Ye see how the Papists nowadays being besotted in their follies cannot bee brought back into y e right way of saluatioÌ„ For they beare theÌ„selues in hand y t they are sufficiently armed with this shift of theirs y t of long time men haue liued as they doe that themselues are not the inuenters of the religion which they holde But as I haue tolde you this can serue them to no purpose no more than it can serue for y e defence of adultery to alledge y t it is not punished nowadayes nor any account made of it No but God who is the heauenly Iudge will in the end shewe that these are such enormities as hee cart in no wise suffer Now y t which Moses addeth proueth y e same thing which we touched yesterday namely y t God did not always punish offences in such sort as by good right he might I meane of punishing according to y e law which he gaue for y e ordering of the people of Israel For he bare w t many things because of the hardnes of that people as our Lord Iesus sheweth them when hee speaketh of diuorcements which were done against all reason indifferencie For hee saith here that if a man finde a maide and y t she without forcing yeelde herselfe that hee shal be quit by giuing of money for the marriage of y e maide by taking of her to wife and by being debarred of y e common liberty that he may neuer forsake her Now I grant that this was a chastisement vnto y e man which had played the fornicator But was it so grieuous as the fault required Nay verily What shall we say then Did God permit whoredome or ment he to lay y e bridle on their neck or gaue he to vnderstand therby y t the sin should be pardoned No none of all this For we haue shewed afore that when God deliuered his lawe which consisteth in ten words hee declared therin his will and prescribed men a certaine rule wherby they should liue Now that lawe is it which shall iudge vs at y e latter day it not onely serueth to condemne offenders vnto temporal punishmeÌ„t but also doth vs to vnderstand that we must answere thereunto before the iudgement seate of God to perish for euer Therfore when we shall haue escaped y e hands of men yea and y e god shal haue winked at our faults yet must we in y e ende come to our accouÌ„t before him Ye see then y t the law of God is to iudge vs. As for this it serued but for an earthly policie And God as I haue saide respected not such perfection as is required in y e faithfull but rather bare with the hardnes of y e people which was so sturdy so hard to be ruled And albeit he punished not those diuorcements which were made against all indifferency yet is it not to be said therefore that he permitted theÌ„ For we heare how our Lord Iesus Christ pronouÌ„ceth therof That whosoeuer forsaketh his wife taketh another except it be for adulterie so that he can proue she hath played y e whore is an adulterer and that who so taketh her to wife that is forsaken Mat. 19.9 committeth adultery also and his mariage is not lawful but detested of God Euen so staÌ„deth y e case in that which we see in this place For although God punisheth him not seuerely which coÌ„mitteth fornication w t a maide it is not because that whoredome is any way at all to bee pardoned If it be not punished by meÌ„ yet god alwais hath his right reserued But this is done because y t commonly in y e estate of gouernement men wil sooner punish those faults wherby their own coÌ„modities are hindered than wherby God is offended Indeed y e Iudges magistrats ought not to giue the bridle so far that God should bee mocked y t his name should be dishonoured or that al religion should be trampled vnder foote as wee haue seene heretofore that blasphemies were more grieuously punished thaÌ„ murders But when there is some by offence coÌ„mitted wherin there is no manifest despising of God to be seen men will not pursue it so fiersly as when a matter toucheth themselues So then as touching y e fornicatioÌ„ which Moses speaketh of in this place forasmuch as it concerneth the losse discredit which is done vnto a man because his daughter is kept back from prefermeÌ„t in mariage he that hath inueagled her must assigne her a dowry because it may be that she shall not find another match therefore he must take her to wife if her father wil. And if he should cast her off againe w tin a while after she should be new to prouide againe Therfore he must keepe her still and be so debarred of that common right which belonged to others y t he may neuer forsake her Ye see theÌ„ howe God prouideth for the commoditie of the partie But yet for all this God is still offended if a man defile the temple of the holy ghost which is his bodie 1. Cor. 6.15 and giue ouer the members of our Lord Iesus Christ to such wickednes For we are all members of his bodie And farther when he goeth about to defile a maide which is y e â—â—â—ple of God and a member of the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ I say that the doing thereof is an ouer great confusion And yet for all that shee is not punished no not by ciuill order But yet the law of God remaineth alwayes in his estate y t is to say it is the rule which he hath giueÌ„ vs to liue by which shall not bend at our pleasure To bee short God by giuing his Law ment to frame vs vnto his obedience and to shew vs our dutie towards him And therfore y e law goeth roundly to work sheweth vnto vs wherunto we are bouÌ„d Moreouer touching ciuil order god had an eye vnto y t which y e weaknes of y e world might beare conformed himself therunto therfore there were many things which were not punished by the law of Moses Neuertheles we are taught y t albeit our faults be not iudged by men wee must not therfore fal asleepe in our sins For we shall gaine little though earthly iudges let vs alone we escape without punishment before them if in y e meane time y e wrath of God encrease vpon vs and because he hath patiently waited our ameÌ„dment it grow more more against vs we put that in vre which S Paul saith y t is to wit that we hord vp to our selues a treasure of y e greater condemnation 〈◊〉 2.4 Let vs therefore learne not to haue such respect vnto meÌ„ that we think so our faults be not vpbraided vs by them or so they accuse vs not or frame no inditement against vs we be therfore quited Nay let vs know that it should be good for vs somtimes to
thinke they feare God well wheÌ„ they haue some fond deuotion towardes him as wee see in Poperie where euerie man sayes that his intent is to serue God but after what fashion Euen euerie man after his owne fansie But y e obedience which God requireth at our hands in yeelding our selues wholly to his worde and the reuerence which wee owe him as to our Father and King are things vnseparable Wherefore let vs marke well that if we be minded and desirous to come together as wee ought to doe Gods worde must haue all authoritie ouer vs so as our receiuing thereof bee not onely to confes it with our mouth but also to frame our liues wholly thereafter For if wee will needes liue after our owne swindge and euerie of vs doe what seemeth good to himselfe God holdeth scorne of vs and disclaimeth vs though wee protest to feare him and serue him neuer so much For it is no reason but that he should be heard specially seeing he taketh paine to teach vs. That therfore is the first point Againe let vs vnderstand that our keeping of Gods Lawe Psal. â—6 â— and our walking according to his will doe not aduauntage him at all for what can he receiue at our hands But it is to the end that the world may know that we feare him that is to say that wee take him for our maister that we would faine be wholly his and that he should gouerne vs. That is the effect of the matter that Moses sheweth here Howbeit forasmuch as Churches are oftentimes defiled with hypocrits and wicked folke which crowde in couertly who notwithstanding are worthie to bee euen thrust out of the world Psa. 5â— â— Let vs marke what is saide in the fiftieth Psalme where God declareth that he separateth his true seruantes from such as falsely abuse his name so as his voyce thundereth to summon those that feare him aright and haue not couenanted with him vnfeynedly nor serue him onely with Ceremonies but also in very deede them will he assemble together And on the contrarie part hee vpbraydeth those that take his name in their mouth and yet notwithstanding doe take part with robbers murderers theeues and traytours Therefore when men will needes match GOD and the diuel together after that fashion as it appeareth that most men doe God complaineth of it and protesteth that it shall not scape vnpunished Now if he shewe such a separation aforehand Let vs bee well assured Matt. 25.33 that when the day commeth wherein the Goates shal be put asunder from the Lambes the shame of such as haue preaced after that sorte into Gods Church shall then bee discouered and they shal be abhorred of all creatures as they deserue But in the meane while let vs see that wee separate our selues from them as neere as we can and when we see such vncleannesse at leastwise let vs beware that wee mislike them and let vs pray God to rid and cleanse his Church of such infections Howsoeuer the case stand let vs be mindeful of the thing that Moses speaketh in this text whensoeuer we intende to meete together in the name of God Afterward hee addeth that when wee our selues haue walked in the feare of God euery of vs must teach his children to do the lyke Wherein we see that it is not enough for euery man to discharge his duty in liuing orderly himselfe but that we must to y e vttermost of our power procure the coÌ„tinuance of Gods honor and seruice after our deceases And in good fayth is it reason that Gods name should be buryed with our death We know how flightfull our lyfe is but Gods glory must indure for euer without decaying Esa. 40.6 1. Pet. 1.24 Iude. 25. Therfore let vs learn our owne duetie that is to walke righteously all y e time of our lyfe and to indeuer to traine vp our children aright so as religion may florish and prosper when wee be dead and God be alwayes honored in the world that his name may be called vppon purely And that is the very cause also why God commaundeth fathers so straightly to teach their children For the coulde well send his creatures into the worlde though no man had any speciall care of them but hee chargeth fathers to bring vp their children And why To the ende they should knowe that they must yeelde an account of them And for the same cause also doth he communicate his name vnto them Mal. 2.10 For the title of father belongeth to himselfe alone but yet hee honoreth men so much as to grant them the name of fathers And to what ende Matt. 23.9 That they should be the earnester and carefuller in teaching their children their dueties So then let vs doe our indeuour that there may remaine a good afterspring after our decease so as Gods Church may florishe still and his name be worshipped from age to age And wee ought to labour so much the more in that behalfe because wee see how the diuil practiseth to ouerthrow all that euer is builded in the name of God So farre of is it that the fruite which ought to come of the Gospel doth ripen that men doe labor to plucke it vp or else to marre it and to turne it out of the owne kinde Sith wee see this ought we not to bee the more prouoked to doe the duetie that is commaunded vs here Without going any further what is to be seene heere among vs The Gospell hath bin preached to vs now a long time and yet for al that what maner of ones are they which haue bin borne of all this time to whome God hath grauÌ„ted the grace to be suckled with Gods word euen from the teate and to bee brought vp in it lykewise so as they being then but little babes did neuer see any of the diuelish abhominations of poperie and therefore ought to bee euen throughly soked in the doctrine of saluation what maner of ones are they doth it not appeare that most part of them are so frowarde as if they were the brood of Serpents The world may see that they despise God openly and commit such wickednesse and lewdenesse that there is much more honestie and more shewe of Religion among the Papistes than there is among these Seeing then that thinges are so farre out of order and the diuill indeuoreth to put all to hauocke ought we not to be the more inflamed to doe our indeuer that there may remaine at leastwise some little seede after our decease so as the remembraunce of the Gospell be not vtterly abolished nor the thing that hath bin set vp so happily in the name of GOD and by his wonderfull power be decayed and pulled downe againe by the enemies Now then seeing that God hath graunted vs the grace and priuiledge to bee called to the hearing of his worde and to haue it set forth in the pure simplicitie among vs let vs vnderstand that we be the more
