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
he would vtterly roote out that people so as there should not one of them bee left aliue meant not that he was determined so to doe but sheweth that the people was worthy to haue bene quite and cleane destroyed And in deede there was iust cause why to the intent that euery of them should be smitten downe and subdued on his owne behalfe and that Moses should pray after that maner And yet for all that God found the meanes to make good his promise notwithstanding the wilfull frowardnes that was in the people And this is a point well worthie to be marked among others that when God hath chosen any people although his grace bee despised so as all they whom he had called become vnworthie of such a benefite and banish themselues out of his house by reiecting y e promise that was offered them yet will God finde the meanes to chastise them in such wise as his Church shall not vtterly perish yea and he will euen ouercome mens frowardnesse with his goodnesse I say it is well worthie to bee marked For wee see that on the one side the hypocrites vnder colour that God hath manifested himselfe vnto them and promised to bee their Sauiour doe surmise that they haue him bound and thereupon take leaue to doe euill and if a man shewe them their sinnes they hardē themselues against it there is nothing but pride in them they arme themselues with Gods name to fight against his Prophets And this haue they done in all ages When the Iewes were rebuked for their wicked life for their turning away from God they were inflamed with such rage against the Prophets as to say How nowe Ierem. 7.4 To whom speake ye Are not wee the Church Are not wee Gods inheritance Hath he not set his couenant among vs Haue not wee the signe of Circumcision Haue not wee the temple where he is worshipped Wee see then that the Iewes did falsely abuse Gods name to aduaunce themselues against him and his word And this is reported of the Iewes but yet wee may see the like in our selues For all they to whom God hath done so much honour as to giue them his word and to manifest himselfe vnto them doe imagin that they haue him as it were in their sleeue yet for all that in stead of profiting themselues by Gods so gentle alluring of them vnto him they set themselues against all good doctrine they cannot finde in their heartes to beare any yoke they will needes bee as wilde beastes and yet in the meane while they will needes haue God to auow them to be of his flocke But here wee see that although God had as then set vp his seat among the Iewes and made a couenant with them to bee their Sauiour vnto the ende yet when he sawe they were not meete to haue him but that they drew cleane backe and ceassed not to spite him he found the meanes to punishe them yea and that in such sort as all those things went to nought and yet he himself abode soothfast notwithstanding their destruction And therfore let vs not deceiue our selues When God hath once taken vs to him to be of his houshold and adopted vs to be his children let vs not sooth our selues in our vices but consider how it stādeth vs on hand to walke so much the more awefully when God hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towardes vs and that forasmuch as he hath vttred his goodnes in such wise it is good reason that wee on our part being so much beholden vnto him should looke well about vs and indeuour to giue our selues wholly to his seruice and be so loth to offend him as we may also be afraide to be bereft of the grace that he hath once bestowed vpon vs. Marke that for one point And therewithall let vs marke also that God in punishing the hypocrites and all such as abuse the goodnesse that he hath done towards them ceasseth not for all that to continue faithfull stil. For if he should destroy the whole world and leaue no afterspring to call vpon him it might bee said in deede God hath iust cause to punish men after that maner but in the meane time where is his promise Psal. 72.17 He hath saide that his Church shall continue for euer that his name shall bee called vpon here beneath as long as there is eyther Sunne or Moone in the skie but nowe is all dispatched quite and cleane the remembrance of saluation is vtterly buried among men Although then that God should doe iustly in punishing such as had done amisse yet should his promise bee vaine and voide if he perfourmed not the thing that he promised and so would men blame him of vnfaithfulnesse But as I saide he findeth meanes to punish them that deserue it and yet notwithstanding reserueth and keepeth still a people to himselfe and suffereth not his trueth to fall to the ground or to die without effect And hereof we haue a notable example in this place For wee see that God had made a couenant with Abraham and had promised him to giue the land of Chanaan for an heritage to his ofspring As soone as the time came the promise was performed Yea verily but all the posteritie of Abraham refused and reiected the promise whereby they disanulled it as much as lay in them Thus you see they bee depriued of it through their owne vnthankfulnesse But yet to the intent that God be not accused of leauing his promise vnperformed it behoued him in punishing the fathers to preserue their race They that come vp afterward are also the ofspring of Abraham and they possesse the land that was promised by meanes whereof the couenaunt that God had made abode sure and fast settled to the end And for the same cause it is said that God reserued the yong children to himselfe Now then as many as had murmured and were aboue the age of twentie yeeres are cast off and banished from the good turne that was readie for them but they that were vnder that age are preserued still and God is glorified in them And albeit that the accomplishment of his promise was delayed by the space of fortie yeeres yet notwithstanding he shewed himselfe faithfull in the end This is the matter which we haue to beare away So now likewise when wee see the world so farre out of order that al is mard and it seemeth that all men will needes spite GOD and shut themselues out of all hope of saluation by driuing away the light of the Gospell that is giuen them let vs looke for some vengeaunce at hand For though God bee patient yet must he bee faine in the ende to stretch out his arme to bee reuenged of such malice and contempt On the one side they to whom the Gospell is preached doe growe altogether heathenish and it is seene that a nomber waxe worse and worse and wickednesse becomes more excessiue than it was in
after a sort inclosed in his worde that it may be receiued as it deserueth and euerie man submit himselfe to it and God by that meanes bee worshipped of all men and serued with one accord And therewithal let them defie al rebels despisers WheÌ„ they see y e heathenish sort fall to scoffing at the doctrine which they beare abroade let them assure themselues that the things which they haue vttered shall suffice to send all these to the bottome of Hell which do so set themselues against them according to this saying of Saint Paul 2. Cor. â— that the Preachers of Gods word are armed with such a sword as is able to confound all such as will not obey the doctrine And herewithall likewise let euerie man haue an eye to himselfe and when he commeth hither to be taught in the name of God let him be prepared with such lowelines and modestie as he may perceiue that it is God which speaketh and be moued to bow downe his necke to receiue his yoke patiently And as for those that will needs play the wild beastes let them vnderstand y t here is sentence giuen vpon them so as they may well plead against it but they shall win nothing by their shiftes bicause it is said that all such as obeyed not Moses were disobedient to Gods owne mouth And nowe Moses addeth expressely That the people were presumptuous in that they woulde not bee at rest And this importeth very much For it doeth vs to vnderstand that there was neuer yet any vnbeliefe or stubbornnesse in men but it was matched with loftinesse and pride which puffed them vp in such wise and made them so farre out of patience with themselues as they fell to checking against GOD and to giue themselues to all euill And that is y e cause why vnbeliefe is so behated afore God Sometimes it will seeme to vs to bee ouer great rigour when GOD punisheth them so sore which cannot finde in their hearts â—o hearken to his word For we excuse them by ignoraunce forasmuch as they were not well assured that it was God that spake and in the meane time wee looke not to the euill that â—urketh in couert which God perceiueth and iudgeth y t is to wit that men are inwardly as full of poison as toads and that they bee stuffed with pride which maketh theÌ„ to mouÌ„t vp in such wise as in effect they refuse to obey God foraâ—much as they vouchsafe not to yeelde all superioritie to him That is the cause why pride or presumption is matched in this place with vnbeliefe And it is y e same thing which I haue declared afore namely that the true hardinesse must bee grounded in God so as men must not attempt any thing vpon opinion of their owne power nor perswade themselues that they haue this or that but onely stand vnto that which God promiseth vs. If it be not so with vs then will our hardinesse be turned into presumptuousnesse And in this respect ought wee to condemne mens rashnesse when they aduance themselues too much and to commende their inuincible constancie when they submit themselues out of hand to Gods woorde so that hauing once his promise they rest vpon it as vppon a rocke despising all stumbling blockes keepe on their pace stil notwithstanding any trouble or storme that can be stirred vp against them or anie threatening or menacing of them It will be sayd diuers times that Gods seruantes are wilfull because they will not swarue for any thing nor for al y e worldly reasons that can bee alledged This and that shall be brought in and wee knowe that nothing is easier than to strike sayle at euery blast of winde as they say But wee see that such as purpose to serue God doe shut their eyes against al daungers insomuch that although all should goe to hauocke yet will they not cease to doe the thing that is commaunded theÌ„ Lo here a willfulnesse yea verily according to the opinion of the flesh but yet in very deede it is the true hardinesse Why so Because it hath the good foundation Heauen and earth are of great weight and yet is all that houge building grounded vppon the onely worde of God In what good plight then shall a particular thing be when it is founded vppon the same Thus yee see what wee haue to gather vpon this text that the people was presumptuous in that they yeelded not to God when hee commaunded them to sit still Now to the ende wee may know that when God hath once spoken they be no threatnings to scarre babes withall as they say he addeth for a conclusion You went vp and behold the Ammorrhyte that dwelt on the hill came out before you and chased you as waspes or Bees doe insomuch that they smote you in mount Seir euen vnto Horma Hereby Moses sheweth that the people were taught after the maner of fooles that is to say by their owne harme And good reason it is that when we will not beleeue Gods single word we should pay very deere for our experience and be made to knowe in spite of our teeth that he will be stedfast in his purpose and bring the thing to passe that he hath spoken And hereby wee bee warned not to prouoke Gods wrath nor to tempt him So soone then as he speaketh let vs stand in awe for it is a part of fayth as is shewed by the example of Noe in the eleuenth chapter to the Hebrewes â—â—b 11.7 It is sayd there that Noe beheld the flud at such time as men made great chere in the world How so for God had told him that the world should perish and hee contented himselfe therewith And therefore let vs not tary till God arme himselfe and vtter his power against vs but as soone as he hath spoken let vs be afraide that we may preuent his wrath and then shall we be taught as wee ought to be to our welfare But if we bee hardheaded and thinke that all that euer is sayde is but a mockerie wee shall finde to our confusion that God hath an effectuall worde and that his hand and his tongue goe together so as all that euer commeth from him shall be found to bee certaine and infallible Also wee haue to marke this similitude that Moses setteth downe here namely that the Ammorrhytes came out lyke Bees For wee knowe that when Bees are angrye they sting men and they regard not whether men be too strong for them but they fly vppon them with such choler and furie as they cannot but be astonished They seke to sting their eyes so as there is not the hardiest of them but he is put to his shiftes and is faine to runne away from those little pretie fowles Moses then hath vsed this similitude to shewe that the enemies had Lyons hearts because God had incouraged them For it belongeth to him onely to strengthen men When it pleaseth him to defend vs
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
Because they haue misused his goodnesse and the instruction that he gaue them When wee see that this cause went afore that is to wit that men did wilfully shut their eyes that they would not heare and that they would not receiue any instruction but rather labored to abolish Gods truth vtterly is it not reason that they should bee giuen vp to the spirit of giddinesse Nay moreouer they will needes be wittie to mocke God and we see a nomber of these skoffers which are alwayes frumping and to their seeming God is but a babe By reason hereof hee shaketh them vtterly of in such wise as they become brute beastes Now then when that cause goeth afore wee see that God executeth his Iustice and punisheth men in such sort as wee can not but glorifie him Marke that for one poynt True it is that sometime there shall be speciall causes Rom. 1.19 but the saying of Saint Paul in the first chapter to the Romans extendeth yet further For there wee see that God hath iust reason to blinde all the world and that if hee should doe so he should doe but the office of a iudge For why although the heathen had no doctrine preached vnto them yet doe the heauens and the earth speake sufficiently vnto them inasmuch as God doth shewe himselfe there But who are they that honor and serue God for all their inioying of the benefites which he bestoweth vpon them in this world All are vnthankefull all are malicious wee cobble vp Gods riches here and in the meane while regard not how much we be beholden to him at leastwise to doe him homage for them And therefore it is reason that he should giue vp men into a leude minde â—om 1.24 â—6 28 as sayth Sainte Paule and that hee should deliuer them into wicked lustes so as they should forget themselues and ouershoote themselues and giue ouer themselues to all vngratiousnesse and to all maner of shamefull and horrible dealings And why For they honoured not their creator that made them had shewed himselfe so bountifull and mercifull to them And therefore whensoeuer God hardeneth men wee must thinke he hath iust reason to doe so because our leawdnesse and vnthankfulnesse are to be found euery where But yet neuerthelesse if there appeare no apparant cause and that when we haue sought neuer so much why God hardeneth men wee finde no cause at all yet let vs not therefore cease to glorifie him though wee see not the reason of his doings As for example a man might aske why Sehon was hardened rather than the Moabites Edomites and Ammonites Ye see here foure nations betweene whom there was no oddes I meane as in respect of naughtinesse For if wee thinke that the Ammonites and Edomites were better than the Amorrhits it is but folly and a deceiuing of our selues Then were they all as infidelles and coulde haue found in their hartes that Gods people had bin vtterly sunk But God boweth the heartes of the Ammonites and such others to the end that they should not enter into warre Hee meckeneth and suppleth them as if a wilde beaste were tamed and in the meane while he hardeneth Sehons hart pricking him and inflaming him foreward to the ende he should come to giue battell Whence commeth such diuersitie Wee cannot alleadge any reason our wit is too rawe and weake thereto And againe God concealeth his purpose from vs in that behalfe What shall wee doe then although wee be at our wits end in this case let vs learne to doe God so much honor as to acknowledge that hee is iust and vpright in all his doinges And although the thing be straunge to our vnderstanding and it seeme to vs that wee might speake against it yet notwithstanding let vs forbeare to reply and let vs humble our selues vnder the maiestie of our God For truely the thing wherein he wil try mens humilitie is that wee should glorifie him in al his works yea euen though they agree not ne match not with our natural reasoÌ„ Rom. 1.5.16 26. There is not a truer obedience of faith than that And if they which babble so much nowadayes against Gods prouidence had learned but this one principle of honoring GOD by confessing that hee is righteous and measured not his Iustice or righteousnesse by their owne brayne there would be no more difficultie But what There are a sorte of proud beggers which set themselues against GOD and swelle at him lyke Toades Insomuch that if they haue once taken a toy in their head although GOD haue spoken the flat contrary they passe not for that neither will they surcease their rage for it But as for our part to the intent wee may be Gods true disciples let vs bridle our wittes and hold them as prisoners and captiues vnder the doctrine of the holy scripture which is that God holdeth mens hartes in his hand and turneth them to gentlenesse when hee listeth as we see he did in Egypt Exod. 11.3 12.36 Behold the Egyptians were ful of spite and crueltie so as they ment nothing else but to haue vtterly destroyed the people of Israel But yet in one minute of an houre and euen in the turning of a hand God wrought in such wise that they were chaunged They yeelded vp all their vessell of golde and siluer at the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of y e people To be short they did more for the children of Israel than the fathers would haue done for their owne children And whereof came this Euen of Gods changing of their hartes when hee thought good Also on the contrary part God holdeth mens hartes in his hand to harden them as he listeth And if this seeme straunge vnto vs let vs acknowledge the weakenesse of our vnderstanding and let vs alwayes first and formost confesse God to bee righteous and therewithall reuerence his high and deepe secretes sith wee cannot atteine vnto them Thus yee see what we haue to remember in the first place Also wee haue to note the ende for which this was done God sayth Moses was determined to destroy Sehon GOD had already assigned him his iudgement that was the cause why hee hardened him It is not in this text onely that the holy Ghost speaketh so But when God sendeth his Prophet Esay and telleth him that the people shal be hardened and blinded yea euen the more after their hearing of all the matters and warninges that should be giuen them he addeth I will haue this people blinded to the ende they conuert not and I should heale them As if he should say this people is not worthie to bee pitied at my hand or to haue any mercy shewed them and therefore they must dwell still in their destruction And that they may doe so I will harden their hartes stop their eares and blinde their eyes so as they shall be past all amendement Let vs vnderstand that in so doing God hath alwayes iust reason but yet is it not to be
therewithall as that the effect is ioyned to the worde Likewise when hee threatneth vs let vs assure our selues that vengeance is in a readinesse as saith Sainct Paul 1. Cor. 10.6 Let vs not thinke it a sport and daliance when wee bee tolde of Gods curse and wrath against the despisers of the Gospell and against the disobeyers of the same Heereby wee see with what reuerence wee ought to resort to Sermons Also wee see in what taking all these heathenish sort are which come to Sermons as it were in scorne of God with such brutishnesse as euen little children are ashamed of them insomuch that there is neither feare of God nor honestie in them Let vs be well aduised to shunne such mens companies and to abhorre them assuring our selues that if wee learne not to mislike of them wee shall be intangled with them by becomming like them These saye I are the thinges which wee haue to remember in that Moses went not to exalt himselfe to deface Gods glorie but shewed that God wrought by him and by his meanes Furthermore whereas hee saieth that the children of Manasses that is to say the halfe tribe together with the whole tribes of Ruben and Gad bounde themselues by the promise that is rehearsed in the booke of Numeri Num. 32.27 to goe before the Lorde that is to say in his presence it is well woorth the marking for it serueth to expresse the better with what loyaltie they went to it For if wee set not our eye vppon God there will alwayes bee some feynednesse in our promises and in all our dealings so as wee shall neuer goe to worke soundly and substantially Wee knowe that naturally men are double harted and that they paint and disguise their doings insomuch that if it were possible for them they woulde keepe no touch in any thing that they promise longer than it were for their owne profite or at leastwise vnlesse they were driuen to it for verie shame To bee short there wil bee no faithfulnesse in vs except GOD ouerlooke vs and wee looke vp to him in all our doings And that is the cause why the men that were assigned their possession did sweare to their brethren euen in Gods presence that GOD might bee a witnesse to punish their leaudnesse if there were any guile feyning or treacherie at al in their case Hereby wee bee warned that whensoeuer wee make any bargaine or couenant wee muste not onely haue ame to the partie with whome wee haue to doe but wee must also as it were set GOD among vs and keepe our faith and promise to him that wee haue bounde our selues as though GOD watched vs at euerie steppe and that wee coulde not so soone worke deceite towardes any man but that by and by GOD woulde steppe before vs to withstande it That is the thing which wee haue to doe but there are verie fewe of vs that thinke vppon it For although the name of God bee called vppon and solemne othes taken and promises made autentically ynough yea and that there bee order of Lawe to make vs feele his maiestie yet doe most men shut their eyes and in all the promises and othes that are made commonly there is nothing sought but to deceiue one another He that is suttlelest and fullest of shiftes is the handsommest man and such kinde of dealing is esteemed as a vertue And why For euerie man runnes gadding after his owne lustes and likings yea that in such wise that they bee as blindfoldings to keepe vs from seeing God Though wee thinke not vppon it nowe yet will not God forget any of our deceites spytes trecheries and falshoodes which wee commit against men For hee hath tolde vs that when an othe is taken betweene man and man Exo. 20.7 Leuit. 19.12 Deut. 23.21 Ios. 9.19 Matt. 5.33 his glorie is defaced and himselfe openly mocked if the promise be broken Therefore let vs bee wel assured that he wil not put vp such wrong that although wee bee neuer so blinde yet will not hee play the blinkarde on his side but will note and marke euery whit of it to bring it to account And so yee see what wee haue to marke heere for one point By way wee see that none but such as make lawful couenaÌ„ts can make theÌ„ as in Gods sight For as many as doe lewdly linke themselues together to helpe one another in naughtinesse as to confounde all right to make wicked shiftes to worke outrages to oppresse men or to maintaine themselues in their vnthriftinesse as manie I say as conspyre after that fashion are all faine to seeke lurkingholes they are loth to shewe themselues to God or to come in his presence nay they must rather shrinke away from him but they cannot Yet notwithstanding the wicked sort doe fall asleepe when they make those shamefull and detestable confederacies of theirs they bee faine to holde themselues there as it were in the darke and to shunne Gods presence as much as they can So much the more then doth it stande vs on hande to remember this text that in all our promises and in all our doings wee may deale as in Gods sight assuring our selues that hee is euer at hande to take notice of our couenaunts and to beare witnesse of them yea and to gouerne and direct all thinges aright if wee proceede vprightly and soundely And so yee see what wee haue to marke Nowe heere is yet moreouer a certaine vprightnesse to bee kept whereof Moses speaketh when he commaundeth the Rubenytes and Gadytes to goe conquer the rest of the lande with their brethren notwithstanding that they had their portion alreadie beyonde Iordan Heereby wee be warned first that if God haue vnyted vs in one bodie or corporation one part of vs must not withdrawe our selues from the charges 〈◊〉 the common weale as if wee woulde say let vs exempt our selues and let the rest shifte for themselues but it behoueth euerie man to imploy himselfe to the benefite of the whole state and that hee which coulde shift for himselfe alone shoulde not forbeare to take part with his brethren and to put vnder his shoulder as they say to beare a peece of the burthen This might bee declared more fully but a glaunce will serue our turne well ynough and the cheefest matter is that wee must put it well in practise Then let vs marke well that if GOD haue knitte vs into one bodie Rom. â—â— wee must all doe the office of members as we see howe the foote serueth the hande the hande the eye and euery other part imployeth it selfe according to his seuerall propertie and power so as all redoundeth to the benefite of the whole Likewise muste wee obserue the same rightfull and reasonable order of dealing when GOD hath set vs in one common weale It was well knowen of the wretched Paynims that there coulde bee no good ciuill order in the worlde if euerie man were giuen to
