onely bicause he woulde not destroy the whole Nation according to their desertes In the meane while he grieuously punished them that were incurable and woulde not repent For none of them entred into the lande of promise but were ouerthrowne in the wildernesse with many plagues in somuch that God neyther spared Aaron nor Moses bicause they also had bene occasions of offence vnto the people Fourthly he rehearseth the inheritance of the lande of promise which God gaue by lot to the people of the Iewes hauing fyrst destroyed seauen mightie Nations This is at large set forth in the booke of Iosue And Moses diligently setteth forth that benefyte of God where he sayeth when the Lorde thy God hath brought thee into the lande which he sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and giueth thee great and goodlye Cities which thou buildedst not houses full of all maner of goods which thou fylledst not and welles digged which thou diggedst not vineyardes and Olyue trees which thou plantedst not c. Which wordes as they marueylously amplify the liberalitie of God so they might cause God to be thought vnrighteous and cruell vnlesse the causes be well considered for the which these Nations were cast out Moses reciteth them in other places where he forbiddeth wandring and promiscuous lustes incest ydolatrie sorcerie and enchauntmentes and such other curious artes and addeth Thou shalt not doe after the maner of this Nation which I cast out before thee for all these things haue they done wherfore I haue abhorred them c. See Leuit. 20 and .18 Deut. 18 Therefore for these offences these Nations were destroyed wherewithall when the Israelites also were defyled we reade that God cast them of also so that no man â—an in this case accuse God eyther of vnrighteousnesse or of ouermuch seueritie Fifthly he setteth forth the benefyte of a common weale gouerned by good lawes For God did not onely giue vnto them the lande but also Iudges to gouerne and defend them against the tyrannie of their enimies And here is to be marked a manifest errour which through the negligence of Stationers and Printers hath depraued the numbers For it is written that after Moses and the distribution of the lande the Iudges ruled foure hundred and fyfty yeares whereas by infallible computation can be gathered but three hundred yeares onely which Paule was not ignorant of For it is euident that from the people of Israels going out of Egypt vntill the building of Salomons Temple which beganne in the fourth yeare of his reigne were but fower hundreth and fower score yeares From these take the fortie yeares that Moses ledde the people in the wildernesse and the fortie yeares of Samuel and Saule and as many of Dauid with the fower yeares of Salomons reigne and then shall remayne three hundred and sixe and fyftie yeares in the which the Iudges gouerned the common weale of Israel In these are declared two argumentes of Gods goodnesse For in all that time of the Iudges they deserued not so fewe times as once to be destroyed and yet were still saued Moreouer when they desired a King despising that forme of common weale which was the best of all other giuen them of God God did not set ouer them any forreine tyrant but gaue them Saule to be their king one of their owne brethren and one of the least regarded Trybes least the power of the newe king shoulde be to great and intollerable at the beginning Yea the Lorde tooke in good part and did well interpretate their inconsiderate rashnesse For so he brought the kingdome to Iuda out ofwhose Princely stocke Iacob prophecied that the Messias shoulde come But of this shall be intreated hereafter At this present let vs consider that the institution of a common weale is to be numbred among the speciall benefytes of god For where men naturally shunne to be corrected and yet without discipline it is impossible to leade a quiet and safe life it is a worke of Gods power and goodnesse to haue common weales and Magistrates ordeyned which thing it behooueth them to consider which through Gods gift enioy peace and good lawes least while they shew themselues vnkinde towardes God they cause God to giue them Kings in his wrath as the Prophete testifyeth he did to the Iewes But chiefly let Christians acknowledge their felicitie for whome God hath prepared the fruition of the heauenly kingdome in Iesus Christ the most victorious and immortall king to whome bee praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxx Homelie AND when hee was put downe he set vp Dauid to bee their King of whom he reported saying I haue found Dauid the son of Iesse a man after mine owne heart which shall fulfyll all my will. Of this mannes seede hath God according as he had promised brought foorth to Israel a sauiour one Iesus when Iohn had first preached before his comming the baptisme of repentaunce to Israel And when Iohn had fulfilled his course he sayde whom ye thinke I am the same I am not But beholde there commeth one after me whose â—â—ooes of his feete I am not worthy to vnlose THe Apostle Paule in this Sermon of his laboureth altogither to bring the Iewes from their vaine and superstitious trust in the lawe to the wholesome fayth of Iesus Christ. But where they so gloried in certaine prerogatiues wherewith God had adourned their Nation that they thought they had neede of none other Sauiour in the fyrst part of his sermon he beateth downe this affiance and teacheth that the fathers had not of their owne merite but of Gods meere fauour whatsoeuer goodnesse was in them and that for the Messias sake which was to be borne of their stocke And hereof he leaueth to euerye wise man to consider that this Messias ought to be taken holde of and kept by constant fayth vnlesse they will altogither fall from the grace of God and their former dignitie Furthermore he endeth this fyrst part of his Sermon with a diligent rehearsall of the olde benefytes of God in euery of the which appeareth the goodnesse and bountie of Gods grace which as it chose the fathers at the beginning so he saued them beyonde all their desertes where he might haue oftentimes cast them of and destroyed them And he bringeth the hystorie vnto the time of Saule whoÌ„ for this cause he chiefly maketh mention of that he may the easilier come vnto Dauid whome the Scriptures call the father of the Messias that was promised And in this place he declareth how the kingdome was translated vnto Dauid then by that occasion he taketh in hand the other part of his sermon wherein he prooueth that Christ is the Messias whose office and whole worke of our redemption he setteth out more at large The translation of the kingdome maketh much for Paules purpose For therein appeared a singuler token of Gods goodnesse in that he set not a tyrant ouer
