¶ Abdias the Prophet, Interpreted by T.B. fellow of Magdalene College in Oxford.  
Seen and allowed according to the order appointed.  
Imprinted at London by Henry Binneman, for George Bishop. 1574.   

To the right Honourable my singular good Lord, the Earl of Huntingdon, Precedent of the Queen's majesties Counsel established in the North parts. etc. Increase of grace, and peace in Christ, and continuance in the same unto the end.  
RIght Honourable, I confess that for lack of skill in divinity, & of knowledge in other faculties, I am unfit to present any thing in writing unto your Lordship, wherein divine eloquence aught to be showed, seeing your honour hath been practised these many years (as I may say) in continual hearing and reading of the best learned, both of this Realm and other Realms: whereby you are able to judge, and to correct that which is either unaptly or untruly said of any man, concerning the knowledge of God and his true worship. Notwithstanding, considering my duty towards your honour, and also your accustomed gentleness in accepting aswell the good will of them which according to their ability offer but a mite, as also the great learning of those Divines, which in their sermons & writings do much excel the most part of those Pastors that are not unprofitable instructors of the unlearned: I am so bold as to offer unto your Lordship this short exposition of the Prophet Abdias, which not long since I have uttered privately to the commodity, I hope, of a few, & now (if your Lordship will vouchsafe to be the patron of so small, & so rude an interpretation of this piece of Scripture) I mind to publish it to the benefit of many, if perhaps it may do them any good, into whose hands it shall come. In it I have used the judgement of divers learned men, whose words I have translated out of Latin into English, and have disposed them in this Treatise, as I have thought good. Therefore the doctrine therein contained, which is sound, is other mens: the manner of handling it, which is rude, is mine. That which is lacking in the manner of handling, is recompensed in the truth of the doctrine. As the doctrine is true, so it maketh the words of the Prophet plain unto the simple & ignorant people: and also it helpeth not a little to the understanding of the other Prophets, and of divers places of the Scripture therein recited, and giveth some good instructions pertaining to faith and good works. Therefore although it be but a small and short Treatise, it may serve by the working of the holy Ghost, both to the increase of divine knowledge, and also of a godly life, in as many as shall take pains too read it. My duty towards your Lordship, moved me to dedicated it to your honour: that as through the help of your bountifulness, many ignorant people are much instructed in divers places in the word of God, by the preaching of the Gospel: so by your Lordship's succour towards the publishing of this little book, many may something augment their knowledge in the holy scriptures, by reading the interpretation of this Prophet. How so ever it shall please God to work, my mind is to bestow that little talon that God hath given me, to the setting forth of his glory, and to the profit of his Church, not neglecting your Lordship's honour: Much increase whereof God grant you in this world, and in the world to come everlasting blessedness, through Christ our Lord.  
Your servant and daily orator. T. B. The xxi of August. 1574.   

The prophesy of Abdias, translated out of the Hebrew into English.  
THE vision of Obadiah. This hath the Lord jehova said against Edom, we have heard a voice from jehova, that an Ambassador is sent among the Nations (saying) up, and let us arise against her unto battle.  
2 Behold, I have made thee of small power, and of little reputation among the Nations, thou art greatly despised.  
3 The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee which dwellest in the caves of a rock, having an high place for his habitation, saying in his heart: who shall bring me down to the ground?  
4 Although thou mount like an Eagle, yea although thou make thy nest among the stars, from thence will I bring thee down: this is a sure saying of jehova.  
5 If thieves should come unto thee, or robbers by night, how miserably shouldest thou be handled? (yet) would they not steal (only) so much as should be sufficient for them? if grape gatherers should come unto thee, would they not leave some small ones?  
6 O how are the goods of Esau sought up and his treasures spoiled?  
7 All the men that were confederate with thee, have driven thee to the borders, the men that were at peace with thee, have deceived thee, they have prevailed against thee: they that have had maintenance by thee, shall say a snare in thy way to catch thee: he shall not perceive it.  
8 Shall not I at that day (saith the Lord) cut off from Edom the wise men, and understanding from the mount of Esau?  
9 You moreover the courage of thy mighty captains (O Teman) shall be abated, because every man shall be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter.  
10 For the cruel spoiling of thy brother jacob, thou shalt be put to shame, yea thou shalt perish for ever.  
11 At what time thou stoodst a loof off, at what time strangers carried away his substance, and aliens entered into his gates, and cast lots upon jerusalem, than thou wast even as one of them.  
12 But thou shouldest not have beholden the day of thy brother, the day in the which he was carried into exile, neither shouldest thou have laughed at the inhabitants of jehuda, in the day of their destruction, neither shouldest thou have triumphed over them in the day of their affliction.  
13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gates of my people, in the day of their destruction, neither shouldest thou then have beholden his misery in the day of his destruction, neither shouldest thou have laid hands upon his substance in the day of his destruction.  
14 Neither shouldest thou have stand in the cross ways to slay those that otherwise had escaped, neither shouldest thou then have taken prisoners those that remained of them in the day of affliction.  
15 For the day of jehova is at hand upon all Nations, even as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy mischievous dealing shall return upon thy own pate.  
16 For even as you have drunk upon mine holy hill, so all nations shall drink continually, yea they shall drink, and swallow up, & they shall be as though they had not been at all.  
17 But upon mount Zion there shall be salvation, and it shall be holy: and the house of jacob shall receive their possessions.  
18 And the house of jacob shall be a fire, & the house of joseph a flame, & the house of Esau as stubble, and they shall kindle among them, and consume them, and there shall be none left of the house of Esau, for jehova hath spoken it.  
19 And they shall possess the south side of the mount of Esau, and the champion country of the Philistines, and they shall possess the feelden country of Ephraim, and the feelden country of Samaria, and Benjamin (shall possess) Gilead.  
20 And they of this host of the Israelites, that are in captivity among the Canaanites, shall possess unto Sarephath, and they of jerusalem that are in captivity in Sephared, shall possess the cities of the South.  
21 And there shall come up in mount Zion saviours, to give sentence against the mount of Esau, & jehova shall have the kingdom.   

A brief Paraphrasis of Abdias prophesy.  
THis prophesy following concerning the destruction of the Edomites, & deliverance of the Israelites out of captivity, was revealed to Abdias, and declared to him in a vision, for the consolation and comfort of God's children, and this is the effect thereof. Thus saith the Lord jehova, the almighty God, against the Edomites, the cruel enemies of his people Israel. This not I only, but jeremy and the other Prophets have heard the Lord jehova say (who is mighty & hath care of his people, whose words are most certain and true, and whom no man is able to resist) he hath said that an Ambassador (even the son of God, by whom the world is ruled, & whom all men must obey) is sent among the Nations: whose commission is to raise them up unto war, and to provoke them unto battle against the Edomites: and he himself will be chief in the war against them, whom it shall be an easy matter to overcome. For God hath diminished their power, and hath made them one of the lest people among other nations. Yea he hath brought them into contempt, and hath made them of no reputation among men of other countries. Therefore they are not of such power & strength as they take themselves to be. Their proud heart hath deceived them, and hath taken away their understanding, so that they do not know themselves, nor see their own weakness. They think themselves strong enough against all men, because they devil in the rocks and mountains. Therefore they persuade themselves that no Nation is able too prevail against them, and to bring them too destruction. But although their habitation were much higher than it is, although they could make their dwelling as high as the Eagle can fly, yea as high as the Stars, yet almighty God (whose habitation is higher, and whose power is above theirs) saith for a certainty, that he will bring them down from thence, yea that he will take away all their substance, and utterly destroy them. If thieves and robbers should come unto a man by night, he should be miserably handled, yet they would take away no more, than that is sufficient for them. If robbers of Vineyards should come, and spoil a man's grapes, they would not take all, they would leave some little ones at the lest behind them. But it can not be expressed how the goods and substance of Esau's posterity shall be sought out, and how all his jewels and Treasures shall be spoiled and clean taken away. Neither shall there be any man to help them. For all their confederates shall forsake them, and become their enemies. They that had made peace with them, have deceived them with their flattering words: yea and they in whom they trusted most, as unto whom they have been beneficial, they that have lived upon their cost, and whom they have entertained in wages for their defence, they (I say) have laid a snare in their way to catch them, and shall bring them to destruction: yea and that suddenly, so that they shall not perceive it, notwithstanding their great wisdom and policy. For God which is the giver of all good gifts, and taketh them away at his pleasure, shall take away their wise men, and their wisdom from them. So that there shall not be a man of understanding left among them. Yea also he will abate the courage of their strong men, of their Giants and mighty Captains, because he hath determined utterly to destroy all the inhabitants of Idumea with the sword: both wise, and foolish, strong and weak, rich and poor, young and old, man, woman, and child. Because of their cruel dealing in spoiling their kinsmen and brethren, the posterity of jacob. They shall be brought to shame and dishonour, yea they shall perish for ever. When strangers and aliens entered into the cities of the Israelites, and carried away their substance, the Edomites stood aloof of pretending friendship, but in deed they took part with their enemies. But they should not gladly have beholden that miserable day of their brethren, in the which they were made captives in a strange Country, they should not have laughed at them, nor have triumphed over them in this their affliction. Neither should they have entered into the gates of God's people with their enemies, to be partakers with them of the spoil. Much less should they have stand in the cross ways to kill and slay those that otherwise might have escaped the sword, neither should they have stopped and taken prisoners those that remained untaken of their enemies, at such time as it pleased God to afflict them. But thus cruelly they did handle the people of God. Of which wickedness he will be revenged very shortly. For the day which jehova, the Lord our God hath appointed for that purpose, is at hand. In the which he will take vengeance of all Nations that are enemies unto his children. And even as they handled the Israelites, so shall they be handled. The same measure that they have met to other, shall be met to them: the mischief that they have ordained for other men, shall fall upon themselves. For even as God's people have been afflicted in jerusalem, so shall all Nations that molested them be afflicted, yea they shall continually have abundance of afflictions, they shall be overwhelmed, yea they shall be swallowed up, and devoured with afflictions. The Edomites (I say) shall be utterly destroyed, they shall be even as though they had never been. But the Israelites shall be saved, the people of God shall be holy, and sanctified, to worship God according to his will. Not man shall touch them, they shall be restored to their substance, and shall quietly enjoy their possessions. And even as the fire consumeth the stubble, so shall the Israelites have dominion over their deadly enemies, the Edomites, and shall destroy them, so that none of them shall be left alive. For jehova the Lord our God hath spoken it, in whom there is no falsehood, nor unability too bring that to pass which he hath determined. And God's people, having vanquished Esau's posterity, shall take possession of their Country, even from the one side to the other. They shall possess both the mountains of the Edomites, and also the champion country of the Philistines, besides their own country of jewry and Samaria. They shall possess from the South to the north, and from the West to the East. Even those Israelites that are now in captivity among the Canaanites in the south, shall possess unto Sarepta in the North. And the inhabitants of jerusalem, that are in captivity in Bosphorus in the North, shall inhabit the cities of the South. For God shall set mighty Captains over his people Israel, which shall subdue the Edomites, and shall be zealous followers of God, and shall set up his true worship again: They shall both instruct the people, and also compel them to follow God's laws.  
Therefore God shall rule, and he shall be king over them. For they shall serve him.   

A larger interpretation of Abdias prophesy.  
THis prophesy was written against the Edomites, the posterity of Esau: a people bordering upon the south side of jewry, towards Arabia. They were the next neighbeurs of the Israelites, the posterity of jacob. jacob and Esau, otherwise called Israel and Edom, were brethren, and the children of Isaac and Rebecca. 
Gen. 25.22  When their mother was with child with them, they did strive in her womb, wherewith she being moved, inquired of God what that strange fight should mean. 
