dearely Thus you see after what maner wee must put in vre this text of the possessing of the land which he hath promised vs and purchased for us Besides this when wee heare this saying that it is at our commaundement let vs vnderstand that it were a disanulling of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ if wee should not bee fully resolued of this inheritaunce according also as Saint Paule sheweth Rom. 10.7 If thou say who is he that shall goe downe into the deepe it is all one as if thou shouldest fetche vp Christ againe from death Then if wee imagine with our selues alas wee bee wretched creatures there is nothing but vtter weakenesse in vs euill doeth so ouermaister that wee wote not what to do the diuell tormenteth vs on the one side and on the other side wee bee so fraile as is pitifull to see and wee bee in trouble and vnquietnesse if wee stande herevpon as quite out of heart and discouraged Saint Paule sayeth it is all one as if we beleeued not that Iesus Christ dyed for vs. For why The death and Passion that he suffered are no trifling thing but a thing of verie great price Nowe then wee must take it to bee of power as it is so that although we see our selues in the mids of bottomlesse pits yea that very often and commonly insomuch that when wee bee out of one gulfe by and by wee enter into another and therewithall Satan hath such power against vs and wee on the other side are so feeble that we can scarcely stirre one finger yet let vs not forbeare to assure our selues that the inheritaunce belongeth to vs still for that is the honour which wee must yeeld to our Lord Iesus Christ. But therewithall let vs go foreward still After what maner Let vs call to minde howe the Apostle saieth that like as our Lord Iesus Christ went out of the Citie as reiected out of the companie of men Heb. 13.12 so we must not disdaine to become like him and to beare the shame and reproche of his crosse for it becommeth the members to be fashioned like to their body And therefore let vs determine to goe after him For those are the true markes whereby he knoweth vs to bee his And for performance thereof let vs vnderstand that wee must forsake the world in general yea and our selues too For the matter standeth not alonely vpon going out of the world True it is that so long as it pleaseth God to haue vs lodge here here wee must abide but yet howsoeuer we fare wee must euer haue one foote vp readie to goe hence whensoever it shall please God to take vs to him so that if wee will be heires of the heauenly kingdome wee must be but pilgrims and straungers in this world Yea and which more is wee must go out of our selues that is to say we must not leane to our owne will and wit but wee must ridde our selues of all selfweening and couet nothing but to goe vnto God And if the world shake vs off and make a mocking stocke of vs as we see now adayes how the poore Christians are lightly esteemed so that they bee taken to bee as the of-scouring of the world or rather as myre dung as saieth S. Paul I say if wee bee so reiected of the whole world 1. Cor. 4.13 let vs beare it patiently For why Iesus Christ went out of the Citie Ierusalem bearing the reproch and curse of the whole world vpon him and therefore let vs bee readie to bee fashioned like vnto him Also therewithal let vs determine to separate our selues from all the vncleannesse that reigneth euerie where now adayes in the world And forasmuch as we can not possesse the heauenly heritage vnlesse wee ouercome this doubting and fearefulnesse which plucke vs backe insomuch that if our mindes runne still vpon our owne feeblenesse truely wee shall not neede any other thing to shake vs downe whereas on the other side if we haue our eye vppon our captaine Iesus Christ who alonely hath vanquished all feare yea and euen death and the diuell all his power then may wee boldly goe on still to ouercome all lets that may hinder vs or turne vs aside from following God whithersoeuer he calleth vs Let vs shut our eyes against all that euer may turne vs out of the right way and let vs not doubt but that God wil alwayes be our guide and worke in such wise as he will outgoe all our desires yea and all the hope that we can conceiue of him Nowe therefore let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them that being cast down in our selues wee may resort wholly vnto him an acknowledging our selues to bee wretched offenders that haue deserued his wrath and vengeance yea euen w tout euer being able to recouer out of endlesse death and cursednes flee for refuge to the redemption that is purchased for vs by the bloudshed of his onely sonne And that seeing our Lord Iesus Christ hath payed all our debtes to discharge vs of them and to beare the condemnation that was due vnto vs and forasmuch as he offereth vs daily the fruite and effect of his death and passion we may not doubt but that he will accomplish the thing that he hath begunne in vs and by his holy spirit make the power of his resurrection auaileable in vs to the end that we may leade a new life and bee stablished in him more more till we be quite rid of all the corruptions of our flesh to bee taken vp into his kingdome That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely c. On Saturday the xiij of Aprill 1555. The sixth Sermon vpon the first Chapter 22 Then came you all vnto me and said let vs send men before vs to search out the land for vs and to bring vs word by what way we shall go vp into it and into what Cities we shall enter 23 That saying liked me well and therevpon I tooke twelue men among you of euery tribe one 24 And they departed and went vp into the Mountaines and came to the riuer of Escol and searched out the land 25 And they tooke of the fruits of the Land in their handes and brought them to vs and brought vs word againe and said The Land which the Lorde our God giueth vs is good 26 Yet notwithstanding you would not goe vp but were disobedient to the commaundement of the Lord your God 27 And you murmured in your tentes and saide bicause the Lorde hateth vs therefore hath he made vs to come out of the Countrie of Egypt to deliuer vs into the hand of the Amorrhytes to cause vs to be destroyed 28 How shall wee goe vp Our brethren haue made our heartes to quaile by saying The people are moe in nomber and taller of stature than wee The
we desirous that God should guide vs hold vs vnder his protection withstand our enemies to giue vs victorie against them Let vs walke in obedience and learne to leade our lyfe according to his will For whosoeuer roueth abroad at randon forsaketh Gods helpe Againe let no man beguile himself vpon trust of men forasmuch as they are commonly disapointed of their enterprises And it is good reason that God should laugh them to skorne when they fling forth so at al aduenture and keepe neither way nor path But lyke as most men are so ouerlustie that they can away with nothing worse than to beare the yoke that God layeth vppon vs so euery man would haue libertie to doe what he listeth and it is seene that all men make warre against God and his worde so as their iollitie cannot be daunted but they be worse than wilde beastes And therefore doe most men abuse themselues with their owne deuices for they regard not what God permitteth them to doe When a man will aduaunce himselfe for vaineglorie he regardeth not what is lawfull but pilleth polleth and filcheth by hooke or by crooke He hath an eye to the ordinarie custome of the world but as for to frame himselfe after Gods lawe he hath no minde at all He neuer thinketh thus with himselfe beholde my God giueth me no leaue to doe this thing and therefore I must forbeare it He hath no such thought with him Wel may men coakes themselues for a time and beare themselues on hand that all the world fauoreth them but in the end God will make all their enterprises to vanish away so as they shall be all confounded And why Because they ranne gadding about and kept not the right way Now then if we will be guided by Gods hand and succored by him at our neede let vs learne to rule our lyfe aright and to submit it wholy vnto him If wee be not at that poynt let vs not looke for any helpe at his hand but rather to haue him against vs as we bee worthie Thus much concerning the first point But yet for all this the matter lyeth not altogether in being desirous to serue God to absteine frō the foolish attempts y t cary men away For there may be some that are pliable enough which would faine doe the thinges that God commaundeth but therewithall they be puffed vp with a fond selfe weening bearing themselues in hand that they be able to compasse the things that they haue to doe and trusting to their owne reason But our Lord cannot abide to be robbed of the honor that belongeth vnto him For what haue wee whereof it is lawfull for vs to boast When we haue gathered all our powers vnto vs wee shall finde them to be nothing but a vaine and fond shew And therefore wee must bee faine to put to the second poynt which I haue touched Which is that here we be warned to submit our selues to the obedience of God so as we seeke the thinges that he giueth vs leaue to seeke aske counsell at his mouth what things he lyketh and alloweth to the intent that knowing our selues to bee ouerweake yea and that there is no wisedome strength nor towardnesse in vs but that al our powers fayle vs wee may pray him to guide vs and to giue vs good direction and to hold vs vp with strong hand so as wee ground not our selues vpon our owne weening or opinion but altogether vppon the assuraunce of his worde Hath God promised to helpe vs then let vs not doubt but he will doe it Haue we no promise at his hand then must we needes be at our wittes ende till he comfort vs and strengthen vs by shewing vs his wil. Thus yee see what wee haue to marke vppon this text of Moses And therefore although it be vnpossible for a christen man to step one step without falling yet must wee not be out of hart The reason is because wee haue Gods promise that he will fight for vs. Eph. 6.12 Our fighting sayth Saint Paul is not against fleshe and bloud beholde all the powers of the ayre are against vs. For the diuil is named the prince of the world he is aboue vs and holdeth vs as it were betweene his pawes and in his throate so as he is lyke enough to swallowe vs vp euery minute of an houre lyke a lyon and we haue neither strength nor sense to withstād him But yet for all that we must conclude that forasmuch as we be in the protection of our God we be sure of the victorie if we fight wel Therefore let this saying be well printed in our minde that the Lord our God will fight for vs. When there is any question of doing well the Papistes cling to their own freewill and it seemeth to thē that God layeth the brydle in their necke so as they be able to doe this and that whereby they ouerthrowe themselues as they be worthy But contrariwise let vs flee to our God and hope to haue him doe the thinges that we cannot doe Furthermore let vs marke well that this doctrine could not stande vnlesse wee were vnable to fight for our selues For were wee of power to resiste our enemies Gods fighting for vs were more than needed Then doth it follow that his fighting is because wee haue no power at all because our armes are as good as broken and because wee bee lame from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head And in good sooth if the Iewes hauing to doe but onelie with mortall and transitorie enemies needed to haue God to fight for them what had we need of I pray you when wee see Satan and all the worlde readie to giue assault vpon vs yea and that he hath alreadie gotten the forehand of vs and in the meane while wee haue neither wall nor banke to holde them out but which is worse all our owne lustes are as dartes wherewith Satan may serue his turne to wound vs with all can wee defend our selues hauing so hard a battell to beare out No and so wee see how the poore papistes are deceiued in presuming vppon their owne free-will and in bearing themselues on hand that if they haue neuer so little helpe of God they can well enough get the vpper hand of Satan On the contrary part it is not sayd that God will supply some little default with his power and that wee must fight first to preuent him it is not sayde so but that it is our God that fighteth for vs. It followeth then that all that euer wee doe is done by the onely power that hee giueth vs so as it is borrowed of him True it is that wee would fayne runne that wee make great indeuers to serue God but whereof commeth that but of this that knowing our selues to be vtterly vnable wee presume not vppon any power or abilitie of our owne but doe feele that we be not yet come to
founde lyers and Gods trueth shine forth the brighter to their shame Nowe hereby wee bee warned to receiue simplie the promises that GOD offereth vs. And although it seeme at the first blush that they shold neuer be accomplished that there be a number of impediments to hinder them yet must we doe him the honour to beleeue that he is faithfull and to abide patiently for the conuenient time of his performance of the thing that hee hath said For if we gaine say his truth and murmure and fall to questioning and disputing with howe can this be is it possible God seemeth to mocke vs I say if we go that way to worke Well may hee performe his promise for all that but it shal be to our shame so as wee shall alwayes bee founde lyers Wee may well triumph for a time as we see the vnbeleeuers doe which malapertly despise God spewing out their blasphemies against him but yet in the ende God shall continue faithfull and his trewnesse shal be knowen spite of our teeth and therewithall we shal bee put to shame And therefore let vs beware of it and that wee may beware of it let vs marke well howe the Iewes are vpbrayded with it here Yee haue saide that your children shall bee made a pray but they shall inioy the land and you shal be set beside it Moreouer the example of Caleb the sonne of Iephone is verie notable and so is also the example of Iosua the sonne of Nun. These two are reserued of a great multitude And why Because they had gone through stoutly For this recorde is yelded to Caleb that hee had persisted or continued in following the Lorde Whenas God exempteth here but two men of an infinite multitude therein wee see howe it is a folly to looke what other men doe For had Caleb and Iosua done so what had come of it They had gone to destruction with the rest But they suffered not themselues to bee caryed away by that horrible tempest When they sawe so straunge a turning backe in the whole people yet did they confirme themselues in the power of God and although the people woulde haue stoned them Num. 〈…〉 as is declared in the booke of numbers and as shal be touched againe anon yet did they their duetie So then seeing that God alloweth the constancie of Caleb and Iosua for that they did shut their eyes when they sawe the people so excessiuely set vppon mischiefe and exhorted them to obey God let vs note well that although thinges be out of order in the worlde and we see stumbling blockes to ouerthrowe vs and vices rage like a waterfloud yet is it no sufficient cause to suffer our selues to bee caryed away or to make vs followe the common traine for it shall not abate our condemnation before God We may well say all the worlde doth so for all the worlde shall perish and thou with it which speakest so in contempt of thy God What a thing is it that men wil needs abolish Gods iustice and giue no more eare vnto him when they giue themselues to all naughtinesse but shut him vp in heauen and suffer him to haue no more authoritie heere beneath Whereto tendeth this And yet for all that wee see noweadayes that when the ignorant intende to shrowde themselues the greatest sheelde that they haue is to alledge Howe so I see that all the worlde behaue themselues contrariwise And in the meane season what becomes of God God must bee faine to bee thrust vnder foote and men must runne leaping and frisking at their pleasure Yea and euen among our selues if a man tell one or other of their faults their answere is I see others are as bad as my selfe Wee beare our selues on hande that our condemning of our neighbours will goe for good payment and that we shal scape Gods hand by that meane Therefore let vs thinke continually vpon the example of Caleb and Iosua And forasmuch as GOD sheweth that hee made more account of them though they were but two in all than of all the other howge multitude which were about seuen hundred thousande persons forasmuch say I as we see that God giueth such sentence of them let vs learne to submit our selues to him and to regarde nothing but that which he commaundeth And though the world runne gadding here and there in the meane while let vs followe the way that God hath shewed vs by his pure word Moreouer let vs wey this speech where it is saide that Caleb held out in following the Lorde For it is not ynough for vs to beginne well but wee must also sticke to God through stitch yea euen without any feining or starting and without fainting or giuing ouer in the mids of our way And in good sooth it is not for nought that this recorde is giuen to Caleb For as I haue touched heretofore the people were in such an vprore as they would haue stoned him and Iosua too Insomuch that if God had not takeÌ„ them away and his glorie appeared vppon the tabernacle they had loste their liues for it Yet for all this they ceased not to doe their duetie still but cryed out against the people and rent their clothes And after that manner stroue they against those which woulde not inioy Gods blessing Wee see then how there was a marueilous power in Caleb and in Iosua And therefore we bee warned by their example not onely to enter into the way but also to goe forwarde and forward stil assuring our selues that we cannot holde out to the ende in seruing God but by bearing out of many harde brunts and temptations and therfore we haue neede to strengthen our heartes in such wise as nothing may be able to make vs to fleete Thus yee see whereto our Lord and his holy spirite exhort vs. Where as he praiseth here the constancie of Caleb and Iosua it is to the end say I that their example should serue to our instruction For although the memoriall of the righteous be blessed before God yet is it declared for our profite Therefore let vs not haue such a zeale as shall waxe colde when it commeth to the following of God but let vs determine fully with our selues to holde out with it whatsoeuer the diuell practise or howsoeuer the world set it selfe against vs like as at this day wee see many resistances and many occasions â—hat might make vs start away but yet for all that we must holde on our iourney not for two or three dayes onely but all our life long Let vs goe on therefore and when there is any mention of following God let vs marke that it is to confirme the matter better which I haue declared alredie that is to wit that if we followe men we shall runne astray For why what els are the wais of the world but straiings so as euery man gaddes in and out when they once turne their backes vpon God What is to bee done then So long as
shewed himselfe to our face and vouchsafed to bee knowen of vs familiarlie Now we we see what Moses ment For his meaning is to set forth the greeuousnesse of the peoples sin if it should so fall out that they shoulde turne away from the purenes which they had learned in the lawe As if he should say True it is that euen from the creation of the worlde most men haue not ceased to ouershoote themselues into a number of errors and follies but that came to passe because they had not so special a teaching as you haue whereby they might haue had certeinetie of faith to rest themselues vpon Therefore the wretched infidels went astray but yet was not their sin so greeuous and outragious For although they were vnexcusable yet had they not any such teaching as you But as for you yee haue had Gods couenaÌ„t wherby ye were brought into his house hee hath shewed himselfe as a father towards you taught you as his childreÌ„ this is that holy band wherby god hath tyed him selfe to you now then if you should turne backe againe and become like those wretched beastes which neuer knew nor tasted of gods truth what a thing were it Might you pretende them for a shrowding sheete and say other men do so as wel as we Yea but yet had not those othermen such teaching as you haue had Nowe therefore acknowledge the grace that God hath bestowed vppon you in shouling you out from all nations of the earth in coming so nigh vnto you And in deed y e same is the very cause why y t when the heathen are condeÌ„ned in their supertitions it is said on the contrarie part that y e Lord dwelleth in Sion his maiesty is knowen there After that manner doth the Prophet Abacucke speake in his second chapter Abac. 2.20 and it is a doctrine that is rife ynough euery where As if it were saide The world runnes at randon and euery man forgeth and setteth vp some God priuately to himselfe but as for the God which hath shewed himself to bee the true liuing God his voyce soundeth in mount Sion where the temple was builded TheÌ„ sith it is so although the whole world bee caried away go wandering in the darke yet must not we be remoued forasmuch as he hath set vp his seat among vs and we know him by his voyce by his word And here we see why it is said in the Psalmes where Gods kingdome is spoken of in such wise as it was to bee stablished in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ Psal. 97.1.3 5. 115.3.4 as wel in the fourescore and sixteenth psalme as in other psalmes The Lord reigneth Let y e far countries reioyce therat let all ydols be confounded and let all that is set vp by men be throwen downe For when wee haue the truth which driueth away al darkness ignorance then haue we the verie meane to destroy al superstition And to the same purpose also is there this like saying in Esay Esa. 19.1 when the Lord reigneth then shal al the ydols of Egypt fal And why For the wretched Infidels weene they doe well and thinke they do God good seruice in following their fond superstitions But when God is once set afore them then his maiestie bereaueth them of all excuse and he must needs as then be magnified And that is y e cause why it is said in another place Esa. 25.9 This is the Lord this is the Lord. The prophet in the person of all the faithful defieth the ydols with their abuses because GOD should be knowen accordingly as al things were accomplished at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then the thing y t we haue to gather vpon this tâ—xt is that when we once knowe God by his word wee must be so fully resolued and assured thereof that although the whole wretched world run rouing after their owne abuses and superstitions yet we must keepe on our way still that seing we haue a sure foundation which cannot be shaken that is to wit gods infallible truth wee must let those blinde wretches breake their necks sith we cannot remedie it and in y e meane while we must go forward still as the Lord commaundeth vs seing he hath reached vs his hand to draw vs to him And although this was spoken to the Iewes by Moses yet it perteineth eueÌ„ now vnto vs. For wee see what fauor God hath shewed vs aboue others All the worlde is full of error and diuelish imaginations wretched men are become brutish in their ignorance But what Neither hath the doctrine of life bene preached vnto them neither haue they euer in good earnest vnderstood what God is Indeede they can speake of him but that is but at randon without order But wee haue the scripture declared vnto vs and by that mean God communicateth himself to vs and allureth vs so sweetly vnto him as he could not doe any more for vs except hee should take vs into his lap and yet we see he applieth himselfe to our infirmitie he chaweth our morsels to vs he feedeth vs with pappe speaketh to vs like a nurse Now when we see that our God manifesteth himselfe so familiarly vnto vs there is no more excuse for vs wee may no more mingle our selues in the order or ranâ—ke of vnbeleeuers For our state is cleane contrarie Rom. â—â—â— God is hidden from them and yet shall they not faile to perish in their ignorance as they be worthie But as for vs if we be so stubborne against God that euen of a spitefull malice wee will not obey the things that he sheweth vs but wil play the wilde beastes with him so as hee cannot reclaime vs to himselfe and that euen when we knowe him and do vnderstand that it is hee which ought to be honored yet wee be so vnconstant and wauering still as to turne away after our owne dotages shall we not bee doublie condemned Shall not horrible vengeance hang ouer our heades Then let vs beare in mind that in asmuch as our Lorde hath made a couenant with vs that is to say hath called vs into his Church to be taught by his worde that this is the onely meane wherewith wee may bee armed and fortified against all superstitions This is one point And let vs also marke therewithall that horrible condemnation hangeth ouer our heades if we wander away and hold not our selues to the simplicitie of Gods doctrine but bee carried away hither and thither by our owne lusts These are the two pointes which we haue to marke vpon this text Wherefore let vs learne to make our profite and commoditie of the worde that is preached vnto vs for the same purpose That is to wit albeit that all bee full of corruption and errour yet let not vs bee shaken downe nor bee wauering as manie men are to saye yea marie but there is so much disagreement that
aske vengeaunce vppon vs. And how shall we bee able to finde any excuse when our Lorde shall raise such a crie to confounde vs and put vs to shame Therefore let vs nowe looke well to our selues and let vs walke in the way that he hath shewed vs. Now here is expresse mention made of Images and other likenesses but vnder one kinde Moses comprehendeth all For it is a maner of speache rife ynough in the holy scripture to marke out some one kinde of superstition thereby to warne vs that wee must keepe our selues from all superstitions in generall And Moses himself doth euer obserue the same maner of speaking as wee shal see in the next Chapter Deut. 5.18 where he vseth to speake of the heinousest things to the intent we shoulde the more abhorre them and mislike of them to keepe our selues from them And yet for all that the holy Ghost meant in this place by the mouth of Moses shortly to shew that whē God hath once made his couenant with vs wee must hold vs in the simplicitie of his word without mingling any superstition with it Now that wee vnderstand the naturall sense of this text let vs looke that we make our commoditie therof For although we haue no images either carued or molten although wee haue no puppets either ingrauen or painted yet faile wee not to be idolaters if we sticke not to our God to keepe his worde throughout For the matter that the Couenant it self importeth is not that we should confesse in wordes that the God which gaue his Lawe by Moses is a lonely to bee worshipped but that wee should vnderstand his will after what manner he will bee serued that wee should haue his promises printed in our heartes that wee should knowe howe and by what meanes wee ought to worship him and that we should keepe on our way to the inheritaunce whereunto hee calleth vs. That is the thing that Gods couenāt importeth And without that in what case were wee If wee should say verie well there is but one God which hath created heauen and earth he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs and he hath giuen vs his Lawe and yet notwithstanding we knewe not his will but euerie of vs shoulde behaue himselfe as he lifted to what purpose were this It were better for vs neuer to haue knowen Gods word than after the knowing of it to despise it and to take leaue to doe what wee list Therefore let vs beare well in minde that Moses meant here to shewe the people generally that seeing they had bene taught in the trueth it behoued them to keepe themselues from all errours and leasings And this is that which I haue said alreadie that Gods word ought to suffice to gard vs in such sort as the diuell may not seduce vs doe the worst he can Nowe then will wee be exempted from the threate and condemnation that is contained here Let vs giue ouer our selues wholly in all respectes to our God let vs hearken to his worde and let vs obey his voyce without any exception or gainesaying so as his seruice remaine in such sort among vs as hee hath commaunded by his word But let vs compare the crime that Moses reproueth here with other crimes that are lesse to bee excused For although there was vnthankfulnesse and rebellion at y t time in all such as suffered themselues to be misled after they had bene taught by Gods word yet cōmitted they not so cursed sacriledge against God as y e caitifs do in these dayes which to the vttermost of their power do blot out al religion and are so full of wickednesse that they could finde in their hearts to confound heauen and earth togither in working spite to the whole Maiestie of God Take mee a man that hath bin taught in the Gospell and afterwarde through lightnesse ouershooteth himselfe and turneth away from well dooing howbeit with a minde to doe well againe truely such as one is not to bee held guiltlesse as I haue saide alreadie but yet is he not worthie of so much blame neither is his fault so heinous before GOD as another that outrageth so farre as to scoffe and scorne at God and all his doctrine and to play the mad bedlem of purpose to thrust all Religion vnder foot so as he could finde in his heart that men should liue like beastes and for the bringing thereof to passe speweth out blasphemies not onely against the maner of the superstitions in Poperie but also euen against the word of God For is not such a one farre more horrible than the ignoraunt wretch that is still snarled in some imagination and thinkes he serueth God though the same be but vanitie as I said afore But nowe let vs looke to our owne time God telleth the Iewes here that he would not beare with them if they happened to ouershoote themselues in any superstitions but would bereaue them of the inheritance that he had promised them Wee at this day haue a more excellent benefite than that people had and therefore shall wee be the more to blame if wee yeeld not homage to our God which hath esteemed and honored vs so much as to call vs into his Church But nowe how doe most men behaue themselues after they haue bene taught by the Gospell In deede wee meddle not with the superstitions of Papistrie wee passe not for shrift nor for Masses nor for such other like trash but what for that Wee coulde finde in our heartes plainely and shortly to defie God and that he shoulde haue no further audience among vs than we lift our selues After this maner doe a great sort deale euen to this day who neuerthelesse will needes bee taken not to be of the common sort of the faithfull but as the pillars and vpholders of the Church And yet haue they gone about to stoppe Gods mouth when any thing hath misliked them or fallen out otherwise than they woulde haue it O this must bee taken away And wy Beholde GOD not onely speaketh here of the things that haue beene inuented by men but also holdeth vs in awe so as it is not lawfull for vs to incounter him He passeth not for them And againe let vs see what their life is We see that they mocke GOD to the ful and that their desire is to haue their owne swindge in all thinges And yet notwithstanding when the diuell raiseth vp such plagie folke to infect the whole flocke with their poison wee see a great nomber whose whole desire is to mingle themselues with them For as soone as some leawd fellowe or two or three maintainers of wickednesse which shewe them selues to bee readie to vpholde all disorder and offences doe but steppe vp it is as good as the displaying of a banner and by by al vnthriftes runne after it And would God that the experience of it were not so great as it is seene to bee But what When wee bee tolde of it we must
