that may turne vs from the right way from the simplicitie which God commaundeth vs. And men cannot stand too much vpon their gard in that case True it is that a number of meÌ„ do weene themselues to be so strong y t although they be neuer somuch conuersant among y e superstitions of the vnbeleeuers yet they shal not be atteinted with them But God is wiser thaÌ„ we And therfore let vs remember the lesson that he telleth vs namely that we must shunne all the uperstitions of the heathen and the misbeleeuers or else his seruice will bee marred among vs by and by But forasmuch as I haue declared that part alreadie I wil stand no longer vpon it Let vs proceed to that which Moses addeth namely that meÌ„ must not deale so with God by which saying he meaneth that the Iewes must not go about to honour the liuing GOD by building vp the altars Chappels or any other of all the filthie things again which they had beateÌ„ down As if he shoulde say GOD will not bee serued after the manner of Idols and therefore regarde not what the heathen haue done followe them not neither fashion your selues to their example but holde you to this one rule of doing that which your God commaundeth you And this is well worth the noting for when we haue condemned Idolatrie we cease not for al that to imagine that God liketh well that we shoulde do y e same things in honor of him which were done by the vnbeleeuers and y t appeareth by the dealinges in the Popedome After that the Gospell had beene preached to the worlde men fell to mingling of al maner of superstitioÌ„s of y e heatheÌ„ with the true seruice of God And what was the cause thereof The heathen had their Pilgrimages and men knewe well it was a diuelishe abuse neuerthelesse they did not put them quite and cleane away they did but onely chaunge them In steede of going on pilgrimage to such an Idol they goe now to our Ladie of Laurette to It is a Relike in Rome wherin they say y e picture of Christes face is after it was wiped therewith the holy handekercher to Saint Michael to Saint Iames and to visite the holy Sepulchre Men should haue vtterly rooted out all y e things that had beene so brought in by Satan and in steed thereof they did but change them Wheras men saw that the heathen made great feasts and kept a great number of solemne holy dayes in honour of their Idols O quoth they wee must no more doe soe for that were a seruing of the diuell but let euery parishe make a Church-holyday to play to daunce and to feede in till they burst againe and all in the honour of God Besides this let euery one haue their patron and let them worshippe him And so in steade of the solemne feastes that were among the heathen let others be brought in among vs. O sirs say they these thinges are not doone any more in honour of the Idols but in honour of Saint Martine And then let them daunce and playe the drunkerdes for all is well enough so it be done in the honour of God Againe the heathen were wont to keepe a holy day which they called the feast of all Spirits and we must chaunge y e word and haue the feast of all Soules Moreouer the heathen had a Temple which was called the Temple of all goddes and wee doe nowe call it the Church of all Saintes or all Hallowes See what an act worthie of remembraunce and an Angelicall act the Pope thought hee did as the Papistes can well skill to make their bragges For â—o say they there is a temple called the Temple of all the gods but what Wee haue but one God and therefore it must not continue after that fashion Wel we will chaunge the worde and whereas the heathen had a Temple which they called the Temple of All their gods we wil haue it the Church of all Hallowes and we will haue a Churchholyday added to it Again when they sawe that the heathen had their sacrifices Needes must they also haue their Masses set vp in the roome of them Moreouer perceiuing that the heathen had their washings they also would needes haue their holywater To be short whatsoeuer filth and infection was among the Infidels the Papists tooke it to themselues to keepe And what was the cause thereof Euen for want of taking heede to this text wherein it is saide that whereas the Infidels haue many deuotions deuised of their owne braine we must not couet to doe the like to our God nor looke that way but we must harken what he saith and commandeth Were this saying of Moseses vnderstoode all the diuelish deuises that haue reigned doe reigne still at this day in the Popedome shoulde get them away to the bottome of hell For we see here a generall condemnation whereby GOD sheweth that he hateth al such things And why Because he will not haue men to deale with him as the ignorant doe with their Idols A thing may seeme faire to the worldwarde men may clap their hands at it but behold God saith here I wil not be serued after such fashioÌ„ or such maner let not men presume into my preseÌ„ce to deuise what they think good theÌ„selues And if it be alleadged yea but shall such a thing bee euil taken when I doe it in the honour of God Shal it be said that I serue Idols when I do such a thing of a good intent and all to serue God Is it so great an euil that men should cry out at it No no men must hearken what God commandeth and ground themselues altogether therepon so as they presume not to adde any thing thereunto We see then that the meaning of this text is that wee must forget al the follies that haue beguiled vs and not alledge custome or continuance of time but receiue the doctrine of the holy scripture like litle children A yong childe will not say thus and thus haue I beene taught for he knoweth yet nothing at all But he receiueth that which is put to him and is the readier to learne because he is not inured aforehande with anie maner of misteaching But if a childe haue been mistaught and nusled in his fondnes then if a man go about to amend him O sayes he I was taught so and a man shal not be able to make him pronounce one syllable aright nor to speake one worde to any purpose And why so Bicause he hath bin trained by an Asse who hath framed him to his owne fashion and hee hath learned y e right trick of him After the same maner it is with a great number of folke that haue been brought vp in cursed poperie alwayes they hold stil some relikes of it saying Yea sir but can such a thing be euil There is euer some replying against God But as for vs let vs practise y t which is
is as I saide afore that there is no ill in it for the Christians to haue a certaine daie wherein this historie shoulde bee declared vnto them For we must not tie our selues to so streit a precisenesse that it should not be lawfull for vs to vse that helpe for our infirmitie But to make a seruice of God thereof and to take example at the Iewes as though it behoued vs to fashion our selues like vnto them or as though the feast of Whitsontide ought to be obserued at this day by reason of the sending of the holy Ghost that were too grosse a fondnesse Let vs vnderstand then first that the Iewes had but a figure shadowe of the trueth and on our owne part wee may knowe in Iesus Christ that God hath not figured anie thing in vaine Col. 2.17 but that all the ceremonies of the Law tended to verie good purpose because the effect of them is shewed vs in him Therefore let vs holde vs contended therewith and now let vs learne to reioyce in the presence of our God and to make otherfolks partakers of our mirth The Iewes were commanded to resort to Ierusalem as soone as haruest was done not only to reioyce there but also to impart of their goods to their neighbors so as there might be a common gladnes among them and God might be glorified with one accord And now that these things are at this day accomplished what haue we to doe We must not run trotting to Ierusalē to worship God there and to doe him homage there 1. Tim. 2.8 For we must lift vp our hands eueriwhere howbeit so as they be cleane And moreouer for asmuch as GOD hath not only sent vs a haruest of corruptible fruits to nourish our bodies withal but also powred out y e infinite riches of his holy spirit and sent vs the liuing waters as is saide in Ezechiel Ezech. 47.9 let vs vnderstand that it is to y e end we should haue the mirth whereof S. Paul speaketh in the fourteenth to the Romanes Let vs now reioyce then seeing our Lord hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towards vs that hee hath not withhelde any of the cheefe good thinges which he had but hath powred vppon vs all the benefites that concerne the endles life and heauenly glorie Seeing then that we haue receiued the holy Ghost let vs also be ioyful in our harts As how By withdrawing ourselues from y e vanities of this world by holding our selues contēted with the fauor of our God praising him euen in the middes of our afflictions Albeit that wee haue not all things at wil in this world yet let vs not cease to hold on still assuring our selues that it ought to suffice vs that our God is fauourable to vs that he sheweth vs his loue When wee be at that point once then shall wee haue such peace and contentment in vs Phil. 4.7 as passeth all the ioyes of this world yea and putteth away all the sorrowes that may trouble vs. And when wee haue such gladnesse our selues wee must to the vttermost of our power make them partakers of it which haue need For if the Iewes were commanded to cal the widowes the fatherles and the strangers to make merie with them in spending of the goods which God had giuen them much more reason is it that seeing the spirituall giftes which God hath bestowed vppon vs belong to the common building vp of the Church as saith Saint Paul in the twelfth to the Romanes Rom. 12.6 1. Cor. 12 7. and also in the twelfth of the first to y e Corinthians we should take heed y t we defraude not our neighbours of the thing which GOD hath appointed for them Let vs marke also that as nowe there is no more any stranger as in respect of vs. For wheras God had separated the Iewes from the gentiles nowe it is his will to bee knowen through the whole worlde there is no more diuision of bodies the wall is broken downe as saith Saint Paul in an other place Eph. 2.14 Seeing then that God fully and thou must not tarie till there bee a solemne holy day to call thee to the Church there to keepe the feast of Trumpets but it must serue thee al thy life long for a spurre to make thee to return vnto God That is the thing say I which we haue to beare in mind And as much also is to be noted concerning sorrowing For it is not for one day onely that wee must be sorie in our heartes and bethinke vs of our sinnes But forasmuch as we fal to them incessantly there passeth not any day wherein we offend not GOD let vs match it with sorinesse and let vs mourne for it and not play the vnthriftes which make a skorne of all that euer a man can alleadge to them out of the worde of God but let vs bee afraide of his iudgementes and threats and yet therewithall let vs not doubt but he will giue vs whereof to reioyce and that although wee bee faine to passe through many sorrowes and hart-bitinges in this worlde yet in the ende he will deliuer vs from them to make vs partakers of the heauenly rest After this maner say I must wee put this doctrine in vre concerning the feastes which the Iewes had of old time in figure and whereof wee haue nowe the trueth substaunce as it is brought vnto vs by the sonne of God Now let vs kneele 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 so as wee may returne vnto him with true and vnfained repentaunce and bee stirred more and more to amende our faultes knowing that our good God is ready to receiue them all to mercie which come to him with lowlinesse And that for asmuch as he hath graunted vs the grace to haue nowe so full light of his Gospell as may wel inlighten vs throughly it may please him not to suffer our eyes to be blindfolded that wee should walke any more in darkenesse but to graunt that wee keepe y e right way and indeuer to bring others into the same so as God may be glorified with one common accorde of all men And that for the performance hereof it may please him to raise vp true and faithfull ministers of his word c. On Fryday the viij of Nouember 1555. The C. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the sixteenth Chapter 13 Thou shalt keepe the feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes after thou hast gathered in thy corne feeldes and thy vineyardes 14 And thou shalt reioyce in the feast thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man-seruant and thy woman seruant the Leuite the straunger the fatherles the widowe which are within thy gates 15 Seuen dayes shalt thou keepe the feast to the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lord shall haue chosen for the Lord thy God
were able to make Gods seruauntes quite out of patience But what for that We must take courage as Saint Paule comforteth vs. Hee saieth that whether Gods worde bring life or death to men 2. Cor. 2.15.16 yet is it alwayes a good and sweete sauour before GOD. True it is that Gods worde of it selfe as shall bee declared more fully hereafter is alwayes the sauour of life For what is it that God ameth at if wee consider his worde in it owne nature The calling of men backe to the ende they might be saued And yet for all that wee see by experience that it is an odour and sauour of Death insomuch as the wicked are strangled and choked with it as soone as they doe but take the sent or smell of it They neede not to taste of it nor to eate of it if they doe but take the sent of it a great way of it is poyson to them so that the diuell carries them away and they fall to fretting and chafing against GOD and all to their owne destruction And do we see that Gods word turneth into occasion of death to a great nomber of men Yet must wee bee of good cheere saieth S. Paul And why Bicause it is a good and sweete sauour vnto God when men are made vnexcusable But nowe let vs come to declare how Gods worde tendeth vnto life and howe it hath that propertie notwithstanding that men through their owne wickednesse doe turne it to their deadly condemnation This is sufficiently expressed in that it is saide That Moses sent a message of peace to Sehon King of the Amorrhytes His desire then is to abstaine from all anoyance if Sehon coulde abide it Nowe let vs see to what ende the Gospell is preached and after what manner What else is contained in it but that God intendeth to bee reconciled to the world as saieth Saint Paule in the fifth of the seconde to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5.20 In as much then as GOD sendeth vs tidinges of peace so as his desire is to shewe himselfe a father to all such as yeelde themselues teachable vnto him and our Lorde Iesus Christ is offered vs as the meane to bring vs againe into the loue and fauour of our God it is surely a message of peace And in deede the Gospell is so intituled and not without cause Ephes. 6.15 True it is that the lawe also was a message of peace as in respect of the promises If wee looke vppon the lawe strictly Rom. 4.15 as Saint Paul speakes diuers times of it it will be a very message of wrath But if wee looke vpon the promises that were made to the fathers of olde time wee shall finde that euen from the beginning of the world Gods will was that sinners should knowe his mercie and come vnto him And for that cause is it saide that Iesus Christ bringeth peace both to them that are a farre off and to them that are neere hande as sayeth Saint Paule to the Ephesians and he will haue it to bee preached through the whole worlde Eph. 2.17 that Gods onely desire is to holde vs in his loue Thus ye see howe wee may finde saluation in the Gospell Nowe then wee see that Gods worde considered in it selfe is a commission of peace furthering vs to be ioyned and made one with him so as wee may call vpon him and rest in his goodnesse And the meane to haue this worde to redounde to our saluation is this if wee can receiue it as wee ought to doe according as Saint Paul treateth thereof in the first to the Romanes Rom. 1.16 And therefore the Ministers therof must haue this consideration with them Beholde GOD Sendeth mee and what putteth he in my mouth Peace to offer it vnto all men and to the ende that euen the wickedst should bee partakers of the same message and vnderstand that GOD seeketh them But yet for all that wee knowe that this message cannot profite all men What must it doe then It must make men vnexcusable For what can bee saide to it if God handle men out of hand as they deserue Wee bee all damned by nature we bring such an inheritaunce of cursednesse from our mothers wombe as God might sinke vs at the first day and wee coulde lay nothing at all for our selues And forasmuch as there are a great nomber of people which seeme to perishe but through simplicitie therefore it is Gods will to conuict the whole worlde to the end to take away all scapes Wee see that when the Gospell is preached those whome a man woulde haue thought to haue bene well disposed doe burst foorth and their malice is discouered and laide open which was hidden before The worlde seeth howe fewe are willing to stoope to take the yoke vppon their neckes Nay which worse is the world sees that they become enemies to it so as they can not bee ouercome by any warnings or else they become so wilde headed as a man can not tell on which side to catch holde of them Seeing then that when GOD hath sent men the message of peace after that sort they on their side desire warre and seeke it and can not finde in their heartes to yeelde and submit them selues vnto God but will needes bee enemies vnto him wee see that the preaching of the Gospell to such as are vtterly past recouerie is not vnauailable And why For else their malice had bene vnknowen and Gods Iustice shoulde not bee so apparant nor haue so great brightnesse as when the wicked abide still vnconuerted and coulde not bee subdued for ought that could be done Nowe hereupon what haue wee to doe This doctrine belongeth not onely to such as are ministers of Gods worde to make them to goe through with their calling so as they may shut their eyes when God is to bee obeyed and proceede still in preaching his worde though it bee misused and turned cleane contrarie to Gods intent but also wee bee all warned generally in what wise wee ought to receiue the message that God sendeth vs namely that for as much as he sheweth himselfe so gratious towardes vs that in stead of being our enemie as he might most rightfully and iustly bee he is contented to bee at one with vs and taryeth not till wee seeke peace at his hande but seeketh attonement with vs notwithstanding that he perceiue vs to bee mad to make warre against him wee should not bee so wretched and malicious as to dragge backe from him and to forsake that passing loue and fatherly kindnesse of his Marke that for one point Yet notwithstanding when we see that God hath drawen vs to him and that wee can finde in our heartes to let him vse his mercie and goodnesse towardes vs then must wee knowe that the cause why his worde hath had such entraunce into our hartes and why wee haue bin subdued to his obedience was for that he hath refourmed vs by his holy
