383. the whole page and 384. a 10.20.395 a 10. A delay thereof for foure hundred yeares together 327. b 60. and 328. a 10. Of prouoking the same by abusing Gods patience too long 346. a 10 5â a 40.50 Signes thereof and howe forceable it is 81. a 10. 55. b 20. In what respects the law was a message of Wrath and of peace 77. b 50. Of foreseeing the tokens of the same 729. a 30.40 The cause why god sware in his Wrath y t the carcasses of y e people should rot in the wildernesse 71. b 60. 72. a 10. That when all things be at quiet we must haue an eye vnto it 1158. b 30.40.50.60 Howe we must thinke of it long before it fall is tolde vs by comparison 551. a 50.60 That it is wont to come vpon the disobedient 706. b 40.50 God maketh euen Infidels the instruments thereof 1153. a 30.40.50 How and in what sort we are counselled to giue place to Wrath. 1156. b 60.1157 a 10. b 10. Looke Anger Wrest What it is to Wrest or hinder right and who be commonly y e way wronged 931. b 40.50.60.932 a 20. Looke Right and Wrong Wretched In what respects wee shewe our selues verie Wretched 519. a 30. Looke Miserable Wretchednesse A mirror of mans Wretchednesse tending to the beating downe of his pride 896. a all b 10.20.948 b 50. Looke Miseries Calamities Troubles Writing Of this word Writing as it is meant of the law and what it importeth 1098. a 60. b 10.421 b 30.404 b â0 405 a 10 391. all Looke Law of God Wrong How they that being in authority haue done Wrong to the poore shal be indued before God 230. a 50.60 Reasons of common sense to mooue vs to liue without doing Wrong to any maÌ 219. b 40.50.60.449 al. 220. b 40.50 What God intendeth to shew vs when he telleth vs that in doing Wrong to any man we assalt his maiestie 220. a 10.20 In what respect we do Wrong vnto god through feare 74 b 20 Why the Israelââs were commanded to passe by the countrie of Edom without doing any Wrong c. 67. a 10 What we ought to marke in cases of iniurie and Wrong done vs. 709. b 60.888 a 50.60 b 10.20 Who they be vnto whom we dare offer no Wrong and why 932. a 30.40 No Wrong to bee offered vnto three kinds of poore people gods law chargeth it looke who they be 862. a 50.60 b all 863. a 10.932 a 40.50.60 b 10.20 872.873.876 What we must doe if we intende to refraine from dooing Wrong to any man 655. a 20 All kind of Wrong and violence forbidden vnder the name of murther 516. a 60. b 10. Looke Violence Wrongs How God will haue vs to vse our selues in taking Wrongs 140. b 10. Looke Oppression and Vsurie Y. Yeare Of the Yeare of Iubile and of the freedome thereof 573. b 40.50.60 Of the high solemnitie of euery seueÌth Yeare among the Iewes reade the place 573. b 10.20.30 c. How we behaue our selues to godward when we haue a prosperous fruitefull Yeare 468. a 10.20.30 Of the course of the Yeare suceession of times and seasons and the true cause of the same 966. a all 467. a 60. b all Looke Seuenth Yeares The compasse of fiftie Yeares was called a world 591. b 40 Eighteene hundred Yeares forbearaÌce of the Iewes for their amendement 1137. b 60 Yesterday Yesterday betokeneth all the time that is past among the Hebrues 689. b 40 Yoke of God and of men How the law shall become a sweete and light Yoke vnto vs. 207. a 50 That the Lords Yoke is amiable and louely so warranted by the words of Christ. 53. b 50.67 a 30.999 b 20. 30.492 a 30.40 In what respect we refuse Gods Yoke 217. a 20 In what sort God layeth his Yoke vpon vs how we ought to receiue it 443. a 30.1218 a 40.50.60 c. 380. b 50.60 Of Gods threatening of an iron Yoke vnto them y t disobey him and what y e same importeth 999. a 60. b 10. c. Of the woodden Yoke which Ieremie ware when he threatened captiuity to the Iewes 999. a 60. b 10.20 c. We must not drawe the Yoke with the vnbeleeuers reade that place 307. b 50 VVhy Christ protesteth that his burtheÌ is not heauie nor his Yoke hard 566. b 40.50 What Yoke it is that God layeth vpon the necke of a married man woman 840. b 60. 841. a 10. c. What will betide vs if we cannot finde in our hearts to beare Gods Yoke 153 a 30.141 a 10. Looke Afflictions and Chastisements Yokes The Yokes that couple vs together what they be 308. a 30.40 Youth Notable lessons of instructioÌ for Youth to consider and obserue in the Sermon 123. and in page 758. b all Z. Zabulon Traffike and marchandise in the tribe of Zabulon 1217. a 40.50 b 10.1218 b 20. He was planted by the sea side and what that giueth vs to marke 1217. a 40. He is blessed of Moses and how 1217. a 10. c. A commendation of him and Isachar 1218. b 60.1219 a 10. â0 They were neere to Galile 1219. b 40.50 Looke Tribes Zeale both good and bad Little Zeale in parents to bring vp their children in Gods feare 215. b 50 A holy Zeale and not fleshly lust moued Moses to desire to goe into the promised land 103. a 10 What kinde of Zeale is required of vs in following and seruing of God 47. b 10.188 b 40.541 b 50.60.547 a 10. 540. b all 542. all Of an vnaduised Zeale in Gods matters and what harme the same doth 632. b 20.633 a 10 A kinde of Zeale mentioned out of the 69. Psalme verse 10. page 540. a 10 The cause why Moses doth purposelie attribute the title of Zeale of prouoking folk to the seruing of God 1219. b 10 20.30.12â1 a 10 In what respects our Zeale to preferre Gods truth shal be but as the rage of mad folkes 543. a 10 The frantike Zeale of the Papists heathens Iewes noted 541. a 40.543 b all 544. a all What wee must doe to haue the more Zeale vnto Gods word 1191. b 50.60 119â a 10 The Zeale of Moses shewed in dooing the execution that is read of in Exodus 401. a 20 30.40â and in other things 144. b 40.400 a 30.1089 a 40. 50.60.1203 a all What a kind of Zeale God will giue his seruants in praying 399. a 20 Of the Zeale of Paul wherewith he was lead to the Iewes his countriemen 402. a 10.20 God meant to trie the Zeale of y e Iewes by commaunding them to make cleane riddance of idols 310. a 20 What Zeale there ought to be in them which be taught by Gods word 1083. b 50 How the Zeale of Gods honor and the welfare of his church ought to beare rule in vs. 1097. a 50.60 c. Of a kind of Zeale which is commaunded vs to imbrace 174. a 40. FINIS To the Reader TOuching
341. b 50.60 and 342. a 10 Howe a Christian man ought to behaue himselfe to God warde in his Vexations 360. Looke Afflictions Vice Of a Vice that reigneth ouermuch in men which is condemned by Moses 522. a 60. b 10 Of the Vice of fleshlie vnrulinesse and how it is not a sinne imputable 227. b 50.60 and 228. a 10. Looke Sinne. Vices A looking glasse to discerne our owne Vices by 52. b 10 What is the cause that Vices reigne other disorders 21. a 20 Vices maie not be suffered among people y t professe christianitie 211. a 30 The âundrie Vices that a loftie minde carrieth with it 363. b 60. and 364. a all Of two extreeme Vices reigning in vs towardes God 372. a 40. and b 40 Against certaine nycelinges that take greefe at the Preacher when their Vices are rebuked 238. b 40.50 60 Howe men woulde faine discharge themselues to God warde with faire countenances and yet reteine their Vices still 222. a 10.20.30.40 In what manner and fashion we must rebuke mens Vices 237. b 10. 240. a al. What we haue to doe when wee goe about to bewray mens Vices and sinnes 238. a 30.40 God doeth first of all condemne the Vices in vs and why 222. a 50 Howe we must bee affected when wee heare our Vices and sinnes sharpelie rebuked 402 b 30.40 Mens Vices must bee killed and their persons spared Read how 731. a 20.30 b 60.732 a 10 Howe great neede wee haue to bee cleansed from our naturall Vices 223. a 40.50 Howe Vices of diuerse sortes do concurre and meete together in men 1036. a 10 Howe wee followe mens Vices and make a barre of them against God 563. b 60.564 a 10.20 The enormities whereinto such do fall as flatter themselues in common Vices 1036. all b 60.1037 a 10.143 a 10.20 Howe prone wee are to be lead into all Vices Reade the place 732. a 50.60 b all Looke Sinnes Victorie What men doe and why they doe that which they doe when they haue gotten Victorie in battell 67. b 30 A description of the easie Victorie of the Israelites ouer their enemies 83. b 30.40 To what end God giueth vs the Victorie and vpper hande ouer our enemies 83. a 40.50.477 a al. Victorie promised to the Iewes vppon condition 479. b 50. and 480. a 10. c. Faith must bee the Victorie whereby to ouercome the world 527. a 40 Of the Victorie which God gaue the Iewes ouer the Chananites and what special doctrine concerneth vs thereby 1023. b all By what meanes Victorie in battell is obteined 969. a 10.341 a 10 How we haue Victorie alreadie against Satan and what remaineth for vs to doe notwithstanding 88. b 10.340 b 40.50 The meanes and waies to get Victorie ouer our owne lustes and affections 341. a 10.20.30 Of a strange and vnlikelie Victorie which god promiseth to giue against the Iewes 1149. b 60.1150 all 1151 all Of Gedeons Victorie against the Madianites and by whom the same was compassed 1150. a 20 Why God will not haue vs haue the vpperhande of our enemies at the first though he haue assured vs the Victorie 339. a 50.60 b 10 Victories Howe we must bethinke our selues wheÌ God giueth vs Victories 89. b 50 We must yeeld God the honour of all the Victories that hee giueth vs against our enemies 83. a 30 Victuals That of our Victuals we must giue our poore neighbours a part 517. a 20 30 Howe the rich shoulde behaue themselues in the abundance of their Victuals 511. a 10 Wherof the growing and increasing of Victuals in the world doth come 510 a 50. Looke Prouision Vine Why it is saide that the Vine of the Iewes is of the vineyard of Sodome and of the fields of Gomor 1153. b 10.20 c. Vines When Vines were saide to bee vnhallowed among the Iewes 719. b 30 Vintage Lawes ordeined for Vintage and the meaning thereof 832. a 60.833 a 10.20 c. Lawes concerning Vintage and what poore people the Iewes were commanded to releeue 865. a 40.50.60 Vineyarde Gods Church likened vnto a Vineyard and how 1153. b 10.20 Why God forbad the Iewes to sow diuerse seedes in one Vineyard 778. a b 60.779 al. Vineyardes Such as had planted Vineyardes and had not yet gathered the fruite of them exempted from going to warre and why 718. b 50.60 Of the Iewes Vineyardes their vines and their grapes 779. b 10 In what respect Vineyardes were saide to bee made common among the Iewes 719. b 30 Violence Of doing Violence to our brethren and neighbors and how Gods lawe prouided in that case Reade Sermon 144.223 b 20.30 A bridle that should restraine men froÌ all Violence 219. b 50 Vnder the name of murther all kind of Violence and wrong is forbidden 516. a 60. b 10. Looke Wrong Visible The Church shall not bee alwaies Visible and perceiueable 44. b 30 In what sort God shewed himselfe in a Visible manner to the Iewes 39. b 50.60 40. a 10 Visitation What it behoueth vs to doe in y e time of Gods priuate Visitation and otherwise 851. b 30.40.50.60 That sometimes we cannot perceiue the cause of Gods Visitation laide vpon vs. 986. a 50.60 A forme of examining our sinnes in the time of Gods Visitation 965. b all Howe we must prepare our selues to God in case we be touched with any Visitation either speciall or generall 1048. b 10.20 Looke Affliction and Chastisement Visor What a Visor is see by the circumstances 19. a 20 The word Visor and the worde person compared 19. a 10. Looke Person Visors God doteth not vpon the Visors that are seene to the eye 19. b 20. Looke Persons Vnbeleefe Wherein the vnbeleefe of men doth most of all shewe it selfe 350. b 60. 352. a 10.1229 a al b al. The cause why Vnbeleefe is so much detested and hated of God 56. b 40 Vnbeleefe alwaies matched with Pride and loftinesse 56. b 30.60 Our owne Vnbeleefe maketh vs loath to receiue the good turnes that God would doe vs. 72. a 10 Mens Vnbeleefe reuealed by Gods worde 79. a 20. bewrayeth it selfe when we should seeke God 156. b 60 158. b 10 What a kinde of feare the roote of Vnbeleefe remaining in vs doeth procure 714. all That Vnbelefe ouerfloweth the whole earth Read how 449. a 10.20.30.40 Vnbeleeuers In what thinges Vnbeleeuers doe repose themselues 617. b 50 Of what kinde of Prophetes and teachers the Vnbeleeuers doe best like 534. b 50.60 Gods goodnesse extendeth euen to the Vnbeleeuers Infidels 141. a 40.50 The behauiour of the Vnbeleeuers when God spareth them and when he punisheth them 293. a 20.20 The cause why the Vnbeleeuers ouershoote themselues in their superstitions 187. a 10.20 Gods benefites shed out vp on the Vnbeleeuers be turned into a curse vnto them 325. b 10 The Vnbeleeuers and wicked cannot touch anie of Gods benefites but they must needes marre them 325. b 10.20 God giueth not y e Vnbeleeuers wherewith to
let vs inquire whether it concerne God or no. If wee perceiue that it concerne God then must wee submit our selues thereto saying Lord thou art righteous let thine onely will suffice vs without looking to haue any other reason let it not be lawfull for vs to goe beyond that rule forasmuch as it is the rule of all right Now then if we haue the discretion and skill to discerne betweene God and men then shall we not fayle to honor and glorify God and to yeeld him the prayse of Iustice and vprightnesse and so shall wee lykewise if wee indeuour to trye mens doings by Gods word as we be taught it For good reason it is that the same should ouerrule vs yea and that all our deedes and thoughtes shoulde be so measured compassed and directed thereby as wee may consider thus with our selues Hath God forbidden it then is it a wicked thing and therefore I must forbeare it but doth God allow it or permit it then let vs confesse that it is well done without inquiring any further Thus yee see what wee haue to remember for the conclusion of this text Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better and to teach vs to condemne ourselues vtterly as in very deede there is nothing in vs but cursednesse and none but onely God deserueth to haue al praise of righteousness vprightnes yeelded vnto him and y t euery of vs may not only confesse it with our mouths but also sigh for our sinnes through true repentance so as wee may returne againe vnto him praying him to chaunge our wicked hartes in such wise that whereas now they be plunged in al naughtines and stonehard hee will vouchsafe to bring them to his obedience and to write and ingrose his lawes and commaundementes in them so as we may seeke nothing but to please him and to frame our selues wholy to his good will That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. On Tewsday the vij of May. 1555. The fifteenth Sermon which is the first vpon the third Chapter THen turned wee and went vp by the way of Basan And Og the king of Basan came out against vs he and all his people to fight in Edray 2 And the Lord sayd vnto me feare him not for I haue deliuered him into thy hand with all his people and land and thou shalt doe to him as thou diddest to Sehon king of the Amorrhites that dwelt in Hesebon 3 So the Lord our God deliuered Og King of Basan with all his people into our handes and we smote him so as nothing remained of him 4 The same season we tooke all his Cities and there was not anie Citie which we tooke not that is to wit threescore Cities all the Countrie of Argob which is of the kingdome of Og in Basan 5 All his Cities were fenced with high walles Gates and Barres besides the vnwalled townes which were manie in number 6 And wee destroyed them as wee had done to Sehon Bing of Hesebon in rooting out all his Cities men women and children 7 But all the cattle and the spoile of the Cities wee made a pray for our selues 8 So at that time we tooke the land out of the hand of the two kinges of the Amorrhytes which were beyond Iordan from the riuer Arnon vnto Mount Hermon 9 Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sarion and the Amorrhytes name it Sanir 10 Euen al the cities of the plaine and all Galaad and all Basan vnto Selcha and Edray which are cities of the kingdome of Og in the countrie of Basan 11 For onely Og king of Basan remained of the remnant of the Giants behold his bed which is a bed of yron is it not at Rabbath among the children of Ammon The length thereof is nine cubites and the bredth foure cubites after the cubites of a man IF we should take y e thinges that I haue read but as a simple reporte of a storie there would be no profite at all in the reading But if we be able to apply it to such vse as God meant by his holy spirit it is a very profitable lesson for vs. It is declared here that the people of Israell smote Og king of Basan as they had done Sehon king of the Amorrhytes That as ye see is the story But wee must consider to what purpose GOD meant to haue it registred in his lawe and published by Moses and brought againe to the peoples remembraunce It was to the ende that the people should knowe that they had bin guyded by the hand of God and that when they were deliuered out of the land of Egypt they wist not where to haue become vnlesse GOD had continued his fauour towardes them to put them in possessioÌ of the land which he had promised them for their inheritance But now wee must marke also that the people were not yet entered into the land of Chanaan there was yet great hardnesse in the matter And if they had not trusted in God they might haue bin so scared as would haue caused them to turne head and to murmur against God and to forsake the land that had bin promised them Therfore it was for them to be confirmed And Moses hath respect thereunto in that he setteth before their eyes the power where through they withstoode their enemies which was Gods assisting of them and his ouer throwing of their enemies And now that I haue noted that it was Gods wil to haue this story published and confirmed to the end aforesayd it behoueth vs lykewise to come to our selues and to apply it also to our owne vse For all was written for our learning 1. Cor. 10.11 Then let vs marke that whereas Moses hath sayd here that Og king of Basan was ouerthrowen the people should haue thought thus Behold God hath deliuered vs from a second and a third death For it had bin to no purpose to haue scaped out of Egypt to haue bin set free from the bondage of Pharao and to haue passed through the red Sea all this had bin nothing if our God had not strengthened vs seeing wee haue bin assayled by so mightie and strong enemies whome we had not bin able to resist And in good sooth wee ought to call to minde what hath bin declared before that is to wit that the people ran away as soone as their enemies came against them And why was that For it was not for them to looke for any succour at Gods hand because they ran foorth at adueÌture with such foolish rashnesse God had sayd vnto them yee shall not goe to battell and yet would they needes hazarde the incounter Therefore it was meete that they should bee made to knowe their follie to their cost Yet notwithstanding the people of Israel knewe wel enough by experience that they were not of sufficient power to
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 notwithstaÌding 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 ââ 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 coÌteined 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
Gods winges and to bee as it were one flocke gathered togither in his name And what doeth the Diuell on the contrarie parte There is nothing else but banding that the wicked may shed abroade their venim and poison And howe Euen by vnioyning the thinges that GOD had ioyned In deede they will not say it but the thing it selfe is too apparant and there needeth no long disputing or discoursing of the matter if a man doe but open his eyes he shall see it And it is a great shame that it is suffered and winked at for the matter is too open and manifest Matt. 19.6 Yet notwithstanding it is not our Lordes will that the thinges which he hath knitte togither shoulde bee so vnhappily rent a sunder and all bee put out of order after this sort Wherefore let vs abhorre such plagues and beseeche GOD to rid his Church of them the world too by powring out his vengeance vppon them seeing it appeareth that they bee vtterly reprobate and that there is no meane to reclaime them againe God so thunder downe vppon them as men may knowe howe highly hee esteemeth the vnitie of the faith and his Church be maintained in true brotherhood and concord And in the meane season let vs labour to bring this to passe and if wee bee true members of Iesus Christ let vs doe the cleane contrarie to that which wee see the wicked doe For sith that they doe straine themselues so to put all thinges to hauocke let vs on our side walke on in good vnion and looke that wee come togither in the presence of our God and that in such wise as his worde doe maintaine vs in good agreement and cause vs so to serue him and wee being conuersant one with another in good brotherly friendship may bee followers of the fatherly goodnesse of our GOD whereby he gathereth the thinges togither which were scattered asunder before Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feel them as wee may repent vs of them aright and seeke the remedie of them which is that he cleanse vs from all our affections and lustes making vs to renounce all our owne desires in such wise as we may no more bee giuen to our owne fansies and likings but seeke altogither to bee ruled by his worde and to profite therein after such a sorte more and more as our whole wisdome and perfection may be to be ruled altogither by y e same That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all c. On Wednesday the xxij of May. 1555. The xxij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the fourth Chapter and I will make them to heare my words which they shall learne to the end they may feare mee all the dayes which they shall liue vppon the earth and that they may teach their children 11 Then came yee and stoode vnder the hill which burnt with fire vnto the middes of the skie and there was darkenesse cloudes and mist. 12 And the Lorde your God spake vnto you out of the middes of the fire Yee heard the voyce of his wordes but you sawe not any image besides the voyce 13 Then declared he his couenant vnto you which hee commaunded you to doe that is to wit the tenne verses and hee wrote them vppon two tables of stone 14 The same time the Lorde commaunded mee to teache you the ordinaunces and Lawes to the ende yee should doe them in the Land which you goe into to possesse it I Declared yesterday after what maner wee must come together in the name of God to appeare before him For the meeting of the wicked is to make confederacies and it is apparant that their seeking is but only to conspire against God and all goodnesse but yet their meeting is by hiding themselues from Gods presence they would faine turne their backes vppon him so as he shoulde not see them Truely they doe but loose their time for all things must needs come to account before God And if mortall men espie their wicked practises so as they perceiue that their banding of themselues is but to ouerthrowe all order the same must needes bee knowen to the heauenly iudge Eccle. 12.14 Heb. 4.13 from whom nothing is hidden If their lewdnesse appeare euen to little children thinke they that God hath his eyes stopped But it behoueth vs on our side to present our selues before God in all our meetings to the intent that he may sit among vs wee bee taught as it were by his mouth and gouerned by his hand Furthermore forasmuch as wee see that the wicked seeke altogether to rend a sunder the vnion of the Church let vs indeuour so much y e more to come togither in Gods name For wee can not prooue our selues to bee his children if wee haue not the marke whereof Moses speaketh here And thereby it may bee iudged that such as passe not to haunt the companies of Christians when they meete together in the name of God to heare his worde and to pray vnto him are but as dogges and deserue not to bee reckened in the common aray of meÌ but are to be abhorred as dung and filth bicause they haue cut off themselues from Gods house Thus yee see what wee haue to remember concerning that text And nowe Moses addeth that if we minde to fare the better by the meetings that are made in the name of God Wee must hearken to the things that he telleth vs and that must bee to the ende that wee may feare him that is to say to the ende wee yeeld him al reuerence and it may appeare that wee take him for our Father and God For if we thinke to content God with ceremonies we deceiue our selues as they doe which could finde in their heartes to haue no Religion at all and therefore resort hither some but once a moneth and othersome as seldome as may bee There are also which come hither vpon the Sundayes and Wednesdayes as it were for fashions sake but in the meane while doeth it appeare that they bee any whit edified in the feare of God Doeth it appeare that their comming hither to crowd themselues into the flocke doth any whit amend them or make them the better Nay rather they become the more venemous against God therefore their comming to infect Gods house is to their greater condemnation for they bee vnworthie to come here they bee no better than swine Therefore our comming to the Church must be to another ende that is to wit that wee may profite in the feare of God Nowe as I haue touched alreadie this feare importeth that he shoulde ouerrule vs and that wee should bee subiect vnto him And for the same cause also doeth Moses match these two sayings together namely that wee must doe the things that God commaundeth vs and also that wee must feare him Many men
God but that their eares must be attentiue to heare his voyce so that whensoeuer God speaketh men must be as it were imprisoned to it and content themselues to be taught by him Therefore when we come before the Lorde accordingly as it is sayd that they which meete together in his Church doe appeare before him let vs note that wee must make account of his voyce and think thus with our selues What come we hither to doe Whereas the Papistes gase vppon their Church walles and fiske about after their foolish ceremonies and after murlimewes of their own making insomuch that although they thinke they please God yea and hold him bound vnto them yet they doe but play the brute beastes in y t behalfe Let vs haue Gods word as y e certaine mark that he sitteth in y e middest of vs is alwayes at hand with vs. After that maner must wee thinke if wee will not erre for the true marke for all the faithfull to shoote at when they assemble together in the name of GOD is to haue his voyce as a warrant of the presence of his maiestie And of a trueth lyke as the eare was the cause of the withdrawing of the first man from God so must it drawe vs to him again at this day What was it that banished our father Adam out of Gods kingdom What caryed him away from the hope of lyfe Gen. 3.17 but his eares which receiued the voyce of Satan and the falshoode that was put to him Now then lyke as wee be separated from God by that damnable voyce when wee haue yeelded vnto euill so now wee knowe that the onely meane to bee called vnto God and to enter into his house that wee may be of the number of his children is to heare Gods voyce and therby to be vnited vnto him Thus muche concerning that worde Moses addeth thereunto that at the same time God published his couenaunt which hee had made afore and commaunded Moses to bring them the ten articles in two tables charging him to teach the people his lawes and iudgementes that they might doe them Hereby wee see againe that which I haue touched heretofore that is to wit that God will not haue his doctrine to be as a dead thing but to bee of power to reforme vs so that wheras naturally wee be frowarde and giuen to all naughtines wee must be subiect to him in such wise as his righteousnesse may raigne in vs. To that intent was the lawe set foorth True it is that the lawe being writteÌ in two tables of stone could not be kept vnlesse God subdewed the hardnesse of mens hartes by his holy spirit and therefore it serued as a figure to shewe that the lawe ought to be written in mens hearts 2. Cor. 3.3 though they be neuer so hard Iere. 31.33 Those stones then were as an image of our heartes For as God auoweth by his prophet wee haue such a hardnesse in vs as hee can neuer bow vs till wee be softened Neuerthelesse lyke as hee ingraued his lawe in the stones so also doeth hee print the same in vs when it pleaseth him to touche vs by his holy spirit And this was done at the same time that the lawe was put foorth And here yee see why comparison is made betweene the Gospell and the lawe God tolde the people how it behoued theÌ to know theÌselues for such as they were in deed that is to wit y t they were hardned in naughtinesse Rom. 8.6.7 Colos. 1.21 stubborne and ful of all corruption so as there was no concord nor agreement betweene the thoughtes and affections of them and the righteousnesse of himselfe And for proofe thereof let vs marke that there are two thinges betokened by that which Moses rehearseth here The one is the goodnes that GOD hath shewed in setting forth his lawe For it is not enough for men to be taught that will not boote them vntill such time as he subdew them Wee may haue our eares beaten long enough with the doctrine of the Lawe but wee shall continew still giuen to our owne naughtinesse and therefore it shall be but labor lost and mispent to preach Gods word vnto vs. And why For it will slip out againe and so shall wee continewe alwayes lyke our selues That is one thing that is betokened vnto vs. And therewithall God hath shewed that yet notwithstanding the setting foorth of his worde in that wise by the mouth of a man is not in vaine for it serued to put the people againe in hope of thinges that were yet hidden wherof wee haue not onely a full sight but also the effect and accomplishment by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Ier. 3â 3â Eze. 37. â according as it is sayd by the prophets Ieremie and Ezechiel that God will make a newe couenant after another maner than that which he made with the fathers of olde time For that couenant sayth he was soone broken because they had no holde of themselues but I wil ingraue my Iawe in your heartes God then did testify this newe couenant by Moses in mount Sinay which our Lord Iesus Christ hath performed by his comming into the worlde and which is offered vnto vs still euery day And therefore let vs learne that when wee come to be taught it must not be to any other ende than to be renewed by God so as hee put away the hardnesse that is in vs and soften our heartes after such a sorte as wee may stoope vnder him to receiue his yoke and hee holde vs in awe because wee be so fickle that we would start away from him euery day if hee gaue vs not steddie constantnesse to goe through with our vocation That is a thing which wee ought to marke well And why Euen to humble vs and to make vs knowe that although GOD spare our liues yet should they bee turned into death if hee should let vs alone in our owne plight and not adde a second grace in reforming vs by his holy spirite And therewithall let vs be of good comfort forasmuch as wee see that nowadayes wee haue not onely the auncient figures and the tables of stone wherein God wrate his lawe but also that hee worketh effectually by his holy spirit as Saint Paul sheweth in the thirde to the Colossians Col. ââ Seeing then that God worketh after such a sorte as wee perceiue that our heartes are no more stony forasmuch as wee be willing to stoope vnder him and desirous to honor him insomuch that although there be many lettes and hinderances in vs as wee see that the fleshe striueth continually against goodnesse yet notwithstanding our Lord giueth vs the grace to be sorie for our infirmities and sinnes being desirous to eschewe them indeuoring to withstanding and inforcing our selues with all our heartes to serue him Let vs acknowledge the singular grace that hee vouchsafeth vppon vs and therewithall let vs learne to preace boldely vnto him
to the perfection which God calleth vs vnto Thus yee see wherevppon wee must stand that wee may make our profite by this last commandement of the Law And to the end we may take the better heede to it and consider that it is such a doctrine as deserueth well to haue our whole mindes applyed vnto it Rom. 7.9 Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.13 Phil. 3.5.6 let vs beare in minde howe saint Paul saieth that whereas hee âad beene counted a great doctor and a wise man and had beene trained vp in Gods lawe from his childhood yet notwithstanding he had beene so blinde that he wist not what Gods Lawe ment vntill hee had beene conuerted and that our Lord Iesus Christ had inlightened him by his Gospel and so made him to knowe wherevnto the Lawe ought to leade vs. Yee see then howe S. Paul had beene brought vp in such sort that he was of great reputation among men howbeit not among the heathen as who should say hee had beene some Philosopher but as one that had beene trayned vp in the Lawe of God And as in respect of his life he protesteth y t he had bin vnblameable before men Yee see then that S. Paul was a holie and a wise man in common account and yet for all that hee is but a sillie beast as in respect of Gods Lawe Why so He saith that he thought himselfe to bee aliue and to haue beene righteous before God not knowing that hee needed the mercy which God offereth to all sinners For hee absteined from whoredome and robberie and such other things and againe he had no euill intentes that any man coulde perceiue or knowe by reason whereof hee thought himselfe to be a righteous man But at the length when God had pitied him hee opened his eyes and made him to vnderstande by this last word Thou shalt not lust Rom. ãâ¦ã Loe howe S. Paul began to learne the lawe newe againe whereof he had beene a teacher before S. Paul making profession of the Lawe wherein he had beene brought vp from his tender age saith that vntill such time as he had throughly bethought him of the meaning of this text hee posted ouer it as it had beene vppon burning coales as they say so as he tasted not the strength and power of the lawe ne knewe what sinne was that hee might condemne himselfe and flee to Gods mercie for refuge wherein the hope of our saluation lyeth and ought to bee grounded Seing that S. Paul could not conceiue the meaning of the lawe nor attaine to the right vnderstanding thereof but by this clause let vs determine with our selues to trauell y e earnestlyer in it And sith hee was so blinde all the time of his life vntill his conuersion that he vnderstoode not that saying wee ought to take the better heede of it as I tolde you before For wee be not of better abilitie than hee but God must bee faine to shewe vs by his holy spirite what is ment by this coueting or lusting which is condemned in this place But nowe besides this we haue here another warning which is right necessarie for vs. For the diuel hath labored to couer this commandemeÌt after such a sort as Gods intent and meaning might not be knowen but that men might lightly passe ouer all wicked lustes which were seene to be sinne and whereof euery man might haue proofe in himselfe Insomuch that men restreined this worde lust to none other affections than such as import a resolute purpose or full intent but that is contrarie to the plaine meaning of Moses And let vs consider what is come to passe in the Popedome For although the Papistes cannot denie but that to be prouoked and stirred vp to euill desires is a damnable fault and springeth of originall sinne and of the corruption which wee receiue from our father Adam yet notwithstanding they imagine that after baptisme it is no longer sinne though there come a thought into a mans minde to doubt of Gods promises and to grudge and repine against him If a man bee afflicted and his heart riseth against it so as he blameth God of vnrighteousnesse and crueltie that is no sinne say the Papistes And they be not the small fooles that say so but it is a generall resolution in all their diuellish Synagogues or Schooles There is not any synagogue in the Popedome wherein this point is not receiued as an article of the faith namely y t though a man bee moued and prouoked by any wicked lust yet it is no sinne insomuch that if hee bee tempted to murther to poyson to committe whoredome and to doe all the crimes and outrages of the world yet if he do not consent thereto nor assent for those are the two termes that they vse that is to say so they determine not fully vpon the matter to say I will goe through with my wicked intent nor stande vpon it to delight in that wicked affection it is no sinne at all it is but an exercising of our selues in battell whereby wee shewe our selues to bee valiant champions and that sinne ouermastreth vs not Indeed it is true that the faithfull doe well shewe that Gods spirite reigneth in them by their beating backe of such temptations And when they hold themselues in awe and as it were imprison them selues and resist those things because they know they bee contrarie to Gods will and that hee condemneth them it is certaine that thing sheweth that God hath giuen them the vpper hande of sinne and that his power is resident in them and that they be stout champions to fight against Satan but yet doeth it not followe that they bee cleare from all fault and that they can pluck vp sin and fully deliuer themselues from it as though there were not any spot or blemish more in them Alas we come farre short of that For surely on the one side wee haue cause to praise God for giuing vs the grace by his holie spirite to ouercome all wicked affections But yet must wee sigh with all humilitie acknowledging our selues to be weake on our part and that if he pitied vs not we haue such a wicked minde alredy in vs as prouoketh his vengeance against vs so as we shoulde well deserue to be vtterly destroied at his hande Moreouer it was requisite that God should discouer the shame of the popedome and shewe that the greatest clarks there are duller witted than the sillie Infidels that neuer hard one word of holy scripture Why so For we must take that which is written in the Law It is saide that the whole summe of the lawe is that wee shoulde loue God with all our heart with al our soule ãâã 6.5 ãâ¦ã 22.37 with all our minde and with all our powers If it had beene saide Thou shalt loue GOD with all thy heart very well a man might haue concluded that it is no sinne vnlesse thewil doe fully resolue vpon it and purpose it For
That God spake with a loude voyce Hereby Moses sheweth that the Lawe is no hidden doctrine and that men can not alledge that they bee not of sufficient learning for not with out cause did God so lift vp his voyce when he intended to giue a rule for men to liue by It is added expressely That it was doone to the whole multitude As if he should say It is true that God hath chosen men from among you to gouerne you and that he hath giuen them his spirit but yet for all that he will haue his lawe knowen euen of the rudest and most ignorant Psal. 19.8 so as it may be a wisedome common to all men That is one of the pointes which we haue to marke here The seconde is That God added not any thing more after those ten sentences Wherein Moses doeth the people to vnderstand that this briefenesse which God vseth ought to incourage vs to receiue the thinges that he speaketh For if he should lay great volumes before vs we might replie that all our life would not suffice to studie them God therefore was not ouerlong in giuing vs his woord There are but onely ten verses of them Let vs count them vpon our fingers and wee shall haue instruction ynough in all things that are requisite for our life Yea herewithall Moses meant to doe vs to wit also that seeing God hath giuen vs such a sure rule as he intended not to adde any whit at all to y t which he had spoken alreadie it behoueth vs to holde vs to it and it is not lawfull for any creature to adde aught vnto it Thus much concerning the second point For the third point he rehearseth that againe which he had sayde heretofore that is to wit That God in setting forth his lawe Deut. 4.11 spake from out of the cloud and that the mountaine smoked and that there were flames of fire and flashes of lightening flew to and fro Whereto tendeth all this That the doctrine might carrie the greater Maiestie and that men might be moued to humble themselues reuerently before GOD and to submit themselues wholly to his word and to obey the same These are the three notable points which Moses rehearseth here before he proceede to the rest Now as touching y e first let vs remember what hath bene said afore that is to say That God spake loud and shirle and not to a fewe folke but generally to all the people which thing was doone to make vs vnderstand that Gods woord shall bee cleare and certaine to vs so wee playe not the deafe folkes wilfully True it is that our wits are so weake as we shall neuer vnderstand one word of the things that God speaketh to vs except he inlighten vs by his holy spirit 1. Cor. 2.13 for the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the heauenly thinges Those then are too high for vs. But whereof coÌmeth that fault and vice but of our owne blindnesse Yet notwithstanding Gods trueth as in respect of it selfe and in it owne nature is easie open ynough and therefore let vs not charge it with darksomnesse Againe what is to be done if we would haue God to make vs profite in his word Let vs be lowely and of small reputation for it is not in vaine that he hath promised to teache the lowely Psal. 25.9 Then let vs not trust to our own wit let vs not come with ouerweening and loftinesse as though wee thought our selues of sufficient capacitie to iudge of the thinges that shall bee said vnto vs but let vs rather beseeche God to open our eyes and to reach vs his hand and let vs confesse that we haue not the aptnesse to profite in his schoole further foorth than he giueth it vs. If wee bee at that point let vs not doubt but that Gods word will be easie to vs and wee shall vnderstand what he intendeth to say Hereby we see what wretchednes hath bin in y e world whereby the coÌmon people and welneere all other men haue bene plucked backe from reading the holy scriptures For it hath bene an opinion that it belonged to none but Monkes Priestes yea in the end there was such beastlinesse as it seemed that diuinitie ought to bee locked vp in chestes or caskets But yet for all that this record hath indured and must indure to the worldes ende namely that God hath spoken with a loude voyce not hidden or shrunke himselfe aside into some litle odde nooke Therfore it was too shamefull a thanklesnesse that men haue so left Gods woord as it were in a wildernesse And wee ought to marke this text so much the more where it is saide that God spake not to some Doctor onely but to all the people in common yea euen to the verie simplest sort of them In respect whereof we haue cause to magnifie the goodnesse of our God in restoring the benefite vnto vs whereof wee see the most part of the world bereft for their churlishnesse and retchlesnesse sake so that now adays Gods word soundeth among vs and we may reade it and be partakers of it both openly and secretly and the treasures thereof are set foorth to vs so as wee may inioy them and that is an inestimable benefite which wee ought to magnifie Againe let vs be diligent in giuing eare to our God and let no man alledge excuses to shift himselfe from him For seeing that God speaketh to all y e companie of the faithfull euen to as many as are baptized in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ let euery man on his owne behalfe and in his degree indeuour to profite thereby and let all of vs in common take God for our schoolemaister and bee readie to hearken to him whensoeuer it pleaseth him to speake vnto vs which thing he doth daily Thus much concerning the first point where it is said that God spake to the whole multitude Now let vs come to the second point that is to wit That he added not any thing and that is to the end that we should be the willinger to heare what is contained in the Lawe It is true that all that euer is set downe in writing by Moses belongeth to the Lawe Likewise the thinges that the Prophets haue left vnto vs and finally that which is added in the Gospell containe all one substance And though the Byble be very great yet notwithstanding GOD hath made it all to ame at one certaine marke to the intent wee should not goe wandering at rouers nor bee driuen to make too much seeking whither wee should goe For why All is referred to ten verses as I haue said alreadie Let vs recken vppon our fingers and wee shall haue Gods commaundements we shall haue a summe of the thinges which we ought to beare in minde that we may be good schollers to Godward Seeing there is such briefenesse must in not needes be that men are too froward if they refuse such teaching and