if there happen any doubt or variance among vs it may bee dispatched by that meane that is to wit if we be not beleeued and a matter hang in doubt the name of GOD may come in as an vmper to dispatch all controuersie so as the matter may bee certaine and sure by such confirmation Is it not an inestimable goodnesse that our God humbleth himselfe in such sort as to giue vs leaue to vse his name Yes And why for it is certaine that Gods maiestie is so precious as it ought not to bee abased so lowe but yet he vouchsafeth to apply himselfe vnto vs and therefore so much the greater is the vilanie if wee vnhallowe Gods name in our othes And that is done not onely by forswearing our selues but also by taking Gods name at aduenture without regarding to speake with good discretion or whether the thing that wee haue in hande is worthie to bee so confirmed or no. Therefore when men goe to it so ar aladuenture Gods name is as it were vnhallowed It is true that GOD taketh it as a kinde of his seruice when men sweare by his name not that hee is beholden to vs for it but cleane contrariwise For as I haue touched alredie we must in this case consider howe GOD beareth with vs in that he giueth vs leaue to vse his name But yet doe wee by our swearing acknowledge that God hath all superioritie ouer vs. The inferiour sweareth by his superior saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes Hebr. â—â— And surely if wee wist to what ende an othe serueth it cannot agree but onely to the maiestie of GOD. For our meaning is to warrant such thinges as are secret and haue no proofe among men But that cannot bee done by any creature God must bee faine to shewe himselfe in that behalfe as hee that sercheth mens hearts to the verie bottome Ier. 1â—â— 2. 〈◊〉 30. Psal. â—â— 1. Cor â—â— And againe it is not for nought that he chalengeth to himselfe the title of trueth Wee see then that in swearing wee do homage vnto God by protesting him to bee our iudge and the only partie to whome wee haue recourse in all doubtfull and secret cases because it is his office to bring them to light and againe hee will maintaine the trueth sith the same belongeth to his honour That is the cause why God taketh it to bee a kinde of seruing of him Ier. 5. â—â— when men doe sweare by his name howe be it so as the othes bee not needelesse And hereby wee see that the fault of such as forsweare them selues or as sweare rashly is so much the greeuouser for it is as a violating of Gods seruice and as an abolishing of it as much as in vs lyeth As touching them that commit periurie they bee not onely guiltie of taking Gods name in vain and of abusing the same falsly but also they bee traitors and wicked caitifes Can wee deuise to doe a greater outrage to our GOD than to abolish or deface his trueth No for there is nothing more peculiar vnto him And therefore it is all one as if wee woulde plucke him out of his seate yea and vtterly bereaue him of all diuine honour and glorie whiche thing is done when men turne his trueth into a lye Therefore whosoeuer forsweareth himselfe that is to saye whosoeuer taketh Gods name with an euill conscience whether it bee to colour lies or to beguile or to disguise matters surely hee blasphemeth in so doing And I say expresly if wee goe about to disguise matters Why so For many doe dispence with themselues vnder colour that they cannot be conuicted of periurie before men And why is that Because they turne the cat in the pan and set such a face vppon their matters as it may seeme that they forsware not themselues at all But God liketh not any such suttleties Wherefore let vs not imagine that wee shal bee quitte and scape scotfree before him when wee shall haue vsed such fetches and startingholes Thus wee see in effect that all such as take Gods name otherwise than soundly and simply doe commit blasphemie Let that serue for one point Nowe as for them that sweare to no purpose and vnaduisedly they shewe well ynough that they make none account of God and that they doe but dally with him In deede they protest the contrarie they can welynough say that their intent is nothing so but that is but hypocrisie for the deede it selfe sheweth sufficiently that they beare no reuerence vnto GOD. If wee haue a mortall man in estimation wee will not take his name in vaine wee woulde not that men shoulde make a babling of it or intermeddle it with scornefull and scoffing words Nay we woulde take that in reproch And would wee haue more priuiledge than the liuing God We bee wretched carions and dung and yet would wee be had in honour and estimation and that our God shoulde be our vnderling We see then that there are verie fewe of good religion nowadayes in the world Although a great number pretende to bee Christians yet they neuer wist what it is to worshippe God or to doe him homage or to yeelde him the seruice that belongs vnto him For howe doeth Gods name trorte about Men cannot bargaine for a quart of wine but some othe must bee rapt out with it If Gods honour were esteemed among vs surely we would abstaine from such needlesse othes nay rather wee woulde abhorre them And yet nowadayes men make but a sport of them and if a man bee rebuked for his swearing hee thinkes he hath great wrong done him If there bee any talke that is not for a mans profite he will be wearie of it and grieued at it yea and finde fault with it but if any of vs bee so zealous to God-ward as to be grieued at the abasing of his name by and by a quarell is picked to him they despite him and gnash their teeth at him But seeing that the worlde taketh so fast holde of the despising of GOD and is so hardened in it it is a signe that there is no more knowledge of his maiestie Againe although men take so lawlesse leaue vnder coulour that it is an ordinarie matter and haue made custome a Lawe yet will God shew in the end that hee maketh more account of his name than men haue done and that if we make hauocke of it wee shall paye deerely for it and wee shall bee driuen in the ende to knowe that wee haue defiled the lande where wee dwelt and wee must bee called to a reckening for al the benefits that we receiued there and which GOD bestowed vppon vs with his hande because wee acknowledged not the author of them to yeelde him his due honour for them Yee see then that the first thing which we haue to marke in this text is that God beareth with vs and vseth such gentlenesse towards vs as hee is well contented that wee shall vse his
name in all lawfull cases by the which grant of his wee may well perceiue that hee is more than fatherly towardes vs. Neuerthelesse hee warneth vs therewithall to bee more ware in abstayning from all wicked othes For as for periurie as I said afore it is an offering of too outragious and cursed vilanie vnto him because his trueth is turned into lying and wee bee false-dealers to the vttermost of our power And so ye see that that is a passing deadly crime But it is not ynough for vs to refraine from periurie it behooueth vs also to looke that our othes be sober and that Gods name be not tossed among vs like a tennisball but that necessitie may excuse vs in our vsing thereof And forasmuch as by our swearing we giue to vnderstande that GOD hath all superioritie ouer vs therein we see that the othes which are made by creatures are wicked and proceede of superstition As for example whereas in the Popedome men sweare by S. Antonie or by S. Iohn it is all one as if they made ydols of them And why so For we must always bethinke vs of this saying of the Apostle which I alledged afore namely that by our swearing by the name of God wee auow him to bee our superiour yea and our soueraine Lord. And that is the cause also why God sweareth to confirme vs in his promises or rather to waken vs when he seeth vs wilfull and hardened in our sinnes so as we be not afraid of his iustice He sweareth and by whom Euen by himselfe He reserueth that honor to himselfe as shall bee declared more at large in the 6. Chapter of this booke Deut. 6.13 And therefore they that sweare by creatures are ydolaters By reason whereof in speaking of superstitions the othe is set downe as a record to proue that men are turned away from the purenes of the Law Soph. 1.5.6 The shepherds saith Ieremie which haue the charge of leading Gods people Ier. 12.16 must teach them to sweare by the name of God that is to say to lay away all other othes and to intermingle no creatures in that behalfe Furthermore whereas the name of GOD is mentioned let vs marke that it is not the onely speaking of that word that is forbidden vs but that we must haue a regarde to the substance of it as I haue said alreadie God is not a sophister to vse trifling suttleties towards vs but hee hath an eye to the deede it selfe There are that will not sweare expresly by the name of GOD but yet they cease not to bee faultie and offenders For wee must refer our selues to that which our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh in the fift of saint Mathew When yee sweare by heauen saith he is it not the seate of the liuing God Mat. 5.34.35 If yee sweare by his temple is it not the place where his maiestie resteth Then if wee thinke wee shall not bee condemned so wee expresse not the name of God it is aâ—fondnesse Let vs not beguile our selues therewithal for it is too childish an excuse For why Doeth not the heauen beare a representation of Gods Maiestie Yee see then that his glorie is thereby diminished As much is to be saide of the earth For it is his footestoole as Iesus Christ auoucheth in the forealleadged text Wherefore let vs learne in fewe wordes that we must yeelde such reuerence to the name of God as to put away all othes from among vs sauing so farre forth as necessitie requireth and as God giueth vs leaue to borrowe his name And moreouer let vs alwayes followe this to keepe this simplicitie in our