worlde y t men might come rūning to it a foure or fiue thousād leagues off to worship God And do ye not see what an absurditie that were Therfore it were too grosse a fondnesse to cōclude thus There was but one temple one high priest in al Iewrie ergo there ought to be y e like throughout the whole worlde For then ought there also some litle nooke to be made where men might so assemble togither as they should not neede to go past foure or fiue dayes iourneyes from home but we see that that were vnpossible and moreouer it were contrarie to nature Marke that for one poynt And secondly let vs marke 1. Tim. 3.16 Hebr. 〈…〉 that the Leuitical Priesthood is come to an end quite put down by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ into y e world Moreouer the high priest was a figure shadow of our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore it were an abolishing or putting away of the trueth if men shoulde haue a high priest to bee the vniuersall head of the Church as the Pope woulde make men beleeue It is saide that there was one high priest one chiefe Iudge yea one king in Israel Now if a man wil conclude hereupō that there ought to be one high-priest through the whole world there must also be but one chiefe king so should all common weales be cast downe the order which as now is distinctly set among kingdoms dukedomes free cities should be but a confusion accursed of God And in what taking were wee then Nay wee must go to the chiefe point of all which is that thereby our Lorde Iesus Christ shoulde be robbed of his right Matt. 28.18 Phil. ◠9 Hebr. 1.8.13 For now that he is come the kingdome is stablished euerlastingly in his person he is set ouer all the Empires and kingdomes of the worlde Also he hath taken vpon him the euerlasting priesthood ouer all order gouernement of the Church Not that there shoulde not as now be any mo Bishops sheepheards as the scripture speaketh of them but y t Iesus Christ be the only head the residue but as inferior members and that the body be gouerned in such wise as all things may be subiect to him of whome it is saide This is my welbeloued sonne Mat. 17.5 Heare ye him And so wee see that y e Pope is a traytour that robbeth Iesus Christ of his soueraigntie by making of himself highpriest ouer the Church of God And by the way if it be alledged that it is requisite there should be some meane to end quarels and controuersies that might rise for religion the answere is that so there be an order set there needeth not any one man to be set ouer al the rest but they may assemble together w t one cōmon accord as we see hath bin done in times past True it is that the men of olde time had a certeine order in the Church for the great Prouinces namely that there were certaine Patriarkes but as for to haue any one head ouer the whole Church that was neuer agreed vppon so long as there was any purenes of the Gospel or any tolerable gouernement But as soone as all things were confounded after a barbarous or rather brutish maner then did the Pope lift vp his hornes In deed he stroue long time against the bishop of Constantinople But howsoeuer y e case stood it fell out anon after that all thinges were corrupted confounded men wist not any more what the gouernment of the church ment So then let vs marke y t if it be said that like as it is requisite there should be some stay for the pacifying of ciuil quarels and for the determining of criminal 〈◊〉 so it is good reason that there should be so 〈…〉 hiefe court of prerogatiue for the appeasing 〈◊〉 rife contention in doctrine yet it followeth not that one man only ought to haue supremacie ouer the whole world for as I haue shewed afore that is quite contrarie to nature What remaineth then That men assemble togither that Iesus Christ beare the chiefe sway among them But we must wey well the things that are contained heere It is said that y e Priest must iudge according to the law of God Wherein it is shewed that our Lorde layeth not the brydle loose on the necke eyther of all the priestes together or of the Iudge which was in those dayes in state of a king but that al of them ought to be subiect to the law and that as I said afore God meant to reserue the soueraigne authoritie to himselfe so as men should receiue definitiue sentence as at his mouth that the persons which were to giue the sentence should be but as instrumentes of his holy spirite expounders of his lawe Therefore let vs marke wel that God ment not here that men should do any thing on their own heads but that his lawe should beare the sway specially in Ierusalem rather than in any other place But now let vs see what the Pope doeth what all the bastardly Councels haue done whereunto he would tye vs. There is nothing amongest them but to say that the holy Ghost gouerned them for as for the holy scripture they did let that alone In deede they gaue it the honorable title of Gods word but when they ment to determine what they thought good was it according to that which God hath declared No but they tooke another rule which is that the Church cannot erre because it is gouerned by y e holy Ghost that as touching the holy scripture it leadeth vs into perfection but we must mount vp yet higher for if we haue not the reuelations of the holy Ghost it is nothing If a man holde himselfe to that which is conteined in the holy scripture it is but an vnperfect thing with them but as for that which is determined by y e Church that must be held inuiolable and no man must in any wise gainsay it Againe the holy scripture say they is a nose of wax which a man may wryth euery way there is no certeintie in it but whē the church hath once pronounced a thing there is no more dout in it After y e maner went all the rable of them to worke so as they haue troden y e holy scripture vnder foote Although they grant in words that it proceeded from God yet haue they taken it to be but as an apsie and as a cōmō doctrine affirming that the Reuelations which haue beene giuen vnto them are much higher doctrine These blasphemies they haue not been ashamed to vtter their bookes are ful of them Insomuch that they say that the holy scripture is a pliable thing as I haue declared afore so as if wee should sticke to that which is conteyned there our fayth shold neuer be certein And therupon euery man folowes his owne fancye Seeing they were come to
Kin. 11.36 to shewe that God maketh his light to shine vpon his people and that although there be not at all times great light yet there shal euer be a Lampe howsoeuer the world goeth And the seconde reason was that if a straunger shoulde haue reigned he would soone haue changed the religion as wee knowe that the heathen will alwayes needes sette vp their owne superstitions And why For commonly they haue not the feare of God to keepe them in awe but rather they thinke God to be bounde vnto them if they giue men leaue to worshippe him and serue him after some sort yet for all that they wil needes turne all the seruice of God to their owne lustes and liking If the Turke get the souereignetie in any countrey although he be contented to abide the Christians as they call themselues Yet doeth he worke them all the spite and reproch that can be to discourage them Where the Papistes beare swaye they defile al the puritie of Christian doctrine and they can not abide that the Gospell shoulde be preached or that the Sacramentes shoulde be purely vsed but they will needes put all to hauocke and in any wise set vp their owne ydolatries Thus yee see what would haue come of it insomuch y t if a stranger should haue reigned ouer the people of Israell it hadde bin the next way to haue ouerthrowen the whole Lawe Not without cause therefore did God expressely prouide that they shoulde not choose any other king than of the lynage of Abraham such a one as were comprised in the couenaunt Col. 2.11.12 and bare the marke of the Church that is to wit Circumcision which was the like Sacrament to the Iewes that we haue noweadayes of Baptisme But nowe must we apply this to our owne vse and vnderstande first of all that the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ must bee mainteined in such soundenesse as that wee must beware of bringing any defilemēt into it And what is y e kingdom of Christ I haue told you already y t it consisteth not in any visible things or in any things belonging to this present life but it is the gathering of vs together by his holy spirite into the hope of the heauenly life and the preaching of the Gospell vnto vs that it may bee as a rule to holde vs vnder the obedience of God And although the Sacramentes bee visible of themselues yet are they neuerthelesse spirituall as in respect of their ende as all other Ceremonies are We come hither togither well it is a visible thing we kneele downe to pray vnto God that is visible also but yet it aimeth at a higher ende and hath a respect which is altogether spirituall So then let vs learne that the kingdom of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to be mainteined in his full soundenesse that is to wit wee must beware that wee mingle not any corruption with the things that he hath commaunded in his Churche ne thrust in such persons as may serue to ouerthrowe the common weale For if we should choose false Sheepheards and men of wicked doctrine or of leaude conuersation were it not a dishonoring of Iesus Christes kingdome and a putting of all thinges to hauocke as much as in vs lieth Seeing then that the children of Israell were forbidden to set vp a straunge King in the seate that was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ nowe that we haue the sonne of God to gouerne vs not in shadowe as in the time of the Lawe but in full trueth nowe that wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ who is called the daysunne of righteousnesse as the prophete Malachie termeth him M◠◠4 who telleth vs that he is neere at hand to vs and ruleth in the middes of vs what a trecherie were it if we should deface his roial throne and not maintaine it in such purenesse as that he might alwayes reigne by his worde and euerie man doe him homage and both greate and small knowe him Psal. 〈…〉 and he haue alwayes his preheminence among vs Thus yee see howe the first point is that God commaundeth vs heere to haue a speciall care of his Churche so as there may be no defilement to hinder Christes reigning ouer vs as he ought to doe Nowe as touching the second reason let vs marke also that if God haue giuen a people the grace to choose Kinges Princes Magistrates or Iudges they ought to haue great regarde that the seate which God hath ordeined for the wellfare of mankinde be not giuen to a man that is an vnbeleeuer For the people that chooseth either king or Iudge without discerning whether he be a man that fearth God or no doe put the haulter about their owne neckes wilfully And when they shall choose and take Magistrates that are either deadly enemies of the Gospell or Hypocrites that seeke nothing else but to turne all thinges vpsidedowne or worldelinges that coulde finde in their heartes to treade all religion vnder foote is not the admitting of such men as an opening of the gate vnto Sathan that hee might haue place among vs Is it not a reiecting of Gods grace to the ende that all abhominations might haue their full scope So then when soeuer wee choose Iudges Magistrates Gouernours and Officers of Iustice let vs take warning by this text to looke for this marke in them that they bee men which feare God and are at leastwise desirous that Religion shoulde be mainteined in his purenesse For otherwise it is all one as if wee woulde driue God from vs and seeke to banish him from among vs which is too cursed a trayterousnesse And thus much concerning earthly gouernement After wee haue indeuoured that the spirituall religion of y e church may bee maintayned let vs likewise be so minded towardes the state of the temporall sworde and ordinarie iustice that such as sit in iudgement may bee all one with vs in brotherly religion and that the holy bande of faith may knit vs togither in obedience to one selfesame God And hereof there is a faire confirmation in the thinges that Moses addeth for it deserueth to bee treated of immediatly and we shall see it in place conuenient But he sayeth expressely That the king which shall haue beene chosen must cause the booke of the lawe to be copied out in the presence of the high priest and of the Leuites Nowe let vs see why God hath made this so strait ordinance that there should bee a booke of authoritie for the kings vse Is it meant that a man shoulde bee ignorant and vtterly vnacquainted with the doctrine of God vntil hee came to the crowne No. For Gods will is that his lawe should bee knowen both of greate and small as wee shall see by his protestation hereafter Deut. 32.46 The secrete thinges belong to your God himselfe but yet it hath pleased him to set his worde here before you ye must not say any more that it