An. mundi. 2100.  Answer was made her, that she had two Nations in her womb, that is to say: that two Nations should rise of their posterity, that they should contend the one with the other, and the elder should serve the younger: that is, the Nation that should come of the younger brother, should subdue the posterity of the elder brother, and bring them in subjection. Which was fulfilled in king David's time: 
2. Sa 8 1●. An. mundi 2900.  who with his people, the posterity of jacob, the younger brother, subdued the Edomites unto him, and unto his Nation: unto whom they remained subject for the space of an hundred and threescore years, unto the reign of joram, 
2. Re 8. ●0 An mundi 3060.  the seventh king of jewry from David. In whose days they rebelled, and ever after hated the inhabitants of juda, as before their father Esau had hated jacob. As at other times, so chief they uttered their malicious mind, when Nabuchodonosor besieged jerusalem: 
An. mundi. 33●●.  for they joined with him against juda. It is not unlikely but that he desired their help, because they were near borderers, & were acquainted in the country. But he was not so desirous of their aid, as they were to offer it. For they rejoiced greatly at the misery of the Israelites, they triumphed over them, and were partakers with the enemies in spoiling the city of jerusalem. Yea they persuaded them utterly to destroy it. As it is written: Remember the children of Edom, 
Psal. 1ST.  O Lord, in the day of jerusalem, which said, raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof. By occasion of this misery and calamity of the Israelites, the inhabitants of Idumea were merry and joyful, but God's people were full of sorrow and heaviness. Therefore almighty God pitying their case, stirred up Abdias & other Prophets to comfort them, by declaring unto them the destruction of the Edomites, their enemies, and by foretelling their own deliverance out of captivity: which how comfortable a thing it was unto them, we may understand by our own example: who in the days of Mary our Queen, 
An. domini. 1553.  were oppressed with the members of Antichrist, the deadly enemies of God's people. At what time they endeavoured as much as lay in them to destroy the heavenly jerusalem, that is to say, the true Christians, of whom they imprisoned and burned a great number, and the residue they caused either to flee into voluntary banishment, or else to revolt from the Christian religion unto Idolatry, until it pleased almighty God to look upon them with his merciful eyes, and to call them unto repentance. If in this time of misery God had sent us some Abdias, to tell us that he would destroy our enemies, and restore those that were banished into their ceuntrey, and advance them to honour and wealth, this must needs have been very comfortable unto us. And so it came to pass in deed: For God doth not in any age leave those comfortless that cleave wholly unto him. Therefore he sent his Prophet Abdias among the Israelites to show them the destruction of their enemies, and their own deliverance out of captivity, to comfort them, and to confirm them in the true worship of God. This is the purpose of the Prophet, whose prophesy may be divided into two chapters. In the first God threateneth destruction unto the Edomites: and in the second he promiseth deliverance, with great prosperity and felicity unto the Israelites. The first Chapter consisteth of four parts. In the first is declared the certainty of their destruction: In the second the stay and arguments whereby the Edomites might persuade themselves of safety, are taken away and confuted. In the third, the greatness of the calamity that God would send upon them, is declared. And last of all, are showed the causes of their destruction. It is not impertinent to the first part, to note here the author of the prophesy. It is called the prophesy of Abdias. But it was revealed by the holy Ghost, even by God himself, and uttered by the ministery of Abdias. 
Luk. 1.69.  As the Prophet Zacharie saith: The Lord God of Israel hath raised unto us a mighty salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world began. And the Apostle that writeth to the hebrews, 
Hebr. 1.1.  saith: At sundry times, and in divers manners God spoke in old time to our fathers by the Prophets. And our Saviour saith: that David said in the spirit, or by the holy Ghost: 
Mat. 22.43  the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy foot stool. Here our Saviour signifieth that David spoke not of himself, but the holy Ghost by his mouth. So it appeareth by the words of S. Peter, 
1. Pet. 3.18.  that No in his time preached unto the people, not of himself, but our Saviour Christ in his Godhead preached by the mouth of Noe. For S. Peter speaking of the death and resurrection of our Saviour, saith that he was mortified in the flesh, but quickened or raised to life by the spirit, that is to say by his Godhead. In the which spirit (saith he) Christ came and preached to the spirits that are in prison, which were disobedient in the days of Noe. These words of our Saviour, of the Apostles, and of Zacharie, teach us that it was our Saviour Christ in No, the spirit of God in David, and in the other Prophets that spoke unto the people. Therefore I conclude, that the same spirit spoke in Abdias, and that God himself was the author of his prophesy. This also is manifest by the words of the Prophet: For he saith: I have made thee of small power, and of little reputation among the Nations. The Prophet had no such power, as to diminish the reputation and power of the Edomites. Therefore it followeth necessarily, that he spoke not in his own person, but that almighty God spoke himself by the mouth of the prophet. Therefore I say (which pertaineth to the first part of this chapter) that the destruction of the Edomites is certain. For God himself is the author thereof. Unto this part also pertaineth the title of the prophesy, in that it is called a vision. Of visions there is often mention made in the Scriptures, as in the prophecies of jeremy, Ezechiel, & Daniel, and in the Revelations of john. Daniel 
Dan. 7.1.  in a dream saw a vision of four Beasts. And Saint john in a trance saw a vision of seven candlesticks. 
Revel. 1.12  Of this and such other visions his whole book of Revelations consisteth. Which are declarations of things to come by similitudes & dark kinds of speech. But in this prophesy a vision is otherwise understanded, for it signifieth here a declaration of things to come, in plain words, without any similitude or allegory. As a Prophet in old time was called a Seer: 
1. Sam. 9.9  so here the prophesy of Abdias is called the sight or vision of Abdias. 
2. Sa. 24.11  A Prophet in old time was called a Seer, because he did foresee things that should come to pass afterwards: so here Abdias prophesy is called a vision, because it is a thing foreseen, that should be fulfilled in time to come. These two are both one in effect, a Vision, and a prophesy, yet some difference there is between them. For a Vision is a revelation of that thing which God hath appointed to bring to pass afterwards: and a prophesy is an uttering of that is revealed. As Prophets are divers, so are prophecies, some false, & some true, but a vision is always certain: so called because it is seen, & revealed by god unto man. That is truly called a vision, whereof we can testify that have seen it. Whatsoever writing may truly be so called, it is an argument that the doctrine therein contained is true. Therefore the prophet giveth this title unto his prophesy to declare the certainty thereof. Our Saviour useth the like argument in defence of his doctrine, saying: That which I have seen I testify unto you. And after this sort s. john 
john. 8.38.  beginneth his first Epistle, 
1. joh. 1.1.  saying: That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, which our hands have handled, that declare we unto you. The title of this prophesy is almost one with this title of S. john's Epistle. For the vision of Abdias is as much to say: as that which Abdias hath seen, or that which God hath revealed unto him, for a certainty to be fulfilled in time to come. Therefore I say, this prophesy is called a vision, because this word containeth in it an argument, that it shall come to pass in deed, as the Prophet hath spoken, or rather as God hath spoken by the mouth of the Prophet. And because God revealed it unto him, it is called his vision. At what time this prophesy was revealed, or at what time Abdias uttered it, is not expressedly declared either in this book nor in any other book of the Scripture. The jews writ that this was the same Abdias that lived in the days of king Ahab, and did save an hundred of the true Prophets, 
1. Re. 1● 3 An. mundi. 3030.  hiding them by fifty & fifty in a cave, and gave them necessary sustenance. But the opinion of the jews seemeth contrary to the truth. For there is good reason to show that Abdias lived at the same time that jeremy and Ezechiell prophesied. 
An. mundi. 3360. Ezec. 25.12 jer. 49.7.  For they prophesy all against one, and the same people, they all declare the misery and calamity of the Edomites, and the causes of their destruction. Abdias doth agree in words with jeremy, as though he had learned the manner of handling his prophesy of him, as the scholar of the master. Therefore it seemeth that they lived and prophesied both at one time: which was when Nabuchodonosor had destroyed jerusalem, and carried the inhabitants thereof prisoners unto Babylon: which captivity was full three hundred years after the reign of Achab. Therefore that Abdias which was in his time could not be alive in these days. Moses in his prayer a little before his death, 
Psal. 90. 1● An. mundi. 2490.  saith, that in his days the age of man was but threescore years and ten. In achab's time it is likely that man's age was rather shortened than prolonged, because in his days the world was above five hundred years older than it was in Moses time. For the older the world is, the shorter is the life of man. Although some men live now a days longer than the common sort do, yet the age of man commonly is but threescore or fourscore years. So Moses lived an hundred & twenty years. And if God in like manner were so beneficial to Abdias that was in Ahabs' time, that he lived .40. years longer than the common age of man, yet he could not live unto the captivity of Babylon. For than he must have lived above three hundred years. Therefore our Abdias, and he were divers persons, as their state & condition was divers: for the one was a lay man, & the other a Clergy man: the one was a Courtier, & the other a Prophet. But in this they do both agree, that they might both be truly named Abdias: that is to say, the servants of God. For they both did God good service: the one in saving his Prophets from the cruel tyranny of jesabel, and in giving them bodily sustenance, the other in uttering the prophesy that God had revealed unto him, and in feeding his people with spiritual food. The food wherewith the Prophet feedeth God's people, is the food of consolation and comfort, which is ministered by the declaration of the certain destruction of their enemies, which is declared unto them in these words: Thus hath the Lord jehova said. The Lord hath spoken it. Adonai is the Hebrew word, which signifieth such a Lord as is an helper, a sucourer, a preserver, one that is of power & might, and also hath a care of his people. Therefore was joseph called Adonai, because he was an helper and succourer of the Egyptians, because he was of great power & might among them, because he had not only a care of the people, but also by the policy & wisdom that God had given him they were preserved in time of dearth. Such a Lord (saith the Prophet) hath spoken these words which he uttreth unto the people. And because there are many that are called Adonai, or Lord, for difference sake, he addeth this name jehova. That Lord (saith he) whose name is jehova, hath spoken it, who is God, above all Lords, who is almighty and ruler of all the world, and therefore is able to perform whatsoever he saith, and he hath already said it, it is already determined, and therefore can not be altered. Although the mind of man may be changed, God is unchangeable, he hath said it, and therefore certainly it shall come to pass. For confirmation whereof it followeth: We have heard this voice from jehova. The Prophet jeremy 
jer. 49.14.  hath the same words in effect. He saith: I have heard this voice from jehova. He speaketh of himself in the singular number. Although in effect there be no more certainty in the words of the one than of the other, yet in our ears Abdias seemeth to speak more certainly, because he speaketh in the plural number, not of himself only, but also of other Prophets: he seemeth to say thus much: Not only God hath spoken it, but also that you may understand I speak of knowledge, I testify unto you that we have heard it, not only I but also my fellow Prophets jeremy and Ezechiel, for they have prophesied the same things that I shall declare unto you. Thus he bringeth witnesses of that he saith. That which is testified by two or three, seemeth unto unto us more certain than that which is witnessed by one only. Therefore for the better credit of his words, he saith: not I, but we have herd it, and that not of any mortal man, but of jehova: the voice came from almighty God, whereof I, and Ezechiel, and jeremy are witnesses. And this is the voice: That an Ambassador is sent among the Nations. Their is the Hebrew word, which properly signifieth the hinges of a door, upon which the door goeth too and fro, and is thereby ruled. But figuratively it signifieth an Ambassador, such a one as is a chief man under the Prince, by whose wisdom the common weal is ruled, and upon whom the good estate of the Prince and people doth depend. So this Ambassador here mentioned is a chief man, by whom I understand the son of God, the second person in trinity, who is the everlasting wisdom of the father, 
Luk. 11.49  by whom the world was made, 
