him with rigour he might haue condemned him with all the rest For what is there in Abraham to make God to bee beholding vnto him So then wee are all confounded in our selues And therefore there is no other remedie left vs but to beleeue in the free promises which hee hath made vnto vs embracing his mercie and fatherly loue hanging thereon the assurance of our saluation The cause say I why we are iustified by faith is that in our woorkes there is no righteousnesse which may answere for vs before God but wee are all to bee condemned But nowe God hath so receiued vs with this condition that hee forgiueth vs all our sinnes and that not onely for a day but for all the time of our life not that wee shoulde sinne vnder colour that God wil bee mercifull vnto vs let vs take heede of that but because we are frayle and weake God will alwayes continue his goodnesse towardes vs. And farther when wee doe any good there is yet some euill euen in that good which wee doe For wee neuer giue any almes with such perfectnes as were requisite but God may alwayes finde some fault or other in it It is with our workes as men vse to say of wine that there is still some faulte or other in it It is good wine will one say but it hath taken winde it is too sharpe it is mustie or there is I know not what in it it is turned and so the wine is nothing woorth Euen so is it with our workes there is alwayes some spotte or other in them so that God shall haue iust cause to reiect them Seeing it is so wee had neede to be borne withall at his hande as a chylde is borne withall by his father And in verie deede hee hath made vs such an expresse promise by his Prophet Malachie Mal. 3.17 Psal. 103.13 That hee will spare vs euen as a father spareth his chylde who perceiuing his chylde to bee willing to doe that which hee commaundeth him although hee doe not his worke so perfectly as were requisite hee shoulde wil not deale rigorously with him if so bee hee goe about it with a willing and cheerefull mynde So then yee see why it is sayde that wee are iustified by faith But whereas it is sayde on the contrary side that our workes shal bee reckoned vnto vs for righteousnesse it is because God accepteth them And why Is it because they are worthie to bee accepted or for that they haue any merite in them No. But because of the couenaunt and agreement which hee hath made with vs that seeing wee are members of our Lorde Iesus Christ hee beareth with vs hee pardoneth vs our sinnes and accepteth that which wee offer vnto him although it bee woorth nothing yet is it ynough that hee accepteth of it According vnto this reason it is saide in this place that the almesdeedes which wee doe for Gods sake shal bee accepted at his hande for righteousnesse And this letteth not but that wee bee iustified alonelie by faith for when righteousnesse is referred vnto his fountaine from whence proceedeth it From the free mercie of God in that hee forgiueth vs our sinnes Nowe sith it is grounded vppon that wee must not imagine that there is any contradiction in these places And therefore let vs briefely note that when our Lorde sayth that the almes which wee bestowe shal bee reckoned to vs for righteousnesse it is to encourage vs the more to the intent wee shoulde not feare that eyther our payne or our money is lost when wee haue relieued the necessitie of the poore And when wee haue this lesson we will not come and laye the foundation of our saluation vppon our woorkes but wee will alwayes buylde the assurance of our saluation on the onely mercie of God and vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ by whose sacrifice wee are reconciled and through whose obedience all our sinnes and iniquities are done awaye This saye I is the meanes to assure vs of our saluation And thus when wee haue settled our trust and confidence in the onely mercie and goodnesse of God wee will haue no mynde to stande vppon our woorkes but it will suffice vs that beeing accepted by the free mercy of God without any merite or deseruable worthinesse of our workes hee will giue vs will strength and power to serue him to serue him I say not after our owne fantasie but accordingly as hee commaundeth vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to take them away and therewithall so to refourme vs by his holy spirite as our whole indeuour may bee to please him and to obey his holy will as hee hath declared it vnto vs in his lawe And because we cannot come vnto such perfection as were requisite wee shoulde pray wee him to reache vs out his hande alwayes to supplye our wantes and to strengthen our infirmities vntil hee hath cleane ridde vs of them And so let vs saye Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the x. of February 1556. The CXL Sermon which is the fifth vpon the foure and twentith Chapter 14 Thou shalt not defraude the hired seruaunt which is needie and poore neither of thy brethren nor of the straunger which is in thy lande within thy gates 15 Thou shalt giue him his hyre for his day before the sunne goeth dowen for he is poore and therewith sustaineth he his life Least he crie against thee vnto the Lorde and it be sinne vnto thee 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children die for the fathers but euery man shal be put to death for his own sinne 17 Thou shalt not wrest the right of the straunger nor of the fatherlesse neither shalt thou take the widowes rayment to pledge 18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a seruaunt in Egypt and that the Lorde thy God deliuered thee thence Therefore I commaunde thee to doe this thing IF there were not great wickednes and crueltie in men it were needeles to set downe anie such law as is heere contained to wit That we withholde not from a poore mā the wages which he hath earned For we knowe that it is as it were his bloud according as it is written In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade Therefore when a man bestoweth himselfe in our seruice we ought at least wise to giue him that wherewithall he is sustained and nourished And therefore I tolde you that if we had but one droppe of kindnes in vs we needed not to be taught this doctrine For nature teacheth vs what is right and indifferent Let vs therfore conclude when we reade y t which i◠written here that we are accused before God of beeing as brute beastes towardes our neighbours For God would suffer vs to followe on our owne course if he sawe
ought to thinke thereof though it bee rigorous 1074. b all 1075. a 10.20 Of Gods endles vengeance vpon such as despise his Iustice. 976. a 10.20.30 What these words of executing Gods Iustice and iudgement doe giue vs to vnderstande 1224. a 40.50.60 c. Gods maiestie his Iustice are things inseparable 1169. a 10 Iustice ciuill What forecasts are the ouerthrowe of all right Iustice. 332. a all The dissolutenes of men in the execution of Iustice noted 330. b 10.20 How they that do Iustice sanctifie their hands in so doing c. 306. a 50.60 There was a soueraigne court of Iustice in Iewrie 621. b 40 The chiefe causes of all the impeachments of Iustice. 623. a b How men should beare an euen hande in executing of Iustice. 627. a 10. c. That it is our partes to loue the state of Iustice. 620. b 30.40 Doctrine for such to marke practise as sit in y e seat of Iustice. 862. b all c. 863. all 216. a all 624. b 60.704 b all 730. b 10.20.328 b 40 The charge and dutie of such as be ministers of Iustice. 737. b 10.20.209 b 50.60 The negligence and coldnes of magistrates and officers of Iustice rebuked by a heathenish prouerbe 407. a 20.30 Of the presence of Gods maiestie in the order of Iustice. 704. a 50.60 b 10 Of Iustice and iudgement and wherein they do both consist 235. a 30. b 10 A rule that concerneth all such as haue the sworde of Iustice in their handes 692. b 50.60.693 a 10.330 b 60.331 a 10 How we abuse the sacred order of Iustice 711. a 40 They that are set in roome of Iustice haue a verie harde account to make why 2. b The seate of Iustice is consecrated vnto God why 16. a 30 He that sitteth in the seate of Iustice sitteth in the roome of God 20. a 60 The office of Iustice is an honorable seruice 18. b 10 How the court of Iustice is made a market to sell other mens right c. 231. a 50 The offices of Iustice sold by princes by what reason 16. a 50.60 Iusticers A lesson for Iusticers to learne laide downe in writing 18. b 10 An exhortation to bee well marked of Iusticers wheÌ„ any matter of offence is brought before them 547. a 50.60 b all 548. a 10. Looke Iudge and Iudges Iustifie Howe abhominable hee is before God that doeth Iustifie a guiltie person 329. a 50 A forme of consideration that we ought to haue of our selues and our estate whereby we are taught in no case to seeke to Iustifie our selues before God 380. b 10.20.30 How men Iustifie themselues in their disobedience 33. b 30.40.50 That men must not Iustifie themselues as blameles though they seeme not to haue offended 1178. all 380. a 10 How the law could Iustifie vs before God 301. a 30.40 Manifest proofes that workes doe not Iustifie 302. a all A question whether faith doeth Iustifie as Paul auoucheth 301. a 10.20 Iustified The life of Papistes laide out whiles they vrge this doctrine that men are Iustified by workes 380. a 40.50.60 That it stoode the Iewes in hand to be Iustified by mercie and grace notwithstanding they had kept the law why 302. a 10 Of being Iustified by faith what the same meaneth 1011. a 40.50.857 b 30.40 The cause why we are Iustified by faith 858. a 10 Whether we be Iustified by almesdeeds as Moses seemeth to teache 857. b 30.40.50 60 How to be Iustified before God is ment 763. b 10. Looke Righteous Iustification Against Iustification by workes a doctrine maintained by the Papistes their reasons refuted 938. b all Iustification by faith onely confirmed 858. a 10. b 10 K. Keepe Of the worde Keepe and why it is said that men should keepe Gods lawes statutes c. 455. b 30.40.50.60 456. a 10.488 a 40.50 What we haue to note when it is saide that God doeth Keepe vs as the apple of his eye 1121. a all We are charged to Keepe Gods worde 1174. b all and vntill when we cannot keepe it 1175. a 10. so forward How harde a matter it is for men to keepe the lawe Read this place aduisedly 260. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Keepers Of the Keepers of the lawe the gospell and who they be 1079. all 1080. all Keeping Two kindes of Keeping the law of God required of the Leuites 1204. a 60 b 10 Kid. The true meaning of these words Wee must not seeth a Kid in his dams milke 560. a 50.60.562 a 20.30 Kill Howe men dispense with themselues touching the commandement Thou shalt not Kill 223.10 From what things this worde To Kill teacheth vs to absteine 224. a 50.60 The cause why God sayeth expressely Thou shalt not Kill 222. a 30.40.50 60. Looke Hate Murther Kindhearted The meanes and wayes to bee Kind-hearted charitable 581. a 20.30 Looke Mercifull Pitifull Kindnes How we despise God nature and all Kindnes 281. b 20.30 Diuerse proofes of Gods Kindnes and what wee are taught to doe thereby 280. b 20.30.290 a 10.338 a 10.20 The heathen forgâ—t naturall Kindnes in burning their children to their idols 523. a 60. b 10. c. There is nothing wherein men resemble God more than gentlenes louing Kindnes 327 a 30 Of the mutuall duties and intercourse of Kindnes and loue that ought to be among men generally 95. a 30.40.50 Notable doctrine of shewing Kindnes one to another 69. b 10.20.30.40 c. 70. a 10. Looke Gentlenes Goodnes Loue. King It is not meant that Moses was a King in Israel as some gather by the text in whose time there was no King in Israel 1192. a 20 With what affection the Iewes were led when they chose them a King 981. a 50 How God is saied to bee a King among the vpright dealers 1192. all Why God woulde that the King of his people the Iewes should haue a copie of the booke of the law 649. a 20 30. c. 650. a 30.40 What doctrines wee haue to gather by the Iewes requiring of a King 645. 646. all Why God speaketh generally of the whole linage of Abraham seeing by the prophesie of Iacob the King was to be chosen of the tribe of Iuda 647. a 30.40 What the Iewes were willed to obserue if they were disposed to choose them a King 644. a 40. c. where note singular good points of learning Two reasons for vs to marke why God forbiddeth his people to haue any stranger to be their King 647. b 40 Kings How the Kings that succeeded Dauid were cruelly handled 981. a 50.60 982. a 10 That Kings must not exalt themselues aboue their brethren how that is meant 655. a 10. c. Why it was forbidden the Kings of Israel to take many wiues 652. b 30. c. 653. all Howe Kings must exercise themselues in the booke of Gods lawe 651. a 10 A lesson for Kings to learne if
to reade it diligentlie to remember it faithfullie and to expresse it fruitfullie in thy conuersation to the glorie of God the profite of his people and the saluation of thine owne soule through Christ. In whom I rest alwaies Thine vnfayned T. W. the Lord his vnvvoorthie Seruaunt To all the faithfull which hold the holie faith of the true Catholike Church and generallie to all Christian Readers Greeting in Iesus Christ our Lord and GOD. Amen IT is not without cause that the psalme speaking of the great benefits which GOD had bestowed vpon the Iewes among whom was his Church at that time doth cheefly magnifie the grace which he had vttered towards them in deliuering vnto them the sure rule of his seruice the true maner of good life the right way of saluation aswell by the writings of Moses and other his seruants as also by the liuely voyce of them agreeing with their writings For without that all the abundance and prosperitie which they could haue had had beene but as records against them to haue increased stil the measure of their condemnation Therefore hauing spoken of Gods defending of the gates of the holy citie Ierusalem of his blessing vpon the inhabiters thereof of the peace and quietnesse that was in all coasts about it and of his carefulnesse in furnishing it with all things necessarie for the maintenance of the whole people finally he setteth downe the principal point whereon the sweetnesse and assurance of all the rest hung saying He hath giuen forth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israell And this benefite was at that time peculiar to the citie of Ierusalem and to the people that came of Abraham according as it is said expresly in the same text that God had not delt so with any other nation nor giuen them knowledge of his iudgements But we know that Iesus Christ hath by his comming made the same grace to extend to al nations of the earth and that looke whatsoeuer he had promised by his Prophets in the holy scriptures he hath performed it by his holy Apostles who haue preached the Gospell faithfully as their writings do autentikely fully and sufficiently witnesse This aduertisement therefore belongeth as now to all churches of our lord Iesus Christ in what countries soeuer they be so as they ought to acknowledge Gods mercie in that he teacheth them familiarly and in such language as they may vnderstand by the reading and preaching of his worde For so little ought the long interceassing of so great a benefite inforced through the tyrannie of Antichrist to make vs to holde scorne of it now that God renueth the course thereof againe that contrariwise wee should thinke it the more sweete and amiable praysing God for restoring vs the thing through his great mercie which Satans vnderlings had wickedly bereft vs of acknowledging that God had beene too sore prouoked by the sinnes of the worlde when he punished it in such sort and seruing him with such obedience according to his worde as we may not prouoke him hereafter to vse the like vengeance against vs or our children after vs. And no doubt but this lesson is told vs throughout the whole Scripture from the beginning to the end of it and specially in the bookes of the New Testament wherin the perfection of all learning is throughly comprised wel written and faithfully inrolled Neuerthelesse forasmuchas the books of Moses the seruant of god are as the fountain from whence all after cōmers that is to wit both the Prophets and the Apostles haue drawne water you will not beleeue how greatly it is to the benefit and behoofe of the Church to confer them with the other books of holy writ And for the same cause hath God by his prouidence preserued them so woonderfully from so many dangers through so long a race of so many hundred yeares For there besides other things we see the antiquity of our faith and that the substance of true religion hath alwaies been one yea and that the very forme of it hath euer tended to the perfection that is fully and infallibly shewed vs in the holy writings of the New Testament And in very deede whereas S. Peter saith generally of all the Prophets that the faithfull do well to take heede to their wordes that they may go foreward in Christianitie it is full certaine that therin he comprehendeth Moses as the foremost of them al. And in asmuch as he wrote of Iesus Christ as Christ himself auoucheth in expresse words in y e fifth Chapter of S. Iohn it may well be concluded according also as saith the Apostle to the Hebrues that his speaking and writing was to beare record of the things that were to be spoken afterward namely by the son of God his Apostles as we reade them written in the new Testament Now among the books of Moses al such as can skil of thē wil easily grant that as Deuteronomie is the last so it teacheth whereto the other books tend shewing the meane how to fare the better by them yea and conteining as it were the summe of thē Therfore it is very likely that that was the cause which moued our welbeloued brother or rather good father Master Iohn Caluin that most faithfull minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ to preach and expound the same in the Church bicause that by his setting forth therof he should after a sort cōprehend the other next three also so farre forth as the vnderstanding of them should be needfull for the people His sermons therfore were faithfully gathered in order like as his sermons were which he preached vpon other books of y e scripture wherof many haue beene printed here already And in the meane time til all the rest of his sermons may by Gods helpe be brought to light it hath seemed good that these same should be put forth first in the meane while the impression wherof should not neede any commendation or preface but that the long continuance of custome requireth it For as many as haue heard true report of the person and skil of that good man Master Iohn Caluin wil be sufficiently drawne to the reading of his sermons by finding his name here set vnto them assuring themselues that they shal not finde any thing in them but such as agree with Gods spirite that is to say profitable good and holy things As touching the principall and notablest points that are to be found here there might very well be made a rehearsall of them to giue the readers some tast of the whole booke of the said sermōs at their first entry But forasmuch as it is better that euery man should hie him to the reading of them and to heare the preacher himself speake as it were in his owne person we purpose not to enter into such discourse which might peraduenture be somewhat with the longest Onely we will touch one point wherof some word hath beene cast forth already heretofore
wandering in the wildernesse by the space of fortie yeeres God shewed yet more harde and rigorous vengeance vppon them afterwarde in the thraldome of Babylon and other miseries that happened vnto them for the thraldome of Babylon lasted three score and ten yeares And at their returne although he shewed great and wonderfull power yet were they but a handfull which were saued according to this saying of the Prophet Esay Esa. 10.22 though thy people were as the sande of the sea yet shoulde but a small remnant of them be saued And in another place hee saith we had beene as Sodome and Gomorre Esa. 1.9 if God had not reserued a little seede yea euen a verie little one Wee see then that God increased his wrath against such as amended not at the example of their fathers And why Because they were the lesse to bee excused for they ought to haue taken warning by the punishmentes that were prepared for them Therefore did they double their offence And what thinke we of the desolation that hath happened since the first preaching of the Gospell for the refusall whereof the wretched world hath wandred so astray as all things haue bin corrupted in the Church so that in steede of Gods seruice there hath beene nothing but abhominations insteed of truth there hath beene nothing but diuelish lyes and errours and all thinges haue beene put out of order there and that the same confusion hath lasted nowe so long time All these thinges doe put vs in minde that Gods voyce ought to sounde shirler noweadayes in the Gospell than it did in the Lawe For as is saide by the Prophet Aggeus Agge 2.7 God maketh heauen and earth to quake nowadayes when the Gospel is preached And besides that wee haue all the thinges that befell to the people of olde time which serue vs as a liuely picture There must wee beholde Gods wrath to restrayne our selues from doing euil 1. Cor. 10.11 as Saint Paul sheweth vs in y e tenth of the first to the Corinthians But if wee make no reckening therof is it not reason that God shoulde punish vs sorer than hee did the Iewes Let vs learne then to hearken to Gods voyce while it soundeth in our eares and let vs beware that wee harden not our heartes least God sweare in his wrath For it is saide expresly that God sware And whie Because men thinke his threates to be vaine if hee make them not to perceiue that hee speaketh in good earnest And of a trueth we see dayly that when Gods threatnings are vttered vnto vs a great many of vs do but shake our eares at them and the number of those that are touched with them is verie smal Therefore the othe that GOD sweareth is no more than needeth euen in respect of the blockishnesse that is in men forasmuch as they bee so foolish as to make but a mocke of euerie thing that is tolde them And like as God to helpe the weakenesse of our faith vseth an othe when hee confirmeth his promises so on the contrarie part hee vseth to sweare when hee threatneth to punishe vs. And why To the ende that being afraide and abashed at it wee shoulde come to repentance For if wee bee not made to stoope that wee may take holde of Gods iustice our faultes will neuer mislike vs. Gods iustice then must become as a thunder or lightning and we must bee abashed before him that we may no more bee so drunken in our sins as wee were And therefore whensoeuer Gods threatnings do not dismay vs sufficiently let vs cal to minde the oth that Moses speakes of here and let vs assure our selues that it is we whom the same pointeth at according to that which I haue alledged alreadie both out of the Psalme and out of the record of the Apostle And therewithall let vs also marke well the words that are set downe heere by Moses None of this cursed and wicked generation saith hee shall see the good land that I haue promised Heere GOD maketh a comparison betweene lande and the people This lande then was a singular gift in token whereof hee calleth it his rest meaning thereby that he had chosen that lande to bee as a dwelling place and euerlasting inheritance for the people to rest in vnder his protection For there is no certaintie in this worlde and if wee bee lodged in any place wee may bee put out of our nest againe to day or to morrowe But God tolde them that hee had assigned the lande of Chanaan for an euerlasting possessiō to the children of Abraham to mainteine them and keepe them safe there so as no man shoulde trouble them nor euer driue them out againe Yee see then that the lande was not a common gift but a gift that deserued to bee esteemed as most excellent aboue al others But behold the people on the otherside are malicious and froward Therefore it is all one as if our Lorde shoulde say I see wel ynough howe the worlde goes I shall sooner make fire and water to agree than cause this people to like of my benefits For in my benefites there is nothing but meere goodnesse and in this people there is nothing but meere naughtinesse Let vs marke well then that to inioy Gods benefites wee must frame our selues to his will and righteousnesse for our naughtinesse and Gods goodnesse can neuer match together insomuch that if wee will needes followe our owne nature God must needes withdrawe his goodnesse away from vs. True it is that God looketh not for any worthinesse at our hands why hee shoulde doe vs good nay rather hee fighteth dayly against our sinnes and vseth mercie where as hee might lawfully vse rigour against vs. But yet for all that if hee see that we continue in our naughtinesse hee can no longer continue in doing vs good Yee see then that the doctrine which we haue to gather vppon this consideration is that there must bee as it were an accorde and melodie betweene God and vs and that when hee imparteth his benefites vnto vs we must make such estimation of them as wee indeuer to serue and honour him for them and consider that he calleth vs to him to plucke vs backe from our sinnes If wee doe so the good that he hath done vs shal be confirmed more more Otherwise it must needes bee that our naughtinesse shall cut off the course of his goodnesse Why so For as I haue said alreadie when God offreth men his benefits they refuse them of a wilfull frowardnesse it is as if fire and water should meete together But besides this wee must also marke Gods vpbrayding of the people with their saying that their yong children shoulde be a pray to their enemies They saith he shall possesse the lande yea euen to the intent that you may be proued lyers Heere it behoueth vs to marke well that when men will needes doubt of Gods trueth they must in the ende be
Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to vouchsafe to bring vs more and more to such repentance that wee mourning for them before him may acknowledge that there is nothing but cursednesse and destruction in vs wherein wee should dwell stil if he pitied vs not and that in the meane while we may not be so frowarde and malicious as to turne heade against him though hee handle vs roughlier than wee would bee but that acknowledging it to bee rightfull that hee should touch vs with his hande wee may bee so reformed as our whole seeking may bee to mortifie all our affections and lustes and to please him and to obey his righteousnesse and that therewithall he strengthen vs in such wise as wee may fight stoutly vnder his antsigne by that meanes be mainteined vnder his protection vntill we haue finished our race in this worlde and bee taken vp into his euerlasting rest after wee haue outstoode the battelles that wee haue to indure here That it may please him to grant this grace not onely c. On Wednesday the j. of May. 1555. The xiij Sermon which is the third vpon the second Chapter 24 Afterward the Lorde said Vp get ye hence and go ouer the riuer of Arnon Behold I haue deliuered Sehon King of Hesebon the Amorrhyte and his land into thy hand Begin to take possession and prouoke him to battell 25 This day will I begin to send the feare and dreade of thee vppon all people that are vnder the whole heauen so that when they heare the fame of thee they shall tremble and bee in anguish for thy presence 26 Then sent I messengers from the wildernesse of the east to Sehon King of Hesebon with wordes of peace saying 27 Let mee passe through thy land keeping on the high way without turning to the right hand or to the left 28 Thou shalt sell me meate for monie to eate and thou shalt also giue mee water for monie to drinke let me but onely passe through on foote 29 As the children of Esau haue done which dwel in Seir and the Moabytes which dwell in Ar vntill I be come ouer Iordan and bee entered into the lande which the Lord our God giueth vs. HEere Moses confirmeth yet better the thing that I treated of before that is to wit that men must not giue themselues to folish enterprises as euerie mans fancie leades him but wee must haue an eye what is lawfull And thereof there is none other triall than to hearken what God coÌ„maundeth and promiseth vs. For his will must be our sure rule Whosoeuer thrusteth himsâ—lfe forth to doe what he liketh best although he be able to iustifie his doings before men and can set neuer so many faire colours vppon them yet shall he alwayes be condemned before God Therefore let vs beare in minde that to liue as it becommeth vs we must haue this sobernesse and modesty with vs that we aduenture not any further than his worde will beare vs out True it is that the talke heere is onely of warres but wee must applie the doctrine thereof to our generall vse For like as God chose his people of Israell to make them as a looking glasse for his Church so must wee applie all the thinges to our selues which are written of them For the perfection of the things that are conteined here Cor. 10.11 Heb. 6.1 belongeth to vs as sheweth saint Paul Nowe were this wel obserued wee shoulde not haue such disorder in our life as wee see For euerie man hath his liking by himselfe and according to his liking so flingeth he forth to attempt thinges and we neuer stande to inquire what God commaundeth but our owne affections carrie vs away and inflame vs in such wise that euerie one runnes after the thing that he lighteth vppon and so wee doe but gadde vp and downe all our life long But heere it is tolde vs that men must not reach out their handes to aduenture vppon any thing at all further foorth than GOD hath giuen them leaue When hee saith goe our going is not at all aduenture but it is matched with a promise Beholde saith hee the Lord hath deliuered Sehon king of Hesebon into thy handes As if hee shoulde say men must not haue an eye to any thing that may drawe their desire to it afore hande as wee see that our nature doeth driue vs thereunto for scarsly can wee tell howe to open our eyes but some lewde liking will tickle vs. And what is the cause thereof It is for that wee bee not fully perswaded of this principle that wee must let all thinges alone which are not graunted vs of God If wee followed this doctrine such as are poore would be contented with their slendernesse and craue no more of God but to bee susteyned and the rich sort would not be so blinded with vnsatiable couetousnesse as to increase themselues still by adding peece to peece And therefore it standeth vs so much the more on hande to beare this doctrine in minde sith we see howe sore our life is disordered and we cannot rule our lustes according to Gods will which onely can and ought to master them Againe on the other side wee see howe wee picke out enemies whereas it belongeth to GOD to appoint vs them In good faith what is the cause that men heaue one at another that they seeke to eate vp one another and that there is so much strife trubble and quareling It is for that as soone as any man is greeued by and by hee will needes bee reuenged and wee cannot abide that any man shoulde touch vs in our goods or our persons but incontinently wee will be at open warre with him As for patience there is none at all in vs. But our Lorde will haue vs to ouercome euill with good that in so doing wee may be as his sheepe But no man will bee brought to so much reason Men then arme themselues where God commaundeth them to bee quiet and peaceable and they will needes haue them enemies whom God would haue them to labour to winne by loue and gentlenesse Contrariwise if there bee a iust quarell that ought to bee mainteyned euery man shrinkes away The name of God is blasphemed and wicked deedes are committed there ought such as haue courage and manhood to shewe that they feare not the hatred or anger of men For GOD will haue vs to vndertake warre in his name and euery man doeth shunne it And therein wee see howe frowarde and vntowarde wee bee Againe it is saide that our warring must bee Ephe. 6.12 not against mortall men but rather against Sathan and all his wyles Loe howe GOD soundeth the trumpet and striketh vp the drumme and telleth vs that wee must enter into battell against our ghostly enemies But that will not sinke in our stomackes wee be wedded to our owne lustes if any man anger vs
of necessitie we must not step to him with such lustinesse as though hee owed vs any thing but after as we haue felt the experience of his goodnesse and grace towardes vs wee may bee so much the more familiar with him And that is the thing whereon wee must cast our eye and it is also the thing wherein GOD is rightly glorified by vs. When I come vnto him and say Ah Lorde true it is that nothing I am nor nothing I can I haue nothing in mee but vtter naughtinesse neuerthelesse forasmuch as I haue found thee bountiful to me heeretofore thou hast shewed thy selfe good to me so many ways therefore doe I resort vnto thee still Beholde by my so doing GOD say I is glorified both for the time present and for the time to come And it is not onely Moses that hath vsed this manner of praying Wee see it was common among all the auncient fathers Howe often see wee it vsed in the Psalmes Psal. 30 Gen. 32. ◠and wee see also that Iacob did the like Lorde saith hee I am stuffed full of thy benefites when I consider the good that thou hast done mee I cannot but acknowledge that thou hast vsed wonderfull mercie towardes mee and yet for all that I am faine nowe to repayre to thee still Wherefore let vs learne that if Moses being a man of GOD yea and such a one as had so excellent recorde of the holy Ghost alledged not any desertes of his ne vaunted of any worthinesse of his owne parte in his praying vnto GOD much more ought wee to confesse that wee bee not worthie to open our lippes vnto him and to stoope and to discharge our selues of all selfestimation when wee come vnto him so as wee presume not vppon any thing that is in our selues Marke that for one point But though wee bee vnworthie to pray wee haue well wherewith to imbolden vs by reason of the greate number of benefites that wee haue receiued at Gods hande For his reaching out of his hande vnto vs is not to doe vs good for one day but to continue and to giue vs accesse to resort to him againe to morrowe In so much that when God hath once beene gracious to vs thereby hee sheweth that hee woulde haue vs to come still to him seeing hee hath shewed vs the way and opened vs the gate So then let vs learne to call to minde the great number of benefites whereby GOD hath vttered his loue towards vs to strengthen our selues withall that wee may take heart to warrant our selues by true faith that hee will heere vs at our neede And surely as for them that minde not Gods benefites they bee at their wittes ende when they come to the pinche And the same is the verie cause why we be so colde in praying and why we goe to it so vnlustily not knowing whether wee shall obtaine aught or no or whether our prayers shall bee in vaine and vnprofitable or no. Why so For wee bethinke vs not of the promises that GOD hath made vs and as yee would say of the hansels which he hath giuen vs. Matt. 7.7 He hath assured vs oftentimes that wee shall neuer come vnto him amisse and we thinke not vppon it at all Our owne vnthankfulnesse therfore is the let that wee haue not a true and right trust in him and that wee cannot repaire vnto him to say Lorde I doubt not but thou art mercifull to mee and admittest mee alwaies vnto thee but not for any worthinesse of mine Neuerthelesse I beseeche thee remember the benefites that I haue receiued at thy hand for it is vpon that trust that I come vnto thee hoping that as thou hast shewed thy selfe gracious and bountifull to mee heretofore so thou wilt continue still vnto the ende Thus ye see what wee haue to remember in that Moses saieth Lord thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaunt the highnesse of thy mightie arme Now Moses speaketh here expressely of Gods highnesse and greatnesse and of the mightie power of his hand As if he should say that God had made him to feele an extraordinarie working and that the grace whereby hee was induced to pray vnto GOD was a speciall one aboue that which euerie man feeleth For God had vttered an vnaccustomed maner of power so as they wee no common thinges which he shewed vnto Moses That then was y e cause why he desired to bee brought into the lande of promise As if he had saide My God thou knowest that thou hast chosen mee not as some other person among vs but as an elect vessel therefore forasmuch as thou hast vsed mee in thy seruice nowe vouchsafe to bring me into the land And herein wee see that Moses desired this not so much for his owne sake as for the whole peoples sakes that all of them might haue fared the better by it For it was a thing that might haue troubled y e weaklings to see the leader of y e people die Ye see they were a people that were ouerbold at leastwise in rashnesse but yet when they should obey God they were seene to be cowardly ynough and when Moses died it was ynough to haue made them vtterly vnweeldie insomuch as it might haue caused great offence among them What meaneth this might they haue saide The Lorde was determined to put vs in possession of the lande and why doeth he nowe bereaue vs of him whom he had ordeined to bee our guide Moses hath bene his lieuetenant vnto this houre and nowe he goeth away to die It should seeme then that God had altered his minde and intended not to goe through with the thing he had begun Moses had an eye to all this And therefore if we looke no further we see so much y e more that his desire was good and holy but his fault was that being condemned of God whereas he ought to haue held him to it and not to haue gone any further to reply against it he did it not Moreouer he addeth therewithall What God is hee in heauen or earth that hath done according to thy workes and according to thy mightie power This manner of speache to say What God is he in heauen or earth seemeth perchaunce to be fond For is there any other GOD than hee that had published his lawe by the hand of Moses If hee alonely bee God then is this comparison superfluous yea and euen fonde and to no purpose But wee haue to note that in speaking so Moses meant not that there is a multitude of Gods so as euerie of them wrought according to his owne abilitie and power and that the GOD of Israel surmounted all the rest and was mightier than they all Moses had no such diuelish superstitiō in his head For he knew well ynough y t there is but onely one God euen he that had reuealed himselfe to their father Abraham the verie same which had shewed by his deedes that he is y t
follow the doctrine that our God hath giuen vs and whereby it is his will to draw vs to him Thus yee see that the meane for vs to put this saying of Moseses in vre is not to looke onely to the myracles that haue bene wrought for the ratifying of the Lawe but to goe to the Gospell and there to perceiue that God hath shewed himselfe to vs againe in farre greater perfection than he did to y e fathers of olde time Besides this let vs beare in minde the warning that I spake of afore namely that when we once knowe the myracles whereby God vouchsafed to confirme his Maiestie we must repaire to his worde assuring our selues that that is the verie meane whereby God draweth vs to him Therefore whensoeuer we haue Gods word preached vnto vs let vs vnderstand that it is a confirmation to assure vs that he raigneth ouer vs. And therefore let vs take heede that wee make our profit thereby seeing he graunteth vs this grace and priuiledge Eph. â—â—â— which as we see is not common to all men And let vs pray him to seale the doctrine in our heartes by his holy spirit which we heare with our fleshie eares that seeing he hath once called vs to the knowing of him he will increase the same more and more and so guide vs as we may rather looke vp to heauen than pore vpon the creatures and things that are mortall Therefore let vs haue a constant and inuincible fayth in God which hath once manifested him selfe to vs so as wee may defie Satan and all the abuses and errours that haue bene brought in by men According to this holy doctrine wee will cast our selues downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as it may bring vs to true repentance and wee therewithall acknowledge the grace and benefites which he hath powred out vpon vs so as we may know better to make our profit by them than we haue done and not bee negligent in considering his workes but diligent therein as becommeth vs and moreouer so receive the doctrine y t is dayly preached vnto vs as wee may apply our eyes to the discerning of the things that are dayly shewed vs and our good God make vs to finde his power and goodnesse by experience as he hath done to others in all ages that we may bee the better confirmed in the loue and obedience which wee owe him so as wee may neuer be turned from it whatsoeuer the Diuell practise to turne vs away from it 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 v. of Iune 1555. The xxviij Sermon which is the tenth vpon the fourth Chapter 36 He made thee to heare his voice from heauen to instruct thee withall and on earth he shewed thee his great fire thou heardest his words out of the middest of the fire 37 Because he loued thy fathers and chose their seede after them hee made thee to come out of Egypt in his presence by his great power 38 To driue out Nations before thee greater and mightier than thou to bring thee in and to giue thee their lands to inherit as is seene this day I Told you heretofore that if God had but only wrought myracles when he brought his people out of Egypt it would haue beene to small purpose for they had had no instruction to leade them to right knowledge But in asmuch as his word was matched with them now there wanted nothing at all And that is the cause why Moses exhorteth the people yet againe to consider howe it is long of none but themselues that they know not God yea euen to attaine to the heritage not onely of the land of promise but also of the kingdome of heauen Furthermore he telleth them that Gods word had such maiestie as the people had no cause to doubt but it was God that spake it Assure thy selfe saith he that the voice which thou herdest was not a humain or earthly voice but thy God spake as it were from heauen It is true that the voyce sounded from the middes of the fire that was seene vpon the mountaine but here Moses meaneth that the doctrine was not darke for asmuch as God gaue certaine signes of his maiestie to the ende that the peoples faith might bee assured throughly And for the same cause doeth he vse the worde instruction which signifieth not onely to teach with words but also to traine on with often chastisement As if he should say thy God in this case hath as it were helde thee in awe so as it is not nowe lawfull for thee to despise his lawe as though it came from an vncertaine place For why It hath soueraine authoritie thou canst not but thereby perceiue that God hath declared himselfe to thee to the inteÌ„t thou shouldest worship his maiestie and do him homage Now then we see that the effect of the thinges which Moses declareth heere to the Iewes is that God had giuen them visible signes at hande and as it were familiarly to the ende that his worde shoulde haue due reuerence and bee receiued obediently and all things bee done to the instruction of the people And although Moses rehearse but the things y t were done in mount Horeb where the lawe was put forth yet may we gather a general doctrine thereof For wee see howe God stoopeth to our infirmitie Because we cannot mount so high as to come vnto him he coÌ„meth down to our slender capacitie Seing that he doeth so ought not we to be the more prouoked to submitte our selues to him and if wee doe it not shall it not bee cast in our teeth that there was no lette in him that wee had not meanes and helpes to instruct vs with all But what for that In steede of comming to God we haue turned our backe vppon him and rebelled against him Wherfore let vs consider after what manner God applieth himselfe to our rudenesse that wee may bee the more moued to resort vnto him And besides that let vs referre all thinges to the same ende that Moses noteth heere which is y t forasmuch as God is so gracious to vs as to shewe vs his truth wee must imbrace it assuring our selues that it groweth not in the worlde but commeth from heauen Therefore let the doctrine of saluation be receiued among vs with al obedience For else it is to no purpose for vs to protest that we call vppon God and are willing to honor and serue him For the proofe that he requireth therof is that we should hearken quietly to his worde and that our faith should bee setled so as wee resemble not the vnbeleeuers who are alwayes doubting but stande vpon this sure foundation that it is God which speaketh it therefore it is not lawful for vs to reply against it
And on the otherside hee tryeth our humilitie For if hee thundered from heauen if he appeared visibly vnto vs if the Angels came downe vnto vs it were no maruell though men beleeued his worde But when both great and small imbrace the order that hee hath set in his Church that is to wit when they obey his worde that is preached vnto them that is a good tryall of our faith Neuerthelesse let vs still come backe to this that God hath shewed himselfe sufficiently to men so as wee haue no cause to doubt of his worde or to stande scanning from whence it came For wee bee sure enough of his will if wee bee not wilfull in refusing the signes that hee hath giuen vs. Thus yee see what wee haue to gather vppon this sentence of Moses where hee saith that the people durst not goe vp into the mount by reason of the feare which they had conceiued And although wee in these dayes woulde not refuse that God should speake vnto vs yet if all thinges bee wel considered it would not bee for our profite And therfore let vs vnderstand that Gods vsing of mens seruice in that wise ought not to diminishe the certeintie of our faith It is sayd consequently that God taught the people saying I am the Euerlasting thy GOD which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt Thou shalt not haue any other God in my sight Here to keep the people of Israel in awe GOD telleth them that the knowledge which they haue of him ought to keepe them aloofe from all superstitions For it was not to bee marueiled at that the heathenfolke had idols and went wandering after their owne errors and fancies Wee must vnderstand that it is mans propertie of himselfe to doe so It is pitie to see howe much wee be inclined to vanitie We neede not to goe to schoole to learne to bee deceiued for euery of vs is clearke greate enough in that case To bee shorte wee goe alwayes forewarde to euill yea euen vnder colour of good insomuch that in stead of seruing GOD there is nothing in vs but corruption and idolatrie Therefore the Heathen had their diuersities of superstitions for euery man might forge what hee would of his own braine and in the meane while the liuing GOD was let alone of all men And why For hee was not so gratious to the whole worlde as to shewe himselâ—e to all men And so men became brutishe but that was for want of teaching Neuerthelesse that excused them not for they bee still guiltie before GOD. Moreouer the fountaine from whence idolatrie springes is the vnthankefulnesse and lewdenesse of men in that they forsooke the liuing GOD of their owne accord And when the worlde was once growen out of kinde as I haue sayd afore the wretched Paynims ran astray lyke blinde folkes for they had no light to shew them the way of saluation Now here GOD chargeth the people of Israell with rebellion if they helde not themselues to the lawe that hee gaue them And why For I am the Euerlasting thy God When as he sayth I am the Euerlasting it is an excluding of al the Gods that haue bin inuented by men As if hee should say there is but onely one Godhead and that is in mee Therefore it is to bee concluded that such as knowe mee and yet doe turne away to idols cannot excuse themselues but y t they haue wilfully forsaken y e liuing God And whereas hee addeth that hee is the God of that people it is to shewe that hee had declared himselfe sufficiently As if hee should say I haue shouled you out from all other men You see how all other men goe wandering astray and that is for want of guiding and direction But I haue chosen you for my people and giuen my selfe vnto you Seeing then that I am your GOD holde your selues henceforth to mee or else ye shal be lesse excusable than the Heathen Your punishment must needes be dubble yea and a hundred fold grieuouser than theirs bicause ye shall haue falsified your faith which ye haue plighted vnto me and broken the Couenant that I haue made with you He alledgeth yet furthermore the fauour that he had shewed to the people saying That he had brought them out of Egypt from the house of bondage Whereby he meaneth that he hath bounde the people in such wise vnto him as they can not start away but they must deserue to bee still punished For inasmuch as they shall haue forgotten their deliueraunce their vnthankefulnesse shall bee dubble Seeing they had bene redeemed by the hand of God it behoued them to giue ouer themselues wholly to the seruice of him that was their Redeemer And he termeth Egypt the house of bondage purposely to make the people consider throughly in what plight they had beene there For we see that they which sighed and cried out when they were oppressed with such violence and tyrannie as wee reade of in Exodus Exod. 2.23 14.12 17.3 Num. 14.3.4 desired to returne thither againe as soone as God had deliuered them And whereof came that but that they remembred not their oppression any more and the diuel stopped their eyes that Gods grace might not bee esteemed among them as it deserued That is the cause why Moses termeth Egypt the house of bondage In the end the commaundement is added that the people should not haue any other gods before his face whom they ought to account for their God Now let vs apply all this doctrine to our own vse First of all whereas he saieth I am the Euerlasting let vs learne to weigh this saying in such sort that seeing Gods Maiestie is appeared vnto vs wee imagine not any other Godhead For God cannot abide any companion If the Sunne doe darken the light of all the Starres is it not reason that when God sheweth himselfe al men should worship him and that all the glorie that was before should be then as it were vtterly defaced Yes and therefore is it said by the Prophetes that when the Lord raigneth Ezec. 13.10 Ezech. 23.7 there shall bee none other light but his insomuch that euen the Sunne shall be dimmed and the Moone bee turned into darknesse This serueth to shew vs that if wee mingle any of the fansies of our owne heads with God it is a diminishing of the right that belongeth vnto him For he can not away with any companion Therefore this word Euerlasting must driue all fantasticalnesse from vs that wee take not leaue to imagine one thing or other Let vs be contended to haue the onely one God let him suffice vs. And for the same cause also is it said Esa. 19.1 that when our Lord Iesus setteth vp his seate in the world then shall the idols of Egypt fall downe Now this text belongeth to vs. For like as Moses saide to the people of olde time The euerlasting hath appeared vnto you and therefore you must driue
pleasure in honouring him and that cannot be done without we loue him Wherefore let vs marke that the beginning and as it were the welspring foundation and roote of obedience is the saide loue of God so as wee be not forced to come vnto him but haue a singular pleasure in doing it assuring our selues that our true blessednesse is to desire to bee gouerned altogether according to his will and to frame our selues wholly therevnto Moreouer let vs marke also that this loue cannot be in vs vntil we haue tasted of the goodnesse of our God For so long as wee imagine God to be against vs wee must needes shunne him Will wee then loue him will wee frame our selues to the obeying of him to take all our delight in seruing of him Wee must first knowe that hee is our father and sauiour and that hee seeketh nothing but to bee fauourable vnto vs. When we haue so tasted his loue towards vs theÌ„ shal wee bee prouoked to loue him as our father Ioh. 14.15 Insomuch that if that loue be in vs no doubt but we will obey him and his lawe shall reigne in our mindes in our affections and in all our members For what is the cause why we be so disobedient vnto God but for that wee hate him as I saide afore So on the contrarie part the loue of God will drawe vs to serue him and to submit our selues to his righteousnesse so as men shall see a certaine conformitie and agreeablenesse betwixt Gods lawe and all our desires and affections But yet for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs consider what God is For hee will not be knowen according to our nature And when we heare him spoken of it is not ynough for vs to giue him the title of God but he will be knowen as hee is in deede that is to wit to bee righteous and good as the perfection and fountaine of all wisedome of all power of all right and of all equitie Nowe then let vs conceiue God as he is that is to wit with his iustice rightuousnesse and equitie and then shall wee not desire any thing else than to fashion our selues like to him Contrariwise if we loue naughtinesse and be wrapped in it we must needes hate God For why Heere is no talke of a naked being wee must not imagine God to bee as an ydoll wee must conceiue him with his righteousnesse and equitie Therefore when wee hate the thinges that are in God that is to say his iustice and righteousnesse wee must needes hate his owne selfe for hee cannot forsake himselfe hee cannot disguise himselfe 2. Tim. 1. â—â— hee cannot transforme himselfe after our fashion hee continueth euermore like himselfe So then as I saide afore all such as loue God neede not bee afraide that they shall not obey his Lawe and keepe his commaundementes for they bee thinges vnited and vnseparable That is the thing whiche wee haue to marke vppon this place And heereby wee bee warned to shunne all stubbornenesse and all offending more than we haue done for it is no small matter for vs to bee declared to bee Gods enemies and as makers of warre against him And yet the case standeth so as we cannot aduance our selues aboue him nor turne away from him nor shake off his yoke but wee be conuicted to haue beene his enemies and to haue made open warre against him And is not that a cursed thing So then let vs learne to abhorre our owne sinnes and vices because they attaint vs as traitors to God and hee must needes shewe himselfe to bee our aduersarie partie Also herewithall we be warned to resort vnto God with a pure and right meaning minde For it is not ynough for vs to haue with helde our feete hands and eyes from euill doing but the heart must goe before and wee must serue God with a true affection and this affection must not bee inforced but it must proceede of verie loue to Godwarde Therefore if wee minde to keepe the Lawe well wee must first knowe that God is a good and kinde-harted father towardes vs to the ende we may be fully perswaded of his loue towardes vs. And therewithall let it neuer sinke in our heartes to dally in protesting that wee loue God except the same may appeare by our whole life For when as Moses speaketh heere of the louing of GOD hee addeth That those which loue him doe also keepe his commaundementes Therefore our life must bee answerable in that behalfe and bee as a certificate whether we loue him or hate him Furthermore it is not without cause that God comparing here his wrath and vengeance with his mercie saieth that hee will punish those that hate him euen in three or foure descentes and shewe mercie in a thousande descentes to them that loue him For thereby hee sheweth the thing which is yet better expressed in other sentences of the scripture which is that hee is slowe to wrath and forwarde to mercie Psal. â—â—9 17 and therewithall long suffering so that where as his anger lasteth but a verie short time his mercie is euerlasting all the life long Yee see then that the verie nature of God is such as hee seeketh nothing but to drawe men to him by all manner of gentlenesse and to vse his goodnesse towardes them When hee punisheth them it is as yee woulde say against his nature Not that it is not meete for God to punish as well as to shewe mercie but his meaning is to shewe vs that his goodnesse is farre the greater and to be short that he is not rigorous but that his onely desire is to vtter his good will to vs if wee woulde suffer him for in very deede hee woulde faine bee knowen to bee good and pitifull and it is the thing wherein his glorie doeth chiefly shine foorth Therefore let vs marke well how it is not for nought that Moses hath assigned heere a thousande generations to Gods mercie and restrained his wrath and vengeance to a three or foure generations As if hee shoulde saye It is true that our Lorde will not suffer superstition vnpunished When yee shall haue corrupted his seruice and defaced his honour by gadding after your owne dotages yee shall feele the punishment thereof yea and euen your children after you must bee faine to feele it to insomuch that when the fire of his wrath is once kindled vppon you it shall not bee quenched againe so soone as yee weene for but yet for all that hee will not faile to bee pitifull still and his mercie shall alwayes bee greater than his wrath And in deede like as by the threate which wee haue hearde GOD intended to holde the worlde in the true religion to the ende they shoulde not make ydoIs and puppets to themselues so was it his will also that the promise which is conteined heere shoulde allure vs to him if wee beare him the loue and reuerence which wee ought to doe and hee had