pointes and to direct our liues thereby yet notwithstanding he reserueth still this point to himselfe and will haue his name to bee priuiledged Nowe if this threatening slippe away for all that so as it sinketh not in our mindes nor restraineth vs at all from presuming to dally so with God and his Maiestie must it nor needes bee said as I haue touched alreadie that the diuell hath carryed vs away and that wee bee bereft of all witte and reason Yes but if this threate doe not waken vs nowe wee must finde in the ende that Gods publishing of it was no false alarum And therefore let vs learne to bee touched to the quicke sith wee see that our Lorde setteth himselfe so expressely against vs and sheweth himselfe to bee an aduersarie to all such as abuse his name For what cost is it to vs to abstaine as well from all false othes as from all vnaduised othes and specially from all blasphemies The greatest excuse that they haue which would lessen their fault is that they cannot refraine bicause they bee inured to it by custome Yea but if euerye man woulde set before his eyes that God is his Iudge surely he might soon forget his swearing and when the name of GOD were to bee vsed men would not doe it but with great singlenesse of heart In so much that if men went to lawe they shoulde haue as it were Gods Maiestie present there so as hee myght bee behelde sitting there as Iudge when he were called to witnesse and men shoulde not vse his name but in such wise 2. Tim. 2.19 as Saint Paul speakes of where he saieth that wee must not take Gods name but in all holinesse This therefore might well be done But what Our tongue runnes ryot euen so farre as to the foresaid despising of Gods name so that crie what men can yea and as yee would say beate they it into vs with beetles for the things that the holy Scripture telleth vs concerning the abuse of Gods name are like mightie blowes with a beetle wherewith GOD striketh vppon vs and yet for all that wee continue still the same wee were afore and Gods name hath neyther honour nor Maiestie more than it had before Yet notwithstanding all such as haue any vnderstanding and feeling of Gods name ought to thinke well vppon that which is saide here And moreouer as I haue declared alreadie when wee bee once warned of that which wee haue seene heretofore that is to wit that hee which speaketh is the Euerlasting and our Creator and Redeemer which hath shewed himselfe more than a Father and Sauiour towardes vs if this bee well printed in our minde surely all othes wil easily be forgotten But if we keepe on our way stil Zach. 12.10 the saying of the Prophet Zacharie shall be fulfilled vpon vs which is they shal see him whom they haue perced that is to say whō they haue wounded For although men flatter one another and make but a laughing at their othes and imagine that their swearing shall easily bee forgiuen them yet is God wounded by it and hee wil shewe in the end that it is not for men to rush against him after that fashion Herewithall wee haue to marke that vnder one kinde GOD meant to shewe what reuerence wee ought to yeelde in effect to his name In deede be speaketh here expressely of Othes but yet this doctrine ought to bee stretched further namely that when wee thinke of God or heare any speaking of him it must be done with all reuerence so as wee may bee wakened vp not onely to honour and praise him aboue all but also to consider Iob. 41.16 that euen the Angels doe tremble at the sight of his inestimable glorie and therefore that we which are wretched creatures and as transitorie as maye bee ought at leastwise to doe homage to the soueraigne Maiestie of our GOD whensoeuer hee is spoken of That is principall point which we ought to marke well in this text Truely this doctrine is easie ynough of it self but it is darke to vs bicause it is so ill put in practise What a sort of vaine thoughtes come in our heades when wee thinke vppon GOD In deede our nature is inclyned therunto as of folk that are fraughted with all vntrueth so as there is nothing but darkenesse in vs. But yet for all that if a man feede his owne humour with lewd and wicked imaginations conceiued against the honour of GOD he sheweth sufficiently that he hath conspired and confederate himselfe with the diuell Neuerthelater howe many are there that bethinke themselues when any leawd fansie commeth in their minde or which labour to suppresse and beate downe the thinges by force which their owne conscience telleth them to be wicked and against the glorie of GOD Nay they rather take pleasure in them and welter in them Nowe when mens spirite that is to say their vnderstanding is so defyled the residue is easily corrupted And for proofe thereof howe doe men most commonly speake of God What manner of talke haue they of him It shoulde seeme that their whole seeking is to bee corrupted there needeth but a little leauen to sowre the whole lump of Dowe 1. Cor. 5.6 as sayeth Saint Paule treating of this naughtie talke which marreth and infecteth vs with wicked vices But the worst is when men speake of GOD in way of mockage For what a thing is it that he shoulde bee scoffed at and that he shoulde bee scorned in woordes not onely vayne and fond but also shamefull and horrible It is not a wilfull violating of his Maiestie And yet men doe so yea euen ouer commonly in so much as yee shall hardly haue long talke in any companie but somewhat shall be intermingled that may found to the contempt of GOD. And doe wee not shewe thereby that wee neuer wist what it is to worshippe GOD Wee can well ynough say dayly Hallowed bee thy name and yet we doe the cleane contrarie Needeth there any other sentence of condemnation against vs than that When wee come here to Church wee protest with our mouthes that wee desire that Gods name shoulde bee maintayned in due honour wee say as much at the table and likewise doeth euerie man both at his rising and at his going to bedde I meane such as are not vtterly brutish for there are which wote not what praying to God meaneth But as for those which haue yet so much honestie as to pray vnto God they will well ynough say with their mouth hallowed be thy name but it is no sooner from their tongues end but by and by a false othe is in their mouth and they make Gods name to runne too and fro And what else is such falshood than a violating of Gods Maiestie and as a striking of him with a Dagger or as a spitting in the face of him Therefore as I haue tolde you alreadie there needs none other Iudge to condemne vs for our
we bee not bound to the seuenth day neither doe wee in deede keepe the same day that was appointed to the Iewes for that was the Saterday But to the intent to shewe the libertie of Christians the day was chaunged because Iesus Christ in his resurrection did set vs free from the bondage of the law Col. 2.11.12 14. cancelled the obligation therof That was the cause why the day was shifted But yet must wee obserue the same order of hauing some day in the weeke be it one or be it two for that is left to the free choyce of Christians Neuerthelesse if a people assemble to haue the Sacramentes ministred and to make common prayer vnto GOD and to shewe one agreement and vnion of faith it is conuenient to haue some one day certeine for that purpose Then is it not enough for euery man to withdrawe himselfe into his owne house whether it bee to reade the holy scripture or to pray vnto GOD but it is meete that wee shoulde come into the companie of the faithfull and there shewe the agreement which wee haue with all the whole body of the Church by keeping this order which our Lord hath so commanded But what There a man may see too apparant vnhallowing of Gods seruice For as I haue touched afore are there not a great sorte which could well finde in their heartes to shewe that they doe but mocke God and that they would faine be exempted from the common lawe It is true that they wil come to a sermon a fiue or sixe times a yeere And what to doe there Forsooth euen to mocke at God at all his doctrine In deede they be very swine which come to defile Gods temple and are worthier to be in stables than there and they were better to keepe themselues at home in their stinking cabans To bee short it were better that such rascals and filthie vilaâ—nes were quite cut off from the Church of God than that they should come and intermingle themselues after that sort in companie with the faithfull But yet how many times come they thither The bel may ring wel enough for looke where a man left them there shall he finde theÌ„ So then we ought to bee the more diligent and careful in quickening vp our selues to make such confession of our faith as God may be honored with one common consent among vs. And besides that all superstitions must bee banished For we se how it is an opinion is poperie that God is serued with idlenesse It is not after that sorte that we must keepe holy the Saboth day But to the intent it may bee applyed to the right and lawfull vse we must consider as I sayd afore how our Lord requireth to haue this day bestowed in nothing else but in hearing of his worde in making common prayer in making confession of our faith and in hauing the vse of the Sacramentes Those are the thinges that wee bee called to Howbeit we see how al things haue bin corrupted confounded in the popedome For lyke as they haue alotted dayes to honoring of their hee Saints and shee Saints and set vp images of theÌ„ so haue they surmised that they were to be worshipped with idlenesse But seeing that y e world is so giuen to corruption it standeth vs so much the more in hand to marke well this discourse concerning the Saboth day as it is set downe here by Moses And let vs consider to what ende our Lorde commaunded the people of olde time to haue one day in the weeke to rest in to the intent that wee knowing how the same is abolished by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ may take our selues to the spiritual rest that is to say dedicate out selues wholy vnto God forsaking all our owne reason and affections Againe let vs reteine still the outward order so farre as is meete for vs that is to wit of forbearing our owne affaires and worldly businesses that we may intend wholy to the minding of Gods workes and occupy our selues in the consideration of the good thinges that hee hath done for vs. And aboue all thinges let vs streine our selues to acknowledge the grace that hee offereth vs dayly in his Gospel that we may be strengthened in it still more and more And when wee haue bestowed the Lord his day in praysing and magnifying Gods name and in minding his workes let vs shewe all the weeke after that wee haue profited in the same Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done And forasmuch as wee can by no meanes serue him vntill the frowardnesse that is in vs be done away and inasmuch as he hath tolde vs that wee shall not cease to fight against his righteousnesse so long as wee giue heade to our owne lusts and imaginations it may please our good God to graunt vs such grace by the power of his holy spirit as wee may be fully fashioned lyke vnto him that dyed and rose again for vs to mortify vs and to quicken vs. So then let vs beare the marke of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen in renouncing our selues and let vs so submit vs to his will as our whole seeking may bee to be fashioned lyke to his righteousnesse that his lawe may bee fulfilled in vs euen as it is spirituall and wee be changed from flesh to spirit to liue vnder his obeisance And because there is alwayes so much in vs to be mislyked it may please the same good GOD to beare with our infirmities vntill his rest be fully brought to passe in vs and that he haue taken vs vp into his heauenly kingdome That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely c. On Friday the xxj of Iune 1555. The xxxv Sermon which is the sixth vpon the fift Chapter 13 Six dayes shalt thou labour c. 14 Thou shalt not doe anie worke therein thy selfe thy Sonne thy daughter thy manseruaunt thy womanseruaunt thyne Ox thyne Asse and thy cattle and thy Straunger which is within thy gates that thy manseruaunt and thy womanseruaunt may haue rest as well as thy selfe 15 Remember that thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Egypt and that the Lorde thy God brought thee thence with strong hande and arme stretched out And therefore the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee to keepe holie the Saboth day I Declared yesterday how and why the commaundement of keeping the Saboth day was giuen to the Iewes I told you briefly how it was a figure of the spirituall rest which the faithfull ought to obserue to serue God in Col. 2.14.17 20. Howbeit our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vs the performance thereof so as wee must no more stay vppon the shadowe of the Lawe Rom. 6.6 but content our selues with the crucifying of our olde man by the power of y e death and passion of our Lorde Iesus
must beare in minde that God is to bee reuerenced as our iudge and offer our selues in such wise before him as hee suffer not any falshoode to abide vnpunished and as wee yeelde vnto him the office of serching euen our heartes If wee deale so then shall our othes be holie vnto him and accepted as a part and portion of the seruice that he requireth and alloweth And by that meanes wee shall abhorre and loth not onely the blasphemies whereby he is spyted out of measure but also all fonde and trifling othes that are made without cause or reason Thus wee see in fewe words what wee haue to note and howe this text is to bee put in vre Nowe Moses addeth immediately Yee shall not followe any other Gods the Gods of the heathen which dwell rounde about you When hee saieth yee shall not followe any other Gods hee sheweth vs that wee cannot mingle the true religion with any abuses or with any thing deuised by vnbeleeuers but by and by all is mard and God disauoweth it as soone as wee swarue one way or other from the plaine trueth and from the rule that hee hath giuen vs. For it is not saide simply you shall not renounce your GOD but they bee forbidden to followe any other Gods So then let vs marke wel that if wee intende to serue the liuing God we must holde our selues to him alone and worshippe him with such vncorruptnesse as all ydoles bee vtterly cast downe and all superstitions cut off and cast behinde vs. And if this were well obserued wee shoulde no more bee put to such paines neither shoulde wee haue so manie bickerings as wee haue For what causeth the troubles that are nowadayes in the worlde and that there is such diuision betweene vs and the Papistes For both of vs confesse that there is but one God that grounde is common to vs both both of vs name him the maker of heauen and earth and both of vs take Iesus Christ for our redeemer and yet notwithstanding we bee at so greate oddes that the Turkes and the Iewes are not more deuided from vs than the Papistes are Whereof commeth this Not that the Papistes doe vtterly renounce GOD but because they will needes make a mingled and confused hotchpotch of all the Religions of the worlde They haue raked together all abuses all Sathans trumperie and all the superstitions that euer haue beene and that terme they the seruice of God It is no part of their meaning to holde themselues to the purenesse of the holy scripture and of the Lawe and the Gospell but to the thinges which they haue deuised of their owne braine They will needes haue those thinges mingled with the pure seede and that is such a corruption as God is vtterly shaken of by it Although men thinke it not or at leastwise confesse it not with their mouth yet hath hee no more place where those thinges are So then as I saide afore if this saying which forbiddeth vs to followe any other Gods were well obserued we might easily agree nowadayes with the Papistes For the controuersie heere concerneth not the onely name True it is that the Papistes call not their Sainctes which they haue forged their Gods but yet they serue them and worshippe them as Gods And therewithall they haue deuised such lawes and ordinances as they thinke good and yet the thing which they terme Gods seruice is but vtter follie of their owne inuention Nowe it is a flatte following of the Gods of the Paynims when men vse straunge fashions in the seruing of God and in steede of praying vnto him alone doe call vpon the creatures so as they cannot tel whom to choose when al comes to all And therefore let vs beare wel in minde the meaning of Moses which is that to worship God aright we must sticke simply to his word wee must stop our eares against all thinges that are brought vs from elsewhere and we must not admit any thing but y t which we haue from God onely Let vs then submit our selues wholly to the obeying of our god not receiue any thing which procedeth not out of his mouth And if we beare with our infirmities Esa. 42.3 and that he is always pitifull Although we deserue to sinke vnder his hande yet will he alwayes shew mercie towards vs. But doth it followe therefore that he will be scorned at our handes and that wee may come pranking against him to despise him No but contrariwise forasmuch as he sheweth himselfe gratious and louing towards vs it ought to break soften our harts to make vs submit our selues wholly vnto him and at leastwise to applie our selues altogether to the seruing honouring of him when he preueÌ„teth vs through his free goodnesse Then let vs mark well that when our Lord is neere vnto vs although it bee of purpose to make vs glad and also to giue vs contentation and rest yet notwithstanding hee ceaseth not to be zealous in the maintaining of his glorie neither will he suffer it to be trampled vnder foote without sending horrible vengeance for it Doe we then know that our Lord dwelleth among vs Let vs on our side beware that wee sanctifie our selues wholly vnto him for feare least his wrath bee kindled that is say least hee withdraw his goodnesse which he hath once shewed towards vs and bereaue vs of it as we deserue and therewithall powre out his wrath vppon vs when hee seeth that hee cannot winne vs nor any whit preuaile by shewing himselfe pitifull in bearing with vs with such louingkindnes and gentlenes as he doth Ye see then after what sort we ought to vse y e goodnes and patientnesse of our Lorde That is to wit knowing that we may boldly stay vpon him not doubting but that he wil be fauorable vnto vs wee neuerthelesse must indeuour and inforce our selues to the vttermost of our power to serue and honour him And forasmuch as we cannot do it of our selues wee must pray him to hold vs in such obedience by his holy spirit as our whole seeking may bee to shewe y t his comming so vnto vs is not in vaine but that we be truly knit vnto him and that hee hath set such a holy and vnuiolable bond betweene him and vs Psal. â—â— â— that as he once gaue himselfe to vs to be our inheritance so he also possesseth vs and maketh vs to be throughly contented with him and to proceede in such wise in profiting to his honor glory as our whole life may shewe that we desire nothing else but to bee reteined vnder his protection Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God w t acknowledgment of our faults praying him to humble vs more more by true repentance so as we may not onely be sorie for our faults but also amend them and submit our selues duetifully vnto him to the intent we may be more and more rid of all our naughtie lustes
iudge that can be deceiued when men craue pardon feynedly And therefore when we pray vnto God let euerie of vs quicken vp himselfe in acknowledging our faults better than we haue bin wont to do let the same so pull vs downe as wee may not wote what to say but thus Alas Lord what should become of vs if it were not for thine inestimable mercie For beholde wee be euen as it were vtterly ouerwhelmed and though we knewe but the hundreth part of the offences that wee haue committed surely it were ynough to sinke vs downe to the bottomlesse pit vnlesse thou remedy it And as for thee that iudgest after a farre other fashion howe shoulde we be able to stand in thy presence if thou wouldest vse thy rigour towards vs Loe here the right lowlinesse which God commaundeth which is that when wee be so ashamed of our sinnes as we wote not what to say wee flee for refuge to Gods mercy hoping y t howsoeuer the case stand he of his great goodnesse wil not refuse to take vs to mercie Nowe to the ende that Moses may obtaine his request hee beseecheth God expresly to bee mindfull of his seruaunts Abraham Isaac and Iacob and that was by reason of the couenant that he had made with them Gen. 17.7 for in the same couenant there was this article I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Yee see here howe God took the children of Abraham before they were borne adopting them to bee his Church and to be inheriters not onely of the Lande of Chanaan but also of the kingdome of heauen But how doe the children of Abraham behaue themselues Leawdly They falsifie their faith vnto God and become backesliders so as they deserue to be cut off from his house Lorde saith Moses haue not an eye to their faultes and offences but bee mindfull of thy couenant which thou madest with thy seruaunts Abraham Isaac and Iacob Nowe wee see to what purpose Moses alledgeth here the holy Patriarks It is not to make them Aduocates and Patrons before God as the Papistes doe who alledge these textes to proue their owne forgeries of hauing the saints to bee their intercessors What say they Is it not written that God should bee mindfull of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and yet they were deade long afore Seeing that the fathers vsed such speâ—ch why shoulde not the saincts alreadie deceased bee made patrons and aduocates to make intercession for them that are aliue Surely this commeth of too grosse beastlinesse For they consider not in what manner Moses alledgeth these persons I haue tolde you it afore for God had promised them that hee woulde bee the sauiour of their linage and had giuen them his promise as a pledge not only on their owne behalfe but also for all their successours And that is y e cause why Iacob at his death or a little before said let my name be called vpoÌ„ ouer Ephraim and Manasses for his meaning was to make two tribes of them notwithstanding that they had both but one heade that is to wit Ioseph first of al he intended that he shold haue a double portion Why so Iacob was in Egypt not onely as a poore straunger like to haue starued for hunger if he had not come thither but also as a man shaken off in scorne disdain It is manifest that the Egyptians shunned the Iewes and accounted them as vncleane people Neuerthelesse although Iacob had not any house of his owne but was there as a slaue banished thither as into an odde nooke of y e realm yet notwithstanding hee assigneth a double portion to Ephraim and Manasses But in so doing hee had an eye to the promise that God had made to him That is the cause why hee saieth Let my name bee called vppon ouer them and let them bee taken and esteemed as two of mine owne children According hereunto it is saide Exo. 3.15.16 that God shoulde remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob as we see in Exodus where God intending to acquaint himselfe with his people alledgeth the same for a preface as if he should say I haue bounde my selfe in the hande of Abraham And therby he sendeth them back to the promise as it was made and set downe in Genesis Gen. 15.13.16 where God saide that in the ende of fourehundred yeares after they had beene oppressed with grieuous tyranny he woulde deliuer them Nowe then it is not to be doubted but that Moseses alledging of Abraham Isaac and Iacob is to y e end that God should performe his couenant in deede and not cease to be constant in his purpose and in discharging of his promise notwithstanding the wickednes of meÌ„ And so we see how the Papistes haue falsly abused the holy scripture yea shewed themselues so shamelesse and fond that euen little children may perceiue their beastlinesse Wherefore we ought so little to be moued with these texts that they do rather make wholly against them And so ye see why Moses alledgeth Abraham Isaac Iacob He groundeth himselfe vpon Gods word Likewise when wee pray before wee open our mouth wee must be taught of God hee must direct vs by his worde for wee cannot call vpon him rightly Rom. 10.14 except hee haue first preuented vs and called vs to him so as wee bee sure that hee will heare vs. For as for the man that doubteth and floteth like the waues of the sea saieth Sainct Iames Iam. 1.6.7 let him not looke to obtaine any thing So then our prayers boote vs not at all without certaintie of faith Now let vs see whence wee may gette such certaintie of faith Surely euen by Gods worde and that is it that Moses hath followed Hee knewe the promise that had proceeded out of Gods mouth wherupon he resteth therupon maketh mention of Abraham Isaac Iacob And why For it was they y t had receiued the promise as well in their owne behalfe as in the behalf of their successors But now do we see that we haue a Mediator to ratifie the new couenant that God hath made with vs. Before Iesus Christ came into the worlde Abraham Isaac and Iacob were as mediators after a sort because they receiued y t promise in the name of y e whole Church But nowe God sendeth vs backe to his only sonne in whose person it is his will to ratifie all that euer he had promised How then shall we haue any certainty except we repaire to our Lord Iesus Christ and pray to God his father to remember him not to looke at vs as in verie deede the auncient fathers haue shewed vs the good way alreadie in the time of the shadows although they had not the trueth so fully as wee haue it in the Gospel For since the time that the kingdome was setled in the house of Dauid and this promise made He shal be my son Psal. 2.7 84.10 132.10