john. 1.3.  and without whom nothing was made, that was made, by whom the world is governed, by whom Princes do reign, and kings do bear rule, who sendeth peace and war: he is the Lord that doth all these things. It is he that moveth the Nations against the Edomites to destroy them. All Nations must obey this Ambassador, he is not sent to one nation, but to a multitude of Nations, they all shall come against the Edomites. Therefore their destruction is certain. The Ambassador is already sent (saith the Prophet:) This matter is not now in consultation, it is already past, it can not be stayed. His commission is delivered unto him, and he is gone on his journey. And this is his commission, to the Nations to war against the Edomites, saying: Up, and let us arise against her unto battle. In jeremy it is thus: Gather yourselves together, come against her, & rise to battle. In jeremy the Ambassador speaketh unto the nations, willing them to rise against the Inhabitants of Idumea: but in our prophet Abdias, he speaketh much more comfortably, signifying that he himself will go with them unto the war, that he will be a chief captain among them. He maketh himself one of the number, showing thereby that they shall have his help, that he will fight with them, who can compass and bring to pass all things as pleaseth him. Let us (saith he) rise against her: that is to say, against the nation of the Edomites. God himself promiseth to fight with his people, therefore the enemies shall surely be destroyed, & his children shall overcome. For if God be on our side, who shall be against us. This is the first part of the former chapped. declaring the certainty of the Edomites destruction. In the which there is to be noted a lesson for all ministers & preachers of gods word, in that the prophet entitleth his book a vision, & in that he saith: Thus hath the lord jehova said, this voice have we herd from jehova: whereby is given us to understand, that he uttereth such things only as he hath seen, and such as God hath revealed unto him. Such things as he hath heard of God, and nothing else but that which God hath spoken. This was always the manner of the Prophets, and also of the Apostles, as appeareth in their Epistles, and in the revelations of S. john, not to speak their own fancies, not to preach doctrine devised by themselves, not to be wise in their own opinions, but to teach the truth, proceeding from God himself, and nothing else but that which he hath taught. This manner all God's ministers ought to observe: which they shall do, if they speak nothing rashly and unadvisedly, but do diligently examine and search the knowledge of God in his word, which teacheth the true wisdom, 
Psal. 19.7.  and giveth good understanding, even to the simple, rude, and ignorant persons, 
2. Ti. 3.15.  and (as the Apostle saith) is able to make a man wise as much as is requisite unto salvation. If God's ministers suffer their lips to utter nothing but that which is truly grounded upon this word, they may be bold to say: Thus hath the Lord said, This voice have we heard from the Lord. This every preacher aught not to say only, but also it is requisite that he be sure that he may truly say it. For there are many false Prophets and false teachers, that say, Thus saith the Lord, this is the word of God, when they teach their own fancies. Such take the name of God in vain, abusing it for the advancing of themselves, and the increase of their own wealth. Such shall be grievously punished: for God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Therefore it is requisite that every one which taketh upon him to be a minister and preacher of the Gospel, do diligently examine his doctrine by the word of God, and then he may truly say with the Prophet: This hath the Lord said, and that which we have heard we testify unto you. Then he may say with the Apostle: 
1. Cor. 11.23.  that which I received of the Lord, I have delivered unto you, and this is the Lords saying, and not mine. This is a lesson for all the ministers of God's word, noted in this first part of the chapter. Here is also a lesson for the instruction of all true Christians, in that the Prophet signifieth that the son of God the second person in Trinity, is sent as an Ambassador to stir up the nations to war against God's enemies: and in that he giveth us to understand, that God himself will fight with them against the adversaries of his children: hereby we learn that God careth for his children, that he helpeth those that call upon him in adversity, as he hath promised, saying: Call upon me in the day of trouble, 
Psa. 50.15.  and I will deliver thee. He fighteth for us against our enemies, therefore they can not prevail against us. For it is written: 
Rom. 8.31.  if God be on our side, who can be against us? Where God taketh part, there is the victory. In vain doth any Prince make battle against his will, for all the creatures in the world are ruled by him, man & beast, sun & moon, fire and water, the earth, the sea, & the clouds are at his commandment, he useth all these things to the benefit & commodity of his children, and is ready always to deliver them in time of misery and calamity. Concerning this matter, it is long to recite the examples of God's goodness towards Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, towards joseph, Moses, josua, David, Ezechias, Esdras, the Apostle Paul, and many other. As in all ages, so especially in our remembrance, since the man of sin began to be revealed, and the Gospel published, the providence of almighty God in saving his people, hath been manifestly showed, as is to be seen in the Ecclesiastical histories of Germany, of France, of England, and Scotland, and divers other Nations. If there were nothing left in writing hereof in all the world, yet every man by the consideration of God's works both in himself, and in other men, may understand sufficiently how God careth for his people, in delivering them from their enemies, which is the second note for our instruction, gathered out of these former words of the Prophet. In the first part of the chapter. Now followeth the second part. Behold I have made thee of small power, and of little reputation among the Nations, thou art greatly despised. Here God speaketh unto the posterity of Esau after this sort. Thou country of Edom, thou thinkest thyself so sure that thou canst not be overthrown, thou persuadest thyself that thou art loved of thy neighbours, and feared of thy enemies, and therefore that there is no likelihood that thou shouldest be overcome of any nation. But this love, and this fear is but a rotten staff, or weak reed, which easily will be broken. For I the maker of heaven and earth, and ruler of all the world, have made thee of small power, and of little reputation among the nations that are round about thee: they do utterly contemn thee, and despise thee. I have made thee of small power (saith God by his Prophet) he speaketh in the time past, of the time to come, signifying thereby that it shall as certainly come to pass, as though it were already fulfilled. Worldly Princes think their state sure, when they are loved of their neighbours, and feared of their enemies. But the Edomites (saith God) have no such assurance of their state. For where love is, there is reputation, but they shall be of small reputation, therefore they shall not be loved, and where fear is, there is no contempt: but they shall be despised, therefore they shall not be feared. Notwithstanding they persuaded themselves of safety, and did triumph over other nations in their hearts, deceiving themselves with a false persuasion. Therefore the Prophet addeth, The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee which dwellest in the caves of a rock, having an high place for his habitation, saying in his heart: Who shall bring me down to the ground? jeremy 
jer. 49.16.  addeth unto this, and saith moreover: Thy fear, and the pride of thy heart. etc. That is to say: the fear wherewith other nations do fear thee, or else the opinion that thou hast conceived, that other nations are afraid of thee, and the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee. The Edomites were lifted up with pride, they did advance themselves above other nations, thinking themselves invincible, whereas they were of small power, and of little reputation, therefore they were deceived. The cause why they were so proud (as it seemeth by the text) was the commodious situation of their country. They did dwell on the mountains & rocks that were unaccessible, they had the higher ground of their enemies, no man (as they thought) was able to make a fort against them, therefore they had the advantage of all that should come against them. This made them think with themselves, that no nation was able to overcome them: therefore the Prophet saith: He saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? Unto this proud heart God answereth by his Prophet as followeth: Although thou mount up like an Eagle, yea although thou make thy nest as high as the stars, even from thence will I bring thee down. This is a sure saying of jehova. jeremy saith: If thou make thy nest as high as the Eagle, from thence will I bring thee down. Unto this our Prophet addeth more, and saith: if thou make thy nest as high 〈◊〉 the stars, and so forth: that is to say, Trust not to thy dwelling on high, for if it were a thousand times higher than it is thou art not able to resist God, which is above it and thee, for he dwelleth in a mount higher thou art able to devil. ●o can throw down his thunderbolts upon thee, and destroy thee, so that thou shalt never recover thyself again. As it is written: If Edom say, 
Mal. 1.4.  we are impoverished, but we will return and build our desolate places, yet saith the Lord of Hosts, they shall build, but I will destroy it, and they shall be called the border of wickedness, and the people with whom the Lord is angry for ever. Thus shall the Edomites be overthrown (saith God) notwithstanding the situation of their country, and the love of their neighbours, and fear of their enemies. Therefore the stays whereby they persuaded themselves of safety is of no force to deliver them from destruction, which the Prophet teacheth in the second part of this chap. whose words serve for the consolation of all the faithful, in that we learn thereby, that no power of man is able to resist God, who fighteth for his people. Moreover all Princes and Nations may learn thereby not to trust in any earthly might or strength, nor in the aid of other men that are their confederates. For God is able to altar men's minds, and to make them despised that before were esteemed and feared. Here all nations may learn not to put too much confidence in the situation of their country, be it never so well fortified. For God is able to bring down, & to make weak by one means or other, those that are of most power and strength. It is not the policy nor strength of man that overcometh in battle, but God, with a great or small company of men, yea of himself without the ministery of man, as pleaseth him. As we are taught by the example of the people in noah's time utterly destroyed with the flood for their disobedience: 
Gen. 7.21.  and by the example of the Sodomites, 
Goe 19.24.  destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven. By hindering the building of Babel tour through the confusion of the tongues 
Gen. 11. ●.  of men: 
2. Re. 25 9 Luk. 19.43 &. 21.6. Exo. 14.27 Ios. 6.20. & 8.19. &. 10.11. &. 12.9 etc. jud. 7.22. 2. Reg. 19.35. Psal. 27.1. Psal. 18.2.  by the destruction of the great city jerusalem, and by the victories that Moses had over Pharaoh, that josua had over the Canaanites, that Gedeon and other judges, that Ezechias and other godly Princes had over their enemies. Therefore king David (notwithstanding his own policy and multitude of men) saith: I trust in the Lord, of whom shall I be afraid? And, the Lord is my fortress, my castle, my tower, in whom I trust, my butkler, my shield, and my salvation. In like manner, all Princes and Nations, using such ordinary means as God hath appointed, aught notwithstanding to put their chief trust in God, without whose help no Prince is able to maintain his estate, his own policy is in vain, his own power will not help him. For God teacheth us here by this Prophet, that although we make our dwelling as high as the stars, yet he is able to overthrow us, and to bring us to nothing. It followeth: If thieves came unto thee, or nobbers by night, how miserably shouldest thou he handled? yet would they not steal only so much as should be sufficient for them? if grape gatherers should come unto thee, would they not leave some little ones? How are the goods of Esau sought out? how are his treasures spoiled? This is the third part of the chapter, in the which the Prophet showeth by a comparison the greatness of the misery & calamity that should happen unto the Edomites. Great should be their misery if they should be spoiled by thieves, for it is no small grief to a man to léess in one hour that which he hath laboured for many years: Much more shall they be spoiled of those enemies that God will send against them. For thieves will leave something behind them, as lands, revenues, and household stuff: but their enemies will take all, and will put them out of their houses, and dispossess them of all their lands: also it is a great misery to be spoiled of their grapes whereupon the wealth of their country doth stand: yet that is not so great as this misery that shall happen unto them. For the spoilers of grapes will leave some rascales at the lest that are unripe to secure them withal, but the Nations whom God will send against them, will leave nothing, therefore their misery shall be unspeakable. For this cause the Prophet uttereth it by an exclamation, saying: O how are the goods of Esau sought out, and his treasures spoiled? As though he should say: I am not able to express how the Edomites shall be spoiled: yet this is the least part of their misery, that is more which followeth. All the men that were confederate with thee, have dry o● thee to the borders, the men that were all peace with thee, have deceived thee, they have prevailed against thee, they that have had maintenance by thee, shall laid snare in thy way to catch thee, he shall not perceive it. They shall not only be spoiled (saith the Prophet) but also they shall be driven out of their country: yea and that by those in whom they trusted, of whom they looked for aid, with whom they were confederate, & so forth. And this the Prophet uttreth in the time past, signifying that it is as certain, as though it were already past. And he addeth moreover that this misery shall come unto them upon the sudden, so that they shall not perceive it: and therefore it is like to be much greater than if they had foreseen it. For a Prince that knoweth of his enemies coming, may levy an army against him, and so perhaps withstand him, or make some other shift for himself: But the Edomites are bereft of this help, for they shall not perceive the misery that is towards them, before it come, and therefore through their sudden oppression they are likely to be handled the more miserably. Against this it might be objected: that it is not likely that they should be ignorant of that which should happen unto them, seeing there are among them so many wise men, so many grave Senators, that could foresee danger to come. Unto this God answereth by his Prophet as followeth: Shall not I at that day (saith the Lord) even cut off from Edom the wise men, and utterly take away understanding from the mount of Esau? Yea moreover, the courage of thy mighty captains (O Teman) shall be abated, because every man shall be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter. They shall not perceive or foresee the danger at hand (saith God) for he will destroy their wise Senators, and take away all men of understanding from amongst them. This is a great calamity, yet he will not only do this, but also he will dismay, yea and slay all their mighty captains, so that there shall be none left able to defend them. This is taught by the name of Teman, which was the chief city, and the most ancient Dukedom in Idumea, so named of Teman, the eldest son of Elephas, Esau's first son. 