we may come yeeld ourselues to our God to deale with vs as he list and to leade vs whither he will so as wee may follow him whithersoeuer we bee called by his mouth Thus ye see whereto we must referre the things that are spoken here concerning the smoking of the mount the flaming of the fire and the thicknesse of the cloude Besides this let vs marke further that Gods appearing in whirlewindes and thicke cloudes after that sort serueth to represse mens foolishe curiositie True it is as I haue saide alreadie that God speaketh to the intent to bee vnderstoode and therefore vseth no doubtful wordes nor goeth about the bushe as they say but hath vttered his will so plainely as wee cannot but be throughly instructed vnlesse we ourselues bee to blame for that wee will not hearken to him But yet for all this we must not bee too curious and inquisitiue in seeking whatsoeuer seemeth good to our selues as we see men commonly bee who are inclined to such a desire of glorie that their eares are euer itching to heare and knowe this and that But behold here our Lord saith the contrarie would ye faine knowe Behold here is a cloude to stoppe yee see what a darkenesse is here So then let vs learne that if we wil be good scholers to Godward wee must not giue our owne desires the head to searche the thinges that ought to bee hidden from vs but content our selues to knowe what GOD telleth vs and tary vntill the day of full discouerie for y e knowing of the rest which we cannot yet comprehend To be short let vs be ignorant in the thinges that God voutsafeth not to shew vnto vs. For this ignorance of not coueting to knowe more than our Lord giueth vs leaue to knowe excelleth all the wisedome of the world Nowe let vs come to that which Moses addeth Hee sayth that the lawe was written in two tables of stone and deliuered vnto him Whereas hee speaketh of the two tables âeut 4.13 wee must call to remeÌberance what hath bin treated of heretofore namely that God could well haue written all his lawe in one stone but it was his will to write it in two that the destinction might the better leade vs to the vnderstaÌding of the things conteined in the law For wee see that our Lord doth as it were chawe the thinges to vs which are set downe there to the intent wee shoulde not alledge y t he speaketh to high for vs. Because there are two principall poyntes of our lyfe our Lord hath deuided his lawe into two tables of purpose to make vs to know how wee shoulde behaue our selues towardes him and also how wee ought to liue with our neighbors Is a man desirous to rule his life aright in all perfection First hee must giue himselfe to the seruing of God so as hee be sure what thinges God requireth and alloweth and secondly he must liue so vprightly and euenly with his neighbors as he may shewe by his doinges that hee is the very childe of God The first poynt then is to know how God wil be honored at our handes and the second is to yeelde our neighbors their dewes and to keepe this indifferencie of nature of doing nothing to another Matt. 7.12 which wee would not haue done to our selues So then in the one table God hath shewed how he himselfe will bee serued accordingly as I haue tolde you already y t he did set himselfe alone there to the intent y t men should not inuent newe Gods declaring therewithall that he will not be resembled by any images or puppets but that forasmuch as he is a spirit Iohn 4.24 he wil haue vs to serue him spiritually and not to deuise one thing or other on our own heades but to yeelde him spirituall seruice more ouer that he will haue his name sanctified by our exercising of our selues in his worde specially by forbearing our owne wits Esa. 58.13 by renouncing our owne imaginations affectioÌs so as we rest from our owne doings to suffer our selues to be gouerned of God These are the thinges conteined in the first table As touching the second we haue seene how he commanded vs there to honor our father our mother and how he forbad vs murder whoredome theft euil speach all maner of wicked lusting or coueting That is the cause why God diuided his Lawe into two tables Now then wil we lead our lyfe aright Let vs alwayes haue regard first to honor our God afterward to liue vprightly and indiffereÌly w t our neighbors For there are some y t forbeare to doe harme to their neighbors but in y e meane while they make no reckoning of God but they thinke they shall go quite cleare so no man coÌplayne of theÌ in the world And I pray you what matter is it though we steale not froÌ men if we rob God of his honor Is it not a heynouser crime to rob God of his honor than to rob a man or to cut his purse or to rifle his cofer Yes Then let vs not think we haue all done wheÌ men cannot indite vs nor complayne of vs. For y e case standeth vpon yelding vnto God y t which he demandeth y e which also is dewe vnto him For we be bound to honor him all our lyfe long Therefore it staÌdeth vs so much the more in hand to apply our minds to y e keeping of y e first table of the lawe so as we lead not a philosophical lyfe lyke y e heatheÌ onely to behaue our selues honestly amoÌg men but specially y t we haue Gods honor in estimatioÌ make that the first poynt which wee begin at Lykewise there are some others which wil needs cary a countenance of deuotion towardes God and of great zeale to serue and honor him and yet when they come to bee conuersant among men they pill they poull they quarell and they be ful of crueltie enuy and malice But let vs marke that God hath not separated the two tables of his lawe In deede he hath put a differeÌce betwixt them but he hath not deliuered to some men the first table and to othersome the second to keepe Hee hath sayd this is my lawe and looke what I haue ioyned together must not be put asunder True it is that ye must be put in remembraunce of the loue that yee owe to your neighbors that ye may goe through with it But yet notwithstanding when ye haue discharged your selues of that poynt yee must frame your selues to the other also Lykewise when yee shall haue shewed great deuotion in the worshipping and seruing of me ye must not bee carelesse to liue iustly and vprightly with your neighbors Also there are many that bee desirous to serue God but after what sorte Euen as the papistes doe after their owne fancie But our Lordes wil was to bridle vs in his giuing forth of the first table
to the end we should learne to serue him as he commaundeth vs and not lyke well of any thing but that which he alloweth for good Thus ye see whereto this saying is referred that God wrate the lawe in two tables And his wil was to write it in two tables of stone purposely to the intent it should continue For it was not giuen for any little time neither is it transitorie True it is that the ceremonies had an end 2. Cor. 3.11 Gal. 3.19 He 7.18.19 and 9.8.10 Ephe. 2.15 Col. 2.14.17 And in that respect the lawe is called temporall namely because the order that had bin stablished among the people of olde time to continue till the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ was then abolished and thinges were made perfect so as wee be no more vnder the shadowes figures which serued for that time Neuerthelesse the substance and trueth of the lawe serued not for that one age onely Matt. 5.18 but is a thing that shall indure for euer and neuer faile Wherfore let vs learne that Gods setting forth of his wil at the going of his people out of Egypt and his speaking to them vppon mount Sinay was after such a sorte as he prouided and tooke order therewithal that his doctrine should stand in force for euermore And for that cause did he set downe his lawe in two tables of stone and not write it in barckes of trees as the maner of wryting was in those dayes or as we might say nowadayes in paper or parchment but his will was to ingraue it in stone as an euerlasting monument to confirme vs the better in the thinges that he had sayd For he was not satisfied with the speaking of it for that onely day but by ingrauing it in stone his intent was that wee all our life long should giue attentiue eare to heare what he tolde vs. Yet notwithstanding surely Gods ingrauing of his lawe in stone after that sorte would serue to small purpose vnlesse it were also ingrauen in our hearts 2. Cor. 3.3 What is to be done then Let vs assure our selues that the doctrine which God setteth downe vnto vs is behoofefull and necessarie for vs and yet it should stand vs in no stead vnlesse hee added a second grace which is y t the thing which he hath vttred be forthwith printed in our heartes and bowels Then lyke as God wrate his lawe at that time in two tables of stone with his finger that is to say with his power so now he must be fain to write it with his holy spirit in our heartes which are stony and hard as the prophet sheweth where he prayeth God to giue vs heartes of fleshe that may be soft lythe and plyable to receiue whatsoeuer he shall say Nowe then seeing that God hath shewed vs visibly y t it belongeth to him to write his Lawe that it may be well knowen let vs beseech him to vouchsafe to write it in vs now adayes by the power of his holy spirit to the end wee may holde it fast as the diuell may neuer wype it out of our rememberances doe what he can And herewithall Moses concludeth that the Lawe was deliuered vnto him to bee the preseruer and keeper therof and to bee the minister and dealer forth of it to the people so as euerie man might acknowledge him for a Prophet For otherwise he could not haue executed his office nor haue builded Gods Church except meÌ had knowen that that charge had bin committed vnto him Likewise now adayes if we were not perswaded that it is Gods will y t his Gospell should be preached by the mouthes of men and that there should be Shepheardes in his Church to beare abrode his worde who would vouchsafe to come togither Neither I nor any other creature is of abilitie to traine men to come to receiue the thinges that are to be vttered by my mouth When I speake here in the name of God and men giue eare to the doctrine to submit themselues to it and to doe him homage it is more than all the lawes and proclamations of kings and Emperors can doe Is the mortal man the doer thereof No. But when we once knowe it to be Gods will that this order shoulde bee in his Church and that it should bee kept vnuiolably namely that there should bee sheepheards to beare abroad his worde and to expounde the same which should be as messengers to bring tidings of the forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and to rebuke reproue comfort and exhort when we I say doe vnderstand it to be Gods wil that there should be such gouernment in his Church then are wee ashamed to withstand him y t hath created and fashioned vs. So then ye see now why Moses sayd in this text that God deliuered him his lawe for himselfe Trueth it is that God gaue it for all the people in generall as I sayd afore Why then is Moses now the possessor of it It should seeme that God meant to bereaue all his people thereof and that none should bee priuiledged but Moses so as the lawe should be restrained vnto him and the residewe be as it were shut out from it But it is not so For although the Lawe was giuen for all the people yet was Moses made the protector of it And looke what God hath spoken of him we must extend it yet further accordingly as we heare that the prophets were put in the same commission Deut. 31. âer 1.5.7 â 2 to bee as it were disposers or dealers foorth of the treasure of saluation and of Gods couenant so as their office was to shewe Gods will from time to time and to bring vs worde of it in his name And the generall rule which Saint Paul giueth vs â Cor. 4.1 is that men must esteem vs as Gods ministers as dealers forth of the secretes which he sendeth to the world Now whereas Saint Paul sayth wee bee dealers forth of Gods secretes he sheweth vs thereby that it is not enough for vs to haue the holy scripture and to reade it euery man at home in his house but it is required that it should bee preached vnto vs that wee should haue this order of being taught by the mouthes of men and that there should bee shepheardes to serue Gods turne to the ende y t by giuing care vnto them wee might profite more and more in the doctrine of saluation And for the same cause doth Saint Paule say in another place 2. Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the piller of trueth and as it were the ground and standard of the trueth The Papistes alledge this textfull doltishly to clayme priuiledge to themselues to deuise newe articles of fayth and to lode men with lawes at their owne pleasure But Saint Paul meant the cleane contrarie For hee saith that the Church is the piller or ground of Gods truth because that seeing God hath
messengers hee hath respect to our benefite and commoditie and therefore it proceedeth of a foolish and inordinate lust in vs to desire that hee shoulde appeare to vs from heauen or that hee shoulde worke any visible miracle for wee cannot comprehend his glory and maiestie Furthermore although the proper nature of the lawe bee to fray folke yet notwithstanding the same may also bee verifyed of the Gospell For wee must take it for a generall rule that as soone as wee perceiue Gods presence we must needes bee abashed Wee see how the very Angels doe hide their eyes Esa. â 2 because Gods glory is too great for them and they be driuen to confesse that they bee too feeble as creatures And what will become of vs then For wee be inferior to the Angels and besides that wee holde not still the vncorruptnesse of our nature Wee be not as wee were created that is to say we be not earthly men as our father Adam was but wee bee vtterly corrupted so as there is nothing but sinne in vs and therefore God is faine to be as an enemie to vs and wee bee faine to shunne his throne as offenders shunne the seate of the Iudge to the vttermost of their power To bee short we be but wretched wormes and caryons Nowe then looke how soone God commeth neere vs wee must needes be dismaied yea and vtterly stryken downe And therefore as I haue touched already it is to our benefite that God sheweth himselfe after that fashion that is to wit by the meanes of men so as hee appoynteth men to shewe vs his will as well as if hee spake himselfe and hee will haue vs to receiue his word with as great reuerence as if we heard him thundering from heauen But yet it will bee good for vs to vnderstand more at large the thing that I haue touched in one worde namely that the Lawe frayeth vs far more in comparison than the Gospel as is declared also more at length elsewhere And why is that Because that in the Lawe God requireth that which is due to him at mens handes But now let vs see if wee be able to discharge our selues of it No but contrariwise wee bee lyke wretched detters which haue not one dodkin nor dodkins woorth Now then wee be vtterly vndone For whatsoeuer come of it God dischargeth vs not but sheweth vs that wee deserue to bee cursed and damned at his hand And for the same cause after he hath shewed how the lyfe of man ought to bee ruled he addeth this curse thundering downe vpon them That they be all accursed which performe not all the thinges that are conteined there As if hee should say All men must bee faine to yeelde themselues guiltie in this behalfe and from the greatest to the least they must all knowe that they be in my daunger and that I may sinke theÌ downe to the bottom of hel I doe already pronounce this sentence there is no man able to reply against it Behold then ye are all lost and condemned This is the language of the Lawe and the speach that God vseth there and now must not all men needes quake at it Yes So then it is not sayd for nought that the lawe frayeth vs and that we must needs bee forlorne so long as God listeth to demaund his due at our handes with rigor But the case standeth not so with the Gospell Eze. 11.19 2. Cor. 3.3 For there God beareth with vs and not onely forgiueth vs our sinnes but also wryteth his lawe in our heartes And moreouer although wee serue him but by halues yet doth hee pardon vs our defaultes and as it were winke at them And lyke as a father will not presse his childe too straitly so doth God vse a fatherly gentlenesse towardes vs in the Gospell to the intent wee should not bee afraid to come vnto him In respect whereof the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes He. 12.18.20 sayth that wee bee not come to this smoking mountaine wee be not come to mount Sinay to bee astonished at the sight of burning fyre and at the sight of the lightnings and of all the other thinges that were done there to abash the people but that wee heare a gratious and pleasaunt melody wherein we be accompanyed with the Angels of heauen with the soules of the holy patriarkes and other fathers that liued vnder the hope of lyfe notwithstanding that they had as then but darke shadowes of it and so GOD coupleth vs with those that waited in olde time for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Seing it is so we must not recoyle backe but goe still on foreward with a chearefull courage to heare our God because he speaketh to vs so kindely and with so fatherly speach as doth not scarre away his children but rather as ye would say allure them This difference then is to be marked well that it may make the Gospell amiable to vs in comparison of the Lawe But yet for all this we must come backe againe to the generall principle which is that it is much better for vs that Gods word should be preached vnto vs by the mouthes of men than y t God himself shold thunder it down from heauen And why For let vs but here the naturall thunder and by and by we be astonished and yet is nothing expressed there God doth but as yee would say braye with a confused noyse What would come of it then if hee should speake to vs shew vs his glory We feele such a weakenesse in all our senses that we cannot so much as looke vpon the sunne which is a corruptible creature and how then can we beholde gods maiestie if it shewe it selfe to vs playnely and in full perfection And therefore it is sayd that no man liuing can see God and not dye and bee vtterly consumed Trueth it is that God shewed himselfe to Moses and that not as he did to the prophets not in dreame nor in vision but with a speciall priuiledge and as it is sayd in Exodus face to face as a man speaketh to his friend âxo 33.11 and with so great familiaritie that he was after a sort exempted from the companie of men that hee might become the more familiar with God But yet for all that the trueth is so that GOD shewed himself vnto him but in portion measure For had he shewed himselfe in his infinite being what grace of the holy ghost soeuer Moses had receiued hee must needes haue bin vtterly ouerwhelmed In deede once in his lyfe God shewed him his glory more fully than euer he did but yet for all that he sawe but as it were the backe parte of him In the which similitude is expressed vnto vs that when wee see but the backe of a man wee see not the chiefe part of him for the chiefe sight of a man is in his face so although Moses had speciall familiaritie with God insomuch
ambition the thing that is sayd here as wee see how our Lord Iesus Christ in the Gospell vpbraideth the Scribes and Pharisies with their large gardes Matt. 32.5 insomuch that if the common people had any narrowe garde of wryting wherein the commaundements were set downe these great Rabbies to the intent to become holyer than other men had gardes of an handbredth vppon their garments wherein Gods lawe was written in great letters that it might be seene a great way off O those were holy persons for they had Gods lawe written in great letters whereas the common people had it in small They knew the lawe much better and therefore was God much magnifyed in them Nay contrariwise such vaine bragging was a flatte mocking of God but yet it was the fashion of all men as I haue declared already And by this which befell the Iewes let vs take vnderstanding and instruction that the same must serue vs to behold that we bee so froward that whereas God laboreth to drawe vs familiarly vnto him we despise it and in stead of profiting our selues by the doctrine that is set before vs wee turne it vnto laughter wee vnhalowe it lyke Churchrobbers and we turne quite and cleane contrarie to his meaning so as it had bin better for vs neuer to haue heard one worde of his mouth Thus yee see what wee haue to marke But now herewithall we must come to the meaning of Moses which I haue touched shortly already Remember these wordes sayth hee And howe By talking and conferring of them in thy house and as thou goest abroad Here wee see well how our Lordes meaning was not to be honored with gardes of garmentes and such other thinges but to haue his lawe printed in his peoples heartes and to haue it kept alwayes fresh in remembrance Therefore let vs consider that whereas wee haue so much needelesse talke our Lord will haue his people exercised in talking and conferring vppon his lawe whether it bee in resting or in iourneying or when they be at home in their howses If wee minded this warning well surely it would be a bridle to reine vs backe and to withdrawe vs from the vnprofitable talke whereunto wee bee so much giuen For wee can spend I say not some forenoone but the whole day continually in light talke but if wee speake but two or three wordes of God by and by wee bee wearie and it greeueth vs. Yet notwithstanding this talking of him is not the chiefe poynt For wee must come to this saying of the psalme Psal. ãâ¦ã I beleeue and therfore will I speake For oftentimes and most commonly they that haue Gods lawe in their mouth and at their tongues end haue it not at all in their heart and affection Therefore wee must speake of Gods lawe much more with our heartes than with our mouthes But yet must we talke of it also to edify our neighbors that the father may teach his children and the maister his seruantes to serue God That is the cause why our Lord commaundeth men to talk of his Lawe not to discharge themselues lightly of it as though the whole matter lay in speaking of it but to quicken vp and correct our vnlustinesse so as euery man help foreward his neighbor and drawe him with him and the fathers and maisters in the meane while be careful to teach their children and seruants as I sayd afore That is Moseses simple meaning when he speaketh here of talking either at home or abroad namely that mens talke must alwayes be of Gods Lawe Afterward here insueth thou shalt muse vpon it in thy heart Herein wee see how our Lord rebuketh vs and sheweth vs how fickle headed we bee insomuch that if wee be not helde fast by diuers meanes wee forget God his lawe out of hand For what is the cause that he setteth as it were frontlets here before our eyes Wherefore is it that hee will haue vs to weare as it were Tablets Ringes and Bracelets but for that wheras we bee woont to gase chiefly at such thinges and to make a shewing of them he will haue his own law to be set in them Now the excellentest part of man is his face and his eyes and our Lorde wil haue his lawe to be there Againe he will haue it vppon our handes and we cannot doe any thing but our handes must needs goe foremost still in it Now our Lordes will is that wee should not be able to stirre one finger but we should be put in minde of his law by it Hereby he sheweth vs as I sayde afore that if wee haue not good store of bridles we shall play the loose coltes and if the lawe be not brought to our minde and the remembrance thereof refreshed by many meanes we wil soone haue forgotten it Wee neede no more but to close our eye and the thinges that wee had learned and which had bin tolde vs and retold vs afore are streightways out of our thought Let vs vnderstand therefore that our Lord blameth and condemneth vs in this text for being so customably carried too and fro and that hee must bee fayne to quicken vs vp and to giue vs so many helps if hee will enioy vs and haue vs to obeye hym That is one thing which wee haue to marke vpon this text Besides this let vs marke also that our Lord could not better haue tauÌted the vanities wherunto men and women are giuen in all their pretie toyes and trifles in attyring and decking themselues with gardes imbroyderies and borders and such other lyke thinges God I say could not haue skorned such vanities better thaÌ by telling vs that in the meane while wee forget the chiefest poynt of all which is the minding of his lawe which wee forget easily to occupy ourselues about vaine and vnprofitable thinges And this is spoken chiefly to women because they giue theÌselues ouer curiously to these nice attires and deckings For if they considered that they shoulde apply themselues to the minding of Gods lawe they would not be so much occupied in decking or rather in disguising of themselues but they would rather consider which is the true decking of faithfull women that is to wit to feare God to liue honestly mildely chastely and soberly to gouerne well their housholdes and to occupy themselues in bringing vp of their children This is a beautifull attyre 1. Pet. 3.3.4 and such a one as is precious in Gods sight as Saint Peter termeth it So then let vs marke that whereas the worldlinges doe decke and disguise themselues and make so many deuises to please and allure one another we must beware that wee take the true decking which wil make vs acceptable before God that is to wit that wee beare his Lawe in minde and can glory that wee haue a God which guideth and gouerneth vs accordingly as it hath pleased him to receiue vs for his people and to giue vs his word to rule our liues by Now let
vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may learn to mislyke theÌ more and more and to flee for refuge to his mercie being vtterly voyde of all trust in any strength of our owne And yet notwithstanding that wee may not leaue to inforce our selues so as we may be the more giuen to his seruice knowing that we bee not yet come to perfection by a great way no nor yet to the midde way thereof and therefore that these warnings which hee giueth vs may inflame vs more and more to yeelde him prayse al our life long by acknowledging the benefites which hee hath bestowed vppon vs and the nobilitie and worthinesse which hee hath given vs aboue all creatures that we may learne thereby to withdrawe our selues from all the vaine and transitorie thinges of this world and to seeke the spirituall and heauenly thinges to the intent that being knit vnto our God wee may not onely withstand all worldly temptations but also drawe our neighbors from the same by our example That it may please him to grauÌt this grace not only to vs but also to al. c. On Wednesday the xxiiij of Iuly 1555. The xlvij Sermon which is the third vpon the sixt Chapter 10 And when the Lord thy God shal haue brought thee into the land which he sware to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob to giue thee great and goodly Cities which thou buildedst not 11 And houses full of all maner of goods which thou filledst not and welles which thou diggedst not and vineyardes and Oliuegardens which thou plantedst not and thou shall haue eaten and filled thy selfe 12 Then beware least peraduenture thou forget the Lord which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 13 Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy GOD and serue him and sweare by his name WE haue seene how it was Gods wil that his law should alwayes bee before his peoples eyes and that the remembraunce thereof should bee renewed by all meanes For this cause hee commaunded them to set gardes vppon their garments and to wryte the sentences of the Lawe therein and to weare them in stead of bracelets and other ornaments and to haue theÌ in their cappes and in the rest of their apparell and to ingraue them vpon the postes of their houses All this rehearsall tended to this ende that because men are too forgetfull of GODS Lawe they must haue certeine helpes and meanes to put them in minde thereof and specially that whereas the children of this worlde are curious in decking themselues and in making themselues braue to the eye and giue themselues to pompe when they bee rich in stead thereof GOD woulde that his faithfull ones shoulde decke them selues with holinesse of lyfe For it is not enough for them to beare skroules of the lawe aboute them vnlesse all of it be referred to the right end Now we must also cal to minde what hath bin touched afore namely that if we were as wel inclined to thinke vppon God and vppon the doctrine which hee setteth forth vnto vs as were requisite we should not neede any other helpes Therefore it is a token that wee bee full of vanities and that our wittes wander too and fro and that it is very harde for vs to settle our selues vpon God But yet notwithstanding wee shall bee neuer the more excused for all that Seeing then that wee be easily led away after our owne follies and there are a great number of temptations in this world to bleare our eyes withal and to wipe Gods law out of our hearts and mindes it standeth vs in hand to take the more payne in the thing that is commaunded vs here namely that wee make a continual exercise of returning vnto God so as it be our whole studie and that whereas wee see the vnbeleuers caryed away in their owne follies wee seeke vnto God to settle our selues vppon him and to referre all our thoughtes and desires vnto him so that euen in making mirth wee haue him before our eyes and in our remembrance to the end he may be glorifyed in the thinges that wee take pleasure in And now Moses addeth that when the people shall bee come into the land that was promised them inioy the goods that are there for we know it was a fruitful fat land they must beware that they forget not him to whome they were beholden for all thinges but rather honor and serue him and shewe themselues to holde all things of him who is their God Now at the first sight it might seeme superfluous to warne the people that they should not forget the Lord their God after they had possessed the land that was giuen them to inherite For is it possible y t a people which hath bin guided by the hand of God and seene so many miracles should turne away yea and bee so blinded as to bee vnmindefull of him to whome they were so much bound That were against nature But what The vnthankfulnesse of men is so great that notwithstanding all the benefites which they haue receiued at Gods hand yet they cease not to defy him or at leastwise to shew that they haue no further care of y e thinges that were tolde them True it is that here Moses speaketh to the people of Israell But yet in that people hee setteth vs forth a lookingglasse wherein to shewe vs our frowardnesse in that we cannot finde in our heartes to doe homage to God for all his benefites but that all that euer hee bestoweth vpon vs is lost because it is mis-bestowed vnlesse wee be exhorted and pricked foreward to doe our duetie better Therefore let vs not thinke that this doctrine was written for the Iewes onely but let vs rather vnderstand that it is directed vnto vs also Howbeit first of all wee must marke what Moses meant and afterward the doctrine conteyned therein must bee applyed to the instruction of our selues When thou art come saith hee into the land which the Lord thy God promised to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob Moses speaketh expressely of Gods promise to the intent that the people might bee throughly perswaded that their going into that land was not by haphasard nor their winning of so many victories against their enemies was by good fortune as they terme it or by their owne strength and pollicie but that it was wrought by Gods owne hand and all came of his power True it is that the wonders which were shewed at that time were sufficient enough to haue made them beleeue so as they needed not to haue sought any further When the people sawe Gods scourges vppon the Egyptians was it not a sure recorde of the diuine and heauenly power which shewed it selfe there Againe whereas they passed the red sea whereas they were guided with a clowd by day and with a fire by night whereas they
hell in the person of his sonne Col. 1.13.14 Let vs vnderstand then that wee bee baptised with this condition to giue our selues wholy to our God lyke as when Saint Paule treateth thereof chiefely in the first to the Ephesians he sayth that God hauing chosen vs before the creation of the world to bee his children Eph. 1.5.6.12 hath also made vs partakers of the saluation that was purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ to the end that wee shoulde glorifie him which hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towardes vs and vsed such mercie As often then as we remember Gods benefites and specially his voutsafing to call vs to the knowledge of his trueth Let vs ad this namely that it is to the end that our life should bee wholy dedicated to his honor and seruice or else we doe what wee can to ouerthrowe Gods adoption and wee labor to disanull it vtterly lyke as on the contrary part it is sayd that our calling is warranted by our walking in holynesse of lyfe for after that maner doth Saint Peter speake of it 2 Pet. 1.10 Finally Moses addeth It shall bee imputed to thee for righteousnesse afore God if thou keepe his commaundementes as hee hath appoynted thee In these wordes hee doth men to wit that if they bee desirous to bee allowed of God and that he should accept their seruice they must not bring any of their owne inuentions but bee contented to doe simply whatsoeuer Gods worde afordeth and whatsoeuer is conteined there That is the meaning of Moses And whereas he sayth that the keeping of the commandements which God hath ordeyned shall beee imputed to men for righteousnesse before God it is all one as if hee should say my friendes tell your children that if they swarue from Gods word conteined in his Lawe and turne away after their owne fancies to doe what seemeth good to themselues God will reiect it euery whit and it shal be but as dung before him For why Hee alloweth obedience aboue all thinges He intendeth not to giue mee leaue to deuise and inuent newe Lawes but hee will haue them to be contented with that pure rule of his Law in such sorte as hee hath giuen it Therefore looke not that God should accept you or allowe any of all your doinges for righteousnesse vnlesse it be conformable to his doctrine For although men would faine haue things to passe in account which they themselues like of yet wil God crosse them out euery one For why Their traueling is in vaine vnlesse they can say Lord we haue folowed the way wherin thou diddest set vs. For so sayeth he by his Prophet Esay Who hath required these thinges at your hand faith he When the Hypocrites make their brags and thinke themselues wel dischardged in being willing to serue God after their owne fancie there needeth no more but this answer to disproue all their doings who required these thinges aâ your hands As if he shoulde say let him that did set you a worke pay you for as for me I will none of you I disclaime ye ye haue nothing to doe with me seeing ye haue not serued me obediently which is the principal seruice y t I require And that is the cause also why S. Paul speaking of mens inuentions Col. â â addeth no more but this that they be mennes doctrines True it is that they shall haue some faire colour and some likelihoode of religion yea and there will seeme to bee in them a perfection of all holynesse but what for that Seeing they proceed from ãâã they be no better than flat mockery And it is purposely said Thy righteousnesse before God Why so To the intent that menne should no more beguile themselues in their owne opinion as they be wont to do by hardning their harts when other men sooth them or by standing in their owne conceites For then they beare themselues on hand that God hath no more authoritie to condemne them but that the fond opinion which they haue conceiued shal be as a blocke to cast in his way To the intent therefore that men should not yeelde to their owne imaginations and to the thinges which they surmise to bee good Moses sayth here my friendes what shall yee winne by deeming it to bee righteousnesse to doe as the heathen doe and to intangle you selues in their superstitions For though the world lyke well of you for so doing yet must ye come to an after-reckoning before the heauenly Iudge for men bee not competent iudges to giue sentence of that matter And therefore to bee short yee had neede to looke about you how God will accept your doinges And hee telleth you that he wil not be subiect to mens willes nor be so plyable as to say shal this be accounted good Then must I agree to it No no hee will continue alwayes lyke himselfe ãâ¦ã Therefore holde yee to that which hee commaundeth for his worde must bee your whole wisedome while the world foadeth it selfe with it owne inuentions Thus yee see what is meant by these wordes where Moses sayth it shall be counted to you for righteousnesse before God if yee keepe the commaundementes which hee hath appoynted But yet by the way here might bee made a question For it should seeme that God sendeth men to their owne deseruinges to bee iustified by them Rom. 3.27 And on the otherside S. Paul auoucheth that wee bee iustified by faith that is to say that wee bee accepted for righteous before GOD through his onely free goodnesse forasmuch as hee accepteth vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ. For it is written that Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.22 and it was reckoned to him for righteousnesse But here Moses sayth that the keeping of the Lawe is imputed for righteousnesse It seemeth then that men are able to purchase saluation by their owne workes and so by that meanes are not indaungered vnto God But wee haue two thinges to note here The first is that whereas it is sayd that the keeping of the Lawe is righteousnesse before GOD it is not meant thereby that men can become righteous by their owne workes for then must they fulfill the lawe throughout in all poyntes But now was there euer any creature found that discharged himself to God-ward No. Rom. 3.10 Yee see then that wee be all damned and so bee quite berest of the righteousnesse that was giuen by the Lawe Wherefore let vs learne that the Lawe could well iustify vs before God if wee could keepe it from poynt to poynt without any fayling Leuit. 18.5 Ezech. 20.11 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 For it is written hee that doth these thinges shall liue in them If a man say I coulde so order his lyfe as hee might make his boast that hee had fully performed all that GOD hath commaunded him hee shoulde be righteous And why For God which cannot lye hath made vs a promise that hee
will accept our workes for righteousnesse so wee fayle not in the performance of any poynt of his Law But now is there not any man that dischargeth himselfe so much as of any one poynt Ro. 3.10.19 Gal. 3.10 Therefore are we all transgressors of the Lawe and consequently wee bee all accursed And wee must not imagine that it deserueth to bee allowed when wee haue done but some peece of that which GOD commaundeth No for hee that misseth in any one poynt Rome â 2.10 is guiltie before God and there remaineth nothing for him but death and cursednesse For it is written that whosoeuer performeth not all the thinges that are conteined in this booke âeut 27.26 shall be accursed Now then let vs learne that whereas the keeping of the Lawe might bee imputed to vs for righteousnesse if it could bee found in vs wee bee vtterly depriued and bereft thereof And why For there is not that man which traÌsgresseth not the Lawe in some poynt or other nay not onely in some one poynt but in all poyntes throughout when wee haue caste vp our account For wee neuer serue GOD with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength as hath bin sayd heeretofore And euen when wee doe any good woorkes to outward appearance there is alwayes some coldenesse some slothfulnesse or some one thing or other mingled with them to hinder vs. And therefore the worke is still faultie Thus wee cease not to breake Gods Lawe in all pointes so as wee must needes yeelde our selues guiltie coÌfessing that if God listed to iudge vs rigorously hee shoulde needes reiect vs. Now wee see that although the Lawe conteine the true rule of righteousnesse yet can it not make vs righteous because of the weakenesse of our fleshe as sayth Saint Paul in the seuenth to the Romans Rom. 7.14 It remaineth now to knowe in what sense that is spoken For it seemeth to be to no purpose that God should promise to accept theÌ for righteous which keepe his lawe and yet notwithstanding that all of vs shoulde bee bereft thereof Howbeit wee must marke Rom. 3.24 that there is a refuge giuen vs which is to resort to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which is graunted vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore when we haue acknowledged our selues to bee vtterly forlorne and damned in our owne nature and thereupon repayre to our Lord Iesus Christ sewing to bee partakers of his righteousnesse and to bee iustifyed by vertue of the obedience which hee yeelded to God his father then GOD not onely receiueth vs to mercy and couereth vs with the perfection that is in our Lorde Iesus Christ as with a cloake to the intent wee shoulde obtaine saluation but also taketh our workes in good woorth And although wee performe not the Lawe but come loytering aloofe after it so as there is great store of vices in vs wherewith our workes are blemished yet notwithstanding GOD accepteth them and promiseth that we shall not loose our labor insomuch that our workes shall be taken for righteous before him Albeit that they bee worthie to bee taken for starke filth because there is alwayes somewhat in them that God may condemne yet this keeping of the Law which we performe vnperfect as it is shall not faile to bee taken for righteousnesse The reason is because Iesus Christ supplyeth our default Then doth not our righteousnesse consist in the worthynesse of our owne workes Iohn 1.16 Eph. 1.4 Rom. 3.20 Eph. 2.9.10 but inasmuch as they bee sanctifyed in the name of Gods son forasmuch as we be his meÌbers both they we be admitted for righteous because of the obedieÌce which hee yeelded vnto God And that obedience is communicated vnto vs as if it were our owne Thus yee see how the promises that are made vnto vs doe assure vs that God will accept the thinges for righteousnesse which we doe in indeuouring to serue him For such promises are not vaine nor frutelesse so our Lord Iesus Christ bee or mediator and performe that which wanteth on our behalfe For without that all the lawe will serue vs to none other purpose but to condemne vs as hath bin shewed afore Moreouer let vs marke for the second point that although the people had kept the Lawe of GOD yet euen the very performance thereof of was a record vnto them that it stoode them in hand to bee iustifyed by mercie and grace and not by their owne merites For their sacrificing was a kind of protesting that they were worthie of death Hebr. 10.3 There was neuer any beast slayne vnder the lawe but the same was an autenticall record that men deserued to bee damned at Gods hand And thereby it behoued the faithfull to bee put in minde to resort vnto God and that with such humilitie as they sought their lyfe elsewhere than in themselues In lyke case was it with their washings and with all the rest of their ceremonies The hauing of light in the Temple was to shew that men are starke blind in themselues and their hauing of the holy Lampes and the oyle that God had ordeined for the same and their anointinges and such other thinges ought to haue made the people to consider thus with themselues there is neyther vnderstanding grace vertue nor any thing else in our wit but wee must bee faine to borrowe all thinges of the redeemer that was promised to our fathers and of Gods spirit who is the fountaine and fulnesse of all good thinges Eph. 4.7 So then the keeping of the lawe sent the people backe to the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and serued for nothing lesse than to hold them still to those shadowes to put their trust in them Lykewise at this day sith wee vnderstand well which is the right keeping of Gods lawe wee see well enough that it is not for vs to presume vppon our owne deseruinges as these mad papistes doe who vphold that they become righteous by keeping of the Lawe They bee so caryed away with that opinion that they think not any more of Gods grace neither doe they perceiue that the Lawe was giuen to holde men conuicted to driue them to come before their Iudge as wretched offenders to sewe for grace They thinke not of that Againe they haue the terme Merit or Desert which they vse like a drunken man that can discerne nothing because he is ouersotted and hath his eyes bleared euen so play these wretched vnbeleeuers But we for our part knowe that we haue to thanke our God for his infinite goodnesse in making vs to vnderstand that the true keeping of the lawe is for men to condemne themselues by it and to take knowledge that they haue nothing in them but vtter frowardnesse and that they must be faine to resorte vnto God and to betake themselues wholy to his mercy And forasmuch as there is none other meane but Iesus Christ they must get them
