Collected Sermons, punishment
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER, WHEREIN IS DECLARED HOWE GRIEVOVSLY GOD PVNISHETH THE CONTEMners of his word.
Luke 19.
Verſe 41. AND when he was come neare to Ieruſalem, he beheld the city, and wept for it,
42. Saying, If thou hadſt euē knowne at the leaſt in this thy day thoſe thinges which belonge vntounto thy peace, thou wouldeſt take heede: but now are they hid from thyne eyes.
43. For the dayes ſhal come vponupon thee, that thine enemies ſhal caſt a trench about thee, & compaſſe thee round, and keepe thee in on eueryevery ſide,
44. And ſhall make thee euen with the ground, & thy children which are in thee, and they ſhall not leaue in thee a ſtone vponupon a ſtone, becauſe thou kneweſt not that ſeaſon of thy viſitation.
45. He went alſo into the temple, and began to caſt out them that ſold therein, and them that bought,
46. Saying vntounto them, it is written: Mine houſe is the houſe of prayer, but ye hauehave made it a denne of theeues.
47. And he taught daily in the temple. And the high Prieſtes and the Scribes, and the chiefe of the people ſought to deſtroy him.
48. But they could not find what they might doe to him, for all the people hanged vponupon him when they heard him.
THE ſumme and ſcope of this text is this: The Lord is troubled and lamenteth for the euils which were to come vponupon the contemners of the worde of God. Ye hauehave often times heard, what the word of God is, what is the frute and commoditie thereof, alſo what Diſciples it hath, of which nothing is here done, or ſayd: but the puniſhment and miſerie onelyonly is ſhewed, which was to come vponupon the Iewes, for that they knew not the time of their viſitation. Which thing let vsus well conſider of, for it pertaineth vntounto vsus alſo. If they be puniſhed which know not ye time of their viſitation, what ſhal come vntounto them, which perſecute, blaſpheme and reprehend the Goſpell and Word of God? howbeit he ſpeaketh here onelyonly of them which know not the ſeaſon of their viſitation.Two wayes to preach againſt the contemners of Gods word. The contemners of God are preached againſt after two ſortes: firſt by threatnings, as Chriſt threatneth them Matth. 11: VVo be to thee, Corazin: VVo be to thee Bethſaida: for if the great works which vvere done in you, had bene done in Tyrus and Sidon, they had repented long agone in ſackecloth and ashes. But I ſay to you, it shall be eaſier for Tyrus and Sydon at the day of iudgement, then for you. And thou, Capernaum (which was his owne citie, wherein chiefly he wrought miracles) vvhichwhich att lifted vp vntounto heauen, shalt be brought dovvne to hell: for if the great vvorkes vvhichwhich hauehave bene done in thee, had bene done among them of Sodom, they had remained to this day. But I ſay vntounto you, that it shall be eaſier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement, then for you. Theſe are the threatnings wherewith he terrifieth them, that they ſhoulde not ſo neglect the word of God. The other way the Lorde here ſheweth, when as he ſhedeth teares, and is touched with pitie toward miſerable and blind men, he doth not terrifie or threaten them, as being indurate and obſtinat, but is rather wholy moued with louelove and taketh pitie on his enemies, and would willingly call them backe, but that he could preuaile nothing with them, & the meanes which he vſed to reclaime them were in vaine. Before in Matthew, whereas he ſharply rebuketh them, he dealeth not by louelove, but by rigour, but here is pure louelove and pitie, as we ſhall afterwards ſee.