vnder foote and to be scoffed at and to be made sport of or rather to be rent in peeces when the world giueth it selfe to idolatrie Howbeit for as much as we doe not our duetie our Lorde hauing cast vs in the teeth with our lewdnesse and vnthankfulnesse must be faine to shewe vs that although we haue bin lasie negligent yet will not he faile to haue such a zeale as is requisite for the maintenance of his honour so as he will be reuenged of men for defacing of it after that maner And to the end we should know that God being ielous of his honour is also well able to punish idolaters he vseth that name of his which betokeneth strength or mightinesse as I haue declared alreadie And it behoueth vs to ioyne those two wordes togither For Moses meaneth the same thing that is better expressed in the Prophet Nahum where he saieth The Lord is a ielous God Nahum 〈◊〉 a God of vengeance a God that punisheth such as haue offended him a God that watcheth ouer his enemies a God that wil come with whirlewind and tempest The Prophet vseth this manner of speache that God is ielous that is to say that he forgetteth not himselfe ne shutteth his eyes when men despise him but marketh euerie whit of it and inregistreth it before him and they must come to account for it And hauing spoken of the saide disposition that is to saye that God will maintaine his honour hee sheweth immediatly that hee hath wherewith to doe it and that hee is armed with power to punish his foes so as they cannot scape his hande That is the cause why hee speaketh of whirlwind and tempest that is the cause why he speaketh of vengeance insomuch that if God seeme to dissemble thinges for a time yet hee hath an eye to his enemies and will in conuenient season make them to feele with whome they had to doe and that they prouoked the liuing God Nowe wee see what Moses meant here that is to wit that God setteth great store by his own honour and y t although we beare our selues in hande that wee shall scape vnpunished when wee haue violated his seruice or by any meanes corrupted it yet notwithstanding hee will shewe that hee hath not forgotten himselfe and that he will maintaine himselfe Marke that for one point Besides this hee is also mightie to put the same ielousie in execution He is not like mortall men which are angrie and colerike when dishonor dishonestie or wrong is offered them but yet are not able to doe as they woulde God is no such a one for hee is armed with power to confounde all his enemies In deede wee must not imagine any humaine affections in God Deu. 32.39.41 that hee shoulde bee moued as wee see that men bee There is no wrathfulnesse in God But forasmuch as wee cannot conceiue him as hee is hee is faine to apply himselfe to our rudenesse Therefore whensoeuer the scripture speaketh of anger of wrath or of indignation it is not for that God is inclynable or for that hee resembleth vs or for that hee is moued thereto no hee standeth alwayes at one stay and there is not so much as any little ouershadowing in him Iam. 1.17 as saith S. Iames who vseth the same similitude to shewe that there can bee no chaunge in his beeing Howbeit forasmuch as wee conceiue not Gods iudgementes and threatenings but by the termes of yre anger wrath and indignation therefore doth the holy scripture speake so of him Wherefore let vs marke first of all howe GOD hath shewed vs in this text Iebr. 10.31 that it is a dreadfull thing to fall into his handes And specially that if wee corrupt the purenesse of his seruice with our wicked inuentions and will needes attempt whatsoeuer our owne braine deuyseth we shall feele with whom we haue to doe and that he is too great a Lorde for vs to dally with after that fashion Moreouer God thinketh it not ynough to threaten the parties themselues that turne away from this Lawe through their idolatrousnesse hee thinkes it not ynough to tell them that hee will punish the persons themselues but hee extendeth his vengeance euen to their issue also I am saieth hee a iealous God which visiteth the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation It shoulde seeme at the first blush to bee vnseemely for Gods Iustice that hee shoulde punish the children for the offeÌ„ces of their fathers and mothers And besides that it is vtterly against naturall reason Ezech. â—8 19 wee see what is saide of it in the prophesie of Ezechiel namely that the partie which sinneth shall beare his owne burthen so as the sonne shall no more beare the sinne of his father than the father shall beare the sinne of his sonne This text then may seeme somewhat rough and sharpe yea and to deface the vprightnesse and equitie that is in God for sinne craueth his wages that is to say the death of him that committeth it Why then shoulde hee dye which is guiltlesse Ezech. 18.2 Againe although this reason were not so euident yet doeth the holy scripture auowe that God telleth vs hee will not punish the guiltlesse children for the sinnes of their parentes Yea and hee rebuketh the Iewes for this blasphemie which ranne in their mouthes whereof they had made a common prouerb Our fathers haue eaten sower grapes and our teeth are set on edge with it Gods handling of vs thus rigorously is not for any fault of our owne committing for wee haue liued as wee ought to do but he ouer reacheth vs with the sinnes of our fathers After that manner did the Iewes grudge against GOD. But hee sweareth that such blasphemie shall take place no more Nowe if all bee well considered there is no contrarietie at all For in the saide texte of Ezechiels GOD meant nothing else but that those whome hee punished coulde not alledge innocencie nor saye hee did them wrong in vsing rigour against them but that euerie one of them shoulde finde themselues guiltie so as hee himselfe shoulde bee iustified and they well perceiue that hee went not beyonde measure and reason And this is verie certeine For although GOD punishe the children for their fathers sakes yet ceaseth hee not to bee righteous in such chastisementes For if the children bee well examined they shall finde themselues guiltie on their owne behalfe yea say I euen though they were but newely borne and had neuer done any open fault that were knowen to the worlde For what manner of ofspring are wee What bring wee with vs by nature but vtter naughtinesse Yee see then that euen infantes are sinners aforehande they bee condemned before GOD being yet in their mothers wombes The euill is not yet perceiued but yet for all that their nature is sinfull and frowarde they haue a secret seede within them Rom. 5.14 and they bee alreadie in
companie to open a gap to Satan by acquainting theÌ„selues together so as they may bee caught in his nette and giue themselues ouer vnto him in bondage it is whoredome before God And although there be no deed done no nor any thing fully agreed vppon yet will not God leaue such doings vnpunished for it is too manifest that they were attempted And hereby it appeareth how fond and childish a shift it is to excuse ones selfe by saying that it is not euill to doe this or that so there be no intent to doe euill As for example such as delight in dauÌ„cing and dissolutenesse is that so euill a thing say they so long as there bee no whoredome committed yea truely It is all one as if they would mocke God of set purpose and blindfold his eyes to buffet him and in the meane while bid him gesse whether it be euill or no. It is well knowen that dancing can be no better but a prelude to whoredome to open an entrie purposely vnto Satan and a crying out alowd vnto him y t he should be bold to come in That is alwayes the very effect and substance of dauncing If thou say I meant no euill thou makest God a lyer Behold S. Paul auoweth that lewde wordes corrupt good manners 2 Cor. 15.33 Yea and hee alledgeth that saying of an heathen man of purpose to make vs the more ashamed Menander If we admit not the doctrine giuen by S. Paul let vs goe to schoole to y e wretched infidels and idolaters for thy coulde good skill to alledge that vnhonest speech corrupteth good manners Now when mens tongues are infected with naughtie and vnchaste talke and there is nothing in their behauiour and wordes but signes and marks of vtter dishonestie if they say hereupon that they had none euill meaning is it not a manifest belying of the holy Ghost Yes and therefore let vs marke that whereas al whoredome is forbidden it is meant that wee should behaue our selues modestly both in our wordes and in our gestures that there should be no inkling of loosenes in vs that may tend to whoredome or whorishnesse It is true that all thinges are cleane to them that haue a cleane conscience â—â—t 1.15 but yet for all that we must beware that Satan ouertake vs not least hee make some breach vpon vs. Thus ye see y t this precept ought to be considered in such wise as we must haue an eye not onely to the very deede of whoredome but also to all that matcheth with it to al appurtnances of it to all that commeth neere it and to all that may intice or induce vs to it To be shorte wee must come backe to that which I touched euen now out of S. Paul namely that as wee must not doe any man wrong either in his person or in his goods so must wee also liue honestly and put away all loosenesse and disorderednesse from vs. And lyke as all lewde talke and dauncing and other vnchaste dealinges are condemned before God for kindes of whoredome so let vs marke that all other loose misbehauiours shall be condemned lykewise Yee shall see a sorte of drunkardes that cram themselues lyke brute beastes And when they be so full that they be ready to burst theÌ„ fling they themselues into all maner of filthinesse till they euen stincke again not perceiuing their own shame Therefore wheÌ„ men behaue themselues so beastly y t they play the drunkardes and gluttons and moreouer abandon their bodies to all villanie thinke wee that they shall scape Gods hand and not be cursed as whoremongers though they commit not whoredome in actuall deede Yes Yee see then that the sobernesse which Paul speaketh of doth tell vs that if wee will bee chaste and stayed before God wee must not onely absteine from whoredome it selfe but also vse our eating and drinking soberly for our nourishment and not to prouoke vs to lecherie so as wee should haue no more stay nor holde of our selues That is a thing which we haue to marke further But now it will be alledged and howe then can we absteine from al vncleannesse considering the frailtie that is in our fleshe For we see how little stay men haue of themselues whereby it appeareth doe what they can how sinnefull our nature is True it is that men be not able to be chaste for our Lorde will haue vs to feele the cursednesse of Adams sinne in that behalfe that is to say in the vnrulynesse of y e flesh if hee himselfe preserue vs not by speciall gift accordingly as it is sayd that it is not giuen to all men 1. Cor. 7.7 but euery man must consider what GOD hath giuen to himselfe 1. Cor. 7.9 and he must vse the gift that hee hath assuring himselfe that hee is so much the more bound vnto God But yet howsoeuer he fare mariage is prouided for a remedy to all such as haue no stay of themselues Although then that God list to leaue this marke of infirmitie in vs yet doth hee appoynt a conuenient remedy for it Is a man fraile in his flesh or a woman lykewise In deede it is a vice and although it bee as it were a naturall inclination yea proceeding of the corrupt nature that wee take from Adam yet is it to bee condemned of it selfe For all such vnstayednesse is farre off from the excellent dignitie which God did put in mankinde of purpose that wee should haue borne his marke haue bin as Angels Therefore all vnrulinesse of the fleshe is sinne Notwithstanding forasmuch as our Lorde beareth with vs he hath ordeyned a meane whereby y e sayd vice shal not be imputed no stead we must be faine at length to come to account before y e heauenly Iudge and theÌ„ shall wee feele how it was not for naught y t he sayd by his prophet Zacharie Zach. 5.3.4 y t his curse shal light vpon the forsworne person and vppon y e theefe y t is to say whersoeuer we offend what poynt of y â— lawe soeuer it bee hee will finde meanes well enough how to punishe vs for it Men then may well either iustify or flatter themselues but yet for all that God will in the end vtter his wrath both against forswearers and against theeues Howbeit to the intent wee may know Gods will the better let vs marke that hee vseth the worde Theft to make vs hate all deceite and robbery and all maner of wrong that wee can deuise to doe to our neighbor as hath bin shewed heretofore in the expounding of murder and aduowtrie If a man call one theefe he will take displeasure at it for it is a worde of iniurie insomuch that hee will not abide to bee so dishonested before the worlde Now God to bring vs to the hating of all fraud couin deceit guile harme hurte extortion which we may doe to another man in his goods setteth them all downe by the one name
preferred hauing so excellent preheminence giuen him of God might not for all y t take vpon him to speake aught of his own head but was bound to deale forth the things faithfully to the people as he had heard them of God is it not too diuelish a pride now adayes that lewd lozels should aduaunce themselues so farre as to say y t it is in their power to lay lawes vpon mens consciences and to binde them vnder paine of deadly sinne Is it not too barbarous a tyrannie Therfore to the end we fall not into the two extreme vices let vs hold the meane way that is shewed vs heere which is that sith it is Gods will to haue his Churche gouerned by the outward preaching of his word euerie of vs must submit himselfe thereto and be diligent in hearing of Sermons and hold this as a holy reuerent order to wit y t we should be taught by the mouth of men And yet in the meane while men must not haue authoritie to bring vs what they list 1. Cor. 〈…〉 but they must be faithfull dealers foorth of Gods word so as we may euer be able to protest that our faith is grounded vppon Gods will and that we depend not vpon the wisedome of men but that our Lord holdeth vs so in obedience towards him as we may say y t wee heare him from heauen though he vse the meane and trauell of men in the doing thereof Now let vs kneele down in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as wee maye learne to mislike more and more of our selues for them And for as much as the verie remedie to rid vs from al our diseases and corruptions is to heare his holye woorde it maye please him so to open our eares as wee maye receyue it with all reuerence and humilitie and so print it in our heartes as wee may make it auayle to the vse for which hee ordeyned it namely to quicken vs and to drawe vs to saluation that wee may desire it with all out heartes and apply our indeuour thereunto more and more And therefore let vs all saye Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xviij of Iuly 1555. The xliiij Sermon which is the fifteenth and last vpon the fifth Chapter 28 At the same time the Lord heard the voyce of your words when you spake to mee wherevpon the Lord said to mee I haue heard the voyce of this peoples words which they haue spoken vnto thee all that they haue said is good 29 I would they had such heart to feare mee and to keepe my commaundementes alwayes that it might goe well with them and with their children for euer 30 Go say vnto them Returne ye into your tentes 31 But as for thee tarie thou here with mee and I will tell thee all the commaundements Ordinaunces and Lawes which thou shalt teache them that they may do them in the land which I giue them to possesse 32 Therefore see that ye doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you Ye shall not bow aside to the right hand nor to the left 33 But walke in all the wayes which the Lorde your God hath commaunded you that ye may liue and that it may bee well with you and that your dayes may bee lengthened in the land which you shall possesse ACcording to that which was declared yesterday God in this text sheweth that he graunteth the peoples request and giueth them the choise of that which shoulde bee best for them And hereby wee see that he meant to make the people to feele his goodnes of purpose to win them the better True it is that he might iustly subdue vs to him by authoritie and he could doe it but hee had much leuer to deale with vs by fatherly gentlenesse That then is the cause why he shewed himself agreeable to the people Therefore let vs marke well that God hath such regard of our weldoing and welfare as if the choise were in our owne hands we could not wish better thaÌ„ he doeth It seemeth not so at all times but yet is it so in deede Furthermore he addeth y t he graunted not the peoples desire in any other respect than for that he himselfe liked of it For now and then God graunteth men their requestes howbeit it is for their importunatnesse sake and the thing turneth to their condemnation As for example when the people were desirous to eate flesh it is true that they had their fill of it but they paide right deare for their shot for they spited God by their wilfull desiring of the thing that was withheld from them 〈◊〉 11.33 Neuerthelesse it is true that God did fully satisfie the murmurers so as they had wherewith to fill their bellies but it had bin much better for them to haue starued for hunger But it is not so in this request whereof Moses speaketh here for GOD sayeth expressely That they meant rightly As if he should saye keepe that course still and yee shall see howe I will pleasure you Yee haue desired that yee myght haue a man to speake to you in my name and I am contented with it Nowe then it ought to perswade you the more to receiue the doctrine that shall bee preached vnto you from mee on my behalfe for as much as I haue done it at your desire and choyse But yet yee must not thinke that I meant to please you without reason or cause why For I assure you all thinges shall goe well with you if yee keepe on this course of profiting in my woorde so as whensoeuer Moses shall come vnto you of my sending you giue reuerent eare to the thinges that hee shall tell you for your welfare And so let vs marke well that when Gods woorde is preached vnto vs by men they doe it not vpon their owne head but bicause GOD hath giuen vs here the doctrine that is for our benefite And this ought to settle vs the better that wee bee not mooued with any fond affection to chaunge as our manner is to delyght alwayes too much in Nouelties Let vs vnderstande that the thing whereunto wee must holde our selues is that wee must giue â—are to the preaching of Gods woorde all the time of our lyfe And why For it is not onely his will that wee should doe so but also he sheweth vs that it is for our behoofe Besides this GOD wakeneth the people here to the ende they should thinke better vppon the keeping of the commaundements of his Lawe than they had doone For the people had saide we wil do it And sayth God on his side who will giue them the heart to doe it and who will giue them such disposition of minde And by those wordes he doth vs to wit that it was an easie matter for them to promise as men commonly make great protestations with full mouth but wheÌ„ it commeth to the
faine discharge our selues thereof but hee telleth vs that his giuing of it forth is to holde vs in his subiection seruice and that to the same ende he will haue it preached still at this day For thereby he intendeth to trie whether he can weeld vs as quiet people that submit themselues to him Therefore let vs marke that our resorting vnto sermons must not be to commend the doctrine for good and holie for God shal be much beholden to vs for saying that his word is worthie to be receiued hee will not haue vs to be his iudges It is true that we owe him that acknowledgement so as when wee haue hearde his worde euery of vs ought to confesse it to bee the pure trueth and that there is none other rightnesse righteousnes nor wisedome than is contained there But yet must we passe further therewithall and yeeld our selues to the seruing of our God That is one point which wee haue to gather vpon this text Another point is that we must beware that we keepe it Wherein God sheweth that wee must applie all our strength earnestly in that behalfe For men shall neuer followe God by sleeping Although they inforce themselues neuer so much yet the infirmitie of their nature is such as they can hardly keepe their feete Therefore let vs not think that we can discharge our selues to Godwarde without taking of paine For the thing is too hard considering what we be namely slowe and sluggish to good thinges yea euen though God haue already made vs willing and do gouerne vs by his holy spirit And if he let vs alone as we be of our selues we shall not only be slowe but also drawe cleane backe from his wil. If he call vs to him we shall go from him yea wee shal be so little able to couet any good at all that wee shal be inforced to doe euill But let vs marke what I haue touched afore namely that although our Lord haue giuen vs some good disposition of minde and set vs in some good forwardnesse yet are we slothfull still and when we should steppe one pace forth whereas the same shold be done in lesse than a minute of an houre we must haue a whole houre to do it in Nay we fall to kicking or else by that time that we haue gone one pace ofttimes we stumble or retyre backe or else take such foule falles as is piteous to see Therefore it is not for nought that God saith here Take heede that yee doe them As if hee should say in deede my lawe is giuen you to the intent you shoulde put it in execution and obey it but yet thinke not you that it is so easie a matter to be done What is to be done then Prepare your selues to walke after my commaundements thinke vpon them put to your indeuour be diligent therein take a tast sauour of them keepe good watch for feare of being turned away and take very good heede to your selues Thus we see in effect that our Lorde exhorteth vs here to labor ernestly when the case standeth vpon walking in obedience towardes him And why For the thinges that he requireth of vs are not so easie to be don And besides that we be so ill disposed therevnto as is pitie to see insomuch that if we be not spurred and driuen by force we cannot goe forward Therefore it standeth vs in hand to awake and to take heede and to stande continually vppon our garde that wee may performe y e things that our Lord hath commanded vs. Nowe afterward he addeth that this must bee done without bowing to the right hand or to the left so as men walke throughout in the way that he hath shewed them In deede this text shal be expounded more at length in the twelfth chapter but yet must we not passe it ouer without knowing what God ment by it In forbidding vs to bowe to the right hand or to the left he sheweth vs that hee will haue vs to harken to him in all things without exception And this importeth two thinges namely that wee must neither put any thing to his lawe nor take any thing from it As concerning putting to it is as if we would go to the right hand for they y t ad to Gods law do it vpon an imaginatiō y t the keeping of the things conteined there is not al that they haue to do therfore y t it is good to put somewhat more to it Loe howe men would giue place to their owne fancies so as if any thing come in their heades they thinke that God forgate that and that it were good to be done And that was the very cause of the great number of ordinances lawes and ceremonies that are set vp in poperie The Iewes had the like vice among them according as they be blamed for despising of Gods commandementes statutes for their owne traditions sakes Nowe then let vs keepe vs from walking on the right hand so as we should turne from the way which God hath shewed vs. And why For the right hand is when we will needs bee too wise and too righteous bearing our selues in hande that it is good for vs to do more than we be commaunded But in so doing we be the diuels seruants for God vtterly refuseth all that euer we adde to his word he will haue no such mingling And we decline or bowe to the left hand when wee diminish Gods worde that is to say when wee bee contented to serue him by halues and therewithall would haue him to giue vs leaue to follow our owne lusts Some man peraduenture is not subiect to some vices and well coulde hee find in his heart to discharge his duetie to God-ward in seruing him so farre forth but forasmuch as he cannot ouermaister himself in some other vyces hee woulde haue God to holde himselfe contented to enter into a bargaine with him as if he should say very well if I faile in this behalfe I will recompence it in another But let vs keepe our selues from walking on the left hande that is to say from taking any thing away from Gods worde For as he hath forbidden to murther so hath hee also forbidden to steale and to commit adulterie and therefore we must submit our selues to his commaundements in all points and all respectes without making of any reply thereto For as wee must not in any wise adde ought to his Law so is it not lawfull to take any thing from it but we must walke in all the wayes that he sheweth vs. And whereas hee termeth it a way it is to the ende to exhort vs to keepe vs in it according as we shal see in the ende of this booke where Moses will say Deut. 28.9 This is the way walke therein As if he should say whosoeuer turneth away from the doctrine that I set before you goeth astray hee doth but runne gadding ouer the fields and yet for all that
then should I looke for the blessing that God hath promised Wee must not thinke to binde him when wee fall to spiting of him so wilfully nor to haue his blessing light vpon vs when we fall to straying out of the right way shaking off his yoke bridle froÌ„ our necke but we must coÌ„trarywise looke y t he should curse vs that his wrath shold light vpoÌ„ vs not only vpoÌ„ our selues but also vpon our childreÌ„ And so we see what instructioÌ„ we ought to gather vpoÌ„ this place Namely y t euery of vs ought to look to himself y t if we purpose to haue God to keepe vs through his fauor goodnesse our howses must not be defiled with robberie deceit neither must our hands be imbrued with stealing filching but to be short we must be cleane from all spottes Yea we must beware that we keepe y e order which our Lord hath commaunded vs Matt. 6.33 which is y t he which is desirous to bee blessed in his owne person in his houshold must looke wel to it y t god be serued honored in his house that there be no filthinesse lurking any where y t there be no whordom no swearing nor no other disorder y t there be not any thing against God nor any euil bolstered or borne out If we doe so then shall wee prosper better than wee doe and although things fal not out as we would wishe to the worldward yet will God graunt vs the grace to bee contented with his only blessing which wil satisfy vs more than if we had all y e heapes of golde siluer that were possible to be imagined But on y e contrary part if a man haue not a care to keepe his house pure and cleane as a teÌ„ple of God y e thing y t Moses speaketh here must needs be performed y t is to wit Gods curse must come into it accordingly as it is sayd in y e prophet Zacharie Zach. 5.3.4 that this same curse possessed al y e houses of that time because iniquitie reigned in theÌ„ and departed not from them Will wee then haue God to shed out his blessing vppon vs Let vs be sure that we clense both our selues our houses from all filthinesse and then will the curse depart from thence out of hand But if wee cease not to prouoke Gods wrath by abusing his patience too long hee will kindle a fire that shall neuer be quenched and if wee fall still asleepe hee will wake vs to our cost and when we think our selues to be escaped then shall wee be new to begin And therefore let vs be circumspect to preuent the mischiefe specially sith wee be warned yea warned by our God himself Wherein hee sheweth vs what a care he hath both of our worldly welfare and of our saluation Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God w t acknowledgement of our faults praying him to voutsafe to make vs feele theÌ„ better than wee haue done so as it may make vs to resort vnto him to be sorie for our sinnes and to condemne them that we be not so froward as to spite him to harden our selues but that we may haue a meeke plyable heart to receiue al his warninges correctioÌ„s in such wise as we may haue the skill to fare y e better by them And so let vs say Almighty God heauenly father c. On Thursday the fifteenth of August 1555. The Lviij Sermon which is the first vppon the eight Chapter Keepe al the commaundementes which I haue commaunded you this day to do them that yee may liue and encrease and go in and possesse the land by right of inheritance which the Lord swore to your fathers 2 And be mindfull of al the way wherethrough the Lord thy GOD hath made thee to walk these fortie yeares in the wildernesse to the intent to afflict and try thee that hee might knowe what is in thine hart and see whether thou wouldest keepe his commaundements or no. 3 Hee afflicted thee and made thee to endure hunger and fedde thee with Manna which neither thou nor thy fathers knew to make thee to know that man lyueth not onely by bread but that man lyueth by all that euer commeth out of the mouth of the Lord. 4 Thy rayment hath not worne vpon thee neyther hath thy foote beene swolne all these fortie yeares HEre againe Moses sheweth y e people y t God gaue not his law in vain but that his will is to haue it kept and that is the way for vs also to fare y e better by it True it is that whensoeuer any man speaketh to vs in Gods name we must haue our eares open to heare what is tolde vs for by that meane doth faith come Rom. 10.17 But yet must we bring our handes and feete with vs also to offer them obediently vnto God Rom. 12.1 to imploy all the power that hee hath giuen vs in his seruice Therefore let vs not come hither onely to haue our eares beaten with the thinges that are preached vnto vs but let vs also apply them to our vse Instruction must be matched with practise or else we shall neuer knowe what hath bin shewed vs and taught vs. And so we see what we haue to beare in minde Moreouer let vs marke that Moses thinketh it not enough to haue sayd these things at once and away but he repeteth them againe for a larger confirmation Looke sayth he that thou keepe the commaundements which I inioyne thee not to the end thou maist knowe them at thy singers endes or bee able to vtter them with thy mouth that is not enough But thou must put thâ—â— in execution And to confirme this matter the better hee addeth a promise saying That thou mayst liue and increase and go into the land which the Lord thy God did sweare vnto thy Father This hath beene expounded alreadie heretofore and there remaineth no more to doe but onely to renewe the remembrance thereof according also as we see that y t was intent of Moses or rather of y e holy Ghost Now theÌ„ our Lord altâ—reth vs to him by promises of purpose to giue vs y e better corage to serue him he doth it of his own free goodnesse without being bound thereto For he needed no more but to say the word he hath authoritie to commaund vs what hee listeth and it is our part to obey him Why then doth he ad his promises but to win vs by louingnesse lyke a father who though he haue al soueraigntie ouer his childe doeth neuerthelesse vse gentlenes in promising to y e inteÌ„t his child shold serue him with the cherefuller heart True it is that the child is bound therto aforehand by nature but yet when hee seeth his father so vpright towardes him as to offer him more than his duetie it moueth him the more if he be not