to what end he exhorted the people to deeme well of Gods workes namely to the end they might keepe al his commaundementes to walke in his wayes and to feare him Keepe the commaundements of the Lorde thy God saith he that thou maist walke in his wayes and feare him First wee haue to marke here that Moses sendeth the people to the Lawe Psal. 19.8 as to the perfect and chief doctrine of our whole life And it is a point well worthie to bee marked For thereuppon we haue to gather that when God hath taught vs neuer so many wayes yet shall they neuer boote vs vnlesse wee haue recourse vnto his worde Beholde the Infidels can well ynough search the secrets of nature they can well not onely alledge reasons but also say this is done after this fashion Yea and they haue deemed God to bee good righteous and wife wee see that the heathen Philosophers knewe Gods workes so farre as they coulde take of his maiestie But what It was all confusedly and in the end they vanished away in their owne imaginations so as they neuer attained to the point whereto they should haue come Rom. 1.20 Then let vs vnderstande that all is to no purpose vntill wee haue Gods doctrine for all perfection True it is that the things which we behold in the worlde and all the instructions which God giueth vs thereby are good and profitable helpes but yet for all that the marke that we must shoote at is the doctrine of his worde so as wee set all our wittes vppon that to the ende wee wander not out of the way For if a man shoore and haue no marke to shoote at what doth hee else but lose all his shotte Euen so is it with vs we may well shoote that is to say we may take paine to know Gods works but what shall we gaine by it if we haue not the saide marke to shoote at It shal be but lost labour And this marke is not to be chosen at our owne descretion but God must set vs vp our whyte and that white is the Lawe the Prophets and the Gospel And so ye see that that is the cause why Moses hauing spoken of y â wonders which the people had seene hauing told them that the same ought to serue to their instruction and hauing exhorted the faithfull to profite wel in that schoole sendeth them backe againe to the word Keepe the commaundementes of the Lord thy God saith hee and afterward he addeth that thou maist walke in his wayes Here wee haue to note that whensoeuer wee swarue from Gods word wee shal but wander as hath beene shewed heretofore and we may well goe vp and downe but wee shal be neuer the further forwarde Let men breake their shankes as much as they list yet shal they either go back or else find theÌselues all in one place still vnlesse they know y e way which they ought to keepe For let vs mark wel y t our own ways are croked Gen. 6.12 and y t there is nothing but straying and wandering in vaine Deut. 32.4 Psal. 119 15â 145.17 And therfore God will haue vs to walk in his ways which are strait and leuell In saying so Moses setteth down a coÌparison of things coÌtrarie As if he should say Wretched folk ye thinke to further your selues when ye walk in your own ways by deuising euery man a sundry way at his owne pleasure But what Yee doe but martyr your selues in vaine for God will haue men to walke in his wayes that is to say in the wayes that he sheweth them and he will haue them to be followed Therefore let vs learne to submitte our selues to Gods worde knowing well that our life shall neuer be well ordered except wee obey him Yea and whereas hee saith the wayes of the Lord in the plurall number wee must apply it to that which hath beene saide heretofore that is to wit that God hath giuen vs so full a doctrine as wee cannot alledge that it is not ynough or that more may bee added to it Let vs marke that our Lorde will not fayle vs in any thing Therfore let vs not be wise in our own conceit but let vs aske counsel of him And if wee doubt that wee goe astray or if we bee afraide of wandering vp and downe let vs keepe his way and wee can not goe amisse For why God hath not made one way onely but he hath shewed vs all his wayes that is to say all that euer is requisite to make a man walke aright so as wee can neuer goe amisse if wee followe the direction that he setteth afore vs. Nowe hee addeth hereunto To the ende that we should feare the Lord. Herein hee sheweth to what ende God gaue vs his Lawe Why will he haue men to keepe it To doe him homage aboue all thinges For wee knowe that he receiueth neither harme nor benefite by vs. What can wee doe to him Our seruing of him is not to aduauntage him any whit Iob. 35.7 Psal. 16.2 50.10 Act. 17.25 Rom. 8.15 2. Tim. 1.7 for hee hath no neede of any thing Againe what riches haue we to increase him withall Why then hath hee giuen vs his lawe but to the ende that wee should dedicate our whole life vnto him and by keeping his commaundementes shewe our selues willing to bee subiect vnto him and that hee hath all souereine dominion ouer vs That is the thing which is meant by the feare that Moses speaketh of heere And let vs note that he meaneth not a slauish fearefulnesse that is to say that men should submitte themselues to him as inforced but that wee should stand in reuerend awe of him not onely as of our master but also as of our father The feare which GOD requireth is matched with heartie loue so as wee bee gladde and faine to serue him And why Because it is good reason that we should be his and that he shoulde haue the gouerning of vs that we should frame our liues according to his wil. And so yee see what is the chiefe point in the keeping of the Lawe Furthermore let vs mark that it is not ynough for men to liue vprightly so as they absteine from all euill and vice and deale in such sort as nothing but vertue can bee founde in them For a man may well bee chast and abstaine from all wrong anoyance deceit blasphemie and lewd talke and yet shall all this be nothing worth except he referre all to the said end of offering vp of himselfe in sacrifice vnto God Vertues therefore are not of estimation in themselues so as it may bee saide O this is an excellent fellowe in vertue he hath done this and that he hath absteyned from all euill but wee must goe on further to the vertue of all vertues the fountaine and welspring of all holinesse righteousnesse and vpright dealing namely that wee tende to our
stedfastnesse to obey him Thus ye see what we haue to remember vppon that text Furthermore let vs marke that God thought it not ynough to proclaime his Lawe but he did also put it in writing And why because men are shorte witted in bearing away the trueth Therefore is our Lorde faine to prouide for it to warne vs to looke well to all thinges because we be so feeble Had the Iewes done their duetie Gods speaking to them had beene ynough for he had giuen his lawe in so small roome as euerie man might count it vpon his fingers ends These are the ten commaundementes in these hath God comprehended his whole wil which is the rule of good life All this doctrine say I is comprehended in ten verses Ye see then that the people had beene taught familiarly ynough Now if they that heard Gods voyce vpon the mount had done their duetie they should haue taught their children so as the doctrine might haue beene kept in mind from the father to the childe Deut. 6.8 For God had taught them familiarly ynough as I saide afore Insomuch that he had willed them to make their ornaments of y e sentences of the lawe so as in steed of bracelets and other pretie toyes which foolkes do weare to make themselues gay all the deckings of his people shoulde be to haue the sentences of the lawe written ingraued about them that which way soeuer they turned their eyes they might still haue some marke to put them in minde of Gods lawe Howbeit to the ende they shoulde haue a more certaine remembrance therof like as men haue bin wont to ingraue their leages in some tables of brasse or stone so God took stone to write and ingraue his lawe in It was not his pleasure to vse paper or parchment but to haue his law written in stone and that was done not by handicraft for hee borowed no workemanship of man in that behalfe but with his owne finger Not that God hath anie handes but that the holy scripture speaketh so by a resemblance as if it were saide the lawe was not written or ingrauen by mans hand but God approoued and ratified it by way of myracle Now then sith it is so let vs learne that God hath prouided well for the assuring of our faith to the intente we should not be put to any great paine or hardnesse to knowe what wee ought to follow True it is that the worlde will runne into al lewdenes as we see it doeth and the examples thereof are too rise It is pitie to see howe oft the Iewes swarued aside vnto idolatrie it semed that gods name should haue beene abolished among theÌ all was out of order they had so grosse superstitions as a man coulde not discerne betweene them and the heathen they had so imbaced theÌselues as there remained not any more certaintie among them But yet for al that such as were disposed to serue God helde alwayes this point still that they sticked to the certaine doctrine And why For Gods will was set downe in writing When superstitions were to bee corrected the meane to doe it was not harde For why The lawe was written That is the thing which wee must sticke vnto if wee will obey our God and if wee forsake that doctrine God will also forsake vs. VVe see then that God hath prouided sufficiently for the suretie of his people that their faith might not be doutfull but firme and constant As for vs nowe adayes wee haue more than the fathers had in the time of the lawe For wee haue both the lawe and the prophetes and also the gospell What is to bee done then They that alleadge in these dayes I wote not which way to turne mee I see disputinges debates and contrarietie of opinions therefore I will let all alone in suspence must consider also with themselues Yea hath God lost his labour in setting downe his lawe in writing and in adding the exposition thereof by his prophetes to the ende that wee might the better knowe that the gospel is the true and full accomplishment thereof Shall wee accuse God as though hee had left vs at randome so as wee shoulde not knowe what wee haue to doe when he hath giuen vs his infallible trueth and tolde vs that we can neuer be deceiued in obeying the things that proceede out of his mouth So then let vs vnderstande that whereas the worlde goes astray and is ill instructed the onely cause therof is mens own vnthankfulnes For why there is inough prouided to make vs walk in the broade daylight so as wee may defile the superstitions of the faithles and not suffer things to hang any longer in suspence if we haue God reigning ouer vs. Whereby wee see that Gods speaking was not for one day onely but of purpose that the same shoulde continue still euen to the worldes ende Therefore let vs go on boldly seeing we haue the doctrine of the holy scripture and let vs assure our selues that that is the thing which wee must holde vs to so as we must not any more say whither shoulde we go That is the way Deut. 13.5 Esa. 30.21 let vs walke therein as Moses protesteth hereafter Trueth it is that in those two tables are not conteyned all the things that are written in Exodus Leuiticus and the booke which we doe nowe expounde those tables are but an abridgement of them and they conteyne but ten verses Neuerthelesse our Lord meant to shewe by those two tables that all the things which Moses left in writing were of him So then here are two thinges That is to wit that Gods will was there shoulde bee scripture like as when couenants are set downe in writing or leages are ingrauen in tables of brasse euen so was it his will that there shoulde be a perpetuall memoriall of his lawe that men might take no occasion to turne away from it And he made those two tables not to shewe any cunning of man therin but to ingraue his law in theÌ without out mans hande that it might bee knowen that the same came of him As touching Gods writting twice in the two stones we wil treate thereof hereafter For it is meete that things shoulde be set downe in order and therefore I will not medle with them nowe Nowe remayneth howe Moses addeth that after the tearme of fortie dayes God saide vnto him Vp and get thee downe apace for this people haue soone marred themselues by forgetting mee and the fauour that I haue shewed them Here Moses goeth on still with his matter shewing the people that their reuolting and starting away so soone from GOD was too too shamefull and detestable True it is that although they had helde out foure hundred yea or a thousande yeares yet had they not beene to be excused But now when as they fell to making of an idol and did set vp a Puppet within fortie dayes space euen whyle God was about
that God disclaimed them as if hee had sayd your God giueth you ouer and hath diuorced himselfe from you For in as much as your wickednesse hath separated you from him it is good reason that hee also should stand discharged of his promise and be no more bound to so malicious froward a people as you be who haue vsed such vnfaithfulnes towards him That then is the first reason But there is also another cause which is that wee haue as it were a figure or image that Gods once writing of his Lawe is not ynough for vs but that wee haue neede of a second wryting of it to the intent it may auaile vs and the doctrine thereof benefite vs by shewing it selfe to bee liuely and of effectuall force and power And that is the thing which the Prophetes meane in saying Ier. 31.32.33 that GOD will make a new Couenaunt with his faythfull ones not as hee did with their fathers in Egypt but by writing his Lawe in their heartes and by ingrauing it in their bowels And therefore let vs marke well that GOD meant to doe vs to vnderstand that his wryting of his Lawe in the two tables of stone was by and by voyd and of none effect And why Bycause that if God doe but write his Lawe or cause it to bee preached to vs onely by woorde of mouth there will neuer bee any holde or tacke in it and hee sheweth that the blame thereof is in our selues bycause wee bee not stedfast in keeping the promise that wee haue made vnto GOD but become variable and starte aside out of hand God for his part doth well performe whatsoeuer hee promiseth vs but wee breake off all acquaintance and vnion with him so as we be cut off and banished from him and wee bereaue our selues of all the promises that he offered vs and therefore after he hath once written his law he must be faine to turne againe and write it the second tyme. As how For figures doe not alwaies represent the full truth but there is oftentimes some difference Then let vs marke that the figure varieth from the truth which God sheweth vs and maketh vs to perceiue For hee writeth not his Law the second time in stones but rather whereas our hartes were hard before he chaungeth them and maketh them soft and in stead of stony heartes as sayeth Ezechiell Ezec. 11.19 36.26 he giueth vs hearts of flesh that is to say hee softeneth our heartes and maketh them pliable to the intent wee shoulde receaue his Lawe and haue it ingrauen vs and be able to doe and to follow whatsoeuer he commaundeth vs. Therefore let vs beare this figure well in mynde for as much as it is for our benefite In deede as concerning the first reason it behooueth vs to bethinke our selues well when GOD hath called vs. For if we corrupt his seruice or alter religion at our owne pleasure although there be no Moses to breake the tables of stone yet hath God shewed once for all that he is alyenated from vs and that hee will haue vs to bee as straungers to his house Trueth it is that his election is without repentaunce yet notwithstanding as it is sayd in Exodus Exod 33 19. he will saue whom hee listeth Howbeit if wee sticke not purely to his woorde it is all one as if wee fell out with him and playd the fugitiue and vnruly children and hee will not suffer vs to despise his couenaunt after that maner without auenging of himselfe of such vnthankfulnesse And hee hath shewed vs at that tyme in the person of Moses that hee giueth ouer and forsaketh all those which turne away from the trueth and holde not themselues to it so that for his part hee will haue no more to doe with them nor any more acquaintance with them Wherfore let vs beware that this horrible sentence bee not cast vppon us and whensoeuer our Lorde shall haue called vs let it serue to hold vs in awe and feare But yet let vs know also that it is not ynough for vs to haue our cares beaten with Gods commaundementes and to haue them set before vs and to be incouraged to keepe them for God must bee fayne to worke within our hartes or else all the teaching in the world wil stand vs in no stead it wil be but a sound ringing in the ayre whereof no profite will redownd Nowe then come wee to heare Gods woorde In deede wee ought to make account of the fauour that hee sheweth vs in causing it to bee preached vnto vs but yet let vs assure our selues that that would but turne to our greater condemnation if he ingraued it not in our heartes What is to bee done then We must discharge our selues of all selftrust assuring our selues that wee shall be but euill schollers vntil GOD haue taught vs by his holy spirite Notwithstanding that hee shall haue vsed men as his instrumentes to bring vs to the knowledge of his trueth yet must hee himself bore our eares Psal. âââ that we may hearken to him and hee must touch our hearts and soften them that we may receiue y e doctrine which is vttered vnto vs. Wherefore let vs learn to mislike our selues by acknowledging our owne sinne and wretchednesse and therewithall let vs pray him to woorke in such sort as the things which we shall haue heard and vnderstoode bee not a witnesse against vs of our rebelliousnesse and that wee haue beene foolke past amendment And so as ofte as wee come to any sermon or read the holy Scripture let vs pray God to touche vs inwardly and to make the doctrine auaylable which wee shall haue heard so as it may not bee spoken to the stones but to such as haue beene foretaught by his holy spirite Thus ye see what wee haue to marke vppon tha place Now for the attainement of this second writing wee must not goe to Moses but to our Lord Iesus Christ. For it is he that hath brought vs the holy Ghost Iob. 1â ãâ¦ã and the renewment whereby our heartes are refourmed to the obeying of GOD and whereby they bee circumcised that they may be dedicated to his seruice Col. âââ 2. Cor. âââ The if Moses be compared to our Lord Iesus Christ hee is but a minister of the letter And why Bycause hee coulde goe no further than he had commission which was to set foorth Gods doctrine But it belonged to Iesus Christ to giue light to that which Moses had vttered and to giue strength thereunto And how was that By his holy spirit 2. Cor. âââ True is that Saint Paule termeth himselfe a minister of the spirite Howbeit that is not to deface his Maister it is not to drawe to himselfe the thing that belongeth to the sonne of GOD but it is to shewe that our Lorde Iesus Christ vttereth his grace now adayes by the preaching of his Gospell As howe Let vs marke first of all that the
renewing of vs and the writing of Gods Lawe in our heartes thereby to fashion vs according to the righteousnes contayned in y e same is reserued alonely to the sonne of God and that it is he which giueth vs the will to followe God his Father and to obey him For he hath the spirit of the feare of God Psa. 11.2 hee hath the spirite of all righteousnesse hee hath the spirite of trueth as is sayde in the eleuenth Chapter of the Prophet Esay So then let vs marke that wee must resort to our Lorde Iesus Christ when wee bee put in minde of our duetie When it is tolde vs what GOD requireth of vs wee must thinke thus Alas Lorde Iesus it is true in deede that heere wee haue knowledge of the thing that is good and ryghtfull but what Wee haue another Lawe cleane contrarie to it in our selues Rom. 7.23 which is that wee doe but chafe and fret at GOD when wee bee taught and when his Lawe is alleaged vnto vs wee doo the cleane contrarie to that which is contayned there and therefore thou must bee fayne to chaunge vs and to make vs new creatures for to that ende is the spirite giuen vs which thou communicatest vnto vs by bearing vs recorde that wee bee members of thy body And againe hath Iesus Christ once giuen vs this will Phil. 2.13 Hee giueth vs also abilitie to perfourme the same desire and strengtheneth vs so against all temptations as wee shall neuer bee ouercome by them Yee see then that wee must hye vs to our Lorde Iesus Christ assuring our selues that that prerogatiue and honour belongeth to none but onely him Yet notwithstanding this saying of S. Paules is true also 2. Cor. 3.6 that all such as preach the Gospell are spirituall ministers that is to say they set not foorth a dead letter and vnprofitable doctrine but withall they bring Gods spirit And howe is that Is it by their owne breathing No For our Lorde Iesus Christ did well shewe by his breathing vppon his disciples Iohn 20.22 that the holy Ghost proceedeth from none but himselfe alone But Saint Paules meaning is that Iesus Christ woorketh continually to the ende wee shoulde beleeue in him True it is that we shall not see him heere personally present how then shall wee bee sure that hee wryteth Gods Lawe in our heartes Let vs not alleage any of those thinges For seeing that Iesus Christ is the ende and perfection of the lawe Rom. 10.4 Col. 2.17 yea and the very life of it as I sayde afore let vs not thinke but that hee printeth Gods Lawe in our heartes by the preaching of the Gospell So then let vs not doubt but GOD will performe that grace in vs. And although the partie that preacheth vnto vs bee but a mortall man and the wordes which hee vttereth vnto vs with his mouth doe vanish anon after away in the ayre yet let not vs doubt but Iesus Christ will for all that doe his dewtie Rom. â0 13. 2. Cor. 3.3 as Sainte Paule declareth in the same place And in deede the faithfull haue experience thereof For wee shoulde neuer haue so much as any thought at all of comming vnto GOD Eph. 4.7 or of dooing any good vnlesse wee were fully resolued of this grounde namely that it behooueth vs to bee throughly setled and constant all the which proceedeth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore whensoeuer wee feele that GOD draweth vs vnto him let vs vnderstande that hee sheweth vs howe wee bee members of the body of his sonne bycause wee haue the holy Ghost by whome wee bee altered and reformed Rom. 8.9 1. Cor. 6.15.19 and by whome also his Lawe is written newe againe in our heartes Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde Moreouer let vs marke that whereas Moses telleth the people that God heard him for that time it is to the ende they shoulde not abuse Gods goodnesse but vnderstand their offence to haue beene so horrible that if they did so any more and tempted GOD agayne afterwarde they shoulde finde no mercye The intent then of Moses in this place was to holde the people in awe Truely wee ought to bee fully perswaded of this that if GOD finde vs repentaunt for our sinnes hee will euer bee ready to forgiue all that wee haue committed Let vs but onely make towardes him and hee will reache vs his hande Yet is it not ment that we should take leaue to doe euill vnder colour that GOD is so mercifull to wretched sinners that as soone as they returne vnto him hee preuenteth them and is ready to receaue them and imbrace them aforehand This say I must not make vs the more inclined to doe euill but wee must vnderstand that when God hath forgiuen vs once we must no more fall backe againe For then do we tempt him and abuse his patience which is the next way to shutte vs out of the gate of saluation and to disappoint our selues vtterly of all the mercy which hee was minded to haue vsed towardes vs. True it is that although we shall haue offended twentie or thirtie times yet doth God tell vs that he will haue pittie vpon vs. But I speake as nowe of those that take libertie to offend and say seeing I haue found God so gentle and pittifull I shall surely bee receiued of him at all tymes Surely when men stande so vppon Gods mercie and vnder pretence thereof doe eyther become negligent or else giue ouer themselues to all naughtinesse it is all one as if they renounced all the promises of their saluation Therefore let vs marke well the saying that is set downe heere God sayth Moses heard mee And howe for that tyme to the ende that the people shoulde thinke thus with themselues Alas it is a wonder that euer we obteined pardon and it must needes astonish vs still that God woulde rid vs out of such danger as wee were fallen into considering howe deadly and ouer deadly the fall was Now then seeing that God hath shewed himself so friendly towardes vs let vs beware that wee prouoke not his wrath any more For if wee fall backe agayne that he gaue flatte sentence that none of them shoulde enter into the promised heritage saue onely Iosua and Caleb the sonne of Iephuneh bicause those two had behaued theÌselues faithfully But as for the people they should be led about by the space of fortie yeeres vntill their carkesses were rooted in the wildernesse according to the threat which God had vttered with his owne mouth That is the content of this part of the text Now let vs marke first of all that to make the Iewes vnderstand the meaning of Moses or rather of the holy ghost it behoued them to bee warned to set their former faultes before their eyes that they might not bee so fond as to presume any thing at all vppon their owne worthynesse or vppon their owne power but
they make no difference betweene God and a sainct that they haue forged of their owne braine For they say Our father which art in heauen as wel kneeling before a puppet as if they spake to GOD himselfe But yet howe make they their prayers I shall not neede to speake heere neither of the Apostles nor of the Prophetes for they haue saincts which neuer were in the world And although they take the prophets and Apostles yet they pray to them as to God and with the same speech and stile We see then that they are vtterly brutish and that God hath giuen them vp to a reprobate sense And it is good reason because they haue robbed Christ of his dignitie wherein God his father had set him and are not contented with him as with their only aduocate and intercessor but are run astray here there Therfore it is meete that God should withdraw himselfe from them and forsake them that they might fall into such extremitie as wee see they be falne into Wherefore let vs for our part beware that wee hold fast the simplicitie which the scripture sheweth vs that is to wit that in calling vpon God we haue our eye vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ and againe that in asmuch as God hath stablished his couenaÌt for euer in his name we doubt not but that we be heard as oft as wee come vnto God by him and that he is mercifull vnto vs. Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to make vs feele them y e betler that we may acknowledge them rightly both with heart mouth and bee brought to true amendment be so humbled y t by glorifying him as he is worthy and by acknowledging what goodnes he vseth towards vs we may be prouoked to serue him with the better corage and he beare with vs in our infirmities as long as we be in this worlde vntill we be come to him into his heaueÌly kingdom he haue made vs partakers of his endlesse glorie That it may please him to grant this grace not only to vs c. On Tewsday the x. of September 1555. The Lxix Sermon which is the first vpon the tenth Chapter THe same time the Lorde saide cut thee two tables of stone like the first and come vp to mee into the mountaine and make thee an Arke of wood 2 And I will write in those Tables the wordes that were written in the former tables which thou hast broken and thou shalt put them in the Arke 3 So I made an Arke of Setimwood and hewed two tables like the first and went vp into the mountaine hauing the two tables in my hande 4 Then wrate he in the Tables as he had written afore euen the tenne sayings which the Lorde had spoken vpon the mountaine from the middes of the fire in the day of your comming together And afterwarde the Lorde gaue them to me 5 And I turned me and went downe from the hill and put them into the Ark which I had made and they were there as the Lord had commaunded me 6 And the children of Israel departed from Beroth of the children of Iaacan towards Mosera where Aaron died and was buried there And Eleazar his sonne executed the office of high priest in his stead 7 From thence they went towarde Gadgad and from Gadgad towards Getebatha in the Countrie where running riuers are 8 The same time the Lord sorted out the tribe of Leuie to beare the Arke of the Lords couenant and to stande in the Lords presence to minister vnto him and to blesse in his name euen to this day WE haue seen alredie heretofore the thing y t Moses rehearseth here y t is to wit y t God wrate new againe y e ten commaÌdements of his law in two Tables of stone that was done to the end y t the people should the better consider that the couenant which God had made with them was of his own onely mercy For we see how God had giuen ouer y t people and it was all one as if he had thrust them into the commoÌ aray of other men which are vtterly accursed and estraunged from God Truely Gods former choosing of y t people was of his owne free goodnes Eph. 2.3 For as we haue seen none of them was yet borne when he made his promise with his seruant Abraham therefore needes must they acknowledge y t his choosing of them was not in respect of any desert of their owne Howbeit forasmuch as men labour al that they can to darken Gods free fauor seeke pretie fond deuises to chalenge to themselues some peece of their own saluation it was expedient to haue it fully shewed y t God receiued y e people to mercy againe the second time without any respect whether they were worthie of it or no but onely of his owne mere goodnesse Men are of opinion y t when God chose them he foresawe what maner of ones they should be accordingly as we see how this diuelish errour hath alwayes raigned and y t there are yet still some fantastical persons which wil needes haue Gods election to be grounded vpon his foreknowledge y t is to say when God chose whom he listed before the making of y e world Eph. 1.4 they fall to glosing thereupon y t he foreknew who should be worthy of it therfore marked them out for the same purpose and in the same respect preferred them before those whom he knew would become wicked But y t is cleane contrarie to y e teaching of the holy scripture For y e teacheth vs y t the cause of Gods chosing of vs is taken from out of himself y t is to say of his owne only free goodnes for he shal neuer finde any thing in vs why he should be inclined to loue vs. Howbeit to the end y t this may be the better perceiued in the things which God hath shewed vs in the people of Israel Rom. 3.22 he chose y e ofspring of Abraham And wherefore AbrahaÌ was a sillie soule he had neither nobilitie nor worship in him he was not of any great reputation to the worldward yet notwithstanding God marked him out chose him alone his houshold froÌ all others And what maner of houshold was it Was there yet any likelyhood in it Nay Abraham was yet childishe hee was barrain hee was vtterly past hope of euer hauing any issue Now then Gods choosing of AbrahaÌ was when he was as a blocke alreadie dead aforehand and therefore S. Paule saith Roâ â ââ y t in the person of Abraham God shewed y t he chose the thinges which are not of purpose to giue them being And for y e same cause it is said in the first Chapter of y e first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. ââââ y t we be of God that is to say y t he giueth vs being vnto
be of his Church in which respect we be say I more bound vnto him than were the Iewes Now it is true y t gods writing of his law in two tables of stone as I haue declared already heretofore specially in the first place was to y e intent y t his doctrine should abide sure For he had an eye to y e coÌmon trade among men who vpon the making of leags alliances are wont to haue theÌ ingrauen in stone or brasse After y e same maner it was Gods wil y t his law should for y e better continuance therof be grauen in two stones Ye see then how God doth as it were passe a solemn couenant Neuerthelesse wee must therwithall also come to the figure namely y t the writing of the law after y t fashion in a cupple of stones serued to shew y t it was not ynough for folke to haue y e law giuen theÌ to vnderstand it vnlesse it were ingrauen in their hearts For we must come to y e similitude y t is made by y e prophets For although God shewed his law to be sufficiently authorised by vouchsafing to ingraue it so in these stones yet did he giue an incling y t that would nothing boote verily because y e true tables wherein it behoueth vs to write the doctrine of God are our harts howbeit not as they be by nature For what maner of ones are they EueÌ of stone as it is said of them in Ezechiel So then let vs marke that y e letter of y e law is nothing worth Ezec. 11.19 36.26 vntil god worke in vs by his holy spirit And that is the cause why he hath promised to make a newe couenant Ier. 31.32.33 not after the maner y t hee made it with the fathers for that continued not saith he And why Hee sheweth y t the blame fault therof is in men be cause they turne away runne at rouers as soon as God hath called them neuer follow him at all Although they pretend to make great account of his grace yet is there no stedinesse in them but rather vtter lightnesse for by and by they fling away after their own wicked affectioÌs The couenant of God then yea though it were written in stones could not hold them in And why so Not for that God abode not faithful on his part or that hee persisted not to shewe that his choosing of AbrahaÌs linage was not in vaine but for that they were bereft disappointed of that great benefite dispossessed of Gods freebestowed new againe But there were fourtie yeares betweene the one and the other For Aaron dyed at such time as the people had outworne their terme of fourtie yeares during which time god had forfended them the lande of promise Now in the ende of that terme Aaron was depriued of the dignitie of the priesthood and Eleazer his son was made highpriest in his stead But here Moses comprehendeth all that had bin done by the space of fourtie yeares from the publishing of the lawe vnto the verie same day that he exhorted the people to put themselues in better readinesse to enter into their inheritance than they had beene in at the beginning He telleth them that although there had happened many changes in the meane time yet had God in effect prouided that his lawe was to bee had alwayes in estimation to be honored and that the world might perceiue that his maiestie was therein that all men ought to submit theÌselues thereunto And for that cause doth Moses say that hee had chosen the children of Leuye notwithstanding that Aaron had sinned For to what ende doeth Moses speake here of his brothers death Euen to make it knowen that God had shewed fauour towardes the trybe of Leuye as well as towards all the rest of the people The trybe of Leuye was chosen to offer sacrifice it was a prerogatiue which God had giuen them And were they worthie of it Could they boast themselues to haue beene more worthie than their brethren It is true that they executed veÌgeance vpon the ydolaters but yet was Moses faine to call them to him and to command them to sanctifie their handes Exod. 32.29 Yee must hallowe your hands to the Lord sayth he howe in slaying those that haue so grieuously offended and been an occasion of turning all thinges vpside downe This day therfore it behoueth you to vtter what zeale ye haue towards the maintenance of gods honour and to sanctifie his name without sparing of your own brethreÌ or your neerest neighbours forasmuch as they haue so defaced Gods glorie to the vttermost of their power therefore they must be vtterly rooted out The Leuites did well execute the thing that Moses coÌmaunded them Exo. 32.2.4 but yet did the high priest Aaron make the golden calfe True it is that hee withstoode it or at leastwise consented not to it but yet did he swarue at length by graunting the peoples importunate request and therefore was he faine to beare the punishment which GOD tolde him of saying thou shalt not come within the land which I will giue vnto my people Albeit that he represented the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ Hebr. 5.1 â and was a figure of him although he was a mediatour betweene God and men so as he made intercession for the sinnes of the people offered sacrifices for the reconciling of them to the maiesty of God yet was he banished out of that lande to his shame hee dyed hee was stripped out of his robes before his death hee was as a man disgraded and God left him as a dishonoured person and as a man defaced with perpetuall reproche Now if God extended such punishment vppon the person of Aaron what had they deserued which were inferiors to him So then Moses telleth them that Gods choosing of the trybe of Leuye to carrie the Arke and to be occupyed about his seruice was not for that they were worthie of it Deut. ãâ¦ã but because hee was minded to shewe the same thing to the successours of Leuye which he had spoken of the rest of the whole bodie of Abrahams ofspring namely that they had all things of his only free goodnesse That is the cause why the death of Aaron is rehearsed here But by the way we see that Moses spared not his own brother For here he repeteth the sentence y t God had giuen also executed against him y t was not for y e honor of his own house But what His meaning was y t God should be glorified men condemned Yea we see that his intent was not to conceale his owne fault but to shew that God had punished him for it though there were great cause of excuse in him al the blame was to haue bin layd vpon the people because his ouershooting of himselfe was but in y t one case that not through malice but
his will by their meanes Then if wee saye that wee knowe not Gods will you see here is wherewith to disprooue vs for God hath giuen vs his worde in writing so as wee neede not to seeke for it and therefore it ought to be sufficiently knowen vnto vs. Nowe then let vs also learne to receiue it with reuerence humilitie and when we heare mortal men speaking vnto vs let vs assure our selues that wee must not measure the maiestie of Gods worde by their persons But wee must haue an eye to him from whome it commeth and which is the author of it that wee may submit our selues wholly vnto it Therefore let vs not haue these diuelish fansies with vs as some dreamers haue which say O that God woulde speake to mee from heauen I woulde faine haue some reuelation Let it content vs that God coÌmeth down vnto vs to make vs priuie to his will for that is it which Moses ment in saying that hee did set foorth Gods commaundements as if hee had saide that men neede not to goe farre to seeke him And in the ende hee sheweth that all this tendeth to the welfare of the people so as God seeketh not any benefite to himselfe Iob 35.7 Psal. 16.2 for he needeth not to borowe aught of vs neither can wee do him any pleasure wee can doe him neither good nor harme all thinges are his according to the eyght Psalme Psal. 8.7 50.10 and also the fiftith Psalme where it is saide that all the beastes in the feelde are in his possession and that if hee be hungrie or want any thing he needeth not to seeke it at our handes Why then requireth he to be serued of vs It is for our benefit for that there can not be a greater good turne vnto men than to be the seruants of their maker Then let vs vnderstand that whereas our Lord layeth not the bridle loose vpon our necke but gouerneth vs himselfe and holdeth vs vnder his obedience therby to moue vs to serue him the more willingly hee doeth it to our benefite and respecteth nothing but our welfare Yet notwithstanding it is true that the lawe will finde vs all giltie that when God hath shewed vs all that is good and right 2. Cor. ââ 12 that doctrine doeth so litle benefite vs that it rather bringeth vs death and wee bee cursed by it For it is a looking glasse wherein to see that wee bee Gods enemies and it is a keye to open the gates of hell And how then commeth it to passe that God shoulde procure our welfare and yet notwithstanding wee shoulde receiue nothing but harme by it That is not of it selfe but it falleth out by another meane that is to saye by our owne fault Then let vs vnderstande that Gods lawe if wee consider it in it selfe is vnto vs a doctrine of welfare whereby God commeth neere vnto vs to bee our father and to make vs finde life in him that by his ruling of our life wee might sticke vnto him and thereby bee made partakers of his benefites in the ende attayne to the heritage of the heauenly life But herewithal we be so froward and ful of corruption that the law can serue vs to no other purpose but to curse vs to make vs perceiue how lothsome we be vnto God in as much as we be his deadly enemies so we haue double cause to be abashed afraid ashamed of our selues when we see y t the good is so turned to our harm it is more than if y e nature of y e sunne were changed by our infection Woulde it not make vs to loth our selues if we should find such foule vyle smokes in vs as shoulde darken and quench the light of the sunne yes verily Nowe we see that Gods law is the light of our life and yet we not only dim it but also turn it into y e darknes of death it is vnpossible y t it should stande vs in any other steed vntil our Lord Iesus Christ haue wrought in vs 2. Cor. ââ reformed vs by his holy spirit by writing his lawe newe againe in our hearts For asmuch then as we see y t men turne life into death light into darknes benefit into bane alas ought we not to be exceedingly abashed yes but yet must not y t put vs out of conceit of y e doctrin of y e law so as we shuld not loue it howbeit y t we caÌnot performe it vntil god haue chaÌged our harts to cause vs to submit our selues vnto him and haue made vs newe creatures in our lord Iesus christ True it is y t the setting forth of y e law vnto vs is not for nought but yet must we needes perceiue by experience y t vntill God hath brought vs home again vnto him y e doctrin of his law wil serue for nothing but to coÌdemne vs. But when he hath once wrought in vs by his holy spirit then shal wee perceiue that in setting forth his law vnto vs he procureth our benefite welfare according as is saide of it here by Moses And so you heare what we haue to gather vpoÌ this text But Moses doth yet better confirme the matter that wee haue seene which is that God helde not his people downe like slaues not handled them roughly to be reuenged of theÌ to make them feele the offence they had committed but that he handled them after a gentle and louing fashion Now then saith he hath the euerlasting thy God any neede of thee Behold saith he the heauens yea and the heauens of heauens are Gods As if he should say you think that God would fain haue a people as though he could not forbeare to be without them Hath not hee the skyes at commandement hath not he his heauenly host hath he not whole millions of Angels hath hee not peaceable dominion in heauen Yes and therefore ye must not imagine any more that his choosing of you was to better his owne estate by you If hee shoulde destroy you and make quite riddance of you should his raigne ceasse No no and for proofe therof he hath no neede of men Againe besides that is not the earth and all thinges in it in his possession Yes What is the cause then that hee hath not taken and chosen other nations to him as wel as you Is it for that you are nobler or mightier or worthier in any respect than the rest as it is mentioned in the seuenth Chapter Deut. 7.7 No. It is certaine that the Iewes were not better than the Gentiles insomuch that if they should haue beene compared with them they shoulde haue found themselues to haue bin neither nobler of linage nor richer in substance nor vertuouser in life nor to haue excelled them in any thing What is the cause then saith Moses that God hath vouchsafed to take you for his people and that he hath
it is done for our infirmities sake because God seeth that wee haue nede to bee quickened vp And therefore all the promises of the lawe are as strokes with y e spurre Besides this we must also come backe to the doctrine of S. Paul which is that whatsoeuer promise with condition God doe make vs in his lawe Gal. 3. ââââ 12. it standes vs in no stead For wee on our side in steade of performing the thinges y t God commaundeth vs doe goe cleane backe from them and by that meanes are farre off froÌ all y e benefit y t is behighted vs there Rom. 7 â And whereas the Lawe sayth hee that doth these thinges shall liue in them that booteth vs nothing at all vntill God of his owne free goodnesse be at one with vs againe For then writeth he his lawe in our heartes Rom. 7.22 23. and we learne to obey him which thing we cannot doe by nature And yet for all that Phil. 3 1â we doe it not then perfectly but there is still some blemish in our doings so as God might iustly reiect our workes because they be altogether sinfull Neuerthelesse hee taketh them in good woorth and yeeldeth vs reward not as of duetie but of his owne good will Therefore to come againe to the first matter let vs note y t God prouoketh vs to the keping of his commaundements by such meanes as he knoweth to be most conuenient for vs. Geâ 15ââ Exod. ââ â Psal. ââ â 144.15 Rom. â ââ And that is the cause why he sayth that if wee be wholy his he also is ours and y t if wee draw neere vnto him he will drawe ny vnto vs will blesse vs he wil not only prosper vs in this transitorie lyfe but we may wel hope for a far greater reward in y e kingdome of heauen All these thinges are told vs and to what end Not to puffe vs vp with any vaine presumption as though wee were able to deserue aught at Gods hand but to incorage vs the more to doe well seeing that our God which might well exact the performance of all that is conteined in his Lawe without allowing vs any rewarde all doth neuerthelesse voutsafe to binde himselfe freely of his owne accord Marke that for the first point For we see here y t Gods promising of all these thinges to that people was not for any obedience that they had yelded vnto him for the land had bin promised to their fathers yea euen by othe long before they were borne And if a man speake of the time that was to come we see that God had no respect of that he looketh not that the people should behaue themselues so well as to receiue reward of him for it but he sayth I haue already promised you the land yea I haue promised it you for your inheritance to the intent ye should not thinke ye haue gotten it by your owne purchase And for proofe thereof I assured it vnto you by free gift before you were begotten but yet if yee intend to inioy it take heede that yee giue your selues to me Here yee see how God preuenteth all deseruing he regardeth not what wee haue deserued but whereas he seeth vs to be wretched and destitute of all goodnesse so as he findeth nothing but sinne in vs whereby we deserue to be reiected yet neuerthelesse he of his owne infinite mercie bindeth himselfe vnto vs telleth vs he will doe vs good as though we had serued him according to his law Marke y t for one point And thereupon he ceaseth not to say Do the thinges that I haue commaunded you that ye may inioy the benefites that I haue promised you The reason is that he will not haue his goodnesse dalyed withall If he be liberall he will not haue men to abuse it as they commonly doe When it is told vs that all that euer we haue at Gods hand is of his onely free gift wee beare our selues in hand that we haue leaue to doe euill and to liâe euery man after his owne lyking and that it is no matter what we doe But God will not haue his gratious goodnes so disgrace For his shewing of himselfe fauorable vnto vs is to another end and purpose namely to prouoke vs to loue him againe and that because wee finde him so good a father we should be lykeminded againe towardes him behaue our selues as his children That is the thing which Moses telleth vs here when hee sayth Looke that yee obey your God if ye minde to possesse the land which he promised to your fathers For on the one side hee sheweth that the land of Chanaan was an heritage of free gift and yet hee forbeareth not to tell them that they must not dallie w t God in abusing y t liberalitie of his but so much the rather both loue him feare him And when they see that God hath powred out the great riches of his mercie so vpon them the same ought to inflame them to say let vs giue ouer our selues wholy to our God Seeing that hee hath sought vs out of such time as wee were gone from him preuented vs w t his goodnesse not respecting our vnworthinesse but taking occasioÌ of himself to doe vs good let it kindle y e greater desire in vs to submit out selues to his power and will And whereas Moses speaketh here but onely of the land of Chanaan of the fruites that the people should gather there for their finding and sustenance it is not for that God meant not to leade the faithfull any further than so at y t time for it is certeine that they had the promise of life after the same maner as it is conteined at this day in the Gospell And therefore it is horrible blasphemie against God to say y t God held the people of olde time lyke swine in a stye and that they had no more but a certeine figure of y e spirituall good thinges which are giuen vs presently in these dayes as that wretched caytife sayd which was punished here who turned all thinges vpside downe was so bold as to belke out this heresie y t the olde testameÌt was nothing else but a figure insomuch y t euen Abraham the father of all the faithfull had but a fantasticall faith and knew not God aright And for proofe therof quoth he he worshipped Angels in stead of God had no knowledge of the euerlasting lyfe Loe what cursed stuffe here was for we know saith S. Paul y t the fathers of old time were the childreÌ of God Gal. 4.1 heires of y e kingdome of heaueÌ as well as we There is but this difference y t they were lyke young children but yet for all y t they failed not to possesse y e benefite howbeit y t they were stil vnder tutors and gouernours according to y e similitude that S. Paul alledgeth there The auncient fathers had