Gen. 36.15.  How their mighty captains shall be dismayed, jeremy declareth, saying: 
jer. 49.22.  Their heart shall be as the heart of a woman with travel: that is, full of sorrow, always lamenting, continually looking for to perish. The cause of this sorrow is the utter destruction of the Inhabitants, which unspeakable misery uttered by our Prophet in one word, is more at large declared by jeremy in these words: 
jer. 49.11.  There shall be none left to say: leave thy fatherless children with me, I will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me. As in the overthrow of Sodom and of Gomorra, and the places near about (saith the Lord) no man shall devil there, neither shall the children of men remain in it, 
Eze. 25.13.  So shall Edom be. And Ezechiell saith: Thus saith the Lord jehova, I will stretch out my hand upon Edom, and will destroy man and beast out of it. This is the great calamity that God saith shall come upon the Edomites: they shall be spoiled of all their goods, even to their bid treasures and most precious jewels, and not that only, but also they shall be driven out of their country, sudden destruction shall come upon them unwares, 
Ez. 35.1. etc.  they shall all be destroyed, foolish and wise, weak & strong, small and great, poor and rich, man & beast. This is the third part of the chapter, which (as the former) so this serveth for the consolation of the faithful, and correction of the wicked persecutors of God's people. For this is the end & purpose of the Prophet, to comfort the Israelites being in captivity, and to dismay the Edomites their deadly enemies. And what soever serveth for their consolation, is a general consolation for all afflicted Christians that call upon God, and put their trust in him. And what soever serveth to dismay the Edomites, is a general correction of all wicked persons that afflict God's people. For in the deliverance of the Israelites, is declared the goodness of God towards all men: for the goodness of God is one, for God is one, & his goodness is immutable. And in the destruction of the Edomites is showed the justice of God towards all men, for the justice of God is always one, for God is one, and his justice is immutable. Therefore I say these words of the Prophet serve for the use of all men, for the comfort of the godly, and reproof of the wicked. They are a sharp crimination or threatening against all persecutors of the Christians, whereby in the misery and calamity of the Edomites, the Prophet describeth the lamentable state of all that do obstinately set themselves against God and his people. They shall be constrained to forego all their riches whatsoever, their confederates and alliance shall persecute them, and seek their utter destruction, their wisdom shall fail them, their wise men shall become fools, and their strong men shall be made weak, no wisdom nor strength shall be able to prevail against God. Whereby we are taught that which the Prophet David saith: it is better to trust in God, 
Psal. 118.8.  than to trust in man: it is better to trust in God, than to trust in Princes. For man is mutable, but God is immutable: the wisdom of man & his strength faileth, but the wisdom and strength of God is above all, and endureth for ever, whereby he confoundeth the wisdom and strength of man, especially of those that resist him, and afflict his people. A notable example hereof are the inhabitants of jerusalem in the Apostles time, who persecuted both them and Christ our Saviour unto the death, therefore they were miserably handled, they were not only spoiled of all their substance, but also most lamentably destroyed, although they had many forewarnings thereof, yet they could not perceive it. They interpreted all things for them that made against them, so was their wisdom confounded, and they in the end utterly destroyed. But we need not go unto jerusalem for examples, we have examples at home at our own doors: we need not go unto the Apostles time for examples, for we have examples of our own time, in the memory of us that are alive, of the severe justice of God towards the enemies of him and his people in the overthrow of the religious houses of Monks and Friars, a most wicked kind of men, who had great abundance of precious jewels and treasures, they were spoiled of all, yea they were dispersed, and their houses overthrown, they that were counted the wisest of all men, could not foresee it, and although some of them did foresee it, yet they could not prevent it. They which before had subdued unto their obedience kings & Emperors could not withstand it. Their wise men were cut off, and the courage of their mighty captains was abated. Many find much fault that their goodly buildings are decayed, but such men have not a right opinion of God, such men found fault with the wisdom & justice of the Lord. They do not understand the saying of the Prophet Amos: 
Amos. 3.6.  there is no misery that happeneth unto the city of the wicked, but God sendeth it. If God did destroy his own city & temple that he commanded to be builded, which was the most sumptuous building in all the world, how could he suffer the houses of them to stand, which were not only dissembling Hypocrites (as were the Inhabitants of jerusalem) but also manifest Idolaters, most filthy adulterers, Sodomites, thieves, and Murderers? It must needs be that their buildings should stink in the sight of God, and that they should stir up his wrath to overthrow their godly houses, leaving only the rubbish and some old walls for a memory (as he did the salt stone of Lot's wife, and the barrenness of the country of Sodom) for a remembrance unto the posterity, that when the children shall ask their fathers what houses these were, they may answer: Here dwelled certain men of counterfeit Religion, forsakers of the Gospel of Christ, and followers of their own traditions, Idolaters, adulterers, thieves and murderers. For their manifold wickedness the wrath of almighty God was provoked against them, he therefore suffereth the Devil to set them at discord among themselves, he caused their own company to bewray their adultery, Sodomitry, and their crafty conveyance about their Imagery, serving unto Idolatry, whereby he spoiled them, dispersed them, and overthrew their costly buildings. Thus God dealt with these men. And why? The cause followeth in the Prophet: For the cruel spoiling of thy brother jacob, thou shalt be put to shame and confusion, yea thou shalt perish for ever. The cruelty of the Edomites in spoiling God's people, was the cause why he would so grievously punish them, whose wickedness the Prophet amplifieth by putting them in mind of their consanguinity with the Israelites. It is great wickedness, and deserveth great punishment at God's hand, if they that are not allied do deal cruelly the one with the other: much more heinous in the sight of God is the cruelty of brethren one towards another. The Israelites and Edomites were brethren, for they came of Israel and Edom, the sons of Isaac, of whom they had their names, therefore the Edomites were nearer in blood unto the Israelites than any other nation: also they were partly both of one religion, for they had both received the covenant of circumcision, which God had given unto their father Abraham, which God called his covenant, because it was a seal of that covenant that he made with his children the Israelites, who only were his people, for as much as they only had received the covenant itself. That is to say, the promise, or the word of God preached, whereby God offereth himself unto us as unto children. If we receive the seed of God's word, and like good ground bring forth fruit, than we are in deed the children of God. But the word was not offered unto the Edomites, therefore God refused them to be his children, for among Gods elect these two can not be separated, the word and the Sacraments. Notwithstanding the Edomites were brethren to the Israelites according to the flesh: therefore the greater was their wickedness in afflicting them, which was the cause of their own calamity. But lest they should excuse themselves, and say: it was the Babylonians and not they, that did so cruelly handle the Israelites, the Prophet addeth, saying: At what time thou stoodst a loof off, at what time strangers carried away his substance, and aliens entered into his gates, and cast lots upon jerusalem, than thou wast even as one of them. This is it that the Prophet saith: although the Babylonians were the chief doers, yet the Edomites were not void of fault, for they broke league with the people of God, they denied them aid, they took part with the enemies, entered the City with them, and cast lots with them for the decision of the spoil: they carried away their substance, and in all points showed themselves their deadly enemies. Thus the Prophet putteth away their excuse, and that they may appear the less excusable, he rehearseth particularly their faults, as followeth: But thou shouldest not have beholden the day of thy brother, the day in the which he was carried into exile, neither shouldest thou have laughed at the inhabitants of jehuda, in the day of their destruction, neither shouldest thou have triumphed over them in the day of their affliction. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gates of my people, in the day of their destruction, neither shouldest thou then have beholden his misery in the day of his destruction, neither shouldest thou have laid hands upon his substance in the day of his destruction. Neither shouldest thou have stand in the by-ways to slay those that otherwise had escaped, neither shouldest thou have taken prisoners those that remained of them in the day of affliction. Here in telling them what they should not have done, the Prophet openeth unto them the heinousness of their fault by degrees. The first is, they did behold with a certain pleasure the misery of the Israelites. The nature of true friends is to be grieved when they see one an other in misery. It was not only no grief to the Edomites to see the Israelites afflicted, but also they did laugh at them. Secondly they did triumph over them, and (as the words do sound) did speak with open mouth against them, and when they had entered their gates with the enemies, and spoiled their substance, they did slay some of them, and other some they took prisoners. This was the cruelty of the Edomites against God's people, who although they were not accepted of God, as his children, yet he suffereth them quietly to enjoy their civil estate in this life, until their cruelty was come to the full. So he suffereth all reprobates to enjoy their estate in this life for a time, as he did the posterity of cain, whom at the last he destroyed by water, so he suffered the Sodomites to live voluptuously many years, whom in the end he destroyed by fire and brimstone from heaven. He suffered Pharaoh king of Egypt to continued a long time in prosperous estate, and afterward drowned him and his great army in the Sea. He suffered the Canaanites to triumph over other Nations, and at the length gave the Israelites victory over them, until their estate was quite overthrown: So God suffereth many Princes and Nations to live quietly for a time, until their wickedness be at the full, and then he cutteth them off as well in this world, as in the world to come. So he did cut off the Edomites for their cruelty towards their brethren: whereby we are taught brotherly love, and to avoid injurious dealing one towards another, God hath joined us all in one brotherhood, in the confession of one faith, of one truth, of one religion, of one Christianity, and hath made us the children by adoption of one father (which is God himself) and fellow heirs with our Saviour Christ, to the intent we should love one another: and if we love as brethren, God will love us, and accept us as his children. Here for our better instruction in this matter, we may understand by the words of the Prophet, that the properties of brotherly love are not to murder one another, not to spoil one an other, not to triumph over the afflicted, not to rejoice at their misery, nor gladly to behold their calamity: but rather to be sorry for their heaviness, to weep with them that weep, seeking to help and secure them, and to deliver them out of adversity, of what country or nation so ever they be. The children of God had not respect to countries, blood or such like, knowing this, that they have all one father, and one country in heaven. They that do otherwise, or are otherwise affected, shall be grievously plagued, they shall drink of the same cup that they have given to other men, which the Prophet teacheth us by the words following, in that he saith: For the day of jehova is at hand upon all Nations, even as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy mischievous dealing shall return upon thy own pate. For the understanding of these words we have to consider what the day of the Lord is, it is a day of affliction and great calamity, a day of much sorrow & heaviness unto the wicked, but a day of exceeding joy and gladness unto the true worshippers of God. The Prophet Esay speaking of the same day, saith: howl you, 
Esa. 13.6.  for the day of the Lord is at hand, it shall come as a destroyer from the almighty, therefore all hands shall be weakened, and all men's hearts shall melt, and they shall be afraid, anguish and sorrow shall take them, and they shall have pain as a woman that traveleth, every one shall be amazed at his neighbour. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land waste, and he shall destroy sinners out of it. For the stars of heaven, and the planets thereof shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the Moon shall not 'cause her light to shine: and I will visit the wickedness upon the world, and their iniquity upon the wicked, and I will 'cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will cast down the pride of tyrants. Also the Prophet Ezechiell saith: 
Eze. 30.3.  The day of the Lord is at hand, a cloudy day, and it shall be the time of the heathen. And the Prophet joel saith: Alas for the day, 
joel. 1.15. &. 2.11.  for the day of the Lord is at hand, and it cometh as a destruction from the almighty. The day of the Lord is great, & very terrible, who can abide it? Finally the Prophet Zophonie saith: 
Zoph. 1.14  The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord. The strong man shall cry there bitterly: that day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and blackness, a day of clouds and darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the strong cities, & against the high towers, and I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord, and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung: Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath, but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy. For he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that devil in the land. By these words of the Prophets it appeareth that the day of the Lord bringeth most miserable destruction unto the wicked, which Abdias saith shall come upon all nations: that is to say: upon all nations that have dealt cruelly with the people of God, for so in the scriptures an universal sign is often times restricted. As for example. 
