Cities are great and walled vp to the skie And moreouer we haue seene there the sonnes of the Enakims HEre Moses bringeth to their remembrance the things that are conteined in the xiij Chapter of the Booke of Nombers â—um 13.2 howbeit that there seemeth to bee some diuersitie at the first blush For there he declareth that such as should haue espied out the land were sent by the expresse commaundement of God and here he maketh no mention of it but saieth it was done at the request of the people Now these two things may very well agree that is to wit that the people should desire to haue the enteraunce into the land knowen before they went any further and also that God should allow that desire yea or rather euen preuent it accordingly as wee knowe that in all thinges he guided this people with a passing fatherly care as shall bee shewed in the next Lecture Therefore there is no inconuenience in it that God to shewe the people what care he had to guide them should appoint spies to be sent and that therewithall the people also on their part should require it So then we see still that God bare with the people when he graunted to send men to spie out the land And let vs marke that it was a condemning of the people when the thing that should haue bene to their helpe and furtherance did plucke them backe And it is not reported alonely of those whome Moses speakes off to the intent that wee should blame them but they bee set forth as an example and looking glasse for vs to see our selues in and to fare the better by it If God beare with vs and giue vs meanes conuenient for our infirmitie let vs apply them to our vse let them stirre vs vp to obey him and let vs not in any wise be hindred by them This say I is the thing that wee haue to marke But the chiefe point is this that Moses addeth namely â—â—m 13.31 14.6 That the spies brought worde againe that the land was good and that the people would not beleeue it but were disobedient to the mouth of God It should seeme that Moses rehearseth not the storie as it is conteined in the place before alledged For there it is said that of the twelue which were sent there were but two that hartened the people to enter into the land that was promised them and that the other ten laboured as much as they could to discourage those which were not verie well disposed of themselues Seeing it is so why doeth Moses say here that the spies reported it to be a good land as though they had incouraged the people to does as God had commaunded them Wee haue to marke here that Moses hath not an eye to the greater nomber nor to the multitude but to the better sort of them Although then that there was no moe but Caleb the sonne of Iephonee and Iosua the sonne of Nun that made good report and traueiled to make the people to obey God yet are they preferred at Gods hand Thus ye see that God esteemeth more of the sixth part than of all the rest And it is a verie notable point as whereof wee may gather verie good and profitable doctrine For anon Moses will adde that the greater part of those that were sent to spie out the land saide that the Cities were great and walled vp to the skie But as now he speakes but of the two that discharged their duetie Wee see then that whensoeuer the greater multitude of men inclineth vnto euill we must let them alone as though they were nothing worth They bee not worthie to come in account and wee must rather holde with a handfull of men whom wee see to teache vs faithfully and to giue vs good counsell I say wee must rather followe one or two such and let a hundred yea a thousand others goe than cast our selues into confusion with the greater multitude And if euer this were needfull it is needfull now in our time For on the one side wee see how all thinges are turned vpside downe in the worlde superstitions are so great and vnmeasurable as is pitie to see If wee should frame our life to the common trade what a thing were it For all is infected with robberie deceite crueltie treason blasphemie contempt of God drunkennesse whoredome pride and loosenesse Nowe then whosoeuer fashioneth himselfe to the custome of men must forsake God and withdrawe himselfe from all goodnesse he must giue himselfe to all lewdnesse and plundge himselfe into all wickednesse Lo to what point wee bee come What is to be done then Let vs learne to looke vpon such as are able to guide vs aright though they be but fewe in nomber and let vs not be caried away by the greater multitude For it wil not serue to shield vs before God it will not serue to lessen or to mitigate our fault If we say euery maÌ„ did so when I saw such a nomber of men followe that trade I put my selfe in companie with them to my seeming y e thing that was so commonly vsed could not bee but lawfull the alledging of such fond excuses will stand vs in no stead for we shall win nothing by them as I saide afore And therefore let vs follow those to whom God hath giuen the grace to shew vs y e right way Though there be but three or foure of them let vs esteem them no lesse than if they were an hundred thousand For God passeth not for the greatnesse of the multitude as it is said alreadie Againe on the other side as concerning Religion are they that sticke to the purenesse of the Gospell moe in nomber than the Papists Turkes and heathen men No surely Insomuch that if wee bee compared but with the Iewes which are a cursed ofscouring whom God hath so rooted out as there remaine verie fewe of them yet notwithstanding the Christians which are willing to giue themselues simply to the seruing of God according to his word are so fewe in nomber as the other may farre passe them What would become of vs then if wee shoulde followe the greater nomber And yet wee see howe a great sort of ignoraunt folkes doe take vpon them to say Tush as for them that take vpon them to alter Religion they bee but a verie small nomber and are they wiser than all the world beside Thus you see how most men gase vpon themselves and cast a stop in their owne way to barre themselues from comming to Gods trueth And what is the cause thereof Euen their blearing of their owne eyes by gasing vpon the greater multitude which goeth to destruction But contrariwise let vs condemne the whole world as Noe was faine to doe in his time And that condemning of his was not in vaine for he and his houshold were saued by it And although they were not aboue eight persons in all yet durst they set themselues against
