from vs and that wee had neede of wings to flie aboue the skyes But what Wee must so honour Gods worde as I saide as wee must not doubt but that the thing which is spoken there is possible to be done although wee conceiue not howe by our fleshly vnderstanding faith must surmount all capacitie of man And if wee finde any hardnesse therein let vs fight against our selues and dayly indeuour to recouer vnto God For the way whereby hee will be glorified at our hands is as I saide at the beginning that if there were no more but his bare worde yet ought the same to contēt and suffice vs. But seeing he hath vouchsafed to deliuer vs this pledge which he hath giuen vs in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be the lesse excusable if wee haue not a full and whole contentation Seeing then that we haue such an assurance of the kingdome of heauen let vs go and take possession of the lande For as I said afore God will not haue vs idle True it is that hee sheweth vs by the holy scripture that there is not one drop of power in vs that tendeth vnto good but that wee be wholly giuen to euill And yet notwithstanding it is his will also that when he hath put his gratious gifts into vs we shoulde make them auaylable without chalenging any thing at all to our selues For in this case it is not for vs to glorie in our selues nor to trust in our owne legges according wherevnto it is saide in the Psalme to such as are giuen to the worlde Psal. 33.16 and 17. that they must not trust in their owne strength nor in the strength of their horses If this bee saide of the thinges that perteine to this flightfull life what is to bee saide of the spirituall life which is much more excellent So then w tout attributing any thing to our selues let vs indeuour neuerthelesse seeing that God commandeth vs and let vs goe on to enter into the possession of the spirituall kingdome whereunto he calleth vs. And that is the cause why I said that wee must euermore come backe to our Lorde Iesus Christ and there seeke y e thing that is wanting in our selues For wee knowe that his suffering of his death and passion was to exalt vs aboue the heauens and although wee doe but creepe vppon the earth or rather bee so loppeheauie that wee sinke still downeward to plundge our selues in the bottomlesse gulfes yet will our Lorde Iesus lift vs vp according as he himself was exalted to the same end and intent as is declared in the third Chapter of the Gospel of S. Iohn Iohn 3.14 Furthermore to the ende wee may bee discharged of all selftrust let vs looke vppon the notable example that was giuen vs at the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For if wee will goe the right way to heauen wee must followe the poore theefe to whom he saide This day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Howe can wee bee sure that GOD will bring vs to the kingdome of heauen seeing that wee seeke hell and all our affections all our thoughtes all our desires all our powers and all our workes tend wholly thither euen to separate vs from God and to alienate vs from his kingdome and to driue vs away from life and saluation How may wee say I be sure that God will take vs vppe into his heauenly kingdome We must haue recourse to this word that was spoken to the poore theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Seeing it is so that our Lord died that he entred into such gulfes of sorrowe that he was pinched so farre as to abide the tormentes that were due vnto vs and not only abode y e reproch and griefe of bodily death but also felt y e Iustice of God and became as a wretched offender to beare all the sinnes of the world let vs not doubt but he hath deliuered vs from the paines anguish which wee should haue felt and will lifte vs vp to himselfe and therefore nowe let vs not bee afraide of death But first of all it behoueth vs to followe the poore theefe What had he in him to bring him to the kingdome of heauen He was fastened to a crosse he had his armes and legges broken he seemed to bee but a wretched carkasse there was nothing but reproche in him Thus then you see howe he was an owgly myrrour to looke vpon and yet neuerthelesse Iesus Christe promiseth him to make him his partaker and companion of his heauenly glorie And what had hee beene all the time of his lyfe So lewde and wicked both before God and man that he was worse than condemned and accursed Will we then be the heires of God Wee must follow this theefe who had the preheminence to goe before vs into the heritage of heauen And how must wee follow him We must acknowledge y t naturally there is nothing in vs but vtter wickednesse and that GOD might iustly holde vs accursed Also wee must thinke our selues to bee as folke that haue their armes and legges broken yea and as men vtterly dismembred so as we haue not one whit of strength in vs at leastwise as in respect of our selues And yet for all that therewithall we must not doubt but that God accepteth vs to him when wee linke in with our Lorde Iesus Christ by right faith and pure affection acknowledging him to be our king and hauing our eyes fastened vpon the inuisible kingdome as I saide afore For if the wretched theefe which sawe death before his eyes which was in as great tormentes as was possible and sawe himselfe as it were behated of all the world did put his trust in Iesus Christe what ought wee to doe Againe in what state was our Lord Iesus Christ at the same time He hung vpon a crosse full of reproche and shame all men did spit at him all men did spite him And yet notwithstanding that reprochfull state the poore wretch ceassed not to behold life in death and to say Lorde remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome But now wee knowe that Iesus Christ is exalted to the right hand of GOD his father and hath souereigne power ouer all creatures so that if wee yeeld him not his due honour now that he is entered into his glorie wee shall haue no excuse at all True it is that he was once hanged vpon a gibbet ful of reproch and shame but yet wee see therewithall that the same was turned into glorie and triumph so as the victorie which he obteined was more royall than all the triumphes of all the Princes in the worlde Seeing then that wee doe see that Iesus Christ hath ridde away all the slaunder of his crosse by the power of his resurrection ought wee not at leastwise to looke vp to the kingdome where he dwelleth whereunto he calleth vs and which he hath purchased so
must beware y t we walke the more circumspectly vnder his obedience assuring our selues y t he wil not haue such a benefite despised as is his vouchsafing to take vs into his house and to communicate himselfe so familiarly vnto vs as he doth But yet to expresse this grace y e better Moses addeth that this people was chosen As if he should say indeede it is an inestimable dignitie and noblenesse for you to bee chosen to be the people of God so as no Nation of the earth can boast themselues to haue beene exalted to such degree of honor but yet beware that you be not proud of it For your sanctifying at Gods hand came not of your owne purchase but of Gods choosing of you it came of him Therefore let the praise thereof be yeelded vnto him assure your selues ye be the more beholden to him in that he hath shewed such mercy towards you Wee see then y t the word Choose which Moses setteth down here serueth to magnifie Gods grace y t was spoken of before to y e intent y t the people should be the more prouoked as it were rauished to serue God And for the same purpose he setteth down a long discourse Wherfore is it saith he that your God hath loued you knit himselfe to you For this maner of speeche namely y t God knitteth himself to men importeth very much And why doeth he so saieth he What hath moued him therto Was it for your owne sakes Or did you put your selues foreward vnto it Was it bicause ye were a greater nation than any other Was it in respect of y t that God was moued to choose you rather thā any of the others Had you deserued it on your part No no but it was saieth he bicause hee loued you Nowe this worde Loue importeth here first that God respected not any thing in men why hee should choose them but that his owne free loue sufficed him in that behalfe He loued you that is to say seeke not any cause or worthinesse in yourselues bee contented that our Lorde hath chosen you of his owne free goodnesse before al others though ye were no better thā they Now we see all Moseses meaning And although this matter cannot be discoursed throughout yet must we note y t Moses spake here of Gods election to the intent y t the people should be y e more humbled and y t the same humbling of them should ingender an affection and zeale to serue God according as he was knowen to thē Therefore when there is any talke of the grace y t God hath shewed vs in inlightening vs it is told vs that he hath adopted vs to bee his children of his Church wee must needes match this with it y t our hauing of al these things is not by our owne purchase nor for putting of our selues foorth by any vertue or good minde y t was in vs but through Gods seeking of vs at such time as we turned our backs vpon him Now by this meanes we be hūbled we haue need of it For as soon as men haue any incling of any goodnesse y t is in themselues they like wel of it stand gasing at their owne fethers like Peacockes but in the meane while they consider not that they rob and bereaue God of the praise that is due to him Therfore whensoeuer there is any speaking of Gods grace it is requisite for vs to bee put in mind of this matter to y e end we may not imagin our selues to haue deserued aught on our owne side or that God respected any good disposition that was in vs but assure our selues that nothing but his free loue moued him to doe it When we be so humbled then must we needs be spoyled of our owne reason or else become starke beasts if wee take not corage to serue God and to dedicate our selues wholly vnto him to say How happeneth it that wheras we were cursed and damned creatures our God hath sought vs out yea euen from the dungeons of death hath opened vs the gate of the kingdom of heauē calling and drawing vs dayly thither yet in the mean while we be slothful in seruing him And specialy sith we see y t whereas the most part of the world goeth to destruction and the wretched Infidels are so blinded that they be let alone in the darknesse of their ignorance God in the meane while watcheth early and late ouer vs what ought we to do Ier. 31.28 when hee vseth such speciall loue towards vs Ye see then that this humility must leade vs to a care and warenes to serue God and to gather our selues wholly vnder his wings acknowledging y t the more we be bounde vnto him the more we must shewe by our deeds that we impute all to his mere goodnes and are willing to yeeld him the praise thereof as he deserueth Thus yee see wherunto the things are to be referred which Moses speaketh heere And herewithall let vs marke that whereas it is said that the people of Israel were not the greatest of other Nations vnder one kinde he comprehended al the rest As if he should say there was neither dignitie nor worthinesse in you why God shoulde choose you rather than any other Nation For it must be vtterly rooted out of our hearts to imagine that God findeth any thing in vs which may moue him to loue vs. For vntill such time as men bee quite rid of selfeweening they shall neuer be able to glorifie God as they ought to do And although wee blase it not with open mouth that there is some desert or excellencie in vs yet notwithstanding we fall asleepe in such selfesoothing as we imagine that there is still some value in our selues And therfore it behoueth vs to enter purposely into our consciences and to clense them in such wise as wee leaue not any one drop of pride presumption there to y e intent that whē we haue throughly serched and sifted all that is in vs of our nature wee may know there is not any thing that may purchace vs grace and fauor at Gods hand nor that can be acceptable vnto him but that wee be naked and vnpurucyed of all goodnes and glorie and finally that we haue nothing in vs but vtter filth and vncleannesse When examination is made after y ◠maner then shall men bee disposed to receiue Gods grace and to glorifie him for it when they shall haue receiued it Then let vs learne to vnderstand wel that the searching of all that euer is in vs to the hard bottome so as we foster not any imagination of selfworthinesse but perceiue that God findeth vs vtterly vnhappy and accursed so as we might be vtterly forlorne and damned and wee haue not any thing of our own but such as prouoketh Gods wrath and vengeance against vs commeth of the grace that god hath graunted vnto vs. When we be come to y
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
dearely Thus you see after what maner wee must put in vre this text of the possessing of the land which he hath promised vs and purchased for us Besides this when wee heare this saying that it is at our commaundement let vs vnderstand that it were a disanulling of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ if wee should not bee fully resolued of this inheritaunce according also as Saint Paule sheweth Rom. 10.7 If thou say who is he that shall goe downe into the deepe it is all one as if thou shouldest fetche vp Christ againe from death Then if wee imagine with our selues alas wee bee wretched creatures there is nothing but vtter weakenesse in vs euill doeth so ouermaister that wee wote not what to do the diuell tormenteth vs on the one side and on the other side wee bee so fraile as is pitifull to see and wee bee in trouble and vnquietnesse if wee stande herevpon as quite out of heart and discouraged Saint Paule sayeth it is all one as if we beleeued not that Iesus Christ dyed for vs. For why The death and Passion that he suffered are no trifling thing but a thing of verie great price Nowe then wee must take it to bee of power as it is so that although we see our selues in the mids of bottomlesse pits yea that very often and commonly insomuch that when wee bee out of one gulfe by and by wee enter into another and therewithall Satan hath such power against vs and wee on the other side are so feeble that we can scarcely stirre one finger yet let vs not forbeare to assure our selues that the inheritaunce belongeth to vs still for that is the honour which wee must yeeld to our Lord Iesus Christ. But therewithall let vs go foreward still After what maner Let vs call to minde howe the Apostle saieth that like as our Lord Iesus Christ went out of the Citie as reiected out of the companie of men Heb. 13.12 so we must not disdaine to become like him and to beare the shame and reproche of his crosse for it becommeth the members to be fashioned like to their body And therefore let vs determine to goe after him For those are the true markes whereby he knoweth vs to bee his And for performance thereof let vs vnderstand that wee must forsake the world in general yea and our selues too For the matter standeth not alonely vpon going out of the world True it is that so long as it pleaseth God to haue vs lodge here here wee must abide but yet howsoeuer we fare wee must euer haue one foote vp readie to goe hence whensoever it shall please God to take vs to him so that if wee will be heires of the heauenly kingdome wee must be but pilgrims and straungers in this world Yea and which more is wee must go out of our selues that is to say we must not leane to our owne will and wit but wee must ridde our selues of all selfweening and couet nothing but to goe vnto God And if the world shake vs off and make a mocking stocke of vs as we see now adayes how the poore Christians are lightly esteemed so that they bee taken to bee as the of-scouring of the world or rather as myre dung as saieth S. Paul I say if wee bee so reiected of the whole world 1. Cor. 4.13 let vs beare it patiently For why Iesus Christ went out of the Citie Ierusalem bearing the reproch and curse of the whole world vpon him and therefore let vs bee readie to bee fashioned like vnto him Also therewithal let vs determine to separate our selues from all the vncleannesse that reigneth euerie where now adayes in the world And forasmuch as we can not possesse the heauenly heritage vnlesse wee ouercome this doubting and fearefulnesse which plucke vs backe insomuch that if our mindes runne still vpon our owne feeblenesse truely wee shall not neede any other thing to shake vs downe whereas on the other side if we haue our eye vppon our captaine Iesus Christ who alonely hath vanquished all feare yea and euen death and the diuell all his power then may wee boldly goe on still to ouercome all lets that may hinder vs or turne vs aside from following God whithersoeuer he calleth vs Let vs shut our eyes against all that euer may turne vs out of the right way and let vs not doubt but that God wil alwayes be our guide and worke in such wise as he will outgoe all our desires yea and all the hope that we can conceiue of him Nowe therefore let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them that being cast down in our selues wee may resort wholly vnto him an acknowledging our selues to bee wretched offenders that haue deserued his wrath and vengeance yea euen w tout euer being able to recouer out of endlesse death and cursednes flee for refuge to the redemption that is purchased for vs by the bloudshed of his onely sonne And that seeing our Lord Iesus Christ hath payed all our debtes to discharge vs of them and to beare the condemnation that was due vnto vs and forasmuch as he offereth vs daily the fruite and effect of his death and passion we may not doubt but that he will accomplish the thing that he hath begunne in vs and by his holy spirit make the power of his resurrection auaileable in vs to the end that we may leade a new life and bee stablished in him more more till we be quite rid of all the corruptions of our flesh to bee taken vp into his kingdome That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely c. On Saturday the xiij of Aprill 1555. The sixth Sermon vpon the first Chapter 22 Then came you all vnto me and said let vs send men before vs to search out the land for vs and to bring vs word by what way we shall go vp into it and into what Cities we shall enter 23 That saying liked me well and therevpon I tooke twelue men among you of euery tribe one 24 And they departed and went vp into the Mountaines and came to the riuer of Escol and searched out the land 25 And they tooke of the fruits of the Land in their handes and brought them to vs and brought vs word againe and said The Land which the Lorde our God giueth vs is good 26 Yet notwithstanding you would not goe vp but were disobedient to the commaundement of the Lord your God 27 And you murmured in your tentes and saide bicause the Lorde hateth vs therefore hath he made vs to come out of the Countrie of Egypt to deliuer vs into the hand of the Amorrhytes to cause vs to be destroyed 28 How shall wee goe vp Our brethren haue made our heartes to quaile by saying The people are moe in nomber and taller of stature than wee The