thereof 773. b all 774. a all Touching Apparell the vse and abuse thereof both in women and men Read the 126. Sermon beginning at Page 773. a 20. IncoÌ„ueniences that ensue by going disguised in Apparell 773. a 30.60 and b all Of two things and whereof wee ought to haue a regarde in our Apparell 774. a 10. Looke Garments Appeale God would haue the Iewes to Appeale to Ierusalem and in what cases 639. b 10 A miserable Appeale to come to God by compulsion 964. a 10 Appeales What God intended to commaunde the Iewes concerning Appeales 639. b 40.50 For what causes Appeales were ordeyned 639. b 10 Continuall Appeales in al cases of controuersie forbidden the Iewes 638. a 40.50.60 b 40 Appetite The Appetite of all our lustes is meant by thirst in the Scripture 1035. b 50.60 The cruell and ouer fierce Appetite of diuerse bellie Gods noted 560. b 50.60 and 561. a 10 Appetites Of restrayning our Appetites and how we offend in giuing theÌ„ their scope 781. b all 782. al. How men when they giue themselues to their lewde and outragious Appetites ouerthrowe the order of nature 562. a 20.30 Looke Desires Lustes Arke None might touch the Arke but onelie the Leuites 425. a 50.60 Of the Arke of couenant and why God would haue the Leuits carie it 425. a 30.40.50 Why the Arke might not haue beene handled and carried of all the people 425. b 10 Howe long it was ere the Arke had any certaine resting place after the Iewes had beene long in the land of Chanaan 601. a 10 What the Iewes might haue alleadged for the remouing of the Arke euery moneth 496. b 20 30 The Ark wandred a great time though for the most part it were at Sion 498 a 50 In the Arke of the couenant was the law inclosed 815. a 20 The Arke a witnesse of Gods presence 893. b 50 Armes What wee haue to gather vppon these words that Gods Armes are belowe for euer 1230. b 50.60 1231. a 10 Gods Armes are occupied in driuing our enemies away 1231. b 10.20 Gods Armes are rounde about vs and we be fensed with them 1231. a 30.40 Of the Lawe of Armes Read both the Sermons 118. 119. The perfectest law of Armes that can be among men set downe by God himselfe 725. b all 726. a all God will not haue his Armes blased after the manner of men howe then 921. b 50.60 Of the Armes of God grauen vppon stones 918. a 40.50.60 and that his Armes are his Lawes 921. a 30 Arrowes Of Gods Arrowes which he shooteth what that word importeth 1141. a 50.60 b all Ascension Of Christs Ascension into heauen and why he ascended 1063. b 10.20 Of Christ blessing his Disciples at his Ascension 1185. b 40.50 Aser What we haue to note vppon the blessing giuen to Aser and of the countrie assigned vnto him 1227. b 10.20 c. The tribe of Aser had great corne couÌ„tries and other commodities 1212. a 50. Looke Tribe and Tribes Asse Of Balaam and his Asse which had more reason thaÌ„ his Master though a Prophet 804. b 20.30.40 The meaning of these words Thou shalt be buried with the buriall of an Asse 970. a 10 20 Asses Oxen and Asses forbidden to bee coâ—pled together to goe to plowe and why 780. all Of the Asses of Iurie and how strong mightie they were 780. a 10.20 Assise The whole 142. Sermon woulde bee well weighed of Iudges of Assise to whom the determination of lawe is committed Page 827. c. Looke in Iudges and Magistrates Assurance To what the Assurance of Gods promise made to Moses did tend 206. a 40 What Assurance God hath giuen vs of the kingdome of heauen 28. b 40. Looke Bond Couenant Warrant Assyrians The AssyriaÌ„s exalted aboue Gods people the Iewes 1136. a 30.40.50.60 Astrologie Iudiciall Astrologie and the practisers therof condemned 668. a 60. b 10 Astronomie Astronomie a thing lawfull and howe far foorth 668. a 40.50.60 Atheistes Who be Atheistes and the end of such beastlie liuers 664. a 50. Attire Of the Attire of y e high Priest in y â— time of the law when he entred into the sanctuarie and the significations of his ornaments 502. a 50.60 b 10.20 A place out of Esay against the exceeding braue Attire of women 782. b 20.30 The Attire of the faithfull and with what attire wee must garnishe our soules 472. b 10. Looke Apparell Garmentes Attonement That God seeketh Attonement with vs and vpon what condition 727. a 20. b 20. That we ought to seeke Attonement with such as haue offended vs. 727. b 20. by the example of God ibidem 30. Looke reconciliation Authoritie To what end they that are in Authoritie haue the sworde in their hand 620. a 40 Authoritie giuen to the law in Horeb and how 674. a 10 A lesson for such as haue Authoritie of the sword sit in the seat of Iustice. 547. a 60 The charge of great personages and of all such as be in Authoritie is to abolish all thinges that may deface Gods seruice 492. b 50 60.493 a 10 That such as are in Authoritie must aunswere for the whole bodie of the people 740. a 10.20 Two speciall points to bee noted concerning such as are set in Authoritie 107. b 30 What makes men beare them selues in hand that it is a matter of no importance to be in Authoritie 14. a 30 c. What kinde of men are â—it to beare Authoritie 16. a 10 To what intent they that are set in Authoritie are aduanced to that hie estate 18. b 10 God giueth Princes and Magistrates Authoritie to make lawes 2. b. 20 God hath reserued all Souereignitie chiefe Authoritie to himselfe and why 71. a 10.20 The superioritie of no king or prince be hee neuer so great ought not to diminish the Authoritie of God 21. b 10 What will follow except those that bee in Authoritie bee honoured 214. a 40 How Gods Authoritie ought to worke with vs to make vs subiect 214. b 10 The Authoritie of the doctrine set foorth in the name of God 56. a 10 A warning as well to them that are in Authoritie as them that are vnder subiection 215. a 50.60 It is against nature that Authoritie which men haue should in anie wise deface the glorie of God 215. a 30.40 A supposed speech of some which wold cut off Gods Authoritie by the wast 121. a 10 Howe God forbeareth some part of his Authoritie that he hath ouer vs. 111. b 20.30 A good proofe that God hath such Authoritie ouer vs as he deserueth 179 b 10 How they that are in Authoritie be with drawen from the discharge of their duetie Read the place 332. a 10.20.30.40.50 What Authoritie Christ hath giuen to the ministers of his worde 431. b 50 60 The Authoritie of the worde of God magnified by Moses in all the 171 Sermon beginning at Page 1059. The Authoritie of Iosua established in Gods name and what wee
whereas men doe alwayes keepe their full weight with vs. Surely if wee were about to compare other men with our selues wee coulde set them light ynough for euery of vs woulde make much of himselfe Or if wee were to consider one man with another looke whom wee lyked off he should giue greatest glosse to disgrace the thinges that were to bee mislyked in the contrarie partie insomuch that wee say tushe what is he he is no body For why Wee woulde make farre greater estimation of the other Thus ye see howe wee could skill to disgrace men But come we once to GOD he must bee as good as cast downe and men must bee set vp in his place Lo howe spytefull and frowarde wee bee So much the more therefore doeth it stande vs on hand to mark this saying where it is declared y t if God come in place it is not for vs to make any reckening of men For it is a great trayterousnesse that men or creatures shoulde bee in such estimation that Gods right should bee defaced or any thing bee plucked from him And yet for all that we see it is too common a thing it hindereth vs that we cannot serue GOD as we ought to doe True it is that euery man is turned away by his owne lustes insomuch that although wee haue none other to withstande vs yet haue wee inwarde incumberances of our owne and our nature is so sinfull as wee cannot in any wise applie our selues to doe good But yet is there this inconuenience more in it that assoone as another man comes in place by and by wee bee at our wittes ende I would faine doe my duetie say we but what Then must I purchase mesuch a mās displeasure Wee see nowe adayes that a man cannot pleasure men except hee doe as the worlde doeth and followe the byasse of other men And againe beholde heere my neighbour hee will alwayes bee at deadly foode with mee if I fashion not my selfe to his manner of dealing beholde such a man is my friende I must needes beare him out Hence come all priuie packings and other lewde trickes namely that euery man despiseth God to please his neighbor or his friend For whē vices reigne as whoredome drunkennesse and other disorders so as euery man is infected by y e example of his neighbor one catcheth diseases of another what is the cause of al this It is for that we aduaunce men too much and consider not that it were meete for vs to abase both great and small and to frame our selues earnestly to the will of God Now therfore let vs bethinke vs so much the better of this doctrine that is set down here not only for Iudges but also for all men in common That is to witte that forasmuch as the iudgement is Gods we must not in any wise be shaken any more by mē but giue God his preheminēce thrust downe all consideration of men so as if men vex vs wee set our selues against them and be not so lewd as to rob God of that which belōgeth vnto him to furnish creatures therewithal Thus yee see what we haue to remember heere Moreouer also whereas it is saide that the Iudgement is Gods that speech importeth another good lesson True it is that Moses speaketh heere of the roome that Iudges and Magistrates holde as if hee shoulde say they haue it not in feesimple or as a Lordship of inheritance but as an office and God in setting them in that degree of honour resigned not his owne maiestie to say Sirs you shall reigne with absolute power and I will henceforth bee no bodie God therefore when hee did thus set men in office did not for all that diminish his owne estate For hee holdeth still the souereine dominion ouer all men and they ought to bee but as instruments of his power and consequently to serue him and to referre all thinges vnto him If this doctrine were well knowen Kinges and Princes woulde not lorde it so lycentiously nowadayes as they doe and men shoulde haue seene another manner of modestie in them at all times than is now seene For they that are aduaunced vnto honour doe beare themselues on hande that the worlde was made for them and for their faire eyes as they say and there vpon they reiect all informations lawes statutes and shake off the yoke from their necks as though they helde all things at their own swindge and God is no body at al with them But yet in this text Moses telleth them that be they neuer so great kings princes their superioritie ought not to diminish the authoritie of God that his glory should not continue alwayes vnappaired Why so For what else are the princes of the world than Gods officers to the end y t by their meanes he might be obeyed and al men do him homage so as the highest should begin giue example to the lowest Seeing then that the iudgement is Gods they that peruert the order of gouernment when they be called to do their duetie shal be double blamed And therfore shal Kings and Princes and al such as are in roome of Iustice haue a verie harde account to make For if they do amisse they be not bound alonely vnto men neither haue they offēded creatures onely but they haue violated the maiestie of God and defiled his seate Why so Because iudgement belongeth vnto him and he reserueth it to himselfe But like as it is said of the execution of Iustice so let vs note that it belongeth also to the spiritual gouernement which god hath ordeined in his Church yea and this doctrine ought to bee kept more straitly in that respect than in the earthly gouernment Why When God ordeineth kings Princes and Magistrates there withall he giueth them authoritie to make Lawes True it is that they ought to learne them in his schoole according as it is said that lawes and ordinances which are made in commō weales Prou. 8.15 do take their force of Gods wisedome But yet for al that ciuil or politike lawes are made by men Yet notwithstanding God hath not resigned any thing y t he should not hold stil the soueraine dominion ouer men I meane euen in respect of outward policy And as touching the spiritual gouernment of the Church we know that God wil be heard and that he wil haue his word obeyed aboue all things so as men may not take vpon them to make laws statutes but must hold themselues contēted with that which he commandeth them For the rule that is conteined in his word is the very perfection it self Therfore when we go vp into the pulpit it is not to vtter our owne dreames and dotages why so For God reserueth the mastership and chiefe superioritie still to himselfe so as hee will haue mē to receiue his word to rest wholly thervpon without any swaruing at all from it Seeing that God hath once set it downe so it behoueth vs to
withstand their enemies But now for asmuch as nothing was able to stand before them therby it appeared that their obteining of the victorie was not by their owne strength neither coulde they boast thereof but it was God that had wrought in that behalfe And it behoueth vs alwayes to make the same comparison if wee wil well perceiue Gods grace and fauor towardes vs. For what is the cause that wee take our selues to be strong and stoute and yeede not God his due prayse It is for that wee bee bleared when hee hath reached vs his hand and when hee hath succoured vs at some pinch wee consider not from whence that commeth What remedie then Let vs bethinke our selues thus Go to haue I not found my selfe sore combred in very small thinges Haue not I bin daunted and striken out of hart And what was the cause thereof but that God made mee to feele mine owne frailtie Surely I shoulde bee neuer a whit valeanter now than I was then were it not that God gaue me his helpe So then it is some where else than of my selfe that I haue my strength and therefore it is nor for mee to aduaunce my selfe through ouerweening for God hath giuen mee a sure knowledge of my feeblenesse Now then I must thinke continually how to humble my selfe and when he hath vpheld me by his strong hand I must acknowledge that that benefite came of him and that hee will be glorified for the same Yee see then that the intent why Moses spake so to the people of Israel was that they should acknowledge that their ouercomming of their enemies was not by the power and strength of man but by Gods fighting for them Neuerthelesse this ought to haue moued them not onely to honor God but also to trust in him as I haue touched before For it was not enough for the people of Israel to haue conquered the land of Basan for they had not yet passed the riuer of Iordan where their inheritance lay Therfore it stood them on hād to be armed with newe trust and to proceede with full purpose to incounter their enemies againe And whence might they haue such hardinesse If they had taken it in themselues it had bin but a rage that God woulde haue condemned but they must haue imboldened themselues with trust that God would not faile them And how might they be sure of that By their owne experience which they had had therof Why was it that God ouerthrewe as well Sehon as Og king of Basan Because he was the leader of his people and had taken them into his charge and protection And that was not to leade them onely to the banke of Iordan but to performe the promise that he had made to Abraham And therefore the people might conclude that the victories which they had obtained already were but an enterance to a further passage whereby they might fully perswade and assure themselues that God would continue with them euen vnto the ende Euen so must we doe If we perceiue any change in our selues wee must acknowledge it to be the hand of God For sometimes yea oftentimes the faithfull shall finde themselues astonished and abashed vppon the sudden yea euen though there bee no great cause why But thereby