we be made partakers of thē by his meanes we be of y e order number of y e Leuites that is to say of them that are dedicated vnto god Not as y e people of Israel were which held themselues aloofe in y e body of the temple worshipped God afarre of Heb◠〈…〉 1 〈…〉 but we haue a mean to prease neere him wee haue familiar accesse we haue his own sonne entred afore vs into the Sanctuarie which is not made with mans hand to bring vs in thither in whose name al the faithfull haue libertie to come thither Thus ye see that the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place is that God shooled out one tribe of the children of Israell to serue him in the Sanctuarie but nowe adayes he hath shedde out the same grace vpon all beleeuers and there is no exception but wee be all made holie to offer sacrifice to God and not onely to beare the vesselles of the temple but also to be the verie vesselles themselues ◠Cor. 6.19 For although our bodies bee but wretched carcasses yet fayle they not to be the temples of the holy Ghost and Gods will is to be worshipped in them Hadde there beene sayde no more but that our soules are the temples of God it had beene a verie excellent honour But seeing it is sayde of our earthly and corruptible bodies we see what goodnes God vttereth towardes vs. And therefore let vs learne that this doctrine belonges to vs and that this figure which was vnder the lawe concerneth vs at this day to the end that we should aduauntage our selues thereby And after what manner The first is that we should magnifie the goodnesse of our God in that hee hath shewed himselfe so gratious vnto vs as to chose vs to be his seruauntes not onely to beare the vesselles of his temple but also to be the verie temples thēselues and the altars whereat hee will be worshipped both in our bodies and our soules to the intent we should yeelde him not onely the bodily seruice which consisteth in shadowes and figures but also the true spirituall seruice by dedicating our selues all wholly vnto him Yee see then howe the ende whereat we must beginne is to knowe how greatly we by bounde vnto God for vsing such gratious goodnes towardes vs. 2. Cor. 6.17 Moreouer according as Saint Paul sheweth vs in the second to the Corinthians we must take warning to separate our selues from all vncleanesse as the prophet cryeth out vnto vs saying Separate your selues from all vncleannesse Isa. 52.11 you that carrie the Lordes vessels And Saint Paul alleadging the same text of Esay sayth that according to the same promise it is good reason that wee shoulde giue our selues to cleannesse both of bodie and soule For in very deede the prophet Esaie in saying Be ye cleane you that beare the Lordes vesselles hath not an eye to the time of the figures but extendeth his doctrine to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe then this text must needes be performed in vs. But there are not nowe a dayes any moe materiall vesselles as there were in the time of the Lawe and therefore it followeth that the doctrine thereof must bee performed in higher matters that is to say that in asmuch as God hath called vs to be members of his sonne and by that meane to come so neere him as he may dwell in vs we be his temples the same should prouoke vs to giue our selues to all cleannesse which thing wee can not doe but by separating of our selues from the corruptions of the world For wee dwell here among such filthinesse as it is not possible for vs to scape vninfected vnlesse we labour to withdrawe our selues from it Yea and there needes no euill to come vpon vs from elsewhere for euerie of vs shall finde ynough in himselfe Wherefore lette vs beware that wee turne away from all wicked lustes and that we cut off whatsoeuer is defiled in vs and generally all that euer is of the world so as we may prease vnto our God and hauing giuen ouer the world we may be so vnited vnto him as he may auowe vs to be his priestes For if we doe otherwise we shal be dubble accursed and we shall not be able to excuse our selues but that God hath aduaunced vs high ynough But what excuse will there be for vs nowe when our Lorde hath brought vs so neere vnto him and vouchsafed to make vs priestes to offer vppe our owne selues vnto him and to make vs his temples so as we should haue a spirituall altar erected vnto him in our selues Seeing that God hath brought vs to that point is it not a horrible treacherie say I if wee fall to vnhallowe his temple Nowe then lette vs vnderstande that whensoeuer this worlde turneth vs away vnto euill wee offer God greate wrong in making his temple a swynes stie and in vnhallowing the thing that he had hallowed by causing all the corruptions of Sathan and of this worlde to come into his temple Surely it ought to holde vs in awe and to make vs walke in all soundenesse so as we giue not ouer our bodies and soules to anie dishonestie seeing that God hath sanctified them to himselfe This is the thing which we haue to beare away vpon the first part of this text Neuerthelesse lette vs marke that although God haue extended the sayde grace of making vs all Leuites or Priestes to all the members of his Church yet hath hee not vtterly abolished the order of his Church but his will is to haue some certaine men appointed to the preaching of his worde And that is the thing which is ment here in the seconde place where he saith that they shall stande before the Lorde to serue him and finally that they shall blesse in the Lordes name The same must bee put in vre at this day by the ministers of the worde For although God haue called vs all in common to bee serued and honoured at our handes yet doeth he require a speciall seruice at their handes whom he setteth ouer his Church to be the shepheardes thereof that is to witte that they should shewe the way and alwayes be in a readinesse to serue God And this seruice importeth that the Leuites shoulde maintaine the religion pure and vncorrupted among the people and shewe the Iewes that they ought not to deale with the superstitions of the heathē and what God it was which had deliuered them and to be short that they shoulde alwayes holde the people in obedience to the true faith And for the same cause GOD allotted them not any one certaine countrie or shire to dwell in but dispersed thē throughout the whole lande We knowe there was not anie one tribe which had not Leuites among them And why was that For God could well ynough haue gathered thē together so as they might haue bin all together in Ierusalem
an eye to y e charge y t is committed vnto him Let such as haue children bring them vp in the feare of God let y t be their chiefe care for it is the best inheritance y t they can leaue them For otherwise although they leaue them neuer so riche and set them at neuer so good a stay al must needes go to ruine For God will curse all if it bee not grounded vppon the pure religion For whereas our Lorde speaketh of going to bed and rising vp of rest and labor it is not for nought For he sheweth vs that wee haue neede of all the helpes that can bee to put vs in minde of his lawe And therefore sith we see that by all manner of meanes we be turned away froÌ„ the remembring of God if the helps that are shewed vs here bee not set still before vs these occasions ought to quicken vs and stirre vs vp thereunto First of al then whereas it is saide when ye goe to bed at night and when ye rise a mornings it sheweth vs that wee may well take our rest and thinke vppon all our bodily needes so as a man may wel seeke his ease when hee is weary of trauelling of following his busines al day long but if we be so careful to seeke the rest of our bodies is it not said also y t the rest of our souls is to heare y e voice of god Mâ—â— 11. â—â— If a man say I haue no leasure hast thou no leasure to rise in the morning Againe when thou commest to the table to take thy repast hast thou not time ynough to edifie thy selfe in the feare of God Moreouer when thou art about thy businesse all the day or when thou art going a iourney must God needs be forgotten all the while No but yet doe men alwayes finde lettes to keepe them from comming vnto God Indeede we may easily finde trifling excuses to content men withall but when God saith vnto vs Go to what haue you to doe all your life long are yee so sore troubled that yee cannot spare a little time to exercise your selues in my worde I giue you time ynough to followe your owne businesses and yet so as yee may bestowe some time in the studie of my doctrine but you thinke not vpon it Nay rather you take occasion to turne away from it at euery small let that can happen And by that meanes you bee hardened in all euill so as a man cannot reclaime yee but ye become worse than wilde beasts Thus ye see of what contempt and vngodlines we be conuicted when we benefit not our selues by Gods doctrine wherein we ought to keepe our selues occupied at all times Furthermore whereas he speaketh of talking of it it is a rebuking of the wicked corruption y t is among men who neuer make an ende of their foolish talk but when they should speake of god the matter must be cut off by by by the waste and they thinke it to be but matter of griefe Yea and they be not contented to vse fond and foolish talke but they do also vse ribaldrie leawd talke such as tendeth to the poysoning one of another And therefore it is good reason that God should tel vs that the thinges which wee haue heard to day had neede to bee brought oftentimes to our rememberance and that God had neede to quicken vs vp so as wee may bee made to bethink our selues And that forasmuch as we be pulled backe with such sloth and we see ourselues are caried away with so great and vrgent necessitie that our mindes are giuen altogether to euill insomuch that whensoeuer God allureth them to good by and by they shrinke away vnto euill we perceiuing the same shoulde take the helpes y t God setteth down for vs in telling vs that we must think vpon his lawe both at our vprising a mornings and at our going to bed a nights that we must talk of them all the day long Let vs assure our selues it is not without cause that God spake so to his owne people but that it is a generall lesson for all men in all ages and hee speaketh not onely to the rude and vnskilfull that they shoulde take those helpes to refresh their rememberance but he saith All of you doe it euerie one of you Hee speaketh to those that weene themselues wisest And therefore let no man thinke himselfe excepted here Let such as haue the charge of teaching others vnderstande that this is not spoken onely to the rude and ignorant but also to the intent that euen they themselues shoulde learne to rouse vp themselues and y t all of vs together should shew our selues so desirous to profite in Gods word as we may seeke to be put continually in mind of it And let vs assure our selues that it is the chiefe thing wherein we ought to occupie our selues so long as we be in this world And nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to bring vs to such repentance y t being ashamed of our selues our only seeking may be to win his fauor by fleeing to his mercy and that we may attaine thereunto by meanes of our lord Iesus Christ praying him not only to forgiue our offences past but also to correct them after such sort in vs as our whole seeking may be to obey him And that in y e meane while it may please him to guide vs by his holy spirite vntill hee haue brought vs to the full fruition of the glorie whereunto we be nowe going 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 Thursday the xxvj of September 1555. The Lxxviij Sermon which is the fifth vpon the eleuenth Chapter 22 For if ye do earnestly keepe all the commandements which I command you to doe and that you loue the Lord your God and walke in all his wayes and sticke vnto him 23 Then the Lorde will driue out all these Nations before you and yee shall possesse Nations that are greater and stronger than your selues 24 Whatsoeuer place the sole of your foote treadeth on it shal be yours Your bounds shal be from the wildernes and from Libanus and from the Riuer euen the riuer of Euphrates vnto the vttermost sea 25 No man shall be able to stand against you The Lorde your God will cast the feare and dread of you vpon the face of all the Land whereunto you go as hee hath said vnto you WE haue seene what promise Moses made to the Israelites namely y t they shold possesse y e land which was giuen them to inherite Howbeit forasmuch as their enemies might bee a stop in their way and it might well seeme that God was not yet fully minded to performe that which he had said he addeth further that that let also should be taken away
that eueÌ„ when we seeme to bee vtterly ouerwhelmed he needeth no more but to reach vs his hand and by by wee shal be aflote againe Moreouer let vs assure our selues that seeing God hath promised vs such victory against Satan and our Ghostly enemies Rom. 16.20 Eph. 6.12.13 men also shall not bee able to preuaile when they set theÌ„selues against vs but although the whole world be bent against vs and at deadly foode with vs yet ought it to suffice vs that God is fauorable to vs. For inasmuch as he hath promised that al their practises which they attempt shal be to no purpose and that he wil turne them vpside downe we may wel be quiet and tary his leasure still with patience and although we be abashed for a time and perceiue not that God intendeth to worke according to his sayings yet let vs stand stedfast in his doctrine vntil he haue shewed vs the effect of his truth That is the way for vs to despise and defie all the wicked y t seeke nothing else but to destroy vs. They be like a sort of madde dogges and when they cannot bite they wil barke They haue their throtes alwayes open and their teeth always sharpened their pawes are alwayes in a readines so as whensoeuer God letteth them loose they be crueller thaÌ„ Lyons or any other beasts Let vs sticke alwayes to this that our Lord hath taken vs into his protection and that when the wicked haue done what they can in y e end they shal be ouerthrowen and all their attempts shall come to no purpose or effect That is the thing which wee haue to remember here Notwithstanding forasmuch as it cannot but bee a trouble and vexation of minde vnto vs at altimes to see what power our enemies are of and to see howe spitefull they shew themselues against vs let vs haue recourse to that which is said here namely that God hath mens hearts in his hande And therefore be the pride of men neuer so great and their stoutnesse such as were able to make the aire and the world to tremble yet let vs assure our selues that our Lord will turne it into feare and cowardlynes so as the parties that would needes be so feared of others shall in the ende haue lesse courage than women and children For why it is God that giueth men corage and constancie and it is he that bereaueth them of it again wheÌ„ he lifteth Now then if we be fully perswaded and resolued y t our Lord bridleth mens hearts we wil not doubt but that he will alwayes giue vs victorie against our enemies and it is the point which the scripture standeth expresly vppon And to the intent wee may know that men haue not one spark of prowesse or manhood in them furtherfoorth than god giueth it them Prou. 21.1 Salomon saith expresly that the hearts of kings are in the hand of God It shoulde seeme that though all the rest of mankind be in subiection and bridled yet kinges bee exempted from the common aray for no man dares once open his lippes against them when they haue once spoken y e word by and by it must be put in execution It shold seeme therfore that they haue a prerogatiue aboue al y e world beside Yea but like as God maketh y e riuers to run here and there and turneth their streams which way he lifteth so also doth he hold y e hearts of kinges in his hand saith Salomon And what shall then become of y e little Goslings when they perke vp haue no power nor strength at al Shall we be dismayed at their threatnings The thing then wherin we must trust is our yeelding of y e honor to God which he requireth at our hands to wit y t it belongeth to him to giue men corage when they be fearefull to daunt the corages of such as areas lustie as if they had the thunder lightening at their commandement for God will so cut their combes as they shal not know where to become but be vtterly dismayed so that in steed of y e stoutnesse which they had shewed before there shal be nothing in them but weaknesse and fearefulnes After that manner must y e faithfull assure themselues For otherwise what will become of vs In what taking are we As I said afore we be hemmed in on al sides by Satan his vnderlings 1. Pet. 5.8 There is not y t minute of an houre wherin we haue not somewhat to be afraid of a thousand dangers beset vs round about therefore what will become of vs if wee be not so fully perswaded of this doctrine as to make it to serue vs for dyches rampyres to hold out al y e assalts that our enemies make vppon vs And so forasmuch as our life is full of vnquietnesse we bee threatened with many sortes of death so as wee cannot step foorth one foote but wee shall meete with some mischance or other specially considering the meanes which the diuell hath to annoy vs withal the indeuer which he putteth therunto also considering y e multitude of y e wicked whom hee driueth forward carieth headlong let vs put this lessoÌ„ in vre y t the god of hosts who hath y e victorie in his own hand is on our side wil defeÌ„d vs so as we shal not be ouercome but be preserued defended by his power Haue we this once well printed in our hearts we may go on boldly and though we see men neuer so full of pride that they spew it out agâ—in and so spitefull that they coulde finde in their hearts to eate vs vp at one bit let vs not passe for that for God will strike them in such a feare that they shal be daunted and discouraged and although wee haue neither sworde nor staffe yet shall they be vanquished by themselues not perceiue why nor how but only by Gods secret working Let vs looke vpon it experience will shew vs that God ment not to beguile vs when he behighted it vs with his own mouth But our own vnbeliefe leawdnesse suffer vs not to perceiue the thing by experience which is spokeÌ„ here We caÌ„ wel ynough make our complaints and say howe happeneth it that God giueth such prowesse to our enemies how happeneth it y t we be so cowardly and forlorne We can aske such questions wel ynough But we consider not the cause of them yet it is in our selues our enemies haue none other power than we our selues giue them and I say the same of Satan as well as of all his vnderlings For wheÌ„ we forsake our god it is good reason y t we should be disfurnished of his help and y t he should let vs alone like poore forlorne caitifs looking on either side of vs not espying any remedy to resist our enemies withal because we be bereft of y e garde and inuincible fortresse
him my image shyneth most perfectly in him which is shewed soorth in his Gospell and therfore they that are members of his bodie are made partakers of all the benefites which hee hath in him That is the way for the promises to haue their effect and force in vs and not to looke simply to the doctrine of the lawe For when God sayd I will giue you the lande to whome spake he To all the people But yet with condition if yee keepe my commandements And that was made voide As howe Because the people were disobedient and kept not couenant with God And so ye see that the whole couenant was broken so as God was set free againe and no longer bounde vnto them because it was tyed to a condition What doeth he then He sends vs a king to whome he sayeth I will giue thee the lande for thine inheritance Hee vseth the selfe same wordes that are set downe here by Moses I will giue thee the lande saith hee for thine inheritance from the wildernesse vnto mount Libanus from the riuer Euphrates to y e great sea And to whome doth God giue it To Dauid Salomon True it is that he had giuen the same land afore to all the people but the people were banished from it through their own fault And was it then but for one onely person was it the worthines of Dauid or Salomon that made God willing to giue them the thing which hee had promised to al the ofspring of Abraham No but it was because they were a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And in verie deede when the Prophets intended to assure the people of the quiet state that was promised to thē and of the inioying of the land they saide I will raise you vp a Dauid Now then Gods offering to lay foorth his riches to al men without exceptiō in his law to maintaine them withall in this present life is as if he should say whatsoeuer I haue promised to giue to the fathers of olde time belongeth to you also at leastwise if ye obey my law throughly in all points not by pieces starts But wee be so farre vnable to discharge our selues of that duetie that we fall to despising of God so as hee is faine to shewe himselfe an enemie vnto vs. That is al that we be able to win by our keeping of the lawe if we wil needes stick simply to it as I sayd afore Neuerthelesse there is this other remedie for it Whē our Lord Iesus Christ cōmeth forth reacheth vs his hande to pull vs to him then we find that he is not without cause termed the vniuersal heire of all the goods which God his father hath And his possessing of them is not for himself 〈◊〉 1. ◠17 for he is one selfesame essence w t God the father he hath bin the God of glory at all times 1. Cor. 2.8 Matt. 28.18 Phil. 2.7.9 But in this flesh of ours in our humaine nature wherewith he was clothed he was ordeyned chiefe king and the dominion of the worlde was giuen vnto him euen as wel in heauen as in earth Now then if we be once graffed into his bodie and perfectly made one with him then shall wee recouer that thing in him which we cannot obteine by our deedes deserts And then shal we see that Iesus Christ beeing raised againe vnto glorie wil of his goodnes drawe vs after him to make vs partakers of all things that he hath Furthermore the telling of this thing vnto vs is not to giue men scope to do euil but wee must marke that when God reserueth vs to himselfe to put vs in possession of his goods he doth also reforme vs by his holy spirite Yet notwithstanding all that euer we can do albeit that wee bee gouerned by God haue a good will to serue him is of no value at all if it bee esteemed of it selfe but yet for Iesus Christes sake God will accept vs and our workes and the inheritance shal abyde sure stedfast vnto vs for wee must not be afraide but that we shal attaine vnto it It is not giuen vs for our own sakes but because wee be partakers of our Lord Iesus Christ receiue the grace that he hath purchased vs so as we bee reconciled to God by his death passion in respect whereof he is mercifull to vs we be sure of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes because all our spots are washed scoured cleane away Although there bee sinnes imperfections in vs which might make vs blamable before God yet are we iustified and brought into his fauour againe when hee hath once renewed vs by his holy spirite Therfore if we go that way to work let vs not dout but the promise shal stand fast so as we shal feele the effect force of it to our saluation But in the meane while let vs not glorie in our selues for there is no matter nor cause why we should do so Now let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better yea and so to feele them as that misliking and condemning our selues for them we may submit our selues to our Lord Iesus Christ beseeching him so to reform vs by his holy spirit as Gods image may shine forth in vs and wee not faile to continue in the possession of the heritage which hee hath promised vs because it is not grounded vpon our owne workes deedes but vppon his freebestowed goodnes And moreouer let vs pray our Lord to be so gracious to vs as to giue vs such strength while wee passe through this world wherin wee haue a great sort of enemies to fight against that we may get the vpper hand of them be alwayes certified more and more y t he is neere at hand to such as call vpon him submit themselues vnto him that by y e meanes he may continually be glorified at our hands that it may appeare howe hee will alwayes vphold vs if wee fight vnder his standarde That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Fryday the xxvij of September 1555. The Lxxix Sermon which is the sixth vpon the eleuenth Chapter 26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing a curse 27 A blessing if ye obey the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you this day 28 And likewise a curse if ye obey not the commandements of the Lorde your God but turne out of the way which I cōmaunde you this day to go after strange gods which ye know not 29 And when the Lord your God shal haue brought you into the land which thou goest vnto to possesse it then shalt thou set the blessing vpon mount Garizim the curse vpon mount Eball 30 Are they not on the other side of Iordan on
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 ◠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 thēselues 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 thē 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 reasō it is y t he shonld Now he hath shewed
bâ—t also to the ende wee shoulde staye vppon them and bee so grounded vppon them that if all the troubles of the worlde shoulde rise vp against vs wee shoulde still holde our owne and continue stedfast and inuincible If this were sayd to the people of olde time which had not so large instruction by a great deale as wee haue much more dooth it belong to vs nowadayes God gaue the Iewes sufficient instruction so farre foorth as was requisite for their welfare That is true but yet did he teach them vnder shadowes and figures which maner of teaching was darkesome in comparison of that which we haue nowadayes For in the Gospell we haue the sunne of righteousnesse shining as it were at nooneday Mal. 4.2 So then Gods worde must serue vs not onely to shewe vs the right way but also to inable vs to withstand all the temptations of Satan and his vpholders We must say I be so armed as we may fight and put backe all errors and falsehood so as after we haue once knowen God we may stick to him stedfastly to the vttermost And that is the cause why Saint Paul treating of the vse of the Gospell Eph. 4.14 sayth that we must not be lyke little babes which are drawen too and fro so as we should no sooner see any trifling toye to beguile vs but we should by and by be gadding after it and what a thing were that But we must sayth he be so setled in the fayth that if there come any cousiners that goe about to leade vs by craft and to deceiue vs wee may bee fenced against them and not bee shaken by them ouersoone True it is that we must needes haue a begetting in our Lord Iesus Christ and that at the first our faith may be so weake that we shall be lyke little babes But we must growe still and dayly gather new strength vntil we come to mans estate that we be perfect to meete with our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus yee see what force the doctrine of trueth ought to haue when it is taught vs. That is to wit we must not onely count it good in consenting to it but also be so well assured of it that the diuell doe what he can may not be able to remoue vs by reason of the certeintie which wee haue whereby wee bee inabled to beate backe whatsoeuer shall be set against vs. And doubtlesse wee see by the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ that such as haue bin faithfully taught may well repulse all the wiles of Satan Matt 4.7 For when Iesus Christ was tempted wherewith armed he himselfe but with the holy Scripture Wee see that if there rise vp neuer so many false Prophets among vs yet if wee be throughly well grounded in faith setled in it as we ought to be we shal coÌ„tinue stedfast the diuell shall win nothing at our handes True it is that now then we shal find some impedimeÌ„ts for Gods seruauntes shall bee sure of trouble that serueth to humble theÌ„ but yet whatsoeuer it be their faith is alwayes the better prooued by errors heresies such other lyke thinges whereby our Lord sheweth that we haue profited well in his schoole that wee can neuer be led away vnto wickednesse whatsoeuer betideth Also we heare what Saint Paul sayth when hee armeth vs against all spirituall battels that may befall vs Eph. 6.12 16.17 hee giueth vs the sword of Gods word hee deliuereth vs the Shield of faith and hee giueth vs the helmette of hope And thereupon hee inferreth that wee shall not onely be inabled to withstand all the assaultes that Satan can make vppon vs but also bee defended from his fiery dartes when there is no lykelyhoode for vs to escape from his subtleties Now therefore whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs or that wee reade the holy scripture let vs learne not onely to receiue the thinges as true which are told vs out of the mouth of God but also to bee so fully resolued of them in our selues as we may not be trayned vnto wickednesse nor turned aside from the right way when the diuell stirreth vp any heresies And so ye see what is told vs in this text For our Lord thinkes it not enough that the faithfull should serue him and hold them to his trueth when they bee in quiet without temptation but also hee will haue them to yeeld such trust vnto his worde that if the diuell fall to sowing of his darnell to marre al and wicked men rise vp to deface the truth by al the meanes they can and to turne it into lyes such as haue learned what the true religion meaneth should not change nor be fickle and vnconstant but shewe that the thinges which they know are of God and an abiding trueth so as it is not for men to swarue or start from them in any wise Now theÌ„ let vs beare this warning wel in mind and euery of vs examine himselfe and when we haue once vnderstoode y e things y t haue bin told vs and are necessary to our saluation let vs not imagine our selues to haue a perfect and right faith as is requisite vnlesse wee bee so constant and fully resolued in the thinges that our Lorde hath shewed vs that we abide by it and followe our course still whatsoeuer come of it For whosoeuer fleeteth or starteth aside at euery matter sheweth that hee neuer knewe Iesus Christ as hee ought to doe And therefore Saint Paul in another place vseth two similitudes to shewe of what force Gods word ought to bee with vs to hold vs fast vnto him in his obedience Hee saith that wee must be throughly grounded and rooted For many haue a kinde of faith but that is but in outward shewe and appearaunce as for inwardly it hath no liuely nor deepe roote For if a man haue but a faire braunch couered with flowers to what purpose is that One blast of wind will deface it But if a tree bee well planted the roote of it will hold it fast in the middest of all stormes Euen so must wee bee rooted in our Lorde Iesus Christ and we must be throughly well grounded vppon him so as men may perceiue not onely that wee haue knowledge but also that our heartes doe yeeld record of our playne dealing And marke here the cause why so many men are so greatly hindered and indeuour no further but to purchase themselues credit among men When they come to a Sermon where the Gospell is preached for the most part they thinke they haue well profited when they can skill to talke of it and there are very feawe that haue a care to be so grounded in it as to lay it vp in their hartes that GOD may be witnesse of it there are very fewe that indeuour to atteine to that steddinesse And therefore doth God abhorre that foolish vaine gloriousnesse wherethrough men seeke but onely to win themselues
