suffer our selues to be taught by him all the time of our life let vs be afraide least he execute the vengeance vppon vs which he threatned once to the people of Israell by his Prophet Esay saying that his lawe should be to them as a booke shut vp and sealed Esa. 29.11 so as if it were offered to men of skill they should say the letters are not to be seene there is a scale vpon then I cannot tell what is within it And if it were offered to ignorant and vnlearned men they shoulde answere we be not booke learned we neuer went to schoole we cannot reade Loe how God punisheth all such as walke on in their brutishnesse and wil neuer submit themselues vnto him True it is that God beareth with vs for a time and that as I said afore although we be worthy to be cut of from his house to be bereft of his truth so as he should giue vs vp into Sathans handes to bee blinded with lies and to bee poysoned by him yet notwithstanding our God hauing pitie vppon vs assayeth still to winne vs to himselfe But if we continue still in refusing the good doctrine and become neuer the better for it at the yeares ende than we were at the first day at length this threat must needes light vpon vs namely that we shall take the holy scripture into our hands and haue it preached vnto vs and yet wee shall vnderstande neuer a whitte of it though we be neuer so witty and that when as the vnlearned shall say I wote not what it meaneth it shall also bee as a letter folded vp and fast sealed euen to them that are skilfullest and sharpest witted Wherefore let vs stande in feare of such threatnings and least our light bee turned into darkenesse let vs take holde of the opportunitie which God offereth vs nowadaies that wee may fare the better by his continuall speaking to vs after that sort True it is that the thinges which are conteined here were spoken to the people of Israel and might haue profited them in their time but yet doe they also belong vnto vs at this day and they be as a common treasure whereof God will haue vs to bee partakers For as wee shall see hereafter the Lawe was not onely giuen as a rule whereby to liue well but also grounded vpon the couenaunt which God had made with Abraham and his ofspring And by vertue of that couenant wee are become heires of the heauenly kingdome Gal. 3.29 as sheweth Saint Paul To seeke our saluation wee must resort to the promise that was made to our father Abraham and to bee of the householde of Gods Church and members of our Lorde Iesus Christ we must be of Abraham spirituall linage Hereby then wee see that this doctrine not onely serued till the comming of the sonne of God but also serueth still to our behoofe and shall doe so still to the worlds ende For it is a building that is founded vpon the euerlasting couenant from whence as from the true fountaine thereof our saluation springeth as I said afore Wherefore let vs marke that whensoeuer God shall hencefoorth speake to the Iewes the same is spoken also vnto vs and wee must receiue it in such wise as wee must vnderstande that God hath shed forth his grace through the whole worlde by the comming of his onely sonne and builded vp the heauenly Ierusalem to the ende that we shoulde all be linked together in one holy brotherhood to cal vpō him as our father all with one mouth Sith it is so then let vs vnderstand that it is good reason that wee shoulde giue ouer our selues vnto him and that he should hold vs in awe and enioy vs that like as he hath vouchsafed to giue himselfe vnto vs so we on our side shoulde bee wholly his to yeelde him the duetie which children owe to their father and that when we be negligent and slowe therein we should at least wise be moued with the exhortations that are conteined in this booke◠and that seeing God calleth vpon vs so-earnestly we shold not stop our eares against him but euerie man awake and one of vs rebuke another Yea and that if we were wise we should nottarie till God quickened vs vp so sharpely but rather preuent him howbeit that we ought to be moued to bee ashamed of our lewdnesse and to returne againe vnto God at leastwise when hee falleth to correcting of vs by thundering out his threatnings against vs and by vpbrayding of vs with our sinnes Thus yee see what wee haue to marke in generall vpon this booke Nowe let vs come to the text that I haue rehearsed afore These are the wordes which Moses spake vnto the people in the wildernesse in the plaine or champion grounds beyong Iordan euen from Horeb vnto the places here before rehearsed Herein we haue to note that God intended to rebuke the people for their not keeping of the lawe which had not onely bin preached to them by mouth but also set downe in writing as if a man should make an instrument or conueyance of some bargaine betweene two parties And God himselfe vouchsafed to ingraue his Lawe at leastwise the ten commaundements in two tables to the intent they might be remembred the better For albeit that the doctrin was cleere ynough of itself god had prouided to preserue it from forgetting yet did not the people receiue it Therefore as nowe he casteth them in the teeth as if it should be saide vnto vs Behold the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ hauing bin preached with such power and maiestie is also left in writing Wee haue had the Gospel preached vnto vs nowe a long time euen the same Gospel which is set downe vnto vs in Bookes Therefore are we too vnexcusable if we cannot tell what God saith to vs there If a man shoulde speake after that maner it were a blaming of vs for our beastlinesse Againe if it shoulde be saide that where as wee were baptised in the name of the sonne of God when we were babes yet wee knowe him not that being come to mans estate we bee so brutish that after so often hearing of Gods truth yet we be still but nouices in it and that we can scarsly tell what it is or at leastwise haue neuer taken any tast of if at al such maner of opening of the gospel vnto vs how it hath bin offered vs of long time after diuers fashions were as a framing of an inditement against vs. So now likewise Moses to witnesse openly to the people that they had shewed themselues too vnthankefull towardes God saieth expressely These are the wordes that I vttered and preached vnto you from time to time not for a day or two but euer since the publishing of the Lawe in the mountaine of Horeb. And because you shewed your selues so ill disposed I haue not ceassed to put you still in remembraunce of the things that you
hereafter Neither was that doone bicause GOD coulde not haue spoken otherwise but bicause it was best for our commoditie and instruction For we know that although men couet to seeme suttle and sharpe-witted yet they cease not to shroud themselues vnder the couert of ignorance when they see that Gods lawe presseth them for then wee woulde faine haue some excuse to exempt vs from the subiection thereof Now if Gods Lawe were not meete to teach the rude vnlearned Psal. 19.8 many would alledge that they be no clarkes and that they neuer went to schoole and so they woulde beare themselues in hande that Gods Lawe bounde them not But in asmuch as we see that God hath stooped to our rudenesse and spoken grosly according to our vnderstanding it bereaueth vs of all excuse and cutteth off all occasion of quarelling so as euery of vs must be faâ—â—e to submit our selues and to acknowledge that there is none other impediment but that wee be stubborne against God and loth to beare his yoke Thus ye see that Gods comprehending of all vnder one particular was to traine vs on as little children which are not of full capacitie to bee taught throughly and perfectly Neuerthelesse that is the true and natural sense of the text as we shall see hereafter For like as God gaue the tenne Sentences as hee termeth them so added he an exposition of them to the ende that nothing shoulde bee darke nor men call the thinges in question and disputation which they had hearde Wee see then that God hath opened himselfe more fullie and shewed howe his will is that not onely fathers and mothers but also all superiours without exception shoulde be obeyed Besides this let vs marke that God speaketh here of the honouring of fathers and mothers of purpose to drawe vs by meanes most conuenient and agreeable to our nature Wee knowe there is such pride in men as they bee loth to sloope one to another and euerie man thinkes hee ought to bee a master And surely it is harde for men to yeelde and come downe so lowe as simply to obey those that are in any authoritie ouer them vntill GOD haue reclaymed them GOD therefore perceiuing subiection to bee a thing so sore against our nature hath set vs downe the termes of Father and Mother to drawe vs to it by a more louing manner Nowe it is an owgly and vnnaturall thing that the childe shoulde not know those by whom he came into the world and by whom he was nourished and brought vp Therefore if the childe disdaine his father or his mother he is a monster euerie man wil abhorre him And why For without Gods speaking without hauing any holye scripture without much preaching vnto vs nature it selfe sheweth vs that the duetie which the childe oweth to his father and mother is such a one as cannot bee broken off Wee see then that the intent of our God is to winne vs to himselfe by setting downe the termes of father and mother to the end we should not be stubborn but come meekly to receiue the subiection that he layeth vpon vs. 〈◊〉 13.1 And because all the authoritie which men haue proceedeth from him he speaketh according to the Lawe of ciuill order meaning tâ—â—t we shoulde be diligent in doing him his due honour and euery of vs on his owne behalfe obey those that haue superioritie ouer vs Ep 6.1 â— Col. â—0 22 1. Pet. 2.18 and euerie man haue an eye to his owne state and calling so as the children honour their fathers and mothers the people the Magistrates and seruants likewise their masters and to be short that there be a good harmonie of concorde among vs according to the order that our Lorde hath set which ought to be inuiolable Furthermore whereas here is mention made of honour it is not ment that children shoulde but onely speake fayre to their father and mother or put off their Cappes or bow their knees to them for God staieth not vpon such things but Honouring importeth much more that is to wit that the children should follow their fathers and mothers counsell that they shoulde suffer themselues to bee ruled by them that they shoulde straine themselues to doe their duetie to them and to bee short that they shoulde knowe that they be not at their owne libertie so long as they haue father and mother That is in effect the thing that God ment by the worde Honour And that it is so we cannot haue a better or faithfuller interpreter of this law than the holy Ghost which spake by the mouth of Moses and of all the Prophets and also of S. Paul For we shall see hereafter Deut. 21.18.20 that God expoundeth the effect of this sentence that is to witte that it is not ynough for children to shewe some reuerence with the heade or with the knee to their parentes but that they must bee subiect to them and imploy themselues in their seruice to the vttermost of their power Eph 6.1 Col. 3.20 And Saint Paules auoching thereof is not to exhort vs to obserue some ceremonie but his meaning is that children shoulde bee subiecte to their Fathers and mothers He setteth downe expresly the worde Subiection So then we see now what this importeth and what the natural meaning of this place is Nowe let vs returne to the thing that I touched briefely before that wee may profite by it by gathering some profitable lesson of it First and formost let children vnderstande that seeing GOD hath giuen them fathers and mothers it is good reason that they shoulde obey them or else they shewe themselues to bee despisers of God and the stubbornenesse which they vse to their superiors concerneth not men nor mortall creatures but is all one as if Gods maiestie and glorie were troden vnder foote Matt. 23.9 It is saide that to speake properly wee haue but one father which is in heauen and that is ment not onely in respect of our soules but also in respect of our bodies Nowe then this honor of bearing the name of Father belongeth peculiarly to GOD alone and cannot agree to men furtherforth than it pleaseth him to make them partakers thereof Seing then that the title of father is as a marke which God hath set vpon men wee see that when children make no account of their fathers and mothers they doe wrong vnto God As much is to bee saide of all â—ch as disobey their princes magistrates â—â—d likewise of seruants that would haue all degrees confounded and raigne without order And for the same cause also did the Heathen meÌ„ apply this worde Godlinesse to that honour that wee giue to fathers and mothers and to all such as are in authoritie ouer vs. Godlinesse to speak properly is the reuerence that wee owe vnto God and yet the heathen notwithstanding that they were blinde wretches knew that God will bee serued not onely in his owne maiestie but also by our obeying
GOD to Change meÌ„ns hearts and how 1052. a 50.1053 a 10 b 50 Changed How it is meant that God is as it were Changed when wee humble our selues seeing the Scripture sayeth hee neuer altereth his purpose 394. b 50 60. and 395. a 10. c. That it is needful for men to be Changed and how 1058. all Changes The life of man full of Changes yea euen in his best estate 1230. a 50.60 b 10 From whence the Changes that we see commonlie in the world do come Read that place 367. b 20.30.40 Chappel That in Poperie euerie man will haue a Chappel by himselfe c. 920 a 40 Chappels Against the reseruing of Chappels in castels or great houses 311. b 40.50 Charge The common Charge of all men and women touching the worde of God to be continued and knowen 1174. a all b 10 The Charge of such as take vpon them to gouerne people 1179. a 10. Looke Duetie Office Charitable The meanes and wayes to be Charitable and kindhearted 581. a 20.30 Looke Mercifull and Pitifull Charitie Effectuall reasons to mooue vs vnto Charitie to the poore 610. a 20.30.40.50.60 b 10 20 Of Charitie howe the same is to bee shewed to the poore and the true bonde thereof 856. a 10.20.30.40 That our Lorde in his lawe requireth all things which concerne Charitie 934. b 20 God ordeined the sabboth day for Charitie sake Read how 208. a 60. and b 10 Why Charitie is treated of in the first table seeing it belongeth properly to the second 208. b 50 Why Paul bringeth vs backe to Charitie when he setteth foorth the commandement of obeying the magistrate 214. b 20 At what thing Charitie doeth take her beginning 214. b 10 A notable way that God vseth to trie our Charitie 585. a 10 Gods trying of the Charitie of the rich by what meanes and to what intent 511. a 20 Why God forbad murther before hee come to command Charitie 223. a 30.40 With what rule the exercising of our Charitie should accord 580. b 20 Looke Compassion Mercie Pitie Chastise Why God sometimes doeth Chastise vs sharply 280. b 50.60 God neuer lifteth vp his hand to Chastise vs but vppon good deliberation Read how 394 a 50.60 Why God is faine to scourge Chastise and tame vs with beating 306. b 60 and that hee doeth it of necessitie ibidem 20 God doth Chastise and tame vs when soeuer he doth any thing that misliketh vs Read to what end 198. b 60 Looke Afflict Chastisement How the wicked behaue themselues so soone as they feele but one yirke of Gods Chastisement 143. b 10.20 Looke Affliction Correction Chastisements All the Chastisements of God are curses yea euen vpon the faithful 947 a 60. b 10 The cause why God continueth prolongeth his Chastisements vpon vs and withdraweth them not when he hath once punished vs. 1162. a all The Chastisements of God on y e faithfull by the example of Isachar 1218 a 60. b 10.20.30 Of diuerse chastisements which God sendeth vpon some but not as punishments for their sinnes as for example 976. b 50.60 Of bodilie Chastisements also of the Chastisements of the minde how dreadfull the same be 972. a all b 10. 20.50.60 The scripture likeneth all the Chastisements which God sendeth vpon meÌ„ vnto drinkes how 1153. a 20.30 The end of Gods Chastisements layed vpon vs. 42. b 60. 43. a 10 Gods Chastisementes tend to bring vs to repentance humilitie 50. b 50 The Chastisements of God on the good and euil haue contrarie effects 156. a 20.30 The fruite of the Chastisements which God doth send vs. 1050. b 10.20 God reserueth Chastisements till their due time and knoweth why he delayeth them 1155. b 40.50.60 The qualitie of Gods Chastisements laid vpon vs where to they serue 1141. b 50.60.1142 a 10 Whereto the minding of the Chastisements which we haue perceiued to haue beene done by Gods hande should serue vs. 462. b 10 Wee must not goe about to burie the Chastisements that God shall haue sent vpn vs Looke on that place 424. b 20.30 The diuerse and sundrie Chastisements that God vsed to the Iewes for their diuerse sinnes 458. b 10 The remembrance of Gods Chastisementes verie necessarie 59. b 30.40.50 What things God doeth teach men by his Chastisements laide vpon them 60. a 40 Of the Chastisements that God layeth on others and that they ought to be documentes vnto vs. 116. a 40.50 The fruite of Gods Chastisements laid on vs. 67. a 30 The peruersnes of some against God when he goeth about to subdue theÌ„ by Chastisements 61. a 50 All the Chastisements of God that wee see in the worlde ought to serue for our learning 116. b 60. 117. a 10 It behoued the Iewes to be vnder Gods Chastisements a long time why 60 Wee must profit as well by Chastisements as by teaching Read how 110 a 40 The causes why God subdued the Israelites by so manie Chastisements 109. b 50 What we must do if God layeth Chastisements on vs in respect of the flesh 53. a 30 The drift of God in laying temporall Chastisements on his faithfull ones 50. a 60. Looke Afflictions Corrections Visitation Chaste Men be not able to be Chaste what is then to be done 227. b 30.40 Chastitie What Chastitie it is that God requireth at our hands 392. a 50 Of vowing perpetual Chastitie which the Papists presume to doe and what true chastitie is 829. a 10.20 It is not lawfull for a stranger to slander one in respect of Chastitie which is found innocent 785. b 20 30 Lawes concerning Chastitie and what caâ—e God hath that the same should be maintained among his people 785. so forward in the whole sermon An admonition for women if they will haue the good report of Chastitie 787. a 30. c. Of Chastitie in marriage with an exhortation to the same 977. b 40. Of true Chastitie defined by Paul 225 b 20.30 Maides ought to make as great accouÌ„t of their Chastitie as of their life and why 792. b 10.20 How pretious a thing the Chastitie faith plighted in marriage is to God 791. b 60.792 a 10. Looke Honestie Cherubims How the Cherubims be described in the scripture what wee are taught by that description of theirs 1108. a 10 The Cherubims painted vpon y e vaile of the temple and these two likewise that couered the arke inferred of y c Papists to proue images lawful and what is truelie and simplie meant thereby 138. a 20.30 40 Why the Cherubims are described to haue wings to couer their faces 1121. b 10.20 Childe Read the doctrine vpoÌ„ these worde If thy Child aske hereafter what these coÌ„mandements meane c. 297. a all Why a Child ought to honour his father whatsoeuer father he be 214. b 60. 215. a 10 What kind of dutie that is which the Child oweth to his parents 213. a 50. A Child disdaining his father and mother is a
thinke they feare God well wheÌ„ they haue some fond deuotion towardes him as wee see in Poperie where euerie man sayes that his intent is to serue God but after what fashion Euen euerie man after his owne fansie But y e obedience which God requireth at our hands in yeelding our selues wholly to his worde and the reuerence which wee owe him as to our Father and King are things vnseparable Wherefore let vs marke well that if we be minded and desirous to come together as wee ought to doe Gods worde must haue all authoritie ouer vs so as our receiuing thereof bee not onely to confes it with our mouth but also to frame our liues wholly thereafter For if wee will needes liue after our owne swindge and euerie of vs doe what seemeth good to himselfe God holdeth scorne of vs and disclaimeth vs though wee protest to feare him and serue him neuer so much For it is no reason but that he should be heard specially seeing he taketh paine to teach vs. That therfore is the first point Againe let vs vnderstand that our keeping of Gods Lawe Psal. â—6 â— and our walking according to his will doe not aduauntage him at all for what can he receiue at our hands But it is to the end that the world may know that we feare him that is to say that wee take him for our maister that we would faine be wholly his and that he should gouerne vs. That is the effect of the matter that Moses sheweth here Howbeit forasmuch as Churches are oftentimes defiled with hypocrits and wicked folke which crowde in couertly who notwithstanding are worthie to bee euen thrust out of the world Psa. 5â— â— Let vs marke what is saide in the fiftieth Psalme where God declareth that he separateth his true seruantes from such as falsely abuse his name so as his voyce thundereth to summon those that feare him aright and haue not couenanted with him vnfeynedly nor serue him onely with Ceremonies but also in very deede them will he assemble together And on the contrarie part hee vpbraydeth those that take his name in their mouth and yet notwithstanding doe take part with robbers murderers theeues and traytours Therefore when men will needes match GOD and the diuel together after that fashion as it appeareth that most men doe God complaineth of it and protesteth that it shall not scape vnpunished Now if he shewe such a separation aforehand Let vs bee well assured Matt. 25.33 that when the day commeth wherein the Goates shal be put asunder from the Lambes the shame of such as haue preaced after that sorte into Gods Church shall then bee discouered and they shal be abhorred of all creatures as they deserue But in the meane while let vs see that wee separate our selues from them as neere as we can and when we see such vncleannesse at leastwise let vs beware that wee mislike them and let vs pray God to rid and cleanse his Church of such infections Howsoeuer the case stand let vs be mindeful of the thing that Moses speaketh in this text whensoeuer we intende to meete together in the name of God Afterward hee addeth that when wee our selues haue walked in the feare of God euery of vs must teach his children to do the lyke Wherein we see that it is not enough for euery man to discharge his duty in liuing orderly himselfe but that we must to y e vttermost of our power procure the coÌ„tinuance of Gods honor and seruice after our deceases And in good fayth is it reason that Gods name should be buryed with our death We know how flightfull our lyfe is but Gods glory must indure for euer without decaying Esa. 40.6 1. Pet. 1.24 Iude. 25. Therfore let vs learn our owne duetie that is to walke righteously all y e time of our lyfe and to indeuer to traine vp our children aright so as religion may florish and prosper when wee be dead and God be alwayes honored in the world that his name may be called vppon purely And that is the very cause also why God commaundeth fathers so straightly to teach their children For the coulde well send his creatures into the worlde though no man had any speciall care of them but hee chargeth fathers to bring vp their children And why To the ende they should knowe that they must yeelde an account of them And for the same cause also doth he communicate his name vnto them Mal. 2.10 For the title of father belongeth to himselfe alone but yet hee honoreth men so much as to grant them the name of fathers And to what ende Matt. 23.9 That they should be the earnester and carefuller in teaching their children their dueties So then let vs doe our indeuour that there may remaine a good afterspring after our decease so as Gods Church may florishe still and his name be worshipped from age to age And wee ought to labour so much the more in that behalfe because wee see how the diuil practiseth to ouerthrow all that euer is builded in the name of God So farre of is it that the fruite which ought to come of the Gospel doth ripen that men doe labor to plucke it vp or else to marre it and to turne it out of the owne kinde Sith wee see this ought we not to bee the more prouoked to doe the duetie that is commaunded vs here Without going any further what is to be seene heere among vs The Gospell hath bin preached to vs now a long time and yet for al that what maner of ones are they which haue bin borne of all this time to whome God hath grauÌ„ted the grace to be suckled with Gods word euen from the teate and to bee brought vp in it lykewise so as they being then but little babes did neuer see any of the diuelish abhominations of poperie and therefore ought to bee euen throughly soked in the doctrine of saluation what maner of ones are they doth it not appeare that most part of them are so frowarde as if they were the brood of Serpents The world may see that they despise God openly and commit such wickednesse and lewdenesse that there is much more honestie and more shewe of Religion among the Papistes than there is among these Seeing then that thinges are so farre out of order and the diuill indeuoreth to put all to hauocke ought we not to be the more inflamed to doe our indeuer that there may remaine at leastwise some little seede after our decease so as the remembraunce of the Gospell be not vtterly abolished nor the thing that hath bin set vp so happily in the name of GOD and by his wonderfull power be decayed and pulled downe againe by the enemies Now then seeing that God hath graunted vs the grace and priuiledge to bee called to the hearing of his worde and to haue it set forth in the pure simplicitie among vs let vs vnderstand that we be the more
