be of his Church in which respect we be say I more bound vnto him than were the Iewes Now it is true y t gods writing of his law in two tables of stone as I haue declared already heretofore specially in the first place was to y e intent y t his doctrine should abide sure For he had an eye to y e cōmon trade among men who vpon the making of leags alliances are wont to haue thē ingrauen in stone or brasse After y e same maner it was Gods wil y t his law should for y e better continuance therof be grauen in two stones Ye see then how God doth as it were passe a solemn couenant Neuerthelesse wee must therwithall also come to the figure namely y t the writing of the law after y t fashion in a cupple of stones serued to shew y t it was not ynough for folke to haue y e law giuen thē to vnderstand it vnlesse it were ingrauen in their hearts For we must come to y e similitude y t is made by y e prophets For although God shewed his law to be sufficiently authorised by vouchsafing to ingraue it so in these stones yet did he giue an incling y t that would nothing boote verily because y e true tables wherein it behoueth vs to write the doctrine of God are our harts howbeit not as they be by nature For what maner of ones are they Euē of stone as it is said of them in Ezechiel So then let vs marke that y e letter of y e law is nothing worth Ezec. 11.19 36.26 vntil god worke in vs by his holy spirit And that is the cause why he hath promised to make a newe couenant Ier. 31.32.33 not after the maner y t hee made it with the fathers for that continued not saith he And why Hee sheweth y t the blame fault therof is in men be cause they turne away runne at rouers as soon as God hath called them neuer follow him at all Although they pretend to make great account of his grace yet is there no stedinesse in them but rather vtter lightnesse for by and by they fling away after their own wicked affectiōs The couenant of God then yea though it were written in stones could not hold them in And why so Not for that God abode not faithful on his part or that hee persisted not to shewe that his choosing of Abrahās linage was not in vaine but for that they were bereft disappointed of that great benefite dispossessed of Gods freebestowed new againe But there were fourtie yeares betweene the one and the other For Aaron dyed at such time as the people had outworne their terme of fourtie yeares during which time god had forfended them the lande of promise Now in the ende of that terme Aaron was depriued of the dignitie of the priesthood and Eleazer his son was made highpriest in his stead But here Moses comprehendeth all that had bin done by the space of fourtie yeares from the publishing of the lawe vnto the verie same day that he exhorted the people to put themselues in better readinesse to enter into their inheritance than they had beene in at the beginning He telleth them that although there had happened many changes in the meane time yet had God in effect prouided that his lawe was to bee had alwayes in estimation to be honored and that the world might perceiue that his maiestie was therein that all men ought to submit thēselues thereunto And for that cause doth Moses say that hee had chosen the children of Leuye notwithstanding that Aaron had sinned For to what ende doeth Moses speake here of his brothers death Euen to make it knowen that God had shewed fauour towardes the trybe of Leuye as well as towards all the rest of the people The trybe of Leuye was chosen to offer sacrifice it was a prerogatiue which God had giuen them And were they worthie of it Could they boast themselues to haue beene more worthie than their brethren It is true that they executed vēgeance vpon the ydolaters but yet was Moses faine to call them to him and to command them to sanctifie their handes Exod. 32.29 Yee must hallowe your hands to the Lord sayth he howe in slaying those that haue so grieuously offended and been an occasion of turning all thinges vpside downe This day therfore it behoueth you to vtter what zeale ye haue towards the maintenance of gods honour and to sanctifie his name without sparing of your own brethrē or your neerest neighbours forasmuch as they haue so defaced Gods glorie to the vttermost of their power therefore they must be vtterly rooted out The Leuites did well execute the thing that Moses cōmaunded them Exo. 32.2.4 but yet did the high priest Aaron make the golden calfe True it is that hee withstoode it or at leastwise consented not to it but yet did he swarue at length by graunting the peoples importunate request and therefore was he faine to beare the punishment which GOD tolde him of saying thou shalt not come within the land which I will giue vnto my people Albeit that he represented the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ Hebr. 5.1 ◠and was a figure of him although he was a mediatour betweene God and men so as he made intercession for the sinnes of the people offered sacrifices for the reconciling of them to the maiesty of God yet was he banished out of that lande to his shame hee dyed hee was stripped out of his robes before his death hee was as a man disgraded and God left him as a dishonoured person and as a man defaced with perpetuall reproche Now if God extended such punishment vppon the person of Aaron what had they deserued which were inferiors to him So then Moses telleth them that Gods choosing of the trybe of Leuye to carrie the Arke and to be occupyed about his seruice was not for that they were worthie of it Deut. 〈…〉 but because hee was minded to shewe the same thing to the successours of Leuye which he had spoken of the rest of the whole bodie of Abrahams ofspring namely that they had all things of his only free goodnesse That is the cause why the death of Aaron is rehearsed here But by the way we see that Moses spared not his own brother For here he repeteth the sentence y t God had giuen also executed against him y t was not for y e honor of his own house But what His meaning was y t God should be glorified men condemned Yea we see that his intent was not to conceale his owne fault but to shew that God had punished him for it though there were great cause of excuse in him al the blame was to haue bin layd vpon the people because his ouershooting of himselfe was but in y t one case that not through malice but
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
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
all pointes to what vse they serued had a spirituall truth which may bee referred to the thinges which we haue nowadaies by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 9.8.10 for hee is the very body and substaunce of all the shadowes that were vnder the Lawe Col. 2.17 When wee reade that the highpriest might not enter into the Sanctuarie but with such attyre as is there described Leuit. 16.4 wee would thinke it straunge to see a man so disguised with so many thinges about him And why was that We must marke that it was to doe the people to vnderstand that the partie which was to bee the mediator betweene God and men was not of the common state and sorte of men but that it behooued him to haue a speciall kind of holinesse to preace vnto GOD with all And that was the cause why hee caryed this tytle in his frontlet vppon his head Exod. 2â— 36 Hallowed vnto God or the holinesse of God Againe hee had other attyres about him so as hee coulde not goe or stirre but there went a noyse or sound from him Exod. 2â— 3â— 35. For hee ware belles vppon the skirtes of his garments and that was to shewe that all men ought to giue eare when it is told them that the sonne of God was offered for vs in sacrifice so as the same may ring into our heartes to the intent wee may seeke the meanes to be reconciled to GOD. There were other things whereof a man may perceiue the reason Exod. 2â— â—â— As the twelue precious stones which the highpreest ware on his brest aloft vppon the Ephod and the names of the twelue tribes grauen in other stones vpon his shoulders Exo. 28.9 â— Whereby was ment that Iesus Christ did nothing for himselfe but all for vs and in our behalfe and that his going vnto God after that fashion was to bring vs into his presence according to this saying of his Ioh. 17.19 I sanctifie my selfe to make you all partakers of the same holynesse Nowe then wee see the reason of many thinges that were commaunded in the law and we know it was not without cause that the Apostle sayde that all things were made according to the patterne that Moses had seene vpon the Mount Hebr. â— 5 after the which maner Saint Steeuen alleageth the same text in the seuenth of the Actes Act. 7.44 Neuerthelesse wee must note that Gods meaning was to hold his people in awe that they might be the surer what to doe and not bee occasioned to transgresse the true seruice of God by mingling of any inuentions with it I say it was Gods intent to inure his people to obedience For if we shew our selues to serue God otherwise all that euer we doe will bee nothing woorth nay it will be sinne If I weene I doe well and in the meane while stand in doubt and perplexitie al must needes goe to wrecke For if wee bee not inlightned by certeintie of faith God alloweth not any of our doinges And therefore I say his intent was to keepe the people of old time in obedience And that was the cause why hee willed that there should bee light continually in the Temple It was not to giue light vnto God or to doe him any seruice but to do the rude people to vnderstand that we must not doe thinges disorderly and be as blind folkes when wee approch vnto God but that we must haue light to guide vs by which light is not to be found in our owne braines but must come from aboue And for that cause the holy candlesticke had Lampes vpon it wherein was oyle continually Whereby was ment y t if men be not guided gouerned by y e holy Ghost they do nothing but wander vp downe in y e end they shall fall into destruction Again God willed that no strange fire should be brought vnto his Altar Wherby is ment y t men must not bring aught of their own to the seruing of God but we must haue the holy fire y t is to say we must pray to God in y e Church not go beyond his word or beyond y e doctrine y t he giueth vs. Moreouer it is said y t no sacrifice shold be offered w tout salt And why so For when wee offer things to God w tout warrant y t he alloweth them requireth theÌ„ they haue no sauor at al before him Thus you see in effect how it was Gods intent to coÌ„fort his seruants to incourage theÌ„ y â— they might serue him as became them And again it was his wil to cut off al occasioÌ„ of adding any thing which they had learned to y e heathen We know y t although meÌ„ haue no incouÌ„ters before their eies yet they ceasse not to forge many fond things weening to please god by y t meanes But when we see examples on either side of vs it is a further prouocation to vs. Besides y e ticklishnes which we haue already of nature it pricketh vs foreward to say why should not such a thing be good For y e Iewes had seen y e fashioÌ„s of Egypt of other heatheÌ„ folke therfore they might haue bin prouoked to fashion theÌ„selues like vnto them that had bin a corruption to ouerthrow y e whole seruice of god To preuent this mischief God gaue them a remedy which held them occupied in such sort as they had ynough to do in y e things y t were inioyned them had no leasure to withdraw themselues or to adde any deuise of their own And so wee see it was not for naught y t God gaue his people so many lawes rules ceremonies at their going into y e land of Canaan For first of al it was meete y t the figures and shadowes shold supply y e roome of y e truth y t was yet vnreuealed vntil Iesus Christ was shewed opeÌ„ly to y â— world Secondly it was Gods will to try y e obedientnes of his people by y t means And thirdly it tooke away al occasion of intermedling theÌ„selues w t y e superstitioÌ„s of y e heatheÌ„ vnbeleuers And for y t cause doth Moses say You shal go ouer Iordan God wil giue you rest in the land that he hath promised you there shall you dwell in safetie though you haue enemies round about you And then wil he choose him a place in one of your tribes and thither shal you bring your sacrifices burnt offerings oblations And the very true sacrifice saith he is to do nothing vpon your own heads but to obey your God throughly in all poyntes WheÌ„ he saith y t they shall come into y e land it is to shew y t Gods deferring to giue his law til that time was to declare more particularly what things he liked of For it was his will to performe his promise made vnto AbrahaÌ„ before he would
