of his holy spirit to ouercome all the temptations against which wee are dayly to fight vntill he hath giuen vs victorie in all our conflictes when hee shall haue withdrawen vs to himselfe to make vs partakers of his glorie in the kingdome of heauen That it will please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also vnto all peoples and nations of the earth c. On Fryday the last of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxxvij Sermon which is the second vpon the foure and twentith Chapter 1.2.3.4 When a man taketh a wife c. 5 When a man taketh a newe wife he shall not goe to warre neither shall hee be charged with any busines but shal be free at home one yeere and reioyce with his wife which he hath taken 6 No man shall take the neather nor the vpper milstone for a pledge for this gage is his liuing I Haue declared already at large how men ought to liue in agreement with their wiues and how the bonde of mariage is such as cannot bee broken It remayneth nowe that we come to the exception which our Lord Iesus Christ maketh to wit Matt. 19.9 that for the cause of adulterie it shall bee lawfull for a man to put away his wife The reason is for that the man on his parte breaketh not the faith which he plighted but the wife hauing played the harlot doth asmuch as in her is vndoe the marriage altogether and so defileth it as there remayneth no longer any holynesse in it For on what other condition is the husband ioyned vnto the wife but that they should liue chastly one with another But the partie which committeth adulterie breaketh this condition and therefore the bond of mariage is then vntyed So then if a man knowing his wife to be a whore and hauing likewise prooued her such a one for sake her he violateth not the institution of God neither transgresseth he this law They shall be two in one flesh Matt. 19.5 but he is quitte and set freee because the wife hath swarued aside from the order of God and of nature Let vs therefore note well that when our Lorde Iesus Christ aloweth the diuorcement which is made for the cause of adultery it is not to graunt a man leaue to chaunge any thing in the institution of God For it must euer holde true That man may in no wise sunder those whom God hath ioyned together But because the woman hath broken the condition of mariage the husband is freed from it The thing then which wee haue to beare in mind is that the exception which we heere haue rehearsed serueth not in any way to lessen the force of the law of God That coniunction which God hath ordayned must alwaies remaine firme and steadfast But she that playeth the harlot is no longer a wife she is no longer to be taken deemed for such a one Now if a man demaund on the other side whether y e woman for her part hath like libertie we heare what Saint Paul saith y t like as y e husband is not maister of his owne body 1. Cor. 7.4 no more also is the wife of hirs Ye see what an equalitie of like right y e holy ghost setteth downe y t like as y e woman when she is maried is not mystris of her owne body so on the contrary side a man after y t he hath plighted his faith to his wife is bound in such wise y t if he abandon himself otherwise vnto lust his fault is alike with y e adulterie which y e wife committeth So then if wee will hold our selues vnto y t which God hath commaÌded we see y t the rule is most euident and cleare namely y t the man must not only content himselfe w t the wife which he hath taken y t is to say he must not only keepe hir for a companion but also beare with hir bicause y t marriage importeth a true and perfect vnion of two persons and that as hartie as any may be Which vnion is not possible to be maintained except y e husband doe beare with his wife with those frailties which are in hir the wife also for hir part endeuor to please hir husband to bee obedient vnto him This we see I say on the one side againe wee see that if the wife be so loose in life as to giue ouer her selfe to fornication shee breaketh wedlock wherby she doth as it were warre with God peruerting all honesty which ought to be holy inuiolable Now if when the woman offendeth so on hir part the husband likewise step a side in his dewty and ouershoote himselfe so farre as to breake the faith which he hath plighted vnto his wife he is condemned of God For why The bond as I told you which passeth betwixt them is mutuall and of like force touching them both And in this case there is no doubt but that a man may marry a gaine if he in this sorte put away his wife because of adulterie and men shew an ouer grosse abuse when they weigh not the words of our Lord Iesus Christ Matt. 19.9 That if a man forsake his wife except it be for adulterie mary an other he is an adulterer that he causeth her whom he hath forsaken to commit adulterie also Now when Christ excepteth y e cause of adulterie it is to set the man in y t case at free choice libertie to mary agayne For what a thing were it to bar a man from a newe match if he haue obserued his promise faithfully liued in the feare of God and not beene vnfaithfull towardes his wife If he be constrained to put her away must he be punished for the offence of an other What reason were in that Should he not haue open wrong doone him Especially considering that our Lord Iesus Christ in that text addeth Matt. 19.11 1. Cor. 7. ââ That all haue not the gift of continencie and that such as haue not receiued it haue the remedie of marriage and that they ought to vse it When our Lorde Iesus Christ pronounceth this thinke we that his meaning was that the poore wretched man who hath liued blamelesse with an harlot should bee left in dispayre Nay if hee see filthynesse in his house he must whether he will yea or no cast foorth such vncleannesse except he will infect himselfe therewith and be accounted a partie in such wickednesse Now if a man discharge his dewtie in this behalfe thinke we that God barreth him of all right and that he leaueth him in such trouble and anguish as he may not know where to become but must remaine vnprouided of all remedie It was therefore an ouer grosse folly in men not to knowe that our Lord Iesus Christ leaueth a man in free libertie to marrie agayne when his make hath violated the faith of marriage As much is to be sayde in the behalfe of the woman seeing the
commaundeth vs. Let vs therefore note wel that although it be sayde in this place that the Iudges shall beare the plainetifes and iudge their cause yet is it not lawefull for any man to accuse his neighbour if he doe it thorough enmitie and euill will And this letteth not but that we ought alwayes to be patient for those iniuries which men doe vnto vs. For what doeth patience impose Not that wee shoulde not onely not bee set vppon reuenge but also that wee should seeke to doe them good which persecute vs and that we should pray for them which curse vs. This is the thing which we are commaunded and therefore let vs followe it and then it shall be lawefull for vs to flee for refuge vnto them which are armed with authoritie to maintaine the good and to punish the wicked and to represse all wrongful and outragious dealings we may then I say haue our recourse vnto them Nowe it followeth That the wicked man shal be condemned according to his desert There is here no mention of such offences as were to be punished by death For if there were murder committed or adulterie or such like thinges they were punished by death We haue seene howe God commaunded that all such kindes of wickednesse should be vtterly rooted out but here he speaketh but of such iniuries as deserue some other chastisement And that is the cause why it is sayde That the malefactour shall be punished according to his desert yet so that he shall not haue aboue fortie stripes For they vsed a whippe made of an oxe hide to chastise them which dealt wrongfully and outragiously with their neighbour alwayes prouided that the offence deserued not death It is sayde That they shall noâ passe the number of fortie stripes And why To the intent that the man shoulde not be mangled or disfigured in his body but remaine whole and sounde Ye see then in effect what is heere declared to wit first that the sentence must not be giuen in vaine and secondly that some moderation must be vsed so as the rigour be not excessiue First I say the sentence must not be in vaine but it must be put in execution For sometimes yee shall see Iudges make a countenaunce of thundring at a man howebeit that shal be but for some policie When they are minded to let an offender escape they will condemne him to doubble and trebble punishment What say they This wicked fellowe is not worthy to liue A man would maruaile to heare them but when the thing should be put in execution it falleth out to a mockerie But our Lorde sheweth that they may not dally so with him and that seeing the magistrates beare not the sworde in vaine nor are armed with authoritie in way of dallyaunce they must vse their power and when they haue pronounced sentence they must afterwardes doe Iustice in executing of it And that is the very cause why they are called the soules of the Lawe For a lawe without magistrates is as a bodie which hath neither sense nor mouing And when the bodie is idle and stirreth not it is a signe that the soule is altogether blockish And therefore when there are good lawes and some outwarde forme of Iustice and yet for all that there is no execution thereof Insomuch that it shal be sayde Thus it must be and yet the Statutes shal be disobeyed yea and sentence shal be giuen and yet slippe away vnexecuted Surely it is a token of too grosse blockishnesse in those which shold giue strength to y e law y t it might not be vnprofitable That theÌ is y â thing which God declareth in the first place For speaking of the executing of sentence hee sayeth Lette the iust be declared for such a one and lette him which hath doone wrong bee condemned lette him bee punished according to his deserts Nowe heereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that we must not lette any such faultes scape as ought to be punished neither behoueth it vs alonely to shewe our zeale in punishing of greate enormities but also to consider that smaller faultes drawe on the greater when they are let alone as buried God therefore pronounceth expressely that the malefactour shall be punished And when Not onely when hee hath offended so grieuously that his fault is vnpardonable but if the fault be litle he will haue the punishment and correction aunswerable thereunto hee will not haue men to say O it is a small fault lette it passe Well the matter is not great he may escape the better cheape No howe small soeuer his offence be hee will haue him smart for it and be an example vnto others Let vs therefore weigh this worde well yea let vs weigh it so much the better because wee see that the practise noweadayes runneth cleane contrarie for men seeke nothing else but to lessen their faultes In deede a man shall not bee altogither excused when he hath offended but yet neuerthelesse hee which doeth the wrong shall finde alwayes some aduocate to pleade for him yea euen without bearing the name of it He ought to be as a Iudge in the case and yet he will so mitigate the faulte as it shall not be punishable faire gloses shall still be founde to colour the matter withall O sir will one say There is such a circumstaunce there is this and that to be considered in the case so the tenth part of mens faults shal not bee punished For why They bee not found so grieuous and hainous as they be in deede No but yet for al y t if the fault bee small God will haue the chastisement answearable thereunto and if it be greate he wil haue the punishment the more seuere and greeuous Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in minde Nowe whereas GOD speaketh thus vnto earthly Iudges let vs knowe that for his parte he might well punish vs by his iustice and that not for petie faultes but for notorious transgressions Who is so iust and innocent among vs that he findeth not himselfe faultie before God yea and that in many offences Moreouer how many faults do we commit through vnaduisednesse when we thinke not on them And therefore if God vsed not great mercie towardes vs he should lift vp his hand against vs and drowne vs in the pitte of destruction euerie minute of an houre So then whereas wee liue still and are preserued lette vs acknowledge that it is thorough the infinite goodnesse of our God For if as touching earthly Iustice hee commandeth the least faultes to be punished he might himselfe by greater reason lay his hande vpon vs euen to roote vs out of the earth especially considering the infinite number of faultes whereof we be guiltie before him And if it be alleadged Well then seeing God is so mercifull ought not men also to be mercifull and so to followe him it is easily aunswered That GOD hath this libertie to forgiue whome hee will besides this
his dwelling in rest Were that reason Therefore when wee see such changes to happen as they bee to bee seene in the worlde let vs vnderstande that GOD driueth them out which earst woulde giue him no lodging and let such examples admonish vs to stande in feare of the threatenings heere specified And let vs not tarrie till our Lorde banish vs from the place where wee bee harboured but let vs rather endeuour to serue him so as hee may continue alwayes with vs to maintayne vs. And if it come to passe that wee bee driuen out let vs vnderstande that the same is for our sinnes for it is better late than neuer Moreouer if we bee driuen out for any other cause as at this day wee see the poore faithfull people in state like a byrde on the bough as though the earth coulde not beare them 1. Cor. 4. ââ as Saint Paul speaketh of his time and as it is knowen at this present time that the children of God bee as vagabondes hauing not a hole to hyde themselues in when wee beholde these things let vs vnderstande that forasmuch as our Lorde leadeth vs this walke hee doeth vs great fauour that the same is not because of our sinnes but for his names sake and for our better establishment in the hope of the heauenly inheritance seeing that there is nothing sure nor stable in this present worlde but that wee must alwayes aspire to the eternall life and to the rest that is prepared for vs on high Let vs then acknowledge the good that hee doeth vnto vs in this poynt But in any wise let vs take good heede that wee prouoke not his wrath against vs is such sort as I haue said afore Nowe whereas hee sayth Thou shalt marrie a wife and another shall lye with her let euery man take heede to walke in such chastitie as hee drawe not vppon him this curse of God in such wise as to bee depriued of the wife the he thinkes to haue and the wiues in like case of their husbandes Wee see howe men bee giuen ouer to all vnchastitie and God must needs yeelde them their rewarde accordingly Dauid himselfe was not spared in this case 2. Sam. 12.12 Wee heare howe it was sayde vnto him Thou hast done this in secrete but that shal bee done openly Hee was fayne to abyde reproche before all the worlde in hauing his wiues rauished openly Sith it is so then let vs take good heede that wee walke in such chastitie that when men take wiues they may so liue together as they may feele the blessing of God and that their marryages bee not broken through the committing of any offence For as I haue sayde it is no wonder that there bee so confused changes in the worlde at this day because men doe more and more kindle the wrath and vengeance of God It is euen in like case with adulteries For what is the cause that they reygne so ryfe and are come as yee woulde say to their full pryde It is because wedlocke is so little regarded and that there is no feare of God there is neither faith nor trueth and therefore must men needes plunge themselues in all misfortune so that in the ende there will bee nothing but disorder So much the more therefore ought wee to take warning to walke so in all cleannesse of life as euery one may keepe him to his owne wife and the Lorde blesse their marryages and mayntayne them in quietnes Moreouer seeing that God is matched with vs in the person of his onely sonne and woulde haue vs to keepe fast the faith of wedlocke towardes him according to the simplicitie of his Gospell let vs sticke throughly to that which hee hath commaunded vs and to bee short let vs be halowed vnto him and followe his holy calling For if wee doe so our Lorde will graunt vnto husbandes the grace to liue quietly with their wiues and housholds and vnto the wiues that they shall learne to liue in good agreement with their husbandes For wee must marke that if man and wife doe not ioyne in one mynde there must needes bee discorde in the whole house and one shall byte and snatch at another like dogges and cattes and the one woulde wish the other a hundred foote vnder the ground so as they shall liue in continuall miserie and disquietnes And why Because that neither the one nor the other hath any regarde to God to yeelde themselues to his direction Therefore let vs leane not to prouoke any more the vengeance of God in this case As concerning the landes and possessions he sayeth That the transgressours of the law of God shall plant vines but they shall neuer gather the fruite of them Nowe wee see that they which haue thus offended God bee the stoutest and boldest sort bearing themselues in hand that no harme can come neere them And that is the cause why wee see that the greatest getters the doers of greatest enterprises are those which wilfully giue them selues to pilling and polling by hooke and by crooke hauing no care what polling and extorsion they commit and offending both God and man without ende or measure Such persons as these therefore must afterward yeelde an account They beare themselues in hand that when they haue plaÌted vyneyeards they shall inioy them without controuersie and that when they haue buylded houses they shall dwel in them without putting out againe Thus do men hardeÌ theÌselues against God But Moses coÌtrariwise declareth That when they haue planted vines other men shall gather the fruite of them And in deede whereas wee see at this day so much theeuerie in the worlde let vs vnderstand that it is because there bee so fewe that haue cleane handes and are able to protest that they haue not encroched vppon the goods of other men by vniust meanes Soothely there is so vnmeasurable disorder nowadayes that the children of God bee fleeced though they abstayne from all manner of iniuries But we must euermore haue recourse to the ordinarie course whereof I haue spoken to wit that our Lorde will not fayle to punish the sinnes that breake out after that fashion like a waterfloud As for them that haue landes and possessions they will not goe to steale otherfolkes goods nor to picke a fewe grapes they will not go filchingly to cut down a patche of medowe it is for beggers to doe for and wee see in these dayes that the most parte of poore folkes are pilferers filching and stealing all that euer they can finger But yet they that haue landes and possessions bee the greatest theeues for the things which they possesse they get by vnlawfull meanes It is no wonder then if God do requite them with the like and that they bee so vexed in their goods and possessions God therefore sheweth vs by experience that his vttering of such speeches is not in vayne but wee thinke not thereon Men can well ynough complayne as I haue sayde
sonne of God he taketh it to be done to his owne selfe so great store doth he set by them Wherefore it were nowe high time that all such folke shoulde looke more neerely to themselues and to their duetie and not suffer themselues to be so caried away by their vnruly fancies and affections which hinder them to make any conscience in withholding the poore folkes goods and in turning them to their owne priuate vse As touching some other sort of Printers which sticke not to print againe immediatlie the copies that others haue printed at their great charges afore and by that meanes doe bring to passe that many good men dare not aduenture to print among other things a great number of the same authors sermons which are here and belong to our poore folks the warning that is giuen thereof in the preface of the said ministers notwithstanding that it be verie short ought well to restraine them and to make it seeme to the world that there is at leastwise as much modestie honestie in them as there appeareth to be in the wretched Papists that deale with the Art of printing For they would be ashamed to haue it cast in their teeth that they had incroched one vpon another Thus much haue we thought good to adde in this behalfe assuring our selues that none of the faithfull and of such as feare God will thinke amisse of this warning which we haue bin driuen to make in discharge of our duetie which ought alone to be a sufficient excuse for vs if any man should think that the things which we haue vttered are not material But we hope that al men of good discretion sound vnderstanding will iudge that we neither could nor should haue let slip so good an occasion as this to warne such as print or cause things to be printed to do their dueties towards the poore At Geneua the 12. of Februarie 1567. The same Deacons IT falleth out well to the purpose that when the former warning was ended there remained a voide roome to put in this addition which shall serue for a confirmation of the things that were spoken concerning the former maner of dealing vsed in the printing of the sermons vpon Danyel For immediatly vpon the getting of a copie printed at Rochell by Bartilmew Berton in the yeare of our Lord 1565 he that nameth himselfe the first author of the putting of them abroade gaue forth that they had bin kept as it were in prison by the space of twelue years or thereabouts that the Author of them had suppressed them and held them fast locked vp with such other like sayings deuised of his owne braine But therein he sheweth sufficientlie by what meanes he came by those copies which were neuer kept backe from any that were desirous to haue them so it were but to reade them albeit that they were kept from such as would copie them out to defraud our poore folke of the benefite that was lawfully gotten for them And whereas he reporteth that the copie which he caused to be imprinted fell into the hands of a friend of his he shoulde at leastwise haue inquired how that came to passe and by what title his friend made it his owne so as he durst cause it to be printed But it is apparant how great his fault was against our poore folk and what pretence so euer he make no man can doubt what zeale or affection draue him to do that thing By the way God grant that the Readers be not disappointed of the profit which they should reape of those sermons that they be put forth according as they were gathered wherof we neither can nor wil iudge vntill we haue read them throughly conferred them with the originall copies which we haue heere which thing we will by Gods helpe doe ere it be long that we may faithfully warne the readers thereof against the next imprinting of them againe THE SERMONS of Master Iohn Caluin vpon the fifth booke of Moses called Deuteronomie On Wednesday the xx of March 1555. The first Sermon vpon the first Chapter HEre followe the wordes which Moses spake to all Israell beyond Iordan in the wildernesse in the plaine against the red sea betweene Pharan and Tophell and Laban and Hazerot and Dizahab 2 There are eleuen iourneyes from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Cades barne 3 And it came to passe that in the fortith yeere the first day of the eleuenth moneth Moses spake to the children of Israell according to all that euer the Lorde had commanded him to say vnto them WHen GOD caused his lawe to be publisht in mount Horeb after his coÌueying of the people out of the thraldome of Egypt there by he shewed to what ende and purpose he had had pitie of his people in deliuering them that is to wit to be glorifyed thereby as the marke whereunto we also must referre all the gracious giftes which he bestoweth vpon vs. Zacharie the father of S. Iohn Baptist speaking of the great and souereigne deliuerance that was made in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ Luke 1.74 saith that Gods discharging of vs from the hand and tyranny of our enemies was to the end what we should serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all our life long And this is a doctrine very common throughout the whole holy scripture And for the same cause also is it sayd by the prophet Esay Esai 43.31 that God hath created a people to set foorth his prayse Seeing then that the Lawe was giuen to the people to make them perceiue why they had bin deliuered from the bondage of Egypt it was good reason that they should yeelde themselues to the obeying of God which had shewed himselfe their redeemer in such wise Neuerthelesse the people were vntowarde and could not finde in their hartes to yeelde themselues plyable in hearkening to the things that were tolde them in the name of their God Yet ought they of right to haue done it seeing they had receiued so great so inestimable a benefit For God had vttered the mightie strength of his arme in deliuering the people Therefore ought they to haue considered thus Behold our God hath magnified himselfe towardes vs after a wonderfull fashion we haue had as it were a visible presence of his maiestie if the heauens had opened and God had shewed himselfe to our eyes we should not haue had a greater and more vndoubted assurance of his neerenesse vnto vs to warrant vs that he was our leader Seeing then that God is so come downe vnto vs and that it hath pleased him to impart his goodnesse in such wise vnto vs is it not reason that we should be wholy his And seeing he hath reached out his hand to redeem vs ought we not to be his heritage inasmuch as he hath gotten vs by his owne mightie power Had the people had one drop of wisedome they should haue yeelded themselues with all humilitie to
is readie to receiue men to his mercie and to haue pitie vpon them when they returne vnto him And let such knowledge make vs teachable Whensoeuer it pleaseth God to preache his worde vnto vs let vs haue our heartes open to receiue it let vs be plyable to followe that which he commaundeth to be short let vs yeeld our selues wholly to his goodnesse Now it is said here that Moses expounded the Lawe howbeit that in y e Hebrew there is a word which signifieth that he vouchsafed or listed to declare the Lawe And that serueth to shew still that he performed his commission with a free courage or willing minde For it may bee that he whom God commandeth to teache his people shall discharge himselfe thereof howbeit but as it were by force such necessitie if a man haue an eye vnto it doth alwayes import a constraint so that all that euer we can doe shall be nothing worth And here the ministers of Gods worde are exhorted not onely to preach the word that is committed vnto them but also to do it with a free and cheerefull courage according also as S. Paul auoweth it to be requisite 1. Cor. 9.17 and protesteth that he himselfe did so And therefore let the example as well of Moses as of S. Paul serue for our instruction Moreouer let vs marke also that vnder this saying of the Lawe is comprehended the rehearsall of the things that Moses intended to make of the things that were come to passe True it is that the word Law betokeneth teaching and instruction and therefore a man might aske at the first blush what instruction there is in the report of stories It is not without cause y t Moses hath sayde so For when God putteth vs in remembrance of our sinnes and of the benefites y t he hath bestowed vpon vs and of the chastisements which wee haue receiued at his hand it ought to teache vs to our profit Gods setting of such things afore vs is not to make vs pastime but to the end that on the one side we should be the better disposed to serue him and to continue in his feare and on the other side be trained and allured to resort vnto him and to seeke all our welfare and all that euer belongeth to our saluation at his hand We see then howe it is not without cause that Moses giueth the name of Lawe or Doctrine to the rehearsall of things that were come to passe forsomuch as by y t meanes the people ought to haue bin led vnto God to haue bin the better edified And therefore let vs marke that when we reade the holy stories it is not onely to know what hath bin done to y e end we may be able to talke of it but to the end we should behold there the grace of God towardes y e faithful in deliuering them Also we must consider after what maner he hath exercised his children in patience and made them to wade through many afflictions that their faith might bee tryed and consequently how he neuer forsaketh them at the point of neede and necessitie Againe we must consider the iustice that he hath executed in punishing such as haue done amisse and transgressed his will If we haue such regarde and discretion with vs the Stories will bee as an instruction to vs. For wee shall bee better assured by them than if GOD did but simply tell vs what he requireth at our handes and what our duetie is That then is the thing which we haue to beare in minde it will be a good preparatiue for vs to the thinges that are to ensue For otherwise it would be thought an vnprofitable thing to knowe that Moses chose men to gouerne the people that on the other side the people followed not Gods commaundement in pursuing their enemies and such other like thinges What haue wee to doe with those things will some men say But forasmuch as we be admonished that all these things concerne our instruction we must put them to such vse as nothing may be vnoccupyed assuring our selues that God procured our benefite welfare when he did set foorth to vs as it were in a painted table the things that belong vnto vs at this day and may be applyed to our instruction Whereas it is sayde That it is ynough that the people had taryed a certaine time at Mount Horeb therein we see that Gods deliuering of the children out of the bondage of Egypt was not to lay the brydle in their necke that they might go where they listed but to be their gouernour for euer And that is a thing that ought to stand vs in good stead For wee haue a president that when God receiueth vs for his people it is not only for a day or twaine but of purpose to haue a continuall care of vs to the end so as he will not leaue vs in the midde way but proceede in guiding of vs still vntill wee bee come to our right marke And this is a verie profitable doctrine for what a thing were it if God shoulde once giue vs his lawe and set vs in a good trade and afterwarde let vs alone without looking to vs Wee see our owne frayltie insomuch that wee could not steppe one steppe but wee should bee readie to stumble or to start out of the way and the incomberaunces are so manie and so great as it would bee vnpossible for vs to ouercome them if God assisted vs not And therefore let vs learne that when God hath once adopted vs and chosen vs to bee of his flocke it is not to the end we shoulde but onely take a taste of his grace for a day but to the end that he will continue in doing vs good and his taking of vs into his gouernment is of purpose neuer to giue vs ouer so as wee shall alwayes be vnder his protection and he will neuer ceasse to increase the good turnes that wee haue felt and receiued of him vntill we bee come to the full perfection Forasmuch then as wee see that he neuer leaueth his worke vnperfected but goeth through with it as it is sayde in the Psalme Psal. 138.8 it ought well to cause vs to magnifie his goodnesse and to incourage vs to giue ouer our selues wholly vnto him And the same belongeth to the spirituall health of our soules according to this saying of S. Paul in the first Chapter to the Philippians Phil. 1.6 that he which hath begun the good worke will goe through with it euen vnto the day of our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherefore let vs marke what whereas God declareth here by the mouth of Moses that the people had taryed long ynough about mount Horeb and that he would haue them to goe foreward thereby he doth vs to vnderstand that seeing he hath deliuered vs from the dungeon of death and from the bondage of the diuell and of sinne we shall haue him to be our guide for
heauenly lyfe and looke thitherward so as all our wittes all our desires and all our indeuors tend thither For if we haue not an eye to the kingdome of heauen wee must needes shrinke at euery incounter euery minute of an houre Thus then ye see what wee haue to doe in that case And moreouer to the intent our hartes quaile not as Moses sayth here let vs indeuer to strengthen our selues with the power of the holy ghost and consider that as it is sayd by the prophet Esay Esa. 35. ââ Heb. 1â and alledged by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Gospel hath this propertie and nature with it that when wee feele our knees weake and trembling when our armes are feeble and after a sort broosed and broken and when we be hemmed in on all sides with impediments that hinder vs from following our vocation it maketh vs to resorte to Gods word which ought to strengthen vs and to make our armes and legges sound and lustie againe and specially to strengthen vs in our hearts and mindes Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as we may repent vs rightly of them and being ashamed in our selues resorte vnto him assuring our selues that as he hath promised to receiue all wretched sinners that come vnto him vpon trust of his grace by meanes of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall be accepted of him and and his wrath pacified towardes vs though wee haue prouoked him neuer so much And let vs pray him not onely that wee may obteyne forgiuenesse of our sinnes past but also to guide vs henceforth by his holy spirite and to drawe vs from all the vanities of the worlde so as he fashion vs according to his owne righteousnesse and make vs feele the fruite of the victorie and triumph that is prepared for vs in heauen That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to people nations of y e earth c. On Wednesday the xvij of April 1555. The seuenth Sermon vpon the first Chapter 29 And I sayd vnto you dread not neither be afraide of them 30 The Lord your God which goeth before you will fight for you lyke as hee did with you in Egypt before your eyes 31 And in the wildernesse where thou hast seene how the Lord thy God bare thee euen as a man beareth his sonne in all the way which ye haue gone vntill ye be come vnto this place 32 And yet for all this you haue not beleeued the Lord your God 33 Who to prouide you a place to pitch your tentes in went before you in the way in fyre by night to giue you light in the way that you should goe and in a cloude by day IF hardinesse were well taken it were an excellent vertue worthie of great prayse and exceedingly requisite in al a mans life For if wee be fearefull and haue not a stout courage to doe well it will be an easie matter to cary vs to all naughtinesse But yet for all that the worlde knoweth not how to bee hardie And that is the cause why men are so much giuen to rashnesse so bold ouerbold to adueÌture vpon foolish matches without aduisemeÌt But if we adueÌture vpon things on our own head fancie put not our trust in God it is a building without a foundation Neuerthelesse it is not for vs to looke for Gods helpe furtherfoorth than he hath bound himselfe to it by his promises The way then that we ought to be hardy is that when we haue once sought out Gods will wee obey it simply without attempting any thing at our owne pleasure Be wee once at that poynt wee must examine our owne strength and abilitie and finding nothing but weakenesse there wee must vtterly distrust our selues and resort vnto God And forasmuch as he of his owne free goodnesse vouchsafeth to assure vs that hee will not leaue vs at our neede we must thereupon conclude y t we cannot miscary being vnder his protection Now then wee see that the true hardinesse which God alloweth of is when men trust not to themselues ne leane to their owne wit and reason but yeelde themselues wholy to him that ought to gouerne them and depend vpon his grace for all thinges which they want and thereupon goe foreward stoutly without shrinking or swaruing one way or other And this lesson is shewed vs in the text that I rehearsed euen now out of Moses For there hee exhorteth the people to hardinesse and sheweth them why The Lorde your God sayth he will fight for you As if hee should say If you esteeme your selues the more for your great multitude or thinke to ouercome your enemies by your own power it is but foolish presumption and God wil punish you for being so puffed vp with pride And if ye should attempt any thing without Gods leaue and without hauing his worde for it that also were an ouerweening which should not scape vnpunished But forasmuch as God is on your side and you haue his promise that he will not faile you and you be not come hither but by his leading of you with his owne hand Be not afraid Thus sendeth he them to Gods will to the ende they should not doe any thing which is not lawfull Againe he will haue them to leane altogether to Gods promises and because they could not haue in themselues the thinges that were requisite he will haue them to hope that God will assist them Now this was spoken to the Iewes whom Moses gouerned at that time but yet is it a doctrine whose vse is euerlasting in Gods Church as is sayde afore We haue not the Chananites for our enemies against whome to fight but yet doe wee knowe y t this present life of ours shall not be idle but that God will haue vs kept occupyed lyke men of warre that are waged to battell And who be our enemies Satan with all the shiftes that he hath and all the vnbeleeuers through whom we must passe For here wee be mingled with such as seeke nothing els but the destruction of Gods children wee haue infinite temptations and to be short wee neede neuer to go out of our selues to finde incounters enow for all our lustes and all that springeth of our fleshe is deadly enmitie against GOD as sayth S. Paul to the Romans Rom. 8.7 Seeing then that God hath ordeyned that wee should mainteine battell all our lyfe long and wee haue a greate sorte of enemies yea and those very mightie and strong which neuer cease troubling of vs it behoueth vs to get vs hardines for if we shrink anon we be ouercome Therefore it standeth vs on hand to be armed with inuincible constancie or else if euery of vs followe his owne swindge God wil let vs alone So then are
that they dranke The Moabites therefore and the Ammonytes not onely had no cause to complaine seeing they were not greeued nor troubled by the children of Israel nor receiued any harme or losse by them but also ought to haue considered thus Beholde Gods will is to stablishe the brotherhood that is betwixt them and vs and that ought wee to print well in our mindes In so much that although they had had neither stories nor Chronicles yet ought that to haue beene a thing of renowne among them and the report of it ought to haue beene common from father to sonne to the ende they might haue applied and indeuoured themselues to maintaine one another Though there had beene none other alyance nor promise yet ought that to haue suffised to maintaine peace and agreement betwixt them But contrariwise they became Scorpions to sting the children of Israel and when they coulde not make warre against them themselues Ezec. 25.12 they linked in with their enemies and procured them manie quarrels Adb. 11. And whensoeuer any aduersitie befell them they playde the barking curres and made hew and crie after them as wee see is spoken of them by the Prophetes and the Psalmes Psal. 137.7 For it is saide Lorde remember the children of Edom which were the neerest of kinne vnto them for they came of Esau and were circumcised as well as the children of Israel they bore the badge of Gods couenaunt as householde folkes of his Church and yet for all that in the day of Ierusalem they cryed out vppon them vppon them roote them out so as one stone may not abide vpoÌ another Thus see ye so greate a crueltie that euen the enemies woulde haue beene more courteous than these which had cause to haue beene so and ought to haue beene as brothers As much is to bee saide of Moab For when the poore Iewes were put to any afterdeele and fledde vnto Moab in hope to haue some refuge there they were betrayed by these to whome they had conueied themselues And therefore doth God complaine of such crueltie saying Esa. 26.4 Moab thou wart the couert of my people but when they came to thee thou drauest them away yea and deltest more cruelly with them thân their enemies That was the recompence which those nations yeelded whom God had so greatly borne withall and to whom hee had shewed so great kindnesse but yet ought not that vnkindnesse of theirs to make the children of Israel to shewe themselues vncurteous towardes them For their sparing of them after that sort increased their condemnation the more I meane them that had so ill acknowledged the benefite And therfore GOD failed not to punish such trecherie Nowe then wee bee taught first not to passe whether men acknowledge y e good that we haue done them or no. For albeit that wee may seeme to lose the thing that wee shall haue done yet let it suffise vs that GOD alloweth our obedience in that hee saieth bee kindeharted towardes all men And when wee shall haue indeuoured to doe good to all men without hurting of any man if men acknowledge it not but doe the contrarie vnto vs verie well let vs not passe for it but let vs beare their vnthankefulnesse patiently For why Wee haue serued GOD who will not forget what wee haue done Therefore if the worlde bee set vppon such frowardnesse as wee may bee occasioned to feele some griefe and impatiencie yet must wee still keepe on our course which God hath commaunded vs. Marke that for one point And it is a verie needful lesson in these dayes For if we should fal to reckning of our cards before we would shew any kindnes one to another what a thing were that When should a man begin to doe good neuer for we see how al the world is so corrupted as is pitifull to thinke It seemeth that wee cast our good turnes into the throtes of woolues or madde dogges and that it is nothing else but a prouoking of their malice more and more which seeke to abuse our simplicitie But yet for all that it behoueth vs to haue an eye to that which God commandeth Nowe whereas men on their side are so malicious and froward let vs marke that as God took vengeance of the Moabites Edomites and Ammonites for misusing the children of Israel after that sort so will he doe the like nowadayes I tolde you euen now that the Prophets doe oftentimes make mention of the slender recompence that these nations yeelded to the children of Israel but did God let them alone from heauen No. For although the children of Israel coÌplained not yet did God take their case in hand and set himselfe as counterpartie against those nations He taryed not till the crie of the afflicted did come vp vnto him and vanish away in the aire but he sendeth them his Prophets and telleth them that forasmuch as he had taken the people of Israel into his protection he wil be reuenged of the outrage that is done vnto them For although that they on their side did suffer it iustly for shrinking from their subiection to God yet notwithstanding the Edomites Moabites Ammonites ought to haue pitied their brethreÌ And therfore did God set himselfe against them and saide You also must flee when your turne comes about and no man shall receiue you yee shal bee scattered throughout the worlde and not finde any place to rest in Abd. 17. Ios. 6.26 Againe when hee speaketh of the Edomites wee see hee curseth them and in the meane season comforteth his owne people There shal be a horrible spoile saith he through the whole countrie of Iewrie but yet will I bring home my people againe in time But as for Edom cursed shall hee bee that buildeth it againe or that goeth about to builde it and set it vp againe Hee shall lay the foundation of it in his first borne that is to say all the preparation that shall bee made to set vp this people againe shall fall downe in the ende and they that helpe him shall perish for there shal be no helpe but it shall fall out against him Nowe then sith wee see this let it suffise vs that wee haue indeuoured to doe our duetie For our God will take the case in hande for vs and bee on our side If men bee malicious towardes vs and render euill for good GOD will make himselfe the counterpartie against them and although wee sit still and make no countenance to reuenge our selues yet will GOD put to his hande Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in rememberannce concerning these nations But there is yet this point to bee noted where it is saide That there had beene Gyants in all the Countries of the nations afore mentioned and that God had driuen them out For Moses intended to doe vs to wâ that the successours of Ammon Moab and Esau had beene brought into those countries by the hande of God As if he
vpon the fourth Chapter NOw then O Israel hearken to the ordinaunces and Lawes which I teache you to doe that yee may liue and goe in and possesse the lande which the Lord God of your fathers giueth you 2 Ye shall not adde anie thing to the word which I command you neither shall yee take anie thing from it to intent yee may keepe the commaundementes of the Lord your God which I commaund you THe conclusion y t Moses maketh here is wel worthie to be marked for it maketh for the matter which hath bin expounded heretofore that is too wit that wee haue neede to bee prepared to the obeying of our God because wee bee disobedient of our own nature and our affections drawe contrarie to his will insomuch that whereas hee will haue vs to walke vprightly there is nothing but vtter lewdenesse in vs. Againe if wee happen to haue any good disposition desire to walke after Gods commaundementes wee start away incontinently in the turning of a hand and there is no constancie in vs towardes any good On the other part wee haue a sorte of foolishe dotages which cary vs away so as wee will needes bee euer disputing with God yea and be wiser than hee Therefore haue wee neede to be subdued and humbled by al meanes or else God shall neuer be able to welde vs. For this cause it is sayd that the people heard not the lawe published vnto them one day onely but that they were often times put in minde of it And that forasmuch as they were stubborne GOD had subdued them by many chastisementes as by leading them about in the wildernesse the space of fortie yeeres to inure them to obedience and by trying them diuers wayes to teach them that it was no resisting of such a maister After that Moses hath treated of all those thinges hee sayth Harken now O Israell what I tell thee in the name of God As if hee should say it is time now or neuer for you to begin to walke in obedience that yee bee no more lyke wilde folke as yee haue bin that yee giue not head to your wicked lustes that yee bee not so fierce as to shake off Gods yoke and that ye stick not to your owne fond inuentions which make you to runne astray but that yee beare well in minde what yee haue indured For if yee cannot yet bowe your neckes to submit your selues to your GOD in the ende hee must be faine to breake you if ye will not bowe Now heere yee his voyce sayth hee And wee must apply this to our vse That is to say Seeing it is now a great while agoe since wee began to heare the worde of God wee must not bee still as young nouices we must not bee lyke the young bullockes or Steeres which cannot yet skill what it is to beare the yoke but wee must bee throughly acquainted with obeying If they that neuer were taught Gods trueth bee wilde-headed and cannot finde in their heartes to stoope at the first but runne gadding heere and there after a number of worldly vanities it is not to bee wondered at True it is that that shall not serue to excuse them no surely for seeing that God hath created vs to the ende to serue and honor him wee ought to giue our selues wholy vnto him euen from our mothers wombs Neuerthelesse if wee be somewhat straunge for want of teaching it may bee borne withall among men But if at the end of twentie yeeres when wee haue had our eares continually beaten with the Gospell so as GOD hath spoken vnto vs earely aud late and cryed out vnto vs to waken vs wee abide still at our Absie and wot not what rule or doctrine meaneth must it not needes bee sayd that wee bee of too vntowarde a nature Yes and that is it which the Apostle meaneth in saying 1. Cor. 3.1 yee ought by this time to haue bin great doctors in respect of the time that yee haue gone to schoole and beholde yee bee still rawe and vnlearned so as it shoulde seeme that GOD neuer spake to you According then to the time that God of his grace shall haue bestowed in teaching of vs by his worde let vs learne to yeelde our selues the more teachable and to shewe that he hath not lost his labor but that we haue profited well in his schoole And this poynteth at vs inespecially For howe long time hath the Gospel beene preached among vs so as wee heard nothing else euery day but what Gods will is Nowe then it is good reason that wee on our side should not bee so straunge but that wee shoulde consider that wee ought not to bee still newe to beginne in the things that haue beene tolde vs so often alreadie And againe wee must profite also as well by chastisementes as by teaching If GOD haue humbled vs in any wise because hee seeth that wee cannot otherwise bee subdued vnto him so as hee hath tamed one with sickenesse and another with pouertie after what fashion soeuer GOD hath made vs to feele his hande let vs looke well to it that wee profite our selues thereby and that this word Now which Moses vseth here be wel printed in our hearte and minde So that if wee haue bin ouerseene if wee haue not at the first bin so well disposed to liue as it becommeth vs if wee haue not bin so forewarde as wee ought to haue bin in running to our God when hee hath called vs at leastwise let vs not continue so hardharted and stubborne to the vttermost But nowe let vs see in effect what Moses requireth here Hearken O Israel sayth he to the ordinaunces and statutes which I teach thee to doe that thou mayst liue and enter into the land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee and possesse it Here Moses declareth that our lyfe shall alwayes bee full of disorder and confusion vntill wee haue yeelded so much authoritie vnto God ouer vs as to haue the whole guyding of vs and that wee haue made our account to rest simply vppon his worde To bee shorte wee bee taught heere to rid our selues of all selfeweening and that when the case concerneth how to liue well wee must not step to it vppon our owne head and after our owne fancie to say this seemeth good to mee Whereat must wee then begin At learning as Moses declareth And therefore hee that giueth eare vnto God to receiue whatsoeuer is tolde him from him shall bee well learned But on the contrary part vntill such time as wee haue heard our GOD speake and that hee haue performed the office of a teacher towardes vs it is certeine that our life shall be quite out of order Wee may well flatter our selues as ignorant wretches doe who beare themselues in hand that the worlde goes as well with them as is possible when in the meane while they be no better than bewitched so as there is neither wit nor discretion in them Ye see
with vs according to his owne saying that he is a kinde hearted and pitifull God Exo. 34.6 Deut. 1.31 Esa. 49.15 Matt. 7.9 foreward to shew mercie and of long sufferaunce When God intendeth to shewe what good will he beareth vs he alledgeth all the properties of a good Father Then will he neuer vse any roughnesse vnlesse he bee inforced bicause he seeth vs dul vpon the spurre and is faine to prick vs or else wee would neuer goe on our way Therefore when we come to reade the holy Scripture let vs alwaies haue this before our eyes that our Lordes desire is to drawe vs to him by gentlenesse if wee bee plyable and therevpon let vs humble our selues vnto him and not looke to haue him deale roughly with vs but followe him quietly as soone as he hath shewed vs that he is willing to receiue vs. And if we haue bin so farre ouerseene as to haue giuen deafe eare to all his promises and not to come at his call at leastwise it were not meete for vs to bee drowsie still when he addeth his threatnings to waken vs. Therefore let vs vnderstand that it is time for vs to yeeld our selues to God then or neuer And that is the cause why that in this text Moses putteth the people in rememberance of the punishments that God had laide vpon such as worshipped the idole of AmmoÌ which was called Beel-phegor But we haue yet one point more to mark which is that God spareth vs and punisheth others to the intent wee should learne wit at other mens cost as they say If God should step to vs at the first dash and correct vs as soone as wee haue done amisse or tell vs that we should looke for vengeance at his hand yet ought we to take it as a token of his fatherly goodnesse as I said afore But his will is to beare with vs and he setteth the saide chastisements before vs to make vs knowe that his punishing of offenders is not without cause that wee ought to take the same for a warning to our selues And so doth Moses vse it here For he saith not God will punish you if ye offende but hee saieth Ye haue seene howe they were punished which worshipped Beel-phegor Nowe therefore preuent Gods wrath and tarie not till he be angrie with you set on fire but cleaue simply to his word and let the corrections that he hath shewed you auaile you not bee shewed you in vaine Thus ye see the third point which wee haue to marke that is to wit that our Lorde vttereth not his threatenings vnto all men but sheweth vs howe he punisheth the vnbeleeuers to the intent that wee shoulde not bee of their nomber least wee should be wrapped in the same condemnation with them Eph. 5 5â And it is the same thing that S. Paul sheweth For after he hath tolde the faithfull that they must abstaine from couetousnes theft whoredome drunkennesse and such other like things yea and euen from all manner of loosenesse and wantonnesse he addeth be not deceiued for Gods wrath commeth vppon the vnbeleeuers for such things He saieth not that Gods wrath shall come vpon them but he tempereth his speach and saieth Consider that God punisheth the vnbeleeuers for such causes and therfore separate your selues from their nomber and companie After the same maner speaketh he likewise in the tenth of the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. ââ After he had tolde them how God had punished idolaters rebels and such as had coueted vnlawfull things he addeth that those thinges are written for vs that we might see and behold Gods iudgements as in a liuely picture keepe our selues from falling into the like punishment Nowe therefore let vs come to that which Moses rehearseth here Your eyes saieth he haue seen what the Lorde did in the case of Beel-phegor In saying so he telleth not the people a tale that shall doe them no good but he doeth them to vnderstand that Gods vttering of his vengeaunce against such as had worshipped that idole was to giue a generall lesson to all men and therefore that they ought to thinke themselues worthie of dubble blame in that behalfe forasmuch as they had fared neuer the better by Gods scourges but had shut their eyes all the while that he was about to warne them to their benefite and welfare Nowe remaineth to apply this geere to our vse When God sendeth any trouble vppon the world let vs vnderstand that it is not without cause that he is so sore displeased For if we consider the offences and misdeedes that haue bene committed wee must needes conclude y t God sheweth himselfe a iudge in punishing sinnes But doeth that serue onely for them that feele the strokes No Gods will is to shewe his iust vengeance generally that men may learne to stoope to him and to walke in feare of him and to giue theÌselues no more to prouoking of him To be short all the chastisementes that wee see in the worlde ought to serue for our learning according to this saying of the Prophet Esay Esa. 26.9 O Lorde when thou executest thy iudgementes the dwellers of the earth shall learne righteousnesse For when God winketh and punisheth not the wicked and vnrighteous men take leaue to doe euill it seemeth that all thinges shoulde scape vnpunished and euerie man beareth with himselfe accordingly as all of vs are naturally too much inclined to flatter our selues in our sinnes But when wee perceiue that GOD calleth mens sinnes to account and that all thinges are inrolled before him he sheweth him selfe a iudge in punishing men whereas they thought they had beene forgotten then behold wee be wakened so as euerie of vs beginnes to bethinke himselfe or at leastwise it were good reason that he should do so True it is that Gods iudgementes doe sometimes passe before our eyes and wee make none account of them by meanes whereof wee can fare neuer the better for them but vnhappie are wee when we bee so blinde And why For as I saide Gods intent is that other men shoulde take example by his chastising of those that haue offended Yea and euen the worldly iudges obserue the same order insomuch that when they punish a theefe or a murderer or any other euill dooer they doe it not alonely to be reuenged of y e euil that he hath done as in respect of himselfe but also to set him forth as a lookingglasse to the intent that all other folkes shoulde set a watch ouer themselues and abhorre such crimes and not suffer them to haue their full course and scope And thinke wee that God goeth yet any further So then let vs suffer our selues to bee amended at other mens cost and let vs haue our eyes open to beholde the punishment so that he sendeth And nowe in these dayes must it not needes bee that wee be worse than asleepe if wee bee not mooued at the great