keepe that order so as the partie which hath any preheminence and dignitie may bee acknowledged for such a one as is to bee honoured And in this case we must not alledge why is he more estemed than I For that commeth not of any worthines that is in one more than in another but of Gods will who wiâ—l haue them so honoured to whom hee hath giuen any preheminence And it is not ynough for y e children to honor their parents by yeelding them some reuerence but they must also succour them and spende themselues to the vttermost for them Matt. 15.4.5.6 accordingly as our Lorde Iesus Christ sheweth howe it is but hypocrisie when children doe but make some countenance of honoring their fathers and mothers and in the meane while let them alone in their necessitie without regarde of discharging their duetie towardes them at their neede It is a defrauding of the parentes of that which is due to them and a scorning of Gods Lawe when men obserue it so by way of Ceremonie In like case is it with all manner of subiection For it is not ment that men shoulde but onely yeelde some signe of honour Rom. 〈…〉 Eph. 6. 〈…〉 Col. 〈…〉 but that they should yeeld the partie his full right which hath any preheminence yea and that the same shoulde bee done willingly True it is as I haue declared heretofore that men would faine be exempted from all bondage Howebeit forasmuch as God hath set a contrarie order wee must submit our selues to it with a good wil and not by force For to what purpose is it to obey God spite of our teeth when our heart goeth cleane against TheÌ„ must our will goe with it and whatsoeuer our Lord commaundeth vs wee must thinke it good and amiable Thus the entrance into good conuersation among men is to consider that our fathers and mothers and all our superiors are aduanced to that preheminence aboue others to the intent they shoulde be honored Rom. 〈…〉 Otherwise God is misused in their persons and it is all one as if we refused to honour him and to be subiect to him Nowe after that Moses hath set downe this fift commaundement he addeth That wee must not be murtherers In deede it may seeme at the first blush that God ledde not his people to great perfection in forbidding them to commit murther But wee must marke that God intended to comprise as it were in a short abridgment all that is requisite for the well ruling of this our life and therefore it was not for him to forget any thing or to leaue any thing behinde Nowe wee must vnderstande that the Psal. 〈…〉 way for men to rule their liues well orderly is to abstaine from al euil doing iniury violence and therwithall to liue chastly and honestly with out hurting or hindering of any man and on the other side to keepe their tongues from harming any man by any manner of falshood and lying All these good properties must be in vs if wee wil frame our selues to Gods will and righteousnesse So then it is not to bee marueiled at that God shoulde speake here of murthers For it is done to holde vs in awe that we shoulde not goe about to doe any outrage or harme to our neighbours But yet for all this we must come backe againe to that which I haue touched alreadie that is to wit that God speaketh after a rude and grosse fashion to apply himselfe both to great and small and euen to the very ydiots For wee see howe euery man excuseth himselfe by ignorance and if a thing bee somewhat darke and hard we thinke we haue wherewith to wash our handes of the matter When wee haue done amisse wee thinke all is safe if wee can say Oh it was too high and too profounde for mee I vnderstoode neuer a whit of it To the end therfore that men should haue no such startingholes Gods will was to speake after such a fashion as euen little babes might vnderstande what hee saide That is the cause why he saith in short wordes Thou shalt not bee a murtherer Let vs marke moreouer that God to the intent to leade vs by little and little to liue well setteth vs downe the thinges that are most hatefull that we might learn to keepe our selues from euill doing As for example hee coulde haue saide yee shall doe no wrong nor violence to your neighbours hee could well haue saide so but he listed to set downe the word Murther And why Because it is a thing against nature when men goe about to wipe out Gods image after y t fashion Needes then must we abhorre murther if we be not starke beastes Howe be it this teacheth vs that there is not a more heinous thing nor a thing that wee ought to abhorre more than murther GOD therefore to tye vs the shorter and to withhold vs from all anoying and from all wrong dealing telleth vs that wee muste not defile our handes with the bloude of our neighbours Well then If a man abstaine from murther is that all No not by a great deale as shall bee shewed anon and as the matter afordeth alreadie at the first enterance into it For Gods intent is to holde both our heartes and our thoughtes in subiection and he will be serued so purely at our hands as we nourish not any ill will towards our neighbours Why then speaketh he of murther It is all one as if hee should say although ye had no lawe written but were as heathen men yet ought yee to haue this printed in your heartes that murther is a shamefull and owgly thing Nowe I tell you that as many as doe any outrage to their neighbours as manie as deuise any mischiefe against them and as many as nourish any hatred and rancour in their heartes Iob. 3.15 I account and condemne them all for murtherers Thus yee see the cause why GOD vseth that terme And nowe let vs marke well that it is not for nought that God forbiddeth murther Why so For wee can haue no fellowshippe with men vnlesse we abstaine from al wrong and violence And vnder one particular kind God forbiddeth all Why so for had hee vsed long speech a man might haue saide I cannot well beare my lesson in minde and it is too hard for me Therfore hath God spoken here in one worde to the intent that his doctrine might be soone learned and his lawe bee easily borne in rememberance There needes no great turning ouer of leaues wee need not to haue many great volumes and registers God hath comprehended the rule of good life in tenne wordes and that is ynough for vs. Who is hee nowe that can alledge I haue forgotten such an article I haue not borne it away Howe so Are wee not able to remember so much as halfe a score wordes Nowe then wee see it was Gods will to holde men conuicted of shamelesnesse if they vnderstande not what they ought
then should I looke for the blessing that God hath promised Wee must not thinke to binde him when wee fall to spiting of him so wilfully nor to haue his blessing light vpon vs when we fall to straying out of the right way shaking off his yoke bridle froÌ„ our necke but we must coÌ„trarywise looke y t he should curse vs that his wrath shold light vpoÌ„ vs not only vpoÌ„ our selues but also vpon our childreÌ„ And so we see what instructioÌ„ we ought to gather vpoÌ„ this place Namely y t euery of vs ought to look to himself y t if we purpose to haue God to keepe vs through his fauor goodnesse our howses must not be defiled with robberie deceit neither must our hands be imbrued with stealing filching but to be short we must be cleane from all spottes Yea we must beware that we keepe y e order which our Lord hath commaunded vs Matt. 6.33 which is y t he which is desirous to bee blessed in his owne person in his houshold must looke wel to it y t god be serued honored in his house that there be no filthinesse lurking any where y t there be no whordom no swearing nor no other disorder y t there be not any thing against God nor any euil bolstered or borne out If we doe so then shall wee prosper better than wee doe and although things fal not out as we would wishe to the worldward yet will God graunt vs the grace to bee contented with his only blessing which wil satisfy vs more than if we had all y e heapes of golde siluer that were possible to be imagined But on y e contrary part if a man haue not a care to keepe his house pure and cleane as a teÌ„ple of God y e thing y t Moses speaketh here must needs be performed y t is to wit Gods curse must come into it accordingly as it is sayd in y e prophet Zacharie Zach. 5.3.4 that this same curse possessed al y e houses of that time because iniquitie reigned in theÌ„ and departed not from them Will wee then haue God to shed out his blessing vppon vs Let vs be sure that we clense both our selues our houses from all filthinesse and then will the curse depart from thence out of hand But if wee cease not to prouoke Gods wrath by abusing his patience too long hee will kindle a fire that shall neuer be quenched and if wee fall still asleepe hee will wake vs to our cost and when we think our selues to be escaped then shall wee be new to begin And therefore let vs be circumspect to preuent the mischiefe specially sith wee be warned yea warned by our God himself Wherein hee sheweth vs what a care he hath both of our worldly welfare and of our saluation Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God w t acknowledgement of our faults praying him to voutsafe to make vs feele theÌ„ better than wee haue done so as it may make vs to resort vnto him to be sorie for our sinnes and to condemne them that we be not so froward as to spite him to harden our selues but that we may haue a meeke plyable heart to receiue al his warninges correctioÌ„s in such wise as we may haue the skill to fare y e better by them And so let vs say Almighty God heauenly father c. On Thursday the fifteenth of August 1555. The Lviij Sermon which is the first vppon the eight Chapter Keepe al the commaundementes which I haue commaunded you this day to do them that yee may liue and encrease and go in and possesse the land by right of inheritance which the Lord swore to your fathers 2 And be mindfull of al the way wherethrough the Lord thy GOD hath made thee to walk these fortie yeares in the wildernesse to the intent to afflict and try thee that hee might knowe what is in thine hart and see whether thou wouldest keepe his commaundements or no. 3 Hee afflicted thee and made thee to endure hunger and fedde thee with Manna which neither thou nor thy fathers knew to make thee to know that man lyueth not onely by bread but that man lyueth by all that euer commeth out of the mouth of the Lord. 4 Thy rayment hath not worne vpon thee neyther hath thy foote beene swolne all these fortie yeares HEre againe Moses sheweth y e people y t God gaue not his law in vain but that his will is to haue it kept and that is the way for vs also to fare y e better by it True it is that whensoeuer any man speaketh to vs in Gods name we must haue our eares open to heare what is tolde vs for by that meane doth faith come Rom. 10.17 But yet must we bring our handes and feete with vs also to offer them obediently vnto God Rom. 12.1 to imploy all the power that hee hath giuen vs in his seruice Therefore let vs not come hither onely to haue our eares beaten with the thinges that are preached vnto vs but let vs also apply them to our vse Instruction must be matched with practise or else we shall neuer knowe what hath bin shewed vs and taught vs. And so we see what we haue to beare in minde Moreouer let vs marke that Moses thinketh it not enough to haue sayd these things at once and away but he repeteth them againe for a larger confirmation Looke sayth he that thou keepe the commaundements which I inioyne thee not to the end thou maist knowe them at thy singers endes or bee able to vtter them with thy mouth that is not enough But thou must put thâ—â— in execution And to confirme this matter the better hee addeth a promise saying That thou mayst liue and increase and go into the land which the Lord thy God did sweare vnto thy Father This hath beene expounded alreadie heretofore and there remaineth no more to doe but onely to renewe the remembrance thereof according also as we see that y t was intent of Moses or rather of y e holy Ghost Now theÌ„ our Lord altâ—reth vs to him by promises of purpose to giue vs y e better corage to serue him he doth it of his own free goodnesse without being bound thereto For he needed no more but to say the word he hath authoritie to commaund vs what hee listeth and it is our part to obey him Why then doth he ad his promises but to win vs by louingnesse lyke a father who though he haue al soueraigntie ouer his childe doeth neuerthelesse vse gentlenes in promising to y e inteÌ„t his child shold serue him with the cherefuller heart True it is that the child is bound therto aforehand by nature but yet when hee seeth his father so vpright towardes him as to offer him more than his duetie it moueth him the more if he be not
his bloudshed but also which shall then come to perfection when wee be vnited to him in the kingdome of heauen Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God and father praying him to rid vs dayly more and more of our flesh and of all the corruptions thereof and to make vs so to feele our sinnes as wee may at leastwise bee sory that we haue offended him and desire to be ridde of them continually more and more proceeding still forewarde in the doctrine of repentance vntill we be fully brought home vnto him and that he will vouchsafe so to beare with vs as in the meane while we may by his holy spirit be drawen vnto him euen vntill we be come altogether home vnto him That it may please him to graunt this grace not only vnto vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the last of December 1555. The Cxxiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the one and twentith Chapter 18 If a man haue a sonne that is stubborne disobedient so as he will not harken to the voice of his father nor to the voyce of his mother and they haue chastised him and he will not obey them 19 Then shall his father and mother take him and bring him to the Elders of their Citie and vnto the gate of their place 20 And shall say to the Elders of their Citie This sonne of ours is stubborne and disobedient and will not harken to our voyce he is a ryottour and a drunkard 21 And all the men of that Citie shall stone him with stones vnto death And so shalt thou rid away the euill from thee that all Israell may be afrayde when they heare thereof HEere first of all is shewed what their charge duetie is which haue children and secondely that when children growe past amendment by their fathers mothers they must be rooted out bycause their doing is against nature and it is such an infection as prouoketh Gods wrath vpon the whole Countrey Nowe as touching the first point it is sayde that if a man haue a frowarde and stubborne sonne and that he haue done his indeuour to reforme him Here God presupposeth that the father and mother doe performe their duetie for their children are giuen them with condition that they must yeelde account of them If a man haue layde the brydle vppon his childes necke and let him playe the loose colte he is worthy to haue his eyes pickt out by him and all the euill that the childe doeth is to be imputed to his father because he was negligent in correcting him Therefore wee see heere as I sayde afore that Moses doeth here warne fathers and mothers to bee diligent in nurturing their children And if chastisement will not preuaile their children are to be taken for vtterly vnrecouerable Wherefore that wee may benefite ourselues by this text let vs marke well that he to whome GOD giueth children must haue a speciall care to bring them vppe well for that is a singular treasure which ought to be preferred before al the goods in the worlde Then if a man be slothfull and suffer his children to runne at randone is it not an vnthankefulnesse that offendeth GOD greeuously seeing hee despiseth the benefite and honour which hee had vouchsafed vppon him Must it not needes be that men are starke blinde when they make more account of some other thing in their house than of their owne children Some haue more care of their kine Oxen or Horses than of their children Euery man makes account of his wares of his Lands and of his Medowes and in the meane while they let the chiefe thing alone Worthy be they to bee sent to schoole to a certaine Heathen man who beeing in a house where all thinges were as finely furnished and dressed as could be deuised finding the good mās sonne to bee aranke slouin and euilnurtured did spit in his face saying I must needes spitte vppon this filth that is left heere As for those which are so diligent and watchfull about their marchandise their reuenewes their possessions yea and their Cattell insomuch as they take more care for their dogges and horses than for their children accordingly as wee see howe greate Lordes sette more store by their haukes and houndes than by their children Doe not such blinde wretches bewraye their beastlinesse that men may abhorre them as folke too too farre voide of all witte and reason Yet notwithstanding our Lorde telleth vs heere that if men or women haue children they must looke to the bringing vppe of them True it is that chiefly it is the fathers duetie but yet must not the mother also be barred of her right If a childe be so lustie as to say my mother is a woman he must goe and finde fault with GOD. For wee see heere howe the authoritie is giuen as well to the one as to the other so as God will not haue the father alone to haue the gouerning of the childe but that the mother also shoulde haue part of the honour and preheminence and that y e child which will not obey his mother shall be taken for past grace be condemned to death And therefore both of them ought to do their endeuour to the vtter most of their power For seeing that GOD hath honoured the mother it is good reason that shee on her side shoulde streyne her selfe to doe her duetie And it is not ynough for fathers and mothers not to giue their children leaue to doe euill or not to traine them thereunto but they must also nurture them and instruct them in goodnesse as nature it selfe sheweth If a father say As for mee I vpholde not my sonne in this euill I mislike of it but I can not doe withall it is a very simple excuse and it is not meete to be admitted or to be taken in account For it may be sayde vnto him thou art a very blocke for seeing thou art set in that place and he will haue thee to bee the maister of thy childe thou art but a dolt in that thou makest no countenaunce when thou seest him doe amisse So then lette vs learne that heere GOD requireth a carefulnesse in fathers and mothers that they shoulde take paines to teach their children and haue an eye to their behauiour and dispositions and that if there be any fault in them they correct it and be very diligent in that behalfe Nowe if onely negligence be so condemned though fathers and mothers allowe not of their childrens faultes what will become of them when they bolster them in their euill dooinges and cloke them as much as they can and are offended when any other bodie goes about to bring them into the right way from their vnthriftinesse And yet we see that parentes doe so Truely negligence is too common a thing for fathers mothers haue no further regard of their children than to receiue some seruice at their hands In
deede they coulde well finde in their heartes that their children were taught what to doe To thinke vpon their houshould businesse and dealinges or to occupy some trade that they might put them to no cost when they came to age but rather that they might reape some profite by them For these wayes there is commonly care ynough But as for the feare of GOD honestie of conuersation and all other vertues they neuer thinke vppon them For as the prouerbe sayes there is no likelihoode that those thinges will bring gryst to the mill and therefore a father can finde in his hart to winke at y e vices of his child so long as he sees no disaduantage to insue of it But there is malice also matched with it insomuch that if a man goe about to reforme their children they will steppe vp against him and fauour their children and maintaine them euen against GOD. And our Lorde payeth them the wages which they haue deserued Wee see howe the veriest pinchpennies in a whole Citie or countrey and the veriest niggardes and vilanes which would gnawe off their fingers endes for a pennie or for a dodkinne to white their teeth withall haue whoremongers to their children who can not but picke their fathers purses for a harlotte will alwayes be crauing The child therefore becomes a robber of his father and yet the father is contented to maintaine him and will be angry that any body should chastise him for it spewing foorth his poyson like a diuell as hee is In deede this is no newe thing for it falles out so in all cases and likewise also in this behalfe Nowe when such thinges are to be seene ought we not to beholde Gods vengeance also Thou art a pinchpenny thou art so giuen to couetousnesse y t thou pinest vpon the ground thou darest not eate one bit of breade but with greefe and yet in the meane while thou hast a Sonne that filcheth and stealeth from thee to maintaine his whoredome Because thou art a despiser of God and a wicked keytife and wilt needes haue thy sonne to resemble thee and thy mainteyning of him after that fashion is a furtherance of his sinne and wickednesse Therfore doeth God recompence thee according to thy desert For thou art worthy to haue thy goods deuoured and to be mocked at of the whole worlde so as all men may beholde thy shame thou thy selfe neuer perceiue it Herein we see Gods manifest iudgement Whatsoeuer it be let vs beare in minde this lesson that if fathers and mothers be negligent they be as blameworthy before God as if they had giuen their children leaue to doe all maner of wickednesse But if they be offended at other men for correcting them for indeuoring to bring thē backe into the right way they shew thēselues to be become starke diuels and y t God hath giuen them vp to a reprobate sense Therefore let euery of vs for his owne part take warning to discharge ourselues of his duetie And let such as haue children take pains to teach them howbeit not for the reaping of any earthly profite by them Truly that may well be an accessarie to it but it ought not to be the chiefe point Wherunto then must they haue regarde Forasmuch as God hath done them the honour to set them in the degree of fathers they must do their best to yeelde vnto him their children whom he hath put into their handes to make true sacrifices of them vnto him that there may alwayes remaine some good seede to honour him withall For we see howe y e scripture telleth vs oftentimes that Gods name must florish from generation to generation And that is to the end y t hauing serued him all the time of our life we should indeuour to the vttermost of our power that there might remain a good ofspring after our decease so as Gods glory might not be quenched nor buried but y t his praise might indure for euer That say I is the marke whereat fathers mothers ought to aime insomuch that euen they y t haue no children ought to haue the same minde and desire yea and to shewe it also by their doings as much as they can possibly What ought he then to doe who is bound to it by some speciall reasō When he seeth a mirrour of Gods grace in his house Psal. 128. it is the blessing which the scripture doth so highly commende as who would say I haue my yong children about me God sheweth me as it were with his finger y t he loueth me hath a care of my house He hath created mee heere yong children of my seede after his own image and they be baptised in his name to the intent I should bee the more mooued to dedicate them to him to frame them to the obeying of him If a man haue such a teaching and such a marke to set his eyes vpon and yet is neuer the more prouoked to doe his duetie must it not needes be that he is worse than a block So then let this respect bee well marked and let men beare it in mind that it may stirre them vp to do the thing that is tolde them heere namely to bring vp their children faithfully if they haue any And moreouer when they see any euill touch or vice in them let them labour to reforme it so as the father and mother may protest that they haue done their dueties Nowe moreouer heere is expresse mention made of stubbornnesse For as concerning peculiar faultes a father and a mother ought to indeuour continually to bring their children into the right way True it is that God ment not to haue other faultes to goe vnpunished When a childe hath any way offended hauing a father or mother aliue it is not meant that hee should be exempted from punishment vnder colour that he is vnder correction of his father and mother But heere God speaketh of an other case which is that fathers and mothers should bring their children before the Iudge to haue them put to death Loe heere is a great extremitie We knowe well what a heartbreaking it is to a father to see his sonne punished by Lawe euen though it bee by some other bodyes meane Then is it not possible for a father to deliuer his sonne to death vntill he haue assayed all the remedies that can bee for otherwise it were against kinde Therefore not without cause is heere mention made of so great pride and stubbornnesse that the father hauing streyned himselfe and done what hee can to the vttermost to reclayme his childe perceiueth that it booteth him not to doe any more and therefore that he must bee faine to deliuer him into the Iudges hande to be put to death And so wee see that fathers and mothers must proceede in chastisesing their children vntill they see them vtterly past hope of amendement And I adde this because that parentes are so out of patience sometimes when