Firſt, when he drew neare to the citie, ſome went before him, and ſome followed him, with great ioy ſinging and ſaying: Hoſanna the ſonne of Dauid, they ſpred their garments in the way, they cut downe branches from the trees, and ſtrawed them in the way, and all thinges were done after a goodly maner, but in the middeſt of this ioy Chriſt beginneth greatly to weepe,Chriſt lamē teth for Ieruſalem. he ſuffreth all to reioyce, notwithſtanding his eyes guſhed out with teares, when he beheld the citie, and ſayd: If thou haddeſt euen knowne at the leaſt in this thy day thoſe things vvhichwhich belonge vntounto thy peace, thou vvouldeſt take heede: but novve are they hid from thine eyes. As if the Lorde ſhould ſay: O, if thou kneweſt what belongeth vntounto thy peace that thou mighteſt not be deſtroyed, but ſtand ſtill, thou wouldeſt yet at this day conſider of it and beware. Now it were time for thee to know that which ſhould be beſt for thee, but thou art blinde, & wilt neglect the time, then ſhall there be no place neither for helpe nor counſell. As if he ſayd: Thou ſtandeſt here adorned with ſumptuous and goodly buildings, and there are in thee mighty citizens, which are both ſecure and merie, thinking that no daunger hangeth ouer them, but after the ſpace of forty yeares thou ſhalt be deſtroyed. Which the Lorde plainly foretelleth in theſe wordes.
The dayes shall come vponupon thee, that thine enemies shall caſt a trench about thee, and compaſſe thee round, and keepe thee in on eueryevery ſide, and shall make thee euen vvith the ground, and thy children vvhichwhich are in thee, and they shall not leaue in thee a ſtone vponupon a ſtone, becauſe thou knevveſt not that ſeaſon of thy viſitation. The careles ſecuritie of the Iewes.Now the Iewes, as they ſuppoſed, ſtoode vnmoueable & ſafe, reſting vponupon the promiſe of God, ſo that they thought no otherwiſe, but that they ſhould perſeuerantly continue ſo for euer, they were ſecure and thought thus with them ſelues: God will not ſend ſuch thinges vntounto vsus: we hauehave the temple, wherein God him ſelfe is reſident. We hauehave alſo plenty of excellent men, money, and other thinges, Goe to then, who can doe any hurt or harme to vsus? Moreouer the Emperour and people of Rome hauing taken the citie, ſeeing it furniſhed with ſo many and ſo great munitions and goodly and excellent buildings, merueiled greatly, and confeſſed, that it was vnpoſſible that ſo great a citie ſhould be taken, vnleſſe it had bene the ſpeciall will of God. Their boaſting therefore, and confidence in their owne falſe opinion deceiued them. Howbeit the Lord did more earneſtly and deepely conſider the matter then they, when he ſayd: O Ieruſalem, if thou kneweſt thoſe thinges that are knowne to me, thou wouldeſt hauehave a care of thy peace (peace in the Scriptures is, when the matters and affaires of any hauehave good ſucceſſe) thou thinkeſt that thou haſt glad and merie dayes, that it is well with thee, and that thy affaires are in a proſperous ſtate: but if thou kneweſt howe thine enemies ſhall by ſiege afflict thee, keepe thee in on eueryevery ſide, and bring thee into ſuch diſtreſſe, that they ſhall make thee euen with the ground, deſtroy all thy buildings, and leaue not a ſtone vponupon a ſtone, thou wouldeſt ſurely conueniently receiue the word, whereby thou mighteſt enioy both true peace, and all good thinges. The reading of the hiſtorie of the deſtruction of this city doth make much to the right vnderſtanding of this text.