against God And so fareth it commonly with vs. Wherefore if wee iudge of our neighbours let vs not doe it vpon our owne braine but let vs giue that authoritie vnto God without replying against his worde so as if he allow of any thing wee receiue it immediately for wee must haue this modestie of ruling our selues in all cases according to his good will And therewithall if God now and then doe thinges which seeme ouer rigorous yea and euen doe touch our selues very neere let vs stoope to them As for example if wee be afflicted out of measure to our own seeming yet must we not murmur nor fret at it For in good sooth what shall wee gaine by it It will turne to our dubble confusion Nay let vs pray God to frame vs to such obedience as wee may patiently receiue y e afflictions that he sendeth vs in such wise as the thinges which seeme straunge to our owne appetites affections and thoughtes may bee deemed of vs to bee good iust and rightfull bicause he willeth them That is the point which wee must come vnto To bee short let vs learne not to bee wise in our owne conceite nor to giue head to our affections for those two things are requisite if we intēd to glorifie God in all his doings Nowe here is also that which Moses addeth concerning the Cities and the greatnesse of them and concerning the Countrie and the great strength of Og King of Basan Wee tooke saieth he threescore Cities which were very well fortified and furnished in such wise as there was no likelyhood that they should haue bene easily taken Moses addeth these circumstaunces of purpose to magnifie Gods grace the more that the people might perceiue y t their strength came not flying in the aire but that it was GOD that gaue it them And that is a point well worthie to bee noted For if it bee to vaunt of our owne prowesse we can skill well ynough to gather the thinges that may serue for the purpose O say wee I had such a thing and such a thing I haue compassed my matters trimly such a crink was practised against mee a great way off and I remedied it with such a shift See my cunning see my policie there were such matches and such against me but I shifted well ynough with them all so as I dispatched them euerychone and mine enemies wonne nothing at my hand To bee short wee can skill to alledge all things that may giue a faire glosse and showe to our owne vertues But if it bee to glorifie God for the reliefe that wee haue had at his hand wee runne ouer it as it were vpon hotte coales as they say wee remember not the distresse that wee were in the daunger that wee bee scaped out of seemeth to bee a thing of nothing See what our lewdnesse is So much the more therefore doeth it stand vs on hand to mark what is told vs here that is to wit that in all the benefites which wee haue receiued of God we must consider in what taking wee had bene if wee had gone without them and wee shall haue matter good store wherewith to doe that if we be not wilfully blind as wee are wont to bee For was not the least daunger that euer we fell into ynough to abash vs But when a thing toucheth vs any thing neere ye shall see vs as sore dismaied as may be In deede if wee bee once out of it it is nothing with vs but that is for want of minding it Yet notwithstanding if wee see but a mote or a flie whisking by our eyes by and by wee bee dazeled But yet for all this out of howe great things doeth God deliuer vs He will suffer vs to goe downe as it were into our graue and to be there as it were in a gulfe of death so as which way soeuer we looke we shal finde no way to scape out at so deepely shall wee bee sunk therein And to what ende Euen to the ende that God may make vs perceiue his power the better when it pleaseth him to succour vs. So then wee haue matter ynough and ynough to giue glosse vnto Gods grace if wee bee not minded to shut our eyes maliciously of set purpose or to thrust the things vnderfoote which are too too manifest and apparant Therefore let vs put this doctrine in vre which is shewed vs here by Moses that is to wit that God will giue vs incredible victories as he doeth alreadie and that when wee haue them wee must bethinke vs thus Goe to came this of our owne policie came this of our owne strength No it is God that hath done it For when wee haue well examined all that is in vs wee shall finde our selues to come shorte in all pointes and that euen from the one ende to the other our Lorde must bee faine to doe all in man And looke what Moses reporteth here concerning the bodily enemies of the children of Israel as in respect of the power of this world that must wee apply to the power of Satan and to all the shiftes that he hath against vs. If wee haue that discretion with vs then shall we haue wherefore to magnifie Gods grace towardes vs if wee consider well whence wee bee deliuered that is to wit out of the pit of hell For which of vs was able to breake the barres and bondes of Satan which of vs was able to abolish the souereigntie of death It stoode vs on hand that God should worke there Nowe it is so that we were all shut vp in the bondage of sinne Ro. 3.9 5.12 and consequently that death reigned ouer vs. Satan had possession of vs so as none of vs could scape frō him Wee could stirre neither arme nor legge but it was to thrust our selues still further and to sinke our selues still deeper Seeing it is so let vs vnderstand Eph. 2.3 that when God brought vs out of the curse wherein all of vs are by nature it must needes be that his meere grace wrought in that behalfe And that is moe times than once as Moses speaketh here of the threescore Cities Wherefore let vs vnderstande that as soone as we be come to the end of one battell strait ways wee must enter into another God helpeth vs to day and if he hold not on dayly yea if he make vs not to feele his ayde euerye minute of an houre what will become of vs If wee had had a thousād victories yet were one assault ynough to ouerthrowe vs. Therefore let vs learne to magnifie Gods grace towardes vs. And herewithall let vs marke also that Moses speaking here of the strength of Og King of Basan saieth Behold he had a bed like a Giant and againe he saieth that he came of the race of the Rephaims Which serueth to shewe more and more that the people were as a sheepe in a Wolues mouth And if it were so with them at that time what