and false fellowes step vp amoÌ„g vs of purpose to deface by their suttletie the pure doctrine that hath beene preached to vs wherein we haue beene trayned vp Now first of all it is said Thou shalt not hearken to the Prophet when he sayth vnto thee Let vs go and serue other gods which thou hast not knowen It behoueth vs to wey well all these woordes of Moses For here he speaketh to al beleeuers He speakes not only to the great doctors that haue beene at the Vniuersitie all their life long but also to the vnlearned Although then that we be no clerks yet let vs learne that we must haue this constancie of faith of not following the wyles of Satan to bee withdrawen from our God when he hath beene so gracious vnto vs as to communicate himselfe to vs. Wee must not say Alas I haue no learning nor finenesse of witte to be so cunning euery man hath not like measure I graunt that euery man is not of abilitie to enter into disputation against sophisters and against such as are full fraught with malice to deceiue y e simple but yet all men from the moste to the least ought to haue this inuincible stedfastnes of sticking vnto God and his trueth when they once knowe it There is no excuse in that case For it is not in vaine that God hath set downe this generall law for all his Church And it is certaine also that he will giue vs power so wee resort to him and seeke to him for succour For what is y e cause why so many folke are seduced but onely their own fond presumption or their negligence or else their contempt of Gods worde For yee shall see some stand so much in their owne conceits as to their own seeming no man is able to ouermatch them and yet for all that they are but sillie beastes Our Lorde therefore doth blow away their pride as men may perceiue and experience sheweth that God punisheth many folkes pride which had too great an ouerweening of themselues Now theÌ„ what is to be done Let vs humble our selues pray God to gouern vs so by his holy spirit to giue vs such wise doÌ„e as wee may not bee taken tardie when the diuel goes about to make a breach into vs to enter at If we goe y t way to worke let vs assure our selues that God will guide vs and that wee shall neuer be caught in Satans snares But there are many that keepe on their race without care as though they were priuiledged from all dangers But let vs for our part keepe good watch and haue such a care to warde our selues as the deceiuers wheÌ„ they come may not finde vs asleepe And that will so bee if wee beare such reuerence to Gods worde as wee acknowledge it to bee the preciousest treasure that we haue For if a man make so little reckening of a thing that he leaue it at al aduenture the first that commeth may robbe him of it but as for him y t locketh vp his goods specialy those that are the chiefe and which he counteth to bee most worth he cannot bee so bereft of them And therefore let vs put our faith in good custodie and be so warie in the keping of it as it may appeare that we haue it in such estimation as it deserueth for it is an inestimable treasure Thus yee see what wee haue to note here where Moses speaketh to all such as had tasted what Gods lawe is exempting no man from standing stâ—â—tly in battaile and defence against the lyes and sleyghts of Satan Nowe hee addeth If he say vnto thee Let vs followe strange gods which thou hast not knowen This serueth to shewe vs who bee false prophets For God telleth vs that wee cannot withstande the wyles of Satan without the knowledge of the trueth that is the onely meane And no maruel though the wretched worlde nowadayes be allured to destruction for Gods worde is as it were buryed and when men are destitute of that light it is certaine that they bee in horrible darknesse so as they cannot but stumble stray here and there because they haue no certaine aime at any thing But here our Lorde declareth that wee must bee instructed in his worde and thereunto also is this saying after a sort referred For hee presupposeth that wee bee in a good trade alreadie and that wee knowe the way of saluation accordingly as Moses wil protest hereafter Deut. 30.15 19. saying I haue shewed you the way of life and the way of death Nowe therefore whensoeuer wee will resist false Prophets and their lyes let vs take to vs the doctrine of trueth And that is the cause why it is saide The gods which thou hast not knowen For in this case wee must match the liuing God whome wee haue knowen against all the ydolles which the worlde hath forged to it selfe For God speaketh not to such as neuer heard nor vnderstood any thing of him before but to such as he had giuen his lawe vnto whome hee had set in the right way and to whome hee had giuen an infallible rule When hee hath so fenced men aforehande then sayeth hee vnto them Beware that yee followe not the gods whome yee haue not beene acquainted with To be short then it is shewed vs that this doctrine concerneth such as haue beene duely instructed in the faith Will wee beate backe all Satans deuices Let vs haue the skill to say It is God that hath certified vs hee is a faithfull witnesse to vs wee neede not to be in dout or vncertaintie any more or to cast doutes or to say What Which way shall we goe We may well assure our selues that this is the way that is the thing which wee must stay vppon That in effect is the order which wee haue to keepe according as it is shewed vs in this text But let vs marke also that wee must haue our eares so stopped as we may vtterly mislike whatsoeuer may cause vs to swarue to the contrarie of those things which we haue learned by Gods worde For as soone as wee giue eare to them by and by wee be halfe corrupted according to this similitude which Saint Paul alleageth in the seconde to the Corinthians that when a woman giueth eare to a bawde or a Ruffian 2. Cor. 〈…〉 3. although shee consent not to him out of hande yet is shee alreadie peruerted and it is already an euill token For if a woman bee chaste and shamefast shee will in any wise shunne all such messages as may be brought to her to intyce her to follie and to make her to breake wedlocke Shee must eschewe such manner of thinges Nowe Saint Paul sayeth that as long as wee abyde in the simplicitie of the Gospell wee bee as a chaste wife that keepeth her faith troth to her husbande and that our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath made such couenant with vs to choose vs to bee of his
bodie taketh and receiueth vs for his owne But if wee hearken to the lyes and trumperies that are brought vnto vs and wee refuse not to learne what Darnell is it is an euill signe and wee bee corrupted alreadie And therefore let vs beare well in minde that wee ought so little to consent â—o false prophets as wee shoulde not in any wise giue eare vnto them but shunne them a farre off as soone as wee perceiue that they goe about to deceiue vs and to entyce vs to naughtinesse And to say the trueth this cursed curiositie hath beene the cause of many mennes destruction For it seemeth to many high minded persons that all thinges should passe the tryall of their wit and that when they haue sifted things after their owne imagination they may followe whatsoeuer they themselues thinke good for they bee able ynough to discerne the trueth of all thinges But when our Lorde findeth such ouerboldnesse in them hee putteth them to confusion The trueth is that they would so inquire of all things as nothing might escape them in so much as they could finde in their hearts to mingle Mahomets Alcoran and all the dotages of the Heathen and all the superstitions of the Papists with the purenesse of y e Gospell and to make a medly of them that wheÌ„ they had well clowted them together in their owne brayne they might saye This is the thing that is good But our Lorde as I saide afore cannot abyde that men shoulde trust so to their owne wittes And againe on the other side hee cannot abide such iniurie to bee done to his worde as that it shoulde bee matched with the wyles of Satan so as it might bee sayde now will I choose what liketh mee best It is too high a mounting for men to make themselues iudges and vmpers of Gods trueth which the Angels do honour with all reuerence Needes therefore must such men fall into horrible destruction And therfore let vs beware that wee brydle our selues so as our mindes wander not out into fond curiositie And as soone as wee perceiue that y e diuel goes about to falsifie Gods pure trueth let vs stop our eares and not harken to any such thing but vtterly abhorre it Now moreouer Moses sayth That although the false prophets shewe some signe or myracle the same commeth to passe yet must not men giue eare vnto theÌ„ Here he sheweth that we must haue such constaÌ„cie and stedfastnesse in our faith as it may not bee ouerthrowen though there bee neuer so great occasion of stumbling As for example if there bee such an illusion of Satan that a false-prophet say vnto vs such a thing shall come to passe and it commeth to passe in deede then are wee at our wittes end and it is ynough to ouerthrowe our whole building though it were neuer so well builded vnlesse God worke on our side aboue the power of mans abilitie But yet howsoeuer the world go Gods trueth must be of such force with vs as to holde vs backe against al such temptation so as if the diuel bring any illusion he may not gaine any thing at our handes nor preuaile against vs. And let vs marke that before that Moses saith so he giueth vs a sure declaration of false prophets that is to say of such as go about to turne vs from the true God whome were haue once knowen and would wrap vs in wicked superstitions wherin there is no reason If any such thing befall vs no maruel though our Lorde will haue vs to resist all that euer the diuel putteth to vs to bleare our eyes withal yea euen though there bee false miracles in so much that although all that the false prophet or deceiuer foretelleth do come to passe yet must wee not be led away by it We see then in effect what the meaning of Moses is that we must be so well fenced by gods worde that although the diuell rush against vs with neuer so great violence and worke all the meanes he can to beguyle vs yet we must not be ouercome but our faith must be as a wel garded fortresse that notwithstanding any assault or any battrie made against vs yet it may warde all blowes and bee able to saue it selfe from beeing vanquished by any enemies And now let vs marke that if God sende such false miracles it is not to intrap those that are his but to punish such as haue not beleeued the Gospel 2. Thes. 2.12 as Saint Paul speaketh thereof in the seconde to the Thessalonians And therefore doth Moses also adde Then is it Gods will to try thee whether thou louest him with all thy heart all thy soule or no. It is a saying that deserueth to be wel marked For first Moses doeth vs to vnderstande that such thinges happen not without the ordinance of God and secondly hee sheweth the ende or reason wherefore namely that the faithfull may haue wherewith to bee confirmed knowing well that God will giue them constancie to holde out though the temptation be neuer so rough and violent Those are the two thinges which wee haue to remember here First it is sayd God tryeth thee Hereby hee sheweth that Satan hath no power ouer vs nor can sowe any wicked weedes further foorth than God giueth him leaue And that is a verie needefull thing for vs to marke For were wee perswaded that the doore were open for Satan and that all errours might spring vp at all aduenture and that God ouer ruled them not alas what a thing were it For wee see howe mad the diuel is to ouerthrowe all trueth wee see with what furie hee goes to worke when hee is to fight against the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ and we see what spite hee beareth to our saluation And therefore things would go too much to hauocke if God wrought not to hinder Satan of his full scope that hee might not set vp his lyes among vs. Wherefore let vs vnderstande that whensoeuer there is any trouble diuision or diuersitie of opinion in the Church the same happeneth not at all aduenture but God worketh from aboue and ouerruleth the whole matter according to this protestation of Moses Thy God tryeth thee Yee see then that by knowing that God holdeth vs vnder his hande wee bee assured that no errours or abuses can haue accesse vnto vs vnlesse so farre foorth as our Lorde giue them accesse And marke it for a speciall point to the ende wee thinke not that the diuel reigneth at his owne pleasure and doeth all thinges as it were whether God will or no for hee must bee faine to haue leaue of his master And nowe let vs come to that which Moses addeth concerning the ende and reason why God doeth it For wee may thinke it strange What That God shoulde trye vs That errors shoulde bee saide to come so of God Then is hee the author of lying Againe doeth God stirre vp the diuell vnto euill Then might wee
so long despised God that in the ende their shame was of necessitie to bee discouered They protested sufficiently that their desire was to haue the Gospell but that was the gospell of Mahomet to turne all thinges vpside downe and to bring all things to confusion For the worlde hath seene howe farre they ouershot themselues insomuch that they tooke parte against God and his word Nowe sith wee haue such examples let vs learne to liue in feare and warinesse and alwayes come backe to that which is tolde vs here that is to wit that it is not without cause that our Lorde sayeth that hee tryeth and examineth such as were disguized afore and that when hee suffereth false prophets to bee stirred vp by Satan to sowe their darnell among vs it is to trye vs whether wee loue him with all our heart or no. And therefore let vs proceede more and more in the feare of our God accordingly as it is said here that wee must serue him and obey his holy commaundementes not douting but that hee will make vs to get the vpper hande in al assaults and conflictes wherewith wee be assayled so as wee shal be sure of the victorie because hee will fight for vs. Nowe 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 wee may not proceede to prouoke his wrath through our vnthankfulnesse but that seeing he hath giuen vs the infinite treasure of his holy worde whereby wee haue full assurance of our saluation wee may imbrace it with all reuerence and liue in such purenesse of heart before him as hee may bestowe his riches more and more vppon vs make vs partakers of them and that wee may walke the whole race of our life after such sort in his obedience as wee may moreouer resist all our enemies and by the power of the spirituall sworde of his worde and of the shield of faith beate backe all the assaultes that shal be made vppon vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Saturday the xij of October 1555. The Lxxxvij Sermon which is the second vpon the thirteenth Chapter 2.3 And the signe or miracle c. 4 Yee shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him and keepe his commaundements and obey his voyce and serue him and sticke to him 5 But that Prophet or dreamer of dreames shal bee put to death for hee hath spoken to turne you from the Lorde your God which hath brought you out of the lande of Egypt and deliuered you from the house of bondage and to thrust thee out of the way which the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee to walke in And so shall you ridde away the euill from among you WEe sawe yesterday wherefore God giueth the brydle to Satan in such wise that hee soweth many errours and corruptions not onely in the worlde but also in the Church For it is good reason that our faith should be tryed to weete whether we liue in vprightnesse soundnes and loue before our God or whether there bee any faynednesse in vs. And there is not a truer tryall thereof than when wee come to the incounter to know whether Gods trueth ought to bee inuincible against all erroures and leasings And therefore let it not offende vs when wee see him sowe darnell but let vs bethinke vs of that which is sayde here namely that our Lorde wil search vs to the harde bottome whether wee beare reuerence to his worde in good earnest and vnfeynedly or no. Not that hee knoweth not welynough what wee bee for it is not for himselfe that hee doeth it but to the ende that our faith should shewe it selfe and that there shoulde be true record thereof Nowe moreouer it is tolde vs that wee must followe Gods worde and hearken to him that wee may serue him and sticke to him And this is still to shewe vs that which I haue declared afore namely that wee can neuer bee at any stay vnlesse wee knowe well what God it is whome wee worship For if wee bee in dout there needeth nothing to shake vs downe as wee see by experience Therefore let vs learne to profite so in our Gods schoole as wee may not bee remoued by false doctrines but may haue wherwith to withstande the sleightes of Satan as was declared more at large yesterday But let vs goe backe againe to this saying that although the false Prophet haue giuen some signe or foretolde some wonder and the same thing is come to passe yet notwithstanding wee must hold our owne still Here it might be demaunded whether the diuell can prophesie or no. I stande not much vppon that it is not materiall but I haue aunswered before that GOD is aboue him and that it is his will that his Church shoulde liue in warrefare to the ende that the faith of all his might be exercised Then if a deceiuer foretell a thing and the same fal out in deede it is not to bee saide but that GOD hath giuen him the brydle Therefore it is not for vs to trouble entraunce into vs but also as Saint Paul sayth to bee diligent in purging of Gods Churche from them Gal. 5.9.12 Tit. 3.10 that such a plague be not nourished among vs. And truely if wee knewe our owne frailtie and considered well on the other side what Sathan is able to doe against vs it is certaine that wee woulde stande more vppon our garde than we be wont to doe Trewe it is as I haue sayde alreadie that wee woulde fayne repose and staye our selues vppon GOD so as we might not minister any occasion to Satan to beguyle vs and surely if wee through our owne fonde desire of seeking lyes did not cast ourselues into Sathans snares wee shoulde be sure that GOD woulde alwayes preserue vs. But forasmuch as we bee too too weake and Sathan needes no more but to holde vppe his finger to vs to carrie vs out of hande from the right way of saluation in respect thereof wee ought so much the more to seeke the remedies whereby to preuent the mischiefe Againe let vs consider what Satan is able to doe Iohn 12.31 He is the prince of this worlde and therefore wee shall soone be ouertaken by him the rather if wee be slothfull carelesse or negligent Then is it not without cause that our Lorde warneth vs to take so good order as such a plague may not lurke among vs that is to wit that wee may not haue deceiuers to beguile the simple and to marre them by turning them from the pure trueth For it is a likelihoode that wee woulde faine bee turned away from GOD when wee giue the mischiefe such scope If there were a breach in our towne wall and our enemies were at hand or that wee were alreadie beseeged so as wee looked for the
vp eueÌ„ so willeth he vs to haue lampes in our hands to shew y t there is neither night nor day for y e faithfull to make tarience therefore y t euen in the middes of darknes we must haue light euen the spirituall light to guide vs that we must haue the one foote alwaies lifted vp to y e intent we be not taken vnawares when he commeth but y t we haue minded our way aforehand to go stil foreward to meete w t him Ye see then y t the way to communicate aright w t our Lord Iesus Christ y t we may bee partakers of the sacrifice which he hath offered is to make none accouÌ„t of y e world nor to haue any loue vnto it but to seeke y e inheritance y t is aboue to coÌ„municate so one with another here beneath as it may bee a meane to make vs draw the neerer vnto God And so wee see y t although y e figures of y e law continue not any longer yet the truth of them abideth with vs and it behoueth vs to put the same in vre And hereby we be yet better informed of the thing y t I haue touched already which is that the profit which redoundeth to vs by y e death passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is much better knowen beautifullier seene of vs by laying it to the auncient figure by considering how y e things y t were set forth darkly at y t time are nowe fulfilled to y e sight of the eye And like as it behoueth vs to communicate with our Lorde Iesus Christ so let vs mark also y t God giueth vs a help euen at this day in y e Sacrament of y e Lordes supper bicause of our rudenes infirmitie True it is as I haue touched alreadie y t our communicating with our Lord Iesus Christ must not bee only a thrise or foure times a yeere but continually all our life long Yet notwithstaÌ„ding we haue neede to be quickened vp bicause we come not to it with such strength as were requisite Therefore like as y e fathers of old time had the Pascall Lamb so hath y e sonne of God left vs his supper to be a helpe to vs to guide vs vnto him Will we then be partakers of y e supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ Let vs vnderstand y t according as I haue auouched before wee must rid our selues of all malice guile forsake the world True it is y t the Hyporcrits do thrust themselues in among y e faithfull come to defile the table of y e sonne of God but what carie they theÌ„ce but vtter cursednes Therefore let vs keepe our selues froÌ„ being guiltie of such a treacherie consider that if it behoued a man to be circumcised in olde time ere he might eate of the Pascal Lamb â—â—od 12.44 it behooueth vs also at this day to be separated to the seruice of our God to be first made holy And we know y t we ought to be circumcised euen at this day howbeit not by mans hand but by inwarde reformation of minde accordingly as S. Paule saith therof in the second Chapter to y e Colossians 〈◊〉 â— 11 y t whatsoeuer is of our flesh must bee cut off for there is nothing in it but sinne corruption Now theÌ„ y t we may come to y e holy supper of our Lord Iesus Christ haue there y e warrant which he giueth vs y t we be members of his body let vs looke y t we circumcise our hearts For the figure is abolished but yet haue wee the accomplishment of all things in our Lord Iesus Christ. Moreouer let vs come to y e chief point which is y t our Lord Iesus Christ is named our Passouer For by him must we be deliuered not out of the land of Egypt but out of the dungeons of death and we must passe a passage that were vnpossible for vs if God drew vs not with his owne hand by his own wonderfull power For we be al borne the children of wrath and we should rot in our miserie if god pitied vs not reached vs not his hand And that man beguileth himselfe which thinketh himselfe able to leape out of the myre wherin he is plunged It is the office of our Lord Iesus Christ to draw vs out froÌ„ thence according to this saying of S. Iohns in his viii chapter Iohn 8.36 If y e sonne of god make you free theÌ„ shal you be free Wherby he sheweth vs that euen from our very comming out of our mothers wombes we be in y e cursed thraldom of sin death shold continue therin vnto the end if we were not set free from it by him which not without cause hath taken vpon him the title of passouer to shew y t it is his office to set vs free as I said afore And heereby we must learn to presume nothing of our selues but to consider that we must think our selues beholden to the sonne of god for all things that he may bee magnified all those diuelish opinions of free will of power ability to prepare our selues to doe good beaten downe so as we may know y t as long as God suffereth vs to follow our owne swindge we shall alwayes abide fast tyed in the chaines of the diuel of death And therfore let vs yeeld our lord Iesus Christ his dew honour which is y t we acknowledge him to bee the partie which hath set vs free And herew tall let vs marke further y t when we bee graffed into his body it is not for vs to serue sin Rom. 6.5.6 For to be graffed into the body of our Lord Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding to serue Sathan are two things as contrary as fire and water Nowe then if wee intend not to disfeate the power of the sonne of God to bereaue him of his office we must be in liberty to serue god And let vs not think y t he ment to beguile vs in telling vs that that office beloÌ„geth vnto him But it becommeth vs on our part to offer our selues vnto him not to maintain willingly the cursed bondage wherin we be For the very cause why men perish therin is that they sooth themselues and fall asleepe in it and come not frankly to Iesus Christ. Now then let vs note y t y e true mark of our Christendom is y t we be in freedom to do good y t we haue a pure free wil to dedicate our selues to god Not that we can do it perfectly so long as we be in this world for we see how S. Paul who had profited far aboue a nomber of other men Rom 7.14.23 mourneth and confesseth that he is stil held as a captiue in part but for y t the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ must neuerthelesse worke so farre in vs as wee may not bee held
false Prophets shall be condemned yea euen because of their proud presūptuous 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 exāple 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 thē wherfore do we preach yea that continually day by day To the ende y ◠the scripture should be well vnderstood that it should be applyed to our vse that men might know how to benefit thēselues 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 cōmission 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 commēdable deuotion to be so brutish as to receiue all y t euer is put vnto thē 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 thē at their pleasure Ye see thē 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 thēselues 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 thēselues 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 coūted 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
shoulde so beare malice to the guiltlesse partie For what could he require of him Lyeth it in man to ouerrule the things that come to passe by Gods prouidence which is hidden to vs Are wee able to withstande it Needs then must it be too spitefull hartburning and malice that should so moue a man to wrath against the partie that neither intended nor thought any euil But although this commeth of infirmitie and of sinne yet hath our Lorde voutsafed to remedie that inconuenience And so wee see that the lawes serue not to bring men to perfection I meane the politike lawes that are made for ciuill gouernement They serue not to stablishe perfect holinesse among vs but to remedie the vices whereunto we be inclined Because wee bee not throughly clensed our Lorde is faine to set barres about vs to the intent that if our hearts incline to naughtinesse our handes may bee withhelde from performing the naughtie desires that we haue conceiued in our mindes Gods lawe is giuen vs to rule our hearts and minds by For our Lorde not only commaundeth vs to absteine from all euill 〈◊〉 7.7 but also will haue our soules ruled altogether by his wil I meane the moral lawe or ten commaundementes which I haue expounded heretofore But as touching the earthly policie or outwarde gouernement we must vnderstand that Gods intent was to bring his people to honestie that there might be good order among them and yet for all that he restreined their affections that they might not come to effect As for example in this place if we were required to shew what were euery mans dutie and what he ought to do it might be said that when a man hath giuen a blowe with his hand vnwittingly so as the same be sufficiently verified thē the next friend or kinsman must not steppe to reuenge it for in so doing he offendeth God in two sorts first in setting vppon the partie that hath not done him any harme by his will and secondly in fathering that thing vppon a mortall man which God had ordeined by his owne secret prouidence After that maner would God speake if hee ment to bring vs to a perfect doctrine But when he maketh a positiue lawe he thinks it ynough to say that men should haue an eye to the inconueniences that may insue and preuent them and not tarie till the harme be done but eschew it aforehand and shut the doore against all occasions In like case is it whē a manslaughter is committed the offender must get him out of the way and saue himselfe in one of y e Cities of refuge that the next kinsmā which is desirous of reuenge haue none occasion to do it but that all further stryking may bee layde aside and the pursuer preace not into the citie to followe the rage of his choler but that the offender may be pardoned so as if there bee any fault in him the same may bee borne withal and furthermore that the partie which is so dealt with may liue in safetie according as it is sayd in another place that those cities of refuge should belong to the Leuites thereby to shew that God had appointed them there to bee as protectors of such as came thither for succor 〈◊〉 35.6 so as if any body came to pursue the quarel against the offender the Priests and the Leuites should set themselues against him and take vpon them y e protection of the partie Thus much concerning that text Now to bee shorte wee haue to gather hereof that God meant not to make such Fraunchises as are deuised in the Popedome For to their seeming God is well honored when a murtherer a theefe or a robber taketh sanctuarie in a Church so as the officer of Iustice may not bee bolde to lay handes vppon him In deede it is an auntient superstition but yet it ceaseth not for all that to be euill For God neuer meant to hallowe his temple after that fashion True it is that such as were in daunger were woont to flee for succor to his Temple but yet it booted not the parties that were guiltie It serued for such as being wrongfully pursued by their enemies thought that the reuerence of God might appease the wrath of their pursuers and therefore they fled into the Temple But yet for all that the offenders escaped not vnpunished neither was it any let that they receiued not a punishment according to their desertes As for example Salomon sware that although Adonias had caught holde of the hornes of the altar of the Temple 1. Kin. 1.52 yet should hee be taken thence and put to death Salomon was not so blind that the reuerence of the Temple coulde make him to let the partie scape vnpunished that had deserued it For why It is a mocking and scorning of God when his Iustice is displaced or disappoynted vnder pretence of his name and Maiestie Beholde God commaundeth vs to punish murthers and robberies and yet we will make him a bolsterer of them in so much that if a cutthroate get him into a Church hee must bee preserued there from the hand of Iustice for the honor of God and so God should be contrarie to himselfe Nowe then the bringing vp of such Fraunchises in the Popedome was a fondnesse I meane before such time as the tyrannie thereof confounded thinges in such sorte as wee see they be nowe and it was done of wicked superstitiō True it is that in old time there were certaine kinds of priuiledges but they were but for the poorer sort that were vexed out of measure As for example if a bondman were cruelly handled by his maister hee might flee for refuge to some image To say the trueth the Emperors made themselues idols in so dooing but yet the end whereunto it was done was not euil For thereby their case came to examination If a maister would needes cut his bondseruants throate or misuse him without cause he was compelled to sell him away and to take mony for him and so the innocent was deliuered from death But the sanctuaries that were deuised among Christians was a peruerting of all ciuill order and equitie among men And in very deede our Lorde helde skorne of that fond kinde of deuotion and shewed by the effect that hee mislyked it For in olde time they that tooke Sanctuarie in Churches were those that neuer came at Sermons Wee see howe complayntes haue bin made thereof by the auntient doctors that haue written thirteene hundred yeeres ago For thus doe they say As for them that take sanctuarie here among vs they bee none of those whome wee knowe they bee none of those whome wee see dayly they bee none of those whome wee take for our disciples and which come hither to receiue Gods Doctrine none of that sort do euer take sanctuarie among vs. Who bee they then that are desirous to inioy the priuiledges of the Church Vnthriftes despisers of God and dayly haunters of Tauernes and
scarre their enimies withall Woulde they euer haue gone that way to worke if they had not all of them beene certainly perswaded in their heartes after this manner It is GOD that gouerneth and directeth vs and therefore if wee goe foreward according to his wil shal we doubt y t he is not able to succour vs at our neede and to discomfite the infinite multitude of the Madianites when they shall set themselues against vs So then let vs marke howe our Lordes intent was to shewe hereby that all such as goe a warfare must marche as it were vnder his standard and put their trust in him and that the stoutnesse which he requireth in them must bee as a record of their faith Nowe let vs apply this to our owne vse In deede this doctrine ought to be put in vre nowadaies by the princes that cal themselues Christians And when they goe a warfare they should consider first what reason mooues them theretoo whether their warres bee rightfull or no and then ought they to followe the order which GOD sheweth them heere But they seeke no further noweadayes than to blynde themselues with vaine ouerweening In deede when they goe to their warres they make processions to their Idolles But all is but flat mockerie I meane euen of their superstitions wherin they bee as deuoute as they that knowe no diuinitie at all For wee see howe they bee blynded in their couetous desires and all their trust is in their owne force and furniture They haue thus many footemen thus many horsemen thus much artillerie such and such intelligence such and such alyances and such and such I wote not what True it is that all these things are necessarie for the warres but yet ought they to begin at another ende which is to walke in the feare of God and to rest vppon that poynt and to referre themselues to him that hath all power in him and not to stay vppon their owne strengthes but to waite altogether vppon God who giueth the victorie But there is none of all this Nowe haue wee a more generall doctrine in that wee bee all souldiers of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that our state is such that we must fight not for one day onely but all the tyme of our lyfe Wee cannot serue our GOD otherwyse than by fighting Sith it is so let vs apply this doctrine to our instruction As how Let vs take an exposition of it out of the hundred and tenth Psalme Psal. 110.3 It is sayde there that in the day of the Musters which the King shall make whom GOD hath set ouer vs that is to say our Lorde Iesus Christ the people shall come vnto him willingly and with a free courage The marke then which Dauid attributeth to all Christians whereby they may be knowen to bee Christes good souldyers and bee auowed to bee of his armie and company is that they must present and offer themselues to him with a pure and free heart not as folke that come by constraynt or inforced as slaues but as they that offer vp and dedicate themselues wholly to him That is the true practising of this doctrine I meane as in respect of all priuate persons In deede this doctrine ought to beare sway among the faithfull in the necessitie of warre and without that it were better for them to suffer their throates to be cut a hundred tymes than once to drawe a sworde in their owne defence vnlesse they goe to it with a pure conscience acknowledging after this manner God alloweth and admitteth vs and for as much as we fight vnder his guydance hee will surely bee on our side If a man haue not this it were better for him a hundred thousand times to perish than to stirre one finger towardes the sauing of his lyfe as it were in despite of GOD hauing no leaue nor licence of him to doe it Therefore in necessitie of warre the faythfull shoulde bee armed with this doctrine of strengthening themselues in GOD and of calling vppon his name without doubt or feare 1. Pet. 5.8 Rom. 8.7 But wee as I sayde afore haue a continuall warfare all our lyfe long bycause Satan neuer ceasseth and wee haue sinne fighting against vs yea and euen within vs. We neede not goe farre to incounter with our enemyes for looke howe many thoughtes and affections wee haue in our nature so many enemyes haue we against GOD which procure the destruction of our soules Then standeth vs it in hande to bee disposed to fight And how may that bee doone If wee knowe not the succour that GOD vouchsafeth to giue vs surely wee shall bee put to the foyle at euery turne For why How great is our weakenesse as I saide afore Needes must wee bee astraught or rather vtterly blockish for wee are not able to make any resistaunce Besides this our enemie is Prince of the world Eph. 6.12 Rom. 7.14 sinne holdeth vs as it were in his bondes and cordes and wee cannot scape from him except GOD set vs free So then let vs learne that our Lorde calleth vs to himselfe to the ende wee should bee confirmed and fight valiauntly vppon assurance of his helpe But doe wee so Can wee call vppon our GOD Can wee assure our selues that hee will assist vs Wee ought to resort vnto him with a pure and free heart and to choose to be beseeged with infinite perilles and to indure sore assaultes rather than to bee at rest and to haue him farre from vs so as hee should not bee our head nor our Lorde Iesus Christ be our King Therefore although it bee a hard and painfull state to the fleshe yet let vs choose this condition namely to fight vnder Christes Standard and to appeare at the day of his musters rather than to sit idle at home and to doe him no seruice Nowe this day of musters is all the tyme of our life yea and also of our death For looke howe oft we be exercised by diuers temptations so oft doth Iesus Christ make his musters in vs. It is not for naught that Saint Paule sayth hee was set as vppon a scaffould to bee seene by the Angels of paradise 2. Cor. 4.9 Hee speaketh of himselfe and of his companions But yet doth the same concerne euery one of vs namely that GOD will haue vs to bee heere as it were to make our musters before the Angels of heauen that we might knowe that his looking so narrowly to vs after that manner is to the end wee should shew good example one to another Seeing it is so let vs learne to offer our selues to God with such obedience as wee may bee accounted of the number and company which Dauid speaketh of in the fore-alleaged text that is to wit of such as offer themselues to their King with a free courage vnconstrained and not forced Nowe then forasmuch as the state of the Church is a warfare we know that first of all it standeth vs
