be of his Church in which respect we be say I more bound vnto him than were the Iewes Now it is true y t gods writing of his law in two tables of stone as I haue declared already heretofore specially in the first place was to y e intent y t his doctrine should abide sure For he had an eye to y e cōmon trade among men who vpon the making of leags alliances are wont to haue thē ingrauen in stone or brasse After y e same maner it was Gods wil y t his law should for y e better continuance therof be grauen in two stones Ye see then how God doth as it were passe a solemn couenant Neuerthelesse wee must therwithall also come to the figure namely y t the writing of the law after y t fashion in a cupple of stones serued to shew y t it was not ynough for folke to haue y e law giuen thē to vnderstand it vnlesse it were ingrauen in their hearts For we must come to y e similitude y t is made by y e prophets For although God shewed his law to be sufficiently authorised by vouchsafing to ingraue it so in these stones yet did he giue an incling y t that would nothing boote verily because y e true tables wherein it behoueth vs to write the doctrine of God are our harts howbeit not as they be by nature For what maner of ones are they Euē of stone as it is said of them in Ezechiel So then let vs marke that y e letter of y e law is nothing worth Ezec. 11.19 36.26 vntil god worke in vs by his holy spirit And that is the cause why he hath promised to make a newe couenant Ier. 31.32.33 not after the maner y t hee made it with the fathers for that continued not saith he And why Hee sheweth y t the blame fault therof is in men be cause they turne away runne at rouers as soon as God hath called them neuer follow him at all Although they pretend to make great account of his grace yet is there no stedinesse in them but rather vtter lightnesse for by and by they fling away after their own wicked affectiōs The couenant of God then yea though it were written in stones could not hold them in And why so Not for that God abode not faithful on his part or that hee persisted not to shewe that his choosing of Abrahās linage was not in vaine but for that they were bereft disappointed of that great benefite dispossessed of Gods freebestowed new againe But there were fourtie yeares betweene the one and the other For Aaron dyed at such time as the people had outworne their terme of fourtie yeares during which time god had forfended them the lande of promise Now in the ende of that terme Aaron was depriued of the dignitie of the priesthood and Eleazer his son was made highpriest in his stead But here Moses comprehendeth all that had bin done by the space of fourtie yeares from the publishing of the lawe vnto the verie same day that he exhorted the people to put themselues in better readinesse to enter into their inheritance than they had beene in at the beginning He telleth them that although there had happened many changes in the meane time yet had God in effect prouided that his lawe was to bee had alwayes in estimation to be honored and that the world might perceiue that his maiestie was therein that all men ought to submit thēselues thereunto And for that cause doth Moses say that hee had chosen the children of Leuye notwithstanding that Aaron had sinned For to what ende doeth Moses speake here of his brothers death Euen to make it knowen that God had shewed fauour towardes the trybe of Leuye as well as towards all the rest of the people The trybe of Leuye was chosen to offer sacrifice it was a prerogatiue which God had giuen them And were they worthie of it Could they boast themselues to haue beene more worthie than their brethren It is true that they executed vēgeance vpon the ydolaters but yet was Moses faine to call them to him and to command them to sanctifie their handes Exod. 32.29 Yee must hallowe your hands to the Lord sayth he howe in slaying those that haue so grieuously offended and been an occasion of turning all thinges vpside downe This day therfore it behoueth you to vtter what zeale ye haue towards the maintenance of gods honour and to sanctifie his name without sparing of your own brethrē or your neerest neighbours forasmuch as they haue so defaced Gods glorie to the vttermost of their power therefore they must be vtterly rooted out The Leuites did well execute the thing that Moses cōmaunded them Exo. 32.2.4 but yet did the high priest Aaron make the golden calfe True it is that hee withstoode it or at leastwise consented not to it but yet did he swarue at length by graunting the peoples importunate request and therefore was he faine to beare the punishment which GOD tolde him of saying thou shalt not come within the land which I will giue vnto my people Albeit that he represented the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ Hebr. 5.1 ◠and was a figure of him although he was a mediatour betweene God and men so as he made intercession for the sinnes of the people offered sacrifices for the reconciling of them to the maiesty of God yet was he banished out of that lande to his shame hee dyed hee was stripped out of his robes before his death hee was as a man disgraded and God left him as a dishonoured person and as a man defaced with perpetuall reproche Now if God extended such punishment vppon the person of Aaron what had they deserued which were inferiors to him So then Moses telleth them that Gods choosing of the trybe of Leuye to carrie the Arke and to be occupyed about his seruice was not for that they were worthie of it Deut. 〈…〉 but because hee was minded to shewe the same thing to the successours of Leuye which he had spoken of the rest of the whole bodie of Abrahams ofspring namely that they had all things of his only free goodnesse That is the cause why the death of Aaron is rehearsed here But by the way we see that Moses spared not his own brother For here he repeteth the sentence y t God had giuen also executed against him y t was not for y e honor of his own house But what His meaning was y t God should be glorified men condemned Yea we see that his intent was not to conceale his owne fault but to shew that God had punished him for it though there were great cause of excuse in him al the blame was to haue bin layd vpon the people because his ouershooting of himselfe was but in y t one case that not through malice but
Furthermore Moseses intent is that the people should perceiue and haue it manifestly prooued that the great increase of them came not of the common order of nature as we see that y e world doeth multiply but that it was a very myracle of God And for the same cause doeth he also set downe the similitude that was behighted to their father Abraham For God had shewed him the starres of the skie in a vision and sayde vnto him thy seede shall be as the starres of the skie Like as the number of the starres is infinite so shall thy seede be after thee Now then to the intent to magnifie Gods grace and to print it the better in the peoples heartes Moses sayeth thus vnto them you know what was promised to your father Abraham how that his offspring should bee in number as the starres of the skie Now therefore see what a multitude is of you For in very deede it is a wonder considering howe small a number went downe into Egypt When they went thither they were but one houshold and little aboue threescore persons But when they came out they were not any longer sixtie but welneere seuen hundred thousand and it was within lesse than three hundred yeeres that this nomber was so increased For the foure hundred and thirtie yeeres are to bee reckened from the promise made vnto the people And wee see that Abraham was long time without child In the end he had Isaac who by all likelyhood should haue bene made away There was some likelyhood that Iacob should be increased he had twelue sonnes but what was that in respect of such a multitude So then Moses ment purposely to declare vnto the people y t their multiplying came of y e grace of God yea euen after an extraordinarie maner and not after the course of nature And yet notwithstanding which shall serue for an end Moses prayeth vnto God to increase the people still or rather assureth the people that he will increase them more and more Although this multitude was a great trouble to Moses yet doeth he not grudge at it but receiueth it as a blessing of God ioyfully and glorifieth him for accomplishing so his promise And therewithall he hath a care to prouide for them by good meanes seeking nothing but that God might be serued and honoured and that the fauour which he had begun to shewe to his people might continue till it were come to full perfection Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs so to feele them as we may come to him with true repentance to craue forgiuenesse of them and he release them in such wise as wee may seeke nothing but to giue ouer our selues wholly vnto him forsaking all the lustes of our flesh and all the vntoward desires which plucke vs backe to the worlde and turne vs away from the obeying of righteousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xj of Aprill 1555. The fourth Sermon vppon the first Chapter 16 And I charged then your Iudges saying Heare your brethren and iudge vprightly betweene a man and his brother and betweene the straunger that is with him 17 You shall haue no respect of person in iudgement but heare the small as well as the great Ye shall feare no mans countenance for the iudgement is the Lordes And the case that is too harde for you bring it before mee and I will heare it 18 And at the same time I commanded you all the things which you ought to doe WE haue seene already what warning Moses gaue for the choosing of men meete to gouerne the people For as hath bin declared if they had taken iudges at all aduenture it had bin a defiling of Gods seate Therefore in that case it behooued them to vse good discretion But here Moses addeth a point which wee ought to marke well For although he had procured that such as were chosen were men that feared God and were indued with singular giftes yet ceasseth he not to put them in minde of their duety and to warne them of the thinges that they had to doe Wherein wee see that euen the wisest haue neede to be taught and the vprightest and iustest haue neede to bee warned And therefore if God haue set vs in the good way and bestowed giftes of his holy spirit vpon vs let vs not thinke that therefore wee haue no neede to bee taught For wee must bee guided euen vnto the ende and wee knowe that our perfection is not in this world nor so long as wee beare our flesh about vs and are conuersant here beneath Againe whom soeuer God hath honoured by setting them in state degree of preheminence let them vnderstand that they haue neede to be told of their duetie and to bee quickened vp to discharge themselues accordingly But let vs come now to that which is conteyned here The first charge that Moses giueth to them that are ordeyned to bee Iudges and Gouernours is to heare mens causes Wherein he doeth vs to vnderstand that they ought to bee attentiue and diligent to vnderstande euery mans right For if a iudge vouchsafe not to heare howe shall he execute his office Wee knowe that although men doe the best they can to iudge aright yet their frailetie is such as they may misse and if they be negligent too then must all needes goe to confusion Therefore it is not without cause that Moses warneth the Iudges to vnderstande well mens cases And he sayeth expressely betweene the Iewes and betweene the straungers As if he should say euery man must bee suffered to shewe his reason Notwithstanding that the examination and sifting out of things may now and then procure fauour or hatred yet the iudge that will doe his duetie well must forget all thinges that may turne him from the right way And forasmuch as the straunger hath no vpholder nor stay to leane vnto the iudge must supply his want And although he can looke for no reward no nor for any great thankes at his hand to whom he may doe right yet let him not forbeare to discharge his duetie for he doeth acceptable seruice to God albeit that there come no rewarde on mens behalfe God is able ynough to recompence him Nowe then such as are Iusticers haue their lesson here in writing that is to wit that they must maintayne right and equitie towardes all men that are committed to their charge For as hath bin declared afore the office of iustice is an honourable seruice They that are set in authoritie are not aduaunced to that high estate to the intent they should trample their subiectes vnder their feete or make none account of them but contrariwise they bee bounde vnto them and it is a kinde of seruice For God hath not made principalities for a fewe mens pleasures to y e end that all mankind should be their
bee wonne by vs then shall our mildenesse and gentlenesse turne to burning coales against them wherewith they shall bee consumed Besides this the Lorde will maintaine our innocencie and when he seeth that wee haue not assailed those at whose handes we demaund not any thing but rather haue laboured to ouercome euill with dooing good let vs not doubt but he will assist vs with his succour There is this further that Moses termeth it The word of peace when men abstaine from all euill dooing and offer all right and reason which wee ought to marke well for many will say that they desire nothing but peace howbeit that is but to their owne profite and to their neighbors losse and that is no meane of peace in deede Desire wee then to bee at peace Desire wee to haue agreement with them that dwell with vs Let vs on our side deale vprightly let vs abstaine from all wrong dooing let vs greeue no man let vs drawe no mans goods to our selues let vs yeeld euerie man that which is his due Lo what peace is And herein wee see that all the faire protestations which they make that are giuen to rauine and extorsion are but lyes For the holy Ghost hath tolde vs here that there is no word of peace but where vprightnesse and iust dealing is obserued so as no man is vexed in any wise And like as wee must indeuour to bee reasonable towardes our neighbours to maintaine friendship with them so if they offer vs reason wee must looke that we refuse it not For if wee bee vnmeasurably hard to bee contented the thing must needes be performed in vs which is written in the Psalme Psal. 109.17 that is to wit he refused blessednesse and it is farre off from him therefore shall cursednesse couer him as a cloake and it shall sticke fast to his flesh and to his skinne Would wee then that God should blesse vs and cause men also to beare vs fauour and friendship Let vs on our behalfe seeke blessednesse to the vttermost of our power and when wordes of peace are offered vs let vs not goe seeke occasions of controuersie to stirre vp strife and debate Thus ye see what wee haue to marke vpon that text Nowe let vs come to that which Moses addeth He saieth That Sehon King of Hesebon woulde not giue the children of Israel leaue to passe And why For the Lord saieth he had hardened his spirit and made his heart stubborne I haue told you alreadie that although God foresee that the message of peace shall not preuaile yet he ceasseth not to send it But here Moses expresseth yet a further matter that God hardeneth mens hartes And in the ende he addeth moreouer that he doeth it of purpose to ouerthrowe them and destroy them which is much more Nowe this is verie straunge geere at the first sight And that is the cause why men haue gone about to alter these textes but in so doing they haue marred them for it is all one when they would set such a glose as this vpon it that Gods hardening of Sehons heart was no more but his promising that hee should become hard hearted and that he letted not the hardnesse and stubbornnesse of his hart that is to say he did let Sehon alone when he shewed himselfe stubborn These are too feeble shiftes For when as the scripture saith expressely that GOD hardened it fathereth the verie worke it selfe vpon him Againe wee see how it saieth Thou Lord hast done it and that in mo places than onely in this Thinke wee that the holy Ghost wanted wordes wherewith to vtter his meaning when he saide I will harden Pharaos heart Exod. â— â— and beholde God hath hardened him And againe when he saieth in the Psalme that the Lord turned conuerted their heartes vnto stubbornnesse Psal. 105 when they rose vp so against Israel If men should flee alwayes to this glose God saieth that he will harden that is to say he will not hinder or impeache the hardening to what purpose were that Wee see it is a fond kinde of dealing and the word Turne sheweth it well Behold God turneth the heart Whereas mens heartes were plyable and disposed to courtesie God turneth them and maketh them to be inflamed with hatred so as they be the first that begin the warre And what meaneth that So then vnlesse wee meane to dally and mocke with the holy scripture we must not seeke such shifts but rather consider after what sort it is that God hardeneth mens heartes and yet notwithstanding is not guiltie of the hardnesse that is in meÌ„ nor can or ought to bee charged with the euill Wee must come to that point For let vs marke that although God harden mens heartes yet men faile not also to harden themselues And these two things may agree very well that is to wit that a man shoulde harden himselfe in his owne naughtinesse and yet not without Gods working in such wise as the euill proceedeth not of him ne ought to bee imputed to him as I said afore And to proue that men themselues ought to beare the blame and condemnation of their hard heartednesse there needeth no long discourse to bee made for euery man carieth his owne inditement readie framed in himselfe As howe Euen the wickedst sort doe giue euidence against themselues and although all the world would excuse them and that both great small did acquit them yet haue they a hartbiting within them which maketh them to perceiue that whensoeuer they offend or sinne they doe it willingly of their owne accorde of a certaine lewdnesse and with their owne wil. There is not that man which knoweth not this Euen the greatest despisers of God that are say I euen they that are become as brutish as is possible to bee haue the said brondingyron searing within them so as they knowe that their sinnes come of nothing else than their owne selfe mouing and of their owne cursed and wicked affection Seeing then that men doe feele themselues guiltie there needeth no more disputing vppon that poinâ— But now let vs come to the second point that is to wit how it is that God hardeneth men without being partaker of their sinnes Let vs marke that sometimes the causes shall be apparant And whensoeuer God punisheth men wee must needes confesse that hee doeth it iustly marke that for one poynt Now one of the meanes which he hath to punishe men with all is that hee blindeth them that hee hardeneth their hartes that hee sendeth them the spirit of giddinesse that hee deliuereth them vp to Satan These then are signes of Gods wrath and vengeance And therefore if there were any cause going before wee must glorify him And why for hee doeth the office of a iudge and for so doing there is no cause to carp and snap at him It is sayd that God will send the spirit of drowsinesse vppon men 〈◊〉 19.14 â—â—m 1.28 And why