talke to say it is so assuring our selues that whatsoeuer is more is euil and condemned by the lawe Matt. 5.37 that is to wit if wee take the name of God in vaine And indeede there is a dubble mischiefe to bee seene in all needlesse othes and wherein Gods name is not honoured as it ought to bee For when men let them flie so at all aduenture it is a token that they passe not what they saye Againe whereof commeth it but onely of this that folke are so full of lying and deceit as no man can beleeue that which is saide to him when one speakes to another Needes must there bee greate frowardnesse and naughtinesse among them Whereas God hath giuen vs a tongue it is partly to the intent wee shoulde common one with another thereby for it is as yee woulde saye the messenger of the hearte so as thereby wee expresse the thinges that we haue conceiued in our minde Wee see then that needelesse othes spring of the vntrustinesse of men And there needes no inquisition or long trial of the matter for euerie man hath his owne witnesse in that behalfe Howe so euer the case stande let vs learne to vse such modestie in this respect as God commaundeth that we sweare not without cause nor vnrequired Howbeit to make this matter the easier to bee vnderstoode many do beare themselues in hand that when they sweare by their faith it is not materiall Indeede the most part of them sweare by nothing at al for they haue no more faith thaÌ„ dogges they haue neither conscience nor Religion But yet shall not the name of Faith faile therefore to be esteemed afore God for hee setteth much store by it and counteth it as a holy thing which cannot nor ought not to bee so vnhallowed except we will needs make our selues guiltie and runne in daunger of the threat that is vttered here as we see Now then let vs mark wel that it is not ynough for vs to haue forborne to sweare expresly By God but also that if a man sweare by his faith or vse any confirmation wherein there is any marke of Gods maiestie his name is vnhallowed in so doing And what shall then become of such as not onelye vse false othes to countenaunce their matters withall and sweare at all aduenture and as it were in scorne and mockerie but doe also spite God with horrible blasphemies so as they spare neither fleshe bloude nor death nor anye thing else Are such men to bee helde as onely guiltie of simple abusing of Gods name No but as guiltie of the heynousest vilanie that can bee doone Beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe the Lorde of glorie abased himselfe for a time as saieth S. Paul Now if there were no more but this Phil. â—â— that he being the fountain of life became a mortall man and that he hauing dominion ouer the Angels of heauen tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant yea euen to shed his bloud for our redemption and in the end to suffer the curse that was due vnto vs Gal. â—â—â— were it conuenient that notwithstanding all this he should now adayes in recompence thereof bee torne in peeces by the stinking mouthes of such as name themselues Christians For when they sweare by his bloud by his death by his woundes and by
and then doe wee knowe him And this certaintie of being fully resolued that we worship not a new forged god or a god that is brought in by men but the same God to whom all praise is due is the verie foundation of all Religion Herewithall let vs beare in minde that he will bee worshipped all alone not onely by reseruing to himselfe the name of God but also by hauing all that is his that is to wit all that belongeth to his Maiestie and as ye woulde say to his office I speake after this maner to expresse the better that God hath not respect alonely to his being His will is not that men should onely call him the euerlasting or confesse him to be the maker of the world but that they should also knowe him to bee almightie and that it is he to whom the gouernment of vs belongeth it is he in whom is all vertue wisedome goodnesse and righteousnesse it is he to whom wee must runne for succour it is hee in whom we must put all our trust it is he to whom wee owe all glorie Yee see then how Moses in shewing that there is but onely one God meaneth that men should commit themselues vnto him knowing that they be in his hand that they bee maintained by his onely power that it is he at whose hand they must looke for saluation and all welfare and finally that it is he in whom they haue their lyfe moouing and being and therefore that it is he whom wee must honour Act. 17.28 Psal. 50.14.15 as well with prayer and supplications as also by praise and thansgiuing And nowe to shewe his meaning the better Moses addeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength In these wordes wee see the thing that hath bin touched alreadie that is to wit that Gods intent is to hold vs wholly to himselfe and to possesse vs in such sort as wee serue him not by halues ne wander in the meane while to and fro Then like as God of his gratious goodnesse giueth himselfe to vs so doeth it behooue vs to bee altogether his possession and inheritaunce That is the summe of the thinges contained in these wordes of Moses where he speaketh of the louing of GOD with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength As if he shoulde say There is no meane way in this case deceiue not your selues by imagining to serue God by parcelmeale and by making any restraint from him for he will keepe his owne right throughout in all points What is to be done then You must giue your hearts wholly vnto him so as ye reserue not any peece of it to idoles For that were a corrupting and a bastarding of his seruice eyther he must haue all whole or else he will haue none at all accordingly as we see how he renounceth the people in Ezechiel for mingling of superstitions with his Lawe Goe your wayes saieth he and serue your owne idoles I will no more of you He giueth them leaue and casteth them vp to Satan telling them that hee liketh not any of all the things which they doeâ— for he will not bee matched with idoles What an outrage and blasphemie is that Thus then we see now the meaning of Moses Now as concerning these words Soule Minde and Strength the Iewes did misunderstaÌ„d them Their saying is that Thou shalt loue God with all thy soule is as much to say as thou shalt not spare thy life for the loue of thy God but thou shalt set so much store by his glorie that in comparison thereof thou shalt not esteeme thine owne lyfe so as if neede require that thou shouldest die to shewe the loue which thou bearest vnto God thou shouldest doe it Againe Thou shalt loue thy God with all thy minde or Heart betokeneth with them but as it were a comparison so as a man shoulde preferre GOD aboue all other things And finally Thou shalt loue God with all thy strength importeth among them that thou must loue him with all thy substance and with all thy goods so as if the case required that thou shouldest bee impouerished thou shouldest rather giue ouer thy worldely goods than forsake thy God But this exposition is too straite laced and attaineth not to the verie meaning of Moses For proofe whereof there needeth nowe no long discourse For what better expounder of the Lawe is there to bee found than our Lorde Iesus Christ by whose spirit it was giuen For it was at his hand and by his authoritie that Moses receiued the Lawe which wee holde of him So then we must fetch the exposition thereof at his mouth and we must receiue it without gainsaying And for the same cause doe the three Euangelists S. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30. â—â— 10. â—â— in the 22. S. Mark in y e 12. and S. Luke in the 10. set downe this louing of God to be the whole summe of the well keeping of the lawe True it is that he addeth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Howbeit in answering he saieth thou shalt loue thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength Our Lord Iesus Christ addeth there one woorde more not to make a new sense but to assure vs the better of the same thing that Moses meant by the wordes Soule and Heart So then he setteth downe Soule Heart and Minde as if he should say The man that intendeth to keepe Gods Lawe well must yeeld himselfe wholly and throughly to the obeying and louing of God Nowe wee see that in our soules first there is the power of thinking when wee conceiue thinges to iudge and discerne of them That is the first power of the soule namely that vpon the insight of things we enter into deliberation and iudgement and conclude one way or other Gods will then is to restraine all these thoughtes to himselfe Againe there is the soule which is not onely the life but also the meane betwixt the thoughtes and the heart For the Heart betokeneth the affections desires will It is one thing to think a thing another thing to desire it and to set a hartie affection vpon it Ye see then that the heart is matched with the thoughtes to shewe that we must loue our God with all our mind And there is the Soule which is as it were betweene both as if it were sayd that whether wee debate and take counsell of our owne affaires we must alwayes begin at the loue of God and referre all thinges thereunto or whether wee couet one thing or other in seeking our own profite Gods loue must alwais gouerne vs so as al our desires be as it were restreined and bridled vnder it Yee see then that the whole soule with all the powers thereof ought to bee throughly possessed with the loue towardes God And the word strength serueth to
things which our Lord giueth vs for our bodyes and for this transitorie lyfe he hath also giuen vs benefites farre nobler and preciouser as which doe leade vs to his euerlasting kingdome must it not needes be that wee bee too lewd if wee bee not drawen vnto him And if wee take occasion to forget him for al his drawing of vs vnto him after that sort what horrible damnation deserue wee for such vnthankfulnesse Yee see then in effect that the thing which wee haue to remember vppon this place is that euerie of vs must bethinke him of the great nomber of benefites which hee hath receyued at Gods hand and which wee receyue stil day by day and that the same must stirre vs vp to put our selues continually forewarde in going towardes him and teache vs to doe him homage for all thinges and in all respectes For we defyle all his benefites if the end whereunto we referre them be not the honoring and glorifying of him Againe as touching the goods of this worlde let vs vnderstand that our Lord cannot deuise to do so little for vs or to giue vs so slender a portion of them but we shall bee exceedingly much beholden to him though he doe no more but if we perceiue that he dealeth gently with vs and that hee beareth with vs that ought to quicken vs vp and to prouoke vs so muche the more to come vnto him And therewithall let vs beware that our vnthankfulnesse leade vs not to forget him seeing it is not for nought that hee warneth his people heere by the mouth of Moses to beware that they forgat him not whē they came to the inioying of the benefites which hee would bestowe vppon them For wee haue examples thereof euen among our selues I pray you hath not GOD wrought after a wonderfull fashion heere in planting of his Gospell and moreouer vttered his blessinges in such sorte as they that perceiue them not