God warneth them of their infirmitie to the ende they should walke in awe and feare of him calling vpon him and vtterly distrusting their owne strength Agayne when they see themselues strengthened they knowe that that commeth not of themselues neither are they so foolish as to be proud of it but they magnify Gods goodnesse and grace towardes them and take courage vppon the same True it is say they that wee be wretched and silie creatures but yet hath our God helped vs to the end that wee should trust in him Therefore let vs on forewarde as he commandeth and let vs not doubt but hee will be the same man to morrowe that he is to day The remembrance of his promise lasteth longer with him than for a day and seeing he hath auowed himselfe to be our father it is not to shake vs off as the bastes doe that forget their young ones or as the fowles doe which forsake their byrdes whom they bred but our God is a father to vs both in lyfe and death Now then let vs alwayes flee vnder the shadowe of his protection and assure our selues that his power shall neuer bee diminished towardes vs. But wee haue also to marke how Moses saith That Og king of Basan came flinging foorth to giue battell wherein hee sheweth that the people of Israels warre was iust and lawfull For although they had expresse commaundement from God to arme themselues and to put Og king of Basan to the sword not at their owne pleasure but vppon the authoritie of him that hath all power yet was it Gods wil to minister a iust cause thereof vnto them that they might be the more assured in their conscience And thereby wee bee warned as I haue sayd heretofore not to attempt any thing against right and reason If we will haue GOD to blesse our doinges and to make them prosper and bring them to good ende let vs beware that wee stirre not so much as one finger vnaduisedly or contrarily to that which is shewed vs by Gods worde For what is it that can make vs rightly hardye in all things The hauing of a good warrant in our owne consciences that wee haue walked according to Gods commaundement and gone no further than equitie and right will beare If wee be sure of that then may wee looke for helpe from aboue and wee shall not bee disapointed But if wee neglect the difference betweene good and bad and runne to thinges vppon a head it is good reason that God shoulde beguile vs and that wee should be confounded in our doinges Thus yee see what wee haue to marke here when Og king of Basan came foorth as an enemie to prouoke the children of Israell in such wise as their warre became iust For no doubt but this enemy was offered him of Gods hand as wee sawe that Sehon was yesterday whome God hardened because hee was minded to ouerthrowe him After the same maner happened it to Og the king of Basan Now then let vs learne to beware that wee prouoke not one man nor other by giuing them cause to vexe and molest vs but if wee haue any enemies let them beginne the warre and let vs on our side keepe the peace Let that be a point for vs to beare away For if wee begin the fray by doing them wrong or violence can wee looke for helpe at Gods hand Can wee hope that he will fauor vs when we be so out of order No and therefore let vs not goe about to purchase vs enemies the diuil wil raise vs vp but too many of thē and God also on his side may chance to exercise vs and worke in such wise as wee shall haue enemies enowe that will seeke all
thinke they feare God well wheÌ„ they haue some fond deuotion towardes him as wee see in Poperie where euerie man sayes that his intent is to serue God but after what fashion Euen euerie man after his owne fansie But y e obedience which God requireth at our hands in yeelding our selues wholly to his worde and the reuerence which wee owe him as to our Father and King are things vnseparable Wherefore let vs marke well that if we be minded and desirous to come together as wee ought to doe Gods worde must haue all authoritie ouer vs so as our receiuing thereof bee not onely to confes it with our mouth but also to frame our liues wholly thereafter For if wee will needes liue after our owne swindge and euerie of vs doe what seemeth good to himselfe God holdeth scorne of vs and disclaimeth vs though wee protest to feare him and serue him neuer so much For it is no reason but that he should be heard specially seeing he taketh paine to teach vs. That therfore is the first point Againe let vs vnderstand that our keeping of Gods Lawe Psal. â—6 â— and our walking according to his will doe not aduauntage him at all for what can he receiue at our hands But it is to the end that the world may know that we feare him that is to say that wee take him for our maister that we would faine be wholly his and that he should gouerne vs. That is the effect of the matter that Moses sheweth here Howbeit forasmuch as Churches are oftentimes defiled with hypocrits and wicked folke which crowde in couertly who notwithstanding are worthie to bee euen thrust out of the world Psa. 5â— â— Let vs marke what is saide in the fiftieth Psalme where God declareth that he separateth his true seruantes from such as falsely abuse his name so as his voyce thundereth to summon those that feare him aright and haue not couenanted with him vnfeynedly nor serue him onely with Ceremonies but also in very deede them will he assemble together And on the contrarie part hee vpbraydeth those that take his name in their mouth and yet notwithstanding doe take part with robbers murderers theeues and traytours Therefore when men will needes match GOD and the diuel together after that fashion as it appeareth that most men doe God complaineth of it and protesteth that it shall not scape vnpunished Now if he shewe such a separation aforehand Let vs bee well assured Matt. 25.33 that when the day commeth wherein the Goates shal be put asunder from the Lambes the shame of such as haue preaced after that sorte into Gods Church shall then bee discouered and they shal be abhorred of all creatures as they deserue But in the meane while let vs see that wee separate our selues from them as neere as we can and when we see such vncleannesse at leastwise let vs beware that wee mislike them and let vs pray God to rid and cleanse his Church of such infections Howsoeuer the case stand let vs be mindeful of the thing that Moses speaketh in this text whensoeuer we intende to meete together in the name of God Afterward hee addeth that when wee our selues haue walked in the feare of God euery of vs must teach his children to do the lyke Wherein we see that it is not enough for euery man to discharge his duty in liuing orderly himselfe but that we must to y e vttermost of our power procure the coÌ„tinuance of Gods honor and seruice after our deceases And in good fayth is it reason that Gods name should be buryed with our death We know how flightfull our lyfe is but Gods glory must indure for euer without decaying Esa. 40.6 1. Pet. 1.24 Iude. 25. Therfore let vs learn our owne duetie that is to walke righteously all y e time of our lyfe and to indeuer to traine vp our children aright so as religion may florish and prosper when wee be dead and God be alwayes honored in the world that his name may be called vppon purely And that is the very cause also why God commaundeth fathers so straightly to teach their children For the coulde well send his creatures into the worlde though no man had any speciall care of them but hee chargeth fathers to bring vp their children And why To the ende they should knowe that they must yeelde an account of them And for the same cause also doth he communicate his name vnto them Mal. 2.10 For the title of father belongeth to himselfe alone but yet hee honoreth men so much as to grant them the name of fathers And to what ende Matt. 23.9 That they should be the earnester and carefuller in teaching their children their dueties So then let vs doe our indeuour that there may remaine a good afterspring after our decease so as Gods Church may florishe still and his name be worshipped from age to age And wee ought to labour so much the more in that behalfe because wee see how the diuil practiseth to ouerthrow all that euer is builded in the name of God So farre of is it that the fruite which ought to come of the Gospel doth ripen that men doe labor to plucke it vp or else to marre it and to turne it out of the owne kinde Sith wee see this ought we not to bee the more prouoked to doe the duetie that is commaunded vs here Without going any further what is to be seene heere among vs The Gospell hath bin preached to vs now a long time and yet for al that what maner of ones are they which haue bin borne of all this time to whome God hath grauÌ„ted the grace to be suckled with Gods word euen from the teate and to bee brought vp in it lykewise so as they being then but little babes did neuer see any of the diuelish abhominations of poperie and therefore ought to bee euen throughly soked in the doctrine of saluation what maner of ones are they doth it not appeare that most part of them are so frowarde as if they were the brood of Serpents The world may see that they despise God openly and commit such wickednesse and lewdenesse that there is much more honestie and more shewe of Religion among the Papistes than there is among these Seeing then that thinges are so farre out of order and the diuill indeuoreth to put all to hauocke ought we not to be the more inflamed to doe our indeuer that there may remaine at leastwise some little seede after our decease so as the remembraunce of the Gospell be not vtterly abolished nor the thing that hath bin set vp so happily in the name of GOD and by his wonderfull power be decayed and pulled downe againe by the enemies Now then seeing that God hath graunted vs the grace and priuiledge to bee called to the hearing of his worde and to haue it set forth in the pure simplicitie among vs let vs vnderstand that we be the more
honored serued and obeyed True it is that children subiects and seruants shall not bee excused by that 1. Pet. 2.18 but yet we see it is the iust vengeance of God therefore so much the more ought we to be prouoked to followe that which is told vs as well in this text as in all the holie Scripture where this commandement is declared vnto vs. Then to be short let vs be wel aduised that we dischardge our dueties euerie of vs in his owne calling and state Let those to whome God hath done the honor to giue them the mace of Iustice whom he hath set in his seate be wel aduised that they reigne in his name that they cause all men to serue and honour him that they be as mirrours to giue good example to their people and y t they holde their subiects in such good awe and order as Gods name bee blessed and the mouthes of all euill speakers be stopped Marke that for one point Againe let fathers and mothers haue a care to bring vp their children wel and to make them knowe God for their onely father And as touching their menseruantes and womenseruants let them so vse their seruice as God haue always the preheminence Let them not followe the common trade for men doe commonly passe for nothing else so as they may bee serued to their owne profite and contentation As for God he is forgotten all the while But let masters vnderstande that God must reigne both ouer themselues and ouer those that are vnder them Thus much concerning those that are in authoritie Now for our part let vs beare wel in minde y t when we haue Magistrates if wee rebell against them or rise against the State indeuouring to ouerthrowe the order that God hath set Rom. 13.2 wee resist not mortall creatures but it is God whom we assaile And what can we winne by making warre against him Can we ouermaster him No but he will reuenge himselfe without handiestrokes so as men shal be vtterly abashed to see howe he maintaineth the thing that hee had spoken with his mouth yea euen by wonderfull power Thus much concerning the first point Againe let children beware that they bee not highminded nor wildheaded nor wilfull but that they submit themselues quietly to their fathers and mothers assuring themselues that they fight against God when they cannot finde in their heartes to stoope to the yoke which our Lorde putteth vppon them Eph. 〈…〉 And let seruauntes knowe that if they refuse the subiection of the men whom they serue God is offended at it and in the end they must bee blamed for refusing to be gouerned by his hand But let vs marke herewithall that God muste be honoured first and the subiectes must so obey their Princes and Magistrates as the same may be no derogation to the right that God reserueth to himselfe as he is worthie And if Princes will needs inforce vs to doe euill and ouerthrowe the pure doctrine of God as we see too commonly in the worlde insomuch that a number are so madde as they woulde faine wrest religion after their owne fancie to make as it were an image of wax of it that they might writh it which way they listed as all men may see God will not like of it that they shoulde bee obeyed in that behalfe For who bee they When they once reuolt and climbe aboue him that hath all soueraine Dominion Esa. 〈…〉 Phil. 〈…〉 forthwith they forgoe all their authoritie The verie diuels must bow their knees before God and our Lorde Iesus Christ and beholde mortall men vsurpe such superioritie as the honour of God is defaced and all religion thrust downe So then let vs learne to obey both princes and fathers and mothers in such wise as God may holde still his right vnimpayred and wee not be letted to yeelde him his due honour Neuerthelesse we must obey them quietly so farre forth as wee may without hurt of conscience And although that such as haue authoritie ouer vs discharge not their duetie yet must not children misbehaue themselues when their parents are too sharp and rigorous to them True it is that the parentes are forbidden to vse any crueltie towards their children Eph. 〈…〉 Col. 〈…〉 specialy to discorage them but yet for all that though the parents bee not so well aduised as to gouerne their children with mildenesse the children must beare it patiently Finally wee must suffer at the handes of all such as haue authoritie ouer vs. And so yee see what God ment to set out in this commaundement Nowe hee addeth a promise That thy dayes saith hee may bee prolonged and that thou maist prosper in the Lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee But there is yet one thing more which is that forasmuch as we be loth to yelde our selues to humilitie God giueth vs here a stroke with the spurre saying thy God commaundeth thee And it serueth to confirme the doctrine that I haue touched alredie that is to wit that it is but a fond trifling shift to dispute whether such as are in state of honour aboue vs doe deserue to haue that roome Or whether they do discharge their dutie as well as they are aduanced therto All such geere must bee laide aside And why For wee must holde vs contented with Gods ordinance and rest altogether vppon his good pleasure And that is y e cause why Moses addeth here expresly according as the Euerlasting thy God hath commaunded thee As if he shoulde say true it is that men doe alwayes kicke against it as much as they can If one woulde bring them vnder awe they will not abide it by their good will Againe they haue such loftinesse in them as prouoketh them continually to bee desirous to exalt themselues too much By meanes whereof there will neuer be any willing subiection vntill God haue wrought it But you be alwayes rebellious against God saith hee when yee once enter into such debatings as this Shoulde such a one raigne ouer mee and I obey him seeing hee is no better than I If yee beare such spite towardes men God himselfe steppeth forth and desireth to knowe whether yee will serue him or no And if yee will not receiue his leeuetenantes when hee sendeth them vnto you it is a certaine signe that yee refuse his yoke likewise by meanes wherof his iustice is impeached and hee feeleth himselfe to bee iniuried by you Sith it is so then knowe yee saieth Moses that the children which are disobedient to their fathers and mothers may well alledge this and that and the folke that rebell against their superiors may well make excuses but none of those thinges shall stande them in any steede The reason is that God who hath ordeined superioritie in the worlde will also haue it maintained hee hath spoken the word and it cannot be called backe Psal. 3 9.10 When God hath once giuen his definitiue sentence it is
