be of his Church in which respect we be say I more bound vnto him than were the Iewes Now it is true y t gods writing of his law in two tables of stone as I haue declared already heretofore specially in the first place was to y e intent y t his doctrine should abide sure For he had an eye to y e cōmon trade among men who vpon the making of leags alliances are wont to haue thē ingrauen in stone or brasse After y e same maner it was Gods wil y t his law should for y e better continuance therof be grauen in two stones Ye see then how God doth as it were passe a solemn couenant Neuerthelesse wee must therwithall also come to the figure namely y t the writing of the law after y t fashion in a cupple of stones serued to shew y t it was not ynough for folke to haue y e law giuen thē to vnderstand it vnlesse it were ingrauen in their hearts For we must come to y e similitude y t is made by y e prophets For although God shewed his law to be sufficiently authorised by vouchsafing to ingraue it so in these stones yet did he giue an incling y t that would nothing boote verily because y e true tables wherein it behoueth vs to write the doctrine of God are our harts howbeit not as they be by nature For what maner of ones are they Euē of stone as it is said of them in Ezechiel So then let vs marke that y e letter of y e law is nothing worth Ezec. 11.19 36.26 vntil god worke in vs by his holy spirit And that is the cause why he hath promised to make a newe couenant Ier. 31.32.33 not after the maner y t hee made it with the fathers for that continued not saith he And why Hee sheweth y t the blame fault therof is in men be cause they turne away runne at rouers as soon as God hath called them neuer follow him at all Although they pretend to make great account of his grace yet is there no stedinesse in them but rather vtter lightnesse for by and by they fling away after their own wicked affectiōs The couenant of God then yea though it were written in stones could not hold them in And why so Not for that God abode not faithful on his part or that hee persisted not to shewe that his choosing of Abrahās linage was not in vaine but for that they were bereft disappointed of that great benefite dispossessed of Gods freebestowed new againe But there were fourtie yeares betweene the one and the other For Aaron dyed at such time as the people had outworne their terme of fourtie yeares during which time god had forfended them the lande of promise Now in the ende of that terme Aaron was depriued of the dignitie of the priesthood and Eleazer his son was made highpriest in his stead But here Moses comprehendeth all that had bin done by the space of fourtie yeares from the publishing of the lawe vnto the verie same day that he exhorted the people to put themselues in better readinesse to enter into their inheritance than they had beene in at the beginning He telleth them that although there had happened many changes in the meane time yet had God in effect prouided that his lawe was to bee had alwayes in estimation to be honored and that the world might perceiue that his maiestie was therein that all men ought to submit thēselues thereunto And for that cause doth Moses say that hee had chosen the children of Leuye notwithstanding that Aaron had sinned For to what ende doeth Moses speake here of his brothers death Euen to make it knowen that God had shewed fauour towardes the trybe of Leuye as well as towards all the rest of the people The trybe of Leuye was chosen to offer sacrifice it was a prerogatiue which God had giuen them And were they worthie of it Could they boast themselues to haue beene more worthie than their brethren It is true that they executed vēgeance vpon the ydolaters but yet was Moses faine to call them to him and to command them to sanctifie their handes Exod. 32.29 Yee must hallowe your hands to the Lord sayth he howe in slaying those that haue so grieuously offended and been an occasion of turning all thinges vpside downe This day therfore it behoueth you to vtter what zeale ye haue towards the maintenance of gods honour and to sanctifie his name without sparing of your own brethrē or your neerest neighbours forasmuch as they haue so defaced Gods glorie to the vttermost of their power therefore they must be vtterly rooted out The Leuites did well execute the thing that Moses cōmaunded them Exo. 32.2.4 but yet did the high priest Aaron make the golden calfe True it is that hee withstoode it or at leastwise consented not to it but yet did he swarue at length by graunting the peoples importunate request and therefore was he faine to beare the punishment which GOD tolde him of saying thou shalt not come within the land which I will giue vnto my people Albeit that he represented the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ Hebr. 5.1 ◠and was a figure of him although he was a mediatour betweene God and men so as he made intercession for the sinnes of the people offered sacrifices for the reconciling of them to the maiesty of God yet was he banished out of that lande to his shame hee dyed hee was stripped out of his robes before his death hee was as a man disgraded and God left him as a dishonoured person and as a man defaced with perpetuall reproche Now if God extended such punishment vppon the person of Aaron what had they deserued which were inferiors to him So then Moses telleth them that Gods choosing of the trybe of Leuye to carrie the Arke and to be occupyed about his seruice was not for that they were worthie of it Deut. 〈…〉 but because hee was minded to shewe the same thing to the successours of Leuye which he had spoken of the rest of the whole bodie of Abrahams ofspring namely that they had all things of his only free goodnesse That is the cause why the death of Aaron is rehearsed here But by the way we see that Moses spared not his own brother For here he repeteth the sentence y t God had giuen also executed against him y t was not for y e honor of his own house But what His meaning was y t God should be glorified men condemned Yea we see that his intent was not to conceale his owne fault but to shew that God had punished him for it though there were great cause of excuse in him al the blame was to haue bin layd vpon the people because his ouershooting of himselfe was but in y t one case that not through malice but
yet shall we not cease to goe on still And why Because the hope which wee shall haue gathered of Gods former making of vs to feele his goodnesse will serue to carie vs ouer all tempestes in the middes of the sea it will be as a boate or as a shippe or as a bridge to conuey vs safely ouer To bee short wee shall haue wherewith to strengthen vs continually so wee shutte not our eyes at the assistance which God sheweth vs dayly Thus you see generally what wee haue to gather vppon this saying of Moses A non the matters shall bee layde out more particularly by similitudes Let vs proceede to the things that he addeth namely that being come to the hill of the Amorrhytes he saide Let vs possesse the Lande which the Lord our God and the God of our fathers promised vs. For it is here before vs that is to saye at our commaundement as hee had said afore for this is but a repetition of that which were haue seene already And heere Moses setteth forth the promise that God had made vnto the people to the end to assure them of the Land in such wise as they shoulde bee out of all doubt that it was their owne And why Because it had bene promised them of God Beholde saith he thy God ment not to lye to thee nor to beguile thee and therefore thou maist assure thy selfe that the thing which hee hath spoken shal be performed Marke that for one point Neuerthelesse to the ende that the people may the better vnderstande that they were not to possesse the lande for their owne deserts sake hee telleth them expresly It is the God of your fathers that doth it For the Lande was promised as well to Abraham as to Isaac and Iacob before the Iewes which then liued were borne Therby then are they put in minde that they had not deserued such a benefite at Gods hande but that it proceeded wholly of his free goodnesse And so much the more were they to blame in that they had felt such experience of Gods goodnesse and their sinne also was so much the heinouser in that they acknowledged not the mercie that he had vsed towards them That then is the effect of Moseses meaning heere But we haue to note herewithal that although the promise was then growen olde yet had it not lost his force neither ceased it to liue still though Abraham Isaac and Iacob were deade True it is that the promise which had beene made was not spoken to them that were presently aliue at this time they to whome it was spoken that is to wit Abraham and the Patriarks were all deceased But Gods promise his truth die not with men they haue not the course of a transitoritie and flightfull life as wee haue Therefore let vs marke well that whereas God had promised the lande to Abraham for him his heires and successors that shoulde descende of his race although Abraham was rotten in the earth and they that followed him together with all the Patriarks were consumed to powder and dust yet the worde that GOD spake continued still and forewent no whit at al of his force This I tell you is a point which wee ought to marke well For it is nowe long ago since the Lawe was giuen so that if we haue an eye to the oldenesse thereof it will seeme to vs to bee an outworne and deade thing About a two thousand yeares after that the Gospel was published to the worlde and wee see that manie yeares yea many hundred yeares are passed since Then if wee shoulde measure Gods trueth by time wee might thinke it to bee a thing as good as buried and quite and cleane forgotten Moreouer they that first caryed the Gospell abrode are deade long agoe but yet must we beare in minde that Gods trueth is euerlasting and that although men be corruptible and passe and vanish away yet the doctrine of saluation abydeth alwayes vnappayred so as the force thereof abateth not at all That is it say I which we haue to beare in minde For although it was in olde time that GOD spake to Moses and the Prophetes and although it bee nowe long agoe since the Gospel was delyuered to the Apostles yet must we receiue the doctrine therof nowadayes as being in full force still And that so much the rather in respect of this saying of the Apostle Heb. 10.20 that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath made the way fresh by his bloude They that liued vnder the Lawe and the Prophetes ought not to haue despised the trueth that had beene manifested to their fathers though it was done long time before and yet did not God discouer it so openly to them as hee doth to vs. It is not for nought then that the Apostle saieth that the way which Iesus Christ made is freshe And why sayes hee so His meaning is that the bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ cannot drye nor putrifie but is alwayes freshe in rememberance before God to the ende that wee shoulde bee assured of his trueth which hee hath sealed with his death and passion Seeing then that we haue such a pledge we ought to be so much the forwarder to receiue Gods truth forasmuch as wee perceiue that the force and vertue thereof dureth for euer Nowe must wee marke further howe Moses saieth heere Thy God hath promised thee the lande It is before thee possesse it By these wordes he betokeneth that wee must rest wholely vppon that which God saith and not stande scanning after our owne fancies For if men content not themselues with the thinges that God speaketh to them where shall they seeke for greater certeintie Or when they haue sought it where shall they finde it But it is an offering of too greate wrong to our GOD when wee bee not satisfied with his vttering of his will and with his warranting of the same vnto vs. For if therevppon wee bee still wauering and doubtfull what else is such vnbeliefe but a replying against Gods trueth as though hee were not faithful or as though he went about to abuse vs by alluring vs with vaine hope So then let vs marke well that all our life long wee must content our selues with Gods worde and when we haue it wee must followe it without seeking any further For looke howe many doubtes and mistrustes wee conceiue so many ouerthwart nippes and priuie vpbraydings doe wee giue vnto GOD as who shoulde say there were no certaintie in his saying But wee knowe that nothing is more peculiar to him than his trueth And so as much as in vs lyeth wee make it a thing of nothing Therefore it is a verie profitable warning when hee saieth The Lorde thy God hath promised thee the Lande For hee speaketh still in generall meaning that we must all our life long hold this rule of sticking simply to the word of God A non the things shal be laide foorth particularly as I saide afore But let vs marke
be that I had his helpe to saue me during the time that I was as good as senselesse And afterward he shewed me the lyke fauour againe when I had not yet any discretion to acknowledge it and to honor him for it Now if I haue receiued so many benefites of him ought I not to hope that he will continue to doe so to me still hereafter Let euery man then bethinke him of the benefites that he hath receiued at Gods hand as well for his soule as for his body and then shall wee be sufficiently conuicted that he hath powred out the riches of his goodnesse vppon vs and that in such sorte as we may well trust in him that he will neuer forsake vs nor put vs out of minde After this maner must wee put this text in vre where Moses speaketh to the Iewes and sayth thus consider what you haue found at the hand of your God vnto this houre How hath hee dealt with you how mightily hath he ouermaistred the lād of Egypt and deliuered you from the bondage wherein you were And besides this Moses noteth here a double circumstance whereby the people were conuicted of gods mighty working in their behalfe For sayth he He hath fought for you in Egypt yea euen before your eyes As if he should haue sayd that the miracles which God had wrought were not darksome nor done in hudther mudther but so openly and apparantly as the people could not say we knowe not how the case standeth God then shewed himselfe after a visible manner in that behalfe so as yee cannot but knowe that he reached out his arme That is the first of the two circumstances The other is this where hee addeth that from the time of the peoples deliueraunce God had maintained them yea and that with such kindenesse and gentlenesse as a father that had borne his childe in his armes could not haue done more for him Now these two poyntes belong to vs. For they bee the too meanes whereby God procureth and furthereth our saluation vntill he haue brought it to full perfection On the one side hee fighteth for vs for wee shall neuer bee without enemies as hath bin declared already If wee be not acquainted with God the deuill will reigne peaceably ouer vs and wee shall delight to bee vnder his tyranny as they that are naturally giuen thereunto But if God call vs to him then shall wee feele the deuill vtterly against vs and wee shall see the world inflamed with deadly hatred towardes vs. To be shorte there will be such a sorte of enemies to bidde vs battell as wee shall not knowe on which side to turne vs. Lo in what plight Gods children are Now then his power must bee fayne to maintaine vs and to fight the battell and if he haue done it for the Iewes hee must be faine to doe it now for vs too Thus yee see that the first meanes whereby God sheweth himselfe to be our Sauiour is that hee armeth vs against our enemies or rather that hee himselfe is our shielde our strong holde as he nameth himselfe oftentimes in the scriptures Psal. 91.2 our bulwarke our captaine and to be short all that euer wee bee Mark that for one poynt Now herewithal when God hath so strengthened vs and giuen vs the vpper hand of all assaultes that could be put vnto vs he must bee faine to vpholde vs still within For else shoulde not we bee able to goe one step and wee should want all that euer belongeth to our saluation And euen as a young childe should dye if it were not succoured euen so is it with vs. If a little childe be let alone hee will cast himselfe into the fire or into the water hee coulde not take one bit of bread to feede himselfe withall hee must be borne in armes hee must bee swadled he coulde not dresse himselfe he would starue for cold sooner than come to the fire and to be short wee see that a young babe before hee come to some age is the miserablest creature that can bee deuised and euen so is it with vs in respect of our God Let vs set as much store by our selues as we list as wee see that men doe glorying maruelously in their owne opinion and yet is there more infirmitie in vs than in little infantes He must be faine to rule vs he must be faine to feede vs he must be faine to cary vs he must be faine to clothe vs he must bee faine to doe all for vs. For if wee haue any witte at all it is of his gift if we haue any strength it commeth of him if wee haue any abilitie or helpes it is he that giueth them True it is that wee could not inioye the least benefite in the worlde but by fayth I meane to our profite but yet for all that it is hee to whome wee be beholden for all Now therefore when wee once perceiue that God hath giuen vs strength and stoutnesse to outstand the temptations that Satan hath stirred vp against vs that wee haue not bin woūded to death by his venemous darts and arrowes that we haue not wallowed in the mucke of this worlde that wee haue not bin caught in the snares of the wicked that their practises and wiles haue not preuailed against vs and that God hath succoured vs at all assayes I say when wee haue perceiued that let vs also consider that God hath borne vs that he hath fed and nourished vs that hee hath clothed vs and y t he hath as it were put our meat into our mouthes The thing then whereupon wee must sette our mindes that wee may well bethinke vs of Gods benefites is that the same must serue vs for a warrant and confirmation of our fayth both in lyfe and in death But yet the similitude that Moses vseth where hee sayth as a father beareth his childe deserueth to be well weyed Truely if there were no more but this that God compareth himselfe with a fleshly father it were a singular record of infinite and incredible loue What a one is GOD if he be taken in his maiestie Are wee worthie to come to him so familiarly Now then seeing hee taketh vppon him the person of a man and a creature and lykeneth himselfe to them that beare their children therein we see how he humbleth himselfe of good wil to accept vs in like case as if we were his owne children And what a token of loue is that Now as for vs wee be nothing woorth needes then must wee acknowledge an inestimable goodnesse in our God when he putteth off his maiestie to make himselfe lyke a man Neuerthelesse hee contenteth not himselfe with this similitude onely as wee shall see hereafter in the song Deut. 32 For there he lykeneth himself to an Eagle which stretcheth out his winges to cary his young ones and to trayne them to sore in the ayre Seeing that God putteth himselfe as it were vnder the shape of
withstand their enemies But now for asmuch as nothing was able to stand before them therby it appeared that their obteining of the victorie was not by their owne strength neither coulde they boast thereof but it was God that had wrought in that behalfe And it behoueth vs alwayes to make the same comparison if wee wil well perceiue Gods grace and fauor towardes vs. For what is the cause that wee take our selues to be strong and stoute and yeede not God his due prayse It is for that wee bee bleared when hee hath reached vs his hand and when hee hath succoured vs at some pinch wee consider not from whence that commeth What remedie then Let vs bethinke our selues thus Go to haue I not found my selfe sore combred in very small thinges Haue not I bin daunted and striken out of hart And what was the cause thereof but that God made mee to feele mine owne frailtie Surely I shoulde bee neuer a whit valeanter now than I was then were it not that God gaue me his helpe So then it is some where else than of my selfe that I haue my strength and therefore it is nor for mee to aduaunce my selfe through ouerweening for God hath giuen mee a sure knowledge of my feeblenesse Now then I must thinke continually how to humble my selfe and when he hath vpheld me by his strong hand I must acknowledge that that benefite came of him and that hee will be glorified for the same Yee see then that the intent why Moses spake so to the people of Israel was that they should acknowledge that their ouercomming of their enemies was not by the power and strength of man but by Gods fighting for them Neuerthelesse this ought to haue moued them not onely to honor God but also to trust in him as I haue touched before For it was not enough for the people of Israel to haue conquered the land of Basan for they had not yet passed the riuer of Iordan where their inheritance lay Therfore it stood them on hād to be armed with newe trust and to proceede with full purpose to incounter their enemies againe And whence might they haue such hardinesse If they had taken it in themselues it had bin but a rage that God woulde haue condemned but they must haue imboldened themselues with trust that God would not faile them And how might they be sure of that By their owne experience which they had had therof Why was it that God ouerthrewe as well Sehon as Og king of Basan Because he was the leader of his people and had taken them into his charge and protection And that was not to leade them onely to the banke of Iordan but to performe the promise that he had made to Abraham And therefore the people might conclude that the victories which they had obtained already were but an enterance to a further passage whereby they might fully perswade and assure themselues that God would continue with them euen vnto the ende Euen so must we doe If we perceiue any change in our selues wee must acknowledge it to be the hand of God For sometimes yea oftentimes the faithfull shall finde themselues astonished and abashed vppon the sudden yea euen though there bee no great cause why But thereby God warneth them of their infirmitie to the ende they should walke in awe and feare of him calling vpon him and vtterly distrusting their owne strength Agayne when they see themselues strengthened they knowe that that commeth not of themselues neither are they so foolish as to be proud of it but they magnify Gods goodnesse and grace towardes them and take courage vppon the same True it is say they that wee be wretched and silie creatures but yet hath our God helped vs to the end that wee should trust in him Therefore let vs on forewarde as he commandeth and let vs not doubt but hee will be the same man to morrowe that he is to day The remembrance of his promise lasteth longer with him than for a day and seeing he hath auowed himselfe to be our father it is not to shake vs off as the bastes doe that forget their young ones or as the fowles doe which forsake their byrdes whom they bred but our God is a father to vs both in lyfe and death Now then let vs alwayes flee vnder the shadowe of his protection and assure our selues that his power shall neuer bee diminished towardes vs. But wee haue also to marke how Moses saith That Og king of Basan came flinging foorth to giue battell wherein hee sheweth that the people of Israels warre was iust and lawfull For although they had expresse commaundement from God to arme themselues and to put Og king of Basan to the sword not at their owne pleasure but vppon the authoritie of him that hath all power yet was it Gods wil to minister a iust cause thereof vnto them that they might be the more assured in their conscience And thereby wee bee warned as I haue sayd heretofore not to attempt any thing against right and reason If we will haue GOD to blesse our doinges and to make them prosper and bring them to good ende let vs beware that wee stirre not so much as one finger vnaduisedly or contrarily to that which is shewed vs by Gods worde For what is it that can make vs rightly hardye in all things The hauing of a good warrant in our owne consciences that wee haue walked according to Gods commaundement and gone no further than equitie and right will beare If wee be sure of that then may wee looke for helpe from aboue and wee shall not bee disapointed But if wee neglect the difference betweene good and bad and runne to thinges vppon a head it is good reason that God shoulde beguile vs and that wee should be confounded in our doinges Thus yee see what wee haue to marke here when Og king of Basan came foorth as an enemie to prouoke the children of Israell in such wise as their warre became iust For no doubt but this enemy was offered him of Gods hand as wee sawe that Sehon was yesterday whome God hardened because hee was minded to ouerthrowe him After the same maner happened it to Og the king of Basan Now then let vs learne to beware that wee prouoke not one man nor other by giuing them cause to vexe and molest vs but if wee haue any enemies let them beginne the warre and let vs on our side keepe the peace Let that be a point for vs to beare away For if wee begin the fray by doing them wrong or violence can wee looke for helpe at Gods hand Can wee hope that he will fauor vs when we be so out of order No and therefore let vs not goe about to purchase vs enemies the diuil wil raise vs vp but too many of thē and God also on his side may chance to exercise vs and worke in such wise as wee shall haue enemies enowe that will seeke all
to him that he should not passe ouer Iordan to goe into the lande of promise But as for you saith he you shall passe ouer and inioy the possession thereof Moses doth stil vpbraide the people with Gods bereauing of him of the inheritance that was promised to all their tribes not so much for his own fault as for the common fault of them all in murmuring against God but yet hath Moses a further meaning He speaketh this as it were by the way yea as hauing respect to this that he should shortly die and forasmuch as he himselfe might not inioy the lande hee had a care to instruct the people to the end that they might abide in Gods couenant and continue stedfast in it without swaruing aside or without any changing of religion to peruert the doctrine that had beene giuen them The effect then is that Moses being at the point of death doth as it were make his last will hath so much the more care of the peoples welfare for feare least they should start away after his death as he had seene them doe oftentimes in his life And he interlaceth this particular matter that I spake of namely that their words were the cause that he should die before he passed ouer Iordan and before he entered into the lande of promise For as I haue touched heretofore Moses ment not to iustifie himselfe for indeede he was greatly blameworthy before God surely God neuer vseth any crueltie towards such as are his Now the case is so that Moses is shut out of the land with an oth therfore must it needs bee that he had offended But his doing of this is to the intent that the people on their side should think the better vpon the fault that they had committed And in good sooth so ought all faithful teachers to do that is they ought to touch sinners to the quicke that they may haue remorse of their sinnes that they may crie to God for mercie aske pardon therof that they may be sorie for thē that they may mislike of themselues for them that they may hate them and vtterly forsake them For when men are flattered in their vices first they bee hardened in them and take alwayes greater libertie to do euill secondly they thinke not that euer they shal come to account before God and finally they neuer forsake the world that so they may glorifie God consider or feele how much they be bound beholdē to him By this means thē is Gods mercie defaced his grace slippeth away and is vtterly abolished Besides this there is yet a greater enormitie namely that men goe on still from euil to worse vntil they be falne into vtter confusion Now then for this cause it is the duetie of such as haue the bearing abrode of Gods word to exhort their hearers continually to consider their sins and to search thē throughly And to what end Not only to make them barely ashamed of them but also to make them hūble themselues before God to goe forward continually in repentāce y t so they may learne to mislike of their faults to glorifie God when they wholly repaire to him for refuge by asking him forgiuenes of the offences that they haue committed But what There are very few that can a way with this order of teaching for there is not so wicked a man but he would be flattered And the world seeth that as soone as a man speaketh some gnash their teeth seeke nothing else but to bite him and othersome though a man do but by the way glaunce at their faults which are too too farre out of al square feare not to check him or to stand with him face to face in the maintenance therof But yet for all that the rule which God hath appointed vs vs I say which haue the charge to beare abrode his word is that we must dayly labor in warning our hearers to cal themselues to account and to examine well their owne faults that they may be sorie for them When as he speaketh of hearers we our selues are comprehended in y e number for we must not condemne others exempt our selues but he y t speaketh to others must first stick look to himself cite himself before God But yet neuerthelesse we must proceede in this order y t we must al of vs be summoned before God haue our inditement redy framed made ◠Cor. 11.31 32. and not tarie til God pronounce the sentence of condemnation vppon vs but euery of vs play the iudge against himself that not by saying in a word or two I haue done amisse but by being throughly wounded within so as we be ashamed of our misdeeds After this fashion must wee deale In the meane season if we perceiue y t the wicked cannot away with any correction but conceiue rancor against Gods word as we see these despisers of al religiō do who cannot abide that any mā should rebuke them let vs not maruell at it for if they bee pinched by by they spit out their poison like toads as they be But if we purpose to shewe our selues to be Gods children let vs learne to suffer correction willingly to haue our sins laide afore vs y t we may cōdemn them For our acknowledging of thē wil be a mean to haue them buried before god Thus ye se what we haue to note vpō y t text But now let vs come to Moseses chiefe intent which I haue touched afore I shall not go into this good land saith he And therfore I warne ye continue stedfastly in the couenant of God so as yee neuer forget it to worship ydols in his steede but serue him seeing he hath once chosen you vouchsafed to shewe himselfe your god father Here we see y t Moses was not out of hart though God chastised him roughly And here we see how the faithful ought to behaue themselues That is to say if God punish them yet must they not therefore cease to loue him and to go forward in their course still yea to giue ouer themselues wholly vnto him As soone as the wicked feele but one yirke of the rod with Gods hand and by and by they kicke against him and if they may scape from him they play the horse that hauing shaken of the bridle casteth his rider downe afterwards becōming as if he were mad he stormeth as though no mā were able to lay hold on him or to restrain him Euen so play the wicked which can neuer abide y t God shold chastise thē and tame them to hold thē in obedience to him If he make thē to feele their sins they burst out into impatiēcie thervpon fal by and by to rebellion furie But contrariwise when our Lord visiteth vs with afflictions we know it is not for vs to stray far from him nor to take occasion to scape his hands but rather to submit our selues quietly to
his seruice to keepe our selues from these tentations y t run oftētimes in our heads If we fal to scanning so as we say to our selues how now must I for seruing of god haue so hard cumbersome a condition It should seeme y t he is minded to discorage me Let vs beware of such conceits rather follow y e example of Moses He saw himself bereft of y e inheritance y t had bin promised to y e whole people he saw he had as it were a marke of reproch for euer as though God had withered him for wheras God had chosen him to bee the leader of his people to supplie his roome in bringing to thē that welfare that they had loked for so long time now towards his death he must bee disgraded at Gods hand and be banished from the possession that was as a pledge of the kingdome of heauen True it is that Moses continued and doth continue still an heire of Gods kingdome but he had not that earthly pledge of it that was set before the people He saw that of six hundred thousand persons for the whole multitude was so manie there was not one among them al that was worthier to enter into the land than himselfe Therfore he might haue stormed thus with himselfe Howe nowe I see I haue taken great payn◠in leading this people God hath wrought so manie miracles by my hand I haue yet stil such zeale to the honor of God and to y e welfare of his people as I neuer cease to procure the same therw tall I may well say God hath granted me y e grace to walke more roundly than al y e rest and yet notw tstanding must I be barred out of y e land the residue enter into it which haue not taken so much paine as I nothing neere Moses might haue bin in a chafe chawed vpon his bridle saying wel seeing I haue taken so much paine God ment to serue his turne by me heretofore it is ynough for me I am contented with that which I haue done but notwithstanding I will giue ouer my roome and seeing that he will not set me aworke any longer let him serue his turn by some other Moses might wel haue entred into such fancies But what Notwithstāding y t God listed to abace him so before men by bereuing him of the benefite that he esteemed aboue al other and to preferre the meanest and miserablest of the people before him who was so excellent a Prophet yet ceased he not to discharge his duetie and to goe through with it still And we see with what carefulnes he goeth about it My friends saith he although I must dye here and God cutteth me off from you as touching the bodie yet notwithstanding I will discharge my selfe both towards him and you and seeing it hath pleased him to make me his minister to teach you his doctrine I will neuer faile to doe my duetie In deede he might haue twyted the people as them that had caused God to lay such punishment vppon him but yet for all that hee ceaseth not to serue God and to loue the people still which as I said had caused him to be disinherited of the Land that was promised to Abraham Therfore hath Moses good right to say Because of your words God sware that I should not go ouer Iordan to enter into this good land Neither murmuring nor blaspheming proceeded from Moses Nay which is more we see he crucified himself whē he saw that god was not honored as he ought to haue beene whereas on the contrarie part there was a froward wilfull people which could not be brought into order by any meanes It seemeth then indeede y t Moses had iust cause to be angrie with the people seeing that God had punished him so grieuously for their disobedience But yet for all that a man may see hee sheweth himselfe still a father towardes them and taketh them as his children for hee knewe to what state he was called True it is that he vsed sharpnesse and rigour in due time and place specially when it behooued him to shewe the people their offences We see that Moses was in that behalf as a burning fire we see howe vehemently he rebuketh the despysers of God and the Rebels But when y t was once ouer he shewed himselfe alwayes to beare an affection of loue towards such as could abide it As for example God had now punished the people by the space of fortie yeres insomuch that they which had brought punishments vpon the people and had beene the authors of sedition were alreadie dead and their carkesses were rotten in the wildernes yet now behold Moses pitieth the children that were descended of them and ceaseth not to loue them So then let vs marke that if God call vs to the preaching of his word the vnthankfulnesse of such as ought to heare it must not stay vs from procuring their saluation as much as in vs lyeth Moreouer let vs not forbeare to pronounce Gods iustice against the wicked And though there be some that are vtterly wilful past hope of recouery whose diseases are vncurable wel yet let vs do our duetie towardes them let vs cite them to Gods iudgement let our doctrine serue for their condemnation to sende them to hell And in the meane while looke where we can reclaime them that haue done amisse let vs giue good heede therto and bestow our labor thereon Behold yet what we haue further to remember out of this place And herewithall wee see also that when Gods seruants perceiue themselues to bee neere their ende they must be the carefuller to stablish the doctrin which they taught in their life time And why For we see how men do easily slip away that euen such as haue shewed some good signe will anon after start aside if they be not helde in with a dubble reine as they say And when a seruant of God seeth y t in his lifetime he was greatly hindered in the maintenance of Gods seruice and had much adoe to represse euil what should he thinke but that the diuell will take possession after his death if God remedie not the matter Therfore such as haue felt and found by experience in their lifetime how painefull a thing it is to maintein the church ought euē for this cause to take so much the more paine trauell when they draw towards their death to cause the syncere religion to be mainteined in his purenesse that men being once set in a good course may not swarue away from it Beholde the example which Moses sheweth vs. And besides this let vs mark also that he doth not only discharge himselfe here at his death by vttering some sodaine speach or by shewing some signe of zeale onely but that he stood vpon this and did most vrge it to wit all his life long that the people might bee edified in the feare of God For yee
