, 142; in effect deny Christ to be God, ib. ; their baptism not so evil as their mass, 171 ; their arro- gant pretensions, 208; compared to Kdomites, 211, 238, 255, 25fi; more cruel than they, 218, 2,53; their ex- himiation of the dead, 217; make the pope their god, 233, 420; their breed, 335; hard to be converted, 448; their marriage service, 500; their bloody practices, SIK; are schismatics, 541, .544; suffered much less from the pro- testants, than the latter from them, fi22; differ little from Jews, 630; their cruelty against the dead, 217, •>52. Parse, pierce, 273. Paschal, pope, his letter to Anselm, .572. Pastors, their office, 490. Patience of the godly, 248; under scoffing, 402. Patrons of benefices, their duties, 3(). Paul, St, exercises discipline, 7; jealous for God's word, 24 ; at Philippi, 145, 2fi3; how he uses means, 328; de- livered from the Jews, 423 ; wished himself " accursed from Christ," 424; his rule for eating the Lord's supper, 529. Paul's, St, churcli, burning of, 481 ; abuses of, 483, ,539, .540; several times burnt, 485, 608. Paul II. pope, 99, 602. Paulinus, of Nola, 441. Pax, 495. Peace, promised in Christ, 157; worldly, grievous, 158. Pecocke, Ranold, condemned in Henry the sixth's days, 591. Perne, vice-chancellor of Cambridge, C57. Pemel, 56, Persecutions, papal, 142, 205; remon- strance against, 212; effect of, 143; Christians supported in, 158, 197; place of worship provided in, 263 ; spreads the gospel, 264. Persians, destruction of their kingdom, 185; their manner of deliberating, 325 ; their archery, 428. Persius, 136. Persuasions, of two kinds, 349-50; more effectual than threatenings, 354. Peter, the apostle, the pope unlike him, 271 ; except in his faults, 604 ; cut- ting off" Malchus' ear, 433. Phagius, see Fagius. Pharisees, troubled at Christ's preach- ing, 140. Phileas, bishop of Chinna, 565. Phinehas, zealous for God, 7, 343, 477. Phocas, 7fi, 521. Pighius, 57O; (comp. 255.) Pilate, troubled about Christ, 141; and Herod agree against Christ, 410, 551. Pilkington, Bp., his birth, i ; his col- lege, ib. nole ; expositions at Basil, ii ; whether printed, ib. note ; signs the " peaceable letter" at Frankfort, iii ; a commissioner for revising the Prayer Book, ib. ; Jlaster of St John's College and Divinity professor, ib. ; his exposition of Haggai and Oba- diah, iv; bishop of Durham, v; his Sermon at Paul's cross, ib. ; Confuta- tion of an Addition, &c. vi; bis letter to archbishop Parker, vii ; to the Earl of Leicester and the £pistola Consolaloria, viii ; to Sir William Cecil, ix ; another on the conclusions in the university of Louvain, x ; foundation of Rivington School, xi ; death and will, ib.; epitaphs on, xii, xiii ; Commentary on Xehemiah, xiii ; character, ib. ; list of his works, xiv — xvi ; Lancastriensis, Canta- brigiensis, Dunelmensis, 10; writes for the unlearned, 307, 376, C43 ; his exposition on Ezra xvi., 308, 367; commemoration of, at Rivington school, 6/1. INDEX. 699 Filkington, Leonard, John, and Lau- rence, V. Pius, pope, 601. II. pope, 500; in favour of priests' marriages, 506. Pix, the box for the consecrated wafer, 129. Places, supposed holiness of, 63, 64. Placilla, wife of Theodosius, 386. Plagues, God's, the cause of, 73 ; cause of to be searched, 50, 180; not to be resisted, 72, 77 ; difference of, under popery and the gospel, 85 ; of one a warning to others, 175; if de- spised, bring greater, 176 ; come from God, but man sins as the instrument, 220; greater in popery than in the gospel, 606. Platina, 99, 503, 514, 566, 601 -.3. Plautus, 215. Pliny, 231, 333, 428. Pluralities, 255. Plutarch, 377. UotfiaiueiVj 48!). Pole, Cardinal, his commissioners, 65; his book De Unilnte Ecclesire, 497. Policy joined with prayer, 413, 415. Polycarp, his martyrdom, 3G4. Polychronicon, 509, 512, 514, 316, 517, 527, 535, 561, 572, 575, 583, 385, 588, 590, &c., 597, 398, 