him with rigour he might haue condemned him with all the rest For what is there in Abraham to make God to bee beholding vnto him So then wee are all confounded in our selues And therefore there is no other remedie left vs but to beleeue in the free promises which hee hath made vnto vs embracing his mercie and fatherly loue hanging thereon the assurance of our saluation The cause say I why we are iustified by faith is that in our woorkes there is no righteousnesse which may answere for vs before God but wee are all to bee condemned But nowe God hath so receiued vs with this condition that hee forgiueth vs all our sinnes and that not onely for a day but for all the time of our life not that wee shoulde sinne vnder colour that God wil bee mercifull vnto vs let vs take heede of that but because we are frayle and weake God will alwayes continue his goodnesse towardes vs. And farther when wee doe any good there is yet some euill euen in that good which wee doe For wee neuer giue any almes with such perfectnes as were requisite but God may alwayes finde some fault or other in it It is with our workes as men vse to say of wine that there is still some faulte or other in it It is good wine will one say but it hath taken winde it is too sharpe it is mustie or there is I know not what in it it is turned and so the wine is nothing woorth Euen so is it with our workes there is alwayes some spotte or other in them so that God shall haue iust cause to reiect them Seeing it is so wee had neede to be borne withall at his hande as a chylde is borne withall by his father And in verie deede hee hath made vs such an expresse promise by his Prophet Malachie Mal. 3.17 Psal. 103.13 That hee will spare vs euen as a father spareth his chylde who perceiuing his chylde to bee willing to doe that which hee commaundeth him although hee doe not his worke so perfectly as were requisite hee shoulde wil not deale rigorously with him if so bee hee goe about it with a willing and cheerefull mynde So then yee see why it is sayde that wee are iustified by faith But whereas it is sayde on the contrary side that our workes shal bee reckoned vnto vs for righteousnesse it is because God accepteth them And why Is it because they are worthie to bee accepted or for that they haue any merite in them No. But because of the couenaunt and agreement which hee hath made with vs that seeing wee are members of our Lorde Iesus Christ hee beareth with vs hee pardoneth vs our sinnes and accepteth that which wee offer vnto him although it bee woorth nothing yet is it ynough that hee accepteth of it According vnto this reason it is saide in this place that the almesdeedes which wee doe for Gods sake shal bee accepted at his hande for righteousnesse And this letteth not but that wee bee iustified alonelie by faith for when righteousnesse is referred vnto his fountaine from whence proceedeth it From the free mercie of God in that hee forgiueth vs our sinnes Nowe sith it is grounded vppon that wee must not imagine that there is any contradiction in these places And therefore let vs briefely note that when our Lorde sayth that the almes which wee bestowe shal bee reckoned to vs for righteousnesse it is to encourage vs the more to the intent wee shoulde not feare that eyther our payne or our money is lost when wee haue relieued the necessitie of the poore And when wee haue this lesson we will not come and laye the foundation of our saluation vppon our woorkes but wee will alwayes buylde the assurance of our saluation on the onely mercie of God and vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ by whose sacrifice wee are reconciled and through whose obedience all our sinnes and iniquities are done awaye This saye I is the meanes to assure vs of our saluation And thus when wee haue settled our trust and confidence in the onely mercie and goodnesse of God wee will haue no mynde to stande vppon our woorkes but it will suffice vs that beeing accepted by the free mercy of God without any merite or deseruable worthinesse of our workes hee will giue vs will strength and power to serue him to serue him I say not after our owne fantasie but accordingly as hee commaundeth vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to take them away and therewithall so to refourme vs by his holy spirite as our whole indeuour may bee to please him and to obey his holy will as hee hath declared it vnto vs in his lawe And because we cannot come vnto such perfection as were requisite wee shoulde pray wee him to reache vs out his hande alwayes to supplye our wantes and to strengthen our infirmities vntil hee hath cleane ridde vs of them And so let vs saye Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the x. of February 1556. The CXL Sermon which is the fifth vpon the foure and twentith Chapter 14 Thou shalt not defraude the hired seruaunt which is needie and poore neither of thy brethren nor of the straunger which is in thy lande within thy gates 15 Thou shalt giue him his hyre for his day before the sunne goeth dowen for he is poore and therewith sustaineth he his life Least he crie against thee vnto the Lorde and it be sinne vnto thee 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children die for the fathers but euery man shal be put to death for his own sinne 17 Thou shalt not wrest the right of the straunger nor of the fatherlesse neither shalt thou take the widowes rayment to pledge 18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a seruaunt in Egypt and that the Lorde thy God deliuered thee thence Therefore I commaunde thee to doe this thing IF there were not great wickednes and crueltie in men it were needeles to set downe anie such law as is heere contained to wit That we withholde not from a poore mā the wages which he hath earned For we knowe that it is as it were his bloud according as it is written In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade Therefore when a man bestoweth himselfe in our seruice we ought at least wise to giue him that wherewithall he is sustained and nourished And therefore I tolde you that if we had but one droppe of kindnes in vs we needed not to be taught this doctrine For nature teacheth vs what is right and indifferent Let vs therfore conclude when we reade y t which i◠written here that we are accused before God of beeing as brute beastes towardes our neighbours For God would suffer vs to followe on our owne course if he sawe
vnder foote and to be scoffed at and to be made sport of or rather to be rent in peeces when the world giueth it selfe to idolatrie Howbeit for as much as we doe not our duetie our Lorde hauing cast vs in the teeth with our lewdnesse and vnthankfulnesse must be faine to shewe vs that although we haue bin lasie negligent yet will not he faile to haue such a zeale as is requisite for the maintenance of his honour so as he will be reuenged of men for defacing of it after that maner And to the end we should know that God being ielous of his honour is also well able to punish idolaters he vseth that name of his which betokeneth strength or mightinesse as I haue declared alreadie And it behoueth vs to ioyne those two wordes togither For Moses meaneth the same thing that is better expressed in the Prophet Nahum where he saieth The Lord is a ielous God Nahum 〈◊〉 a God of vengeance a God that punisheth such as haue offended him a God that watcheth ouer his enemies a God that wil come with whirlewind and tempest The Prophet vseth this manner of speache that God is ielous that is to say that he forgetteth not himselfe ne shutteth his eyes when men despise him but marketh euerie whit of it and inregistreth it before him and they must come to account for it And hauing spoken of the saide disposition that is to saye that God will maintaine his honour hee sheweth immediatly that hee hath wherewith to doe it and that hee is armed with power to punish his foes so as they cannot scape his hande That is the cause why hee speaketh of whirlwind and tempest that is the cause why he speaketh of vengeance insomuch that if God seeme to dissemble thinges for a time yet hee hath an eye to his enemies and will in conuenient season make them to feele with whome they had to doe and that they prouoked the liuing God Nowe wee see what Moses meant here that is to wit that God setteth great store by his own honour and y t although we beare our selues in hande that wee shall scape vnpunished when wee haue violated his seruice or by any meanes corrupted it yet notwithstanding hee will shewe that hee hath not forgotten himselfe and that he will maintaine himselfe Marke that for one point Besides this hee is also mightie to put the same ielousie in execution He is not like mortall men which are angrie and colerike when dishonor dishonestie or wrong is offered them but yet are not able to doe as they woulde God is no such a one for hee is armed with power to confounde all his enemies In deede wee must not imagine any humaine affections in God Deu. 32.39.41 that hee shoulde bee moued as wee see that men bee There is no wrathfulnesse in God But forasmuch as wee cannot conceiue him as hee is hee is faine to apply himselfe to our rudenesse Therefore whensoeuer the scripture speaketh of anger of wrath or of indignation it is not for that God is inclynable or for that hee resembleth vs or for that hee is moued thereto no hee standeth alwayes at one stay and there is not so much as any little ouershadowing in him Iam. 1.17 as saith S. Iames who vseth the same similitude to shewe that there can bee no chaunge in his beeing Howbeit forasmuch as wee conceiue not Gods iudgementes and threatenings but by the termes of yre anger wrath and indignation therefore doth the holy scripture speake so of him Wherefore let vs marke first of all howe GOD hath shewed vs in this text Iebr. 10.31 that it is a dreadfull thing to fall into his handes And specially that if wee corrupt the purenesse of his seruice with our wicked inuentions and will needes attempt whatsoeuer our owne braine deuyseth we shall feele with whom we haue to doe and that he is too great a Lorde for vs to dally with after that fashion Moreouer God thinketh it not ynough to threaten the parties themselues that turne away from this Lawe through their idolatrousnesse hee thinkes it not ynough to tell them that hee will punish the persons themselues but hee extendeth his vengeance euen to their issue also I am saieth hee a iealous God which visiteth the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation It shoulde seeme at the first blush to bee vnseemely for Gods Iustice that hee shoulde punish the children for the offeÌ„ces of their fathers and mothers And besides that it is vtterly against naturall reason Ezech. â—8 19 wee see what is saide of it in the prophesie of Ezechiel namely that the partie which sinneth shall beare his owne burthen so as the sonne shall no more beare the sinne of his father than the father shall beare the sinne of his sonne This text then may seeme somewhat rough and sharpe yea and to deface the vprightnesse and equitie that is in God for sinne craueth his wages that is to say the death of him that committeth it Why then shoulde hee dye which is guiltlesse Ezech. 18.2 Againe although this reason were not so euident yet doeth the holy scripture auowe that God telleth vs hee will not punish the guiltlesse children for the sinnes of their parentes Yea and hee rebuketh the Iewes for this blasphemie which ranne in their mouthes whereof they had made a common prouerb Our fathers haue eaten sower grapes and our teeth are set on edge with it Gods handling of vs thus rigorously is not for any fault of our owne committing for wee haue liued as wee ought to do but he ouer reacheth vs with the sinnes of our fathers After that manner did the Iewes grudge against GOD. But hee sweareth that such blasphemie shall take place no more Nowe if all bee well considered there is no contrarietie at all For in the saide texte of Ezechiels GOD meant nothing else but that those whome hee punished coulde not alledge innocencie nor saye hee did them wrong in vsing rigour against them but that euerie one of them shoulde finde themselues guiltie so as hee himselfe shoulde bee iustified and they well perceiue that hee went not beyonde measure and reason And this is verie certeine For although GOD punishe the children for their fathers sakes yet ceaseth hee not to bee righteous in such chastisementes For if the children bee well examined they shall finde themselues guiltie on their owne behalfe yea say I euen though they were but newely borne and had neuer done any open fault that were knowen to the worlde For what manner of ofspring are wee What bring wee with vs by nature but vtter naughtinesse Yee see then that euen infantes are sinners aforehande they bee condemned before GOD being yet in their mothers wombes The euill is not yet perceiued but yet for all that their nature is sinfull and frowarde they haue a secret seede within them Rom. 5.14 and they bee alreadie in
be wee in danger of endles death Sith it is so it followeth y t the law of it selfe can do no more but shewe vs that we be accursed of our God that he is our deadly enemie must needs be our Iudge And where is then the blessing that Moses speakes of here The answere hereto is this that if we looke no further but what we be in our own frowarde nature in respect of the sinne y t we haue drawen from Adam the law can doe nothing but curse vs. For whereas God sheweth vs what our righteousnes ought to be if we fall to the examining of our liues we shal find y t we haue offended him in euery point therfore we be past hope Yea but y t springeth not of the nature of y e law Rom. 7.14 ◠7 but of our own sinfulnes in y t we are stubborne against God so that in steede of obeying him wee indeuour altogether to follow our own wicked lustes The lawe then as in respect of our selues bringeth nothing but wrath death But as in respect of it selfe surely it bringeth blessing For were we as we ought to be that is to wit were we so sound vncorrupted y t we were as throughly disposed to serue God as was our forefather Adam by creation before his fall the lawe should bring vs his blessing For why It sheweth vs that we must loue God with all our heart When wee be once ioyned vnto him when wee bee once knit vnto him in all perfection of goodnesse of ioy of life of glorie then shal this saying bee found true For were we of nature good right we should be answerable to this doctrine wee should obserue it so should this blessing be performed towards vs. Wherof is it long y t as now the law bringeth vs nothing but death damnation Euen for that wee be not able to receiue the promises y t are conteined there Our Lorde saith Come ye to mee I will fill you full of all goodnes we shrinke quite cleane from him So is it not long of the doctrine Wherof then Euen of our selues Where is the fault to bee found In the law No but in our owne selues Now then let vs mark that whereas Moses protesteth here y e he setteth a blessing before y e people his so doing is not without cause But here it might be replyed that although our own sin be the let that we be not made partakers of y e blessing that is behighted in y e lawe to enioy it yet notwithstanding for asmuch as wee be vtterly excluded from it it is in vaine for him to say I set before you a blessing That is not so For we haue two points to note The one is that Gods speaking after that maner concerning his word is to the ende y t we should haue it in reuerence estimation also loue it set our harts vpon it moreouer fall to the considering of our owne cursednes so as we might be humbled cast downe be sorie when we see our benefite turned to our bane our life into death because we be not disposed to receiue it But God shall haue wunne nothing at our handes by letting vs alone there wee must be faine to go one step further Forasmuch as we see our selues bereft of the blessing of the law so long as it continueth but a dead letter 2. Cor. 3.6 that is to say so long as it doth but only tel vs what wee should do giueth vs not power to do it in deede wee must resort to our Lord Iesus Christ whose office is to write the thinges in our heartes which God had written in stones 2. Cor. 3.3 that hee may make vs willing to obey in steede of our swaruing aside to y e contrarie Againe our Lord Iesus Christ hath deserued this blessing for vs that wee might henceforth be receiued into fauour for his sake our workes be accepted at Gods hande though they be nothing worth of themselues For we come not as euery man in his own person nor as they y t had performed the law thēselues but we come in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ as members of his bodie Ye see then that the blessing is perfourmed in vs by seeking the remedie which we want which is that whereas God hath promised to blesse men vpon condition forasmuch as the same booteth vs not there is added another point of fauour which is that he receiueth vs for his sonnes sake Ier. 31.34 36.26.29 writing his lawe in our harts imputeth not our sins vnto vs by meanes wherof we faile not to bee partakers of the blessing that is contained here though we be not able to performe the law but that the same passe our abilitie Marke that for one point Now let vs come to y t which Moses sayth concerning y e curse He sayth y t like as the law offereth vs Gods fauor which is the blessing y t tendeth to our welfare so also we must not set light by the threatnings y t are set-downe there For if we giue deafe eare to Gods speaking so as our harts rancle against it through stubbornesse or y t we play the scoffers which turne all thinges to laughter 2. Cor. 2.15.16 let vs beare this in mind that howsoeuer the world go Gods worde shall either be our life or our death there shall not so much as one word therof fall to the ground Such as benefite themselues by y e things y t are told them on gods behalf shall find y t the doctrine serueth to their saluation And on the other side the despisers thereof such as refuse to be taught by it must yeeld an account thereof and they shall feele y t no one iote of it shal be lost neither is to be despised For should the thing be vndone vanish away w tout effect which passeth out of y e mouth of God No. And therefore let vs marke well y t if men cannot find in their hearts to vse Gods doctrine to their benefite when he sendeth it vnto them it shal turne to their euerlasting death their damnation wil bee doubled because they held scorne of the benefite y t was profered them And this is very needfull for vs. For we see how men dally with Gods word they y t cast it not quite cleane away do thinke themselues to be more than half perfect because they becom not vtter enemies to fight against it they beare thē selues in hand y t God ought to hold himself contented with it But think we that God wil suffer so good a thing to perish He offered vs life and we refused it and doeth not such vnkindnes deserue horrible vengeance Againe God setteth more store by his own honor than by the saluation of our soules And good reasō it is y t he shonld Now he hath shewed
bondage nor subiection did willingly submitte himselfe to the Lawe and beare the yoke thereof for vs for we knowe that he performed the will of GOD his father in all pointes to the full And so by that meane we be taken for righteous in Iesus Christ. Why so Because hee was obedient Yea and that obedience of his was not for himselfe there was no subiection in him neither was hee bounde to any thing for he is altogether aboue the Lawe therefore it followeth that he was obedient for vs. And therefore when wee flee to him for succour our heauenly father admitteth vs as if wee brought perfect obedience with vs. For looke what is waÌ„ting missing in ourselues we go to seeke it like poore beggers in our Lord Iesus Christ and al is applyed vnto vs by the vertue of faith Marke that for one point But Saint Paul addeth that forasmuch as we bee all accursed by the Lawe our Lorde Iesus Christ was faine to beare our curse And he bare it sayeth he for he was hanged vpon tree And whereas the Lawe of God had sayd Cursed shall he be that hangeth on tree the same was verified in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And S. Paul had an eye both to that which hath bin and to that which we shall see hereafter namely Cursed shall the man bee which performeth not all the things y t are written here Ye see how God hath declared his will Thereupon he promiseth that whosoeuer keepeth his Lawe shal be taken forrighteous and obtein the endlesse life But yet on the contrarie part he telleh vs y t if a man faile in any one point Iames. 2.10 he shal be cursed forlorne without remedie Now let euery of vs looke into himselfe Was there euer any man y t hath not failed many wayes Psal. 143.2 It is sayd y t no man shal be founde righteous in his sight And againe in an other place Psal. 130.4 Lorde if thou looke streitely vpon sin who can abide it Who is able to shew himselfe before thy iudgement seate Needes must all men be confounded and not for some one sin but for a number of wicked deedes shall we be put to shame if god do once enter into account with vs. Then are we all vndone damned as in respect of the Lawe there is no more remedy Leuit. 8.5 Cursed shal he be which doeth not all those thinges Alas we be neuer able to doe the hundredth part of them I say y t although God guide vs vnto goodnes by his holy spirit yet do we faile through our owne infirmitie and there is euer great want in vs. Ye see then that we be vndone and past hope of recouery vnlesse the curse be abolished And that was done in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ who as he hath performed all righteousnesse so hath he also receiued the curse to himselfe which lay vppon our heades he hath borne it in his person to the intent that henceforth we should be free from it As how For he was not hanged vpon tree without the prouidence of God his father wee must alwayes looke backe to y t point For as for these rascals which goe about to deface Gods prouidence they shew that they neuer knew what religion meaneth nay they be mastife dogges yea and much worse than dogs beleeuing no more in God than brute beastes as the worlde knoweth Notwithstanding forasmuch as God hath giuen his sonne to death as the scripture beareth witnesse that he hath so loued the worlde that he hath not spared his only sonne but hath deliuered him to death for vs Let vs assure ourselues that God ment to shewe vs to our faces that he layde vpon him the curse due to vs so as the thing which we hadde deserued was layde vpon the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore when wee beholde Iesus Christ hanging on the tree wee knowe that hee hath taken our bondage vpon him euen to the intent that wee should not be any more bounde to the curse of the lawe but free and that the sayde threate should no more take place to condemn vs Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all those thinges For why When wee flee for refuge to the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ our sinnes are wiped out God layeth them not any more to our charge they be quite cleane done away And why so Because the curse lyeth not any longer vppon the transgressors when they trust and rest vpon the satisfaction that was offered vnto God the father by him that was ordeined to that office Here it might be demanded whether Christs hanging vppon the tree and his beeing accursed before GOD was not a derogation to his maiestie Surely so farre off was it from diminishing or defacing of his glorie that it is rather the chiefe thing wherefore wee are to magnifie him For we ought to be euen rauished at the inestimable loue of God towardes vs in that he vouchsafed that his sonne who is the heade of the Angelles before whome all knees ought to bowe and vnto whom all creatures ought to do homage should so humble himselfe euen to the lowest depthes and beare our curse When wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so forgotten himselfe and had so litle regarde of himselfe that for very feruent loue which he bare vnto vs he tooke vpon him the curse wherewith wee were all ouerwhelmed receiuing it wholely to himselfe is there any heart so harde which ought nor to cliue at the sight thereof Againe how ought we to be inflamed to glorifie our Sauiour who hath abaced himselfe so farre to saue vs Moreouer let vs marke also that hee ceased not for all that to be blessed of God according to the common title which was giuen among the Iewes And in very deede hee is so named in the hundreth and eighteenth Psalme where it is sayde Blessed bee hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde It was a prophesie concerning the redeemer of the worlde that had beene promised Nowe seeing that God auoweth him to be blessed howe comes it to passe that hee is accursed and that the curse should take place in his person These two agree very well For whereas Christ became as it were accursed not onely before men but also before God it was because he was our suretie and represented vs setting himselfe in our steede Yet neuerthelesse he reteined still the thing that was due to himselfe to wit to be the blessed of the father who will haue him to bee knowen so to be and that all the worlde should beare witnesse of y t blessednes Matt. â—1 â— For the same should haue beene spoken by the people euen as wee see that the children did sing the same song at the entrance of our Lord Iesus Christ into Ierusalem Then was it requisite that this blessing which was peculiar to himselfe shoulde bee knowen to the whole