of measure they indure after a sorte the peines of damned soules and they are euer readie to increase their superstitions Wherefore let vs looke well to ourselues and seeing it is not lawefull for vs to attempt any thing beyonde Gods will but it behoueth vs to knowe what he requireth of vs and to submitte our selues wholely vnto him lette vs be gentle and meeke minded to beare the yoke patiently which GOD layeth vppon vs seeing it is neither harde nor greeuous as I sayde afore And seeing that the ydolaters doe so followe their geere and nothing can stay their trotting and gadding but that they doe as it were flye to the seruing of their ydolles Lette vs steppe forewarde also sith wee see that our Lorde sheweth vs the way yea and such a way as though it be verie harde as in respect of our corruption is neuerthelesse verie playne and easie to vs in respect of the grace of his holy spirit Heere is this moreouer that Moses sayeth not heere y t the Iewes shall destroy and breake the ydolles in all places wheresoeuer they become but that GOD commaundeth them to doe it in the lande that is giuen them to inherite Wherein we see that the holy Ghost commaundeth not all the faithfull in generall to pull downe and to breake all ydolles in the worlde but onely where they themselues haue authoritie And it is a point well worth the noting For if we be among ydolaters it lyeth not in vs to ridde the Lande from the superstitions that reigne in it What is to bee doone then Euerie man must reforme himselfe in his owne heart so as all ydolles may be thrust out from thence When I see Gods seruice corrupted any where I must forbeare to haunt that place or to communicate in companie with those ydolaters I must cutte off all the wicked affections that are in my fleshe and I must shew moreouer that I am not minded to forsake my GOD nor to falsifie the faith that I haue plighted vnto him by defiling my selfe with the ydolatries that are about mee Therefore euerie man must first and formost reforme his owne heart and secondly separate himselfe from all things that may defile him And that is because GOD hath giuen vs a charge of our owne persons and made vs as it were keepers of his temples to the intent that euery of vs shoulde looke narrowly to ourselues That is a thing which it behoueth vs to doe when wee be in the countrey of Idolaters Besides this euerie man must purge and clense his owne house from all filthinesse So as if a man be a housholder hee must looke well about him that he hold well his children and seruauntes in the feare of GOD and in the purenesse of religion For if a man suffer his house to be defiled and all thinges there to goe to hauocke he shal be sure to make account thereof to God Not that a man can holde his wife and seruants continually tyed to his sleeue to turne them to the christian faith when he lysteth but my meaning is that he must not suffer any superstition or ydolatrie For why Seeing that GOD hath giuen him souereigntie in his owne house it behoueth him to deale in such wise as GOD bee honoured there and as no filthinesse be mingled with the pure religion but that all be ridde quite and cleane away But as for Kinges Princes and Magistrates which haue power and authoritie they must roote out all superstition and ydolatrie And seeing that GOD hath armed them with the sworde it behoueth them to vse it in that behalfe so as they doe not in any wise suffer or giue leaue that there be anie vncleannesse to greeue GOD withall or to abolish or deface his seruice Those are y e thinges which we haue to marke vpon this text of Moseses And therefore to be short let vs remember that hee commaundeth euery of vs to keepe cleane his owne body and soule For why God hath laide such a charge vppon vs that he will haue vs to be the Temples of his holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19.20 and therefore hee will haue euerie of vs to keep his bodie as cleane as can bee Nowe then let vs bee carefull to driue al idolatrie farre from vs and not to meddle with it in any wise And agayne let euerie of vs haue an eye to his householde that there bee no infection in it to mar the seruice of God And thirdly let those that are in estate of cheefe souereintie as kinges Princes and magistrates let them I say consider that sith the Lord hath giuen them authoritie and power if they suffer his seruice to bee defaced they shall bee called to account for it For it is saide that when thou art come into the lande thou must driue out al Idolatrie and vtterly deface whatsoeuer hath serued to any superstition And in speaking after that manner Moses sheweth that the putting away of idols is not all that wee haue to doe but that the cheefe point is the aduauncing restoring and stablishing of Gods pure seruice And that is well worthie to be noted For wee shall see a great number nowadayes which can wel enough mocke at the follies of the Pope at the abuses which reigne vnder his tyrannie They dare well enough eat fleshe vpon frydayes and they make no great account of Lent Saints euens or of the taking of holy water or of kissing of Relikes or of gadding on Pilgrimage or of anie other such petie trashe They haue no great deuotion to y e masse or to Shrift neither passe they for the deade or for the singing of diriges and such other paltrie for such as are deceased Wee shall see a great number that can well enough despise all the superstitions of the Popedome yea and euen laugh them to skorne and vtterly condemn thē But what There is no feare of God there is no Religion in them Surely it were much better for them to haue gone on still like bruite beastes in their ignorance than by such contempte to fall to rushing against Gods Maiestie like wilde beastes and not to perceiue that there is a God which reigneth ouer the whole worlde Then doeth it not greatly boote to haue abolished Idols except the true religion bee set vp in the steede of it Like as when a house is builded amisse if it be saide to bee nothing worth or that there be many faultes in it it shall be wel done to pull it downe againe whereas notwithstanding if it were let alone in the same plight so as a man had leuer to haue some Hoggescote to lodge in yet for all the ilfauorednesse and faultinesse of it it would serue his turne after a sorte being let stande still but if it were pulled downe and rased to the grounde and none other builded vp in steede thereof the pulling downe of it were to no purpose at al. Let vs marke then that here Moses deliuereth vs a perfecte
knowledge of y e Gospell And in deede according heereunto it is sayde in the Psalme that kinges shall come to submitte themselues to him that was to bee sent to be the redeemer Psa. 72.10.11 â— 13â— 4 Esa. 49.7.23 And againe that they shal be as foster fathers to the Churche and that Queenes shall giue her sucke that is to saye that such as haue the sworde of Iustice in their hande shall take Gods Churche into their protection to mainteine it in the pure doctrine and in the same Religion that is set downe in Gods worde Sith it is so it is to be concluded not onely that it is Lawefull for all Kinges and Magistrates to punish heretikes and such as haue peruerted the pure trueth but also that they be bounde to doe it and that they misbehaue themselues towardes GOD if they suffer errours to roust without redresse and employ not their whole power to shewe a greater zeale in that behalfe than in all other thinges For is it reason that he which sitteth in the seate of Iustice shoulde punishe a theefe for doing wrong but to the valewe of fiue shillinges and in the meane while let a traytour to GOD goe vnpunished Gods name is thereby blasphemed 2. Cor. 3.18 his trueth whiche is his image is trampled vnder foote and it is much more than if a man should rende some princes Cotearmour in peeces In so dooing the liuing image of GOD is skorned and as it were spitted at and the saluation of mennes soules hindered and shall the Magistrates sit still at it like ydolles They must punish a theefe for the valewe of fifteene pence and beholde this is such a traytour as goeth about to confounde heauen and earth together and must the same go vnpunished What a dealing were that Doeth not euen nature teache what is to be doone in this behalfe And as for those that say that we should let the euill weedes growe still doe they not shewe themselues to be growen out of kinde like monsters and that they bee more intollerable than if they were starke madde For it shoulde seeme that their meaning is to defie the whole order of nature and men see that they not onely speake against GOD but also poyson mennes soules and bewray themselues not to haue one droppe of setled discretion Nowe then let vs marke that sith God hath declared that in the reigne of his Sonne euen kinges shoulde bee called to the knowledge of the trueth and become a parte of his Church It behoueth them to giue example to their people and it is good reason that they shoulde employ their whole power and authoritie to maintaine the good doctrine and to cause GOD to be honored and serued and to driue away all ydolatrie and superstition and to see that it bee not Lawefull for anie man to spewe out blasphemies agaynst GOD. That is the thing which we haue to marke vpon this place And whereas it is alleadged that Iesus Christ vsed not the materiall sworde to aduaunce his doctrine withall that is true and wee also bring not the sworde in our hande into the pulpit to prooue the things that wee preache But lette vs learne to put a difference betweene offices and let vs consider howe our Lorde Iesus Christe came to preache his worde when hee woulde that such as receiue it should euerie man in his owne state and calling followe whatsoeuer is ordeined for him Nowe it is true that in the time of our Lorde Iesus Christ the great men of the worlde claue not to the Gospell no more than we see them doe yet still at this day but the little ones and weakâ—linges were faine to be chosen thereby to beate downe the pride of the worlde as Saint Paule auoweth in the first to the Corinthians Ye see sayeth he that there bee not many noble men 1. Cor. 1.26 men of power or wise men among you And why For men are but too much giuen to the aduauncing of themselues and if God had begunne at the great ones the litle ones shoulde haue seemed as nothing But God ment to beate downe all pride that men might learne to chalendge nothing to themselues Notwithstanding howesoeuer the case stand when the great ones are called to the seruice of God then must they imploy theÌ„selues in the thinges that belong to their charge For the thinges that I alleadged out of Esay Dauid and diuerse other Psalmes belong to the reigne of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to the state of the Christian Church Therefore must we needes conclude that our Lorde will haue Princes and magistrates to vse the sworde that is giuen them to the mainteynaunce of his honour and of the vnitie of faith and good agreement so as if any man rayse vp trouble or goe about to sowe darnell he may be rooted out But is not that punishment too rigorous Yes for some will well ynough graunt as constrained thereunto that it is good that heresies shoulde be repressed but that it were too great an extremitie to proceede so farre as to punishe them with death Yea but as I sayde afore wee must esteeme Gods honour as it deserueth For if wee woulde that deceiuers shoulde be reprooued so as they might not haue their mouthes open and yet that they shoulde not bee vtterly suppressed as were requisite it were all one as if we shoulde say In deede we ought to please God but as for to put a man to death for blaspheming him what a thing were that Loe at what point we be Bet God for all that will not faile to be had in estimation as I sayde afore yea and that to our cost if wee goe that way to worke For the very cause in deede why we see the worlde infected with so many troubles and errours is our lasines in that wee haue neither zeale nor disposition to beate downe the leasinges of Satan Nay rather which worse is there are a great number which maintaine them willingly And yet in the meane while men crye out that all thinges are confounded that all thinges goe to hauocke and that there are so greate troubles as is pitie to beholde And what is the cause thereof Euen the princes that are willing to maintaine errours and further them by all meanes they can so as it may seeme that they bee of Satans setting vp as it were to vpholde his part against God and his worde Their people likewise desire nothing so much as to be fedde with lyes that is al their seeking and God sendeth it them For as I haue shewed afore it is a iust rewarde for them Why then should men cry alas or why should they be greeued at the matter when all men both great and small seeke the vtter defacing of Gods trueth and to giue scope to all manner of leasinges Therefore let vs learne in any wise to haue the zeale and affectioÌ„ which our Lorde commaundeth vs or else it wil come to passe the heresies
