them also and yet they be certeine of none of both Now our Lord will not haue vs to stand in any such feare He will haue vs to be sure of his worde when his trueth is throughly proued vnto vs he will haue vs to defy the world all the diuels of hell Insomuch y t if the very Angels of heauen should set themselues against the Gospell Gal. 1.18 wee see how S. Paul sayth that we must hold them for accursed and excommunicate God then will haue his worde honored so highly that whē we once knowe it are sure of it we must not be any more afrayd It standeth vs in hand to put this lesson in vre nowadayes because the Popes thundring were able to make all the world to quake if men were not armed aforehand against him with y e thinges that are told vs here by Moses The Pope names himself Christes vicar y e head of the Church S. Peters successor the mainteiner of the Apostolike sea so as there is no Church of God but y e Church of Rome nor any Shepheard or Prelate if the Pope be not head of all nor any kingdome of Iesus Christ otherwise than in y e Popes person who hath the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Woulde not the alledging of all these thinges make the stoutest of all to shrinke if we were not armed against them Yes but when al these thinges are pretended wee must consider whether the reporter of thē do discharge his dutie faithfully For if he speake in Gods name and yet be found to be a false harlot hee is y e more to blame for abusing so honorable a title And the more he was esteemed before y e lesse is he to bee regarded afterward Let him thunder his belly full yet shall all his excōmunications passe into smoke and all his threatninges shall be but mere vanitie The effect therefore of y e thinges which our Lord ment to say in this text is y t being well assured of Gods word and hauing examined all doctrine howbeit with humilitie hauing vsed y e foresayd touchstone of the holy scripture we may wel defye all thē y e cloke thēselues vnder y e gay mantle of Gods name abusing their commission executing tyranny in stead of seruing the Church of God I say we may defy all y e rable of them cry out against y e Pope his abhominable wickednesse not be afraid of any thing y t he can doe vnto vs. For so lōg as we haue God on our side wee may boldly hold skorne of the whole Popedome how proude stately soeuer they be there That is the thing in effect which we haue to marke y t wee bee not fearefull where God will haue vs to be stout But y t when we haue his doctrine truth we must so profit our selues by thē that whatsoeuer y e diuell doe practise he may not turne vs aside from y e way of saluation but wee must hold on our course according to this saying which we shall see hereafter This is the way Deut. 30.19 Esa. 30.21 28.12 walke ye therein and also according to the Prophet Esayes account who saith This is the rest Therefore let vs continue therein and holde on to the marke whereunto God calleth vs and then can we not doe amisse Now let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better thā we haue done to strengthen vs more and more by his word y t his kingdome may be aduaunced among vs we indeuour so to serue honor him as we may be vnder his protection and he mainteine vs in such wise that we knowing him to be our good father Sauiour may take the more courage to giue our selues wholy to him all our lyfe long And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the v. of December 1555. The Cxij Sermon which is the first vppon the nineteenth Chapter WHen the Lord thy God shal haue rooted out the nations whose lande the Lorde thy God giueth thee so as thou arte owner of them and dwellest in their Cities and houses 2 Then shalt thou set thee out three Cities in the middest of the lande which the Lorde thy God wil giue thee to possesse 3 Thou shalt prepare a way to them and diuide the bounds of the land which the Lorde thy God will giue thee to inherite into three parts that whosoeuer hath committed manslaughter may flee thither 4 They shal serue for the mansleaer to flee thither that he may liue namely if he haue striken his neighbour ignorantly and haue not hated him aforetimes 5 As for example if a man goe with his neighbour to the wood to fel timber and he casteth backe his hande with the axe in hewing the wood and the head flieth off of the helue and hitteth his neighbour that he dieth he shall flee to one of those Cities and liue 6 To the intent that the next of his kinne followe not the mansleaer while his heart is chafed and ouertake him if the way be ouerlong and put him to death though he bee guiltlesse of the other mans death forasmuch as he hated him not before 7 Therefore commaund I thee to appoint out three Cities ALthough y e Lawe that is set down here serued for y e commō weale of Israel yet may we also fare the better for it at this day For therby god meant to declare what punishment ought to be executed vppon such as commit wilfull murder thorow malice and of set purpose Also it sheweth that we must not take y t for a crime which a man dooth not willingly but by chauncemedly as they terme it True it is that such thinges are not so casuall but that God gouerneth them frō aboue as is shewed in another place where it is sayd 〈◊〉 21.13 that if a man be lopping of a tree and a bough thereof doe hitte one vppon the head that he dye it is God that had determined it so And the holy scripture will not haue vs to attribute the falling out of thinges to fortune but that wee should knowe that God directeth all thinges to the intent that although we see not his hande yet wee should vnderstand by faith that he setteth such store by our lyfe 〈◊〉 12.7 that hee hath numbred all the hayres of our heades as is sayd in another text Moreouer to come againe to the matter it is shewed here that all faultes are willing that is to say that men doe them wittingly and of set purpose But let vs goe foreward with the text that is set downe here God commaundeth the people of Israell to choose out three Cities vntill he haue inlarged their boundes further For it behooued them to haue sixe in al as wee shall see in the next lecture Iosu. 20.2.7 and as is declared in the
not haue any regard at all of their owne abilitie Furthermore wee must marke also for a thyrd point that although Moses sawe the burthen to be ouerheauie for him yet he did not quite and cleane renounce his calling to giue ouer the office that God had committed vnto him but sought to be helped and succored saying Let men be chosen c. And this is well worthie to be noted for there might haue bin two faultie extremities The one is that which wee haue condemned already that is to wit that men haue not an eye to their owne slendernesse but beare them selues in hand that it is a matter of no importance to be in authoritie And that is it that maketh him so rashe and bolde to gripe more than they be able to weelde by reason wherof they see themselues confounded in the ende but it is too late first For this foolish ouerweening maketh men to forget them selues and to take too much vppon them for want of considering their owne vnabilitie and of such fonde enterpryses can come nothing but euill because God punisheth them for them Nowe there is also an other euill extremitie which is that when men see themselues to be very fraile they become faintharted and thereupon if God call them to anie office of charge they plucke backe their neckes because they see the burthen cumbersome for them and woulde faine shake off the yoke and shun the vocation that God calleth them vnto That is a vice whereof we must beware But there is a meane betweene both which is when we see that the cumbersomnesse thereof passeth our power then to take as much thereof as we be able to beare measuring our selues by our owne span and moreouer to pray vnto God to make vs meete to go through with the thinges that shall be commaunded vs. Those are the thinges that are shewed vs here by the example of Moses For he did not fling away the gouernement of the people because that in so doing he should haue bin a rebell against God We see how God delt with Ionas for he ouertooke him though he fled away Therefore we must not refuse to obey God vnder pretence of our owne feeblenesse though the charges or offices which he allotteth vnto vs be so troublesome that we must be faine to grone vnder them Whatsoeuer come of it let vs hold this rule namely to submit our selues to Gods calling and to followe him whither soeuer he will haue vs. And aboue all thinges let vs pray vnto him to supply our wantes and in the meane time let vs not take too much vpon vs but let vs measure our charge by our abilitie Were this wel followed wee should not see so many outragious disorders euerywhere as there be For what hath caused so barbarous tyranny in the Church as is to be seene in the Popedome Behold the Pope hath vsurped an vniuersall supremacie ouer the whole world For there must needes be one head sayth he Verily as who should say that Iesus Christ were discharged who is ordeined to be the head both of men and Angels No but the Pope will needes thrust the sonne of God out of his place Eph. 2.22 Col. 2.10 But if he wist what it is to reigne ouer the whole world would he not be loath to take vpon him so vnpossible a charge yes but it cost him nothing to call himselfe the vniuersal head and to spread out his winges euery way Therefore that diuelish pride of his was the cause of the breaking renting assunder of the order which God had set according as S. Paul speaketh of it in the fourth to the Ephesians Ephe. 4 1â— where he sayth that our Lord Iesus Christ is gone vp into heauen to fill all thinges and yet in the meane while hath not forsaken his Church For he hath ordeyned Shepheardes sayth he men meete to teach And he addeth that that is according to the measure of euery member that we might al grow together and Iesus Christ reigne ouer vs in cheefe place Thus doth Saint Paul distribute the offices in such wise as euery man must haue his portion of them because there is not any one man y t is able to doe all But this order which ought to be vnuiolable is rent assunder by the diuelish pryde of the Pope And afterward his taile the vermin of his clergie haue followed the same for there is none of them all that mindeth his charge When they angle for their beneficâ—s doe they consider that Gods calling of them is with condition that they shall yeeld an account of the soules that are committed to them There is no talke among them but what a benefice is worth and anon after pomp and credite must be matched therewithall and so they giue themselues to all lycentiousnesse A man shall see not onely Byshops but also Archbishops and Primates which passe for nothing but for hunting or drinking or playing or chambering those are their ordinarie trades And why for it neuer came in their thoughtes that the honour which they haue vsurped shoulde bee matched with any bond of duetie And this hath happened not onely in the Churchmen but also in all estates If Princes nowadaies did mind y e charge which they haue taken in hand thinke you y t the whole world should be so turmoyled w t warres y t euery of theÌ„ would be catching and snatching to inlarge his territories No for there is not any one which hath but a countrie of one leage to rule which findeth not himselfe throughly incumbered if he haue a regarde of his office and dutie as well towardes God as towards his subiectes And yet notwithstanding he that hath a countrie of two hundred leages vnder him woulde faine subdewe the whole world to him And why is that Because he thinketh not vpon the burthen that Moses speakes of here As who should say there were not a rule giuen to all such as are in any preheminence or authoritie which is vttrered declared of God by y e mouth of Moses as of his herault namely y t they be not Idols to sit ouer their people in pompe only but y t they must beare the burthen of the people which cannot be without an honorable kinde of bondage as is sayd afore Also this extendeth euen vnto priuate persons There is not that man which seeketh not to get still more and more and when he hath three times as much reuenewe as hee needeth for his housholde yet is he stil laying of baytes to ioyne peece to peece For no man bethinketh himself How discharge I my selfe of that which God hath giuen me already I haue goods vnder my hands I haue an houshold I ought to occupy my selfe in trayning my wife my children and my seruantes in the feare of God I ought to haue mine eyes alwayes open to see that nothing be done in my house whereby God may be offended As touching my goods I ought to