Patriarke And soothly it is a great honor that a detestable villaine hauing broken the whole order of nature yea and committed aduowtrie with his own fathers wife did yet for all y t liue still vpon the earth But God maketh him a Patriark in his Church he wil haue his name holy his posteritie holy Lo here a wōderful mercifulnes of God Yet must he be faine to humble himselfe haue his fault knowen y t hee may no more flatter himselfe That is the cause why Iacob speaketh so roughly and as ye would say thundereth against him being his eldest sonne as I sayd afore Now the comfort which Moses setteth downe here may seeme straunge as why he should say Let Ruben liue and not dye It was to the end that the tribe of Rubē that is to say the people which came of him for there were at that time a great number of heades of howses as it were about a fiftie thowsand men should thinke with thēselues we bee after a sort cut off frō gods house For inasmuch as our father was after a sort banished bereft of his byrthright and wee be succeeded in his place what is our inheritance now but vtter infamie Thus ye see how y e Rubenites that is to say the people y t came of Rubens line might haue bin ashamed if they had not bin vpheld by putting their trust in God to serue him with a pure and freehearted affection or if their heartes had failed them so as they had not still imbraced the promise of saluation which had bin made vnto them and knowen themselues to be the children of Abraham a linage which God had accepted and separated from the rest of the world It behoued the Rubenites to haue that And for that cause it is sayd Let Rubē liue not dye as if Moses had sayd true it is y t Rubē deserued to haue his lyfe thrust downe to the bottom of hell but yet shall he liue for his fault is forgiuen and God hath giuen him lyfe that not such a common lyfe as all the sonnes of Adam haue but Ruben shal liue in the Church of God he shall haue place among the Patriarkes the people which shall come of him shall be a member of Gods Church and of the number of those people whom he hath chosen and sanctifyed Thus then wee see now the meaning of Moses And here we be taught that it ought to suffice vs when our Lord taketh vs to mercie to reserue vs to be of his people When we haue offended him so as we deserue to be cast off to be vtterly disclaymed at his hand it ought well to suffice vs if wee may but haue a place still in his Church be taken admitted for his childrē Moreouer if we be chastized for our faults let vs take it in good worth beare it patiently let vs not doe as they doe which grudge grinde their teeth when God chastizeth thē think they haue great wrong if they be not dādled when they haue more neede to be handled roughly Let vs then beare all y e temporal correctiōs which God sendeth vs with such mildnes meeknes as it may suffise vs to be cōforted in y t he dooth not rase vs out of the register of lyfe but are accounted still among his childrē Doth God then smite some with sicknesse some with pouertie and some after some other sortes so as they pine away in this world wote not where to become Well let all this bee easie for vs to beare so long as we haue stil wherwith to sweeten our sorrowe that is when God sheweth vs y t notwithstanding our imperfections miseries yet he ceaseth not to be our father still So long as we haue that let vs ouergoe all the temptations in the world Well I must bee heare as a wretched creature skorned an outcast of the world shamed despised I shall see no end nor measure of miseries but what for all this Yet is it enough for me so I bee auowed for the childe of God Thus ye see what we haue to gather vppon this place when God doth continually put vs in minde of our desertes and toucheth vs with thē maketh vs to feele them by proofe and experience For whereas he sayth Let Ruben liue and not dye it is to shewe them what he were worthie of that it was needefull in deede that God should haue pitie vppon him insomuch y t if he had listed to haue vsed rigor hee deserued to haue bin vtterly rooted out That then is the first poynt which wee haue to remember vppon this place Moses addeth let his people be fewe in nūber In deede a man might here repeate the former saying thus let him not dy let not his people be few in number But that were constrained forced The naturall sense then is that the Rubenites should be small in number not that they shoulde not be a great multitude of folke for as I tolde you afore they were fiue and fortie Thowsand men besides women children and that is an incredible multitude to come of oneman alone But Moses meaneth small in number because Ruben all his ofpring which ought to haue had preheminence ouer all the children of Abraham was basely slenderly esteemed and placed in a very lowe degree Therefore it is all one as if he had sayd Although Ruben be not restored to his honor but dooth still beare the marke of his reproch and is faine to holde himselfe among the common aray of the children of Israel and to be subiect to his brother Iuda to yeelde reuerence to him as to his superior yet notwithstanding let him liue To be shorte Moses confirmeth that which I haue declared already that is to wit that although Rubē was put from his byrthright because of his wicked doinges and so became vnworthy of the honor which had bin done vnto him yet notwithstanding his linage ought not therefore to bee dismaid but rather take comfort in that God held them still in the number of his people And although they be not Capteines ne haue y e kingdome in their trybe yet ought they not therefore to fret repine but rather to abide in their degree to be glad that they haue God still to their father to set their whole felicitie joy there in the meane season to beare the correction patiently which God sendeth them as a medicine and to make their benefite thereof And moreouer they ought not to bee out of hope as though God had disclaymed them but assure themselues that they were still reteyned for the linage of Abraham which was blessed had the promise of euerlasting saluation Immediatly after hee setteth downe concerning Iuda Let it be thus vnto Iuda saith he And he saith Lord heare the voyce of Iuda Moses magnifieth not the tribe of Iuda so greatly heere as he did 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
respect wherof he saith y t Beniamin shal be Gods derling and that he shall dwell safely by him Soothly it was requisite that the Beniamits at leastwise the faithfull sort of thē should be comforted because there befel horrible enormities so as it might haue seemed that God had appointed that house to bee as a lookingglasse of his wrath At one time all the people of Israel were faine to set themselues against them to roote them out Iudg. 20. And in very deede there was a solemne othe taken to haue slaine them all so as one man of them shoulde not haue beene left aliue and they were driuen to deuise meanes howe to saue fower hundred men which were not in the battell but were by chaunce in a Towne neere by Ye see then how the tribe of Beniamin should haue beene rooted out of the world Now it might seeme that by this meanes Satan had made a breach which God foresawe not before it was come to passe or else that hee had failed of his promise in maintaining the ofspring of Abraham This say I was a great temptation And therefore not without cause doth Moses preuent it and giue a good remedy to such as could patiently beare the punishmēts that God sent vpon them and he saith that yet for all that that tribe should not cease to be beloued of God and to dwell by him in safetie as vnder his hande But wee must note that this profited not al of them in general For the tribe of Beniamin was great Iudg. 20.15 and we see there went a great armie of them to the fielde And needes must it bee that they were of great force when all the people of Israel were faine to go to battell to punish the cursed deede which had bene committed in murthering the Leuites wife Iudg. 19.25 and the abhominable sinne of Sodome which had reigned in the Citie of Gabaa which had beene suffered by all the Beniamits insomuch that to mans seeming God was minded to haue thundred downe vppon them to shewe the like vengeance as he had done afore in Sodome Ghomorre It was not therefore for any small number to haue done this And so wee haue to gather that when God maketh any promise to a Nation a great number of them shal not faile to perish but yet those which call vppon his name purely shal be preserued as it is saide in Ioel Ioel. 2.31 Although there seeme to be some waterfloude to ouerflowe all yet will God finde incomprehensible meanes to drawe his seruantes out of it so as they shall not perish with the multitude And therefore when wee haue any promise let vs bethinke our selues and receiue it with purenesse of faith and then let vs not doubt but it shal be performed But if we thinke that God should be bound vnto vs because we haue heard y e promise and in the meane while bee disordred and carelesse of him so as it may rather seeme that we would haue nothing at all to doe with him surely hee can well shewe himselfe to be faithfull and performe his saying yet wee notwithstanding shall perish so as the same shall stande vs in no steade And indeede we see how God worketh after that manner for the preseruation of the state of his Church He saith generally y t he is our defender yet notwithstāding we see y t the greatest number goes to wrecke and that the number which remaineth is very small Yea but yet doth God continually bring to passe that his Church abydeth vnquenched and that there is still some remnant left according to this saying of Esay Esay 1.9 that he will reserue still some little seede And therefore let vs beware that we be of the seede which God reserueth to himselfe when hee punisheth those which turne away from him notwithstanding that they did erst beare the name and title to bee of his house and in deede God did direct the promises of saluation vnto them but they receiued them not Wherefore let vs take heede that wee run not into disorder with the greater number And it is saide expresly that God will shrowde him dwelling betweene his shoulders Heere Moses sheweth why God will maintaine the tribe of Beniamin which notwithstanding might seeme to be vtterly perished namely for y t he woulde dwel vppon his shoulders For the temple was builded in the tribe of Beniamin Although the kingdome was in the tribe of Iuda and that the kinges house also was set there yet in the parting of their inheritances the mountaine of Sion fell to the lot of the Beniamits God then dwelt vpon his shoulders or betweene his shoulders as if a man should beare some burthen vpon his necke so doeth God declare that Beniamin did partly beare him as I haue tolde you because it was his will to dwell vpon him and to haue his Temple there And he speaketh of his shoulders as in respect of mount Sion And so forasmuch as Beniamin did beare God vpon his shoulders that is to say because the Temple wherein it was Gods will to be serued was builded in the tribe of Beniamin and the people were to assemble on Sion to doe homage vnto God and Beniamin serued to that purpose therefore it is saide that God was after a sort vppon his shoulders That then is the reason why Beniamin was well beloued of God Not that he had any whit deserued it for wherof came it y t God chose mount Sion for his dwelling place Euen of his owne free loue which hee bare to Beniamin So then let vs not dreame that Beniamin preuented Gods grace with any worthinesse but Moses declareth that Gods vttering of his loue and fauour towards the tribe of Beniamin that there should be a manifest recorde and token thereof in the building of the Temple there and that the tribe of Beniamin shoulde euer continue vnder Gods protection are thinges linked together Insomuch that although that tribe seemed to bee left vp to the spoile and that their enemies had gotten the ouerhande of them yet woulde God shewe himselfe pitifull to maintaine them still True it is that in the ende all that Countrie was harryed and wee see howe the Prophet Ieremie saieth thereof Iere. 32.15 that Rachel mourned for her children for Beniamin came of her and sorrowed to see such desolation wast made could not be cōforted because all were destroyed and no tydings coulde bee brought vnto her of any residue that remained but shee sawe that all her bloude was shed whereuppon shee was in anguish and as a woman forlorne Surely Rachel was at that time deade but the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of her in way of a similitude and setteth her as a mother vppon a scaffolde weeping and lamenting to see one cut the throats of all her children Thus ye see what befell but that was an vtter extremitie Yet for all this God ceased not to performe his promise but at
lawe warranted vnto vs so as wee may bee able to say that it is no doctrine of man but that God is author thereof The like is to bee saide of the prophesies and of the Gospel Thus yee see what wee haue to marke in the first part of this text Now here are two things set one against another in Zabulon and Isachar Zabulon sayth he Reioyce thou in thy going out and vnto Isachar he sayeth Reioyce thou in thy rest Here the one goes abroad and seekes from place to place the other taries quietly and peasably at home like a snudge as they say And yet Moses saith that God will make them both to prosper though their cases be nothing like And by Zabulons going out he meaneth not his end as some haue expounded it but the voyages which the people of that trybe were to make as folke that should traffike into farre countries His saying then is God will prosper thee in thy going◠abroade When thou goest in danger by sea and makest long voyages thou shalt be guyded gouerned by God and his blessing shall accompanie thee But as touching Isachar because he was fearefull and cowardly it is saide that God will yet haue pitie vppon him and blesse him though he loue his ease And it is not without cause that he speaketh so to Isachar Wee see howe it is saide of him in the nine and fourtith Chapter of Genesis by Iacob Gen. 49.14 Isachar is as a strong Asse or a Mule of burthen which sleepeth sayeth hee betweene his packes Hee sawe that ease was good and he bowed downe his shoulders and choose rather to bee a seruant and to pay taxes and tallages than to trye his force in resisting his foes Here wee see howe the nature of that people was strong and sturdie but yet that they wanted heart and were cowardly so as they played the burdened Mule which coucheth downe betweene his packes and there falles asleepe that is to say Hee was like a great packehorse which careth not for libertie in so much that although men loade him with heauie and intollerable burthens yet he ceasseth not to yeeld to them still as if a Mule should fall asleepe beeing loden with his packes He bare then taxes trybutes and passed not greatly for it he was at a point for all other things so he might eate and drink his fil as ye shal see some lubberly loutes which so they may always haue meat drinke do make no further reckening neither can they any skil of freedome they be in that behalfe as Oxen Asses so as they haue no care of any thing And euen so was it with Isachar And Moses intent is not to sooth him in his vices when sayeth that God will blesse him in that rest of his but it serueth to comfort the faithfull which were of that trybe because that else they might haue been discouraged as hath bin touched afore For God might seeme to haue vpbrayded them saying Yee be not worthie to enjoy the common freedom which I giue to my children for yee be of a slauish nature yee be great lubbers which suffer your selues to bee made vnderlings It might seeme then y t God gaue them a marke of reproche to cast them off from the aray of his children Howbeit his intent was that the faithfull shoulde knowe that although they had a hard burthen to beare as in respect of the worlde yet notwithstanding God would not ceasse to blesse them That was the verie meaning of Moses And here wee haue to note in generall that although men be able to trauell and they haue skill also so as they want