that when he shall bee trode vnder the feete of men he will execute on them a sharpe and grieuous reuenge Nowe to the ende that wee shoulde knowe that being gelous in his honours behalfe he knoweth well in what sorte to punish the idolaters he taketh to himselfe the name of God which importeth force and strength as we haue alreadie touched and to this end he doeth it that wee also when wee thinke of him shoulde ioyne these two wordes together For Moses vnderstandeth in this place that which is more fully expressed by the Prophete Nahum when he sayeth The Lorde is agelous GOD a God of vengeance a God which punisheth them that haue offended which reserueth wrath for his enimies a God which shall come in a whirle winde and tempest The Prophete vseth this word that God is Gelous that is to say that he is not forgetfull that he hath not his eyes closed and shut vp when men contemne him but that he marketh it that all which is done is registred before him that he will one day take accompt of it Nowe after that he hath spoken of this affection that is to say that God will mainteine his honour he sheweth by and by that he hath wherewith to doe it that he is armed with force and might to punish his enimies and that they cannot by any meanes escape his hand And to that end he speaketh of a whirle winde and tempest See why he speaketh of vengeaunce He addeth also further that though God dissemble for a time that yet he reserueth wrath for his enimies and will in a conuenient time make them feele with whome they haue had to doe and that they haue prouoked the liuing GOD to anger We see now what Moses vnderstandeth namely that God will haue his honour esteemed of vs And although we thinke to remaine vnpunished when wee haue polluted his seruice and corrupted it in what sorte so euer yet in his time he will shew that he is not forgetfull of him selfe but that he will mainteine and defend his own honour This is one point to be noted Moreouer he adioyneth that he is also mightie enough to put in execution his gelousie For the Lord is not as mortall men which can but fume and chafe when their honour is foiled they contemned and iniuried but they haue not the meane to worke the reuenge they woulde God is not such a one he is armed with might and power to confounde all his enimies Truely wee must not imagine in God any humane affections such as with whiche wee see men to bee moued and carried away There is neither anger nor wrath in god But because wee cannot comprehend him as he is it behoueth that he applie him selfe to our rudenesse So as often as the Scripture speaketh of wrath anger and indignation this is not that God is changeable that he resembleth vs to bee moued as we are with passions For he alwayes abideth in one estate yea there is no shadowe of chaunge in him As Saint Iames vseth the same similitude to declare that in his nature being there is no chaunge But because we comprehend not the iudgments of God but by these words of anger wrath and indignation for this cause the Scripture speaketh after this manner Nowe let vs also note principally in this place that it is a fearefull and horrible thing as God here declareth to fall into his handes and aboue all when wee shall haue peruerted the puritie of his seruice by our wicked inuentions rashly attempting that which our braine hath fondly conceiued Let vs therefore knowe wee shall feele with whom we haue had to deale and that he is a greater maister than with whom we might thinke to dallie after such a fashion Now withall God is not here contented to threaten them which by idolatrie are turned away from his lawe in saying onely that he will punish them in their owne persons but he extendeth his vengeance to their whole posteritie I am saith he a gelous God which punishe the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde fourth generation It seemeth at the first sight that this is euill agreeing to the iustice of God to punish the children for the sinns of the fathers mothers And beside that naturall reason is against it We see what is spoken concerning this point to the Prophete Ezechiel namely That he which shall haue sinned shall beare his owne payment that the sonne shal not beare the iniquitie of the father nor the father the iniquitie of the sonne This place then here which might seeme somewhat too austere and rigorous which should seeme to derogate from the righteousnesse of God for sinne bringeth his hire that is the death of him which committeth it He then which is innocent why shall he die And albeit this reason were not sufficient we haue the testimonie of the holie scripture where God declareth that he will not punish the innocent children for the sinnes of their fathers For he reproueth the Iewes for this blasphemie whiche ranne much in their mouth and whereof they had nowe made a common prouerbe Our fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and our teeth are set on edge Wee are not thus rigorously handled for the faultes wee haue committed for wee haue liued as behoued vs but he grateth here vppon the sinne of our fathers Thus the Iewes murmured against god Now he sweareth that this blasphemie shall no more reigne among them But for all this when all shall be well considered there is no contrarietie in these places For in the place of Ezechiel God vnderstandeth no other thing but that those which are punished of him cannot alledge their innocencie that they cannot say that God doeth them any wrong or iniurie if he vse them sharpely for they shall finde themselues guiltie euerie one in his owne person and that he shall bee declared iust when euerie one shall see that he exceedeth neither measure nor reason Nowe this is also certeine that when God punisheth the children because of the fathers yet ceaseth he not to bee iust in his chastisementes for the children on their part being well examined shall be founde faultie I say yet further that they can no sooner come foorth of the wombe of their mother but they committe many notable and manifest sinnes and such as might bee knowen to the whole worlde For what ofspring are wee What bring we forth by nature but sinne and wickednesse See then the infantes which are alredie sinners yea being in the wombe of their mother they are condemned before God there is yet no euill perceiued in them howbeit their nature is altogether corrupt and sinfull They haue a seede of wickednesse in them because of this originall sinne which is descended from Adam vpon all mankind behold they are alredie vnder condemnation Now seeing it is so that the little infantes are not exempted from the auger maledicion of God