If one buy them at that price and knoweth the necessitie which the poore man is driuen vnto he is a manifest oppressour and we can skill to say in common prouerbe It is a holding of our foote vpon a poore mans throate it is a kinde of robberie We haue skill I say to speake thus by them which buy such penie worthes of thē that are in neede and are so farre pinched that they can be at no other choyce but to doe what they will haue them Let vs note well then that God in this place not onely commaundeth vs to pay them without driuing off from day to day which haue laboured or taken paines for vs but also would haue vs to haue a dewe regarde of euerie mans neede and that when we set a poore man a worke about our businesse wee should pay him his dayes hyre yea and that euery man shoulde set a price of his owne wares so as if we come to driue a bargaine the seller should not be faine to say to vs make what price you yourselfe list And againe that when a poore man hath trauailed for vs wee should not deale so vnconscionably as to make no further account of him than to haue the fruit of his labour but rather enter into iust tryal with ourselues whether if we were in his case which pineth away hath no other meanes to sustain himselfe but this we ourselues would be contented to be so handled We would haue men to vse gentlenesse towardes vs and relieue and succour vs let vs therefore do the like or else we shal be accused before God For it is sayde That it shal be sinne vnto vs when a poore man shall so crie out against vs. And yet for all this wee heare euerie day the cries and clamours which the poore cease not in lamentable wise to make and thinke we that God is deafe all this while that he heareth not their complaintes I grant that the poore in deede are somtimes vnthankfull and spitefull so as there is no dealing with them and they would as it were rake vnto themselues other mens goods and when they are requested to lend their hande to some worke they would haue a double and treble recompence they will haue great wages Ye shall see some so stoute and presumptuous that they will not bestowe paines in any thing except they be greatly intreated and yet they are so lasie that they will scarcely put foorth one hande to doe their worke aright and for all this there is such a doe to please them that they will haue their full paiment yea and double the price of their dayes worke This is to be seene But yet for all that there are many as I tolde you which are pinched And therefore their cries must needes ascende vp into heauen and let vs not imagine that we shal be founde guiltlesse before God For whereas it is sayd that it shal be sin vnto vs it is to shew y t albeit men sue vs not ne cōmence any action against vs for it in this world yet notwithstanding we shall not faile to be culpable before God yea although the poore should not crye at all as it hath beene declared heeretofore The thing then in effect which wee haue to beare in minde is that we ought to haue an eye vnto euery mans neede and not to oppresse him which is in necessitie thinking that we haue an occasion of making our own profit by an other mans losse when we see that he can not be without vs. Let vs beware that we be not so cruell For although he make no complaint against vs in this world yet before God we are culpable and that ought to quicken vs vp so much the more in our duty considering that God reproueth vs of cruelty in such wise Nowe Moses addeth a seconde lawe That the fathers should not be put to death for the children nor the children for the fathers but that euery man should beare the punishment of his owne sinne This Lawe was ordained because of a wicked beastly custome which then raigned among the men of the East countrey who made it a matter of no conscience to put the children to death for the fathers offences and so to shed the bloud of the innocent God therefore meant to withhold his people from following such barbarous dealing of the Paynims and Infidels And it is a point which we must diligently note For wee might muse why it is sayde that the father shall not be killed for the childe nor the child for the father It seemeth that it is needelesse to forbid this thing because we knowe that where sinne is founde there the punishment ought to be layde without seeking any farther Nowe therefore forasmuch as we are giuen to vnderstande that men haue bin so blockish as to put him to death who was in no fault so as the father hath sometimes beene drawen to death with the child we perceiue thereby that God hath not without cause established this lawe It is true in deede that this is spoken vnto Iudges and vnto such as beare the sword in their hand that the children should not be put to death for the sinne of the fathers nor the fathers for the sinne of the children but yet notwithstanding God in generall warneth vs also that wee ought not to hate the children for their fathers sakes Whensoeuer we see a wicked man forasmuch as he is a reasonable creature we ought to pitie him and not to hate him although we must alwaies detest the vice and punishe the person for his misdeedes But if we hate the father for the sonnes sake or the sonne because of the father albeit wee haue not the sworde in our hande yet neuerthelesse this wicked affection which we haue is al one as if we did put the father to death for the childe And so let vs note well that this lawe appertayneth vnto vs all And although we be not armed with power and authoritie to punish whome we list Yet notwithstanding God putteth vs in mind not without iust cause that he which hath offended must beare his owne punishment and not any other guiltlesse person besides Heere a man might demand a question what is the cause then why God threatneth that hee wil punish the wickednesse of fathers vpon their children Ier. 32.18 and cast it as it were into their bosome This is sayd because that GOD is at libertie to curse not one man alone but his whole race and posteritie also For what are we if it please not him to beholde vs with pitie If he once turne his mercie from vs we can not but goe into vtter destruction And therefore let vs learne that when God leaueth vs such as we are it is a kind of punishment which he layeth vpon vs. Ye see then howe he punisheth the wickednesse of the fathers vpon the children and yet doth wrong vnto none Let vs mind that And in very deede
monster c. 213. a 50 Children Whereof Gods esteeming of vs as his Children doth proceed 337. a 30.40 Children that smite their parents iudged to dye the death without fauour 760. a 10.20 That we Christians are in the same degree of honour that the Children of Abraham were in 847. a 10 A lawe made that Children should not dye for their fathers sins 861. a 20.30 We ought not to hate the Children for their fathers sakes 861. a 50.60 Disobedient Children curssed and stoned to death Read that place aduisedly 929. a 40.50.60 Touching the good education bringing vp of Children Read page 745 a 60. b 10. c. 20.30.40 How heynously such Children as despise their parents do offend 759. a all Euidence giuen by the parents against their Children 757. a 40.50.60 b 10 The charge dutie of such as haue Children 754. a 60 With what condition Children are giuen vnto vs. 755. a 10 Of stubborne and disobedient Children and their punishment by Gods lawe 756. b all In what cases Children must disobey their parents 759. b 10.20.30 Wherein the honor that Children owe to their parents consisteth 759. a 60. b 10 Children must not refuse correction at their parents hands 758. b all 759 a 10.20 c. What things Children should consider with themselues touching their parents 758. b 10.20.30 c. The duetie of Children towardes their fathers mothers purposely set downe 758. b 10.20.30 c. That Children must be guided and gouerned by counsell c. Euen when they be come to yeares of libertie 775. b 50.60 Of the Iewes being the Children of Abraham and why the Prophets called thē bastards worse 797. b al. How wee being no Iewes borne are become the true Children of Abraham 798. a 1020 That all men in general are called gods children and to whome the same doeth properly belong 1110. a 40.50 60. b all Against such as neglect y e care good training vp of their Childrē 755. a al God calleth Angels kings princes Magistrates his Children 1113. a 40 We be Gods Children euen by nature because we beare his image 1113. a 10.20 Of carnall Children and spirituall children Read Page 1110. b all Howe we shew our selues to be none of Gods Children and what wee must doe if we will haue God auow vs for his Children 1110. b 50 Children comprehended and receiued into the number of Gods people 1027. b 40.50 The heathen vsed to burne their Children to their Gods Looke well on y t place 523. a 60. b 10. c. Whether God punisheth the Childrē for the fathers offences 189. b 10.20.30 c. 190. all What is the chiefe exercise and studie of Gods Children 97. b 50 Notable doctrine vpon these wordes All were put to the sword euen litle children and all 83. b 50.60 What is required in vs or else wee can not bee the Children of God 62. b 10 The Children that come of Christians are alreadie chosen of God to be his flocke c. 9. b 60 Why the diuelish geerishnesse which the wicked vse to ouerthrowe Gods Children with all c. shoulde not put vs out of hart 75. b 10.20 What be the blessinges of God on the Children of the faithfull 190. b 10.20.30 We be of Gods Church and therefore are his Children 62. a 50.60 The diuels were sometimes as y e Children of God Read the place 170. b 10 The verie cause why God commaundeth fathers to teach their Childrē 129. a 40 Howe we ought to traine vp our Children in the doctrine of the trueth 129. b 30.40.50 What Parentes should doe if they see their Children despisers of God c. 297. b 60. 298. a 10 How Fathers would haue their Childrē resemble them 215. b 50.60 An exhortation to Children touching their duetie of obedience to their parentes 216. b 10 The behauiour y t. Children are bounde by Gods lawe to doe to their Parentes 213. b 10.20.30 Wherein Children doe wrong vnto God in disobeying their fathers and Mothers 213. b 50.60 Children must not misbehaue thēselues when their parentes are too sharpe vnto them 216. b 40.50 Most excellent doctrine vppon these wordes It is not spoken to your Childen c. 456. a b al. 457. a 10 How far the duetie of Children to their parentes should extend 218. a 50.60 The wel bringing vp of Children complained of 474. b 20 An exhortation to such as haue Children to see to their good bringing vp 474. b 40 It is no small honour that God doth to men and women in giuing thē Children Read that place aduisedlie 474. a 50 How disorderedlie fathers do bring vp their Children in these dayes 326. b 10.20 The wicked trade of Fathers trayning vp of their Children 215. b 50 60 Whereby God will haue his Children knowen in this worlde 327. a 30 Choose Notable doctrine vpon these words In y e which place thy God shal Choose 496. a 40.50.60 and b all 497. a 10 Why God saith he will choose a speciall place to put his name in 509. b 20.30 No worthinesse at all in the Iewes why God should choose them to bee his people c. 407. b 30.40.50.60 and b 10 Why God among all nations of the world did choose the ofspring of Abraham 420. a 60. b 10 The cause why God did choose the Iewes to bee his people and no other nation as well as them where two pointes worth the noting are inferred 437. a all Chosen Most pithie doctrine vpon these words Therefore hath hee chosen c. 165. b 40.50.60 and 166. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Howe tenderlie God loueth such as he hath chosen and meaneth to take for his flocke 1004. b 50.60.1005 a 10 What will become of vs if we imagine God to bee bounde to vs because he hath once Chosen vs. 148. b 10 It is not enough for vs to knowe that God hath Chosen vs to himselfe 166 b 10 What wee ought to doe seeing GOD hath Chosen vs to be his 170. b 20.30 The end whereto God hath Chosen vs. 171. b 50 The end why the Iewes were Chosen to be Gods people 910. a 30. Looke Elect and Faithfull Choosing From whence the cause of Gods Choosing of vs doeth come 420. a 50 Of Gods Choosing of our forefathers and the cause thereof 168. b 40 The Preaching of the Gospell is a kinde of Choosing 166. a 40.50 What we haue to learne by this that the place where God would be worshipped belonged to his own Choosing 509. a 60. b 10 Of a second Choosing that God vseth what it is and howe 166. b 40 A notable Choosing of vs by the Gospell and the Sacraments that God vseth 166. b 20 Faith whereby we tast the worde is a seconde sort of Choosing 166. a 60 Looke Election Christ. To what ende the comming of Christ from the bosome of his father serued 1247. b 20 Christ is the perfection and life of the law 405. a all How the
to Shame and what doctrine we haue to apply vnto our selues in that case 1101. all 1102. a 10. Looke Reproch and Iewes Shamefastnesse Shamefastnesse a proper vertue to women whereto they are commanded and exhorted 884. a 40 A lawe ordeined for the maintaining of honestie and Shamefastnesse 883. a 60. b all Looke Honestie and Chastitie Shephearde What we must doe if we will haue God to continue our Shepheard still 148. b 20 Christ is our Shephearde and of our dutie if we will be his sheepe 461. b 40.1099 b 10.20.30.40 Looke Minister and Preacher Shepheardes It standeth Shepheardes in hande to haue a double voyce and why 536. a 40 It is Gods inuiolable ordinance that there should be Shepheardes in his Church 258. a 10.20.30.40 The office of Shepheardes and what course they must keepe in their teaching 1172. a 30.40.112 b 40.718 a 10.20.1206 a all Two things requisite in all good Shepheards 112. b 50.60 113. a 10 What Shepheards must do if they will needes claime to be founde at the common charges of the Church 429 b 50.60 The clergie of the papasie deserue not to be called Shepheardes 1204. b 50.60.1206 a all Looke Ministers and Preachers Shiftes It is no seeking for Shiftes when God doth smite vs. 1166. b 60.1167 a 10 Shoulders Of bearing the Lord vpon or betweene our Shoulders 1210. b 20.30.40.50.60.1211 a all Shrift The antiquitie of papisticall confession or Shrift 1129. b 50.60 The behauiour of papistes when they come to Shrift 613. a 20.50 Looke Confession Sicera All the compounded drinks which they make in the east countries called by the common name of Sicera 1020. b 60. Looke Drinke Sickenesse Sicknesse is to bee accounted as the hande of God vpon vs and to what ende 1142. b 20 That we ought not to take Sicknesse in euill part 350. b 20. Looke Diseases Sight The meaning of these wordes Ye shall haue a Sight before your eyes 980. a 20.30.40 Signe Of the Signe of baptisme and that simply it auayleth nothing 441. a 10.20 Looke Figure Signes Of the outwarde Signes of thinges and what doctrine is therby to be gathered 440. b all 441. â— 10. c. Looke Figures Simeon Of the tribe of Simeon and that they of that tribe were Idolaters 1227. b 30. God gaue them no seuerall blessing but left him to languish and what we haue to note therein 1227. b 40.50 Of the secret fauour which God bore him by way of comparison 1227. b 50.60.1228 a 10. Iacobs blessing belonged to him and Leui was common to them both 1228. a 10.20 Looke Tribe and Tribes Sinne. Sinne the woorst and deadliest enimie that we haue 374. b 10 Of what thinges we are warned in that it is saide Sinne dwelleth in vs. 247. b 40 What the papistes thinke of Sinne and what they count not Sinne. 242. b 50.60 243. a 10 Of stripping our selues naked which is done by committing of Sinne. 1151. b 30.40 Howe Sinne is shed throughout all our bodie and bodilie faculties 244. a 10.20 The greeuousnesse of the Sinne of the Iewes if they should turne away from the purenesse which they had learned in the lawe 146. a 10.20 That one Sinne is punished with another 983. b 10.20 Howe Sinne is conceiued and not conceiued though there be no consent 245. a 30 Sinne ouercome by Christes death and passion 35. b 10 Of veniall Sinne according to the construction of papistes 939. a 30.40 The meaning of Moses his wordes in reporting that God was angrie with him for the peoples Sinne. 48. b 60. 49. a 10. 50. a 10.20 Of committing Sinne by imitation or example 50. a 40 Sinnes Of certaine Sacrifices that were called Sinnes Howe Sinnes be cloked and couered 237. b 50.60 We must beware that we wrap not our selues in other mens Sinnes and howe that is done 550. b 10.20 The sentence of God vpon our Sins is vpon a condition Reade the place 399. a 10 In what danger we be when we are become malitiously wilfull in our Sins 393. b 40.50.60 394. a 10 The saying of men euen in the popedome when they are in sorowe and haue their Sinnes layde afore them 155. a 30 Of two sortes of Sinnes some laid open to men and some reserued to God himselfe 699. b 40.50.60.700 a 10 Sinnes distinguished into crimes and ignorances 690. a 50 How God is sayâ—le to punish the Sinnes of the fathers in their children 861. b all 862. a 10.190 all The corruptions that are among vs are the rewardes of our Sinnes 109. a 10 God doth afflict his people oftentimes for other causes than their Sinnes 949. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20.60 We shall be guiltie of al the Sinnes that we haue occasioned 104. a 50.60 Howe wee must be resolued when wee pray to God to forgiue vs our Sinnes 99. a 30 Whereof the Sinnes of the wicked doe come 80. b 60 That no necessitie can excuse our Sins 65. b 30 A through searching of our Sinnes by Gods ministers is necessarie why 143. a 20 Our owne Sinnes attaint vs as traitors to God 192. b 20 God punisheth vs for our Sinnes after he hath forgiuen them Reade how 99. a 50 We haue manie Sinnes that we knowe not of 49. b 30 God maketh inquisition of our Sinnes before he punisheth vs. 394. a 50.60 b 10.20 What we must doe if we will haue our Sinnes and the sinnes of our forefathers buried 385. a 30.40.143 a 10 Howe and in what respectes our deadly Sinnes proceeding euen to the deed doing shall not be imputed vnto vs before God 246. a 40.50 How lightly the Papistes deeme of the grossest Sinnes that be 246. a 60 Howe it commeth to passe that we rot not in our Sinnes and by whom we are raised vp 480. b 10.20 How these wordes Loue couereth the multitude of Sinnes is meant 237. a 50.60 c. The Sinnes of men are the causes of their miseries 263. b 30.50 Of beeing touched with the remembrance of our Sinnes most necessary doctrine 1180. all 1181. all 381. b al 382. a all 408. b 10.20 Of two pointes to bee marked concerning the Sinnes of men how light a matter they make of them 1155. a 30 40.50.60 God keepeth a register of our Sinnes and what wee ought to doe in that case 1155. all The Sinnes of Sodome and Gomor set forth in a summarie of three clauses 1154. a 40.50 Men cannot perceiue their Sinnes except they be made to smart 156. a 10 Looke Offences Sinners How wretched Sinners when they bee tempted to doe amisse must bridle and restraine themselues 405. b 50.60 406. a 10 What plasters the papistes giue poore Sinners to put away their sins 1050. a 10 The sorest point of Gods wrath vpon Sinners what it is 990. b 30 Promises of Gods mercie to comfort penitent Sinners 157. b 10.20 The true comfort of wretched Sinners when God scourgeth them 155. a 20.30 Looke Offenders Sit. Howe the Lorde doth Sit