must spite of their teeth knowe that hee hath shewed his mightye arme neuerthelesse I shall not neede as nowe to blame mens vnthankefulnesse it is too apparant and openly knowen For haue not many beene ashamed yea and are not many ashamed still to bethinke themselues of the miserable state out of which God hath deliuered them Wee heare howe Moses sayeth heere Forget not thy GOD which brought thee out of the lande of bondage or bondmen As if hee shoulde say when GOD shall haue graunted you the grace to dwell quietly in the lande which he will giue you in possession call to minde the state wherein yee haue beene that yee maye acknowledge the good which GOD hath done you in deliuering you from it Heere then are two thinges done you to vnderstande The one is that the present benefites must prouoke ye to honour him that hath shewed himselfe so liberall towardes you and the other is that the remembering of your former miseries must alwayes humble you and holde you in awe so as ye mount not vp in pryde to like well of your selues and to bee puffed vp nor the prosperitie that is giuen ye make yee to forget what bondage yee haue beene in Now although this was spoken to the children of Israell I pray you doeth it not fitly agree vnto vs Ought not wee to consider well to whom wee bee beholden for this chaunge that God hath vouchsafed to giue his children as ye would say a quiet nest heere so as they which were oppressed and ouerlayd with bondage and tyrannie are nowe at full libertie and inioye the thinges which they neuer hoped nor looked for Seeing then that our Lord sheweth himselfe so gratious are we on our side to bee excused if wee feare him not Though all the world might bee acquit and all men scape Gods hande for misknowing him yet deserue we to be condemned in that behalfe But ought not the remembraunce of all the miseries whereout wee bee scaped to be so printed in our heartes as wee might liue continually in awe of our God And although we haue prosperitie as nowe let it no◠puffe vs vp nor minister occasion to vs to stand too much in our owne conceites And generally ought not all Citizens Burgesses yea and straungers of Geneua to bethinke themselues thus It is not long agoe since wee were in suche bondage and tyrannie in this Citie as there was no likelyhood that euer wee shoulde haue scaped them Nay rather wee seemed to haue beene as a people forlorne and past hope of recouerie and yet hath our GOD looked mercifully vppon our miseries and prouided remedy for them and that after suche sorte as men woulde neuer haue thought and as surmounted our desire The Citizens and Burgesses that haue beene priuie to the calamities and miseries from the which GOD hath deliuered them haue they not good cause to magnifie suche goodnesse and mercie And as for the straungers whome God hath conueied hither as it weere into his folde ought they not to consider thus with themselues Alas wee were as in the gulfe of hell in the horrible desolation of the popedome and God hath pytied vs insomuch that hee hath reached vs his hande to take vs thence and to bring vs hither into his Churche that wee myght worship him with one common accorde Seeing it is so that all that euer belongeth to the one onely God is conteined in an othe must it not needes follow that it is a cursed superstition when we sweare by the name of an ydol Yes for the honour that is due to the onely one God is conueyed away to the creature All they therefore which sweare by any other than by the name of God doe shewe themselues vnworthy to bee his people yea and that it is not long of them that they bereeue him not of his due homage Nowe wee see howe it was not for nought that Moses hath tolde vs here that wee must sweare by the name of God And indeede when the prophets intende to shewe that the right Religion shal be set vp euery where Esa. 65.15 they say that all tongues shall sweare by the name of God The heathen men likewise had the same opinion that their swearing by their ydols was a token of their seruing of them And that was comprehended vnder the worship which they yeelded vnto them If they had not imagined that there was some diuine maiestie in an ydoll they woulde neuer haue sworne by the name of it True it is that afterwarde they disguised their othes so as they sware likewise by their kinges and princes but that flatterie was an vnhallowing of Gods name and they themselues knewe full well that they were blameworthie in so doing For in going about to flatter men they vniustly snatched to their ydols y e honour which they pretended to be due to them Seeing that the Infidels knewe that an oth is a kinde of worshipping shoulde not they that haue beene rightly taught haue a much more surer rule Yes and therefore let vs marke
wel that Moses in commaunding men to sweare by none but by the name of God sheweth that therein they doe him the honour of acknowledging him for onely Iudge 1. Cor. 4.5 and attribute vnto him the office of serching mens harts and thoughts and of bewraying the thinges that are secret and hidden Psal. 31.6 finally acknowledge him to bee the certaine and vnfallible truth and therefore that he is able to be sufficient witnesse thereof That is the effect of that which he ment to say Nowe hereby wee see that such as sweare by the names of creatures are ydolaters rob God of the protestations which hee will haue men to make vnto him inasmuch as hee will haue none to be so honored but himselfe It is a common thing among the Papists to sweare by the virgin Mary and by the rest of the saints True it is that men haue not thought that to bee so great euill but although there were no more but that yet there appeareth to bee manifest ydolatrie in so doing For why They that sweare by the virgin Marie doe set her in Gods feate as though it belonged to her to iudge the worlde and a man coulde not deuise to doe greater wrong to our Lorde Iesus Christ than to attribute that thing vnto her which is giuen vnto him alone yea and giuen vnto him in respect that hee is God manifested in the flesh 2. Chr. 6.30 Againe they attribute vnto her the searching and knowing of mens secret thoughts which title the holie scripture reserueth peculiarly vnto God Then is it horrible trecherie to sweare by the virgin Marie or by any other creature And would God this superstition were vtterly abolished among vs that it might neuer be had in rememberaÌ„ce any more But what There are a number of wilfull folke from whom that cursed custome cannot bee taken and say what yee will to them they continue doted in it insomuch that if a man doe so point them to it with his finger that as blinde as they bee they may see the meane howe to yeeld God his due honour yet all is one with them they will not in any wiâ—e bee made to beleeue it And why Because the diuell hath bewitched them Howsoeuer the case stande let vs note that al such as sweare by any other name than by the name of God are ydolaters And why I tolde yee the reason before namely because we cannot sweare by the name of God but wee must confesse that he is our iudge and that it is onely hee to whom it belongeth to knowe our secret thoughts and to punish vs for falsifying his truth and for turning of it into a lye wheras we should beare witnesse vnto it And let vs marke that one kinde is put for all of that sort By reason whereof wee bee commaunded not onely to sweare by the name of God but also to yeelde such confession of him before men as we may shewe our selues to bee his people in deede and that we woulde faine that hee shoulde reigne among vs and that his name shoulde be glorified And so let vs extend this lesson generally to the honoring of God so that if the case concerne religion wee giue not that thing to creatures which our Lorde telleth vs is peculiar to himselfe And therefore whensoeuer wee speake of the name of God let vs yeeld him al that belongeth vnto him let those thinges bee reserued vnto him and let vs not bereaue him of his honour to giue it away by peeces and colluppes to men and other creatures This extendeth verie farre Neuerthelesse it is ynough for vs to be admonished in faire wordes that when Moses saith wee must sweare by the name of God it is as much as if he should say my friends like as yee worship the Lord so must ye also maintaine his honour before men Insomuch that if any man will compell you to transforme or chaunge your religion you shall not suffer it in any case whatsoeuer but stande stil in this vncorruptnes to say we haue the one God who hath called vs to him Deuâ—◠〈…〉 and both created and redeemed vs and therefore it is good reason that wee shoulde bee his heritage and continue wholly his Thus yee see in effect what Moses meant to vtter in this text But heere wee see the frowardnesse that is in men which is a thing greatly to be lamented For an othe as I saide ought to bee a recorde of y e honour which we yeeld vnto God and wee see howe men cleane contrariwise will needes spite him in vsing of othes First of all when men sweare vnaduisedly is it not a manifest despising of Gods name It must bee rapt out when there is neither why nor wherefore The talke shal be but of mirth and laughter and yet notwithstanding Gods name must bee mingled with it And is not that too great and too shamefull a skorning of him Nay moreouer a mannes patience is no sooner stird so as he entreth into a litle choler but by and by gods name must answere for it In so much that it is not enough for them to some out their rage against their nighbours but they must also step vp against God and shew themselues wode and starke mad And they be no simple othes which they vse but othes matched with blasphemie whereby y e maiestie of Gods name is as good as trampled vnder foote Othes are referred to nothing lesse than to the end that I spake of that is to wit to the glorifying of God among vs when they be applied to so deuillish outrages as the wilfull defying of God and the skorning of his name by tossing it too and fro like a tennisball without yeelding any reuerence vnto it And therefore let vs learne that it is too too detestable a vice when trifling othes are so rife among vs and also that in our cholerik passions of impatiencie Gods name shoulde be so rent and torne and that men are not contented to haue sworne after some simple manner but also take vp kindes of othes that are matched with blasphemie so as it appeareth that their intent is to make warre against God and euen to spyte him when they cannot bee reuenged of men Thus yee see what wee haue to marke vpon this text Therefore to bee short let vs vnderstande that it is not ynough for vs that the spirituall seruice which wee owe vnto God bee yeelded vncorruptly vnto him that is to wit that wee put our trust in him that wee call vppon him and that wee offer him our soules and bodies in sacrifice but we must also shewe openly before men what religion wee holde of and wee must make it knowen that wee bee separated from all the defilements of the Infidels and vnbeleeuers The thing which is expresly required heere is that when othes are to bee vsed wee must vse them with such sobrietie as God may bee glorified and that whensoeuer wee sweare wee