time there was this order among them that God raised vp certaine Iudges in Israel which represented y e state of a king vntil the kingdom was stablished That is y e thing which Moses meant in this sentence when he saide y t men should resort to the Iudge which should be at that time in Israel Also it was his will that the high Priest with his fellow Priests the Leuites should haue authoritie to giue sentence of Iudgement And why He addeth Because they could giue sentence according to the Lawe of God And finally vpon that sentence of theirs hee will haue men to rest and that if any man disobeyed it he should be punished with death that by that meane pride might be corrected in Israel Now wee see what God intended to commaund concerning Appeales There were Iudges in euery Citie but yet there was one aboue them all as in the degree of a Prince Not that it went by inheritaunce but looke whomsoeuer God raysed vp by his holy spirite him it behooued to gouerne the people And wee see it came so to passe afterwarde As oft as the people fel away from God it was to their owne confusion and as soone as he had pitie vppon them againe hee raysed them vp Iudges newe againe Iudges 2.17 18. as the holy hystories doe shewe vs. There were in deede some interruptions at such time as the people were worthy to be punished insomuch y t all went to hauocke they were giuen ouer vnto bondage and to the tyranny of the Infidels which were their enemies but as soone as God vouchsafed to gather them home againe there was a newe Iudge set vp againe And herein we see yet better that it is a token of Gods presence when we haue order of iustice among vs so as there are men to gouerne vs which walke in the feare of God and execute their charge faithfully it is as much as if God came downe to vs shâ—wed vs his face Contrariwise when the order of gouernment is peruerted it is as though God turned his backe to vs. If the magistrates be corrupted peruert al right equitie or if tyrants get dominion ouer vs let vs vnderstand that God forsaketh vs and withdraweth himselfe from vs is mynded to make vs feele his absence by such signe of his wrath and that then wee haue good cause to mourne But if wee see the lawes florish there be men that feare God to make them to be executed it is all one as if God made his face to shine vpon vs and declared his loue towardes vs and that hee is minded to maintaine vs vnder his protection And it serueth to make vs to loue the state of worldly gouernement the better seeing it is such a token of the goodnesse of our God and of his fatherly loue towardes vs. But as I sayde afore the high priest and the trybe of Leuy were appointed to bee Iudges in all harde cases It may seeme strange at the first sight howe it commeth to passe that GOD woulde haue the priesthood to entermeddle in ciuil gouernement for they be two things farre differing Wee knowe that when Aaron was ordeyned to bee the high priest Moses had the gouernement of the people Nowe the Priesthood went by inheritance Exo. 28.1.43 Deut. 31.7 Iosua 1.2 and so did not y e temporall gouernement In so much that Moses left his own children as priuate persons in their owne houses without any publike authoritie Ioshua who was not of any kinne or aliance vnto him was his successour The same order continued afterwarde in so much that God raised vp whome hee thought good nowe one of one trybe and nowe another of another Notwithstanding it behooued the Priestes to hold them selues contented with the spirituall gouernement of the Church and they ought not to take vppon them the ciuil gouernement Why then doth God here set them in highest degree to iudge Vndoutedly it was to ordeyne a Councell for him that was to bee the chiefe Iudge and to holde the people in the better awe as if it had beene sayde that all Appeales should come before God For as I haue declared afore men can very hardly bee brought to giue their consentes to obey a sentence that is against them Therefore to the ende that no man shoulde take leaue to stande in contention God sayeth there shal bee a soueraigne Iudge at leastwise to beare sway in Counsell of hard cases and such as are giuen in fourme of iudgement And to the intent that thinges may bee iudged according to my lawe the high priest and the order of the Leuites shal bee present there Nowe wee knowe that they were expounders of Gods lawe For with that condition was the priesthood giuen vnto them namely that they shoulde bee Gods Angels and messengers as the Prophet Malachie speaketh of them Mal. 2.7 And therefore when men asked counsell at their mouthes it was not to haue som doting dreame of mans deuice but to haue the certeine vnderstanding of Gods lawe That then was the cause why the chiefe authoritie of iudgement was committed to the order of the priestes with the Iudge whome God had set vp But before wee goe any further let vs note that vnder pretence of this text the Pope lifted vp his hornes and vsurped such tyranny as wee haue seene him vse in the Church of God For thus doeth hee reason Seeing that the chiefe authoritie of iudgement was giuen to the Priestes it is to bee concluded that there ought to bee one head ouer all the Church Againe for as much as the sentence of the high priest was to bee helde without any gainsaying the thinges that are determined by the Apostolike sea as they terme it ought likewise to be held without gainsaying and it is a deadly and vnpardonable sinne to incounter any thing that the Pope shall haue pronounced But here wee haue two thinges to consider which are of sufficiencie to resolue all such and so childish argumentes For first the gouerning of the whole worlde by one man and the gouerning of some one countrey or prouince by one man are not both one God hath made here a ciuil lawe for the countrey of Iewrie And wee knowe that at that time there was but one Temple Deut. 12. â— 16 2. that it was not lawfull for them to worship God or to offer sacrifice vnto him in euery citie If a man had buylded any altar it had beene abhominable and that citie must haue beene razed And Gods doing hereof was but to hold y e people in one right vnitie of faith TheÌ„ like as there was but one temple in the land of Iewry so was there but one high priest But must this be exteÌ„ded to the whole world No not so There needeth many mo for what one mortal man nowadayes is able to weeld so great a charge Againe it were meete that there should one temple bee builded in the mids of the
rest vpon it Had this bin well obserued in the world there should not be so great troubles variances at this day as there are Whence come the variances that are betwixt vs the papists but of y t men haue not reserued vnto god y e thing that belongeth vnto him but haue framed articles of faith lawes and ordinances at their owne pleasure in the ende are come to this horrible confusion of mingling the inuentions of mens braines with the purenes of the holy scripture so as they haue marred all things And wherof else commeth it that euen at this day the papistes fight still for the maintenance of that tyrannie that a man might not knowe God from his Apostles as they themselues say by which common prouerbe of theirs they condemne themselues and cut their owne throtes Wherefore let vs marke well this lesson wherein it is saide that the iudgement is Gods that is to say that the superioritie which men haue in what degree so euer it bee is not to diminish Gods preheminence but rather to maintaine it What then are the states of honour and all the dignities of the worlde They are all meanes to bring to passe that God may reigne ouer vs and to make all men to stoope to him and to knowe him and obey him in all cases So then what ought kings Emperours and Magistrates to doe They ought to see that God be exalted and magnified as he is worthie and that all their subiectes doe him homage and they themselues must shewe them the way Againe what ought schoolemasters and fathers to doe and all such as haue anie householde or seruauntes Euerie of them ought to consider on his owne behalfe howe greatly God hath inhonored him He that hath children ought to consider thou holdest Gods place in this roome of a father but yet hath not GOD stripped himselfe to clothe thee with his honour What then He is the father still both of mee and of my children therefore must I indeuer that he may be obeyed The master must thinke thus Is the mastershippe mine No but it is Gods who hath graunted mee that prerogatiue vndeserued on my parte It hath pleased him to put this householde vnder my gouernement but yet for all that it is he that must rule me yea both me and all that are vnder my subiection After this manner ought wee to put this doctrine in vre And when wee haue passed through all the states of the worlde wee must also come to the spirituall gouernement of the Church Therefore let such as are ordeined to preach Gods worde vnderstande that God hath not appointed them to set foorth their owne dotages and to speake what they list but to thinke vppon Gods superiorite specially seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ is nowe declared to bee the heade of his Church Ephe. 1.22 according to the euerlasting mastership which God gaue him ouer vs in saying Heare ye him Mat. 17.5 Luke 9.35 Seeing it is so let such as haue the charge of teaching in the Church and are shepherdes and ministers vnderstande that they must not seeke to aduance themselues nor to be heard nor to bring the people in a mase with their owne inuentions but they must indeuer that God may alwayes haue the ouerhand and be obeyed and his worde bee receiued purely and simplie without any mingling or adding to it And like as they that are in that vocation and office ought to haue mildnesse and lowlinesse that they vsurpe not the authoritie which God hath reserued to himselfe yea and giuen to his onely sonne so all Christians ought to thinke thus with themselues Wherefore come wee to Sermons Wherefore is there order in the Church It is to the ende that GOD shoulde gouerne vs and that wee shoulde haue our Lorde Iesus Christ to bee as our soueraine teacher and that wee shoulde be his flocke to bee led by him Nowe this cannot bee done vnlesse we hearken to his voyce and discerne it from the voyces of straungers so as wee be not caried too and fro like wauering Reedes with euerie winde but stande fast setled vppon the purenesse of the holy Scripture and that our faith be so grounded therevppon as the diuell may neuer shake it downe Loe say I howe we ought to applie this doctrine to our vse namely that the iudgement and authoritie is Gods For if wee doe so wee may well see many contrarieties in this world men may assayle vs with many troubles they may well set themselues against vs and they may well speake against vs but yet shal we stil keepe on our pace And why for GOD is not variable Although the diuell keepe neuer so great a stirre here beneath yet is Gods purpose alwayes vnchaungeable And so is ment by this that is saide of the truth Psal. 117. â— that it dureth for euer It is not such a trueth as is hidden our shutte vp in heauen but it is saide expresly that it is the same truth which God vttereth to vs by his worde as he witnesseth dayly Sith it is so let vs looke vp to GOD and yeelde him the gouernement that is due vnto him that hee may reigne ouer vs and then shal our faith bee vnuariable though the diuell trouble and turmoyle all thinges vpsidedowne and stirre vp neuer so much strife and contention Thus you see howe we must put the doctrine in vre that is conteined heere Nowe furthermore Moses saith expreslie that if there were any harde case it should be brought vnto him And afterwarde hee addeth for a conclusion that hee had commaunded them all the things which they ought to doe As touching the harde cases Moseses reseruing of them to himselfe was neither for desire of praise nor for pride but because they belonged to his vocation hee knewe that God had ordeined him to the same purpose And therefore let vs not bee afraide to keepe still that which God hath giuen vs if wee execute the charge that hee hath committed vnto vs. For why like as a man must not esteeme of himselfe so must hee not surmise oh this is hatefull it may be ill taken it is subiect to slaunder but wee must followe that which God commaundeth vs. And therefore let vs not take any thing vppon vs of our owne heade that is to say let vs not bee rashe to say this belongeth to mee for ambition tickleth vs continually and euerie of vs would haue I wote not what a priuiledge wherefore let vs beware of such folly Yet notwithstanding like as there shoulde no such boldnesse reigne in vs as to vsurpe or take any thing vppon vs so on the contrarie part when GOD will haue any office or charge laide vppon vs it becommeth vs to take it True it is that men may chaunce to speake euill of vs for it but wee must ouerpasse that and keepe on our pace still That is the thing which Moses hath shewed vs heere by his owne