were fed with manna from heauen and whereas they sawe the clowd vpon the tabernacle which was a token of Gods presence maiestie should they not haue concluded that God bare rule ouer them and shewed himselfe to be their guide yes and yet for all that Moses beholding the hardheartednesse of the people thought it not enough to tell them of the thinges which were seene at that time but also alledged the promise that had beene made fowre hundred yeeres afore Behold sayth hee the Lorde thy GOD will bring thee into the land of Chanaan If thou aske what proofe thou hast that it is Gods handâ— thou needest no long disputing of the matter thou knowest what promise was made thereof This heritage theÌ„ was assigned vnto you aforehand by the free goodnesse of your God euen before you were borne If God had giuen this land simply to the people of Israell without promising of it before it had bin somewhat the darke somer But seeing that GOD made an agreement and as it were a solemne league with Abraham saying this is the signe that I enter into couenant with thee and with thine ofspring this day namely that thou shalt inherite this land howbeit that shall not bee presently but thou thy selfe must liue and dye there as a straunger and also they that come of thee and their ofspring lykewise must bee soiourners in a straunge lande and bee there vexed and greeued with continuall tyrannie neuerthelesse they shall returne thence at the end of foure hundred yeeres and then will I performe my promise Doth it not appeare by these sayinges that God wrought in that behalfe Should any further proofe be sought therof may not euen blinde folkes feele it with their hands We see then for what purpose Moses alledgeth here y e promise y t had bin made to Abraham Isaac Iacob yea and Gods rehearsing of his promise againe was a larger proofe thereof so as the thing became the better knowen and of more authoritie In deede the people are also put in minde therewithall that this inheritance befell them not by their owne policie Psal. 44.4 nor for any worthynesse that was in themselues nor was conquered by their own power or strength but was giuen them freely of God so as it behoued them to acknowledge that they had receiued it and that their possessing of it was not as though they had obteined it by their owne power The Lord sayth hee promised you this land At what time when none of them was yet borne or bred Then coulde they not haue earned or deserued aught And therfore it behoued them to acknowlege that Gods onely free gift was the cause of it and that they obteyned not any thing but through his freebestowed mercie because it pleased him so to doe For men will neuer sufficiently perceiue themselues bound vnto God vntill they bee vtterly bereft of all their merites and that it bee shewed them that they haue not any thing of their owne to bring but that it is God which doth all not of duetie but of good will Men must bee fully perswaded of that or else they will neuer duely perceiue themselues to bee bound vnto God And whereas Moses speaketh afterward of the great and goodly Cities of howses full of gooddes of vineyardes oliuegardens and of all other commodities it is to make the people to vnderstand the better that God delt not nigardly with them but had powred forth his tresures to the intent that they should be the more prouoked to serue him And that is another point well worthie to bee marked For so long as God dealeth with vs but after the ordinarie maner wee will not perceiue that he is willing to bee our father because wee consider but the order of nature and stand musing therupon That then was the cause why God voutsafed to adde the full measure of all liberalitie by handling his people as is shewed here so as hee gaue them not a meane land that was neither barrein nor abundant of which sort some are to bee found but hee gaue them faire and strong cities houses throughly furnished and groundes throughly manured Seeing it is so the people ought to haue bin the more prouoked to acknowledge that seeing God had shewed himselfe so bountifull it became not them to fall a sleepe but to knowe him to whom they were so greatly bound And it is sayd expressely heere that the people should possesse the thinges which they had not made or gotten to themselues There is not any thing of thine owne labor sayth hee Diddest thou build the houses wherein thou dwellest or shalt dwel For hee speaketh here of the time to come When yee come into the land yee shall finde fayre houses and that of other mens building ye shall finde all maner of housholde stuffe and necessaries ready made yee shall finde vineyardes and Oliuegardens throughly planted ye shall want nothing yee shall finde welles ready digged for that land had not water at will We know what payne and distresse the holy fathers were driuen vnto onely to haue water for themselues and their caâ—tell Gen. 21.25 26.19.20.21.22.32 namely how they were driuen from place to place yea and that not for any pretious thinges but when they digged some poore pitte their neighbors came and draue them from it Not without cause therefore is here expresse mention made of pittes or welles to shewe that the people should finde all commodities there without the putting too of one finger to take any paynes for them And therefore hee addeth take good heede that thou forget not the Lord thy God when thou art full This is the chiefe matter which we haue to wey For Moses doth vs to vnderstand that meÌ„ are a kin to restie horses if they be ouerpampered they fall to kicking and will not be handled nor ordered any more and this similitude is set downe more expressely in the two and thirtith chapter Deut. 32.15 But in this place hee sheweth playnely that ouermuch ease is the cause of wilfull stubbornnesse so that if God hath once pampered vs wee forget him and play the drunkardes so as we cannot order our selues in such wise in the inioying of the benefites which hee bestoweth vppon vs as to yeelde him thaÌ„ks for them and to serue him the more effectually but contrariwise we deuoure them vp with such greedinesse and excesse as our nature becommeth vtterly brutish and God hath no more authoritie ouer vs but wee beare our selues in hand that wee could well enough forbeare him Yee see then that men become brutish through pleasures and abundance of wealth And that is the thing which Moses hath noted here in saying take good heede that thou forget not the Lorde God when thou art full Finally hee concludeth that wee must feare God and honor him and sake him for our GOD which thing he betokeneth by this word Sweare For wheras y e people are commanded to sweare by