very deede to seeke God to sticke vnto him And howe may that bee done Euen by obeying his voyce according as wee knowe also that obedience is the thing which God preferreth before all other sacrifices 1. Sa. 15. â Psal. 5â â And that is a thing worthie to be wel marked For Moses here setteth our two things The one is that when men bragge of their willingnesse to seeke God if they shewe it not in good earnest by their whole lyfe so as it may bee knowen by their fruites a men may well tell them that they lye and that they doe but mocke with GOD and the worlde when they say wee bee sorie for our sinnes That is the thing which wee haue to marke for one poynt Therefore let vs try our repentance by the said rule When wee seeme to our selues to seeke God let vs looke that it bee with liuely repentance not in feete hands or eyes but in y e reformation of all our affectioÌs so as they may be giuen ouer all wholy to follow God his worde If it be not so with vs all y t euer we can say of repentance is but mockery Marke that for one poynt The other is the obeying of Gods voyce When as hee speaketh of the obeying of Gods voyce it is to exclude all the fond deuotions of mans owne inuenting For when men intend to serue God well how goe they to worke Mee thinkes say they that such a thing is good and thereupon they set vp goodly gay seruices Moses therefore excludeth all these thinges in saying that we must obey the voyce of our God Wherfore let vs see that wee submit our selues vnto him Because wee see the world is so greatly giuen to inuent fond deuotions let vs for our part learne to know that whatsoeuer is of mans deuising is playne deceit and euen the high way to leade vs to destruction and that the onely way to please God and to make our lyfe allowable before him is simply to obey his worde to submit our selues to him wheÌ he prouoketh vs to repentance assuring our selues that it is the very meanes also whereby we may obteyne saluation though wee haue deserued to perishe a hundred thowsand times Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done heretofore yea euen in such wise as hauing condemned our selues for them wee may not forbeare to rest vppon his promises and to resorte vnto him and to pray vnto him that hee may haue pitie vppon vs as hee that desireth not the death of sinners but that they should come home againe to him for asmuch as hee is ready to admit them to the saluation which hee hath promised to his children Wherefore let vs repayre vnto him euen in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and if wee conuert not at the very first as soone as hee chastiseth vs let vs pray him to make vs to proceede in true repentaunce from day to day by forsaking the vice that is in vs so as he may gouerne vs by his holy spirit and the worlde may perceiue that Gods word hath such authoritie ouer vs as we desire nothing but to fashion our selues all wholly thereafter That it may please him to grant this grace not onelie to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the iiii of Iune 1555. The xxvii Sermon which is the ninth vpon the fourth Chapter 32 For inquire thou nowe of the daies past which haue beene before thee since the day that God created man vpon the earth and from the one end of heauen vnto the other if euer there were done so great a thing as this or if euer the like thing haue beene heard of 33 Was there euer anie Nation that hath heard the voice of God speaking out of the middes of fire as thou hast heard and yet continuest aliue 34 Or was there euer anie God that assaied to goe and take him a people from the middes of another people by temptations signes and wonders by warres and strong hand by stretched out arme and great terriblenesse as the Lord your God hath done in Egypt before your eies 35 He hath made thee to see them to the intent thou shouldest knowe that the Lord is God and that there is none other but onelie he ALthough that all the thinges that euer God did ought to serue for our learning wee knowe not any thing but by auncient stories yet the later that thinges were done so much the better ought they to touch vs. And although wee ought to profit our selues by Gods workes when wee beholde them a farre of yet ought they to moue vs much more when they touch ourselues and concerne our owne persons If a thing be tolde vs which wee neuer sawe yet ought the storie to serue to waken vs. But if wee bee able to beare witnesse of it ourselues so as our eyes haue seene it and wee haue not had it by other mens report but euery of vs is able to auowe it by his owne experience ought wee not bee much better and muche more assuredly taught by it In like case is it when any of vs shall haue seene or perceiued any worke of God for he ought to be touched so much the more to the quick In the selfesame respect doth Moses now speake vnto the people Looke about thee inquire of the auncient tymes see whether thou canst finde that euer there haue bin any such wonders wrought since the creation of the world as God hath done in thy sight Seeing it is so thine vnthankfulnesse shal be the more vnexcusable if thou acknowledge not so great a benefite by perswading thy selfe fully that there is none other God than the same that hath vttered himselfe to thee hath giuen thee so euideÌt and infallible tokens of his maiestie Therefore haue a regard to serue the God that hath purchased thee for thou canst not henceforth alledge any cause of ignorance Now by the way we haue to marke y t the intent of Moses is to put a difference here betweene y e God of Israel all those that were worshipped for Gods in the world and not without cause For when men haue forged any God to themselues they may well toyle themselues to serue him but it shall turne to their condemnation Why so Because they rob God of the honor that belongs to him to giue it to a creature or rather to a shadowe For if wee make idols they bee not worthy to bee reckoned among Gods creatures If wee imagine of God after our owne lyking it is but vanitie and leasing So then when men worship the thing that they haue conceiued in their own faÌsie 1. Cor. 8.4 they conuey the glory of y e liuing God not only to creatures but also to that which is nothing at all Therefore it is very expedient
not knowen eueriwhere insomuch that when those which tooke themselues to bee verie wise were demaunded how long it was ago since the worlde was created some woulde make it six times as long ago and othersome thirtie times Wherein it appeareth how God punished their shamefull negligence And whereof came it that meÌ knew not when the world was created but that they were contented to shut their eyes and to knowe nothing that had bene done Wherefore seeing that men do wilfully shun instruction it is good reason that God should giue them ouer to such beastlinesse as they shoulde not knowe from whence they came nor what their original was but bee vtterly dulled And for the same cause Moses speaking to the people whom God had reserued to himselfe did put them in rememberaunce of the day wherein man was created vppon the earth Nowe he saieth Inquire from the one end of heauen to the other to wit if euer there were so great a thing or if euer man heard of the like After he hath spoken of the time nowe he speaketh of the places As if he should say If folke will make good inquisition it is not ynough for them to knowe what thinges God hath shewed to themselues but it were meete for them to seeke about euery where and to marke well what they finde and to call to minde the things that haue bene done in farre Countries Therefore consider well saieth he what hath bin done from the one end of the heauen to the other And this is it that I sayde afore namely that wee must profit our selues by all Gods workes and although we behold them not with our eyes yet if wee doe but heare of them and tidings is brought vs of them from a farre wee must honour God in them In deede if wee bee witnesses of them they ought to touche vs so much the more But yet howsoeuer the case stande wee ought to doe our indeuour to knowe the things that haue bin done in straunge Countries according as is said here And when as Moses saieth so great a thing thereby he sheweth that the more that God manifesteth his power the more ought wee to be rauished with wonderment In deede there is no worke of God so small which ought not to moue vs to acknowledge some token of his Maiestie therein If wee doe but looke vpon a flie surely wee haue there wherefore to magnifie God If wee see but the slip of an herb or any other thing bee it neuer so little wee haue therein whereby wee ought to acknowledge the wonderfull workemanship of God But if he doe moreouer worke much more euident myracles ought not all our wittes to be much more occupied or spent about them WheÌ God doeth after a sort alter the order of nature and worketh after a new and vnaccustomed maner is it not all one as if he should rebuke vs for our negligence and say vnto vs Seeing you knewe mee not for God by the accustomed order of nature at leastwise thinke vpon mee now when I goe to worke after another straunge fashion and consider ye whether I bee God or no. Thus ye see what Moses meant by saying There was neuer yet so great a thing neither was there euer the like heard of Let vs marke well therefore that to attaine to the right knowledge of God when wee haue raunged vp and downe through the whole world and spent all our wittes in looking vpon al things whether they be great or small if God giue vs any such inclings of his Maiestie as may mooue vs more than ordinarie we must be wholly rauished thereat and yeeld him the honour that is due vnto him And how that ought to be done it shall be declared more plainely anon for as nowe I doe but goe through the wordes of Moses seuerally as they lie He saieth afterward Was there euer any people that heard the voyce of their God speaking out of the middes of fire as thou hast done and yet continuest aliue Here among other things Moses alledgeth y t God had spoken to his people out of the mids of fire For it was a visible signe of Gods Maiestie so as it was not for them to doubt any more whether he were y e liuing God seeing they heard his voyce thundering from heauen and therewithall sawe a great thicke cloud and a flaming fire Nowe seeing that this appeared to them was it for them to inquire any more whether it were God or no No verily for the thing was most euident And furthermore here Moses vpbraideth the people couertly with their leawdnesse if they continue slowe still in doing homage to the liuing God seeing that all the heathen were inclined yea and wilfully wedded to their superstitions and yet knewe no cause why For had the Heathen men bene asked by what warrant they worshipped their idoles they would haue answered by reason of their myracles Yea but what maner of miracles were they fantasticall imaginations diuelish illusions and inchauntmentes But beholde Moses speaketh here of a thing that was knowen the hearers of it were present to beare witnesse of it For he saieth ye heard the voyce of your God from out of the middes of fire Seeing that your GOD hath shewed himselfe to you so familiarly there remaines no excuse for you if you worship him not as your GOD. Either ye must forsake him through wilfull rebellion or else ye must needes graunt that there is neither power Maiestie nor glorie in the whole worlde other than that which was shewed vnto you when the lawe was giuen you But let vs marke by the way that Moses matcheth here the worde with the myracles For the myracles had booted them nothing at all Deu. 4.11.12 if doctrine had not bene matched therewith as hath beene touched heretofore But yet is it good for vs to bee put in minde of it againe and it is not for nought also that the holy Ghost repeateth it in this text and wee shall see it mentioned yet againe hereafter If the people of Israel had but onely had some visions Deut. 4.36 to doe them to vnderstand which was the liuing God that had brought them out of the lande of Egypt and in the meane whyle had bene let alone in their ignoraunce so as they had had no lawe no rule no promise of saluation no instruction of Religion all the rest had beene to no purpose It is true that they might haue liued being once deliuered from bondage but what had the end of it bene They had become but a barbarous people and they had corrupted themselues with superstitions as the Gentiles did But when as God after his declaring of himselfe vnto them and after his shewing of his Maiestie vnto them as it were in a myrrour or rather a liuely picture did also teache them and giue them a sure Lawe he ledde them into a Religion that was sacred and holy And so yee see that God gaue them such an euidence
bicause wee bee so corrupt and frowarde that all our thoughtes and affections goe the contrarie way it may please him to reforme vs by his holy spirit and to draw vs in such wise vnto him as we renouncing the world and despising these mortall and transitorie things may mount vp to the heauenly kingdome where we shall haue all contentation and rest And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the iiij of Iuly 1555. The xl Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the fifth Chapter 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour WEe haue seene heretofore that it is not lawfull for vs in anye wise to vexe our neighbours in their persons or to do them any domage in their goods Notwithstanding for as much as harme may bee doone by the tongue God hath vouchsafed to make mention of y t also in his Law as we see in this text Now then like as heretofore he forbad the doing of any outrage to our neighbors which thing he comprehended vnder y e word Murther likewise all grieuing of them and all anoying of them by any meanes in their goods so he sheweth here y t we must not speake euill of them nor vse any such words as may cast any blemish or staine vppon them It is true that he speaketh expressely of False witnesse howbeit that is according to the rule that I haue set downe namely y t he setteth forth the thinges formost which we ought most to mislyke to the intent wee shoulde mislyke the sinnes that come neere them Then if wee speake euill of our neighbors so as wee slaunder them although it bee not taken for a grieuous sinne before men yet doeth God take it for a false witnessing But here a maÌ might demaund a question why GOD speaketh here of false witnessing and periurie seeing he had alreadie said Thou shalt not take y e name of y e Lord thy God in vayne For it seemeth to bee a needlesse repetition For in so short a sum of y e law where there be not aboue ten senteÌces it seemeth vnconuenient to repeate one thing twise But we must marke that the things which haue beene set downe heretofore concerning the not taking of Gods name in vayne were in the first table where GOD respected onely the Maiestie of his name to the intent it shoulde bee had in reuerence Therefore whensoeuer wee speake of God wee must thinke vppon the infinite glorie that is in him that wee may neuer open our mouth but with reuerence and humilitie And whether wee intend to sweare or to speake of him in any other wise wee must euer thinke that his name is to bee reuerenced and that wee must not fling it foorth at aduenture Thus much concerning the thinges that wee haue seene alreadie vppon this matter Now God speaketh of another thing namely of the not hurting or harming of our neighbours in any wise by our wicked tongue So then in as much as there is a dubble intent wee see nowe that these two sentences differ also that there is no superfluitie at all Wherefore let vs marke well that for as much as it is shewed here howe men ought to liue togither charitably and vprightly although Gods name be dishonoured by lewd witnessing yet the lawe is not superfluous which saieth That we must not beare false witnesse against our neighbours I tolde you before that Gods meaning here is to condemne generally all slaunders all false reportes all diffamations and all other such like things Leuit. 19.16 17. And for proofe therof it is expressely saide in another place Thou shalt not bring vp any euill reporte nor speake euill on thy neighbour to cast any blot vppon him If the Law of God containe all perfection of good life it insueth that this also is comprehended therein And where shall wee put it but vnder this sentence Therefore wee must conclude that although GOD haue peculiarly set down here the name of False witnesse yet notwithstanding hee meant to extend the doctrine thereof to all slaunders misreportes and crooked speeches that tend to the diffaming or defacing of our neighbours or to the hurting of their good name Wee see then that Gods meaning here is to keepe vs in good friendship one towards another and that so farre as he suffereth not any man to bee impeached any more in his name than in his person or his goods Therefore whosoeuer diffameth his neighbour or in any wise backebyteth him doeth to the vttermost of his power breake the bond of charitie among men and proclaime open warre And if we consider all thinges well it is certaine that sometimes misreportes slaunders and backebytings doe much more harme than robberies Wherefore let vs vnderstand that if wee minde to obey our God wee must maintaine the honestie and honour of our neighbours to the vttermost of our power For seeing he hath forbidden vs to hurt any mans good name it is his will on the contrarie part that wee should indeuour to preserue all mens honesties For it is not ynough to abstaine from dooing of euill Psal. 34.15 vnlesse a man doe good therewithall Now must we proceede by the degrees which God meant to set out vnto vs in this place speaking of False witnesse The first then is to beware that wee vtter not any false report Lye or periurie in place of Iustice whereby to hurt them whose honestie honour and welfare we be bouÌd to procure For hee that beareth false witnesse against his neighbour doeth kill him and robbe him as much as in him lyeth and doeth all the euill that may growe of his periurie In deede most commonly men thinke it not to bee so but yet is it so in trueth And for the same cause did God expressely command in his Lawe that the witnesse should be the first in executing the partie that was to bee punished for any misdeede Deut. ãâ¦ã to the intent a man might knowe that their words and their tongues put him to death and that the witnesses themselues might stande the more in awe consider y t they should yeeld account vnto God of their witnesse bearing against any man Therfore when any euidence is to bee giuen it standeth euery man in hand to looke neerely to himselfe that he inlarge not his conscience but speake the thing simply plainly which he knoweth to be true before God But the case concerneth not onely the giuing of false euidence in matters of life death but also in all matters that touch mens honour honestie good name or goods Therefore let vs haue a care to preserue the honour and welfare of our neighbour in all respectes when we be to beare witnesse Yet notwithstanding wee must not vnder this colour cloake the offence of him that hath doone amisse or lye against God to maintaine his good state For if the honour of men bee precious vnto vs howe much more precious ought Gods
were fed with manna from heauen and whereas they sawe the clowd vpon the tabernacle which was a token of Gods presence maiestie should they not haue concluded that God bare rule ouer them and shewed himselfe to be their guide yes and yet for all that Moses beholding the hardheartednesse of the people thought it not enough to tell them of the thinges which were seene at that time but also alledged the promise that had beene made fowre hundred yeeres afore Behold sayth hee the Lorde thy GOD will bring thee into the land of Chanaan If thou aske what proofe thou hast that it is Gods handâ thou needest no long disputing of the matter thou knowest what promise was made thereof This heritage theÌ was assigned vnto you aforehand by the free goodnesse of your God euen before you were borne If God had giuen this land simply to the people of Israell without promising of it before it had bin somewhat the darke somer But seeing that GOD made an agreement and as it were a solemne league with Abraham saying this is the signe that I enter into couenant with thee and with thine ofspring this day namely that thou shalt inherite this land howbeit that shall not bee presently but thou thy selfe must liue and dye there as a straunger and also they that come of thee and their ofspring lykewise must bee soiourners in a straunge lande and bee there vexed and greeued with continuall tyrannie neuerthelesse they shall returne thence at the end of foure hundred yeeres and then will I performe my promise Doth it not appeare by these sayinges that God wrought in that behalfe Should any further proofe be sought therof may not euen blinde folkes feele it with their hands We see then for what purpose Moses alledgeth here y e promise y t had bin made to Abraham Isaac Iacob yea and Gods rehearsing of his promise againe was a larger proofe thereof so as the thing became the better knowen and of more authoritie In deede the people are also put in minde therewithall that this inheritance befell them not by their owne policie Psal. 44.4 nor for any worthynesse that was in themselues nor was conquered by their own power or strength but was giuen them freely of God so as it behoued them to acknowledge that they had receiued it and that their possessing of it was not as though they had obteined it by their owne power The Lord sayth hee promised you this land At what time when none of them was yet borne or bred Then coulde they not haue earned or deserued aught And therfore it behoued them to acknowlege that Gods onely free gift was the cause of it and that they obteyned not any thing but through his freebestowed mercie because it pleased him so to doe For men will neuer sufficiently perceiue themselues bound vnto God vntill they bee vtterly bereft of all their merites and that it bee shewed them that they haue not any thing of their owne to bring but that it is God which doth all not of duetie but of good will Men must bee fully perswaded of that or else they will neuer duely perceiue themselues to bee bound vnto God And whereas Moses speaketh afterward of the great and goodly Cities of howses full of gooddes of vineyardes oliuegardens and of all other commodities it is to make the people to vnderstand the better that God delt not nigardly with them but had powred forth his tresures to the intent that they should be the more prouoked to serue him And that is another point well worthie to bee marked For so long as God dealeth with vs but after the ordinarie maner wee will not perceiue that he is willing to bee our father because wee consider but the order of nature and stand musing therupon That then was the cause why God voutsafed to adde the full measure of all liberalitie by handling his people as is shewed here so as hee gaue them not a meane land that was neither barrein nor abundant of which sort some are to bee found but hee gaue them faire and strong cities houses throughly furnished and groundes throughly manured Seeing it is so the people ought to haue bin the more prouoked to acknowledge that seeing God had shewed himselfe so bountifull it became not them to fall a sleepe but to knowe him to whom they were so greatly bound And it is sayd expressely heere that the people should possesse the thinges which they had not made or gotten to themselues There is not any thing of thine owne labor sayth hee Diddest thou build the houses wherein thou dwellest or shalt dwel For hee speaketh here of the time to come When yee come into the land yee shall finde fayre houses and that of other mens building ye shall finde all maner of housholde stuffe and necessaries ready made yee shall finde vineyardes and Oliuegardens throughly planted ye shall want nothing yee shall finde welles ready digged for that land had not water at will We know what payne and distresse the holy fathers were driuen vnto onely to haue water for themselues and their caâtell Gen. 21.25 26.19.20.21.22.32 namely how they were driuen from place to place yea and that not for any pretious thinges but when they digged some poore pitte their neighbors came and draue them from it Not without cause therefore is here expresse mention made of pittes or welles to shewe that the people should finde all commodities there without the putting too of one finger to take any paynes for them And therefore hee addeth take good heede that thou forget not the Lord thy God when thou art full This is the chiefe matter which we haue to wey For Moses doth vs to vnderstand that meÌ are a kin to restie horses if they be ouerpampered they fall to kicking and will not be handled nor ordered any more and this similitude is set downe more expressely in the two and thirtith chapter Deut. 32.15 But in this place hee sheweth playnely that ouermuch ease is the cause of wilfull stubbornnesse so that if God hath once pampered vs wee forget him and play the drunkardes so as we cannot order our selues in such wise in the inioying of the benefites which hee bestoweth vppon vs as to yeelde him thaÌks for them and to serue him the more effectually but contrariwise we deuoure them vp with such greedinesse and excesse as our nature becommeth vtterly brutish and God hath no more authoritie ouer vs but wee beare our selues in hand that wee could well enough forbeare him Yee see then that men become brutish through pleasures and abundance of wealth And that is the thing which Moses hath noted here in saying take good heede that thou forget not the Lorde God when thou art full Finally hee concludeth that wee must feare God and honor him and sake him for our GOD which thing he betokeneth by this word Sweare For wheras y e people are commanded to sweare by
must beare in minde that God is to bee reuerenced as our iudge and offer our selues in such wise before him as hee suffer not any falshoode to abide vnpunished and as wee yeelde vnto him the office of serching euen our heartes If wee deale so then shall our othes be holie vnto him and accepted as a part and portion of the seruice that he requireth and alloweth And by that meanes wee shall abhorre and loth not onely the blasphemies whereby he is spyted out of measure but also all fonde and trifling othes that are made without cause or reason Thus wee see in fewe words what wee haue to note and howe this text is to bee put in vre Nowe Moses addeth immediately Yee shall not followe any other Gods the Gods of the heathen which dwell rounde about you When hee saieth yee shall not followe any other Gods hee sheweth vs that wee cannot mingle the true religion with any abuses or with any thing deuised by vnbeleeuers but by and by all is mard and God disauoweth it as soone as wee swarue one way or other from the plaine trueth and from the rule that hee hath giuen vs. For it is not saide simply you shall not renounce your GOD but they bee forbidden to followe any other Gods So then let vs marke wel that if wee intende to serue the liuing God we must holde our selues to him alone and worshippe him with such vncorruptnesse as all ydoles bee vtterly cast downe and all superstitions cut off and cast behinde vs. And if this were well obserued wee shoulde no more bee put to such paines neither shoulde wee haue so manie bickerings as wee haue For what causeth the troubles that are nowadayes in the worlde and that there is such diuision betweene vs and the Papistes For both of vs confesse that there is but one God that grounde is common to vs both both of vs name him the maker of heauen and earth and both of vs take Iesus Christ for our redeemer and yet notwithstanding we bee at so greate oddes that the Turkes and the Iewes are not more deuided from vs than the Papistes are Whereof commeth this Not that the Papistes doe vtterly renounce GOD but because they will needes make a mingled and confused hotchpotch of all the Religions of the worlde They haue raked together all abuses all Sathans trumperie and all the superstitions that euer haue beene and that terme they the seruice of God It is no part of their meaning to holde themselues to the purenesse of the holy scripture and of the Lawe and the Gospell but to the thinges which they haue deuised of their owne braine They will needes haue those thinges mingled with the pure seede and that is such a corruption as God is vtterly shaken of by it Although men thinke it not or at leastwise confesse it not with their mouth yet hath hee no more place where those thinges are So then as I saide afore if this saying which forbiddeth vs to followe any other Gods were well obserued we might easily agree nowadayes with the Papistes For the controuersie heere concerneth not the onely name True it is that the Papistes call not their Sainctes which they haue forged their Gods but yet they serue them and worshippe them as Gods And therewithall they haue deuised such lawes and ordinances as they thinke good and yet the thing which they terme Gods seruice is but vtter follie of their owne inuention Nowe it is a flatte following of the Gods of the Paynims when men vse straunge fashions in the seruing of God and in steede of praying vnto him alone doe call vpon the creatures so as they cannot tel whom to choose when al comes to all And therefore let vs beare wel in minde the meaning of Moses which is that to worship God aright we must sticke simply to his word wee must stop our eares against all thinges that are brought vs from elsewhere and we must not admit any thing but y t which we haue from God onely Let vs then submit our selues wholly to the obeying of our god not receiue any thing which procedeth not out of his mouth And if we beare with our infirmities Esa. 42.3 and that he is always pitifull Although we deserue to sinke vnder his hande yet will he alwayes shew mercie towards vs. But doth it followe therefore that he will be scorned at our handes and that wee may come pranking against him to despise him No but contrariwise forasmuch as he sheweth himselfe gratious and louing towards vs it ought to break soften our harts to make vs submit our selues wholly vnto him and at leastwise to applie our selues altogether to the seruing honouring of him when he preueÌteth vs through his free goodnesse Then let vs mark well that when our Lord is neere vnto vs although it bee of purpose to make vs glad and also to giue vs contentation and rest yet notwithstanding hee ceaseth not to be zealous in the maintaining of his glorie neither will he suffer it to be trampled vnder foote without sending horrible vengeance for it Doe we then know that our Lord dwelleth among vs Let vs on our side beware that wee sanctifie our selues wholly vnto him for feare least his wrath bee kindled that is say least hee withdraw his goodnesse which he hath once shewed towards vs and bereaue vs of it as we deserue and therewithall powre out his wrath vppon vs when hee seeth that hee cannot winne vs nor any whit preuaile by shewing himselfe pitifull in bearing with vs with such louingkindnes and gentlenes as he doth Ye see then after what sort we ought to vse y e goodnes and patientnesse of our Lorde That is to wit knowing that we may boldly stay vpon him not doubting but that he wil be fauorable vnto vs wee neuerthelesse must indeuour and inforce our selues to the vttermost of our power to serue and honour him And forasmuch as we cannot do it of our selues wee must pray him to hold vs in such obedience by his holy spirit as our whole seeking may bee to shewe y t his comming so vnto vs is not in vaine but that we be truly knit vnto him and that hee hath set such a holy and vnuiolable bond betweene him and vs Psal. ââ â that as he once gaue himselfe to vs to be our inheritance so he also possesseth vs and maketh vs to be throughly contented with him and to proceede in such wise in profiting to his honor glory as our whole life may shewe that we desire nothing else but to bee reteined vnder his protection Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God w t acknowledgment of our faults praying him to humble vs more more by true repentance so as we may not onely be sorie for our faults but also amend them and submit our selues duetifully vnto him to the intent we may be more and more rid of all our naughtie lustes
Psalme where it is said To day if ye heare his voyce harden not your heartes as your fathers did in the wildernesse Psal. 95.7.8 This is spoken expressely of the temptation that Moses toucheth here See how the Prophet warneth the people yea and that desirously as if he should say very well if ye bee so teachable as to hearken to your God seeing he doeth now exhort you to come vnto him refuse it not for this benefite shal not last alwayes to them that make delay and are neuer mooued to obey him but driue of from day to day when he calleth them And therefore if ye heare his voyce sayeth he nowe when God calleth you He vseth there a vehemencie as though he could not finde words fit to exhort the people and sufficiently to prick them forwarde In that hee saieth Goe to my freindes bee well aduised that you harden not your heartes he sheweth what is the cause of al mischeife and why we profit no better by Gods teaching of vs. Namely that besides that we bee full of naughtinesse and so sinfull by nature that whereas our heartes ought to be susteined to receaue that which God sayeth it may seeme that wee intende of set purpose to harden them against him we doe moreouer fall to stomacking against him with a certaine spitefulnesse as if we would say what care I to obey God Shall I bee brideled of my will like a beast Beware of that sayeth he for ye knowe what happened to your Fathers The Prophet casteth them in the teeth with the thinges that had beene done by their forefathers in olde time to the intent they shoulde not boast of their descending from the holy Patriarkes Beholde saieth he your forefathers were rebels how theÌ haue you continued vnto this day Is it not through Gods mercie Yes for ye shoulde haue perished vtterly Againe seeing your God hath pitied you being Abraham his race thinke not that he will haue ye to runne backe again so as ye should bee alwayes newe to begin For when he hath borne with you a while he must bee faine to make you pay your arrerages all at once Thus ye see that the way for vs to put this sentence in practise is to vnderstand that when God shall haue pardoned our faultes oftentimes hee shall haue iust cause to punish vs the more grieuously if wee ceasse not to prouoke him still but will needes bee the boulder to doe euill vnder pretence that hee hath not vsed extremity towardes vs. If God see that in vs hee can well call vs to account for all the thinges that hee had pardoned before For his pardoning of vs is with condition that we should humble our selues and consider all our life after how much we be beholden vnto him If an offender haue obtained fauour and thereupon he fall to spyting of him to whom he is beholdeÌ for his life within a day or twaine after doeth he not deserue to haue his former lewdnesse brought to remembrance againe and to be reckened withall froÌ point to point and to haue his vnthankfulnes laid afore him for his abusing of the fauour y t had bin shewed him Yes and thinke we that our Lord will haue lesse right than mortall men Thinke we then that his shewing of fauour vnto vs is to the intent to make vs bolder to doe euill No but rather his dooing of it is to the intent wee shoulde all our life after beare our offence in minde and bee sorie for it accordingly also as wee see howe the good king Ezechias speaketh of the bitternesse of his heart Esa 38.15 when he sayeth that he will bee mindefull of the euill and of the offence that he had committed Not but that he reioyced in Gods goodnesse but that yet neuerthelesse hee would beare it in remembrance to the intent he might not let himselfe slip any more nor be any more surprised by the wylinesse of Satan Now after that Moses hath spoken so he addeth Ye shall diligently keepe the commaundements Statutes and Lawes of your God which I set before you this day that you may enter into the land which he promised to your fathers with an othe and he driue ouâ all your enemies before you Here we bee put in minde of the thing that hath beene told vs before that is to wit that whereas Moses vseth many wordes to expresse the Lawe it is no superfluous speech but serueth to induce folke the better to profite in the doctrine that is giueÌ them As if he should say Giue good eare for behold your God taketh paines with you Like as a schoolemaister taketh paines to teach the children that are committed to his charge so doth God apply himselfe to you giuing you his Law orderly and distinctly to the end ye should not be greatly combered to vnderstand what he saieth concerning his will Here therfore are his Statutes Ordinances Iudgementes As if he shoulde say the doctrine is set foorth vnto you in good order so that if you can finde in your hearts to hearken to your God and to receiue y t which he shall say you need not dout but you shall be taught faithfully by his word haue knowledge of al things y t are good and conuenient for you The first thing then which Moses ment to expresse by these wordes Iudgementes statutes Ordinanceâ is y t our Lord taketh paine to teach vs whatsoeuer is good for vs and y t he vseth such order as we cannot say that his word is too high and confused for vs. And therewithall his intent is also to hold meÌ wholly to the pure obedience of the lawe and to the simplicitie therein contained as if he should say My friends Gods meaning is not onely y t ye should be attentiue in hearing what he saith to you but also y t your only wisedome should be to obey him not to inuent any nouelties so as ye should think to serue him after your owne fansie according to the coÌmon fashion of meÌ who haue alwayes some foolish desire to change Gods word No saieth he If ye can beare in minde the lessons of the Law ye shall haue statutes Iudgements and ordinances so as ye shal not want any thing whereby ye may be taught in all perfection This hath bin expouÌded alreadie heretofore and therefore I stande not long vppon it Neuerthelesse the repeating of it here againe by the holy Ghost is not without cause and therefore I must needes put you briefly in rememberance thereof as oft as those wordes are set downe Now Moses saieth expressely That these Commaundements Ordinances and Lawes must be done kept As if he should say that God will not haue his word to fall to the ground His setting foorth of it is to the end that we on our side should bee attentiue to hearken what he saith to vs. And so let vs marke well that it is not ynough for vs to allowe Gods worde in speeche
And what did he He executed rigor ynough vppon those whom he listed and specially vpon such as he wist might doe him harme but when he had so begun he let the rest go vnpunished he cared not what came of it so he might reigne peaceably Now at the first sight a man might well say it was a vertue worthie of commendation that he punished those whom God had commanded him Verily and so was it if he had held on that trade still But for as much as he destroyed one sort and spared another sort it is said that God will punish the maÌslaughter that Iehu had committed And how may that be Is it manslaughter to haue executed the coÌmandement of God Yea after the maner that he went to worke He is said to bee a manslear bicause he had not an eye to the thing that God commanded him For he should haue gone through as he began But he stayed in the middes of his way For as for those whom he punished he punished theÌ in respect of his owne peculiar profit He had no regard of Gods honour so the Crowne of the kingdome continued with him Therefore is he iustly accouÌted for a manslear and not a iudge And therefore let vs beware that we take not more libertie than God giueth vs. For he can well skill to moderate his own doings though we take not vpon vs to be more pitifull than he And if wee make our hand of his honor we must pay dearely for it when we come to our reckening before him But if this seeme straunge vnto vs let vs go a litle by degrees see if nature might not be a schoolemystresse good enough for vs if we were not blinded by our wicked affectioÌs If a maÌ haue children he knoweth well ynough that it is his duetie to teach them and to chastise them wheÌ they doe amisse For if he beare with his childreÌ and dare not touch them but cockereth them and in the meane while they bee of euill nature may it not bee saide that he is worthie that his children should picke out his eyes and pluck his nose from his face And on the contrarie part if children were teachable meeke of themselues it were not meete that they should bee touched But when a father perceiues his children to bee curst and vnruly if he spare them then men will say that he marreth them and that he sendeth them to the gallowes and that he is the cause of their vndoing Now let vs compare a father with a Iudge Whereas a father ought to chastise his children with roddes a iudge hath an office that passeth yet further Therefore he must haue an eye thereunto and if he doe not he is worthy to haue his eyes put out with the mischiefe as Moses speaketh here of these people saying They shall be as thornes to prick thee on all sides Iosu. 23.13 and to put out thine eyes they shall be as waspes to sting thee in such sort as y u shalt not know which way to turne thee Lo what reward y e Israelites had for their retchlesnesse in that they were not stout in putting the sentence in execution which God had vttered with his own mouth But howsoeuer the case stoode with them let vs learne still to be pitifull For the rigour that is spoken of here must not make vs to forget how God commandeth vs to loue euen our enemies Matt. 5.44 them that persecute vs and to indeuour to doe them good to the vttermost of our power that we may bring them into the right way of saluation Then must we needes haue that Yea and euen when a Iudge vseth rigour his heart must mourne and lament to see a creature that is made after the image of God so dealt withall but yet must he go on still and execute the office which GOD hath committed vnto him These two thinges then are not vnmatchable that is to wit that gentlenesse should bee vsed in the executing of Iustice so as our wicked moode should not carie vs away but that we should alwayes hold vs still to this point of louing euen those that shall haue done vs the worst they could Thus ye see howe we ought to put this doctrine in vre Gods intent is not to stirre vp his people to crueltie his meaning is not to bereaue them vtterly of all compassion and yet notwithstanding he will haue misdeedes to be punished And furthermore as touching the lande of Chanaan which hee had purposely appointed to his honour hee woulde not haue it any longer so defyled with such infections For the Nations that had dwelled therein before had as it were defiled the land Nowe Gods intent is to stablish his kingdome there he will bee worshipped vncorruptly there and therefore all abhominations must be rid away For seeing that God will haue his righteousnesse put in vre through the whole world whensoeuer he is knowen in any place so as his trueth is there preached and he hath set his Church in some good order and state men must looke well about them that no offences or defylinges may raigne there For wheresoeuer God is worshipped and serued that place is as a temple dedicated to his Maiestie and Gods temple must be kept holy as it ought to bee 1. Cor. 3. Then is it the greatest and intollerablest treacherie to Godward that can bee when euill doings and crimes are fostered in his Churche Therefore it is not said without cause Thine eye shall not pardon any of all these Nations they must bee consumed vtterly And why first the wickednesse that was among them was ouergreat they were despisers of God and therefore he was faine to be reuenged of them in the end Againe he hath an eye to the benefit and welfare of his Church so as he woulde not haue his children intangled with such as might draw them to euill consequently to theirruine and destruction God then wil haue his people rid of all stumbling blocks Marke that for the second point Moreouer for the third point it was conuenient y t God should shewe himselfe a Iudge to the intent that by beholding such vengeance they might take warning to thinke thus with themselues seeing that God hath done vs the honour to punish such as haue offended vs to giue vs example by them let vs beware y t wee fall not into the same offences for then shall we be dubble to blame Thus ye see how Gods committing of his vengeaunce vnto his owne people to punish such as had bin giuen ouer to all naughtinesse ought to serue all folkes for an example After he hath said so Deâ ââ 15. he addeth now Thou shalt not serue their Gods for that would turne to thy decay Although this saying haue bin set downe by Moses alreadie heretofore yet is it not without cause y t he setteth it downe here againe For we soone forget what God commandeth vs if wee bee not quickened vp
the furtherance of their benefite and welfare as I saide afore when Moses was taken vp as it were into the companie of Angels by reason whereof they shoulde rather haue thought thus Goe too in the person of that one man wee bee after a sorte separated from the rest of mankinde and God sanctifieth vs to himselfe and therewithall bringeth vs into his kingdome to the intent wee should not haue any earthlinesse in our religion What a lewde dealing was that For this cause Moses saith that God commanded him to get him downe in hast because the people were marred out of hande so as they were falne to making of a newe God euen while the lawe was a writing and whyle God was confirming of his couenaunt with them And it is plainely saide that they were marred Beholde saith God they haue marred For the worde which hee vseth betokeneth no more but they haue marred without other addition And indeed it was a right marring of them that is to say of the Iewes who became lewde backesliders and periured kaytifes vtterly turning away from the trueth and rule of God and finally from all order both heauenly and earthly For wherein consisteth our purenesse but in obeying GOD According to this similitude of Saint Paules 2. Cor. 11.2 that like as a woman is a lawfull and faithfull wife as long as shee keepeth herselfe chast to her husbande so all the chastitie which God requireth of vs is that wee shoulde sticke alonely to his worde Then if wee fall to making of idols it is a vilanous marring of our selues wee become like common harlotes that giue ouer their bodies to all commers leauing their owne husbandes and yeelding themselues to euerie whoremaister and ruffian Euen so is it with vs. And after the same maner was this people marred out of hande Yea and wee marre the maiestie of God also as much as in vs lieth when wee followe our owne foolishe inuentions True it is that wee cannot touch his maiestie to doe it any harme but yet are wee guiltie thereof as sayth Saint Paul because we turne the trueth into a lie Rom. ãâ¦ã and make all thinges false and moreouer turne the order of nature vpside downe by forsaking Gods pure doctrine so as wee bereaue him of his soueraigne right that hee can not reigne ouer vs when wee fall to setting vp of idols and deade thinges in his roome and doe the thinges which we our selues haue inuented So then it is not for nought that our Lord saith not in plaine wordes This people haue made them an Idoll but hee saith This people haue marred that is to say they haue turned all vpside downe Wherefore let vs marke well that whensoeuer we steppe aside from the purenesse of Gods worde wee make a shamefull marring we practise our owne destruction wee leaue nothing whole and sounde and to bee short we bee guiltie of mingling heauen and earth together and of the vtter defacing of Gods maiestie So much the more therefore doeth it stande vs on hande to submitte our selues to Gods pure worde and to see that wee inuent nothing of our owne heads nor bring vp anie new religion but hold our selues to the thinges which our Lorde hath tolde vs 1. Saâ â 22. forasmuch as hee alloweth not anie thing but that Afterwards hee addeth the residue which I cannot expound as nowe but it shall suffice as I haue saide alreadie that wee haue this bonde of our God that wee stray not so farre as to reiect his trueth but that wee abide in obedience to his worde as hee hath giuen it vs in writing and as it is his will to haue it dayly preached vnto vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue doone that we may be drawen to such repentance as our whole desire may be to be quite rid of our fleshly affections and lusts to giue our selues vnto him and to holde vs so vnder his awe as wee may bring nothing of our owne deuising but that when our owne conscience findeth fault with vs wee may so much the more yeelde ourselues guiltie and not turne away from his obedience and that forasmuch as wee can not fullie satisfie and performe his Lawe in this worlde it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to beare with vs vntill hee haue throughly corrected the euill which hee knoweth to bee yet still remayning in vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of the earth c. On Friday the xxx of August 1555. The Lxv. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the ninth Chapter 13 Wherefore the Lord spake vnto mee saying I haue seene this people and beholde it is a stiffenecked people 14 Let mee alone I will destroy them and put out the name of them from vnder heauen and I will make thee to growe into a mightier and greater Nation than they bee I Began to shewe you yesterday howe foule and cursed the faulte was which Moses vpbraideth the people withal in this place and that the cause why hee did set it before theÌ was to the end they should be y e better humbled therby And here he addeth a recorde of the greatnesse of that fault in that it prouoked Gods wrath so sore that hee would haue destroyed and rooted out that people and put out the remembrance of them for euer Nowe if God doe measure his anger and can skill to punishe mens offences according to the greatnesse of them it must needes bee concluded that this offence was verie horrible seeing that God hauing deliuered his people and hauing wrought so many miracles for them woulde neuerthelesse so wipe them out as they shoulde neuer bee spoken of more That then was the meaning of Moses verily as if hee shoulde saye yee wretched foolke consider what yee bee and what yee haue beene For whereas yee were redeemed by the hande of GOD you by reuolting from him after yee hadde receiued such fauour deserued to haue beene so rooted out as no remembraunce of you might haue remayned in the worlde and sentence thereof was giuen also Hadde not I intreated for you GOD hadde determined to haue destroyed you Nowe goe make your bragges imagine I wote not what of your selues impute your obteyning of this lande to your owne righteousnesse to your owne power or to some other thing else Nay contrariwise yee see what yee haue done yee haue to the vttermost of your power vndoone the deliueraunce of your selues whiche GOD hadde wrought yee haue forsaken the saluation that was promised you and the inheritaunce that was prepared for you and to be short it was meet that God should haue powred out his horrible vengeaunce vppon you Therefore learne to magnifie his mercie considering that yee haue prouoked him so sore Thus yee see in effect whereto this saying of