sorrowes and many hartbytings On the one side wee shall haue sickenesse and on the other side pouertie besides these men shall doe vs wrong and diuers other inconueniences and to be shorte wee shall in effecte doe nothing but pyne and languishe In deede if God delt so mildely with vs as wee might alwayes haue our mouthes open to prayse him so as there were nothing but myrth and ease in our lyfe wee should perceiue his loue the more playnely But yet in the meane while although wee be afflicted although wee haue much anguishe and griefe yet doth the substance of our saluation continue still What is to be done in this case Let it content vs that GOD is our father Although he handle vs not as wee woulde wishe but rather cleane contrariwise so as in steade of sweetenesse wee finde bitternesse and hee graunteth not our requestes at the first choppe but hideth himselfe from vs in our afflictions as if hee had forsaken vs and giueth vs not meate and drinke at our pleasure finally when all thinges faile vs yet let it suffice vs that wee haue stil the warrant of our adoptiō that God ceaseth not to take vs and auow vs for his children These say I are the thinges wherewith we must content our selues in such wise as all thinges else must bee borne patiently by vs. And that is it which wee haue to marke vppon these wordes where GOD sayth to Moses bee contented But the vnbeleeuers haue not this prerogatiue God shaketh them off quite if they cry he giueth deafe eare to them neither saith hee to them for their comfort bee contented but hee letteth them chawe vppon the bridle so as they bee in horrible vnquietnesse and vexation and haue not wherewith to asswage their sorrowe For they beleeue not that God beareth them a fatherly good will nor that hee receiueth them into his fauour So now wee see more clearely the thing that I touched briefly before that is to wit that Gods refusing of the faithfull is not an vtter reiecting of their prayers as though their calling vppon him had not booted them at all but hee graunteth them generally that which is good for their saluation And as for in the rest he cutteth them out their morsels so as hee graunteth them not whatsoeuer they wishe neither were it for their welfare that hee shoulde so doe Therefore must wee beare this lesson so in minde as wee may bee able to put it in vre that is to wit that if wee obteine not all that euer wee faine would at Gods hand but that when we resort vnto him he suffreth vs to linger stil in our miseries easeth vs not of our troubles at the first so as we dragge our winges after vs as they say we must bethinke vs of this that wee must be contented And why for it is good reason that wee should yeelde to the good pleasure of our God seeing hee reserueth this inestimable benefite and priuiledge to vs that wee be still mustered in the aray of his children And besides this let vs assure our selues that God furthereth our soules health in refusing to graunt vs the thinges that he knoweth to be vnmeete for vs. Wee see that diuers times hee granted y e disobedient their desires Num. 11.18 but that was not to their benefite It had bin much better for them to haue gone without them and that God had sayd them flat nay of them Contrariwise when hee denyeth our requestes and maketh vs to perceiue that it is not reason that our lustes shoulde raunge vnbrideled and wee haue all that our fancie runnes vppon his making of vs to perceiue all this is to our benefite As for example if a childe haue a fickle head as commonly all children lacke discretion and desire his father some fond or euill thing if his father let him haue his swindge lyke a goose hee putteth the halter about his neck by cockering of him too much But if hee shewe him a grim looke and make him perceiue that he is a light-headed boy without wit or discretion his child will be the better for it afterward and this correction whereby his foolishe appetite is repressed wil do him good Euen so doth God towards vs for hee knoweth it is much better for vs to haue our lustes subdewed than to giue them too much libertie And that is y e cause why he did so precisely deny Moses request Wee knowe that if euer man obteined fauor in Gods sight it was Moses inespecially aboue all other Exod. 33.11 For God did him the honor to shewe himselfe familiarly vnto him face to face as a friend doth to his companion for so doth the scripture itselfe report and yet yee see his request was refused for it was sayd vnto him Speake no more to mee of this matter Hee doth as it were threaten him Now if Moses were thus dealt with let vs vnderstand that wee ought not to take it too much to hart if God deale roughly with vs nowadayes and make no haste to succour vs but rather that to our seeming the miserie increaseth dubble after wee haue prayed vnto him Let vs not thinke the matter strāge for it shall turne to our benefite To be short let vs learne to beare all temporall corrections patiently which God sendeth vnto vs. Although our condition waxe woorse and woorse to the worldward although wee haue a heauy burthen to beare although wee haue many harde and grieuous thinges to indure yet notwithstanding wee must come to this poynt that forasmuch as they bee but temporall chastisements wee may well holde our selues quiet for our saluatiō abideth stil vnappayred And although wee obteine not some thing which wee aske yet must wee not thinke our selues vtterly barred from it vntil our Lord shewe vs by some euident signe As how When a man is in trouble he repayreth vnto God and craueth mercie and yet he findeth no reliefe but in sted of easement he findeth himself tormēted dubble All y t he gaineth by his calling vpon God is that his miserie is increased But yet for all this hee must not be discouraged but continue still in praying vnto God And therewithall wee must consider thus God knoweth to what end hee doth it And his delaying to grant vs our request is to shewe vs that although hee suffer vs to languish in our aduersities yet doth he not forget vs nor disdayne to be our father still but onely teacheth vs to obey him and to bee subiect to him After that manner then must wee behaue our selues in praying When it shall seeme that wee haue lost our time in calling vpon God yet must wee still come backe to this comforte saying No God sheweth mee that it is not meete for mee to aske whatsoeuer I thinke good but that I must come and put my selfe into his hands with all humblenesse to receiue what hee thinks good and to holde all my desires in obedience vnto him Seeing that hee
the matter to wit whether the preachers doe set foorth any straunge doctrine whether they haue put forth any forged dotages or whether they haue set vp any lawes at their owne pleasure If it be found that the ministers preach Gods worde purely that they are glad and faine to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ that they procure the same to the vttermost of their power and that they seeke to haue such order in the Church as God may alwayes be worshiped and good policie bee mainteined among men with whom haue they to do which striue here against And we must bee faine to come to the protestation that Moses made Exod. 16.7 saying What are wee Moses and Aaron What haue wee set foorth which wee haue not receiued of God What cause haue you to mooue this sedition and vprore in saying that yee cannot abide that wee shoulde reigne ouer you What is the souereintie what is the dominion which we woulde haue ouer you Wee desire nothing but that God bee obeyed and that hee haue the authoritie and preheminence that belong vnto him Loe howe Moses spake of his time And after the same maner speake wee nowadayes to these roysters which seeke to bring all to confusion vnder shadowe and pretence that they intende to mainteine the Gospell whereas it appeareth that they make a flatte mockerie of it and raile against it Yet for all this they that haue any taste of Religion wil defie such plages and separate themselues from them least God wrappe them vp with them in the same condemnation and they will looke to make the knowledge profitable which they have receiued yea and with all humblenesse receiue the thinges that are taught them by men so they bee sure that they come from God Thus yee see what wee haue to remember vppon this sentence Nowe afterwarde hee commaundeth them to keepe these thinges and to doe them And why for saith hee Beholde your vnderstanding and your wisedome in the sight of all Nations is that you bee taught of your God Whereas he saith ye shall keepe them therefore and doe them it is a conclusion well worthie to bee noted For must it not needes be that men are starke madde when they haue no minde to heare God at such time as hee teacheth them What are wee that GOD shoulde take the paine to doe the office of a teacher towardes vs Is it not a great stooping downe from his highnesse But seeing that God doth so lessen himselfe as to stoope to our rudenesse to teach vs shoulde wee let his worde fall to the grounde and despise it So then let vs vnderstande that whensoeuer wee bee spoken to in Gods name we ought to tremble vnder his maiestie yea and to imbrace his worde with all reuerence truely hartily and zealously For it is but a counterfait worshipping of God if we be not as Lambes suffring our selues to be led by his onely voice and it is certaine that if we followe not after him as soone as hee doeth but make a signe wee be wilde beastes and hee will not knowe vs for any of his And so wee see what authoritie the name of God carieth with it insomuch that when Gods worde is set afore vs wee must all cast downe our heades and bowe downe our neckes to receiue the yoke that is laide vpon vs and seeke by al meanes to please him and to be obedient to him Nowe Moses returneth to that which I touched at the beginning namely that God indeuoureth to drawe vs to him by gentlenesse and hee sheweth it heere to the people of Israel in telling them of the excellent prerogatiue that had beene giuen them For beholde heere saieth God this is thy wisedome and thine vnderstanding in the sight of all nations Wee knowe that naturally it is a griefe to men to be counted beasts And why For they knowe that the thing wherein they differ from beastes is that they haue discretion and reason in them God to the intent to make vs excell Oxon Asses Dogges and Swyne hath printed his image in vs. And wherein consisteth this image but in the hauing of discretion to descerne betweene good and euillâ— And therefore it is not to bee maruailed at though men couet to bee skilfull and to haue wisedome and abilitie to iudge But yet for all that there are verie fewe that seeke rightly to haue a true iudgement insomuch that al doe rather turne away and wander after their owne fancies and become brutish in themselues Yet neuerthelesse as I saide afore wee make great account of the hauing of discretion and wisedome to iudge betweene good and euill But heere Moses sheweth that men are vnable to rule themselues In deede wee weene yes but it is but a weening yea and an ouerweening For our life is vtterly out of order and there is nothing well ruled in it vntill GOD haue shewed vs the way and that wee haue profited in his schoole That is the thing where vnto Moses leadeth the people as nowe All men sayeth hee are desirous of knowledge and loath to bee as brute beastes Because they bee shaped after the image of God they woulde faine haue discretion that they might know how to liue Nowe it is so that GOD giueth you discretion and wisedome by vouchsafing to set his worde before you So then bee not so vnthankefull towardes him as to misuse so inestimable a benefite Suffer GOD to make you profite in such wise by his worde as yee may bee skilfull and wise and not wander any more Wee see now in effect the meaning of Moses Nowe haue wee to gather vppon this text what the weakenesse of mans minde is True it is that our father Adam receiued vnderstanding and power to discerne betweene good and euill in his creation but after hee had sinned hee was after a sort blinded And wee likewise are corrupted so as wee discerne in a manner nothing at all Wee take white for blacke as it appeareth by our corrupting of the whole seruice of GOD by our superstitions â—â—o 2.14.15 True it is that God hath left vs some discretion so as we knowe it is euill to commit theft whoredome murther c. but yet notwithstanding wee be daseled in such wise that our insight is not so cleare and sure as to make vs walke aright Yee see then after what sort men are marde and it is the thing that the scripture sheweth vs Ep. 4.17 â— insomuch that the wretched Paynims and such as knew not God could not but be plunged in darknesse and so destitute of reason as they coulde not discerne any more That is the first point which we haue to marke And when as Moses intytleth Gods worde and his lawe to bee our wisedome thereby hee sheweth that wee haue no wisedome in our selues ne knowe howe to behaue our selues but are as brute beastes vntill such time as our Lorde haue taught vs. That is another point And were the same well
in saying it is the loue of God For it is not ynough for vs to knowe that God hath chosen vs to himselfe but we must also know what it is that moued him thereto and how he was induced thervnto Did hee seeke the cause of it out of himselfe No but his owne loue was the cause that he chose vs. Nowe when the scripture speaketh of Gods loue it meaneth that free fauor which he beareth towards vs so as he respecteth not our persons nor seruices nor aught else that wee can bring Sith it is so let vs consider here Gods goodnes two wayes For first of al when we haue his Gospel preached among vs and his Sacraments whereby he gathereth vs as it were into his fold and sheweth himselfe to be our shepherd it is say I a choosing of vs for the which wee be greatly bounde vnto him in so much that our maliciousnesse must needes be cast in our teeth and bee called to account to receiue horrible veÌ„geance if we make no reckening of so great a grace as he hath bestowed vpon vs. Therefore let vs make much of the benefite that we inioy Deâ—â— â—â— that is to wit of Gods gathering vs heere together in his name to bee as his houshold folke But there is yet a seconde choosing which is when euerie of vs perceiueth that God hath inlightened him by his holie spirit and made vs to tast his worde so as wee sticke to it by fait and that hee hath graffed vs into the bodie of Iesus Christ Rom. â—â— Eph. 5â— to the ende we shoulde bee taken held for members of him which thing wee must vnderstand commeth not of our selues nor of our owne power but of Gods will which vouchsafed to marke vs out And why Let vs not make long circuits to finde some reason in our selues but let vs holde vs contented with the free loue of our God for hee is not bounde to any man Hee might destroye all mankinde by his iustice but yet for all that he hath pitie vpon vs. And wheras he pitieth not all alike but letteth whom hee list alone therein he intendeth to giue the greater shewe of his goodnesse as I haue said alredy to the ende that wee shoulde compare our selues with others and say Wherfore am I one of gods elect wherefore hath God chosen mee to himselfe I shoulde haue beene as other men are if God had not reached me his hand And what moued him to do it His owne meere goodnesse This comparison then must induce vs to glorifie our God when we see that he hath stretched out his mighty arme ouer vs. And so we see that that doctrine was not vttered onely for the instruction of the people of old time but that the same is common to vs also at this day Remember saith Moses that thy God hath chosen thee And why Because hee loued thy fathers And the same also is the cause why that in that high and excellent redemption which was made by our Lorde Iesus Christ the scripture sendeth vs to the loue of God for that is the onely welspring God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne Iohn 3.16 What is the cause then that Iesus Christ is come to bee our Sauiour What is the cause that the saluation which he purchased for vs is preached nowadayes vnto vs What is the verie cause that faith is giuen vs and that God inlighteneth vs by his holy spirit We must alwayes resort to this grounde that it is because God loued vs. It is true that Saint Iohn saith generally that hee loued the worlde And why For Iesus Christ offereth himselfe generally to all men without exception to be their redeemer It is saide afterwarde in the couenant that God loued the world when he sent his only sonne but he loued vs vs I say which haue beene taught by his Gospel because he gathereth vs to him And the faithful that are inlightened by the holy Ghost Eph 1.9 Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 Eph. 13.14 haue yet a thirde vse of Gods loue in that he reueileth himself more familiarly to theÌ„ and sealeth vp his fatherly adoption by his holy spirit and ingraueth it in their hearts Now then let vs in al cases learn to know this loue of God when we be once come to it let vs goe no further Thus we see three degrees of the loue that god hath shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ. The first is in respect of the redemption that was purchased in the person of him that gaue himselfe to death for vs Gal. 3.13 and became accursed to reconcile vs to God his father That is the first degree of loue which extendeth to al men inasmuch as Iesus Christ reacheth out his armes to call and allure all men both great and small and to win them to him But there is a speciall loue for those to whom the gospel is preached which is y t God testifieth vnto them that he wil make them partakers of y e benefite that was purchased for them by the death and passion of his sonne And forasmuch as we be of that number therefore are we dubble bound alreadie to our God here are two bonds which hold vs as it were strait tyed vnto him Now let vs come to the third bonde which dependeth vpon the thirde loue that God sheweth vs which is that he not only causeth the gospel to be preached vnto vs but also maketh vs to feel the power therof so as we know him to be our father sauiour not douting but that our sins are forgiuen vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake who bringeth vs the gift of the holy Ghost to reforme vs after his owne image When as God doth so imprint in our harts the doctrine that is preached vnto vs by the mouthes of men let vs vnderstand that he sheweth vs a third loue True it is that to speake properly God hath not diuers affections wee must not imagine so but I handle these matters according to our capacitie and wee must consider of Gods loue according to our slendernesse because wee cannot attaine to his high maiestie as is said afore and therfore euen he himselfe also vttereth himselfe to vs according to our abilitie And so wee see now that Gods loue is vttered and shewed vnto vs euidently three wayes in our Lorde Iesus Christe Col. 3.10 the cheefe whereof are when wee haue the gospell preached and that faith is added vnto it therewithall And as I saide when wee once haue this free loue of God we must goe no further For we see what hath happened to all such as haue not held themselues in such sobernesse And surely when men are inquisitiue why God loueth some more than othersome it proceedeth of a certain pride and spyte in that they cannot abide that the whole praise of their saluation should rest in god alone Men seeke alwayes to challenge somwhat to themselues And therefore