with vs according to his owne saying that he is a kinde hearted and pitifull God Exo. 34.6 Deut. 1.31 Esa. 49.15 Matt. 7.9 foreward to shew mercie and of long sufferaunce When God intendeth to shewe what good will he beareth vs he alledgeth all the properties of a good Father Then will he neuer vse any roughnesse vnlesse he bee inforced bicause he seeth vs dul vpon the spurre and is faine to prick vs or else wee would neuer goe on our way Therefore when we come to reade the holy Scripture let vs alwaies haue this before our eyes that our Lordes desire is to drawe vs to him by gentlenesse if wee bee plyable and therevpon let vs humble our selues vnto him and not looke to haue him deale roughly with vs but followe him quietly as soone as he hath shewed vs that he is willing to receiue vs. And if we haue bin so farre ouerseene as to haue giuen deafe eare to all his promises and not to come at his call at leastwise it were not meete for vs to bee drowsie still when he addeth his threatnings to waken vs. Therefore let vs vnderstand that it is time for vs to yeeld our selues to God then or neuer And that is the cause why that in this text Moses putteth the people in rememberance of the punishments that God had laide vpon such as worshipped the idole of AmmoÌ„ which was called Beel-phegor But we haue yet one point more to mark which is that God spareth vs and punisheth others to the intent wee should learne wit at other mens cost as they say If God should step to vs at the first dash and correct vs as soone as wee haue done amisse or tell vs that we should looke for vengeance at his hand yet ought we to take it as a token of his fatherly goodnesse as I said afore But his will is to beare with vs and he setteth the saide chastisements before vs to make vs knowe that his punishing of offenders is not without cause that wee ought to take the same for a warning to our selues And so doth Moses vse it here For he saith not God will punish you if ye offende but hee saieth Ye haue seene howe they were punished which worshipped Beel-phegor Nowe therefore preuent Gods wrath and tarie not till he be angrie with you set on fire but cleaue simply to his word and let the corrections that he hath shewed you auaile you not bee shewed you in vaine Thus ye see the third point which wee haue to marke that is to wit that our Lorde vttereth not his threatenings vnto all men but sheweth vs howe he punisheth the vnbeleeuers to the intent that wee shoulde not bee of their nomber least wee should be wrapped in the same condemnation with them Eph. 5 5â— And it is the same thing that S. Paul sheweth For after he hath tolde the faithfull that they must abstaine from couetousnes theft whoredome drunkennesse and such other like things yea and euen from all manner of loosenesse and wantonnesse he addeth be not deceiued for Gods wrath commeth vppon the vnbeleeuers for such things He saieth not that Gods wrath shall come vpon them but he tempereth his speach and saieth Consider that God punisheth the vnbeleeuers for such causes and therfore separate your selues from their nomber and companie After the same maner speaketh he likewise in the tenth of the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. â—â— After he had tolde them how God had punished idolaters rebels and such as had coueted vnlawfull things he addeth that those thinges are written for vs that we might see and behold Gods iudgements as in a liuely picture keepe our selues from falling into the like punishment Nowe therefore let vs come to that which Moses rehearseth here Your eyes saieth he haue seen what the Lorde did in the case of Beel-phegor In saying so he telleth not the people a tale that shall doe them no good but he doeth them to vnderstand that Gods vttering of his vengeaunce against such as had worshipped that idole was to giue a generall lesson to all men and therefore that they ought to thinke themselues worthie of dubble blame in that behalfe forasmuch as they had fared neuer the better by Gods scourges but had shut their eyes all the while that he was about to warne them to their benefite and welfare Nowe remaineth to apply this geere to our vse When God sendeth any trouble vppon the world let vs vnderstand that it is not without cause that he is so sore displeased For if we consider the offences and misdeedes that haue bene committed wee must needes conclude y t God sheweth himselfe a iudge in punishing sinnes But doeth that serue onely for them that feele the strokes No Gods will is to shewe his iust vengeance generally that men may learne to stoope to him and to walke in feare of him and to giue theÌ„selues no more to prouoking of him To be short all the chastisementes that wee see in the worlde ought to serue for our learning according to this saying of the Prophet Esay Esa. 26.9 O Lorde when thou executest thy iudgementes the dwellers of the earth shall learne righteousnesse For when God winketh and punisheth not the wicked and vnrighteous men take leaue to doe euill it seemeth that all thinges shoulde scape vnpunished and euerie man beareth with himselfe accordingly as all of vs are naturally too much inclined to flatter our selues in our sinnes But when wee perceiue that GOD calleth mens sinnes to account and that all thinges are inrolled before him he sheweth him selfe a iudge in punishing men whereas they thought they had beene forgotten then behold wee be wakened so as euerie of vs beginnes to bethinke himselfe or at leastwise it were good reason that he should do so True it is that Gods iudgementes doe sometimes passe before our eyes and wee make none account of them by meanes whereof wee can fare neuer the better for them but vnhappie are wee when we bee so blinde And why For as I saide Gods intent is that other men shoulde take example by his chastising of those that haue offended Yea and euen the worldly iudges obserue the same order insomuch that when they punish a theefe or a murderer or any other euill dooer they doe it not alonely to be reuenged of y e euil that he hath done as in respect of himselfe but also to set him forth as a lookingglasse to the intent that all other folkes shoulde set a watch ouer themselues and abhorre such crimes and not suffer them to haue their full course and scope And thinke wee that God goeth yet any further So then let vs suffer our selues to bee amended at other mens cost and let vs haue our eyes open to beholde the punishment so that he sendeth And nowe in these dayes must it not needes bee that wee be worse than asleepe if wee bee not mooued at the great
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
his seruice to keepe our selues from these tentations y t run oftētimes in our heads If we fal to scanning so as we say to our selues how now must I for seruing of god haue so hard cumbersome a condition It should seeme y t he is minded to discorage me Let vs beware of such conceits rather follow y e example of Moses He saw himself bereft of y e inheritance y t had bin promised to y e whole people he saw he had as it were a marke of reproch for euer as though God had withered him for wheras God had chosen him to bee the leader of his people to supplie his roome in bringing to thē that welfare that they had loked for so long time now towards his death he must bee disgraded at Gods hand and be banished from the possession that was as a pledge of the kingdome of heauen True it is that Moses continued and doth continue still an heire of Gods kingdome but he had not that earthly pledge of it that was set before the people He saw that of six hundred thousand persons for the whole multitude was so manie there was not one among them al that was worthier to enter into the land than himselfe Therfore he might haue stormed thus with himselfe Howe nowe I see I haue taken great payn◠in leading this people God hath wrought so manie miracles by my hand I haue yet stil such zeale to the honor of God and to y e welfare of his people as I neuer cease to procure the same therw tall I may well say God hath granted me y e grace to walke more roundly than al y e rest and yet notw tstanding must I be barred out of y e land the residue enter into it which haue not taken so much paine as I nothing neere Moses might haue bin in a chafe chawed vpon his bridle saying wel seeing I haue taken so much paine God ment to serue his turne by me heretofore it is ynough for me I am contented with that which I haue done but notwithstanding I will giue ouer my roome and seeing that he will not set me aworke any longer let him serue his turn by some other Moses might wel haue entred into such fancies But what Notwithstāding y t God listed to abace him so before men by bereuing him of the benefite that he esteemed aboue al other and to preferre the meanest and miserablest of the people before him who was so excellent a Prophet yet ceased he not to discharge his duetie and to goe through with it still And we see with what carefulnes he goeth about it My friends saith he although I must dye here and God cutteth me off from you as touching the bodie yet notwithstanding I will discharge my selfe both towards him and you and seeing it hath pleased him to make me his minister to teach you his doctrine I will neuer faile to doe my duetie In deede he might haue twyted the people as them that had caused God to lay such punishment vppon him but yet for all that hee ceaseth not to serue God and to loue the people still which as I said had caused him to be disinherited of the Land that was promised to Abraham Therfore hath Moses good right to say Because of your words God sware that I should not go ouer Iordan to enter into this good land Neither murmuring nor blaspheming proceeded from Moses Nay which is more we see he crucified himself whē he saw that god was not honored as he ought to haue beene whereas on the contrarie part there was a froward wilfull people which could not be brought into order by any meanes It seemeth then indeede y t Moses had iust cause to be angrie with the people seeing that God had punished him so grieuously for their disobedience But yet for all that a man may see hee sheweth himselfe still a father towardes them and taketh them as his children for hee knewe to what state he was called True it is that he vsed sharpnesse and rigour in due time and place specially when it behooued him to shewe the people their offences We see that Moses was in that behalf as a burning fire we see howe vehemently he rebuketh the despysers of God and the Rebels But when y t was once ouer he shewed himselfe alwayes to beare an affection of loue towards such as could abide it As for example God had now punished the people by the space of fortie yeres insomuch that they which had brought punishments vpon the people and had beene the authors of sedition were alreadie dead and their carkesses were rotten in the wildernes yet now behold Moses pitieth the children that were descended of them and ceaseth not to loue them So then let vs marke that if God call vs to the preaching of his word the vnthankfulnesse of such as ought to heare it must not stay vs from procuring their saluation as much as in vs lyeth Moreouer let vs not forbeare to pronounce Gods iustice against the wicked And though there be some that are vtterly wilful past hope of recouery whose diseases are vncurable wel yet let vs do our duetie towardes them let vs cite them to Gods iudgement let our doctrine serue for their condemnation to sende them to hell And in the meane while looke where we can reclaime them that haue done amisse let vs giue good heede therto and bestow our labor thereon Behold yet what we haue further to remember out of this place And herewithall wee see also that when Gods seruants perceiue themselues to bee neere their ende they must be the carefuller to stablish the doctrin which they taught in their life time And why For we see how men do easily slip away that euen such as haue shewed some good signe will anon after start aside if they be not helde in with a dubble reine as they say And when a seruant of God seeth y t in his lifetime he was greatly hindered in the maintenance of Gods seruice and had much adoe to represse euil what should he thinke but that the diuell will take possession after his death if God remedie not the matter Therfore such as haue felt and found by experience in their lifetime how painefull a thing it is to maintein the church ought euē for this cause to take so much the more paine trauell when they draw towards their death to cause the syncere religion to be mainteined in his purenesse that men being once set in a good course may not swarue away from it Beholde the example which Moses sheweth vs. And besides this let vs mark also that he doth not only discharge himselfe here at his death by vttering some sodaine speach or by shewing some signe of zeale onely but that he stood vpon this and did most vrge it to wit all his life long that the people might bee edified in the feare of God For yee
condemnation because of the originall sinne that is come from Adam vpon all mankinde Nowe seeing that the little babes are not exempted from the wrath and curse of GOD Eph. 2.3 in so much that if hee punishe them it is not without cause neither can men saye but that hee proceedeth alwayes vprightlye as a good Iudge much lesse canne they that are men growen auowe themselues to be innocent but they shall much rather bee founde guiltie And so as concerning Ezechiels purpose it is an euident matter that God punisheth not the guiltlesse children for their fathers sakes for there is fault to bee founde euen in them also Furthermore where as hee saieth that hee punisheth the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children let vs marke howe that is done and then will this doubt be yet better discussed First of all wee knowe that God is not any thing indetted vnto vs and that if hee doe vs any good it is of his owne free goodnesse and not for that hee is bounde vnto vs. Nowe if he list to vse rigour towardes vs hee may leaue vs all in condemnation as those that are there alreadie Let God but onely withholde his mercie and shewe himselfe as a iudge to the whole worlde and what will become of it Wee bee all forlorne there is no remedie for vs both great and smal fathers and children I say all of vs without exception are damned euerychone if God drawe vs not out of the cursed case wherein wee be yea and that hee do it not of his owne freebestowed goodnesse without being bound thervnto Now then seeing that God might destroy vs and cast vs all away is he to be blamed is there any fault to bee founde with him if it please him to vse his goodnesse and mercie towardes some and to call them to him and to deliuer them out of the bottomlesse pitte wherein they bee No. For our eye must not bee spitefull because hee hath pittie vppon his creatures Matt. 20.15 And although hee vse not like courtesie towards all men yet doth it become vs to keepe our mouthes shutte yea and sometimes againe wee ought to open them wide to confesse that all his doings are in vprightnesse and equitie Psal. 33.4 though they surmount our capacitie For wee cannot alwayes perceiue why God disposeth so of men but our pratling must bee put downe and wee must learne to reuerence God in his iudgementes when they bee too high and too secret for vs to attaine to How soeuer the case stand let this stand for a generall rule that God might let vs alone in the destruction wherein we bee if he thought good and that by that meanes all the worlde might perish but forasmuch as it pleaseth him to shewe himselfe pitifull and gentle not towardes all but towardes one part of them therefore putteth he a difference betweene the one and the other And there vppon hee leaueth whom he listeth in their owne cursednes wherein they were borne Nowe if it bee demaunded why GOD vseth mercie after that manner towardes the one sorte and rigour towardes the other truely the first cause thereof is vnknowen to vs and wee ought not to bee inquisitiue of it And why for it becommeth our wittes to bee locked vp and imprisoned in that behalfe and wee ought to confesse that God hath free power to choose whom hee listeth and to cast away the rest But howsoeuer the case stande hee maketh this promise to the faithfull that hee will haue mercie vppon their children and that as hee hath begunne his mercie vppon the parentes themselues so hee will holde out with it continually vnto a thousande generations We see nowe that there is some cause why God hath pitie vppon the one sort rather than vppon the other Againe on the contrarie part he threateneth the vnbeleeuers that he will curse them not onely in themselues but also in their rase and in those that shall spring of them But nowe let vs come to the mercie that God graunteth and to the punishment that hee extendeth His blessing of the faithfull folkes children is not in riches in health and in all other such thinges or in making them to prosper to the worlde warde Those are not the greatest blessings which God graunteth that is not the ende which hee beginneth at but rather the mercie that hee sheweth them is that hee gouerneth them by his holy spirite that hee giueth them the badge of his adopted children and that he correcteth them and purgeth them from their sinnes to fashion them againe after his owne image Yee see then that the mercie which God extendeth towardes the children of the faithfull is that hee suffereth them not to abide in their owne corruption and naughtinesse but reformeth and ruleth them by his holy spirite This done hee proceedeth yet further and maketh them to prosper euen in this worlde vntill the full measure of his mercie bee heaped vppon them that is to wit till he haue taken them vp into his heauenly kingdome and there giuen them euerlasting life On the contrarie parte whereas hee punisheth the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children it is as much to say as hee letteth their ofspring alone in the same plyght that they bee in There is a wicked man there is a despyser of GOD there is an hypocrite there is an vnbeleeuer well may hee haue children but God careth not for them as yee woulde saye and taketh them as straungers and forasmuch as hee acknowledgeth them not to bee of the number of his hee vouchsafeth not to shewe himselfe father like towardes them but letteth them runne at rouers so as Sathan must needes possesse them And when they bee so destitute of Gods spirite what can betide them but vtter mischiefe so as they must prouoke him to wrath more and more Nowe then doeth our Lorde punishe them without cause Can they say that they be guiltlesse No for there is fault ynough in them beforehande Wee see then much better that the thing which God hath spoken by Ezechiel is true that is to wit that the partie which hath sinned shall receiue his owne hyre as hee deserueth and that the guiltlesse shall not bee punished for the guiltie and for the offenders sake Neuerthelesse wee see also that his saying that hee will punish the sinne of the fathers vppon their children is not without cause For why It is in him to withholde his grace from the children of the wicked and faithlesse or of the despisers of his worde or of hypocrites that abuse his name God is at free libertie to withdrawe his spirite from all the whole race of them And when their children are so alienated from God what haue they but the corruption of Adam There is nothing in them but sinne and corruption Rom. 8.7 and therefore they must needes be enemies vnto God Yee see then how he punisheth them iustly and that they cannot shift themselues from his hande to say
pleasure in honouring him and that cannot be done without we loue him Wherefore let vs marke that the beginning and as it were the welspring foundation and roote of obedience is the saide loue of God so as wee be not forced to come vnto him but haue a singular pleasure in doing it assuring our selues that our true blessednesse is to desire to bee gouerned altogether according to his will and to frame our selues wholly therevnto Moreouer let vs marke also that this loue cannot be in vs vntil we haue tasted of the goodnesse of our God For so long as wee imagine God to be against vs wee must needes shunne him Will wee then loue him will wee frame our selues to the obeying of him to take all our delight in seruing of him Wee must first knowe that hee is our father and sauiour and that hee seeketh nothing but to bee fauourable vnto vs. When we haue so tasted his loue towards vs theÌ„ shal wee bee prouoked to loue him as our father Ioh. 14.15 Insomuch that if that loue be in vs no doubt but we will obey him and his lawe shall reigne in our mindes in our affections and in all our members For what is the cause why we be so disobedient vnto God but for that wee hate him as I saide afore So on the contrarie part the loue of God will drawe vs to serue him and to submit our selues to his righteousnesse so as men shall see a certaine conformitie and agreeablenesse betwixt Gods lawe and all our desires and affections But yet for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs consider what God is For hee will not be knowen according to our nature And when we heare him spoken of it is not ynough for vs to giue him the title of God but he will be knowen as hee is in deede that is to wit to bee righteous and good as the perfection and fountaine of all wisedome of all power of all right and of all equitie Nowe then let vs conceiue God as he is that is to wit with his iustice rightuousnesse and equitie and then shall wee not desire any thing else than to fashion our selues like to him Contrariwise if we loue naughtinesse and be wrapped in it we must needes hate God For why Heere is no talke of a naked being wee must not imagine God to bee as an ydoll wee must conceiue him with his righteousnesse and equitie Therefore when wee hate the thinges that are in God that is to say his iustice and righteousnesse wee must needes hate his owne selfe for hee cannot forsake himselfe hee cannot disguise himselfe 2. Tim. 1. â—â— hee cannot transforme himselfe after our fashion hee continueth euermore like himselfe So then as I saide afore all such as loue God neede not bee afraide that they shall not obey his Lawe and keepe his commaundementes for they bee thinges vnited and vnseparable That is the thing whiche wee haue to marke vppon this place And heereby wee bee warned to shunne all stubbornenesse and all offending more than we haue done for it is no small matter for vs to bee declared to bee Gods enemies and as makers of warre against him And yet the case standeth so as we cannot aduance our selues aboue him nor turne away from him nor shake off his yoke but wee be conuicted to haue beene his enemies and to haue made open warre against him And is not that a cursed thing So then let vs learne to abhorre our owne sinnes and vices because they attaint vs as traitors to God and hee must needes shewe himselfe to bee our aduersarie partie Also herewithall we be warned to resort vnto God with a pure and right meaning minde For it is not ynough for vs to haue with helde our feete hands and eyes from euill doing but the heart must goe before and wee must serue God with a true affection and this affection must not bee inforced but it must proceede of verie loue to Godwarde Therefore if wee minde to keepe the Lawe well wee must first knowe that God is a good and kinde-harted father towardes vs to the ende we may be fully perswaded of his loue towardes vs. And therewithall let it neuer sinke in our heartes to dally in protesting that wee loue God except the same may appeare by our whole life For when as Moses speaketh heere of the louing of GOD hee addeth That those which loue him doe also keepe his commaundementes Therefore our life must bee answerable in that behalfe and bee as a certificate whether we loue him or hate him Furthermore it is not without cause that God comparing here his wrath and vengeance with his mercie saieth that hee will punish those that hate him euen in three or foure descentes and shewe mercie in a thousande descentes to them that loue him For thereby hee sheweth the thing which is yet better expressed in other sentences of the scripture which is that hee is slowe to wrath and forwarde to mercie Psal. â—â—9 17 and therewithall long suffering so that where as his anger lasteth but a verie short time his mercie is euerlasting all the life long Yee see then that the verie nature of God is such as hee seeketh nothing but to drawe men to him by all manner of gentlenesse and to vse his goodnesse towardes them When hee punisheth them it is as yee woulde say against his nature Not that it is not meete for God to punish as well as to shewe mercie but his meaning is to shewe vs that his goodnesse is farre the greater and to be short that he is not rigorous but that his onely desire is to vtter his good will to vs if wee woulde suffer him for in very deede hee woulde faine bee knowen to bee good and pitifull and it is the thing wherein his glorie doeth chiefly shine foorth Therefore let vs marke well how it is not for nought that Moses hath assigned heere a thousande generations to Gods mercie and restrained his wrath and vengeance to a three or foure generations As if hee shoulde saye It is true that our Lorde will not suffer superstition vnpunished When yee shall haue corrupted his seruice and defaced his honour by gadding after your owne dotages yee shall feele the punishment thereof yea and euen your children after you must bee faine to feele it to insomuch that when the fire of his wrath is once kindled vppon you it shall not bee quenched againe so soone as yee weene for but yet for all that hee will not faile to bee pitifull still and his mercie shall alwayes bee greater than his wrath And in deede like as by the threate which wee haue hearde GOD intended to holde the worlde in the true religion to the ende they shoulde not make ydoIs and puppets to themselues so was it his will also that the promise which is conteined heere shoulde allure vs to him if wee beare him the loue and reuerence which wee ought to doe and hee had