terrible things for their sakes For this cause he saith first of all that God is their praise And by that speech hee meaneth that when wee once know God and he hath shewed himself to vs by his word his will is that wee should glorifie him Marke that for one point Secondly he putteth y e people in remembraÌce of the great miracles that had bin done for theÌ in their going out of the land of Egypt For they were as marks or tokens of Gods goodnes so as y e people could not but be conuicted of vnthankfulnesse forasmuch as God had vttered himselfe as familiarly as was possible to shewe himselfe fauorable to Abrahams posteritie To be short we see how God not onely vseth his dominion right of soueraintie which hee hath ouer vs to make vs subiect to his lawe and commaundementes but also commeth to vs as a father and vttereth as mield and gracious louingnesse towardes vs as can be and all to the end to breake the hardnesse of our harts Insomuch that if wee bee not moued at his maiestie or if we yeelde him not such reuerence as we ought to doe in respect of his souereintie ouer vs at least wise yet ought we to be meekened seeing he stoopeth to vs coÌmeth downe froÌ his seate vnto vs as if he should say Wel sirs assure yourselues I am your father and therefore I pray you consider well the good that I haue done you and whereby I haue witnessed my fauour towardes you and let it moue you at lestwisâ to loue and serue me That is the very principall meaning of Moses But yet by the way let vs marke also that God is neuer duely honored at our hands vnles we lay all our glorie vpon him For wheras he is termed our prayse by y t word he bereaueth vs of al glorie sheweth vs y t there is not any thing in vs whereof we ought to be proude Therefore let a man set as much store by himselfe as he listeth yet in the end he shal come to shame so as he shall perceiue there is not one drop of goodnesse in himselfe What is to be done then Let vs resort right forth to our God to seeke al goodnes in him let vs glorifie him for shewing him selfe so liberall towards vs y t wee may also make our boast thereof according as it is saide by Ieremie that the rich man must forget his riches Ier. 9.23 and the strong man his strength the wise man his wisdome and all that euer is of man must be beaten downe that wee may fetch our glory at Gods hand knowing that it is he that executeth righteousnes iudgement and mercie Thus yee see what wee haue to remember in this worde where Moses saith that God is the praise of his people And if we be not moued by that which is tolde vs in the holy scripture at least wise yet let vs open our eyes and let the often experience of Gods benefits frame vs to such humility as wee may not presume to commend ourselues any more but onely haue our mouthes open to praise and magnifie the thinges that wee shall haue receiued at Gods hand For sith he sheweth vs so many waies that all our welfare consisteth in him and that it commeth only of him if we wil shut our eyes at it like a sort of blocke-heads and vouchsafe not ne list not to hold our selues to the thing that is throughly knowen and apparaÌt surely we shal be conuicted of bereauing God of his praise of bringing him to nothing as much as in vs lieth for his benefits are infinit towards vs. And therfore let vs learn by this lessoÌ to acknowledge the benefits throughly which God hath bestowed vpon vs for they be a sufficient busines to keepe vs occupied If we gather our wits about vs to consider Gods goodnes towards vs we shal find that we ought to seeke our whole praise no where els than only in him And for that cause doth Moses adde It is he that hath done the great and terrible things which your eyes haue seene As if he shold say God needeth not to seek here there for record or for iudges to arreigne you for spite of your teeth it shal be proued to your faces that your God is great mightie and terrible For you were y e miserablest creatures in the world you were in bondage like bruit beasts and your God loued you so deerely that he hath stretched out his arme against the Realme of Egypt that stately excellent Realme y t realme so renoumed wherein all the wisedome of the world was inclosed insomuch y t hee hath made more account of your welfare than of y t Realme Sith it is so know ye that it is not for you to glory any more of your selues but to glorie onely of him Assure your selues y t looke howe manie benefits you haue receiued at his hand so many records haue you to be wray your lewdnes and vnthankfulnes if ye acknowledge them not vnto him And so by the example that is set vs downe here let vs learne to acknowledge gods gratious goodnes to lay it vp in minde and to make a good memorial thereof to call it often to remembrance that wee may be prouoked thereby to yeld al glory vnto God to confesse that for our parts we be sillie and wretched creatures in whom there is nothing but condemnation and therefore there belongeth nothing to vs but wrath it is only God to whom all the glory praise of our welfare perteyneth Wherefore let it suffice vs that he is ours and that hauing giuen himself vnto vs he vouchsafeth also to make his benefits common vnto vs. Rom. 8.30 Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs to perceiue them throughly and that therwithal we may so know the greatnes of his maiestie as it may moue vs to submit our selues to the obeying of him and draw vs to such subiection as we may frame our selues to his wil and bee no more intangled and wrapped in worldly things but that we may bee so rid of them as all our seeking may be to dedicate our selues wholy vnto him y t he may acknowledge accept vs for his people haue his haÌd alwayes stretched out to succor vs at our neede And that in the meane while we may patiently beare al the aduersities that he shall sende vs for the tryal of our obedience so apply our selues thereunto as wee may not fayle to take comfort in his goodnes and to rest vppon the same til he haue made vs to feele y e things perfectly whereof hee hath giuen vs a tast alreadie in this transitorie life That it may please him to grant this grace not onely to vs but also to al people nations of the earth c. THE 74. SERMON OF IOHN CALVIN On Wednesday the xviij
that may turne vs from the right way from the simplicitie which God commaundeth vs. And men cannot stand too much vpon their gard in that case True it is that a number of meÌ do weene themselues to be so strong y t although they be neuer somuch conuersant among y e superstitions of the vnbeleeuers yet they shal not be atteinted with them But God is wiser thaÌ we And therfore let vs remember the lesson that he telleth vs namely that we must shunne all the uperstitions of the heathen and the misbeleeuers or else his seruice will bee marred among vs by and by But forasmuch as I haue declared that part alreadie I wil stand no longer vpon it Let vs proceed to that which Moses addeth namely that meÌ must not deale so with God by which saying he meaneth that the Iewes must not go about to honour the liuing GOD by building vp the altars Chappels or any other of all the filthie things again which they had beateÌ down As if he shoulde say GOD will not bee serued after the manner of Idols and therefore regarde not what the heathen haue done followe them not neither fashion your selues to their example but holde you to this one rule of doing that which your God commaundeth you And this is well worth the noting for when we haue condemned Idolatrie we cease not for al that to imagine that God liketh well that we shoulde do y e same things in honor of him which were done by the vnbeleeuers and y t appeareth by the dealinges in the Popedome After that the Gospell had beene preached to the worlde men fell to mingling of al maner of superstitioÌs of y e heatheÌ with the true seruice of God And what was the cause thereof The heathen had their Pilgrimages and men knewe well it was a diuelishe abuse neuerthelesse they did not put them quite and cleane away they did but onely chaunge them In steede of going on pilgrimage to such an Idol they goe now to our Ladie of Laurette to It is a Relike in Rome wherin they say y e picture of Christes face is after it was wiped therewith the holy handekercher to Saint Michael to Saint Iames and to visite the holy Sepulchre Men should haue vtterly rooted out all y e things that had beene so brought in by Satan and in steed thereof they did but change them Wheras men saw that the heathen made great feasts and kept a great number of solemne holy dayes in honour of their Idols O quoth they wee must no more doe soe for that were a seruing of the diuell but let euery parishe make a Church-holyday to play to daunce and to feede in till they burst againe and all in the honour of God Besides this let euery one haue their patron and let them worshippe him And so in steade of the solemne feastes that were among the heathen let others be brought in among vs. O sirs say they these thinges are not doone any more in honour of the Idols but in honour of Saint Martine And then let them daunce and playe the drunkerdes for all is well enough so it be done in the honour of God Againe the heathen were wont to keepe a holy day which they called the feast of all Spirits and we must chaunge y e word and haue the feast of all Soules Moreouer the heathen had a Temple which was called the Temple of all goddes and wee doe nowe call it the Church of all Saintes or all Hallowes See what an act worthie of remembraunce and an Angelicall act the Pope thought hee did as the Papistes can well skill to make their bragges For âo say they there is a temple called the Temple of all the gods but what Wee haue but one God and therefore it must not continue after that fashion Wel we will chaunge the worde and whereas the heathen had a Temple which they called the Temple of All their gods we wil haue it the Church of all Hallowes and we will haue a Churchholyday added to it Again when they sawe that the heathen had their sacrifices Needes must they also haue their Masses set vp in the roome of them Moreouer perceiuing that the heathen had their washings they also would needes haue their holywater To be short whatsoeuer filth and infection was among the Infidels the Papists tooke it to themselues to keepe And what was the cause thereof Euen for want of taking heede to this text wherein it is saide that whereas the Infidels haue many deuotions deuised of their owne braine we must not couet to doe the like to our God nor looke that way but we must harken what he saith and commandeth Were this saying of Moseses vnderstoode all the diuelish deuises that haue reigned doe reigne still at this day in the Popedome shoulde get them away to the bottome of hell For we see here a generall condemnation whereby GOD sheweth that he hateth al such things And why Because he will not haue men to deale with him as the ignorant doe with their Idols A thing may seeme faire to the worldwarde men may clap their hands at it but behold God saith here I wil not be serued after such fashioÌ or such maner let not men presume into my preseÌce to deuise what they think good theÌselues And if it be alleadged yea but shall such a thing bee euil taken when I doe it in the honour of God Shal it be said that I serue Idols when I do such a thing of a good intent and all to serue God Is it so great an euil that men should cry out at it No no men must hearken what God commandeth and ground themselues altogether therepon so as they presume not to adde any thing thereunto We see then that the meaning of this text is that wee must forget al the follies that haue beguiled vs and not alledge custome or continuance of time but receiue the doctrine of the holy scripture like litle children A yong childe will not say thus and thus haue I beene taught for he knoweth yet nothing at all But he receiueth that which is put to him and is the readier to learne because he is not inured aforehande with anie maner of misteaching But if a childe haue been mistaught and nusled in his fondnes then if a man go about to amend him O sayes he I was taught so and a man shal not be able to make him pronounce one syllable aright nor to speake one worde to any purpose And why so Bicause he hath bin trained by an Asse who hath framed him to his owne fashion and hee hath learned y e right trick of him After the same maner it is with a great number of folke that haue been brought vp in cursed poperie alwayes they hold stil some relikes of it saying Yea sir but can such a thing be euil There is euer some replying against God But as for vs let vs practise y t which is
speaketh here God had promised to choose a place for his Sanctuary to rest in for euer Now y t thing was to haue bin done as soone as y e Israelites were entred into the land of Canaan yet it was delayed a long time insomuch as there passed a huÌdred yeeres or twaine yea three or four huÌdred before the promise tooke effect And that was bicause the people were not worthy to be so satisfied as God had declared therefore were faine to abide the punishment of their sin For they draue not out their enemies as he had commaunded them but became negligent and besides y t they themselues turned away fell into all maner of vices corruptions That therfore was the cause why God withdrew his hand 2. Sam. 7.10 and performed not his promise till the time of Dauid Neuertheles although y e people were malicious although they were vnthankfull towards God although they prouoked his wrath so many waies to y e vttermost yet could they not vtterly disappoint y t promise altogether The reason was for y t it depended not vpon y t deserts of men Therfore although men be vnworthy of it yet doth God in y e end performe whatsoeuer he saith Yet notwithstanding there is a delay made for a time to the intent that folke should learne to know their own naughtines and mislike of it and be sory for it Wherfore let vs learne hereby that if God at any time do shew himselfe vnwilling to put vs in possession of his benefites out of hand it is bicause that we haue procured the delay of them by our own naughtines But yet shal we not be vtterly bereft of them so we acknowledge our sinnes and be sory for them but in the end he will reach out his hand again to put vs in possession of the benefites wherof we had deserued to be vtterly dispossessed Truly this wil not boot the hypocrites at al but as for gods church although it liue in suspence for a time Yet will our Lord shew in the end that his goodnesse surmounteth all the sinnes of men and that he will not faile to be faithfull though all of vs be lyers Sothly as I said afore we must not vnder this colour flatter our selues For if we be stubborne in euil our Lord wil welynough find the meanes to discharge himselfe of the promise wherof we shal haue beene disappointed But let vs learne to acknowledge our sinnes when we haue acknowledged them let vs learne also to rest vppon the goodnes of our god not doubting but that it is so great and infinite that notw tstanding all the lets which we on our side shal cast in the way of it yet it will so get the vpper hande that in the ende we shall find the welfare from the which we had shut our selues out of doores That is the thing which we haue to remeÌber vpon this text of Moses where he saith that god wold appoint a place euen such a one as he had chosen out from amoÌg all the tribes of Israel where he would haue his name to be called vpon The residue which caÌnot bee declared as now shal be pursued heereafter Now let vs fall downe in the presence of our good god with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceaue them better than we haue done heretofore so as wee may mislike them more more therby be brought back vnto him and that sith wee for our partes bring nothing to him but vtter corruption it may please him to graunt vs the grace so to reforme vs by his word as y e sacrifices which we shall offer vnto him may be made holy by faith and he accept them for our Lord Iesus Christs sake And for as much as we knowe that he requireth spirituall sacrifices let vs call vpon him w t such bouldnes as we may be hard at his hand yeeld him praise for all his benefites bestowed vpon vs and moreouer indeuer to discharge our selues of our dueties euery man towards his neighbor bicause those be the sacrifices which he receiueth aloweth That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the viij of October 1555. The lxxxiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the twelfth Chapter 12.13.14 And ye shall be merry c. 15 Neuerthelesse looke whatsoeuer thou hast a mind vnto that maist thou kill and eate within any of thy gates according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which hee hath giuen thee as of the fallowe deere or of the Red deere both hee that is cleane and he that is vncleane may eate therof 16 Onely of the bloud shal you not eate but you shal powre it vpon the ground as water 17 Thou maist not eate the tithes of thy Corne of thy wine or of thine oyle within any of thy gates nor yet the first ingendred of thy kine or of thy sheepe nor any of the vowes which thou shalt haue vowed nor the free will offringes or the liftinges vp of thy handes 18 But thou shalt eate those thinges in the presence of the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde thy God wil choose to himselfe There shalt thou eate them both thy selfe thy sonne thy daughter thy manseruant thy woman seruant and the Leuite that is within thy gates And thou shalt bee merrie before the Lord thy God in all things wherunto thou puttest thy hande MOses going forewarde still with his matter commaundeth the Iewes here to bee merrie in the presence of the Lorde Now although this lesson haue bin laide foorth alreadie yet is it requisite for vs to bee put in minde of it againe For the treating of it heere newe againe is not for nought neither hath the holy Ghost set down any thing more than needeth as I haue sayde heretofore Men cannot keepe measure in their mirth without some disorder alwayes And the cause therof it y t they haue not an eye vnto God in their making merrie Nay rather which worse is they thinke it is no mirth at all vnlesse they turne their backs vpon him Whereas we should seeke all our welfare in GOD to haue our rest there wee beare our selues in hand that wee be best at ease when we bee furthest from him For this cause God ordeined the sayde Ceremonie of solemne feasting when the folke offered sacrifice vnto him as it were of purpose to put them in remembrance that God was there present and shewed himselfe vnto them Not that the doing thereof once a yeere was a sufficient discharge to them but that euery man ought to make a lesson a generall rule of it that whensoeuer they did eate or drinke they shoulde referre it wholly vnto God 1. Cor. 10.31 accordingly as Saint Paule warneth vs to doe And thereby wee see that y e truth thereof abideth vnto vs though the Ceremonie thereof bee
the doing of them besides this they become so brutish as wee ought to be euen ashamed of them For proofe whereof what a thing is it that they should goe kneele downe before puppets as though GOD were present there They say they worship not the images but men see what reuerence they yeeld vnto them and it is the first lesson that is taught in their Synagogues And surely what excuse soeuer they make when they kneele downe before the image of S. Barbe which neuer was for yee must vnderstand that men haue made a God of such a creature as neuer was in the world or when they goe to S. Catherin or Saint Christopher which are things of the same stamp and say nine Paternosters and an Auemarie to them to whome speake they Is it not a flatte mocking of God or rather a villanous blaspheming of him The heathen therefore had much more than the Papistes wherewith to colour their abhominations when they did thinges so farre out of square as was pitie to see and yet thought they pleased God in so doing When they drinke til they be drunken vppon the holy-day they thinke that God is content therewith Againe when they be well apparelled they suppose it is a good seruice of God To bee short they haue such fond toyes and gewgawes as are woorthie to bee spit at as often as a man heares them spoken of And whosoeuer hath but one drop of good vnderstanding may perceiue the fondnesse that is in them Insomuch that when wee consider the matter wee thinke it vnpossible that men should bee so brutishe as wee see they haue bin But it is Gods owne dooing Esa. 19.14 29.10 who executeth this threat made by the prophets that hee woulde powre out the spirit of giddinesse and blockishnesse vppon the world to blinde it withall because that such as haue forsaken the pure doctrine of God and turned away from the holy scripture are worthie to be so caryed away to the committing of such vnreasonable thinges as we ought to bee ashamed of and vtterly to abhorre And this is tolde vs to teach vs to shun their companie and euen that is the meaning of Moses when he sayth Marke what is befallen vnto them Now then let vs beware that God punish vs not after y e same maner by giuing vs ouer to a reprobate sense Wherefore let vs receiue the light of his worde and followe the way while hee sheweth vs it suffering our selues to be held altogether in obedience vnder him For step we once aside one way or other in deede wee shall not at the first dash fall into so great confusion as wee see the idolaters are but in the ende wee shall bee payed home to our smart For how became they so brutish Had they neither wit nor reason yes but God punisheth them because they submitted not themselues to his word Let vs therefore stand in feare of the lyke condemnation for it is certeine that the lyke shall fall vppon vs if wee followe their steppes And wee heare how Saint Paul speaking generally of all such as list not to obey Gods will Ro. 1.25.28 sayth that they must needes haue their eyes stopped so as they may not bee able to discerne any more but bee trayned in all thinges to other mens lures And this threate pointeth at vs. And therefore let vs keepe good watch and bee wel ware that we set not one foote foreward without the direction of Gods worde for there is not any other way that is certeine Now let vs come to the conclusion that Moses addeth Looke thou doe all that I commaunde thee this daye without adding any thing to it or taking any thing from it Heere hee sheweth vs the remedie to preserue vs from all stumbling and from all the wiles of Satan and al his snares and from all occasions that are ministred to thrust vs out of the way of saluation and that is to bee contented with the rule that GOD giueth vs and to followe the same and to bee so pliable to it as wee alwayes haue our eares stopped against all other sayinges whatsoeuer reiecting all thinges else that none but onely GOD may haue dominion ouer vs. And so let vs marke well that wee shall neuer haue the witte to keepe our selues from superstition and from Satans sleightes except our Lord remedie the matter by his word True it is that wee ought to giue good eare to the counsell that is giuen vs and not to followe the follies and errors of the world nor intangle our selues in such a sorte of fond toyes but to bee shorte to eschewe all the foolishe deuotions that men haue deuised of their owne heades wee ought well to marke that But yet is not that enough For there is none of vs all which hath not a storehouse of many errors in his own head in so much y t euery of vs is a prouocation to himselfe although we be not furthered by others What remedy then There is none other way but to suffer our selues to be gouerned by God And that is the cause why Moses after all his exhortations telleth vs that if wee followe not Gods worde wee shall euer bee intangled in many wicked imaginations whereby the diuell will finde a gappe open or as it were a breache to win vs by Therefore if wee purpose to put Satan backe and to bee preserued from all vncleanesse of superstition let Gods word haue his authoritie among vs. And first of all Moses sayth Doe whatsoeuer is commaunded thee Whereby hee meaneth as I haue declared in other places that it is not enough for vs to obey GOD by halfes for he can away with no such partnership but that wee must submit our selues to his commaundementes in all cases and all respectes without any gainsaying And that is a thing very worthie to bee noted For most men can well enough finde in their heartes to confesse that it is good reason that GOD should bee serued yea euen according to his owne wil as he himselfe requireth but yet they cease not to take exceptions still and to say This lykes mee not such a thing woulde doe better To bee shorte for all their pretence of obeying GOD and although that in many respectes they yeelde to the thinges that are spoken to them Yet doe they beare themselues in hand that they may let the rest alone But contrariwise GOD admitteth not any exception but sayth that whatsoeuer hee commaundeth must be done and that wee must not enter into disputation with him to make him amendes in one thing for missing in another but that his Lawe must bee obserued yea euen according to the contentes and substaunce thereof For if I should receiue some couenant or some publike instrument or writing made vppon it and yet say as for this poynt or that article I will not admit it what a thing were it It were to disanul y e whole So theÌ let vs marke that to honor
with vs still and wee haue to gather of this text that our Lorde abhorreth ydolatry aboue all thinges and that if other offences bee to be punished this is not to be indured in any wise but that we ought to abhorre it And because wee be too colde in that behalfe we be warned to quicken vp our selues and to take the meanes which wee knowe to be fit for it to the ende wee may bee the forwarder in causing God to bee serued purely among vs and open no gap to deceiuers ne make any way for superstitions and ydolatrie that might bereaue vs of the pure trueth and drawe vs vnto lyes Thus yee see what we haue to remember vpon this text But heere a man might aske a question howe Moses may say that all the thinges which shal be founde in such a Citie shal be accursed and yet they must bee put ouer vnto God as an offering or sacrifice Yet doeth GOD speake after that fashion in manie places and not without cause For it is an offering of sacrifice vnto him when we protest that only he ought to be worshipped and when we make as it were a solemne homage vnto him And againe when other appurtenances come in place as when men sacrificed vnder the Lawe they protested that they were worthie of death and yet notwithstanding they had a warrant of their reconcilement vnto God by the sacrifice that was to bee offered Also men offered of their goods vnto GOD as who shoulde say Lorde all that I haue commeth of thee and it is alwayes at thy commaundement Yee see then that sacrifices were blessed and yet neuerthelesse there was a kinde of cursednesse in the sacrifices that were offered for sinne In the Firstlinges Tenthes and such other like things there was nothing but the praising of God and giuing of thankes vnto him but as for the sacrifice that was offered for sinne it behoueth Gods curse to be thereupon as who shoulde say Loe this is hee that shall aunswere for all To the ende that men may bee acquit and deliuered from death this sacrifice must answere for them And therefore those sacrifices were called sinnes and the same name is attributed to our Lorde Iesus Christ because he bare our curse in his person Leuit. 7.2 2. Cor. 5.21 But heere is an other kinde of cursednesse namely that GOD is honoured and homage is doone vnto him by rooting out the thinges that hadde defaced his honour before Therefore when a Citie is destroied that had erst beene a denne of ydolatry and all the spoyle thereof is set on fire it is a sacrifice that God liketh verie well of And why so Because it is a protesting that wee be not willing to suffer any thing that impeacheth the honoring of him at all mens handes and that all men shoulde submit themselues to him and his maiestie be knowen as it ought to be Nowe then we see howe it is not without cause that Moses commaunded sacrifice to be done vnto GOD with the vtter destruction of all thinges that had beene infected and defiled with ydolatrie And hee sayeth expresly to the ende that the wrath of God bee not vpon thee Whereby he confirmeth the matter that â haue touched already which is that we must beware that wee wrap not ourselues in other mens sinnes For they that correct not euill dooinges when they may and when their office requireth it are giltie of it themselues As for example if a preacher winke at the vices that reigne surely he is a traitour and vnfaithfull for he shoulde keepe good watch and waken such as are in daunger of vndoing Then if I beare with the euill wittingly or through negligence I am the first that shal be condemned Likewise if they that holde the sworde of Iustice execute not the rigor which they ought to redresse meÌs misbehauiours surely the wrath of God is vpon them continually yea and vpon y e whole country because no man is found that complaineth of this that the mischiefe was so borne withall One good zealous man is ynough to turne away the wrath of God for hee will inforce others that were negligent But when no man beginnes the daunce but all men drawe backe and euery man sayes What nowe If all the rest put not to their handes what can I alone doe Surely none of them all can exempt themselues from condemnation before God when euerie one of them speaketh so Not without cause then doeth Moses here wrap vp a whole Countrey vnder condemnation if a wicked deede bee borne with or not punished when it commeth to knowledge And hereby we be put in minde to be more diligent than we are wont to bee in ridding away of all filth and vncleannesse from among vs. For it is all one as if we shoulde lay wood vppon the fire that is kindled ynough and too much alreadie so as we shall all of vs be consumed with it in the end and yet wee doe so euen wittingly and wilfully Why then doe wee not open our eyes sith our Lorde sheweth vs the daunger so euidently and warneth vs to prouide for it aforehande Why doe wee not thinke vppon it Nay wee be well worthy to perish and to be vtterly confounded because wee haue not vouchsafed to receiue the counsell that God hath giuen vs. After that Moses hath thus threatned vs now he addeth a promise that God will blesse his people if they obey his voyce doe the thinges that are right before him Our Lord indeuouring after his manner to winne vs to him alwayes by gentlenesse and friendely dealing when hee hath doone threatning of vs in this text doeth also attempt the contrarie way saying If ye finde the meanes to haue my seruice purely mainteyned I will be with you yee shall finde that my seeking is but to increase the benefites which I haue begonne already to bestowe vpon you yee shall inioy the Lande that I haue giuen you to inherite ye shall perceiue that my promising of my fauour and mercie to your fathers is not in vaine And let vs marke that heere it is our Lordes intent to drawe vs to a willing seruing of him True it is that yet for all this wee must not forgette his threatenings seeing we be so slowe in resorting vnto him Then lette vs be afrayde of them and consider that wee shall not scape his vengeaunce except we maintaine his seruice But yet howsoeuer the worlde goe with vs lette vs not doe it by constraint but let vs goe to worke with a free courage And howe may that bee doone Euen by beeing drawen by the gentlenesse that Moses sheweth heere vnto vs as if he shoulde say goe to happie will our state bee if we serue our GOD and euerie man endeuour to drawe his neighbours with him and suffer not any man as farre as lyeth in vs to peruert or trouble our state when it is well setled If we doe so our Lorde telleth vs that hee will be
which were worthier to haue beene preferred than wee â Pet. 1.10 Gal. 4.1 and yet notwithstanding God kept them vnder like litle children whereas nowadayes hee dealeth with vs as with perfect men of full age and grouth Seeing then that God vseth such goodnesse and liberalitie towards vs haue we not the more cause to honour him But nowe let vs come backe againe to the matter which I was in hand with afore and shew yet further howe all the saide thinges may redounde to the benefiting and profiting of vs as well in faith as in the feare of God I haue tolde you alreadie that whereas God did put a difference betweene beastes declaring some to be cleane and some vncleane it was to accustome the Iewes vnto the spirituall cleannesse euen in eating and drinking True it is that God inioyned them sobernesse and temperaunce therein but he had yet a further respect which was that in all thinges they shoulde haue a care to be vndefiled and to haue such a stay of themselues as they might not bee steyned with the vncleannesse of the worlde Gods intent then was to giue them as it were a kinde of exercise to keepe them the better in vre We knowe howe men do take too large scope in eating and drinking For whereas the rest of their life doth put them in minde to pray vnto God and to take paines and to discharge themselues of their dutie when they take their repast they giue them selues to mirth and reioycing And it is lawefull for them so to doe so they keepe measure But what They so ouershoote themselues in the turning of a hande as a man might wonder to see their excesse of mirth This was the cause y t God woulde haue his people put in mind of the sobernesse which we ought to vse in our eating and drinking al our life long that it might be as a bridle to restraine vs for after as our diseases bee so doeth God giue vs medicines for them Now as I saide afore there is more disorder in eating and drinking than in all our life besides And therefore it was requisite that our Lorde shoulde exercise his people in that behalfe And for the same cause did he deliuer them instructions to warne them that they ought to behaue themselues purely in all things and to put them alwayes in minde thereof Ye see then that the first point which wee haue to remember vppon this text is that God telleth the Iewes that forasmuch as hee had chosen them to be his owne inheritance they ought to dedicate themselues to him euen in things that concerne the outward conuersation and to absteine from worldly corruptions not intermedling themselues with the vices of the heathen after our common maner which we knowe to bee alwayes tending vnto euill Gods will was to holde them in that awe And nowe wee see howe it is no more than needeth For why True it is that the ceremonie continueth not nowadaies for our lord Iesus Christ hath set vs in greater libertie than the fathers were vnder the law Col. 2.14 but yet is not the pith of it put away that is to wit that we should liue soberly vnder the feare of our God cutting off all corruptions and abridging our selues of all libertie of hauing to doe with the lustes of the worlde What though the vnbeleeuers doe beare with themselues too much should we doe so too Seeing that our Lord telleth vs that wee be his temples so as he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite 1. Cor. 6. ââ Rom. 1â â 1. Cor. 5 1â â Cor. â 1 and that he woulde haue vs to be as sacrifices vnto him so as wee shoulde offer vp both our soules and bodies vnto him dayly is it lawful for vs to cast our selues into the vncleannesse of the worlde without anie regard how to represse it Then let vs mark well that although the ceremonie be no longer in vre yet the lawe in it selfe is not doone away but that God inioyneth vs the same sobrietie at this day whereto he meant to leade the people of olde time by the meanes that were agreeable to that time Againe sith we see what priuiledge God giueth vs let the same mooue vs the more to yeelde our selues freely vnto him If we compare our selues with the fathers of olde time we shall finde that God led them but as yong babes and yet were they as Angels among mortal meÌ If we look vpon the life of Abraham what a perfection of holinesse shall we find there As much is to be saide of the rest of the Patriarkes and Prophetes and yet neuerthelesse yee see howe God held them in darkishnes giuing them but a small tast of his grace insomuch that his shewing of Iesus Christ vnto them was but a far off But we in these dayes haue much further preheminence for God sheweth himselfe fully vnto vs and we haue the spirite of adoption whereby we may crie with full mouth Rom. 1.13 Col. â â Eph. 12.13 that God is our father euen wee that come of the heathen and had no acquaintance with God but were vtterly vncleane and to be short were by nature cursed had none other heritage than death and damnation Nowe then is it not an inestimable priuiledge that God hath brought vs so neere to himselfe What is to be doone then Seeing that God allureth vs more freely than he did y e fathers let vs be the more earnestly minded to serue him He dischargeth vs of the burthen as concerning the shadowes and figures what is to be doone therfore We must haue this willingnesse of giuing our selues to y e spiritual sobrietie which he requireth continually now stil as wel as he required it then Therfore let euerie man bethinke himselfe and inasmuch as God giueth vs leaue to eate of all manner of meates freely without exception that is to say of all such as may serue for our sustenaunce let vs haue this consideration with our selues Alas my God yet must I not abuse thy goodnes How manie waies doest thou shewe thy selfe liberall to me Therfore doeth it become me to bridle my selfe of mine owne accorde and to cut off all the wicked affections that reigne in me And first of all let vs put the doctrine in vre which Saint Paul setteth down in the thirteenth to the Romanes Rom. â1 ââ which is that wee bee not carefull for our fleshe at leastwise to fulfill the lustes thereof for that is a gulfe that can neuer be filled but onely looke to the susteyning of our bodies so farre foorth as they may bee maintained in good plight so vse Gods creatures as wee defile them not For although Gods creatures are permitted vnto vs yet doe we not cease to defile them by our vnbeleefe intemperance gluttonie or other abuses which we commit GOD sheweth that as now we may eate both of the Hare and of the Connie as wel as of the
sheepe or of the Goate Yet notwithstanding if wee glut our selues with them the meate that is cleane of it selfe becommeth vncleane vnto vs because we bee vnthankefull to GOD in that we consider not to what end he giueth vs sustenance One man rusheth foorth into all excesse and yet is neuer the more mainteyned in strength of bodie by it for he is readie to burst and maketh himselfe altogether vnweeldie A drunkarde playeth the Swine or some other brute beaste and the wine so ouercommeth him that he hath neither wit nor reason And although wine be a creature that God hath blessed and haue no vncleannesse at all in it selfe yet is it defiled by such misusing of it Othersome neuer remember to giue GOD thankes nor to call vppon his name And that is an other kind of defiling our foode Againe othersome abuse it to vaineglorie and deliciousnesse and growe so farre out of order that they can no skill to serue GOD. Othersome are so giuen to daintie fare that it maketh them to put their consciences in ieoperdie insomuch that they will not sticke to make them bondslaues to all leawdnesse and wickednesse so they may haue good cheere Othersome are afraide of want and fall to snatching to filching to catching and to al that can be deuised to get somewhat by hooke or by crooke And thus doe all of vs defile Gods creatures which of themselues are cleane And that is the cause why I saide that sith our Lorde hath giuen vs greater priuiledge and set vs more at libertie to the end that the bondage of the lawe shoulde not haue dominion ouer vs therefore wee ought to bee the willinger to restraine ourselues in absteining from all vncleannesse and to consider that the cause why God hath giuen vs the free vse of all kinde of meates is that wee shoulde vse them purely and not be defiled on our side so as we might not bee blamed for defiling of the things which haue no manner of vncleannesse in them selues in respect of God and in respect of the order that hee hath set among vs. And we must haue this regarde not onely in respect of meate and drinke but also in respect of our whole life in general Considering then that God nurtured the people of old time by forbidding certaine meates to the ende that they shoulde thinke thus with themselues well then seeing that our God hath forbidden vs the things that are lawfull for the heathen and which they take leaue to doe let vs vnderstande that it behooueth vs to liue in all manner of purenesse and that seeing God will haue vs to bee pure in smal thinges hee will much rather haue vs to bee so in great thinges Let vs nowadayes consider to what purpose this ceremonie of the lawe may serue vs to the ende that euerie of vs may enter into himselfe As for example if a man be led with ambition so as hee wil needes aduance himselfe and clymbe too high or if he be caried away with couetousnesse so as he burne therewith or if hee be an vnthrift and leade a lawlesse life or if hee bee a whorehunter and giuen to beastly lust let vs bethinke ourselues thus howe nowe Our Lorde abhorreth euerie little vncleannesse euen in eating and drinking and what will come of it then if our soules be defiled sith they be the thinges wherein he will haue his glorie to shine most cheefely True it is that our bodies also are the Temples of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19 Eph. 4.23 24. but yet hath God set his owne image in our soules and what a thing were it then to defile them after that sort with all diuelishe and worldly vncleannesse Thus ye see whereunto it behooueth vs to applie this doctrine to vse it wel And by the way let vs marke that Gods wil was to holde the people of olde time in obedience that they might knowe howe it is not for men to take such libertie and licence as they list but that they must receiue it at his hande To bee short let vs not attempte any thing in al our whole life except wee knowe it to be acceptable to our God When wee haue leaue of him then may we well goe forwarde but if hee say it not then let vs be still And indeede although this prohibition were not put in writing yet had God put a difference afore betweene cleane beastes and vncleane beastes as we may easily perceiue by that which is written of Noe. Gen. 8.20 God commaunded him to make sacrifice after the fludde And whereof Was it of all beastes in generall No Neither had hee reserued so great a number of the vncleane beastes as of the cleane and that was by reason of sacrificing Then was there a difference alreadie euen at that time And whereof proceeded that Had men deuised it of their owne braine No. And therefore let vs marke howe God reserued to himselfe the prerogatiue of putting difference betweene the beastes that were cleane and the beastes that were vncleane to the intent that men shoulde know that it is not for them to liue as they list to haue y e bridle loose in al things but that it behooueth them to looke vpwarde to harken what God giueth them leaue to do And when he giueth them leaue then let them vse their libertie or else let them keepe themselues still Ye see here a doctrine that is as profitable as that which we haue touched alreadie for wee see howe men burst foorth into such disorder with so great headinesse that they haue no mind at all to vse Gods benefites according to his meaning Ye shall not finde one among a thousande that will consider with him selfe whether God giueth him leaue to doe a thing or no. But men rushe out into all disorder as though they had leaue to doe what they list Nowe then seeing wee be so leawde and vnkinde that wee fall to thrusting our groynes into thinges like swine and consider not from whence the benefites come good cause haue we to remember this doctrine wherein it is shewed vs that euen from y e beginning of the worlde GOD did put a difference betweene the cleane beastes and the vncleane And let vs vnderstande that although the ceremonie continue not any longer nowadayes Yet notwithstanding the same ought to serue vs for a warning to lift vp our mindes on high in our eating and drinking and in our vsing of all the rest of Gods creatures that wee may know howe farre God hath giuen vs leaue and simply submit our selues thereunto Again if he giue vs libertie let it always prouoke vs to glorifie his name to giue him thaÌks for it is one of the sacrifices which he requireth of vs that wee shoulde doe him homage for all his benefites as holding them from him Psal. 50.14.23 But that cannot be done except wee bee first put in minde that we cannot so much as eate one bit
of breade without it be giuen vs from aboue not onely for that he hath created all thinges but also for that it behoueth vs to receiue all things as at his hande Therefore whensoeuer we eat or drinke we must not onely call to minde that God hath created all things for mans vse but also that hee feedeth vs as a father that cutteth out meate to his little children so as our hauing of thinges is as it were by his deliuerance as if he should say to vs I doe the office of a father I haue a care to nourishe you If wee knowe not this it is vnpossible for vs to thanke God hartily and vnfainedly True it is that euen they that haue no such thought will say grace but that is but for fashion sake and in way of hypocrisie Wil wee then magnifie Gods goodnesse truely then must we bee fully resolued not onely that God hath created all thinges for mans vse but also that he stil sheweth himselfe a father and giueth vs assurance that he will susteyne our bodies and maintaine vs in this transitorie life Sith it is so is it not an incouragement vnto vs to yeeld him the thankes as he deserueth Yes For it is not without cause that hee listed to put a difference betweene the ceremonies of the Lawe and the thinges that we haue at this day But although this prohibition was done away by the coÌming of our Lorde Iesus Christ yet cease wee not to come backe still to this point that forasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ giueth vs leaue to vse all his creatures indifferently we must vse them in such wise as he may be glorified by them so as wee referre all to him and take all as at his hande And herewithall we see what priuiledge wee haue in that we may quietly and with safe conscience eate the thinges that God giueth vs. For as for the wretched papists which behaue them selues after the maner of the worlde in forbearing certaine meates that are forbidden them whereas they think themselues to serue God in making but small meales vppon some certayne dayes and absteyning from egges and whytemeates on some other dayes and beare themselues in hand that their so doing is great deuotion and that God is greatly bound to them for it and yet in y e meane while suffer themselues to be led like silie beastes by the tyrannie of men in what case are they before God They can not eat one bitte of breade without doubting because they knowe not who it is that giueth it to them But sith we see that our Lorde hath set vs at libertie 1. Tim. â4 so as we may vse all manner of meats with thanksgiuing let vs consider that it is such a priuiledge as cannot be esteemed sufficiently and therfore let vs acknowledge it in our eating and drinking Sith we perceiue y t God hath such a care of vs 1. Cor. âââ as to stoope so lowe as to be chary of our food let vs assure our selues y t although our bodies be but carions yet notwithstanding God wil giue them sustenance to maintaine theÌ Seeing wee haue such a certeintie knowledge which cannot be without faith that is to wit that we be sure what God hath graunted vnto vs we ought greatly to magnifie his grace and therewithall to vse all his creatures with such sobrietie as we may yeeld him good account of them at the last day glorifie him in al pointes as long as he keepeth vs in this world Now let vs kneele downe before y e maiestie of our good god w t acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done by touching vs to the quicke so as we acknowledging him to bee the authour of all good things may learne to seeke him in all our life and cleaue wholy to his will and that for the bringing thereof to passe it may please him to graunt vs the grace to forsake all our corruptions and to fence vs so from the wiles and suttleties of satan and the world as nothing may keepe vs from being truely vnited to him that is the fountaine both of life of ioye and of al happinesse 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 xxiij of October 1555. The XCj. Sermon which is the second vpon the fourteenth Chapter 21 Ye shal not eat of anie dead bodie but thou shalt giue it to the Straunger that is within thy gates that he may eat it or else thou shalt sell it to a straunger For thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God Thou shalt not seeth a kidde in his dammes milke 22 Thou shalt giue the tenth of all the increase of thy seede which groweth yeerely on thy Land 23 And in the place which the Lorde thy GOD will choose to put his name in thou shalt eate before him the tythe of thy grayne and of thy wine and of thine oyle and the first borne of thy kine and of thy sheepe that thou maist learne to feare the Lord thy God alwayes YEsterday I tould you the cause why God forbad the people of olde time to eate of some certaine kindes of meats For in as much as we be fed sustained by his hand it is good reason y t we should vse his creatures purely and that we should haue leaue of him so as euery man take not leaue to doe what he listeth but what Gods word permitteth vs to doe Therew tall I shewed also y t although the ceremonie be no more vsed nowadayes nor we any more bound thereto as the fathers of old time were which liued vnder the law yet notwithstanding the doctrine thereof ceasseth not to be profitable for vs. And hereby we be doone to vnderstand that it is not lawfull for vs to eate or drinke without faith as S. Paul speaketh of it in the xiiii to the Romanes that is to say ãâã 14.23 vnlesse we be sure that God giueth vs the thinges which wee receiue for our sustenaunce as if a father shoulde feede his children On the other side wee haue farre greater libertie nowadayes than was vnder the Lawe Wee see how liberall GOD is towardes vs and wee haue the more cause to yeeld him thankes Moreouer the thing that was set downe in figures to the Iewes in olde tyme is vttered as nowe vnto vs without figure that is to say that in all cases all respects we must bridle our selues so as we medle not w t the defilements of y e vnbeleeuers but separate our selues from them seeing y t our Lord hath gathered vs into his flock and sheepefold And this figure of the old time is a warning for vs nowadayes For although we be no more bound to the keeping of it yet notw tstanding it ought to moue vs y e more to serue our god purely sith we see he hath giuen
their owne fancie there will be nothing but corruption Wee must alwayes beare this saying in minde that obedience is better than all the sacrifices in the worlde 1. Sa. 15.22 And therefore they were forbidden to offer sacrifice in any other place than onely one which was appointed for that purpose to the intent they should not euery man muse vppon foolish superstitions but hold themselues to the order that was set down without attempting any thing rashly and fondly vppon their owne heades as I sayd And this is spoken expresly vnto vs. For although wee haue not the selfesame order of religion which was among the auncient fathers vnder the Law yet doth this ground stand still that God will not be worshipped after our opinion but according to his owne will Therefore let vs bee well ware that we inuent not superstitions as the Papistes haue done vppon surmise that they will be accepted of God for they will doe nothing else but prouoke his wrath insomuch that when men turne away from Gods trueth the more they inforce themselues foreward the further off doe they still stray from it Will wee then keepe the right way Gods word must ouermaister vs. And this thing is yet the better confirmed to vs by Gods reseruing of the place to himselfe wherein he woulde be serued For he could well haue sayd by Moses Choose what place you your selues lyke best and when yee haue so done God will giue you leaue to come euery man thither and there to doe him seruice Al this might wel haue bin sayd But God sayth it belongeth to mee to choose I will not giue the choyce to men Herein wee see how hee reserueth the right of souereintie to himself to the end that the faithfull shoulde the better knowe that it is not for them to enterprise aught at aladuenture but that it behoueth them to haue warrant from aboue so as they may say God accepteth all that euer wee doe for we doe nothing but what he commaundeth vs none of vs dealeth vppon his owne head in this behalfe Wherefore let vs marke well that God hath here done vs to vnderstand that he wil not haue his seruice mingled with our inuentions but that wee should simply followe the thinges that are conteined in his worde And so yee see that as concerning the thinges which I haue sayd already God was to bee worshipped solemnly no where else than in the Temple of Ierusalem after it was declared and that vntill that time it behoued the Iewes to resorte to the Arke and to the Sanctuarie But now let vs come backe againe to that which is set downe here in writing If the place sayth Moses bee too farre from thee thou shalt sell the thinges which thou wart minded to offer or the thinges which thou oughtest to offer For it behoued them to offer the first borne of all their cattell Nowe they that dwell in the vttermost coastes of Iewry should haue had much ado to driue thither their Lambs Sheepe Goates and Calues Therefore they were to be borne withall and God being no oppresser of his people giueth them here a remedie to the intent they should not be greeued too much As for those that dwell neere to Ierusalem sayth hee let them bring thither as wel the first borne of their cattell as also all their freewill offerings and whatsoeuer other thinges they haue dedicated vnto God For otherwise the Citie of Ierusalem might bee famished If all that had come thither should haue bought their sacrifices there what a thing had that bin Therefore it was Gods will that men should bring theÌ thither from al the countries vnlesse the places were ouerfarre off And in that case hee saith it should bee Lawful for them to sell the thinges that they had dedicated namely such as were due by commaundement of the Lawe as the first borne thinges in remembraunce that God had smitten the firstborne of Egypt Exod. ãâ¦ã 13.1 and spared the firstborne of Israell whereof he would haue the memoriall to continue for euer Thou shalt sell it sayth he put vp the mony or folde it vp for so doth the word signify which he vseth Folde vp the mony in thy hand sayth he that is to say consider with your selues that that mony is none of your owne but that it must bee put vp alone by it selfe as a holy thing And when thou commest to Ierusalem thou shalt buy thine offeringes after thine owne lyking and after that the same hath bin offered in the Temple the Priestes shall take their dues therof then shall you eat and drink therof before the Lord as soone as you haue made your oblation therof and you shall be merry in eating of your sacrifices as farre as euery mans portion will extend That is the thing in effect which wee haue to remember in this text And here wee see as I haue sayd afore that although God held his people vnder very strait bondage yet notwithstanding hee layde no more vppon them than they were able to beare but so mitigated the rigor of the Lawe as no man could say it was vnpossible to doe the thinges that hee had inioyned Sith wee see it is so Let vs assure our selues that if our good GOD doe in these dayes lay any burthen vppon our shoulders that may bee too heauie for vs hee doth also giue vs abilitie to beare it so as wee bee not borne downe by it at leastwise if wee commit our selues to him so as we haue no cause to complayn of him as though he did vtterly ouerwhelme vs. True it is that the righteousnesse which God requireth of vs in his Lawe dooth farre surmount all our abilitie yea and we come so farre shorte of the performing of all that hee hath commaunded vs so as wee bee not able to stirre one finger towardes it nay wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought towardes it GOD must be faine to giue vs euery whit But when he assisteth vs with his holy spirit then wee finde his yoke sweete and easie specially when hee layes it vppon our neckes by the hand of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that is the cause why Iesus Christ protesteth that his burthen is not too heauie nor his yoke too hard But how commeth that to passe It is because God giueth vs both the will to serue him and also the abilitie to put the same in execution And therewithall hee addeth a second grace which is that hee beareth with vs when wee haue done amisse For wee of our selues are ouerfraile wee cannot throughly performe the thinges that hee commaundeth vs therefore he pardoneth our infirmities forgetteth them But howsoeuer the case stand yet haue wee good cause to serue him freely with a francke hart forasmuchas we see that hee on his side desireth no more but to guide vs as the father dooth his children Psal. 11. â as hee auoweth by his Prophet Hosheah But