is readie to receiue men to his mercie and to haue pitie vpon them when they returne vnto him And let such knowledge make vs teachable Whensoeuer it pleaseth God to preache his worde vnto vs let vs haue our heartes open to receiue it let vs be plyable to followe that which he commaundeth to be short let vs yeeld our selues wholly to his goodnesse Now it is said here that Moses expounded the Lawe howbeit that in y e Hebrew there is a word which signifieth that he vouchsafed or listed to declare the Lawe And that serueth to shew still that he performed his commission with a free courage or willing minde For it may bee that he whom God commandeth to teache his people shall discharge himselfe thereof howbeit but as it were by force such necessitie if a man haue an eye vnto it doth alwayes import a constraint so that all that euer we can doe shall be nothing worth And here the ministers of Gods worde are exhorted not onely to preach the word that is committed vnto them but also to do it with a free and cheerefull courage according also as S. Paul auoweth it to be requisite 1. Cor. 9.17 and protesteth that he himselfe did so And therefore let the example as well of Moses as of S. Paul serue for our instruction Moreouer let vs marke also that vnder this saying of the Lawe is comprehended the rehearsall of the things that Moses intended to make of the things that were come to passe True it is that the word Law betokeneth teaching and instruction and therefore a man might aske at the first blush what instruction there is in the report of stories It is not without cause y t Moses hath sayde so For when God putteth vs in remembrance of our sinnes and of the benefites y t he hath bestowed vpon vs and of the chastisements which wee haue receiued at his hand it ought to teache vs to our profit Gods setting of such things afore vs is not to make vs pastime but to the end that on the one side we should be the better disposed to serue him and to continue in his feare and on the other side be trained and allured to resort vnto him and to seeke all our welfare and all that euer belongeth to our saluation at his hand We see then howe it is not without cause that Moses giueth the name of Lawe or Doctrine to the rehearsall of things that were come to passe forsomuch as by y t meanes the people ought to haue bin led vnto God to haue bin the better edified And therefore let vs marke that when we reade the holy stories it is not onely to know what hath bin done to y e end we may be able to talke of it but to the end we should behold there the grace of God towardes y e faithful in deliuering them Also we must consider after what maner he hath exercised his children in patience and made them to wade through many afflictions that their faith might bee tryed and consequently how he neuer forsaketh them at the point of neede and necessitie Againe we must consider the iustice that he hath executed in punishing such as haue done amisse and transgressed his will If we haue such regarde and discretion with vs the Stories will bee as an instruction to vs. For wee shall bee better assured by them than if GOD did but simply tell vs what he requireth at our handes and what our duetie is That then is the thing which we haue to beare in minde it will be a good preparatiue for vs to the thinges that are to ensue For otherwise it would be thought an vnprofitable thing to knowe that Moses chose men to gouerne the people that on the other side the people followed not Gods commaundement in pursuing their enemies and such other like thinges What haue wee to doe with those things will some men say But forasmuch as we be admonished that all these things concerne our instruction we must put them to such vse as nothing may be vnoccupyed assuring our selues that God procured our benefite welfare when he did set foorth to vs as it were in a painted table the things that belong vnto vs at this day and may be applyed to our instruction Whereas it is sayde That it is ynough that the people had taryed a certaine time at Mount Horeb therein we see that Gods deliuering of the children out of the bondage of Egypt was not to lay the brydle in their necke that they might go where they listed but to be their gouernour for euer And that is a thing that ought to stand vs in good stead For wee haue a president that when God receiueth vs for his people it is not only for a day or twaine but of purpose to haue a continuall care of vs to the end so as he will not leaue vs in the midde way but proceede in guiding of vs still vntill wee bee come to our right marke And this is a verie profitable doctrine for what a thing were it if God shoulde once giue vs his lawe and set vs in a good trade and afterwarde let vs alone without looking to vs Wee see our owne frayltie insomuch that wee could not steppe one steppe but wee should bee readie to stumble or to start out of the way and the incomberaunces are so manie and so great as it would bee vnpossible for vs to ouercome them if God assisted vs not And therefore let vs learne that when God hath once adopted vs and chosen vs to bee of his flocke it is not to the end we shoulde but onely take a taste of his grace for a day but to the end that he will continue in doing vs good and his taking of vs into his gouernment is of purpose neuer to giue vs ouer so as wee shall alwayes be vnder his protection and he will neuer ceasse to increase the good turnes that wee haue felt and receiued of him vntill we bee come to the full perfection Forasmuch then as wee see that he neuer leaueth his worke vnperfected but goeth through with it as it is sayde in the Psalme Psal. 138.8 it ought well to cause vs to magnifie his goodnesse and to incourage vs to giue ouer our selues wholly vnto him And the same belongeth to the spirituall health of our soules according to this saying of S. Paul in the first Chapter to the Philippians Phil. 1.6 that he which hath begun the good worke will goe through with it euen vnto the day of our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherefore let vs marke what whereas God declareth here by the mouth of Moses that the people had taryed long ynough about mount Horeb and that he would haue them to goe foreward thereby he doth vs to vnderstand that seeing he hath deliuered vs from the dungeon of death and from the bondage of the diuell and of sinne we shall haue him to be our guide for
from vs and that wee had neede of wings to flie aboue the skyes But what Wee must so honour Gods worde as I saide as wee must not doubt but that the thing which is spoken there is possible to be done although wee conceiue not howe by our fleshly vnderstanding faith must surmount all capacitie of man And if wee finde any hardnesse therein let vs fight against our selues and dayly indeuour to recouer vnto God For the way whereby hee will be glorified at our hands is as I saide at the beginning that if there were no more but his bare worde yet ought the same to contēt and suffice vs. But seeing he hath vouchsafed to deliuer vs this pledge which he hath giuen vs in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be the lesse excusable if wee haue not a full and whole contentation Seeing then that we haue such an assurance of the kingdome of heauen let vs go and take possession of the lande For as I said afore God will not haue vs idle True it is that hee sheweth vs by the holy scripture that there is not one drop of power in vs that tendeth vnto good but that wee be wholly giuen to euill And yet notwithstanding it is his will also that when he hath put his gratious gifts into vs we shoulde make them auaylable without chalenging any thing at all to our selues For in this case it is not for vs to glorie in our selues nor to trust in our owne legges according wherevnto it is saide in the Psalme to such as are giuen to the worlde Psal. 33.16 and 17. that they must not trust in their owne strength nor in the strength of their horses If this bee saide of the thinges that perteine to this flightfull life what is to bee saide of the spirituall life which is much more excellent So then w tout attributing any thing to our selues let vs indeuour neuerthelesse seeing that God commandeth vs and let vs goe on to enter into the possession of the spirituall kingdome whereunto he calleth vs. And that is the cause why I said that wee must euermore come backe to our Lorde Iesus Christ and there seeke y e thing that is wanting in our selues For wee knowe that his suffering of his death and passion was to exalt vs aboue the heauens and although wee doe but creepe vppon the earth or rather bee so loppeheauie that wee sinke still downeward to plundge our selues in the bottomlesse gulfes yet will our Lorde Iesus lift vs vp according as he himself was exalted to the same end and intent as is declared in the third Chapter of the Gospel of S. Iohn Iohn 3.14 Furthermore to the ende wee may bee discharged of all selftrust let vs looke vppon the notable example that was giuen vs at the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For if wee will goe the right way to heauen wee must followe the poore theefe to whom he saide This day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Howe can wee bee sure that GOD will bring vs to the kingdome of heauen seeing that wee seeke hell and all our affections all our thoughtes all our desires all our powers and all our workes tend wholly thither euen to separate vs from God and to alienate vs from his kingdome and to driue vs away from life and saluation How may wee say I be sure that God will take vs vppe into his heauenly kingdome We must haue recourse to this word that was spoken to the poore theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Seeing it is so that our Lord died that he entred into such gulfes of sorrowe that he was pinched so farre as to abide the tormentes that were due vnto vs and not only abode y e reproch and griefe of bodily death but also felt y e Iustice of God and became as a wretched offender to beare all the sinnes of the world let vs not doubt but he hath deliuered vs from the paines anguish which wee should haue felt and will lifte vs vp to himselfe and therefore nowe let vs not bee afraide of death But first of all it behoueth vs to followe the poore theefe What had he in him to bring him to the kingdome of heauen He was fastened to a crosse he had his armes and legges broken he seemed to bee but a wretched carkasse there was nothing but reproche in him Thus then you see howe he was an owgly myrrour to looke vpon and yet neuerthelesse Iesus Christe promiseth him to make him his partaker and companion of his heauenly glorie And what had hee beene all the time of his lyfe So lewde and wicked both before God and man that he was worse than condemned and accursed Will we then be the heires of God Wee must follow this theefe who had the preheminence to goe before vs into the heritage of heauen And how must wee follow him We must acknowledge y t naturally there is nothing in vs but vtter wickednesse and that GOD might iustly holde vs accursed Also wee must thinke our selues to bee as folke that haue their armes and legges broken yea and as men vtterly dismembred so as we haue not one whit of strength in vs at leastwise as in respect of our selues And yet for all that therewithall we must not doubt but that God accepteth vs to him when wee linke in with our Lorde Iesus Christ by right faith and pure affection acknowledging him to be our king and hauing our eyes fastened vpon the inuisible kingdome as I saide afore For if the wretched theefe which sawe death before his eyes which was in as great tormentes as was possible and sawe himselfe as it were behated of all the world did put his trust in Iesus Christe what ought wee to doe Againe in what state was our Lord Iesus Christ at the same time He hung vpon a crosse full of reproche and shame all men did spit at him all men did spite him And yet notwithstanding that reprochfull state the poore wretch ceassed not to behold life in death and to say Lorde remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome But now wee knowe that Iesus Christ is exalted to the right hand of GOD his father and hath souereigne power ouer all creatures so that if wee yeeld him not his due honour now that he is entered into his glorie wee shall haue no excuse at all True it is that he was once hanged vpon a gibbet ful of reproch and shame but yet wee see therewithall that the same was turned into glorie and triumph so as the victorie which he obteined was more royall than all the triumphes of all the Princes in the worlde Seeing then that wee doe see that Iesus Christ hath ridde away all the slaunder of his crosse by the power of his resurrection ought wee not at leastwise to looke vp to the kingdome where he dwelleth whereunto he calleth vs and which he hath purchased so
heauenly lyfe and looke thitherward so as all our wittes all our desires and all our indeuors tend thither For if we haue not an eye to the kingdome of heauen wee must needes shrinke at euery incounter euery minute of an houre Thus then ye see what wee haue to doe in that case And moreouer to the intent our hartes quaile not as Moses sayth here let vs indeuer to strengthen our selues with the power of the holy ghost and consider that as it is sayd by the prophet Esay Esa. 35. â—â— Heb. 1â— and alledged by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Gospel hath this propertie and nature with it that when wee feele our knees weake and trembling when our armes are feeble and after a sort broosed and broken and when we be hemmed in on all sides with impediments that hinder vs from following our vocation it maketh vs to resorte to Gods word which ought to strengthen vs and to make our armes and legges sound and lustie againe and specially to strengthen vs in our hearts and mindes 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 so as we may repent vs rightly of them and being ashamed in our selues resorte vnto him assuring our selues that as he hath promised to receiue all wretched sinners that come vnto him vpon trust of his grace by meanes of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall be accepted of him and and his wrath pacified towardes vs though wee haue prouoked him neuer so much And let vs pray him not onely that wee may obteyne forgiuenesse of our sinnes past but also to guide vs henceforth by his holy spirite and to drawe vs from all the vanities of the worlde so as he fashion vs according to his owne righteousnesse and make vs feele the fruite of the victorie and triumph that is prepared for vs in heauen That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to people nations of y e earth c. On Wednesday the xvij of April 1555. The seuenth Sermon vpon the first Chapter 29 And I sayd vnto you dread not neither be afraide of them 30 The Lord your God which goeth before you will fight for you lyke as hee did with you in Egypt before your eyes 31 And in the wildernesse where thou hast seene how the Lord thy God bare thee euen as a man beareth his sonne in all the way which ye haue gone vntill ye be come vnto this place 32 And yet for all this you haue not beleeued the Lord your God 33 Who to prouide you a place to pitch your tentes in went before you in the way in fyre by night to giue you light in the way that you should goe and in a cloude by day IF hardinesse were well taken it were an excellent vertue worthie of great prayse and exceedingly requisite in al a mans life For if wee be fearefull and haue not a stout courage to doe well it will be an easie matter to cary vs to all naughtinesse But yet for all that the worlde knoweth not how to bee hardie And that is the cause why men are so much giuen to rashnesse so bold ouerbold to adueÌ„ture vpon foolish matches without aduisemeÌ„t But if we adueÌ„ture vpon things on our own head fancie put not our trust in God it is a building without a foundation Neuerthelesse it is not for vs to looke for Gods helpe furtherfoorth than he hath bound himselfe to it by his promises The way then that we ought to be hardy is that when we haue once sought out Gods will wee obey it simply without attempting any thing at our owne pleasure Be wee once at that poynt wee must examine our owne strength and abilitie and finding nothing but weakenesse there wee must vtterly distrust our selues and resort vnto God And forasmuch as he of his owne free goodnesse vouchsafeth to assure vs that hee will not leaue vs at our neede we must thereupon conclude y t we cannot miscary being vnder his protection Now then wee see that the true hardinesse which God alloweth of is when men trust not to themselues ne leane to their owne wit and reason but yeelde themselues wholy to him that ought to gouerne them and depend vpon his grace for all thinges which they want and thereupon goe foreward stoutly without shrinking or swaruing one way or other And this lesson is shewed vs in the text that I rehearsed euen now out of Moses For there hee exhorteth the people to hardinesse and sheweth them why The Lorde your God sayth he will fight for you As if hee should say If you esteeme your selues the more for your great multitude or thinke to ouercome your enemies by your own power it is but foolish presumption and God wil punish you for being so puffed vp with pride And if ye should attempt any thing without Gods leaue and without hauing his worde for it that also were an ouerweening which should not scape vnpunished But forasmuch as God is on your side and you haue his promise that he will not faile you and you be not come hither but by his leading of you with his owne hand Be not afraid Thus sendeth he them to Gods will to the ende they should not doe any thing which is not lawfull Againe he will haue them to leane altogether to Gods promises and because they could not haue in themselues the thinges that were requisite he will haue them to hope that God will assist them Now this was spoken to the Iewes whom Moses gouerned at that time but yet is it a doctrine whose vse is euerlasting in Gods Church as is sayde afore We haue not the Chananites for our enemies against whome to fight but yet doe wee knowe y t this present life of ours shall not be idle but that God will haue vs kept occupyed lyke men of warre that are waged to battell And who be our enemies Satan with all the shiftes that he hath and all the vnbeleeuers through whom we must passe For here wee be mingled with such as seeke nothing els but the destruction of Gods children wee haue infinite temptations and to be short wee neede neuer to go out of our selues to finde incounters enow for all our lustes and all that springeth of our fleshe is deadly enmitie against GOD as sayth S. Paul to the Romans Rom. 8.7 Seeing then that God hath ordeyned that wee should mainteine battell all our lyfe long and wee haue a greate sorte of enemies yea and those very mightie and strong which neuer cease troubling of vs it behoueth vs to get vs hardines for if we shrink anon we be ouercome Therefore it standeth vs on hand to be armed with inuincible constancie or else if euery of vs followe his owne swindge God wil let vs alone So then are
against God And so fareth it commonly with vs. Wherefore if wee iudge of our neighbours let vs not doe it vpon our owne braine but let vs giue that authoritie vnto God without replying against his worde so as if he allow of any thing wee receiue it immediately for wee must haue this modestie of ruling our selues in all cases according to his good will And therewithall if God now and then doe thinges which seeme ouer rigorous yea and euen doe touch our selues very neere let vs stoope to them As for example if wee be afflicted out of measure to our own seeming yet must we not murmur nor fret at it For in good sooth what shall wee gaine by it It will turne to our dubble confusion Nay let vs pray God to frame vs to such obedience as wee may patiently receiue y e afflictions that he sendeth vs in such wise as the thinges which seeme straunge to our owne appetites affections and thoughtes may bee deemed of vs to bee good iust and rightfull bicause he willeth them That is the point which wee must come vnto To bee short let vs learne not to bee wise in our owne conceite nor to giue head to our affections for those two things are requisite if we intēd to glorifie God in all his doings Nowe here is also that which Moses addeth concerning the Cities and the greatnesse of them and concerning the Countrie and the great strength of Og King of Basan Wee tooke saieth he threescore Cities which were very well fortified and furnished in such wise as there was no likelyhood that they should haue bene easily taken Moses addeth these circumstaunces of purpose to magnifie Gods grace the more that the people might perceiue y t their strength came not flying in the aire but that it was GOD that gaue it them And that is a point well worthie to bee noted For if it bee to vaunt of our owne prowesse we can skill well ynough to gather the thinges that may serue for the purpose O say wee I had such a thing and such a thing I haue compassed my matters trimly such a crink was practised against mee a great way off and I remedied it with such a shift See my cunning see my policie there were such matches and such against me but I shifted well ynough with them all so as I dispatched them euerychone and mine enemies wonne nothing at my hand To bee short wee can skill to alledge all things that may giue a faire glosse and showe to our owne vertues But if it bee to glorifie God for the reliefe that wee haue had at his hand wee runne ouer it as it were vpon hotte coales as they say wee remember not the distresse that wee were in the daunger that wee bee scaped out of seemeth to bee a thing of nothing See what our lewdnesse is So much the more therefore doeth it stand vs on hand to mark what is told vs here that is to wit that in all the benefites which wee haue receiued of God we must consider in what taking wee had bene if wee had gone without them and wee shall haue matter good store wherewith to doe that if we be not wilfully blind as wee are wont to bee For was not the least daunger that euer we fell into ynough to abash vs But when a thing toucheth vs any thing neere ye shall see vs as sore dismaied as may be In deede if wee bee once out of it it is nothing with vs but that is for want of minding it Yet notwithstanding if wee see but a mote or a flie whisking by our eyes by and by wee bee dazeled But yet for all this out of howe great things doeth God deliuer vs He will suffer vs to goe downe as it were into our graue and to be there as it were in a gulfe of death so as which way soeuer we looke we shal finde no way to scape out at so deepely shall wee bee sunk therein And to what ende Euen to the ende that God may make vs perceiue his power the better when it pleaseth him to succour vs. So then wee haue matter ynough and ynough to giue glosse vnto Gods grace if wee bee not minded to shut our eyes maliciously of set purpose or to thrust the things vnderfoote which are too too manifest and apparant Therefore let vs put this doctrine in vre which is shewed vs here by Moses that is to wit that God will giue vs incredible victories as he doeth alreadie and that when wee haue them wee must bethinke vs thus Goe to came this of our owne policie came this of our owne strength No it is God that hath done it For when wee haue well examined all that is in vs wee shall finde our selues to come shorte in all pointes and that euen from the one ende to the other our Lorde must bee faine to doe all in man And looke what Moses reporteth here concerning the bodily enemies of the children of Israel as in respect of the power of this world that must wee apply to the power of Satan and to all the shiftes that he hath against vs. If wee haue that discretion with vs then shall we haue wherefore to magnifie Gods grace towardes vs if wee consider well whence wee bee deliuered that is to wit out of the pit of hell For which of vs was able to breake the barres and bondes of Satan which of vs was able to abolish the souereigntie of death It stoode vs on hand that God should worke there Nowe it is so that we were all shut vp in the bondage of sinne Ro. 3.9 5.12 and consequently that death reigned ouer vs. Satan had possession of vs so as none of vs could scape frō him Wee could stirre neither arme nor legge but it was to thrust our selues still further and to sinke our selues still deeper Seeing it is so let vs vnderstand Eph. 2.3 that when God brought vs out of the curse wherein all of vs are by nature it must needes be that his meere grace wrought in that behalfe And that is moe times than once as Moses speaketh here of the threescore Cities Wherefore let vs vnderstande that as soone as we be come to the end of one battell strait ways wee must enter into another God helpeth vs to day and if he hold not on dayly yea if he make vs not to feele his ayde euerye minute of an houre what will become of vs If wee had had a thousād victories yet were one assault ynough to ouerthrowe vs. Therefore let vs learne to magnifie Gods grace towardes vs. And herewithall let vs marke also that Moses speaking here of the strength of Og King of Basan saieth Behold he had a bed like a Giant and againe he saieth that he came of the race of the Rephaims Which serueth to shewe more and more that the people were as a sheepe in a Wolues mouth And if it were so with them at that time what