his owne profite 1. Coâ— â— If the hande shoulde separate it selfe and refuse to serue the rest of the bodie and the rest of the members also Yee see there woulde bee a good sort of pieces but in the meane while they should all die and of necessity perish In like case is it with men when they will needes draw backe from the communion of life which they ought to obserue and no man think vpon the common profite but take it to be sufficient that hee can profite himselfe for in the ende all must needes goe to hauocke But this is chiefely to bee obserued in the spirituall gouernement of the Church â— Co. 1â— 27 as Saint Paul sheweth it vs. Rom. 12.5 For in the Church there is not onely a resemblance of mans bodie but the sonne of God is our heade in verie deede It is of him that wee bee and of him haue wee grace and power in such portion and measure as it pleaseth him to bestowe vppon vs. Seeing it is so let vs learne to maintaine peace and brotherlinesse among vs. â—ph 4.7.16 And that wee may so doe let euerie of vs yeelde himselfe to his neighbours and let vs not be so wedded to our own peculiar aduantage that we shoulde not take paine to pleasure all those with whome wee bee vnited Neither let vs alledge what haue I to doe with the bearing of such a burthen as shoulde bee too heauie for mee and which I cannot well away with Let vs beware that wee holde not backe after that sort to maintaine our selues in ydlenesse For according to the abilitie that God giueth vs so doth hee binde vs to serue our neighbours therewith And why For wee be al members of one bodie there needeth none other reason to moue vs than that So then to be short wee cannot be of our Lord Iesus Christs flocke vnlesse wee consider what he hath giuen vs that wee may make the same profitable and put it to the common edifying of the Church Cor. 14.12 Eph. 4.12 as saieth Saint Paul As touching worldly conuersation let vs liue in such wise with men that as wee receiue good by them so wee also on our side may looke to do good to them so as there may be a mutuall answerablenesse on both sides Nowe it is certaine that none of vs can forbeare his neighbours Let a man bee of as good abilitie as he can wish and yet neuerthelesse he must stande in neede of other mens seruice in many thinges Nowe when hee knoweth that hee hath such neede and necessity of other mens helpe should he drawe backe from his neighbours or bee so nyce that hee will beare no burthen but be loth to take any paine for the common weale It is no reason For if they that serue him should bee at the same point and bee as peeuish and proud as hee must it not needes bee that all shoulde goe to wrecke Yes and therefore let vs learne that in asmuch as euen in the Church wee haue this bonde of seruing our neighbours it behooueth likewise in respect of this present life and of all worldly affaires to consider with our selues y t in asmuch as God maketh others to do vs good and to profite vs diuers wayes so as wee be succored by them we also ought to render the like againe on our side Now as concerning the people of Israels case there was a speciall consideration in their conquering of the land of Chanaan Why so For it was not promised seuerally to the tribe of Iuda or to the tribe of Beniamin or to any of the other tribes alone but generally to the whole ofspring of Abraham Therefore it behoued this lande to bee conquered by them in common and that afterwarde lottes shoulde bee cast for it as was done in the ende by Iosua But nowe that God commaundeth vs to follow one common trace wee must applie this example to our selues and consider that the same rule which is set downe heere is giuen to vs also As howe Doeth God commaunde that we should but euerie man seuerally for himselfe resist Sathan and proceede more and more in the Gospell Is it not a common lesson Yes Seeing then that God calleth vs so one with another and will haue all to agree in one accorde like good melodie it is not for vs to separate our selues any more a sunder Wherfore let vs consider that to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ and the saluation of all his to builde vp his Church and to make his Gospell to prosper and florish euerie man must not onely worke alone by himselfe but wee must also agree all in one and drawe all by one lyne and euery of vs streine himselfe to serue such as haue neede of his helpe And so wee see that all such as will needes builde so alone by themselues doe but worke confusion Of which sort there are that thinke themselues very able men and that they coulde worke wonders to their owne seeming insomuch that they despise their neighbours and woulde euen beare downe all other men before them to shew themselues valiant fellowes and that they doe a hundred fold more than all the rest And what commeth of such pride but ouerthrowe and confusion Let vs marke well therefore that wee shall neuer serue God by furthering of the gladtidings of our saluation vnlesse we haue the said concord that we be readie and wel disposed to helpe euerie man his neighbour and that there bee one common easing one of another Thus yee see what we haue to remember further vppon this streine Now in conclusion it is saide heere that Moses incorageth Iosua to be of good cheere and to go through with the thing which he himselfe might not do that is to wit to conuey the people ouer Iordan and to conquer all the lande of Chanaan But first of all hee setteth before him the victories that the people had had against Og king of Basan and Sehon king of Hesebon Thou hast seene saith he how the Lord hath dealt with these two kings He saith not As you haue done to these two kings but as the Lorde hath done For as hath bin declared here is no flattering of men nor no tickling of their eares for they bee but too forwarde alreadie in taking more vpon them than belongeth to them Seeing then that men are so naturally giuen to selfeweening let vs vnderstand that it is expedient for them to be meekened and to bee bereft of all their pride and loftinesse to the intent they may knowe that they haue nothing of their owne But this cannot bee done without making them to vnderstande that whatsoeuer they haue they are beholden to Gods meere grace for it That is the cause why Moses saith expresly Thou hast seene with thine eyes what God hath done vnto these two kinges As if he should say If yee knowe not the power that God hath shewed you of whom is it long
we had all the lettes in the world against vs ought it not to ridde them all quite away Otherwise what an vnthankefulnesse were it Therefore let vs learne that whensoeuer God matcheth promises with his commaundementes it is to win vs by gentlenesse because hee seeth vs so slowe as is pitifull and therefore he allureth vs as a father that flattereth his children as ye would say That is the y e thing which wee haue to gather here Now if wee consider this lesson well wee shal not say as the Papists doe That seeing God promiseth reward to such as shall haue serued him it appeareth thereby y t we deserue and that God is as wel bound vnto vs as we to him But cleane contrariwise Gods promising vs to doe vs good is not for that our seruice can deserue aught at his hand nor for that hee is or can be beholden to vs for any thing but his shewing of himselfe so freeharted towardes vs as to forbeare his owne right proceedeth of his owne free bestowed goodnesse as I haue declared afore Surely the Papistes doe well shew themselues to be puffed vp with diuelish pride when they presume after that sorte to abuse Gods fatherly goodnesse He could doe no more except he should make vs cockneyes as I haue sayd already and yet notwithstanding mortall men which are but carion and dung fall to aduauncing of themselues and say it is a token that God is bound vnto them Now then ler vs beare in minde that the promises which GOD setteth afore vs to prouoke and incourage vs to doe him seruice serue not to shewe that he oweth vs any thing or that we can deserue aught at his hand but they be a record vnto vs of his free bestowed goodnesse inasmuch as hee byndeth himselfe to vs of his owne good will notwithstaÌ„ding y t hee can not be any way indetted vnto vs. Moreouer it behoueth vs to marke that in speaking Moses setteth y e lawe in the first place to the ende to leade the people yet further For by the lawe wee knowe our duetie and how wee ought to liue Matt. 22.37 that is to wit that wee ought to loue God with all our heart with all our minde with all our affections and with all our powers and that wee ought to loue our neighbors as our selues Now when we once know this we must see whether wee bee able to doe it or no. But so vnable is any man liuing to discharge himselfe thereof that wee cannot so much as stirre one finger to begin it Therefore are wee all guiltie before God And what is there to be done We must flee for refuge to his grace and therewithall beseech him to be mercifull to vs in forgiuing vs our sinnes and moreouer to vouchsafe to reforme vs forasmuch as hee seeth that wee be not onely weake but also vtterly vnable to doe any good because there is nothing but corruption in vs And finally that when he hath made this lawe to bee preached vnto vs hee vouchsafe also to ingraue it in our hartes and to giue vs such a minde as wee may seeke to serue him This is the maner of proceeding which wee haue to beare in minde in that it is sayd that the lawe is preached vnto vs to the ende wee should serue our God as in deede the ende whereto it tendeth is to shewe men what they ought to doe Nowe herewithall let vs examine all our owne abilities and wee shall finde our selues ouerwhelmed and that wee bee all of vs cursed and damnable if God added not a remedy to drawe vs out of the curse which the lawe bringeth vppon vs. 1. Cor. 15.56 Ro. 3.19 4.15 6.14 And therefore Saint Paul sheweth that if men will needes holde themselues to the lawe they shall bee damned without any further hope of saluation And why for it is written hee that doth these thinges shall liue in them Leuit. 18 5. Ro. 10.5 Now then sayth Saint Paul let euery man looke into himselfe and examine his whole lyfe is there any man that is able to vaunt that he hath fulfilled Gods lawe No wee be all disobedient Seeing the case standeth so there is no more life in the Lawe Rom. 3.9 Rom. 6.2.3 10.4 but wee must rather flee to the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and specially beseech God to giue vs power to doe that which we can not And so whereas the Papistes doe make themselues drunken with their diuelish imaginations of meritorious works and such other lyke thinges let vs vnderstand that after our Lord hath allured vs by gentlenesse he addeth a second grace which is that albeit we be not able to performe his commaundementes throughly in all respectes yet he beareth with vs as a father beareth with his children and imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs but receiueth our halfe seruices as though they were whole and perfect not for any worthinesse that he findeth in them but because he purposeth to play the father with vs. Marke that for another poynt Besides these there is a thirde grace which hee vseth which is that hee ingraueth his lawe in our heartes insomuch that whereas he seeeth our heartes to bee as harde as stone or stithies 2 Cor. 3. â— hee maketh them as soft as fleshe and meekeneth them y t they may be obedient And hee not onely prepareth vs after that maner to serue him Phil. â— â—â— but also giueth vs discretion power and performance Sith wee see this let vs put all meriting or deseruing out of minde and let vs not be so presumptuous as to aduaunce our selues any way but as wee haue iust cause to abase our selues so let vs w t all humblenes giue the glory vnto god Thus ye see what we haue to do y t we may take profit of y e doctrine coÌ„teined here And immediately hereunto Moses addeth That men must purely and simply followe the doctrine that hee commaundeth without putting any thing to it or taking any thing from it To the intent sayth hee that yee may keepe the commaundements of your God which I inioyne you Before wee proceede any further wee must marke the authoritie that Moses taketh to himselfe in this text Hee had sayd heretofore I teach you and now hee sayth I inioyne or commaund you And why is that To shewe that hee speaketh not in his owne name but as sent froÌ„ a greater master in respect wherof it is meete that euery man shoulde wholy submit himselfe to him without gainesaying And here wee see how all true shepheardes ought to behaue themselues and all such as haue charge to preach Gods worde or haue the gouernment of the Church that is to wit they must be sure that God hath sent them so as they attempt not any thing of their owne head but speake as in the name of God and vtter all their sayinges as on his behalfe Being once at that stay then must they also maintaine Gods