607, 610, 611. Polycrates, bishop ofEphesus, 563. Polydore Vergil, 565. Ponet, bishop of Winchester, ,'>.nswer to Martin, .349. Poor, as well as rich, builders in (iod's house, 33, 46; wants of their chil- dren, 455-6. Pope's testament does not teach Christ, 20; pope, his seat shaken, 30, 421 ; when he began to flourish, 73 ; his power declining, 77 ; thinks his laws better than Christ's, 80; pride of, 99, 206; liable to err, il j; his church and Christ's, diversity of, 129; popes poison one another, 247 ; pope most unlike St Peter, 271 ; compared to Tobias, 410; several popes at once, 545, 618; pope's creatures all super- stitious, 563; a woman, pope, 602; popes corrected or deposed by empe- rors, 640. Popery, 6, 9 ; opposed to the grace of the gospel, 20; dregs of, 121 ; plagues in, greater than under the gospel, 600. Popish questions, see Questions. Popish rubbish left in the church, com. plaint of, 417-8. Porters of the church, 383. Portus, 17, 630; its antiquity, 334-3; of Sarum, 535. Prayer, common places of, 63; fervency of, and the contrary, 292; outward forms and inward dispositions of, 293 ; in all places, 323 ; a sovereign salve for all sores, 403, 411 ; feeling of helplessness necessary for, 4il; nmst be joined with means, 412; of Constantine's soldiers, 413; two sorts of, 364. Preachers, the Ijord's servants, 21 ; how called and sent, 22, .38; what to preach, 59, 218; not to be disdained for their simplicity, 99, 100; their oflice worshipful, 100; their high titles, 100, 107; sent to the builders of (rod's house, 184; gentle kind ol', win most to God, 334. Preaching, not to be despised, 12, 114; necessary, 112; its effect, to make us new men, 117; moves more than plagues, 183; conquers more than fighting, 205. Preter tense used of things future, 226, 241. Pride, the beginning of sin, 227; arises of good things, 228; of beauty, strength, &c., 229, 230 ; God throws down the proud, 233. Priests, unable, their unprofitableness, 30; popish, wickedness of their trcn- tiils, c*cc., 120, 101; should be learned in scripture, 100; admonished by Xe- hemiah, 378 ; extent of their ho\ises, 391 ; should go witli the army to war, 414. Princes, stand not by their own power, 188; not to be trusted in, 231; suits to, commended by prayer to God, 308; to be prayed for, 434; are to maintain true religion, 640, 642. Princocks, .523. Promises, effect of God's, 109 ; satisfy the conscience in all doubts, 186; Christ's, to be with his church, 110; given to rulers pertain to their suc- cessors, 185 ; those to fathers belong to TOO rXDEX. tlieir children, 1(10; pleaded in prayer, 301 ; certainty of, 44.'i. Prophets, why called seers, and pro- phecies visions, 214 ; speak of the future as past, ■2-2fi, 241. Prosperity, not always to the wicked, 224. Protestants, faint-hearted, 41li-7 ; their religion older than councils, 540. Purgatory, deliverance from for money, 21, 77; fear of, at death, 321. Questions, popish, answered : which is the catholic church? til7; who is a heretic ? 619 ; who is a schismatic ? 620 ; whether protestant priests be in schism, 621 ; whether ministering the communion according to the book of common prayer be schism, 623; whe- ther reading chapters and psalms, &c. instead of " divine service" be ;xhism, 62H ; whether priests that say the communion may also celebrate mass, 030 ; whether priests who say no communion, but only read psalms and chapters, may celebrate mass, 631 ; whether it be a wicked time, in which such heresy and schism reign, 632; whether the laity may receive the protestant communion, 634 ; whe- ther through fear they may receive it dissemblingly, 636 ; what they must do, who cannot have the mass, 637 ; whether all are bound to obey the queen and her laws, 63!). R. « Rat's tower," 30, 457, 612. Reformation, its slow progress com- plained of, 37 ; was not received without consent of the clergy, 