were able to make Gods seruauntes quite out of patience But what for that We must take courage as Saint Paule comforteth vs. Hee saieth that whether Gods worde bring life or death to men 2. Cor. 2.15.16 yet is it alwayes a good and sweete sauour before GOD. True it is that Gods worde of it selfe as shall bee declared more fully hereafter is alwayes the sauour of life For what is it that God ameth at if wee consider his worde in it owne nature The calling of men backe to the ende they might be saued And yet for all that wee see by experience that it is an odour and sauour of Death insomuch as the wicked are strangled and choked with it as soone as they doe but take the sent or smell of it They neede not to taste of it nor to eate of it if they doe but take the sent of it a great way of it is poyson to them so that the diuell carries them away and they fall to fretting and chafing against GOD and all to their owne destruction And do we see that Gods word turneth into occasion of death to a great nomber of men Yet must wee bee of good cheere saieth S. Paul And why Bicause it is a good and sweete sauour vnto God when men are made vnexcusable But nowe let vs come to declare how Gods worde tendeth vnto life and howe it hath that propertie notwithstanding that men through their owne wickednesse doe turne it to their deadly condemnation This is sufficiently expressed in that it is saide That Moses sent a message of peace to Sehon King of the Amorrhytes His desire then is to abstaine from all anoyance if Sehon coulde abide it Nowe let vs see to what ende the Gospell is preached and after what manner What else is contained in it but that God intendeth to bee reconciled to the world as saieth Saint Paule in the fifth of the seconde to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5.20 In as much then as GOD sendeth vs tidinges of peace so as his desire is to shewe himselfe a father to all such as yeelde themselues teachable vnto him and our Lorde Iesus Christ is offered vs as the meane to bring vs againe into the loue and fauour of our God it is surely a message of peace And in deede the Gospell is so intituled and not without cause Ephes. 6.15 True it is that the lawe also was a message of peace as in respect of the promises If wee looke vppon the lawe strictly Rom. 4.15 as Saint Paul speakes diuers times of it it will be a very message of wrath But if wee looke vpon the promises that were made to the fathers of olde time wee shall finde that euen from the beginning of the world Gods will was that sinners should knowe his mercie and come vnto him And for that cause is it saide that Iesus Christ bringeth peace both to them that are a farre off and to them that are neere hande as sayeth Saint Paule to the Ephesians and he will haue it to bee preached through the whole worlde Eph. 2.17 that Gods onely desire is to holde vs in his loue Thus ye see howe wee may finde saluation in the Gospell Nowe then wee see that Gods worde considered in it selfe is a commission of peace furthering vs to be ioyned and made one with him so as wee may call vpon him and rest in his goodnesse And the meane to haue this worde to redounde to our saluation is this if wee can receiue it as wee ought to doe according as Saint Paul treateth thereof in the first to the Romanes Rom. 1.16 And therefore the Ministers therof must haue this consideration with them Beholde GOD Sendeth mee and what putteth he in my mouth Peace to offer it vnto all men and to the ende that euen the wickedst should bee partakers of the same message and vnderstand that GOD seeketh them But yet for all that wee knowe that this message cannot profite all men What must it doe then It must make men vnexcusable For what can bee saide to it if God handle men out of hand as they deserue Wee bee all damned by nature we bring such an inheritaunce of cursednesse from our mothers wombe as God might sinke vs at the first day and wee coulde lay nothing at all for our selues And forasmuch as there are a great nomber of people which seeme to perishe but through simplicitie therefore it is Gods will to conuict the whole worlde to the end to take away all scapes Wee see that when the Gospell is preached those whome a man woulde haue thought to haue bene well disposed doe burst foorth and their malice is discouered and laide open which was hidden before The worlde seeth howe fewe are willing to stoope to take the yoke vppon their neckes Nay which worse is the world sees that they become enemies to it so as they can not bee ouercome by any warnings or else they become so wilde headed as a man can not tell on which side to catch holde of them Seeing then that when GOD hath sent men the message of peace after that sort they on their side desire warre and seeke it and can not finde in their heartes to yeelde and submit them selues vnto God but will needes bee enemies vnto him wee see that the preaching of the Gospell to such as are vtterly past recouerie is not vnauailable And why For else their malice had bene vnknowen and Gods Iustice shoulde not bee so apparant nor haue so great brightnesse as when the wicked abide still vnconuerted and coulde not bee subdued for ought that could be done Nowe hereupon what haue wee to doe This doctrine belongeth not onely to such as are ministers of Gods worde to make them to goe through with their calling so as they may shut their eyes when God is to bee obeyed and proceede still in preaching his worde though it bee misused and turned cleane contrarie to Gods intent but also wee bee all warned generally in what wise wee ought to receiue the message that God sendeth vs namely that for as much as he sheweth himselfe so gratious towardes vs that in stead of being our enemie as he might most rightfully and iustly bee he is contented to bee at one with vs and taryeth not till wee seeke peace at his hande but seeketh attonement with vs notwithstanding that he perceiue vs to bee mad to make warre against him wee should not bee so wretched and malicious as to dragge backe from him and to forsake that passing loue and fatherly kindnesse of his Marke that for one point Yet notwithstanding when we see that God hath drawen vs to him and that wee can finde in our heartes to let him vse his mercie and goodnesse towardes vs then must wee knowe that the cause why his worde hath had such entraunce into our hartes and why wee haue bin subdued to his obedience was for that he hath refourmed vs by his holy
spirite Let vs knowe that And on the contrarie parte when wee see the rebelliousnesse of the worlde and howe men doe rancle against the Gospell and are puffed vp with pride to aduaunce themselues against God let vs consider that they bee looking glasses which God setteth before vs for our instruction and that we also should be in the same taking if God had not pitied our frowardnesse to correct it Neuerthelesse let vs vnderstand that God dalyeth not with vs in sending vs his worde nowe adayes And why For it holdeth men so much the more conuicted inasmuch as they become worse than wilde beastes in that they woulde not by any meanes bee tamed for all his calling of them to him so familiarly by meanes whereof their shame is so much the more discouered so as the worlde knoweth what was hidden within them which coulde not haue bene perceiued otherwise Seeing then that we see this let vs learn to say euer that Gods worde is good and holy and that it shoulde bee the very foode of life if men turned it not to venim and poison through their owne naughtinesse their owne naughtinesse by reason whereof their fault is such as the blame thereof can in no wise be fathered vppon God Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better yea euen so farre as to bring vs to true repentance that being subdued by his corrections wee may learne to be sorie for our sinnes and for the imperfections y t are in vs vntill he haue throughly clensed vs of them and deliuered vs quite from all the temptations of the flesh and the world And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the vj. of May. 1555. The xiiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the second Chapter 26.27.28.29 Then sent I messengers c. 30 But Sehon King of Hesebon would not let vs passe for the Lorde thy God had hardened his spirit and made his heart stubborne to the ende to deliuer him into thy hand as it appeareth at this day 31 And the Lorde saide vnto mee beholde I haue begunne to giue Sehon and his land before thee goe to take possession that thou mayest possesse his land 32 And Sehon came out again vs he and all his people to fight in Iasa 33 And the Lorde our God deliuered him before vs and wee smote him and his sonnes and all his people 34 And at the same time wee tooke all his Cities and destroyed the men women and children in them and we left him nothing remaining 35 Sauing the Cattell which we tooke to our selues and the spoyle of the Cities which we tooke 36 From Aroer which is vppon the banke of the Riuer Arnon and the Citie which is vppon the Riuer and vnto Galaad there was not any Citie that could defend it selfe from vs. For the Lord our God had giuen them all into our hands 37 Onely thou shalt not come neere the land of the children of Ammon nor vnto any place of the Riuer Iabok nor vnto the Cities on the hill nor vnto any of all those places which the Lord our God forbad vs. WEe haue seene heretofore howe God being determined to hardē Sehon letted not for all that to cause him to be summoned to the end he shold haue let the children of Israel passe without dooing them harme and without shewing himselfe to be their enemie And therewithall it hath bene shewed that GOD will sende message of peace vnto men yet notwithstanding knoweth that the same shall stand them in no stead but to make them vnexcusable After the same maner the Gospell is preached to a great nomber who notwithstanding doe but become the worse for it and God knoweth right well that no profite shall come thereof but that they shall bee rebellious still Why then doeth hee call them to him To bereaue them of all excuse and to lay open their malice and vngodlinesse For so long as men abide vndiscouered GOD seemeth after a sorte to doe them wrong But when he sendeth them his worde then bewray they themselues what they bee and their vnbeliefe is manifestly prooued And so let vs vnderstand that our Lorde knoweth well what the end of the preaching of his word shall be y ◠is to wit Cor. 2.16 that it shall become the sauour of death to a great sort but yet will he not ceasse to appoint his worde to bee preached still and that doeth he for good and iust cause namely to the ende that men should bee the more condemned But yet for all this it is the preachers duetie to offer peace vnto all men according also as our Lorde Iesus Christ saith to his Disciples 〈◊〉 10.5 wheresoeuer yee come offer peace and if they that heare you bee vnwoorthie thereof your peace shall returne to you againe As if he should say There shall be no losse at al you shall trie what is in men and the friendlye greeting which you shall beare vnto them shall be as a touchstone to the ende they may not be able to say that God hath not visited them nor had no care of them and so shall they be proued to haue reiected his grace And herewithall wee bee warned to seeke peace with all men as much as in vs lyeth accordingly as it is saide in the Psalme that wee must euen followe after it Psal. 34.15 1. Pet. 3.11 so as it is not ynough for vs to bee friendly and to indeuour to liue without anoying of any bodie and without vexing or troubling any of our neighbours but wee must labour yet further to seeke peace If wee see there bee any vnrulye folke wee must pacifye them as much as is possible If wee see that Satan procureth vs strife and contention wee must labour to remedie them as much as wee can accordingly as our Lorde Iesus Christ requireth of the faithfull not onely that they shoulde bee peaceable themselues but also that they shoulde indeuour to set peace euerywhere That then is one thing which wee ought to doe Rom. 12.18 And therewithall wee must bethinke our selues how S. Paul saieth that wee must seeke peace as much as in vs is And by that saying he comforteth vs. If it so happen that wee can not make men our friendes but y t although they haue no cause to complaine of vs nor can say that wee haue done them any harme or wrong yet they ceasse not to be malicious bitter towards vs we haue wherewith to comfort our selues in y t we haue done the best we can to seeke peace And therefore although wee bee faine to liue among such as seeke all the meanes they can to trouble and vexe vs yet must not wee followe their malice to be like vnto them but wee must alwayes doe our duetie to maintaine peace and friendship Pro 25.22 Ro. 12.20 And if men will not
whatsoeuer else is it not a crucifying of Gods sonne againe as much as in them lyeth and as a rending of him in peeces And are not such folk worthie to bee cut off from Gods Church yea and euen from the worlde and to bee no more nombered in the aray of creatures Should our Lord Iesus haue such reward at our handes for his abacing and humbling of himselfe after that manner Mich. 〈…〉 God in vpbrayding his people saieth thus My people what haue I doone to thee I haue brought thee out of Egypt I haue ledde thee through the wildernesse I haue brought thee vp with all gentlenesse and louingkindnesse I haue planted thee as it were in mine owne inheritance to the intent thou shouldest haue beene a vine that should haue brought me forth good fruite and I haue tilled thee and manured thee and must thou nowe bee bitter to me and bring foorth sower fruite to choke mee withall The same belongeth to vs at this day For when the sonne of God who is ordeined to bee iudge of the worlde Iohn 〈…〉 shall come at the last day hee may well say to vs howe nowe syrs Ye haue borne my name yee haue beene baptised in rememberance and recorde that I was your redeemer I haue drawen yee out of the dungeons where into yee were plunged I deliuered you from endelesse death by suffering moste cruell death my selfe and for the same cause I became man and submitted my selfe euen to the curse of GOD my father that you might be blessed by my grace and by my meane and beholde the rewarde that you haue yeelded mee for all this is that yee haue after a sorte torne mee in peeces and made a iestingstocke of mee and the death that I suffered for you hath beene made a mockerie among you the bloode whiche is the washing and cleansing of your soules hath beene as good as trampled vnder your feete and to bee short you haue taken occasion to banne and blaspheme mee as though I had beene some wretched and cursed creature When the soueraine Iudge shall charge vs with these thinges I praye you will it not bee as thundering vppon vs to ding vs downe to the bottome of hell Yes and yet are there verie fewe that thinke vpon it For if needeles othes were as greatly abhorred nowadayes among men as they ought to be they woulde not by by after take such leaue and boldnesse as they doe to flesh themselues in periurie and forswearing As touching blasphemie doth not y e world see what commeth of it And yet woulde wee bee ielous of our owne honestie and reputation when in the meane season Gods name is troden vnder foote among vs. If a man haue spoken amisse of ones father hee coulde finde in his heart to make a quarrell of it and eyther to sew him at the Lawe or else much rather to bee reuenged of him with his owne handes and men beare themselues in hande that they may with honestie maintayne the quarrels of their parentes Beholde our soueraigne Father is iniured after the same manner euen the same father who not without cause is named the Lorde of glorie Psal. 24.7 before whose sonne all knees ought to bow as Saint Paule reporteth to the Philippians euen hee shall bee so mocked as a man coulde doe no worse to him Phil. 2.10 except he shoulde spitte in his face and yet notwithstanding euen they that name themselues Christians and which pretend in deede to seeke his honour shall bee the greatest and horriblest blasphemers of him But yet for all that as I said afore our Lorde will not cease to maintayne his owne honour as hee himselfe auoweth When hee seeth men so heathenish as to deface his Maiestie after that fashion to the vttermost of their power He maketh a solemne othe that he will bee reuenged of it As truely as I liue sayeth the Lorde I will not giue myne honour to another Esa. 42.8 ◠11 And like as hee will not haue his honour conueyed ouer vnto idols so is it certaine that the same saying hath a further reache that is to wit that if men doe falsely abuse his holy name they shall feele in what estimation hee had it And therefore let vs not looke till this bee accomplished vppon our selues but let vs learne to yeelde reuerence to our GOD and to him that hath all soueraigne Maiestie that is to wit to our Lorde Iesus Christ and let vs learne therewithall to sweare in such wise as it may alwayes bee a warrant vnto vs that it is he to whom wee belong and that hee is our Father our Maker and our Iudge Thus yee see what wee haue in effect to gather vppon this text But withall there is a threatening added whereby wee see mens dulnesse and howe Satan hath as yee woulde say bewitched them so as they conceyue not Gods wrath when it is set afore them I will not holde him giltlesse that taketh my name in vaine Loe it is GOD that speaketh I pray you ought not the haire of them to stande vp stiffe vppon their heades which sweare so vilanously as I haue mentioned afore If a man sweare by his faith vnaduisedly beholde God armeth himselfe and sayeth no sir seeing thou hast not honoured mee thou must yeelde an account of such treacherie God can not away with a simple lye and if periurie be added thereto it is yet worse If a third fall to blaspheming it is the vttermost poynt of all leudnesse and as bad as an open defying of GOD as though we woulde runne vpon him and wounde him Now if in this case a man thinke not vppon the punishment that is prepared for all such as doe so falsely misuse the name of GOD or haue dishonoured it may it not bee said that he is beastly drunken and as it were out of his wittes and that Satan hath made him starke blinde Alas yes and yet neuerthelesse it is as common a thing as may bee If a maister shoulde saye in his house I will bee obeyed in all things but yet there is one thing aboue all the rest which I am desirous to haue done and I can not abide that any man shall transgresse it but that hee shall by and by bee thrust out of the doores and bee punished for it as he deserueth If a Maister haue a thing in such estimation although his men be not so circumspect in all the rest yet will they stand in some feare of this Nowe then Deut. 27.16.20.24.26 beholde God curseth all such as shall haue transgressed his Lawe in any point Cursed bee he that honoureth not his Father and mother Cursed bee he that stealeth Cursed bee he that committeth adulterie Cursed bee he that perfourmeth not all things contained in the Lawe And here specially there is a threate vppon all such as shal haue abused Gods name Hereby he sheweth vs that although he will haue vs to keepe his Lawe in all
bicause wee bee so corrupt and frowarde that all our thoughtes and affections goe the contrarie way it may please him to reforme vs by his holy spirit and to draw vs in such wise vnto him as we renouncing the world and despising these mortall and transitorie things may mount vp to the heauenly kingdome where we shall haue all contentation and rest And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the iiij of Iuly 1555. The xl Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the fifth Chapter 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour WEe haue seene heretofore that it is not lawfull for vs in anye wise to vexe our neighbours in their persons or to do them any domage in their goods Notwithstanding for as much as harme may bee doone by the tongue God hath vouchsafed to make mention of y t also in his Law as we see in this text Now then like as heretofore he forbad the doing of any outrage to our neighbors which thing he comprehended vnder y e word Murther likewise all grieuing of them and all anoying of them by any meanes in their goods so he sheweth here y t we must not speake euill of them nor vse any such words as may cast any blemish or staine vppon them It is true that he speaketh expressely of False witnesse howbeit that is according to the rule that I haue set downe namely y t he setteth forth the thinges formost which we ought most to mislyke to the intent wee shoulde mislyke the sinnes that come neere them Then if wee speake euill of our neighbors so as wee slaunder them although it bee not taken for a grieuous sinne before men yet doeth God take it for a false witnessing But here a mā might demaund a question why GOD speaketh here of false witnessing and periurie seeing he had alreadie said Thou shalt not take y e name of y e Lord thy God in vayne For it seemeth to bee a needlesse repetition For in so short a sum of y e law where there be not aboue ten sentēces it seemeth vnconuenient to repeate one thing twise But we must marke that the things which haue beene set downe heretofore concerning the not taking of Gods name in vayne were in the first table where GOD respected onely the Maiestie of his name to the intent it shoulde bee had in reuerence Therefore whensoeuer wee speake of God wee must thinke vppon the infinite glorie that is in him that wee may neuer open our mouth but with reuerence and humilitie And whether wee intend to sweare or to speake of him in any other wise wee must euer thinke that his name is to bee reuerenced and that wee must not fling it foorth at aduenture Thus much concerning the thinges that wee haue seene alreadie vppon this matter Now God speaketh of another thing namely of the not hurting or harming of our neighbours in any wise by our wicked tongue So then in as much as there is a dubble intent wee see nowe that these two sentences differ also that there is no superfluitie at all Wherefore let vs marke well that for as much as it is shewed here howe men ought to liue togither charitably and vprightly although Gods name be dishonoured by lewd witnessing yet the lawe is not superfluous which saieth That we must not beare false witnesse against our neighbours I tolde you before that Gods meaning here is to condemne generally all slaunders all false reportes all diffamations and all other such like things Leuit. 