hee commaundeth all to be burnt and wasted that there may not so much as one graine of corne be lefte Yea but thereby the poore people are starued There is no remedie nothing must bee spared but all thinges must be borne down to the intent I may reigne like a conquerour Needes must God bee forgotten when men proceede so farre Wee neede not to go seeke examples of threescore yeares hence neither neede wee to heare our auncetors speake For we haue seene as much within these last twentie yeares and not farre hence And the mischiefe not onely continueth but also increaseth still For why they bee the fruits of the contempt of Gods worde So a Prince doe shriue himselfe and bee assoyled and make a Crosse vpon his backe it is ynough Hee shall haue Ceremonies ynowe When hee hath performed a sort of counterfaite seruices hee is quite and cleane assoyled But if a man shoulde come and shewe him his dutie by Gods worde hee cannot abide to heare of it To be tolde what he oweth first vnto God and then vnto men hee can abide much lesse To bee tolde after what manner he ought to take warres in hand and howe hee should holde himselfe within his bounds and listes without attempting any further than God giueth him leaue he can no skil at all it were a derogation to his maiestie it is ynough for him to mocke GOD with a sort of pelting trifles as though hee were to please a young babie But let vs on our side consider what is Lawfull for vs and not meddle with those which prouoke Gods wrath and curse vppon their heades after that fashion And seeing that God hath ridde vs from so great confusions let vs yeelde him thankes and not followe them any more least we prouoke his vēgeance to bee the more horrible against vs. Nowe howsoeuer the worlde goe although wee bee priuate persons yet must wee put this lesson in vre of not making any waste forsomuch as wee knowe that our Lorde hath appointed the earth to bee as our foster mother And seeing shee openeth her bowels after that sort to sustaine vs wee must vnderstande that it is all one as if God shoulde reach vs his hand and offer vs the testimonies of his goodnesse If wee bee of that minde then will this doctrine auaile vs not onely in time of warre but also in time of peace And would God that it were well regarded But nowadayes men are set altogether vppon euill doing Insomuch that although wee haue our eares beaten dayly with such matters yet wee minde them not whereof the examples are too euident Yea and there are which had leuer that their corne shoulde bee marde in their Garners and bee eaten with vermine and rotte where it lyeth rather than to sell it in time of neede For they coulde finde in their heartes to hungerstarue the poore people And is not that all one with cutting vp the fruite trees Behold the corne is gathered in and our Lorde hath powred out his goodnesse and blessing to the ende that the poore folke shoulde bee susteyned Nowe it is hoorded vp in Garners and it is kept fast vnder locke and kay till it rise to so great a price that folke crie out for hunger and are no longer able to abide it And what becomes of the Corne in the meane whyle It foysteth and rotteth Indeede our Lord doth nowe and then mocke them that thought them selues to haue gained much and shewe them that that is not the way to doe it But yet for all that they to the vtter most of their power doe burie Gods grace as though they fought against the goodnesse and fatherly loue which hee vttered towards all the people And in so doing they peruert the whole order of nature as if they went to cut downe and to destroy the fruitebearing trees What is to bee done then Seeing that our Lorde woulde haue a certaine humanitie to bee obserued euen among enemies forasmuch as it behooueth vs to liue fellowlike together in peace and brotherly loue let vs looke that wee endeuour to liue in concorde and friendshippe as much as in vs lyeth And when God shall haue bestowed his spirituall giftes vppon vs which are much preciouser than all the worldly thinges which wee can receiue let vs indeuour to make our neighbours parteners with vs and not through our malice disappoint them of the good which God doeth vnto them For if wee ought to behaue our selues with such discretion in the vse of temporall benefites what ought wee to doe in the spirituall blessings which concerne the saluation of our soules Then let vs learne not to stubbe vp the fruitetrees But rather seeing that Gods worde is the seede of life let vs indeuour to spreade it abroade euerie where that it may take good roote And that when it hath taken roote it may not bring foorth a barren tree but a tree that beareth good fruite Thus yee see what wee haue to gather of this text if wee intende to profite our selues duly thereby yea euen in such wise that although wee be not in warres yet notwithstanding forasmuch as GOD hath chosen vs for his people hee hath shewed vs heere such a point of vprightnesse as ought to continue with vs all our life long Nowe let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as we may be y e better setled in true repentaunce and that therewithall wee may mourne and mislike of ourselues when wee see the infirmities that are in vs and pray our good GOD to vouchsafe to holde vs in awe that although wee see the worlde nowadayes to bee vtterly out of order and our selues horriblie beset rounde about with al manner of stumblingblockes yet wee may bee helde still vnder his banner to followe him whithersoeuer hee listeth to call vs that by that meanes hee may bee glorified in vs and wee also rightly glory in him for that wee be his people and hee hath shouled vs out to doe him seruice That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant people from the superstitions and ydolatries wherein they are helde that so hee may leade them to the knowledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it would please him c. On Saturday the xxj of December 1555 The Cxx. Sermon which is the first vpon the one and twentith Chapter WHen a bodie is found slaine lying vpon the ground in the Land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee to possesse and it is not knowen who killed him 2 Then shall thine Elders and Iudges come foorth and measure the Townes that lye rounde about the slaine man 3 And when they perceiue which of the Townes is nearest to the slaine man then shall the Elders of that towne take a young Hekfar from the
right in this case is equall and mutuall as I haue shewed afore And so yee see what we haue at this day to obserue namely that euery man ought to consider that the vocation which hee hath of God is such a yoke as he may not seeke to shake off For it is the cheefe and principall seruice which wee can render vnto God all our whole lifetime to haue an eye vnto that which he requireth of vs and when hee hath set vs in some estate and calling to doe that which belongeth vnto our dewtie and that euery one yeelde himselfe obedient in all humblenesse to say hath God called me vnto this ende I must frame my selfe thereunto without any reply or gainsaying Therefore when we bee of a milde and gentle disposition submitting our selues vnto y e will of our God therein say I consisteth the principall seruice which he liketh and desireth And without this al our vertues are nought else in his sight but doung and filthynesse Nowe seeing it is so let vs consider as touching mariage what the calling of God is and what maner of Law or what yoke he layeth on the neck of man to wit that he liue quietly with his wife bearing with those infirmities which are in her be a companion to liue and to die with hir and that the wife lykewise submit herselfe with all humblenes vnto her husband so as they nourish and maintaine peace one with the other Thus ye see how God may bee honoured and howe his grace also and his blessing may dwell and abide in a familie And if a woman bee so wicked as to prostitute hir selfe the husband according vnto the will of God may not onely put hir away but is in perfect and full libertie to leaue hir and to marrie himselfe vnto another As for the woman there is in deede another respect touching hir than for the man For the wife shall not bee so dishonored by the adulterie of hir husband nor bee put to so great shame as the husband shall bee by the wyues But yet if the husbande bee an whooremonger and wasteth his goods and substaunce vppon harlottes so as his wife is shutte out of doores or bee kept in with all manner of crueltie like a wretched slaue if this mischiefe holde on still then to leaue a wretched woman in such bondage were against all reason and right especially considering that which was yesterday alleaged out of the Prophet Malachie 〈…〉 16. That it were better that a man shoulde put away his wife than to haue more than one And what shall bee sayde then in this case when a man shall keepe an ordinarie stewes and that no man is able to correct this vice of his is not the wife then set at greater libertie This is the thing which wee haue to beare in minde vpon this place Nowe sith our Lordes will is that marriage shoulde bee so indissoluble and inuiolable yea and that through the vertue of this sentence which our Lorde hath pronounced with his owne mouth That there shall bee two in one flesh let vs note that it is much greater reason that the spirituall vnion which wee haue with our Lorde Iesu Christ ought to bee diligently kept and mayntained For his will is to contract marriage with vs and dayly he doeth so or at leastwise ratifyeth it by the preaching of the Gospell And on what condition is it It is as Saint Paule sayeth to the ende wee shoulde bee as chast women not turning our mindes aside vnto false doctrines For he compareth all errours and all corruptions of the pure simplicitie of fayth to fornications As if a wife hearken vnto a bawde beholde shee is alreadye wonne and begynneth foorthwith to breake the fayth of Marriage Euen so is it with vs if wee abide not in the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ holding our selues wholly vnto his doctrine wee are like vnto aduowtrous women And therefore sith that GOD hath ioyned vs vnto his only sonne and that our whole felicitie and glory consisteth therein let vs learne not to decline from it in any manner of wise Nowe it is sayde That the man which shall haue so put away his Wife shall not if she marrie otherwise euer take hir agayne bycause shee is alreadie defiled Heereby GOD meant for to shewe that albeit hee did not punish such diuorcements as were made without any good ground yet he leaueth not to condemne them for there was heerein a remedie that a man being grieued with his wife myght in continuaunce of time beyng better aduised take hir againe and if the wife were married againe because hee had set her foorth vnto fornication and because that asmuch as in him lay hee had broken all order of nature he might not take her againe Now in that God ordayned such punishement although hee permitted diuorcementes I meane as in respect of humaine policie it shewed sufficiently that hee allowed not of them And so the Iewes excused themselues but in vaine as if they had put away their wiues by the authoritie of the Lawe For this text sufficiently declareth that this manner of putting of them away was wicked and that it coulde bring nothing else but all manner of euill and mischiefe yea and farther that it was not possible for the man to amend the fault which hee had committed after that the wife had taken a new husband When the Lawe declareth thus much is it not a condemning of the Iewes How can this serue them for a shrowding sheere to say The law permitted vs this thing our Lorde woulde not punishe such a sinne by any earthly iudgement Yea but for all this hath hee declared that he alloweth of it Hath hee sayd that such a fact is lawfull Nay but all the contrarie For the thinges which of themselues are good haue alway a good end and issue but when there followeth any wretched mishap in any thing especially such a one as can be by no meanes recouered it is a signe that the thing displeaseth God So then let vs diligently note that God meant in this place to discouer the reason of his counsaile why hee punished not diuorcementes In effect hee meant to giue the Iewes to vnderstand that it was for the hardnesse of their heart as our Lorde Iesus Christ thereof speaketh Matt. 19.8 and that they must needes be conuicted to acknowlege that the cause why God established no perfectnesse of ciuil gouernment among thē was for that they were not capable of it But they considered little of this Nay they bare thēselues in hand rather that all thinges were lawfull for them seeing they were not punished by earthly iudgement and they thought that by this meanes they were also preuiledged from the iudgement of God Hereby wee bee warned of that which was more fullie handled yesterday to wit not to runne at rouers but to make a perfect tryall of those thinges which wee take in hand by hauing our
he hath done before declareth y t he is the protectour defender of all such as are destitute of mans ayde and are not vnder propped in this worlde And herein there are two points which we ought to note y e one is y t if we do good vnto a stranger vnto a poore man which is forsaken of all men or vnto y e fatherles we shall not loose our labour For why God acknowledgeth and accepteth it for a seruice done vnto himself If a man being acquainted with such as are rich and well friended do for them hee maketh alwaies this account wel he is able to requite me for my paines againe he hath good friends as he seeth y t a man doth for him so will he seeke to shewe him the like curtesie We will alwaies cōsider whether men be able to make vs recompence But when a poore man cōmeth vnto vs he shall hardly speake with vs or find any fauour at our hands For why we thinke y t we must doe him good for gramercy because he is not able to recōpence vs. That is y e cause why God putteth forth himselfe protesteth y t he is bounde vnto vs and that if we thinke we profit ourselues nothing at al by helping thē which be in necessitie we are deceiued for he accepteth of the thing as if it were done vnto himselfe This is to be noted for one point For the second let vs note y t he threatneth on the contrary side y t if we molest a poore man if we vexe trouble the widowe or the fatherles if we be cruell towardes the stranger although as touching y e world this wickednes of ours be not punished yet shall we render an account of it before him And why For we haue set light by his protection Like as princes and other greate states will giue protections vnto them which are hated and whome they see to be in daunger so god giueth his protection vnto the fatherles to the widowes to the poore and to the straungers And why Because they haue no meanes to the worldewarde to defend themselues withall he supplieth this want of theirs and declareth that hee will not haue men to treade those vnder foote whom hee hath receiued vnto himselfe telling vs that hee is their protector If one for all this doe enterprise any thing against them is it not as much as to doe him wrong and as it were spitefully to despise him So then let vs note well that as often as mention is made vnto vs of the poore of the straungers and of the widowes wee haue to deale with God wage battaile against him if we vse not all equitie and right towardes them and if we be not so gentle and kindharted as to releeue and to succour them Ye see then now what the cause is why it is sayde in this place Thou shalt not peruert the right of the straunger Now to peruert the right is to skorne a man when he hath a iust and good cause And this is at all times to be seene In deede in the courtes of Iustice there will sometimes such regarde be hadde that a straunger shall haue the more speedie dispatch of his matters and men will say that they must proceede more quickely in giuing of sentence when a stranger commeth to demaunde iustice and not suffer him to linger in his suite as those which are at home at their ease and may goe about their businesse these may better bee delayed but as touching a straunger which commeth from a farre place to require iustice men by nature ought to be moued not to make him linger but to make a quick dispatch with him But this notwithstanding when the thing is to be practised in places of Iustice ye shall see the cleane contrary Let a strāger whose case is as cleare as the sunne come to demaunde his right and he shal be put off vntil eight dayes and yet from that time he shall bee further delayed And then in the ende when he is wel wearied he shal be new to beginne againe and if he will followe on his suite it shall growe worse and worse This is at al times to be seene and men make but a sport and game of it The poore straunger knoweth not to whome to make his mone if he meete by chaunce with a lawyer he lamenteth and sayeth what a thing is this I thought to haue founde some iustice but there is nothing but confusion I see that all thinges are ruled by fauour Such cryes I say and complaints a man shall heare euery day and yet for all that men care not for them but passe on still but yet these things must come to a reckening before God And why It is not sayd Thou shalt not peruert the right of thine owne countreyman or Citizen For why It is sufficient y t there is this generall rule for it Thou shalt not peruert any mans right But let vs knowe that straungers are to be more specially maintained and y t God taketh not on himselfe y e defence of them without iust cause insomuch that whosoeuer offereth thē any outrage or wrong shal be called to pleade his cause before him When we heare this let vs looke more narrowely vnto ourselues and not think to dally with such a maister as God is But let vs learne to vse such rightfulnes towards men y t if a stranger come before vs he may haue as much right done for him as if hee had all the fauour of the whole worlde or as if he were well knowen vnto vs and as if we did feare least some reproch should come vnto vs by the contrary as if he were able to seeke further to make vs punished for our euill dealing Let vs on our part doe that which our Lorde cōmandeth vs especially seeing that besides the promise which he maketh he also threatneth vs. On the one side he seeketh to winne vs by mildenes and gentlenes saying Hearken to mee yee shall not loose your labour when you doe good vnto straungers and such as are vnknowen vnto you And againe on the other side as I told you he threatneth vs to the intent we should not thinke that we are escaped although men complaine not of vs. Yet notwithstanding there be many with whom this warning beareth no sway at all The Lawe of God hath alwayes bin and yet what iustice hath beene shewed vnto strangers Men haue doone the worst they could vnto them and the faulte is nothing accounted of And why For if I bee to doe iustice and I see that in dooing the stranger right I shall offende him whom I knowe O I will not doe it And verily I knowe not through what madnesse it cōmeth to passe that all folke although they knowe that it is ill doone cease not for all that to procure the bolstering and bearing out of their owne countreymen and citizens and of such as are of the same place that
Were we throughlie perswaded hereof wee would be as meeke and quiet as lambes wee woulde bee patient in our wronges wee woulde tarie till he redressed them But what Because we haue no trust in him euerie of vs shifteth for himselfe by right or by wrong wee regarde not what is lawfull for vs to doe nay wee thinke we should deceiue our selues if wee shoulde staye vppon the promises of God And therefore let vs learne to consider more deepelie of this doctrin where it is saide Thou shalt nor forget what Amalecke did vnto thee by the way For God sheweth that although we passe it ouer and make no matter of it when wee haue beene vniustly vexed but forget that anie such thing was doone vnto vs yet will hee remember it Wee are tender enough in our own iniuries but yet God sheweth that hee taketh them more to hearte than wee doe and that hee will punishe them which haue vexed vs and dealte ouerrigorously with vs so as hee will call to remembraunce all the euill which they haue done vnto vs. Ye see then what wee haue to beare in minde as touching this place to wit that wee must take heede of doing any violence to our neighbours for God will take their cause in hande and we must needs haue him for our aduersarie party That is the first point to bee noted Secondly let vs walke in all simplicitie and gentlenesse knowing that if wee will bee as sheepe wee shall haue a good shepheard which wil keepe vs from the wolues insomuch that although wee seeme to be euen in their chappes and readie to be deuoured yet God will prouide a remedie for all if wee can put our trust in him and feede our soules with patience Luke â—1 1â— as our Lorde Iesus Christ declareth But now we must also call to remembrance that which wee haue treated of before Deut. â—3 4 to wit that God is then speciallie mooued vnto anger when his people are troubled and hindered froÌ„ taking possession of their inheritaunce And if hee haue declared such signe of anger against the Amalekites because they would haue withhelde the Iewes from entring into the Land of Chanaan what will hee doe if wee noweadayes doe turne away the faithfull from entering not into the Lande of Chanaan but into the kingdome of heauen For nowadayes God calleth vs not to possesse the Lande of Chanaan but to the immortall and incorruptible life And therefore we must keepe on our way and labour to come thither Nowe then if anie come to trouble vs they which shall haue cast such stumblingblockes in our waye that is to say which shall haue helde vs backe from seruing our GOD shall bee driuen to feele a double curse in comparison of the curse that lighted vppon Amalecke Nowe let vs consider howe many there are nowadayes which seeke to turne the children of GOD out of their right waye some by crueltie and persecutions others by leawde and wicked examples to bee short wee cannot set one foote forwarde in this waye but wee are troubled and Sathan deuiseth still I knowe not what to hinder vs and euer hee findeth ministers fitte for the purpose What is the cause that all Churches are not so well ordered as that God may bee serued with one common accorde or that wee haue not such loue and agreement among vs as may shewe in verye deede that wee call vppon GOD as our Father It is bycause wee are mingled among Amalekites Wherefore let vs take heede that they hinder vs not and let vs also on our partes beware that wee trouble not the children of GOD but rather let euerye of vs take his companion by the hande as the Prophet Esay speaketh 〈…〉 .3 and saye Come let vs goe and mount vp into the hill of the Lorde that hee may shewe vs his wayes and guide vs in his righteousnesse Nowe then if wee will not bee coupled with them whom GOD hath heere ordayned to destruction let euerie of vs take payne to guide his neighbour and to further him in the good way and let none of vs staye or hinder them which are already on their way to goe whither God hath called them Nowe it is sayde When GOD hath giuen thee rest from all thyne enemyes in the lande whither thâ—â— goest to possesse it then remember the Amalekites By theâ—â— woordes wee are giuen to vnderstande first of all that the people to the ende they myght bee the more encouraged to execute that which Moses had in GODS name commaunded them are certifyed in this place that in the ende they shoulde haue the victorie ouer all their enemyes For it had beene a matter of laughter if Moses had sayde Remember Amalec and when thou hast made a dispatch of all the rest roote him out also For the Iewes myght haue answered What are wee to roote him out Why We are yet Wanderers wee liue as it were at the courtesie of another man wee knowe not what will betide vs. In deede God promised vnto vs the land of Chanaan but hath hee not led vs vp and downe in the wildernesse as if we were worthy to bee altogether depriued and defeated of the possessioÌ„ of that land which he promised vs Why Wee are yet to enter into it And what are we theÌ„ able to do vnto Amalec seing we haue so many and so strong enemies For this cause Moses setteth downe this promise When the Lord thy God hath giuen thee rest from all thine enemyes saith he Nowe heereby wee are warned that when God commandeth vs any thing which seemeth harde yea or altogether vnpossible we ought to haue an eye vnto his power for otherwyse our courage cannot but fayle vs. And they which of themselues presume to execute whatsoeuer GOD teacheth by his woorde doe breake their neckes in the ende through their foolishe presumption Seeing then it is so let vs humbly and earnestly desire of GOD so to strengthen vs as wee may bee able to obey him For the dooing whereof let vs haue an eye vnto his promyses For when GOD saith vnto vs Doe thus he addeth care not though men withstande you if you cannot accomplish that which I commaunde you I haue power sufficient in mee to supply your weakenesse I will vpholde you and when it shall seeme that you are fallen downe I haue meanes wherewith to helpe you vp agayne and if the thing be more than you can doe I will bring it to passe for you Let vs therefore arme our selues with these promyses and thereuppon take courage to marche forewarde in our waye and what threates soeuer wee heare or what stumbling blockes so euer are layde in our way let vs yet keepe on our course still And why Bycause GOD will take care of all and wee cannot bee deceyued by wayting for his helpe In deede if wee haue not the woorde from his mouth wee may not trust vppon our owne opinion and say I hope GOD will helpe mee Wee may not
of thinges that are so shameful that we may be ashamed euen to name them And what then Had not God a regard thereunto Yes that had hee but he knew that the heart of man is a dreadful dungeon and that we must be restrayned as it were by force or else he should neuer be able to compasse vs. Nowe then let this prouoke vs the more to looke neerly to our selues that we ouershoot not our selues one way nor other but that wee bee vigilaunt to dedicate our selues to the seruice of God with al purenesse as I saide afore And moreouer let vs vnderstand that lecherie in it self is so loathsome a thing before God that although men make no great account of y e punishing thereof yet shall wee not therefore make the better market at leastwise when wee come before the heauenly throne For it is no small thing y t god banisheth all whooremongers and lechours out of his kingdome as is sayde thereof both in the first Epistle of Saint Paule to the Corinthians 1. Cor 6.9 Heb. 13.4 as we haue seene not long since and also in the Epistle to the Hebrewes That is the thing in effect which wee haue to beare in minde namely that God will not haue men to exceede in their fleshly lustes by companying together like brute beastes but that euerie man should liue chastly in marriage and haue such regard of honestie in that behalfe as nature be not forgotten by the companying of the sonne in lawe with his stepmother or of the father with his owne daughter or w t his daughter in lawe or by the marrying of the brother with his owne sister but that those degrees bee obserued For without such order what woulde come of it Wherein shoulde wee differ from Bulles and Asses Thus yee see what wee haue to gather vppon the first poynt in that our Lorde hath heere condemned all maner of vnchast dealings and wil not haue men to behaue theÌ„selues as lawlesse in those cases but to dedicate themselues vnto him consider that their bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost and members of our Lorde Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6.15.19 and therefore that they must represse their wicked affections Marke that for one point Secondly as I haue noted already God hath set downe such examples heere before our eyes as ought to make vs afraide in that he speaketh of such as against nature doe so company with their owne mothers their stepmothers or their Sisters Hee speaketh of them expresly to the intent that from the one we should come to the other as we see hee doeth in all his Lawe And this hath beene declared more at length heeretofore When hee will condemne hatred hee speaketh of murder And why If a man tell vs that no man ought to hate his brother wee easily graunt it to be sinne but yet wee make no conscience to doe it But when God sayeth that hee which hateth his brother is a murtherer 1. Iohn 3.15 then are wee the more abashed and restrained Likewise in this text for as much as y e skorners doe but iest at whoredome they doe also beare themselues in hand that God ought not to call them to account for it And this vice is not of this daies or of yesterdayes breeding we see it hath beene in all ages as Moses reporteth heere And therefore God nameth the detestablest kindes of lecherie to the intent that thereupon wee should conclude thus that if wee liue not chastly wee shall fall from one euill to another vntill we bee fallen into such a bottomlesse gulfe as shall bee horrible to thinke on That is the thing which wee haue to remember vpon this text But wee ought to make our benefite of this warning considering the blockishnesse that is in vs. Wee thinke our selues to bee very sharpe witted and apt to conceiue and yet wee vnderstande not any thing in the doctrine of God wee bee so dulheadded that hee is fayne to chawe thinges aforehande to vs or else wee woulde not bee mooued with them To bee shorte wee haue lesse witte and reason than young babes haue Let men commend themselues as much as they lift and let them glory vppon opinion that they bee very able yet are they so dulheaded that wee should play the very bruit beastes if our Lorde did not chawe thinges rudely vnto vs. And what is the cause thereof Forsooth that wee bee forepossessed with our fleshly affections and none is so deafe as hee that will not heare as they say Sith wee see this let vs bethinke our selues the better and when men chawe thinges grossely vnto vs let vs not thinke they doe vs wrong as some doe who bee so nice that if a man vse a rough style to them Oh say they I vnderstoode all this by a woord or twaine by like I am a little babe To bee shorte they be weary if a man bring them not matter of great sharpenesse for they fondly presume in their owne imagination that euen at the first dashe they knowe all that is necessarie But beholde God speaketh heere in another style and language Why doth he so He seeth there is need So theÌ„ let vs suffer our selues to be taught according to our capacity seeing we be slowed if our Lorde waken vs let vs receiue it meekely and learne to doe our selues good by it And so yee see what wee haue to gather vpon all these textes Now whereas heere is mention made of striking or smyting ones neyghbour secretly it is spoken against all hatred and rancour and serueth for a conclusion A man myght demaunde heere howe it comes to passe that GOD doeth here curse those whose offence is in thinges whereof no mention is made in his Lawe for I haue tolde you heeretofore that it is ynough for a man to haue obserued the thinges that are contayned in the ten commaundementes and also that the full perfection of our lyfe is set down there But no mention is made there concerning the blind And how happeneth it then that God doeth heere denounce vengeaunce against the thing â—hat is not forbidden in his Lawe Verily heerein wee see as it hath beene expounded alreadie that our Lorde in his Lawe requireth all thinges that concerne charitie as that wee should succour one another and that there should bee such a common league among vs as that euery man should spend himselfe in helping his neighbour Whatsoeuer is contrary to this is forbidden and condemned by the law of God And therefore it is sayde heere now Cursed shall he be which smiteth his neighbour secretly Vnder this saying our Lord hath comprehended all the misusages that wee can offer to our neighbour insomuch that if we giue him but a phillip it is as a kinde of murthering before him And we see howe that the man which doeth but grinde his teeth at his brother Matt. 5. is condemned to hel fire what shal then become of him which shal