loe my spirite is plunged as it were in some great deapth they surmount in number the haires of mine head as he speaketh in the 40. Psalme Againe when wee shall haue knowen howe farre we are all bound to God in generall let euerie one in the priuie chamber of his owne heart consider the benefits which he hath receiued of the handes of god And in steade of that which was said in old time to the people of Israel I haue redeemed you out of the land of Egypt let vs remember from whence our Lord hath deliuered vs when it pleased him to receiue vs into his fannlie into his church For we are the children of Adam by nature cursed and inheritors of death we haue nothing in vs but sinne so consequently we must needes be accursed before god Let men please magnifie themselues as they list yet behold their birth behold their nobilitie they are but bondslaues of Sathan they haue a sinke bottomlesse gulfe of corruption in them they are worthie that the wrath malediction of God fal on their heads briefly being banished from the kingdome of heauen they are geuen ouer to all miserie wretchednesse Now our Lord and God by the hand of his sonne hath hence deliuered vs He hath not sent a Moses as to the people of auncient time but not sparing his onelie sonne he hath deliuered him to death for vs Being then raunsomed with so deare and inestimable a price as is the holie and sacred bloud of the sonne of God ought wee not wholie to yeelde our selues vnto him And withall let vs note that if it be said That Egypt was a house of bondage what thraldome and seruitude is this when Sathan holdeth vs in his bondes and vnder his tyrannie in such sort that wee haue no meane to escape death that we bee excluded from all hope of saluation that God is our enimie and aduersarie Nowe being deliuered from all this is not our redemption farre more greater and excellent than this whereof Moses here speaketh So in steede that it was saâ—ed to the auncient people Thy God hath deliuered thee out of the land of Egypt it is nowe said That wee be redeemed from the bondage of Sathan to liue vnto the Lord as Saint Paule speaketh in the. 14. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes and the sixte of the first to the Corinthians that wee are not our owne It behaueth therefore the faithfull that they presume not on the libertie to doe what seemeth them and to liue euerie one after his owne lust And why so The Lord Iesus therefore died rose againe reuiued that he might be Lord both of the quicke dead It is then good reason that Iesus Christ should be Lord both of the liuing of the dead seeing he hath not spared himself for our redemption saluation And besides this that the sonne of God hath offered himselfe vpon the crosse to redeeme vs let vs knowe that at this day by the meane of the Gospell he maketh vs partakers of this benefite for he hath gathered vs to himselfe to the end wee should bee of his flocke and inheritance It is true that he is that vndefiled Lamb and without spot which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde and that he hath offered himselfe so reconcile man vnto god Howbeit so it is that wee see many people for saken to whom the gate is shut and to whom God hath not shewed this fauour to inlighten them in the faith as we are And withall let vs note that forasmuch as the Gospell is preached vnto vs we haue herein a sure testimonie that the sonne of God will make the redemption which he hath once accomplished auailable vnto vs and that he will haue vs to reioyce in such a benefite Let vs learne then that our vnthankfulnesse shal be so much the more vilainous if wee employ not all our paines to serue that God which hath by such benefites bounde vs vnto himselfe If such as are not of the houshold of faith behaue themselues as vntamed horses broken loose if they passe all measure in their superstitions if they be loose and lawlesse in their liuing this may well be because they haue no bridle to restraine them because the Lorde raineth them not backe as he doeth his housholde seruantes Wee see the horrible confusion which is now in the Papasie But all this while they haue no doctrine to reduce men vnto God but rather to estraunge them from him And wee see how the diuell hath gained an empire and kingdome among them in such sort that all is full of deceites illusions that the liuing God is forsaken See then here an horrible confusion But as for vs seeing God hath drawen vs to himselfe is not this a most streight obligation to make vs knit our selues wholie vnto him to make vs hold the obedience of the doctrine proposed vnto vs in his name Let vs therefore learne so to cleaue vnto our God that we renounce all that we might forge of our owne braine that we stagger no more hither or thither or bee moued and tossed in any sorte whatsoeuer Knowe wee that there is one God which will possesse vs for his people so wholie possesse vs that his honour be not taken from him to be bestowed on creatures knowe we that he watcheth ouer vs to the end wee shoulde acknowledge that it is he onely whom wee must call vpon and of whom we must looke for all helpe and succour And for that he will receiue vs and keepe vs in house let vs walke as in his presence so that wee worshippe him as our onely God not onely by way of ceremonies and outward protestation but sincerely and in heart as wee knowe that his seruice is spirituall Briefly let vs yeald vp our selues our soules and bodies to be gouerned by him that he may bee in all thinges honoured and glorified Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledging of our faults beseeching him that he will make vs feele them better than we haue done that we may be led to a true and earnest repentaunce that he will mortifie vs more and more cutting off our euill and disordered affections to the end wee may bee wholy geuen to feare and honour him And because we cannot serue him so purely as he deserueth whiles wee bee helde bound vnder the infirmittes of our flesh pray we him that he will beare with vs vntill he hath clothed vs with his righteousnesse And so let vs say humbly from our heart Almightie God and heauenlie father The. 3. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 8 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image or any likenes of that that is in heauen aboue or whiche is in the earth beneath or that is in the waters vnder the earth 9 Thou shalt neither bow thy selfe vnto them nor serue them for I thy Lord thy God am a