prepared a better inheritance for vs than this transitorie life when we see al these things must it not needes be that wee bee worse than blockish if we be not rauished with earnest affection to worship our God and to vowe and dedicate our selues wholly to him Yes but besides this wee must bethinke vs of all the good turnes which God hath done vs as well in general as in particular and then must we confesse with Dauid Lord when I thinke vpon thy benefites behold my wit is plundged as it were into a bottomlesse pit Psa. 40. â— yea they be moe in nomber thaÌ„ the haires of my head as it is said in the fortith Psalme Againe when wee haue acknowledged how much we be beholden to our God generally let vs also consider the benefites that euerie of vs haue receiued at Gods hand particularly And whereas it was saide to the people of Israel in olde time I brought thee out of the land of Egypt let vs consider whence our Lorde deliuered vs when he vouchsafed to admit vs into his household and Church Rom. â— 1 Eph. 2 3â— 1. Co. 1â— â— Act. 26. â—â— 2. Tim. â— â— For we be Adams childreÌ„ by nature cursed heires of death altogither sinnefull and consequently must needes be lothsome to our God Let men like of themselues and glorie of themselues as much as they list yet not withstanding this is their pedegree this is al their nobilitie namely y t they bee Satans bondslaues that they haue a sinke of sinne and corruption in them Eph. 2.11 4.18 and that they haue nothing but Gods wrath and curse hanging ouer their heads and to bee short that being banished from the kingdome of heauen they be deliuered vp to all mischiefe and woe But our Lord hath deliuered vs from these things by the hand of his sonne he hath not sent vs a Moses as he did to the people of olde time Rom. â— â—â— nay he hath not spared his onely sonne but hath deliuered him to death for vs. Seeing then that we be rauÌ„somed with so deare and inestimable a price 1. Pet. â—â—â— as is the holy bloud of the sonne of God ought wee not to giue our selues wholly vnto him Furthermore if Egypt were termed a house of bondage I praye you what is it when y e diuell holdeth vs in his bondes and vnder his tyrannie so as we haue no meanes to scape death but are shut out from all hope of saluation and God is vtterly against vs Seeing wee bee deliuered from all these things is it not a much more excellent deliuerance than that which Moses here speaketh of Yes and therefore whereas it was saide to the people of olde time thy GOD hath brought thee out of the lande of Egypt nowe it is sayde that we be not our owne as saieth Saint Paul in the fourteenth to the Romanes Ro. 14. â—â— 1. Cor. â—â— 24. and also in the seuenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Wee bee not our owne the faithfull must not take leaue to doe what they list nor to liue euerie man after his owne liking And why Bicause our Lorde Iesus Christ dyed and is risen againe to raigne both ouer quicke and dead Then is it good reason that Iesus Christ shoulde bee Lord of life and death seeing he spared not himselfe when our redemption saluation were to be wrought And moreouer besides that the sonne of God hath offered vp himselfe for redemption let vs vnderstand that he maketh vs partakers of that benefite at this day Eph. 1 1â— Eph. 1. â—â— by meanes of the Gospell For hee gathereth vs to him to the intent wee should bee of his flocke True it is that hee is the Lambe without spot which wypeth awaye the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.29 2. Tim. 1.9.10 Rom. 5.10 and 2. Cor. 5.19 and that he hath offered himselfe vp to reconcile men vnto God But yet for all that wee see a great nomber of people that are let alone against whome the gate is shut and GOD doeth not graunt them the grace to bee inlightened by faith as wee bee And therefore let vs marke well that seeing the Gospell is preached vnto vs and wee haue there a warrant that the sonne of God will make the redemption auailable in vs which he hath once wrought and cause vs to inioye the benefite thereof wee must learne that our thankelesnesse will bee the shamefuller if wee doe not our indeuour to giue our selues to our God who hath bounde vs to himselfe after that sorte If the vnbeleeuers play the loose Coltes and ouershoote themselues in their superstitions and in wantonnesse of life well it is bicause they haue no bridle he hath not reyned them backe as he doeth his housholde folke Wee see the horrible confusion that is in Poperie but yet there is not any doctrine to plucke men backe to God nay rather that doctrine which is there doeth drawe them quite and cleane from him And we see that the diuell hath gotteÌ„ such footing there that all is full of trumperie and illusions and the liuing God is quite forsaken And so ye see that there is a horrible confusion But as for our part seeing that God draweth vs to himselfe is it not a straiter bond to make vs to linke in throughly with him and to holde ourselues vnder obedience of the doctrine that is set foorth to vs in his name Yes and therefore let vs learne to sticke so to our God as wee may renounce all that euer wee can imagine of our owne head and let vs consider that it is not for vs to swarue one way or other any more or to be tossed too and fro in any wise assuring our selues that there is but onely one God who will possesse vs yea and possesse vs in such wise as his honour bee not taken from him and bestowed vppon creatures and that he watcheth ouer vs to the end wee should knowe that it is onely he on whom wee ought to call Psal. 11 6.9 and to whose grace we ought to repaire for succour And finally forasmuch as it is his will to haue and accept vs to bee of his houshold let vs walke as in his presence and in his sight and that in such wise as wee worshippe him as our onely God not onely with Ceremonies and outward protestation but also in our hearts as they that knowe that his seruice is spirituall and to be short let him possesse both our bodies and our soules that he may bee throughly glorified in all respectes 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 that it may leade vs to true repentance to be mortified more and more so as our wicked lustes may be cut off and we bee wholy giuen to feare and honour him that forasmuch as wee can not serue him throughly as he deserueth so long
y e time shold haue some help such as y e sacrifices were to feed theÌ„ in the hope of the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as they might know y t their sinnes were cleansed away by y e bloud of y e mediator Likewise they had y e Saboth day as warraÌ„t of the grace y t was purchased vs to mortify our thoughtes affections that God might liue in vs by y e power of his holy spirit Gal. 2.19.20 Now we haue som entrance to coÌ„ceiue y t which was touched briefely before y t is to wit y t the Saboth day was as a figure to represeÌ„t y e thing y t was fulfilled in deede at y e comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And therefore let vs marke wel y t the Saboth day exteÌ„ded to y e whole seruice of God to shewe that men could not honor him purely but by renouncing theÌ„selues by being separated from the defilemeÌ„ts of y e world of their owne flesh Eze. 20.21 22.8 32.38 And for the same cause were the Iewes rebuked lykewise by the prophet Ezechiel for not keeping the Saboth day And it is tolde them in such wise as if they had broken the whole lawe generally And not without cause for he y t despiseth the Saboth day hath as much as in him lyeth thrust the whole seruice of God vnder foot And if the day of rest be not kept all the residewe is nothing woorth according to this saying of y e Prophet Esay y t men must bereaue themselues of their owne vertues Esa. 58.13 and be contented to forgoe them or else it is not the Lordes Saboth neither doth he lyke or alowe of it Hereby we see y t it is to no purpose to obserue the ceremonie alone For had the Iewes kept the ceremonie neuer so straitly in assembling together on the Saboth day without stirring one finger in their housholde businesse yet in the meane while nourish their own wicked affectioÌ„s afterward put them in effect it had bin but a mocking of God by abusing of his name and by defacing and falsifying the whole order that he had ordeined accordingly also as he vpbraideth them But the chiefe thing was to haue an eye to the true meaning of the figure that is to wit to the spirituall seruing of God And yet therewithal it behooued the Iewes to keepe the ceremonie also that was commaunded them For God did so bridle them as he vouchsafed not to let them haue the substance of things alone by it selfe but he would that they should also haue the shadowes of them therewithall vntil the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. â—ol 2.20 And hereby wee see the thing that S. Paul speaketh namely that as now we be no more tyed to the old bondage of keping the Saboth day For we must doe so much honor to Iesus Christ as to holde our selues contented with that which hee hath brought vs in his owne person without the hauing of the outward thinges any more y t were vnder the law Now we see how this obseruation concerneth vs at this day As touching the ceremonie it selfe it is past as I sayde and therefore wee must come to the substance which is y t to serue God wel wee must learne to forbeare al our own wils all our own thoughts affections And why Because y t when wee will needes be wise in our owne conceites to imagine this or y t to serue God withal we marre al. Therfore our own wisedom must be layd down we must heare God speake without following our own wil or fancie Thus the first entraÌ„ce to keep the Saboth day as we ought to doe is not to beleeue the thing y t seemeth good to our selues for wee must rest And how must we rest Wee must stand at a stay so as our thoughtes runne not rouing abroade to inuent one thing or other We must say I continue quietly at one stay in the obedience of our God Rom. 8.7 And when wee be tempted by our owne lustes we must consider that all our lewde and disobedient affections are enemies to God euerichone of them Therefore we must rest stil in that behalfe and referre our selues vnto God that he onely may worke in vs and guide and gouerne vs by his holy spirit Hereby we see God ouerslipped not any thing when hee ordeined the Saboth day And sith it hath so large a scope what want wee more to teach vs a perfect doctrine of holynesse when we haue the thinges which the holy Ghost hath set before vs The matter is that we shoulde liue holily in the obedience of our God And how is that to be done Euen by receiuing his single worde and by fashioning our selues according to his righteousnesse Now forasmuch as the thinges which we haue of our owne nature are coÌ„trarie thereunto Matt. 6.14 Luk. 9.23 we must begin at this end of renouÌ„cing our selues That being done we haue all that is requisite to the seruing of God But y t is very hard to be done And therefore when we heare y t God commandeth vs to keepe the Saboth day let vs looke that we marke and consider that it wil not be done with playing but y t we must inforce our selues we shall haue profited greatly all our lyfe if we keepe it well that is to wit by renouncing whatsoeuer wee haue of our owne and by dedicating our selues wholy vnto our God And we ought to bee the more inflamed to the spirituall keeping of the Saboth of the Lord seing we be set free froÌ„ the slauish subiection of the law and God hath graunted greater priuiledge to vs than he did to the fathers of olde time insomuch that hee is contented with our mortifying of the old man to be renewed again by the power of his holy spirit we be no more bouÌ„d to the ceremonie that was kept so straitly vnder the law Seing y t God handleth vs so louingly it bindeth vs the more to haue an eye to the principal y t we may obserue it duely Yea we must not alledge y t the auÌ„cient fathers had y e ceremonie to quickeÌ„ theÌ„ vp which serued theÌ„ as a spurre for inasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ is come we haue much more than the outwarde and visible signe And forasmuch as al the things that were figured in those shadowes are accomplished in him Col 2.17 we must not craue stil the thinges that were vnder the lawe Thus ye see how the thing that is ordeined here concerning the Saboth day is nowe fulfilled at leastwise as in respect of the truth of the figure which the fathers had but in shadowe And in very deede looke what was commaunded concerning the day of rest must needes belong to vs as well as to theÌ„ For let vs take Gods lawe in it selfe and we shall haue an euerlasting rule of righteousnesse And it is certeine that vnder the
our hearts but also of al our thoughts imaginatioÌ„s and conceits There is not that thing in vs which commeth not then to triall and knowledge In so much that the things which we tooke to be no faultes at all must be condemned before God and hee must haue the iudging of them vnlesse wee play the iudges with our selues aforehand And herewithall wee haue to magnifie the mercie of our God Rom. â—â— 23. in that although we be faultie so greatly so many wayes yet notwithstanding he accepteth vs for righteous Let vs make comparison here betweene the righteousnesse which we obtaine by faith and the curse that is vppon vs. Whereinto be we plundged Are we faultie but in some one offence or in some two or three or in some certaine nomber Nay we be plundged in such a gulfe that if wee begin once to fall to reckening wee must needes be confounded A hundred Millions of faultes is not the hundred part of the offences that wee haue committed before God Then are we so guiltie as there is none ende nor measure of our sinnes Yet notwithstanding God receiueth vs to mercie so as wee bee counted as righteous before him as though there were such full soundnesse and perfection in vs that nothing were amisse but that we had performed the whole Lawe Seeing then that God forgiueth vs such an infinite nomber of offences and clotheth vs with his owne righteousnesse through the operation of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ in as much as wee lay hold by faith vppon the grace that is purchased for vs and do him the honour to say Lord it is in thy meere and free bestowed goodnesse that our saluation consisteth doeth it not appeare therein how much wee bee bound vnto him Yes So then wheÌ„ Gods Law hath brought vs to our wittes end not only bicause of the infinite nomber of our lustes but also bicause wee shoulde lye buried vnder them as vnder huge mountaines if God should deale rigorously with vs let vs call to minde that Gods intent is not to leaue vs in despaire but to lift vs vp againe as soone as wee be sunke downe When he sees our feeblenesse he reacheth vs his hand and calleth vs to him and will haue vs to bee comforted for as much as he of his mercie layeth not any of al our sinnes to our charge Thus ye see howe the faithfull ceasse not to be of good cheere though they bee so condemned in themselues But yet must wee begin at this ende of being vtterly dismayed in our selues that our Lorde may deliuer vs from the dungeon of death and wee acknowledge y t our saluation consisteth in his only grace Howbeit let vs notwithstanding liue warely and keepe good watch assuring our selues y t when we haue trauailed neuer so much and taken neuer so much paine to serue God so as wee haue on the one side eschewed all occasions of euill and on the otherside subdued our affections lusts also indeuored to represse al wicked thoughts yet wee must not ceasse to condemne our selues still and to stand still in awe Although we haue had victory through the grace of God and sinne hath not ouermaistred vs yet doth it dwell coÌ„tinually in vs and there is still some vncleannesse and spot in vs. Therefore let vs sigh and let vs sigh in such sort as it may sharpen vs to doe our duetie We see how S. Paule speaketh of it After he had profited as much as might bee and was come to an Angelicall holinesse yet notwithstanding he saith still wretch that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death Rom. 7.24 And what is the cause that he considereth death in himselfe but for that he sawe sinne there Neuerthelesse let vs vnderstand that wee must not bee out of heart Although wee perceiue a Million of sinnes day by day in vs yet must wee still passe on further And therefore when Saint Paule exhorteth the faithfull to eschew sinne He saieth not Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne dwell in you but he sayeth Let not sinne raigne in you In deede it were to be wished that sinne dwelled not in vs but seeing it is in vs yet must wee not bee too much discomforted For whereas it is saide that sinne dwelleth in vs first it warneth vs of our wretched state and secondly it willeth vs to consider that wee must bee occupyed in continuall warfare and therefore flee the earnestlyer to our God for succour praying him to strengthen vs with his power by the grace of his holy spirit which he hath giuen vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Nowe let vs fall downe in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better and that wee may learne to frame our lyues to the obeying of him which beholdeth not onely our outward woorkes intentes and affections but also euen all our thoughtes and conceytes And for as much as wee can not attayne to such perfection out of hand let vs beseeche God that the same may bee an occasion to humble vs and therewithall to stirre vs vp continually to fyght lustilyer so as euerie of vs may inforce himselfe to correct the vyces that are in his nature vntill our Lorde hauing rid vs from this corrupt fleshe doe clothe vs againe with his owne righteousnesse and fashion vs al wholly like to his glorious image That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. On Tewsday the xvj of Iuly 1555. The xlij Sermon which is the thirteenth vpon the fifth Chapter 22 These are the woordes which the Lorde spake to your multitude vpon the Mount from the middes of the fire out of the Cloud and darkenesse with a great voyce And he added no more thereunto but wrate them in two tables of stone and gaue them vnto mee FOr as much as wee finde not a better excuse of our lewdnesse disobedience towardes God than to pleade ignoraunce we coulde finde in our heartes to haue alwayes that shrouding sheete so as wee myght saye wee vnderstand not what GOD sayeth or that hee speakes not vnto vs or else that his voyce is too farre off for vs to heare But GOD foreseeing such lewdnesse meant to preuent all that men could alledge to the ende they might haue nothing to defend themselues withall And therefore in setting forth his Lawe it was his wil that the doctrine which is contained therein should be vttered with a loud shirle voyce Yea he spake it not onely to three or foure but to all the people both great small without exception Besides this Matt. 5.18 it was his will that the lawe should be put in writing that it might continue and not serue for one age onely but stand in force and authoritie to y e worldes end And y t is the cause why it is said in this place