Esa. 45.19 nor meant to beguile men in bidding them to seeke him Then haue wee an open declaration of Gods trueth so wee obey his worde by faith and receiue it without gainsaying When wee bee at that poynt wee may well with good conscience and safetie punish such as seeke to turne vs away from the trueth But if wee be doubtfull and wauering and go to it but by weening what will come of it but that wee shall punish innocent persons as wee see the Papistes doe by persecuting our Lorde Iesus in his members It were better for them nowadayes that they killed one another without colour of iustice than to persecute the children of God after that fashion For the matter standeth not vppon the punishing of men by taking away their liues or by sheading of giltlesse bloud through wicked crueltie but vppon the making of warre against the liuing God and vpon the suffering againe of our lord Iesus Christ in his members And let vs marke that whensoeuer wee falsly pretende the name of God for a colour our fault is doubled in so abusing it and we become so much the more blame woorthie As for example when the Papistes nowadayes doe persecute the faithfull and vse such excessiue crueltie as they doe they can welynough say it is the zeale of God that driueth vs to doe it If a man haue slayne one or robbed one very well hee shal bee layde vppon the wheele And what shal bee done when Gods maiestie is defaced Shoulde the partie scape vnpunished So will they alleage Yea but first they shoulde inquire of the case For like as sometimes men punish giltlesse persons accused of false crymes so may it well bee and wee see it by experience that Martyres are persecuted in steede of heretikes Therefore were it meete to looke well to the matter But nowadayes if a man say that wee ought to call vppon none but onely God in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that wee shoulde not fetche any further compasses after the imaginations of men by praying to the virgine Marie or other Saintes deceassed to bee our patrones and aduocates but that wee ought to holde our selues contented with Iesus Christ to whome that office is giuen by God his Father By and by they crye out to the fire with him And howe so It is the pure doctrine of the holy Scripture Yea but the church of Rome admitteth it not If a man say wee must worship God after a spirituall manner without making any puppets to him and that the breaking of the rule which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen vs is vtter abomination out vppon it that 's a foule heresie at leastwise by the iudgement of the popedome But yet for all that the Scripture beareth it If a man say wee haue no freewill to doe good but that wee bee vtterly corrupted and that if there bee any goodnesse in vs it proceedeth of Gods meere grace and mercie so that our going forwarde towardes the marke is because wee bee renewed by his holy Ghoste and yet neuerthelesse that wee bee weake and had neede to flee continually for refuge to the forgiuenesse which GOD promiseth vs and whereby wee bee reconciled vnto him whereunto wee attaine not by our owne desertes and satisfactions but must bee faine to bee purged by the bloudshed of our Lorde Iesus Christ and by that meanes wee obtaine saluation if these thinges say I bee alleaged by and by hee must bee haled to the stake And why Because all this is condemned by their Synagogues Yea but it were meete for them that they shoulde giue eare vnto God For did hee forgo his authoritie when hee sayde that we should neither ad too nor diminish from the thinges that hee hath spoken Deut. 12.32 as wee haue seene alreadie heretofore For thereby doeth he shewe at what ende it behooueth vs to beginne Then is it a hellish kinde of dealing when men stay not vppon the thinges that GOD commaundeth and that are conteyned in his worde and yet notwithstanding doe take vppon them to burthen other men with what lawes they list If a man say that wee must serue God according to his commaundementes and not depend vpon those that take vpon theÌ„ to enioyne lawes to mens soules and that all such inuentions are foolish What Shall the traditions of our mother holy Church bee so reiected That were a deadly and intolerable cryme If a man speake of the Sacraments say that baptisme ought to be ministred in a knowen tounge that men may vnderstande to what ende our Lorde Iesus ordeyned it what fruite it yeeldeth and how to vse it a right and moreouer that men may perceiue that baptisme sendeth vs to our Lorde Iesus Christ and hath no power of it selfe further than God worketh by his holy spirite which appeareth when wee haue an eye to him that is the verie substance of baptisme and that all the trifling toyes ought to bee put away wherewith men haue mocked God to the full namely the ceremonies of their owne inuenting which are but vtter corruptions of baptisme as their spittle their salt all their other may games which they play withall If a man talke so of their stuffe he must be put to death for it out of hand And why Fye vppon him hee is a ranke heretike he is not to bee borne with Yea but they shoulde see first whether it bee an heresie or no. For by that meanes they make God him selfe an heretike for want of due examination and what a dealing is that If a man say that our Lordes supper ought to bee receiued according to the rule which hee him selfe did giue vs that is to wit that wee shoulde communicate togither so as the bread might bee a warrant to vs that wee bee truely become partakers of his bodie and the wine a warrant that wee bee partakers of his bloud and consequently that the Masse is an abhomination of the diuels owne deuising for that therein the Christian are so farre off from communicating together that one man separates himselfe from all the rest of the company beholde then must excommunication serue as a sauce for all meates Againe if a man come at Easter to receiue the Lordes supper hee must haue but a morsel and hee must holde him contented with the one halfe of it and moreouer contrarie to Christ his institution which sayes take and eate they woulde beare God in hand that he shall receiue we giue it thee say they Besides this if a man intende to bee reconciled to GOD the Masse must serue as a new sacrifice and although they say it is the same that Iesus Christ himselfe offered yet doe they oftentimes reiterate it If a man open his mâ—uth against such abhominations O that is an vntolerable cryme The aire must ring of the great outcryes that shal be made against it How now say they What ado haue wee here Hee hath spoken against the decrees of the holy
law But nowe let vs apply this to our selues For in as much as God hath gathered vs togither into his house he wil haue vs to walk more carefully and warely than the sillie ignoraunt soules that are strayed from the way of Saluation If wee say that that were too rough and seuere a dealing wee our selues are too vnthankefull It is said that we must liue as childreÌ„ of the light 1. Thess. 5.6 no maruaile it is though such as haue not learned Gods word do stut and stumble go astray for they be like blinde wretches in the darke Psal. 119.104 Eph 1.17.18 5.17 But wee haue Gods worde which is as a lampe to giue vs lyght and again we haue beene inlightened by the holy Ghost so as wee knowe the will of God And shall wee nowe runne astray as though wee had neuer knowen any good doctrine Nowe then whereas God hath tyed vs shorter than he hath tyed the ignorant if we thereupon wil needes shake off his yoke and fall to checking at him as though wee had leuer to haue the licentious libertie of the vnbeleeuers than to bee held vnder the obedience of God our father we were worthie to bee rooted out of the world For it were too great a defacing of Gods gracious goodnesse to doe so when GOD hath chosen vs to himselfe and giuen vs his badge as if hee should say I wil raigne among you let it appeare that yee haue beene in my schoole let not my shewing of my selfe to haue beene your father and Sauiour bee in vaine So then let vs marke well that whereas God calleth vs vnto him it is with this condition that wee shoulde not liue any more after the manner of the ignorant wretches which woote not howe to order their conuersation for they doe followe their owne beastly lustes It is ynough saieth Saint Peter speaking to the heathen that had beene conuerted to the beleefe of the Gospell 1. Pet. 4.3 it is ynough saith hee that yee haue done heeretofore ye haue giuen too much heede to your wicked affections already see that none of you take such licentious libertie any more but submit your selues to Gods yoke and sith it is gods wil to haue the gouernment of you suffer your selues to be guided by his hand and obey his worde in all thinges vtterly forsaking your owne wicked lustes Nowe then whereas in these dayes we see the worlde to bee altogether corrupted let vs not alledge other mens crosse dealinges in defence of our own neyther let vs make a shield of them to say why shoulde wee bee held more in awe than other men Alas is it to bee maruailed at that those shoulde goe astray which haue no lyght But seeing that GOD hath sent vs the Sonne of righteousnesse let vs assure our selues that it will bee no excuse for vs though the ignoraunt wretches doe goe astray after their owne imaginations Surely this is yll put in practise For our whole seeking nowadayes is nothing else but to heape together all the offences in the worlde to make a confused hotchpotch of them If it bee sayde that there bee a nomber of men which are giuen to fraude and guyle and are full of suttletie and deceite wee rest vppon that and are contented to counterfet their vices to alleage them in sport As for mens vertues wee let them alone and make none accounte of them but as for their vices wee make a barre of them against God O say wee ye see howe such a man doth so another doeth after that fashion this is a common custome euerywhere and wil ye haue vs to be holyer than al other men Besides this it is alledged thus also What I pray you doe not the Papistes so before vs Yes but the Papistes haue shaken off the yoke of our Lord Iesus Christ they haue withdrawen themselues from him and from his Church True it is y t they haue baptisme which is y e signe of Christianitie but they haue vtterly abolished the true vse of baptisme and we see how they haue no skil at al either of God or of his word As for our part forasmuch as we haue the Gospel and that wee are thereby conuicted y t it is Gods trueth and we be preferred before those that were at leastwise as good as we in respect of the world seeing he hath chosen vs after that fashion are we not too much to blame if wee come not to offer our selues wholly vnto him saying Lorde gouerne thou vs and let vs not looke at other mens dooings to bee caryed away by their misexample but let vs alwayes bee gathered together as it were vnder the shadowe of thy winges Thus ye see what wee haue to marke vpon this admonition of Moseses Knowe ye saith he that the Lord your God hath separated you out from all other nations of the earth After this he coÌ„meth to the tythes wherof he had spoken afore saieth Yee shall tythe the first of all your fruites which ye shall haue gathered as well of Corne Wine and Oyle as also of the first borne of all your Cattell The repetition which our Lord vseth here is not more than needeth For as we haue seene heretofore men are so wedded to their owne profit y t their duetie cannot be had at their handes but by force and they must bee faine to haue their eares beaten dayly or else if it bee possible they will doe what they can to exempt themselues from dooing their duetie specially when it commeth to the Lawe of God and to the things that he requireth at our hand for we wil be ashamed if wee yeeld not our duetie vnto men WheÌ„ a man hath misbehaued himselfe towards meÌ„ ye shal see him ashamed to lift vp his head True it is y t faults shal not faile to be committed that there wil be a thousand deuises to defraude men by theft robberie extortion and other wicked practises but yet will men alwayes looke the warelyer to themselues bicause they be restrained by shame But as for to Godward men are quite past shame and set all at randon as though they would pul out his tongue or forbid him to speake when they haue taken from him y t which belonged vnto him And so yee see what is the cause that God hath spoken so oft of tythes which he would haue offered vnto him likewise of y e first fruits I haue tolde you already y t the tythes were allotted to the Leuites bicause God reserued them to do him seruice it behoued them to liue vpon y e Altar bicause they were dedicated therunto The same reason is in force at this day towardes vs. Not that we be bound to the same maner of tything that the Iewes were furtherforoth than ciuill order requireth but that wee must alwayes come backe to this saying of Saint Paul 1. Coâ— â—â—â—14 that lyke as the Leuites â—â—â—ed vpon tythes bycause they were dedicated
Sermōs but to be taught Nay there are a nōber which fulfil y e prouerb y t saith a foole doubteth of nothing And they y t haue most need to learne think themselues to know most that they need not to opē their mouths to ask which is Gods truth But as for vs let vs inquire And for y t doing thereof let vs marke y t it behoueth vs to liue soberly for if we got to worke proudly presumptuously as a nōber do which think thēselues so great clerks as I haue said y t no man cā teach thē any more than they know alreadie wee shall be ful enough yea euē till we burst but it shal be but with wind we shal be voyde of all light of life But if wee can finde in our heartes to bee taught of God we must bee learners that is to say lowliminded and we must vnderstand that we haue neede to proceede further And truely the verie vse of the Lordes supper ought to put vs in minde that our cōming thither ought not to be without instruction For as I declared yesterday a sacrament without teaching instruction is a deade thing and a mocking of God and a defiling of the thing it selfe Therefore as oft as wee come to the supper let it bee awakening of vs to make vs inquire of y e things that we know not sufficiently before though we haue had some tast of them And truely if it be not lawful to admit young children to the Lords supper vntill they knowe what is meant by that Sacrament and wherefore it was ordeyned shoulde such as haue liued a fortie and threescore yeares come to it like dogges or swine And yet we see they doe so and woe be to them for it So then let the visible signe which our lord hath ordeyned be a meane to spurre vs forwarde the more that wee may seeke to profite more and more in the knowing of Iesus Christ specially seeing we be no more troubled nowadayes with resorting to a place which God hath appointed For wee haue Iesus Christ who is Gods temple 〈◊〉 3.11 and hee is not shut vp within any certaine place but filleth both heauen and earth with his power True it is that in the nature of man wherewith he clothed himselfe he is gone vp into heauen and yet for all that hee ceaseth not to dwell here in vs So then we must go to Ierusalem we neede not to goe on pilgrimage but only to make our repaire to the son of God and we shall finde in him the whole fulnesse and perfection of the Godhead Coloss. 2.9 〈◊〉 ◠9 Matt. 28.20 Col. 2.6 Neuerthelesse wee must marke well also that forasmuch as the fathers of olde time had not the thinges that are giuen vs at this time it shal be to our sorer condemnation if they haue beene diligenter than we in exercysing y e figures shadowes and that we nowadayes be lasie and colde so as the substance be put into our handes and yet we make no reckening of it The Iewes were faine to resort to the Temple of Ierusalem leauing their houses and householdes And their wiues and childrē were faine to come trotting thither with great trauell and not without charges And why You shall resort to the place which the Lorde shall haue chosen to set his name in He saith not to dwel there throughout but to shewe his presence in such wise as it may be knowen that we bee vnited to our God not onely by figures and shadowes but also by his dwelling among vs. As nowe there is not any one place which God hath chosen to put his name in that hee might bee called vppon alonely there but wee haue God manifested in the flesh For what is Iesus Christ Euen so is he intitled by Saint Paul 1. Tim. 3.16 Seeing then that hee calleth vs to himselfe and that we neede not to make any long circuites to finde him but rather that he preuenteth vs and that all his desire is to drawe vs to God his father shoulde we nowe be lasie and colde What excuse wil there be for vs when the Iewes tooke such paine hauing but y e first principles like yong childrens Apsies and y t we nowadayes being brought to the full perfection doe fare neuer the better by it or at leastwise it standeth vs not in so much steade as the auncient figures stood the Iewes vnder the law Thus ye see what we haue to remember vppon this text where it is saide that they resorted to the place which the Lord had chosen Now finally for a conclusion Moses telleth them that there should bee no Leauened breade in all their borders during those dayes and secondly that on the day of the passouer they should keep as great solemnitie as on the Sabboth day And hereby he sheweth that it is not enough for vs to absteyne from fraude and malice but that we must labor to the vtterm oft we can to put away al filth frō among vs. For if I alledge that as for my selfe I will bee no hypocrite and in the meane time doe suffer stumbling blockes in the Church yea or mainteyne them I must not thinke my selfe therefore discharged It is saide There shall no leauen bee seene in thy coastes As if he had said Euerie man must haue an eye to himselfe and to his house y t ye be not defiled in any thing that may hinder you to eat of the pascall Lambe in all purenesse Therefore beginne at your selues and at your owne householdes But yet therewithall bee so watchfull also as there may be no corruptiō in al y e rest of the people Wherfore let vs haue an eie nowadaies to the wel practising of this doctrine and let euerie man looke narrowly to himselfe And afterwarde let such as haue householdes to gouerne looke to the purging away of all filth and vncleannesse And then generally if there be any stumbling blockes among vs which may put thinges out of order let vs all looke to the reproouing of them out of hande And aboue all thinges let vs assure our selues that to bee partakers of Iesus Christ in true purenesse wee must begin at the cleansing of our selues y t God may gouerne vs and that our passeouer may be kept in spirit and trueth by casting ourselues vtterly downe and by yeelding to forbeare all our owne thoughtes and affections so as wee may keepe a spirituall Sabboth not for one day onely as I said afore but y t we may continue therein during all the time of our life Now let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs to feele thē better than we haue done that they may so mislike vs from day to day as euery of vs may inforce himselfe to repaire vnto him and to frame ourselues in such sort to his righteousnes as all our whole life may bee ordered c. And