tenne commaundementes God intended to giue a rule that should indure for euer Therefore let vs not thinke that the thinges which Moses speaketh of the Saboth day Psal. 19.8.9.10 Matt. 5.18 are needelesse for vs not for that the figure remaineth still in force but because we haue the trueth thereof And for the same cause the Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrewes applyeth the thinges that were spoken of the Saboth day Heb. 4.3.10 to the instruction of the Christians and of the new Church For hee sheweth vs that we must fashion our selues lyke to our GOD and that this is our full felicitie and perfection because the whole souereigne welfare of man consisteth in being created after the image of God What is to be done now seeing that the said image is defaced by sin but that it may bee repaired againe Ye see then that the way for vs to atteine to perfection is to fashion our selues lyke to our God and to yeelde to his will and to inquire of his workes that wee may doe the lyke Wherefore let vs vnderstand that to serue God well we at this day be commaunded to streine our selues to the vttermost of our power to subdew our owne thoughtes affections and desires that God may reigne in vs and rule vs by his holy spirit And therefore it is in vaine for all hipocrites to glose to set a faire countenance vpon their doinges For so lōg as wicked couetousnesse lyeth lurking in their heartes so long as they bee ful of enuie rancor ambition crueltie or guile it is certeine that they do nothing else but breake the Saboth day And therefore we may conclude that they ouerthrow the whole seruice of God according to that which I alledged afore out of Ezechiel As much is sayd thereof in Ieremy Iere. 17.24 And in deed that is y e cause why the ceremonie was so straitly looked to vnder y e lawe Thinke we that God did euer take pleasure in mens idlenesse no surely But he punished the partie as sore y t wrought vppon the Saboth day as him that had murdered a man And why so It seemeth to be a crueltie that a man should bee put to death for cleauing of a litle wood vppon y e Saboth day Num. 15.32.35 as if he had cōmitted a murther But yet doth God condemne him to death y t cleaued wood vpon y e Saboth day And why Because y e vnder that figure was cōprehended y e whole seruice of God And for y e same cause is it sayd in Ieremie Ier. 17.21.22.28 y t they bare burthens and went to cart vpon the Saboth day And why It should seeme that God stādeth too much vpon a trifling and childish matter but he had an eye to the thing that was betokened by the Saboth day and when that was so despised by the Iewes it was a trayterousnesse whereby they shewed that they made no reckoning of the lawe at all So then to come againe to our selues seeing that wee haue not this figure so straitly nowadayes but God hath giuen vs a greater libertie Col. 〈…〉 which was purchased for vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs learne to giue our selues earnestly vnto him and to vnderstand as I sayd afore that we may all trauel in all the residewe and yet it shal be to no purpose vnlesse our affections be brideled so as wee striue to renounce all our owne thoughtes and desires in such sort as God may haue the whole gouerning of vs and we protest that we desire nothing else than to rest in him And for the same cause also doth God set foorth himselfe to vs for an example For hee thinkes it not enough to commaund men to rest but also sheweth them the way Gen. 〈…〉 For after he had created the worlde and all that is therein hee himselfe rested Not that he was weary or had any neede of rest but to allure vs to behold his workes that we might rest in them and therewithall fashion our selues lyke vnto him Wil we then keepe the spiritual rest lyke as it is said that God rested frō his workes so must we rest also ceasing to doe what seemeth good to our selues and whatsoeuer our owne nature coueteth If this example of God prouoke vs not wee shewe well thereby that we neither seeke nor in any wise couet our owne welfare but that we will needes continew wilfully in our wretched and cursed state The souereigne welfare of men as I sayd afore is to sticke vnto God to be knit vnto him Beholde our Lord calleth vs to him telleth vs that wee can haue no true holynesse nor vnion with him but by resting from our owne workes Now if we be so vnruly that we will alwayes be occupying of our armes legges be still doing what wee thinke good surely it is as a breaking of y e band that is betweene God and vs a separating and estranging of our selues from him as much as in vs lyeth And doth it not appeare thereby y t we seeke to be left vp as a pray to Satan to be caryed haryed away by him for want of being any more vnder the protection of our God Yes but what for that There are very fewe y t thinke of y t. The world sees what libertie al men take to thēselues If one come tel a man that he must not walke after his owne fancie Tush saith hee I knowe how to behaue my selfe But a man could not deuise to spite God more manifestly than by such rebelliousnesse It is all one as if we woulde needes shewe that wee will not y t he should haue any superioritie ouer vs. In deede men will not be acknowē y t it is so but yet it is so in very deede For as I haue sayd already it is no seruing of God vnlesse we begin at the absteyning frō our owne thoughtes affections Therefore when men will needes be selfwise trust to their owne wit so as they take leaue to doe what they list to follow their own affections fancies labor not to represse thē but are offended whē others goe about to reclaime them it is a signe y t they neuer wist what it is to serue God nor y t it is the chiefest poynt of the lawe And therefore let vs marke wel y t whereas God alledgeth his owne example it is to allure vs gently to y e keeping of y t spiritual Saboth or rest y t we might thinke our selues vnhappy to be separated frō him as I touched afore And behold y e band of this cōiunctiō is y t we withdraw not our selues from his religion trueth but suffer our selues to be ruled by him But now it may be demaunded why y e Iewes were commaunded to rest but onely the seuenth day for our renowncing of our owne thoughtes affectiōs must not be for one day in a weeke
bicause wee bee so corrupt and frowarde that all our thoughtes and affections goe the contrarie way it may please him to reforme vs by his holy spirit and to draw vs in such wise vnto him as we renouncing the world and despising these mortall and transitorie things may mount vp to the heauenly kingdome where we shall haue all contentation and rest And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the iiij of Iuly 1555. The xl Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the fifth Chapter 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour WEe haue seene heretofore that it is not lawfull for vs in anye wise to vexe our neighbours in their persons or to do them any domage in their goods Notwithstanding for as much as harme may bee doone by the tongue God hath vouchsafed to make mention of y t also in his Law as we see in this text Now then like as heretofore he forbad the doing of any outrage to our neighbors which thing he comprehended vnder y e word Murther likewise all grieuing of them and all anoying of them by any meanes in their goods so he sheweth here y t we must not speake euill of them nor vse any such words as may cast any blemish or staine vppon them It is true that he speaketh expressely of False witnesse howbeit that is according to the rule that I haue set downe namely y t he setteth forth the thinges formost which we ought most to mislyke to the intent wee shoulde mislyke the sinnes that come neere them Then if wee speake euill of our neighbors so as wee slaunder them although it bee not taken for a grieuous sinne before men yet doeth God take it for a false witnessing But here a mā might demaund a question why GOD speaketh here of false witnessing and periurie seeing he had alreadie said Thou shalt not take y e name of y e Lord thy God in vayne For it seemeth to bee a needlesse repetition For in so short a sum of y e law where there be not aboue ten sentēces it seemeth vnconuenient to repeate one thing twise But we must marke that the things which haue beene set downe heretofore concerning the not taking of Gods name in vayne were in the first table where GOD respected onely the Maiestie of his name to the intent it shoulde bee had in reuerence Therefore whensoeuer wee speake of God wee must thinke vppon the infinite glorie that is in him that wee may neuer open our mouth but with reuerence and humilitie And whether wee intend to sweare or to speake of him in any other wise wee must euer thinke that his name is to bee reuerenced and that wee must not fling it foorth at aduenture Thus much concerning the thinges that wee haue seene alreadie vppon this matter Now God speaketh of another thing namely of the not hurting or harming of our neighbours in any wise by our wicked tongue So then in as much as there is a dubble intent wee see nowe that these two sentences differ also that there is no superfluitie at all Wherefore let vs marke well that for as much as it is shewed here howe men ought to liue togither charitably and vprightly although Gods name be dishonoured by lewd witnessing yet the lawe is not superfluous which saieth That we must not beare false witnesse against our neighbours I tolde you before that Gods meaning here is to condemne generally all slaunders all false reportes all diffamations and all other such like things Leuit. 19.16 17. And for proofe therof it is expressely saide in another place Thou shalt not bring vp any euill reporte nor speake euill on thy neighbour to cast any blot vppon him If the Law of God containe all perfection of good life it insueth that this also is comprehended therein And where shall wee put it but vnder this sentence Therefore wee must conclude that although GOD haue peculiarly set down here the name of False witnesse yet notwithstanding hee meant to extend the doctrine thereof to all slaunders misreportes and crooked speeches that tend to the diffaming or defacing of our neighbours or to the hurting of their good name Wee see then that Gods meaning here is to keepe vs in good friendship one towards another and that so farre as he suffereth not any man to bee impeached any more in his name than in his person or his goods Therefore whosoeuer diffameth his neighbour or in any wise backebyteth him doeth to the vttermost of his power breake the bond of charitie among men and proclaime open warre And if we consider all thinges well it is certaine that sometimes misreportes slaunders and backebytings doe much more harme than robberies Wherefore let vs vnderstand that if wee minde to obey our God wee must maintaine the honestie and honour of our neighbours to the vttermost of our power For seeing he hath forbidden vs to hurt any mans good name it is his will on the contrarie part that wee should indeuour to preserue all mens honesties For it is not ynough to abstaine from dooing of euill Psal. 34.15 vnlesse a man doe good therewithall Now must we proceede by the degrees which God meant to set out vnto vs in this place speaking of False witnesse The first then is to beware that wee vtter not any false report Lye or periurie in place of Iustice whereby to hurt them whose honestie honour and welfare we be boūd to procure For hee that beareth false witnesse against his neighbour doeth kill him and robbe him as much as in him lyeth and doeth all the euill that may growe of his periurie In deede most commonly men thinke it not to bee so but yet is it so in trueth And for the same cause did God expressely command in his Lawe that the witnesse should be the first in executing the partie that was to bee punished for any misdeede Deut. 〈…〉 to the intent a man might knowe that their words and their tongues put him to death and that the witnesses themselues might stande the more in awe consider y t they should yeeld account vnto God of their witnesse bearing against any man Therfore when any euidence is to bee giuen it standeth euery man in hand to looke neerely to himselfe that he inlarge not his conscience but speake the thing simply plainly which he knoweth to be true before God But the case concerneth not onely the giuing of false euidence in matters of life death but also in all matters that touch mens honour honestie good name or goods Therefore let vs haue a care to preserue the honour and welfare of our neighbour in all respectes when we be to beare witnesse Yet notwithstanding wee must not vnder this colour cloake the offence of him that hath doone amisse or lye against God to maintaine his good state For if the honour of men bee precious vnto vs howe much more precious ought Gods
while not bee diffamed will in manner neuer be kept Why so For our desire to haue friendshippe with men is by flattering them When wee see them offende God diuers wayes we let it slip and as wee woulde that our friends should spare vs so do we beare with the naughtinesse that is in them Yee see then that this is a wicked cloking because Satan blindeth the wretched sinners by it and we bee the cause of it forasmuch as wee winke at the faults which we ought to rebuke And yet that inconuenience sufficeth vs not For the worlde is come to that point nowadayes that we cannot seeme to be good friendes nor to be faithful and trustie to those whom we mach withall vnlesse we agree to all naughtinesse for their sakes If they haue offended it come to the point that they must receiue rebuke or shame for it we must rather fall to flatte periurie And howe Euen thus men speake Shal I willingly hurt my neighbour I am beholden to him and shall I depose against him What a thing were that Lo howe wee esteeme Gods trueth Loe howe wee turne it into a lye Loe howe wee abuse the commaundement that forbiddeth vs to diffame our neighbours Wherefore let vs learne that this ouercockering is wicked when wee support the euill and feed mens vyces And specially when we be called and required to giue record if we bewray not the euill truely which is to be corrected wee shall bee guiltie of it as accessories to our power I conceale a murther a robberie a leawde pranke a briberie a false packing surely in so doing I intangle my selfe in al those crimes both before God and man So then the foresaide couering of our neighbours sinnes through loue doeth no whitte hinder the bewraying of them when it is needful and meete to be done when we be required thereunto But there is yet another foule extremitie worthie of blame which is that wee be too hastie in blasing abroade the misdeedes which ought to bee reformed quietly and without making too great brute of them And this groweth somtimes of enmitie sometimes of ambition or vaineglorie and sometimes of a fonde desire to vaunt our selues Sometimes it is of enmitie For vnder colour that wee bee desirous to chastise vice and that we be loth to haue God offended wee fall to lying in waite for those whome wee hate and to whom we beare any priuie grudge and if we find any thing to be blamed or caught holde of against them by and by their tale shal bee tolde and wee abuse Gods name falsely in playing the zealous persons after that fashion when wee seeke nothing else but to vndermine our enemies And our malice appeareth the better in this that hauing rebuked a vyce in one whom wee hate we beare with it and cloke it as much as wee can in our friends and keepe not an indifferent hande And doeth not that bewray that wee doe it not of any good wil and that wee make not warre against the sinnes and vyces but against the persons rather It may be discerned too easily And therefore whensoeuer we goe obout to bewray mens vyces and sinnes let vs vnderstand that our hearts must be cleare and free from all ill will so as wee may protest before GOD that wee bee desirous both of the welfare and of the profite of him whome wee finde fault with Let that serue for one point Againe wee must keepe our selues from all fonde ambition or vaineglorie as I touched afore which is that we must not bee desirous to vant our selues before men as a number do who woulde faine make themselues as holy as saints by crying out against other men and by finding fault with them As soone as they spie a thing amisse by and by men must bee charged with it and all the world must know it O this is a good zealous man and yet in the meane while all is but a foolish desirousnesse to vaunt himselfe For this cause God doth oftentimes punish such pride because they beare themselues in hande that so they rebuke other men sharpelie they themselues are saintes and halfe Angels whereas notwithstanding they dispence with many misdemeanors in themselues and though they offende more grossely than those whome they finde fault with yet will they needes haue men to beare with them And why Because they haue well chidden others Yea and yee shall see some that are not ashamed to say What haue I not done well in rebuking euill Seeing I haue behaued my self so stoutly is it not ynough for mee Yes and if thou couldest not beare with other men how wouldest thou haue other men to beare with thee If thou haddest but one droppe of good disposition in thee wouldst thou not hate the vice in thy selfe as well as in another man So then when we crie out against our neighbours in rebuking them let vs beware that we be cleare from all ambition If wee will discouer the euill that wee perceiue in another bodie let vs deale so orderly as to beginne at our selues If wee intende to condemne other mens faultes let vs serch and examine well what is in our selues and reproue our selues first and then let vs steppe to our neighbours That is the order which we must keep if we intend to proceed according to Godlinesse But let vs marke that here God condemneth generally al iniuries and all backebitings so as if wee doe but open our mouth to speak any maner of euill of our neighbours we be condemned for false witnesses before God Neuertheles it is not ment herby that men shoulde conceale the euill that is knowen For as I haue shewed heretofore that wee must not foster mens sinnes through flatterie and lying vnder pretēce of charitable hiding of them so must wee not say that blacke is white vnder colour that wee bee forbidden to doe men wrong And that is to bee marked well For there are some which would faine that nothing at all shoulde bee condemned but that men shoulde alter their speech so as if there be a robberie committed it shoulde bee termed by some other title and vyces shoulde not bee condemned by their proper names This is to bee seene insomuch that if wicked men bee to bee reproued which haue not onely offended God but also caused others to play the naughtipackes as well as themselues and are as an infection to poyson all the rest if a man fall to rebuking of them lustilie as hee ought to doe by and by there are a sort of these nycelings which take greefe at it Yea say they And ought men to proceede so farre as to goe vp euen into the pulpit when they will crie out against vyces A man shall see blasphemie reigning and a man shall see open wickednesse against God and his word a man shall see as shamefull disobedience as may bee a man shall see so outragious occasions of offence as he cannot possiblie beare with them except hee will
Psalme where it is said To day if ye heare his voyce harden not your heartes as your fathers did in the wildernesse Psal. 95.7.8 This is spoken expressely of the temptation that Moses toucheth here See how the Prophet warneth the people yea and that desirously as if he should say very well if ye bee so teachable as to hearken to your God seeing he doeth now exhort you to come vnto him refuse it not for this benefite shal not last alwayes to them that make delay and are neuer mooued to obey him but driue of from day to day when he calleth them And therefore if ye heare his voyce sayeth he nowe when God calleth you He vseth there a vehemencie as though he could not finde words fit to exhort the people and sufficiently to prick them forwarde In that hee saieth Goe to my freindes bee well aduised that you harden not your heartes he sheweth what is the cause of al mischeife and why we profit no better by Gods teaching of vs. Namely that besides that we bee full of naughtinesse and so sinfull by nature that whereas our heartes ought to be susteined to receaue that which God sayeth it may seeme that wee intende of set purpose to harden them against him we doe moreouer fall to stomacking against him with a certaine spitefulnesse as if we would say what care I to obey God Shall I bee brideled of my will like a beast Beware of that sayeth he for ye knowe what happened to your Fathers The Prophet casteth them in the teeth with the thinges that had beene done by their forefathers in olde time to the intent they shoulde not boast of their descending from the holy Patriarkes Beholde saieth he your forefathers were rebels how thē haue you continued vnto this day Is it not through Gods mercie Yes for ye shoulde haue perished vtterly Againe seeing your God hath pitied you being Abraham his race thinke not that he will haue ye to runne backe again so as ye should bee alwayes newe to begin For when he hath borne with you a while he must bee faine to make you pay your arrerages all at once Thus ye see that the way for vs to put this sentence in practise is to vnderstand that when God shall haue pardoned our faultes oftentimes hee shall haue iust cause to punish vs the more grieuously if wee ceasse not to prouoke him still but will needes bee the boulder to doe euill vnder pretence that hee hath not vsed extremity towardes vs. If God see that in vs hee can well call vs to account for all the thinges that hee had pardoned before For his pardoning of vs is with condition that we should humble our selues and consider all our life after how much we be beholden vnto him If an offender haue obtained fauour and thereupon he fall to spyting of him to whom he is beholdē for his life within a day or twaine after doeth he not deserue to haue his former lewdnesse brought to remembrance againe and to be reckened withall frō point to point and to haue his vnthankfulnes laid afore him for his abusing of the fauour y t had bin shewed him Yes and thinke we that our Lord will haue lesse right than mortall men Thinke we then that his shewing of fauour vnto vs is to the intent to make vs bolder to doe euill No but rather his dooing of it is to the intent wee shoulde all our life after beare our offence in minde and bee sorie for it accordingly also as wee see howe the good king Ezechias speaketh of the bitternesse of his heart Esa 38.15 when he sayeth that he will bee mindefull of the euill and of the offence that he had committed Not but that he reioyced in Gods goodnesse but that yet neuerthelesse hee would beare it in remembrance to the intent he might not let himselfe slip any more nor be any more surprised by the wylinesse of Satan Now after that Moses hath spoken so he addeth Ye shall diligently keepe the commaundements Statutes and Lawes of your God which I set before you this day that you may enter into the land which he promised to your fathers with an othe and he driue ou◠all your enemies before you Here we bee put in minde of the thing that hath beene told vs before that is to wit that whereas Moses vseth many wordes to expresse the Lawe it is no superfluous speech but serueth to induce folke the better to profite in the doctrine that is giuē them As if he should say Giue good eare for behold your God taketh paines with you Like as a schoolemaister taketh paines to teach the children that are committed to his charge so doth God apply himselfe to you giuing you his Law orderly and distinctly to the end ye should not be greatly combered to vnderstand what he saieth concerning his will Here therfore are his Statutes Ordinances Iudgementes As if he shoulde say the doctrine is set foorth vnto you in good order so that if you can finde in your hearts to hearken to your God and to receiue y t which he shall say you need not dout but you shall be taught faithfully by his word haue knowledge of al things y t are good and conuenient for you The first thing then which Moses ment to expresse by these wordes Iudgementes statutes Ordinance◠is y t our Lord taketh paine to teach vs whatsoeuer is good for vs and y t he vseth such order as we cannot say that his word is too high and confused for vs. And therewithall his intent is also to hold mē wholly to the pure obedience of the lawe and to the simplicitie therein contained as if he should say My friends Gods meaning is not onely y t ye should be attentiue in hearing what he saith to you but also y t your only wisedome should be to obey him not to inuent any nouelties so as ye should think to serue him after your owne fansie according to the cōmon fashion of mē who haue alwayes some foolish desire to change Gods word No saieth he If ye can beare in minde the lessons of the Law ye shall haue statutes Iudgements and ordinances so as ye shal not want any thing whereby ye may be taught in all perfection This hath bin expoūded alreadie heretofore and therefore I stande not long vppon it Neuerthelesse the repeating of it here againe by the holy Ghost is not without cause and therefore I must needes put you briefly in rememberance thereof as oft as those wordes are set downe Now Moses saieth expressely That these Commaundements Ordinances and Lawes must be done kept As if he should say that God will not haue his word to fall to the ground His setting foorth of it is to the end that we on our side should bee attentiue to hearken what he saith to vs. And so let vs marke well that it is not ynough for vs to allowe Gods worde in speeche
shall feele my loue in such wise as yee may inioy it and possesse it for euer But yet for all that let vs beware that wee deceiue not our selues as they doe which confesse that God loueth vs of his owne free goodnesse but yet we must secondly bee worthie of it For wee must alwayes come backe againe to that which I haue touched already namely that vnlesse God beare with vs and skowre away al the spottes that are in our workes the thing that is spoken of here shall neuer bee accomplished in vs but contrariwise it shall alwayes turne vs to some greater shame to shewe vs Go to behold your God hath abaced himselfe so much as to tell you that if yee serue him hee will be fauorable and mercifull to you For of whom is it long now that you be vnhappie that hee curseth you that he refuseth you and that he persecuteth you commeth it not of your owne fault yes You your selues then are to be blamed for this that you be not beloued of your God It should say I be layde to our reproche if God pardoned not the faultes that are in our workes So then let vs mark that his loue is alwayes free in our workes howbeit that hee will not bee mocked nor haue his goodnesse abused nor abide that men should take libertie to doe euill when they see him so gentle and freehearted towardes them but contrariwise will haue vs to bee answerable againe on our side so as we giue not deafe eare to him when hee speaketh to vs but that when he hath bin so gratious to vs as to declare his will vnto vs we also should shew that his so doing is not in vaine y t he is not disappointed of his purpose But what We see how stubborne men are for all that and whatsoeuer God tel them or shew thē although they haue their eares beaten dayly w t such warninges yet notwithstanding they continue stil lyke themselues in their wilfulnesse Beholde God promiseth to blesse vs so wee serue him Now there is no man but hee woulde faine prosper We could well finde in our heartes that God should sted all our necessities and that hee should giue vs meate and drinke we could finde in our heartes to be cloathed at his cost But in y e meane while who is he that bethinketh himselfe thus this is y e meane whereby I must inioy Gods blessing Nay we drawe cleane backe and it should seeme that our whole seeking is to bereaue our selues therof and to cut off God by y t way or rather so to stoppe the entries issewes of his grace as it may neuer come at vs. Behold God wil haue vs first of al to liue vprightly faithfully in his feare thereupon hee promiseth to blesse vs. On the contrary part men giue thēselues to filching stealing robbing crueltie seeking by all meanes to pick out one anothers eys There is no mention of the feare of God to be short they would y t all might goe to hauocke In so doing we renounce Gods blessing so farre as in vs lyeth and it seemeth to vs y t we cannot take a better way to prosper than by seruing the diuell Wherin it appeareth in how cursed plight we be And whence springeth it but of that we giue no credit to Gods promises For if we beleued God to be soothfast in good earnest surely we would be rauished at this saying of his I will make you to prosper But forasmuch as our vanities doe carry vs headlong the contrary way it maketh vs to imagin that we win more by doing euill than by seruing God Neuerthelesse this vnbeleefe of ours shal be right deerely paied for speacially when it is matched with such blasphemie and wee doe our God so much wrong as not to beleeue his word moreouer when as instead of acknowledging him to be the Author of all goodnesse and comming to drawe of the fulnesse of his grace we doe nothing else but make our selues strangers to him Seeing then that we fail to prouoking of him so by all meanes what remaineth for vs but to be bereft of his blessings yea and that he as though he were our enemy pursue vs euen to the vtttermost But truly a man may still perceiue an inestimable goodnesse in y t he ceaseth not to doe vs good when hee is so prouoked by vs that wee cease not to kindle y e fire of his wrath but yet in the end we shall finde that this doctrine was not in vaine It is true that a man shall not alwayes perceiue the thing that Moses sayth here that is to wit that God prospereth them that serue him For yee shal see y t such as are desirous to doe best and imploy thēselues in the trueth are miserable folkes afflicted diuers wayes at Gods hand and haue not halfe their fil wherwith to susteine them Again they shall be tormēted with diseases or else they shall haue many reproches iniuries wrought them in this world to be short they shall be in continual languishing On the contrarie part ye shall see the wicked prosper ye shall see them in credit and estimation they shall cram themselues with all excesse and they shall haue such abundance as may make euen their heires to burst Psal. 17.14 These thinges are to be seene Howbeit we must note that when the good are so afflicted it is first because they haue not yet serued God as they ought to doe But why doth God scourge them more than the wicked which rush out into all naughtinesse it is because he intendeth to chastice thē fatherly To y e end that their soules may be saued 1. Cor. 5.5 he chastiseth them in their bodies Againe in sending afflictiōs Gods intent is not alwayes to punish men according to their misdeedes but also to try their patiēce and to withdrawe them from the world to the intent they should not be too much intangled in it and his will is to humble them that they may know thēselues as they be be sory for it So then forasmuch as God hath many causes to afflict y e faithfull he will not haue vs to make one egall rule of it to say that he punisheth them according to their misdeedes But whereforesoeuer he doe it let vs note that if God should vtterly destroy thē he had iust cause so to doe hee should doe thē no wrong Neuerthelesse we must haue an eye to that which Saint Paul sayth in the eight to the Romans Rom. 8.26 and be contented with it namely y t all thinges turne to the welfare of them that loue God so as they serue not to turne them aside or to pluck them away from their saluation but rather be as helpes to further it Marke y t for one poynt And yet notwithstanding it is euidently seene that Gods grace faileth thē not in the afflictions and miseries which they indure True it is that