whould fill all things with bloud and violate so many images of God as come in their way that the same should be suffered I pray you is it not a bewraying that wee bee loth that GOD shoulde raigne among vs or haue vs vnder his protection Yes Therefore let vs marke well what is said here concerning wilfull murthers how there is no pardon for them but God will haue them rooted out of the worlde and executed by Iustice which haue violated his image And why To the intent wee shoulde alwayes beare in minde the thing that I spake of before that is to wit how greatly he loueth vs and that forasmuch as he hath adopted vs to be his children he will haue a continuall care of vs and keepe vs as charely as the Apple of his eye as he speaketh by his Prophet Zacharie Zach. 2.8 Now if it bee so that wee desire God as the holy Ghost teacheth vs to keepe vs as the Apple of his eye that is to say as the tenderest and delicatest part of him I pray you ought not we to gather therby that seeing he loueth vs he will haue vs also to loue one another yea euen with more than brotherly loue Yes and therefore let vs learne to abstaine from all wrong and outrage Moreouer whensoeuer any murther is committed or whensoeuer any folke are so wicked and cruel as to goe about to shed mans bloud let vs make account of them not onely as enemies to men but also as deadly enemies to God for as much as he sheweth himselfe to bee their aduersarie and telleth vs that he taketh it as an assaulting of him in his owne person and in his owne Maiestie That is the thing which wee haue to marke And herewithall wee must passe yet further For wee knowe how S. Iohn saieth that whosoeuer hateth his neighbor in his hart 1. Iohn 3.15 is a murtherer before God True it is y t wee must in any wise keepe our handes cleane from all iniurie and outrage but yet must our heart also be pure and cleane before God If it bee not so we shall bee blamed not for drawing of our swordes but for desiring to ouerthrowe our neighbour and for labouring so much as was in vs to bring it to passe by ouerthwart meanes Albeit that men can not blame vs yet doeth God condemne vs for murtherers yea though our hatred were so secret as wee neuer made countenance of it For whereas S. Iohn saieth he that hateth his brother in his heart it is al one as if he saide although the hatred appeare not nor men can beare witnesse of it yet are wee faultie if our heart be infected with any rancour or enmitie Sith it is so let vs beare well in minde that our Lordes intent is to perswade vs to brotherly loue among our selues and to agree togither indeuouring to helpe one another For all mankinde is knit togither as it were into one bodie And therfore let vs learn to abhorre all murther as well which is committed against other folkes as which is meant against our selues Howbeit let vs learne to hate that is to say to condemne cōtinually all murder without saying little or much in excuse of it in so much that although wee were guiltie of it yet wee should iudge against our selues if wee would iudge rightly Will wee then condemne murther in another man Let vs condemne hatred in our selues by abstaining from all malice and reuengement that our heartes may be rid of it If we deale with such vprightnesse then wil God dwell with vs and make vs to prosper But yet for al this it is saide that the manslaughters which are not committed through malice nor in rage nor by quarelling shall bee pardoned and not without cause For as I tolde you the crimes that are punishable must bee committed with a will and intent Then if one shoote and meaning to leuell at his marke doe hit a man by the way he is not punishable for euen the Lawes of man haue ordained so and there is an example of it set downe in another place of this booke Deut. 19.5 where it is said that if a man bee cropping of a tree and his Ax fall downe vpon one that is vnder the tree he shall not bee guiltie of the falling of his Ax vppon the head of him whom he perceiued not And why For it was God that did it saieth the text whereas we say it was by chaunce or fortune Bicause wee cannot conceiue that things happen otherwise than by chaunce Ye see here howe it is saide to bee Gods doing that is to say it was the will of God who gouerneth all things by his secret prouidence that such a one should bee taken out of the worlde Yet notwithstanding he that gaue the stripe vnawares ought not to be punished as if he had killed one in anger and in a fray Thus wee see heere what manslaughters are pardonable Howbeit there are two thinges to bee noted therewithall the one is that inquisition must be made of it and the other is that although such a one bee not to bee taken as a felon yet doeth God separate him from other men will haue him to bee as a prisoner for a time to the intent he should be an example to others to shun murder the more seeing that y e manslaughter which was cōmitted vnwillingly is punished after that fashion As touching inquisition and making of search it is a notable point For we see how men are abused with the thinges that are done in fauour of offenders in so much that if any thing be alledged that may moue to pitie and a countenance bee set vppon the matter that the offender is verie sorie men must shut their eyes at him and say alas what should a man do And this is done dayly and woulde God that examples therof were not so common Iustice is commonly abused in so much that if there bee any cause or reason to be shewed that some mā may happen not to bee so faultie as he is accused to be the same shall bee wrested to another mans defence which is not worthy to haue any fauour at all And why is that For want of examination And by that meane wicked men are styll maintained For were there diligent examination made and things sifted to the bottome men might soone discerne betweene them that are faultie and them that are faultlesse But what men are contented to shutte their eyes and although they cannot but see yet will they make countenance as though they knewe it not And so are the wicked discharged The matters lye open to the worlde they may bee pointed out with ones finger the euidence is too too apparant and yet nothing can bee knowen And why Bicause men list not O ye purblinde folkes which bleare your eyes in such sort yee shall be driuen in the ende to knowe what place yee hold that he which ordeined you to be
payed very deere for their shotte because they were not contented with the inestimable good that God had done them For the Manna was a heauenly foode yea and a foode of Angelles as it is sayde in the Psalme Psal. 78.25 But although they felt Gods punishmentes and both sawe and felt the vengeance that ouerwhelmed them yet notwithstaÌ„ding they ceased not to prouoke him to angernewe againe after other fashions somtimes by committing whordome sometimes by banding against Moses and Aaron sometime by murmuring and sometime by rayling To be short there was neither ende nor measure of their doinges And therefore not without cause doeth Moses say vnto them heere Bethinke yee of the great number of faultes which yee haue committed euer since the day that yee came out of the lande of Egypt euen vnto this present time that God hath brought you into this Lande Whereas he sayeth God hath brought you it serueth to quicken them vppe the better As if hee shoulde say Who hath beene your leader Leaude folke as ye be your GOD hath well mainteyned guided and ledde you hee hath vphelde you and helped you in all your necessities and yet will you needes come and sette vp your bristles thus against him Nowe sith wee heare this of the Iewes lette it not make vs to blame them but lette it make vs behoulde our selues in their persons and consider howe neere this example toucheth vs that euerie of vs may looke into himselfe and all of vs acknowledge generally that wee bee no better than they And for proofe thereof we be not in a wildernesse neither is there a time of fortie yeares sette a forehande vnto vs but lette euerie of vs take his whole life euen from the time that GOD did put vs into this woâ—lde vnto our buryingday Howe liue wee God for his part powreth out so many benefites vpon vs as wee haue good cause to serue and honour him yea though there were no more than that which he hath done alreadie But seeing hee continueth in doing vs good still is it not ynough to soften our heartes though they were of yron or steele Yes verily and yet wee cease not to spite him by going on still from euil to worse Nowe then like as Moses vpbrayded the Iewes with their continuaunce in euill dooing so lette euerie of vs consider that our prouoking of our GOD hath not beene for once onelie but that whereas wee should haue beene drawen vnto him wee haue shrunke away from him and rebelled against him And whereas wee shoulde haue offered our selues readily to beare his yooke wee haue beene so stubborne as hee coulde not wealde vs and one naughtinesse hath so drawen on an other that our sinnes are come to a horrible confused heape Thus then must we compare our selues with those to whome Moses speaketh here Here it might be demaunded howe Moses can say that they which liued at that time had rebelled against GOD euer since the time that they came out of Aegypt For at that time the most parte of them were babes or at leastwise not of full yeares of discretion For we haue seene expressely in the first Chapter Deut. 1. â—â— that GOD was minded to haue destroyed all that companie euen young children and all For they that were come to mans estate had made themselues vnworthie to enioye the inheritaunce that was promised them and they were banished and shutte out from it Howe then doeth Moses vpbrayde them that they had not ceased to prouoke Gods wrath continually For they might haue replyed Howe soâ— Though our fathers misse behaued themselues so as they were vnthankefull disobedient rebellious and full of murmuring and wicked lustes shoulde those thinges bee layde vppon vs No for wee coulde not doe withall But let vs marke that heere the whole bodie of the people is so blamed that the children are rightly condemned in the persons of their fathers For it was still one bodie and whereas the fathers behaued themselues naughtily and wickedly the children amended not but continued in the same euill as is to bee seene And therefore forasmuch as the children linked in with their fathers it is meete that they should be knit vp as it were all in one bundle and that GOD should condemne them all in generall And after the same manner are they spoken of in the fourescore ninth and also in the threescore and eighteenth Psalmes Psal. 〈…〉 32.33 〈…〉 9.10 â— For there our Lorde sayth Remember your selues howe yee were disobedient to me in the wildernesse And afterwarde the prophete rehearseth their fauke againe howe oftentimes they had misbehaued themselues and thereupon concludeth y t they had alwaies persisted in euill euen froÌ„ their first entering into the lande of Chanaan Insomuch that if the fathers liued naughtily in the wildernesse their children followed the same trade yea and became much worse For when they were once in possession of the heritage which was Gods resting place they should haue giuen themselues to the seruing and honoring of him to the vttermost of their power But all their indeuour was to defile the lande which God had hallowed to himselfe by filling it full of superstition and ydolatrie God gaue them the inheritaunce freely as if he should haue sayde I aske no more of you but that ye serue me acknoweledging that I haue beene a good louing father to you and that I haue alwayes mainteyned and kept you But in steede of doing homage to God for these things the people fel to setting vp of idols borowing all the corruptions of the heathen and bringing in false and counterfet Religions Ye see then that they deserued well to be estraunged and quite cut of from God Also wee see that the prophetes did continually vpbraide the children of Israell with their vnthankfulnes yea euen generally according also as euery man was giltie thereof And S. Steuen hath declared my sayd reason yet better Act. 7.51 For he sayth ye haue euer resisted the holy Ghost like as your fathers did afore you If the Iewes of that time had quietly submitted themselues to the Gospell and receaued Iesus Christ as their sauiour so as they had honored and imbraced him with fayth and repentance S. Steuen would not haue gone about to rip vp the shame of their forefathers For that was hidden But for as much as they turned all thinges vpside downe and beleeued not the Gospell but forsooke the grace of God and trampled it vnder their feete aduauncing themselues with diuelish pride and furie to abolish the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to deface the goodnesse that GOD had shewed them it was requisite that the sinnes of their fathers should be put into their account and that God should set himselfe against them to condemne the malicious wilfulnesse of that people and the faultes that had beene committed by the space of two or three thousand yeeres afore And therefore let vs learne that although God pardon the
let all others alone reached you his hand to gouern you Sought he his own profite or aduantage No. Seing then that you be so gretly boūd vnto him serue him w t the better wil. Here we see in effect two things The one is Moses his confirming of the Israelites still in the doctrine y t we haue heard which is y t all of them shoulde learne to glorifie God for their welfare acknowledging themselues beholden to him for all good things so as they haue not any worthines or deseruinges to vaunt themselues of but must exalt their God vtterly abase thēselues Marke y t for the one point And out of this proceedeth the other point which is that such as haue had such experience of Gods goodnes towards thēselues are taught aforehand to glorifie god must take courage to serue him y e more frankly offer themselues to God with a more zelous will to be quietly gouerned ouerruled by him Thus ye see y e two pointes that are to be gathered vpon that text Yea let vs mark well how it is not without cause y t Moses standeth so much vpon y t doctrine For wee see how the vnthankfulnes of men is so great y t they labor continually to deface Gods goodnes by reason of y e cursed roote of pride loftines which cannot be quite cleane taken from vs. Men then do alwayes beare themselues in hand y t they be somwhat worth therupon they stand in their own conceits yea euen as it were in despite of God Although God lay on sure loade vpon our heads with beetles yet ceasse wee not set vp our bristles stil to grunt at him to think there is yet some vertue or power in vs. For this cause Moses thinks it not ynough to haue said once or twice you must father all your welfare vpon the onely fauour of God but he returneth eftsoone to the confirming of the same doctrine to the intent that mens cackling might be y e better stilled and that such as deceiue themselues through their vaine imaginations might learne to conclude in the end y t it is not for vs to looke for any valour or worthines in our selues but that we must yeld God that which belongeth peculiarly vnto him namely that his calling of vs his choosing of vs his maintaining of vs likewise our hauing of his word our reteining of some order in the Church come altogither of him so as we cannot say we haue gotten them by our owne skil cunning or strength Thus much concerning y e first point Nowe for our better confirmation herein let vs compare our selues with the Angels with al the world besides let vs think thus what are we Truely if we go no further than to our owne selues we may haue our eies dazeled we know y t naturaly men do so besot themselues y t they be as good as bewitched with the fond imaginatiō of their own worthines Therefore if we should looke no further than to our selues it would seem to vs y t we be something worth but if wee looke further of fall to considering with our selues What are other men Do they not set as much or more by thēselues than we do yes if there were a third partie to play y e iudge would he not make more account of them than of vs Yes For to outward showe there is much more greatnes riches worthines honor there is much more discretion wisedom in thē than in vs. What is the cause then y t God hath chosen vs let the others go Haue we any thing wherof we may be proud Alas no if we be not ouerfarre besotted in our own fond imaginations But if we