627. Reformers, their weapons, 2(i.i. Register of the builders' names, 3il3. Regrating, 464. Religion, makes nearest friends extreme foes, 223 ; where it difi'ers, no true love, 224 ; the true, restoration of, 3 ; false, how maintained, 78; brings evils, 73; withholds blessings, whether we should fight To- religion, 433; princes not to change it at their pleasure, 434 ; worldlings judge it by their belly, 612 ; no man has autho. rity to make a religion, 627. Remembrance of sin good, 101. Repeating of instruction profitable, 84. Rich, not allowed to misuse their goods, &c. 41. Richard I., story of, 591. II., epistle to pope Boniface, 640. Riches, all belong to the Lord, 150; not to be wrongfully gotten nor waste- fully used, 150-1 ; contentment with regard to, 152. Ridley, Dr, his visitation of Cambridge, 522 ; on the sacrament, 547. Rivington school, foundation of, xi ; statutes of, 663. Rochets, origin of, 6fil. Ronian's, .St, (or Tronian's) fast, 80, 551. Rooty, coarse, 490. Rout, stir, 356. Ruffinus, 267, 333, 409, 414, .565. Rulers, blamed if the people offend through their negligence, 34; tem- poral above spiritual, 22, 116, 124; have chief power 'in all common- wealths, 23; their ordinances in the church not articles of faith, 25. Sacraments, few in number, 130 ; God's seals, 192 ; seven, asserted by papists, 434, .522, 524, 553 ; ministration of. according to the book of common prayer, not schismatic, 623, &.c. Sacrifices, a figure of Christ's, 546; ofl'ered on altars. 547 ; sacrificing for sin now, condemned, 621. Sad, solid, 41H. Saints, the right way of remembering them, l!i ; not to be looked to for protection, 92. Sallustius, a Roman prefect, 333. Salvation, one doctrine of. for all, 124 ; means of. given to all alike, ib. Samaria, siege and famine, 28. Sanballat, his name and country, 334 ; his violent rage, 397. INDEX. 701 Satan's practices to hiiuler the building of God's house, XW, 413 ; his malice exhibited in Nehemiah's enemies, 419 ; in the papists, 420. Saul, case of, 25. Saviours promised, 2()!), 2/1. Scamblinj;s, 358. Schisms, twenty three anions papists, 545. Schismatic, wiin l!2tl ; papists are, 541, 544; diflerins in substance, not in ceremonies, makes one, Ii20. Schoolmaster, a wise, .'!.(."). Sclavons, their ministering the Lord's supper, 500. Scots defeated, 251. Scriptures, necessary for all, 120, (ioli ; God's indenture, 192; his letter, 280; nothing superstitious or unpro. Stable in, 3/0; antiquity of, 428, 531. Seals, the sacraments and the Holy Ghost, 193. Sely, simple, 209. Sennacherib, overthrown, 28. Sepharad, what, 2t>8. Sergius, pope, t!02, ti52. Sermon on the burning of St Paul's, whether printed, 481 ; abstract of, (547. Servant of God, a glorious name, 304. Shadrach, &C.38I. Shalmaneser, places strangers in Judea, 12. Similitudes, a good kind of teaching, Ifil. Sin, sleep in, 0, 12 ; insensibility pro- duced by, 49; hinders every thing from doing good, 54 ; must be re- buked in all, 98; the sleep and death of the soul, HI ; defiles even what God commands. 102; defiles every thing in the sinner, Ki.'y, 100; con- demns. Kill; si'is of the mind, 231 ; sin crucified Christ, 347. Sioii, mount, holiness in, 201, 204; what, 202. Six Articles, tlie bill of, ."ilil. Sixtus, see Xistus. Slander, a kind of persecution, 21(1; worse than the fire, 301. Socrates, 317. Socrates, Eccles. Hist. 29, l4f>, 553, 560, 088. Sodom and Gomorrah, their punish- ment, 28. Soldiers, admonition to, 414 ; of one kindred should be joined together, 420. Sozomen, Eccles. Hist. 532, 540, 553, .Wl, 503, .570, 037. Spaniards, brought into England to maintain popery, 242. ispiridion, a bishop of Cyprus, 501, 571;. Spirit, Holy, promise of, 130 ; effici- ency of, 137. .'Spiritual persons, their neglects reprov- ed, 35; their lands, 592. Stairs, the emblein explained, 389. Stephen, pope, 002, 052. Strabo, 281-3,288, 325. .