to put it in execution We crie out dayly to haue iustice executed but how do men discharge themselues therof Let their eares be neuer so much beaten it is to no purpose they passe not much for it but they be the more forgetfull from day to day Therefore doeth Moses put them in minde of the things that he had told them before to the intent that the people should in any wise refraine from seruing the idols of the heathen And he addeth a threate It would turne to thy decay In deede the Hebrew word which he vseth is commonly taken for cordes or lines but here by a similitude it is taken for snares or neâ—â— and for ruine decay downfal or stumbling Then if thou fall into idolatrie it will be a deadly fall to thee saith he Keepe thee from that Thus we see that when God punisheth y e wicked we must alwayes learne at their cost to liue in his feare For our condemning of other folkes wil not iustifie our selues if we follow them or become like them but rather they shal be witnesses against vs to bereaue vs of al excuse Therfore let vs thinke vpon that which is added here that when God had commanded his people to destroy the idolaters he addeth beware ye meddle not w t their superstitions for then shall ye bee ouerthrowen out of hand Yea we see also that God did not beare with the people of Israel any long time after they had offended For the heathen might yet haue some excuse bicause they had not had any teaching but the Israelites sinned wilfully their dooing was a manifest rebellion bicause they had bin sufficiently warned thereof before specially for as much as God had done them so great honor as to put the sword into their hand as if he should say Thou shalt punish the misdoings of others Seeing then y t God had so honored that people was it not an increasing of their euill much more wheÌ„ they happened to become like those whom they punished Yes for y e punishment which they had executed vpon others serued to bereaue theÌ„ of al colour of ignorance and to dubble their owne fault For after as God honoreth men they ought to take y e more heede to liue in all purenes before him That is the cause theÌ„ why those two things are matched togither And hereupon wee may gather that all such as haue the executing of Iustice must lay away their owne fleshly passions and looke that they be quite and cleare from all desire of reuenge hatred and rancor And this must be regarded of vs not onely in punishing of euill doers but also in the admonishments and warninges that wee giue For if we be too sharpe it is an ouershooting of our selues which proceedeth of our sinfulnesse by reason whereof although the correction which we minister be out of Gods word yet is it already steined and God alloweth it not Sometimes wee think our selues to bee excused if wee tell a man the truth Yea but wee would not tell it him if our oueruehement affection draue vs not to it For nowadaies vices are fostred among men and euery man is content to beare with his neighbour in his euill doeing but if there happen any variance or quarell then out flieth that which was coÌ„cealed before Therefore in rebuking men it is not enough for vs that wee can alleage that we haue told them the truth vnlesse we can also therewithall protest that we were not led with desire of reuenge or otherwise Let vs marke then that if it be but in warninges by word of mouth we must not be passionate nor desirous of reuenge but simply do it of zeale to Godward Now then it is much more reason that when a iudge holdeth the sword in his hand and is to proceede further to the executing of Iustice with rigour hee should then lay aside all euill affections That is the cause why God hath expresly shewed his people the end of the law which he had giuen them to the intent they shoulde bee the better taught to walke in the pure religion and not follow the superstitions which they should punish in the Heathen That is the thing which we haue to note in effect Now Moses addeth immediatly If thou say in thine heart Alas these Nations are moe in nuÌ„ber than I how is it possible that I should discomfite them Remember what thy God did in the land of Egypt how he handled Pharao at his people what proofe of his power he gaue thee there For euen so will hee doe to all the Nations whom thou art afraid of Heere Moses intendeth to harten the people to the intent they should not bee daunted with fearefulnesse For the thing that doeth commonly hinder men in doing their duetie is a certaine fearfulnesse which they conceiue O say they this is hard to be done and againe if I doe it I shall stirre vp many mens displeasure against mee and such a harme may come to me by it Thus in stead of walking as God commaundeth vs we bowe with euery blast and in the end turn quite away Wee be but ouer bould and hardie in following our owne passions and wee be so blinded with them that although there bee daunger in them yet wee think not vppon it and although it come to our mind yet doe our affections so ouermaister vs that we ceasse not to goe on still We see that if a man be in a rage although death be before his eyes yet hee goeth through with it like a mad man or like a beast that is caried away with furiousnesse After that maner doe we deale And that is the cause why I sayd that we be but too bold in executing our owne wicked and excessiue moode But if God commaund vs any thing we make such nysenesse at it as is pitifull to see And then come all these doubtes in our head How is it possible that I should holde out if I should followe my vocation faithfully For beholde there is such a blocke in my way I shall haue such a man mine enemie such a thing may befall mee such a man will bee against me All these forecastes say I will come to our mind And therefore let vs marke that God doth not without cause say thus to his people heere doe these thinges not respecting thine owne power and abilitie but respecting and knowing my strength for that is inuincible If thou haue mee on thy side feare not but I will make thee ouercome all thine incomberaunces and all the euill incounters that thou canst meete with Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to mark vpon this text Howbeit forasmuch as the vice that is spoken of heere is common among vs and all of vs are as yee would say attainted with it wee haue so much the more neede to bee earnest in putting this lesson in vre We see that if men be against vs by and by we ouershoote our selues
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
take occasion of stumbling at it Yea but in as much as Moses addeth that God doeth it for iust cause the stumbling blocke is taken away Hee sayth that God tempteth vs that is to saye that hee tryeth vs. After what maner Whether we loue the Lorde our God or no. And hereby hee sheweth as I haue declared heretofore that if wee haue a right meaning and pure heart and haue receiued his trueth without hypocrisie he will helpe vs at our neede and we shal be vpheld by his power so as Satan may well straine himselfe to the vttermost but the victorie shall alwayes go on our side And this is the thing that I haue touched out of Saint Paul where he sayth that all the false miracles which befall vnder the reigne of Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.12 as many haue been seene are all reuengements of God to punish such as woulde not obey his trueth And it is good reason that Satan shoulde driue them to destruction sith they woulde not open their eyes at such time as God woulde haue enlightened them And seeing they haue thrust all good doctrine vnder foote it is meete that they shoulde bee deceiued by lyes But let vs come backe againe to the wordes of Moses He sayth that wee be tryed to weete if wee loue the Lorde our God Heereby hee sheweth that God putteth a difference betweene the hypocrites and such as serue him in soundnesse of heart at such time as heresies spring vp and that there is trouble and disagreement And why For it is certaine that such as loue God are preserued by the power of his holy Ghoste that the troubles which they susteyne are a good proofe and sealing vp of their faith whereby the same is made autenticall God sheweth by effect howe hee hath wrought in them and that they bee in verie deede of the number of those whome hee hath chosen So then let vs vnderstand that all the errours and heresies which the diuell shall haue sowed among vs shal bee turned to good ende to all Gods children So farre off is it that they bring vs any hurte or harme that they serue euer to make our faith shyne the brighter and to warrant vs that God hath succoured vs and that hee will haue the same knowen to the whole worlde so as he may bee glorified for it And we also haue the more cause to rest vppon him with the greater certaintie of faith and to trust that hee will neuer faile vs. For as much then as wee see that our Lorde worketh in such wise as hee turneth darkenesse into light and deadly poyson to our health haue wee not whereof to reioyce and ought wee not to bee patient albeit that troubles doe vexe vs for a time and that wee haue much adoo to resist Yet ought not our heartes to quaile seeing that God giueth it so happie an issue Thus much concerning the first poynt that is to witte that if wee loue God with all our heart that is to say roundly and soundly and without counterfayting hee will not suffer vs to bee beguyled but whensoeuer Satan comes to sowe troubles and heresies wee shal bee confirmed still better and better and profite in such wise as wee shall neuer bee ouercome And therewithall wee shall haue the better proofe that wee bee of the number of his seruauntes and of those whome hee hath committed to the custodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that wee shall see this saying fulfilled that hee will neuer suffer any of the things to perish Iob. 18.9 which his father hath put into his hande Wee see then howe our Lorde Iesus Christ is the keeper of our saluation that wee finde the thing by experience which Saint Peter sayeth 1. Pet. 1.4.5 namely that our saluation is kept in heauen by faith and that wee our selues also shall get the vpper hande of all the temptations which the diuell stirreth vp against vs by sowing such cockle and darnel to the preiudice of Gods trueth But let vs marke also that such as are winde-shaken doe shewe that they neuer wist what it is to loue God with all their heartes and that there was nothing in them but vanitie and hypocrisie And therefore when wee see men seduced let vs not wonder as though God were cruell to them For it was meete that their hypocrisie shoulde bee discouered They meant to mocke God and vsed a kinde of vernishing and painting to make a showe of that which they were not and God bewrayeth what they were in deede Nowe therefore whereas wee see the wretched worlde so carried nowadayes into darkenesse superstition and ydolatrie wee must not thinke that they doe it of meere simplicitie as though they were innocent and faultlesse and that God had giuen Satan the brydle without cause but wee must rather consider that God with iust vengeance punisheth the vnkindnesse of such as had neither purpose nor desire vnto him Trueth it is that a man shall see some outwarde shewe of holinesse in a number of those that are seduced in the popedome and elsewhere But yet for all that they bee double hearted and God perceiueth what they bee in secret So then let vs vnderstand that God is a iust Iudge and let vs glorifie him for his punishing of such as loued him not soundly in their heartes as they shoulde haue done That is the thing which wee haue to note And in deede experience shewes it in such as turne backe and fall to naughtinesse after they haue once knowen the Gospell Wee haue seene here that when Satans vnderlinges haue come hither to set troubles in the Church those that haue beene seduced by them haue knowen them welynough of olde and not nowe of late for I speake of the space of eyghteene yeares Since the troubling of this Church diuers sectes haue been seene and stil God hath beene faine to shewe and to poynt these out with his finger which had nothing in them but dissimulation hypocrisie howe faire countenance soeuer they did make And I say that this hath beene knowen nowe these eyghteene yeres insomuch that euen they that haue pretended to bee great vpholders of the Gospell are well knowen to mee howe they haue behaued themselues I could rehearse their doings if neede were but it is ynough to giue men an incling of them that others might take example by them When the Anabaptistes came hither to infect all there was great cheere made them in the townhouse and this was about an eyghteene yeares ago True it is that men were constrained to reproue their doctrine openly but yet in the meane-while they were still chockt vnder the chinne in steed of resisting them lustily feastes were made to entertaine them with And since that time wee haue seene in our owne dayes and that not long ago howe other heretikes haue beene fauoured at their comming hither and specially howe that horrible blasphemer was supported And by whom By such as had
we see that God doth so thrust and driue some wicked men forward that they runne a head into mischiefe For sometimes it is Gods will to humble vs by making our offences knowen that we may feele them and be sorie at the heart for them Yea sometimes againe a man knowes not at what end to begin but is letted that he cannot punish because he findeth no mean how to do it Therfore a Iudge must be discreete and milde that he giue not sentence vpoÌ„ bare coniectures but that he first of all do see the matter substantially proued Now then here are two notable thinges the one is that we must not be rechlesse but diligent in searching out of thinges that y e euil may be discouered not nourished The other is that we should not iudge rashly but that the matter should be welknowen and throughly brought to light before me come to giue diffinitiue senteÌ„ce of it so as our iudgement may be ripe settled Now this being so it is sayde thou shalt destroy the inhabitants of that Citie with the edge of the sword Wherby God sheweth as I haue declared already what affection wee ought to beare vnto his seruice For if we consider what a thing his glory is it ought to be more deere to vs thaÌ„ all y e whole world What see we either in heauen or on earth but litle sparks of y e power righteousnes goodnes wisedome which are infinite in God They be not to be measured we haue but only some litle signes and tokens of them in heauen and earth Therefore it were better that the worlde should perish ten thousand times than that Gods glory should be defaced But it falleth out that his glory is conueyed ouer vnto ydols yea bestowed vpon Satan when his seruice is corrupted And therefore it is not for vs to fal asleepe or to cocker ourselues in this case as we haue bin wont to doe making sale of Gods honour and letting it passe as though we seemed to count it as a thing of nothing But contrariwise we see here how he putteth all cities to destruction if they haue defaced his honor So then let vs vnderstand that it is not for vs to rowe any more betweene two streames as we haue bin wont to if we intend to keepe our religion vnappayred but we must see that all Church treasons that is to say all outrages that are doone to the maiestie of God may be punished Seeing we know and nature teacheth vs that robberies murthers theftes and all manner of pilfries ought not to bee borne with what shal we do when gods name is blasphemed all religion turned vpside downe and the pure doctrine falsified to thrust folke out of the way and to breake the vnion of faith Such thinges are not to be winked at for they be too heynous crymes Yea and it behoueth vs to marke how it is said heere that if any wicked men be risen vp and haue seduced the inhabitants of a Citie For it may seeme that this circumstance should somewhat abate the fault forasmuch as the whole citie went not away of their own accord but were carried away by certain wicked persons as in deed a few such firebrandes of hell are ynough to set all thinges out of order Yea but yet are not they to be born with which haue giuen eare to such deceiuers they must be punished for it neuerthelesse yea and y t not with stripes of roddes onely but euen with death And in deede how trifling an excuse is it for a man to say I was vndermined I would neuer haue done amisse if I had not bin inticed to it ye may see what ill counsell is Yea but yet notwithstanding thou haddest bin taught by the voyce of thy God thou knewest his will wast ascerteined of it Beholde a man whome thou knewest to be wicked came to seduce thee and thou gauest more credit to his leaudnesse and to thine owne wit than to y e infallible truth of thy God Thou knowest y t thy God speaketh for thy benefite and thou leauest him thou giuest him deafe eare thou art loth to giue him any hearing thou refusest all that he telleth thee and is that to be excused Nay rather shoulde wee not spit in the faces of such men as will needes make a shield of other mens inticementes Yes and for that cause doth not God hold a whole Citie excused when the people of it haue bin deluded by wicked persons Both great and small say I must be punishable and God is not cruell in punishing them all as wee see hee hath ordeined heere Furthermore let vs marke well y e God ment to do vs to vnderstand what it is to haue wicked persoÌ„s in a citie 1. Cor. 5. â— Câ—l â—â— For as saith S. Paul a little leueÌ„ soureth a whole lump of dow Nowe then whersoeuer deceiuers be there are the people by by infected God speaketh so thereof plainly to the intent we should not suffer euill to harbor amomoÌ„g vs. If there be any poysoninges we are all afraid of them and it troubleth vs to prouide howe to saue our selues froÌ„ them ô say we such a plague must not abide among vs. Now it is certain that there is not a worse nor a more deadly plague than the stepping vp of vnruly persons despisers of God and wicked men which seeke to turne al thinges vpside downe and to bring all to confusion corrupting all thinges to the intent to haue the more libertie to doe euill When such foke rise vp be borne withall it is good reason that al should be giltie of their fault And we see also that God punisheth those y t beare with euill doinges when they both should and could correct them insomuch that the common prouerbe is verified in them that when a man is saued from the gallous he could finde in his heart to see theÌ„ hanged y t deliuered him from it And good reasoÌ„ it is that they should haue such reward for their corrupting of Iustice and for their impeaching of right Therefore when we see men goe about to turne all thinges vpside downe wee must represse them aforehande and not tarie till y e end for that is a cursed patience True it is as I said afore that if God giue vs not the meane to rid away euill so soone as we would then must wee be sory for it haue patience But when things are euident there is none other let than lacke of corage then if we be cold and laâ—ie and shut our eyes because wee be loth to susteine displeasure as if a man shoulde say I will not be too forwarde least I bee left in the bryers for feare least I pay for the shot when I haue entered into such a quarell for I see that such fellowes are ful of reuendge and may easily be euen with mee when we vse such cowardlynesse then must wee abide the penaltie of it And
with vs still and wee haue to gather of this text that our Lorde abhorreth ydolatry aboue all thinges and that if other offences bee to be punished this is not to be indured in any wise but that we ought to abhorre it And because wee be too colde in that behalfe we be warned to quicken vp our selues and to take the meanes which wee knowe to be fit for it to the ende wee may bee the forwarder in causing God to bee serued purely among vs and open no gap to deceiuers ne make any way for superstitions and ydolatrie that might bereaue vs of the pure trueth and drawe vs vnto lyes Thus yee see what we haue to remember vpon this text But heere a man might aske a question howe Moses may say that all the thinges which shal be founde in such a Citie shal be accursed and yet they must bee put ouer vnto God as an offering or sacrifice Yet doeth GOD speake after that fashion in manie places and not without cause For it is an offering of sacrifice vnto him when we protest that only he ought to be worshipped and when we make as it were a solemne homage vnto him And againe when other appurtenances come in place as when men sacrificed vnder the Lawe they protested that they were worthie of death and yet notwithstanding they had a warrant of their reconcilement vnto God by the sacrifice that was to bee offered Also men offered of their goods vnto GOD as who shoulde say Lorde all that I haue commeth of thee and it is alwayes at thy commaundement Yee see then that sacrifices were blessed and yet neuerthelesse there was a kinde of cursednesse in the sacrifices that were offered for sinne In the Firstlinges Tenthes and such other like things there was nothing but the praising of God and giuing of thankes vnto him but as for the sacrifice that was offered for sinne it behoueth Gods curse to be thereupon as who shoulde say Loe this is hee that shall aunswere for all To the ende that men may bee acquit and deliuered from death this sacrifice must answere for them And therefore those sacrifices were called sinnes and the same name is attributed to our Lorde Iesus Christ because he bare our curse in his person Leuit. 7.2 2. Cor. 5.21 But heere is an other kinde of cursednesse namely that GOD is honoured and homage is doone vnto him by rooting out the thinges that hadde defaced his honour before Therefore when a Citie is destroied that had erst beene a denne of ydolatry and all the spoyle thereof is set on fire it is a sacrifice that God liketh verie well of And why so Because it is a protesting that wee be not willing to suffer any thing that impeacheth the honoring of him at all mens handes and that all men shoulde submit themselues to him and his maiestie be knowen as it ought to be Nowe then we see howe it is not without cause that Moses commaunded sacrifice to be done vnto GOD with the vtter destruction of all thinges that had beene infected and defiled with ydolatrie And hee sayeth expresly to the ende that the wrath of God bee not vpon thee Whereby he confirmeth the matter that ◠haue touched already which is that we must beware that wee wrap not ourselues in other mens sinnes For they that correct not euill dooinges when they may and when their office requireth it are giltie of it themselues As for example if a preacher winke at the vices that reigne surely he is a traitour and vnfaithfull for he shoulde keepe good watch and waken such as are in daunger of vndoing Then if I beare with the euill wittingly or through negligence I am the first that shal be condemned Likewise if they that holde the sworde of Iustice execute not the rigor which they ought to redresse mēs misbehauiours surely the wrath of God is vpon them continually yea and vpon y e whole country because no man is found that complaineth of this that the mischiefe was so borne withall One good zealous man is ynough to turne away the wrath of God for hee will inforce others that were negligent But when no man beginnes the daunce but all men drawe backe and euery man sayes What nowe If all the rest put not to their handes what can I alone doe Surely none of them all can exempt themselues from condemnation before God when euerie one of them speaketh so Not without cause then doeth Moses here wrap vp a whole Countrey vnder condemnation if a wicked deede bee borne with or not punished when it commeth to knowledge And hereby we be put in minde to be more diligent than we are wont to bee in ridding away of all filth and vncleannesse from among vs. For it is all one as if we shoulde lay wood vppon the fire that is kindled ynough and too much alreadie so as we shall all of vs be consumed with it in the end and yet wee doe so euen wittingly and wilfully Why then doe wee not open our eyes sith our Lorde sheweth vs the daunger so euidently and warneth vs to prouide for it aforehande Why doe wee not thinke vppon it Nay wee be well worthy to perish and to be vtterly confounded because wee haue not vouchsafed to receiue the counsell that God hath giuen vs. After that Moses hath thus threatned vs now he addeth a promise that God will blesse his people if they obey his voyce doe the thinges that are right before him Our Lord indeuouring after his manner to winne vs to him alwayes by gentlenesse and friendely dealing when hee hath doone threatning of vs in this text doeth also attempt the contrarie way saying If ye finde the meanes to haue my seruice purely mainteyned I will be with you yee shall finde that my seeking is but to increase the benefites which I haue begonne already to bestowe vpon you yee shall inioy the Lande that I haue giuen you to inherite ye shall perceiue that my promising of my fauour and mercie to your fathers is not in vaine And let vs marke that heere it is our Lordes intent to drawe vs to a willing seruing of him True it is that yet for all this wee must not forgette his threatenings seeing we be so slowe in resorting vnto him Then lette vs be afrayde of them and consider that wee shall not scape his vengeaunce except we maintaine his seruice But yet howsoeuer the worlde goe with vs lette vs not doe it by constraint but let vs goe to worke with a free courage And howe may that bee doone Euen by beeing drawen by the gentlenesse that Moses sheweth heere vnto vs as if he shoulde say goe to happie will our state bee if we serue our GOD and euerie man endeuour to drawe his neighbours with him and suffer not any man as farre as lyeth in vs to peruert or trouble our state when it is well setled If we doe so our Lorde telleth vs that hee will be