their children will not be reclaymed at the first choppe that for very spyte they let them alone and so their children fall into all excesse But they ought not to deale so Howe then Vntill they finde by experience that their childe is out of measure stubborne and sheweth himselfe to bee of so frowarde and ildisposed nature that hee can not be reclaimed the father and the mother ought to proceede still with that nurturing of him which God commaundeth heere And parentes ought to bee patient in this case for mieldenesse is a vertue right requisite in this behalfe because that if a father trust to his owne courage he shall marre his children if he finde any hardnesse in the teaching of them forasmuch as it is alwayes a painefull thing and yet GOD will haue men to occupie themselues in nurturing of their children notwithstanding the painefulnesse thereof And if they can not frame their children according to their desire but that they will needes take the brydle in their teeth truely it can not but turne to the great griefe of the parentes What say they Ought not one worde to serue to the childe Ought he not to be ashamed if there were any droppe of honestie in him After that manner might a father speake But howsoeuer the worlde go yet must not the creature be left at randon without regarde of winning him to God Wee must rather vse patience still as Saint Paul counselleth vs in speaking of corrections In deede hee telleth vs that we must vse sharpnesse and rigour to moue such as be ouermuch hardened in their naughtinesse but yet hee woulde haue it matched with meekenesse and patience Nowe then what ought fathers to doe Should they bee so far out of patience as to giue ouer the correction of their children No. And therefore let vs learne that in this text fathers for their parte are warned to haue a stay of themselues when they see their children giuen to lightnesse vnconstancie and to misbehaue themselues and that although they cannot winne them at the first nor bring them to such meekenesse as to make them take y e right way of their owne good will yet they must consider with them selues howe it is Gods will to keepe them occupied in that kynde of paines taking and to trye their patience after that manner Thus yee see one other poynt more which wee haue to marke in this text where mention is made of such vnreformable stoutnesse and stubbornesse as fathers and mothers doe finde to bee past remedie in respect of themselues and therefore are faine to resort to the Iudge Nowe let vs come to the euidence that is to be giuen by the father and the mother It is said that they shall come to the gate for that was the place of iustice in olde time So then they shall repaire to the seate of iustice and there say This sonne of ours is stubborne against vs froward wee haue assayed to reforme him cannot preuaile with him He is a riotour a drunkarde and therfore wee put him now into your handes Gods will is that vppon this euidence the chyld shall bee stoned to death And it is not without cause y ◠he giueth such authoritie to fathers and mothers For it is not likely that men wil be so cruell as to spill their own bloud that were vtterly against nature Therfore it is good reason that y e father mother should bee beleeued without further scanning or sifting of the matter seeing the case concerneth their own children For it were a shaming of the father mother to driue them to bring witnesses against their own children their dealing by ordinarie maner of inditement should be a derogation to the degree wherein God hath placed them And seeing such prerogatiue is giuen to men they ought to haue the more regard of their duetie But Gods will is that the father and the mother should be beleeued And why Because hee hath printed ingrauen such an affection naturally in their hearts towardes their children as that they had leuer to dye than to do them wrong Nowe if a man bee so wicked and beastly as to practise any thing falsly against his owne childe and to shewe himselfe voyde of the louing kindnes which our Lorde hath printed in mankind and whereof some footesteppes and sparkes are to be seene euen in the brute beastes what a thing is it that a man should so farre ouershoote himselfe And therefore parentes see here what honour God doth them in making them to be beleeued against their children which thing ought to make them to inforce themselues the more to loue them and to bring them vp with al gentlenes yea and euen in their chasticing of thē to vse the rule that Saint Paul giueth vs Eph. 6.4 which is that parents shoulde not put their children out of heart by their ouergreat rigour For dyuers tymes it falleth out that a chyld is put out of heart because he sees his father vse no mieldnesse towardes him nor any reason or loue in his doings Therefore must discretion be vsed in this case And to bee short let vs note that the more honour GOD doeth vs the more are wee bounde to doe our dueties As for example such as are aduaunced to any degree or state of honour ought to consider that GOD hath bounde them exceedingly and that they ought to strayne themselues the more to doe their duetie and this belongeth generally to al states But it is sayde here expressely concerning fathers and mothers And therefore such as haue children must looke that they loue them after such a sorte as they may well keepe themselues from abusing the power and authoritie which they haue of God for it is not committed to them to that end Also it is declared heere further that the father and the mother may not accuse their children iudicially vnlesse they finde them vnreformable I haue tolde you alreadie that this place speaketh of punishment by death For if fathers and mothers fall to putting of their children to death before they haue vouchsafed to take paynes with them to see them well instructed ought they not to bee coupled with them as causers of their destruction A father perchaunce will say I haue not consented to my sonnes lewdnesse I haue let him alone Yea but shouldest thou haue falne asleepe when as God appoynted thee to keepe watch Thou shouldest haue guyded thy childe so as hee shoulde not haue stepped one pace but thou shouldest haue beene at hande to direct him Thou wouldest haue guyded a brute beast and hast thou made no reckening of thine owne seede Thou lettest the creature alone which is formed after the image of God whereof notwithstanding thou wast appointed to bee the keeper and thinkest thou to scape by so try fling an excuse Then if fathers and mothers come to this plunge of shewing their children to haue beene sturdie and vnreformable if they can not first protest
helpe which children owe to their fathers and mothers Therfore whosoeuer yeeldeth not honour to his father and mother is here cursed of God We haue well seene heretofore the punishment that was appointed for them Insomuch that if any man had disobedient children being brought before the Iudges they were vppon his single witnesse to be stoned to death and so such infection was to bee taken away For it is an vnkindly and accursed thing that the children should set themselues against those which brought them into the world and haue brought them vp and haue taken so much paine and care for them For wee knowe that a father occupieth as it were the roome of GOD towardes his owne children and ofspring It followeth then that hee that so lifteth vppe himselfe against his father or his mother doth manifestly dispise God euen as if he were a contemner of all religion Now heere by y e way God telleth vs that although Iudges and Magistrates do not their dutie or if he y t hath done the wrong to his father and mother bee bornewith yet is he not therfore escaped For many crimes lie buried in this world which notwithstanding God reserueth and early or late they must come to acount Let vs marke well then that heere is no more speaking of the execution of Iustice which is to bee done by meane of law for that hath beene spoken of afore but God declareth y t although they which haue offended through disobedience be not punished here in this world or that their faultes be not knowen or that no such examination bee made of them as they deserue yet they gayned nothing thereby because there is a heauenly Iudge which forgetteth not any thing but keepeth all thinges registred before him and he in the ende will surelie doe his office Therefore let vs thinke well vppon this doctrine and although men finde no fault with vs nor any man vexe or trouble vs let vs not thereuppon fall asleepe but rather euerie man summon himselfe according to that which is tolde vs here consider that we must come before the iudgement seat of God And therefore let vs learne to walke in such wise as hee may accepte of vs when wee come there and as wee may not stande in feare of the curse which is vttered here Not that anie of vs canne perfome the Lawe as I haue declared more fullie heretofore but that it behooueth vs to tende thereunto and to put our indeuour to it For although wee bee not altogether cleane before GOD but contrariwise guiltie of manie of the faultes that are conteyned here yet doeth not hee lay them to our charge sobeit that wee mislike of them and giue not our selues ouer to them ne let the bridle slacke Wherefore let vs learne to restrayne our selues and to bee sory seeing wee be not so perfect as were requisite But yet therewithal as I haue declared alreadie let vs streine our selues to please our Lord God and to obey him and let vs haue such a recorde in our owne consciences as wee may freely and with open mouth say Cursed bee hee which hath not followed the doctrine of saluation in such sorte as it is shewed vnto vs. To make anie long discourse of the honour which euerie man oweth to his father and mother it is not needefull as nowe because the lawe hath beene expounded alreadie heretofore It sufficeth as nowe to know that in this text GOD declareth that all disobedience as well against fathers and mothers as against all superiours whome he hath set in authoritie in this worlde is intollerable in his sight For hee will not haue vs to liue here disorderlie like beastes but hee will haue order and gouernment obserued among vs. And that canne not bee doone except we stande in awe of such as beare anie office for the common gouernment of men Whosoeuer then breaketh Gods order let him looke to bee acursed accordingly also as Saint Paul telleth vs Rom. 13.4 that in so dooing wee resist not creatures or men but we make warre against God himselfe when wee goe about to ouerthrowe the superioritie which hee hath ordeyned and commended vnto vs. Marke that for one point Now it is added afterward Cursed shall hee bee which plucketh vp his neighbours buttelles Meeres or Landmarkes Wee must alwayes beare in minde that which I haue tolde you alreadie namelie that here vnder one kinde GOD comprehendeth all And I expounded therewithal that if the bounds of mens Landes bee not kept certayne no man shall bee Maister of his owne possessions but all shall goe to spoyle and hauocke And surely the hauing of iust weightes and measures the maintayning of lawfull monie and the keeping of bounds and buttelles vnchaunged are thinges that haue beene euer priuiledged For howe might men buy and sel or vse anie trade among them if the coyne bee not lawfull Againe if weightes and measures be falsified in what taking are we To what purpose shall Iustice serue any more To what end shall all the lawes in the worlde serue As much is to bee saide for boundes buttelles meeres land-markes So then vnder this saying God meant to shewe that it behooueth vs to obserue equitie and vprightnes in dealing one with another True it is that lewes are made for the punishing of such offences insomuch that if any man doe shift or remooue his neighbours buttell he shall not be discharged by setting it in the right place againe and by making amendes for the harme that he hath done but he shall be openly punished also as for a hainous crime As much is to bee done for the falsifying of weightes and for the hauing of wrong measures As touching the counterfeiting of Coyne if a man haue vsed it it is not enough that hee pay backe that which hee hath wrongfully taken but hee must also die for it and good reason For otherwise as I sayde all lawes were to be abolished And it were better for vs to be wilde beastes than to liue without those meanes which God hath ordeyned and nature also hath taught vs. But put the case that some man do defraude his neighbour bee it by false measure or by some other wicked practice and that he seeke to aduantage himself by an other mans losse the magistrate knoweth nothing thereof by meanes whereof it scapeth vnpunished yet is it shewed vs here that in the ende it must needes come to account before the heauenly Iudge If a poore man bee put from his right or oppressed by authoritie violence or otherwise and dare not say a word to it ne findeth anie aduocate to tender his case in this worlde yet is God his warrant and those which thinke themselues greatly benefited by inriching themselues by hooke or by crooke shall at length finde that it were much better for them to haue had but one bitte of breade to eate than to haue had neuersomuch to glut themselues withall and in the meane time
and dispatching of their owne affection and of all that euer they haue of nature but yet our Lord Iesus sheweth that no man can followe him nor come vnto him to continue stedfastly in y e Gospel but with condition of forgetting his father and mother and of forsaking his wife and of giuing ouer his own children After what manner Not that we do it of our owne head for euery man ought to discharge his dutie as much as he can But if a man bee called to forsake his wife and houshold for witnessing of y e Gospel he must be turned from them as if he had his bowels plucked from him and yet for all y t hee must rather choose to haue the one halfe of himselfe taken from him than in any wise to shrinke away or to estraunge himselfe from Iesus Christ. That is the thing which we haue to gather vpon that text Nowe hee addeth thereunto That they shall keepe the sayings of the Lorde and holde fast his couenant True it is that forasmuch as the Law was giuen to all the children of Abraham without exception the thing that is spoken here belonged alike to all the other tribes And wee haue seene already that the Leuites were not the onely folke which were commaunded to keepe the doctrine conteined therin but it was saide indifferently to all the rest Yee shall keepe my Statutes Deut. 27.1 When God said so hee directed his speech to all the children of Israel Yet notwithstanding as I saide afore it behooued the priests who had the charge of drawing the people and of holding them vnder the obedience of God to shewe them the way and to haue a more ardent zeale to keepe the lawe faithâ—ully That is the cause why Moses giueth them that title But wee must note that these wordes keepe and maintaine importe two thinges that is to wit that the Leuites shoulde teach the people the Lawe as shal be shewed more at large and also holde them in awe that the religion might be preserued pure so as the people might not start away to ydolatrie and superstition nor leade a wicked and loose life but that God might bee honoured and serued That is the first keeping which wee haue of the doctrine And for the same cause doeth Moses adde They shall teach thy Lawe vnto Israel and thy Commaundementes vnto Iacob Then was it not ynough for the children of Leuie to walke vndefiledly and according to the doctrine of the Lawe but also it behooued them all to haue the doctrine in their mouth to giue instruction to their brethren to bring them alwayes to the knowledge of God and to make them continue therein to the end The seconde manner of keeping was in good life by shewing example and by being zelous to holde the people still in order when they sawe them start aside as we knowe that the worlde is ouer fraile yea and that we be so inclined to naughtinesse and vice that it is a great matter to vs if we be not vtterly dissolute Therefore it stoode the children of Leuie in hande to imploy themselues thereabouts And here we see first that God meant not to make ydols in his Church when he ordeined Shepherds and other men to haue some ouersight and authoritie there And if it were so in the time of the Lawe much more ought it to bee so at this day For as wee shall see againe anon the Priestes had the Ceremonies and manie like thinges so as they were sufficiently occupied about them although they had not medled at all with teaching But nowadays al those things are ceased and there remaineth no more buy y e preaching of the Gospel and the ministring of the sacraments which are but feaw in number and haue not so much adoe as was vnder the figures of old time That is the cause why I said that if the Priestes which were before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ were bound to be Gods messengers in preaching his word and in giuing good instruction to the people or else they were after a sort disgraded from their office what shall become of it nowadayes when such as are ordained shepherds in the Church haue none other charge but to teach folke publikely and priuately and therewithall to minister the sacraments Seeing it is so then is there no excuse for such as say they haue any charge or spirituall gouernement in the Church if therewithall they haue not the doctrin in their mouth Wherby it is apparaÌ„t that in the Popedome there is nothing but confused disorder and that all those which nowadayes doe name themselues Bishops and Prelates are but scare-bugs set vp by the diuell to bleare the eyes of the ignorant and are folkes vnworthy to bee counted of y e flock forasmuch as they haue peruerted Gods order and made such a bottomles pit that a man cannot discerne any remnant of that which our Lord Iesus Christ had ordained among the faithfull Seeing they haue altered and imbaced all thinges after that fashion they bee not worthy to bee of the number of Gods people but rather of his deadly foes and much lesse ought they to be reputed for Sheepeherds But forasmuch as this deserueth to be laid forth more at length let vs begin at those which are spoken of heere It is saide That the children of Leuie shall keepe the sayings of the Lorde and maintaine his doctrine and preach his Lawe in Iacob Heere we see that because the worlde is so weake and so easily turned away from God from the right way it is requisite that Gods word shold be preached and that there should be men appointed therevnto It might be said that euery man may bee his owne teacher and that there needeth not any choosing of some small number of men to guide the rest for seeing we haue the Law and the holy scriptures are not they ynough to gouerne vs A man might so say Yea but they which giue out such speeches did neuer examin their owne weakenesse or rather how wicked the inclination of their nature is For our Lord hath set downe an order which he knoweth to be profitable for vs. And thereby he hath shewed vs that of our selues we should be caried away out of hande vnto euill if wee were not restreined by the meane which he hath giuen vnto vs. And therfore it was requisite that there should alwayes be men appointed in the church to preach Gods word to admonish the people and to holde them in awe and to withholde them from disorder so as the Religion might not be corrupted We see then howe God condemneth our vnfaithfulnesse in this behalfe shewing vs that if we be not held back as it were by force vnder his yoke we wil by and by play y e lose coltes and euery of vs will sting away after such a sort that we shall become as stray beasts Seing that God telleth vs it let vs learn to humble our selues and to consider
monster c. 213. a 50 Children Whereof Gods esteeming of vs as his Children doth proceed 337. a 30.40 Children that smite their parents iudged to dye the death without fauour 760. a 10.20 That we Christians are in the same degree of honour that the Children of Abraham were in 847. a 10 A lawe made that Children should not dye for their fathers sins 861. a 20.30 We ought not to hate the Children for their fathers sakes 861. a 50.60 Disobedient Children curssed and stoned to death Read that place aduisedly 929. a 40.50.60 Touching the good education bringing vp of Children Read page 745 a 60. b 10. c. 20.30.40 How heynously such Children as despise their parents do offend 759. a all Euidence giuen by the parents against their Children 757. a 40.50.60 b 10 The charge dutie of such as haue Children 754. a 60 With what condition Children are giuen vnto vs. 755. a 10 Of stubborne and disobedient Children and their punishment by Gods lawe 756. b all In what cases Children must disobey their parents 759. b 10.20.30 Wherein the honor that Children owe to their parents consisteth 759. a 60. b 10 Children must not refuse correction at their parents hands 758. b all 759 a 10.20 c. What things Children should consider with themselues touching their parents 758. b 10.20.30 c. The duetie of Children towardes their fathers mothers purposely set downe 758. b 10.20.30 c. That Children must be guided and gouerned by counsell c. Euen when they be come to yeares of libertie 775. b 50.60 Of the Iewes being the Children of Abraham and why the Prophets called thē bastards worse 797. b al. How wee being no Iewes borne are become the true Children of Abraham 798. a 1020 That all men in general are called gods children and to whome the same doeth properly belong 1110. a 40.50 60. b all Against such as neglect y e care good training vp of their Childrē 755. a al God calleth Angels kings princes Magistrates his Children 1113. a 40 We be Gods Children euen by nature because we beare his image 1113. a 10.20 Of carnall Children and spirituall children Read Page 1110. b all Howe we shew our selues to be none of Gods Children and what wee must doe if we will haue God auow vs for his Children 1110. b 50 Children comprehended and receiued into the number of Gods people 1027. b 40.50 The heathen vsed to burne their Children to their Gods Looke well on y t place 523. a 60. b 10. c. Whether God punisheth the Childrē for the fathers offences 189. b 10.20.30 c. 190. all What is the chiefe exercise and studie of Gods Children 97. b 50 Notable doctrine vpon these wordes All were put to the sword euen litle children and all 83. b 50.60 What is required in vs or else wee can not bee the Children of God 62. b 10 The Children that come of Christians are alreadie chosen of God to be his flocke c. 9. b 60 Why the diuelish geerishnesse which the wicked vse to ouerthrowe Gods Children with all c. shoulde not put vs out of hart 75. b 10.20 What be the blessinges of God on the Children of the faithfull 190. b 10.20.30 We be of Gods Church and therefore are his Children 62. a 50.60 The diuels were sometimes as y e Children of God Read the place 170. b 10 The verie cause why God commaundeth fathers to teach their Childrē 129. a 40 Howe we ought to traine vp our Children in the doctrine of the trueth 129. b 30.40.50 What Parentes should doe if they see their Children despisers of God c. 297. b 60. 298. a 10 How Fathers would haue their Childrē resemble them 215. b 50.60 An exhortation to Children touching their duetie of obedience to their parentes 216. b 10 The behauiour y t. Children are bounde by Gods lawe to doe to their Parentes 213. b 10.20.30 Wherein Children doe wrong vnto God in disobeying their fathers and Mothers 213. b 50.60 Children must not misbehaue thēselues when their parentes are too sharpe vnto them 216. b 40.50 Most excellent doctrine vppon these wordes It is not spoken to your Childen c. 456. a b al. 457. a 10 How far the duetie of Children to their parentes should extend 218. a 50.60 The wel bringing vp of Children complained of 474. b 20 An exhortation to such as haue Children to see to their good bringing vp 474. b 40 It is no small honour that God doth to men and women in giuing thē Children Read that place aduisedlie 474. a 50 How disorderedlie fathers do bring vp their Children in these dayes 326. b 10.20 The wicked trade of Fathers trayning vp of their Children 215. b 50 60 Whereby God will haue his Children knowen in this worlde 327. a 30 Choose Notable doctrine vpon these words In y e which place thy God shal Choose 496. a 40.50.60 and b all 497. a 10 Why God saith he will choose a speciall place to put his name in 509. b 20.30 No worthinesse at all in the Iewes why God should choose them to bee his people c. 407. b 30.40.50.60 and b 10 Why God among all nations of the world did choose the ofspring of Abraham 420. a 60. b 10 The cause why God did choose the Iewes to bee his people and no other nation as well as them where two pointes worth the noting are inferred 437. a all Chosen Most pithie doctrine vpon these words Therefore hath hee chosen c. 165. b 40.50.60 and 166. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Howe tenderlie God loueth such as he hath chosen and meaneth to take for his flocke 1004. b 50.60.1005 a 10 What will become of vs if we imagine God to bee bounde to vs because he hath once Chosen vs. 148. b 10 It is not enough for vs to knowe that God hath Chosen vs to himselfe 166 b 10 What wee ought to doe seeing GOD hath Chosen vs to be his 170. b 20.30 The end whereto God hath Chosen vs. 171. b 50 The end why the Iewes were Chosen to be Gods people 910. a 30. Looke Elect and Faithfull Choosing From whence the cause of Gods Choosing of vs doeth come 420. a 50 Of Gods Choosing of our forefathers and the cause thereof 168. b 40 The Preaching of the Gospell is a kinde of Choosing 166. a 40.50 What we haue to learne by this that the place where God would be worshipped belonged to his own Choosing 509. a 60. b 10 Of a second Choosing that God vseth what it is and howe 166. b 40 A notable Choosing of vs by the Gospell and the Sacraments that God vseth 166. b 20 Faith whereby we tast the worde is a seconde sort of Choosing 166. a 60 Looke Election Christ. To what ende the comming of Christ from the bosome of his father serued 1247. b 20 Christ is the perfection and life of the law 405. a all How the