world at this day is that men take leaue continually to imagin whatsoeuer comes in their heads O say they I trow God will lyke wel of this to my seeming such a thing is good Now if men behaue themselues so after their owne imagination all things must needes be out of order Ye see it is euen a very seagulfe Therefore let vs learne to giue eare to God when hee speakes to vs let vs not take leaue to coÌceiue any thing of him otherwise than is shewed vs by his worde This then is the first point that we should learne to discerne our God from all the Idols which the world forgeth to it selfe therewithall y t we should not attempt any thing but that which he alloweth For y e Papistes can welenough protest y t their intent is to serue y e God y t made both heauen earth so also doe the Iewes Turkes y e case is common to them all But yet for al y t ye see how y e Turks haue wounde themselues into a maze of superstitions through y e deceitfulnesse of their Mahomet who hath bewitched them Again y e Iewes on their parte are growen out of kinde haue mingled y e Lawe w t their owne inuentions refusing y e redeemer that had bin promised them who is the very foundation of all y e religioÌ which they should haue held And as for y e Papists y e world sees how they haue corrupted all trueth turned it vtterly into lying Therefore let vs learne y t if we will not worship straunge Gods we must so holde our selues in awe as we attempt not any thing vnlesse we be sure y t it is according to Gods will For whensoeuer we fal to worshipping him after our owne deuice we doe set vp an idoll in our owne braine that is a thing which he vtterly mislyketh reiecteth and abhorreth Thus ye see y t the thing which we haue to remember vpon this place is y t seeing God hath graunted vs y e grace to haue his word to be our guide we ought to be y e more watchfull sith we be so weake as we neede not any thing to thrust vs out of the way we ought to take so much y e moore heede y t we may profit dayly by his word And besides y t let vs assure our selues throughly that it is not enough for vs to weene we doe well for we win nothing by being deceiued our case is neuer a whit amended by it before God therefore let vs learn to pray him to inlighten vs. And therewithall let vs knowe y t wheÌ God hath shewed vs his wil we must hold vs to it without adding aught thereto Thus yee see in effect what we haue to remeÌber vpon this text of Moseses Now he addeth immediately that men shoulde lay vp the things in their heartes which he telleth theÌ that they shoulde make a continuall monument of them as if it were of bracelets about their wristes or of attyres on their heades or of deuices in writing at the entrace of their dores so the intent they might occasion them to thinke vppon the lawe of God so as at their rysing in the morning as their going to bed at night men should talke conferre of it that their children might learne thereby Hereby Moses sheweth yet better y t vnlesse men be held as it were by force they will soone start away froÌ God Lyke as wheÌ a man thinkes he hath made a Foxe tame if he let him alone but one halfe day he returnes againe to his kinde by and by Euen so is it with vs. We be so wilde y t although it may seeme for a time that we be throughly brought home vnto God very wel reformed yet in y e turning of a hand all is quite forgotten And therefore our Lord is faine to put vs in remeÌbrance as hee doth in this text to quicken vs vp to inforce our selues to seeke al the means and helps y t may be to hold our selues in awe vnder his obedieÌce That is the cause why he saith y t folke shoulde make theÌ frontlets as ornaments of their heads Whereas men doe commonly weare brooches buttons such other thinges women weare billiments of gold and other costly attyres vpon their heades the attire of the faithful must be to haue some remembraÌce of Gods law In stead of bracelets other fine toyes to apparell deck our selues w tal we must vse such an attyre as may teach vs to garnish our soules yea to giue our selues wholy to God to submit our selues altogether to his word In stead of the hauing of gay things to furnish our houses withal for delight we must haue some such thing as may put vs in minde to say These are the things that our God calleth vs vnto he will neuer haue vs to forget him And if we haue ouershot our selues so as our minds do wander abrode he calleth vs home againe telleth vs y t we must not raunge so after our own vaine fansies Thus we see y e summe of that which is contained here We haue had the like saying in the sixth Chapter Dââ 6.7 ââ But yet this sheweth vs more expresly that it is not ynough for vs to haue withdrawen our selues for once froÌ our vain and wandering imaginations but God must bee faine to bring vs to that point againe by putting vs in minde of our flouth and negligence or else we shall dwel in it continually and he must be faine also to shewe vs the weaknesse feeblenesse of our spirites And in deede very experience shewes it for the whisking of a flye before our eyes is ynough to make vs run after it to do what we can to stop her Wee builde castles in y e aire by and by al vanisheth away Now then seeing there are so many vanities in our braine do we wonder y t we doe very quickly start away from God What a nomber of occasions are there in this world to turne vs this way that way so as we shal be led caried quite away ere euer we thinke on it Again Satan is such a suttle Sire that if we be not wel armed against him we shal neuer continue in y e obeying of our God This repetition therfore is not superfluous where God telleth vs again y â it is good for vs to haue his law written eueriwhere so as we might reade his coÌmandements vpon our fingers And he hath disposed them into ten sentences to the end they should be y e better knowen vnto vs. For looke how many fingers there are vpoÌ our haÌds so many are y e commandements of God to y e intent they should be y e easier to beare in remeÌberaÌce so as there needeth no loÌg registers which were hard to carie away forasmuch as he hath giuen vs so short a rule y t if we be long in
be wee in danger of endles death Sith it is so it followeth y t the law of it selfe can do no more but shewe vs that we be accursed of our God that he is our deadly enemie must needs be our Iudge And where is then the blessing that Moses speakes of here The answere hereto is this that if we looke no further but what we be in our own frowarde nature in respect of the sinne y t we haue drawen from Adam the law can doe nothing but curse vs. For whereas God sheweth vs what our righteousnes ought to be if we fall to the examining of our liues we shal find y t we haue offended him in euery point therfore we be past hope Yea but y t springeth not of the nature of y e law Rom. 7.14 â 7 but of our own sinfulnes in y t we are stubborne against God so that in steede of obeying him wee indeuour altogether to follow our own wicked lustes The lawe then as in respect of our selues bringeth nothing but wrath death But as in respect of it selfe surely it bringeth blessing For were we as we ought to be that is to wit were we so sound vncorrupted y t we were as throughly disposed to serue God as was our forefather Adam by creation before his fall the lawe should bring vs his blessing For why It sheweth vs that we must loue God with all our heart When wee be once ioyned vnto him when wee bee once knit vnto him in all perfection of goodnesse of ioy of life of glorie then shal this saying bee found true For were we of nature good right we should be answerable to this doctrine wee should obserue it so should this blessing be performed towards vs. Wherof is it long y t as now the law bringeth vs nothing but death damnation Euen for that wee be not able to receiue the promises y t are conteined there Our Lorde saith Come ye to mee I will fill you full of all goodnes we shrinke quite cleane from him So is it not long of the doctrine Wherof then Euen of our selues Where is the fault to bee found In the law No but in our owne selues Now then let vs mark that whereas Moses protesteth here y e he setteth a blessing before y e people his so doing is not without cause But here it might be replyed that although our own sin be the let that we be not made partakers of y e blessing that is behighted in y e lawe to enioy it yet notwithstanding for asmuch as wee be vtterly excluded from it it is in vaine for him to say I set before you a blessing That is not so For we haue two points to note The one is that Gods speaking after that maner concerning his word is to the ende y t we should haue it in reuerence estimation also loue it set our harts vpon it moreouer fall to the considering of our owne cursednes so as we might be humbled cast downe be sorie when we see our benefite turned to our bane our life into death because we be not disposed to receiue it But God shall haue wunne nothing at our handes by letting vs alone there wee must be faine to go one step further Forasmuch as we see our selues bereft of the blessing of the law so long as it continueth but a dead letter 2. Cor. 3.6 that is to say so long as it doth but only tel vs what wee should do giueth vs not power to do it in deede wee must resort to our Lord Iesus Christ whose office is to write the thinges in our heartes which God had written in stones 2. Cor. 3.3 that hee may make vs willing to obey in steede of our swaruing aside to y e contrarie Againe our Lord Iesus Christ hath deserued this blessing for vs that wee might henceforth be receiued into fauour for his sake our workes be accepted at Gods hande though they be nothing worth of themselues For we come not as euery man in his own person nor as they y t had performed the law theÌselues but we come in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ as members of his bodie Ye see then that the blessing is perfourmed in vs by seeking the remedie which we want which is that whereas God hath promised to blesse men vpon condition forasmuch as the same booteth vs not there is added another point of fauour which is that he receiueth vs for his sonnes sake Ier. 31.34 36.26.29 writing his lawe in our harts imputeth not our sins vnto vs by meanes wherof we faile not to bee partakers of the blessing that is contained here though we be not able to performe the law but that the same passe our abilitie Marke that for one point Now let vs come to y t which Moses sayth concerning y e curse He sayth y t like as the law offereth vs Gods fauor which is the blessing y t tendeth to our welfare so also we must not set light by the threatnings y t are set-downe there For if we giue deafe eare to Gods speaking so as our harts rancle against it through stubbornesse or y t we play the scoffers which turne all thinges to laughter 2. Cor. 2.15.16 let vs beare this in mind that howsoeuer the world go Gods worde shall either be our life or our death there shall not so much as one word therof fall to the ground Such as benefite themselues by y e things y t are told them on gods behalf shall find y t the doctrine serueth to their saluation And on the other side the despisers thereof such as refuse to be taught by it must yeeld an account thereof and they shall feele y t no one iote of it shal be lost neither is to be despised For should the thing be vndone vanish away w tout effect which passeth out of y e mouth of God No. And therefore let vs marke well y t if men cannot find in their hearts to vse Gods doctrine to their benefite when he sendeth it vnto them it shal turne to their euerlasting death their damnation wil bee doubled because they held scorne of the benefite y t was profered them And this is very needfull for vs. For we see how men dally with Gods word they y t cast it not quite cleane away do thinke themselues to be more than half perfect because they becom not vtter enemies to fight against it they beare theÌ selues in hand y t God ought to hold himself contented with it But think we that God wil suffer so good a thing to perish He offered vs life and we refused it and doeth not such vnkindnes deserue horrible vengeance Againe God setteth more store by his own honor than by the saluation of our soules And good reasoÌ it is y t he shonld Now he hath shewed
is a hidden doctrine either for your selues or for your children Wee see then howe it was Gods will that his lawe shoulde bee common both to great and small And shoulde he then that was brought vp in the house of the crowne bee a beast No. Ought he not to bee instructed in the Lawe And if hee ought was it not requisite that hee shoulde haue a booke of it Yes for sooth And what is y e cause why God woulde he shoulde haue a copie of the booke at such time as hee were put in possession of the kingdome It was to the ende hee shoulde perceiue himselfe to bee double bounde vnderstande that if priuate persones bee bounde to profite in Gods schoole to giue good heede to the doctrine that is preached or written it is much more reason that the person which hath the charge of the whole bodie which is set vp in the name of God and hath God come neere vnto him shoulde bee diligent to profite in the same schoole Therefore let vs marke how it behooued a booke to bee appointed out specially for the king and the same to bee written after a solemne fashion and the Priestes and Leuites to bee witnesses thereof and the same to bee deliuered vnto him as by the hande of God For it was all one as if God had sayd vnto him Go to I haue giuen my lawe to all my people I will haue the remembrance thereof to bee renewed yerely ãâã 4.19 For the booke was brought foorth the bloud of the sacrifice was sprinkled first vppon the booke and then vppon all the people to the ende they shoulde consider thus wee be linked in vnseparable bonde with the lawe of God But when this was done there was a seconde booke brought and deliuered into the kings own haÌds as if it had beene saide vnto him God âyndeth thee much more than any priuate persons to knowe thy duetie namely that thou shouldest be better learned than all the rest and shewe them examples and behaue thy selfe in such wise as all the people may take thee for their guyde That was the thing which our Lorde meant in this text And in deed let vs consider a little how hard the charge of princes is Although a Iudge had not past one citie or one towne to gouerne yet shoulde he finde himselfe much cumbered and what shal he do then hauing a whole realme It standeth al Magistrates and Officers of iustice in haÌd to apply this to theÌselues to know y t their charge passeth all their abilitie so as they shall neuer be able to go through with it except God giue them his holy spirite But yet for all that he wil not haue them to be negligent in y e mean while What is to be done then All Magistrats and al such as haue publike charge must vnderstande that if it behooue other men to bee diligent to read the holy scripture to haunt Sermons to bee confirmed more and more in the doctrine and to be well edified thereby they themselues haue twyce as much neede to be so And forasmuch as God hath aduaunced them to preheminence it behoueth them to haue recourse to him dayly and to call vppon him and not to be so vainglorious as to thinke O I am able ynough to guyde my selfe and to gouerne others No no Let them rather consider them selues to bee vnable vnlesse God giue them power and strength with wisedome and discretion to guyde themselues Therefore let them desire to be taught that others may frame themselues after their example and let all resort vnto God indeuouring to profit in such sort in his schoole as the great men may haue wherewith to gouerne well and the meaner sort may by that meanes bee allured to obey quietly so as al meÌ may bee guyded vnto God with one common accorde Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them in such sort as wee may seeke his mercie with true repentance and hee graunt vnto vs not onely to burie our faultes past but also to refourme vs that our whole seeking may be to please him to frame our selues in all points to his will and also that in the meane whyle hee beare with vs in all our infirmities vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane of them And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxj of Nouember 1555. The Cvj. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the seuenteenth Chapter 16.17.18 But hee shall not c. 19 The which hee shall haue with him and reade it all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lorde his God and keepe all the wordes of the Lawe and the Ordinaunces to doe them 20 That he lift not vp his heart aboue his brethren nor turne not from the coÌmaundement to the right hand or to the left that he may indure long in his kingdome both he and his sonnes in the middes of Israel WE sawe yesterday why GOD commaunded kings to haue a booke of the law For although they had beene taught afore yet when they were come to that state it stoode them in hand to thinke that they had more neede than euer they had to rule themselues by Gods word considering how hard a thing it is to gouerne a people and that God must be faine to worke in that behalfe and men must acknowledge themselues far too weake that they may seeke y e help that is needeful for them namely to be guyded by God and for attainment thereof apply their studie to his worde For it is in vaine for vs to hope that God will giue vs counsel vnlesse wee seeke it in his lawe If a man say that God will wel ynough giue him his spirite yet in y e mean while despise all the helpes as the reading of y e holy scripture the hearing of Sermons is it not a mocking of him And so ye see wherefore it behoueth the kings to haue a booke of y e lawe There is a saying of a heathen man which is taken for a common prouerb namely that y e common weale is happie where wise men holde the helme or where such as hold the helme do giue themselues to wisedome And that is a very rare thing But yet men see that al this is very true For when men are chosen to gouerne a people it is meete y t they should haue wit and reason in them And it is not ynough for a man to bee of some courage discretion aforehande ere hee take the gouernment vpon him but he must also indeuer to profit continually when he is come to it and thereunto doth euen experience itself prouoke him for our true wisedome is to harken to God when he speaketh to vs and to obey his doctrine So then wee see how needful it was for kinges to bee exhorted to read Gods
that they were sent of God they would say I am no prophet if this come not to passe See how Ieremie submitteth himself to the Law saying ãâã 28.9 I tell ye ye shall be led captiue to Babylon and thinke not your selues to be discharged by y t which hath hapned vnto you already for the citie had bin taken once before and therefore they thought themselues discharged by being become tributaries after that fashion to the king of Babylon and so they thought themselues escaped No no ye must indure yet more This chastisement which hath not amended you at al seemeth ouer hard and too sharp a rod vnto you But forasmuch as god hath called you and you continue still vnamended he is feine to deale now more roughly with you the temple must be beaten downe the citie must be razed you your selues must be no more a people there must be no more sacrifice all thinges must be so cleane taken away as ye may seeme to bee vtterly perished To this extremitie must yee come because ye haue abused Gods patience euen vnto this houre And if it come not so to passe take me no more for a Prophet but let me bee stoned to death for I am well worthie of it But I am well assured of that which I haue foretold you for God himself hath told it me We see how the Prophets submitted themselues to the Lawe also did set themselues against the false-prophets as we see by the example of Ieremie when Ananias came and sayd No the vessels of the Temple shall be brought again from Babylon and the kingdome of Dauid shal be set vp againe in our time and we shall florish more thaÌ euer we did and thereupon did breake the chain of Ieremie who walked about the streetes as it were with a with about his necke For it behoued him to represeÌt the captiuitie because men were so blind in their sinnes that they tooke all Gods threatnings to be but a iest and thereupon did make euen a mocke of them And therefore it behoued the Prophet to goe about the citie after that fashion with a with about his neck as who should say Euen thus shall you be miserably haled into captiuitie yee make a goodly shewe nowe yee triumph ye thinke it a goodly thing to besot your selues in your pleasures and delightes but this yoke that I weare serueth to shewe that you your selues shal be put vnder the yoke of subiectioÌ Behold Ananias breaks me this yoke asunder saying no we shall liue still at libertie and be deliuered from that bondage It is a wonder Yea but how did these wretched and wicked folkes afterward behaue themselues How did God ratify the thing that Ananias had spoken I wishe it might be so sayd Ieremie but yet must I goe further and tell him his condemnation seeing the Lord hath commaunded mee so to doe So then we see that Ieremie ratifyed the thing which hee had vttered in the name of God and that maner of dealing was common among all the Prophets Wherefore let vs marke that our Lordes intent here was to declare that he wil not suffer vs to be beguiled so wee be willing to receiue his worde and to bee taught thereby and be diligent in discerning betweene trueth and falshood Although there be neuer so many false Prophets and that Satan striue continually to turne vs away from goodnes yet shall we euer haue some discretion that is to say God wil giue vs some token whereby to keepe ourselues from being deceiued It is a promise that can neuer faile vs. And therefore let vs holde vs thereto and secke to obey our God His reaching out of his hand is enough for vs and though there be neuer so many meanes to deceiue vs yet will he not suffer them to preuaile according to that that is promised here Wherefore let vs looke to our selues Whereas we haue no Prophets nowadayes to foretell vs thinges to come or y t haue reuelations aforehaÌd of warre pestilence and famine it is because we haue greater perfection of doctrine that the people had in old time We therefore must hold our selues contented with the Gospell for it is y e fulnes of light But yet therewithall let vs also haue an eye to the thinges which are written and let vs examine the doctrines that are preached vnto vs and if we finde them to be drawen out of the Lawe the Prophetes and the Gospel let vs be assured of them that they are certein And if we vse that touchstone continually to try things by surely God wil preserue vs froÌ all Satans falshoods Thus ye see what we haue to remember vppon that text Now it is sayd expresly that such a Prophet shal dye the death And that is a cause also why our Lord sayth that he wil giue the sayd marke For it were foule treacherie to iudge condemne a Prophet without knowing why or wherefore If a guiltlesse person should bee condemned vnder colour of some euill deed not vttered it were too great wrong vniustice to be done to a mortall man But if a bringer of Gods word be condemned euen as though he had done amisse in his office without being found faultie that toucheth not the creature only neither is the wrong done to a mortal man alone but it is an outrage done vnto God also that is high treason to his person Ye see then that the cause why Moses saith here that God will discouer the false Prophets is to the end they should bee iudged and also to warne folk that they should not couet to be foaded with vaine hope as I haue tolde you that y e maner of the world is coÌtinualy to doe The prophets had hard hold from time to time with the most part of y e Iewes because they brought nothing but threatnings These Prophets quoth y e Iewes doe trouble vs are too importunate vpon vs they speak of nothing but of Gods wrath cursings should they not as well tell vs of gladsome and pleasant things Those are the thinges which the world requireth Yea but in so dooing we prouoke Gods wrath We would haue him to be our friend wee on our side are enemies to him If we came to God w t true repentaÌce sought him as our father wee should haue no tydings but of peace prosperitie to delight in But what We suffer not God to be fauorable to vs nor to shew his loue towards vs. For we make war against him as I said aforâ Therefore let vs learn y t god wil turn y e sayings of y e false Prophets to the contrarie so as when they promise folke welfare and peace mischief shall insue whereby they shall be found to haue vsed vaine flatterie Wherfore let vs not desire to be rocked asleepe with mens deceitfull speeches For what shall it boote vs to be acquit by them y t haue no power at all when we shall be condemned before
false Prophets shall be condemned yea euen because of their proud presuÌptuous dealing and for their vntollerable rashnes And hereby as many as haue y e charge to beare abroad Gods word are warned to walke warely circumspectly to take heed y t in their preaching of y e word they intermingle nothing of their owne but y t they haue a speciall care y t all their sayinges be referred to the true pure expounding of y t which is written that they doe nothing else but apply Gods word to y e vse of the people As for exaÌple I stand not here to make newe Lawes nor to forge new articles of faith What then Our Lord hath vttered his whole will vnto vs in the holy scripture Deut. 12.32 it is not lawful to ad any thing there to What am I to do theÌ wherfore do we preach yea that continually day by day To the ende y â the scripture should be well vnderstood that it should be applyed to our vse that men might know how to benefit theÌselues therby as how to imbrace Gods promises how to order their lyfe aright how to liue quietly euery man after his owne calling The shewing of these thinges is to minister force to y e holy scripture y t wee may vnderstand it and fare the better by it and bee edifyed therewith Such say I as haue y e charge of preaching Gods word ought to haue a special regard of these thinges Howbeit forasmuch as no creature no not euen y e Angels of heauen are able to execute so high noble a coÌmission we must pray God to guide gouern vs bearing in minde therewithall as S. Paul sayth y t no man could say y t Iesus is y e Lord 1. Cor. 12.3 y t is to say no man can giue glory to y e sonne of God but by the holy Ghost to bee short y t he which is aduanced highest to teach others ought to abace himself lowest for feare least any thing may scape him which hee hath not receiued of God so as he may safely protest y t he hath not amed at any other end than the worshipping seruing of God euen according to y e doctrine which hee hath deliuered heretofore in his holy scripture Againe the people are to be exhorted to take heede y t Gods glory bee not defaced For y e Papistes think it an humilitie allowable before God a very good commeÌdable deuotion to be so brutish as to receiue all y t euer is put vnto theÌ O say they we must submit our selues to our mother holy Church yea but in so doing they be guiltie of y e defacing of God himself of y e bereauing robbing of him of his authoritie For why The Pope his cleargie are so full of stinking pride statelynesse that they make Lawes subdue mens consciences to theÌ at their pleasure Ye see theÌ y t that is an vsurping of tyrannie ouer Gods people They excommunicate all good doctrine to set forth their owne corruptions so they defile the pure simplicitie of Gods worde Well they be suffered in these thinges yea mainteined defended in their malitiousnesse And in the meane while God is halfe shaken off no account is made of him for men doe ouermaister him For as for all them that hearken to false prophets after that fashion doe they not set vp their diuelish pride to the intent to thrust downe God thereby Let vs mark well then y t whereas Moses speaketh here of y e pride or ouerheaddinesse of y e deceiuers it is not onely to make them to bee mislyked punished and cut off from among y e people but also to warne vs that if a man presume to mingle any of his inuentions with Gods word or goe about to alter any part of the order y t he hath set wee must bee no fauorers of such rashnesse For in so dooing wee diminishe Gods honor and become guiltie of the vtter defacing of him as much as in vs lyeth And therefore all of vs in general as well the preacher as the hearer are warned to consider what the plaine reuerence is which God requireth at our hand It consisteth not in ceremonies nor in vaine bablinges as men say but in this that he onely doe speake and all mens mouthes be kept shut Not y t there should be no Shepheardes to preach the doctrine vnto vs but that all should be fetched from him and he be held as chiefe Maister The way then to beare down all pride and rashnesse is that the holy scripture haue his full force so as men vnderstand that that is the standard vnder which we must gather our selues and that God will be obeyed by mens submitting of themselues therunto For without that there will be nothing but pride and ouerstatelynesse among vs. And so ye see that the deuotion of the Papistes is diuelish because they haue left God to submit themselues to creatures and suffer theÌselues to be led lyke beastes without any discretion And in the same respect is it sayd in the end Thou shalt not be afraid of such a Prophet He saith not thou shalt not feare such a prophet but word for worde it is thou shalt not be afraid of such a Prophet For here God meant to arme his faithfull ones with constancie that they might not be put out of countenance by any faire disguisement but that when they are once instructed in the faith they should defy all such as vaunt theÌselues and come to make gay shewes vnder the name of God as I haue tolde you afore that sometimes men are too fearefull In deed there are that mocke at God and haue no feeling of conscience at all but set as light by the trueth as they doe by leasings euen at this day there are that make as much account of the Gospell as of y e abuses of the Popedome Iesus Christ the Pope are all one to them What a sorte of mockers are to be seene which will needes bee couÌted good Christians because they hold skorn of the popish superstitions and yet in the meane while are despisers of God and his word Surely they be but dogges and hogs without any feare of God or ciuil honestie And yet is the worlde too ful of such corruption and infection Againe there are othersome very tenderharted Not y t it is not a vertue to stand in some feare but because they be ouerfearefull when they be vexed with any scruple of conscience they wote not which way to turne them For if an error be put vnto them they dare not receiue it for feare againe on the other side if the trueth be put vnto them their agreeing to it if they doe agree is not with any certeintie Ye shall see a number y t are euer wauering lyke reedes shaken with the winde The Masse is holy with them the Gospell is holy with
e Heathen wrate of y t matter they spake after this maner the Lawe punisheth not the euentes of thinges but the intentes of them And when the Philosophers wrate thereof they could wel skill to say there is neither vice nor vertue which proceedeth not of the will Yet for all this we cease not to bleare our owne eyes neither doe we thinke our selues to haue offended vnlesse our handes bee bloudy or that there appeare some euident token to the worldward or to be short y t we be conuicted of the doing of some wicked deed But y t is against my former saying y t is to wit that all sinnes proceede of the wil. Therefore when wee intend to examine our selues throughly let vs learn to begin at our wils And if we finde no euil deed in our selues y t is to say neither malice nor euil wil theÌ is it no crime And whereas I say that euill affection is willing yet for all that I exclude not mens inquiries for it is not for naught that God hath distinguished sinnes and misdeedes into two sortes whereof the one sorte are called crimes and the other sorte are called ignorances Although then that men haue no intent or meaning to doe amisse yet is it not to bee sayd that therefore they bee righteous But my meaning now is that there be no wicked affection or desire in vs so as wee bee not disposed to it of any will but that the whole matter standeth vppon mischaunce that insueth And I call it mischaunce after the custome of common speach For it behooueth vs to referre all thinges to Gods prouidence and not to thinke that any thing can fal out through fortune Neuerthelesse it is a common manner of speach among vs to say that a thing happeneth by chaunce or fortune when it commeth to passe on our side That then is the thing in effect which we haue to note in that our Lorde sayth that there shall no iudgement of death passe vppon a man that shall haue giuen his neighbour a deadly blowe without any malice borne to him before but that hee shall bee quitte if his stryking of him were without forepurpose or intent of will And furthermore wee see here in few words how our Lorde meant to forbid vs to be moued to anger one against another and hath voutsafed to beare with our imperfections so farre that to eschew greater inconueniences hee will haue the guiltlesse person to get him out of the way for a time True it is as I haue declared heretofore that his intent is also to shewe how greatly wee ought to abhorre murther But howsoeuer the case stand yet it doth behooue vs to marke well Gods gratious goodnesse in mainteining peace and concorde by all meanes possible Were wee such as wee ought to bee there shoulde bee as it were but one common league of fellowship among vs but now are wee faine to be separated asunder so as euery man getteth himselfe alone euery man hath his goods by himselfe euery man hath his possessions seuerall and euery man hath as it were a proprietie alone and that is because of our infirmitie And true it is that this Lawe might bee generall but there are many other meanes whereby God sheweth vs how he beareth with our infirmities Is it not a pitious case that two brethren cannot liue quietly together without contention and strife and that euen the father and the sonne also should be at the same point These are shamefull thinges and vtterly against nature so as it may well bee sayd that we be worse than wilde beastes seeing that euen they which are linked together in so neere and holy bond cannot beare one with another that they might liue together infriendship But what The vices of men are so great that to eschewe greater mischiefes sometime the parties that ought to be neerest together are faine to be set furthest asunder And the same maner of dealing doth God vse in this place Hee will haue a man to forsake his owne house and possessions and to goe into a straunge place And wherfore To the end that the partie which was mooued to wrath for loue of his neighbour should haue no occasion to doe worse nor bee prouoked by seeing him before his eyes Now then sith wee see this let vs briefly market the goodnes which God vseth towardes vs which is more than the loue of a father in that hee beareth with vs in our vices and findeth fit meanes to keepe vs from flinging out at randon and moreouer giueth vs warning by his owne example to preuent or cut off all occasions of euill Therefore let vs beware for the diuell is alwayes watching will soone take vs in a trip if we admit neuer so small an occasion of dooing euill So then let vs bridle our selues short and be well aduised saying thus to our selues O if I commit such a thing I may bee tempted with such an euill and therefore I had need to labour to keepe my selfe from it For why The diuell is ouer wylie for me and if I cast my selfe once into his nettes what will become of mee For God sheweth vs howe we ought to liue and howe to cut off all occasions of euill and that if there bee any thing that may leade vs to any euil we must shunne it aforehande Seeing then that God hath sung vs such a lesson let vs take heede not onely that wee absteine from all euill deedes whereby wee may corrupt and defile our whole life and vtterly cast our selues into all disorder but also that wee eschewe all thinges that may leade vs to euill by any indirect wayes Nowe let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more that euerie of vs may so bethinke vs of our sinnes as wee become our owne Iudges and learne to condemne our selues that wee may obtaine forgiuenesse of the heauenly Iudge so as hee may pitie vs and bury all our transgressioÌs by which we be guiltie before him and that wee may examine our sinnes narrowly dayly more and more to the ende that being mortified vnto them wee may dayly draw neere to his righteousnesse whereunto hee calleth vs by his worde 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 Friday the vj. of December 1555 The Cxiij Sermon which is the second vpon the nineteenth Chapter 8 And when the Lorde thy God shall haue inlarged thy borders as hee hath sworne to thy fathers and hath giuen thee all the lande which he promised to giue to thy fathers 9 Condicionally that thou haue an eye to all his commaundementes to doe them which I commaunde thee this day and that thou loue the Lorde thy God and walke continually in his wayes then thou shalt adde three other townes to those three 10 To the intent that innocent
find that the guiltlesse person is greeued the false dealer must be punished yea euen without any sparingâ insomuch that if he appeached his neighbour of a matter of life his owne life shall aunswere for it or if he intended any hurt to him he shall forgoe eye for eye foote for foote hande for hande that is to say hee shal be serued of the same sauce himselfe That is the very effect of our Lorde his meaning in this text And let vs marke that here our Lord sheweth vs that witnes bearing is a holy thing and in deede when witnesses are brought foorth they ought to thinke that it is God whome they come to serue in y t deede True it is that men may well bring theÌ forth but yet in the meane while who is the founder of that order Is not God the author thereof Then must men haue an eye to him aboue all Againe he that bringeth foorth a witnesse can not say that he is to be examined in his name But God is there to receiue the oth when a man is made to lift vp his hand when he should giue euidence he is called as it were before God Therefore to be short let vs marke that whensoeuer we beare witnesse in any matter of Lawe we do as it were a holy deede in respect whereof we ought to goe to it with the more reuerence and care For periurie carrieth with it high treason against God insomuch as we blaspheme against the name and maiestie of God And it is he against whom the trecherie is committed and not against a creature And that is the cause why so greeuous punishment is heere expresly appointed vnto it insomuch that God will not haue that witnesse to be spared True it is that hee hath an eye to the wrong and wicked dealing which hee offered to the guiltlesse person Neuerthelesse his intent is also that there shoulde be a reuerence hadde to the order which he had set downe for the common benefite of all men And moreouer forasmuch as he himselfe beareth chiefe stroake there hee will haue men to honour his maiestie and not to dally with him after that fashion And in deede we see how men take more libertie in forswearing theÌselues thaÌ in any other misdoings And why is that Because they beare themselues in hande that God will easily forgiue it Yea forsooth as who shoulde say hee made not more account of his owne glorie than of all that euer concerneth vs. Againe in all other faultes men haue some shame to holde them backe they be afrayde least it should be prooued by them or that it shoulde be perceiued But the wicked sort make but a mouth at it when they forsweare themselues Tush say they who shal aske vengeance of it Who shall followe the suite of it Yea as who should say there were no GOD in heauen Nowe then let vs marke that forasmuch as men take leaue dispense with themselues so easily in committing of periurie and that it is not looked vnto of men but it is let slip without punishing that therefore God must bee faine to reserue it wholly to his owne examination and the crime must be so much the more accountable before his iudgement seate where it shall be punished dubble Marke well therefore what we haue to beare in minde that euery man may looke to himselfe and that we may be fully resolued that we be bounde to yeelde recorde to the trueth as oft and whensoeuer wee be called thereto and that wee defraude both God and our neighbours of that which is due vnto them when we can help them in any good case and doe not which is all one as if we robbed them of that which belongeth vnto them That is an Item to them that conceale and dissemble the trueth when they be required to speake it Furthermore let vs beare in minde that our comming to doe that must be as though GOD called vs before his owne face and did set downe his name there before vs saying as ye haue any estimation of my name see that ye beare faithfull recorde without fauour or hatred bee not led by any affection but onely doe what yee can to report what ye knowe without respect of any person Were this well obserued wee should see another manner of feare of God in all giuing of euidence than we doo How great libertie soeuer the world take although most men passe their boundes without any awe of God yet must not this lesson be lost but we must learne to practise it euen with horrour to beholde the great blockishnes which reigneth euery where in that men do so mocke God and rush against him with such boldenesse and presumption And nowe it is sayde expresly that the partyes must come both into the presence of the Lorde before the Priestes and Iudges Whereby Moses doeth vs to vnderstande that God is present at the executing of Iustice because all is done by his authoritie and in his name And this text is yet verie well worthie to be noted For when men come before a Iudge they thinke they haue hyed them well if they may deceiue him but there are very fewe that consider the Iudge to be Gods liuetenaunt In deede men can finde in their hearts to confesse that Iustice is a diuine thing and that God beareth chiefe sway therin it costeth them nothing to say so but as for to be touched with it to the quicke and to beare well in minde that when we appeare before a Iudge God doth presently beholde vs so as we can not conceale any thing from him but he writes vp all thinges in his registers insomuch that although wee be spared by men yet we must come to account for it before God wee neuer thinke of that But yet doth this text warne vs y t we must neuer goe to law but w t inteÌt to demeane ourselues as in Gods presence assuring ourselues y t although nothing in the worlde be hidden from him yet hee will haue men to acknowledge a certain speciall presence of his maiestie in the order of Iustice. True it is that euen when men be in their chambers or in their beddes they ought to thinke still that they be continually in the sight of God and although it be his propertie to search all things to examine euen the bottom of mens thoughts Psal. 7.10 yet notwithstanding it is his will to haue a notable marke of his maiestie and glorie to appeare in the order of gouernment which he hath set in the worlde Heb. 4.12 â3 by appointing Iudges to bee as his liuetenauntes and officers and he will haue men to knowe that he himselfe is there and that hee guideth and gouerneth the whole action In the Popedome because men knowe not that God is present at the executing of Iustice they haue Puppets and Paintinges and Crucifixes and I wote not what else For those beastes beare theÌ selues in hande that images are