can not shift them selues out of his hand in saying that he doeth them wrong that he is ouer cruell towardes them It behoueth that euerie mouth be stopped in that behalfe True it is that a man can neuer satisfie and content the rebellions as wee see there are many which aduaunce them selues against God in this case with such boldnesse and presumption that good men which are sober and modest are ashamed to behold them but leaue we these dogges to barke their fill and in the meane time let vs glorifie our God in all humilitie knowing at least wise this one thing that he hath this authoritie and might to shew fauour and mercie to whom it pleaseth him And for this cause we must conclude that if God withdrawe his spirite from the posteritie of the wicked he may not bee accused of crueltie For they are in them selues punishable when they are in this sorte forsaken of him and are not gouerned by his holie spirite Let vs then note well that this sentence hath no contrarietie to that of Ezechiel Nowe let vs returne to see the meaning of Moses in these words There is no doubt but by his manner of speaking in this place he would imprinte a greater feare in vs than if barely and simplie he had said God will punish you when you shall haue corrupted his seruice when you shall haue chaunged any thing in religion when you shall haue deuised and fashioned any image or likenesse of him thinke not that you shall escape his vengeance for he will not suffer that his honor be defaced and brought to nothing in such sorte If Moses had thus spoken men as ouerhardied and flow of nature would not haue bene sufficiently moued with feare Therefore he here passeth further God saith hee will not onely punish you in your owne persons but he will extend his vengeaunce vppon your ofspring and not onely on your children but he will pursue it euen to the further end of your linage in such sort that you shall for euer feele his wrath as a kindling fire and after your death men shall behold the signes and markes of your iniquitie GOD shall place you in such ignominie and reproch that you shal be as spectacles to the world and although you be rotten putrified vnder the earth yet shall his vengeaunce pursue you so that your sinnes shall bee grated on and called to remembraunce from age to age and men shall know that you haue rebelled against him whiche shewed you so many of his benefites that at least you should haue bene as the sheepe of his flocke to bee gouerned by him and his worde Now then let vs take heede wee bee not ouer sluggish and past sense when God in this manner stirreth vp and awaketh vs Truely if onely in one woord or by some exteriour signification he should signifie his anger we ought to bee touched with great feare but since wee are dull vppon the spurre yet at least then when God declareth that after he hath punished vs he will yet followe on his vengeaunce vppon our posteritie and that after our death it must needes bee that those which shal be begotten of vs bee condemned when I say God speaketh in this wise let vs then bee more attentiue to walke in his feare and to turne our selues vnto him that we prouoke him not to anger being as it is so fearefull and terrible Thus wee see in what sorte we are to make our profite by this text Now he addeth further Of them which hate him in which word he comprehendeth all the transgressours of the law If then one demand whether all those whiche turne them selues from the obedience of God hateth him therefore This place here answereth Yea not that it semeth so them and yet the truth is so And we ought here not to rest vppon our owne iudgement for God onely is a competent iudge to pronounce sentence herein And because that men when they geue them selues ouer to worke wickedlie will not say neither thinke so in heart that they hate God it behoueth that this vice should be discouered It is true that hypocrits will make a faire shew that the loue of God causeth them to shew some good countenaunce And in deed it may haue some small seede but it is a bastard vicious seede So then this hatred is not apparant in hypocrites nether in many other which lead a disordered dissolute life but yet is it in them though we know it not for as all male factours licentious liuers woulde there were neither iudge nor order nor policie in the world so all they which willinglie of their own accord would not acknowledge them selues Gods subiects they spite him could be contented he were plucked out of heauen This appeareth sufficently in them which are wholy geuen ouer peruerted When men haue loosed the bridle to all iniquitie they can not beare any correction are so farre from being tractable to be taught when they are threatened they grind the teeth they storme rage they are furious madde against god This hating then of God is manifest enough in them which haue granted them selues a more outragious libertie of doing ill in thē which are carried away as with a tempest in their wickednesse are fullie settled in their sinnes In others which haue yet some feare are in some sorte moued when we speake of God of his iudgements this appeareth not yet there is alreadie in them an hatred of god Truelie they thinke it not but God seeth much more cleare than we and when thinges are hid and vnknowen vnto vs he noteth them We must alwayes beare in minde howe Saint Iohn saith That God is much greater than our consciences that is to say That if our consciences beare vs witnesse of our faultes God shall not sleepe in the meane time And so let vs brieflie remember that all they whiche conforme not them selues to the obedience of God which humble not them selues vnder his maiestie to serue honor him that all they hate him although by effect they shew it not at first and that men can not iudge so of them And for the same cause we see why in like maner when God speaketh of them which keepe his commaundements he beginneth with his loue He saith That he will shewe mercie on thousand generations to them which loue him And why For it is not possible to desire to honour God to bee his subiects if we haue not a feeling of this loue wherof he here speketh And this may serue vs for a good lesson as we shall see herafter that Moses when he would geue a short abridgment of the Lawe saith What doeth the Lord thy God Israel require of thee but that thou loue him with thy whole hart that thou cleaue to him We shall neuer I say know what it is to yeald obedience to Gods lawe and to rule our selues according