them so as they see not one whit And yet for all that they toyle themselues exceedingly in searching out I wote not what and if a man aske them why they doe so they cannot tel but that they be driuen thereto by a foolish curiositie Therefore let vs beare in minde that our Lordes intent is to keepe vs occupyed so farre foorth as is for our behoofe And that is the cause why that in the holy scripture we see that God hath not voutsafed to feed our humors with thinges which hee knoweth to be of no edificatioÌ but restreineth vs to y e things which are for our behoofe to put in vre Let vs consider then that euery of vs ought to looke diligently to his owne duetie and that is the warning that is giuen vs in this text where God telleth vs that he maketh not Lawes of things that concerne vs not but that hee hath an eye to the thinges which we ought to put in practise dayly But now let vs come to this saying of his That there shal be poore folke continually This was spoken expresly to doe vs to vnderstand that God will try our charitie For he is rich enough to supply all mens wantes and it commeth not of any nigardship that he powreth not out his treasures vppon vs. What is the cause then that God suffereth men to be poore in this world but onely to giue vs occasion to doe good Therfore when we see one man poore another rich let vs not attribute it to fortune but let vs vnderstand how it is God y t disposeth thinges so and that it is not without reason True it is y t our eyes shal not alwayes see why God inricheth one impouerisheth another we cannot discerne y e cause therof certeinly And by that meanes God will haue vs to cast downe our eyes oftentimes to the end we should yeelde him the honor of gouerning men at his will and according to his own deuice which is incoÌprehensible Yet notwithstanding we haue to remember in generall the thing that I haue touched already which is y t Gods distributing of these worldly goods so vnegally is to bewray what is in mens harts by making a tryall of theÌ y t way So y t if a man be rich he may be the better discerned what a one he is For thereby hee is inabled to doe hurt and can the better indomage his enemies But if he absteine froÌ dooing euil if he exteÌd no crueltie towardes his neighbors if he hold himselfe w tin his owne bouÌdes w tout coueting more thaÌ God giueth vnto him it is a signe of honesty which had not bin knoweÌ if such occasioÌs had not bin ministred vnto him Again if a man of wealth be liberall so as he indeuour to doe good to such as haue neede of his helpe and aduauÌce not himselfe through pride statelynesse but alwayes behaue himself mildly y t is a very good proofe If another maÌ being poore take patiently whatsoeuer it pleaseth God to send him moreouer be not led to any deceit or naughtinesse how much soeuer he suffer or how hard soeuer his state be that also is a good behooueful tryal Now theÌ let vs mark y t whereas there are both rich and poore in this world God hath so ordeined it it coÌmeth of his prouideÌce therfore wee must hold it for a sure grouÌd y t there shal neuer want poore folke And now by the way let vs come to that which I spake of namely that Gods commaunding of wealthie folke to haue their handes open to succor the poore and needy that are in the land is not without cause For it is as it were a setting downe before our eyes wherein and after what maner he will be ferued at our handes namely in doing him homage with the goods which hee hath bestowed abundantly vppon vs Yea verily for he sendeth vs poore folkes to be as his receiuers And although y e almesdeed be done to mortall creatures yet doth God wel accept and well lyke thereof putteth it into his accountes as though y e thinges which we bestow vpon y e poore were deliuered into his owne handes Trueth it is y t as in respect of God y e deede y t wee doe is no almesdeede but an homage of y e goods that hee hath giuen vs for the which we bee beholden to him Yet neuertheles there is this moreouer y â besides his accepting of the acknowledgement which we yeeld vnto him for y e good y t he dooth vs it is all one as if y e mercie which we shew to our brethren extended it selfe vnto him And y t is the cause why it is sayd that he which shutteth his eares at the crying of the poore Prou. 21.13 shall cry himselfe vnto GOD and not bee heard On the contrary parte if wee bee pitifull and be moued to pitie the poore when we heare of their wants God also wil vse pitie compassion towards vs to succour vs againe at our neede And in the same respect Moses sayth expresly in this text that God coÌmaundeth vs to haue our handes open to the poore that dwel in the land among vs. For God offereth them to vs to the intent wee should haue no excuse to say I wist not to whome I should doe good Seeing then that our Lord ministreth the meanes vnto vs we must not seeke for startingholes for we shall bee still guiltie because we haue not vsed the occasion that was offered vs. Our Lorde Iesus Christ goeth yet further and saith that he himselfe will not be alwayes with vs Matt. 26.12 but that y e poore shall euer be with vs. For in coÌmending y e deede that was done to his honour because y e precious oyntment seemed superfluous wheÌ his head was annointed therewith he sayd let it be so for this once but from thenceforth he sendeth his disciples to the poore And why for it was all one as if he had sayd that it was no ordinarie seruice that he required nor for his own person nor for the person of God his father that men shoulde present him with the precious thinges of this world for he had no need of theÌ but his will was y t looke whatsoeuer men were willing to bestowe vpoÌ him they shold bestow it vpon y e poore And here let vs mark wel y t as I haue touched afore y â almesdeedes which we do to y e poore are accepted of God as sacrifices done vnto him Therefore let vs not deceiue ourselues in our offering vnto him Hebr. 13.16 as though he receiued any thing at our hands for he doth send vs backe agayne to doe good to such as stand in neede of our helpe Had this lesson bin well borne in minde the wretched world had not so mispent their labor and mony in foolish pomps as we see they haue done in the Popedome where they vse a greate sorte of
him for fashions sake but in deede make none account of him so as we should make a faire face of it to the worldewarde and in the meane while foster some secret poyson within but that we come right foorth to our God as he commaundeth vs. Thus ye see in effect what we haue to remember vpon this sentence of Moseses where hee speaketh of the firstborne Besides this our Lords meaning was that the first borne should be valued at a summe of mony as well of the cattell as of other things so as the thing that was alwayes aimed at was the mindefulnesse of Gods benefites But as concerning these things we will not enter into them as now for this text requireth it not neither doth y e time serue for it It sufficeth vs in fewe words to know that our Lordes meaning heere is that when we haue receiued any gratious good turne or that he hath bestowed any benefit vpon vs the remeÌbrance thereof should continue with vs not for a day or two but for euer and that the fathers should tell their children the same to the ende that he may be honored among vs for euermore Finally let vs not offer beastes vnto him in sacrifice as they did vnder the Lawe as appeareth by this figure but let vs assure our selues that y e acceptable sacrifice which God requireth is the offering of ourselues vnto him both in bodie and soule Rom. ãâ¦ã 1. Cor. ãâ¦ã so as our whole seeking may be to be guyded and gouerned altogether by his holy spirite and that all that euer wee haue be dedicated to his seruice and applyed to the vse which he hath shewed vs that he may be glorified in all points Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better and that seeing there is nothing in vs but all manner of frowardnesse leaudnes we may seeke to be renued in such sort that as long as we liue in this mortal life our whole seking may be to be guided to the happie ende which we looke for in heaueÌ and y t in the meane time we may liue after such a sorte in this worlde as he may be glorified in vs and that wheÌ it shall please him to take vs hence wee may yeelde our selues obediently into his handes assuring ourselues y t sith he sheweth him selfe so gratious and liberall towardes vs as to gouerne vs in this transitorie life of his goodnes giueth vs al things behoouefull necessary wee neede not to doubt but that he will make vs to attaine to the perfection of the thinges which are nowe hidden which shall not bee opened vnto vs vntill the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the fifth of Nouember 1555. The XCvij Sermon which is the first vpon the sixteenth Chapter THou shalt keepe the moneth of new fruites that thou maiest keepe Passeouer to the Lorde thy God For in the moneth of new fruites the Lorde thy God brought thee out of the Lande of Egypt 2 And thou shalt sacrifice the Passeouer to the Lorde thy GOD euen Sheepe and Oxen in the place which the Lorde thy GOD will choose to put his name therein 3 Thou shalt eate no leauen breade in that feast Seuen dayes shalt thou eate vnleauened bread euen the bread of sorowe For thou camest in haste out of the Lande of Egypt to the ende thou be mindefull of the day of thy departing out of the Lande of Egypt all the dayes of thy life 4 And there shal no leauen be seene in thy house during the seuen daies in all thy coastes Also ye shall not leaue of the fleshe that is sacrificed from the euening of the former day till the next morning THis present chapter treateth of the three feasts which God ordeined among the Iewes that is to wit the feast of Easter or passouer y e feast of Pentecost or Whitsontide the feast of Tabernacles or Tentes First hee treateth of the Passeouer God ordeineth that it should be diligently obserued for it was a memorial of great importance whereby the people were put in mind how they had beene redeemed put in possession of the inheritance that had bin promised vnto them It was behoouefull that y e same should be knowen for it was the fundation of all the benefits which the Iewes had receiued at Gods hande which they looked for afterwarde Without that they had bin no people separated dedicated to god neither had they had any hope of saluation for the couenaÌt made with their fathers had bin disfeated Therefore is it not without cause that God would haue that day kept holy with such ceremonie In like case was it with the feast of Tabernacles as wee shall see heereafter For it serued to put the Iewes in minde of their going out of Egypt and that whereas they had dwelt long time in the wildernesse without house or home and yet God had euer preserued them it behooued them likewise to acknowledge y e same benefite But we will treate of euery feast in his dewe order Presently we haue to speake of the passeouer But before I go any further we must marke also that God respected not only what he had done already but also ment therewithall there should be a figure of thinges to come whereof we haue now the trueth substance since the time y t our lord Iesus Christ hath bin discouered to y e world That is the cause why S. Paul telleth y e Colossians y t these thinges were but shadowes Col. 2 17. y e body wherof is in Christ Iesus True it is y t he speaketh not there expresly of Easter day by name but yet vnder the name of Sabbat he comprehendeth all the feastes likewise al the Ceremonies that depended vpon theÌ To be short God had a double respect in ordeining the day of the Passeouer The one was to do the people of Israel to vnderstand y t they came not into possession of y e Land of Chanaan by their own power but y t they had bin led in thither by the hande of God And because they had bin deliuered by miracle out of y e land of Egypt Gods wil was y t the same should be declared Againe forasmuch as the same deliuerance was a figure of the deliueraunce y t was to be hoped for by our Lorde Iesus Christ this feast of Passeouer exteÌded yet further y t is to wit y t wheÌ the people ate of the pascal Lamb as they called it they should thinke thus with theÌselues This is a shadow figure of the Sacrifice which shal be once offered vp wherby the world shal be reconciled set free And although the thing were not yet apparant to the eye Yet behoueth it the
acknowledge so great a benefit And herein we see how God had a respect to the rudenesse of his people as in deede all the Ceremonies which wee haue serue but for our infirmitie What doth Baptism or the Lordes Supper bring vs Doe they make the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ of more value than it is of it selfe What helpe find we in the bread or in the wine or in the water to that purpose Gods meaning then was not to ad any thing to y t which we haue receiued in our Lord Iesus Christ but to beare with our rudenes because he sees vs to be vnable to comprehende the thinges that are gotten for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ. For inasmuch as they bee too high for vs God helpeth vs vp to theÌ by the outwarde visible signes which we haue in y e Sacraments But it behoued the Iewes to haue mo such helps than we For they had not so plaine a doctrine as is now conteined in y e Gospel Again Iesus Christ was not yet come in whom we see all y t euer can be wished for our saluation The heauens were then opened vnto vs Col. 1.22 when his side was opened to washe vs cleane and his body offered vp for a sufficient sacrifice to reconcile vs vnto God his father and to doe away all our offences and transgressions When these thinges were done then had we a full warrant of our saluatioÌ Therfore wee in these dayes neede not to be helped with so houge a heape of Ceremonies as the ancient fathers vnder the Lawe were It is ynough that we be ledde to our Lord Iesus Christ wherunto fewe signes suffiâe that is to wit Baptisme and the Lorde his Supper For seeing that the sonne of God is contented with those two we also ought to rest there Neuerthelesse wee see heere howe God vouchsafed to stoope to the infirmitie of his people by giuing them a liuely representation of their departing out of the Land of Egypt and by setting them downe as it were in a lookingglasse or painted table for them to beholde howe he had deliuered them that is to wit like a sort of poore people that were taking their iourney to flee away priuily and were so distressed as it was not for them to turne heade against so mightie enemies who were able to haue swallowed theÌ vp at the first chop without any resistance Seeing then that the Iewes had such instruction they shoulde haue considered thus with themselues How commeth it to passe that we be aliue at this day but because our God hath preserued vs And how shold our state stand but onely by his meere mercy For we had perished if he had not reached out his arme to bring vs out of the Land of Egypt Thus much concerning this point Nowe it was commaunded further that the pascall Lamb should be eaten with bitter herbes Exod. 12.8 And our Lorde himselfe speaketh here expresly of the bread of sorrow as if he had said although ye eateth pascall Lambe in rest and when yee be come to the inioying of the inheritance which I haue promised you yet must you haue a memoriall of the anguish wherein your forefathers were and you must thinke y t without my fauour you should haue had nâither pascall Lambe nor bit of bread to eat at this day for ye should haue beene vtterly rooted out of the worlde Consider it therefore and that yee may be the better moued thereunto take bitter herbes that is to say absteine from all deintinesse in your eating of the pascall Lambe For the Iewes were not restreined from taking their repast after their eating of the pascall Lambe as wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ in eating of the Pascall Lamb with his disciples insomuch as they did not only sit downe at a table but also lye downe after the manner of olde time which was to eate their meales lying halfe a tone side Certaine it is that he kept the Lawe to the vttermost Gal. 4.4.5 for hee submitted himselfe to it to set vs free from it Then must we note that our Lord ate the pascall Lamb after the same maner that was ordeined by Moses that is to wit standing vpon his feete with his staffe in his hande and his shoes on his feete and hauing his loynes girded vp like a wayfarer And after this was done hee tooke his accustomed repast for this was a solemne sacrifice and therefore wee must not wonder that it was separated from the common meates for it behoued all the folke of one house to eate thereof so as if there were thirtie or fortie persons in a house euery man hadde his portion of it And if the housholde were not great ynough two or three housholdes were called together and they mette in one place that the sacrifice might be eaten vp hastily A Lambe was roasted in hast and eaten vp with a morsell of a sweete cake yea and they were forbidden to seeth it to shewe that they could haue no leasure to tarrie till it were halfe boyled but they were faine to deuour it hastily life folke that were to go their waies out of hand But howsoeuer the case stoode it behoued them to eat it with bitter herbs Whereby we be done to vnderstande that deinties doe keepe vs from the dewe consideration of Gods benefites to be rauished by them For although it bee sayde Thou shalt be merrie before thy God Deâ yet are we continually helde backe in this worlde when we haue some allurement to withdrawe vs froÌ God For if our fleshe haue her likinges then are wee ouertaken in such sorte that we stye not vp aloft to beholde well the spiritual grace of God Thus yee see that the cause why the bitter herbes were put to the sacrifice was to make men to consider the better after what manner the people hadde beene deliuered beeing erst in so extreeme anguish as they were not able to endure any more Besides this Exod. 44. ââ they were also forebidden to admit any heathen man to it vnlesse hee were circumcised True it is that God commanded that the bondmen being straungers borne should eate thereof Yea but that was not before they were first incorporated into his Church by receiuing the signe of circumcision Hereby it is done vs to vnderstande that it was a peculiar token giuen of God to his owne people For Sacraments are peculiar to the Church They be no things for men to put to vnholy vses nor to leaue at aladuenture For our Lorde will haue vs to bee gathered together vnder his name When we vse the Sacramentes let vs thinke thus with our selues Beholde here is a treasure that God hath kept and layde vp for vs as for his children And in dâeede if a man should noweadayes admitte as many to the Lordes Supper as woulde offer to come to it were it not a defiling of the Sacrament And yet there are a number to be seene
will blesse thee in al thy fruites and in all the workes of thy handes and therefore shalt thou reioyce 16 Three times a yeare shall all thy males appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord wil choose that is to wit in the feast of vnleauened bread in the feast of Weekes and in the feast of Tabernacles and none shall appeare emptie before the face of the Lord. 17 But euerie man shal giue according to his abilitie euen according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he shall haue giuen thee WE haue here to treate of the feast of Tabernacles which was a memoriall of Gods preseruing of the Iewes in the wildernesse where was no house For he had kept them by the space of fortie yeares vnder Tentes and small boothes the cause wherof was that he had so remoued them from place to place that they had no leasure to builde nor stuffe wherewith to builde Therefore it was meete that they should be put in remembrance of it that being come into the lande of Chanaan they should not giue themselues to iollitie and forget it when God had set them at rest For we see howe men are giuen to fall asleepe and to nestle themselues when our Lorde remooueth them not To auoide this danger it was Gods wil that y e Iewes shoulde yeare by yeare depart out of their houses and dwell in Tentes that is to say vnder the open skie in arbers made of boughes and for seauen dayes together minde that benefite For it was an incredible thing that God shoulde haue preserued so great a multitude of people with their yong children in boothes tentes w tout houses We knowe y t houses serue to keepe off both cold heat and al other discoÌmodities Needs therfore must it be y t god wrought after a wonderfull fashion and it was meete that his goodnes should be acknowledge in that behalf We see then nowe wherefore this feast was ordeyned vnder the lawe For the seruing of God coÌsisted not in y e peoples shifting of their places for it had beene but a stage play to haue come to Ierusalem and there to pinch themselues to dwel a while in Cabanes vnlesse it had beene to some ende and that they had beene taught some thing whereby to magnifie Gods name to put their trust in him accordingly as I haue declared heretofore that all ceremonies must implie some learning and instruction or else they be but pelting baggage ye a it is but a mocking of God if the faithfull be not edified that they may alwayes liue in the feare of God to rest vppon him and to call vppon him with the better courage If it bee not so it is but superstition and the thinges are not onely vnprofitable but also abhominable before God Nowe then the feast of Tabernacles was a traynment to the people of Israell to shew them that if they were at rest and at their ease in the land of Chanaan they had not alwayes beene so but that God had led them after a straunge fashion through the wildernesse and that if they were contented with Cabanes and arbers it behoued them also to applie themselues to the praysing of God for his deliuering of them out of the Land of Egypt by so manie miracles The Iewes as foolkes that woulde faine discharge themselues to Godwarde by hypocrisie did indeede keepe the feast it selfe but they lefte the meaning of him that had commaunded it For euen at this day still they keepe the feast according to the letter and they haue a number of pretie apes toyes which they obserue diligently As that their Cabanes be not too close but made full of holes nor that the boughes bee not too thicke platted but so as a man may see the stars through them and that there bee Loopeholes to looke vpon the skie so as the skie may glimse vppon their eyes All of them I say doe vse such trifling toyes but in the meane while they consider not whereunto God meant to direct them By which example of theirs wee bee the better warned not to regarde the letter of the lawe but to seeke the ende which God pointeth vs too And seeing that the Iewes had such instruction let vs consider what fruit we ought to reape nowadayes of the feast of Tabernacles It is not nowe any more in vse that wee shoulde be bounde to the keeping thereof but yet the doctrine thereof continueth still and concerneth vs as much or more than the Iewes And our keeping of the feast of Tabernacles must not be for a weeke or twayne but for all our life long And why ãâ¦ã 16 For if wee be not straungers in this worlde we shall haue no part in the kingdome of heauen Will we haue God to auowe vs for his children Let vs keepe on our way here beneath assuring our selues that this life of ours is but as a iourney or rather but as a race And it is not enough for vs to goe but wee must also runne a pace holding on our way still to that ende and alwayes straining our selues to atteyne vnto it For except we streine and inforce our selues we shal neuer get one steppe forward but wee shall retyre fower backe for it Agayne we see howe slow we be and how manie meanes Satan hath to hinder vs and therefore we must euen fight against such impedimentes And so let vs marke that the thinges which wee reade here in Moses declare vnto vs that for asmuch as it was Gods will that the Iewes in the time of the lawe shoulde haue a weeke to put them in minde howe they had beene as pilgrims in the wildernesse and that he had maintayned them there after a straunge fashion we in these daies because the figure is abolished must repaire to the trueth that is to say wee must remember that God harboreth vs in such sort in this world as that he wil not haue vs to nestle here nor to be so intangled in it as to make it our euerlasting resting place but to stie vpward still and to bee here as birdes sitting vppon a bough True it is that God is so fauourable to a great number that they neuer remooue from home of all the time of their life and yet they be neuer the lesse Christians for all that but yet must not any man make him a nest vppon earth vppon imagination that he will rest here Where as Saint Paul saith that he had no rest 2. Cor. 7.5 he meant it specially of himselfe and of certaine others of the faithfull whome God tossed from post to piller But as for the meaning of the mind that must needes bee common to all the faithfull namely that they haue no restingplace in this worlde Although then that GOD do beare with some mens weakenesse so as they neuer remoue out of the place where they were borne but continue at home still in their owne houses yet must they
bring them after such a sorte before the face of our GOD as the veryest straungers and those that are furthest off from vs may bee partakers of our mirth and feele the benefite of it bicause it is made common according to the same saying of Moses in this present Text that the strangers the widowes and the fatherles must be merrie with those that present themselues after that manner to God to offer sacrifice vnto him Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better that being vtterly in misliking with them we may seeke to be reformed by his worde and profite therein more and more And that for as much as he doth chiefely commaund vs to passe through the world and to aspire to y e kingdome of heauen we by this making of vs to feele our owne wretchednesse may bee stirred vp by the same meane to seeke the saluation which he hath promised vs and whereinto our Lord Iesus Christ is entered to guide vs thither by his example And that in the meane while we may be confirmed by the power of his holy spirite in the doctrine y t he giueth vs so as we may neuer be turned from it for any impedimentes that can befal vs but that we may alwaies keepe on our course till he haue rid vs of this mortall body and clothed vs againe with his owne immortall glory That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Saturday the ix of Nouember 1555. The Cj. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the sixeteenth Chapter 18 Iudges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee throughout all thy Tribes to iudge the people with iust Iudgemement 19 Thou shalt not wrest the Lawe nor haue regarde of persons Thou shalt not take any reward For gifts blinde the eyes of the wise and peruert the woordes of the righteous HAd wee continued in the same soundnesse of nature wherein God created vs y e order of Law as men terme it should not be so needefull bicause euery man should cary the law in his heart so as no man needed to be compelled to obedience but euery man should know his rule wee should all with one accord followe that which is good rightful And therefore law is as a remedie against the corruption y t is in men As oft as there is any talk concerning earthly gouernmeÌt we must vnderstand y t therein we haue a mirror of our frowardnes in y t we are faine to bee compelled to y e following of vprightnes reason For they that are in authoritie Rom. 13.4 1. Pet. 2.14 haue the sworde in their hand and to what end To represse such as burst out into excesse and outrage And wherof commeth that but that whereas meÌ ought of themselues to seeke the thing that is good and iust they turne it vpside downe and goe about to bring all to confusion if they bee not letted Surely it is a great shame Gen. 1.26 considering that God hath created vs after his own image giuen vs dominion soueraigntie ouer al his creatures y t we should be faine to be inforced to it by reasoÌ of our naughtines Picke me out the most despised of all men yet doeth he carie in himselfe the image of God and the saide token of soueraigntie Yet for al that wee bee faine to become vnderlings and that is bicause of our sinne as I said afore Let vs know therefore that God hath not stablished the order of earthly gouernment without cause but that he had an eye to y e corruption y t is in vs. Hereby we be well warned as I saide afore to humble our selues seeing our sinnes require such remedie But yet ought wee to magnifie Gods goodnes for y t he hath prouided aforehand y t all should not go to vnrecouerable confusion among vs which thing woulde come to passe if we might do what we listed For if the strongest might goe away with the goale what would comâ of it It were much better for vs to be in y e forestes among wolues and wilde beasts thaÌ to be among meÌ if all things were at libertie For no beastes are so woode as are our own lustes Therfore let vs acknowledge y e wonderful goodnes of our God in y t he hath had such care to preserue vs y t forasmuch as he sawe wee coulde not maintaine our selues vnlesse there were lawes to hold vs in Iudges to execute y â things y t are set down in writing he hath prouided for al. Also hereby we are put in mind to loue the state of Iustice forasmuch as we know it is a singular gift of God a meane to preserue maÌkind If we loue the light of the Sunne bicause we cannot liue without it and if we loue bread and whatsoeuer else belongeth to our sustenance let vs also loue y e order of Iustice. For it is to no purpose to haue meate drink all other commodities seeing y t without lawes Magistrates wee should bee depriued of all Gods blessings and it were better for vs to be dispatched out of hand than to eate vp one another as it would come to passe And therefore we must esteeme y e order of Iustice to be a president of Gods grace and wee must make account of it as it is worthy euery of vs indeuouring al y t he can to maintaine it For wee shewe our selues to bee deadly enemies to peace to the coÌmon weale if we loue not the state of Iustice. And all such as trouble it go about to peruert it are as theeues and are to bee esteemed as enemies of mans welfare In so much that all men ought to fight against them when wee see them goe about to bring in such horrible confusion among vs. Now it is not for nought faid here againe that when the people were come into the lande which had bin promised vnto them they should make them Iudges and Magistrates euerywhere This matter hath beene expounded alreadie in the first Chapter Deut. ãâ¦ã but yet is it not without cause that GOD repeateth it heere againe For he intendeth to shewe that it is to no purpose to haue good and iust Lawes vnlesse there be men to set them in force and to put them in execution This hath beene told you afore neuerthelesse it is requisite that you be put in mind therof again For we see how God spekeath of one thing oftentimes to the intent we should set y e more store by it and thinke vpon it and not forget it Euen so doth he now confirme the former speeche which he had concerning Magistrates And indeede it is not without cause y t the common prouerb termeth them the soule or life of the Lawe For
keepe a dyet he must bee helde short like a childe and he is restrayned of all thinges that he lyketh in so much that if he commaund his owne seruant to bring him this or that his seruaunt must not be so bolde as to doe it Yea and when maisters bee diseased they are subiect to their seruantes so as they cannot inioy their owne goods And why Because they be not meete to haue them by reason of their disease which ouermaistreth them and therefore are they fayne to bee as vnderlinges Euen after the same manner standeth the case with vs insomuch that if wee were in deede whole and sounde God woulde guide vs after another fashion But forasmuch as he knoweth vs to be so corrupted he is fayne to compell vs yea and to restraine vs in such sort as wee haue heard of Thus much concerning the first point Againe for the second Moses declareth and setteth forth that which I said coÌcerning choise making namely that in the seate which GOD hath dedicated to himself no such persons must be put as turne all thinges vpside downe For if such be chosen for publike Magistrates as leade a wicked trade as in whom there is no feare of God no honestie no vprightnes but wildnesse wantonnesse and disorder or in whom there is no more wisedome than in Asses but to be short are madbrayned or frantike if such I say be set in place of publike office it is not a dishonouring of men but a working of high treason against God bicause it is a defiling of his seate So then it behoueth vs to wey well how Moses saith he ere that when it commeth to the chosing of Officers men must not set vp Idols nor iudge of them without tryall And why Bicause it is a dishonouring of God to set such persons in his roome as are not worthy to haue the ruling of a house Yee shall see a man that is not able to gouerne his owne houshould such a one as is not to bee trusted to for any thing folke shall say of him yonder fellowe is a foole hee is a dizard hee hath no reason hee hath no stay of himselfe hee hath neither wit nor discretion to guide himselfe or his houshould and yet for all this shall men goe and set him in the seate of Iustice He is a man that cannot liue quietly with his wife shal he be able to keepe a whole Citie in quiet Men preferre him to bee a counseler And to what end To see the peace maintained And how can that be Hee hath no moe but his wife and houshould to gouerne and yet he is not able to weelde them When he is at home he is not able to guide his wife and his children Now when thinges go arsiuersie after that sorte God is openly despised So much the more therefore doth it stand vs in hand to marke well what Moses saith heere namely that the choosing of Iudges Officers is not a matter of formalitie or a Ceremonie but a holy thing wherein men ought to proceed with all reuerence and that God laieth not y e bridle vpon any peoples neck as if he should say Take whome yee list at aduenture without consideration but he portrayeth out the persons and pointeth them out with his finger Looke to it saith he that ye vse discretion in choosing the persons that shall haue y e ruling of the people For the word To Iudge importeth to gouerne And secondly let them iudge vprightly sayth he Whereas he speaketh of gouerning it is not without cause For it is to no purpose to choose such as haue neede of Tutors To prefer those to the guiding of others which ought to be put vnder the direction of others is too great a skorning of God Again the case here concerneth Iustice and vprightnesse Therefore y e choosing of officers before they be wel knowen and throughly tryed is surely a marring of all good order And therof come so many changes turmoyles We wonder to see our Lord ouerthrow Common weales and to behold how the Nations that were free are greatly distressed ouerwhelmed with tyranny but wee looke not from whence all those thinges proceede The ground thereof was the abuses which were committed bycause there was no regarde had of the mainteining of the state which God had stablyshed nor care to follow faithfully the order that God had inioyned So much the more therfore doth it stand vs in hand to beare well away the things that are tould vs heere Moses hauing sayde so addeth nowe That men must not wrest the lawe nor haue respect of persons nor take rewardes or giftes And he addeth the reason For giftes saith hee doe blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the wordes of the righteous First he setteth downe heere a generall rule that men should not wrest the Lawe For in deede wee may liken equitie to a right lyne and if it wrythe to the one side or to the other by and by it is iniquitie And therefore Moses sayeth thou shalt not wrest the Lawe that is to say thou shalt haue thyne eye vppon the lyne of Iustice and followe it without swaruing one way or other And heerewithall hee sheweth howe the same may bee performed namely by respecting no mans person and by eschewing to take rewardes For when we consider a deede simply in it selfe euen nature teacheth âs what to doe True it is that wee had neede to call vppon GOD continually for wee see howe weake of vnderstanding and corage wee bee euen in the thinges that are most euident oftentymes wee bee starke blinde in them Then must not men presume vppon their owne wit and thinke themselues wise ynough to iudge of all thinges that are set before vs but wee must vnderstand that it is a heauenly gifte Eccle. 2.26 as Salomon declareth And if wee bee combered in the smallest matters howe shall wee doe when we come to giue sentence of matters of great weight Iudges therefore must first humble themselues and consider that if they bee not gouerned by Gods holy spirite they shall not bee able to holde them to true Iustice and therefore they must referre themselues to GOD and aske counsell at his mouth that they may bee taught by his word and they must giue themselues ouer to his spirit and submit themselues thereunto But besides this Moses ment to shewe heere the cheefe causes of all the impeachmentes of Iustice. For as I sayd afore if wee haue an eye alonely to the deede without respecting the person so as wee bee not possessed aforehande eyther with fauour or with hatred it is certaine that wee can skill to giue sentence aright And if it coulde bee brought to passe that the parties should not come in sight that it might not be knowen who were the playntife and who the defendant so as the Iudges might not bee allured and carryed away either with bryberie or with flatterie or with lyes and gloses or with
haue forbidden you that No. And therefore this lawe must concerne a people that hath receiued Religion afore and among whome some certaine rule is set downe and stablished Nowe then when God hath once commaunded one thing and forbidden another and hath tolde vs that his will is so what remaineth more for vs but to frame our selues thereafter And as for those that refuse his yoke can they say it is through ignorance and through some fonde deuotion Indeede it may well bee so but yet there lyeth another crime shrowded vnderneath namely the contempt of Gods worde yea there lurketh secrete malice hypocrisie and pride and all these saye I are mingled together Therefore must all excuses cease and we must acknowledge that all such as haue beene duely trained in the worde of God are lesse excusable than the ignorant And this is not to be applyed alonely to temporall Iustice but forasmuch as it is God that speaketh let vs marke that accordingly as wee haue proceeded in his doctrine and he shewed his will vnto vs our sinne is the greater if we followe not whatsoeuer he commaundeth vs. To this point must we come it is God that hath spoken vnto mee he hath graunted mee the grace to knowe howe hee will haue me to walke and therefore seeing that hee inlighteneth mee I must not stumble I must not play the blinkarde nor the blinde bussarde but I must take heede to the obeying of his doctrine If we doe not so we see that this foresaide punishment belongeth vnto vs and if wee be not chastised by the hand of man it is readie for vs from aboue For God can well skill to vpbraide vs with the fauour that he hath shewed vs in that hee hath vouchsafed to teach vs his will Insomuch that although the poore ignorant soules were halfe to be excused yet so it is that on our behalfe the crime is out of all square when wee set our selues after that fashion against Gods will which is knowen vnto vs. Thus yee see what we haue to remember vpon this place where it is expresly saide that God hath not commaunded those things Also let vs learne generally to iudge of Gods will according to his teaching of vs. For oftentimes we will needs lessen mens faults or aggrauate them and yet in the meane while we looke not at the thing that is tolde vs. Therefore let vs beare in minde that Gods will is conteined in y e holy scripture and y t that is the place where we must seeke it when we see that God speaketh so or so let vs hold vs to it without any gainsaying Nowe Moses addeth that the hande of the first witnesse shal be first against the partie that is to bee stoned and then the hands of al the people Wherein he ment to shewe that witnesse must not be borne but with feare But nowadayes many men make no great conscience to giue euidence at allauenture against their neighbours because they bee not put to the executing of the sentence Herevppon one goes and with his false tongue doeth wounde some man that is but halfe guiltie or peraduenture guiltlesse altogether And he bears himselfe in hand that a iob with his beake is not so great a matter by reason whereof he passeth not at all to speake against all trueth Yee see then the verie cause why there is so much libertie of forswearing nowadayes is that such as giue euidence against their neighbours are not put to the executing of the Iudges sentence But it was Gods will that their shoulde bee another order among the people of Israel namely that hee which gaue the euidence shoulde cast the first stone at the partie as who shoulde say it is thou that puttest this man to death By meanes whereof folke were restreined from bearing witnesse against any man vnlesse the matter were true and certaine For he that had giuen the euidence sawe himselfe dubble guiltie both of tongue and hand in murdering an innocent if hee had not deposed the trueth Wee see then howe it was not without cause that God commaunded this Ceremonie namely that the witnesses should bee the first in stoning the parties that were condemned to death by y e Iudges And hereby they were all done to vnderstande that no offeÌder was put to death but by the witnesse of such as had proued his offence by their owne knowledge Neuerthelesse God willed also that the hands of al the people should ioyne with them to shew that all of vs must bee furtherers of the maintenance of his seruice and of the pure Religion If any trespasse haue beene committed between man and man it shal be pursued by such as haue taken the hurt or losse or by such as haue to do therewith or else some common sollicitor shal haue the prosecuting of it for them all But when Gods honour is defaced then ought euery man to bestirre himselfe and it is a singular fauour that God sheweth vnto vs when hee imployeth vs in so honorable a thing as the maintenance of his maiestie to be as his Attourneys in that behalfe For what are we Now if God doe vs the honour to declare vnto vs that he wil haue his honour maintained by vs and by our hands shoulde we be negligent in that case So then wee see nowe what was Gods meaning in commaunding all the people to helpe to stone the ydolaters For thereby it is done vs to vnderstande that wee ought to haue a care to maintaine Gods seruice purely among vs and that euery man must bee earnest and zealous in this behalfe that as much as in vs lyeth wee suffer not religion to bee had in skorne or to bee peruerted But that if wee beare good will to the common weale when all thinges are well ordered and that wee loue to haue equitie and vprightnesse among vs there is much more reason that we shoulde bee verie chare of the worshipping of God purely that men turne not away from his woorde ne wander away wilfully from the Religion that hee hath stablished For although that wee nowadayes bee not bounde of any necessitie to the keeping of this Lawe as in respect of the Ceremonie yet doeth the substance thereof abide with vs. Euerie of vs is not to stone ydolaters but yet our Lorde doeth vs to vnderstande that wee must at leastwise haue so great regarde of his honour that so farre as lyeth in vs wee suffer not his name to bee scorned and his religion troden downe but that euerie of vs doe set our selues there against and make himselfe an aduersarie partie in that behalfe That is the thing which wee haue to note And so although the Ceremonie of the Lawe be not such amongst vs yet doeth the substance thereof stande in force still and wee ought to obserue it And for the same cause also it is added expresly that they must roote out the euill from among them Whereby he doth vs to wit that the suffering of
is a hidden doctrine either for your selues or for your children Wee see then howe it was Gods will that his lawe shoulde bee common both to great and small And shoulde he then that was brought vp in the house of the crowne bee a beast No. Ought he not to bee instructed in the Lawe And if hee ought was it not requisite that hee shoulde haue a booke of it Yes for sooth And what is y e cause why God woulde he shoulde haue a copie of the booke at such time as hee were put in possession of the kingdome It was to the ende hee shoulde perceiue himselfe to bee double bounde vnderstande that if priuate persones bee bounde to profite in Gods schoole to giue good heede to the doctrine that is preached or written it is much more reason that the person which hath the charge of the whole bodie which is set vp in the name of God and hath God come neere vnto him shoulde bee diligent to profite in the same schoole Therefore let vs marke how it behooued a booke to bee appointed out specially for the king and the same to bee written after a solemne fashion and the Priestes and Leuites to bee witnesses thereof and the same to bee deliuered vnto him as by the hande of God For it was all one as if God had sayd vnto him Go to I haue giuen my lawe to all my people I will haue the remembrance thereof to bee renewed yerely ãâã 4.19 For the booke was brought foorth the bloud of the sacrifice was sprinkled first vppon the booke and then vppon all the people to the ende they shoulde consider thus wee be linked in vnseparable bonde with the lawe of God But when this was done there was a seconde booke brought and deliuered into the kings own haÌds as if it had beene saide vnto him God âyndeth thee much more than any priuate persons to knowe thy duetie namely that thou shouldest be better learned than all the rest and shewe them examples and behaue thy selfe in such wise as all the people may take thee for their guyde That was the thing which our Lorde meant in this text And in deed let vs consider a little how hard the charge of princes is Although a Iudge had not past one citie or one towne to gouerne yet shoulde he finde himselfe much cumbered and what shal he do then hauing a whole realme It standeth al Magistrates and Officers of iustice in haÌd to apply this to theÌselues to know y t their charge passeth all their abilitie so as they shall neuer be able to go through with it except God giue them his holy spirite But yet for all that he wil not haue them to be negligent in y e mean while What is to be done then All Magistrats and al such as haue publike charge must vnderstande that if it behooue other men to bee diligent to read the holy scripture to haunt Sermons to bee confirmed more and more in the doctrine and to be well edified thereby they themselues haue twyce as much neede to be so And forasmuch as God hath aduaunced them to preheminence it behoueth them to haue recourse to him dayly and to call vppon him and not to be so vainglorious as to thinke O I am able ynough to guyde my selfe and to gouerne others No no Let them rather consider them selues to bee vnable vnlesse God giue them power and strength with wisedome and discretion to guyde themselues Therefore let them desire to be taught that others may frame themselues after their example and let all resort vnto God indeuouring to profit in such sort in his schoole as the great men may haue wherewith to gouerne well and the meaner sort may by that meanes bee allured to obey quietly so as al meÌ may bee guyded vnto God with one common accorde Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them in such sort as wee may seeke his mercie with true repentance and hee graunt vnto vs not onely to burie our faultes past but also to refourme vs that our whole seeking may be to please him to frame our selues in all points to his will and also that in the meane whyle hee beare with vs in all our infirmities vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane of them And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxj of Nouember 1555. The Cvj. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the seuenteenth Chapter 16.17.18 But hee shall not c. 19 The which hee shall haue with him and reade it all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lorde his God and keepe all the wordes of the Lawe and the Ordinaunces to doe them 20 That he lift not vp his heart aboue his brethren nor turne not from the coÌmaundement to the right hand or to the left that he may indure long in his kingdome both he and his sonnes in the middes of Israel WE sawe yesterday why GOD commaunded kings to haue a booke of the law For although they had beene taught afore yet when they were come to that state it stoode them in hand to thinke that they had more neede than euer they had to rule themselues by Gods word considering how hard a thing it is to gouerne a people and that God must be faine to worke in that behalfe and men must acknowledge themselues far too weake that they may seeke y e help that is needeful for them namely to be guyded by God and for attainment thereof apply their studie to his worde For it is in vaine for vs to hope that God will giue vs counsel vnlesse wee seeke it in his lawe If a man say that God will wel ynough giue him his spirite yet in y e mean while despise all the helpes as the reading of y e holy scripture the hearing of Sermons is it not a mocking of him And so ye see wherefore it behoueth the kings to haue a booke of y e lawe There is a saying of a heathen man which is taken for a common prouerb namely that y e common weale is happie where wise men holde the helme or where such as hold the helme do giue themselues to wisedome And that is a very rare thing But yet men see that al this is very true For when men are chosen to gouerne a people it is meete y t they should haue wit and reason in them And it is not ynough for a man to bee of some courage discretion aforehande ere hee take the gouernment vpon him but he must also indeuer to profit continually when he is come to it and thereunto doth euen experience itself prouoke him for our true wisedome is to harken to God when he speaketh to vs and to obey his doctrine So then wee see how needful it was for kinges to bee exhorted to read Gods
If the thing that belongeth to God bee plucked away from him to be bestowed vpon creatures it is a practise of Satans to turne vs out of the right way Againe if one doe puffe vp men with pride and ouerweening and make them beleeue that they be able folke so rock them asleepe in their sinnes or if he teach them to serue God with pelting toyes and to forget his Lawe and in the meane while to giue mens inuentions their ful scope or if the Sacraments be vsed but as light or fond pastimes a man may easily see that such doctrine is leawd and cursed and that it was forged in Satans shop Furthermore whereas nowadayes men are inquiring whereon to stay in y e middest of these troubles and diuersities of opinions that are in the world it is no very hard thing to doe so they be attentiue and discreete in discerning after the maner that our Lord hath shewed vs. For all the whole doctrine of poperie teÌdeth to none other end but to aduaunce men and to puffe them vp in such wise with their owne deserts as they may be halfe at defiance with God as though they could accuse him Againe it sendeth men too and fro In stead of putting their trust in the onely freegoodnesse of God and in stead of imbracing our Lorde Iesus Christ men are taught other infinite meanes to saue themselues Moreouer in steed of hauing the only Lawe of God for their onely rule in all thinges and for their onely holynesse and perfection men haue set out their owne trifling traditions Thus may ye easily iudge of these thinges And what is to be sayd of their Sacraments It is euident that they be meere witcheries in the Popedome so as Iesus Christ is driuen a great way off by them and men make idols of the visible signes liuelesse creatures and Satan hath so imbrued the wretched world with his illusions that men are become starke beastes Now then if a man intend to make trial of a good doctrine he shal find the thinges which I spake of afore to be sure infallible markes thereof But in this text our Lord meant onely to tel vs that he will discouer the false prophet at leastwise one way or other whereof hee setteth downe one kinde here I haue told you alreadie that there are diuers other meanes to discerne the true doctrine from the false but none of those come in question here Our Lorde hath tolde vs No no yee shall not be beguiled so long as ye indeuour to follow the trueth that proceedeth from me If a deceiuer haue any countenance among you I will make his leawdnes to be layd open I will giue you some such token thereof as ye may always keepe your selues vndefiled so ye haue the mind and zeale to sticke to my pure worde Thus much concerning this text which importeth a kinde of promise as if our Lord should tell his people that he would discouer the hypocrisie of deceiuers and not suffer them to reigne euer but that in the end they shall in some respect or other come to confusion Now we see the principall drift of Moseses wordes But here a question might be moued For heretofore in the thirteenth Chapter Deut. 13.2 it was said that if a Prophet tolde a thing to come and the same came to passe in deede yet was he not to be beleeued because God would suffer such thinges to try his people withall And here it is sayd that a false Prophet shall be knowen and iudged by the not falling out of the things which he prophesieth Now here seemeth to be some contrarietie But the solution is easie in marking that though a false prophet be knowen by his lying yet it followeth not that he should be takeÌ and deemed a true Prophet because it falleth out that he speaketh some trueth Truely if he spake the trueth at all times and in all cases then were he a true Prophet But hee may well say the trueth in some respect which may be done for some iust punishment from God as is declared in this same text and yet he shall be but a deceiuer neuerthelesse As how Put the case that folke seeke to bee soothed in their vices and are loth to be waked and quickened vp as they should be and had rather to be borne with for such hath the fashion of y e world euer bin Well God seeing such leawdnesse suffereth deceiuers to plaster them and to beare the folke in hand which are so desirous to sleepe in their wilfulnesse that their faultes are nothing Here ye see how those men are beguiled because of the desire which they had before And God addeth the same thing moreouer namely that those false Prophetes and deceiuers shall haue wherewith to confirme their doctrine that they which were imbrued w t lyes before may become more wilful For they will thinke then y t there is no more daunger in beleeuing them And what is the cause hereof Euen Gods iust vengeance Forasmuch as men shut their eyes at the light wil needs dwel in darknesse God giueth Satan the bridle By meanes whereof it commeth to passe y t false prophets doe sometimes speake y e trueth as is to be seene euen at this day For what a number are there to be found which seek after witchcraft to abolish y e authoritie of Gods word Ye shall see on y e one side a sorte of curious heads on y e other side another sorte y t haue no feare of God yet y e mark which they all shoote at is to put away Gods word y t they might not be ruled by it And in y e meane while they wil needs haue some Wizard to tel them of their good for tunes our Lord suffereth theÌ to be drawen by such meanes into al y e deceites of Satan notwithstanding y t some trueth bee mingled therew tall Now theÌ though a false Prophet speake y e truth yet is not that a warraÌt that his doctrine is true our Lord will not haue men to credit him a whit y e more for y t for we see for what cause he putteth the trueth ofteÌtimes into the mouthes of deceiuers And so notwithstanding the thinges that are set downe here yet doth it abide true still y t when our Lord is minded to haue pitie vppon his people and not to suffer them to bee abused by false doctrine he giueth them some token whereby to find the deceiuer and whereas earst he was in estimation and might haue amazed the wretched world God bewrayeth his leawdnesse so he is found to be a lyer Thus wee see now the whole meaning of Moses concerning the thinges that are conteyned in this text These thinges were performed among the people of olde time and the examples thereof which we see ought to shewe vs the vse of them and what fruit we should gather of this warning which Moses giueth When the Prophets meant to proue