worlde betydeth vs for Christes sake And he doth not onely the part of a comforter but is also a most faythfull counsaylour For he telleth vs what to doe and when we be in perplexitie and doubt he lighteth vs the torch of truth by whose conducting we escape the daungers of fayth and ofsaluation Beside all this he is the earnest and sure pledge of our redemption and saluation For as Iesus Christ taking vp into heauen the fleshe that he tooke of vs would haue it there to be a gage of our saluation so he putteth his spirite in our heartes in steede of a pledge to imprint the confidence of saluation in vs and to arme vs strongly agaynst temptations Wherefore he is called of Paule the spirite of adoption because that being regenerated by him we are assured by his testimonie that we be the sonnes and heyres of god Therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophete taketh the gift of this holy spirite amongst all other most to be commended We are also here taught what we ought chiefly to doe in the kingdome of christ In which place we may see the diuers and noysome errours of men which while they followe carnall things onely and vnder the coulour of Christ gape after worldly goodes vse many tymes to denie Christ in their life whome they professe with their mouth And to these shall be ioyned those to whome hereafter it shall be sayde Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Christes kingdome is a spirituall kingdome and not of this world Therefore let vs desire the giftes of the spirite wherewith if we be furnished the other things that we haue neede of shall come of their owne accord Moreouer it is conuenient we see the maner of this promise and to whome it apperteyneth He declareth the maner in this one word of pouring out whereby he promiseth a large and plentifull grace of the spirite As touching the persons to whome he will giue it he treateth more at large saying I will poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe Therefore this is an vniuersall promise But he addeth for expositions sake sonnes and daughters yong men and olde to teach vs that there is no difference in the kingdome of Christ eyther of age or sexe For in Christ as Paule sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle neyther bonde nor free neyther man nor woman In the meane season least any might thinke that the holy spirite was giuen to good and bad alyke God restrayneth his promise to his seruauntes and handmaydens to the ende we should vnderstande that it ought vniuersally to be expounded of them For where he is the spirite of adoption he can be receyued of none but of them whō God doth vouchsafe to acknowledge for his sonnes But they be sonnes of God which acknowledge him to be their father and call vpon him which serue him which worship him which please him and honour him And although they cannot performe the things that belong to the sonnes of God before they be regenerated by this spirite through the free benefit of God and therforethey be oftentimes vnknowne to vs before we see the effects of the holy ghost in them yet it is euident that none be partakers of this spirite but such as the Lorde taketh for his And he knoweth who be his and so knoweth them that no man can take them out of his hande And here by the waye commeth the difference of the olde and newe Testament to be considered For although one and the same Christ one and the same fayth and way of saluation one and the same spirite is set forth in both of them yet there may be perceyued no little difference wherein easily appeareth howe much greater our dignitie and felicitie is than theirs of the olde Testament This appeareth first in the number of the faythfull and next in the maner of teaching For in the olde Testament it is plaine there were but a small number of worshippers and the knowledge of saluation seemed to be compassed within the boundes of the people of Iurie For the wordes of God be well knowne which he sayth to the Israelites Ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine Ye shall bee vnto me a kingdome of priestes and an holy people Againe You only haue I accepted of all the Nations on the earth For which cause sake me thinketh that is also spoken in the Psalmes In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell At Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Syon Hee sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation neyther haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes But in the newe Testament the spirite of the Lorde is poured vppon all fleshe and the way of saluation is stretched to the farthest endes of the earth There it is sayde that they shall come from the East and from the West that shall sitte in the kingdome of God with Abraham Isaac and Iacob There the Apostles receyue a commaundement to preache the Gospell to all Nations There Peter learneth vs howe there is no respect of persons wyth God but in all Nations they that feare him and worke righteousnesse are accepted of him And here is fulfilled that which was spoken before by the Prophete That the barren and desolate should haue more children than shee that was maryed ▪ Againe though there be singuler examples of the faythfull of the olde Testament the like whereof you shall hardly finde in these dayes yet is it plaine that the way and meane of our saluation is now much more manifestly taught than it was woont to be in the olde Testament Before the lawe was published there were in deede large and liberall promises but obscure ynough if we waye them that liued in those dayes which sawe them not as then fulfilled In the lawe our saluation was shadowed with signes and figures but such as whereof many tooke occasion to establishe the righteousnesse of workes Then followed the Prophetes and they declare the mysteryes of Christ somewhere darckely and somewhere more plainely and openly And the thinges which seeme to vs most euident in their writinges seemed without doubt to them in those dayes obscure and darke ynough But in the new Testament the vayle of darcknesse is rent and that light brought in which being come giueth light to all men in the worlde In the Gospell the things are plainely taught which before tyme were hidden and secrete And there fishers and Publicanes see and heare those things which many Prophetes and iust men desired in tymes past to heare and see As touching this plentifull and bounteous gift of the holye ghost and true light thereof Ioel also prophecieth The ende and vse of
things which we haue cited of himselfe the matter must be the better marked and then shall it appeare that they are most manifestly deceyued in their opinion For Dauid speaketh of one whose soule shoulde not abide with the soules of the deceassed and which in his bodye shoulde suffer no corrâ—ption But it is euident that Dauid is deade and his tombe at this day is to be seene amongst you wherin his body after the maner of all fleshe as he sayeth of himselfe is consumed into dust Therefore the wordes of the Psalme cannot be vnderstanded of him Howbeit though this be a firme and sure argument yet was it not sufficient vnlesse also he coulde prooue it ought to be vnderstanded of christ Wherefore he addeth Therefore seeyng Dauid was a Prophete and knewe that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christ as touching the fleshe should spring of the fruite of his loynes and sit vppon his seate he knowing this before c. By the which wordes he teacheth vs that no man ought to marueyle that Dauid prophecied these things of Christ which was promised to be the sauiour of the worlde He vseth two kindes of argument The first is taken of Dauids person and of his office For all men knowe that Dauid was a Prophete But this was the office of all Prophetes by the spirite of Christ to searche out his mysteries chiefely his death and resurrection as Peter in other places diligently teacheth And if a man searche the bookes of the Prophetes he shall there finde manifest and plaine prophecies of Christ and of his kingdome which thing Christ himselfe acknowledged saying after his resurrection It behooued that all the things shoulde be fulfilled which was written in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophets concerning me Therefore what marueyle is it that Dauid being a