and because wee bee earthly and fleshly wee bee euer imagining of God some thing that seemeth good to ourselues by reason whereof wee turne him into sundrie shapes If we haue neuer so small an occasion by and by we be drawen vnto euill If a flye do but crosse our eyes we make an ydoll of it We see then whereat God looked when hee gaue so straite commaundement to beate downe the altars to heawe downe the groues to burne vp the woods to breake the images and to destroy the puppets vtterly For had those things continued still among the Iewes there woulde euer haue been some among them which would haue giuen themselues to the superstitions of the heathen Tush would they haue sayd what and if a man had deuotiō to it it is a hallowed thing like as at this day such as haue beene nusled in papistrie are so held to it as long as they see their pelting trash that they can neuer winde themselues out of it though they would neuer so fain If a man that hath beene long inured to the Masse doe see a chalice his minde giues him still that there is some holinesse in it whereas cleane contrariwise it is as filthie and stinking an infection as any can be and yet notwithstanding wee can not conceiue it For why As I sayde afore we be fleshly by nature and besides that Satan vseth such slight that when he setteth such thinges before our eyes to beguile vs with we be snared by them out of hande and therefore there is none other remedie but to make cleane riddaunce of all such thinges as may allure vs to superstition Truely if their were puppettes among vs as are in the Popedome it might be alleadged that they could not hurt vs as long as they were not worshipped In deed it is true that they of themselues could not hurt vs but lette vs looke into ourselues and wee shall finde ourselues so weake that wee shoulde be blinded immediatly by such baggage and it would turne vs away from Gods pure worde insomuch that if we had altars still we should not knowe that the Lordes supper were ministred vnto vs to the intent wee should be partakers of him and inioy all his goods but there woulde remaine I wote not what a wicked imagination of y t hellish Sacrifice which is done in the popedome namely of the Masse wherein men thinke that Christ is offered there to GOD his father for the remission of our sinnes And so there woulde alwayes remaine some wicked fancie still in our heade That is the cause why God hath so straitly commaunded to breake the ymages destroy the altars and burne vppe the woods or groues where ydolles haue beene serued and worshipped The Papists in these dayes replie that that commaundement was giuen but to the Iewes because they were giuen to superstition Verily as who shoulde say that we were better disposed noweadayes than they were True it is that GOD giueth not this commaundement to vs as touching the Ceremonie of burning all thinges wherewith ydolles haue beene serued but yet for all that his will is that we should make cleane riddaunce of all thinges that may turne vs from the pure religion If it were of necessitie that all thinges shoulde bee doone away wherewith ydolles haue beene worshipped this temple shoulde not nowe stande to haue the name of GOD preached in it It hath beene a brothel-house of Satans but nowe must wee apply it to good vse by taking away the trumperie that hath reigned in it which was quite contrarie to Gods worde But howesoeuer the worlde goe if we looke well vppon our infirmitie wee shall finde that this lesson belongeth to vs at this day namely that all remembraunce of ydolles is to bee vtterly rased out And nowe insomuch as the maladie of superstition is so rooted in vs there is none other remedie for it but to take away all obiectes that may moue vs thereunto that the deuill may haue no more any meanes to intangle vs in his nettes which hee layeth for vs but that wee may knowe simply after what manner God wil be worshipped and serued Also we may gather further vppon this text howe mad men bee in their superstitions accordingly as the prophetes doe speake thereof For they vse such similitudes as these namely that men not onely resemble such folke as are carried away with fonde loue Ier. 5.8 and haue lost both honestie witte and countenaunce but also resemble horses that ney after Mares and such other brute beastes Yee see then after what manner the wretched Idolaters are carried away in their superstitions And this is declared vnto vs in that wee heare him speaking of woods of high grouth as men terme them and of Mountaines and Hilles For there was not that odde nooke where in the Iewes hadde not some peculiar deuotion after which manner we see howe our ydolaters also haue poysoned the fountaynes Woods and Hilles with the filthinesse of their superstitions and charmes Wheresoeuer was any notable thing by and by there was reared some Temple or there was some chappell builded and all to worshippe some ydol in There is neuer any ende or measure when men take leaue after that fashion to worshippe GOD after their owne liking And forasmuch as wee see that wee ought to brydle our selues the more that we attempt not any thing without the warrant of Gods worde For if we hold not ourselues within our bounds and as it were tye our selues simplye to that which GOD hath commaunded it can not bee but that Sathan shall leade vs out of the way so as there will be horrible confusion in our case The first reason then is that such as will needes serue GOD after their owne fancie doe alwayes goe into such a dungeon as they can neuer gette out of againe and they fall continually from one superstition to an other Marke that for one point And on the other side we see howe greatly it will bee to our condemnation that we can not finde in our heartes to dedicate our liues vnto GOD seeing that the ydolaters are so carried away by their foolishe fancies that they haue neuer doone with them nor can neuer thinke themselues superstitious ynough Therefore if we for our parte seeke not to keepe ourselues in obedience to our GOD what will become of vs For God hath layde such a yoke vpon our neckes as is gentle ynough Matt. 11.30 He hath an eye to our infirmitie hee giueth vs such strength as he knoweth to be meete for vs hee beareth with vs as gently as may bee And yet for all this hee can not compasse vs wee bee so nice as is pittie to see Wee fall to complayning and say Alas GOD pincheth vs too sore And if wee doe him but halfe seruice yea or but the hundreth parte of our duetie wee thinke hee ought to holde himselfe contented with it whereas in the meane while the ydolaters doe martyre themselues out
that order obserued among those that are his Marke that for one point And herewithall it behoueth vs to consider of whome hee speaketh Hee sayeth not onely if a man goe about to abolish all religion as wee see some worldlings doe which coulde finde in their heartes like a sort of dogges and swyne that men shoulde make a mockerie of all the seruice of God hee speaketh not of such kinde of men But his saying is if a man go about by superstitious meanes to turne thee from mee to the seruing of ydolles although it bee of the gods that are moste renowmed in the worlde in the seruing and worshipping of whome the people that are about thee doe thinke themselues to do well If any man labour to turne thee from my worde to make thee followe after those gods let him bee rooted out Nowe then wee see that God punisheth not onely those that woulde abolish all religion but also those that woulde corrupt his trueth And therefore for the better vnderstanding of this lawe that is giuen vs heere let vs marke at a worde that it is not for vs to saye There is no God it is but folly for men to trouble themselues about any deuotion for wee shall gaine nothing by it but wee must consider that if a man bee neuer so deuout and thinke to doo neuer so well yet if hee turne himselfe to the superstitions of the Heathen like a renegate and knowe not the true God hee is condemned And it is a distinction which wee ought to beare well in minde For our Lorde sheweth vs that hee will haue vs to bee contented with his worde and to rest wholly vppon it that wee may bee brydled by it and not attempt to alter any thing seeing hee hath once declared with his owne mouth what hee alloweth And hee sayeth expressely the gods which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen By this saying hee doeth vs to vnderstande that it behooueth vs to bee well assured of our religion For to put a man to death without hauing knowen which is the true God were but a frantike zeale as wee see the Papistes doe at this day and the Heathen haue beene wont to doe at all times yea and euen the Iewes also who haue put this lawe in execution howbeit a misse against the prophets And vnder the same pretence were our Lorde Iesus and his Apostles driuen to suffer persecution As for the Heathen when they made lawes for the obseruing of the manner of religion that was stablished among them they had a good grounde and foundation for the thing they did For it is not ynough for Magistrates to make lawes to represse robberies murther and violence but they knewe also howe it was meete that God should haue the forehande Nowe if nature taught them so much what excuse will there bee for vs that professe Christianitie if we say it is ynough for men to represse robberies aduowtries murthers and other such violent and outragious dooings that tende to the hurt of priuate persons and in the meane while make none account of God What a dealing were that The Heathen then had a good grounde in that they knewe that in a well ordered Common weale religion ought to bee obserued and that if any man attempted ought to the contrarie he was to be punished in so much that it was a matter of life and death among them and it was obserued throughout all the worlde in all ages The Iewes did not amisse in beeing zelous in punishing false prophets after that God had giuen them this lawe Likewise in these dayes whereas the Papistes say that Heretikes are to bee punished that is true wee confesse that they bee worthie of it But therewithal they ought to come to the poynt that is set downe heere namely that it behooueth vs to knowe which is the GOD whome wee serue and that wee bee sure that our religion is not a thing set foorth at all aduenture but that wee holde the infallible trueth of Gods owne sending and that it is preached vnto vs in his name by his authoritie so as it is hee on whome our faith is grounded It woulde become vs say I to come to that poynt But the Papistes play the beasts in that behalfe bearing themselues in hand that so they shut their eyes they may execute their rage and furie vppon innocents And after the same manner haue the Heathen ouershot themselues For because religion was to bee maintained they not discerning what they did nor perceiuing whether it was good or euill did set themselues against the seruauntes of God Likewise dealt the Iewes with the Prophets Yee see then here is a point which it standeth vs in hande to wey well all our life long and that is that wee must haue knowen the true God so as wee may iustly and without grudge of conscience condemne the errours which men woulde drawe vs to Which thing will come to passe if wee haue the light of Gods worde to shewe vs the way for thence it is that all good discretion commeth Nowe then to the intent wee may benefite our selues by this text let vs marke first of all what loue wee ought to beare to our Lord God when hee hath vttered himselfe vnto vs. Namely that wee must beware that in any wise hee may bee serued without gainsaying and that the rule which hee hath giuen vs bee vnbroken and that nothing bee chaunged in his worde but that we make much more account of the doctrine which wee haue receiued of him than of our liues And therefore let vs not bee plucked backe from the saide zeale for any worldly respect as wee see the worlde is which fauoureth more his owne fleshly affections than God But howsoeuer the case stande yet must wee fight against all impedimentes and distresses vntill the saide zeale doe get the vpper hande in vs so as wee will rather cause them to dye which seeke the defacing of the true Religion than suffer such a plague to preuaile in the Church to the infecting and marring of our selues or of any others And hereof wee may gather a good exhortation which is that when wee see Gods honour impaired any manner of way it must greeue vs at the heart according to the generally saying of the Psalme Psal. 69.10 concerning all reproches I say wee must not beare with any thing whatsoeuer it be whereby Gods honour may be impeached or defaced But what Little in deede is this doctrine imbraced nowadaies For blasphemie hath his ful scope euery where and if a body be to be reproued for so doing though a dosen persons bee at the hearing of the blasphemie yet shall not a man finde so much as one witnesse In this case God ordeyneth all both small and greate to bee his aduocates and hee will haue euery man to doe him seruice in it For it needes not to bee sayd to a man Haue a care to bewray blasphemie when ye heare it No