not any thing yet must all their prosperitie come of God and of his meere grace For it is not without cause y t Moses here sendeth the trybe of Zabulon vnto God They were men that spared not themselues they hazarded their liues they traffiked into strange countreys and therefore a man woulde say it is no wonder though they were riche for they were men of courage they were vigilant they were painfull they had all worldly meanes to helpe them selues withall Yea but when all comes to reckening it is shewed vs here that without Gods blessing all were to no purpose So then let vs learne not to presume any thing vppon our owne trauel skill or any thing else but let euery man referre him selfe to God that he may guyde vs in all our doings according to this saying which we haue heard heretofore Thou shalt not say it is mine owne hand that hath gotten mee my foode Deut. 8.17 but know thou that it is God who fed thy fathers by the space of fourtie yeres in the wildernesse it is hee at whose hande thou receiuest thy foode at this day Thus much concerning that point Furthermore as touching the trybe of Isachar wee haue to note that if it please God to bereaue vs of any earthly benefites for our imperfections sakes we must not be greeued out of measure therefore but paciently beare the yoke contenting our selues with this that God in the meane season turneth y e things to a good end vnto vs which of themselues were as a record that he reiecteth vs and that he maketh them to serue as furtherances of our saluation As for example it falleth out that some folke haue some peculiar fault in them as we see how some bee grossewitted so as they set not their mindes vpon a great sort of things which might be good and conuenient for them Others are fainthearted and rechlesse and other some although they spare not them selues yet haue they some other fault which is a let to them that they cannot throughly seeke their owne profit commoditie Wel our Lord also bereaueth them of many things which he giueth to others that take paines his hand is stretched out to blesse the labors of such as are painfull imploy their wittes about it It may wel be then that our Lord wil punish those rechlesse folke w t the want of some earthly commodities for not doing their indeuor as they ought to do But yet doth it not followe that he taketh them not for his children still although he make them feele some temporal chasticement which he causeth also to serue to their soulhealth They shal then receiue chasticement for their infirmities but yet shal they not ceasse to be Gods childrē still That is y e thing which we haue to gather where it is sayd of the trybe of Isachar that through his cowardlines he shall keepe home and bowe downe his shoulders to receiue the great burdens tributes taxes that men lay vpon him making no reckening at all of them Well and doth God see such rechlesnes in them He suffereth them to smart for it to the worldwarde but yet howsoeuer they fare he telleth them y t he wil not ceasse to be merciful to them Reioyce thou saith he in thy Tents Wee see nowe more clearly
the Temple and therefore it was the harder for them to offer Sacrifices because the iourney was paineful or else they might easily haue growen out of kinde beeing so farre off intermingled among the heathen by reason wherof they might haue become hardehearted and haue made no great account of Religion or of the Lawe That is the cause why Moses doth purposely attribute vnto them the sayde title of zeale of prouoking folke to the seruing of God Nomb. 32. True it is that the tribe of Gad of whom mention shal be made heereafter and also a part of Ephraim should haue their portions alloted vnto them beyonde the Iordan But although they were farre off from the temple yet might they haue the Religion simple they were not so mingled with the Heathen they had not so great corruptions as were in the tribes of Zabulon and Isachar For we knowe that these were neere vnto Galilie and that a part thereof was called the Galily of the Gentiles And when Salomon was in the greatest prosperitie of his kingdome 1. King 9.11 we see howe he gaue Cities in that Countrey vnto king Hiram by meanes wherof it was like ynough that those people should bee corrupted And vnder the worde Folke Moses comprehended not onely the Tribes of Israell but also those which erst had no acquaintaunce with God but were vtterly separated from the true and pure Religion Of them is it sayd that Zabulon and Isachar should doe their indeuour to bring them into the right way and to the doctrine of saluation Nowe by this example we be taught that although the worlde and the flesh do diuers waies withdrawe vs and hinder vs from giuing ourselues to the seruice of God yet is that no sufficient excuse for vs but wee must fight against it And it is a very profitable warning For wee see that euery strawe as they say will stop vs when we be towardes the seruing of God If a flye doe but whiske afore our eyes wee take occasion to turne aside O say we I hadde good will but there happened such a thing and that disappointed mee and so by that meanes we thinke ourselues quit and very well discharged Then let vs consider that although this worlde haue many lettes to plucke vs backe and to turne vs out of the right way although wee haue many temptations and although there be snares layd for vs by Satan so that when we would goe one step forwarde it seemeth that at euery pase we should meete with a mountaine yet must we inforce ourselues and howsoeuer we fare we must not cocker ourselues in our delightes nor thinke that if we haue some harde and troublesome incounter to ouercome that that will serue to discharge vs But that seeing it is sayde of Zabulon and Isachar who being placed in the borders or outleets of Iewry were mingled with the Gentils and heathenfolke that they should not forbeare to prouoke their neighbours to serue God we also ought to followe that which is sayd heere of them And specially let vs put this in practise when we be among y e vnbeleeuers which would faine infect vs with their corruptions and bring vs into a mislyking of Gods seruice to plundge vs in their ydolatrie When we see such thinges let vs followe the constancie and stoutnesse of those whō Moses cōmendeth prayseth heere For he setteth them as lookingglasses before our eyes to the intent that we should followe them Be we then somtimes among the ydolaters Let vs labour as much as in vs lyeth to winne them to God and to the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ. At leastwise when we shall haue done our indeuour let vs continue still in the pure simplicitie which we holde of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs not be turned from it by any maner of occasion And in any wise when we goe about to win any ydolaters let vs alwayes shewe them our good insample that so farfoorth as is possible for vs we may drawe them to the fayth euen by shewing them that our Religion is warranted by our conuersation Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to gather vppon this text And heere is speciall mention made of the sacrifices of Righteousnesse to shewe that euen in the time of the shadowes and figures Gods will was not to be serued with countenaunces onely but that he would haue men to come vnto him with trueth and righteousnesse for hee hath euer hated hypocrisie Truely the diuersitie betweene the fathers of olde time and vs is this that when they worshipped God it behoued them to ad sacrifices and to set vp lightes and to haue many other ceremonies all which thinges are layde downe at this day But yet it was Gods will in all ages that men shoulde offer themselues to him with purenesse of heart according to this saying in Ieremy Ier. 5 3. Lord thine eyes regard the thing that is right And therefore we must not thinke that God did euer take pleasure in any of these outwarde thinges which are spoken of in the Lawe For he commaunded them for mennes sakes He did it not in respect of himselfe but to keepe the people in order who were like to litle children vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe seeing that vnder the Lawe and ceremonies Gods will was to be serued in truth let vs vnderstand that as nowe when his seruice is altogether spirituall as our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth in the fourth of Saint Iohn where hee sayth to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.23 that God would no more haue the things y t were required vnder the Lawe but would be serued altogether in spirit and truth if we will serue him duely it is not for vs to haue any store of pelting gewgawes before men as who would say wee woulde please him with murly mewes but we must offer him the sacrifices of righteousnesse And this is a doctrine too much corrupted by the world For we see what men doe commonly terme Gods seruice at this day I ouerpasse the dooinges of the papistes they be but mens inuentions wherin there is not one syllable of Gods worde But let vs put the case that GOD accepted the thinges which they doe yet are they nothing worth because there is nothing in them but cōtempt of God and hypocrisie When the papistes haue babbled very much when they haue trotted on pilgrimages when they haue lighted vp tapers when they haue bedecked their puppets and ydols they beare themselues in hande that God is well payd And why For they transforme him with their dotages and thinke they may serue him after their owne fashion pleasure We see then that the wretched worlde is become brutish And we haue so much the more neede to marke well this text where mention is made of the sacrifices of righteousnesse to shew that we doe but vnhallowe the name of God when we bring not our heartes to him
trybe of Nepthalim at leastwise in comparison of the other trybes Not that that countrey also was not wasted in the ende because of the vnthankfulnes of the people But God sheweth here that whereas hee intended to stablish the people of Israel hee would giue vnto euery of them his portion the blessings which hee woulde bestowe vppon them should be diuers accordingly as we know well that hee dealeth not alike with all men no not euen with his owne children whome hee hath chosen Albeit that hee loue them all and be father in common to them all yet doeth hee handle them diuersly After the same sort was it with this people Here then wee see as in a mirrour that God is not bounde to gouerne his Church after such a sort that euery faithfull man shoulde haue the same thing that the others haue For God knoweth what is meete for vs. One is handled after one fashion and another after another And doth God sayth some man take pleasure in such varietie For hee knoweth that those things are for our behoofe Although wee knewe none other reason euen this were sufficient that he doeth not any thing but with perfect righteousnes wisedome and that ought to content vs. But we see moreouer and finde it prooued to vs by experience that it is not good that all men should be dealt withal alike And why For we haue diuerse dispositions diuerse complexions al meÌ„ are not to be fed with one kind of meate nor all diseases to be cured with one medicine God therefore vseth diuersitie of dealings towardes vs after as hee perceiueth it expedient for vs And that is the cause why I sayd that the whole summe of Gods blessings is a mirror vnto vs to shewe vs that hee so distributeth his gracious giftes vnto his Church as that euerie man hath his measure and qualitie and yet notwithstanding that howsoeuer wee fare wee must with all humilitie giue thankes vnto GOD for that it pleaseth him to bee our father assuring our selues that although he giue vs not all that our flesh craueth yet will he succour vs at our need and turne our sorrowes to good making them to serue to our saluation But it behooueth vs to marke well the word that is set downe heere by Moses where he sayeth that Nephthalim shall haue his fill of Gods fauor and that he shal be replenished with his blessing This word Blesse as wee knowe is taken diuers wayes in the holy Scripture Sometime it is taken for praying As when wee blesse one another it is as much to say as wee wish well one to another And when it is attributed vnto God it is also taken for benefiting or dooing good For when God sayeth the worde the deede goeth ioyntly therewith God then needeth not to wish vs any good if hee doo but say that hee will doe vs good wee shal haue our fill thereof and whatsoeuer is expedient for our saluation Nowe then Gods blessing is a testimonie and effect of the free fauour good will and loue which hee beareth towardes vs. But yet this free loue of God is as the fountayne and then his blessing is as the Conduit pype Therefore whensoeuer wee receiue any good or prosperitie let vs assure our selues that it commeth of Gods blessing of vs that is to saye of his vttering of his fauour towardes vs but yet must wee euer resort to that free loue of his when so euer wee bee so blessed at his hande For hee would giue vs no show of his fatherly goodnes if he had not receiued vs alreadie for his children And that is the cause why he dealeth so gently and kindly with vs. Moses then hath kept here a verie good order in saying that Nephthaly should haue his fill of Gods fauour and be replenished with his blessing Hee setteth downe Fauour in the first place for as I saide that is the very welspring and afterward he addeth the blessing which proceedeth thereof that is to saye the record which God yeldeth by effect that he loueth vs and that hee hath adopted vs for his children in respect whereof hee vouchsafeth to powre out vpon vs all the stores treasures of his goodnes Now haue wee a good lesson to gather vpon this text which is that if wee bee desirous of prosperitie wee must seeke it at Gods hand not do as they do which wish ynough but in the meane whyle cannot lift vp their hearts to call vppon God Looke vppon the wishes of this world how they flee in the aire euery man coueteth whatsoeuer most liketh his flesh there is no ende of wishing with I woulde I woulde And whereas men speake after that fashion yet shall yee scarse finde one among a hundred which directeth himselfe to God to say Lorde thou knowest what is meete for mee vouchesafe I beseech thee to sende it mee Forasmuch then as men are so gadding and that their nature leadeth them but to flickering in the aire after their wishes and in the meane while they occupie not themselues in prayer and supplication therefore it behooueth vs to marke well the texts where it is shewed vs that all prosperitie commeth of God And moreouer we must vnderstand that when God vttereth his fauour in that wise it is because that hee of his owne free goodnes hath vouchsafed to loue vs so as we must not seek the cause therof in our selues as though we had preuented God or as though wee had gotten aught by our owne desertes but wee must vnderstande that God is fauourable vnto vs because hee hath loued vs notwithstanding that wee were vnworthie of it Thus yee see then that from the conduit-pype whereat wee drinke wee must goe vp to the fountaiâ—e and to the springs head that is to wit to Gods free goodnes which is highest in degree as the onely cause of all the benefites which wee receiue at his hand Nowe last of all it is sayde of Nephthaly that hee shall possesse the South and the West that is to say the Sea for so doeth the speach import Wherein Moses prophesieth againe of the state of that trybe And let vs alwayes beare in mynde howe it is God that speaketh these things to shewe that hee hath a care of that people And that people was as a Mirrour of the Church yea and in olde time it was the Church in whose roome wee bee nowe succeeded Wherefore let vs assure our selues that GOD will alwayes haue a fatherly care of vs. And although hee gouerne all the nations of the worlde in generall by his prouidence yet is hee neerer vnto vs and that shal wee feele in that wee shal bee vnder his direction and that hee will so maintaine vs as wee shall knowe that nothing happeneth vnto vs by his will Luke 12.7 in so much that one hayre shall not fall from our head but by his appoyntment In the ende hee concludeth with Aser True it is that Iacob in his