themselues with all superstitions And what shal be their rewarde Euerlasting death That is the payment of all such as cannot finde in their heartes to serue God quietly and to keepe his law and his word But to the intent wee may not thinke that this serued but for that one time Moses sheweth that the lyke should befall to all such as misbehaue themselues and withdrawe themselues from the Church And this vengeance of God hath bin accomplished vppon the greater parte of the world as we see already For whence came the hellish confusion of poperie Euen of gods iust punishment for the rebelliousnesse of the world because men were hardharted and would not stoope For when God caused his Gospel to be published then was the trumpet sounded to the end that all men both great and small should haue bin brought vnto him But we see what befel on mens behalf They would in no wise stoop they were very loth to doe that And not that onely but also some defied God openly when hee would haue brought them to his lure and othersom made countenāce of obediēce through hipocrisie but it lasted not for they were vnconstant and fled touch anon after Therefore it behoued him to punishe such spiteful wickednesse and so he did Because they would not obey the trueth therefore did lying get the maisterie of them 2. Thes. 2.11 God gaue Satan the bridle so as his errors wrought effectually in besotting such as had wilfully shut their eyes against the doctrine of saluation when it was offered them Now then sith we see that God offereth vs great good nowadayes in gathering vs into his flocke and in giuing vs his worde whereby we haue life and saluation let vs learne to inioy so greate a benefite For God mocketh vs not when hee telleth vs that he is our father and Sauiour Hee taketh not the thinges with the one hand which he gaue vs with the other Onely let vs be contented to continue still in the possession of his grace But yet besides this let vs stand in feare of this horrible curse of seruing straunge Gods and of being bereft of the pure religion for refusing to make our commoditie of the honor and priuiledge that God giueth vs in drawing vs to him and in shewing vs that hee is willing to reigne among vs. And Moses speaketh here expresly of the vanitie of idols to the ende that the people may bee the better touched therewith For the wretched Paynims in worshipping a peece of woodde or stone could not conceiue what an abhomination it is to worship a dead thing But they that knew the liuing God euen the GOD that giueth lyfe to all thinges ought better to perceiue that it is against nature yea and a detestable thing to worship a puppet so whether it were made of woodde or cast of mettall either golde or siluer For they bee all of them corruptible creatures and without GOD there is no lyfe without his power there is no mouing So then Moses hath set downe these circumstances Act. 17.28 to y e end that the people might knowe that they shoulde not be punished lightly but that in disobeying God and in refusing to keepe themselues holy vnto him they shoulde defile themselues And it is good reason that when God hath shed foorth his grace vppon vs wee should bee punished the more grieuously if wee cannot profite our selues by it The more then y t euery of vs hath made proceedinges in Gods grace the more earnest let him be to loue him and serue him vnlesse we will haue him on the contrary part to vse the extreme rigor that is spoken of here Howbeit herewithall as I haue touched already Moses sheweth that God will not so punishe his people as to leaue them in despayre but that hee intendeth a cleane contrary ende that is to wit to bring them to repentance And surely this is a very notable place For although God thunder against vs so as to our seeming we may iudge by all lykelyhood that he is minded to make cleane riddance of vs without any mercie yet notwithstanding hee seeketh our saluation by that meanes and giueth vs alwayes space of repentance at leastwise so long as his word is preached vnto vs. For somtimes the gate is shut vp and we must euer beare in minde how the prophet Esay sayth Esa. 55.6 Seeke the Lorde while hee may be found And againe in another place correspondent vnto this Esa. 49.8 he sayth I haue heard thee in conuenient time I haue succored thee in the day of saluation Hereby it is shewed vs that there is still space of repentaunce and the gate is still open for vs to come vnto God so long as hee giueth vs his worde But if wee passe not to enter while GOD giueth vs the meane wee shall bee bereft of his worde and then may wee well seeke after him howbeit but as blinde folkes that grope in the darke for the Lorde will haue shut vs out from him But here Moses teacheth that although God seeme vnmeasurably sharpe in chastising his children yet notwithstanding he giueth them space of repentance and ceaseth not to haue a care of their saluation For hee sayth When thou art so scattered if thou seeke thy God thou shalt finde him yea verily if thou seeke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule Now that wee may the better vnderstand the thinges that are conteyned here let vs note first of all that when men are once gone away vnto wickednesse it is very hard to fetch them backe againe vnlesse they bee subdewed by maine force And that ment Moses to expresse in saying Then shalt thou seeke the Lord thy God When is this then not when the people are ful fed nor when they haue store of al Gods benefites for wee shall see in the song how the people are lykened to ouerpampered horses which are kicking and wincing against their masters Deut. 32.15 and will not suffer thēselues to be handled Moses then meaneth that the people should be faine to bee reformed after a forcible manner for as I sayd afore that is our nature If wee be once gone astray GOD shall neuer get vs home againe till hee haue throughly tamed vs. True it is that hee coulde goe another way to worke and it is not for that he is vnable to reclayme vs by his holy spirite if hee listed but hee intendeth to shewe vs what our lewdenesse is and that is the cause why he vseth these inferiour meanes This is the first poynt which we haue to marke vppon this place And hereunto aunswereth that which is written in the second of Osee Osee. 2.5 for there our Lorde complayneth of the Iewes saying that they bee lyke a harlot that hath forsaken her husband and giuen ouer her selfe to all commers bearing her selfe in hand that she is best at ease when she may receiue rewardes and bee catching and snatching on all sides
prepared a better inheritance for vs than this transitorie life when we see al these things must it not needes be that wee bee worse than blockish if we be not rauished with earnest affection to worship our God and to vowe and dedicate our selues wholly to him Yes but besides this wee must bethinke vs of all the good turnes which God hath done vs as well in general as in particular and then must we confesse with Dauid Lord when I thinke vpon thy benefites behold my wit is plundged as it were into a bottomlesse pit Psa. 40. â— yea they be moe in nomber thaÌ„ the haires of my head as it is said in the fortith Psalme Againe when wee haue acknowledged how much we be beholden to our God generally let vs also consider the benefites that euerie of vs haue receiued at Gods hand particularly And whereas it was saide to the people of Israel in olde time I brought thee out of the land of Egypt let vs consider whence our Lorde deliuered vs when he vouchsafed to admit vs into his household and Church Rom. â— 1 Eph. 2 3â— 1. Co. 1â— â— Act. 26. â—â— 2. Tim. â— â— For we be Adams childreÌ„ by nature cursed heires of death altogither sinnefull and consequently must needes be lothsome to our God Let men like of themselues and glorie of themselues as much as they list yet not withstanding this is their pedegree this is al their nobilitie namely y t they bee Satans bondslaues that they haue a sinke of sinne and corruption in them Eph. 2.11 4.18 and that they haue nothing but Gods wrath and curse hanging ouer their heads and to bee short that being banished from the kingdome of heauen they be deliuered vp to all mischiefe and woe But our Lord hath deliuered vs from these things by the hand of his sonne he hath not sent vs a Moses as he did to the people of olde time Rom. â— â—â— nay he hath not spared his onely sonne but hath deliuered him to death for vs. Seeing then that we be rauÌ„somed with so deare and inestimable a price 1. Pet. â—â—â— as is the holy bloud of the sonne of God ought wee not to giue our selues wholly vnto him Furthermore if Egypt were termed a house of bondage I praye you what is it when y e diuell holdeth vs in his bondes and vnder his tyrannie so as we haue no meanes to scape death but are shut out from all hope of saluation and God is vtterly against vs Seeing wee bee deliuered from all these things is it not a much more excellent deliuerance than that which Moses here speaketh of Yes and therefore whereas it was saide to the people of olde time thy GOD hath brought thee out of the lande of Egypt nowe it is sayde that we be not our owne as saieth Saint Paul in the fourteenth to the Romanes Ro. 14. â—â— 1. Cor. â—â— 24. and also in the seuenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Wee bee not our owne the faithfull must not take leaue to doe what they list nor to liue euerie man after his owne liking And why Bicause our Lorde Iesus Christ dyed and is risen againe to raigne both ouer quicke and dead Then is it good reason that Iesus Christ shoulde bee Lord of life and death seeing he spared not himselfe when our redemption saluation were to be wrought And moreouer besides that the sonne of God hath offered vp himselfe for redemption let vs vnderstand that he maketh vs partakers of that benefite at this day Eph. 1 1â— Eph. 1. â—â— by meanes of the Gospell For hee gathereth vs to him to the intent wee should bee of his flocke True it is that hee is the Lambe without spot which wypeth awaye the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.29 2. Tim. 1.9.10 Rom. 5.10 and 2. Cor. 5.19 and that he hath offered himselfe vp to reconcile men vnto God But yet for all that wee see a great nomber of people that are let alone against whome the gate is shut and GOD doeth not graunt them the grace to bee inlightened by faith as wee bee And therefore let vs marke well that seeing the Gospell is preached vnto vs and wee haue there a warrant that the sonne of God will make the redemption auailable in vs which he hath once wrought and cause vs to inioye the benefite thereof wee must learne that our thankelesnesse will bee the shamefuller if wee doe not our indeuour to giue our selues to our God who hath bounde vs to himselfe after that sorte If the vnbeleeuers play the loose Coltes and ouershoote themselues in their superstitions and in wantonnesse of life well it is bicause they haue no bridle he hath not reyned them backe as he doeth his housholde folke Wee see the horrible confusion that is in Poperie but yet there is not any doctrine to plucke men backe to God nay rather that doctrine which is there doeth drawe them quite and cleane from him And we see that the diuell hath gotteÌ„ such footing there that all is full of trumperie and illusions and the liuing God is quite forsaken And so ye see that there is a horrible confusion But as for our part seeing that God draweth vs to himselfe is it not a straiter bond to make vs to linke in throughly with him and to holde ourselues vnder obedience of the doctrine that is set foorth to vs in his name Yes and therefore let vs learne to sticke so to our God as wee may renounce all that euer wee can imagine of our owne head and let vs consider that it is not for vs to swarue one way or other any more or to be tossed too and fro in any wise assuring our selues that there is but onely one God who will possesse vs yea and possesse vs in such wise as his honour bee not taken from him and bestowed vppon creatures and that he watcheth ouer vs to the end wee should knowe that it is onely he on whom wee ought to call Psal. 11 6.9 and to whose grace we ought to repaire for succour And finally forasmuch as it is his will to haue and accept vs to bee of his houshold let vs walke as in his presence and in his sight and that in such wise as wee worshippe him as our onely God not onely with Ceremonies and outward protestation but also in our hearts as they that knowe that his seruice is spirituall and to be short let him possesse both our bodies and our soules that he may bee throughly glorified in all respectes Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better that it may leade vs to true repentance to be mortified more and more so as our wicked lustes may be cut off and we bee wholy giuen to feare and honour him that forasmuch as wee can not serue him throughly as he deserueth so long
see folkes hardharted and desperate so as they haue conspired to fight against God to the vttermoste what mercie were it to mayntayne that Lo heere another blasphemie which is when men wil needes be more pitifull than God He is the welspring of all goodnesse Matt. 7.11 and hee sayth that we be euil and that although we haue the greatest shew of goodnesse that is possible to bee had yet is it but a spark of the great and infinite perfection that is in him But nowe behold there are newe Diuines which wil needes haue men to be mercifull And how Although a man be wicked and the world seeth that he is full of venim against God and ceaseth not to do euil but the more he is borne withall the more he is still inflamed with malice Yet say they why should hee not bee borne withall still Let them asked that of God and hee will tell them that there is no place for his mercie but where there is repentance Ezec 18.21 Act 11.18 2. Tim. 2.25 True it is that it is in him to giue repentance But howsoeuer the worlde goe when his will is to vtter his goodnesse towardes any man he toucheth his heart that he may returne vnto him Now then shall we looke vpon such as are fully bent to blaspheme God to the vttermost and yet in the meane while talke to them of mercie still Ought we not rather to spit in the faces of such villaines which mocke God and his word to the ful Yes and therfore let vs beare simply in minde that wee must followe the things which God commaundeth and that it is not for vs to alledge any thing at all in that behalfe And on the otherside let vs marke also that God meant not to resigne his vengeaunce vnto men Deut. 32.35 Rom. 12.19 Heb. 10.30 to giue them leaue to hurt their enemies when they shall haue offended them Then if we do the worst we can to meÌ„ when they haue grieued vs or done vs any wrong vnder colour that God hath told vs that he would haue the vngodly rooted out it is a taking of a false couert from the word of God Therefore let vs note that wee must not be led with any affection neither must we passe whether any wrong or hinderance haue bin wrought vs or no for as long as mens minds run vppon their priuate griefes they shall neuer serue God but we must haue this consideration with vs of doing that which God commaundeth vs without being mooued by any fleshly moode Marke that for a speciall point Againe let vs not deale further than God biddeth vs but let vs bee faithfull executers of his words Deut. 12.8.32 not stir one finger further than he saith do thus or thus To be short he y t giueth his enemy but a fillup is giltie of murder before god But he that putteth a wicked maÌ„ to death not being led thereto by any wicked affection but bicause his office requireth it is iust and allowed of God and his executing of such punishment is a sacrifice vnto him According as wee see that Moses speaketh therof specially when the idolatrie that the people had committed was to bee punished in which case he saieth Sanctifie your hands vnto y e Lord. Exod. 32.29 And how What maner of holines was it wherof Moses spake there It was y t they should kill all the idolaters that had defiled themselues put the corrupters of y e true religion to death And whom commanded he to doe it Euen y e Leuites euen those which ought to haue bin y â— mirrors of al pitie louingkindnes Euen the Priests whoÌ„ God had dedicated to himselfe were neuerthelesse appointed to be the executers of y t rigor And vppon whom Euen vppon their owne kinsfolke and they might not beare with them Seeing then that we see this let vs learne that such as do Iustice condicionally that they intermingle not their owne affections and reuenges but indeuour to serue God to execute the charge that is committed vnto them do sanctifie their hands in so doing and the rigour which they vse is coÌ„mendable That is to say if they haue compassion vpon y e poore creatures that perish then y t rigour of theirs being so qualified is an acceptable sacrifice vnto God And on the contrarie part if we doe but stirre one finger vpon displeasure for any wrong that is done vnto vs yea or be but prouoked to grunt at them y t shall haue misvsed vs by and by it is murther before God And so let vs learne not to seeke fond excuses to reuenge our selues vnder preteÌ„ce y t God hath told vs that the wicked must be destroyed and rooted out but let vs haue a good and well stayed zeale so as we ouershoot not our selues to say that meÌ„ may step forth to do this or y t on their own heads but y t they must tarie til God haue giueÌ„ sentence and then execute the same as we see is said of it in this text Thus we see in effect what we haue to remember coÌ„cerning the rooting out of those whoÌ„ God knowing to be past amendment would not suffer to welter any loÌ„ger in their own dung bicause he had borne with them ynough and too much alreadie And it is said expresly God hath deliuered them into thy hand to put them to death This is a watch-word which he giueth to his people to the intent they should the willinglier obey this commandement As if he should say he that will giue you the victorie willeth you to deale so And is it not reason then that ye should do it Yes for howe should wee vse Gods giftes but according to his will So then Moses confirmeth the doctrine that he setteth forth to the people as if he should say Looke about thee thou must not dispose after thine owne pleasure of them whoÌ„ thou shalt ouercome For if thou spare them vnder colour y t thou hast subdued them and that they be in thy hand that y u hast conquered theÌ„ it wil cost thee right deare For commeth the victorie of thy self No but it is thy God which hath deliuered them into thy hand And for prooâ—e therof these natioÌ„s are stronger and mightier than thou yea and mo in nomber How then could you discomfit them if your God ouermaistred them not were not your Captain fought not for you If the victorie were not giuen you from heauen how could you obtaine it Nowe then come not heere to make your vauntes and to say wee may not dispose of the victorie as wee list our selues For it commeth of God and therefore he must beare all the sway and you must vse such humilitie as he may bee obeyed and honoured for the thing which you knowe to come of him Thus we see now the intent of Moses And hereby we be warned that in all thinges which GOD putteth into our
sory for it and thereupon labour to liue in the feare of God bowing downe our neckes continually to receiue his yoke and to beare it patiently Thus ye see what we haue to marke as in respect of this word face where it is sayd y t God wil recompence them all to their faces which doe hate him But heere by the way a man might make a question concerning this saying of Moses that God wil not foreslowe to pay them to their faces which hate him For it is commonly seene that the wicked doe spend all their daies and all their whole life in prosperitie so as it shoulde seeme that God is willing to please them in all thinges in so much that it is sayd of them in the psalme Psal. 73.12 that they goe on in continuall prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe Howe then is it saide that God wil not forslowe Num. 14.18 seeing hee is long suffering And men may see it with their eyes though it were not toulde them in woordes These two thinges agree very well Psal. 103.8 For although God winke at thinges for a tyme and punish not the wicked out of hand when all is welreckened the respite that hee giueth them will not bee so long but that it shall euer bee true that suddain destruction shall ouerwhelme them And for proofe thereof when the wicked say Peace all is safe 1. Thess. 5.3 then shall the suddeine storme fall vppon their heades Esa. 28.15 When they thinke themselues to haue made a composition with death then shall they bee ouertaken as a woman that falleth in labour of child ere shee bee aware bicause shee mistrusted not that the houre or instant of hir trauell had bin so neere at hand Euē after the same maner doth God ouerwhelme all such as shall haue abused his patience when he hath borne with them for a time Now then although God shew not himselfe a iudge to them so soone as we would yet doeth he not faile to destroy them without foreslowing Therefore let vs haue an eye to the shortnesse of our life least we fall asleepe and let vs vnderstand that although God make not hast after our opinion yet notwithstanding he foresloweth not bicause he forgetteth not the offences which he winketh at and which he punisheth not out of hand Let that serue for one point And let vs mark further that God hath not indented with vs so as wee may say he ought to let vs alone vnpunished vntill death For although hee execute not his iudgements all after one rate yet doth he often punish the wicked euen heere and shewe vs examples before our eyes to teach vs to stande in awe of him as the prophet speaketh of it Esa. 59.19 Seeing then that God will alwayes shew himselfe to be our Iudge both during this mortal life after our death Let vs not delay our returning vnto him from day to day but let euery man quicken vp himselfe walke carefully forasmuch as if any man fall asleepe if he wil be wel wakened againe he must be faine to set this saying of Moses before his face That God will pay them all home which do hate him Truely y e wickedest creatures that be will not say they hate God but yet it is so in deede And for proofe therof all such as are desirous to haue liberty to liue naughtily to giue themselues to all iniquitie could find in their heartes that there were no God in heauen to iudge them To bee short if we loue God wee take pleasure in goodnesse But we cannot loue him without his Iustice for they be things which cannot goe asunder Therefore let vs conclude that as long as wee doe euill wee hate God And why For inasmuch as we bee loth there should bee any order or gouernment in the world wee would not that he should be acknowledged with his righteousnes and goodnes Now then when the wicked doe giue themselues the brydle to despise God and to transgresse his commaundementes they coulde finde in their heartes to haue him plucked out of heauen if it were possible Wherefore let vs marke well that God doeth not without cause auow that al such as breake his commaundementes are his deadly enemies inasmuch as they be against his Iustice without the which he cannot be God And therefore let vs beare in minde the thing that hath beene declared already namely that if wee purpose to obey God we must honour him in such sorte as we may like well of his Iustice and mislike of euil dealing that although we fall into it through infirmitie yet we may pray God to lift vs out againe and so to holde vs vp by his power as our whole seeking may be to submit our selues vnto him and to forsake all our owne affections and euill lustes in such wise as we may bee reformed according to his righteousness and consequently obey his holy Law Now let vs cast our selues downe in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him so to beare with vs in thē as he vse not y t rigor towards vs which we haue deserued but y t of his infinite goodnes he reache vs his hand print his word after such sort in our hearts as it may take roote there and wee neuer swarue any way from it nor he suffer such blessing to become vnprofitable through our fault vnthankfulnes but that we may make it auailable by receiuing the promises of our saluation to continue stedfastly in them vnto the end and by shewing our selues willing to bring to passe y t God may be honored serued not only as long as we liue but also after our decease so as they y t come after vs may continue in exalting magnifying his glorie that he may be worshipped on all hands with one cōmon accord vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane from all the vanities and corruptions of this world made vs partakers of the glorius immortalitie which wee possesse not as yet but by hope That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also c. On Wednesday the vij of August 1555. The Liiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the seuenth Chapter 11 Therefore keepe the commandements and Ordinances and Lawes which I command thee this day to doe them 12 And it will come to passe that because yee haue heard these Lawes and kept them and done them the Lord thy God wil also performe the couenant and mercie vnto thee which he sware to thy Fathers 13 And he will loue thee and blesse thee and multiply thee he wil blesse the fruite of thy wombe and the fruite of thy land thy corne and thy wine and thine oyle and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe in the Lande which he sware to thy Fathers to giue thee 14 Thou shalt bee blessed
our owne frailtie in respect of our bodies wee be but carions and rottennesse and yet doth God promise vs the glorie of his euerlasting kingdome Doth the thing seeme possible to vs yet then we faile of our duetie euery minute of an houre and yet doth God promise vs such strength as shall get the vpper hande of the whole worlde Let Satan do the worst he can and let al the powers of hell imbattell themselues against vs and yet shall wee neuer be ouercome Where nowe shall wee finde this strength So then it may seeme that GOD dalyeth with vs when hee promiseth vs the things which we cannot conceiue ne reache vnto by our owne vnderstanding But what Wee must mount vp higher and wee must submit our selues to him with such humilitie and subiection as to acknowledge that he is able to performe his promise towardes vs in all things whatsoeuer he hath spoken And how We knowe not that that passeth our capacitie but let vs haue our eye vppon God For the chiefe honour that he requireth at our hāds and the verie sacrifice that hee requireth 1. Sa. 15.22 is that wee shoulde acknowledge his worde to bee the verie vndouted trueth notwithstanding that our wit and imagination tell vs the cleane contrarie And that is the cause why the Prophet Abacucke sayeth that hee will goe vp into his tower to keepe watche Abac. 2.1 When the case concerneth faith wee must not stay here beneath vppon the earth neither must wee looke but before our noses as they saye but we must learne to goe vp into our tower that is to saye to discharge our selues of all worldly incumbrances and to consider that if wee haue not pitched our anker in heauen as the Apostle sayeth Hebr. 6.19 wee shal bee tossed with such stormes and whirlewindes as will swallowe vs vp Looke mee vpon them that sayle on the sea If they spye a storme they cast Anker for that is their trust Though there come neuer so great waues and although their vessell bee weatherbeaten and driuen to and fro yet doeth their Anker preserue them And hee vseth this similitude to shewe vs that our ankerholde must reache vp into heauen and that wee must conclude boldly that Gods saying of the worde is ynough For hee is not variable as mortall men are Againe hee is not lauish in promising fondly without knowing whether hee bee able to perfourme or no. But if hee speake a thing and perfourme it not out of hande let vs assure our selues that his meaning is to humble vs thereby though we conceiue not his dealings And therefore let vs remember at one worde that wee must take God for our guyde and leader all our life long If wee be weake let vs leane vnto his strength If wee haue strong and mightie enemies let vs hope that beeing vnder the keeping and protection of our God wee shal bee preserued from all daunger and our enemies shall not be able to do any thing against vs. And nowe let vs applie this doctrine to our owne vse two manner of wayes For wee be assailed on all sides in this worlde both in body in soule Wee see what the Church of God is nowadayes wee be but a small handful of folke and our enemies are a huge multitude they seeme able ynough to eat vs vp at one bit wee be like sheepe without any strength and they bee like rauening wolues full of crueltie they haue all the might and power of the worlde on their side Thus yee see in what plight and taking the faithfull are at this day Neuerthelesse sith wee heare that our Lorde broodeth vs vnder his winges and wil be the preseruer of our life assuring vs y t he wil be both a wal a rampire and a dytche vnto vs let vs trust thereunto and not dout but hee will preserue vs. Although the worlde practise what it can against vs yet shall wee bee alwayes safe so wee flee for refuge to our God and grounde our selues vppon the promise that hee hath made vs which is that both our life and our death are precious in his sight Psal. 116.15 And that is the cause why Moses vseth this preface Hearken O Israel It is not a needelesse speache but forasmuch as wee be tempted to vnbeleefe and cannot holde our selues to God and sticke to his promises because the combrances of this worlde haue gotten the vpper hand of vs alreadie therefore doth God exhort vs to harken to his worde and hee wakeneth vs vp to the ende wee shoulde not lye still asleepe but vnderstande that hee is able to ouercome all the daungers wherwith wee be besotted and assayled in this worlde Now then as concerning our worldly enemies which practise the destruction of our bodyes let vs not dout but God is able to withstande them Againe there is the diuel there are infinite temptations Rom. ◠5 and wee haue warre euery man within him self so as sinne dwelleth in vs which is the worst and deadliest enemie that we haue But yet let vs not doubt but wee shall wellynough wade out seeing it is sayde that God will be our leader For although our strength be weake or rather none at all yet will God reach vs his hande so as wee shal bee vnuanquishable And when it seemeth that wee shoulde bee vtterly ouerthrowen wee shal bee helde vp by the power of our God Therfore let vs put our trust in him let vs rest vppon his promise and let vs not be afrayde that wee shal bee deceiued On the contrarie parte wee cannot trust to our selues bee it neuer so little but God will laugh such ouerweening to skorne insomuch that if wee put our trust in creatures Psal. 〈…〉 wee must needes bee deceiued and beguyled But if the case concerne the yeelding of glory vnto God let vs not bee afrayde that our boldnesse shall turne vs to shame as the Scripture saieth in a number of places And Moses plainly sayeth here that God will be their leader yea and euen as a consuming fire to destroy all thinges that shal bee against them This is not added without cause For when wee be disposed to further our owne fearefulnesse wee exalt the power of our enemies aboue measure and of little dwarfes wee make Gyants And what will wee doe then when our enemies be tall and strong in deede Wee wil be much more astonished at them But yet doeth Moses tell vs here that wee must not feede such doutes and distrustes And for the same cause hee vseth this similitude that Gods fighting for vs shall not bee after the common fashion but that hee wil bee as a fire to deuoure all Albeit then that wee haue neither sworde speare gunne nor other artillerie yet let it suffise vs to knowe that God hath meanes ynough to helpe vs withall which wee knowe not of And because this cannot bee so wel expressed as were requisite hee sayeth that if wee see a fire wee
knowe it is able to burne vp a forest a citie or a whole countrie and therefore wee ought not to dout but that God is strong ynough for our enemies seeing hee is a consuming fire So likewise when Dauid intendeth to comfort himselfe in the middest of his greatest troubles so as hee seemeth to be hemmed in on all sydes and readie to be swallowed vp into the gulfes of hel we heare how he oftentimes sayeth that God is a consuming fire Psal. 〈…〉 assureth himselfe that all they which set themselues after that fashion against him shal be consumed thereof and they that conspire his death shal be deuowred of that fire which consumeth all things After this maner must we put this saying of Moses in practise And from hence hath Dauid drawen his saide doctrine as from the fountaine that serued all the other Prophets to gather right comfort of wherewith to resist and ouercome all the troubles that coulde befall them and the same also is the cause why Moses declareth that God is a consuming fire to dispatche all the enimies of his people Also Dauid fleeth therunto for refuge whensoeuer hee seeth great armies imbattled against him so as he is as a man past hope of victorie and is as good as banished out of his owne countrie yea and moreouer there are so manie that practise his destruction that he is vexed out of all measure Yee see then that he is as a wretched man in vtter extremitie and as a silie creature past hope of recouerie and yet for all that hee ceasseth not to make his boast that hee will neuer bee afrayd as long as hee hath God on his side And after the same manner doeth Sainct Paul conclude If God bee on our side Rom. 8.29 who shal be against vs Not that wee shall not haue store of enimies but that they shall not bee able to preuayle against vs. They shall make their triumphes aforehande but the victorie shall goe with vs if wee haue God for our defence Nowe wee see the reason of this similitude In the fourth Chapter of this booke Moses vsed the like saying but it was to another purpose For there his meaning was to stirre vp the people to feare and warinesse Deut. 4.24 And in deede wee haue neede to knowe that God is a consuming fire two wayes The one is the same that wee haue seene in the fourth chapiter which is also alleaged by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes who expoundeth this text faithfully Hebr. 12.29 saying My friendes it is a dreadfull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God let vs beware howe wee dally with such a Lorde and let vs receiue his worde with all reuerence or else wee shall finde therein that God is a fire to consume vs. In deed when God commeth to vs and calleth vs vnto him hee allureth vs graciously and hee sheweth vs all manner of gentlenesse and fatherly louing kindnesse But yet howsoeuer he deale his meaning is not that men should abuse his goodnesse as we see these scorners do of whoÌ„ there is euer too great store We see a nuÌ„ber of scorners in these days which skoffe at Gods worde bearing themselues on hande that he which reigneth in heauen hath no authoritie ouer them They ouershoote them selues with desperate malapertnesse and bewray themselues to haue no more religion than dogs yet they perswade themselues that they may mocke with God after that fashion in al matters yet notwithstanding that they shall skape vnpunished Now forasmuch as men are so thanklesse do set vp their hellish bristles against god to despise his goodnes it is saide that they shall feele him to be a consuming fire Although hee shewe himselfe a father auowe vs to be as his children so as he will hold vs nourish vs in his lappe of purpose that we should behaue our selues mildly towardes him yeld him his due honor and loue yet if we abuse his gracious fauour so as we yeeld him no reuerence nor subiection then in steed of feeling his fatherly louing kindnesse wee shall finde him a consuming fire to deuour vs. Thus yee see howe wee must first of all take holde of that which Moses sayeth here to the intent wee may liue in awe feare and humilitie and alwayes holde our selues vnder the yoke and obedience of him that hath adopted vs and be true children towardes him as he is a father towardes vs. Howbeit let vs marke herewithall that he is a consuming fire to deuour our enemies When wee see our enemies threaten vs and that they become proude and stately against vs so as it may seeme that they shoulde destroy vs with their onely lookes let vs take holde of Gods power to comfort vs in all our afflictions and let vs consider that it is ynough for vs that God is a consuming fire Thus ye see howe we must apply this doctrine to double vse first that it may bee as a brydle to holde vs in awe and subiection vnder our God and secondly that it may bee as a bulwarke to outstande all temptations When wee bee striken in feare because wee heare that our enemies doe practise all that euer they can against vs and that it is in their hande to ouerthrowe vs and destroy vs yet let vs come still backe to this point and say Well then and what shall our God doe Thinke wee that he â—itteth ydle in heauen In deede it may well bee that for a time hee will suffer vs to bee vexed and to haue our neckes vnder the sworde and to bee as silly sheepe led to the slaughter but yet for all that our life is precious in his sight because hee hath chosen vs to bee his heritage And although hee suffer vs to bee troubled for a time yet in the ende hee will make vs to perceiue that hee was alwayes at hande with vs so as wee shall haue continuall cause to glorifie him specially when wee shall see that hee shall haue ouerthrowen all those which now haue their whole swindge against vs in comparison of whom wee be nothing at all Thus much concerning the saying wherein God is called a consuming fire Now Moses commeth to the seconde matter which wee haue touched which ought to be wel marked namely that when God hath helped succoured vs and done more for vs than wee looked for or than our witte could conceiue we must yeeld him his deserued glorie so as wee be not sotted with pride and ouerweening to challengde that to our selues which belongeth alonly vnto God let vs beware of such vnthankfulnesse Againe let vs not imagine that God serueth his turne by vs in respect of any worthinesse of ours but let vs vnderstand that his choosing of vs is onely in respect of his owne good will Wee shall not finde any deseruing at all in our selues in this behalfe but it is of his onely free mercie which hee will