y t are executed by the authority of God I say if we continue without amendment our sinne increaseth so much the more God warneth vs by a great many of instructions yea of chastisements also which he executeth and wee make none account of them nowe is it any wonder if in the ende wee see our Lorde sende so great and excessiue disorders that wee wote not where to become Then let vs learne to profite in this schoole as oft of GOD lifteth vp his hande to punish the wicked and let vs vnderstande that he teacheth vs by their example wherfore let vs stoope let euery of vs yeelde to obey him with true meekenesse Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as we may all of vs seeke to frame our life according to the rightnesse which hee sheweth vs and not looke to be drawen thereto by compulsion of the earthly sworde but rather that the sworde of Gods worde may haue such power in our heartes as it may make vs to sacrifice ourselues vnto GOD killing all our fleshly lustes and renewing vs to such a kinde of life as our whole desire may bee to haue God reigne ouer vs and that we may be wholly reformed according to his holy will and that therewithall we may followe the orderly policie and spirituall gouernement of his Church and that all the things which he hath ordeined for our benefite may be so mainteined obserued as both great and small may submit theÌ„selues therunto That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people nations of the earth Reducing all poore ignoraunt people out of the bondage of errours and darkenesse wherein they are holden That so he he may bring theÌ„ to the knoweledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it would please him to raise vp true faithfull ministers of his worde c. On Wednesday the xx of Nouember 1555. The Cv. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the seuenteenth Chapter 14 When thou art come into the Lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee and enioyest it and dwellest therein and sayest I will set a king ouer mee like as all the nations that are rounde about mee 15 Then shalt thou make him king ouer thee whome the Lorde shall choose from among thy brethren him shalt thou set ouer thee to be king and thou maiest not set a straunger ouer thee which is not thy brother 16 But he shall not multiply horses to himselfe nor sende the people againe into Egypt to increase the number of horses forasmuch as the Lorde hath sayd vnto you yee shall neuer hence foorth goe any more againe that way 17 Neither shall he take him many wiues least his heart turne away Neither shall he gather him much golde and siluer 18 And when he is set vpon the Throne of his kingdom he shall copy out this Lawe for himselfe in a booke before the Priestes the Leuites Deut. 16.18 HEretofore Moses hath spoken of the Iudges that were ordeined in euery citie to gouern the people and specially of the cheefe Iudge to whom all thinges were referred Nowe he addeth that if y e people be disposed to choose a king he sheweth what manner a one he ought to be And first he ordeineth that he must be taken of the linage of Abraham and secondly he declareth his duetie to him to the intent he should not go beyond it nor play the Tyraunt in steede of playing the king That is the meaning of Moses generally But here we must consider what is the cause why God setteth not vp a king by his owne authoritie but rather leaueth it to the likeing of the people For if he allowed the state of a king or if it were a thing that he liked wel of ought he not to haue shewed the way that the people might haue obeyed whatsoeuer he had coÌ„maunded them But he sayeth When thou art come into the Lande which thy God giueth thee and inioyest it if thou wilt choose a king as other NatioÌ„s haue Hereby it should seeme that God was not willing there shoulde bee any kingdome in Iewrie but that if the people were so desirous of a king that they could not be helde from it then he granted it them by way of sufferance Notwithstanding this wee heare howe it is sayde in Genesis Gen. 〈…〉 that the scepter should not be taken from the tribe of Iuda nor the gouernour from betweene his legges vntill the person that was to be sent were come had appeared This prophesie was not a cuâ—se that should come vpon the people nor a vengeance of God but rather a singular and special fauour aboue all other For in saying so Iacob declareth that God would set vp an euerlasting king by whom saluation should be sent throughout all the world And vntill the time of the manifesting of our Lorde Iesus Christ it behooued the people so be mainteined still in hope of him and God gaue vnto him the kingdome of Iuda and that whole tribe We see then in fewe wordes that this kingdome was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as a warrant which God gaue to that people that he himselfe reigned ouer them and the kinges of Iuda serued alwaies to holde the people vnder Gods protection as it were in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For albeit that all the Princes of the worlde be called Gods children and his lieftenauntes Psal. â—â— â— yet notwithstanding the kingdome of Iuda had that title after a more speciall and holy manner And therefore wee see it was Gods will there shoulde be a king among his people euen because it was the full perfection of all felicity that Iesus Christ should be the head of them True it is y t if disputatioÌ„ shold arise coÌ„cerning y e gouernmeÌ„t of meÌ„ it might be said y t a free state is much better thaÌ„ to be vnder a Prince but here is no coÌ„trouersie of any such mater And in deed such disputatioÌ„s are not very profitable For they y t are vnder y e gouernment of a Prince must not be fickleminded to make any alteration And those to whoÌ„ God hath giuen liberty freedom ought to vse it w t thanksgiuing as a singular benefit treasure y t cannot be prised sufficiently And as for y e kingdom of Iuda there was a speciall respect in y t as I haue said afore namely y t it was the image of the truth which was in our Lorde Iesus Christ in gathering vs to himselfe to make vs Gods Church his owne flocke For y t is better than al y e gouernment in the whole world If a maÌ„ shoulde coÌ„pare a principality or a free state of a Senate or whatsoeuer els can be imagined for a coÌ„monweale with y â— grace which God giueth vs in shewing
himself to vs in his own person of purpose to reigne ouer vs himself to take y e charge of our welfare in establishing his only son in y e office dignity I pray you is it not much better to be vnder y e obediēce of our Lord Iesus Christ to haue him to reigne ouer vs as our souereine Lord King than to be Kings Emperors euery one of vs Yes verily So then wee must conclude y t seeing God ordeined Iudges frō y e beginning hee sheweth therby y t it is a desirable thing for folk to be gouerned in cōmon to haue laws to reigne among thē y t there be no succession by inheritance but y ◠euen those which are chosē to beare office be bound to yeelde account of their doings haue not absolute libertie to doe what they list or to say I will haue this thing It shal be thus done This did God shew whē he gouerned his owne people by y e hand of Iudges And for the same cause did he vpbrayd blame y e Iewes for requiring a king to be their head to reign ouer them 〈…〉 .7 It is not thou sayth he to Samuell to whō they haue done this wrong True it is y t thou hast executed my authority in y t thou art of my setting vp but their vnthankefulnes disobedience toucheth me in y t they can not abide y t I shoulde haue the gouerning of thē And afterward he addeth wel then let them haue a king But it shal be to their trouble for he shall spoyle their houses take away their sons daughters consume their substance lay taxes tallages vpon them to be short vse them like wretched bondslaues See what they haue wonne by requiring a king And in this text our Lorde sheweth y t as in respect of worldly gouernmēt he had chosen y e best state y t could be namely y t the Law should reigne ouer the people therewithal y t there should be Iudges in euery citie a chiefe gouernour ouer all to the intent y t matters might be determined and concluded as was declared yesterday howbeit with this most noble condition which God reserued to himselfe namely that our Lorde Iesus Christ should reigne ouer them For it behoued thē to be vnder one head howbeit not simply of a mortall man but of y e sonne of God But forasmuch as y e time was not yet come that such grace shold be shewed it behoued the hope therof to be fedde with some figure And y t was the cause why it was promised by the mouth of Iacob Gen. 49.10 that the scepter should not depart from the tribe of Iuda God did purposely choose out one tribe when he ment to set vp the king he sayd that the reigne of him shoulde be durable vntill the comming of his owne sonne who was the true heire and the very partie to whome the crowne belonged namely our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus haue wee nowe a briefe declaration after what sorte God ment to stablishe a kingdome among his people howebeit that was in respect of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But as in respect of worldly gouernement the best and most desirable state was to haue Iudges that is to say to be in libertie and yet notwithstanding to bee ouerruled by Lawes Nowe thereby we be doone to vnderstande that although all worldely gouernment deserue to be esteemed as a holy thing behoofefull for the maintenaunce of mans state yet notwithstanding when it pleaseth GOD to giue vs a meane kinde of gouernement voyde of tyranny wherein the Magistrates doe rule after such a sort that the Lawes haue their due course the same is a speciall priuiledge and wee ought then to perceiue thereby that God is neere at hand to vs that he pitieth vs as his housholdfolke and as those that are of his flocke his owne heritage Marke that then for one point But therewithall we must marke also that when we shall haue knowen Gods grace in his gouerning of vs in this earthly and transitorie life it is nothing in comparison of the spirituall kingdom of our Lorde Iesus Christ therefore y t we must highly exalt or praise this benefite y t God vouchsafeth to gouerne vs by the hande of his onely son yea and we must esteeme it not onely more than all the libertie of the worlde but also more than al the kingdomes and Empires of y e world But anon this point shal be touched new againe Furthermore let vs marke that God intending to set vp a king did tarry neuerthelesse till the people required one And y t was to put them in a desire that they might not afterward rebell against the king that was to bee set vp For the vnthankefulnesse and malice of the people bewrayed it selfe in that they coulde not finde in their heartes to holde them to the state which God had stablished already And what a thing had it been if he had set vp a Monarchie among them at the first day For it is a farre more tollerable thing for vs to haue gouernours that goe by choyse and election who in executing their office shall knowe themselues to bee subiect to the Lawe than to haue a Prince whose worde must stande for reason and whose childe must inherite though he be neuer so very a babe and consequently obeyed though hee be the willfullest foole or the cruellest person in the worlde Therefore it is a farre more tollerable state to haue Iudges and Gouernours Nowe if the people of Israel could not away with this state but wold needs through a wicked desire seek to haue a king what would they haue done if God had at y e first day saide vnto thē I set this or y t house to reigne ouer you it behoueth you to obey the king What murmuring would there haue beene What practising would there haue bin Therfore it was Gods wil to make y e people willing to y e end there might be no occasion of rebelling whē Dauid was to be made king Verily we see what fell out For soothly their requiring of King Saul was through a folish ambitiō spyte 1 Sa. 1.5.20 which they bare to their neighbours When they sawe how there were kings in Egypt in Edō in Ammon in Syria in the other Coūtryes they thought there was no such dignitie statelines amōg thēselues because there was no royall seate among thē And therfore they would haue one But see their folly When they had chosen Saul although he vexed thē put them to as much hardnes as could be yet notw tstanding they were so wedded to him y t they would needs keepe y e croun to his childrē not suffer Dauid to reigne Albeit y t God had declared y t Dauid was the mā whō he had chosē and y t they had not the authoritie to choose any other to be their king yet