twentith chapter of Iosua Neuerthelesse vntill such time as the people were in full and peaceable possession of the land Gods will was that they should appoint out but three Cities of refuge for all such to flee vnto as had committed any manslaughter by chaunce meddely as they call it Notwithstanding least any man should abuse that priuiledge hee addeth what maner of mansleaers shoulde haue protection thereby Such sayth he as haue killed their neighbours vnwittingly and thereof hee alledgeth an example If a man goe to fell timber and the Axe slippeth out of his hand and hitteth one so as hee dye forasmuch as the man purposed not to doe any such deede hee may flee and haue himselfe in one of those Cities Now wee must marke that it was not enough for a man to protect that he had done it but by mischance but it behooued him to haue it well proued Luk. 22.35 so as the partie that was to inioy the priuiledge should bee worthie of it and the matter well knowen and the trueth of al thinges tryed out how the case stood by iust examination and specially that there had bin no hatred betweene the parties aforetimes so as it might appeare that there was none other cause of the committing of the slaughter than Gods only determination without any act done on mans behalfe otherwise than of minde to doe well And the mansleaer that was able to prooue this should flee to one of those Cities and there tary till the death of the high Priest and then hee was to returne home againe because in that while the heartburning of the deadmans kinsemen might bee appeased And hereby God sheweth first how greatly he would haue vs to abhorre the shedding of mans bloud and it is a point which we ought to marke well For thereby we perceiue what loue he beareth vs in that our lyfe is so deare vnto him and that he is so charie of it If God made no more account of vs thaÌ he doth of the brute beastes hee would not set so much store by our lyues Therefore must wee needes conclude that he loueth vs with a fatherly loue seeing our lyfe is so pretious to him Besides this euery of vs ought to take knowledge hereby of his own duetie for wee cannot doe any outrage or violence to our neighbor but we must offend God deadly And not without cause For in so doing wee deface his image as is sayd in the ninth of Genesis Gen. 9.6 Forasmuch as God hath printed his image in men whosoeuer hurteth his neighbor malitiously spiteth God to the vttermost of his power And so are wee warned to absteine from all euill dooing and to liue in such sorte among men as no man bee hurt by vs. And in deede we see that the manslaughters which are committed euen of necessitie cary with them neuerthelesse a kinde of defiling As for example when enemies are slayne in battel 1. Chron. 22 8. 28.3 although the thing bee lawefull yet doth God say that it is a defiling of mens handes Not that hee imputeth it for a crime but to the intent that the man which is constreined to fight against his enemies should bee sory to see the order of nature so troubled by reason of mens sinnes that whereas wee ought to bee as brethren and to acknowledge our owne fleshe in euery man that is made after our owne lykenesse yet notwithstanding wee be driuen to destroy them after that fashion Yee see then how that euen in the time of warre he y t putteth on armour against his enemies ought to doe it being sorie in his heart and to bethinke himselfe that such outrage happeneth not but through the great leawdnesse of men The meaning of all this is that wee should liue quietly and euery man indeuour to maintein peace and concord and haue our handes tyed for committing of any euill deedes And wheras God declareth how greatly manslaughter displeaseth him let vs marke that as saith Saint Iohn before him all maner of hatred is accounted for murther 1. Iohn 3.15 Then ought we to eschewe all wrong dealing that may be done against men for if wee haue any rancor or enmitie towardes them in our hartes wee be guiltie of murther alreadie afore GOD. Marke that for one point But here our Lorde acquitteth the partie that shall haue slayne a man vnwittingly Behold saith hee there shall no iudgement of death passe vppon such a man for there is none offence in him Seeing that the heauenly Iudge hath pronounced such sentence what creature dareth reply against it Yee see then that such a one is guitlesse and so declared to bee before God Yet notwithstanding hee must bee faine to forsake his owne house and inheritance and go dwell in a strange place and suffer many incommodities And why doth God vexe him so sith he findeth him guiltlesse Hee sheweth vs that although the partie be faultlesse yet is it done for examples sake to the ende wee shoulde not admit any murderers among vs but punish them as grieuously as may bee and vtterly abhorre them That is the cause why the partie that offendeth vnwittingly shall neuerthelesse abide some punishment and become as a man that is put to his penance to the intent that hee may humble himself and acknowledge in this wise Truely I meant not to doe any harme and this mischaunce is befalne mee vnwittingly whereby God warneth mee that I haue great neede to pray him to rule both my handes and my feete And moreouer forasmuch as mans bloude hath bin shed by me although there were none euil meant on my part yet must I bee sorie for it and beare in minde that our Lorde maketh such account of mans lyfe as he wil haue it alwayes to bee had in estimation of vs. Let that serue for one point concerning this lawe And nowe for the second poynt Our Lord sheweth vs that wee ought to preuent all daungers and occasions in respect whereof hee addeth that the mansleaer shal flee to one of those Cities And why For feare least any of the dead mans kinsemen being moued to wrath shoulde reuenge his neighbors death and so shoulde the mischiefe bee dubbled Now then to auoyd this inconuenience There must be Townes appointed for refuge And hereby wee see that as I sayd afore the Lorde will not haue vs to tary till the mischiefe light vpon vs but hee will haue vs to take the remedie of it It might so fall out that some kinseman of the deadmans being angrie with the matter would say hee hath slayne my cousin or my brother and thereupon come running vppon the innocent partie in his rage and kill him whereby the land should haue bin defiled with bloud Therefore Gods will is that the partie which hath committed manslaughter should get him out of the âight of those that might bee stirred vp to anger against him But it is certeine that hee coulde not excuse himselfe which
to the expounding of Moseses wordes and it will suffice vs for thereuppon wee easily gather a lesson greatly to our behoofe The wordes are If a man that hath slaine his neighbour of prepensed malice and lying in waite for him doe get him into one of those fraunchised Cities Wherein wee see that the wicked doe alwayes seeke to abuse the thinges that are ordeyned for the succour of good men and are boldest in taking the benefite of them The Magistrats therefore must haue an eye thereunto and beware that the wicked abuse not the things that are graunted for the releefe of Gods children for that is too great a skorning of Lawes And it is not without cause that our Lorde speaketh of it heere for it sheweth that the like kinde of corrupt dealing hath beene in all ages and we must not maruell at it seeing that the world is not amended since but rather appaired Let vs looke well about vs therefore that if a man which hath committed any misdeede doe go about to hide himselfe or to scape away by some vndirect meanes it may not auaile him That is the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place And whereas it is said that the Iudges shall pull him away it serueth to shewe that it is not ynough for men to make good Lawes statutes but there must also be corage to execute them there must bee a stoute and constant minde in those that beare authoritie For although that Lawes be proclaimed by the sound of the trumpet and written of recorde with neuer so great solemnitie yet are they but deade and all is nothing worth except that they which sit in the seate of Iustice haue the constancie that our Lorde inioyneth heere and be stout in maintaining the things that are inacted that men may not laugh them to skorne as we see that the wicked sort do which make but a mocke at them If a Lawe haue once beene proclaimed they beare themselues in hande that it will be buried within three or foure dayes after Yee see then howe it is a good and profitable warning for all such as haue the sworde of iustice in hande to haue this stoutnesse of minde and constancie And for as much as it is not to be founde in men for it is a speciall vertue attributed to the spirite of God let such as are in office beseech God to strengthen them so as they may vse force of hande when neede requireth and not be afraide when they see such troubles as might abash them but stoutly withstande them yea and also outstande them That is one thing further which wee haue to marke vpon this place Now this thing is to be applyed likewise to y e instructing of euery of vs. I say let priuate persons also looke well to the repressing of euill doings and that with such stoutnesse that although they be threatned to put them in feare yet it may not turne them away from doing their dutie For what a thing were it if we should bee afraide at euery turne The lifting vp of a mans litle finger would scarre vs and though we were neuer so willing to doe our duetie yet if any maÌ stepped afore vs to turne vs from our purpose euery word of his mouth as I saide would bee ynough to put vs out of hart But the case concerneth the seruing of our God wherein we must ouercome all the assaults of Satan and all the impediments that the world can deuise Nowe if it behooue vs to fight so valiantly against Satan all his indeuors should we be afraide of men or stand in dreade of them Should they so scarre vs that we should leaue our God behind So theÌ to the intent we may do our duetie let vs learne to strengthen our selues And at one word it staÌdeth vs in hande to marke wel that no man shal euer discharge his duetie towardes God except he inforce himselfe and haue such a couragious constancie as may furmount al temptations and that is a thing greatly for our behoofe to marke For a hundred times a day shall we haue occasions to thrust vs out of the way we resist them full coldly Againe if we be to do any good wee make excuses and say I would faine do my duetie but I see such an impediment and by that meanes I am helde backe Because that they which are vnder the tyranny of the Pope in these dayes cannot haue leaue to doe well and to serue God purely without putting of their liues in hazard they beare themselues in hande that they bee discharged when they can make this excuse to say I woulde faine doe otherwise but I am not suffered to do it it shall neuer come to account before God And we neede not to go farre for proofe of the matter Euen here where there is no persecution to hinder the seruing of God but rather incoragement to men to do wel yet neuerthelesse wee haue many distresses For Satan is suttle ynough to finde euerie day newe inuentions to turne vs from the right way What remaineth then but to go to it with force and to doe our indeuour to serue our God in such wise that if we meete with any lets to turne vs aside they may bee ouercome by the constancie and corage that I spake of which it behoueth vs to require of the holy Ghost Furthermore let vs marke that the offender must bee deliuered into the hande of him that is to reuenge the bloudshedde or else of him that demaundeth iustice Whereby we may perceiue that God alloweth no priuate reuenges For wee knowe what rule is giuen vs in the holy scripture My brethren Rom. 12.19 saith S. Paul forbeare reuenge yea desire it not but put it altogether into the handes of the heauenly Iudge to whome it belongeth Matt. 5.44 Nay which more is wee bee commaunded to render good for euill to pray for them that curse vs to doe good to our enemies and to such as persecute vs. Sith it is so then wee must assure our selues and be fully resolued of it that our Lorde will haue our affections bridled so as we desire not any reuenge though cause thereof bee ministred but rather striue to ouercome the euill by doing good Lo whereunto God calleth vs. And why then is it saide heere that the offender shall bee put into the hande of him that requireth Iustice Let vs note that the Lawes which are made for ciuill or outwarde gouernement serue not to ouerrule mens affections they be things that go asunder Trueth it is that they bee not repugnant neither is there any contrarietie in them but we must haue the discretion to consider that when God spake as king of Israel and made statutes but for coÌmon policie he respected not the spirituall perfection that is contained in the law which is our rule to all holinesse and righteousnesse A Iudge therefore may well agree to one that requireth Iustice at his hande
lawfull for vs to looke vppon a woman with fleshely lust of desiring to committe vncleannesse with her nor to hate our Neighbour any more than to murder him Yee see then howe the Lawe of GOD mounteth higher than the earthlie policie God will haue vs to walke before him in all purenesse In so much that besides that it is not lawfull for vs to assaulte our Neighbour or to hate him without cause Nay not then when wee haue iust cause and couerture for the same to the worldewarde For wee must euen then not onely forgiue the wronges that are doone vs and not requiâe like for like but also pray for our enemies Matt. 5.44 and although they speake euil of vs and coulde find in their heartes that wee perished a hundred times Yet must wee worke their welfare to the vttermost of our powers Marke that for one point Indeede it is a verie harde thing to bridle our affections after such a sorte as to desire the welfare of our enemie when hee hath goone about to doe vs harme but yet must wee strayne our selues to doe it For though wee feele a gainstriuing in vs yet will not that serue vs for an excuse neyther must wee doe as the Papistes doe who perceyuing this to be cleane contrarie to mans nature haue gone aboute to salue it with this glose that it was a counsell and not a plaine and expresse commaundement and that is a manifest blaspheming of God For hee saith that if wee will bee taken for his children wee must fashion our selues after his goodnes in pardoning those that haue offended him Therefore let vs not haue an eye to our owne strengthes nor to the inclynation of our owne nature but if wee feele anie heartburning in our selues or bee desirous of reuenge through heate of impatiencie when a man hath vexed vs Let vs resort to our GOD praying him to ouermaster the excessiue passions that are in vs and to giue vs the spirite of meekenesse when wee bee in such heates that wee may become patient so as the harme or iniurie bee not too harde and cumbersome for vs to beare but that wee may passe it ouer mieldelie After that manner ought we to deale And therfore let vs learne to beware that wee beguile not our selues with vaine colours Seeing that our Lorde hath giuen vs a good Lawe Let vs not turne it vpside downe by pretending our owne wicked and corrupt affections for an excuse Yea and let vs marke that mannes nature is so frowardlie disposed that if they looke not verie narrowlie to themselues they shal alwayes abuse the name of GOD. The Lawe which I expounded Yesterday namely that the partie which shall haue practised the death of anie innocent person is not to bee borne withall is verie rightfull But yet for all that is it meete that wee shoulde haue leaue to auenge our selues Shoulde the bridle be layde loose in our neckes to requite euill for euill No surely And yet doe men make it their excuse Wee see then that naturally we should be euer inclined to abuse Gods name and therefore wee haue so much the more neede to be watchfull and to consider at what ende God aymed in saying this or that that is that wee shoulde not be blinde therein For it will not auaile vs at all if wee make as though wee sawe it not And therefore let vs first and formost correct our vices and lay aside all our wicked affections and then may we vse the lawes that are good and holy As for example If a man deale by order of lawe and in the meane while haue his heart full of rancour so as he seeke to ouerthrowe his enemie by crooked meanes It is a wicked manner of proceeding and condemned of God Yet notwithstanding it is almost an ordinarie custome For there are few that goe to lawe which are not enemies one to an other according to this coÌmon said sawe that suite in lawe and friendshippe doe seldome match together And yet for all that if a man haue anie such hartburning he offendeth God Yea but hee vseth the meane of Iustice and is not that lawfull Is not that manner of dealing permitted Yes but it woulde behooue vs first of all to haue our wicked affections subdued according to this saying that all Gods creatures are good to such as are of a pure and cleane hearte ãâã â 15 Saint Paul speaketh there of meates but wee may applie the same saying to all other thinges namely that whensoeuer God appointeth any thing to our vse the same is good and behoouefull yea verily so wee on our side defile it not by our wicked affections If wee haue any filth in vs by and by all that euer wee touch becommeth filthie out of hande Ye see that the order of Iustice is a holy thing appointed of GOD to our vse and benefite and yet if I haue a spitefull hearte and beare anie malice to mine aduersarie then do I defile y e thing which God had dedicated to a holy vse and which was pure and cleane of it selfe And therefore let vs learne to reforme our wicked affections When wee haue done so then may wee say that the thing which GOD hath ordeyned is good and profitable to vs For wee turne it not contrarie to his meaning and will That is the thing which wee haue to remember in effect concerning the Text that was treated of yesterday Nowe let vs come to that which GOD addeth concerning matters of warre When thou guest out agaynst thine enemies saith hee bee not afraide nor dismayed as them though thou see them more strong than thy selfe though the number of their people bee farre greater than thine and though they haue both chariotes and horses that is to say Although they bee better furnished and stored of all things than thou art yet let not thine hearte shrinke for all that And hee addeth the reason For thy God sayth hee goeth with thee and it is hee which brought thee out of the Lande of Egypte Therefore put thou thy trust in his goodnesse and might Nowe wee must presuppose that in so saying GOD giueth not leaue libertie to his people to make warre when they list at their owne pleasure but onely vppon iust cause As for example when the Iewes entered into the Lande of Chanaan they made no warre but by the expresse commaundement of God in so much that they were forbidden to saue anie of the people of that countrie aliue and it behooued them to put all to the swoorde sauing the young infantes and women which were reserued to make slaues of but as for the men they were all appointed to the sworde for God had giuen that iudgement vppon them and not without cause For it was a great matter that he had borne with them so long a time and yet that they continued stubborne and vnreformable still Besides this when the people of Israell had once made a full conquest of the
shalt offer it peace 11 And if they aunswere thee peaceably and open vnto thee al the people that is in it shall bee tributarie vnto thee and serue thee 12 But if they will not make peace with thee but make warre with thee then shalt thou lay seege to it 13 And the Lord thy God will giue it into thy handes Thou shalt slea all the males in it with the edge of the sword 14 But the women the children and the cattel and al that is in the Citie besides and all the spoile thereof thou shalt take to thy selfe and thou shalt eat the spoyle of thine enimies which the Lord thy God giueth thee 15 After that manner shalt thou doe to all the Cities that are farre off from thee which are not of the Cities of this nation 16 But of the Cities of the nations which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite thou shalt not leaue any soule aliue 17 But thou shalt vtterly destroy theÌ namely the Hethites the Amorrhites the Chananites the Pheresites the Hiuites and the Iebusites as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee 18 Least they teach you to doe according to all the abhominations which they haue done to their gods and so you sinne against the Lord your God IT might well seeme at the first blushe that wee haue no great need to haue y e doctrine expounded to vs which is conteyned heere bycause it declareth howe men ought to beehaue themselues in warfare But when all is well looked vppon wee shall finde that wee may gather good and profitable fruite to our instruction of the thinges that GOD hath commaunded his people heere For first wee see what a care hee had to teach those of whome hee had taken charge that they myght knowe howe to behaue themselueâ in all thinges Nowe seeing thât GOD hath such a care let vs learne âo walke in his obedience not doubting but wee shall finde sufficient instruction in his worde whereby to rule our whole lyfe well I say that all they which yeeld themselues teachable vnto GOD and are ready to fashion themselues after his will shall finde sufficient in his worde wherewith to guide themselues aright without any want at all insomuch that whereas men are disordered in their dealinges and knowe not what to doe the cause thereof is that they submit not themselues wholly to GOD but take counsell by themselues and runne gadding heere and there whereas all they that seeke to be taught by Gods worde as well in matters of state as in priuate matters and as well in time of warre as in tyme of peace shall finde a perfect doctrine and such as is fitte for them The thing then which wee haue to marke vppon this text is that GOD woulde not faile them in any one point whom he had taken into his tuition But there is yet more For it may well seeme that where open warre is there all thinges should bee put to hauocke But our Lorde ment to shewe that all his seruauntes must alwayes brydle themselues yea euen where they seeme to haue most excessiue lybertie to breake the bondes of all humanitie and vprightnesse GOD sheweth that such as belong to him must euen in those cases keepe and mayntayne themselues vndefiled so as howesoeuer the worlde goe they must stande in continuall awe that no extremitie may driue them beyond their bondes but that they holde them still to this ground Wee must obey GOD. True it is that euen the heathen coulde skill to say that euen in tyme of warre it was not Lawefull to assault or beseege a Towne vntill they had offered it conditions of peace But yet wee see there was nothing but furie and crueltie for as soone as they were entered into armes they bare themselues in hand that it was Lawfull for them to beare all thinges downe before them without sparing GOD then ment to shewe heere that his people ought to bee so courteous as to spare their enemies euen in tyme of warre That is the thing which is conteyned heere A man shall finde in the bookes of the heathen that they also commended this vprightnesse that although there was iust cause of warre yet the shedding mans bloode was to bee forborne but this rule was not well kept And howesoeuer the case stande our Lorde hath heere separated his people from all the rest of the worlde shewing that they which are led by his worde must looke more straitely and narrowly to themselues than they that followe their naturall inclination and are not taught as they should be And nowe let vs come to the doctrine that is conteyned heere It is sayde When thou commest to a Citie to beseege it thou shalt offer them peace and if they yeeld or bee willing to fall to composition thou shalt receiue them to mercie so as no bloud shall bee shedde The inhabitants shall but onely bee subiect to thee and pay thee Tribune In so saying GOD sheweth that although there bee iust cause of warre yet must not men bee so whot and firie at the first dashe as to put all to the swoord and slaughter For howesoeuer the worlde goe Gen. 9.6 men are created after the Image of GOD and there must we beholde our nature Wherefore it must needes bee that wee are caryed away from all reason if the same witholde vs not and that wee haue no pitie of those which are our owne fleshe and bones Esa. 58.7 and which beare the marke of our GOD euen of the same GOD which hath fashioned vs after his own lykenesse If this say I bee not able to asswage our passions which myght carie vs away to crueltie it must needes be sayde that wee bee bereft of all reason and woorse than the brute beasts which knowe their owne kinde and doe not so deadly pursue one another That is the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place And hereof we may gather a good lesson expedient for vs all For heere God speaketh of those against whom he armeth his people But we cannot say the like of our enemies If a man haue done me all the wrong that is possible yea and haue euen sought my death yet doeth not that arme me to be auenged of him God doeth not giue mee leaue to requite like for like but I am commanded to render good for euill Howbeit the case standeth otherwise with Princes and Magistrates which haue the sword Rom. 12. ââ for God hath set them in his owne stead to execute vengeance Ye see then that heere is a people armed with Gods authoritie as if God had sayde draw your swords for I dispence with you at this tyme so as ye may slea your enimies and it shall not be layde to your charge for a cryme When a warre is rightfull and God giueth men leaues it is a permission or priuilege which he granteth them And yet for all that he will not haue men to goe to it at alauenture
2. Cor. 5. â0 For there was enmitie betweene him and vs before by nature as I haue said alreadie we be all stranngers to our God and we cannot but set our selues against him Yet for all this hee seeketh attonement with vs. Vppon what condition Not that we shoulde pay him tribute as though hee were minded to inrich himselfe with our goods True it is that hee liketh wel to haue vs to serue him but y t is for our benefite and welfare and not for anie aduauntage to himselfe For hee hath no want of anie thing neither needeth he to be inriched but by possessing vs he would that wee likewise should inherite him And that is as amiable a condition as can be Nowe what is to bee doone but to receiue his peace Yea verily and therefore let vs not tarie til God inforce vs but let vs preuent him by imbracing the inestimable prerogatiue which he offereth vs in vouchsafing to forgiue vs all our sinnes But if wee be so wretched as to refuse so great a benefite let vs mark that wee bee not onely cast vp as it were to the spoile and that GOD shaketh vs quite cleane off but also that his wrath must needes bee vttered vppon vs because of such vnthankfulnes and churlishnesse in despising our GOD so wilfully and stubbornely that wee had leuer to haue him our deadly enemy than our protector Seeing then that his intent is not to haue vs as subiects that are conquered by tight of warre nor to raise tributes vpon vs to increase himselfe withall but to reigne ouer vs for our welfare and yet wee will not abide it but shake him off vtterly and pursue him still with a venemous heart to prouoke him to anger is not our deseruing such as hee may iustlie bee so rigorous vnto vs as to commaunde his seruauntes to withdrawe themselues from vs and to shake off the dust of their feete As who shoulde say wee bee not worthie to treade vppon the earth because wee defile it The verie thing therefore which wee haue to marke is that wee cannot prouoke Gods wrath any way more than by refusing the peace that is offered vs by the Gospell so as wee vouchsafe not to hearken to it For then because God findeth vs past grace God also is faine to arme himselfe with terrible and dreadfull vengeaunce against vs and not onely to punish vs in our bodies but also to extende his vengeaunce vnto our soules and so to roote vs out quite and cleane in which behalfe women are no more to bee spared than men For when as God calleth vs all in Christ Iesus there is no difference of male and female as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3.28 but faith reconcileth vs all vnto God Likewise vnbeleefe and stubbornnesse make vs enemies to God both men and women the punishment whereof extendeth both to great and small For seeing wee are become traitours and rebels to our God it is good reason that all our whole ofspring should perish with vs because Gods curse lies vppon the wicked euen vnto the third and fourth generation Deut. 5.9 as the law auoweth we haue seene heretofore Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to remember vpon this text And let vs marke herewithall that seeing God doeth so preuent vs aforehand to seeke attonement and to sende vs tydings of peace we also ought to seeke meanes to bee friends with such as haue offended vs and to followe the example of our heauenly father as if wee shoulde say What shal become of mee who am but a worme and rottennesse if I continue wilfull and holde skorne to come to attonement with mine enemie when he hath once offended mee so as I chawe vppon my bridle still and will not by anie meanes bee pacified when in the meane time my God seeketh mee Beholde my GOD is wel contented to stoope vnto mee which am but rottenesse and shall I not withstanding refuse to be reconciled to him that is my fellowe and brother Although he haue offended mee yet can I not renounce mine one nature yet can I not bring to passe but that he is still a humane creature shaped after the image of God as well as my selfe So then let vs learne to meeken our stomackes though they bee neuer so stout and let this example of God induce vs to greater geÌtlenesse and compassion than wee bee woont to haue Hereuppon Moses addeth That this lawe serueth but onely for the Nations that were farre off For as for those nations saith he whom God giueth you now presently as the Chananites the Hethites the Amorrhites the Pheresues the Heuites and the Iebusites all those you must vtterlie roote out and inherite their lande howbeit hauing first purged it cleane from all abuses Here wee see howe the lawe which I haue expounded alreadie serued for the time then to come when the Israelites should haue any newe warre against such as had not beene their enemies before But as for the people of the Lande of Chanaan which God had promised for an inheritaunce to the Iewes it was his wil that they shoulde bee vtterly rooted out which thing at the first sight might seeme ouerharde as I haue saide thereof heere before but it was not so indeede For to the intent that men shoulde not accuse God of crueltie it was shewed why hee vsed so great rigour But forasmuch as all of you perchaunce vnderstood it not it is requisite to declare againe wherefore our Lorde commaunded all those Nations to bee rooted out and to bee put to sworde and hauocke without any mercie at all For they were no such enemies as had doone any speciall wrong to the children of Israell but they were enemies to God Gen. 15.16 yea and enemies alreadie condemned euen by the space of fourehundred yeares afore True it it that the children of Israell had iust cause of warre against them because Abraham came into that couÌtrie by Gods appointment to dwell there And although GOD did not yet put him in possession of the souereigntie thereof which he had giuen vnto him yet was it his will that hee shoulde bee an inhabiter of that lande But they draue him from place to place so did they also to his sonne Isaac Gen. 12.19 26.16.19.20 and likewise to Iacob insomuch as they euen denied them water Not that they went about to borrow water at their neighbours pits but that their neighbours stopped vp the pittes which they had digged and draue them from them without al humanitie Howbeit there was yet a much higher respect which was that God knowing the excessiue wickednesse of all those nations to be vtterly vnreclaimable determined to take them quite and cleane out of the world and yet woulde not that their lande shoulde lie wast without inhabitauntes and therefore hee appointed it for an inheritaunce to his owne people Here therefore wee must behold Gods speciall iudgement to the ende wee accuse him not as I
And the very same thing doth our Lorde Iesus Christ meane in saying that at the beginning it was not so For God created but one man namely male and female created he them Nowe the Prophet Malachie in alleaging this sayeth further that God had sufficient aboundance of spirite in himselfe And therefore what shoulde haue letted him to haue created two wiues for Adam if he had thought it good But God thought one to bee ynough Therefore it is to bee concluded that he which coueteth to haue two wyues marreth all and regardeth not the keeping of wedlocke in such sorte as God hath ordeyned it Then is it whordome and not wedlocke for a man to desire a seconde wife after that fashion Yet notwithstanding this vyce hath beene of olde tyme thereby a man may see iudge what certeintie there is in grounding our selues vpon custome Tush say wee it hath beene so in all ages it hath euer beene wont to bee so Yea but that will not serue to discharge vs before God For this Polygamie as they terme it that is to say this hauing of many wyues at once shoulde haue a very goodly couer for it if it might rest vppon custome and antiquitie But what Gods institution or ordinance went afore custome and ought to continue vnto the last ende Wee see then that it was too disordered and vnruly dealing when men tooke such scope and libertie to haue many wiues at once And yet the thing fell out euen in the Patriarkes themselues Whereby it appeareth that men doe but deceiue themselues when they ground themselues vppon men though they bee the holyest that euer were Yee see that Abraham who is the father of the faithfull had mo wiues than one Yea but hee fayled not to bee condemned for it In all the residue of his life hee was a mirrour of Angelicall perfection but in this case he ouershot himselfe Therefore let vs holde our selues to Gods pure worde and not pretende that any thing is lawfull for vs except it be ruled after the same Thus much concerning the hauing of many wyues at once which is spoken of heere In so much that if any man haue two wyues hee doeth contrary to the order which God hath set By reason whereof the men that doe so passe their boundes are neuerthemore acquit though they bee not punished for it by the lawes of men but they must alwayes come backe to this poynt that God hauing an eye what might bee obtayned of mennes infirmities ordeyned it as a lawe of policie And this is no impedimeÌt at al to the perfection that is conteyned in Gods worde whereto it behoueth vs to aspire And if wee swarue neuer so litle from it wee bee guiltie before him by and by And well may wee alleage this or that As for example men require nothing at our hands yet must wee come to account for it before the heauenly Iudge It is sayde heere expressely If a man hate the one and loue the other Whereby it is shewed vnto vs that the hauing of many wyues at once proceedeth of a corrupt affection in that a man beareth not such loue to his wife as he ought to do For if a man loued his wife chastely as hee is commaunded his heart will neuer bee withdrawen from her to desire a newe marriage Then must a man needes bee corrupted and infected in his heart and conceiue a mislyking of his wife so as hee is loth to yeeld his duetie vnto her before hee can long for a seconde mariage It is sayde Ep. 5.28.29 Yee husbands loue your wiues for no man hath euer hated his owne flesh The same matter is alleaged concerning all men by the Prophet Esay Esa. 58.7 because wee haue one resemblance of nature common to vs all It is sayde there thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh and it is meant euen of the furthest straungers in the worlde But betweene man and wife there is another respect for to speake properly they bee both but one man And so doeth the Scripture terme them saying They shal bee two in one flesh that is to saye in one person Nowe if any man hate his owne body must iâ not needes bee that he is worse than mad Hereupon Saint Paul concludeth that if a man loue not his owne wife hee is as a monster True it is that wyues will oftentimes giue their husbandes cause to hate them and that there bee some of them such feendes as were able to vexe euen the Angels of heauen and to put them out of patience That is true But yet must a man fight against such temptations and ouercome them howsoeuer hee fare by the power of Gods spirite When he is once matched with a wife hee must not thinke it to bee by haphazarde but that it was by Gods will And therefore hee must brydle himselfe in so much that although it bee right harde and grieuous to do yet must hee take paynes to reforme the vyces of his wife that is so euill disposed and yet in the meane while beare with her and vse her as gently as is possible for him To that poynt must a man come Hereunto Saint Paul addeth the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides the inward vnderstanding which we haue of nature Eph. 5.25 Marke sayeth hee howe Iesus Christ loueth his Church For hee hath giuen him selfe to death to make vs cleane from all spottes euen vs that are fowle and full of vncleannesse If our Lorde Iesus haue not spared his owne bloud for the washing of vs what ought a mortall man to doe for his wife But wee knowe that wedlocke is as a liuely picture of the sacred vnion which our Lorde Iesus vouchsafeth to haue with vs. Therefore when so euer the husbande is displeased or greeued at his wife though hee bee neuer so angry with her let him haue an eye to this example Beholde the sonne of God offereth me his owne bloud to wash me withal shewing mee thereby that I must brydle my selfe in this behalfe and performe my duetie throughly towardes my wife howesoeuer the worlde goe So then let vs marke that a man will neuer couet a seconde wife except hee haue first falsified his faith and troth towardes her whome he putteth away For if he loued her truely soundely and rightly hee woulde leuer dy than let his minde runne vpon any seconde mariage Let vs marke well I say that heere our Lorde ment to bring vs backe to the wels head of the mischiefe to the intent that euery of vs should examine his owne vices and specially the vices that are hid from men vnder this wicked roote that is within vs. He that forsaketh his wife to marrie another shall perhaps bee condemned by the common iudgement of men but to iudge thereof as is meete we must goe to the welspring thereof and then shall wee finde that the greatest euill is euer inwarde Now then if the hauing of many wiues at
all for the child to stoope to him though the father doe him wrong or reuile him saying thou villaine thou stretchehalter thou gracelesse knaue what wilt thou doe When thou hast killed me with greife and sorrow of mind thou must needes cal down Gods vengeance vpon thee When the father vseth such roughnesse towardes his chylde and the chyld humbleth himselfe vnto him and becommeth as it were dumme without replying at all against him it shal bee a great honour to him to haue receiued correction at his fathers hande and to haue beene touched by him after that fashion Now then sith wee see that this superioritie which God hath giuen to fathers mothers is a thing which wee ought euen naturally to haue in estimation if a chyld nod his head at all the warninges that are giuen him shewing himselfe brazen faced and vtterly past shame so as hee regardeth not what his father and mother say vnto him but wrings his groyn at them for their putting of him in mynde of his faultes is he not quyte cleane past grace What can a man say more or hope for at his hande Now then let children haue regarde hereof and let them note also that the honouring of their father and mother is the first commaundement that is giuen in the seconde table and the onely commaundement of the law that hath any promise ãâã 6.2 I meane speciall promise as S. Paul declareth And hereby wee bee put in mynd that such as holde scorne to honor their fathers and mothers doe not only despise God but also shewe their vnbeleefe in mocking at all his promises and in refusing and casting away of all his blessings wilfully as if they should say I passe not for prospering by Gods grace I will none of that meane And for proofe that it is so God hauing sayde that we must honour our father and mother addeth To the ende thou mayst liue long in the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee ãâã 10.12 as if hee shoulde say Looke not that I shoulde prosper you or blesse you but vppon this condition that yee obey your fathers and mothers Nowe then as for those that harden themselues do they not shewe that all is one to them whether they bee depriued of Gods grace and blessing or no And that is an intolerable vnthankfulnes Moreouer let vs mark also that wheras God speaketh of the honouring of our fathers mothers hee meaneth not of ceremoniousnes but that children shoulde thinke thus with themselues God hath giuen mee a father and a mother to the intent I shoulde bee ruled by their hande and liue vnder their direction The honour then which a chylde oweth to his father mother consisteth not in pretending some ceremonious and counterfet humilitie but in behauing himselfe meekely in suffering them to haue the gouernement of him and in beeing tractable to bee refourmed when his parentes tell him of his faults Those bee the things that children ought to regarde but specially religion For often times fathers and mothers deserue well to bee disobeyed at their childrens hands And in deede they can no skill of seruing God otherwise than by disobeying their fathers and mothers If there bee any man so wicked that hee woulde haue his sonne giuen to craftinesse to leaudnesse to vnthankfulnesse to periurie and to trecherie what a thing were that And yet we see a number of fathers which haue beene despysers of God all their life long and all their seeking is to bring vp their children in their owne schoole A father will say to his sonne I renounce thee if thou bee not like me Such cursed wordes shall we heare men speake In so much that hee which hath beene a whoremonger and infected a whole countrye with his filthinesse all the time of his life or a blasphemer or a drunkarde will needes haue his sonne to bee like himselfe Nowe in such cases children must disobey their parents for otherwise they cannot obey God And therefore S. Paul speaking of the honor and obedience that children should yeeld to their parentes addeth this exception or afterspeeche Eph. 6.1 in the Lorde For God must euer haue the vpper hande And for the same cause also did I say crewhyles that the honour which is required in this commaundement of the lawe ought then cheefely to be put in practice when fathers and mothers doe their indeuour to trayne vp their children well and to correct their vyces Then must the children in any wise obey assuring themselues that if they admit not both the warnings and the chasticements of their parents and reforme themselues thereafter when they heare their vices so condemned they shewe themselues to be disobedient both to God and to the order of nature Notwithstanding to the intent that children excuse not themselues and beare themselues in hande that it is a light fault to disobey their parentes heere God condemneth such disobedience to death It is God that giueth this sentence and not man And hee sayeth that it is an vnpardonable fault when a childe is so hard-hearted that his fathers and mothers correctionÌ cannot preuaile with him For why wee must euer come backe to this point that such a one is as a monster and whatsoeuer is against nature wee ought to lothe abhorre it And no dout but Gods curse vengeance would bee kindled against vs if we should suffer the thing that is against nature Nowe if a child wil not heare his father and his mother when God vouchsafeth to giue him gouernours at home to tell him his faults his despysing of them is a manifest despysing of God For why God hath printed his marke vppon the father and mother insomuch that if there bee any religion the same must bee acknowledged in the person of the father and of the mother Euen the very Heathen had a coÌmon saying concerning the obedience which they yeelded to God and to their parents As if they should say as nature had taught them that fathers mothers beare the image of God in this world y t he which hath any religion in him acknowledgeth any soueraine maiestie submitteth himself therto must also needs obey his father mother The verie heathen spake after y t maner it was their common style Nowe then if we receiue not this instruction must it not needes follow y t wee be too destitute of wit Greatly ought we to be ashamed to be taught in the schoole of the Heathen to knowe our dutie Therefore as I saide afore let children knowe that it is no light fault nor easie to be pardoned when they bee disobedient to their fathers and mothers For why They had the instinct of nature which they ought to haue followed And therefore it is an vnpardonable cryme to disobey a mans father mother according whereunto it is sayde in another place He that smyteth his father or his mother Exod. 21.15 shall dye y e death without fauour
of themselues ought to be such as there may be a difference betweene men and women And truly we see what daungers doe insue when folke go so disguised many inconueniences doe accompanie them God is offended with theÌ Therefore the setting downe of this lawe is not without cause For they that loue to go so disguised do despise God as for example in these maskings mummings when men put themselues into womens apparel and women put theÌselues into meÌs as ye know what comes of it Although no euil ensued thereof yet the verie thing it self displeseth god We heare what is said of it in this place Whosoeuer doth it is an abhominatioÌ Ought not this saying to make the haire of our heades stand vp rather than wee would prouoke Gods wrath vpon vs wilfully But besides this we are sure y t the suffring hereof is the opening of a gap to all whoredome At a word such disguisings are but inticements of baudry as experience prooueth Therfore let vs not think that it was more than needed for God to appoint men a seuerall kind of apparelling by themselues and the women another kinde of attiring by themselues agreeable to their seuerall sexes Whereupon wee haue to remember that God liketh well y t there should be an honestie euen in our apparel Truely as I haue said afore y t is not the cheefe point For if a man should set y e perfection of our life in this thing it were al one as if he should set the cart before the horse but yet is it not to bee omitted For euen the Heathen themselues haue shewed vs our lesson telling vs that if there bee no regard of honestie men do bewray y t the rest of their vertues are not counted for vertues any more For if they obserue not some order discretion and modestie in their behauiours maner of dealings they may seeme to bee degenerated into brute beastes Then is it as a witnes that we walke as before God when we regarde a kind of honestie in our apparell Truely men may soone ouershoot themselues Although they attire not themselues like women yet if they vse any gaudishnes and make themselues to bee as gasing-stocks such superfluitie displeaseth God already in another respect Likewise though women attyre not themselues in the raiment of men Yet if they be too gallant braue and couet to haue too great a show they faile not to offende God euen in another respect as I said afore Yet notwithstanding we must first of all see that men be so apparelled as they become not womanlike as we see diuerse times y t they attire theÌselues like brides In so doing they seeme to be sorie y t God made them not women to bee desirous to renounce their owne sexe And that is a shamefull thing Againe when women go apparelled like men of war as there be some which had leuer to beare a hackebutte on their shoulder than a distaffe in their hand it is against kinde and we ought to abhorre it Although wee were not spoken to ne had any law or ordinance of God yet do we euen of ourselues perceiue it to be strange and whosoeuer hath any sparke of purenesse in him wil iudge so Ye see theÌ y t first of al the fashioÌ which men do vse in apparelling theÌselues must shew y t God hath created them to be as men and that the women also must obserue the modestie that is agreeable to their sexe Thus much concerning the first point And as touching the second let vs marke also generally that in our apparelling of our selues God wil haue vs to respect vse honesty Those are the two things which we ought to set store by The first is vse And my meaning by vse is y t men should be contented with such apparell as will defend them from cold and heate And by honestie I meane that they shold not be clad attired after a disguised fashion as though they went to play an enterlude or were desirous to make folke to gase at them for the strangenes of their apparell that it might be said who is this O it is such a one Now then if wee obserue the vse that is to say if we hold it enough to bee clothed onely and therwithall do keepe such measure as we breake not common order it is a rule that God alloweth Also wheÌ women be not too curious in attyring themselues nor desirous to drawe all mens eyes vnto them to behold them in their decking that is the honest kinde of behauiour which God commendeth vnto vs. And in the same respect doeth S. Paul say that womeÌ ought to haue a holy honestie 1. Tim. 2.9 or a comelie holines In speaking of the attire and apparell of the faithfull women he vseth a worde which importeth that they must not onely bee honest but also therewithal haue a certaine mark of holinesse that men may know them to haue profited in Gods word And soothly if we considered wel what was the first cause of apparel we would not be so greatly giuen to superfluous brauerie as we be For as oft as we put on either shirte or Cote we be put in mind that our Lord commaÌdeth vs to hide our selues because his image is disfigured in vs and our clothing of ourselues ought to make vs thinke vpon the sinne of our father Adam For by reason of sin we become subiect both to heat cold And againe God telleth vs that it is a signe of our shame For nakednesse of it selfe is not vnhonest were it not y t Gods image is disfigured in vs by our corruption Had we this regard with vs surely we would be warer to keepe order and measure in our apparel than we be Howsoeuer the worlde go let vs learne y t God wil haue vs not only to be pure and cleane from all lecherie but also to preuent all inconueniences As for example when he saith Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie that commaundement hath an eye to this present text I haue tolde you alreadie that all the lawes which are writteÌ here coÌcerne maners are rules of good lyfe are to bee referred to the ten commandements For God hath not added anie thing to those tenne sentences Therefore whereas in this text it is said y t the man shall not weare the apparell of the woman doeth God set downe an eleuenth commaundement Did God bethinke himselfe better afterwarde and adde somewhat else to that which we had heard of him heretofore No it is but onely an exposition of this saying of his Thou shalt not commit adulterie As how For in forbidding aduoutrie God not onely forbiddeth y e act it selfe which were punishable worthie of reproch euen before men but also hee forbiddeth in effect al vnchast behauiour so as none may appeare neither in apparell nor in any part of our conuersation We must keep such a measure as our apparell tend not to vnchastitie least
that wee make not God our enimie and aduersarie partie which doubtlesse we shall doe if wee falsifie the faith of marriage If a man lay waite for an other mans wife if a woman giue her selfe ouer to a whoremonger bee shee married or be she betrothed if they falsifie the promise which they plighted and breake y e faith which they gaue it is all one as if they waged battle with God and they shall feele that they deale with too hard a match Let vs therefore walke in such stayednesse as our Lord may accept of vs and that we may finde fauour in his sight Let euerie of vs resist his wicked lusts and not giue our selues the bridle to ouer leape our bounds so farre as to venter to corrupt so holy an order Nowe if the punishment be so grieuous when a maide which is but betrothed committeth fornication much more reason is it that it should bee so in a married woman as I saide afore And why Because shee wrongeth her husband shee setteth him out into open shame shee spoileth also the name of his house shee robbeth the children which are yet vnborne shee robbeth those which are alreadie begotten in lawfull wedlocke When a woman is become such a diuell what other remedie can there bee than to roote out the whole mischiefe And this is the cause why it is expresly saide Thou shalt put away the euill from thee Heereby our Lorde ment to giue vs to vnderstande that if men suffer a woman vnpunished wheÌ she is growen to such wickednesse as not to pitie her owne children they suffer a monster to liue For what may one think that woman to be but a monster which hath no regarde of her children and which maketh no account to haue bastardes mingled with lawfull children And that is a thing contrarie to al nature So then as I haue tolde you the fault must needes be extreme when the punishment is so grieuous that God will haue it serue vs for an example and that they which haue been offensiue by their life shoulde serue for an instruction vnto others by their death that they may learne to keepe themselues chast Thus yee see what we haue to beare in minde Nowe touching whooremasters they are guiltie of the like Indeede the woman shall not be spared because she hath falsified her faith towardes her husbande and hath committed an vnpardonable crime If a man rifle his neighbours coffer hee shal be punished that not as a single thiefe but as a robber But the whorehunter commeth to defile y e whole house hee commeth to infect it with whoredome hee commeth to robbe his neighbor of his honour credite and good name and in steed of the right seede hee through cursed and villanous falsenesse deliuereth a straunge and bastarde seede Therefore if a man commit such a robberie I pray you is it a sinne to bee punished with eight dayes imprisonment onely and peraduenture by being put to breade and water that is to say to be feasted at the tauerne For wee see that the punishmentes which are vsed nowadayes against adulterers and fornicatours are but a meere mockerie both of God and of Iustice and of Lawes and of all ciuil order For when a man is put in prison for committing adulterie or for playing of y e fornicator it is al one as if he were put there for men to bring him euerie man his glasse of wine and to say Taste which is the best If he were in his owne house he would be contented with ordinarie but there hee shal bee at greater choyce than if he were in a common tauerne Euerie man will come to visite him yea forsooth the poore prisoner must be pitied Yee see what is ordinarily done in this behalfe And as for my selfe I haue prayed God that whoredome might rather goe vnpunished than proceede in that order as we see it doth nowadayes For it is a setting of Iustice forth to open shame and skorning of God and of all his commandementes And therefore wee neede not to meruaile if whoredoms be so rife seeing they which offende are sent so to the tauerne But let vs put the case that the Lawe were obserued and that adulterers and fornicatours were locked vp in close warde there to fast with breade and water What is al that O saies one they shal fast three dayes or as some say nine dayes Yea but if a thiefe be taken and accused he shal be indited he shal be clapt vp by the heeles in the stocks he shal be manacled and tyed with an halter and in the ende sent to the gallowes or when hee scapeth best for some pettie filching hee shall bee whipt And why Oh he is a thiefe he hath robbed a man hee hath cut a purse in the open market place And what hath the whooremunger done Questionlesse hee hath done worse in entering into the bedde which God had hallowed in his owne name than if he had committed all the theeueries in the worlde Hee hath marched himselfe in whoredome like a beast and is not this an intollerable offence and such a one as ought to bee punished to the full If wee open not our eyes to beholde it yet the Lawe of Moses must needes condemne vs. But besides this the Painims who haue obserued a better order than wee and haue had lawes to punish whoremongers and to cause wedlocke to be kept vndefiled euen they shal rise vp against vs in the latter day and shall proue that we offended not of ignorance or for lacke of warning but of wilfull malice because wee woulde foster such wickednesse True it is indeede that this wicked custome is come from great antiquitie as the Papistes will say that wee are not vnder the Lawe but vnder grace and therefore we must not punish whoredome But it is a mocking of God when we take the Law of grace for a Lawlesse libertie to commit all wickednesse And albeit our Lorde Iesus Christ punished not the woman which was taken in adulterie Iohn 8 1ââ wee may not say therefore that he hath giuen vs leaue to commit adultery For why Hee refused also to bee Iudge and being desired to part the inheritance betweene two brethren he woulde not doe it Must wee therefore say that such parting 's are not lawfull No. But this was to shewe that hee came not to bee an arbiter and a Iudge Againe let vs note that he saith No man accuseth thee therefore I condemne thee not But withall let vs knowe that he came not to take away the law of his father or to breake al order or to make his church a hogges stye as it is nowadayes by graunting men libertie to doe all manner of euill No No Be it farre from vs to impute such a crime vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ for that were a blaspheming of him aboue measure But let vs know that whereas we haue here this law it ought to serue vs for an instruction vnto the end