1.18 That no man euer saw God but the sonne who hath alwayes beene in the bosome of the father hath reuealed him vnto vs. The fathers of olde time had a knowledge as I said but that knowledge is esteemed as none at all in comparison of the knowledge which we haue now adayes by the Gospell Matt. 4.2 God sheweth himselfe more plainely vnto vs by the shining forth of the daysunne of righteousnesse And for the same cause the Prophet Esay treating of the redemption that was to bee perfourmed in the person of the sonne of God Esa. 25.9 saith expressely Behold this is he beholde this is our God The Prophet crieth out this is he this is our God He contenteth not himselfe to say behold our God but he speaketh as if the thing were present and as though God had appeared vnto him How so And was not God in y e mids of his people Exod. 25.8 Yes for he said I will dwel among you And againe This is my rest Sion is y e place where I will dwell Psal. 131.13.14 And afterward he protesteth that he will neuer depart thence and that the people is his temple and a royall Priesthood Why then doeth the Prophet Esay say Behold behold our God this is he this is he when our Lorde Iesus Christ was to come into the world Euen bicause God reuealed himselfe to vs in greater perfection Now then we be the lesse to be excused if we run gadding nowe adayes without holding of our selues to the pure trueth so as euerie of vs turneth away after his own dotages to say it seemeth so to mee this thinke I good Let vs assure our selues that all this is nothing worth but we must repaire to the certaintie that is brought vs by our Lord Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse so farre off is the worlde from knowing this that it should seeme they bee all bent to spyte God and haue conspired to turne their backes vppon him and to shake off all subiection that they may haue libertie to continue in their disorders and to scape in the meane while vnespyed with their lewdnesse The Iewes are vnexcusable according as wee see howe the Prophetes vpbrayde them with their wilfull forsaking of God Es. 42.19.20 65.10.11 Esa. 55.11 so as they coulde not excuse themselues by saying y t they had not heard any thing as the poore Paynims might doe for God protesteth that he spake not in vaine And now adayes when God speaketh to vs with open mouth 2. Cor. 3.18 and wee haue him perfectly discouered vnto vs by the Gospell is it not too great a lewdnesse that men should runne astray after that fashion Were there euer any superstitions more grosse and more outragious than are to bee seene nowe adayes in the Popedome It is true that the Iewes medled with the superstitions of the Heathen and tooke much filth and vncleannesse of them but if all bee well searched it will bee founde that the Papists haue farre exceeded them For Gods word is as it were at this day buryed among them When they treate of fayth they fetch the points of it from mens inuentions and the holy scripture is in as much reuerence among them as if it were dead and that all thinges went to hauocke Loe at what poynt they bee And if a man speake to them of Gods seruice as I sayde they bee busie about their owne inuentions Yea verily myne intent is good say they and so they beare themselues in hand that God will suffer himselfe to bee dandled lyke a little babe and will neuer come to examine any whit of the doctrine of Poperie Againe if they speake of fayth exhort they men to resort to Gods free promises No but they chalendge all to themselues When they take in hand to treate of the office of Iesus Christ they ouerthrowe the vertue of his death and passion as much as they can When they treate of their saluation then step forth their owne free-will their merites and their satisfactions But contrariwise we should resort to the mere grace of the holy Ghost Ro. 7.17.18 acknowledging our selues to bee in bondage to sinne vntill God deliuer vs from it through his mercie And thereuppon it commeth that the holy Scripture calleth the forgiuenesse of sinnes our righteousnesse That is the point which wee must resort vnto Rom. 3. â—2 23 â—4 to know that when wee haue done amisse wee can bring none other amendes or payment for it than such as wee borrowe of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But there is not a word of all this in Poperie When God is to be prayed vnto they make their vagaries to their Heesaintes and Sheesaintes in the meane while Iesus Christ is not knowen to bee as he is neither is let alone with the office that is giuen him by God his father but they depose him lyke a sorte of theeues and traytours that seeke nothing else but to burie him againe and to make hauocke of all the glorie that was giuen him by God his Father After the same sort deale they also in all other things Wee see how the Sacramentes are defiled to the vttermost In stead of the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ they haue set vp that same hellish abhomination of the Masse wherein they say that Iesus Christ is sacrificed as though he had done nothing alreadie nor were appointed to be the onely euerlasting Priest by God his father Heb. 7 2â— Wee see then that the Papists haue so dalyed with Gods word wherein he hath reuealed himselfe as it should seeme that they meant of set purpose to wype away the knowledge that is in the Gospell And therefore wee haue so much the more neede to marke well this saying That the Lord is God yea eâ—en the onely one God Nowe then as oft as this word God commeth to our minde let vs assure ourselues that it serueth to cut off all toyes that may come in our heades and all inuentions of men and all other things whereof we haue not warrant in the holy scriptures For God will haue vs to consider him in such wise as wee snarle not ourselues in the imaginations and errours of idolatrie And of a truth we cannot haue the true God except wee haue him alone that is to say without adding any companion vnto him For as soone as we fall to bringing in of vndergoddes we forsake the liuing God And why Bicause his will is to bee alone as he auoweth in another place by his Prophet Esay saying Esa. 41. â—â— I am the liuing God saieth the Lord and I will not giue my glory to any other Againe we haue seene heretofore how he called himselfe a iealous God And why was that but to withdrawe vs from all corruptions 2. Cor. â—â— as S. Paule affirmeth in the second to the Corinthians For as soone as we be turned aside from the simplicitie of Gods word it
And so let vs vnderstande that although wee haue Gods worde yet will God haue pitie on whome hee will haue pitie according to Saint Paules alledging of the same text to shewe that albeit the multitude of people to whome the Gospell is preached bee neuer so great yet God reserueth whome he listeth to himselfe and it is meete he shoulde so doe and yet notwithstanding we haue cause to glorifie him howsoeuer thinges goe without attempting in any wise to grudge at it But haue we knowē that Would we be assured of our saluation We must resort not only to Gods grace but also chiefely to y e promises wherby he vttereth his loue towardes vs as is said alreadie Yee see then that the cause why Moses doth in this place attribute the title of Faithful vnto God is to the end that when folke will be sure of their saluation they should not enter into foolish imaginations Ro. 5.10.18 Eph. 1.7 but looke vnto Gods woord which is before their eyes whereupon they may be bold to rest So then let it content vs that our Lorde allureth vs to him and that the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ together with his righteousnesse is set afore vs so as wee know that by that meanes we may bee reconciled vnto God to the end y t our sins be not imputed vnto vs but that we may be acceptable vnto him Seing that this is set down vnto vs let vs take hold of Gods faithfulnesse which Moses speaks of here and let vs not thinke that God offereth vs such a benefite to deceiue vs but that he doth it to the ende that we should glorifie him in the middes of our miseries and that although wee bee silie fraile creatures yet we may say that the life of Iesus Christ belongeth vnto vs and that we be already lifted vp to sit with him in the kingdome of heauen Eph. 2.6 Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mind concerning the woord Faithfull Now for a conclusion Moses addeth a threat saying that God also will requite like for like to suche as hate him yea euen to their faces that he wil not foreslow In this place there is some darksomnesse in the woordes of Moses for hee interchaungeth the number God saith hee will yeild recompence to such as hate him to his face or before his face Then doth he shift the number it seemeth that whereas he sayth they hate him to his face he ment to say that wee spyte God or hate God to his face when wee fall out into disorder and are so rebellious as it should seeme that we would run against him and defie him to be at open warre with him But for as much as that woord is repeted twice and in the end it appeareth that Moses spake of the faces of the transgressors no doubt but it is a chaunging of the number as the holy Scripture is commonly wont to doe Therefore the very meaning of it is that God will requite them to their faces by making the hatred to turne backe vppon themselues Othersome take it as though it were spoken of their lifetime that God will not only punish the wicked and the despisers of his Lawe after this present life but also execute his vengeance vppon them aforehande to the sight of mens eys so as we shal be prouoked to feare him by y e sight of y e punishments which he wil so execute vppon the disobedient Othersome take it that God will requite it to his face as though it were sayd y t wheras he spareth the wicked in this world it is to the ende to ouerthrowe them and destroy them vtterly afterward according as it is sayde by the prophet Ier. 12.3 that God pampereth those whom he punisheth not out of hand like as men doe fatte an Ox or a swine when they intend to kill him And the prophet vseth that similitude to the intent wee should not enuy the wicked when we see them prosper For is an Ox or a Swine to bee enuied which is fatted but to the slaughter and which shall haue his throte cut when he is once fatte Now then God handleth the wicked and the despisers of his maiestie after such a sort as he may seeme to loue them but it is to hasten them the sooner to their destruction And truly this is a good and profitable lesson but as touching the present place if wee read all the wordes of Moses throughout there is no darknesse at all in them For why he addeth God wil not foreslowe to requite them that hate him euery man in his face And so Moses ment in effect to shewe that men may be past shame in rebelling against God but yet in the end they shal find that they haue too rough an aduersarie and therefore God must be faine to pull them by the beardes to make them y e more ashamed It is true y t as now they vtter great brags and it shold seeme that they would make God ashamed and put him to the foyle but he can well skill to ouermatch them in such wise as they shal be faine to receiue their payment in their owne persons yea and euen in their faces according as it is sayd in the fifteeth psalme Psal. 50.16.21 I wil reproue thee to thy face And in that place God pleadeth expresly against hypocrites How now sayth hee Becommeth it thee to take my name in thy mouth Thou boastest thy selfe to bee myne and thou wilt needes play the preacher and defile my holy law with thy stinking mouth Now when thou doest me such iniurie as to take vpon thee to be a prophet and to speake in my name and in the meane while doest match and accōpany thy selfe with whoremongers quarelers and raylers what will come of it in the ende When I haue borne with thee a while I will reproue thee to thy teeth saieth he Hee vseth there the word Face as he doth here in this text but it is a common speeche in our language to say that it is spoken to a mans teeth face or heade That then is the naturall sense of Moses And heere we be warned to humble ourselues before God and to stoop in such wise as we prouoke him not to wrath through our hardnesse shamelesnesse so as he should shewe himselfe to be our aduersarie to requite vs to our face that is to say in our owne persons by being driuen to come before him to bee punished according to our desertes Then let vs not harden our hearts against our God but let vs learne to cast downe our eyes when he speaketh vnto vs. It is true indeed that wee ought to lift vp our heades when wee heare the promises of his goodnesse so as faith must make vs to stie aboue the cloudes But yet doth not this let vs that wee should not still bee ashamed in our selues and haue an eye to our owne wretchednesse and learne to bee
to perfection but wee must expresly pray him that although hee finde faultes and offences in vs as indeede the number of them is infinite yet that he forbeare not to take vs still for his people and that although we deserue to be forsaken of him for our sinnes inasmuch as wee haue broken his couenant yet notwithstanding he cease not to keepe promise with vs still and to make vs feele y e fruit thereof and to forgiue our sinnes in such wise as we may neuer cease to continue in his adoption that although our straying away was ynough to bereaue vs of the inheriting of our saluation yet notwithstanding hee cease not to take vs for his children still To bee short whensoeuer wee resort vnto God wee must acknowledge our sins with all humilitie For it will be to no purpose for vs to say Lorde thou hast promised vs thou hast tolde vs that thou of thy goodnesse wilt bee merciful to vs thou hast declared that thou wilt bee our father wee haue thy promise it will not boote vs to say all these thinges for all shall bee ouerthrowen with one worde because wee haue done amisse and haue not kept the course wherunto God called vs but haue drawen cleane backe Therfore we be warned that whensoeuer we pray vnto God wee must acknowledge our faultes and confesse them freely that God may not cease to haue pitie vppon vs specially when wee shall haue committed any grosse fault as this people had done in committing abhominable ydolatrie The greater then that our sinnes bee the more let vs cast downe and humble our selues to craue pardon of our God by confessing wherin we haue offended him After that manner must we deale And it is certaine that if euerie of vs consider well his owne life without flatterie he shall finde himself exceedingly indaungered vnto God and we shall always haue good cause to be ashamed of our selues And therefore when we pray let vs beare these two things in rememberance namely that although we be neuer so wretched yet notwithstanding forasmuch as God hath chosen vs for his people wee must come to him familiarly and without doubting for he guideth vs thither and openeth vs y e gate by his promise that must be our grounde to stande vpon Againe we must be thinke vs of our sinnes so as we may feele them be deadly wounded by them to the ende we may bee sorie for them before God beseech him notwithstanding our vnworthines to applie his promises to our saluation when it shall haue pleased him to bury our sinnes to receiue vs to mercy Yea let vs mark well y e wordes y t are set downe here the stubbornnes of the people their wickednes and their sin For Moses here maketh not a ceremonious confession as these shamelesse sort doe that is to say in manner the greater part when they haue done amisse do beare themselues in hand that it is ynough to haue saide in one worde I grant it is a fault but ye must cōsider I am a mā I am not as a timberlog It is ynough for them say I that they excuse not thēselues altogether But we must come after another fashion as wee see by example here For first of all Moses setteth downe Stubbornnes shewing thereby that there was a horrible rebeliousnes in that people Next he addeth wickednes wherin he betokeneth y t the people were starke naught for y e word that he vseth importeth such a leawdnes that they which are so termed are disordered in their whole life And lastly he addeth Sinne that is to say y e particular fault which they had committed namely their offence in making themselues an ydol And so we see that he acknowledgeth the peoples offences in good earnest to condemne them Nowe like as Moses speaketh here of the people so do we see that Daniel speaketh of himself Da◠◠5 for in his report howe he confessed his own sins and the sinnes of the people he saieth Lord we haue sinned wee haue offended thee wee haue done wickedly we bee transgressors our sinnes are outragious and our iniquities are exceeding great Daniel goeth not to worke by halues in confessing that himselfe and the rest of the people had done amisse and deserued to bee chastised at Gods hande but he saith flatly we be wicked and we haue behaued our selues leawdly we haue beene disobedient and vntrue to our God we haue prouoked his wrath too much and wee be cursed and damned vnlesse God powre out y e infinite treasures of his mercy vppon vs. Yee see then how the true confession which God requireth at our handes is not to come to him and to say in one worde I haue done amisse but to be so abashed as to acknowledge our selues blameworthy in all respects and to be dismayed at the rememberance of our offences like wretched offenders not looking to haue our inditements red vnto vs not to haue articles alledged against vs but accusing our selues aforehand in such sort as God may accept our submission when we shal haue examined our faults throughly not onely in generall but also in particular And in verie deede after that Moses had spoken of Stubbornnesse and wickednes he addeth the Offence that y e people had committed Whereby hee meaneth that it is not ynough to say we were conceiued in sinne it is horrible to see howe all thinges are out of order in our whole life but when we haue offended God any maner of way we must vtter it as we see how Dauid cōfesseth generally y t ther was nothing in him but vtter corruptiō Psal. 〈…〉 and y t he brought nothing w t him from his mothers womb but y e inheriting of death therw tall faileth not to confesse y e sin particularlie which he had committed not wrapping it vp amōg y e other to make as though he wist not of it but setting down both twaine of thē as we see y t Moses doth in this text Wherefore when we shall haue committed any offence let vs learne to feele it to confesse it freely before God And let the same lead vs yet further that is to wit to haue an eye to the offences of our whole life and to acknowledge our selues altogether indangered vnto God except hee receiue vs to mercie And aboue all thinges let vs acknowledge the hardnesse of our heartes in that wee cannot submit our selues to God because wee be stubborne against him and all the affections of our flesh are at enmitie with him Rom. 8.7 After that manner say I must we confesse our faults if we minde to obtaine forgiuenesse of them For as for them y t come to God ceremoniously cōfessing thēselues to haue done amisse and not being touched to the quicke with their leawdnesse nor minding to acknowledge it in their hearts they doe but play mockeholyday and they shall feele with whom they haue to do and that God is not an earthly
him my image shyneth most perfectly in him which is shewed soorth in his Gospell and therfore they that are members of his bodie are made partakers of all the benefites which hee hath in him That is the way for the promises to haue their effect and force in vs and not to looke simply to the doctrine of the lawe For when God sayd I will giue you the lande to whome spake he To all the people But yet with condition if yee keepe my commandements And that was made voide As howe Because the people were disobedient and kept not couenant with God And so ye see that the whole couenant was broken so as God was set free againe and no longer bounde vnto them because it was tyed to a condition What doeth he then He sends vs a king to whome he sayeth I will giue thee the lande for thine inheritance Hee vseth the selfe same wordes that are set downe here by Moses I will giue thee the lande saith hee for thine inheritance from the wildernesse vnto mount Libanus from the riuer Euphrates to y e great sea And to whome doth God giue it To Dauid Salomon True it is that he had giuen the same land afore to all the people but the people were banished from it through their own fault And was it then but for one onely person was it the worthines of Dauid or Salomon that made God willing to giue them the thing which hee had promised to al the ofspring of Abraham No but it was because they were a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And in verie deede when the Prophets intended to assure the people of the quiet state that was promised to thē and of the inioying of the land they saide I will raise you vp a Dauid Now then Gods offering to lay foorth his riches to al men without exceptiō in his law to maintaine them withall in this present life is as if he should say whatsoeuer I haue promised to giue to the fathers of olde time belongeth to you also at leastwise if ye obey my law throughly in all points not by pieces starts But wee be so farre vnable to discharge our selues of that duetie that we fall to despising of God so as hee is faine to shewe himselfe an enemie vnto vs. That is al that we be able to win by our keeping of the lawe if we wil needes stick simply to it as I sayd afore Neuerthelesse there is this other remedie for it Whē our Lord Iesus Christ cōmeth forth reacheth vs his hande to pull vs to him then we find that he is not without cause termed the vniuersal heire of all the goods which God his father hath And his possessing of them is not for himself 〈◊〉 1. ◠17 for he is one selfesame essence w t God the father he hath bin the God of glory at all times 1. Cor. 2.8 Matt. 28.18 Phil. 2.7.9 But in this flesh of ours in our humaine nature wherewith he was clothed he was ordeyned chiefe king and the dominion of the worlde was giuen vnto him euen as wel in heauen as in earth Now then if we be once graffed into his bodie and perfectly made one with him then shall wee recouer that thing in him which we cannot obteine by our deedes deserts And then shal we see that Iesus Christ beeing raised againe vnto glorie wil of his goodnes drawe vs after him to make vs partakers of all things that he hath Furthermore the telling of this thing vnto vs is not to giue men scope to do euil but wee must marke that when God reserueth vs to himselfe to put vs in possession of his goods he doth also reforme vs by his holy spirite Yet notwithstanding all that euer we can do albeit that wee bee gouerned by God haue a good will to serue him is of no value at all if it bee esteemed of it selfe but yet for Iesus Christes sake God will accept vs and our workes and the inheritance shal abyde sure stedfast vnto vs for wee must not be afraide but that we shal attaine vnto it It is not giuen vs for our own sakes but because wee be partakers of our Lord Iesus Christ receiue the grace that he hath purchased vs so as we bee reconciled to God by his death passion in respect whereof he is mercifull to vs we be sure of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes because all our spots are washed scoured cleane away Although there bee sinnes imperfections in vs which might make vs blamable before God yet are we iustified and brought into his fauour againe when hee hath once renewed vs by his holy spirite Therfore if we go that way to work let vs not dout but the promise shal stand fast so as we shal feele the effect force of it to our saluation But in the meane while let vs not glorie in our selues for there is no matter nor cause why we should do so Now let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better yea and so to feele them as that misliking and condemning our selues for them we may submit our selues to our Lord Iesus Christ beseeching him so to reform vs by his holy spirit as Gods image may shine forth in vs and wee not faile to continue in the possession of the heritage which hee hath promised vs because it is not grounded vpon our owne workes deedes but vppon his freebestowed goodnes And moreouer let vs pray our Lord to be so gracious to vs as to giue vs such strength while wee passe through this world wherin wee haue a great sort of enemies to fight against that we may get the vpper hand of them be alwayes certified more and more y t he is neere at hand to such as call vpon him submit themselues vnto him that by y e meanes he may continually be glorified at our hands that it may appeare howe hee will alwayes vphold vs if wee fight vnder his standarde That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Fryday the xxvij of September 1555. The Lxxix Sermon which is the sixth vpon the eleuenth Chapter 26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing a curse 27 A blessing if ye obey the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you this day 28 And likewise a curse if ye obey not the commandements of the Lorde your God but turne out of the way which I cōmaunde you this day to go after strange gods which ye know not 29 And when the Lord your God shal haue brought you into the land which thou goest vnto to possesse it then shalt thou set the blessing vpon mount Garizim the curse vpon mount Eball 30 Are they not on the other side of Iordan on