iudge that can be deceiued when men craue pardon feynedly And therefore when we pray vnto God let euerie of vs quicken vp himselfe in acknowledging our faults better than we haue bin wont to do let the same so pull vs downe as wee may not wote what to say but thus Alas Lord what should become of vs if it were not for thine inestimable mercie For beholde wee be euen as it were vtterly ouerwhelmed and though we knewe but the hundreth part of the offences that wee haue committed surely it were ynough to sinke vs downe to the bottomlesse pit vnlesse thou remedy it And as for thee that iudgest after a farre other fashion howe shoulde we be able to stand in thy presence if thou wouldest vse thy rigour towards vs Loe here the right lowlinesse which God commaundeth which is that when wee be so ashamed of our sinnes as we wote not what to say wee flee for refuge to Gods mercy hoping y t howsoeuer the case stand he of his great goodnesse wil not refuse to take vs to mercie Nowe to the ende that Moses may obtaine his request hee beseecheth God expresly to bee mindfull of his seruaunts Abraham Isaac and Iacob and that was by reason of the couenant that he had made with them Gen. 17.7 for in the same couenant there was this article I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Yee see here howe God took the children of Abraham before they were borne adopting them to bee his Church and to be inheriters not onely of the Lande of Chanaan but also of the kingdome of heauen But how doe the children of Abraham behaue themselues Leawdly They falsifie their faith vnto God and become backesliders so as they deserue to be cut off from his house Lorde saith Moses haue not an eye to their faultes and offences but bee mindfull of thy couenant which thou madest with thy seruaunts Abraham Isaac and Iacob Nowe wee see to what purpose Moses alledgeth here the holy Patriarks It is not to make them Aduocates and Patrons before God as the Papistes doe who alledge these textes to proue their owne forgeries of hauing the saints to bee their intercessors What say they Is it not written that God should bee mindfull of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and yet they were deade long afore Seeing that the fathers vsed such speâ—ch why shoulde not the saincts alreadie deceased bee made patrons and aduocates to make intercession for them that are aliue Surely this commeth of too grosse beastlinesse For they consider not in what manner Moses alledgeth these persons I haue tolde you it afore for God had promised them that hee woulde bee the sauiour of their linage and had giuen them his promise as a pledge not only on their owne behalfe but also for all their successours And that is y e cause why Iacob at his death or a little before said let my name be called vpoÌ„ ouer Ephraim and Manasses for his meaning was to make two tribes of them notwithstanding that they had both but one heade that is to wit Ioseph first of al he intended that he shold haue a double portion Why so Iacob was in Egypt not onely as a poore straunger like to haue starued for hunger if he had not come thither but also as a man shaken off in scorne disdain It is manifest that the Egyptians shunned the Iewes and accounted them as vncleane people Neuerthelesse although Iacob had not any house of his owne but was there as a slaue banished thither as into an odde nooke of y e realm yet notwithstanding hee assigneth a double portion to Ephraim and Manasses But in so doing hee had an eye to the promise that God had made to him That is the cause why hee saieth Let my name bee called vppon ouer them and let them bee taken and esteemed as two of mine owne children According hereunto it is saide Exo. 3.15.16 that God shoulde remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob as we see in Exodus where God intending to acquaint himselfe with his people alledgeth the same for a preface as if he should say I haue bounde my selfe in the hande of Abraham And therby he sendeth them back to the promise as it was made and set downe in Genesis Gen. 15.13.16 where God saide that in the ende of fourehundred yeares after they had beene oppressed with grieuous tyranny he woulde deliuer them Nowe then it is not to be doubted but that Moseses alledging of Abraham Isaac and Iacob is to y e end that God should performe his couenant in deede and not cease to be constant in his purpose and in discharging of his promise notwithstanding the wickednes of meÌ„ And so we see how the Papistes haue falsly abused the holy scripture yea shewed themselues so shamelesse and fond that euen little children may perceiue their beastlinesse Wherefore we ought so little to be moued with these texts that they do rather make wholly against them And so ye see why Moses alledgeth Abraham Isaac Iacob He groundeth himselfe vpon Gods word Likewise when wee pray before wee open our mouth wee must be taught of God hee must direct vs by his worde for wee cannot call vpon him rightly Rom. 10.14 except hee haue first preuented vs and called vs to him so as wee bee sure that hee will heare vs. For as for the man that doubteth and floteth like the waues of the sea saieth Sainct Iames Iam. 1.6.7 let him not looke to obtaine any thing So then our prayers boote vs not at all without certaintie of faith Now let vs see whence wee may gette such certaintie of faith Surely euen by Gods worde and that is it that Moses hath followed Hee knewe the promise that had proceeded out of Gods mouth wherupon he resteth therupon maketh mention of Abraham Isaac Iacob And why For it was they y t had receiued the promise as well in their owne behalfe as in the behalf of their successors But now do we see that we haue a Mediator to ratifie the new couenant that God hath made with vs. Before Iesus Christ came into the worlde Abraham Isaac and Iacob were as mediators after a sort because they receiued y t promise in the name of y e whole Church But nowe God sendeth vs backe to his only sonne in whose person it is his will to ratifie all that euer he had promised How then shall we haue any certainty except we repaire to our Lord Iesus Christ and pray to God his father to remember him not to looke at vs as in verie deede the auncient fathers haue shewed vs the good way alreadie in the time of the shadows although they had not the trueth so fully as wee haue it in the Gospel For since the time that the kingdome was setled in the house of Dauid and this promise made He shal be my son Psal. 2.7 84.10 132.10
onely through griefe of mind Yet notwithstanding he accuseth himselfe thereof he acknowledgeth it openly maketh a chronicle of it to continue of record to the worldes end Sith wee see this let vs learne not to be ashamed to confesse our sinnes to shew that God is righteous in punishing of vs. Let vs not go about to burie y t chasticements that God shall haue sent vppon vs as wee see a number doe who when God sendeth neuer so notable punishmentes coulde finde in their heartes that they shoulde neuer be spoken of And why Forsooth because it is not for their honour worship or honestie Verily as who should say yee will needes be honorable in spyte of God and his righteousnesse Is it meeter that you shoulde be regarded than the glorye of his name Nowe then let vs vnderstand that if wee haue committed any fault and God haue reached out his hande to punishe vs the same must be rehearsed among vs and we must think vppon it and wee must alwayes confesse that God is righteous and that wee haue well deserued that hee should vse correction towardes vs sith wee see that Moses beareth not with his owne brother That is the thing which wee haue to beare in mynd Howbeit on the other side let vs vnderstand that if Aaron was faine to passe through Gods hande because he did but consent vnto euill was punished although he claue not to it for to speake properly his consenting was no consent at all E 〈…〉 for he said vnto them what meane you ye wretched people and in scorne of their idolatrie Lo here thy Gods O Israel quod hee which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt as if hee shoulde say is a calfe become thy redeemer Aaron then did after a sort withstande them and yet notwithstanding I call it a consenting inasmuch as hee swarued and suffered himselfe to be caryed away with their importunatenesse Nowe if God say I did punish his high priest Aaron after he had aduanced him to so great so high dignitie what wil he do to vs Therefore let vs learne to withold our selues froÌ„ euil by no meanes to consent thereto vnlesse wee intend to wrap our selues in condemnation with the wicked as wee see did partly befall vnto Aaron I say but partly for God vsed mercie towards him because the punishment was but temporall because it was vpon his body onely and concerned onely this present life And surely God is exceeding gracious fauourable to vs when he punisheth vs in our bodies at such time as we deserue to be vtterly rooted out and when he vouchsafeth to be contented with some chasticemeÌ„t of this transitorie life he sheweth therin that he is minded to vse great gentlenesse towardes vs. And yet for all that though wee deserue to perish with the wicked when wee resist them not ne forsake their companies and confederacies yet it pleaseth God to spare vs and to shewe himselfe mercifull towardes vs though at the lest wee doe in our owne bodies suffer somewhat in respect of this present life Nowe remaineth the reason that I haue touched afore namely that here is expresse mention made of the Tribe of Leuy which was sorted out to carie the Arke of the Couenant And Moses plainly rehearseth that point to do vs to vnderstande that God authorised his law by that meanes in y t it was his wil to haue it caryed after that fashioÌ„ that it might bee as a standard for the people to resort vnto We haue seene in the fourth Chapter how God sayde Deut. 4.15.16 thou shalt not make to thy self any likenesse or resemblance for thou heardest the voice of thy God in Horeb but thou sawest not any shape of man or of beast or of any other creature The only image of thy God are y e things that he hath writteÌ„ w t his own hand y t is to say y e ten coÌ„mandements Those say I are the liuely image wherin he wil be seene And therefore I said it was a standard carried aloft for the people to resort vnto as soldiers resort to a standard in a field to fight the better So then it behoued the people to haue their eyes vppon the Arke of the Couenant And specially forasmuch as men are not verie forward of themselues to obey God it was meete that y e Arke of the couenant should be handled with reuerence for y e same purpose had God ordeined the priestes Leuites For al of them were priestes Howbeit they y â— caried the Arke were of inferior degree in the dignitie of priesthod Neuerthelesse god had appointed the Leuites to beare y e Ark to y e intent it might thereby the better be knowen y t it was a matter of excellent prerogatiue that it was no dalying in the case For we see y t God woulde not suffer the Arke to be so much as touched by any other than by the Leuyts insomuch y t when Dauid remoued the arke the partie that did but touch it of good zeale dyed out of hande for so doing When he sawe the Arke at the point to tumble down he did but put forth his hand eueÌ„ of good wil to stay it vp from falling yet notwithstanding he was punished grieuously for his labor This may seeme to haue bin ouerrigorous But it serueth to shew y t it is not in any wise lawful to breake the order that God hath set The â—ndis y e thing which he hath an eye at For if we looke no further than to the thing it selfe why might not the Ark haue been handled caryed of al y e people They were al sanctified to God they were all circumcised they did all carye about them the marke of the couenant And why then should y t one man dye out of hand for only touching the Arke vpon good will Verily God had an eye to the ende of the lawe which was y t men shoulde wholly obey his worde For if his word be despised there wil be nothing but rebelliousnes against him In deede men will pretend a willingnesse to honor serue him but yet is it but counterfeting for all that Will we then doe true seruice vnto God such as he accepteth Al of vs both gret smal must submit our selues to his worde followe the singlenes thereof therewithall beare in mynd that it is so precious a thing as men must not mingle aught of their owne with it for that were nothing else but a corrupting of it Now forasmuch as men are not easie to be taught this it was Gods will to shewe by a visible signe howe highly he esteemeth his own word That is the cause why he sorted out that trybe from the rest to beare the Ark of the couenant It was Gods will y t the Priestes which were specially appointed to offer sacrifice to make attonement betwene God men to represent the person of our Lorde Iesus