and rooteth them out Nowe if this were saide of temporall enemies what is to be sayde of Satan and of the enemies of our soules Are wee able to ouercome them Will the bringing of our owne free will our merites and our good workes bee able to ouercome the diuel the worlde death it selfe and hell No but the blinde wretches are well apayd that they may bee deceiued in bearing themselues in hande that they can do much that they be verie able folke Yet notwithstanding they bee disgraced heere by the holye Ghost and it is tolde vs that nothing wee be ne nothing can do of our selues but that all y e good which wee do commeth of God Phil. 2.13 and it is he that doeth it in vs. For if a man cannot stirre one finger towardes the sauing of this transitorie life can he saue his soule vnto the kingdome of heauen If a man cannot doe any thing against his aduersarie which is a mortall and fraile creature as well as himselfe howe shal he ouercome the worlde and all the diuels in hell So then let vs learne to deceiue our selues no more with these fonde imaginations in thinking our selues to haue free will to doe this and that but let vs knowe that if God reache vs his hand then shall wee be able to stand through him not through our selues Saint Paul glorieth sufficiently but howe is that I can doe all thinges sayeth hee through Iesus Christ which strengtheneth mee Phil. 4.13 He sayeth he can doe all thinges and by that meane he defyeth the diuell which maner of boldnesse wee see he vseth chiefely in the Epistle to the Philippians but yet he reserueth nothing to himselfe He sayeth that he is strengthened by Iesus Christ. Then if wee be strengthened from aboue wee shall get the vpper hande But yet as I sayd wee must alwayes acknowledge how it is God that strengtheneth vs and that it is in him and by him that wee stande out and get the victorie The thirde reason that Moses alleageth is this that God in setting his people in possession of the promised Lande had an eye to the promise which he had made and sworne to Abraham Isaac Iacob Hereby the Iewes are put in minde that God chose them not as more worthie more noble more excellent than other men as hath beene shewed alreadie but because hee had made promise to their forefathers But nowe let vs see what cause moued and led God to giue this lande to Abraham and to his seede If he had had an eye to mans worthinesse Abraham deserued much more than any other to haue beene set in possession of that lande And yet contrariwise his dwelling there was but as a stranger he was driuen out of it and hee was so farre off from hauing of it at his commaundement Heb. 11.9 that he was kept euen from water not onely when he would haue borowed it at other mennes pittes but also when he had digged pittes by his owne labour both hee and his successours were driuen from them Gen. 21.25 Lo how the holy Patriarches were tossed too and fro and how men mocked them did them many outrages wrongs and of all that while they had not one foote of grounde more than a burying place In so much that at length Iacob was driuen to pay for the grounde where he lodged and pitched his tents Gen. 32.18 33.19 46.1 and finally constrayned to goe into the lande of Egypt by reason of dearth which draue him out of the lande of Chanaan Now seeing that the holie fathers were not putte in possession of it during their liues shall wee say that their posteritie were worthier than they No it followeth then that Gods couenāt was merely of free gift and that he had no respect to any desertes of mē And why Because he loued that people Wee must not aske whether he founde any vertue in them or no but it must suffice vs that hee listed to magnifie his mercie As if he should say I seek no cause in men to doe them good But I find it in my selfe For of men that are worthie to bee vtterly reiected I choose out some and take them to bee my children to the intent they shoulde giue mee all the prayse thereof That is the thing which Moses had an eye vnto in alleaging the couenant which God had made with their fathers Nowe wee knowe as I said afore that this couenant was made before these people were borne They could not say that God regarded what they were as some phantasticall persons do which say that God foresawe what men woulde be If he doe but foresee surely he shall finde vs all diuels that is to say vnhappie and cursed creatures full of all wickednesse and such as haue nothing but vtter abhomination in vs. Those are the thinges that God shall finde in vs if he doe but foresee Nay if he wil haue vs good he him selfe must frame vs thereto for wee bee his workemanship as sayeth Saint Paul in the seconde to the Ephesians Eph. 2.10 And the same is also expressed plainly in the fourescore and fifteenth Psalme Psal. 95.6 where it is sayde that it is he that made vs. And Dauid in that place speaketh not of Gods first creating of vs when wee were set into the worlde as his creatures but hee meaneth it of his reforming of vs by his grace Nowe then if God did but foresee things then sawe he nothing in vs but vtter rebellion and wickednesse To bee short wee bee damnable in all respects and heires of endlesse death And therefore if hee chose vs before wee had done either good or euill it was to magnifie his owne grace as Saint Paul declareth in the nyenth to the Romanes Rom. 9.11 And so yee may see what Moses telleth vs here But nowe must wee come backe againe to the sayde comparison that I touched afore which is that if God woulde haue the saide couenant which hee made concerning the lande of Chanaan and the temporal succession to bee knowen to be of his free goodnesse it is much more reason that when he calleth vs to be heires of his kingdome and sheweth him selfe to bee our God and Sauiour his goodnesse shoulde haue the highest degree and all respectes of deseruing be layde awaye so as men shoulde not imagine themselues to haue I wote not what power of their owne to preuent Gods goodnesse Then let vs marke well that Gods calling of vs and his vouchsafing to inlighten vs in the beliefe of his Gospell is because he had chosen vs not onely from our mothers wombes but also before the worlde was created yea and because it pleased him to haue vs and to take vs for his owne Ephes. 1.4 euen before all eternitie And so wee haue no cause to alleage any thing at all in our owne behalfe but rather to bee ashamed of our selues that God may onely bee exalted
to perfection but wee must expresly pray him that although hee finde faultes and offences in vs as indeede the number of them is infinite yet that he forbeare not to take vs still for his people and that although we deserue to be forsaken of him for our sinnes inasmuch as wee haue broken his couenant yet notwithstanding he cease not to keepe promise with vs still and to make vs feele y e fruit thereof and to forgiue our sinnes in such wise as we may neuer cease to continue in his adoption that although our straying away was ynough to bereaue vs of the inheriting of our saluation yet notwithstanding hee cease not to take vs for his children still To bee short whensoeuer wee resort vnto God wee must acknowledge our sins with all humilitie For it will be to no purpose for vs to say Lorde thou hast promised vs thou hast tolde vs that thou of thy goodnesse wilt bee merciful to vs thou hast declared that thou wilt bee our father wee haue thy promise it will not boote vs to say all these thinges for all shall bee ouerthrowen with one worde because wee haue done amisse and haue not kept the course wherunto God called vs but haue drawen cleane backe Therfore we be warned that whensoeuer we pray vnto God wee must acknowledge our faultes and confesse them freely that God may not cease to haue pitie vppon vs specially when wee shall haue committed any grosse fault as this people had done in committing abhominable ydolatrie The greater then that our sinnes bee the more let vs cast downe and humble our selues to craue pardon of our God by confessing wherin we haue offended him After that manner must we deale And it is certaine that if euerie of vs consider well his owne life without flatterie he shall finde himself exceedingly indaungered vnto God and we shall always haue good cause to be ashamed of our selues And therefore when we pray let vs beare these two things in rememberance namely that although we be neuer so wretched yet notwithstanding forasmuch as God hath chosen vs for his people wee must come to him familiarly and without doubting for he guideth vs thither and openeth vs y e gate by his promise that must be our grounde to stande vpon Againe we must be thinke vs of our sinnes so as we may feele them be deadly wounded by them to the ende we may bee sorie for them before God beseech him notwithstanding our vnworthines to applie his promises to our saluation when it shall haue pleased him to bury our sinnes to receiue vs to mercy Yea let vs mark well y e wordes y t are set downe here the stubbornnes of the people their wickednes and their sin For Moses here maketh not a ceremonious confession as these shamelesse sort doe that is to say in manner the greater part when they haue done amisse do beare themselues in hand that it is ynough to haue saide in one worde I grant it is a fault but ye must cōsider I am a mā I am not as a timberlog It is ynough for them say I that they excuse not thēselues altogether But we must come after another fashion as wee see by example here For first of all Moses setteth downe Stubbornnes shewing thereby that there was a horrible rebeliousnes in that people Next he addeth wickednes wherin he betokeneth y t the people were starke naught for y e word that he vseth importeth such a leawdnes that they which are so termed are disordered in their whole life And lastly he addeth Sinne that is to say y e particular fault which they had committed namely their offence in making themselues an ydol And so we see that he acknowledgeth the peoples offences in good earnest to condemne them Nowe like as Moses speaketh here of the people so do we see that Daniel speaketh of himself Da◠◠5 for in his report howe he confessed his own sins and the sinnes of the people he saieth Lord we haue sinned wee haue offended thee wee haue done wickedly we bee transgressors our sinnes are outragious and our iniquities are exceeding great Daniel goeth not to worke by halues in confessing that himselfe and the rest of the people had done amisse and deserued to bee chastised at Gods hande but he saith flatly we be wicked and we haue behaued our selues leawdly we haue beene disobedient and vntrue to our God we haue prouoked his wrath too much and wee be cursed and damned vnlesse God powre out y e infinite treasures of his mercy vppon vs. Yee see then how the true confession which God requireth at our handes is not to come to him and to say in one worde I haue done amisse but to be so abashed as to acknowledge our selues blameworthy in all respects and to be dismayed at the rememberance of our offences like wretched offenders not looking to haue our inditements red vnto vs not to haue articles alledged against vs but accusing our selues aforehand in such sort as God may accept our submission when we shal haue examined our faults throughly not onely in generall but also in particular And in verie deede after that Moses had spoken of Stubbornnesse and wickednes he addeth the Offence that y e people had committed Whereby hee meaneth that it is not ynough to say we were conceiued in sinne it is horrible to see howe all thinges are out of order in our whole life but when we haue offended God any maner of way we must vtter it as we see how Dauid cōfesseth generally y t ther was nothing in him but vtter corruptiō Psal. 〈…〉 and y t he brought nothing w t him from his mothers womb but y e inheriting of death therw tall faileth not to confesse y e sin particularlie which he had committed not wrapping it vp amōg y e other to make as though he wist not of it but setting down both twaine of thē as we see y t Moses doth in this text Wherefore when we shall haue committed any offence let vs learne to feele it to confesse it freely before God And let the same lead vs yet further that is to wit to haue an eye to the offences of our whole life and to acknowledge our selues altogether indangered vnto God except hee receiue vs to mercie And aboue all thinges let vs acknowledge the hardnesse of our heartes in that wee cannot submit our selues to God because wee be stubborne against him and all the affections of our flesh are at enmitie with him Rom. 8.7 After that manner say I must we confesse our faults if we minde to obtaine forgiuenesse of them For as for them y t come to God ceremoniously cōfessing thēselues to haue done amisse and not being touched to the quicke with their leawdnesse nor minding to acknowledge it in their hearts they doe but play mockeholyday and they shall feele with whom they haue to do and that God is not an earthly
saith It is not spokeÌ„ to your childreÌ„ which haue neither seen nor heard of it He meaneth y t he speaketh not of theÌ„ as shal be spoken afterward True it is that at this day when we reade the storie of the deliuerance that was wrought at that time we ought to be moued at it For it is an euerlasting euidence of the care which God hath had of his Church And in y e same we haue a liuely picture to shew vs how God draweth vs as it were out of the dungeon and gulf of death by chosing vs to be of his house and therefore it behoueth vs to make our profit of the thinges that were done then although we saw them not But here Moses reasoneth thus by comparison If I speake to your children saith he yet were it their dutie to make their profit of y t things which they were taught and although they haue not seene the things with their eyes yet ought this recording of them to do them good But as for you ye ought to be better aduised in taking heed to the things y t God hath shewed you For your thanklesnesse is dubble much sorer shal your condemnation be if you profit not by theÌ„ What can ye alledge for your selues if ye giue not your selues whollie to the magnifying of such grace that is to say if ye honor not God seing he hath bought you so dearly and shewed that he setteth so great store by your welfare Seeing that God hath shewed himselfe to be such a one towardes you what is your dutie Here we be put in mind that when our Lord hath made vs to find fauour by experience if we profit not by it to serue him with the better courage and earnester zeale it must of necessitie come to account wee must looke for more horrible damnation in reward of such vnthaÌ„kfulnes But now let vs see what we become the better by gods benefits Hath it not bin sufficiently seene perceiued in our time 〈◊〉 he hath helped vs at our neede howe he hath stretched out his mightie hande If euery man would acknowledge for his own part how many waies god hath shewed himself bouÌ„tiful towards him surely we should be at our wits end Againe let vs loke vpoÌ„ the state of y e Church in generall Hath not god wrought after such a sort on al sides in our daies as if we be not very monsters or at leastwise worse than bruit beasts we must needs perceiue by his miracles y t he ment to shew here how he reigneth in heaueÌ„ But now let vs se how euery of vs is stirred vp therby to serue him Nay it should seeme we seeke nothing else but towels to hid our eyes withal and y t we beleeue not the thinges which are ought to be most apparant to vs. Yet was not this doctrine vttred to no end For if God haue shewed vs by his deeds that â—e dwelleth amoÌ„g vs haue reached out his hand froÌ„ heauen to proue y t all power belongeth 〈◊〉 him and y t he wil be y e sauior of his church yet we beleeue it not but play y e blind bussards and turne our backs vpon him shutting our eyes wilfully when we should take most heed to coÌ„sider in what wise y e Lord hath shewed himselfe to be y e father sauior both of our selues of al y t are his what excuse will there be for vs Ye see then here is a lesson y t toucheth vs. For if euer God vttered himselfe surely we of our time haue seene such deeds of his as are worthy of remeÌ„brance And wheÌ„ men shal reherse theÌ„ a hundred yeres hereafter if y e world indure so long it is certain y t they shal serue to make them ashamed y t shall haue heard theÌ„ spoken of so we may wel say as is said by y e prophets y t the straÌ„genes of theÌ„ shal make their eares to glow y t shal heare of theÌ„ for y t is y e maner of speech which the Prophets vse in such cases And we haue seene these things and had experience of them Now if y e report of them in time to come ought to moue y e people y t shal be then although they shall haue had none other knowledge of theÌ„ ought not we much rather to be moued by them now presently Ought they not to pearce our hearts Must not Satan needes haue vtterly sotted vs wheÌ„ after such perceiuing of gods benefits power we see nothing at all but go on stil conceiue nothing Is such blockishnes to be borne with No verily And therefore let vs bethink ourselues consider wel how god hath wrought in gathering vs together in that we can worship him purely as he requireth Who is he be he a citizen borne or a stranger which hath not cause to say lo how my god hath so vttered himselfe to mee as if I had seene his hand come downe from heauen to me in some visible shape For what hope had they which are here townsmen borne to be either in libertie or to be but eueÌ„ a mean people Insomuch as it seemed y t al should haue gone to wrack come to vtter ruine ere this time As touching y e Gospel this citie was but a hellish gulfe of superstitions and diuelishnes as was to be seen euerywhere and al maner of abuses ydolatries practises of Satan did so reigne in it as there was no likelyhood that euer there shold haue bin any roome for Gods grace And therefore those whom God hath visited so louingly and to whom hee hath vouchsafed to come home into their houses to seeke them out haue good cause to glorifie him And as for them y t are come out of forrein countries and are gathered together here as it were into one flocke what can they say but that our Lord hath performed y t thing towardes them at this day which he spake so long ago by his prophet Esay Esa 2.3 〈◊〉 17.25 namely that he would make charyots and wagons trotte apace through the world to bring folke from al coasts to serue worship him in his Church Nowe then if we looke not vp at such things surely it wil be no excuse or shift for vs to say I thought not on these things because they were not knowen to me for God sheweth vs theÌ„ apparantly ynough so as we need but to opeÌ„ our eyes to see them Thus ye see how we ought to practise this lesson nowadays where it is said I speake not to your children which might reply that they neuer sawe nor heard of these things For looke what you ought to know as coÌ„cerning Gods power he hath done you to vnderstand it by his deeds And now by the way let vs be contented with the experience which we haue had of the goodnesse and power of our God in his redeeming of vs from y e endles confusion wherin we be al
be wee in danger of endles death Sith it is so it followeth y t the law of it selfe can do no more but shewe vs that we be accursed of our God that he is our deadly enemie must needs be our Iudge And where is then the blessing that Moses speakes of here The answere hereto is this that if we looke no further but what we be in our own frowarde nature in respect of the sinne y t we haue drawen from Adam the law can doe nothing but curse vs. For whereas God sheweth vs what our righteousnes ought to be if we fall to the examining of our liues we shal find y t we haue offended him in euery point therfore we be past hope Yea but y t springeth not of the nature of y e law Rom. 7.14 ◠7 but of our own sinfulnes in y t we are stubborne against God so that in steede of obeying him wee indeuour altogether to follow our own wicked lustes The lawe then as in respect of our selues bringeth nothing but wrath death But as in respect of it selfe surely it bringeth blessing For were we as we ought to be that is to wit were we so sound vncorrupted y t we were as throughly disposed to serue God as was our forefather Adam by creation before his fall the lawe should bring vs his blessing For why It sheweth vs that we must loue God with all our heart When wee be once ioyned vnto him when wee bee once knit vnto him in all perfection of goodnesse of ioy of life of glorie then shal this saying bee found true For were we of nature good right we should be answerable to this doctrine wee should obserue it so should this blessing be performed towards vs. Wherof is it long y t as now the law bringeth vs nothing but death damnation Euen for that wee be not able to receiue the promises y t are conteined there Our Lorde saith Come ye to mee I will fill you full of all goodnes we shrinke quite cleane from him So is it not long of the doctrine Wherof then Euen of our selues Where is the fault to bee found In the law No but in our owne selues Now then let vs mark that whereas Moses protesteth here y e he setteth a blessing before y e people his so doing is not without cause But here it might be replyed that although our own sin be the let that we be not made partakers of y e blessing that is behighted in y e lawe to enioy it yet notwithstanding for asmuch as wee be vtterly excluded from it it is in vaine for him to say I set before you a blessing That is not so For we haue two points to note The one is that Gods speaking after that maner concerning his word is to the ende y t we should haue it in reuerence estimation also loue it set our harts vpon it moreouer fall to the considering of our owne cursednes so as we might be humbled cast downe be sorie when we see our benefite turned to our bane our life into death because we be not disposed to receiue it But God shall haue wunne nothing at our handes by letting vs alone there wee must be faine to go one step further Forasmuch as we see our selues bereft of the blessing of the law so long as it continueth but a dead letter 2. Cor. 3.6 that is to say so long as it doth but only tel vs what wee should do giueth vs not power to do it in deede wee must resort to our Lord Iesus Christ whose office is to write the thinges in our heartes which God had written in stones 2. Cor. 3.3 that hee may make vs willing to obey in steede of our swaruing aside to y e contrarie Againe our Lord Iesus Christ hath deserued this blessing for vs that wee might henceforth be receiued into fauour for his sake our workes be accepted at Gods hande though they be nothing worth of themselues For we come not as euery man in his own person nor as they y t had performed the law thēselues but we come in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ as members of his bodie Ye see then that the blessing is perfourmed in vs by seeking the remedie which we want which is that whereas God hath promised to blesse men vpon condition forasmuch as the same booteth vs not there is added another point of fauour which is that he receiueth vs for his sonnes sake Ier. 31.34 36.26.29 writing his lawe in our harts imputeth not our sins vnto vs by meanes wherof we faile not to bee partakers of the blessing that is contained here though we be not able to performe the law but that the same passe our abilitie Marke that for one point Now let vs come to y t which Moses sayth concerning y e curse He sayth y t like as the law offereth vs Gods fauor which is the blessing y t tendeth to our welfare so also we must not set light by the threatnings y t are set-downe there For if we giue deafe eare to Gods speaking so as our harts rancle against it through stubbornesse or y t we play the scoffers which turne all thinges to laughter 2. Cor. 2.15.16 let vs beare this in mind that howsoeuer the world go Gods worde shall either be our life or our death there shall not so much as one word therof fall to the ground Such as benefite themselues by y e things y t are told them on gods behalf shall find y t the doctrine serueth to their saluation And on the other side the despisers thereof such as refuse to be taught by it must yeeld an account thereof and they shall feele y t no one iote of it shal be lost neither is to be despised For should the thing be vndone vanish away w tout effect which passeth out of y e mouth of God No. And therefore let vs marke well y t if men cannot find in their hearts to vse Gods doctrine to their benefite when he sendeth it vnto them it shal turne to their euerlasting death their damnation wil bee doubled because they held scorne of the benefite y t was profered them And this is very needfull for vs. For we see how men dally with Gods word they y t cast it not quite cleane away do thinke themselues to be more than half perfect because they becom not vtter enemies to fight against it they beare thē selues in hand y t God ought to hold himself contented with it But think we that God wil suffer so good a thing to perish He offered vs life and we refused it and doeth not such vnkindnes deserue horrible vengeance Againe God setteth more store by his own honor than by the saluation of our soules And good reasō it is y t he shonld Now he hath shewed
hale out a man to death before he had taken the benefite of dwelling in his owne house and of gathering the fruit of his vineyard specially whē there were other men ynow besides him to goe to battell Againe they bee euen naturall greefes also For this cause Moses exempted such persons from the warres by Gods commaundement But yet must wee cheefely come backe to this point as I sayd that although necessitie pinch vs and constraine vs yet must we vse some gentlenesse in bearing with such as are meete to haue some priuiledge and freedome more than other men Moreouer whereas hee speaketh of dedicating of houses although it signifie to dwell in them yet was it not Lawefull for the Iewes to settle themselues in their houses before they had made a kinde of dedicating of them that is to say till they had vsed some kinde of Ceremonie of blessing the house in the name of GOD. That Ceremonie was obserued vnder the Lawe howebeit that as nowe it is not any more in vse among vs. But yet the instruction thereof abideth vnto vs that is to say that it is not Lawefull for vs to vse any thing without thankes giuing and without praying vnto GOD that all may be pure and cleane vnto vs. Saint Paule sayth that our meate and our eating and drinking are sanctified 2. 〈◊〉 4.5 And howe By prayer and by the woorde The bread as yee see is a creature whereunto GOD hath giuen vertue to nourishe vs and yet if wee eate thereof without regarding him that feedeth and susteyneth vs by it wee defile it When the thing that GOD had created for our sustenance is peruerted by our defiling of it it is treason agaynst GOD. And therefore there is none other meane for our foode to become pure vnto vs than to acknowledge GOD to bee the giuer of them and to yeeld him thankes for the same praying him to guide vs as his children that wee may Lawfully receiue the benefites which hee bestoweth vppon vs. For although the wicked and the faythlesse be fedde in this world as well as wee and haue the same Sunne shyning vppon them which we haue and eate of the same bread that wee doe Yet notwithstanding all despysers of GOD all vnbeleeuers all Cormorauntes that fall to their meate like swine and Asses without praying vnto GOD or without lifting vp their heartes vnto him are all theeues and they eate not one bitte of bread whereof they shall not yeeld an account And why so For there is none but Iesus Christ that is vniuersall heire of this world 〈◊〉 1.2 as he is named And wee must bee his members or else wee can haue no parte in any of GODS benefites And howe may wee bee members of our Lorde Iesus Christ except wee bee graffed into his bodie by sayth Wee see then howe all our meates are vncleane and that wee on our part doe defile them vnlesse we yeeld thankes for them vnto GOD and pray him to gouerne vs as his children that we may receiue sustenance for our lyfe at his hande as at the hand of our father In lyke case is it with apparell and with all other thinges GOD must be faine to blesse them to our vse For to that condition is our apparell sustenance and dwelling tyed Now then when a house is to bee dwelt in we must not vse the olde figure of the Lawe in dedicating it but yet must the partie that is to dwel in it acknowledge that it is GOD which lodgeth him there euen as hee hath lodged vs alreadie vppon the earth making the waters to withdraw by themselues that wee might haue some roome to dwel on heere beneath Also let euerie of vs thinke thus with himselfe although I haue but a little cottage yet notwithstanding seeing that our Lorde hath placed mee heere it becommeth mee to acknowledge it and although my house bee of myne owne purchasing or that I haue it by inheritaunce or by lease or by any other tytle whatsoeuer yet am I alwayes the tenant of the Lorde my God Let vs haue an eye to that and let vs call vppon the name of God for that is the right hallowing of thinges and so shall Gods fauour dwell with vs bycause wee defyle not our houses at our comming into them but acknowledge that GOD hath had pitie vppon vs and that it is hee which hath giuen vs the commodities of this lyfe Thus ye see to what ende this Ceremonie of the Lawe tended and what wee haue to gather thereof at this day Nowe it is sayde on the contrary part that a vine is vnhallowed or made common when the fruite thereof is gathered Leu. 19.23.24.25 bycause it was not lawefull to gather the fruite of their vines vntill the fourth yeere It behoued the first croppe thereof to bee common and then the Owner thereof was to take the benefite thereof afterwarde In that respect therfore it is said that the Vyneyard was to be made common But we haue no such custome nowadayes For we be not bound to the yoke of the Lawe since the tyme that our Lorde Iesus Christ deliuered vs from it But howesoeuer the case stande although the bondage bee past away yet must wee holde fast the instruction that commeth by it that is That wee must enter into an account of the benefites that GOD bestoweth vppon vs and giue parte of them to such as want The riche must vnderstand that hee is a detter to such as haue neede and although hee be not taxed and sessed as who shoulde say thou shalt giue thus much of thy goods yet ought it to suffice vs that GOD putteth them into our handes with condition to bee as his receiuers and that our inioying of the goods which wee possesse through his goodnesse is in such wise that wee bee bounde to succour them that haue neede Thus yee see how the old figures are profitable to vs still at this day not that we be bound to obserue them but for that the truth of them belongeth vnto vs. To be short we see how in al the commodities of this present lyfe we be taught first of all to magnifie the goodnesse of our GOD for that hee hath a fatherly care of vs and prouideth vs all things that are requisite for vs. And we must also haue a regard of our neighbours of the Communion or fellowship which our lord commandeth Not that there should not be any ciuill order or that no man myght keepe that which is his own but that euery man shold strain himselfe to be liberal of the things y t God giueth so as the needy may be succoured by vs. Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to remember as touching the exemption that was giuen to the three sortes of men spoken of before Nowe let vs come to that which Moses addeth He saith that if there be any fearfull and faint-hearted fellows they must be sent home to their houses least they discourage
make men afrayde Also it was Gods will that one dayes recorde shoulde suffice among his people that they should not keepe the corps there any longer But I haue told you alreadie that wee be no more bounde thereunto by necessitie In some countryes they haue deuised certaine brotherhoods who should goe and take down the bodyes from the Gibbets burie them And truely that was a fonde deuotion for they knewe not wherefore they did so The Iewes also were so bewitched with their owne dotages that they thought that the buryall of them commaunded in this place did concerne the welfare of their soules Likewise the Heathen imagined that the soules of men went wandring and straying heere and there vntill their bodyes were buryed But these are dotages of the diuels owne deuysing to turne away men continually to a multitude of lyes Gods care is rather of vs which are alyue as though hee meant to set a meane betweene the rigour of Iustice and the gentlenesse which ought to bee among vs. This meane therefore is well woorthie to bee marked for wee euer swarâ—e aside to some extremitie In shunning crueltie wee become cowardly and haue no more regarde of Iustice but woulde haue all faultes forgiuen and that men might haue free leaue to do all manner of mischiefe without correction On the other side in mynding to bee seuere we run in daunger of being too seuere God therfore appoynteth a meane which is first of all that we should punish the offences that deserue death And secondly to the ende that Iustice shoulde bee had in honour and that we shoulde not surmise any reprochefulnesse in it hee will haue the offenders bodies hoysed vp into the aire for men to looke at as it were in way of warrantie y t wheÌ„ a magistrate punisheth an offence he offereth vp a sacrifice acceptable in heauen consequently which ought to be well taken on earth Yet for all this hee will not haue vs to be too hardhearted but alwayes to reteine still some pitifulnesse and compassion And when iustice is so approoued he will haue the body to bee buryed yea euen remooued from of the earth as an infection For why So long as a mannes body hangeth vppon the gallowes there are two thinges seene the one is that God hath well prouided for mankinde in ordeyning the execution of iustice and that malefactours should not bee spared That is one poynt Another is that men may say thus with themselues Lo here is a wicked deede done for these are tokens that the land hath bin defiled Therefore when a bodie is so hanged vp it is a signe of the defyling of the lande by the committing of some robberie murther or other haynous cryme When it is so let this also bee euer marked God therefore intendeth to shewe that where iustice is executed the fault is forgiuen and the countrey standeth no longer charged therewith but his wrath is pacified And as though the misdeede had bin spared he will haue the body buried Thus yee see howe the executing of iustice vpon offenders and wicked doers and the cutting off of leaudenesse is a warrant that Gods vengeance shall not light vpon the Lande Nowe then wee see in effect what God ment by his Lawe Also we see howe the instruction continueth still vnto vs though we haue not the vse of the Lawe it selfe because the Lawe commaunded a thing whereunto wee be no more bounde since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. So to be shorte this doctrine is not vnprofitable for wee knowe Gods meaning which concerneth vs as well as the Iewes But nowe must wee come to the chiefe point that is to be gathered of this text For whereas our Lorde Iesus Christ was hanged on tree it happened not by happe hazarde Truely the Iewes desired that he might be crucified which in those dayes was the most horrible reprochfull yea and painefull death that could be For the hanging of Christ vpon the tree was not after the manner that is spoken of heere Such as were stoned among the Iewes were also hanged vp vppon a gibbet after they were dead and although they were not strangled nor beheaded but ouerwhelmed with stones yet were their bodyes taken and hanged vppe that all others might take example at them But our Lorde Iesus Christ was crucified yea euen as though hee had beene a cutthrote after the same manner that men lay murtherers nowadayes vppon the wheele And as I sayde that was a verie cruell kinde of death Neither was it doone by the Lawe of Moses but by custome of the Romanes who raigned at that time in Iewrie Yet notwithstanding the sonne of God was hanged on tree And the Iewes regarded it not but cryed out to haue him crucified Also when Pylate condemned him thereto his meaning was not to put him to it as in respect of the reprochfulnesse thereof before God but God gouerned it in such sort by his secret prouidence that Iesus Christ was accursed when he hung vppon the crosse according to that which had beene spoken of him afore And that is Saint Paules meaning 〈◊〉 3.13 For in telling vs that we be sette free from the curse of the Lawe hee sayeth that our Lorde Iesus bare it in his body by being hanged vpon tree Also it is the same thing that Saint Peter ment in saying that he bare our sinnes vpon the tree 1. Pet. 2.24 And otherwise this saying of the prophet Esay had not beene fulfilled 〈◊〉 53.5 that the chastisement of our peace was layde vpon him so as hee was faine to beare our punishment whereby we might be reconciled vnto GOD. And in the foresayde text which I alleadged out of y e Galathians S. Paul treateth of two things He sayeth that because wee can not attaine to righteousnesse but by fulfilling the Lawe in all pointes and by being discharged before GOD it behoued our Lorde Iesus Christ to bee subiect to the Lawe to the intent that his obedience might nowe be imputed vnto vs and God accept thereof as though we brought the like obedience of our owne When we speake of being iustified before God howe is that to be vnderstoode Verily that we should obey the thinges that God commaundeth vs in his Lawe For the righteousnesse that hee speaketh of is that he which doeth those thinges shall liue thereby Leuit. 18.5 Then must our life be ruled altogether after the will of GOD and then shall wee be taken for righteous before him Is there nowe so much as one man to be founde which commeth anie thing neere this obseruation of the Lawe and that with such vncorrupt soundnesse No. The holiest Saintes that euer haue beene were farre off from such perfection Then are we all disappointed of righteousnesse so as we can not in any wise stande in Gods fauour But yet are we righteous in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And why For he beeing the souereigne king in whome there was no