forbearing for so hath God ordeyned And if any man say it is crueltie let him finde fault with God for it and wee shall see if he can preuaile On the other side if wee may well spit in such mennes faces notwithstanding that they saye that their so doing is to maintaine Gods honor what is to bee doone to such as will needes after a sort deface it quyte and cleane But let vs come backe againe to the matter There is a man that goes about to peruert the trueth thorough fonde deuotion and to turne it into vntrueth the same man ought to dye There is a Royster that casteth forth lewd scoffes against the holy Scripture as doeth that diuelish fellowe which is called Pantagruell and all his filthie and ribauldly writings and this sort of men pretende not to set vp any newe Religion as though they were deluded by their owne foolish imaginations but like madde dogges they belke out their filthinesse against the maiestie of God and their meaning is to ouerthrowe all religion and shoulde such bee spared Why not for they haue the Cardinalles for their vpholders they bee fauoured and maintained by them in so much that the names of these Lord Cardinalles are blazed in those goodly bookes which serue to mocke God as well as Mahomet All is one all may bee abidden so the Cardinalles bee curryed it is welynough and it doth them good to bee so registred whereby a man may see that they not onely mocke at all Religion but also coulde finde in their heartes to abolish all religion quite and cleane But herewithall let vs also see howe wee may apply this to our owne vse for wee must not onely condemne those that haue shewed themselues such as I haue spoken of but wee must also fare the better by their example to the end wee may knowe howe it is too wicked yea and too diuelish a thing that when men go about to make some backeslyding or to set some trouble among vs and much rather to driue away all feare of GOD and bee fauoured or shrowded or harkened vnto or haue any gappe left open to them or be let alone vnpunished it is the next way to vndoe and marre all And yet wee haue seene examples of such as haue maintained so cursed thinges yea and of such importance as the verie Papistes themselues coulde not endure them For it is certaine that the two heretikes that were here did wrest the holy Scriptures much more than the Papistes As touching this Triacle maker who was the first of them hee maintayned free will destroyed Gods election and are those thinges maintained among the Papistes Neuerthelesse wee see how he was fauoured hee was held vp by the chinne as it were in despite of God Againe as touching the seconde we knowe how he was so horrible a blasphemer that al mē abhorred his leawde opinions and yet for all that had he not his maintainers and defenders Yes for men shewed them more fauour than if they had beene the neerest of their kin And yet was it not euident that they conspired continually against God and his trueth to wage battel against him Therefore let vs looke neerlyer to our selues to conclude let vs vnderstād that when God hath giuen vs the grace to haue the certeintie of faith so as we be grounded vpō his worde wee must holde vs to it after such a sort that whensoeuer we see any bodie go about to trouble the order which God hath set wee may all set our selues against it and not tary till al agree in one but that whosoeuer of vs doth first perceiue the mischiefe the same doe discouer it out of hande and euery of vs do his duetie in such wise as such plagie persons bee not nourished among vs. For as I haue declared alreadie wee see there is such frailtie in vs that a verie little leauen will sower our whole batche of dowe 1. Cor 5.6 Gal. 5.9 and as soone as wee giue eare to Satans iuggling trickes by and by wee bee ouer-throwen and so intangled that in the ende wee bee carryed quite away from our God and from the true religion God therefore beeing acquainted with our frailtie meant to prouide for it by shewing vs that it behoueth vs to cut vp the wicked weedes out of hand Accordingly also as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayeth that wee must not suffer any euill weedes to growe Hebr. 12.15 for they will marre the good corne and if the time bee foreslowed it wil bee too late afterwarde Then must wee not driue off till to morowe but euery of vs must quicken and stirre vp himselfe following the exhortation that is made vnto vs heere Moreouer seeing wee bee commaunded to plucke vp whatsoeuer is contrarie to the maiestie of God and whatsoeuer may peruert or put away the true religion let euery of vs see that hee so offer and dedicate himselfe to our God as wee may not thrust one another out of the right way If any man goe about to thrust mee out of the way beholde God commaundeth mee to rise vp against him and though it were mine owne brother my sonne or my wife yet is it sayde that I ought not to spare them Now then if I my selfe thrust others out of the way is it not a farre more heynous crime I shal be taken for an accessarie if I doe but conceale another bodies misbehauiour and I shewe my selfe a traytour to Godwarde Nowe then if I my selfe bee an author of euill howe deepe am I in So then if wee will correct other folkes misdealings so roughly let vs beare in minde that wee must in any wise holde our selues in the feare of God so as in cases concerning his honour wee bee not a stumbling blocke to driue wretched soules to destruction but rather indeuour to gather home the stray sheepe into the flocke to bring back the wanderers into the right way and to maintaine and further such as are in the good way alreadie and all of vs lende our helping handes one to another that wee may goe serue our God with one common accord Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to receiue vs into his fauor and that although wee be wretched sinners and vnworthie to come in his sight yet notwithstanding it may please him to accept of vs and to refourme vs in such wise by his holy spirite as all our life may bee imployed to his glorie and our whole seeking hencefoorth may bee to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xxj of October 1555. The Lxxxix Sermon which is the fourth vpon the thirteenth Chapter 12 If thou heare say that in any of the cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to dwell in 13 Some wicked men are gone from among
haue libertie to honour and serue him For it is a dreadfull desolation which Moses speaketh of heere namely to be no more of the body of the church nor to haue any more the shewe or shape of Religion and yet is this seene throughout the worlde at this day Therefore let vs marke that one of the greatest benefites which GOD can bestowe vppon vs in this transitorie life is to let vs haue some little corner wherein to assemble our selues in his name to call vpon him and to professe our selues to be his people This ought to be more esteemed amongst vs than either meate or drinke or any thing else Howbeit verie few do think thereon Yet notwithstanding we must needs confesse that albeit we haue sufficient foode and in the meane while forget God our state is miserable And if we think not thereon we bewray our owne beastlynesse for God telleth vs that this benefite which is spoken of here is farre greater than all the rest that is to wit that we may worship him in purenesse be gathered together vnder that head which he hath appointed vnto vs namely our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore while wee haue such priuiledge to heare the worde of God to call vpon his name and to walke according to his Gospell let vs harken vnto it for feare least God disperse scatter vs abroad in like sort as he hath dispersed the Iewes And specially let vs stande in feare of this threatning namely to bee made such beasts as to honour ydols againe as we see it is become of others who are a good president to vs of the vengeance of God whereof wee our selues also haue felt our part For wee haue beene as bondslaues vnder ydolatrie and vnderlings vnto the abhominations of the Popedome and that was for our sins and for the sins of our fathers Seeing we haue earst felt the blowes yea and beene as looking glasses vnto others shoulde wee nowe be so brutish to prouoke our God in such wise as he shoulde bee forced as it were to depriue vs of the grace that he hath giuen vs Let vs then vse this benefite and treasure of the Gospel whilest our Lord giueth vs place where to hide vs as it were vnder his hand while he doeth gouerne and guide vs and while we be knit together in one bodie that hee may bee magnified amongst vs with one accorde not onely with the mouth but also specially with our life to the ende that vppon our indeuouring of our selues to honour him hee on his side may continue his good doing towardes vs and that this threatening bee not executed vppon our heads that is to bee dispersed heere and there and to bee constrained againe to worshippe ydoles and other deade and senselesse things Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to touch vs with such repentance as being ashamed of our sinnes wee may seeke altogether to put our selues wholly into his handes and that by obtaining forgiuenesse of him we may also feele that hee hath reformed vs and that wee bee in his fauour to giue ouer our selues altogether to his holy will And that albeit there is alwayes much to bee amended in vs and that our lustes and affectionâ— doe drawe vs quite away from that which hee commaundeth vs yet neuerthelesse wee may not ceasse to striue against them and to yeelde our selues wholly vnto him and to inforce our selues thereunto more and more knowing that the same is our soueraine