Gen. 3.20.  Adam called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of every living creature: that is to say, she was the mother not of all living creatures generally, but of all mankind, or of every creature endued with reason. And God said, 
Gen. 12.3. & .18.18.  In Abraham all Nations of the earth shall be blessed: that is to say, all the faithful of every Nation, and not all generally without exception. 
Gen. 41.57  And it is written that every land came into Egypt for corn, that is to say, all that were bordering upon Egypt, or all that were plagued with scarcity of corn. Also our Saviour saith: When I am exalted, 
joh. 12.32.  I will draw all men unto me: that is to say, all that do believe, and S. Paul saith: 
Phil. 2.21.  All men seek their own profit: that is to say, all men for the most part neglect their duty towards God and their neighbour. So in this place, where the Prophet signifieth, that God will plague all Nations, he understandeth all those that are enemies unto the people of God, and not all nations universally: as it is signified by these words, As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee. For this is the purpose of the Prophet to comfort the Israelites, whose consolation consisteth not in the destruction of all nations, but in the overthrow of their enemies. Therefore he giveth them to understand that their enemies shall be utterly destroyed, saying: For even as you have drunk upon my holy hill, so all nations shall drink continually, yea they shall drink, and swallow up, and they shall be as though they had not been. By this word drink, metaphorically or figuratively is understanded affliction oftentimes in the scriptures, as in these words of our Saviour: 
Lu. 26.42.  Let this cup pass from me, but if it can not pass from me, but I must needs drink it, thy will be done. Hear by drinking of the cup, he meaneth the suffering of his most painful passion. 
jer. 49.12.  Also the prophet jeremy preaching the destruction of the Edomites, with Abdias, hath these words: Thus saith the Lord: Behold they whose judgement was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken, and art thou he that shalt escape free? Thou shalt not go free, but thou shalt surely drink of it. For I have sworn by myself (saith the Lord) that Bosra shall be waist, and for a reproach, and a desolation, and a curse, and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual desolations. These words do plainly teach us, that to drink figuratively signifieth to suffer affliction. This therefore is that he saith in the person of God, even as you that are my people have been afflicted in your own country, which I have chosen as a peculiar place for my self to be worshipped in: so all nations that have afflicted you, shall be plagued, yea they shall be miserably scourged, and brought to perpetual desolation. Thus the Prophet endeth the first chapter of his prophesy, which concerneth the destruction of the Edomites, now he describeth the felicity and prosperity of the Israelites: But upon mount Zion there shall be salvation, and it shall be holy: and the house of jacob shall recover their possessions. And the house of jacob shall be a fire, and the house of joseph a flame, and the house of Esau as stubble, and they shall kindle among them, and consume them, and there shall be none left of the house of Esau, for jehova hath spoken it. Zion is the hill upon the which jerusalem was builded, and is taken for the whole country of the Israelites. They shall be delivered (saith the prophet) they shall recover their possessions, and also destroy their enemies even as fire doth consume stubble. For therefore are the Israelites likened unto fire, & the Edomites to stubble, to declare the sudden destruction, that God shall send upon the posterity of Esau, by the hands of the inhabitants of jerusalem. Which the Prophet Ezechiel expresseth in plain words saying: I will execute my judgement upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger, and according to my indignation, and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. Thus God threateneth destruction to the Edomites, but the Israelites shall flourish, as in the words following it is declared. 
Eze. 25.14.  And they shall possess the south side of mount Esau, and the champion country of the Philistines, and they shall possess the feelden country of Ephraim, and the feelden country of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. Here the Prophet showeth the Israelites how their dominion shall be enlarged. The south side of Idumea or of mount Seir is the furthest part of the country from Israel. This is it therefore that is given them to understand, that they shall inhabit not only their own country, but also the country of the Edomites, and the Philistines, and Benjamin, whose habitation is in the west, shall possess Gilead, which is in the East: that is to say, the Israelites shall have dominion from the west to the East, and from the North to South, which in the words following is further declared: And they of this host of the Israelites, that are in captivity among the Canaanites, shall possess unto Sarephath, and they of jerusalem that are in captivity in Sephared, shall possess the cities of the South. And there shall come up in mount Zion saviours, to give sentence against the mount of Esau, and jehova shall have the kingdom. That is to say, the Israelites dominion shall be from the South to the North, and from the North to the South, from the one end of the country to the other. For the Canaanites dwelled in the South country, and Sarephath, otherwise called Sarepta, was in the North, so was also Seraphad, otherwise called Bosphorus (according to the judgement of some Interpreters.) This benefit God promiseth by his Prophet unto his people, for bringing of which thing to pass, he used the ministery of certain noble men and chief captains, as zorobabel, Nehemias', Esdras, and such other, who here are called saviours, because God by their hands chief saved the people. So in the book of the judges, Othniell and Ehud are called saviours, 
jud 3. vers. 9 & 15.  because they were the captains, by whose means the Israelites were delivered from the bondage of their enemies. The like prosperity God promiseth here unto the same people, the which being brought to pass, the Prophet saith, that the kingdom shall be the Lords: that is to say, the Israelites shall not only be restored to their country, lands, and possessions, but also they shall serve God, and worship him according to his william. For although God ruleth all the world, and all nations pertain to his kingdom, yet that properly is called the kingdom of the devil, where men follow their own lust, and neglect the worship of God: and there is the kingdom of God, where he is truly worshipped, the Gospel preached, and his laws obeyed. Where the Lord is king there is no tyranny or bondage, but liberty and freedom, that people that serveth the Lord shall flourish, shall prospero, and shall be blessed in this life, and in the life to come, for he is everlasting, therefore his people shall be everlasting. Briefly, this is it that the Prophet in the former words giveth us to understand, that the children of God shall abound both in earthly and heavenly possessions. Whereby we are taught to put our trust in him, for he is able to help us, to pray unto him in all our necessities, for he is ready & willing to help us, to give him thanks for his benefits: for great is his goodness toward us, to extol & magnify his name, for wonderful are his works, to our great profit and commodity. Finally, to obey his laws and statutes, for he serveth them that serve him: so doing God will send us saviours to save us, and to deliver us from our enemies, and the words of the Prophet shall be verified upon us, in that he saith: The kingdom shall be the Lords. For he shall be our king for ever, and we his people shall be continually guarded under the shadow of his wings, and always defended from all manner misery and calamity.  
Hitherto I have opened the sense and meaning of the Prophet according to the letter, which although for divers causes it is very necessary to be understanded: yet being considered of itself, without any further application of the same unto ourselves, it is unfruitful and unprofitable. 
2. Cor. 3.6.  As the Apostle saith: the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Therefore I have added moreover unto the letter, certain general lessons for the instruction of all Christians. Which application of the scriptures unto ourselves the Apostle putteth us in mind of, where he saith: 
Rome 15.4  what soever things are written afore time, they are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And as in divers other places, so especially in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the hebrews, he hath given us an example of this interpretation, where the words of the almighty God, spoken only unto josua, and pertaining only unto him, according to the letter, are used as a general lesson for all men, to teach them to put their trust in God. After that Moses was dead, God appointed josua to be ruler of the Israelites, and to bring them into the land of promise: and because he should not fear nor be dismayed, God said unto him: 
Ios. 1.5.  As I was with my servant Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Upon these words the Apostle groundeth this general doctrine: 
Heb. 13.5.  Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with those things that ye have. For he hath said: I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee. Thus the Apostle dissuadeth us through distrust of God's goodness to vex ourselves with immorderate care of worldly riches, and the unlawful means to enrich ourselves, because God hath said unto josua: I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: teaching us thereby to apply the holy Scriptures to our comfort, & confirmation of our faith. Whose example I have followed by adding the moral (as they call it) unto the letter of the Prophet. But besides this moral, there is also in the prophesy contained an allegory, concerning the coming of our saviour to judgement, & our full redemption by him in destroying Antichrist, & in bringing us both body & soul unto the everlasting blessedness, which he hath prepared for all the faithful. For the words and works of God are unsearchable, & do teach us a great deal more than the letter at the first sight offereth unto us. This I say, that in the scriptures, especially in the old testament, in the writings of Moses & the Prophets there are for the most part three senses in one text, & according to those divers senses, three divers interpretations. The first is called literal, grammatical, or historical: the second, tropological, ethical, or moral: the third allegorical, figurative, or mystical. The literal interpretation is called grammatical & historical, because in it nothing else is noted, but that which the grammar rules, & the history itself in plain meaning giveth us to understand. This always is first & chief to be noted, as the ground & foundation of the other interpretations. If we make not a good foundation, that which we build thereon will be weak: so if we do not truly expound the letter of the scripture, commonly we shall make an unprofitable moral, and a false allegory. The bore letter, of the new Testament especially, is for the most part very profitable and commodious to all Christians. There are five general uses & commodities of the scripture, taught of the Apostle S. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans, the .15. chapter, 
Rom. 15 4  and in the second Epistle to Timothy the third chapped. 
2. Ti. 3.16  First by it we learn patience in adversity, by it we have consolation in persecution, and are thereby encouraged to continued unto the end in the true worship of God, through hope of life everlasting: secondly we are taught true doctrine as touching the articles of our faith: and thirdly, to improve false doctrine contrary to the same: fourthly by the scriptures we learn to correct our wicked living, which is contrary to God's commandments: and finally we are thereby instructed in godliness, & in all such things as are acceptable unto God. All these commomodities are found in the literal sense of the scriptures. For what is more comfortable than the very letter of these words? 
joh. 3.16.  So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, to the end, that who soever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. 
Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16.  And the letter of these words: We are justified by faith without the works of the law, doth teach us the doctrine of justification by faith, without any desert of our good works, & also doth improve the contrary. In like manner the letter of other places doth teach other doctrine. And where the Apostle saith: 
Gal. 5.19.  The works of the flesh are manifest, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulations, wrath, contentions, seditions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, gluttony, and such like, whereof I tell you before, as also I have told you before, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperancy, against such there is no law. The very letter of these words serveth to correct and to instruct us in godliness. So commodious is the bore letter of the holy Scriptures, and the moral thereof (which is to gather out of the letter some good lesson for our instruction) is no less profitable. For all the miracles of our saviour Christ, as according to the letter and history, they served to the commodity of those that were healed by him, so they may be morally interpreted to our comfort, and to the confirmation of our faith that are now living. For by his goodness thereby showed unto other men, we have an evident argument of his readiness to help us, when soever we in like sort do seek help at his hands: so that we have no cause to mistrust his goodness, nor to seek help else where, of Saints and Angels, that are no saviours. His miracles also do teach us his Divinity, they teach us that he is Christ the saviour of the world, and do improve the contrary doctrine, as our Saviour witnesseth in the Gospel. 