19.16 17. And for proofe therof it is expressely saide in another place Thou shalt not bring vp any euill reporte nor speake euill on thy neighbour to cast any blot vppon him If the Law of God containe all perfection of good life it insueth that this also is comprehended therein And where shall wee put it but vnder this sentence Therefore wee must conclude that although GOD haue peculiarly set down here the name of False witnesse yet notwithstanding hee meant to extend the doctrine thereof to all slaunders misreportes and crooked speeches that tend to the diffaming or defacing of our neighbours or to the hurting of their good name Wee see then that Gods meaning here is to keepe vs in good friendship one towards another and that so farre as he suffereth not any man to bee impeached any more in his name than in his person or his goods Therefore whosoeuer diffameth his neighbour or in any wise backebyteth him doeth to the vttermost of his power breake the bond of charitie among men and proclaime open warre And if we consider all thinges well it is certaine that sometimes misreportes slaunders and backebytings doe much more harme than robberies Wherefore let vs vnderstand that if wee minde to obey our God wee must maintaine the honestie and honour of our neighbours to the vttermost of our power For seeing he hath forbidden vs to hurt any mans good name it is his will on the contrarie part that wee should indeuour to preserue all mens honesties For it is not ynough to abstaine from dooing of euill Psal. 34.15 vnlesse a man doe good therewithall Now must we proceede by the degrees which God meant to set out vnto vs in this place speaking of False witnesse The first then is to beware that wee vtter not any false report Lye or periurie in place of Iustice whereby to hurt them whose honestie honour and welfare we be boūd to procure For hee that beareth false witnesse against his neighbour doeth kill him and robbe him as much as in him lyeth and doeth all the euill that may growe of his periurie In deede most commonly men thinke it not to bee so but yet is it so in trueth And for the same cause did God expressely command in his Lawe that the witnesse should be the first in executing the partie that was to bee punished for any misdeede Deut. 〈…〉 to the intent a man might knowe that their words and their tongues put him to death and that the witnesses themselues might stande the more in awe consider y t they should yeeld account vnto God of their witnesse bearing against any man Therfore when any euidence is to bee giuen it standeth euery man in hand to looke neerely to himselfe that he inlarge not his conscience but speake the thing simply plainly which he knoweth to be true before God But the case concerneth not onely the giuing of false euidence in matters of life death but also in all matters that touch mens honour honestie good name or goods Therefore let vs haue a care to preserue the honour and welfare of our neighbour in all respectes when we be to beare witnesse Yet notwithstanding wee must not vnder this colour cloake the offence of him that hath doone amisse or lye against God to maintaine his good state For if the honour of men bee precious vnto vs howe much more precious ought Gods
after once And here the people say Wee haue heard the voyce of God but if hee speake to vs againe wee dye for it wee bee vndone wee bee forlorne It seemeth that they trust not to Gods goodnesse but rather that they be vnthankefull in that they acknowledge not the benefite which God did for them in letting thē continue in their strength But wee must marke how the people shew here that they wil not try God any further and that it is enough for them to haue had that one experience that the lawe was not a thing inuented by man but that God was the author thereof Therefore it must be taken as if they had sayd thus This day haue we seene that God hath spokē to men and they remaine still aliue that is enough for vs we intend not to abuse Gods patience in this case he hath spared vs to day but wee must not looke y t he should doe so euer he hath giuen vs a tryall for this once that was because of y e lewdnesse hardnesse of our heartes For were we worthie to haue him appeare to vs in his glory No but he knew y t we would neuer be fully tamed subdued to his obediēce except he had come in his visible glorie made vs so afraide as we had bin at our wits end Therfore if he had not won vs so by force he knew wel that we would haue bin always as wild beasts But seing it hath pleased him to pardon the fault that we haue cōmitted to beare with vs this time we wil not fal to it againe for y t were ouermuch it were a skorning of his patience So then this one recorde sufficeth vs both for our owne liues and for the liues of our children so forth for euer to the worlds end y t they which come after vs may knowe y t it is not for vs to draw God out of heauen any more as though he ought to be but our mate Thus yee see how these two sayings agree very wel Now hereupon we haue to note y t although Gods word be of force to bring vs to naught yet he vseth such mercy towards vs that wheras it should cōsume vs it giueth vs life And whē I say y t Gods word can bring vs to nought I meane not y e word alonely as Moses discribeth it here but also that if our Lord list to make vs feele the power of his word it would vtterly vndo vs notwithstanding that it be vttered by men Neuerthelesse wee see how our Lord quickeneth vs by his word specially now adayes by the preaching of his Gospell Iohn 5.24.25 For that which is spoken in the fifth of Saint Iohn is dayly accomplished namely that as many as heare the voyce of the Sonne of man are restored to life For naturally we bee straungers to God and banished from his kingdome and so by that meanes wee bee as it were in our graues But here our Lord Iesus Christ offereth vs the remission of our sinnes and God his father adopteth vs for his children and so doeth he shewe vs the light of saluation and we bee quickened againe by meanes of the Gospel And therefore wee haue good cause to glorifie our GOD in that he maketh his woorde to serue to deliuer vs from death and to restore vs to life notwithstanding that it bee of power to consume vs at leastwise if he turned it not to the contrarie vse But by the way let vs marke well that if our Lorde haue at one time giuen vs more than we deserue wee must not therefore take leaue to tempt him and to subdue him still to our lustes as wee see the Papistes doe nowe adayes who excuse themselues of their not comming to the Gospell bicause they see no myracles wrought in our time No surely But whereto serue the myracles that our Lorde Iesus Christ wrought and which he committed to his Apostles to doe likewise Shoulde those serue to no purpose at this day Ye see then y t God vttered an excellent power at the first comming vp of y e Gospel Ioel. 3.16 heauen earth were shaken at that time there was no part of the world wherin God printed not some marke of his Maiestie to the intent that y e Gospell should bee authorized Luke 2.9.10 11. The Angels came downe at the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ to beare witnesse of him Matt. 27.45 51. the Sunne was darkened at his death the vaile of the temple was rent asunder to shew that the sanctuarie was opened and that there was more free accesse to God thā euer there had bin Matt. 18.26 the sea was calmed the diuels themselues did homage to y e glorie of God which was vttered at that time Luke 4.41 and to be short GOD shewed both from aboue and beneath that the Gospel came from him as I haue tolde you already as well by the healing of diseases as by al the other myracles y t were wrought And this serued not for y t time onely but the remembrance thereof continueth vnto this day and it behoueth vs to receiue that record to seale vp our faith withall to the end wee may not doubt but that our Lord maketh his Gospel of as great force by them at this day as he did at the same time that they were shewed Yet notwithstāding wee see howe the faithlesse doe still alledge that if they sawe myracles it woulde conuert them But it is certaine that if they saw neuer so many myracles yet would they continue in their stubbornnesse take occasion of greater rancor against God What is to bee doone then Let vs learne to bee contented as I said afore If God haue giuen vs more than he owed vs let vs receiue it with thanksgiuing learne not to prouoke him to wrath nor to tēpt his patience That is the thing which we haue to remember in this text where the people saith let not y e Lord speak to vs any more for it suffiseth vs that wee haue heard his voyce once already and that yet notwithstanding he hath let vs liue still And to the end that the thinges which I haue declared heretofore may bee the certainer let vs beare in minde how it is said here Was there euer man that heard the voyce of the liuing God and continued still aliue Here it is shewed vs that the people of Israel spake not in their name onely but as it were for all mankinde in common They say not onely who are wee but what is all flesh And in deede as I saide at the first it must needes bee that men are besotted when they cannot humble themselues For they neede no more but to looke to their owne state and to say what are wee There is nothing neither in our bodyes nor in our soules but all maner of frailtie I mean not as we may be considered in our nature as we were first created
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
And so let vs vnderstande that although wee haue Gods worde yet will God haue pitie on whome hee will haue pitie according to Saint Paules alledging of the same text to shewe that albeit the multitude of people to whome the Gospell is preached bee neuer so great yet God reserueth whome he listeth to himselfe and it is meete he shoulde so doe and yet notwithstanding we haue cause to glorifie him howsoeuer thinges goe without attempting in any wise to grudge at it But haue we knowē that Would we be assured of our saluation We must resort not only to Gods grace but also chiefely to y e promises wherby he vttereth his loue towardes vs as is said alreadie Yee see then that the cause why Moses doth in this place attribute the title of Faithful vnto God is to the end that when folke will be sure of their saluation they should not enter into foolish imaginations Ro. 5.10.18 Eph. 1.7 but looke vnto Gods woord which is before their eyes whereupon they may be bold to rest So then let it content vs that our Lorde allureth vs to him and that the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ together with his righteousnesse is set afore vs so as wee know that by that meanes we may bee reconciled vnto God to the end y t our sins be not imputed vnto vs but that we may be acceptable vnto him Seing that this is set down vnto vs let vs take hold of Gods faithfulnesse which Moses speaks of here and let vs not thinke that God offereth vs such a benefite to deceiue vs but that he doth it to the ende that we should glorifie him in the middes of our miseries and that although wee bee silie fraile creatures yet we may say that the life of Iesus Christ belongeth vnto vs and that we be already lifted vp to sit with him in the kingdome of heauen Eph. 2.6 Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mind concerning the woord Faithfull Now for a conclusion Moses addeth a threat saying that God also will requite like for like to suche as hate him yea euen to their faces that he wil not foreslow In this place there is some darksomnesse in the woordes of Moses for hee interchaungeth the number God saith hee will yeild recompence to such as hate him to his face or before his face Then doth he shift the number it seemeth that whereas he sayth they hate him to his face he ment to say that wee spyte God or hate God to his face when wee fall out into disorder and are so rebellious as it should seeme that we would run against him and defie him to be at open warre with him But for as much as that woord is repeted twice and in the end it appeareth that Moses spake of the faces of the transgressors no doubt but it is a chaunging of the number as the holy Scripture is commonly wont to doe Therefore the very meaning of it is that God will requite them to their faces by making the hatred to turne backe vppon themselues Othersome take it as though it were spoken of their lifetime that God will not only punish the wicked and the despisers of his Lawe after this present life but also execute his vengeance vppon them aforehande to the sight of mens eys so as we shal be prouoked to feare him by y e sight of y e punishments which he wil so execute vppon the disobedient Othersome take it that God will requite it to his face as though it were sayd y t wheras he spareth the wicked in this world it is to the ende to ouerthrowe them and destroy them vtterly afterward according as it is sayde by the prophet Ier. 12.3 that God pampereth those whom he punisheth not out of hand like as men doe fatte an Ox or a swine when they intend to kill him And the prophet vseth that similitude to the intent wee should not enuy the wicked when we see them prosper For is an Ox or a Swine to bee enuied which is fatted but to the slaughter and which shall haue his throte cut when he is once fatte Now then God handleth the wicked and the despisers of his maiestie after such a sort as he may seeme to loue them but it is to hasten them the sooner to their destruction And truly this is a good and profitable lesson but as touching the present place if wee read all the wordes of Moses throughout there is no darknesse at all in them For why he addeth God wil not foreslowe to requite them that hate him euery man in his face And so Moses ment in effect to shewe that men may be past shame in rebelling against God but yet in the end they shal find that they haue too rough an aduersarie and therefore God must be faine to pull them by the beardes to make them y e more ashamed It is true y t as now they vtter great brags and it shold seeme that they would make God ashamed and put him to the foyle but he can well skill to ouermatch them in such wise as they shal be faine to receiue their payment in their owne persons yea and euen in their faces according as it is sayd in the fifteeth psalme Psal. 50.16.21 I wil reproue thee to thy face And in that place God pleadeth expresly against hypocrites How now sayth hee Becommeth it thee to take my name in thy mouth Thou boastest thy selfe to bee myne and thou wilt needes play the preacher and defile my holy law with thy stinking mouth Now when thou doest me such iniurie as to take vpon thee to be a prophet and to speake in my name and in the meane while doest match and accōpany thy selfe with whoremongers quarelers and raylers what will come of it in the ende When I haue borne with thee a while I will reproue thee to thy teeth saieth he Hee vseth there the word Face as he doth here in this text but it is a common speeche in our language to say that it is spoken to a mans teeth face or heade That then is the naturall sense of Moses And heere we be warned to humble ourselues before God and to stoop in such wise as we prouoke him not to wrath through our hardnesse shamelesnesse so as he should shewe himselfe to be our aduersarie to requite vs to our face that is to say in our owne persons by being driuen to come before him to bee punished according to our desertes Then let vs not harden our hearts against our God but let vs learne to cast downe our eyes when he speaketh vnto vs. It is true indeed that wee ought to lift vp our heades when wee heare the promises of his goodnesse so as faith must make vs to stie aboue the cloudes But yet doth not this let vs that wee should not still bee ashamed in our selues and haue an eye to our owne wretchednesse and learne to bee
offences of our fathers that haue doone amisse yet shall they not fayle to remayne still of record in his registers if we hold on and continue like vnto them Will we then haue the sinnes of our forefathers buried and y t God should forget thē and not call vs to account for them Let vs looke that we be the carefuller to keepe our selues from being like to them And so ye see how it is expedient for vs to thinke vpon the sinnes that haue bin cōmitted before we were borne Let vs consider thus Alas I was yet vnborne at that time but howe shall I do if my forefathers haue done amisse and that I for my part bee put in among them For it is saide that God gathereth together the sins of the fathers vnto the third fourth generation to let them fall vpon their children Then doe we deserue to be destroyed and to perish if God listed to vse rigour towardes vs. For the saide threat of the law is rightful and might iustly be executed vpon our heads and if he spare vs it is of his owne mere goodnesse For to what purpose should we put ouer the fault to our fathers of prouoking Gods wrath both against themselues and vs when we our selues continue in their wickednes Ought not the vengeance to be dubble when we on our part haue cleaued to their sinnes as well as they Thus ye see what we haue to remember vppon this place where Moses doeth not onely blame them that liued in his time for the things then presently committed but also moreouer charge them with all the transgressions that their fathers had committed from their comming out of Egypt vnto that day Nowe then the thing that we haue to marke heere in effect is that men doe not onely marre themselues by bearing themselues on hande that they bee righteous for want of considering their sinnes throughly but also that they puffe vp themselues with pride so as they will needes make God beleeue that blacke is white And therfore let it prouoke vs to condemn our selues willingly according to this doctrine of Moses So then let vs acknowledge our sinnes truly and vnfeynedly y t we may so mislike of thē as there may not one drop of fond presumptuousnesse remain in vs but that we may be vtterly cast downe and acknoweledge that there is nothing but vtter wretchednesse in vs and that we be beholden to God for all goodnesse so as we haue it of his free gift and not as in recompence of any reward for any merit or desert of ours but onely of his own free mercy which he hath vsed towardes vs. So farre then must we come of necessitie And for performance hereof let vs euening morning inforce and indeuour our selues to call to minde the faults that we haue committed And that we may enter into this triall and examination of our selues let vs bethinke vs both of our owne sinnes and of the sinnes of our forefathers and let vs assure our selues that if God woulde play the Iudge with vs wee shoulde not onely bee vtterly rooted out for our owne faultes which are yet freshe in our rememberance but also all the euill that hath beene committed before we were borne might iustly be called backe againe vpon our heades seeing wee be wrapped in the same offences that our auncetors were Therefore let vs thinke well vpon these things that wee may magnifie the goodnesse of our God in bearing with vs. And to the intent wee play not the hypocrites let vs marke well how it is sayde that it is ynough to haue prouoked GOD alreadie For when they haue fought against God and his worde and haue behaued themselues lewdly all the time of their lyfe yet at their death they make no conscience to say I thought I did as wel in fighting against God as if I had fought against the Pope and the Masse What a thing is it to vse such speech Is it not apparant that such folke are vtterly past recouerie as haue their consciences so dulled and that the diuell carieth them away so as they can no more be sorie for their sinnes which as sayeth S. Paule 1. Tim. 4.2 is the full measure of all confusion when such gracelesse creatures will needes iustifie themselues after that sort with so vaine couertures Let vs marke well then that wee must not alleage I thought so but it is ynough that we haue prouoked our God And if moreouer our owne conscience accuse vs thereof what will become of vs Will God in the meane while become as a dead idoll which seeth not our offences at all A man thinketh his owne wayes to bee good Prou. 16.9 sayeth Salomon but our Lorde holdeth the balance in his hand and weyeth our woorkes And Saint Iohn telleth vs that if wee feele any heartbyting in our conscience 1. Iohn 3.20 the same iudgeth vs alreadie and what will become of vs then when wee come before God Doeth not he see clearer than our owne consciences Yes and therefore let vs marke wel that we shal win nothing by flattering of our selues but God must be faine to woorke so in vs as we may bee ouermaistred and vtterly cast downe to say Alas if GOD should not spare vs wee were vndoone And moreouer let vs knowe that our true righteousnesse I meane not to glory of it but to seeke it to our benefite is to beare Gods yoke so as wee liue not after our owne lustes and lykinges but that if it please GOD to exercise vs with afflictions wee shewe by all maner of patience that wee haue a necke plyable vnder him Finally for as much as his lawe ought to serue vs for a brydle let vs suffer our selues to bee ruled and gouerned by his hand so as we be not giuen to our owne foolishe deuotions ne come replying to him with this and that but be contented to let our GOD try our obedience seeing hee hath giuen vs his lawe Then let vs see that our life bee framed according to his will which is the onely rule of well dooing and let vs submit our selues wholy thereunto as we see we be warned heere by Moses Nowe let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to touche vs with them to the quicke and to take from vs all blynde foldinges of hypocrisie that nothing may keepe vs from being ashamed and cast downe in our selues vntill wee bee raysed agayne by fayth and hope of his goodnesse and mercie praying him also that when hee hath once made vs to feele our diseases it may please him to fill vs with the grace of his holy spirite so as wee may liue according to his good will And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxix of August 1555. The Lxiiij Sermon which is the third vppon the ninth Chapter 8 Also ye prouoked the Lord to anger in Horeb