Dooing well 36. b 30 That we must put the doctrine of Dooing that which is good and right in the sight of God in vre 519. b 10.20 Men are oftentimes turned from well Dooing by their foolish curiositie why 522. a 40.50 The papistes cling to their doctrine of freewill when there is any question of Dooing well 38. a 40.50 Dooings The true foundation of all our enterprises Dooings and affaires 74. a 60. b 10 In what cases it is good reason that we shoulde be confounded in our Dooings 86. b 50 Why men to their owne seeming when they haue doone amisse doo thinke their Dooings are not euill 343. a 40.50 Gods promises stande not vppon mens Dooings 157. b 10 God is not bound to giue vs an account of his Dooings Reade that place 338. b 40.50 We must not goe on still to allowe our owne Dooings and why 123. b 10 We must shewe by our Dooings that we take God for our father c. 171. b 40 Of two thinges that are requisite if wee intende to glorifie God in all our Dooings 89. a 50 They that correct not euill Dooings when they may are guiltie thereof themselues as how for example 550. b 10.20 What we must doo if we woulde haue God to blesse our Dooings 86. b 40 Howe we shall be sure that God dooth auow all our Dooings 88. b 50 Howe farre foorth wee must inquire after Gods Dooings 356. b 50.60 and 357. a 10 If God allow all our Dooings then is it perfect righteousnesse 518. a 10.20 Looke Workers Dotager The cause why the heathen are so hardened in their owne Dotages 123. a 30 How the heathen thought of their own Dotages 123. a 20 Doubt A principall Article of faith Papisticall that men must stande alwayes in Doubt whether God will saue them or no. 1076. a 10 Of such as Doubt of their saluation and that they ought not so to doo and why 1063. all Doubts What Doubts worldlings cast in their heads to cut off charity to the poore and distressed 583. b all Of the Doubts of the Papists and from what thing they doe proceede 515. a 10 Drawe Of the meanes that God vseth to Draw vs vnto him and why and how wayward and vnthankfull we be in that case 520. b 40.50.60 283. a 10.20 c. 155. a 10.20 164. b 10. 186. a 10 What Gods pleasure is when he dooth Drawe men to saluation 82. a 60. b 10. 155. a 10.20 164. b 10 No doctrine in poperie to Drawe men vnto God 187. a 20 What we haue to do seeing God doeth Draw vs to himselfe 187. a 30 From whence God doth Draw vs whither and for what cause 503. b 10.20 457. a 30.40 Drawne What we must doo when wee see that God hath Drawne vs vnto him c. 78. b 10 Drinke Drink of dates and by what name they of the East countries called all their compounded drinkes 1020. b 60 It is not lawfull for vs to eate or Drinke without faith what that meaneth 559. a 20. 558. a 10.20 Much mingled Drink made in the East countries and why 1020. b 50.60 Drinkes The chastisements which God sendeth vppon men likened to Drinkes and how 1153. a 20.30 Looke Afflictions and Chastisements Drinking What cleannesse wee must haue in our eating and Drinking 512. b 10.20 511. a 50.60 A difference must be put betweene the Lords supper our common eating and Drinking 512. b 30.40 Notable doctrine touching eating and Drinking meete for euerie Christian to marke 510. a b all Of defacing Gods image by vnmeasurable eating Drinking 511. a 40.50 Why Paul speaking of eating Drinking requireth faith 510. a 20.30.40 In eating and Drinking wee must not obserue the traditions of men 510. b 20 Of eating and Drinking according to the blessing that God shall giue vs. 510. a b all 511. a all Drunkards Whether it was gods meaning to make his people the Iewes Drunkards as the Manichies say 567. a 10.20 The behauiour of Drunkards in their excesse noted 562. a 30.40 227. a al Of certaine Drunkards their beastlinesse when there is a good yeere of wine 511. a 40 Of Drunkards and the meanes which they vse to guzzel in wine strong drinke 1036. a al. Drunkennesse Vnto what vices he falleth that is giuen to Drunkennesse 758. a 30.40.50.60 Rioting and Drunkennes comprehendeth all kinde of vice 758. a 10 The continuance of Gods goodnesse to Lot his beastly Drunkennesse notwithstanding 68. b 10 Of the vice of Drunkennesse and the mischeeuous operation of the same being insatiable 1036. a 20 Of mingling thirst and Drunkennesse together 1035. b 30.40 1036. b 20.30.40.50 Drowzinesse Why God will send the spirit of Drowzinesse vpon men 81. a 10 Dulnesse The fortie yeeres Dulnesse of y e Iewes cast in their teeth 1019. a 10.60 Dutie A briefe summe of our Dutie to God to the world 129. a 30 The Dutie of married folke set foorth at large 225. a b all c. It is not ynough for euerie man to discharge his Dutie in liuing orderlie himselfe c. 129. a 30 Reade with what carefulnesse Moses goeth about the discharging of his Dutie both to God and his countrimen the Iewes 144. a 10 The Dutie of the ministers of Gods word in reproouing 144. a 60. b 10. 22. a 30.40.50 Howe they that are in authoritie be withdrawen from the discharge of their Dutie diuersly Read the place 332. a 10.20.30 c. Euerie man must haue an eye to himselfe and consider how far his Dutie will beare him 730. a 50.60 What kinde of Dutie that is which the child oweth to his parents 213. a 50. 218. a 50.60 Whereupon wee ought to grounde our selues in the doing of our Dutie 333. a 40 The Dutie of such whom God hath put in office to see offences committed duly punished 402. b 10 The Dutie of Emperours Kings and Magistrates 22. a 10 What we must doe if we purpose to doe the things that our Dutie requireth 108. a 20 The Dutie of schoolemasters fathers and all such as haue an houshold 22. a 10.20 A supposed speech that euerie one of vs ought to vse touching the dooing of our Dutie 74. b 10 God in his law respecteth not our abilitie but our Dutie 945. b 50.60.946 a 10. Looke Charge and Office Duâ—ies How men deale touching their Duties one to another and duties towards God 629. b 10.20.30 c. The lawe teacheth vs to know our Dutie Reade the place 112. a 20 What is the cause that wee be so colde in performing of our Duties 74. b 30.40 Dwell Howe God doth Dwell in vs and what we are taught to do thereby 289. b 30 40.50 336. b 40.50.60 337. a 10 Why God will dwell in euerie one of vs seuerally 336. b 20.30 What the Iewes ought to haue doone seeing God vouchsafed to dwell among them 290. a 60 That God dooth Dwell and
saide to be Fat â—ustie frollike in two respects 1126. b 10.20 c. Father The meaning of these wordes that we haue but one Father which is in heauen 213. b 50.60 129. a 50 God compared for his incredible loue with a fleshlie Father 40. b 20 129. a 50 God most louinglie beareth with vs as a Father note how 65. b 10.20 The meaning of these wordes Honour thy Father and Mother 212. b 10.20 c. Howe God will shewe himselfe a Father to his people euen in respect of this world 466. a 20.30 For what cause God calleth himselfe our Father 186. a 20 Howe God prouideth for vs all y e whole yeare like a Father or householder 467. a 60. b all Why Moses called God the Father of the children of Israel 1113. a all God is a Father vnto vs both in life death 86. b 20 Fathers That wee nowe adaies haue more than the Fathers had in y e time of the law where note the doctrine inferred 391. b 10.20 c An exhortation to Fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of God why 267. a 50.60 b 10. 756. b all 757. a 10.20 A Complaint against Fathers in not bringing vp their children in Gods feare 326. b 10.20 The duetie of Fathers declared by way of comparison with a iudge 326. b 40.50.60 Of true Fathers which begette vs by the worde of God and of the Fathers to whome the Papistes sticke 1130. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 1042. a 10.20 Of bastarde Fathers whome the Iewes followed and are therefore blamed of Steuen 1041. b 50.60 1042. a 10 489. b 10.20 Two kindes of auncient Fathers one sort to bee followed the other not so in anie case 1041. b all 1042. b 10 The Sacraments which God deliuered y e Fathers vnder the law tended to the same ende that ours doe 1055. a 20. c. b 10.20 What Fathers the Iewes were commaunded not to followe 489 10. 1115. a al. Notable doctrine vppon the wordes of Moses where the Gods of the Fathers are spoken of 489. a and b all The knowledge which the Fathers had of God is not the cheese grounde that wee ought to stande vppon 488. b 60 Two places of Ezechiel Walke not after the righteousnesse of your forefathers and worshippe yee the Gods of your Fathers reconciled 489. a 50.60 b 10. c. Our prerogatiue greater than that of of the Fathers in the time of the lawe howe and wherein 556. all A lawe made that the Fathers shoulde not die for their childrens sinnes 861. a 20.30 The verie cause why the ministers of Gods word are called Fathers 883. a 20 In what sense it is saide that the Iewes called vppon the God of their Fathers 897. a all b 10.20.30 That such as liued in the worlde before Abraham Isaac and Iacob deserue not to bee accounted Fathers and why 897. a 20 The great difference betwixt vs the Fathers in the time of the Law 950. a 20. c. 465. b al. Why it behoued God to bestow his benefits more largelie on the Fathers that liued vnder the law than on vs. 951. a 30. How and by what meanes God dealt with the Fathers vnder the lawe to draw them to him 959. b 50.60 The blasphemous Prouerbe of y e Iewes Our Fathers haue eateÌ„ sower grapes and our teeth are set on edge with it 189. b 20 Against Fathers that haue no care of their house or familie 775. b 30 Why God speaketh of purpose of the honouring of Fathers and mothers 213. a 30.40 212. b 10.20 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow them 897. a 20.30 489. a 50.60 b 10 Vnto what paine and distres the holie Fathers were driuen 279. b 10 Why children ought to honour their Fathers whatsoeuer father hee bee 214. b 60. 215. a 10 The verie cause why God commaundeth Fathers to teach their childreÌ„ 129. a 40 The wicked trade of Fathers training vp of their children 215. b 50.60 Whether God punisheth the sinnes of the Fathers on their children 189. b 10.20.30 c. 190. all 861. b 10.20.30 How the land of Chanaan was promised to the Fathers which neuer had possession thereof 10. a 10.20.30 To what ende the Fathers in olde time had sacrifices 20. a 10 Fatherhoode The fatherhoode of the Papistes and to whome we must referre our Fatherhoode 489. b 30 Fatherlesse Who be poore destressed Fatherles to be succoured 450. a 30 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes God doeth right to the Fatherlesse 448. b 20.30 c. God setteth his armes or badge vppon the Fatherlesse 449. a 40.50.60 Lawes for releefe of the Fatherlesse with the fruites of the earth 865. a 40.50.60 That the Fatherlesse are to bee pitied and supported not to be iniuried Read page 86â— all A curse vppon such as wrest the right of the Fatherlesse and why 931. b 30 40.50.60 Fault Why a man being tolde of his Fault when he hath done amisse thinketh not he hath done euill 343. a 40.50 What wee ought to doe to such as offend vs when their Fault is not manifest and open and contrariwise 700. a 10.20 Howe wee must bethinke our selues when wee perceiue anie Fault in our selues 240. b 50.60 Looke Offence and Sinne. Faultes That wee like not to haue our former Faultes laide in our dish 443. b 30.40.50 Howe necessarie it is that wee shoulde haue all the Faults of our whole life laid afore vs and why 408. a all What we must doe if we will bee good Iudges to condemne other mens Faults 340. b 20 Of cloking our Faultes a common thing vsed among men 229. b 60. 381. b 10.20.30 Of blasing abroad the Faults of such as haue offended Read the place 238. a 20 Why the meane way of correcting meÌ„s Faultes will neuer be kept 237. b 40 Touching our Faultes which wee iudge to bee no faultes because wee cannot discerne them and how God iudgeth of them Looke vppon the example of Moses 1236. b all 1237. a 10 Against such as be captious in finding Faultes 239. b 50.60 and 240. a 10.20.30 God maie well pardon our Faultes but yet in the meane while not cease to subdue vs vntil he see that our vices are corrected 99. a 40 The Papistes doctrine that God pardoneth our Faultes and reteineth y e punishment still 99. a 40 That we ought alwaies to bethinke our selues of our Faultes and the manner howe 382. a 10.20.30 521. b 30.40 c. Vntill when men will neuer come to confesse their Faultes 379. b 40.50.60 The Faultes committed against God are heinouser than the wrongs done against men Read that place 342. b 20.30 c. the cause is expressed page 343. a 10 The trade and manners of men when they are touched for their Faultes or offences 143. a 30 What Faultes or offences are reuealed to men to bee punished and what faults he
then that the thing which wee haue to marke vppon this text is that if wee meane not to leade a disordered lyfe and such a one as God vtterly mislyketh wee must hearken vnto him And heere it appeareth of what valâ—we good intents as they terme them are whereof I will treate more at length anon For if it behoue vs to heare God speak before we lift vp one foote to goe foreward what will become of vs when euery of vs is wedded to his owne fancie and when our lustes are so wilde Doth it not appeare that God refuseth all such thinges in one worde Againe Moses telleth vs that God on his side will teach vs faithfully soundly and perfectly conditionally that we refuse not to be ruled by him and to obey him And hee vseth mo wordes than one For he could haue sayd hearken to the Lawe or hearken to his commaundementes but hee sayth hearken to his statutes and ordinances And in other places he setteth downe Statutes Gen. â—â— ordinances commaundementes and rules This is not a superfluous speach but it serueth to expresse the better that it is long of none but our selues that wee be not well and faithfully taught But what for that Men are so lustie as they cannot temper themselues to y e simplicitie of Gods worde to say that it shall suffise them to be gouerned by God and to receiue whatsoeuer is set before them in his name Men cannot abide such modestie but are alwayes itching after their owne inuentions and yet in the meane while doe still arme theÌ„selues w t starting holes according as we see nowadayes y t a number doe grant y e holy scripture to be good but they say also y t it is expedient to supply y e wants y t are in it y t is a cursed blasphemie inasmuch as it accuseth God of ouersight or else of enuie for not setting downe all that is requisite to our saluation But yet shall this saying holde spyte of all the world that the lawe of God is a full and perfect doctrine wherein there wanteth not any thing and that if our lyfe bee ruled thereafter it is certeine that there shall no fault bee able to bee found in it and that wee cannot walke after that manner but that if the worlde condemne vs God will not faile to allowe of vs and that ought to bee enough for vs. But herewithall Moses sheweth the ende also why hee taught the people not to the end that euery man should knowe what was good and then make no further account of it but to the ende that their liues should bee answerable thereunto God then setteth vs downe a doctrine of practise as they say And therefore it is not enough for a man only to knowe Gods word but hee must also be transformed into it by beholding it as Gods image 1. Cor. 3.18 as Saint Paule speaketh thereof To what ende then doth God speake vnto vs not to the end we should but nod at it or listen with our eare to it to ratify his sayings by speach or by signes but to y e end we shold giue proofe by our whole lyfe that hee is our father and maister and that hee hath all preheminence ouer vs and that whereas wee bee his creatures we bee his children too Let vs marke well then that our comming hither to heare Gods worde must not bee to goe away as wee came but if our life bee chaunged and that wee haue learned to frame our selues according to that which God hath tolde vs that is the very right vse of it Otherwise wee doe but vnhallowe Gods worde and wee shall be found guiltie of high treason towards him for disappoynting of the operation thereof But what So little is this obserued nowadayes of such as name themselues Christians that in stead of performing the thinges that are commaunded them they vouchsafe not to come where they may bee taught one worde but which woorse is doe shunne all learning There are to be seene which can brag well enough that they be faythfull and yet there nedeth none other tryall to knowe what they bee than their manifest despising of Gods woorde more than the Turkes or Iewes doe For thâ—se haue yet some reuerence of religion but the diuells that are among vs come to sermons lyke dogges and Oxen without any honestie or modestie Othersome come thither to sleepe so as it should seeme that their meaning is to spite God openly and to spit in his face it should seem that they be desirous to shew some signe of their leawdnesse and beastlynesse how detestable they be To be short although they speake it not yet doe they beare a marke in their foreheades for all men to beholde with their eyes that they seeke to deface Gods glory to the vttermost of their power Another sorte doe make countenaunce to hearken and yet make but a flim-flamme of it as they say For what shall a man finde in all their life Nothing but desperate disobedience But yet for all that Gods worde hath not chaunged his nature Wherefore if wee looke not about vs to frame our selues accordingly thereunto wee must needes come to account for defyling so holy a thing which GOD hath ordeyned to so worthie and noble an vse And herewithall Moses addeth that God requireth not any thing at our handes in respect of himselfe or for any profite that he shall haue by it but for our owne welfare To the ende sayth hee that thou mayst enter into the land that is giuen thee for thine inheritaunce and possesse it Herein Moses protesteth that God looketh not for any reward at our handes for hee hath no neede of any thing but it is for our profite that hee would haue vs to serue him Hee could well ynough forbeare vs but yet is hee desirous to haue vs and hee woulde that wee shoulde suffer him to gouerne vs. Seeing then that God in all respectes sheweth such loue and regarde of our welfare are wee not woorse than wilde beastes if wee bee still hard to yeelde and cannot finde in our hearts to come to him but against our willes If God should but onely commaund vs after a precise fashion yet were we bound to do whatsoeuer he biddeth vs yea and although hee should vse the greatest rigour that could bee yet might not wee refuse to doe our duetie towardes him But hee forbeareth that authoritie of his as though hee yeelded vp some part of his right and vseth another maner of speach as if hee shoulde say you owe mee all thinges for yee bee mine and yet for all that the seruice which you doe mee shall bee accepted in so good woorth as yee shall perceiue that I take yee for my children yee shall feele my gratious goodnesse and benefites in all sortes and to bee shorte yee shall not loose your labor Seeing then that God stoopeth thus vnto our rudenesse ought not wee to bee rauished at so great goodnesse And although
leuer to winne vs by his goodnesse than to restraine vs by his threatnings And therefore hee saith My children looke not that I shoulde punish you Truely if yee prouoke mee I will not suffer my selfe to bee so mocked at your hands but yet for all that when I haue told you of my displeasure I had much leuer to traine you and to winne you to me by mercie Therefore I tell you that if you abide pure and sounde in my obedience I also will continue in doing good vnto you euen vnto a thousande generations so as your children after you shall find me the same still Thus yee see what we haue to remember vpon that sentence Moreouer for a conclusion it is not for nought that God vseth the terme Mercie notwithstanding that it bee as a rewarde for the seruice that is done vnto him Hee might well haue saide I will consider the seruice of such as shall haue honoured and serued mee and when men shall haue loued mee by keeping my commaundementes I will shewe them that they haue not lost their labour in taking paines to honour me God might haue spoken so but hee saieth I will shewe mercie And howe may that bee Doeth it not seeme that if we serue God hee oweth vs recompence No but hee sheweth that his doing of good to such as honour him and followe his commaundements is not of bounde duetie nor for any desert of theirs for euen in so doing hee vseth mercie still And the terme Mercie serueth to beate down all pride of men so as they may not boast of their owne workes as though they were worthy of recompence but rather consider that thereby God ment to declare that when we serue him the best that we can we haue still neede to be borne withall at his hande and to haue our faultes and infirmities forgiuen vs. Thus are there two thinges for vs to marke in this place The one is that although wee serue God neuer so purely yet his recompensing of vs is not vppon any duetie that hee oweth vnto vs. 1. Cor. 15.10 For indeede whence commeth our seruing of him but of his meere grace And what can hee then owe vnto vs Nay there is yet a further matter namely that we should all of vs be found faultie in his sight Rom. 3.4 if he listed to examine vs rigorously So then whereas God recompenseth vs for our seruing of him hee doeth it for his owne meere goodnesse and therfore not of any bounde duetie but which more is hee is faine to pardon our sinnes and to beare with vs yea euen in the good that wee doe Wherefore let vs consider that God sheweth himselfe so gratious and freeharted towards vs that where as hee might make vs to feele his rigour hee is contented to make vs tast of his mercie by bearing with vs in our infirmities For let vs not think but that without his mercie we were al vndone and that although we stroue neuer so much to obey him yet wee shoulde be found faultie if he vsed not y e foresaid gracious goodnes wherof he speaketh So then that is the thing wherevnto we must flee for refuge if we intend to be sure of our saluation Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better than wee haue done that it may leade vs to true repentance so as being taught to feare him wee may stande in such awe that as soone as he threateneth vs with his wrath wee may conceiue the power that is in him to the ende that being humbled in our selues wee may haue recourse to his fatherly goodnesse not doubting but that when hee hath once begunne to shewe himselfe a father and Sauiour towards vs he will continue so stil yea euen after our decease so that wee shrinke not from him through our owne naughtinesse and disobedience That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xix of Iune 1555. The xxxiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the fift Chapter 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not holde him guiltlesse which taketh his name in vaine IF we were well aduised we needed not to bee taught to yeelde reuerence to our God for nature ought to leade vs thereto To what ende are we created in this worlde To what ende liue we here but to honour him to whom wee be beholden for al good things and to giue our selues to the glorifying of his maiestie That then is the end and whole summe of our life But in the meane season in steede of honouring our God and of applying our selues that way we seeme to haue conspyred the cleane contrarie For some of vs woulde haue all remembrance of God buried some despise him and mocke him and othersome blaspheme him with open mouth so as we shewe sufficiently that wee knowe not to what end we liue or should liue Now forasmuch as there is this vice in vs God intending to redresse the same telleth vs that we ought at leastwise to refraine from abusing his holy name for that is as an vnhallowing thereof And therefore hath hee forbidden men to take his name in vaine By these wordes he meaneth that wee must consider well which is the right and lawfull vse of his name Of a trueth wee be not worthie to take Gods name in our mouth after any manner at all for wee must remember what the Prophet Esay saide in his sixt Chapter Esa. 6.5 Lorde quoth he I haue vncleane lippes and dwell among a people that is altogether defiled Seeing then that we haue nothing but infection and filthinesse in vs it is certain that we may not take Gods name in our mouth at leastwise if it were not that God of his goodnes were willing that we should vse his name so it bee to glorifie him withall Therefore let vs marke well that when as it is saide that we shall not take the name of God in vaine our Lord rebuketh vs for our vnthankfulnesse if we haue not the skill to vse his name as he hath giuen vs leaue by following the rule that is set downe in his worde for that is the lawful meane whereby wee may rightly vse the name of God Neuerthelesse to the end that this may be yet plainlyer vnderstoode wee must marke that vnder one particular God meant to shewe vs here what a maiestie is in his name to the intent we shoulde not speake of it but with all reuerence and honour Therefore he taketh one particular kinde to wit of an othe specially when occasion serueth to sweare and vseth it for all prophaning of God his name whatsoeuer We see howe our Lorde loueth vs seeing he lendeth vs his name whereby to communicate with our neighbours Exod. 22.10 11. Hebr. 6.16 so as