the Lawmaker which ruleth you Therefore when wee haue any thing to doe we must alwayes haue this consideration with vs to thinke that God declareth his will therein and that must suffice vs. Why so For there is but one rule of weldoing and to call the thinges in question which are conteined in his Lawe is al one as if we refused to bee ruled by the mouth and worde of God Therefore the Lawe must haue his full course and we must not go about to separate the thinges which God hath so knit and vnited together But heerewithall Moses bringeth vs backe againe to the thing that hee had treated of afore that is to wit which is the true keeping of the Lawe and to what ende it tendeth The true keeping of the Lawe is to giue eare vnto God in all that hee saieth Keepe all the commaundementes saieth hee as if hee shoulde say Deut. 6.24.25 wee must not serue God after our owne liking when thinges come to passe according to our heartes desire neither must wee take leaue to dispence with our selues when wee meete with any thing that is harde It is not for vs to parte stakes with GOD after that manner but wee must call to minde howe Sainct Iames saieth that he which breaketh any one point is guiltie of the whole law Iames. 2.10 The reason is the same which I haue alleadged afore namely that whe wee incounter Gods ordinaunce wee deface his maiestie as much as in vs lieth True it is that wee can neuer fulfil Gods law I say there was neuer yet so perfect a man in the worlde but hee came farre short of the perfection that God sheweth vs. But yet must wee tende towardes it though wee bee farre off from the marke and but halfe way onwarde of our iourney yet must wee goe forwarde still and not thinke to content God by doing some little peece of it for the loue of him and in the rest take leaue to behaue our selues as wee list Let vs not thinke that God admitteth such compositions but that wee must in all pointes conforme our whole life to his will And although wee attaine not to the full performance yet our desire must bee to doe so as I haue declared afore And nowe let vs come to that which hee addeth namely to what end the keeping of Gods Lawe tendeth that is to wit that we should loue him Whereby wee bee done to vnderstande that our Lordes intent is not to drawe vs to a slauish fearefulnesse but to haue vs to take pleasure and delight in honouring him and in doing his commaundementes for it is certaine that without this loue all our seruice shal bee refused as vnprofitable In deede this matter hath beene expounded alreadie heeretofore neuerthelesse it is good reason that wee shoulde bee put in rememberance of it as oft as the holy Ghost speaketh thereof for heere is no superfluitie And it is a doctrine that wee cannot be perswaded of at the first that it behooueth vs to serue God freely and with a willing loue Truely wee must not loue God as our fellowe or mate but wee must stande in awe of him not as inforced by necessitie so as we shoulde grinde our teeth in grudging against him but as yeelding our heartes to him by setting all our delight in his Lawe as Dauid protesteth himselfe to haue done Psal. 19.11 by which example of his hee sheweth vs also our dewtie Yee see then howe GOD requireth that wee shoulde serue him of free will yea and that wee shoulde also loue him And indeede whence proceedeth true obedience but of the knowledge of the will of our GOD and that wee take him for our father to the ende that wee on our side might behaue our selues like chilrē towardes him Vntill wee be come to that point it is vnpossible for vs to goe about to serue our GOD with a good will wee shall haue nothing but stubbornenesse in vs so as if it were possible wee coulde finde in our hearts neuer to come at him But when wee haue once tasted of his goodnesse then are wee allured to loue him out of hand Seeing then that men haue felt God a father towardes them it becommeth them to answere him in like sort againe and to bee as children towardes him And so wee see heere againe howe the Lawe may bee duely kept by vs that is to witte by louing our GOD. For thereuppon it will come to passe that wee shall walke in all his wayes for God cannot bee diuided from his worde If we loue him it is certaine that wee will indeuour to please and obey him And this is seene euen among mortall men but yet there is a peculiar cause thereof in God For as I saide afore God is neuer separated from his righteousnesse which hee declareth vnto vs in his Lawe Then if wee loue him we must needes like well of his Lawe and take pleasure in obseruing the same And therefore if a man say I loue GOD I feare him I honour him and in the meane while despise his worde and make no reckening of it it is but hypocrisie matched with shamelesnesse For as I haue saide already it is vnpossible that God shoulde transforme himselfe to become as an ydoll by surceasing from his righteousnesse which in verie deede is his owne proper being So then it is to be concluded that we cannot otherwise loue our God than by giuing our selues ouer vnto him by indeuoring to serue and please him But nowe let vs come to that which is saide concerning such as woulde needes abuse the priuiledge by withdrawing themselues to the Sanctuarie when they had committed a murther If it happen that a man which hated his neighbour and killed him doe flee to the place of priuiledge let the Elders of that place that is to say the Rulers or Gouernours for it is a name of office let the Gouernours and Iudges and Magistrates take him and fetch him thence that is to say let thē fetch him from the priuiledged place by strong hand and put him into the handes of him that ought to reuenge the bloudshed or of him y e demaundeth Iustice that he may be put to death and let not thine eye spare him that is to say haue no pitie nor compassion on him Bycause we be moued when we see a man lament and our eyes relent at it that is to say if wee see a man in extreame heauinesse of minde by and by wee bee mooued to pitie his case our Lorde saieth that hee will not haue him to bee pitifull not in any wise to relent which ought to execute Iustice. Goe to worke stoutly saieth hee and let the offender bee punished notwithstanding his misclaiming of the priuiledge which GOD had graunted for such as are guiltlesse and not for such as are faultie This was declared partly yesterday but it is well worthie to bee laide foorth more at large To bee shorte let vs haue an eye
2. Cor. 5. â—0 For there was enmitie betweene him and vs before by nature as I haue said alreadie we be all stranngers to our God and we cannot but set our selues against him Yet for all this hee seeketh attonement with vs. Vppon what condition Not that we shoulde pay him tribute as though hee were minded to inrich himselfe with our goods True it is that hee liketh wel to haue vs to serue him but y t is for our benefite and welfare and not for anie aduauntage to himselfe For hee hath no want of anie thing neither needeth he to be inriched but by possessing vs he would that wee likewise should inherite him And that is as amiable a condition as can be Nowe what is to bee doone but to receiue his peace Yea verily and therefore let vs not tarie til God inforce vs but let vs preuent him by imbracing the inestimable prerogatiue which he offereth vs in vouchsafing to forgiue vs all our sinnes But if wee be so wretched as to refuse so great a benefite let vs mark that wee bee not onely cast vp as it were to the spoile and that GOD shaketh vs quite cleane off but also that his wrath must needes bee vttered vppon vs because of such vnthankfulnes and churlishnesse in despising our GOD so wilfully and stubbornely that wee had leuer to haue him our deadly enemy than our protector Seeing then that his intent is not to haue vs as subiects that are conquered by tight of warre nor to raise tributes vpon vs to increase himselfe withall but to reigne ouer vs for our welfare and yet wee will not abide it but shake him off vtterly and pursue him still with a venemous heart to prouoke him to anger is not our deseruing such as hee may iustlie bee so rigorous vnto vs as to commaunde his seruauntes to withdrawe themselues from vs and to shake off the dust of their feete As who shoulde say wee bee not worthie to treade vppon the earth because wee defile it The verie thing therefore which wee haue to marke is that wee cannot prouoke Gods wrath any way more than by refusing the peace that is offered vs by the Gospell so as wee vouchsafe not to hearken to it For then because God findeth vs past grace God also is faine to arme himselfe with terrible and dreadfull vengeaunce against vs and not onely to punish vs in our bodies but also to extende his vengeaunce vnto our soules and so to roote vs out quite and cleane in which behalfe women are no more to bee spared than men For when as God calleth vs all in Christ Iesus there is no difference of male and female as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3.28 but faith reconcileth vs all vnto God Likewise vnbeleefe and stubbornnesse make vs enemies to God both men and women the punishment whereof extendeth both to great and small For seeing wee are become traitours and rebels to our God it is good reason that all our whole ofspring should perish with vs because Gods curse lies vppon the wicked euen vnto the third and fourth generation Deut. 5.9 as the law auoweth we haue seene heretofore Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to remember vpon this text And let vs marke herewithall that seeing God doeth so preuent vs aforehand to seeke attonement and to sende vs tydings of peace we also ought to seeke meanes to bee friends with such as haue offended vs and to followe the example of our heauenly father as if wee shoulde say What shal become of mee who am but a worme and rottennesse if I continue wilfull and holde skorne to come to attonement with mine enemie when he hath once offended mee so as I chawe vppon my bridle still and will not by anie meanes bee pacified when in the meane time my God seeketh mee Beholde my GOD is wel contented to stoope vnto mee which am but rottenesse and shall I not withstanding refuse to be reconciled to him that is my fellowe and brother Although he haue offended mee yet can I not renounce mine one nature yet can I not bring to passe but that he is still a humane creature shaped after the image of God as well as my selfe So then let vs learne to meeken our stomackes though they bee neuer so stout and let this example of God induce vs to greater geÌ„tlenesse and compassion than wee bee woont to haue Hereuppon Moses addeth That this lawe serueth but onely for the Nations that were farre off For as for those nations saith he whom God giueth you now presently as the Chananites the Hethites the Amorrhites the Pheresues the Heuites and the Iebusites all those you must vtterlie roote out and inherite their lande howbeit hauing first purged it cleane from all abuses Here wee see howe the lawe which I haue expounded alreadie serued for the time then to come when the Israelites should haue any newe warre against such as had not beene their enemies before But as for the people of the Lande of Chanaan which God had promised for an inheritaunce to the Iewes it was his wil that they shoulde bee vtterly rooted out which thing at the first sight might seeme ouerharde as I haue saide thereof heere before but it was not so indeede For to the intent that men shoulde not accuse God of crueltie it was shewed why hee vsed so great rigour But forasmuch as all of you perchaunce vnderstood it not it is requisite to declare againe wherefore our Lorde commaunded all those Nations to bee rooted out and to bee put to sworde and hauocke without any mercie at all For they were no such enemies as had doone any speciall wrong to the children of Israell but they were enemies to God Gen. 15.16 yea and enemies alreadie condemned euen by the space of fourehundred yeares afore True it it that the children of Israell had iust cause of warre against them because Abraham came into that couÌ„trie by Gods appointment to dwell there And although GOD did not yet put him in possession of the souereigntie thereof which he had giuen vnto him yet was it his will that hee shoulde bee an inhabiter of that lande But they draue him from place to place so did they also to his sonne Isaac Gen. 12.19 26.16.19.20 and likewise to Iacob insomuch as they euen denied them water Not that they went about to borrow water at their neighbours pits but that their neighbours stopped vp the pittes which they had digged and draue them from them without al humanitie Howbeit there was yet a much higher respect which was that God knowing the excessiue wickednesse of all those nations to be vtterly vnreclaimable determined to take them quite and cleane out of the world and yet woulde not that their lande shoulde lie wast without inhabitauntes and therefore hee appointed it for an inheritaunce to his owne people Here therefore wee must behold Gods speciall iudgement to the ende wee accuse him not as I
For wheras we be nowe corruptible and tende to corruption by death we shall then be clothed again with such a newe nature that y e thing which is now corruptible and transitorie in vs shall become newe and vncorruptible when we be renewed after y e likenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus ye see what we haue to remember yet further in that God sheweth him selfe to haue such care of them that are deade As touching the things that are spoken here concerning the priests we neede not as nowe to stande verie long vppon them but it will suffice to speake a word or twaine thereof Moses saith that they were ordeined to blesse in Gods name that is to say to make publike prayers True it is that wee at this day haue the same office of making praiers in the name of y e whole church and that the people must say Amen as S. Paul saith in the xiiii of the first Epistle to the Corinthians but there was a speciall consideration of this matter in the tribe of Leuie in the priests of the Lawe namely that they bare the figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our aduocate and our mouth as it were Forasmuch then as it belōgeth to our Lord Iesus Christ to offer vp our requests to God our father bicause they can neuer bee acceptable to God but for his sake neither are we worthie to preace vnto God except hee leade vs and make way and meanes for vs Therefore in the time of the Lawe the Priestes blessed the people that is to say they made the publike prayers for them Againe there is another thing namely that their blessing of y e people was a witnessing of Gods fauour and loue towardes them And that also belongeth to our Lord Iesus Christ howbeit that the same pertaineth not to himself alone but also to al the preachers of the Gospel Whē we preach Gods mercie the blessing of God is vpon al them that harken to vs. For it is all one as if God himselfe came to declare his fauour towards vs and y t for asmuch as wee be reconciled vnto him hee intendeth to take vs into his keeping Seeing then that the doctrine of the Gospell importeth such thinges wee see that all the Shepheardes of the Christian Church doe blesse the people But this is not because they are figures of our Lorde Iesus Christ but because of the charge that is committed vnto them They doe indeede represent his person as his officers but in the time of the Lawe this was of force that the Priest during the continuance of those shadowes did after a sorte supply the roome of our Lorde Iesus Christ vntill hee was come That then was meant by blessing the people in the name of God as we see our Lorde Iesus Christ himselfe hath declared For hee blessed his disciples by laying his handes vppon them Luk. 24.50 Act. 1 4◠Therefore let vs resorte to him as oft as wee thinke vppon our owne cursednesse that is to say forasmuch as wee knowe our selues worthie to bee reiected of God and to bee as it were accursed because there is nothing but vtter wickednes in vs Let vs flee to our Lord Iesus Christ. For if God gaue that remedie to his people vnder the Lawe of being blessed by the priestes who were but mortall men shall wee mistrust that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not sufficient power to doe away all our accursednesse so as God shall looke fauorable vppon vs and receiue vs as his children Then let vs hardily giue eare hereunto and rest vppon it with full trust And when wee bee about to pray let vs assure our selues that wee haue an aduocate who will make vs to finde fauor And let vs not alledge as the Papistes doe I am not worthie to pray to God but let vs bee sure that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs to him Trueth it is that wee ought to perceiue our owne vnworthinesse howbeit not to make vs to raunge away when wee pray vnto God or to cause vs to seeke long windlasses as who shoulde say Such a Saint shall bee mine aduocate or such a Sheesaint shall bee my patronesse but to direct vs to him which is giuen vs of God his father namely to our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thus much concerning the blessing Now the seruing of God imported the sacrifices and all the rest of the ceremonies And at this day they that are appointed ministers of Gods woorde haue the administration of Sacramentes because it is an appurtenance to Gods worde and doctrine which they bring but our Lorde Iesus is hee that hath made the onely and euerlasting sacrifice whereupon wee must rest And herein wee see the foolishnesse that is in the Popedome for the Priestes will needes counterfeit his sacrifice saying thus O beholde the tribe of Leuie was appointed to serue God Yea but we must consider what maner of Sacrifice God requireth and alloweth at this day Will hee haue vs to slea Bullockes Sheepe Lambes and such other thinges No verily But Saint Paul sayth that the sacrifices which the Shepheardes of the Church must offer to God Phil. ◠17. Rom. 15.16 are mens soules whome they winne by the preaching of his worde Those doe they dedicate vnto God and that is the seruice which hee lyketh of This is a part of that seruice of God which is spirituall And therefore let vs marke that wee must let Iesus Christ alone with that which the holy scripture reserueth vnto him Namely the offering vp of himselfe once for all Act. 13 3◠to purchase vs euerlasting forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and the making of vs cleane and pure yet still before God Now then there remaineth nothing but this onely that wee be confirmed in the power that is brought vnto vs by his death and passion And howe may that bee By the vse of the sacramentes When we receiue the Supper wee make not a newe sacrifice as the Papistes were woont to doe in that diuelish abhomination of their Masse but we protest that God is at one with vs when we be grounded in the death and passion of his onely sonne and that we be partakers thereof and our present receiuing of the bread and wine that are giuen vs is all one as if we were fed with his body and bloud as with meate and drinke Thus ye see how we ought to apply the thinges to our instruction which are spoken here concerning the sacrifices that were to bee offered to GOD by the priestes of the Lawe Now let vs proceede with that which Moses addeth here He saith that the Priestes shall resort thither with the gouerners and Iudges of the Citie and take a young Heckfar or Bullocke as they terme it here and cut off the necke of it yea and that in a valley saith he as in a secret place and namely in a valley that is barreine and vntilled as in a desert place This circumstance is set