Indeede I had not done it wittingly but yet had I not bin excusable for al that Then was I in danger to haue beene guiltie of murther and in what case were I then if I shoulde suffer such a fault to scape vnpunished Now then if a Iudge bethinke him not of these thinges it is a token that he hath no feare of God in him Therefore it behooueth vs so much the more to marke well this saying of Moses that y e Iudges eye must not spare the partie that hath done a fault worthie of punishment For it is but crueltie to vse such wrongfull mercie as maketh vs to runne headlong to the breaking of al order set by God and of all vprightnesse among men Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowlement of our sins praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may be drawen to true repentaunce and learne more and more to repaire vnto him not tarying till hee hale vs thither by force but seeing hee vouchsafeth to allure vs so gently by his worde let vs come willingly vnto him and prouoking our selues forward become our owne iudges y t in condemning ourselues we may seeke to be acquit by his mercie And that it may please him to guide vs in the meane time as that being rid of our wicked affections cares that holde vs backe from comming to him we may shewe by our deedes that we be his true children and that we beare the marke of his holy spirit 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 Tewsday the xvii of December 1555. The Cxvj. Sermon which is the fifth vppon the nineteenth Chapter and the first vpon the twentith Chapter 19 Thou shalt doe vnto him as he meant to haue done to his brother and so thou shalt rid away euill from among you 20 And others hearing thereof shal be afraid and not doe any such wicked deede among you from thenceforth 21 Thine eye shal not spare him but life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote The twentith Chapter WHen thou goest forth to warre against thine enimies and thou seest horses and Chariots and a greater multitude of people than thy selfe be not afraid of them For the Lorde thy God which hath brought thee vp out of the lande of Egypt is with thee 2 And when yee come neere to giue battell then shal the Priest come forth and speake to the people 3 And say vnto them Hearken ô Israel now that ye be come hither this day to giue battell to your enimies let not your heartes faint be not afraid neither be ye discouraged or abashed at the sight of them 4 For the Lorde your God goeth with you to fight for you against your enimies and to preserue you WE saw yesterday what punishment God ordeined for such as practise mischefe against their neighbours And that concerneth Iudges and such as haue the sword of Iustice in their hande But as for vs we for our parte ought to suffer the wronges patiently that are done vnto vs. Or else if we pursue them that they may be punished it must not be done of malicious spite nor with desire of reuendge but to the intent that the partie which is to be punished may bee kept from offending any more afterwarde and also that no outrages or violent dealinges may bee suffered least others shoulde growe bolde to doe so too but that all men may bee made to stande in feare by beholding the example of him that is punished And by this meanes wee see howe the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ agreeth verie well with the doctrine of the Lawe For hee telleth vs that wee must not resist euill The Lawe commaundeth that hee which procureth the death of his Neighbour shall be put to death and not bee spared Nowe at the first sight heere seemeth to be some contrarietie But wee must consider to whome our Lorde speaketh when hee sayth that the offender must bee punished namely that hee speaketh to those whome he hath put in authoritie When hee saith resist not euill with euill hys meaning is that euerie of vs shoulde liue quietly and put vp wronges patiently rather than requite like for like And that is the cause why hee sayth in the fifth of Matthewe yee haue hearde howe it hath beene saide to the men of olde time Matt. 5.38 An eye for an eye and a hande for a hande but I say vnto you if a man strike you on the one cheeke turne him the other also and if a man take awaie thy Cloake bee willing to giue him thy Coate too or if hee take awaye thy Coate giue him thy Cloake too We see howe the Iewes abused the saide Lawe For vnder pretence that GOD woulde haue no iniuries to scape vnpunished they bare themselues in hande that euerie man might seeke to bee reuenged of his enemies But wee must in aniewise put a difference betweene the lawes of policie and the Lawes of GOD which require a perfection and serue to rule our heartes and affections by so as it is not Lawfull to procure harme to anie man though hee haue deserued it The ciuill Lawe and earthly policie giue men leaue to seeke amendes of the wronges doone vnto them and the Iudge is bounde to satisfie their demaunde but yet for all that if the partie that is wronged haue a malicious hearte and his accusing of his enemies is to bee reuenged of him hee is not excused before God Although hee haue right ministred vnto him before men and they say that his cause is good and lawefull yet for all that doeth GOD condemne him And why so Because as I tolde you before wee must bee patient For what vertue is it to bee friendlie to such as loue vs and to wishe no euill to such as doe vs pleasure and seruice Matt. 5.46 Doe not the heathen as much But if men vexe vs and put vs to shame and trouble and wee beare with it indeuouring to ouercome their euill by doeing good then doe wee shewe our selues to be Gods children and followers of his example who causeth his day sunne to shine both vppon good and badde Therefore let vs first marke this foretouched difference betweene the Lawes of policie and the Lawe of GOD which is spirituall and serueth to rule all the affections of a mannes hearte Nowe in policie there is no more to bee looked for but that no man attempt anie thing agaynst his neighbour that men doe one an other no harme that men worke no displeasure one to an other neither in goods nor in person nor in name and that whosoeuer offendeth bee punished But when GOD sheweth vs howe wee shoulde liue hee saith not onely refrayne your selues from euill and let him that offendeth bee punished but hee telleth vs also Matt. 5.28 that it is not
bondage nor subiection did willingly submitte himselfe to the Lawe and beare the yoke thereof for vs for we knowe that he performed the will of GOD his father in all pointes to the full And so by that meane we be taken for righteous in Iesus Christ. Why so Because hee was obedient Yea and that obedience of his was not for himselfe there was no subiection in him neither was hee bounde to any thing for he is altogether aboue the Lawe therefore it followeth that he was obedient for vs. And therefore when wee flee to him for succour our heauenly father admitteth vs as if wee brought perfect obedience with vs. For looke what is waÌting missing in ourselues we go to seeke it like poore beggers in our Lord Iesus Christ and al is applyed vnto vs by the vertue of faith Marke that for one point But Saint Paul addeth that forasmuch as we bee all accursed by the Lawe our Lorde Iesus Christ was faine to beare our curse And he bare it sayeth he for he was hanged vpon tree And whereas the Lawe of God had sayd Cursed shall he be that hangeth on tree the same was verified in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And S. Paul had an eye both to that which hath bin and to that which we shall see hereafter namely Cursed shall the man bee which performeth not all the things y t are written here Ye see how God hath declared his will Thereupon he promiseth that whosoeuer keepeth his Lawe shal be taken forrighteous and obtein the endlesse life But yet on the contrarie part he telleh vs y t if a man faile in any one point Iames. 2.10 he shal be cursed forlorne without remedie Now let euery of vs looke into himselfe Was there euer any man y t hath not failed many wayes Psal. 143.2 It is sayd y t no man shal be founde righteous in his sight And againe in an other place Psal. 130.4 Lorde if thou looke streitely vpon sin who can abide it Who is able to shew himselfe before thy iudgement seate Needes must all men be confounded and not for some one sin but for a number of wicked deedes shall we be put to shame if god do once enter into account with vs. Then are we all vndone damned as in respect of the Lawe there is no more remedy Leuit. 8.5 Cursed shal he be which doeth not all those thinges Alas we be neuer able to doe the hundredth part of them I say y t although God guide vs vnto goodnes by his holy spirit yet do we faile through our owne infirmitie and there is euer great want in vs. Ye see then that we be vndone and past hope of recouery vnlesse the curse be abolished And that was done in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ who as he hath performed all righteousnesse so hath he also receiued the curse to himselfe which lay vppon our heades he hath borne it in his person to the intent that henceforth we should be free from it As how For he was not hanged vpon tree without the prouidence of God his father wee must alwayes looke backe to y t point For as for these rascals which goe about to deface Gods prouidence they shew that they neuer knew what religion meaneth nay they be mastife dogges yea and much worse than dogs beleeuing no more in God than brute beastes as the worlde knoweth Notwithstanding forasmuch as God hath giuen his sonne to death as the scripture beareth witnesse that he hath so loued the worlde that he hath not spared his only sonne but hath deliuered him to death for vs Let vs assure ourselues that God ment to shewe vs to our faces that he layde vpon him the curse due to vs so as the thing which we hadde deserued was layde vpon the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore when wee beholde Iesus Christ hanging on the tree wee knowe that hee hath taken our bondage vpon him euen to the intent that wee should not be any more bounde to the curse of the lawe but free and that the sayde threate should no more take place to condemn vs Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all those thinges For why When wee flee for refuge to the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ our sinnes are wiped out God layeth them not any more to our charge they be quite cleane done away And why so Because the curse lyeth not any longer vppon the transgressors when they trust and rest vpon the satisfaction that was offered vnto God the father by him that was ordeined to that office Here it might be demanded whether Christs hanging vppon the tree and his beeing accursed before GOD was not a derogation to his maiestie Surely so farre off was it from diminishing or defacing of his glorie that it is rather the chiefe thing wherefore wee are to magnifie him For we ought to be euen rauished at the inestimable loue of God towardes vs in that he vouchsafed that his sonne who is the heade of the Angelles before whome all knees ought to bowe and vnto whom all creatures ought to do homage should so humble himselfe euen to the lowest depthes and beare our curse When wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so forgotten himselfe and had so litle regarde of himselfe that for very feruent loue which he bare vnto vs he tooke vpon him the curse wherewith wee were all ouerwhelmed receiuing it wholely to himselfe is there any heart so harde which ought nor to cliue at the sight thereof Againe how ought we to be inflamed to glorifie our Sauiour who hath abaced himselfe so farre to saue vs Moreouer let vs marke also that hee ceased not for all that to be blessed of God according to the common title which was giuen among the Iewes And in very deede hee is so named in the hundreth and eighteenth Psalme where it is sayde Blessed bee hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde It was a prophesie concerning the redeemer of the worlde that had beene promised Nowe seeing that God auoweth him to be blessed howe comes it to passe that hee is accursed and that the curse should take place in his person These two agree very well For whereas Christ became as it were accursed not onely before men but also before God it was because he was our suretie and represented vs setting himselfe in our steede Yet neuerthelesse he reteined still the thing that was due to himselfe to wit to be the blessed of the father who will haue him to bee knowen so to be and that all the worlde should beare witnesse of y t blessednes Matt. â1 â For the same should haue beene spoken by the people euen as wee see that the children did sing the same song at the entrance of our Lord Iesus Christ into Ierusalem Then was it requisite that this blessing which was peculiar to himselfe shoulde bee knowen to the whole
reforme vs to that stayednesse which God hath commaunded vs. Now it is sayd moreouer That the Iewes should make at the neather parts of their garmentes fringes or borders that is to say their garmentes shoulde haue a large border and be plaighted in the edges as mention is made hereof in the fifteenth Chap. of the booke of Nombers For there it is sayd that they shall haue fine cordes or laces of silke to folde together the borders of their garments And why The reason is there expressed For otherwise this place would be obscure It is sayd here thou shalt make thee fringes or borders vpon the foure neather partes or quarters of thy garment If there were no mo wordes than so a man might demaund why and not be aunswered But God in that place sayth that that fashion should serue them for a monument Thou shalt thinke thereby that thou art a people dedicated vnto God who hath chosen thee to himselfe to be thy protectour In so small a thing then God meant to admonish his people to say see Wee are not as the Paynims who walke after their owne fancies for God hath deliuered vnto vs his lawe to the end to holde vs fast to the keeping thereof And we haue seene the lyke to this before in the fourth Chapter For when God sayd there that the Iewes ought to exercise themselues alwayes in thinking vpon his Lawe he sayd you shall haue some sentence of my Law written vpon the postes of the dores wheÌ you are at y e table you shal haue something thereof yea you shall beare my Law about you and decke your selues therewith Whereas others haue their bracelets and images of golde you shall haue some parcell of my Lawe to put you in minde that your God speaketh vnto you and will not that you forget his doctrine yea he will haue you to make fringes and other ornamentes thereof And so whereas others haue their guildinges which serue to no other end but to pride and worldlie vanitie you shal haue your garmentes decked with some sentence or other of my Lawe to the intent you may bee put in minde to say Behold it is my Gods wil that I shoulde delight my selfe with his Lawe that I should take my whole pleasure therein and that I should adorne and deck my selfe therewithall As touching my life I will shew that I haue bin brought vp in his schoole For seeing he hath so vnited himselfe vnto me his praise and glorie ought to shine in me before men that they may knowe I haue not bin circumcised in vaine nor receiued the signe of his couenant for naught to be coupled vnto the Church of God According hereunto it is now sayd that the Iewes must make them fringes on the foure quarters of their garments and put laces thereon Now I tolde you that in so small a thing God meant to deliuer a good and profitable lesson For when the Iewes closed vp in this sorte the endes and borders of their garments which were otherwise made than ours are they were admonished thereby that God ruled them as if they had bin tyed by the heele As who should say When thou walkest thou must keepe thy selfe in the way of thy GOD and bee so hedged in for thy whole lyfe time y t thou passe not measure I graunt this might serue well for honestie to ty their clothes so with small cordes or laces y t they might couer their whole bodies For being opeÌ vnsowed on both sides it wold haue bin an vnsightlie thing if they shoulde not haue bin tyed This might then serue wel for honest comlines But there is in it a higher reason than so as is expressed in y e same place of Numbers that is to wit that God meant to betoken thereby some such admonition as this see if a man haue his legges vnbound and at will hee is gadding by and by leaping but thy God will haue thee to haue these lases tyed in this maner to teache thee so to mesâure all thy paces y t the law of thy God may euer rule thee that thou maist obserue it in all pointes and neuer turn aside from it Ye see then in effect what we haue to beare in mind vpon this place Now this Ceremonie is no longer in vse these fringes and these laces are comprised vnder those shadowes which were done away at the comming of Christ. But yet at this day let vs note that Gods will is that we should exercise vs in his Law in all respectes And seeing we are out of this boÌdage which serued for yong children let vs know we ought to be so much the more earnest in minding the law of God so as we be warned and aduertised by these fringes and lases and other like things that our Lordes will is that his lawe should serue vs for a restraint to teach vs that wee haue not yet the libertie to doe what we list but that our handes and feete soules and senses and all the partes of our bodies and affections of our mindes bee held restrained by his biddings and forbiddings And so much the more heedefully ought we to note this because we see how meÌ haue alwayes dalyed with God and peruerted all sounde doctrine For the Iewes bare themselues in hand that they had discharged their whole dutie wheÌ they made faire large fringes and had written on them goodly sentences of the scripture in great capitall letters This was all their holynes as our Lord Iesus vpbraideth the Scribes Matt. 23.5 y e Pharisees Priests who because they would haue a more speciall holynesse than the common sorte had great large gardes vppon them sentences of y e lawe written which might bee seene afarre off After which maner when the Monks haue their Frockes their Coules and all the rest of their baggage vpon them O they are no lesse than halfangels yet in the meane time vnder these holy vestimentes they shrowde vile and wicked desires yea and such outragious enormities as shew them to be monsters made contrarie to all nature And so was it at y t time And why For the world thinketh to pay God with hypocrisie We ought therefore so much y e more heedefullie to note y e meaning the trueth of the Law that is to wit that our Lorde maketh no account of this smaller trash y t men should haue either fringes or lases on y e skirtes of their garmentes but his wil is that men should exercise themselues in his doctrine apply it to the proper vse Seeing then it is so let vs aduise our selues well and not abuse the libertie which is giuen vs in y e Gospell but let vs be ashamed if being come to y e age of men we haue no wit in comparison of the fathers which liued vnder the Lawe to frame our selues vnto the wil of God In deede in respect of our selues wee are but little children but yet in coÌparison of
slaunder his wife when God I say abaseth himselfe to execute this office should women be so beastly and wicked as to giue themselues ouer to vnchast villanie No for surelie this priuiledge cannot be to highly esteemed yet they make a skorne of it Ye see then what the end is which God amed at and what wee haue to beare in minde in this Lawe Now withall let vs note that when Iudges and Magistrates are warned of their office euery one in particular ought to gather an instruction hereby As how If a false reporte be raised on one which is innocent the office of them which beare the sword is to maintaine the good name of euery one That is it which God commaundeth them As for vs on our side let vs not waite for our punishment at the handes of Iudges and Magistrates for false accusing of any But let vs keepe our selues from all slaundering sith it is a thing which so highly displeaseth GOD. Let vs therefore take heede how wee open our mouth to stayne as if wee woulde defie him if when wee see him set vs such a barre and to threaten vâ by other mens harmes yet wee cease not to followe the same wickednesse This is al one say I as if we woulde defie him and proclaime open warre against him So then let vs learne that when God ordayneth any execution of punishment it is not only to the intent that he which hath offended shoulde bee chastised but also that wee shoulde take it for a rule to learne howe to behaue our selues as we ought and not be so senselesse as to cast our selues headlong into wickednesse seeing our lesson so written before our eies And so to bee short let all the corrections which are contained in the Lawe serue vs for so manie bridles to restraine vs withal and let them teach vs to walke in the feare of God or at least let vs take them for preseruatiue medicines and let vs not tarie till the mischiefe light on vs but prouide for our selues before hande and pray God that hee so guide vs as we taste not of his anger And let vs put that in practise also which S. Paul saieth speaking of adulteries and such like things that no man deceiue vs with vaine words Eph. 5.6 Take heede saieth hee yee bee not deceiued for the worlde dispenseth easilie with it selfe euen so far as to dallie w t God to set his iustice at nought but bee not you deceiued in that behalfe saieth hee for the wrath of God commeth vppon the children of disobedience for those things Nowe if God by punishing of sinnes sheweth howe hee detesteth them in that hee setteth downe a law in writing and appointeth Iudges and Magistrates to execute that which he commaundeth I pray you is it not a most certaine warning and such a one as ought to touch vs more neare the quicke And if for all this we will be stubborne and hardhearted in our wickednesse is it not a rushing with our hornes against God as I haue saide alreadie Yes surely And therefore let vs note that seeing God hath punished aduowtries so grieuously it is to shewe vnto vs that it is so great a filthinesse as cannot but nourishe his wrath and vengeance Therefore his will is that aboue all thinges faithfulnesse should bee kept in marriage Now here the speciall case is of adulteries Without doubt all kinde of whoredome displeaseth God For we must euer returne backe to this principle or grounde that sith God blessed man and woman when he ioyned them in marriage he curseth all whoredome accordingly as the Apostle also saieth That marriage is holy honourable Heb. 13.4 insomuch that when the bedde is dedicated vnto the name of God that is to say when the parties are ioyned together in his name and do liue honorablie it is as it were an halowed estate but adulterers and fornicatours God will iudge He speaketh not onely of adulterers that is to say of such as haue broken their owne marriage and the marriage of others but also hee speaketh generally and without exception of all them which giue ouer themselues vnto any manner of whoredome in respect wherof S. Paul saieth also that not onely adulterers are shut out banished from y e kingdome of God 2. Cor. 6.9 but fornicatours also And againe we see that when hee speaketh of such as liue a wicked and loose life and therfore ought to be excommunicated and cast out of the Church hee speaketh not alonely of adulterers but of fornicators also And the reason why is most worthie noting For what are our bodies and soules but the temples of the holy Ghost Seeing God vouchsafeth vs this honour to dwell in our soules and bodies is it not great reason that they shoulde bee kept holy and vndefiled And if a man soyle himselfe by coupling himselfe with an harlot is it not all one as if he woulde teare in pieces the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs therfore note that generally God detesteth all kindes of whooredome But hee speaketh in this place of adulteries because in them there is the greater villanie And why because if a maide promise marriage and falsifie the faith she hath plighted shee defileth not onely her owne bodie and so consequently violateth the temple of God but she also dishonoreth her husbande with whome shee was coupled so that she robbeth another of his good yea of such good as cannot bee recompensed with golde or siluer For she setteth him forth vnto open shame for whom if neede so required shee should spend her life Is it meete then that it should be suffered Therefore let vs note that whereas our Lordes will is that the maides which haue promised marriage shoulde be stoned if they commit whoredome it is because they haue committed villany against their husbandes in not keeping their faith to whome they were betrothed And therefore he wil thââ such a fornicatour bee likewise punished And why Because hee robbeth an other man of his good name and breaketh an holy and sacred promise Men punish falsifiers and forgers As for example if a man steale a publike Recorde as an indenture deede bonde or such like or falsifie it he shal be grieuously punished is not marriage a greater thing than a contract of an hundred crownes or a bargaine of an house or of land This case concerneth the fellowship of two reasonable creatures yea and their fellowship for life and death the case concerneth an holy bande which God himselfe hath stablished among vs yea and that to this intent that al coÌfusion should be taken out of the world so as we should not be like vnto brute beastes which couple together w tout any difference but that y e maÌ shoulde haue his wife the wife her husbande And if this be violated and taken away al order of nature is corrupted If we play the blinde busâards and winke at such geare so let
maintained in all purenes Ye see then what we haue to beare in mind concerning this place But now hath God prouided a lawe for it and not without great cause For in those countries there was more corruption touching incestes thaÌ hath euer bin in al other countries besides I say that neither in Greece nor in Italy men euer vsed such lawles and vilanous liberty in this kind of wickednes as they of Asia and of all the East countrie did For there it was counted nothing for the brother to couple with the sister It was therfore needfull y t God in this case should reine his people with a shorter bridle And hereby wee may see y t custome shall not serue vs for an excuse If a thing displease God although it be vsed among men it serueth not to lessen the fault For God wil alwayes remaine iudge And why Gods will is that we should do him this honor to hold our selues vnto his simple wil although meÌ draw cleane backward Let vs therfore learn to yeeld our selues vnto the Lawe of God touching this point And if a man reply that we are not to bee held thral to y t order of Moses I grant it But yet ought we at leastwise to admit y e warnings which God giueth vs and to vse his counsel Although we be freed from this bondage of the ciuill Law of Moses yet will he haue vs to beare alwayes in mind this ground to wit that we bethinke vs for what cause God hath forbidden this thing For it is because the thing is intollerable We must therfore frame our selues vnto that thing which we know to bee acceptable vnto God and withhold vs from that which he forbiddeth But yet there is a double condemnation to fall vpon them which wil go cleane contrary against it as S. Paul saith speaking of him which had takeÌ his mother in Law to wife in Corinth How now saith he Are ye not ashamed y t such fornicatioÌ shoulde be among you and that so villanous an act shold be committed as y e Painims could not abide to heare the like spoken of Indeede sometimes such like things were to be seen among theÌ but yet neuerthelesse they did abhor such wickednes Seeing then y t the vnbeleeuing wretches haue bin taught by such a motion as themselues knewe not w tout either scripture or preaching albeit God draue theÌ therunto to keepe this honestie in the degrees of mariage what ought we to doe Verily we see y t the very Paynims are yet more to our coÌdemnation For there was a certaine Emperour of Rome who because he wold coÌmit the same incest himselfe made a law y t the vncle might mary with his niece And this libertie which was so graunted by y e law was neuer folowed of any but of his own baud Although he had all countries at coÌmandement yet could he neuer make y t law of sufficient authoritie y t any man besides himselfe one baude of his woulde be perswaded y t the vncle might marry with the niece Now what shall we say of this but y t our Lorde had a secret bridle for men as if he should say I will y t there remaine some honestie in nature in despite of all those which beare rule in y e world would make such a confusion that men shold be as brute beasts yea eueÌ as dogs swine Do what they can yet wil I be aboue theÌ cause my law to be so printed in y e heartes of men y t for all their wickednes blindnes they shall yet retaine some honestie in y t which I haue principally coÌmanded theÌ Beholde I say how God hath borne sway in such sort y t men how vnbeleeuing soeuer they were haue yet had some remorse y t they would not altogether go against that which was forbidden them in this lawe In deede men might haue alledged This thing is lawful for vs. The Law is made the sentence is proclaimed libertie is granted vnto al meÌ to do so yet we see how God ouerruleth al sheweth y t he himselfe wil so waken meÌ suÌmon theÌ to appeare before him y t they shal not fall into such confusion And therefore let vs humble ourselues vnder him and be so far froÌ wayting vntil he cal vs vnto our account draw vs vnto this honesty by force that we alwayes preuent his iudgement to walke in such feare and carefulnes that wee make it our pleasure to serue and honor him so as there may be such an honest conuersation among vs as not onely the order of nature may bee obserued but also that we may shewe how it is not for nought that hee hath shouled vs out from among the vnbeleeuing wretches and would that we should be an holy people vnto him and dedicated vnto his seruice But now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more more and to draw vs away from them so torid vs of them as we may encrease from day to day be reformed vnto his righteousnes that he wil in the meane time beare with vs in our infirmities not intreat vs seuerely but pardon vs our faultes vntill he hath clensed vs altogether from them And so let vs all say Almightie c. On Thursday the xvj of Ianuarie 1556 The Cxxx. Sermon which is the first vpon the three and twentith Chapter NOne that is hurte by bursting or that is gelded shall enter into the congregation of the Lorde 2 A Bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lorde neither shall the tenth generation of him enter in 3 The Ammonites Moabites shal not enter into y e congregation of the Lord neither shall their tenth generation for euer enter into the coÌgregation of the Lord. IT might seme a straÌg case y t God in this place shutteth out of his congreegation such as are maymed in their bodies For men can hardly bee perswaded y t this hindereth any to come neare vnto God Nay rather when there in any weakenes in them it maketh them more worthy of pitie and compassion And we are assured on the other side y t God requireth a spiritual purenes maketh no great account of this outward appearance as it is expresly written in the fifteenth Chapter of y e first booke of Samuel that he respecteth not those things which appeare to the eye ward as men do But wee are to note that when God in the old time vnder the law required any outward purenes it was to bring the Iewes more forward to consider that they could not present themselues vnto the temple except they were throughly purified specialy touching their soules The like is meant in that which we see here For wheras God in this place condemneth y e maime which is in the body it is to betoken that they which will serue him desire to
commaundeth vs. Let vs therefore note wel that although it be sayde in this place that the Iudges shall beare the plainetifes and iudge their cause yet is it not lawefull for any man to accuse his neighbour if he doe it thorough enmitie and euill will And this letteth not but that we ought alwayes to be patient for those iniuries which men doe vnto vs. For what doeth patience impose Not that wee shoulde not onely not bee set vppon reuenge but also that wee should seeke to doe them good which persecute vs and that we should pray for them which curse vs. This is the thing which we are commaunded and therefore let vs followe it and then it shall be lawefull for vs to flee for refuge vnto them which are armed with authoritie to maintaine the good and to punish the wicked and to represse all wrongful and outragious dealings we may then I say haue our recourse vnto them Nowe it followeth That the wicked man shal be condemned according to his desert There is here no mention of such offences as were to be punished by death For if there were murder committed or adulterie or such like thinges they were punished by death We haue seene howe God commaunded that all such kindes of wickednesse should be vtterly rooted out but here he speaketh but of such iniuries as deserue some other chastisement And that is the cause why it is sayde That the malefactour shall be punished according to his desert yet so that he shall not haue aboue fortie stripes For they vsed a whippe made of an oxe hide to chastise them which dealt wrongfully and outragiously with their neighbour alwayes prouided that the offence deserued not death It is sayde That they shall noâ passe the number of fortie stripes And why To the intent that the man shoulde not be mangled or disfigured in his body but remaine whole and sounde Ye see then in effect what is heere declared to wit first that the sentence must not be giuen in vaine and secondly that some moderation must be vsed so as the rigour be not excessiue First I say the sentence must not be in vaine but it must be put in execution For sometimes yee shall see Iudges make a countenaunce of thundring at a man howebeit that shal be but for some policie When they are minded to let an offender escape they will condemne him to doubble and trebble punishment What say they This wicked fellowe is not worthy to liue A man would maruaile to heare them but when the thing should be put in execution it falleth out to a mockerie But our Lorde sheweth that they may not dally so with him and that seeing the magistrates beare not the sworde in vaine nor are armed with authoritie in way of dallyaunce they must vse their power and when they haue pronounced sentence they must afterwardes doe Iustice in executing of it And that is the very cause why they are called the soules of the Lawe For a lawe without magistrates is as a bodie which hath neither sense nor mouing And when the bodie is idle and stirreth not it is a signe that the soule is altogether blockish And therefore when there are good lawes and some outwarde forme of Iustice and yet for all that there is no execution thereof Insomuch that it shal be sayde Thus it must be and yet the Statutes shal be disobeyed yea and sentence shal be giuen and yet slippe away vnexecuted Surely it is a token of too grosse blockishnesse in those which shold giue strength to y e law y t it might not be vnprofitable That theÌ is y â thing which God declareth in the first place For speaking of the executing of sentence hee sayeth Lette the iust be declared for such a one and lette him which hath doone wrong bee condemned lette him bee punished according to his deserts Nowe heereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that we must not lette any such faultes scape as ought to be punished neither behoueth it vs alonely to shewe our zeale in punishing of greate enormities but also to consider that smaller faultes drawe on the greater when they are let alone as buried God therefore pronounceth expressely that the malefactour shall be punished And when Not onely when hee hath offended so grieuously that his fault is vnpardonable but if the fault be litle he will haue the punishment and correction aunswerable thereunto hee will not haue men to say O it is a small fault lette it passe Well the matter is not great he may escape the better cheape No howe small soeuer his offence be hee will haue him smart for it and be an example vnto others Let vs therefore weigh this worde well yea let vs weigh it so much the better because wee see that the practise noweadayes runneth cleane contrarie for men seeke nothing else but to lessen their faultes In deede a man shall not bee altogither excused when he hath offended but yet neuerthelesse hee which doeth the wrong shall finde alwayes some aduocate to pleade for him yea euen without bearing the name of it He ought to be as a Iudge in the case and yet he will so mitigate the faulte as it shall not be punishable faire gloses shall still be founde to colour the matter withall O sir will one say There is such a circumstaunce there is this and that to be considered in the case so the tenth part of mens faults shal not bee punished For why They bee not found so grieuous and hainous as they be in deede No but yet for al y t if the fault bee small God will haue the chastisement answearable thereunto and if it be greate he wil haue the punishment the more seuere and greeuous Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in minde Nowe whereas GOD speaketh thus vnto earthly Iudges let vs knowe that for his parte he might well punish vs by his iustice and that not for petie faultes but for notorious transgressions Who is so iust and innocent among vs that he findeth not himselfe faultie before God yea and that in many offences Moreouer how many faults do we commit through vnaduisednesse when we thinke not on them And therefore if God vsed not great mercie towardes vs he should lift vp his hand against vs and drowne vs in the pitte of destruction euerie minute of an houre So then whereas wee liue still and are preserued lette vs acknowledge that it is thorough the infinite goodnesse of our God For if as touching earthly Iustice hee commandeth the least faultes to be punished he might himselfe by greater reason lay his hande vpon vs euen to roote vs out of the earth especially considering the infinite number of faultes whereof we be guiltie before him And if it be alleadged Well then seeing God is so mercifull ought not men also to be mercifull and so to followe him it is easily aunswered That GOD hath this libertie to forgiue whome hee will besides this
vs withall And why Because wee forsake their tyrannie because we will none of their pelting baggage which they haue deuised because wee will not be hampered with their cordes for all their lawes and statutes which they haue forged are as cordes to strangle poore weake soules with all and because wee cast aside all those thinges Now hereupon they indite vs. But let vs appeare before God and then we may defy them yea we shall haue sufficient for our defence if we can make this protestation truely God is my witnesse that I haue behaued my selfe according to his worde Surely this is an inestimable comfort that all they haue which swarue not from the pure and simple plainenesse of the worde of God but followe this playne path respecting nothing but howe to obey him which hath all souereignetie and authoritie ouer vs. When we haue done so let vs be contented that God lyketh of our dooinges though men condemne vs for them For their iudgements are no weightier than leaues they are soone gone and we see here whereunto God calleth vs. But let vs note withall that whereas it is sayd here I haue done according to al thy statutes and the coÌmandementes which thou hast ordayned and haue not forgotten the same wee are thereby put in minde to inure our selues throughly to the knowing of our duetie for what is it which maketh vs to transgresse so many wayes against the commaundementes of our God but our negligence in not thinking on our duetie By meanes whereof we are easilie taken tardy For the diuell is crafty and alwayes prying and watching how he may eâtrap vs we for all that are carelesse to think vpon that which God hath commaunded vs. In deede we would not of purpose defie God nor rebel against him but howsoeuer the worlde goeth we haue little care we apply not our whole studie to consider of our dutie and to say Go to what is it that God requireth of mee And because we haue not an eye hereunto wee stumble and fal and go astray We are therfore exhorted in this place to looke more narrowly vnto our selues to bee more watchfull that we forget not our dutie For we haue a very short memorie if God did not often refresh it Let vs learne to consider whether we haue followed the good will of God or no in this behalfe let vs continue therein and keepe all one course still and holde on in that trade all our whole lyfe If this were well imprinted in our heartes wee would be more diligeÌt to heare and to reade the worde of God than we are We had neede to be put in minde of that which God hath coÌmaunded vs or else we wil soone forget it euen in the turning of an hand and yet we vouchsafe not either to heare or to reade any thing which should be for our instructioÌ God therfore is iustly prouoked to punish our negligence we must needs fal into many ouergrosse faultes And why Because we seeke not after that remedie which he hath put into our handes But here a man may demaund a question how God wold haue men to protest before him y t they haue walked according vnto al his statutes that they haue forgotten nothing of theÌ Is it possible for vs how much soeuer we inforce our selues to obey God in such wise as there shal be nothing but perfectnesse in our lyfe That were coÌtrarie to all y e holy scripture For it is sayd that none shall be found righteous in y e sight of God Psâl 143.2 If God would vse rigour we should all perish before his face And y t place is spoken euen of theÌ y t are y e righteousest Verily when S. Paul went about to proue y t we caÌnot be iustified but by faith onely and through y e mercie of God the fauor of our Lord Iesus Christ he alledgeth onely y t which is writteÌ in y e law Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Cursed are they which performe not all those things For he taketh this for a ground y t it is not possible for any man liuing to performe y e law because it surmounteth all their power It seemeth here then that God ment to traine vp his people in hypocrisie when he taught theÌ this lesson to say I haue obserued all thy statuts I haue let passe none of them Now to aunswere this hard question let vs note y t the holy scripture in speaking of y e faithfull saith in deede y t they haue walked according to y e statutes ordinances of God as wheÌ S. Luke speaketh of Zacharie Luke 1.6 Elizabeth his wife he saith y t they walked vprightlie perfectlie according to y e commaundementes ordinances of God And this manner of speach is often to bee found in holy scripture And yet this proueth not y t Zacharie was altogether perfect y t he had an holynesse of Angels y t he had no vice in him that his wife also was such another No but the scripture in so speaking presupposeth y t God of his goodnesse beareth with y e faithful that hee imputeth not their faultes vnto them when they ouershoote not theÌselues too far nor become rebels and despisers of God but intend alonely to walke according to his wil submit theÌselues vnto him and enforce themselues and take paynes y t way Forasmuch then as the faithfull haue such affection and zeale to giue theÌselues ouer vnto God although they trippe although they stumble although there be much amisse in theÌ and that God in rigour might coÌdemne their whole life and that there is nothing in them which is not stayned with some blot or other yet doth GOD accept their doings as if they were sound perfect And why For when we are iustified through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ then doth God receaue vs vnto mercie not onely to accept of vs as of his children but also to take in good worth whatsoeuer proceedeth from vs although it be worth nothing ne deserueth any such lyking Seeing then that God sheweth himselfe so gratious and fauorable vnto vs let vs endeuour to doe well Although wee performe not that which is required of vs and bee but in the midway yet shall it be allowed vs in our account as if we had performed the lawe Now according hereunto the faithfull protest that they haue walked according to Gods will that they haue kept his statutes that they haue forgotten nothing of them And why They meane that they haue had an vpright affection that they haue not bin double minded that they meant not to serue GOD by halfes as many do but that in all respects they haue bin willing to bee subiect to the Lawe Yet for all this they are not so blinde but they acknowledge their imperfections and bewaile them and knowe themselues to be miserable in that respect but it sufficeth theÌ that God hath vouchsafed them such grace as