must haue the whol dominion of thee so as he possesse not only thy heart but also all thy senses And for the second point wee must learne to condemne our selues that we may glorifie God in cōfessing our selues to bee all giltie and that if hee call vs to a reckening we be all vndone and cast away if he vse rigor against vs. To that point must wee come or else we shall neuer profite in Gods Lawe as wee shoulde doe But here it might bee demaunded seeing that God knoweth mens frailtie why hee doth not either strengthen them better or else make a Lawe that were lesse straite and seuere For it should seeme that God ment to oppresse vs when he forbiddeth wicked lustes and thinks it not ynough for vs to yeld him obediēce in our willes without adding of the other worde And that is the cause why scoffers say that God ment to mocke men in his lawe and intended as yee would say to forbidde men to scratch when hee made them to itch But wee must come to the cursednes that is in our selues namely that wee haue neither thought nor affectiō in vs as I said afore but the same is disobedient to Gods righteousnesse Therefore let vs not wonder though there be such a battle betwene Gods law mens lusts For why when we haue throughly serched what is in vs we shall find nothing there but vtter corruptiō and damnable vice for we cannot conceiue so much as one thought which tēdeth not to euill Forasmuch as it is so beholde God giueth vs here a perfect rule of all goodnes and righteousnes Needes therefore must there rise vp as it were a thundering and the fire water must needes shewe their contrarie workings Nowe there is lesse agreement betweene mans nature and Gods righteousnes than is betwixt fire and water Therefore let vs not thinke it straunge that God doth so represse all our lusts And when we heare the blasphemies which the scoffers that I spake of doe spew out let vs abhor them as monsters For insteade of glorifying God for his righteousnes they come dashing against him like wild and mad beasts Thus much concerning this point of the frailtie of men Nowe although it be such yet is it not to bee marueiled at that God hath condemned it in his law Why so For in ordering of our life and in shewing vs howe we should walke God respecteth not what we be able to doe nor y e measure of our strength but what duety we owe to him what righteousnesse is although it be not to be foūd in vs. We be Gods creatures and ought we not then to giue our selues wholly to his seruice Yes certainly That is a peremptory reason And men may well grunt at it but yet shall they alwayes finde proofe in themselues that forasmuch as they belong to GOD they ought to dedicate all their senses all their affections and all that euer is in them both in bodie and soule vnto him Howbeit let vs mark well herewithall that wee cannot discharge our selues thereof and what is the cause thereof bu◠our owne naughtinesse And we take that from Adam That followeth not For although wee bee helde in bondage vnder sinne and this bondage hindereth vs from wel doing and driueth vs to all euill yet howsoeuer wee fare the roote of it is in our selues and euery man shall feele himselfe blame worthie so as wee shall not neede to say that wee bee driuen by any other force but euerie man is caried and driuen to it by his owne lust Iam. 1.14 And so is there no more excuse for vs. Whereby it appeareth that it is not for vs to measure Gods Lawe by our owne power and abilities Why so As I sayde afore GOD respecteth not what wee can doe nor what our abilitie can brouk but he respecteth wherein wee bee bounde vnto him and hee hath an eye to the perfection that is without vs. That is the thing which wee haue to marke And it is the thing that beguyleth the Papistes For they haue this principle among them That Gods Lawe is not vnpossible to men It is a wonder that they should bee so straught and that the diuell shoulde bewitch them after that fashion For it is most euident and apparant doctrine throughout the whole Scripture that men shall alwayes bee condemned by the Lawe and that they must bee fayne to flee for refuge to Gods onely mercie Gal. 3.10 When Saint Paule goes about to prooue that all men are cursed for as much as all men are sinners and that there is not so much as one righteous man what argument vseth he He alledgeth this text of Moses Cursed are all they that perfourme not the whole contentes of the Lawe Deut. 27.26 Nowe at the first blush it shoulde seeme that Saint Paule reasoneth amisse and that the sayde allegation is impertinent Well then it is sayde that all such as transgresse Gods Lawe are cursed but yet it followeth not therefore that all mankinde is accursed For if a man keepe the lawe and discharge his duetie in so dooing hee is exempted from the sentence of condemnation Some then there are to bee founde that haue perfourmed the lawe and therefore all are not accursed Yes But Saint Paule presupposeth that the lawe is vnpossible And if he should not presuppose that he had spoken as a witlesse and vnreasonable man Therefore we see that the Papistes haue taken a grounde that is cleane contrarie to Gods spirit and surely hee besotteth them in such wise as they knowe not the verye Apsie of the Christian faith and Religion So then let vs marke well that when wee treate of Gods lawe wee must not measure it by our abilitie nor looke what wee can doe but wee must looke what wee owe vnto God Yea but saye they not so howe shall wee doe then For to their seeming all the worlde shoulde bee damned It is true and so is it meete that it shoulde bee that is to wit that wee shoulde all be damned if wee will not haue saluation in Iesus Christ. For howe shall wee seeke Gods grace vnlesse wee thinke wee haue neede of it Men will not begge by their good willes So long as we thinke our selues to haue any rightuousnesse of our owne wee will not passe to seeke any else where than in our selues Therefore it behooueth vs to bee vtterly ridde of it and to feele Gods wrath and death lying heauie vppon vs for without that wee will neuer vouchsafe to submit our selues to God to obtaine mercie But this deserueth to bee layde foorth more at large Therefore let vs beare well in minde first of all that when wee feele any sinfull thought in vs and our lustes doe tickle vs vnto euill we be guiltie before God But here it might bee demaunded how then If a man doe but conceiue a thought so as he not onely hath no will to abyde by it but also mislyketh of it euen before
And what did he He executed rigor ynough vppon those whom he listed and specially vpon such as he wist might doe him harme but when he had so begun he let the rest go vnpunished he cared not what came of it so he might reigne peaceably Now at the first sight a man might well say it was a vertue worthie of commendation that he punished those whom God had commanded him Verily and so was it if he had held on that trade still But for as much as he destroyed one sort and spared another sort it is said that God will punish the maÌ„slaughter that Iehu had committed And how may that be Is it manslaughter to haue executed the coÌ„mandement of God Yea after the maner that he went to worke He is said to bee a manslear bicause he had not an eye to the thing that God commanded him For he should haue gone through as he began But he stayed in the middes of his way For as for those whom he punished he punished theÌ„ in respect of his owne peculiar profit He had no regard of Gods honour so the Crowne of the kingdome continued with him Therefore is he iustly accouÌ„ted for a manslear and not a iudge And therefore let vs beware that we take not more libertie than God giueth vs. For he can well skill to moderate his own doings though we take not vpon vs to be more pitifull than he And if wee make our hand of his honor we must pay dearely for it when we come to our reckening before him But if this seeme straunge vnto vs let vs go a litle by degrees see if nature might not be a schoolemystresse good enough for vs if we were not blinded by our wicked affectioÌ„s If a maÌ„ haue children he knoweth well ynough that it is his duetie to teach them and to chastise them wheÌ„ they doe amisse For if he beare with his childreÌ„ and dare not touch them but cockereth them and in the meane while they bee of euill nature may it not bee saide that he is worthie that his children should picke out his eyes and pluck his nose from his face And on the contrarie part if children were teachable meeke of themselues it were not meete that they should bee touched But when a father perceiues his children to bee curst and vnruly if he spare them then men will say that he marreth them and that he sendeth them to the gallowes and that he is the cause of their vndoing Now let vs compare a father with a Iudge Whereas a father ought to chastise his children with roddes a iudge hath an office that passeth yet further Therefore he must haue an eye thereunto and if he doe not he is worthy to haue his eyes put out with the mischiefe as Moses speaketh here of these people saying They shall be as thornes to prick thee on all sides Iosu. 23.13 and to put out thine eyes they shall be as waspes to sting thee in such sort as y u shalt not know which way to turne thee Lo what reward y e Israelites had for their retchlesnesse in that they were not stout in putting the sentence in execution which God had vttered with his own mouth But howsoeuer the case stoode with them let vs learne still to be pitifull For the rigour that is spoken of here must not make vs to forget how God commandeth vs to loue euen our enemies Matt. 5.44 them that persecute vs and to indeuour to doe them good to the vttermost of our power that we may bring them into the right way of saluation Then must we needes haue that Yea and euen when a Iudge vseth rigour his heart must mourne and lament to see a creature that is made after the image of God so dealt withall but yet must he go on still and execute the office which GOD hath committed vnto him These two thinges then are not vnmatchable that is to wit that gentlenesse should bee vsed in the executing of Iustice so as our wicked moode should not carie vs away but that we should alwayes hold vs still to this point of louing euen those that shall haue done vs the worst they could Thus ye see howe we ought to put this doctrine in vre Gods intent is not to stirre vp his people to crueltie his meaning is not to bereaue them vtterly of all compassion and yet notwithstanding he will haue misdeedes to be punished And furthermore as touching the lande of Chanaan which hee had purposely appointed to his honour hee woulde not haue it any longer so defyled with such infections For the Nations that had dwelled therein before had as it were defiled the land Nowe Gods intent is to stablish his kingdome there he will bee worshipped vncorruptly there and therefore all abhominations must be rid away For seeing that God will haue his righteousnesse put in vre through the whole world whensoeuer he is knowen in any place so as his trueth is there preached and he hath set his Church in some good order and state men must looke well about them that no offences or defylinges may raigne there For wheresoeuer God is worshipped and serued that place is as a temple dedicated to his Maiestie and Gods temple must be kept holy as it ought to bee 1. Cor. 3. Then is it the greatest and intollerablest treacherie to Godward that can bee when euill doings and crimes are fostered in his Churche Therefore it is not said without cause Thine eye shall not pardon any of all these Nations they must bee consumed vtterly And why first the wickednesse that was among them was ouergreat they were despisers of God and therefore he was faine to be reuenged of them in the end Againe he hath an eye to the benefit and welfare of his Church so as he woulde not haue his children intangled with such as might draw them to euill consequently to theirruine and destruction God then wil haue his people rid of all stumbling blocks Marke that for the second point Moreouer for the third point it was conuenient y t God should shewe himselfe a Iudge to the intent that by beholding such vengeance they might take warning to thinke thus with themselues seeing that God hath done vs the honour to punish such as haue offended vs to giue vs example by them let vs beware y t wee fall not into the same offences for then shall we be dubble to blame Thus ye see how Gods committing of his vengeaunce vnto his owne people to punish such as had bin giuen ouer to all naughtinesse ought to serue all folkes for an example After he hath said so Deâ— â—â— 15. he addeth now Thou shalt not serue their Gods for that would turne to thy decay Although this saying haue bin set downe by Moses alreadie heretofore yet is it not without cause y t he setteth it downe here againe For we soone forget what God commandeth vs if wee bee not quickened vp
in very dede But what We welter in our own dung euen till we do as it were stinke in it without any care or regard at all And that is the cause of such contēpt of the gospel of such vnthankefulnes as is seene almost euery where Yet notwithstanding it behoueth y e faithfull to consider of how great value it is 2. Cor. 5.20 y t God receiueth them to mercy sheweth himselfe to be a father to them that such as are appointed to preach his word are as witnesses to certifie vs y t God beareth vs such fatherly loue Trueth it is y t this was accōplished by our Lord Iesus Christ for he was the only priest and y t that which wee do is not to take his office vpon vs but onely to approue ratifie the thing y t he did Hebr. 5.6 And therefore let vs marke well that it belongeth onely to our Lord Iesus Christ to assure vs of the loue of God his father but yet doth he also witnes it vnto vs by y e mouthes of such as preach the Gospel in his name It hath bin told vs herewithall that the things which were figured vnder y e Law Col. 2.17 haue bin performed in his person For the high priests when they blessed the people had a solemn ceremony of lifting vp of their handes as though they made an offering vp of all the people vnto God Likewise whē Iesus Christ wēt vp into heauen he vsed y e same fashiō by lifting vp his hands to blesse his disciples Luke 24.50.51 in whose persons hee pronounced a general blessing vpon y e whole body of his Church We see then y t the figures of y e Lawe belōg to vs at this day howbeit not as touching the outward vse of them but as in respect of the substance truth of thē Wherby we be warned to get vs to our Lord Iesus Christ who bringeth vs y e full accomplishment of all thinges And we must vnderstand y t although he be not now conuersant in y e world to blesse vs yet will he haue vs to bee made partakers of the same blessing by meanes of y e gospel when it is preached among vs. This is the effect of the thinges which we haue to gather vpon that place Now Moses addeth That God hath giuen the Leuites no portion among their brethren but that he himselfe would be their portion and heritage Yea but yet for all that he appointed them y e tenthes first-fruits as is shewed in the fourth booke of Moses Num. 18.21 Now then Gods assigning of a portion vnto thē was in such sort as they possessed not any Lande or inheritance more thā their townes suburbs for their cattell But yet tooke they the tenthes firstfruits all other such things of all y e people Herein God had a cōsideration y t such as he mēt to dedicate to y e seruing of himselfe should be w tdrawen frō all worldly affaires y t they might intend to y e seruing of God Gods intent then was y t the Leuits their children shold not giue thēselues to husbādry such other things And why For they had ynough to do to discharg thēselues of their dutie otherwise y t is to wit in calling vpō the people to folow Gods cōmandementes to keepe his couenant so as religion might continue vnapaired faith might haue his full force so consequently y t God might be honored Also they had the Sacrifices which serued them in steed of Sacraments at y t time they were many in nūber because the people could not otherwise be held in order they would easily haue bin mard if they had not bin restreined w t many bridles That therfore was ynough to keep y e Leuits occupied And for the same cause God gaue thē a portion beside the tithes that they might haue wherwith to finde mainteine thēselues while they were a doing of their duties But this hath bin corrupted falsified by the papistes For they haue borne men in hand that tithes belong to thē by Gods Law And why because as they say they belonged to y e Leuits But they consider not y t the Leuites were inheriters of the land of Chanaan as well as those y t were of the tribes of Iuda Beniamin Ephraim Manasses and all y e residue In respect whereof it was meete they shold haue had their portiō with their brethren they ought not to haue bin excluded or banished frō it for y e inheritance of the land was cōmon to them all therfore was it meete y t they should haue had their part of it Yea but God recompensed them after an other fashion It were meete then y t the Pope al his rable shold shew how y e inheritances of all landes belong to thē then might they therepon demand their tithes Thus ye see how this text hath bin miswrested But yet for all this let vs beare in minde howe S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 9.13 y t euen at this day it is Gods wil y t they which preach y e gospel should be nourished and mainteined as well as the Priestes had their liuinges appointed thē in old time 2. Cor. 3.6 S. Paul demādeth in way of cōparison whether y e spiritual seruice y t is yelded to God nowadaies ought not at the least to be asmuch esteemed as the seruice y t was vnder the figures of y e law Now it was Gods will y t such as serued at the altar should be mainteined by the altar therefore it is good reason y t such as at this day doe serue Gods Church in bringing thē his word should also be nourished and mainteined Thus ye see y t the way to vnder stād this text a right is to take S. Paul for our expounder thereof But to conclude peremptorily y t tithes belong to the preachers of y e gospel is to grosse an abuse fondnes Neuertheles we must mark also y t it is not our Lords meaning y t ydols or idle bellies much lesse y t such as peruert al order turne vs away from y e seruing obeying of God should be nourished in his Church Now then if the Shepherdes will needes claime to be found at y e common charges of the Church they must looke that they occupie themselues in the seruice of God As how It is no title of idlenes it is no fantasticall dignitie to be called the Shepherde of a Church but it is a kinde of bondage howbeit y t it be honorable And therfore y e party y t is appointed to be a shepherd or minister must looke y t he obey God and serue his people For we can not serue him y t hath put vs in office but by seruing of his Church Yee see then how the Pope al his hangers on are disappointed of the things which they pretend to pertain to them of
saith It is not spokeÌ„ to your childreÌ„ which haue neither seen nor heard of it He meaneth y t he speaketh not of theÌ„ as shal be spoken afterward True it is that at this day when we reade the storie of the deliuerance that was wrought at that time we ought to be moued at it For it is an euerlasting euidence of the care which God hath had of his Church And in y e same we haue a liuely picture to shew vs how God draweth vs as it were out of the dungeon and gulf of death by chosing vs to be of his house and therefore it behoueth vs to make our profit of the thinges that were done then although we saw them not But here Moses reasoneth thus by comparison If I speake to your children saith he yet were it their dutie to make their profit of y t things which they were taught and although they haue not seene the things with their eyes yet ought this recording of them to do them good But as for you ye ought to be better aduised in taking heed to the things y t God hath shewed you For your thanklesnesse is dubble much sorer shal your condemnation be if you profit not by theÌ„ What can ye alledge for your selues if ye giue not your selues whollie to the magnifying of such grace that is to say if ye honor not God seing he hath bought you so dearly and shewed that he setteth so great store by your welfare Seeing that God hath shewed himselfe to be such a one towardes you what is your dutie Here we be put in mind that when our Lord hath made vs to find fauour by experience if we profit not by it to serue him with the better courage and earnester zeale it must of necessitie come to account wee must looke for more horrible damnation in reward of such vnthaÌ„kfulnes But now let vs see what we become the better by gods benefits Hath it not bin sufficiently seene perceiued in our time 〈◊〉 he hath helped vs at our neede howe he hath stretched out his mightie hande If euery man would acknowledge for his own part how many waies god hath shewed himself bouÌ„tiful towards him surely we should be at our wits end Againe let vs loke vpoÌ„ the state of y e Church in generall Hath not god wrought after such a sort on al sides in our daies as if we be not very monsters or at leastwise worse than bruit beasts we must needs perceiue by his miracles y t he ment to shew here how he reigneth in heaueÌ„ But now let vs se how euery of vs is stirred vp therby to serue him Nay it should seeme we seeke nothing else but towels to hid our eyes withal and y t we beleeue not the thinges which are ought to be most apparant to vs. Yet was not this doctrine vttred to no end For if God haue shewed vs by his deeds that â—e dwelleth amoÌ„g vs haue reached out his hand froÌ„ heauen to proue y t all power belongeth 〈◊〉 him and y t he wil be y e sauior of his church yet we beleeue it not but play y e blind bussards and turne our backs vpon him shutting our eyes wilfully when we should take most heed to coÌ„sider in what wise y e Lord hath shewed himselfe to be y e father sauior both of our selues of al y t are his what excuse will there be for vs Ye see then here is a lesson y t toucheth vs. For if euer God vttered himselfe surely we of our time haue seene such deeds of his as are worthy of remeÌ„brance And wheÌ„ men shal reherse theÌ„ a hundred yeres hereafter if y e world indure so long it is certain y t they shal serue to make them ashamed y t shall haue heard theÌ„ spoken of so we may wel say as is said by y e prophets y t the straÌ„genes of theÌ„ shal make their eares to glow y t shal heare of theÌ„ for y t is y e maner of speech which the Prophets vse in such cases And we haue seene these things and had experience of them Now if y e report of them in time to come ought to moue y e people y t shal be then although they shall haue had none other knowledge of theÌ„ ought not we much rather to be moued by them now presently Ought they not to pearce our hearts Must not Satan needes haue vtterly sotted vs wheÌ„ after such perceiuing of gods benefits power we see nothing at all but go on stil conceiue nothing Is such blockishnes to be borne with No verily And therefore let vs bethink ourselues consider wel how god hath wrought in gathering vs together in that we can worship him purely as he requireth Who is he be he a citizen borne or a stranger which hath not cause to say lo how my god hath so vttered himselfe to mee as if I had seene his hand come downe from heauen to me in some visible shape For what hope had they which are here townsmen borne to be either in libertie or to be but eueÌ„ a mean people Insomuch as it seemed y t al should haue gone to wrack come to vtter ruine ere this time As touching y e Gospel this citie was but a hellish gulfe of superstitions and diuelishnes as was to be seen euerywhere and al maner of abuses ydolatries practises of Satan did so reigne in it as there was no likelyhood that euer there shold haue bin any roome for Gods grace And therefore those whom God hath visited so louingly and to whom hee hath vouchsafed to come home into their houses to seeke them out haue good cause to glorifie him And as for them y t are come out of forrein countries and are gathered together here as it were into one flocke what can they say but that our Lord hath performed y t thing towardes them at this day which he spake so long ago by his prophet Esay Esa 2.3 〈◊〉 17.25 namely that he would make charyots and wagons trotte apace through the world to bring folke from al coasts to serue worship him in his Church Nowe then if we looke not vp at such things surely it wil be no excuse or shift for vs to say I thought not on these things because they were not knowen to me for God sheweth vs theÌ„ apparantly ynough so as we need but to opeÌ„ our eyes to see them Thus ye see how we ought to practise this lesson nowadays where it is said I speake not to your children which might reply that they neuer sawe nor heard of these things For looke what you ought to know as coÌ„cerning Gods power he hath done you to vnderstand it by his deeds And now by the way let vs be contented with the experience which we haue had of the goodnesse and power of our God in his redeeming of vs from y e endles confusion wherin we be al
Because God bindeth vs one to another But yet for al y t we haue our consciences at liberty so as wee knowe that the thinges are free to vs which were not permitted to the fathers of olde time Nowe then ought not this to moue vs the more to serue God which sheweth himself so freeharted towardes vs For if we were vnder the bondage of the Lawe wee ought to abstaine from manslaughter seeing that the bloude of beastes were forbidden vs which at this day is permitted vnto vs. And therefore let vs beware wee abuse not such goodnesse of our God but rather the more that hee graunteth vs the more let euerie of vs bethinke him to holde himselfe in his obedience subiection that we play not the loose Colts as the prouerbe saith That is the effect of the thinges which wee haue to note vppon this text Now as touching the Vowes and Oblations wherof Moses speaketh so much let vs remember what hath bin saide heretofore namely howe it is not Gods will that his people should eate and drinke without hauing some recorde that all commeth of him As for example whereas at this day he giueth vs leaue to eate and drink euerie man according to his abilitie his meaning is that wee shoulde giue our neighbours part with vs and shewe by our almosedeeds that wee doe homage vnto him with the things that he hath giuen vs as belonging vnto him alone There is not nowadayes the like order that was vnder the Lawe of Moses concerning oblations firstfruites and Sacrifices but Almosedeedes are the sacrifices that God liketh of as is shewed vnto vs Hebr. 13.16 specially in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And it is a doctrine that is verie rife in the holy scriptures But there it is saide expresly that wee must not forget the brotherly loue which wee ought to haue in succouring our neighbours that are distressed for they bee the sacrifices which God requireth and alloweth Sith it is so then let vs marke well that if a man haue wherewith to maintaine himselfe abundantly hee must not exempt himselfe from doing seruice vnto God therewithall And after what manner Euerie man must streine himselfe to the vttermost of his power to succour and releeue such as haue scarcetie want of worldly goods Thus yee see howe the right vse which our Lorde appointeth to all his creatures is to offer them vp vnto him to shew that we holde all of him That is the very meaning that was intended in all the first fruites of olde time And although the Ceremonie continue not at this day yet ought the truth thereof to reigne still among vs. Wherefore let vs learne to cherish our selues in such sort as wee forget not other folks and specially let vs beare in minde that our vnthankfulnesse will defile all our good fare if wee acknowledge not God to bee the giuer of all thinges vnto vs. Wee heare what our Lorde Iesus Christ saide to the hypocrites that tooke greate paines to make clean their vesselles that there might bee no spotte in them Mat. 13.23 â—5 26 Make cleane the insides of them too quoth hee And afterwarde hee addeth that the right way for men to make themselues cleane is to giue to the poore and not to busie themselues about a sort of pelting trifles as the worlde doeth continually who thinke to dally with God and woulde giue him rittlerattles to play with as if hee were a babe but they cannot beguile him so Therefore according to Iesus Christes exhortation if wee meane that the meates which we take shoulde be sanctified vnto vs let vs looke that God bee honoured by them and let vs beare well in minde howe it is of his onely freegoodnesse that wee bee nourished by them And forasmuch as wee can neither doe him good nor harme neither hath hee neede of any thing let vs shewe our good will towardes his poore seruauntes For they bee his bailifes whome hee sendeth to vs to receiue the fines and other dueties that wee owe him for all his benefites Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to gather vppon that saying Nowe it is saide further that if the people doe the thinges that are right and iust before God they shal bee blessed both they and their children Hereby wee bee still warned that if wee will direct our life aright wee must not followe our owne good intents as they cal them but hearken what God sayth vnto vs and rest simplie vppon his will as shal be declared more at large to morrowe by Gods will Neuerthelesse Moses warneth the people here as he doth in manie other places y t they must not demeane themselues after their owne fancies but in any wise giue eare vnto God If thou doe that which is good and righteous saieth he And in whose sight In the sight of men True it is that we ought to liue in such sort as wee giue no cause of offence to any bodie so as if any speake euil of vs they may haue their mouthes stopped But yet must not men bee made iudges of their liues that authoritie must bee reserued vnto GOD. And that is the cause why the scripture meaning to betoken an angelicall perfection saieth that such a man hath walked before God For if wee shoulde fashion our selues after the worlde what a thing were it Wee see howe the greatest multitude liue out of all order and so shoulde wee make euill custome a Lawe When whoredome drunkennesse outrage violence and blasphemie reigned wee woulde beare our selues in hande that such thinges were permitted vs. And why Because they be growen into custome Nowe therefore if wee shoulde followe the guise of the worlde wee should bee caried quite away Againe euen they that pretende to bee fullest of deuotion may chaunce to vse some pelting trash and baggage in the seruing of God they may happe to make a number of geugawes and rifferaffe but all such thinges are nothing worth they bee but flatte mockerie So then it behoueth vs to walke before God although wee see thinges vtterly out of order and all brought to confusion yet must wee holde the right way still which GOD sheweth vnto vs. If wee see men goe astray and deuise neuer so many fonde deuotions let vs leaue all such thinges and be contented to follow Gods ordinance Surely although the worlde like neuer so well of our doings yet shall wee not faile to bee condemned but if God allowe of vs then haue wee a good warrant As for example because that nowadayes wee vse not the gewgawes of the Papists we haue not any puppets here wee haue no decking of altars wee haue no tapers nor such other stuffe they laugh our plaine dealing to scorne and they thinke there is no seruing of GOD among vs. But howsoeuer wee fare wee haue heere a good recorde which is that wee doe the thinges that are good in the sight of our God And it is not for once onely that Moses
