to doe vs good and continue the increase of his grace and benefites more more towardes vs. But nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him not to lay them to our charge but to drawe vs to him continually as long as wee bee in this worlde correcting our vyces and infirmities and ridding vs from all the corruptnes of our flesh and stil bearing with vs till hee haue fully reformed vs according to his righteousnes and taken vs quyte cleane out of this corruptible life And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the iiij of Iune 1556. The CLXXXIII Sermon which is the sixt vpon the two thirtith Chaper 20 So he sayd I will hyde my face from them and see what shall befall them For they bee a fickle generation children in whome there is no stedfastnes 21 They haue mooued mee to ielouzie by the thing that is not god and they haue prouoked mee to displeasure with their vanities And I likewise will moue them to ielouzie by them which are no people and by a foolish nation will I prouoke them to indignation 22 For the fire is kindled in my wrath and shal burne to the verie bottome of the pitte and deuowre the lande with the fruite thereof and burne vp the foundations of the mountaines WE sawe yesterday how God is more grieuously displeased when such as ought to honour and serue him do forsake him than when it is done by silly ignorant vnbeleeuers And not without cause For God adopteth vs with this condition that his glorie should shyne forth in vs and therefore must it not needes be a dubbling of the offence when wee be a reproche to him If a father bee despysed in his owne house euen by those whome he hath begotten will it not grieue him much woorse than if some one of his neighbours shoulde misuse him Seeing then that God hath vouchsafed to choose vs to be his children and hath done vs the honour whereof wee were not worthie let vs beware that our conuersation bee such as our faultes and misdeedes may not prouoke him nor the thing befall vs which Moses addeth here namely that he will hyde away his face Nowe by this saying the Scripture meaneth that when GOD hath vsed patience in bearing long with men winking at their vyces and ceassing not to doe them good and yet seeth that they bee altogether set vppon stubbornesse and vnreformable hee giueth them ouer for such as they bee Nowe all our welfare and happinesse lyeth in Gods defending of vs and in his caring for vs. For if hee forget vs and vouchsafe not to succour vs and to bee our defence in what taking are wee It were better for vs to bee destroyed out of hande than to linger beeing out of the protection of our God Therefore heere is a horrible threat and such a one as ought to make vs to quake when as it is sayde that when GOD hath tarryed a long tyme hee will withdrawe himselfe for our vtter alienating of him away from vs. Wee haue seene heere afore howe GOD vsed long sufferance and gaue not ouer his people at the first dash but yet that at length hee was fayne to shewe that hee will not that his goodnesse shoulde bee abused after that fashion nor that men shoulde harden their heartes by flattering themselues when hee punisheth them not out of hande Therefore let vs looke to ourselues For if wee haue offended God although hee lift not vppe his hande to punishe vs for it at the first instant yet must not that make vs to fall asleepe Let vs I say preuent the vengeaunce of our God for if hee be patient and beare with vs it is to winne vs by his gratious goodnesse and gentlenesse 〈…〉 .4 as S. Paul declareth in the second to the Romanes The more then that God spareth vs the more let vs take warning to turne againe vnto him and let it make vs ashamed that we hauing so good a father haue beene so stubborne against him And if wee will needes still welter in our owne filthinesse and heape naughtinesse vpon naughtinesse so as there is no ende nor measure of our transgressions then must GOD be faine to execute the thing which he speaketh heere by Moses namely Hyde a way his face that is to say that after hee hath hadde a care of our welfare and continued in dooing vs good he will at length giue vs ouer and shew that he is no longer bounde vnto vs and that although hee spared vs for a time it is not his intent to bolster vs continually in our euill dooinges Wherefore let vs bee afrayde of this threate and so long as GOD maketh vs to perceiue that he beholdeth vs with pitie let vs walke as before his eyes as though he were euer present with vs and in all our thoughtes wordes and deedes let vs haue our eyes still vpon him But by the way we haue to marke that God hydeth not his eyes in such sort but that hee seeth and marketh all mens dooings and dealinges But it is so sayde because God seemeth to shrinke away and to haue no more care of vs when he succoureth vs not at our neede For if aduersitie and afflictions oppresse vs and wee flee vnto God and yet finde no ease but pine away still continually it can not be but that according to our vnderstanding we must needes imagine that GOD hath quite forgotten vs and that he regardeth vs not any more After this maner doeth Moses tell vs heere that God hydeth away his face Furthermore we must vnderstande that when GOD hath once forsaken vs there neuer happeneth any euill vnto vs but it commeth from him that is to say all the afflictions which wee feele are punishmentes from his hande We must not then thinke that GOD letteth men alone at all aduenture when he punisheth them for their offences but rather that hee is then neere them to make them feele his power shewing himselfe a Iudge of their wicked deedes But as for to holde them in his tuition or to defende them in that behalfe he threatneth himselfe to be absent that is to say that they shall not perceiue any more that he broodeth them vnder his winges 〈◊〉 2.12 according to the similitude which he had vsed afore And it is sayde expressely That hee will see what their ende will be Heere GOD speakes after the manner of men for hee knewe all thinges aforehande euen before the creating of the worlde and he needeth not to be taught by time as mortall wightes doe But forasmuch as we can not attayne to the heigth of Gods maiestie hee is faine to make himselfe like vnto vs and all for our instruction and edification It is all one therefore as if he should say to such as despised him Goe too yee make no account for me I behaued my selfe familiarly towardes you
aduaunced mee I must nowe giue vp this preheminence and thou must take my roome and I must indeuer as much as I can that the benefite which Gods will is to bestow vpon thee may auayle in thee So then if it please God to take any man to serue him let vs streyne our selues to helpe him and let vs not bee ashamed to put our shoulders vnder him to heaue him vp Let vs not haue any of these wicked respects to say O ho truely as for mee if God were so gratious to mee as to aduance me as wel as such a one I woulde bestirre mee But forasmuch as hee holdeth mee downe to the grounde I will not meddle with other men Let vs beware of such churlishnesse Nay rather when we see that God hath chosen a man let vs reason thus with our selues I see that God hath chosen such a man indeede hee is not the ablest that coulde bee deuised but yet is it Gods will to bee serued by him and wee see hee hath a good will therefore let vs helpe him let euerie of vs reach him his hande and let euerie of vs consider wherin hee may succour him to his furtherance Yee see then that the thing which wee haue to marke heere is that although our working beare no great outwarde shewe and that the thinges which we doe haue no great glosse to commend them to the worlde yet wee must not therefore cease to serue God according to our power and to linke in with those by whom it is Gods will to bee serued and not to imagine any thing that may foreslowe vs or make vs say At whose whose hande shall I bee recompensed That which I haue done is as good as lost men make none account of it It shall well ynough come in account before God And therefore let it suffise vs to be allowed at his hand These are y â— things that we haue to note vpon this that Moses was commaunded to strengthen Iosua Nowe finally it is saide that the people perceiuing their sinne answered Wee haue offended the Lorde and therefore wee bee nowe readie to goe vp And they not onely vsed those wordes but also euerie man prepared and armed himselfe and so they went vp to encounter with their enemies Heere wee see the nature of men When GOD biddeth them be stil they be too too forward they be as hot as fire to doe the thing that is forbidden them But when they were bidden goe then their legges were broken And yet notwithstanding it is saide that the people acknowledged their sinne when they had beene so disobedient against GOD. Whereby it appeareth that there is such a corruptnesse in our nature that euen in minding to doe good we doe euill and offende God ouershoote our selues without reason or measure Heere is then a faire lookingglasse for vs to discerne our owne vices by yea verily so wee consider in the person of y e Iewes that not only they themselues are condemned but also that God purposeth to giue a generall lesson whereby all men may fare the better Nowe I tolde you first of all that when God soundeth his trumpet and commaundeth vs to march we stir not a whit and that although wee haue some good liking of the matter yet we bee so colde and slowe as is pitie to see And on the contrarie part that if hee say Tary still wee bee lustie and moreouer so hot and hastie that wee desire nothing but to occupie both our armes our legs too When it was saide to the people Go for your God is among you bee not afraide so long as yee haue such a power to defende you The people replyed againe on the other side nay marie howe shall wee goe vp They bee Gyants they wil deuour vs with their lookes wee shal be vndone at the first chop it were better yet to returne into Egypt When the people had replyed so and it was tolde them againe What meane you thus to distrust your God He hath giuen vs this lande wee haue his promise of it and besides that you haue had proofe of his helpe alreadie many wayes and he offereth it you still howe thinke you of it you faithlesse and rebellious people When the people were thus laide at did they yet returne to their right wits Yea for yee see they repented What for that It is but a false repentance Goe to say they sith it is so we will goe and march against our enemies seeing it is Gods pleasure Nay yee see heere that God ment to trie their faith and obedience another way that is to wit by their forbearing to doe any thing at all Because hee sawe they had not obeyed him at the first nowe he will haue them ashamed of it and to tarie his leisure till hee haue pitie of them And forasmuch as hee had sworne that they shoulde not come there his will was that they shoulde after the example of Moses haue suffered themselues to bee bereft of that honour as they were worthie Wee see then that men haue but too greate frowardnesse when GOD commaundeth them to sit at rest and contrariwise that they bee but too colde when he would haue them to goe forwarde nay they will rather creepe into cranies than goe forth when God biddeth them Howbeit for the better vnderstanding of this matter let vs marke that this people offended in preacing forwarde without promise For as I haue saide afore we must not be hardie any further than God biddeth vs. Therefore when wee haue but a worde of his mouth we must take corage and put all letteâ— vnder foote that may turne vs away For the thing wherein GOD will bee glorified is that hee commaunde vs nothing in vaine And speciallie when hee promiseth vs good successe to our matters and to prosper our doings then must we rest thervpon assuring our selues that hee will giue vs good dispatch Neuerthelesse when God had sworne that the people should not come there then woulde they needes goe vp against their enemies not considering that in so doing they resisted GOD and aduaunced themselues against him True it is that if a man had asked them whether they minded to resist God or no and to doe cleane contrarie to his will or whether they minded to haue him to bee their aduersarie they woulde haue aunswered No Wee beleeue that God will helpe vs. For why Hee hath deliuered vs out of Egypt he hath promised our father Abraham to giue this lande in possession to his linage and the time is nowe come Yea but there is no promise to you and therefore it is but fonde presumption or rather starke madnesse when men take a toye in their heades and aduenture to doe this or that when in the meane while God hath not promised any such thing So then let vs marke well that wee must not be bolde vppon our owne heade but hearken till God speake and when wee haue his promise wee must rule