we be made partakers of thē by his meanes we be of y e order number of y e Leuites that is to say of them that are dedicated vnto god Not as y e people of Israel were which held themselues aloofe in y e body of the temple worshipped God afarre of Heb◠〈…〉 1 〈…〉 but we haue a mean to prease neere him wee haue familiar accesse we haue his own sonne entred afore vs into the Sanctuarie which is not made with mans hand to bring vs in thither in whose name al the faithfull haue libertie to come thither Thus ye see that the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place is that God shooled out one tribe of the children of Israell to serue him in the Sanctuarie but nowe adayes he hath shedde out the same grace vpon all beleeuers and there is no exception but wee be all made holie to offer sacrifice to God and not onely to beare the vesselles of the temple but also to be the verie vesselles themselues ◠Cor. 6.19 For although our bodies bee but wretched carcasses yet fayle they not to be the temples of the holy Ghost and Gods will is to be worshipped in them Hadde there beene sayde no more but that our soules are the temples of God it had beene a verie excellent honour But seeing it is sayde of our earthly and corruptible bodies we see what goodnes God vttereth towardes vs. And therefore let vs learne that this doctrine belonges to vs and that this figure which was vnder the lawe concerneth vs at this day to the end that we should aduauntage our selues thereby And after what manner The first is that we should magnifie the goodnesse of our God in that hee hath shewed himselfe so gratious vnto vs as to chose vs to be his seruauntes not onely to beare the vesselles of his temple but also to be the verie temples thēselues and the altars whereat hee will be worshipped both in our bodies and our soules to the intent we should yeelde him not onely the bodily seruice which consisteth in shadowes and figures but also the true spirituall seruice by dedicating our selues all wholly vnto him Yee see then howe the ende whereat we must beginne is to knowe how greatly we by bounde vnto God for vsing such gratious goodnes towardes vs. 2. Cor. 6.17 Moreouer according as Saint Paul sheweth vs in the second to the Corinthians we must take warning to separate our selues from all vncleanesse as the prophet cryeth out vnto vs saying Separate your selues from all vncleannesse Isa. 52.11 you that carrie the Lordes vessels And Saint Paul alleadging the same text of Esay sayth that according to the same promise it is good reason that wee shoulde giue our selues to cleannesse both of bodie and soule For in very deede the prophet Esaie in saying Be ye cleane you that beare the Lordes vesselles hath not an eye to the time of the figures but extendeth his doctrine to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe then this text must needes be performed in vs. But there are not nowe a dayes any moe materiall vesselles as there were in the time of the Lawe and therefore it followeth that the doctrine thereof must bee performed in higher matters that is to say that in asmuch as God hath called vs to be members of his sonne and by that meane to come so neere him as he may dwell in vs we be his temples the same should prouoke vs to giue our selues to all cleannesse which thing wee can not doe but by separating of our selues from the corruptions of the world For wee dwell here among such filthinesse as it is not possible for vs to scape vninfected vnlesse we labour to withdrawe our selues from it Yea and there needes no euill to come vpon vs from elsewhere for euerie of vs shall finde ynough in himselfe Wherefore lette vs beware that wee turne away from all wicked lustes and that we cut off whatsoeuer is defiled in vs and generally all that euer is of the world so as we may prease vnto our God and hauing giuen ouer the world we may be so vnited vnto him as he may auowe vs to be his priestes For if we doe otherwise we shal be dubble accursed and we shall not be able to excuse our selues but that God hath aduaunced vs high ynough But what excuse will there be for vs nowe when our Lorde hath brought vs so neere vnto him and vouchsafed to make vs priestes to offer vppe our owne selues vnto him and to make vs his temples so as we should haue a spirituall altar erected vnto him in our selues Seeing that God hath brought vs to that point is it not a horrible treacherie say I if wee fall to vnhallowe his temple Nowe then lette vs vnderstande that whensoeuer this worlde turneth vs away vnto euill wee offer God greate wrong in making his temple a swynes stie and in vnhallowing the thing that he had hallowed by causing all the corruptions of Sathan and of this worlde to come into his temple Surely it ought to holde vs in awe and to make vs walke in all soundenesse so as we giue not ouer our bodies and soules to anie dishonestie seeing that God hath sanctified them to himselfe This is the thing which we haue to beare away vpon the first part of this text Neuerthelesse lette vs marke that although God haue extended the sayde grace of making vs all Leuites or Priestes to all the members of his Church yet hath hee not vtterly abolished the order of his Church but his will is to haue some certaine men appointed to the preaching of his worde And that is the thing which is ment here in the seconde place where he saith that they shall stande before the Lorde to serue him and finally that they shall blesse in the Lordes name The same must bee put in vre at this day by the ministers of the worde For although God haue called vs all in common to bee serued and honoured at our handes yet doeth he require a speciall seruice at their handes whom he setteth ouer his Church to be the shepheardes thereof that is to witte that they should shewe the way and alwayes be in a readinesse to serue God And this seruice importeth that the Leuites shoulde maintaine the religion pure and vncorrupted among the people and shewe the Iewes that they ought not to deale with the superstitions of the heathē and what God it was which had deliuered them and to be short that they shoulde alwayes holde the people in obedience to the true faith And for the same cause GOD allotted them not any one certaine countrie or shire to dwell in but dispersed thē throughout the whole lande We knowe there was not anie one tribe which had not Leuites among them And why was that For God could well ynough haue gathered thē together so as they might haue bin all together in Ierusalem
other wanton prankes but if hee bee at his fathers table either hee must behaue himselfe soberly or else be rebuked for his labor Let euery man bethinke him of this and let it be a meane to holde vs in such awe as the meates which God giueth vs may haue their pure and lawfull vse That is the thing which we haue in effect to remember vppon this text And now he speaketh lykewise of mens householdefolke shewing that if we intend to be merry before God we must also haue a care to instruct those that are committed to our charge Marke that for one point It is not enough for a man to liue in the feare of God himselfe but the father that hath children and the maister that hath menseruantes and maideseruantes must leade them with him and there must be one consent in euery houshold so as both great and smal doe serue God For it is an vntollerable leawdnesse when a man letteth his houshold play the beasts so as God is not knowen among them And what a thing is it that men should looke to be serued of their folke in the meane while forget God There is none of vs all but hee will looke to bee knowen for maister in his owne house in the meane while what a pride is it y t God should bee thrust out of doores What a thing is it that we which are but wretched earthwormes shoulde looke to haue our dueties yeelded to vs and that God should be defrauded of his That is y e cause why it is sayd expresly that men shoulde make merry with their housholdes before God Neuerthelesse hereby God meant also to inure his people to humanitie For we see a number of men that can finde in their hartes to cram themselues til they burst in the meane while passe not though others starue it shold seeme y t a whole world were little enough to finde one of them But our Lordes will is that there should be courtisie among men that whē the maisters haue suffised themselues with meate and drinke they shold not be nigardly in giuing foode sustenāce to such as take peins in their seruice but haue a care of thē That is a second thing which our lord ment in this text But now let vs pas on After y t Moses hath spoken of firstfruites and offeringes he returneth againe to Tythes and treateth more fully of them Thou shalt not forget the Leuite saith he which is within thy gates Euery third yeere shalt thou lay aside the tenth of al thy fruits and the Leuites shall come and gather them and lykewise the widowes the fatherlesse and the straungers that thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thy handes Yesterday I began to tell you that in old time y e Tythes were appointed to the Leuites because they serued at y e altar that God would not haue thē occupied about any such labor as might hinder them either from teaching y e law or frō doing of sacrifice such other like things For inasmuch as God had reserued thē to y t purpose his wil was y t they should giue themselues wholy thereunto That was y e cause why he exempted them from tilling of y e ground and from such other labors Besides this there was also an other reason which was y t they should haue had a portion in y e land which was promised to the linage of Abraham for there was a whole tribe of them but God had excluded them frō it put in two tribes in stead of y t one so as Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph made two heads And so were there twelue portions of y t Land But yet in stead of the Leuites ye see y t Ephraim succeeded for Manasses was y e firstborne of Ioseph yet was he put after his brother set in the second place made inferior to him And so were y e Leuites excluded But yet behoued it them to haue their right And therefore God recompenced them lyke as if a man should giue his childe a recompence some other way when he would not haue him to come to y e parting of y e inheritance w t his brethren euen so stoode the case w t the Leuits Those were y e two chiefe reasons for y e tythes Neuerthelesse it was Gods wil y t the ouerplus should be deuided among y e poore needie For y e Leuites had not so large a portion giuen thē to make them gluttons to inrich thē aboue other men but to y e ende they should be as deacons to haue a care of Gods poore folk and to distribute his almes to his people Now we see what was the cause of the tithes But it is cleane cōtrariwise in the Popedome where it is sayd that by Gods Lawe the tythes are due to the Priestes Although say I that their Priestes were such as they ought to be so as they were not the priests of Moloch and of other idols but that they serued God purely yet were it a grosse ignorance to imagin that tithing were an euerlasting order set downe for all nations to obserue Againe it was a flat fraud in that the Priestes being ouerruled by couetousnesse did beare men in hand that the tythes belonged to them by Gods lawe For the contrarie is well knowen And their chalendging of that was at such time as the whole world was corrupted and men were vtterly ignorant of the meaning of the holy scripture For since the time that Christianitie hath begunne to florish and that there hath bin greater soundnesse of iudgement than was before it hath neuer bin said that Tythes are due to the Shepheardes nor to those which haue the spiritual gouernmēt of y e Church but it hath bin alwayes orderly obserued that Princes Lords haue taken the Tenthes yea in some places and coūtries which are lesse fruitful they haue taken but the Thirtithes or at leastwise but y e Twentithes whereas in other places where the landes are more fruitfull where there is greater abundance thā is ordinarily in other countries they haue taken the tenthes Hereupon the priestes and Cleargymen of y e Popedome haue taken occasion to finger all things to vsurp vppon all mē most wickedly For they haue thūdered out their excōmunicatiōs against such as would not graūt thē their robberie so as mē were driuē to them haue their owne willes And then fell they together by the eares among themselues lyke a sort of curre dogges about a bone The Monkes sayd they bee ours the Priestes sayd they were theirs and to bee shorte there was nothing but vtter disorder among them Yet notwithstanding wee must returne againe to that which was touched yesterday and which I am about to rehearse againe now presently which is that inasmuch as the sacrificing Priestes were found at the common charges of the people in the time of the olde Lawe it is good