so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the vij of Nouember 1555. The XCix. Sermon which is the third vpon the sixteenth Chapter 9 Thou shalt recken seuen weekes from the time that thou biginnest to put the sickle into thy haruest thou shalt begin to recken seuen weekes 10 Afterward thou shalt keepe the feast of weekes to the Lord thy God with a freewill offering of thy handes which thou shalt giue as the Lord thy God shall haue blessed thee 11 And thou shalt reioyce before the face of the Lorde thy God both thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy Manseruaunt and thy Maid seruaunt and the Leuite which is within thy gates and the straunger the fatherlesse and the widowe which are among you in the place which the Lord thy God will choose to set his name in 12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondseruant in Egypt and thou shalt keepe and do these ordinances MOses teacheth heere of the seconde great solemnitie which was kepte yearely among the Iewes and that was to giue God thankes after the gathering of their haruest And this day was named Pentecost that is to say fiftie dayes because there were seuen weekes betweene Easter and that so as there were nine and fortie dayes betweene those feastes whereunto one being added for the feastday it selfe made fiftie And the Greeke worde signifieth the same thing but the Hebrewes called it the feast of weekes and all commeth to one thing Thus then we see now what this feast wherof Moses speaketh here that is to wit a meane to put them in minde to honor God for sending his benefites to the sustenance of man And this concerned all manner of fruites of the earth Howebeit vnder one kinde all the rest were cōprehended as if God had exhorted his people to confesse that all good thinges come of him The summe then is that we must acknowledge not onely that God hath set vs in this worlde but also that he sheweth himselfe continually to be a fosterfather and that he mainteyneth vs and that he maketh the earth to yeelde fruite to finde vs withall and at a worde that we liue by his meere liberalitie True it is that this ought to be done at all times of our life howbeit by reason of mens grossenesse it was requisite that there shoulde bee yearely a feast kepte vppon some one certaine day of the yeare Moreouer as I haue tolde you alreadie the feastes of the Iewes serued not only for the benefites that God had bestowed vppon them alreadie but also for a seruice And so to be short Gods wil was that the Iewes should giue him thankes one day in the yeare y t therby they might be prouoked to acknowledge all their life after that they were susteyned at his hande so as they should neuer take anie repast but that they shoulde thinke thus with themselues wee haue offered sacrifice to God after haruest whereby wee were put in minde that it is hee which hath sent vs our sustenance Therefore are we hypocrites if we thinke not vppon his goodnesse dayly or if wee turne not to him as often as we eate or drinke to acknowledge him to bee the author of al welfare So then this solemne protestation made once a yere was not a discharge for men to forget God all the rest of the time but rather a meane to make them thinke Goe too we haue kept here a solemne feast for one day that it might be a schooling to vs all the yeare after that if wee haue any thing wherewith to susteyne our selues it is Gods doeing who hath had pitie on vs. But nowe the ceremonie of this feast is no longer in vse and yet the trueth thereof abideth with vs still And so wee receiue good and profitable instructiō by y e doctrine therof by reason wherof it cannot be thought to be needlesse and y t it was written alonly for the Iewes For it was Gods will that men shoulde bee taught by it euen to the worldes end and that they should be put in minde not to swallowe vp Gods benefites into our paunches without thinking vppon him but rather that wee shoulde bee ledde to giue him thankes as oft as we either eate or drinke so that whensoeuer we take any repast we may consider howe it is hee that giueth it vs first opening the heauen to giue moysture and foyzon to the earth and afterward giuing power to the earth to beare fruite and finallie blesseth the Corne when it is sprung vp that it may prosper to yeeld foode vnto vs. Seeing then that we perceiue al these things let vs haue regard to benefite our selues by them True it is as I haue touched afore that we must not haue anie one day certaine in the yeare as the Iewes had neither ought wee also to bee as young children If a man alleadge for his excuse that if hee doe not his duetie let him not vse his reward giuen him as a little childe hath it will not serue to excuse him Folke doe not vse to giue a young childe his breakefast till hee haue prayed vnto God because hee hath not the wit and discretion to doe it vnlesse he bee compelled to it by some certaine order Nowe then if an olde fellowe of the age of thirtie or fortie yeares eate his meate without praying to God he deserueth not to bee beaten with a rodde but to bee driuen away and to bee abhorred as a swine And if hee alleadge I haue no rule as is giuen to young children what is that to the matter Hast thou not discretion enough to do so much of thy selfe Hast thou liued so long in the world and doest thou not yet know that thou oughtest to yeelde God thankes for the good which hee doeth vnto thee Col. 4.5 Therefore it is saide that the Iewes were young children in comparison of the Christians for God had giuen them rules according to their infirmities As now although those thinges bee past away in respect of vs yet are wee the more bounde to acknowledge Gods grace in his feeding maintaining of vs. And why The perfecter y t the doctrine is which is imparted to vs in the Gospel the more plainly ought wee to acknowledge the benefites of our God towardes vs. That is the thing which wee haue first to remember out of this text Nowe it is saide That the people shall resorte to Ierusalem to offer freewill offerings God pointeth out these thinges more particularly in the three and twentith of Leuiticus Leui. 23.17 where he sheweth what offeringes were to bee made on the behalfe of the people Howbeit hee speaketh there but of euerie particular person and hee saith Yee shall bring offeringes according to your devotion For although there was a lawe certaine yet behooued it their offeringes to bee made with a free will and not as by compulsion accordingly as it is saide 2. Cor. ◠7 that God
hee commaundeth all to be burnt and wasted that there may not so much as one graine of corne be lefte Yea but thereby the poore people are starued There is no remedie nothing must bee spared but all thinges must be borne down to the intent I may reigne like a conquerour Needes must God bee forgotten when men proceede so farre Wee neede not to go seeke examples of threescore yeares hence neither neede wee to heare our auncetors speake For we haue seene as much within these last twentie yeares and not farre hence And the mischiefe not onely continueth but also increaseth still For why they bee the fruits of the contempt of Gods worde So a Prince doe shriue himselfe and bee assoyled and make a Crosse vpon his backe it is ynough Hee shall haue Ceremonies ynowe When hee hath performed a sort of counterfaite seruices hee is quite and cleane assoyled But if a man shoulde come and shewe him his dutie by Gods worde hee cannot abide to heare of it To be tolde what he oweth first vnto God and then vnto men hee can abide much lesse To bee tolde after what manner he ought to take warres in hand and howe hee should holde himselfe within his bounds and listes without attempting any further than God giueth him leaue he can no skil at all it were a derogation to his maiestie it is ynough for him to mocke GOD with a sort of pelting trifles as though hee were to please a young babie But let vs on our side consider what is Lawfull for vs and not meddle with those which prouoke Gods wrath and curse vppon their heades after that fashion And seeing that God hath ridde vs from so great confusions let vs yeelde him thankes and not followe them any more least we prouoke his vēgeance to bee the more horrible against vs. Nowe howsoeuer the worlde goe although wee bee priuate persons yet must wee put this lesson in vre of not making any waste forsomuch as wee knowe that our Lorde hath appointed the earth to bee as our foster mother And seeing shee openeth her bowels after that sort to sustaine vs wee must vnderstande that it is all one as if God shoulde reach vs his hand and offer vs the testimonies of his goodnesse If wee bee of that minde then will this doctrine auaile vs not onely in time of warre but also in time of peace And would God that it were well regarded But nowadayes men are set altogether vppon euill doing Insomuch that although wee haue our eares beaten dayly with such matters yet wee minde them not whereof the examples are too euident Yea and there are which had leuer that their corne shoulde bee marde in their Garners and bee eaten with vermine and rotte where it lyeth rather than to sell it in time of neede For they coulde finde in their heartes to hungerstarue the poore people And is not that all one with cutting vp the fruite trees Behold the corne is gathered in and our Lorde hath powred out his goodnesse and blessing to the ende that the poore folke shoulde bee susteyned Nowe it is hoorded vp in Garners and it is kept fast vnder locke and kay till it rise to so great a price that folke crie out for hunger and are no longer able to abide it And what becomes of the Corne in the meane whyle It foysteth and rotteth Indeede our Lord doth nowe and then mocke them that thought them selues to haue gained much and shewe them that that is not the way to doe it But yet for all that they to the vtter most of their power doe burie Gods grace as though they fought against the goodnesse and fatherly loue which hee vttered towards all the people And in so doing they peruert the whole order of nature as if they went to cut downe and to destroy the fruitebearing trees What is to bee done then Seeing that our Lorde woulde haue a certaine humanitie to bee obserued euen among enemies forasmuch as it behooueth vs to liue fellowlike together in peace and brotherly loue let vs looke that wee endeuour to liue in concorde and friendshippe as much as in vs lyeth And when God shall haue bestowed his spirituall giftes vppon vs which are much preciouser than all the worldly thinges which wee can receiue let vs indeuour to make our neighbours parteners with vs and not through our malice disappoint them of the good which God doeth vnto them For if wee ought to behaue our selues with such discretion in the vse of temporall benefites what ought wee to doe in the spirituall blessings which concerne the saluation of our soules Then let vs learne not to stubbe vp the fruitetrees But rather seeing that Gods worde is the seede of life let vs indeuour to spreade it abroade euerie where that it may take good roote And that when it hath taken roote it may not bring foorth a barren tree but a tree that beareth good fruite Thus yee see what wee haue to gather of this text if wee intende to profite our selues duly thereby yea euen in such wise that although wee be not in warres yet notwithstanding forasmuch as GOD hath chosen vs for his people hee hath shewed vs heere such a point of vprightnesse as ought to continue with vs all our life long Nowe let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as we may be y e better setled in true repentaunce and that therewithall wee may mourne and mislike of ourselues when wee see the infirmities that are in vs and pray our good GOD to vouchsafe to holde vs in awe that although wee see the worlde nowadayes to bee vtterly out of order and our selues horriblie beset rounde about with al manner of stumblingblockes yet wee may bee helde still vnder his banner to followe him whithersoeuer hee listeth to call vs that by that meanes hee may bee glorified in vs and wee also rightly glory in him for that wee be his people and hee hath shouled vs out to doe him seruice That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant people from the superstitions and ydolatries wherein they are helde that so hee may leade them to the knowledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it would please him c. On Saturday the xxj of December 1555 The Cxx. Sermon which is the first vpon the one and twentith Chapter WHen a bodie is found slaine lying vpon the ground in the Land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee to possesse and it is not knowen who killed him 2 Then shall thine Elders and Iudges come foorth and measure the Townes that lye rounde about the slaine man 3 And when they perceiue which of the Townes is nearest to the slaine man then shall the Elders of that towne take a young Hekfar from the
Lawe It is sayd Thou shalt let the Damme goe and onely take the young ones to thy selfe When a Henbird broodeth her young ones therein we haue an image of a mothers dutie towardes her children And the sillie birdes doe sometimes teache vs our lesson when men and women are so brutish that GOD is fayne to send them to schoole to the beastes Esa. 1.3 For when as the Prophet Esay saith The Oxe knoweth his Maisters stable and the Asse knoweth his Crib thereby hee ment to put men in minde of their leaudnesse and as it were to vpbraide them thus Yee bee woorse than the brute beastes therefore go learne of them For the Oxe in knowing his owne Crib or stall doeth shewe you that you ought to knowe the Lorde your GOD. And seeing hee vouchsafeth to gather you into his flocke and into his Church and yet you remaine woorse than the wilde beastes doe ye not shew your selues to haue vtterly forgotten the order of nature Nowe then seeing that the birdes haue such a care of their young ones surely they may teache men and women their lesson when they shewe themselues to haue no care of their Children as wee see some ryotous folke doe which care not though they let their wiues and Children starue at home without regarde thereof and in the meane while goe and spende thrise as much at the tauerne as would find their whole house Againe there are mothers y t haue no care at all of their children all their seeking is to rid their hands of them they cannot finde in their heartes to take the paines with them wherein they shew themselues to be vtterly void of louingnesse and kindnesse and to bee woorse than the brute beasts which teache vs our lesson in this behalfe For although the beasts haue no further care of their young than til they be able to shift for themselues yet are men taught their dewtie and charge thereby and what they haue to doe all the time of their life Why doe not the birds take care for their young ones furtherforth than till they be able to shift for themselues Bycause a bird is not created in the world to be gouerned by his sire and his dam all the time of his life He is not bound to that for he is a reasonles creature But the case standeth not so with men For euen when they be come to yeres of liberty they must still be guided and gouerned by counsell and their fathers and mothers must put them in mind of their dewty when they haue done amisse This needeth not in the beasts but yet doe the beasts discharge themselues of their duety so long til their yong ones be exempted out of their charge And sith it is so what shall men doe Let vs resorte to that which is sayd heere namely Thou shalt not catch the dam when shee sitteth vpon her young And why I see the dam brooding her yong ones and as we see she had leuer suffer herselfe to bee eaten with vermine than forsake her yong she sittes there as vpon a torture and shee passeth not for it For why Shee hath such a care of her yong that shee forgetteth her selfe for their sakes If ye demaund a reason of it there is none that we know but this it is a naturall inclination and mouing impressed by God in birdes that when they see their little ones to their seeming they be deerer to them than their owne life And although it bee a painefull thing to them to tary sitting there in such care yet goe they to it with a cheerefull courage Nowe when wee beholde this is it not all one to vs as if we sawe a picture wherein God shewed vs our dewtie Let fathers take warning heere to trauell earnestly for their children And as they ought to haue a care for the feeding and mainteyning of them so must the mothers also doe their diligence in that behalfe assuring themselues that it is an acceptable seruice to God when they take such paines in respect that GOD hath bound them to that Condition and that it behoueth them to yeeld thereunto willingly and with a franke and free goodwill Seeing then that wee see an Image of our charge and God sheweth as it were with his finger what dewtie fathers and mothers doe owe to their children shall wee goe ouerthrow it were not that all one as if a Child should goe burne his booke When he hath a booke bought for him to goe to schoole with and he teareth it in peeces shal he not be beaten for it Then if wee burne the booke which our Lorde sheweth vs and wittingly defeate the order which hee hath set in nature by playing the butchers in killing with our owne handes the silly bird brought thereto by constraint of necessitie for the discharge of her fatherly and motherly duetie what will become of vs True it is that God hath giuen vs the birdes for our foode as wee knowe hee hath made the whole worlde for vs. Yet notwithstanding if wee bee so cruell that wee will not spare the poore birdes euen when they bee as it were vnder Gods tuition imploying themselues in his seruice is it not a refusing of the grace which he offereth vs in setting before our eyes as in a lookingglasse the duetie which we owe towardes those whom hee hath committed vnto vs Yes verily In so much that if wee bee not besides our wittes and caryed with too cruell a rage wee will haue pitie and compassion vppon the poore birdes when wee see them yeelde their life in that sort to discharge their duetie And in deede it shoulde seeme that men intended to defye God and nature when they take the dammes so vppon their little ones For they bee so leane that they bee as it were frothe or slime Nowe our Lorde meant to restraine men and to shewe them that their lustes are altogither out of order As if he should say What will ye doe Ye see there is no substance or strength in them For during the time that I take them into my tuition they be not good for sustenance Now then if a man bee so cruell towardes the birdes without hauing regard hereto surely he wil be cruel to his neighbours also And he that maketh no sticking nor coÌ„science to kil birdes in their breeding time will also â—ut his neighbors throat if he thinke he may haue any gaine by it Thus wee see nowe why our Lorde hath tolde vs that hee woulde haue the Broodbirdes to bee in safetie though their young ones bee taken from them Hereby wee bee taught so to vse Gods creatures as the vse of them may bee orderly and specially that wee may inure our selues to pitie and compassion all our life long For to that ende is this commaundement to bee referred As I sayde afore GOD standeth not vppon the birdes to put any great perfection therein but hee ment to teache vs by an argument from the lesser to the
were y e next way to make vs forget the duetie which we owe vnto God We also on our side must take heede of these things not in y e manner as the Iewes did which straitely obserued this law other such like touching the ceremony but we must keepe ourselues vnto y e truth and substance therof which they so much despised according to the coÌ„mon custom of y e world which is euer wont to busie it selfe about the formalitie or shew of things to make no account of the substance Let vs therefore learn to know y t whereas the Iewes obserued this ceremony w tout any minding at all of y t which God required of them they did but dally play with God and their whole obseruation thereof was but hypocrisie so as they did nothing else but prouoke y e anger of God For when men wrest peruert his word in such sort it is such a trecherie as he can not suffer But it is no wonder to see this abuse among men For they would faine content God with such outward things it is ynough for theÌ„ so they set a good face on y e matter And being theÌ„selues carnall they measure God by their owne ell But contrariwise let vs note y t when God coÌ„maÌ„deth vs smal things it is to lead vs to a farther matter therefore let vs alwayes aime at this mark not stay ourselues on things which are of no gret importaÌ„ce according to y e rule which our Lord Iesus hath deliuered vnto vs in this behalf Maâ— 23. â—3 Ye ought in deede saith hee to doe these small things wheÌ„ they are coÌ„manded by y e law but yet ye must alwaies come vnto y e chiefe principall point And we know what God sayth namely y t he requireth mercy not sacrifice his will is y t there shoul be faithfulnes iudgement and vprightnes among men And as for sacrifices washings such like thinges his meaning was y t by theÌ„ men shold be trained to put the assurance of their saluatioÌ„ in y e fauor which he hath promised vnto theÌ„ y t they be sory for their sins when they see them before their eyes y t they should serue theÌ„ for witnesses to endite themselues to y e intent y t when they offer themselues to God being in such displeasure with their sinnes they might attaine pardon and mercie of him Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde And now seeing the figure is passed done away we haue no neede to busie ourselues in the outward obseruatioÌ„ of this law What remaineth then Is this law needeles nowadaies in respect of vs Ought not we to reade it Yes for ye see that God ment it should be an instruction for his church euen vnto y e end of y e world It remaineth then y t letting the figure passe we gather y t which is taught both to the Israelites to vs namely y t in all things we must take heede of stayning and defiling our selues Nowe we are not ignoraunt what the things are which defile a man Maâ— 15.18 It is not y t which entereth into a man as our Lorde Iesus Christ speaking of meats sayth but it is y t which coÌ„meth out of a maÌ„ Look how many wicked affectioÌ„s we haue so many stainings of vs haue we before god For froÌ„ whence coÌ„meth fornication Proceedeth it not out of the heart of man From whence coÌ„meth ambition From whence come other wicked desires as couetousnesse enuie pride and all the rest Now when y e soule of man is so full of such foule staines y t it is infected before God it draweth the body by by vnto theÌ„ and if we put wicked thoughtes in practise beholde howe our bodies also are wrapped in the same filthines with our soule we become altogether defiled Let vs therefore learne so to dedicate ourselues vnto God as our infectious filth be not a cause to driue him away from vs. And therewithall let vs beare in minde that which S. Paule sayth namely that seeing God will dwell within vs we must purifie both our minds bodies â— Cor. 6.20 2. Cor. 6.16 And this is the reason which Moses alleadgeth when he sayth That God alwayes dwelt in the middes of the campe of Israel to deliuer theÌ„ to giue vp their enemies into their handes And afterwarde he addeth Take heede that the Lorde thy God depart not from thee when he shall find any vncleanesse in thee At this day this fauour is bestowed in more ample maner vpon vs than it was then vpon the auntient people For we know howe God is ioyned vnto vs in the person of his only sonne Now seeing y t the fulnes of the godhead doth dwell in our Lord Iesus Christ that not vnder a shadowe as in the arke of the couenant where y e lawe was enclosed but is assuredly our God being manifested in the flesh seeing it is so y t we are members of Iesus Christ 〈…〉 3. â—6 that he hath vouchsafed vs so great a benefite as by coÌ„ming downe from heauen to ioyne himselfe w t vs let vs note y t at this day God is more neere vnto vs than he was vnto y t people yea he will make vs to haue more feeling of his vertue and power For we are alwaies in such sort vnder his protection y t we neede not to feare but that his power is still stretched out to maintaine preserue vs. When our Lord Iesus sayd vnto his disciples I am with you euen vnto the ende of the worlde 〈◊〉 28.20 surely he ment to strengthen them in all the conflictes which they were to suffer in preaching of the Gospel and it serued likewise to declare vnto vs also y t he will neuer forsake vs as in respect of his power Seeing it is so then that we are vnder the gouernment of the sonne of God and y t although he be ascended vp into heaueÌ„ he faileth not to fill all y t he is also our shepheard to the intent y t none of them whoÌ„ his heauenly father hath giuen vnto him should be lost 〈…〉 .10 〈◊〉 5.30 that we are bone of his bone flesh of his flesh as S. Paul sayth and y t there is no greater coniunctioÌ„ betweene y e husband the wife than is betwene the son of God vs. Seeing it is so I say let such gratious fauour as this prouoke vs to withdraw ourselues froÌ„ al filthines let vs keepe this holy vnitie which we ought to haue with our God And moreouer let vs also diligeÌ„tly note how precious a thing it is y t God dwelleth with vs to giue vp our enemies into our hands to deliuer vs froÌ„ all euill For hereby we are warned y t were it not for his fauour we are set open to ten thousande deathes And in very deede let euery of