If one strike another man well he shal be punished for it but if he beate his father or his mother it is as much as if hee had killed a man else there were no order or reason in nature And why For let vs alwayes haue an eye to the grounde which God hath set downe in nature namely that it is all one as if a man woulde confounde heauen and earth together when hee setteth himselfe so against his father and mother And this serueth to hold children in awe if they haue any sparke of myldnesse in them and that they bee not vtterly vnreformable so as Satan possesseth them wholly That is the thing which we haue to remember more vpon this text Howbeit forasmuch as the time wil not suffer mee to speake so much therof as were to bee spoken wee will nowe come to the conclusion which is that if the disobedience which is committed against the fathers of this worlde bee so grieuously punished by Gods lawe what shall become of men when they will not heare the voyce of their heauenly father True it is that heere God speaketh of the corrections which proceede from himselfe for when a man nurtureth his chylde he is Gods minister in that behalf and his voyce is not the voyce of man but of God But yet when as God declareth after a more manifest fashion that it is hee which gaue his lawe so as wee haue his holy writte where wee may heare his heauenly voyce that is a voice of more authoritie than the speaking of a father or a mother at home in their house Againe wee come to the Church where Gods worde is preached vnto vs and God hath dedicated that place and the pulpit to deliuer out his worde to be heard as though he were there in his owne person Seeing then that Gods worde is so set downe vnto vs in the holy scripture and so preached vnto vs are they not to bee reiected as monsters and in no wise to bee suffered which disobey the same and make no account of it And if men beare with them is it not a procuring of Gods wrath When it hath lurked neuer so long among vs in the ende it must needes bewray it selfe and wee must feele to our cost what it is to haue maintayned euill willingly and wittingly So then let vs alwayes make this comparison Seeing that God wil bee acknowledged in his creatures according to the degree which hee hath giuen to euery of them and seeing also that hee will haue those to bee obeyed which are in preheminence so as the rest must receiue their correction and submit themselues to them it is much more reason that hee himselfe shoulde bee heard and obeyed when hee speaketh with his owne holy mouth which thing hee doeth when wee reade the holy scripture and when we heare his word preached For inasmuch as he hath set this order in his Church that they which preache his worde should represent the person of his sonne can wee say it is a light fault to haue despysed Gods maiestie and to haue made no reckening of the hearing of his worde Then let vs looke well to it Finally let vs marke how it is said here Thou shalt roote out the euil from thee and all Israell shall heare thereof and be afrayd Here our Lord repeateth that againe which wee haue heard afore y t is that when outragious crimes are fostered among vs it is the next way to infect vs we see there needeth not much leauen to make sower a whole lump of dow besides that we be tolde it by Gods word experience also doth shew it vs. And therefore let Magistrates bee vigilant in rooting out wickednesse yea and in punishing mennes faultes as they deserue If there bee neede of mannes correction let it bee had and let this extremitie of putting men to death bee alwayes preuented But if the cryme be vnpardonable then must seueritie and rigour be vsed For if wickednesse bee willingly fostered men shall see in the ende what they shal haue wonne by it Also let vs take warning there withall to benefite our selues by the examples which wee see before our eyes that when any punishment is executed by order of lawe wee may vnderstande that God teacheth vs at other mennes cost and therefore wee ought to haue regarde thereof Moreouer if Magistrates and Iudges bee called here of God yea and expressely cōmaunded by him to punish the disobedience that is committed against earthly fathers and mothers let vs mark y t whensoeuer there is any manifest contempt of God any irreligiousnes or any withstanding of his worde those thinges are much lesse to be suffered and that if they be borne with it is rank treason to Godward which he will not leaue vnpunished And therefore let all Magistrates and all such as are set in place of gouernement to execute iustice vnderstande that God commendeth his owne honour to them aboue all thinges and that they must bee vigilant in that case chiefely yea and that after such a sort as al of vs together may shew by our doings that our whole desire is that God should reigne among vs that we would not haue his worde to be despised and scorned but rather reuerenced as it ought to bee Wherefore let vs shewe this zeale if wee will haue our Lorde to blesse and prosper vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe so to tame vs that whereas wee bee inclyned to much wretchednesse and corruption at leastwise wee may not become frowarde and vnreformable but that when wee bee warned by his worde wee may euery of vs humble our selues and quietly take the yoke which hee layeth vpon our shoulders and patiently beare the corrections which he layes vppon vs by men specially by those to whome hee hath giuen the charge to guyde and gouerne vs so as euery of vs acknowledging himselfe to bee subiect to his superiours may yeeld God his due obedience and in no wise tary till wee bee compelled and spurred but receiue the warnings that are giuen vs from whence so euer they come as the warnings of God knowing that all trueth is of him and that by that meanes also hee procureth our saluation That it may please him to grant this grace not onely to vs but also to all nations and people of the earth c. On Wednesday the first of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxiiij Sermon which is the fifth vpon the one and twentith Chapter 22 If a man haue committed an offence worthie of death and is put to death for it and thou hast hanged him on tree 23 His dead bodie shall not hang all night vppon the tree but thou shalt burie him the same day For the curse of God is on him that is hanged And therefore defyle not thou the land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to inherit THE lawe that I haue rehearsed here containeth
be hanged on tree Act. 2.23 4.28 for hee had so ordeined it And why To giue vs the surer grounde of our saluation For had not our Lord Iesus Christ born our curse after a visible fashion wee might still hang wauering and in doubt of it And whereas it is sayde that we be reconciled vnto God by his death and that he hath satisfied all our debtes so as the deuill can not hencesoorth any more accuse vs but that wee haue our defence for him that is to witte that our sinnes are wyped away notwithstanding the reporte of all this vnto vs yet might we still be in perplexitie and stande scanning after this manner Yea but howe bee wee sure of that Lette vs open our eyes and looke vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ yea and let vs looke vpon it in such wise as wee may vnderstande that euen from the beginning GOD ordeined the tree of the Crosse to bee a recorde of cursing Nowe then whereas it is sayde Cursed shall he be which performeth not all the things that are contained in the Lawe therewithall GOD sendeth vs to his onely sonne and would haue vs to knowe that he was hanged on tree to y e intent to be accursed As how Was he cursed in his owne person No but for our sakes Yet notwithstanding we may nowe glorie that the curse of the Lawe hath no more power ouer vs but that he hath discharged vs thereof After this manner ought wee to put this text in vre Howebeit let vs marke by the way that it is not by the vertue of the wood that wee be so blessed before God by meane of our Lorde Iesus Christ as the papistes brutishly beare men in hand For when they heare the crosse spoken of they be tyed to it with a deuilish superstition yea and with so brutish a superstition as is pitie to see that they should leaue Iesus Christ and fall to worshipping of a peece of wood But when the scripture speaketh of y e curse which our Lord Iesus bare in his body to set vs free withall it setteth before vs two thinges First that when we looke vpon the wood wee should take it as a token of the curse and thereat conceiue a terrour in ourselues for the thing of it selfe is horrible Thus much concerning the wood And therefore as for all the crosses which the Papistes set vp what betoken they else but that they bring Gods curse continually vpon themselues It appeareth manifestly that they despise the sacrifice which was offered once for all by the sonne of God Wee be reconciled to him for euer and they come to bring vp y ◠curse againe as though they were desirous to haue their sinnes abide vpon their heades for euer without any defacing or dooing of thē away by Gods mercy through the power of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And therefore looke howe many crosses there are in the Popedome so many recordes are there that crye out for Gods vengeance against those wretched vnbeleeuers which content not themselues with the amends that was made for them when our Lorde Iesus Christ indured the curse in himselfe which was due vnto vs. But knowe we once this curse If we resort to Iesus Christ there we finde that the same curse is quite and cleane wiped out done away After what manner By the wonderfull power of God euen after the same fashion that we knowe that God made light to spring out of darkenesse in the creation of the worlde and is it possible that light shoulde come out of darkenesse Surely this chaunge is not to be done by man nay mannes wit can not comprehende it But God ment to shewe that the meanes which he hath to worke by doe farre exceede all y t euer we can conceiue And therefore let vs marke wel that he which at the beginning of the world turned darkenesse into light yea and made light to spring out of darkenesse was also as able to turne cursednes into blessednesse in the person of his onely sonne And that is the thing which I ment in saying afore that forasmuch as hee is life and the very fountaine of life therefore he abolished death and not without cause In deede Iesus Christ yeelded himselfe to death but after what manner Was it in such sorte that he ceased in the meane while to be the life of the worlde Nay euen therein did he shewe himselfe most of all to be the life of the worlde Verily he was at the creation For he is the same liuing woorde whereby wee were created and whereby all thinges are still preserued and maintained in their state being But when our saluation was restored vs by our Lord Iesus Christ then did he shewe that he had life in himselfe that he is the welspring frō whence it behoueth vs to drawe it Then like as hee lost not his life when he submitted himselfe to death so he ceased not to be blessed of God his father when he submitted himselfe to the curse Nowe to knit vp the whole it remaineth to be knowen after what manner our Lorde Iesus became accursed to sette vs free from the curse The first is that we should no more be cast off by God as we deserue For when as the scripture termeth vs accursed the meaning therof is that God vouchsafeth not to regarde vs. And of good right may he hate vs because there is no agreement betweene him who is the righteousnesse it selfe and vs that haue all maner of wickednesse reigning in vs. Forasmuch then as by nature we be enemies vnto God by reason wherof he shaketh vs off and vtterly disclaymeth vs so as we be not worthy to come neere his maiesty and if we come he must needes thunder against vs therefore Iesus Christ became accursed euen by bearing Gods hatred as it were in our behalfe to the intent that hencefoorth wee should be beloued Nowe I haue tolde you already and it behoueth vs to print it well in our mindes that Iesus Christ was neuer hated of God his father for that were vnpossible But he was faine to beare our curse because he was our pledge and wee could not be freed otherwise than by the satisfaction of his death made once for all And that is the very meane whereby we be come in fauour again are beloued of God Therefore if we will haue Gods fauour and find him a father vnto vs for that is the title which we must vse if wee intende to pray to him with true trust we must euer resort to the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. All our prayers say I must be offered vp by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ or else they shall neuer come at God The Papists take holy water and sprinkle themselues when they go into the Church but such things are gewgawes and they haue borrowed them of the Iewes not knowing whereunto those
make him to speak For do we any thing else in al our prayers than charge God with his promises In deede wee come not to pray as the heathenish sort of mē do as al those do which are vnpatient when they come vnto God for if he grant them not their request at y e first chop they defy him But wee come not to pray after y t maner for we protest on the contrary that his wil ought to be done But yet notwithstanding we cannot pray vnto God but we must say Lord thou owest vs nothing but that which thou hast promised vs. Neuerthelatter wheras thou didest not owe vs any thing thou hast bound thy selfe vnto vs of thine owne good will wherein thou shewest thy selfe most liberal and therefore our comming as now is vppon trust of thy promises to pray thee to perform them Seeing then that in all our prayers we alleage vnto God the couenant contract which he hath made with vs by that meanes we make him as it were to speake to say that hee is our God And vnder this speach as I haue already told you all the good things which wee can hope for or wish for are contained For seeing y t God giueth himselfe so vnto vs what can we farther desire Is not he the fountaine of al wisedome righteousnes vertue life ioy glorie Is there any good thing to bee desired which we may not find in our God Al y t euer he hath is ours he communicateth himself so vnto vs y t he will haue vs partakers of al those good things which are in himself not y t we haue y e ful possession of them at the first but that wee possesse them by hope vntil y e day that the fruit of them shal be layd open vnto vs. Now therfore let vs marke wel y t when we are once taught in y e word of the gospel thē we may make our God to speake then wee may come familiarly vnto him require him to shew himself such an one as he hath always promised to be and let vs assure our selues that we shal not be disappointed when he hath once giuen vs the warrant of his loue which is more than if we had al the deedes of record in the world And in this case we need not to seeke for notaries or signets or mennes seales we haue y e bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ which is y e seale of this couenant that God hath made with vs declaring y t he is our God Also we haue the holy ghost by whome the promise is better warranted vnto vs yea euen in our harts And so we see now that it is not for nought that Moses hath so magnified this greate goodnes which God vseth towardes vs this priuiledge which he giueth vs in drawing vs vnto himselfe in choosing vs to be of his house and of his church But we must alwayes haue an eye vnto y e end for which our Lord graunteth vs this libertie to wit that he also may be at a point with vs haue vs for his people For if we be not answerable on our part with our obedience is there any reason that he should keep his promise when we haue broken the league In deede he must be faine alwayes to fight against our stubbornnes to ouercome it for we are euery day vnfaithful vnto him and hee continueth faithfull vnto vs but howsoeuer the worlde goeth yet when wee reiect his couenant and set light by it thorough our wicked life wee may not looke that hee shoulde bee any longer bounde vnto vs. For why For hee is become our God vppon this condition y t we also shoulde be his people And how shall wee be his people It is not by saying simply with our mouth Wee are the people of God for the veriest hypocrites will boast as much as that yea and they bee so farre past shame that they will needs occupy the chiefest places and hyest roomes in the church but wee must shewe by our deedes that we are the people of God in that we obey him hearkening to the voyce of that shepeheard which he hath giuen vnto vs When wee liue quietly vnder the guyding of our Lorde Iesus Christ then do wee make certaine proofe that wee keepe the couenant of our God without falsifying of the faith which wee promised vnto him And in this sense hath Moses spoken it So then forasmuch as the Gospel is preached vnto vs let vs knowe that our Lorde draweth so nigh vnto vs as hee desireth nothing but that wee shoulde bee as it were gathered vnder his winges And here withall let vs consider the contentes or substance of this doctrine which wee haue touched namely that our Lorde hauing sought vs out giueth him selfe vnto vs yea and that in such wise as that hee is after a sorte bounde as it were by solemne couenant by reason whereof wee may freely come vnto him and require him to perfourme his promises And after that rule ought al our prayers to bee directed But therewithal let vs also vnderstande on what condition it is that hee is so bounde vnto vs. For when we be once bounde after that fashion if wee make little reckoning of so inestimable a benefite or if wee reiect it and disdayne it thinke wee that such contempt of ours shall remayne vnpunished Woe bee vnto them therefore which haue the knowledge of the Gospell and vnto whome GOD hath so communicated him selfe if they bee not aunswerable thereunto in true obedience and humblenesse and submit not themselues vnto him and that in such sorte as they may shewe by their deedes euen in their whole lyfe that they holde him for their God and bee also of his flocke that is to say y t they bee willing to giue them selues fully and wholly vnto him Now let vs kneele downe before the maiesty of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that in such wise as that beeing beaten down in our selues we may receiue that remedie which he offereth vnto vs that is to be renewed by his holy spirit And moreouer to imprint in our hearts the certeintie of his promises which are contained in his worde so as wee may not dout but that if we hang vpon him hee wil shew himselfe our sauiour euen vnto y ◠ende and that as hee hath once redeemed vs by the death and passion of his only son so if we haue our trust settled on him he wil neuer forsake vs but haue a care of the gouerning of vs in such sort that hee will not suffer the thinges to perish which he hath committed to the keeping of our Lord Iesus Christ but preserue them all safe vntil the latter day And so let vs say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxvii of Februarie 1556. The CXLIX Sermon which is the first vpon the seuen and twentith
