Wherefore that I may raise up your faith a little, and keep you from discouragements, I lay before you this promise; Zechariah his vision is your promise; yea it is somewhat more, for as we say of Sacraments, so I say of these two last visions, they are promises unto the eye, unto sense. When Joshua was to bring the children of Israel into Canaan, and so to meet with many enemies, before he went out, God, & Moses, and the people bestowed their several exhortations on him; and if you consult the place, you shall find that all of them, God, Moses, and people wish him to be of good courage, and not to fear; Why so? Abulensis answereth, Rationabiliter enim timere potuit Joshua; Joshua might rationally fear, for he saw how that his master Moses was occasioned by the1 Israelites to sin against God, and to be angry, in so much as he was kept out of Canaan: Whereupon Joshua might well think thus with himself, Oh Lord, if Moses who was the meekest man on earth was moved to anger, the holyest man, a man that saw God face to face, yet could not do this work, but through his failing was denied entrance into Canaan; how shall I be able to lead this people up against all these enemies? Well therefore might he fear (saith Abulensis) lest God should give both him and his people into the hands of his enemies. Well, but how then doth God remove these fears, and relieve his heart? Only thus, he strengtheneth ⟨p. 16⟩him with a promise, Fear not, (says God) neither be dismayed for I am with thee, and I will never leave thee nor forsa•e thee. So now, are there any of you oppressed with divers sears because of these horns that are risen up in several parts of the world, of this Kingdom? The Lord hath said that according to the number of the horns, the carpenters shall be. Are there enemies in every part? There shall be carpenters in every part. Will you say, Oh but our enemies are exceeding many, and very cruel? So were these mentioned in the Text, who (as Sanctius observeth the words signify) were to do mischief in quantum potuerunt & in quantum voluerunt, and as your English hath it, so that no man did lift up his head. Will you say, Oh but I do not yet see these carpenters at work? But is it not because you do not stir up your s•lves? I lift up mine eyes and saw, saith Z•chariah.
Wherefore that I may raise up your faith a little, and keep you from discouragements, I lay before you this promise; Zechariah his vision is your promise; yea it is somewhat more, for as we say of Sacraments, so I say of these two last visions, they are promises unto the eye, unto sense. When Ioshua was to bring the children of Israel into Canaan, and so to meet with many enemies, before he went out, God, & Moses, and the people bestowed their severall exhortations on him; and if you consult the place, you shall find that all of them, God, Moses, and people wish him to be of good courage, and not to feare; Why so? Abulensis answereth, Rationabiliter enim timere potuit Ioshua; Ioshua might rationally feare, for he saw how that his master Moses was occasioned by the1 Israelites to sin against God, and to be angry, in so much as he was kept out of Canaan: Whereupon Ioshua might well think thus with himselfe, Oh Lord, if Moses who was the meekest man on earth was moved to anger, the holyest man, a man that saw God face to face, yet could not do this work, but through his failing was denyed entrance into Canaan; how shall I be able to lead this people up against all these enemies? Well therefore might he feare (saith Abulensis) lest God should give both him and his people into the hands of his enemies. Well, but how then doth God remove these feares, and relieve his heart? Onely thus, he strengthneth ⟨p. 16⟩him with a promise, Feare not, (sayes God) neither be dismayed for I am with thee, and I will never leave thee nor forsa•e thee. So now, are there any of you oppr•ss•d with divers seares because of these hornes that are risen up in several parts of the world, of this Kingdome? The Lord hath said that according to the number of the hornes, the carpenters shall be. Are there enemies in every part? There shall be carpenters in every part. Will you say, Oh but our en•mies are exceeding many, and very cru•ll? So were these mentioned in the Text, who (as Sanctius observeth the words signifie) were to doe mischief in quantum potuerunt & in quantum voluerunt, and as your English hath it, so that no man did lift up his head. Will you say, Oh but I doe not yet see these carpenters at worke? But is it not because you do not stir up your s•lves? I lift up mine eyes and saw, saith Z•chariah.
- 1Rationabiliter ergo timere poterat Josua, quod cum ipse ••agilio• ess•t sacillime peccare pote•at, ita ut deus ipsum et populum in hostilem tradert potestatem. Tostat. in Josu. 1. cap.