shewed himselfe to our face and vouchsafed to bee knowen of vs familiarlie Now we we see what Moses ment For his meaning is to set forth the greeuousnesse of the peoples sin if it should so fall out that they shoulde turne away from the purenes which they had learned in the lawe As if he should say True it is that euen from the creation of the worlde most men haue not ceased to ouershoote themselues into a number of errors and follies but that came to passe because they had not so special a teaching as you haue whereby they might haue had certeinetie of faith to rest themselues vpon Therefore the wretched infidels went astray but yet was not their sin so greeuous and outragious For although they were vnexcusable yet had they not any such teaching as you But as for you yee haue had Gods couenaÌ„t wherby ye were brought into his house hee hath shewed himselfe as a father towards you taught you as his childreÌ„ this is that holy band wherby god hath tyed him selfe to you now then if you should turne backe againe and become like those wretched beastes which neuer knew nor tasted of gods truth what a thing were it Might you pretende them for a shrowding sheete and say other men do so as wel as we Yea but yet had not those othermen such teaching as you haue had Nowe therefore acknowledge the grace that God hath bestowed vppon you in shouling you out from all nations of the earth in coming so nigh vnto you And in deed y e same is the very cause why y t when the heathen are condeÌ„ned in their supertitions it is said on the contrarie part that y e Lord dwelleth in Sion his maiesty is knowen there After that manner doth the Prophet Abacucke speake in his second chapter Abac. 2.20 and it is a doctrine that is rife ynough euery where As if it were saide The world runnes at randon and euery man forgeth and setteth vp some God priuately to himselfe but as for the God which hath shewed himself to bee the true liuing God his voyce soundeth in mount Sion where the temple was builded TheÌ„ sith it is so although the whole world bee caried away go wandering in the darke yet must not we be remoued forasmuch as he hath set vp his seat among vs and we know him by his voyce by his word And here we see why it is said in the Psalmes where Gods kingdome is spoken of in such wise as it was to bee stablished in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ Psal. 97.1.3 5. 115.3.4 as wel in the fourescore and sixteenth psalme as in other psalmes The Lord reigneth Let y e far countries reioyce therat let all ydols be confounded and let all that is set vp by men be throwen downe For when wee haue the truth which driueth away al darkness ignorance then haue we the verie meane to destroy al superstition And to the same purpose also is there this like saying in Esay Esa. 19.1 when the Lord reigneth then shal al the ydols of Egypt fal And why For the wretched Infidels weene they doe well and thinke they do God good seruice in following their fond superstitions But when God is once set afore them then his maiestie bereaueth them of all excuse and he must needs as then be magnified And that is y e cause why it is said in another place Esa. 25.9 This is the Lord this is the Lord. The prophet in the person of all the faithful defieth the ydols with their abuses because GOD should be knowen accordingly as al things were accomplished at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then the thing y t we haue to gather vpon this tâ—xt is that when we once knowe God by his word wee must be so fully resolued and assured thereof that although the whole wretched world run rouing after their owne abuses and superstitions yet we must keepe on our way still that seing we haue a sure foundation which cannot be shaken that is to wit gods infallible truth wee must let those blinde wretches breake their necks sith we cannot remedie it and in y e meane while we must go forward still as the Lord commaundeth vs seing he hath reached vs his hand to draw vs to him And although this was spoken to the Iewes by Moses yet it perteineth eueÌ„ now vnto vs. For wee see what fauor God hath shewed vs aboue others All the worlde is full of error and diuelish imaginations wretched men are become brutish in their ignorance But what Neither hath the doctrine of life bene preached vnto them neither haue they euer in good earnest vnderstood what God is Indeede they can speake of him but that is but at randon without order But wee haue the scripture declared vnto vs and by that mean God communicateth himself to vs and allureth vs so sweetly vnto him as he could not doe any more for vs except hee should take vs into his lap and yet we see he applieth himselfe to our infirmitie he chaweth our morsels to vs he feedeth vs with pappe speaketh to vs like a nurse Now when we see that our God manifesteth himselfe so familiarly vnto vs there is no more excuse for vs wee may no more mingle our selues in the order or ranâ—ke of vnbeleeuers For our state is cleane contrarie Rom. â—â—â— God is hidden from them and yet shall they not faile to perish in their ignorance as they be worthie But as for vs if we be so stubborne against God that euen of a spitefull malice wee will not obey the things that he sheweth vs but wil play the wilde beastes with him so as hee cannot reclaime vs to himselfe and that euen when we knowe him and do vnderstand that it is hee which ought to be honored yet wee be so vnconstant and wauering still as to turne away after our owne dotages shall we not bee doublie condemned Shall not horrible vengeance hang ouer our heades Then let vs beare in mind that in asmuch as our Lorde hath made a couenant with vs that is to say hath called vs into his Church to be taught by his worde that this is the onely meane wherewith wee may bee armed and fortified against all superstitions This is one point And let vs also marke therewithall that horrible condemnation hangeth ouer our heades if we wander away and hold not our selues to the simplicitie of Gods doctrine but bee carried away hither and thither by our owne lusts These are the two pointes which we haue to marke vpon this text Wherefore let vs learne to make our profite and commoditie of the worde that is preached vnto vs for the same purpose That is to wit albeit that all bee full of corruption and errour yet let not vs bee shaken downe nor bee wauering as manie men are to saye yea marie but there is so much disagreement that
worlde y t men might come rūning to it a foure or fiue thousād leagues off to worship God And do ye not see what an absurditie that were Therfore it were too grosse a fondnesse to cōclude thus There was but one temple one high priest in al Iewrie ergo there ought to be y e like throughout the whole worlde For then ought there also some litle nooke to be made where men might so assemble togither as they should not neede to go past foure or fiue dayes iourneyes from home but we see that that were vnpossible and moreouer it were contrarie to nature Marke that for one poynt And secondly let vs marke 1. Tim. 3.16 Hebr. 〈…〉 that the Leuitical Priesthood is come to an end quite put down by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ into y e world Moreouer the high priest was a figure shadow of our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore it were an abolishing or putting away of the trueth if men shoulde haue a high priest to bee the vniuersall head of the Church as the Pope woulde make men beleeue It is saide that there was one high priest one chiefe Iudge yea one king in Israel Now if a man wil conclude hereupō that there ought to be one high-priest through the whole world there must also be but one chiefe king so should all common weales be cast downe the order which as now is distinctly set among kingdoms dukedomes free cities should be but a confusion accursed of God And in what taking were wee then Nay wee must go to the chiefe point of all which is that thereby our Lorde Iesus Christ shoulde be robbed of his right Matt. 28.18 Phil. ◠9 Hebr. 1.8.13 For now that he is come the kingdome is stablished euerlastingly in his person he is set ouer all the Empires and kingdomes of the worlde Also he hath taken vpon him the euerlasting priesthood ouer all order gouernement of the Church Not that there shoulde not as now be any mo Bishops sheepheards as the scripture speaketh of them but y t Iesus Christ be the only head the residue but as inferior members and that the body be gouerned in such wise as all things may be subiect to him of whome it is saide This is my welbeloued sonne Mat. 17.5 Heare ye him And so wee see that y e Pope is a traytour that robbeth Iesus Christ of his soueraigntie by making of himself highpriest ouer the Church of God And by the way if it be alledged that it is requisite there should be some meane to end quarels and controuersies that might rise for religion the answere is that so there be an order set there needeth not any one man to be set ouer al the rest but they may assemble together w t one cōmon accord as we see hath bin done in times past True it is that the men of olde time had a certeine order in the Church for the great Prouinces namely that there were certaine Patriarkes but as for to haue any one head ouer the whole Church that was neuer agreed vppon so long as there was any purenes of the Gospel or any tolerable gouernement But as soone as all things were confounded after a barbarous or rather brutish maner then did the Pope lift vp his hornes In deed he stroue long time against the bishop of Constantinople But howsoeuer y e case stood it fell out anon after that all thinges were corrupted confounded men wist not any more what the gouernment of the church ment So then let vs marke y t if it be said that like as it is requisite there should be some stay for the pacifying of ciuil quarels and for the determining of criminal 〈◊〉 so it is good reason that there should be so 〈…〉 hiefe court of prerogatiue for the appeasing 〈◊〉 rife contention in doctrine yet it followeth not that one man only ought to haue supremacie ouer the whole world for as I haue shewed afore that is quite contrarie to nature What remaineth then That men assemble togither that Iesus Christ beare the chiefe sway among them But we must wey well the things that are contained heere It is said that y e Priest must iudge according to the law of God Wherein it is shewed that our Lorde layeth not the brydle loose on the necke eyther of all the priestes together or of the Iudge which was in those dayes in state of a king but that al of them ought to be subiect to the law and that as I said afore God meant to reserue the soueraigne authoritie to himselfe so as men should receiue definitiue sentence as at his mouth that the persons which were to giue the sentence should be but as instrumentes of his holy spirite expounders of his lawe Therefore let vs marke wel that God ment not here that men should do any thing on their own heads but that his lawe should beare the sway specially in Ierusalem rather than in any other place But now let vs see what the Pope doeth what all the bastardly Councels haue done whereunto he would tye vs. There is nothing amongest them but to say that the holy Ghost gouerned them for as for the holy scripture they did let that alone In deede they gaue it the honorable title of Gods word but when they ment to determine what they thought good was it according to that which God hath declared No but they tooke another rule which is that the Church cannot erre because it is gouerned by y e holy Ghost that as touching the holy scripture it leadeth vs into perfection but we must mount vp yet higher for if we haue not the reuelations of the holy Ghost it is nothing If a man holde himselfe to that which is conteined in the holy scripture it is but an vnperfect thing with them but as for that which is determined by y e Church that must be held inuiolable and no man must in any wise gainsay it Againe the holy scripture say they is a nose of wax which a man may wryth euery way there is no certeintie in it but whē the church hath once pronounced a thing there is no more dout in it After y e maner went all the rable of them to worke so as they haue troden y e holy scripture vnder foote Although they grant in words that it proceeded from God yet haue they taken it to be but as an apsie and as a cōmō doctrine affirming that the Reuelations which haue beene giuen vnto them are much higher doctrine These blasphemies they haue not been ashamed to vtter their bookes are ful of them Insomuch that they say that the holy scripture is a pliable thing as I haue declared afore so as if wee should sticke to that which is conteyned there our fayth shold neuer be certein And therupon euery man folowes his owne fancye Seeing they were come to