A deſcription of Gods wrath and moſt grieuous vengeance poured vponupon the Iewes for their contēpt and diſobedience.God had plainly ſo ordained, that at the feaſt of Eaſter, at which time they came to Ieruſalem out of all quarters, the citie ſhould be beſieged, and there were then gathered togither, as Ioſephus reporteth, about thirty hundred thouſand mē, vponupon whom the Lorde would ſhewe his grieuous indignation and wrath. All the Apoſtles and Chriſtians were departed and gone into the cuntrie of Herod, not farre from Ieruſalem. The Lord tooke out the wheate, and put the chaffe togither on an heape, nowe there was ſo great a multitude of people, that they might ſeeme to exceede not onelyonly a citie, but euen a kingdom. And they were driuen into ſo great calamitie, that all their vittells were ſpent, and none at al left vntounto them, ſo that they were conſtrained to eate ye ſtrings of their bowes, & olde ſhoes, dreſſing them in ſuch maner as they could, yea through the exceeding famine, they were driuen to kil their owne children: the ſouldiers tooke the fleſh of children roſted from the mothers, ſmelling the ſauour of the roſted fleſh two ſtreetes of: pigeons dunge was vntounto them in ſteede of ſalte, and was alſo very deare: finally there was ſo great miſerie, ſo great ſlaughter and ſhedding of blood, that it would not hauehave bene meruell for a ſtone to hauehave bene moued with pitie. He that had ſeene it, would hauehave thought that God could not hauehave bene ſo grieuouſly angry, and ſo greatly hauehave afflicted a people. Both houſes and ſtreets were filled with carkaſes dead through famine. Notwithſtanding the Iewes remained ſtil ſo obſtinate and without vnderſtanding, that they gloried of God, and would not yeelde them ſelues vntil the Emperour ſet vponupon them with his whole power, and tooke the citie, which they were able to keepe no lenger. And when as ſome of them were ſo craftie that they deuoured golde yt it might not be takē from them, the Romane ſouldiers thought that they had all ſo done, whereupon they flewe about two thouſand, and hauing ript their bellies ſought for golde. There was ſuch a ſlaughter & manquelling made, that it ſeemed a miſerable thing euen to the Gentiles, wherefore Ceſar commaunded that they ſhould not be ſo ſlaine, but led captiue and ſould. The Iewes were then ſould ſo cheape, that thirty were bought for a penny, they were then diſperſed through the whole world, and were coū ted the moſt abiect people of all other, as alſo at this day they are the moſt contemptible nation in the earth. For they liue ſpred here and there, without cities and cuntries of their owne, neither can they be againe gathered togither into one place, ſo that they ſhall neuer be able any more to erect their Prieſthood and kingdom, as they hope they ſhall.
Thus God reuenged the death of Chriſt, & all the Prophets, thus were they recompenſed for that they knewe not the time of their viſitation. Wherfore let vsus be here admoniſhed,The example of the Iewes ought to admoniſh and moue other to know the time of their viſitation. for it belongeth not onelyonly vntounto vsus, but euen vntounto all Germanie. It is no ieſting matter or ſport, neither is there any cauſe why we ſhould perſwade our ſelues that it will fall out otherwiſe with vsus. The Iewes would not beleeue that euill ſhould come vponupon them, vntil they had ſufficiently tried it. And we at this day are viſited by the benefite of God: he hath opened vntounto vsus a treaſure, his ſacred and holy Goſpell, whereby we know his will, and ſee how much we were ſubiect to the power of Satan: but no man wil receiue this Goſpell, yea we contemne it, and that which is more miſerable, we perſecute and blaſpheme it. God is patient: it pleaſeth him to trie vsus a while: if we be not watchfull, ſo that the word be againe taken from vsus, the ſame wrath and indignation which was poured forth vponupon the Iewes, ſhal alſo be poured forth vponupon vsus. For there is the ſame Word, the ſame God, the ſame Chriſt at this day, that there was at that time, whereupon vndoubtedly the puniſhment ſhal be the ſame, or at the leaſt as grieuous both in ſoule and body.