wherewith to vpholde themselues in this world let vs much lesse doe any outrage or iniurie to those whome God doeth as it were broode vnder his winges and of whome he declareth himselfe to bee the protector and let vs also consider well that though the world say not a woord to vs but rather allow of vs for it Gods vengeance must light vppon vs double specially when through such coÌ„tempt we shal haue taken greater libertie to doe euill For it is certayne that the cruelty which is committed against poore folke which haue no stay to leane vnto is a manifest contempt of GOD and an vtter skorning of him as who would say hee were vnable to execute the vengeance which he hath threatned Now when GOD is so lightly esteemed thinke wee that hee will beare it Yee see heeâ—e first how this kinde of outrage is euen against nature For if wee were not forepossessed with our wicked affections surely euery of vs woulde confesse that it is much woorse to haue hurt or deuoured a poore weake creature than to haue doone harme to a rich man which is well alyed and hath rescue and power to reuendge himselfe All men will graunt that Therefore is it one of the greatest and most outrageous faultes that can bee among men Agayne it is a skorning of GOD which is a diuelishe wickednesse when wee bee not mooued at this saying of GOD I haue these folke in my hande I will mayntayne them and whosoeuer aduaunceth himselfe agaynst them must needes haue mee to bee his aduersarie partie If wee make no account of this as though GOD had neuer spoken it is it not a token that we be too hearde harted And therefore as I haue sayde already let vs learne to beethinke our selues better and to haue a better regarde of him and when wee bee conuersant among such folke as are despised to the worldwarde without alyaunce without freendes without succours let vs beware that wee deale after such a sorte with them as it may alwaies runne in our mindes that they bee Gods children and that the heauenly Iudge will not forget the wrongs that are doone vnto them specially seeing hee hath tolde vs heere that those which haue bin so cruell to the feeble shall not escape his curse Nowe Moses addeth further Cursed bee hee which lyeth with his fathers wife Cursed bee hee which lyeth with a beast with his owne Sister or with his Mother in law This place treateth of all the infamous sortes of lecherie yea euen of the loathsomest sortes of them whether it bee incest or buggerie or such other infections And it is not without cause that God chuseth out those kinds for it is to the ende that wee shoulde bee touched with the more feare and terrour when we goe about any kinde of Lechery God could haue sayde simply in one worde Cursed shall he bee which committeth any lecherie and in very deede that is the marke whereat this text ameth Neuerthelesse hee contenteth not himselfe so but as I sayde hee chooseth the examples which are most outrageous And why To the intent wee should bee touched the more to the quicke For we see how slowe we be in hearkening to the things which God telleth vs. We haue his woord but what for that It passeth away We will not sticke to say that it behoueth vs to keepe our selues from breaking his Lawe But if vices be spoken of but in a word or twaine shall they be esteemed as they ought to be that is to say as crymes before God which deserue endlesse death Wee see howe euery man dispenseth with himselfe so as the priuie theefe maketh no conscience of filching till of a petie theefe he becommeth a robber and then to his seeming all is nothing that he hath done afore except hee become a murtherer and a cutter of mens throates Thus doe men proceede in degrees of Theeuerie and as much doe they also in Lecherie For they make account of it but as of a thing of nothing vntill they fall into y e greatest extremities Forasmuch then as we bee dulled so as we bee not touched with any such feare as were requisite when God condemneth sinne and would plucke vs backe from it therfore it is needefull that he should set before vs the examples that are most detestable euen such as spite of our teeth must needes make y e haire to stand on end on our heads wheÌ„ we heare them named to the intent that no man should beguile himself with fond flatterie but euery man be well ware y t he holde himselfe vnder the obedience of God Heere then we see two things The one is that GOD hath condemned all vnchastitie and al maner of Lecherie and secondly we see how hee hath purposely chosen the thinges that are most ougly as Incestes and vncleannesse against kinde as the medling euen with brute beastes And why is that To the ende that men should haue occasion to bethinke themselues the better and not to doe as they bee commonly wont which is to hearken and to lay down their eare to it and to say All this is verie true and yet to make no account of it but to fare as folke amased as though a man had knocked them on the head with a beetle Thus much concerning the first point And wee see howe God standeth much vppon Incestes when he sayeth Cursed shall hee bee which lyeth with his mother in law the wife of his Father or with the daughter of his father or of his mother or with his owne daughter in law and such other degrees And why Herein wee see how men haue in all ages ouer shot themselues in this behalfe For God could well skill to apply remedies according to mens diseases Therefore it is not for nought that he standeth so much vpon those things And why For in as much as he saw that men had neede to bee held short and that such kindes of wickednesse would haue raigned if he had not set himselfe stoutly against theÌ„ cast barres in their wayes as if he should haue sayd stay there and play not the loose colts if he had not so prouided afore hand that men might not rush foorth into such vices surely al had gone to confusion And if this wickednesse were in those daies certesse we be not exempted from it nowadaies And therfore let vs vnderstand that the more earnestnesse our Lorde hath vsed heere in this behalfe the more doth he warne vs to occupy our selues in the minding of those things so as we bethinke vs of them day and night earely and late to the end we may walke in such chastitie and sobrietie as our life may not breakeforth into such beastly sinnes but as we may be giuen to God to serue him purely That say I is the thing which wee haue to gather vpon this place And let vs not flatter our selues for God knoweth well what is meete for vs or else hee would not haue spoken heere
agree Furthermore wee knowe also that hee beecame subiect to the Lawe Gal. 4.4 to the intent to performe all maner of obedience to the full as it were in our person And the righteousnesse which hee hath gotten in himselfe is at this day allowed vnto vs as if euery of vs had discharged our selues towardes God The way then for vs to bee deliuered from our cursednesse is â—his After wee haue beene ashamed and as it were plunged in despaire wee may take heart againe to vs to bee assured of our saluation and offer our selues before the Maiestie of our God with assured trust that hee will accept vs for his children and also like well of vs and moreouer that seeing our Lorde Iesus Christ hath fulfilled the Lawe and not fayled in any one point or iote therof now we be clothed againe with his righteousnes and the same is allowed vnto vs as our owne And therefore let vs go boldly before God and call vpon him as our father yea verily so wee put not our purenesse in our owne woorkes nor imagine that GOD oweth vs any thing nor pretende to bring any desert or merite of our owne but that beeing vtterly emptie wee call vpon GOD to vouchsafe not onely to fill vp that which wanteth in our selues in parte by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ but to giue vs the righteousnesse wherof we be vtterly destitute and vnpurueyed And let vs marke further that when we be once so receiued into fauour then shall our workes also bee accepted The way then for vs to serue God to his lyking is that being iustified by faith that is to say that hauing obtayned forgiuenesse of our sinnes yea and hauing obtained it bicause that dayly yea and all the tyme of our life wee haue neede thereof and also hauing recourse to GODS attonement with vs of his owne free goodnesse by meanes of the death passion and sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ offered vp vnto him wee hauing so doone bee then also desirous to serue God for then shall wee doe well and then will hee accept the seruice which we yeelde vnto him whereas without that wee can haue no fayth in Iesus Christ. But when we indeuour to serue GOD although there bee somewhat amisse and our affections turne vs nowe one way nowe another yet doeth not our God ceasse to allowe our life And why Bycause our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. True it is that in very rigour this saying Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all these words will stand in force but behold Iesus Christ is our borow and payeth for vs out of hand deliuering vs from our cursednes and making satisfaction to God his father For we know y t his death passion are accepted for the price and raunsome of our saluation that by that meanes we should be reconciled vnto God Yee see then how that on the one side it behooueth vs to feele our own cursednes that we may be afraide of Gods iudgements and that on the other side we must take courage not doubting but that seeing our Lord Iesus Christ answereth for vs we shal be receiued for his sake and God will accept vs together with our works notwithstanding that they bee not so exquisite as they should be but haue some blottes and blemishes in them so as they deserue to bee condemned vtterly reiected To be short the faithfull being iustified by the grace of God haue therewithall this benefit and priuiledge that God accepteth their woorkes and chargeth them not with this curse which they haue deserued After that manner then ought we to put this text in practise But I haue tolde you that on the one side wee must mourne and bee afraid at the sight of our cursednesse before God and that on the other side we must trust in y e grace which Iesus Christ offereth vs. For if we should sooth our selues bycause God forgiueth vs our sinnes what a dealing were that Wee shoulde still enter into the sayde parting of stakes which men weene to make when they think to discharge themselues towardes God in part Now then it behooueth vs to be sorie for all our sinnes and if wee perceyue any vice in vs wee must not suffer it to raigne True it is that wee come short I say not in some one part onely but in all There is not any one poynt of the law wherein we fayle not As for him that thinkes himselfe cleare from couetousnesse and to bee a despiser of worldly goods surely he hath yet some other affection in his heart which holdeth him backe in the world He that is chast and honest of his body hath yet some vanities that will cary him away He that fostreth not any hatred or rancor in his heart is not so vtterly cleere from all wicked affection that he liueth so perfectly as he ought to do To be short we shal be found guilty not in one or two points onely but in all so as there is not any part or peece of the law wherin God might not condemne vs. And therfore as I said seeing we perceiue such vnperfectnesse in vs we must not stand in our own conceits but mourne before God and hauing mourned we must indeuor to giue our selues ouer vnto him prayng him to increase in vs the power and grace of his holy spirite that we may so manfully fight against our sinnes as we may subdue them ouercome them and get the vpper hand of them to triumph ouer them once when we be quite and cleane rid of them Thus ye see how we ought to proceede in that behalfe And this ought to make the faithfull to reioyce that although they perceiue their owne imperfections yet must they not therfore ceasse to imbrace Gods promises with gladnesse assuring themselues that they shal not be disappointed of them And why Bycause they haue the inioying of all good thinges in our Lorde Iesus Christ by whom and by whose meanes the curse that was due to them is done away Ye see then howe that on the one side it behoueth the faithfull to be vtterly cast downe and againe that on the other side they bee lifted vp againe in our Lord Iesus Christ forasmuch as they know that looke what they haue not in themselues they shall finde it if they seeke it there whither God sendeth them And therefore let vs not beguile our selues any more with the fansies of Sathan which raigne in the Popedome of being desirous to offer our owne merites vnto God and to indent with him as though wee had perfourmed his lawe assuring our selues that on our part all the couenants which are made in the lawe are vtterly vaine and that al the promises which import any condition of well doing of holy conuersation shoulde bee vnauailable towardes vs and neuer come to effect vnlesse wee resorted to this free promise Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes and that God by his power hath
meete that hee shoulde auenge him of such a contempt Specially when hee seeth such a villaynous statelynesse in vs which bee but wormes of the earth The thing then which wee haue to remember vppon this text is that heere Moses intended to condemne the vngodlinesse of men that doe still continue hardhearted notwithstanding that God giue them the meane to returne by setting his woorde before them Nowe when hee sayeth that these curses shall take holde of vs it behooueth vs to remember that which was spoken of here before Deut. 28.2 For in speaking of the blessings of GOD hee sayde Thou shalt bee compassed round about and nowe hee doeth in like wife ioyne the curses in the same manner so that wee may not thinke to escape the hande of God Howe slye so euer wee bee wee shal bee alwayes entrapped it wil not boote vs to seeke sâ—artâ—ngholes according to this saying of his by his Prophet If thou goe into thy house and shut thy doore and double barre it Amos. 5.19 9.1.2.3.4 yet shall the serpent come in and sting thee there If thou goe into the feeld seek means to escape thou shalt meet w t a lyon vpon y e way if thou slip aside from y e lyon a Beare shall meete thee and to bee short whatsoeuer men doe when God is against them is become as it were their enimie they must needes fynde that they bee surprised caught and entrapped and enuironed rounde about with these curses without any hope to get out Therefore let vs not deceiue our selues in seeking worldly meanes to saue vs for if the hand of God bee lifted vp against vs as wee shall see in the song heere at hande Hee hath his store-house full of roddes Deut. 32.23 and not of three or foure sortes onely but of infinite and if wee suppose that wee are escaped when wee haue ouercome some one euill then wee deceiue our selues for God hath by and by an hundred moe Let vs then looke for all manner of woe if wee obey not Gods lawe But it were a miserable appeale if wee shoulde come vnto God by compulsion onely for feare of his punishments What must wee then doe Wee must submit our selues willingly vnto him praying him to keepe vs from procuring his wrath and from warring against him and from inforcing him to come to defie vs. That were as if some petie lorde woulde attempt warre against a great Prince hauing neither strong towne nor munition nor ought els and yet woulde needes presume to defye one that is able to swallowe him vp if hee did but lift vp his finger against him and were not that a madnesse Likewise when wee prouoke our God by setting our selues against him wittingly hee must needes besette vs and holde vs as in prison Wherefore let vs pray him not to suffer vs to bee so farre ouerseene as to fall to defying of him but that wee simply obey him so as wee may bee crowned and encompassed with his blessings according as it is sayde in the two and thirtith Psalme Hee that putteth his trust in God Psal. 3â— 10 shal bee crowned with his benefites that is to say God will make him to possesse his blessings rounde about him and hee shal bee so throughly fenced on all sides with his sauegarde that hee shall not neede to feare Albeit that wee bee layde open to neuer so many dangers yet shall wee be preserued through his goodnes Now as touching that which he addeth we haue expounded here before Concerning the curses he sayth Thou shalt bee cursed in the towne thou shalt bee cursed in the feelde thy comming in shal bee cursed thy going forth shal bee cursed the fruite of thy wombe shal bee cursed and the fruite of thy cattle and of all thy flockes Hereby are wee againe done to vnderstande that all the euil which wee see in this worlde proceedeth from the hande of God By the worde euils I vnderstande all the punishmentes and all the wretchednesse whereunto wee bee subiect according also as he speaketh thereof by his Prophet Esay Esa. 45.7 saying I am the Lorde which made both light and darkenesse which haue in my power both life and death and which doeth both the good and the euill Hee vseth this kinde of speeche purposely not that the euill whereof wee bee faultie doeth proceede from God nor that it ought to bee imputed vnto him it is not so But hee meaneth that all the miseries and calamities which wee suffer in this worlde be as it were so many chasticementes wee may not attribute them to haphazarde as shal bee more plainly touched hereafter Leu. 26.22 where God sayeth If you will needes come against mee at all aduenture I will in like wise come against you at al aduenture Hee vseth the same verie woordes And wherefore Because that men doe bleare their owne eyes and saye Loe what misfortune is befallen me When they be any wayes afflicted they cast out spyteful speeches against God and ouershoote themselues not considering that God is a Iudge and gouerneth the worlde by his prouidence they are not able to perceiue that so dull and senselesse bee they And that is the cause why Moses vseth this kind of declaration and so large in this text And it serueth to bring vs to that which I alleged euen nowe out of the Prophet Esaye where GOD sheweth that hee made both light and darkenesse and did both the good and the euill Wee may not heere conceiue vayne thoughtes saying Whence commeth this vnto mee It is a misfortune Woulde God it were not so But wee must acknowledge the hand that smyteth vs for that is greate wisedome And for the same cause doeth God complayne thus by his other Prophete Esa. 91â— This people haue not regarded the hande that smote them Yee see then howe wee must vnderstande that all the afflictions and miseries which wee endure in this worlde bee verie strokes of Gods owne hande And euen in that respect is it sayde by the Prophet Amos Amos. 3.6 Is there any euill in the city which God hath not done That is to saye can there happen either warre or pestilence or famine or diseases or pouertie or any other calamitie whatsoeuer it bee that commeth not to you from God Wretched people bee you so foolish and beastly as to imagine that God which created the worlde doeth leaue it at randon and hath no care to watche ouer his creatures or to bestowe on them that which hee thinketh meete for them sometimes to shewe his goodnesse and sometimes to make them feele that hee is a Iudge and to punish mens sinnes and to make them to knowe what his office is Thinke you that hee dwelleth ydle in heauen and that he vttereth not his vertue or that the worlde is not guyded and gouerned by his prouidence So then like as heretofore God hath shewed that wee cannot prosper Deut. 8.18 but through his grace