receiue his worde which is offered vnto vs so must wee haue our mouth open to glorifie him by acknowledging howe much wee are beholding vnto him They therefore which haue through faith embrased the benefites of the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ ought to indeuour to set the same foorth saying Our GOD hath so powred out the inestimable treasures of his goodnesse towardes vs as it is good reason that all our whole life shoulde bee spent in glorifying him and yeelding him praise and thanksgiuing according also as Sainct Peter in his first Epistle saieth â— Pet. â— 1â— that the same is the verie ende why we were brought out of the horrible darkenesse of death to bee conueied into the kingdome of Gods light and into the kingdome of life S. Paul then doeth expresly match the confession of the mouth with saluation not that faith being right and true is not sufficient of it selfe nor that wee doe purchase Saluation by speaking but to shewe that faith cannot bee without confession Whereby wee see that they which nowadayes doe renounce God by holding their peace or keepe the knowledge of the Gospell as it were buried within them doe defraude GOD of the honour that is due vnto him and neuer knewe what faith meant O say they I keepe my faith to my selfe Yea Then doest thou make the holy Ghost a lyer As for those that bee of the Popedome communicating with ydolaters in al their abhominations and being readie to turne with euerie winde if a man tell them that it is a kinde of renouncing God and a forsaking of him that redeemed them from death O say they I holde my faith in my heart It is vnpossible that there shoulde bee faith in the heart but that confession with the mouth shoulde presently followe or else were the holie Ghost a lyer as witnesseth Sainct Paul And that is the thing which hee meant in saying that when we haue beleeued with the heart to iustification wee must then also confesse with our mouth that wee haue a redeemer which hath deliuered vs from death and opened vnto vs the kingdome of heauen to the intent it shoulde nowe bee our inheritance To bee short we see howe sainct Paul agreeth very well with Moses For albeit that Moses intended heere to reprooue such as had hearde the lawe and to conuict them of vnthankfulnesse yet hath hee shewed afore that it is not ynough for vs to haue our eares beaten with the literall worde vnlesse that God doe also giue vs vnderstanding thereof and that doeth hee giue vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ. It followeth then that vnlesse the lawe bee matched with the Gospel it is not neere vnto vs For although that wee for our part bee dayly taught it and that the worde doe dwell amongst vs yet shall we wander farre from it and receiue no taste of that which is vttered vnto vs. That then is the meaning of Moses And Sainct Paul doeth verie well agree therewith in that he telleth vs that we must resort to Iesus Christ and acknowledge what profite wee receiue by him and to what ende hee was sent vnto vs from God his father And moreouer let vs acknowledge it in such sort as wee may rest wholly vppon his Gospell and stande contented when God hath spoken vnto vs and not go about to fetch downe Iesus Christ from aboue as folke that woulde crucifie him newe againe Let it suffice vs that hee hath fully redeemed vs by that one sacrifice wherewith hee hath made perfect satisfaction for all Let it suffice vs that hee is ascended into heauen to the ende to drawe vs vnto him And sith we haue receiued y â— knowledge heereof by the Gospell let vs make our profite of it and beseech God that this doctrine may first of all be printed in our hearts to the ende that being iustified by his free goodnesse wee may stande fully assured vppon the redemption and satisfaction which our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs because wee haue no righteousnesse in vs. And thereupon let euery of vs endeuour to glorifie God knowing that hee hath adopted vs to the ende that he might be magnified in all our whole life according as it is saide in the Prophet Esay Esa. 43.7 21. The people which I haue created shall shewe forth my praises Nowe let vs fall downe the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins beseeching him to make vs to feele them better than heretofore wee haue done and that wee may attaine to the remedie that is to say the forgiuenesse of them in our Lorde Iesus Christ. And that forasmuch as our God ceaseth not daily to instruct and to edifie vs in his word it may please him not to suffer vs to bee deafe hearers of him but rather to pearce our eares to the ende wee may become throughly obedient vnto him and holde vs therein and to shew forth the vertue of his holy spirite to the ende that the thing which is saide heere may bee accomplished in vs And that when we haue belieued with our heart we may also confesse his holy name with our mouth and our whole life may bee agreeable to the same confession That it may please him to deale so graciously not with vs onely but also with all Nations and people vpon earth c. On Wednesday the xxij of Aprill 1556. The CLXXII Sermon which is the fourth vpon the thirtith Chapter 15 See I haue this day set before thee lyfe and good death and euill 16 For I commaund thee this day to loue the Lorde thy GOD and to walke in his wayes and to keepe his commaundementes and his ordinaunces and his iudgementes that thou maiest liue and increase and that the Lorde thy GOD may blesse thee in the Lande which thou goest to possesse 17 If thy heart turne away and thou obey not but beest led aside and bowest thy selfe to other gods and seruest them 18 I doe tell you this day that you shall surely perishe and not prolong your dayes in the lande into the which nowe passing ouer Iordan thou goest to possesse it 19 I take heauen and earth this day to witnesse against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and curse Therefore choose life that thou maist liue thou and thy seede 20 By louing the Lorde thy GOD by obeying his voyce and by cleauing vnto him for hee is thy life and the prolonger of thy dayes that thou maist continue in the Land which the Lord hath sworne to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob to giue vnto them WE sawe yesterday howe Moses did magnifie the authoritie of the worde of God which was committed vnto him saying Seeing that God is come nere vnto vs and hath opened his holy mouth to declare vnto vs his will we must holde vs wholly thereunto and without seeking any further wee must not aske any more who shall goe vp into heauen or who shall
go downe into the deepe For wee haue sure witnesse and such a one as cannot faile vs. Seeing that God hath spoken let vs followe it He addeth here moreouer See I haue this day set before you life and blessing death and euill Whereby hee sheweth vs that the worde of God when it is taught vs doeth carry with it such vertue and such power that we ought to holde the things which are there tolde vs to bee as certaine as if they were alreadie done in deede The worde which Moses doeth vse in saying See as if he shoulde point with his finger to make the matter visible vnto vs doeth import that wee must yeelde such reuerence to the worde of God that wee must esteeme the thinges therein conteined to 〈◊〉 as present vnto vs. And the same is to bee applied as well to the threatenings as to the promises If God doe promise vs any thing it is not for vs to cast doubts thereof and to say Yea but how may it come to passe seeing there is no likelyhood thereof Let vs sticke to that which hee telleth vs. Likewise if God doe threaten vs wee must tremble and not doe as they doe which tarie for the strokes for they be so ouertaken vnawares as they haue not the power to crie alas they be ouer raught with feare and God giueth them not the grace to returne vnto him because they coulde not finde in their hearts to doe him the honour to submit themselues vnto him at such time as he warned them a farre off that hee is their Iudge Thus are we to practise this sentence which Moses vseth in saying That when wee heare the worde of God hee will haue vs to rest altogether thereon and to settle our wittes wholly vnto it And this ought to serue vs to double purpose that when as it shall seeme vnto vs that it is but lost time in this worlde to serue God yet notwithstanding we may not surcease to obey him waiting for the blessing which hee hath promised vs and assuring our selues that wee shall not be deceiued because he is faithfull And likewise on the contrarie part when wee be tempted to doe euill in hope that we shall remaâ—â—e vnpunished let vs bee holden backe with this bridle namely that wee cannot escape the â—rath of God because hee hath declared that hee is the Iudge to doe vengeance for such thinges The faithfull therefore in ordering their life must alwayes bee fully resolued of this that in seruing of God they bee sure that hee will guide them and that their ende shal be good and happie But in the meane while the worlde shall scorne them and they shall haue many temptations to turne them away they shall see the wicked prosper they shall see them make their triumphes and on the otherside they shall all that while see themselues goe to wracke Nowe when wee bee thus tossed wee must take our stay in the worde of GOD. Seeing that God hath promised to blesse vs when wee walke according to his will we are sure that he will not abuse vs for his worde is the infallible trueth and therefore let vs sticke vnto it Againe it seemeth vnto vs that we shoulde make mountains and work wonders when we let loose the bridle to our owne lustes Let vs feare God for he telleth vs that when men haue once misbehaued themselues Gen. 4.7 their sinne abideth stil at their doore and keepeth continuall watch so as when they haue wandered hither and thither and passed their boundes neuer so farre yet they must come to reckening Seeing it is so let vs learne to bridle our selues and not to tarrie till God execute his iudgementes vppon vs but let vs rather preuent them through feare Nowe wee see to what end Moses hath declared that he set before the eies of the people both life and good death and euill verily euen to assure the Iewes thereof that they might no longer stande in doubt And wherefore For there needeth nothing to carrie vs away as wee see too much by experience For it is a verie rare thing for men to rest them vppon the promises of God steadfastly without wauering they bee blinded with the thinges of the worlde and vnlesse God doe out of hande accomplish the thing which hee hath spoken they thinke they shal be deceiued And although they dare not accuse God of vnfaithfulnes yet can they not find in their hearts to doe him the honour to thinke him to be true Againe although God threaten vs yet are we so dulheaded y â— euery of vs perswadeth himselfe y t he shal go vnpunished and scape scotfree Seeing then y t there is such lightnes in vs that we bee so wauering we ought so much the more to put the lesson in practise which is set downe heere Now as touching life and good it is asmuch as if he should say all manner of happinesse and likewise by death and euill is ment all maner of wretchednes Indeede this present life is not the full measure or perfection of the blessings which God hath promised vs. It is no more but a certaine tast of them Death also is but a little token of Gods wrath The state of the life to come is the perfection both of weale and woe But Moses speaking vnto the people that were yet holden vnder the figures and shadowes of the lawe did name life and thereunto added this worde blessing to signifie that the people by seruing of God shoulde bee blessed euen in all manner of felicitie and contrarywise that they must of necessitie looke for all manner of wretchednesse if they did fall away froÌ„ the seruice of God For the better confirmation hereof hee saieth This day I commaunde thee to loue the Lorde thy God and to keepe his commaundements and to cleaue vnto him that thou maiest come to possesse the Lande which hee hath promised to thy fathers Heere is a confirmation to holde the people conuicted that they might haue no occasion to reply any more but be compelled to confesse that the Lawe of God serued to call them to saluation if so bee they had obeyed him And contrariwise that it shoulde bee vnto them a good Testimonie of their condemnation so as they coulde not pretende any excuse seeing they were so well instructed and yet continued hardhearted and stubborne still Moses sheweth this by the stubstance that is contained in this doctrine What is it saieth hee that I haue inioyned thee It is that thou shouldest loue the Lorde thy God Hath not nature left this marke imprinted in our heartes namely that wee bee created euen to this ende to loue our God Wherfore are we in this world Wherfore doth God keepe vs heere Is it not reason that he should haue some homage of vs and that forsomuch as wee be his creatures wee shoulde haue an eye vnto him he bee the scope of our life If it be not so what order will there be Wee
for euer And that not onely in it selfe but it must also haue a rooting in vs euen an incorruptible roote as saith Saint Peter Let vs learne therfore that if the people of Israel were exhorted to continue in the faith and seruice of God after the death of Moses wee also must doe the like at this daye And Moses in so dooing doeth make it manifest that hee beareth no enuie towarde Iosuah as many do who seeke their own renown and would not that others should do any thing for feare least their owne prayse shoulde bee stayned and that men should not talke ynough of them Moses had not this cursed ambition that hee shoulde hinder the procurement of the peoples welfare by the aduauncing of Iosua but as much as in him lay hee did put him in authoritie yea euen to perfourme a farre greater matter than was graunted to him selfe to doe For God tolde him before 〈◊〉 10.12 〈◊〉 32.51 â—â— that hee should not enter into the lande that was promised to the people In deede hee sawe it but hee was shut out because hee honoured not God when the people murmured for want of drinke Because hee did not then sufficiently glorifie God but was troubled and vexed in his minde hee was depriued of that honour and God did disgrade him in that behalfe And yet for all that Moses omitted not to take Iosuah and appoynted him to bee his successour willing him to doe his duetie in setting the people in possession of their inheritance Seeing then that were perceiue that Moses did willingly submit himselfe let euery of vs learne to haue no respect to himselfe nor to vaunt himselfe nor to seeke our owne credite in this worlde of purpose to bee renoumed both during our life and after our death but let vs content our selues that God doeth acknowledge that wee were willing to serue him so as the Church might feele the profite of our labour and bee edified thereby When wee bee at this poynt let vs referre our selues to our God and beare no enuie to those whome hee rayseth vp in our steed For wee knowe that if GOD doe not worke continually amongest men the grace that hee hath put into them will quickly vanish such is our fraâ—ltie and then all that wee haue profited shall bee nought woorth Is it our desire that GOD shoulde continue that which hee hath wrought by vs It is necessarie then that hee haue alwayes people to serue him Let euery one therfore endeuour to discharge his duty without enuie and without spyting let the master haue his honour and preheminence and let vs bee cohelpers one to another and doe our endeuour to ayde such as wee see to bee acceptable to God Thus much is here shewed vs by the example of Moses Nowe hee sayeth vnto the people I am an hundred and twentie yeares olde I can no longer goe and come and the Lorde hath sayde that I may not enter into this lande First of all hee alleageth his weaknesse for that hee was so olde so brused and broken that hee was no longer able to satisfie so difficult a charge I can not goe and come sayeth hee Nowe hereof I gather that which I haue touched namely that whilest Moses was lustie or had in him any strength at all hee spared not himselfe knowing well that the same was not giuen him for himselfe but for the common benefite and welfare of all the people hee then practised that which Saint Paul speaketh of namely not to liue to himselfe Rom. 14.7 2. Cor. 5.13 Nowe in deede wee bee not all so excellent as hee was yet neuerthelesse this rule is common to all the children of GOD that is that no body is created for his owne particular behoofe but that we must looke to our vocation that wee may followe it Rom. 12.1 and offer vp our selues in sacrifice to God euery man liue and continue according to his abilitie and measure without ydlenesse And let vs not flatter our selues as to saye I am excused for it is not for vs to take our leaue and to giue ouer and to discontinue when wee our selues list Euery man I say must goe on euen to the ende without beeing wearie and when it shall please GOD to deliuer vs out of this world then are we discharged and not afore Nowe when hee sayeth that God depriueth him of going into the lande hee alleageth a matter not honourable to him selfe but doeth call to remembrance the fault that he had committed Hee doeth not here accuse God neither fretteth hee at the punishment whereof he speaketh but he acknowlegeth his offence with meeknes Seeing that Moses a man so excellent which was as it were an Angel amongst mortall creatures was contented to testifie his fault and often times to rehearse that he was not worthie to enioy the heritage which God had promised to Abraham in so much that although hee had deliuered the people and had doone so many noble actes had published the Lawe and was reputed gouernor of y e Church of God euen vntill y e comming of our Lord Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding euen after all this hee was not ashamed to lay foorth his owne fault and to declare that God would not admit him to the promised heritage what ought wee to do So then whensoeuer God punisheth vs let vs not seeke vayne shiftes to couer our vncleannesse but let vs rather bee well contented that the punishmentes which God hath sent vs may profite serue for instruction to all our neighbours Hee sayeth moreouer The Lorde thy God will goe before thee and destroy all these people before thy face and thou shalt doe vnto them as thou didst vnto Sehon Og kings of Bazan of the Amorites Here Moses confirmeth the matter which we haue touched to wit that although hee be not present in person when the people should enter into the lande of Chanaan yet was God of right to be esteemed more than mortall men so as the people ought not to bee afrayde though they sawe not Moses any more nor aske where is hee that hath led vs Be contented saith he to haue the Lorde to goe with you Hereby wee bee yet better warned to yeeld God his due honour which is to rest in him alone although wee bee bereft of all meanes heere beneath In deede it is a thing to bee desired that wee might euer bee gouerned by such rulers as are led by the Spirite of God for it is a priuiledge and fauour that cannot bee sufficiently esteemed and it is also a signe and token that hee is amongest vs Therefore it were greatly to be wished Neuerthelesse although wee bee depriued therof and that God taketh them away by death whereby his blessing to the outward shew is so much the lesser yet let vs looke vp higher and by fayth behold howe he is present to them which seeke him and that he hath his hand euermore stretched out to helpe
too bolde to do thinges and to attempt more than is lawfull for them but they do euer go about it carelesly and without discretion And as a madde bedlem notwithstanding y t he bee brought lowe with his long sicknes feele not his own weakenesse yet is he much stronger and rageth in such wise as he cannot be ruled and worketh more trouble than if he were in perfect health euen so is it with men when they haue no promise of God but be chafed in their owne rashnesse and presumption They dare doe wonders but in respect to doe well we neuer take courage therin vnlesse we be assured of the will of God and to be short we can neuer build but vpon his promises We must therefore remember that Moses before he exhorteth the people to bee valiant to behaue themselues stoutly sayde vnto them Thy God wil be with thee feare them not And why so For thou art sure that thou canst not quaile because thy God gouerneth thee Howbeit forasmuch as wee doe not at the first take sure holde of the promises of God neither are they so certainely settled in our heartes as is to be wished Moses doth also adde a confirmation and sayth Nay the Lord thy God will not leaue thee neither shalt thou euer be forsaken of him It was ynough that he hadde sayde afore Thy God will goe before thee hee will giue thee victorie against all thine enemies thou hast alreadie had experience of his helpe It shal be alwayes the same this may seeme to haue beene ynough But yet that which Moses addeth vnto it is not superfluous because of the vnbeleefe of men who notwithstanding that God doe assure them doe yet still doubt and be wauering vnlesse they haue a newe confirmation Whereby we perceiue that it is no light matter to giue credit to the promises of God and to holde vs to them as many do suppose but that is because they neuer tryed it They that thinke themselues to bee most faithfull haue neuer tasted what faith is according as we see a great manie fooles which speake of warre and thinke to deuour all at one bitte whereas in deede they neither knowe nor haue seene any thing Euen so is it with theÌ„ that haue a speculatiue faith they make themselues y e ablest folk in the world they boast themselues to be as faithfull as any can be founde but they that knowe what faith is doe vnderstande that there is nothing more harde than for vs to stay ourselues vppon God and in that behalfe wee must bee faine to imprison our senses and to take the bit in our mouth as they say and to enforce our selues yea and that God also on his side doe worke in that behalfe as we doe see that he doeth For it is no superfluous talke when hee setteth his promises before vs and putteth vs so often in minde of them For it is a token that they beare no great sway with vs or rather that they enter not into our hearts to settle there as were meete they shoulde Thus yee see what Moses meant in saying That the Lorde will neuer forsake his people Moreouer vnder this worde he sheweth vnto vs that Gods offering of his grace vnto vs is not for a day but that hee will continue it vnto the end conditionally that we also do receiue it with the like condition In deede it is true that in this place he treateth but of the Land of Canaan but we knowe that it was a pleadge of the eternall life and of the inheritaunce that is prepared for vs in heauen Now he sayth expresly Thy God wil neuer leaue thee neither will he euer forsake thee Wee see therefore that our Lorde meaneth not to encourage vs for a day but he meaneth that we should depende vppon him to liue and to die and that we should be fully resolued that when he hath begonne he will performe his worke towarde vs and that he wil not leaue vs at the halfe way as they say And this is to bee well noted because that although men imbrace Gods promises yet are they sometimes or other in dout and wot not where to become and specially when any temptation commeth vpon them then be they so scarred that to their seeming God is loth to doe them good or elâ—e that he will not continue to doe them good Seeing then that we be thus tossed with doubtes and troubles we haue so much the more neede to remember the lesson that is here deliuered vnto vs namely y t God doth offer vs his grace with such condition as it shall neuer faile vs. But we see how this doctrine hath bin peruerted specially in the popedome They be not ashamed to say that we must stande alwayes in doubt of continuaunce to the end and that we wote not what God intendeth to doe heereafter insomuch that it is a principall article of their faith which they holde in the Popedome Neither meane I that it is the ignoraunt sort of the simple people only which do say so but that it is the resolution of all the Monks and Freers who affirm it to be the principal article of their faith that men must stande alwaies in doubt whether God wil saue them or not Seing then y t the deuil hath borne such a sway somuch the more ought we to be confirmed in this doctrine where it is sayde The Lord thy God will not leaue thee neither shalt thou euer be forsaken of him Now when Moses had thus spoken to the people then hee called also Iosuah and confirmed him And moreouer in the person of Iosuah we may perceiue the thing yet better which I haue sayd afore namely y t it sufficeth vs not to be once certified of the grace of God but that because of our weakenes we haue neede to be vpholden maintained least wee fall away or swarue aside For behold here is Iosuah whom God had chosen to be gouernor of his people to set them in y e possession of their promised inheritaunce And yet notwithstanding for all that he had hearde his duetie and office at the mouth of Moses yet was God fain to giue him new reuelations after the death of Moses to vse the like words vnto him againe And how so Was he so short witted that ere three dayes to an end he had quite forgotteÌ„ what had bin said vnto him before God and the sanctuarie He was there present and a solemne ceremonie was vsed thereabout was it because that Iosuah had forgotten his duetie No But he was a fraile man and God knowing him to be so did confirme him and encourage him And if this needed to bee done to Iosuah what needeth to be done to vs Therefore let vs beware of the presumption that blindeth vs in that we thinke we neede not to sette our mindes continually vppon the worde of God as there be many doe which hauing hearde some one sermon do suppose that they
person of him God meant to assure vs y t when we walke in our dutie and go directly to work as he hath coÌ„manded vs hauing regard to obey him rather than to please the world he is with vs and will assist vs. Seeing it is so let vs march on and not care for any thing that can happen vnto vs. This I say is the true vse of this doctrine Moreouer although we haue this assurance that God will accomplish performe the worke that he hath begun yet doth it not follow therfore y t we also should not inforce ourselues For these two thinges are ioyned together namely thy God will neuer giue thee ouer and therfore be thou of good courage behaue thyselfe valiantly It is not ment then y e God leadeth vs as it were sleeping and as though it were no harde matter for vs to do him seruice when it pleaseth him to imploy vs to any charge office No no for we must labour therein till wee pant againe sometime it shall seeme vnto vs y t God is farre froÌ„ vs thinges shall be doutfull disordered y t we wot not what shall become of vs but then let vs cheere vp our selues After y t maner must wee trust in the prouidence of our God And when we be so stayed thereupon it is not meant y t we should therfore let things fall out as they may as wee see many doe which take occasion to waxe cold God say they will prouide in the mean while they neglect their owne duetie It is not ment that we should shut our eyes saying God will prouide for it Truely although all things in the world were as far out of order as could be yet ought we to be well assured howsoeuer we fare but yet on the other side we must serue God after such maner as he hath appointed vs to be his instrumentes yea and y t in such wise as if it be his will that we must suffer much y t then wee must haue patience not be ouerthroweÌ„ nor broken therby The thing theÌ„ in effect which we haue to beare in mind coÌ„cerning this place is y t we must labour all our life long in such wise as euery one may keepe himselfe within his owne boundes limites and y t we attempt not rashly more than God giueth vs leaue to do And moreouer y t we must not be afraid to do to employ vs to those things which our duty requireth assuring ourselues y t God is neere vnto vs and that we shall feele his power at our neede and y t hee will not forsake vs. When men thinke y t all is lost doe mocke vs count vs as people past hope of recouery let vs not dout but y t our Lord will accoÌ„plish that which is heere promised and therfore let vs euermore holde on with patience waiting for the performaunce of that which wee heare spoken of heere Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults beseeching him to make vs to feele them more more and y t in likewise by acknowledging the frailety y t is in vs we may seeke to arme vs so with his promises as we may be fensed vntil the end not only to sustain one coÌ„bat or two but also to fight all the daies of our life to remaine inuincible against al maner of teÌ„ptations And y t forasmuch as it behoueth vs to depend altogether vpon him we may be so stayed thereupon y t when things do happen vnto vs contrary to our mindes as in respect of the world we may not therby be abashed or dismaied but trust that he only is as good as all other helpes therupoÌ„ coÌ„mit our selues vnto him endeuoring to glorifie him and y t seeing it is his will to gouerne vs by the hand of our Lord Iesus Christ we may be pliable and obedient vnto him that being assured that he is our good and faithful guide that he will not faile vs we may euermore take the more courage to giue ouer ourselues and wholly to offer ourselues vnto him That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Friday the xxiiij of Aprill 1556. The CLXXIIII Sermon which is the second vpon the one thirtith Chapter 9 And Moses wrate this lawe and deliuered it to the Priestes the sonnes of Leuie which bare the Arke of the couenaunt of the Lord and to all the Elders of Israell 10 And Moses commaunded them saying At the ende of euery seuenth yeere in the time of the yeere of freedome in the feast of Tabernacles 11 When all Israell commeth to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose then shalt thou reade this Lawe before all Israell in the hearing of them 12 Thou shalt gather the people together men women and children and thy straunger which is within thy gates that they may heare and learne and feare the Lorde your God and keepe all the wordes of this lawe to doe them 13 And that their children also which haue not knowen it may heare it and learne it so as they may feare the Lorde your God all the dayes that thou hast to liue in the Lande whither thou goest ouer Iordan to possesse it 14 Then the Lorde sayde vnto Moses beholde the dayes of thy death are at hande call Iosuah and stande ye at the Tabernacle of the Congregation that I may giue him his charge And so Moses and Iosuah went and stoode at the Tabernacle of the Congregation WE do wel confesse that God dealeth gratiously with men when he vouchsafeth to teach them and to shewe them the way of saluation For we see well it is a most miserable state when men haue no teaching all their life long but do guide themselues at all aduentures Nowe the case so standeth that we can not holde any way that is certaine for vs but only y t which God sheweth vs for as for the thinges which men deuise in deede they thinke them good ynough but in the meane while albeit that they bee blinded with their owne fantasies yet must they needes euermore stande in dout and God maketh it manifest at the last that it was but vanitie and folly If men therefore were well aduised nothing should be more deere vnto them than to haue Gods trueth to guide them which woulde be a lampe to shewe them the way of saluation Beholde God calleth vs hee tarrieth not till wee come to seeke that which is good for vs neither would he haue vs to fetch long windlasses but he offereth himselfe of his owne good will assuring vs that we can not faile if we will hearken to his voyce he will giue vs sufficient instruction and he pâ—â—testeth that it shall not be in vaine for vs to followe that which we shall haue heard at his mouth
men bee not brought into the way of saluation and that all of vs liue not with one accorde as wee ought to doe It is saide The straunger also that dwelleth with thee shall in likewise be taught In deede they had not the promise as the childrē of Abraham had they were not of the body of that people But neuerthelesse God would not haue any brutish people to abide there which shoulde despise all religion for it is such an infection and corruption as is not to bee borne withall in the church when such folke are to bee seene there as knowe not whether there bee a God in heauen or not or which knowe not what religion they shoulde holde Such are to bee ridde away or else there wil bee nothing but corruption which in the ende will marre all Againe it is sayde The children of them which haue not heard thereof afore It is shewed in this place that when the lawe of God hath serued to establish vs in his feare and in the hope of his goodnes and that wee our selues haue beene edified thereby from day to day wee must not forget them that haue not yet tasted of y e trueth but doe as yet goe astray in their errors we must pitie them and doe our indeuour so much as in vs lyeth to winne them that God may be honoured of vs all together That is all in effect which wee haue to beare away concerning this place Nowe as I haue alreadie sayde if the people of Israel were exhorted to haue such a care in the time when they had the doctrine yet more darkely than it is nowe deliuered vnto vs in the Gospel for albeit that it was sufficient for that time yet in comparison of the Gospel it was not so large as wee haue it now sith it is so let vs looke well to our selues and marke well that if euer wee be bereft of this so precious treasure which God hath giuen vs so as it be taken from vs it is for our owne malice rechlesnesse and vnthankfulnes because wee haue despised God and thrust the things vnder foote which wee shoulde haue kept most carefully And therefore let it be a warning to vs to make vs giue good heede to the heauenly doctrine when it is once taught vs and set afore vs. And moreouer let vs followe the order which our Lorde hath established in his Church and not onely let euery of vs for his owne particular part and person followe it and indeuour to profit his owne housholde but also let vs benefite al other folk in common by exercising our selues in that which God commandeth vs. And againe when euery of vs hath so considered of himselfe let vs in likewise bee careful of our neighbours doe our indeuours to winne the ignorant to confirme them which be alreadie brought into the good way vntill wee bee all come to the marke that God hath set before vs. Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults beseeching him to make vs to feele them more and more euen with such repentance as being beaten downe in our selues we may seeke nothing but to obtein mercie of him according as he hath promised vs in our Lord Iesus Christ so as he will cause the desert of his death passion to be auailable that we being washed from all our filthines may be so gouerned by his holy Spirite as we may desire nothing but to giue ouer our selues vnto him fighting against all maner of wicked lustes affections labouring more and more to bee ridde and deliuered from all things that may hinder vs from yeelding our obedience to his righteousnes That it may please him to grant this grace not only vnto vs but also to al people nations of the earth c. On Munday the iiij of May 1556. The CLXXV Sermon which is the third vpon the one thirtith Chapter 14 Then the Lorde said vnto Moses Behold the dayes of thy death be at hand Call Iosuah and stand both of you at the Tabernacle of the Congregation that I may giue him his charge So Moses and Iosuah went and stoode at the Tabernacle of the congregation 15 Then appeared the Lord at the Tabernacle in a clowdie pillar and the clowdy pillar rested vpon the doore of the Tabernacle 16 And the Lord said vnto Moses Beholde thou goest to sleepe with thy fathers and this people will stande vp and commit fornication with the strange gods of the lande whereinto they goe and will forsake mee and breake my couenant which I haue made with them 17 By reason whereof my wrath shall in that day be kindled against them and I will forsake them and hyde my face from them that they may be a pray Many mischiefes and troubles shall they fynde By reason whereof they shall say at that day Do not these mischiefes finde mee out because my God is not with mee GOD hath such a care of mans welfare that hee delayeth not the remedying of a mischiefe til the mischiefe be come but preuenteth if aforehand as we haue here a faire exāple thereof He tarried not til the people were turned away after idols but forasmuch as he knewe well y t it would so come to passe hee vouchesafed to warn them of it made an assay to see whether any preseruatiue medicine might holde it from breaking out God therefore ordeined this song to the intent y t the people shoulde daily haue in their mouth a testimonie against themselues y t they should by that meanes be either restrayned if it were possible or else bee left vtterly w tout excuse And here we see first of al y t God did not choose this people for that they were more worthie or more righteous than other nations of y e earth For proofe wherof he knew very wel that they would be always inclined to euil and not ceasse to shrinke away but become hard-harted in rebelling against him yet for all y t he forbare not to deliuer them out of the land of Egypt to powre out all y e treasures of his infinite goodnes mercie vpon them in doing thē good We haue then heere a certaine proofe y t when God did choose the people of Israel hee had no respect to any worthines or merites that were in them but rather meant to glorifie his own free mercie in shewing y t although men be neuer so vnworthie to be receiued to mercie yet doth he not therefore cease to shew himselfe a father towards them But herewithal we see also as I haue already sayd that god ordeineth such remedies as hee knoweth to bee conuenient to bring them back into the right way delayeth not the releeuing of them till they haue done are falne downe but prouideth all the helpes aforehand which he knoweth to be meete for the leading guiding of them to the intent they should not swarue nor start
out of the way Now in deede here might be a question put whether God could not haue restrained y t people of Israel better if he had would for we knowe y t if he list to restraine mens harts by his holy spirite he is able to do i◠And why then wrought he not so with this people We cannot binde God to giue vs such constancie as y t we might continue in his seruice And therfore we must not argue against him in this case nor say that this sōg was not sufficient that it had bin better that God had wrought effectually by his holy spirite For it was not his will he left the people in their own frailtie Howbeit wee must not say as some blasphemers do that God mocked them in that hee vsed such a remedie as hee knewe to be vnsufficient for God may wel still vphold that he hath discharged his office towardes men when he hath once giuen them his worde insomuch y t although it cannot touch them to the quick but remaineth as a dead letter vnto them yet neuerthelesse they continue iustly condemned But this woulde bee darke if it were not better declared Let vs marke therefore first of all that by this song according to the storie therof reported by Moses Gods will was that the people before they were fallen away and estranged from the way of saluation shoulde haue a testimonie against themselues as wee shall see more at length hereafter But it sufficeth for this present to touche the contentes and summe of this song which is that God being the creator of all the worlde chose the lyne of Abraham whome hee adopted and bestowed vppon them all the blessings that were possible to bee wished and lastly brought them out of the lande of Egypt and put them in possession of the lande which hee had promised them for their inheritance and there fedde them fatly notwithstanding all which things that people rebelled against him as horses that bee too much pampered in the stable and bee too fat and therefore doe kicke against their masters and turned away after strange Gods And therefore that God being prouoked to anger stirred vp strange nations to chastice them and to punish them for their rebelling after that maner howbeit that it grieued him to deale so roughly with them like a father that is very sory to vse rigor towards his children after which maner we shal see y t God setteth forth himselfe like a man sore griued as if he should say were not this people very far ouerseene or had they any drop of reason good vnderstanding to consider their owne ende they would not haue bin so turned away from me After that manner then is the song as we shal see Now it was a cōmon song God willed that it should bee in euery bodies mouth both great smal to the end that euery man should be daily called vpon to walke in the feare of God And so we be warned of that which may happen vnto vs. God doeth first declare vnto vs his curse and to what end but that euery one of vs should keepe himselfe from it Againe he sheweth vs the inconuenience wherinto we shal fall he telleth vs that he wil reuenge our rechlesnes therefore let vs beware of it For to what end doth he it but that he woulde not haue vs to tempt him but rather y t it should reteine vs in his seruice Ye see then howe the people ought to haue taken warning hereby But now we aske whether that ought to haue sufficed and whether the people had power to restrayne themselues as it is imagined that men haue free wil to choose good or euil The answer is that it was not ynough for GOD to put his word in their mouth but it behoued him also to imprint it in their harts by his holy spirit We see how it is said farther in this place Thou goest to dye and the people after thy death will fall away and runne a whoring after strange gods It is God y t speaketh on this wise to Moses Now it must needes be y t he foresaw what would come to passe yea but they will allege y t Gods foresight kepeth not men back frō turning vnto God whē they list In deed it is certaine y t the foresight of God is not y e cause that men do either good or euil but yet god did know very wel y t this people whatsoeuer doctrine or religion they should haue would not cease to be wicked froward he knew very wel y t his warning of thē aforehande would not suffice to conuert them God knewe it welynough Wherefore then did he not prouide for it See here how men do take vpon them to pleade against God but they must bee stopt with their presumption If they alleage Wherefore is it that God when hee seeth men go out of course doeth not remedie it The aunswere therunto is this that God is neither tyed nor bound therto it is ynough then that they bee made thereby inexcusable And therefore although God doeth knowe aforehande that wee because of our infirmitie shall not bee able to continue in his obedience and that there wil bee such malice in vs that wee shall not ceasse to prouoke his wrath yet is it ynough y t he doth instruct vs by his word that we bee accused condemned by him Yea but in deede it lyeth not in vs to do well Al these replyes be friuolous before God For men cannot allege that the euil commeth from any where else than themselues Although we be enclyned to sinne although we be altogether thereto giuen by nature shall we say that it is by any constraint Shall we say that the fault therof is not in vs It is impossible Seeing then that our mouth is stopt in this case we must condemne our selues humble vs before God And albeit that his word serue but to make vs guiltie not to change our hearts from euil to good yet neuerthelesse it is not superfluous neither ought we to say that God doeth daly or that hee doeth mocke vs for hee doeth the office of a teacher towarde vs telleth vs what his will is Wherefore let vs desire him not onely to teache vs by the mouth of men but also to print his worde in our heartes and to make it preuayle to the ende it bee not in vaine Such request must wee make sith wee see what is contained in the song of Moses Moreouer we must honor the wonderfull prouidence of God in that it is sayde vnto vs that the foreseeth what shall befall vnto men yet notwithstanding taketh no order for the redresse therof as wee woulde if hee should followe our appetite It seemeth a straunger matter at the first sight that God shoulde say This people wil runne a whoring and goe and defile themselues with strange Gods He sayth it and yet he giueth none other remedie but a song