straunge that these things should bee condemned for murther before God let vs consider what his nature is and howe he is worthie that wee should allow more to him than to mortall men For if earthly Iudges haue power to punish a wicked intent when it bewrayeth it selfe what shall GOD haue from whom nothing is hidden Againe wee must consider howe the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayeth Heb. 4.12.13 that the word of God resembleth him that is the author therof so as it must needs be as a two edged sword pearcing in such wise to the verie marie of the bones that there is not a thought within vs which it espieth not out And why is that Bicause nothing is hid in the presence of GOD. Nowe seeing that nothing is hidden before God his woorde must needes searche and sifte mennes heartes to the harde bottome So then the things that are vnknowen to men must needes come all to account before God whereby wee must take warning to liue in such sort as wee beare no enmitie nor ill will to our neighbours But yet notwithstanding we must go yet further For it is not ynough for men to abstaine frō euill dooing but forasmuch as they bee created to helpe one another they must seeke one anothers maintenance God thē in forbidding vs to murther sheweth vs on the contrarie part y t wee must set store by our neighbors liues indeuour to maintaine preserue them to y e vttermost of our power But it was his will to begin at that end to shewe vs what he commanded And why For we see howe sinfull we bee Looke how many thoughts wee haue and so many briers and thornes wee haue Looke howe many affections wee haue and so many bushes brambles and such other things wee haue Not without cause therefore intended God to weede out y e naughtinesse and vice out of our heartes yea and to amend all the partes in vs that are sinfull and corrupted For without that it were vnpossible to set so much as one finger to the dooing of any good that wee should but so much as thinke one good thought That is the cause why y e Prophet saith that men breake vp their layes sowe not among bushes Ier. 4.4 As if he should say I see how the world goeth w t you if a man tell ye y t ye haue offended God ye wil make some faire coūtenāce pretend as though ye were reformed yet in the meane while continue still the same ye were before But it is not ynough to sowe corne in a field but ye must also stub vp the bushes clense the ground So long as ye doe but indeuour to make some faire showe thornes briers thistles and other euill weedes growe still within Therfore there can bee no good sowing much lesse can ye bring forth good fruite before God And for the same cause doth our Lord say here Thou shalt not kill in stead of saying Looke that thou preserue thy neighbors life Now we see by experience howe men would faine discharge themselues to Godward w t faire countenances and yet retaine still their vices and corruptions according to y t which I haue alledged out of the Prophet For if a man speake to vs of doing good to our neighbours in deede we dare not altogither gainesay him So then wee would discharge our selues after a sort But in the meane season our sores doe rancle within we doe but plaster them aboue like vnto those that are loth to open their purses whē their houses decay but what do they They parget them ouer stop the holes and rifts but yet in the meane while their house is still in decay Euen so is it with vs wee doe but parget or plaster our selues ouer of purpose to discharge our selues as lightly as might bee But yet doeth nature teach vs the cleane contrarie For if a mā be minded to sowe a field will he cast his corne among the briers and thornes No but when he sees his field faire and cleane then breakes he it vp tils it and so must we do Let vs learne then that it is not without cause that God doeth first of all condemne the vices For hee sees they bee rooted so deepely in our nature that it is hard to weede them out yea and that he can neuer hold vs at such a stay as to cause vs to liue in his righteousnesse vnlesse he plucke vp the cursed rootes of this naughtinesse which he knoweth to be in vs. That is the cause why he saieth thou shalt not kill As if he shoulde say will ye liue in good loue one with another Euerie man must enter into himself and examine wel whether he haue there any hatred enmity or ill wil towards his neighbours Ye must looke whether ye haue not some hartrisings eagernesse in you which prouoketh you to threaten your neighbors or to attempt somewhat against them Ye must consider all these things For when ye be cleare from all anger hatred and enmitie then must yee come to this point that it is not ynough for you to abstaine frō anoyance wrongfulnesse violence so as yee haue not practised any thing against y e persons of your neighbors nor norished any rancor or malice against thē in your hearts nor bin infected with euill will but you must also liue in charitie and ye must bee as brethren one to another worshipping God as your father Lo to what point we must come So then let vs marke that if we intend to profit well in Gods Law we must haue an eye to the vices and imperfections that are in vs and bee sorie for them and moreouer straine our selues to weed them out Haue we done so that is not all that wee haue to doe For God will not haue vs idle in this worlde His creating of vs is not onely to abstaine from euill for stones and trees and other senselesse things doe as much as that comes to but wee must giue and applye our selues to the doing of good Psal. 〈…〉 Then let vs vnderstand that whereas our Lord will haue the life of our neighbours to bee deare and precions to vs he sheweth therewithall y t he which helpeth not his neighbor at his neede doeth what he can to murther him in so much y t we become murtherers not onely whē we beare any ill will or keepe any hatred priuily towards our neighbours but also euen whē wee succour them not in their necessitie If we vouchsafe not to bestow our trauel for them when they haue neede of our helpe we shall be blamed before God Sith it is so it is not for vs to flatter our selues any more in this case for wee see howe straite the Law is and yet not straiter than it ought to bee For can wee refuse to bee knit togither in charitie at Gods commandement seeing he hath created vs after his owne image Or to yeelde
outrage and they that doe so are worse than wild beastes Yea and if that that disposition was condemned euen among the heathen by the lawes of men much more shall it be condemned by the Lawe of God And therefore let vs learne to submit our selues to him not after our owne imagination but according to his owne nature But forasmuch as he is a spirit Iohn 4.24 he will haue vs to serue him with such soundnesse that besides the restrayning of our feete and handes our heartes also must be submitted vnto him and that with such subiection and obedience as our whole indeuour be to shew by our deedes that we be his true children in as much as we maintaine brotherlinesse with all those whom he hath called to the same alyance with vs. Nowe let vs kneele down in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better and that wee considering howe hee hath bounde vs to our neighbours and will haue vs to shewe the reuerence y t that wee beare towardes him by abstaining from all euill wrongfull dealing may liue in such brotherly loue one with another as the chiefe marke that we shoote at may bee to honour him as our father and to suffer our selues to bee gouerned by him and by his holy spirit according to his word so as we may bee strengthened more and more in it knowing that his reaching of his hand to vs is to the end to guide vs and to hold vs vnder his protection 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 ij of Iuly 1555. The xxxviij Sermon which is the ninth vpon the fifth Chapter 18 Thou shalt not bee an Aduouterer SAint Paul speaking of the life of Christians and hauing exhorted them to the feare of God addeth y t they must walk vprightly and soberly Now it is not to be doubted but that the same is to be referred to the second table of the law Wil we then obserue the things that our Lord hath commaunded vs in the second table It is not ynough for vs to hurt no maÌ„ either in his person or in his goods but besides this rightfulnesse it is required that we should liue stayedly and honestly as is declared in another place And in the former text of the Epistle to Titus which I haue touched Tit. 2.12 hee saith that we were redeemed by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to the intent we should liue in the feare of God in this world and also in sobernesse and vprightnesse 1. Tim. 2.2 In another place to Timothie he saieth that if there bee good gouernment so as the Magistrates doe their duetie we shall liue vprightly and honestly in godlinesse And as touching the feare of God it is the same spirituall seruice that we haue spoken of before which coÌ„sisteth of our pure worshipping of him by indeuouring to trust in him by calling vppon him and by yeelding him his deserued reuerence and in respect of our neighbors it consisteth of knowing howe wee ought to behaue our selues one towardes another These are the two pointes that he setteth downe heare The first which is vprightnesse is that wee offer no man any violence extortion or deceite as in respect of his goods and the other which hee setteth downe by the name of honestie sobrietie or stayednesse is that there be no loosenesse wantonnesse leawdenesse or vnrulinesse in our lyfe Wee haue seene that in expounding the commaundement where GOD forbadde to kill I told you how he meant that we should abstaine from all outrage and iniurie and not onely that but also that wee shoulde indeuour to liue quietly with our neighbours and not suffer any man to be troubled And is it so When wee come to treating of goods it shall bee declared that wee must not play the theeues nor beare false witnesse against our neighbours which things pertaine to Iustice or vprightnesse Nowe if wee will yeelde euerie man his right we shal doe no hurt nor wrong to any bodie and as touching goods also wee shall not attempt to rob any of their substance But here God interlaceth a lawe that forbiddeth to commit adulterie that is comprehended vnder the terme of sobrietie or stay ednesse For although we steale awaye no mans goods nor be murtherers and barreters yet if wee bee vnchast wanton or of beastly conuersation we must not thinke that God is contented with vs. Vprightnes Sobernes are things inseparable for God hath ioyned them togither in his lawe and we see that he confirmeth it by his Apostle who largely expoundeth the thing y t is here touched in fewe words And therfore if we wil haue the true meaning of this text wee must vnderstand that God commaundeth vs here to leade an honest and chast life so as there be no dishonestie nor loosenesse in vs. That is the effect of this commandement True it is that here we be expresly forbidden to commit Adulterie that is to say to breake the faith of mariage by intising other mens wiues to naughtinesse But let vs also weigh y e thing that I haue touched here namely how that vnder one particular God comprehendeth the whole and setteth vs downe the thing that ought to mislike vs euen of nature to the end we should abhorre all maner of whoredome the more I told you yesterday that when men are tempted to doe euill they beguile them selues weening that the fault is but small and so from the lesser they proceede to the greater Contrariwise to hold vs in awe God setteth before vs the sins that are heynousest to y e end we should be striken with feare aforehand and not bee ledde so easily to commit any fault As if he should say beware ye fall not for it will make ye to breake your necke beare not your selfe in hand that you shall but slide for the fall will bee deadly and therefore take heede of it Thus ye see in effect why God proceeded in such order in his law why he speaketh not now generally of all whoredome but of Adulterie which is the breaking of Mariage Nowe wee knowe that if any thing ought to bee taken for holye in the whole life of man it is the fayth which the husbande plyghteth to his wife and the wife to her huâ—bande In deede all the couenants and promises y t we make ought to be kept faithfully Psa. 〈…〉 But if wee compare them together it is not without cause that mariage is called the couenant of God Prou. 2.17 For in so saying Salomon sheweth that God is the Lorde of mariage and therefore that if the husband breake the promise which hee hath made to his wife hee is forsworne not onely towardes her but also towardes God In lyke case is it on the womans behalfe Shee doth wrong not onely to her
to himselfe whom he thinketh good to the end that men shold not trust to the outward signes without faith obedience knowing that although we haue bin chosen to be of the bodie of the Church yet if we make not our profite of that election God can welynough cut vs off againe reserue a smal number to himselfe And although there bee some great multitude of vs which confes al w t one mouth y t God hath choseâ— vs yet can we not therefore say y t he auoweth vs for his childreÌ„ except we liue in purenes of faith haue ratified y e couenaÌ„t which god hath made with vs. And so let vs vnderstand y t Gods liberality sheweth it self after al sorts to vs and y t therfore wee haue the iuster cause to loue him more and more Rom. â—â— to yeeld him all praise For haue we his word It is a free gift aforehand whereby he hath bound vs vnto him Col. â—â— Haue we his sacrameÌ„ts They be the badges of his fatherly election we haue not deserued any of all these thinges But aboue all Eph. â—â— â—â— when it pleaseth him to imprint the certainetie of his promises in our heartes by his holy spirite then is it a speciall adoption then doeth hee shewe vs that wee bee of the little nomber whome hee hath reserued to himselfe And so as I sayde afore wee see that in all respectes wee must keepe our mouthes shut from bragging of any thing and on the other side haue it open to magnifie Gods goodnesse which he vttereth towardes vs. Nowe herevpon Moses addeth That God will keepe couenaunt to a thousande generations of them that loue him yea through his mercie saieth he For as much as he treateth of the generall election therefore he exhorteth the people to bethinke themselues aduisedly Note ye saith he that for as much as God hath promised your father Abraham to be the God of his seede after him he wil not faile you But yet for all that looke y t ye walk warely for the couenant is made with condition that ye must be sound and haue a right meaning heart Therefore thinke not but that your God can driue you out of his house and out of his Church if he finde you vnworthie of the benefit which he hath offred vnto you With y t meaning doeth Moses speake when he putteth here a difference betweene them that loue him and keepe his commaundements and them that hate him Now by these wordes we be taught y t when God offereth vs his word it is alreadie an allying of himself to vs a giuing of vs a record of our saluation but yet doth it not follow y t we may therfore be carelesse Nay rather we must be quickened vp to imbrace y e promises which he sendeth vs so as we may rest wholly vpon them and bee stedfastly setled in them all our life long That is a thing wherevpon it behoueth vs to think True it is that God layeth open his heart vnto vs wheÌ„ his word is preached vnto vs there we be put in minde of his loue and also haue full assurance of our saluation But yet must y t word enter in vnto our heart preuaile with vs which thing is not done but through faith And so let vs understaÌ„d y t Gods electioÌ„ is as it were defeated by vs vnlesse we be coÌ„stant continue stedfastly in it to y e end Rom. 10.7 But yet Moses noteth here againe that this Couenant which God maketh with them y t beleeue him and obey him is of his owne Mercie least we should imagine that God respecteth our deseruings as we see that men are commonly giuen to think in so much y t if they meete but with a syllable which seemeth to tell them y t they may deserue I wote not what they be puffed vp with pride and beleeue wonders of themselues That is the cause why Moses saieth expresly y t God wil performe his couenaÌ„t mercy And he sheweth wherein this couenant consisteth It is not y t wee on our side do bring him any thing why he shold loue vs but y t he is mercifull vnto vs as we see is said in the hundred third Psalme Psal. 103.13 â—4 True it is y t euen there God requireth that wee should feare him indeuour to keepe his commandements But yet howsoeuer the world go he sheweth vs alwayes that the thing which wee must vnderstand of him is that he vseth pitie in handling vs gently through his grace and not according to our deseruing Therefore let vs beare this saying well in minde and weigh it throughly where Moses telleth vs that the couenant which God maketh with vs lieth wholly in his goodnes and no where else and that it is not for vs to puffe vp our selues with foolish presumption as though we were worthie of such a benefite or as though God did but recompence vs but that wee must alwayes looke vp to his goodnesse so as when wee come vnto him wee doe nothing else but say Alas Lord we be sure that thou receiuest vs to mercy as wretched creatures and therefore vouchsafe to haue regard of our miseries by shedding out thy mercy vpon vs. That is the thing whereof we be put in minde in this text Nowe furthermore Moses sheweth howe wee may keepe Gods commandements Deut. 5.10 6.5 y t is to wit by hauing y e things which haue bin treated of heretofore And they be maner of speeches which import so profitable doctrine y t it is good to renue y e remembrance of them wheÌ„ the text offereth occasion therof Moses therefore ment to do vs to vnderstand that to abstaine froÌ„ doing of euill to keepe the things contained in the law to outward show is not all y t we haue to doe As for example if a maÌ„ haue not blasphemed the name of God if he haue not led a disordered lyfe if he haue not bin an adulterer a theefe a quareller or a periured person but haue liued honestly all this will not suffice him For why Such seruice may be by constraint so as the partie shall not obey of his owne free will nor delight in submitting himselfe to Gods righteousnesse to frame his life thereafter That is the cause why Moses beginneth here with loue As if he should say that y e beginning of good obedience to Godward and of liuing according to his Law is to determine w t our selues to delight in nothing more thaÌ„ to yeld our selues to him with al obedientnes to make that our whole pleasure accordingly as wee see how Dauid protesteth that Gods Law was more sweete and pleasant vnto him honnie Psal. 19.11 and not only that he did set more store by it than by gold siluer but also that he imbraced it w t such loue as he gaue not himselfe to the pleasures of the world nor was caried away with wicked affections to
doe euill but gaue himselfe wholly to well doing and to walke according to Gods wil. So then to offer willing sacrifices vnto God let vs remember what is said in this text and what hath bin treated of alreadie heretofore namely that before there is any speech of the keeping of Gods commandements Loue is set downe in the first place bicause wee haue neede to giue our selues first vnto GOD and to haue our hearts as ye woulde say fast tyed and knit vnto him ere we can indeuour to behaue our selues according to his lawe and righteousnesse But nowe let vs returne to the matter that was touched before Moses sayeth That GOD will keepe Couenant yea euen with a thousand generations of them that loue him As if hee shoulde say When God hath once planted his worde hee continueth that grace not onely till the decease of those to whome he speaketh but also to their children and their ofspring Nowe then let vs looke about vs and whereas wee perceiue Gods grace in that he hath vouchsafed to reserue vnto vs his word which was in maner abolished and will haue the same now preached vnto vs if wee I say perceiue his goodnesse in that behalfe let vs also hope that hee will continue the same towardes our children which hee hath begunne towardes vs if wee serue him by dooing the thinges that hee commaundeth vs. Ye see then that the goodnesse which God sheweth vs in his word must not make vs slouthfull and carelesse but rather bee as a spurre to pricke vs foreward vnto him that his holy couenant bee not broken on our part and through our default Furthermore whereas he sayeth Knowe thou that thy God is God yea and a strong God thereby he meant to separate the liuing God from all the idols which the world hath forged in al ages And it is a text well woorth the noting For wee shall neuer serue God with all our heart neither shall wee be able to trust in him and to rest vpon him vnlesse we be sure that he is almightie and that he onely is God No doubt but the vnbeleeuers may well beare themselues in hand for a time that their religion is good and the worlde seeth how wilfull they be in that behalfe but yet all is but stubbornnesse whatsoeuer they make of it And therefore it behoueth vs to be fully resolued and perswaded of this that wee must not haue a flying faith so as our hoping to be saued is but at al aduenture For we must alwayes beare in minde how S. Paule saieth that we must know whom wee beleeue 2. Tim. 1.12 and that God is a faithfull keeper of that which wee haue committed vnto him Then if we know not that our God is one and that he is alone and that he is the verie true God we shal be alwayes wauering and our faith shall haue no stedinesse That is the cause why Moses saieth expresly Know thou that thy God is the God As if he should say Consider in what state the wretched heathen meÌ„ and such as giue ouer themselues to superstition are It is true that they wil talk ynough of God howbeit y t is but rouingly they knowe not who he is But it is not so with you For seeing that your God hath taught you and discouered himself to you he hath certified you of his wil and shewed you that ye need not doubt but your religion is such as you ought to sticke to Now then swarue neither one way nor other neither halt ye but go on right forth seeing you bee sure of your religion Marke that for one point Howbeit for as much as we see men giuen to follow their own fansies which notwithstanding doe but tend to their owne destruction we must remember by this text of Moses that vntill such time as we be sure that the God whoÌ„ we worship is the true God wee shall euer bee intangled in some one thing or other And albeit that we doe our indeuor to serue him at leastwise to our seeming yet is it nothing it is but faining and that hope or trust is but a besotting of our selues Wel may we haue some opinion but as for to haue a setled faith so as we may glorie that our saluation is laide vp in God and that he will keepe it safely bicause he hath taken vs to himself it is vnpossible that we should haue any such certaintie vnlesse wee can say with Saint Paule I knowe whom I haue beleeued and he will be a faithfull keeper of that which I haue committed vnto him So then let vs put such difference betweene the liuing God and all the idols which men haue forged of their owne braine as he may be knoweÌ„ alone aboue all others And that we may so doe let vs learne to deuise nothing of our own head For as soone as wee father any thing vpon God which is not in his owne word it is all one as if wee did set vp an idoll for by that meane we disguise him Therefore wee must so sticke to the liuing God to the ende we may bee his people and hearken quietly to so much of his will as he sheweth vs by his worde as it may suffice vs to haue so much knowledge of him as he hath reuealed by his word without seeking any further For as for those that are so bolde as to take leaue to say I weene this is good and why should not God take this or that in good worth and in the mean while haue no warrant of the holy scripture I say they forsake the liuing GOD and turne away after idoles For what else are the imaginations of men but verie idoles to deface the true Maiestie of the onely God Thus much concerning this place Moreouer Moses termeth God Faithfull to shewe that like as afore he attributed strength vnto him for the Hebrewe worde that he vseth commeth therof so must we also haue his truth before our eyes and in our rememberaunce to the end to leane vnto him to referre our selues wholly vnto him knowing that Gods strength serueth not to abash vs but that whensoeuer it is spoken of it is matched immediatly with mercy to the intent we should be drawen vnto him and come to him with a cheerefuller courage Then is it not without cause that Moses hath set down Gods trueth heere of purpose to hold the people in obedience to him And heereby wee bee taught not to preace into Gods priuities and to dispute of thinges that are too high for vs yea and vtterly vncomprehensible but rather that wee must rest vppon his word and trueth which he hath reuealed vnto vs. True it is that we must bee fully perswaded of this point that GOD chose vs in his euerlasting purpose Eph â—â—â— not bicause wee were woorthie of it but bicause it pleased him so to doe and that there is none other cause thereof but onely his good pleasure as the holy Scripture sheweth vs.