is some what more when he saith If the thing be reported vnto thee For therein wee haue to note that faultes cannot be punished among men vnlesse they come to knowledge Insomuch that a number of offenders escape the handes of worldly Iudges though they haue offended more foully than others and be worthy of great blame and that is because God hydeth their vnhonest dealings For there are sinnes which make hast to come to their condemnation 1. Tim. 5.24 which God thrusteth forward and there are othersome which linger and God keepeth them as close as if they were buried And hereby earthly Iudges are warned to be watchfull in serching out of thinges For inasmuch as they perceiue that after neuer so much paine taken in boulting out of matters which belong to their office to haue knowledge of yet a great sort of thinges doe scape vnseene they ought to bee so much the more diligent They cannot knowe all thinges and why for they be but men Yet notwithstanding for asmuch as God hath commaunded men to punish euill deedes as soone as they come to knowledge we must consider howe his meaning is that because nothing can be hidden from him therefore although men require nothing of vs nor make any inquisition or suite in Lawe against vs heere beneath yet must wee euer bee faine to come to account before him It is saide that an ydolater shall be punished for God hath commaunded him to bee stoned to death vppon knowledge that hee is such a one Nowe put the case that a man turne away from the purenesse of Religion and worshippe ydolles in secret In deede hee cannot be touched by order of Lawe neither shall hee abide iudgement for it But yet must hee thinke in the meane while that God will not suffer his eyes to be dazeled And therefore wee may gather vppon this text that our Lord reserueth al those faults to his owne iudgement which are not punished by ordinarie Iustice in this worlde Not that hee pardoneth not those which returne vnto him by true repentance but my meaning is of such as harden themselues in their hypocrisie and take occasion to growe worse and worse because they bee not reproued of their wicked deedes But yet let them not thinke they haue made the better market for all that For whereas God telleth the iudges of the earth that they ought to make diligent inquirie because hee himselfe hath no neede to do so he telleth vs that all faultes shall come before his iudgement seate and that the hypocrites may well shrowde themselues for a time but in the end they shal be rooted out and not without cause For as I haue touched afore thinke wee that God wil leaue his honour in the suddes Seeing it is his wil that euen men should be maintained in good reputation and that all outrages shoulde be punished what will he doe when the case concerneth his owne maiestie that his glorie is diminished by the malice of men Ought such dealing to scape vnpunished Wil God suffer himselfe to be mocked after that fashion It will bee alledged that all of vs haue beene ydolaters so we are al worthie of death And their saying so is as it were to stirre vp all men against God For the folke that make such replies seeke but to poyson mens heartes that Gods honour might bee lightly esteemed and that we might quarrell with him when wee feele our selues touched But first of al as I said afore we must mark y t our Lord speaketh here of y e punishing of ydolaters where order is stablished according to his word If God had not begunne at that ende his order had beene amisse But seeing hee hath shewed howe men ought to serue him and giue a sure rule thereof telling vs that we must simplie doe whatsoeuer hee commaundeth and seeing that both great and small are taught what God they ought to worshippe and which is the true Religion if a man or a woman doe afterward turne away and become forsworn and disloyal to God by stepping aside into the superstitions of y e heathen is there any excuse to be admitted in that case Then let vs marke wel that this Lawe was made at such time as God had alreadie stablished a Lawfull gouernement directed according to his owne word But wee haue all beene ydolaters As howe Euen by meanes of the horrible desolation y t happened through y e whole world as is to be seene yet still in the Popedome Had this lawe bin well obserued at the first Christendome had not bin so sore decayed For had they been punished which were the first ydolaters had falsified the Gospel and corrupted the purenesse which was at that time surely Gods order had bin maintained and preserued much better But what When hypocrites were once crept in which would needes seeme holier than all other men then inuented they many corruptions and the more they were born with the more did the mischiefe spread it selfe abroad so y t it became a poyson that vndoeth al. The cause then why the Church of God came to such desolation is that men haue not bin held in awe that the pure simplicitie of the Gospel might be maintained and God worshipped according to his word so as mē might not assay to deuise any thing of their own braine but that al men both great smal might be made to obey the doctrine which they knew already to be of God Had this bin done there had bin no such desolatiō as we see stil at this day And therfore let vs beare in mind y t Gods speaking here is but of such countries or Cities as haue had y e grace to haue y e true religion stablished amōg thē so as he is worshiped there they haue al consēted to admit y e order which is set by God therfore if any of thē do afterward turn away he deserueth to lose his life As for exāple wee haue now the light of the Gospel whereby our Lord holdeth vs bound vnto him to serue him to be his peculiar people Seeing thē y t his Religion is knowen vnto vs and that discipline is set vp among vs if any of vs hereafter turne away from it and giue himselfe to ydolatrie spiting God wilfully doeth hee not deserue punishment Yes For had a man committed any thing against the state and after his giuing of his othe to the Magistrate had broken it againe by doing some deede to the contrarie surely he shoulde be punished for his vnfaithfulnesse And what shal be doone then if men daly with God falsifying the faith which they haue giuen vnto him so as they confederate themselues with his deadly enemie Satan and with ydols which serue but to deface his glorie his maiestie and all his seruice So then if the skorners of our dayes replie that if ydolaters shoulde bee punished all of vs shoulde die the aunswere is easie namely that if the Lawe of God
laymens bookes as they terme them But it ought to suffice vs that God telleth vs here with his owne mouth y t he himselfe sitteth in the seate of Iustice where earthly men be ordeined in his name and that whereas there be Priests and Iudges he wil haue men to know that that is not done without him but that he mainteineth that order because hee hath once established it among vs. When wee heare such doctrine proceeding out of Gods own mouth must it not needes be that we be too too dull and y t the deuill hath made vs starke beasts if wee be not touched with it Nowe then let vs not looke to haue stockes and puppets set before our eyes to gaze vpon but let vs haue Gods liuely image printed in our heartes and let vs consider that seeing it is his will to haue mankind gouerned by that meane he doth also assist it and is at hande vnto it so as the thinges y t are doone there are guided by him ought also to be referred vnto him And that wheÌ„ we come thither it is to appeare as it were before his maiestie as I haue declared already And this serueth not only for earthly Iustice but also much more for the meetings y t are made to the ende y t God should teach vs by his worde For when we come hither to heare the doctrine of the Gospel God is much more apparaÌ„tly present with vs therein than in the order of Iustice. True it is as I haue sayd already that when we come before a Iudge we come before God but here is the spirituall doctrine whereby we should be lifted vp to heauen mens lawes are of no account here because there is none y t speaketh but God Therefore let vs marke that when we come to the Church to be taught or when any of vs openeth the byble at home in his owne house Iesus christ must needs be there as though we sawe him before our eyes Not that wee must haue any fleshely conceite of him but that we must approch vnto him by fayth and consider howe it is not in vaine that he hath tolde vs Matt. 1â— 20 that wheresoeuer two or three meete together in his name there is he in the middes of them Then let vs consider that not onely we be heere before the Angelles of heauen but also that the sonne of God beholdeth vs. And as hee liketh wel of the confession of the faith which we make vnto him and of our obedient resorting hyther to knowe the will of GOD his father and to suffer ourselues to bee gouerned by him and by his doctrine so likewise when we come hyther faynedly so as wee make none account of his worde or beare ourselues in hande that wee be discharged for tarrying heere an houre or twaine wee must come to a reckening for it for we vnhallowe the thing which our Lorde Iesus Christ had made holy for our saluation Wherefore is the doctrine preached vnto vs Is it that God hath any profite by it No but for our benefite Nowe if the same be disappointed through our vnthankefulnesse is it not a trampling of the precious stones vnder our feete which were offered vnto vs It is the foode of our soules and wee will not eate of it but will needes fast still or rather wee bee filled with winde there is no true sustenaunce in vs. Of whome is it long but of our owne leaudenesse that wee thrust away the grace which God did put into our handes And therefore that wee may bee the better disposed to receiue the Gospell let vs vnderstande that wee must neuer repayre to the Church but we must thinke that our comming thyther is to offer ourselues into Gods presence so as our Lorde Iesus Christe may beare such sway there yea and bee so present as it may appeare that the grace and power of his holy spirite accompanie him that his worde may haue such force as to enter into our heartes to touch vs to the quicke and to edifie vs. But if wee haue our eares beaten with the thinges that are preached vnto vs and in the meane while our liues bee nothing aunswerable to the same but wee continue as colde as wee were before that commeth to passe because we consider not that our Lorde Iesus Christ is present to make his worde auaylable which is vttered to vs by the meanes of men That is the thing which we haue to gather vppon this text where it is sayd that the parties which are at variance must appeare in the presence of the Lord. And it is added that they must also appeare before the Priestes and Iudges for the time beeing It is an exposition of these wordes of God And to what ende serueth that That folke shoulde not haue an eye to mennes persons but rather consider what state they represented there Were the priestes made at their owne pleasure No. No more were the Iudges GOD was the author of them both Nowe then forasmuch as he hath sette them in that office and gouerneth them by his power hee will haue men to knowe that he himselfe is there And Moses will in any wise haue the priestes to be there not that the ciuill iurisdiction is allotted vnto them as I haue declared heeretofore but to strike the greater reuerence into such as hadde to deale or to doe in matters of so greate importaunce For if a man be anoyed by falsewitnesses hee is as good as halfe dead already And therefore he was to be succoured by an extraordinary means That is the cause why God ioyneth the Priestes and the Iudges together Yet notwithstanding it is sayde that the Iudges shall make good inquirie of the matter Wherein he sheweth that which wee haue seene heeretofore namely that to comforte one man wee must not greeue an other For it is no small thing to ouerthrowe an euidence I haue tolde you heeretofore howe it is a holy thing Nowe if any man abuse it he must be punished for his labour But yet on the other side it must also be well knowen and verified that such an abuse is committed Therefore is it sayde expresly that diligent inquirie is to be made For it is a sore matter to alâ—er or reuerse a thing that hath passed by order of Lawe And for the same cause it is sayde If hee be founde to haue giuen false euidence and to haue practised to doe his neighbour wrong let him be punished with the selfesame punishment and let not thine eye spare him but ridde away the euill from among you to the ende that they which heare thereof may be afrayd and no moe such deedes be committed afterwarde Heere Moses noteth the circumstances which euen the heathen themselues knewe For we must alwayes come backe to that which is spoken in the eight Chapter of Salomons prouerbes Prou. 8.15 where it is sayde that it is through Gods wisedome that kinges reigne and that Lawes and statutes are made
thereby Therefore when as the heathen made Lawes it came not first of all of their own brayn for wheras they made fonde and blockish Lawes therein God gaue them the brydle and it was to the ende that men shoulde knowe that when men followe their owne wit they ouershoote themselues pitifully yea euen in the thinges that concerne this present life And what must they needes doe then when they be to passe beyond the worlde In that case men are vtterly blinde God then ment to shewe by some thinges that mens wits are too weake to iudge well of equitie and vprightnesse and yet notwithstanding that forasmuch as he was minded to shewe his prouidence ouer all mankinde he inspired those with equitie and vprightnesse whose duetie it was to make Lawes statutes And it is the very same thing which I was about to tell vnto you out of Salomons prouerbes that the wisedome of God chalendgeth this to be her office The heathen knewe that thing well ynough affirming y t Lawes were Gods gifte and not the inuention of man And God wrested out that confession froÌ„ them to the intent that their vnthankfulnes should be the lesse excusable as we see here For whereas Moses sayeth that the partie shall bee punished which hath but euen practised against his neighbour hee sayeth not simply against the trueth And thereby he excludeth ouersight so that if there were any error he wold not haue the punishment to bee so greeuous Againe whereas he setteth downe that the offender should not be spared his meaning is that if a man spare one that hath procured the death of the guiltlesse hee is dubble cruell to him that was in danger of his life Whereas he sayeth that others hearing thereof shall commit no more any such act hee sheweth the principall ende which is also set downe by ciuill Lawes namely that punishmentes shoulde be executed for examples sake The punishing of a theefe is not onely for his misdeedes sake or for the crimes sake but also to teach others by it and to holde them in awe so as they may be ashamed of such dealing and abhorre it In like case is it with murthers when bloudshed is reuendged And why is that Is it onely for the faultes sake that is doone and past No but to prouide for afterwarde that murthering and all maner of shedding of mans bloud may be eschued Ye see then howe punishmentes doe serue for example And that is a thing well worthie to be marked for we may gather a dubble lesson thereof First that such as occupie the roome of Iustice ought to thinke themselues worthie of blame before God and the worlde for all y e faults which they let slip vnpunished And why For it is an opening of the gate and a giuing of libertie to all others to do the like Beholde one that is founde to be a theefe a murtherer or a whoremonger is winked at and let slip And why because he is pityed And by that meanes the offender scapeth scotfree By reason whereof other become the bolder to doe the like For why It is an increasing of the mischiefe when men see offences scape vnpunished and the bridle is let loose which otherwise had bin restreined if euill doinges had bin punished without respect of persoÌ„s Behold one aduoutry is coÌ„mitted after an other two or three murthers are coÌ„mitted together and three or foure robberies are done one in an others necke And who is the cause of all this Euen the Iudge himself he is the principall theefe he is the principall adulterer he is y e principall murtherer It is he that hath robbed God of his glory and men of the right which he would haue to be obserued it is he that hath as it were made open proclamation that offenders should make their hand and scape scotfree for it Now then let vs marke well that whereas Moses hath declared that wicked witnesses must be punished that other men may beware by them and be afraide when they heare of it and doe no suche deede any more he sheweth thereby that if Iudges haue not the sternnesse to punish misse-deedes without relenting when they come to their knowledge they be the cause of all the mischeefes that are committed afterwarde For they did as it were giue leaue to them in that they punished not the partie as they ought to haue done whome they sawe to haue offended And therefore let them looke wel to their charge vnlesse they will bee blamed as procurers of horrible confusion aboue all other men for want of executing of Iustice as they shoulde haue done Let that serue for one point And herewithall we be taught further that wee must learne to make our gaine of other mennes harmes The punishmentes of other men for their offences must be a brydle to vs or else wee bee verie blinde for they bee as lookeingglasses vnto vs. When we see a theefe punished it is as a warning giuen vnto vs by our Lorde to put vs in minde that robberie is condemned before him The same is to be sayde of murthers of adulteries and of other like things True it is that euen without those examples wee ought to be wise ynough to restreine ourselues but yet if we be so harde hearted and negligent as not to haue sufficient regarde of the brydling of our selues without warning by such visible examples at leastwise lette vs learne to fare the better by those thinges when they be added for our help But when a theefe is whipped or hanged or when a murtherer is beheaded if the sight therof wâ—y no further with vs than to make vs refraine for feare of men or for feare of punishment by order of Lawe it is a small matter and we be neuer the better by it Nay we must steppe one steppe further which is to consider that GOD who reigneth ouer vs in heauen will haue the punishmentes of offenders to be as liuely pictures to shewe vs that murtherers theeues and al such like shal not scape his hande but that although they be not punished here beneath yet they must come at length before the heauenly Iudge Let vs â—hen consider that and let vs take such warning by it as euery of vs may brydle ourselues For that is the seconde point whereto wee must come if we intende to receiue good instruction by any of the punishmentes that are executed vpon mens crimes and misdeedes Yea and lette vs not tarrie till men set to their handes but whensoeuer GOD executeth his iudgementes let vs awake to thinke vppon them more aduisedly as Saint Paule exhorteth vs. Eph. 5.6 Beware sayeth he that no man deceiue you for by reason of such thinges doeth Gods wrath come vpon the disobedient He sayeth not that the disobedient shall bee punished by earthly Iustice for manie times Iustice sleepeth vpon earth and is not executed with such force and liuelinesse as were requisite But Saint Paul sayeth that Gods wrath is
lande of Chanaan which was giuen them to inherite then might they sitte at rest and they might not make any inuasion vppon their neighbours vnlesse they were troubled by them as in deede it fell out afterwarde yet is it true that the people of Israell neuer possessed the whole Lande that was giuen them And that was through their owne faulte and vnthankfulnesse so as they were euer in trouble and vexation vnto the time of Dauid Did Dauid subdue all his enemies 2. Sam. 7.10 Did he set the people in full possession of the heritage that had beene promised them If hee had done so then was he to make warre by and by vpon his neighbours howebeit not by picking any quarels to them nor to seeke to inlarge his kingdome by conquest But he was prouoked vnto it and therefore hee was to maintaine the state of his owne people And so let vs marke that this text treateth of such warres as GOD alloweth as when a Prince is vniustly assayled then may hee withstande his enemie by force For why The man that enterpriseth to trouble an other bodies possession or the territorie of a Citie or the prouinces of a countrie is no better than a robber True it is that men indeede call them Kinges and Princes but yet are they but honourable theeues in deede which doe so abuse the power that GOD hath giuen them and are not contented with their owne bounds but will needes inlarge them without iust cause or title Such then are but Robbers And as a Iudge ought to punishe a theese or a robber so likewise they that haue the power ordeyned of God may enter into armes against all such as fall to troubling and vexing of their subiectes and such manner of warres are not onely lawfull but also of necessitie to bee vndertaken by them It is not without cause then that God doeth incourage his people saying that they must not bee faint hearted and cowardly when they goe to warre against their enemies That is the thing which wee haue to marke first of all least wee might surmise that Gods will is to helpe such as maintaine an euil cause for then shoulde he renounce himselfe And therefore whensoeuer he promiseth to bee with his people his meaning is that their quarel must be iust and reasonable And hereupon wee may gather by the way that it is lawefull to make warre vppon necessitie conditionally that the war be to none other end than to procure peace to obtain it There are some fantastical persons which imagine that this serues but for the olde testament and that the case standeth not alike in these dayes But we must make this a general rule that whereas God graunteth to succour his people against their enemies his promising to do so is not for once only but for euer Indeed it is promised that vnder the reigne of our lord Iesus Christ Mich. 4.3 swordes and speares shall be turned into Plowshares and Coulters and that there shall be no more anoyance nor violence That is verie true as in respect of such as shall be truely conuerted and reformed by the spirit of God For if we will be Christians we must become as Lambs Esa. 11.6 Insomuch as it is said expresly that the Beare and the Lion shall dwell together that a litle babe shall rule them both This must bee vnderstoode of such as God shall haue chaunged and renewed by his holy spirit But we see that so farre off is it that the worlde is conuerted to God when the gospell is preached or that all of them chaunge their maners that many of thē become worse and worse and othersome more and more inuenimed hauing heard Gods word and therefore worthie are they to bee deliuered vp to Satan through a reprobate sense because they haue hardened their hartes against God haue manifestly despised him by refusing the grace that is offred them Is it not reason y e premisses considered that God also shoulde turne away from them and y t Satan should drawe them and carie them away into all euill Marke I pray you how a number of people become worse and worse after they haue heard the preaching of y e Gospel All then are not so conuerted as to become Lambes but rather their rage is inflamed more more And therefore forasmuchas there are wicked men continually in this world yea the Princes themselues are so caried away by their own ambition couetousnes and other wicked lustes that they keepe no measure in their doings but wil needs turn al things vpside down and make hauocke of all for y e satisfying of their owne wicked wils God hath left the vse of the sword to men of authoritie ordeyned y t they should bee stronghanded as S. Paul declareth Whereupon it is to be concluded Rom. 13.4 that if a war be lawfull this promise of Gods standeth in force stil. For otherwise what a thing were it True it is that we ought to possesse our soules in patience as our Lord Iesus Christ saith but yet doth it not follow y t therefore the office of the magistrates should cease that his arming of them is to no purpose that they should be but as idols Nay rather they ought to hazard their liues so far as God inableth them whensoeuer their subiectes are assaulted tormented And for this cause I haue stood the longer vpon this text to the end we might know that faithful Princes haue Gods promise stil at this day that he wil be their guide in the time of war and take their part when they be to fight with their enemies giue thē victory to the intent they should assure thēselues of his helpe and alwaies flee to him for refuge And so ye see how that is one point which wee haue to marke vpon this text Neuerthelater we must vnderstand also that there is no war iust vnlesse God be the author of it For if we intend to be armed with y t strength of his hand we must also aske counsel at his mouth his spirit must be the ouerruler of the aduise which we haue taken for we see that al interprises are accursed which men do take in hand vpō their owne head without inquiring of his wil. As for example when the Iewes made leagues with the Realme of Egypt or entered anie other familiaritie with them Esa. 30.1 Cursed be those saith he which weaue a webbe but not by mine aduise And by and by hee addeth the exposition yea saith hee for yee determine vppon matters without taking counsell at my mouth that is to say without considering by my worde whether the thing be lawfull or no. Ye will not hold your selues to my will nor suffer my spirit to be your gouernour or to haue the ouerruling of you Wo to you therefore saith he And the Realme of Egypt shall be as a Reed y t wil breake vnder you if yee leane vnto it
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