seruant Abraham But what He refused the tribes of Manasses and Ephraim Psal 〈…〉 and rested not there but choose the Tribe of Iuda And why because it pleased him If a man shoulde looke vppon the outwarde apparance it is wel knowen that the kingdome of Israell was farre greater than the kingdom of Iuda True it is that in king Dauids time they were all one kingdome but when the people fell away then the Tribe of Ephraim became of greatest honour among them but yet for all that God reserued this dignitie to the citie of Ierusalem and to mount Sion that hee woulde be worshipped there Sith it is so let vs vnderstande that to serue GOD aright men must vncase themselues of al pride so as they seeke not to aduaunce themselues but submit themselues wholy to Gods wil without regarding to bee honoured aboue others after the ambitious manner of the Papistes which striue who shall goe foremost to the offering They pretend to doe it of deuotion but indeed they doe it of diuelish pride And therefore if we wil haue God to accept our seruice let vs learne to come vnto him with humilitie and not to turne our tayles to our neighbours if god vouchsafe to endue any others with greater grace than our selues wee must not spyte them for it as wee be warned of it Wee see that God distributeth his giftes more vnto one than vnto another What is nowe to bee doone shoulde wee haue spite at it Shoulde wee gase aboute vs howe to make our selues iolie fellowes Alas wee doe but wander away from GOD when we steppe foorth to aduaunce our selues before men Therefore let vs proceede with all lowlinesse and not bee so fondly and wickedlie disposed as to haue a will to bee preferred before our neighbours And so we see what Moses meant to expresse here in saying God wil choose him out some one certaine place from among thy tribes and let it not greeue them that are put backe from it For why If it bee Gods will to humble them they shall gayne nothing by their comming to rushe against him And therfore let euery man holde himselfe contented with his degree and measure and let him that is little holde himselfe contented with his littlenesse And nowe hee addeth expressely also that God will choose a place to put his name in Whereby he meaneth that he is not to be inclosed in it as in respect of his substance For as I haue declared afore there are alwayes two thinges which it behooueth vs to marke well When we haue an outwarde order or forme of seruing God wee muste obserue two thinges therein The one is that forasmuch as God seeth vs to be rude and earthly hee stoopeth vnto vs and pleasureth vs so far as to giue vs things fit for vs. As for example when wee in praying doe vse these ceremonies of kneeling down of putting off our cappes and lifting vp our handes wherfore doe we so It is not for that GOD hath neede of it for his part but for our owne weakenesse sake Because we bee ouer grosse we bee faine to be exercised after that fashion After the same manner wee haue Baptisme and the Lords holy Supper all which thinges are for the weakenes of our nature And so ye see that that is one thing which wee haue to marke on our part But when as God beareth with vs after that fashion let vs beware that wee surmise him not to be like our selues or that wee thinke him not to behaue himselfe after our lust For men are alwayes in daunger of falling into that extremitie The thing then in effect which Moses ment to say is this The Lord will choose him a place to set his sanctuarie in there will he haue you to worshippe him there will he haue you to offer your sacrifices to him thither will hee haue you to bring your oblations there will he haue you to honor him w t your persons goods protesting your selues to bee wholy at his deuotion But yet must you not thinke that your God is come downe from heauen and shut vp in a cofer or chest You must not thinke that he fitteth betweene Cherubins after the manner of men but that it is ynough for you that his name is there that is to say that he giueth you some token of his presence and power to the intent yee may be sure that he will heare all our prayers and be mercifull to you And yet for all that hee filleth heauen and earth howsoeuer the worlde goe Therefore ye must not fall to shutting vp of the infinite maiestie and substance of your God into a corner or into a material corruptible Temple Beware of such superstition and be contented with the hauing of his name that is to say y t your God is there called vpon that his Law is there preached to you that his promises are there set before you that you be grounded vpon his grace that you neede not to doubt but that he is your father and Sauior that you may boldly sue vnto him and that you be sure he is ready to receiue your requests That is the intent why your God is minded to be among you Of this place we haue a good lesson to gather which is that seeing God hath ordeyned means agreable to our infirmitie to serue him withall we ought to vse them according to this saying thou shalt seeke out that place For Moses hauing warned the Iewes of their rudenesse commaundeth thē to benefite themselues by such meanes as the Lord teacheth them that is to wit by the ceremonies which he would giue them Noweadayes we haue not the like ceremonies to those that were vnder the lawe But yet doth our Lord beare with vs also so farre foorth as hee seeth it requisite and giueth vs such ceremonies as are meet for vs in respect wherof we haue the meetinges that are made among vs as I haue saide afore And why To the end that Gods worde should be preached to vs that we shoulde make cōmon prayers as it were with one mouth that we should confesse our faith and christendome together and that y e Sacramentes should be ministred in the companie of the faithful Seeing y t our Lord giueth vs such meanes it behoueth vs to vse them For whosoeuer despiseth thē mocketh God openly Let vs marke wel that whatsoeuer our Lord hath ordeined for our behoofe we must receiue it be diligent to strengthen our faith therby dayly more more For if I thinke my self to be so perfect y t I passe not to come at y e Church there to benefit my self with others it is a diuelishe ouerweening and it were better for me that I were some poore begger that had neither witte nor vnderstanding so as in the meane while I knewe mine owne pouertie than to be so high minded For it is the next way to cast me downe to the bottome of hell when I will needes exempt my selfe