We make almoſt a ſport & trifling matter of the Goſpel. For no man embraceth it from his hart, no man frameth his maners according vntounto it. Which is a manifeſt argument of blindnes. O thing ſurely moſt miſerable. I feare leſt the matter will ſhortly come to that paſſe, that all Germanie will fall togither vponupon an heape, which (alas) in part of the communaltie hath already had a lamētable beginning, we hauehave loſt a great multitude of people, almoſt an hundred thouſand men hauehave bene ſlaine onelyonly betwene the feaſts of Eaſter and Whitſontide. It is a hard worke of God, and I feare me the warre begon is not yet at an ende, this is onelyonly a forewarning and threatning wherby God would terrifie vsus, that we might diligently take heede to our ſelues: it was nothing but the Foxes tayle, if he come againe with his whippe, he will ſcourge vsus more grieuouſly. But we will behaue our ſelues as the Iewes behaued them ſelues, vntill there ſhall be place for no ſuccour nor helpe. Now we might preuent it, now were the time to knowe what ſhoulde be beſt for vsus, and to receiue the Goſpell with peace, for at this day grace is offered vntounto vsus, whereby we may liue peaceably, but we ſuffer day to paſſe after day, yeare after yeare, applying our ſelues leſſe to the Goſpel then before. No man doth now pray vntounto God for ye increaſe of his word, no man receiueth it in his hart. If ſo be that the time ſhall paſſe, no prayers ſhal any more helpe. We wey not this matter in our hart, we thinke our ſelues ſafe, we do not throughly perceiue the great miſerie already come to paſſe, neither doe we conſider in our minds, how miſerably God puniſheth vsus with falſe prophets and ſects, which he on eueryevery ſide ſendeth vntounto vsus, which preach ſo ſecurely, as if they had wholy receiued into their breaſt the ſpirit the comforter. Thoſe which we counted beſt of all doe goe away, & bring men into ſuch a perplexity, that they almoſt know not either what is to be done or not to be done. But this is onelyonly the beginning, albeit ſufficient horrible and cruell. For there can not be greater affliction and miſerie, then if the Lord ſend amongſt vsus ſects and falſe prophets, which are ſo raſh and bold, that it is greatly to be lamented.
Notwithſtanding the time of grace is nowe preſent: Chriſt hath bene ſent downe into the world, hath bene borne man, hath ſerued vsus, died for vsus, is riſen againe from the dead, hath ſent vntounto vsus the ſpirit the comforter, hath giuen vntounto vsus his word, hath opened heauen ſo wide, that al good things may be obtained of vsus, moreouer hath giuen vntounto vsus rich promiſes, whereby he promiſeth that he wil preſerue vsus both in this ſhort and fraile time, and in the eternal times, in this life, and in the life to come, moſt plentifully pouring forth his grace vponupon vsus.God will not ſuffer the contempt of his grace and word to be vnpuniſhed. Wherefore the time of grace is now before our dores, but we deſpiſe & neglect it, which God neither will, neither can pardon. For when as we contemne his word he threatneth puniſhmēt, and will at the laſt puniſh vsus, although he ſhould deferre it euen an hundred yeares, but he will not deferre it ſo long. And the more purely that the word is preached, ſo much greater ſhal the puniſhment be. But I feare greatly leſt this puniſhment require the ſubuerſion of all Germanie. God graunt that in this thing I be a falſe prophet, but I feare exceedingly that it wil come to paſſe. God can not leaue this wickednes vnreuenged, neither will he deferre long, for the Goſpell is ſo aboundantly preached, that it was not ſo manifeſt euen in the Apoſtles time as it is at this day, thankes be to Chriſt therefore. Wherefore I feare much leſt that all Germanie be ſpoyled, yea and quite deſtroyed, vnleſſe we otherwiſe apply our ſelues to this matter. We which hauehave long heard the Goſpell, ought to pray God from the hart, that he would giuegive vsus longer peace. The Princes goe about to bring all thinges to paſſe by ye ſword. whereby they goe too raſhly and rigourouſly to worke. Wherefore it is exceeding needefull, that we ſhould pray vntounto God, that his Goſpell may ſpred farther abroad through Germanie, euen vntounto them which hauehave not yet heard it. For if puniſhment come ſodainly vponupon vsus, our caſe ſhall be miſerable, then many ſoules ſhall be in daunger to be loſt before the worde ſhall come vntounto them. I woulde wiſh therefore, that we woulde not ſo cruelly deſpiſe the Goſpell, that precious treaſure, not onelyonly for our owne ſake, but alſo for their ſakes which are as yet to heare it. A ſcourge is a litle begon: God graunt that it may ſo ſtay, that neither the Princes nor the communaltie be ſtirred vp to greater rage and furie. For if that ciuill warre ſhoulde begin againe, it were to be feared that it would hauehave none ende.