y e people chose Saules son as who would say we will haue this house to continue for euer yea euē as it were in dispite of God And as we see was Dauid mainteyned in his kingdome any otherwise than by Gods stretching out of his hand to preserue him The people fel within a while after to rebelling against Dauid the example of Absolon sheweth y t the insurrection was so great 2. Sam. 15.4 y t Dauid was forsaken of the most part of his subiectes So then it appeareth y t if y e people had not bin as good as daunted aforehand y e kingdom which God had determined on in his own purpose had neuer takē place neither would they haue submitted thēselues vnto it but by cōpulsion But yet behooued it thē to obey it And so by y t meane y e people were prepared therto by requiring a king of thēselues yet they found thēselues disappointed of their expectation For it was not Gods wil to stablish the blessed kingdom at y e first wherby y e whole world was to haue saluation but hee chose a king of the tribe of Beniamin yet it was said y t the scepter should not depart frō the tribe of Iuda Wherfore doth God turne away frō y t which he had spoken by y e mouth of Iacob This was done not y t he is variable not y t he repenteth him not y t he intended not to fulfil y t prophesie but for y ◠he was not minded to let his blessing appeare so soone because of y e peoples seditiousnesse in respect wherof he did it or at leastwise delayed it til they had acknowledged their fault repented thē therof And this doth shew vs sufficiētly wherfore god in this place reserueth not to himself y e chosing of y e king which should gouerne his people but sayth thou shalt require one It was to the end that his reigning should be of the more authoritie he bee y e better beloued of his people so as euery mā should submit himself to him therby know in very deed y t there was no greater happines than to be vnder y t house of Dauid forasmuch as the same was a shadow figure of the sonne of god who was to bring saluation full perfection of al good things In effect we see here two things The one is that our lord blameth the people for their importunitie in y t they would needs be aforehand w t him in desiring a king as if he should say You wil not suffer me to make him true it is y t I wil neuer forget you but I wil set such order among you y t ye shal haue cause to thanke me to reioyce of my goodnes But yet will you be so malitious frowarde y t when I shall haue giuen you a Iudge you shall desire a king And this frowardnes of yours shal cause me not to set vp the kingdom which I haue ordeined which I haue reserued to my selfe that is to wit of the tribe of Iuda Yet notw tstanding our lord sheweth y t he wil set vp y ◠kingdom but that shal be after the people are made fit to obey haue acknowledged their sin because they had couered a change against Gods wil before y ◠fit time was come Thus are all these places easily made to agree And hereupon we may gather a good lesson which is that when God hath promised vs any benefite or token of his mercy we must hold our lustes in awe and not runne a heade to chalendge him to do that which he hath sayd when we list but vse patience and be quiet vntill God shewe vs by effect that he ment not to disappoint vs in promising any thing y t belongeth to our saluation Here then is a generall rule which is y t in all Gods promises we must be patiēt not be so hastie as to say how goes this geere why doeth God make delay why performeth he not y e thing which we hoped for at his hand Let vs beware of such impatiencie seeing the example of y e people is such as we see it is in this place But let vs be stil when God hath promised vs any thing vntil y e cōuenient time therof be come of itself And yet shal not this hinder vs but y t we may pray vnto him for it For wherfore doth he cal vs to him cōmand vs to pray Phil. 〈…〉 but to y ◠intent we shold discharge all our care sorow vpon him receiue cōfort of it Therfore we may wel pray vnto god whē we are stirred vp to impatiencie but yet must we euer refer all things vnto him good reason it is y t he shold dispose of thinges according as he himselfe hath determined in his owne purpose not after our fancie Also let vs beare in minde what I haue touched afore to wit y t seeing God hath giuen vs a cōuenient state y t we be so gouerned by Iudges magistrates as y t the Lawes do reigne ouer vs we ought to giue God thanks for y t benefite to take good heed y t we prouoke not his wrath by our fonde ficklenes in desiring this or y ◠and in saying why is it not thus or thus For whē we wil nedes alter things after y e fashion arour own pleasure we make not war against mē but we defie God thrust him far frō vs to y e entent he should not reigne ouer vs. Therfore to be short seeing there is some forme of gouernment among vs let vs learn to thank God to hold vs vnder y e shadow of his wings not to craue this or y t through foolish ambition For we see what happened to y e people of Israell True it is y t God chose them a king howbeit y t was but to punish their wicked desire euen so will it fall out w t others And in deede we see how he giueth large scope to y e king which was set vp namely to Saul saying 2. Sam. 〈…〉 Thou shalt not reigne as a Prince but he shal execute al maner of tyranny ouer you and yee must bee faine to abide it spyte of your teeth But howsoeuer wee fare let vs learne to referre all the benefites that GOD giueth vs in this world to the spiritual kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ assuring ourselues that though we had all thinges else at will and liued here in neuer so great pleasure and welth and had such gouerners as demeaned themselues as gently towardes vs as were possible all this were nothing vnlesse our Lorde Iesus Christ reigned ouer vs and bare all the swaye On the contrary parte though we be tormented according to the flesh as we see a number of people extreemely vexed with tyranny and that we haue not so much as bread to eate Yet notwithstanding the blessednesse which God sendeth vs in
that boldnesse is a cause of much confusion in the worlde That then is the cause why it is saide that the king shall not gather him ouer many horses to goe into Egypt when hee had made himselfe strong And why so For God forbiddeth his people to go that way any more for euer Nowe wee haue to note here that when wee haue receiued any displeasure if the workers thereof haue done vs any good in times past wee must lay them both into the balance and the good must counteruaile the euill Truely although this commaundement were not yet were it not lawfull for vs to desire reuenge insomuch that euen this one reason ought to staye vs and witholde vs namely that if wee bee beholden to a man and he chaunce afterwarde to doe vs some wrong wee shoulde call to mynde the good that wee haue receiued at this hande and the same must bee as a brydle to vs. And it is the very same thing which God considered when hee woulde not haue his people to practise any thing against the Egyptians But what soeuer came of it he would not that there shold bee any familiaritie betwixt them not without cause For it was so frowarde a nation that his people could haue learned nothing but euill among them Againe their idolatrie was as excessiue and out of all measure as could be Therfore was it good that the children of Israel shold bee vtterly separated from Egypt least they might bee wrapped in their superstitions And we see howe greatly the Prophets stoode vpon that poynt Esa. 30.2 31.3 and yet it booted not at all For it was the place which the children of Israel fled vnto for refuge as oft as they were troubled by other nations 2. Kin. 19.7 17.4 In so much that when the two kingdomes of Israell and Iuda were at diuision if the one had the helpe of the Assyrians the other resorted into Egypt and so were the cause of their owne destruction And all this mischief fell out because they did it against this forewarning for God had forbidden them sufficiently afore hande Therefore let vs beare in minde that when wee see corruptions before vs wee must not enter into them wilfully except we intende to tempt God but when wee see occasions of euill wee shunne them not but rather runne into them and wee wil needes bee ouer-hardie And therefore let vs learne to abstaine from all things that may seduce vs or make vs ouershoote our selues Nowe it is saide afterwarde That the kings shal not hoord vp much gold and siluer True it is that couetousnesse is forbidden to all men as the roote of all mischiefe 1. Tim. 6.10 where with when a mans heart is once possessed he must needs be snarled in al the snares of Satan Insomuch that if a man be giuen to couetousnes hee becoÌ„meth cruel vsing all manner of outrage violence crueltie Agayne he falleth to pilling and polling maketh no conscience to deuour other mens substances Afterwarde he falleth to periurye cousinage vntrustinesse trecherie poysoning and whatsoeuer euill he can besides And when malice is once set on fire he proceedeth euen to open murder To be short if a man suffer himself to be wunne to couetousnes he must needes â—ecome a verie bondslaue to Satan Why then doeth hee forbidde here onely kinges to gather much gold or siluer Surely our Lord giueth not priuate persons leaue to inriche themselues when he forbiddeth kinges to do it But rather the cleane contrary For if such as haue a better meane then wee ought to be clensed from that vice what ought we to be For if any men should haue libertie to gather golde and siluer kinges ought to haue it most But God hath forbidden it them and therefore let all other men looke to themselues But Moses speaketh expressely here of kings as of those that haue most neede of remedy because they haue greater occasions of gathering than any other men For when a king reygneth in a Countrie that is riche and plentifull it is a temptation vnto him insomuch that when he sees his subiects liue at their ease he thinketh thus with himselfe it will neuer grieue them to giue me such an impost when he hath raysed one tax or tallage there is neuer any ende or measure of his gathering afterward And so ye see how kinges haue need of the sayd restreint by reason of the said temptation which is of more force towardes them than towardes other men True it is that all men are tempted to gather goods to inriche themselues but forasmuch as they haue not the like opportunities to bring it to passe it is as it were an abatement a cooling of their courages A king hath means to drawe to himselfe continually and to inriche himselfe more and more for he hath authoritie to leuye taxes tributes and by that meane to lay vp much for himselfe Therfore it is requisite that this euil shold be corrected in him Psal. 119.36.37 And in that respect did Dauid say Lord reforme my heart that it bee not giuen to couetousnes and turne away myne eyes that they be not intangled beguyled and carryed away at the sight of golde siluer Why doeth Dauid speake after y â— manner For he had much more neede than if he had liued still in the house of his father â—esse hee had beene there but as a poore countrey cloyne or sheepeheard and thereuppon he had followed his common trade of liuing But being once become king and hauing the riches of the whole lande before his eyes so as no man could let him to gather as much as he would such opportunitie was a prouocation to his flesh hee might soone haue ouershot himselfe as men coÌ„monly doe And therefore hee brydleth himselfe saying Lorde keepe mee And in deede if he had not beene preserued miraculously by y e goodnes of God hee had soone beene corrupted at the sight of such opportunities Thus haue wee nowe the reason why Moses forbade the kinges of Israel expressely to gather much gold and siluer For as I haue said afore accordingly as occasions are offered vnto vs so must wee also bee brydled and held in when our flesh tempteth vs to any thing and there is none other remedie than that which I haue tolde you of Although then that this be spoken to kings yet may wee gather a lesson thereof that shal be common to all men And therefore whensoeuer wee meete with any opportunitie that may drawe vs vnto euill let vs see that wee learne to represse our lustes make a shielde and bulwarke of this admonition lest wee step aside to some vanitie because we be ouerfrayle That is the thing wherof all of vs in generall ought to take warning when wee see that the king was forâ—idden to gather much gold siluer because he reigned in a plentifull countrey Also here is mention made consequently of wiues namely that the
king must not take many wiues It is certaine that this rule is common to all men For although some of the Patâ—â—â—rkes had many wiues yet was it not therefore lawful for we must haue recourse to Gods institution True it is that mans custome may well peruert the doctrine but yet can it not change euill into good for all that It is God that ordeyned marryage and as he is the author therof so will hee haue men to holde them to his pure institution Nowe did hee create two wiues for Adam No and yet as sayeth the Prophet Malachie hee had abundance of spirit in him Mal. 2.15 It had beene no harder a matter to him to haue created two or three women than to haue created one Was God letted by any vnabilitie Nay and yet he created two in one flesh Sith the case staÌ„deth so then it is a changing of the order of nature a despising of God when a man taketh two wiues O say they the Patriarkes did so Yea but theâ—eby it appeareth that the custome of men cannot alter Gods ordinance how great vertue or holines so euer be in them And it serueth also to shewe y t such as shielde themselues vnder the example of other men offend double For is it meete y t Gods authoritie should bee diminished vnder pretence y t men haue done this or y t And therfore let vs vnderstand y t it was neuer lawfull for any man liuing to take two wiues in mariage at once for it is a breaking of Gods order Why then is it forbidden here but onely to kinges Because there was more libertie And the thing that I haue touched already is the better confirmed vnto vs in this text If a priuate person had taken two wiues hee should haue beene neerely looked vnto What Shall I go giue my daughter to him that is marryed alreadie Shee shal be sure to haue sorrowe to her soppes shee shall liue in continuall stryfe and vnquietnesse Yet were shee better to bee dead out of hande But men were so desirous of honour that if a king required a daughter of theirs to his wife they easily condescended vnto it What I shall haue my daughter marryed to a king And it was a blynding of a womaÌ„ when shee was sued vnto by such a one Nowe then for as much as kinges had larger scope in this case and consequently might more offend God our Lorde hath specially forbidden them to haue many wiues and moreouer because the example of such as are in authoritie is woorse than the example of priuate persons If a common person doe any euill it goeth no further than his owne house and his next neighbours but hee that is in authoritie standeth vppon a skaffolde and is seene afarre off and if he ouershoote himselfe the corruption of him spreadeth throughout the realme Therefore it was requisite that God should forbid kinges to haue many wiues euen because the corruption therof woulde haue spread ouer the whole lande And although it could not be letted altogither yet came it first from the heathen And if it bee asked from whence the hauing of many wyues came 〈◊〉 4.19 it wil bee founde in the house of Cain not among the people of God This leawdnesse then of hauing many wyues was brought vp by Satan And the Patriarkes were intangled in