A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

This a very Jezebel could oppose to Jehu, 2 King. 9.31. Had Zimri peace, which slew his master? As if she had concluded; Seeing thou wilt not take example by Zimri, thou shalt be example to others. The Lord left not Israel without true Prophets:¹ Yet he sent Prophets to them, to bring them again to the Lord, but they would not give care: therefore he suffered false prophets, and to them they hearkened. Behold now their example exposed unto us: God sends us Preachers that declare the right way of salvation, delivering their message from his own Word: for Scriptum, Praescriptum, the Scripture is their Theme. They say, Give obedience to Kings, Let every soul be subject to the higher powers: there be others that say, An heretical King (and he must be so that an heretical Pope so pronounces) can challenge no faithful allegiance: are not these false prophets? The true Prophets say, Of all that thou hast thou shalt give me the tenth; this is a Dixit Dominus, the Lords reservation. Some say, thou art bound neither to give tenth nor twentieth, but what thou list; is not this a Dixit Sacrilegus? Is not this a false prophet? As the former absolve subjects of their duties to Kings: so these latter absolve men of their duties to the Church. The true Prophets say, Thou shalt not take usury of thy brother: some say, thou mayest, if not above ten in the hundred: are not these false prophets? Observe how Israel sped:² In the time of this distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that King Ahaz. That, emphatically, that infamous, that impious King; branded with a note in the margin, a dash of the Holy Ghosts pen; like a sea-mark to point out a shelf, that no vessel be spilt by such a wickedness. What did he? He sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him. ³Frantic idolatry, to do service to Idols that smote him! Then he turned to the gods of Syria: he would take no warning: they kill him; They were the ruin of him, and of all Israel: ⁴when you follow other gods, is it a wonder if God destroy you? Did he not for this cause cast out the nations before you? were not they your precedents? So saith Christ,