and let vs not haue the stifneckednesse which Moses cōdemned heretofore in the people of old time Also let vs vnderstand that it is Gods owne working when he voutsafeth to vphold vs in such sort as wee doe not vtterly quaile For although wee doe hardly drag our limbes after vs we seeme euen to be at the last cast yet doe we still feele some taste of the goodnesse of our God Howsoeuer the world go with vs let vs learne that wee must not tempt him that is to say wee must not giue our selues the bridle to aske this or that but referre our selues wholy to his good will and be so gouerned by him as we may alwayes yeelde him his due obedience and not raunge after our owne lustes lyke wilde beastes as though wee would push at him with our hornes but that if wee wishe the thing which seemeth expedient for vs we doe it alwayes with this condition that God shall haue the maisterie of vs and ouerrule all our passions and desires If our minde moue vs to wishe or to say I would faine haue this or that Let vs looke that God haue the ouerruling of vs and that we submit our selues so vnto him as al our thoughts affections and lykinges be framed vnto his will though it seeme neuer so hard vnto vs. Thus ye see what wee haue to note concerning the temptation that Moses speaketh of here and concerning the strife at such time as the people were in a chase and murmured against GOD. And let vs knowe moreouer that wee bee no competent Iudges in owne case least wee seeke fond excuses as wee be wont to doe We will not be acknowen that we accuse God though it bee so in deede We will say wee intend not to aduance our selues against him to defy him but yet is it so in deede Yea and whereas the people were driuen to name the places of Meriba Masa they did it not of their owne good will but it was Gods will that those names should remaine as presidentes of their rebelliousnesse Therefore let vs learne that if wee bee not wholy obedient vnto God so as we doe not any thing but by his good wil and leaue our tempting of him is a prouoking of his wrath as though we made a kinde of defiance to him Afterwarde followed the offence which the people committed in requiring flesh to eat They held not thēselues contented with Manna but they would needes haue such vittels as they themselues lyked and they were not contented simply with flesh neither but they would needes haue sauce yea and daintie sauce to it For they longed for the Garlike and Onyons and other lyke thinges which they had had in Egypt and they would needes haue GOD to feede them with the same geere in the wildernesse But it was a diuelish longing which made them to refuse the sustenāce that God had giuen thē Besides what more They had Manna daily from heauen to feed vpō as much as they would so as they might wel perceiue that God maintayned them by his power but that seemed vnsauery to them And why Exod 〈…〉 Because it came of God They would needes haue whatsoeuer they themselues lyked as it were in spite of him insomuch that they fretted and chafed at his bringing of them out of Egypt as who shoulde say they held skorne of the deliueraunce which hee had wrought for them Sith wee see this let vs looke to our selues and let vs knowe that this fault is set forth vnto vs to make vs beware that wee bee not guiltie of the lyke For wee must vnderstand that GOD maketh vs Iudges of the people of old time to the ende that euery of vs shoulde condemne our selues in our owne cases For why If wee bee Iudges of suche as haue done amisse thinke wee that GOD seeth not much clearelyer than wee Now he is so gratious as to put ouer his office vnto vs to the ende that euery of vs shoulde haue an eye to himselfe and hauing pleaded guiltie bee cast downe and humbled before him Therefore let vs marke that the rehearsall of this storie ought to leade vs to the condemning of our owne wicked affections and make vs to consider what our lustes are wherethrough wee cease not to prouoke the wrath of our God And let vs marke first of all that looke how many lustes are in our flesh so many armed folkes haue we which aduaunce themselues against God And for the same cause doth Saint Paul say Rom. 8.7 that all the imaginations conceites and affections of our nature serue to prouoke vs to fight against the righteousnesse of our God And therefore whensoeuer we chance to lust after any thing let not our fleshe ouermaister vs. And why For all our senses are so corrupted that although to our seeming the end of our wishes be good yet notwithstanding some excesse will euer be mingled with them and God shall haue somewhat in them whereat to finde fault And how faire and beautifull soeuer our desires are to the outward showe there is alwayes some vice in them and what shall wee then say of the sinfull lustes which wee be driuen to condemne euen by our owne naturall iudgement When a man desireth to haue wherewith to find his houshold and trauelleth to get it truely that desire is good of it selfe But yet the same is matched with impatience or with vnstayednesse or with ouergreat care or with vnbeliefe and to be short God shall alwayes finde somewhat amisse in our desires which of their owne nature are not euil Howbeit if a man rush out into pilling and polling and scratching to beguile and deceiue his neighbor is it not much worse than to haue a desire that might seeme good of it selfe Though a man purpose to liue neuer so quietly with his wife yet shall it alwayes be mingled with some worldly affections so as our corruptiō wil needes bewray it selfe still euen in the best thinges and what will become of vs then if wee giue our selues the bridle to whoredome As much is to be sayd of all other thinges And therefore let vs beare in minde that although our desires appeare not to bee euill yet are they euer matched with some vice vnrighteousnesse before God But besides this wee haue also our fleshly lusts which make vs to shake off Gods yoke so as wee cast our selues at aladuenture some into blasphemie some into gluttonie some into vnrulinesse some into wantonnesse some into lecherie some into extortion some into crueltie some into robberie and othersome into al maner of wickednesse Now then deserue not our lustes that God should rise vp to destroy vs for them when wee be come to that poynt Yes for if the people of Israell had graues of luste what shall become of vs And therefore let vs learne that when we read these stories God giueth vs warning to enter into y e examination of our faults that vppon the
thine arme stretched out MOses goeth foreward here with the matter that he had begunne afore which was to make the people vnderstand howe great the faulte was which they had committed For wheras he boasteth of Gods hearing of him he doeth not to the intent the people should thinke themselues so much the more beholden to him therefore that is not the thing which he looketh at but that the people should thenceforth liue in awe and humilitie and beare in minde the faulte that they had committed and consider howe they had well deserued to haue beene vtterly rooted out if God had not shewed them mercie And he sayth that after he had lyen vpon the ground fortie dayes and fortie nightes he was heard and this is to the end that by such circumstance the people may the better learne that if GOD had not hearkened to that vehement and earnest prayer of his they had beene vtterly vndone It is an extraordinarie thing that a man should continue sighing and weeping before God fortie dayes and fortie nightes together and no doubt but this power was giuen to Moses by miracle lyke as was his fasting of fortie dayes and fortie nightes before And to what purpose To the end that the Lawe might bee the better authorized thereby For it might well seeme that the couenant which God had made with the people was quite broken and vtterly disanulled and therefore it was expedient that Moses should once againe be separated from the company of men fortie dayes and fortie nightes that by that meanes new authoritie might be purchased But yet for all that we must marke well that whereas Moses forbare meate and drinke fortie dayes and fortie nights together it was not done by humaine power neither was it to speake properly a fast of sobrietie for hee was exempted from hunger and thirst but it was done to the end that the Lawe should be receiued with the greater reuerence forasmuch as it came not of men but Moses came downe from the mountaine as if an Angel had come downe from heauen And his praying was for the sinnes of the people that God would not looke vppon the idolatrie that had bin committed but hold on still in his owne purpose For although Moses had broken the tables and that he had done it through the impulsion of Gods spirit yet notwithstāding as hath bin said already he ceased not to haue compassion vppon the people which was worthie to haue bin rooted out That is the effect of the matter which wee must looke vnto here And thereby we be put in minde that if God forgiue vs any fall or offence wee must not so forget it but we must bethinke our selues to liue in the greater awe and consider all our lyfe long how greatly we be bound vnto God for vttering so great goodnesse vnto vs. There are a number to bee seene which doe but wring their mouthes when they woulde haue their faultes forgiuen them and they neuer passe to thinke any more vppon them to yeelde God his deserued prayse Contrariwise it is shewed vs here by the example of the Iewes that although God bee mercifull to vs and list not to call our faultes to account yet must not wee therefore thrust them vnder foote but rather cal them to minde euery day that it may first of all prouoke vs to repentance assuring our selues that wee may fall eftsoo ne if God preserue vs not and secondly make vs to consider that we stand not but through his free mercie and finally incourage vs to magnify his name for drawing vs out of y e dungeon whereinto we were fallen Seeing then that we be so much bound vnto him let vs bee the willinger to serue and honor him Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to remember vppon this place Besides this let vs marke well by the example of Moses that it is not enough to pray vnto God in two or three wordes and as it were in poste but that wee must continue in praying without being weary And that is a poynt right necessarie to bee marked For whereas there are many faults in vs this is one of the greatest that we cannot settle our selues vnto prayer but wee bee fleeting so as our mouthes are no sooner opened but our wittes are by and by wandering elsewhere And besides that if we haue prayed vnto God once wee thinke it enough and too much Contrariwise wee see that Moses was fortie dayes together in continuall mourning for the offence of the people Therfore in our praying vnto God let vs learne to haue the perseueraunce whereunto our Lorde Iesus exhorteth vs Luk. 〈…〉 saying that we must be importunate and that it is not enough for vs to haue vttered our griefe vnto GOD lightly and once for all but that we must resorte to him stil vntill he haue heard our requestes Now then here is a second lesson which we haue to gather vppon this place which is that in praying vnto God we must haue a setlednesse of holding out to the end Also this praying of Moseses sheweth vs what their duetie is which haue the charge of other folke namely to pray to God to pitie such as shall haue offended For it is not enough for such as haue publique charge to discharge their duetie to the worldewarde but they must also turne vnto God Wee see how the Apostles say that they must not onely preach the Gospell Act. 〈…〉 but also giue themselues to prayer and supplication Now this belongeth to all the faithfull For to pray vnto God is the chiefe duetie of our faith And forasmuch as the Apostles had the chiefe charge of the Church it behoued this calling vpon God to belong chiefly vnto them 2. Cor. 〈…〉 And that is the cause why Saint Paul sayth that hee humbleth himselfe for the Corinthians as who should say hee ought to beare the chastisement of their sins in his owne person For inasmuch as God had set him ouer that Church it behooued him to beare the chiefe burden vppon his shoulders Therefore such as haue the charge of preaching Gods word and of teaching in the Church must not onely imploy themselues that way but also to prayer And chiefly when they see things go amisse and disorders among the people then ought they most specially to resorte vnto GOD that he may prouide a remedie for it This is the thing that is shewed vs by the example of Moses in that it is sayd that hee taryed not till the people resorted to God for mercie but shewed them the way as he whom God had appointed to beare the burthen of the people and to procure their welfare Now let vs come to the forme of the prayer that Moses maketh Lord God saith he destroy not the people of thine heritage whō thou hast redeemed by thy mightie power strong hand out of the land of Egypt Bethinke thy selfe of thy seruauntes Abraham Isaac and Iacob and haue not an eye to the
stubbornnesse of this people nor to their wickednesse nor to their offence Here we see what it is that Moses alledgeth vnto God namely his gracious fauour wherethrough he had chosen the ofspring of Abraham And so we see here a good rule for vs to keepe in praying vnto God which is that if we intende to obtain our requests at his hand we must not presume vppon any thing that is in our selues but rather alledge his own goodnesse which hee hath made vs to feele As if wee should say Lord go forward with thy work thou hast begunne to call vs to thee wee bee as much beholden to thy goodnesse as is possible therefore holde thou on stil finish the thing that thou hast begun and let not thy worke stay vnperfected as it is saide in the hundreth and eight and thirtith Psalme Psal. 138.8 And it is such a doctrine as wee may gather vppon all the prayers that are conteined in the holy scripture Nowe wheras Moses saith thy people and thine inheritance he meaneth not that the people had purchased that dignitie themselues It was a great honour that any one people of all mankinde shoulde be called Gods inheritance Deserued they to bee in that estimation Moses addeth immediatly that there was nothing but stubbornnesse wickednesse and sinne in them It followeth then that all is to be referred to the free adoption wherethrough God had chosen that people as if hee shoulde say I will haue the house of Abraham to reigne ouer it there will I dwell that shal be my Church Psal. 132.14 there wil I rest God in so saying had not respect whether the people were worthy of it or no and it appeared by the effect that they were a spitefull people but whatsoeuer they were God had made the said promise which was not grounded vppon any deserts of man The thing then that Moses setteth vs downe here is this Lorde haue mercy vpon thy people and vpon thine heritage And so when wee resort to God to craue forgiuenesse of our sinnes let vs learne to make none other enterance to finde fauour and to be hearde than by alledging the benefites that we haue erst receiued at his hande That say I is the gate that we must enter at in praying vnto God Albeit we haue offended him and be neuer so wretched sinners yet notwithstanding inasmuch as hee hath chosen vs for his flocke and vouchsafed to vtter himselfe to vs and to giue vs assurance that hee is our father and sauiour wee may presse familiarly vnto him hauing so sure a pledge of his goodnesse But yet let vs beware of presumption that wee seeke not any thing in our selues wherewith to binde God vnto vs for we bee vtterly voide of any such thing but let vs be conteÌ„ted to offer vnto him y e things which we hold of him and in doing him homage for his benefites let vs take corage to call vpon him assuring our selues that he will continue theÌ„ still that as he hath shewed himself liberall towards vs heretofore so he wil giue vs assurance y t he wil not faile vs hereafter This in effect is the thing which we haue to remember in this saying of Moses where he calleth the Iewes Gods people and heritage Now he addeth that God had brought them out of the land of Egypt by his mightie power and with a strong hand eueÌ„ to make it knowen that they were his inheritance by a vysible token and by the apparant effect of it True it is that the people shold haue grounded and themselues vpon the promise and Moses hath followed the same order here For he saith not first Lorde y u hast brought vs out of Egypt and afterward vpheld vs by thy power when thou madest vs to passe through y e wildernesse but he saith expresly we be thy people and thine inheritance And wherupon rested he Vpon the promise because God had spoken the word saying I will bee the Sauiour of thy lynage But yet therewithall hee letteth not to alledge the saide deliuerance also Gen. 17.7 to proue that God counted that people for his heritage For when God deliuered the Iewes out of Egypt reached them his hand to bring them out wher of came it It was as a sealing of the couenant that had beene made by worde of mouth God say I did shewe as then that the former promising vnto Abraham that he would be the God of his linage was not in vaine And for the same cause doth Moses set down both twaine of them here He beginneth with the promise and afterward addeth what insued thereof that is to wit the deliuerance which was a sure warrant that he ment not to beguile his seruaunt Abraham when he tolde him as I hâ—ue tolde you before Wherfore let vs briefly beare in mind that if we intend to haue accesse vnto god to rest vpon his goodnes we must beginne at his worde and afterward we must also acknowledge the benefites that wee haue felt at his hande And if we haue founde that hee hath not beguiled vs by his promises it is as a former warrant whereby hee intendeth to confirme and assure vs the better Loe heere a goodly matching namely that wee yeelde such honour vnto Gods worde as to trust assuredly thereunto and therewithall that we be not thankelesse for the goodnesse which he hath shewed vs indeede but make the same to serue vs as a president to ratifie our faith to the ende that his worde haue the greater shewe and power in vs and wee bee the more prouoked to call vppon him not doubting at all but that wee shall finde him the same that hee hath shewed himselfe to be euen to the ende Thus yee see howe it behoueth vs to put the order in vre which Moses keepeth here first in setting down Gods promise whereby he had adopted y e people of Israel afterward in adding y t he had deliuered them out of the lande of Egypt thereby ratifying the thing that he had spoken to his seruaunt Abraham Now he addeth that God should not haue an eye to the peoples stubbornnesse wickednesse or offence This is not added without cause For when we come to pray God to performe his promise and to bring the grace of his adoption to his ende in the meane whyle our owne consciences vpbraid vs so as wee see well that we be guilty before him it is ynough to foreclose y e way to our prayers For when wee offende God wee breake his couenant as much as in vs lyes and we stop him from performing of his promise To be short we deserue to be giuen ouer of the Lord when wee keepe not faith and troth towardes him For this cause doth Moses say here Lorde haue not an eye to the stubbornnesse of this people So then it is not ynough for vs to pray God to goe through with the thing that he shall haue begun in vs and to bring his grace
we be made partakers of thē by his meanes we be of y e order number of y e Leuites that is to say of them that are dedicated vnto god Not as y e people of Israel were which held themselues aloofe in y e body of the temple worshipped God afarre of Heb◠〈…〉 1 〈…〉 but we haue a mean to prease neere him wee haue familiar accesse we haue his own sonne entred afore vs into the Sanctuarie which is not made with mans hand to bring vs in thither in whose name al the faithfull haue libertie to come thither Thus ye see that the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place is that God shooled out one tribe of the children of Israell to serue him in the Sanctuarie but nowe adayes he hath shedde out the same grace vpon all beleeuers and there is no exception but wee be all made holie to offer sacrifice to God and not onely to beare the vesselles of the temple but also to be the verie vesselles themselues ◠Cor. 6.19 For although our bodies bee but wretched carcasses yet fayle they not to be the temples of the holy Ghost and Gods will is to be worshipped in them Hadde there beene sayde no more but that our soules are the temples of God it had beene a verie excellent honour But seeing it is sayde of our earthly and corruptible bodies we see what goodnes God vttereth towardes vs. And therefore let vs learne that this doctrine belonges to vs and that this figure which was vnder the lawe concerneth vs at this day to the end that we should aduauntage our selues thereby And after what manner The first is that we should magnifie the goodnesse of our God in that hee hath shewed himselfe so gratious vnto vs as to chose vs to be his seruauntes not onely to beare the vesselles of his temple but also to be the verie temples thēselues and the altars whereat hee will be worshipped both in our bodies and our soules to the intent we should yeelde him not onely the bodily seruice which consisteth in shadowes and figures but also the true spirituall seruice by dedicating our selues all wholly vnto him Yee see then howe the ende whereat we must beginne is to knowe how greatly we by bounde vnto God for vsing such gratious goodnes towardes vs. 2. Cor. 6.17 Moreouer according as Saint Paul sheweth vs in the second to the Corinthians we must take warning to separate our selues from all vncleanesse as the prophet cryeth out vnto vs saying Separate your selues from all vncleannesse Isa. 52.11 you that carrie the Lordes vessels And Saint Paul alleadging the same text of Esay sayth that according to the same promise it is good reason that wee shoulde giue our selues to cleannesse both of bodie and soule For in very deede the prophet Esaie in saying Be ye cleane you that beare the Lordes vesselles hath not an eye to the time of the figures but extendeth his doctrine to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe then this text must needes be performed in vs. But there are not nowe a dayes any moe materiall vesselles as there were in the time of the Lawe and therefore it followeth that the doctrine thereof must bee performed in higher matters that is to say that in asmuch as God hath called vs to be members of his sonne and by that meane to come so neere him as he may dwell in vs we be his temples the same should prouoke vs to giue our selues to all cleannesse which thing wee can not doe but by separating of our selues from the corruptions of the world For wee dwell here among such filthinesse as it is not possible for vs to scape vninfected vnlesse we labour to withdrawe our selues from it Yea and there needes no euill to come vpon vs from elsewhere for euerie of vs shall finde ynough in himselfe Wherefore lette vs beware that wee turne away from all wicked lustes and that we cut off whatsoeuer is defiled in vs and generally all that euer is of the world so as we may prease vnto our God and hauing giuen ouer the world we may be so vnited vnto him as he may auowe vs to be his priestes For if we doe otherwise we shal be dubble accursed and we shall not be able to excuse our selues but that God hath aduaunced vs high ynough But what excuse will there be for vs nowe when our Lorde hath brought vs so neere vnto him and vouchsafed to make vs priestes to offer vppe our owne selues vnto him and to make vs his temples so as we should haue a spirituall altar erected vnto him in our selues Seeing that God hath brought vs to that point is it not a horrible treacherie say I if wee fall to vnhallowe his temple Nowe then lette vs vnderstande that whensoeuer this worlde turneth vs away vnto euill wee offer God greate wrong in making his temple a swynes stie and in vnhallowing the thing that he had hallowed by causing all the corruptions of Sathan and of this worlde to come into his temple Surely it ought to holde vs in awe and to make vs walke in all soundenesse so as we giue not ouer our bodies and soules to anie dishonestie seeing that God hath sanctified them to himselfe This is the thing which we haue to beare away vpon the first part of this text Neuerthelesse lette vs marke that although God haue extended the sayde grace of making vs all Leuites or Priestes to all the members of his Church yet hath hee not vtterly abolished the order of his Church but his will is to haue some certaine men appointed to the preaching of his worde And that is the thing which is ment here in the seconde place where he saith that they shall stande before the Lorde to serue him and finally that they shall blesse in the Lordes name The same must bee put in vre at this day by the ministers of the worde For although God haue called vs all in common to bee serued and honoured at our handes yet doeth he require a speciall seruice at their handes whom he setteth ouer his Church to be the shepheardes thereof that is to witte that they should shewe the way and alwayes be in a readinesse to serue God And this seruice importeth that the Leuites shoulde maintaine the religion pure and vncorrupted among the people and shewe the Iewes that they ought not to deale with the superstitions of the heathē and what God it was which had deliuered them and to be short that they shoulde alwayes holde the people in obedience to the true faith And for the same cause GOD allotted them not any one certaine countrie or shire to dwell in but dispersed thē throughout the whole lande We knowe there was not anie one tribe which had not Leuites among them And why was that For God could well ynough haue gathered thē together so as they might haue bin all together in Ierusalem
all pointes to what vse they serued had a spirituall truth which may bee referred to the thinges which we haue nowadaies by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 9.8.10 for hee is the very body and substaunce of all the shadowes that were vnder the Lawe Col. 2.17 When wee reade that the highpriest might not enter into the Sanctuarie but with such attyre as is there described Leuit. 16.4 wee would thinke it straunge to see a man so disguised with so many thinges about him And why was that We must marke that it was to doe the people to vnderstand that the partie which was to bee the mediator betweene God and men was not of the common state and sorte of men but that it behooued him to haue a speciall kind of holinesse to preace vnto GOD with all And that was the cause why hee caryed this tytle in his frontlet vppon his head Exod. 2â— 36 Hallowed vnto God or the holinesse of God Againe hee had other attyres about him so as hee coulde not goe or stirre but there went a noyse or sound from him Exod. 2â— 3â— 35. For hee ware belles vppon the skirtes of his garments and that was to shewe that all men ought to giue eare when it is told them that the sonne of God was offered for vs in sacrifice so as the same may ring into our heartes to the intent wee may seeke the meanes to be reconciled to GOD. There were other things whereof a man may perceiue the reason Exod. 2â— â—â— As the twelue precious stones which the highpreest ware on his brest aloft vppon the Ephod and the names of the twelue tribes grauen in other stones vpon his shoulders Exo. 28.9 â— Whereby was ment that Iesus Christ did nothing for himselfe but all for vs and in our behalfe and that his going vnto God after that fashion was to bring vs into his presence according to this saying of his Ioh. 17.19 I sanctifie my selfe to make you all partakers of the same holynesse Nowe then wee see the reason of many thinges that were commaunded in the law and we know it was not without cause that the Apostle sayde that all things were made according to the patterne that Moses had seene vpon the Mount Hebr. â— 5 after the which maner Saint Steeuen alleageth the same text in the seuenth of the Actes Act. 7.44 Neuerthelesse wee must note that Gods meaning was to hold his people in awe that they might be the surer what to doe and not bee occasioned to transgresse the true seruice of God by mingling of any inuentions with it I say it was Gods intent to inure his people to obedience For if we shew our selues to serue God otherwise all that euer we doe will bee nothing woorth nay it will be sinne If I weene I doe well and in the meane while stand in doubt and perplexitie al must needes goe to wrecke For if wee bee not inlightned by certeintie of faith God alloweth not any of our doinges And therefore I say his intent was to keepe the people of old time in obedience And that was the cause why hee willed that there should bee light continually in the Temple It was not to giue light vnto God or to doe him any seruice but to do the rude people to vnderstand that we must not doe thinges disorderly and be as blind folkes when wee approch vnto God but that we must haue light to guide vs by which light is not to be found in our owne braines but must come from aboue And for that cause the holy candlesticke had Lampes vpon it wherein was oyle continually Whereby was ment y t if men be not guided gouerned by y e holy Ghost they do nothing but wander vp downe in y e end they shall fall into destruction Again God willed that no strange fire should be brought vnto his Altar Wherby is ment y t men must not bring aught of their own to the seruing of God but we must haue the holy fire y t is to say we must pray to God in y e Church not go beyond his word or beyond y e doctrine y t he giueth vs. Moreouer it is said y t no sacrifice shold be offered w tout salt And why so For when wee offer things to God w tout warrant y t he alloweth them requireth theÌ„ they haue no sauor at al before him Thus you see in effect how it was Gods intent to coÌ„fort his seruants to incourage theÌ„ y â— they might serue him as became them And again it was his wil to cut off al occasioÌ„ of adding any thing which they had learned to y e heathen We know y t although meÌ„ haue no incouÌ„ters before their eies yet they ceasse not to forge many fond things weening to please god by y t meanes But when we see examples on either side of vs it is a further prouocation to vs. Besides y e ticklishnes which we haue already of nature it pricketh vs foreward to say why should not such a thing be good For y e Iewes had seen y e fashioÌ„s of Egypt of other heatheÌ„ folke therfore they might haue bin prouoked to fashion theÌ„selues like vnto them that had bin a corruption to ouerthrow y e whole seruice of god To preuent this mischief God gaue them a remedy which held them occupied in such sort as they had ynough to do in y e things y t were inioyned them had no leasure to withdraw themselues or to adde any deuise of their own And so wee see it was not for naught y t God gaue his people so many lawes rules ceremonies at their going into y e land of Canaan For first of al it was meete y t the figures and shadowes shold supply y e roome of y e truth y t was yet vnreuealed vntil Iesus Christ was shewed opeÌ„ly to y â— world Secondly it was Gods will to try y e obedientnes of his people by y t means And thirdly it tooke away al occasion of intermedling theÌ„selues w t y e superstitioÌ„s of y e heatheÌ„ vnbeleuers And for y t cause doth Moses say You shal go ouer Iordan God wil giue you rest in the land that he hath promised you there shall you dwell in safetie though you haue enemies round about you And then wil he choose him a place in one of your tribes and thither shal you bring your sacrifices burnt offerings oblations And the very true sacrifice saith he is to do nothing vpon your own heads but to obey your God throughly in all poyntes WheÌ„ he saith y t they shall come into y e land it is to shew y t Gods deferring to giue his law til that time was to declare more particularly what things he liked of For it was his will to performe his promise made vnto AbrahaÌ„ before he would