is tolde them y t God sheweth himselfe in Baptisme and in the supper also they make Idols of those visible signes thinke that God is inclosed in them Therefore it is sayde that he is in heauen But yet we must not imagine it to be in power onely but wee comprehende him not in our vnderstanding And that is the cause why the holy scripture stammereth and stutteth after our rude maner saith that God commeth downe as I haue say dee not for y t he shifteth places touching himselfe but it is sayd in respect of vs. Wherfore let vs learne to conuert to our profit all the signes y t God hath giuen vs of his prâ—sence in such sort as we may therby honor him as in his glory celestiall by lifting vp our mindes aboue all the world That is the thing which we haue to gather Now let vs come to y t which is here recited Behold thy dayes are come that thou shalt dy sayth God to Moses thou shalt goe sleepe with thy fathers this people shal arise saith he go a whoring after straÌ„ge Gods or else the Gods of the strangers When God told Moses in this wise that he must die we perceiue thereby that he strengthened him and that this tidinges of death was not to make him afrayd And in deede if we be not alwaies ready to depart the world when it shall please God to fetch vs what profit receiue we of all y e doctrine that is preached vnto vs What doth God purpose when we be taught in his word but to giue vs to vnderstand y t he placeth vs in this world as in a passage y t we must be strangers heere that our inheritance is aboue and y t we must be new-shapen from day to day by putting away froÌ„ vs all our affections whatsoeuer else is of the old man to the end we may come vnto him vntill y t he hath clothed vs w t his heauenly glorie Thus ye see how it is the purpose of God to draw people from the world to bring theÌ„ vnto himself But now if we be so giuen to this present life that God must plucke vs away from hence as it were by force and y t when his will is that we shall die we be full of spite rage and torment ourselues thereat we shewe well that we vnderstande not what the word of God meaneth and that we neuer had such tast thereof as was requisite Let vs therefore by the example of Moses be so disposed to dye that whensoeuer it shall please our Lorde to take vs away from hence we may be readie to goe and to depart out of this prison of our bodie If it be alleadged that wee haue not so much profited as Moses and that wee bee not so farre forewarde as hee it is out of doubt that God bestowed on him a special grace which was not coÌ„mon to all is very rare to be found For it is no smal matter when it is sayde y t there neuer rose vp a Prophet in Israell Deut. 34 1â— so great nor so excellent as he But yet notwithstanding we haue the Gospell which Moses hadde not Albeit that God gaue him largely of his spirite more than wee haue yet had not he the doctrine of the Gospell but in shadowe and figure because Iesus Christ was not yet manifested hee had the sacrifices of the lawe as well as the rest of the people And whereas our Lorde Iesus is come to bee our life we know that he is now ascended vp to heaueÌ„ we know that first he was beneath in the deepe that is to say that he satisfied the wrath of God to the ende to redeeme vs from eternall death Seeing wee haue such an aduauntage what excuse is there if we bee afrayde when death is talked of vnto vs and thinke that all is lost for our part So then let vs marke that to bee well learned in the gospell it behoueth vs to knowe aswell what it is to diâ— as what it is to liue And howe We must noâ— be tyed vnto this present worlde nor make account to dwell heere for euer but wee must haue the one foote vp as they say as folke ready to goe Also wee must consider howe fraile our life is and euen in our full health wee must alwaies haue death before our eyes For the performaunce whereof let vs looke vp to the heauenly life y â— is promised vnto vs whereof also we haue so good a pawn in our Lord Iesus Christ. That is the way for vs not to be afraid whensoeuer God shal make vs to vnderstand y t our end is nigh and shew vs that he wil take vs vnto him I say it shall neither abash vs nor make vs afrayde but we shal be determined to go vnto him with a good will as no doubt but Moses receiued that tydinges with great ioy as if hee should haue sayde Wel Lorde I haue finished my course I haue trauailed in y e world so long as I had power and strength and now beholde I am old drooping but yet shall I be restored in thy saluation Seeing then y t it is thy will to sequester me from all the troubles of this world behold I am nowe readie like as I haue continued in the world so long as it was thy wil euen so doe I nowe desire nothing but to yeeld my selfe vnto thee And for the same cause S. Paul sayeth that the Christians turne all thinges to their owne benefite 〈◊〉 1. â—1 aswell death as life For if we liue in this worlde though it be in miserie wretchednes so as we be afflicted and despised and tormented and seeme to be as people cast away yet doth y e same turne to our profite and aduantage And why For all our afflictions be blessed in our Lorde Iesus Christ because God maketh them auailable to our saluation according as it is sayde in the eight to the Romanes 〈◊〉 1.2 that the thinges which seeme to hinder our felicitie are in deede giuen vs of GOD as helpes and furtheraunces thereof When it commeth to death we know that Christ Iesus had victorie thereof and y t seeing he is rysen we be assured y t forasmuch as we be his members and haue one common life together with him therefore wee shall not perishe Thus doth death turne to our gaine and profite and we haue cause to reioyce in all respectes Moreouer where it is sayd That after the death of Moses the people will rise there is no doubt but y t this greeued Moses For he bare such a feruent zeale to the welfare of the people that he forgot himselfe and said 〈◊〉 32.32 Race me out of the booke of life and let the people bee saued See heere howe Moses was content to bee cuâ—te off yea and euen to be damned so that God would saue the people not because that that was possible but he was so
rauished that hee had no care of himselfe Nowe therefore when he heard that the people would fall away from God there is no doubt but his heart was mortally wounded But what Yet must hee needes heare these tydinges full of sorrowe and anguish Heerein we see how God did exercise him euen vnto y e end We must not therefore suppose that Moses discharged his duâ—tie as it were with dailyaunce but that he had terrible hartbyting so as he was tossed too and fro and God gaue him alwayes dreadfull grypes of minde But yet neuerthelesse he did still continue And therefore when we see that matters fal not out as we wold albeit that we haue faithfully laboured and it seeme that our trauaile is vnprofitable and that Sathan will throwe downe that which we haue indeuored to set vp and thinges fall out to trouble and disorder let it not turne vs aside from the good way let it not repent vs that we haue serued our GOD let it content vs that our labour is acceptable vnto him for although it be not so profitable vnto men as were to be wished yet haue we done such a sacrifice vnto God as he doth receiue and accept Yea but yet if men fare litle the better thereby wee may be sorrie and sigh therefore Neuerthelesse we haue not lost our time because God liketh well of our dooinges That say I is the thing whereby the ministers of Gods worde should coÌ„fort themselues at this day when they see the worlde so drunken as we see it is and that in steede of going forwarde the greater part goeth backewarde and that whereas Gods worde is so preached vnto them that the very walles doe ring of it yet doe they but make a scoffe of it When we see such thinges let vs resort to God and say Alas Lorde thou knowest wherfore thou hast employed vs hereunto and albeit that thy doctrine be so slenderly receiued of the worlde yet is it alwaies a sacrifice of good sauour vnto thee according as Saint Paul sayth Beholde sayth he it behooueth our preaching to be as the sauour of death to many people 2. Cor. 2.15 They be the missebelieuing which be hardened against God but howsoeuer they fare that sauour is a sweete sent to our God forasmuch as it is his will that his Gospell should be preached vnto all creatures And all the faithfull in generall ought to apply the same to their owne vse specially when wee deale vprightly with men and they render vs euill for good For then it seemeth that the thinges which we haue indeuoured to doe for their welfare are taken in disdayne and by meanes therof we coÌ„monly repent vs by reason of our frailtie What then We must arme ourselues with stedfastnesse in this case And although there be neuer so great vnthankfulnesse in the world yet must we neuer be sorry that we haue obeyed our God No but the issue is not answerable to our desire There is no remedie Let vs be contented that our God alloweth our obedience So much concerning that point Moreouer whereas it is sayd that the people will rise vp God telleth of a change that whereas they shoulde holde them quiet vnder the bridle which God had giuen them they would rise vp proudly and stubbornely through inordinate desire seeke to shake off the yooke which was layde vpon their necke By the sight heereof we may learne what our owne nature is For it is certaine that heere God ment to shewe vs as in a glasse what wee be vntill such time as hee hath wrought in vs. Nowe then when we be taught in the doctrine of the Gospel what is our dutie but to hold ourselues quiet without wrenching either hither or thither as we be too much giuen by nature The word of God then must hold vs in and settle vs that we couet not newe changes euery day euery minute of an houre but that God may haue the obedience that is due vnto him and wee followe that which he commandeth vs. Thus ought the word of God to preuaile in vs to keepe vs quiet But yet we see howe the children of Israell dealt in that behalfe and howe they rose vppe that is to say that they changed and could not keepe themselues in the obedience of God At the same point are we Therefore let vs mistrust all our owne conceites When so euer any thought comes in our minde or whensoeuer we take any thing in hande let vs euermore suspect it for feare least wee shake off the yoke which GOD hath layde vppon our neckes and let vs vnderstande that God must guide vs to the ende Seeing then that we be so wauering by nature let vs learn to submit ourselues the better to the word of God not to enterprise thinges of our owne heades as who would say I will doe this I will doe that for as soone as we followe our owne wit and aduise we become stray beastes There is no more then for vs to doe but onely to liue in continuall obedience And for somuch as our Lorde hath shewed vs howe he would haue vs to walke let vs hold vs thereto not follow our tickling lustes to be carried too and fro by them After that manner are we to practise this place where it is sayde That the people would ryse vp after the death of Moses True it is that wee ought to haue our hearts alwayes lifted vppe to Godwarde but yet must they also bee brought lowe through humilitie and we must not lift vp ourselues with pride and presumption tâ— cast away that which hath beene taught vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to vouchsafe to receiue vs to his mercie And forasmuch as wee know we bee no better than these whom we see here condemned euen before they were borne according as it is heere spoken of them which should succeede after the death of Moses let vs pray to that good God that seeing he knoweth the vices that be in vs that we bee not able to helpe it vnlesse he worke by his holy spirite he will therefore clense vs from all wicked affections and so subdue vs vnto him that though we be straied away by nature yet notwithstanding he suffer vs not to continue still in our iniquities but that being drawen vnto him as he hath once called vs thereunto we may continue constantly therein and so perseuere vnto the ende and that in the meane while hee will vpholde vs because he knoweth vs to be weake vntill hee hath fully restored vs by his power That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also vnto all people and Nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the v. of May 1556. The CLXXVI Sermon which is the fourth vpon the one thirtith Chapter 17 Is it not because my God is not with me that these euils haue found me out
giue ouer himselfe to all manner of loosenesse as some are seene to do or rather as the common manner is that as soone as GOD giueth men that which they doe long for and desire they become drunken and doe lose both wit and reason if a man say I doe then ouershoote himselfe after that fashion when GOD dealeth with him so gratiously is not his sinne so much the more haynous Yes certainely That is the thing which Moses meant to declare in this place where he sayeth They shal come into the Lande which I haue promised them there will I sustaine them there shall they bee filled and made fatte and then will they turne away after straunge goddes By these woordes we are made to vnderstande that the more our Lorde maketh vs to feele his fauour and fatherly goodnesse the more ought we to be allured to rest wholly vppon him that hee may possesse vs and the more ought all our wittes and affections to bee stayed vppon his loue so as the diuell may not finde any breach nor gap open to deceyue vs for so much as GOD hath so wonne vs vnto himselfe That is the instruction which we must learne by this text otherwise the complaynt that GOD maketh against the Iewes by his Prophet Ieremie shall lyght vppon vs. 〈…〉 25. My people sayeth he what haue I doone to thee Heere GOD entereth into disputation with the people bycause they were so defiled with Idolatry and had peruerted all together Goe to saith hee let vs nowe pleade together my people what haue I doone to thee that thou shouldest complaine I haue brought thee out of the lande of Egypt I haue stretched out my mightie hand to deliuer thee from thence I haue ledde thee and directed thee I fedde thee in the wildernesse I caused Manna to come from heauen I gaue thee the foode of Angels and when thou wast come into the lande which I had promised thee I fought against thine Enemies and I gaue thee victorie against them all But these bee not the cheefe matters I haue moreouer giuen thee my Lawe which is the couenant of lyfe and saluation I haue giuen thee my Sacrifices to the intent thou shouldest haue a Testimonie that it is not without cause that I would haue you to my selfe Also I haue made thee to finde so great riches of my bountie that it is impossible to value the benefites which I haue bestowed on thee and doest thou nowe fall to despising me and to breaking thy fayth and to turning away after straunge Gods Is this the recompence that I looke for If a man doe plant him a vine and tend it he meaneth to eate and drinke the fruit thereof And if the vine do yeeld a strange and a bitter fruite to choke the maister withall what wil come of it Deserueth not such a vine to be quite plucked vp Let vs therefore bethink our selues and not tarie till our Lorde accuse vs to haue greeued his holy Spirite but let vs turne this text to our profite And for as much as we knowe by experience that he is a liberall father vnto vs let it mooue vs to soften our hearts how heard soeuer they bee that wee may learne to giue ouer our selues wholly to him Thus ye see whereto this Text ought to serue vs where it is sayde I will set them in the Lande which I haue promysed to their fathers they shall bee nourished there and made fatte and they shall turne away vnto straunge gods And therefore seeing that GOD maintaineth vs let vs suffer him also to guide and gouerne vs vntil he hath brought vs to y t eternal inheritaunce which he hath promised vs and which we looke for Yet moreouer hee saith that this song shall aunswere them as a witnesse because it shall neuer depart from their mouth Hereby we do see how it is our Lordes will y t his word should serue not to some one vse onely but also for a continuall instruction euen vnto the end that the fathers should conuey it ouer to their childrē And the chiefe succession which we ought to leaue to them that come after vs is that when God hath once vttered his will vnto vs wee must beware that it be not buried so as none of vs bee so fond as to hold himselfe contented with his owne only knowing thereof as though the light of saluation ought to die with vs but rather that they which come after vs may inioy it also And therfore when we our selues haue knowen God and haue had his trueth preached among vs wee must to the vttermost of our power indeuor that it may continue after our death and that our children may come to receive y e doctrine which we haue followed And if the word of God slip away and men think not thereon as it is come to passe in the Popedome as it was afore time it commeth of their owne leawdnesse and they must needes yeelde a reckoning for their disanulling of so great a benefite Wee see that the law was lost for a time amongst the people of Israel and this song was out of the mouthes of both great and small but yet God at the last did not suffer the people to continue in such ignoraunce but it was his will that the Lawe was founde and that the people came with great solemnitie to receiue it and hee tolde them that they were woorthy of blame for defacing the doctryne of Saluation and therefore hee willed them to repent Nowe seeing it is so as I haue already touched when GOD hath once taught vs his will let vs learne as I sayde afore not onely to profite therein for the present tyme or for the tyme of our owne life but also to procure as much as in vs lyeth that our Children after our death may still enioy the same Religion and that the name of GOD may euer bee had in remembraunce And although there be many that cannot profit themselues thereby yet shall it turne to their condemnation and God shall not fayle to bee glorified For surely Moses speaketh in this place not onely of Gods elect and of such as were the true seede of Abraham but also of such as were willing to take profite by the lawe and were not altogether reprobates For seeing it was Gods will that this song should bee in their mouthes thereby wee ought to be so much the better aduertised that our Lord doeth oftentimes leaue his worde to the worlde to bee a message and a testimonie of his loue and goodnes howbeit not for the saluation of all men but for the condemnation of the greater part Wee see that euen among the Heathen there remained alwayes a remnant of the trueth wee see such sentences vttered by the heathen as it is impossible for a naturall man to thinke the least of them which they haue alleaged By what meanes then did they it It was Gods dooing who brought them so farre foorth to their greater
condemnation and at the last day they shall full well be brought in minde of it againe Nowe if we haue the word of GOD which ought to bee a much more familiar instruction to vs and that God constraineth vs to haue our eares beaten therewith and to bee able to talke thereof if wee make none account thereof but walke altogether contrarie to it so as it may seeme that wee haue conspired to prouoke the wrath of GOD against vs Alas how dreadfull condemnation is readie for vs Therefore let vs looke well to our selues and let vs consider that our Lorde doeth often times leaue his worde in the mouth of men not to the intent they should be instructed thereby to their profite for they be neither worthie nor capable thereof bycause of their malice and rebellion but to the intent they should haue the lesse excuse at such time as they must condemne themselues and when this sentence is to bee executed vppon them namely Thou wicked seruaunt I condemne thee Luke 19.22 yea euen by thine owne mouth Let vs therefore take heede of that and let vs make such confession of Gods trueth as the same may proceede from the roote of our heart and be a good Sacrifice and so consequently turne to our saluation as Saint Paule sayeth in the tenth Chapter to the Romanes Rom. 10.10 which was alleaged by mee not long sithens Thus must the woorde of GOD bee alwaies in our mouth not to condemne vs in such wise as wee may sit rucking still continually in our filthinesse but to condemne vs in such wise as wee may bee touched with repentaunce and vtterly mislike of our sinnes and flee vnto God to obtaine fauour at his hand yea euen in such wise as he may rule and gouerne vs by his holy spirit and from hencefoorth bee glorified in all our life Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes beseeching him to vouchsafe more and more to giue vs a true vnderstanding and feeling of that which wee haue deserued so as wee may bee altogether cast downe in our selues and lay away all glorying of our selues and that our whole resorting for refuge may bee alonely to his goodnesse and that in the meane whyle we may sigh vnder the burthen of our flesh for so much as wee bee so ouerloaden that wee are not able to come to him with so pure affection as we ought and that he will augment the graces of his holy spirit vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane of all maner of vices and imperfections and renewed vs after his owne image so as we may forsake all thinges to giue our selues vnto him and that renouncing this present world we may labour to attayne to the inheritaunce of the heauenly life That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the vj. of May 1556. The CLXXVII Sermon which is the fifth vpon the one and thirtith Chapter 22 And so Moses wrate this Song the same day and taught it the children of Israell 23 Then hee commaunded Iosuah the sonne of Nun and sayde bee strong and of good courage for thou shalt bring the Children of Israell into the lande concerning the which I haue sworne to them and I will bee with thee 24 And it came to passe that Moses finished his wryting of the woordes of this Lawe in the booke so that hee made an ende 25 Then Moses commaunded the Leuites that bare the Arke of the Couenaunt of the Lord saying 26 Take the booke of this Lawe and lay it in the side of the Arke of the Couenaunt of the Lorde your God that it may bee a witnesse agaynst thee 27 For I knowe thy stubbornnesse and thy stiffe necke beholde whyle I am yet a liue with you this day you bee Rebelles agaynst the Lorde how much more then will you be so after my death 28 Cause all the Elders of your Trybes and your Rulers to come before me that I may vtter these words in their hearing and that I may call both heauen and earth to witnesse against them 29 For I knowe that after my death you will bee corrupted and fall away from the way that I haue commaunded you And finally euill will come vppon you bycause you shall haue doone euill in the sight of the Lorde by prouoking him to anger through the workes of your handes 30 So Moses spake the words of this song in the eares of all the congregation of Israell vntill he ended them WEe haue heere before already seene howe Moses exhorted Iosuah whome GOD gaue him to bee his successor And therein wee haue seene also that he was contented to haue serued God during his owne lyfe time and that hee was not grieued y t another was reserued for the charge which was more excellent than that which had beene committed vnto him For the chiefe matter was to put the children of Israel in possession of the heritage that God had promised them Moses is remoued from that honor and GOD tolde him that it was to shame him withall bicause he had not glorifyed him when the people stroue at such time as they asked water to drinke God sayd that Moses behaued not himselfe constant ynough at that time 〈…〉 10 and therefore hee punished him and would not that hee shoulde put the people in possession of the land of Chanaan Nowe see with what patience Moses did beare this chastisement which God layd vppon him In so much that although Iosuah was appointed in his place yet hee was not a whit mooued thereat with enuie or euill will but did rather exhort him desiring nothing but that such a man might be set vp as should maintayne and preserue the state of the Church Hereby we are taught that although God doe pardon our faultes yet neuerthelesse if it please him to send vs corporall punishments to the intent wee shoulde the rather humble our selues and not spurne against his power but stoope to it and yeelde our selues altogether obedient surely it is conuenient for vs as he knoweth verie well And therefore let vs suffer our selues to bee gouerned by his hand as it is the generall rule that we must obserue in al the punishments that God doeth send vs. And by the way wee are also to marke that the zeale of the honour of God and of y e welfare of his Church ought to beare rule in vs so as none of vs doe couet to bee in high degree and to mount aboue his neighbours but bee contented that God doe conduct vs by the meanes of men and that hee choose such instrumentes as it pleaseth himselfe For so hee may alwayes haue the soueraintie and the Church prosper let vs reioyce therein and let no man haue regarde of himselfe Moreouer wee are to call to rememberaunce that when Moses meant to encourage Iosuah hee assured
anie wise replie against it nor bring thither anie one droppe of our owne wisedome to say I think it not meete to what purpose is this spoken But let vs without gaynesaying receiue all that euer our Lord declareth vnto vs. Thus much for one point And moreouer let vs so sticke to him as our faith be not tossed to and fro When wee see diuersitie of opinions and that to aduaunce themselues men doe through ambition vndertake great matters let not that carie vs away but let vs continue still resolued that there is none but GOD alone that will teach vs aright that hee hath doone it by his lawe and lastlie by the Gospell insomuch that our Lorde Iesus Christ is appointed by him to be our Teacher and we haue expresse commaundement to heare him This is my welbeloued sonne heare him Matt. 3.17 By the which point he doeth men to vnderstande that he will haue them to sticke vnto his doctrine and to be obedient to the same Moreouer it is saide That the law shall bee laide vp there far a Testimonie against the people of Israell It shoulde seeme at the first shewe that the law serueth but to condemne men but I haue alreadie declared yesterday that it is saide so as in respect of folkes frowardnesse which will not be taught but by compulsion True it is that this hardenesse is to bee founde in all men for by nature wee are hardlie brought in order we bee combersome the wilde beastes doe not easilie become gentle noâ— suffer themselues to bee tamed at our hands but yet there is not so wild a beast to bee founde in the worlde as euerie man is vntill our Lorde haue subdued the stubbornesse that is in vs and giuen vs the Spirite of meekenesse and therefore our Lorde is faine to speake vnto vs and as it were to enter an action to reprooue vs. In respect whereof it is saide Iohn 16.8 that the spirite shall iudge the worlde There our Lorde Iesus Christ treateth of the Gospell and sheweth to what ende it shall be preached I will saith hee sende foorth my doctrine and to what ende To iudge the world Yea but the Gospell is a message of grace and fatherly louing kindnesse God doth heere offer vnto vs his heart and telleth vs that hee requireth nothing but to bring vs to saluation and wherefore then speaketh hee of condemnation It is impossible for him to bring vs to saluation vnlesse we bee first condemned Therefore it behooueth vs at the first entrie to be inforced to submit our selues vnto God for vntill he hath made that chaunge in vs wee will neuer yeelde to bee gouerned by him Yet notwithstanding our Lorde so worketh in his elect y t after he hath humbled them they suffer themselues to be led without any more resistance insomuch y t their whole pleasure and ioy is to bee subiect to God and to frame themselues altogether after his will The others be so rebellious that our Lord is faine to vse continuall roughnesse and sharpnes against them True it is that euen the faithful haue alwayes in them some kind of striuing so as they bee neuer so throughly reformed but that there is euer some replying Yet notwithstanding as manie as are gouerned by the Spirite of God as all his children bee shall cheefely haue their whole desire and affection to bee altogether subiect vnto God and to doe nothing vppon their owne heade or after their owne liking As for the others which be not reformed it is requisite that God shoulde alwaies stande in lawe against them and vse rigour to their condemnation For this cause it is saide here that the booke of the lawe shoulde bee a witnesse against the people Moses meaneth not but there shoulde bee some that should profite by the law so as the doctrine thereof should not be a warrant vnto them of Gods goodnesse to guide theÌ„ to the hope of euerlasting life but he treateth here of the greatest sort which was wicked and froward And y e scripture vseth such a maner of speech when a people is for the most part wicked saying All of you Although our Lorde knowe his owne people and separateth them from the rest yet forbeareth he not to say Youâ— as though hee spake generally without exception Let vs marke then that the lawe was laid vp for a Testimonie against the people not because it doeth not conteine a witnesse of the loue of God for mens welfare but because of y e peoples malice who could not finde in their heartes to fare the better thereby but turned the light into darkenesse and conuerted their breade and meate into poison and altered life into death Also we ought to thinke vppon this which Paul speaketh namely that the lawe is a minister of death 2. Cor. 3.7 but he speaketh there but of y e commandements whereas here Moses comprehendeth all the couenaunt that God had made euen the couenant of the Gospel concerning the which we haue seene herebefore how Saint Paul saide Deut. 30. â— Rom. 1â—â—â— that the same perteineth not to the lawe namelie The word is in thy mouth and in thy heart Also I haue tolde you and wee haue had sufficient proofe therof that Moses was not onely a minister of the law but also did set forth the free promises of saluatioÌ„ which were grounded in our Lord Iesus Christ. And now he doth briefely comprehende all that in a summe Neuertheles he forbeareth not to say that the lawe shall be a witnesse against the people And why As I saide afore it commeth not of the nature of the lawe that is to say of the doctrine but of y e malice of that people which could not abide that God should be their father and Sauiour Now then the thing which is here protested of the lawe perteyneth to the Gospel to witte that when the Gospell is preached if wee accept the message which is offered vnto vs wee haue GOD for our father we bee assured of his free adoption and we may freely cal vpon him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus ye see howe wee ought to be rauished with ioy when God sheweth himselfe so good and gratious towardes vs. Neuerthelater if we despise so great a benefite or abuse it as the hypocrites do or if we be skorners of God or loose liuers or if we be so wedded to this present worlde that the heauenly inheritance seemeth nothing vnto vs God wil holde skorne of vs also and moreouer there shal not one onely word be spoken which shal not ask vengeance against vs at the last day God will haue infinite witnesses Looke how manie sermons haue beene made looke howe manie lectures haue beene reade and looke howe manie bookes haue beene printed and they shal al be witnesses to condemme vs as guiltie and to make vs inexcusable before God Although then y t this ceremonie of hauing a booke laid vp as it were in the presence
be out of hope of our saluation and giue ouer the promises thereof that haue bin made vnto vs. Thus doe we now see the meaning of Moses and also in how great stead his doctrine may stand vs if we can haue the skill to apply it well to our vse Now it is said for a conclusion Ye people or nations prayse ye the people of God Here Moses directeth his speech to all infidels and heathen folk to the intent that the exhortatioÌ„ which he hath set downe heretofore may haue the more force Hitherto he had spoken to the belieuers and to such as haue eares to heare God withall and to such as he calleth to his schoole Howbeit forasmuch as there is so much troublesomnesse and scrupulousnesse in vs as is pitifull to see Moses meant to giue vs yet one meane more for our better confirmation in respect wherof he sayth Consider my friends see how your God comforteth you in the middest of the chastisements which he sendeth you Although ye haue offended him deserue to haue extreme rigor vsed towardes you without any abatement of his corrections yet notwithstanding to shewe that hee would not haue you to perish nor y t you shoulde feele him but as a Iudge onely he sheweth again that he will haue pitie vpon you and repent him of his smiting of you after that fashion and that he will withdrawe his hand And if you beleeue not this yet neuerthelesse y e infidels must needs beleeue it Although they be destitute of reason although there be not one sparke of light in theÌ„ although they be as brutish as beastes that neuer heard speaking of the liuing God yet shall they perceiue this and their experience shal be such Psal. 32.12 that they shall be driuen to say Blessed is the people whose father sauiour God sheweth himselfe to be Euen they I say shal blesse you Now when the dumme are able to speake the blinde to see the deafe to heare shoulde not they that haue bin inlightned by Gods word to whom he hath giuen tongues to magnifie his name should not they see nor perceiue a whit What excuse then shall there be for them Now then wee see why Moses hauing exhorted the faithfull to repentance hauing shewed them that God will haue pitie mercie vppon them after he hath corrected them for their faultes offences turneth his talke to such as were blind had not any knowledge or tast of the trueth namely to the heathen of purpose to make vs to perceiue the better after what sorte God causeth vs to feele his goodnes euen by experience sealing it vp in our harts by his holy spirit which is named the â—arnest penny and the seale of the hope of our saluation 〈◊〉 1.12 the causer of vs to take hold of all the good thinges which we receiue at Gods hand Now then if we know nothing therof that the infidels by beholding Gods wonderfull working after a manner vnaccustomed among men be inforced to say O what a thing is it to be of the number of Gods people ought not we to haue a more liuely knowledge thereof such as may comfort vs in our afflictions so as we may not cease to call vpon our God to hold vs continually vnder his obedience and to haue alwayes wherwith to asswage the bitternes of our sorrowes Truely the thing that Moses rehearseth here is shewed vs in the example of Balaam For he was a false Prophet hee was an enemie of God hee was such a one as had his tongue to sale and his heart vppon his powch seeking to turne the trueth into falshood and yet for all this as though God had held him vppon the rack he was inforced to vtter this speech Let my soule dye the death of the righteous 〈◊〉 13.10 He speaketh there of the people of God saying Who art thou Israell Who is hee that can doe any thing against thee seeing thou standest in the fauor of thy God Was a deceiuer and an vnderling of Satan faine to say so Yea verely For it is Gods will that his will which hee hath witnessed already to his people by his lawe and by his word should be knowen and further confirmed euen by the mouth of his open enemie Balaam was faine to say that the death of the Iewes was more to be desired than the life of all other men because God held them for his people So then let vs marke well that whereas Moses sayth Ye Nations or ye Gentiles prayse yee the people of God it is as much to say as declare ye that God hath wrought after such a fashion as it is not for men to doubt any more but that for his adoption sake in that he hath voutsafed to choose the linage of Abraham he will haue it knowen that therein he hath layd forth the infinite treasures of his goodnes And forthwith he addeth that hee will reuenge the bloud of his seruauntes and requite vengeance to his enemies but bee mercifull to his land and to his people Here are three thinges in effect which I wil touch in few words and it wil be enough to conclude this song withall The first is that God sayth He will reuenge the bloud of his seruantes Now vnder this saying hee sheweth vs that wee may well be afflicted for a time so far forth that euen our very bloud shall not be spared whether it be that God punish vs for the faults which we haue committed against him or that his will be to try our patience The thing then whereof wee bee warned is that if God thinke good to haue our bloud shed we must not thinke it straunge nor shrinke from the promises which he hath made vs in auowing himselfe to bee our God and the defender of our lyfe Neither must we think that those promises are disanulled though our God suffer vs to be handled so cruelly But let vs tary the time till he reuenge our bloud for hee will then shewe how deare and precious our lyfe is vnto him Thus much coÌ„cerning the first point As touching the second he sayth that God will requite his enemies with the lyke to the ende wee should knowe that all the felicitie of the wicked and of the despisers of God shall be accursed Psal. 37. â— therefore that we must not repine at them therfore Now then if wee see Gods enemies to bee rich to haue their ease in this world and to welter in all pleasure let vs let them alone and not be drawen do spire them or to intermeddle our selues with theÌ„ For why God 's vengeance which is yet vnseene must come before our eyes be considered by faith we must also remeÌ„ber how it is said Luke 6.25 Cursed be you y t laugh for ye shal weepe Forasmuch then as the laughter of y e despiserâ— of God must be turned into mourning weeping and gnashing of teeth let vs