himself to vs in his own person of purpose to reigne ouer vs himself to take y e charge of our welfare in establishing his only son in y e office dignity I pray you is it not much better to be vnder y e obediēce of our Lord Iesus Christ to haue him to reigne ouer vs as our souereine Lord King than to be Kings Emperors euery one of vs Yes verily So then wee must conclude y t seeing God ordeined Iudges frō y e beginning hee sheweth therby y t it is a desirable thing for folk to be gouerned in cōmon to haue laws to reigne among thē y t there be no succession by inheritance but y ◠euen those which are chosē to beare office be bound to yeelde account of their doings haue not absolute libertie to doe what they list or to say I will haue this thing It shal be thus done This did God shew whē he gouerned his owne people by y e hand of Iudges And for the same cause did he vpbrayd blame y e Iewes for requiring a king to be their head to reign ouer them 〈…〉 .7 It is not thou sayth he to Samuell to whō they haue done this wrong True it is y t thou hast executed my authority in y t thou art of my setting vp but their vnthankefulnes disobedience toucheth me in y t they can not abide y t I shoulde haue the gouerning of thē And afterward he addeth wel then let them haue a king But it shal be to their trouble for he shall spoyle their houses take away their sons daughters consume their substance lay taxes tallages vpon them to be short vse them like wretched bondslaues See what they haue wonne by requiring a king And in this text our Lorde sheweth y t as in respect of worldly gouernmēt he had chosen y e best state y t could be namely y t the Law should reigne ouer the people therewithal y t there should be Iudges in euery citie a chiefe gouernour ouer all to the intent y t matters might be determined and concluded as was declared yesterday howbeit with this most noble condition which God reserued to himselfe namely that our Lorde Iesus Christ should reigne ouer them For it behoued thē to be vnder one head howbeit not simply of a mortall man but of y e sonne of God But forasmuch as y e time was not yet come that such grace shold be shewed it behoued the hope therof to be fedde with some figure And y t was the cause why it was promised by the mouth of Iacob Gen. 49.10 that the scepter should not depart from the tribe of Iuda God did purposely choose out one tribe when he ment to set vp the king he sayd that the reigne of him shoulde be durable vntill the comming of his owne sonne who was the true heire and the very partie to whome the crowne belonged namely our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus haue wee nowe a briefe declaration after what sorte God ment to stablishe a kingdome among his people howebeit that was in respect of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But as in respect of worldly gouernement the best and most desirable state was to haue Iudges that is to say to be in libertie and yet notwithstanding to bee ouerruled by Lawes Nowe thereby we be doone to vnderstande that although all worldely gouernment deserue to be esteemed as a holy thing behoofefull for the maintenaunce of mans state yet notwithstanding when it pleaseth GOD to giue vs a meane kinde of gouernement voyde of tyranny wherein the Magistrates doe rule after such a sort that the Lawes haue their due course the same is a speciall priuiledge and wee ought then to perceiue thereby that God is neere at hand to vs that he pitieth vs as his housholdfolke and as those that are of his flocke his owne heritage Marke that then for one point But therewithall we must marke also that when we shall haue knowen Gods grace in his gouerning of vs in this earthly and transitorie life it is nothing in comparison of the spirituall kingdom of our Lorde Iesus Christ therefore y t we must highly exalt or praise this benefite y t God vouchsafeth to gouerne vs by the hande of his onely son yea and we must esteeme it not onely more than all the libertie of the worlde but also more than al the kingdomes and Empires of y e world But anon this point shal be touched new againe Furthermore let vs marke that God intending to set vp a king did tarry neuerthelesse till the people required one And y t was to put them in a desire that they might not afterward rebell against the king that was to bee set vp For the vnthankefulnesse and malice of the people bewrayed it selfe in that they coulde not finde in their heartes to holde them to the state which God had stablished already And what a thing had it been if he had set vp a Monarchie among them at the first day For it is a farre more tollerable thing for vs to haue gouernours that goe by choyse and election who in executing their office shall knowe themselues to bee subiect to the Lawe than to haue a Prince whose worde must stande for reason and whose childe must inherite though he be neuer so very a babe and consequently obeyed though hee be the willfullest foole or the cruellest person in the worlde Therefore it is a farre more tollerable state to haue Iudges and Gouernours Nowe if the people of Israel could not away with this state but wold needs through a wicked desire seek to haue a king what would they haue done if God had at y e first day saide vnto thē I set this or y t house to reigne ouer you it behoueth you to obey the king What murmuring would there haue beene What practising would there haue bin Therfore it was Gods wil to make y e people willing to y e end there might be no occasion of rebelling whē Dauid was to be made king Verily we see what fell out For soothly their requiring of King Saul was through a folish ambitiō spyte 1 Sa. 1.5.20 which they bare to their neighbours When they sawe how there were kings in Egypt in Edō in Ammon in Syria in the other Coūtryes they thought there was no such dignitie statelines amōg thēselues because there was no royall seate among thē And therfore they would haue one But see their folly When they had chosen Saul although he vexed thē put them to as much hardnes as could be yet notw tstanding they were so wedded to him y t they would needs keepe y e croun to his childrē not suffer Dauid to reigne Albeit y t God had declared y t Dauid was the mā whō he had chosē and y t they had not the authoritie to choose any other to be their king yet
of Leuy For it is no small thing that God shoulde be their inheritaunce it was a title of honour aboue all others Whereas all the rest of the children of Israell had their portions in the Land of Chanaan God reserued himselfe for Leuy saying Holde yourselues to me I am your inheritance Ye see then how their portion was better than all the rest sauing the tribe of Iuda which was priuiledged as whereunto God had already assigned the kingdome And whereof came that If yee haue an eye to the originall yee shall see that the sinne of Leuie made him worthie of banishment that he might haue beene as a vagabonde without any certaine dwellingplace but yet for all that God prouided so for the matter that hee turned the euill into good and the reproch into honour Therefore let vs learne not to be discouraged when GOD punisheth vs for our sins yet to be so ashamed of our misdeeds and offences as we may not dout but that our Lorde pitying vs wil make his chastisements beneficiall to vs so as we shal be the more honorable before him and his Angelles If we be faine to abide some shame and reproch for a time before the world the thing that ought to be a good cōfort to the faithfull when they be smitten by y e hand of God is not to greeue thēselues with the only beholding of their present affliction but to thinke vpon the end and issue of it which is that God turneth bitternesse into sweetenesse Furthermore wheras it is said to y e Leuites that God is their heritage it is to the end they should be the willinger to giue themselues wholly to his seruice For had they bin busied in husbandry traffike of marchandice such other like things they had bin turned away frō their office not had leasure to doe the thing y t God had cōmanded them y t is to wit that those which were in Ierusalem should serue in y e Temple Mal. 2.7 those which were dispersed abroad in y e countrey shold maintaine the religion pure not suffer the people to growe out of order but teach thē euery man in his place y ◠they might be preserued in all purenes For vpon y t conditiō were they chosen Not without cause therefore doth God say y t hee was the heritage portion of the Leuites to the end that such as are called to his seruice shold not be pulled away nor haue excuse to withdrawe them frō the full executing of their dutie Now in deed S. Paul applyeth this to y e ministers of gods word 1. Cor. 9.13.4 saying y t if by the law of Moses they which serued at y e Altar were found of the Altar they which at this day haue y e charge of preaching Gods word and of the offring vp of spiritual sacrifices ought of reason to be found and maintained to haue that which is necessarie for them Yet notwithstanding wee must learne generally y t God hath done vs the honor to make vs all Leuites according to this saying Esa. 66.21 y t when God shall haue restored his people those which were Leuites before shal then become Priestes all the cōmon people shall become Leuites And this belongeth to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. Seeing then y t Iesus Christ hath shewed himselfe to the worlde Eph. 2.13 we which before were straungers had no acquaintance at al with God are nowe come into the Church to be of the body of Abrahams children and are in as good case as they y t were heires of the promise But we are become Leuites for we preace vnto our God He. 10.19 20 haue familiar accesse to him in the name of his only sonne so as we may boldly call vpon him as our father And euen in the same respect doeth S. Peter call vs a kingly priesthod 1. Pet. 2.9 because y t wheras we were gōne backe before and wist not how to come at God ne had any meane to bring vs to him now he calleth vs to him yea euen as though wee were priestes not to enter into a materiall Sanctuarie with y e bloud of Goats sheepe or Calues but with the bloud that was shedde to dedicate vs to God to wash vs from all vncleanes And so now we go into the sanctuary of heauen to present ourselues before the face of God Nowe then let vs apply this doctrine to ourselues where it is sayde that God is our heritage True it is that such as haue goods possessions in this worlde may vse them howebeit with the condition which S. Paul setteth downe in the seuenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7.30 namely that he which hath possessions be as he that hath none that he haue the one foote euer lifted vp and that he sticke not fast in the mire as tyed to the things that are here beneath but that we remember ourselues to be but strangers in this world and therefore looke euer vpwarde to the restingplace of heauen After that maner we may well possesse whatsoeuer thinges are in this worlde but yet must we euen goe further and not be stayed or tyed heere For why Seeing our Lorde hath aduaunced vs to such dignitie as to haue vs to be priestes let vs goe to his Altar For wee bee linked to our Lorde Iesus Christ Psal. 16.5 that hee might dedicate vs to GOD his father Sith it is so let vs doe as is sayde in the sixteenth Psalme For although it was sayd alonely of the Leuites that GOD was their portion yet doth Dauid boast that hee hadde a faire portion because God was his Behold sayeth he I haue a fayre lotte and hencefoorth I haue no cause to complaine as though I wanted any thing for my God hath giuē himself to me he is my portion I possesse him Dauid came not of the tribe of Leuie and howe falleth it out then that he boasteth himselfe to haue as much as the priestes He knewe well that Gods reseruing of y t tribe for a time was after such a sort y t yet neuertheles he would haue y e whole people partakers of y e same blessing accordingly also as it is saide in Exodus Exod. 19.6 you be a priestly kingdome And S. Peter hath turned this into another maner of speech saying Ye be a kingly priesthood that is to say ye be all as it were a sort of litle kinges because God gouerneth you and that is for your benefite for he hath promised to giue you a redeemer which shall leade you into al perfection Neuerthelesse yee must vnderstande that this kingdome is not like other kingdoms of y e world but is matched with a priesthoode that is to say it is consecrated and dedicated to God Dauid therefore acknowledging this sayeth that God is his portion Nowe if this was sayd in the time of the figures
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
to offer him a pure and cleane oblation Yea and we see that Dauid also did practise the same doctrine in his time Psalm 4.6 For whereas he sayeth Offer vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnesse it is a rebuking of them that had peruerted the Religion And because his enemies had their full scope at that time and he himselfe was chased and banished in that while the wicked vaunted themselues as the papistes do at this day with What We be the Catholike Church wee haue Gods temple we haue all the titles which belong to the Church therefore Dauid skorned all such abusers of Gods name and tolde them that all their dealinges were but leazinges And why Offer vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnesse He vseth the selfe same word which Moses hath set downe heere to shewe that God neuer ment that men should discharge themselues towardes him with Ceremonies and such like thinges but that he intended to bring them to his spirituall seruice that is to say to put their trust in him to call vpon him and to yeelde him the glorie and prayse of all good thinges That is the thing which he requireth and the marke whereat hee would haue vs to leuell And so we haue one good lesson more in this text which shall serue for an ende and conclusion because the time will not beare any more Let vs marke well then that Moses hauing spoken so of the zeale which should be in the tribes of Isachar Zabulon sayth that God will blesse them True it is that nowe hauing the kingdome of heauen opened vnto vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ by reason whereof it behoueth vs to looke vp higher wee shall not alwayes be riche in this worlde we shall not occupie the trade of marchandice by sea we shall not flit off the fatte thereof for it is euen good for vs that our Lorde should keepe vs vnder in lowe state But yet shall we be blessed of him if wee bee his children 1. Tim. 4.8 according as Saint Paul declareth that the trewe Religion and feare of God haue promises both of the present life and of the life to come And therefore if we intend to be gouerned by Gods hande and that he should sende vs prosperitie conuenient for our welfare let vs learne to dedicate ourselues vnto him let vs all indeuour to serue him and let vs worshippe him with one accorde If we doe so surely wee shall finde that God hath not forgotten vs and we shall also see what force there is in his grace when it is vttered vppon vs. And that is the meaning of our Lorde Iesus Christ where hee sayeth 〈◊〉 6.33 that we must first seeke the kingdome of God y t is to say we must first indeuor as much as is possible that God may be honoured that the world may be gathered vnto him and wee ourselues must come formost When we once haue this zeale all other thinges shal be cast vnto vs. But if we beginne at th◠present life if we be ouercarefull for our sustenance and food if we be so wedded to this worlde that we make none account of the kingdome of heauen wee may take peynes and toyle ynough yea euen till we breake our armes and