to intangle them in trifling disputations without profite or without any furtherance to their faith Wee see what hath happened to some I meane of these wildbeaded fellowes that woulde needs be inquisitiue of all thinges and there was not any sect or opinion but they woulde needs know it and haue skil to dispute of it Verie well but what wonne they by so doing God gaue them vp so as they were destitute of vnderstanding and there was lesse wit and discretion in them than in little childrē Where things were in quiet they would needes set all on a broyle yea euen without any time or reason so as they sawe not a whit euen in the thinges that were so visible and apparant that they might haue picked out their eyes with thē Seeing then that GOD doeth so punish these troublesome heades that cease not to martyr themselues in their owne vnquietnesse and cannot bee satisfied but that they must needes bee inquisitiue of the thinges that are not for their profite wee ought to bee the more mindefull of Sainct Paules lesson which is that wee must not bee ouer wise but wise according to sobtietie Let vs bethinke vs of our slendernesse howe rude and grosse witted wee bee and let it suffice vs that GOD can well skill to teach vs if wee take him for our master and teacher And seeing we haue his worde let euerie of vs keepe himselfe within the boundes thereof and not play the colts that are broken loose Nowe after that Moses hath spoken after y e maner he saith Thou shalt not do to the Lord thy God as these nations heere haue doone to their gods As if he shoulde say we must not looke vpon men when we intend to serue God aright but Gods only will must bee our rule as he wil adde for a conclusion in the end Let vs marke well then that there is not a worse thing than to fashion our selues after the customes of men in cases that concerne the seruing of God For that hath bin y e very cause of so manie mingle-mangles and of so great confusion of all things in Christian religion A man needeth but a litle Leuen to sowre a whole batch of dowe But there hath bin so much Leuen brought in that it hath marred all the righteousnesse whereunto GOD calleth those that are his For as I haue declared heretofore men haue thought it good that in steede of the fashions that were vsed by the heathen there should bee some such fashions brought in as had some resemblance of them As for example the heathen worshipped such an idol or helde such a high feast on such a day and therefore must wee also appoint a feast to some Saint vpon the same day Yea but that was but a changing of the name of the idol and the neerer they came vnto it or tooke couert vnder it the more did they falsely abuse God his name and defile it Thus made they an exchange of the ydols of the heathen and in their steeds tooke vp Heesaints and Sheesaints and made ydols of them Nowe seeing that this manner of dealing hath bin the cause of the peruerting of all things it standeth vs the more in hand to take heede to the things that Moses telleth vs here to witte that God requireth not that we should do as the wretched and ignorant infidels doe to their Idols but that if wee will walke rightly wee must keepe vs from counterfeiting the thinges that wee may happen to see euery where True it is that forasmuch as wee bee fleshly wee will thinke the thinges that are done by men to bee very godly but what shall wee gaine in this case by bringing our owne weightes and balances For God will haue vs to hearken vnto him and shall not wee then make a faire bargaine to say I weene I doe well All such stuffe is nothing woorth it must bee striken off euerywhit That is the cause why Moses in this text expresly presupposeth that God wil not haue the thinges done to him which the wretched infidels did to their idols And yet to perswade vs the better in all these things he addeth that they had done such thinges as God abhorred as namely the burning of their children in fyre Here vnder one kind Moses sheweth that the wretched Paynims rushed out into so beastly dealings as woulde make a man to abhorre their crueltie to thinke vppon it For how is it possible that they should bee so destitute of all reason as to forget euen naturall kindenesse when they meant to serue their Gods What a thing was it that they should goe burne their owne children Beholde the fathers which ought to haue considered that when God had giuen them children it was a singular blessing forasmuch as hee had ordeined them to bee in his owne stead to the end there should alwayes bee some seede in the worlde to honor him and serue him euen the fathers themselues I say did cast their owne children into the fire and became murtherers of them Whereby wee see that idolaters may well bee caryed away with some deuotion but the same is but as a fury they bee out of their wittes and the diuell doth so possesse them that they haue neither wit nor discretion any more And shal wee allowe of such doinges Wee see then whereat Moses amed in declaring here that the wretched Paynims burned their owne children by meanes whereof they became starke diuels and there was not a more horrible thing than was their deuotion though they commended it neuer so much If it bee obiected that GOD commaunded Abraham to doe the lyke Gen. 22.2.12 wee see the ende thereof True it is that GOD meant so farre foorth to try Abrahams fayth by commaunding him to kill his owne sonne but that was a singular example for a speciall purpose and not a common rule On the other side GOD prouided for it and shewed that hee desired not to haue mans bloud sacrificed vnto him for hee preserued Abraham from dooing it when it came to the point Therefore there is greate diuersitie betweene the obedience that Abraham yeelded to God in going about to sacrifice his sonne Isaak and the madnesse of these blinde wretches in purposing to honor their idols by murthering their owne children Hereby let vs learne generally to marke well that whensoeuer wee see the wetched vnbeleeuers rushe out into disorder lyke brute beasts we must learne to haue the more stay of our selues that wee followe them not As for example whereas it is sayd nowadayes in generall that wee must not followe the steppes of the Papistes because that all the thinges which they tearme by the name of Gods seruice are but a heape of vaine fancies such as euery man listed to forge of his owne brayne and a horrible hotch-potch of thinges confounded together for the dooing whereof they haue not so much as one syllable in Gods woorde to allowe it and yet they martyr themselues exceedingly in
estimation by setting a faire face and countenaunce vppon the matter And therefore let vs marke in feawe wordes that Gods word ought to serue vs to dubble purpose First to teach vs his will that wee may submit our selues simply vnto it so that when wee haue the grace giuen vs to haue the doctrine purely taught vs then euery of vs should agree thereunto and hearken to the voyce of our sheepheard and followe whatsoeuer is tolde vs without gainesaying The thing which wee must doe when wee haue order in the Church so as there be no sectes nor troubles in it but Gods trueth is purely preached is that there must bee true concorde and brotherly loue among vs to answere our God all with one hart and one mouth that his trueth may be aduaunced among vs. The second vse thereof is that when it falleth out that Satan indeuoreth to turne vs away and there spring vp heresies false doctrines and errors among vs wee must withstand all such things and shew that Gods trueth is strong enough to hold vs still vnto him according to my former saying that our faith must get the vpper hand of all the world so as wee bee starke deafe in hearkening to any of all the wiles that are put to vs to intice vs from GOD and his pure trueth Thus yee see in effect what is told vs in this text And let vs marke well Moseses maner of speache If a prophet steppe vp among you sayth he Hereby hee sheweth that wee must not onely withstand the open enemies that fight against Gods word and pretend not at all to bee of his flocke or to haue any partnership or neighborhoode with vs but also resist our homebred battels insomuch that if there rise vp any deceiuer among our selues that is to say if any such as maketh pretence to be of the fellowship of the faithfull and to be as it were of the very household of faith step vp we must not bee troubled at it out of measure And that is well worthie to be noted for if the christian faith be impugned by the wicked which pretend not to come vnto God as by the Turkes Paynims and Iewes so as they blaspheme with open mouth forasmuch as they be vtterly cut off from the Church lyke rotten members their resisting of the Gospell and their striuing to abolishe the Christian religion is no great woonder to vs. For why Wee be as it were hardened with such examples Therfore when the opē enemies set themselues against God his word it is a tēptation that will easily bee ouercome But when those that are knitte vnto vs and are as it were of our owne bodie doe fall to tearing of the vnitie of our faith in peeces to peruert Gods trueth and to marre it in such wise as it shoulde bee disfigured that is such a perplexitie and griefe to vs as wee wote not where to become And that is the thing that troubleth so many simple folkes nowadayes What shall wee doe say they For wee see so much disputing in the Church and so greate diuersitie of opinions that it were better to aske no question of any thing insomuch that a great number become carelesse for feare to bee intangled in wicked matters and to bee beguyled and therefore they let all alone and will not in any wise come neere vnto God Wee see a greate sorte of men of that stampe Othersome let loose the raynes of the brydle and take libertie to maintaine one while one mans saying and another while another mans and are neuer fully persuaded of any thing but are in one mynde to day and in another minde to morrowe and chaunge at euery minute of an houre Wee see a number of wild heades nowadayes which haue no stay at all but thinke that all thinges are lawfull And why For I see there are diuerse opinions say they But such men do shewe that they neuer tasted what Gods trueth is The first sort doe well bewray a cursed vnbeleefe For our Lorde promiseth that such as seeke him with a lowly heart shall not be disappointed but hee will shewe him selfe to them Esa. 45.19 Matt. 7.7 Luke 11.19 Let vs knocke and the doore shal be opened If wee desire reuerently to be guided by God surely he will not faile vs. Let vs distrust our owne infirmitie and rudenesse and our Lorde will give vs the spirite of discretion so as wee shall not bee beguyled To be short this saying of Saint Paul which I haue alleaged alreadie heretofore shall euer be perfourmed ◠Cor. 11.19 namely that heresies shall turne to the true tryall of our faith and not bee able to ouerthrowe it For as touching those that are so fleeting without cause they shewe that there was nothing in them but a false pretence and that they did but play the hypocrites in making a countenance to sticke to Gods trueth for had they beene well rooted in it as I sayde they woulde haue continued stedfast in it still To conclude let such examples prouoke vs to put this lesson the better in vre And when wee see the troubles that are nowadays in the world let vs not be ouercome by them neither let our faith be defaced But the more the diuel laboureth and inforceth himselfe to vndo it the more let it aduaunce it selfe and get the vpper hande of such assaultes And when wee see false prophets step vp among vs let vs not ceasse to yeeld this honour still to God that wee hold our selues to his word and start not from it by any means And very necessitie constraines vs to it in these dayes because wee see that such as call themselues Christians and take that title most vppon them are the worst enemies of God that a man can finde For the Turkes Iewes are not more fierie and venemous at this day against God to deface the whole doctrine of saluation than are the Papistes And therefore let vs arme our selues with the warning that is giuen vs heere which is that when wee see false prophets step vp in the sheepefold and in the middes of Gods house yet notwithstanding wee must not faile to hold on stil nor make a stumbling blocke of it to step aside or start away but ouergo it through the power of faith Yea and to come yet neerer the matter when wee see these varlets that had pretended to be at oddes with the Papistes and had mingled themselues among vs do thereupō fall to inuenting of false opinions let vs not bee ouermuch amazed for all that True it is that wee be not senselesse that we haue neede to be waked but yet must wee alwayes conclude thus with our selues How nowe Our Lord hath beene so gratious to vs as to open his owne holy mouth to giue vs the certeintie of faith by his Gospel and shall wee nowe turne away at euery push After that manner say I must wee withstande all the temptations that may befall vs when deceiuers
take occasion of stumbling at it Yea but in as much as Moses addeth that God doeth it for iust cause the stumbling blocke is taken away Hee sayth that God tempteth vs that is to saye that hee tryeth vs. After what maner Whether we loue the Lorde our God or no. And hereby hee sheweth as I haue declared heretofore that if wee haue a right meaning and pure heart and haue receiued his trueth without hypocrisie he will helpe vs at our neede and we shal be vpheld by his power so as Satan may well straine himselfe to the vttermost but the victorie shall alwayes go on our side And this is the thing that I haue touched out of Saint Paul where he sayth that all the false miracles which befall vnder the reigne of Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.12 as many haue been seene are all reuengements of God to punish such as woulde not obey his trueth And it is good reason that Satan shoulde driue them to destruction sith they woulde not open their eyes at such time as God woulde haue enlightened them And seeing they haue thrust all good doctrine vnder foote it is meete that they shoulde bee deceiued by lyes But let vs come backe againe to the wordes of Moses He sayth that wee be tryed to weete if wee loue the Lorde our God Heereby hee sheweth that God putteth a difference betweene the hypocrites and such as serue him in soundnesse of heart at such time as heresies spring vp and that there is trouble and disagreement And why For it is certaine that such as loue God are preserued by the power of his holy Ghoste that the troubles which they susteyne are a good proofe and sealing vp of their faith whereby the same is made autenticall God sheweth by effect howe hee hath wrought in them and that they bee in verie deede of the number of those whome hee hath chosen So then let vs vnderstand that all the errours and heresies which the diuell shall haue sowed among vs shal bee turned to good ende to all Gods children So farre off is it that they bring vs any hurte or harme that they serue euer to make our faith shyne the brighter and to warrant vs that God hath succoured vs and that hee will haue the same knowen to the whole worlde so as he may bee glorified for it And we also haue the more cause to rest vppon him with the greater certaintie of faith and to trust that hee will neuer faile vs. For as much then as wee see that our Lorde worketh in such wise as hee turneth darkenesse into light and deadly poyson to our health haue wee not whereof to reioyce and ought wee not to bee patient albeit that troubles doe vexe vs for a time and that wee haue much adoo to resist Yet ought not our heartes to quaile seeing that God giueth it so happie an issue Thus much concerning the first poynt that is to witte that if wee loue God with all our heart that is to say roundly and soundly and without counterfayting hee will not suffer vs to bee beguyled but whensoeuer Satan comes to sowe troubles and heresies wee shal bee confirmed still better and better and profite in such wise as wee shall neuer bee ouercome And therewithall wee shall haue the better proofe that wee bee of the number of his seruauntes and of those whome hee hath committed to the custodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that wee shall see this saying fulfilled that hee will neuer suffer any of the things to perish Iob. 18.9 which his father hath put into his hande Wee see then howe our Lorde Iesus Christ is the keeper of our saluation that wee finde the thing by experience which Saint Peter sayeth 1. Pet. 1.4.5 namely that our saluation is kept in heauen by faith and that wee our selues also shall get the vpper hande of all the temptations which the diuell stirreth vp against vs by sowing such cockle and darnel to the preiudice of Gods trueth But let vs marke also that such as are winde-shaken doe shewe that they neuer wist what it is to loue God with all their heartes and that there was nothing in them but vanitie and hypocrisie And therefore when wee see men seduced let vs not wonder as though God were cruell to them For it was meete that their hypocrisie shoulde bee discouered They meant to mocke God and vsed a kinde of vernishing and painting to make a showe of that which they were not and God bewrayeth what they were in deede Nowe therefore whereas wee see the wretched worlde so carried nowadayes into darkenesse superstition and ydolatrie wee must not thinke that they doe it of meere simplicitie as though they were innocent and faultlesse and that God had giuen Satan the brydle without cause but wee must rather consider that God with iust vengeance punisheth the vnkindnesse of such as had neither purpose nor desire vnto him Trueth it is that a man shall see some outwarde shewe of holinesse in a number of those that are seduced in the popedome and elsewhere But yet for all that they bee double hearted and God perceiueth what they bee in secret So then let vs vnderstand that God is a iust Iudge and let vs glorifie him for his punishing of such as loued him not soundly in their heartes as they shoulde haue done That is the thing which wee haue to note And in deede experience shewes it in such as turne backe and fall to naughtinesse after they haue once knowen the Gospell Wee haue seene here that when Satans vnderlinges haue come hither to set troubles in the Church those that haue beene seduced by them haue knowen them welynough of olde and not nowe of late for I speake of the space of eyghteene yeares Since the troubling of this Church diuers sectes haue been seene and stil God hath beene faine to shewe and to poynt these out with his finger which had nothing in them but dissimulation hypocrisie howe faire countenance soeuer they did make And I say that this hath beene knowen nowe these eyghteene yeres insomuch that euen they that haue pretended to bee great vpholders of the Gospell are well knowen to mee howe they haue behaued themselues I could rehearse their doings if neede were but it is ynough to giue men an incling of them that others might take example by them When the Anabaptistes came hither to infect all there was great cheere made them in the townhouse and this was about an eyghteene yeares ago True it is that men were constrained to reproue their doctrine openly but yet in the meane-while they were still chockt vnder the chinne in steed of resisting them lustily feastes were made to entertaine them with And since that time wee haue seene in our owne dayes and that not long ago howe other heretikes haue beene fauoured at their comming hither and specially howe that horrible blasphemer was supported And by whom By such as had
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 thē 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. 〈…〉 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. ◠as hee auoweth by his Prophet Hosheah But
the Lawmaker which ruleth you Therefore when wee haue any thing to doe we must alwayes haue this consideration with vs to thinke that God declareth his will therein and that must suffice vs. Why so For there is but one rule of weldoing and to call the thinges in question which are conteined in his Lawe is al one as if we refused to bee ruled by the mouth and worde of God Therefore the Lawe must haue his full course and we must not go about to separate the thinges which God hath so knit and vnited together But heerewithall Moses bringeth vs backe againe to the thing that hee had treated of afore that is to wit which is the true keeping of the Lawe and to what ende it tendeth The true keeping of the Lawe is to giue eare vnto God in all that hee saieth Keepe all the commaundementes saieth hee as if hee shoulde say Deut. 6.24.25 wee must not serue God after our owne liking when thinges come to passe according to our heartes desire neither must wee take leaue to dispence with our selues when wee meete with any thing that is harde It is not for vs to parte stakes with GOD after that manner but wee must call to minde howe Sainct Iames saieth that he which breaketh any one point is guiltie of the whole law Iames. 2.10 The reason is the same which I haue alleadged afore namely that whe wee incounter Gods ordinaunce wee deface his maiestie as much as in vs lieth True it is that wee can neuer fulfil Gods law I say there was neuer yet so perfect a man in the worlde but hee came farre short of the perfection that God sheweth vs. But yet must wee tende towardes it though wee bee farre off from the marke and but halfe way onwarde of our iourney yet must wee goe forwarde still and not thinke to content God by doing some little peece of it for the loue of him and in the rest take leaue to behaue our selues as wee list Let vs not thinke that God admitteth such compositions but that wee must in all pointes conforme our whole life to his will And although wee attaine not to the full performance yet our desire must bee to doe so as I haue declared afore And nowe let vs come to that which hee addeth namely to what end the keeping of Gods Lawe tendeth that is to wit that we should loue him Whereby wee bee done to vnderstande that our Lordes intent is not to drawe vs to a slauish fearefulnesse but to haue vs to take pleasure and delight in honouring him and in doing his commaundementes for it is certaine that without this loue all our seruice shal bee refused as vnprofitable In deede this matter hath beene expounded alreadie heeretofore neuerthelesse it is good reason that wee shoulde bee put in rememberance of it as oft as the holy Ghost speaketh thereof for heere is no superfluitie And it is a doctrine that wee cannot be perswaded of at the first that it behooueth vs to serue God freely and with a willing loue Truely wee must not loue God as our fellowe or mate but wee must stande in awe of him not as inforced by necessitie so as we shoulde grinde our teeth in grudging against him but as yeelding our heartes to him by setting all our delight in his Lawe as Dauid protesteth himselfe to haue done Psal. 19.11 by which example of his hee sheweth vs also our dewtie Yee see then howe GOD requireth that wee shoulde serue him of free will yea and that wee shoulde also loue him And indeede whence proceedeth true obedience but of the knowledge of the will of our GOD and that wee take him for our father to the ende that wee on our side might behaue our selues like chilrē towardes him Vntill wee be come to that point it is vnpossible for vs to goe about to serue our GOD with a good will wee shall haue nothing but stubbornenesse in vs so as if it were possible wee coulde finde in our hearts neuer to come at him But when wee haue once tasted of his goodnesse then are wee allured to loue him out of hand Seeing then that men haue felt God a father towardes them it becommeth them to answere him in like sort againe and to bee as children towardes him And so wee see heere againe howe the Lawe may bee duely kept by vs that is to witte by louing our GOD. For thereuppon it will come to passe that wee shall walke in all his wayes for God cannot bee diuided from his worde If we loue him it is certaine that wee will indeuour to please and obey him And this is seene euen among mortall men but yet there is a peculiar cause thereof in God For as I saide afore God is neuer separated from his righteousnesse which hee declareth vnto vs in his Lawe Then if wee loue him we must needes like well of his Lawe and take pleasure in obseruing the same And therefore if a man say I loue GOD I feare him I honour him and in the meane while despise his worde and make no reckening of it it is but hypocrisie matched with shamelesnesse For as I haue saide already it is vnpossible that God shoulde transforme himselfe to become as an ydoll by surceasing from his righteousnesse which in verie deede is his owne proper being So then it is to be concluded that we cannot otherwise loue our God than by giuing our selues ouer vnto him by indeuoring to serue and please him But nowe let vs come to that which is saide concerning such as woulde needes abuse the priuiledge by withdrawing themselues to the Sanctuarie when they had committed a murther If it happen that a man which hated his neighbour and killed him doe flee to the place of priuiledge let the Elders of that place that is to say the Rulers or Gouernours for it is a name of office let the Gouernours and Iudges and Magistrates take him and fetch him thence that is to say let thē fetch him from the priuiledged place by strong hand and put him into the handes of him that ought to reuenge the bloudshed or of him y e demaundeth Iustice that he may be put to death and let not thine eye spare him that is to say haue no pitie nor compassion on him Bycause we be moued when we see a man lament and our eyes relent at it that is to say if wee see a man in extreame heauinesse of minde by and by wee bee mooued to pitie his case our Lorde saieth that hee will not haue him to bee pitifull not in any wise to relent which ought to execute Iustice. Goe to worke stoutly saieth hee and let the offender bee punished notwithstanding his misclaiming of the priuiledge which GOD had graunted for such as are guiltlesse and not for such as are faultie This was declared partly yesterday but it is well worthie to bee laide foorth more at large To bee shorte let vs haue an eye
