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. 21. Sunday after Trinitie. at Morning prayer.

Habacuc. 2.

I Will stande vpon my watch, and set me vpon the [ A] tower, and will looke, and sée what he will say vnto me, and what I shall answere to him that rebuketh me. 2 And the Lorde answered me, and sayde, Write the vision, and make it plaine vpon tables, that hée may runne that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appoynted time, but at the last it shall speaks, and not lye:

though it tarie, waite: for it shall surely come, and shall not stay. 4 Beholde, he that lifteth vp himselfe, his minde is not vpright in him: but the iust shall liue by his fayth.

5 Yea in déede the prowde man (is as) he that transgres∣seth by wine, therefore shall he not endure, because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth vnto him all nations, and heapeth vnto him all people. 6 Shal not all these take vp a parable agaynst him? and a taunting prouerbe agaynst him, and say, Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his? howe long? and he that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay?

7 Shall they not rise vp sodenly that shall bite thée? and awake that shall stirre thée, and thou shalt be their pray?

8 Because thou hast spoyled many nations, all the rem∣nant of the people shall spoyle thée, because of mens bloud, and for the wrong (done) in the lande, in the Citie, and vnto all that dwell therein. 9 Wo to him that coueteth an euil couetousnesse to his house, that he may set his nest on hie, to escape from the power of euill. 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house, by destroying many people, and hast sinned agaynst thine owne soule.

11 For the stone shall crie out of the wall, and the beame out of the tymber shall answere it.

12 Wo vnto him that buyldeth a towne with bloud, and erecteth a citie by iniquitie. 13 Beholde is it not of the Lord of hostes that the people shall labour in the verye fire? the people shall euen wearie themselues for verie vanitie.

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lorde, as the waters couer the sea.

15 Wo vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke, thou ioynest thy rage, and makest (him) drunken also, that thou mayst sée their priuities. 16 Thou art filled with shame for glorie, drinke thou also and be made naked: the cuppe of the Lordes right hande shall be turned vnto thée, and shamefull

spuing shall be for thy glorie. 17 For the crueltie of Liba∣nus shall couer thée: so shall the spoyle of the beastes which he made afrayde, because of mens bloud, and for the wrong done in the lande, in the citie, and vnto all that dwell therein.

18 What profiteth the Image? for the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies, though he that made it trust therein when he maketh dumbe Idols.

19 Wo vnto him that sayth to the wood, Awake: and to the dumbe stone, Rise vp, it shall teach (thee:) beholde it is layde ouer with golde and siluer, and there is no breath in it.

20 But the Lorde is in his holy temple: let all the earth kéepe silence before him.

The Exposition vpon the. 2. Chapter of Habacuc.

I will stande vpon my watch, and set me vpon the tower and will looke and. &c.

THe Prophet Habacuc in the first Chapiter had comforted the Iewes, liuing both in great oppres∣sion vnder the wicked king Manasses: and also being sore afflicted by the power of the Chaldees. But some of the people of God considering the great and *long prosperitie of the wicked enemies of God beganne to *stagger in their faith, and halfe to mistrust the prouidence of God, as though he did neglect his people. And for that cause quarelled with the Prophet, and desired some resolution of their doubtfull mindes herein.

Therefore in the beginning of this Chapiter he sayeth He will stande vpon his watch tower, and see what God vvill say vnto him, and what answere he may make to them, that did in such manner rebuke him and quarrell with him. By The watchtower hee vnderstandeth a more deepe and earnest conside∣ration and meditation of the misteries of Gods prouidence, wherein his minde was lifted vp a∣boue the capacitie of mans common reason, and was stayed vp by the declaration of Gods holy wil reuealed in his worde. The Prophet being in this VVatchtower, sayth, The Lorde answered him, that is, that God by his holye spirite reuealed to him, that he should VVrite a vision, and that so playnely, and in so great letters, that a man running by in haste might reade it. In that the Prophet so easily obtaineth answere of God, wee also are taught that when with earnest Meditation and Prayer, we seeke to vnderstande the will of God, and what is best for vs to doe: He will not faile by his grace to lighten our mindes to the vnderstanding therof. If thou seeke vnderstanding (saith Salomon) as siluer, and search it out as great treasure, thou shalt vnder∣stande the feare of the Lord, and finde out the know∣ledge of God. The summe of this vision is, that those prowde Chaldies, which did so afflict his peo∣ple, and glorie in their owne strength, notwith∣standing that they did seeme for the time to prosper and to be a scourge to other, yet, in short space by Gods iust iudgement for their wickednesse should be brought to cōfusion, and made a laughing stock

to the worlde. This answere God willeth the Prophete to Set vp in writing, that all his people might see it and reade it to their assured comforte. When the Prophet addeth The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the last it shall speake and not lye, and though it taried yet it shoulde assuredly come and not stay. &c. He meaneth that the contentes of the vision should not forthwith be fulfilled, but af∣ter a certaine space, and therefore willeth them paciently to abide the time, for that vndoubtedlye in the ende it shoulde come to passe. And so in deed was it fulfilled about. 70. yeares after the destruc∣tion of Hierusalem, and leading of the people cap∣tiue into Babilon. At which time Cyrus tooke and spoyled Babilon, and transferred the Empire to the Persians.