welfare and that although hee shewe vs nowe and then some tokens of rigour in correcting vs yet wee may learne to profite thereby to the amending of our sinnes so as wee may bee brought to the perfection wherunto hee dayly calleth 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 xxviij of March 1556. The CLXIII Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 65 Amongest these people also shalt thou haue no rest neither shall there bee any rest to the sole of thy foote Moreouer the Lorde wil giue thee a trembling heart and dymnesse of eyes and a heauinesse of minde 66 And thy life shal be hanging before thee thou shalt be afeard day night and be vncertaine of thy life 67 Thou shalt say in the morning O that it were night and at night thou shalt say O that it were morning because of the fearefulnesse of thy heart wherewith thou shalt bee afraide and because of the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 68 And the Lorde will make thee to returne into Egypt by shippes by the way whereof I haue said vnto thee that thou shouldest not go about to see it any more and there shalt thou bee solde to thine enemies for bondmen and bondwomen and none shall bye thee AMongst the benefites that we desire in this present life one is to haue some restingplace and some harbor to lodge in Though a man be poore yea and troubled on all sides yet if he haue some little hole to hide his heade in that he may resort thither he careth not for all the rest But if we knowe not where to become nor haue any friend to receiue vs nor any nooke nor corner wherein to rest vs our state is then extremely miserable That is the cause why Moses now after hee hath declared that God woulde driue away and banish the Iewes out of the lande which hee had giuen them to inherite and to rest in for euer addeth that they shall be as vagabondes and haue no certaine dwelling place but be tossed from post to piller Nowe it is certaine as we haue alreadie saide y t this shal oftentimes happen to the faithful but it is for another purpose God doth in y e mean space comfort them it is behoueful that their patience should be tried after that maner For the thing wherein wee shewe our obedience towarde God is when as hee mingleth vs among the wicked so as wee seeme not to differ a whit from them but all goes to hauocke as they say and yet notwithstanding we continue sounde in heart and commit our selues into the handes of our God knowing that hee hath not forgotten vs though he suffer vs to be so tossed Contrariwise all despisers of the Lawe doe beare their mark as if they were burned with a searingvron in their hearts and do know that God is against them and that their sinnes doe reproue them Albeit that men doe not accuse them yet doe they feele a sufficient testimonie in themselues to confound them withall And that is it that Moses doth farther adde saying That vnto such as are hard hearted against Gods worde God will giue a trembling heart a sorowfull minde and daseling eyes so as in the morning they shall say May I see night And when night is come Alas how shall
wel aduised y t you bring not with you any disloyalty or hypocrisie but rather see that ye tremble before him which is heere present to receiue the protestation y t you make vnto him Nowe we see what Moses meaneth It remaineth y t we apply this sentence to our owne vse It is true that God doth not euery day passe such couenant as that was But yet so often as we be assembled in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 â—8 20 he is in the middest of vs as he hath sayde and when the gospell is preached vnto vs it is asmuch a if he spake to vs in his own person and it is our duetie to be answerable againe that we seeke nothing but to be his and to giue ouer ourselues vnto him Therfore if there be any counterfaiting let vs not thinke to hide it it must needes come to reckening For whosoeuer coÌ„meth not to him with right soundnesse doeth plainely mocke the sonne of God Wherefore lette vs consider well that wee must not be double minded when wee come to a sermon least Iesus Christ blame vs for falsifying our faith and promise by our wicked a busing of his worde and by turning of a thing of such holinesse and maiestie to a iest and scoffe For when he calleth vs to be members of his bodie and would haue vs to doe him homage it is an excellent benefite and such a one as can not be sufficiently esteemed And therefore so much the more diligent ought we to be subdue ourselues vnto him To be short as often as wee goe to the Church if we steppe but one step thitherwarde whensoeuer the bell calleth vs it ought to come to our remembraunce that our Lorde Iesus Christ commeth thither himselfe to receiue the obedience which we yeelde vnto him and that wee come hither to make our musters before him thereby to shewe that wee be his people yea and his verie body Nowe as it importeth an infinite reioycing when our Lorde Iesus is neere vnto vs so ought wee also to tremble before his royall maiestie which was giuen him of God his father and to resorte thither with a true and right meaning heart as I haue tolde you afore And Moses speaketh expressely both of men women litle children gouernours the Elders of the people all the chiefe of the people and the handie craft men euen from them that clyued the wood to them that carryed water Also among them he comprehended the straungers which were vncircumcised and dwelled amongest the people and hee sayeth that purposely to the intent that the great ones shoulde not thinke themselues exempted from the common sort For the greatest honour that kinges and princes haue is to bee of the bodie of the Church if they consider it well But certainely the Pompes of the worlde doe so blinde them that they woulde bee diuided from the rest of men and woulde haue a worlde by themselues so as they will not in any wife bowe to submitte themselues vnto God Neuerthelesse it is expressely shewed heere that euerie high thing must stoope and that when God vttereth himselfe then euen the highest ought to vnderstande that they must shewe the way to others and goe afore to prouoke them by their example Thus much concerning that which Moses speaketh of Princes and Gouernours And in likewise when Ioell exhorteth the people to bewayle and lament their sinnes Ioel. 1.13 and to condemne themselues hee beginneth with them Albeit that at the first sight it may seeme to bee an vnseemely thing and to import a certaine shame that the great ones shoulde come to acknowledge themselues offenders before GOD yet because that oftentimes they bee most faultie the prophete sayeth that they must beginne the daunse and that the litle ones must followe their trace when they see that there is none exempted no not euen of them that bee in any authoritie Let vs therefore vnderstande that Moses in this place obserued great order in saying that the heades and Rulers and the greatest of the people were there to binde themselues vnto GOD that there myght bee no greatenesse in this worlde which shoulde not stoope vnto his maiestie And hee addeth the women and children that the people might knowe howe there was no person which shoulde not be comprehended in that couenaunt And forasmuch as GOD did this fauour to their litle children to receiue them into the number of his people it was meet that they should be taught the Lawe of GOD as soone as they came to the age of vnderstanding to the intent they might knowe that they were that blessed ofspring which GOD hadde adopted and chosen out of all the world Deut. 6.2 And heereuppon Moses exhorteth the menne to haue care of their families and to consider that seeing all were dedicated vnto GOD all ought to be referred to that ende and it behooued men to yeelde him his due and not to disappoint him of his right To bee shorte husbandes were taught by this woorde to take paynes to guyde their wiues and children in such order as GOD might bee honoured in all the house and that there might be one common agreement in the same Yea and hee sayth that the verie straungers which were vncircumcised were to resort thyther notwithstanding that they hadde not the marke of saluation And wherefore Because God was to be honored in the Lande of Chanaan which he gaue to his people for an heritage Albeeit then that to speake properly these straungers were not of the bodie of the Church yet behoued it them also to be bounde To what end Because it was not meete that they should haue leaue or libertie to mocke GOD to vnhallow his Religion and to peruert the order which he had appointed That in effect was the meaning of Moses Nowe must wee apply the same to our owne vse For we be neuer assembled or come together in the name of GOD but we make protestation that wee be of his flocke It is not enough that euerie man come thither for himselfe but the great ones must vnderstande that they are to shewe the way to their inferiours and vnderlinges And they must consider that they bee bounde with a straiter bonde because GOD hath set them on high to the intent they should be as Lamps to giue light vnto others And therefore if they doe not endeuour and enforce themselues to discharge their dueties in that behalfe it is certaine that they be doubble guiltie Againe euery man ought to bethinke him of his housholde and family They that will haue their wiues quiet and obedient vnto them ought much rather to be diligent to cause them to serue GOD and to take such paynes so to rule their children as God may be the chiefe father husbande and master of the house That is the thing whereof we be admonished heere And if we doe not so then looke how often we come into the Church so manie witnessinges haue we to