sticke to his word and sith it is our life let vs assure ourselues that it wil not deceiue vs nor beguile vs if we trust vnto it For why It shall not returne void from vs that is to say when we haue once admitted it in it wil take such roote as Gods power shall euer be at hande to vs and God shall sooner renounce himselfe than not performe his promises True it is that we shal not see it out of hand but yet must we be fully resolued thereof and patiently tarry til y e fit time be come for our lord to shew that he ment not to iest or to dally in telling vs that he would be liberall vnto vs. Now sith it is so let vs learne to be the more desirous to receiue Gods worde in respect of the profite that it bringeth vs. For God thinketh it not ynough to shew vs the maiestie that is in his word to the intent we should be humbled to obey it but his mind is also to allure vs that we might be in loue with it And to that ende doeth Moses speake it heare He had magnified the word sufficiently heretofore shewing that it proceedeth from God and that heauen and earth shall beare witnes against vs if we refuse it but now he addeth another reason to induce men the better to heare God yea and to heare him desirously namely that God will prolong their dayes in the land which they go to possesse at leastwise if they suffer themselues to be taught by him And why For we be all poore silly soules without hope of saluation if we continue in the state of al mākind All the life which men weene thēselues to haue in this world is but as a way to hell vntill God haue turned vs to the better and haue taught vs what is saide in his woorde As touching that which he addeth saying That they shall lengthen their daies when they bee passed ouer Iordan I will treate thereof to morow if it please God Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them more and more as wee may learne to turne againe vnto him and make the great number of exhortations auailable which moue vs dayly so to doe and that when he layeth before vs our sinnes and threatneth vs with his wrath we may be so conuicted as we may not continue hardened in euill but returne vnto him and pray him to bee so gratious vnto vs as not to suffer Satan to haue dominion ouer vs but rather to make vs indeuour to reform ourselues in such sort as that our hearing of his word may cause vs to amend and bring vs backe to him and frame out whole life according to his will 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 Fryday the xix of Iune 1556. The CXC Sermon which is the thirteenth vpon the two and thirtith Chapter 48 And the same day the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 49 Get thee vp into this mountaine Abarim the mountaine Nebo which is in the land of Moab oueragainst Iericho and there take a view of the land of Chanaan which I giue in possession to the children of Israell 50 And thou shalt dye vpon the mountaine which thou goest vp into and be gathered vnto thy people like as Aaron thy brother dyed vppon Mount Hor and was gathered with his people 51 Bicause ye sinned against me among the Children of Israell by the waters of strife in Cades in the wildernesse of Sin For yee sanctified me not in the presence of the Children of Israell 52 Therfore thou shalt see the land before thee but thou shalt not enter into it namely the land which I giue vnto the Children of Israell THis historie hath bin touched alreadie heretofore in the first Chapter Deut. 1.37 where Moses declated that he was depriued of the benefite which he had looked for that is to say of inioying the inheritance which God had promised to all the linage of Abraham Now the ful time was come and Moses had bin appointed of God to deliuer the people by reason whereof there was great likelihood that he aboue all others should haue gone into that land But when he was to haue set his foote into it then behoued it him to die and that was a verie hard case for him Hee made mention thereof afore to shewe to the children of Israel howe great and excessiue their lewdnesse was seeing that he was punished for their sakes For the mischiefe came not of himselfe hee had not consented neither to their murmuringes not to their blasphemies but rather had strayned himselfe to withstand them Yet notwithstanding his constancie was not so great as was requisite Onely bicause hee was as a man amazed and glorifyed not God with such stedfastnesse as hee ought to haue doone hee was banished from the land This doeth he charge them with to their reproch And here he repeateth againe how that after he had published the lawe God told him againe that he should beare that punishment of not entering into the lande of Canaan and therewithall he telleth him immediately of his death Nowe first of all if wee reade what is written by Moses himselfe it will seeme that he ouershot not himself in the place y t is called Meriba which aforetime was named Raphirim Exod. 17.7 For there perceiuing the people to cry that they died for thirst hee called vppon God Moses doeth not take part with them that stormed after that manner hee was no fellow with them hee repyned not a God but rather went to him with all humilitie saying Alas Lorde I am a mortall man and how may I satisfie this people vnlesse thou prouide for them Moses resorted vnto GOD his meaning was not to prouoke him to wrath therewithall it should seeme that he looked that God should woorke after his accustomed manner that is to say that hee should shewe foorth his power Now then if a man looke vppon the outward apparance of the matter it will seeme that Moses behaued himself faithfully and that he was not to be blamed Yet notwithstanding hee is condemned both he his brother Aaron And why Hereby wee see that wee must not alwayes weigh our sinnes in our owne ballance for that will euer deceiue vs according to this saying of Salomon Man thinketh his owne wayes to bee right Prou. 21.2 but God weyeth mens hearts Therefore when men haue acquit themselues they haue gained nothing thereby For sometimes the lewdnes lyeth hid within God seeth it and it is he y t chalengeth to himselfe the office of searching of all thoughts Then by the example of Moses we be warned not to flatter our selues For although our sinnes be hidden from men yea and that we our selues cannot comprehend them wee must not vnder colour thereof
vs wel remeÌ„ber what is conteyned here as things that proceeded not from a mortall creature but from God who witnessed that he was the father and defendour of his church Nowe this concerneth vs. For although wee haue not the like prophesies yet hath God declared vnto vs that we be euer vnder his charge and that he watcheth for our welfare And wee for our part haue no neede to bee trayned on in knowledge by such meanes because God hath brought vs alreadie to an other manner of perfection Therefore let vs holde vs contented with the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ in whose person the thing is performed which was hoped for vnder the lawe And therewithall let vs bee fullie resolued that GOD guideth our steppes and that euen in the middest of all the disorders and troubles which are seene in the worlde his Church is still deare and pretious vnto him And in good sooth wee see that before Iesus Christ came into the worlde â—â—cap 7.11 Daniell discouered all the chaunges which shoulde bee made because it might else haue seemed that God had gone from his couenaunt a hundred times within the space of foure hundred yeares and that all shoulde haue goone in such wise to wrecke as if God had forsaken that people and been minded to haue no more to do with them It was requisite therfore that these things should bee foretolde that the faithfull might knowe that although they were shaken and tossed to and fro yet were they still in the hande of God and that when they sawe the kingdomes chaunged rounde about them and the worlde so turned vpside downe as a man coulde not discerne anie thing in it yet they shoulde alwayes be assured of that which God had promised them namely of his sending of his sonne to redeeme them and y t they should by that meanes bee restored euen after y e vtter desolation of al things among them Thus see wee now the vse of this Song Now whereas it is saide That it was Moses the man of God that blessed the children of Israell that title was giuen to Moses as in respect that hee was the instrument of the holie Ghost Then speake hee not of his owne motion there is not anie thing spoken here after the fleshe but as proceeding from a man of God And hereby wee be the better taught to imbrace the record that is giuen vs here as if God protested with his owne mouth that hee had a care of his people and that he would euermore continue his goodnesse and gratious fauour towardes them For in deed there was a blessing made by the Priests in the time of the lawe according to this saying Blesse yee you that bee of the house of the Lorde And it is the same thing which is written in the sixth Chapter of the booke of Numbers where it is saide that they which doe sacrifice to GOD Psal. 118.26 Numb 6.23 shall blesse the people in his name And truely where the Priestes and the tribe of Leuie are spoken of this also is added To whom the Lorde hath giuen the charge of Blessing the people Leuit. 9 2â— And this thing is not abolished at this day For our Lorde Iesus Christ had in his person the thinges that were figured in olde time vnder the Lawe Let vs knowe then that noweadayes there is one euerlasting blessing of God which is much better witnessed vnto vs than all the blessinges that were so often repeated vnder the law insomuch that as nowe God telleth vs by his onely sonne that hee taketh vs into his fauour and that wee bee as his children and that the preaching of the Gospell serueth vs to that ende and wee must applie it to that vse So then whensoeuer wee come to heare the worde of God let vs call to minde howe our Lorde Iesus Christ at his going vp into heauen did lift vp his handes ouer his disciples and blesse them as is reported by Saint Luke And that was done to make vs knowe what his office is and to doe vs to vnderstande that at this day when the Gospell is preached in his name Luk. 24.50 it is all one as if hee shoulde say Beholde my father accepteth you you be in his fauour Nowe then seeing we haue this ought it not to make vs to loue the Gospel considering that therein wee bee blessed by the mouth of our Lorde Iesus Christ as in whose name and by whose authoritie that doctrine is treated of Let vs vnderstande therefore that if it behoued the fathers vnder the Lawe to bee contented with the blessing that was giuen them by Moses by the Priestes and by Iacob if wee nowadayes bee faithlesse and admit not the recorde with full certeintie which is giuen vs in the Gospell wee bee worse than vnexcusable because wee deface the trueth of Gods sonne and as much as in vs lyeth accuse him of lying as though hee were not a sure and infallible witnesse of the will of GOD his father And when wee compare Moses who is called a man of God with our Lord Iesus Christ who hath y e whole soueraigntie of Gods house as the Apostle saith Hebr. 3.2 wee may bee yet the better assured that he hath blessed vs at this day and that hee vttereth vnto vs the loue of God his father and therfore let our faith be so much the better certified seeing it behoued this title of Moses to content the people of olde time Nowe it is added That he did it a little before his death The worde which he vseth is as much to say as hee did it before his death So then by these wordes Before his death is not meant a yeare or two no nor yet a moneth but at his death time euen when hee was to die And these blessinges are therefore of so much the more authoritie For wee knowe that when a man makes his last will it shall bee better receyued than the things which he spake during his life Although then y t Moses serued God as a Prophet and teacher all his life long and had discharged his duetie faithfully yet neuerthelesse his minde was to vtter these blessinges at the time of his death to the ende they should be the better receiued and men consider thus Beholde Moses being readie to departe out of the world hath told vs of the things that are to come hee hath not doone it at aladuenture nor vnaduisedly but hee hath fully and wholy performed that which was inioyned him To the intent therefore that the people shoulde receyue those blessinges the better this circumstance is expressely added That he did it at the houre of his death But we at this day haue a farre better and more excellent confirmation in that we be blessed by the mouth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For he hath not onely doone it at his death but also hath sealed Gods fatherly loue and adoption towards vs I say sealed them with his precious
the ende euen in the middes of Babylon euen in that gulfe he reserued a remnāt of Beniamin which returned home with the tribe of Iuda They that were much more excellent in dignitie became as banished folk and God forsooke them as rotten members so as they returned not any more into the inheritance of y e land of Chanaan the resting place which god had foreappointed to their fathers Ye see then how God continued still his grace towardes the tribe of Beniamin not that they had not horrible punishments as it fell out afterwardes but that God by his infinite goodnes ouercame the naughtinesse of men To bee short let vs note that when God giueth vs his promises after that maner they shal seeme to be disappointed of their effect and performāce through the vnthankfulnes of y e world for y t there are a great many which refuse Gods goodnes shut the gate against him so as they be not partakers thereof That is the cause why God sheweth not himself liberal towards vs any more For if we could skill to inioy his goodnes surely he would alwayes outgo our expectation all our wishes But what We will haue him to content vs and to please vs in all cases and in the meane while it should seeme that wee haue conspired against him to keepe him back from doing vs good Therefore let vs not thinke it strange if God perform not his promises which he hath made vnto vs with his owne mouth for we our selues be y e cause thereof Neuerthelater although the world be so malicious and froward that to all seeming men woulde wilfully disappoint all Gods gratious dealings yet notwithstanding let vs not doubt but that there shall euer be some smal number whom God wil maintaine Onely let vs indeuour to liue vnder Gods wings that we may be preserued by him suffer him to dwell betweene our shoulders Wee heare what warning S. Paul giueth vs thereof 〈◊〉 6.9 〈◊〉 7.34 how he saith y t we must beare the Lorde both in our bodies in our soules True it is that there is not now any material tēple builded any where wherein to do sacrifice but euery of vs is y e temple of God and that is with condition that wee shoulde beare him according to S. Paul◠saying who vseth the same word And how do we beare him In knowing that it belongeth to him to be the soueraine to raigne ouer vs and to haue al preheminence that it behooueth vs to bow downe our neckes to receiue his yoke and to obey him in al respects And if we do so let vs not doubt but that God watcheth for vs cōtinually so as all the assaultes and temptations of the world shall not preuaile any thing at all against vs. Insomuch that although we be like to perish a hundred times yea and to bee ouerwhelmed yet will he vtter forth his power to preserue vs and we shal be saued in the mids of death so as we may keepe on our course stil. When thunder seemeth to come downe from aboue nothing is to bee seene vpon earth but confusion euerywhere then let vs not doubt but God giueth vs incomprehensible safetie Thus much concerning the tribe of Beniamin Now commeth Moses to the tribe of Ioseph and saith That his lande shal be blessed of God with the delectable fruites of the Sunne with the fruites of the Moone with the pleasures of the Deaw from aboue and of the depths from beneath that is to say of fountaines and watersprings which giue moisture and nourishment to the earth That his honour should be as the firstborne of a bull that he shall haue excellent hornes wherewith to push against his enemies that hee shall haue the olde mountaines and the pleasant hilles where shal be nothing but sweetenes And afterward in the end it is saide That all these things shall come vpon the heade of Ioseph vppon the Crowne of the heade of the Nazarite of his brothers Here we may see how the intent of Moses was to cofirme the things that Iacob had spoken afore for he vseth many of the same words which are in the nine and fortith Chapter of Genesis Gen. 49. Partly then Moses doeth but make a rehearsall of the things which had beene written in the person of Iacob and that is not superfluous but God reneweth and ratifreth his promises to the ende they should be the more assured And such confirmation also was needfull to the intent that the other tribes shoulde not grudge against the tribes of Ioseph Wee knowe that the people of Israel were verie full of quareling and rebellion and that it was a verie harde matter to holde them in awe Nowe Iacob had giuen dubble portion to his sonne Ioseph because hee had two children Ephraim and Manasses Hee had saide that Ioseph shoulde represent two heades in the house Nomb. 18.20.21 because the tribe of Leuie was excluded and had no portion in the Lande but onely tooke the tenthes and Offerings Their successours therefore might haue saide In deede it was the will of our father Iacob to giue this aduantage to his sonne Ioseph howbeit that was vppon ouer earnest affection because Ioseph had succoured him in his neede and fedde our fathers in the time of famine But what Shoulde they therefore haue two heads here and we bee so much abated Because the people might still haue pleaded for the partition which had bin assigned and haue striuen when they had bin come into the Land of Chanaan Moses confirmeth the thing which had beene declared afore that is to wit that Ioseph should hold still the portion y t had bin giuen vnto him represent two chiefe houses in y e linage of Iacob that there should be ten thousands of Ephraim thousāds of Manasses We see now to what purpose Moses rehersed y e words of Iacob And let vs marke also that whereas he saith that he is the Nazarite among his brethren the word which he vseth may bee taken for a Crowne as if he shoulde say Hee shall be the glorie of his brethren True it is that this continued not for euer it was but a temporall dignitie because that in the end it behooued the tribe of Iuda to attaine to the royall scepter and to haue the soueraintie ouer all the whole bodie And then was Ioseph also brought vnder obedience But yet for a time hee was the crowne of his brethren Yet notwithstanding he setteth downe the worde of Separation So then he was separated from among his brethen not in that hee was solde into Egypt as some haue expounded it for that is cleane contrarie But rather hee is termed a Nazarite in way of honour for that God had chosen him and shouled him out by himselfe so as hee was not of the common sort but had as it were a first begottenship in respect whereof he tooke double portion of inheritance That is
the same name belong not vnto vs nowadayes yet haue we a generall lesson to gather thereupon namely that we may well apply vnto ourselues al the promises which are giuen in the holy scriptures yea and wee may apply them in such sorte as we may euermore conclude that not so much as one mite of them shall fayle vs. Nowe Moses addeth That he shal be as a Lyon tearing his pray as well the head as the arme Wherby he betokeneth that those people shall haue enemies but that they shall giue them the repulse by force To be short we see how it behooued that people to be exercised with diuers battelles but yet that God woulde alwayes ayde them and giue them meanes to ouerthrow their enemies And therefore let vs learne that although our Lord suffer vs to indure many troubles yet doth it not followe thereupon that he shaketh vs off or that he will not be mercifull to vs make vs to feele his goodnesse For what else are the blessinges which Moses rehearceth heere and which Iacob vttered in the forealleaged place but a sure warrant that God woulde shewe himselfe gratious to the tribes of Israell And yet is this no impediment but that they should haue many troubbles many warres and many temptations And therefore let vs not thinke that because God accounteth vs for his children and hath pitie vpon vs therefore wee be exempted from all vexation so as we shall liue at our ease and all thinges shall fall out to our lust and liking for yet notwithstanding wee shal be afflicted and molested Wherefore let it suffise vs that we haue God on our side who will at length set vs vp and giue vs such deliuerance and issue out of all our miseries that wee shall throughly perceiue that he holdeth on our side As long as we haue that let vs passe patiently through all the tribulations which it behooueth vs to suffer It followeth that Gad sawe that he had a portion of the Lawemaker hidden and yet neuerthelesse that he should goe with the Princes to execute Gods Iustice and Iudgement Moses rehearseth that which was alreadie come to passe concerning the tribe of Gad and excuseth them for desyring to haue their portion beyonde the Iordan that is to wit the countrey of Og king of Basan and whatsoeuer else had beene conquered before the death of Moses It might seeme that in this case the two tribes of Gad and Ruben were to bee condemned for their ouerhastie eagernesse in desiring to haue partition made afore the people were come into the Lande of promise But yet doth God allowe of it with condition that they should require that partition And how was that That Countrey had else lyen deserte and had serued to no purpose Heereupon the two tribes alleaged that they had great store of cattell and that the sayde countrey was a Countrey of very good pasture so as they might leaue their wiues and children there and not be in charge with the whole hoste Againe they alleaged that in the meane while their cattell should prosper Nomb. 32.4 the Countrey be inhabited As touching their owne persons they offered to go with the rest of the people and to die there rather than not to discharge their dutie in y e right of brotherhood Moses then excuseth the request made by the tribe of Gad that they might dwell beyond Iordan and haue their portion and inheritaunce there Therefore he sayth That they had a hidden Portion of the Lawegiuer or at the Lawegiuers hande This text hath cōmonly beene expounded thus He sawe that this should be the graue of Moses the Lawgiuer but that is ouercolde not worthy to bee spoken of notwithstanding that some sticke vnto it And why Because wee should bee neuer the surer of the sense which yet notwithstanding is as fit as any can bee For to what ende is the excuse of Moses comprised heere namely that he should haue a portion at Gods hande in that Countrey As if he shoulde say that Gad was led by good discretion when he desyred his dwelling place beyonde Iordan If a man should reply How so Was it not Gods will to reserue y e distributing of the inheritances to his people by the hand of Iosua And againe was it meete that the Countrey should haue bin conquered afore But that was not doone and therefore there was rash dealing in this case or at leastwise there was ouerhastie desire If any man reply after that maner Moses sayeth that the portion was hidden and he termeth it a portion from the Lawegiuer Whereby hee signifieth that Gad attempted not any thing but y t which was lawfull permitted For it was well knowen that it was Gods will y t the sayd Land should be conquered after an extraordinary fashiō that it shold be possessed put to good vse y t some benefit should be made of it while all the rest of the people went to conquere the Lande of Canaan So then the worde Lawgiuer may better be referred vnto God than vnto Moses For so God be obeyed all thinges shall goe well Men will perchaunce finde fault with our doings but let it suffice vs to haue God for our warrant when we shall not haue offended him nor withstood his ordinance The meaning then of Moses is that Gad knewe he demaunded not aught which was not conformable to the purpose of God and y t in so doing he was not to be blamed forasmuch as he had followed Gods ordinance Againe he termeth it A hidden portion meaning that he did not take his part by violence but that he tooke it as a thing belonging to him and which was lawefull for him to doe For although it fell not to him by lot but by consent of the people and of al the other tribes yet notwithstanding God declared that it was his will it should be so and that it was good And why For it was a hidden portion that is to say God had foreappoynted it to that vse and he would not that in that behalfe they should followe the common rule nor that they should tarry till the cōmon partitions were to be made by lot And thereupon it is sayde that he should goe with the Princes that is to say with the rest of the tribes to execute Gods Iustice and Iudgement vnto Israell so as his dwelling in that countrey shoulde not holde him backe to deceiue his brethren and to fayle them at their neede but that notwithstanding that they saw they might haue abidden in a fat and fertile Countrey yet hee would not inioy his state but followe y e warres still vntill all were at an ende and that the Lord had giuen rest to all the other tribes Nowe we see what Moses meant in effect And by this place we be put in minde that in all our doings we must haue an eye to Gods wil. For as soone as we swarue from that there remaineth no excuse for vs
notwithstanding Gods power shall shewe it selfe therein And now proceeding with this lesson let vs learne first to knowe that wee be vtterly naked and that wee want all thinges when we knowe that let vs humble ourselues so as there may not be one droppe of hautinesse or foolish selfeweening in vs. And therewithall let vs vnderstande that God will not suffer vs to quaile in any case For if we haue neither sword nor shielde he will serue our turne for both of them If we be in daunger of vndooing hee is our preseruer If we be plundged heere in neuer so many miseries with the rest of all mankinde we shal be recouered again by his grace because he hath chosen vs for his people That is the point whereon we must rest Nowe haue we heere a rehearsal of the death of Moses whereof mention was made in the end of the two and thirtith Chapter and heere it is repeated againe Deut. 32.50 namely that God made Moses to goe vp into the mountaine Nebo which otherwise is a part of the Mountaine Abarim And he addeth afterwarde Gay In deede this worde Gay signifieth a valley But we see it was a part of the mountaine in diuers respectes and that appeareth in many places Moses then went vp as he was commaunded of God and there beheld all the Lande which had bin promised for an inheritaunce to the linage of Abraham euen vnto the Sea which was right ouer against it that is to wit the midland Sea He viewed the Countrey to the intent he should be certified before his death that the promise which God hadde made fourehundred yeeres afore Gen. 12.7 was not in vaine but euen at the point to bee performed neuerthelesse it was not Lawfull for him to goe into the Lande but only to see it And as hath beene treated heeretofore God punished him because he had not glorified God at the place of Meriba Deut. 32.51 Exod. 17.7 that is to say the place of Strife which was so named because the people were on an vprore there And heere we haue to cal to minde the thing which hath beene layde foorth already more at length that is to wit the obedientnesse of Moses For he knewe well that his going vp thither as God called him was to the intent he should die Death then was not so greeuous vnto him but that he prepared himselfe vnto it when hee sawe it was Gods will it should be so And by this example wee be taught to liue in such sort as wee may alwayes haue one foote lifted vppe to goe whensoeuer GOD listeth to take vs hence to himselfe And in deede what win the stubborne sort by their desyrousnesse to eschewe death but to bee ouercome by force when they haue fretted and chafed neuer so much It is a point of slender discretion when men consider not that as God hath sette them heere so he ought also to haue authoritie to take them away againe when he listeth Wee shewe ourselues to be destitute of wit and reason like brute beastes if we haue not such consideration w t vs. Wherfore let vs learne to finish our course in such wise walking as Pilgrimes vppon earth as we may euermore be ready and weldisposed to depart from it whensoeuer God sheweth vs that our houre is come But truely that can not be done except we conceiue a hope of a better life 1. Cor. 5.4 For as sayth S. Paul naturally we be loth to be vnhoused there is no man but hee would faine continue still Therefore it standeth vs in hande to knowe that our true dwelling place is not heere in this worlde and that we be but only to passe through it So then without fayth we can neuer obey God Hebr. 13.14 specially when we bee to depart out of the worlde but we will alwayes grynde our teeth at it so as if it were possible we would fight against God But when we once conceiue that our inheritaunce is aboue and that God hath a better life in store for vs then doe we determine and prepare to submit ourselues vnto him whensoeuer hee giueth vs any token that we must depart hence After that manner shall we followe the example of Moses I graunt he had a promise that God accepted him for one of his but yet the same belongeth to vs also and we haue this aduauntage more that our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our life Iohn 11.25 hath shewed himselfe vnto vs to the intent we should boldly followe his steppes And he entered into death to bring vs to the glorie of his resurrection Therefore let vs not sticke to followe the Lorde Iesus because that if we die with him we be sure as sayth S. Paule to be partakers of his life Rom. 6.8 and to be companions with him because it belongeth vnto vs. For he was not raysed againe for his owne profite but for the assuring of our saluation Therefore let vs not dout therof but let vs cleaue vnto him And in so doing let vs assure ourselues Rom. 4.26 that his resurrection shall be manifested in vs also Thus ye see howe we haue to put this text in practise where it is sayde that Moses went vppe to the mountaine knowing well that when he came there God would take him out of the worlde And yet for all that hee shunned not the place ne madâ— any resistance but prepared himselfe to death with true obedience yea and with such frowardnesse that he needed not to be ledde nor to be haled forth by the handes of sergeauntes God sayde the worde and Moses went thither with a good will Againe let vs marke also what hath bin declared as touching the punishment that was laid vpon Moses namely that God had shut him out banished him from the lande which was promised to all Abrahams posteritie and that was a verie greeuous thing to him But yet did he beare it patiently acknowledging y e fault which he had committed though it came not of himselfe For he had alwayes serued God faythfully yea and in the very selfesame deede there was no more but this that it spyted him to see the leaudnesse of the people Howbeit forasmuch as he was cast downe and stoode not so stoutly to it as was requisite God layd that fault to his charge and punished it with such rigour as we see in not admitting him into the lande of promise To be short let vs vnderstande as I haue sayde afore that whereas we thinke wee haue not done amisse our offences shal be grosse and exceeding great before God Wherefore let vs learne not to be our owne Iudges but to referre ourselues vnto God and to suffer him to acquit vs or condemne vs by his worde When we shall haue doone any thing albeit that our conscience reprooue vs not let vs assure ourselues that God seeth more clearely than we do as sayth S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle 1. Iohn 3 And
fonde as that euen litle babes might haue mocked them for it Yet notwithstanding euē the wisest folke haue beene doted with them the spirit of giddinesse hath reigned ouer them And it hath beene Gods will to make men so brutish For when they would not hold themselues simply vnto him but were carryed away with their fickle lustes it was meete that they should come to that poynt For as much then as it is so let vs vnderstand that our Lorde giueth vs so many warnings the mo to the intent to hold vs in such awe as we may be well ware that wee be not by any meanes seduced Thus yee see what wee haue to note as in respect of the things which S. Iude teacheth vs concerning the body of Moses Now there is yet this saying further set down in the text No man hath knowen his graue vnto this day Wee knowe not which of the Prophets wrote this last Chapter The Iewes say it was Iosua but their coniecture hath no ground It is much more likely that the same Prophet which gathered the booke of Iosua did therewithall write the death of Moses also Neuerthelesse it is not without cause sayd that no man vnto this day For it doeth vs to vnderstand that it was not for one day onely that God woulde haue the bodie of Moses so hidden for then it might haue beene sayd true it is that the body of Moses was vnknowen to men but that was but at the beginning For the first boylings are somewhat too headie and God sawe that the people might haue beene moued with too great affection and by that meane they might haue corrupted themselues It is not then to be wondered at if Moses sepulchre had beene vnknowen for two or three dayes or for a moneth or for a yeare for these people were too farre in loue with him but when he was once buryed then it came to knowledge But our Lord sheweth that hee knewe well that men are subiect to ydolatrie and that not for a day onely but euen vnto the ende and that the same sinne is so rooted in vs that as soone as wee haue neuer so little an obiect by and by wee start out of our boundes Let vs marke well then that it behooueth vs to stande vppon our garde for ydolatrie is not for a time but for euer And wee take this cursed inclination from our mothers wombe so as wee bee easily allured away from the seruice of God That is the thing which wee haue to remember vppon this part of the text And therefore let vs indeuour al the time of our life to walke according to Gods ordinance and let vs also beware that wee bee not caried away after the illusions of Satan And when we our selues shall haue continued in the seruice of God let vs teach our children to doe the like that it may for euer be reteyned in the worlde so as God may be serued of al men with one common accord For if wee be recheles in that behalfe it wil abash vs to see howe the diuel will incontinently get the forehand of vs in the turning of a hand there wil followe a horrible change which will corrupt and marre all Sith wee see this let vs be steddie and constant and let vs bee so zealous to bring to passe that God may bee purely worshipped as it may continue not for one day onely but euen vnto the ende so as we may from age to age protest that Gods name is called vppon ouer vs and that he hath the whole preheminence and that the creatures howe excellent so euer they bee doe abyde in their degree and place and that they haue not occupyed the roome of God nor his soueraigne dominion Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God which acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them more and more that wee may be so cast downe in our selues as our whole seeking may bee to receiue mercie at his hand and hauing receiued it to bee so guyded by his holy spirite as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him to dedicate our selues fully to his obedience and to serue him with all purenesse both in body and soule and that hee impute not our imperfections vnto vs which are yet still in vs but that he rid them from vs day by day and reclaime vs of them more and more vntil he haue brought vs to the perfection whereunto he inuiteth vs. 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 xv of Iuly 1556. The CC. Sermon which is the second vpon the xxxiiij Chapter of Deuteronomie and the last vpon that booke 7 Moses was a hundred and twentie yeres olde when he dyed his sight was not dimmed nor his liuelinesse abated 8 And the children of Israel mourned for Moses thirtie dayes in the playne of Moab And after that the dayes of mourning and sorrowing for Moses were ended 9 Then Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome for Moses had laid his hand vpon him And the children of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commaunded Moses 10 And there arose not vp a Prophet in Israel thenceforth like vnto Moses which knew the Lord face to face 11 In all signes and woonders for which the Lorde sent him to do them in the Land of Egypt before Pharao and all his seruants and all his Land 12 Nor in all the strong hand and al the great vision which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel IT was needefull that after the death of Moses the Iewes should know the good that God had done them by the meanes of such a man For we know that Gods gratious dealings are by and by forgotten and it is the point wherein men doe chiefly shewe their leawdnesse For although it be prooued to them that God hath helped them yea euen with signes and myracles yet woulde they passe it ouer slightly In this respect it is saide expresly heere that Moses had his liuelinesse and all his strength vnto the age of a hundred and twentie yeares Nowe wee knowe what is written in his song in the fowerscore and tenth Psalme That after a man commeth to threescore yeares 〈◊〉 90.10 there remaineth nothing but sorrowe paine and griefe and he doeth but linger and pine away Loe what our life is Although we haue beene strong yet doe wee decay in the twinkling of an eye when wee once passe threescore yeares and it is a great matter for a man to attaine thereto I meane in such strength But nowe whereas it is reported that Moses attained to double those yeares thereby it appeareth that God strengthened him aboue the common rate of men And that was not for his owne sake onely but to the intent he might be able to susteine the charge that was committed vnto him Had not