twentith chapter of Iosua Neuerthelesse vntill such time as the people were in full and peaceable possession of the land Gods will was that they should appoint out but three Cities of refuge for all such to flee vnto as had committed any manslaughter by chaunce meddely as they call it Notwithstanding least any man should abuse that priuiledge hee addeth what maner of mansleaers shoulde haue protection thereby Such sayth he as haue killed their neighbours vnwittingly and thereof hee alledgeth an example If a man goe to fell timber and the Axe slippeth out of his hand and hitteth one so as hee dye forasmuch as the man purposed not to doe any such deede hee may flee and haue himselfe in one of those Cities Now wee must marke that it was not enough for a man to protect that he had done it but by mischance but it behooued him to haue it well proued Luk. 22.35 so as the partie that was to inioy the priuiledge should bee worthie of it and the matter well knowen and the trueth of al thinges tryed out how the case stood by iust examination and specially that there had bin no hatred betweene the parties aforetimes so as it might appeare that there was none other cause of the committing of the slaughter than Gods only determination without any act done on mans behalfe otherwise than of minde to doe well And the mansleaer that was able to prooue this should flee to one of those Cities and there tary till the death of the high Priest and then hee was to returne home againe because in that while the heartburning of the deadmans kinsemen might bee appeased And hereby God sheweth first how greatly he would haue vs to abhorre the shedding of mans bloud and it is a point which we ought to marke well For thereby we perceiue what loue he beareth vs in that our lyfe is so deare vnto him and that he is so charie of it If God made no more account of vs thaÌ„ he doth of the brute beastes hee would not set so much store by our lyues Therefore must wee needes conclude that he loueth vs with a fatherly loue seeing our lyfe is so pretious to him Besides this euery of vs ought to take knowledge hereby of his own duetie for wee cannot doe any outrage or violence to our neighbor but we must offend God deadly And not without cause For in so doing wee deface his image as is sayd in the ninth of Genesis Gen. 9.6 Forasmuch as God hath printed his image in men whosoeuer hurteth his neighbor malitiously spiteth God to the vttermost of his power And so are wee warned to absteine from all euill dooing and to liue in such sorte among men as no man bee hurt by vs. And in deede we see that the manslaughters which are committed euen of necessitie cary with them neuerthelesse a kinde of defiling As for example when enemies are slayne in battel 1. Chron. 22 8. 28.3 although the thing bee lawefull yet doth God say that it is a defiling of mens handes Not that hee imputeth it for a crime but to the intent that the man which is constreined to fight against his enemies should bee sory to see the order of nature so troubled by reason of mens sinnes that whereas wee ought to bee as brethren and to acknowledge our owne fleshe in euery man that is made after our owne lykenesse yet notwithstanding wee be driuen to destroy them after that fashion Yee see then how that euen in the time of warre he y t putteth on armour against his enemies ought to doe it being sorie in his heart and to bethinke himselfe that such outrage happeneth not but through the great leawdnesse of men The meaning of all this is that wee should liue quietly and euery man indeuour to maintein peace and concord and haue our handes tyed for committing of any euill deedes And wheras God declareth how greatly manslaughter displeaseth him let vs marke that as saith Saint Iohn before him all maner of hatred is accounted for murther 1. Iohn 3.15 Then ought we to eschewe all wrong dealing that may be done against men for if wee haue any rancor or enmitie towardes them in our hartes wee be guiltie of murther alreadie afore GOD. Marke that for one point But here our Lorde acquitteth the partie that shall haue slayne a man vnwittingly Behold saith hee there shall no iudgement of death passe vppon such a man for there is none offence in him Seeing that the heauenly Iudge hath pronounced such sentence what creature dareth reply against it Yee see then that such a one is guitlesse and so declared to bee before God Yet notwithstanding hee must bee faine to forsake his owne house and inheritance and go dwell in a strange place and suffer many incommodities And why doth God vexe him so sith he findeth him guiltlesse Hee sheweth vs that although the partie be faultlesse yet is it done for examples sake to the ende wee shoulde not admit any murderers among vs but punish them as grieuously as may bee and vtterly abhorre them That is the cause why the partie that offendeth vnwittingly shall neuerthelesse abide some punishment and become as a man that is put to his penance to the intent that hee may humble himself and acknowledge in this wise Truely I meant not to doe any harme and this mischaunce is befalne mee vnwittingly whereby God warneth mee that I haue great neede to pray him to rule both my handes and my feete And moreouer forasmuch as mans bloude hath bin shed by me although there were none euil meant on my part yet must I bee sorie for it and beare in minde that our Lorde maketh such account of mans lyfe as he wil haue it alwayes to bee had in estimation of vs. Let that serue for one point concerning this lawe And nowe for the second poynt Our Lord sheweth vs that wee ought to preuent all daungers and occasions in respect whereof hee addeth that the mansleaer shal flee to one of those Cities And why For feare least any of the dead mans kinsemen being moued to wrath shoulde reuenge his neighbors death and so shoulde the mischiefe bee dubbled Now then to auoyd this inconuenience There must be Townes appointed for refuge And hereby wee see that as I sayd afore the Lorde will not haue vs to tary till the mischiefe light vpon vs but hee will haue vs to take the remedie of it It might so fall out that some kinseman of the deadmans being angrie with the matter would say hee hath slayne my cousin or my brother and thereupon come running vppon the innocent partie in his rage and kill him whereby the land should haue bin defiled with bloud Therefore Gods will is that the partie which hath committed manslaughter should get him out of the â—ight of those that might bee stirred vp to anger against him But it is certeine that hee coulde not excuse himselfe which