very deede to seeke God to sticke vnto him And howe may that bee done Euen by obeying his voyce according as wee knowe also that obedience is the thing which God preferreth before all other sacrifices 1. Sa. 15. ◠Psal. 5◠◠And that is a thing worthie to be wel marked For Moses here setteth our two things The one is that when men bragge of their willingnesse to seeke God if they shewe it not in good earnest by their whole lyfe so as it may bee knowen by their fruites a men may well tell them that they lye and that they doe but mocke with GOD and the worlde when they say wee bee sorie for our sinnes That is the thing which wee haue to marke for one poynt Therefore let vs try our repentance by the said rule When wee seeme to our selues to seeke God let vs looke that it bee with liuely repentance not in feete hands or eyes but in y e reformation of all our affectiōs so as they may be giuen ouer all wholy to follow God his worde If it be not so with vs all y t euer we can say of repentance is but mockery Marke that for one poynt The other is the obeying of Gods voyce When as hee speaketh of the obeying of Gods voyce it is to exclude all the fond deuotions of mans owne inuenting For when men intend to serue God well how goe they to worke Mee thinkes say they that such a thing is good and thereupon they set vp goodly gay seruices Moses therefore excludeth all these thinges in saying that we must obey the voyce of our God Wherfore let vs see that wee submit our selues vnto him Because wee see the world is so greatly giuen to inuent fond deuotions let vs for our part learne to know that whatsoeuer is of mans deuising is playne deceit and euen the high way to leade vs to destruction and that the onely way to please God and to make our lyfe allowable before him is simply to obey his worde to submit our selues to him whē he prouoketh vs to repentance assuring our selues that it is the very meanes also whereby we may obteyne saluation though wee haue deserued to perishe a hundred thowsand times Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done heretofore yea euen in such wise as hauing condemned our selues for them wee may not forbeare to rest vppon his promises and to resorte vnto him and to pray vnto him that hee may haue pitie vppon vs as hee that desireth not the death of sinners but that they should come home againe to him for asmuch as hee is ready to admit them to the saluation which hee hath promised to his children Wherefore let vs repayre vnto him euen in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and if wee conuert not at the very first as soone as hee chastiseth vs let vs pray him to make vs to proceede in true repentaunce from day to day by forsaking the vice that is in vs so as he may gouerne vs by his holy spirit and the worlde may perceiue that Gods word hath such authoritie ouer vs as we desire nothing but to fashion our selues all wholly thereafter That it may please him to grant this grace not onelie to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the iiii of Iune 1555. The xxvii Sermon which is the ninth vpon the fourth Chapter 32 For inquire thou nowe of the daies past which haue beene before thee since the day that God created man vpon the earth and from the one end of heauen vnto the other if euer there were done so great a thing as this or if euer the like thing haue beene heard of 33 Was there euer anie Nation that hath heard the voice of God speaking out of the middes of fire as thou hast heard and yet continuest aliue 34 Or was there euer anie God that assaied to goe and take him a people from the middes of another people by temptations signes and wonders by warres and strong hand by stretched out arme and great terriblenesse as the Lord your God hath done in Egypt before your eies 35 He hath made thee to see them to the intent thou shouldest knowe that the Lord is God and that there is none other but onelie he ALthough that all the thinges that euer God did ought to serue for our learning wee knowe not any thing but by auncient stories yet the later that thinges were done so much the better ought they to touch vs. And although wee ought to profit our selues by Gods workes when wee beholde them a farre of yet ought they to moue vs much more when they touch ourselues and concerne our owne persons If a thing be tolde vs which wee neuer sawe yet ought the storie to serue to waken vs. But if wee bee able to beare witnesse of it ourselues so as our eyes haue seene it and wee haue not had it by other mens report but euery of vs is able to auowe it by his owne experience ought wee not bee much better and muche more assuredly taught by it In like case is it when any of vs shall haue seene or perceiued any worke of God for he ought to be touched so much the more to the quick In the selfesame respect doth Moses now speake vnto the people Looke about thee inquire of the auncient tymes see whether thou canst finde that euer there haue bin any such wonders wrought since the creation of the world as God hath done in thy sight Seeing it is so thine vnthankfulnesse shal be the more vnexcusable if thou acknowledge not so great a benefite by perswading thy selfe fully that there is none other God than the same that hath vttered himselfe to thee hath giuen thee so euidēt and infallible tokens of his maiestie Therefore haue a regard to serue the God that hath purchased thee for thou canst not henceforth alledge any cause of ignorance Now by the way we haue to marke y t the intent of Moses is to put a difference here betweene y e God of Israel all those that were worshipped for Gods in the world and not without cause For when men haue forged any God to themselues they may well toyle themselues to serue him but it shall turne to their condemnation Why so Because they rob God of the honor that belongs to him to giue it to a creature or rather to a shadowe For if wee make idols they bee not worthy to bee reckoned among Gods creatures If wee imagine of God after our owne lyking it is but vanitie and leasing So then when men worship the thing that they haue conceiued in their own fāsie 1. Cor. 8.4 they conuey the glory of y e liuing God not only to creatures but also to that which is nothing at all Therefore it is very expedient
forgoeth that which belongeth to himselfe Therefore God must holde still the highest degree And indeede seeing that all fatherhoode proceedeth of him according to S. Pauls text afore alledged let vs marke that when we obey father or mother prince or magistrate master or mistresse it is done vnto them as officers of God God then must be honoured aboue al and that in such sort as the honour which we yeelde vnto mortall men hinder not the doing of the seruice and honour which wee owne vnto him but that euery of vs indeuer to discharge our dueties chiefly towards him It were a goodly sight to see a man obey an vnderofficer therewithall to spitte in the face of the iudge or of the Prince What a dealing were that But euen in like case is it with vs when we dispossesse God of his preheminence and obey men in such sort as in the meane while wee make no reckening of him that is aboue all For it is against nature that the authoritie which men haue should in any wise deâ—ace the glorie of God Therefore let vs marke well that whereas we be commaunded to obey our superiors this exception is implyed that the same be no derogation or impeachmeÌ„t to the right that belongeth to God which hath beene treated of alreadie in the firste table For wee knowe that the seruice wherewith God is honored ought to be preferred before all things Rphe 6.1 And for y e same cause S. Paul minding to giue vs an exposition of this text addeth expresly that children must obey their fathers and mothers howbeit in the Lorde And I told you also that the foundation whereon we ought to build that wee may bee obedient lowly and subiect to our superiors is to know that God is represeÌ„ted in their persons Now take me away the foundation and must not all the whole building fall and go down to the ground But all they y t regard not god do take away the fundation of this doctrine so their proceeding is too faulty and froward Howebeit this thing must as well warne them that are in autoritie as them that are vnder subiection Then if men and women haue children they must vnderstand and that there is no subiection due vnto them except they themselues be ouerruled by God Now then what is to be done Let the father traine vp his childe diligently in the feare of God Eph. 6.4 and begin himself to shew him the way Let the mother do the like y t God may haue his honor both of great smal 1. Tim. 2.2 old and yong Let magistrats indeuer to haue God serued and honored as much as in them lieth maintaine all things that may make thereto and seeing he hath done them y e honor to make them worthie to sit in the seat that is dedicated to his maiestie to beare the sword y t is consecrated vnto him let them shewe themselues to bee his officers in deed Seing then that he hath aduanced them to such dignitie whereof they were not worthy let them at the least shew that they beare autoritie in his name let them refer the same vnto him After this manner ought princes to discharge their dueties The like ought euery man to do in his owne house and family Ephe. 6.9 Colos. 