as saith S. Iohn in his Canonicall epistle Yea men neede not goe forth of themselues to haue battell with God and his iustice For all our senses and reason and all our affections as saith S. Paul to the Romanes are enimies against God. When men loose the bridle to their thoughts and imaginations to their desires and lustes then make they open battell with god And we are not ignorant of that which is declared in the sixt of Genesis That all that which man can thinke and imagine is nothing but euill continually and all that which man forgeth in himselfe frameth in his owne shop is vntoward and corrupt before god So then we see well that we cannot be sanctified before our God that is to say we cannot serue him in holines and purenes being not yet separated from that vncleannes and those defilings which are contrarie therevnto not hauing first abolished al that which is of our own nature It behoued then that this should be represented in a figure to the ancient fathers for that Christ was not yet fullie reuealed vnto them But at this day we haue in Iesus Christ the accomplishment the performance of all thinges In this wise s Paul speaketh of the old man vnderstāding by this word al that which we haue of Adam that it ought to die be eleane abolished namely not the nature of our body or of our soule but the malice which is within vs the blindnes which maketh vs erre the lustes euil desires which are altogether rebellious to the iustice of god It behoueth that all this in as much as it is drawn frō Adam be beaten down cleane taken away And how is this done This is not by our own industrie labor but Iesus Christ dying for vs and to wipe out our sinnes that they might be no more imputed vnto vs hath gotten vnto vs also this prerogatiue that by the vertue power of his holy spirit we might renounce the world our selues in such sort that our carnal affectiōs to more reigne in vs And albeit they be ful of rebellion yet notwithstanding shall the Spirite of God beare rule euer them to represse them and to hold them backe as it were with a bridle Therfore it is said That we are raised with him And S. Paule declareth the same also in the Chap. which I haue alreadie recited to the Colossians Now this was not yet manifested vnder the lawe It behoued therfore that the fathers which liued in that time should haue some aide herein as they had the sacrifices which nourished them in the hope of the death of Christ to the end they should know that their sinnes were purged by the bloud of this Mediator So had they also the Sabbaoth day for a testimonie witnes that the grace was obteined vs to mortifie our thoughts affections to the end that God might liue in vs by the vertue of his holy spirit Now we haue some entrance to the vnderstanding of this which hath bene shortly touched namely that the Sabbaoth day was as a figure to represent this which in very deed hath bene accomplished at the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ And so let vs note that the Sabbaoth day extendeth it selfe to the whole seruice of God to declare that men could not purelie sincerely honour him but by renouncing of themselues and by being separated from the defilements of the world of their owne flesh And for this cause the prophet Ezech. reproueth the Iewes that they kept not the Sabbaoth For this is said vnto them as if they had in general brokē the whole law not without cause For he which setteth at naught the Sabbaoth day hath cast vnder foote all the seruice of God as much as in him is And if the Sabbaoth day be not obserued all the rest shal be worth nothing as is spoken to the prophet Esay That men must bereaue themselues of their own proper vertues that they must humble themselues otherwise that this is not the rest of the Lord which is agreable to him or allowed of him By this we perceiue that it auaileth nothing to kepe the ceremonie only For albeit the Iewes had well obserued the ceremonie albeit they should haue assembled themselues together on the Sabbaoth day without putting a finger to their houshold affaires yet in the meane time should nourish in themselues their wicked thoughts affections after put them in practise this would haue bene but a mere mocking of God an abusing of his name a defacing peruerting of the whole order he had instituted as he also reprocheth thē For the principal point was to haue respect to the truth of the figure namely to the spiritual seruice of god And yet notwithstanding it behoued also that the Iewes should kepe the ceremonie which was cōmanded them For God held them in this bridle as not content that they should haue only the substance of things but also the shadowes figures of them vntil the cōming of Iesus Christ Now hereby vnderstand that which S. Paule saith That now we are not tied vnto this bondage of the auncient fathers to obserue in this sort the Sabbaoth day For we must do this honor to our lord Iesus Christ that we cōtent our selues with that which he hath brought to vs in his owne person without reteining any longer that which was exterior ceremonious vnder the law Now thē it is easie to gather how this obseruation perteineth vnto vs at this day Touching the ceremonie as I haue said it is past done away We must then come to the substance that is that to the end we may serue God well sincerelie we learne to withdraw our selues frō all our owne wils all our euil thoughtes affections And why For otherwise whē we will serue God we marre all It behoueth therfore that all our own wisdom be laid aside that we heare God speake not folowing our own wisdom fantasies Thus ye see the beginning first step to the right obseruing of the Sabbaoth day as we ought namely not to trust to that which we think imagine to be good For we must rest And how rest For sooth we must abide stil quiet Our thoughts must not stir to wāder deuise this that We must I say remain quiet in the obedience of our god And when we shal be pricked stirred vp by our lustes let vs call to minde that these are enimies against God that all our affections are wicked rebellious We must then quietly rest in that behalfe and yelde our selues ouer vnto God to the end that he onely may worke in vs that he may conduct and gouerne vs by his holy spirite By this we see that GOD hath omitted nothing when he appointed the Sabbaoth day For if it extend so farre as vnto his whole seruice what is wanting vnto