Mat. 11.4. john. 5.36. & .14.11.  Moreover all the examples of godly men serve for our instruction: and the examples of the wicked with their punishment, serve for our correction. After this sort the Apostle Paul expoundeth the manifold plagues of the Israelites in the wilderness, 
1. Cor. 10.6  and according to the moral sense, applieth them unto us, teaching us by their example to avoid their wickedness. Finally, in the scriptures, besides the letter and the moral, there is a true and a profitable allegory, type, figure, or mystery. As for example: 
Gen. 22.9.  the offering of Isaac upon the altar, to be slain by the hands of his father, as God had commanded, which as according to the letter, it was a trial of Abraham's faith, and also an instruction for us (which is the moral) teaching us to obey God's commandments in all points, and to believe his promises, although they seem never so contrary to man's reason: So in that Isaac was laid upon the altar ready to be slain, and then by the voice of God delivered, and (as it were) raised from death to life again, he was a type and figure of our Saviour Christ, teaching unto Abraham and his posterity salvation by the offering of Christ upon the cross, and by his resurrection from death. Also joseph being sold by his brethren unto strangers, cast into prison, 
Gen. 37. 2● Gen. 39 &. 41. & .42. & .47.  & after made ruler of the country of Egypt, where he provided food, and also a fruitful land for his father and brethren to devil in (as it declareth Gods wonderful power and goodness towards him, and also the state of God's children in this life, being first by affliction thrust down (as it were) into hell, and after exalted into heaven: So it was a figure of our Saviour: first sold and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, even by his own country men, and brethren, and afterwards of his Resurrection and glorification, by his Ascension into heaven, where of his mercy, contrary to our deserving, he hath provided for us a perpetual rest and habitation for ever, even for as many as come unto him for secure. 
Ex. 1. & .14.  Moreover the bondage of the Israelites in the wilderness, and their deliverance through the destruction of Pharaoh in the read sea: beside that it declareth the power and goodness of God towards them, and the state of his children before rehearsed: it was a type of our bondage through sin, death, hell, and the devil, and of our deliverance from the same by our saviour Christ, destroying our enemies, and bringing us unto everlasting felicity. Likewise the Paschal lamb received every year, 
Exo. 12.3.  being a lamb without blemish, (the blood whereof was sprinkled upon the posts of the door, over which the destroying Angel passed, hurting none in the house where the blood was sprinkled) This Lamb, I say, in an allegory signifieth our saviour Christ, being without blemish and spot of sin, whose blood sprinkled upon the posts of our hearts by faith, delivereth us from everlasting destruction. We are taught this allegorical exposition of the Paschal Lamb by john Baptist, where pointing unto our saviour Christ, he saith: 
john. 1.29.  Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Also the Apostles Paul and Peter, do liken our Saviour unto the Paschal lamb, saying: 
1. Cor. 5.7. 1. Pet. 1.19.  Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us, and we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled, and without spot. According to this figurative and mystical interpretation, the Apostle expoundeth the history of Abraham's two wives and their children: 
Gal. 4.22.  where he plainly pointeth at our adversaries the Papists, who seek justification by their own works, and do persecute those, which according to God's promise, do seek life by faith in Christ: whose miserable state and condition the Apostle showeth, proving by an allegory, that all they which seek justification, by the bondage of the law, shall be cast out of the land of promise with the bond woman and her son, and shall not inherit the everlasting kingdom of God with his children, that are free, and do seek salvation through faith in his promise. Here it is evident that the Apostle teacheth us to expound the scriptures, not literally only, but also allegorically, mystically, or figuratively. So he expoundeth those words: 
Deu. 25.4. 1. Cor. 9.9.  Thou shalt not mosel the Ox that treadeth out the corn. In like manner the rock in the wilderness, out of the which water flowed to satisfy the thirst of the Israelites: 
Exo. 17.6.  besides that, it declareth God's power and providence for his children being in distress, it prefigured the graces and gifts of God that flow out of our saviour Christ unto all that believe in him. For so the Apostle expoundeth it, 
1. Cor. 10.3  where he saith: Our fathers did eat the same spiritual meat, and did drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. And the serpent that Moses set up at the commandment of God, 
Num. 21.8.  besides the miraculous healing of those that were bitten with fiery Serpents, teacheth both the Israelites and us to lift up the eyes of our faith unto our Saviour lifted up upon the cross, seeking deliverance by him from the deadly sting of the Serpent the devil. For that brazen serpent was a figure of our saviour Christ, 
joh. 3.14.  as he himself expoundeth it in the Gospel. Moreover where Moses telleth the people that God will raise unto them a Prophet like unto himself, even of their brethren, 
Deu. 18.15.  unto whom they should hearken: the letter teacheth us nothing else but that josua should govern the Israelites, and bring them into the land that God had promised them. But the holy Ghost in the person of josua (whose name signifieth a saviour) teacheth us that Christ is our saviour, who bringeth us into the everlasting rest promised unto all the faithful, for so the Apostle Peter expoundeth the words of Moses. 
Act. 3. ●  Also even as the bonbage of the Israelites in Egypte, and their peregrination in the wilderness (besides that is plainly expressed by the letter) doth represent the state of Christians in this life, being full of afflictions: even so the land of Canaan promised unto God's people, in the which they had a great conquest over the wicked, & after quietly enjoyed the country (besides the declaration of gods exceeding power and excellent benefits bestowed upon them) doth represent unto us the everlasting rest in heaven, which we shall enjoy when almighty God hath destroyed all the wicked upon the earth. So the Apostle expoundeth the words of the prophet David, who concerning the same matter, 
Psa. 95.10.  saith: Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, & said: It is a people that doth err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways, unto whom I swore in my wrath, 
Nu. 14.23  that they should not enter into my rest. Which words written both in the law and in the Prophet, according to the letter, do show the rest of the Israelites in the land of Canaan, but according to the allegory, they teach all the faithful the everlasting rest by Christ in heaven. 
Heb. 4.9.  But for the further declaration of this double, and triple sense of the Scripture, and the manifold commodity thereof, 
1. Sa. 18.11. & .19.11. & 23.8. & .26 2. etc. 2. Sam. 5.3  let us consider the history of David persecuted by Saul, and after exalted to the kingdom of Israel. As touching the letter every Christian man that hath read the books of Samuel doth confess that David was living about a thousand years before the coming of our Saviour in the flesh, & that being persecuted of king Saul; he was divers times in danger of death, from the which God did wonderfully deliver him, and also delivered saul's into his hands, but he would not lay hands upon him unto death. And when tidings was brought him that Saul was dead, 
2. Sa. 1.15.  he executed the messenger as a murderer, because he confessed that he had slain him. 
2. Sa. 2.4.  Then he was proclaimed king, and after that he was established in the kingdom, 
2. Sa 11. for 4. & .17.  he committed adultery with Bethsabe, and caused her husband to be slain, and did other things displeasant unto God, for the which he was grievously punished. This is the truth of the letter. As touching the moral, we learn by David's fall, and the punishment of his wickedness, to look circumspectly unto ourselves, and to fear the judgement of God for our iniquities. We learn by his whole life, that affliction is a good schoolmaster unto godliness, in that it restraineth our carnal lusts, and keepeth down our flesh, but contrariwise prosperity maketh us forget the laws of god: for David in adversity would not slay Saul the king, 
1. Sa. 24.7. & .26.9.  when he was delivered into his hands, although he were his deadly enemy, giving us an ensample of our duty towards our Prince, so narrowly did he look unto his paths, but in prosperity he neglected God's commandments, & swerved from his ordinances by committing adultery, murder, & other offences. Whereby we are taught that prosperity is a slippery place to stand upon. It is like an high steep mountain, narrow in the top, upon the which a man standing is in danger of every wind to be blown down, & to break his neck, except he hold fast by some tree, or hide himself under some bush, or such like: so in prosperity we are in danger of every assault of the flesh, world, & devil, except we hold fast by a true faith in Christ, who is a sure stay, & our only stay both in prosperity & adversity: without whom we can not be safe, neither in the mount of honour & wealth, nor in the valley of affliction. For it may be, that by the means of much rain, the valley may be overflown with water, & they drowned that dwell in it, unless they save themselves by a boat, or such other means: so in adversity we are in danger to be overwhelmed with the waves of affliction, & to be provoked to forsake God, except we cleave fast unto Christ, by a lively faith: who is our only ark of salvation. Therefore David doth not say: I trust in the valley, but I trust in the Lord, 
Psal. 11.1.  wherefore do they say unto my soul: fly unto the mountains. Thus much of the moral in the history of David. There is in it also an allegory or mystery, prefiguring our saviour Christ: which we learn by the words of the prophets, Ezechiel & Hoshea, where God speaketh in them after this sort: 
Eze. 34.23 & .37.24.  I will set a shepherd over my sheep, & he shall feed them, even my servant David, he shall feed them, & he shall be their shepherd, & I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David shall be the Prince among them, he shall be king over them, and they shall have one shepherd, and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever. 
Eze. 37.25. Hos. 3.5.  The children of Israel shall turn and seek the Lord their God, & David their king, and shall fear the Lord & his goodness, in the later days. These Prophets Hoshea and Ezechiel, lived the one three hundred years, & the other four hundred years after David. Therefore seeing they prophesy of a David to come after them in the later days, and because they call him an everlasting king (which can not be verified of David literally being a mortal man) it is evident that they do mean an other prefigured by David: that is to say, our Saviour, who governeth the true Israelites: that is to say, the elect people of God for ever, who also in the Gospel calleth himself the good shepherd: 
john. 10.11  giving us to understand that he is that David, the shepherd of God's people, of whom the Prophets do speak. Therefore the history of David is mystically expounded thus: David in adversity, thereby brought down (as I may say) unto hell, doth signify our Saviour, taking our nature upon him, and debasing himself unto the lowest degree, humbling himself unto the death, even unto the death of the cross: and David delivered from his enemies, and placed in the kingdom, doth signify our Saviour rising from death, and ascending unto heaven, where he is exalted unto the right hand of God, and governeth all the world. Thus this history may truly be expounded, whereby we may understand, that in the holy scriptures, much more is to be considered than the letter at the first sight offereth unto us. After this sort also the Apostle teacheth us to expound the history of Solomon, David's son. 
2. Sa. 7.13.  God said unto David that he would give him a son, whose throne he would establish for ever, and he would be his father, and he should be his son: where the letter directeth us unto Solomon, 
1. Re. 2.46  who then had established the kingdom unto himself, when he had put to death those that rebelled against him and his father. But the holy Ghost in the person of Solomon, as in a type and figure, teacheth us that our saviour Christ, having subdued all the enemies of his father and of himself, shall reign for ever, quietly with his faithful servants that hearken unto his laws, & submit themselves unto his government. Unto this exposition the Apostle leadeth us, where he applieth the words of almighty God unto our saviour, 
Heb. 1.4.  saying: Christ is so much the more excellent than Angels, as he hath gotten him a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time, 
Psal. 2.7. 2. Sa. 7.14  Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? And again: I will be his father, & he shall be my son. Therefore seeing that the Apostle expoundeth the words to be spoken of our Saviour, which literally do appertain unto Solomon, I say that Solomon was a figure of our saviour, & that in the history of Solomon there is an allegory beside the letter. 
jonas. 1.17.  Likewise jonas in the whales belly, & after delivered by the power of God, was not only an example of God's omnipotent goodness, but also a figure of the burial & resurrection of our Saviour: 
Mat. 12.40  as we are taught by his own interpretation in the Gospel. And Hoshea the Prophet declaring the benefits of God towards the Israelites, 
Hos. 11.1.  & their unthankfulness for the same, reciteth their deliverance out of Egypt. In whom God speaketh those words: out of Egypt I have called my son. Where the letter teacheth us nothing else but the deliverance of the Israelites out of captivity: but the holy Ghost understandeth moreover the returning of our saviour out of Egypt into his own country, after the death of Herod. For so the Prophet's words are expounded in the Gospel. 