murdered Saint Paul and had conspired together by a solemne agreement did not they make a vowe But who will say nowe that they are bounde by their vowe 〈◊〉 â—3 1â— and that God liketh of it They make a solemne vowe not to eate nor drinke vntill they haue put Saint Paul to death Truely this is all one as if they would make God a companion of their murder See what a diuelishe agreement is made and they confirme it by and by with a solemne vow Yea but if our wittes be setled we will condemne all such vowes Nowe then wee see when vowes are to bee performed But Moses said not without cause When thou doest vowe a vowe to the Lorde thy God appointing God in this place for the partie which accepteth that which shall bee presented and offered vnto him for without that all shall bee of no value and of no effect But nowe what do the Papists in their vowes First they take vnto themselues some trifling toy or other and thereuppon binde themselues vnto God and they beare themselues in hande that hee is much beholding vnto them and that they deserued some recompence of ouerplus at his handes One voweth a pilgrimage to such a Saint an other maketh a ninedayes vowe an other voweth to eate no fleshe on such a day or to fast such a feastes euen Nowe let vs consider whether God liketh of anie of al these thinges Doubtlesse hee doeth not For as for going on pilgrimage it is not onely a kinde of Iewishnesse but it is also a wicked corruption And although vnder the lawe it was Gods will to haue one Temple to the which men shoulde resorte to worshippe him yet it is nowe abolished Nowe if the place which GOD had chosen which was ordeyned by his owne mouth is no longer in force but wee must call vppon God eueriwhere throughout the whole worlde without going either vnto Mount Sion or to any other place which men shall choose I pray you howe may men of their owne brayne make such holy places That is to say howe may they according to their owne fancie hallowe Rome or Saint Iames of Compostella or I knowe not what And secondly for eating of fleshe on such or such a day we know it is mere superstition Seeing our Lorde hath ordeyned that men shoulde feede on all meates soberlie without any questioning concerning this meate or that meate as though one meate were vncleane in comparison of an other and that whosoeuer doeth otherwise serueth the diuell a man may well alledge his deuotion but out of all doubt the diuell settes him a worke and hee must pay him his wages Asmuch may bee saide of all the other pelting baggage which the Papistes vse when they fast And so wee see that these things are not vowed vnto God and that although his name bee therein pretended yet hee will neuerthelesse disalowe of all For why None of it is ruled by his worde Againe the Papistes vowe that which is not in them to performe as the Monkes and the Priestes vowe perpetuall chastitie as they say Nowe I graunt indeede that all men owe chastitie vnto GOD but this chastitie is not an absteyning from marriage but the leading of an honest life by keeping himselfe vndefiled in the state wherein he is but among the Papistes there is no other chastitie but the abstayning from marriage They vowe this vow vnto God but is it in them to performe it Nay it is a diuelishe arrogancie But if a man haue the gift of continencie hee must vse it with all humilitie committing himselfe alwayes into the hande of GOD knowing that whatsoeuer God hath giuen vnto him to day he must be fayne to continue it vnto him to morrow or else al wil slip away like water in a minute of an hour And further we know not how God will dispose of vs in this behalfe Againe it is not all one to abstaine from marriage and to abstayne from a thing which God hath not permitted vnto vs. A man may haue excellent vertues as if hee were an Angell of heauen and yet marrie for all that God calleth him thereunto hee hath libertie to vse marriage for a remedie therefore let him vse it But howesoeuer the worlde goe let vs beare in minde that which our Lorde Iesus Christ sayth namely Matt. 19.11 that the gift of continencie is not giuen vnto all And S. Paul as a faithful interpreter of that which his maister had saide 1. Cor. 7.17 warneth euerie man to walke accordingly as hee is called Therefore it is a diuelishe arrogancie in a man to presume that hee hath in him selfe and as it were in his owne sleeue the power of absteyning from marriage And if hee make a vowe thereof it is all one as if hee did openlie defie GOD and say hee passeth not for him Wee ought to offer vnto GOD. But of what Of the benefites which hee hath bestowed vppon vs as I tolde you Nowe wee knowe not whether hee will graunt vnto vs the benefite of abstayning from marriage for all our life time or no. And howe then can wee promise that vnto him which wee haue not receyued For wee must alwayes make account to say Lorde I offer vnto thee that which thou hast giuen mee Euerie man therefore must haue an eye vnto himselfe and to his owne abilitie Moreouer when a Fryer voweth pouertie is it not a notable mockerie Some of them vowe pouertie but after what manner Forsooth they will sticke to their bagge and wallet they will haue a common gathering they will be as bloud hounds to smell out the best collections they will conuey other mens goods vnto theÌ„selues from all sides Therefore they mock God euen to his face when they vowe pouertie and that is to doe nothing but to waxe greasie and fat at all other mens costes Others goe and lurke in a stie as these monkes doe who are wel landed and rented and whereas they be readie to burst with eating drinking yet for all that they vowe pouertie And doth not this pouertie please God well thinke yee Nay what is to dalie plainely with God if this bee not Lastly they vowe obedience And to whome To an Abbot or to a Prior. But in the meane while they will be priuiledged from all obedience of God and men I meane from that which appertayneth to anie rule of gouernment Ye see how God hath put children in subiection vnder fathers and mothers but they may shake off this yoke vnder shadowe of being in monkerie God hath put men in subiection vnder Magistrates and vnder such as haue the sword of iustice and a Monke will exempt himselfe from all this It must bee lawfull for him to breake all the bonds and listes which God hath set vnder colour of forging in his owne shoppe a newe obedience whereof God in no respect liketh Wee see then howe the papistes generally and particularlie mocke God with all vowes which they
bee nowe out of daunger for hee entred thither to the ende that wee should be free from it We adde thereunto that hee is also ascended into heauen And why To the ende that wee might knowe that the gate thereof standeth open for vs. We heare also how hee tolde his disciples In my fathers house are many mansions Iohn 14.2 signifying therby that heauen was not onely for himselfe but that it is a common heritage for all the faithfull and that hee hath taken possession thereof as it were in our behalfe Nowe then we protest in the article of our beliefe that the heauens at this time stand open for vs and that wee ought to assure our selues to come thither because our Lorde Iesus Christ our heade is gone vp thither and will not bee separated from the members of his bodie Notwithstanding that wee haue confessed this yet wee stand scanning still and are full of wauering fancies Ah say wee I know not for all that what shall become of mee I cannot tell whether God doth recken me to be one of his children who is he that hath bin in heauen who is he that hath come thence againe to bring vs newes See these diuelish blasphemies This is not onely to stande in doubt of the trueth of the Gospel but also to teare Christ Iesus in peeces asmuch as we can O horrible outrage against the sonne of God for hee that doubteth of his saluation sheweth himselfe to beleeue no whit of that which wee confesse namely that Iesus Christ hath soueraigne dominion both in heauen in earth that God gouerneth the world by him y t he maketh al creatures to kneel down to do him homage Phil. 2.10 to be short wee acknowledge not that the Lorde Iesus Christ is risen againe from the deade but to the vttermost of our power we go about to deface and to abolish the power of the holy Ghost which shewed it selfe in his resurrection See nowe in what case wee be if we receiue not the Testimonie of the Gospell to assure vs that wee bee as it were rapted vp into heauen euen to enter directly into the possession of all those goods which ly hidden from vs and are not visible as the Prophet Esay saieth Esa. 64.4 2. Cor. 2.9 such as the heart of man is not able to conceiue If wee see not an open gappe euen vnto hell to spyte Sathan to defie death and to triumph ouer all thinges that may impeach our saluation well let vs on the one side consider howe sainct Paul saieth that when wee haue receiued the Gospell through faith wee bee foorthwith set downe in the heauenly places Eph. 2.6 we bee as yee would say enthronished with the Angels of Paradise as alreadie raised vp thither by God It is true that heere beneath wee be as wretched wormes creeping vppon the grounde but when wee haue once the doctrine of faith ◠Pet. 1.3.4.5 we haue the earnest penny of our saluation according as saint Peter saieth that through faith wee may put our selues into the handes of God in such manner that lifting vp our eyes minds into heauē we be brought in thither because that Iesus Christ our heade is there before in our behalfe and hath there prepared the heritage which he will hold in cōmon with vs. Thus ye see how we must practise this point following the exhortation of S. Paul Moreouer wee must likewise marke howe hee saith that wee must beleeue with the heart to iustification and confesse with the mouth to saluation I haue heretofore shewed you briefly the substance of our faith howe it must rest wholly vppon the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ I say vppon his death because that hee by his obedience hath put away all our iniquities and transgressions hee hath suffered the punishment that was due vnto vs to discharge vs of the same he hath also dispatched away the curse which lay vppon vs. So much concerning the first point Nowe concerning the seconde wee must vnderstande that by his rising againe he hath purchased righteousnesse vnto vs and therby shewed himselfe a conquerour ouer sinne and death and his resurrection doeth also import that hee is ascended into heauen of purpose to take the possession of that inheritance which hee will make common vnto vs and of the which hee will make vs partakers with himselfe This is the substance of our faith Nowe it behooueth to haue this faith both in our heart and in our mouth Truely it were to small purpose if wee did but talke of the graces and blessings which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vnto vs as wee see a great number of bablers doe they talke much thereof but what are they the better for it sauing that it increaseth their condemnation It is no great matter then to haue the confession of faith on the tippe of the tongue before men for it must be rooted in the heart we must say I haue y e vertue of the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ imprinted within vs and sainct Paul saieth that that serueth vs for righteousnesse And why Because wee knowe that wee bee reconciled to GOD insomuch that Christ hath taken our burden vppon him so as wee being thereof discharged are become acceptable vnto God so y t he will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs. And why For Christ should haue suffered in vain for vs if we should nowe be called to reckening for our sins Thus then wee stand acquited through the satisfaction made for vs by Christ Iesus and that is the righteousnesse whereof Sainct Paul speaketh For when wee receiue Iesus Christ it is certaine that hee reneweth vs by his holy Spirit And wee bee not onely adopted to bee the children of God by his meanes but also wee receiue therewith the warrant of our Election which is that wee bee reserued for the inheritage of God So then let vs vnderstande that there is none other meane whereby wee may attaine to righteousnesse but by beleeuing with the heart Nowe this worde Beleeuing importeth that wee shoulde seeke in Iesus Christ for that which wee want in our selues For if wee rest vppon the Lawe for as much as it commaundeth vs to doe that which wee ought to doe it is nothing woorth But if wee repaire vnto God knowing that hee is readie to releeue our wants that is the thing which is meant by the worde Beleeue according to the meaning of Sainct Paul And of a trueth when wee doe so beleeue and are so iustified the same sufficeth for our saluation For iustification doeth of it selfe import life euerlasting Neuerthelesse Sainct Paul doeth put ouer saluation to the confession doing vs to vnderstande that the children of GOD ought not to bee tongue tyed but to magnifie the goodnesse whereof they haue had triall and euerie man to edifie his neighbour as much as in him lyeth Nowe then like as wee haue our heartes set vppon God to
And therfore God neuer vseth any superfluous speache but thereafter as he seeth it expedient for vs so doth he repete things and because he seeth that we haue but a short memorie hee is faine to put vs in mind of the things which we knew haue now forgotten Also for as much as he seeth vs to be hard of digestion he is fayne to chaw the doctrine to vs aforehand that we may bee able to digest it That is the thing which Moses doth presently when he sayeth This day I call heauen earth to witnesse that I haue set before thee good and euill blessing and the curse Nowe let vs returne to that that wee haue spoken which is that as often as the worde of God is declared vnto vs wee must looke into the power therof euen to stay our selues thereuppon that after wee haue once receiued the grace which hee offereth vnto vs wee may not dout that wee shal be deceiued being so stayed vppon the testimonie which hee hath deliuered to vs of his goodnesse and loue And likewise that beeing touched with dread and feare to the intent we may preuent the threatenings wee must not linger till hee put the thinges in execution which hee hath denounced against vs but we must goe and yeelde our selnes vnto him to pray him to receiue vs to his mercie and pitie And albeit that this solemne protestation bee not made euery day as it was here done by Moses yet wee must vnderstande that it belongeth vnto vs at this day to the ende that none of vs shoulde beguyle himselfe Moreouer it is sayde that both blessing and cursing are set before our eyes when wee haue the worde Why so For when our Lord trayneth vs vnto him what remayneth then Is not hee our life and the length of our dayes Shall wee liue when wee bee parted away from God which is the fountaine of life and of all manner of happinesse If wee take this worde God in our mouth and do not vnderstande whose we bee nor what wee owe him wee make him but an idoll hee is but a fantasie as there be many which talke ynough of God but yet they doe not thinke that they leaue him emptie of all his glorie But it is not for vs to speake after that manner of our God wee must yeelde vnto him that which belongeth to his maiestie Beholde our God is the fountayne of life hee is the welspring of vertue of ioy of felicitie of glorie To bee briefe the fulnesse of all goodnesse lyeth in him and therefore as soone as wee turne away from him wee cannot haue any droppe of those things but all manner of mischiefe shall pursue vs. That is the thing which Moses hath declared vnto vs in this place So then by this worde God and by his proper office he sheweth vs that when we haue his word we must not then any longer stagger neither is there any excuse for the misbeleeuers which do not this honor to God to conclude to answere Amen as soone as he saith the word And why For it is alone as if they renounced him And y e Apostle vseth as it were a like reason in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 4.12 where hee sayeth For as much as it is the office of GOD to search mennes heartes hee hath also giuen the same power to his word so as it must pearce our bones and soake euen into the marrow and into y e very thoughts He putteth downe there a likenesse and conformitie betwixt God and his worde So also in this place Moses telleth vs that it is not for vs to cauill or wrangle any more when wee haue once beene instructed by the worde of God For therein hee sheweth himselfe what he is there must wee behold his power Nowe then if wee intytle God to this prayse that hee is our life and the length of our dayes it is certaine that wee must fynd the same in Gods worde and thereof wee ought to bee throughly well assured To be short wee see howe Moses standeth vppon this point that the worde of God ought to haue such honour reuerence at our hands as to accept it as if God himselfe appeared vnto vs visibly in his maiestie and to submit our selues obediently thereunto as in very deede that is the true proofe and tryall of the obedience which wee yeelde vnto him But herewithall wee bee also admonished that men deceiue themselues when they seeke either life or prosperitie any where else than in God For wee foorthwith goe to wracke as soone as he draweth his spirite from vs. Do wee then desire to liue Let vs abide vnder the wings of our God and cleaue vnto him according as it is sayde here True it is that in this place Moses setteth forth an earthly life vnto the Iewes and also the land of Chanaan which was assigned vnto them for their inheritance but yet he sheweth that God meant by exercising of them in those thinges to trayne them on farther Let vs marke I say that Moses did not meane to holde the people to this earthly life but to make them to vnderstande the goodnes of GOD and to giue them some certaine taste therof by the testimonies which they had here beneath Moreouer seeing that it is so that God protested vnto the Iewes by the mouth of Moses that hee layde before their eyes both life and death when hee willed that the lawe shoulde bee published let vs vnderstande that the sayde life is yet better vttered vnto vs at this day For the lawe is called the messenger of death because life is not there so largely knowen as our Lorde Iesus Christ doth shewe it vs at this day in that hee commeth to offer himselfe vnto vs as the liuely image of his father Col. 1.15 to the inâ—ent that wee shoulde be transfigured into his glorie Let vs then marke well that as oft as the doctrine of the Gospell nowadayes is preached vnto vs God sheweth forth life vnto vs and calleth vs in such wife vnto him as wee may become one with him according to this saying which wee reade in the seuenteenth Chapter of Saint Iohn Holy Father I beseech thee Iohn 17.21 that they may bee one with vs as thou and I are but one Seeing then that our Lorde Iesus hath pronounced this with his own mouth let vs not feare but that whensoeuer we bee called vnto him hee doeth ioyne vs perfectly to himselfe in glory But yet therewithall let vs also bee afrayed least for our refusing to receiue life to inioy it death bee giuen vnto vs. Not that that is of the nature of the Gospell for wee our selues be the cause thereof but because the reprobates bee euermore consumed by the onely sauour of the Gospel through their owne malice and vnthankfulnes 2. Cor. 2.16 Let vs bee aduised to choose the life that is offered vnto vs seeing wee neede not to seeke it farre