be awakened by meÌ For wheÌ we be chastised then doth God y t which S. Paul saith in an other place to wit hee punisheth vs according to y e flesh in this worlde 1. Cor. 5.5 that we might not perish euerlastingly Now therfore let vs lift vp our eyes alwayes vnto y t iudgement seate before which we must come appeare Although we haue bin borne withall in this world and y t we beare our selues in hand y t our sins shal remaine vnpunished wee must be doublie punished at y e hand of God because we haue bin stubborn hardharted euen vnto the vttermost and haue so abused his patience Sith he waited so loÌg for our amendment sought by al gentlenes to win vs vnto himself if we for all y t haue bin rebellious and haue as it were laughed at his louing kindnes which he vsed towards vs must hee not call all this to minde to our greater cost And let vs note farther y t it is too vaine an excuse which many make saying And whoÌ haue I wronged Nowadaies if a maÌ charge these blasphemers w t this wickednes they will wry their mouth come with I know not what shamelesnes and say who complaineth of me to whom is it y t I haue done any iniury If we were al such as we ought to be doubtlesse we would crie an alarme when y e name of God is blasphemed and we would al be proctors in y t case seeing y t God vouchsafeth vs this honour to haue vs to maintaine his maiesty his own cause Yet for al this we make no account thereof If our selues haue any iniury done vnto vs wee will crie at it But if God be euill spoken of so that his name be put to open shame we let it passe we take no care of it They which haue so shamefully offended may say who is he y t accuseth vs But yet for all that this is such a shift as shall auaile them but a little as we haue said For shall God forget himselfe Shall he suffer himselfe to be so dispised make no account thereof Hath not he sworne by his owne name that he will maintaine his glory vnto the vtmost Now seeing it is so what wil come of it if wee replie against him and say that none can complain of any iniurie done vnto him wheÌ wee shall haue so offended the maiestie of God Alas is it not more than if wee had bidden battaile vnto al creatures Yes verily Now the case is like in fornication I graunt that a man which playeth the fornicatour may say no man complaineth of me For both y e parties were agreed together But what Yee see that the temple of God as I told you is vnhallowed And is that trecherie so small a thing If a man had robbed he should haue beene punished as he well deserueth But here is a farre greater fault than theft For when the temple of God is defiled it exceedeth all the extortions and pollings which can be done vnto men touching their goods Ye see howe two temples of God are defiled at once through fornication Yee see also how our Lord Iesus Christ is therein shamefully abused For he vouchsafeth vs this honor that we bee members of his body he hath vnited vs vnto himselfe and shall we for all this goe and abandon our selues to such a shamefull villany Is not y t a tearing of the bodie of the sonne of God in peeces asmuch as lyeth in vs Let men then delight themselues as much as they list and let others sooth them in their filthines and make but a laughing game therof Surely they shall fare neuer the better at Gods hand for al that So then let vs learne as I haue told you to lift vp our eyes vnto y e heauenly throne and to walke in such wise as wee may alwayes haue a warrant within vs that wee haue proceeded in all vprightnesse with God And let vs not be so foolish as to rest our selues vpon that which men command but let vs holde that rule which cannot deceiue vs that is the lawe which God hath deliuered vnto vs and whereunto he wil haue vs to frame our whole life But Alas this is euill practised nowadayes How many are there who if there were no laws nor threatnings would euer come to Church to heare one word of y e doctrine of god And yet we see manifestly y t such men doe it but for fashions sake Well they will come But when On such dayes as are coÌmanded But if there should be no expresse commandemeÌt they are of opinioÌ that they are not otherwise bound thereto and so it were much better that they came not vnto the Church at all For they do nought else but defile the temple God And they shew that they neuer tasted one whit of doctrine they come thither so like dogs swine And so we see y t many in this worlde haue a care of nothing but of y t which is commanded and forbidden them for feare they shoulde bee pinched by y e purses or haue some other punishment according vnto ciuill order Otherwise they shew y t they haue no religion but are very beasts But as for vs sith we see that God is so gracious vnto vs as to declare vnto vs his will that we might followe it let vs bethinke our selues to draw neerer vnto him and to make his righteousnesse shine in vs. For this is his true ymage And therby we declare that we be his children and it is our warrant that hee hath adopted vs and y t he will execute the office of a father towards vs. But there are very few which consider this Yet notwithstanding it behooueth vs to be attentiue to that which I haue said namely that because God hath called vs vnto himselfe and hath vouchsafed to teach vs howe wee ought to liue we also ought to profite in his schoole and to come willingly of our owne minde vnto him and also to accomplish that which is said in the Psalme Psal. 40.8 â10 3 to wit that to be good souldiours of our Lord Iesus Christ we must come of our owne accord without forcing and without threatening we must come with a franke and free heart as if we would say Lorde behold I offer my selfe vnto thee therefore if we wil suffer the Lord so to gouerne vs that looke what way so euer he turneth the bridle we wil go be wealded by him not bee stubborne in any wise nor fling against him like wild sauage beastes that is it say I which we haue to beare in minde But as long as we are led with a slauish feare doutles God will not accept any thing of y t which we do And I say not onely y t our doing of y e things which are coÌmanded vs our abstaining from y e things which are forbidden vs be but for feare of men of earthly
saith he from among y e people that men may know the offence which she hath committed and at y e end of seuen days let her returne into y e campe Now God declareth by this example that such as were striken with this disease were shut vp Now let vs first of al note y t the leprosie wherof Moses speaketh in this place and which y e law treateth of is not y t which we cal y e leprosy nowadays but a far diuersething from it For this leprosie was not only in y e bodies of men womeÌ but also in houses And although we find y t other couÌtries nations were touched somtimes w t this disease 2. King 5.10 as we see how Naaman y e Syrian was yet was it neuertheles as a particular disease belonging only to y e Iewes and y t was a notable vengeance of God vpon them to declare his anger wrath by sending foorth this leprosie as a visible signe tokeÌ therof Ye see then what we haue to beare in mind in y e first place And y t verily which among y e Papists men call y e disease of S. Mayn or y e scurfe was a kind of this leprosie There were in deed many sorts of this disease as a man may see by y e place which I haue alledged And I speak no more of them in this place than is expedient for the vnderstanding of the text and not to make therof any great lesson But yet neuertheles it is needefull for vs to obserue y t which I haue touched as it shal be anon more fully declared Now then we see what the leprosie was to wit a certaine skurfe or somtimes a spot in the body which had no outward appearance of skurfe vpon it but was a certaine hid and inward disease as it were a certaine scab within the flesh wherin appeared some whitenes Seeing that y e leprosie was after y t sort we see nowe that God had a regard of the instructing of his people when hee would haue them which were touched with this disease set apart from the rest And why Euen to y e end y t men shold be in greater feare of y t punishment which was knowen to proceede from the hand of God If this chastisement had slipt away without any account made thereof it could not haue profited so much God therefore to y e intent hee might make this chastisement more notorious straitly commaunded y t hee which was striken with the leprosie should be shut vp and y t he shold serue for a looking glasse for others to look in y t they might bee afraide at y e sight of it say Alas see ye this poore wretch which is striken w t the leprosie And what signe is it It is god y t hath wrought it his haÌd hath done it Alas euery one of vs hath deserued asmuch and therefore let vs not tempt y e patience of our God if hee spare vs let vs for our part cease to prouoke him to anger Ye see then y e admonition warning which was giuen vnto all meÌ wheÌ they saw a man thus shut vp And this order was obserued euen as farre as vnto y e king himself as we haue an example therof in Ozias who being not content with y â kingdome 2. Chro. 2. ãâ¦ã would be a priest vsurpe y e spirituall regiment of the Church and therfore God strake him with y e leprosie deposed him from his roial dignity and he was according vnto y e law shut vp all y e time of his life There was yet a seconde reason of this shutting vp For this disease might be contagious And therfore Gods wil was that y e infection therof should be remoued from y e people to y e intent y e al should not be infected with it But y e principall cause was to the end y e people might be put in mind y t they ought to be remoued from vncleanesse and from all manner of defilements And y t is the cause also why y e iudging of the leprosie was giuen vnto y e priests who were of y e stocke of Leuy God appointed not the phisitions nor surgeans iudges but he wold haue the priests take a notice of y e leprosie And if any were spotted therew t they had autority to reiect them if any were healed thereof he was likewise receiued by theÌ For albeit y t this disease was hardly seldom cured yet was it not incurable Therfore if so be y t any were healed the priests were Iudges of it when they which were healed presented themselues had done certain solemnities which were required in y t behalfe they came and offered their present in the temple acknowledging what a singular benefite God had bestowed on them For when a man was healed of that disease it was very behoouefull y t he shoulde make a solemne acknowledgment of so great a benefite and say Lorde thou hast raised mee as it were from the deade for I was a wretched and miserable carrion thou hadest thrust mee out of all companie and nowe behold Lord thou hast made me whole and sound thou hast restored mee vnto my former estate therefore I acknowledge Lorde that I haue receiued a kinde of resurrection considering what weakenes frailtie was in me It was I say behooueful that such a solemne acknowledgement should be made But as I haue tolde you the priestes were Iudges of this disease And why Because it appertained vnto the ceremonies of the lawe Now here we haue to gather a good instruction that is that first although this order of excluding those from our companie which are striken with any euil disease be not obserued nowadays yet notwithstanding wee must not cease to haue an eye vnto the hand of God that we may fare y e better by al y e chastisements which he layeth vpon men neither must any of vs waite till he feele the blowes himself but he must make his profite by y e correctioÌs which our Lord sheweth vs afar off And therfore when we see any of our neighbors afflicted let vs take a view of our selues and of our own faults and let vs iudge our selues before y t God iudge vs. And thereupon being sorie for our sins let vs hasten to draw our selues out of them and not stay vntill God visite vs in the like maner This is the thing which wee haue to note as touching y e first point And for asmuch as we see that God ment to waken y e Iewes to y e intent they should the better know how to benefite themselues by this chastisement of y e leprosie let vs nowadayes in all diseases not onely in this or that sicknes but in all afflictions which God sendeth vs know y t it is all one as if he gaue vs a warning not to sleepe in our sins and not to abuse his patience Lo what we haue to beare in
stuffe yea this will stande mee in steede I will haue it say I and the poore man cannot tell what to answere for hee is at my mercie If hee denie it O say I there is no dealing with you goe your wayes it is no pitie to helpe you And thus a poore man shall bee helde as it were vppon the racke Yee see then the meaning of this lawe when our Lorde forbad a man to enter into his neighbours house to ransacke it for a pledge For why He which entreth cannot iudge what the poore man which desireth to bee succoured might best spare but lucre as I told you blindeth vs and when wee bee once forepossessed with such desire wee iudge no longer what is rightfull because euery of vs will conclude O I must aske this And why Because it will bee good for mee Wee see then now the reason of this first part But if a man bee at his owne free choyce to bring what pledge hee will so as hee bee pressed hee may then withdrawe himselfe aside beware that hee bee not trodden vnder foote nor pinched beyonde measure hee may beethinke himselfe what is to bee done hee may aduise himselfe by his owne counsayle there is no man to control him or to disturbe the stuffe of his house and then a man may take the pledge to assure his money Nowe because there may bee sometimes such vrgent necessitie that a man will some time shift him selfe to his shirte to haue somewhat to eate our Lorde prouideth farther in this case to remedie it and therefore hee commaundeth the pledge to bee restored againe when a man shall perceiue that a poore man cannot misse it For in such a case a man must bee touched with greater compassion for two causes the one is because that when a man putteth himselfe beside his bedding and his clothing it is easie to iudge and to gather that hee is come to greate extremitie and to the farthest degree of pouertie That is one poynt to bee noted The other is in considering of this poynt what difference there is whether a man dye for hunger or for colde This is but to change his torment this is not to succour him I lende a man money and hee buyeth bread therewith to eate and in the meane time hee is frosen to death through mee and doe I releeue him then So then wee ought in such a case to bee mooued with compassion or else there is no humanitie in vs. So then for this cause GOD will haue the pledge restored againe when wee see that the thing wee take is necessarie for the preseruing of a mans life as is his cote his doublet his bedde his couering or such like things I graunt that according vnto the rigour of ciuill iustice this is not obserued and God also hath not giuen it in this place for a ciuil order but hee meant to prescribe a rule for euery man to followe of his owne free will As many things are permitted vs before men of which notwithstanding wee shal bee accountable before God although wee escape the handes of earthly Iudges There is no man will let mee from vsing the vtmost rigour I can towardes him which oweth mee any thing and yet when I see hee is behinde hande with mee and that there is no guile nor malice in him if I for all that do cause him to bee cast into prison if I rid him of al that he hath if I leaue and forsake him doubtles I do him wrong in the sight of God Nowe ciuil iustice can set downe no other order but that all must be done as I will haue it Yea but as it hath beene declared heretofore when we shal haue beene excused before men it is not to be sayde therefore that wee shall not bee culpable before God For the lawe requireth a farre other perfection than earthly and common iustice doeth So then let vs note that although it was lawfull for the Iewes as touching earthly iustice to take any gage they listed yet doeth God condemne it for intollerable crueltie And if this were in the time of the lawe how much greater reason is there for the practising of it nowadayes when wee haue more occasion of exercising such humanitie and gentlenes one towards another For we must returne vnto this principle ground that Gods will is that wee should resemble him because hee hath adopted vs for his children and shewed himselfe to bee our father God hath in deede alwayes shewed himselfe such a one but at this day in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ he hath displayed and shewen foorth the bowels of his mercie Luke 1.78 as the scripture speaketh for it cannot sufficiently expresse the infinit bountie and goodnes which God hath shewed vnto vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ. Sith it is so that God hath made vs to feele more than euer heretofore his inestimable loue so much the more ought we to enforce ourselues on our side to followe him to conforme our selues vnto his example Therefore if wee be so cruell as to let them dye for want neede which desire and seeke after our helpe or if wee spoyle them of that which they cannot forbeare and liue there is so much the lesse excuse for vs and our sinne is double and farre more haynous nowadayes And therefore let vs knowe that God spake not onely vnto the Iewes for the time of the lawe but that this rule must abide in full force vntill the ende of the worlde and that as this sentence was alleaged by our Lorde Iesus Christ That mercie is better than sacrifice to shewe that it appertaineth vnto the Christian Church so all the kindes of mercie which are dependant vppon it are belonging vnto vs and wee must exercise mercie not according vnto our owne fancie but as God sheweth vs according to the declaration thereof which wee haue in this place For what else is this lawe which Moses hath here set downe in writing but an exposition of that sentence which the Prophet hath more generally set downe Yee see then in effect what we haue to beare in minde And hereby wee are taught likewise not to ouer greeue such as for their needes doe come to seeke releefe at our handes Euery man must haue an eye vnto his owne abilitie what hee may doe and not trample his neighbour beeyonde measure vnder foote The very thing wherein wee ought to holde our selues streight is that euery of vs hauing an eye to his owne abilitie must doe his indeuour to the vttermost without sparing of himselfe For wee must exact of our selues that which our Lorde hath commaunded vs and wee must strayne our selues in that behalf to the vttermost of our power Wee must succour those whome wee see in necessitie and not tarrie vntill men constrayne vs thereunto For as I tolde you God will peraduenture lay the brydle on our necke as touching ciuill order howbeit that shal bee but to trye
If one buy them at that price and knoweth the necessitie which the poore man is driuen vnto he is a manifest oppressour and we can skill to say in common prouerbe It is a holding of our foote vpon a poore mans throate it is a kinde of robberie We haue skill I say to speake thus by them which buy such penie worthes of theÌ that are in neede and are so farre pinched that they can be at no other choyce but to doe what they will haue them Let vs note well then that God in this place not onely commaundeth vs to pay them without driuing off from day to day which haue laboured or taken paines for vs but also would haue vs to haue a dewe regarde of euerie mans neede and that when we set a poore man a worke about our businesse wee should pay him his dayes hyre yea and that euery man shoulde set a price of his owne wares so as if we come to driue a bargaine the seller should not be faine to say to vs make what price you yourselfe list And againe that when a poore man hath trauailed for vs wee should not deale so vnconscionably as to make no further account of him than to haue the fruit of his labour but rather enter into iust tryal with ourselues whether if we were in his case which pineth away hath no other meanes to sustain himselfe but this we ourselues would be contented to be so handled We would haue men to vse gentlenesse towardes vs and relieue and succour vs let vs therefore do the like or else we shal be accused before God For it is sayde That it shal be sinne vnto vs when a poore man shall so crie out against vs. And yet for all this wee heare euerie day the cries and clamours which the poore cease not in lamentable wise to make and thinke we that God is deafe all this while that he heareth not their complaintes I grant that the poore in deede are somtimes vnthankfull and spitefull so as there is no dealing with them and they would as it were rake vnto themselues other mens goods and when they are requested to lend their hande to some worke they would haue a double and treble recompence they will haue great wages Ye shall see some so stoute and presumptuous that they will not bestowe paines in any thing except they be greatly intreated and yet they are so lasie that they will scarcely put foorth one hande to doe their worke aright and for all this there is such a doe to please them that they will haue their full paiment yea and double the price of their dayes worke This is to be seene But yet for all that there are many as I tolde you which are pinched And therefore their cries must needes ascende vp into heauen and let vs not imagine that we shal be founde guiltlesse before God For whereas it is sayd that it shal be sin vnto vs it is to shew y t albeit men sue vs not ne coÌmence any action against vs for it in this world yet notwithstanding we shall not faile to be culpable before God yea although the poore should not crye at all as it hath beene declared heeretofore The thing then in effect which wee haue to beare in minde is that we ought to haue an eye vnto euery mans neede and not to oppresse him which is in necessitie thinking that we haue an occasion of making our own profit by an other mans losse when we see that he can not be without vs. Let vs beware that we be not so cruell For although he make no complaint against vs in this world yet before God we are culpable and that ought to quicken vs vp so much the more in our duty considering that God reproueth vs of cruelty in such wise Nowe Moses addeth a seconde lawe That the fathers should not be put to death for the children nor the children for the fathers but that euery man should beare the punishment of his owne sinne This Lawe was ordained because of a wicked beastly custome which then raigned among the men of the East countrey who made it a matter of no conscience to put the children to death for the fathers offences and so to shed the bloud of the innocent God therefore meant to withhold his people from following such barbarous dealing of the Paynims and Infidels And it is a point which we must diligently note For wee might muse why it is sayde that the father shall not be killed for the childe nor the child for the father It seemeth that it is needelesse to forbid this thing because we knowe that where sinne is founde there the punishment ought to be layde without seeking any farther Nowe therefore forasmuch as we are giuen to vnderstande that men haue bin so blockish as to put him to death who was in no fault so as the father hath sometimes beene drawen to death with the child we perceiue thereby that God hath not without cause established this lawe It is true in deede that this is spoken vnto Iudges and vnto such as beare the sword in their hand that the children should not be put to death for the sinne of the fathers nor the fathers for the sinne of the children but yet notwithstanding God in generall warneth vs also that wee ought not to hate the children for their fathers sakes Whensoeuer we see a wicked man forasmuch as he is a reasonable creature we ought to pitie him and not to hate him although we must alwaies detest the vice and punishe the person for his misdeedes But if we hate the father for the sonnes sake or the sonne because of the father albeit wee haue not the sworde in our hande yet neuerthelesse this wicked affection which we haue is al one as if we did put the father to death for the childe And so let vs note well that this lawe appertayneth vnto vs all And although we be not armed with power and authoritie to punish whome we list Yet notwithstanding God putteth vs in mind not without iust cause that he which hath offended must beare his owne punishment and not any other guiltlesse person besides Heere a man might demand a question what is the cause then why God threatneth that hee wil punish the wickednesse of fathers vpon their children Ier. 32.18 and cast it as it were into their bosome This is sayd because that GOD is at libertie to curse not one man alone but his whole race and posteritie also For what are we if it please not him to beholde vs with pitie If he once turne his mercie from vs we can not but goe into vtter destruction And therefore let vs learne that when God leaueth vs such as we are it is a kind of punishment which he layeth vpon vs. Ye see then howe he punisheth the wickednesse of the fathers vpon the children and yet doth wrong vnto none Let vs mind that And in very deede
he hath done before declareth y t he is the protectour defender of all such as are destitute of mans ayde and are not vnder propped in this worlde And herein there are two points which we ought to note y e one is y t if we do good vnto a stranger vnto a poore man which is forsaken of all men or vnto y e fatherles we shall not loose our labour For why God acknowledgeth and accepteth it for a seruice done vnto himself If a man being acquainted with such as are rich and well friended do for them hee maketh alwaies this account wel he is able to requite me for my paines againe he hath good friends as he seeth y t a man doth for him so will he seeke to shewe him the like curtesie We will alwaies coÌsider whether men be able to make vs recompence But when a poore man coÌmeth vnto vs he shall hardly speake with vs or find any fauour at our hands For why we thinke y t we must doe him good for gramercy because he is not able to recoÌpence vs. That is y e cause why God putteth forth himselfe protesteth y t he is bounde vnto vs and that if we thinke we profit ourselues nothing at al by helping theÌ which be in necessitie we are deceiued for he accepteth of the thing as if it were done vnto himselfe This is to be noted for one point For the second let vs note y t he threatneth on the contrary side y t if we molest a poore man if we vexe trouble the widowe or the fatherles if we be cruell towardes the stranger although as touching y e world this wickednes of ours be not punished yet shall we render an account of it before him And why For we haue set light by his protection Like as princes and other greate states will giue protections vnto them which are hated and whome they see to be in daunger so god giueth his protection vnto the fatherles to the widowes to the poore and to the straungers And why Because they haue no meanes to the worldewarde to defend themselues withall he supplieth this want of theirs and declareth that hee will not haue men to treade those vnder foote whom hee hath receiued vnto himselfe telling vs that hee is their protector If one for all this doe enterprise any thing against them is it not as much as to doe him wrong and as it were spitefully to despise him So then let vs note well that as often as mention is made vnto vs of the poore of the straungers and of the widowes wee haue to deale with God wage battaile against him if we vse not all equitie and right towardes them and if we be not so gentle and kindharted as to releeue and to succour them Ye see then now what the cause is why it is sayde in this place Thou shalt not peruert the right of the straunger Now to peruert the right is to skorne a man when he hath a iust and good cause And this is at all times to be seene In deede in the courtes of Iustice there will sometimes such regarde be hadde that a straunger shall haue the more speedie dispatch of his matters and men will say that they must proceede more quickely in giuing of sentence when a stranger commeth to demaunde iustice and not suffer him to linger in his suite as those which are at home at their ease and may goe about their businesse these may better bee delayed but as touching a straunger which commeth from a farre place to require iustice men by nature ought to be moued not to make him linger but to make a quick dispatch with him But this notwithstanding when the thing is to be practised in places of Iustice ye shall see the cleane contrary Let a straÌger whose case is as cleare as the sunne come to demaunde his right and he shal be put off vntil eight dayes and yet from that time he shall bee further delayed And then in the ende when he is wel wearied he shal be new to beginne againe and if he will followe on his suite it shall growe worse and worse This is at al times to be seene and men make but a sport and game of it The poore straunger knoweth not to whome to make his mone if he meete by chaunce with a lawyer he lamenteth and sayeth what a thing is this I thought to haue founde some iustice but there is nothing but confusion I see that all thinges are ruled by fauour Such cryes I say and complaints a man shall heare euery day and yet for all that men care not for them but passe on still but yet these things must come to a reckening before God And why It is not sayd Thou shalt not peruert the right of thine owne countreyman or Citizen For why It is sufficient y t there is this generall rule for it Thou shalt not peruert any mans right But let vs knowe that straungers are to be more specially maintained and y t God taketh not on himselfe y e defence of them without iust cause insomuch that whosoeuer offereth theÌ any outrage or wrong shal be called to pleade his cause before him When we heare this let vs looke more narrowely vnto ourselues and not think to dally with such a maister as God is But let vs learne to vse such rightfulnes towards men y t if a stranger come before vs he may haue as much right done for him as if hee had all the fauour of the whole worlde or as if he were well knowen vnto vs and as if we did feare least some reproch should come vnto vs by the contrary as if he were able to seeke further to make vs punished for our euill dealing Let vs on our part doe that which our Lorde coÌmandeth vs especially seeing that besides the promise which he maketh he also threatneth vs. On the one side he seeketh to winne vs by mildenes and gentlenes saying Hearken to mee yee shall not loose your labour when you doe good vnto straungers and such as are vnknowen vnto you And againe on the other side as I told you he threatneth vs to the intent we should not thinke that we are escaped although men complaine not of vs. Yet notwithstanding there be many with whom this warning beareth no sway at all The Lawe of God hath alwayes bin and yet what iustice hath beene shewed vnto strangers Men haue doone the worst they could vnto them and the faulte is nothing accounted of And why For if I bee to doe iustice and I see that in dooing the stranger right I shall offende him whom I knowe O I will not doe it And verily I knowe not through what madnesse it coÌmeth to passe that all folke although they knowe that it is ill doone cease not for all that to procure the bolstering and bearing out of their owne countreymen and citizens and of such as are of the same place that
they themselues be of And why O will one say our acquaintance must not be iniured That is the common speech But in the meane while we pull the wrath of God vpon the whole towne and countrey and yet we thinke not of it If men be asked in this case what will ye be at defiance with God They will say No. We must doe Iustice we must execute punishmentes Againe if a man speake of the oppression which hath bin vsed towardes a straunger euerie man will bee a Iudge in the case and say there is no reason that one which is in credit and estimation should be borne withal and a stranger troden vnder foote but that hee to whome the right of the matter belongeth should haue it And yet for all this when the thing commeth to the proofe there is nothing but fauour and corruption The poore straungers are left and forsaken and there is no Iustice to be had for them Yee see howe this Lawe of GOD hath beene euill practised in all times But this is no excuse for vs. Let vs therefore bethinke ourselues to pitie such as are despised of the worlde knowing that if wee vexe and grieue them we offer God the iniurie And if we helpe them God wil accept of such seruice Asmuch is to be sayde concerning the widowes and fatherlesse The fatherlesse are sometimes deuoured And why They seeme to be left for a pray The case is like as touching widowes But God opposeth himselfe against this wickednesse of men and sheweth that he hath a care of them Let vs therefore walke in such sort in the presence of God that we respect not the worlde to say O I feare that if I do not wel I shal heare of it But let vs alwayes mind this poynt that nothing can be hidden from the sight of God and although men beare with vs and we stand stil in their fauour yet if the curse of God light vpon our heads all the friendships in the world shall stand vs in no stead Let vs mind this and in minding thereof let vs be moued thereby to abstaine from all wrong dooing although wee be perswaded that in respect of men wee may well and lawefully doe it Nowe God purposely alleadgeth That the people ought to remember howe they were sometimes seruauntes in the Lande of Egypt and that God brought them from thence euen to the intent that they should walke as he appointed them Willingly ought wee to haue compassion on an other mans miserie when we for our part haue beene pinched with the like For he which neuer knewe what miserie meant hath no pitie on them which are distressed But when we ourselues haue tasted of many miseries and afflictions it ought to make vs the more pitifull to relieue those which are in the like estate which are presently afflicted as well as we haue beene And that is the cause why God in this place putteth the Iewes in minde that they had beene seruauntes in the Lande of Egypt For one which is borne in a rich house which hath beene dainetily brought vp which hath beene alwaies crouched vnto which neuer had a crooked word giuen him to grieue him withall such a one when he seeth a poore man thinketh that hee is one of an other kinde than himselfe is of and hee vouchsafeth not to looke vppon him as on his neighbour But if a man haue endured much trouble when he seeth any one to be grieued and troden vnder foote he bethinketh himselfe thus Alas I my selfe was sometimes thus trampled on and nowe albeit GOD hath exempted me from the like miserie yet must I not forgette that which I haue tasted of heretofore And heereupon he calleth to minde all the afflictions which he hath suffered What I was grieued at the verie heart when such wrong was done me therefore I must nowe shewe that I pitie his case who is presently so oppressed This affection is in vs by nature God therefore leadeth vs vnto this consideration And heere we be warned howe greatly euery man is addicted to himselfe For if our affections were so well ruled as they should be there woulde bee greater kindenesse in vs to take pitie of them which endure afflictions For there is not that man in the world which ought not to bee a lookingglasse for vs to behold our owne nature in him because that God hath ioyned vs al together So when one endureth griefe and miserie we shoulde open our bowels as I may say vpon him and suffer part of his griefe with him But what We are far ynough from doing of any such thing For euery of vs is too well contented to be at his owne ease and rest y t if we see others in miserie we leaue theÌ in the same case nay we shut our eyes and will not looke vppon them Now for this cause it is needful that God should bring vs home to our selues to teache vs to say Looke on thy selfe what if thou wert in the same state It is a signe then that wee are too much wedded to our owne profite when we haue so litle compassion on them which are in miserie and that we are worse than the brute beastes when wee are no otherwise moued in that behalfe Yet neuerthelesse it is not for nought that God leadeth vs in this wise vnto the minding of our owne condition to shewe what wickednesse and corruption is in our nature And seeing wee knowe it let vs learne to vse such prickes as these are to quicken vs vp to the discharge of our dueties that when wee see any man molested we may endeuour to helpe him according vnto our abilitie And why Because he is a creature made vnto the Image of God because he is our brother because the like miserie may betide vs or hath alredie happened vnto vs at which time we also desired to be relieued Let euery man therefore quicken vppe himselfe by this meanes as with a goade which we see God vseth to pricke vs forward and when we foreslowe to do our duetie let euery man accuse himself and say What It seemeth that thou art become a beast in that thou takest no pitie on him which endureth miserie If thou wert in his place thou wouldest haue all the worlde runne to relieue thee and canst thou any longer number thy selfe in the aray of men when thou takest no greater care of a creature which is made vnto the Image and likenes of God Thus a man ought to quicken himselfe vp in his dutie Now if we be exhorted to haue such pitie on theÌ which are in any kind of miserie how much lesse may it be lawful for vs to come lift vp ourselues against theÌ like wilde beastes and to tread them vnder foote which are destitute of all ayde and helpe God coÌmandeth vs to relieue to succor them and what wickednes were it then for vs to come to molest and trouble theÌ So then let vs learne first of all to
such as are in necessitie and haue need to be helped Therefore when they reioice with vs and take their course then will GOD blesse our ioye and it shall bee acceptable vnto him But without that all that euer wee doe shall bee dislyked of him it shall be filthie and vncleane in his sight And here is expresse mention of the housholde to the intent that euery man shoulde bee exhorted to deale gently with those that are of his houshold For yee shall see some which coulde finde in their heartes to eate and drinke till they burst and it greeueth them that others shoulde haue one morsell so faine would they that all were thrust into their owne paunches So they themselues fare well they eate not though their meinie fast and starue for hunger Yee shall see such greedinesse or rather crueltie in some that they coulde finde in their heartes to sucke the very bloud of those that serue them and in the meane time take no care to susteyne them For this cause our Lorde sayth that wee cannot reioyce in his presence that is to say in such wise as hee may lyke of our myrth except wee reioyce with all our houshold and that wee shewe our selues so kindhearted and pitifull as wee may all with one coÌmon accord sing prayses vnto God Ye see then how our mirth and melodie may agree very well together Also we are exhorted to instruct them which are coÌmitted to our charge to blesse the name of God that whether we eate or whether we drinke God may be praysed both of great and small This is the meaning of the doctrine which is conteyned here Now it followeth That when the people haue payd their Tythes in the third yeere which is the yeere of tything euery man shall bring his tythes vnto the Leuites for the poore for the widowes for the fatherlesse for the strangers For the vnderstanding of this place we must note that besides the ordinarie Tythes which serued to sustayne the tribe of Leui and the Priestes which serued in the temple there was the tything of Tythes as they called it this was made from three yere to three yere excepting euer the seuenth yere wheÌ their landes were not tilled for it was expedient that the rest or Sabboth should be kept in that behalf also They fallowed not their ground from yere to yere or euerie eche other yere as wee doe in this countrie for the fruitefulnesse of that land might well away to yeeld fruite sixe yeres together So then twise in sixe yeres they receiued y e second sort of Tythes And these are they wherof Moses maketh mention in this place which serued to susteine the poore of the countrie to the intent that not onely the Leuites might receiue the offringes but that the fruite of them might reach farther and that none in all Israel might want or neede As touching the Tythes which were payd vnto the tribe of Leui I haue tolde you alreadie that there was a double reason thereof First forasmuch as God reserued the Leuites for his own seruice there was great reason why they should be susteyned They which serue at the aultar ought to liue of y e aultar Deut. 14.22 â Cor. 19.13 That is y e cause also why they had a certain portion in all the offeringeâ saue in the whole burnt offeringes But in the ordinarie sacrifices they receiue their part of them Besides this wee ought to note also that because they were the children of Abraham they ought to haue a part in y t land which was promised vnto him for they were heires aswell as the other tribes of Iuda Beniamin Issachar Dan and all the rest Leui I say was an heire of Abraham and of Iacob aswel as the other And why is he bereaued of his inheritaunce but because God recompenceth him after an other maner Ye see then how they which come from Leui Numb 35.3 haue no parte of the land they haue onely their medowes in the suburbes of their cities to sustaine their cattaile but yet doth he assigne them the Tythes of the whole countrie to finde them withall and he will not haue them so bereft of their heritage but that men should haue a regarde to maintaine them And why Because he occupyeth them in his seruice they must teach the people they must offer the sacrifices they must doe that which was appointed in the temple For this cause God will haue men to haue a care to sustaine them And herewithall when they made the second tything thereby they were done to vnderstand y t somewhat was to be taken as it were from their portion to giue vnto the poore whereby they were put in minde that they ought not to glut themselues with the offeringes no nor yet to enrich themselues with them And why For they were the goods of the poore Yee see then whereunto God had an eye when he appointed the secondty thing which was made euery third yere It behoued the priestes and Leuites to acknowledge and say Well Truely we haue enough yea and more than enough to susteine vs. And to what end hath God giuen vs this plentie Is it that we shoulde make monie of it and hoorde it vppe in our cofers Is it that the people should be diminished and we increased No but he poynteth to vs with his finger telleth vs that they bee the goods of the poore and that the poore must haue a portion out of it to susteine them withall and that such as are in neede and necessitie must be relieued by that meanes Thus ye see in effect what is contayned in this place Now it is not without cause that God putteth his people againe in minde of that which he had already coÌmaunded them the simple law might haue bin sufficient for them but our Lorde putteth them in minde that they must discharge themselues aswell of the second Tythe as of the ordinarie tenth And the reason why he doth so is because the world is alwayes set on scraping without caring how or in what manner men consider not what is lawfull so they may make their gaine and wee see also the vpbraidinges which the Prophet Malachie maketh for the same thing Mal. 3 â You haue defrauded me sayth the Lorde and the people come shameleslie say Wherein They woulde needes pleade against God and deny the matter stoutlie and stiffely For it is a very rare thing to haue men to confesse their debt at the first They come here blearing out the tongue and aske whereof doeth God complayne And wherein haue we defrauded him In your Tythes sayth the Lord. For whereas I haue reserued the right of tythes and offeringes to my selfe you defraude me of my right When you pay me your tythes it is but by halfes when you bring me your offeringes they are very leane and thinne so as a man may see how your whole seeking is to catch from me and to withhold that
and shewed thy selfe a father towards vs in adopting vs And we Lord likewise haue followed the calling whereunto thou calledst vs we haue indeuoured to shewe that thy bountiful liberalitie towards vs is not vtterly misbestowed Now therefore continue thou thy good doing towardes vs. To bee short this case admitteth not any bragging or boasting as I haue alreadie tolde you but rather it serueth to stirre vp men to walke in the feare of God and to certifie them that although they haue not behaued themselues in all pointes as they ought yet God will continue his goodnesse towardes them vnto the ende And surely wee haue neede of such an assurance Wee see howe distrustfull we be insomuch that although God haue powred out his benefites vpon vs longtime togetherâ we haue felt his help oftentimes yet are we always in doubt and we cannot tel whether God will continue his fauour vnto vs or no. For this cause he will haue vs most certainly assured that when we walke in his obedience and depende wholly vpon him he wil not forsake vs but will continue in doing vs good still and not leaue vs in the midde way but performe that which he hath promised and as he hath saide so will he doe We see nowe in effect whereunto Moses had an eye and what doctrine we haue to gather out of this place Will wee then abide in possession of Gods benefites yea euen as touching this present life Let vs sticke fast vnto our God and neuer seuer our selues from him let vs doe our indeuor to serue and honour him If we so do surely we shall neuer haue any mind to turne away after our owne vanities but when we see that he is come so neare vnto vs to doe vs good wee also shal be readie to giue our selues wholly ouer vnto him that hee may make vs to feele the performance of his promises and to knowe that he will continue to doe vs good and reach vs his hand to take vs to himselfe not for a day or two onely but for euer both in life and in death Nowe let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more and therewithall seeing it pleaseth him to vse such fatherly goodnes towardes vs as to vouchsafe to accept the things which we offer vnto him notwithstanding that there bee much amisse in them Let vs pray him y t this his so doing may encorage vs the better to yeeld our selues wholie vnto his seruice and to imploy our selues therin so as we may truely protest that we haue not doubled with him but that we haue endeuoured to frame our life vnto his holy commaundements that hauing obtained such grace of him through our Lorde Iesus Christ by the benefite of his death and passion we may bee so clothed with his perfect righteousnesse that wee may appeare before God his father at the latter day as if there were nothing in vs but all perfection 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 xxvj of Februarie 1556. The CXLVIII Sermon which is the fourth vpon the sixe and twentith Chapter 16 This day the Lorde thy GOD commaundeth thee to doe these ordinaunces and lawes and to keepe them and doe them with all thy heart and with all thy soule 17 Thou hast set vp this day the Lorde to bee thy GOD and to walke in his wayes and keepe his ordinaunces and his commaundementes and his lawes and to obey his voyce 18 And the Lorde hath set thee vp this day in that thou art vnto him a speciall people as hee hath tolde thee to the end that thou shouldest keepe al his commaundements 19 That hee may make thee very hie in praise and in name and in glorie aboue all the nations which he hath made and that thou maiest be an holie people vnto the Lorde thy God as he hath saide MOses in this place continueth the matter which was handled yesterday to wit in shewing vnto the Iewes for what ende GOD had chosen them to bee his people and his flock It was not that they should liue as the Gentiles which were in ignoraunce but that seeing they had the lyght of lyfe and saluation they should follow it For there is no reason that seeing GOD hath adopted vs for his children wee shoulde bee as brute beastes euery man wandering after the fantasies and lustes of his owne heart wee must order our selues vnder the direction of him which taketh and admitteth vs for his owne It is therefore sayde in this place This day the Lorde thy GOD commaundeth thee to keepe all his statutes and his commaundementes to doe them and to obserue them yea and that with all thy heart and wish all thy soule This worde To day betokeneth that when wee are taught in the worde of GOD wee are much more straiter bounde than if hee had onely created vs and placed vs in this worlde and in the meane time left vs to walke after our owne liking It is true in deede that the vnbeleeuing sort shall not bee excused although GOD neuer vouchsafed to make them partakers of his woorde Although they bee as poore blinde wretches in darkenesse yet shall they not fayle to bee condemned in their ignoraunce He that hath sinned without the Lawe Rom. 2.12 shall perish sayeth Saint Paul And in deede without the Lawe there is not that man which hath not some witnesse ingraued in his owne heart that there is but one GOD whome wee ought to serue and whome wee ought to honour They which knowe this by nature deserue sufficiently to bee condemned but when GOD commeth neere vnto vs and vouchsafeth to vse the office of a teacher to declare vnto vs his will there is the lesse excuse for vs. Then must double condemnation needes fall vpon all them which receiue not the yoke of GOD when it pleaseth him to guide them and to shewe them that hee will not leaue them to goe at randon as the wretched and vnbeleeuing Gentiles Ye see theÌ what Moses meant by this woorde To day the Lorde thy GOD commaundeth thee And that is the cause why this word also is put in the 95. Psalm Psal. 95 7â To day if ye heare the voyce of the Lorde And the Apostle hath well weyed the same in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 13. ââ 4.7 saying that this worde To day betokeneth that when wee once haue the woorde of God preached vnto vs wee must vse that occasion and that if it escape vs wee must needes bee iudged by them which neuer knewe what good and euill meant to make any sure difference betweene them And to this purpose also Saint Paule alleageth the place of Esay Esa. 49.8 2. Cor. 6.2 Beholde nowe are the acceptable dayes loe nowe is the time of saluation seeke
Chapter 18 19 And the Lord hath set thee The xxvii Chapter THen Moses with the Elders of Israel charged the people saying Keepe all the commaundementes which I commaund you this day 2 And when ye be passed ouer Iordan into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt set thee vp great stones and plaister theÌ with plaister 3 And shalt write vpon them all the wordes of this lawe when thou art come ouer that thou maist go into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee a land that floweth with milke and hony as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee 4 Therefore when ye are passed ouer Iordan ye shal set vp these stones which I command you this day in mount Ebal thou shalt plaister them with plaister 5 And there shalt thou buyld an altar vnto the Lorde thy God euen an altar of stones vpon which stones thou shalt lift vp no yron toole 6 Thou shalt make the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones and offer burnt offrings thereon vnto the Lord thy God 7 And thou shalt offer peace offrings eat there reioyce before the Lorde thy God 8 And thou shalt write vpoÌ the stones al the words of this law wel plainly 9 And Moses the Priests y e Leuites spake vnto all Israel saying take heede heare O Israel this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God 10 Thou shalt hearken therefore vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God and do his commandements his ordinances which I command thee this day IN yesterdayes Lecture Moses hauing exhorted y e people to serue God declared y t the couenant which hee hadde made with them was to their great profite For the more that God bestoweth on vs the more particularly are we if wee bee not voyde of all sense and reason bound to giue our selues ouer wholly vnto him But yet for all that though wee see that God is so liberall towardes vs are wee mooued to offer our selues in obedience vnto him Noe verily For this cause Moses sayde vnto the Iewes that they were chosen to bee in praise in name and in glorie as people shouled out from the rest of the world vnto God Wheras some expound this that they were in praise glorie to the end y t God might be glorified it is a harde forced exposition The thing they say is in deed true in it self as it is said often times in y e holy scripture that God had chosen this people for his own name as the end wherunto he hath created al things And y e church was builded specially to the intent that the name of God should be exalted as it is sayd in the Prophet Esay ãâã 11.7 âphes 1.6 as S. Paul also leadeth vs vnto the same consideratioÌ in the first Chapter to the Ephesians where he treateth of y t thing more at large Therfore it is true in it self y t God adopted the Iewes to the intent y t they might know his exceeding fauour goodnes that y e glorie which was due vnto him therefore might be yelded vnto him But in this place Moses had an eye vnto y t which we haue alreadie touched to wit that y e people might be the more moued enflamed to discharge their dueties because God hath called them for none other reasoÌ but to vtter foorth the infinite treasures of his mercies And therfore he saith Thy God hath placed thee this day in honor in renoune in glorie according to this which hath bin said afore in the fourth Chapter What nation is so noble and of such dignitie ãâã â 33 which hath his God so neere vnto him as thy God hath made himself familiar vnto thee to gouerne thee This then was a dignitie which God had vouchsafed vppon y e Iewes aboue the rest of all the world And it ought to haue bin a cause to stirre them vp so much the more to bee obedient vnto the will worde of God And in deede if all be wel considered wee shal finde that God can hope for nothing at our hands nor receiue any thing of vs but that wee hold al things of him I pray you when we haue taken neuer so great paines to exalt the name of God shall it bee any whit increased thereby What is it that we do vnto him Surely wee of our owne nature cannot but blaspheme his name and wee are the cause why it is blasphemed and if hee will drawe any good out of vs hee himselfe must first put it in vs. But when God hath once graunted vs the grace to glorifie him doe wee bring any thing vnto him or doth hee receiue any profite of vs Doutles no. Yet in the meane time he powreth out his benefites so as wee holde all of him as I haue alreadie tolde you So then not without cause doeth Moses declare vnto the Iewes that they were called to glorie to renoune and to praise to the ende hee might vpbrayd them with their vnthankefulnesse if they enforced not themselues w t all their power to serue God who shewed him selfe so liberall towardes them And this toucheth vs also nowe adayes For seeing it pleaseth God to imprint his image in vs is it not a preheminence which hee giueth vnto vs aboue all the creatures in the worlde to be called vnto the company of the Angels and to bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ Forasmuch then as hee so preuenteth vs with his goodnes what remaineth but that wee shoulde giue our selues wholly vnto him and shewe that seeing hee hath filled vs with his glorie wee will not cause his name to bee set light by nor the doctrine of saluation which hee hath giuen vs to be reproched that the vnfaithfull should make a scorne of it Let vs therefore giue all diligeÌce hereunto as we see we be warned in this place And that is the verie thing also whereat Moses aimeth when he addeth That when the people hauing passed Iordan shall come into the lande which was promised vnto them and haue it in full possession they shall then set vp great stones and write vpon them an abridgement of the lawe And secondly that they shal erect also an altar to giue thanks vnto god and to testifie that hee had fulfilled the promise which hee had made in former time vnto their fathers This I say is the intent meaning of Moses namely that y e people should not only for one time giue thanks vnto God but that they should do it afresh when they come into y e lande which was promised vnto them and that they should ratifie that which they had before confessed y t is that they owed al homage vnto God for that land because it was giuen vnto them of his free bestowed goodnes not gotteÌ by their own power nor befalne vnto them by any kind of chaunce or by the gift or helpe of men But