truth substance of things must depart the signe must remaine y t were a goodly matter Again they haue retained other like things as is lent This is the fast y t is to be kept say the Papistes The reason forsooth is because Iesus Christ fasted Yea but did he which is y e fountaine of all perfection and the mirror of all holines fast euery yere No he fasted but once in his life The Papists say y t wee must fast euery yeere and y t there is great deuotion holines therin Yea but therin they would exceed Iesus Christ. But in deed it is a diuilish superstition to fast 40. dais after y t maner vpoÌ„ opinioÌ„ y t by this means we may make ourselues like to Christ. Matt. 4. â— 1. King 19.8 For we know y t our Lord Iesus ment to shew thereby y t he was then exeÌ„pted froÌ„ al condition of man as the same was done in Elias by miracle likewise in Moses when hee published the law And did y e Iewes follow Moses and Elias therein Or did any of so many holy prophets euer fast y t fast No for they knewe wel it was not coÌ„manded theÌ„ of God and y t he made no coÌ„mon rule of it nor would haue y t thing drawen into example which he had once ordained for y e authorising of his law So then we see y t it is very profitable to consider what God hath for one onely time coÌ„manded to the intent we peruert not al nor desire without any difference to do whatsoeuer is contained in y e holy scripture w tout knowing first whether it concerne vs be spoken vnto vs or no. This is one point to be noted A second point to be obserued is y t we ought as much as we may possibly to maintaine vnitie agreemeÌ„t among vs as shal by by be declared It was Gods will there should be no mo temples but one And why To y e intent it shold be as a bond to hold the people together in y e purenes and soundnesse of faith We haue one only God which is called vpon among vs wee must come into one certaine place to sacrifice vnto him all of vs must there gather ourselues together It is true in deede y t we are not nowadaies tyed vnto any such bondage but howsoeuer it be yet y e substance is remaining still vnto vs. Let vs therfore take heede vnto all those ayds which we haue to holde vs in this communion of faith and in this vnitie which God requireth let vs keepe them well and let no man turne aside from them And as touching the outwarde order we knowe that our Lorde Iesus christ would haue men to assemble them selues together I graunt wee are not bound to be al in one place meÌ„ also preach in diuers churches of one toune And why Bicause al the worlde can not heare one sermon but yet for all that because of our slownesse wee are so bounde that we must gather our selues together in the name of God He that wil keepe him selfe in his howse despising the coÌ„mon order and will say I can reade at home edifie my selfe sufficieÌ„tly there y t man asmuch as in him lieth breaketh in sunder y e vnitie of faith teareth in pieces the body of our Lord Iesus Christ. We know y t baptisme was ordained to y e intent it should be as a coÌ„mon seale y t we are the church of God are gouerned with his spirit Now if euery man wil haue his baptisme a part what a wicked disorder were it The holy supper of y e Lord also is distributed as a coÌ„mon food to y e intent we should all coÌ„municat of it We are waâ—ned by it that we are one body And as one loafe is made of many graines of corne which are so mingled together y t they make but one substaÌ„ce euen so ought we to be knit together if we will be accouÌ„ted for the children of God Therefore if euery man should haue his priuate supper were it not a w tdrawing of ourselues froÌ„ the agreement brotherhoode which Iesus Christ would haue vs to keepe In Popery euery maÌ„ must haue his altar his chappell Yea they were of opinion that God was much bound vnto theÌ„ for so doing There should haue bin one coÌ„moÌ„ table for I wil not say y t they haue turned y e coÌ„munion table into an altar to sacrifice vpoÌ„ which thing in it self is a diuelish abhominatioÌ„ but in y e meane time although they retain the word yet wil they not haue a coÌ„mon table for all the church For euery man thrusteth in himself to say O I wil haue a chappel there I will haue my deuotion by my selfe When men be come to y t point it is an horrible wasting of the Church of God the building of so manie seueral altars hath bin y e cause of the bringing in of so many sectes diuisions Although y e papists had placed no idols in their churches althogh they had not such a nuÌ„ber of superstitioÌ„s Idolatries as wee see they haue yet in doing of this one thing they haue broken y e vnity which christ hath solemnly set betweene his meÌ„bers in the whole Church What must we do then Let vs indeuor to keepe ourselues in brotherly agreement and vnder the signes tokens which God hath giuen vs and let vs continue therein and make al those meanes which he hath giuen vs to serue vnto that ende That is the doctrine which we haue to gather vpon this place But let vs returne now vnto y t which we sayde in the beginning that is y t God hath here required of his people a solemne acknowledgement how much they were bound vnto him We are therfore exhorted to acknowledge y e benefits of God yea to occupy ourselues therein so as we neuer forget theÌ„ The people in deed had already giuen thanks vnto God after they were come out of Egypt in the wildernes where they sacrificed continually vnto him but yet after they are passed ouer IordaÌ„ they must begin to giue thaÌ„ks again And why Because meÌ„ would alwaies discharge their dutie towards God by halues and they haue soone forgotten it thinke no longer what they owe vnto God And y t is the cause why they must be occupied continually in y e self same thing So then let vs note well y t euen all y e time of our life we must apply our whole indeuour to magnifie set foorth the name of God For although we be not lodged in this land of CanaaÌ„ yet y e fauor of God ought to be asmuch or more esteemed of vs than y t earthly inheritaÌ„ce which was giuen to yÌ„e children of Israel For god hauing plucked vs out of the dungeons of death out of y e bondage of Satan declareth y t we are blessed of him and y t we are a
obey our God and shewe that our affection is so bent without dissembling Let euery one of vs incline to that which is giuen him in commaundement namely to bee carefull vigilant and attentiue Nowe he addeth To keepe all the commaundementes which I set before thee this day or which I ordeyne for thee Although Moses be the speaker hereof yet taketh hee the aucthoritie and power to commaund and to subdue men not to anything of his owne forging as who should say it ought therefore to bee receiued without gainesaying but to God because GOD speaketh by his mouth and for that hee himselfe doeth faithfully deliuer the doctrine that was to him committed Therefore speaketh hee in such a high style insomuch as he saith that they should keepe his ordinaunces It lieth not in the power of a mortal man to binde folks consciences And yet is that y e thing which wholly corrupted the Church in that men haue vsurped the office of God in making lawes and statutes for spirituall gouernement of mens soules And that is a point of high treason to Godward For the creature vsurpeth to himselfe the thing which appertaineth to GOD onely whom the Prophet Esay termeth the lawgiuer 〈◊〉 3.22 and in likewise Saint Iames 〈◊〉 12. to the ende that wee should learne to heaâ—ken vnto him and wholly to depend vpon his worde Let vs marke wel then that it is not lawful for men to inioine lawes vnto mens soules But whereas Moses saith I ordeine vnto thee he presupposeth that he preferred not any thing of his owne ne forged any law of his owne brayne or added any thing to that which God had committed vnto him but forasmuch as hee did his office faithfully he might well say I ordeyne for thee As when wee set forth the pure word of God the same very worde is a souereigne commaundement Now it is not meant heereby that we should vsurp any dominion or souereintie ouer mens soules But that in dooing seruice to GOD wee may commaund in his name and in his person Thus wee see heere what the meaning of Moses was And in deede doth it lie in vs to promise men life euerlasting or to denounce vnto them the vengeance of God And yet wee doe it neuerthelesse Yea verily howbeit no furtherfoorth than the worde of God is put into our mouth and that wee haue the testimonie of him being his witnesse bearers and his herauldes his witnesses I meane to assure the faithfull of the grace and saluation which is promised vnto theÌ„ and his heralds to pronounce and to publish his sentence against al the vnbeleeuing sort and rebels Therefore to be short God meant to shew forth the maiestie of his word when he appointed Moses to speake in that manner And it was to the end that we should receiue the woorde of God with so much the more lowlinesse and reuerence when it is preached vnto vs not respecting the person as who would say hee is but a man that speaketh he is like vnto vs and as wee â—re so is he but as though we thought thus with our selues It is God that speaketh by the mouth of this man therefore let vs tremble at his presence let vs stoope and receiue that which hee saith and seeing he calleth vs before him let it serue to bring vs to such obedience that we may doe him homage thereby to shewe that we embrace that which proceedeth from his maiestie This is the summe of that which wee haue to keepe in memorie touching this text Now here might a question be moued why it is said When you haue kept al my commandementes For it is impossible for vs to fulfil the law so long as we stand cloathed with this mortall flesh As I said afore we shal euer be ful of vices and imperfections It seemeth then that it is to no purpose for God to require such a fulfilling of the lawe seeing it is impossible But here we must remember what hath bin spoken of afore To wit that God in his law respecteth not our might power or abilitie but our dutie after what maner our life ought to be gouerned And y e same ought to suffice vs inasmuch as we say y t a man shal neuer attaine to y e perfect obedience of God but y t we be euer farre from the end of our way the cause whereof is our corrupt nature being so infected through original sinne y t when we think on God we be troubled with many euil fansies wheÌ„ we haue any good motioÌ„ we are by by pluckt back from it we neede not any other thing to draw vs to the cleane contrarie But nowe by the way doth the impossibilitie of dooing it discharge vs of our seruice which wee bee bound to doe vnto God No. For the euil commeth of ourselues It is no maruel then that God in his lawe shoulde haue no regard to maÌ„s abilitie or vnabilitie but rather to the dutie which we owe him or that he shoulde require the right that belongeth vnto him for who is he y t can denie it him Hee must not change his nature If wee bee froward what hath he to do to meddle with our steines fylthines But he setteth forth such a righteousnes as we are not able to replie against And in his law he setteth not down such a righteousnes as is in himself he hath not respect to his own rightâ—ousnesse but vnto the righteousnesse that ought to bee in his creatures namely such as is in his Angels If wee had continued in our integritie and not beene peruerted and corrupted through sinne then should we haue beene able to haue discharged all that God requireth of vs in his lawe That is certaine Now then we see how it is not without cause that God will haue vs to keepe his whole law And yet we be not able to performe it It is true but the default proceedeth of the sinne which dwelleth in vs as I haue shewed heeretofore Now herewithal we haue to mark that seeing God promiseth nothing but vnto theÌ„ that haue obeyed al y e law it were too doltish follie to suppose that we can merit or deserue by doing this thing or that thing we must first of all haue kept al the law which is impossible And whereas the Papists prate of their merits enabling theÌ„selues to purchase the kingdome of heauen they think that wheÌ„ they haue done anie good to their own seeming God is bound to them Oh say they I haue beene deuoutly at Masse It is certaine that they prouoke the wrath of God by so dooing for we know that it is a diuelish abhomination Againe I haue serued such a Saint my Patron say they I haue builded such a Chappell and they beare themselues in hand that in so dooing they earne heauen Truely al these things are but a spiting of God they bee diuelish superstitions whereby the seruice of God is quite defaced But put the case that the
weakenesse that we may repaire vnto God and let nothing hinder vs from yeelding our selues wholy vnto him and vnto his protection let vs not deceiue our selues with such vaine confidence as the Iewes had in their high wals Nowe heerewithall hee sheweth also that all that euer wee can deuise for our strength and safegarde can doe nothing against his power but that wee shall continue besieged vntill wee bee altogether wasted Yea and wee may gather by this Text that it were much better for vs to bee deliuered at the first into the handes of our enemies than to haue meanes to resist whereby wee may bee made to languish in such wise as wee may not dye a simple death out of hand for the poore people that be abroad in the fieldes are spoyled at the first and so are dispatched of it Surely it is a pitious case to beholde their throates cut and all set on fire but yet for all that by that meanes they are deliuered from their miseries so as they pine not away in them But as for them that are in strong Townes they must bee faine to abide a long siege they must languishe and pine away by peecemeale not for a moneth or two but euen vntill they can holde out no more and that is asmuch as if they should passe a hundred deaths Thus doth our Lorde reuenge himselfe of them that thinke themselues to bee dispatched when God doth not roote them out at the first No saieth hee bethinke your selues whether of these fruites doe speede best they that are brought to the market in their prime and eaten out of hand or they that are kept for a time and in the ende doe rotte It were better then for you to bee ouercome and vanquished by your enemies at the first Let vs therfore consider well that when wee haue wherewith to defend vs to the worldeward where it should profite vs it shall turne to our double confusion if wee trust therein for wee must grone a great while vnder the burden and bee wasted by little and little For when wee bee disobedient and wil not be reformed our Lorde wil neuer leaue vs til he haue vtterly brought vs to nought as he sheweth here so oftentimes And y t is yet better expressed by this that Moses addeth The man saith he that is tender and delicate among you shall bee greeued at his brother and at the wife which lyeth in his armes because hee cannot bee suffered to eate his owne children alone The woman which is so nice that shee dare not touch the ground with her foote for so are the very woordes of Moses shall seeke to destroy and to spoile her own children yea they shall no sooner bee borne out of her wombe but shee shall bee desirous to deuoure them and if shee haue brought them vp to some bignesse shee will spare them neuer the more These bee dreadfull thinges for it is not sayd alonely You shal bee besieged and tarie a long while in famine so as you shall bee driuen to eate Horses Rattes mice shooeleathers yea and the very doung of byrdes as it hath bin seene and all these thinges shall bee your meate 2. Kin. 6.25 Neither is it sayd that men and women should bee eaten but that euery man shall eate his owne children Seeing that God speaketh in this maner were it not enough to make our hayre stand vpright Yes verily and yet here is nothing declared by Moses which hath not bin seene in execution It is not for a man to say it is not credible it is repugnant to nature a man would plucke the bread out of his owne mouth when hee is in extremitie to giue it vnto his children he would dy to helpe them insomuch that wee see that Agar could not abide to see the death of her childe Gen. 21.16 but shee left him alone and wished her owne death But wee neede not to alledge examples of these thinges for the common affection doth sufficiently declare that euery man would rather dy than eate his owne children but yet was such crueltie seene among the Iewes They which were instructed in y e lawe of God and should haue had much more humanity and compassion than the Paganes and infidels euen they forgot al maner of honestie and were ouercome with this madnes It was meete that this blindenesse Esa. 6.9 Deut. 28. whereof the Prophets had spoken and which wee see here before touched also by Moses should bee then accomplished in them and that they should bee rauished of their wittes For when GOD taketh away all reason and vprightnesse from men then hee leaueth them to a kinde of madnesse Such furie then must needes be in them when they did eate their owne children Hereby wee bee specially warned that they which bee reserued for the last cast bee in no better case than they whom God hath chasticed long afore And this is a profitable warning For so soone as God striketh some and forbeareth othersome And why not these also say we Haue not these deserued asmuch We haue not the patience to suffer God to execute his iudgementes in such order as seemeth good vnto him selfe but wee surmise that those whome hee dooth respit and whom hee for a little while forbeareth bee priuiledged more than wee But it is contrary for it had bin better for them to haue bin punished sooner than to be so reserued And therefore let vs not enuy them because that God forbeareth them for a time as though they were exempted from all plagues but let vs tary till God fetch them about at their turne for it had bin farre better for them to haue bin dispatched out of hand And therewithall let euery of vs looke to himselfe Let vs not trust to the patience that God â—â—eth toward vs to deceiue our selues therewith In deede when God hath bin patient and forborne vs it shoulde giue vs the better disposition to resorte vnto him and to hope to finde him pitiful to forgiue vs our faultes and trespasses But we must not fal asleepe thereupon to dally with him and to say O hee hath taried for vs he will yet doe the lyke hereafter as wee see the wicked doe which doe but shake their head at it when they see that God hath spared them they thinke they be discharged Let vs beware that For wee see how he saith that when we be well appointed and haue fortresses as it were inuincible all must fall on our heades and wee shall be so much the more grieuously punished Thus much haue we to remember touching this text Now let vs marke further that when we forget our God wee must also forget all the course of nature and he must needes bereaue vs of our wittes Ephes. 3.15 for it is hee on whom all fatherhood dependeth he is the welspring thereof We should not knowe what the duetie of the parents is towarde their children nor what reuerence children doe owe to their
18 But I will hyde my face in that day because of the wickednesse which hee shall haue committed euen for that he shall haue turned away to other gods 19 Now therefore wryte this song for you and teach it the children of Israel putting it in their mouthes that this song may be a witnesse to mee against the children of Israell 20 When I haue brought them into the lande which I sware to their fathers flowing with milke and hony and they shall haue eaten and beene filled and become fatte and haue turned away to other gods and serued them and blasphemed mee and broken my couenaunt 21 And when many euils and tribulations be come vppon them then shal this song answere to their face for a witnesse for it shall not be forgotten in the mouth of their seede for I knowe their thoughtes and what they doe already at this day before I haue brought them into the land for the which I haue sworne THe chiefe thing that God telleth vs to assure vs in this present life is this that hee hath his eye vpon vs and that he is so mindefull of our welfare that nothing shall want vs because he is able to prouide all thinges that bee necessarie for vs and therewithall is able also to defende vs from all anoyaunce insomuch that his eye is vnto vs a buckler a fortresse and a shadowe to shroude vs vnder it Likewise it is sayde of his good will in the fifth Psalme Psal. 5.3 that it shall be our shielde The thing then wherein the faithful ought to rest and reioyce is y t God looketh vpon them with compassion y t he neuer forgetteth them that he guideth all their steps and that he hath a fatherly care ouer them to remedie all their euilles And on the contrarie side the greeuousest threat that God can vtter is to turne his face away from vs and no more to vouchsafe to haue care either of vs or of our life but to forsake vs. For then wee are set open to Sathan and all maner of misfortune And where is then our defence For wee haue no meane to resist we see we be fraile and wretched creatures there is nothing in vs. And therefore wo be to them of whom God wil haue no longer care but forsaketh them as those that belong not vnto him at all ne be of his housholde And that is the thing which he sayeth in this place that when the people of Israell haue left him hee will hide his face from them and will be no more their father as he had beene afore time Nowe this is so spoken vnto the Iewes as it ought to serue vs also for a warning at this day Will we then haue this souereigne and inestimable benefite namely that God should guide vs that our life should be in his hande and that he should take vs into his keeping to vpholde vs Then must we looke that we call vpon him and as we professe his name so must we also serue him in truth according to this saying of Saint Paul 〈…〉 19. that who soeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde that is to say whosoeuer protesteth to be of his people must depart from all iniquitie Therefore let vs learne to serue our God with a pure conscience to resort to him for refuge and to put our whole trust in him And then are we assured that one hayre of our heade shall not fall away without his will For if he haue care of the sparrowes as our Lorde Iesus sayth what will he doe by them whom he hath chosen for his children 〈◊〉 10.29 We be not onely men created after his owne Image but he hath also set his marke vpon vs to the end to saue vs as members of our Lord Iesus Christ. Let vs not doubt therefore but that he wil euermore performe the duetie of a father in looking to vs. But if in the meane while we become wandering beastes and euery man fall away from him then must that which is pronouÌ„ced heere be accomplished vppon vs namely that God will hide his face not because that he forgetteth any thing but he speaketh in this manner after the fashion of men to make vs to vnderstande that in deede he will not looke vpon vs with compassion nor prouide for our life nor succor any of our necessities but that he will doe y e cleane contrary that is to say that he will leaue vs for such as we be and shew vnto vs that we be not worthy for him to encumber himselfe any more with vs or to busie himselfe about vs. Surely it is a dreadfull vengeance when GOD hath so forsaken vs. Therefore let vs beware that we sticke so vnto him as there may bee an inseparable band betwixt vs that is to say as we for our part may honour him as our father reposing and setting all our trust in him and he go forewarde continually in doing vs good and as his regarde may be the couert to hide vs from al y e assaults of Sathan from all the troubles that he deuiseth against vs and from the hurtes and anoâ—ances of this worlde Now he sayeth expressely that he will bring the Iewes to that passe that they shall confesse those mischiefes to bee falne vppon them because God is not amongst them Heere he treateth of a forced confession for hee speaketh not a whit of true repentance but onely of a remorse which all the despisers of God doe feele for that they haue of long time beene stubborne yea and skorned all correction When they be pinched to the vttermost y t they can no longer hold out then must they needs confesse spite of their teethes that there is a God which is their Iudge He sayth that the Iewes shall make such a confession when he hath brought them vnder foote with maine strokes Heereby we see y t he threatneth them that his punishing of them shall not be mieldly and after the coÌ„mon maner but that also he will vse such rigour that what hardnesse and stubbornesse soeuer be in them yet shal they be broken if they will not bowe accordingly as I haue handled the same point heeretofore Neuerthelesse it is good for vs to bee often put in mind of it to bethinke vs thereof oftentimes For men do alwayes deceiue themselues herein that they thinke that they shall by and by scape the hande of God and when they haue receiued a stripe or twaine they doe but shake their eares thinke all is done Therefore if wee be stubborne in naughtinesse let vs looke surely to bee beaten downe vntill we be driueÌ„ to confesse that he punisheth vs iustly Nay let vs not tarry till then But when we heare how God proceedeth against such as are vtterly hardhearted and will not yeeld vnto him let vs be afraid And as soone as we heare him threaten vs or perceiue any token of his anger let vs turne againe vnto him and