Chapter 18 19 And the Lord hath set thee The xxvii Chapter THen Moses with the Elders of Israel charged the people saying Keepe all the commaundementes which I commaund you this day 2 And when ye be passed ouer Iordan into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt set thee vp great stones and plaister theÌ with plaister 3 And shalt write vpon them all the wordes of this lawe when thou art come ouer that thou maist go into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee a land that floweth with milke and hony as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee 4 Therefore when ye are passed ouer Iordan ye shal set vp these stones which I command you this day in mount Ebal thou shalt plaister them with plaister 5 And there shalt thou buyld an altar vnto the Lorde thy God euen an altar of stones vpon which stones thou shalt lift vp no yron toole 6 Thou shalt make the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones and offer burnt offrings thereon vnto the Lord thy God 7 And thou shalt offer peace offrings eat there reioyce before the Lorde thy God 8 And thou shalt write vpoÌ the stones al the words of this law wel plainly 9 And Moses the Priests y e Leuites spake vnto all Israel saying take heede heare O Israel this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God 10 Thou shalt hearken therefore vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God and do his commandements his ordinances which I command thee this day IN yesterdayes Lecture Moses hauing exhorted y e people to serue God declared y t the couenant which hee hadde made with them was to their great profite For the more that God bestoweth on vs the more particularly are we if wee bee not voyde of all sense and reason bound to giue our selues ouer wholly vnto him But yet for all that though wee see that God is so liberall towardes vs are wee mooued to offer our selues in obedience vnto him Noe verily For this cause Moses sayde vnto the Iewes that they were chosen to bee in praise in name and in glorie as people shouled out from the rest of the world vnto God Wheras some expound this that they were in praise glorie to the end y t God might be glorified it is a harde forced exposition The thing they say is in deed true in it self as it is said often times in y e holy scripture that God had chosen this people for his own name as the end wherunto he hath created al things And y e church was builded specially to the intent that the name of God should be exalted as it is sayd in the Prophet Esay ãâã 11.7 âphes 1.6 as S. Paul also leadeth vs vnto the same consideratioÌ in the first Chapter to the Ephesians where he treateth of y t thing more at large Therfore it is true in it self y t God adopted the Iewes to the intent y t they might know his exceeding fauour goodnes that y e glorie which was due vnto him therefore might be yelded vnto him But in this place Moses had an eye vnto y t which we haue alreadie touched to wit that y e people might be the more moued enflamed to discharge their dueties because God hath called them for none other reasoÌ but to vtter foorth the infinite treasures of his mercies And therfore he saith Thy God hath placed thee this day in honor in renoune in glorie according to this which hath bin said afore in the fourth Chapter What nation is so noble and of such dignitie ãâã â 33 which hath his God so neere vnto him as thy God hath made himself familiar vnto thee to gouerne thee This then was a dignitie which God had vouchsafed vppon y e Iewes aboue the rest of all the world And it ought to haue bin a cause to stirre them vp so much the more to bee obedient vnto the will worde of God And in deede if all be wel considered wee shal finde that God can hope for nothing at our hands nor receiue any thing of vs but that wee hold al things of him I pray you when we haue taken neuer so great paines to exalt the name of God shall it bee any whit increased thereby What is it that we do vnto him Surely wee of our owne nature cannot but blaspheme his name and wee are the cause why it is blasphemed and if hee will drawe any good out of vs hee himselfe must first put it in vs. But when God hath once graunted vs the grace to glorifie him doe wee bring any thing vnto him or doth hee receiue any profite of vs Doutles no. Yet in the meane time he powreth out his benefites so as wee holde all of him as I haue alreadie tolde you So then not without cause doeth Moses declare vnto the Iewes that they were called to glorie to renoune and to praise to the ende hee might vpbrayd them with their vnthankefulnesse if they enforced not themselues w t all their power to serue God who shewed him selfe so liberall towardes them And this toucheth vs also nowe adayes For seeing it pleaseth God to imprint his image in vs is it not a preheminence which hee giueth vnto vs aboue all the creatures in the worlde to be called vnto the company of the Angels and to bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ Forasmuch then as hee so preuenteth vs with his goodnes what remaineth but that wee shoulde giue our selues wholly vnto him and shewe that seeing hee hath filled vs with his glorie wee will not cause his name to bee set light by nor the doctrine of saluation which hee hath giuen vs to be reproched that the vnfaithfull should make a scorne of it Let vs therefore giue all diligeÌce hereunto as we see we be warned in this place And that is the verie thing also whereat Moses aimeth when he addeth That when the people hauing passed Iordan shall come into the lande which was promised vnto them and haue it in full possession they shall then set vp great stones and write vpon them an abridgement of the lawe And secondly that they shal erect also an altar to giue thanks vnto god and to testifie that hee had fulfilled the promise which hee had made in former time vnto their fathers This I say is the intent meaning of Moses namely that y e people should not only for one time giue thanks vnto God but that they should do it afresh when they come into y e lande which was promised vnto them and that they should ratifie that which they had before confessed y t is that they owed al homage vnto God for that land because it was giuen vnto them of his free bestowed goodnes not gotteÌ by their own power nor befalne vnto them by any kind of chaunce or by the gift or helpe of men But
roial priesthood And who is he y t can discharge himselfe in magnifying so great so inestimable a goodnes of God 1. Pet. â 9 So theÌ because we are slow slacke to giue y t glory vnto God which is belonging vnto him and because y t when we haue once done it we thinke it ynough we are loth to do it again let vs beare in mind this lessoÌ which is taught vs here that is y t according as God increaseth his giftes in vs as hee confirmeth ratifieth them so ought we on our part to be so much y e more moued stirred vp to yeelde him praise declaring thereby how much we are bound vnto him and protesting y t we are wholly his and y t we will dedicate our whole life vnto him This say I is y e thing which we haue to beare in minde as touching this place where mention is made of sacrificing vnto God Now after that Moses hath named The whole burnt offring he addeth Thou shalt offer also the peace offeringes vnto the Lord thy God Nowe before he shewed y t the peace offerings serued for thanks giuing so as if God had deliuered his people if he had giuen theÌ any victorie against their enemies if he had deliuered theÌ froÌ famine or any other calamitie then they sacrificed in witnes y t this benefit deserued not to beforgotten We see then y t Moses aimeth altogether at y t which wee haue alredy declared namely y t the people shold make an acknowledgement of this benefit vnto God after y t they were come into the land of Canaan And whereas Moses sayth y t it was a Land flowing with milke hony as we haue already seene afore it is to y e intent y t the people shoulde be the more stirred vp to giue glory vnto God when they see y t the land was so ferâill and that God had shewed himselfe so liberall towardes theÌ We know y t at this day it is not so fruitfull a land neither was it so fertill before their coÌming thither and y t is a wonderful thing And yet notwithstanding y e wicked haue taken occasion here upon to blaspheme as y t wicked heritike which was punished here mocked both Moses and the prophets saying y t when they praised the land of Chanaan they did but fable Yea but he sheweth himselfe as all despisers of God such enraged folke whom Satan possesseth vse to do to skorne Gods benefits which men may see w t their eyes Neither considered he y t as it was shewed vnto him notw tstanding y t he continued in his wilfull stubbornnes God did expresly threaten to sowe salt vpon y t land ãâ¦ã â 7 that is to say to make it baren at this day also men see it desolate wast So as it is a dreadfull thing to beholde what y e state of y t countrey is at this day in coÌparison of y t it is knowen to haue bin heretofore For our Lorde hath sheweth by effect y e which is said in the 107 Psalme ãâ¦ã .37 namely y t when it pleaseth him to blesse a land with fruitfulnes it shal be fat ful of al maner of fruits and contrary wise y t when he listeth to make it barren it shal be cleane withered We see this to be true in the lande of Chanaan So then let vs note y t Moses meant to shewe heere more particularly the fauour which God shewed to his people in nourishing theÌ in y t land for the which he made it as a man wold say to flow with milke hony shewing therby y t that was done euen by miracle Now for our part it is true y t we shall not be fat fed as in respect of our bodies but yet in feeling the spirituall benefites which God bestoweth largely vpoÌ vs we ought to be moued stirred vp to this consideration that when we haue protested as solemnely as is possible y t wee are his and y t we owe all vnto him yet we are not discharged of the hundredth part of our dutie And as touching y t which is added coÌcerning the great stones wheron God coÌmanded his law to be written according vnto y t which wee haue already touched let vs note y t God ment to hold his people vnder his obedience by al y e means he might For men by reason of their infirmitie had neede to be held in awe and to be called backe vnto God to the inteÌt they swarue not aside froÌ him I haue already brought a coÌparison from yÌe armes of Princes in steed whereof God woulde haue his law to be writteÌ And why For his lawes are his true armes his worde the liuely image wherin we ought to behold him And y t is y e cause why he sayth ye shal come present yourselues before my face when they presented theÌselues before the arke wherein y e law was enclosed For God would not haue any other shape wherby to be represented vnto men than only the coÌtinuall instruction of his worde according vnto that which we haue already seene in the fourth chap. where it is said ãâã 4.12 remeÌber y t you sawe not y e shape of man or of any creature whatsoeuer but you heard the voice of your God Take heed therfore how ye couÌterfeit any thing in this behalf Now forasmuch as we haue y e vnderstanding heereof let vs note y t when our Lord vouchsafeth to haue his word preached in any place and lodgeth vs quietly as it were with his owne hand it is to the intent we should do him double homage As many as liue in y e worlde are fed and sustained by God ought therefore to confesse y t he is worthie to haue all soueraintie ouer them But seeing we haue such a speciall priuilege of God as to be separated froÌ the rest of the worlde to haue his word preached vnto vs to haue libertie to call vpon his name purely ought wee not to enforce ourselues to do him double homage for it Surely this ought now adaies to be throughly coÌsidered of For how great fauour doth God shewe vs in that we may vse his sacraments with all liberty and haue our eares euery day filled with the doctrine of saluation so as he ceaseth not to call vs vnto himselfe Wee see on the other side many wretched people which are held in bondage vnder the tyranny of y e Pope dare not once open their mouth or make y e least countenaÌce of worshipping God purely they haue neither churches to resort vnto nor any means to be taught the world sees this So then we ought in deede to haue the armes of God wherby y e lawe should be presented But we see the cleane contrary for as sone as any man coÌmeth neere vnto vs he shold perceiue a wonderful chaÌge in vs by our w tdrawing of ourselues froÌ the defilements of
the vnbeleuing but whereas men should see y t God raigneth beareth rule among vs hath his seat throne with vs they may see vs as loose in liuing as the very ignorauntest in all the worlde nay a man may see y t God is defied of some of theÌ vnto whom the gospell is preached that there are worse diuels more wicked among theÌ than in the deepest dungeon of poperie And this deserueth double woe For it is not only to the Iewes that Moyses hath spoken but it is to shew vnto all ingenerall y t as God vouchsafeth vs the fauor to be his euen so we ought to remoue al corruptions froÌ among vs y t men may know y t we are in deede his people Yet notwithstanding this importeth not y t they which liue in popery are to be excused Although they be neuersomuch threatned can not make a free confession of their faith w tout danger of death yet they are alwaies guiltie of offending God in y t they haue not honored him Now if there be no excuse for them how great shall our condemnation be For there is nothing to hinder vs from seruing of God saue only our owne wickednes negligence So then let vs be diligent to discharge our duetie not as touching the outward ceremony of great stones which is coÌmanded here but as in respect of the thing which God had a special eye vnto namely that euery of vs should not only yeeld ourselues vnto his obedience dedicate ourselues to follow his will but also y t with one coÌmon accorde we should shewe y t he is our soueraigne king and that we are vnder his gouernmeÌt and y t because he hath plaÌted vs in such a place where his name is openly called vpon where there are Churches for vs to come together to make our coÌmoÌ prayers to confesse our faith in we also do indeuor to walk in such sort as men may in deede know y t those places are not defiled but reserued vnto y e glory of him who hath choseÌ theÌ to y t vse Now for the end conclusion let vs note that our Lord will not haue his armes blased in such sort as men like of but y t hee will haue his owne Image to be knowen in them and y t is the cause why he speketh purposly of y e law The words saith he of the lawe The Papistes haue chappels they haue crosses they haue gay paintings they bere theÌselues in hand y t God is represented by them but he liketh none of all those thinges What is to be done then We must returne vnto y e word which is the meane whereby God openeth himselfe vnto vs thereby will he be knowen Let men therfore content theÌselues simply therwith Now as touching that which he saieth Let these wordes bee well engraued hereby we are taught y t God gaue not his law for a few people but ment y t it shold be a coÌmon doctrin vnto al both great smal euen to y e most Idiots and y t all should be instructed by it And if it were so in y e time of the law by greater reasoÌ ought it nowadaies to be in force among vs. For of the gospell it is said y t it should be preached vnto al creatures Mar. 16.15 God therfore will not haue his doctrin locked vp and that none but the clergy should thrust their nose into it but he will haue vs all to be his scholers the law so written y t euery maÌ may read it And why To the intent y t all men should receiue instructioÌ by it Let none therfore exempt himselfe froÌ the reading of it as we see many do which say O I am no clerke I neuer went to schoole it pertaineth not to my occupation I grant in deed y t it is not euery mans occupation to be a teacher But who may exempt himselfe froÌ being a scholer in y e word of God It is all one for a man to renouÌce christianity to say ô as for me I know neither A nor B what can I tel what y e law of God or any holy scripture meaneth Neuerthelesse y e will of God which is declared to vs in his word is written in letters big ynough albeit y t noweadaies there be not any heape of stones set vp for y e law of God to be written engraued thereupon yet notw tstanding our Lord ment to shew vnder this figure y t wheÌ he hath deliuered his word it is to y e intent y e we should be taught ordered by it y t the doctrine there of should be coÌmon vnto al. And truly we haue no lesse neede to nourish our soules with y e word of God thaÌ to sustaine our bodies with bread other daily food Seeing then it is so let euery of vs labor y t way let vs be attentife to harken vnto our God wheÌ he speaketh vnto vs by y e mouth of the minister wheÌ we haue his holy scripture let euery man endeuour to be taught by it they then which haue no skill to reade theÌselues let them heare it reade y t we may shew y t seeing our Lorde speaketh vnto vs we on our side are ready to receiue y t which he shal say desire nothing else but to profit vnder him y t in such sort y t his word be not only engraued in stone chalke but also imprinted in our hartes so as in our whole life we seeke to followe it and giue our selues wholely vnto it Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of y e great nuÌber of faults offences which we cease not to coÌmit daily against his maiestie praying him to make vs feele theÌ better thaÌ we haue done y t we may endeuor to amend theÌ more more vntill we be cleane rid of them and y e forasmuch as we obtaine pardon for theÌ by the meane of our lord Iesus Christ we may also increase be coÌfirmed in al righteousnes holines y t so we may in deed confirme our calling and y t forasmuch as he hath chosen vs for his people it may please him also to withdraw vs froÌ al the defilements of y e world so as we may be vnto him an holy people in the name of our lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to grant this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Fryday the xxviij of Februarie 1556. The CL. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the seuen and twentith Chapter 11 In that day Moses commaunded the people saying 12 These shall stande vpon mount Garizim to blesse the people when ye passe ouer Iordan Simeon and Leuy Iudath Issachar Ioseph Beniamin 13 And these shall stand vpon mount Eball to curse Ruben Gad and Asher and Zebulan
Moreouer when the raine commeth in season let vs acknowledge that there falleth not one drop but by Gods appointment assuring our selues that it is necessarie for vs. That is the cause why Moses did expresly adde that saying Afterward he saith that God will blesse the labor of our handes Psal. 127.2 to doe vs to vnderstande as hee hath shewed in another Text that it is not our owne labour and trauell that feedeth vs as wee haue seene in the eyght Chapter Deut. 8.17 where he saieth thus When thou art come into the land which GOD giueth thee remember that by the space of fortie yeeres thou wast fed with Manna that fell from heauen to the end thou shouldest not say It is mine owne labor that findeth me Let vs therefore learne by these texts that when wee haue traueiled and bestowed our labour to till the earth and consideration is had of al that we see requisite yet neuertheles wee must lift vppe our eyes and not stand in our owne conceit to say I haue doone this it is mine owne labor and policie but acknoweledge that it is Gods office to giue increase and that without that all our labor is in vaine as we might wel enough breake our armes and our legges and yet in steade of going foreward wee should still goe backewarde The summe of the matter which God meant to shew vs is that we should labor in al lowelinesse and that when euery of vs hath trauailed for his liuing wee should vnderstand that it is not in vs to giue the successe but that GOD must wholly guide it and giue it good issue not onely to y e harbage of the earth but to all things els in generall So then when a man applyeth him to any kinde of labor let him not go about it presumptuously but let him call vpon GOD to helpe him saying Lorde it is thy pleasure that I shoulde take paine well I goe about it but I knowe that I shall not preuaile vnlesse thou guide me vnles thou giue me good successe Through thy meere grace and goodnes let my labor prosper That is the thing whereof wee bee admonished in this text Let vs not then thinke that mans care skill or his trauell and endeuour can make the ground fertile but that the blessing of GOD releth all Yet notwithstanding it putteth vs in mind of our dutie to wit that GOD will so helpe vs as wee may not bee idle for wee bee not made as logges of wood men must I say imploye them selues when GOD promiseth them his blessing For these two poyntes goe together namely that the Lorde will blesse thee and yet neuerthelesse that he will haue thee also to labor It is certaine that GOD canne feede vs though our armes were broken he coulde make vs to liue without any care and without hauing regarde to maintaine our houshold GOD I say coulde giue vs foode of free cost but it is his pleasure to exercise vs with care and trauel and that euery man according to his vocation should apply himself to that which he seeth meete for him I say that Gods matching of his blessings with out trauell is to shewe that hee will not haue vs to bee sluggerds so as euery man shoulde sitte on his taile and neither deale with tilling of the ground nor with any other trade of occupying take the bridle in our teeth but that we should doe this honour vnto GOD to say Lorde albeit we haue doone what we can yet is it nothing vnlesse thy gratious goodnesse rule it But this is ill put in vre For we see how men are giuen to darken the grace of God vnder colour that they doe some thing of themselues for so they beare themselues in hande And this deuillish arrogancie is not onely in matters concerning the nourishment of our bodies but also touching the saluatioÌ of our soules Whereupon is it that freewil is grounded Euen vppon this that God requireth men to studie and labour to doe good to withstand temptations to haue such a feruent zeale as to giue theÌselues wholy vnto him to forsake themselues Forasmuch as God requireth all these thinges it seemeth that we can doe them Yea but we consider not that God for all his commaunding sayth also that hee worketh by his holy spirite so as he is faine to write his lawes in our harts Iere. 31.33 Ezech. 11.19 3â 36.27 to engraue them in our mindes and to make vs walke according as he commaundeth O it is true but yet therewithall we also must doe our endeuor And whence commeth that endeuor These wretches doe not vnderstand that it is God that driueth vs foreward and stirreth vs vp and that all the endeuoring wherewith men indeuor is that they be instrumentes of the holy Ghost Now then forasmuch as vnder this colour of working wee seeke nothing else but to darken the grace of God so much the more diligently ought we to note this doctrine whereby GOD doth stirre vs vp and would haue vs to worke and yet sheweth vs therewithall that we cannot profit vnlesse he giue vs good successe Truely there is great difference betwixt y e handy worke and that which the faithful do in indeuoring to liue well For as I haue sayd men are created to labour by nature but wee be so wicked froward that in stead of obeying god we be borne to nothing but to offend God vntill he hath reformed vs and made vs new creatures So then God doth not onely blesse our labor when we endeuor to serue him through the grace of his holy spirit but we labor also through his only vertue according as he doth guide and gouerne vs. This is the summe of that which we haue to beare in minde concerning this text Now it is also sayd That God will make them the head and not the taile namely them that indeuour to serue him hee will set them aboue and not beneath This is as it were the toppe of all prosperitie Now surely it was more behoouefull as it was treated of yesterday that the olde fathers vnder the lawe should haue moe promises concerning the transitory lyfe than we haue For they had not such opening of the heauenly lyfe as is giuen vs in the Gospel Therefore it was Gods will to drawe them after that fashion lyke little children For inasmuch as an infant is not of capacitie to vnderstand the goodnesse of his father therefore to encourage him he will say vnto him I will giue thee a trim cappe and I will buy thee a gay newe cote this is agreeable to the capacitie of the childe and because his heart is tender such talke is vsed vnto him bowbeit the father meaneth to lead him on farther Euen so did God deale with the olde fathers He did set forth his benefites which they should enioy in this worlde meaning to drawe them from thence to a higher hope namely to the hope of the heauenly heritage
trespasses That is the onely remedie without which there will bee neyther ende nor measure of our afflictions except wee take order to reconcile our selues to our God Nowe where hee alleageth that none shall saue them That is to cut off all the vayne hopes which men doe forge to them selues in their owne braynes when hee punisheth them They looke hither and thither and if they finde any comfort in this worlde it seemeth vnto them that they shall make a stoppage against God and that they shall bee able to winne the goale in the ende In deede they will not say so for it is a blasphemie which all of vs doe holde accursed but yet wee bee so doltish that wee hope to turne away the hande of GOD when wee finde any helpe heere in so much that if men beare vs any fauour and wee bee supported in any thing wee arme our selues therewith against God But Moses telleth vs heere that it is in vayne for men to seeke dyuers succours after that fashion when GOD warreth vppon them For why All creatures are in his hande and without him they can doe nothing More ouer that which is for our benefite shall become our bane and all thinges shall redounde to our confusion Let vs not therefore looke to bee saued by anye meanes that may bee when our Lorde taketh parte against vs but let vs returne vnto him seeing that there is none other remedie but that and let vs ridde our selues of all such thinges as may hinder vs to come to repentance Let vs then bee quickened vp by these two sayings of Moses that wee sleepe no more in our vayne fantasies as wee haue beene earst too much accustomed But what There are very fewe which thinke vppon that For euery man martyreth himselfe if his griefe continue and hee fynde no helpe in men In all our afflictions wee can complayne welynough but wee consider not that GOD withholdeth mennes helpe from vs when hee intendeth to punish vs in such wise that wee shall after a sorte bee vtterly ouerwhelmed And againe if our sorrowe continue it is because wee haue persisted too much in our stubbornnesse Wee thinke not a whit of all this But yet are not these things written in vayne And therfore let vs learne to profite better thereby than wee haue done in times past Finally Moses setteth foorth by this threatening howe wee shal bee vexed and robbed if wee offende against the lawe of God Hee sayeth Thou shalt marry a wife and not lye with her Thou shalt buylde a house and not dwell therein Thou shalt plant a vyneyarde and not gather the fruite thereof Yea they shall take thy Beefe and thy Muttons and kill them and thou shalt continue still a hungred and not onely all thy cattell shall bee made a praye and a bootie but thy verie children also shall bee deliuered into the handes of thine enimies and thou shalt yerne after them and thine eyes shall dasle for verie greefe and sorrowe in the meane whyle thy hande shal bee without strength or power to recouer them It had beene ynough to haue sayde in one worde Thou shalt suffer robberies extortions and wronges but because men are slowe it behooueth them to bee so much the better touched and to beholde the thing as it were before their eyes That is the cause why Moses speaketh heere of houses and vyneyeardes of wiues and children and of cattell As if hee shoulde say Some shall bewayle the taking away of their houses which they had builded the putting of them from their vyneyeardes and their other possessions the spoyling of their goods and the driuing away of their cattell And othersome shall bewayle the wrong that is done vnto them in their children and in their very wiues But wee bee to consider that all these thinges bee the scourges of God wherewith hee punisheth vs for our sinnes It is certayne as I haue sayde alreadie heretofore that GOD at sometimes for the exercising of the faithfull in patience doeth sende them the verye chasticementes heere mentioned and yet punisheth them not for their offences For Iob was not punished for his sinnes Not that GOD had not iust cause so to doe but for that hee had no respect to that howe so euer the case stand surely it is an ordinarie matter In deede wee may alleage many examples of men that are tormented and vexed by the wicked so as they bee driuen from post to piller and robbed of their goods such examples doe happen euery day but this prooueth not that this doctrine taketh not place and that it is not true in it selfe as an ordinarie rule to wit that God punisheth mens sins by such meanes Nowe when wee haue walked in the feare of God and endeuoured to serue him and yet notwithstanding our substaunce is taken away and the robbers possesse it let vs consider that if this bee not doone for our sinnes our Lorde giueth vs a great preeminence For first of all of whome was it long that wee offended him not We were preserued by his holy spirite And moreouer notwithstanding any good affection and zeale that wee haue had to liue vprightly and vncorruptly yet wee cease not to be guiltie before God But what for that Hee spareth vs and yet hee meaneth to trye our patience for to humble vs. When it is his will that wee shall beare the miseries which bee punishmentes for them that despite his lawe and that wee must feele them well wee must stoope And thereby hee tryeth vs howe pliable wee bee vnder his hande to yeeld vnto his gouernement as shall stande with his good pleasure Moreouer this alwayes taketh place as wee haue sayde afore that our Lord punisheth the offences and transgressions of his lawe by the things that are specified here So then when a man buildeth let him take heede that hee buylde not with extortion pilling polling and robberie vnlesse it bee his meaning to haue his house taken from him according as it is spoken by the Prophet Abacuc ãâã â 11 For the Prophet bringeth in the walles singing and answering one another For in as much as mens Palaces and houses bee oftentimes buylded with bloud robberie extortion and wicked practises and the verie walles them selues doe crye out that they were buylded with pilling and polling it must needes waken vp Gods wrath and vengeance against such buylders Desire wee then to bee harboured in peace Let vs looke that wee buylde without doyng wrong to any body whatsoeuer hee bee And moreouer let euery of vs in his dwelling dedicate himselfe in such wise to God as hee may dwell with vs. For they that are driuen out of their dwellings haue commonly driuen God out before that is to say they haue followed some lewde trade so as GOD hath not reigned there Is it then any wonder if they bee driuen thence in the ende No For why Shall GOD bee thrust from his right and wee in the meane while possesse euery man
wittes and that thereby wee may bee so humbled vnder the same that when wee haue worshipped him wee may so remaine vnder his hand as wee suffer our selues to bee gouerned by him to followe the rule that hee hath deliuered vnto vs. Nowe let vs fall downe before the Iudgement seate of our God acknowledging the infinite faultes whereof wee bee guiltie if hee listed to execute the office of a Iudge against vs and therewithall let vs pray him not to omit to bee our father for our Lord Iesus Christes sake And that forsomuch as wee bee guiltie of many offences wee may suffer our selues to be dayly cutte off from our sinnes so as nothing may hinder our comming to him to yeeld our selues in such sorte vnto him as wee may renounce all our wicked affections more and more vntil wee bee throughly ridde of them and bee clothed with his heauenly righteousnesse And so let vs all say Almighty GOD heauenly father c. On Fryday the xxvii of March 1556. The CLxii Sermon which is the tenth vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 59 Then will the Lorde make thy plagues marueilous and the plagues of thy seede greate plagues and sure euill and sure diseases 60 And hee shall turne vpon thee all the plagues of Egypt the presence whereof thou diddest feare and they shall cleaue vnto thee 61 Also all the diseases and all the plagues which be not written in the booke of this Lawe the Lorde will cause to come vpon thee vntil thou be destroyed 62 And where as thou wast in multitude as the starres of heauen thou shalt bee fewe in number because thou hast not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde thy God 63 And it shall come to passe that like as the Lorde thy God reioyced ouer thee to doe thee good and to multiplie thee euen so will the Lorde reioyce ouer you to destroy you and to bring you to nought and thou shalt bee rooted our of the land to the which thou goest to possesse it 64 And the Lorde will scatter thee among all people from the one ende of the earth to the other ende of the earth And there thou shalt serue other goddes which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen euen goddes of wood and of stone I Haue shewed here before how slowe men are to bee taught by the chastisementes which God doth send them For vntill they perceiue the hand of God and be driuen to vnderstand that it is hee with whome they haue to doe of themselues they waxe hardhearted and which worse is they labour to cloke that which they ought to feele and see as it were before the eye namely that they bee smitten for their sinnes Forasmuch therefore as men doe neuer willingly come to the knowledge of themselues GOD is faine to enforce them to it This is the cause why Moses ouer and besides that which hee repeateth afore doth adde That God will make the plagues of the despisers of his Lawe wonderfull That is to say they shall bee so notable that euen in spite of their teeth they shall be afraide of them as of thinges that were neuer knowen nor in vse For wee see that accustomed thinges are despised and euen so is it also with Gods benefites Forasmuch as the Sunne doth dayly rise to lighten vs who is hee that thinketh of the change and intercourse which GOD maketh betweene the night and the day according to the saying of the nineteenth psalme that it is as if God should waken vs vp euery morning ãâ¦ã 1. and tell vs with a lowde voyce how it is good reason that his infinite goodnes wisedome and power should bee knowen But wee haue no eares to heare What is the reason It is because the sunne appeareth euery day in lyke order by meanes whereof wee bee hardened with it and because it is ordinarie we make none account of it euen so is it concerning punishmentes For the more our Lorde prouoketh vs to come vnto him the more doe we take heart to become vnreformable And therefore it is needefull for vs that his plagues shoulde bee woonderfull vnto vs that wee may bee made afraide of them spite of our teeth And againe hee addeth That they shall bee great and certaine The last worde that Moses vseth dooth signify true or faithfull Whereby GOD dooth vs to vnderstand that his plagues shall holde on still lyke as hee sayd also that they shoulde cleaue vnto theÌ that were rebellious and could not bee wonne by gentlenesse these plagues must bee rooted in them and for that cause dooth hee terme them Certaine Here haue wee to consider our owne hardnesse that euery of vs may bee the more vigilant in looking to the hand of GOD and conceiue the better thereof Forasmuch as wee bee so dull of nature we must learne to stirre vp our selues And let vs feare least GOD should accomplish that which is pronounced in this text Namely that when his accustomed punishmeÌts profit vs not then hee must needes proceede against vs after such a straunge and horrible manner as shall make vs afraide and cause the hayre of all them to stand vp which doe but heare speake of it yea and as the Prophet Ieremy sayth to make mens eares tingle wheÌ the reporte thereof commeth into foraine Countries Let vs bee afraide therefore least God doe worke after that manner when hee perceaueth such stubbornnesse in vs as hee cannot winne vs by measurable and tollerable corrections And therewithal let vs also take warning by this word Of sure plagues that when God hath followed vs to reduce vs to the way of saluatioÌ and we haue still fled from him the plagues must also continue to the vttermost both vpon vs and vpon all our lynage insomuch that when wee thinke to see an end therof we shal not haue yet begunne Let vs not therefore make account to escape when the plague hath lasted a while for accordingly as wee proceede on in our naughtinesse so must God proceede with his rigor and augment it more and more according as hee seeth vs to waxe worse and worse Then let vs not doe as we see most men doe which cry out and storme at it saying And when shall this haue an end How happeneth it that God taketh no pitie on mee to ease me of my paynes But in the meane while haue they any minde to reconcile themselues to God Do they coÌfesse their faults and bewaile them Nay rather they be at the very poynt to defy him Yet doe they talke of their afflictions and make complaintes but in the meane while no man looketh to the ground of the mischief to amend it Therefore when we haue bin stubborne against our God let vs not thinke it straunge that he should pursue vs with such rigour but let vs acknowledge that it is expedient for vs. In the meane space let vs not forget this that is written here namely that God threatneth sinners to the ende to bring them backe
they see it armed against them and when it toucheth their persoÌs but they ought to vse the opportunitie in reforming theÌselues euen when God is so good vnto them as to punish the reprobates rebels before their eyes Let vs therfore be afraid when God punisheth the wicked and let vs be aduised to acknowledge him for our Iudge aforehand and that we haue wel deserued to be handled as seuerely as they were it not that he of his goodnes forbeareth vs. Let this touch vs to the quick that we may be brought to repentance Thus shoulde we yet further put this saying of Moses in practise Nowe hee addeth that God ouer beside all this which he hath declared will sende yet other aduersities and afflictions vpon the Iewes In deede Moses did recken vp many sortes of plagues heretofore and hee thought it not ynough to haue saide at once God will chastise thee after such and such manner but he redoubled it because he sawe men so grosse and heauy that they bee not so moued at the first as were to be wished But our Lordes intent heere is to declare that hee hath meanes of vengeance incomprehensible and moe than can bee vttered by wordes insomuch that if a man should make a Roll of them and rehearse a whole million of seuerall sorts of them yet shoulde he not comprise them al for God hath other hidden means vnknowen to men wherewith to punish them that doe still rancle in malice against him And that is according as wee shall see in the two and thirtith chapter in the solemne song that Moses maketh there These thinges are laide vp in my Treasurie saith the Lord so as I haue my whole Chestes full of horrible plagues ãâã 32.34 such as neuer were imagined nor vnderstood by men As much is saide in this text And so let vs remember two thinges to wit when wee haue had experience of the power of God by his doings or reade the threatenings that he hath made against the transgressours of his lawe and doe beholde the practise and execution thereof let vs bee amased thereat and say How now What a thing is it to prouoke the Lorde For if hee spare vs on the one side hee can well assaile vs on the other and when wee bee deliuered from one hundred of afflictions he hath three hundred others readie for vs and when wee haue escaped all those yet haue wee gotten nothing Let vs therefore thinke vpon these thinges Nowe let vs looke what a sort of threatenings there are in the holy Scripture howe many sortes of deathes there bee that God hath denounced against the despisers of his maiestie and against all them that despise and set light by his worde it woulde wearie vs to recite them And in reading the hystories wee see the examples that God hath giuen vs of his wrath and that not in one sort wee shoulde needes bee at our wittes ende if wee shoulde thinke but vppon the tenth part of them And if wee shoulde set our mindes to marke and to note them all what a thing were it The first thing therefore which wee haue to doe is to be diligent to cal to rememberance all the threatnings whereby God woulde tame our wicked affections and holde vs enbridled and therewithall to compare the thinges that are set downe vnto vs howe that God hath not threatened in vaine but hath accomplished whatsoeuer hee hath saide Let vs thinke on that And moreouer let vs vnderstand that besides the meanes which are contained in the holy scripture God hath yet a great many of other meanes to punish men and we see how he doeth dayly bring vp newe If we had eyes or rather woulde open them wee might well see that God doeth daily sende newe kindes of his wrath and that is to the end which I haue touched heretofore namely to make his plagues wonderful that men may be inforced to thinke vppon them because they see that God worketh not after the ordinary course of nature but after a sort that hath not bin earst knowen When euery of vs hath well studied all the lessons that be declared vnto vs in the holy Scripture and made our coÌmoditie of the examples punishments y t bee there mentioned let vs conclude y t God hath yet a great many mo meanes than be expressed which men neuer thought vpoÌ And y t thing he hath made manifest euer since y t the law was written and he doth not yet ceasse to do the same still that al maner of excuse may be taken from vs. If a man looke vpon the diseases that bee at this day in the worlde hee shall see that there be many which were not expressed in the law of Moses or in y e dayes of our fathers Howe hath whoredome bin punished by diseases that be come vppe of late Who knewe the pocks a hundred yeres ago That is one horrible plague which God hath sent vpon y e worlde And it is asmuch as if hee had stretched his arme out of heauen and sayde No they knowe mee no more to be their Iudge they harden their harts against al the plagues y t men did know receiue afore time they make but a figge at it but now I will make them to vnderstand that in my Coffers and in my storehouses there are yet other roddes that be incomprehensible to them God sheweth this and wee perceiue that wee cannot take a better course to profite by this doctrine than to feare the rods and punishments which be not written in the booke of the lawe otherwise it is meete that we vnderstand that GOD is stil our Iudge howesoeuer the world goe Now he addeth That albeit they were as many in number as the stars of heauen God would wast them in such wise as there should but a handfull of them remaine Here must we remember that which was spoken of herebefore For whereas God vseth this similitude of the starres of heauen he hath respect to the promise which he had made to his seruant Abraham namely y t his seede should be in number like the starres of heauen So God spake But now to the end y t the Iewes should not presume to thinke y t God was alwayes bound to multiply them he sayth No I wil consume you whatsoeuer come of it and you shal bee but a handfull of people It seemeth at the first sight that here is contrarietie For where as God promised so great a seed vnto his seruant AbrahaÌ it was not grounded vpon the mirites of men And why For seeing that the promise dependeth vpon the free goodnesse of God must it not be kept albeit that men be wicked Yes in deede But we haue to consider that God doeth not alwayes accomplish his promises after our fashion nor according to our carnall capacitie he hath means incredible to vs which we vnderstand not vntill they appeare by effect Whereas he promiseth to multiply his Church that is to
bee kept in such sorte by him that albeit Sathan fight against vs yet neuerthelesse wee may continue in the seruice of him which hath once called vs and purchased vs for himselfe And therfore let vs al say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the ix of April 1556. The CLxvii Sermon which is the fourth vpon the nine twentith Chapter that there bee not among you any roote that bringeth foorth Gall and woormewood 19 And so it come to passe that some man hearing the woordes of this curse doe blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace notwithstanding that I walke after the purpose of mine owne heart and so put drunkennesse vnto thirst 20 The Lorde will not agree to forgiue him for then the wrath and Ielozie of the Lord will kindle against that man and heape vpon him all the Curses that are written in this booke 21 And the Lorde wil wype out the name of him from vnder the heauen and the Lorde will shoole him out from all the Trybes of Israell to mischeefe according to all the Curses of the Couenaunt that is written in the booke of this Lawe WEe beganne yesterday to declare wherefore Moses dyd put foorth this similitude of the euill roote which bringeth forth bitternesse and gal For we do not perceiue at the first sight when the diuel beginneth to worke in vs vntill wee be corrupted and marred yea and ââat the thinges bee past remedie which at the first might haue bin taken away Therefore wee cannot be too circumspect in keeping ourselues seeing that of nature wee bee inclined to euill and we bee so fraile that ere wee bee aware the diuell taketh possession and then euery man infecteth his neighbour and so the corruption is spred throughout all Heere hee sheweth the principall daunger that men ought to beware of which is that they become not hard hearted against the threateninges of GOD. For it must needs be that we are altogether senselesse when wee feele no more any remorse or griefe of conscience but rather doe spyte God through diuelish pride For men to ouershoote themselues it is too ordinarie a matter to be slowe when they are driuen and pricked foreward is yet a common fault againe not to beleeue good counsell at the first is a thing to bee seene dayly But if a man become a scorner and take the bridle in the teeth to dally with God perswading himselfe that all the threatenings which are layde before him bee nothing and that all is but a fable whatsoeuer is sayde concerning the iudgement of GOD so as hee taketh leaue to doe what hee listeth and will bee ordered by no meanes but followeth his owne swindge lyke a horse that will not bee tamed and resisteth all that may bee doone vnto him when a man ouershooteth himselfe so farre it must needes be that hee is like a desperate creature Thus yee see whereof Moses admonisheth the people in this place Let a man beware sayeth hee that when hee heareth the curses which are set foorth in the Lawe hee say not Well yet shall I not fayle to haue peace still although I giue my selfe ouer to all mine owne wayes and followe my lustes In deede GOD saieth that I shall bee accursed but I see it not I will abide the hazard come what will in the meane while I will not vexe my selfe with melancholy I will make meerie come what come will When men iest thus desperately they bee vndoone and they become altogether vnreformable Nowe first of all let vs marke howe it is sayde heere that when wee haue heard the curses that are contayned in the Lawe it is a token of a spitefull and bitter minde to say Tush I care not a whit what God speaketh Albeit that we were not taught by any doctrine yet haue wee a witnesse within vs which speaketh vnto vs namely our owne conscience whereby euerie of vs is reprooued and driuen to vnderstand that God is our iudge yea euen when wee bee absolued by men as they bee which escape by bribes presentes fauour sleightes and suttelties who being absolued by men faile not to beare their condemnation still about them in their owne hearts But if when God sheweth vnto vs that we must come to an account and wakeneth vs vp by confirming and ratifying that which wee doe alreadie knowe and perceiue concerning the difference betwixt good and euill if wee then continue still hardhearted is it not to bee sayd that wee bee as good as bewitched by Sathan and that hee hath bereft vs of all vnderstanding and reason To bee shorte let vs learne to walke in feare and carefulnesse whensoeuer our Lorde speaketh vnto vs and quickeneth vs vp by good warnings and admonishmentes Let vs beware that wee stand not stubbornly against him for wee see what they gaine in the ende which bee so cankerhearted against GOD. Therewithall let vs call to minde that which I haue sayde alreadie namely that the hyghest poynt of all wickednesse is when men blesse themselues in their heartes that is to say when they beare themselues in hand y t all shal goe well with them notwithstanding that God doe threaten to bee their enemie and to make them to feele his wrath And this is written more at large by the Prophet Esay For there GOD complayneth of such as scorned the Prophetes for there were in those dayes the lyke scorners that are to bee seene in these dayes Tush say they let vs make good cheere Isa. 22.23 wee shall die to morrowe They had made that saying a common prouerb Therefore when the Prophetes perceiued that all things were so far out of order as was horrible to see and that iniquitie was become lyke a waterfloud so as men kindled the wrath of God more and more they dyd not cease to crie Wo wo it is impossible that GOD should forbeare vs or suffer vs any longer he hath vsed so long patience that now wee must needes perish all of vs. They hearde nothing but dreadfull threatenings When the Prophet spake to them it was not to qualifie the plagues but as it were to say you doe not yet heare the hundredth part of the punishmentes that shall come vpon you and for so much as you make none account thereof but shew such hardnesse of heart and stubbornnesse against GOD and his Prophetes you must bee all confounded These Galantes scoffed at such threateninges saying Loe wee must dye to morrow let vs therefore make good cheere to day Loe at what poynt they were Would GOD that such scorning of GOD and his worde were not yet still in the world But our Lorde addeth saying I haue called you to sackcloth and Ashes I required nothing but your repentaunce and amendment Isa. 22.12 that yee might obtaine mercie Howsoeuer the case stand I am desirous to soften the cursed hardnesse and stubbornnesse of your heartes and you hold on still and scoffe out all thinges But as truely as I