reigne of Dauid Saying That a starre should come out of Iacob the brightnesse where of shoulde reche vnto Israel and Moab shoulde bee subiect vnto them and humble himselfe vnder their feete And vndoutedly in the reigne of Dauid there was a figure of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Yee see then how Balaam was constrayned to speake in this sort mauger his beard and againe when Balac reproued him saying What meanest thou Thou art come hither at my charges and commest thou to deceiue mee for thou doest cleane contrary to that which thou didst promise mee And what can I do saith Balaam Is God like vnto men that hee shoulde change his purpose If he haue once decreed a thing it must needs be done it abideth for euer For hee altereth not ne changeth according to the lust of men Beholde how the false prophet speaketh in as excellent a style and manner of speech as can be of Gods vnchangeable truth Now because the Israelites should not think that Gods doing hereof was either because thy had deserued something or because they were better than the Moabites Moses sayeth afterwards That this was because God loued the Iewes To the intent therefore that he might be magnified for his freebestowed goodnes and that y e Iewes might humble them selues knowing that they had obtayned fauour at his hand by reason hee had chosen elected them of his owne good will he saith Thy God hath now declared how he loued thee Here we haue to note first of all that Balaam was such a false prophet as notwithstanding had some particular gift of prophecying from God and these be no contrary things that a man should haue the gift of prophecying and yet for all that abuse the gift of the holy ghost and turne it to a wicked purpose Wee see that also which S. Paul sayth in his Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14. namely that they which had the gift of tongues of interpreting and such like things which were excellent in the Church had notwithstanding no regarde of edifyng of the Church and that many of them were not renewed in such sort by the spirit of God y t they sought to serue him Phil. 1.18 It may wel be therfore that men shal haue receiued excellent gifts to bee esteemed that they shall beare the markes of the spirit of God yet not haue the chiefe and principal thing of all y t is to wit the spirit of regeneration nor be so confirmed that they shall giue themselues ouer wholy vnto the seruice of God endeuour to make that auailable vnto them which they haue receiued by applying it vnto a good lawful vse wayting for the saluation which God setteth before them This may wel be And if this fall out in the Church that is to say to them which are of the housholde of faith what shal we think of Balaam the like so we see there is no inconuenience y t Balaam had the gift of prophecie yet for all that had many corruptions therewithal insomuch that he was an idolater vsed sorceries But what is the cause that God gaue him the knowledge of foretelling things to come for it might seeme y t by this meanes he setteth forth his name vnto open reproche It is true in deede that Balaam such like when they thus abuse the gifts of God do vnhallow y t which is holy that which they haue receiued of God Yet notw tstanding there was this respect y t God ment to leaue some witnesse of himself euen among the Infidels to the intent they might haue so much y e lesse excuse be so much the more conuicted if they would make ignorance their buckler As for example the Moabites forasmuch as they had not y e law therefore they had neuer knowen any thing of God except their fathers had left thē some smal remnant therof For Lot was not ignorant of it but beeing brought vp in his vncle Abrahams house he knew what religion meant As for the Moabites they were altogether estranged from it Howbeit there remained some small print therof y t they might be conuicted at the latter day y t if they had sought after God they might haue attained vnto him but because they were snarled in the multitude of superstitions which they themselues had deuised were growen cleane out of kinde they can seeke after no starting holes for they shal always be condemned for hauing a malicious wickednes in them and for turning aside from God so as they deserued to be blinded in y t fashion by y e deceits of Satan And thus yee se what is to be noted in the first place touching Balaam Now in y t Balac beleeued y t if Balaam once cursed y e people al should passe on his side wee see therby how men can neuer hold the mean but euen do swarue aside to some extremitie or other Gen. 2.7 It is true in deede y t when wee are blessed of y e prophets of God the same is a warrant vnto vs of his blessing But yet we must always haue an eye vnto God For if we teare him in pieces what shal we win therby But when men think to coniure God it is al one as if they would dismember him For they intend to seuer his iustice vprightnes from his truth his gratious goodnes from his mightie power God saieth y t when we be blessed of his prophets we ought to assure our selues that he ratifieth y e same in heauen When Abraham blessed Isaac when Isaac blessed Iacob when Iacob blessed his children it was no vaine blessing because it had his certaine force effect And why Because God had giuen vnto them this office And what is y e reason y t we are blessed at his hand when mē blesse vs with their mouth His wil is that men should beare this reuerence vnto his word by y e which he declareth him self here below vnto vs he cōmeth not downe alwayes from heauen in visible maner he sendeth not his angels at our plesure but those whome he hath ordeined his messengers are to declare his wil vnto vs. He wil be serued by them as by instruments to the intent he may make his blessings which he sendeth vnto men to profit them And therefore if we say that being blessed by the Prophets or by the priests we are assured y t God ratifieth the same in heauen we shal speake truly Yea verily if so be wee haue an eye vnto God be conformable vnto his wil. But if we dally with God wil haue him transforme himselfe at our beck let vs note y t he wil curse vs yea y t he will curse vs double when we vse him in that order For when God ordeined that the priestes should blesse the people it was to good effect purpose For it is expressely said in the sixth Chapter of Numbers Ye shall blesse my people in
of purpose that this people should bee condemned by their owne mouth And wherefore doth he not rather preuent the mischiefe For he might do it But as I haue said alreadie it is not for vs to enter into disputation in this case for surely all they that vse such arrogancie boldnes shall finde themselues confounded What must wee do then We must stoope honor the glorie of God which is incomprehensible to vs suffer our selues to be gouerned by him And whereas he knowing mens lewdnes aforehande doth neuerthelesse suffer them to rotte therein vntil he prouide for it we must vnderstand that he doth it iustly though the reason therof be vnknowen and hidden vnto vs. Wee in deede will euer be grunting at it vntil we be subdued vnto such humilitie reuerence as to conclude that God is iust that we know not what is good for vs except that God reueile it vnto vs. Nowe then if wee haue not this modestie and sobrietie in vs there wil alwayes seeme to bee some cause for vs to grunt at But yet must wee euer be confounded according as it is saide in the 51. Psalme that when men haue condemned God Psal. 51.6 yet his righteousnes shall not bee a whit diminished thereby but hee will well defende it Seeing it is so let vs beware that wee enter not into such boldnesse as to reply against God and to moue the questions which many people in the worlde at this day do mooue like these mastife dogges which cease not to bark against God when they cannot byte him but let vs stand silent when it is sayde that God doeth well knowe what shall come to passe vpon men neuerthelesse bestoweth not his grace but vppon those whome he listeth For it is certaine that hee toucheth with repentance whome hee will but not al. For a great number of the people are farre out of square If wee aske howe it commeth to passe that some haue continued in the pure religion haue alwayes serued God vndoutedly it came of a speciall grace no man prepared himself to it As touching the others which haue missed repented if it be asked who recouered them it is not of men that they bee conuerted it is the speciall gift of God We see then how God hath wrought in some to guyde them alwayes in the purenesse of his seruice and that others haue bin receiued to mercie albeit that they had offended that the same hath not fallen out to al indifferently We see then that God bestoweth his grace where it seemeth good to himself and we must not pleade against it to say And why doth hee not deale egally with all as hee doeth with some Why vseth he not like measure We shall winne nothing by pleading so against God Thus much wee haue to consider concerning this place Herewithal let vs mark also what hath beene touched afore to wit that although the word of God of it selfe hath not power to reforme our harts to lead vs vnto God to heale our faults to bring vs to good yet is it certaine y t we cease not therfore to be condemned therby For although the word of God be dayly preached vnto vs yet are we neuer the better for hauing our eares beaten therewith as wee see a great many people are who hauing bin instructed in y e Gospel become worse therby than they were afore And the reason is because y t the worde of God entreth not into their harts but through y e grace of y e holy Ghost And this grace is not bestowed on all They therfore which come to heare the worde become so much the more blameworthy when they once know God if they profite not thereby God must needes cast them off in a leawd mind Let vs mark then y t the word of God being spoken by a mortal man without any further help than y e outward teaching therof is not ynough for so it shal but beat our eares as for our harts they shal not be touched therw t. What must then be done We must pray God to speake vnto vs inwardly after a secrete manner and to cause the voyce which soundeth in our eares to enter like wise into our thoughtes and affections that wee may bee touched therewith to the quicke That is the point which we must come vnto Yet neuerthelesse we must not think that the word of God serueth to no purpose whē we reade it in holy scripture or haue it expounded vnto vs. Let vs assure ourselues that it shall not fall to the grounde either it must serue vs to saluation or else we must receiue thereby y ◠grieuouser condemnation Now if we couet to haue this doctrine profitable to saluation let vs pray God to write it in our heartes and furthermore we must beware y t we be not therby y e more guiltie For when wee haue heard the will of God and be not therein throughly certified if afterward we continue hardened in our stubbornes what excuse is there for vs then We haue bin wont to make a buckler of ignorance but y t will serue the turne no more Therefore wee must marke y t although the only word of it selfe can not conuert men yet doth it suffice to cast them into vtter condemnation as those which would needes defie God wilfully It is also sayd in this place y t God appeared to Moses at the Tabernacle euen in a cloudie piller This was not done for Moses only but rather for all the people In deede it was very behoouefull y t Moses shold be assured of Gods guiding For the enterprise which he vndertooke to bring the people out of the lande of Egypt was not for a mortall creature to haue done of himselfe It was needefull then y t they should know y t God did auow him And therfore it was Gods will to ratifie the cōmission which he had giuen him y t it might haue full authoritie among the people After the same maner was it Gods wil to deale in giuing new cōmission to Iosuah who was to suceeede Moses Also it was his wil to cause this last song to be receiued without gaine speaking to do them to vnderstand y t it was not forged nor hāmered in y e head of a man but y ◠it came frō heauen and y t it was God that spake it To the end therfore y t the people might be throughly assured of these thinges he sayth Come thou Iosuah to the Tabernacle And what is the cause y t God would not aswell speake to Moses in his owne Tent It was because hee would haue the people to be y e more moued For men are so slender witted earthly y t they haue neede to bee led vnto God by visible signes To what end serued y e Tabernacle It was as a witnesse y t God dwelled amongst his people as wee haue seene heeretofore It is certaine y t God filleth all
howe it is the holy Ghost that raigneth in them Nowe if Moses wished this in respect that he might faile bicause hee was a man if so great a Prophet did both know and acknowledge that hee could not magnifie God as became him alas much lesse can we discharge our selues thereof Therfore let vs acknowledge our infirmitie and resort vnto God praying vnto him that as he hath vouchsafed to admit vs into his seruice so he will also giue vs power and abilitie to handle those high mysteries to the edifying of his Church and to set forth his praises in such wise as he may be honored as he deserueth And y e two reasons which I haue spoken of ought to moue vs thereunto The one is by considering what oddes there is betweene the infinite glorie of God and the slendernes that is in vs. For what is it that causeth men to presume to worke wonders and to stand so much in their own conceits as to think themselues able to go through with all thinges but that they thinke not of God as they ought Now therfore when we know that God doth vs the grace to vouchsafe vs to be his lieuetenants to beare abrode his name among men and to bring folke to the knowing of him truly it ought to induce vs to humilitie And when wee once know our vnsufficiency we must also bee prouoked thereby to pray God to supply our want Besides this let vs also consider what y e world is For although God had giuen vs more grace than we haue yet is the worlde so frowarde that the doctrine of God can haue no entrance at all For it belongeth alonely to God to alter mens hearts that is to say to soften them that his doctrine may drop into them and become like a moistening shower watring the medowes whereas it dryeth away vpon stones and Rocks Seeing it is so let vs learne to call vpon God better than we haue done forasmuch as our labor were vnauailable without him And herewithall we be all warned in general after what sort we should receiue Gods doctrine that is to wit as a raine Were a peece of lande neuer so well husbanded and neuer so well seeded yet if it wanted moistening from heauen to what purpose were it Shoulde not all the paine that is taken about it be vnauailable Euen so is it with vs god must water vs dayly with his word or else hee shall draw no nourishment out of vs we wil bring forth no fruite Sith wee know this wee ought to bee more diligent in hearing Gods word than we be The earth openeth her mouth in the drought of summer so as it chinketh if it want raine and as we haue seene heretofore y e heauen must be faine to hearken to the earth Osee. 2.21 as though the earth made request and supplication greatest doctors of y e world shold lay their heads together they coulde not attaine to the vnderstanding thereof And I make no reckening of some hypocrits which disguise themselues and counterfait themselues to be doctors in despite of nature but if y e Angels of heauen shold come yet should they be faine to reuerence the wonderfull secrets of God Wee see howe the Cherubins are described vnto vs in Esay namely how they stretch out their winges to hide their faces Esa. 6.2 because they be not able to comprehende the infinite maiestie of God And yet for al that vnder pretence that our braine conceiueth not the full measure of the things which the scripture telleth vs concerning God wee reiect it Thus we see yet better how it is not for nought that Moses saide that the workes of the mightie are perfect but that it serueth to make vs to tremble before the maiestie of God and by acknowledging that he is almightie to refraine froÌ„ incountring him by saying Why doth he so Or why willeth he this or that Nay let vs simply confesse that his works are perfect namely in wisedome in righteousnes and in goodnes so as there is no fault to be founde in any of al his workes Now hee addeth that all his wayes are righteousnesse that God is true without wickednesse iust and vpright Whereas he saieth that all his wayes are righteousnes it is a more larger expounding of that which he had said afore For by a similitude this worde Way is taken for all manner of doings And heerein Moses sheweth vs that it is not ynough to haue glorified God in some part or portion but that wee must confesse without exception that hee is the welspring of all wisedome of all power of all goodnesse and of all iustice We shall see some which will be contented to glorifie God so long as things fall out to their lyking but if God deale with them to their misliking they alter their speech and spit out their venim against him See howe men woulde part stakes with God reseruing to themselues the libertie or rather the diuelish malapeartnesse to â—â—eate and fume at God when hee doeth not as they woulde wish and as seemeth good to their opinion For this cause Moses saieth that all Gods wayes are righteousnes that is to say that although God as now remoue things eft at one-side and eft a tother and wee see great backturnings and chaunges and he seemeth to be minded to turn y e worlde vpsidedowne yet notwithstanding he for his part knoweth why he doeth so True it is that we shal be abashed at it and the rudenesse and frailty of our vnderstanding suffereth vs not to conceiue Gods wonderfull counsailes they bee too deepe a gulfe for vs but yet doth God alwayes keepe a measurable and euen hande in all his doings Then is it not any one or two deedes wherein GOD sheweth his righteousnesse but in the whole gouernement of the worlde Lo to what point we must come Moreouer Moses doth expresly call him true And that is to bee referred to the doctrine to the ende that men should learne to receiue that which is saide and set downe vnto them in the name of God And indeede vntill such time as we knowe God to bee true we can neuer tast of his righteousnesse nor of his goodnesse or if we haue any tast thereof yet can we not be sure and fully resolued of it For proofe hereof we neuer vnderstande Gods iustice wisedome goodnesse or any other of his vertues but by his worde True it is that wee haue experience of them and God sheweth himselfe sufficiently both aboue and beneath that hee might bee glorified at our handes at leastwise if wee had eyes and â—ares to see and heare But what Such is our slothfulnesse that we wore not howe to benefite ourselues by the great number of the recordes wherein God maketh his glorie to shine forth His worde therefore must goe ioyntly with it for if wee bee not taught at his mouth wee shall neuer attaine vnto him no nor come any thing neere him But if wee doubt of
Gods worde and haue but an opinion of it as who woulde say the thinges that are conteined in it haue some reason but yet wee doe but coniecture so what a thing were it What certaintie shoulde wee haue of God or of any of all his vertues for the which hee is to bee glorified Wee shall bee alwayes in a mammering And so wee see of what importance this saying is where Moses termeth God True For hee woulde haue vs to learne to yeelde such authoritie to his worde as it may benefite vs and that as soone as wee heare God speake wee shoulde bee fully resolued and perswaded that wee shall not bee disappointed in following all that hee saieth to vs and in beleeuing the same By this meane then wee may consider all Gods workes so as wee shall haue a lampe to guide vs and to giue vs light that wee may not runne reeling in continuall doubtfulnesse But forasmuch as Gods worde is the infallible trueth to vs wee shall haue a stayed iudgement concerning the thinges that are saide vnto vs and wee shall trust in God not as the heathenish sort doe who bee shaken from it out of hande because there is no steadinesse of faith in them but wee shall haue a good staffe to stande by so as Gods trueth shall fence vs against all distrust against all grudging and against all thinges that may turne vs from the glorifying of him And therewithall wee shall also haue a good foundation of our saluation when wee once knowe that God is True For if wee imbrace not the thinges that God doeth what will become of vs There is nothing but damnation in men and the more they trust in themselues the more must they needes bee confounded Then can wee not conceiue any hope of saluation vnlesse wee bee well assured that God foadeth vs not with wordes without effect but that wee knowe him to bee faithfull and trustie so as if wee haue but a worde of his mouth it is as good as if our saluation were already shewed And thereuppon hee saieth further that there is no wickednesse in him but that hee is iust and faithfull It shold seeme y t Moses speaketh too coldly of God in this place in saying There is no wickednesse in him For who doubts of that Nay it is to cut off all the wicked imaginations that men deuise when they be not helde in awe so as they may yeeld to conclude that God is faitfull good and iust yea and voide of vnfaithfulnesse Aâ—d who accuseth him thereof But yet wee see howe that euen the holy Prophets were driuen to resist those temptations Lorde I knowe that thou art iust 〈◊〉 â— 1 〈◊〉 1.13 saieth Ieremie As much doeth Abacucke and they crie out so of purpose to shewe that they bee troubled with many incumberances when they see things so out of order in the worlde There then wee see howe they had easily beene caried away to blaspheme God and to deeme some vnrighteousnesse to bee in him if they had not beene restrained And so wee see that it is not without cause that Moses saieth heere that God is true without wickednesse There is nothing in him saieth hee but the same is praise worthie insomuch that when wee speake of his trueth and righteousnesse we must exclude all wisedome power of man And to be short he must be praised without exception and not after the common manner of men And that is the cause that when Gods word is spoken of in the Psalme it is saide to be like siluer tried seuentimes in the fire after it hath beene molten and all the drosse of it taken quite and cleane from it At the first sight this similitude may seeme to vs to bee but colde But let vs looke a little vppon our selues and we shall finde that our wits doe tickle vs incessantly insomuch that when wee haue confessed God yea euen without dissimulation to be true yet when wee come to his promises euermore we will haue some reply and we will neuer be contented in our minds nor well at rest For we haue a leawdnes which holdeth vs back and hindereth vs that wee cannot glorifie God as becommeth vs. So then let vs marke that Moses doth not heere without cause exclude all iniquitie to the ende that when we speake of God and of any of all his vertues wee shoulde doe it with such reuerence and admiration as wee may not onely not accuse him of any vnfaithfulnesse and confesse that wee perceiue not any vice in him but also be throughly perswaded and resolued that there is such perfection in him as that there remaineth no more for vs to doe but onely to worship him yea euen though we conceiue not the highnesse that is hidden from vs. Nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to take from vs al hardnesse and stubbornnes and to frame vs to the obeying of him that the preaching of his worde vnto vs may not bee in vaine but that it may profite vs so as wee may become good ground and serue in such wise to the glorie of our God as that the labour and paine which he shall haue bestowed vpon vs may not be in vaine but that all may redounde to the full establishing of his kingdom And moreouer that seeing it pleaseth him that our saluation should be matched with his glorie he will also so further the same as wee may bee incouraged by that meanes to giue our selues more and more vnto him That it may please him to grant this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Friday the viij of May 1556. The CLXXIX Sermon which is the second vpon the two thirtith Chapter 5 They haue corrupted themselues before him by their sinne euen they that are not his children but a froward and wicked generation 6 Doest thou reward the Lorde so O thou foolish and vnwise generation Is not he thy father and thine owner is it not hee that hath made thee and fashioned thee 7 Remember the time past consider the yeares of so many generations Aske thy father and hee will shewe thee inquire of thine elders and they will tell thee YEsterday wee sawe why Moses speaketh here expresly of Gods truth For men had neede to be assured of Gods promises that they may holde themselues to them and rest vpon them and also to know that his worde is the rule of all perfection that they may receiue it with all reuerence And it is saide expresly that there is no vnrighteousnesse in him to the ende that men should learne not to measure him by their owne scantling as they be wont to doe For in asmuch as we comprehend not Gods iustice wee drawe it downe to ours by meanes whereof wee abace his maiesty too much Therfore if we will yeelde God his due honor we must separate him froÌ„
had set himselfe against him And yet for all that it is verie certaine that God had determined aforehande to pardon his people but yet it was his will that Moses shoulde make intercession for them yea euen Moses in asmuch as he was there made supplicatiō in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and the people knew that they coulde not haue scaped except God had hearde the prayers of Moses But howesoeuer the case stoode this text sheweth vs that God altered not his purpose for hee is not variable neither repealed hee his sentence though hee saide I will yet againe pardon this people for thy sake For the thing which hee had determined in his owne minde was performed and yet notwithstanding it was his will that Moses shoulde steppe in as a mediator And when God heareth vs it is not for that we make him to chaunge his minde but it pleaseth him to declare the thing to vs which hee had determined to doe to the end that our faith shoulde bee exercised and wee knowe that no pray is no labour lost or vnprofitable for the fruite sheweth the contrarie That is the cause then why hee graunteth those thinges at our request which hee had determined in his euerlasting purpose afore Yet notwithstanding we see in effect that if God had not beene minded to stoppe the mouthes of all the wicked and vnbeleeuing sort he had destroyed that people And that was done to correct y e ouerweening of such as were euer ready to grudge against God For such is the maner of men that they neuer want replies but as soone as God scourgeth them by and by they stand in contention with him And if he presse them double then they not onelie grunt at it but also spewe out their blasphemies against him But here our Lorde sheweth that whē men haue cast forth al their rage after that fashion yet it shall bee prooued to their faces that hee notwithstanding hath dealt ouergentlie with them accordingly as it is certayne that euen at this day if God had not a further consideration than onely of vs we deserue well to be wiped out of the worlde For notwithstanding that wee haue receiued his worde what doe we fare the better for it We professe the hauing of the Gospell and wee can well say that the Papistes are Idolaters straungers from God and men giuen ouer to all euill And why For they be blinde and walke in the darke But yet for all that wee that haue the cleare light of life howe doe we order our doinges If we be compared with the Papistes shall a man finde vs better than them Nay wee are so much more blame worthie than they because that for all our teaching yet wee despise God of a certayne malicious and determinate purpose Sith it is so if God had not a further respect than to vs surelie wee shoulde bee consumed out of hand But for asmuch as the Papistes woulde by and by set open their throates to scoffe at God and the pure Religion therefore hee maintaineth vs still Wherefore let vs not boast that wee haue helde out vnto this time by our owne power but let vs consider that God woulde not haue his name blasphemed nor make the trueth of his Gospell to bee a iestingstocke for men to scoffe at and let that bee a meane to humble vs yet better Wee see then that this doctrine belongeth vnto vs and that Moses spake it not onely to the people of Israell but also to all such as shoulde professe the seruice of God and haue the pure doctrine of his worde insomuch that if they play the naughtipackes and prouoke Gods vengeaunce against them and God neuerthelesse doe beare with them it is not for their faire eyes as they say nor for that they haue deserued it but because our Lord will not giue such loose and vnbridled libertie to them that seeke occasion thereof And it is saide expressely That God feared the prouocation of the enemie least hee shoulde estraunge himselfe and say My hande is high and it is not the Lorde that hath doone this thing By this worde Prouocation hee meaneth the pride that is in men accordinglie also as hee doeth in the eight Psalme where it is saide that God is glorifyed by the mouthes of sucklinges 〈◊〉 3◠in which place expresse mention is made of the enemie and of y e auenger because the vnbeleeuers are alwayes so proude and presumptuous that there is nothing with them but crueltie thundering So likewise in this text it is saide that God feared to prouoke the enemie that is to wit least the Infidels shoulde proceede to such wickednesse as to scoffe at the Law and at the true Religion God then preuented them And wee must not imagine that God was afraide of men for hee coulde well haue prouided for it by some other meane Is it not hee that hath made mens tongues And how can they then stirre to speak one worde if he listed to restrayne them Could they moue to vtter one syllable It should seeme then that the thing which Moses speaketh here is needlesse namely that God shoulde bee afrayde to prouoke his enemies for hee coulde wel haue remedied the matter if hee had would I haue tolde you oftentimes alreadie that God is spoken of after the manner of men Therefore when God prouideth for a thing by anie worldlie meane and such as is common among vs it is not for that hee is tyed vnto it cannot of his infinite power doe otherwise but because it pleaseth him so to doe Thus are wee doone to vnderstande in fewe wordes that when it pleaseth God to serue his owne turne by the inferiour meanes which hee hath ordeyned in this worlde it is not for that hee cannot doe what he listeth of himselfe and without any other helpe but for that it is his will to keepe that order As for example Hee coulde well susteine vs without breade wine or water and yet notwithstanding hee vseth those meanes And why so Euen because it pleaseth him If we be sicke he can well heale vs without any medicine and yet will hee haue vs to vse medicines In the time of warre he coulde wel represse all our enemies without our stirring of anie finger towards it but yet hath hee ordeyned other meanes Ye see then after what manner this text is to bee vnderstoode where it is saide that God was afraide to prouoke the enemie not that hee was vnable to let them or to withstande them if hee had would or that hee was vnable to haue stopped the mouthes of the Infidels but because hee sawe men so malicious that their whole desire is to haue full libertie to speake euill of his maiestie Which thing he perceyning intendeth to remedie it And by what meanes Euen by such as hee himselfe likes best of Not that hee doeth it of necessitie as I saide afore or by anie constraynt but that his good pleasure is