raised him againe to make vs righteous beleeuing the same in his heart and confessing it with his mouth shal be saued And thereunto also doth S. Paul bring vs backe in the tenth Chapter to the Romanes Rom. 10.9 which is the verie exposition that will giue vs the vnderstanding of this place The righteousnesse of the law sheweth vs that we be all accursed that there is not any maner of way to saue vs so long as we stay there What are wee to doe then that wee may haue accesse vnto God Let vs with our heartes beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with our mouthes confesse vnto saluation that wee put our whole trust in him which hath acquitted vs towardes God his father and let vs imbrace the righteous obedience which he hath yeelded vnto God and likewise his sustaining of the curse which was due vnto vs to the intent to set vs free from it Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done that we may be more more touched with the true repentance which mortifieth all our fleshly affections and to draw vs from the delightes of this world and to lift vs vp into a true desire of giuing our selues wholly to his lawe so as wee may dayly profite thereby knowing that the true perfection of all faithfull folke is to know how farre they be off from perfection to the end that all mouthes may be stopped and none acknowledged for righteous but onely God and that when Christes righteousnesse once shineth vppon vs we shall not bee bereft thereof assuring our selues that therin lyeth all our perfection 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 x. of March 1556. The CLiij Sermon which is the first vpon the eight and twentith Chapter IF thou obey the voyce of the Lorde thy God in keeping and doeing all his commaundementes which I commaunde thee this day then will the Lord thy God make thee head ouer al the nations of the earth 2 And al these blessings shall come vpon thee and inclose thee round about if thou obey the voyce of the Lord thy God WE haue seen heretofore howe God hath couenanted with his people of purpose to bynde them that euerye one shold know his duetie and bee the better disposed to doe the same Now he speaketh as a Iudge hauing all authoritie It skilles not whether folke doe pleade guiltie or no when they haue doone amisse for God giueth heere his determinate sentence though they consent not thereunto Neyther doeth the case concerne altogether the condemning of those that offend the lawe but he beginneth with another matter to wit with right amiable promises therby to allure and to win mens heartes vnto him Thus therefore doeth he say If ye hearken vnto my voyce to obey my commaundementes and bee carefull to keepe them you shal be blessed all maner of wayes and yee shall be enuironed through my fauour with all maner of welfare and prosperitie I haue already tolde you that GOD sheweth great goodnesse towardes men when hee goeth about by such meanes to winne them for it were sufficient for him to to say This is your duty and al creatures should tremble at his speaking Therefore when hee addeth any promises hee forbeareth part of his right and therein humbleth himselfe that wee should bee the more inclyned and better disposed to serue him If wee had doone all that wee can yea and more than wee are able is GOD bound to recompence vs Surely no. Wee must alwaies resort to that which our Lorde Iesus alleageth in Saint Luke Luke 17.7 namely That if a man haue a bond seruant and he send him to labour in the feelde all the day long when the seruant commeth home at night wil he say Wel nowe must I doe my turne thou shalt sit downe at the Table and I will prepare thy supper and giue thee thy meate and drinke bycause thou hast laboured for mee and my course is nowe come to serue thee Will the Maister say so No truly But when the seruant is come home the Maister will say vnto him Couer the table dresse my supper and giue me drinke Euen so sayth Iesus Christ When you haue doone all that is possible for you to do thinke not in your selues that God my father oweth you aught at all or that hee is beholden vnto you but proceede on still and acknowledge that all that euer yee can doe is but duetie towardes him And indeede seeing that God hath made vs what is hee that can do too much for the seruice of him We see then y t God might say playnly Thus it it pleaseth me this is my will follow you y t way And therfore whereas he telleth vs y t we shal be blessed not loose our labour but haue rewarde for our seruing of him It is not to be doubted but y t in so dooing hee forbeareth some part of his right In the meane whyle wee may see that he playeth the good and kinde hearted Father to win his Children For although a father woteth well that his children are bounde to obey him to the vttermost and that hee for his part is not any way bounde to them yet will hee not refuse to saye Loe I loue you and I desire but your owne welfare doe but so as I may haue lyking of you and I will not forsake you A father will be liberall of promyse saying Goe to yee knowe that all that euer I haue is for you for whome else doe I trauayle And to what other ende And if I see you take good wayes I will vse you accordingly Thus doeth the father that humbleth himselfe in his authoritie And wherefore Bycause hee woulde that his children shoulde serue him of free good will rather than bee compelled thereunto by rigorous extremitie Let vs marke therefore that all the promises contayned in holy Scripture be as it were so many testimonies of the fatherly loue of our GOD shewing himselfe to haue a care of our health and welfare in that hee vouchsafeth thus to apply and fashion himselfe vnto vs. By meanes whereof the Lawe of GOD becommeth the more amyable vnto vs for as much as wee see that in keeping of the same wee bee not disappoynted of a good rewarde yea farre greater than we can wish For vnder this woorde Blessing is comprehended all manner of prosperitie Moreouer whē God doeth make vs to prosper in this world it is for none other purpose but to giue vs a tast of his loue towards vs. Howbeit this is not the cheefe point whereupon hee woulde haue vs to stay but he leadeth vs euer further Insomuch that when we feele his goodnesse in this present life and that hee hath care of vs that hee reacheth foorth his hande to
that it is so y t our life displeaseth God that he reproueth y e same when we serue him by compulsion if the threatnings leaue vs there what do they auaile It were better that God should forbeare them But let vs marke that he trayneth vs by degrees according as he knoweth it necessary for vs. It is certaine y t if nothing but feare doe bring vs to serue god it is noughtworth howbeit it is a good preparatiue y t leadeth vs farther on after hauing begun at it As for example before y e God hath meekened vs we be ful of pryde our flesh is altogither rebellious to be short wee be as coltes that were neuer sadled nor bitted God must be faine to prepare vs to bring vs in order which thing to do he vseth threatnings But this as I haue said were nothing at al vnlesse he inured vs to a voluntarie obedience subiectiō afterward And when we tend thitherwarde we haue greatly profited in y t this pryde of ours is beaten down we be no more so wyldheaded but y t we know y t there is a Iudge before whome we must make account that the same consideration restraineth vs from vsing such loosenes any more from being so heady in doing euil as we haue bin This is a beginning in deede it is but a beginning in so much y t if we shold stay there wee were not yet plucked out of the mire But when we haue thus begun then doth y e lord match his threatnings with a tast of his goodnes in such sort as we be drawn vnto him And in so doing he sheweth himself to be our father Now when we vnderstand y t God in deede is ready to rewarde vs when wee haue serued him albeeit that wee bee not able to deserue any thing but rather doe prouoke his wrath thereuppon wee must haue our refuge to his mere mercie to obtayne remission of our sinnes as it is offered vnto vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ and as hee hath purchased it for vs by his death passion When we be thus reformed and rid of all trust in our owne woorkes then ought wee to offer vp our selues willingly in sacrifice vnto GOD 〈◊〉 12.2 as Saint Paul also doth exhort vs in the twelfth Chapter to the Romanes Hee setteth vs forth no rewarde but saith I beseeche you brethren by the mercie and compassion that God hath shewed towardes you that euery one of you renounce this worlde and also himselfe that you become liuely sacrifices vnto GOD for that is your reasonable seruice But yet some man will reply againe and saye If threatenings make vs readie for the promises of God it seemeth that they shoulde bee placed in the first ranke and that the promises shoulde followe them But the answere to this dout is that God will holde vs more conuicted before him when hee beginneth with vs by his promises For wee cannot say but that there is a shamefull thanklesnes in vs seeing that wheras our Lorde seeketh onely to winne vs by loue wee notwithstanding deale frowardly with him and drawe backewarde when hee commeth so louingly towardes vs. Yee see then howe the promises are set before vs in the first place that wee might bee the better reprooued of our frowardnesse But hath God shewed vs that his goodnesse would not auayle vs except he threatened vs then doeth he vse rigour and y e same rigour doeth profite vs forsomuch as wee bee touched therewith and our hearts are daunted I meane not all for there be many that take the brydle in their teeth to stryue against God but I meane the faithfull Those are they that bee prepared for y e promises of God through threatninges Afterwarde God turneth yet agayne all allureth them newe agayne with his goodnesse as is sayde afore in so much that when he hath stoong them with his threateninges to tame the stubbornnesse of their flesh as surely it is requisite that God shoulde shewe some signe of his wrath thereuppon hee setteth before vs his mercie which is the accomplishment of al to the ende as I haue sayde that wee shoulde learne to yeeld our selues wholly vnto him with a free disposed affection Nowe let vs come to the wordes that bee set downe heere If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe his commandements statutes which I set before thee this day all these curses shall come vppon thee and take holde of thee Heere Moses speaketh expressely to such as haue been trayned in the worde of God True it is that they which offend without the lawe shall perish neuerthelesse as Saint Paul sayth in the second Chapter to the Romanes And in verie deede wee see that the ignorant and blynde scape not vnpunished at Gods hande Albeit that they might pleade that they were not taught yet are they faultie ynough But let vs note that heere our Lorde doeth double his curse vppon those vnto whome hee hath shewed such fauour as to manifest his wil vnto them and to shew them the waye of sauing health had they obeyed him and yeelded themselues vnto his doctrin This then is not generall to all men But God doeth first of all shewe that when hee hath giuen his lawe and published it abroade The fault is in the people that they vnderstande it not This is the cause why Moses doeth expressely say the commaundementes and statutes which I set before you this day When hee sayeth Commaundements and statutes it serueth to shewe that they conteyne a sufficient instruction accordingly as wee haue tolde you heere before that God hath not spoken by halues but that hee hath so taught his people as they cannot reply and say Wee wote not what these things meane Loe heere the Statutes commaundements which I set before you sayeth Moses If you applye your indeuour to them you cannot doe amisse And therefore let vs beare well in mynde that according as God hath deliuered vs his worde our vngodlinesse is doubled before him and our punishment must bee so much the more grieuous if wee bee not willing to doe good yea and also profite therein and from day to day bee established in his obedience That is the thing which wee haue to consider vppon that saying Moreouer when hee sayeth If thou wilt obey the voyce of the Lorde thy God it serueth to touch vs throughly to the quicke For seeing that God vouchesafeth to speake vnto vs is it not meete that wee shoulde at the least giue eare vnto him And if wee play the deafe folkes is it not a matter contrary to nature For if wee woulde not heare our equall hee woulde take it in disdayne and much more woulde our superiour And whereas God hath all soueraigne dominion ouer vs and hath done vs the fauour to deliuer vs his worde and acquainteth himselfe familiarly with vs if hee fynde vs stubborne against him disdayning to heare him is it not
Seeing it is so let vs mark farther that although God doe mitigate our greefes and comforteth vs yet doeth that serue vs to no purpose if he giue vs not the wisedome to vnderstande his goodnesse And we must vnderstand that wee are not able to enioye the good that GOD offereth vnto vs when wee be destitute of his holy Spirite And this is one execution of that threatning that is here mentioned True it is that we shoulde alwayes returne to this poynt that our Lorde desireth not the vtter confusion of sinners but y t forsomuch as such miseries doe happen oftentimes we should not tarie till they light vpon our heads but rather seeke the remedie to the end that God haue not occasion to withdrawe himselfe from vs. Howesoeuer the case standeth let vs first of all marke that God directeth this doctrine to such as haue bin trained in his worde as we haue already sayd It is certaine that he is Iudge of the world yet notwithstanding wee well deserue to bee chastised after a more boystrous fashion when wee haue beene taught at his mouth and haue reiected his will and bee so farre foorth corrupted that wee make but a iest of his word and that whereas hee sought to retayne vs as his people wee haue despised him It is verie meete therefore that wee shoulde bee grieuously punished and therefore let vs thinke that seeing God doeth vs the fauour to let vs haue the pure doctrine of the holy scripture the same serueth to bereaue vs of all excuses and also to quicken vs vp to walke so much the more in feare But herewithall let vs marke farther that God doth not onely vse threatnings towards vs but also dayly exhort and allure vs vnto him to reconcile vs to him shewing that for his parte hee is readie to come to attonement so wee condemne our sinnes and returne to his mercie What else is the Gospell that wee heare euery daye but a message of reconciliation as Saint Paul calleth it in the seconde to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 1â— Seeing then that God sendeth vs a herault to declare peace vnto vs and to shewe that he is ready to doe away all our offences let vs take heede that wee vse this time of our Saluation to receiue y e grace that is offered vnto vs in due season as the Prophet Esay telleth vs and as Saint Paul sayth 2. Cor. 6.2 vsing the same testimonie Againe when we haue bin ouermuch hardened and that God hath patiently wayted for vs and wee still continue in our sinnes let vs not thinke that he in the end hath either giuen ouer or forgotten his office We must needs yeeld an account of such vnthankfulnesse When wee forsake the Saluation whereunto he called vs and despise him out of measure such wilful stubburnesse must of necessitie come to reckening Then let vs stande in feare and as often as wee heare speaking of the grace of God which is offered vnto vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ let our heartes be enclined to receiue it and let vs giue way vnto God to come in And when wee goe vnto him let it bee doone with bewayling our sinnes and with yeelding ourselues guiltie not onely in worde of mouth but also with such griefe of heart as may prooue that the euil displeaseth vs. And when wee thus mislike of our selues let vs not abyde till our Lorde put in execution the threatenings that hee setteth foorth heere but let vs turne them to our commoditie And when wee heare the promises of the Gospell let vs remember the threatenings also that wee may bee so much the more prouoked and euery man make haste to receiue the good which is offered vnto vs to enioy and to possesse vnlesse the fault bee in our selues Nowe let vs cast downe our selues before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to make vs to feele them yet better vntill wee bee vtterly beaten downe in our selues and seeke for the remedie whereunto hee calleth vs namely that beeing guyded by his holy spirite wee may increase and profite more and more in all holinesse and righteousnesse and that wee may endeuour so to glorifie him in all our whole life as in the ende wee may attayne to that same euerlasting glory vnto the which hee calleth vs And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xxiij of March 1556. The CLVIII Sermon which is the sixt vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 29 And thou shalt alwayes suffer iniurie and oppression and no man shall deliuer thee 30 Thou shalt mary a wyfe and an other man shall lye with her thou shalt buylde a house but thou shalt not dwell in it thou shalt plant a vyne but thou shalt not gather the fruite thereof 31 Thyne oxe shal be killed before thine eyes but thou shalt not eate of it thyne Asse shal bee taken away before thy face and it shall not be restored vnto thee thy sheepe shal be deliuered to thyne enemies and there shal be no bodie to saue them 32 Thy sonnes and thy daughters shal be giuen to another people thyne eyes shall see it and dasle at it all the day long and thy hande shall haue no strength 33 And a people which thou hast not knowen shall eat the fruite of thy land and all thy labour and thou shalt doe nothing but suffer reuylinges and oppressions alwayes 34 And thou shalt be amased at the sight of those things which thyne eyes shal beholde 35 The Lord wil smite thee with a sore swelling in the knees and in the legs of the which thou shalt not bee healed from the sole of thy foote to the crowne of thy head WE ought well to rememember the meaning of Moses whereof wee haue spoken heeretofore namely wherefore hee continueth in vttering so many curses For wee are slowe to bee mooued when our Lorde doeth threaten vs wee make a game of it and albeit wee confesse that wee shoulde thinke thereon yet doeth it escape vs. And futhermore wee suppose that wee shall alwayes fynde starting holes and that if God doe followe vs one way wee by flying another way shal bee able to void his blowes Thus doe men deceiue themselues and thereuppon waxe hardhearted Nowe Moses or rather the spirite of GOD speaking by his mouth perceiuing that men be so carelesse and that they shrinke not at the first when the iudgement of God is set before them continueth his matter still and addeth threatenings vppon threatenings Againe on the other side perceiuing also that men seeke startingholes and thereby deceiue themselues bearing themselues in hande that they can saue themselues by flinging ouer the Fenne as they say hee sheweth that God hath infinite meanes to punish vs withall both aboue and beneath before and behynde on the right hande and the lefte and that wee shal bee so hemmed in on all sides that it shall not be possible for vs to
chastise the greatest part of y e world insomuch that some one man hath risen with a smal number of people to chastice an infinite multitude y t did set themselues against him and that not for one time onely but twise or thrise one after another with taking of Townes Fortresses which seemed to be so wel appointed yea and strong by naturall situation that they could not be approched vnto yet haue they bin sacked as if God had meant to renue a great part of the worlde It hath bin in likewise seene that a people without renounce or estimation haue risen and made the most mighty to tremble In this dooing God giueth examples of that which is written heere to wit that he can surely bring our enemies vpon the soudayne and that they shal make such dispatch as if they came swifter against vs than by post and that when we suppose to haue some respit by truce for one moneth for one yeere or for al our lifetime we shal be soudenly surprised in a morning before we thinke thereon Let vs therfore vnderstand that as soone as God speaketh wee must haue an eye vnto the infinite power that is in him yea and which is incredible to mans vnderstanding to tremble at his very word and to yeeld vnto him knowing well that if we delay from day to day wee may be preuented then will it be too late Let vs therfore be aduised to humble our selues in due time and to craue pardon when we haue offended him Moses sayeth expressely That they which are disobedient vnto God shal be besieged shut vp within their walles vntill all their fortresses in which they trusted be beaten downe Here we see how God reproueth the false and cursed presumption wherby men deceiue themselues in thinking themselues to be well fenced against him It is a sacriledge whereby God is robbed of his honor whē we attribute vnto the creatures y e meane to vphold vs. It is certaine y t God serueth himselfe by meanes we must also apply thē vnto our vse but in the meane while to settle our trust vppon them were a robbing of God of his maiestie For he wil haue vs to hold al things of him and to do him homage for them So then it is an intollerable presumption for vs to put our trust in creatures to ground our selues on them and yet there is no fault more common in y e world We can say wel ynough y t it is not lawfull that we ought not to doe it but in the meane while euerie one doth it Now let vs remēber our selues for there is nothing y t God holdeth more deare or whereof he maketh greater account than his honour Neither is it sufficient for vs to leaue him the title name of God but he must also be knowne as he is y t is to say that al power lieth in him that he is the fountaine of all manner of grace goodnes that it is his proper office to maintaine and preserue vs that our life is in his hand all things that belong therto When we haue well thought vpon this let vs take order to gather our wits so about vs as we be not grounded vpon creatures Surely the mischiefe is double when we shield our selues with y e creatures against God therby to become stubborne whē he threateneth vs to hold on still when he vttereth forth tokens of his displeasure let vs consider that the offence is then much more grieuous But yet is this ouer common For whilest we perceiue not any daunger towardes as in respect of the world doe not wee continue in our sinnes And doe we not abide in stubbornnesse◠God speaketh but we regard him not So y t men doe fauour vs so we haue wherewith to fortifie our selues we thinke that y e hand of God can not come at vs. And therefore it is not without cause y t our Lord reproueth the frowardnes of al such as are disobedient towardes him that is to say that they put their trust in their fortresses in their high walles in their munitions and in such like things Now forasmuch as we bee subiect to these things it were better for vs y t we had neyther hedge nor aught else than to be wel fenced with walles and bulworkes For they serue but to blinde our eyes that haue no more respect to our God but be bewitched by Sathan to put our trust in things which shal be our confusion Howsoeuer the case standeth let vs aduisedly holde this rule in generall that is y t God be euermore our fortresse as we see he promiseth by his Prophet Esay Esa. 1◠◠aswel in the 12. Chapter as also from y e 55. vnto the end for it tendeth al to this point And it is so commō a doctrine in the holy scripture that we can scarse turne a leafe but we shal see some text wherein God telleth vs y t he wil be our rampyres our wals our ditches yea double ditches our towers and whatsoeuer else is needefull for our defence And why For as I haue heretofore said our mindes do forthwith slide into vanitie so as God is not able to hold vs backe to himselfe and to make account that we will put our whole trust in him What must wee then doe First of all if we bee destitute of mans aide let vs vnderstand that God alone is sufficient if wee returne vnto him say Ah Lord it is certaine y t we are set for a pray we haue not wherew t to saue our selues for all the world doth faile vs but yet it is ynough y t thou art our succour After y t maner should wee learne to resort vnto him And so shoulde wee take occasion to yeelde our selues wholly vnto him when the things of this worlde doe fayle vs. And by the way although wee haue walles and artillerie money and munition and all that wee can wish for yea and people also and all thinges else yet let vs vnderstande that wee must in the meane while so vse them as our Lorde may bee alway our trust and we giue him euermore this honor that it is his office to defend vs and that thereupon wee wade no farther It is certayne that wee may serue our turne with the things which hee putteth into our handes but yet in the meane while our hearts and mindes must bee raysed vp aboue all the worlde and hee alone must bee our shooteanker Thirdely wee must not vaunt our selues of the force of the helpes that he giueth vs for a speare of a bramble as they say is enough to make vs beleeue that wee bee inuincible What say wee Is it possible that they should preuaile against vs All this is nothing no not worth the pill of an Onyon as they say yet will wee needes streine our wittes to giue it price and the glory Nay contrariwise let vs acknowledge our debilitie and
againe and to say Yet hath my God still shewed mee the way insomuch that whereas other men haue beene posted to and fro I haue euermore stoode fast and although I haue beene diuerse wayes troubled and vexed yet doe I knowe Lorde that thou doest euermore gouerne thy people Thus yee see that being stayed in our Lorde Iesus Christ wee may bee assured that GOD will neuer faile vs. Seeing it is so let vs returne vnto him and pray him to defende and delyuer vs from all euill The way then for vs to bee sure of our life is that although wee see nothing but continuall warre yet wee must inforce our selues to fight and perseuere vntill we haue obtained the victorie and if hee take vs away to himselfe hee will then bee the keeper of our soules He will guide vs in this present life so as both day and night wee shall feele his grace When the euening commeth albeit that the night doe bring neuer so much feare with it yet shall we be in safetie Why so For God is that while our fortresse and we shall not be forsaken of him Therefore let vs tarâ—e vntill the morning Thus doe wee euer more referre our life vnto him And although we be not senselesse yet shall we haue continually whereupon to stay vs when wee see our owne infirmitie As for example when a man perceiueth that hee is not able to stande but his legges quake and folâ—er vnder him hee either leaneth to some thing or sitteth downe in a chaire or else stayeth himselfe vpon some staffe euen so is it with vs. For wee haue not the strength of Gyants wee bee not of such power as to be able to defie our enemies for wee see well that wee bee too too weake But in the meane while wee ceasse not to stay vppon God and that is our refuge Neither haue we this affiance for this present life onely but wee haue it also for the life to come insomuch that although our Lord doe put vs into the handes of our enemies yet will he not misse to be our sauiour euen in the middest of death Let vs not doubt but that he will safely conuey vs not onely from the morning to the euening and from the euening to the morning but also that euen in the middest of the darkenesse of death we shall alwayes be lightened with his goodnesse and hee will shewe vs that the life which hee hath promised to his people shall neuer faile Therefore doth Dauid vse this maner of speach Lorde saieth he thy staffe or else thy shepeherdes hooke He taketh the similitude of a sheepeherd that hath his staffe or his hooke Lorde saith hee so long as I see thy staffe before me Psal. 23.4 I am safe insomuch that if wee were to goe into the darkenesse of death yet being in that dark and yrksome dale yea euen in such sort as I might seeme to be cast into hell I woulde not ceasse to reioyce After this manner must we practise this doctrine Nowe lastly it is said that God will cary his people by the waie concerninge the which it was said Thou shalt neuer see it againe that they should bee caried in shippes and that being come into Egypt they should bee set to sale as slaues yet no body should buy them They should not be esteemed but as a people vtterly cast away and euery body shoulde disdaine them Now this was al one as if God should haue meant to cut them off saying Remember how I meruelously deliuered you out of the lande of Egypt when I made you to passe through the wildernesse and in like wise to goe through the red sea or the sea of Bulrushes which they call y e red sea but properly it is the sea of bulrushes because of the Bulrushes that growe in it for I caused that arme of the sea to shrinke back that you might passe on drie foote But nowe shall you returne thither in shippes you must passe againe that way yea albeit that I forbade you and inioyned you expresly that you should not goe that way any more yet shall you returne thither spite of your teeth In deede at the other time that you were in Egypt you sorowed for the oppression which you suffred and I tooke pitie of you and tooke you out of it But as this time when you shall require any bodie to buy you to bee their slaues and to yeelde your life to the most miseries that may bee you shall haue no buyer at all As if hee had saide Seeing you haue despised the deliuerance that was wrought for you and haue forgotten such a benefite it shal be well knowen that you bee an vnhappie and a cursed people and that I haue forsaken and refused you vtterly This threat coulde not bee but exceeding terrible to the Iewes And when the Prophetes expounded Moses wee see likewise howe the people gâ—ashed their teeth against them Howbeit no whit were they meekened thereby but rather they doubled their coufusion insomuch that it was alwayes cast in their teeth that their iniquities proceeded to such extremitie as was intollerable It is saide that notwithstanding all the manaces of the Lawe were pronounced vnto them yet they regarded them not but helde on still and became so much the more hard-harted as though they had ment of set purpose to make warre against God Soothly it is a horrible thing and against nature that they which were the housholde of God the holy generation the children of Abraham and which from the beginning had beene trained vp in the doctrine of the lawe and had had the sayings alwayes laide before them which were written by Moses so as their eares were continually beaten therewith shoulde yet notwithstanding farâ— neuer the better for it but still goe on from euill to worse Was not that a horrible thing Yes verily and yet wee see the like example Let vs make our benefite thereof and beware that we wax not so hardharted least wee be possessed of Sathan and forsaken of God so that whatsoeuer is tolde vs shewed vnto vs we be touched with no manner of feare but become like wilde bores which of their owne wilfulnesse doe cast themselues into death Let vs take heede that we prouoke not our God in that manner And moreouer whereas it is saide heere that God woulde bring this people whom he had redeemed into a double captiuitie and more reprochfull than was the first let vs repaire vnto that redemption which was once wrought by our Lorde Iesus Christ and that we may be partakers thereof let vs freely serue him which purchased vs so deerely And seeing that our God hath redeemed vs in the person of his sonne to such a state that now we be franke and free from the bondes of sinne and Sathan let vs hencefoorth feare him and serue him all the dayes of our life according as Zacharie speaketh in his song Luk. â— 75 recited by Sainct Luke Seeing