it as in deede it is harde for a man to keepe him selfe from a thing when it is once growen into a custome for then it seemeth to be permitted Yet notwithstanding to the intent it should no more be so because there was occasion therof our Lorde forbad kinges to haue many wiues But heere it might be demanded what is to be sayd of Dauid and much more of SalomoÌ„ in respect of wiues as well as of riches It cannot be denyed but that Dauid had many wyues and as for Salomon he had many moe and he seemeth not to haue bin blamed in that behalfe for the scripture speaketh but of the turning away of his hart after straunge women which infected him with their superstitions and ydolatryes 1. King 1â— 4 And as touching gould and siluer wee knowe how it is sayd that Dauid gathered so great a masse of them that Salomons Temple and his palace were builded therwith Therefore there was a maruelous riches 1. Kin. 10.27 Yea and it is said expresly y t in the raigne of Salomon men made no more accompt of gold and siluer than of grauel y e quantity therof was so exceeding great And there seemeth to be some contrarietie in the scripture in as much as among other thinges our Lord sayeth that hee will cause the gould of Arabye and all the riches of the worlde to bee brought to Ierusalem Psal. 72.15 And why should he promise that if he ment not that kinges should be riche and wealthie Nay it is a figure of the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. If this blessing of God bee set downe as so worthie a thing howe are kings forbidden to gather golde and siluer As touching wiues no dout but both Dauid and Salomon offended in that behalfe and Salomon most As for Dauid hee had many wiues and all the excuses that can bee alledged wil not be able to iustifie him before God But howsoeuer the case stande he did it not through inordinate lust For he had maryed Michol Saules daughter and hee coulde haue contented himselfe with that one wife if shee had not beene taken away from him by force And when she was giuen to another man it was lawfull for him to take Bersabee Againe there happened other things afterwarde so that if a man consider wherefore Dauid tooke many wiues surely there wil euer be some occasion to excuse him to the worldward but yet for all that he was blameworthie stil before God And as touching Salomon he rebelled openly as a man too much giuen to y e flesh in that he proceeded euen against the prohibition that was giuen both to himselfe and to all other kinges And it appeareth what insued to him for it For that hee was so abused and deceiued by strange women it was a iust punishment and because he had taken such libertie to himselfe God shewed him that he had cast him selfe into Satans snares When a fish thinkes to swallowe vp other fishes he himselfe is caught or choked by that meane Euen so was SalomoÌ„ faine to receiue his payment because hee gaue himselfe too much to his delightes and pleasures And it is a dreadful thing a thing that ought to make the hayre to stande vp vpon our heades that so excellent a man indued with so great giftes of Gods spirit shoulde become an ydolater and fall away from the pure seruing of God specially being himselfe a prophet to teach the whole worlde and a lampe to direct not only the children of Israell but also the verie Infidels and to draw them to the knowledge of the trueth O that such a
not themselues to bee as mortall creatures but rather as halfe Gods by reason of their high aduauncement and wee see they looke as high as though nothing were vnpossible to them so as they will not bee subiect any more to right or reason And if men doe not flatter them and honour them as Gods they thinke they haue the greatest wrong that can bee And whereof commeth that Euen of this that when a man is great hee can haue neither mieldnesse nor lowlinesse in him except Gods spirite reigne in him For this cause are kinges warned heere to beware that they forget not themselues yea and that is yet better expressed in that Moses addeth that they must not exalt themselues aboue their brethren Whereof commeth it that kinges Princes will needes set their feete vpon al mens throtes after that fashion Euen of this pride which poysoneth their heartes that they consider not themselues to be men ne knowe any more what their state is And when they be so blinde to Godward it is no maruell though the fulnesse of their pride presumption make them to tread men vnder foote and to looke that all men should stande in feare of them and stoope to their yoke That is the cause why Moses matcheth those two thinges together Nowe then if we intend to refreine from doing wrong or outrage to any man lette vs looke that we knowe ourselues For as is sayde in the common prouerb he that knowes himselfe best settes least by himselfe And it is the way also for vs to behaue ourselues lowlily and meekely towardes our neighbours But if a man forget himselfe he must needes by and by mount vp into al pride and outrage without making spare of any thing And seeing this was forbidden to kinges what is done to such as are farre their inferiours Therfore let euery man in his degree apply this matter to his owne instruction Let such as are in authoritie be well ware that they exalt not thē selues through pride if they wil not be cast down to their shame For the higher that the seate is whereon a man sitteth the sorer is his fall euen to the breaking of his necke perchaunce Therefore let those whō God hath exalted haue a care to holde themselues continually in rest and not starte aside but serue God and his people continually And it is sayde heere expresly Against thy brethren or aboue thy brethren For Kinges and Princes thinke themselues to be as it were cut off frō the company of men and that they ought not any more to be counted of the cōmon aray of thē But our Lorde skorning such disdainfulnesse sayeth Yet are they your brethren In deede this is spoken of the children of Abraham which were descended all of one race But choose mee out a king where yee will is he not a man And are not they his brethren ouer whom hee reigneth And if the case stande so with the greatest kinges of the earth what is to be thought of those that are farre their inferiours Now therefore when a man is in authoritie or hath wherwith to maintaine himselfe in credit if he be tempted to forget himselfe let him consider thus yet am I not separated from the rest of the body I am a member thereof still and they that are my inferiours cease not to be my brethren What a thing were it then if I should vaunt my selfe Were it not a despysing of God Let such as are aduaunced to any state of great preheminence remember this warning as oft as they be tempted to despise other men and to shake them off Lette them thinke thus what shoulde wee be as Lyons towardes Lambes where there is brotherhoode There is no brotherhoode betweene a Lyon and a Lambe If I haue a Lyons heart full of pride Lordlinesse and ouerweening what a thing is it Can I liue with them that are committed vnto me Esa. 33.6 Yea for we see what is sayde of king Ezechias when y e Prophet Esay telleth him of the restoring of the people to their former state And no doubt but he had an eye to this text to shewe howe it was the duetie of Ezechias and of all kinges to be a shadowe for the refreshing and easing of their people a fosterfather to the poore and fatherlesse Esa. 49.23 and a comforte of them that are in distresse and sorrowe And for a conclusion he sayeth that the feare of God shall bee a treasure in his time according to that which I haue shewed already So that if kinges will behaue themselues as they ought they must sette their mindes vpon this lesson as it is shewed them by the Lawe of God It was applyed to the person of Ezechias but yet must all other men looke to themselues And if our Lorde tell this lesson to y ◠great ones without sparing them what temptations soeuer they haue what will come of it when the meaner sort wil needes play the loose coltes and not be bridled but kicke and spurne against God Doe they not shewe themselues to be very much blinded with pride And therfore let vs learne to profite so by the thinges that our Lorde teacheth vs as all men both great small may submit themselues euery one according to his degree state calling that God may be honored of al men and y t there may be one general obedience from the formost to the hindermost Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done y t by meanes thereof wee may be drawen to true repentance to mislike of all our vices transgressions to rid ourselues of thē till God haue so wrought in vs that we be throughly clothed with his righteousnes that in the meane while hee so beare with vs in our weakenesse as wee may not faile to obtained fauour at his hande although wee liue not in such perfection as were to be wished That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant people out of the captiuitie of errours and darkenesse wherein they are helde that so he may leade them to the knowledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it would please him to raise vp true faithfull ministers of his worde c. Leuie then are as a body torne in peeces And yet doeth God turne their punishment into an honour And therein appeareth his goodnesse forasmuch as he maketh the thinges to redound to our benefite and saluation which should haue beene to our condemnation Loe howe God worketh towardes those that are his Insomuch that although hee punish them for their sinnes yet doth he make them feele his goodnesse therwith by turning the thinges to a contrary ende which should haue beene to their shame After the same manner befell it to all the posteritie
there was no meane to appease Gods displeasure but that for all his flattering of Samuell 1. Sam. 15.27.28 yet hee auayled so litle thereby that when hee had rent the Prophetes Cote the Prophete saide vnto him euen so will God rende the kingdome from thee hee cryed out and flang himselfe out of his bounds saying thus What should I doe more Seeing that God hath forsaken mee I also on my side must forsake him And what was the end hereof He went after Witches Whereas hee hadde punished inchaunters before nowe he goeth to seeke them And what came of it Samuell was shewed him in a shape that is to say in a shadowe and imagination so as he thought the Prophete to haue beene raised vp againe by meanes of the Witch Sith we see it befell thus to such a king as God had chosen and to whom hee had giuen the sacred authoritie til the kingdome of Dauid were set vp what shall wee say to it Let vs applie it to such instruction as I haue touched alreadie to make vs liue in feare For when men doe feele themselues after that sort in euil and wilfully shrinke away from God Satan must needes take possession of them and then is there not any thing vnpossible vnto him Wee shall heare incredible thinges reported of Witches and wee must not maruell though God execute so exceeding great vengeaunce For when men haue once turned their backes vpon him and forsaken him euen of wilfull malice they must needs become starke beastes Finally here is mention made of such as aske counsell of the deade For it is not our Lords will that wee shoulde haue anie thing to doe with the deade Therefore they that vse such coniurations goe about to peruert the whole order of nature For doe men what they can yet can they not bring the liuing and the deade together but the deuill steps in betwixt them and pretendeth the persons of the dead so as to outward seeming the dead man himselfe appeareth as was not long since rehearsed whereas in very deed it is the diuell that worketh such illusions And therefore let vs marke wel that seeing our Lord hath forbidden vs to haue to doe with the dead we cannot be deceiued so long as wee keepe within our bounds and attempt not anie thing which we see not to bee comprised within the order which he hath set And thereby we see also that al the things y t euer haue bin said of y e comming vp againe of dead mens ghosts haue bin but sleights of satan when men haue bin beguiled by thā it was al one as if they had wilfully yeelded thēselues slaues to satan And yet was it held for great deuotion in Poperie The cause why they made pilgrimages and Masses to be sung yea and their feast of all soules to be kept once a yeare was by reason of a Reuelatiō or dreame of some deuout Monke that had an idle head He heard y e crying of deadmens soules and thereupon the Papistes concluded that a solemne feast was to be kept for the dead such and such things were to be done for them To be short in that men haue inuented seruice for the dead in the Popedome that was nothing els but meere witcherie euen such as God disliketh in this text and vtterly abhorreth And all they y t haue their deuotion after y t fashion to pray for y e dead are witches and sorcerers for they beleeue in Satans inchantments in despite of God And now let vs marke that these thinges here are not noted as smal tolerable faults but it is said expresly that they be abhominable before God that the people of Chanaan were to be rooted out for such crimes misdeeds Wherby we see y t although other vices were to be pardoned yet ought this to be punished and vtterly roted out Therefore if we will be taken for Gods people let vs see that we vnderstand what this word Abhomination betokeneth namely y t we must be very ware of sorceries inchauntments such other like things And indeed wee see how such things haue euer bin misliked euen among y e heathen How much soeuer witchcraft had raigned yet was it a great thing for a man to haue asked is this well done For euery man would haue said How so It is a monster it is a shamefull cursed thing After y t maner did the heathen speake thereof For it was Gods will y t it should be so ingrauen in mens harts as it might be reproued euen without y e doctrine of the lawe True it is y t in Poperie all are witches in their idolatries for in y e fiftenth of the first booke of Samuel 1. S◠15.23 God cuppleth those two sins togither yea I haue told you already y t the seruice of y e dead is a kind of witchcraft Yet notwithstanding they alwaies abhorre y e terme and vtterly mislike thereof And why Because God hath suffered it to make thē y e more vnexcusable So then let vs marke y t it is not for vs to suffer either inchanters or witches amōg vs. And if these be forbidden we must vnderstand therwithall y t all other kinds of Wisardrie are deadly crimes before God And if Iudges Magistrats do their duties it is certain y t they wil no more beare with them than with murthers It seemeth a smal fault to turne about y e siue as we terme it in this coūtry but it is more worthy to be punished than y e fleaing of a man quicke For why It is an ouerthrowing of Gods seruice and a peruerting of y e order of nature Were it not worthy of punishment and punishment againe if the order of nature should bee confounded betweene men and bruit beasts Were there any reason in so doing And surely when men begin with such inchauntments it is certain y t they fall into a deeper and dreadfuller dungeon than if they giue ouer their bodies to companie with the bruit beastes And yet wee see the selfe same illusions to bee wrought by satan vpon al witches sorcerers And what is the originall cause thereof but that they bee turned away from Gods truth Although there were no further euill in it than the attributing of Gods office vnto satan yet were it a matter in no wise to be borne with There is a thing concealed from me I wold know it yea but God is not minded to discouer it vnto thee That 's no matter I will find it out by some meanes or other though he say nay to it yea I will haue vnderstanding of it by diuelish illusion Is it not a making of warre against God if this be suffered So then let vs marke that if we will be taken for Christians Witchcraftes inchantments such other like thinges must bee lesse borne with among vs than Robberies and murthers Also it ought to make indeede the hayres to stand vp vpon our heads when