maner to superstitions and cannot bee contented with Gods trueth which is the perfection of all wisedome must it not needes bee that they are possessed of Satan and worse than starke madde or out of their wits Yes truely And therefore seeing our Lord protesteth that he hath so prouided for his Church as men may well holde themselues to that which he hath done Let euerie man bee readie to heare and receiue the doctrine which he setteth forth Nowe he commeth to those that are appointed to be teachers Let no man saith he Presume to speake in my name For I must put my worde in the mouth of the Prophetes Esa. 59 2â— Hee saieth expresly I will put my word in their mouthes and therunto answereth the text of Esay which I cyted afore Whereby it is shewed vs that God raiseth not Prophets vp to lay the bridle in their necks and to giue them full libertie to preach what they list but hee raiseth them vp to be as his instrumentes to deliuer the thinges faithfully which they haue heard of him Yee see then with what condition God hath raised vp prophets in all ages namely y t he put his word in their mouthes And whereas we preach nowadayes it is not for that Christ hath giuen vp his office For he is alwayes a teacher 〈◊〉 17.5 Eph. 5.23 he is the heade of the Church yea the only head not to be as an ydoll but to rule vs with his doctrine Therfore we must not presume to alledge any thing which we receiue not of the only sonne of God Wherefore let vs marke well that as it was Gods will heere to subdue folk to humble themselues so as they should not refuse to bee taught by his worde when it is preached so on the otherside he hath prouided that such as haue commission to speake must not bring their owne dotages and dreames nor deuise any newe doctrine but onely first learne of their master and afterwarde deliuer the same faithfully to others without adding any thing at all of their owne For whatsoeuer men inuent of their owne heades is vtter corruption there needs no more Leauen to sower the whole lump of paste 1. Cor. 5.6 And if a man take heade neuer so little he shall vtterly peruert Gods truth and turne it into vntruth And this serueth also to put al men in mind vpon what condition they should heare the Prophetes For here are two extremities as in deede wee neuer keepe any meane vnlesse our Lorde drawe vs to it by force If wee keepe it not wee become heathenish and his worde is skorned of those to whom hee sendeth vs which contempt wee see in the most part of the worlde Howe deale wee when wee come to framing of our selues We vse a kinde of fond and beastly deuotion without putting any difference betweene good and euill and God will none of that Indeede hee will haue our faith matched with humilitie but not that we should be starke blockes without discretion For cleane contrariwise hee willeth vs to trie mens spirites 1. Iohn 4.1 Then must wee haue skill to examine thinges whether they be true or no when men speake to vs in the name of God The way therefore which wee must holde is that when Gods name is alledged wee must bee touched with reuerence to hearken earnestly to the thinges that are spoken and howsoeuer the world go wee must bee prepared to receiue them And when wee haue this modestie of yeelding our selues teachable by the thinges that are set forth in the name of God Wee must also pray him to giue vs his holy spirite that wee bee able to discerne aright and not be beguiled nor imbrewed with lyes vnder false pretence of his name but that although Satan transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 1â— 14 yet he may not so blind our eyes but that wee may perceiue what is good That is the way which wee must holde And it is the thing whereto God intendeth to leade vs saying that although he will haue vs to hearken to the Prophets and addeth this threat that the despising of them shall not abide vnpunished yet notwithstanding hee meaneth not therefore to bereaue vs of all discretion and to stop our eyes that we should not knowe what to followe No but he wil haue vs to examine mens doctrine to â—ift the Prophetes whether they teach aright or no. We must not be so doltish as to admit al that euer is tolde vs without exception but as I saide when men speake to vs in the name of God we must serch whether it be truth or falsehood And now must we lay forth the things particularly which are conteined here First of all let vs marke that God meant not faithfully or no wee must compare the thinges that are cleane contrarie We knowe that the true touchstone whereby to try the goodnesse of any doctrine is the referring of all thinges vnto faith Rom. 12.6 as Saint Paul saith thereof and to the gloryfying of God that men be taught to put their whole trust in the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ to mislyke of themselues and to be ashamed of their own doings to frame themselues to a true amendment Thus is it a true tryall of good doctrine when wee see y e preacher indeuour that God may be purely honored and serued and that the prayse of all power wisedome and righteousnesse be yeelded vnto him That doctrine is alwayes good and that is an infallible rule When men are condemned in themselues when they be shewed that there is nothing but corruption in their nature and that they be accursed of God when they be so beaten downe as they wote not what to doe but onely to craue forgiuenesse lyke wretched sinners that is a sure doctrine For faith leadeth vs thereunto and compasseth it as a certeine rule Againe when sinnes are condemned by Gods lawe and men are shewed what true repentance is to wit a mislyking of their sinnes a desiring to be gouerned by Gods spirit and to bee altogether chaunged that is a sure doctrine Moreouer when men are tolde that they must flee to God for refuge and call vppon him onely and not be vnthankfull to him for his helping and succoring of them the doctrine also is of the holy scripture and men cannot faile in embracing of it If it be sayd that the very vse of the Sacraments is to leade vs to our Lord Iesus Christ and to assure vs the better of the benefites which he bringeth vs that we may be partakers of them and that God also putteth vs in possession of theÌ„ that also is a trueth which ought not to be reuoked nor doubted of And hereof there is no disputing to be made for men knowe that in those pointes is nothing but good doctrine On the contrarie part a man may iudge that a doctrine is false when it darkeneth or diminisheth the glorie of God
generally his meaning was that they should not match themselues with idolaters For why It is a making of an entrie an opening of a gap to Satan that he may put all to hauock bring all things to disorder confusion God therefore ment to preuent that True it is y t at this day now that y e Gospell hath bin preached ouer all the world there is neither Gentile nor Iew any more wee haue no more any such distinction as was vnder the Lawe Gal. 3.28 For the separation wall saith S. Paul is brokē downe so as we must now link together in brotherly concord Eph. 2.14 forasmuch as God will be called vpon of all nations that all men should call him father and therefore we must knit our selues together Yea but there are which separat themselues through vnbeleefe wil not be of y e bodie of the Church but refuse y e God which is declared to vs by Iesus Christ will not be partakers of the adoption which hee offereth to all men both great small Vnto such we must not cleaue at leastwise if we intend not to alienate our selues from God from the way of saluation Whosoeuer thē matcheth himself wittingly wilfully with the vnbeleeuers dooth as much as in him lyeth to banish himself from the kingdome of God And for that cause doth S. Paul vse this exhortation that wee should not beare the yoke with vnbeleeuers telling vs that the thinges which were spoken in olde time to the Iewes belong also vnto vs so as it behooueth vs to flee far from all superstition frō all such as intangle vs therein And why For we not only beare the materiall vessels of the Lordes Temple but also are his very Temples wherein hee dwelleth by his holy spirit 1. Cor. 6.19 20. and therefore wee must offer both our bodies and soules in sacrifice to him that we may be wholy dedicated vnto him For seeing he hath chosen vs to be his childrē ought we not to be clensed frō al corruption both of bodie mind as hath bin declared Seeing it is so then let vs learne that when a man is to marrie he must as neere as hee can choose him such a wife as may further him in the seruing of God purely For why We be fraile enough of our selues without being corrupted of other folkes And if a man be in a good way and be neuer so wel minded and desirous to doe well he shal soone be marred by euil companie And the world sees it If a man doe but fall to drinking with a leawd fellow or a naughtipacke he is in daunger to turne backe and to become euery day worse than other so that yee woulde wonder to see him become a very diuel Now if a little tippling doe this what will insue when a man shall be faine to keepe companie with his wife as long as they liue Truely it is a manifest tempting of God when a man throwes himselfe headlong downe after that fashiō and stoppeth his eyes at the taking of a wife hauing no regard of his choyce y t he might be helped by her so as they might behaue themselues holily according to Gods will with one common consent That I tell you is a poynt which it behooueth vs to marke wel And what is the cause that nowadayes so many mariages come to ill end but that men haue not an eye to God but mens mindes are set vppon their lustes and pleasure or else they seeke for wealth God then is not accounted of therefore he is faine to reuenge such contempt and so doth hee as experience sheweth So much the more ought wee to marke well how it is sayd in this text that if a man will marrie a straunge woman that is to say an Infidel which hath not bin brought vp in the feare of God nor bin instructed in his word he must looke that shee be cleane chaunged before hee euer come at her For a wife is as a deadly poyson vnlesse she haue first forsaken her former conuersation and professed to liue thenceforth to Godward and to sticke purely to his word haue put her old bringing vp quite out of her minde yea euen cast her slough as they say And furthermore whereas it is sayd here that the woman must shaue her head pare her nayles put away her old apparell and mourne as though she had forgone her father and mother in deed those ceremonies serued for the Iewes and wee be not to vse those figures nowadayes But yet must wee haue an eye whereunto the same tended namely that the women as I haue sayd afore should be as it were chaunged y e they might bee brought into y e body of Gods Church This is a ground therfore y t when a man intēdeth to take a wife he must looke y t she be reformed aforehād that she know God his word so as she ioyne herself thereto be ready to giue ouer al idolatrie Vntil a woman be at y t point it is not lawful for a Christian man to take her to his wife And if he take her before and graunt him the grace to reclaime her afterwarde yet must hee vnderstand that he hath done amisse And looke what is saide of men concerneth women likewise For as women haue their inticementes to allure the hearts of men so men may easily tēpt women to turne them from the right way of saluation and to ouerthrowe them as the world seeth And therefore when a woman doeth of her owne will go take a husbande that is a despiser of God a wicked and looseliuer allawlesse person a drunkarde or a swearer it is all one as if shee forsooke God and banished her selfe out of his Church and shee deserueth to haue all manner of cursednesse to light vppon her head And where as this tolde vs concerning wedlocke let vs vnderstande it likewise of al other things that may thrust vs out of our way and let vs learne to bee conuersant with such companions that wee may euer bee edified still to the better For wee haue neede of such folke as may amende vs because that euery of vs is frayle of himselfe And therefore let vs seeke to match our selues with such as haue the feare of God and leade a holy honest life let vs shunne such as go about to intangle vs in their abhominations When wee see a malicious and frowarde person a despyser of God or a lustie Gallant that passeth not to bee an offence to all men let vs esteeme him as a plague and let vs vtterly eschue him For why whosoeuer comes nye him shall surely be infected by him out of hande And that is apparant So then let vs beare well in mynde that here our Lorde intended to shewe that wee must haunt such companie as is fit to teache vs to doe well and that on the contrarie parte wee must shunne all occasions of euill