prouide for vs al thinges that are necessarie wee ought thereuppon to conclude much more stronglie that when hee hath taken vs out of this present worlde hee will then powre vppon vs the Riches of his goodnesse in other manner of sorte than wee be nowe able to comprehende Indeede wee haue in this life some small shewe thereof but the aboundant accomplishment of the same shall bee in the kingdome of heauen Thus ye see what wee haue to consider in that our GOD deliuereth foorth his promises to traine vs the better to serue him of free good will Neuerthelatter howsoeuer the worlde goe let vs marke that all the promises which God maketh vs vppon condition stand vs in no steed as it was told you yesterday if wee stay there For why Truely God is faithfull and his speaking is not to deceyue vs but yet let vs looke to our selues What is hee that so dischargeth him of his duetie that hee may hope to bee blessed of God It is not saide You shal bee blessed in keeping part of my law but it is said in the text If you heare my voice and be diligent in keeping all my commaundementes and fulfill them all then I will blesse you Nowe that men endeuour themselues in all that is possible to keepe the lawe of God I speake not of their owne power or naturall motion For so farre off are they which bee not regenerate by the holy Ghost from atteyning to serue God that they canne no skil so much as to conceyue a good thought What is the inclination of man but a striuing against God and all his righteousnesse So long as men followe the leading of their owne spirite ãâ¦ã .3 ãâã 1.5 they doe nothing else but fight against God as vtter rebelles to his whole wil. To bee short ãâ¦ã .3.5 we bee not apt as Saint Paul sayeth so much as to thinke to doe well To thinke is a verie small thing and yet Saint Paul cutteth vs off from that power and sheweth that wee bee so corrupted and frowardely bent that in all thinges wee drawe contrarie to that which God commaundeth vs. Insomuch that euen when God hath reformed vs by his holy spirite and changed our malice and rebellion whereunto wee bee wholie inclined yet can it not bee saide that wee procâede to the obeying of him in all perfection for there is alwayes some infirmitie to let vs so that in steede of running wee doe but halt and trayle our legges after vs in steede of going right forwarde wee âeele from one side to an other and it happeneth often to vs to trippe and to stumble as euerie man may well finde in himselfe Howe then can wee hope to bee blessed of our GOD beeing so farre wide from keeping of his lawe That is the cause why I sayde that all the promises which bee vppon condition are vtterlie vnauaylable and shall neuer come to their effect if God shoulde rest vppon that point In deede this matter was expounded yesterday and this place was expresly alleaged by Saint Paul where it is sayde that if saluation come by workes Rom. 4.14 and the inheritaunce proceede of the lawe then shall there bee no performance of the promises For wee doe faile on our part and therefore the couenant is voide that God hath made with vs yet may it not hereby bee concluded that God mocketh vs in setting downe these promises as the Papistes doe at the first dash starting out of their boundes and playing the madde men For when it is saide that all the promises conteyned in wholy scriptures bee not effectuall otherwise than by meane of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the free goodnesse of God and that wee are iustifyed by faith onely What say they Seeing it is saide I wil blesse you so you serue mee and honour mee it seemeth that God vseth but hypocrisie and maketh a daliaunce with men To what purpose saith he so Thus do the Papistes accuse GOD of falsehoode and blaspheme him if they be not able to deserue the promises which hee hath made them For otherwise they thinke it is but a mockerie to make men beleeue that he woulde blesse them But let vs beware of such maddenesse and let vs rather vnderstande to what ende God hath giuen his promises vnto men and wee shall see that it is not in vaine I saide heretofore that God hath shewed his great goodnesse in humbling himselfe so louingly vnto vs. We perteyne wholy to him wee are altogether his and yet woulde hee not simplie commaund but commaunde with promises and gentlenesse to win vs. If a man doe hereupon replie and say What doeth it profite vs Truely it profiteth vs nothing at all if wee stay there but wee must goe further When wee heare the promises that God hath offered vnto vs see that all his seeking is to winne vs through loue and that hee meaneth not to enforce vs through necessitie it condemneth vs of vnthankefulnesse if we bend not ourselues wholy towardes him But wee cannot doe it Wherefore Are wee then excused No. For it is our owne naughtinesse that doth let vs. Iames. 1.14 Euerie man shalâ condemne himselfe saith Saint Iames because there is nothing that prouoketh vs to euill but the concupiscence of our owne fleshe Seeing then that the fault is in vs wee must make no more allegations and here yee see wee bee confounded before God Thus then haue wee cause to bee twise the more lowely First of all for that wee bee so leawde that Gods goodnesse mooueth vs not to come neere him and to put our selues vnder his leading And secondlie for that we search not out the bottome of the sinne that is in vs after this manner Alas seeing I haue euerie day so in numerable thoughtes so many desires and motions such store of affections which serue altogether to turne mee away from that good whereunto God doeth call mee by reason whereof I ceasse not to offende God in all thinges so as nothing can bee drawen from mee but vtter euill all offence and al iniquitie alas in what taking am I Men when they see this must needes feele themselues double confounded And when they haue well examined themselues they must needes bee driuen to thinke thus Well God hath layde before mee all the meanes that I can wish for to attayne saluation if I were not altogether corrupt and peruerse And now cannot I pleade ignoraunce seeing that the lawe is giuen vnto mee and the way shewed mee howe I ought to gouerne mee and howe to leade my life And to the ende that I should bee the more willing thereunto my God trayneth mee to it by gentlenesse promising that I shal bee rewarded for seruing him Is it so What is then to be done I must not in this case make any further protestation nor stande pleading any more against GOD for I am too much too blame already Now when men finde themselues thus condemned then are they forced
haue a hundred folde deserued to be suncken but yet for all that wee flee vnto thy mercy wherefore haue pitie vpon vs. When we haue thus condemned our selues it is a meane to pacifiâ the anger of God which thing will not be done by hardening of our hearts For then he will euer more proceede farther vntill hee haue brought vs to these signes and wonders that be here mentioned Again God must needs do the like also in respect of mens slouthfulnes negligence or rather vtter senselesnes If wee could be subdued at y e first blow God would take no pleasure in laying plague vpon plague But when he seeth that there is such a kinde of stoutnes and such a presumption in vs that we wil not stoope nor bow our necks he must needs hold on vntil he make vs to feel in very deed after a strange maner that it is he before whom we must yeeld our account Let vs therfore marke well how the obstinate malice of the worlde is the cause why God sendeth so strange corrections to put vs in feare And if we considered well the state of the world at this day it would make y e haires of our head to stand vpright Certainely they doe all sigh at the feeling of the stripes and they complain howbeit not to any amendmeÌt but rather they bite on y e bridle Insomuch that when those which be not altogether blockish do make comparison of the present state with that which we haue seene before the wrath of God was on this wise prouoked they see it as it were a seagulfe that ought to make vs afraid And so let vs come backe againe to that which Moses declareth to wit that God must needs haue found the world very rebellious hardhearted when he augmeÌteth his punishments in such sort for it shoulde neuer come to that passe were it not that men were otherwise vnreformable Let vs not accuse God of crueltie when we see his rigor to exceed in punishing vs but let vs acknowledge that our stubbornnesse is so great that our Lorde must needes handle vs after that fashion for otherwise he should neuer ouermaster vs. That is the thing which we haue to beare in mind Howbeit that is not al for we must alwaies feare that which is to come And sith we saw that God hath thus increased his punishmentes not vpon one man only but vpon the whole world let vs bethinke vs to call our selues home again before he fal to striking of vs with maine blowes to our confusion and vtter vndoing without giuing vs any more respit to come to the acknowledgement of our sins For it is the sorest point of Gods wrath when sinners be taken after such a sort out of this world y t they cannot haue remeÌbrance of their sins nor take breath to resort vnto God or to aske him forgiuenes Let vs beware least Gods vengeance proceede so farre And for asmuch as we see y t the aduersities of these daies be verie great let vs acknowledge that we haue prouoked God verie much that it is not for vs to abuse his patience any longer Thus ye see in effect what we haue to beare away specialy wheÌ we see y t sin doth ouerflow so as all the world is infected with corruption Although a man doe good yet neuerthelesse forasmuch as it is euermore mixed w t sin he shal be chastised howbeit not at the first dash for as I haue said afore God doeth spare the wicked and tarrie for them and in the meane while punish the good that seek to walke a right but yet in the end he alwayes plagueth the dispisers of his law maiestie And as touching the good he will make theÌ to feele his grace to their ioy so that although hee exercise theÌ with manie chastisements aduersities yet notwithstanding they shal not faile to know him to be their God father stil to rest vpon him As for the wicked they be not disposed to tast or to feele the loue goodnes of God but are rather wood against him But when iniquitie is become as a maine sea al men are corrupted theÌ the vengeance of God must also ouerflow so as none may be free from it We haue seen already y e threatning y t was made here before Deut. 28 3ââ namely y t y e people should be led into captiuitie with their king When this came to passe were none caried away into captiuitie but the wicked and such as stroue against the Prophetes and such as despised the good doctrine and such also as were headstrong against God like wilde beastes Yes there was Ieremie himselfe who had called vppon the people fiftie yeeres together and neuer ceassed to crie What do ye ye wretched people Yet notwithstanding wee see that while others sported them he wept and wailed and not contented with that saide Who can turne my heade into teares so as my braine may bee as a fountaine gushing out continually that I may bewayle the sinnes and calamities of my people See how the holy Prophet after that he had laboured in the seruice of God and fought against al the wicked and made warre against all maner of iniquitie and stubbornnesse is faine to be led away captiue aswell as the rest and to be put to reproch not of being caried to Babilon for that had beene the best that could haue bin wished at that time but God gaue him not the fauour to be brought thither but he was faine to be harried into Egypt yet had hee sayde Cursed bee they that goe into Egypt goe ye into Babylon and serue the king of Babylon be quiet and obedient there ãâ¦ã 15. and beare patiently this punishment of God and in the ende he will take pitie on you The holy Prophet had not the same libertie So then wee see that when calamities come for the generall corruption of all men the good are wrapped vp amongst the euill And why is that Bycause it is not almost possible to walke amongst such infections and not to bee somewhat spotted therewith Albeit that Ieremie resisted the euill as much as he coulde yet sauored hee of the publique corruptions of the people and therefore behoued him to be punished with the rest howbeit God did not execute such vengeance vpon him as he did vppon the despisers of his lawe no not by a great deale For Ieremie had alwayes a good testimonie that God did guide him and when he was in Egypt he was by a speciall priuiledge free from y e curse that hee had pronounced vppon all them that would goe into Egypt for they drewe him thyther by force Ye see therefore howe God wrappeth vp his people amongst the rebels but yet he saueth them after a maruailous maner which giueth them continuall cause of comfort in him As much is to be sayd of Daniel Daniel is set forth vnto vs as a myrror of integritie
chastise the greatest part of y e world insomuch that some one man hath risen with a smal number of people to chastice an infinite multitude y t did set themselues against him and that not for one time onely but twise or thrise one after another with taking of Townes Fortresses which seemed to be so wel appointed yea and strong by naturall situation that they could not be approched vnto yet haue they bin sacked as if God had meant to renue a great part of the worlde It hath bin in likewise seene that a people without renounce or estimation haue risen and made the most mighty to tremble In this dooing God giueth examples of that which is written heere to wit that he can surely bring our enemies vpon the soudayne and that they shal make such dispatch as if they came swifter against vs than by post and that when we suppose to haue some respit by truce for one moneth for one yeere or for al our lifetime we shal be soudenly surprised in a morning before we thinke thereon Let vs therfore vnderstand that as soone as God speaketh wee must haue an eye vnto the infinite power that is in him yea and which is incredible to mans vnderstanding to tremble at his very word and to yeeld vnto him knowing well that if we delay from day to day wee may be preuented then will it be too late Let vs therfore be aduised to humble our selues in due time and to craue pardon when we haue offended him Moses sayeth expressely That they which are disobedient vnto God shal be besieged shut vp within their walles vntill all their fortresses in which they trusted be beaten downe Here we see how God reproueth the false and cursed presumption wherby men deceiue themselues in thinking themselues to be well fenced against him It is a sacriledge whereby God is robbed of his honor wheÌ we attribute vnto the creatures y e meane to vphold vs. It is certaine y t God serueth himselfe by meanes we must also apply theÌ vnto our vse but in the meane while to settle our trust vppon them were a robbing of God of his maiestie For he wil haue vs to hold al things of him and to do him homage for them So then it is an intollerable presumption for vs to put our trust in creatures to ground our selues on them and yet there is no fault more common in y e world We can say wel ynough y t it is not lawfull that we ought not to doe it but in the meane while euerie one doth it Now let vs remeÌber our selues for there is nothing y t God holdeth more deare or whereof he maketh greater account than his honour Neither is it sufficient for vs to leaue him the title name of God but he must also be knowne as he is y t is to say that al power lieth in him that he is the fountaine of all manner of grace goodnes that it is his proper office to maintaine and preserue vs that our life is in his hand all things that belong therto When we haue well thought vpon this let vs take order to gather our wits so about vs as we be not grounded vpon creatures Surely the mischiefe is double when we shield our selues with y e creatures against God therby to become stubborne wheÌ he threateneth vs to hold on still when he vttereth forth tokens of his displeasure let vs consider that the offence is then much more grieuous But yet is this ouer common For whilest we perceiue not any daunger towardes as in respect of the world doe not wee continue in our sinnes And doe we not abide in stubbornnesseâ God speaketh but we regard him not So y t men doe fauour vs so we haue wherewith to fortifie our selues we thinke that y e hand of God can not come at vs. And therefore it is not without cause y t our Lord reproueth the frowardnes of al such as are disobedient towardes him that is to say that they put their trust in their fortresses in their high walles in their munitions and in such like things Now forasmuch as we bee subiect to these things it were better for vs y t we had neyther hedge nor aught else than to be wel fenced with walles and bulworkes For they serue but to blinde our eyes that haue no more respect to our God but be bewitched by Sathan to put our trust in things which shal be our confusion Howsoeuer the case standeth let vs aduisedly holde this rule in generall that is y t God be euermore our fortresse as we see he promiseth by his Prophet Esay Esa. 1â â aswel in the 12. Chapter as also from y e 55. vnto the end for it tendeth al to this point And it is so commoÌ a doctrine in the holy scripture that we can scarse turne a leafe but we shal see some text wherein God telleth vs y t he wil be our rampyres our wals our ditches yea double ditches our towers and whatsoeuer else is needefull for our defence And why For as I haue heretofore said our mindes do forthwith slide into vanitie so as God is not able to hold vs backe to himselfe and to make account that we will put our whole trust in him What must wee then doe First of all if we bee destitute of mans aide let vs vnderstand that God alone is sufficient if wee returne vnto him say Ah Lord it is certaine y t we are set for a pray we haue not wherew t to saue our selues for all the world doth faile vs but yet it is ynough y t thou art our succour After y t maner should wee learne to resort vnto him And so shoulde wee take occasion to yeelde our selues wholly vnto him when the things of this worlde doe fayle vs. And by the way although wee haue walles and artillerie money and munition and all that wee can wish for yea and people also and all thinges else yet let vs vnderstande that wee must in the meane while so vse them as our Lorde may bee alway our trust and we giue him euermore this honor that it is his office to defend vs and that thereupon wee wade no farther It is certayne that wee may serue our turne with the things which hee putteth into our handes but yet in the meane while our hearts and mindes must bee raysed vp aboue all the worlde and hee alone must bee our shooteanker Thirdely wee must not vaunt our selues of the force of the helpes that he giueth vs for a speare of a bramble as they say is enough to make vs beleeue that wee bee inuincible What say wee Is it possible that they should preuaile against vs All this is nothing no not worth the pill of an Onyon as they say yet will wee needes streine our wittes to giue it price and the glory Nay contrariwise let vs acknowledge our debilitie and
haue a desire to followe it and to giue our selues ouer vnto it And that is the cause why hee sayeth that we bee drawen vnto him Iohn 6.44 And indeede Moses sayth not The Lorde will circumcise thyne heart to the ende that thou mayst bee able to loue him but hee sayth to the ende that thou loue him Hee sheweth that GOD doeth not onely giue vs the power to will well but also doeth throughly fashion vs to the same And that is a further point wherein the Papistes doe abuse themselues too grossely for when they speake of the grace of the holy Spirite they vnderstande that GOD in deede giueth vs the power if it seeme good to vs but yet that all the same lyeth in our discretion and that GODS woorking in vs is not in such sorte as that both our listing and our performing proceede both thereof But it is too nygardely a speaking of the grace of GOD that he should say vnto man Well I wil giue thee power that thou mayst doe well if thou wylt but I will lay the brydle on thy necke and when thou hast a good will and that of thy selfe if thou hast constancie and power to put it in execution thou mayest well doe it and I will helpe thee therein If GOD shoulde doe so what shoulde become of our saluation For can men in such frayltie as wee doe feele and amiddest so many combattes as Sathan doeth deliuer vs haue one onely firme and constant will It is impossible Moses therefore sayeth not that GOD will circumcise our heartes to the intent wee may haue power to feare him but hee putteth the thing in effect to the intent that wee shall feare him after which manner also hee speaketh by his Prophetes as well Ieremie as Ezechiel Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 36.26 Hee sayeth that hee will put his feare in our heartes Hee sayeth not that hee will giue them power And then will I make them sayeth hee to walke in my commaundementes This is it that GOD doeth attribute vnto himselfe to wit that hee will so imprint his Lawe in our heartes as wee shall haue a will agreeable vnto his and then hee will guide and gouerne vs in such sorte as wee shall ouercome all temptations and accomplish that which hee commaundeth vs. It belongeth not to vs then to challendge such prayse to our selues Thereby wee see that the Papistes deale treacherously in all the doctrine of freewill for all their whole seeking is to robbe GOD of all that euer the holy Scripture declareth to bee his and which hee reserueth to himselfe and to spoyle him of his honour vsurping it euerie man to himselfe Let vs therefore beware of this diuelish arrogancie and let vs vnderstande that Saint Paule hath not sayde without cause Phil. 2.13 That it is GOD that woorketh in vs both the wyll and the deede Saint Paule sayeth not after the manner of the Papistes that when God giueth vs the meane wee may bee able to will that which is good but hee sayeth that hee will put the will in vs. And then hee addeth that GOD in likewise doeth woorke the matter that is to say hee accomplisheth the good woorkes in vs and the whole is perfourmed sayeth hee after his owne will Therefore whereas the Papistes saye that GOD hath respect whether wee bee able to vse his grace well or no and that according as euerie man behaueth and gouerneth himselfe GOD dealeth with him thereafter Saint Paule sayeth that it proceedeth altogether of GODS good pleasure And yet it is not therefore to bee sayde that wee bee blockes of wood But let vs marke well what Saint Paul concludeth that is that wee must walke in feare and warinesse Phil. 2 1â woorking our saluation What Is it in vs to doe it No but hee sheweth that wee bee instrumentes of GOD and that when hee giueth vs the wyll and power to perfourme it is bycause that euerie one of vs shoulde offer himselfe to doe his indeuour howbeit vnder the leading of the holy Spirit acknowledging that all of it proceedeth from aboue and Saint Paule sayeth that wee must doe it with feare and carefulnesse to the intent wee bee not vnprofitable and yet that in the meane while there bee not any drop of presumption in vs to suppose that wee haue any abilitie or power of our selues but that GOD bee honoured as hee deserueth Nowe wee see what is the naturall sense of this Text where Moses promiseth vnto the Iewes that GOD will circumcise their hearts Thereby hee sheweth that it is not ynough for men to haue the Lawe preached and to haue their eares beaten therewith and to vnderstande what their duetie is for all that will be but as a dead thing vntill the time that God doe chaunge their heartes and reforme them and woorke within them and that the affections of men and their thoughtes bee guided by the holy Ghost And by the way hee sheweth heere the vse of Circumcision which is another poynt worthie to bee marked For the fantasticall fellowes of our dayes which woulde take away the Baptisme of little children neuer vnderstoode the vse of Circumcision It seemed vnto them that it was but a temporall matter yea and a tryfling thing and that it was not spirituall for the auncient fathers in so much that the cursed heretike which was punished in this Towne mocked all the Sacramentes of the Lawe of Moses Abraham sayd hee had but a shadowe of the heauenly lyfe and albeit that hee was named the father of the faithfullâ and it appeareth that hee did altogether stay himselfe vppon the celestiall heritage yet was hee not touched therewith neither dyd the fathers knowe GOD but worshipped an Angell which was there in a visible shape in steade of GOD. These bee the horrible Blasphemies which insue when men doe so separate the Lawe from the Gospell In deede wee haue at this day a grace which surpasseth that grace which GOD shewed to our fathers but yet must wee not so bereaue Abraham of the spirituall kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ as to make Circumcision to bee but an earthly Sacrament Therefore let vs beare well in minde that when GOD ordayned Circumcision besides that it was a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth as Saint Paule sayeth in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes it did also shewe vnto men that they ought to bee mortifyed and renewed by regeneration to the obedience of GOD. Whereby wee may gather that Circumcision signifyed the same thing vnto the Iewes which Baptisme importeth vnto vs at this day What haue wee in Baptisme That wee bee blessed in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that whereas wee haue nothing but accursednesse by the heritage of Adam wee be sanctifyed to bee adopted into the celestiall heritage so as God by iustifying vs doeth accept them which were not earst woorthie to bee numbred amongest his creatures Againe wee haue also a similitude and a portraiture of death that wee myght
him vppon the promyse of GOD. And that is the thing which must bee the stay of all our strength For if wee will bee stout vppon our owne heade GOD will ouerthrowe such a rashnesse lyke a fond thing as it is What must then bee done Wee must embrace the promises of GOD and when hee hath once tolde vs that he is our defender wee must not feare that wee shall bee forsaken of him but bee resolute in all thinges And although the worlde doe offer vs many ouerthwartes to make vs to distrust yet let vs stande stedfast in the thing which our GOD hath told vs. For it is good reason to doe him the honour that his woorde may bee preferred before all thinges that may turne vs away from the affiaunce that hee hath giuen vs. Thus see you heere a very profitable lesson which is y t bycause we feele so many infirmities in our selues y t there needeth nothing to beate vs downe but as soone as y e wind bloweth we be shaken or else doe fall altogether we perceiuing such feeblenesse in vs must receiue the remedie that is offered vs here which is to hearken to the promises of our God And for as much as hee assureth vs that he will neuer faile vs let vs trust to that stay For when the winds the Stormes and the Tempestes of this present world come wee shall neuer bee shaken Ye see then that the strength and stay of the faithfull is to rest altogether vpon that which God hath promised them And for that cause doeth Moses say to Iosuah Thou shale put the children of Israell in possession of the land And Moses speaketh it not at aladuenture Deut. 30. but to ratifie that which we haue seene more at large here before namely that God had chosen Iosuah to that office and that hauing committed the charge vnto him he promised him in likewise to vphold him with his mightie hande Whereupon it is saide vnto him be strong and behaue thy selfe manfully So then let vs learn to fight against al temptations when wee haue once tasted the force of Gods promises For it is a token that wee giue no credite to that which God speaketh when wee continue lyke Reedes shaking with euery winde and tremble at euery trouble that commeth standing in a mamering or starting from the right way and waxing rechlesse in discharging our duetie As often as such thinges happen wee shewe our weakenesse and wee giue good proofe that wee beleeue not that which GOD hath spoken Wee may well alleage and say As for my selfe I hold the promises of God for certaine I doubt not but that whatsoeuer proceedeth from his mouth is an infallible trueth Wee may well so say but the deede it selfe proueth that there is nothing in vs but hypocrisie and that wee bee not firme to go through with that which is commaunded vs and to discharge our duetie in following our vocation ne walke steadily when all thinges seeme forlorne To be short let vs learne that faith is ioyned with such power as ought alwayes to make vs to go foreward still whithersoeuer God calleth vs And so shall it doe conditionally that we bee grounded vppon his woorde And on the contrary side we must needes be tossed with vnquietnesse and be wandering hither and thither and trotte vp and downe without any stay if we haue not the word of God to guide vs and to be our lanterne And it is the right payment of all them that leane to their owne fansies and make foolishe enterprises and passe their boundes and lymites It is requisite say I that our Lord should beate them downe at the last though they were aduaunced for a tyme. And what is the cause Bycause as I saide afore there is no power but that which is grounded vppon the woorde of God But there is yet one point more which is that euerie one of vs must haue respect whereunto hee is called and what it is that God hath committed to his hands for as we see heere if Iosua had thrust in himselfe without God had appointed him what power could hee then haue had PeradueÌture for a braide or twain he might haue done wonders as we see y e Children of this worlde doe who in their brauerie doe as it were spitte fire for a whyle as they say but in the end are quite confounded And euen so shoulde it haue happened to Iosua But forasmuch as hee taryed till God had shewed him his wil therfore he was not disappointed of his hope So then let none of vs take more vppon him than is lawfull for him but let vs consider what our office and calling require and so let euery of vs keepe him within his degree with all sobernesse and modestie and then will GOD bee our guide according to this saying of his that his Angels shall alwayes beare vs company Psal. 9â 11 euen in our iourneyes so wee goe not astray Nowe heerewithall it is declared heere that Moses did write this Song and all the booke of the Lawe and that hauing written it hee red it openly before all the people and gaue the booke of the Lawe to the Leuites willing them to lay it in the side of the Arke or Coffer of the Couenant and telling them that it should be a Testymonie against the people Yea and once againe he accuseth theÌ of rebellioÌ Thou shalt know saith he what a one thou art God must alwayes haue an action framed against thee and bee thy Iudge for thou art full of Rebellion thou wilt not bee gouerned but by strong hand If thou wouldest willingly serue thy God hee would vse thee after a more myeld and gentle fashion But what Bycause thou art so hardened in euill that thou wilt not by any meanes bee bowed GOD is fayne to vse rigour And nowe yet once againe sayeth hee I will call heauen and earth to witnesse against you That is the effect of that which is declared in this place Now as concerning the first poynt we must marke that this woorde Writing doeth import that Moses was not the author of the Lawe nor of the song but was onely the writer or recorder thereof at the mouth of God Nowe then like as a clearke of an office writeth what is appoynted him Euen so it is sayd expressely here that Moses wrate the things which he receiued of God and not any thing that was forged in his owne brayne And this serueth to giue such authoritie to the Lawe and to the song which wee shall see heereafter as may make vs to giue eare with all reuerence not to a mortall creature but to the liuing GOD whose will it is to haue his Maiestie knowen there Thus much for one poynt And herewithall it is shewed vs that our faith oweth no obedience but to him onely neyther ought to depend vppon men howe wise soeuer they be but that God ought to haue the gouerning and whole Lordship thereof According whereunto Saint
so And therefore God coulde well roote vs out of the worlde at this day and on the otherside hee coulde well make the Papistes dumbe and altogether senselesse or else hee coulde make them blockes or stones or else he could vtterlie ouerwhelme them so as his name should not bee blasphemed by them and therewithall hee coulde raise vp a newe people which should glorifie him in his iust destroying and consuming of vs. God coulde well doe all these thinges but yet for all that hee holdeth still such order in his workes as hee hath determined vppon in himselfe That is the cause why on the one side hee spareth vs and on the other side giueth not occasion to the Papistes to blaspheme his holy name if hee shoulde vse extreeme rigour agaynst vs. And by the way here wee bee put in minde of the nature of man Indeede God speaketh of the aduersarie and enemie but yet vnder them he comprehendeth all such as haue not beene taught by his worde to yeeld themselues teachable vnto him And what manner of disposition attributeth hee vnto them That they estrange themselues that is to say that without inquiring or considering of Gods vengeaunce wherein he ought to be glorified they turne it into a slaunder and say It is not God that did it Let vs marke well then that if wee bee let alone to our owne nature and that God guide vs not by his worde and spirite to giue vs the true soundnesse of vnderstanding discretion and skill although hee worke after such a fashion as his righteousnesse power and wisedome may so appeare that wee must needes be conuicted by it yet we shal not cease to cast foorth blasphemie against him And why For wee shall bee as witlesse beastes And this saying For feare least the enemie shoulde estraunge himselfe is to bee well weyed For thereby God meaneth that men insteede of applying their wittes to the beholding of the thinges which hee sheweth them do wrappe themselues in ignorance wilfully Nowe it is certayne that although wee be blinde wretches and that although by reason of Adams sinne wee bee bereft of iudgement reason and vnderstanding yet there is malice still in vs so as our whole seeking is to bee ignoraunt of the thinges which our Lorde woulde haue vs to knowe Therefore whensoeuer men doe make a cloke of their ignorance they shall euermore bee conuicted to haue refused the knowledge of those thinges which might haue beene well knowen vnto them if they had set their minds vppon them And that is the verie cause why Saint Iude in his Epistle speaking of these heathenish folke which despise GOD and are grosse and dulheaded as folke that haue no knowledge at all Iude. 10. saith that they knowe not the thinges which they shoulde know because they haue no list to knowe them Then is it a cursed kinde of cloking whensoeuer men make not their benefite of Gods workes but applie them cleane contrarie to his meaning Now looke what is said here concerning the Infidels the same belongeth likewise vnto vs. And were it not that GOD bringeth the light vnto vs or vs vnto the light and opened our eyes to see the thinges which hee sheweth vs surely we should not onely continue stil blind but also it shoulde cause vs to become worse and worse accordingly as it is saide here that the Infidels shoulde haue blasphemed GOD saying Our hande is high and it is not God that hath doone this On the one side then we let God alone as though he had done nothing and on y e other side wee become so proude as to put ourselues in his roome For men content not themselues with their robbing of God of his power with their defacing of his maiestie but they will also needs deck theÌselues with his feathers make themselues verie Idols and haue men to belieue them to haue beene the doers of the thinges which are peculiar to GOD. So then seeing there is such mad pride in vs and so grosse selfe weening wee ought to bee the more warned to yeelde our selues vnto GOD and to pray him not onely to shew vs his workes wherein his glorie may shine foorth and appeare but also to open our eyes that wee may see them in giuing vs skill and discretion by his holy spirit so as we may learne with humilitie to honour him and that when we haue confessed his iustice goodnes and mercie we may consider howe much we be bounde vnto him and that when hee punisheth other men we may be drawen to repentaunce by their meanes and vnderstande that he beareth with vs because he might well confounde vs out of hande were it not that he intended to vse fauour and goodnes towardes vs to the ende wee shoulde bee the more inflamed to honor him and to dedicate our selues to him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe let vs pray vnto him to vouchsafe to haue pitie vppon vs and not to call vs to account for the great number of misdeeds whereof wee be guiltie because wee knowe well that if hee listed to deale rigorously with vs we should needes be confounded yea and vtterly perishe and that although hee had not wayted for vs so long time yet he had iust cause to haue destroyed vs as often as wee prouoked him to wrath wherfore although we haue offended him without end or measure yet notwithstanding seeing hee hath shewed himselfe so kindhearted a father towardes vs alreadie it may please him to continue his mercie and fauour and therewithall to reforme vs so by his holy spirit that being guided and gouerned by him our whole seeking may be to frame ourselues to y e obeying of him suffering our selues to be ruled by his word and seeking nought else but to please him in all respects That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Saturday the vj. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXV Sermon which is the eight vpon the two thirtith Chapter 28 For it is a Nation voyde of discretion and there is no vnderstanding in them 29 But if they were wise they would vnderstande this and take heed to their ende 30 Howe shoulde one of them chase a thousande and two of them put tenne thousande to flight were it not that God had solde them and that the Lord had shut them vp 31 For their gods are not as our God and thereof euen our enemyes themselues are Iudges WE saw yesterday how God hauing a respect to the Infidels their blasphemies had spared the people of Israel And thereupon it was shewed that God doth oftentimes pitie vs not punish vs so rigorously as we deserue to y e end that his name should not be made a scoffing stocke a iesting stock among the wicked who seeke occasion of skorning when they see God chastice his Church thereupon they fall to rayling at the doctrine and Religion
hath shewed himselfe inuincible as oft as he hath listed to defend his people CoÌtrariwise a verie shadowe was ynough to dismay those wretched people and to put them out of heart so as they were ouerthrowen brought in bondage of cruel tyrans After what manner A man cannot tell how If a man looke vpon the ouercomming of them it is a wonderfull and vncredible thing to the sight of the worlde that there should haue beene so great a change Now for this cause doeth Moses adde Were it possible that one man should put a thousand to flight and that two shoulde chase ten thousand except your God had solde you and that he helde yee shutte vp as prisoners For so long as he gaue you courage and shewed you that he intended to maintayne you your enemyes gayned nothing at your handes but were vanquished by the onely looke of you bycause your God fought for you But as now yee see how your God taketh part against you and howe it is hee that fighteth against you And therefore impute not your rough handling vnto men but consider howe it is the hand of God that pursueth you and is against you Had the Israelites vnderstoode this they had beene touched out of hand with their faultes they had humbled themselues they had returned vnto God acknowledging him for their Iudge But they continued still in their spytefulnesse Nowe then wee see the sturdinesse and also the more than beastly blindnesse which was in them And this vpbrayding of them is to bee marked well For wee knowe it is the hyghest poynt of condemnation when GOD wynneth nothing at our handes by chastising vs but his scourges become vnprofitable as if a man shoulde smire with a hammer vpon a stithy or Anuile Therefore when GOD looseth his labour after that fashion in correcting vs it is a token that our diseases are vtterly vncurable And that is the cause why that in the first Chapter of Esay Esa. 1.5 hee playeth the sorowfull father saying Alas what a thing is this From the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote there is not any sounde part in this people I see they bee the same they were afore they bee no whyt amended and must I needes haue bestowed my labour in vayne Wee see whereunto this tendeth to wit GOD sheweth that men are become starke diuels when they consider not that his correcting of them is to bring them to amendment Nowe then if wee chafe vpon the bitte when God sendeth vs such warnings surely wee bee vtterly vnreformable Therefore let vs bethinke our selues better and as soone as God lifteth vp his finger and maketh vs to perceyue his displeasure let our sinnes come before our eyes and let vs thinke vppon them with vtter mislyking of them and returne againe vnto him The thing then whereof wee bee warned in this text is that wee shoulde better regard GODS scourges and not kicke against the pricke for wee shall gaine nothing thereby Wee haue heard what is sayde in the Lawe as I haue alleaged heeretofore and as we haue read it in the eyght and twentith Chapter Deut. 28. Psal. 18.28 that is to wit that if wee march stoutly against GOD hee also will strike crossely and ouerthwartly vpon vs. So then let vs marke well the warnings which we heare When there commeth a dearth of vittelles let vs not thinke that God sittes asleepe in heauen It is hee that tryeth vs to the intent wee should thinke vpon our sinnes and stand the more vpon our garde knowing that they bee the Roddes wherewith he chastiseth vs. And hee doeth it not without cause but of purpose to humble vs and to further our saluation continually vntill hee haue brought vs to it throughly Therefore let vs learne to bee brought backe continually to the knoweledge of our vices and sinnes when God calleth and exhorteth vs thereto And for the bringing thereof to passe let vs take good heede to y e afflictions which we suffer assuring ourselues that they ought to serue for our instruction And after this Moses addeth further that their mightie one is not as ours that is to say The Idols which the heathen worship are not lyke to our God And that it is so they themselues are the Iudges This place hath commonly beene expounded as though Moses had complayned that the enemies of the Israelites had soÌ surprysed them and so vexed them as no man might succour them but it is cleane contrarie For Moses declareth that if God were not against his people they should not bee so scourged by their enemies as if he should say yee must not loke at your owne strength nor yet at your enemies but consider that for as much as ye haue fought against your GOD and prouoked his vengeance against you by your offences all these troubles which you do now indure are of his stirring vp against you and your enemies haue not any whit of strength but of his gift Thinke not therefore that they should haue such power vnlesse hee had solde you and that hee himselfe held yee in captiuitie and had deliuered you into the hands of your enemies And for proofe therof is he like their ydols Strength standeth not in men but it commeth from heauen Now then do not the heathen deserue to be depriued of all ayd when they worship their ydols and dead things But you now doe worship the liuing God hee hath shewed that he will keepe you in his tuition and that then you shall be safe against all the world Seeing then that your God is not lyke the ydols of the heathen howe could you bee ouercome by them if God did not afflict you giue you ouer and forsake you And that it is so sayeth he euen our enemies are Iudges That is to say the heathen perceiue and finde by experience the power of our God so as they must needs spite of their teeth confesse that our God hath all power in himselfe and that their owne ydols are nothing True it is that they abyde still in their ignorance and beastlinesse but yet howsoeuer they bee disposed they haue the experience thereof and yet you consider not that Heere Moses rebuketh the stubbornnesse of the people yet more in that they tooke not warning by the great number of chastisements and visitations Wee see then in effect that when wee amend not at GODS chastisements we must in the ende pay the arrearages for there is so much the lesse excuse in vs. If God did lay the brydle in our neckes and warned vs not of our misdoings but rather dazeled our eyes by blindfolding vs in such fort as wee might not see one whitte yet shoulde not all that discharge vs but yet shoulde not our sinne bee so heynous so as it myght seeme to men that there were some little excuse for vs but he goeth about to bring vs home to himselfe hee sheweth vs that wee haue liued amisse hee draweth vs to
agree in vnitie of faith God doeth vs to vnderstande that hee dwelleth among vs and our Lorde Iesus Christ doeth then shewe himselfe to bee the heade of that whole bodie That is the thing which wee haue to gather vppon this text where it is saide that the children of Leuie shall keepe Gods couenant And why For else it might perish in the worlde according whereunto Saint Paul saieth 1. Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the Arch the Piller and the vpholder of Gods trueth And howe is that Because that men as I haue saide afore are so inclined to vanitie and leasings that they shoulde bee alienated out of hande from the pure Religion if they were held still by that meane The Church then is as a Gardian to Gods trueth to the intent it shoulde not bee dârie away but that we should alwayes haue that light among vs and that wee might vnderstand that where preaching is there Gods voice ringeth in our eares so as if wee were neuer so sore shaken too and fro yet doeth God giue vs a sure stay wherewith to resist all temptations Yee see then how the keeping of Gods couenant is committed to the Leuits and generally to all such as haue the office of sheepherds among Gods people Moreouer for the better maintaining of the pure Religion it behooueth them to haue a zeale of Gods honour they must all their life long indeuour to maintaine the doctrine and therewithall they must haue their mouthes open to preach the worde that is committed vnto them to the ende that that treasure bee not lost nor buried but that all men may bee made partakers thereof They shall preach thy lawe then vnto Iacob and thy doctrine vnto Israel so as Gods worde must needes be published if we will shew our selues to bee a people dedicated vnto him Againe let vs marke also that heere is speciall mention made of Gods worde and of his lawe to doe vs to wit that God will not haue mens inuentions to reigne among his people but will haue men to hold themselues wholly vnto him and as yee would say to hang altogether vpon his mouth Nowe then the children of Leuie haue not here a libertie giuen them to forge lawes after their owne liking and to set foorth whatsoeuer they list as the Pope and al his haue done And it is to be seene yet still at this day howe the same tyrannie reigneth in such sort that whatsoeuer is termed by the name of Gods seruice in Poperie is but a confused heape of all manner of dotages whereunto euery man hath put to his peece and yet they cannot alledge one syllable of holy scripture to shew that God alloweth their doings But men haue stepped foorth through their owne diuelish rashnes haue made Lawes and Statutes to binde mens consciences vnder paine of deadly sinne and moreouer haue coyned articles of faith at their owne pleasure From whence then hath all the doctrine of poperie beene taken Not from the fountaine of y e truth but from the hellish stinking puddle of Satan where there is nothing but confusion Where haue they founde their praying vnto Sainctes but in their owne braine or rather that Satan hauing forged it in his shoppe hath besotted them therewith Againe where finde they any of the thinges which they speak concerning works of supererogation Merits the Apes toyes of their Masse and all their Ceremonies in generall It is certaine that al these things were set forth by men But contrariwise our Lorde hath tolde vs here that he meaneth not to haue those to put forth any thing of their owne whom hee hath appointed to beare abroade his worde For the commission which hee gaue to the Leuites was to set those thinges abroade which they had receiued of him and to deale them forth plainly and rightly to the people taking good heede that they did not alter or falsifie any thing And therefore let vs marke that wee shall then bee allowed for Gods people when our faith flittereth not after the lure of mortall men without knowing why wee beleeue but that wee rest wholly vppon God and that when wee knowe that wee haue his worde to rule vs by then will hee vpholde and auowe vs to bee his Church But yet must wee alwayes come backe to this that it is not ynough for vs to haue the lawe written and to haue Gods worde in our handes and to make a priuate reading thereof at home in our houses but the same worde must also bee preached and expounded vnto vs. And why so Because Gods will is that it shoulde be so and therefore wee must not dispute vppon it For why The order which God hath set among vs is not to bee broken Neither hath hee doone it without cause and iust reason as I haue saide alreadie considering the frailtie that is in vs and how easily wee be led to swarue aside Moses addeth heereunto That they shall put vp the perfume vnto the nosethrilles of the Lorde and lay the whole burnt offerings vppon his Altar This concerneth the Ceremonies For vnder the Lawe they had thinges which we haue not nowadayes namely the figures of the things which were fulfilled in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For the Priesthoode did vs to vnderstande that the people coulde not haue any accesse vnto GOD without some meane And when the people came to worshippe God and to offer sacrifices they helde themselues in y e outmost court There was the first part wherein they all held themselues and it was not lawfull for them to preace any further There was also y e sanctuarie for the priests and lodgings for the tribe of Leuie Also there was the great Sanctuarie whereinto the high-priest entered all alone with great solemnitie And all this serued to shewe yet more liuely the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. But nowe all those things are come to an end For there is no more shadowing the veile as it is said is broken asunder and we haue the heaueÌly sanctuarie wherunto we be called right forth and Iesus Christ hath set it open for vs. And so there needeth nowe no more burnt offering there needeth no more sacrifising for sinnes for our Lorde Iesus Christ hath by his one only sacrifice wiped away the sins of the world made an euerlasting attonement the vertue whereof can neuer be diminished As often then as we will preace vnto God it is not for vs to bring thither either calfe or sheep but we must resort to the bloudshed of our Lorde Iesus Christ because that thereby the euerlasting redemption is purchased vnto vs. Nowe we see wherein the Priestes of the olde lawe differed from vs. Yet notwithstanding those which are ordeined at this day to preach Gods worde ought to knowe that God will haue them to shewe the way in praying to him And to that ende serued the perfumes that were made in the Temple Let vs not thinke that God taketh