legges asunder but yet it shall so litle boote vs that it shall rather turne all to our vtter confusion Therfore let vs marke vpon this text that first of all God must be knowen of all and then thereupon wee may looke that he will haue a fatherly care of vs not only in calling vs to the heauenly inheritaunce but also in prouiding vs of thinges necessarie euen while we be as pilgrims and wayfarers in this worlde Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to touche vs more and more with them to the quicke and to drawe vs to such repentaunce that we misliking our sinnes and being sorie for them may obtaine the grace to be throughly reclaymed vnto him and that although we be estraunged from him and doe dwell in the middest of so manie temptations stumblingblockes impediments as long as wee bee compassed with our mortall fleshe yet notwithstanding he may not faile to preserue vs and to giue vs such strength as wee may maintaine battell against all thinges that may turne vs from him vntill wee bee come to the heauenly rest and that all our ioy and contentation may be there and that in the middest of the miseries of this worlde we may patiently beare his chastisements corrections vntill he haue made it knowen vnto vs that they haue benefited vs towardes our saluation That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people Nations of the earth c. On Saturday the iiij of Iuly 1556. The CXCVII Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the xxxiij Chapter 20 Also he sayde of Gad Blessed bee he that inlarged Gad hee dwelleth as a lyon and snatcheth away the arme with the head 21 He looked to himselfe at the beginning because a portion of the Lawgiuer was hidden there yet shall he come with the princes of the people and execute the Lordes iustice and his iudgement with Israell 22 Also he sayde of Dan Dan is as a Lyons whelpe hee shall leape from Basan 23 Also he sayde of Nepthali O Nepthali which hast thy fill of Gods good pleasure and art full of the Lordes blessing take possession at the west and South 24 Also he sayd of Aser Aser shal be blessed with children and acceptable to his brethren and shall dippe his foote in Oyle 25 Thy Inclosures shall be yron and brasse and thy life shal be according to thy dayes HEere wee haue to treate of the blessednes of the tribe of Gad to whom that name was giuen because that whereas his mother had erst beene despised as it were reiected of her husband Iacob now after many other children had by him reioycing that GOD had made her so fruitefull shee sayde of this Gad In number or in bande or Hoste Gen. 30.11 And for the same cause also when Iacob blessed this his sonne he sayde An armie shall rise vp against Gad Gen. 49.19 but hee shall get the vpper hande Whereby he ment that as the mother of him was fruitefull in children so Gad should become a great tribe and be so multiplied that he should be able to ouercome his enemies This promise doth Moses confirme and ratifie saying That God will inlarge Gad. We see then how that in this promise Moses hath shewed y t the blessing which was giuen to Gad himselfe was not in vaine but that God continued the same fauour towardes all the whole tribe so as he had alwayes a speciall care of that people to performe all that euer hee had sayde as well to Abraham as to the other Patriarkes Now we must apply this to our owne vse and although
of the Lawe and the Gospell reade page 1185. b all Of Christ Blessing his disciples at his ascension 1185. b 40.50 Of one euerlasting Blessing of God now adaies surpassing all the blessinges of the lawe 1184. b 20.30 Of the Blessing which the priests made in the time of the Lawe 1185. b 10.20 Of the Blessing which Iacob made ouer his children 1184. b 20.30.40 Of Gods Blessing and his free goodnesse or fauour read notable doctrine page 1226. b. 40.50.60 Why God in speaking to his people putteth Blessing before cursing 1048. b 30.40 Why Moses saieth that when the lawe was published a Blessing was set before the people 482. a and b all The meaning of these wordes Behold this day doe I set before you a Blessing and a curse 482. a 30.40.50 c. A doubt cast how it commeth to passe that Moses speaking of the law saith that he setteth forth a Blessing considering the impossibilitie of the condition in respect of vs. 483. a 10.20 How the Blessing of the lawe is performed in vs and by whome 483. b 30.40 An instance that it is in vaine for Moses to say I set before you a Blessing and the same resolued 483. b 10.20 Two points to be noted why God ioyneth a Blessing with his word 483. b 10.20 In what respectes the lawe should bring vs Gods Blessing 483. a 50 What Blessing the worde that is preached vnto vs in Gods name doeth bring 483. a 10 What shall become of vs if we receiue not the Blessing of Gods worde and what that is 484. a 30.40 Gods Blessing set foorth more openly in the gospell than in the lawe 484. a 50.60 Most excellent doctrine vppon these wordes that thou maiest kill and eat according to the Blessing which thy God shall giue thee this toucheth both poore and rich 510. a and b all 511. a all After what maner God promised Blessing to the Iewish people 486. b 30 40 The wicked dealing of the worlde to mainetaine their fine fare noted by what meanes we disappoint our selues of Gods Blessing in our diet 512. a 30.40 Euerie man must moderate his diet fare according to Gods Blessing and howe that is meant 511. b 60 What we must doe if we intend to feele Gods Blessing and to haue the same continued among vs. 571. a 60. and b all Touching the priestes Blessing of the people in the time of the lawe and to whom the same doth now appertaine 738. b 50.60.739 a 10 That Christes Blessing should be vttered in his name who doe the contrarie namely blesse in their owne name 806. a 20.30 Of Gods Blessing and how we ought to consider thereof and when it shineth cleare in a man 826. all 827. a 10 Of Gods Blessing of the labour of our handes and what wee are giuen to vnderstande thereby 958. b 60 959. a 10 c. How Gods Blessing and mens labor go together 959. a 40.50 Of the souereigne Blessing of all blessings 924. b 10 Vnder this word Blessing is comprehēded all manner of prosperitie 942. b 50.60 The chiefe Blessing that we can desire of God is in our owne persons and how 951. a 20 Of Gods Blessing of vs in the frute of our cattell 953. a 40.50.60 c. Of Gods Blessing of vs against our enimies 953. a 60. b 10 Of Gods Blessing of vs in the fruite of the earth 953. a 40.50.60 c. Blessinges That the Infidels canne take no profit by Gods Blessinges though they be powred vpō them neuer so largely and why 955. a 40.50 What kinde of instructions Gods Blessings ought to be vnto vs. 65. b 50 Though God bestowed his Blessinges vpon the Moabites and the Ammonits yet were they neuer the better for it and why 68. b 60. and 69. a 10 To what ende God sendeth vs his Blessinges 247. b 20 What will make vs enioye Gods earthly Blessings to our welfare 69. a 10.20.30 It is no hurt at al to vs though God cut off the Blessings of this present life from vs. 51. a 10 What be the Blessinges of God on the children of the faithfull 190. b 10.20.30 To what end the Blessinges of God vpon vs do serue 291. a 10.20 The Blessinges that Iacob and Moses gaue the twelue tribes were prophesies 1212. b 10. a 20.30.40 The Blessinges which Moses giueth to the tribes of Israell 1193. a 10.20 Laying on of handes a signe vsed in all solemne Blessings 1244. a 30.40 Why God to winne vs vnto him beginneth with Blessings not with curssings 961. a 60.962 a 10 How Gods Blessinges ioyned with his threatninges serued the better to bring backe the Iewes to God 1049. a 10.20.30 Reade the 154. and 155. sermons howe God intreateth his people by Blessings or promises Howe wee must aunswere Amen to the Blessings of God 487. a 60. b 10 We must answere Amen willingly whē the Lord behighteth vs his Blessings 487. a 40.60 A commemoration or rehearsall of the Blessinges that God vttered to the people of the Iewes 486. b 30.40 The cause why God withdraweth his Blessings from vs. 519. a 50.60 b 10 By what meanes we neglect Gods Blessings and might otherwise enioy the same 324. b 20.30.40.50 By what vaine toies we haue purchased Blessinges in the Popedome 806. a 20.30 Howe the twelue tribes were diuided and the Leuites in the midst while Blessings and cursings were vttered of either side 922. b 60. 923. a 10 Of the Blessings of God and that they are conditionall 923. b 20.30 The diuerse and manifolde Blessinges of God particularly repeated to thē that keepe his cōmandementes read the 153 and 154 sermons The cause why God interlaceth his Blessinges with so many afflictions 947. b 20.30.40 The manifold wayes whereby euen the faithfull are depriued of Gods Blessings 947. a 60. b 10 Temporall Blessinges doe but serue to giue vs a tast of the heauenly life 950 a 10.20 A commemoration of certaine temporall Blessinges pronounced and promised to the obseruers of Gods law read all the 154. sermon beginning at page 948. a 50. c. The cause why we conceiue not the value of Gods Blessings heere 952. a 10. 20 How we like sicke folke refused the offered Blessinges of God 951. b 10.20 Looke Benefits Blinde What doctrine wee haue to gather by Gods lawe prouiding for the safe directing of a Blinde man in his way 931. a all b 10.20 In what cases we be like Blinde men haue neede of succour 931. a 10 Howe the Blinde were not to be caused to stray or stumble and that such as procured it were accursed 930. b 40.50.60 Blindnesse The Iewes cōdemned of greater Blindnesse than the wretched Paynims and why 124. a 30 Bloud The soule or life of euery liuing thing is after a sort represented by their Bloud 515. b 30 What wee haue to learne by the ceremonie that the Iewes should not eat the Bloud of Beasts 515. b 50.60 The Bloud of
befell the Iewes 279. a 10.20.63 a 20 Though we dwell on earth yet wee cease not to be heires of the heauenly Inheritance looke howe 503. b 10.20 Wherein the deede of the Inheritance which God hath giuen vs is written 313. a 10 Gods word must be for an Inheritance to his Church and what we haue to gather thereupon 1191. a 60. b all Why eternall life is named an Inheritance 1118. a 10 Howe wee be in possession of the Inheritance promised to the Iewes 1143. a 10 Christes death recouered the Inheritance whereof we were dispossessed in the person of Adam 28. a 40 The Inheritaunce of Gods adopted children is certaine and infallible in heauen 28. a 10. c. What consideration we ought to haue of the Inheritance that God giueth vs. 28. a 20 It were a disanulling of Christes death and passion not to be resolued of the heauenly Inheritance 29. b 40 Impedimenteâ— and lets that hinder vs from possessing the heauenly Inheritance 30. b 10 Christ Iesus a faithfull witnesse of the inuisible Inheritance 35. a 50 Moses disappointed of possessing the promised Inheritance 48. a 60 Esau cut off from the Inheritance of the Lande of promise and why 62. a 10 The Frenchmen Italians and Almaines banished from the Inheritance of God 1191. b 50. Looke Heritage Innocent That the Innocent are not to be accused or slandered but to be maintained in their good reputation 785. b all 786. a 10.20.30 c. Of buying and selling the life of the Innocent and guiltles 936. a 60. b 10. all That such as take rewardes to hurt the Innocent are accursed 936. b 50.60 937. a 10. c. Against such as haue the face to iustifie themselues as Innocent though they be conuicted as nocent 786. a all b 10.20.30.40 Inquisition Of Inquisition to be made for murther and howe it must be made 688. b 20. 174. a 10.172 b 50 What circumstances are to be obserued in the Inquisition of an offence 547. b 20.30 The manner of Inquisition set downe for murther 174. b 60. 175. a 10.20 30.40.50.60 c. God maketh Inquisition of our sinnes before he doth punish vs. 394. a 50.60 b 10.20 That Inquisition must be made of an euill deede and why 547. a 60. b 10 20 Inquisitiue That such as are to make warres are faine to be Inquisitiue of the force and policie of their enimies why 522. b 20 We must not be Inquisitiue of y e things that are not good for vs. 522. b 10.20 30.40.50 Looke Curiositie and Secretes Instruction Instruction verie needefull in such as beare any kinde of charge or office 108. b 30.40.50.60 a 10 That the punishments of others should be our Instruction 521. a 10.20 c. No ceremonies behoouefull without instruction and whence that Instruction must come 598. b 10.20 The signification of this worde Instruction 165. a 20.30 A sacrament without â—eaching and Instruction is a dead thing 607. a 10 The chiefe Instruction of the Iewes by what meanes 1120. b 10 The worde lawe betokeneth Instruction 7. b 20 A question what Instruction there is in the report of stories 7. b 20 Instructions The people of Israell had certaine peculiar Instructions c. 347. b 10.40.1120 b 10.20 Of whome it is long that we profit not in the Instructions that God giueth vs. 357. a 10 What kinde of Instructions Gods blessinges ought to be vnto vs. 65. b 50 Intent Against such as pretende a good Intent in seruing of God 343. a 10.20 and that it deserueth death 544. b 60. 545. a b all A wicked Intent when it bewrayeth it selfe is punishable â—â—1 b 10.40 Achans Intent in stealing the forbidden things of the Chananites 345. a 10 Of the purpose and Intent of murther and howe it is to be punished 2â—1 a 60. b 10 The good Intent of the Papistes aâ—â—ed and the issue of the same 1216. b 10.20 A common prouerbe among the Papistes that what soeuer is doone of a good Intent is well doone c. 894. b 40 They are condemned which brag that they haue a good Intent in their seruing of God after their owne fashion and what wee haue to gather in that place 1035. b 10.20 Intents Whereunto our good Intents doe serue vs. 188. a 10 Wee must not pretende our good Intentes to iustifie our owne inuentions 188. a 50 God condemneth wicked Intents and euill lustes 244. a 10.30 All wicked Intents vtterly forbidden by God 242. a 30.40 Why God after hee had condemned wicked Intents proceedeth to the condemning of euill lustes too 244 a 30.40 c. That if we will direct our life aright we must not followe our owne good Intents what then 517. b 20.30.506 a 10 Fonde Intents to serue God reprooued 490. b 30 The value of good Intents purposed to be shewed 110. b 30 Interim The hellish corruption of the Interim returned againe 109. a 10 Intercession Why Moses ceased not to make Intercession for the Iewes when God had expresly forbidden him so to do 397. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 397. a all Howe the worlde hath been abused by making Intercession to saintes and howe that doctrine is ill gathered 396. a 60. b 10 Intercessors A text alleadged by the papistes for the maintaining of their doctrine of hauing saintes to be their Intercessors 417. a 50.60 b 10. Looke Aduocate and Mediator Inuention The cause why in poperie euerie man hath cast to a collup of his owne Inuention 261. b 50.60 Looke Fansie Imagination and Deuise Inuentions Against the Inuentions of men that they ought to be restrained Read sermon 127. page 781. a 10.20 c. The itching of the Iewes to intermingle some Inuentions of their owne with Gods lawe 114. a 20 All Inuentions of men mingled with Gods seruice condemned 908. a 30.40.50 b all 300. b 20.30 The sufficiencie of Gods law proued against all the Inuentions of men 261 b 50.60 262. a 10 What we must do to discerne that ther is nothing but vanitie in all worldly Inuentions and deuises 123. a 40. The Inuentions of the Papistes which they terme Gods seruice 436. a 10 Against such as turne after their owne Inuentions deuises 267. a 10.20.30.40 Looke Fansies Deuises and Imaginations Inuocation The cause why Iacob a litle before his death saied Let my name be called vpon ouer Ephraim and Manasses 417. a 10.20.30 This concerneth Inuocation Looke Call and Call vpon Ioseph The Tribe of Ioseph made two tribes 496. b 10. Peculiar blessings giuen to the same 1211. b all He represented two chiefe houses in the linage of Iacob 1211. b 50.60 How traiterously he was handled by his brethren how God saued him 1212. b 60.1213 a 10. A double portion giuen to him by Iacob and why 1211. b 40. How he was a Nazarite among his brethren 1212. all How hee was the crowne of his brethren the scepter royal being in the tribe of Iuda 1212 a