it slip let vs not deceiue our selues for all that for God will requite it with horrible reuenge And we see it is not without cause that God hath so grieuously punished the fornications of such as had promised or betrothed themselues vnto husbands And if this bee so with them what shall bee saide of the wife which is alreadie married For shee is giuen to an husbande to helpe him to gouerne his house in the name of god if she giue her selfe ouer so villainously vnto whoredome shee not onely robbeth her husbande of his good name and worketh him a great outrage but she spoileth also the name of the whole familie For shee playeth the whore with another man and the children which she beareth through that whoredome doe beare the name of her husband And againe the goods and substance of the man are taken from the lawfull children and be giuen to bastardes which haue no title thereunto And is not y t a more wicked villanie than if one had broken vp an house rifled all the coffers spoyled and taken away all things and committed the greatest robberies in the worlde Yes verily and it ought lesse to bee borne withall and that knewe the heathen men well ynough If we had no more but the Lawe of Moses yet ought we to be more ashamed to see whoredome nowadayes so easily pardoned and so small account to be made of it But when the heathen men teach vs our lesson and vse better order by a great deale than those which at this day call themselues Christians I pray you what a witnesse will that be against vs at the latter day Blind men haue beene of more clearer sight than we Wee Christians say continually that Iesus Christ hath brought a true declaration of the Lawe to the intent we shoulde knowe that that is our perfect holinesse which is there contained Indeede hee added nothing thereunto But yet neuerthelesse wee ought to bee better learned than the fathers which liued before the Gospel But how profite we There is no account made nowadaies of whoredome Wedlock is broken faith is falsified yet men make no reckning of it it passeth scotfree In what state then thinke yee are wee If men will shifte the matter by saying Oh sir yee must beare with our weakenesse thinke wee it shal bee taken for payment before God Is not his worde alwayes vnreuocable Is it not all one as if he shoulde say Haue yee no care of that which I commaunde you And what are yee Are you trowe yee wiser than I Well I will make you to knowe that I am your Iudge And let vs note well that the sinne and wickednesse is doubled when men cannot finde in their hearts to yeelde vnto that which God hath once spoken but will needes choppe Logike with him So then let vs knowe that there is a double woe threatened vs when wee see God on the one side speaketh vnto vs and telleth vs that whoredome is such a pestilent infection as hee can in no wise suffer it and that hee declareth when marriage which hee hath dedicated in his name is corrupted that it must needes bee punished When wee heare that God proceedeth vnto such seueritie and also see that euen onely by nature hee hath inspired the heathen to knowe that there coulde bee no order among men except whoredome shoulde be seuerely punished what are wee able to say Nowe then first of all whereas it is saide heere that a maide which hath betrothed her selfe vnto an husbande shal bee stoned with the fornicator if shee suffer herselfe to bee defiled wee must vnderstande that seeing shee was so leawde as to falsifie her faith yea and that in so holy and sacred a thing as is marriage our Lord esteemed her as one giuen ouer to all vice and sinne For a woman which plaieth the harlot is alreadie worse than a thief because shee hath done much worse in working her husbande such wrong and villanie than if she had robbed him of his monie Moreouer wee must returne to this point namely to consider of the promise that is made in marriage of howe great importance it is For we knowe to what ende marriage was ordained namelie to the intent that men shoulde liue honestlie together and that there should be no such beastlie loosenesse of coupling themselues together like dogges and bitches or like bulles and kyne but that they shoulde shewe that they beare not the likenesse of God in vaine Seeing then that marriage is ordained vnto this ende if men will walk cleane contrarie is it not an open defiance of God Is it not a plucking of him out of his throne and such a wyping out of his image as men can no more know themselues bu◠become as bulles and dogges Therfore when men fall to such extremitie must not God shew forth his anger But let vs alwayes returne vnto that point which wee named before that as this commandement is giuen vnto Iudges and Magistrates touching ciuill order so ought euerie of vs to be admonished of his duetie that wee walke more carefully in our vocatiō If such as beare y e scepter of iustice in their hands do suffer whoredom to raigne and wedlocke to bee broken so as neither faith nor promise be kept any longer they shall yeeld an account hereof vnto God But yet for all that let vs looke vnto our selues and let euerie man so walke as y t he haue not God for his iudge For what shall we winne by scaping y e hands of men so as our offence is not perceiued or else we bee by some wicked shifts practises quit from punishment and no man sayes a word vnto vs. Yet for al that we must come to our reckening before God who will not lose one iot of his right Although men be negligent or play the blinde men yet will God in the end shew that he forgate no peece of our doings but registred thē euerie one in his book Let vs therfore take heed we walke in such sort as wee esteeme highly of mariage And forasmuch as wee see y t God beareth rule ouer it and accurseth al adulterers and fornicatours let that moue vs to be helde in the greater feare and carefulnesse Wee see howe the Paynims for al their superstitions and ydolatries had yet I knowe not what a blind motion whereby they were perswaded for the better maintaining of marriages that their gods or rather ydolles were the protectours thereof And why thought they so It was euen of a meere follie I graunt it but yet this folly of theirs proceeded from a good grounde They were corrupted with superstitions and had imbrewed it with their inuentions and errors But yet neuerthelesse this alwayes remained was so engrauen in their mindes as it coulde not bee wiped out that God meant there should be such a marke in marriage and that men should know that hee had a care of it Seeing it is so let vs take good heede
right in this case is equall and mutuall as I haue shewed afore And so yee see what we haue at this day to obserue namely that euery man ought to consider that the vocation which hee hath of God is such a yoke as he may not seeke to shake off For it is the cheefe and principall seruice which wee can render vnto God all our whole lifetime to haue an eye vnto that which he requireth of vs and when hee hath set vs in some estate and calling to doe that which belongeth vnto our dewtie and that euery one yeelde himselfe obedient in all humblenesse to say hath God called me vnto this ende I must frame my selfe thereunto without any reply or gainsaying Therefore when we bee of a milde and gentle disposition submitting our selues vnto y e will of our God therein say I consisteth the principall seruice which he liketh and desireth And without this al our vertues are nought else in his sight but doung and filthynesse Nowe seeing it is so let vs consider as touching mariage what the calling of God is and what maner of Law or what yoke he layeth on the neck of man to wit that he liue quietly with his wife bearing with those infirmities which are in her be a companion to liue and to die with hir and that the wife lykewise submit herselfe with all humblenes vnto her husband so as they nourish and maintaine peace one with the other Thus ye see how God may bee honoured and howe his grace also and his blessing may dwell and abide in a familie And if a woman bee so wicked as to prostitute hir selfe the husband according vnto the will of God may not onely put hir away but is in perfect and full libertie to leaue hir and to marrie himselfe vnto another As for the woman there is in deede another respect touching hir than for the man For the wife shall not bee so dishonored by the adulterie of hir husband nor bee put to so great shame as the husband shall bee by the wyues But yet if the husbande bee an whooremonger and wasteth his goods and substaunce vppon harlottes so as his wife is shutte out of doores or bee kept in with all manner of crueltie like a wretched slaue if this mischiefe holde on still then to leaue a wretched woman in such bondage were against all reason and right especially considering that which was yesterday alleaged out of the Prophet Malachie 〈…〉 16. That it were better that a man shoulde put away his wife than to haue more than one And what shall bee sayde then in this case when a man shall keepe an ordinarie stewes and that no man is able to correct this vice of his is not the wife then set at greater libertie This is the thing which wee haue to beare in minde vpon this place Nowe sith our Lordes will is that marriage shoulde bee so indissoluble and inuiolable yea and that through the vertue of this sentence which our Lorde hath pronounced with his owne mouth That there shall bee two in one flesh let vs note that it is much greater reason that the spirituall vnion which wee haue with our Lorde Iesu Christ ought to bee diligently kept and mayntained For his will is to contract marriage with vs and dayly he doeth so or at leastwise ratifyeth it by the preaching of the Gospell And on what condition is it It is as Saint Paule sayeth to the ende wee shoulde bee as chast women not turning our mindes aside vnto false doctrines For he compareth all errours and all corruptions of the pure simplicitie of fayth to fornications As if a wife hearken vnto a bawde beholde shee is alreadye wonne and begynneth foorthwith to breake the fayth of Marriage Euen so is it with vs if wee abide not in the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ holding our selues wholly vnto his doctrine wee are like vnto aduowtrous women And therefore sith that GOD hath ioyned vs vnto his only sonne and that our whole felicitie and glory consisteth therein let vs learne not to decline from it in any manner of wise Nowe it is sayde That the man which shall haue so put away his Wife shall not if she marrie otherwise euer take hir agayne bycause shee is alreadie defiled Heereby GOD meant for to shewe that albeit hee did not punish such diuorcements as were made without any good ground yet he leaueth not to condemne them for there was heerein a remedie that a man being grieued with his wife myght in continuaunce of time beyng better aduised take hir againe and if the wife were married againe because hee had set her foorth vnto fornication and because that asmuch as in him lay hee had broken all order of nature he might not take her againe Now in that God ordayned such punishement although hee permitted diuorcementes I meane as in respect of humaine policie it shewed sufficiently that hee allowed not of them And so the Iewes excused themselues but in vaine as if they had put away their wiues by the authoritie of the Lawe For this text sufficiently declareth that this manner of putting of them away was wicked and that it coulde bring nothing else but all manner of euill and mischiefe yea and farther that it was not possible for the man to amend the fault which hee had committed after that the wife had taken a new husband When the Lawe declareth thus much is it not a condemning of the Iewes How can this serue them for a shrowding sheere to say The law permitted vs this thing our Lorde woulde not punishe such a sinne by any earthly iudgement Yea but for all this hath hee declared that he alloweth of it Hath hee sayd that such a fact is lawfull Nay but all the contrarie For the thinges which of themselues are good haue alway a good end and issue but when there followeth any wretched mishap in any thing especially such a one as can be by no meanes recouered it is a signe that the thing displeaseth God So then let vs diligently note that God meant in this place to discouer the reason of his counsaile why hee punished not diuorcementes In effect hee meant to giue the Iewes to vnderstand that it was for the hardnesse of their heart as our Lorde Iesus Christ thereof speaketh Matt. 19.8 and that they must needes be conuicted to acknowlege that the cause why God established no perfectnesse of ciuil gouernment among thē was for that they were not capable of it But they considered little of this Nay they bare thēselues in hand rather that all thinges were lawfull for them seeing they were not punished by earthly iudgement and they thought that by this meanes they were also preuiledged from the iudgement of God Hereby wee bee warned of that which was more fullie handled yesterday to wit not to runne at rouers but to make a perfect tryall of those thinges which wee take in hand by hauing our
If one buy them at that price and knoweth the necessitie which the poore man is driuen vnto he is a manifest oppressour and we can skill to say in common prouerbe It is a holding of our foote vpon a poore mans throate it is a kinde of robberie We haue skill I say to speake thus by them which buy such penie worthes of thē that are in neede and are so farre pinched that they can be at no other choyce but to doe what they will haue them Let vs note well then that God in this place not onely commaundeth vs to pay them without driuing off from day to day which haue laboured or taken paines for vs but also would haue vs to haue a dewe regarde of euerie mans neede and that when we set a poore man a worke about our businesse wee should pay him his dayes hyre yea and that euery man shoulde set a price of his owne wares so as if we come to driue a bargaine the seller should not be faine to say to vs make what price you yourselfe list And againe that when a poore man hath trauailed for vs wee should not deale so vnconscionably as to make no further account of him than to haue the fruit of his labour but rather enter into iust tryal with ourselues whether if we were in his case which pineth away hath no other meanes to sustain himselfe but this we ourselues would be contented to be so handled We would haue men to vse gentlenesse towardes vs and relieue and succour vs let vs therefore do the like or else we shal be accused before God For it is sayde That it shal be sinne vnto vs when a poore man shall so crie out against vs. And yet for all this wee heare euerie day the cries and clamours which the poore cease not in lamentable wise to make and thinke we that God is deafe all this while that he heareth not their complaintes I grant that the poore in deede are somtimes vnthankfull and spitefull so as there is no dealing with them and they would as it were rake vnto themselues other mens goods and when they are requested to lend their hande to some worke they would haue a double and treble recompence they will haue great wages Ye shall see some so stoute and presumptuous that they will not bestowe paines in any thing except they be greatly intreated and yet they are so lasie that they will scarcely put foorth one hande to doe their worke aright and for all this there is such a doe to please them that they will haue their full paiment yea and double the price of their dayes worke This is to be seene But yet for all that there are many as I tolde you which are pinched And therefore their cries must needes ascende vp into heauen and let vs not imagine that we shal be founde guiltlesse before God For whereas it is sayd that it shal be sin vnto vs it is to shew y t albeit men sue vs not ne cōmence any action against vs for it in this world yet notwithstanding we shall not faile to be culpable before God yea although the poore should not crye at all as it hath beene declared heeretofore The thing then in effect which wee haue to beare in minde is that we ought to haue an eye vnto euery mans neede and not to oppresse him which is in necessitie thinking that we haue an occasion of making our own profit by an other mans losse when we see that he can not be without vs. Let vs beware that we be not so cruell For although he make no complaint against vs in this world yet before God we are culpable and that ought to quicken vs vp so much the more in our duty considering that God reproueth vs of cruelty in such wise Nowe Moses addeth a seconde lawe That the fathers should not be put to death for the children nor the children for the fathers but that euery man should beare the punishment of his owne sinne This Lawe was ordained because of a wicked beastly custome which then raigned among the men of the East countrey who made it a matter of no conscience to put the children to death for the fathers offences and so to shed the bloud of the innocent God therefore meant to withhold his people from following such barbarous dealing of the Paynims and Infidels And it is a point which we must diligently note For wee might muse why it is sayde that the father shall not be killed for the childe nor the child for the father It seemeth that it is needelesse to forbid this thing because we knowe that where sinne is founde there the punishment ought to be layde without seeking any farther Nowe therefore forasmuch as we are giuen to vnderstande that men haue bin so blockish as to put him to death who was in no fault so as the father hath sometimes beene drawen to death with the child we perceiue thereby that God hath not without cause established this lawe It is true in deede that this is spoken vnto Iudges and vnto such as beare the sword in their hand that the children should not be put to death for the sinne of the fathers nor the fathers for the sinne of the children but yet notwithstanding God in generall warneth vs also that wee ought not to hate the children for their fathers sakes Whensoeuer we see a wicked man forasmuch as he is a reasonable creature we ought to pitie him and not to hate him although we must alwaies detest the vice and punishe the person for his misdeedes But if we hate the father for the sonnes sake or the sonne because of the father albeit wee haue not the sworde in our hande yet neuerthelesse this wicked affection which we haue is al one as if we did put the father to death for the childe And so let vs note well that this lawe appertayneth vnto vs all And although we be not armed with power and authoritie to punish whome we list Yet notwithstanding God putteth vs in mind not without iust cause that he which hath offended must beare his owne punishment and not any other guiltlesse person besides Heere a man might demand a question what is the cause then why God threatneth that hee wil punish the wickednesse of fathers vpon their children Ier. 32.18 and cast it as it were into their bosome This is sayd because that GOD is at libertie to curse not one man alone but his whole race and posteritie also For what are we if it please not him to beholde vs with pitie If he once turne his mercie from vs we can not but goe into vtter destruction And therefore let vs learne that when God leaueth vs such as we are it is a kind of punishment which he layeth vpon vs. Ye see then howe he punisheth the wickednesse of the fathers vpon the children and yet doth wrong vnto none Let vs mind that And in very deede
we ought to obserue what difference there is betweene God and men An earthly Iudge punisheth the faultes which are knowen vnto him but before God it is not so for we are al of vs giltie He which before men is faultlesse and can be charged with nothing let him come before God and there he shall finde himselfe short Againe we see not the cause why God punisheth young children euen such as are yet in their mothers wombe but he knoweth a reason why he doth so and we must with al humblenes of mind reuerence his iudgementes when a thing seemeth straunge vnto vs and wee be tempted to reason against him wee must submit our selues and know that we are too raw too weake to cōprehende the iudgementes of God which are so high And therefore let vs not measure God by men to binde him to doe that which earthlie Iudges are commaunded to doe for hee is not subiect vnto the same lawe and the reason why we haue declared And in deede he protesteth also by his prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 18.4 that he wil not punish the children for the fathers sake For it was nowe growen to a common prouerbe in Israell that they which were troubled with warre famine and other calamities would say What we are not so wicked that GOD should handle vs with such rigour for wee haue serued him wee haue done the best that we could Therefore we must needes say that God punisheth vs now for the faultes which were committed an hundred yeeres agoe and should nowe haue beene buried Thus men complained of God As in deed we see how men are too much enclined to iustifie thēselues by condemning of God Hereupon our Lorde aunswereth them no no this prouerbe shall be no longer vsed in Israel That the fathers haue eaten sower grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge for he which sinneth shall beare his owne burden the chastisement of his offence We see then that God doeth so punish the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children that notwithstanding all are culpable and there is not one which hath a sufficient excuse to aske a reason why God punisheth him And if any alleadge that he corrected Dauides fault by causing the childe to die which was begotten by him it is aunswered as I haue already touched that God will sometimes punish the children for the fault of their fathers but this is after his own maner which is incomprehensible vnto vs that is to say that he doth nothing but iustly and vprightly We shall not alwayes see the cause why hee doeth it for we haue already declared that our wittes are ouer grosse and dull to enter into the bottomelesse gulfe of Gods iudgementes But howsoeuer the case stande we must vouchsafe him so much honor as to confesse that when he punisheth the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the children he doeth it on good right And howe Will we say It is not for vs to enquire beyonde our measure Let vs content ourselues with this that Gods goodnesse is an vnblameable iustice and in the meane while let vs walke as hee hath commaunded vs. Let vs not say he doth this and why may not wee doe the like Yea but what are we For GOD knoweth his rule full well but we for our parte hadde neede to be helde in awe and vnder subiection and if wee woulde be at libertie to doe what seemed good to ourselues there would be too too great confusion Yee see then what we haue to beare in minde when it is sayde in this place that the father shall not be punished for the childes fault nor the childe for the fathers but that he which offendeth shall beare the punishment of his offence himselfe Nowe wee are warned also by the way not to intangle ourselues in the condemnation of those which haue offended For many are of opinion that they discharge not their dewtie except they maintaine an other mans wickednesse Oh say they he that hath doone this offence is my neighbour or my cousen or I knowe not what If I holde him not vp by the chinne if I seeke not to violate and corrupt iustice I shall not be thought to haue dealt with him like a kinsman like a friende or like a neighbour But we see what is sayde to the contrarie namely that hee which hath offended shall beare his owne sinne Therefore when wee see any one to offend let it grieue vs let vs indeuour to the vtmost of our power to bring him into the way againe but yet for all that let vs beware that we wrap not our selues in his condemnation seeing God hath exempted vs out of it And that is a thing which wee haue to remember yet further vpon this place The thirde lawe which Moses addeth in this place is That they shall not peruert the Iudgement and right of the straunger that they shall not treade the fatherlesse vnder foote that they shall not wring a pleadge from the widowe And why Remember sayeth he that thou wast a seruaunt in the Lande of Egypt and that the Lorde thy GOD hath drawen thee out from thence to the intent that thou shouldest pitie them which are afflicted and that thou shouldest not grieue them We haue already seene heeretofore that as men are of lesse credit and countenaunce touching the worlde so are they more specially recommended vnto our care by God For they which haue meanes to helpe themselues seeke not willingly eyther to this or to that man for helpe For why They can helpe themselues well ynough Hee that hath good friendes and is of credit carrieth his priuiledge to gette him fauour himselfe a riche man likewise and he that hath policie and courage in his dealinges For men are afrayde to deale with them they dare not offer to treade them vnder foote because they see they are able to worke their owne reuenge And that is the cause why God maketh no mention of such persons It is true in deede that generally he alwaies appointeth vs this rule Not to do vnto others otherwise than we would haue doone vnto ourselues Matt. 7 1◠and y t we must abstaine from al wrong deceites and violence He sayth this in deede to all in generall but he sayth not Take heede of iniuring and oppressing a riche man and one which is in credit and authoritie For why We are withhelde from offring of such a one any wrong because wee are afrayde of the like But God sayeth Let not any man grieue the poore man let none afflict the stranger let none trouble the fatherlesse let none molest the widowes And why speaketh he thus of them Because when we see that they are not defended by men we thinke that they are set foorth vnto vs for an open pray And y t is the cause why wee be so venterous beyond all reason conscience to snatch from them whatsoeuer we can take holde of Let vs therefore note well that God in this place as