the thing that I said afore namely that Moses intended not to flatter Isachar in y e thing for which he was to be condemned that is to wit for the cowardlines whereof I haue made mention Neuerthelesse because that fault was vnreformable in the meane whyle God was to chastice that people with bondage with tributes and with tallages therefore Moses had a care to comfort them specially the faithfull which might fall into despaire when they sawe theÌselues so punished at Gods hand Well saith he beare ye this burthen paciently for yee be worthie of the punishment which God layeth vpoÌ you But howsoeuer the world go with you be not out of hart for he wil not faile to be a father to you still Although yee seeme to be subiect to many burthens he seeme to haue with drawen his hand from you vouchsafe not to succour you yet notwithstanding he wil haue pitie vpon you stil. Therfore be glad in your wretchednes distresses Lo how the faithful ought always to assuage their sorowes when God chastiseth them in this world for asmuch as his chastising of them is after such a sort that yet neuertheles he estrangeth not himselfe vtterly froÌ theÌ but reserueth them stil as of his houshold Church Moses hauing spoken so of those two trybes addeth in coÌmon that they shal cal folke vp into the mountaine to offer vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnes No dout but Moses meant this of mount Sion that is yet one other prophesie For no man could foresee that God would haue his teÌple to be builded in that place yet Moses setteth it down expresly that it shal be set vpon a hil Deut. 12.5 In deed he sayth Thy God will choose him a place where his name shal be called vpon but yet it was a hundred yeres after yea foure huÌdred or rather Six hundred yeres after ere any man knewe where that place was But Moses assigneth it to a mountaine and that was by force of the spirite For it must needes be that God guyded him thereto seeing he could say Vppon a mountaine shal my temple be builded True it is that hee nameth not mount Sion but yet we see there was a comformity between that which was reuealed vnto Dauid and that which had beene spoken so long aforehande by Moses Heere therefore we haue yet againe an infallible proofe that Moses deuised not any thing of himselfe but that the liuing God vsed him continually as his minister and as the instrument of his holy spirite Againe heere the two tribes of Isachar and Zabulon are commended for exhorting folke to the seruice of God And it is a praise well woorth the noting For thereby we be done to vnderstande that it is not ynough for euery man to occupie himselfe in the seruice of God but that our zeale must extende yet further to the drawing of other men thereunto accordingly also as is sayde thereof specially when the prophet Esay treateth of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ at which time euery man shall reach his hande vnto his neighbour ãâã 2.3 saying Let vs goe vp into the Lordes hill to worshippe him Heere Moses declareth that Isachar and Zabulon shall do the like and draw their neighbours to the seruing of God But in very deede it were to small purpose for vs to incorage our neighbours to yeeld God his deserued honour vnlesse wee ourselues did beare them companie And for that cause it is expresly sayde That they shall call folke and offer Sacrifice with them The thing then in effect which we haue to gather vpon this text is that we must as much as in vs lyeth indeuour to drawe all men on the earth vnto God that all men may serue him and worship him with one accorde And in deede if we haue any kindnesse in vs sith we see that men goe to destruction till God haue gotten them vnder his obedience ought we not to be moued with pity to drawe the silly soules out of hell and to bring them into the way of saluation Againe on the other side sith we knowe that God is our father should we not be desyrous to haue him knowen to be the like to all men And if we can not find in our heartes that all creatures should doe him homage is it not a token that we haue no great regarde of his honour Ye see then howe that one of the thinges whereunto we ought to apply our mindes and indeuours is first to procure the silie ignoraunt soules to serue God and secondly to be alwayes incoraging of such as are in the right trade As for example when we see blinde wretches runne astray surely if we be able and can haue any accesse or meanes to doe it we ought to giue them a tast of the true religion that they may submit themselues to God Againe we knowe wherein the seruice of God consisteth namely in learning his woorde that we may put our trust in him and therewithall call vpon him yeelding him thankes for all the benefites which he hath bestowed vpon vs and dedicating ourselues vnto him all our life long Nowe at this day his seruice is spirituall it consisteth not in the shadowes and ceremonies of the Lawe Therefore let vs prouoke ech other to resorte to the hearing of Gods worde let vs treate of it together to the edifying one of another and let vs also giue good exaÌple of putting our trust in him of being patient in our aduersities and of walking vnder his feare Afterwarde let vs call vpon him Psal. 5.12 as which is the chiefe Sacrifice that hee requireth at our handes let vs flee to him alone for refuge let vs yeelde him the prayse that is dewe to him for al his benefits and let vs prouoke all others to do the like That is the thing which is declared vnto vs in the example of Zabulon and Isachar But as I sayde afore we must not teache our neighbours and tarrie behinde ourselues but we must beare them companie And for y t cause is it sayde that they shall all worshippe Now then if we will discharge our duetie we must not say to others pray you vnto God put your trust in him giue him thankes for the great number of benefites which he hath bestowed vppon you dedicate your liues vnto him with all purenesse it is not for vs to shift off the matter in such sort What then We must ioyne with them and say let vs serue our God let vs worship him let vs call vpon him yea and let vs shewe the way to such as haue neede to be prouoked by vs. That is the thing then which in the seconde place we haue to practice out of this text But heere a man might demaunde wherefore Moses speaketh this of Zabulon Isachar rather than of the other tribes It is likely that it was because of the situation of the place For first they were farre ynough from
of controuersie as it doeth in our language 1. Sam. 4.19 but also to rule or gouerne to haue preheminence And that is the cause why it is sayd Such a one iudged that is to say gouerned or ruled And thereupon also doth the booke of Iudges take that name because the Iudges that is to say the gouerners had al the preheminence ouer the people Thus then we see what Moses meant in saying that Dan should be as a Lyons whelpe that is to say that although he seemed neuer so weake wanted wherewith to maintaine himselfe to y e worldward yet notwithstanding God would giue him strength he should be as a Lyons whelp that leapeth froÌ Basan it was the place that was assigned him for his portioÌ streÌgthen himself in such wise y t he shuld be maintained defended To be short wee haue to gather vppon this place that our Lord if it please him will welynough preserue vs insomuch that although we be without defence vtterly vnfurnished of these inferiour helps so as we haue neither any great number of people nor great tiches nor great scope of ground yet we neede not bee afrayd for any of those things for God is able ynough to preserue vs so we put our trust in him Wil we then be safe sure We must not haue an eye to our own power for that is a thing that spyteth God kindleth his wrath insomuch y t when men thinke themselues well at ease because they haue wherewith to repulse their enemies are rich welthie strong that presumption of theirs must needs make God to bereaue them of all that he may shew vnto them that it is in vaine for them to turne away from him to put their trust in corruptible transitorie things And it is a iust vengeance For we cannot put one drop of trust in any creature but Gods right is diminished therby for we withdraw our faith from him which ought to be wholly shut vp as it were tyed there Againe on y â other side when we be weake let vs vnderstand that it behooueth vs in any wise to flee to Gods protection that we may be brooded vnder his wings And God seeing vs to be litle ones wil helpe vs. Wherfore let vs therupon consider y t hee hath power ynough to withstand al our enemies insomuch y t wheras to outward seeming we haue not the strength of a Gnat hee will giue vs the strength of a Lyon or rather he himselfe wil be a Lyon for vs Deut. 20. Esa 4.31.4 as he vseth the same similitude afore as he speaketh therof by his Prophet Esay saying that he will rore like a Lyon to repulse the furie and violence of his enemies and that he will snatch vp the pray no man shall be so bolde as to come neere him to take it froÌ him Now then when wee bee thus assured of the goodnesse of our God wee shall euer haue wherwith to repulse all the practises of y e worlde against vs how many perils so euer wee see at hand and as it were hanging ouer our heads And wee haue good cause to put this lesson in practise For we see the malice of the enemies of the Gospel wee see also how all things nowadayes are so farre out of order that by all likelyhood wee shoulde bee deuoured euery minute of an houre And although a greate sort doe neuer thinke vppon it yet in very deede the knyfe is continually vppon our throte And it is not for any man to flatter himselfe in this behalfe for then shoulde wee bee too dulwitted It standeth vs in hand to consider our owne daungers that wee may bee quickened vp to call vppon GOD and to flee vnto him for refuge Then if wee looke well to our state wee shall perceiue that our lyfe hangeth as at a threede so as death threateneth vs on all sydes and wee haue no power to withstande it The onely remedie whereof is this that forasmuch as God hath promised to mayntaine the feeble and weake things and that when in sight of the worlde all thinges are like to slippe away yet neuerthelesse he wil haue his hand reached out to blesse such as are so base and despised to hold them vnder his tuition that they may be in safetie we must rest wholly vpon him and learne to leane vnto him and beare all thing patiently through the power of that promise with our glorying in God not bee ashamed to confesse our weaknes to the intent that he may vtter foorth his power and haue it the better knowen when the worlde shall see that there was nothing at al on our side and therfore that we play not the vainglorious folke who woulde always conceale their own weaknesse although it be knowen And what a fondnesse is it to bee desirous to seeme somewhat when we haue nothing in vs Is it not a fighting against nature And yet in so doing we fight against God For it is a darkening of his glory when we wil needs bleare mennes eyes and beare them in hande that there is that in vs which is not Therefore let vs learne to acknowledge our meanesse with all humilitie that we may prouoke one another to resort vnto our God and that although wee be but a small handfull of people and as it were vtterly without strength of our selues yet notwithstanding wee shall bee defended from aboue euen when we be cast vp to all perils here beneath After that Moses hath spoken of Dan he addeth concerning Nephthalim that he shall haue euen his fill of Fauour or of good will or of free good will for the Hebrewe word signifieth Freebestowed loue Then shall he haue his fill of Gods free fauour be replenished with the blessing of the Lorde Gen. 49.21 Nowe as concerning Nephthalim it is sayd in Iacobs blessing of him that hee shal be as a hynde that can skill to scape daunger a fine Hynd that is brought vp deintily that shall giue goodly wordes such as will well content men Hereby Iacob meant to betoken that this trybe should not bee so greatly troubled with warre as the other trybes were but that it should maintaine it selfe after another fashion namely by being mylde and amiable that his speech should be full of gentlenes and courtesie and that no man should molest him And in steed hereof it is sayd in this place that Nephthalim shall haue his fill of Gods free fauour The state of this trybe then was better than the state of Dan or of Gad who had enemies and were continually assayled because God had not giuen them a peasable state Now wee knowe that all the riches of the worlde all that euer wee can desire besydes is nothing woorth if wee enioy them not in peace To be short the chiefe good thing that men can wish is to be voyde of griefe and mistrust This is promised to the
which haue done seruice to the building vp of the Church and which coulde haue continued in doing the same still that is a wel-ordered mourning But yet must we also come to the measure For it may bee that a man shall mourne for iust cause and yet if he giue his sorrowe too much scope then is it a fault and a vice As howe If wee sorrowe for our sinnes without comfort wee shal be swallowed vp of heauinesse and thereuppon oftentimes spring grudgings and repynings against God But saint Paul telleth vs that when we mourne so for the death of our friends and kinsfolke or of such as serued in the Church we must not resemble the vnbeleeuers 1. Thess. 4.13 who saith he haue no hope and therefore can haue no comfort In that place S. Paul saith not that it is sinne to weepe hee doth not vtterly condemne the thing but hee sheweth that our sorrowing must be moderated because God giueth vs comfort by calling vs to y e hope of the heauenly life wherein we shal be renewed So then let vs vnderstande that GOD humbleth vs by death and that we must goe into corruption like stinking carions yea and eueÌ our soules must seeme to vanish away and that all shal be forlorne Nowe although wee must needes bee sorrowfull when wee consider these things and specially our sinnes yet I say wee must euer come backe to this point that God of his infinite goodnesse pitieth vs still and wil not haue vs to perish in death but rather that it bee vnto vs a passage into the euerlasting life And this hope is ynough to comfort vs in the middes of all our heauinesse at leastwise it ought to be a bridle to restraine our sorrowing that it passe not the bounds and so we fal to fretting against God as we see the vnbeleeuers do who storme and howle and yell and cannot by any meanes be held in order And why Because they haue no comfort which is the mother of patience But forasmuch as God calleth vs to the hope which hee giueth vs therefore after wee haue wept and mourned we haue wherefore to giue him thanks to blesse his holy name and to coÌtent our selues that he vseth not extreme rigor against vs. Now then although we weepe when we see that our Lorde hath taken those from vs which might haue stoode vs in great steede yet must we not fall into despaire as though God had no way to succour vs. For he can raise vp euen the stones if he thinke it good Therfore we must resort vnto him when wee perceiue any signe of his wrath and when we haue acknowledged our sins and asked forgiuenes of them at his hand we must also waite his leisure vntil he shew vs fauour that in finding mercy wee may also find remedy of all our griefs Thus y e measure which hee speaketh of is that hauing sorrowed to a good end because our Lord hath taken such folk out of y e world as we ought to long for desire wee must also haue some stay of our selues not be caried away to fretting chafing in our sorrowe but rather asswage our sorrowes because wee know y t when God hath chastised vs he will moderate his mightie hand and not stretch it out to the full against vs but chastise vs with the rodde of man 1. Sam. 7.14 as is said thereof Sith wee see this let vs learne to comfort our selues and be patient But herewithall we haue yet one point more to obserue which is that our forefathers had âo ceremonies than wee haue because they had not so euident a recorde of the euerlasting life And the selfesame reason was of burial vnder the lawe for they buried men with greater pompe than they do nowadays And what was the reason forsooth because the resurrection was not yet so well witnessed as it is now I grant that the fathers knew well what was requisite to their saluation howbeit y t was vnder shadowes and figures But behold nowadayes God himselfe calleth vs from heauen our Lorde Iesus Christ sheweth vs that as he himselfe is risen to glorie so we also shal be made like to his image and therefore that wee haue no more neede of such helps as y e fathers of old time had So then it were a mockery at this day to counterfeit the thinges that were obserued in the olde Testament And that is a thing wherein the fondnesse of the Papistes appeareth vnto vs. For they woulde needes counterfeit al things without cause or reason And yee see that in their burials they haue so many gewgawes and pelting toyes that a man woulde bee ashamed of them And what is the cause thereof but that they knowe not the difference that is come in since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ namely that the ancient ceremonies are come to an end Yee see then that the Papists are become Iewes howbeit but bastarde Iewes For not without some reason did the Iewes vse that custome because it behooued their ceremonies to supplie the want of doctrine But nowe that our Lord Iesus Christ is come and we haue the resurrection manifested in his person if we set our mindes stil vppon shadowes and figures what is it but a defacing of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ an vtter quenching of y e light of the Gospel That is y e cause why I said that the Papistes are not worthie to bee called Iewes but bastarde Iewes But whereas it is saide that the people made lamentation by the space of thirtie dayes let vs on our side learne that it behooued the auncient fathers to bee kept vnder because God had not giuen them so large a testimonie of the euerlasting life and that for their rudenesse sake they were gouerned like little children Gal. 4.3 as Sainct Paul speaketh of them to the Galathians Let vs nowadayes learne on our side to make the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ auailable that when any man dyeth there bee plainenesse vsed in his buriall and these pompes eschewed wherewith GOD is mocked and the people intangled in manie errours and superstitions And not without cause is it saide that our Lorde Iesus Christ was buried after the manner of the Iewes Matt. 27. 59. to shew that that custome ought nowadayes to bee chaunged among vs and a newe to bee put in the steede Also let vs moderate our mourning and let not our sorrowe bee excessiue but sith wee haue wherewith to comforte our selues which thing the folke that liued vnder the Lawe had not at all or at leastwise not so largely as wee haue let vs practise the doctrine which we bee taught in the Gospell and also by S. Paul to the Thessalonians 1. Thess. 4.13 Thus much concerning that point where mention is made of the lamentation that was made for the death of Moses Now it followeth That Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome because
Baptisme the marke of Gods free bestowed Adoption 1110. b 40 It auaileth vs not any whit to haue hearde Gods worde vntill our Adoption be sealed by the holy Ghost 440. a 30 Why the couenant and Adoption that God had made with the Iewes was broken off 420. b 20.30 Whereunto the Adoption of vs to bee Gods children tendeth 355. a 10 Of the fauourable Adoption of almightie God most notable doctrine 169. a 10.20.30.40.50 At what time God vouchsafed y e Iewes his Adoption 181. a 10 In what respects we doe what we can to ouerthrowe Gods Adoption 300. a 40 Our Adoption to bee the members of Christ is by the Gospel 62. b 60 Howe we blot out the writing of our Adoption 313. a 10 Of the Adoption of the Iewes and to what intent the same was 917. a 10 The end of our Adoption and wherto the same serueth 910. a 30.40 The benefite of our Adoption in Iesus Christ. 28. a 50 Of our Adoption that be Christians vnder what condition the same is 882. b 50.60 The warrant of our Adoption must suffice vs against al troubles and aduersities 105. a 10.20 What our behauiour ought not to be when God hath vouchsafed to make vs his children by Adoption 43. b 40. Looke Election Aduance That wee Aduance our selues against God though we wil be acknowne of no such thing 410 b 10. c. Howe men behaue themselues in their Aduancement and a warning vnto them 363. a 30.40 Aduanced How he that is Aduanced to some degree should bethinke himselfe 363 b 40.50 Howe we must behaue our selues when we are aduanced by God 363. a 60. b 10 Aduancement Of the AduancemeÌt of Iosue into Moses roome being but his seruant 51. a 10.20.30 How we ought to reason with our selues touching others Aduancement 52. a 20.30 AduancemeÌt made Ieroboam to turne away from the true religion 64. b 10 20.30 We ought to repine or grudge at y e Aduancement of others 51. b 20.30 Euerie man seekes his owne Aduancement 51. a 30 To what intent God vouchsafeth men Aduancement and preeminence 51. a 40.50 Aduantage Howe the Iewes construed al the promises of the holy scripture to their own AduaÌtage 580. a 20.30 Looke Gaine and Profite Aduenture The meaning of this sentence spoken by God I will come against you at al Aduenture 990. a 10 Of this word Aduenture vsed in scripture and whereto the same hath relation 989. b 30 Of walking at all Aduenture and howe that word vttered by God is meant 989. b 30.40.50.60.990 a 10 Aduersitie Euen in our abundance wee must bee mindfull of our Aduersitie Reade how 368. b 30 Gods mercy becoÌmeth better knowne vnto vs if the Aduersitie whereout we are deliuered bee recorded vnto vs. 366.110.20.30.40 Our behauiour in Aduersitie noted to our shame 156. a 60. 10 Why it is good reason that we shoulde passe the way of Aduersitie 359. a 40 How we must call our selues to remembrance when wee see any folke pinched with Aduersitie 210. b 40.50 How farre foorth Aduersity must ouermaster vs. 156. b 10 Howe long and during what time wee must be patient in Aduersitie 156. b 10 How we hauing had experience of Aduersitie should bethinke our selues of others being in the same case 589. b 50.60.590 a all Aduersitie likened to a fornace why 349. b. 20.30 A meditation to bee vsed of vs both in our Aduersitie and in our prosperity 348. b 20.30.40 Patience knowen in aduersitie 349. a 20 Aduersities Gods purpose in suffering vs to languish in our Aduersities 106. a 10 How God will haue vs vse our selues in Aduersities 140. b 20 Who they bee that are willing to returne to God in their Aduersities 156. a 30 How we thinke vpon the Aduersities wherewith God yerketh vs. 348. a 10.20.30.40 All the Aduersities that God sendeth vs are instructions c. 347. b 10 How wee shoulde bee priuileged from all the Aduersities that trouble vs. 360. b 10.20 Men themselues are to be blamed for all the Aduersities and miseries which they endure in this worlde 263. b 30.50 Whereof God putteth vs in minde by the Aduersities which he layeth vpon vs. 410. a 20. Looke Afflictions Chastisements Adulterer Touching these wordes Thou shalt not be an Adulterer read page 224 a 20. the whole sermon through Looke Fornicators Adulterers In what respects God esteemeth vs for Adulterers 225. a 10.20.30 Looke Whoremongers Adulterie How we ought to loath the worde Adâltetie when we heare it 225. a 10 The literali meaning of these words to commit Adulterie 224. b 30.40 Adulterie the chiefe breaking of mariage 224. b 50.60 Howe the lawe forbidding women to weare mens apparel expoundeth the commandement Thou shalt not commit Adulterie 774. a 50.60 b 10.20 The commandement Thou shalt not commit Adulterie explaned where adulterie is throughly described 788. all What we haue to learne in that God punished Adulterie so grieuously 788. a 30.40 What we haue to gather by that fact of Christ in that he punished not the woman taken in Adulterie 790. b 60.791 a 10 Diuorsement permitted by Christ in y e case of Adulterie 839. b 60.840 a 10 c. Looke Fornication WhoredoÌ Adulteries The true cause why Adulteries are so ranke and rife 977. b 50.60 Aduocate We must let Christ alone with the office of Aduocate where also the Papistes doctrine twyted 418. the whole page Looke Mediator Aegypt A description of the people of Aegypt 599. a 20.30 Why Aegypt is termed the house of bondage 185. a 20.30 Aegypt was fuller fraught with ydoles than all the worlde beside 185. b 10 The lande of Aegypt watered partly by raining and partly by nature 466 b. 30.40 c. The lande of Aegypt hath one propertie which all other lands haue not 466. b 40 Aegyptians The vaine boast of the Aegyptians touching their long continuance 1129. a 20 The reason why God commaunded the Iewes that they shoulde not abhorre the Aegyptians 808. all and so forwarde in the sermon 132. In what cases the Isrealits were bound and beholden to the Aegyptians 810 a 30.40.50 Why it is saide that the Aegyptians shall be receiued into the Church 810. a 20.30 c. Why the Aegyptians are holden for the cursedst people of all nations in the worlde 811. a 40.50 c. The Aegyptians in Moses time noted for their grosse idolatrie 101. b 40.50 Affaires Who bee aduised and who hastie in dispatching their affaires 340. a 30 Looke Labour and Workes Affections Vntill when our Affections will be inordinate whether it be in mirth or in mourning 554. a 10 How wee bee carried and driuen by the headinesse of our affections 518. b 20 In the executing of iustice all Affections of friendship and kinred c. must be suppresed Read sermon 130. and page 801. a 10.20 The cause why wee bee entangled in earthlie lustes and Affections 3. b 40 Our naughtie Affections turne vs away from God c. 114. a 10 Our Affections
30.40.50 What Christ sheweth himselfe to be in healing y e bodily Diseases 1018. b 40 Of the Diseases of the soule to whom the curing of theÌ doth belong 1018. b 40.50.60 Howe many sorts of Diseases God sendeth vs so many witnesses he seÌdeth to proue that we haue sinned against him c. 972. a 50 Sundrie Diseases named and in what cases God maketh them his men of warre against vs. 971. b 10 Howe we ought to iudge of Gods dealing towards vs when he sendeth extraordinary Diseases among vs. 971. b 20.30 How lightly we thinke of the common Diseases reigning among vs. 971. b 30. Looke Plagues and Sicknesses Disobey In what cases children must Disobey their parents 759. b 10.20.30 Disobedience Disobedience against God and what they deserue that refuse to heare the voice of their heauenly father 760. a 40.50.60 b 10 What we haue to gather in that Magistrats and iudges were commanded by him to punish y e Disobedience of children against their parents with death 760. b 40.50.60 759 b 40. 760. a 10.20 These words of Paul that Gods wrath is wont to come vpon Disobedience 706. b 40.50 All Disobedience against superiours of what state soeuer intollerable in gods sight 929. b all The cause of our Disobedience to God is because we hate him 192. a 40 The desperate continuall Disobedience of the Iewes against God laide downe in particulars 383. the whole page and 384. a 10.20 A iust reward of Disobedience and to be remembred 45. a 20.30 Howe men iustifie themselues in their Disobedience against god 33. b 30. c. God hath not left Disobedience and vnbeleefe vnpunished 42. b 60 How men fall not onely into Disobedience but also into sturdinesse against God 34. a 20 All Disobedience springeth of ignoraÌce and of y e contempt of God 1000. a 10 Disorder The cause of such Disorder as there is in our life 73. a 50. Howe long our life shal be full of Disorder and confusion 110. b 10. Looke Confusion Distresse Forceable perswasions to mooue vs to haue compassioÌ on such as be in Distresse neede 590. a all b 10.20 Vnto what paine and Distresse the holy fathers were driuen 179. b 10 How we must be resolued if God linger his help and let vs alone in great Distresse 341. a 10 To what ende God sendeth vs neede or holdeth vs in any Distresse 347. b 20. 467. a 50.60 b 10. Looke Aduersitie Necessitie and Pouertie Distrust Distrust in God the cause why men be afraid to execute their charge 1076. b 50.60.1077 a. 10 Remedies against Distrust in cases as seemeth to vs of impossibilitie 372. b 50.60 373. a 10 Distrust the cause of couetousnesse and holding fast 583. b 10.20.30.40 In what points our Distrust and vnbeleefe in God bewrayes it selfe 412. b 30.40 1229. a 20.30.40 b 10.20 Of our Distrust in God his taking of an oth for our behoofe notwithstanding 1167. b al. 1223. a 20.30.40 b 10.20 Looke Vnbeleefe Diuell The Diuell hath not a seuerall dominion by himselfe and can doe nothing without leaue 669. b 10. 531. b 20.30 Whether the Diuell can Prophesie or no. 533. b 50.60.534 a 10 We haue neede to liue the more warily in these dayes for so much as the Diuell hath obtained to peruert the whole worlde Looke howe 289. a 10.20 What thing it is that the Diuell striues to do in these dayes more than euer he did erst 126. b 60. 127. a 10 The Diuell is named the prince of this worlde and of his cruell malice against vs. 38. a 30.40 Not one Diuel but infinit legions of diuels against vs whom we must withstand 476. b 40 The Diuell will reigne ouer vs if we be not acquainted with God 40. a 10 The Diuell disguiseth himselfe and assalteth vs diuerse wayes 124. b 50.60 How God serueth his turne by the Diuell and by wicked men 82. b 30.40 The Diuell our deadly enimie and his practises to destroy ceaslesse 55. b 30.40 Looke Enimie and Satan The Diuels were somtimes as the children of God c. Reade this place 170. b 10 Of seruing or sacrificing to Diuels and who do so and how 1131. b 30.40.50.60.1132 a 10.20 Diuination Diuination by the flight of birds forbidden 68. b 20.30 Diuision The causes of Diuision betweene vs the papists 287. b 10.20.30 Diuorsement A kinde of Diuorsement permitted by God to the Israelits and in what cases 787. b 20. 834. a 60. b all c. Of the matter of Diuorsement and in what cases it was lawful 836. a 40.50.60 That the benefite of Diuorsement and of marying again is indifferenth both to the man and the woman and in what cases 840. all 841. a 10.20 Touching Diuorsement reade much doctrine inclusiuely in the 122. Sermon being at page 748. c. Diuorsement permitted by Christ in the case of adulterie 839. b 60.840 a 10. c Diuorsement permitted as touching common order 835. b 40 Diuorsements Whereof Diuorsementes doe come and what is their cause 753. b 30.40.50.60 Touching Diuorsements reade what is written of purpose by Moses 834. a 60. b all c. The reason why God punished not the Diuorsements which the Iewes vsed 841. b 30.40 The Iewes Diuorsements condemned by God and why 841. b 10.20.30 No good reason that because God permitted or punished not the Iewes Diuorsements therefore he allowed them Looke the place 841. b all The iudgement of Christ and of Paul concerning Diuorsements 836. a 50.60 b all Of Diuorsements which were doone against al indifferencie and whether God permitted them 792. b 10.40 Dizzinesse Who they be that must needes be striken with the spirit of Dizzines c. 123. b 40.50 Looke Giddinesse Doctors The dealing of the Papistes when they alledge any of the ancient Doctors 489. b 20 Doctrine What we haue to doe when any Doctrine is to be followed 118. b 10 What we must doe if we intend to profite well in Gods Doctrine 422. b 60. 423. a 10 Excellent Doctrine vpon this point Euerie of vs must teach his children to walke in the feare of God 129. a 30.40 c. b 10.20.30.40 What we haue to vnderstand whensoeuer there is any sharpenesse or vehemencie in the Doctrine that is preached vnto vs in Gods name 370. a 50.60 The Doctrine that God sendeth downe to vs shoulde stande vs in no steede vnlesse hee added a seconde grace Reade howe 252. a 60. b 10 In what sort wee ought to receiue the Doctrine of the Gospel 256. a 40.50 The Doctrine of a Pope applyed to maried folke that they which are in the flesh cannot please God 228. b 50.60 and the absurde sequeles of that doctrine 229. a 10. c. The law of God is a full and perfite Doctrine wherein there wanteth nothing 111. a 10 God setteth vs downe a Doctrine of practise and not of knowledge only 111. a 20. 179. a 10 The
What is meant by this that Faith was reckoned vnto Abraham for righteousnesse 857. b 50.60 What constancie of Faith wee must haue Reade the whole Page of 529. A most notable triall and good proofe of our Faith 184. a 50 The Faith of Gods seruantes is alwaies the better proued by heresies c. 528 a 10. 529. a 30.40 A question whether Faith iustifieth as Saint Paul saith 30. a 10.20 Howe weake our Faith must bee at the first 527. b 40 Howe warie we must be in the keeping of our Faith 530. a 10.20 The foundation whereon the Papistes haue grounded their implied Faith 130. b 10 Faithfull In what plight and taking the Faithfull are at this daie 374. a 40.50.60 1168. b all 1169. all 88. a 50.60 Reasons to withdrawe the faithfull froÌ ouer great carefulnesse 209. b 20 Why the faithfull must not take leaue to liue euerie man after his owne liking 186. b 50.60 Gods promise of mercie to the Faithfull touching their children 190. a 60. and 10.20.30 A generall rule for the Faithfull if they purpose to leane vnto Gods promises 373. b 10.20.30.40.50 Wherto the Faithfull haue an eye wheÌ they haue examined them selues what they bee 378. a 30.40 Howe the Faithfull must assure themselues in cases of dangers and assalts of enemies 477. b all Oftentimes the Faithfull shall finde themselues abashed on the sudden yea euen though there bee no great cause why and what God warneth them of thereby 86. a 60. b 10 The difference of proceeding in attemptes betweene the Faithfull and the vnfaithfull 74. a 50.60 The thing that putteth difference betweene the true wisedome of the Faithfull and the rashnesse of such as play the loose coltes c. 74. a 50 God will haue the Faithfull to inforce themselues and howe 54. b 20 Gods drift in laying temporal chastisementes on the Faithfull 50. a 60 Wherein the Faithfull ought to rest reioyce 1090. b 60. 1091. a 10 God is soone pacified with the faithful when he is angrie 975. b 50 At what point the Faithfull are in cases of daungers and distresse 1007. a 60 b 20.30 1008. all Howe the Faithful cease not to be blessed of God though the worlde see not Gods benefites so apparantly in them 325. a all b 10 Of the principal good thinges whereunto the Faith full should aspire 982 a 50 Of some which say that they attaine Faith because God foresawe that they woulde be faithfull 167. b 30 Howe the Faithfull must quicken them selues when they haue offended 293. a 30.40.50 Howe the Faithfull ought to behaue themselues when God doeth punish them c. 143. b 10 God doeth punish the Faithfull oftentimes for other causes than their sinnes 949. a 30.40.50.60 and b 10 20.60 The Faithfull must aunswere Amen as well to the curssinges as the blessinges of God 487. a 50.60 and b 10 It is not enough for a Faithfull maÌ that he himselfe serue God somewhat else is required 507. b 40 Doctrine of comfort for the Faithfull their imperfections to fulfill Gods lawe notwithstanding 941. a 60 b 10. 1660. all 1008. all How the Faithfull are said to walke before God according to al his statuts 905. b 40.50.60.906 all Why Moses termeth God Faithful what we haue to learne thereby 318 b 30.40.319 a 10.20 The manifolde wayes whereby euen the Faithfull are depriued of Gods blessinges 947. a 60. b 10.20 Against such as vaunt themselues to be faithfull and yet conuict themselues of the contrarie 111. a 40.11 70. a 20 The prayer of a faithfull man sometimes reiected 103. b 10.20.30 Gods refusing of the Faithfull is not an vtter reiecting of their prayers c. 105. a 40 A consolation for the Faithfull oppressed with enemies 88. a 60. b 10 God doeth neuer shake off his Faithfull ones when they call vpon him 103. b 10 Faithfulnesse In what respectes there will bee no Faithfulnesse in vs. 94. a 20. Looke Vprightnesse Fall Of the fall of Adam from his Angelicall state 992. b 30. c. Notable doctrine vppon these wordes Least thou fall 141. a 20.30.40 Looke Sinne. Falling Wee haue in vs the seede of Falling Read what is meant thereby 141. a 20.30.40 Falshood What we are taught to auoide by this worde Falsehoode 239. b 40. Looke Deceite and Wrong Familiar Howe God maketh himselfe Familiar vnto men and by what meanes 12â6 a all Looke God and Presence Familiars Of workes with Familiars by whome Sathans illusions are most horrible 670. a 50.60 Familiaritie Why God woulde not haue Familiaritie betweene his people and the Egyptians 651. b all Looke Conuersation Famine The miserie of Famine and a sore and heauie threatening of the same 997 a 50.60 b 10.20.30 998. a 30.40.50 60 Diuerse meanes besides warre whereby Famine is threatened 984. b 40. Fansie Into what in conuenience they fall that serue God after their owne Fansie 492. a 20. Looke Deuise Imagination and Inuention Fansies What a mingle mangle the Papistes haue made of the Scripture their Fansies and why they haue done so 120. b 50.60 All such as in seruing of God doe followe their owne Fansies condemned 908. b 10.20 Looke Deuises and Inuentions Fare Howe our vnthankefulnesse will defile our good Fare 517. a 50 Of the Fare of the rich and the poore howe both must bee according to the blessing that God hath giuen theÌ 511. a 10.20.30.60 b 10 The wicked dealing of the worlde to maintaine their fine Fare noted 512. a 10.20.30 Howe the poore should bethinke them selues in their hard and scant Fare 511. b 10.30.60 Looke Eating and Drinking Fashions Of seruing God after the Fashions of men 526. a b al. Of resembling diuerse heathenishe Fashions in religion and the inconuenience thereof 523. a 10.20.30 Fast. Christ did not Fast of compulsion but voluntarilie and why 390. b 10 Christ did Fast by way of miracle where by the way all superstitious faltes are taxed 390. a 20.30 To what end Moses did Fast fortie daies and fortie nightes in y e mount 389. b 50 The Papistes Lenton Fast an apish imitation of the Iewish fast 612. b 10.20.40.50 c. 613. a 10 Of the fondnesse of the Lenton Fast 389. b 50 Fastes Certaine Fastes commaunded in the Scriptures and what they bee 390. a 40.50 Fasting Wherunto our Fasting must tend 390. a 50.60 To what ende the Fasting of our Lord Iesus Christ serued 389. b 60 Of the miraculous Fasting of Moses why the same was 414. a 10.20 and 9 19. b 30.40 Of the miraculous Fasting of Christ in the wildernesse which the Papistes say they imitate 612. b 40 and why he fasted ibidem 50. Of the feast of Fasting vsed among the Iewes 612. a 10.20 and b 10.20.40 50 Fat What wee haue to note vppon these wordes They became Fat and as it were so brawned that they were readie to burst with grease 1125 a. 30.40 50.60 b al c. The Iewes were
60. b 10 Of Gods accustomed Punishments in what cases hee checketh vs with strange punishments 1001. a 50.60 God doth augment his Punishments in such sort sometimes that they become miracles 989. b 10.20 a 40.50 Why we haue to comfort our selues in all the temporal Punishments which God sendeth vs. 1237. a 10 That the Punishments of God laid vpoÌ vs for some other consideratioÌ than our sinnes tendeth to our great honour 949. b all A law made for the moderating of Punishments among the Iewes 875. b al 876. a 30 The name of curssings giuen in scripture to all Punishments due to sinne where also mention is made of Punishments 766. b 60. 767. a 10 Punishments are to be executed for examples sake Read the instance 706. a 10.20 Read the whole page The intent and purpose of God in laying Punishments vppon his people 154. a 10.50 b 10 Gods reforming of men by PunishmeÌts for sinnes compared to a fornace c. 61. b 10 Wee must not measure Gods Punishments by our owne fansies 48. a 10 That the PunishmeÌts of others should be our instruction 521. a 10.20.30.40 787. b all 788. a all 42. a 60. 643. b 30.40 117. a all God doth moderate himselfe in laying Punishments vpon offenders 393. â b all Looke Afflictions Chastisements Corrections Purenes Of a spirituall Purenes which God requireth of vs and wherein the same doth consist 815. b 40 Purpose What Gods Purpose was when he deliuered the Iewes out of the Aegyptian bondage 1014. b 40.50.60 and 1015. a 10 Gods Purpose against a busie vnquiet Prince 64. a 40 Q Quarell Of three things that are to be obserued or marked in a Quarell 696. a 10 Quarels That our Quarels must not proceede vnto shedding of bloud 726. b 10.20 How Quarels are to be pacified touching this point much good matter is deliuered sermon 104. page 639 a 20 How men should bethinke themselues when they are compelled to slaie their enimies in the maintenance of iust Quarels 516. a 50.60 That we must eschewe Quarels debates and why 726. a 50.60 b 10 Quarellers All Quarellers are murtherers Read that place 220. b 10 Question A Question with what eye we can behold Gods substance 182. b 40 A Question whether God could not haue restrained the Iewes better if he had would and if he coulde why he did not 1085. a 40.50 A Question why God when hee seeth men go out of course doeth not remedie it 1086. a 10 A Question howe Iacob dying more than three hundred yeres before the partition of the lande of Chanaan could make a partition thereof 1212 a 30 A Question why Moses sayeth that the tribes of Zabulon and Isachar shall call folke and offer sacrifice with them rather than the other tribes 1219. b 30. c. A Question why God saying that hee will driue away our enimies affirmeth also that we shal destroy them 1231. a 30.40.50.60 1232. a all A Question whether faith iustifieth inferred vpon the wordes of Moses looke the place 30. a 10.20 A Question whether God chargeth a man with any thing that is aboue his power and abilitie 911. b 60 A Question whether God doe not knowe what we be without trial 349 b 30.40.50.60 A Question how it commeth to passe that God doeth cursse those whose offence is in things whereof no meÌtion is made in the lawe 934. b 10 A Question how God would haue men to protest before him that they haue walked according vnto all his statuts c. 905. b 30.40.50.60 A Question how it may be possible for men to giue themselues to the seruing of God with all their heart 911. b 30.40 A Question whether that when Moses had laid his handes vpon Iosua and he was filled with wisedome whether I say the hands of Moses had that power in them or no. 1244. a 30.40 A Question howe Moses could say that the Israelites ceased not to prouoke Gods wrath continually euer since the time they came out of Aegypt seeing the most part of them were babes or at leastwise not of full yeres of discretion 385. b all Questions Of needelesse Questions as whether satan can foresee and prophesie of things to come or no. 533. b 50.60 534. a 10.20 Against giddibraine fellowes that cast foorth fonde and trifling Questions in Gods matters 33. b 10 Quicken How God doth Quicken vs by the preaching of his word 257. a 10 Howe to Quicken vp our selues with feare and trembling 965. b 50.60 R Rachell The meaning of these wordes Rachell moorned for her children 1210. b 60 1211. a 10 Raine From whence Raine commeth as the Philosophers say 957. b 30 There was no such Raine in the beginning as we haue in these dayes 957. b 20 It is a wonderfull power whereby the Raine is shut vp in the cloudes 958. b 40 What wee must thinke so often as the Raine doeth fall from heauen 958 a 10 Of Raine giuen in due season and that sometimes it is hurtfull and what we haue to learne thereby 958. b 20.30 The diuers effects of Raine and what wee ought to marke when wee see it Raine out of season 958. b 30.40.50 A comparison made of the Raine that falleth and of Gods worde 1176. b 10.20 Wee must receiue Gods doctrine as a Raine and how 1105. b 50.60 Of Gods sending of ashes or sande in steed of Raine 966. a 60. b 10. Looke Wether Ransome How hainously they offend that thinke to Ransome themselues from y e guilt of their sinnes 821. a 10.20 Of the Ransome whereby wee are reconciled vnto God 803. b 10. Looke Redemption Ransoms The Ransoms of the Papists wherewithall they goe about to win Gods fauour 803. a 50.60 Rashnes What is the cause why men are so much giuen to Rashnes 37. a 10 In what respects mens Rashnes ought to be condemned 57. a 10.20 The thing that putteth difference betweene the true wisedome of the faithfull and the Rashnes of such as play the loose coltes c. 74. a 50 Of a number that offend God through Rashnes 174. b 10.20 Rauish A law made for him that doeth Rauish a maide that hee is likened to a theefe 791. a 50.60 b 50.60.792 all Rauishing The Rauishing of Dauids wiues before his face and why it was 977. b 30.40.50 c. Reason It is a verie harde thing to forsake our owne Reason and how 140. a 50 The Iewes condemned to bee vtterly witâesse voide of Reason why 1147. all The vse of Reason in men whereby they differ from brute beastes 1115. a 30.40.147 â 50 The Reason which the first man had was not simply in himselfe 1015. b 10 A warning that we attempt nothing against right Reason 86. b 30.40 The doctrine that mans naturall Reason cannot brooke 82. a 60. b 10 Wee must not cease to glorifie God though we see not the Reason of his doings 81. b 10 What wee
to put it in execution We crie out dayly to haue iustice executed but how do men discharge themselues therof Let their eares be neuer so much beaten it is to no purpose they passe not much for it but they be the more forgetfull from day to day Therefore doeth Moses put them in minde of the things that he had told them before to the intent that the people should in any wise refraine from seruing the idols of the heathen And he addeth a threate It would turne to thy decay In deede the Hebrew word which he vseth is commonly taken for cordes or lines but here by a similitude it is taken for snares or neââ and for ruine decay downfal or stumbling Then if thou fall into idolatrie it will be a deadly fall to thee saith he Keepe thee from that Thus we see that when God punisheth y e wicked we must alwayes learne at their cost to liue in his feare For our condemning of other folkes wil not iustifie our selues if we follow them or become like them but rather they shal be witnesses against vs to bereaue vs of al excuse Therfore let vs thinke vpon that which is added here that when God had commanded his people to destroy the idolaters he addeth beware ye meddle not w t their superstitions for then shall ye bee ouerthrowen out of hand Yea we see also that God did not beare with the people of Israel any long time after they had offended For the heathen might yet haue some excuse bicause they had not had any teaching but the Israelites sinned wilfully their dooing was a manifest rebellion bicause they had bin sufficiently warned thereof before specially for as much as God had done them so great honor as to put the sword into their hand as if he should say Thou shalt punish the misdoings of others Seeing then y t God had so honored that people was it not an increasing of their euill much more wheÌ they happened to become like those whom they punished Yes for y e punishment which they had executed vpon others serued to bereaue theÌ of al colour of ignorance and to dubble their owne fault For after as God honoreth men they ought to take y e more heede to liue in all purenes before him That is the cause theÌ why those two things are matched togither And hereupon wee may gather that all such as haue the executing of Iustice must lay away their owne fleshly passions and looke that they be quite and cleare from all desire of reuenge hatred and rancor And this must be regarded of vs not onely in punishing of euill doers but also in the admonishments and warninges that wee giue For if we be too sharpe it is an ouershooting of our selues which proceedeth of our sinfulnesse by reason whereof although the correction which we minister be out of Gods word yet is it already steined and God alloweth it not Sometimes wee think our selues to bee excused if wee tell a man the truth Yea but wee would not tell it him if our oueruehement affection draue vs not to it For nowadaies vices are fostred among men and euery man is content to beare with his neighbour in his euill doeing but if there happen any variance or quarell then out flieth that which was coÌcealed before Therefore in rebuking men it is not enough for vs that wee can alleage that we haue told them the truth vnlesse we can also therewithall protest that we were not led with desire of reuenge or otherwise Let vs marke then that if it be but in warninges by word of mouth we must not be passionate nor desirous of reuenge but simply do it of zeale to Godward Now then it is much more reason that when a iudge holdeth the sword in his hand and is to proceede further to the executing of Iustice with rigour hee should then lay aside all euill affections That is the cause why God hath expresly shewed his people the end of the law which he had giuen them to the intent they shoulde bee the better taught to walke in the pure religion and not follow the superstitions which they should punish in the Heathen That is the thing which we haue to note in effect Now Moses addeth immediatly If thou say in thine heart Alas these Nations are moe in nuÌber than I how is it possible that I should discomfite them Remember what thy God did in the land of Egypt how he handled Pharao at his people what proofe of his power he gaue thee there For euen so will hee doe to all the Nations whom thou art afraid of Heere Moses intendeth to harten the people to the intent they should not bee daunted with fearefulnesse For the thing that doeth commonly hinder men in doing their duetie is a certaine fearfulnesse which they conceiue O say they this is hard to be done and againe if I doe it I shall stirre vp many mens displeasure against mee and such a harme may come to me by it Thus in stead of walking as God commaundeth vs we bowe with euery blast and in the end turn quite away Wee be but ouer bould and hardie in following our owne passions and wee be so blinded with them that although there bee daunger in them yet wee think not vppon it and although it come to our mind yet doe our affections so ouermaister vs that we ceasse not to goe on still We see that if a man be in a rage although death be before his eyes yet hee goeth through with it like a mad man or like a beast that is caried away with furiousnesse After that maner doe we deale And that is the cause why I sayd that we be but too bold in executing our owne wicked and excessiue moode But if God commaund vs any thing we make such nysenesse at it as is pitifull to see And then come all these doubtes in our head How is it possible that I should holde out if I should followe my vocation faithfully For beholde there is such a blocke in my way I shall haue such a man mine enemie such a thing may befall mee such a man will bee against me All these forecastes say I will come to our mind And therefore let vs marke that God doth not without cause say thus to his people heere doe these thinges not respecting thine owne power and abilitie but respecting and knowing my strength for that is inuincible If thou haue mee on thy side feare not but I will make thee ouercome all thine incomberaunces and all the euill incounters that thou canst meete with Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to mark vpon this text Howbeit forasmuch as the vice that is spoken of heere is common among vs and all of vs are as yee would say attainted with it wee haue so much the more neede to bee earnest in putting this lesson in vre We see that if men be against vs by and by we ouershoote our selues
Ezechiel speaking of him putteth him for the third of the most holy that could be chosen ãâã 14.14 yet was he caried to Babylon and was it for the sinnes of others He was an hypocrite and had lied vnto God if it had not bin for his owne sinnes For he saith expresly in the ninth chapter I haue made confession as well of mine owne sinnes as of the sinnes of my people He sayth euen at the first Lord we haue offended thee bin disobedient we haue rebelled against thee both wee and our fathers our Kings and Rulers which wordes of his are spoken generally It may be sayde that he put himselfe in the number with the others But to the end that nothing should be replyed thereunto he goeth further and sayth I haue confessed my sinnes and the sinnes of my people Whereby we see that Daniell whatsoeuer integritie and perfection was in him was neuerthelesse stained with the common vices and therefore deserued to feele his part and portion of the punishments that God sent vppon all the people Heereby wee are also the better warned to stand in feare and to walke in the more warinesse when we see the world so corrupted assuring our selues that in the ende wee must feele by experience that God hath spoken in good earnest where hee sayeth that hee will come stubbornly against vs if we continue in going stubbornly against him This is in effect all that wee haue to remember in this Text where Moses speaketh of Signes and myracles Wherefore let vs open our eyes in this case and let vs not linger vntill GOD compell vs to come to him by force and stretch out his mightie arme against vs but let vs receiue his worde and let it serue vs for Spectacles to beholde his iudgementes afarre off and let vs not tarie the executing of his extreme rigour Nowe he addeth therewith Bycause thou hast not serued thy God with a good will and cheerefully when thou haddest aboundance of all manner of things Heere doeth hee reprooue the Iewes for that they coulde not abyde that God should intreate them gently And it is not all onely to them that hee speaketh but also vnto vs. We haue therefore a generall doctrine to bee gathered of this speeche namely that God of his owne nature is inclyned to allure vs vnto him by gentle and louing meanes like as a father goeth about to winne his children by beyng merrie with them and by giuing them all that they desire If a father coulde alwayes laugh with his children and fulfill their desires all his delyght should surely be in them such a one doeth God shew himselfe to be toward vs. In deede he is not passionate as men are we may not thinke y t God is like vnto vs but in so much as we comprehend not his maiestie bicause it is too high he is faine to humble himselfe and to vse a kinde of speech fitte for our rudenesse and for the weakenes of our wittes Neuerthelesse it is certaine that the propertie of God is to winne vs gently as a father endeuoureth to win his children What is it that God requireth That wee shoulde serue him with a franke and free heart yea and euen with gladnesse In what manner Verily that bicause he dealeth gently with vs and giueth vs al thinges that we neede we therefore ought to be quiet and well contented if we be not vnthankfull And so let vs conclude that all the calamities troubles wretchednes and miseries which happen in this world be the fruits of our sinnes and that wee driue God to handle vs with such rigor He is faine as ye would say to transforme himselfe and to forsake his nature to ouermaister vs bicause hee seeth that sinne is exceeding great in vs and that we can no skill to turne the good to our benefite which he is readie to doe vs. Howbeit as I haue said afore God doth not alwayes tarie till we haue offended him we must needes graunt that he preuenteth our sinnes he seeth that we be in danger to fall and he doeth remedie it in due time Yet notwithstanding all the corrections which we endure in this world proceede of our sinnes and the filthines that is in vs is the cause why God sendeth vs not abundance of good thinges according to our desire And if there were nothing else but this y t men fall asleepe sape themselues in these earthly pleasures so as they be not able to looke to the place which Dauid doth call them to Psal. 4.7 Psal. 1â 11 namely to satisfie our selues with the sight of God to reioyce in his presence Seeing y t men cannot attaine thereunto but are euer wedded to these base things doe not we deserue that God should withdraw y e plenty y t he was ready to giue vs for y â he perceiueth that it wold burst vs and in stead of susteining vs it would so ouerload vs y t it wold beare vs down to the ground This is y e cause why our Lord vseth not such liberality toward vs as we desire For he for his part is not dreined dry neither doeth hee feare to bee impouerished by sending vs plenty of al manner of good thinges We know he is a fountaine y t can neuer bee drawen dry but when he seeth that we wast deuour his benefites and be worse than drunken that besides the riotousnes which wee vse we be also vnthankfull as not onely to fall into forgetfulnesse but also to spurne against his maiesty to turne our backes vpon him insomuch that if wee haue wherwith to maintaine our selues well we fall to Gluttonie pompousnesse whoredom and other loosenesse and to be short the abuses which we commit in the vsing of Gods blessings are as an vnmeasurable seagulfe therfore when he seeth such things he withdraweth his hand sheweth not himselfe so liberall toward vs. This is the Summe of that we haue to beare in mind And therefore seeing that God for his part is alwayes readie to multiply vs to giue vs plentie of all good things were it not that we be not able to brooke it we must vnderstand that wee are as sicke folke which must haue a small pittance allowed vnto them and be constrained to a diet And why Bycause they bee not able to brooke their foode Whereupon we ought well to vnderstande that which Moses speaketh to our reproche For what a shame is it that wee cannot abide that God should vse vs gently and after a fatherly sort Behold God offereth himselfe not onely in woordes but also in deedes and he offereth to giue vs all that wee desire But what Hee seeth vs not disposed to receiue him wee despise him and thrust away his grace must there not bee then a horrible frowardnes in men Let euerie one of vs excuse himselfe as much as he will yet must this saying needes bee verified and when we haue kicked and spurned neuer