cannot yet be brought to this reason by cōparing ourselues with all the worlde beside let vs mount vp a litle higher come to y e Angels of heauen Could not God haue contented himselfe with his Angels w tout cōming vnto vs. We be but poore wormes there is nothing but rottennesse in vs yet god vouchsafeth to seeke vs. His wil is to haue vs to be his chilren not only to enioy his gifts benefits here beneath but also to aduance vs vp to his heauenly kingdom And for what deserts of ours None at al. Wherefore seeing we cannot be so beaten down at one blow as to come humble our selues vnto God let vs wey well these words of Moses bethink vs of the thing that is told vs here namely that the heauēs of heauens are the lords For Moses thinkes it not ynough to say simply the heauēs but he inlargeth his speech yet further saith the heauens of heauens It had been ynough to haue saide the heauens for seeing that y e earth how wide and houge so euer it be is nothing in comparison of the vnmeasurable greatnes of the skyes y e only word heauens ought wel to haue sufficed But Moses intēded to expresse it yet more in saying the haeuens yea euē the heauēs of heauēs In respect wherof he repeteth thos◠words three times as if he should say God can find a kingdō large gret ynough of such widnes as he shal not need to com borow some litle corner in the world to lodge in he needeth not to seeke in darke caues for any thing wherewith to set foorth his glorye Men are but wormes they be but like frogges in a puddle of myre and shal God come downe here belowe to make his glorie shine there Hath he not his heauenly power to shewe there aboue that he hath soueraine dominion ouer all creatures Must he be faine to stande to our courtesie for the dooing of any thing So then we see that men must not onely become drunken beastlike but also starke diuels through pride if this declaration of Moses make them not to stoope to acknowledge it to be good reasō that God should be glorified euery where and that they ought not to reserue to themselues any whit of the praise of their owne saluation or welfare Now furthermore Moses addeth that Gods affection towards that people his louing of them to choose their seede proceeded onely of his own good wil. Your God saith he hath dominion ouer heauen earth And yet notw tstanding he hath vouchsafed to be your Lord. What is the cause therof Moses hath shewed it alreadie But yet hee addeth for greater confirmation that God did cast an ernest free good wil towards this people The first word which he vseth signifieth sometime to cleaue vnto sometime to take pleasure But here the proper natural meaning of it is that God tooke pleasure in that people so that he acquainted himself with them through a free loue for he addeth the worde Loue thereunto Ye see then that willing pleasure went afore afterward loue ensued of it and it serueth to shewe that it is a fondnesse for men to
had promised theÌ„ if they had not turned away froÌ„ him after y e fashion Psal. 132.14 For it was not without cause that y e land was called Gods resting place As if he had said y t when al the residue of the worlde were tossed turmoyled y e Iewes shold dwel at ease rest in y t land so as if any maÌ„ made war vpon them troubled them yet God wold stablish theÌ„ there Yea but they haue brokeÌ„ couenant w t him And therfore at this day as we see they be banished froÌ„ resting in any place of the whole world They be as vagabonds euerie where And what is the cause of it but their own vnthankfulnes in y t they haue forsaken gods promise through their vnbeleefe and stubbornesse and haue vtterly disanulled it to the vttermost of their power Therefore let vs bethinke ourselues Hebr. 11.13 16. True it is y t we must be as wayfarers in this world if we wil be heires of heauen as y e Apostle telleth vs. But howsoeuer the case stand if we intend to be blessed of our God to feele y t he is a good defence for vs let vs hold vs in obedience subiectioÌ„ to him Otherwise let vs assure ourselues y t although al y e whole world hold with vs yet we shall finde ourselues so persecuted and pursued as we shall finde no rest any where If a faithful man walke in the feare of God although he be persecuted tormented yet may hee rest vpon this point to say yet is God my protector and he will call vpon him by his calling vpon him he shall finde cause of coÌ„fort But on y e contrarie part if an vnbeleeuer play y e rebell against God although he haue peace to the worldward and be in fauor of men yea also dreaded yet shall he euer be vnquiet agast And the reason is because he seketh not to be at peace with God So then let vs marke that whereas Moses exhorteth the people heere to serue God all their life long it is to the end wee knowing y t God renues his mercie and goodnes daily toward vs should be inflamed to serue him with y e greater corage that froÌ„ day to day we shold always continue therin as though we were at rest We see y t euen sleepe setteth a man in good plight againe so y t when he hath wearyed himselfe with walking or working he becommeth ready and disposed to returne to his labour againe the next morning Euen so must we take corage at our Lords incoraging of vs and at his calling of vs vnto him so as it may appeare that we be willing and readie to follow him But now let vs come to that which Moses hath set down concerning the Lords ordinances and statutes The first coÌ„mandement y t he giueth the Iewes is that when they be come into the Land which they were to possesse for their inheritaÌ„ce they shoulde beate downe all the altars of the heathen breake and deface their ydolles burne all the grones where they had vsed their superstitions and vtterly root out the remembrance of them Here we see again how hatefull a thing ydolatrie is vnto God and that he can not abide y t his seruice should in any wise be corrupted Let vs marke I say that God accepteth not any seruice at our hands when it is mingled with any abuse or folly of our owne heades but as we must serue him onely so must we serue him not after our owne fashion but according to his owne wil coÌ„mandement allowance Wherein we see how a great number of ignorant wretches beguile themselues nowadayes For hauing protested that their intent is to serue y e only one God they put to many patches of their owne bearing themselues in hand that y t is not amisse And why So long as mine in deuour be to serue God say they that I do it of a good intent why shold it be condemned Yea but we heare how our God can not away with any companion Esa. 42. â— as he declareth euerywhere and euen in this text we be taught the same expressly ynough for God will haue all remembrance of ydols vtterly rooted out For why As long as ydols haue their vse God is defaced ouercouered that he can not be discerned and likewise all things in the world are confounded by it Therfore it is all one as if meÌ„ shold go about to spoile him of his maiestie glory And euen y e papists themselues auow the same thing in their coÌ„mon byword when they say that God is not knowen for the Apostles And it was Gods will that they should make a common prouerbe of it to shewe that they cut their owne throtes with their own knife in that they can alleadge no excuse at the latter day For they say they ment it not no but will not their prouerbe proue them liers Yes for their owne wordes shall iudge them Howsoeuer they fare let vs note that if Gods seruice be not kept in the owne purenesse all is marde so that although men worship him neuer so much yet hee misliketh it as wee see by his speaking thereof in his prophete Ezechiell Ezec. â—â— â—â— Goe serue your owne Gods sayth he for I haue done with you As if hee should say belong altogether to the deuill if you will Seeing that ye hold ye not all wholly to me but that I must haue companions ioyned with me and ye make me but as one of the common sort so as I must bee as good as no body I renounce you and giue you ouer y t ye may goe to the deuill for I will haue no more to doe with you So then let vs marke well that to serue our God aright wee must yeelde such preheminence to his maiestie as to depende all wholly vppon his worde and doctrine without adding any thing to that which hee commaundeth as shall be declared more at length in the next Lecture Nowe furthermore whereas it is sayde that the very remembraunce of ydolles must be rooted out it is to the end that folke should be the better aduised Truely God sheweth vs on the one side as I haue sayde howe greatly he hateth all ydolatry seeing hee willeth men to burne the woods all that euer hath serued to the mainteinance thereof insomuch that hee will haue the very stones beaten to pouder and the golde and siluer broken so as all may be quite cleane done away Seeing that God doth so condemne the creatures which are good as in respect of theÌ„ selues because they haue beene instrumentes of superstition thereby we see well that hee can in no wise away with ydolatrie Besides this hee hath alwayes respect to the frailetie of men for as soone as we meete with any thing by and by we be miscarried wee be euer starting one way or other And what is the cause Naturally we be inclined to ydolatrie
not eate any manner of lothsome thing 4 These are the beastes that ye shall eate of namely the Oxe the sheepe and the Goate 5 The Red deere the fallow deere the Bugle the wilde Goate the Vnicorne the wilde Oxe the Chamoyse 6 And all maner of beastes that deuide the hoofe and cliue the hoofe into two clawes and chaweth the cudde also among the beastes them shall ye eate 7 But as for these yee shall not eate among those that chawe cudde or doe but onely diuide their clawes that is to wit the Camell the Hare and the Cunnie For inasmuch as they chewe cudde and yet diuide not the hoofe they shal be vncleane to you 8 Also the Swine because he cliueth the hoofe and yet cheweth not cudde shal be vncleane to you Yee shall not eate of their fleshe nor touch their dead carkesses 9 These are they that you shall eate of all that are in the waters namely whatsoeuer haue finnes and scales 10 And whatsoeuer hath not finnes and scales yee shall not eate thereof but it shal be vncleane to you 11 Of all cleane birdes yee shall eate 12 But these are they of which yee shall not eate namely the Eagle the Ospray and the Fawcon 13 The Gleade the Kite the Vultur after their kinde 14 All manner of Rauens after their kinde 15 The Estrich the nightcrowe the Cuckowe and the Sparehauke after their kinde 16 The Skritchowle the great Owle the Swanne 17 The Cormorant the Pellicane the Dopchicken 18 The Storke and the Heronsewe in his kinde and the Lapwing and the Backe 19 And all creeping foules shall be vncleane vnto you and yee shall not eate of them 20 But of all cleane foules yee may eate WE haue here two cōmandements to expounde which God gaue vnto his people The one is that when anie man died among them they shoulde make no excessiue mourning and lamentation for them in disfiguring their bodies after the ceremonies and fashions of y e heathen The other concerneth meats for it was not lawfull for the Iewes to eate of all meates indifferently there was a difference set them betweene cleane beastes and vncleane beastes Nowe as touching the first Moses telleth them that they be a people chosen of God to bee separated from al other Nations of the world Wherevppon hee concludeth that they must not then disfigure themselues for inasmuch as God had set his marke vppon them they ought not to do anie wrong or violence to their owne bodies And therewithall this commaundement is so moderated that if a man haue forgone any kinsman or friende of his hee must not lament for him out of measure as wee see men doe who are wont to be too excessiue in their passions When a body is deade we see what sorrowing is made for him yea euen with grudging against God so all is out of order and there is no reason a◠all in their dealinges Moses therefore commaundeth the Iewes to be patient when it pleaseth God to bereaue them of their kinsefolke or friendes And therewithall he telleth them it is a shame for them to disfigure themselues after the manner of the heathen for asmuch as it was a defacing of Gods image which was in them because they were made holy from among all the people of the worlde Nowe as touching the first point for as much as this inconuenience reigneth as well nowadayes as it did at anie time heretofore that is to wit that men are too excessiuely giuen to making of sorrowe this is not superfluous for vs. In deede this ceremonie of rending folkes hayre and of scratching their faces to disfigure themselues is no more vsed but yet wee see howe God is grudged at in y e greefe that men take for y e death of their friendes insomuch as they martyr them selues without regard of submitting themselues to God There is no dealing with them to comfort them they bee caryed with such rage as God cannot bee hearde whatsoeuer yee say to them they bee deafe Nowe then seeing that this misdealing continueth still at this day wee must vnderstande that this doctrine concerneth vs also And here we haue to marke first of all that if the heathen and the vnbeleeuers and the poore ignoraunt soules which haue not beene trayned in the worde of God were not excused for this vice wee on our side offende God much more greeuously and without all excuse For he hath separated vs from all the worlde Yet notwithstanding men may well sooth themselues for there is not any thing where God tryeth our obedience more than by the liuing and dying at his pleasure so as wee knowe that our liues be not in our owne handes but that it belongeth to him to dispose of them and euerie of vs is readie to departe out of this worlde Rom. 14 8.9 whensoeuer it pleaseth him to call vs Or if hee take away our kinsefolke or friendes from vs we be well contented with it And indeede why pray wee dayly that his will shoulde bee doone but to protest that we bee willing to holde all our affections in captiuitie and to keepe them in awe Sith it is so surely they that vexe themselues with immoderate lamenting for the decease of their friendes are sufficiently conuicted by the onely order of nature that they striue with God and rebell against him Neuerthelesse as I saide afore if the sillie ignorant soules torment themselues after that fashion they bee to bee pitied For they knowe not that our dayes are determined and that God reserued the authoritie and priuiledge of calling vs vnto him when hee sent vs into the worlde They knowe none of all this and therefore it is no wonder though they vse such excesse in their mourning Moreouer they haue not wherwith to comfort themselues for none of them hath euer had any vnderstanding of the euerlasting life To their seeming if a man bee once deade all is lost hee is vtterly forlorne hee is quite and cleane come to nought And that is the cause why they conceiue so excessiue and vnmeasurable greefe Othersome goe at aladuenture and although they haue some imagination of the endlesse life yet are they not assured of the saluation of the parties and therefore they cannot comfort themselues with the fauour of God But as for vs wee knowe that death is but a parting of the soule and bodie asunder to the ende that God may shewe his inestimable power in raysing vs againe And we knowe also that hee is a faithfull keeper of our soules when hee hath receiued them and therefore that wee may well put them into his handes assuring our selues that our Lorde Iesus Christ dyed not for vs in vaine Seeing wee haue such comfort is it not too great an vnthankefulnesse to torment our selues after the maner of the heathen and the infidels when God taketh any man away from vs Yes And therefore when Saint Paul exhorteth the faithfull to haue patience in the departure of their