giue ouer himselfe to all manner of loosenesse as some are seene to do or rather as the common manner is that as soone as GOD giueth men that which they doe long for and desire they become drunken and doe lose both wit and reason if a man say I doe then ouershoote himselfe after that fashion when GOD dealeth with him so gratiously is not his sinne so much the more haynous Yes certainely That is the thing which Moses meant to declare in this place where he sayeth They shal come into the Lande which I haue promised them there will I sustaine them there shall they bee filled and made fatte and then will they turne away after straunge goddes By these woordes we are made to vnderstande that the more our Lorde maketh vs to feele his fauour and fatherly goodnesse the more ought we to be allured to rest wholly vppon him that hee may possesse vs and the more ought all our wittes and affections to bee stayed vppon his loue so as the diuell may not finde any breach nor gap open to deceyue vs for so much as GOD hath so wonne vs vnto himselfe That is the instruction which we must learne by this text otherwise the complaynt that GOD maketh against the Iewes by his Prophet Ieremie shall lyght vppon vs. 〈…〉 25. My people sayeth he what haue I doone to thee Heere GOD entereth into disputation with the people bycause they were so defiled with Idolatry and had peruerted all together Goe to saith hee let vs nowe pleade together my people what haue I doone to thee that thou shouldest complaine I haue brought thee out of the lande of Egypt I haue stretched out my mightie hand to deliuer thee from thence I haue ledde thee and directed thee I fedde thee in the wildernesse I caused Manna to come from heauen I gaue thee the foode of Angels and when thou wast come into the lande which I had promised thee I fought against thine Enemies and I gaue thee victorie against them all But these bee not the cheefe matters I haue moreouer giuen thee my Lawe which is the couenant of lyfe and saluation I haue giuen thee my Sacrifices to the intent thou shouldest haue a Testimonie that it is not without cause that I would haue you to my selfe Also I haue made thee to finde so great riches of my bountie that it is impossible to value the benefites which I haue bestowed on thee and doest thou nowe fall to despising me and to breaking thy fayth and to turning away after straunge Gods Is this the recompence that I looke for If a man doe plant him a vine and tend it he meaneth to eate and drinke the fruit thereof And if the vine do yeeld a strange and a bitter fruite to choke the maister withall what wil come of it Deserueth not such a vine to be quite plucked vp Let vs therefore bethink our selues and not tarie till our Lorde accuse vs to haue greeued his holy Spirite but let vs turne this text to our profite And for as much as we knowe by experience that he is a liberall father vnto vs let it mooue vs to soften our hearts how heard soeuer they bee that wee may learne to giue ouer our selues wholly to him Thus ye see whereto this Text ought to serue vs where it is sayde I will set them in the Lande which I haue promysed to their fathers they shall bee nourished there and made fatte and they shall turne away vnto straunge gods And therefore seeing that GOD maintaineth vs let vs suffer him also to guide and gouerne vs vntil he hath brought vs to y t eternal inheritaunce which he hath promised vs and which we looke for Yet moreouer hee saith that this song shall aunswere them as a witnesse because it shall neuer depart from their mouth Hereby we do see how it is our Lordes will y t his word should serue not to some one vse onely but also for a continuall instruction euen vnto the end that the fathers should conuey it ouer to their childrē And the chiefe succession which we ought to leaue to them that come after vs is that when God hath once vttered his will vnto vs wee must beware that it be not buried so as none of vs bee so fond as to hold himselfe contented with his owne only knowing thereof as though the light of saluation ought to die with vs but rather that they which come after vs may inioy it also And therfore when we our selues haue knowen God and haue had his trueth preached among vs wee must to the vttermost of our power indeuor that it may continue after our death and that our children may come to receive y e doctrine which we haue followed And if the word of God slip away and men think not thereon as it is come to passe in the Popedome as it was afore time it commeth of their owne leawdnesse and they must needes yeelde a reckoning for their disanulling of so great a benefite Wee see that the law was lost for a time amongst the people of Israel and this song was out of the mouthes of both great and small but yet God at the last did not suffer the people to continue in such ignoraunce but it was his will that the Lawe was founde and that the people came with great solemnitie to receiue it and hee tolde them that they were woorthy of blame for defacing the doctryne of Saluation and therefore hee willed them to repent Nowe seeing it is so as I haue already touched when GOD hath once taught vs his will let vs learne as I sayde afore not onely to profite therein for the present tyme or for the tyme of our owne life but also to procure as much as in vs lyeth that our Children after our death may still enioy the same Religion and that the name of GOD may euer bee had in remembraunce And although there be many that cannot profit themselues thereby yet shall it turne to their condemnation and God shall not fayle to bee glorified For surely Moses speaketh in this place not onely of Gods elect and of such as were the true seede of Abraham but also of such as were willing to take profite by the lawe and were not altogether reprobates For seeing it was Gods will that this song should bee in their mouthes thereby wee ought to be so much the better aduertised that our Lord doeth oftentimes leaue his worde to the worlde to bee a message and a testimonie of his loue and goodnes howbeit not for the saluation of all men but for the condemnation of the greater part Wee see that euen among the Heathen there remained alwayes a remnant of the trueth wee see such sentences vttered by the heathen as it is impossible for a naturall man to thinke the least of them which they haue alleaged By what meanes then did they it It was Gods dooing who brought them so farre foorth to their greater
had set himselfe against him And yet for all that it is verie certaine that God had determined aforehande to pardon his people but yet it was his will that Moses shoulde make intercession for them yea euen Moses in asmuch as he was there made supplicatiō in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and the people knew that they coulde not haue scaped except God had hearde the prayers of Moses But howesoeuer the case stoode this text sheweth vs that God altered not his purpose for hee is not variable neither repealed hee his sentence though hee saide I will yet againe pardon this people for thy sake For the thing which hee had determined in his owne minde was performed and yet notwithstanding it was his will that Moses shoulde steppe in as a mediator And when God heareth vs it is not for that we make him to chaunge his minde but it pleaseth him to declare the thing to vs which hee had determined to doe to the end that our faith shoulde bee exercised and wee knowe that no pray is no labour lost or vnprofitable for the fruite sheweth the contrarie That is the cause then why hee graunteth those thinges at our request which hee had determined in his euerlasting purpose afore Yet notwithstanding we see in effect that if God had not beene minded to stoppe the mouthes of all the wicked and vnbeleeuing sort he had destroyed that people And that was done to correct y e ouerweening of such as were euer ready to grudge against God For such is the maner of men that they neuer want replies but as soone as God scourgeth them by and by they stand in contention with him And if he presse them double then they not onelie grunt at it but also spewe out their blasphemies against him But here our Lorde sheweth that whē men haue cast forth al their rage after that fashion yet it shall bee prooued to their faces that hee notwithstanding hath dealt ouergentlie with them accordingly as it is certayne that euen at this day if God had not a further consideration than onely of vs we deserue well to be wiped out of the worlde For notwithstanding that wee haue receiued his worde what doe we fare the better for it We professe the hauing of the Gospell and wee can well say that the Papistes are Idolaters straungers from God and men giuen ouer to all euill And why For they be blinde and walke in the darke But yet for all that wee that haue the cleare light of life howe doe we order our doinges If we be compared with the Papistes shall a man finde vs better than them Nay wee are so much more blame worthie than they because that for all our teaching yet wee despise God of a certayne malicious and determinate purpose Sith it is so if God had not a further respect than to vs surelie wee shoulde bee consumed out of hand But for asmuch as the Papistes woulde by and by set open their throates to scoffe at God and the pure Religion therefore hee maintaineth vs still Wherefore let vs not boast that wee haue helde out vnto this time by our owne power but let vs consider that God woulde not haue his name blasphemed nor make the trueth of his Gospell to bee a iestingstocke for men to scoffe at and let that bee a meane to humble vs yet better Wee see then that this doctrine belongeth vnto vs and that Moses spake it not onely to the people of Israell but also to all such as shoulde professe the seruice of God and haue the pure doctrine of his worde insomuch that if they play the naughtipackes and prouoke Gods vengeaunce against them and God neuerthelesse doe beare with them it is not for their faire eyes as they say nor for that they haue deserued it but because our Lord will not giue such loose and vnbridled libertie to them that seeke occasion thereof And it is saide expressely That God feared the prouocation of the enemie least hee shoulde estraunge himselfe and say My hande is high and it is not the Lorde that hath doone this thing By this worde Prouocation hee meaneth the pride that is in men accordinglie also as hee doeth in the eight Psalme where it is saide that God is glorifyed by the mouthes of sucklinges 〈◊〉 3◠in which place expresse mention is made of the enemie and of y e auenger because the vnbeleeuers are alwayes so proude and presumptuous that there is nothing with them but crueltie thundering So likewise in this text it is saide that God feared to prouoke the enemie that is to wit least the Infidels shoulde proceede to such wickednesse as to scoffe at the Law and at the true Religion God then preuented them And wee must not imagine that God was afraide of men for hee coulde well haue prouided for it by some other meane Is it not hee that hath made mens tongues And how can they then stirre to speak one worde if he listed to restrayne them Could they moue to vtter one syllable It should seeme then that the thing which Moses speaketh here is needlesse namely that God shoulde bee afrayde to prouoke his enemies for hee coulde wel haue remedied the matter if hee had would I haue tolde you oftentimes alreadie that God is spoken of after the manner of men Therefore when God prouideth for a thing by anie worldlie meane and such as is common among vs it is not for that hee is tyed vnto it cannot of his infinite power doe otherwise but because it pleaseth him so to doe Thus are wee doone to vnderstande in fewe wordes that when it pleaseth God to serue his owne turne by the inferiour meanes which hee hath ordeyned in this worlde it is not for that hee cannot doe what he listeth of himselfe and without any other helpe but for that it is his will to keepe that order As for example Hee coulde well susteine vs without breade wine or water and yet notwithstanding hee vseth those meanes And why so Euen because it pleaseth him If we be sicke he can well heale vs without any medicine and yet will hee haue vs to vse medicines In the time of warre he coulde wel represse all our enemies without our stirring of anie finger towards it but yet hath hee ordeyned other meanes Ye see then after what manner this text is to bee vnderstoode where it is saide that God was afraide to prouoke the enemie not that hee was vnable to let them or to withstande them if hee had would or that hee was vnable to haue stopped the mouthes of the Infidels but because hee sawe men so malicious that their whole desire is to haue full libertie to speake euill of his maiestie Which thing he perceyning intendeth to remedie it And by what meanes Euen by such as hee himselfe likes best of Not that hee doeth it of necessitie as I saide afore or by anie constraynt but that his good pleasure is