4.1 Let those to whom God hath granted the prerogatiue to haue men-seruants womenseruants beare well in minde y t they themselues haue a Master aboue al that he must be so obeyed as his whole right be reserued to him vnminished Loe what instruction all Superiors of what degree soeuer they be ought to take of this that they are commaÌ„ded to obey God Furthermore when fathers mothers and magistrats wil needs auance themselues against God with such tyranny as to take vpon theÌ„ that which belongeth only to god to turne vs away from the obeying of him it is an exceptioÌ„ which I haue set down before for the which they ought not to be obeyed God then must go foremost afterward the creatures must followe euery one in his order of aray And in very deed ofteÌ„times the cause why meekenes humility be so il kept in the world that childreÌ„ set themselues against their fathers and mothers and become like mad beasts that subiects are ful of spitefulnes and rebellion that seruants are vntrusty stubborne and that none of all these can by any meanes be reclaimed is the iust punishment of God vpon superiors for abusing of the dignitie which God hath giuen them For oftentimes wee see that Princes reigne not to magnifie Gods name and to cause him to be honored as he deserueth but cleane contrariwise they would faine make theÌ„selues ydols and as it were plucke God out of his seate to sit in it themselues This is apparant at leastwise a man may see that Princes reigne loosely therfore God must needs be reueÌ„ged of them What zeale or minde haue fathers and mothers to bring vp their childreÌ„ in the feare of God They passe not for that so they may aduance them to the worldwarde Nay rather it should seeme that their intent is to traine them vp in all vngodlynesse and in the contempt of God and his worde If the fathers bee woolues they would haue their children wooluish if they be olde Foxes they would haue them to be foxish if they be serpentes they would haue their linage and ofspring like themselues This is to be seene Therefore it is good reason that GOD should be reuenged of the creatures when they forget themselues after that sort specially when men consider not howe God hath reached them his hande to aduaunce them and to make them partakers of his honour one vnder another This is alwayes to bee borne in rememberance But is it not a shamefull vnthankfulnesse when a man that is in authority of iustice considereth not with himselfe what am I Beholde I am a wretched worme of the earth and yet GOD vouchsafeth me to beare his name as from him selfe and withal to put the authoritie in practise which hee hath giuen me Is not a man too vnthankfull when hee acknowledgeth not that Againe when fathers consider not Beholde God is the father of all mankinde and yet hath hee giuen mee the same honorable title Therefore it is good reason that I shoulde looke to yeelde him an account of it When masters and mistresses acknowledge not We be no better than other folkes and yet hath God vouchsafed to inhonour vs not onely by creating vs after his owne image but also by giuing vs this moreouer that others are subiect vnto vs if men say I acknowledge not this is it not to be said that they be become starke beastes Then let vs marke well that diuers times the ground of rebellion disobedience is this that they which are in authoritie knowe not their owne duetie namely that aboue al thinges they should finde the meanes to haue God
wheras God telleth vs that if we serue him he wil blesse vs and prosper vs his intent is that euery of vs should examine himselfe and consider at what point wee be with him And when we once know y t in stead of seruing him we doe prouoke him against vs greeue him as though wee had conspired to doe so of wilful malice when we once knowe that we bee so greatly in his daunger euen by nature then will all vaine selfetrust bee beaten downe in vs we wil haue none other minde than to resort to y e mercy that is promised vs and to flee thither for refuge so as we shal be quite cleane bereft of y e fonde opinioÌ„ which we had coÌ„ceiued of our owne workes not thinke theÌ„ any more to be meritorious Thus ye see what we haue to note for the first reason The second is y t forasmuch as God hath pitied vs he beareth with our workes intendeth not to sift them with rigor but admitteth theÌ„ for good auaileable though there be many infirmities vices in theÌ„ But yet for all y t wee must vnderstand y t he will not so beare w t our infirmities y t we should take leaue to abuse his mercie for then should we deale too lewdly And yet neuerthelesse it appeareth by experieÌ„ce y t as soone as men heare y t God forgiueth theÌ„ their sinnes saueth them of his owne goodnesse they dispence w t themselues take leaue to doe euil vnder colour y t they bee freed froÌ„ y e bondage and cursednesse wherin they were by nature they ouershoot theÌ„selues into all disorder But God wil not be so mocked he wil not haue the goodnesse which he vseth towardes vs to be made an occasioÌ„ of sinning For our Lord Iesus Christ is come to destroy y e kingdome of Satan Rom. 1.4 6.1.2.15 as it is shewed vs. So then although God wil haue vs to impute al y e good which he doth vs vnto his free mercie yet doth he put this coÌ„ditioÌ„ to it y t he wil haue vs to serue him Although the inheritaÌ„ce which is promised vs depeÌ„d not vpon our owne workes yet will hee haue vs to be his children for it seeing he sheweth himselfe to bee our father Although it become vs not to looke for any thing in respect of all y e seruice y t wee doe him forasmuch as we be well assured that they be not of such value as we can rest vpon theÌ„ yet notwithstanding inasmuch as God hath called vs to him into y e way of saluatioÌ„ he wil not haue vs to fal to kicking against him His Church must not bee a Hoggescote but a teÌ„ple dedicated to his honor So then seeing God hath adopted vs wee must liue as his childreÌ„ so as wee may shew y t he hath not called inuited vs to y e inheritaÌ„ce of y e heaueÌ„ly life in vaine For if we can finde no sauor in it are we not worthie to be banished shut out of it 2. Cor. 5. Yes Again if we go thitherward ought we not to despise these transitory thinges and to passe through this world as strauÌ„gers not to be wedâ—ded to this earthly trash That theÌ„ is the second reason why our Lord addeth y e coÌ„dition that he will be serued honoured at our handes And therefore let vs learne in fewe wordes y t when we haue done homage to our God for our euerlasting saluatioÌ„ Eph. 1.6 for al the teÌ„porall transitory goods y t he bestoweth vpon vs in this worlde it behoueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d y t his adopting of vs to be his children is to y e inteÌ„t to be honored by vs his calling of vs into his Church is to the end we should be as his housholdfolke not as wild beastes Iohn 10.27 seeing we be of his flock For he wil haue such sheepe as shall hearken to his voyce And y t is the cause why it is sayd expresly in this text Yee shall keepe all the statutes coÌ„mandements lawes which I set before you to doe them As if hee should say among the other giftes of God we haue his word which is an excelleÌ„t treasure And it is not giuen vs onely to y e end we should but heare it allow it in our wordes but to the ende we should frame our liues thereafter Seeing then y t God voutsafeth to teach vs stoopeth so lowe as to do y e office of a scholemaister teacher towards vs are not we too vnthaÌ„kful if we hearkeÌ„ not vnto him And let vs marke wel that we bee none of his disciples vnlesse wee obey his doctrine and make it auaileable to vs. For otherwise it is but as if we heard a song y t delighted our eares Ezec. 33.31 as is sayd of it in Ezechiel And surely it is a goodly worshipping of God for vs to say that he hath song well Nay his will is that wee should vtter another melodie correspondeÌ„t to his voice which is that wee shoulde shewe by our whole lyfe that hee hath not taken paynes with vs in vaine nor lost his time in declaring his will vnto vs. And now furthermore Moses addeth keepe them yea sayth hee and God will blesse you and afterward hee addeth againe that hee will loue vs. Surely by these wordes it may be deemed at the first sight y t God looketh whether men wil do their duetie or not ere hee loue them But I haue tolde yee already how the promises of the Lawe doe serue first of all to bring men to right humilitie that they may know themselues to be as they bee and quite rid and discharge themselues of all selfetrust When that is done then know they y t Gods calling of them is with condition that they should serue him and that if they inforce themselues so to doe they please him so that although their doinges be vnperfect yet will hee not faile to accept them because hee imputeth not the vices vnto them wherewith they bee interlaced And moreouer wee may gather vpon these wordes of Moses that the seruice whereof hee speaketh here goeth not before Gods blessing and the fauor that hee promiseth vs for doe wee loue him before hee loued vs Wee cannot make the holy Ghost a lyar which speaketh by the mouth of Saint Iohn It is not sayth hee for that wee loued God first but God vouchsafed to receiue vs into his fauor at such time as wee were his enemies And all the scripture is full of this Now then seeing it is told vs here that God will loue his people if they haue a care to keepe his commaundementes let vs note that it is not meant that men can preuent God and drawe him to them first of all but that as is declared vnto vs here it is all one as if hee should say I haue loued you freely and I will loue you still and yee
vs goe and serue other gods which thou hast not knowen nor yet thy fathers 7 That is to wit any of the gods of the nations that are about thee whether they bee neere thee or farre off from thee from the one side of the earth to the other 8 Consent not to him neither giue eare vnto him neither let thine eye fauour him shewe him not any pitie neither conceale him 9 But thou shalt put him to death thy hande shal be the first vpon him to put him to death and afterward the hand of all the people 10 And thou shalt stone him with stones and so he shall die for he hath sought to thrust thee from the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 11 That all Israell may heare and be afraide and not doe such a wicked thing among you any more Psal. 69.10 HAd we the zeale in vs that is spoken of in the Psalme that wee tooke the reproch which is done vnto GOD as if it were offered to our selues this lawe here were in a manner needelesse For euerie of vs woulde willingly of his owne accorde indeuour to maintaine Gods honour But nowe inasmuch as manie men thinke it to be too excessiue rigour to put the troublers and peruerters of religion to death thereby it appeareth that we despise Gods honour and make no greate account of it For euerie of vs would faine haue his owne honour maynteined and if anie man haue stormed against vs wee thinke the time will neuer come soone ynough for vs to bee reuenged If a man doe vs any wrong or iniurie wee woulde that euerie man shoulde sette himselfe against it in our defence but if Gods honour bee trampled vnder foote wee lette it slippe Wee see then howe colde and vnlustie wee bee but this vnlustinesse of ours deserueth a more shamefull name For if a man suffer his father to bee scorned folke will say hee is not worthie to liue in the worlde because he doeth against his kinde And beholde GOD is as it were torne in peeces by wicked