the people bin vnthankfull they shoulde ere that time haue beene conueyed into the lande of promise and then had Moses gone in with them But his life was prolonged a great time because of the leawdnes of the people Heere we see a wonderfull goodnes in God For seeing that the people that is to wit as many of them as were then of discretion to knowe good from euill were condemned to die in the wildernesse it had beene a great discomfort to them if Moses should haue dyed out of hand 〈◊〉 14.23 But God reserueth him and although he chastise the people yet notwithstanding hee moderateth his rigour Heere then we see in effect that when God tolde the people that they should die in the wildernesse hee meant not to punish them with such extremitie but that hee prouided them first of y e principall point which was y t they might haue a good loadesman For that is an inestimable treasure And againe we see howe God wrought in Moses by a power that was not common to men that is to wit that at the age of Sixscore yeeres there was in him still all that euer was requisite in so difficult and weightie a charge as wee knowe was committed vnto him True it is that he had Iudges with him Exod. 18.25 but yet for all that no one man no nor a doosen men had beene able to haue gone through with that charge though they had bin chosen of the excellentest men in the worlde Needs must it be thē that God aided him Now whereas in so old age men are wont to be drooping and halfe dead or at leastwise in such case as they can scarsly crawle and are halfe doted and yet Moses continueth still in his perfect state therein it appeareth that God had compassion of his people And this is expresly declared that the children of Israel shoulde knowe that God neuer forsooke them that although they had grieuously offended him and were worthy to be cut off from his house and to bee stripped out of his gratious giftes yet he ment not to vse such rigour for hee reserued Moses and gaue him wherwith to go through with his charge continually To be short in this text it is shewed vs that if God giue vs such men to bee our guides as behaue themselues faithfully and haue abilitie matched with their will and that they bee maintained to doe their office to the full it behoueth vs to perceiue therin that God hath pitie vppon vs and we must acknowledge such a benefite vnlesse we wil be condemned of vnthankfulnesse Nowe it is saide that the children of Israel mourned thirtie days for the death of Moses It was a common thing to make such sorrowe for the deade But forasmuch as Moses was a father to all the whole people it was verie requisite that not some one house or kinred but that all those which had beene gouerned by him shoulde weepe for him Euerie man is to be mourned for in his owne house by his kinsfolfe and neere friendes but there was another speciall reason in Moses because God had giuen him to all the people and he had guided them with a fatherly care as we knowe The people therefore doe witnesse openly howe much they were bounde and beholden vnto Moses and al of them shewe themselues as his children But here it might be demaunded whether it be lawfull to make such lamentation for a man that is departed for it shoulde seeme to bee an incountering of Gods will Wee knowe that the life and death of men is in Gods hande nowe if hee call vs away it behooueth vs to goe without any gainesaying as I saide yesterday They that outliue vs must not sorrowe for our death for it were a kinde of striuing against God But wee must euer haue an eye to the end of our sorrowing when wee mourne for the decease of men and againe we must come to the measure therof Those two things then must we obserue to the intent that our sorrowing may bee lawfull The first thing is that our mourning for a partie departed be vpon iust cause For we haue good occasion to weepe because death is a common lookingglasse and record vnto vs of Gods curse not vppon one or two folkes but vpon all mankinde When we see any man deade God sheweth vs to the vew of our eye that we be all of vs cursed of him and that wee be all of vs inclosed in that curse because of Adams sin For whence comes death but of the estraunging of vs from the fountaine and welspring of life God then giueth vs good occasion to weepe when any man dyeth but that must bee done because of our sinnes so aswe feele what we haue deserued and bee ashamed of our selues and bee touched with the feare of Gods vengeance and bee so wounded therewith as it may prouoke vs to make sorrowe But this ende is ill regarded welneere of all men For when wee weepe we wote not why wee weepe and scarsly shall yee finde one among a hundred which is mooued and stirred vp to acknowledge the punishment of sinne the curse of God which is spred ouer all the sonnes of Adam That then is the thing which we haue to remember in the first place There is another seconde ende That is to wit when God taketh away a man that was able to doe seruice in his Church either publikely or priuately wee ought to bee sorie for it forasmuch as our Lorde chastiseth vs. If there bee a good Sheepeherd a good Prince a good Magistrate a man of counsell or any other that is fitte to serue the whole bodie and God taketh him away we ought to bee sorie for him and not without cause for it is a signe that hee is minded to diminish his grace in vs. And ought wee not to bee grieued in feeling Gods wrath On the other side we see how it is said that our Lorde taketh away the righteous Esa. 57.1 when he hath any vengeance in a readinesse hee calleth away his seruaunts to rest that they may be free from the mischiefe which is at hande Therefore when God taketh away the excellent men from among vs it is alwayes a threatning vnto vs. For it is all one as if he told vs that wee bee not worthie to haue him to dwell in our companie according to this saying in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11.38 that the worlde was not worthie to haue the men that serued God with such vertuous conuersation True it is that men mislike of them and thrust them out of their company as though they were not worthie to goe vppon the earth But yet on the contrarie part God telleth vs that we forgoe the company of the good men and of those whom hee hath reserued to himselfe Therefore when we bewaile the death of honest men which haue liued in the feare of God which were indewed with excellent vertues and gifts of grace
which haue done seruice to the building vp of the Church and which coulde haue continued in doing the same still that is a wel-ordered mourning But yet must we also come to the measure For it may bee that a man shall mourne for iust cause and yet if he giue his sorrowe too much scope then is it a fault and a vice As howe If wee sorrowe for our sinnes without comfort wee shal be swallowed vp of heauinesse and thereuppon oftentimes spring grudgings and repynings against God But saint Paul telleth vs that when we mourne so for the death of our friends and kinsfolke or of such as serued in the Church we must not resemble the vnbeleeuers 1. Thess. 4.13 who saith he haue no hope and therefore can haue no comfort In that place S. Paul saith not that it is sinne to weepe hee doth not vtterly condemne the thing but hee sheweth that our sorrowing must be moderated because God giueth vs comfort by calling vs to y e hope of the heauenly life wherein we shal be renewed So then let vs vnderstande that GOD humbleth vs by death and that we must goe into corruption like stinking carions yea and eueÌ„ our soules must seeme to vanish away and that all shal be forlorne Nowe although wee must needes bee sorrowfull when wee consider these things and specially our sinnes yet I say wee must euer come backe to this point that God of his infinite goodnesse pitieth vs still and wil not haue vs to perish in death but rather that it bee vnto vs a passage into the euerlasting life And this hope is ynough to comfort vs in the middes of all our heauinesse at leastwise it ought to be a bridle to restraine our sorrowing that it passe not the bounds and so we fal to fretting against God as we see the vnbeleeuers do who storme and howle and yell and cannot by any meanes be held in order And why Because they haue no comfort which is the mother of patience But forasmuch as God calleth vs to the hope which hee giueth vs therefore after wee haue wept and mourned we haue wherefore to giue him thanks to blesse his holy name and to coÌ„tent our selues that he vseth not extreme rigor against vs. Now then although we weepe when we see that our Lorde hath taken those from vs which might haue stoode vs in great steede yet must we not fall into despaire as though God had no way to succour vs. For he can raise vp euen the stones if he thinke it good Therfore we must resort vnto him when wee perceiue any signe of his wrath and when we haue acknowledged our sins and asked forgiuenes of them at his hand we must also waite his leisure vntil he shew vs fauour that in finding mercy wee may also find remedy of all our griefs Thus y e measure which hee speaketh of is that hauing sorrowed to a good end because our Lord hath taken such folk out of y e world as we ought to long for desire wee must also haue some stay of our selues not be caried away to fretting chafing in our sorrowe but rather asswage our sorrowes because wee know y t when God hath chastised vs he will moderate his mightie hand and not stretch it out to the full against vs but chastise vs with the rodde of man 1. Sam. 7.14 as is said thereof Sith wee see this let vs learne to comfort our selues and be patient But herewithall we haue yet one point more to obserue which is that our forefathers had â—o ceremonies than wee haue because they had not so euident a recorde of the euerlasting life And the selfesame reason was of burial vnder the lawe for they buried men with greater pompe than they do nowadays And what was the reason forsooth because the resurrection was not yet so well witnessed as it is now I grant that the fathers knew well what was requisite to their saluation howbeit y t was vnder shadowes and figures But behold nowadayes God himselfe calleth vs from heauen our Lorde Iesus Christ sheweth vs that as he himselfe is risen to glorie so we also shal be made like to his image and therefore that wee haue no more neede of such helps as y e fathers of old time had So then it were a mockery at this day to counterfeit the thinges that were obserued in the olde Testament And that is a thing wherein the fondnesse of the Papistes appeareth vnto vs. For they woulde needes counterfeit al things without cause or reason And yee see that in their burials they haue so many gewgawes and pelting toyes that a man woulde bee ashamed of them And what is the cause thereof but that they knowe not the difference that is come in since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ namely that the ancient ceremonies are come to an end Yee see then that the Papists are become Iewes howbeit but bastarde Iewes For not without some reason did the Iewes vse that custome because it behooued their ceremonies to supplie the want of doctrine But nowe that our Lord Iesus Christ is come and we haue the resurrection manifested in his person if we set our mindes stil vppon shadowes and figures what is it but a defacing of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ an vtter quenching of y e light of the Gospel That is y e cause why I said that the Papistes are not worthie to bee called Iewes but bastarde Iewes But whereas it is saide that the people made lamentation by the space of thirtie dayes let vs on our side learne that it behooued the auncient fathers to bee kept vnder because God had not giuen them so large a testimonie of the euerlasting life and that for their rudenesse sake they were gouerned like little children Gal. 4.3 as Sainct Paul speaketh of them to the Galathians Let vs nowadayes learne on our side to make the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ auailable that when any man dyeth there bee plainenesse vsed in his buriall and these pompes eschewed wherewith GOD is mocked and the people intangled in manie errours and superstitions And not without cause is it saide that our Lorde Iesus Christ was buried after the manner of the Iewes Matt. 27. 59. to shew that that custome ought nowadayes to bee chaunged among vs and a newe to bee put in the steede Also let vs moderate our mourning and let not our sorrowe bee excessiue but sith wee haue wherewith to comforte our selues which thing the folke that liued vnder the Lawe had not at all or at leastwise not so largely as wee haue let vs practise the doctrine which we bee taught in the Gospell and also by S. Paul to the Thessalonians 1. Thess. 4.13 Thus much concerning that point where mention is made of the lamentation that was made for the death of Moses Now it followeth That Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome because
a 50.60 b 10 How Ambition tickleth vs continually 22. b 50 Men are made to spite God through their Ambition and couetousnesse 63. b 10 The Ambition of Princes noted and whereupon it groweth 15. a 10 All men giuen to Ambition and endeuour to growe greate and why 13. b Of a foolish Ambition whereto men are ouer much giuen 879. a 20.30.40 b. 30.40 Looke Loftinesse and Pride Amen The faithfull must aunswere Amen as well to the curssings as the blessings of God 487. a 50.60 Read what particular cursses they bee concerning the second table whereto the Iewes aunswered Amen with one accord Sermon 151 beginning at page 929 We must answere Amen willingly wheÌ„ the Lord behighteth vs his blessing 487. a 40.60 Of this worde Amen aunswered by the Iewes and vs. 486. b 40.50.60 and 487. a 10.20.30 Of answering Amen to the blessings and threatenings of God 925. all 927. b 50 Amendement Foure hundred yeares respite of repentance and Amendement giuen by God and to whome 728. a 60. and b 10 The maner of our Amendement when wee haue offended God described 114. a. 20 The Amendement of the Iewes noted when they sawe they had troden Gods lawe vnder foote 114. a 40 Eighteene hundred yeres forbearance of the Iewes for their Amendement 1137. b 60 Ammon The meaning of the worde Ammon 68. a 60 Moab and Ammon harlots birdes borne in a brothell house 68. b. 10 Ammonites Why the Ammonites Moabites were forbidden by Gods lawe to enter into his sanctuarie and why the Iewes were forbidden in no wise to seeke the peace and prosperitie of them 798. a 40.50.60 b all 799 all 800 all The Ammonites notwithstanding their kinred with the Israelites became Scorpions to sting them c. 69. b 10 Amorrhites The Amorrhites being enimies to the Iewes likened vnto bees and how 57. b 10.20 Why God woulde haue none of the Amorrhites left aliue 303. a 60. and b 10.20 God bare with the abhominations of the Amorrhites foure hundred yeres 303. b 40.50.60 The Amorrhites spared of the Israelites and what followed thereuponâ— since God bad the contrarie 307. a 30.40.50 The Amorrhites were forborne eight hundred yeres before God destroyed them 1142. b 40.50 The cause why God commaunded the Amorrhites to be rooted out of the world 84. b 10.20 Anabaptistes Anabaptistes receiued in Geneua and gret cheere made them in the town house 532. b 40.50 Looke Heretikes Angels How Angels are sometimes called the sonnes of God 647. b 60 Of wicked Angels which execute Gods vengeance vppon men 669. b 20 Whether the Angels are fed with Manna as the Psalme seemeth to say 355. a 40.50 Angels righteousnes scarcely answerable to Gods law 245. b 50 The verie Angels do hide their eyes because of the greatnesse of Gods glorie 254. b 10.20 A stryfe betweene the Angels and the diuels for our behoofe 1239. a 10 20 Of the helpe or seruice of Angels and whereto God vseth the same 1123 a 40.50.60 In what respect Angels are called the children of God 1113. a 40 Angels are nothing as in respect of themselues 1123. a 40.50.60 The Angels were witnesses vnto the lawe 1187. b 50 By Saints are ment Angels Looke the place and marke the doctrine 1187 b 20 30.40.50.60.1188 a 10.20 Of the infinit number of Angels which were witnesses vnto God at such time as hee shewed himselfe to bee the author of the lawe 1187. b all 1188. a 10.20 Of Gods Angels why they were created and their office 1187. b 30.40.50 60 What wee haue to note in that it is Gods will that the Angels shall fight to drawe vs out of all y e temptations of Satan 1239. a 20.30.40 Anger The Anger of God against the Amalekites and the cause thereof 888. b 40.50.60 In what cases wee ought to shewe that wee feare not the hatred and Anger of men 74. a 10 Towardes whome the Anger of God is soone pacified and not soone pacified 975. b 50.60 Loo Wrath. Anguish Of the Anguish of the heart and why speciall mention is made hereof 907. a all and b 10 The meaning of the wordes I haue not eaten of the first fruites in the Anguish of my heart 906. b 50.60 907. all Annealing Of Annealing the sicke and whence the Papistes haue that sacrament of theirs 919. b 10.20 Looke Sacraments Antiquitie That Antiquitie is not enough for vs but other degrees are also required 489. a 20.30 What wee must first do touching religion before wee goe to Antiquitie 488. b 60. 489 a 10 An allegoricall exposition of that men should hold them selues in all things and in all respectes to Antiquitie 698. b 10 Vnto what Antiquitie wee must haue an eye touching the doctrine of saluation 698. b 50 The Antiquitie of the true authenticall religion 1041. b all 1042. a 10 20.30 Of the true Antiquitie embraced of Christians and of the auncient faith 1130. a 10.20 The Antiquitie of diuerse trumperies vsed in the Popedome 1129. b 50.60 1130. a 10. c. The Antiquitie of Gods Church 489. a 10 The Antiquitie that the Papistes alleage for them selues 489. a 20 Touching the Antiquitie of superstition Read page 1129. all Apostasie Of the Apostasie of men from God after they haue once knowen his trueth 370. b 60. and 371. a 10 The Apostasie of the Iewes from God was without cause 1041. b 10.20 Generall Apostasie from God naturally in men from their birth 10â—7 b 60 Of Apostasie from God and his trueth and how the same is committed a. 30.40.50.60 b all The Iewes Apostasie from God after the death of Iosua and what wee haue to marke thereby 1072. a b all The manifold Apostasie of the Iewes from God and their reprobation 1138. a all 1137. all Howe God will deale with vs for our Apostasie from him 1091. a 40.50.60 Howe Moses was greeued when hee heard of the Apostasie of the Iewes from God after his death 1089. a 40.50.60 Apostles The Apostles the true fathers of the Christian Church 489. b 10 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow their example 897. a 20 The twelue Apostles were chosen according to the twelue tribes of Israell 45. a 50 The Papistes common prouerbe that God is not knowen for the Apostles 490. b 50 Apparell Howe the lawe forbidding women to weare mens Apparell expoundeth the commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie 774. a 50.60 What we haue to note vppon Aarons Priestlie Apparell 1199. b 30.40.50.60 What wee are to learne by the Lawe forbidding the Iewes to weare Apparell of diuers sorts 782. a 10. c. Against excesse of Apparell and the vaine brauerie of the same 782. b 10.20 A lawe made which forbad the Iewes to weare Apparell wouen of linnen and wollen and what doctrines wee haue to gather of the same 780. b all Of what things we be put in mind wheÌ„ we put on our Apparell 774. a 30.40 Of honestie in Apparell and that God liketh well
y t God should say one thing and meane another as though he vsed double Dealing 398. a 10. b 10 There is no worde of peace but where vprightnes and iust Dealing is obserued 80. a 30 The leawde Dealing of the Iewes to Godwarde whiles hee was working their welfare 390. b 20.30.40.50.60 Why the subtilest Dealing is counted or esteemed a vertue 94. a 50 The abuse of Gods fauour and gentle Dealing with vs. 83. a 60 b 10 Perswasions to iust and vpright Dealing 65. a 40.50.60 b 10 All wrongfull Dealing forbidden vnder the name of murther 516. a 60. b 10 From whence all priuie packinges and other leawde Dealinges come 21. a 20 Dealings The cause why men are so disordered in their Dealings and knowe not what to doe 724. a 10.20 Death Death is the entrance to life and how that may be 954. b 20 Howe we that be Christians should bee affected concerning Death and how we ought to esteeme thereof 738. b 10.20.1088 b all 1089. a 10 Christ suffered Death but was not ouercome of Death 765. a 40.50.60 766. a 60. b 10. 35. b 40 Of a kinde of Death wrought vppon mens vices not vpon their persons 731. a 10.20.30 Of Moseses blessinges ouer the Iewes at the verie time of his Death and what we are taught thereby 1186. a 10.20.30.40 Of preparing our selues for Death by the example of Moses 1180. all 1236. a 10.20 c. Of Death and how the same doth turne to our gaine and profite 1088. b all 1089. a 10.20.30 What we haue to note when God taketh away excellent men by Death from among vs. 1242. a 40.50.60 What wee haue to consider in the Death of our friendes or other persons 1242. a 10.20 A moste excellent consideration of Death inferred vppon the Death of Moses Reade the 200 sermon and page 1242. specially Nothing more certaine than Death but nothing more vncertaine than the houre thereof 1010. b 10 Death is but a litle tokē of Gods wrath 1066. b 60 What we haue to learn by these words I haue layde both life and Death before your eyes 1071. all Whereof we should bethinke our selues whensoeuer we heare any speaking of Death 1182. a 60. b 10 What maner of Death we are exhorted to die 35. b 50 How Gods word becommeth the sauor of Death 77. b 10 It is good reason that Christ shoulde be Lorde of life and Death 186. b 60 It is no reason that Gods name should be buried with our Death 129. a 30 To put a man to Death without hauing knowen which is the true God is but a frantike zeale 541. a 40 What Death is where also mourning too much for the death of our frinds and kinsfolkes is reproued and why 553. b. 40. Reade also the whole page In what respect it is good to couet and desire Death 617. b 50.60.618 a 10 Death denounced by lawe against all such among the Iewes as went about to counsell others to peruert the seruice of GOD. 632. a 10.20 c. How willing wee should be to die and the cause why a number cannot away with Death 617. b all Admonitions to bee marked touching naturall Death falling on our selues or our friendes 554. a 40.50.60 b 10 Diuerse godlesse persons noted that deserue Death and why 545. a 50.60 b 10.20.30 Deaths So manie are the Deathes of our frowarde nature as wee haue good thoughts 35. b 40.50 An infinite number of Deathes to bee founde in our selues 1010. a 10 Dearth The dooinges of diuerse noted if there come a yeare of Dearth 575. a 50.60 c. What we should thinke vpon whē there commeth a Dearth of vittles 1150. b 30.40.586 b 10 Debt Saint Pauls admonition to induce vs to spare those that are in our Debt 577. a 50.60 What strangers had the benefite of not suing men for Debt and what strangers had not 576. a 60. b 10 A Lawe for the releasing of such as were in Debt 572. a 50.60 and who ought to be vouchsafed the benefite of that lawe ib. b 50.60 Debts In what yeere men were not to be sued for their Debts among the Iewes 573. b 10. and of Gods meaning by that lawe 574. a 10 Howe men deale touching their Debts one to another debts due to God 629. b 10.20.30 Respit giuen in the time of the old lawe for paying of Debts but not clearely released and howe long 574. a 40.50 578. a 60. and 583. a 50 Doctrine for Christians to note touching Debtes debters and creditors 575. all wherein we are taught how to vse the poorer sort that are behind hande ib. Reasons why the poore in a case of Debts were to be borne with all in the seuenth yeere 574. b 10.20.30 Deceipt Of priuie Deceipt and the most mischeeuous meane of beguiling 885. a 30. c. Looke Dealing Wrong Decrees The Popes Decrees are the souereigne wisedome as he sayth 666. b 20.30 Dedication Of the Dedication of houses or of blessing them a Iewish ceremonie and what we haue to learne thereby 719. a all Looke Houses Defile What thinges they bee that Defile a man in very deede 561. b 60.562 a 10 Defiled The meaning of this lawe that hee which is Defiled in his bodie should be seuered from the companie of others 812. b all Defiling Of Defiling Gods creatures as well meate as drinke and howe that vice is committed 557. a all Defilementes What wee haue to gather concerning the filthy Defilementes of this life 850. a 30.40.50.60 b 10. c. 908. a 10. 907. b 40.50 Of diuerse kinds of Defilementes both of bodie and soule Read sermon 130 and page 797. all and sermon 133 and page 814. b 50.60.815 a 10. c. What Defilementes they be that driue God away from vs. 815. b 30.816 a 10 Of the Defilementes that are among vs and wherein the same consist 815. b 20.30 c. Degrees What Degrees of kinred may not couple in mariage 794. b 40.50.60.795 a 10. c. Looke Kinred and Mariage Delaie The reason why GOD vseth to make Delay for a time before he performe his promise 506. b 10. a 20.30.40.50.60 Looke promise Deliuerance The Deliuerance of the Iewes out of Aegypt described and whereto it is to be referred 899. a all b 10.20 602. a 60. 169. a 30. 456. a 40.50 8. a 20 Deliuerāce from bondage promised to the Iewes after foure hundred yeres 896. b 40.50 60 To what purpose God hath wrought our spirituall Deliuerance 212. a 10 Why God maketh expresse mention of the Deliuerance of the Iewes out of AEgypt 186. a 30.40 A view of our Deliuerāce by the bloud of Christ. 186. b all No Deliuerāce out of the hand of God 1166. b 60.1167 a 10 Departing A description of the Departing of the Israelits out of AEgypt 598.50.60 599. a 10. Looke AEgypt and Iewes Descending Of Gods Descending from heauen and what we are thereby
befell the Iewes 279. a 10.20.63 a 20 Though we dwell on earth yet wee cease not to be heires of the heauenly Inheritance looke howe 503. b 10.20 Wherein the deede of the Inheritance which God hath giuen vs is written 313. a 10 Gods word must be for an Inheritance to his Church and what we haue to gather thereupon 1191. a 60. b all Why eternall life is named an Inheritance 1118. a 10 Howe wee be in possession of the Inheritance promised to the Iewes 1143. a 10 Christes death recouered the Inheritance whereof we were dispossessed in the person of Adam 28. a 40 The Inheritaunce of Gods adopted children is certaine and infallible in heauen 28. a 10. c. What consideration we ought to haue of the Inheritance that God giueth vs. 28. a 20 It were a disanulling of Christes death and passion not to be resolued of the heauenly Inheritance 29. b 40 Impedimenteâ— and lets that hinder vs from possessing the heauenly Inheritance 30. b 10 Christ Iesus a faithfull witnesse of the inuisible Inheritance 35. a 50 Moses disappointed of possessing the promised Inheritance 48. a 60 Esau cut off from the Inheritance of the Lande of promise and why 62. a 10 The Frenchmen Italians and Almaines banished from the Inheritance of God 1191. b 50. Looke Heritage Innocent That the Innocent are not to be accused or slandered but to be maintained in their good reputation 785. b all 786. a 10.20.30 c. Of buying and selling the life of the Innocent and guiltles 936. a 60. b 10. all That such as take rewardes to hurt the Innocent are accursed 936. b 50.60 937. a 10. c. Against such as haue the face to iustifie themselues as Innocent though they be conuicted as nocent 786. a all b 10.20.30.40 Inquisition Of Inquisition to be made for murther and howe it must be made 688. b 20. 174. a 10.172 b 50 What circumstances are to be obserued in the Inquisition of an offence 547. b 20.30 The manner of Inquisition set downe for murther 174. b 60. 175. a 10.20 30.40.50.60 c. God maketh Inquisition of our sinnes before he doth punish vs. 394. a 50.60 b 10.20 That Inquisition must be made of an euill deede and why 547. a 60. b 10 20 Inquisitiue That such as are to make warres are faine to be Inquisitiue of the force and policie of their enimies why 522. b 20 We must not be Inquisitiue of y e things that are not good for vs. 522. b 10.20 30.40.50 Looke Curiositie and Secretes Instruction Instruction verie needefull in such as beare any kinde of charge or office 108. b 30.40.50.60 a 10 That the punishments of others should be our Instruction 521. a 10.20 c. No ceremonies behoouefull without instruction and whence that Instruction must come 598. b 10.20 The signification of this worde Instruction 165. a 20.30 A sacrament without â—eaching and Instruction is a dead thing 607. a 10 The chiefe Instruction of the Iewes by what meanes 1120. b 10 The worde lawe betokeneth Instruction 7. b 20 A question what Instruction there is in the report of stories 7. b 20 Instructions The people of Israell had certaine peculiar Instructions c. 347. b 10.40.1120 b 10.20 Of whome it is long that we profit not in the Instructions that God giueth vs. 357. a 10 What kinde of Instructions Gods blessinges ought to be vnto vs. 65. b 50 Intent Against such as pretende a good Intent in seruing of God 343. a 10.20 and that it deserueth death 544. b 60. 545. a b all A wicked Intent when it bewrayeth it selfe is punishable â—â—1 b 10.40 Achans Intent in stealing the forbidden things of the Chananites 345. a 10 Of the purpose and Intent of murther and howe it is to be punished 2â—1 a 60. b 10 The good Intent of the Papistes aâ—â—ed and the issue of the same 1216. b 10.20 A common prouerbe among the Papistes that what soeuer is doone of a good Intent is well doone c. 894. b 40 They are condemned which brag that they haue a good Intent in their seruing of God after their owne fashion and what wee haue to gather in that place 1035. b 10.20 Intents Whereunto our good Intents doe serue vs. 188. a 10 Wee must not pretende our good Intentes to iustifie our owne inuentions 188. a 50 God condemneth wicked Intents and euill lustes 244. a 10.30 All wicked Intents vtterly forbidden by God 242. a 30.40 Why God after hee had condemned wicked Intents proceedeth to the condemning of euill lustes too 244 a 30.40 c. That if we will direct our life aright we must not followe our owne good Intents what then 517. b 20.30.506 a 10 Fonde Intents to serue God reprooued 490. b 30 The value of good Intents purposed to be shewed 110. b 30 Interim The hellish corruption of the Interim returned againe 109. a 10 Intercession Why Moses ceased not to make Intercession for the Iewes when God had expresly forbidden him so to do 397. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 397. a all Howe the worlde hath been abused by making Intercession to saintes and howe that doctrine is ill gathered 396. a 60. b 10 Intercessors A text alleadged by the papistes for the maintaining of their doctrine of hauing saintes to be their Intercessors 417. a 50.60 b 10. Looke Aduocate and Mediator Inuention The cause why in poperie euerie man hath cast to a collup of his owne Inuention 261. b 50.60 Looke Fansie Imagination and Deuise Inuentions Against the Inuentions of men that they ought to be restrained Read sermon 127. page 781. a 10.20 c. The itching of the Iewes to intermingle some Inuentions of their owne with Gods lawe 114. a 20 All Inuentions of men mingled with Gods seruice condemned 908. a 30.40.50 b all 300. b 20.30 The sufficiencie of Gods law proued against all the Inuentions of men 261 b 50.60 262. a 10 What we must do to discerne that ther is nothing but vanitie in all worldly Inuentions and deuises 123. a 40. The Inuentions of the Papistes which they terme Gods seruice 436. a 10 Against such as turne after their owne Inuentions deuises 267. a 10.20.30.40 Looke Fansies Deuises and Imaginations Inuocation The cause why Iacob a litle before his death saied Let my name be called vpon ouer Ephraim and Manasses 417. a 10.20.30 This concerneth Inuocation Looke Call and Call vpon Ioseph The Tribe of Ioseph made two tribes 496. b 10. Peculiar blessings giuen to the same 1211. b all He represented two chiefe houses in the linage of Iacob 1211. b 50.60 How traiterously he was handled by his brethren how God saued him 1212. b 60.1213 a 10. A double portion giuen to him by Iacob and why 1211. b 40. How he was a Nazarite among his brethren 1212. all How hee was the crowne of his brethren the scepter royal being in the tribe of Iuda 1212 a
Moses forget his duetis 50. a 10.20 Murmuring against God punished with death 42. b 60.71 b 50 Notable doctrine vpon the Murmuring of the Israelites against God 33. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 and so forward 34. b 20.30 We also as well as the Iewes fell a Murmuring and grudging against God 34. b 30 Murther The horriblenesse of Murther set forth by the striking off of a heckfers head 741. a 30.40 Of the worde Murther and of what large signification the same is 737. a 40.50 516. a 60. b 10. 686. a 60 Of wilfull Murther done of conceiued hatred and rancour 696. a 60. b 10 An obiection answered for the excusing of the heathen who honoured their ydols with the Murther of their children 523. b 10.20 It is not for nought that God forbiddeth Murther Reade why 219. a 60 b 10. 172. a 20.30.40.50 In what respectes we are guiltie of Murther before God 516. b 20 Howe men should deale to come to the truth of thinges in a case of Murther 175. b 40.50.60 b 10 Why God setteth downe the worde Murther expresly in the commandement 219. a 40.50 The right readie way to condemne Murther in another 173. b 20 The law Thou shalt do no Murther expounded 777. a 10.20.30 The intent and purpose of Murther howe it is to be punished 221. a 60. b 10 What thinges are condemned for Murther before God 221. b 30.40 What God sheweth vs on the contrary part in forbidding vs to Murther 221. b 60 Why God forbad Murther before hee came to commaund charitie 223. a 30.40 Murther cannot be committed but the land must therewith be defiled 220. a 20. 740. b all He that helpeth not his neighbour at his neede doth what he can to Murther him 222. b 20.30 Looke manslaughter Murthers God curseth whole countries for suffering of Murthers 172. b 10.20 Notable doctrine when Murthers are freely committed for want of good execution of iustice 692. b 10 What Murthers are wilfull in Caluines iudgement 172. b 30.40 173. a 10 20 Why it is sayde that the bloud shall be vpon a whole nation when men haue not beene held short that they might not commit Murthers 691. a 50.60 b 50.60 692. a 10. Looke Manslaughters Murtherer Why GOD speaketh in such plaine wordes Thou shalt not bee a Murtherer 219 a 10.20.30 Why Saint Iohn calleth him a Murtherer that hateth his neighbour in his heart 221. a 30.40 173. a 50 Notable euidences to conuince a Murtherer his offence beeing neuer so much cloked 145. b 40.50.60 b 10 The solemne protestation that a Iudge must make if a Murtherer bee not founde 172. b 20 It is a heynous crime to let a Murtherer escape vnpunished when hee is knowen 173. a 10. Looke Manslear Murtherers That we must not be Murtherers reade page 218. b 50.60 and so the whole sermon The Rabbins say that the soules of Murtherers do aske vengeance continually at Gods hande till they haue had iustice doone thē 692. a 10 God will haue Murtherers that haue violated his image executed by iustice and why 173. a 30 What account we must make of Murtherers and bloudshedders 173. a 40.50 Note whom God accounteth Murtherers 219. a 50.60 689. a 50. Looke Manslears Musters These words of the Psalmist In the day of the Musters which the king shall make whom God hath set ouer vs expounded 721. b 10. c. Of the day of Christes Musters howe long the same lasteth and how often he doeth exercise his Musters in vs. 722. a 10 Mysteries Howe we must behaue ourselues when Gods holy Mysteries come in question 199. b 20. Looke Secrets N Naked Of stripping our selues Naked which is done by committing of sinne 1151 b 30.40 Name of God Gods holy Name abused with swearing Reade howe 287. a 10.20 Gods Name must not be tossed among vs like a tennise ball 195. b 10 What we do acknowledge by swearing by Gods Name 194. b 20.285 b 40 Of taking Gods holy Name in vaine Reade page 194. and so forwarde the whole sermon through 284. b al 285. a all 287. a 10.20 Caluine sheweth howe Gods Name trotteth about like a post horse 195. a 30 What is the lawefull meane whereby wee may rightly vse the Name of God 194. a 40. 198. a 20.30 What we haue to doe whensoeuer wee speake or bee spoken to in Gods Name 119. b 50.60 286. b 30 How we prophane or vnhalow the holy Name of God 194. b 10 The Name of the Lord as much to say as the maiestie of the Lorde 661. a 10 The cause why Iacob a litle before his death said Let my Name be called vpon ouer Ephraim and Manasses 417. b 10.20.30 Of sanctifying Gods Name what is meant therby and how Moses offended in the neglect thereof 1182. b 30 40.50.60 198. b 10.20.30 In what cases wee may defie all them that cloke themselues vnder the gay mantle of Gods Name 684. b all Whensoeuer wee falsly pretende the Name of God for a colour our fault is double 543. a 60. b 10 Why God saieth he will choose a speciall place to put his Name in 509. b 20.30.40 894. all The Name of God is an inuincible foretresse 335. b 40 The wretched worlde hath beene beguiled vnder pretence of Gods Name and how 682. b 10.20.30 How GOD will vse vs for abusing his Name 195. a 50.60 197. a 50.60 b 10.20 We be not worthie to take Gods Name in our mouth after any maner at all and why 194. a 20 30 God taketh it as a kinde of his seruice when men sweare by his Name 194. b 10 In what cases God vouchsafeth vs the vse of his Name 194. a 50.60 195. b 10 Name or fame and Good name What regarde we haue of the Name of a man whom we haue in estimation 195. a 20 What we haue to note vpō these words The Name of such a man shal be rased out from vnder heauen 1038. a 10.20.30 What we must doe if we haue a care of our Good name 786. b 60. 787. a 10 That the Good name of a man woman is to bee maintained and the slanderers thereof to be punished 785. b all Nation The meaning of these wordes I will prouoke you by a Nation that is no nation 1136. a 50.60 b all 1137. al 1138. b all Looke Heathen Nations Notable doctrine vppon this speeche Thou shalt not followe after the Gods of the Nations 288. b all Gods foure hundred yeeres forbearance of destroying diuerse Nations for their abhominations 303. b 40.50.60 Gods commanding that these Nations should not be suffered nor reserued aliue was not for naught and why 307. a 30 Fewe Nations enioy the like benefit as God hath bestowed on vs. 153. a 10 How maliciously the Iewes considered these wordes Ye shall reigne ouer many Nations 580. a 30. Looke Heathen Nature of God and of man God of his