Prophete prophecied of Christ The other argument is touching the promises of god God had promised by an othe vnto Dauid that out of his loynes shoulde spring he that was promised to be the sauiour of the worlde which shoulde establishe the throne of his kingdome and possesse it for euer Therefore Dauid ought and might easily expounde the mysteries of that saâ—iour â—o promised And the things here rehearsed ought manifestlye to be vnderstanded of him bicause they can not be meant of Dauid nor of anye other The promises made long ago vnto Dauid appertaine to the explication of this place Amongst which the chiefe is that that Nathan the Prophete by the spirite of God declared in these wordes when Dauid consulted touching the building of the Temple When thy dayes bee fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and will stablish his kingdome Hee shall builde an house for my name and I will stablish the seate of his kingdome for euer c. Which place as may easily be perceyued can not be vnderstanded of Salomon bicause he was borne and set in his kingdome Dauid being yet alyue neyther was the seate of his kingdome continuall But this promise is fulfilled in Iesus Christ which many yeares after tooke fleshe of the stocke of Dauid and appointed the house of God that is to say the congregation of all Nations and peoples whose kingdome as the Aungell testifieth shall haue none ende Besides this promise to put all things out of doubt he added an othe whereof Peter in this place maketh mention and which is expressed in the scriptures For herevnto appertaineth that which we reade Psal. 89. I haue sworne once by my holy nesse that I will not fayle Dauid His seede shal endure for euer and his seate is lyke as the sunne before me He shall stand fast as the moone and as the faithfull witnesse in heauen c. And againe The Lorde hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid and he shall not shrinke from it Of the fruite of thy body shall I set vpon thy seate And meete and conuenient it is that we should adde herevnto that which is read of the Priesthoode of Christ confirmed with the othe of god For Dauid prophecying hereof sayth The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Where therefore Dauid was instructed with such and so manye promises of God it is easie to perceyue that this ought to be vnderstanded of the true Messias which is the verye sonne of Dauid bicause they are more excellent and high mysteries than can fall out eyther vppon Dauid or any of his children But before we leaue this place two things are to be noted First we are taught that the auncient fathers were not altogither ignorant of Christes mysteries and specially those which concerne his death and resurrection In deede we must confesse that a more full knowledge hereof was reserued vnto the time appointed But to denye Antiquitie the whole knowledge of Christ were to rashe a part bicause we knowe Christ testifieth of Abraham that he reioyced to see his daye that he sawe it and was gladde And as we sayde erewhyle he sayth Moyses and the Prophetes prophecied of his mysteries This might be prooued by authoritie of elder promises and the bookes of the Prophetes abundantlye if neede so were But let it suffice vs to learne this namely that the bookes of the olde Testament appertaine to vs also which thing manye nowe a dayes ouer boldly vse to denie For it is euident that in them the knowledge of Christ is conteyned Therefore we must confesse that they appertaine to vs also vnlesse we will reiect the knowledge of Christ as nothing belonging vnto vs How much better doth Paule who sayth Whatsoeuer things are written before time are written for our learning that through pacience and comfort of the Scriptures we might haue hope Adde herevnto that which he sayth in the seconde Epistle to Timothie Cap. 3. The next thing worthy to be obserued in this place is howe God doth vouchsafe with an othe to confirme and establishe our redemption and saluation which only is included in Christ our lord Howbeit the credite and authoritie of Gods worde alone farre passeth any othe that can be made Howbeit that high God stoupeth downe to our capacitie bicause he would haue vs nothing doubt of our saluation And he bounde not himselfe on this wise to Dauid only but also to Abraham as Paule sayth For to him it is sayde I haue sworne by my selfe sayth the Lorde bicause thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne c. Afterwarde this othe was repeated againe where the Lorde sayd to Isaac I will perfourme the othe which I sware vnto Abraham thy father c. And herevnto appertaine those earnest and solemne contestations of God the father wherewith he beareth witnesse from heauen that Iesus Christ is his beloued sonne for whose sake he is reconciled vnto
discouraged to flie any more neyther could he haue auoyded the name of a deceyuer if nowe he woulde rather haue prouyded for his owne safegard than obeyed god So read we that Christ fledde when he knewe his howre was not yet come But when it was come he went to his death pacientlye and without feare Therefore whosoeuer is in any publike office or charge let them set this rule before them and let them not thinke they may leaue them whose mindes they see bent to persist in Gods vocation But if the malice of the people be such that they first forsake their dutie and dishonestly reiect their magistrates be they secular or preachers of the worde faythfully doing their dutie there is no cause but that they maye as Christ hath commaunded seeke their owne suretie by flying and spare themselues for better times and oportunitie Here the obedience of fayth tempered with the loue of God and our neyghbour shall be much profitable For this shall cause that we be not blinded and deceyued with priuate affections God graunt that we all being mindfull of his grace and good will maye diligently defende our vocation that being with right course come to the marke of blisse we maye liue in heauen with Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xlix. Homelie AND when fourtie yeres were expyred there appeared to him in the wildernesse of Mount Sina an Aungell of the Lorde in a flame of fire in a bushe When Moyses sawe it he woondred at the sight And as he drewe neare to beholde the voyce of the Lorde came to him I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob Moyses trembled and durst not beholde Then sayde the Lord to him Put of thy shooes from thy feete for the place where thou standest is holye grounde I haue perfitely seene the affliction of my people which is in Aegypt and I haue hearde their groning and am come downe to deliuer them And now come and I will sende thee into Aegypt BIcause Steuen was accused by his aduersaries that he had spoken wicked and blasphemous wordes agaynst Moyses and all the ceremonies of God giuen by Moyses therefore he comprehendeth in fewe wordes yet with sufficient exposition all the hystorie of Moyses partly to shewe that he thought reuerently of him and partlye to prooue that the saluation of manne ought to be attributed to no ceremonies bicause whatsoeuer good or excellent thing was in Moyses he had it through no desert of his but by the meere grace and fauour of god The principall scope and ende of all these thinges is to call the Iewes from the vayne affiaunce that they had in the Ceremonialles of the lawe and to trust in the onely grace of God through christ And to this ende he declared Moyses maner of birth his bringing vp and first conuersation among the Israelites shewing