18 But I will hyde my face in that day because of the wickednesse which hee shall haue committed euen for that he shall haue turned away to other gods 19 Now therefore wryte this song for you and teach it the children of Israel putting it in their mouthes that this song may be a witnesse to mee against the children of Israell 20 When I haue brought them into the lande which I sware to their fathers flowing with milke and hony and they shall haue eaten and beene filled and become fatte and haue turned away to other gods and serued them and blasphemed mee and broken my couenaunt 21 And when many euils and tribulations be come vppon them then shal this song answere to their face for a witnesse for it shall not be forgotten in the mouth of their seede for I knowe their thoughtes and what they doe already at this day before I haue brought them into the land for the which I haue sworne THe chiefe thing that God telleth vs to assure vs in this present life is this that hee hath his eye vpon vs and that he is so mindefull of our welfare that nothing shall want vs because he is able to prouide all thinges that bee necessarie for vs and therewithall is able also to defende vs from all anoyaunce insomuch that his eye is vnto vs a buckler a fortresse and a shadowe to shroude vs vnder it Likewise it is sayde of his good will in the fifth Psalme Psal. 5.3 that it shall be our shielde The thing then wherein the faithful ought to rest and reioyce is y t God looketh vpon them with compassion y t he neuer forgetteth them that he guideth all their steps and that he hath a fatherly care ouer them to remedie all their euilles And on the contrarie side the greeuousest threat that God can vtter is to turne his face away from vs and no more to vouchsafe to haue care either of vs or of our life but to forsake vs. For then wee are set open to Sathan and all maner of misfortune And where is then our defence For wee haue no meane to resist we see we be fraile and wretched creatures there is nothing in vs. And therefore wo be to them of whom God wil haue no longer care but forsaketh them as those that belong not vnto him at all ne be of his housholde And that is the thing which he sayeth in this place that when the people of Israell haue left him hee will hide his face from them and will be no more their father as he had beene afore time Nowe this is so spoken vnto the Iewes as it ought to serue vs also for a warning at this day Will we then haue this souereigne and inestimable benefite namely that God should guide vs that our life should be in his hande and that he should take vs into his keeping to vpholde vs Then must we looke that we call vpon him and as we professe his name so must we also serue him in truth according to this saying of Saint Paul 〈…〉 19. that who soeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde that is to say whosoeuer protesteth to be of his people must depart from all iniquitie Therefore let vs learne to serue our God with a pure conscience to resort to him for refuge and to put our whole trust in him And then are we assured that one hayre of our heade shall not fall away without his will For if he haue care of the sparrowes as our Lorde Iesus sayth what will he doe by them whom he hath chosen for his children 〈◊〉 10.29 We be not onely men created after his owne Image but he hath also set his marke vpon vs to the end to saue vs as members of our Lord Iesus Christ. Let vs not doubt therefore but that he wil euermore performe the duetie of a father in looking to vs. But if in the meane while we become wandering beastes and euery man fall away from him then must that which is pronouÌ„ced heere be accomplished vppon vs namely that God will hide his face not because that he forgetteth any thing but he speaketh in this manner after the fashion of men to make vs to vnderstande that in deede he will not looke vpon vs with compassion nor prouide for our life nor succor any of our necessities but that he will doe y e cleane contrary that is to say that he will leaue vs for such as we be and shew vnto vs that we be not worthy for him to encumber himselfe any more with vs or to busie himselfe about vs. Surely it is a dreadfull vengeance when GOD hath so forsaken vs. Therefore let vs beware that we sticke so vnto him as there may bee an inseparable band betwixt vs that is to say as we for our part may honour him as our father reposing and setting all our trust in him and he go forewarde continually in doing vs good and as his regarde may be the couert to hide vs from al y e assaults of Sathan from all the troubles that he deuiseth against vs and from the hurtes and anoâ—ances of this worlde Now he sayeth expressely that he will bring the Iewes to that passe that they shall confesse those mischiefes to bee falne vppon them because God is not amongst them Heere he treateth of a forced confession for hee speaketh not a whit of true repentance but onely of a remorse which all the despisers of God doe feele for that they haue of long time beene stubborne yea and skorned all correction When they be pinched to the vttermost y t they can no longer hold out then must they needs confesse spite of their teethes that there is a God which is their Iudge He sayth that the Iewes shall make such a confession when he hath brought them vnder foote with maine strokes Heereby we see y t he threatneth them that his punishing of them shall not be mieldly and after the coÌ„mon maner but that also he will vse such rigour that what hardnesse and stubbornesse soeuer be in them yet shal they be broken if they will not bowe accordingly as I haue handled the same point heeretofore Neuerthelesse it is good for vs to bee often put in mind of it to bethinke vs thereof oftentimes For men do alwayes deceiue themselues herein that they thinke that they shall by and by scape the hande of God and when they haue receiued a stripe or twaine they doe but shake their eares thinke all is done Therefore if wee be stubborne in naughtinesse let vs looke surely to bee beaten downe vntill we be driueÌ„ to confesse that he punisheth vs iustly Nay let vs not tarry till then But when we heare how God proceedeth against such as are vtterly hardhearted and will not yeeld vnto him let vs be afraid And as soone as we heare him threaten vs or perceiue any token of his anger let vs turne againe vnto him and
woorkes yea or euen of their good thoughtes they deceiue themselues fore God had prepared all those thinges aforehand in his treasures saith S. Paul and now hee hath put them into vs. And why For we be his workmanship it hath pleased him to fashion vs to another vse Thus yee see how men are beaten downe and how God sheweth that hee himselfe alone is to haue the honor of the disposing and preparing of them And so in this text wheras it is sayd It is hee that hath created thee and fashioned thee it is because it is a more excellent gift that is to wit that God prinâ—eth his marke vppon vs as who shoulde say that wee shoulde bee reckoned for his children so as hee gathereth vs vnto him and maketh vs in effect new creatures by reason whereof our sinne becommeth the more heynous if wee deface the same againe and fall to wallowing of our selues againe in the filth and vncleanesse of this worlde as who woulde say it greeued vs that God had not made vs brute beastes at such time as he tooke vs to be his children And therefore we haue to marke what the words import which Moses vseth here For his meaning is to shewe that this people was the leawdest and most detestable that coulde be imagined because they had forgotten such gratious benefites as coulde not be sufficiently commended And looke what is sayd of the Iewes agreeth fiâ—ty to vs lykewise namely that we must not forget Gods graces We in these dayes haue receiued no lesse than the fathers that were vnder the Lawe For wee haue the very pledge it selfe which the Iewes had not that is to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ. He is the onely sonne of God and is come down to vs from the bosome of the father Hee hath yeelded vs recorde of our adoption the gate of paradise is now opened vnto vs wee may now not onely call vppon God as our father but also call vnto him with full mouth so as wee may cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 for that is the worde which Saint Paul vseth expresly Seeing then that God hath discouered himselfe more fully to vs than to the fathers that liued vnder the Lawe Surely our fault will be the more grieuous and lesse excusable if we yeelde so poore a recompence as is spoken of here Againe hath he not purchased vs to himself If he possessed the people of olde time because he brought them out of the land of Egypt let vs see how much more he hath done now for vs than for them True it is that Gods redeeming of the Iewes was by the power of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ but that thing was not yet declared vnto them they had but the figures and shadowes thereof But as now we see that the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath bin shed for our redemption and for the purchase of our saluation And shall we now go trample vnder our feet the holy bloud wherby the couenant of the spirituall kinred which God hath entered into with vs is ratifyed and confirmed And as touching the Law how doth the Apostle speake of it in the Epistle to the Hebrewes As many saith he as violated the tabernacle that was made by Moses Hebr. 2.2 were not spared their fauâ—t was vnpardonable and what shal become of vs nowadayes Is not our leawdnesse much more shamefull Therefore let vs beare now in minde that we be Gods precious possession to the intent we giue not our selues ouer to Satan Moreouer let vs vnderstand after what manner he hath created and fashioned vs and let vs not refuse that grace but sith he hath voutsafed to reforme vs let vs not steine our selues with reproche by going about to deface the image workmanship which he hath put into vs. Howbeit forasmuch as men doe by al meanes possible pleade ignorance to the intent they might not come to account before God nor be conuicted or touched for their euill doings Moses addeth Aske of thy fathers and they will teach thee what thou hast bin Inquire of all thine Elders and call to minde the time that is past Here Moses meant to spurne forward the slothfulnesse of the Iewes because they did wilfully bury the grace of God and tooke pleasure in the not minding of them Now although he spake this to the Iewes yet notwithstanding forasmuch as the same vice is common ordinarie through the whole world and that we be too much atteinted therewith it staÌ„deth vs in hand to thinke that the holy ghost directeth the lyke accusation to vs nowadayes For after what sorte doe we call Gods benefites to our mind Do we bethink vs of them euening morning Nay there is none of vs all which shutteth not his eyes against them as much as he can To be short nothing grieueth vs worse nothing troubleth vs more thaÌ„ to be bound vnto God And yet is that the thing wherein all our happinesse consisteth For it is not with him as with mortall men If we be ouermuch bound to a creature we wil be as it were ashamed of it I am so much in such a mans debt say wee y t I wot not how to requite it But if we consider how liberal God hath bin to vs it is a meane to confirme vs still the more in faith to make vs the bolder to repayre stil vnto him for he is the fountain that neuer dryeth Thinke we that God can euer bee diminished in his grace or in any goodnes Nay And yet notwithstanding our naughtinesse is such y t when God hath bestowed neuer so great graces and benefites vpon vs insomuch that we be as good as ouerwhelmed with theÌ„ al our seeking is to put them out of remembrance let vs marke wel therefore that Moses hath not without cause blamed the Iewes and that we nowadayes haue need to bee blamed after the same manner and to be pricked foreward lyke Oxen and Asses As concerning the Iewes he sayd Bethinke thee of the olde time call to minde the dayes that are past As if he should say How now ye wretches Must God giue you wit and memorie and yet you not consider what he hath done heretofore The wit of an Oxe or of an Asse extendeth no further than to the thinges y t are present but men haue reason to consider of thinges past and of thinges to come For wee haue a certaine foresight of thinges to come we make comparison of things past experieÌ„ce sheweth vs how to dispose things in our selues Now if we apply not all this to consider how God hath euer gouerned vs and how he hath shewed himselfe a father towardes vs shall we not be guiltie of peruerting the whole order of nature So then not without cause doth Moses say Bethinke thee of the old time And afterward he sayth Thou hast witnesses enowe Inquire of thy Fathers inquire of al those that haue liued afore thee they wil tel thee
and you haue abused that grace of mine I haue required to be serued and honored of you and you haue done mee all the shame ye coulde deuise you haue borne yourselues in hande that I was tyed vnto you and that I was of necessitie to continue a father towardes you without ceassing notwithstanding that you played the rebellious children against mee But nowe will I giue you ouer for such as you be doe the worst yee can and at length yee shall finde what it is to haue forsaken mee I will hide myselfe from you that is to say I will giue you ouer In steede of maintaining and defending you as I haue done heeretofore I vtterly renounce all acquaintaunce with you See nowe what your state shall be and I also will see what your ende will bee that is to say it shall bee perceiued in what plyght men are when I haue no longer care of them GOD then speaketh heere not so much of his owne knowledge as of that which shall be seene and perceiued in the ende by experience For as I sayde afore GOD is not to bee taught by the chaunge of thinges for all thinges were present with him before the making of the worlde but heere he declareth that when folke are so forsaken it will appeare by them that all the happinesse of man consisteth in beeing preserued by GOD and that on the contrary part they bee most wretched and vnhappie when God hath giuen them ouer And hee addeth the reason It is a fickle and frowarde generation Children in whome there is no trueth The first worde that Moses vseth heere commeth of a verbe which signifieth to turne and returne And so it is as much as if he shoulde say It is a generation of wickednesses for he vseth the plurall number and it importeth as much as if he should say It is a frowarde and cursed generation or else a mutable and chaunging generation and whereof there is no holde nowe heere nowe there whereby is vttered not onely the vnconstancie but also the disloyaltie of that people He addeth that there was no stedfastnesse in them The worde betokeneth vprightnesse whereby is meant both loyaltie and faithfulnesse To be short GOD declareth heere that he hadde tryed his people too much and that in the ende it appeared that there was no vprightnesse in them but all manner of treason and trecherie Forasmuch therefore as hee founde such leaudenesse in them hee sayeth hee will hyde himselfe from them But we must call to minde againe what I haue sayde afore to witte that for a time GOD may fauour vs and beare with vs and spare vs though we deserue to haue rigour towardes vs but when hee is so patient it is to make vs diligent in examining our owne faultes and to call our selues dayly to account and to looke neerely to the thinges which are to bee found fault with in vs. Also let vs marke well the saying that hath beene alleadged out of Saint Paul howe that God allureth vs to amendment by gentlenesse Rom. 2.4 when hee punisheth vs not at the first according to our deseruinges Sith the case standeth so whensoeuer God sheweth himselfe fauourable and gratious towardes vs let euery of vs consider howe hee hath liued and if we haue abused the benefites which he hath bestowed vppon vs let vs condemne ourselues for it and be sorry for our sinnes and returne to him with such sorrowe as may appeare to bee vnfained That is the thing which we haue to remēber in the first place But if we will needes discharge ourselues by flatterie to take leaue to doe euill then must hee needes execute his vnreuocable sentence of hyding away his face from vs after he hath borne long ynough with vs and of seeing what will become of vs and he must needes let vs rotte in our wretchednesse forasmuch as we could not abide that hee should reach out his hande to helpe vs. And in any wise let vs marke that GOD can not away with hypocrisie in men for among other thinges he requireth soundenesse and trueth in vs that our conuersation shoulde bee vtterly voide of all dubble meaning and that we should not be dissemblers before him True it is that our nature is full of fainednesse as we see howe Ieremy reporteth of mans heart Ier. 16.16 that it is frowarde and besnarled with all naughtinesse and that it is euen as a bottomlesse pit And therefore we must chaunge if wee will haue God to admit and allowe vs for his children and wheras we be inclined to euill so as there is nothing but bitternesse and hardnesse of heart in vs we must pray vnto God to indewe vs with his holy spirite who is the spirite of constancie and to ridde vs in such sort from all our naughtinesse and vnfaithfulnesse as we may walke on before him in pure and vndefiled soundnesse Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon this place Nowe it is saide further That forasmuch as the Children of Israell had prouoked GOD to iealozie by the thing that was not god and prouoked him by their leazinges through the superstitions which they hadde deuised he also would prouoke them by a people which was no people and moue them to iealozie by a Nation that was no Nation Heere GOD speaketh againe after the manne◠of men like as if a man seeing his wife so wicked and leaudely giuen that he could not restraine her should say Well I must needes diuorce her and to doe her the more disgrace I will take some chamber-mayde in her steede to occupie her place Now then if a wife haue liued in honorable state with her husbande and afterwarde behaue her selfe so naughlily and stubbornely that hee casteth her off and thereuppon taketh some poore wench that was of no estimation and vseth her as his maried wife his former wife will take the more spyte and griefe at it as who woulde say What Shall such a one nowe occupie my place Must I be thrust out for her Must I be pointed at with euerie mannes finger and bee shamed and ill spoken of euerie where After that manner is this text to bee vnderstoode For thus doeth GOD vtter his minde What They haue prouoked mee to Iealozie by the thing that is no god I am the liuing GOD and besides that they ought in reason to take mee for their father because I haue shewed my selfe so towardes them declaring howe deerely I loued them in that I haue preferred them before all other Nations of the worlde and yet hereuppon haue they forged Idolles But there is but one GOD and therefore when men turne away from him they must needes forge ydolles after their owne imaginations Thus haue they prouoked me to ielozie by the thing which was not god And afterwarde he addeth their vanities As if he shoulde say If a man marke what their superstitions are and whereon they bee grounded he shall finde them to be nothing else but
sayeth generally that GOD calleth the thinges which are not Rom. 4.17 1. Cor. 1.28 as though they were Ye see then howe our first being is when GOD calleth vs to the knowledge of his trueth according whereunto Saint Paul sayth in an other place 1. Cor. 1.30 y t our being is of God in Iesus Christ insomuch that we haue nothing at all before that time because there is nothing in vs but corruption Seeing the case standeth so men can not looke for any thing but eternal death vntil God haue reached them his hand and gathered thē home to himselfe That is the thing which we haue to remember in this text where it is sayde that God would prouoke the Iewes to ielozie by a people which were no people Furthermore let vs marke that whereas we haue beeing at this day that is to say whereas God hath aduaunced vs according also as hee sayth by his prophet Esay I haue brought vppe children and aduaunced them forasmuch as God dealeth so graciously with vs as to put vs in the place of them that were his naturall children euen vs which were as children borne out of time let vs assure our selues that if wee prouoke God to wrath and make him as it were iealous he will surely rayse vp other Nations in our steede according to this saying of our Lord Iesus Christ to the Iewes The kingdome of God shall be taken from you This threat is spoken to vs nowadays For as sayth saint Paul if God haue not spared the naturall braunches of the oliue but haue cut them quite and cleane off and cast them into the fire how shall hee spare the wilde ones What shoulde wee haue who were barreine by nature Could wee say we were the children of Abraham and that God had adopted vs at the first No. For as long as the doctrine of saluation was among the Iewes our forefathers were as rotten members they had no hope of saluation they were without GOD in this worlde as sayeth Saint Paul But nowe wee bee come to the heauenly kingdome Because the Iewes are departed from it through their owne vnthankefulnesse and fallen from the degree wherein they were GOD hath aduaunced vs to it euen against nature And thinke wee then that if wee become like those which were our superiours in dignitie GOD will not in the ende powre out the like vengeaunce vpon vs as wee haue seene vppon them Yes and therefore let the Iewes bee a lookingglasse for vs to make vs behaue ourselues humbly that we abuse not the grace of GOD. True it is that wee must be assured that GOD will holde out to the ende in the thinges which he hath begonne for our welfare specially if we on our side be not so malicious as to disappoint his grace But if we followe those which haue gone before vs let vs not thinke to speede better than they haue done Thus yee see what wee haue to beare away in this Text where it is sayde that God will prouoke his people to iealozie by such as were not a people aforetimes And Moses sayeth That they shall be a foolishe Nation And it behoueth vs yet againe to marke this well For we imagine ourselues to be verie wise and that is the thing which plucketh vs backe from submitting ourselues obediently vnto GOD and disappointeth vs of the modestie to embrace by faith whatsoeuer is propounded to vs in his name But heere the holy Ghost bewrayeth vs what we