cease from our earthlie affaires and all worldlie businesse to attend the better on the meditation of the works of God that wee may bee exercised to knowe the benefites he bestoweth on vs and aboue all that wee may bestow all our paines in acknowledging his gratious fauour whiche he offereth dailie in his Gospell to bee confirmed and established more and more therein when we shall haue emploied the Sunday to praise and magnifie the name of God and to meditate on his workes let vs shewe all the rest of the weeke how we haue profited herein Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledging of our faults praying that it will please him to make vs feele them better than wee haue done And because wee can not in any respect serue him vntill this wickednesse and peruersnesse which is in vs be abolished and because he hath shewen that we shall not cease to make warre against his iustice as long as we shall lose the bridle to our wicked thoughtes and concupiscences pray we that it will please this good God by the power of his holy spirite to geue vs this grace to bee fullie conformed vnto him which is dead and risen for vs to the end he might mortifie and quicken vs that wee may beare the markes of our Lord Iesus euen in renouncing our selues and ordering our whole life so to his will that wee desire nothing but to bee conformed to his iustice to the end his lawe may bee accomplished in vs as it is spirituall and that wee bee reformed both in flesh and in spirite to liue vnder his obedience And forasmuch as wee so ofte returne vnto our selues pray wee that it will please this good God to beare with vs in our infirmities till his rest bee truelie accomplished in vs and that he hath gathered vs into his heauenlie kingdome That it will please him to graunt this grace not onelie vnto vs but to all people and nations of the earth c. The. 6. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 13 Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and shalt doe all thy woorke 14 But the seuenth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any woorke therein thou nor thy sonne not thy daughter nor thy man seruant nor thy maide nor thine oxe nor thine asse neither any of thy cattell nor the straunger that is within thy gates that thy man seruant and thy maide may rest as well as thou 15 Remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Aegypt and that the Lorde thy God brought thee out thence with a mightie hand and a stretched out arme therefore the Lorde thy God commaunded thee to obserue the Sabbaoth day WE handled yesterday in what sorte and to what end the commaundement of obseruing the Sabboth day was giuen to the Iewes It was said in generall that this was a figure of the spirituall rest which the faithfull ought to keepe the better to serue and woorshippe god And seeing our Lord hath brought vs the full accomplishment of this it hath bene said that we must no longer rest and stay our selues on this shadowe of the Lawe but be content that our old man be crucified by the vertue of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ to the end wee may bee renewed in our mindes wholie to serue our god Withall wee noted that wee stand in neede of some order and policie amongest vs and therefore it behoued that some certeine day should bee appointed to assemble vs together to bee confirmed in the doctrine of God and to make our profite therein euerie day euen all the time of our life that wee bee also exercised to call vppon his name to make confession of our faith and that the rest of this day bee spent in considering the benefites wee receiue at all times at the hand of God to the end he bee the more glorified in them And now haue we to note this whiche followeth in the text of Moses Sixe dayes thou shalt labour saith the lord This ought not to bee vnderstood as if God commaunded vs hereby preciselie to labour Howbeit it is true that we are borne to this and wee knowe that God meaneth not wee should bee idle as long as wee liue in this world For he hath giuen men hands and feete force and strength to this purpose Yea before sinne entered it is saide that Adam was placed in the garden of Eden to dresse it and keepe it Albeit the labour and trauell which men are now enioyned is a chastisement for sinne For it is thus denounced them In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy breade This is a curse and malediction laide on mankind For we are not worthie to enioy the condition whiche was giuen to our father Adam that he might liue at pleasure without troubling or tormenting him selfe But yet before that sinne entred into the world and that wee were in this sort condemned of God to this painfull weariesome trauell it was requisite that men should exercise themselues with some labour And why Because this is contrarie to our nature that we shoulde be as logges and blockes vnprofitable So then it is verie certeine that wee ought to applie our selues to some labour all the time of our life But yet here in this place it is not simplie commaunded that we trauell sixe dayes For indeede there were other solemnities vnder the Lawe besides the rest of the Sabboth There were feastes which might happen in the middest of the weeke but because the number of them was small beeing onely foure dayes in the yeare there is no mention made of them but onely of the Sabbaoth Therefore when it is said Thou shalt labour sixe dayes our Lord woulde hereby signifie vnto vs that we ought not to complaine of yelding vnto him one certeine day when he leaueth vnto vs sixe for one As if he did say Shall the cost and charge be great vnto you to choose one day which may be wholy geuen to my seruice that you doe no other thing in it but reade and exercise your selues in my lawe or heare my doctrine whiche shal be preached vnto you a day to come to the Temple to the end you may be there confirmed by the sacrifices which are there made a day to call vppon my name to declare and protest that you are of the number and companie of my people Ought this to bee grieuous and burthensome vnto you seing you haue sixe dayes free to traffike and to doe your businesse in When I vse such gentlenesse towardes you that I demand but one day of seuen is not this an ouer great vnthankfulnesse on your part if you complaine of this time as beeing euill employed and if you bee such couetous niggardlie wretches as not to spare mee one seuenth part of the time I haue giuen you your whole life Whensoeuer the Sunne shineth vpon you you ought to acknowledge my goodnesse