world so many neighbors haue we And wheras in this text y e word is a Brother indeed it had respect to the linage of Abraham But nowadaies wee haue all one father 1. Tim. 2.4 who is called vpon in al languages and in all countries He hath not chosen the race of any one man nor shut vp his seruice within any one certaine countrie For the partition wal is broken downe 〈◊〉 â— 16 so as there is not now any difference of Iew and Gentile accordingly as is told vs that we bee all one body in our lord Iesus Christ and y â— seeing God is proclaimed by the Gospell to be our Sauiour father we must maintaine a brotherhood among vs. And as touching the word Neighbour the law hath vsed it of purpose to shew meÌ„ y t they may well shrink away one froÌ„ another but yet they be all of one knoweÌ„ kinde according to this saying of the Prophet Esay Esa. â—8 7 Thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh If I can say This man is of a far countrie there was neuer any acquaintaÌ„ce betwixt vs one of vs can not speake a word y t the other can vnderstande what is all this to the purpose Let me looke vppon him beholde him throughly I shal find the same nature in him that is in my selfe I shall see that God hath made him so like me as if we were but one fleshe And all mankind is of such shape and fashion that wee haue good cause to loue one another and to know y t we ought to be all one Although there bee some difference as touching this present life yet ought we to consider that we spring al out of one roote therefore that we should tend all to one end euen vnto God who is the father of vs all And therefore it is not without cause that in steede of saying thou shalt doe so to al men our Lorde saith thou shalt do so to thy neighbors And albeit we fall to disputing of the matter and would slippe our heades out of the coler seeking to shift off y â— matter by alledging that we bee straungers one to an other yet can we not bring to passe that all men should not be our neighbors because we are al of one selfe same nature wherby God hath knit vs linked vs all together The thing then which we haue to mark in this part of the texte vpon y â— word Brother is y t whereas God speaketh after that maner to the Iewes because hee had adopted the linage of Abraham it sheweth vs nowadaies that we must al be as brothers forasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ hath proclaimed peace through the whole worlde and God is at one agayne with all nations all men Seeing it is so it behoueth vs to maintaine the brotherhood which was procured by Christs bloudshed whereunto God calleth vs. And although many spiteful persoÌ„s go about to violate it by their vnkindnes in shrinking away from the Church and become our enemies by guing vs occasion to do them harme yet notwithstanding let vs striue against their naughtines labour to procure the saluation of their soules and y e welfare of their bodies so far as we can And wheÌ„ we see y t we on our side are weak caÌ„not frame our affections to y e obeying of God so wel as were to be wished let vs pray our good God to streÌ„gthen vs by his holy spirit y t we may outstand all assaults y â— are put vnto vs so as we may haue y e vpper hand of them when hee hath once rid vs of our flesh Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to make vs so to feele theÌ„ more more as y t being cast downe in our selues wee may be lifted vp again by his hand y t being so lifted vp vpheld by him we may follow his example towards our neighbors indeuoring to coÌ„tinue in good peace concord bearing with y e weaklings so as we may al with one coÌ„mon coÌ„sent keep our way vnto him attaine thither by his grace That it may please him to graunt this grace c. On Fryday the iij. of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxvj. Sermon which is the second vpon the two and twentith Chapter 5 A woman shal not weare the apparel of a man neither shal a man put on the garments of a woman For whosoeuer doth so is an abhomination to the Lord thy God 6 When thou goest abroad and findest a birds nest in a tree or on the grounde and young birdes or egges therein the dam sitting vpon her young or vpon the egges thou shalt not take the dam with her young birdes 7 But thou shalt let the dam goe take the young ones to thy selfe that it may goe well with thee and that thou maist prolong thy dayes 8 When thou buildest thee a newe house thou shalt make a battlement about the roofe of it that thou bring not bloud vpon thy house by the falling of some man downe from it THe first law which I haue rehearsed here sheweth y t in all our behauiour we must haue a care to be honest eschue al loosenes Truely it should seeme to be no matter of great importance for a man to be apparelled after one fashioÌ„ or other but yet for all that God wil haue things done in order For if men go disguised weare such apparell as serueth not for necessitie but for follie that is not conuenient If women bee dissolute what a thing is that They forget their nature for women ought to bee modest If there bee no shame but that they will needes be out of order it is a very beastlines That is the effect of Gods intent in saying that men ought not to put on womens apparell nor women ought not to bee cloathed in mens apparell For it is good reason that there should be a difference betweene men and women And although there were no lawe written doeth not euen nature teach it vs And when S. Paul telleth vs that women must come to the Church with their heades couered not with their haire about their eares 〈◊〉 1â— 5 hee sheweth the same thing What saith he haue we need to speake to you of such things For if a womaÌ„ were polled durst she shew her head abroade A man may well be bold to shew his head bare though he be polled and shall a woman do so too That were a shame euerie bodie would mocke at her and she shoulde be faine to hide her heade Now sith ye know this without any scripture or worde written doe ye not see howe God hath sowen as it were a seede of modestie in you to the intent that euerie man shoulde haue a regarde to that which is comelie for him So then let vs mark y t here God intended to shew vs that euery bodies attyring
hath threatened them which made warre against the citie of Ierusalem hee turneth his threateninges against them also which holpe it not when it was in necessitie For there must bee no ventershippe in this behalfe We must be either friendes or enemies Therefore if we minde to escape the vengeance of God whensoeuer wee see the Church stand in neede of our helpe let euery of vs employ himselfe faithfully and let vs endeuour to aduaunce that which is belonging vnto GOD and to ayde them which seeke him and labor to come vnto vnto him Let vs endeuour I say to assist them and to quicken them vp to goe on alwayes more forewarder If wee doe not so doubtlesse wee shall be guiltie of hauing bin too retchlesse and negligent in the Churches behalfe But as I sayd afore if we help and fauour men when they lay their heades together to destroy all surely wee not onely bewray our selues to bee open enemies of God and of his Church but also wee shewe our selues to bee double enemies and so it must needes bee that double vengeance shall fall vppon our heades as it is in this place declared vnto vs. Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God w t acknowlegement of our faults praying him to vouchsafe to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as wee may bee alwaies quickened vp more more to resorte vnto him he so strengthen vs to resist the temptations which are bent against vs in this worlde as we may withstand al the enimies which cease not to molest vs and all the vnderlinges of Sathan which rayse troubles and offences among vs This good GOD of ours graunt vs grace not to bee discouraged with such thinges but that wee may continually proceede in the way whereunto God hath called vs vntill he haue put vs in possession of that saluatiō which he hath promised vs in the kingdome of heauen That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Fryday the xvij of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxxj. Sermon which is the second vpon the three and twentith Chapter 3 The Ammonites c. 4 Because they met you not with bread and water in the way when ye came out of Egypt and because they hyred against you Balaam the sonne of Beor of Pethor in Mesopotamia to curse you 5 Howbeit that y e Lord thy God would not hearkē vnto Balaā but the Lord thy God turned his curse into a blessing vnto thee because y e Lord thy god loued thee 6 Thou shalt not seeke their friendship nor their welfare at any time for euer WE saw yesterday howe that although God did not punish y e spitefulnesse and crueltie of the Ammonites and Moabites at the first yet notwithstanding hee did beare it still in minde Lykewise when as he winketh at faultes it is not because he hath forgotten them but that euery thing shall be reckoned for in his due time Whereupon I tolde you that they which haue offended must not flatter themselues if GOD beare with them and lay not his hand vppon them at the first but that they must consider y t he allureth them vnto repentance when he is so patient Rom. 2.4 yea and that he stayeth to see if men wil perceiue their owne wickednesse and be sory for it We declared with all why God commaunded the Israelites to execute his vengeance and in what sorte they should doe it It remaineth now that we see the reason which is contained here which is that the Ammonites Moabites though they issued out of the stock of y e Iewes did notwithstanding shewe themselues their mortal enimies by stopping of them from comming into the land of Canaan It is true that this poynt hath bin cōsidered of as concerning those which rayse offences to turne Gods children frō comming vnto the inheritance which is promised them who are by good reason condemned in the person of the Moabites and Ammonites But now we must consider that which Moses toucheth concerning the curse He sayth That the Moabites hyred Balaam the son of Beor to curse the people Numb 22. Marke here the meane which the Moabites vsed to roote out thē whome God had chosed and to sparre the doore against them that they might not take possession of the land of Canaan which was promised them The Moabites sawe full well that they could not be the better men if they came to handy strokes and therefore they hired a false Prophet to curse them And in what sorte forsooth in the name of God Now in the first place we see that they which had no true pure religion had yet some seede thereof yea and that they had this printed in their hart that God gouerneth the world y t all thinges are ordered according to his will y t they whom he fauoreth do alwaies prosper that they to whom he is contrary are vnhappy vtterly confounded That is y e cause why the Moabites hired Balaam in this sort to curse the Israelites in the name of God For although all this which they did be disallowed that they falsly pretēded y e name of God like trecherous caitifes as they were so as this deede of theirs was in thē a cursed defilement yet notwithstanding al this proceeded frō a good grounde namely y t they yeelded vnto God all power of ruling y e worlde howbeit y t they abused it afterward Now when we see this if we think to cōpasse y e things which we take in hand w tout calling on y e name of God so as one putteth his trust in his owne paines taking an other in his wisedome a thirde in his strength we are worse than these blinde wretches which neuer knew one word of the law and there needes no other witnesses to condemne vs before God This therefore is a point wel worth the noting Seeing God would y t such light shold remaine among y e vnbeleeuing as y t they shoulde knowe y t he gouerneth the life of men heere belowe and y t all thinges are in his hande much more ought wee to yeelde y t honour vnto him vnlesse wee will be worse than those which were without all true religion But let vs also take heede that when we haue some good seede we corrupt it not For y e matter consisteth not altogether in imagining this or y t of God but we must haue a sound pure knowlege of him For there is nothing more easie thā to snarle ourselues because wee are so enclined vnto vanitie the deuill also forgeth vs many deceits to intangle our mindes w̄tal so as y e truth is by and by turned into a lie except we stande heedefully vpon our gard And therefore let vs learne to call vpon God to the intent y t if he opē himselfe vnto vs we may not swarue neither to the right hand nor to y