further howe vnworthie their fathers declared them selfe to be of such a deliuerer seeing they reiected him with the greatest ingratitude that could be in so much that he was fayne to liue like a banished man among the Madianites Nowe foloweth the solemne calling of Moyses wherby he was restored to his office agayne in the which that we may the more easily perceyue the tokens of Gods fauour we will consider euery poynt thereof in order First the time is noted when Moyses was called It was the fourtyeth yeare of his banishment in Madian which came to passe in the fowrescore yeare of his age Then he ioyneth the place where he was and his kinde of lyfe For he sayth he was in the wildernesse where he kept the sheepe of Iethro his father in lawe as may be seene Exod. 3. Nowe if we consider all the time of these fourtie yeares it shall appeare Moyses serued God without anye Temple or ceremonies of the lawe Bicause it is playne these things were instituted afterwarde And where he was in the meane while excluded from the company and common weale of the Iewes it remayneth that it must be the onely and meere grace of God that he was thus called In the meane season we haue diligently to consider howe that as soone as he would haue ioyned himselfe to the church of God he felt the griefe of long banishment and of a noble man came to be a keeper of sheepe For hereof may be gathered a generall rule teaching vs what we all may trust to when we forsake the worlde to be ioyned vnto the Church of god We fall into diuers afflictions bicause this worlde can neyther suffer that falling from it nor cannot abyde the light of the truth And as Moyses found Iethro to be his hoste and father in lawe but yet is made no more account of than to keepe sheepe so the godly with them that giue them houseroume and seeme greatlye to fauour their part liue yet but miserablye and as it were in contempt This is the greatest temptation of all other and which sometime more woundeth the heart than that that open enimies cruellye commit agaynst vs Therefore Christ warneth vs that we rashly take not vpon vs the profession of his name but that we first trie our selues whether we be able if neede so requyre to suffer banishment pouertie infamie persecution or such other lyke for his names sake And when these thinges come to passe let vs followe Moyses modestie and constaunt fayth which no doubt was sundry wayes tempted Yet he ouercommeth through that fayth which before caused him to preferre the rebuke of Christ before the riches of Egypt Let vs also by the same ouercome the assaultes of temptation and not be ashamed of the crosse of Christ which he for our sake hath first vouchedsafe to beare For so it shall come to passe that he will not be ashamed of vs when he shall come in the glory of the father to iudge the quicke and the deade Secondarily Steuen sheweth who called Moyses verily an Aungell of the Lorde which he sayth appeared to him in the desert Yet the same Aungell within a whyle after sayth I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob And againe afterwarde he sayth it wash e through whose working and power Moyses wrought signes and woonders in Egypt and which was guyde vnto the people by the way of the desert whom Paule the Apostle testifieth to haue bene Iesus Christ that promised sauior of the world Steuen therfore calleth this Iesus the Angell of the Lord not for that he acknowledged in him no greater thing or of no more excellencie than in an Aungell but as seeming to imitate Esay who on a time called him the Aungell or messenger of the great Counsell not in that he tooke on him a nature Angelicall which thing Paule to the Hebrewes 2. cap. expressely denieth but in that he was sent of God the father into the world and accomplished that
the Lords And to this ende it is that he sayth he is the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob which yet were deade long before he thus spake And Christ by the same reason calleth Lazarus his friend being both dead and buryed Whervnto chiefely it appertayneth that Christ out of this place tooke a generall doctrine to confirme the resurrection of the deade and certaintie of eternall lyfe against the Sadduceyes cauillations Let vs therefore be occupyed in the meditation of this tytle as oft as feare of death ariseth in vs and we shall perceyue by and by that we shall be delyuered from all care and pensiuenesse But whereas Moses feared aswell with the sight of the burning bushe as with the voyce of God durst not come neere by and by he is tolde what he must doe For God sayth moreouer Put of thy shooes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy grounde So he sayth bicause of hys owne being there and for that he had appointed that place to set forth hys lawe in It is not without a cause that Steuen maketh mention of this precept for hereby he meaneth to admonishe the Iewes what God in tyme past requyred of Moses and what he also requyreth of vs nowe a dayes that is to saye neyther temple neyther leuiticall worshipping no colde ceremonies whether it be the bloud of Oxen or Goates but that we should purge our minds from beastly affections which are signifyed by the shooes and should be wholy ioyned to him by sinceritie of fayth and puritie of mindes For this is that true worshipping of God which Christ otherwheres sayth consisteth in spirite and in truth And herevnto belongeth his precept of washing the feete whereof we ought to haue greater respect than of any outwarde things We must also marke euery where howe all the scriptures testifie vnto vs that God is present in euery place and how daylie examples aboundantly prooue the same Last of all God openeth his intent and pleasure vnto Moses I haue sayth he perfitely seene the affliction of my people in Aegypt and haue heard their groning and am come downe to delyuer them Which words serue most aptly to Ste ens purpose For they declare that there was no desert in the Israelites for the which they ought to be delyuered and that God regarded nothing in them but their afflictions wherewith they were miserably troubled wherevpon it followeth that all the benefite of their deliuerie appertayneth to the meere grace of god Wee are also taught that God doth not neglect his people although he sometime seemeth so to doe He seeth their teares which Dauid sayth are put in a Bottle in his sight He heareth not onely their crie but also their groning bicause he searcheth the heart and the reynes And they that reade hystories finde examples euerywhere whereby it may easily be prooued Let this serue therefore to comfort vs when we are forsaken of false and vnkinde persons Let it also serue to instruct vs that we vnaduisedly afflict not those whome God hath so speciall a care of Hereto appertayneth that that is written concerning Wydowes fatherlesse and straungers crying vnto him And that that is written in Zacharie the second chap. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye And chiefely let vs haue regarde that we giue our seâ—â—es wholy to that God which considering the miserie of all mankinde hath giuen vs his sonne Iesus Christ â–ª to be our deliuerer and reuenger to whome â—e prayse honor glorye and power for euer Amen The L. Homelie THIS Moses whome they forsooke saying who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge the same did God sende to bee a Ruler and a delyuerer by the handes of the Aungell which appeared to him in the bushe And the same brought them out shewing woonders and signes in Aegypt and in the redde Sea and in the wildernesse fortie yeares This is that Moses which sayde vnto the children of Israel A Prophet shall the Lorde your God rayse vp vnto you of your brethren like vnto mee him shall you heare ALthoughe Steuen taught none other waye of fayth and saluation than that that is founded vpon the merite of Iesus Christ the promised Sauiour to whome Moses and the Prophets beare witnesse yet he is accused that he teacheth a newe fayth and an erronious yea that he is a blasphemer of Moses and the fathers and goeth about to abolishe the fayth which they obserued and deliuered vs The same state was the worlde in then that in these daies it is where they that follow the fayth deliuered by the Apostles and sealed with the bloud of the Martyrs are accused as subuerters of auncient religion and condemners of the olde fathers But what we haue to doe in thys case Steuens example teacheth vs He reasoneth diligently and at large touching the beliefe of the fathers chiefely he cyteth the hystorie of Moses that by rehearsall therof he might shew partly how reuerently he iudged of Moses and partly prooue that he was no enimie to the auncient religion of the fathers although he taught them that those ceremonies were nowe to be put awaye without the which they well ynough serued God yea without the which Moses also pleased God and was aduaunced to so high dignitie and honor So the vnlearneder sort nowe a dayes must be taught what the beliefe and doctrine of the Martyrs was in time past and howe they were saued without those things whereabout now a daies is such bytter contention But after Steuen had brought his oration to the solempne vocation of Moses then prosecuteth he the same at length and entreth into the prayses of Moses and first testifyeth that he acknowledgeth all things in Moses that God bestowed vpon hym Then prooueth he hys doctrine of Iesus Christ by the testimonie of Moses whose meaning he sayth was not that the Israelites should stick in the lawe and ceremonies gyuen by him but that they should haue an eye to that especiall Prophet which God afterwarde should sende of whome he was but a signe and figure onely This is a notable place whereby we are taught that we must thinke and speake so reuerently of the ministerie vertues of the Saints that yet we leaue Iesus Christes honor whole to hymselfe who onely hath the preheminence in all those thinges that concerne the true worshypping of God and meane of our saluation First he begynneth with the office of Moses which was the most excellent thing that he could deuise For he sayth that God sent him to be a ruler and delyuerer of the people of Israell Thys thing he so proponeth that he hytteth them agayne in the teeth with the ingratitude of their fathers which vnworthily refused Moses laying to their charge how they contemned him in whome they so greatly bragged For he sayth Thys Moses whome they denyed saying who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge the same did God sende to be a
cryeth woe to thee that destroyest for thou shalt be destroyed Agayne woe be to him that buildeth the Citie with bloude wo be to him that heapeth vp other mennes goodes Wherevnto are to be referred the things which God in his lawe threateneth to the oppressours of wyddowes of fatherlesse and straungers See Exod. 22. In the consideration whereof woulde God they were more occupied that thynke nowe a dayes the greatest commendation of manhoode and safetie of a commmon weale standeth in waged warrefaring But it is not to be negligently ouerpassed howe God speaking of the ende of their deliuery sayth And after that they shall come foorth and serue me in this place This is a generall precept that they whome God hath delyuered must serue hym whereof we are also admonished Thys must specially be considered in our saluation We are deliuered out of the tyrannie of the deuill and from the horrible bondage of sinne by the singular benefite of God who hath vouchsafed to giue his sonne for vs Let vs therefore come forth of Egypt and casting away the desires of this wicked worlde let vs serue God in holynesse puritie innocencie fayth and loue vnfeyned touching which thinges see what is sayde euerywhere in the writings of the Apostles Rom. 6. Tit. 2. 3. 1. Thess. 4. c. The same must they doe that are deliuered out of any other distresses They that are recouered of sicknesses let them thinke that spoken vnto them that Christ sayth to the man healed of the palsie See thou sinne no more least a woorse thing come vnto thee Let them thinke likewise that are deliuered from pouertie hunger pestilence warres or whatsoeuer like calamyties In times past the sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which God ordeyned to be offered to him for benefites receyued admonished vs hereof which also were vsed of the Gentyles although they were straungers from the true worship of god And to this ende did Christ institute his mysticall supper which the auncient fathers called Eucharistiam that is to say a giuing of thankes bicause they knewe it was ordeyned in the remembraunce of Christes death And their wickednesse is very worthy to be condemned which glorying in the benefite of redemption and feeling euery day the vengeaunce of God yet will not serue him but giue themselues wholy to serue sinne and the deuill Let that principally sticke in our remembrance that Steuen vrgeth so instaâ—tlye that is howe we be deliuered from the tyrannie of Satan and sinne by the benefite of Gods grace only and that therein nothing is to be attributed to our workes and other colde ceremonies Let vs therefore by fayth embrace this benefite and serue God our Sauiour in spirite and truth that with him we maye hereafter enioye the blisse of the heauenly Chanaan through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom bee prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlv. Homelie And he gaue him the couenaunt of Circumcision And he begatte Isaac and circumcised him the eyght daye And Isaac begat Iacob and Iacob the twelue Patriarches And the Patriarches hauing enuie at Ioseph solde him into Aegypt And God was with him and deliuered him out of al his aduersities and gaue him fauour and wisedome in the sight of Pharao king of Aegypt and he made him ruler ouer Aegypt and all his housholde THe godly Martyr Steuen was accused of impietie agaynst God the lawe the holy place and all the lawes ceremoniall His aduersaries tooke occasion to accuse him for that he taught meÌ„ that these outward thinges were abrogated by Christ and that they could not be iustified by them but that iustification and saluation came by fayth onely in Iesus Christ and that the ceremonies serued for none other vse but to signifie the way of saluation which is conteyned in Christ and to bring men vnto him Wherefore it behooued him to vse a kinde of earnest and graue defence before them whith stoode altogither vpon ceremonies He so handleth therefore and frameth his defence that he prooueth by the matter it selfe he is cleere from all impietie For he diligently rehearseth whatsoeuer God did to the fathers in time passed partly to declare that he acknowledged and kept the auncient beliefe of the fathers and partlye for that the Iewes shoulde vnderstande howe the fathers in time past were iustified by faith only without any ceremonies Wherevpon euery man may easily gather that there is no cause or let why men nowe a dayes also shoulde not be saued without the ceremonies of the Leuiticall lawe by fayth in Christ and that therfore