Mat. 2.15.  Finally the Prophet jeremy declaring the deliverance of the Israelites out of captivity, describeth first their great affliction, saying: Thus saith the Lord, 
jer. 31.15.  a voice was herd on high, a mourning and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, & would not be comforted, because they were not. Thus saith the Lord, refrain thy voice from weeping, & thine eyes from tears, for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord, & they shall come again from the land of their enemies. Here the letter teacheth us only the returning of the Israelits, from the captivity of Babylon. But the holy ghost thereby understandeth the lamentation of the Israelites for their Infants, 
Mat. 2.18.  whom Herode slew at the birth of our saviour Christ, as the Evangelist witnesseth. So I say in this Prophet Abdias, besides that hath been already noted, we are taught Christ, and the destruction of our enemies by him, for he hath applied the writings of all the Prophets unto himself, 
Lu. 24.27.  when he accompanied the two Disciples unto Emaus after his resurrection. For S. Luke saith that he began at Moses, and at all the Prophets, and interpreted unto them in all the scriptures those things that were written of him. And S. Peter saith: 
Act. 3.24.  All the Prophets from Samuel and thence forth, even as many as have written, have foretold of those days: that is to say, of the wonderful works then wrought in the name of Christ, and of his death and resurrection. Also Zachary john Baptist father, 
Luk 1.70  praiseth the Lord God of Israel, for our redemption by Christ our mighty saviour, as he had promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets that have been from the beginning of the world. Therefore seeing that all the Prophets have forespoken of salvation by Christ. Abdias also, with the residue, hath prophesied of him: so that in this Prophet we may find our deliverance by Christ, and consequently, the destruction of Antichrist. Which he doth here first teach us under the name of Edom & Esau. The signification of the word Edom pointeth us to the person, and also to the place, where Antichrist dwelleth. For Edom in the Hebrew tongue, 
An allegory gathered of the signification of the word Edom.  signifieth read or bloody. The Bishop of Rome (which is Antichrist) showeth himself to be Edom, that is read and bloody, both in outward appearance, and also in his secret devices, for he and his Cardinals, his doctors, and other his adherents, are clothed in read, the serving men of his Clergy go in read. This is their colour wherewith they are delighted: So also their doings are read and bloody. For this is the first decree of their secret counsel at Trent: Albina they that profess the Gospel, and are enemies unto the Church of Rome, shall be rooted out, they shall be slain, and put to death, their blood shall be shed upon the earth. This is their bloody decree which they have practised to the utter most of their power, here in England, in Scotland, and of late in France, and in many other places of Christendom, as Germany, Flanders, Spain, and Italy: So that they are altogether delighted in blood, and will never be satisfied. Therefore they may well be called Edomits, read & bloody men. Moreover not only the signification of the word, but also the testimony of divers ancient writers, leadeth us to understand by this name Edom, the Antichrist of Rome, who are persuaded that he is not only in outward pomp and show, and in deeds an Edomite, but also in blood & kindred, as one that had his beginning of the Edomites. 
Ancient testimonies witnessing that the Bishop of Rome is an Edomite, & consequently Antichrist.  For Moses Gerundensis writing of the beginning of the Romans, saith: we have heard in the books of the Chronicles of joseph been Gorian, and in other books of Antiquities, that Sappho the son of Eliphas, the son of Esau, the father of the Edomites, provoked joseph the son of jacob to war, when he was governor of Egypt: In the which war Sappho the Edomite, and his valiant captains were taken and carried into Egypt, and there committed unto prison, where they remained as long as joseph lived. And when he was dead Sappho fled away, and went into Campania, and reigned over Kittim, at Rome. At the length he was made king over all Italy, and this was the first king of Rome. Also David Kimchi writing upon this Prophet, saith: The Edomites are now so mingled among other Nations, that a man can not know them from the Ammonites and Moabites, and the people of other Countries, saving that the greater part of the Edomites hath been from the beginning of the kingdom of Rome. 
Esa. 34.6. jer. 49.7. Lam. 4.21. Eze 25.13.  Therefore what soever the Prophets have spoken of the desolation of Idumea, in the latter end of the world, they have spoken it against Rome. For when soever Rome shall be destroyed, Israel shall be delivered. Thus besides that these writers testify, that the Romans had their beginning of the Edomites, Kimchi saith, that by the Edomites the Prophets do understand the Romans. And he saith moreover: Abdias prophesieth only against Edom, not that external Edom (as it seemeth) but an other: that is to say, against the spiritual Edom, the Antichrist of Rome: which was little & despised in the beginning, but through the pride of his heart, much exalted, like an Eagle making his nest above the stars, and rioting upon the mount of Zion. Moreover an other old writer, the author of the book called Seder olam, that is to say, a rehearsal of antiquities, calleth Rome Edom, in these words: Aspatian (for so he termeth Vespasian) came and wasted the temple, and carried away many families of the house of David, into Spain, and this was the. ●80. years of Edom, or of the Romans. Finally jonathan the Chaldey paraphrast, in many places, where the prophets name Edom, in steed thereof he nameth Rome. As for example: 
E●● 34.9.  The floods of Edom (saith the Prophet) shall be turned into pitch. Which words the Paraphrast interpreting, saith: The floods of Rome shall be turned into pitch. And upon the last verse of this Prophet, he saith: And they shall follow the saviour from the mount of Zion, to give sentence against the mount of Esau, and that (saith he) is the mount of Rome. Thus it appeareth by the judgement of these writers, that by the destruction of Edom, is understanded the destruction of the Antichrist of Rome. This is it therefore, that the Prophet teacheth us, besides that hath been already noted. 
The allegory of the Prophet Abdias.  That almighty God hath determined to overthrow the persecuter of his children. The Ambassador our saviour Christ is already sent, and proclaimeth at this present, by the mouth of his Preachers war against him, saying: up let us arise against Rome unto battle: let us with all the gifts that God hath given us, overthrow the four of Idolatry and superstition which Antichrist hath builded to deface the glory of almighty God: let us deliver God's children out of the dangerous captivity & thraldom of ignorance, which bringeth destruction of body and soul to all that continue therein. So God by his Prophet threateneth the destruction of this Edom, no less than of the other. For (as by comparison it may appear) the same cause of destruction is in the one that was in the other: also the power & might aswell of the one as of the other, is of late days by the wonderful working of almighty God marvelously diminished, & his glory defaced. The Edomites were beloved of their neighbours, & feared of their enemies, therefore great was their pride, but they were brought to desolation by their own confederates: Even so it was with the bishop of Rome, he was beloved of all princes in Christendom, they reverenced him as a god, also they feared him, so that they durst not stir against him. For what Prince soever did not in all points submit himself unto him at his pleasure, he excommunicated him, discharged his subjects of obedience, & in the end deposed him of his kingdom: for besides the translating of the Empire from one kingdom to an other, besides the deposing of Hilderike king of France, & divers other inferior Princes: 
Psal. 91.13.  he excommunicated & deposed seven Emperors one after an other: namely Henry the fourth, & Henry the fifth, Frederik the first, Philip, Otho, Fredrick the second, and Conradus his son. Therefore great is the pride of his heart: so that he exalteth himself above men and Angels, he compareth himself with the sun, and the Emperor with the moon, challenging unto himself so much more excellency than the Emperor, as the sun excelleth the moon. Even as the earth (saith he) surmounteth the moon seven times, and the sun surmounteth the earth eight times (which being multiplied by seven maketh fifty & six) so be excelleth the Emperor fifty and six times. Neither is he contnet with this superiority over the Emperor, but also he preferreth himself before the Angels, in jurisdiction, knowledge, and reward. This is the pride of his heart, in the which Pope Alexander the third of that name, trod upon the neck of Fredrick the Emperor, saying this verse of the Psalm: Thou shalt walk upon the Lion and the Asp, the young Lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet. And Pope Adrian the fourth suffered the same Emperor to hold his styrup twice, and gave him a scoff for his labour, because he did hold the wrong stirup. Also Pope Gregory the seventh suffered Henry the Emperor, the fourth of that name, to stand bore foot and bore legged at his gates, with his wife and his child, three days & three nights in the midst of winter. Such was the pride of his heart which had so deceived him, that he thought it unpossible that he should be overthrown. But (as it appeareth this day) the Bishop of Rome is of little reputation, he is despised of many nations, of whom in times past he was feared. The most part of his confederates have forsaken him: as the Polonians, the Transylvanians & Hungarians, many Princes of Germany, the Princes of England and Scotland, and many men in other countries. And it is not to be doubted but that shortly by the working of almighty God the words of this Prophet shall be fulfilled in him: that is to say, he shall be brought down to the ground, he shall be spoiled of all his treasures, & utterly forsaken of all his friends, & cut off from the earth upon the sudden, with all his adherents. For the day of the Lord is at hand, a day of tribulation & anguish, a day of great sorrow & heaviness, 
Zoph. 1.15.  a day (as the Prophet Zophony termeth it) of desolation & destruction, of obscurity & darkness, of clouds & blackness unto all the enemies of God's children. 
2. Th. 1.8.  The day (I mean) when our Saviour shall come from heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance unto all those that know not God, ● that do not obey the Gospel of jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, & from the glory of his power. But upon mount Zion shall be salvation, the children of God shall have no cause to lament, 
Reue 21.4  when the terrible day of the Lord shall come: for that day shall be their deliverance. Then shall their enemies weep and lament, but they shall be glad, and full of joy: for their sakes all the wicked shall be consumed as stubble with the fire, for God will send his Angels, 
Mat. 13. v● 41. & 49  & they shall gather all the nations of the world before him, and shall separate the faithful from the unfaithful, as the husband man separateth the wheat from the tars, & they shall bind the tars together, & cast them into the fire that never shall be quenched: but the faithful which are the wheat, shall be gathered into God's barn: that is to say, they shall be placed in his kingdom of everlasting joy, peace, and rest. And then all principalities & powers being subdued, no man shall be able to stir against God, or against his saints, which before were despised, trod under foot, & most cruelly murdered: but now delivered out of all misery, exalted into heaven, and glorified. So that in all points, & in all respects, the Lord shall rule, he only shall be worshipped and glorified, the kingdom shall be his. To whom be all praise, honour, and glory, world without end. Amen.  
THus endeth the exposition of the Prophet Abdias, in the which the letter hath his place and his commendation: that is, the plain meaning of the words of the holy Scripture, without any moral or allegorical exposition (which I call the letter) is profitable to comfort, to teach, to improve, to correct, and to instruct in godliness, which is rather to give life than to kill. Therefore here a man may ask this question: How is it true that the Apostle saith: The letter killeth, 
2. Cor. 3.6.  but the spirit giveth life? for if the letter kil, it is hurtful, if it be hurtful, them it is not profitable, as is aforesaid. Here for the better understanding of the Apostle, first it is to be noted, that there is in one sentence a christian & a true letter, there is also in the same sentence an heretical & a false letter. As for example: 
Colos. 1.24  I rejoice (saith the Apostle) in my afflictions for you, & fulfil the rest of Christ's afflictions in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church. Here by Christ's afflictions the Apostle understandeth the affliction of Christians, who are the body, whereof Christ is the head. The afflictions of the body are called Christ's afflictions, because whatsoever the body suffereth, the head, that is to say, our saviour Christ is partaker of the same sufferings, as appeareth by his own words, where he saith: Saul, 
Act. 22.7.  Saul why persecutest thou me? and yet Saul persecuted not Christ in his own person, as the jews had done before, but in the Christians which are members of his body. And where the Apostle saith, 
2. Cor. 1.5.  as the afflictions of Christ do abound in us: so our consolation aboundeth through Christ: it is evident that he calleth our afflictions Christ's afflictions, both because we are members of his body, & also because we suffer like afflictions with him for his sake. Therefore as long as there remaineth one alive that shall suffer for Christ's sake, so long there remain behind unfulfilled some of Christ's afflictions which his saints suffer for the church and for the confirmation of the same in the true faith, that it may continued unto the end, & be saved. This is the commodity that we receive by the sufferings of them that are persecuted for Christ's sake, as we learn by the words of the Apostle, where he saith: 
2. Cor. 1.5.  Whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation & salvation, which is wrought in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation & salvation. 