blessings and that when we be once graffed into the stocke of Abraham to be his children by faith wee may alwaies hold on stil in the course of our adoption that in the ende God may acknowledge vs for his children and we bee made partakers of the glorie which is prepared for vs seeing that in this worlde and in this short life wee haue inioyed blessings by the which hee maketh vs alreadie to taste of his loue Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God acknowledging our faultes and beâ—eeching him that we may bee more and more cast downe in ourselues to haue such a horror and feeling of our sinnes as wee may not fayle to runne vnto him and to flee for refuge to his mercie that by forgiuing vs our sinnes from day to day he may amend vs euermore vntill hee hath quite ridde vs of them 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 x. of Aprill 1556. The CLXVIII Sermon which is the fifth vpon the nine and twentith Chapter 22 Thus will the generation to come â—ay namelie your children which shall succede after you and the straunger which shall come from a farre lande when they see the plagues of this lande and the diseases of it wherewith the Lord shall haue smitten it 23 The brimstone and sault wherewith hee shall haue burned all his lande so as it shall not bee sowed nor yeelde fruite nor haue anie grasse growing thereon as in the ouerthrowe of Sodome and Gomorrah Adam and Seboim which the Lord destroyed in his wrath and displeasure 24 Then shall all Nations say wherefore hath the Lorde doone this to this Lande O how fierce is his great wrath 25 And it shall bee aunswered because they forsooke the couenaunt of the Lorde GOD of their fathers which hee made with them when hee brought them out of the land of Egypt 26 For they went and serued other gods and bowed themselues before the the same gods whome they knewe not neither hadde they doone them anie good 27 Therefore is the wrath of the Lorde kindled against this land to bring vpon it all the curses written in this booke 28 And the Lorde hath rooted them out of their lande in wrath anger and great indignation and he hath throwne them out into an other land as it appeareth at this day 29 The secretes of the Lord our God be reuealed vnto vs and to our children for euer to the intent we should do all the wordes of this law MOses proceedeth here still with the matter which wee beganne yesterday namely to declare howe detestable our rebellion is vnto God when he hath once taught vs by his worde and can not winne vs but wee turne heade to the contrarie For it had beene enough to haue declared in one worde that none shoulde remayne vnpunished howbeit forasmuch as men doe not so quickely consider the vengeaunce of God to be mooued therewith to the quicke therefore Moses addeth threateninges vpon threatnings declaring that the punishmentes shall bee so greeuous that euerie man shall bee abashed at it according also as the Prophet Ieremie vseth this phrase of speach 〈…〉 3. saying y t al mens eares shal â—ingle at the hearing of the straunge thinges which God shall haue wrought in Ierusalem the lande of Iudah For if God chastise vs after the common order wee regarde it not we take it to be but haphazard or else we doe linger til y e plague be past but as for submitting ourselues to God it is no part of our care That is y e cause why Moses doeth in this place inhaunce the plagues which God woulde sende vppon that lande to the intent that the people might bee the better instructed and euerie man looke to himselfe and vnderstand that if they tempted Gods patience they must needes fall into this so horrible extremitie In which respect hee saith That the generations to come and those also which shoulde resort thither from farre countries shall inquire thereof as people abashed By which woordes hee doeth vs to vnderstande that the punishmentes which God woulde sende vppon the rebelles shoulde be straunge such as should make all folke astonished and amased at the sight of them and to say this is a matter that hath not beene woont to be it must needes be that the hande of God hath gone this way Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses And herein wee haue to condemne our slowenesse seeing that God must be faine to describe thinges vnto vs as it were in a painted table the cause whereof is for that wee bee not plyable to receyue the admonishmentes which hee giueth vs. We thinke our selues able folke but in so doing wee doe all of vs beguile our selues with selfesoothing vntill our Lorde doe as it were beate it into our braynes by force that if wee proceede on to offende him wee shall not escape his hande yea and that wee shall be handled with such rigour as shall make all them to tremble which see but the tracts thereof so that not onely wee that receyue the strokes shall be confounded but they also which come from farre shall confesse that it was the vengeance of God which was not without cause and that it must needes bee that wee did committe ouer greeuous and hainous offences seeing that God is thus inflamed against vs. Moreouer Moses sheweth that God will no more spare a whole country than one man least they should shroude themselues vnder the multitudes of people that giue themselues to wickednesse and thinke thereby to scape the better cheape before God It is expressely saide that if anie man sinne hee shall be punished Ezech. 18.4 and if a whole lande be faultie God will wrappe them all likewise into one fardell Therefore let vs not bleare our eyes wilfully as wee see the Papistes doe who vaunt themselues this day because y e number of such as are inclined to their superstitions is not small They boast them of their great multitude making it their buckler against both God and men And thereupon they doe despise vs and it seemeth to them that they may of good right condemne the pure and true religion But contrariwise God telleth vs that when a whole land hath forsaken the right way that rebellion of theirs shal not go vnpunished albeit that the multitude of them which be faultie be neuer so great Finallie wee must beware that we followe not one an other to do euill for if a blinde body doe leade the way hee shal fal into the ditch and likewise they that followe him hee shall not exempt them by his fal We must therefore vnderstand that when God calleth vs wee must sticke vnto his voyce and obey it and if all the worlde fall away and euerie man goe astray yet must not we ground our selues vpon the examples that wee see as if wee woulde say It
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. ◠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 〈◊〉 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
followe the grace of God and to receiue it and hauing accepted it to make it to preuaile To bee short the Papistes make a parting of stakes as if it lay in vs to seeke God then that it were in vs to put his grace in effect in such wise as it should not be vnprofitable and that there is also a certaine agreement betweene God and man so as God for his part doth one peece and we doe the other yea and the principall part But the meaning of Moses is nothing so For he sheweth not what belongeth to man as in comparison and in respect of God But it is the common fashion of the holy scripture first to shew vs what is our dutie and then to adde that although we be not able to resort vnto God when he calleth vs yet we must not be faintharted at y e feeling of our weaknesse but rather resort vnto him that is able to helpe it according as he hath promised to do it Let vs marke wel then that when holy Scripture speaketh of that which men doe owe vnto God wee must not in that case stand scanning of our owne power and ability for we shall not faile to be euermore detters as we haue said and yet we must note also that the vnabilitie which is in vs proceedeth of our fault Yet notwithstanding the Papists alleage that it were a crueltie in God to require of vs to do more than we can It seemeth indeed that God ought to be contented if a man doe what he can Now then if we cannot haue a good desire 2. Cor. 3.5 and if we haue yet lesse power that we caÌ„not so much as think a good thought wherfore doth God constraine vs to loue him perfectly There seemeth to be no vpright dealing in y t. But we must repaire to our originall sinne which hindereth vs so as we serue not God no nor haue not the will to serue him Indeede God hath imprinted a will in vs by nature Rom. 1.20 and for as much as we are meÌ„ we haue a discretion to discerne good and euill whereby we be inexcusable and when we sin it commeth not of compulsioÌ„ neither are we forced by other meanes but it proceedeth of our own will and inclination But now let vs see whether our wil can bend it selfe both the waies and is able to chuse either good or euill No. For we be captiues vnder sinne Rom. 6.17 7.14 and whence coÌ„meth this captiuitie and bondage From the offence of Adam Seeing therefore that the euill is in our selues wee must not seeke for fonde and vnprofitable excuses for we shall win nothing thereby but let vs stoope and condemn our selues If God therfore require aught of vs he doth vs no wroÌ„g and yet notwithstanding men may not reply that they be feeble and weake for the euill shall euermore be imputed vnto them they shal be found guiltie thereof But now let vs come back to the matter which we haue touched The holy scripture setteth before vs the lawe of God as y e thing which we ought to follow and that is our rule We for our part doe draw cleane contrary Whereto then serueth the law of God so long as it is but a dead letter that is to say so long as we haue but our eares beaten therewith or so long as it is written but in paper parchment or in stones as this was as it is in deede so long as it is but preached vnto vs It serueth but to our condemnation so as we be there conuicted and can no more pleade ignorance but rather shew our selues open rebels in that we bow not downe our neckes to receiue the yoke which God hath ordained for vs. That is the cause why the lawe of God vnder Moses did bring nothing but wrath Therefore he saith y t it doth augment sinne Rom. 4.15 Rom. 5.2 2. Cor. 3.7 and consequently that it is vnto vs the messenger of death So then let vs marke well that whereas God teacheth vs what wee ought to doe albeit y t the same doctrine ought of it selfe to serue vs to saluation yet neuerthelesse it bringeth vs nothing but condemnation euen bicause of our sin Such is the falling out of it but howsoeuer y e case stand yet must the law of God alwaies condeÌ„ne vs. Now after that God hath conuicted men beaten downe their pride to the intent they should not presume of themselues he addeth the promise and saith Go to It is true y t your hearts be incircumcised it is certaine y t you haue blind motions and that you be corrupted in all your nature but I will change your heartes I will renue your mindes I will reforme you to my selfe whereas heretofore you haue been rebellious against me there hath bin nothing in you but malice henceforth there shal be a readines to obey my lawe God giueth that very promise Whereby hee sheweth that whatsoeuer hee commaunded vs afore our doing thereof shal be by his only power not in any part by our own In this case it is not for vs to father the cheefe part vppon our owne free will no nor the one halfe neither for God must haue all the prayse without exception and that whatsoeuer we doe doe proceede of his woorking of it in vs and of his reforming of our wittes and of his changing of vs. And for that cause the holy Scripture sayth 2. Cor. 5.17 that we be made newe creatures When it sayth so doth it meane that men were â—arst good No but that GOD doeth reforme them And in deede if it were in vs to amende our soules and to renewe them wee shoulde doe more than GOD doeth GOD hath created our bodyes and also our soules but yet notwithstanding what bring wee from our mothers wombe but all maner of cursednesse For as I haue sayde wee bee infected with originall sinne Thus doeth GOD make vs mortall men yea but in the meane whyle there is this mischeefe namely that wee bee aliened from him and from all goodnesse Nowe if men were able to deliuer themselues out of the curse wherein they bee and could giue themselues a newe power shoulde not they then doe more than GOD hath doone Nowe then whereas Moses sayeth in this place The Lorde will circumcise thy heart to loue thy GOD with all thy hearte and with all thy soule hee sheweth thereby that if wee doe amisse as we doe indeede wee cannot haue so much as any one good motion to come vnto GOD vntill wee be altogether renewed by Gods working in vs and therefore that we must not be fainthearted Wherfore For when he hath taught vs what we ought to doe he giueth vs also the power to performe it After hee hath taught vs by the voyce of men hee teacheth vs also by his holy Spirite in our heartes and that teaching is of efficacie so as wee doe not onely knowe the good but also wee
that wee haue a good will to serue him yet is there such imperfection in vs as wee bee euermore faultie before him but yet hee forbeareth vs. And therefore when these thinges be put together namely that GOD maketh vs to walke according to his Lawe and that hee doeth it to the ende that wee may lyue it is all one as if it were sayde that men bereaue and spoyle themselues of the grace of GOD bycause they are wicked and liue not as becommeth them And therefore God is fayne to redresse it and to drawe them vnto him and to reforme them and by that meane to make them to inioy all his blessings Nowe hee addeth thereunto That hee will reioyce ouer them for good as hee reioyced ouer their fathers This is a manner of speeche that importeth much In deede GOD is not subiect to our passions to reioyce after the manner of men there is no such matter in him but hee speaketh thus for that hee coulde not sufficiently expresse the loue which hee beareth to vs but by such similitudes The thing then which the holy Ghost meant is that GOD holdeth vs so deare and beareth vs such feruent loue that a father reioyceth not more when hee is able to aduaunce his childe or when he can doe him good than GOD reioyceth in vs when hee hath occasion to doe vs good as who woulde say that his afflicting and scourging of vs doeth grieue and vexe him and that hee doeth it contrarie to his inclination For hee requireth nothing but to finde vs alwayes disposed to receyue the riches which hee hath in his hande which also hee is readie to bestowe vppon vs. And therefore doeth GOD borrowe the same similitude of men For as wee haue sayde hee is not like vnto vs neyther must wee haue so fond imaginations as to thinke that hee is mooued with passions eyther one way or other but to the intent to manifest vnto vs howe much hee loueth vs hee crieth alas when he is to afflict those to whome he meaneth to doe good Isa. 42.1 Alas sayeth hee must I auenge my selfe as of myne enemyes and reioyce mee in vexing them Hee calleth them his enemyes and yet hee speaketh still of the Iewes whom hee had chosen but hee presupposeth that they made warre against him and that therefore hee was driuen to be reuenged of them howbeit hee declareth that it was to his griefe Let vs therefore learne to taste of this loue whereof the holy scripture speaketh vnto vs that we may be so rauished therewith as to desire nothing more thā to submit our selues to our God which is in deede the thing that he shooteth at Wherefore is it that God forceth himselfe to shewe vnto vs so vehement an affection It is to mollifie the hardnes of our hearts that we may be enflamed with an other maner of zeale than wee haue Will we then enioy our God Let vs giue him occasion to doe vs good let vs I say suffer him to be merciful and liberal towards vs when wee hinder not God to doe vs good hee protesteth that he is glad of it And cōtrarywise when we lay a barre in his way so as he cannot vse his gratious goodnesse towards vs in powring out his benefites vppon vs as hee for his parte is ready to doe hee sayth that we grieue his holie spirit 〈…〉 10. For after that manner speaketh the Prophet I say They haue grieued the spirite of God sayth hee Not that God is subiect to vexation of minde as I haue sayd already but it is to shewe that men are so much the more faultie and to cause them to abhorre their naughtinesse the more when they bee thus rebellious against him and cannot suffer him to doe them good Moses dooth adde moreouer Because thou shalt haue hearkened to the voyce of the Lord thy God Here hee commeth againe to the order of speaking for it is enough that hee hath tolde vs in one worde that because wee bee not able God promiseth to doe it Yet neuerthelesse hee continueth his office and as hee was the lawegiuer ordeyned of God so doeth hee require the people to walke vprightly That is the cause why hee vseth still this speech saying Because thou shalt hearken to the voyce of the Lorde thy God yea and that thy hearing shall bee to keepe that which is contained in the Lawe Heereby he meaneth to shewe vs howe wee shoulde obey God that is to say by what meane And as touching the ende wee haue seene heeretofore what it is namely that hee requireth obedience at our handes to the ende hee may haue occasion to deale with vs gently and after a fatherly manner and that hee desireth nothing but to powre out his great treasures vppon vs. It is then to our profite and saluation that wee shoulde obey him That is the ende and the meane is by hearing his voyce We must therefore beware that wee rebell not against him nor bee deafe eared when hee speaketh vnto vs except wee meane to grieue him as hee sayeth in the Psalme Bee not rebellious as your fathers were which prouoked Gods spirite euery day There God complaineth that hee was prouoked to wrath when that the people grieued him and that hee was fayne to enter into a disliking of them So then let vs holde this rule that is deliuered vnto vs whereby to enioy our GOD that hee may cause vs to prosper The meane whereof is that whilest hee speaketh vnto vs wee haue our eares attentiue to receiue his voyce And Moses doeth therewithal expresse what is the manner of hearing God well For there are a great many which bring Asses eares with them they can wel ynough say that the thinges which are spoken are true like the Asse which can well ynough nodde with his eares So it costeth them nothing to say It is all good I like well of it but yet they bee not a whit touched at their heartes nay rather wee see they despise all that is tolde them and they suppose that God is beholding vnto them when they haue not openly spoken against him nor blasphemed his doctrine But Moses requireth an other manner of hearing farre differing from this namely The performing of the thinges which are conteined in the lawe It is sayd in an other place Luke 11.28 that Iesus Christ auoweth them to bee blessed which heare the worde of GOD and keepe it And there our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh the more grosly to the intent we might be the better enformed for we forget things and we think that if we confesse the Law to be good righteous and holy wee bee then discharged But our Lorde saith that wee must first heare and then keepe And Moses ioyneth both together as in deede to heare and to keepe are thinges which ought neuer to goe a sunder Yea but yet therewithall hee giueth men a perfect rule so they yeelde to bee taught of him and they shall not neede as
that this can in any way agree with the Gospell But if we marke it well wee shall finde it good reason that Saint Paul saith that this poynt is not verifyed vntill wee come throughly to Christ. And why Let vs take Moses to witnesse without going any further Wee haue seene here afore that in fourtie yeeres space after the setting forth of the Lawe the people had profited nothing in it The reason thereof is this For thy God hath not giuen thee an vnderstanding heart 〈◊〉 â—3 4 euen to this day Wee haue the Lawe beaten into our eares and yet in the meane while wee are still dulheadded and conceiue not the meaning of Gods speach This as I haue sayd afore proceedeth not of any faulte y t is in the Law but of our owne wretched blindnesse As the Sunne is as bright to the blinde as to all other men but yet they bee not able to receiue lyke benefit by the light thereof Euen so standeth the case with vs. Thus much for one poynt Insomuch that as long as God speaketh to vs but onely by the mouthes of men It is but losse of time And wherefore Because wee are deafe wee are blinde wee are dulheaded neither is it sufficient for vs that the commaundement bee layd directly before our eyes that wee neede notâ—punc to mount aboue the clowdes and that wee neede not to discend into the deepe to seeke for it for it must bee in our mouth and in our heart But how shall we haue it in our mouth and in our heart Soothly euen by Gods putting of it there by the grace of his holy spirit Saint Paul therefore presupposeth this grace to proceede from God peculiarly toward his elect that he not onely offereth himselfe freely vnto them which manner of speach Moses also did vse when he sayd God sheweth vs his goodnes after a special maner Deut. 4.7 but also imprinteth it in our hartes making vs to vnderstand what he sayth by giuing vs the spirit of knowledge and discretion for vntill God hath so wrought with vs his word lyeth still hidden from vs. And we heare what he saith by the Prophet Esay Esa. 28 11. 29.11.12 I wil saith God speake vnto this people in a straunge and vnknowen language And when I send forth my Prophets euery man shall bee astonished saying What is this What is it that God sayth For I will speake to them in high Dutch of purpose that they shall not vnderstand one iotte and so shall all the prophesies be vnto them as a sealed booke which if you offer to a learned man hee will answere I would read in it but the booke is close and sealed vp therefore let it be opened and I will see what matter is in it Againe it shall bee a booke layd open yea but as a booke offered to the vnlearned and to little children and they shall say I see heere is a booke a man may well perceaue the letters but I haue not bin at schoole I am not learned I see well the letters but I knowe not what they meane Wee see that our Lorde speaketh and yet notwithstanding he is not vnderstoode Therefore let vs marke that Moses presupposed God to haue giuen vnderstanding to the people Now his giuing of it was by the meane of Iesus Christ our Lord and that not through the Lawe but through the Gospel The Lawe of it selfe bringeth nothing but condemnation conuerting men before God Rom. 4.15 7.7 making forth their proces and finding them guiltie as wee haue heretofore alledged The case beeing so there is but onely one meane whereby to bee inlightened from God so as wee may attaine to the knowledge of his holy will for our saluation And that is to acknowledge the grace which is offered vnto vs in his Gospell through our Sauiour Christ. It is not therefore without cause that Saint Paul addeth this title vnto the worde Rom. 10. â— It is saith he the word of faith that wee preach vnto you He calleth it the worde of faith when wee not onely knowe whereto we be bound and vnderstand what God exacteth and requireth of vs and what hee commandeth vs but also when wee come to him as destitute of all goodnesse beseeching him to vouchsafe to take pitie of our want and needinesse and to enrich vs with his graces When wee seeke God in this maner and aske of him that which wee want then haue wee the worde of faith and not the word of the Lawe For the worde of the Law sayth Doe this and doe that and beware of such a thing which if thou transgresse beholde the curse is prepared for thee By the worde of the Lawe wee see whereunto wee are bound but wee bee not able to discharge it but wee stand all confounded and damned It behooueth vs therefore to haue the worde of faith that is to say to taste of Gods promises whereby hee sheweth himselfe so bountifull towarde vs through our Lorde Iesus Christ. When we receiue this as it is offred vnto vs in the Gospel then is that fulfilled which is spoken here to wit that the worde is not aboue the clowdes that it is not in the bottome of the deepe nor on the other side of the Sea but in our mouth and in our heart Wee haue therefore to consider first of all that God holdeth men sufficiently guiltie after hee hath once taught them For as soone as the worde is preached there is present condemnation to all them that cannot profite thereby and there is no way for them to scape And why For God hath called vs and wee haue not aunswered him he hath shewed vs the way and we haue not vouchsafed to enter therein to bee shorte wee see that when Gods worde hath bin preached vnto vs there is matter sufficient to reprooue vs and wee cannot reply vnto it But herewithall let vs marke also that as touching our parte the worde of GOD is at it were aloft aboue the skyes or as if it were in the bottome of the deepe notwithstanding that wee haue our eares continually beaten therewith Herein wee see the wretchednesse of our nature that though God speake vnto vs with open mouth and teach vs neuer so faithfully yet doe wee continue still as we were so as no amendment at all is perceiued in vs for all the long schooling that God hath bestowed on vs. What is to be done then That GOD hauing spoken by the mouth of men and by the holy scripture doe also gather vs vnto him and make vs to feele his goodnesse towarde vs. For it is not sufficient for vs to vnderstand the thinges that are shewed vs in the holy scripture but wee must also bee touched to the quicke with them in our heartes that wee may bee well assured of Gods fatherly loue towardes vs. WheÌ„ wee are once at that poynt there is no more hyding then is there no more darkenesse in the holy scripture but
sayd that all the fortresses of hell shall bee able to doe nothing to vs Matt. 16. â—â— if wee bee grounded vppon the faith of the Gospell Besides this wee knowe that God watcheth ouer his seruaunts and that he guideth them Therfore let vs sticke to those promises and suffer our Lorde to vse his kindnesse as he setteth it forth by this similitude and sith we see he is willing that we should come familiarly vnto him let vs not play y e wild beasts Nowe it is saide immediatly after that God alone ledde his people and that there was no straunge god with him This serueth to condemne the wickednesse of the children of Israel which coulde not rest wholly vpon God whereas hee was so sufficient for them for they had founde by experience that they needed not to seeke any other And not without cause is this set downe For although men doe not vtterly refuse Gods help yet can they not content themselues with it but they fall to raunging and rouing and make byleapes bearing themselues in hand that it wil be good for them to match some other helpe with God Lo at what point we be For we woulde bee ashamed to say that God can doe vs no good that we can well forbeare him Therefore wee can finde in our hearts that he shal haue the first place and chiefe preheminence but we cannot finde in our hearts to rest wholly vpon him but we fall to conceiuing of fonde imaginations O God is farre from vs wee deserue not that hee should haue care of our saluation and therefore it were good for vs to get vs this or that To bee short in all ages men haue sought occasion to turne away from God not by falling quite and cleane away from him as I said but by making a minglemangle and by seeking still the things which haue seemed best to their owne lyking as though God were not ynough of himself alone In respect of such naughtinesse it is said here that there was no straunge god with him when hee led the people through the wildernesse and conueied theÌ„ into the Lande of promise The God which had adopted Abraham the same which made both heauen and earth the same which afterwarde did set forth his lawe euen the same was hee alone and hee called not any others to his helpe True it is that God continually vsed the seruice of his Angels for the welfare of his people and for the maintenance of his Church but yet doth it not followe that hee borrowed aught of them Whereas it is said that the Angels are appointed to haue care of vs 〈◊〉 91.11 〈◊〉 1.14 it is not to stoppe vs from repaiâ—ing right foorth vnto God nor to darken his brightnesse therby that men should honour him the lesse for the Angels are nothing as in respect of themselues And therefore the holy scripture termeth them the vertues or powers of God 〈◊〉 1.38 for he vseth them as his owne hands Not without cause therefore doth Moses say that God was alone in the leading of his people and had not any straunge god with him For we see how those wretched folk forbare not to forge ydols to themselues Insomuch y t although God 400 yeres before had promised to redeeme them although he had performed that promise in very deede although he had shewed himself to them so many sundry wayes so y t they had euery day some newe visible token and y t the cloude by day and the fire by night were a warrant of Gods presence yet notwithstanding they forbare not to inueÌ„t new superstitions And why Because that as I saide afore such is our cursed inclination that we cannot repose our selues vpon God alone but we fal to raÌ„ging here there and our wits are rouing abrode to inuent ydols to our selues For this cause doth Moses here reproue the leawdnesse of the children of Israel which could not hold themselues contented with God though he gaue them sufficient cause But now let vs applie this lesson to our selues also For we see what y e Prophet Esay saith where he speaketh of the redemption that was to bee wrought in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. It is said in the 59. Chapter that God sought and looked about him if he coulde finde any helpe to redeeme the worlde Esa 59.16 Not that God was cumbered with the matter or that he wist not what hee had to do but by that figure the Prophet expresseth the better that it was onely God that redeemed vs and that he was not helped by any other Therefore when he had sought he found that he shoulde bee faine to vse his owne onely power Then armed hee himselfe with his iustice hee fenced himselfe with his owne power and so finished and performed the thing which hee had determined that is to wit the redemption of his people Seeing then that God hath so purchased vs to himselfe in the person of his sonne as that he had not any companion in the doing thereof but hath vttered forth the infinite treasures of his goodnesse iustice and power let vs learne to hold our selues wholly to him and not to be so fickleheaded as to set vp ydols and to runne gadding here and there and to let our selues loose to no benefite Let vs rather consider howe God himselfe alone hath redeemed vs once for all and that hencefoorth hee will haue the guiding of all his himselfe alone and that hee wil haue vs to sticke to him alone True it is that our Lord Iesus Christ also was a leader of the people of Israell in the wildernes 1. Cor. 10.9 as sheweth S. Paule in the tenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians where he saith that they tempted Iesus Christ. And how was that Euen because he was alwaies the mediator howbeit that was after a darke maner But nowadaies hee sheweth himselfe to vs face to face insomuch that if we looke there we haue there y e whole fulnes of Gods maiestie Seeing it is so that God in these daies discouereth himself more fully vnto vs than he did to the Iewes in the time of the law there wil be so much the lesse excuse for vs if wee abyde nor fast setled in him so as hee alone do suffice vs and we doe take our whole contentation in him Yet notwithstanding wee see howe froward the worlde hath beene For what a number of ydolles haue men forged euen since Christes comming into the world And howe haue we behaued our selues since the time of our ignoraunce For looke howe manie Patrons and Aduocates the Papistes haue imagined so many fellowes haue they added to our Lorde Iesus Christ and so doing they set their minds vpon the creatures and let the liuing God goe Indeede they will protect that their intent is nothing so but a man may see by their doings that God is not knowen there from his sainctes as they themselues haue saide in