commaundeth vs. Let vs therefore note wel that although it be sayde in this place that the Iudges shall beare the plainetifes and iudge their cause yet is it not lawefull for any man to accuse his neighbour if he doe it thorough enmitie and euill will And this letteth not but that we ought alwayes to be patient for those iniuries which men doe vnto vs. For what doeth patience impose Not that wee shoulde not onely not bee set vppon reuenge but also that wee should seeke to doe them good which persecute vs and that we should pray for them which curse vs. This is the thing which we are commaunded and therefore let vs followe it and then it shall be lawefull for vs to flee for refuge vnto them which are armed with authoritie to maintaine the good and to punish the wicked and to represse all wrongful and outragious dealings we may then I say haue our recourse vnto them Nowe it followeth That the wicked man shal be condemned according to his desert There is here no mention of such offences as were to be punished by death For if there were murder committed or adulterie or such like thinges they were punished by death We haue seene howe God commaunded that all such kindes of wickednesse should be vtterly rooted out but here he speaketh but of such iniuries as deserue some other chastisement And that is the cause why it is sayde That the malefactour shall be punished according to his desert yet so that he shall not haue aboue fortie stripes For they vsed a whippe made of an oxe hide to chastise them which dealt wrongfully and outragiously with their neighbour alwayes prouided that the offence deserued not death It is sayde That they shall no◠passe the number of fortie stripes And why To the intent that the man shoulde not be mangled or disfigured in his body but remaine whole and sounde Ye see then in effect what is heere declared to wit first that the sentence must not be giuen in vaine and secondly that some moderation must be vsed so as the rigour be not excessiue First I say the sentence must not be in vaine but it must be put in execution For sometimes yee shall see Iudges make a countenaunce of thundring at a man howebeit that shal be but for some policie When they are minded to let an offender escape they will condemne him to doubble and trebble punishment What say they This wicked fellowe is not worthy to liue A man would maruaile to heare them but when the thing should be put in execution it falleth out to a mockerie But our Lorde sheweth that they may not dally so with him and that seeing the magistrates beare not the sworde in vaine nor are armed with authoritie in way of dallyaunce they must vse their power and when they haue pronounced sentence they must afterwardes doe Iustice in executing of it And that is the very cause why they are called the soules of the Lawe For a lawe without magistrates is as a bodie which hath neither sense nor mouing And when the bodie is idle and stirreth not it is a signe that the soule is altogether blockish And therefore when there are good lawes and some outwarde forme of Iustice and yet for all that there is no execution thereof Insomuch that it shal be sayde Thus it must be and yet the Statutes shal be disobeyed yea and sentence shal be giuen and yet slippe away vnexecuted Surely it is a token of too grosse blockishnesse in those which shold giue strength to y e law y t it might not be vnprofitable That thē is y ◠thing which God declareth in the first place For speaking of the executing of sentence hee sayeth Lette the iust be declared for such a one and lette him which hath doone wrong bee condemned lette him bee punished according to his deserts Nowe heereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that we must not lette any such faultes scape as ought to be punished neither behoueth it vs alonely to shewe our zeale in punishing of greate enormities but also to consider that smaller faultes drawe on the greater when they are let alone as buried God therefore pronounceth expressely that the malefactour shall be punished And when Not onely when hee hath offended so grieuously that his fault is vnpardonable but if the fault be litle he will haue the punishment and correction aunswerable thereunto hee will not haue men to say O it is a small fault lette it passe Well the matter is not great he may escape the better cheape No howe small soeuer his offence be hee will haue him smart for it and be an example vnto others Let vs therefore weigh this worde well yea let vs weigh it so much the better because wee see that the practise noweadayes runneth cleane contrarie for men seeke nothing else but to lessen their faultes In deede a man shall not bee altogither excused when he hath offended but yet neuerthelesse hee which doeth the wrong shall finde alwayes some aduocate to pleade for him yea euen without bearing the name of it He ought to be as a Iudge in the case and yet he will so mitigate the faulte as it shall not be punishable faire gloses shall still be founde to colour the matter withall O sir will one say There is such a circumstaunce there is this and that to be considered in the case so the tenth part of mens faults shal not bee punished For why They bee not found so grieuous and hainous as they be in deede No but yet for al y t if the fault bee small God will haue the chastisement answearable thereunto and if it be greate he wil haue the punishment the more seuere and greeuous Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in minde Nowe whereas GOD speaketh thus vnto earthly Iudges let vs knowe that for his parte he might well punish vs by his iustice and that not for petie faultes but for notorious transgressions Who is so iust and innocent among vs that he findeth not himselfe faultie before God yea and that in many offences Moreouer how many faults do we commit through vnaduisednesse when we thinke not on them And therefore if God vsed not great mercie towardes vs he should lift vp his hand against vs and drowne vs in the pitte of destruction euerie minute of an houre So then whereas wee liue still and are preserued lette vs acknowledge that it is thorough the infinite goodnesse of our God For if as touching earthly Iustice hee commandeth the least faultes to be punished he might himselfe by greater reason lay his hande vpon vs euen to roote vs out of the earth especially considering the infinite number of faultes whereof we be guiltie before him And if it be alleadged Well then seeing God is so mercifull ought not men also to be mercifull and so to followe him it is easily aunswered That GOD hath this libertie to forgiue whome hee will besides this
chickinges 〈◊〉 â—3 37 For then shall we be safe though all the world conspired our destruction And albeit that our enemies be neuer so mightie and strong and fully minded in their malice to destroy vs vtterly yet is it sufficient y t God doth warraÌ„t vs and y t albeit we haue no succour of meÌ„ yet are we sufficieÌ„tly fortified by his only power But if we proceede to offende him and he seeth that when he hath spared vs to recouer vs vnto him we haue leauer to be aduersaries vnto him and to continue in our rebellion then after hee hath borne with vs long ynough he must needs bring vs to this point of being consumed by the hande of our enemies And although others seeme as wicked as we that God doe not prospeâ—â— them more than vs let not that deceiue vs. For God will sometime giue victory to the wicked which be no better than we but paraduenture worse yet will hee not faile to destroye vs by their handes and yet they shall haue their turne as well as we But in the meane while we must not thinke that this threatning is deliuered in vaine Therefore let vs not compare ourselues with others saying O are not they offenders aswell as we And hath not GOD good cause to punish them Yes hee hath foâ— but he knoweth the due time and season and he can vse them as seemeth good to himselfe but let vs prepare ourselues to abide his blowes if we stoppe our eares against his threatninges and sleepe when he would waken vs. For if we giue no credit to his threatninges wee must feele by effect that hee which pronounceth them hath power to put them in execution and that he speaketh not as they say to scarre litle children It is certaine that GOD will threaten often before he execute iudgement But therein let vs consider his long patience in tarrying for vs. 〈…〉 15. 〈◊〉 â— 4 And if we abuse the same it will be nought else but a heaping vppe and a doubling of Gods wrath towardes vs insomuch that it had beene better for vs that hee had rooted vs â—ut the first day than so long to haue forborne vs. Let scoffers say that respit is worth golde But there is no respit so long which we would not redeeme with a hundred deathes if it were possible when wee haue beene so stubborne against our GOD and so disobedient to his worde that we haue made but a laughing matter of his giuing of some token of his anger Let vs therefore consider that whilest that GOD doeth spare vs hee giueth vs leasure to returne vnto him and that if our enemies haue forborne vs it is of his fauour shewed vnto vs that we might preuent his wrath But if wee will not heare him when he speaketh nor receiue his warninges it behoueth vs to giue eare to these his threatninges heere denounced and he must be faine to sende vs to an other schoole It is the wonderful goodnesse of our God that when we haue thus prouoked him as we see yet hee forbeareth vs and all to recouer vs vnto him not by forcing vs with mayne strokes but by alluring vs after a louing manner beeing ready to receiue vs to mercie as though hee were not a Iudge to vexe vs and to condemne vs. But what When wee haue contemned all this it must fall out in the ende as I haue sayde afore that our Lorde must stirre vs vppe other maisters so as the wicked may rise vp against vs and seeke to make a slaughter of vs by butcherly murthering of vs beeing in verie deede the executours of Goddes vengeaunce whereof wee were warned long aforehande and made but a laughing game of it continuing still in our sinnes and wickednesse That is the cause why I sayde that so long as GOD speaketh vnto vs and wee condemne ourselues and acknowledge our siâ—nes and seeke attonement with our GOâ— that wee may liue in peace in this worlde although it be Gods will that wee shoulde haue enemies and be kept occupied with warres yet notwithstanding he holdeth vs still in his keeping and wee be maintained and defended by his power and goodnesse Nowe 〈…〉 that which Moses addeth That the dead carcasses should be eaten of â—rowes and of wilde bâ—â—stâ—â— and that there shall be no man to driue them away it seemeth to be a vaine threatning for it is no matter whether it bee so or no. If a man be buried when hee is dead what is he either the better or the worse for it It seemeth then at the first blush that this shoulde nor be greatly regarded 〈◊〉 But GOD ment to shewe that he will make his wrath feld euen in the bodies of them that be dead And iniverie deede buriall is a priueledge that GOD hath giuen to mankinde for a warrant of the resurrection Lette vs not thinke that the vse of burying the dead is proceeded of a foolishe superstition or than men deuised it It is true that the heathen haue vsed it and that was a witnesse against them And at the last day they shall be conuicted by their vsing of that Ceremonie which should haue taught them to looke for the last resurrection and their not considering of it is vnexcusable For our buriall ought to be vnto vs as a liuely glasse or portrayture to shewe vnto vs that wee bee not created to goe after such a sorte in corruption as though there were not an other life and that we shoulde not be restored vnto a newe state And it serueth alwayes for a larger declaration that mankinde perisheth but for a time and that their bodyes shall be renewed Nowe forasmuch as buriall is as a memoriall of the Resurrection as I sayde afore therefore is it giuen to men as a prerogatiue to be buried in respect whereof there is vsed an honest comelinesse as who shoulde say that wee which remaine are taught as it were by eye sight to looke continually for a seconde life For the dead also doeth beare a certaine marke in his body that he is as it were layde vppe in safe keeping vntill the day come that GOD will rayse the dead againe Nowe on the contrarie side whereas it is sayde that men shall not be buried but that they shall be eaten of beastes and foules it is as much as if God ment to depriue them of the common benefite that he hadde graunted to all mankinde and as if he had shewed openly that both in life and in death they were accursed of him And that is the cause why it is sayde Thou shalt be Buried with the buriall of an Asse Ier. 22.19 which thing was spoken by the Prophet to a King euen the King of Iudah But yet because he would not be corrected and that whereas GOD hadde giuen him the honour to beare in his life time the figure of Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding forasmuch as he had abused the same and giuen ouer himselfe to all vngodlinesse
is lawfull for mee for manie haue this custome We may not make that a law but we must stand stedfast in y e obedience of our God This is the thing which we haue to remēber concerning this place where Moses speaketh not of euerie man particularly but of the whole lande vsing the comparison of Sodome and Gomorrah of Adama and Zeboim according to the cōmon maner of the holy scripture where the Prophets doe put men in mind of the dreadfull punishment which God sent vppon those cities And indeed S. Iude saith in his Epistle that it is as it were a myrrour of the fire that is prepared for the wicked Iud. 7. y t wee might alwayes behold howe God is Iudge of the world Therefore it is not without cause that Moses speaketh here of Sodom Gomorrah as if he should say albeit that God do always punish sin yet the examples thereof be not alwayes so notable as in that ouerthrow of Sodom Gomorrah and of the townes neere vnto them For there it was his will to shew by one deed that he was not a partie to be dalied withall and therefore it was his wil that the remembrance therof should continue and that euerie man should walke warely When men speake of Sodom Gomorrah they ought to consider that he which ouerthrew them with lightening and tempest is at this day liuing in heauen that he hath not changed his purpose nor giuen ouer his office but that his maiestie is accompanied with his iustice and power Therfore let vs not tempt him but if hee vse patience toward vs let vs vnderstand that when hee hath long delaied we must come to reckening and if the punishment be not now visible vpon vs as it was then vpon the said townes yet wil the time come that we shall perishe That in effect is the thing that Moses ment to signifie in this place We haue here a generall instruction which is y ◠for asmuch as God hath euermore punished the worlde it shoulde therefore be the more to our reproch if wee profited not thereby in acknowledging our selues so much the more guilty according to the saying of S. Paul who giueth y e verie same rule 1. Cor. 10.6 11. in the tenth chapter of the first to the Corinthians namely that when God punisheth mens stubbornnes couetousnes vnbeleefe superstition fornication and such like sins his so doing is a liuelie image of his iudgement Let vs beware that when God teacheth vs at other mens cost wee profit in that schoole For if we become hardhearted it shall be made manifest vnto vs at the last day that it was long of nobody but of our selues that wee were not reduced into the way of saluation because we would needs wilfully misse it as if we had cōspired with Satan to our owne destruction Therefore doth he also say Col. 3.6 that the vengeaunce of God is wont to come vpon all misbeleeuers as if he shoulde say let vs not tarrie till God strike vs but seeing we do perceiue him to be Iudge of the world let y t touch vs let euery of vs bestir himselfe to repentance Moses hauing spoken so addeth this further declaration and saith that they which come from far countries the childrē also that shold be born after y e euent of such a punishmēt shal al inquire of it as astonished saying What meaneth this And now he addeth for a cōfirmation y t the shame therof shal remain vpon them y t be so afflicted wherby he sheweth that they shal not yet escape after that God hath taken them out of the world but that they shall beare the marke of infamie insomuch that euen the blind shal condemne them and euery man despise thē euen when their carkesses be rotten and brought to nothing and y t the remembrance of them shal be odious to the world For men will say It is because they forgot the God of their fathers which had brought them out of the lande of Egypt and turned to strange Gods whō they neuer knew That is one point which we haue to note in this place And by the way Moses doth vs to vnderstand that if the Iewes be not pliable afore hand it shal come to passe that afterwarde other men shal be taught to beware by their great destruction whether they will or no. And that is well worthie to be marked Whensoeuer God reproueth vs we couer our sinnes and although we haue no great colour so to doe yet doe wee euermore take leaues to hide vs after the example of our father Adam 〈…〉 17. To be short wee bee so shamelesse that wee will rather alleadge friuolous excuses than yeelde to condemne our selues God doeth threaten vs but we do make none account thereof wee offende notwithstanding whereby we shewe our rebelliousnesse If wee be asked Goe too doe you perceiue the hand of God O say we I wot not wherfore I am afflicted Thus do men euermore goe backward and in steede of appeaching themselues they fal to disputing and cauelling to escape as they may To be short we will neuer come willingly to the acknowledging of our sins What doth God then when he seeth vs to bee so vntractable Hee teacheth others Forasmuch as it is but labour lost to apply himselfe to vs because we be as logs of wood hardharted and wilful in wickednes the exāple of vs is a good instruction to others which come to read y e it is the vengeance of God so do acknowledge it in our persons in the meane while we be shut out from all remedie for wee had not the power in time and place to receiue the correctiō that God sent vs. Thus ye see what we haue to note in this place where Moses saith that they wil say It is not a matter any whit darke nor anie more to bee doubted of that they which bee stubborne hearted against GOD and haue vsed contention to make them selues innocent may very wel wrie their mouthes but yet will GOD stirre vp tongues to discouer their iniquities and they must become a common prouerbe and haue their doings blased abroad as who shold say god hath punished thē on this wise bicause they forgot him After he had deliuered thē by his incredible power and wrought so many wonders for their safetie they laid al this vnder foote turned thēselues vnto strange gods And hereby we be taught that when God giueth vs yet meanes to returne vnto him we must not draw back leeing y t we shall gaine nothing thereby And moreouer sith it is his wil to teach vs at other folkes cost let vs consider what is happened vnto the Iewes according as S. Paul also leadeth vs thither for they were the adopted people of God when wee were yet but as rotten God had left our fathers in their confusion when in the mean while the family of Abrahā was chosen aduāced to y e
to the end we should not be so senselesse as we were before to flatter to hardē ourselues but that we should come directly vnto him and yeelde ourselues guilty yea euen with such misliking of our sins as we shold hate the euil y t is in vs and seek nothing but to be receiued vnto his gouernment to be changed renewed by him so as wee may take no pleasure but onely in framing ourselues to his good pleasure That is the thing which Moses meant in saying y t although the people should be constrained to say y t they suffered those so many plagues miseries because God was no more among them yet should they also haue a testimony to follow thē and to holde them as at a bay as who would say Thou shalt not escape but shalt know y t thy sins be the cause of al these euils although thou seeke starting holes yet must thou bee as it were pent vp and feele y t God is against thee that thou shalt be more more tormented vntill thou turne againe vnto him True it is that this is spoken of a witnesse y t was against y e people and y t it serueth to expresse y e stubbornes which was in y e children of Israell as hereafter we shall see more at large And surely although God vouchsafe to shewe vs mercie and would haue vs to heare his woord to the intent to bring vs to repentaunce yet must that woorde first bee a witnesse against vs. As for example wee shall neuer obtaine fauour of God vntill hee haue condemned vs. And wherefore Bicause we be wrapped in our sinnes and doe sooth and flatter our selues in them Nowe so long as men doe thus glory in themselues or become carelesse there is no place for mercie for they make but a scoffe of the goodnesse of GOD. Yee see then that wee bee shutte out from all hope of saluation vntill wee bee condemned of God To bring this to passe his word must discouer our iniquities and all our filthinesse and make vs abashed and ashamed and also driue vs to feele the sorrowes of death and to see hell which is prepared for vs. The point then whereat God beginneth when hee meaneth to bring men to saluation is that he stirreth vp his worde for a witnesse to them to make them to know that they be vtterly forlorne and damned Is that done Then doth God admonish vs and giue vs Testimonie of his good will and not onely lay vs foorth his doctrine but also recite the processe of all our faultes Nowe then let vs receiue the woord when it testifieth vnto vs our condemnation that beeing drawen thereby to repentance and altogether ashamed of our selues wee may obtaine fauour before GOD. Yet let vs vnderstande moreouer that when GOD doeth so frame our inditement it is for our benefite for hee maketh vs our owne Iudges to the intent that hee himselfe would not iudge vs but surceasse from it Nowe if wee will needes play the wilde beastes when as GOD testifieth our sinnes vnto vs or else if wee goe to seeke for leaues to couer vs 〈◊〉 3.7 that is to say if wee will needes scape his iudgement by our lying and hypocrisie and play the skoffers which make a mocke of all warninges that are giuen vnto them or if we play the mad bedlems in despising GOD as we see many doe who cannot abyde any rebukes but doe grinde their teeth as often as they bee made to vnderstande their sinnes if I say wee doe proceede so farre then must the woorde of God stand still in his first force to wit it must bee a Testimonie to vs of our damnation And therefore seeing it is sayde heere that the Song is a witnesse to auow that GOD hath iust cause to punishe his people and that the people stande conuicted thereby let vs feare let vs feare I say least our Lorde doe with lyke extremitie pursue the processe which hee hath made against vs and that there bee no place of refuge to his grace after wee haue once reiected it nay rather as soone as hee summoneth vs let vs learne to stoope and to shut our mouth and not to make any excuse but to say Lorde wee see verie well that if thou wouldest vse rigour towardes vs we were vndoone there is no shift for vs but that thou must receiue vs lyke damned and forlorne cast-awayes as wee bee and bestowe thy mercie vppon vs for all our welfare lyeth in this that thou looke no more vpon our sinnes to punish them but that through thy free goodnesse thou doe take them away and blot them out Thus ye see how we ought to put this place in vre where Moses sayeth that this Song shall be for a witnesse to the people of Israel Hee sheweth yet better what testimonie hee giueth by this Song It is sayeth he that I will bring you into the lande which I haue promised to your fathers a land flowing with milke and honnie Heereby he giueth vs to vnderstande that it is a fatte lande and fruitfull of all good things in such abundance as if milke did runne therein in stead of Riuers and as if they had withall the like abundance of hony This maner of speech is very commonly vsed whensoeuer God speaketh of the land of Chanaan and not without cause For God had blessed it aboue all the rest of the world yea and no doubt but the people found that with their comming thither the fruitefulnesse of that land was augmented And surely it is a maruailous matter how such a huge multitude was nourished in so small a countrie But at this day we see it is a land halfe barren True it is that euen as yet there are some places thereof as little speckes which are very fat abundant but yet farre vnable to verifie that which wee reade of it here namely that the land did flowe with milke and honie But herein we do so much the better see that which is spoken in the 107. Psalme Psal. 107.34 namely that when God hath giuen neuer so great fruitfulnesse to a land he can make it barrain againe as if it were sowed with salt so as there shall be nothing but leannesse nor any sustenance to bee found therein Wee perceiue then by the land of Chanaan how it is the hand of God that giueth aboundance to a land and likewise that his withdrawing of his blessing causeth a land to become fruitlesse and altogether barraine And therefore doeth Moses nowe protest that when the people come into y e land and there be nourished filled and fatted then serue straunge gods they shal bee condemned so much the more and then they must not looke for any startingholes but bee discouered to the whole world to their condemnation and this present song shal be as a processe wherin the forme of law is obserued so as y e summons shal be made first then the examinations and
then if wee in these dayes despise so great a good turne God must needes shewe double rigour to vs and execute the thing which Moses speakes of here which is that vengeaunce belongeth vnto him and that it is his office to iudge his people and that he will do it Now afterward Moses comforteth the faithfull telling them that Gods rigour shal be none such but that in the ende he will haue pitie vppon such as are not vtterlie past grace Hee will repent him ouer his seruantes saith hee This is added as a qualification of that which he had saide afore to the intent we should not bee too much dismayed when wee heare that in punishing sin God will beginne at vs. For that might put vs into such an vnquietnesse as that wee had leuer he shoulde let vs alone and neuer take or auowe vs any more to bee his people Not without cause therefore doth the Apostle adde this qualification My friendes saith hee true it is that wee must liue in feare and beware that wee tempt not God in abusing his goodnesse If hee beare with vs for a time wee must not in the meane while play the loose coltes for if wee bee his people wee must receiue the first stripes And why Because he hath a speciall care of our welfare and hee must needes call vs home againe to himselfe when hee sees vs runne at randon But yet must not wee thinke our case the worse neither must it greeue vs to bee so chastised at Gods hande For why He will punish vs measurablie and in the ende wee shall perceiue that hee hath not forgotten his mercie for all his shewing of such rigour He will then repent ouer vs because he seeth we be his people and that hee hath entred into a couenaunt with vs and hath adopted vs for his children and therefore hee will haue vs to bee his seruauntes to the ende hee may rule ouer vs and so at the length hee will declare that whatsoeuer hee hath doone in correcting vs hath not beene doone in vaine or without purpose But when the worde is taken for Comforting it is as much as if GOD shoulde say that hee will take pleasure and delight in their vtter ouerthrowe and destruction But here it is easie to be perceiued that Moses meant to say the cleane contrarie For he addeth That God will repent him when hee seeth the strength of his people vanished away and that all of them are as folke discomfited so as there is none of them bee hee neuer so well garded and shut vp in hold or bee hee abroade in the fields which is not forlorne and vndone Therefore when God seeth his people so miserablie vnder foote then will hee be sorie sayeth he For it might be sayd vnto them Where bee your gods Heereby Moses meaneth in effect that GOD wil bee contented to haue so ouermaistred the Iewes that they put not their trust any more in their Idols ne bee any more blynded in their superstitions For they shall well see that Sathan had beguyled and deceyued them And on the other syde GOD may then saie vnto them Yee see now how it is I euen I only that am GOD alone and that there bee no other gods Knowe ye also that when I haue stryken I doe heale and when I haue killed I do quicken againe Therefore turne yee againe to mee and by the way consider that there is none which can deliuer you out of my hand God then sayeth that he will finde the meane to speake after that manner and that when the people are well beaten then they will be disposed to come to amendement Now we see what is contained in this text of Moseses it remaineth to apply the doctrine hereof to our vse As touching this worde repent we must take it as it is taken through out the whole scripture not that God is changeable or that he hath any alteration in himselfe but that it is so sayd in respect of vs. Moses reporteth that God repented that he had made man 〈◊〉 6.6 which is not to bee so vnderstoode as though God had not bin well aduised at the first what shoulde insewe afterward For whereof procâ—edeth repentance in vs but that to our seeming we fore sawe not the matter well at the first and therefore it greeueth vs afterwarde that we were no better aduised aforehand But this can in no wise befall vnto God for all things are present vnto him and he cannot be ouerseene in any thing whatsoeuer Why then sayeth he that he repenteth for surely it is a very coÌ„mon manner of speech among the Prophets to say Repent you of your sinnes 〈◊〉 18.2 and I will repent me of the euill which I had purposed against you I will discharge you of it saith the Lorde As haue sayd afore he applyeth himselfe to our vnderstanding When we see any change or alteration in Gods works to our seeming hee himselfe also is chaungeable Not that hee is so in deede but wee be so dull of vnderstanding that wee cannot reach to the maiestie of God and we imagine of God after the manner and resemblance of our owne nature Now God applyeth himselfe to vs. Howbeit not to bring vs a sleepe in our owne ignorance or superstition but to drawe vs to him leasurely by degrees That is the cause why hee sayth hee will repent him Neuerthelesse the worde signifyeth properly to cease from punishing of vs lyke as when a man hath chastised his childe hee is touched with remorse for it and thereupon is loth to vse so great rigour any more insomuch that hee saieth in the ende I forgiue thee and I will forget the euill and the offence which thou hast done onely see that henceforth thou doe as I bid thee and all shall bee forgotten When a father speaketh to his childe after that manner it is as much as if he repented him because he is touched with a fatherly affection and loue that hee beareth to his owne bloud But God who in goodnesse excelleth all worldly creatures vseth this similitude of Repenting to shewe that when hee hath chastised vs he will withdrawe his hand and not presse vs to the vttermost And that is a very necessary lesson and that is the cause why the Prophets doe harpe so much vppon it For if we looke well vppon the Prophets there is nothing more ryfe among them than after threatning to adde some comfort wherwith to sweeten Gods wrath least the faithfull should be too much discomforted For when wee see that God is against vs is it not a gulfe to swallow vs in despaire Who is hee that can stand out when hee thinketh that God is his enemie and can taste nothing in him but vtter rigor Must we not needes bee stricken then with such terror that heauen and earth doe threaten vs that our lyfe becommeth lothsome to vs and that wee could finde in our heartes that the mountaines should ouerwhelme vs as