Paule protesteth that he raigned not like a Lord vnder any colour ouer their faith 2. Cor. 1.24 but that he reserued that right vnto God to whom alone it belonged And in verie deede if wee should compare all the men liuing in the worlde with Moses it is certaine that we should alwayes finde that hee is the excellentest Prophet that GOD hath chosen of all the rest according as wee shall see in the ende of this song Deut. 34 1◠and yet for all that his speaking of the law which was published by him is not to bring vs in admiration of his person that wee should say Truely that was an excellent man but it is sayde that God was serued by him After what manner Soothly euen thus that hee did not take any thing in hand nor put foorth any dreame or dotage of his owne but onely wrate that which hee had receiued at the mouth of God Seeing that this testimonie is deliuered concerning Moses what diuelish boldnesse and arrogancie is in them that bee farre inferiour to him which will needes bee heard when they bring foorth nothing but their owne fantasies and submit not themselues to the worde of God And yet wee haue to marke that the charge of Moses differed greatly from theirs which be at this day ordained Ministers in the Church For God gaue him his lawe and therefore hee was fortie dayes and fortie nightes in the mountaine without meate or drinke to the ende that his doctrine shoulde bee authorised Nowe this was peculiar to him and as a speciall priuiledge Seeing it is so then are we so much the better confirmed in that which I haue spoken to wit that it becommeth not men to enterprise any thing of their owne braine as they say but that they must onely deliuer forth that which God cōmandeth them and be as it were his instruments And heerewithall let vs marke also how it is not without cause that Moses commandeth the Leuites to lay the booke of the Lawe in the side of the Chist or Arke of the couenaunt for thereby it had the more Maiestie not bycause the Sanctuarie of it selfe was of more worthinesse than other places but bicause God had ordained it to y t vse and that it was his pleasure that it shoulde be as a pledge a visible signe of his presence This matter hath bin alreadie treated of heretofore therfore we need not to stand vpō it any long whyle neuerthelesse it is requisite to haue y e remembrance there of briefely renewed vnto vs. Men of their owne nature bee so dull that they can neither attaine nor indeuour to attayne vnto GOD vnlesse they haue some helpes As for vs wee haue not nowe the figures and shadowes which the fathers had vnder the law For GOD hath nowe reueyled himselfe vnto vs more familiarly in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ 〈…〉 15. who is his liuely Image but vnder the lawe it was necessarie that the fathers shoulde haue the figures to aide them to the intent they might bee confirmed in the fayth And when they came to the Sanctuarie or the Tabernacle it was a kind of offering themselues before the face of God There were no Images nor Puppets for it was not their fashion to haue anie such remembrance of God as the Papistes doe imagine but there were the ten commaundementes which were laide vp there and God woulde that his maiestie shoulde bee looked vppon in his worde And Moses giueth expresse commaundement that the booke of the lawe which he had written shoulde bee laide there in the side of the Chest of the couenaunt And to what ende As if God shoulde say Here is my Testimonie you must not receyue this doctrine as if it were framed after the deuice of man ye must hold it as a thing that comes from mee for you haue a visible token thereof Nowe then we see whereunto this ceremonie of y e putting vp of the booke of the lawe into the Chest of the couenaunt did serue It was all one as if God had protested that hee auowed it to be his owne and that Moses had no further to do with it than onely that hee serued him as his minister Here we see yet againe that which we haue declared alreadie namely that God calleth vs altogether to himselfe and that hee would not haue drawen vs away one way or other to haue regarde vnto men for so shoulde our faith bee alwayes wauering and there woulde be no stay It is his will that wee shoulde haue our eye vppon him alone to yeelde our selues to his obedience And therefore let vs learne to betake vs wholie to our God if wee meane to haue a true and holie vnion in the Church The Papists do prate much of the Catholike church and of the agreement that ought to bee therein Yea but in the meane while there is horrible diuision and hellish confusion among them because God beareth not rule there by his word neither is there any allowable doctrine but they be tossed too and fro I meane not the common sort onely but euen them also which make the articles of fayth and frame commandements traditions at their owne pleasure whereof they haue hoorded and heaped so manie one vpō an other that they can scarsly wel tel who is the reporter of this or that or who is the inuenter thereof or who was the first maker of such an order or of such a tradition Thus yee see how all thinges goe to confusion and disorder when men direct not themselues by the pure doctrine of GOD. And therefore let vs marke that when our Lorde willed that the booke of the law shoulde be put vp in the Sanctuarie it was as it were his Royal seate where he sate himselfe where hee woulde bee honoured And thereby hee shewed in effect that hee woulde not haue his Church to be gouerned after the pleasure or liking of men but meant to holde it in awe and that his onely worde shoulde bee receiued so as men should looke onely vnto him and be gathered together there But now that wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ for our heade Iohn 10.42 5.27 and that he is appointed our Shepeheard and telleth vs that if wee bee his sheepe wee must not onely heare his voyce but also discerne it from the voyce of straungers I pray you shall there be anie excuse if we be so wauering in the aire as we see the Papistes are following euery man his owne deuice or else busying themselues about the Traditions of men Therefore let vs learne to submitte our selues vnto God and vnto him whome he hath set vp in his behalfe to be our onelie gouernour Also let vs learne to heare the lawe and the Gospell in such wise as wee may quake at the Maiestie of our God and let vs come with such reuerence and humilitie to the hearing of the doctrine that is deliuered out of it as wee may not in
the swordes in the world do serue to execute Gods ordinaunce When warre is to bee had well may princes assemble great armies but it is God that must beare the stroke Then if there be fiftie thousand men in armes on the one side and forty thousand on the other wee must not thinke that God is that whyle asleepe in heauen for all they are of his waging And although the two armies bee set one against an other yet shall not one stroke be stricken but by the disposition of Gods hand The like is to bee sayde of pestilences famines such other like thinges To be short all the scourges of this worlde are Gods swordes And in that respect is it saide that God will sharpen the edge of his sworde that is to say hee will execute the chastisementes which hee hath in his hande But if hee winke at things for a time and list to vse patience hee seemeth to haue no regarde of the faultes that are committed here belowe Yet doeth it not followe that all those things are not inregistred before him neither is it to bee saide that hee hath forgotten his charge or that his power is idle for hee hath all kindes of punishmentes which he can well shewe foorth whensoeuer it shall bee expedient to execute vengeaunce And so yee see after what manner God is sayde to drawe his sworde Nowe the applying of this doctrine will giue vs yet a more easie vnderstanding thereof Let vs consider to what ende it is saide namely because it seemeth to vs that when God punisheth not the wicked out of hande hee letteth thinges goe at all aduenture and that is y e thing which troubleth vs sore When we be wrongfully afflicted on the behalfe of men and wee see the Church of God to suffer manie slaunders and molestations what say wee Whereon doeth God thinke nowe Hath hee not pitie vppon his children Wee bee tormented with extremitie and yet hee maketh as though hee sawe it not Shall the crueltie of men haue such scope for euer Shoulde hee giue heade to the wicked after such sort that wee shoulde alwayes bee made a pray to them Such complaintes do men make when God doeth not out of hande punish the outrages that are doone to his seruauntes And therefore it is saide That hee will sharpen his sworde and take Iudgement in his hande as though that to holde vs in patience he should say My friendes trouble not your selues let not your lustes be ouer hastie and inordinate For I doe not this as vnmindfull of you Although I suffer the wicked to doe manie thinges outragiously it is not for that I haue no regarde of you or for that I watch not for the welfare of my Church or for that I pitie not those which suffer aduersitie and are so molested but because I haue my conuenient times which I dispose at my pleasure and therefore tarie you my leasure For the wicked shall bee vtterlie amased at the whetting of my sworde to make warre against them Be not afraide for although yee see it not at the first day yet will I not faile to shewe my selfe your protector and the defendour of your life Nowe then wee see in effect that all this is applyed to our infirmitie euen therafter as we be tossed with temptations so that when it seemeth to vs that God thinketh not any more vppon vs but that hee hath turned his back and is asleepe in heauen we should notwithstanding that all this fall out take it as though hee had sayd Cease not you to be patient and quiet yea hold your selues stil til I draw my sworde for I will surely doe it And for the same cause he addeth that he wil take iudgement in his hand Wee knowe that Gods maiestie and his iustice are thinges vnseparable Sith it is so let vs hardily conclude that hee is the Iudge of the world yea although the same bee hidden from vs so as wee perceiue not any signe or lykelyhoode thereof yet let vs not forbeare to say continually What Is it possible for God to renounce himselfe who is vnchangeable Then must wee take him for our Iudge assuring our selues that although hee hide himselfe away yet notwithstanding hee will shewe that hee sawe all that all thinges lay open before him and that he neuer chaunged his mind Thus yee see howe wee ought to practise this lesson yea euen at such time as our Lorde suffereth vs to bee as it were trodden vnder foote by the wicked and all the whole Church is cruelly dealt with and all thinges are out of order here beneath For euē then we must not cease to hope to put ourselues into y e protection of our God because he hath sworne and not only affirmed but also ratified with a solemne othe that he will do iustice vpon his enemies and that the execution thereof shal be so terrible as y t there shal be an vtter discomfiture of them and all shall bee filled with bloud And it is not to bee doubted but that in this place Moses meant to confirme the faithfull still in the hope which they ought to haue of Gods goodnes although they seeme to bee as it were sunken And hee proceedeth in the matter which he had dealt with before which is that in the end God will bethinke him of his seruauntes Howbeit that hee beginne at this poynt namely that while the wicked doe make great cheere and liue in pleasure make their triumphes God dooth say that hee will iudge his people and that those which are his children and houshold seruantes must be faine to indure hardnes because hee reformeth them when they haue done amisse Nowe it would seeme that their state is much woorse than the state of such as are vtter straungers to God and haue no acquaintance with him And therefore dooth Moses adde No in the ende God will mitigate his rigour towards you and therefore let it not greeue you to see the worldliges spared or to see them weltering in their pleasures as though all things were lawfull which they listed If your God afflict you in the meane season let it not seeme straunge vnto you For hee must needes haue a speciall care of his owne children chastice them seing he hath adopted thē And as for your enemies assure your selues that their turne will come about and thereof your GOD assureth you here in that hee dooth not simply affirme it but also sweare it Therefore you may trust vnto it So then euen in the middest of our afflictions let vs bee vpheld with this lesson For it will bee a good stud for vs to leane vnto when wee make it auaileable as it deserueth and as God himselfe intendeth it Now wee see the state of the faithfull to be too too miserable both generally and particularly for many of them indure such miseries and reproches in this world that to all seeming they bee vtter castawayes and that God disdayneth them