is sayd in the Prophets Osee. 10.8 What should become of vs if there were nothing but such rigor in God Could wee euer preace vnto him to hope that hee would be fauorable to vs No but wee would shunne him as much as wee coulde and we could find in our hartes that his maiestie were vtterly abolished Now then if wee bee desirous to fare the better by Gods threatninges thereby to be drawen to repentance wee must vnderstand also that he is mercifull and that we shall finde him ready to receiue vs into his fauour When we once tast of such goodnesse then shall wee fare the better by his threatninges The thing then which Moses telleth vs here is that when wee once knowe that GOD will not spare vs to feede vs in our vices and corruptions but that forasmuch as he hath adopted vs to be his children he will hold vs in awe and correct vs when wee haue done amisse wee must also consider therewithall that hee forgetteth not to bee our father but will repent him ouer his seruantes and so measure his chastisements that they shal be as a medicine to vs and we shall finde them to be to a good end That is the thing which must comfort vs that is the thing which must make vs to like well of all Gods chastisementes that wee bee not too sorrowfull in greeuing our selues ne gnash our teeth at them as the faithlesse do which martyr themselues with sorrowing and play the madde beastes But let vs marke well that for the same cause Moses addeth ouer his Seruauntes It is true when he saith God will iudge his people that is to wâ—t the people that cal vpon his name notwithstanding that the most part of theÌ„ were hypocrites and wicked persons But whereas hee spâ—aketh of Gods Seruanteâ— he meaneth those which followe the good trade whereto they were called and which seeke to honor God to whom they belong and who hath dedicated them to himselfe Then must we not onely haue the title of Gods people but we must also indeuour earnestly to serue him and be Zelous in yeelding ourselues ouer vnto him seeing he hath reached vs his hand and tolde vs that he will receiue vs to mercie And it behoueth vs to marke well the reason that Moses addeth to wit For hee shall see then their strength is faded and weakened Here it is shewed vs that God withdraweth not his hand at the first when he hath once begunne to punish such as haue shrunke away from his obedience but at such time as he perceiueth that their strength fayleth For why We set that his corrections drawe vs not to amendment at the first In deed we will protest as soone as God toucheth vs that we be cleane altered from that we were before If a man fall into any sicknes he will mourne make a gay confession of his former lyfe he will seeme to be wholy reformed that froÌ„ thenceforth his whole indeuers shall be to giue himselfe altogether vnto God But be he once a foote againe he fals to his old by as and there appeareth no chaunge at all in him but rather we accomplish that which is sayd by the Prophet namely that wee returne but onely while God smiteth vs Psal. 78.34 and as soone as he giueth vs a little test wee forget it by and by and make no more account of it So much the more neede therefore haue wee to marke well these wordes of Moses where God taryeth till our strength vanishe away For as long as wee haue any courage in vs we imploy it altogether to rebelling Although GOD haue broken our armes yet if we can stirre our legges wee will bee still kicking and spurning against him If our tongue be able to wagge wee will occupy it either in chasing and fuming or in grudging and blaspheming To bee shorte as long as men are strong and lusty they cease not to striue against God and to lift vp their hornes and to pushe at him lyke Bulles and wilde beastes Lo at what poynt wee bee Therefore it is no woonder though GOD continue his chastisementes and that wee seeme to bee at the last cast and that it might well suffice him to haue handled vs so roughly yet hee layeth miserie vppon miserie still it is nothing to bee wondered at For why Vntill wee be washed away lyke water and that there remaine not one whit of strength in vs it is certaine that wee will keepe some peece of stubbornesse still lurking within vs which will shewe it selfe whensoeuer occasion is offered GOD then knoweth good cause why hee withdraweth not the afflictions by and by which he sendeth vpon vs. For vnlesse it were expedient for our welfare surely he taketh not delight to see vs so in anguish and sorrowe But hee knoweth our secrete diseases which are vnperceiued euen to our selues how that wee should be beguiled by them For a man wil diuers times imagine himselfe to bee so well reclaymed that hee needeth no more and that is the thing that beguileth vs. But GOD seeth much clearer than wee doe and hee is faine to play the Phisition If a Phisition being a mortall man bee able to coniecture that there lyeth some further inconuenience lurking in the diseased person and thereuppon doe giue him a stronger medicine shall not our Lord from whom nothing is hidden to whome it belongeth to search mens hearts perceiue y t there are yet stil some naughty and wicked affections to bee remedied in vs Yes and therefore let vs marke well this sentence of Moseses where hee saith that God will repent him at leastwise when he seeeth all the strength of his people to bee forespent And therefore let vs not thinke that our Lorde will vtterly sinke vs though he asswage not the afflictions out of hand which he sendeth vppon vs. For hee knoweth that it is for our behoofe to languish and he seeth that wee would kicke at him againe if hee left vs in our full strength Therefore we haue neede to bee tamed yea and to bee broosed and broken or else hee shall neuer haue ioy of vs. That is the thing in effect which wee haue to practise vppon this place Nowe it is expresly sayd that GOD will see them all discomfited as well the man that is shut vp as the man that is left abroad This maner of speaking is common enough in the holy scripture as if yee would say the strong and the weake that is to say all one with another For by this worde Shut vp the Hebrewes betoken him that is in a fortresse castle or holde and in good safetie as in respect of men And by the man that is left abroad they meane the poore man which goeth abroad in the fieldes without defence or safegard We see then howe his meaning in effect is that all of them as well great as small strong as weake riche as poore shall bee all discomfited True it is that such
the people bin vnthankfull they shoulde ere that time haue beene conueyed into the lande of promise and then had Moses gone in with them But his life was prolonged a great time because of the leawdnes of the people Heere we see a wonderfull goodnes in God For seeing that the people that is to wit as many of them as were then of discretion to knowe good from euill were condemned to die in the wildernesse it had beene a great discomfort to them if Moses should haue dyed out of hand 〈◊〉 14.23 But God reserueth him and although he chastise the people yet notwithstanding hee moderateth his rigour Heere then we see in effect that when God tolde the people that they should die in the wildernesse hee meant not to punish them with such extremitie but that hee prouided them first of y e principall point which was y t they might haue a good loadesman For that is an inestimable treasure And againe we see howe God wrought in Moses by a power that was not common to men that is to wit that at the age of Sixscore yeeres there was in him still all that euer was requisite in so difficult and weightie a charge as wee knowe was committed vnto him True it is that he had Iudges with him Exod. 18.25 but yet for all that no one man no nor a doosen men had beene able to haue gone through with that charge though they had bin chosen of the excellentest men in the worlde Needs must it be thē that God aided him Now whereas in so old age men are wont to be drooping and halfe dead or at leastwise in such case as they can scarsly crawle and are halfe doted and yet Moses continueth still in his perfect state therein it appeareth that God had compassion of his people And this is expresly declared that the children of Israel shoulde knowe that God neuer forsooke them that although they had grieuously offended him and were worthy to be cut off from his house and to bee stripped out of his gratious giftes yet he ment not to vse such rigour for hee reserued Moses and gaue him wherwith to go through with his charge continually To be short in this text it is shewed vs that if God giue vs such men to bee our guides as behaue themselues faithfully and haue abilitie matched with their will and that they bee maintained to doe their office to the full it behoueth vs to perceiue therin that God hath pitie vppon vs and we must acknowledge such a benefite vnlesse we wil be condemned of vnthankfulnesse Nowe it is saide that the children of Israel mourned thirtie days for the death of Moses It was a common thing to make such sorrowe for the deade But forasmuch as Moses was a father to all the whole people it was verie requisite that not some one house or kinred but that all those which had beene gouerned by him shoulde weepe for him Euerie man is to be mourned for in his owne house by his kinsfolfe and neere friendes but there was another speciall reason in Moses because God had giuen him to all the people and he had guided them with a fatherly care as we knowe The people therefore doe witnesse openly howe much they were bounde and beholden vnto Moses and al of them shewe themselues as his children But here it might be demaunded whether it be lawfull to make such lamentation for a man that is departed for it shoulde seeme to bee an incountering of Gods will Wee knowe that the life and death of men is in Gods hande nowe if hee call vs away it behooueth vs to goe without any gainesaying as I saide yesterday They that outliue vs must not sorrowe for our death for it were a kinde of striuing against God But wee must euer haue an eye to the end of our sorrowing when wee mourne for the decease of men and againe we must come to the measure therof Those two things then must we obserue to the intent that our sorrowing may bee lawfull The first thing is that our mourning for a partie departed be vpon iust cause For we haue good occasion to weepe because death is a common lookingglasse and record vnto vs of Gods curse not vppon one or two folkes but vpon all mankinde When we see any man deade God sheweth vs to the vew of our eye that we be all of vs cursed of him and that wee be all of vs inclosed in that curse because of Adams sin For whence comes death but of the estraunging of vs from the fountaine and welspring of life God then giueth vs good occasion to weepe when any man dyeth but that must bee done because of our sinnes so aswe feele what we haue deserued and bee ashamed of our selues and bee touched with the feare of Gods vengeance and bee so wounded therewith as it may prouoke vs to make sorrowe But this ende is ill regarded welneere of all men For when wee weepe we wote not why wee weepe and scarsly shall yee finde one among a hundred which is mooued and stirred vp to acknowledge the punishment of sinne the curse of God which is spred ouer all the sonnes of Adam That then is the thing which we haue to remember in the first place There is another seconde ende That is to wit when God taketh away a man that was able to doe seruice in his Church either publikely or priuately wee ought to bee sorie for it forasmuch as our Lorde chastiseth vs. If there bee a good Sheepeherd a good Prince a good Magistrate a man of counsell or any other that is fitte to serue the whole bodie and God taketh him away we ought to bee sorie for him and not without cause for it is a signe that hee is minded to diminish his grace in vs. And ought wee not to bee grieued in feeling Gods wrath On the other side we see how it is said that our Lorde taketh away the righteous Esa. 57.1 when he hath any vengeance in a readinesse hee calleth away his seruaunts to rest that they may be free from the mischiefe which is at hande Therefore when God taketh away the excellent men from among vs it is alwayes a threatning vnto vs. For it is all one as if he told vs that wee bee not worthie to haue him to dwell in our companie according to this saying in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11.38 that the worlde was not worthie to haue the men that serued God with such vertuous conuersation True it is that men mislike of them and thrust them out of their company as though they were not worthie to goe vppon the earth But yet on the contrarie part God telleth vs that we forgoe the company of the good men and of those whom hee hath reserued to himselfe Therefore when we bewaile the death of honest men which haue liued in the feare of God which were indewed with excellent vertues and gifts of grace
doing him homage for the goods that wee haue receiued at his hande bee by such force and constreint Nowe wee see in effect what is imported in these two speeches namely that wee must not haue our hearts locked vp to hinder vs from well doing but that not onely our handes but also our heartes must bee open towards such as are distressed to haue pitie vppon them and to vse kindnesse to them Where this is not there must needes bee all manner of crueltie as wee commonly see that such as haue most to spare doe fall to repyning if a bodie go about to wring an almes from them and they make a grudging at it like a dog when one woulde take away a bone out of his mouth And if they happe to giue any thing bee it for shame or for any other cause it is a death to thē to part from it And surely it were better that such rakehelles were rooted out of the worlde than that they should liue among men For they bee monsters against kinde they bee foule churles that coulde finde in their hearts to deuour and swallowe downe all the worlde into their mawes Or rather they bee men full of vnbeliefe which haue no more trust in God than diuels bearing themselues in hande that the earth is not able to finde them By reason whereof if it come to the point that they must giue any thing it striketh them to the heart it killeth them insomuch that the asking of an Almes at their hande is as the drawing of a sworde to cut their throtes Therefore let vs looke to our selues and when we heare our Lord speake of the not hardening of our hearts let vs beginne at this point of kindnesse in hauing pitie and compassion vpon such as are in distresse And therewithall let our hande bee at libertie afterwarde in such sort as wee may protest that wee offer GOD a sacrifice with a free heart And nowe Moses addeth Beware that this wicked thought come not in thy heart to say Beholde the Seuenth yeare is at hande and if I lende my money must lie dead for the time He calleth it a wicked thought when we be helde backe by it too much to our owne profite and in the meane while forsake the partie that is in neede For were our thoughts well ruled surely wee should not bee so greatly wedded to our owne profite but that we would also thinke vpon those whom God commendeth vnto vs. 1. Cor. 13.15 It is saide that loue seeketh not his owne True it is that it cannot bee but that euerie man will bee mindfull of himselfe But Saint Paules meaning in saying so is that men must not bee caried away with the loue of their owne profite as who shoulde say they woulde haue no fellowshippe with their neighbours nor streine themselues to doe any thing for them Therefore as for those which say I must haue regarde of my selfe and therewithall doe despise others and passe not what they endure those seeke their owne gaine and in so doing shewe themselues to be vtterly voide of charitie Contrariwise if wee bee kindhearted although wee be mindfull of our selues yet are we not so caried away with it but that wee beare an euen hand and proceede to the louing of our neighbours as our selues Whereas our nature wholly draweth vs to our owne priuate profite let vs bethinke our selues thus What I cannot separate my selfe from those to whom God hath knit me for that were a wicked diuorce If I should holde my selfe alone and haue no regard but of mine owne aduantage It were a cutting of my selfe off from mankinde I were worthie to be cut from the rest of the world for it is against kinde So then it is not without cause that Moses saith that when a man is so mindful of his owne profite and seeketh it in such sort that he taketh it as an occasion to refuse to help his neighbors at all it is a wicked thought for thereby wee bee done to vnderstand that we must not iustifie our selues because that although men be not able to accuse vs so as we may condemned by mans Lawe yet doth it not followe therefore that wee be quit before God If a man come to borrowe mony of mee and I thinke thus with my selfe I cannot tell whether this man be able to pay me againe or no he is a poore man and when I haue taried a long time hee may chaunce to growe poorer and poorer and then is my money loste Nowe then if this poore man that was to be succoured abide still in distresse and in the end perish the other that woulde not lend him shall not be accused for it nor brought to answere for it before men And if men cast him in the teeth with it O will hee say It was for mee to seeke mine owne profite I listed not to hazarde my selfe after that fashion Well this excuse may serue afore men but in the meane while what saith the heauenly Iudge to it It is a wicked thought saieth hee and let men flatter themselues neuer so much they shall winne nothing by it Therefore let vs marke that wee must not wey our woorkes in our owne scales as who shoulde say wee shall goe scotfree because wee haue some startinghole For our Lorde telleth vs that the thing which beares a shewe to be excusable of it selfe is cursed in his sight that is to wit if wee succour not the partie that hath neede at leastwise according to our abilitie And it is the selfesame thing that our Lorde Iesus Christ putteth vs in minde of where hee saieth that wee must doe good to such as are not able to requite vs with the like Luke 6.35 and that wee must lende without looking for any gaine For neither in lending nor in giuing commonly is there any liberalitie among men but euerie man hath an eye to his owne gaine If a man giue it is to the ende to receiue giftes againe and if a man lende alwayes his respect is that such a one may doe him pleasure and recompence him with the like good turne againe It is no Liberalitie when wee doe good in hope to bee recompensed for it againe But if wee do good to a poore man at whose hande wee cannot by any meanes reape any profite that is a point of free goodnesse and God alloweth of it for it is an acceptable sacrifice vnto him And that is the cause why hee saieth that we should not giue to such as are able to requite vs but to such as are vtterly vnable and of whom wee haue no hope to recouer the principall for it is no Almesdeede that is to say no deede of mercie vnlesse there bee neede and where is neede but among such as are not able to recompence Yea and euen where our money may seeme to bee cast into the water insomuch that wee haue succoured such a man as it may bee saide Verily this is quite lost
for aught that I can see Yea verily as to the worldwarde But our Lorde saieth Mat. â—â—â— I receiue it yee thinke yee put your almes into a mortall mans hande but it is I that become detter for it Although all thinges bee his yet bindeth he himself in the person of the poore and shoulde then any nigardlynesse stay vs from succoring those whom God offereth vnto vs seeing he setteth them as in his owne steede and auoweth all to be done to himselfe which is done to them Moreouer let vs marke that Moses speaketh here of such as are in neede For God ment not to maintaine wicked folke in ydlenes naughtinesse The man that seeketh to wast away other mens goods and to defraude his Creditors is not commended vnto vs heere of God but hee speaketh directly of mercy And that is the cause why he saieth Thou shalt not harden thy heart For if wee haue not that discretion doe what Almesdeedes we will and yet shall none of them be acceptable Wherfore let vs marke that here God speaketh not in fauour of all men but onely setteth before vs such as are in neede wote not what to doe and shoulde perish in distresse if they were not relieued Those are they which are to be helped according to our abilitie True it is that to make a Lawe of it it is not possible God hath set this order among his people that the poore shoulde be succoured But he hath not tolde with what suÌ„me nor how oftentimes hee hath not made a tax of it to say that euery man should beare thus much Only we must resort to this which S. Paul saith â— Coâ— 3 5â— Let euery man doe that which he doth with a free hart and not lay a tribute vpon meÌ„ as though they shold pay as much as they were sessed at but let euery maÌ„ sesse him self of his own good wil think thus although I streined my self a hundred times more yet could I not discharge my self to my godward Howbeit forasmuch as he sheweth me this fauor to accept it as an offring of my hand although I do not so much as I ought to doe nothing neere yet doth it please him to receiue y t which I giue him so it be done w t a free hart Sith we know this albeit that we cannot make a grounded Lawe of it to say how farre we shall go in succoring our neighbors yet let euery of vs streine himselfe and alwayes be doing with the foresayd free heart And it is sayd Thou shalt not thinke with thy self the yeere of respit is at hand and therefore I will not lend Hereby it is shewed vs as I haue touched afore that if a poore man require help although he be not able to pay the thing againe out of hand which he borroweth yet must not wee be cold for all that For we must thinke if I helpe this poore man at this time he is a faithful man and my succoring and releeuing of him shall set him halfe vp againe but howsoeuer the worlde go he may be able to mainteine his trade and at length he may pay mee all that hee borroweth But if I vtterly faile him at this time he is quite sunck he is brought vnder foote for euer and hee hath no meanes to get vp againe and I am too blame if I see him perish so Had we this coÌ„sideratioÌ„ with vs we should not haue the nigardlines that Moses mentioneth and condemneth here And how so Let vs knowe that where need requireth we must not haue such respect to our owne profite as to let the poore perish in their distresse without lending them our helping haÌ„d Again Let vs wey wel this saying which Moses setteth downe here namely that wee must open our handes Hee repeteth it twise or thrice and that is to shewe vs that there is nothing but hypocrisie in vs when we pretend to haue compassion yet our hand is alwayes shut and nothing can be wrong out of vs. I haue told you already y t a number of folke wil not passe greatly to say Alas when they see poore people but they beare themselues in hand y t it is enough to haue pretended a countenance But here God reproueth mens dissimulation if they haue not their handes open for it is a tokeÌ„ that their hart is hardened so as there is nothing but beastly churlishnesse in them and when their handes be not opened it must needes bee a record of it Againe he setteth downe that the poore is to be succored according to his neede and that a gage is to be taken of him if there be a gage to be had for it may also full well be vnderstood of the taking of gages And hereby we see yet better that our Lordes meaning was not to haue dettes vtterly released by the respit that was giuen in the seuenth yeere but onely to haue a time of rest giuen for the respectes and considerations which I haue treated of before Furthermore it is tolde vs here that we must relieue our neighbors wants for our Lord speaketh heere of the lendinges that are doone of almes And in deede it is oftentimes a greater almesdeede to lend some coÌ„peteÌ„t suÌ„me than to giue a very little For it may be y t the giuing of a little will doe a man no ease at all but the lending of as much as neede requireth releeueth him very wel he may in time content his creditor again That then is the thing whereunto our Lord appointeth vs. And therefore let vs marke the thing which I haue touched already that is to wit that although a man cannot set downe a Lawe certeine in this behalfe yet must euery man be a rule to himself to doe according to his own abilitie and according to y e need that he seeth in his neighbors Now here is added yet further That God will blesse such as doe so according as hee had begun yesterday to promise his blessing to all such as were so liberally minded towardes the succoring of the poore And this serueth still to correct the cursed vnbeleefe y t holdeth our heartes locked vp so as no man mindeth aught else than himself and his own profite For it seemeth to vs y t if we forgo neuer so little of y t which we haue we be in y e way to be vndone by it That is y e cause why euery man holdes fast neuer thinkes hee hath enough O say we it is true y t we may doe so and so but thereby I should be impayred I cannot tell what may befall to my selfe We cast so many doubtes y t we can neuer finde occasion to giue any thing And why so Forsooth because I might want it my selfe But y t is a cursed distrust such a one as prouoketh Gods wrath For wee ought rather to hope well at his hand y t as he hath not failed vs heretofore so he will continue to doe vs
would thus fall asleepe let vs looke to our selues and gather our wittes into some feare and let euery of vs quicken vp himselfe And if wee doe not stirre vp our selues in this manner then must God needes torment and vex vs and make vs a liuely portraiture of that which is mentioned heere For in verie deede after that the despisers of God haue plaide the madde beasts and bleared out their tongues at all manner of doctrine and set light by all threatenings and like chafed bulles haue rushed against God and all his iudgementes they must at the last feele themselues vexed and troubled with vnquietnesse as wee see howe the great Tyrants that make all the worlde to shake vnder them haue their part hereof without measure insomuch that where as they make others to drinke a little glasse of feare and terrour they themselues must drinke vp a whole potte full and suppe vp the dregges Esa. 51. â—â— according to the phrase of the Prophets when they speake of the greatest punishment that God sendeth Namely that when those whom God chastiseth haue drunke more than their fill in swallowing vp great store of sorowes then they which haue liued at their ease and in pleasure must drinke the leeze which is the bitterest and will make them to burst And in deede we haue an example of a heathenish Tyrant who hath verie well prooued and declared that all his whole life was a continuall torment yea euen by his owne witnesse For being flattered of one that saide vnto him O syr howe happie is your state Yea quoth hee and I will make thee to vnderstande it thy selfe And thereuppon hee made him a feast and when hee had set him at y e table he put a sworde ouer his heade hanging by one onely hayre to shewe vnto him what manner of state that was which hee had counted so happie The man seeing himselfe in that perplexitie saide Let this kingly state be taken away from mee for I had leuer die a hundred times than to be in such vnquietnesse and perplexitie This I say was the confession of a heathen Tyrant as if GOD shoulde haue helde him vpon the Torture that it might bee a generall lesson against all such as make warre with God and trouble the worlde with terrour they must spite of their teeth bee made afraide themselues and finde no rest After many tossings and turmoylings hell must euermore waite for them they must see their graues open which they are to fall into and they must beholde the great gulfes readie to swallow them vp and in the meane while can haue no recourse nor refuge to God but doe stil flee from him where as he is the onely person to whom they shoulde haue sought for succour Nowe ouer and besides that which wee haue saide already namely that we ought to preuent this threate by fearing God of our owne accorde let vs vnderstande that forasmuch as we be all wretched sinners and there is not one be hee neuer so well and rightly minded which ought not to vnderstande that hee is greatly indaungered vnto God yet when wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 1.14 who is our peace and when wee can by his meane rest vppon the fatherly goodnesse of God then may wee be sure that he holdeth vs for his children and that hee watcheth ouer vs and procureth our welfare And that is the cause why Sainct Paul saith expresly 〈◊〉 5.1 that when we be once iustified by faith then we be at peace with God He saieth that we must be iustified by faith that is to say that wee must haue imbraced the grace which is offered vnto vs by the Gospel knowing that God forgiueth vs our sinnes and is mercifull vnto vs in that hee beareth with vs for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake Vntill we come to this we must needes be alwayes in doubt and in perplexitie but hauing knowledge once that God hath buried all our sinnes so as wee put our trust in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ then wee bee at peace yea in peace and not in dulnesse like as the vnfaithfull and the despisers of God may haue some peace for a certaine time as we haue saide afore but forasmuch as they forget themselues and do still followe on their wicked traine they vtterly besot and bewitch themselues But Sainct Paul saieth that wee haue peace with God that is to say that we acknowledging our selues vndone without him may boldly preace vnto him and say Seeing GOD is my father and hee hath shewed himselfe so gracious to mee in this present life as to giue me some rest heere surely there is a more blisfull rest prepared for mee when as our Lorde Iesus Christ shall come to meete vs for to guide vs and to bring vs vp that wee may seeke our God as in deede that is the place which wee must come vnto if wee intende to haue a place to rest vs in And in that respect is it that the Prophets in likewise speaking of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ doe alwayes say that euerie man shall then sleepe vnder his owne figge tree and vnder his owne vine Mich. 4.4 and nothing shall make him afraide Nowe then concerning the threatenings which Moses hath set downe heere the Prophets as true expounders of Moses and as renuers and bringers of the Lawe to rememberance againe hauing shewed vnto the people the vnbeliefe and rebellion which they sawe in them and hauing shewed the vengeance of God which was readie to light vpon them for it did bring those back againe vnto Iesus Christ which erst were altogether vnreformable And albeit that it behoued them to suffer smart for a time because of their sinnes yet doe they giue them hope that God will make a couenant with them and that then they shall sleepe euery man in his vyneyarde and vnder his figge tree doing them to vnderstande that although they slept not in a locked chamber but lay in y e middest of the fields yet they should be safe ynough because they were vnder the protection of their God by reason whereof they might sleepe at ease and in safetie Forasmuch then as wee haue such assurance wee ought to bee well setled in our mindes and sith wee haue vnderstanding of the reconciliation that is made in our Lorde Iesus Christ wee haue nowe good cause to rest vs in our God and to be still and quiet howbeit so as we forget not so great a benefite And wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ is minded to raigne among vs. Let vs therefore suffer our selues to bee gouerned by his hande and as Ewes and Lambes let vs followe our shepeherde and then shall wee do that which our Lorde hath appointed for vs so as nothing may hinder vs but that we may attaine vnto him Although wee see thinges turmoyled in this worlde so as all goes to hauocke yet shall wee bee able to take breath