good earnest and that hee will bee founde and that when hee speaketh it is his will that wee shoulde vnderstande his doctrine Nowe if this were spoken in the time of the lawe much more reason is it that it shoulde bee verified at this daie For wee know that Iesus Christ hath declared himselfe vnto vs more familiarlie by his Gospell Therefore let vs not be afraide that things be too obseure for vs. For beholde our God allureth vs to profit in his schoole and saith that it belongeth to vs and to our children and that the things which hee hath reuealed vnto vs are directed vnto vs to the intent we should aduise ourselues to walke according to his will This is a thing that ought to encourage vs to seeke God so farre foorth as is lawfull for vs according to the measure that he appointeth And heerein wee see what the malice of the Pope and of al his is in shutting out al the world from the word of God like as at this daie they do yet still exercise the same tyrannie maintaining that the holie Scripture was made for none but Monkes Friers and Clergie men so seemeth it to them And yet haue they no care thereof For they haue a diuinitie by themselues which is as it were but a brawling of beggers As for holie Scripture they leaue it at their heeles Albeit thaâ— they despise it yet they take out some worde as it were by peeces and gobbets and in the meane while suffer not the people to enter into the kingdome of GOD. They hold the keye to keepe the gate fast shutte and like as they list not to enter themselues Matt. 6.23 so woulde they haue all others to bee shutte out They say it is a daungerous matter to deale with holie Scripture that it is a nose of waxe that men may turne it which way they list and that there bee so high secretes therein as men may thereby enter into a bottomelesse pitte In deede they haue made a playne mockerie of Gods worde for they haue falsifyed it in such wise as men can scarcelie know the meaning thereof If wee shoulde hearken vnto them it is but a hodge podge yet neuerthelesse wee see that it is the certayne and infallible trueth of GOD. And moreouer albeit that the doctrine thereof bee high and that wee are not able to attayne thereunto by our owne vnderstanding yet will GOD neuer fayle them that yeelde themselues lowelie and apte to learne Hereby therefore wee see howe the diuell reigned altogether in the Popedome seeing they vnderstoode not what Moses meaneth in this place namely that the doctrine of GOD which is deliuered vnto men is not a hidden nor an obscure matter but open and manifest and that it is the lampe which must giue vs light and the true myrrour wherein wee may beholde the face of our GOD Psa. 109.105 and whereby wee may bee transformed to the likenesse of his glorie yea in verie deede so wee resorte vnto it with such vnfayned zeale and affection as I haue tolde you of But there are but fewe that vnderstande the thing which is heere declared and in deede the greater part of the worlde is not worthie thereof for wee see manie that doe continuallie holde on and bee deafe eared in somuch that although GOD speaketh loude and shirle yet they doe wilfully despise him Nowe then let him that is ignoraunt bee ignoraunt still See how Saint Paul skorneth all such as will needes bee wildeheaded 1. Cor. 14.38 and not submit themselues quietlie to the obedience of Gods worde Goe too sayth hee will you bee ignoraunt Then bee ignoraunt And wee see howe in an other place hee sayth that they which woulde not beleeue the trueth nor regarde the light of lyfe and saluation 2. Thess. 2. â—â— must needes be cast into horrible darkenesse as we see many bee which make a ieste of GOD. When they come to heare his woorde what reuerence yeelde they vnto it It is rather a vayne curiositie GOD must bee fayne to punishe such foolke and to depriue them of the fruite which all the faithfull receyue that is to say that they submitte themselues vnto him seeking nothing but the profite by hearing Gods worde and beholding the force which it hath in woorking Now therfore when we see y t the word of God is after a sorte vnprofitable vnto many people and also a sauor of death vnto the misbeleeuing which disdaine to be partakers of the grace that was offered them 〈◊〉 2.16 let vs not starte aside for all that but let vs heare our God and in like wise be afrayde to bee punished for our despising of such a treasure Let vs benefite our selues by the doctrine of saluation As how Euen by yeelding our selues quietlie vnto GOD as I said afore to be instructed by him who sheweth him selfe to bee a teacher of the little ones and lowlie ones and seeking nothing but to bee edified through faith in the feare of his name and in all godlinesse that wee may bee mooued to call vppon him and labour to serue him When wee be so minded let vs not doubt but that hee will vtter vnto vs that power of his which is shewed vnto vs in this text And nowe Moses addeth a comfort to them that are afflicted when they haue offended God and that hee vseth rigour towarde them and that is verie necessarie For the lande of Chanaan was as a speciall earnest pennie and pawne to the Iewes that GOD had chosen and adopted them for his people they were separated there from the rest of the worlde it was a lande that GOD had dedicated and reserued to himselfe as if hee had saide Here shal my name bee called vppon The lande of Chanaan was as it were a mirrour of the kingdome of heauen and of the euerlasting inheritaunce When the Iewes were banished from that land it was as if God shoulde haue rooted them out of his house and saide I doe refuse you and I renounce you and that was enough to bring them in dispaire On the otherside God promised to keepe them euermore with a fatherlie care and to cause them to prosper continually Therefore when they sawe themselues ouerwhelmed with many miseries yea almost infinite it was a kinde of driuing of them into dispaire yea euen into vnmeasurable dispaire as if God had forgotten them Finally GOD saide that hee woulde bee their heade and their king and that they shoulde be as a bodie gathered together vnto him Nowe when they bee dispersed vnder the Painyms and the infidels vnder the wicked and the despisers of the lawe among people vnholie and vncleane the raygning of such kinde of people ouer the Iewes made it seeme vnto them that God had forsaken them and that his whole adopting of them was lost so as they should all haue perished in their afflictions vnlesse they were comforted And that was the thing which Moses amed at Hee sheweth them
it is a sufficient instruction insomuch as it is good and expedient for vs. For this cause dooth Saint Paul sende vs to our Lorde Iesus Christ saying That if we beleeue with our heart to Iustification Rom. 10.6 and confesse with our mouth to saluation that Christ dyed and that GOD raysed him againe then are wee in that perfection which Moses speaketh of here Nowe it is true that Saint Paul dooth vse in this place the worde Hell for the worde Deepe which hee dooth for the fitter applying of that sentence to his owne purpose which Moses did vse after a general manner Moses speaketh after the common custome of men O what is hee that can dig down into the bottome of the deepe Who is he that can mount vp aloft aboue the skyes Saint Paul minding to apply this to our Sauiour Christ sayth that we need not to alledge either heauen or hell or aught else that can bee imagined in this worlde God dooth sufficiently shewe himselfe vnto vs in that wee haue witnesse that Iesus Christ dyed and is risen againe For wee knowe that by the vertue of that worde Hell is bereft of all power ouer vs and heauen is set open for vs. True it is that wee must beginne with this simplicitie that Moses speaketh of When hee saith that the worde is in our mouth and in our heart his meaning is that the being thereof in our mouth is to the end wee shoulde talke of it and so become learned and that the being thereof in our heart is to the ende wee shoulde vnderstand it But Saint Paul goeth yet farther not that hee wresteth and wringeth the Testimonie of Moses but hee sheweth that the same is in very deed fulfilleâ— to wit that wee haue power to speake the worde of GOD as wee ought and that we haue it also imprinted in our hearts He sayth then first that wee must come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ according to this saying which is set downe in another place namely that Iesus Christ is the ende of the Lawe Rom. 10.4 and also that hee is the lyfe of it Then we see that if wee meane to profite by the holy Scripture wee must hye vs to our Lorde Iesus Christ for hee is the liuely Image of God Col. 1.15 2.3 it is he in whome are comprehended al the treasures of wisedome and vnderstanding Thus much concerning that poynt Are wee nowe come vnto Iesus Christ It behooueth vs to knowe the principall thing that is giuen vs in him to wit that wee bee redeemed by his death and passion for he hath suffered the paynes that were due vnto vs and hath borne that dreadfull vengeance of God which belonged vnto vs and hath thereby made vs free That then is the benefite which wee reape by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and by his resurrection hee hath purchased righteousnesse and lyfe for vs and hath also opened vnto vs the kingdome of heauen from the which wee were earst banished Nowe first of all when wee call to minde the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ wee must needes bee deliuered from all anguishe and distresse of minde For hee telleth vs as it is sayd here that it is not for vs to alledge any more Who shall goe downe into hell as we haue beene woont to doe Howe nowe If all sinners must be condemned before God seeing that wee bee sinners surely wee bee all vndone And who is he that can assure mee that hell shall haue no power ouer me I feele the sinne which doth accuse mee and that is all one as if I shoulde beholde the gulfe open readie to swallowe mee vp Sathan hath gotten the maisterie ouer me See how men are dismayed and plunged in continuall griefe and trouble of minde vntill they haue receiued knowledge of the benefite that commeth by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. But we knowe that our Lorde Iesus suffered the sorrowes of hell and yet was not holden prisoner of the same as Sainct Peter sheweth in the Actes whereby wee be well assured that the bandes of death are broken and that hell hath no more power to swallow vs. And why Because the Lorde Iesus hath purchased vs freedome But howe know we that By the Gospell But if I still stande in doubt whether I bee deliuered from the curse of God it is as much as if I shoulde drawe Christ againe from death for hee is not deade in vaine To what ende is it Let vs consider a little wherefore the onely sonne of God yeelded himselfe to such shame as to be hanged on tree and to be as it were accursed before God his father according as wee haue seene euen in the one and twentith Chapter of this booke and to bee beaten by the hande of God 〈◊〉 â—1 23 〈…〉 .2 vntill hee seemed as vile as a Leper as the Prophet Esay saith in the 53. Chapter that hee bare the burden of all our offences as if he had beene a miserable sinner and was enuironed with such extreme sorowe that hee wist not what to say but to crie out 〈◊〉 â—7 â—6 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And thinke wee that the sonne of God dalyed when he was so humbled yea and not onely was made vtterly of no reputation as Sainct Paul saieth but also fought with the pangues and sorrowes of death He offered himselfe in the person of vs as a wretched sinner to beare that vengeance of God which was due vnto vs so as to bee short he knewe that God was bent against him to thunder downe vppon him for our sakes Forasmuch then as we know that Iesus Christ abode such incounters for our redemption stande wee yet still scanning and replying as who woulde say O I cannot tell and howe can I bee sure of it Surely that were euen as much as to deny the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For it is a plaine scorning of all that hee hath endured and suffered for our saluation when wee acknowledge not the fruite that doeth growe vnto vs thereby So then the first point is that hauing the Gospel wee haue whereuppon to rest so as wee neede not to alledge What is he that shall goe downe into hel For Iesus Christ hath beene there to the end that wee shoulde not come there at all and at this day hee giueth vs witnesse of the same by the Gospel to the intent wee shoulde knowe that his death hath alwayes present power and operation for all such as flee vnto it for refuge Also there is on the otherside that wee haue no more cause to replie Who is hee that shall mount vp to the heauens Why That is asmuch saieth Sainct Paul as to plucke downe Christ from the heauenly glorie whereunto hee is exalted Wee say in an article of our faith that Christ descended into hell In so saying wee ought to assure our selues that we
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
see in this worlde very many Testimonies of Gods wonderful wisedome iustice righteousnes and power and he hath placed vs here beneath to beholde al these thinges and also he hath fashioned vs after his owne image and likenesse Now if our eyes bee blindfolded if wee bee dulheads if we wil not vnderstand the things which haue bin shewed vnto vs is it not a kinde of turning of all thinges vpsidowne which God hath established both beneath and aboue Yes surely Ye see then howe it is an vtter confounding and ouerthrowing of all order whē men worship not their God ne submit themselues vnto him It is not therefore without cause that Moses alledgeth this reason when he ment to shew vnto the Iewes that it was not for thē to argue any more as touching that doctrine seeing that the ende whereto it tended was that God should be honored and haue his right But this word loue importeth yet more For it ought to touch men more liuely than if he had spoken simply of feare subiection Indeede Moses addeth by and by y t wee must obey our God and that we must keepe his statutes his decrees God then doth iustly require of vs a seruice we ought not to denie it him but yet hee beginneth at loue to the intent to draw vs vnto him after a louing manner and not by force as if we woulde say well it is ynough for vs to serue our God but yet let vs goe to it with grinding our teeth because no man can exempt himselfe from that necessitie But Moses sheweth that the doctrine of y e lawe ought not only to holde vs in awe and to bring all our senses and affections in captiuitie vnder the obedience of God but also that it ought to win possesse our harts so as we shold come of good will to offer our selues vnto God to bee altogether his Let vs therfore consider that God doth vs a singular good turne when hee beginneth at this point namely y t he will haue vs to loue him But we be also exhorted to serue him not by cōpulsion as y e most part of the world doth in whō as wee see there is nothing but slauish feare Therefore let vs learne so to gouerne all our affections as it may be our chiefe pleasure to serue God Now on the contrary part whereas Moses ioyneth the obedience of the law with loue therby hee sheweth that there may bee hypocrites which shall make a countenance to loue God will boast themselues therof with full mouth but yet the very true proofe thereof is that wee honour his maiestie and submit our selues to the same For God hath not bounde vs to him by halues what manner of superiority hath he ouer vs Now then like as a child loueth his father as a good subiect loueth his prince euen so must we loue our God that is to say wee must beare such reuerēce towards him as to couet nothing but to frame our selues to his good pleasure in al things so as he may weald vs at his wil and bee glorified in all our life And forasmuch as he wil haue a triall of vs when hee hath giuen vs his lawe and set vs downe the rule whereby our life should be guided if we behaue our selues thereafter then doe we shew indeed that we loue our God aright And therfore let vs conclude cōcerning all such as pretend deuotion holines of which sort we see many nowadays in y e popedom yea euen where the gospel is preached there be many that make pretence to be rauished and caried away with a zeale that all that euer they do is but smoke vnlesse our life bee answerable thereto so as we follow the wil of our God indeuour to obey him by keeping his commandemēts ordinances That I say is y e true mirror where we may behold whether we loue our God or not and whether there be any faith purenes in vs. And herewithall Moses telleth the people againe that they shall not loue God but to their owne profite welfare as if hee shoulde say although God doe by iust title require that wee shoulde loue him yet doth he not that in respect of his owne profite or aduantage for he can receiue nothing of vs. Howe then He seeketh and procureth our welfare For hee seeth verie well that we be miserable when wee are fallen away from him and therfore he is desirous to win vs not for any gaine that can therby redound to himselfe but to the intent that all the benefite thereof shoulde redound vnto vs. Nowe then what a churlishnes is it that men cannot finde in their heartes to submit themselues vnto God specially seeing that he neuertheles hath such a care of their welfare that he seeketh them and taketh paines to reduce them to him howbeit as I said afore not for that he can be any thing bettered therby for his part but because he wold not haue them to perish Seeing then y t we know this must we not needs be too too dulheded yea starke mad if our harts be not meekened yea not onely meekened to stoope vnder the obedience of God but also therewithal set on fire with a zeale to come vnto him to bende all our indeuour that way Nowe wee perceiue in effect whereat Moses amed in all this sentence And moreouer on the contrarie side hee doeth also set downe the threatenings for as I haue said hee expoundeth more at length this doctrine which he had erst touched in fewe wordes See I set before thee this day good and euill life and death Hauing saide so hee taketh the first part thereof For saieth hee I craue nothing of thee but that thou shouldest loue the Lorde thy God that by obeying him thou mightest liue and possesse the land which hee hath promised vnto thy fathers which is as it were a pawne of his loue and the true felicitie vnto the which thou art called for to attaine to it that is to say the kingdome of heauen Thus much concerning the first part Nowe he commeth to the seconde and saith If thou turne away and rebell and beest caried to serue straunge Gods I tell thee that thou shalt perish saith hee and thou shalt not escape the hande of the Lorde thy God Looke not to prolong thy dayes when you shall haue so despised him which hath all goodnesse in his owne power and will in the end reuenge himselfe of the dispisers of his worde Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses in generall It remaineth for vs to marke the manner of speech which hee vseth He saith If thy heart looke backe not to obey and that thou beest moued to obey straunge Gods and to serue them When hee saith If thy heart turne backe his intent is to expresse heere the malice of men which couet nothing but to flee from God For if we were not caried away by our wicked affections it is
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
to the end we should not be so senselesse as we were before to flatter to hardē ourselues but that we should come directly vnto him and yeelde ourselues guilty yea euen with such misliking of our sins as we shold hate the euil y t is in vs and seek nothing but to be receiued vnto his gouernment to be changed renewed by him so as wee may take no pleasure but onely in framing ourselues to his good pleasure That is the thing which Moses meant in saying y t although the people should be constrained to say y t they suffered those so many plagues miseries because God was no more among them yet should they also haue a testimony to follow thē and to holde them as at a bay as who would say Thou shalt not escape but shalt know y t thy sins be the cause of al these euils although thou seeke starting holes yet must thou bee as it were pent vp and feele y t God is against thee that thou shalt be more more tormented vntill thou turne againe vnto him True it is that this is spoken of a witnesse y t was against y e people and y t it serueth to expresse y e stubbornes which was in y e children of Israell as hereafter we shall see more at large And surely although God vouchsafe to shewe vs mercie and would haue vs to heare his woord to the intent to bring vs to repentaunce yet must that woorde first bee a witnesse against vs. As for example wee shall neuer obtaine fauour of God vntill hee haue condemned vs. And wherefore Bicause we be wrapped in our sinnes and doe sooth and flatter our selues in them Nowe so long as men doe thus glory in themselues or become carelesse there is no place for mercie for they make but a scoffe of the goodnesse of GOD. Yee see then that wee bee shutte out from all hope of saluation vntill wee bee condemned of God To bring this to passe his word must discouer our iniquities and all our filthinesse and make vs abashed and ashamed and also driue vs to feele the sorrowes of death and to see hell which is prepared for vs. The point then whereat God beginneth when hee meaneth to bring men to saluation is that he stirreth vp his worde for a witnesse to them to make them to know that they be vtterly forlorne and damned Is that done Then doth God admonish vs and giue vs Testimonie of his good will and not onely lay vs foorth his doctrine but also recite the processe of all our faultes Nowe then let vs receiue the woord when it testifieth vnto vs our condemnation that beeing drawen thereby to repentance and altogether ashamed of our selues wee may obtaine fauour before GOD. Yet let vs vnderstande moreouer that when GOD doeth so frame our inditement it is for our benefite for hee maketh vs our owne Iudges to the intent that hee himselfe would not iudge vs but surceasse from it Nowe if wee will needes play the wilde beastes when as GOD testifieth our sinnes vnto vs or else if wee goe to seeke for leaues to couer vs 〈◊〉 3.7 that is to say if wee will needes scape his iudgement by our lying and hypocrisie and play the skoffers which make a mocke of all warninges that are giuen vnto them or if we play the mad bedlems in despising GOD as we see many doe who cannot abyde any rebukes but doe grinde their teeth as often as they bee made