with vs still and wee haue to gather of this text that our Lorde abhorreth ydolatry aboue all thinges and that if other offences bee to be punished this is not to be indured in any wise but that we ought to abhorre it And because wee be too colde in that behalfe we be warned to quicken vp our selues and to take the meanes which wee knowe to be fit for it to the ende wee may bee the forwarder in causing God to bee serued purely among vs and open no gap to deceiuers ne make any way for superstitions and ydolatrie that might bereaue vs of the pure trueth and drawe vs vnto lyes Thus yee see what we haue to remember vpon this text But heere a man might aske a question howe Moses may say that all the thinges which shal be founde in such a Citie shal be accursed and yet they must bee put ouer vnto God as an offering or sacrifice Yet doeth GOD speake after that fashion in manie places and not without cause For it is an offering of sacrifice vnto him when we protest that only he ought to be worshipped and when we make as it were a solemne homage vnto him And againe when other appurtenances come in place as when men sacrificed vnder the Lawe they protested that they were worthie of death and yet notwithstanding they had a warrant of their reconcilement vnto God by the sacrifice that was to bee offered Also men offered of their goods vnto GOD as who shoulde say Lorde all that I haue commeth of thee and it is alwayes at thy commaundement Yee see then that sacrifices were blessed and yet neuerthelesse there was a kinde of cursednesse in the sacrifices that were offered for sinne In the Firstlinges Tenthes and such other like things there was nothing but the praising of God and giuing of thankes vnto him but as for the sacrifice that was offered for sinne it behoueth Gods curse to be thereupon as who shoulde say Loe this is hee that shall aunswere for all To the ende that men may bee acquit and deliuered from death this sacrifice must answere for them And therefore those sacrifices were called sinnes and the same name is attributed to our Lorde Iesus Christ because he bare our curse in his person Leuit. 7.2 2. Cor. 5.21 But heere is an other kinde of cursednesse namely that GOD is honoured and homage is doone vnto him by rooting out the thinges that hadde defaced his honour before Therefore when a Citie is destroied that had erst beene a denne of ydolatry and all the spoyle thereof is set on fire it is a sacrifice that God liketh verie well of And why so Because it is a protesting that wee be not willing to suffer any thing that impeacheth the honoring of him at all mens handes and that all men shoulde submit themselues to him and his maiestie be knowen as it ought to be Nowe then we see howe it is not without cause that Moses commaunded sacrifice to be done vnto GOD with the vtter destruction of all thinges that had beene infected and defiled with ydolatrie And hee sayeth expresly to the ende that the wrath of God bee not vpon thee Whereby he confirmeth the matter that ◠haue touched already which is that we must beware that wee wrap not ourselues in other mens sinnes For they that correct not euill dooinges when they may and when their office requireth it are giltie of it themselues As for example if a preacher winke at the vices that reigne surely he is a traitour and vnfaithfull for he shoulde keepe good watch and waken such as are in daunger of vndoing Then if I beare with the euill wittingly or through negligence I am the first that shal be condemned Likewise if they that holde the sworde of Iustice execute not the rigor which they ought to redresse mēs misbehauiours surely the wrath of God is vpon them continually yea and vpon y e whole country because no man is found that complaineth of this that the mischiefe was so borne withall One good zealous man is ynough to turne away the wrath of God for hee will inforce others that were negligent But when no man beginnes the daunce but all men drawe backe and euery man sayes What nowe If all the rest put not to their handes what can I alone doe Surely none of them all can exempt themselues from condemnation before God when euerie one of them speaketh so Not without cause then doeth Moses here wrap vp a whole Countrey vnder condemnation if a wicked deede bee borne with or not punished when it commeth to knowledge And hereby we be put in minde to be more diligent than we are wont to bee in ridding away of all filth and vncleannesse from among vs. For it is all one as if we shoulde lay wood vppon the fire that is kindled ynough and too much alreadie so as we shall all of vs be consumed with it in the end and yet wee doe so euen wittingly and wilfully Why then doe wee not open our eyes sith our Lorde sheweth vs the daunger so euidently and warneth vs to prouide for it aforehande Why doe wee not thinke vppon it Nay wee be well worthy to perish and to be vtterly confounded because wee haue not vouchsafed to receiue the counsell that God hath giuen vs. After that Moses hath thus threatned vs now he addeth a promise that God will blesse his people if they obey his voyce doe the thinges that are right before him Our Lord indeuouring after his manner to winne vs to him alwayes by gentlenesse and friendely dealing when hee hath doone threatning of vs in this text doeth also attempt the contrarie way saying If ye finde the meanes to haue my seruice purely mainteyned I will be with you yee shall finde that my seeking is but to increase the benefites which I haue begonne already to bestowe vpon you yee shall inioy the Lande that I haue giuen you to inherite ye shall perceiue that my promising of my fauour and mercie to your fathers is not in vaine And let vs marke that heere it is our Lordes intent to drawe vs to a willing seruing of him True it is that yet for all this wee must not forgette his threatenings seeing we be so slowe in resorting vnto him Then lette vs be afrayde of them and consider that wee shall not scape his vengeaunce except we maintaine his seruice But yet howsoeuer the worlde goe with vs lette vs not doe it by constraint but let vs goe to worke with a free courage And howe may that bee doone Euen by beeing drawen by the gentlenesse that Moses sheweth heere vnto vs as if he shoulde say goe to happie will our state bee if we serue our GOD and euerie man endeuour to drawe his neighbours with him and suffer not any man as farre as lyeth in vs to peruert or trouble our state when it is well setled If we doe so our Lorde telleth vs that hee will be
quite backe by these worldly things But let vs marke y t our Lord Iesus Christ hath not only draweÌ„ vs out of y e gulfe of death but also will haue vs dayly to passe further And forasmuch as we be not quite cleane rid of this bondage of sinne this passing on must continue still What is al our life then It is a continuall holding on to attaine to y e full and perfect freedome which God hath promised to his children And y t is y e cause why I sayd y t it behooued vs to eate the Pascall Lamb euery day For Iesus Christ is not our euerlasting Passouer for y t he is sacrificed euery day but for y t we doe daily take benefit by him for that he maketh y e vertue of his sacrifice continually auailable by his holy spirit Notwithstanding howsoeuer y e case go yet must we still keepe on foreward vntill we bee taken out of this world This doctrine ought to be very common yea and when it is preached euery man will thinke he knowes it wellynough but in the meane while where is y e practise thereof Where is the sayd freeheartednes to shewe by our deedes that our Lord hath broken the bondes of Satan so as we serue not sinne any more Where is y t earnestnes of minde to proceede more more vntil we be gone quite cleane out of the world And yet must we exersice this doctrine put it in vre if we wil be acknowledged for meÌ„bers of our Lord Iesus Christ. But we cannot haue him to bee our Redeemer except he haue alwayes y e saide title of Passeouer And that is in respect of vs for he hath made his passage by comming downe into the world by reconciling men to God his father 1. Tim. 3.16 by being receiued vp againe into his glorie and Maiestie Therfore there must not be any more chaunge in Iesus Christ. But we on our side must be made perfect in him and as soone as he calleth vs to be of his body we must begin to depart out of y e dungeons of sin from whence we must withdraw our selues euer more more and still trauell to attaine to the heauenly righteousnes To be short let vs note that a Christian may well perceiue whether hee haue profited in the Gospell or no by examining whether hee be withdrawen from the worlde or no and whether he be ready and weldisposed to depart from it as oft as it shall please God to pull him away from it so as his heart be not tyed to it as long as he is heere beneath For looke where our treasure is Matt. 6.21 there is also our heart with it but that seeing Iesus Christ is our full life and felicitie we alwaies tend to himward euer haue our mindes lifted vp on high And let vs marke further that to keepe the passeouer aright at this day it behoueth vs to be vnited together accordingly as we see how God hath giuen a strait commaundement thereof in this place where he saith it is not Lawfull to eate the pascall Lambe in any other of the Cities or towns of the contrey but y t they ought to assemble together to the Temple Which thing I haue told you heeretofore was doone to preserue the religion in his purenes Will we then nowadaies be partakers of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs agree together that there may be a true brotherhood among vs. For if we bee at ods among our selues like dogs cats Iesus Christ must needes disclaime disauow vs. And therefore let vs not imagine our selues to be vnited to Iesus Christ except there be good agreement and brotherly loue among vs. And wherein must that be We may not conspire together as the wicked doe for they make confederacies and ioyne hands together to make warre against God Cursed be such vnion it behooueth vs to bee farre off from such dealing Nay we must resorte to the temple of God And although we haue not now a material temple as the Iewes had then in Ierusalem for our meeting togither is for common orders sake and not after the manner of the Iewes who had a place certaine appointed out to theÌ„ although say I we haue not the like figure yet must we walke as in the presence of our God Eph. 4.13 â— Iohn 17.11 we must be ruled by his word we must haue one melody of faith to praise God as it were with one mouth we must shew our selues truly to be al one in him Thus ye see how wee must be gathered together to Gods Church if we will bee partakers of our Lord Iesus Christ. And herein we see y t these scorners which turn away from y e order of y e church exclude theÌ„selues from al hope of the heauenly life They can say wel ynough y t their intent is to be Christians but yet for al y t inasmuch as they forsake y â— vnitie of faith yea euen fight against it by despising all order is it not to be concluded y t they cannot be partakers of the Pascall Lambe at leastwise after y e true maner thereof which we haue nowadaies Let vs marke well then y t to be partakers of our Lord Iesus Christ we must not be only vnited in y e doctrine of y e gospel but we must also make confession of our faith in assembling all togither as though God were present with vs. Matt. â—â— 2â— And truely we know how it is promised vs y t where two or three are gathered togither in y e name of Iesus Christ he will beare rule there be present among theÌ„ And therfore let vs haue a diligent regard of resorting vnto Sermons And therwithal let vs vse y e Sacrament of the Lords supper y t we may aske one another what is ment by it For in the xii of Exodus our Lord sheweth vs full well Exod. 1â— â—â— y t wee must profit in his schoole to be partakers of y e Pascall Lambe If thy sonne aske thee what this act of ours betokeneth Thou shalt answere wee were bondslaues in y e land of Egypt God pitied vs. Thus ye see what we haue to doe at this day not for y e eating of a rosted Lambe but to be made partakers of our Lorde Iesus Christ in spirit and truth Wee must inquire diligently to know y e benefits which our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought vs. And herein is our negligence bewrayed For it is ynough for vs to heare Iesus Christ spoken of yea there are a great sort which haue not the skil to discerne the father from the sonne They know not whether Iesus Christ were sent by God his father or no insomuch y t now then a man shall finde more beastlines in those y t haue their eares dayly beaten w t the Gospel than among y e Papists Nay it is to bee openly seene Why then come we to
pastime Yet did hee see all the worlde drowned and destroyed For hee sawe it by faith because God had threatened that it shoulde bee so Nowe the same threate haue we and therewithall wee haue the proofe of it also euen in this that our Lorde punished these nations that are spoken of here at the end of foure hundred yeares when they thought not of it ne tooke anie heed of it insomuch that if a man had then threatened them any such thing they woulde haue blurted out their tongues and shaken their heads at him But their inditement was framed in heauen iudgement was giuen vpon them alreadie and the Iudge had power might to put it in execution in spite of their wilfull stubbornesse And therefore let the sight hereof make vs to stand in awe of our God And when he letteth vs alone in quiet and spareth vs let vs not thinke our selues to bee scaped his hande but let vs enter into account and euerie man quicken vp himselfe and looke into his owne faults and that in such wise as we may preuent his wrath and let vs not tarie till he be armed against vs to proclayme war against vs but let vs preuent the rigor of his iudgement that by comming vnto him whereas we shoulde else finde him our Iudge in the end wee may finde him to bee our pitifull and kinde hearted father Nowe let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them continually more and more And for asmuch as there is none of vs which hath not prouoked his wrath exceedingly so as we be all guiltie before him let vs seeke to returne to the refuge of his mercie And seeing there is no meanes to come at him except he reach vs out his hande and drawe vs by his holy spirit let vs not refuse to goe to him when he calleth vs nor tarie till y e gate be shut against vs but let vs vse the opportunitie of the time when he causeth his Gospell to be preached vnto vs and let vs imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ with the peace which he offereth vs resorting to his death and passion that we may haue him for the gage of our righteousnesse and the verie raunsome whereby to come in fauor with our God againe so as all our sinnes may be buried through his mercie and we labour to drawe others also vnto him that all of vs with one common accord may tend vnto our God and he be serued and worshipped of al mē And for the bringing hereof to passe it may please him to raise vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde c. On Fryday the xx of December 1555. The Cxix Sermon which is the fourth vpon the twentith Chapter 16.17.18 But of the Cities of c. 19 When thou shalt haue beseeged a Citie a long time in fighting against it to take it thou shalt not marre the trees therof by putting an Axe vnto them for thou maist eate of them and therefore cut them not downe for the life of man is the tree of the feelde to come with thee to the seege 20 Onely thou maist destroy and cut downe the trees which thou knowest to be no trees to eate of and thereof thou maist make bulwarkes against the Citie which holdeth warre against thee vntil thou haue wonne it YEsterday was shewed why God gaue so rigorous sentence against the Nations that had dwelte in the Lande of Chanaan It was tolde you that hee had borne with them ere that time and suffered them till such time as they were condemned and thereupon that we must benefite our selues by such examples partlie that wee abuse not Gods patience when hee spareth vs and delayeth the execution of his iudgements giuing vs leasure in the meane while to returne to repentaunce and partly that when wee see him execute so extreeme rigour vppon men Rom. 2.4 we shoulde assure our selues it is because hee knoweth them to bee vtterly past grace and haue heaped vp such condemnation vppon their heades a long time afore hande Now remaineth to note that GOD appointed the Iewes to bee the executers of the saide sentence so as the Chananites and such like were to bee rooted out by the hande of the Iewes And why It is saide expressely in the Text As the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee Then was it not for the Iewes to enterprise it on their owne heade except they had had Gods worde for their warrant for it is not lawfull for vs to attempt anie thing vnlesse it bee our duetie and that God haue commaunded it And it is a generall rule for vs to beare in minde and to obserue all our life long For men may doe goodly and commendable thinges which notwithstanding shall not bee reputed for vertues before God when they passe their boundes that is to say when they holde not themselues within the listes of that which God hath vttered vnto them For if a man shoulde say It were good to doe thus and therefore I will applie my selfe thereto and yet in the meane while God calleth him not to it neither hath he anie word y t commands him to deale so his vnaduised aduēturing vpon things after that sort shall alwayes be condemned at Gods hand If we alledge that the deede is good and excellent of it selfe that is not enough for god wil be obeied at our hands whatsoeuer come thereof And therfore let euery man haue an eye to himselfe consider how farre his duety wil beare him If a man that hath but a little household to gouerne should take vpon him the office of a magistrate what were to bee saide vnto it There would be verie great confusion in that Likewise if he that is a seruant in a house should take more vppon him than belonges to him yee see that all were out of order Againe if the wife shoulde ouermaster her husband and make him her vnderling y e honestie of nature were quite goone So then it behooueth all men to holde themselues warely within their boundes and to followe what way soeuer God calleth them And when we haue Gods commādement we must not be helde back nor letted by men If God bid vs goe we must goe though all the worlde should set themselues against vs yet must wee not turne head but goe on still As for example in these dayes the Magistrates ministers of Iustice haue the sworde in their hand Rom. 13.4 and that not in vaine as saith Saint Paul for God wil haue them to punish offenders Now if they do nothing therein and yet in the meane season will needes alledge some excuse to God they deceiue themselues For in asmuch as our Lorde hath set them in office he hath tolde thē also that hee will haue them to be stout and full of courage in maintaining their state And so looke what commaundement was giuen to all the Iewes in olde time for
the rooting out of the Pheresites Amorrhites Chananites Iebusites and their like the same is giuen to all ministers of Iustice at this day namely that they must rid the earth of all such as do nothing else but bring vp all maner of infection As for vs it is not saide to vs that wee shall roote out and put to death such as may put vs to any plunge and therefore let euerie of vs looke to the rooting out of our owne vices for we shall haue an incounter hard enough there And besides this let vs beware also that wee haue not to doe with such as may corrupte and marre vs for we be but too forward of our owne nature For like as it was saide to the Iewes you shall put the Chananites to death so let vs shun the companie of such as wil intice vs to nothing but euill nor can doe aught else than prouoke vs to naughtinesse For wee bee as frayle as is possible and the least occasion in the world will thrust vs out of the way and make vs to leaue God behinde vs as hath bin declared not long since afore And moreouer let vs to the vttermost of our power indeuour to rid Gods Church of all such as could finde in their hearts to ouerthrowe the order of the Church and Gods seruice and all honestie As for example when S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 5.13 rid away the euil from among you he commaundeth not the Corinthians to vse the material sword for the punishing of such as haue committed anie crime for they were not in estate of Magistrates but he meaneth excommunication so as if a man be found to be a whoremaster a drunkerde or a swearer he should not be borne with all For why It were a corrupting of Gods church which ought to be his holy temple it is a making therof a swinestie Shold filthines lie there what a dealing were that Therefore wee must cut off all such folke as leade a wicked and lawelesse life And that is the lesson which wee haue to gather vppon that Text. For wee haue not the sworde in our handes to kill the despisers of GOD and such as leade an vnrulie and disordered life But yet must we cast them out from among vs and therewithall remember the warning that is giuen vs in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Take good heede saith the Apostle that there growe vp no roote of bitternesse among you â—ebr 12.15 least it be a meane to infect all the rest Experience sheweth that there needeth but a verie little corruption to marre all by reason of the infirmitie that is in men And therefore let vs learne to remedie the matter that wee bee not an occasion to feede vice still The way then for vs to bring to passe that the Church of God may be mainteyned in all purenesse of his seruice is that stumblingblockes bee not nourished and mainteyned and also that euerie of vs indeuour to roote out vice in all men sparing the persons themselues and doing the best we can to drawe them to saluation Whereas the Iewes were commanded to kill the Chananites what ought wee to doe insteede thereof I see a leawde man running into destruction yet notwithstanding he woulde bee borne withall and flattered and haue neuer a worde spoken to him Against such a one I must vse rigor And how so To bring him to shame No not if it may otherwise bee Truely if hee holde on and continue stubborne against God hee must needs become the more vnexcusable and wee must procure his soule health euen by rebuking him sharpely as it were by letting of him bloud or by ministring some loothsome medicine vnto him Thus yee see howe wee must spare mens persons and yet kill their vices to y e vttermost of our power And in that respect doth Saint Paul liken y e doctrine of the Gospell to a sworde wherewith wee bee sacrificed to God Psal. 2.17 For the mortifying of our wicked affections is an offering of sacrifice vnto God and whereas wee were vnholy before thenceforth we be dedicated vnto him when we be so brought downe that we liue no more after our owne lustes but doe vtterly renounce ourselues Yee see then that that is one kinde of death which is not wrought vppon our persons but vpon al the vices that reigne in vs. And after that maner ought we to deale for the rooting out of sinne Nowe if it bee demaunded heere whether it bee not lawefull to bee conuersant with the wicked and frowarde to winne them I aunswere yes verilie vntill a man finde them to bee past remedie For to giue ouer a man at the first dash when hee hath doone amisse or when hee is as it were in the high way to destruction is a furthering of the destruction of the wretched soule that was redeemed by the bloudshed of our Lorde Iesus Christ. So then a man may well labour to bring them backe agayne which are strayed out of the right way but yet must wee not hazard ourselues If I knowing my selfe to bee weake doe ouerthrowe my selfe with him vnder pretence of winning my neighbour that is misaduised what winne I by that And yet wee see it fall out so continually And therefore let vs beware how we tempt God in that behalfe and let euery of vs look narrowly to himselfe and not deale after his owne imagination Notwithstanding let vs herewithall put in vre the saying of the Psalme concerning the hating of all such as despise GOD Psal. 139 2â— yea and of hating them in such wise as we cannot by any meanes abide them but that forasmuchas we see them despise God after that fashion wee bee so sorie and greeued at it that wee separate our selues from them and vtterly shunne their companie refusing euen in good earnest to haue anie conference with them according whereunto it is saide in the next verse of the same Psalme Psal. 139.22 that wee must beare a perfect hatred against all such as doe so make warre against God so as we become their deadlie enemies to the vttermost of our power not in respect of their persons but in respect of their vnrecouerable wickednesse Besides this wee must also maintaine the order of the Church For if anie one bee cast off as a rotten member and wee goe and keepe him companie still is it not a separating of our selues from the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and of all the faithfull Haue wee not made a Rent as much as in vs lay to shewe that wee list not to be members of the Church When we bee so familiar with those that are so cast off and wee fall to rubbing of our selues with them is it not a skorning of all Gods children and a letting of them goe as though we had nothing to doe with them 2. Thess. 3.15 True it is that as Paul saith in an other place wee must not take euen those for enemies