for aught that I can see Yea verily as to the worldwarde But our Lorde saieth Mat. â—â—â— I receiue it yee thinke yee put your almes into a mortall mans hande but it is I that become detter for it Although all thinges bee his yet bindeth he himself in the person of the poore and shoulde then any nigardlynesse stay vs from succoring those whom God offereth vnto vs seeing he setteth them as in his owne steede and auoweth all to be done to himselfe which is done to them Moreouer let vs marke that Moses speaketh here of such as are in neede For God ment not to maintaine wicked folke in ydlenes naughtinesse The man that seeketh to wast away other mens goods and to defraude his Creditors is not commended vnto vs heere of God but hee speaketh directly of mercy And that is the cause why he saieth Thou shalt not harden thy heart For if wee haue not that discretion doe what Almesdeedes we will and yet shall none of them be acceptable Wherfore let vs marke that here God speaketh not in fauour of all men but onely setteth before vs such as are in neede wote not what to doe and shoulde perish in distresse if they were not relieued Those are they which are to be helped according to our abilitie True it is that to make a Lawe of it it is not possible God hath set this order among his people that the poore shoulde be succoured But he hath not tolde with what suÌ„me nor how oftentimes hee hath not made a tax of it to say that euery man should beare thus much Only we must resort to this which S. Paul saith â— Coâ— 3 5â— Let euery man doe that which he doth with a free hart and not lay a tribute vpon meÌ„ as though they shold pay as much as they were sessed at but let euery maÌ„ sesse him self of his own good wil think thus although I streined my self a hundred times more yet could I not discharge my self to my godward Howbeit forasmuch as he sheweth me this fauor to accept it as an offring of my hand although I do not so much as I ought to doe nothing neere yet doth it please him to receiue y t which I giue him so it be done w t a free hart Sith we know this albeit that we cannot make a grounded Lawe of it to say how farre we shall go in succoring our neighbors yet let euery of vs streine himselfe and alwayes be doing with the foresayd free heart And it is sayd Thou shalt not thinke with thy self the yeere of respit is at hand and therefore I will not lend Hereby it is shewed vs as I haue touched afore that if a poore man require help although he be not able to pay the thing againe out of hand which he borroweth yet must not wee be cold for all that For we must thinke if I helpe this poore man at this time he is a faithful man and my succoring and releeuing of him shall set him halfe vp againe but howsoeuer the worlde go he may be able to mainteine his trade and at length he may pay mee all that hee borroweth But if I vtterly faile him at this time he is quite sunck he is brought vnder foote for euer and hee hath no meanes to get vp againe and I am too blame if I see him perish so Had we this coÌ„sideratioÌ„ with vs we should not haue the nigardlines that Moses mentioneth and condemneth here And how so Let vs knowe that where need requireth we must not haue such respect to our owne profite as to let the poore perish in their distresse without lending them our helping haÌ„d Again Let vs wey wel this saying which Moses setteth downe here namely that wee must open our handes Hee repeteth it twise or thrice and that is to shewe vs that there is nothing but hypocrisie in vs when we pretend to haue compassion yet our hand is alwayes shut and nothing can be wrong out of vs. I haue told you already y t a number of folke wil not passe greatly to say Alas when they see poore people but they beare themselues in hand y t it is enough to haue pretended a countenance But here God reproueth mens dissimulation if they haue not their handes open for it is a tokeÌ„ that their hart is hardened so as there is nothing but beastly churlishnesse in them and when their handes be not opened it must needes bee a record of it Againe he setteth downe that the poore is to be succored according to his neede and that a gage is to be taken of him if there be a gage to be had for it may also full well be vnderstood of the taking of gages And hereby we see yet better that our Lordes meaning was not to haue dettes vtterly released by the respit that was giuen in the seuenth yeere but onely to haue a time of rest giuen for the respectes and considerations which I haue treated of before Furthermore it is tolde vs here that we must relieue our neighbors wants for our Lord speaketh heere of the lendinges that are doone of almes And in deede it is oftentimes a greater almesdeede to lend some coÌ„peteÌ„t suÌ„me than to giue a very little For it may be y t the giuing of a little will doe a man no ease at all but the lending of as much as neede requireth releeueth him very wel he may in time content his creditor again That then is the thing whereunto our Lord appointeth vs. And therefore let vs marke the thing which I haue touched already that is to wit that although a man cannot set downe a Lawe certeine in this behalfe yet must euery man be a rule to himself to doe according to his own abilitie and according to y e need that he seeth in his neighbors Now here is added yet further That God will blesse such as doe so according as hee had begun yesterday to promise his blessing to all such as were so liberally minded towardes the succoring of the poore And this serueth still to correct the cursed vnbeleefe y t holdeth our heartes locked vp so as no man mindeth aught else than himself and his own profite For it seemeth to vs y t if we forgo neuer so little of y t which we haue we be in y e way to be vndone by it That is y e cause why euery man holdes fast neuer thinkes hee hath enough O say we it is true y t we may doe so and so but thereby I should be impayred I cannot tell what may befall to my selfe We cast so many doubtes y t we can neuer finde occasion to giue any thing And why so Forsooth because I might want it my selfe But y t is a cursed distrust such a one as prouoketh Gods wrath For wee ought rather to hope well at his hand y t as he hath not failed vs heretofore so he will continue to doe vs
keepe a dyet he must bee helde short like a childe and he is restrayned of all thinges that he lyketh in so much that if he commaund his owne seruant to bring him this or that his seruaunt must not be so bolde as to doe it Yea and when maisters bee diseased they are subiect to their seruantes so as they cannot inioy their owne goods And why Because they be not meete to haue them by reason of their disease which ouermaistreth them and therefore are they fayne to bee as vnderlinges Euen after the same manner standeth the case with vs insomuch that if wee were in deede whole and sounde God woulde guide vs after another fashion But forasmuch as he knoweth vs to be so corrupted he is fayne to compell vs yea and to restraine vs in such sort as wee haue heard of Thus much concerning the first point Againe for the second Moses declareth and setteth forth that which I said coÌ„cerning choise making namely that in the seate which GOD hath dedicated to himself no such persons must be put as turne all thinges vpside downe For if such be chosen for publike Magistrates as leade a wicked trade as in whom there is no feare of God no honestie no vprightnes but wildnesse wantonnesse and disorder or in whom there is no more wisedome than in Asses but to be short are madbrayned or frantike if such I say be set in place of publike office it is not a dishonouring of men but a working of high treason against God bicause it is a defiling of his seate So then it behoueth vs to wey well how Moses saith he ere that when it commeth to the chosing of Officers men must not set vp Idols nor iudge of them without tryall And why Bicause it is a dishonouring of God to set such persons in his roome as are not worthy to haue the ruling of a house Yee shall see a man that is not able to gouerne his owne houshould such a one as is not to bee trusted to for any thing folke shall say of him yonder fellowe is a foole hee is a dizard hee hath no reason hee hath no stay of himselfe hee hath neither wit nor discretion to guide himselfe or his houshould and yet for all this shall men goe and set him in the seate of Iustice He is a man that cannot liue quietly with his wife shal he be able to keepe a whole Citie in quiet Men preferre him to bee a counseler And to what end To see the peace maintained And how can that be Hee hath no moe but his wife and houshould to gouerne and yet he is not able to weelde them When he is at home he is not able to guide his wife and his children Now when thinges go arsiuersie after that sorte God is openly despised So much the more therefore doth it stand vs in hand to marke well what Moses saith heere namely that the choosing of Iudges Officers is not a matter of formalitie or a Ceremonie but a holy thing wherein men ought to proceed with all reuerence and that God laieth not y e bridle vpon any peoples neck as if he should say Take whome yee list at aduenture without consideration but he portrayeth out the persons and pointeth them out with his finger Looke to it saith he that ye vse discretion in choosing the persons that shall haue y e ruling of the people For the word To Iudge importeth to gouerne And secondly let them iudge vprightly sayth he Whereas he speaketh of gouerning it is not without cause For it is to no purpose to choose such as haue neede of Tutors To prefer those to the guiding of others which ought to be put vnder the direction of others is too great a skorning of God Again the case here concerneth Iustice and vprightnesse Therefore y e choosing of officers before they be wel knowen and throughly tryed is surely a marring of all good order And therof come so many changes turmoyles We wonder to see our Lord ouerthrow Common weales and to behold how the Nations that were free are greatly distressed ouerwhelmed with tyranny but wee looke not from whence all those thinges proceede The ground thereof was the abuses which were committed bycause there was no regarde had of the mainteining of the state which God had stablyshed nor care to follow faithfully the order that God had inioyned So much the more therfore doth it stand vs in hand to beare well away the things that are tould vs heere Moses hauing sayde so addeth nowe That men must not wrest the lawe nor haue respect of persons nor take rewardes or giftes And he addeth the reason For giftes saith hee doe blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the wordes of the righteous First he setteth downe heere a generall rule that men should not wrest the Lawe For in deede wee may liken equitie to a right lyne and if it wrythe to the one side or to the other by and by it is iniquitie And therefore Moses sayeth thou shalt not wrest the Lawe that is to say thou shalt haue thyne eye vppon the lyne of Iustice and followe it without swaruing one way or other And heerewithall hee sheweth howe the same may bee performed namely by respecting no mans person and by eschewing to take rewardes For when we consider a deede simply in it selfe euen nature teacheth â—s what to doe True it is that wee had neede to call vppon GOD continually for wee see howe weake of vnderstanding and corage wee bee euen in the thinges that are most euident oftentymes wee bee starke blinde in them Then must not men presume vppon their owne wit and thinke themselues wise ynough to iudge of all thinges that are set before vs but wee must vnderstand that it is a heauenly gifte Eccle. 2.26 as Salomon declareth And if wee bee combered in the smallest matters howe shall wee doe when we come to giue sentence of matters of great weight Iudges therefore must first humble themselues and consider that if they bee not gouerned by Gods holy spirite they shall not bee able to holde them to true Iustice and therefore they must referre themselues to GOD and aske counsell at his mouth that they may bee taught by his word and they must giue themselues ouer to his spirit and submit themselues thereunto But besides this Moses ment to shewe heere the cheefe causes of all the impeachmentes of Iustice. For as I sayd afore if wee haue an eye alonely to the deede without respecting the person so as wee bee not possessed aforehande eyther with fauour or with hatred it is certaine that wee can skill to giue sentence aright And if it coulde bee brought to passe that the parties should not come in sight that it might not be knowen who were the playntife and who the defendant so as the Iudges might not bee allured and carryed away either with bryberie or with flatterie or with lyes and gloses or with
but that they shoulde seeke peace and abstayn from shedding of bloud if it be possible so as no man may be hurt of woūded in his person Seeing that God wil haue men to brydle themselues after that manner in the tyme of warre I pray you what is to bee doone where our handes are so tyed vp as it is not lawfull to giue our enimie a philluppe but to loue them rather Matt. 5.44 that haue grieued vs or wrought vs any wrong or iniury Ought we not to offer them peace to be already to receiue them to mercy when we see them willing to be reconciled to vs So then seeing that euen in the tyme of warre when all thinges seeme to be lawfull our Lorde will haue vs to offer peace to them that haue dealt amisse with vs and haue deserued to be purnished in their bodies Seeing I say that God will haue vs to seeke meanes to saue them and that wee should not deale rigorously with them much more ought euery of vs in our owne priuat cases to be inclined to beare with our aduersaries If we be troubled and molested so as we haue iust cause to the worldwarde to pursue the iniurie doone vs yet ought wee rather to fall to composition if it be possible And if we doe not what excuse will there bee for vs If those whom God hath armed against their enemies may not strike one stroke at them vntill they haue assaied to make peace with them what shall become of vs who ought to be men of peace and to loue our enemies if we be vnreconcilable fierce as Lyons harde as steele and such as can bee brought to none attonement Must it not needes be said that we haue shaken off all feare of God Yes and yet we see howe men doe sooth themselues in this case Insomuch that if a man bee grieued he is so far off from warning y e offender of his fault quietly to bring him to good attonement againe that to all lykelyhoode he will rather turne the whole world vpside downe than he will by any meanes be reconciled Wee see that this wilfull stubbornnesse is vtterly past amendment in most men And so wee perceiue now what fruite wee ought to reape of this text namely that although he speake of warre yet he giueth good instruction to his people and euery of vs. And therefore let vs remember that whensoeuer any man hath offended vs wee must as much as in vs lyeth indeuour to fall to agreement with our enemyes As howe By warning them of their faultes For reconciliation presupposeth that the offender should vnderstande his offence and mislike thereof and that wee shoulde bee ready to receiue such as are so minded so as wee shoulde bee desirous to bee at one with them as with our brethren notwithstanding that they had beene as enemyes to vs before so much as in them lay And if wee ought to yeelde this courtesie towardes them that haue broken the bond of all peace and brotherly vnitie howe much more should wee maintayne peace and concorde with our neighbours that haue not doone vs any wrong And so wee must come by degrees 〈◊〉 12.18 euen to the procuring of our peace with all men as much as wee can possibly bicause it is Gods will that all men shoulde bee linked together in one bonde as in very deede the nature y t is common to vs all ought to bee as a common kinred to vs all Nowe then seeing it is so that wee ought to maintayne peace and brotherly loue among vs let vs see that we offer peace to all men not onely in wordes but also in such wise as our life may beare record that we be desirous of nothing more than to be friendes to all men Insomuch that if there happen any quarel wee must not minister occasion thereunto nor kindle the fire on our behalfe but so refraine our selues as wee prouoke not our neyghbour to enmitie Thus yee see howe after the order afore mentioned wee must come to the doctrine which the holy Scripture sheweth vs in other places That is to wit that it must not bee long vs that wee bee not as brothers to al men and that wee communicate not together without any iarring or disagreement That say I is the meane and maner to offer peace accordingly as GOD commaundeth And nowe let vs proceede to that which followeth When a Citie will not receiue peace God giueth his people leaue to destroy all the men reseruing onely the young Children the women and the Gatteli True it is that although a Citie fall to composition yet will hee haue it to become tributarie For as I sayde afore hee presupposeth that the warre must be rightfull and allowed by him as made in his name and by his authoritie And therefore it is not to bee wondered at though he lay trybute vpon those that submit themselues For why It is as a penaltie Lyke as in Ministration of Iustice men punishe offenders according to the Lawe and when the case requireth not the punishment of death there is some other chastisement or amercement layde vppon them for a penaltie Euen so our Lorde giueth leaue to such as haue iust tytle of warre to lay some correction vppon those whom they shall haue vanquished and subdewed And heerein wee see howe we ought to take good heede that wee giue no cause of warre For whereas wee see our Lorde hath giuen his people leaue lay trybute vppon others it is all one as if hee shoulde say that all such as minister occasion of trouble are to bee punished and that if they bee borne with it is but of fauour and courtesie but yet are they woorthy to haue some correction for all that Therefore let vs learne heereby to be so peaceable as wee moue not any trouble or discord on our side For by setting downe such a Lawe GOD hath shewed that whosoeuer soweth any discord among men or procureth any trouble deserueth alwayes to bee punished and that although hee bee spared yet hee is to bee chastised after some sorte neuerthelesse And although warre bee not made against vs nor any tribute bee layde vppon vs yet notwithstanding wee must not therefore omitte to acknowledge our selues faultie before GOD. For if a whole Nation bee not spared what shall a priuate person bee I see that GOD condemneth a whole Citie or a Countrie and what will become of mee when I shall haue kindled the fire of discorde and giuen occasion of enmitie Am not I much more worthy to bee condemned Is it meete that I which am but one man shoulde bee more borne with than a whole Nation This therefore ought to bee a good warning to vs to liue in peace and to maintaine my eldenesse so as no man bee troubled or vexed by vs. For sith wee see so sharpe execution that God giueth leaue to put the men to death and to reserue y e women to bondage and slauerie is