our selues in hande that God ought not to require it at our handes but heere wee see the contrarie Let vs marke well then that to the vttermost of our power wee must set our â—elues in defence of the innocents so as they may not bee vexed fleeced or troubled not might bee suffered to ouercome right as they say Let euery of vs in his degree looke to the remedying hereof Let such as haue the sworde of iustice shewe themselues stout in this case and not suffer disorder to haue full scope And as for those that are not of abilitie let them yet at leastwise doe the best they can to comfort such as haue no bodye to vpholde them And when wee see these lustie gallantes steppe vp and take more vppon them than is lawfull let vs become their enemies let vs hinder their misdealings and let vs withstand them That is the thing which we be bounde vnto by Gods worde otherwise wee shall bee helde as accessaries to their misdoings If wee haue not preuented them it is a consenting to them and God must demaund an account of it at our hands Heere it is to be noted further that whereas God saieth that the people of Israel shall adde three other Cities of refuge after that their boundes are inlarged thereby wee bee done to vnderstande that the more power and abilitie that GOD giueth vs the more are wee bounde to imploy it to comfort innocentes and to succour them at their neede And this ought to be put in vre generally by all men of authoritie and gouernours The more power then that a Magistrate hath the more ought hee to thinke himselfe bounde to maintaine the good and guiltlesse vnder his protection and to bee a help to them that they be not trobled Ofttimes hee that woulde releeue good men is not able yea and peraduenture he himself also shal be oppressed In such cases we must haue recourse vnto God bow down our sholders tarying till he haue pitie vppon vs and in the meane while we must arme our selues with patience But when a man is armed with Gods power then it shall not be ynough for him to mislike of thinges and to bee somewhat sorie for them but hee must also imploy the authoritie that God giueth him and the same rule ought to be obserued of euery of vs particularly To be short forasmuch as God giueth power to Kings Princes and all other Magistrates they ought to imploy all that euer they haue to the defence of those whome God hath committed to their charge and to deale in such sort as their subiects be not wrongfully molested Lo heere a rule that concerneth such as haue the sworde of iustice in their hand Neuerthelesse it behoueth euery of vs to follow the same order And although we be not armed with the sworde of Iustice yet notwithstanding if God giue vs any abilitie or opportunitie let vs looke to it that we help the good and succour them in their neede Therefore if a rich man see a poore man suffer wrong let him helpe him and releeue him If a man of discretion see a poore man destitute of counsell so as he knoweth not what to doe let him giue him his aduise as the case serueth If a man haue credit whereby he may deliuer them that are in distresse let him likewise imploy it for his part Thus yee see howe wee ought to put this saying in vre When God shall haue inlarged thy bounds then shalt thou adde three Cities moe Yee see heere howe our Lorde measureth his ordinance for the releef of good men and of such as were in daunger without deseruing it or without any gilt Therefore his will is to haue the thing doubled which he had ordeined for their reliefe And why so It is to doe vs to vnderstande that the mo benefites we haue receiued at Gods hande the more are wee bound and indetted both to God and to our neighbours But nowe let vs come to that which Moses interlaceth heere insomuch as thou shalt obserue all these thinges which I commaunde thee to loue the Lorde thy God to keepe all his commaundements and to walke in his feare Heere hee maketh as yee would say a kinde of coniuratioÌ„ as if he should adiure the people after this manner Looke wel to this commaundement that yee despise it not if yee loue the Lorde your God and seeke to obey him As if hee shoulde say In deede a man woulde thinke at the first sight that this were nothing but be you sure that your God wil haue you to obserue such humanitie diligently And therein hee trieth whether yee bee louing and obedient vnto him or no. To bee short Moses meant to shewe heere that this commaundement is of greate importance before God to the intent that men shoulde not despise it And heerewithall wee haue to marke that wee cannot omitte any of the thinges that God commaundeth without doing wrong to the Lawmaker for it is an imbasing of his authoritie And for that cause is it saide that hee which despiseth any of the least thinges that are conteined in the Lawe Mâ—â— 5.19 and imbreweth men with the like contempt shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen that is to say shall be vtterly shaken off Our Lorde then wil haue vs to reuerence his Lawe and to obserue it without respect of this or that so as wee must not alledge This is a small matter this a veniall sinne there is no greate conscience to bee made of it When GOD hath opened his holy mouth and vouchsafed to ordeyne one thing or other becommeth it vs to make small account of it If a Lorde Great master speake a thing men say not is the matter greate or small but thus they say the king spake it And if that that may suffice in mortall creatures shall wee replie to the contrarie and make it an occasion of euill doing and of rebelling against the liuing God when he declareth his will vnto vs Shall wee say it is a thing of no great importance and that it is not so grieuous and heynous an offence Indeede there are some commaundementes which our Lorde vrgeth more than othersome but yet must wee in all cases and all respectes obserue that which our Lorde Iesus Christ saieth Those things ought to bee done Matt. 23.23 and the other not to bee left vndone so that forasmuch as God hath giuen vs his Lawe it behooueth vs to keepe it and not to diuide it as who shoulde say I will keepe this point and let that point alone Nay if wee beleeue God wee must looke that wee submit our selues to him yea euen to the vttermost title But nowe let vs consider howe it is saide here inasmuch as thou obseruest these thinges Here Moses driueth men to the obseruing of the Lawe when any particular thing is to bee done which God hath ordeined And it is as much as if hee shoulde say Haue an eye to