to vnderstande their sinnes if I say wee doe proceede so farre then must the woorde of God stand still in his first force to wit it must bee a Testimonie to vs of our damnation And therefore seeing it is sayde heere that the Song is a witnesse to auow that GOD hath iust cause to punishe his people and that the people stande conuicted thereby let vs feare let vs feare I say least our Lorde doe with lyke extremitie pursue the processe which hee hath made against vs and that there bee no place of refuge to his grace after wee haue once reiected it nay rather as soone as hee summoneth vs let vs learne to stoope and to shut our mouth and not to make any excuse but to say Lorde wee see verie well that if thou wouldest vse rigour towardes vs we were vndoone there is no shift for vs but that thou must receiue vs lyke damned and forlorne cast-awayes as wee bee and bestowe thy mercie vppon vs for all our welfare lyeth in this that thou looke no more vpon our sinnes to punish them but that through thy free goodnesse thou doe take them away and blot them out Thus ye see how we ought to put this place in vre where Moses sayeth that this Song shall be for a witnesse to the people of Israel Hee sheweth yet better what testimonie hee giueth by this Song It is sayeth he that I will bring you into the lande which I haue promised to your fathers a land flowing with milke and honnie Heereby he giueth vs to vnderstande that it is a fatte lande and fruitfull of all good things in such abundance as if milke did runne therein in stead of Riuers and as if they had withall the like abundance of hony This maner of speech is very commonly vsed whensoeuer God speaketh of the land of Chanaan and not without cause For God had blessed it aboue all the rest of the world yea and no doubt but the people found that with their comming thither the fruitefulnesse of that land was augmented And surely it is a maruailous matter how such a huge multitude was nourished in so small a countrie But at this day we see it is a land halfe barren True it is that euen as yet there are some places thereof as little speckes which are very fat abundant but yet farre vnable to verifie that which wee reade of it here namely that the land did flowe with milke and honie But herein we do so much the better see that which is spoken in the 107. Psalme Psal. 107.34 namely that when God hath giuen neuer so great fruitfulnesse to a land he can make it barrain againe as if it were sowed with salt so as there shall be nothing but leannesse nor any sustenance to bee found therein Wee perceiue then by the land of Chanaan how it is the hand of God that giueth aboundance to a land and likewise that his withdrawing of his blessing causeth a land to become fruitlesse and altogether barraine And therefore doeth Moses nowe protest that when the people come into y e land and there be nourished filled and fatted then serue straunge gods they shal bee condemned so much the more and then they must not looke for any startingholes but bee discouered to the whole world to their condemnation and this present song shal be as a processe wherin the forme of law is obserued so as y e summons shal be made first then the examinations and
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
harme at all though wee were all become straungers vnto him Can wee aduantage him any whit What benefit shall hee receiue at our handes When men turne away from God hee is neither hindered nor furthered thereby for hee continueth euermore at one stay without increacing or diminishing This then was a reproofe which Moses gaue to the whole people as if he should say Go to you haue followed your owne lustes you haue made no reckoning of your God and what will be the ende of it In deede hee will forsake you but his so doing is not for any harme that hee shall haue receiued by it What passeth hee for that Shall not all turne to your owne confusion This lesâ—on deserueth to bee wel marked For it is good to humble men by making them to vnderstand that God may euer forbeare them well enough and that his seeking of them is for their benefite and welfare without regarde of himselfe But wee may take this saying of Moses more playnely that they had marred themselues towardes him because their true soundnes had bin to haue liued in obedience towardes the Lawe That is the meane wherby men may abide in their state I meane them whom God hath called to him And I speake not of the corrupted state as it is in Adam and as wee bring it from our mothers wombe but of our state when God hath repayred vs after his owne image That is the meane for vs to persist namely by holding our selues to the purenesse of his worde without swaruing to the right hand or to the left But if we leaue the doctrine of God by and by we be corrupted and mard Therefore when men turne away from the pure and playne worde of God it is an infecting and corrupting of themselues such as alwayes leadeth them to death And hee expresly addeth in their spottes This saying importeth a reproch lykewise insomuch as it might bee sayd that they had cast themselues wilfully into leawdnesse of purpose to shame themselues Now wee knowe how it is sayd in Exodus that God was as yee would say the honor of his people 〈◊〉 32.28 〈…〉 5. For when wee be vnder the protection of our God there is as a royall Crowne vppon our head and it is a greater honor that if wee had all the dignities in the worlde And for the same cause also dooth Moses say that this people became shamelesse in giuing themselues to idolatrie and superstition and discouered their owne filthynesse as a man that sheweth his owne shame So then it may well bee taken that the people ouerthrew themselues in their vncleannesse because they did cast themselues into reproche and infamie by forsaking their God yea euen that God of theirs whome onely they were bound to glorify But by the way by this worde Spottes or vncleanes Moses meant all the wicked lustes which caused the people to ouershoote themselues As if he shoulde say Beholde your God had shewed you the fashioÌ„ and mean to make your selues cleane that you might haue bin a holy people For the Lawe serued to haue withdrawen you from all the defilementes of the world so as by keeping of that rule ye should haue continued vnder his obedience And what haue yee done now Yee haue vnhallowed the Law of God yea euen lyke as a Swine should wallowe himselfe in the myre and dyrt The thing then which you haue gayned by forsaking your God is that your lustes haue so caryed you away y t you haue gone and plunged your selues in doung yea euen with the vtter renouncing of the honor which God had bestowed vppon you Hee addeth That they were a frowarde and cursed generation And it serueth to expresse yet better that although God had preuented them with his grace giuen them occasion to continew still with him yet they coulde not haue that stedfastnesse And what should a man say seeing them so vnconstant but that they were a frowarde generation For if other men to whome God shewed not the lyke grace were to be condemned iustly if they shoulde haue dealt so wickedly are not those dubble guiltie which being adopted by God and being ayded and succoured so many wayes by him had neuerthelesse so farre ouershot themselues as to forsake him and disclaime him vtterly And therefore let vs marke that Moses beholding the ouergreat vnthankfulnesse of that people did so aggrauate their offence in respect thereof that hee vtterly disgradeth them in this place Nowe must we apply this to ourselues For according as God hath vttered the treasures of his goodnesse towardes vs so much the more be wee bound and beholden vnto him And if we falsify our faith cursed are we for our enormitie is the more accursed and our iniquitie is the greeuouser both before the Angels and before all mortal creatures And therefore let vs so walke in the feare of our Lorde sith it hath pleased him to take vs for his inheritance that wee take not vppon vs that title in vaine least wee become lyke vnto them which are falne away from him Heereuppon Moses maketh an other complaint more sharpe and bitter Thou foolish people sayth he wilt thou needes requite the Lorde so Here Moses toucheth the vnthankfulnes of the people as it were with his finger vnder the word Requite For he falleth to vpbraiding them with the benefites which God had bestowed vppon the children of Abraham But as God is no nigard so dooth hee neuer cast vs in the teeth with the benefites which we haue receiued at his hand vnlesse hee be inforced thereto by our abusing of them for that hee seeth them vnhallowed Iames. 1.5 and defiled by our lewdnesse accordingly also as Saint Iames speaketh thereof saying that God giueth all thinges bountifully and that he is of such liberalitie that he neuer ceaseth to giue yea euen without vpbraiding Hee is not lyke mortall men which haue a certaine repining in their giuing or which grudge when a man commeth to them the second time saying What Ought not that which I haue done for you already to suffice you God saith hee is none such For the more that wee be bound vnto him the more is he willing to increace his gratious giftes dayly Yea but when hee seeth them misbestowed that we turne them cleane contrarie to his intent purpose then holdeth he his hand theÌ„ restraineth he the good that he had done vnto vs then blameth he vs and putteth vs in minde of them to make vs ashamed And therefore let vs looke well vppon this text where it is said Thou foolish witlesse people doest thou requite thy God thus Accordingly also as hee sayth by his Prophet Ieremie Ier. 2.5 My people what haue I done to you saith hee If thou hast any thing to say against me alledge it and thou shalt finde that I haue not failed at any time to giue thee cause to followe me and to cleaue vnto me For I haue powred all good thinges vppon
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
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
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
shoulde ratifie the same 554. b 40.50.60 Of the warrant of our Election what it is 1064. a 60. b 10 Gods Election is a mysterie aboue the reach of all mens reason 1107. b 60.1108 a 10 The Election of God is of his free goodnesse aâ—â— of no merits of ours 955. b 60. 314. b 20.30 Vpon what condition Gods Election in taking vs to be of his Church doth stande 955. a 30.40.50.60 and so forward Emanuel Christ hath not taken to him the name of Emanuel for naught and what it signifieth 500. b 20 End Wherunto God calleth vs and how we ought to consider the word End 1148 a 60. b all What wee haue to note vppon these words And take heede to their End 1148. a 10.20 c. Looke Death Enimie Vnder this worde Enimie allsuch as haue not bin taught by Gods worde to yeelde themselues teachable vnto him are comprehended 1145. b 50.60 Howe these wordes that God feared to prouoke the Enemy are ment 1145. a 40.50.60 In what cases God declareth himselfe to be our mortall Enimie 982. b 10.20.30 Of a great Enimie that we haue much mightier than Pharao and of other enemies of ours 503. b 20.30.40 Looke Diuel and Satan Enimies What we must doe when we see our Enimies fierce like feends 75. b 10. and 71. a 50 We must yeeld God the honour of all the victories that hee giueth vs against our Enimies 83. a 30.40 A description of the easie victory of the Israelites ouer their Enimies 83. b 30 40 What we must doe when we see our Enimies fearefull and dismaied 75. b 10 What was the cause why the Israelites ran away as soone as their Enimies came against them 85. b 50 Why we must not go about to purchase vs Enimies 87. a 10. Our Enimies much stronger and stouter in comparison of vs than the Enimies of the Israelites when they were to enter into the land of Chanaan 90. a 30.40 Why God saying that hee will driue away our Enimies affirmeth also that wee shall destroy them 1231. a 30.40.50.60.1232 a all The meaning of Moses by these words God will not destroy all the Enimies of his people out of hande and why 338. a 40.50.60 b all How we must behaue our selues peaceably if we haue any Enimes 87. a 10. 88. a 10 We haue an infinite number of Enimies whom we see not 55. b 40 That albeit we serue God yet wee shall not cease to haue Enimies and why 968. b 40 That it is in God onely to make vs inuincible against al our Enimies 889. b all Of Gods blessing of vs against our Enimies and of our manifold enimies both visible and inuisible 953. b 10.20.30 c. Howe God will deale for vs against our storming Enimies is shewed by comparison to our comfort 954. a 10.20 What is Gods purpose in permitting vs to haue Enemies 953. b 50.60.954 a 10 Howe and by what meanes men doe picke out Enemies against themselues 73. b 50.60 74. a 10 But one onlie meane wherby we maie ouercome the feare of our Enemies 714. b 60 The feare that Achaz had of his Enemies the kings of Syria and Israell 713. b 60.714 a 10. c. Howe the subtill doctors of the Popedome interprete these wordes of Christ Do good to your Enemies 771. a 50.60 b 10.20 What we must do to bee strong against our Enemies 71. a 50.60 and b 10 What we haue to gather vpon this text where Moses doth so oft repeat that we must not be afraide of our Enemies 414. b 40.50 What we must doe if we woulde haue the victorie ouer our Enemies 37. b 20 How vnable we bee to encounter with our Ghostlie Enemies 71. b 10 What is the cause that our Enemies vanquish vs and haue power ouer vs 55. b 10 Notable doctrine vpon this point that the Iewes woulde needes goe vp to discomfite their Enemies 53. a 10.20.30.40.50 Vpon what condition God will vanquish or destroy our Enemies 42. b 10 What we must doe if the Enemies with whome wee fight bee too strong for vs. 35. b 30. 712. b 40.50.60 713. al. Who be our Enemies with whome wee wage battell in this life 37. b 10 The end of Gods discharging vs from the hand and tyrannie of our ghostlie Enemies 1. a 20 The Enemies with whom we fight are mortall men what then 35. a 20. Howe men shoulde bethinke theÌ„selues when they are compelled to slaie their Enemies in the mainteinance of iust quarels 516. a 50.60 The cause why Gods Church is neuer without Enemies and the remedie 1231. a 50.60 b al. Howe God will deale with his Enemies 189. a 10 In what respect we must needes fall before our Enemies 55. b 20 Of certaine kinde of Enemies to Gods trueth of whome we must speciallie take heede 529. a 60. b 10 Howe we must arme our selues against the open and secrete Enemies of of Gods trueth 528. b 50.60 529. a b al. Howe we must be resolued when we be stricken with feare because wee heare that our Enemies doe practise al that they can against vs. 375. b 20.30.40 How we ought to be prouided and furnished against our Enemies both inward and outwarde 374. a 40.50.60 b al 375. a 10.20 c Three reasons rendred wherby the Israelites are exhorted not to bee afraide of their Enemies 334. b 30.40 A proofe of Gods promise that hee would cast a feare vpon his peoples Enemies 478. b 20.30.479 a 10.20 Two places reconciled namelie that God will destroy all the Enemies wherin thou fearest and Thou shalt not be afraide of them Reade this aduisedlie 334. b 50.60 335. a all What we haue to vnderstande whensoeuer we stande too much in feare of our Enemies and are â—ore dismaied c. 478. b 10.20 The comfort that poore Christians deteined among the Enemies of the faith haue 331. b 50.60 332. a 10 Of our manifolde Enemies and howe God will enable vs against them and fight in our behalfe 476. a and b all 477. a all Our enemies haue none other power than we our selues gaue them Read that place well 478. a 10 Howe the faithfull must assure themselues in cases of danger and assaults of proude Enemies 477. b all Enuie Against the blasing abroade of mens faultes for Enuie sake 238. a 20.30.40 Looke Hatred and Malice Ephod Of the the hie Priestes Ephod and diuerse ornaments thereunto belonging 502. b 10.20 Looke Hiepriests Ephraim The tribe of Ephraim and Manasses were planted in the verie storehouse of all the lande of Chanaan 1212. a 40.50 Ephraim Manasses the two sonnes of Ioseph 1211. b 40 Ephraim made tenfolde greater than Manasses being the elder brother what we haue to note there in 1213. b 40.50.60.1214 a all What mischeefes arose by the meanes of the tribe of Ephraim 1214. b 10.20 The tribe of Ephraim blessed of Moses 1213. b 20 c. Epicures The cause why there bee so manie
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
1188. b 10.20.1053 b 30. That it belongeth vnto vs how why 1191. a 30.40 The familiar meanes that God vsed to haue it remembred of the Iewes 1247. a 10.20.30 With what maiesticall authoritie it was giuen witnessed 1187. a 10. b 50.60 It was lost and found againe in the time of Iosias 1247. a 20.30.1079 all How Paules words that the Law is the minister of death are meant 1100. a 60. To whome the laying vp thereof was committed where and why 1098. b 60. 1099. a 10.20.30 Who was the author of the same howe it was ratified 1098. all In what respect it serueth to condemne 1099. b 50. To what ende God requireth an absolute fulfilling of it 998. b 50. 60.999 a 10. It lasted for the space of two thousand yeares 984. a 30. Of three sorts of people which keep it in outwarde shewe 662. a 10.20 How it ought to worke in vs. 1067. a 60. b 10. Of the solemnitie that was kept to make it authenticall 1014. a 30. b 10.20 The Iewes compelled God to renewe it againe at the end of fourtie yeares 1014. a 60. b 10. Two points worthie to be noted touching the Law of God 177. a 60. b 10.20 A briefe summe thereof 192. a 10. It is possible for God to print it in our heartes 207. a 50. What wee are to learne by the same ratified anew and as it were twise confirmed 1014. b 20. How farre foorth the same is abolished and not abolished 181. a 20. In what respects it is vnpossible to vs. 207. a 30.40.50 Looke Tables Lawes of God Of Gods speciall Lawes and how they are to be reduced to the two tables of the generall doctrine of the commandements 816. b 30.40.50.60 817. a 10.20 The cause why the Lawes of God are termed rightfull ordinances 123. a 50 What the ende of Gods Lawes is and how the same are violated by men 578. a 60. b 60. 579. a 10. Looke Tables Law of armes Of the Lawe of armes read both the sermons 118. 119. The perfectest Law of armes that can be among men set downe by God himselfe 725. b all 726. a all Diuerse things touching behauiour in Law of armes to be noted in the 119 sermon and page 733. all For the restraining of the lustes of such as had no hold of themselues in the time of warre this concerneth the lawe of armes 742. b 60. c. Law politike or ciuill An order shewed how to end matters in Law 638. a 40.50 A Law without magistrate is as a bodie without a soule 874. b 60. and 875. a 10 What we should thinke with our selues when we go to lawe 23. a 30 The order of Law vnlawfully vsed now adaies 23. a 20 Lawes politike or ciuill Of Ciuil or politike Lawes made by mē 21. b 30 It is not possible for vs to iudge rightly if wee rest vppon mens Lawes 123. a 40 Whereto the Lawes which are made for ciuill gouernment do serue 695. b 40.50 548. a 50. 749. a 50.60 b 10.20 687. a 10. 221. a 50. It is to no purpose to haue good iust Lawes vnlesse there bee men to put them in execution 621. a 10 Of the Heathens making of Lawes that they affirmed them to be Gods gift 705. b 30.40.50 What wee must first do before wee can vse the Lawes that are good holy 711. a 10.20 Differences betweene politike Lawes and the Lawes of God 710. a 30. c. 749. a 50.60 b 10 Of three wicked things in him which is punishable by the ciuill Lawes 836. a 10.20 Of such as take vppon them to make Lawes to rule mens soules 118. b 10 The Lawes of the pope as he saieth are the reuelations of the holy ghost 121. a 30 Lawfull Though a thing seeme good and iust yet must we not think that it is therfore Lawfull 97. b 60 It is not Lawfull to wish the thing that is good except we haue leaue of god 98. b 10 Lawgiuer The meaning of these wordes They had a hidden portion of the Lawgiuer 1222. b 30.40 1223. a all God will haue none to haue the authoritie to be our Lawgiuen but himself and of other sawcie lawgiuers 525. b all 526. a 10 Of the worde Lawgiuer and what wee haue to note in the same 1223. a 60 b 10.20 Laying on of hands Of the ceremonie of Laying on of hands vsed in the Law and by the Apostles 1244. a 30.40.50 b 10 Lead How God doeth Lead vs vp and downe in the worlde and what wee haue to note therein 1120. a 30.40 That Christ Lead the Iewes in the wildernesse how 1123. b 40 Of the worde Lead what it betokeneth and how God lead his people vp and downe the wildernesse 1119. b 50.60 1120. a 10.20.50 Learned Who they bee that shal be wel Learned 110. b 10. Looke Wise. Learning The beginning to liue wel is at Learning Read the place 110. a 10 Lecherie Why God rehearseth the detestablest kindes of Lecherie and accursseth them by name 933. b all 934. a all How men make no account of Lecherie and how they proceede in degrees of that sinne 933. a 20. Looke Flesh and Lust. Left hand When wee decline or bow to the Left hand 262. b 50.60 263. a 10. Looke hand Lend How it is meant that he which giueth to the poore doth Lend to the Lord. 857. a 30.40 583. b all How loath the Iewes were to Lende to them that needed is to bee noted by their pretenses 579. a 20.30 b 60. 580. a 10 What things men do chiefely respect when they Lende 582. b 10 and to whome they should Lend ibidem al. b 10 How we must bethinke our selues whē wee Lend to a poore man whome we knowe vnable to pay againe out of hand 583. a 10.20 It is often times a greater almes deede to Lende a competent summe than to giue a verie litle 583. a 60 How mistrustfull and with how heauie an heart men do Lend 854. b 50.60 Lending Of Lending monie vpon a pledge read howe Gods lawe prouided in that case 852. b 60.853 a 10. c. 854. all All kinde of crueltie vnder colour of Lending forbidden 845. b all 846. a 10 Of Lending specially of money corne and other things where also vsurie is treated of 822. all 823. all 843. a 10.20 Of Lending without looking for gaine and how Christes wordes are to bee there taken 827. b 10.20 Whether all manner of profite be forbidden by Lending 823. b 40.50.60 824. a 10 The ende of Lending commonly vsed in these dayes 846. b 10.20 Lent Of Lent as it is introduced by the Papistes and that it is to be kept and why as they say 919. b 20.30 Looke Fast Fasting Leprosie What wee haue to learne in trueth by the law touching Leprosie 850. a 30.40.50.60 451. b 10.20 Of the scuruie Leprosie as the Papistes terme it and