mennes aduauncing of themselues to rend asunder the vnion of the fayth wherethrough it is his will to bee knowen and whereby it is his will to reigne among vs and that is borne withall And is not that a token that if it lay in vs wee woulde neuer haue any remembraunce of GOD at all But forasmuch as there is so litle zeale in vs therefore is this Lawe giuen vs. And GOD declareth that hee is not vnmindefull of his owne maiestie but that hee will haue the defacing thereof to bee punished Naye rather hee sheweth that hee disclaymeth vs for his people if we haue not a speciall regarde of this case of his Wee haue hearde heeretofore what hath beene sayde concerning false prophetes namely that if anie man troubled the Churche of GOD hee shoulde bee stoned to death without sparing Nowe God expresseth yet better the thing that he hadde spoken which is that we must put all affections of nature vnder foote when his honour commeth in question so as the father must not spare his sonne nor the brother his brother nor the husbande his wife nor the friend his friende y t is as deere to him as his own life y t he be not put to death And good reason For doe not all the friendeshippes in the worlde proceede of that order of nature whiche the creator hath established Then if wee will not sette the carte before the horses wee muste alwayes beginne at GOD. And Saint Paule doeth not without cause say Eph. 3.15 that al kinred commeth from thence and issueth out of that fountayne Also when there is any friendshippe betweene man and man it must alwayes bee referred to this marke that GOD haue still the cheife preheminence and that wee be ioyned together in him And cursed be al alyaunce that separateth vs from our maker in whome consisteth all our life welfare and ioye Then if a husbande loue his wife without regarde of GOD hee is woorthie to bee thrust out amonge the brute beastes In like case is the father which aimeth not at the same marke in louing of his children If wee be so linked together and haue so plighted our faith and trothe one to an other as wee may seeme after a forte to haue as ye would say but one soule in two bodies and in the mean while GOD be lette alone vnthought on doe yee not see that it is too shamefull a beastlinesse Then is it not without cause that GOD hath tolde vs expresly that his honour is to bee preferred before al worldely or naturall considerations And lette vs marke well the wordes that are sette downe heere for they bee of great weight Moses coulde haue sayde singly If thy brother thy wife thy sonne or some friende of thine indeâ— thee and goe aboute to allure thee to naughtinesse but hee addeth which is of much more vehemencie If thy brother the sonne of thy mother which laye in the same bellie that thou thy selfe diddest And to what ende is this doone of GOD but to searche the bottome of our affections by entering euen vnto our bowels as if hee shoulde say I will see whether yee loue mee better than yee doe these carkesses For what is thy brother Hee is but a mortall creature and I will see whether thou sette more store by him than by mee Naye say wee but he and I laye both in one bellie That is trewe sayth GOD but is it not meete that I shoulde alwayes haue the vpper hande and highest preheminence The same case is it when hee sayeth thine owne sonne thine owne daughter thy wife that sleepeth in thy bosome Hee coulde haue sayde singly thy wife but hee sayeth No thou muste forgette and quite and cleane shake off all the loue which thou bearest to thy wife if shee goe about to plucke thee away from me Agayne If thou haue a friende sayeth hee which is as deere to thee as thine owne life thou must lay thy hande vppon him also to stone him thou must not onely bee his accuser and giue euidence against him but thou must also sette hande vppon him without sparing all mercie and pitie must bee put away in that case Hereby wee see in effect as I sayde afore that Gods will is to trie vs whether wee truely loue him And for that cause doeth he sette downe vnto vs whatsoeuer might holde vs backe or hinder our desire from shewing such zeale as wee ought to haue to the mainteinaunce of his honour declaring vnto vs that if any thing bee an impediment to our continuall keeping of the vnion of fayth aboue all thinges in such wise as it is contayned in his woorde wee bee traytoures and false hearted towardes him and hee will shake vs off and in steede of taking vs for his children hee will giue vs ouer and banishe vs from his kingdome and his Churche for hee will haue
surely it is a great grace of God to haue power to redresse a mischiefe that hath bin knowen of long afore and therfore it must not be let slip without prouiding for it in time conuenient Moreouer we must heare what a simple shift it is to alledge pitie when men marre all thinges by giuing cause of offence For what kinde of pitie is it to spare two or three to cut y e throtes of a whole nation On the contrarie part if they that be so wickedly bent be repressed that they may no more haue their own swinge but rather be vtterly rooted out it is a purging of the whole nation it is a healing of a common sore So then if wee loue the welfare of all men lette vs not giue head after that sort to such as intice men to forsake the right way But wee must goe backe againe to the matter which I haue spoken of alreadie and which Moses goeth forwarde withall still in this text to wit that the worst corruption which can befall a nation is to haue despisers of God that falsifie the true religion or to haue vpholders of Satan that leade men into superstition and ydolatrie to abolishe the pure doctrine and the trueth which they hadde receiued True it is that if there bee gluttons drunkardes whooremongers and such other like folke it is an infection that is wel worthie to be feared meet to be redressed out of hande least the mischiefe growe too strong But as for those that put all thinges out of order shewing themselues to be bent to spite God and to make men to yeelde no more reuerence to his maiestie it is as a gathering of all sinnes togither into one heape and a packing of them vp in one bundle For there can be nothing pure when Gods seruice in taken away and when men walke not in his feare all other thinges must needes be out of order For the knowing of God and the worshipping of him as he deserueth is the verie brydle that holdeth men in all holinesse and honestie But if men turne their backes vppon him they must needes play the beastes and their life must needes become so loose and lothsome that a man shal see as it were a gulfe of hell among them And therefore not without cause are we so straitly commaunded in no wise to beare with men when they become wicked and goe about to inuegle folke to doe seruice to ydolles Let vs marke then that if we be desirous to liue as wee ought and in good concord we must aboue all thinges haue Gods seruice in estimation as the thing wherein it behoueth vs to vse seueritie and rigor or els all will go to wrecke and confusion That is the thing which we haue to gather vpon this place and would to God that it were better in vre now adayes For as I haue touched heretofore men are moued at the thinges that concerne and touch themselues Insomuch that if we perceiue that the suffering of an offence will turne to our harme or losse euerie of vs cryeth out to haue it punished And why Because wee haue no regarde but of our selues But if GOD his honour bee impeached that is let slippe and we say it is not so great an euill And why For our purses are not pinched by it and therefore it seemeth to make no skill at all Nowe see heere on the contrarie parte howe GOD punisheth vs as we deserue For thinges become so farre out of order among vs that wee wote not which way to turne vs. And good reason it is that it shoulde come so to passe euen because we haue forsaken GOD and beene more mindefull of ourselues than of his maiestie so as we haue not yeelded him his dewe honour whereof hee is worthie and which hee requireth at our handes Thus much concerning this text And it is sayde that all that euer is in the Citie must be brought together on a heape and set on fire be taken as a cursed thing and be made a sacrifice vnto God Heere Moses sheweth howe hatefull a thing ydolatrie is and consequently whatsoeuer ouerthroweth the true seruice of God and the pure religion and that is done to moue men so much the more But you will say that when such a fault is committed the Citie it selfe the cattell and the houses are not to be blamed for it And why then will GOD haue all to be destroyed It is to the ende that folke shoulde learne to abhorre ydolatrie the more that wee might vnderstand that the wicked folkes whom Satan dryueth to giue themselues to ydolatrie are so little to be borne with that we must euen abhorre the verie place where they haue dwelled yea and the verie sight of them and thinke with ourselues beholde this is a place wherein Gods wrath hath beene prouoked and that was ynough to haue soonke vs all to hell Wee see then whereat God aimed For hee knewe that we see nowe with our eyes namely that we haue not such zeale to maintaine his glorie as wee ought to haue we passe not for it euerie man is occupied about his owne gaine and about the thinges that concerne himselfe Nowe because we be so colde God on the other side quickneth vs vp and telleth vs that the corrupting of his seruice is a great misdeede yea and so horrible a thing as might make the hayres to stand stiffe vpon our heades That is one point which wee ought to marke And herewithall we haue to marke also that the rigour of this Lawe is not to be obserued of from point to point as it is commaunded heere to the people of Israell But yet the substance thereof abideth still in force as I haue declared heretofore intreating of ydolatry Deut. 12.2 where I told you that wee were commaunded to put away all places that haue serued to superstition Nowe then we in these dayes be not in such thraldom but that we may vse a Church that hath beene one of Satans brothelhouses Ydolles haue bin worshipped heere and GOD hath beene blasphemed heere and yet for all that wee bee nowe come heere together in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. This place then is newe dedicated according to the saying of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 4.5 that all thinges are sanctified vnto vs by faith and by calling vpon the name of God And therefore if a place be put to such vse that God is honoured there it is a kinde of hallowing of that place But vnder the Lawe God helde the people in greater and more slauishe bondage commaunding them to make cleane rid daunce and vtter dispatch of all thinges that had beene vsed in the seruice of ydolles So is it in this text where GOD commandeth that the whole Citie shall bee rased and neuer inhabited anie more And the straitnesse of this bonde serued for the time wherein the fathers were gouerned like litle children Gal. 4.1 But yet doeth the substaunce thereof abide