For wheras we be nowe corruptible and tende to corruption by death we shall then be clothed again with such a newe nature that y e thing which is now corruptible and transitorie in vs shall become newe and vncorruptible when we be renewed after y e likenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus ye see what we haue to remember yet further in that God sheweth him selfe to haue such care of them that are deade As touching the things that are spoken here concerning the priests we neede not as nowe to stande verie long vppon them but it will suffice to speake a word or twaine thereof Moses saith that they were ordeined to blesse in Gods name that is to say to make publike prayers True it is that wee at this day haue the same office of making praiers in the name of y e whole church and that the people must say Amen as S. Paul saith in the xiiii of the first Epistle to the Corinthians but there was a speciall consideration of this matter in the tribe of Leuie in the priests of the Lawe namely that they bare the figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our aduocate and our mouth as it were Forasmuch then as it belōgeth to our Lord Iesus Christ to offer vp our requests to God our father bicause they can neuer bee acceptable to God but for his sake neither are we worthie to preace vnto God except hee leade vs and make way and meanes for vs Therefore in the time of the Lawe the Priestes blessed the people that is to say they made the publike prayers for them Againe there is another thing namely that their blessing of y e people was a witnessing of Gods fauour and loue towardes them And that also belongeth to our Lord Iesus Christ howbeit that the same pertaineth not to himself alone but also to al the preachers of the Gospel Whē we preach Gods mercie the blessing of God is vpon al them that harken to vs. For it is all one as if God himselfe came to declare his fauour towards vs and y t for asmuch as wee be reconciled vnto him hee intendeth to take vs into his keeping Seeing then that the doctrine of the Gospell importeth such thinges wee see that all the Shepheardes of the Christian Church doe blesse the people But this is not because they are figures of our Lorde Iesus Christ but because of the charge that is committed vnto them They doe indeede represent his person as his officers but in the time of the Lawe this was of force that the Priest during the continuance of those shadowes did after a sorte supply the roome of our Lorde Iesus Christ vntill hee was come That then was meant by blessing the people in the name of God as we see our Lorde Iesus Christ himselfe hath declared For hee blessed his disciples by laying his handes vppon them Luk. 24.50 Act. 1 4◠Therefore let vs resorte to him as oft as wee thinke vppon our owne cursednesse that is to say forasmuch as wee knowe our selues worthie to bee reiected of God and to bee as it were accursed because there is nothing but vtter wickednes in vs Let vs flee to our Lord Iesus Christ. For if God gaue that remedie to his people vnder the Lawe of being blessed by the priestes who were but mortall men shall wee mistrust that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not sufficient power to doe away all our accursednesse so as God shall looke fauorable vppon vs and receiue vs as his children Then let vs hardily giue eare hereunto and rest vppon it with full trust And when wee bee about to pray let vs assure our selues that wee haue an aduocate who will make vs to finde fauor And let vs not alledge as the Papistes doe I am not worthie to pray to God but let vs bee sure that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs to him Trueth it is that wee ought to perceiue our owne vnworthinesse howbeit not to make vs to raunge away when wee pray vnto God or to cause vs to seeke long windlasses as who shoulde say Such a Saint shall bee mine aduocate or such a Sheesaint shall bee my patronesse but to direct vs to him which is giuen vs of God his father namely to our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thus much concerning the blessing Now the seruing of God imported the sacrifices and all the rest of the ceremonies And at this day they that are appointed ministers of Gods woorde haue the administration of Sacramentes because it is an appurtenance to Gods worde and doctrine which they bring but our Lorde Iesus is hee that hath made the onely and euerlasting sacrifice whereupon wee must rest And herein wee see the foolishnesse that is in the Popedome for the Priestes will needes counterfeit his sacrifice saying thus O beholde the tribe of Leuie was appointed to serue God Yea but we must consider what maner of Sacrifice God requireth and alloweth at this day Will hee haue vs to slea Bullockes Sheepe Lambes and such other thinges No verily But Saint Paul sayth that the sacrifices which the Shepheardes of the Church must offer to God Phil. ◠17. Rom. 15.16 are mens soules whome they winne by the preaching of his worde Those doe they dedicate vnto God and that is the seruice which hee lyketh of This is a part of that seruice of God which is spirituall And therefore let vs marke that wee must let Iesus Christ alone with that which the holy scripture reserueth vnto him Namely the offering vp of himselfe once for all Act. 13 3◠to purchase vs euerlasting forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and the making of vs cleane and pure yet still before God Now then there remaineth nothing but this onely that wee be confirmed in the power that is brought vnto vs by his death and passion And howe may that bee By the vse of the sacramentes When we receiue the Supper wee make not a newe sacrifice as the Papistes were woont to doe in that diuelish abhomination of their Masse but we protest that God is at one with vs when we be grounded in the death and passion of his onely sonne and that we be partakers thereof and our present receiuing of the bread and wine that are giuen vs is all one as if we were fed with his body and bloud as with meate and drinke Thus ye see how we ought to apply the thinges to our instruction which are spoken here concerning the sacrifices that were to bee offered to GOD by the priestes of the Lawe Now let vs proceede with that which Moses addeth here He saith that the Priestes shall resort thither with the gouerners and Iudges of the Citie and take a young Heckfar or Bullocke as they terme it here and cut off the necke of it yea and that in a valley saith he as in a secret place and namely in a valley that is barreine and vntilled as in a desert place This circumstance is set