would aske any thing at the mouth of God alas wee are not worthie to come neare him And againe when wee thinke on his maiestie wee must needes bee confounded for feare because there is nothing in vs but all manner of corruption and wee must needes bee his enemies euen of good right Yea but wee haue those promises which cannot deceiue vs if so bee wee doubt nothing at all Surely God so warranteth that which he hath spoken y t if we set our mindes throughly vppon his promises and vnderprop our selues with them we may goe on with a courage and not doubt but that he will receiue vs. Now moreouer whereas it is sayd that the Moabites hired Balaam and meant that hee should serue their turne to curse the people we haue hereby to note that if we beare our selues in hand that God wil helpe vs with his fauour against those whom he loueth the ishew will be such as we see the Moabites had thereof And yet this is in common vse that the wicked think y t God ought to be on their side notwithstāding y ◠they persecute destroy folk with neuer so euil conscience Albeit y t they vse neuer so much spitefulnesse and crueltie yet are they of opinion that God will helpe them As for example nowadayes when princes make warre vpon couetousnesse and ambition they proclayme many solemne processions But what for that Surely all that euer they do is detestable before God For what stirreth thē thereto but that they are blinded with pride couetousnesse and such lyke thinges so that they spare no mans bloud ne make any account of confounding heauen and earth together yet notwithstanding they call vpon the name of God I alledge onely this one example howbeit that euery particular person is at the same point Euery of vs in y e trade which he vseth would faine haue God on his side But yet for all that we continue stil our deceit malicious wilinesse our cruelties extortions our periuries and trecherous dealinges wee giue our selues vnto all wickednesse and is it possible that God should be matched with our filthie infections Should he renounce himself turne his glory into shame yet are mē so blockish that they dally thus with God yea y t with such presumptuous bouldnes as it is an horrible thing to behold Sith we see that this sicknesse is ouer rife let vs learne as I haue told you that when we wil cal vpon God to defend vs to be aduersary vnto our enimies we must take heede that we haue a good cause that we be warranted in conscience y t we attempt nothing but according to his will that they which persecute vs do it wrongfully that we be desirous as farre as lieth in vs to be at peace with our enemies that wee haue not prouoked them with any iniurie nor giuen them any cause to molest vs. Whē we can protest this in conscience before God then we may wel call vpon him feare we not but he wil be our defēder But if our cause be euil that they which persecute vs may truely alledge y t we haue prouoked them so to do haue giuen thē the cause therof let vs not then looke for any fauour at Gods hand For when we abuse his name so falsly our payment shal not be long after And how shal we be rewarded Verily not onely our labor shal be lost but God wil also laugh vs to skorne for taking part against his children Therefore if wee wage battaile with good men and vse extortiōs wrongings other wicked practises and increace the same with this further of committing such outrage against God as to intermeddle his name with our wickednes questionlesse hee will wreke his wrath vpon vs for it Wee see what is said in this place For God pronouncing here y e sentence of condemnation vpon the Moabites saith y t they abused his name in hiring Balaā to curse his people Let vs therfore learn as I haue tolde you not to trouble thē which serue God nor to maintaine any quarell against them vnlesse we will haue God for our aduersarie And in so dooing let vs not think to gaine any thing by calling vpon him but rather perswade our selues that in so doing we shall kindle his vengeance so much the more against vs. Let vs come now vnto that which Moses addeth God would not heare Balaā but turned his curse into a blessing because the Lord thy God loued thee This historie is handled more largelie from the 22. Chap. of Num. vnto the 24. But without making here the whole rehearsal thereof it shal suffice to haue the effect of that which is touched here as by the way It is said that God would not heare Balaam but there was yet more than so as Moses in that place rehearseth For God hindered him and declared vnto him his will Whē Balaam desired leaue to goe at y e request of Balac and of the Moabites he made the messengers tarie a night because he would repaire aside vnto God Thereupon it was told him Thou shalt not goe But yet for al that he bargained yea the desire of gaine prouoked him to intreat God so long vntill he saith Goe thy way Howbeit w t displeasure insomuch that God shewed him his rebellion his own asse taught him as who saw more clearer than he He could not perceiue y e Angel of the Lord and yet the brute beast perceiued him Ye see then Balaā condemned insomuch that God giueth more reason discretion to y e Asse whereon he sate than vnto him who was a Prophet yea contrary to all nature y e Asse speaketh When we see all this is it not asmuch as if God had expresly set himselfe on the cōtrarie side to shew y t he garded y e people of Israel vnder his protectiō And after this when Balaam is come what saith he He telleth Balac y e king thus I can doe nothing Truely I haue enforced my self to doe somewhat but I see y t God withstandeth me and I cannot open my mouth to speake but he turneth my words clean cōtrary from my purpose Hereupō they make many cōiuratiōs to hinder God make him beholden to thē they reare vp seuē altars on one side seuē on another And wherunto tēdeth al this but to y ◠which I told you y t the wicked woulde faine bring God to their part But they goe not y e right way to seeke him They fetch their vagaries and go by y e wayes And they doe nothing but turne tayle to him And if happilie they cast an eye towardes him it is but to prouoke his anger and to kindle it so much y e more Ye see then in what sort Balaam and Balac go forward Now in the end whē God had opened Balaams mouth hee prophecied of the good which should come vnto the people of Israell vnto the
God had a certaine regard bare a special fauour vnto al that house vnto them which were to issue from it accordingly also as we see how he saith As concerning Ismael 〈◊〉 17.10 I haue heard thee And in very deede it was not for nought y t God cōmaunded y t Ismael should be circumcised We know what circumcision importeth it is a signe of the fauor of God Now seeing it was giuen vnto Ismael it is great reason y t he should approch more neere vnto God than the Paynims which were altogither defiled which had no signe that God loued them I say no particular signe For in as much as he maketh his sunne to shine vpon the good vppon the wicked Mat. 5.45 in that he nourisheth the whole world therby he proueth himselfe a father towards all But here the case is of hauing some warrant of adoption Now Ismaell had it But in the end it is saide that he shall not be the inheritour of the house 〈◊〉 21.10 〈◊〉 4.30 Behold he is cut off And S. Paul also alleageth the same similitude to shew that there are many which are called in the church of God which in the ende are driuen out againe banished as not worthy to enioy so great a benefit And so was it with Esau for he was the sonne Isaac yea he and his brother Iacob were twinnes 〈◊〉 15.24 by reason whereof it might seeme there should haue been two nations of like condition estate altogither Esau was the elder for that cause should haue been preferred before his brother but he was bereued of his right God chaunged the order of nature to the intent we might haue a looking glasse as the holy scripture sheweth it to bee that it is of meere fauour when we are elected of God y t we must not seeke y e cause therof in our selues as if we had preuented him or as if we had deserued any thing y t he had found vs more worthy thā others There is none of al this But if wee bee smal contemptible yea as it were thinges borne out of time God will magnifie his goodnes so much the more by choosing vs. Yee see how Esau is driuen out of his fathers house And in what maner Is it that he should be put beside all y e commodities of this world No. For he was rich wealthie Yea it seemed y t he was an hundred fold more happie than his brother Iacob For whiles Iacob remained a stranger stil in the land Esau was wel harbored his ofspring was settled in peace Yea he had then the lordship gouernment in y e countrey of Edom which countrie caried his name And al this whyles poore Iacob is a fugitiue in a farre countrie And when hee returneth hee falleth on his knees before him Gen. 33.4 desireth mercie so as his life seemed to hang by a slender thread that Esau should deuour him like as when a Wolfe holdeth a sillie sheepe in his chawes Euen so stoode y e case with him And in the end when Iacob was com home againe wee see he did nothing but wander here there so as hee had scarce any corner to liue in yea y t was at the curtesie of another he had no water to drink but it cost him dearely he was hardly entreated many quarels were picked vnto him for al the things y t he had lastly hee was driuen from his owne home into Egypt by reason of famine there to dye But as for the Edomites they pyned not away after that maner And so we see as I told you y t God meant in this behalf to shew the fauour which he bestoweth on men when he vouchsafeth to choose them unto himselfe And herewithal we see how his goodnes was extended to al the stock of Abraham although they which were children only after y e flesh were not accounted nor aduowed to be of the church yet neuertheles there alwayes remained some remnant of grace amōg them Likewise at this day we be farre neerer neighbors vnto the Papists than vnto y e Turkes or other Paynims And the reason is because y t albeit they are estranged from the grace of god haue corrupted al religion are so intāgled in their abuses corruptions as it is horrible to behold yet notwithstanding there remayneth among them some footstep of y e calling of God For they haue baptisme which is a visible signe wherby we see y t God held thē of his house of his fold Ye see then how y e papists are as it were the Edomites For they were first called and shoulde haue beene partakers of the saluation which was preached vnto vs by the gospel they beare yet the mark therof as touching baptisme But because they haue peruerted the seruice of God yea as it were taken faith clean away by the which they should haue bin called vnto the mercie which hath bin brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ it is great reason y t they shold be held for Edomites But on the other side we ought notwithstanding to call to mynd the brotherhood which they had with vs. And therfore let vs endeuor as much as is possible for vs to bring them back againe that we may be knit togither againe And how knit togither againe I meane not that we should turne aside from the pure trueth of God to be at agreement with the Papists but that they should enter that is to say that they should approch neare vnto God so we be reconciled al of vs yeelding obediēce vnto our heauenly father so as we may haue al one head Iesus Christ who will defende vs vnder his wings When the Papistes come order themselues thus we are to receiue them with all gentlenes by reasō of the brotherhood which God hath set betweene them vs. And we must not only do so but also must seeke them as much as is possible for vs to do As touching the Egyptians it is saide y t they also shal be receiued into the Church And why For thou wast a stranger saith he in the land of Egypt Now in deede true it is that the children of Israel were oppressed with cruel bondage by reson of the cruel tyrannie which the Egyptians exercised ouer them But yet Gods will is that their benefits should be acknowledged Albeit they so vniustly oppressed the childrē of Israel yet because y e children of God had their refuge thither in the time of famine were there relieued God wil not haue that benefit forgotten And y t is the cause also why God by the Prophet Esay Esa. 52.4 comparing the captiuitie of Egypt with y e captiuitie of Assyria saith In deede my people went to soiorne in Egypt necessitie constrained them therto wheras the Egyptians oppressed them in so doing they did them wrong but yet they had some
vs. And when it pleaseth him to offer speech vnto vs then let vs knowe y t it is no presumption worthy to bee condemned to say wel Lord seeing we know thy wil we will vse the liberty which thou offerest vnto vs. That is the maner of proceeding which wee must obserue when we come vnto God But herein wee see how the wretched world hath bin blinded w t horrible abuses When we speake of the certeintie of our saluation the Papistes say it is a presumptuousnes that we must always stande in suspence dout of it Their beleefe is that no man ought to assure himself of his saluation but that he should only weene suppose it Neither is it y e ignorantest sort which speake thus but it is the resolute determination of all their diuelish schooles But in the meane while what do they Euery of thē bindeth God at his own pleasure and looke what they haue forged deuised y t wil they haue God to admit for good although he neuer spake word of it These are two extremities which are too excessiue For on y t one side the Papists stand always in dout saying I cannot tel in what case I am with God in deed I thinke I stand in his fauor but I know not how y t matter goeth And what is the cause why they vse such maner of speaches Forsooth they are afrayde of presumptuousnes Is it presumptuousnes to hang wholly vpon the goodnes of God to doe him the honor to beleeue his worde and to answere Amen as soone as he speaketh and to acccount al these things vtterly vnfallible Is that presumptuousnes Nay it is rather true obedience obedience importeth humblenes In deede there is in this behalf a kind of boldnesse and S. Paul also ioyneth those two togither in 3. Chap. Ephes. 3.12 to the Ephesians saying By faith which we haue in Christ Iesus wee haue trust giuen vs with boldnes hardines to come vnto God Faith therfore engēdreth boldnes but this boldnes proceedeth not of pryde but rather thereby we learn our humblenes in that we receiue quietly that which God telleth vs accept it as a thing wherof we ought not to dout That is the first extremitie which raigneth too too shamefully among the Papists But what do they in the meane time They haue their deuotions euery man after his own fancie I wil do this I will do that I must win heauen I must make satisfaction for my sinnes in such wise such God is iust think we that seeing he is iust he wil deny vs our hyre when wee shall haue serued him And although we serue him not in full perfectnes yet he wil like of that which wee shal doe or else he should be cruel vniust if he should not accept of our seruice and if there be any default in it we wil make an amends for it for we haue meanes to satisfie him Nay we wil do more than he hath cōmanded vs wee wil take vppon vs to keepe his law but yet wil wee haue some farther deuotion in store it cannot bee but y t all this must be taken into our accounts for whatsoeuer is done vpon a good intent cannot be bad neither ought God also to reiect it See how the Papists plead with God not onely as with their match but also as with some little play fellow if he like not of al y t they do account it good he shal be condemned although he declare that he disliketh of it al say I wil not put it into my account Deceiue not your selues it is vtter abomination vnto me No sir say they you will like of it welynough for al that you cannot but accept of it seeing we think it to be good After that maner do the Papists talke In deede they wil not vse those very woordes but yet is it the very effect of their doctrine without adding one syllable therunto And surely it is a diuelish presumption when men take so highly vpon them as to make God beleeue that whatsoeuer they haue deuised is good that he must needes receiue it againe when they wil binde him vnto them as who would say God will receiue me I haue purchased y e kingdom of heauen I must be receiued thereinto for my desert if God will not admit me for his pities sake yet must he do it for his iustice sake for it is not his simple mercie that I stande vnto I will not bee saued by his mere grace but I will haue him to take mine account and as he shall find me worthy so let him deale by me See how the deuil be wraieth himselfe and lifteth vp his horns against God But wee for our part are taught heere an other lesson For Moses saith it is the Lord which hath sayd it And he doth expresly repete this kinde of speach to do vs to vnderstand that it is not for vs to sue God or to make any couenāt with him but he must first call vs and we must stand aloofe without preacing to come at him vntill he of his owne good will do seeke vs. Notwithstanding y t we be thus shaken off our God telleth vs that he will haue acquaintance with vs and y t although we haue bin his mortal enimies yet hereafter we shal be of his houshold And that wheras we haue bin bondslaues to satan holden captiue vnder the bondage of death he will make vs his children heires Doth our Lorde once say so O then there remaineth nothing for vs to doe but to come vnto him for then haue wee leaue libertie to set our selues forward But here there is nothing of our owne all is because we are called from aboue yea euen of his meere grace so as wee bring nothing It is not said because thou hast done this or that or because God hath founde in thee some cause why he should shew thee such fauour No but according as he hath spoken according as the Lorde hath said it The purpose of God therefore must haue all the preheminence in this case And when he hath decreede y e thing in him selfe openeth his holy mouth to declare his will vnto vs then let vs accept of it let vs take there our sure grounding let vs depend wholy thereupon let vs not bring with vs our owne flickering fancies but let vs onely walke as the Lorde hath directed vs by his hande and as hee himselfe hath declared vnto vs. And when wee haue such humblenesse as to haue skill to confesse y t vntil God drawe neare vnto vs we are far off from the hope of saluation then ought boldnes to follow to keepe his course way we must come vnto that which is here declared by Moses This day thou hast made the Lorde thy God to speake Therfore when wee haue this warrant of the fatherly loue which god beareth vnto vs thē may we