they are not to be accused of impietie which holde and affirme that they are abrogated And beginning with Abraham he diligently setteth out his fayth in following the mercifull calling of God without anye his desertes before going to th ende he might stirre vp the Iewes to follow his steppes But bicause the holy martyr of Christ was not ignoraunt that the Iewes did principally glorye in their Circumcision and in the fathers agaynst the grace of God giuen them in Christ he continueth on in his Oration begunne bicause he woulde wype them cleane from both these gloryinges Of circumcision he briefely intreateth saying And he gaue him the couenaunt of circumcision and he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eyght day He confesseth that circumcision was instituted of God but whyle he ioyneth it with the things going before he thereby putteth it away in that he sheweth it was giuen vnto Abraham after all those things which hitherto had bene recyted For after he was called out of Chaldea and had declared his beliefe openly by many and notable signes and was by his faith and beliefe iustified God gaue him the testament of circumcision that is to say he made a Couenaunt with him which was sealed as it were and confirmed with circumcision Whervpon it followeth that he was not iustified by circumcision but that his circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse which he had alreadie gotten by fayth Which argument Paule also vsed in his fourth chapter to the Romaines And as Abraham receyued the institution of circumcision simply and plainly as the Lord did appoynt it so he plainely obserued and commended the same to his posteritie For he circumcised Isaac the eyght day according to Gods institution without adding of any other superstitious ryte which thing none that is godly doubteth but that Isaac also did to Iacob his sonne and he agayne to hys twelue children which were the Patriarches of the people of Israell And the holy Ghost would haue fewe things nowe almost remembred touching thys matter that it might thereby appeare howe the holy father s stacke not in these outwarde things but rather had a regarde vnto Gods testament and couenaunt wherein was contayned the promise of saluation than to the outwarde ceremonie The things we reade in the .xvij. of Genesis make for the better vnderstanding hereof In the meane season Steuen plainely
name of Egypt he comprehendeth the abhominable superstition which raigned in that Nation whervpon he sayth they set their myndes againe And in this he noteth the execrable leuitie and inconstancie of them which had so soone forgotten both their grieuous seruitude and bondage and their woonderfull deliuerie and would now imitate and folow them whose names they ought in their harts to haue abhorred This is the fountayne of all vngodlynesse when in our hearts we turne from the worde of God to the presidents and examples of men and studie more to please them than god Forthence springeth that detestable vnstablenesse which maketh vs not onely to forget the lawe of God but quyte putteth out of our remembraunce all the thrall and bondage that before tyme we haue bene in We haue examples hereof in these dayes euerywhere of them who to please the worlde followe the superstitiousnesse thereof and the intollerable yokes of Antichristianitie wherewith before they were oppressed they extenuate and make verye light of bicause they will not seeme to doe wickedly altogyther But after the contempt of Gods law followeth the contempt of Moses which they manifestly expresse in these wordes where they saye As for this Moses which brought vs out of the lande of Aegipt we wote not what is become of him They confesse then the benefite they receyued by Moses meane but of him they wote not what is befallen Yet they sawe him goe vp vnto the mountaine at Gods calling he also bade them to abyde hys comming He appoynted them Hur and Aaron to be his vycares and delegates Yet as though they had bene left doubtfull and vncertayne of all things they dare to complayne them Whereby it appeareth that Moses authoritie was very small with them seeing they coulde wickedly cast the lawe of God from them So alwayes where men in their hartes contempne the worde of God it vseth to breede the contempt and lothing of Gods Mynisters For where Sathan knoweth that God hath set them as labourers and watchmen through whose admonitions we be kept eyther in doing well or else be brought into the waye when we doe erre he laboureth onely how to discredite them and to bring them out of authoritie wyth men And this place teacheth vs what to iudge of them which vse to scoffe and rayle at the Mynisters of the worde Surely by that argument they prooue they are the despysers of God and his worde although they neuer so much denye the same For as he vseth not to contempne the Legate or Ambasadour which honoureth the Prince that sent him so if they had not learned to â—et â—â—d light they coulde not contempne his mynisters and Legateâ— Of these fountaynes beganne Idolatrie to spring For whyle they saye they â—â—ote not what is become oâ— Moses by and by they adde Make 〈…〉 to go before vs Shal we thinke that they were become so madde as to iudge Goddes coulde be made by the handes of men No. But they wouâ—â—e haue some visible signe or token of Gods presence whereby they might be assured of Gods present helpe and wherevnto they might dyrect the ceremonies of their outwarde seruice and worshipping And bycause they had once swarued from the worde to the deuyse of mans reason they cause a golden Calfe to be molten following the Egyptians who worshipped Apis their God in fourme of a Calfe wherein they commit manifolde errour For first they doubte of the presence of God whose many and notable signes they had hitherto seene And now they neyther remember the woonders which he shewed in Egypt and in the redde sea neyther regarde they the piller of clowde and fire that went before their campe neyther are they mindefull of the dreadfull Maiestie that appeared in the mounte of Sinai Next contrarie to the commaundâ—ment of God they make a molten Image wherein they go about to expresse the fourme or shape of God and as the Prophet sayth tourne the Maiestie of their God into the similitude of a Calfe â–ª that eateth haye Therefore they doe God extreme dishonour and make new Goddes while they imagine God to be a farre other maner of one than in deede he is This is the next step to Idolatrie when men are not contented with suche meanes as it pleased God to reueale himselfe by but dare of their owne heades deuise newe meanes God reuealeth himselfe by his worde and Sacraments by the frame and workemanship of this worlde and by his creatures in all which there appeare euident tokens of his godlye wisedome goodnesse iustice and omnipotencie And to the intent that we seeing these thinges might be stirred vp with the coâ—sideration of God and true godlynesse there is nothing almost conteyned in this worlde but the holy ghost hath taken parables out of them whereby he shadoweth out the mysteries of God and our saluation Therfore our eyes on euery side beholde Images consecrated by the worde of God to admonishe vs of our dutie Whosoeuer despyse these Images and follow the reason of the fleshe they can not choose but be polluted with the vice of Idolatrie For that that herein came to passe vnto the Iewes we reade the same also fell out among the Gentyles â–ª And that the Idolatry among the christians sprang of the same cause is more euident than