his natural duetie towards them but he must preferre God before all men according to this generall saying Luke 14.26 that we cannot be the disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ except wee hate both father and mother The word hate is yet somwhat harder than that which is conteined heere in Moses but the meaning is not darke at all For our Lord Iesus doth vs to vnderstand that wee must make such account of him that both father mother must be as nothing in comparison of him that the husbande must leaue y e loue which hee beareth to his wife and the father must set aside the care of his children that wee may keepe on our way roundly insomuch that when the case standeth vppon yeelding record to the Gospell and of cleauing to our Lord Iesus Christ all worldly thinges must be quite and cleane wyped out of our hearts And so we see nowe the meaning of Moses And in very deed the same appeared as well in himselfe as in his brother Aaron At such time as the Calfe was made and the people had defiled themselues with ydolatrie we see with what zeale Moses was carried and likewise all the tribe of Leuie For hee willed euery man to take his sworde in his hande â—â—od 32.27 Let vs goe saith hee and sanctifie you your handes to the Lorde For in so doing yee shall shewe your selues to be rightly zealous of Gods seruice in that yee kill your owne brethren without sparing so as in this case the order of nature be put vnderfoote to shewe that God is aboue all and ought to beare chiefest sway Seeing then that Moses maketh such an execution that hee carieth with him the whole tribe of Leuie wee see it is not saide in vaine that the Priestes executed vengeance both on father and mother that they did shut their eyes against al that euer might coole them or restreine them and that God had so rauished them as they sought nothing but the maintenance of his honour and the executing of his vengeance vpon such abhomination as had bin committed against him for to deface his honor in Israel Neuerthelesse we must note that no one deede is spoken of heere alone but Moses meant to shewe in fewe wordes that God had chosen that tribe with condition that it should be holy vnto him and that they all should shewe the way to all the rest of the people But wee know it is vnpossible to please God so long as wee bee too much affectioned towardes men And therefore we haue heere a rule that if wee intende to walke aright and not to halt before God we must not be intangled in our fleshly affections no not euen in those which are most commendable or at leastwise which may haue most excuse Men cannot condemne him which honoureth his father and mother for it is a vertue and wee knowe that God hath commaunded it with a promise Exod. 20.12 Ephe. 6.2 The man that loueth his wife shall not bee the lesse esteemed for it but what shal be saide of the man which hath not a care of his children He were worse thaÌ„ a brute beast 1. Tâ—m 5.8 And Sainct Paul saith that such folk shal be condemned by the vnbeleeuers because the vnbeleeuers do shewe them their lesson Then is it a commendable vertue for a man to loue his father and his mother and his neighbours but yet must all these bee forgotten when God commeth in place and when his honour is put into the balance to be compared with the duety which wee owe to all creatures For then as I saide afore God must go formost and al the residue must follow Insomuch that if we shoulde be turned quite away from them for the doing of such things as God commandeth to be done for his honour the order of nature ought to beare no sway in that behalfe but rather to bee vtterly ouerthrowen True it is that here he speaketh of the Leuits which were in olde time yet notwithstanding they which at this day do preach Gods worde are bound to the like and ought to vnderstande that Gods putting of them in that office degree is to the intent they shoulde so giue themselues vnto him as that they should not be turned away from him neither for regard of their owne persons nor for any earthly affection nor for any loue of the world Then must they fight against those thinges and although there bee great hardnes in it yet must they inforce themselues neuerthelesse For we shall not so fully ouer master our selues at y e first that we shal be able to forget both our wiues and children But yet is it no excuse to alledge that we be weake and y t the things which we haue by kind cannot be so soone forgotten we must fight against theÌ„ neuerthelesse For if we be rechlesse heere our condemnation is giuen vpon vs. How then shall the ministers of Gods word performe their dutie faithfully Euen by hauing the one foote coÌ„tinually lifted vp to depart out of the worlde so as neither houshold nor any thing else do hold them backe from dedicating themselues wholly vnto God be it to liue or die That is the end whereat we must begin Now in very deede that cannot be done throughly but yet must wee indeuour and inforce our selues to that ende and dayly labour and take paines to profite to go forward in that behalf Moreouer forasmuch as nowadayes al of vs are Leuits a kingly priesthood 1. Pet. 2.9 as the people of Israel were let vs note y t this matter belongeth partly vnto vs all For we heare how it is saide by the Prophet Esay 66.21 that in the reigne of our Lord Iesus Christ those which afore were but Leuits to be porters of y e temple or to make cleane the vessels or to doe the residue of the base seruices shal be high priests and that the common people which durst not enter into the Temple afore shal be of the order and degree of Leuits And in very deede at this day the sanctuarie of God is set open vnto vs by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 10.19.20 the veile is rent asunder and wee goe in vnto the maiestie of God as the high priestes did of olde time vnder the Lawe Seeing that God hath so greatly inhonoured the faithfull vnder the Gospell that hee hath set then in equall degree with those which were Leuits in the materiall tabernacle which was but a figure it behooueth vs well to consider what hath beene said concerning the Priests of old time and all of vs from the highest to the lowest ought to know that we cannot serue God without forgetting our father and mother according to the forealledged saying of our Lorde Iesus Christ who speaketh there not of his disciples onely True it is that it behoued them to be the foreleaders and by their example to induce the faithfull to the restreining
and how 57. b 10 To what end Moses vsed the similitude of Bees 57. b 10 Beeing Of Gods Beeing what the same is and how we make him an idol 1156. a 60. b 10 What wee haue to marke concerning our Beeing at this day 1139. a 10.20 c. Of our Beeing as we are by nature and of our first beeing when God calleth vs to the knowledge of his truth 1138. b 20.30.40.50.60 Begotten That we are Begotten of God and sustained by the doctrine of the gospel 1133. a 40 Begger How the place in the olde Testament that there should be no Begger in Israell is to be vnderstoode 586 Beggers What may ensue if wee suffer Beggers to bee among vs. 586. a 10.20 Why it is a shame that among people that professe God there shoulde bee Beggers 586. a 10 That stout Beggers are to be reformed and why 586. b 50 Remedies to preuent the hauing of Beggers among vs. 586. a 40.50 b 50.60 Begging Begging nothing else but a nourishment of wicked rascalles 586. b 30 To forbidde Begging and to doe no Almes is to cut the throtes of them that be in neede 586. b 40 What inconuenience followeth where Begging is suffered 586. a all How Begging euen by the order of nature is alwaies to be condemned 586 a 10.20.30.40 Beleefe Wherein the Beleefe of men doth most shewe it selfe 350. b 60 c. 351 a 10 Looke Faith Beleeue Of this woorde Beleeue and what the same importeth 1064. b 10.20 The cause why so fewe Beleeue nowe a daies 423. b 10 Beleeuer How no man can call himselfe a Beleeuer 336. b 40 Looke faithfull Belles The reason why Aaron ware Belles vpon the skirtes of his garmentes 502 b 10 What deuotion the blinde Papistes thinke to be in ringing their Belles and how they imitate the Iewes 613 b 20 Belliegods The cruell and ouerfierce appetite of diuers Belliegods noted 560. b 50 60.561 a 10 Looke Drunkards and Gluttons Benefite God cannot abide that men should despise and refuse the Benefite that he offereth 71. b 60 Gods denying of vs our demandes is to our Benefite and howe 105. b 10.20 Who they be that will fullie refuse the Benefite that hee promiseth 55. a 10 What is the principall and chiefe Benefite that wee can receyue in this life 982. a 50.60 b 40.50.60 Benefites The cause why God bereaueth vs of his Benefites 621. a 40.50 The more benefites wee receiue at Gods hande the more hee bindeth vs vnto him 289. a 50 In what respect wee are saide to defile Gods Benefites 283. a 30 Spirituall Benefites belonging to the sauing of our soules whereof wee haue a portion alreadie 283. a 10 Of what thinges men must bee fullie perswaded or else they will neuer duelie perceyue themselues to bee bound to God for his Benefites 279. a 30 A supposed speech of Christ vpbrayding vs with the precious Benefites that he hath bestowed vpon vs and howe well wee rewarde him for the same 196. b 10.20.30.40.50 Howe we must bethinke our selues of all the Benefits whereby God hath bounde himselfe vnto vs. 186. a 40 50.60 b 10 In what sort and manner we deuour vp Gods Benefites 279. b 30.40 A recapitulation of the Benefites wherewith God hath blessed vs. 178. b 50.60 Howe long God will haue all his Benefites bestowed vpon vs to be linked together 170. a 30 Why wee ought to vse Gods Benefites well 152. b 50 Wee must possesse Gods Benefites in feare and carefulnesse 152. b 60 In what respect all Gods Benefites shall serue to our condemnation 149. a 10 If the vnbeleeuers bee to be condemned for abusing Gods Benefites woe to vs. 142. a 10 What we must doe to enioy Gods Benefits 46. a 40 What our behauiour must be when we passe through this worlde amiddes Gods Benefites 69. a 30 An examining of our selues what we become the better by Gods Benefits 456. b 10 A rehearsall of the singular Benefites that God bestowed on the Iewes in the wildernesse 458. a 50.60 Why God giueth vs his Benefites in full portion 326. a 10 Learne to knowe the lawefull vse of Gods Benefites Page 305. b 50 60 We must be mindfull of the Benefites which God hath done to our fathers although wee haue not seene them in our time 1115. a 60 That all the Benefites of God belonging to this transitorie life must serue vs for ladders to mount vpwarde and of their vse and end 950. b 30.40.50 A forme of acknowledging Gods Benefites deliuered to the Iewes and what we haue to learne therby 895. all 896. all 897. all That wee are vnable to receiue the fulnesse of gods Benefits and that hee distributeth them to vs by peece-meale and why 951. b 10 Why it behooued God to bestowe his Benefites more largelie on the Fathers that liued vnder the law than on vs. 951. a 30 Vnder this worde the land of Chanaan all the Benefits that God bestowed on his people were comprehended 551. b 10 In what respectes God will establish vs in the possession of his Benefites dispossesse vs of them 551. a 20.30.40 Touching the manifolde Benefites of almightie God the vse and abuse of them Read the Sermon 181. all through In what cases God casteth the Benefites which we haue receiued in our teeth 1111. b 50.60 1112. a 10 Why God lingereth the time to put vs in possession of his Benefites 506. b 10 A repetition of diuerse notable Benefits of GOD bestowed vppon the Iewes and of their ingratitude 1095 a all Wherein we do wickedly corrupt Gods Benefits 69. a 30 The great contrarietie betweene the wicked Iewes and Gods Benefites 46. a 30 What estimation wee must make of Gods Benefits 46. a 50 God is not like men in bestowing of his Benefits 39. a 40.50 In all the Benefits that we haue receiued of God wee must consider in what taking we had beene if we had gone without them 89. b 10.20.30.40 God must bee faine sometimes to cut vs off from his Benefites 103. b 10 We haue neede to be put in minde of Gods grace and Benefites and why 83. a 50.60 c. b 10 A rehearsall of Gods particular Benefites bestowed on the Iewes 65. b 40 What we must doe or else wee shall neuer make account of Gods Benefits 36. a 20 A consideration to be marked of Gods manifold Benefits 36. a 30.40 The Benefites of God quicklie forgotten 27. b 30 A notable record of Gods spirituall Benefits and what duetie we owe vnto him therefore 27. a 60. and b 10.20.30.40 Sundrie spirituall Benefits of God particularlie mentioned 36. a 30.40 Wee ought to make a rehearsall of Gods Benefites bestowed vppon vs and how 25. a 10.20 The often putting of vs in minde of Gods Benefits is no needles doctrine 17. a 30 The remembrance of Gods Benefites ought to prouoke vs to serue him continuallie the better 13. a 10.20 30 To what end the opening of Gods Benefits vnto vs doe tende 17. a 10.20 The Benefites of God
ought to thinke thereof though it bee rigorous 1074. b all 1075. a 10.20 Of Gods endles vengeance vpon such as despise his Iustice. 976. a 10.20.30 What these words of executing Gods Iustice and iudgement doe giue vs to vnderstande 1224. a 40.50.60 c. Gods maiestie his Iustice are things inseparable 1169. a 10 Iustice ciuill What forecasts are the ouerthrowe of all right Iustice. 332. a all The dissolutenes of men in the execution of Iustice noted 330. b 10.20 How they that do Iustice sanctifie their hands in so doing c. 306. a 50.60 There was a soueraigne court of Iustice in Iewrie 621. b 40 The chiefe causes of all the impeachments of Iustice. 623. a b How men should beare an euen hande in executing of Iustice. 627. a 10. c. That it is our partes to loue the state of Iustice. 620. b 30.40 Doctrine for such to marke practise as sit in y e seat of Iustice. 862. b all c. 863. all 216. a all 624. b 60.704 b all 730. b 10.20.328 b 40 The charge and dutie of such as be ministers of Iustice. 737. b 10.20.209 b 50.60 The negligence and coldnes of magistrates and officers of Iustice rebuked by a heathenish prouerbe 407. a 20.30 Of the presence of Gods maiestie in the order of Iustice. 704. a 50.60 b 10 Of Iustice and iudgement and wherein they do both consist 235. a 30. b 10 A rule that concerneth all such as haue the sworde of Iustice in their handes 692. b 50.60.693 a 10.330 b 60.331 a 10 How we abuse the sacred order of Iustice 711. a 40 They that are set in roome of Iustice haue a verie harde account to make why 2. b The seate of Iustice is consecrated vnto God why 16. a 30 He that sitteth in the seate of Iustice sitteth in the roome of God 20. a 60 The office of Iustice is an honorable seruice 18. b 10 How the court of Iustice is made a market to sell other mens right c. 231. a 50 The offices of Iustice sold by princes by what reason 16. a 50.60 Iusticers A lesson for Iusticers to learne laide downe in writing 18. b 10 An exhortation to bee well marked of Iusticers wheÌ„ any matter of offence is brought before them 547. a 50.60 b all 548. a 10. Looke Iudge and Iudges Iustifie Howe abhominable hee is before God that doeth Iustifie a guiltie person 329. a 50 A forme of consideration that we ought to haue of our selues and our estate whereby we are taught in no case to seeke to Iustifie our selues before God 380. b 10.20.30 How men Iustifie themselues in their disobedience 33. b 30.40.50 That men must not Iustifie themselues as blameles though they seeme not to haue offended 1178. all 380. a 10 How the law could Iustifie vs before God 301. a 30.40 Manifest proofes that workes doe not Iustifie 302. a all A question whether faith doeth Iustifie as Paul auoucheth 301. a 10.20 Iustified The life of Papistes laide out whiles they vrge this doctrine that men are Iustified by workes 380. a 40.50.60 That it stoode the Iewes in hand to be Iustified by mercie and grace notwithstanding they had kept the law why 302. a 10 Of being Iustified by faith what the same meaneth 1011. a 40.50.857 b 30.40 The cause why we are Iustified by faith 858. a 10 Whether we be Iustified by almesdeeds as Moses seemeth to teache 857. b 30.40.50 60 How to be Iustified before God is ment 763. b 10. Looke Righteous Iustification Against Iustification by workes a doctrine maintained by the Papistes their reasons refuted 938. b all Iustification by faith onely confirmed 858. a 10. b 10 K. Keepe Of the worde Keepe and why it is said that men should keepe Gods lawes statutes c. 455. b 30.40.50.60 456. a 10.488 a 40.50 What we haue to note when it is saide that God doeth Keepe vs as the apple of his eye 1121. a all We are charged to Keepe Gods worde 1174. b all and vntill when we cannot keepe it 1175. a 10. so forward How harde a matter it is for men to keepe the lawe Read this place aduisedly 260. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Keepers Of the Keepers of the lawe the gospell and who they be 1079. all 1080. all Keeping Two kindes of Keeping the law of God required of the Leuites 1204. a 60 b 10 Kid. The true meaning of these words Wee must not seeth a Kid in his dams milke 560. a 50.60.562 a 20.30 Kill Howe men dispense with themselues touching the commandement Thou shalt not Kill 223.10 From what things this worde To Kill teacheth vs to absteine 224. a 50.60 The cause why God sayeth expressely Thou shalt not Kill 222. a 30.40.50 60. Looke Hate Murther Kindhearted The meanes and wayes to bee Kind-hearted charitable 581. a 20.30 Looke Mercifull Pitifull Kindnes How we despise God nature and all Kindnes 281. b 20.30 Diuerse proofes of Gods Kindnes and what wee are taught to doe thereby 280. b 20.30.290 a 10.338 a 10.20 The heathen forgâ—t naturall Kindnes in burning their children to their idols 523. a 60. b 10. c. There is nothing wherein men resemble God more than gentlenes louing Kindnes 327 a 30 Of the mutuall duties and intercourse of Kindnes and loue that ought to be among men generally 95. a 30.40.50 Notable doctrine of shewing Kindnes one to another 69. b 10.20.30.40 c. 70. a 10. Looke Gentlenes Goodnes Loue. King It is not meant that Moses was a King in Israel as some gather by the text in whose time there was no King in Israel 1192. a 20 With what affection the Iewes were led when they chose them a King 981. a 50 How God is saied to bee a King among the vpright dealers 1192. all Why God woulde that the King of his people the Iewes should haue a copie of the booke of the law 649. a 20 30. c. 650. a 30.40 What doctrines wee haue to gather by the Iewes requiring of a King 645. 646. all Why God speaketh generally of the whole linage of Abraham seeing by the prophesie of Iacob the King was to be chosen of the tribe of Iuda 647. a 30.40 What the Iewes were willed to obserue if they were disposed to choose them a King 644. a 40. c. where note singular good points of learning Two reasons for vs to marke why God forbiddeth his people to haue any stranger to be their King 647. b 40 Kings How the Kings that succeeded Dauid were cruelly handled 981. a 50.60 982. a 10 That Kings must not exalt themselues aboue their brethren how that is meant 655. a 10. c. Why it was forbidden the Kings of Israel to take many wiues 652. b 30. c. 653. all Howe Kings must exercise themselues in the booke of Gods lawe 651. a 10 A lesson for Kings to learne if
that they haue done their dueties in chasticing them they themselues also shal bee taken for guiltie forasmuch as it is apparant that it was long of themselues that their children did leaudly because they did suffer them to runne at randon By reason whereof if a man bee punished by lawe it may well bee inquired howe hee hath beene brought vp and what teaching hee had in his fathers house and when the mischief procedeth from that spring the father ought no more to scape scotfree than the sonne Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in mynd And here is mention made of two vices Our sonne is a riotour a drunkard Doth this import that other vices ought not to be corrected No but vnder these two kyndes God ment to shew that fathers mothers ought to bring vp their children in all vertue and honestie For vnder ryoting and drunkennesse hee meant to comprehende all loosenesse of life If ryotousnesse bee punished what is to be doone to other much heynouser thinges What shall become of whoredome theft and periurie What shall become of such other like things God then restreyneth not this lawe to these two vyces but intendeth to shewe generally that all fathers and mothers ought to haue a vigilant eye to the conuersations of their children and that if they finde any misbehauiour or vnthriftines in them they must do their indeuour to reform them and to bring them back againe from their euill trade Thus much for one poynt To bee short it is all one as if hee had sayd that if there bee any priuie faultes in children their fathers and mothers must haue a vigilant eye vppon them and reclaime them againe that they growe not desperate For what a thing were it if a man shoulde marre his chylde by bearing w t him in some particular fault One euil woulde drawe on a hundred mo after it and â—o the chylde should bee lost and vndone Men therefore must take good heede and preuent the danger that their children growe not worse and worse and that the forgiuing of one fault make them not to fall into another and so they become euery day worse than other For if men suffer ryot or drunkennesse in their children those vyces are ill ynough of them selues alreadie but yet in the ende a ryotour becomes a swyne and wil be altogether vnprofitable And though there were no more in it but the vntemperance in y e abusing of Gods creatures soothly it were too much What is drunkennesse It is a kynde of beastlinesse that bereaueth men of the grace which God had bestowed vpon them in nature A ryotour being an ydle and vnprofitable lubber and hauing spent all vpon bellyfare must needes fall to stealing when he wanteth wherewith to furnish out his excesse But a drunkarde is yet worse The worlde sees these euil inconueniences Therefore wee had neede to preuent them and to lay aforehand that such mischiefes come not to passe Notwithstanding it is shewed vs herewithall howe men tumble out of one euill into another vntill they come to deadly ruine If a chylde bee a glutton or a drunkarde in his youth well men will say they be euill touches but yet shall they be bornwith and they wil not be thought to be deadly sinnes But wee see to what poynt children come by y t meanes If that ryotousnesse bee not reformed in them but that they continue stil in their stubbornes at length they must bee deliuered into the hande of the Iusticer and bee put to death Seeing it is so let vs beware that wee flatter not our selues but whensoeuer there is any vyce in vs let vs assure our selues that if stubbornnes be matched with it we shall grow euery day more wilfull and hardharted than other in so much y â— a fault which is counted but small before men and as it were a veniall sinne wil become an intollerable cryme Now it is God which saith so Therefore let vs learne to examine our selues and when we perceiue any vyce in vs let vs doe our indeuour to amende it for feare least it throwe vs downe headlong altogither and finally sinke vs in such sorte as there remaine no mo punishmentes but the last that is to say the mortall and deadly punishment Thus much concerning that poynt Nowe let vs treate of the duetie of children towardes their fathers and mothers In deede it were to bee wished afore all thinges that children were of themselues so wyse and weladuysed as not to vexe their fathers and mothers in teaching them and specially in chastycing them for their faultes And soothly were our nature so well ruled as it ought to bee a chylde woulde not tarry till hee were rebuked or compelled but rather hee woulde thinke alas to what ende liue I in the worlde And on y e other side hee woulde consider thus God hath set thee heere to be serued and honoured by thee againe to obey my father and mother whome he hath giuen vnto mee to that end Contrariwise if they reape nothing but sorow by my meanes it had bene better for mee to haue dyed before I was borne y t the earth might haue swalowed me vp After that maner ought a child to thinke But forasmuch as youth lacketh discretion childreÌ„ are not so reformable of themselues as were requisite at leastwise let them suffer themselues to bee gouerned by others And if their father spye any vyce in them let them acknowledge it when they bee put in mynde of it and not onely confesse the misdeede but also reforme it For it is but hypocrisie when a chyld holdeth on in his vnthriftinesse after hee hath made pretence of repentance by humbling him selfe before his father If hee change not his conditions but continue still in his vnthriftinesse it is a lying before GOD and mocking of his father Therefore if a chylde haue done amisse or see himselfe subiect to any vyce and God is so gracious to him that hee hath a father or mother Let him consider thus with himselfe Go too God reacheth thee his hande in this behalfe for what are my father and my mother but the handes of God and his instruments wherewith he intendeth to serue his turne to guyde thee into the way of welfare For when I see my father and my mother goe about to correct my vyces I must needes set my selfe against GOD and defye him opâ—â—ly if my stomacke bee not abated and pulled downe to receiue their correction And surely children ought to vnderstande that this superioritie ouer vs is the amiablest in all the worlde I meane the superioritie which our fathers and mothers haue ouer vs. For although Kinges princes magistrates be to be reuerenced yet is not that kind of superiority so amiable A man wil be ashamed to be corrected by his prince or by his superiour that weeldeth the sword of Iustice but if a father speake to his sonne yea and smite him too it is no shame at