Indeede I had not done it wittingly but yet had I not bin excusable for al that Then was I in danger to haue beene guiltie of murther and in what case were I then if I shoulde suffer such a fault to scape vnpunished Now then if a Iudge bethinke him not of these thinges it is a token that he hath no feare of God in him Therefore it behooueth vs so much the more to marke well this saying of Moses that y e Iudges eye must not spare the partie that hath done a fault worthie of punishment For it is but crueltie to vse such wrongfull mercie as maketh vs to runne headlong to the breaking of al order set by God and of all vprightnesse among men Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowlement of our sins praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may be drawen to true repentaunce and learne more and more to repaire vnto him not tarying till hee hale vs thither by force but seeing hee vouchsafeth to allure vs so gently by his worde let vs come willingly vnto him and prouoking our selues forward become our owne iudges y t in condemning ourselues we may seeke to be acquit by his mercie And that it may please him to guide vs in the meane time as that being rid of our wicked affections cares that holde vs backe from comming to him we may shewe by our deedes that we be his true children and that we beare the marke of his holy spirit That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the xvii of December 1555. The Cxvj. Sermon which is the fifth vppon the nineteenth Chapter and the first vpon the twentith Chapter 19 Thou shalt doe vnto him as he meant to haue done to his brother and so thou shalt rid away euill from among you 20 And others hearing thereof shal be afraid and not doe any such wicked deede among you from thenceforth 21 Thine eye shal not spare him but life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote The twentith Chapter WHen thou goest forth to warre against thine enimies and thou seest horses and Chariots and a greater multitude of people than thy selfe be not afraid of them For the Lorde thy God which hath brought thee vp out of the lande of Egypt is with thee 2 And when yee come neere to giue battell then shal the Priest come forth and speake to the people 3 And say vnto them Hearken ô Israel now that ye be come hither this day to giue battell to your enimies let not your heartes faint be not afraid neither be ye discouraged or abashed at the sight of them 4 For the Lorde your God goeth with you to fight for you against your enimies and to preserue you WE saw yesterday what punishment God ordeined for such as practise mischefe against their neighbours And that concerneth Iudges and such as haue the sword of Iustice in their hande But as for vs we for our parte ought to suffer the wronges patiently that are done vnto vs. Or else if we pursue them that they may be punished it must not be done of malicious spite nor with desire of reuendge but to the intent that the partie which is to be punished may bee kept from offending any more afterwarde and also that no outrages or violent dealinges may bee suffered least others shoulde growe bolde to doe so too but that all men may bee made to stande in feare by beholding the example of him that is punished And by this meanes wee see howe the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ agreeth verie well with the doctrine of the Lawe For hee telleth vs that wee must not resist euill The Lawe commaundeth that hee which procureth the death of his Neighbour shall be put to death and not bee spared Nowe at the first sight heere seemeth to be some contrarietie But wee must consider to whome our Lorde speaketh when hee sayth that the offender must bee punished namely that hee speaketh to those whome he hath put in authoritie When hee saith resist not euill with euill hys meaning is that euerie of vs shoulde liue quietly and put vp wronges patiently rather than requite like for like And that is the cause why hee sayth in the fifth of Matthewe yee haue hearde howe it hath beene saide to the men of olde time Matt. 5.38 An eye for an eye and a hande for a hande but I say vnto you if a man strike you on the one cheeke turne him the other also and if a man take awaie thy Cloake bee willing to giue him thy Coate too or if hee take awaye thy Coate giue him thy Cloake too We see howe the Iewes abused the saide Lawe For vnder pretence that GOD woulde haue no iniuries to scape vnpunished they bare themselues in hande that euerie man might seeke to bee reuenged of his enemies But wee must in aniewise put a difference betweene the lawes of policie and the Lawes of GOD which require a perfection and serue to rule our heartes and affections by so as it is not Lawfull to procure harme to anie man though hee haue deserued it The ciuill Lawe and earthly policie giue men leaue to seeke amendes of the wronges doone vnto them and the Iudge is bounde to satisfie their demaunde but yet for all that if the partie that is wronged haue a malicious hearte and his accusing of his enemies is to bee reuenged of him hee is not excused before God Although hee haue right ministred vnto him before men and they say that his cause is good and lawefull yet for all that doeth GOD condemne him And why so Because as I tolde you before wee must bee patient For what vertue is it to bee friendlie to such as loue vs and to wishe no euill to such as doe vs pleasure and seruice Matt. 5.46 Doe not the heathen as much But if men vexe vs and put vs to shame and trouble and wee beare with it indeuouring to ouercome their euill by doeing good then doe wee shewe our selues to be Gods children and followers of his example who causeth his day sunne to shine both vppon good and badde Therefore let vs first marke this foretouched difference betweene the Lawes of policie and the Lawe of GOD which is spirituall and serueth to rule all the affections of a mannes hearte Nowe in policie there is no more to bee looked for but that no man attempt anie thing agaynst his neighbour that men doe one an other no harme that men worke no displeasure one to an other neither in goods nor in person nor in name and that whosoeuer offendeth bee punished But when GOD sheweth vs howe wee shoulde liue hee saith not onely refrayne your selues from euill and let him that offendeth bee punished but hee telleth vs also Matt. 5.28 that it is not
through so much filthines in this world we may be taught to amende our misdoinges continually vntil that we be throughly ridde of them for the full vniting of vs to himselfe and to make vs pertakers of his heauenly glorie That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the xxiiij of March 1556. The CLIX. Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 36 The Lord wil carry thee and thy king which thou shalt haue set ouer thee to a people which thou hast not knowen neither thou nor thy fathers and there shalt thou serue other gods of wood and of stone 37 And there shalt thou be a gazing stocke a skoffing stocke and a byworde to all people to whom the Lorde shall bring thee 38 Thou shalt lay much seede in the grounde and shalt gather litle for the grassehoppers shall deuour it 39 Thou shalt plant a vineyearde and dresse it but thou shalt not drinke the wine of it nor gather any fruite of it for the wormes shall eate it 40 Thou shalt haue Oliue trees in all thy coastes but thou shalt not annoint thyselfe with the oyle of it for all thine Oliues shal be shaken off 41 Thou shalt beget sonnes and daughters but not to thy selfe for they shall goe into Captiuitie 42 The worme shall destroy all thy trees and the fruite of thy lande 43 The straunger which dwelleth with thee shall rise aboue thee very high and thou shalt stoope vnder him verie lowe 44 He shall lende vnto thee and not thou vnto him he shal be the head and thou shalt be the taile 45 And all these curses shall come vpon thee and followe thee and take holde of thee vntill thou be vtterly rooted out because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lorde thy God by keeping his commaundementes and ordinaunces which he hath commaunded thee WE know when the people of Israel chose theÌ„ a king with what affection they were led â—â—al 10. euen of pride for that they would not bee inferiours to their neighbours Moreouer they thought to be very sure by hauing a head ouer theÌ„ that should haue the whole authoritie And so ye see that the children of AbrahaÌ„ could not content themselues with their libertie but desired to haue a king Because they sawe the Egyptians the Syrians the Moabites yea and the Tyrians and other like people to haue kinges they bare themselues in hand that if they also might haue a head all would goe well with them Now like as pride and ambition was the cause that they chose a king in Israell euen so became they hardhearted thereupon supposing themselues to be out of all perils by hauing such a defence by meane whereof we see that they despised the prophetes vnder pretence that they thought themselues well fensed The spirite of GOD foreseeing this albeit that it was not yet come to passe sayde in this Text That the king which they shall appoint should be lead captiue into a straunge countrey As if God should haue sayde that they might well seeke startinghooles to saue themselues but they should stande them in no steede at all against his hande This is the thing that we touched yesterday namely that when God is our aduersarie we may not thinke to maynetaine ourselues against him by the meane of creatures knowing that he will surely apply theÌ„ to our destruction Therefore let none of vs deceiue himselfe neither let vs make our defence of that which is nothing but smoke and leasing It is true that the king which was first chosen by the people of Israell namely king Saule was not brought to captiuitie 1. Sam. 31.4 howbeit that he dyed in battayle but the successours of Dauid were handled cruelly with great reproch notwithstanding that God had ordained them yea and that they were a figure and Image of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And it is a horrible thing that the kingdome which GOD had dedicated vnto himselfe as witnessed the annoynting should be layde foorth to such a reproch Yee see howe the successours of Dauid which hadde receiued the promise that their seate shoulde be euerlasting and in the meane while were as the figures of our Lorde Iesus Christe were handeled on such a sort that they were led prisoners in chains were arrained as offenders had their eyes put out hadde their childrens throtes cutte in their owne presence were cast into a deepe dungeon there to rotte or to bee eaten to death with vermine and that as you see is a verie strange matter But the vengeance of God was to extende so farre euen of necessitie because of the frowardenesse of the people whereof was none other remedie And the more that God had suffered them and patiently waited for them the more were they to bee brought to the extremitie of all confusion for despising so great goodnesse and for beeing so frowarde and hardhearted against it Nowe we may heereby gather a good warning to witte that as was declared yesterday albeit that according to the worlde we seeme to stande in no perill yet doeth it behooue vs to seeke to haue Gods fauour for if he be not on our side and we vnder his sauegarde cursed are all the helps which we suppose to haue of creatures for they serue rather to ouerthrowe vs. And therefore lette vs take heede that wee put not our confidence in the greatnesse of Princes or in any other deâ—ences for wee see howe they bee but meanes to blinde such as might else turne to GOD and obtaine foregiuenesse of him and that in the ende it shall ouerthrowe them vtterly Let vs then bee better aduised and though we seeme to be neuer so wel garded to y e worlde yet let not that be a lette vnto vs to walke alwayes in the feare of God knowing that all the fauor which we are able to purchase in the world is nothing at all and that if God doe but blowe vppon it all vanisheth away in the minute of an houre That is the thing which we haue to mark vpon this text Nowe it is sayde expresly That as well the king as the subiectes shall serue straunge Gods yea euen of stone and of woodde that is to say puppettes and Idolles No doubt but that God by these wordes ment to vtter how dreadfull punishment was to come vppon the Iewes For albeit that the nourishment that God giueth vs and in like wise all the Testimonies of his fatherly loue and goodnesse appertayning to this transitorie life bee to bee highly esteemed yet the most singular benefite that we receiue as long as wee liue in the worlde is that we haue Religion well ordred that his seruice be pure amongst vs that we call vppon him and that it bee lawefull for vs to claime him as our GOD and that wee be not berayde and defiled with superstition and Idolatrie That say I is