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
GOD to Change meÌ„ns hearts and how 1052. a 50.1053 a 10 b 50 Changed How it is meant that God is as it were Changed when wee humble our selues seeing the Scripture sayeth hee neuer altereth his purpose 394. b 50 60. and 395. a 10. c. That it is needful for men to be Changed and how 1058. all Changes The life of man full of Changes yea euen in his best estate 1230. a 50.60 b 10 From whence the Changes that we see commonlie in the world do come Read that place 367. b 20.30.40 Chappel That in Poperie euerie man will haue a Chappel by himselfe c. 920 a 40 Chappels Against the reseruing of Chappels in castels or great houses 311. b 40.50 Charge The common Charge of all men and women touching the worde of God to be continued and knowen 1174. a all b 10 The Charge of such as take vpon them to gouerne people 1179. a 10. Looke Duetie Office Charitable The meanes and wayes to be Charitable and kindhearted 581. a 20.30 Looke Mercifull and Pitifull Charitie Effectuall reasons to mooue vs vnto Charitie to the poore 610. a 20.30.40.50.60 b 10 20 Of Charitie howe the same is to bee shewed to the poore and the true bonde thereof 856. a 10.20.30.40 That our Lorde in his lawe requireth all things which concerne Charitie 934. b 20 God ordeined the sabboth day for Charitie sake Read how 208. a 60. and b 10 Why Charitie is treated of in the first table seeing it belongeth properly to the second 208. b 50 Why Paul bringeth vs backe to Charitie when he setteth foorth the commandement of obeying the magistrate 214. b 20 At what thing Charitie doeth take her beginning 214. b 10 A notable way that God vseth to trie our Charitie 585. a 10 Gods trying of the Charitie of the rich by what meanes and to what intent 511. a 20 Why God forbad murther before hee come to command Charitie 223. a 30.40 With what rule the exercising of our Charitie should accord 580. b 20 Looke Compassion Mercie Pitie Chastise Why God sometimes doeth Chastise vs sharply 280. b 50.60 God neuer lifteth vp his hand to Chastise vs but vppon good deliberation Read how 394 a 50.60 Why God is faine to scourge Chastise and tame vs with beating 306. b 60 and that hee doeth it of necessitie ibidem 20 God doth Chastise and tame vs when soeuer he doth any thing that misliketh vs Read to what end 198. b 60 Looke Afflict Chastisement How the wicked behaue themselues so soone as they feele but one yirke of Gods Chastisement 143. b 10.20 Looke Affliction Correction Chastisements All the Chastisements of God are curses yea euen vpon the faithful 947 a 60. b 10 The cause why God continueth prolongeth his Chastisements vpon vs and withdraweth them not when he hath once punished vs. 1162. a all The Chastisements of God on y e faithfull by the example of Isachar 1218 a 60. b 10.20.30 Of diuerse chastisements which God sendeth vpon some but not as punishments for their sinnes as for example 976. b 50.60 Of bodilie Chastisements also of the Chastisements of the minde how dreadfull the same be 972. a all b 10. 20.50.60 The scripture likeneth all the Chastisements which God sendeth vpon meÌ„ vnto drinkes how 1153. a 20.30 The end of Gods Chastisements layed vpon vs. 42. b 60. 43. a 10 Gods Chastisementes tend to bring vs to repentance humilitie 50. b 50 The Chastisements of God on the good and euil haue contrarie effects 156. a 20.30 The fruite of the Chastisements which God doth send vs. 1050. b 10.20 God reserueth Chastisements till their due time and knoweth why he delayeth them 1155. b 40.50.60 The qualitie of Gods Chastisements laid vpon vs where to they serue 1141. b 50.60.1142 a 10 Whereto the minding of the Chastisements which we haue perceiued to haue beene done by Gods hande should serue vs. 462. b 10 Wee must not goe about to burie the Chastisements that God shall haue sent vpn vs Looke on that place 424. b 20.30 The diuerse and sundrie Chastisements that God vsed to the Iewes for their diuerse sinnes 458. b 10 The remembrance of Gods Chastisementes verie necessarie 59. b 30.40.50 What things God doeth teach men by his Chastisements laide vpon them 60. a 40 Of the Chastisements that God layeth on others and that they ought to be documentes vnto vs. 116. a 40.50 The fruite of Gods Chastisements laid on vs. 67. a 30 The peruersnes of some against God when he goeth about to subdue theÌ„ by Chastisements 61. a 50 All the Chastisements of God that wee see in the worlde ought to serue for our learning 116. b 60. 117. a 10 It behoued the Iewes to be vnder Gods Chastisements a long time why 60 Wee must profit as well by Chastisements as by teaching Read how 110 a 40 The causes why God subdued the Israelites by so manie Chastisements 109. b 50 What we must do if God layeth Chastisements on vs in respect of the flesh 53. a 30 The drift of God in laying temporall Chastisements on his faithfull ones 50. a 60. Looke Afflictions Corrections Visitation Chaste Men be not able to be Chaste what is then to be done 227. b 30.40 Chastitie What Chastitie it is that God requireth at our hands 392. a 50 Of vowing perpetual Chastitie which the Papists presume to doe and what true chastitie is 829. a 10.20 It is not lawfull for a stranger to slander one in respect of Chastitie which is found innocent 785. b 20 30 Lawes concerning Chastitie and what caâ—e God hath that the same should be maintained among his people 785. so forward in the whole sermon An admonition for women if they will haue the good report of Chastitie 787. a 30. c. Of Chastitie in marriage with an exhortation to the same 977. b 40. Of true Chastitie defined by Paul 225 b 20.30 Maides ought to make as great accouÌ„t of their Chastitie as of their life and why 792. b 10.20 How pretious a thing the Chastitie faith plighted in marriage is to God 791. b 60.792 a 10. Looke Honestie Cherubims How the Cherubims be described in the scripture what wee are taught by that description of theirs 1108. a 10 The Cherubims painted vpon y e vaile of the temple and these two likewise that couered the arke inferred of y c Papists to proue images lawful and what is truelie and simplie meant thereby 138. a 20.30 40 Why the Cherubims are described to haue wings to couer their faces 1121. b 10.20 Childe Read the doctrine vpoÌ„ these worde If thy Child aske hereafter what these coÌ„mandements meane c. 297. a all Why a Child ought to honour his father whatsoeuer father he be 214. b 60. 215. a 10 What kind of dutie that is which the Child oweth to his parents 213. a 50. A Child disdaining his father and mother is a
30.40.50 What Christ sheweth himselfe to be in healing y e bodily Diseases 1018. b 40 Of the Diseases of the soule to whom the curing of thē doth belong 1018. b 40.50.60 Howe many sorts of Diseases God sendeth vs so many witnesses he sēdeth to proue that we haue sinned against him c. 972. a 50 Sundrie Diseases named and in what cases God maketh them his men of warre against vs. 971. b 10 Howe we ought to iudge of Gods dealing towards vs when he sendeth extraordinary Diseases among vs. 971. b 20.30 How lightly we thinke of the common Diseases reigning among vs. 971. b 30. Looke Plagues and Sicknesses Disobey In what cases children must Disobey their parents 759. b 10.20.30 Disobedience Disobedience against God and what they deserue that refuse to heare the voice of their heauenly father 760. a 40.50.60 b 10 What we haue to gather in that Magistrats and iudges were commanded by him to punish y e Disobedience of children against their parents with death 760. b 40.50.60 759 b 40. 760. a 10.20 These words of Paul that Gods wrath is wont to come vpon Disobedience 706. b 40.50 All Disobedience against superiours of what state soeuer intollerable in gods sight 929. b all The cause of our Disobedience to God is because we hate him 192. a 40 The desperate continuall Disobedience of the Iewes against God laide downe in particulars 383. the whole page and 384. a 10.20 A iust reward of Disobedience and to be remembred 45. a 20.30 Howe men iustifie themselues in their Disobedience against god 33. b 30. c. God hath not left Disobedience and vnbeleefe vnpunished 42. b 60 How men fall not onely into Disobedience but also into sturdinesse against God 34. a 20 All Disobedience springeth of ignorāce and of y e contempt of God 1000. a 10 Disorder The cause of such Disorder as there is in our life 73. a 50. Howe long our life shal be full of Disorder and confusion 110. b 10. Looke Confusion Distresse Forceable perswasions to mooue vs to haue compassiō on such as be in Distresse neede 590. a all b 10.20 Vnto what paine and Distresse the holy fathers were driuen 179. b 10 How we must be resolued if God linger his help and let vs alone in great Distresse 341. a 10 To what ende God sendeth vs neede or holdeth vs in any Distresse 347. b 20. 467. a 50.60 b 10. Looke Aduersitie Necessitie and Pouertie Distrust Distrust in God the cause why men be afraid to execute their charge 1076. b 50.60.1077 a. 10 Remedies against Distrust in cases as seemeth to vs of impossibilitie 372. b 50.60 373. a 10 Distrust the cause of couetousnesse and holding fast 583. b 10.20.30.40 In what points our Distrust and vnbeleefe in God bewrayes it selfe 412. b 30.40 1229. a 20.30.40 b 10.20 Of our Distrust in God his taking of an oth for our behoofe notwithstanding 1167. b al. 1223. a 20.30.40 b 10.20 Looke Vnbeleefe Diuell The Diuell hath not a seuerall dominion by himselfe and can doe nothing without leaue 669. b 10. 531. b 20.30 Whether the Diuell can Prophesie or no. 533. b 50.60.534 a 10 We haue neede to liue the more warily in these dayes for so much as the Diuell hath obtained to peruert the whole worlde Looke howe 289. a 10.20 What thing it is that the Diuell striues to do in these dayes more than euer he did erst 126. b 60. 127. a 10 The Diuell is named the prince of this worlde and of his cruell malice against vs. 38. a 30.40 Not one Diuel but infinit legions of diuels against vs whom we must withstand 476. b 40 The Diuell will reigne ouer vs if we be not acquainted with God 40. a 10 The Diuell disguiseth himselfe and assalteth vs diuerse wayes 124. b 50.60 How God serueth his turne by the Diuell and by wicked men 82. b 30.40 The Diuell our deadly enimie and his practises to destroy ceaslesse 55. b 30.40 Looke Enimie and Satan The Diuels were somtimes as the children of God c. Reade this place 170. b 10 Of seruing or sacrificing to Diuels and who do so and how 1131. b 30.40.50.60.1132 a 10.20 Diuination Diuination by the flight of birds forbidden 68. b 20.30 Diuision The causes of Diuision betweene vs the papists 287. b 10.20.30 Diuorsement A kinde of Diuorsement permitted by God to the Israelits and in what cases 787. b 20. 834. a 60. b all c. Of the matter of Diuorsement and in what cases it was lawful 836. a 40.50.60 That the benefite of Diuorsement and of marying again is indifferenth both to the man and the woman and in what cases 840. all 841. a 10.20 Touching Diuorsement reade much doctrine inclusiuely in the 122. Sermon being at page 748. c. Diuorsement permitted by Christ in the case of adulterie 839. b 60.840 a 10. c Diuorsement permitted as touching common order 835. b 40 Diuorsements Whereof Diuorsementes doe come and what is their cause 753. b 30.40.50.60 Touching Diuorsements reade what is written of purpose by Moses 834. a 60. b all c. The reason why God punished not the Diuorsements which the Iewes vsed 841. b 30.40 The Iewes Diuorsements condemned by God and why 841. b 10.20.30 No good reason that because God permitted or punished not the Iewes Diuorsements therefore he allowed them Looke the place 841. b all The iudgement of Christ and of Paul concerning Diuorsements 836. a 50.60 b all Of Diuorsements which were doone against al indifferencie and whether God permitted them 792. b 10.40 Dizzinesse Who they be that must needes be striken with the spirit of Dizzines c. 123. b 40.50 Looke Giddinesse Doctors The dealing of the Papistes when they alledge any of the ancient Doctors 489. b 20 Doctrine What we haue to doe when any Doctrine is to be followed 118. b 10 What we must doe if we intend to profite well in Gods Doctrine 422. b 60. 423. a 10 Excellent Doctrine vpon this point Euerie of vs must teach his children to walke in the feare of God 129. a 30.40 c. b 10.20.30.40 What we haue to vnderstand whensoeuer there is any sharpenesse or vehemencie in the Doctrine that is preached vnto vs in Gods name 370. a 50.60 The Doctrine that God sendeth downe to vs shoulde stande vs in no steede vnlesse hee added a seconde grace Reade howe 252. a 60. b 10 In what sort wee ought to receiue the Doctrine of the Gospel 256. a 40.50 The Doctrine of a Pope applyed to maried folke that they which are in the flesh cannot please God 228. b 50.60 and the absurde sequeles of that doctrine 229. a 10. c. The law of God is a full and perfite Doctrine wherein there wanteth nothing 111. a 10 God setteth vs downe a Doctrine of practise and not of knowledge only 111. a 20. 179. a 10 The
saide to be Fat â—ustie frollike in two respects 1126. b 10.20 c. Father The meaning of these wordes that we haue but one Father which is in heauen 213. b 50.60 129. a 50 God compared for his incredible loue with a fleshlie Father 40. b 20 129. a 50 God most louinglie beareth with vs as a Father note how 65. b 10.20 The meaning of these wordes Honour thy Father and Mother 212. b 10.20 c. Howe God will shewe himselfe a Father to his people euen in respect of this world 466. a 20.30 For what cause God calleth himselfe our Father 186. a 20 Howe God prouideth for vs all y e whole yeare like a Father or householder 467. a 60. b all Why Moses called God the Father of the children of Israel 1113. a all God is a Father vnto vs both in life death 86. b 20 Fathers That wee nowe adaies haue more than the Fathers had in y e time of the law where note the doctrine inferred 391. b 10.20 c An exhortation to Fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of God why 267. a 50.60 b 10. 756. b all 757. a 10.20 A Complaint against Fathers in not bringing vp their children in Gods feare 326. b 10.20 The duetie of Fathers declared by way of comparison with a iudge 326. b 40.50.60 Of true Fathers which begette vs by the worde of God and of the Fathers to whome the Papistes sticke 1130. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 1042. a 10.20 Of bastarde Fathers whome the Iewes followed and are therefore blamed of Steuen 1041. b 50.60 1042. a 10 489. b 10.20 Two kindes of auncient Fathers one sort to bee followed the other not so in anie case 1041. b all 1042. b 10 The Sacraments which God deliuered y e Fathers vnder the law tended to the same ende that ours doe 1055. a 20. c. b 10.20 What Fathers the Iewes were commaunded not to followe 489 10. 1115. a al. Notable doctrine vppon the wordes of Moses where the Gods of the Fathers are spoken of 489. a and b all The knowledge which the Fathers had of God is not the cheese grounde that wee ought to stande vppon 488. b 60 Two places of Ezechiel Walke not after the righteousnesse of your forefathers and worshippe yee the Gods of your Fathers reconciled 489. a 50.60 b 10. c. Our prerogatiue greater than that of of the Fathers in the time of the lawe howe and wherein 556. all A lawe made that the Fathers shoulde not die for their childrens sinnes 861. a 20.30 The verie cause why the ministers of Gods word are called Fathers 883. a 20 In what sense it is saide that the Iewes called vppon the God of their Fathers 897. a all b 10.20.30 That such as liued in the worlde before Abraham Isaac and Iacob deserue not to bee accounted Fathers and why 897. a 20 The great difference betwixt vs the Fathers in the time of the Law 950. a 20. c. 465. b al. Why it behoued God to bestow his benefits more largelie on the Fathers that liued vnder the law than on vs. 951. a 30. How and by what meanes God dealt with the Fathers vnder the lawe to draw them to him 959. b 50.60 The blasphemous Prouerbe of y e Iewes Our Fathers haue eateÌ„ sower grapes and our teeth are set on edge with it 189. b 20 Against Fathers that haue no care of their house or familie 775. b 30 Why God speaketh of purpose of the honouring of Fathers and mothers 213. a 30.40 212. b 10.20 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow them 897. a 20.30 489. a 50.60 b 10 Vnto what paine and distres the holie Fathers were driuen 279. b 10 Why children ought to honour their Fathers whatsoeuer father hee bee 214. b 60. 215. a 10 The verie cause why God commaundeth Fathers to teach their childreÌ„ 129. a 40 The wicked trade of Fathers training vp of their children 215. b 50.60 Whether God punisheth the sinnes of the Fathers on their children 189. b 10.20.30 c. 190. all 861. b 10.20.30 How the land of Chanaan was promised to the Fathers which neuer had possession thereof 10. a 10.20.30 To what ende the Fathers in olde time had sacrifices 20. a 10 Fatherhoode The fatherhoode of the Papistes and to whome we must referre our Fatherhoode 489. b 30 Fatherlesse Who be poore destressed Fatherles to be succoured 450. a 30 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes God doeth right to the Fatherlesse 448. b 20.30 c. God setteth his armes or badge vppon the Fatherlesse 449. a 40.50.60 Lawes for releefe of the Fatherlesse with the fruites of the earth 865. a 40.50.60 That the Fatherlesse are to bee pitied and supported not to be iniuried Read page 86â— all A curse vppon such as wrest the right of the Fatherlesse and why 931. b 30 40.50.60 Fault Why a man being tolde of his Fault when he hath done amisse thinketh not he hath done euill 343. a 40.50 What wee ought to doe to such as offend vs when their Fault is not manifest and open and contrariwise 700. a 10.20 Howe wee must bethinke our selues when wee perceiue anie Fault in our selues 240. b 50.60 Looke Offence and Sinne. Faultes That wee like not to haue our former Faultes laide in our dish 443. b 30.40.50 Howe necessarie it is that wee shoulde haue all the Faults of our whole life laid afore vs and why 408. a all What we must doe if we will bee good Iudges to condemne other mens Faults 340. b 20 Of cloking our Faultes a common thing vsed among men 229. b 60. 381. b 10.20.30 Of blasing abroad the Faults of such as haue offended Read the place 238. a 20 Why the meane way of correcting meÌ„s Faultes will neuer be kept 237. b 40 Touching our Faultes which wee iudge to bee no faultes because wee cannot discerne them and how God iudgeth of them Looke vppon the example of Moses 1236. b all 1237. a 10 Against such as be captious in finding Faultes 239. b 50.60 and 240. a 10.20.30 God maie well pardon our Faultes but yet in the meane while not cease to subdue vs vntil he see that our vices are corrected 99. a 40 The Papistes doctrine that God pardoneth our Faultes and reteineth y e punishment still 99. a 40 That we ought alwaies to bethinke our selues of our Faultes and the manner howe 382. a 10.20.30 521. b 30.40 c. Vntill when men will neuer come to confesse their Faultes 379. b 40.50.60 The Faultes committed against God are heinouser than the wrongs done against men Read that place 342. b 20.30 c. the cause is expressed page 343. a 10 The trade and manners of men when they are touched for their Faultes or offences 143. a 30 What Faultes or offences are reuealed to men to bee punished and what faults he
doeth proceede 1025. b 20. 1127. a 10.20 Of the Prosperitie of the wicked and that the same tendeth to destructioÌ„ 1025. b 30.40 That Gods children must not be grieued at the Prosperitie of the wicked in what taking Dauid was in this behalâ—e 989. a 10.20 Vnder the worde blessing all Prosperitie is comprehended 942. b 50.60 That God is the fountaine of all Prosperitie and what we must do if wee will prosper 926. b 50 How we ought to be affected in Prosperitie 283. b 40 Caluine counselleth vs to mistrust Prosperitie 282. a 30.40 Salomon noteth the danger of Prosperitie 282. a 50 Prosperitie of it selfe ought to prouoke vs vnto God why 281. b 10.20 Our dragging cleane backwarde from God bewrayeth that Prosperitie is not good for vs. 156. a 50 How we be disposed giuen when wee haue Prosperitie 554. a 10 The meane of Prosperitie is to obey God 263. b 30.40 A meditation to bee vsed of vs both in our Prosperitie and in our aduersitie 348. b 20.30.40 a 50.60 Why God saith no more but that men should praise and blesse him in Prosperitie 360. a 60. b 10.20.30 Prosperitie is a cloke that hideth much vncleannesse 350. a 40.50 Why when wee be in Prosperitie wee haue iuster cause to call vpon God 361. b 40.50 Prosperitie blindeth vs and breedeth our destruction 156. a 40. Looke Blessednesse Riches Abundance Wealth Prosperities All the Prosperities that God sendeth vs are instructions c. 347. b 10 Protection What we must do if we will haue God to keepe vs in his Protection alwaies 1091. a 10.20.30 The fatherly Protection of God described by similitudes 969. a 10. 1121. all 1122. all Of Gods mightie Protection promised vs against our enimies 953. b all and 954. all Protestants Papists and Protestants compared and which of them founde woorst 1145. a 10. Protestation The Protestation of the Iewes that they kept all Gods statutes forgat none of them and what we haue to learne thereby 905. b all 906 all What manner of Protestation y e Iewes were commanded to make at the offering of their first fruites to the priest 895. a 10. c. What kinde of Protestation shal sufficiently discharge vs before God c. 905. b 30.40 The lame hypocriticall Protestation of Gods benefits that wee vse 896. a 50.60 Proud A lesson for vs that we ought not to be Proud of any gift that God hath bestowed on vs. 148. a 50 Reasons why wee ought not to bee Proud but otherwise 365. a. 30.40 b 10 God proclaimeth perpetuall warre against the Proud 364. a 10 Prouerb Of the common Prouerb in Israel that the fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teethe are set on edge 861. b 40.50.60 A Prouerbe how manie bondseruants a man had at home so manie enimies had he and how that by worde sprang 588. a 40.50 A common Prouerbe of the Papistes that God is not knowen for the Apostles 490. b 50 Prouidence Against a sort of rascals as they are termed that denie gods Prouidence 1107. a 60. b 10 After what manner wee must trust and rest vpon Gods Prouidence 1077. al. All things referrable to Gods Prouidence and not to fortune 690. a 60 209. b 20.30 63. a 50 Gods Prouidence most amply described by the times and seasons of the yeare and otherwise 467. a 60. b all 468. a 10.20 23. a 10 Prouision That all our Prouision wasteth how except God blesse it 985. b 10.20.30 40.50 986. a 10 The diuerse and vnthought vpon waies whereby God is able to disapoint all our Prouision of necessaries 985. b all 986. a 10 Prouoke How these wordes are meant that God feared to Prouoke the enimie 1145 a 40.50 60 Prouocation The meaning of these words that god feared the Prouocation of the enimie 1144 a 30.40.50.60 b all and 1145. all Punish The vaine shiftes that men vse when God doeth punish them 976. a 40 50.60 What complaints men do make when God doeth not punish the outrages done to his seruaunts 1168. b 30.40.50 The ende why God doeth Punish the sinnes of the faithful and that he punisheth them oftentimes for other causes than their sinnes 949. a 30.40 Why God forbeareth to Punish our sinnes and what wee haue to learne thereof 949. a 60. b 10 Two things to be noted of them that haue power to Punish offences 890 a 30.40.50.60 c. Howe and why God threateneth that he will Punish the fathers sinne in the children 861. b 10.20.30 862. a all 190. b 60. 191. a 10. and 189. b all To what intent God doeth Punish vnbeleeuers c. and for what things 116. b 10.20 God did not alwayes Punish offences in such sort as by good right hee ought 792. b 10.20 When God doth Punish men it is as ye would say against his nature 192 b 60. 193. a 10 God proceedeth vprightly as a good iudge when he doth Punish 189. b 60 394. a 50.60 b 10.20 Looke Afflict Chastise Punishing Gods Punishing of the wicked is for our benefite and how 462. b 20.30 What wee haue to learne by Gods Punishing of Moses and Aaron 1178. all 1179. all Punishment That one sinne is the Punishment of another 983. b 10.20 A lawe made that euery man shoulde feare the Punishment of his owne sinne 861. a 20.30 Though God at the first Punish not them that molest his people yet hee always keepeth Punishment in store for them 799. b all 800. a 10 If Gods Punishment be rigorous it is because the sinne is excessiue 787. b 10.20 Of the open Punishment of a rebellious or stubborne sonne against his parents 756. b all What mans executing of Punishment is a sacrifice to God 306. a 30.40 A notable Punishment of God vppon superiors for abusing the dignitie which God hath giuen them 215. b 30.40 The grieuousest Punishment of al that fell on the Iewes 152. b 40 The bodily Punishment of the Iewes serued to the welfare of their soules 59. b 10 A bitter Punishment to Moses to be banished out of the land of promise 50 b 10.47 b 50.60.48 a 10 The Punishment of the tribe of Leui turned into honour and howe 658. a. 10.20.30 How wee condemne others that suffer Punishment but want wit to amend our selues thereby 621. a 60. b 10 The loathsome Punishment of Herod for his pride 334. b 10 Against such as be too sharp in giuing Punishment 331. a 10 The Punishment of Iehu a looking-glasse for vs to beholde continuallie Looke in what respect 462. b 10.20 Of the Punishment that Aaron suffered for not withstanding the Israelites idolatrie to their golden calfe and what we haue to learne thereby 424. a b al. and 425. a 10. Looke Affliction Chastisement Correction Punishment Of corporall Punishments and why God doth send them vs. 1097. a 20.30.40 Gods Punishmentes doe not exceede measure 1047. a