confesse that our chief desire is willingly vnfeignedly to honor God that we cānot suffer any reprochfullie to abuse his maiestie Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde vpon this place which we ought at this day with all diligence to obserue albeit it be preciselie geuen in commādement to the Iewes for in substance truth it belongeth vnto vs For as in old time our lord brought this people out of Egypt so at this day hath he drawen vs out of the gulfe of hell hath deliuered vs from eternal death from those deepe and darke dongeons wherein we were plunged to bring vs into his heauenlie kingdome hauing redeemed and purchased vs to himselfe by the bloud of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledging our faults praiing him to make vs feele them better than we haue done that labouring to reforme our selues more and more to his iustice we fight daily against the lustes and desires of our flesh and continue so long in this combate vntill he hath fullie freed vs from it and reformed vs vnto his image in the which we were first created That hee will graunt this grace not only to vs but to al people and nations of the earth c. The. 7. Sermon wherein it is entreated of the second Table Deut. Chap. 5. 16 Honour thy father and thy mother as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee that thy dayes may bee prolonged and that it may be well with thee in the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee WE are now come vnto the second Table of the lawe wherein God sheweth vs how we ought all to liue here together For as it hath bene aboue touched there are two principall thinges required in our life The one that wee serue God purelie and sincerelie The other that we liue with men in all integritie and vprightnesse rendring vnto euerie one that which apperteineth and belongeth vnto him Now as the honour of God is more excellent than all that which concerneth men so it behoued that in the first and principall place the rule of honouring God as we ought should be geuen And this is handled dispatched in the first Table Here then God beginneth to declare vnto vs in what sort our life ought to be ordered if we wil applie our selues vnto the dutie we owe vnto men Now we haue also declared that God requireth no honour of vs for any neede he hath of it or for any profite it bringeth vnto him but it is for our welfare and saluation that he requireth it So then he will proue our obedience and the loue we beare him when he commaundeth vs to walke in all equitie and vprightnesse with our neighbours and that we liue together in such concord and fellowship that any one bee not geuen vnto himselfe but that we communicate together and that euerie one according to his abilitie and power to do well employ and force himselfe therevnto This say I is the proofe which God maketh to knowe whether we worship him vnfeignedly and from our heart For we might make many faire countenances and vse great ceremonies but God shall not content himselfe with it And this is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ saith that the principall point of the law is iustice iudgement vprightnesse faith which worde importeth here fidelitie or faithfulnesse Therefore when we liue with men without hypocrisie and dissimulation when we are not geuen to our subtile sleightes nor malicious practises wee studie to minister vnto and to serue euerie one in his commoditie we mainteine right resist wrong as much as lieth in vs loe the chiefe and principal part of the lawe Not that the seruice of God ought in the meane while to be forgotten or that it is of lesse importance but because it is vnpossible that men acquite themselues in their duetie toward their neighbours except they be led herevnto by the feare of god Now let vs handle this commaundement last recited which concerneth the honouring of father and mother And here although expresselie mention be made of the father and the mother there is no doubt but GOD meant to deliuer a generall doctrine of hauing all superioritie in honour For graunt we which must needes be confessed that the lawe conteineth a perfect rule of doctrine wherein nothing is wanting and this which we haue said must needes be so For if it hath not touched any thing of the duetie we owe to other superiours as princes and magistrates and those which haue the sworde of iustice if it hath deliuered nothing concerning maisters it should haue some default in it Therefore we must conclude that God hath commaunded that all they which are in any degree of honour and authoritie be honoured and obeyed Moreouer seing all preeminence and superioritie commeth from God and that this order is established and appointed by him without the which the world could not stande what might be thought if God made no account of this when he gaue forth a certeine forme of liuing well and in all holinesse Neither ought we to account it straunge that vnder one speciall kind of obedience to bee yelded to all superiours the whole is comprised For we haue alreadie touched how this ought to be obserued in the law and we shall see it more plainlie hereafter And this was not done because God could speake in no other manner but for our better profite and instruction For we know that albeit men desire to seeme subtile and sharpe witted yet cease they not alwayes to couer themselues with the buckler of ignorance If we might espie that the law of God presseth vs ouer sore we would feigne haue some excuse to exempt our selues from the subiection of it And if the lawe of God were not apt and conuenient to instruct the rude and ignoraunt many would alledge that they are no great Clerkes that they neuer went to schoole It should seeme then that the law of God might not bind them But when we see that God abaseth himselfe to our rudenesse and that he speaketh grosselie according to our capacitie this taketh from vs all excuse this remoueth all pretences whatsoeuer and euerie one is bound to order him selfe aright and we all must confesse that there is nothing which hindereth vs from doing our dueties but that we be rebellious against God and will not beare his yoke Lo why vnder one kind God comprehendeth the whole that he might instruct traine vs vp like yong children whiche are not capable nor apt to be taught after some absolute and perfect maner This therfore is the true and naturall sense of the place as we shall see hereafter For as God deliuered the ten commaundementes or wordes as he calleth them so he annexed also the exposition of them to the end nothing might be obscure and that men might not doubt or dispute of that which