what they doe through a foolish imitation of the Leuites 849. a 40.50.60 b 10 A kinde of Leprosie called the disease of S. Mayn or the scurffe 848. a 50.60 Why they that had the Leprosie were commaunded to be set aparte from the rest of the people 848. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 849. a 10.20 Of the Leprosie wherewith Marie Moseses sister was smitten 848. a 20.30 850. b 40.50.60 Of the Leprosie of Ozias and why hee was smitten therewith 848. b 30 The mad doctrine of the Papistes touching spirituall Leprosie touched 849. b all The Leprosie a disease particularly belonging to the Iewes 848. a 50 Of the Leprosie of Naaman the Syrian 848. a 50 A description of the Leprosie shewing what an irkesome disease it was 848. a 60. b 10 Why the iudging of the Leprosie was giuen to the Leuites 848. b 40.50 What they did that were healed of the Leprosie in the time of the lawe 848. b 50.60 That the French pockes is a kinde of Leprosie 972. a 10 Letter In what respect the lawe is saide to bee a dead Letter 1188. b 10.20 1053. b 30 How the Iewes rested vpon the Letter and that wee must looke diligently to the Letter if wee will attaine to the vnderstanding of any text 1043. b 10.20 Looke Lawe Leuen What we haue to learn by these words There shall no Leuen bee seene in thy coastes 607. b 20.30.40 c. The cause why the Iewes were commaunded to eate bread without Leuen sixe daies together 599. a all b 10. Looke Paschall lambe and Passeouer Leuie The punishment of the tribe of Leuie turned into honour 658. a 10 What manner of couenant God made with them 428. a 10.20 With what condition God had chosen the tribe or Leuie 1203. a 50.60 1198. b 50.60 1199. all They were chosen to offer sacrifice and of their prerogatiue 424. a 10.20.30 Moses was one of that tribe how he dealt with them 1199. a 40. The vocation of that tribe to the priesthood prosequuted at large 1202. a 50 so forward Why God did choose the tribe of Leuie to carrie the arke c. 424. b 10. Looke Tribe Leuites A double reason why tithes were paide to the Leuites 902. a 30 40. Why they were bereft of their portion of the lande of Chanaan 564. b 10.20 To what seruice God reserued thē and why they were exempted from handie labour 568. a 60. b 10. 429. a 60. Why their townes were appointed of God to be dispersed among the tribes 508. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 513. a 60. Why they were put from their parte of the inheritance of the land of Chanaan sithēs they come of the linage of Abraham 514. a 10. They had the laying vp of the lawe committed to them where and why 1098. b 60. 1099. a 10.20.30 1080. a 30. 1079. all 1204. a 50.60 They and the hi◠priests appointed to be iudges in all hard cases why 639. b 40. 640 a 20. Why Malachie sayeth that they made priestes and when his saying was accomplished 426. b 30. How all Christians are of that order number 426. b 50.60 425. b 40. 1203 b 50.60 658. b 10.20 Of their seruice and in what points it consisteth 427. b 50. Of the execution that they did vpon their owne brethren 424. a 20.30.50 Of the arke of couenant and why God woulde haue the Leuites carrie it 425. a 30.40.50 b 20. Of three seuerall charges assigned vnto them 426 a 30.40 The scattering of them among the rest of the tribes was a punishment of God 656. b 50.60 and 657. a 10. Why it is said to them that God is their heritage 658. a 40. They that serued in the temple had a harder charge than they that were dispersed abroade in the countrey 660. a all They dwelt in places more frutefull than Ierusalem 659. b 40. Their office was double and howe 660. a 30. They were witnesses or sureties to vndertake matters in the behalfe of the Iewes 486. b 20. Look Tribes Liberalitie The cause why God vouchsafed to ad the full of all Liberalitie vppon the Iewes 279. a 40.50 A generall lawe of courteous Liberalitie exhibited vnto vs by God 594. b 60. 595. a 10 It is no Liberalitie when we doe good in hope to be recompensed againe 582. b 10 Gods Liberalitie in giuing vs the vse of the varietie of his creatures 469. a 30.40.50.60 Wee must not dallie with God in abusing his Liberalitie 465. a 30.40.50.60 Looke Goodnes Libertie Libertie to eate all kinde of meates granted vnto vs Read page 553. so forwarde the whole 90. sermon 559. a 30 The meaning of these wordes that the Gospel is named the law of Libertie 114. b 50 Of the most excellent Libertie that God hath bestowed vpon vs and of vsing it 982. b 40.50.60 983. a 10 20.30.40.50.60 515. a 40. 344. b 30.40 556. a 60. b 10. How wee must moderate the Libertie that wee haue by the Gospel 344. b 50.60 and 345. a 10.515 a 40. Looke Freedome Lie Of the worde Lie and in what signification it is taken in scripture 1235. b 20 God cannot away with a simple lie 197. a 50 Lies In what case we be if we listen to lies false doctrine 530. b 20.30 Of such who it is meete should bee deceiued with lies 531. b 50.60 Life temporall The Life of man compared to vanishing smoke 1010. a 10 What we must doe if wee will haue our life wel ordered 358. b 10. 342. b 10 20. 302. b 10. 251. b 10.50 630. b 10.20 218. b 60. 219. a 10. 181. b 30 179. b 10. 177. b. 905 a 10. 904. a 50.60 b 30.40 110. a 30.37 a 60 Vntill when our Life is vtterly out of order 120. a 30.40.110 b 10 Two principall points of our Life Read the place 251. b 10.20 212. a 10 What if our Life be not correspondent to Gods worde whereof wee make profession Looke 412. a 60. b 10 A most notable figure or mirrour of mans Life 41. b 60.347 b 30.40 and 368. a 40.50.60 How this our present Life is a schoole vnto vs Read the place 347. b 10 This present Life added by God as an accessarie to the heauenly life 466 a 10 When our Life is to be counted good and holie 445. a 20 It is long of our selues that our Life is not prosperous in al respects through out 482. a 30 The meane to attaine vnto a happie Life wherof we be all desirous 482. a 60. b 10.60 How God will haue a care of vs during this mortall Life of ours 291. a 10 The chiefest thing that stayeth vs frō directing our Life in the obedience of God 209. b 10 The rule of a good Life comprehended in tenne wordes 219. b 10. 905 a 10 The chiefest thing that wee shoulde thinke vppon in all our
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
owne Nature is pitifull 156. b 20.50 The Nature of God cleane contrary to ours 157. a 10. 140. a 50.60 b all For what cause Christ tooke our Nature vpon him 336. a 60 Howe by Nature we desire to be deceiued 122. b 60. 123. a 10 God gaue Moses a sight aboue the power of Nature 106. a 30 We be all damned by Nature and why 78. a 20 We haue too ticklish a Nature and in what cases 54. a 10 The mischiefe that we fall into following our owne Nature 46. a 40 The increase of people commeth not of the common order of Nature 17. a 40 Our state what it is if we be left in our first Nature 844. b 40 The agreement betwene mans Nature and Gods righteousnesse 244. b 20.30.40 A straiter bonde than the bonde of Nature common to all mankinde 233. b 10 Naughtinesse What we haue to pray for at Gods haÌ„d seeing we be so frowarde as to rush into all Naughtinesse 519. a 40 The meanes and wayes to discharge ourselues of all Naughtinesse and guile 604. a 20 A viewe of the Iewes Naughtinese together with a vew of ours in these daies 520. a 60. b 40 A lookingglasse of the Naughtinesse of our nature 1013. a b 50.60 1014. a 10. Looke Corruption and wickednesse Nazarite The reason why Ioseph was called a Nazarite and what we haue to note thereupon 1212. all Neede Of neglecting to helpe our neighbour in his Neede Reade page 222. b 20.30 Neede is no where but among such as are not able to recompence 582. b 20 Necessitie Howe wee must behaue our selues to Godwarde when Necessitie dooth pinch vs. 410. a 30 God is not bounde to any Necessitie Read how 352. a 30. Looke Pouertie Necessities God doth voutchsafe y t we should haue a care to prouide for our Necessities 355. b 50.60 Necromancie Necromancie or asking counsell of the dead forbidden 670. b 60. 671. a 10 Negligence The Negligence of parentes in looking to their childrens good life noted and their charge and plague declared 755. all 756. a all Neighbour Of misusing our Neighbours in speech 221. a 10 The cause why Saint Iohn sayeth that hee which hateth his Neighbour in his heart is a murtherer 221. a 30.40 222. b 20.30 That the lawe hath vsed this woorde Neighbour of purpose and why 772. a 50 Our vsage if a man tell vs y t wee ought to consider the good that God hath done to our Neighbour 70. b 30.40.50 Neighbours Men cannot discharge their duetie towardes their Neighbours if they bee not lead by the feare of God 212. b 10 The cause why wee bee cruell to our Neighbours 210. b 10 What we ought to doe if we see any of our Neighbours in necessitie 580. b 50.60 95. a all In iudging our Neighbors what meane we must keepe 89. a 30 Howe wee must vse our selues to our Neighbours 80. a 30. 140. b 10 A note for such as pill and poll their Neighbours 70. b 40 What we ought to doe the neerer that God maketh vs Neighbours 68. 140 Of bearing false witnesse against our Neighbours of the diuers waies of harming them and howe wee ought to seeke their welfare Read page 235. a 60. c. Of two thinges wherein we offend our Neighbours 885. a 30 Why we be farre neerer Neighbours to the Papists than to the Turkes or Paynims 809. b 40.50 What the lawe meaneth when it speaketh of Neighbours and whom we ought to iudge our Neighbours 772. a all What we must do if we will liue among Neighbours 214. b 30 The ende of Godâ— placing of Neighbours so neere together 62. b 20.30 Nepthalim The state of Nepthalim better than the state of Dâ—n or Gad. 1226. a 40.50 he is called courteous milde and gentle and that no man should molest iâ— 1226. a 40.50 the blessing of Moses vpon that tribe and what wee haue to note therein 1226. a 30. and so forwarde he is sayde to possesse the South and West and what that meaneth 1227. a 50.60 Looke Tribe Nilus What wee would thinke with ourselues if we had such a riuer as Nilus to water our lande 467. b 20 Of the riuer Nilus and the manner of the ouerflowing of the same once a yeere 466. b 40.50.60 Nobilitie The Nobilitie of all mâ—nkinde declared least any should brag of their pedigree 186. b 20.30 Nouelties The Papistes iudge all that we do to be but Nouelties and why 1129. b 50 Of Nouelties and of how large a signification that worde is 1129. a 10.20 Number Notable doctrine vpon these wordes there shal be a small Number left of them 152. b 30 We must not thinke our faults the lighter for the greatnesse of the Number of them that offende with vs. 521. b 30.40.50.60 A lesse Number of deuout Christians than of Iewes though they be but a fewe 32. a 10.50 Not the greater Number but the better sort though the fewer to be regarded 30. a 50. b 10.20.30.40 The Number of misbeleeuers is farre greater than the beleeuers looke the place 1031. a 60. b 10 The cause why God brought the Iewes to a smal Number 1003. b 60. 1004. a 10 The Number of heades of houses descended of the tribe of Ruben 1194. a 20. b 30 Of the Number of the Israelites rising from a fewe to an infinite multitude 453. a 50.60 By the Number of three is ment anie number aboue two looke in what sense this is spoken 699. b 10 O Obey Howe we must arme our selues against all lets to Obey God 331. b 30.40 To Obey God is the meane of prosperitie 263. b 40 The whole fault why we Obey not God is in ourselues 434. a 60. b 10 God promiseth not any thing but to such as Obey his worde looke on that place 484. b 30.40.50.60 What all such as Obey not the gospell doe deserue in S. Paules iudgement 486. a 50 A generall doctrine for all degrees in that they are commanded to Obey God 215. a 50.60 b 10.20 30.40.50 Obedience The Obedience of Moses vnto God notwithstanding he wanted the honour of his charge 107. a 20.30.40 We haue neede to be prepared to the Obedience of our God and why 109. a 50 The cause why we cannot holde ourselues in Obedience vnto God 114. a 10 The Obedience of the Papistes is diuilish and why 115. b 20 The Obedience of Christ apparant by his sufferinges 349. a 40.50 God mindeth to try our Obedience towardes him and howe 13. a 50. 32. b 50. 67. a all 60. a 50.60 b 10. 113. b 30. 208. b 40. 250. b 50.60 349. a 40.50.60 b 10. 381. a all At what thing true Obedience must beginne 217. b 10.694 a 40. 911. a 60. b 10 Whereunto all the Obedience that is yeelded to mortall creatures must tende 217. b 40.50 The Obedience that God requireth of vs set downe in a supposed speech of God