A briefe exposition of such chapters of the olde testament as vsually are redde in the church at common praier on the Sondayes set forth for the better helpe and instruction of the vnlearned. By Thomas Cooper Bishop of Lincolne.

The fourth Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer.

Esay. 32.

BEholde, a king shall gouerne after the rule of righ∣teousnesse, [ A] and the princes shal rule according to the ballance of equitie. 2 And that man shall be vnto men as a defence for the winde, & as a refuge for the tempest, like as a ryuer of water in a thirstie place, and the shadow of a great rocke in a drie lande.

3 The eyes of the séeing shall not be dimmse, and the eares of them that heare shall take diligent hésede.* 1.1

4 The heart of the vnwise shall attaine to knowledge, and the vnperfect tongue shall speake plainely and distinctly.

5 Then shall the foolish niggard be no more called gentle, nor the churle liberall. 6 But the niggarde will speake niggardly, and his heart will worke euill, and play the hypo∣crite, and imagine abhominations agaynst God, to make the hungrie leane, and to withholde drinke from the thirstie.

7 The weapons of the churlish are euill, he deuiseth noy∣some [ B] deuises, that he may beguile the poore with deceytfull wordes, yea, euen there as he should giue sentence with the poore.* 1.2 8 But the liberall person imagineth honest things, and commeth vp for liberalitie vnto promotion.

9 Vp ye rich and idle women, hearken vnto my voyce, ye carelesse daughters marke my woordes.

10 Many yeares and dayes shall ye be brought in feare O ye carelesse women: for the vintage shal faile, and the haruest shal not come. 11 Be abashed you that liue in aboundance,

tremble you that liue carelesse, cast of your rayment, make your selues bare, and put sackecloth about you.

12 For as the infantes wéepe when their mothers ••ea••es are tryed vp: so shall you wéepe for your fayre fieldes and fruitefull vineyardes. 13 My peoples field shall bring thor∣nes [ C] and thistles: and so shall it be in euery house of volup∣tuousnesse, and in euery citie that reioyceth.

14 The palaces also shall be broken, and the greatly occu∣pied cities desolate: The towers and bulwarkes shal become dennes for euermore, where wilde Asses take their pleasure, and shéepe their pasture. 15 Vnto the time that the spirite be powred vpon vs from aboue, and that the wildernesse be a fruitfull fielde, and the plenteous fielde be reckened for a wood. 16 Then shall equitie dwell in the desert, and righ∣teousnesse in a fruitfull lande. 17▪ And the worke of righte∣ousnesse shall be peace,* 1.3 and her fruite rest and quietnesse for euer. 18 And my people shall dwell in the Innes of pe••ce, and in sure dwellings, in safe places of comfort.

19 And when the hayle fallesh, it shall fall in the wood, and the Citie shall be set lowe in the valley.

20 O howe happie shall ye be when ye shall safely sowe your séede beside all waters, & driue thither the féete of your Oxen and Asses.

The exposition vpon the .32. Chapter of Esay.

Beholde,* 1.4 a king shall gouerne after the rule of righteousnesse, &c.

IN this Capter Esaias lite∣rally speaketh of the happie state and gouernment of the kingdome of Iurie and Hierusalem, that should be vnder

Ezechias, after God had deliuered them from the daunger and inuasion of the Assirians. But pro∣phetically he meaneth of the kingdome of Christ the Messias and sauiour. For albeit Ezechias was a good and godly Prince, and his people well and wisely guided by him: yet was there not vnder him nor can there be in any worldly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such perfection as is 〈…〉〈…〉. Ther∣fore he referreth them, as I haue sayde, to the spi∣rituall kingdome of Messias, vnder 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all these things shall be perfourmed.* 1.5 He shall gouerne according to the rule of righteousnesse, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that is to say, his 〈…〉〈…〉lance of equitie. He 〈…〉〈…〉 agaynst the coldenesse of worldely 〈…〉〈…〉 to succour them in the blustering stormes of tentation,* 1.6 a Pleasant riuer with his grace to 〈…〉〈…〉* 1.7 〈…〉〈…〉 a∣mong his people.

Then shall the foolish niggard be no more called gentle,* 1.8 nor the churle, &c.

In the kingdomes of the worlde there is great hypocrisie and dissimulation, and as Cato once sayd, they lee••e the true & proper names of things, and lauishing of other mens goodes is called libe∣ralitie, •• and rashe, boldenesse is termed valiaunt∣nesse, couetousnesse, thrifty sparing, &c. and al foule vices 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the fayre tytles of vertues. But in the kingdome of messias it shall not be so,* 1.9 * the visardes of hypocrisie shall be shaken of,* 1.10 and euery 〈…〉〈…〉 and knowne by their 〈…〉〈…〉 and operations.* 1.11

〈…〉〈…〉 and y•• ••e women,* 1.12 and ••ear∣ken vnto my voyce ye carelesse, &c.

〈…〉〈…〉 in this place leaueth 〈…〉〈…〉 of the 〈…〉〈…〉 and turneth to the 〈…〉〈…〉 Iewes. By the riche 〈…〉〈…〉 the great and wealthie 〈…〉〈…〉 which and both heare Christes,* 1.13 〈…〉〈…〉 curitie for euer.* 1.14 Many yeares and dayes shall you be

troubled because the vintage shall say le; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall not come in. The lawe of Moises euen from the beginning mannred, dressed and prepared the Israelites along time, as it had beene a 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ that when the Messias should come they shoulde re∣ceyue him, and bring forth fruite accordingly, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it falleth out cleane contrary. For when he shall come, he shall finde no grapes there, but wylde grapes and thistles. Therefore so great calamitie shall come vpon you,* 1.15 as you shall be astonied ther∣with: and, through extreeme sorow, torment your selues, pul of your garments, and weare sackcloth vpon you.* 1.16 You shall be wayle your 〈…〉〈…〉 time battle, but now 〈…〉〈…〉 your vines, your lands, 〈…〉〈…〉 christ the Messias had * 〈…〉〈…〉* 1.17 his spiritie vpon hi•• Apostles at the time 〈…〉〈…〉.* 1.18 Insomuch that* 1.19 if there fall any* 1.20 〈…〉〈…〉 * they shall be

so armed with the spirit of God, and strength from aboue, that it shall not hurt them. Oh how happie shall you then be, when this great plentie, tran∣quillitie, and quietnesse shall come among you, so that both Oxe and Asse, both Iewe and Gentile, shal ioyne togither in the profession of one fayth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay. 29. f. 18
• * 1.2

  Prou. 17. b.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 5. a. 1 Hier. 33. c. 16
• * 1.4

  Vers. 1. 2.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 5. 6. 7. 8
• * 1.9

  Luke. 3. e. 35▪
• * 1.10

  1. Cor. 14. e. 25
• * 1.11

  Heb. 4. c. 12
• * 1.12

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.13

  Mat. 23. d. 37 Luc. 13. g. 34 Math. 11. c. 21 Luke. 10. c. 13
• * 1.14

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 11. 12. 13.
• * 1.16

  ••
• * 1.17

  Act. 2. c. 11. 1••
• * 1.18

  Vers. 15. 16. 17.
• * 1.19

  Vers. 19.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 90 a. 1