maketh his woord knowen in these dayes euen to such as are bewitched by Sathan seeing that vnto vs he giueth his word not onely as a lamp but also as a bright shining sunne to giue vs light and wee bee put in minde euery minute of an houre to thinke vpon him to benefite our selues by his works and to take such warning by them as may confirme our trust in his goodnesse and bring vs to his obedience let vs on our side apply our mindes wholly that way and euery of vs put his indeuour thereto and giue another maner of iudgement vppon such as haue despised God and scorned his goodnes Let vs I say become their Iudges according to that which is said 1. Cor. 6.2 that being the members of Iesus Christ wee shall iudge the whole world The way then for vs to put this text in vre is not to tarie till our Lord haue condemned vs by the testimonie of the vnbeleeuers but to be so well disposed to walke vnder his obedience as our whole indeuour may be to frame our selues to that which he sheweth vs and euery of vs to make his profite in such wise thereof as our Lord Iesus may acknowledge auow vs to be members of his body and we may boast our selues to bee his when it commeth to the last day Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to haue pitie vppon vs his sillie creatures and that although we haue deserued to bee cast off by him yet notwithstanding he wil not deale with vs according to our desertes but rather shew foorth the treasures of his goodnesse and for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake receiue vs into fauour not only to pardon our faults past but also to bring vs home againe to himselfe and to reforme vs in such wise vnto his will as all our whole lyfe may bee conformed to his righteousnesse 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 Munday the xv of Iune 1556. The CLXXXVI Sermon which is the ninth vpon the two and thirtith Chapter 32 For their vine is of the vineyard of Sodom and of the fieldes of Gomorrha and their grapes are grapes of gall and their clusters are bitter 33 Their wine is the poyson of dragons and the cruell gall of the Aspe 34 Is not this layd vp in store with me and sealed vp among my treasures 35 Vengeance and requitall belong to mee When time is their foote shall slip For the day of their destruction is at hand and the things that should come vppon them doe make hast HEere our Lorde sheweth what manner of fruites the Iewes deserued to gather As if hee should say that the vengeance which hee intended to execute vppon them coulde not bee founde to bee cruell because there was nothing else in them but gall bitternesse and all manner of poyson And bycause these figuratiue speeches might seeme somewhat obscure hee addeth That they brought foorth none other than the fruites of Sodom and Gomor Whereby hee doeth them to vnderstande that their wicked deedes were as shamefull as the dooinges of those two Cities the which it was Gods will to destroy with lightening from heauen to giue an euerlasting example to the whole worlde Nowe wee see in effect what the meaning of Moses was In deede some take this for punishment saying that GOD woulde pay them with the like As how Namely that hee woulde giue them bitternesse sowernesse anguish and all manner of punishmentes to drinke of And true it is that the Scripture speaketh oftentimes so for it likeneth all the chastisementes which GOD sendeth vppon men 〈◊〉 7.22 vnto drinkes Thou shalt drink of my cuppe As howe I will sende you of my spirit of giddinesse and of the spirit of rage and madnesse Likewise in another text he sayeth I will feede you with heauinesse and sorowe and I will make you to drinke of my wrath till yee burst This kinde of teaching then is ryfe ynough in the holy scriptures But in this text God hath a higher respect Indeede it is true that hee threateneth the Iewes but yet therewithall hee sheweth that hee will punish them iustly according to their offences They that referre this to the heathen and Infidels deceiue themselues For they tooke it that God after he had punished his owne people would turne his wrath against those by whom hee had serued his turne accordingly as wee knowe that when God listed to execute his vengeance vppon the Iewes hee vsed the seruice of the heathen stirring vp sometime the King of Egypt sometyme the King of Assyria and another while the King of Chaldie Ye see then that the Infidels were the instruments of Gods wrath Not that they minded to serue God in making those warres but we know that God by his secret prouidence ouerruleth all thinges heere below and applyeth them all to good vse making men how wicked soeuer they bee euen in despite of their teeth to execute and performe all y e things that he hath ordained Now when God hath so serued his turne by y e heathen then comes their turne also For it is said that whē God hath done and dispatched all his woorke vpon mount Sion 〈◊〉 12. then will he also ouermaister al those which play their pranks and weene to scape Gods hand and to abide vnpunished for he wil wel ynough find them out to pay them double Howbeit Moses in this place treateth not of the heathen but rather proceedeth in his matter wherewith he had begunne which is that God would punishe the Iewes which ought to haue bin as his children and yet notw tstanding had not ceassed to make warre against him so as he held them and tooke them for his enemies After which maner we see how he speaketh by his prophet Esay in the first Chapter Esa. 1.24 saying Alas must I needes bee auenged of mine enemies But now that wee know of whom Moses speaketh let vs looke more neerely wherefore it is sayde that the vine of the Iewes is of the vineyard of Sodome and of the fieldes of Gomor Wee knowe howe our Lorde lykeneth his Church to a vineyard And not onely in this place but also in the fifth chapter of Esay it is most notably set downe where he sayeth I will sing a song vnto my beloued of his vyneyard Esa. 5.1 There the Prophet taketh vppon him GODS cause lyke as a friend vndertaketh a quarell of him for whom he is minded to doe it I will goe sing a song sayeth he After I had brought thee out of the Lande of Egypt I planted thee in a fat soyle I husbanded thee I made a pressing fatte for thee and I omitted not any thing that belonged to thee and nowe whereas I looked to receiue good fruite of thee thou hast brought mee foorth nothing but