them wee may exercise our selues continually in calling them to our remembrance and in mourning for them so as hee may haue pitie vpon vs and not onely forgiue vs all our sinnes whereby wee haue offended him but also rid vs cleane of them and redresse vs in such wise by his holy spirite as our whole seeking may be to dedicate ourselues vnto him and that his name may be so sanctified among vs as that in the end wee may come to his glorie as he hath prepared it for all such as doe here yeeld and submit themselues to his yoke 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 xx of Iune 1556. The CXCI. Sermon which is the first vpon the three thirtith Chapter HEere followeth the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death and sayde 2 The Lorde came from Sinai and rose vp from Seir vnto them He appeared brightly on mount Pharan and came with ten thousands of Saincts hauing at his right hand the Lawe giuen in fire for them 3 Yet loueth he the people and all the Sainctes are in thy hands and they bow downe to thy feete to receiue of thy wordes WEe knowe that Gods word is ordaind chiefly to this vse that we shoulde be assured of y e good wil loue which he beareth vs. For w tout that also there is no hope of saluation wee be vndone and to be shorte there is no religion For how shall we feare God vnlesse wee knowe that all our welfare lies in him and that we dare seeke him with a right faith But that is vnpossible vnlesse he call vs vnto him and that wee haue assurance that if wee come vnto him we shall be receiued That is the cause why God in all ages ordeined that those which are the teachers of the people should blesse them in his name that is to say assure them that God receiued them and was mercifull to them For so dooth y e worde Blessing import True it is that wee blesse one another by prayer And when it is sayd of a priuate person that he blesseth his neighbor it betokeneth that he wisheth him all good But there is a speciall kinde of prerogatiue in those whom God hath appointed as in his owne person to beare abroad his worde and to preach it For they in blessing are as witnesses of God and agentes in his behalfe And in very deede as we haue seene heretofore as oft as Gods word is preached it is a solemne act whereby he couenanteth with vs and lyke as he will haue vs to professe our selues to be his children and to giue our selues to his seruice so dooth hee bind himselfe to be our father and sauiour That is the cause why we haue now here y e blessinges of Moses which he made before his death And it is lykely that this was thē done when he was ready to yeelde vp his spirit vnto God For he had bin commaunded afore to go vp into the mountaine where he had nothing else to doe but to go seeke his graue which notwithstanding remained vnknowen Deut. 34.6 as we shall see hereafter At such time as he was to take his leaue of the people he pronounced these blessinges here present By what authoritie As one appointed to yeelde record of Gods good wil. Also he ratified that which had bin done before by Iacob to whome God had giuen the lyke charge commission For wee reade of the blessinges which Iacob made ouer his children Gene. 49. how they were not as a houshold prayer when a father making his last will beseecheth God to bee mercifull to his fatherles children Iacob went not that way to worke but being a Patriarke and knowing whereto God had called him hee vttered what was to come accordingly also as we see how hee speaketh by the spirit of Prophesie And in good sooth yee see he was a poore man such a one as was constreyned by famine to goe into Egypt he possessed not a foot of land in y e whole world and yet hee assigned inheritaunces to his children Thou shalt haue such a portion by the sea-coast Gen. 49.10.13.20 Thou shalt haue the pasture grounds Thou shalt be a delicate soyle for kinges so as y e bread which shall be made there and y e sweete fruits of thee shal bee their strength thou shalt haue y e royall scepter thou shalt be aduanced thou shalt reigne among thine enemies As for thee thou shalt be scattered but yet shalt thou haue ease of body although thou be faine to remoue here and there Seeing then that he tooke order after that maner for the land of Canaan that although he was driuen thence by famine yet he alotted it out by portions to his children spake he as a mortall man Let vs knowe then that God gouerned him by his holy spirit and there came not that worde out of his mouth which was not as a heauenly oracle Now hereby the people were edifyed so as they knew that God had chosen them with condition that they should enter into the inheritance which he had promised them When the children of Israell were in Egypt after the decease of their father they were by this meanes certifyed y t God had not forgotten his promise but that hee woulde performe it when the time came They were fed with y t hope and to hold them thereunto God had giuen thē occasion enough if their own vnthākfulnes had not letted thē This being done after that they had bin deliuered out of the land of Egypt and were to inioy the Land which had bin assigned them long afore God made Moses to speake and draue him to vtter that which he had determined to doe as touching the childrē of Israell And in verie deede wee see that the things which had bin spoken afore by Iacob are partly rehearsed here againe for the larger confirmation of them And againe the things which were not reuealed at that time are set downe here so as the people of Israell might here beholde their owne state to come whereby they were taught that God had a speciall care of thē For seeing hee declared first by the mouth of Iacob and secondly by the mouth of Moses all that hee meant to doe to the people of Israell did hee not shewe that hee was neere them and that hee tooke them to bee as of his flocke and that hee preferred them before the rest of the whole worlde For it was not with them as with those which are straungers to God Although hee held and accounted those for his creatures yet did hee not take them for his Children to gouerne them and to direct all their steppes so as nothing shoulde befal them but they might know howe it was God that wrought it who did also tell them of it aforehande Therefore let
the minding of the same things Nowe it is sayde expressely That Gods comming foorth is for the People This serueth to expresse the mutuall communion whereof I haue spoken For it is not enough for God to shewe himselfe or to come foorth but his comming foorth must bee for vs that is to say to make vs to knowe that hee calleth vs vnto him and that it is his will to bee knit vnto vs in mutual bonde And that ought well to touch vs yet further For the worde which is giuen vnto vs serueth not onely to make vs vnderstande that there is a GOD in heauen and that hee hath the souereintie ouer all his creatures but also is a pledge that hee will dwell with vs. And forasmuch as God is inuisible so as wee comprehende not any thing of him because it is too high and hidden a thing when wee haue his worde wee may beholde him there as in his liuelie image and see him as hee sheweth himselfe And therefore let vs learne that when our Lorde sendeth vs his word he not onely intendeth to aduaunce his maiestie but also doeth verily renewe his couenaunt to the intent that wee also on our side might approche vnto him And thereby wee bee doone to vnderstande that if wee endeuour to profite in Gods woorde wee will come vnto it with a right meaning and pure minde so that when God sheweth himselfe we must not be afraide as the Papistes are which thinke it to bee too darke a thing Such doubtes must not keepe vs from profiting in the schoole of our God assuring our selues y t he for his part will not fayle vs but that he wil make vs to perceiue y t he speaketh not in vaine but in such wise as we may know y t hee is neere vs and that his countenance shall shine vpon vs. It is saide That he appeared with ten thousand of sainctes Some haue taken this for the children of Israell as that God came thither with them And they call them Saintes because God had shouled them out to himselfe Numb 1.46 notwithstanding that the greater number of them was wicked and vnholie But there is no reason in that that so great a multitude as seuen hundred thousande men or there aboutes should be termed ten thousande No doubt therefore but Moses speaketh here of Angels And truely when the holy scripture intendeth to set Gods maiestie before our eyes it doth always ad y t he is garded with his heauenly hostes and y t he hath his angels with him which are thousandes of thousandes For wee must not stand altogether vpon the certaine number because y e scripture speaketh sparely of the thinges that are inuisible And so a number certaine shal be put for an infinite number as if it had bin said y t God appeared euen with his heauenly Angels which serued to testifie his glory y e better True it is y t if the maiestie of God bee set single before vs it ought wel to suffice vs and in good sooth can the creatures ad any thing vnto it No surely but y t is spoken for our infirmities sake For when God saith Here am I it toucheth vs not yet sufficiently and therefore it behoueth him to set himselfe foorth as in his souereintie to shewe by his angels y t he hath a dreadful dominion that he hath his vertues powers shed foorth eueriwhere For we know y t his Angels are created to execute whatsoeuer he hath ordeined Psal. 103.20 so y t they be as his hands whereby he worketh and performeth whatsoeuer he listeth To y t end then doth Moses expressely say y t God appeared here euen with a ten thousand of Saincts And wee see also how the law was giuen by y e hands of Angels as S. Stephen declareth in y e seuenth of the Acts. Act. 7. â—8 Gal. 3.19 Likewise when S. Paul in y e Epistle to the Galathians intendeth to shew y t God appeared to authorise his law the better he setteth downe that the Angels were witnesses therunto Were there then ten thousand witnesses present at the publishing of the law What a thing is it then if meÌ„ belieue it not ne receiue it not without gainsaying If a bargaine bee passed before three witnesses and signed by a Notarie it is of authoritie and there is no pleading against it And how was the lawe giuen God appeared thereat in his maiestie yea and Iesus Christ who was the heade of the Angels Gal. 3.19 was he that gaue y e law as Saint Paul sheweth in the place which I alledged euen nowe Looke me vppon Moses on the other side Hee was glorified after such a sort as hee seemed not to be anie more of the number of men God made his face to shine as if there had beene Sunnebeames thereon Exo. 34.30 so that hee was well seene to be a man sent of God Againe it skilled not for two or three witnesses for there were tenne thousande Angels thâ—re was an infinite number there were Gods armies to mayntaine the authoritie of the Lawe And what account is to bee made of men which are but dung when they will needes deface it and come to quarell against it Howe shall they be conuicted So then let vs make all thinges auaylable to the confirmation of our faith and let vs assure our selues that in receyuing the doctrine which is conteyned in the law of God we shall agree with all the Angels of heauen and they will aunswere Amen to our faith and bee faithfull witnesses before God that we haue not beleeued at aladuenture but that wee haue bin wel grounded Thus ye see to what purpose this text ought to serue vs. And so we see y t Moses had here good cause to make mention of the infinite multitude of Angels which were witnesses vnto God at such time as hee shewed himselfe to be the author of the Law Now it is added afterwarde That the Lawe of fire or the fire of the lawe was in his right hand Wee see here againe the thing which I haue declared already namely that al y t euer Moses hath spoken concerning the maiestie of God is done to the ende that the Lawe shoulde not bee receyued as a doctrine deuised by Moses but that wee shoulde consider that God auoweth it and that hee hath shewed that it proceeded from him And Moses doeth purposely terme it a law of fire because the aire was then all on a flame The burning of the fire then was as a marke wherewith God sealed his lawe as though hee had rauished the people and shewed them that they were not anie more as vppon the earth beneath but that they were lifted vp aboue the corruptible thinges of the worlde Therefore let vs beare well in minde that the Lawe is termed Fire because that by that meanes GOD made the presence of his maiestie the better knowen And herewithall let vs also marke wel what is saide
succeeded him gold and siluer were of no more estimation than grauell as the holy historie reporteth thereof But what As soone as Roboam succeeded there was a backeslyding so as almost all the people turned backe There was no more but the trybe of Iuda with a piece of Beniamin that abode in obedience to the house of Dauid What was to be sayd hereupon but that for aught that men did see there was verie fickle hope to be had when all passed so slightly away Besides this that small kingdome being so diminished as wherof remained but a piece was so assayled on all sides that it seemed to be as a sheep alone among a dozen wolues A man then would haue thought that God had forgotten his promise And therefore it was requisite that Moses should ad this for the comfort of the faithful to the intent they should not be shaken from their faith when they saw that kingdome so diminished That is the cause why he sayd The handes of Iuda shall suffice him and God will giue him succour against his enimies And so let vs marke well that this kingdome was stablished with great difficultie in the person of Dauid and that in the end it was diminished and came to such decay that to all seeming it should haue beene vtterly abolished whereby it was Gods will to shewe in a figure what was to befall to the spirituall kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And in deede wee see that when the time drewe nigh wherein Iesus was to be shewed to the worlde there was nothing but horrible disorder among that people Who then would haue looked for the redemption at the comming of Iesus Christ For the people were scattered abroade and vtterly cast downe Yet notwithstanding God wrought therein after a manner vnknowen to men Insomuch that although the Gospel was preached yet was it not seene out of hand that the Church triumphed in this world but cleane contrarywise that there was nothing but tormenting persecuting and oppressing of it so as the name of Christianitie seemed to be the irksommest thing that could be spoken of that all Gods children were but as the doung filth of the world 1. Cor. 4.13 as Saint Paul speaketh therof To be short that kingdome was to be set vp with sighing and sorrowing it behooued the faithfull to pray vnto God and yet notwithstanding great was the griefe of minde wherewith they wayted for the setting abroad of the doctrine of the Gospell to the intent that Iesus Christ might be worshipped of the world and all men submit themselues to him to do him homage And yet did not that continue any long time For the vnthankfulnes of the world deserued that God should haue withdrawen his hand and power and we see howe the worlde stroue to haue driuen Christ away For on the one side there were hypocrites which scorned al religion and abused it falsly Also there were despisers and worldly folk which tooke to them an vnbridled libertie as we see still at this day vnder pretence of the freedome that was preached vnto them Againe there were Sects and Heresies and rebellions so as a great sort stepped vp and could not abide to beare the yoke which it was Gods will to lay vpon their necke Ye see then that the reigning of our Lorde Iesus Christ was as it were brought to nothing And therefore let vs mark well that this text not only serued for the Iewes but also is profitable for vs at this day as whereby we be done to vnderstand that it behoueth vs to make earnest sute vnto GOD to set vp the kingdome of his only sonne and to stablish it with his power euen in the middes of the trubbles which wee see notwithstanding that it seeme that al things should goe to wracke to succour vs against our enemies because we see so many men inraged against vs to hyde vs vnder the shadowe of his hand to shewe vs his helpe when wee be in extremitie and euen at the last cast and can no longer hold out Againe although the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ seeme nothing to the world that the proud the vnbeleeuers do scorne it despise it yet wil God shewe that his own hand suffiseth him that is to say that his power which is hidden of no reputation to the worldward shal be of such force that in the end the wicked shal be driuen to confesse that they were too blockish dulwitted in that they tooke not hold of the grace wherof mention is made here As for vs let vs be stil more more confirmed to trust in this great Sauiour to put our selues into his protection and to seeke all our succour at his hand That is the thing which we be taught in this text Now let vs come to the trybe of Leuye Thy Vrim thy Thumim sayeth he belong vnto thy meeke one or vnto the man of thy mercie The Thumim and Vrim were a parcel of Aarons brestlap and of the brestlap of the high priests Besides their robe there was another piece ioyned vnto it which was of great pryce beset with pearles imbroydered Moreouer in this piece there was a tablet of precious stones hanging at little cheynes Exo. 28.14.15 which was placed full vpon his brest and this piece of the brestlap was called Iudgement that is to say rightfulnes Also there was another part which a man cannot well distinguish and that was named Thumim and Vrim The former of these words signifieth perfection as if a man should terme them perfections in the plurall number And the other commeth of light or flame if yee referre it to doctrine Then if a man list to take these words in common speech he may say perfections and teachings or instructions But I in reading of the text haue kept still the verie wordes of Moses because it is not to be douted but that he speaketh of that portion of the brestlap which was so termed as appeareth in the eyght twentith of Exodus And he directeth his speech vnto God But some haue misexpounded this text in saying thy Thumim Vrim belong to thee to the Man which is cleane contrary For Moses saith O Lord God thou hast thy Thumim Vrim in thy hand That is to say the things which thou hast giuen to thy high priest are things holy dedicated to thy name they be thy perfections and teachings To whom belong they To thy meek one or to the man of thy mercie for so is it word for word But the word Meeke may be taken after the same maner that the holy scripture calleth Gods children meeke ones that is to say such as ought to resemble him who is the fountaine of all mercie goodnes For if wee wil be knowen auowed to be Gods childrē it is good reason that we should resemble him by hauing a meeke myld spirit in vs so as we indeuour
the cause why hee was called a Nazarite And here we haue to marke first of all that al that euer hath beene rehearsed by Moses or said before by Iacob was a very prophesie that came from God so as it could not haue bin vttered by the mouth of maÌ„ except God had gouerned him by his holy spirite And why For Moses neuer came in the land of Chanaan as we knowe And as for Iacob he dyed more than three hundred yeares before the partitioÌ„ of the Land was made How then coulde he make it And euen hereby wee see that there was no casualtie or chaunce in the matter For Iacob as wee shall see againe in due place assigneth vnto Nepthalâ—m the countrie on the seacoast and pointeth out euery man his portion there And howe is it possible that he should hit so right vpon it Surely he did it not of his owne imagination but God who holdeth the lottes in his hand as saieth Salomon Prou. 16.13 and who by his wonderfull prouidence which is hidden from vs disposeth of the things which seeme to come by chaunce vttered by Iacobs mouth what he intended to do And nowe he sheweth that when the people are come into the lande nothing shall happen but by his direction Nowe wee know that the tribe of Ephraim and Manasses were planted in so fat and fertile a soile that it was the very storehouse of the Lande True it is that other of the tribes as the tribe of Aser had great Cornecountries but these countries were stored with all kinde of commodities besides they were the pleasantest and plentifullest Countries of all the lande of Iurie Nowe then we may easily gather that in this case Moses hath not set forth any thing of his owne braine but that the holy Ghost did in very deede gouerne his tongue And therfore we haue a great warrant of all his doctrine in that wee see that vnder the name and authoritie of God hee setteth such order in things to come which a man wold neuer haue thought of Sith we heare this it is all one as if God reached out his hand from heauen and came to authorise y e doctrine which Moses deliuered and to shew that he is y e author therof and that it proceedeth from him neither ought men to doubt thereof as though it came from some creature And let vs marke that wel For we knowe that by nature we be inclined to distrust and were it not that we be helde vp we should continually be shakeÌ„ downe we should not neede any thing to turne vs aside from the right way from the certaintie of our faith For this cause therefore let vs marke well howe it is told vs heere that God in these Prophesies hath shewed vndoubtedly howe it was hee that was the guider of Moses and that he vsed his seruice in such wise as we may well say that we receiue his doctrine from God and that it is grounded vpon his vnchaungeable power y t it is the vnfallible truth And why For it was not inuented by man But nowe let vs come to the contents of this blessing It is said that Iosephs Land shal be blessed of God as well with the deaw from aboue as with fountaines and welsprings from beneath that is to say that God woulde so water the land both from aboue and beneath that it should be fat fruitefull Nowe here we see howe it is not for nought y t we be commaunded to seeke our dayly breade at Gods hande For howe commeth it to passe that y e earth bringeth forth fruites for our sustenance It is because God moysteneth it It is not said y t the earth hath substance in it self neither is it said that y e heauen or the fountaines do giue it simply of themselues but it is God that sendeth the deaw it is God that maketh the water springs to shead out so y t he is to haue the praise of all the substance which we haue whensoeuer we be fed and nourished therewith Ye see then how God hath such a care of our bodies and of this corruptible life that we cannot eate one bit of bread which commeth not from him of his meere liberality And indeede it standeth vs in hande to acquaint our selues well herewith For sith it is told vs y t we caÌ„not haue so much as one silie mite of these goods no not euen of these transitory goods but we must receiue it at gods hand What shal befal in the things y t are much more excellent If I want but a bit of breade I ought of duety to aske it of God to acknowledge y t it is his peculiar office to feede me And when y e case concerneth the attainmeÌ„t of y e heauenly life the euerlasting saluation shal I theÌ„ go seek it elsewhere thaÌ„ at Gods hand Or shall I thinke to haue it in my selfe What an ouerweening were that We see then how the bread and the bodily foode which is giuen vs ought to be as a meane to lift vs vp higher to make vs to thinke our selues beholden to God and to his bountifulnes for all y t we haue both of body and soule and all Marke that for one point Againe wheras in this place Ioseph is called A Nazarite among his brethren we see howe God bestoweth his gracious goodnes where hee listeth euen contrary to the opinion of men yea cleane contrary to al expectation Ioseph was indeede separated from his brothers yea and y t was as by being appointed vnto death they had conspired against him to kill him Gen. 37.18.24.28 And whereas he was yet saued it was but to bee cast into a pit and there to pyne away which was a crueller death than if they had cut his throte out of haÌ„d In the end the greatest fauour that hee founde was that he was sold into a barbarous nation to strange vnknowen persons Againe when hee came into Egypt he was thrust into the bottom of a dungeon Psa. 105.18 he was put into the stockes according to this saying of the Psalme y t the iron wounded him nipped him to the heart Yee see then how Ioseph is separated not only from his fathers house but also from y e whole worlde he is cut off from mankind as a dead person he is like to rot in a dungeon But God separated him after another maner in his wunderful couÌ„sel And therefore it is sayd that hee was as a starre which was to be worshipped of y e Sunne of the Moone and of all the rest of the stars Which was as much to say Gen. 37.5.9 as that all his house should stoope to him be subiect to him so as his sheafe should haue preheminence and all the other sheaues fall downe euen because god had decreed it in his own counsaile And so we see that when all the worlde thought to haue thrust Ioseph downe into the