to Shame and what doctrine we haue to apply vnto our selues in that case 1101. all 1102. a 10. Looke Reproch and Iewes Shamefastnesse Shamefastnesse a proper vertue to women whereto they are commanded and exhorted 884. a 40 A lawe ordeined for the maintaining of honestie and Shamefastnesse 883. a 60. b all Looke Honestie and Chastitie Shephearde What we must doe if we will haue God to continue our Shepheard still 148. b 20 Christ is our Shephearde and of our dutie if we will be his sheepe 461. b 40.1099 b 10.20.30.40 Looke Minister and Preacher Shepheardes It standeth Shepheardes in hande to haue a double voyce and why 536. a 40 It is Gods inuiolable ordinance that there should be Shepheardes in his Church 258. a 10.20.30.40 The office of Shepheardes and what course they must keepe in their teaching 1172. a 30.40.112 b 40.718 a 10.20.1206 a all Two things requisite in all good Shepheards 112. b 50.60 113. a 10 What Shepheards must do if they will needes claime to be founde at the common charges of the Church 429 b 50.60 The clergie of the papasie deserue not to be called Shepheardes 1204. b 50.60.1206 a all Looke Ministers and Preachers Shiftes It is no seeking for Shiftes when God doth smite vs. 1166. b 60.1167 a 10 Shoulders Of bearing the Lord vpon or betweene our Shoulders 1210. b 20.30.40.50.60.1211 a all Shrift The antiquitie of papisticall confession or Shrift 1129. b 50.60 The behauiour of papistes when they come to Shrift 613. a 20.50 Looke Confession Sicera All the compounded drinks which they make in the east countries called by the common name of Sicera 1020. b 60. Looke Drinke Sickenesse Sicknesse is to bee accounted as the hande of God vpon vs and to what ende 1142. b 20 That we ought not to take Sicknesse in euill part 350. b 20. Looke Diseases Sight The meaning of these wordes Ye shall haue a Sight before your eyes 980. a 20.30.40 Signe Of the Signe of baptisme and that simply it auayleth nothing 441. a 10.20 Looke Figure Signes Of the outwarde Signes of thinges and what doctrine is therby to be gathered 440. b all 441. â— 10. c. Looke Figures Simeon Of the tribe of Simeon and that they of that tribe were Idolaters 1227. b 30. God gaue them no seuerall blessing but left him to languish and what we haue to note therein 1227. b 40.50 Of the secret fauour which God bore him by way of comparison 1227. b 50.60.1228 a 10. Iacobs blessing belonged to him and Leui was common to them both 1228. a 10.20 Looke Tribe and Tribes Sinne. Sinne the woorst and deadliest enimie that we haue 374. b 10 Of what thinges we are warned in that it is saide Sinne dwelleth in vs. 247. b 40 What the papistes thinke of Sinne and what they count not Sinne. 242. b 50.60 243. a 10 Of stripping our selues naked which is done by committing of Sinne. 1151. b 30.40 Howe Sinne is shed throughout all our bodie and bodilie faculties 244. a 10.20 The greeuousnesse of the Sinne of the Iewes if they should turne away from the purenesse which they had learned in the lawe 146. a 10.20 That one Sinne is punished with another 983. b 10.20 Howe Sinne is conceiued and not conceiued though there be no consent 245. a 30 Sinne ouercome by Christes death and passion 35. b 10 Of veniall Sinne according to the construction of papistes 939. a 30.40 The meaning of Moses his wordes in reporting that God was angrie with him for the peoples Sinne. 48. b 60. 49. a 10. 50. a 10.20 Of committing Sinne by imitation or example 50. a 40 Sinnes Of certaine Sacrifices that were called Sinnes Howe Sinnes be cloked and couered 237. b 50.60 We must beware that we wrap not our selues in other mens Sinnes and howe that is done 550. b 10.20 The sentence of God vpon our Sins is vpon a condition Reade the place 399. a 10 In what danger we be when we are become malitiously wilfull in our Sins 393. b 40.50.60 394. a 10 The saying of men euen in the popedome when they are in sorowe and haue their Sinnes layde afore them 155. a 30 Of two sortes of Sinnes some laid open to men and some reserued to God himselfe 699. b 40.50.60.700 a 10 Sinnes distinguished into crimes and ignorances 690. a 50 How God is sayâ—le to punish the Sinnes of the fathers in their children 861. b all 862. a 10.190 all The corruptions that are among vs are the rewardes of our Sinnes 109. a 10 God doth afflict his people oftentimes for other causes than their Sinnes 949. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20.60 We shall be guiltie of al the Sinnes that we haue occasioned 104. a 50.60 Howe wee must be resolued when wee pray to God to forgiue vs our Sinnes 99. a 30 Whereof the Sinnes of the wicked doe come 80. b 60 That no necessitie can excuse our Sins 65. b 30 A through searching of our Sinnes by Gods ministers is necessarie why 143. a 20 Our owne Sinnes attaint vs as traitors to God 192. b 20 God punisheth vs for our Sinnes after he hath forgiuen them Reade how 99. a 50 We haue manie Sinnes that we knowe not of 49. b 30 God maketh inquisition of our Sinnes before he punisheth vs. 394. a 50.60 b 10.20 What we must doe if we will haue our Sinnes and the sinnes of our forefathers buried 385. a 30.40.143 a 10 Howe and in what respectes our deadly Sinnes proceeding euen to the deed doing shall not be imputed vnto vs before God 246. a 40.50 How lightly the Papistes deeme of the grossest Sinnes that be 246. a 60 Howe it commeth to passe that we rot not in our Sinnes and by whom we are raised vp 480. b 10.20 How these wordes Loue couereth the multitude of Sinnes is meant 237. a 50.60 c. The Sinnes of men are the causes of their miseries 263. b 30.50 Of beeing touched with the remembrance of our Sinnes most necessary doctrine 1180. all 1181. all 381. b al 382. a all 408. b 10.20 Of two pointes to bee marked concerning the Sinnes of men how light a matter they make of them 1155. a 30 40.50.60 God keepeth a register of our Sinnes and what wee ought to doe in that case 1155. all The Sinnes of Sodome and Gomor set forth in a summarie of three clauses 1154. a 40.50 Men cannot perceiue their Sinnes except they be made to smart 156. a 10 Looke Offences Sinners How wretched Sinners when they bee tempted to doe amisse must bridle and restraine themselues 405. b 50.60 406. a 10 What plasters the papistes giue poore Sinners to put away their sins 1050. a 10 The sorest point of Gods wrath vpon Sinners what it is 990. b 30 Promises of Gods mercie to comfort penitent Sinners 157. b 10.20 The true comfort of wretched Sinners when God scourgeth them 155. a 20.30 Looke Offenders Sit. Howe the Lorde doth Sit
Thoughtes condemned before God be they neuer so litle offensiue 245. b 30.40.50.60.243 b 20.30 Why the heart and the Thoughtes are matched together 273. a 10 Thousands What the Hebrues are wont to betoken and signifie by the word Thousands 1213. b 20.30 Threed Our life is hanging by a Thread and how that is meant 1009. b 60.1010 a 10 Who they be whose life hangeth most of all by a Threed 1010. a 30.40 Threaten What kind of men God doth Threaten 484. b 30.60 What wee must do and not do if God threaten vs. 1066. a 40. Looke Cursse Thrâ—â—tening In what cases wee shall finde that Gods Theatening of vs is not vaine 535. a 60. b 10 Of the ridiculous Threatening of the pope compared to the ratling of a fewe beanes in a bladder 484. b 60 485. a 10 A most bitter Threatening against idolaters 191. a 30.40.50 A Threatening vppon all such as shall abuse Gods name 197. a 50.60 and b 10.20 A Threatening of our sauiour Christ touching such as doe not profit by the worde 148. b 20 A most dreedful Threatening y t should make vs to tremble 1034. a 50.60 Looke Cursse Threatenings That God matcheth his Threatenings with a taste of his goodnes 962. b all Most heauie and dreadfull Threatenings denounced against y e Iewes the transgressours of the lawe Read the 148. sermon beginning at page 1140. and sermons 156.157.158.159 How Gods blessings ioyned with his Threatenings do serue the better to bring backe the Iewes vnto God 1049. a 10.20.30 That Gods Threatenings are verie necessarie for vs and why 925. a 30.40 50.962 b 10.975 a 60. b 10 Of scorners which make a tush at gods Threatenings and in what desperat case they be 45. b 40.50.1033 a b all 1034. a all 979. a 30.40 Why God addeth an oth to his Threatenings of punishments 45. b 60 What wee must doe whensoeuer Gods Threatenings doe not sufficiently dismay vs. 46. a 10 The drift of Gods Threatenings thundered against sinners 1001. b 30.40.50 How wee should benefite our selues by reading the sundrie Threatenings of Gods iudgementes vttered in the scriptures 1003. a 20.30.40.50.60 b 10.20 Vnto what kind of people God speaketh so rigorously by Threatenings 1001. b 30.40 Of Ananias who mocked at the Threatenings denounced by Ieremie to the Iewes 999. a 60. b 10.20 c. How our faith must bee occupied wheÌ„ God frighteth vs with his Threatenings 979. b 10 VVhat Threatenings they be that are prepared for them that are hardened in euil 968. a 50.60 VVhat will come to vs if wee stop our eares at the Threatenings of God 969. a 30.40 The faithful onely are prepared for the promises of God by Threatenings 963. a 10.20.30 That Moses neuer obeied God better than when he withstood the Threatenings which God made 397. b all 398. a 10. c. VVhy wee should not thinke it strange that wee heare Threatenings in the scriptures 370. a 40.50.60 How we must be affected and prepare our selues when wee heare Gods Threatenings 399. a 10. Looke Curses Plagues Punishments Throne Of Gods Throne that to vs it is a throne of grace 1051. a 20 Thumim Of Vrim and Thumim a parcel of Aarons brest plate 1198. a 30.1200 a 10 Looke Aaron Time VVhat we haue to gather vpon this faling Your dayes make hast your time is at hand 1158. a 60. b all Looke End Life Death Tithes That Tithes and all other church duties are to bee frankly paide to the ministers of Gods worde the place is notable 514. the whole page Looke Tenthes Title VVhat will betide vs if wee thinke to claime any Title against GOD by prescription 150. b 60. 151. a 10 The wicked knowe not by what right or Title they eate or drinke c. 141. b 30.60 We possesse the things that God giueth vs by iust Title 141. b 30 Titles The pope his proude vsurped Titles noted 217. b 50.60 Looke Supremacie Tooles To take the Tooles of a poore handicrafts man to pawne is an exceeding great crueltie 845. b all 846. a 10 Looke Gage Pawne and Pledge Tongue The end wherefore God hath giuen vs Tongue 196. a 20 Of harmes done by the Tongue 235. a 60 Of misusing our neighbour by our a Tongue 221. a 10 Tongues The cause why venomous Tongues now adayes are not ashamed to blaspheme God 76. a 50.60 The vse of our Tongues and why God hath giuen vs them 240. b 10.20 30 Torment Of one whose whole life was a continuall Torment 1011. a 10 Traditions How the papistes storme when we hold any thing against their Traditions 543. b 60. 544. a 10 In our eating and drinking we must not obserue the Traditions of men 510. b 20.30.40.50 The Turkes for their Mahometisme and the Papistes for their papisme alledge Traditions of ancient lawes 1041. b 30.40 Of the Traditions of men and Paules iudgement of them 1025. a 60. b 10. 917. b 60. Looke Ceremonies Transubstantiation The antiquitie of Transubstantiation that miracle forsooth 1129. b 60.1130 a 10 Tree The meaning of these wordes Man is not the Tree of the feeld 〈◊〉 to come before thy face 733. a 10 Trembling Of quickening vp our selues with feare Trembling and how that is doone 965. b 50.60 Treasure Why the Lord forbad kings to hoorde vp great Treasure page 654. all Ezechias rebuked for making a shewe of his Treasure to the Babylonian ambassadors 654. b 10.20.30 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes God will open his good Treasure 957. a 60. b all c. Treasures Notable doctrine vpon these words Al these things are laid vp in my Treasures meaning the misdeeds of men 1â—â—â— all 1556. a all Of the good Treasures which God bestoweth vppon vs in this life daily 958. a all Try Notable doctrine vppon these wordes Then is it Gods will to Try thee whether thou louest him or no. 531. a 50.60 b all The cause why God doeth Try vs by errours and lies c. 531. b 30.40 Looke Tempt Triall A speciall Triall that God vseth whether we loue him or no. 531. a b all 532. a all How it is meant that God maketh Triall of his people 366. b 20.30 The Triall that God tooke of Aaron in Massa c. 1201. a 40.50.60 b all The truest Triall of our faith what it is 533. a 50 Of a kinde of Triall mentioned by Moses which God vseth 349. b 60. and 350. a 10 The true Triall of doctrine and wherein the same consisteth 680. a 10.20 The meanes where by God diuersly taketh Triall of vs page 349. all Whether God do not knowe what wee be without Triall 349. b 30.40.50.60 Looke Temptation Trials What Trials God vseth whether wee loue him or no this place would bee wel read 531. a b all Looke Temptations Tribe The Tribe of Ioseph made two Tribes 496. b 10 The Tribe of Iuda chosen and others reiected why 496. b 40 When the Tribe of Ephraim became of greatest honour
haue a desire to followe it and to giue our selues ouer vnto it And that is the cause why hee sayeth that we bee drawen vnto him Iohn 6.44 And indeede Moses sayth not The Lorde will circumcise thyne heart to the ende that thou mayst bee able to loue him but hee sayth to the ende that thou loue him Hee sheweth that GOD doeth not onely giue vs the power to will well but also doeth throughly fashion vs to the same And that is a further point wherein the Papistes doe abuse themselues too grossely for when they speake of the grace of the holy Spirite they vnderstande that GOD in deede giueth vs the power if it seeme good to vs but yet that all the same lyeth in our discretion and that GODS woorking in vs is not in such sorte as that both our listing and our performing proceede both thereof But it is too nygardely a speaking of the grace of GOD that he should say vnto man Well I wil giue thee power that thou mayst doe well if thou wylt but I will lay the brydle on thy necke and when thou hast a good will and that of thy selfe if thou hast constancie and power to put it in execution thou mayest well doe it and I will helpe thee therein If GOD shoulde doe so what shoulde become of our saluation For can men in such frayltie as wee doe feele and amiddest so many combattes as Sathan doeth deliuer vs haue one onely firme and constant will It is impossible Moses therefore sayeth not that GOD will circumcise our heartes to the intent wee may haue power to feare him but hee putteth the thing in effect to the intent that wee shall feare him after which manner also hee speaketh by his Prophetes as well Ieremie as Ezechiel Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 36.26 Hee sayeth that hee will put his feare in our heartes Hee sayeth not that hee will giue them power And then will I make them sayeth hee to walke in my commaundementes This is it that GOD doeth attribute vnto himselfe to wit that hee will so imprint his Lawe in our heartes as wee shall haue a will agreeable vnto his and then hee will guide and gouerne vs in such sorte as wee shall ouercome all temptations and accomplish that which hee commaundeth vs. It belongeth not to vs then to challendge such prayse to our selues Thereby wee see that the Papistes deale treacherously in all the doctrine of freewill for all their whole seeking is to robbe GOD of all that euer the holy Scripture declareth to bee his and which hee reserueth to himselfe and to spoyle him of his honour vsurping it euerie man to himselfe Let vs therefore beware of this diuelish arrogancie and let vs vnderstande that Saint Paule hath not sayde without cause Phil. 2.13 That it is GOD that woorketh in vs both the wyll and the deede Saint Paule sayeth not after the manner of the Papistes that when God giueth vs the meane wee may bee able to will that which is good but hee sayeth that hee will put the will in vs. And then hee addeth that GOD in likewise doeth woorke the matter that is to say hee accomplisheth the good woorkes in vs and the whole is perfourmed sayeth hee after his owne will Therefore whereas the Papistes saye that GOD hath respect whether wee bee able to vse his grace well or no and that according as euerie man behaueth and gouerneth himselfe GOD dealeth with him thereafter Saint Paule sayeth that it proceedeth altogether of GODS good pleasure And yet it is not therefore to bee sayde that wee bee blockes of wood But let vs marke well what Saint Paul concludeth that is that wee must walke in feare and warinesse Phil. 2 1â— woorking our saluation What Is it in vs to doe it No but hee sheweth that wee bee instrumentes of GOD and that when hee giueth vs the wyll and power to perfourme it is bycause that euerie one of vs shoulde offer himselfe to doe his indeuour howbeit vnder the leading of the holy Spirit acknowledging that all of it proceedeth from aboue and Saint Paule sayeth that wee must doe it with feare and carefulnesse to the intent wee bee not vnprofitable and yet that in the meane while there bee not any drop of presumption in vs to suppose that wee haue any abilitie or power of our selues but that GOD bee honoured as hee deserueth Nowe wee see what is the naturall sense of this Text where Moses promiseth vnto the Iewes that GOD will circumcise their hearts Thereby hee sheweth that it is not ynough for men to haue the Lawe preached and to haue their eares beaten therewith and to vnderstande what their duetie is for all that will be but as a dead thing vntill the time that God doe chaunge their heartes and reforme them and woorke within them and that the affections of men and their thoughtes bee guided by the holy Ghost And by the way hee sheweth heere the vse of Circumcision which is another poynt worthie to bee marked For the fantasticall fellowes of our dayes which woulde take away the Baptisme of little children neuer vnderstoode the vse of Circumcision It seemed vnto them that it was but a temporall matter yea and a tryfling thing and that it was not spirituall for the auncient fathers in so much that the cursed heretike which was punished in this Towne mocked all the Sacramentes of the Lawe of Moses Abraham sayd hee had but a shadowe of the heauenly lyfe and albeit that hee was named the father of the faithfullâ— and it appeareth that hee did altogether stay himselfe vppon the celestiall heritage yet was hee not touched therewith neither dyd the fathers knowe GOD but worshipped an Angell which was there in a visible shape in steade of GOD. These bee the horrible Blasphemies which insue when men doe so separate the Lawe from the Gospell In deede wee haue at this day a grace which surpasseth that grace which GOD shewed to our fathers but yet must wee not so bereaue Abraham of the spirituall kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ as to make Circumcision to bee but an earthly Sacrament Therefore let vs beare well in minde that when GOD ordayned Circumcision besides that it was a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth as Saint Paule sayeth in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes it did also shewe vnto men that they ought to bee mortifyed and renewed by regeneration to the obedience of GOD. Whereby wee may gather that Circumcision signifyed the same thing vnto the Iewes which Baptisme importeth vnto vs at this day What haue wee in Baptisme That wee bee blessed in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that whereas wee haue nothing but accursednesse by the heritage of Adam wee be sanctifyed to bee adopted into the celestiall heritage so as God by iustifying vs doeth accept them which were not earst woorthie to bee numbred amongest his creatures Againe wee haue also a similitude and a portraiture of death that wee myght
bee chaunged to serue our GOD. The same was likewise in Circumcision and Moses doeth shewe in this place that it was not a vayne figure It was not a marke that GOD had set vppon his people but onely to say You are a chosen people and in the meane whyle they shoulde haue thereby no promise not warrant of their saluation nor of any thing that was spirituall But contrariwyse in saying that GOD will Circumcise their heartes hee sheweth that this Sacrament this visible signe of Circumcision declared vnto them that they ought to bee chaunged and that they ought to be a holy people vnto their GOD. And therefore let vs learne that Baptisme at this day succeedeth circumcision like as Saint Paule sayeth in the Epistle to the Colossians Col. 2.12 After hee hath shewed that Circumcision remayneth not at this day as touching the outwarde vse hee sayeth that wee bee Circumcised not by the hand of man but in that wee bee buried in the Baptisme of our Lorde Iesus whereby the olde man is mortifyed that from hencefoorth the spirit of God may gouerne vs. Thus yee see what we haue to obserue in this place as touching the first poynt Therefore let vs marke that although the fathers which lyued vnder the Lawe were as little children vnder their Tutors and Ouerseers Gal. 3.23 4.2 yet were they the children of GOD as wee are and had the verie same promise of saluation and the Sacramentes which GOD deliuered them tended to the selfe same ende and so consequently were spirituall Thus much concerning one point Nowe furthermore it is heere shewed vnto vs that Circumcision did not onely signifie vnto the Iewes that they shoulde bee a holy people vnto GOD and that they shoulde change the malice of their hearts but it shewed also that God would do them the fauour to regenerate them by his holy Spirit As at this day in Baptisme when the water is powred vppon the head of a little childe it is not onely to signifie that beyng come to mans age hee must serue GOD and yet notwithstanding is not able to doe it vnlesse it bee giuen him from aboue but the infant is baptised by the hande of another and the hand of the Minister is as it were the hand of Iesus Christ to whom onely it doeth appertaine to Baptise as Saint Iohn sayth Wee in deede doe Baptise with water but his office is to Baptise with the Spirit and with fyre Therefore let vs marke it well that when the Minister layeth the water on the childes head therein hee representeth the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ witnessing thereby that our Lorde Iesus will bee so gracious to as many as beleeue and are chosen of GOD his father as to drawe them to him and to gouerne them so as they shall become newe Creatures And euen so is it with Circumcision Abraham in deede was circumcised but that was after an extraordinarie manner But yet ordinarily it behooued men to bee circumcised by the handes of them that were appointed thereunto and those did represent the person of God It was therefore a testimonie that men of themselues could not be circumcised but that it was necessarie that God shoulde put his hande thereto and that he should change them Seeing it is so let vs marke that in all the Sacramentes wee bring nothing of our owne but that wee doe rather come to receiue that which is offered vnto vs in the name of GOD. The Sacraments then be not meritorious matters that men might alledge any seruice that they had doone but rather come to seeke that which they want Whereby wee see the foolishnesse that is in the Iewes for they boast themselues of Circumcision as if it had beene a great vertue and woulde needes bring it in reckoning as if God had beene beholden vnto them bycause they were circumcised To bee short whensoeuer deseruing and grace came in question the Iewes pretended that they were not saued by the free goodnesse and mercie of God And wherefore To what end serued y e circumcision It serued for a testimonie for an earnest for a visible signe to declare y t it is God that doth all in vs. But these miserable beastes vnderstand not that See here I pray you the vnthankfulnes of men which hath taken place not with that nation onely but among the christians also where y e goodnes of God hath bin vttered much more at large Behold our Lord Iesus Christ calleth vs vnto him Col. 2.10 he telleth vs that we must seeke all our welfare in him yet the Papistes haue not ceassed to distinguishe and to seeke out a woorke which is wrought on mans part as they terme it They haue yeelded that the principall part of the Sacramentes is a diuine worke but yet neuerthelesse they sticke not to say that men doe bring thereunto somewhat of their owne And no maruaile For we see to what point they are come namely that they haue chaunged the Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ into a charme and a diuelish sorcerie Thus saide Iesus Christ Take Matt. 26.26 Eate he commandeth vs to receiue it the Papistes make God to beleeue y t they do offer it vnto him And further they stablish thereupon a worke of merite euen the most excellent y t euer they could dreame of But yet for al that we see how y e diuell hath bewitched them so as they haue changed y e whole order of nature For in sted of receiuing y t thing with humilitie which God offered them they haue presumed to offer vnto him the things which they haue forged in their owne braine doe make themselues beleeue that all those things are acceptable vnto him yea and that he is very much beholding to them for so dooing So much the more therefore doth it stand vs in hand to mark that which is spoken here namely The Lorde thy God will circumcise thy heart So then seeing God hath shewed vs what Baptisme doeth signifie let vs vnderstande howe it is our duetie to reforme vs and to renounce our owne nature to serue GOD. But doe wee once knowe that Then let vs proceede to the promise that is giuen vs which is that bycause wee can doe nothing GOD sayth that he will put to his hand that wee may bee chaunged and become new creatures through his holy spirite This is in effect that which wee haue to obserue in this place Nowe Moses addeth That thou mayst lyue not that God dealeth with vs according to our deseruings but bicause wee be slouthfull therefore he addeth this promise namely that wee shall be blessed of God and whatsoeuer he hath sayd to make vs to walk in his obedience it is to shewe vs that wee must walke in such sort as wee prouoke not the vengeaunce of GOD against vs if wee will bee blessed of him It is true that hee may alwayes punish vs by good right and that although hee guide vs and
certaine that euerie of vs woulde followe this Principle and the seede which is in vs namely That forasmuch as there is but one God therefore we ought to worshippe and serue him Let men bee as wicked as they list and let them striue as much as they can to extinguish al manner of light that they may haue no more reason in them as we see many doe whose whole delight and indeuour is to make themselues verie beastes yet doeth this remaine still engrauen in them That there is a God which ought to be serued What shall become of vs then if we seeke him not as we ought to doe Againe see we not the worlde howe it is so farre out of course that there is nothing but confusion throughout all and that thereuppon euery man goeth astray Whereof commeth it say I that we bee so witlesse as to follow the wicked trade of other men and yet bee compelled to condemne the same Euen of this that wee turne away our heartes backe that is to say that euerie of vs wrappeth himselfe in wilfull blindnesse and euery of vs setteth himselfe backe notwithstanding that we haue beene taught the contrarie For albeit that it is true without exception that all they which turne away from the truth doe it of a certaine wickednesse ye◠notwithstanding we bee double folde the lesse excusable when wee haue bin taught by the word so as God hath shewed himselfe vnto vs familiarly Therefore when we heare this saying of Moses wee must apply it to our vse For we see how our Lorde hath shewed vs the way of saluation by his Gospel wee see how he continueth it still from day to day what will become of vs then if wee stray away Wee shall not bee as the Turkes or as the verie Papistes but it shal be vpbraided vs that wee haue turned our heartes backe and that where as God had set vs in the good way and reached vs his hande to guide vs wee haue beene frowarde and woulde not hearken to the thinges which hee tolde vs and that all this wee haue done of wilfull malice Yea and Moses addeth yet an other worde saying If thou bee driuen to serue straunge Gods He sheweth that men be driuen with a certaine furie or frentikenesse when they cannot finde in their heartes to submit themselues to God to bee wunne vnto him by his worde Needes then must there bee a dreadfull rage in this case and that Sathan worketh after a horrible manner when men bee so farre out of order Wee haue seene in the fourth Chapter Deut. 4.19 howe hee saide Looke well to thy selfe that in beholding the sunne and the stars thou be not compelled to worshippe them and to make them ydols There Moses sheweth that men woulde neuer runne out to ydolatrie vnlesse they had some outrageous prouocation within them to driue them thereunto as if they were out of their wittes For were men well aduised setled in their wits as they ought to bee they woulde certainly come to their God And therefore wee bee double guiltie when hauing turned away from our GOD and drawen backe our heartes through wilfull malice and stubbornenesse ouer and besides that wee haue beene caried with such a raging moode as wee cannot bee tamed neither can any repentance take place in vs neither will wee bee ruled by reason but we behaue ourselues like folk that are straught or rather starke madde And hereby wee ought to take warning to mistrust all our affections and to bridle and imprison all our wittes seeing wee bee so lightly withdrawen from God and turned away to become backeslyders If men giue themselues libertie what followeth but that their heart will quickely bee turned backewarde When wee shoulde walke vprightly wee make it difficult to goe one step but if it come to backeslyding wee flitte away like water there is nothing in vs but slippernesse Therefore must wee holde our selues as captiues knowing well that if wee haue neuer so little libertie wee bee straight way gone quite from our God Moreouer when men doe so beleeue their passions they must needes become like madde beastes neither reason nor equitie may beare sway there is no more vnderstanding in them and to bee short they are become brutish of their owne accorde Seeing wee bee warned of these thinges let vs learne so to fight against all manner of excessiue lustes and against all the appetites that boyle within vs as GOD may gouerne vs quietly and wee bee readie to follow which way soeuer he calleth vs. Now after that Moses hath spoken so he addeth that albeit that the people haue passed Iordan and become to the possession of the land yet they shal not enioy it for euer Here our Lorde declareth vnto vs y t if he beare with vs for a time wee may not thereupon fall asleepe nor perswade our selues that wee bee at peace with him as the hypocrites do who vnlesse they be pinched with miserie and that God doe pursue them roughly doe alwayes make their market after their owne deuise Well say they God must needes loue mee for I am at myne case and thereupon they flatter themselues And whereas they do but mocke God they thinke that hee seeth it not a whit To bee short the blessinges that God bestoweth on them they turne as it were to a shrowding sheete of purpose to keepe God from espying any whit of their life And thus they bleare their owne eyes make them selues pastime good cheare as though they shold neuer come to reckoning And that is too common a fault Now Moses sayth vnto them here Albeit your God doe at this present time bring you into the lande which hee promised you and that you passe ouer Iordan where God will shewe his power euen in drying vp y e Iordan as hee did in drying vp the read sea where your enimies were vanquished put to y e foyle insomuch that when you were like to haue bin stopped from entring into your inheritance yet notwithstanding al those lettes were ouercome For as much therfore as you see such fauour of God beware that you sleepe not in the meane whyle but walke in his feare for he can as well driue you out of that land as he doeth at this present bring you into it To be short whensoeuer we haue receiued any fauour at Gods hand we be exhorted to vse it in such wise as y e same may be an occasion vnto vs to serue him so as wee conceiue courage to yeeld ouer our selues to his obedience for least we be bereft therof againe either early or late for playing the wylde beastes for dealing stubbornly after that God hath made vs fatte 〈◊〉 32.15 according as wee shall see in the song of Moses Moses hauing spoken so vseth a greater vehemencie saying This day I call heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue set before thee life and death blessing and cursing The same in effect was spoken afore
but as I told you at a glance Moses meant to expresse yet more to the intent that the people shoulde vnderstande that he spake in good earnest and that although their hearts were of stone yet ought this to soften them And let vs marke first of al that if the Iewes were thus harde slowe yea and ranke rebelles too we be no better than they For it is not in respect of them onely that God sayth hee wil chaunge mens stonie heartes it is a general promise 〈◊〉 â—1 19 Hee sheweth that of nature men be such namely altogether rebellious that they will by no meanes be ruled And therefore Moses is fayne to inlarge his speech and to haue recourse to heauen and earth Hereby we haue matter first of all to pricke vs forwarde In deede men suppose that they be able fellowes to come vnto God but were there such forwardnes in vs as wee surmise it were ynough for God to becken to vs with the finger and to say Come But nowe when hee is fayne to crye out and to vse roughnesse and to handle vs sharply yea and as yee woulde say to coniure vs it is a token that hee perceiueth well that without this manner of dealing hee coulde not drawe vs to him but that wee woulde still drawe backewarde from him Therefore let vs learne to condemne our selues and moreouer when we heare that GOD doeth prouoke vs more roughly than wee woulde wee may not for all that bee nyce nor grieued thereat In deede it is meete for vs to bee tender hearted one way that is to say that wee bee not like Stithyes or Anuyles which beate backe the strokes of the hammer but yet let vs take heede that wee repyne not at the vehemencie which GOD vseth towardes vs knowing that the same is necessarie for vs. If GOD then after hee hath taught vs gently doe exhort vs with a more quickenesse yea and threaten vs and moreouer summon vs and afterwarde frame our inditement against vs let vs vnderstande that it is necessarie that it shoulde bee so and that wee ought not to bee offended thereat for wee shall winne nothing by it Yee shall see many which can fynde in their hartes that the Gospell should be preached but after what manner Forsooth after a deade manner so as the letter shoulde be layed foorth and then euery man holde what hee listed without any exhortation to bee made and without vnfolding of the inwarde force thereof Such scoffers as these are to bee seene which doe flatly mocke GOD and yet in the meane whyle will needes bee borne withall What say they Is it a preaching of the Gospel when men threaten and deale thus roughly But in the meane whyle let vs consider what wee be whether it be meete that God should deale with vs after our one liking In deed if we were pliable so as our heartes did yeeld at euerie word then weare this vehemencie superfluous vnprofitable but seeing we be as slow as Asses and also frantique so as he cannot tame vs nor reclaime vs vnto him it is good reason that he should speake in an other phrase That is the thing which wee haue to obserue where Moses doeth in this place call to heauen and earth Yea and let vs marke that he expresseth more in saying heauen and earth than if he had called all the Angels of heauen as hee might haue done and in likewise all the dyuels of hell as executioners of the iustice of God But it ought to make vs more ashamed when he setteth before vs y e senslesse creatures Now therfore when wee haue not obeyed our God who shal be our witnesses to condemne vs The creatures y t haue neyther reason nor vnderstanding nor senses The earth knoweth not wherefore it was created no more do the heauens and yet doe euen they preach with a loud voyce that their creator is to be obeyed To take these wordes of Heauen and Earth for men Angels were too colde a doctrine Moses vndoutedly had a farther respect which is that men shal be woorse than ashamed if they giue not eare to God when he teacheth them And wherefore For it might be replyed that it was an vnreasonable kinde of speach to cal heauen and earth to witnesse For they bee not of capacitie to alleage any thing No but let vs consider howe the earth hauing no vnderstanding doeth through a secret inclination obey God shee openeth her bowels to nourish men shee bringeth foorth fruite shee doth her dutie in all respectes yea and shee doeth it in such wise as shee maketh it manifest vnto vs by effect that shee tendeth to none other ende but to obey her creator And what doeth the heauen Wee see howe it goeth about and is in continuall labour what voyages doeth the Sunne make euery day hee fetcheth an infinite circuit Wee see likewise howe the moone doeth the like and so the rest of the Planets Also wee see other motions which goe a contrary course to these To bee short the heauen doeth as it were burne in desire to serue God and yet these bee creatures without reason without vnderstanding Seeing then that these shewe openly vnto vs that the secrete inclination of nature doâ—th lead them thereto they neuer leaue off but there is such a constancie in them that since the worlde was first created this order hath alwayes continued still what is to bee done of vs in whome God hath imprinted his owne image to the intent wee shoulde haue witte and discretion telling vs in our consciences that wee ought to discerne good and euill asunder and prouoking vs thereto by his worde wherby he discouereth himself vnto vs familiarly If we for al this do draw back stil wil not receiue his yoke nor yeeld him any obedience must we not needs be worse than monsters and consequently bee counted detestable And on the other side if after wee haue shewed some semblance of obedience to God wee then become wauering and by and by become wearie of seruing him and turne away from him shall wee not bee reprooued conuicted by the continuall order of nature Let vs marke wel then that it is not without cause that Moses to make men more ashamed telleth theÌ„ that heauen and earth shal bee witnesses against them whereby they shal bee conuicted Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to obserue Now let vs come to that which hee addeth I haue set before thee good and euil blessing and cursing to the intent thou shouldest liue verily euen by louing the Lord thy God for that he is the life and the long continuance of thy dayes Here Moses addeth not any new thing but confirmeth his former matter Whereby wee doe still see that we be so dulheaded when obedience to Godwarde commeth in talke that it is not ynough for vs to haue the matter spoken briefly as it were by a glance but it must be beaten into our heads