from the prayers of Infidels 98. b 30 For what cause we ought to be well aduised in our Prayers 99. a 20 The issue of his Prayers that doth desire to liue alwaies here 99. b 20 Gods refusing of the faithfull is not an vtter reiecting of their Prayers c. 105. a 40 The Priestes made publike Prayers for the people in the time of the Lawe and so ought our ministers to do for the bodie of the Church 738. b 40.50 In what respect our Praiers are faultie 98. b 60. 937. b 10 With what confession our Praiers must beginne and end 328. a 60 How God doth binde himselfe to our Praiers and supplications 394. b 50 Our Prayers boote vs not at all without certeintie of Faith 417. b 60 What strength our Prayers haue when they be well ordered and as they ought 395. a 50.60 and b 10.20 30.40 Looke Requestes Praying Of Praying vnto God howe souereine a remedie it is and in what cases 1017. b 40. 1018. b 30 Why we vse the ceremonies of putting off our caps and lifting vp our hands in Praying 497. a 30.40 Whereof it commeth that mens Praiing to God with their tongues is but feining 362. b 50 The Papistes in Praying make no difference betweene God and a Saint that they haue deuised of their own head 419. a 20.30 b 10 The Papistes shift for the excusing of their Praying to Saintes 271. a 40 The gate that wee must enter at in praying to God 415. a 40 What their duetie is that haue the charge of other folke is shewed by the Praying of Moses 414. b 30.40 50.60 What rule we ought to keepe in Praying vnto God 415. a 10 To what end Moseses Praying vnto God vppon the mount was 414. a 30 That wee must continue in Praying without being wearie Looke wel on this place 414. b 10.20 and 399. a 20.30 That in Praying to God wee must bee importunate reade the place it is note worthie 399. a 20.30.40 and b 10 Practise Meanes to flie all that euer the vnbeleeuers doe Practise against vs. 519. a 40.50 The Doctrine of God consisteth in Practise 179. a 10 Praise In going about to set foorth the Praise of God we must not vse a common and ordinarie kinde of speech how then 1104. b 60. 1105. a 10 What wee haue to note in that Moses exhorteth Infidels to Praise God 1170. b 30.40.50.60 What is the cause that wee take ourselues to bee strong and stout not yeelding God his due Praise 86. a 10 The meaning of Moses by these words that God is the Praise of his people 450. b 40.50.60 and 451. a all the doctrine is worth the looking on Why God saith no more but that men should Praise and blesse him in prosperitie 360. a 60. and b 10.20.30 Euerie man must enure himselfe to Praise God and of such as neglect so to doe 362. b 10.20 Looke Glorifie Praises Why it is saide that wee offer our Praises vnto God by Christ. 630. a 40 Preach That all such as Preach the gospel are spirituall ministers 405. a 40 A most notable lessō for such as Preach Gods word 210. a 20. 144. b 30.40 50. 112. b 40 To what ende Gods ministers doe Preach the scripture dailie 683. b 10. Looke Teach Preacher In what cases the Preacher of the word must be milde and vehement with his hearers 1104. a 10.20 A kinde of people noted that grudge to be commaunded to this or that by the Preacher of Gods worde 113. a 40.50.60 The Preacher of Gods word knoweth not the effect of his preaching in his hearers 77. a 20 Howe a Preacher becommeth a traytor and vnfaithfull to God 550. b 10 20. Looke Minister and Teacher Preachers Whether the Preachers doe set foorth anie strange doctrine 119. b 10 The Preachers of Gods worde shall neuer want enemies Reade that place 1208. a 60. b all but God will ayd them 1209. a 40. Against such as cannot awaie with the rule of Preachers and wherein the same consisteth 119. a 60. b 10 20 The ministers and Preachers of Gods worde chosen of him to bee his Leuites 425. b 40 Preachers of the Gospell are to bee maintained and founde at the common charge of the people and reasons why 569. a 10.20 514. a b 10.20.30 In what awe God meant to holde the Preachers of his worde 261. b 30 Howe euill affected the world is to the Preachers of Gods worde 514. a al and what iniurie they doe to themselues that maintaine not Preachers ibidem 60. b 10 Gods intent to make men desirous to bee taught by the Prophetes and Preachers whome he woulde sende 674. a 50. b 10 The Preachers of Gods word their doctrine are not exempted from examination 678. a 10 Notable pointes of doctrine for Preachers and other ecclesiasticall persons to marke and remember 677. all 678. a 10. 683. a 60. b 10. and 1203. b 30. 1202. b 60 It is the Preachers dutie to offer peace vnto all men 79. a 30. b 10 A breefe of the commission and charge that the Preachers of Gods worde haue 718. a 10.20 It were needfull that Preachers should be Merchauntes and skilfull in all the trades of the worlde and why 823. b 10.20 That in Churches Preachers are requisite and necessarie and why 1205 all That the persons of Preachers is not to be respected but their cōmission 717. b 10 The common demaunde of the Preachers touching Gods worde 114. a 50. Looke Ministers and Teachers Preaching A lesson for such as haue the charge of Preaching Gods worde 1105. a 60. b all and 56. b 10. and 402. b 20.30.40.50 To what ende God vouchsafeth vs the Preaching of his worde 172. a 10.79.120 What we ought to doe if God call vs to the Preaching of his worde 114. a 60. b 10 Moses continued in Preaching to the Israelites euen to his death 144. b 30.40 Where Preaching is there Gods voice ringeth in our eares 1206. a 60 The effect of Preaching vncertaine whether to the saluation or damnation of the hearers 77. a 20 The order of Preaching Gods worde must be obserued to the worlds end 667. a 60. b 10 What want of obedience there is in men nowe a daies and howe ill minded they bee to the Preaching of Gods word 538. b all Howe the Preaching of Gods word is as in open proclamation to summō and cite vs. 371. b 10. Looke Teaching Preheminence Howe such as are aduaunced to anie state of great Preheminence should bethinke themselues in respect of their inferiours 655. b 10 How we ought to behaue our selues to those that are in Preheminence 218. a 40.50 The Preheminence of such as GOD hath adopted for his children 956. a 10.20 Looke Aduauncement Prelates Against Popish Prelates and their vsurped titles 1204. b 50.60 1205. b 60. 1206. a 10.20 Looke Cleargie Preparatiue A good Preparatiue to bring vs to the seruing of
Warre 65. a 10 They that make Warre are commaunded to pay for their bread and water 65. a 10 What iust cause the Israelites had to make War against the Chananites and the other nations 728. a 10.20 c. Howe the mischeefe that happeneth in Warre maie also befall to priuate persons 726. a 40.50 Foure kind of men whom God will not haue compelled to goe to Warre gainst their enemies 718. b 20. c. With what doctrine the faithful should be armed in time of warre 721. b 30.40 No Warre is iust vnles God be the author thereof and why 712. b 10.20 In what cases it is lawefull to make Warre and vppon what condition 712. a 10.64 a 60.718 b 30.40 Looke Battell VVarres God sheweth tokens of his wrath wheÌ„ Warres are towardes in the worlde 968. b 30.40 The sore exactions of Princes for the mainteinance of their Warres 64. b all A lesson for such as take Warres in hande 67. all 64. a 60. b 10.726 a 30 Of Warres lawfull and vnlawefull read at large Page 711. b all The Warres that are made nowadaies are like the game of the Barriers Looke how 67. a 60. b 10 A demaund whether Warres be made nowe adaies by the authoritie of God 63. b 30 Of diuerse good orders that woulde be kept in VVarres and in the time of warres 811. b all Looke Lawe of Armes VVarfare VVhy and with whom we haue a continuall VVarrefare all our life time 721. b 40.50.60 VVhat Christian Princes haue to consider why they go on VVarrefare 721. a 40. Reade notable doctrine vpon the case of VVarfare 722. all 723. all 724. all 720.721 The estate of the Church is a VVarrefare what we haue to gather therof 722. a 30 VVarriour Gad the sonne of Iacob prophesied to be a fortunate VVarriour 1222. a all VVarant In what thing the greatest VVarrant that wee haue of our Lorde Iesus Christes presence among vs. 497. b 60.498 a 10 Of the VVarrant of our election and what it is 1064. a 60. b 10 VVhen and at what time we had a full VVarrant of our saluation 599. b 50 60. and 600. a 10. Looke Adoption VVarning That wee ought to take VVarning of Gods vengeaunce and the manner howe 979. b 10 A VVarning vnto vs by the example of the Iewes 118. a 10 A VVarning to trust that God will discomfite our enemies without the power of man 71. a 50. A VVarning to all folke to obey their superiours and not to vexe them in such sort as they shall swarue from the right way 104. b 10 A Warning vnto vs not to tempt or prouoke Gods wrath 57. a 40.50.88 b 50.60 A VVarning that we attempt nothing against right and reason 86. b 30.40 A VVarning to such as haue the office of preaching Gods worde 56. b 10 A VVarning vnto vs if God make vs not feele his fauor and loue in this worlde 50. b 60. 51. a 10 That wee ought to take VVarning to liue warilie by others examples 521. a 10.20.30.40.42 a 60 Howe we must proceede against him that wil not take VVarning when he is reproued for doing amisse 700. a 10.20.30.40.50 The Papistes replication when they haue VVarning giuen them of their superstitions 521. b 30.40 Looke examples Warnings That other mens harmes are our Warnings the same is opened by examples 706. b 10.327 b 40 Howe our VVarnings by our worde of mouth shoulde bee spiced 331. a 20. Wash To what ende the Lawe prouided that men should VVash themselues with water for any bodily defilemeÌ„t 812. b all Washing Of Pilates VVashing oâ— his hands and whether he were thereby cleared of the death of Christ. 741. a 50.60 Washinges What we haue to learne by the ceremonie of Washings mentioned in y e lawe 813. a 50.60 b 50.60.299 a 50 499. b 10 The Washings of the Turkes and Sarasens and whence they haue them 553. a 30. Looke Sacrifices Wash Howe Priuate persons must put this lesson of making anie Wast in vre 735. a 20. c. Touching the Wast spoile speciallie in warre and otherwise and howe we shoulde bethinke our selues in that case 734. a 20.30.40 c. Why to make Wast of couÌ„tries lands is thought lawfull nowadaies 734. b 10 Watch. An exhortation to vs to Watch and great reasons shewed why 470. a 30.40.50.60 b 10. c. Water Water was set readie at the doore of the Temple to cleanse him that shoulde eate of the flesh of the sacrifices 512. b 10 Whether Water in baptisme be of the force to worke any thing necessarie to saluation 1244. b 50.60.441 a 10.20.741 b 30.598 b 10.812 b 10.20 Water out of the rocke neuer failed the Iewes in the wildernesse 1020. b 60.409 a 10 The cause why it is said that the Israelites during the time of their being in Aegypt had euery man as it were a garden and were faine to haue Water to moisten them withall 466. b 40.50.60 The Israelites paied readie moneie to the Moabites and Ammonites euen for their Water that they drank 69. a 40.50 Looke Baptisme and Sacramentes Way Of diuerse thinges that turne vs out of the right Way and remedies there-against 473. a all b 10.20 But one onelie Waâ—e from the which it is not lawfull for vs in anie wise to steppe aside 471. a 30.403 a 50 To what ende God calleth his lawe a Waie 263. a 10.20 Whether it be possible for vs to walke throughout in the Waie of the Lord 263. a 60 The meaning of these wordes Thâ— Waie which Iesus Christ made is freshe 26. a â—0 Against such as turne the children of God out of the Waie the diuerse meaneâ— which they vse in that behalfe 888. b 50.60 What wee haue to pray for at Gods hande seeing we bee so frowâ—rd as to turne aside from the right Waie 519. a 40 Of a Waie which is verie harde and verie plaine and easie which waie the Lorde sheweth vs Looke in what respects 492. a 60. b 10 Wayes Of the Waies of God and that this word Waie is taken for al manner of doings 1108. a 30.40.50 Of two things which ought to teach vs to feare God and to walke in his Waies 458. a 30.40.357 b 50.60 How God hath shewed vs al his Waies 358. a 10.20 The meaning of Ezechiell by these wordes Thou shalt remember thine owne Waies and bee ashamed of them 634. b 10 Wayfarers That in this worlde we â—ee as Wayfarers and howe their case standeth 617. a 50.60.604 b 10.490 a 10. What we haue to learne by the Iewes eating of their passeouer like Wayfarers 604. b 30.40.605 a 10.599 b all VVaifaring We must vse this worlde as a Waifaring or straunâ—e countrie 411. b. 50.60.909 b 10 VVedlocke Of the nature of Wedlocke and the ende of the same 836. b 30.40.50.838 b all 225. a 40.50.839 a all 978. a 10.20.750 all Read the 128. Sermon 228 a 10.791 a 50. Looke Mariage VVeake What a man must doe when hee seeth
off but the matter resteth onely in receiuing it when it is set before our eyes But as touching the cause and how God gouerneth vs by his holy Spirite that was treated of yesterday shewâ—ng that the same is done by his word notwithstanding that it is vttered vnto vs by the mouthes of men Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to make vs feele them more and more yea and to mislike them and that wee may bee to reformed to his obedience as we may couet nothing but to dedicate our selues wholy to his seruice vntill that being quite dispatched from our olde Adam wee bee fully reformed by his righteousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie GOD heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxiij of Aprill 1556 The CLXXIII Sermon which is the first vpon the one thirtith Chapter THen Moses went and spake these wordes vnto all Israel 2 Saying vnto them This day am I sixe score yeres olde and I can no longer goe in and out And the Lorde also hath sayde vnto mee Thou shalt not passe ouer this Iordan 3 The Lorde thy God will passe ouer before thee It is hee that shall destroy this people before thy face and thou shalt possesse them Iosuah is hee that shall goe ouer before thy face euen as the Lorde hath spoken 4 And the Lorde will doe vnto them as hee did to Sehon and to Og the kinges of the Amorrhytes and to their countries the which hee hath destroyed 5 And the Lorde will deliuer them before thee to the intent you may doe vnto them according to all the commaundement which I haue commaunded you 6 Be of good comfort and take courage feare not neither be dismayed before their face for the Lorde thy God goeth with thee hee will not leaue thee nor forsake thee 7 And Moses called Iosuah and sayde vnto him in the presence of all Israel bee of good comfort and take a good heart to thee for thou shalt goe in with the people into the Lande which the Lorde hath sworne to their fathers to giue them and thou shalt diuide it vnto them for their inheritaunce 8 And it is the Lorde that goeth before thee it is hee that is with thee hee will not forsake thee nor leaue thee therefore haue no feare nor dread HERE it is shewed vs howe Moses was not coÌ„tented to serue God the people vnto y e which hee was apointed all the days of his life but also did his endeuour that the remembrance of the name of God might continue among the people and also that all things might be gouerned accordingly euen after his death Also hee gaue them to vnderstande that Gods calling of him was not to the ende that the people should bee so entreated for a certaine time but that as the lawe was giuen for a witnesse that God had chosen the children of Abraham so hee would guyde them euen to the comming of the Redeemer according whereunto hee went through with his calling That is the very thing which we haue here chiefely to obserue when Moses by the commaundement of God ordayned Iosuah to bee his successour to gouerne the people And therewithall hee sheweth that hee had faithfully trauayled all his life and that it was not for any want of good will that hee gaue ouer the charge that was committed vnto him but because hee was altogether forworne with weakenesse For if Moses shoulde haue withdrawen him to bee at rest the people might haue beene in dout and also much discouraged thereby but whereas hee declareth that hee neuer ceassed vntill hee had finished his course therein hee sheweth the way and example vnto all men that none ought to turne heade but that so long as God doeth prolong their liues they ought to goe on foorth whither soeuer hee calleth them and to bee firme and constant without swaruing aside or changing Moreouer hee sheweth vs that wee must not shrinke away for any mans death because God continueth euermore in his state And although y t they by whom he meant to be serued doe perish yet must not his right be thereby diminished and that is a poynt worthie to be remembred For wee see what happened in that people notwithstanding that they had beene forewarned thereof yet fell they away after the death of Iosuah and God was driuen to afflict them by the handes of their enemies to bring them backe againe But felt they once agayne the fauour of God By and by they fell to their olde byasse againe and remembred not a whit that they were deliuered but returned to their idolatrie againe 1. Samuel 〈…〉 The booke of the Iudges is full of these thinges When God had raised vp Samuel who was the excellentest of all others yet could not they abyde him but desired a king and the State was fayne to bee changed after their appetite Wee see therefore that this people were so wretched that they continued not any longer in the seruice of God nor in the obedience of his lawe than a man of courage and stoutnesse had the gouerning of them Therefore it is sayde here that although Moses was olde and short lyued yet was it not for them to looke eyther this way or that way but to consider that the liuing God had chosen and elected them for his people and promised them to haue care of their welfare and that seeing hee had taken them into his sauegarde hee woulde neuer forsake them so they did sticke vnto him and were faithfull vnto him and turned not away And thus wee may gather a good admonition out of this place that is to saye that hauing both our eyes and our wittes fastened vppon the worde of God wee must haue a right continuance in y e faith albeit that things do change as touching the worlde In deede if wee haue good folke to leade vs wee bee so much the lesse excusable if wee profite not thereby For if God stretch out his hande vnto vs and giue vs gouernours which bee as his messengers edifying and gouerning vs faithfully it is good reason that wee shoulde strayne our selues somuch the more for wee haue one generall rule to cause the meanes that God giueth vs to bee auaylable euen by turning them to our profite It is a singular thing when hee giueth vs such men as haue the vertue of his holy spirite which also bee so endued with whatsoeuer is for our benefite as wee may vnderstande that hee offereth him selfe vnto vs in their persons It behooueth vs I say to bee so much the more moued at such times to serue God But howsoeuer it bee let vs content our selues with the doctrine and albeit that men do dye and fayle vs let vs neuerthelesse vnderstande that God is alwayes the same 〈…〉 12. 〈…〉 and that his trueth cannot change For it is sayde of men that they bee but a shadowe but the worde of GOD continueth
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