needeth long proofe Furthermore we are taught howe requisite it is that from our childehoode we be well instructed in religion seing the Israelites after so many myracles seene and hearing the worde of God fall agayne to that kinde of Idolatrie that they were vsed to in Egypt After thys newe God foloweth worshipping Wherefore he sayth They offred sacrifice vnto the Calfe Howbeit they woulde seeme to haue offered to the true God that brought them out of the lande of Egypt For they make mention of the true God and Aaron as we reade proclaymed an holye day to the Lorde But bicause this Calfe was neyther true God nor the Image of God for who will say God is like vnto a Calfe they truely are sayde to haue done sacrifice to the Calfe Here therfore thou â—ast what to aunswere them which vnder a 〈◊〉 of godly 〈…〉 worshipping of Images maye be excused and saye that whatsoeuer we 〈◊〉 in the â—â—nour of him is acceptable vnto him â–ª although we sometime 〈◊〉 from the rule ofhis worde But the holy ghost speaking 〈◊〉 Steuen is 〈…〉 ther 〈◊〉 and opinion For all this worshippe resteth in the Images and stâ—etcheth not vnto God whoâ—â— similitude they represen◠〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 should Idols represent God which is the truth it self â–ª which Idols or Images â–ª the Prophet calleth lying Schoolemaysters â–ª And if thou wilâ— say â—hys worship streâ—cheth yet further I will confesse it is doâ—e in deede to the deuill who is both the father of lyes and onely delyghted in lyes Thys sawe Paule when in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter he wrâ—te The thinges that the Gentiles offer
the meane season and how some beleeued the promisse of god and some not touching euery of the which points we shall speake in order And first of all we haue to consider the Mariners who being in the Adriaticke sea and perceiuing by certaine markes that the lande was not farre of vsed all the diligence that they coulde to gette vnto the shore For letting downe a plumbet of lead by a long line they sounded for the depth of the sea and prepared all other things necessary for that present season which might seeme to be a worke of faith considering they so buckled and framed themselues vnto the promisse of god But when they had cast out their plumbet the seconde time and perceyued that the sea waxed verie shaule being stricken with a newe feare and forgetting the promise and oracle of God they go aboute dishonestly to runne awaye for they hoyse ouer the boate and gette them downe into it and make as though they woulde hoyse out the ankers aforeship where as they meant to prouide for themselues and to leaue the passengers destitute of all hope and sâ—â—coure Heere appeareth the propertie of the fleshe and of all suche as purpose to followe the waye and reason thereof These men at the firste are delyghted with the promyses of God and frame themselues accordingly that is when the successe of things agreeth with the promyses and when they thinke euerie thing will go forwarde and well But assoone as daungers begyn once to appeare that dashe their hope of successe they playnely renounce their fayth and turne them to the counsels of the flesh and shewe themselues moste dishoneste persons bothe towarde God and man And that these Mariners dyd we see the people of Israell dyd also who when they fyrste hearde that God had promysed to sette them at libertie embraced the deuice and counsell of God with great reuerence But Pharao vexed with the demaunde or request of Moyses and Aaron began to handle them more seruilely than before then forgat they the promise of God and fell to reâ—yling saying The Lord looke vnto you and iudge you which hath made the sauour of vs to stinke in the eyes of Pharao and in the eyes of his seruantes and haue put a sworde in their hande to sley vs. And the same people when they shoulde go out of Egipt laden wyth golde and costly apparell tooke their iourney ioyfully But when they came to the red Sea and sawe the Host of their enimies harde at their backes they by and by accused Moyses and Aaron the faythfull seruauntes of God of treason and murther Exod. 14. Agayne being miraculously delyuered out of that daunger they declared their ioye of myndes wyth singing But anone after perceyuing want and scarcitie of meate and drinke they turne agayne to their murmuring and complayning But what neede we rehearse this of the Israelites seeing we haue euerie where in these dayes the lyke examples And this is commonly the chiefe cause why men fall from the fayth and forgetting the commaundementes of God neglecte their dutie Let vs learne therefore to abandon the counsell of the fleshe which so disagreeth with the worde of God and in our temptations haue a respect onely vnto hys worde and not vnto the fleshe For the fleshe by reason it can see nothing but the presente state of things doth quickly dispayre But true faâ—th grounded vppon the worde of God onely cannot fall 〈◊〉 fâ—lter 〈…〉 knoweth that God is 〈◊〉 of whose wyll she is certified by hys worde See the 〈◊〉 of Abraham whiche Paul â–ª handleth in the fourthe to the Romaines diligently and trimly Agayne in these marâ—â—â—â—â— we may see what the propertie of suche bolde and confident persones is as despise◠〈…〉 and refuse godly and faythfull admonitions For thus wee see they dyd before â–ª where then persuaded the Centurion to sayle from Candâ—â—â— to the counsell of Paule But when they had brought bothe 〈…〉 and others in daunger then were they lyke â—asâ—atdes afraide 〈◊〉 sought dishonestly to forsake their tackle and compaâ—â—e This is the propertie of all those whiche are dronken in the 〈◊〉 of their owne wisedome The lyke partes also play seditious persones and those that are aucthoures of rebellion in common weales when daungers are on euery side at hand they conuey themselues away Thus Chore when he had made a stirre and vproare through oute the campe he setteth himselfe quiet in hys tente Num. 16. And Absalon while his souldioures are in the fight rideth himselfe vpon a Mule taking his pleasure and pastime when all other were in daunger These examples teache vs to suspect suche kinde of men and not to despise the wholesome counsell of sage and sober persons which we see agreeable with the worde of God. Nowe let vs returne vnto Paule who throughe the secrete instincte of the holy Ghoste perceiuing the Marriners intent admonished the Captaine and souldioures to disappointe this thing Heere we haue diligently to consider the woordes of Paule Except these men sayth he abide in the ship you can not be safe Yet God before this had promised them all their safetie whose Counsels can not be frustrate or made vaine Howe then can they not escape except the Marriners abide in the shippe Doth the truthe of Goddes promisse depende vppon the false Marriners But Paule reasoneth not in this place of the absolute power of god who might easely haue deliuered them oute of all daunger without helpe eyther of Marriners or shippe But bicause hee had no certaine promisse of miraculous deliuery yea hee was tolde that they muste all be cast a lande into a certaine Ilande hee thoughte the order of nature and the remedies that were at hande were not to be despised least by ouermuche confidence and truste in Goddes promisse hee shoulde make them to tempt god Which Example teacheth vs that the prouidence of God and the faithe that consisteth therein is no lette vnto the godly to vse all other lawfull and ordinary meanes For God will haue the order appoynted by him to bee obserued as by many Examples may bee declared In sowing of corne the Scripture teacheth vs that nothing succedeth except God giue the increase But the same Scripture testifieth that God hathe appointed this order that the grounde shoulde bee tilled by oure laboure and so muste receiue blessing from heauen and bee made fitte to beare corne So in the gouernaunce of an house wee knowe that all endeuoure is superfluous onlesse the Lorde builde the house And yet in the scripture diligent and careful housholders are commended and in setting forthe the praises of a good huswife or matrone the holy Ghoste mighte 〈◊〉 almost too industrious and carefull Therefore Paule dothe well in thinking the Marriners oughte not to bee lette goe althoughe hee nothing douâ—red in the promisse of God following the Example of Christe who where hee certainely knewe that he was commended to the ministerie and tuition