forsaken yetnotwithstanding God spareth them beareth with them and ouercommeth their wickednesse with his goodnesse in that he rooteth them not out at the first but vouchsafeth to foster theÌ„ still and to shewe a fatherly care towardes them Let vs consider these thinges that we may be rauished with wonderment and glorifie God for his mercy which is knowen and apparaunt vnto vs euerywhere And thereupon let vs come to our selues and consider y t seeing God hath called vs to the knowledge of his trueth it is all one as if he had adopted vs to be his children Ye see theÌ„ that we be sanctified by him True it is that in respect of nature we be no better thaÌ„ other men yea and there are yet still so many wantes imperfections in vs as is pitie to see But yet doth our Lord accept vs for his children when we receiue his word by faith doe stedfastly beleeue that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not suffered his passion in vaine but that as we be reconciled to God his father by his meanes so he wil gouerne vs still If we be fully perswaded hereof let vs not dout but that God will acknowledge vs and auowe vs to be of the company of his Saints that seeing we be vnder his custody he wil guide vs and keepe vs vnder his wings and in his protection And so we see that Moses spake not for the children of Israel only but meant that Gods Church should receiue common coÌ„fort thereof to the worldes ende to the intent y t being troubled with so many stormes and tempestes and hauing so many perils before our eyes being so often threatned with deth we should yet not withstanding haue sure footing and not cease to fasten our eyes vpon the safegarde of God And seeing it is so that he sheweth his loue euen to the vnbeleeuers let vs not dout but he will make vs to perceiue that his hande is strong mightie ynough to maintaine and defende vs euen though it seeme to vs that we should perish euery minute of an houre Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to correct vs more more and to forgiue vs the offences and sinnes wherof we be guiltie before him that forasmuch as it pleaseth him to edifie vs dayly by his worde we may be ready to receiue it and hee make vs to perceiue the maiestie which is therein and that we may continually acknowledge that it is hee that speaketh vnto vs euen to certifie vs of his will and of the hope of our saluation so as wee may be drawen to the feare obedience of him and more and more profit therein euen vntill we see him face to face whereas wee see him nowe but in that mirrour or lookingglasâ—e which hee setteth before vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Munday the xxix of Iune 1556 The CXCII Sermon which is the second vpon the xxxiij Chapter 3 They bowe downe to thy feete to receiue of thy wordes 4 Moses hath commaunded vs the Lawe for an inheritaunce vnto the congregation of Iacob 5 And was a king among the righteous when they gathered the heades of the people together together with the tribes of Israel 6 Let Ruben liue and not die and let his people be fewe in number 7 As touching Iuda he sayde O Lorde God hearken to the voyce of Iuda and bring him in to his people let his handes suffise him because thou wilt bee his helpe against his enemies HEeretofore Moses had exhorted the people to receiue the Lawe with all obedience for he hadde sayde that they did cast themselues downe at Gods feete And it is a kind of speech that is verie rife in the Hebrewe tongue because the man that is a learner sitteth downe at his maisters feete to receiue learning at his hande Nowe we haue seene howe it behooued the people to bee as it were at Gods feete To what ende To heare the woordes of his mouth And heereby we see that GOD hath the whole souereinetie in his Church and that although he speake by the mouthes of mortall men yet doth not that abate any whitte of his right that men should therefore vsurpe his authoritie or thrust themselues into his place but that they ought to deliuer the thinges faithfully which they haue receiued of him To be short heere it is shewed vs that the Church of God is to be guyded alonely by his worde and not by the thinges which men shall haue dreamed and deuised of their owne heades And heerewithall we be also exhorted to obey God and not to striue against him when he speaketh to vs but to stoope and to yeelde ourselues wholly to that which he sayeth At a worde heere wee bee brought backe from the bondage of men to the ende that our fayth should not depende vppon this man or y t man but be grounded vpon God And by the way it is shewed vs that it is our dutie to humble ourselues vnto God and to profit vnder his worde and in his schoole so as wee may suffer our selues to be gouerned by his doctrine Nowe heereupon it followeth That Moses gaue the Lawe for an inheritaunce to the Congregation of Israell This serueth to expresse better what worde it is whereof he had made mention For euery man can well ynough graunt that GOD deserueth well to be hearde and obeyed and the wickeddest folke in the worlde will magnifie Gods worde but in the meane while there are very fewe which by their deedes doe shewe themselues throughly willing to doe that which they say And why They woulde haue God to come downe from heauen and to sende vs his Angelles to tell vs his will But he will trie our fayth after another fashion True it is that he ratified his Lawe in olde time and shewed that it came from heauen and that it was not deuised by men But nowe hee will haue his Lawe preached vnto vs by meanes of men and that the same shal be of as great force as if hee himselfe were present in his own being and maiestie As for the Gospell wee knowe it hath had his confirmation and that it is not for vs to dout whether it be Gods trueth or no. But now what are they that bring vs the Gospell They be mortall creatures so as this treasure as sayth Saint Paule is in brittle vesselles 2. Cor. 4.7 like as if a man should put a two or three thousande Crownes into a potte that is not woorth aboue a cupple of pence euen so is it in that our Lorde will haue the doctrine of saluation which is an inestimable benefite to be declared vnto vs by men like our selues which beare no great showe nor are of any estimation to the worldewarde and yetnotwithstanding he will haue his worde to
worde He sayeth immediatly in gathering the heads of the people and the Trybes of Israel together Heere hee expresseth the concorde which ought to bee in Gods Church euen from the greatest to the least Whereas hee sayeth in gathering or assembling hee sheweth that as soone as GOD hath spoken there ought to be a conformitie and true vnion amongs vs. We must not be at variaunce one drawing one way and another another but euery of vs must yeelde assemble together that none but God may haue any preheminence ouer vs and that we may be gathered together in one as it were vnder his winges That then is the gathering together which Moses speaketh of heere And therfore we may conclude thereupon that when Gods word is not preached although mē agree together yet their agreement is cursed there is nothing but confusion in it Will we thē be so knit together as God may allowe of the concorde that is among vs Let him be alwayes our head let his word be the mean to fashion vs one like an other let there be no brotherhoode but because there is one father cōmon to vs al and y t wee be his children together by one common accorde And herein it is to be seene that all the fond bragging of the Papists is but smoke leasing when they say that they agree among themselues For it is alwayes to bee considered what the bonde is Now the Papistes agree in all disobedience so as they must needes bee stubborne in refusing Gods worde and trample his truth vnder their feete or else we see that without that there is no accesse to be had vnto them Seeing then that their linking in together is but to withdrawe themselues from God wo worth that vnion But if we will haue a holy and commendable concorde such as God may allowe of let vs begin at this point namly that we hearken to his voyce and y t we followe it shewing therby that we bee his true sheepe that we take him for our sheepeheard And in so doing let vs take him also for our king as it is sayde in this text that he also may take vs for his people and Church and then we may be bolde to defie all such as behaue themselues after their owne inuentions and fancies Nowe therewithall Moses sheweth that there is no man which ought not to submit himselfe to Gods worde when he sayeth in gathering the heades and all the Trybes together Heere then is no exception neither ought y e great ones to alleage either their authority or their power for they be the folke which ought to shewe the way and which ought by their exāple to induce the meaner people to obedience Therefore when our Lord speaketh let the heads be as lowely as the inferiour sort let them lead the daunce and reach their hands to all the residue For in very deede when the great men and rich men of this worlde and such as are in any estimation despise Gods worde set light by it it is a dubble stumblingblocke because men haue an eye to them they be as it were set vp on a hygh stage The disorder therefore which they make is such that they must yeelde dubble account vnto God for y t they haue bin the cause of the backeslyding of many simple weake soules And therefore let vs learn y t whensoeuer God speaketh those to whō he hath giuen y t greater giftes of grace which haue any dignity or excellency must shewe that Gods prouoking of thē to come vnto him is not in vaine they must be the first that obey him And on the other side the rude vnskilful must not alleadge We be no Clerks we be no men of great vnderstanding for it is sayde that all the Trybes of Israell must likewise assemble together Let vs conclude then y t as the great ones must shew the way to the litle ones so all the people generally and without exception must submit them selues to God al of vs must become his scholers seeing he vouchsafeth to be our scholemaister and al of vs must be his people seeing he doth vs the honor to set his royall seate among vs. That is the effect of the thing which wee haue to remember vpon this place But let vs come to the blessinges which Moses giueth to the Tribes of Israell I haue tolde you afore that they be not single prayers made as by a priuate man but that forasmuch as God had appointed him to be his deputie he declareth that the state of the Church shal be alwayes blessed that God will haue a care therof Moses then speaketh heere not in his owne person nor of his owne authoritie but as one gouerned by the holy Ghost and as one whom God caused to shewe foorth the fatherly care which he would alwayes haue of his Church To be short there is nothing heere which ought to be fathered vppon a mortall man but by the mouth of Moses God sheweth that hee hath not chosen the children of Abraham in vaine but that hee will continue his goodnesse towardes them to the ende and shew in very deede that they be a people whom he hath adopted to himselfe and dedicated to his owne seruice and of whom he wil be the defender Howebeit forasmuch as these thinges shal be layd foorth more at large I doe but touch them shortly as nowe Let vs come to that which is spoken of Ruben Let Ruben liue and not dy We know that Ruben was Iacobs eldest sonne and ought to haue obteyned the right of the first begotten and ought to haue had a double portion and to haue reigned among his brothers but he was bereft of it by his owne leaudenesse For he committed incest which was a crime worthy of more than death he deserued to haue beene wyped out of the worlde and to haue had his name reprochfull for euer Gen. 35.22 Neuerthelesse God pardoned him Yea but not without chastisement as we see by the blessing which was giuen him and he seemeth rather to haue beene accursed For Iacob his father sayde vnto him Gen 49.3 Ruben thou wast my first borne the beginning of my force and strength but thou hast also beene the beginning of my sorrowes And therefore thou must slippe away like water and drie vp For thou diddest loose the title of thy birth right when thou wentest vp vpon thy fathers bedde and committedst incest which is a horrible crime Forasmuch therefore as thou hast beene a greefe and sorrowe to me whereas I ought to haue receyued ioye and comfort of thee thou must be banished and excluded from thy birthryght and from the dignitie which thou shouldest haue had It shold seeme y t Iacob taketh too great displeasure against his eldest son when he ouerwhelmeth him so with infamie thundereth so against him Howbeit y t is but a temporall correction For notwithstāding this yet he continueth stil a