is nigh vnto vs to succour vs let vs bee well resolued in this Moreouer Moses addeth Other people shall see that the name of the Lorde thy GOD is called vppon ouer thee and they shall be afraide It is certaine that the Idolaters can vaunt themselues enough of the name of God and we see howe they pretend it euen in their fighting against him when they cast off all doctrine Insomuch that being as fierce as wilde beastes yet they looke to bee counted of the Church But Moses dooth here take the worde call vppon for naming or calling vpon yea and that in trueth meaning that the people were truely and in deed called after God his name or named his People If wee walke in the feare of our God and frame our life after his calling then shall it be seene how it is not in vaine that hee calleth himselfe our God auoweth vs to be his people Now it is certain that this word dooth presuppose that wee haue our recourse to God as being vnder his protection For it is sayd that a man is called vppon or named after the name of a prince when hee is become his subiect and is vnder his tuition Euen so it is sayd that the faithfull haue GOD his name called vppon ouer them in protesting that they bee his and that there they bee all safe vâ—der his winges And this cannot bee vnlesse we call vppon GOD and haue our refuge vnto him in all our necessities But whence commeth such boldnesse that wee glory in this that wee belong vnto God more than any other For wee know that the state of men is alyke by nature Wherefore then be we preferred before them that are descended of the self same race It commeth through Gods election It may not begin of vs. For what is he y t can aduaunce himself to come nigher vnto God thaÌ„ others come What desert can any man bring w t him None at all TheÌ„ must God make choice of vs through his own meere goodnes wheÌ„ he hath declared himselfe to be our God then may wee also of our parte bee bolde in all assurance and without doubt to call vppon his name Nowe wee see what is the effect of this sentence And Moses meaneth to declare what preheminence GOD giueth vnto those whome hee hath adopted for his children to wit that albeit they be mingled amongest men and encompassed with many miseries yet be they preserued as being vnder his hand and protection euen because hee doth holde and auowe them to bee of his houshold not for any other cause than onely his own good pleasure Let vs therfore courageously defie Sathan when wee see that hee practiseth all that hee possibly can against vs and let vs count our selues assured against all the dangers of this world seeing that God hath done vs such fauor as not to leaue vs to fortune as the vnbeleeuers doe imagine And why For wee bee vnto him a holy people And from whence shall wee fetche this preeminence Wee haue it because hee hath testified vnto vs that hee is our GOD. If wee had not gotten this worde of him we should bee alwayes in perplexitie wee shoulde still doubt through questioning of this and that and our lyfe should hang as it were by a threed as wee shall see in this Chapter But seeing that God hath vttered his fatherly loue vnto vs and it hath pleased him to open his mouth to make vs to vnderstand that hee hath giuen vs familiar accesse vnto him seeing I say that wee haue such assurance let vs call vppon him that is to say let vs not doubt to glorie in this that hee is our Sauiour and that seeing we are his wee cannot perish Howebeit let vs beware that wee call not vppon the name of God falsly as all they doe which abuse it and yet in the meane while doe make a mocke of him and are despisers of his maiestie If wee clayme the name of God let it bee because we be grounded vppon his promises and haue receiued them through faith and then let vs call vppon him let him bee our refuge and let vs not giue our selues to fond bragging as they doe which thinke it enough for them to beare the bare name of Christians Nay let vs followe the call of our GOD as Moses sheweth here saying If thou wilt keepe the commaundementes of thy GOD as I dâ—e set them afore thee this day For it is good reason that seeing God hath so bound himselfe vnto vs wee in lykewise for our parte should yeelde our selues to his direction And that wee should not onely professe with our mouthes that wee bee his people but also shewe it by framing our whole lyfe agreeable to the same and by keeping his commaundementes make it apparant that we haue receiued the grace which hee offered vs For that is the true proofe thereof Now hee sayth moreouer That other people shall see how the name of God is called vppon ouer vs and that they shall feare vs. It is not enough for vs that GOD doe promise vs to make vs to feele that wee bee in his keeping but he saith that euen the Paynims our mortall enemies and the despisers of his maiestie shall bee made to know the same Now it is certaine that the Infidels knowe not the arme of GOD in such wise as it ought to bee knowen vnto vs they come far short of it For in seeing they see not a whit and how then should it be possible that they should perceiue that GOD hath blessed vs that we liue of his fauor and that we be nourished at his cost For they bee blockish and thinke not that any thing coÌ„meth vnto them from the hand of God Wee see well how the Infidels be fedde and cloathed they enioy the light of the Sunne yea and they haue aboundance of goods But as for the worshipping and seeking of God there is no tidinges at all among them thereof And if besides their despising of the benefites of their God they haue no vnderstanding whence they come vnto them howe should they then knowe that the name of God is called vppon ouer vs Their knowing of it is not through any perswasion of minde or through any such true vnderstanding of it as we ought to haue but Moses sayth that they shall haue it proued to their faces as for example wee see the wicked grinde their teeth when they behold the faithfull to prosper and see that God vpholdeth and keepeth them And whence commeth that Truely they shall be astonished at it and they shal not be able to think otherwise but that God fauoreth the contrarie parte not that they doe settle vppon it or bee rightly resolued thereof in their heartes but for that they be confounded in their owne selues Hee sayth that they shall perceaue that Gods name is claymed or called vppon ouer vs and that it shall put them in feare For albeit that they feare not God yet
so And therefore God coulde well roote vs out of the worlde at this day and on the otherside hee coulde well make the Papistes dumbe and altogether senselesse or else hee coulde make them blockes or stones or else he could vtterlie ouerwhelme them so as his name should not bee blasphemed by them and therewithall hee coulde raise vp a newe people which should glorifie him in his iust destroying and consuming of vs. God coulde well doe all these thinges but yet for all that hee holdeth still such order in his workes as hee hath determined vppon in himselfe That is the cause why on the one side hee spareth vs and on the other side giueth not occasion to the Papistes to blaspheme his holy name if hee shoulde vse extreeme rigour agaynst vs. And by the way here wee bee put in minde of the nature of man Indeede God speaketh of the aduersarie and enemie but yet vnder them he comprehendeth all such as haue not beene taught by his worde to yeeld themselues teachable vnto him And what manner of disposition attributeth hee vnto them That they estrange themselues that is to say that without inquiring or considering of Gods vengeaunce wherein he ought to be glorified they turne it into a slaunder and say It is not God that did it Let vs marke well then that if wee bee let alone to our owne nature and that God guide vs not by his worde and spirite to giue vs the true soundnesse of vnderstanding discretion and skill although hee worke after such a fashion as his righteousnesse power and wisedome may so appeare that wee must needes be conuicted by it yet we shal not cease to cast foorth blasphemie against him And why For wee shall bee as witlesse beastes And this saying For feare least the enemie shoulde estraunge himselfe is to bee well weyed For thereby God meaneth that men insteede of applying their wittes to the beholding of the thinges which hee sheweth them do wrappe themselues in ignorance wilfully Nowe it is certayne that although wee be blinde wretches and that although by reason of Adams sinne wee bee bereft of iudgement reason and vnderstanding yet there is malice still in vs so as our whole seeking is to bee ignoraunt of the thinges which our Lorde woulde haue vs to knowe Therefore whensoeuer men doe make a cloke of their ignorance they shall euermore bee conuicted to haue refused the knowledge of those thinges which might haue beene well knowen vnto them if they had set their minds vppon them And that is the verie cause why Saint Iude in his Epistle speaking of these heathenish folke which despise GOD and are grosse and dulheaded as folke that haue no knowledge at all Iude. 10. saith that they knowe not the thinges which they shoulde know because they haue no list to knowe them Then is it a cursed kinde of cloking whensoeuer men make not their benefite of Gods workes but applie them cleane contrarie to his meaning Now looke what is said here concerning the Infidels the same belongeth likewise vnto vs. And were it not that GOD bringeth the light vnto vs or vs vnto the light and opened our eyes to see the thinges which hee sheweth vs surely we should not onely continue stil blind but also it shoulde cause vs to become worse and worse accordingly as it is saide here that the Infidels shoulde haue blasphemed GOD saying Our hande is high and it is not God that hath doone this On the one side then we let God alone as though he had done nothing and on y e other side wee become so proude as to put ourselues in his roome For men content not themselues with their robbing of God of his power with their defacing of his maiestie but they will also needs deck thēselues with his feathers make themselues verie Idols and haue men to belieue them to haue beene the doers of the thinges which are peculiar to GOD. So then seeing there is such mad pride in vs and so grosse selfe weening wee ought to bee the more warned to yeelde our selues vnto GOD and to pray him not onely to shew vs his workes wherein his glorie may shine foorth and appeare but also to open our eyes that wee may see them in giuing vs skill and discretion by his holy spirit so as we may learne with humilitie to honour him and that when we haue confessed his iustice goodnes and mercie we may consider howe much we be bounde vnto him and that when hee punisheth other men we may be drawen to repentaunce by their meanes and vnderstande that he beareth with vs because he might well confounde vs out of hande were it not that he intended to vse fauour and goodnes towardes vs to the ende wee shoulde bee the more inflamed to honor him and to dedicate our selues to him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe let vs pray vnto him to vouchsafe to haue pitie vppon vs and not to call vs to account for the great number of misdeeds whereof wee be guiltie because wee knowe well that if hee listed to deale rigorously with vs we should needes be confounded yea and vtterly perishe and that although hee had not wayted for vs so long time yet he had iust cause to haue destroyed vs as often as wee prouoked him to wrath wherfore although we haue offended him without end or measure yet notwithstanding seeing hee hath shewed himselfe so kindhearted a father towardes vs alreadie it may please him to continue his mercie and fauour and therewithall to reforme vs so by his holy spirit that being guided and gouerned by him our whole seeking may be to frame ourselues to y e obeying of him suffering our selues to be ruled by his word and seeking nought else but to please him in all respects 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 Saturday the vj. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXV Sermon which is the eight vpon the two thirtith Chapter 28 For it is a Nation voyde of discretion and there is no vnderstanding in them 29 But if they were wise they would vnderstande this and take heed to their ende 30 Howe shoulde one of them chase a thousande and two of them put tenne thousande to flight were it not that God had solde them and that the Lord had shut them vp 31 For their gods are not as our God and thereof euen our enemyes themselues are Iudges WE saw yesterday how God hauing a respect to the Infidels their blasphemies had spared the people of Israel And thereupon it was shewed that God doth oftentimes pitie vs not punish vs so rigorously as we deserue to y e end that his name should not be made a scoffing stocke a iesting stock among the wicked who seeke occasion of skorning when they see God chastice his Church thereupon they fall to rayling at the doctrine and Religion
to do men good For it is the propertie of God to be liberal to al men Matt. 5.45 yea eun to those which are not worthie therof insomuch that he maketh his day Sunne to shine both vpon good bad After his example we ought to do our indeuer to strayne our selues to the vttermost of our power to benefite al men to do al men good And so it is the common style of the holy scripture to name the faithfull meekes ones Psal. 16.10 specially we see it is as rife a thing as can be in the Psalmes But forasmuch as he sayth to his meeke one it may be taken for the man of thy mercie that is to say for the man whom thou Lord hast elected and chosen through thy goodnes For Aaron attayned not to the dignitie of y e priesthood by his owne desertes but because God vouchsafed to choose him Now then the name that is attributed to him here may be taken as if a man should say in the passiue signification that God vouchsafed to make him a mirrour of his free election yea and that hauing so chosen him exalted him to so high and excellent honour he would haue him to shewe that wee depende wholly vppon his goodnes so that of al y e things which we haue none proceedeth of our owne power or vertue but of his pitying of vs for that he is mynded to shewe his gracious goodnes towards vs. But howsoeuer the case stand Moses ment to declare here that the trybe of Leuye should alwayes serue God with the dignitie of priesthood and that the high priest should bee clothed with the ornamentes that were giuen him to goe into the sanctuarie And in that case hee was not as a mortall man nor as one of the degree of creatures but as the mediatour betweene God and men whereby he surmounteth the very Angels of Heauen For the priest of the lawe was in his office more excellent than all the Angels of heauen And why Because he was to represent the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the head of the Angels as well as of men and hath soueraigne dominion ouer all principalitie not only on earth but also in heauen Yee see then how the meaning of Moses is that the priesthood should be in the trybe of Leuy And let vs marke nowe that Moses magnifieth heere the trybe of Leuye of purpose to wype away the dishonour that was there afore For wee knowe howe Iacob had sayde Gen. 49.5 Yee Simeon and Leuye yee bee instruments of wickednesse yee haue destroyed a towne and yee haue slayne the men like murderers as yee bee I will not haue to doe with you neyther in speech nor in heart I refuse you And thou Leuye shalt bee dispersed among my people for thou art not woorthie to haue any heritage Loe after howe terrible a fashion GOD speaketh against Leuye and all his ofspring Hee seemeth to bee quyte rased out as one that was not worthie to haue any place or degree in the Church But what reuerence nowe had there been in the priesthood if the trybe of Leuye had continued in that reproch For seeing that their father was disgraded by Iacob who was Gods deputie as I haue declared afore what should haue becom of al those which were descended of his race Nowe then it was requisite that this tribe of Leuie should bee re-established to the intēt that the order of priesthood might not be despised least it might keepe men backe from hearkening to the doctrine of their mouth What will become of it if they which haue the charge of teaching the people be pointed at with mens fingers set light by skorned or blemished with any marke of reproch in themselues so as men disdaine them Surely they shall neuer profite men they shall not be able to edifie them men will vtterly mislike of them Nowe we knowe and it shal be declared more fully heereafter that the Leuites were ordeined of God to teach all the people Then if they had beene reputed as men of no valour it woulde haue caried great preiudice with it so as the lawe it selfe should haue had no great reuerence men would haue made no account of it and the very common people would haue shrunke away from the expounders therof Therefore it is not causelesse that Moses telleth them that The Thumim and Vrim of god that is to say his perfections and teachings are in that tribe and God will haue it knowen that there remaineth not nowe any such reproch there as there did before but rather that hee setteth his antsignes there For in Aarons Mytre was Gods name 〈…〉 8.36 euen the name of the Euerlasting and that was a thing exempted from all the world Also there was the iudgement as I saide afore And for what cause was Aaron apparelled after that manner but to shewe that in him there was a myrrour of Gods glory Sith it was so it behooued the people to forget Leuies fault and the punishment thereof which had beene laide vppon him and his ofspring and to receiue Gods Lawe at the mouth of the Leuites and to haue them in estimation and to honour them as Gods messengers or rather as Angels as they be termed in the Prophet Malachie 〈…〉 7. True it is that Moses was of the same tribe but yet did God so prouide that the skorners could not alledge that he had fauored his owne linage or house And why Who is hee that pronounced that sentence against Leuie Euen Moses himselfe for it was he that compyled the booke of Genesis wherein hee spared not the fault of his own auncetor For it behoued him to be as Gods notarie to set down y e sentence both vpon Leuie and vppon all that came of his race Heere then wee see that Moses behaued not himselfe after the manner of men but executed faithfully the charge that was committed vnto him Again the highpriesthood was not in his owne house though it were in his owne tribe He was a greater man than his brother Aaron and hee had children which might haue succeeded in his place And yet for all that hee made none of them prince of the people he made none of them a gouernour neither had they any preheminence aboue the others nay they had not so much as any portion of inheritance but were faine to be contented with the first fruits Tythes and Offerings after the custome of the rest of the tribe of Leuie Moses then gaue not the Highpriesthood to his owne children neither tooke he it to himselfe What were Moses his children then and al his successours They were but vnderseruants of the meanest in the Temple and they were faine to serue there euen without being in any degree of honour God say I ment to prouide that Moses should not bee subiect to any slaunder And therefore the thinges which hee speaketh now of the tribe of Leuie are not spoken in