friendes 1. Thess. 4.13 he saith expressely Sorrow not as the vnbeleeuers doe In deede Saint Paul sawe well that we can not bee senselesse for in verie deede it were no patience if wee felte no greefe If wee were starke blockes it were no vertue at all If a man shoulde laugh at the death of his wife or of his father it were a beastly brutishnesse Therefore it behoueth vs to feele the inconuenience and to be touched with it so as it pinch vs and greeue vs But yet must God assuage it againe because we know that he hath all superioritie ouer our liues and wee must suffer him to dispose of vs as hee thinkes good Againe we must goe boldly vnto him being well assured of his goodnes and mercie and we must not doubt but that death shall bee to our saluation and that whether we liue or die al shal without fayle turne to our benefite and welfare so we be in Christ Iesus Thus yee see what we haue to beare in mind To be shorte that we may benefit ourselues by this lesson of Moseses let vs vnderstand first of all that vntill God brydle vs our affection wil euer be inordinate whether it be in mirth or in mourning If wee haue prosperitie by and by it makes vs to forget our selues what we be so as we thinke not our selues to be mortall men And wee see howe all men fall to flinging as it were in despite of God when they haue their ease and delightes Likewise on the contrarie part if our Lorde afflict vs whether it be by the death of some kinseman or friende of ours or by some other aduersitie we be piteously forlorne wee cannot measure our greefe wee be so ouerwhelmed with sorrowe as is pitifull to beholde and finally our heart is full of bitternesse and poyson Wee see howe a number doe spewe out blasphemies against God Let vs consider all these vices in our selues and seeke the remedie of them as it is set vs downe here Let vs beare in minde I say that our Lorde commaundeth all of vs to holde our selues as in captiuitie that if our nature be faultie in that behalfe we shoulde not nourishe the euill but withstand it asmuch as is possible This cannot be doone except we vse force in subduing our selues to the obeying of God and euen streyne our selues to the vttermost And one of the cheefest sacrifices that God requireth of vs and whereof he liketh best 1. Su. 15.22 is that wee consider that wee must not sorrowe out of measure when we be afflicted but flie vnto God praying him to giue vs the grace to submitte ourselues wholly to his wil so as if the husbande be bereft of his wife he may beare it patiently And why Because he knoweth it is Gods will to trie his obedience in that behalfe Let the wife doe the like by her husbande and let euery body submit themselues to this order of Gods that wee may bee able to say that like as he hath set vs in the world so also it is good reason that hee shoulde take vs hence againe not at our pleasure but at his For it is not without cause that he hath limited the race of our life that it pleaseth him to take away one rather than an other Psal. 39.5.6 We be mortall before we come into this worlde for a yong babe may die as well in his mothers wombe as after here is borne Sith it is so as soone as God giueth vs discretion let vs applie our indeuour to vnderstande that death beseegeth vs euerie minute of an houre and that we must not promise our selues life till the nexte morrowe nor set any terme to God for his daylie prolonging of our life is but so much respiting of vs. But howesoeuer wee faâ—e let vs bee mindfull of our owne frailtie and let the same leade vs to consider that if GOD take vs out of this worlde sooner than wee looked for it is meete that he shoulde haue vs at commaundement and that euerie of vs shoulde offer vp our owne bodies to him in that manner of sacrifice in suffering GOD to separate vs asunder that what friendshippe or bende of kinred soeuer there haue beene betwixt vs yet wee may not faile to glorifie God when he taketh away our kinsefolke and friends nor vse this beastly impatience in pulling our selues by the hayre of our heades and in scratching and disfiguring of our faces as though wee knewe not what it were to liue in the obedience of God and to die in the same likewise And moreouer as well in this as in all other thinges let vs take heede to that which is tolde here to the Iewes by Moses namely that when God is so gratious as to dedicate vs to him selfe and to gather vs together to bee his people we must giue our selues so much the more earnestly vnto him True it is that in respect of nature we differ nothing at all from the sillie ignorant vnbeleeuers For our being of Christs Church befalleth vs not by the right of inheritaunce Indeede the promise extendeth to a thousande generations but yet for all that it is of his freegoodnesse that we haue the prerogatiue to bee of his house Sith it is so let vs acknowledge the honour that he doeth vs in separating vs from the heathen and vnbeleeuers though we were forlorne and damned as wel as they and let vs benefite ourselues by that grace that it perishe not through our owne wickednesse Thus ye see for what purpose Moses said Thou art a people shooled out to thy God haue a care to maintaine thy selfe in thy calling acknowledge the good that is doone vnto thee goe not about to bereaue thy selfe wilfully of such fauour Let vs thinke vppon it say I and that in such sort as God may be glorified in vs accordingly as hee hath vouchsafed to call vs. And Moses speaking here expressely of God his election or choyce whereby hee had chosen the Iewes addeth That they must bee a holy people For God gathereth not the ofskowringes of the worlde to keepe them in his Church his intent is not to haue his Church to bee as it were a Swine stie so as there shoulde bee nothing but filth and infection but hee purgeth vs from all vncleanesse Nowe then whereas God calleth vs vnto him it is with condition that we should worshippe and serue him in all purenesse True it is that he findeth vs as it were drowned in the depth of all leawdnesse so as by nature we haue nothing but vtter vncleanesse and we be altogether so defiled that we be euen loothsome to him but yet doeth hee purge vs and make vs cleane by his holy spirit and it behooueth vs to lead a holy conuersation al the time of our life And so yee see howe hee woulde that men shoulde ratifie their free election 1. Pet. â— â—â— as Saint Peter speaketh of it And that is a thing which
a slaue is double Againe the seruaunt that is hyred by the day hath more ease and priuiledge insomuch that if hee bee ill delt with hee may goe his way But the poore bondslaue is tyed so as hee must bee faine to serue his master day and night there is no regarde had of giuing him any thing for his labour but so hee be founde neuer so meanly it is welynough To bee short it is shewed vs heere that wee ought alwaies to haue consideration of the profite that redoundeth to vs by such as haue doone vs seruice And although there were no Lawe to compell vs to the dischardging of our dueties yet ought it to bee printed in our heartes and euery man ought to haue a conscience for the lawes sake which telleth vs that wee ought not to deale churlishly with our seruants For if a man flatter himselfe he is neuer the more discharged before God but he must be faine to come to account And those which as now do vaunt themselues because they haue gotten some superioritie aboue others shal in the end finde that Gods will was there should haue bin some equalitie betwixt them Eph. 〈…〉 as S. Paul speaketh therof Col. 3. â—â— For he vseth the selfsame term when he coÌ„mandeth masters to beare with their seruants to spare them Let there be an equalitie betwixt you saith he As how Is it ment that the seruant should be chekmate with his master No but S. Paul would there should be an answerable vprightnes so that as the master can well skill to take the labour trauell of his seruaunt vnder pretence that he may say He is mine vnderling I may command him what I list so must he also consider the mutuall bonde that ought to be betweene one another of vs that he on his own side do answere acknowledge Go to I am his master but not to vse tyrannye I am his master howbeit in such sort as I am also his brother I am his master but yet is there one coÌ„mon master in heauen which hath authoritie both ouer mee ouer them that are vnder mee in that behalfe we be all but one housholde And seeing that God hath called vs all into his house it behoueth both great small to acknowledge one another for their brethren for as much as God hath done vs y e honor to adopt vs to be his children let not the great ones which haue superioritie vse any lordlines in reigning after their own will but let them gouerne their subiectes as their houshold with all gentlenes curtesie in such sort as God who is the father of all may haue highest preheminence bee honored as he deserueth Thus ye see in effect y t the thing which we haue to marke in this sentence is that euery of vs should look to himself yeeld them right which are not able to demaund it but are after such a sort in our subiection as they cannot open their mouthes to complaine of vs. Let vs not â—arie til their complaint crye mount vp to heauen but let vs preuent that let vs of our selues be inclyned to pitie gentlenes That is y e thing which our Lord aimed at in this sentence Now he addeth a promise vnto it to the ende we shoulde bee the better prouoked to doe that which hee biddeth vs. For although wee feele our slackenesse in doing our duetie to bee such as our owne conscience findeth fault with it yet doeth selfe profite so blinde vs and besot vs that wee cannot bee wunne to open our purses and to giue liberally of the things which seeme to belong vnto vs. Now then God perceiuing vs to be so wedded to our owne profit that a man can not wring any thing from vs but by maine force addeth here that if wee vse liberalitie towardes those y t are vnder vs he on his side wil blesse vs increase vs the more for it Surely if there were any faith or rightbeleefe in y e world shoulde not this promise inflame vs moue vs to pitie and compassion towardes those that are in distresse to succour them and to helpe them And although that mention bee made here peculiarly of bondseruauntes and that God commaund some rewarde to bee giuen vnto them Yet is it a generall lawe of courteous liberalitie Seeing it is so let vs marke that if wee straine our selues to doe good to such as are in neede wee ought to hope for Gods blessing and that the more liberall men bee in succouring their neighbours the more will God shewe himselfe liberall towardes them againe And so farre off are they from diminishing theÌ„selues by their giuing to the needy that it is as the opening of a windowe for Gods grace to raine in at to the greater increase of their wealth That is the cause why I sayd that if there were but one drop of fayth among vs wee would be inflamed after another fashion to do good But wee be locked vp and euery man withholdeth that which hee hath insomuch y t when we should giue we think the earth must needes faile vs. Wherby we shew ourselues to haue no trust in God So then let vs marke well this text wherein our Lord to soften our hard hearts and to induce vs to compassion sayth that according to our pitying of the poore and needie by releeuing their necessities he also on his side will haue regarde thereof multiply vs a hundered folde more by his blessing than euer we could haue increased ourselues by our owne couetousnes nigardship Insomuch y t we shall set open a windowe as I sayd afore for Gods grace y t is offered vs if we succour those y t haue neede of our helpe That is y e thing which wee haue to consider as in respect of the promise which God addeth heere Nowe afterwarde followeth the Lawe of the first borne wherein it is sayd That all the firstborn Males shal be offered vnto God and that they shal be offered euerie yeere in the place which the Lorde shall haue chosen so they be not faulty nor in any wise blemished As for example if a beast were goggle eied or blinde or lame or had any other ilfauorednes or blemish in it it might not be offered but the beasts y t were sounde were to be offered in y e temple as God had coÌ„manded to bring them to the place y t he had chosen according to that which hath bin tolde you heretofore We know whereof this Lawe of offering vp the firstborne thinges sprang Exod. 12.12 13.2 namely of Gods sleaing of al y e firstborne of the land of Egypt as well of men as of beastes at such time as he was about to deliuer his people out of the bondage of Egypt of his sparing of the children of Israel for the bloud of the pascall Lamb was dipped vpoÌ„ their dores y t was done for their preseruation Now