great and eternall deuyse and counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankind For Paule teacheth that we were chosen in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde And Peter sayth he was predestinate or foreordeyned from euerlasting that we shoulde be redeemed through his merit We must thinke it is not without a cause that he is sayd to haue appeared to Moyses For hereby it is euident that Christ tooke not his beginning when he was borne of the virgin Marie but that he was froÌ„ euerlasting yea and talked with the fathers in tymes past of such thinges as belonged to their saluation For although he yet was not incarnate and made man yet in his diuine power and goodnesse he coulde not choose but helpe and deliuer them of whom in the time appointed he ment to take his manhoode Therefore he sayth he was before Abraham and that Abraham sawe him And Daniel sawe in the Clowdes of heauen a Iudge lyke vnto the sonne of a man which came vnto the olde aged Furthermore Peter plainly confesseth that the Prophetes in tymes past were inspired with the spirite of Christ and so prophecied of things to come Therefore great is the temeritie of those which vtterly refuse all the olde Prophetes and say their bookes belong not at all vnto vs whereas both they were illuminated with Christes spirite and diuers and sundrye wayes bare witnesse of him See Iohn 5. Luc. 24. Lette vs rather acknowledge the goodnesse of God which in times past did vouchsafe to declare himself to the old fathers and by this meane woulde set forth vnto vs how to knowe the antiquitie and certaintie of our beliefe Furthermore Steuen diligently teacheth vs in what fourme and fashion Christ appeared vnto Moyses For he sayth the Aungell of the Lorde which was Christ appeared to Moyses in a flame of fire in a bushe This is the auncient guise vsage of God to talke with men in times past in some visible liknesse which men were not able to abide his godly nature and maiestie We haue examples euerywhere in the hystories of the Patriarches and Prophetes This causeth men to be attent and heedefull and to be in admiration of God which otherwise woulde carelesly contemne all godlynesse yet God for the most part tooke on him such formes and shapes as were most agreeable with the present affayres times and persons Which thing we also see done in this place For he woulde by a fiery bushe set before Moyses eyes the condicion and state of his people which were afflicted in Egypt They burned being incensed with the cruell tyrannie of Pharao but they were not consumed bicause the sonne of God was in the middle of them which at the time appoynted shoulde take his manhoode of the posteritie of them And this is the state of the Church in all ages in the consideration wherof it shal be profitable for vs often to be occupied It is like a bramble bushe a weake feeble flock but such as cannot easily be scattred abrode bicause thorowe faith it is most straightly knit and ioyned in Christ the heade thereof Therefore as husbandmen put fire vnto brambles and thornes cleauing one to another to burne them altogither so this worlde putteth the fire of persecution to the Church and with one fire goeth about to destroye it all at once And Christ suffereth this fire to be kindled bicause it is needefull this way to haue the fayth of his people to be tryed and the fleshe to be kept vnder and bridled yet he suffreth not his Church vtterly to be consumed but is himselfe in the middle thereof For he sayeth I will not leaue you comfortlesse I am with you vnto the ende of the worlde Hitherto belong whatsoeuer things God hath done for the defence of his Church since the beginning of the world Caine first set fire to it who though he killed his brother Abel yet he could not destroy his fayth and much lesse hinder God from raysing vp a freshe spring of his Church in Seth. Neyther after that could the mightie men which went before the floud any thing let but when they perished as they deserued God could marueylously preserue certaine remnaunts of his Church through the benefite of the Arke This bushe burned often also in the time of the Iudges but it was alwaye preserued by Gods aide and assistance It burned in Babylon from whence yet the Lorde brought it agayne and deliuered it It burned more than once after their returne from Babylon and at length when Antiochus reygned it seemed almost past recouerie when God raysed vp the Machabees who restored Gods religion and brought the people to their libertie agayne It burned after Christ was borne whole three hundred yeares almost vntill the time of Constantine the great Yet God neuer fayled it who is able to defende his people in the middle of the fire as he sometime did Daniels felowes It burneth euen at this day and there be euerywhere such as put firebrandes vnder it and inflame the mightyest Monarches of the worlde with hatred agaynst hir Yet shall they neuer preuayle so much as they woulde but shall feele the wrath of Gods vengeaunce in whose sight the death of those that be his is precious and will not suffer the bloude of hys belooued to be vnreuenged Yea whyle the persecuting tyraunts put fire vnder the Church they lyke drie woode are consumed with the fire of Gods iudgement the Church in the meane whyle abyding in the middle of the fire of persecution lyke a Leade or Cauldron where mettall tryers melt and get out golde and siluer See what is sayde of these similitudes Zacharie 12. and .13 But let vs come to his calling whereby he is restored to the office which he beganne to execute fortie yeares before This calling hath in it certaine pointes the consideration wherof is verie profitable First God declareth who hee is least Moses might doubt any thing of the certainetie of his vocation For he sayth to him as he was amazed with the sight of the bushe burning I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob It pleased God among many of his styles to vse this tytle chiefely to call to Moses remembraunce the couenaunt made with Abraham and the promises made long before vnto the fathers declaring thereby that he was not forgetfull of his couenaunt and promyses although he hytherto suffered the people to be afflicted By which example we are taught that in aduersitie we should chiefely haue respect to Gods promises which God can neyther forget nor fayle to perfouâ—me Yea we see the truth of Gods promises so infallible that God forsaketh not the deade whome he hath once taken to his tuition For hee is the Lorde both of lyfe and death Wherefore neyther lyfe nor death can seperate vs from the loue of god For whether we liue or die we be