we haue receyued of God we must not thinke that he will suffer them to be buried he will surely put vs throughly in minde of them euen to our vtter confusion according as we see how he speaketh here of the Iewes And nowe on the contrarie part he blameth them for that That they bee turned away after straunge gods which they haue not knowen and which had done them no good This is generally incident to all Idolaters For notwithstanding that there be a kinde of wilfull opinion in them yet are they at no certaintie Like as the Papistes which can not say that they bee assured of their religion all is grounded vpon a supposition True it is that they play the madde men for when they bee tolde of their foolishnesse they rage and storme and thinke that men do them the greatest wrong in the worlde when they make any gainesaying to that which they imagine to bee good and yet howsoeuer they fare they haue but a supposall For all their saying is Our fathers taught vs so it is the order of our holie mother the Church this hath nowe beene receyued of olde Verie well shall God bee outfaced with that Shall his trueth which wee ought to admitte to bee vnfallible bee made voyde vnlesse wee bee grounded vppon custome and authorities of men Nay without that there is nothing in men but vanities and lies Hereby then wee must learne not to thinke that straunge which the Scripture speaketh namelie that wee must fashion our selues after our fathers howbeit those fathers which haue followed the trueth of God and none other To bee short wee shall finde that there is no certeyntie in them that followe not the lawe that none but the children of God can talke of it vppon knowledge 1. Iob. 5 2â according as Saint Iohn sayth in his Canonicall Epistle Soothly it is not for vs to bee taught by coniectures of men when the worde of God is laide before vs for it is good reason that God shoulde haue so greate authoritie ouer vs as that when hee saith the worde we shoulde wholy sticke to it and seeke no farther but yet is there alwayes a true knowledge in faith and not a wauering opinion Contrariwise all they that serue GOD after their owne deuotion doe but imagine and serue gods whome they know not The Papistes say that the Virgin Marie is their aduocate euerie one hath his patron such as hee hath deuised of his owne heade doe they vnderstande that GOD hath giuen them these offices Haue they any Testimonies thereof None but they thinke so When I goe on Pilgrimage or cause a masse to bee sung or founde such a yeares minde O that is goodly seruing of God What Haue you authoritie for all these thinges that they be pleasing to God and that hee alloweth them O no sir but our intent is good Yea but that is not enough to binde God for hee must bee serued according to his owne will and hee will none of all those things To bee short examine all that the Idolaters doe and yee shall finde that they be rauished and puffed vp with a wauering opinion Thereupon they sooth themselues exceedingly but yet are they neuer assured of their case Therefore it is not without cause that Moses reprooueth the Iewes for following the gods which they knew not And indeede howe shall a man knowe that which is not for there is no knowledge but the truth and there is nothing but lies in all that men doe deuise without the worde of God Againe hee saith yet further that the Idoles whome they serued had doone them no good Trulie the wretched misbeleeuers doe beare them selues in hande that the Idoles whome they serue haue doone them much good as we see the Papistes doe saying Lo wee finde it good to goe to sâich a Saint for there is such a miracle as sheweth that this deuotion is not vnprofitable after which manner wee see the Idolaters to haue doone at all times When we serued the Queene of heaueÌ say they in Ieremie we had our fill of meate and drinke ãâ¦ã .18 there was plentie of all manner of good thinges Lo howe Satan blindeth these wretches and God doeth suffer them to bee fedde with vaine flatteries and to please themselues with their owne superstitions to their condemnation Neuerthelesse that which is spoken by the Prophet Isay shall bee alwayes true namely that Idoles haue no power to doe either good nor euill ãâã â49 for they bee nothing Therefore let vs learne first of all to sticke vnto the word whereby God teacheth vs and let vs followe our fathers that is to say those whome hee hath allowed and chosen and set foorth for our example to the intent that wee shoulde imitate them The verie point whereat wee must beginne for the hauing of a pure religion both certaine and infallible is the said doctrine and secondly that we be confirmed by the gratious giftes and benefits which God bestowed vpon the olde fathers yea and euen by those also whereof wee our selues haue had proofe in our own persons Let these things induce vs so much the more to giue our selues ouer vnto him and therewithall let vs stande in awe of his threateninges and likewise of his punishments which we see executed vpon all y e wicked that haue forsaken him That in effect is that which we haue to remember vppon this place Nowe for conclusion Moses addeth The secretes belong to the Lorde our God and the things reueiled befor vs and our children for euer to the end we shoulde doe the thinges that are written in this booke This text is taken diuerse wayes Some doe expounde it that the secretes of our God bee reueiled vnto vs and to our children and that is a verie profitable doctrine for it is saide that the lawe conteineth wonders that be incomprehensible to men vntill time that hee hath opened their eyes Therefore Dauid prayeth thus Lord lighten me that I may beholde the wonderfull wisedome ãâã 119.18 which is in thy lawe And indeede we doe neuer by our naturall wit vnderstande that which is shewed by the worde of God it exceedeth all that is in man And that is the cause why this grace is so highlie magnified in holie Scripture that God dealt not with any nation as hee hath doone with the Iewes for that hee had not reueiled vnto them the secretes of his woorde Deut. 4.8 but left them to walke in brutishnesse and ignorance It is to a good purpose therefore to say That the secretes of our God be reueiled vnto vs at this day that folke might be the more mooued to be attentiue to the law knowing that God hath vsed a speciall goodnesse towarde them to whome he hath shewed himselfe so familiarlie as wee haue alreadie seene in the fourth Chapter But albeit y t the same doctrine be verie good profitable yet is it somewhat strained because of y e words for the text
is thus The secrets belong to our God And immediatly after there is a letter set downe which is as much to say in our language as And the thinges that are reueyled belong vnto vs and vnto our children Moses maketh heere a distinction after which manner also it was taken by the Iewes which rested vppon the letter and they did well therein For we must looke diligentlie to the letter if we wil attain to the vnderstanding of anie text but because they did not vnderstande the true sense that was in the same letter they haue forged one that is altogether straunge and haue played the beastes too much for want of hauing an eye to the naturall sense of Moses They say in effect that the secrete Idolatries belong vnto GOD and the apparant Idolatries belong vnto vs and to our children to witte to punishe them In deede it is true that GOD punisheth priuie faultes for hee reserueth manie sinnes to his owne punishing We see that Idolaters do bleare out their tongues and make a mocke when they haue rushed out into all manner of naughtinesse for their iniquitie is not yet ripe Yet notwithstanding God taketh order that some crime shall come to knowledge and bee iustly punished that they which see it shall be compelled to say that it was right This is verie true But Moses meant not so for that were too bare a matter for this place The thing that he meaneth in effect is this That God hath his secretes to himselfe and that vnto vs vnto our childreÌ he hath vttered his law which is an apparant matter as if he should say y t we must put a difference betweene that which is conteined in holy scripture and that which GOD hath hidden from vs of which also we haue neyther doctrine nor Testimonie Wee must put a difference betweene those two thinges True it is as I haue said that all the doctrine of holie scripture surmounteth our capacitie and is too high for vs were it not that God did inlighten our mindes Notwithstanding howe soeuer the worlde goe with vs yet when God vttereth a thing vnto vs then hee calleth it an open matter Why Because hee woulde haue vs to applie our selues to the same And thereunto hee addeth a promise that they shall not bee disappointed according to this saying of his by his Prophete Esay It is not in vaine that I haue saide Isa. 45.19 seeke mee As if yee shoulde say that all they which are desirous to be instructed in the worde of God shall knowe his will by the same neither will hee suffer them to erre or to bee deceiued Thus ye see how all thinges that God hath reueiled vnto men are called open matters And why Because it is not a doctrine laide vp in huckermucker but a matter that ought to bee knowen to all men Nowe we vnderstande what Moses meant Vnder colour that wee must not bee too inquisitiue of Gods secretes through too much curiositie the worlde becommeth brutishe and is well appayed to haue some excuse of ignorance the Idolaters yea euen the veriest idiotes of them can skill to say Let Gods secretes alone And to what end Verilie to the intent that men should seeke for nothing O beware we must not know too much Not but what meane you by that For as for the thinges which our Lorde hath reuealed vnto vs by his worde it is good reason that they shoulde bee knowen and that wee shoulde giue eare to them and bee diligent to applie our indeuour to the same If we passe our boundes by beeing more inquisitiue than is lawfull for vs wee enter into a maze Thus see wee as now what Moses meant to say in this place namelie that the people should not foade their owne ignorance as men are wont to doe My friendes saith hee be well aduised for the secret thinges belong to our God looke what hee woulde not haue knowen that hath hee reserued to himselfe But as for the thinges that are reueiled hee hath imparted them to vs to our children for euer to the ende that we shoulde doe the thinges that are written in this booke Knowe yee saith hee that the thinges which are conteyned in his lawe are profitable for the well ruling of our liues And agreeably hereunto also Saint Paul saith that all the scripture is profitable to teach 2. Tim. 3.16 to exhort to reproue to make the man of God perfect to all good workes Sith the case standeth so let vs applie the exhortation of Moses to our owne vse And first of all let vs marke well that none bee exempted for their ignoraunce that is to say that none shal haue anie excuse which haue disdayned to heare God when he spake vnto them And why If they say these be secret matters I aunswere and hath not God published them Yes but they be aboue our capacitie let vs craue the spirite of vnderstanding and it shall bee giuen vnto vs. But howe soeuer it bee let vs not say I am no clerke I haue not beene at schoole for beholde the lawe is set foorth to all folke both litle and great God woulde haue vs all to bee instructed therein Therefore they be apparant matters which must bee knowen to vs and to our children And wherefore Because it is for our profite We shall there finde wherewith to bee edified and wee knowe that God woulde haue our life to bee ruled thereby Let vs therefore bee diligent in such sorte as wee presume not to passe our boundes when wee be desirous to be taught in the schoole of God Thus much for one point Neuerthelesse God reserueth his secretes to himselfe from the which wee must absteyne with all modestie and submit our selues thereunto Wee may not therefore doe as manie fantasticall heades doe which couet to knowe this and that whereof wee haue no reuelation in holy scripture Wee must holde vs still when God hath not spoken of an vnknowen thing and which is not conteyned in holy scripture For it is the greatest wisedome that can bee in men not to bee inquisitiue of further thinges than God hath reueiled vnto them and simplie to content themselues with y t which they are able to conceyue They say I which can thus holde themselues within their compasse be farre wiser than all they which pretende to knowe and vnderstande all thinges and to bee ignoraunt of nothing Nowe we see it is an excellent place in that the things which bee conteined in holy scripture bee called open And on the other side let vs keepe our selues in sobrietie and temperance to the ende that if our mindes be tossed with couetousnesse wee may holde them as it were captiues and not be too inquisitiue of the secretes of God more than is lawfull for vs. This matter might be discoursed more at length but that were an endlesse thing It sufficeth to haue it in a breefe summe namely that as long as wee seeke to be instructed by
shutte the way of saluation against vs from the which euen our owne sinnes doe turne vs away yet shall the goodnesse of GOD get the vpper hand so wee bereaue not our selues of it altogether through our owne vnthankefulnesse Seeing then that we doe heare such exhortations let vs enter into examination of our sinnes and let euerie of vs confesse howe many wayes hee hath offended his God and let all of vs in generall doe the lyke with one common accord And when wee haue mourned and sighed for them let vs then pray vnto our good GOD to touche vs so to the quicke that wee may not onely come and confesse our sinnes with our mouthes and with certayne ceremonyes but also returne to our GOD with heart and minde so as he may asswage our plagues griefes and afflictions through his infinite goodnesse which hee hath manifested vnto vs by his Gospell and wee turne vnto him with sure and infallible confidence to obtaine fauour at his hand Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes beseeching him to cause his admonitions to profite in vs more and more and that seeing he hath once called vs vnto him he suffer not his labour to bee lost in afflicting vs so many wayes but that wee may finally returne vnto him and that in so returning wee may yeelde foorth true righteousnesse and soundnesse so as wee double not ne play the hypocrites And that to accomplish this thing hee make vs to feele and to acknowledge his fatherly goodnesse that wee may bee altogether giuen ouer thereunto and haue our eyes and all our senses so fixed on our Lorde Iesus Christ as wee may vnderstand that it is by his meanes that wee must obtaine mercie of GOD of the which wee bee vnworthie as touching our selues That it will please him to bestowe this grace not onely vpon vs but also vpon all people and nations of the earth c. On Munday the xx of Aprill 1556. The CLXX Sermon which is the second vpon the thirtith Chapter 6 And the Lorde thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lorde thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule to the ende that thou maist liue 7 And the Lord thy God will lay all these curses vpon thine enemies and vpon them that hate thee and which haue persecuted thee 8 Thou then shalt returne and obey the voyce of the Lorde and doe all these Commaundements which I commaund thee this day 9 The Lorde thy GOD will make thee plentifull in all the woorkes of thy hande in the fruite of thy wombe in the fruite of thy Cattell and in the fruite of thy Lande to thy welfare For the Lorde will reioyce agayne ouer thee to doe thee good lyke as hee did reioyce ouer thy fathers 10 If thou obey the voice of the Lord thy God in keeping his Commandementes and his ordinaunces written in the booke of this Lawe and returne vnto the Lorde thy GOD with all thyne hearte and with all thy Soule HItherto Moses in promysing y t God would vouchsafe such fauour on his people as to blesse them hath spoken but of the thinges which concerne this present lyfe as of bodily health of foode of peace and of preseruation from their enemyes But nowe hee speaketh of a higher and a more excellent matter to wit that GOD will chaunge the heartes of them which before were euil and froward And that is a farre greater thing than to giue vs onely meate and drinke and whatsoeuer else is to bee desired for the flesh in this transitorie lyfe Wee haue moreouer to gather out of this text that whereas the holy Scripture requireth vs to doe that which God demaundeth it is not bycause wee haue the power to doe it for GOD doeth not measure his commaundements after our power albeit that wee be weake yet neuerthelesse wee bee bound vnto him but when he hath shewed vs our duetie it belongeth to him to giue vs the grace to accomplish it And this text doth shew it vs very well for we haue seene it heretofore and Moses doeth yet againe confirme the same Deut. 30. â y t men ought to turne to God that they ought to feare him with all their heart and with al their soule that they ought to obserue his law Now when we heare this we may iudge that if men will imploy themselues take a good way it is in their libertie and they haue free choise to gouerne themselues well if they list and the Papistes in deede doe abuse themselues with such Textes For as soone as they heare that God commandeth they do forthwith conclude that wee are able to put all in execution But we see howe Moses speaketh thereof He saith Thou shalt keepe the commandements of the Lord thy GOD to loue him with all thine heart and with all thy soule and then he addeth It is the Lord that will giue thee such a minde such an affection Also he saith in another place Circumcise your hearts this day vnto the Lord and now he saith ãâã 10.16 It is the Lord that will circumcise thine heart It is his very office We see then that when God giueth vs his lawe it is not bycause we are able to attaine to the accomplishment of that which is contayned in it but it is ynough for vs to vnderstand wherein we bee bound vnto him and that knowing once our infirmitie we resort to the remedie euen to pray him that he will supply our default But they may heere reply that Moses meaneth not that onely GOD shold altogether change men and reforme their hearts for this place seemeth to shew that God will ayde men when they haue some good motion and be disposed to serue him and that it is so he saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart But yet hee addeth And the Lord wil make thee to loue him It seemeth therfore that Moses placeth some good disposition in men and that they doe begin on their part and that thereuppon God helpeth them and addeth that which they want Thus do the Papistes turmoyle themselues when men alleage vnto them whatsoeuer is spoken in holy Scripture concerning the grace of God as y t it is he which inlightneth our conscience it is hee that giueth vs the knowledge to discerne good from euill it is he that giueth vs wisedome to walke as becommeth vs it is he that giueth vs power to resist temptations it is he that wealdeth guideth our hearts in his obedience it is he that giueth vs the power and vertue to continue when men tell them any of these thinges O say they it is true that men doe not all for seeing that they be weake God must ayde them but yet doeth it lye in them to guide themselues and to haue some good preparation and moreouer it lyeth in them also to
person of him God meant to assure vs y t when we walke in our dutie and go directly to work as he hath coÌmanded vs hauing regard to obey him rather than to please the world he is with vs and will assist vs. Seeing it is so let vs march on and not care for any thing that can happen vnto vs. This I say is the true vse of this doctrine Moreouer although we haue this assurance that God will accomplish performe the worke that he hath begun yet doth it not follow therfore y t we also should not inforce ourselues For these two thinges are ioyned together namely thy God will neuer giue thee ouer and therfore be thou of good courage behaue thyselfe valiantly It is not ment then y e God leadeth vs as it were sleeping and as though it were no harde matter for vs to do him seruice when it pleaseth him to imploy vs to any charge office No no for we must labour therein till wee pant againe sometime it shall seeme vnto vs y t God is farre froÌ vs thinges shall be doutfull disordered y t we wot not what shall become of vs but then let vs cheere vp our selues After y t maner must wee trust in the prouidence of our God And when we be so stayed thereupon it is not meant y t we should therfore let things fall out as they may as wee see many doe which take occasion to waxe cold God say they will prouide in the mean while they neglect their owne duetie It is not ment that we should shut our eyes saying God will prouide for it Truely although all things in the world were as far out of order as could be yet ought we to be well assured howsoeuer we fare but yet on the other side we must serue God after such maner as he hath appointed vs to be his instrumentes yea and y t in such wise as if it be his will that we must suffer much y t then wee must haue patience not be ouerthroweÌ nor broken therby The thing theÌ in effect which we haue to beare in mind coÌcerning this place is y t we must labour all our life long in such wise as euery one may keepe himselfe within his owne boundes limites and y t we attempt not rashly more than God giueth vs leaue to do And moreouer y t we must not be afraid to do to employ vs to those things which our duty requireth assuring ourselues y t God is neere vnto vs and that we shall feele his power at our neede and y t hee will not forsake vs. When men thinke y t all is lost doe mocke vs count vs as people past hope of recouery let vs not dout but y t our Lord will accoÌplish that which is heere promised and therfore let vs euermore holde on with patience waiting for the performaunce of that which wee heare spoken of heere Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults beseeching him to make vs to feele them more more and y t in likewise by acknowledging the frailety y t is in vs we may seeke to arme vs so with his promises as we may be fensed vntil the end not only to sustain one coÌbat or two but also to fight all the daies of our life to remaine inuincible against al maner of teÌptations And y t forasmuch as it behoueth vs to depend altogether vpon him we may be so stayed thereupon y t when things do happen vnto vs contrary to our mindes as in respect of the world we may not therby be abashed or dismaied but trust that he only is as good as all other helpes therupoÌ coÌmit our selues vnto him endeuoring to glorifie him and y t seeing it is his will to gouerne vs by the hand of our Lord Iesus Christ we may be pliable and obedient vnto him that being assured that he is our good and faithful guide that he will not faile vs we may euermore take the more courage to giue ouer ourselues and wholly to offer ourselues vnto him 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 Friday the xxiiij of Aprill 1556. The CLXXIIII Sermon which is the second vpon the one thirtith Chapter 9 And Moses wrate this lawe and deliuered it to the Priestes the sonnes of Leuie which bare the Arke of the couenaunt of the Lord and to all the Elders of Israell 10 And Moses commaunded them saying At the ende of euery seuenth yeere in the time of the yeere of freedome in the feast of Tabernacles 11 When all Israell commeth to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose then shalt thou reade this Lawe before all Israell in the hearing of them 12 Thou shalt gather the people together men women and children and thy straunger which is within thy gates that they may heare and learne and feare the Lorde your God and keepe all the wordes of this lawe to doe them 13 And that their children also which haue not knowen it may heare it and learne it so as they may feare the Lorde your God all the dayes that thou hast to liue in the Lande whither thou goest ouer Iordan to possesse it 14 Then the Lorde sayde vnto Moses beholde the dayes of thy death are at hande call Iosuah and stande ye at the Tabernacle of the Congregation that I may giue him his charge And so Moses and Iosuah went and stoode at the Tabernacle of the Congregation WE do wel confesse that God dealeth gratiously with men when he vouchsafeth to teach them and to shewe them the way of saluation For we see well it is a most miserable state when men haue no teaching all their life long but do guide themselues at all aduentures Nowe the case so standeth that we can not holde any way that is certaine for vs but only y t which God sheweth vs for as for the thinges which men deuise in deede they thinke them good ynough but in the meane while albeit that they bee blinded with their owne fantasies yet must they needes euermore stande in dout and God maketh it manifest at the last that it was but vanitie and folly If men therefore were well aduised nothing should be more deere vnto them than to haue Gods trueth to guide them which woulde be a lampe to shewe them the way of saluation Beholde God calleth vs hee tarrieth not till wee come to seeke that which is good for vs neither would he haue vs to fetch long windlasses but he offereth himselfe of his owne good will assuring vs that we can not faile if we will hearken to his voyce he will giue vs sufficient instruction and he pââtesteth that it shall not be in vaine for vs to followe that which we shall haue heard at his mouth
Isa. 45.19 Yet notwithstanding wee for all this doe make smal account to be taught of him euery of vs wandereth after his owne imagination and which worse is hauing hadde some tast and knowledge and hauing founde by experience that all our whole happinesse lyeth there and that our whole contentment and rest ought to be settled in the obeying of Goddes worde yet is there none of vs but hee turneth aside from it and the same hath beene common in all ages Nowe therefore to remedie this mischeife GOD hath vouchsafed that his woord shoulde bee kept by some meane and that some certaine folke shoulde haue the charge to preserue it safe and sounde that it might not perishe Wherein we behold the inestimable care that he hath of our saluation Be not wee worthy to be depriued of such a treasure seeing we do esteeme it so litle Yes for our vnthankefulnesse deserueth the wrath of God and that he should withdrawe the thing which hee hadde bestowed vppon vs. Yet notwithstanding hee ceaseth not to drawe vs still backe vnto him and heereof wee see heere a goodly example in that it is sayde that Moses hauing written the lawe committed is to the priestes the children of Leuie which carried the Arke and to all the Elders of Israell which hadde the charge and authoritie to gouerne the people True it is that when GOD hath once published his worde euerie man ought to bethinke him to receiue it for euerie man ought to take heede to it for himselfe men ought not to depende one vpon an other neuerthelesse there is not any man that is greatly carefull thereof It is behoouefull therefore that GOD should appoint people to watch ouer vs whilest we sleepe and to call vppon vs and if they see vs readie to swarue aside they must restraine vs. This is the cause why it was specially requisite that the lawe should be deliuered into the handes of the Priestes First of all it was written and it was sufficient that the people had hearde the will of God If men had good remembraunce and woulde not forget that which they haue learned it were ynough I say that Moses had once declared vnto them that which was requisite for their welfare For hee hadde commaunded them to occupie their mindes about the studie thereof both night and day and to write the lawe vpon the postes of their houses vpon their tables and euerie where else to the intent that whyther soeuer they turned their eyes they might euer be stirred to thinke vppon God Againe they ought to haue had a care to instruct their children and besides this the Lawe was copyed out yea and to be kept as it were vppon Recorde of authoritie as which proceeded altogether from the hande of God And the reason was that the people did soone growe out of kinde Although they hadde their eares beaten with the thinges that were contayned in the lawe yet turned they away to superstition and afterward euery man became dulheaded had nothing in him but ignorance so as w tin a while there was no knowledge of God among them But is the lawe written Yet is it necessarie that it be coÌmitted as a treasure into the hands of the Priestes which be y e messengers of God as saith the Prophet Malachy Knowledge ought to dwel in their mouth and when we haue asked counsell of theÌ we ought to hearken vnto them to be enformed of the truth Nowe then they are appointed to be keepers But what came to passe after that God had prouided so well for the matter The lawe perished and was lost And surely seeing there was so good order takeÌ for the preseruation thereof that men might heare it spoken of yea and y t at the end of euery seuen yeere in the feast of Tabernacles in y t solemn day the couenant of God was to be renued the whole law was to be repeated before all the people it is an incredible matter y t the same was so straitely kept yet notwithstanding y t in the meane while there was such rechlesnes y t the people made no reckoning to be depriued of their chief welfare For meÌ as we haue already sayd be more wretched than brute beasts vnlesse they be taught by God To what end serueth all the râason vnderstanding y t they suppose theÌselueâ to haue by nature but to their greeuouser condemnation vntil God hath put forth his hand to them and haue shewed theÌ wherunto they must sticke But yet howsoeuer the worlde went the children of Israel y t blessed seede of AbrahaÌ the chosen people elect adopted of God his inheritance and his Church they I say vnto whoÌ God had done so great honor whoÌ he had exalted vnto so high a dignitie hauing heard the law published ought euery of them to haue borne it in minde and to haue kept it as carefully as men keepe the charters of a kingdome or the Crowne or other such thinges And truly in all coÌparison the lawe of God deserueth well to haue the preeminence aboue al y t euer is in the world But yet for all that it vanisheth away in the mean space the people had no great care thereof And surely it is a very strange case how it shold come to passe coÌsidering y t the remeÌbrance therof was so solemnly kept by reason wherof al the people ought to haue thought thus How now We lose this good custom wherby y e law of god shold now sound in our eares wherby we should haue y e remeÌbrance therof renewed whereby we shold be confirmed in his couenant whereby the same should be ratified vnto vs by y e reading of the law The people I say had no regard to any of these thinges In deede they assembled at y e feast day made great cheere but yet euery body returned home to his owne house w tout hauing regarde to these things insomuch y t the lawe lay as it were buried vntil the time of Iosias 2. Chr. 34.14 in the which it was found againe True it is y t at that time they were greatly abashed at it but yet we see the rechlesnes of men in y t they spake not a word when they were depriued of so great a benefit And y t is a token of too shamefull thankelesnes Heere haue we a lookingglasse wherein we may very well behold the affectioÌ of men for we at this day be no better than the Iewes were And in deede wee perceiue howe the world seeketh nought else but to be exempted y t they might not haue their eares troubled with the law of God nor with his word True it is that they are ashamed do abhor to say y t Gods word should be despised but yet they would make it a relique to be worshipped a farre off as a sealed letter so as men should content theÌselues with the doing of some honor ceremony to it as if they
him vppon the promyse of GOD. And that is the thing which must bee the stay of all our strength For if wee will bee stout vppon our owne heade GOD will ouerthrowe such a rashnesse lyke a fond thing as it is What must then bee done Wee must embrace the promises of GOD and when hee hath once tolde vs that he is our defender wee must not feare that wee shall bee forsaken of him but bee resolute in all thinges And although the worlde doe offer vs many ouerthwartes to make vs to distrust yet let vs stande stedfast in the thing which our GOD hath told vs. For it is good reason to doe him the honour that his woorde may bee preferred before all thinges that may turne vs away from the affiaunce that hee hath giuen vs. Thus see you heere a very profitable lesson which is y t bycause we feele so many infirmities in our selues y t there needeth nothing to beate vs downe but as soone as y e wind bloweth we be shaken or else doe fall altogether we perceiuing such feeblenesse in vs must receiue the remedie that is offered vs here which is to hearken to the promises of our God And for as much as hee assureth vs that he will neuer faile vs let vs trust to that stay For when the winds the Stormes and the Tempestes of this present world come wee shall neuer bee shaken Ye see then that the strength and stay of the faithfull is to rest altogether vpon that which God hath promised them And for that cause doeth Moses say to Iosuah Thou shale put the children of Israell in possession of the land And Moses speaketh it not at aladuenture Deut. 30. but to ratifie that which we haue seene more at large here before namely that God had chosen Iosuah to that office and that hauing committed the charge vnto him he promised him in likewise to vphold him with his mightie hande Whereupon it is saide vnto him be strong and behaue thy selfe manfully So then let vs learn to fight against al temptations when wee haue once tasted the force of Gods promises For it is a token that wee giue no credite to that which God speaketh when wee continue lyke Reedes shaking with euery winde and tremble at euery trouble that commeth standing in a mamering or starting from the right way and waxing rechlesse in discharging our duetie As often as such thinges happen wee shewe our weakenesse and wee giue good proofe that wee beleeue not that which GOD hath spoken Wee may well alleage and say As for my selfe I hold the promises of God for certaine I doubt not but that whatsoeuer proceedeth from his mouth is an infallible trueth Wee may well so say but the deede it selfe proueth that there is nothing in vs but hypocrisie and that wee bee not firme to go through with that which is commaunded vs and to discharge our duetie in following our vocation ne walke steadily when all thinges seeme forlorne To be short let vs learne that faith is ioyned with such power as ought alwayes to make vs to go foreward still whithersoeuer God calleth vs And so shall it doe conditionally that we bee grounded vppon his woorde And on the contrary side we must needes be tossed with vnquietnesse and be wandering hither and thither and trotte vp and downe without any stay if we haue not the word of God to guide vs and to be our lanterne And it is the right payment of all them that leane to their owne fansies and make foolishe enterprises and passe their boundes and lymites It is requisite say I that our Lord should beate them downe at the last though they were aduaunced for a tyme. And what is the cause Bycause as I saide afore there is no power but that which is grounded vppon the woorde of God But there is yet one point more which is that euerie one of vs must haue respect whereunto hee is called and what it is that God hath committed to his hands for as we see heere if Iosua had thrust in himselfe without God had appointed him what power could hee then haue had PeradueÌture for a braide or twain he might haue done wonders as we see y e Children of this worlde doe who in their brauerie doe as it were spitte fire for a whyle as they say but in the end are quite confounded And euen so shoulde it haue happened to Iosua But forasmuch as hee taryed till God had shewed him his wil therfore he was not disappointed of his hope So then let none of vs take more vppon him than is lawfull for him but let vs consider what our office and calling require and so let euery of vs keepe him within his degree with all sobernesse and modestie and then will GOD bee our guide according to this saying of his that his Angels shall alwayes beare vs company Psal. 9â 11 euen in our iourneyes so wee goe not astray Nowe heerewithall it is declared heere that Moses did write this Song and all the booke of the Lawe and that hauing written it hee red it openly before all the people and gaue the booke of the Lawe to the Leuites willing them to lay it in the side of the Arke or Coffer of the Couenant and telling them that it should be a Testymonie against the people Yea and once againe he accuseth theÌ of rebellioÌ Thou shalt know saith he what a one thou art God must alwayes haue an action framed against thee and bee thy Iudge for thou art full of Rebellion thou wilt not bee gouerned but by strong hand If thou wouldest willingly serue thy God hee would vse thee after a more myeld and gentle fashion But what Bycause thou art so hardened in euill that thou wilt not by any meanes bee bowed GOD is fayne to vse rigour And nowe yet once againe sayeth hee I will call heauen and earth to witnesse against you That is the effect of that which is declared in this place Now as concerning the first poynt we must marke that this woorde Writing doeth import that Moses was not the author of the Lawe nor of the song but was onely the writer or recorder thereof at the mouth of God Nowe then like as a clearke of an office writeth what is appoynted him Euen so it is sayd expressely here that Moses wrate the things which he receiued of God and not any thing that was forged in his owne brayne And this serueth to giue such authoritie to the Lawe and to the song which wee shall see heereafter as may make vs to giue eare with all reuerence not to a mortall creature but to the liuing GOD whose will it is to haue his Maiestie knowen there Thus much for one poynt And herewithall it is shewed vs that our faith oweth no obedience but to him onely neyther ought to depend vppon men howe wise soeuer they be but that God ought to haue the gouerning and whole Lordship thereof According whereunto Saint
their paunches well ynough but they can no skill to lift vp their heades to heauen to honor him that findeth and maintaineth them so wealthily their groynes mussels are euer grubbing downewarde to their feeding Therefore let vs not resemble them If God giue vs wealth let vs not pamper or pranck vp our selues but rather let it bee as a spurre to quicken vs vp to come vnto him the nearer that hee approcheth vnto vs and the more that hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes the more wholly let vs yeeld our selues thereto That is the thing which we be taught in this text Now whereas Moses saith Hee forsooke the God which made him and skorned the strong God of his welfare thereby hee sheweth vs after what manner we abuse Gods benefites namely by shrinking away from him whereas he would haue vs to bee brought neerer to him For as I saide afore all the commodities which God giueth vs in this world ought to be as ladders whereby to climbe vp to him And if we be wedded to the earth it is the way to make vs turne the benefits of our God to the cleane contrarie Therefore let vs take good heede that we prouoke him not to displeasure And whereas Moses saieth that it was God that created his people hee meaneth it not alonely as in respect that he is the maker of the world but as in respect that hee had chosen that people and had made as it were a newe worlde of them For Gods fetching of the children of Israel out of the lande of Egypt his feeding of them in the wildernes and his putting of them in possession of the land which he had promised vnto them were as a newe creating of them He had not onely made them men but also newe men So then the making that Moses speakes of here is not of the first making whereby the children of Israel were brought into the worlde but of Gods reforming of them to bee his children And it is the very same thing that is ment in the fourescore and fifteenth Psalm Psal. 95.7 Now then saith Moses will ye spite him which hath twice made you after that fashion What an vnthankfulnes were that The like condemnation lyeth vpon vs nowadayes if we walke not in the obedience of our God seeing he hath not onelie placed vs in the worlde but also called vs to the hope of the endlesse life reforming vs by his holy spirit and calling vs to the knowledge of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Sith it is so let vs beware we forget it not or that we shrink not away from him in any wise Yea and let vs marke well the word that Moses vseth in saying that they mocked or skorned the strong God of their welfare The terme that hee vseth commeth of a foole or thing of nothing as if a man would say they befooled him or they louted him Whereby he aggrauateth the ouergreat skornefulnesse of that people in not honoring God as they ought to haue done Then if wee yeelde not God his due glorie and praise it is all one as if wee made no account of him or as if wee bleared out our tongues at him in way of mockage And that were too excessiue vnthankfulnesse or rather vntolerable trecherie Therfore let vs beware that we be not guiltie of such a crime as is the despising of him which is the strong holde of our welfare that is to say him vpon whom we stay without whom we can by no meanes continue which keepeth vs vnder his protection and to be short of whom we hold our life and all that belongeth thereunto Must we not needes be worse than brute beastes when we forget him Let vs vnderstand then that besides the other benefites which God bestoweth vpon vs we be also setled vpon his power so as he hath y e gouerning of vs and we be after such a sort in his tuition that we finde him alwayes the fortresse of our welfare to the intent that wee holding our selues to him may knowe also that hee is euer readie and forwarde to increase his gratious giftes and to multiplie them vntill hee haue brought vs to the full perfection of our saluation Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgment of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and therewithall that hauing shewed himselfe so gratious towards vs hee suffer vs not to forget his benefits nor to abuse the sustenaÌce which hee giueth vs in this worlde but that wee may be drawen further by it namely to seeke the heauenly foode of our soules least they shoulde starue and that our whole stay and contentation may be in the doctrine which is dayly deliuered vs by the Gospel and in the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as all his spirituall gifts may bee applied by vs to the glorifying of our good god that when his glorie shineth forth in this world we may perfectly be partakers thereof after wee bee rid of this mortall flesh and dispatched from the transitorie state of this earthly life That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people and Nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the iij. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXII Sermon which is the fifth vppon the two and thirtith Chapter 16 They haue prouoked him with their strange gods stirred him to displeasure with their abhominations 17 They haue offered sacrifice to Deuils and not vnto God to gods whom they haue not knowen to newe gods lately come vp whom your fathers feared not 18 Thou hast forgotten the strong God that begate thee and beene vnmindefull of the God that shaped thee 19 The Lorde sawe it and was sore grieued at it by reason of the prouocation of his sonnes and daughters HEere Moses declareth the vnthankfulnesse of the people in that they peruerted the seruice of God hauing the lawe whereby they were taught after what manner God woulde bee honored and being instructed at his hande that they ought to giue themselues wholly to him and not go seeke vnto ydols nor borrowe any thing of the heathen and Infidels But notwithstanding all this the people ceased not to take the bridle in their teeth and to mingle a sort of superstitions with the seruice of God Insomuch as it sufficed them not to haue God to their father but they woulde needes haue a number of other patrons as men terme them And this befell not onely when Moses wrate this song but also the holy ghost informed him of the things that were then to come vpon that people and this record was of necessitie to bee giuen thereof And so this song serued to shewe the transgressours of Gods lawe that they coulde not scape the hande of the heauenly Iudge seeing their sinnes were knowen so long aforehande For howe is it possible that God should forget the faultes that wee haue committed or howe is it