Beholde he that lifteth vp himselfe, his minde is not vpright in him, But, &c.

He, sayth the Prophet, that lifteth vp his minde vpon confidence & trust of his owne deuises, helpe, and strength, and thereby thinketh that he shall be safe agaynst all mutabilitie of fortune or other daunger that maye come: shall neuer haue sure quietnesse & tranquilitie of minde, but euer be tos∣sed to & fro with newe deuises. For God will *fru∣strate the counsayles of such persons. But the good iust man which with an assured fayth* stayeth him∣selfe vpon the worde and promises of God, in all daungers both worldely and spirituall: shall not fayle of tranquilitie and quietnesse of minde. For

he hath the vnfallible truth & the almightie power of God whereon he resteth. Wherfore by this verse the Prophete willeth the people, to * lay aside all confidence of worldely helpe, and to rest onelye in Gods truth and his promises. This sentence is not onely to be applyed to worldly afflictions and cares, but also, and especially to the tormentes of conscience agaynst sinne, and Satan, and all our spirituall enemies, and so doth Saint Paule vse, Galat. 3.

Yea in deede the prowde man is as he that transgresseth by wine, therfore shall, &c.

Here the Prophete beginneth to declare what shall come to the Empire of Babilon & of the Chal∣dees, together with the causes wherwith God was mooued thereto. The prowde man, sayth he, that is, the prowde and ambitious Babilonian, is like to a drunken man, that hath passed all measure in drin∣king of wine. As in the Drunkarde the vapours of the wine ascendinge to the heade so trouble the braine, and taketh away the right vse of sense and reason, that without shame or measure he runneth headlong to all filthinesse, and the more he hath powred in, the more still he desireth to drink: Euen so the prowde and * ambicious spirite of the Babilo∣nian doth so trouble his minde with vaine imagi∣nations, and carieth him awaye with furious lust and desire of larger dominion, That without all shame or measure he attempteth anye thing that may serue his pleasure. And the more he hath got∣ten

vnder his dominion by violence and crueltie, the more still he lusteth. Therefore sayth God, by the Prophete, He shall not endure, he shall come to a fowle ende. For euen as hell mouth, the graue or the sepulchre, and Death itselfe are vnsatiable, and drawe vnto them yong, and olde, and of all sortes and states: euen so the outragious lust of the Babi∣lonian, not contented with the great Empire of Assiria, seeketh by might, violence, and oppression, by heapes as it were, to pull vnder his subiection all Nations and Countries of the earth. By this that is here spoken of the Babilonians, we must learne what * mischiefe commeth of pride, and am∣bition, and how displeasant it is to God.

Shall not all these take vp a parable a∣gainst him, and a taunting prouerbe, &c.

The first plague that God threatneth to the Empire of Babilon (for vnder the personne of one Man he meaneth the whole kingdome) and sayth, that al those nations that it before had afflicted and grieued, when they sawe the ouerthrowe thereof, should triumph at it, and take vp taunting sayings and Prouerbes against it. And in reproch of it say, Wo be to this greedy kingdome, y^t with vnsatiable rauine hast before time increased thy Dominion, with that which by no right belonged to thee, and loaded thy selfe with riches, being none other thing in themselfe then Dirt and Clay of the Earth. How long shall such wicked violence continue? Shall not Cyrus with the Persians, and Medians, sodainly

come vpon them, when they least thinke of it, and bite them with lyke sorowe as they haue grieued other, and in the ende vtterly spoyle them? Yea, be∣cause they with exceeding crueltie and bloudshed haue wasted other Nations and Countreys, and done great iniurie vnto Lande, Citie, and inhabi∣tantes: the remnant of the same Countreys shall nowe in like maner spoyle them with their Coun∣try, Citie and People. Thus God vseth to reward the crueltie of Tyrannes with like crueltie, as they haue vsed towarde other.

Wo, to him that coueteth an euill coue∣tousnesse to his house, that he may, &c.

Nowe the prophete speaketh against the coue∣tousnesse and extortion of the Babilonians, Wo be to thee O Babilon, sayth he, and to all them which in like wicked and couetous maner studie to enrich their children, and set vp their houses and families aloft, thinking by their great treasure, power, and wealth, to set them out of all daunger of euill: Yea such persons as by extortion robbe other poore and honest people, to enrich their familie, to make them noble persons & gentlemen, to builde gay houses, to purchase landes, to procure sumptuous plea∣sures, doe pull shame and perpetuall reproch vpon their houses and sinne grieuously agaynst theyr soules. These men thinke that they are so highe, and of so great authoritie, that no man dare blame them, But God wil so worke it, that if no man wil, the verie stones of the houses that they haue buil∣ded

by Extortion, shall crie against them, and say, VVo vnto him that buildeth a towne with bloud and crueltie, And the Beames out of the tymber shall answere, And to them also that erect a citie in iniqui∣tie. This God will cause euen the vnsensible crea∣tures to crie out curse & wo against them. And so all their laboures that they haue taken, god wil make vaine, as if they were consumed with fire. And the worke of God shall so euidently appere to the com∣fort of his people in the punishment & destruction of the Babilonians, that his glory shal be spred ouer all the earth, as the waters ouerwhelme the roome of the Sea.