be to witte that there is nothing in vs but starke folly vntill GOD haue inlightened vs. What must bee our wisedome then Euen that which we learne in Gods schoole Heereby all selfe weening is beaten downe that menne should not imagine themselues to be of sufficient abilitie to gouerne themselues nor despise the doctrine of GOD but yeelde themselues teachable thereunto And herewithall let vs marke also that generally God ment to bereaue men of all glorie in that he sayth that they be not at all and that they be but fooles that is to say that there is nothing in thē but reprochfulnesse And hee addeth foorthwith that his wrath shall be kindled and that it shall enter vnto the bottomlesse pittes and consume the Lande with her fruites yea euen to rootes of the Mountaines Heere Moses ment breefly to touch those yet better and neerer to the quicke which were so bedoted that they could not come to the knowledge of their sinnes And he not onely spake to y t people whom he knewe to be stubborne and stiffenecked Exod. 34.9 but also through the power of Gods spirite he prophecied of those that were to come As for Moses he knewe them not to outwarde appearance but GOD who knoweth what men are gaue his sentence vppon them aforehande And forasmuch as hee seeth them so blockish he handleth them in their kinde saying Goe too I see you be not greatly moued at my threatning and that ye proceede from euill to worse but I tell you that my wrath will bee no light fardle to beare as though I gaue you but a yerke with my rodde by the way What then It is a fire that burneth vp all afore it as we haue seene heeretofore in the fourth chapter Deut. 4.24 where it is sayde Knowe thou O Israel that thy God is a consuming fire This was expresly spoken for the hardenesse of the peoples hearts For it is certeine that God is desirous to shewe himselfe louing towardes vs conditionally that we come vnto him with all meekenesse and be readie to followe his voyce taking him for our sheepehearde and behauing ourselues towardes him as his sheepe If wee doe so then will not God fray vs nor shewe himselfe terrible to vs. But if he see vs play the wilde beastes so as wee can not by any meanes be tamed then is hee faine to vse rigour according to this saying of his in the eighteenth Psalme Psal. 18.17 that hee will bee harde to such as are harde and that if men shew themselues vnreformable hee also will come roughly against them and they shall finde nothing in him but vtter terrour and dreadfulnesse After the same manner is it in this text where he sayeth My wrath shal be as a burning fire Yea and thinke not sayth he that I will burne but the chaffe and the strawe for I will burne vp the verie grounde there is not so hard a mountaine but it shall melt before me yea euen to the verie bottome and there shall not be so deepe a pitte but I will go to the verie bottome thereof Now we see what the purpose or intent of Moses was in this place And heereby let vs take warning not to tempt God accordingly as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes applyeth the forealleaged text to the same purpose My friends sayeth he knowe ye that God is a consuming fire Hebr. 12.18 and therefore let vs liue in his feare not tempt him as
vs wel remeÌ„ber what is conteyned here as things that proceeded not from a mortall creature but from God who witnessed that he was the father and defendour of his church Nowe this concerneth vs. For although wee haue not the like prophesies yet hath God declared vnto vs that we be euer vnder his charge and that he watcheth for our welfare And wee for our part haue no neede to bee trayned on in knowledge by such meanes because God hath brought vs alreadie to an other manner of perfection Therefore let vs holde vs contented with the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ in whose person the thing is performed which was hoped for vnder the lawe And therewithall let vs bee fullie resolued that GOD guideth our steppes and that euen in the middest of all the disorders and troubles which are seene in the worlde his Church is still deare and pretious vnto him And in good sooth wee see that before Iesus Christ came into the worlde â—â—cap 7.11 Daniell discouered all the chaunges which shoulde bee made because it might else haue seemed that God had gone from his couenaunt a hundred times within the space of foure hundred yeares and that all shoulde haue goone in such wise to wrecke as if God had forsaken that people and been minded to haue no more to do with them It was requisite therfore that these things should bee foretolde that the faithfull might knowe that although they were shaken and tossed to and fro yet were they still in the hande of God and that when they sawe the kingdomes chaunged rounde about them and the worlde so turned vpside downe as a man coulde not discerne anie thing in it yet they shoulde alwayes be assured of that which God had promised them namely of his sending of his sonne to redeeme them and y t they should by that meanes bee restored euen after y e vtter desolation of al things among them Thus see wee now the vse of this Song Now whereas it is saide That it was Moses the man of God that blessed the children of Israell that title was giuen to Moses as in respect that hee was the instrument of the holie Ghost Then speake hee not of his owne motion there is not anie thing spoken here after the fleshe but as proceeding from a man of God And hereby wee be the better taught to imbrace the record that is giuen vs here as if God protested with his owne mouth that hee had a care of his people and that he would euermore continue his goodnesse and gratious fauour towardes them For in deed there was a blessing made by the Priests in the time of the lawe according to this saying Blesse yee you that bee of the house of the Lorde And it is the same thing which is written in the sixth Chapter of the booke of Numbers where it is saide that they which doe sacrifice to GOD Psal. 118.26 Numb 6.23 shall blesse the people in his name And truely where the Priestes and the tribe of Leuie are spoken of this also is added To whom the Lorde hath giuen the charge of Blessing the people Leuit. 9 2â— And this thing is not abolished at this day For our Lorde Iesus Christ had in his person the thinges that were figured in olde time vnder the Lawe Let vs knowe then that noweadayes there is one euerlasting blessing of God which is much better witnessed vnto vs than all the blessinges that were so often repeated vnder the law insomuch that as nowe God telleth vs by his onely sonne that hee taketh vs into his fauour and that wee bee as his children and that the preaching of the Gospell serueth vs to that ende and wee must applie it to that vse So then whensoeuer wee come to heare the worde of God let vs call to minde howe our Lorde Iesus Christ at his going vp into heauen did lift vp his handes ouer his disciples and blesse them as is reported by Saint Luke And that was done to make vs knowe what his office is and to doe vs to vnderstande that at this day when the Gospell is preached in his name Luk. 24.50 it is all one as if hee shoulde say Beholde my father accepteth you you be in his fauour Nowe then seeing we haue this ought it not to make vs to loue the Gospel considering that therein wee bee blessed by the mouth of our Lorde Iesus Christ as in whose name and by whose authoritie that doctrine is treated of Let vs vnderstande therefore that if it behoued the fathers vnder the Lawe to bee contented with the blessing that was giuen them by Moses by the Priestes and by Iacob if wee nowadayes bee faithlesse and admit not the recorde with full certeintie which is giuen vs in the Gospell wee bee worse than vnexcusable because wee deface the trueth of Gods sonne and as much as in vs lyeth accuse him of lying as though hee were not a sure and infallible witnesse of the will of GOD his father And when wee compare Moses who is called a man of God with our Lord Iesus Christ who hath y e whole soueraigntie of Gods house as the Apostle saith Hebr. 3.2 wee may bee yet the better assured that he hath blessed vs at this day and that hee vttereth vnto vs the loue of God his father and therfore let our faith be so much the better certified seeing it behoued this title of Moses to content the people of olde time Nowe it is added That he did it a little before his death The worde which he vseth is as much to say as hee did it before his death So then by these wordes Before his death is not meant a yeare or two no nor yet a moneth but at his death time euen when hee was to die And these blessinges are therefore of so much the more authoritie For wee knowe that when a man makes his last will it shall bee better receyued than the things which he spake during his life Although then y t Moses serued God as a Prophet and teacher all his life long and had discharged his duetie faithfully yet neuerthelesse his minde was to vtter these blessinges at the time of his death to the ende they should be the better receiued and men consider thus Beholde Moses being readie to departe out of the world hath told vs of the things that are to come hee hath not doone it at aladuenture nor vnaduisedly but hee hath fully and wholy performed that which was inioyned him To the intent therefore that the people shoulde receyue those blessinges the better this circumstance is expressely added That he did it at the houre of his death But we at this day haue a farre better and more excellent confirmation in that we be blessed by the mouth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For he hath not onely doone it at his death but also hath sealed Gods fatherly loue and adoption towards vs I say sealed them with his precious
the minding of the same things Nowe it is sayde expressely That Gods comming foorth is for the People This serueth to expresse the mutuall communion whereof I haue spoken For it is not enough for God to shewe himselfe or to come foorth but his comming foorth must bee for vs that is to say to make vs to knowe that hee calleth vs vnto him and that it is his will to bee knit vnto vs in mutual bonde And that ought well to touch vs yet further For the worde which is giuen vnto vs serueth not onely to make vs vnderstande that there is a GOD in heauen and that hee hath the souereintie ouer all his creatures but also is a pledge that hee will dwell with vs. And forasmuch as God is inuisible so as wee comprehende not any thing of him because it is too high and hidden a thing when wee haue his worde wee may beholde him there as in his liuelie image and see him as hee sheweth himselfe And therefore let vs learne that when our Lorde sendeth vs his word he not onely intendeth to aduaunce his maiestie but also doeth verily renewe his couenaunt to the intent that wee also on our side might approche vnto him And thereby wee bee doone to vnderstande that if wee endeuour to profite in Gods woorde wee will come vnto it with a right meaning and pure minde so that when God sheweth himselfe we must not be afraide as the Papistes are which thinke it to bee too darke a thing Such doubtes must not keepe vs from profiting in the schoole of our God assuring our selues y t he for his part will not fayle vs but that he wil make vs to perceiue y t he speaketh not in vaine but in such wise as we may know y t hee is neere vs and that his countenance shall shine vpon vs. It is saide That he appeared with ten thousand of sainctes Some haue taken this for the children of Israell as that God came thither with them And they call them Saintes because God had shouled them out to himselfe Numb 1.46 notwithstanding that the greater number of them was wicked and vnholie But there is no reason in that that so great a multitude as seuen hundred thousande men or there aboutes should be termed ten thousande No doubt therefore but Moses speaketh here of Angels And truely when the holy scripture intendeth to set Gods maiestie before our eyes it doth always ad y t he is garded with his heauenly hostes and y t he hath his angels with him which are thousandes of thousandes For wee must not stand altogether vpon the certaine number because y e scripture speaketh sparely of the thinges that are inuisible And so a number certaine shal be put for an infinite number as if it had bin said y t God appeared euen with his heauenly Angels which serued to testifie his glory y e better True it is y t if the maiestie of God bee set single before vs it ought wel to suffice vs and in good sooth can the creatures ad any thing vnto it No surely but y t is spoken for our infirmities sake For when God saith Here am I it toucheth vs not yet sufficiently and therefore it behoueth him to set himselfe foorth as in his souereintie to shewe by his angels y t he hath a dreadful dominion that he hath his vertues powers shed foorth eueriwhere For we know y t his Angels are created to execute whatsoeuer he hath ordeined Psal. 103.20 so y t they be as his hands whereby he worketh and performeth whatsoeuer he listeth To y t end then doth Moses expressely say y t God appeared here euen with a ten thousand of Saincts And wee see also how the law was giuen by y e hands of Angels as S. Stephen declareth in y e seuenth of the Acts. Act. 7. â—8 Gal. 3.19 Likewise when S. Paul in y e Epistle to the Galathians intendeth to shew y t God appeared to authorise his law the better he setteth downe that the Angels were witnesses therunto Were there then ten thousand witnesses present at the publishing of the law What a thing is it then if meÌ„ belieue it not ne receiue it not without gainsaying If a bargaine bee passed before three witnesses and signed by a Notarie it is of authoritie and there is no pleading against it And how was the lawe giuen God appeared thereat in his maiestie yea and Iesus Christ who was the heade of the Angels Gal. 3.19 was he that gaue y e law as Saint Paul sheweth in the place which I alledged euen nowe Looke me vppon Moses on the other side Hee was glorified after such a sort as hee seemed not to be anie more of the number of men God made his face to shine as if there had beene Sunnebeames thereon Exo. 34.30 so that hee was well seene to be a man sent of God Againe it skilled not for two or three witnesses for there were tenne thousande Angels thâ—re was an infinite number there were Gods armies to mayntaine the authoritie of the Lawe And what account is to bee made of men which are but dung when they will needes deface it and come to quarell against it Howe shall they be conuicted So then let vs make all thinges auaylable to the confirmation of our faith and let vs assure our selues that in receyuing the doctrine which is conteyned in the law of God we shall agree with all the Angels of heauen and they will aunswere Amen to our faith and bee faithfull witnesses before God that we haue not beleeued at aladuenture but that wee haue bin wel grounded Thus ye see to what purpose this text ought to serue vs. And so we see y t Moses had here good cause to make mention of the infinite multitude of Angels which were witnesses vnto God at such time as hee shewed himselfe to be the author of the Law Now it is added afterwarde That the Lawe of fire or the fire of the lawe was in his right hand Wee see here againe the thing which I haue declared already namely that al y t euer Moses hath spoken concerning the maiestie of God is done to the ende that the Lawe shoulde not bee receyued as a doctrine deuised by Moses but that wee shoulde consider that God auoweth it and that hee hath shewed that it proceeded from him And Moses doeth purposely terme it a law of fire because the aire was then all on a flame The burning of the fire then was as a marke wherewith God sealed his lawe as though hee had rauished the people and shewed them that they were not anie more as vppon the earth beneath but that they were lifted vp aboue the corruptible thinges of the worlde Therefore let vs beare well in minde that the Lawe is termed Fire because that by that meanes GOD made the presence of his maiestie the better knowen And herewithall let vs also marke wel what is saide
anthoritie Againe we knowe howe God wrought by him how he deliuered the children of Israell from the bondage of Egypt howe hee ruled them by the space of fortie yeeres in the wildernesse yea and that he was taken vp into the mountaine to set foorth the Lawe Exod. 19.3 and had taryed there fortie dayes and fourtie nightes together without eating or drinking liuing like an Angell of heauen Exod. 24.18 as one that was no more subiect to mortall state For we knowe that men can not continue if they want sustenance Yee see then howe Moses was caught vp to the glorie of heauen Moreouer when he came to the people he had beames streaming from his face so as men could no more abide to looke vppon him than vpon the Sunne The brightnesse of God shewed it selfe in such wise in him that the people were astonished at it Exod. 34.29 33 and hee was fayne to put a veyle before his face to shewe that he was no more a common man nor ought to bee taken as he was afore Seeing then that Moses had done so notable thinges and God had so hyghly inhonored him no dout but the people would haue beene led to some superstition and haue made an ydol of his bodie That is y e cause why his body was hidden and God would not haue it to be perceiued Nowe wee haue in this text a very profitable warning First of all how great frailtie there is in vs if wee bee not restrained and brydled by God and that aboue all things our nature is so giuen to superstition that God is faine to reclaime vs from that vyce as it were by force Therefore let vs suspect our selues in that behalfe and consider that it standeth vs in hande to remoue all obiectes and all other things that may intyce vs to ydolatry because wee be so much giuen vnto it alreadie Marke that for one poynt But if men had wel considered this there had neuer beene so great and horrible confusion as is to be seene in the Popedome What is the cause the Papistes are so whot after their ydols and puppets Whereupon haue they taken so great libertie to fill all their Churches with them without ende or measure buylding so many altars and chappels and making so many images and pictures It is for want of the knowledge of that which is tolde vs heere that is to wit that as soone as men haue neuer so litle occasion to commit ydolatrie by and by they bee rauished with it and as it were starke mad They knewe not this They bore themselues in hande that they might buylde altars make images and fill all places with the filthines of their ydolatrie and yet not offend God They persuaded themselues so Howbeit they shewed by experience that God doth not without cause condemne all mankinde to bee giuen to superstition Seeing then that wee perceiue this mischiefe to bee come to passe let vs the rather take warning to liue soberly and as I sayd afore let vs distrust our owne nature seeing it is so sinfull and corrupted Also let vs note that God meant to shewe by his owne authoritie howe greatly all ydolatries and superstitions displease him Hee hath hidden the graue of Moses and shall men nowe pleade against it No for it is a fighting against God when wee will nowe dispute whether it be good to haue meanes of ydolatrie For our Lord pulleth them away from vs because he seeth well that wee shall by and by bee snarled in Satans snares vnlesse hee take from vs all obiectes Seeing then that God declareth the matter so plainly it behooueth vs to agree fully thereunto And specially wee haue to note that heere God condemneth all the superstitions which are committed in the persons of Prophets or Apostles as well as vnto Idols which the Heathen haue made And that is yet one other thing wherein the Papistes do ouer grossely ouershoote themselues For when ydols are spoken of they beare themselues in hand that if a man worship not the gods which were renowmed among the Heathen it makes no matter that it is no ydolatrie at all For if the virgin Marie should bee called an ydol among them what a thing were it If the Saints as well Apostles as Martyrs euen those whom they them selues haue imagined should be called ydols it were a cursed speech among the Papists And why For they take none to be ydols but those which were so vsed among the Heathen Yea but in the meane time they perceiue not that ydolatrie may as wel be committed in the person of an Angel yea euen in the person of God as in the persons of these peâ—idinels which were so forged among the Infidels I say that ydolatrie may be committed euen in the person of God Let a man followe all the abominations that are committed in the world how be they coloured There is a thing in the Popedome which they terme Gods seruice and what is that The Masse But we knowe it is most lothsome diuelish ydolatrie that can be specially because y e name of God is intermedled with it So then we may wel say that we serue God that we worship him yet in the meane while there shal be shameful excessiue ydolatrie as when men turne away from Gods worde followe their owne inuentions fancies But as for the Papists it is certeine that of the virgin Mary they make an ydol For wheras they attribute vnto her the office of an Aduocate to make intercession betweene God men terme her their life light hope what remaineth more to our Lord Iesus Christ Is he not by that meane bereft of his Priesthood which was giuen vnto him of God his father As much is to bee said of all the rest of their Patrones as they beare themselues in hand So then we ought to marke well this text where God would haue the body of Moses to be hidden And why Because that if the people had giuen themselues that way it had bin no lesse abhomination than their receiuing of strange gods their intangling of themselues in the superstitions of the Heathen I grant there had been a more apparant shrowding sheete For they would haue sayd he was y e seruant Prophet of God who published the law and therefore in the honor of God whom he serued hee must nowe bee worshipped and haue his bodie aduaunced among vs. And if the rod which he bare had such vertue in it Exod. 7.20 8.17 Nom. 20.11 howe much more shall his bodie haue Therfore wheÌ„ we would bee heard of God wee may resort to his tumb and there pray vnto God For needes must he be present with y e bodie of Moses seeing that so great notable miracles were wrought by his rod only Such things might they haue alledged But yet for all that where are so many enticements of Satan there ought we to be the more afrayde