is brought vnto vs. So then let vs marke well that whereas Moses treateth heere of the keeping of Gods worde God also doeth bynde himselfe to his people with condition that hee will gouerne them by his holy spirite and write his worde in their heartes and moreouer when hee hath so touched them hee will also be fauourable to them in bearing with their infirmities and in forgiuing their sinnes And after that manner doe wee perfourme GODS woorde not that wee can accomplish it and do it throughly for wee bee so farre vnable to perfourme the lawe that wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought â Cor. 3.5 Nay rather wee drag backe from that which God commaundeth vs wee bee enemyes to all righteousnesse and vpright dealing God therefore must bee fayne to bow vs and to giue vs such teachablenesse as we may bee readie to heare his worde And moreouer when hee hath graunted vs the grace to haue such zeale and affection hee must also beare with vs in that we haue not done our indeuour to do the things which he hath appointed vs whereas we be disobedient and therefore hee might iustly punishe vs yet notwithstanding hee must bee faine to receiue vs to mercie and to giue vs our pardon for our Lord Iesus Christes sake And although the fathers of olde tyme had not so great and so euident teaching as we haue nowadayes by the Gospell yet did they knowe that our Lorde had promised them both the grace of his holy spirite and also his mercie to the forgiuing of theiâ sinnes For the sacrifices which were offered in those dayes were not ordayned without cause It was not a trifling matter that the people came to the temple to offer sacrifices but it was a sure president that God receyued them to mercie in so much that when the bloud of any beast was there shed it was a figure which ought to leade them vp to a higher thing For there was alwayes a heauenly patterne which Moses had seene vppon the Mount Exod. 25.40 Hebr. 8.5 So then let vs not thinke as the Papistes doe that Moses vpholdeth heere the Freewill of men of purpose therewithall to set foorth their deseruinges as though men coulde by their owne power and pollicie obtayne Paradise and were able to serue GOD and to doe the commaundements of the Law Moses went not that way to worke but hee knewe what promyse had beene made to the people and that all thinges tended to the Couenaunt which GOD had made with them notwithstanding that the time of the full opening thereof was not yet come as it was promysed afterwarde by Ieremie Esa. 61.1.23 Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 11.19 36.26 Esay and all the rest of the Prophetes where it is sayd that GOD woulde make a newe Couenaunt with his people which was that hee woulde write his Lawe in their heartes and chaunge their stony heartes into heartes of flesh True it is that this belongeth to the Gospell neuerthelesse it was figured also vnder the Lawe and the fathers that liued in those dayes had some taste thereof so farre as was expedient for them Nowe seeing that our Lorde hath nowadayes multiplyed his grace towardes vs and made our state more excellent than the state of them that liued vnder the Lawe surely wee be lesse to bee excused than they for it is certayne that it maketh our offences and disobedience the more heynous Therefore let vs bethinke our selues and let vs market well that seeing God doeth offer vs the liuing waters whereof Ezechiel speaketh Ezec. 36.25 that is to say seeing he sheadeth foorth the giftes of his holy spirit to make vs to walke according to his will wee must assure our selues that if wee shut the gate against him we shal be much more worthy of blame than those which yet neuerthelesse were condemned vnder the lawe And therefore let this waken vs and make vs more willing to heare Gods word to the end to keepe it seeing he not onely speaketh to vs by the mouthes of men but also prepareth vs to draw vs to him by the inward power of his holy spyrite and on the other side spareth vs and falleth not to examining of our liues with rigour but accepteth our dooinges as a father doeth his childrens notwithstanding that there bee much infirmitie and many vices in vs. And to the ende this word may haue the more force Moses sayeth that he not onely spake or vttered it but also that he witnessed or protested it to the people as wee haue seene afore And not without cause doeth hee repeate it heere againe For we be so lasie and shouthfull in receiuing Gods worde as is pitie to see Therefore it is requisite that there shoulde alwayes bee some protestation to make vs thinke the better thereon Deâc 30. â9 Hee sayde heeretofore I call heauen and earth to witnesse against you this day that if the doctrine which I bring vnto you doe fall to the grounde and that yee make no account thereof the very Sunne and Moone and all other creatures shall cry out against you for vengeaunce of such contempt and negligence So then he addeth now God hath made mee a teacher and I for my part will discharge my duetie and that not with a colde and dead vtteraunce of the thinges which I haue receiued but by protesting to you on Gods behalfe as though I were a publike notarie had a proxie from him assuring you that sith your God hath graunted you the grace to heare his word if you bee negligent in receiuing it yee must make a dreadfull account for it Hereby we bee warned to receiue Gods worde with such reuerence as the Angels of heauen may bee witnesses of our fayth zeale and constancie Let vs goe with open heartes and mindes lifted vp to God that wee may bee taught by him And if wee doe so wee shall bee turned away from all the impedimentes of the world in so much that God shall no sooner haue spoken the word but wee shall bee agreed to yeeld to his teaching and we shall not bee zealous for a small time onely but when we haue once begun wee shall holde out to the ende For woe to vs if wee turne head in the middes of our way and start aside when we haue begun well so as the diuell may finde y e meanes to leade vs astray Alas what shall it boote vs to haue beene come into a good trade So then let vs marke well this worde Witnesse which is set downe here by Moses to doe vs to vnderstand that our Lorde speaketh not to vs to leaue our vnthankfulnesse vnpunished when wee haue despised the thinges âhat are tolde vs in his name but that there shall be alwayes this solemne witnessing or protestation vnlesse we benefite our selues by his teaching of vs. Now Moses addeth consequently That the worde is not vaine towardes them This peece of text is misunderstoode if it bee taken for
depriued of a man whose match we shall not finde againe And why Because God reserueth that to himselfe to giue the greater glorie to his grace That is the thing which we haue to note in the first place and it serueth to teach vs that wee should not be abashed Notwithstanding if our Lorde do sometimes diminish his gratious giftes towardes vs let it not cast vs in despayre For why It ought to content vs that our Lorde is liberall And againe we haue seene already that he ceased not to haue a care of his people though Moses did farre surmount Iosua and had not his equall or match Not that Gods intent was to magnifie Moses as in respect of his person but to the end that the Law should be receiued with y e greater reuerence and the people knowe that Moses was sent of God And God also meant to giue some confirmation to the doctrine of the Lawe to the intent to print the same the better in the heartes of the Iewes and specially the excellent deliueraunce that had bin wrought by Moses For we see howe all the other prophetes also do beate about that marke when they rebuke the people for their vnthankefulnesse Ier. 2.6 elswhere When they blame them for their vngodlinesse they set before them their deliueraunce out of Egypt for it was a deede worthy of eternall memory To the intent therefore that the people might bee the better prouoked thereunto it is sayde that Moses was the excellentest of all men And therewithal the people were to be helde in obedience to the Lawe vntill the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And that shal be the conclusion in one worde Although God raysed vp great prophetes after the decease of Moses yea and such as speake more loftily that he as in Esay we see a doctrin which at the first sight seemeth more stately thaÌ the doctrine that is contained in Moses yet notwithstanding it is certaine that Esay was but an expounder of the Lawe and that the thinges which he wrate were but dependentes thereof so as he and all the rest drewe light at the things which had beene taught afore by Moses And therefore as I haue declared already it behoued the people to haue a continuall regarde of the Lawe that was giuen vnto them that they might neuer forget it And although our Lorde had so well prouided for it yet we see how negligent they were â Kings 22. â It is a horrible thing that the Lawe should be lost as we knowe it was found againe in the time of Iosias And yet it was a treasure which God had committed to the custodie of the Priestes there was a tribe chosen to that purpose as who should say keepe yee well the Lawe that it perish not ãâã 11.18 The people as we haue seene heeretofore were warned to haue the lawes written vpon the postes of their houses to write them vppon tables about their beddes to carrie theÌ about vpon their hands and to weare them as bracelettes about their armes Whereas other people haue Iewels to decke them withal you sayth God shall euermore haue my Lawe before our eyes that ye may neuer for goe the remembrance thereof Yet for all this the people forgate it whereby we see howe needefull it was that the authoritie of Moses should bee so magnified to the intent that the Lawe might abide vnimpeached And that is shewed vs by the prophet Malachie where he sayth Malach. 4.4 Remember the Lawe of Moses y t was giuen you in Oreb After that maner speakes Malachie to the people telling them that they should be destitute of prophetes For he was the last from that time foorth to the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. There was not after him any prophet there was a horrible desolation Notwithstanding to the ende that the people should not fall away and forsake the couenaunt of God Malachie sendeth them backe to the Lawe of Moses as if he should say All the teaching that yee haue had tended to none other end but that yee should abide vnder the Lawe of God And was it of necessitie that Moses should abide in his state for y e doing thereof Iohn 1.17 No the Law was giuen by Moses but we haue grace and trueth by Iesus Christ. Now whereas it is sayde That no prophet was like to Moses who sawe God face to face let vs vnderstande that it is to the end to bring vs to this coÌclusion of S. Iohn Iohn 1.18 That our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the only sonne of God is come from the bosom of his father to disclose his secretes vnto vs and to accomplish all the thinges which had beene foretolde by the prophetes and that many kinges and prophetes haue beene desyrous to see and heare the thinges which wee heare and see Luke 10.24 and haue not obteyned it So then let vs vnderstande that Iesus Christ was not simply a prophet 1. Tim. 3.16 but the liuing God himselfe manifested in flesh nature of man to the intent that we should learne to rest wholly vppon him and beare in minde this saying of the Apostle in the beginning of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 1.1.2 that God in time past spake many and diuers wayes to our fathers and that now we haue one conclusion of all in that he hath vttered his wil vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ. Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to perceiue them more and more as wee may be sory for them and resort vnto him to be rid of them by him and that in the mean season he beare with vs of his infinite goodnesse vntill such time as hee haue fully renued vs. And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. FINIS Heere ende the Sermons which were made vpon the fifth booke of Moses called Deuteronomie by M. Iohn Caluin minister of Gods word in the Church of Geneua and were gathered by Dyonis Raguenier borne in Bar standing vpon the riuer Seine Translated out of French into English by Arthur Golding A TABLE OF ALL AND SINGVLAR THE DOCTRINES OF MASTER IOHN CALVIN deliuered in his tvvo hundred sermons vpon Deuteronomie Gathered and laid together orderlie by the letter in the forme of a Concordance by ABRAHAM FLEMING A Aaron AAron blameworthie for that he withstoode not the Israelites nor letted them from making their goldeÌ calfe 406. a. 50.60 c. Aaron depriued of the dignitie of the priesthood 424. a. 10 What meanes Aaron vsed to driue the Israelites from making their golden calfe 406. a. 60. b. 50 About what time Aaron died 423. b. 60. 424. a. 10 Aaron withstoode the Israelites about their golden calfe and yet consented looke how 424. b. 50.60 Aaron a figure of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. 424. a. 50.60 Howe Aaron was punished for that he suffered the
duitie 331. a 40 50.60 b 10. c. page 20. a 20 40 From what spring Fearefulnes doeth issue 335. a 10 How we ought to quicken our selues against Fearefulnes 335. a 30.40 How farre foorth God is contented to beare with our Fearefulnes though it be euil 335. b 10 Two places concerning Fearefulnes reconciled namely God wil destroy all the enimies whome thou fearest and Thou shalt not bee afraide of them 334. b 50.60 335. a all An admonition to fight against fonde Fearefulnes and to what ende 27. a 10 It is not possible for vs to come thither as God calleth vs if we ouercome not Fearefulnes 27. a 10 Feast What was to be done at euerie Feast or solemnitie held among the Iewes 1080. b 50 Of the Feast of all spirites the feast of all soules 495. a 20 Of the Feast of affliction vsed among the Iewes 612. a 10.20 Of the Feast of Passeouer and whereof it was a memoriall 597. a 20.30.50.60 b all Sermon 197 all Of the Feast of Pentecost the Iewish obseruing of the same Read all the 99 sermon beginning at page 608. a 10 Of the Feast of trumpets 612. a 10. and 613. b all Of the Feast of Tabernacles and the obseruing thereof with the rites and doctrines therupon depending read sermon 100 beginning at page 614. a 60. 597. a 40 Feastes The solemne Feastes of the Heathen and what solemne feastes are nowe superstitiously vsed 495. a 10.20 The three Feastes that God ordeined among the Iewes 597. a 20 Of the holie Feasts that the Iewes were wont to make at their sacrifices 500 a 10.20 To bring in Feastes after the manner of the Iewes is but a hiding or ouershadowing of Iesus Christ. 598. b 50 To what ende the Iewish Feasts serued 608. a 50.60 Feasting The cause why God ordeined the ceremonie of solemne Feasting among the Iewes 507. a 40 Feete Of casting our selues downe at Gods Feete to heare his wordes 1190. all 1191. a 10.20.30.40 1192. a 30.40 Felicitie Of worldly Felicitie and what hindereth vs from enioying eternall Felicitie 951 a 40 The full perfection of all Felicitie that wee can haue in this life what it is 108. b 30. Looke Blessednes Happinesse Fellonie In what cases wee bee condemned of Fellonie before God though excusable and blameles before the world 769. b 20.30 Fellowship That there is a common Fellowship among all men and howe it must bee maintained 223. a 50.60 Looke Friendship Fier A contrarietie noted in these wordes that wee should come boldlie to our God and that he should be a consuming Fier 152. a 50 To what end Gods vsing of the similitude of Fier doth tend 152. a 10 Of Gods appearing to the Iewes in the middest of Fier 161. b 40.50.60 The meaning of Moses by these words The voice sounded from the midst of the Fier that was seene on the mountaine 165. a 20 To what intent the flames of Fier appeared at the giuing of the law 251. a 10.20 The Fier that shone to the Iewes by night a token of Gods presence 41. a 60 The power of God compared to a consuming Fier Read how 374. b 40 50.60 c. Why God gaue the Iewes the light of Fier by night 41. a 40. b 50 The Iewes forbidden to make their children passe through Fier which may be taken two wayes 667. b 60. c. 668. a 10 That wee haue no neede of the visible piller of Fier now adayes 42. a 10 Why God willed that no strange Fier shoulde bee brought vnto his altar 502. b 50.60 How and in what cases God is said to be a consuming Fier 1139. b 30.40 50.60.1140 a 10.20 What the cloud and the Fier were to the ancient fathers 41. b 10 Why Moses doth terme the lawe a law of Fier 1188. a 30.40 God is knowen to be a consuming Fier two wayes 375. a 30.40 How God is a consuming Fier to deuoure our enimies 375. b 20 Fight We be sure of victorie if we Fight well 38. a 40.50.60 The enimies with whome wee are to Fight described 38. b 10. a 30 God doeth Fight for vs conditionally and how 42. b 10. a 60 The faithlesse do Fight against God how 44. b 10 Notable doctrine vpon these wordes Go not vp ne Fight not 54. a 20. b 10 What it is to Fight against God not against creatures 64. b 10 Fighting Al our Fighting commeth of the meere grace of the holie Ghost 38. b 20. Looke Warre Figure Against such as say that the people of old time to wit the Iewes had no more but a certaine Figure of y e spirituall good things which are giuen vs presently in these dayes 465. b 10.20 An heresie that the old testament is nothing else but a Figure 465. b 10.20 Of what things the sanctuarie and the seruice of the Leuites was a Figure 426. a 40.50.60 The Figure of the lawe written in two stones and what it shewed 421. b 30. 422. a 50.60 c. Figures The meaning of the Figures which the fathers had vnder the lawe 907 b 40.50.60 908 a 10 Figures doe not alwayes represent the full trueth Read the place 404. a 30.40 In what respectes the Figures of the lawe belong to vs at this day 429. a 30 The Figures of the law had a spirituall trueth whereto they may bee referred 502. a 40.50 The true vse of the Figures of the lawe peruerted by the Papistes 504. a 60 b all 505. a 10 The Iewes diligenter in executing their Figures and shadowes than we that haue the substance of them 607 a 50.60 b 10 Filching Of priuie Filching and that it is worse than open theft 833. a 60. b all 834. a all Looke Robberie Theft Fill. Two points noteworthie inferred vpon these words They shall haue their Fill. 469. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20 c. When and at what time wee shall haue our Fill of all things 469. b 50.60 Doctrine for vs to mark although God giue vs not our Fill. 469. b 10.20 Vntill what time wee shall neuer haue our Fill of Gods goodnes 469. b 40 Looke Abundance Plentie Filthinesse The spirituall Filthinesse dwelling in vs vttereth it selfe euen in the bodie 907. b 60. Looke Defilements vncleannesle Finde Howe God did Find the Iewes in the wildernes in what perplexed case how he findeth vs also in no lesse miserie 1118. b all 1119. all Fine What faults are dispensable with a Fine and what not 708. a 10.20 Looke Punishment First borne Whereof the offering vp of the First-borne things sprang 695. a 40. why 50.60 How the substance of the lawe of offering the First borne to God perteineth to vs. 595. b 50.60 596. a 10 20.30 The Iewes were bound by law to offer the First borne of their cattel to God 506. a 40.50.60 and the reason why ibidem b 10 Of the prerogatiue of the First borne meaning our children 751.
prophete Speaketh in Gods name we must examine whether it be true or no. 682. a 10.20 How we may make God to Speake vnto vs. 915. a 10.20.30.40.50 The ende why God doth Speake vnto vs. 111. a 20. Looke Mouth Speaking To what ende Gods Speaking in olde time tended 9. a 50.60 Of Gods Speaking that it is not after the maner of men 1173. b 10 Speech Of a double Speech which God vseth in the scripture 946. b all In praising of God wee must not vse a common kind of Speech what then 1104. b 60.1105 a 10 Speeches Of the amiable Speeches of the scripture I exhort you I pray you c. 871. a 10.20 c. Spettle Why the papistes take Spettle when they baptise 919 b 10. Looke Baptisme Spirit The Spirite and the worde ioyned together of such as would diuorce them 678. b 10.20 and what spirite that is ib. 30 Howe men are charged and indited to greeue the good Spirit of God a notable place 1154. b 30.40.50.60.1155 a 10.20.1149 a 50.60 b 10.20.1057 a 10.20 In what respect it is sayde that the Spirite shall iudge the world 1099. b 60.1100 a 10 Two causes why God gaue not his Spirite to the Iewish people 1017. b 20 30.40 If God withhelde his Spirite from the linage of the wicked he cannot bee blamed of crueltie for it 190. b 50.60 191. a 10.20 What betideth such as are destitute of Gods Spirite 190. b 50 Men may beare the markes of Gods Spirite and yet not haue the principall thing of all to wit the Spirit of regeneration 805. a 40.50 Spirituall Howe Spirituall we ought to bee 207. b 10 Spite That a great number doe euen Spite God and wherein men spite him most 119. a 30.40 Not to beare any Spite to our aduersaries their rage against vs notwithstanding 1170. b 10. Looke Hatred and Malice Staffe Of the Staffe of bread and howe God breaketh it 353. a 40.50.60 b 10. Looke Bread Starres To marke the courses of times according to the Starres is lawefull 668. a 40.50.60 Statutes Howe men are saide to haue walked before God according to all his Statutes 905. b 40.50.60 Why Moses vseth so many wordes as Statutes commandementes rites ordinances and obseruations al tending to one effect 455. b 30.40.294 a 50.60 b 10. Looke Lawe of God Steale Of such as doe not onely Steale their neighbours away but steale themselues too from God and his church 847. b 10.20 Why God in one worde saieth Steale not 230. a 20.30 The commandement Thou shalt not Steale expounded 821. b 30.40 A lawe forbidding any man to Steale an Israelite and sell him 846. a 50. 60. c. Looke Theft Stealing Howe we ought to bethinke ourselues wheÌ we see such Stealing of al things 978. b 10.20 Looke Filtching and Robberie Stewes Why the Iewes were forbidden to haue a Stewes among them and to what commandement that prohibition belonged 818. b 40 Stewes of harlots and common strumpets in Iuda 817. b 60.818 a 10. b 10 Stones The meaning of the twelue precious Stones which the High priest ware on his brest aloft vpon his ephod 502. b 10 Of great Stones whereon God commanded his lawe to be written 918. a 40.921 a 30 Two thinges noted by the lawe ingrauen in Stones 132. a 50.60 b 10 Storie To what purpose God meant to haue the Story of Og and Sehon registred in his lawe 85. a 40 What we haue to learne by the Storie of the graues of lust 411. a 50 The Storie of Balaam and his asse repeated at large 804. b 20.30.40 c. Stories With what minde and consideration we should reade the holie Stories 7. b 30.40 Stoutnesse That Stoutnesse is requisite in a iustice or magistrate 698. b 20.30 c. 695 a 10.20.30 and in other priuate men also ib. 40.623 b 40.50 Iudges must match their Stoutnesse with gentlenesse 624. a 10 A commendable Stoutnesse of Aaron and Moses 1201. a 40.50 b 20.1202 a 10 What is the foundation of true Stoutnesse courage and constancie 715. a 10 Stranger Of peruerting the right of the Stranger forbidden by Gods lawe 862. b all 863. all 931. b all Two reasons for vs to marke why God would not that his people should admit any Stranger to be their king 647. b 40.648 a 10 There is nowe no more Stranger as in respect of vs and why 611. b 60 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes God doth right to the Stranger 448. b 20.30 c. Who is a truly distressed Stranger and to be pitied c. 450. a 10.20 God setteth his armes or badge vppon the Stranger 449. a 40.50.60 Notable doctrine vpon this point thou wart a Stranger in the lande of Aegypt 210. a 60. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 Strangers What Strangers were priuileged as being of the body of the Iewish people 576. a 60 Strangers commanded to be prouided for and releeued of the Iewes common charge reade that place 569. b 40.50.60.865 a 40.50.60.867 b all 868. a 10 Why the Iewes had leaue to sell or giue the thinges to Strangers which were abhominable as in respect of themselues 562. b all what strangers he meaneth 563. a 20 Of such as are ashamed to bee called Strangers in this worlde and their inheritance 409. b 20 Though Strangers were not of the bodie of the Church yet were they bound in couenant and why 1028. a 10. 40 That the sutes of Strangers are not to be delayed in lawe 863. a 30.40.50.60 how they should be dealt withall ib. b all Howe greeuous a plague it is for vs to be robbed and spoyled of Strangers 979. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 b 10.20.30 Caluine teacheth the Strangers in Geneua what they ought to thinke with themselues for their safe shelter therein 283. b 60 Strangers might doe nothing contrarie to Gods seruice and what we learne thereby 211. all Whereto the liberty that had bin granted to Strangers to labour on the Sabboth day among the Iewes would haue drawne them 211. a 10.20.30 Straying Of Straying housholders straying children straying neighbours and of bringing them home 768. b 50.60.769 a 10.20 Of Straying cattell and bringing them home to the right owner 767. b 50.60.768 all Strength Of Gods Strength and whereto the same serueth in respect of vs. 318. b 30 That the vanquishing of our outwarde enimies is not to be ascribed to our owne Strength 376. b 50.60 377. a 10 Vnto whom we must impute y e Strength that we haue when wee ouercome our enimies 377. a 20.30.40.50 Of what Strength Moses speaketh wheÌ hee sayeth That thou maiest bee strengthened 466. a 50.60 b 10 How men be ouerthrowne when they stay vpon their owne Strength 341. b 30.40 The worde Strength and what it serued to shewe 273. a 10.20 That it is vnpossible for vs to loue God with all our Strength 273. a 40 What thing must be the stay of all our Strength 1097. a 60. b all Howe the Iewes vnderstoode these wordes
1206. a 10.20.30 Syrian Why Iacob was called a Syrian beeing a Chananite borne 895. all 896. b 40.50.60 T Tabernacle The cause why the cloude descended vpon the Tabernacle at such time as Moses was called to receiue any great charge at Gods mouth 1087. b 20.30.40 How the Iewes might haue debated the matter touching the Tabernacle where it should be set 496. b 10 To what end the Tabernacle whereat God appeared to Moses did serue 1087. a 40.50 Looke Sanctuarie Tabernacles In the feast of Tabernacles the whole law was repeated to the Iewes 1079. a 50 Of keeping the feast of Tabernacles spiritually 616. a 10. howe that is done ibidem b 40. In keeping our feast of Tabernacles we must be merrie in the Lorde and how that is 617. b 10.20.30 What kind of trainement or instruction the feast of Tabernacles was to the Iewes 615. a 10 The summe of the doctrine of y e feast of Tabernacles among the Iewes 615. b 10.614 so all the sermon What fruite wee Christians ought to reape by the Iewes feast of Tabernacles 615. a 40.50.60 How long our keeping of the feast of Tabernacles must last 615. a 50.60 b 10. c. Looke Feasts Tents Table of the lawe It standeth vs more in hand to keepe the first Table of the lawe than the seconde 251. b 50.60 Looke Lawe of God Tables of the lawe Of the two Tables of the lawe what they do comprise 834. b 40.50.60 835. a 50.60 c. The lawe diuided into two Tables what the same diuision betokeneth 927. a 10.251 b 10 God hath not separated the two Tables of his law and why 252. a 10.20 Why it was Gods will to write his lawe in two Tables of stone 252. a 30.40 50.60 b 10 Notable doctrine vpon Moseses breaking of the two Tables 402. a 50.60 b all 403. all 404. all The two Tables which were once broken made newe againe what the meaning thereof is 420. b 60. 421 a 10 Why the two Tables were written full on both sides 423. b 20.30 The meaning of these wordes Make thee two Tables smooth and bring them to mee 422. a 50.60 and b all Read most notable doctrine 423. a b all The true Tables wherein it behoueth vs to write the doctrine of God 421. b 40 Table ordinarie or domesticall What we haue to do when we sit down at the Table to take our repast 567. b 20.30.40.50.60.568 a 10. Looke Meates Tables ordinarie or domesticall Why the Heathen or Infidels termed their Tables for meate and drinke holie 567. b 40. Looke Eating and Drinking Taile The meaning of these wordes I wil make you the head not the Taile 959. b 40.50.60.960 a 10. c. Talke Notable doctrine vpon this point that mens Talke must always be of gods lawe 276. b 10.20.30.40 How men occupie themselues in vaine and ribaldrie Talke neglecting to talke of Gods lawe which they are commanded to do 475. a 30 The Talke that men haue of God vnreuerently noted 198. a 60. b 10 What simplicitie we must keep alwaies in our Talke 196. a 10 Taught They that haue been rightly Taught are much more blameworthie than infidels and why 485. a 20.260 b 40 What we ought to do when it pleaseth God to take away those that haue Taught vs faithfully 145. a 20 Why God hath graunted vs the grace to bee Taught 179. b 20 In whome it is long that we be not well faithfully Taught 110. b 40 The ende why Moses Taught the Iewish people 111. a 10.11 What we haue to marke when GOD granteth vs the grace to be Taught by his worde 527. a 40.50 Teach What we must do when we see y e Lord to Teach vs as it were with his owne mouth 121. all In what sort God taketh pain to Teach vs how to liue 122. a 10 The reason why wee must giue care to men that Teach vs. 118. b 50. Looke Preach Teacher What we haue to learne and do in that God vouchsafeth to bee our Teacher 119. b 50.60 Teachers We must consider what manner of prelates and Teachers God doth sende vs. 258. a 50 The offence of false Teachers their abbettors aggrauated by comparison 536. a 60. b 10.20.30.537 b 10 20.30 VVhat all faithfull Teachers ought to doe 142. b 60. 143. a 10 Of two things which all such as will be taken for Teachers in the Church must haue 678. b 30.40.50 Looke Ministers Preachers Teaching The maner of Gods Teaching of the Iewes of vs doeth differ Looke wherein 527. a 60. b 10.123 b 60. 124. a 10.115 a 10. VVhat is the cause of all mischiefe and why wee profite no better by Gods Teaching of vs. 293. b 30.40 Our reward if we refuse to yeelde our selues to the Teaching of God 153. a 50. What thinges beelong to such as haue the charge of Teaching in y e church 17. a 30.1104 a 10.20.402 b 20.30.475 b 10.20 The wonderfull plaine Teaching of vs which God vseth and how dull witted we be 4. a 10.903 a 10.20 30.40 366. b 10.177 a all 126. a 50. 1074. all 356. b all 357. a all 347. b all 110. b 40. VVe must profit as wel by chastisemeÌts as by Teaching 110. a 30.40 VVhy the time that God spent in Teaching subduing his people is mentioned 7. a 10 The wisest haue neede of Teaching the iustest of warning 18. a 10. Looke Preaching Teares Of the Teares of the faithfull and how pretious they be in Gods sight 738. a 40 Temperance Sobernes and Temperance in meates and drinkes commanded to y e Iewes why and that the same commandement stretcheth also vnto vs. 556. a b all Looke Sobernesse Temple Gods Temple at Ierusalem howe hee tooke away his glorie froÌ that place for what causes 498. b 20.30.40 Why the Iewes were commaunded to offer in the Temple 565. all The Temple of all gods now called the church of alhallowes 495. a 30.40 In what things the seruice of the Temple at Ierusalem consisted 660. a 10 The Iewes supposed to shut GOD vp within their Temples 618. a 60. b 10 What the hauing of light in the Temple did signifie 302. a 10.502 b 40 For whome it was lawful to flie for succour and safetie to the Temple where read good pointes to be marked 687. b 10.20 For what cause God calleth vs his TeÌple 336. a 30 Why it was Gods wil that there should be but one Temple among his people 919. b 50 A hard chastisement for the Iewes to be driuen to haue the Temple of an idol continually in their sight 177. b 50 The remedie that the Iewes had against the Temple of Pheor 178. a 20 What place is as a Temple dedicated to Gods maiestie 330. a 40 Temples We neede no more any material Temples to tell vs that God is with vs. why 500. b 10.20 It is Gods will that wee shoulde haue Temples and
our worldly businesses But what God seeth that wee be compassed about with our flesh that we creep vppon the earth and that our infirmities cary vs away in such sorte as we cannot leade the life of Angels God therefore beholding such rawnes weakenes in vs and rewing our vnabilitie to discharge our selues fully of our dutie releaseth vs and vttereth not his vttermost rigor but sayth hee is contented if wee alowe him one day or rather if that day serue vs for all the rest of the weeke God is contented with it And why For as I sayd hee goeth not to extremitie because hee knoweth that wee bee too feeble Seeing then that hee beareth so with vs and leaueth our commodities to vs we be so much the more lewde vnhonest and vnexcusable if wee bee not inflamed to giue our selues ouer vnto him Now it is sayd therewithall that neither man-seruant nor womanseruant nor Ox nor Asse nor any other Cattell must labour on the Saboth day no nor any straunger within thy gates As concerning cattel it might bee thought straunge that God shoulde comprehende them vnder the keeping of the Saboth or day of rest seeing it is a high and heauenly mysterie as was declared yesterday Doeth such geere belong to Oxen and Asses GOD sayth Exod. 31.13.17 Eze. 20.12 I haue giuen you the Saboth day to bee as a signe that I make you holy and that I am your GOD which reigneth among you This is not common to all mortall men For God graunteth not such grace and priuiledge to the paynims and infidels as to make them holy Hee speaketh but onely to the people whome hee adopted and chose to bee his heritage But nowe seeing that the Saboth day is a signe of Gods separating of his faithfull Church from all the rest of the worlde wherefore is it extended vnto Oxen and Asses Let vs marke that it is not done for the brute beastes sakes but to the intent that men shoulde haue a monument before their eyes to bee the more touched therewith This Sacrament then concerneth not the beastes which haue no vnderstanding nor reason but it concerneth men who ought to make their profit of it Wee see that the Sacrifices were made of the brute beastes wee see there was greate preparation in that behalfe there were vessels of gold and siluer such other lyke thinges and whereas all these things were hallowed is it meant that God did put his spirit into the corruptible mettals and into the other thinges that haue no feeling No but all this is referred to the men for whose vse and commoditie they are made God doth not onely serue his owne turne with them in this present and brittle lyfe Gen. 1.28 Psal. 8.7 but also giue them to vs as tokens of his fauour to bee as meanes and helpes to drawe vs vp to heauen Now then whereas God would haue the Oxen and Asses to rest the seuenth day it is not meant thereby that hee maketh them partakers of the spirituall rest that wee spake of before but it was done to y e end that y e Iewes beholding their Stables and stalles shut vp shoulde consider thus with themselues Lo God setteth vs downe this signe and visible Sacrament before our eyes and extendeth it euen to the bruite beastes and that is to the end that wee on our part shoulde be held the better to his seruice and consider that it were a breaking of the whole lawe if wee should not thinke vpon the thing that is chiefest in all our whole lyfe namely if wee shoulde not learne to forsake our selues and no more followe our owne lykings reason and wisedome but suffer our God to rule vs and become as dead creatures that hee may liue in vs Gal. 2.20 and not followe our own swindge any more which is vtterly corrupted After this maner should the Iewes haue looked vpon the visible signe that extended euen to the beastes to the end it might haue restreined them so much the more and they by that meane haue bin put in minde to haue kept the Saboth day with all reuerence Also wee see how God at all times handleth men according to their hardnesse and how he hath prouided conuenient remedies for them because they bee not ouerhastie to come vnto him vntill they bee drawen thither after that fashion And this serueth not onely for the Iewes but also for vs. Then let vs consider the goodnesse of our God sith wee see hee is not vnmindefull of vs nor ouerslippeth any thing at all that may remedy our vices And therewithall let vs also consider the vntowardnesse that is in our selues to the ende that wee flatter not our selues ne giue head to our affections seeing it is so that wee haue neede to bee constreined and that God should giue vs strokes with the spurre as it were to restie horses Seeing then that God quickeneth vs vp after that fashion let vs assure our selues hee doth it noâ causelesse but because wee be froward and stubborne And therfore let vs mislike of all our affections and learne to imprison our selues so as nothing may withhold vs from following the trace that God commandeth vs. And although our nature striue against it yet let vs so bridle the same as wee may goe through without ceasing euen til wee be fully obedient to our God Thus ye see what we haue to remember vppon this place besides that which shall be spoken anon concerning menseruaunts and womenseruaunts wherby God putteth the Iewes in mind that they had bin seruantes in the land of Egipt and therefore that they ought to deale gently with such as were vnder their power Thy manseruant sayth hee and thy womanseruant shall rest themselues And why for thou thy selfe hast bin in bondage The time hath bin that thou wouldest faine haue had some rest and refreshing giuen thee Therefore now thou must vse the lyke gentlenesse towards such as are vnder thy hand Heere it shoulde seeme that God ordeined not the Saboth day for a spirituall order onely as is sayd afore but also for charities sake For hee sayth if thou thy selfe weart in bondage wouldest thou not that other men should giue thee some release couldest thou finde in thy heart to be alwayes toyling No surely Therefore must thou also beare with others Now this is not done for the seruice of God but rather for common charities sake which ought to be betweene neighbor and neighbor how farre soeuer they bee vnderlings to vs in degree Howbeit inasmuch as this commaundement is contayned in the first table of the Lawe surely the thing that is touched here is but an accessorie I say the first table For not without cause hath God deuided his lawe in such sorte as that he wrote it in two stones Coulde he not haue written it all in one stone if hee had listed Yes Why then was it made in two partes It was not without cause For there are two principall poyntes in Gods
Lawe The one concerneth our duetie towards him the other concerneth our duetie towardes our neighbours in being conuersant with them For the end wherunto our whole life ought to bee referred is first of all that vppon knowledge that wee haue a God to whome wee belong wee should walke in his obedience and that forasmuch as wee holde our lyfe of him wee should doe him homage for it and that forasmuch as he hath created vs to a better hope and adopted vs for his children wee should glorify him for such goodnesse and that forasmuch as hee hath redeemed vs with the bloud of his sonne wee should bee wholy his indeuoring to withdrawe our selues from the defilementes of this world y t we may be true sacrifices vnto him calling vpon him alone fleeing to him alone for succor yelding him thanks for all his benefits Ye see then y t the first poynt of our life is the honour that we ought to yeeld to our God Another poynt is this that forasmuch as it is his will to trye our obedientnesse by liuing vprightly among men none of vs must bee giuen to his owne peculiar profit but euery of vs must indeuour to serue other and mainteine mutuall honestie among our selues so as wee not onely absteine from deceite violence and crueltie but also leade a sober and modest life without loosenesse lewdenesse or beastlynesse That is the second poynt of our lyfe Now sith it is so that the commandement of the Saboth day is conteined in the first table it followeth that it belongeth to the spirituall seruice of God and that it concerneth not the charitie which ought to bee betwixt neighbor and neighbor And why then is it treated of in that place It is all one as if our Lord should say This Saboth day shall serue you for an ouerplus that your manseruantes and womenseruauntes may haue some ease as well as your selues Not that that was the drift of Gods purpose his chiefe intent was not y t there should be a day in y e week wherein meÌ should cease froÌ labor y t they might take breath not be continually ouerhaled so as they shoulde be tyred y t was not the cause which moued God to appoint the Saboth day But his ordeining of it was to do y e faithfull to vnderstand y t they ought to liue after such a holy maner as to rest from all their owne lustes and desires that God might worke wholy in them Also here is a verie excellent benefite as men terme it Behold saieth our Lord in as much as ye haue this warrant among you that I do sanctifie you see that you also indeuour to giue your selues vnto mee For loe this thing shal doe you seruice and it is to your profite that is to wit your housholde shall not bee alwaies ouerhaled for your menseruants and your womenseruantes and your cattell must haue some rest Therefore ye shall haue this as an ouerplus Nowe wee see why here is expresse mention made y t the Iewes had bin bondseruantes in Egypt and therefore y t they ought to haue regard of such as were held as prisoners vnder their hand For whereas Moses speaketh of menseruants womenseruants he meaneth not y e maner of seruice that is common among vs nowe adayes for in those dayes seruantes were slaues and they were held downe like Oxen Asses they were handled so roughly and vnkindly as was pitie to see God therfore telleth y e Iewish people y t in keeping the Saboth day they should euen benefite prosper their owne houshold So little cause haue you saieth he to repine at the time that I haue reserued to my selfe in taking one of seuen y t if ye were not ouercruell and tyrannous to such as are at your deuotion ye would see that the same day is to your benefite If ye had no further regard than to ciuill order that is to wit that in that day your seruauntes shall haue some refreshing it ought to perswade you thereunto But ye must vnderstand that I haue not ordained it alonly for your housholdes sake but to the intent ye should bethinke ye of the thing y t I haue told you namely that in as much as ye be sholed out from the Infidels you must be to mee a kingly priesthood so as you must seeke nothing but to serue me in all soundnesse and purenesse of conscience Exo. 19.5.6 Haue yee once that regard ye shall perceiue that the same day will yeelde ye moreouer some earthly commoditie but yet is not that the thing which you must seeke thereby To bee short ouâ Lorde sheweth vs here y e same thing which is auowed by Iesus Christ which is that if wee seeke the kingdome of heauen âatt 6.33 all other thinges shall bee cast vppon vs. For we beare our selues on hand that if we seeke the heauenly life we shall starue for hunger it wil be a meane to turne vs out of all our coÌmodities To be short the deuil comes alwaies temptes vs to mislike of Gods seruice vnder this pretence guile that if wee giue our selues to the seruing of God wee must starue for hunger so as we shall bee in rufull case all the world will forsake vs. But surely we cannot serue God vnlesse we be bereft of our own affections shake off the worldly cares that presse vs too sore Neuerthelesse wee must repose our selues vppon the blessing that is promised vs which is that if we seeke the kingdome of God we shal be blessed euen in these transitorie things so as our Lord will pitie vs giue vs all thinges which he knoweth to be requisite for this present life only let vs but waite vppon him for the things which we caÌnot attaine to by our own power policie That is y e thing which is shewed vs in this place Now this saying ought to serue vs continually for a spurre to make vs goe foreward with the things that God commandeth vs. For the chiefe thing that staieth vs from ruling and directing our life in the obedience of God is that being too much wedded to our selues we thinke y t this thing or that thing will be more for our profite and whatsoeuer come of it we will needs lay for our own commoditie for the things that pertaine to the world Wee see here y t men cannot finde in their heartes to follow God but rather shrink away froÌ him drawe cleane backe from his law bicause y t to their seeming if they should serue God they should neuer thriue But that is such a shamefull thanklesnesse as inhaunceth their rebelliousnes a hundredfold more What is to be done then Let vs marke well y t we can neuer serue God w t a free cheerful heart except we be fully resolued y t he wil prouide for vs al our life long not forget vs as is said in the person of Iosua Iosua 1.5.6 He.