We doe like as the Iewes did, who had a greater care of the belly then of God, hauing more regard how to fill the belly, then that they might be ſaued, wherefore they loſt both, and that worthely. For, foraſmuch as they would not receiue life, God ſent vntounto them death, ſo they loſt both body and ſoule. They pretended the ſame cauſe that we do. We would willingly in deede embrace the Goſpell, if there were no daunger of body and goods, wife, & children. If we ſhall beleeue him, ſayd the Iewes, the Romanes wil come, and take away both our place and the nation, which neuertheles came vntounto them, for that which ye wicked man feareth, falleth vponupon him. This was a lette and hinderance to the Iewes that they would not beleeue the wordes of God, neither hauehave regard to the rich and large promiſes that he had made vntounto them. So alſo doe we, we regard not the mighty and comfortable promiſes which Chriſt hath made vntounto vsus, as where he ſayth: He shall receiue an hundreth fold more, Matth. 19.29.and shal inherit euerlaſting life. Leaue thy wife and children, I will preſerue them, I will reſtore them, ſo as thou goeſt to work boldly in my name. Thinkeſt thou that I can not build thee other houſes? counteſt thou me ſo ſimple, who will giuegive vntounto thee heauen? wilt thou not put thy ſelf in daunger for my ſake? if thy goods be taken from thee, it is wel with thee, heauen and earth are mine, I will recompence thee aboundantly. Theſe and ſuch like ſayings we paſſe ouer, yea and alſo contemne, hauing diligent conſideration only what we hauehave layd vp in our cheſt, and that our purſe may be full, neither doe we ſee, that euen that which we hauehave God hath giuen vntounto vsus, & will as yet giuegive vsus more, if we beleeue and truſt in him, neither doe we marke if that we loſe God, we ſhall loſe the belly alſo.
The faithful refuſe not to ſuffer perill and trouble for God his ſake.Howbeit they that beleeue in God, doe not auoide perill if it come for his ſake, but commit all things to his diuine power, that he may order them according to his will, and thus they thinke: The Lord hath giuen me both a houſe and the furniture thereof, wife, children, &c. I hauehave not obtained them of my ſelf, foraſmuch then as they are Gods, I will commit them vntounto him, he ſhal beſt preſerue them. For euen otherwiſe I muſt leaue them, wherfore I will refuſe to ſuffer no perill, and to leaue whatſoeuer I hauehave for his ſake, if the caſe ſo require. If he will hauehave me ſo to doe, he can giuegive me other thinges, for he hath promiſed that he will giuegive ſufficient to them that beleeue, both here and in the time to come. If he will not hauehave me to liue here, I owe death vntounto him, when he ſhall require me, I will be ready for his wordes ſake. He that ſhall not doe thus, denieth God, and is notwithſtanding compelled to loſe both this fraile life, and eternall life. The ſtinking belly which we make our god, is the cauſe,Immoderate care for the belly the cauſe of diffidence and diſtruſt of Gods care & prouidence. that we doe not cleaue to the word of God: for I will firſt be certaine howe I may feede my ſelfe, and where my goods be. The Goſpell ſayth, Truſt in God, but I prouide for my belly, and if I hauehave one noble in gold, I thinke I hauehave ſufficient to ſuſtaine & nouriſh me for ten daies, & truſting vntounto that which I hauehave layd vp, I truſt not in God, that as he hath hitherto fedde me, ſo he will nouriſh me ſtill. Is not this a deteſtable thinge, that I truſt to one peece of coyne onelyonly, whereby I looke to hauehave my foode and ſuſtenance to morrow? Fy, what a curſed thing is ſuch care for the belly? Shall a vile peece of coyne be more eſteemed of me, then God him ſelfe, in whoſe power are heauen and earth, who giueth vntounto vsus ayer and water, maketh graine to growe vntounto vsus, and ſendeth all thinges neceſſary? It is more deteſtable then that it can be expreſſed by the voice of man, that God is not eſteemed of vsus ſo much as a litle money. Why dooſt thou not thinke: God who hath made me, will well nouriſh me, if he will hauehave me liue. If he will not, well, then ſhall I hauehave no neede. But, ſayth the belly, I finde no god in my cheſt. Thou fooliſh aſſe, who can aſſure thee that thou ſhalt liue till tomorrow? It is vncertaine whether thou ſhalt keepe thy belly till to morrow, and deſireſt thou to know where foode and ſuſtenance is? If this did pearſe our hart, we ſhould ſee how deuiliſh a thing incredulitie is. Is it not a horrible thing that I doe not make ſo greate account of