a 50.60 b 10 How Ambition tickleth vs continually 22. b 50 Men are made to spite God through their Ambition and couetousnesse 63. b 10 The Ambition of Princes noted and whereupon it groweth 15. a 10 All men giuen to Ambition and endeuour to growe greate and why 13. b Of a foolish Ambition whereto men are ouer much giuen 879. a 20.30.40 b. 30.40 Looke Loftinesse and Pride Amen The faithfull must aunswere Amen as well to the curssings as the blessings of God 487. a 50.60 Read what particular cursses they bee concerning the second table whereto the Iewes aunswered Amen with one accord Sermon 151 beginning at page 929 We must answere Amen willingly wheÌ„ the Lord behighteth vs his blessing 487. a 40.60 Of this worde Amen aunswered by the Iewes and vs. 486. b 40.50.60 and 487. a 10.20.30 Of answering Amen to the blessings and threatenings of God 925. all 927. b 50 Amendement Foure hundred yeares respite of repentance and Amendement giuen by God and to whome 728. a 60. and b 10 The maner of our Amendement when wee haue offended God described 114. a. 20 The Amendement of the Iewes noted when they sawe they had troden Gods lawe vnder foote 114. a 40 Eighteene hundred yeres forbearance of the Iewes for their Amendement 1137. b 60 Ammon The meaning of the worde Ammon 68. a 60 Moab and Ammon harlots birdes borne in a brothell house 68. b. 10 Ammonites Why the Ammonites Moabites were forbidden by Gods lawe to enter into his sanctuarie and why the Iewes were forbidden in no wise to seeke the peace and prosperitie of them 798. a 40.50.60 b all 799 all 800 all The Ammonites notwithstanding their kinred with the Israelites became Scorpions to sting them c. 69. b 10 Amorrhites The Amorrhites being enimies to the Iewes likened vnto bees and how 57. b 10.20 Why God woulde haue none of the Amorrhites left aliue 303. a 60. and b 10.20 God bare with the abhominations of the Amorrhites foure hundred yeres 303. b 40.50.60 The Amorrhites spared of the Israelites and what followed thereuponâ— since God bad the contrarie 307. a 30.40.50 The Amorrhites were forborne eight hundred yeres before God destroyed them 1142. b 40.50 The cause why God commaunded the Amorrhites to be rooted out of the world 84. b 10.20 Anabaptistes Anabaptistes receiued in Geneua and gret cheere made them in the town house 532. b 40.50 Looke Heretikes Angels How Angels are sometimes called the sonnes of God 647. b 60 Of wicked Angels which execute Gods vengeance vppon men 669. b 20 Whether the Angels are fed with Manna as the Psalme seemeth to say 355. a 40.50 Angels righteousnes scarcely answerable to Gods law 245. b 50 The verie Angels do hide their eyes because of the greatnesse of Gods glorie 254. b 10.20 A stryfe betweene the Angels and the diuels for our behoofe 1239. a 10 20 Of the helpe or seruice of Angels and whereto God vseth the same 1123 a 40.50.60 In what respect Angels are called the children of God 1113. a 40 Angels are nothing as in respect of themselues 1123. a 40.50.60 The Angels were witnesses vnto the lawe 1187. b 50 By Saints are ment Angels Looke the place and marke the doctrine 1187 b 20 30.40.50.60.1188 a 10.20 Of the infinit number of Angels which were witnesses vnto God at such time as hee shewed himselfe to bee the author of the lawe 1187. b all 1188. a 10.20 Of Gods Angels why they were created and their office 1187. b 30.40.50 60 What wee haue to note in that it is Gods will that the Angels shall fight to drawe vs out of all y e temptations of Satan 1239. a 20.30.40 Anger The Anger of God against the Amalekites and the cause thereof 888. b 40.50.60 In what cases wee ought to shewe that wee feare not the hatred and Anger of men 74. a 10 Towardes whome the Anger of God is soone pacified and not soone pacified 975. b 50.60 Loo Wrath. Anguish Of the Anguish of the heart and why speciall mention is made hereof 907. a all and b 10 The meaning of the wordes I haue not eaten of the first fruites in the Anguish of my heart 906. b 50.60 907. all Annealing Of Annealing the sicke and whence the Papistes haue that sacrament of theirs 919. b 10.20 Looke Sacraments Antiquitie That Antiquitie is not enough for vs but other degrees are also required 489. a 20.30 What wee must first do touching religion before wee goe to Antiquitie 488. b 60. 489 a 10 An allegoricall exposition of that men should hold them selues in all things and in all respectes to Antiquitie 698. b 10 Vnto what Antiquitie wee must haue an eye touching the doctrine of saluation 698. b 50 The Antiquitie of the true authenticall religion 1041. b all 1042. a 10 20.30 Of the true Antiquitie embraced of Christians and of the auncient faith 1130. a 10.20 The Antiquitie of diuerse trumperies vsed in the Popedome 1129. b 50.60 1130. a 10. c. The Antiquitie of Gods Church 489. a 10 The Antiquitie that the Papistes alleage for them selues 489. a 20 Touching the Antiquitie of superstition Read page 1129. all Apostasie Of the Apostasie of men from God after they haue once knowen his trueth 370. b 60. and 371. a 10 The Apostasie of the Iewes from God was without cause 1041. b 10.20 Generall Apostasie from God naturally in men from their birth 10â—7 b 60 Of Apostasie from God and his trueth and how the same is committed a. 30.40.50.60 b all The Iewes Apostasie from God after the death of Iosua and what wee haue to marke thereby 1072. a b all The manifold Apostasie of the Iewes from God and their reprobation 1138. a all 1137. all Howe God will deale with vs for our Apostasie from him 1091. a 40.50.60 Howe Moses was greeued when hee heard of the Apostasie of the Iewes from God after his death 1089. a 40.50.60 Apostles The Apostles the true fathers of the Christian Church 489. b 10 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow their example 897. a 20 The twelue Apostles were chosen according to the twelue tribes of Israell 45. a 50 The Papistes common prouerbe that God is not knowen for the Apostles 490. b 50 Apparell Howe the lawe forbidding women to weare mens Apparell expoundeth the commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie 774. a 50.60 What we haue to note vppon Aarons Priestlie Apparell 1199. b 30.40.50.60 What wee are to learne by the Lawe forbidding the Iewes to weare Apparell of diuers sorts 782. a 10. c. Against excesse of Apparell and the vaine brauerie of the same 782. b 10.20 A lawe made which forbad the Iewes to weare Apparell wouen of linnen and wollen and what doctrines wee haue to gather of the same 780. b all Of what things we be put in mind wheÌ„ we put on our Apparell 774. a 30.40 Of honestie in Apparell and that God liketh well
printed in vs doth tende 274. b 50.60 Of the liuely Image of God in vs and wherin the same consisteth 120. a 20 425. a 30.485 b 40.50 The cause why God loueth vs is for that we be created after his Image 172. a 60 There is an Image of God shining in all men and what reuerence wee ought to doe it 68. a 30.620 a 50.210 a 30.40.50.60.220 a 10 What were an vtter defacing of Gods image 130. b 20 Wee must not make an Image at all of Gods beeing and why 137. a 50 It is hie treason against God for any man to expresse Gods maiestie by any Image or shape 138. a 10. 188. a 20.30.421 a 50 What such as couet to haue any Image of God doe bewray in themselues 137. b 40.50 A substantiall reason that it is not possible to make any Image of God 135. b 20.30.40 Gods liuelie Image shewed vnto vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ. 131. a 30 We haue the Image of GOD and see him as it were face to face 131. b 20 The stones wherein the lawe was written were as an Image of mans heart Reade the place it is notable 132. a 30.40 To what intent we are created to Gods Image 130. b 10 Why there must no Image at all bee made of God 145. a 50. Looke Idole Images The daunger of retaining and keeping Images still 345. a 20 The Papistes shift in saying that the Images are not the saintes themselues whom they pray vnto 271. a 40 A false assertion that the Iewes onelie were forbidden to worship Images 135. a 20 They are reprooued that maintaine Images in the popedome 134. b 40.50.60 135. a 10 The speech of Varro a Painim vttered against Images 136. a 10.20 In what cases we be Idolaters though we haue no Images either grauen or molten 149. a 40 The ende whereunto the setting vp of Images in churches doth serue 138. b 10 Diuerse reasons to condemne the Images of the Papistes hee saintes and shee saintes 138. a 50.60 c. Pope Gregorie a man not wicked of himselfe thought it good to haue Images c. 136. a 50.60 Reasons of a Councell for the allowing of Images 137. a 20. c. Whereupon it is that men make Images of God 134. b 10. Looke Idols Imagination The Imagination of man is a dreedfull dungeon 1035. a 10.20 Looke Fansie Deuise and Inuention Imaginations Of the Imaginations of the Idolatrous Papistes and howe well they thinke of them 1035. a 40.50.60 What followeth so soone as we beginne to intangle our selues in our Imaginations 136. a 60 The Papistes are stubborne and wilfull in their Imaginations Reade howe 299. b 40 An exhortation to leaue all our â—maginations and why 266. a 10.20 Looke Deuises and Inuentions Imperfections The Imperfections of Gods saintes euen of the perfectest by their owne confession 906. a 40.50.60 b 10 Imperfections euen in the regenerate though the papistes say no. 938. b 50 What ought to make the faithfull reioyce their Imperfections to fulfill Gods lawe notwithstanding 941. a 60. c. Looke Infirmities Immortalitie After what sort Gods calling of vs to Immortalitie is 35. a 50. Looke Life Incest Incest committed euen in the tribe of Iuda 68. b 20 The Originall of the Moabites and the Ammonites was of Incest 68. a 50.60.798 a 60. b 10 Iudas Incest with his owne daughter 68 b 20 The Incest of Lot with his own daughters 68. b 30.798 a 60. b 10 A lawe made by a Roman emperour for the allowing of Incest 795. b 30.40 Of an Incest which Saint Paule speaketh against to the Corinths 795. b 20 Of the Incest of Thamar and how the same was punished 881. a 20 Howe it happeneth since Incest was forbidden by Gods lawe that God doth not only permit it but inioyne it 881. a 10.20 A curse vpon such as defile themselues with Incest 932. b 60.933 a 10.50 The Incest of Ruben and howe hee was punished for the same 1193. b 40 50.60.1194 a 10 Incests Of Incests and in what cases the same are committed 794. b 50.60.795 a all More corruption among the Iewes touching Incests than euer was in all other countries beside 795. a 50.60 Inchanters Of Inchanters and who be such 669 a 50 Inchantments Diuels may worke many illusions by Inchantments 669. b 20.30 To vse Inchantmenrs is a heinous sinne and that the same is most seuerely to be punished 671. a 60. b 10. c. Of diuerse kindes of Inchantmentes and whether such thinges can bee done or no as they make a shewe of 669. a 60 Increase The Increase of the Israelites from three score to seuen hundred thousande 17. b 10 The Increase of people commeth not of the common order of nature 17. a 40 Incredulitie The rewarde of Incredulitie taught by the example of Moses banished out of the lande of promise Reade all the 190. sermon beginning at page 1178. Looke Distrust and vnbeleefe Indifferent Against them that holde with thinges Indifferent in the Church 344. a 10 Infants The cause why Infants are in state of condemnation 189. b 50. Looke Babes and Children Infidels Gods goodnesse extendeth euen to vnbeleeuers and Infidels 141. a 40.50 What filth and infection soeuer was among the Infidels the papistes tooke it to themselues to keepe and why 495. a all The wretched Infidels noted which be head strong in their follies 148. b 40.50 Howe Infidels which hadde not any â—parke of light should iudge of Gods power 1151. b 60 What we haue to note in that Moses exhorteth the Infidels to praise God 1170. b 20.30.40.50.60 c. That the Infidels although God bestowe neuer so many blessings vpon them yet can take no profit by theÌ„ and why 955. a 40.50 Howe the Infidels beeing ignorant of God shall knowe that Gods name is called vpon ouer vs. 956. b all The Infidels are the instrumentes of Gods wrath 1153. a 30.40.50 Looke Heathen and Vnbeleeuers Infirmitie Howe God stoopeth to mens rudenesse and Infirmitie 295. a 30.146 b 30 A vewe of our Infirmitie by the passion of feare 335. a b all God beareth with our rudenes and Infirmitie 45. a 40. Our Infirmitie is more than that in litle infants looke the place it is notable 40. a 40.50.60 Infirmities What effectes will followe the consideration of our owne Infirmities 183. a 30 Why God is faine to leaue vs still to our Infirmities 340. b 40. Looke Imperfections Information Howe slightly thinges are passed ouer when Information is giuen against an offender 547. b 30.40 Looke Offender Inheritance Howe a man that is rich by Inheritance is bounde to bethinke himselfe to Godwarde 363. b 10.20 Howe the people of Israell were Gods Inheritance 415. a 20. c. b 10.20 What is the best Inheritance that fathers can leaue their children 474. b 40 Why and wherefore God calleth vs his Inheritance 142. b 10.20 that it is conditionall 296. a 10 By what meanes the Inheritance of the promised lande
abide some punishment and what the same is 686. b 10.20.30 Howe it may be knowen that a man hauing committed Manslaughter be guiltie thereof or no. 689. a 30.40 Three cities of refuge for all such to flee vnto as had committed Manslaughter by chaunce medley 685. b 40.50 Euen in Manslaughter committed in lawfull warres there is no kinde of defiling 56. a 40.50 Two things to be noted in Manslaughter done by chaunce medlie 172. b 50.60 God woulde not haue Manslaughter by chauncemedlie simplie pardoned that for two causes 172. a 30.40 The punishment of Māslaughter done by chauncemedlie 172. b 50.60 and 174. a 50. and 516. a 30. Looke Murther Manslaughters Manslaughters committed euen of necessitie carie with them a kinde of defiling as for example 686. a 30.40 What Manslaughters are punishable by Gods lawe 172. a 20.30 What kinde of Manslaughters shall be pardoned 173. b 20.30.40 Of Manslaughters by chauncemedlie 172. a 20.30 Looke Murthers Manslear Why cities of refuge were appointed for the vnwitting and guiltles Manslear to flee vnto 686. b 40.687 a 40. Looke Murtherer Manslears What maner of Manslears should haue protection by the Cities of refuge among the Iewes 685. b 50.60 686. a 10. Looke Murtherers Marie The Papistes make an Idol of the Virgin Marie and yet they cannot abide that she shoulde bee called an idol 1238. a 60. b 20 Wherein the Papistes thinke that they doe wel aduance the Virgine Marie 1239. a 60. b 10.20 Looke Saintes Marre Howe men doe Marre themselues towardes God 1110. al. and 1111. a 10.20.30.40 Howe we Marre the Maiestie of God Read the place 392. b 10.20 Marred Howe the Israelites had Marred themselues 1110. al 392. a 30.40 Marrie That a man or woman maie Marrie againe incase of diuorsement for adulterie 840. b 10.20.30.40.50 What obseruations a man must keepe when he is disposed to Marrie 744. b 10. c. Married An exhortation to married folke read the place 229. a 20.30.40 b 10.20 225. all 843. al. 749. al. They that are in y e fleshe cannot please God applied vnto Married folke by a Pope Looke that place 228. b 50.60 Newe Married men exempted from going to warre by law and why 843. a 20. c. 844. a 10 Howe Saint Pauls words that such as be Married are intangled in manie cares be meant 843. b 30. c. Marriage Why Marriage is called the couenant of God 225. a 10. For whome it is prouided as a remedie 227. b 50. In what respect it is saide to be honourable 228. a 20.30.40.50 Of the carnall and spirituall Marriage Read excellent doctrine page 883. a all Howe Marriage is vnhallowed and what thing is the cheefest bonde thereof 882. a all It bringeth manie troubles with it 843. b 30.40.844 a 10.60 b 10.60 and 845. a 10. Not natural but accidental 844. b 10 Vnder what colour the Popishe rable haue forbidden it 845. a 10.1029 b 10.20 What the true nature and condition thereof is 838. b 10. Of the institution thereof 838. b 10.20 30.40.50 and 789. b 10. What the calling of God is as touching it both in man and woman 840. b 60. and 831. a 10. c. Notable doctrine for such as God hath ioyned together in holie Mariage 837. all and 749. a all and 750. b al. Of a difference honestie that ought to be obserued in Marriage 764. b 40.50.60 795. a 10. c Degrees of kinred which may not cople in Mariage 794. b 40 Of falsifying ones faith after promise made of Marriage this concerneth both man maid and widowe 788. b 20.30 789. b 10 Howe pretious a thing the faith plighted in Marriage is to God 791. b 60 792. a 10 Of ioyning Marriage with strange women as Infidels and such 743. b 60. 744. a al. The Marriage of the Church vnto Christ and vppon what condition 746. a 60. b 10.20 841. a 40. and 495. b 30.40 Marriage is the holiest kinde of companie that can be in the world 743. b 50.60 Of the faith plighted betweene the man and the wife in Marriage 224 b 60 The matching of Abraham with Agar was not a lawfull Marriage 63. a 30 Of diuerse beastlie abhominations that haue happened through the despising of Marriage 228. b all Adulterie the cheefe breaking of Marriage 224. b 50.60 Howe Marriage dispenseth with vnchastitie 228. a 10.20 An admonition to such as bee able to forbeare Marriage 228. a 60. b 10 Looke Wedlocke Marriages Against forced Marriages and howe heinouslie they offende that deale in such sort to make such matches 882 a 50.60 b 40.50.60 882. a 10.20 Of vnlawfull Marriages and how God did not onelie permit them but inioyne them 881. a 10.20 The causes why so manie Marriages come to ill end now adayes 744. b 30 Against the contracting of Marriages with the wicked 308. a 60. and b 10 Martyrs Howe it may bee that godlie Martyrs are persecuted insteede of heretikes 543. b 10 Masa To what ende the worde Masa is mentioned 293. a 10.20.30 Howe the Iewes were sharpelie punished in Masa Read the storie brieflie recorded 291. a 40. c What the worde Masa betokeneth 291 a 60 Masse The Papistes meaning to serue God with their Masse c. reproued 343. a 20.30 Howe we ought to bee affected when we call to memorie that wee haue heard Masse in times past 311. a 50 60 The abhomination of the Masse condemned and whereby 603. b 40.50 544. a 30 491. b 10 Of the most abhominable sacrifice of the Masse wherein the Papistes vsurpe the office of Christ. 505. b 10. c. 1207. b 60. 1208. a 10 The Masse tearmed Gods seruice in y e Popedome 1238. b 10. Looke Sacrifice Masses Masses set vp in the roome of heathenish Sacrifices 495. a 40 Meanes What simple Meanes God vseth to declare his mightie power when hee might otherwise vse thunder lightenings c. and why he vseth y e same 333. b 50.60 334. a al. b 10.20 The meanes and wayes to liue in good loue one with an other 222. a 60. b 10 The familiar Meanes that God vsed to haue his law remembred of the Iewes 1247. a 10.20.30 Measure Of Measure to bee obserued and kept in all sorow 1242. b all Measures Howe heinouslie he offendeth that vseth vniust Measures 885. a 40.50 886. b 40 Lawes ordeined for weights and Measures and what wee are to learne thereby Reade the whole 144 Sermon beginning at Page 885. a 30. Looke Weightes Meat Howe and in what sort Christ is saide to be our Meat 604. a 10 Howe the Meate that we eate though it be cleane becommeth vncleane 557. a 10 A cōparison betwene the Meat wherwith the olde Fathers were fed in the wildernesse from heauen and the meate that is giuen vs at this day by Christ. 1020. b all Meates Why God hath giuen vs the free vse of all Meates 557. a 40. and