faile not to do well and to deserue wel at Gods hand though they go not to worke with a free corage nor with hartie and substantiall soundnesse Let not such follies runne in our heads For God not onely reiecteth such thinges as pelting baggage of no value but also auoweth them to be all abhominable before him and that he will not suffer his seruice to be so shamefully disguised with out taking horrible vengeance for it And therefore let vs know that he will haue euery of vs to examine our selues sith we see al our thoughts and affections to be corrupted so as there is nothing in them but dung and vncleannesse let vs pray him to reforme vs in such sort by his holie spirite as he may be serued and honored by vs and wee apply to good and holy vse the thinges that he giueth vs and that therewithall he make vs to profite more and more in his obedience vntill we bee come with a free will to serue him with so good a corage as wee may be wholly dedicated to his honour 1. Pet. 1.19 And that we may so doe let vs repaire vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ that our spotes and steines may be scowred away by his purenesse and perfection as he hath promised vs. If wee shall doe so then will our God approue of our life Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them that wee may from henceforth fall to amendement and resort to his mercie and that in the meane season he reforme vs in such sort to the obedience of his Law as it may shine forth in all our whole life and hee also beare with vs in our frailties vntill he haue ridde vs quite and cleane of them And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xviij of Nouember 1555. The Ciij Sermon which is the second vpon the seuenteenth Chapter 2 If within any of the Gates which the Lorde thy God giueth thee there bee found either man or woman that hath wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord the God by transgressing his Couenant 3 And hath gone and serued straunge gods and bowed himselfe before them whether it bee the sunne or the moone or any of all the host of heauen which I haue not commaunded 4 And it is told thee and thou hast heard of it then shalt thou inquire diligently And if it be true and certaine that such abhomination hath beene committed in Israel 5 Thou shalt cause that man or that woman which hath committed that wicked deede to bee brought out of the gates and thou shalt stone them with stones till they die 6 At the mouth of two or three witnesses let him that is worthie of death dye but at the mouth of one witnesse let no man dye 7 The hands of the witnesses shal be the first vpon him to kill him and afterward the hands of all the people And so thou shalt ridde away that euil from thee Deut. 13.1.6 WE haue seene heretofore that if there were either man or woman which went about to counsell others to peruert the seruice of God they shoulde die for it Nowe here is a Lawe yet more sharpe that is to wit that if there be any ydolater founde among the people whether the same bee man or woman it must cost the party his head and his life yea though hee haue not gone about to corrupt others or to intice them to leawdnesse Truely this seemeth rough dealing at the first blush as we see howe they blame God for vsing such seueritie against such as vppon deuotion did any act contrarie to his trueth Because wee wey not Gods honour as it is worthy wee make greater account of a mortall creature than of the liuing God For if a man haue practised against his Prince or gone about to alter the publike state hee shall be condemned to death without any sticking Againe if a man bee vnderstoode to haue had secrete conference with his Princes enemie to haue shewed him fauour or to haue conspired with him no bodie will excuse such disloyaltie and yet for all that all this dealing is but against men But if a man turne away from the seruing of God to gad after ydols men thinke hee ought to bee borne withall as though it were a thing of nothing Whereby wee bewray that wee passe not for the diminishing of Gods honour or for the defacing of his maiestie But wee bee no competent Iudges in that case Therefore let vs remember what is saide heere and not thinke that God passed measure when hee did set such price vppon his honour Nowe it is saide If there be founde either man or woman to the intent that no frailtie should bee a shrowding sheete to any euill doing For else it woulde bee saide it is a womans deede If a man of wit courage and vnderstanding had done it it had beene to haue beene regarded but seeing it is done by sillie soules that are easie to be deceiued is it meete that they shoulde bee haled to death for it at the first dash See I pray you howe we bee wont to qualifie thinges But God on the contrarie parte intended to preuent such shiftes by telling vs that wee must not passe whether it bee man or woman but that the deede of it selfe is so detestable as that it ought not abide vnpunished Yet notwithstanding before wee proceede to punishing he will haue vs to vnderstande perfectly howe the matter goeth and hee will haue the truth of the thing tryed out And therefore hee saith When it is reported vnto thee inquire diligently thereof and if thou find it true then shalt thou take the partie which hath committed such crime and stone him to death Hereby our Lorde sheweth vs as he hath done afore that wee must not bee hastie to proceede rashly vnder pretence of any good will or zeale Deut. 13. â—â— but vse aduisednesse that thinges may bee well knowen And that is well worth the noting For wee see howe vnaduised zeale doth often carie men away and make them to offende GOD. And when it is done then they say I did it of a good intent Yea but GOD telleth vs heere that in this behalfe wee must behaue our selues discreetely And in deede God meaneth not that men shoulde so falsely abuse his name For what a vile thing is this that I shall suppose that I serue GOD and yet in the meane season haue no equitie nor vprightnesse in me Is it not a soule iniurie so to intermingle Gods holy name with mine owne follie and lewde imagination Wherefore let vs well weigh y t God by this place hath condeÌ„ned that same too too violent heate which men haue when they suffer themselues to bee so caried away by their zeale as they say without any moderation or stay at all Let that serue for one point And it
fashion Psal. 49.12 In the nine and fortith Psalme he declareth that they must needes be very dulwitted sith they see that they must goe to the graue like sheepe and that their life is as fickle as can bee and yet notwithstanding will needes as it were in dispite of God haue an euerlasting monumēt here belowe where all thinges are transitorie But yet doeth this madnesse continue alwayes as he sheweth anon after Wee see with our eies how God mocketh such beastlinesse of men and yet their aftercommers continue still hard hearted and wilfull following the madnesse of their fathers And when there be Lawes that giue al the substaunce after that fashion to the eldest brother and leaue the rest of the children vnprouided let vs assure our selues that those Lawes are vnrightfull and wicked And why For as I haue sayde afore we must goe to the roote and when we will iudge of thinges aright wee must haue an eye to the originall from whence the same proceedeth For although God put men neuer so much in minde of their frailtie yet is there such an ouerweening in them that they will needes be abiding still in this worlde and leaue an euerlasting remembrāce behind them Againe we see that this kinde of dealing is contrarie to all naturall affection For ought not a father to loue all his children Yea but this is my firstborne And what are the rest Wilt thou leaue them to the wide worlde Wilt thou haue no regard of them He that careth not for those which are of his owne housholde is worse than an Infidell sayeth Saint Paul and hath forsaken the faith 1. Tim. 5.8 Euen the very heathen had this grauen alwayes in their hearts that howsoeuer they themselues fared they had especiall care of their children Although a mannes children be not worthie to be beloued yet ought nature to ouerrule in that case whatsoeuer come thereof Nay although you yourselues be euill sayth our Lord Iesus Christ yet do ye not faile to procure good to your children Matt. 7.11 Therefore as for thē that haue vtterly done away all naturall affection they shewe themselues to bee woorse than the heathen and more corrupted than they So then we must alwayes holde vs to this rule that a father is bound to prouide for all his children and that the eldest must not be as a gulfe Againe the birthright which was allowed of before the Lawe and also put in vre afore the Law allowed but dubble portion to the eldest And that was reasonable because the eldest is commonly put to the greatest charges and when his brothers are left fatherlesse hee must be faine to be their guyde and to be as a head and a father to them all Moreouer he is as it were the strength of his father aboue all the rest And it is the reason that is set downe here which reason we see that Iacob also vseth Gen. 49. ◠saying he is the beginning of my strength God bestoweth a kinde of dignitie vpon men when he maketh them fathers for hee imparteth his owne name vnto them All kinred proceedeth from him and to speake properly there is no father but he I meane as well of the body as of the soule And yet notwithstanding the same title is attributed to men euen because God vouchsafeth to yeelde them that honour Nowe when God honoreth a man so much as to make him a firstbegottē and to giue him preheminence aboue his brothers if he abuse it he casteth away the grace that God bestoweth vpon him Neuerthelesse we see it is not so perpetuall a rule but that an elder brother may be dispossessed of his roome Gen. 49.4 as we see befell to Ruben who was Iacobs eldest sonne And the Testament