and to serue him with the earnester good will and that by these transitorie benefites we may be put in minde to seeke all things in him which belong to y e heauenly life knowing that we shal be vtterly destitute barreine of them vntil he vouchesafe to impart them vnto vs at leastwise according to the measure portion of his meere goodnes because that wee on our side deserue not any thing at all That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of the earth c. On Fryday the iij. of Iuly 1556. The CXCVI. Sermon which is the sixth vpon the xxxiij Chapter 18 Also he saide of Zabulon Reioyce thou Zabulon in thy going out and thou Isachar in thy Tents 19 They shall call the people into the mountaine where they shall sacrifice the sacrifice of righteousnes For they shall sucke the abundance of the sea and the hidden treasures of the sand YEsterday in the blessing of Ioseph we saw how Moses referred all things to Gods grace which men are cōmonly wont to attribute vnto fortune And it is a doctrine well worthie to be marked because of our vnthankfulnes For vnlesse wee bee enforced to acknowledge Gods goodnes it shall alwayes lye buryed for vs and wee seeke things here belowe to busie our wits vpon in so much that when God shall haue giuen vs neuer so sufficient occasion to magnifie his grace yet do wee make none account of it Therefore it behooueth vs to be warned to lift vp our wits and mindes aloft that wee may doe homage vnto God for all the benefites which we receiue at his hand Also we haue to marke herein the thing that is set downe by Moses He sayeth that all the good which Ioseph and all his whole Image shall haue shall come of the free fauour of him which dwelt in the bush And no dout but that therby he meaneth God Why then doeth hee mention the bush here For at the first sight it seemeth a fond thing seruing to no purpose but to leade the ignorant and the weaklings into superstition We knowe that the holy scripture speaking of God sayth that hee dwelleth in heauen Psa. 115.3 oft elswhere Not that his maiestie is inclosed there for his beeing is infinite it contayneth all creatures as is sayde in other textes 2. Chro. 6.18 But this worde Heauen serueth to plucke vs from the worlde when wee thinke vppon God to the intent that when wee goe about to worship him wee imagine not any earthlinesse in him but consider that hee surmounteth all things and that wee ought to thinke of him farre otherwise than wee can conceiue Nowe seeing that the holy Scripture pitcheth Gods tent in heauen to the ende wee should be lifted vp aboue all the worlde aboue all creatures when wee thinke vppon him why doeth Moses in this place set him in the Bush It is because God had there shewed himselfe vnto him And it behooueth vs to note that ther are two dyuerse fashions of speaking in the holy scripture when God calleth vs vnto him Neuertheles this diuersitie is not to draw vs into contrary opinions they meete both in one As how Sometimes God sheweth vs what his glorie is to the intent wee shoulde bee fully resolued of this poynt that hee is incomprehensible and that wee ought to worship him with all humilitie that we must not looke to forge him after our fancie or to make him like to ourselues by transforming after our own imagination Therfore when the holy scripture setteth foorth Gods maiestie so high as we be abashed at it Esai 6.2 yea euen y e very Angels of heauen accordingly as it is said that the Cherubins hyde their faces because they cannot abyde to looke vppon the maiestie so great and infinite as it is in God therein it is shewed vs that wee must needes stoope vnder such greatnesse and highnesse But yet therewithall God considereth how it is for our benefite to haue some familiaritie with him thereupon he yeeldeth to our rudenesse and taketh vppon him as it were a newe shape howbeit not which is contrarie as I said afore but to the intent that wee shoulde not bee scared nor take occasion to shrink from him Now then he allureth vs gently and therwithal hee stopeth to vs maketh himself as it were meane vnto vs. And to that end haue the sacramentes bin referred at all times Like as at this day still in Baptisme we see the water and in the Lordes supper we see the bread the wine And what is the cause that our Lorde Iesus Christ Col. 1.15 2.9 who is the liuely image of God his father in whome dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the godhead bodily what is the cause say I that hee sheweth himselfe to vs in corruptible things and in the elements of the world It is for our infirmities sake because we cannot approch to his spiritual power That is the very cause why he figureth his graces vnder the visible elements in them ought we to behold the heauenly power of his holy spirite That is the seconde fashion which God vseth in reuealing himselfe vnto vs the which is answerable to our rudenesse But wee see howe hee shewed himselfe to the fathers of old time vnder certeine shapes As for example when he talked with Iacob in Bethel it was because Iacob needed such confirmation Gen. 28.13 True it is that he ceassed not to looke vp to heauen stil when he worshipped God But yet for all that he had the more familiar accesse vnto God by his comming downe so lowe at that time And for the same cause also when Iacob was to remoue from one place to another Gen. 35.3 he offered sacrifice to the God of Bethel Why to the God of Bethel Was there a God shut vp there No for we see that euen they which would needes make a God in Bethel Amos. 4.4 that is to say which would haue builded vp a temple there offered sacrifices there were abhominable vnto God Insomuch that God sayth that it is Bethauen the place of wickednes Osee. 4.15 and no more his house he forsaketh disclaimeth it vtterly euē because they abused the reuelation that was giuen to their father Iacob in that place As for Iacob he knewe howe to benefite himselfe by it For he knewe that God had not changed his nature ne was inclosed in any certaine place but that by that meane he meant to draw him vnto him familiarly Iacob then receiued the gage that was giuen vnto him to the intent it might be knowen that he worshipped not some God at aduenture as the Heathen did but that his faith was sure and vnfallible That is the cause why he expresly mentioneth Iacobs worshipping of the God of Bethel that is to say not a God which was vnknowen to him nor a God that was forged
Moses had laide his handes vppon him Heere againe the people are put in minde that God had not forsaken them though they were worthy of it And it is a very profitable lesson for vs to know that God gouerneth his Church and neuer forgetteth it For without that what faith coulde be in vs Wee shoulde bee as folke forlorne For as long as God gouerneth vs if wee rest vppon him wee boldly proceede and keepe on our course But if God withdrawe his hand and we perceiue not that hee guideth our steppes or that hee hath a care of vs and that we be vnder protection wo will be vnto vs and men are too dulheaded if they be not then vtterly dismayed Behold then our happinesse is to haue God to be our watchman and to be gouerned vnder his hand and protection Indeede hee appeareth not alwayes visiblie to shewe his presence but he giueth vs men to be the ministers of his grace True it is that at that time there were visible signes to shewe that he dwelt among his people Neuerthelesse as he had bin serued by Moses so was it his will that Iosua should succeede in his place And in that respect is it saide that hee was filled with the spirit of wisdome to doe vs to vnderstand that God hath alwayes shewed himselfe mercifull to his Church and that as a father hath a care of his children prouideth thē all things meete for them so God hath alwayes prouided aforehande for the necessities of his people This doctrine as I said doeth concerne vs also For wee haue a promise that God will neuer faile vs if wee be of his flocke and come to him to shrowd our selues vnder his wings that wee may be guided by him and we knowe hee hath giuen that office to our Lord Iesus Christ. And for the same cause also hee saieth to his disciples Matt. 28.20 that hee will bee with them to the worldes ende and that saying extendeth to the whole bodie of the Church Seeing then that our Lord Iesus Christ hath said that he will neuer bee separated from vs let vs knowe that in him wee haue God who will vtter forth all his power to maintaine vs But yet it is verie much that besides the promises we haue moreouer testimonies thereof so as hee pointeth vs with his finger to the thing performed as it is spoken of heere where wee reade that Iosua was filled with the spirite of wisedome For to what end was that done It happened not by chaunce neither had God regarde of Iosua alone but it was because he would shewe himselfe to bee the safetie of the Iewes We nowadayes are in the same taking For if they had abidden in Gods house we should haue bin ioyned w t thē And because they bee banished thence and cut off as rotten members we take their place as saith S. Paul Rom. 11.24 Now then let vs assure our selues that God will neuer suffer vs to want any thing requisite for our saluation but continually shew his loue and fauour towardes vs and prouide vs of the thinges that are for our behoofe if wee flee to him for refuge yea euen though wee bee not worthie thereof For as for this people we knowe what manner of folke they were and howe many faultes and offences they committed so as it had beene no wonder though God had vtterly destroyed them But nowe seeing hee prouided them of men that were fit and meete to defend them therby we perceiue that God stroue with his mercie against the malice of that people So then whensoeuer wee bee tempted to distrust because wee bee rebuked for our sinnes let vs resort to Gods mercie and pray him not to looke vppon our sinnes but to proceed continually in his goodnesse and fauour towardes vs whatsoeuer vnworthinesse there be in our persons Thus much concerning that point Heere is nowe a question that might be demaunded howe it is saide that when Moses had laide his hands vppon Iosua hee was filled with wisedome whether a mans handes haue that power or no No. but when the signe of a thing is spoken of wee must go to the thing it selfe Wee knowe that in all solemne blessings there was this signe of the Laying on of handes Nowe this was not an inuention fondly contriued after the manner of men which haue many Apes toyes but it was a recorde allowed of God as if an oblation had beene made of the partie that was so blessed When the holy Patriarks blessed their childrē it was as though they had giuen them assurance that the inheritance of saluation belonged vnto them that the promise should stand abide in full force to their posteritie Likewise at this day when a man selleth lande or house one putteth a fether into his hand and he deliuereth it ouer to the purchaser and in some countries the custome is that he which selleth any inheritance and maketh the surrender deliuereth a sticke or wand to the purchaser in token that he may thence forth possesse and inioy the same And euen after the same manner was it with this signe of laying on of handes For as I saide it was not a fonde and foolish deuice but it was Gods will that it should be a kinde of warranting to the intent that the faith of the fathers might be the better helped That is the cause then why it is saide in this place that God gaue the spirit of wisedome vnto Iosua because Moses had laid his hands vpon his head Nowe in so doing he inuested him in the charge that was committed vnto him Let vs nowe see first of all whether Moses chose Iosua vppon his owne heade or no. No but he knew him to be first chosen of God And afterward when he laide his handes vpon him did he attempt any thing vpon his own fancie No but contrariwise God only was the orderer or disposer thereof He knew that Iosua was to be set in his place And this is spoken not of that man onely Act. 19.6 but also when the Apostles did lay their hands vpon the faithfull by and by the gifts of the holy Ghost were made visible to the eye After that manner did the faithful receiue the gift of tongues y e interpretation of tongues the healing of diseases and the raising of the dead And how receiued they it They did but lay their hands vpon them Yea but had that Ceremonie such vertue No but because it was Gods will to haue his grace so declared that y e laying on of hands was as a gage of it it was not a vayne and vnprofitable thing And in that respect is it that saint Paul saith vnto Timothy That he should make the grace auailable which was giuen him by laying on of his hands 1. Tim. 3.14 Seeing it is so saieth hee looke that thou indeuour thy selfe to serue God and labour to builde vp the Church and that the grace of God which is giuen thee
and how 57. b 10 To what end Moses vsed the similitude of Bees 57. b 10 Beeing Of Gods Beeing what the same is and how we make him an idol 1156. a 60. b 10 What wee haue to marke concerning our Beeing at this day 1139. a 10.20 c. Of our Beeing as we are by nature and of our first beeing when God calleth vs to the knowledge of his truth 1138. b 20.30.40.50.60 Begotten That we are Begotten of God and sustained by the doctrine of the gospel 1133. a 40 Begger How the place in the olde Testament that there should be no Begger in Israell is to be vnderstoode 586 Beggers What may ensue if wee suffer Beggers to bee among vs. 586. a 10.20 Why it is a shame that among people that professe God there shoulde bee Beggers 586. a 10 That stout Beggers are to be reformed and why 586. b 50 Remedies to preuent the hauing of Beggers among vs. 586. a 40.50 b 50.60 Begging Begging nothing else but a nourishment of wicked rascalles 586. b 30 To forbidde Begging and to doe no Almes is to cut the throtes of them that be in neede 586. b 40 What inconuenience followeth where Begging is suffered 586. a all How Begging euen by the order of nature is alwaies to be condemned 586 a 10.20.30.40 Beleefe Wherein the Beleefe of men doth most shewe it selfe 350. b 60 c. 351 a 10 Looke Faith Beleeue Of this woorde Beleeue and what the same importeth 1064. b 10.20 The cause why so fewe Beleeue nowe a daies 423. b 10 Beleeuer How no man can call himselfe a Beleeuer 336. b 40 Looke faithfull Belles The reason why Aaron ware Belles vpon the skirtes of his garmentes 502 b 10 What deuotion the blinde Papistes thinke to be in ringing their Belles and how they imitate the Iewes 613 b 20 Belliegods The cruell and ouerfierce appetite of diuers Belliegods noted 560. b 50 60.561 a 10 Looke Drunkards and Gluttons Benefite God cannot abide that men should despise and refuse the Benefite that he offereth 71. b 60 Gods denying of vs our demandes is to our Benefite and howe 105. b 10.20 Who they be that will fullie refuse the Benefite that hee promiseth 55. a 10 What is the principall and chiefe Benefite that wee can receyue in this life 982. a 50.60 b 40.50.60 Benefites The cause why God bereaueth vs of his Benefites 621. a 40.50 The more benefites wee receiue at Gods hande the more hee bindeth vs vnto him 289. a 50 In what respect wee are saide to defile Gods Benefites 283. a 30 Spirituall Benefites belonging to the sauing of our soules whereof wee haue a portion alreadie 283. a 10 Of what thinges men must bee fullie perswaded or else they will neuer duelie perceyue themselues to bee bound to God for his Benefites 279. a 30 A supposed speech of Christ vpbrayding vs with the precious Benefites that he hath bestowed vpon vs and howe well wee rewarde him for the same 196. b 10.20.30.40.50 Howe we must bethinke our selues of all the Benefits whereby God hath bounde himselfe vnto vs. 186. a 40 50.60 b 10 In what sort and manner we deuour vp Gods Benefites 279. b 30.40 A recapitulation of the Benefites wherewith God hath blessed vs. 178. b 50.60 Howe long God will haue all his Benefites bestowed vpon vs to be linked together 170. a 30 Why wee ought to vse Gods Benefites well 152. b 50 Wee must possesse Gods Benefites in feare and carefulnesse 152. b 60 In what respect all Gods Benefites shall serue to our condemnation 149. a 10 If the vnbeleeuers bee to be condemned for abusing Gods Benefites woe to vs. 142. a 10 What we must doe to enioy Gods Benefits 46. a 40 What our behauiour must be when we passe through this worlde amiddes Gods Benefites 69. a 30 An examining of our selues what we become the better by Gods Benefits 456. b 10 A rehearsall of the singular Benefites that God bestowed on the Iewes in the wildernesse 458. a 50.60 Why God giueth vs his Benefites in full portion 326. a 10 Learne to knowe the lawefull vse of Gods Benefites Page 305. b 50 60 We must be mindfull of the Benefites which God hath done to our fathers although wee haue not seene them in our time 1115. a 60 That all the Benefites of God belonging to this transitorie life must serue vs for ladders to mount vpwarde and of their vse and end 950. b 30.40.50 A forme of acknowledging Gods Benefites deliuered to the Iewes and what we haue to learne therby 895. all 896. all 897. all That wee are vnable to receiue the fulnesse of gods Benefits and that hee distributeth them to vs by peece-meale and why 951. b 10 Why it behooued God to bestowe his Benefites more largelie on the Fathers that liued vnder the law than on vs. 951. a 30 Vnder this worde the land of Chanaan all the Benefits that God bestowed on his people were comprehended 551. b 10 In what respectes God will establish vs in the possession of his Benefites dispossesse vs of them 551. a 20.30.40 Touching the manifolde Benefites of almightie God the vse and abuse of them Read the Sermon 181. all through In what cases God casteth the Benefites which we haue receiued in our teeth 1111. b 50.60 1112. a 10 Why God lingereth the time to put vs in possession of his Benefites 506. b 10 A repetition of diuerse notable Benefits of GOD bestowed vppon the Iewes and of their ingratitude 1095 a all Wherein we do wickedly corrupt Gods Benefits 69. a 30 The great contrarietie betweene the wicked Iewes and Gods Benefites 46. a 30 What estimation wee must make of Gods Benefits 46. a 50 God is not like men in bestowing of his Benefits 39. a 40.50 In all the Benefits that we haue receiued of God wee must consider in what taking we had beene if we had gone without them 89. b 10.20.30.40 God must bee faine sometimes to cut vs off from his Benefites 103. b 10 We haue neede to be put in minde of Gods grace and Benefites and why 83. a 50.60 c. b 10 A rehearsall of Gods particular Benefites bestowed on the Iewes 65. b 40 What we must doe or else wee shall neuer make account of Gods Benefits 36. a 20 A consideration to be marked of Gods manifold Benefits 36. a 30.40 The Benefites of God quicklie forgotten 27. b 30 A notable record of Gods spirituall Benefits and what duetie we owe vnto him therefore 27. a 60. and b 10.20.30.40 Sundrie spirituall Benefits of God particularlie mentioned 36. a 30.40 Wee ought to make a rehearsall of Gods Benefites bestowed vppon vs and how 25. a 10.20 The often putting of vs in minde of Gods Benefits is no needles doctrine 17. a 30 The remembrance of Gods Benefites ought to prouoke vs to serue him continuallie the better 13. a 10.20 30 To what end the opening of Gods Benefits vnto vs doe tende 17. a 10.20 The Benefites of God
reserueth to his owne vengeance 633. a al. Faultes cannot bee punished among men vnles they come to knowledge 633. a 10 Against such as woulde not haue the Faultes committed against the first table punished 634. b 50.60 That all Faultes are willing and what is meant by the word willing 685. b 40 Of Faultes vnknowen and manifest howe the offenders are to be handled in both 700. a 20.30.40 In cases of lawe Faultes must be regarded as they be indeed Read y t place 708. a 10. Looke Offences and Sins Fauour What we must doe and not doe to find the Fauour of God 803. a 30. b 30. 448. a 10 The Moabites went about to winne Gods Fauour with monic 803. a 40.50 That we must take heede of turning Gods Fauour into a curse and how the same is doone 811. a 50.60 The Fauour that God hath shewed vs aboue others 146. b 10.20.30 Howe wee ought to bee affected vnto God the more Fauour that he sheweth vs. 178. a 60. b 10 Two pointes to be noted why God receiueth vs into Fauour 483. b 50 God ceased not to go through with his Fauour towardes the Iewes till hee had performed the promise that he made to their Fathers 169. b 10.20 If euer anie man obteined Fauour in Gods sight it was Moses and why 105. b 30 What we haue to learne when God taketh vs into Fâ—uour againe after we haue offended him 431. b 10 What we haue to doe when God sheweth vs Fauour aboue others 498. b 50.60 A viewe of Gods Fauour extended to our bodies our soules our Cattell whatsoeuer we possesse 326. a all Of the Fauour of God shewed in the scriptures and who they bee that profite but litle by the doctrine of the same 1024. a all What these wordes Nepthalin shall haue his fill of Gods Fauour doe meane 1226. al. To what end God giueth vs the tast of his Fauour 347. b 20.30 294. a 10.20 Gods Fauour likened to the fountaine his blessing to the conduite Pipe 1226. b 50.60 1227. a 10 What wee must doe if wee will prosper through Gods Fauour 627. a 50. Looke Grace Goodnesse and Loue. Fauourable To what ende Gods shewing of himselfe Fauourable vnto vs doth serue 465. a 40. Looke Mercifull Feare It is not possible for vs to Feare God vnlesse we loue him 435. a 10.20 358. a 40 Men cannot discharge their duetie towards their neighbours if they bee not leade by the Feare of God 212. b 10 Howe farre the Feare of Princes and Magistrates ought to extende 214. a 50.60 Of Feare of enemies Reade at large Page 712. b 40.50.60 and 713 all and the meane to ouercome it 714. b 60 The Feare that Achaz had of the kings of Syria and Israel his enemies 713. b 60. 714. a 10.20 To Feare God and not to forget him are two inseparable groundes 284. a 40.50 c. What consequentes the Feare of God bringeth with it 285. a 10.20 Howe from Feare submission to God doth proceede 284. a 60 Of the Feare of God which keepeth vs in due obedience 651. a 30.40 Ieremies wordes that we shoulde not bee in Feare of the signes of heauen explaned 669. a 10.20.30.40 and 668. b 10 Howe and in what sort God will haue vs to fight against al Feare 87. b 50.60 Why it is good reason and of our deseruing that God shoulde chastice vs by making vs to stande in Feare of men and other vnreasonable creatures 478. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 b all Howe and in what sorte manie men thinke they Feare God wel 128. b 10 20 Of profiting in the Feare of God and what this worde Feare importeth 128. b 10. 1131. b 10 With what kinde of Feare wee must feare God 434. b 40.50 and 186. a 20 The cause why God vpbraided the Iewes that they did neither loue him nor Feare him 185. b 40.50 Wee be vtterlie vnexcusable if wee doe not Feare God 186. a 10.20 Wee bee well fensed when God giueth vs men to guide vs in his Feare 145. a 10 That the reuerence which wee must doe to God must proceede from Feare 266. b 20 God warneth vs generallie to walke in Feare and why 174. b 20.30 A most pithie speech to strike Feare terrour into vs towardes God 191. a 30.40.50.60 b 10 By what Feare and terrour we must be first subdued before we can coÌ„ceiue Gods goodnesse 446. b 30. and howe the same feare must bee tempered ibidem 40 Of tvvo thinges which ought to teach vs to Feare God 458. a 30.40 How God will cast our dread and our Feare vpon our enimies 476. b all 477. a b all Why brute beastes stand in Feare of them vpon whome God hath printed his marke 478. b 40.50 A proofe of Gods promise that hee would cast a Feare vpon his peoples enemies 478. b 20.30.479 a 10.20 The Feare of God is no secret or idle thing and how it sheweth it self 266. b 50.60 Wherein men shew that they are void of Gods Feare 267. a 20 What blessings will follow vs if wee Feare God 325. b 50.60 To be in Feare of nothing is no vertue Read that place 335. b 20 Three reasons why the Israelites are exhorted not to stande in Feare of their enimies 334. b 30.40 The meaning of the wordes that God did Feare the prouocation of the enimies 1144. a 30.40.50.60 b all 1145. all Of a trembling Feare threatened to the despisers of God and what a sore and restles plague it is 1005. a all b 50.60.1010 all Of preuenting Gods iudgements by a willing Feare 1010. b 20.30 1011 a 30 That Feare is a good preparatiue which leadeth vs to the seruing of God as for example 962. b 30.40 None can discharge his duetie in gouerning a people vnlesse hee Feare God 15. b 50.60 All vertues in man without Gods Feare do turne to euill 15. b 50 The woorst temptations that can be to hinder the performance of our duetie springeth from Feare 20. a 10.50 What woulde make vs forget all Feare that hindereth vs in Gods affaires 74. b 40 In what respect we do wrong vnto God through Feare 74. b 20 S. Pauls meaning in warning vs to work our saluation with Feare trembling 75. a 40.50 A kind of Feare that is an exercise of our faith 335. b 50 Of slauish Feare which is inforced 358 a 40 Looke Terror Fearefull The cause why men be so Fearefull to do the things which belong to their office 1076. b 50.60 Wee be Fearefull of nature Looke to the doctrine there recorded 26. b 40.50.60 71. a 30.40 Wee must not be Fearefull where God will haue vs to be stout This concerneth doctrine false prophets 684. b all Two causes why the Fearefull were thought vnworthie to be in the host of God 720. a 10.40.50 Fearefulnesse Fearefulnes is a signe that wee haue no trust in God 720. a 10.20 Fearefulnes doeth commonly hinder men in doing their
What will make our Workes accepted at Gods hande 176. a 10 How we must profite our selues by all Gods Workes either heard or seene 161. a 50.60.159 a 60. b 50 What vices or defaultes are mingled with our best good Workes 301. b 10 The consequents of considering Gods Workes on the sunday 204. b 20.30 God hath set his marke vppon all his Workes and what wee are taught thereby 199. a 10.20.30 We must speake of God with all reuerence specially when his Workes come in talke Reade howe 198. b 40.50 To what ende Moses willed the Iewes to deeme well of Gods VVorkes 357. b 10 An examination eueÌ„ of our best Works proouing our guiltines before God 273. b 60 We must be content to see the outleets of Gods Works looke on that place 356. b 50 Gods Workes are incomprehensible what Iob saith of them 1143. a 50.60 b 10.20 A cauill of some which aske how Gods Workes can be perfect and why 1107 b 10.20 Working The manner of Gods Working in vs. 26. b 20.30.61 a 50. Looke Workes World What wee ought to doe in such and so manie disorders of the Worlde 64. b 50.30 a 40. b 10.31 b 20.30 Christ going out of Ierusalem bare the reproch and cursse of the whole World vpon him 30. a 40 We must forsake the World in general yea our selues too to follow Christ 30. all Poor Christians nowadayes counted as the ofscowring of the Worlde 30. a 30 The ende why wee be set and placed in this World 3. b 30.118 a all What would follow if we should fashion our selues after the World 517. b 40.50.518 a 10 The creation of the Worlde was not knowne euery where to all 161. a 20.30 Of such as settle themselues in this World as though they should neuer go out of it 409. b 10.20 The whole World is consecrated to the seruice of God at this day 280. a 20 All the World is full of error and diuellish imaginations 146. b 20 How God wil haue vs wayfare through this Worlde 53. a 40.140 b 20.409 b 10 The Worlde vseth the words Faith and Trust vnrightlie and how 87. a 60 Causes why the World goes astray is ill instructed 391. b 30.55 all In what wretchednesse wee are borne euen in respect of the Worlde 365. a 30.40 b 10 Why Moses saith wee must not be dismaied for any greatnes of the World 341. b 10 We must keepe on still our way in walking through this World read how 340. b 50.60 God hath iust reason to blinde all the World and why 81. a 40 Of playing the wise man according to the manner of the Worlde 76. a 20 What would become of it if God take all these away out of the World that are not worthie to liue in it 72. a 40 God will iudge the World according as he hath pronounced thereof how 64. b 40 Not the way of the World but the way shewed vs by Gods worde is to bee followed 47. a 10.30.46 b 60.48 a 10 We must condemne the whole Worlde as Noe did in his time 32. a 20.30 So long as we bee in this Worlde God gouerneth vs reade how 181. b 10 None of vs commeth into this Worlde by his owne power 280. a 10 Worship both true and false Of falsifying the worship of God and that such as do it are curssed 927. and 285. a 40.50.543 b 20.134 a 20.30.130 a 30.40.287 b 50.60 VVhat it is to Worship before the Lord God 900. b 10.20.30 VVe can neuer be at a stay vnlesse wee know well what God it is whom wee Worship 533. b 50 How it behooued the Iewes to haue resolued themselues in Gods Worship 508. b 50.60 Whereby we shewe that we neuer wiâ—â— what it is to Worship God 198. b 10 In what thing touching the Worship of God we differ from the Papistes and the Iewes 164. a 10.20.30 The common custome of the East countries to Worship the Sunne Moone and the Starres and why 139 a 10.20 A most forceable reason and persuasion to confirme vs in the true VVorship of God 148. b 40.50.60 149. a 10.285 a 10.20 VVhat they doe whom God hath chosen to be his people when they cast themselues downe and VVorship creatures 139. b 10 The proofe to know if we worship God with our hearts 212. a 20.30 960. a 50 60. b 10 VVhat we must doe if we will not Worship strange Gods 472. a 10.20 Of the true Worship of God and in what points the same consisteth 435. a 40.50.60 b 10.134 a 50.60.130 a 30.40.287 b 50.60.285 a all 269. a 30. 40.50.102 b. 40.187 b 10 Worshipping Of the true seruice or VVorshipping of God and howe charie God is ouer the same 627. b 20.30.40 The Israelites had neuer such lawlesse libertie but that they knewe which was the true way of VVorshipping God 501. a 60. b 20 Of VVorshipping God after our owne deuise and how he detesteth it 472. a 10.20 Of Iacobs Worshipping of the God of Bethell 1216. a 40.50.60 b 10. Looke Seruing of God Worshipped The meanes which Sathan hath deuised to make the rellikes of holy men and women to be Worshipped 1239. b al. 1240. a 10 Whâ—â— our endeuour ought to bee that God may be vniuersally perpetually Worshipped 267. a 40.50.60 b 10 Worthinesse A view taken of our owne estate by way of comparison to shewe what Worthines there is in vs that God should fauour and loue vs. 437. b 20.30.40 Diuerse reasons demonstratiue that in vs there is no Worthinesse of saluation or any spirituall benefite 421. a 20.30.40 c. 378. a all No Worthines at all in the Iewes why God shoulde choose them to bee his people c. 40â— a 30.40.50.60 b 10 Wrath. Dreadful examples of Gods wrath vpoÌ„ mightie people 1040. al. 1041. a 1037 b 30. Against what kinde of sinnerâ— it will neuer be pacified 1037. b 10.990 b 30.975 b 50.60.150 b 10. How slender we thinke of it and that the feeling thereof shoulde so vex vs as if hell were open before vs. 989 b 50. The remedie which God giueth vs to preueÌ„t it 969. a 50.57 a 50.60 God sheweth tokens of it when warâ—es are towards in the world 968. b 30.40 God will make it felt euen in the bodies of theÌ„ that be dead 969. b 30.40 Why the holy scripture attributeth Wrath anger c. to God seeing hee is subiect to no such affection 189. a 30.40 Why Moses hath restrained it to three or foure generations 193. a 10.20 What wee haue to learne in y t God compareth it with his mercie 192. b 50.60 Howe we be afflicted when we are told of it 156. a 10. What it was that preserued the Iewes from feeling thereof with the heathen 118. a 10. Our prayers be as it were restraints thereof 394. b 50.395 a 10. A description thereof and whereunto it is compared 1139. b 10.20.40.50 The manifolde meanes that the Iewes vsed to prouoke Gods Wrath.