wiped out and baptisme is hereof a sure testimonie and witnesse vnto vs For by it haue we bene washed from all the filthes and pollutions which are in vs that we might appeare pure and cleane in the sight of God yea which more is those mortall and deadlie sinnes which are acuiallis committed shall not bee imputed vnto vs because as I haue said that God hath buried our sinne and will not regard it but we must notwithstanding haue respect vnto it and beware diligentlie howe we offende But if anie abuse and deceiue them selues to be persuaded they conceiue no wicked ked desires this shall occasion GOD to call them to their account And why For when men flatter them selues they must needes be condemned And loe why the diuell hath so much ende-uoured to blind the eyes of men in making them beleeue that none of all these thinges are sinne yea we see how the Papists thinke that the grossest faultes that may be are soone wiped out with one signe of the crosse or with one Asperges of holie water They thinke these thinges are nothing and they sport them selues with GOD as with some litle childe But let vs contrariwise remember that when wee shall not onelie slugge in sinne but shal be greatlie inclined to flatter our selues in our vices let vs I say remember to take vnto vs this glasse of the lawe and to behold our selues in that we abuse not nor deceiue our selues A man may haue his face foule and dirtie euerie one shall mockee him and yet hee shall see nothing thereon but when het looketh in a glasse and seeth all his face soyled then hee withdraweth him selfe and goeth and washeth it so haue we need here to do It is true that the whole lawe of GOD is as a glasse to shewe vs our filthinesse that wee might bee confounded and ashamed of our wickednesse but wee must haue to consider of our condition a most cleare and bright glasse If wee reade this onelie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not bee a murderer nor adulterer euerie one will make him selfe beleeue that hee is guiltie in nothing but when wee come to this commaundement Thou shalt not couet loe GOD soundeth not onelie the depth of our heart but all our thoughtes and imaginations there is nothing which hee trieth not and examineth and those thinges which we shall account for no faultes shal be condenmed before GOD and he shall be Iudge of them if wee on our part will not iudge them Nowe in the meane time we are to magnifie the mercie of our God that when we are so manie wayes culpable hee yet receiueth vs as iust and righteous Let vs compare together the iustice wee obteine by the meanes of faith and the malediction which is on vs wherein wee are plunged Are wee culpable before GOD of one offence of three of anie number Nay rather are wee not plunged into such bottomlesse gulfes that when wee shall beginne to make our account we shal be ouerwhelmed and confounded with the multitude of our offences An hundred millians of faultes are the hundreth part of them which wee haue committed in the sight of GOD wee are guiltie in so manie that there is neither end nor measure in our sinnes Yet for all this GOD receiueth vs so to mercie that we are accounted iust before him as if there were in vs all integritie and perfection and that wee wanted nothing of fulfilling the whole lawe Therefore when God bestoweth on vs this gift of faith whereby wee apprehend and take holde of the grace and mercie which hath bene purchased vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ that wee will nowe doe him this honour to say Lorde it is in thy meere goodnesse and free mercie that our saluation consisteth when GOD I say pardoneth vs such an infinite number of sinnes and offences and clotheth vs with his owne iustice see we not howe farre wee are bounde vnto him for this inestimable goodnesse So then when the lawe of God shall haue vtterlie confounded vs seeing not onelie our concupiscences exceede all number but that we are buried in them as vnder great and huge mountaines if GOD would seuerelie deale with vs for them let vs knowe that God will not leaue vs in despaire but as soone as we are beaten to the ground he helpeth vs vp againe when he seeth our weakenesse hee reacheth vs out his hande and calleth vs vnto him and willeth vs to bee of good comfort when he for his mercies sake will impute none of our sinnes vnto vs Loe in what sort the faithfull continue in glorifying of God although they be in them selues condemned And at this end wee must alwayes beginne to bee veterlie confounded in our selues that our Lorde may deliuer vs from the deepest dongeon of death seeing that our onelie saluation lieth and consisteth in his meere mercie and grace Nowe withall let vs walke in all heedefulnesse let vs diligentlie looke vnto our selues knowing that when wee shall haue employed great paines to serue GOD when wee shall haue shunned all occasions which might leade vs vnto euill when wee shall haue subdued our lustes and affections when wee shall haue further endeuoured to represse wicked thoughtes wee are yet to condemne our selues and to stand in greate feare of the anger and displeasure of god For although through the vertue and power of his grace sinne reigneth not in vs yet doeth it alwayes dwell in vs and staineth vs still with some blot of filthinesse and vncleannesse Let vs therefore bewayle our selues hereof and lament in suche sorte that wee bee hereby incited and pricked forwarde to doe our duetie We see in what sort Saint Paule speaketh after that he had profited so farre and was come euen to an angelicall holinesse O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And why is it so that he desireth death in him selfe For no other reason but because he sawe sinne abiding in his bodie Now moreouer wee must knowe that wee ought not although euerie day wee see a millian of faultes in vs to bee discouraged Loe why Saint Paule exhorting the faithfull to flee from vices saieth not Let not sin dwell in you but he saith Let not sinne reigne in you I grant it were to be desired that sinne dwelt not at all in vs but although we be not altogether rid thereof yet must wee not bee to much dismaide But when he saith that sinne dwelleth in vs let vs knowe that this â—s first to warne vs of our miserable condition and againe to admonish vs that wee must bee exercised continuallie in combat and fight with sinne to the end wee should more feruenthe desire the aide and help of our God praying him to fortifie and strengthen vs by his power and by the grace of his holy spirite whiche he hath giuen vs in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Now let vs cast our selues downe