be no remedie to be found but only to flee to Gods mercie and to craue forgiuenesse not only for y e fault but also because men ought to feele y t he is angrie with the whole Citie What is to be done when the misdeede is apparant Ought not men much more to make supplication to God and to flee to his mercie at leastwise if they were well aduised Yes but wee see what hardnesse or rather blockishnesse is nowadayes in most men yea and well neere in all men For when a misdeede is committed who is hee that regardeth it True it is that if an outragious wickednesse be committed men will perchaunce say hee is a wicked man But they consider not that God warneth all folkes generally to say euery man in himselfe Alas how happeneth it that such an enormitie is committed among vs that all of vs shoulde bee defiled with it before GOD For that this is come to passe and wee neuer wist it is a token that wee haue euill profited in Gods worde For wee thinke not that his giuing of such examples vnto vs is for our instruction But although wee sleepe yet dooth not GOD cease to doe his office Wee heare what hee sayth when there is no Iustice nor vpright dealing in a citie They bee princes of Sodome they be theeues and murtherers Esa. 6. â—0 Hee sayth this to Iudges Not for that they had cut mens throates that were traueling No but because they had not mainteined the good and guiltlesse Therefore he saith Beholde it is a citie of bloud The very citie of Ierusalem it selfe which God had chosen to bee his royall pallace and Temple is called a citie of bloud and a denne of theeues And why Because many outrages and disorders were there committed and many poore soules were trodden vnder foote without succor and Iustice was become as an open robberie So then let vs learne to resorte to our God when any offence is committed and let euery of vs thinke with himselfe Alas our Lorde doeth vs to vnderstande that he is angrie with vs in that such things are hapned and that such enormities are committed among vs. And therefore let euery of vs craue pardon of them and also thinke thus with our selues Of whom is it long that I am not lyke one of them but onely of Gods preseruing of me And let vs also beware for the time to come Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in minde as in the respect of the things that are spoken here concerning murder There was also the striking off of the Hekfers heade to make men the more afraid as who should say that the beholding of a poore beast slayne after that sorte doth moue men the more And what is to bee sayd then of a man which is shaped after the image of God Wee see then how our Lord meant to teach the Elders and Iudges that were present at the sacrifice that they might the better learne the horriblenesse of all murders For if wee bee afraid of a beast it is good reason that wee should bee touched much more to the quicke without all comparison for a humaine creature As touching the washing of their handes it is added to doe the people to vnderstand that they were after a sorte defiled or rather that they should declare both before the Angels and before all creatures that they might washe themselues from it And this serued for the time of the ceremonies of the Lawe But wee must vnderstand that it was not our Lordes meaning to foade his people by such signes in counterfeiting and hypocrisie What gayned Pilate by his washing of his handes Was hee cleared from the death of Iesus Christ No that washing of his was a token of his defiling Wherefore washed he his handes but because hee knewe himselfe guiltie of the death of Iesus Christ Whereof hee thought to cleere himselfe by a drop of water and that was too great a dalying with God And that is the cause why I sayd that his washing ingraued his sinne the deeper before GOD and made him the more vnexcusable And therefore had the people come dissemblingly to washe their handes it had bin but a further charging of themselues and a making of themselues the more faultie But Gods will was that the Elders should vse such ceremonies to doe vs the better to vnderstand that wee be fleshly and consider not our sinnes vnlesse they bee as it were pointed out with the finger Wee conceiue not Gods wrath except wee haue some signe of it before vs. God then meant to declare that when there is any such offence wee bee defiled so as there is nothing but filthinesse in vs but God mislyketh of vs we cannot preace vnto him without prouoking him to wrath Marke that for one point And therewithall hee meant to shewe vs how we ought to apply our indeuour to cleanesse And this cleanesse is not compassed with corruptible water but it must bee first in our consciences and afterwardes in all our members Wherefore let vs learne to looke to it Esa. 1.15 that our handes bee not bloudy as the Prophet Esay termeth the hands of those which did wrong to their neighbours and let not our feete runne after bloud neither let our members bee defiled nor made instrumentes of vnrighteousnesse as Saint Paule speaketh of them in the sixt to the Romans When we indeuour after that sort to keepe our selues vndefiled to Godward then do wee obserue the washing that was vnder the Lawe to reteine the trueth and substance thereof And at this day whereas we haue baptisme the water betokeneth the lyke not that it is sufficient of it selfe nor that it is of force to washe away our sinnes for what should then become of our Lord Iesus Christes bloud It were too grosse a blasphemie for a man to put his trust in a visible signe we must lift vp our mindes higher In lyke case is it with the Lordes supper Insomuch that when wee come to the table of our Lorde Iesus Christ if wee thinke to finde our soule-health in a bit of bread or in a droppe of wine wee bee very brutish and there is neither reason nor vnderstanding in vs. But when we bee led further so as by eating of the bread we conceiue that Christ is our very sustenance and that although wee bee spiritually dead in our selues yet we cease not to liue in him then doth the sacrament turne to our benefite And to that vse must we apply the doctrine that is set downe here And for a conclusion let vs marke further that although the men that are murthered doeâ—no more speake vnto vs because they be dead yet the bloud of them cryeth out for vengeance against vs. See wee not what proceeded from the bloud of Abell Hee needed no man of lawe to pleade his case for his very bloud cryed vnto God as is reported thereof Whereby wee bee done to vnderstand that although the parties
worlde And so our Lorde Iesus Christ was not made so accursed as y t the blessednes which was giuen vnto him could perishe and not continue alwayes vnappaired Moreouer we must come to that which Saint Paule sayeth to the Colossians Col. â—â—â— For there hee setteth out the crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto vs as a Charyot of Tryumphe saying that our Lorde Iesus hath defaced and cancelled the handewriting that was against vs and finally nayled it to his crosse The Lawe hadde shewed Gods wil And by meanes thereof it behoued al men to knowe themselues to bee indaungered vnto God and to feele theÌ„selues to be accursed as I haue shewed before But what remedy was there to comfort poore sinners In deede God ordained sacrifices and washinges and such other like thinges but were they able to doe the deede When men came to doe sacrifice it was tolde them in deede that their sinne should be wiped away Yea but that was not by the power of the brute beastes which was offered at the Altar Could the bloud of an Oxe a calfe or a Heckfer clense away the spottes of the soule We knowe that the bloud of such thinges is not onely corruptible but also filthy Therefore it could not satisfie Gods Iustice it came farre short of it Againe when a man washed himselfe it is true that he hadde a promise but was that promise tyed to the water We knowe that water is a transitorie element and can not attayne to the soule to clense away the filth thereof To be short both the Sacrifices and the washinges which GOD hadde ordeined in the Lawe were a kinde of renewing of the bond which all sinners haue ingrauen in their consciences Like as if an offender shoulde be taken and made to confesse all his misdeedes and haue all his former confessions rehearsed vnto him to the intent to put him in minde of them euen so was Gods meaning towardes the Iewes in willing them to take water at their going to the Temple Leuit. 1.3.4 as if they should haue sayde wee acknowledge and protest before heauen and earth that we be defiled so as there is nothing but vtter infection in vs and y t we haue neede to be washed Againe came they once at the Altar there a sacrifice was offred vp an innoceÌ„t brute beast was put to death and that was as a lookeingglasse to sette before our eyes that wee bee worthie of death and not of bodilie death onely but also of euerlasting death before GOD and to be plundged into hell Ye see then howe the sacrifices and such other like thinges were as matters of recorde and authoritie to assure all folkes the more of their sinnes and to conuict them of the same and to make them the more to abhorre their misdeedes But was Iesus Christ hanged on tree Saint Paule sayth that in so doing he tooke vppon him the bonde that was against vs Col. 2.14 that is to say all the thinges whereto the Lawe bounde vs all the fetters all the condemnations and all the sentences that serued to put vs to shame and to bewray our leawdenesse Al these thinges tooke he vpon him and cancelled them as if a man shoulde take a handewriting and teare it in peeces to make it of no force by defacing it after that fashion and euen so delt our Lorde Iesus Christ with vs. And Paule addeth there immediatly that Christ tryumphed ouer all our enemies so as the deuill was ledde in tryumphe As howe Yee see that Iesus Christ was put to the vttermost reproch that could be in being hanged vpon the crosse and as the prophet Esaie sayth he was so disfigured that folke vouchsafed not to acknowledge him for a man Esa. â—3 2 but all men abhorred him And where is then this tryumphe Although the sacrifice which he offered vp imported a curse in it at the first sight yet ceased it not to yeelde a verie good sent before GOD as the scripture termeth it And therefore our Lorde Iesus tryumphed against Satan against Sinne and against all our enemies To be short let vs marke that Iesus Christ hath so borne our curse that he hath abolished it quite and cleane Because hee was the fountaine of all glorie it must needes be that the condemnation which he tooke vpon him on our behalfe is quite and cleane discharged by his power In like case standes it with his death He suffered death but was he ouercome of it No but hee did rather abolish death And the very staye and trust of our righteousnesse is the diuine power of his resurrection as wherein hee hath shewed himselfe to haue gotten the vpper hand of death accordingly as Saint Peter sayeth in the thirde chapter of the Actes Act. 2.31 3.21 that it was vnpossible for him to be helde downe by the forrowes of death because he had ouercome them and by that meane hadde purchased righteousnesse for vs. Nowe wee see that whereas Iesus Christ is sayde to haue beene forlorne and accursed for our sakes it did so litle abace his maiestie that we ought the rather to magnifie his glorie in that behalfe assuring ourselues that we shall no more be accursed because hee hath done away our curse and borne it in his owne person Also let vs marke therewithall that notwithstanding his being accursed before God yet he ceased not to be Gods welbeloued sonne according to this saying vttered by the heauenly father himselfe Matt. 3.17 This is my deerebeloued sonne in whome I am wel pleased and in whome I am pacified And serued that but for one instant Nay it was to continue for euer How is it then that Iesus Christ was accursed seeing that the father was pacified by him And that hee was not only well liked himselfe but also the meane to reconcile the whole worlde He is our peace and although through our corruption of nature GOD hate vs yet are we beloued in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ and howe is it then possible that he should be accursed before God They agree both very well For as I haue sayde afore Iesus Christ hath borne our curse yea and he hath borne it in such wife as GOD ceaseth not to loue him still for all that And this curse is so abolished that the reproch of his crosse is turned into glorie and tryumph because it is vnpossible that the sonne of GOD should not continue euerlastingly the same that he was afore True it is that he was somewhat abaced for a while but yet it behooued him to be also crowned with honour and glorie Hebr. 2.9 as it is now come to passe After this maner must we put this text in vre Nowe therefore forasmuch as wee perceiue that GOD hath set downe heere a Lawe for the ciuill gouernement of the Iewes let vs assure ourselues also that hee knewe well in his owne euerlasting counsell what should come to passe namely that his sonne should
be hanged on tree Act. 2.23 4.28 for hee had so ordeined it And why To giue vs the surer grounde of our saluation For had not our Lord Iesus Christ born our curse after a visible fashion wee might still hang wauering and in doubt of it And whereas it is sayde that we be reconciled vnto God by his death and that he hath satisfied all our debtes so as the deuill can not hencesoorth any more accuse vs but that wee haue our defence for him that is to witte that our sinnes are wyped away notwithstanding the reporte of all this vnto vs yet might we still be in perplexitie and stande scanning after this manner Yea but howe bee wee sure of that Lette vs open our eyes and looke vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ yea and let vs looke vpon it in such wise as wee may vnderstande that euen from the beginning GOD ordeined the tree of the Crosse to bee a recorde of cursing Nowe then whereas it is sayde Cursed shall he be which performeth not all the things that are contained in the Lawe therewithall GOD sendeth vs to his onely sonne and would haue vs to knowe that he was hanged on tree to y e intent to be accursed As how Was he cursed in his owne person No but for our sakes Yet notwithstanding we may nowe glorie that the curse of the Lawe hath no more power ouer vs but that he hath discharged vs thereof After this manner ought wee to put this text in vre Howebeit let vs marke by the way that it is not by the vertue of the wood that wee be so blessed before God by meane of our Lorde Iesus Christ as the papistes brutishly beare men in hand For when they heare the crosse spoken of they be tyed to it with a deuilish superstition yea and with so brutish a superstition as is pitie to see that they should leaue Iesus Christ and fall to worshipping of a peece of wood But when the scripture speaketh of y e curse which our Lord Iesus bare in his body to set vs free withall it setteth before vs two thinges First that when we looke vpon the wood wee should take it as a token of the curse and thereat conceiue a terrour in ourselues for the thing of it selfe is horrible Thus much concerning the wood And therefore as for all the crosses which the Papistes set vp what betoken they else but that they bring Gods curse continually vpon themselues It appeareth manifestly that they despise the sacrifice which was offered once for all by the sonne of God Wee be reconciled to him for euer and they come to bring vp y ◠curse againe as though they were desirous to haue their sinnes abide vpon their heades for euer without any defacing or dooing of thē away by Gods mercy through the power of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And therefore looke howe many crosses there are in the Popedome so many recordes are there that crye out for Gods vengeance against those wretched vnbeleeuers which content not themselues with the amends that was made for them when our Lorde Iesus Christ indured the curse in himselfe which was due vnto vs. But knowe we once this curse If we resort to Iesus Christ there we finde that the same curse is quite and cleane wiped out done away After what manner By the wonderfull power of God euen after the same fashion that we knowe that God made light to spring out of darkenesse in the creation of the worlde and is it possible that light shoulde come out of darkenesse Surely this chaunge is not to be done by man nay mannes wit can not comprehende it But God ment to shewe that the meanes which he hath to worke by doe farre exceede all y t euer we can conceiue And therefore let vs marke wel that he which at the beginning of the world turned darkenesse into light yea and made light to spring out of darkenesse was also as able to turne cursednes into blessednesse in the person of his onely sonne And that is the thing which I ment in saying afore that forasmuch as hee is life and the very fountaine of life therefore he abolished death and not without cause In deede Iesus Christ yeelded himselfe to death but after what manner Was it in such sorte that he ceased in the meane while to be the life of the worlde Nay euen therein did he shewe himselfe most of all to be the life of the worlde Verily he was at the creation For he is the same liuing woorde whereby wee were created and whereby all thinges are still preserued and maintained in their state being But when our saluation was restored vs by our Lord Iesus Christ then did he shewe that he had life in himselfe that he is the welspring frō whence it behoueth vs to drawe it Then like as hee lost not his life when he submitted himselfe to death so he ceased not to be blessed of God his father when he submitted himselfe to the curse Nowe to knit vp the whole it remaineth to be knowen after what manner our Lorde Iesus became accursed to sette vs free from the curse The first is that we should no more be cast off by God as we deserue For when as the scripture termeth vs accursed the meaning therof is that God vouchsafeth not to regarde vs. And of good right may he hate vs because there is no agreement betweene him who is the righteousnesse it selfe and vs that haue all maner of wickednesse reigning in vs. Forasmuch then as by nature we be enemies vnto God by reason wherof he shaketh vs off and vtterly disclaymeth vs so as we be not worthy to come neere his maiesty and if we come he must needes thunder against vs therefore Iesus Christ became accursed euen by bearing Gods hatred as it were in our behalfe to the intent that hencefoorth wee should be beloued Nowe I haue tolde you already and it behoueth vs to print it well in our mindes that Iesus Christ was neuer hated of God his father for that were vnpossible But he was faine to beare our curse because he was our pledge and wee could not be freed otherwise than by the satisfaction of his death made once for all And that is the very meane whereby we be come in fauour again are beloued of God Therefore if we will haue Gods fauour and find him a father vnto vs for that is the title which we must vse if wee intende to pray to him with true trust we must euer resort to the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. All our prayers say I must be offered vp by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ or else they shall neuer come at God The Papists take holy water and sprinkle themselues when they go into the Church but such things are gewgawes and they haue borrowed them of the Iewes not knowing whereunto those