Mat. 24.13 reve. 2 ver. 7.11.17. &. 26. & ca 3. ver. 5.12. &. 21. & ca 21.7.  Salvation is wrought (saith the Apostle) by enduring afflictions, because except we overcome our enemies, the flesh, the world, & the devil, by continuing steadfast unto the end, we can not be saved. Therefore salvation is wrought by suffering, not that it is meritorious, but conditional. If we continued unto the end in the true worship of God, suffering all the torments that are laid upon us to withdraw us from the same, there is laid up for us in heaven an everlasting crown, which God of his mercy & goodness will give us, and not for the desert of our own works. For as God for his promise sake will give everlasting blessedness to those that believe in him, 
Mat. 10.32  so he requireth at our hands that we confess him before men, that we continued his faithful servants unto the end, & that we do not shrink from the confession of the Christian faith for any worldy respect. For this cause if we endure afflictions, our sufferings do serve to the salvation (as is aforesaid) both of ourselves, & of our brethren. Thus (if the true sense & meaning of the Apostles words may be called a letter) it may appear what is the true letter of the former words, recited out of the first chap. of the Epistle to the Coloss. There is also a false letter, which the Romans have devised upon the same text. That is, that the rest of Christ's sufferings which were unperfect in him, the Apostle hath fulfilled in his own person, for the more full & perfect redemption of the Church, whereupon they ground the merits of Saints, satisfaction by our own works, making Christ's passion unsufficient of itself for our redemption, contrary to other places of the scripture: 
1. Pet. 2.24  As this, By Christ's stripes we are healed: & those: 
Heb. 7 25.  Christ is able perfectly to save them that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them: 
Heb. 9.12.  & Christ by his own blood entered in once unto the holy place, & obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling them that are unclean, sanctified as touching the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, which through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living god? And again, 
Heb 10.14  With one offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified. Here the Apostle teacheth us perfect redemption by our saviour Christ only, and by no other. Therefore the letter of the Romanists, which teacheth us other saviours beside jesus Christ, is an heretical & false letter, not to be received. Likewise in these words: The father is greater than I, 
joh. 14.28.  there is a true and a false letter. The true letter is this: The father is greater than Christ as touching his manhood. The false letter is this: The father as touching Christ's godhead is greater than the son. The false letter killeth, but the true letter is profitable. Nevertheless, as the true letter is always commodious & necessary to be known, so in some respect it may truly be said that it killeth rather than giveth life: as if we rest upon the letter of any history or prophesy, & neglect the moral & mystery therein contained, or if we take part of the letter, & not the whole: or if we take the letter in stead of the figure and allegory, where a figure or allegory is necessarily understanded. As for example: If we omit the moral and allegory of the Prophet Abdias before noted, & rest only upon the letter which pertaineth nothing unto us, it profiteth us little. Likewise in the commandments: thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, and so forth: this is a true letter, that thereby we are forbidden actual murder, & actual adultery, and theft. This is but a piece of the letter, and not the whole: the whole letter is that thereby we are not only forbidden to stay a man, to defile a woman, & to take away an other man's goods secretly, or openly, out of his house, or by the high way side: but also we are thereby commanded not to hurt our neighbour neither in word nor thought, & to abstain from all manner of injuries, deceitful & hurtful dealings, & also from all filthy cogitations inwardly, no less than from violent, manifest, & covetous actions outwardly. 
Mat 5. ver. 11. &. 27.  Thus our Saviour himself expoundeth the commandments in the Gospel. He that taketh part of this letter, and not the whole, is deceived, in that he persuadeth himself that he walketh in godliness in abstaining from outward actions that are evil, whereas his heart is full of deadly poison. In this respect the letter killeth, 
Luk. 20.17 Act 4 11. ●oh. 10. ver. ●. &. 11. & 1● & cap. 15.1.  rather than profiteth. Finally where our saviour calleth himself a stone, a door a vine, & a shepherd, & where we are called sheep by a figurative speech: if we take the letter in stead of the mystery, the letter killeth. And in all the Parables of our saviour, as in the Parable of the sour, 
Mat. 13.3.  and so forth, where a figure is necessarily understanded, if we understand the earthly and not the heavenvly sour, the letter profiteth not. Yet this I will say for the true letter of all necessary allegories, that it may be likened to the wine vessels, & the allegory to the wine. He that will have his wine safe & sweet, must take heed that his vessels be not broken, & that they be well seasoned, for if they be broken his wine will be spilled, & if they be not well seasoned, it will be sour: So if we will have sound doctrine, we must be sure that we altar not the letter, that we neither add to it, nor take from it, for if we do, we shall have sour wine, I mean, we shall have false doctrine. As in those words: Except you eat the flesh of the son of man, and of his Saints, and drink their blood, you have no life in you. Here is an addition to the letter, which maketh much for the Romanistes, that teach men to call upon Saints that are dead, & to pray unto them, which we can not do without a faith and a belief in them, as it is written: How shall they call on him, 
Ro. 10 14.  in whom they have not believed? But faith & belief is proper only unto almighty God, and is the mean whereby we do eat the flesh, & drink the blood of our saviour Christ. As he teacheth us in these words: 
john. 6.35.  I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me, shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst. 
john. 6.54.  The reason is this: whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat in deed, & my blood is drink in deed. Here our saviour teacheth us that he is bread, he is meat & drink unto us, we must come unto him, we must eat him, we must drink him, & we shall not hunger nor thirst for ever. And this is the mean whereby we do eat his flesh, & drink his blood, to put away our hunger & our thirst: even to believe in him. For he saith: He that believeth in me shall never thirst. Therefore if the adversaries of the Gospel might be permitted to add unto the letter, saying thus: Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, & of his Saints, and so forth: they might easily prove that it is lawful for us to put our trust in saints, & to believe in them, as in saviours, & consequently that it is good & necessary to pray unto them. But our saviour without any addition saith: 
john. 6.53.  Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, & drink his blood, ye have no life in you. This is the true letter, which if we keep in this place, & in all other places of the scripture without any alteration, it serveth so for the confirmation of the truth, that the adversaries can have no advantage against it. But if we take the letter only without the true fear & meaning thereof, the commodity that cometh thereby, availeth us nothing, for that is to take the vessel without wine, which doth us no good. Therefore in this respect also it may be truly said: The letter rather killeth than giveth life. Moreover, for the better understanding of the Apostles words, it is to be noted, 
The letter diversly understanded.  that the true letter is diversly understanded in the scripture. First the plain sense of the scripture without any moral or mystery, is called that letter: of the which it hath been sufficiently spoken before. Secondly that true understanding of the scriptures literally, morally, & allegorically, as it containeth all necessary knowledge without the spirit of God, which causeth us to bring forth fruits according to the same, may be called a letter that killeth. They that are destitute of the spirit of God (without the which no man can live, although he have all knowledge) are like the high way side, or the stony ground, or the briars and brambles, in the which, and among the which the good seed can not prospero and bring forth fruit. This knowledge without the spirit of God, is a letter that increaseth the damnation of men, rather than profiteth them. For our Saviour saith: that servant that knew his masters will, 
Luk. 12.47  and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Of this damnable letter it may seem that the Apostle speaketh, where he saith: 
Rom. 2.27.  Shall not uncircuncision (which is by nature) if it keep the law, judge thee, which by the letter and circumcision, art a transgressor of the law? For he is not a jew which is one outward, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a jew which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. Thirdly, not only all knowledge without good works, but also external works that are done in hypocriste, as coming to the church to hear the word of God, without a desire to be reformed thereby: may be called a letter that killeth. When men come to bear what the Preacher can do, and not to learn what they themselves aught to do: when men pray with their lips, and not with their hearts, or do any good work for vain glory, or to get them a name among men, & so forth: this is a letter that profiteth not. Of this letter the Apostle seemeth to speak, where he saith: 
Rom. 7.6.  Now are we delivered from the law, being dead unto it, wherein we were holden, that we should serve in newness of spirit, & not in the oldness of the letter. Finally the law considered by itself without Christ, is called a letter that killeth: As where the Apostle saith: 
2. Cor  God hath made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Where the Apostle writeth these words, he disputeth against false Christians, that received Christ, but not aright, for they joined the law with Christ as a necessary part of our salvation, they would not acknowledge Christ of himself to be a sufficient saviour, they joined the law with Christ, as fellow in office with him, in working our salvation, making him to be but half a saviour, alleging for their purpose the glorious promulgation of the law: 
Exo. 19.16.  as that it was given with thunder and lightning, with the sound of a trumpet, 
Exo. 34.30  with fire and great smoke. Also when Moses came from the mount with the two tables, his face did so shine that the people were not able to behold the brightness thereof. 
2. Cor. 3.11  Unto this the Apostle answereth, that the glory of the Gospel darkeneth the glory of the law. For the law was given but for a time, but the glory of the Gospel continueth unto the end. Also as the brightness of Moses face was glorious, so the veil wherewith he was covered, was a token of imperfection, 
2. Cor. 3.13  & a type of infidelity in the people. But through the grace of God offered by the Gospel, 
2. Cor. 3.18  we are made perfect, & are changed into the image of his glory, and are able as it were in a glass to behold the same with open face. And the more to deface the law, being compared with Christ, 
2. Cor. 3.9.  he calleth it the ministry of condennation, & a letter that killeth. For through our default it killeth after a sort, in that it layeth our iniquities before us, & letteth us see in ourselves the image of death through sin, whereby (as much as lieth in it) it casteth us down into the damnable pit of desperation, & there leaveth us sore wounded, without all hope of life. But the spirit, that is to say, the gospel (by means whereof the spirit of God worketh in us a true faith) quickeneth us again, & exalteth us into heaven, where we shall live forever in despite of all our enemies, through the benefit of the good Samaritane our saviour Christ. 
Luk. 10 53  Thus we may see how it is true that the Apostle saith: the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Notwithstanding in some respect, and in some sense, the letter is profitable, as I have said: and also the Apostle teacheth us, that the same letter or law, which killeth, is not void of profit. For he saith: 
Gal. 3.14.  The law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith. If then it did bring us to Christ, we had no small profit thereby. And again he saith: The law is holy, 
Rom. 7.12.  & the commandment is holy, and just, and good. Was that than which is good, made death unto men? God forbidden: but sin, that it might appear sin, wrought death in me by that which is good, that sin might be out of measure sinful, by the commandment. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, told under sin. Here the Apostle expoundeth himself, & showeth after what sort the letter or the law killeth, & yet nevertheless it remaineth profitable, holy, spiritual, good, & just. Thus much of the letter, & of the divers sense and meaning thereof, and what letter it is that killeth, how it killeth, & how it profiteth. God grant us all the true understanding and knowledge of his word, with a ready mind & will to follow the same, that bringing forth the fruits of the spirit, we may live for ever in heaven with almighty God. To whom the father, the son, & the holy ghost, three persons and one God, be all praise, honour, & glory, for ever. So be it.  
FINIS.   

 

   

Faults escaped in the print.  
The first number signifieth the leaf of the Book, the second the page of the leaf, and the third the line.  
The third leaf, the second page, and the eight line, for secure, read favour. 15. 1. 17. for Thir. read Tsir. 20. 1. 7. for higher thou, read higher than thou. 23. 2. 17. for bid, read hid. 25. 2. 24. for godly, read goodly. 26. 1. 13. for suffereth, read suffered. 27. 2. 6. for decision, read derision. 54. 1. 13. for fear, read sense.