for GOD protesteth that he hath not spoken in vaine But nowe at this day when GOD speaketh vnto vs with full mouth and that we haue so perfect a reuelation in his Gospell is not this an ouer great wickednesse that men yet wander and goe so astraie Were there euer more foolish and fond superstitions or more outragious and enormous than those which are at this day to bee seene in Poperie I graunt the Iewes mingled them selues among the superstitions of the Painims that they defiled them selues ouer much with their silthes and pollutions but when all shal be well sifted and examined wee shall finde that the Papistes haue surmounted and exceeded them herein by manie degrees for the word of God at this day is as it were buried among them When mention shal be made of faith the articles shal be drawen from out of the forge of men the holie Scripture shal be of no more force than as if it were dead and vtterlie brought to ruine Loe howe they behaue them selues herein and when question is of the seruice of GOD they wander as we haue alreadie said after their owne inuentions and loe My meaning is good will they say and they thinke God will suffer him selfe to bee ruled as a litle childe and that he will neuer come to examine all the doctrine of Poperie Againe if men speake of faith is there anie talke of the free promises of GOD No but they attribute all to them selues When they will speake of the office of Iesus Christ they ouerthrowe the vertue of his death and passion as much as in them lieth When anie question is to be handled of their saluation then will they come in with their free will their merites and satisfactions But we ought contrariwise to returne to the meere and onelie grace of the holie Ghost confessing that we are in bondage and seruitude of sinne but that we are thence deliuered by the mercie and goodnesse of god And here hence cōmeth it that the holy scripture calleth the remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes our righteousnesse We must therefore come vnto this point and also knowe that if we haue failed in our duetie we can not bring anie other payment or satisfaction than that which we borrowe of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Of all this there is nothing to be found in Poperie If question be of calling vpon GOD they will make their vagaries vnto their he Saintes and shee Saintes and Iesus Christ in the meane time shall not be knowen such a one as he is nor clothed with the office which hath bene giuen him of God his Father But the Papistes degrade him as sacrilegious and false traiterous villaines which seeke nothing els but to burie altogether and toset forth to open prey all the glorie and dignitie which God his Father hath giuen him As much may be said of all their seruice and religion We see howe the Sacramentes are polluted and defiled among them In place of the holie supper of our Lord Iesus Christ there is substituted this infernall and diuelish abhomination of the Masse wherin they say That Iesus Christ is sacrificed as if he him selfe had done nothing as if he were not established the onlie perpetuall priest by God his father So then we see howe the Papistes make a mockerie of the word of God wherein hee hath reuealed him self that it seemeth that of set deliberate purpose they would deface put out the knowledge of him which is in the Gospell And therfore we must more hee fullie note this word That the Lord is God yea one God onlie And so alwayes as often as this worde of God shall come in place let vs knowe that it is to cut off all that shall come into our braine all that which men shall haue forged deuised and which we are not taught by the holy scripture for God wil be in such sort considered of vs that we be not wrapped entangled in the fantasies errours of idolaters And in verie deed wee can not haue the true God except we haue him alone that is that we ioyne with him no companion for assoone as we come in with our litle halfe gods we renounce the liuing god And why For he will be alone as he pronounceth by the Prophet Esaie in another place I am the euerliuing saith the Lord I will not giue my glorie vnto another And again we haue seene before that he nameth him selfe A gealous god And for what other cause than for this to withdrawe vs from all corruptions As S. Paul speaketh in the 2. to the Corinth For assoone as we are turned from the simplicitie of the word of God it is as if a woman should hearken vnto a Bawd which shall come to whisper in her eare Lowe are forthwith corrupted so we play the wicked fornicators against God when we falsifie the faith which we haue promised him in baptisme we reiect cast aside his law we violate and profane all religion when we decline the least that may be from his pure sincere doctrine Let vs therfore beare in mind alwayes as oftē as mention is made of this word God that we know that God must be alone therfore when we shall haue accompanied him with creatures he casteth vs off as Apostataes as people which are not worthie to haue to doe with him because wee would not yeelde vnto him the honour which hee deserueth namelie that he should be the Lorde but shall haue profaned his name by making it common vnto creatures or communicating of it with our dreames But withall let vs note that it is not inough that we reserue vnto the liuing GOD the title of one woorde but we must take heede that whatsoeuer apperteineth vnto him remaine and abide vnto him in his entire and perfecte estate As howe He meaneth not only to be called God but to be acknowledged Almightie to be acknowledged our Father and Sauiour to be knowen for him which hath authoritie to gouerne vs for him in whom we ought to repose our whole trust and confidence for him whom we ought to inuocate and call vpon Loe the chiefe and principall things we ought to thinke and meditate vpon when question is of honouring one onelie god I graunt the Papistes will still say That S. Michael and S. William and such others are not their goddes but yet for all this they worship them yea their images and pictures although they thinke to escape by this shifte that the images are not the Saintes they pray vnto but onelie their remembrances to represent them and yet is this against the expresse commandement of god And againe they knowe not howe GOD will be worshipped when they so mingle him among their idols of wood and of stone by the which they thinke to represent their Saintes It is true they vse words them selues vnderstand not of Dulia and Latria when they say