they were not so greatly dismayed but that they had still an affection to serue God And soothly we shal diuers times see Gods seruauntes sore shaken and y t forasmuch as they be men they be moueâ— when there commeth any great tempest but yet for all that they do not vtterly quaile Euen so stoode the case with Moses and Aaron And for that cause is it saide in this place Thou trieddest him in Massa thou madest him to striue or contend at the waters of Meriba And in that respect did I say that this might be taken as though Aaron were taunted for not being obedient ynough vnto God at Meriba and for that hee sanctified him not by indeuouring himselfe as he ought to haue done Neuerthelesse it may also be noted as truth is that Aaron was tryed as in respect of men and that being so tried or tempted by men he was found faith full in that hee stoode so in contention with them For wee see not that he for his part murmured against God neither scaped there any worde of grudging from him Was hee caried with so diuelish rage as to say Shall we die heere for thirst No he would rather haue died a hundred thousand times than once haue opened his mouth to cast forth one word of murmuring against God What befel him then By reasoÌ„ of the spitefulnes of the people there was a fault committed For Aaron himselfe held alwayes on Gods side and therefore although he did amisse yet the same proceeded not of himselfe And it is the very same thing wherewith we haue seene Moses vpbraid the people saying that he himselfe was punished for their rebellions sake Deut. 1.17 You be the cause saith he that God hath disappointed me of going into the land of Chanaan Hee saieth not I am shut out of it for mine offence but hee casteth the people in the teeth with it saying you were the cause of it And so it is declared yet once againe in this place that Moses and Aaron ought not to be the lesse esteemed of the people nor the priesthood the lesse honoured for that there was some infirmitie in them which was faultie before God For therewithall they had also a wonderfull stoutnesse of minde which is ynough to stoppe the mouthes of all the worlde whereby Moses and Aaron shewed themselues faithfull at the same time so as a man might well see that what feeblenesse so euer was in them it could not cause them to be corrupted and caried away by the leawdnesse of the people or make them to forsake their charge but they continued in weldoing and stoutly withstoode all temptations and incounters shewing that their desire was nothing else but that God should haue his due deserued authoritie among the people and bee obeyed of all men Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs perceiue them more and more and that hauing rid vs of all our wicked lusts he drawe vs fully to himselfe and that we may dayly profite and increase in his grace vntil y t being departed out of this world we be come to his heauenly glorie y t forasmuch as we be now a priestly kingdome 1. Pet. 2.9 it may please him to cloth vs with y e righteousnesse vncorruptnes of our Lorde Iesus Christ not in figure as the priestes of the Lawe were but by renewing vs in such wise by his holy spirite that although wee bee not perfect at the first day yet we may at leastwise attaine to that perfection which he calleth vs vnto 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 Wednesday the first of Iuly 1556. The CXCIIII sermon which is the fourth vpon the xxxiij Chapter 9 Which hath saide of his father and of his mother I haue not seene them nor hath knowen his owne brethren nor also hath knowen his owne children For they shall keepe thy sayings and obserue thy couenants 10 They shal teach thy iudgements vnto Iacob and thy Law vnto Israel They shal send vp perfumes to thy nosethrils and lay whole burnt offerings vpon thine Altar 11 O Lorde blesse his substance and make the worke of his hands pleasant vnto thee Breake the backebones of such as hate him that they may not rise vp against him WE be to proceed with the blessing of the tribe of Leuy which I began to declare yesterday I tolde you in fewe wordes that there Moses intended to stablish those whom God had chosen to bee his priestes because it was verie needefull to keepe them from contempt of the people least men might haue made none account of the doctrine which they were to deliuer vnto them and therefore it behoued them to be in good estimation as Gods seruaunts and representers of his person And that is the cause why Moses declareth that although Aaron was tried in Massa and suffered some trouble yet notwithstanding God ceased not to retaine him still in his seruice yea euen him and all his ofspring And nowe Moses sheweth whereunto God had called the house of Leuie and what was the office of the highpriest He saith first of al That they knew neither father nor mother that they had forsaken their owne Children and that they tolde their brothers they wiâ—t not who they were And that is to shewe that forasmuch as God had chosen them it behooued them to forget all thinges that they might giue themselues wholly vnto him Nowe wee knowe that when the Priestes were presented as all other oblations were Nomb. â— 10.11 men laide either their one hande or both their hands vppon them to betoken that they were no more at their owne libertie but that they were saÌ„ctified to such a vse as it behooued euery one of them to imploy themselues wholly to their office and to be altogether at the appointment of God True it is that the same condition is required of all the faithfull for we ought to bee dedicated vnto God in sacrifice Rom. 12. â— But yet must the preachers of the worde leade the daunce and consider themselues to bee double bounde yea and more straitly The thing then which Moses meant to betoken in this text is that seeing God had so highly honoured the tribe of Leuie as to haue them all to be his Priests it behoued them to forget both father and mother to be vnaddicted to their fleshly affections yea and to giue ouer eueÌ„ their owne children Not that God intended to alter the order of nature but to shewe that when the case standeth vppon the performance of their charge they must not bee turned from it by any worldly respect neither must any thing withholde them from executing throughly faithfully whatsoeuer God commaundeth them Now then he that will serue God must not forget his father mother by forbearing to do
trybe of Nepthalim at leastwise in comparison of the other trybes Not that that countrey also was not wasted in the ende because of the vnthankfulnes of the people But God sheweth here that whereas hee intended to stablish the people of Israel hee would giue vnto euery of them his portion the blessings which hee woulde bestowe vppon them should be diuers accordingly as we know well that hee dealeth not alike with all men no not euen with his owne children whome hee hath chosen Albeit that hee loue them all and be father in common to them all yet doeth hee handle them diuersly After the same sort was it with this people Here then wee see as in a mirrour that God is not bounde to gouerne his Church after such a sort that euery faithfull man shoulde haue the same thing that the others haue For God knoweth what is meete for vs. One is handled after one fashion and another after another And doth God sayth some man take pleasure in such varietie For hee knoweth that those things are for our behoofe Although wee knewe none other reason euen this were sufficient that he doeth not any thing but with perfect righteousnes wisedome and that ought to content vs. But we see moreouer and finde it prooued to vs by experience that it is not good that all men should be dealt withal alike And why For we haue diuerse dispositions diuerse complexions al meÌ„ are not to be fed with one kind of meate nor all diseases to be cured with one medicine God therefore vseth diuersitie of dealings towardes vs after as hee perceiueth it expedient for vs And that is the cause why I sayd that the whole summe of Gods blessings is a mirror vnto vs to shewe vs that hee so distributeth his gracious giftes vnto his Church as that euerie man hath his measure and qualitie and yet notwithstanding that howsoeuer wee fare wee must with all humilitie giue thankes vnto GOD for that it pleaseth him to bee our father assuring our selues that although he giue vs not all that our flesh craueth yet will he succour vs at our need and turne our sorrowes to good making them to serue to our saluation But it behooueth vs to marke well the word that is set downe heere by Moses where he sayeth that Nephthalim shall haue his fill of Gods fauor and that he shal be replenished with his blessing This word Blesse as wee knowe is taken diuers wayes in the holy Scripture Sometime it is taken for praying As when wee blesse one another it is as much to say as wee wish well one to another And when it is attributed vnto God it is also taken for benefiting or dooing good For when God sayeth the worde the deede goeth ioyntly therewith God then needeth not to wish vs any good if hee doo but say that hee will doe vs good wee shal haue our fill thereof and whatsoeuer is expedient for our saluation Nowe then Gods blessing is a testimonie and effect of the free fauour good will and loue which hee beareth towardes vs. But yet this free loue of God is as the fountayne and then his blessing is as the Conduit pype Therefore whensoeuer wee receiue any good or prosperitie let vs assure our selues that it commeth of Gods blessing of vs that is to saye of his vttering of his fauour towardes vs but yet must wee euer resort to that free loue of his when so euer wee bee so blessed at his hande For hee would giue vs no show of his fatherly goodnes if he had not receiued vs alreadie for his children And that is the cause why he dealeth so gently and kindly with vs. Moses then hath kept here a verie good order in saying that Nephthaly should haue his fill of Gods fauour and be replenished with his blessing Hee setteth downe Fauour in the first place for as I saide that is the very welspring and afterward he addeth the blessing which proceedeth thereof that is to saye the record which God yeldeth by effect that he loueth vs and that hee hath adopted vs for his children in respect whereof hee vouchsafeth to powre out vpon vs all the stores treasures of his goodnes Now haue wee a good lesson to gather vpon this text which is that if wee bee desirous of prosperitie wee must seeke it at Gods hand not do as they do which wish ynough but in the meane whyle cannot lift vp their hearts to call vppon God Looke vppon the wishes of this world how they flee in the aire euery man coueteth whatsoeuer most liketh his flesh there is no ende of wishing with I woulde I woulde And whereas men speake after that fashion yet shall yee scarse finde one among a hundred which directeth himselfe to God to say Lorde thou knowest what is meete for mee vouchesafe I beseech thee to sende it mee Forasmuch then as men are so gadding and that their nature leadeth them but to flickering in the aire after their wishes and in the meane while they occupie not themselues in prayer and supplication therefore it behooueth vs to marke well the texts where it is shewed vs that all prosperitie commeth of God And moreouer we must vnderstand that when God vttereth his fauour in that wise it is because that hee of his owne free goodnes hath vouchsafed to loue vs so as we must not seek the cause therof in our selues as though we had preuented God or as though wee had gotten aught by our owne desertes but wee must vnderstande that God is fauourable vnto vs because hee hath loued vs notwithstanding that wee were vnworthie of it Thus yee see then that from the conduit-pype whereat wee drinke wee must goe vp to the fountaiâ—e and to the springs head that is to wit to Gods free goodnes which is highest in degree as the onely cause of all the benefites which wee receiue at his hand Nowe last of all it is sayde of Nephthaly that hee shall possesse the South and the West that is to say the Sea for so doeth the speach import Wherein Moses prophesieth againe of the state of that trybe And let vs alwayes beare in mynde howe it is God that speaketh these things to shewe that hee hath a care of that people And that people was as a Mirrour of the Church yea and in olde time it was the Church in whose roome wee bee nowe succeeded Wherefore let vs assure our selues that GOD will alwayes haue a fatherly care of vs. And although hee gouerne all the nations of the worlde in generall by his prouidence yet is hee neerer vnto vs and that shal wee feele in that wee shal bee vnder his direction and that hee will so maintaine vs as wee shall knowe that nothing happeneth vnto vs by his will Luke 12.7 in so much that one hayre shall not fall from our head but by his appoyntment In the ende hee concludeth with Aser True it is that Iacob in his
a all A commendable and well ordered Moorning for the death of good and honest men 1242. a 60. b 10 Moorning for the dead must be moderated and done with measure 1242. b 10.20 In Moorning for the dead that were our friendes we must not fal into despaire as howe 1242. b all Mother Why the Church is generally called by the name of Mother 883. a 20 Of children that refuse to obey their Mother and that rule ouer them belongeth vnto her likewise 755. a 50.60 Mothers Against Mothers that haue no care for their children 775. b 30.40 Looke Parentes Mortification Of Mortification which is the perfection of our life 443. a all Of the sacrifice of Mortification and howe wee should present ourselues therewith before God 820. b 40.50 Touching the Mortification of our affections lustes and vices Reade page 731. a 30.40 c. b 60. 732. a 10. 747. a 10 Moses Whether Moses saw God in his glorie or no. 255. a 60. b 10. he was buried in Nebo and that God buried him 1237. a 40. 1180. a 10. he prepareth himselfe to die according to Gods will 1236. a 10. he was not buried after the common fashion and why 1237. b 10. Why his face was couered with a veile 1200. a 50. 403. b 20.30.40 after what sort hee was glorified and of the shining of his face 1188. a 10. 1237. b 50.60 his blessinges vpon the twelue tribes seuerally expounded in the sermons 192.193.194.195.196.197 in what respect hee was called the man of God 1185. b 10. it is not meant that he was a king in Israell as some gather by the text in whose time no king was in Israell 1192. a 20. hee was of the tribe of Leui and howe he dealt with that tribe 1199. a 40. Of him and Aaron and of Gods punishing of them 1178. all 1179. all what was the cause that he set all his minde vpon the good mountaine c. 103. a 10.20 of his meekenesse and the excesse of his affections c. 97. b 40.50 howe he should offende seeing it appeareth not in the whole storie 49. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Iethro an heathen man was his father 13. a 20. the singlenesse of his heart in discharging his office 5. a 60. b 10. his authoritie in publishing the lawe and what those hornes which men attribute vnto him were 1. b 30. 2. a 10. he behaued himselfe louinglie and rigorously to the Israelites reade the place howe 144. a 30.40.50 he testifieth his fault why he was excluded out of the lande of Chanaan and what he teacheth vs in that behalfe 1073. b 30.40.50.60 1074. a 10. 1183. a 10. no prophet in Israel like him and why God did so magnifie him 5. a 20.30 1246. b 30.40.50.60 1247. al 258. b 10.20 1198. b all 1246. b 30.40 1247. a all 266. a 20.30 389. a 40.50 he is moorned for of all the people of Israell and what wee haue to note in that 1241. b 50.60 the cause why his life was so prolonged 1241. a 40.50 his age and diuerse thinges notable in him 1241. a 30.40 c. 98. a 10.20 1073. b 20. a forme of speech wherby he might seme not the mildest but the roughest man aliue 1101. a 10.20 God telleth him that hee must die and what wee haue to learne thereby 1088. b 10. c. why his graue is vnknowen to this day and what wee haue to note thereupon 1240. a 20.30.40 1237. b 10.20.30 1184. a 60. hee beareth Gods banishing of him out of the lande of promise patiently and of his fault 1236. a 10. b all 1182. b 30.40.50.60 1183. a 10. he sawe the lande of promise but was shut out of it and why 1073. a 40.50 1235. b 50.60 1179. all 1181. b 30.40 the great care that he had for the peoples welfare 142. b 30.40.50 he is disgraded from his office and Iosua set in his roome 197. a 40. Notwithstanding his age of sixe score yeeres yet did his senses continue in their full strength 106. a 30. he obteined speciall fauor in Gods sight aboue all other and why 105. b 30. though hee were bereft of the lande of promise yet was that no impeachment to his saluation 104. b 20 Mouth The meaning of these wordes Man is nourished by euerie worde that coÌ„meth out of the Mouth of God 351. b 30.40.50.60 352. a all In the gospel we haue the Mouth of god open most of all 32. b 40 In what sort we must pray to God with our Mouth 362. b 10.20.30 What is meant by yeelding to Gods Mouth 32. b 20.30 33. a 10 20. 52 b 40. 1237. a 50 Of hauing the worde of God alwaies in our Mouth Reade all the 176 sermon where Moseses song is treated of and in the sermon going before being the 175. How the Iewes were disobedient to the Mouth of God 55. b 60. Looke Worde of God Mount Why Mount Horeb ought to haue beene sanctified and acknowledged holie 387. b 10 Why Moses and Helias did appeare at the transfiguring of Christ vpon the Mount 390. a 10 Why God choose Mount Sion for his dwelling place 1210. b 50 Moses is tolde of God that he shall die vpon Mount Nebo 1180. a 10 The situation of Mount Pharan mount Seir and mount Sinay 1186. b 10. Looke Hill Multitude Doctrine to be gathered vppon these wordes God spake to the whole Multitude 248. a 10.40.50.60 b 10 20.30 40 Two preferred before a whole Multitude of seuen hundred thousande 47. a â—0 When and in what cases we must let the greater Multitude of men alone 31. b 10.20 To be carried away with the Multitude is no good excuse for vs before God 31. b 40 Not the Multitude but the better sort to be regarded 31. a 20.50 The common trade and custome of the Multitude 31. b 30 The Papistes vaunt their religion to be true because it is receiued of the greater Multitude 1040. a 20 Murmur Dauid diuersly affected in his life time yet did he not Murmur against God 951. b 30.40.50.60 952. a 10. c. In what daunger hee is that doeth but Murmur against his neighbour 220. b 50. 221. a 10 Wee must not Murmur at our estate how miserable and distressed soeuer it be looke the place 409. b 30.40 Murmuring Two hundred and fiftie swallowed vp of the earth for Murmuring against Moses and Aaron 461. b 50.60 The Murmuring of the Iewes against God at Giberoth Thauah 407. b 40.50.60 Why the Murmuring of Aaron against Moses was not punished considering that others offending in the like were not vnpunished 851. a 30. 40.50.60 What will become of our Murmuring against God if we be afflicted out of measure to our owne seeming 89. a 40 The maner of the Israelites Murmuring in the wildernesse 49. a 10.20 408. b 40.50 409. a 30.40 The Murmuring of the Iewes made