that Iacob made was not after the common maner of men as though the matter had beene to haue bin ordered after his owne liking but God spake by his mouth so as there scaped him not any one worde which was not a prophesie And therefore he sayth Thou Ruben my firstbegottē which wast y e flower beginning of my strength thou oughtest to haue bin innobled in my house but nowe thou hast beene sorrowe and heauines to me Thou must then vanish away and be bereft of the honour that belonged to thee by nature Thus was Ruben dispossessed and after a sort banished from his birthright For he hadde committed too too wicked a deede too deadly a crime And although God forgaue him so as he dyed not for it yet was he noted with endlesse infamie both he all his ofspring because of the incest which hee had committed The right then of the eldership is not a thing so peremptorily assured but that a child may be dispossessed of it for his misbehauiour or for some other lawefull cause But that a man shoulde bee suffered to peruert the order of nature for one wiues sake whō hee loueth better than an other that were no reason Nowe then let vs marke in fewe wordes that God ment to make a brydle to restraine men withall least they might be won by their wiues allurementes to conuey away the right of their children from one to another God I say ment to prouide a remedy for it aforehande And first of all let vs marke that the affections which we bring naturally with vs from our mothers wombe are vtterly corrupted in vs by I wote not what a kinde of lustes And if it be so in them what is it in the rest As I sayde afore ye see howe the loue of a father is common to all men by nature It is not a vertue peculiar to the faithfull as it were for that they be willing to obey God and haue an eye to his commaundements but although a man were neuer taught it ne euer wist what the seruice of GOD ment yet shall he well vnderstande that it is but ambition and pride to defraude the rest of this children of the portion of his goods for the aduancing of his eldest sonne True it is that he is the beginning of his strength but what for that should a man be so bewitched with the liking of a woman that he should vtterly forget what nature it selfe teacheth vs and which ought to be printed in all men euen from their mothers wombes Therefore we haue heere a good and profitable lesson to put vs in mind that we must fight against our lustes as though they were enemies inflamed against vs with all rage and that we must inforce ourselues in this case for we shal neuer bring it to passe with ease And the hardnesse therof must not discorage vs but although we see it to be a verie difficult and troublesome thing to be able to ouermaister our lustes Yet let vs goe forewarde with it still In deede wee must not presume vpon our owne strength but we must acknowledge our owne weakenes flee vnto God who in the ende will giue vs a happie victorie
that wee make not God our enimie and aduersarie partie which doubtlesse we shall doe if wee falsifie the faith of marriage If a man lay waite for an other mans wife if a woman giue her selfe ouer to a whoremonger bee shee married or be she betrothed if they falsifie the promise which they plighted and breake y e faith which they gaue it is all one as if they waged battle with God and they shall feele that they deale with too hard a match Let vs therefore walke in such stayednesse as our Lord may accept of vs and that we may finde fauour in his sight Let euerie of vs resist his wicked lusts and not giue our selues the bridle to ouer leape our bounds so farre as to venter to corrupt so holy an order Nowe if the punishment be so grieuous when a maide which is but betrothed committeth fornication much more reason is it that it should bee so in a married woman as I saide afore And why Because shee wrongeth her husband shee setteth him out into open shame shee spoileth also the name of his house shee robbeth the children which are yet vnborne shee robbeth those which are alreadie begotten in lawfull wedlocke When a woman is become such a diuell what other remedie can there bee than to roote out the whole mischiefe And this is the cause why it is expresly saide Thou shalt put away the euill from thee Heereby our Lorde ment to giue vs to vnderstande that if men suffer a woman vnpunished wheÌ„ she is growen to such wickednesse as not to pitie her owne children they suffer a monster to liue For what may one think that woman to be but a monster which hath no regarde of her children and which maketh no account to haue bastardes mingled with lawfull children And that is a thing contrarie to al nature So then as I haue tolde you the fault must needes be extreme when the punishment is so grieuous that God will haue it serue vs for an example and that they which haue been offensiue by their life shoulde serue for an instruction vnto others by their death that they may learne to keepe themselues chast Thus yee see what we haue to beare in minde Nowe touching whooremasters they are guiltie of the like Indeede the woman shall not be spared because she hath falsified her faith towardes her husbande and hath committed an vnpardonable crime If a man rifle his neighbours coffer hee shal be punished that not as a single thiefe but as a robber But the whorehunter commeth to defile y e whole house hee commeth to infect it with whoredome hee commeth to robbe his neighbor of his honour credite and good name and in steed of the right seede hee through cursed and villanous falsenesse deliuereth a straunge and bastarde seede Therefore if a man commit such a robberie I pray you is it a sinne to bee punished with eight dayes imprisonment onely and peraduenture by being put to breade and water that is to say to be feasted at the tauerne For wee see that the punishmentes which are vsed nowadayes against adulterers and fornicatours are but a meere mockerie both of God and of Iustice and of Lawes and of all ciuil order For when a man is put in prison for committing adulterie or for playing of y e fornicator it is al one as if he were put there for men to bring him euerie man his glasse of wine and to say Taste which is the best If he were in his owne house he would be contented with ordinarie but there hee shal bee at greater choyce than if he were in a common tauerne Euerie man will come to visite him yea forsooth the poore prisoner must be pitied Yee see what is ordinarily done in this behalfe And as for my selfe I haue prayed God that whoredome might rather goe vnpunished than proceede in that order as we see it doth nowadayes For it is a setting of Iustice forth to open shame and skorning of God and of all his commandementes And therefore wee neede not to meruaile if whoredoms be so rife seeing they which offende are sent so to the tauerne But let vs put the case that the Lawe were obserued and that adulterers and fornicatours were locked vp in close warde there to fast with breade and water What is al that O saies one they shal fast three dayes or as some say nine dayes Yea but if a thiefe be taken and accused he shal be indited he shal be clapt vp by the heeles in the stocks he shal be manacled and tyed with an halter and in the ende sent to the gallowes or when hee scapeth best for some pettie filching hee shall bee whipt And why Oh he is a thiefe he hath robbed a man hee hath cut a purse in the open market place And what hath the whooremunger done Questionlesse hee hath done worse in entering into the bedde which God had hallowed in his owne name than if he had committed all the theeueries in the worlde Hee hath marched himselfe in whoredome like a beast and is not this an intollerable offence and such a one as ought to bee punished to the full If wee open not our eyes to beholde it yet the Lawe of Moses must needes condemne vs. But besides this the Painims who haue obserued a better order than wee and haue had lawes to punish whoremongers and to cause wedlocke to be kept vndefiled euen they shal rise vp against vs in the latter day and shall proue that we offended not of ignorance or for lacke of warning but of wilfull malice because wee woulde foster such wickednesse True it is indeede that this wicked custome is come from great antiquitie as the Papistes will say that wee are not vnder the Lawe but vnder grace and therefore we must not punish whoredome But it is a mocking of God when we take the Law of grace for a Lawlesse libertie to commit all wickednesse And albeit our Lorde Iesus Christ punished not the woman which was taken in adulterie Iohn 8 1â—â— wee may not say therefore that he hath giuen vs leaue to commit adultery For why Hee refused also to bee Iudge and being desired to part the inheritance betweene two brethren he woulde not doe it Must wee therefore say that such parting 's are not lawfull No. But this was to shewe that hee came not to bee an arbiter and a Iudge Againe let vs note that he saith No man accuseth thee therefore I condemne thee not But withall let vs knowe that he came not to take away the law of his father or to breake al order or to make his church a hogges stye as it is nowadayes by graunting men libertie to doe all manner of euill No No Be it farre from vs to impute such a crime vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ for that were a blaspheming of him aboue measure But let vs know that whereas we haue here this law it ought to serue vs for an instruction vnto the end
the principall good thing whereunto the faithfull should aspire and we be verie blockes and beastes if wee preferre not the same before all manner of riches and pleasures and before all our case and commodities Nowe then on the contrarie parte the plague which ought to be most dreadfull to vs and the horriblest calamitie that can fall vppon vs is to be depriued of Gods seruice and to haue our mouth shutte so as wee can not call vppon him and not onely that but also through Tyrannie to be compelled to honour Idolles and to defile ourselues with their abhominations and to peruert that which GOD hath ordayned for the magnifying of his name amongest vs. When thinges be thus confounded let vs vnderstande that GOD is departed from vs and declareth himselfe to bee our mortall enemie and hath quite forsaken and refused vs and is loath that wee should thencefoorth haue anie token or inkling at all either of his presence or of his fauour And so whereas Moses sayeth in this Text That the Iewes shall serue straunge Gods he meaneth to threaten them more dreadfully than before As if he should say Right greeuous will it be vnto you when you shall be famished and want bread to eate and water to drink when your enemies shall robbe you of all your substaunce and make hauocke of all your possessions when ye shall pine away in griefe and sorrowe without any meane to helpe you surely these wil be verie hard thinges for you specially when you can obtaine no fauour of your enemies who shall be as wilde beastes against you but yet is all this nothing in comparison of the other curse that whereas in steede of honoring the liuing GOD and of confessing that he hath chosen you to be his people which is an immeasurable blessing in steede of such thinges I say you should serue Idolles