WE never read in any writers whether they be holy or profane of any kingdom or commune wealth that continually endured without tumults, sedition or war, either by foreign and outward enemies, either among it self by conspiracy, treason, & disobedience of subjects of the same realm, and the same evil not being in time taken heed of, and redressed, brought always the kingdom or commune wealth from trouble and sedition unto utter ⟨p. xxxiiii⟩ruin, and confusion. We will omit and pass over to speak of the kingdom of the Assyrians, the Persians, Greeks, & Romans (although of their original, continuance and destruction, the holy Bible maketh in Daniel the prophet, and other places of the Scripture, much mention of) we will speak but of two kingdoms, of Judah, and Israel. What troublers, contention, wars, sedition, and rebellion they suffered, and at last came clean to nought, the books of the Kings, and Chronicles doth record, and the Prophet Jeremy. What the causes of these troubles and destruction were, the godly readers of the scriptures he not ignorant: ⟨image 44⟩But the men of that time, the Princes, the kings, neither the priests would understand, but assigned false causes, the preaching of God's word .iii. Regum. xviii. For thus sayeth Ahab unto Elijah the prophet: art not thou he that troubleth Israel? and so sayeth the people. Hiere. xiiii. The word of god that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the lord, we will not receive it, but we will do whatsoever seem unto us good, that we may do sacrifice unto the Queen of heaven, and offer our offerings unto her, as we have done and our fathers, our kings, & our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then had we abundance of all things, ⟨p. xxxv⟩and well was it with us, & we felt no evil. As soon as we left offering to the Queen of heaven, and sacrificed no more sacrifice unto her, we lacked all things, and be consumed with war, and hunger. But the true Prophets of GOD showed the true causes of these evils, to be the contempt of God's word, as Elijah said unto Ahab: I trouble not Israel, but thou and thy fathers house, troubleth it. For ye have forsaken the commandment of the Lord, and thou goest after Baalim.
WE neuer rede in anye wryters whether they be holy or prophāe of anye kyngedome or comune wealth that continually endured without tumultes, sedicion or warre, eyther by foreyn and outwarde enemies, eyther amonge it selfe by conspiracye, treason, & disobedience of subiectes of the same realme, and the same euyll not beynge in tyme taken hede of, and redressed, brought alwayes the kingdom or commune wealth from trouble and sedicion vnto vtter ⟨p. xxxiiii⟩ruyne, and confusion. We wyll omitte and passe ouer to speake of the kyngdome of the Assirians, the Persians, Grekes, & Romaynes (althoughe of theyr originall, continuaūce and distruccion, the holye Byble maketh in Daniell the prophet, and other places of the Scripture, muche mencion of) we wil speake but of two kingdomes, of Iuda, and Israell. What troublers, contencion, warres, sedicion, and rebellion they suffred, and at laste came cleane to noughte, the bookes of the Kyngs, and Chronicles doth recorde, and the Prophet Ieremye. What the causes of these troubles and dystruccion were, the godlye readers of the scriptures he not ignoraunte: ⟨image 44⟩But the men of that tyme, the Princes, the kynges, neyther the priestes would vnderstād, but assigned false causes, the preachynge of goddes worde .iii. Regum. xviii. For thus sayeth Ahab vnto Elias the prophet: arte not thou he that trobleth Israel? and so sayeth the people. Hiere. xiiii. The worde of god yt thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the lorde, we wyll not receyue it, but we will do whatsoeuer seme vnto vs good, yt we may do sacrifice vnto the Quene of heauē, and offer oure offerynges vnto her, as we haue done and oure fathers, our kinges, & our princes, in the cities of Iuda, and in the stretes of Ierusalē. Thē had we aboūdaunce of al thinges, ⟨p. xxxv⟩and wel was it wyth vs, & we felte no yuell. Assone as we lefte offerynge to the Quene of heauen, and sacrificed no more sacrifyce vnto her, we lacked al thynges, and be consumed wyth warre, and hungre. But the true Prophetes of GOD shewed the true causes of these euils, to be the contempt of goddes word, as Elias saide vnto Ahab: I trouble not Israell, but thou and thy fathers house, troubleth it. For ye haue forsaken the commaū demente of the Lorde, and thou goest after Baalim.