Wo bee to him that giueth his neighbour drinke, thou ioynest thy heate, and, &c.

The next vice that the Prophete doth reproue, is Drunkennesse and quaffing, wherevnto the Ba∣bilonians were muche giuen, and specially vnder their king Balthasar, as appeareth. Dan. 5. When the Prophete sayth, VVoe to him that giueth his Neyghbour drinke, he doth not blame them, that offer drinke in honest maner to their ghestes, or to relieue the poore.

But as he expoundeth himselfe, such persons as in the Heate of their drunkennesse prouoke o∣ther to quaffing and immoderate drinking, vntill they haue made them more like beastes then men, discouering themselues filthily, and therein take they great delight and pleasure. Wherefore God threatneth them punishment for that wickednesse,

and sayth that they Shall be filled with shame in stede of Glorie, For when the Prophet sayth Thou art, &c. by the present time (as the Prophets often do) he signifieth what shall so assuredlye come vnto them as if it were now already fulfilled. Then the Prophet with bitter scorne addeth, Drinke thou al∣so, and be made naked &c. As if he hadsayde, seyng it is such a pleasure and delight to thee, to beholde the filthy nakednesse of other, whome thou haste made drunke, thou also, will thou nill thou, shalte drinke, and haue thy filthinesse, thy shame and re∣proche discouered and layde open to all men. For the lorde by his right hande and mightye power hath prepared a VVofull Cup of affliction for thee, which when it shall be poured vppon thy heade Shamefull spuing, that is, the bewraying of thyne owne ignominie, reproche, and shame, shall ouer∣whelme and distayne all thy glorye wherein thou hast reioiced. Thus bitterly God reproued in them that foule vice of drunkennesse. And he addeth moreouer the principall cause of their vtter de∣struction to be the exceeding crueltie, murder, and spoyle, that they had vsed towarde the country of Iury and his people dwelling therin. For that is it that he meaneth by the Crueltie of Lybanus. By Lybanus, which is a parte of the lande of Chanaan, he vnderstandeth the whole countrie.

What profiteth the Image, for the maker therof hath made it an Image. &c.

God, that his people being in captiuitie among

the Heathen, and seing their prosperitie might not attribute the same to their false Gods, in this place by his Prophet reproueth the Idolatry of the Ba∣bilonians, and sheweth that they are not * hable to helpe them, or in any respect to doe them good. For they are but stockes and stones * and haue theyr shape and figure of the workeman, that maketh them: Who as an vnreasonable Creature and as it were bewitched of his senses * worshippeth it as God, and putteth his trust in the woorke of his owne handes. They are set as Teachers of lyes, For they breede opinion that they are the Image of God, which can be expressed by no Image, be∣ing a spiritual substance. They mooue many vaine false & wicked cogitations of God, in the minds of men, and leade them into errour. They corrupt and ouerthrowe the true worshippe of God, and cause it to be transferred to creatures. And what greater Lye can there be then this, to induce men to * attribute diuine power to that, which hath not so much as any thing like to a mortall man, more then the dead figure and proportion.

This place let them consider which before time haue taught the people of God that Images are laye mens bookes. In deede bookes and teachers they may well be called, but as the Prophet here sayth, to teach them Lyes, and errors touching God and his worshippe. Therefore the People that haue bene so lamentably missledde, may well say, woe, woe, vnto them that haue brought vs to so palpa∣and grosse errour as to forget the eternall, true,

and liuing God, * who made vs, who preserued, and by his sonne redeemed vs, and knéele downe to dumbe stockes, and stones, and in our greatest neede and distresse to call to them for helpe, and to put our chiefe trust, and confidence in them.

Notes

• Rom. 1. b. 17. Heb. 10. g. 38. Galat. 3. b. 11.
• Nah. 3. a. 1. Ezech. 24. b. 9
• Psal. 10. a. 4
• Vers. 1.
• Haba. 1. a. &c.
• Psal. 72. a. 2. Iere. 12. a. 1. Iob. 21. a. 7.
• Prou. 2. a. 4.
• Vers. 3.
• Vers. 4.
• Iere. 42. b. 15. Psal. 32. b. 10. Psal. 55. b. 11.
• Psal. 59. b. 12. Esa. 20. b. 5. 6
• Galat. 3. b. 11.
• Vers. 5.
• Iudith. 1. c. 7
• 4. Re. 14. c. 10 Sopho. 3. c. 11. Eccle. 10. b. 7.
• Vers. 6. 7. 8.
• Vers. 7.
• Vers. 8.
• Vers. 9. 10.
• Vers. 10.
• Vers. 11.
• Vers. 12.
• Vers. 14.
• Vers. 15.
• Dan. 5. a. 2.
• Vers. 17.
• Vers. 18. &c.
• 3. Reg. 18. e. 26 28. 29.
• Psal. 114. a. 4.
• Esa. 46. a. 6. 7
• Esay. 44. c. 17
• Esay. 44. d. 24