God, who feedeth ſo many mouthes, as to truſt in him, that he will nouriſh me, yea that I do make more account of one noble in golde then of God him ſelfe, who poureth forth his good things ſo aboundantly? The world is full of the bleſſings and workes of God, he is on eueryevery ſide with his good thinges, notwithſtanding we doe not yet commit our ſelues to him, or receiue his viſitatiō. O curſed world, which can not truſt to God euen one day, and yet truſteth to a peece of gold. Thus we ſee, as I thinke, of what ſort the world is, how it deſpiſeth God for the bellies ſake, which notwithſtanding it is compelled to loſe. O how great contemners of ſaluation are we? we ought rather to deteſt the world, but we are too deepely drowned in olde Adam. The world is as it were a figure of hell, yea a very deuiliſh kingdom, & an entrance to hell. Wherefore Chriſt with weeping eyes exhorteth vsus to knowe our ſaluation, and to receiue his viſitation, leſt that a plague & ſcourge follow, which vndoutedly ſhall come vponupon them, which thinking them ſelues in ſafetie, doe not beleeue and truſt in God. God giuegive vsus his grace, whereby we may knowe him. It followeth moreouer in the text.
He went alſo into the temple, and beganne to caſt out them that ſoulde therein, and them that bought, ſaying vntounto them, it is written, Mine houſe is the houſe of prayer, but ye hauehave made it a denne of theeues. This is the ſecond part of this text, wherein is declared how the Lord going into the temple, beginneth to driue out the byers and ſellers therein. The former part was nothing elſe but an exhortation and inuiting to faith, but here the Lorde inſinuateth what the temple of God is, and bringeth a place out of the Scripture hereunto appertaining, namely out of Eſai,Eſai. 56.7. where he ſayth: Myne houſe shall be called an houſe of prayer for all people. This is a ſtronge ſaying, whereas the Prophet ſayth, for all people, againſt the Iewes, who truſting vntounto that temple at Ieruſalē, thought that this houſe made with hand, ſhould continue for euer, ſuppoſing it to be vnpoſſible, that God would either deſtroy this temple, or leaue the citie deſolate, becauſe the word of God can not lye. Wherefore they ſtoned Steuen, for that he ſpake againſt that holy citie, and affirmed that Ieſus woulde deſtroy it, and chaunge the ceremonies giuen of Moſes. For they ſayd: The Prophets hauehave greatly prayſed this houſe: and doe you Apoſtles preache that it ſhall be deſtroyed? Howbeit this ſaying is thus to be vnderſtood, that the citie Ieruſalem, the Temple, and the People ſhould continue vntill the time of Chriſt, whereunto all the Prophets tend, which referred all thinges vntounto Chriſt, that as he ſhould doe, ſo it ſhould be, and ſo it ſhould continue. Wherefore the place of Eſai extendeth no farther then to the comming of Chriſt, which all the Prophets alſo witnes, affirming that there ſhould come a kingdom, which ſhould extend farre and wide ouer the whole worlde, as it is in Malachie:Mal. 1.11. From the riſing of the ſunne vntounto the going downe of the ſame, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in eueryevery place incenſe shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the very Heathen, ſayth the Lorde of hoſtes. Here the Prophet ſpeaketh of the ſpirituall kingdom of Chriſt, who would builde vntounto him ſelfe an houſe of prayer in the whole world. It is true that God him ſelfe did confirme and ſanctifie the temple at Ieruſalem, not becauſe it was furniſhed with precious ſtones and goodly buildings, or halowed of the Prieſtes, which maner of trifles and dotages we vſe at this day, but becauſe he had conſecrated and halowed it with his worde, when he ſayd: This houſe is my houſe:The true houſe of God. for his word was preached in it. Whereſoeuer the worde of God is preached, there is his true houſe: where the worde of God hath his courſe and proceeding, there vndoutedly God dwelleth with his grace: where his Goſpell is, there is the holy houſe of prayer, there prayers both may and ought to be made vntounto God. God alſo will heare vsus, as Chriſt ſayth Ioh. 16: VVhatſoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name, he will giuegive it you: hitherto hauehave ye asked nothing in my name: aske, & ye shal receiue. Contrariwiſe, where the word is not, there is Satan wholy. Now, whereas we imitating the Iewes hauehave builded ſo many temples, it were tolerable, if we had therefore ſo done, that the word of God might be preached in them, for where Gods word is preached, there is he preſent, and poureth forth his grace.