and bee conuersant amongest the superstitions of the Paynimes and haue no more prayers neither Psalmes nor Sacrifices but be dispersed and forlorne Nowe seeing that wee perceiue the naturall sense of Moses let vs vnderstande that amongst all the blessinges of GOD which we enioy in this present life this ought to be preferred aboue all the rest namely to haue libertie to serue our GOD and to make confession of our faith and to declare that wee bee his people of his Church and of his flocke Truely it is slenderly knowen howbeit it is not in vaine that we be admonished thereof Seeing then that it hath beene the will of God to plant his Church amongest vs and that we should haue his worde and his sacramentes by the which he declareth that he dwelleth amongest vs lette vs accept such a blessing according as it is worthye It will serue vs to a double vse First of all when wee fare the better by the doctrine that is preached vnto vs euery day such a treasure perisheth not but through our owne vnthankefulnesse as wee see that manie folke thinke it ynough to bee at sermons and it seemeth vnto them that God hath his duetie so they haue vsed some ceremonie But in the meane while the seede of life doeth perish without yeelding any fruite To the ende therefore that we may apply the blessing that GOD bestoweth on vs to this vse when as wee haue libertie to heare his doctrine and to bee trayned therein and haue the Sacramentes for an establishment of our faith and may declare that it is the liuing God whome wee worshippe and that hee gouerneth vs I say let the same profite vs and so will it if we acknowledge that our Lord can not bestowe on vs any greater blessing than that is And in the meane whyle we will take it patiently if other thinges doe faile vs as where many want their commodities let them not be greeued at the children of this worlde which haue their delightes and do triumph weltring themselues in their earthly pleasures if the children of God haue not the same let them knowe that they enioy a thing which recompenseth double yea an hundreth folde that is that they can serue God For to what purpose is it that these wretched people which dwell in papistrie may lye slumbring in their neastes and in the meane while be banished from the kingdome of GOD and that Christ Iesus himselfe and his worde be banished from the countrey wherein they dwel What auayleth it that they bee serued in their houses and in the meane while bee not suffered to serue GOD What auayleth it that they haue whereof to eate and drinke till they burst and in the meane while be starued for want of ghostly foode What auaileth it that they be in honour and credite and in the meane while be constrayned to defile themselues with these trecherous dealinges whereby GOD is despised and his honour spoyled and conueyed ouer to Idolles and they be guiltie thereof Alas is not this a cursed state Let vs therefore take it patiently albeit that we we be had in contempt to the worlde warde and counted as vnderlings and castawayes not hauing our ease nor that which our fleshe desireth seeing that GOD giueth vs this special libertie that we may purely worshippe him and serue him and be deliuered from this cursed seruitude of Idolles let vs be contented and esteeme this sayde benefite according as it is worthie so as wee be not grieued towarde them that enioy the goods of this worlde and in he meane while are destitute of the grace of God which remaineth amongst vs. Besides this heere is a warning that seeing God hath put vs in possession and fruition of this libertie we must take good heede that wee bee not depriued thereof through our owne leaudenesse for this threatning which was made to the Iewes is in likewise directed vnto vs. Let vs vnderstande therefore that seeing we haue the Gospell preached vnto vs if it preuaile not with vs God must deliuer vs into the handes of other teachers when wee shall haue refused to obey him And in verie deede wee may not thinke that the horrible confusion which is in the Popedome befalleth for any other cause than that whereas they haue beene taught the pure doctrine of the Gospell yet they haue beene rebelles to Gods and haue not bounde their neckes to beare his yoke and therefore GOD could not otherwise doe than deliuer them ouer to such Tyrannie as wee see And truely the same was tolde them aforehand by Saint Paule It is good reason sayeth hee that the worlde 〈◊〉 1.17 seeing that it will not beleeue the truth should obey lies and that they which would not be subiect to the liuing God shoulde be obedient to the creature euen to the Idolles which be nothing Beholding therefore the examples before our eyes and hearing the threatning as it yeth heere let vs learne whilest GOD doeth keepe vs in his schoole so to walke in his feare and awe as we may no◠bee bereft of the welfare which we nowe enioy but that God
saide to be Fat â—ustie frollike in two respects 1126. b 10.20 c. Father The meaning of these wordes that we haue but one Father which is in heauen 213. b 50.60 129. a 50 God compared for his incredible loue with a fleshlie Father 40. b 20 129. a 50 God most louinglie beareth with vs as a Father note how 65. b 10.20 The meaning of these wordes Honour thy Father and Mother 212. b 10.20 c. Howe God will shewe himselfe a Father to his people euen in respect of this world 466. a 20.30 For what cause God calleth himselfe our Father 186. a 20 Howe God prouideth for vs all y e whole yeare like a Father or householder 467. a 60. b all Why Moses called God the Father of the children of Israel 1113. a all God is a Father vnto vs both in life death 86. b 20 Fathers That wee nowe adaies haue more than the Fathers had in y e time of the law where note the doctrine inferred 391. b 10.20 c An exhortation to Fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of God why 267. a 50.60 b 10. 756. b all 757. a 10.20 A Complaint against Fathers in not bringing vp their children in Gods feare 326. b 10.20 The duetie of Fathers declared by way of comparison with a iudge 326. b 40.50.60 Of true Fathers which begette vs by the worde of God and of the Fathers to whome the Papistes sticke 1130. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 1042. a 10.20 Of bastarde Fathers whome the Iewes followed and are therefore blamed of Steuen 1041. b 50.60 1042. a 10 489. b 10.20 Two kindes of auncient Fathers one sort to bee followed the other not so in anie case 1041. b all 1042. b 10 The Sacraments which God deliuered y e Fathers vnder the law tended to the same ende that ours doe 1055. a 20. c. b 10.20 What Fathers the Iewes were commaunded not to followe 489 10. 1115. a al. Notable doctrine vppon the wordes of Moses where the Gods of the Fathers are spoken of 489. a and b all The knowledge which the Fathers had of God is not the cheese grounde that wee ought to stande vppon 488. b 60 Two places of Ezechiel Walke not after the righteousnesse of your forefathers and worshippe yee the Gods of your Fathers reconciled 489. a 50.60 b 10. c. Our prerogatiue greater than that of of the Fathers in the time of the lawe howe and wherein 556. all A lawe made that the Fathers shoulde not die for their childrens sinnes 861. a 20.30 The verie cause why the ministers of Gods word are called Fathers 883. a 20 In what sense it is saide that the Iewes called vppon the God of their Fathers 897. a all b 10.20.30 That such as liued in the worlde before Abraham Isaac and Iacob deserue not to bee accounted Fathers and why 897. a 20 The great difference betwixt vs the Fathers in the time of the Law 950. a 20. c. 465. b al. Why it behoued God to bestow his benefits more largelie on the Fathers that liued vnder the law than on vs. 951. a 30. How and by what meanes God dealt with the Fathers vnder the lawe to draw them to him 959. b 50.60 The blasphemous Prouerbe of y e Iewes Our Fathers haue eateÌ„ sower grapes and our teeth are set on edge with it 189. b 20 Against Fathers that haue no care of their house or familie 775. b 30 Why God speaketh of purpose of the honouring of Fathers and mothers 213. a 30.40 212. b 10.20 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow them 897. a 20.30 489. a 50.60 b 10 Vnto what paine and distres the holie Fathers were driuen 279. b 10 Why children ought to honour their Fathers whatsoeuer father hee bee 214. b 60. 215. a 10 The verie cause why God commaundeth Fathers to teach their childreÌ„ 129. a 40 The wicked trade of Fathers training vp of their children 215. b 50.60 Whether God punisheth the sinnes of the Fathers on their children 189. b 10.20.30 c. 190. all 861. b 10.20.30 How the land of Chanaan was promised to the Fathers which neuer had possession thereof 10. a 10.20.30 To what ende the Fathers in olde time had sacrifices 20. a 10 Fatherhoode The fatherhoode of the Papistes and to whome we must referre our Fatherhoode 489. b 30 Fatherlesse Who be poore destressed Fatherles to be succoured 450. a 30 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes God doeth right to the Fatherlesse 448. b 20.30 c. God setteth his armes or badge vppon the Fatherlesse 449. a 40.50.60 Lawes for releefe of the Fatherlesse with the fruites of the earth 865. a 40.50.60 That the Fatherlesse are to bee pitied and supported not to be iniuried Read page 86â— all A curse vppon such as wrest the right of the Fatherlesse and why 931. b 30 40.50.60 Fault Why a man being tolde of his Fault when he hath done amisse thinketh not he hath done euill 343. a 40.50 What wee ought to doe to such as offend vs when their Fault is not manifest and open and contrariwise 700. a 10.20 Howe wee must bethinke our selues when wee perceiue anie Fault in our selues 240. b 50.60 Looke Offence and Sinne. Faultes That wee like not to haue our former Faultes laide in our dish 443. b 30.40.50 Howe necessarie it is that wee shoulde haue all the Faults of our whole life laid afore vs and why 408. a all What we must doe if we will bee good Iudges to condemne other mens Faults 340. b 20 Of cloking our Faultes a common thing vsed among men 229. b 60. 381. b 10.20.30 Of blasing abroad the Faults of such as haue offended Read the place 238. a 20 Why the meane way of correcting meÌ„s Faultes will neuer be kept 237. b 40 Touching our Faultes which wee iudge to bee no faultes because wee cannot discerne them and how God iudgeth of them Looke vppon the example of Moses 1236. b all 1237. a 10 Against such as be captious in finding Faultes 239. b 50.60 and 240. a 10.20.30 God maie well pardon our Faultes but yet in the meane while not cease to subdue vs vntil he see that our vices are corrected 99. a 40 The Papistes doctrine that God pardoneth our Faultes and reteineth y e punishment still 99. a 40 That we ought alwaies to bethinke our selues of our Faultes and the manner howe 382. a 10.20.30 521. b 30.40 c. Vntill when men will neuer come to confesse their Faultes 379. b 40.50.60 The Faultes committed against God are heinouser than the wrongs done against men Read that place 342. b 20.30 c. the cause is expressed page 343. a 10 The trade and manners of men when they are touched for their Faultes or offences 143. a 30 What Faultes or offences are reuealed to men to bee punished and what faults he