Chriſt ſayth moreouer that the Iewes hauehave made the temple at Ieruſalem a denne of theeues. But they were reſident in the temple which ſould oxen and ſheepe, that they which came might buy to offer and worſhip God: Why therefore doth he call it a dēne of theeues? Surely he giueth vntounto it a foule name,Why Chriſt calleth the temple at Ieruſalem a denne of theeues. which came to paſſe vponupon this occaſion: for that it was not any more counted of them for the houſe of God, but for a houſe of marchandize, that is, the Prieſtes had no care how the word of God was preached there, and did negligently and careleſly ſinge, bable, and reade Moſes and the Prophets. But God doth nothing eſteeme that mumbling vp of many words, which is onelyonly vaine and childiſh. They behaued them ſelues like as our ſacrificing Prieſtes and Munkes doe, who of temples & Monaſteries making denns of theeues, preach poyſonfull doctrine, and therefore onelyonly they celebrate Maſſe, that they may thereby get vntounto them ſelues money, and fill the belly, killing & deſtroying ſilly ſheepe with their traditions. Which is the denne, wherein ſoules are ſlayne, which title is to be giuen to al temples, wherein the word of God is not preached. For there they mocke God, kill ſoules, expell the true word, and ſet vp theeuerie. O how fowly hauehave we bene deceiued in this point? But God at this day is highly to be prayſed, that his word renueth & quickneth vsus, driueth away theeues, & teacheth vsus to pray aright. For a ſincere Chriſtian muſt pray not in mouth onelyonly, but in hart alſo. Thus we hauehave ye ſecond part of our text, how Chriſt caſteth out the ſellers, that is them yt ſerued the belly, and maketh place for his worde. It were very good if Monaſteries were ſcoured after this ſort, yt either Chriſtian ſcholes, or places wherein the word of God might be preached, might be made of them: which if it come not to paſſe, they are, and doe remaine dennes of theeues. If Chriſt calleth his houſe a denne of theeues, how much more ſhall our temples, which God hath not conſecrated, be proued to be dennes of theeues?
I hauehave often times deſired you, that ye would deuoutly pray vntounto God, that he turning away his indignation, would bridle the deuill, who now rageth in the world. For ye hauehave heard of a great calamitie, how many thouſand hauehave bene ſlayne, it is to be feared that they are all damned. God requireth obedience of vsus, & he hath pronounced the ſentence, that he that taketh the ſword, ſhall periſh with the ſword. They were beſieged of Satan, who knoweth whether the ſame ſhall come vntounto vsus? Let vsus pray God therefore that his kingdom may come vntounto vsus, that Chriſtians may be multiplied, and that he will ſend wiſe and meeke Preachers, whom the people may receiue and obey. Let him that knoweth the gift of God, pray for others which hauehave not yet heard the word of God. For it is hie time ſo to doe.