is for neede necessitie Now if one bereaue a man of his lyfe vnder color of lending him a peece of mony it were better that he should leaue him in that necessitie in which he found him than so to take from him those meanes by the which he maintaineth his life We see thē that God would not that lones shoulde be lynes to snare poore men withall which are in necessitie to which purpose men haue at all times vsed them and nowadayes doe more than euer heretofore For men haue no other deuises thā how to deceiue to circumuent to beguile and to suck the bloud of poore men They draw them dry not onely of their substance but of their bloud too when they espy them to be in need and penurie This say I is the fashion of men nowadayes But for all that let vs consider what the will of God is in this behalfe to wit that we must not onely vse no crueltie towardes our neighbors vnder color of any lending vnto them but also seeke to relieue the present neede of all those which are in necessitie to the intent that they may alwayes goe foreward and maintaine themselues in their estate 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 yea in such wise as we may return vnto him seeking nothing els but to abide alwayes vnder his obedience and to cleaue vnto his word without swaruing from it in any wise and that wee may so walke euery man in his vocation as wee may testify thereby that wee haue God for our maister and father and that we are of his familie liuing according to the order which he hath commaunded vs and that wee may liue in such wise one with another as may be to the maintayning of loue and honestie among vs and that such vprightnesse may raigne in vs as wee haue not an eye vnto that which men permit vs but looke euer at this marke how we may serue one anothers turne in vpright brotherhoode to the end we may bee confirmed alwayes more and more that God is our father and that we may call vpon him as such a one That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Saturday the j. of Februarie 1556. The Cxxxviii Sermon which is the third vpon the foure twentith Chapter 7 If a man be found which hath stolen any of his brethren of the children of Israel and he hath misused him or sold him this thiefe shall die and thou shalt put euill away from among you 8 Take heede of the plague of leprosie that thou marke it diligently and doe according vnto all that which the Priestes the Leuites shall teach you take heed yee doe as I haue commaunded them 9 Remember what the Lord thy God did vnto Marie by the way after that ye were come out of Egypt THe first thing that God declareth in this place is that if any stole away a man of Israel and solde him the offence which he committed in this behalfe was to be punished by death And heereby hee giueth vs to vnderstand how dearelie hee loued that people which hee had chosen vnto himselfe For we knowe how God appointeth punishmentes accordinglie as he esteemeth of the greatnes of the sinne which is committed So then whereas hee punisheth that man by death which had stolen away his brother thereby we see that the life of the children of Israel was pretious vnto him And no maruaile For if a father haue lost one of his children especially if he be stolen from him and he knoweth not what is become of him wee know he would haue bin better contented to haue lost his goods than his childe Now seeing that God had adopted the stock of Abraham he accounted those which descended from it to be of his owne houshold and named himself their father and in very deed circumcision was a mark to separate y t people frō other nations Therefore whosoeuer sold any one of the stocke of Abraham he did wrong and iniurie not onely to the person it selfe but also vnto God Againe a man being solde vnto another people was in daunger of being constrained by force to commit idolatrie In deed he were better suffer death than doe so but lyke as many are fraile weake in this case so might they also bee seduced and turned aside frō y e law from y e seruice of God therefore by this means ensued not only y e destructiō of a mans body but also of his soule We see thē now that this law was grounded on great reason And moreouer we know likewise y t God had so redeemed this people that they were called a royall priesthood And therefore if this honour shoulde be abolished it were all one as if a man shold rent in pieces the priuiledge which a prince had giuen and like as God is greater than mortall men so such an outrage committed against his maiestie were more heinous and intollerable But we must nowe returne vnto our selues For albeit there bee not nowadayes any certain people which God hath chosen shouled out from the rest of the worlde yet are wee come by succession into the roome and place of the Iewes For God hath receiued vs into his Church and we are at this day in the same degree of honour which the children of Abraham were in Seeing it is so he which stealeth away a man nowadayes to cut him off from the Church of God is in as great fault as he who in old time sold any one of the Israelits And although earthly iustice hath established no lawe against it yet doth it not cease to be a grieuous sinne stil in the sight of God Let vs therefore acknowledge the honor which God vouchsafeth vs when he maketh vs of the number of his houshold taketh aloweth vs for his childrē Now forasmuch as this is an inestimable benefit we must endeuour to the vtmost of our power to preserue and keep it and y t not euery one for himselfe only but for his neighbors also Therfore when we see y t God hath assembled gathered together any company of people to himselfe let vs seeke to keepe them so together as none of thē may go astray And if we be a cause and occasion that y e congregation of God bee deminished and y t hee which was sometime of it be estraunged from it by our meanes we see that punishment y e lawe hath ordained As touching y e outward policie and ciuil order it remaineth not yet neuertheles God hath declared y t such lewdnes shall not abide vnpunished For he wil at y e least haue as great regard vnto his house as euery of vs woulde haue vnto our own houses And therfore let vs learne by all meanes possible to keepe thē stil which are of Gods
this imprinted in our heart that there is nothing better than to cleaue vnto God The heathenish sorte doe thinke themselues very happie in following of their owne lustes When lecherous and couetous persons haue scraped together on all sides they thinke all is well gained and they triumphe in their dooinges If the fornicatours who are brutish in their fleshly lustes can enioy their pleasures they welter in them they are drunken with them they are wholly bewitched by them If a vaine glorious man be in any dignitie and be aduaunced to any authoritie among men he thinketh there is no other ioye nor happinesse but to be in high estate At the same point are all the despisers of God And in the meane time the poore faithfull ones are mocked they are poore persons they are set at naught they hang their winges they doe nothing but droppe and pine away in this worlde These wretched soules say some are not well aduised to take so much paines they knowe not why for what profite haue they for all their trauaile It seemeth therefore that they which seeke to serue God are greatly beguiled and that the wicked beare the whole sway But we must on the contrarie side be throughly resolued heerein as it is sayde in the prophet Esay Esa. 3. â—â— Say ye Yet there is fruit for the iust men for they shall eat the fruits of their labours The prophet Esay would haue vs to fight against this temptation Insomuch y t although the worlde laugh the Godly to skorne the wicked triumph ouer them yet for al that the faithfull should not be astonied but coÌ„clude with theÌ„selues and say No no the righteous maÌ„ shall not loose his labor he shall not be deceiued of his expectatioÌ„ when he depeÌ„deth wholy vpoÌ„ the promises of God The thing then which we haue to gather vpon this place is that as often as we reade the promises in the scripture where it is said Blessed is the man which feareth y e lord they which shall walke in the obedience of his word shal be blessed 〈…〉 19.29 blessed is he which walketh vprightlie and soundlie with his neighboures but specially they which renounce the worlde because they haue a better inheritance in heaueÌ„ as often I say as wee reade these thinges wee must be confirmed in our faith and aunswere with a good courage Amen Lorde it is so wee replie not against that which thou hast saide we imbrace thy promises in this place and trust assuredly vnto them Thus ye see howe euerie man ought to enforce himselfe to serue GOD euen because hee beareth so gently with vs commaundeth vs not so precisely as hee might hauing all authoritie ouer vs but applyeth him selfe to our rawnesse to winne vs and to enioye vs. And aboue all let vs bee mindefull of this generall promise when God calleth vs vnto himselfe as his children when hee spareth vs and beareth with vs and entreth not into any extremitie of rigour with vs but although there be many faultes in our workes yet they hinder not him to accept of them so as if wee offende we alwayes find pardon at his hande and when we swarue aside he bringeth vs into y e way and none of al these thinges is imputed vnto vs. Ye see then what we haue to beare in minde as â—ouching the first point Nowe as touching the seconde let vs also note that the threatenings of God are verie necessarie for vs. For wee see howe great pride rebelliousnes is in al vs insomuch that although we bee not rebellious of set purpose to set our God at nought and to cast off his yoke yet wee are so bleare eyed that we thinke not on him y e intisementes of the worlde seduce vs in such wise that we passe not for the receiuing of any warning that God giueth vs. If hee call vs by gentlenesse hee can get nothing at our handes and therefore hee is fayne to vse threatninges Hereby we see how he letteth passe nothing that is meete to hold vs in awe vnder his obedience On the one side hee vseth mylde and louing maner of speach vnto vs as I haue told you saith Come ye vnto me my childreÌ„ Indeed I owe you nothing but yet I wil bind my self vnto you I promise you that if you serue me it shall be for your profite Thus our Lorde speaketh vnto vs as a father that flattereth his childe to win him to be ruled by him to employ himselfe in his seruice with a freeharted affectioÌ„ Howbeit God perceiuing that that is not enough to mooue vs vseth threateninges and sayeth Take heede if yee thinke to cast away my worde and yet to remaine vnpunished yee deceiue your selues I must cal you to accouÌ„t for it I wil not suffer my children so to mock mee I must be their Iudge looke not for any pardon when you haue abused my patience I must double your punishment and my vengeaunce must fall more horribly vpon you Therefore when God declareth that our sinnes are vnpardonable and yet wee continue in them and make none account of submitting our selues vnto him specially when hee applyeth himselfe euerie way vnto vs to the intent wee shoulde remayne in his obedience and not perish Sith we see he hath such a care of our saluation must it not needes bee that wee are too too stubborne or rather verie beastes if wee be not mooued to fare the better by the fatherly care which hee sheweth towardes vs Yes And therefore being stirred vp by the goodnesse and gentlenesse of God whereof I speake euen nowe let vs also quicken vp our selues with his threateninges When we see that our fleshe is ouer wanton and that it draweth vs vnto euill let vs say Alas And shall wee shake off his yoke like wilde beastes What hath God pronounced Let vs tremble therefore when wee heare the threateninges of our God For if the anger of an earthly king bee the messenger of death as Salomon saith Prou. 16.14 what ought wee to thinke of the anger of God when it is denounced against vs So then let vs learne to tame our selues with feare When the tentations of Satan might preuayle agaynst vs and that our sinnes might bee as baytes to deceiue vs let it come into our minde to say What Shal I vnder the pretence of some pleasure which will soone vanishe goe and prouoke the anger of my GOD and so perishe for euer After that manner I say ought wee to call Gods threateninges to our remembraunce and then to aunswere thereunto Amen and say yea Lorde it is euen so it is no childrens game When thou pronouncest condemnation vppon the wicked thou arte readie to execute it and when thou hast once pronounced the worde with thy mouth it is all one as if wee sawe the fire alreadie kindled to consume vs. After that manner I say ought we to receyue all the threateninges which GOD denounceth against vs. For
certeine that euery of vs woulde rest vppon him wayting to receiue all goodnesse from him which is the thing that shoulde encourage vs to serue him and to direct ourselues after his will But although euery man seeke and desire his owne ease yet wee vnderstand not that GOD is hee from whom wee must looke for it Wee can say it well ynough but the thing it selfe sheweth that wee can not iudge nor conceiue it to bee so Euery man woulde bee riche by leawde practises euery man setteth his felicitie in offending God Wee must needes therefore bee without sense and reason seeing that this article wherein wee should bee resolued cannot bee imprinted in our mindes to witte that all welfare proceedeth from the hande of GOD and that there is no meane to prosper but by giuing ouer our selues vnto him and vnto his seruice Yet notwithstanding GOD hath alwayes left this engrauen in the heartes of men that the wretchednesse and miseries whereunto wee bee subiect doe proceede of the corruption of mankinde insomuch y t the very Paynims haue had the same opinion common amongest them It is certaine that they were not taught concerning the fall of Adam they vnderstood not howe all mankind was accursed for the diuel through his wilinesse had put that out of knowledge Yet notwithstanding it was vnderstoode among them and written and these thinges were common vnto them namely that all the sickenesses and wretchednesse that men indure all the famines and plagues and such like things proceeded of this that men will needes robbe GOD of more wisedome than is belonging vnto them They knew not y t this came from the tree of the knowledge of good euill they wist nothing of that Neuerthelesse God hath not permitted that knowledge so wholly to be buried but that it remained amongst the Heathen and Infidels so as they vnderstoode that because man woulde haue vsurped vnto himselfe more knowledge than was lawfull for him that now all thinges are confounded in this worlde and the life of man is become miserable and so subdued to so many aduersities as is horrible Now this is sufficient to make vs altogether vnexcusable but yet will God haue vs vs I meane whome God hath chosen to be of his housholde to bee more familiarly taught This doth god speak as it were mouth to mouth and looke what the Infidels had but by imagination the same doeth he tell and testifie vnto vs I say he telleth it vs that we might know it familiarly he testifieth it vnto vs that we shoulde be thereof assured That is the cause why hee saith that he woulde make all maner of felicitie to reigne vpon vs so we would hearken to his voyce Wherby he sheweth that if it were not long of our selues he were readie and forwarde to entreate vs as a father doth his children and that hee delighteth not to vex vs with multitudes of euils but that hee meaneth rather to make vs feele his goodnesse in all respectes Let vs therefore be aduised to walke in the obedience of our God if wee meane that he should powre vpon vs the treasures of his grace in such wise as all our life may bee blessed Neuerthelesse it is certaine that God oftentimes afflicteth his people for other causes than their sinnes as we see it happened to Iob which is a notable myrrour for vs. Wee see the like in the holy Patriarks who although they did endeuour and trauaile to serue God yet were they in as great troubles and griefes as could be The same is yet more manifest in the newe Testament For seeing that God hath reueiled more fully what is the perfect happinesse of men It behooueth the faithfull to bee exercised vnder many aduersities in this transitorie life But let vs marke first of all that if God doe not punish the sinnes of the faithfull hee doeth it to preserue them as the Physition that waiteth not alwayes till the sickenesse do appeare but if hee perceiue any likelyhood that a man is in daunger he will preuent it God then in not punishing the sinnes that be presently committed by his children doth vse chastisements towardes them as preseruatiue medicines It may euery day fall out that a man hath not offended against God in some particular sins But what If he were alwayes in prosperitie he woulde forget himselfe God therefore doeth cure such diseases by withdrawing his blessings hee will not suffer the fat to blinde mens eyes or to hinder our comming vnto him least it shoulde stay vs too long in this worlde he will not suffer vs to bee so intangled in our delightes as to fall altogether on sleepe in the same There is yet a seconde point to wit that when God forbeareth to punish vs for our sins it is not that hee hath not alwayes iust cause so to doe if he listed Let the perfectest folke in the worlde bee chosen out and yet if GOD woulde deale with them by rygour he shoulde lay many harde knockes vppon their pates But truely wee thinke it not so for wee bee not so sharpe sighted as to knowe the faultes which God doth marke But yet must wee assure our selues that GOD vttereth his patience and goodnesse in that hee spareth men and punisheth them not I meane the most righteous that can bee founde As for example when Dauid was cruelly persecuted of Saul and of all his enimies when Abraham was stinged and vexed so many wayes likewise when Isaac and Iacob and al the Prophets were afflicted by the wicked and by the despisers of God euen to the verie death and finally when the Apostles and all the faithfull were cruelly delt with it was not for their sinnes No verily But had it pleased God to haue called them to account hee might haue punished them an hundred times more and they shold haue had no cause to haue accused him of crueltie Hee spared them and in so doeing hee did them the honour to suffer for his name or rather hee tried their obedience killed their carnall affections and drew them neere vnto himself As for example wheras it pleased God to make Iob a myrrour of patience yet neuerthelesse he made him acquainted with his owne frailtie but howsoeuet it were yet was it his intent to make him to serue for an example to vs all Wee perceiue then that God hath other meanings in afflicting his people than onely to punish their sinnes neuerthelesse he ceaseth not to vpholde them euen by his own meere grace And yet must wee on our side resort backe to this point that the originall of all the miseries that we suffer in this present world doth proceede of sinne And why so For were not this corruption in our nature which God condemneth and of the which also wee be conuicted wee shoulde inioy heere a blessed life all this whole worlde should be vnto vs an earthly Paradise For we must not thinke that Adam was cooped vp in a little corner for himselfe
then that the case standeth so let vs learne to walke in such obedience to our God as hee may make the redemption auailable which is wrought by our Lorde Iesus Christ and let vs serue him in all holinesse and righteousnesse that wee bee not bereft of the fauour which hee hath purchased for vs as wee see this people were who after they had beene setled in the lande of Chanaan were put out againe for their vnthankfulnesse Therefore let vs bee well ware that God dispossesse vs not of the grace which he hath bestowed on vs but let vs learne to take such profite thereby as all the whole may yeelde fruite to his glory to the intent he may make vs to vnderstand that as well in life as in death hee is euermore our Sauiour and our redeemer and y t we may make our boast that he hath not redeemed vs in vaine but with condition that we shoulde henceforth liue in libertie in despite of the diuell and of death according as wee haue example thereof in Sainct Paul Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to touch vs more and more to the quicke that being striken with such a feare as may make vs to see that of our selues we bee deade and forlorne we may yet for all y t not faile to flee for refuge to his mercie Let vs therfore seeke the way thither which is that we acknowledge ourselues to be recōciled by Iesus Christ and that hee is our peace vnto the ende according as he doeth continually declare and testifie vnto vs by the doctrine of his Gospell Eph. 2.14 And that in the meane while it may please our good God to giue vs the spirite of mieldnesse and meekenesse to the ende wee rebell not against him any more nor haue our affections any more striuing and rebelling against his Lawe but rather that wee may commit ouer our selues to his guiding and bee confirmed in the assurance which hee hath giuen vs that hee holdeth vs for his people so as he may shew by effect that hee watcheth ouer vs and that hee will continue with vs to the ende to preserue vs both in life and in death That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Munday the vj. of Aprill 1556. The CLXIIII Sermon which is the first vppon the nine twentith Chapter THese bee the wordes of the couenant which the Lorde God commaunded Moses to enter into with the children of Israel in the lande of Moab ouer and besides the couenant which he had made with them in Horeb. 2 And Moses called all Israel and saide vnto them you haue seene all that the Lorde hath done before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharao and to all his seruants and to all his Countrie 3 The great trials which thine eyes haue seene and the great signes and wonders 4 And yet the Lord hath not giuen you a heart to vnderstand eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this present day WHen GOD hath once shewed his wil vnto mē it ought to suffice for euer For what would wee more when wee vnderstand y t we ought to walke in the obedience of our God euen of him who hath formed and created vs to whome wee belong and who hath so dearely bought vs Needs then must men be wonderfully vnthankful whē they can forget that which God hath taught them And that is the cause why it is so often times tolde vs that wee must not turne away from the trueth when it is once knowen vnto vs. But we see howe God was faine to ratifie his Law againe the second time to the end it might be receiued yea euen of that verie people whom he had chosen and yet we see that at that time the Iewes ought to haue beene sufficiently reclaimed to obey God for hee had brought them lowe with long affliction and surely it is a thing that ought to make men y e more pliable to learn when they haue bin beaten with the scourges of God and their pride bin long punished in them so as they haue beene driuen to flie vnto God to pray him to take compassion of their miseries It may well seeme that this should make them as gentle and meeke as lambes The people of Israel were in that case but they did foorthwith forget the miseries which they had suffered they kicked against their God and they coulde not finde in their harts to receiue the yoke that was laide vpon their necke Therefore we haue here a faire lookingglasse of the naughtinesse and frowardnes of our nature for this is not written to this ende onely that we should blame the Iewes but much rather that wee shoulde consider that we our selues doe nothing differ from them vntill God haue reformed vs by his holy spirite Here then in y e person of the Iewes God sheweth vs what we are of purpose to humble vs. Therefore he saith that God commaunded Moses to make a couenant the seconde time with the children of Israel in the Land of Moab yea ouer besides that couenaunt which hee made in Horeb where the law was first deliuered It is certaine y t Gods declaring of his law was to the intent that euerie man shoulde remember this lesson both night and day and for that cause was the law set downe in writing For it is not ynough for vs to haue had God speake once but the fathers must also teach their children and euerie man must exercise himselfe in that which he hath heard y t he may frame himselfe thereafter frō day to day bee the better edified Gods intent then was y t this people shoulde bee dayly furthered and for that purpose also were the Priests ordained For I haue tolde you for what purpose our Lord had chosen them from among the people It was not for the ceremonies of the Temple onely but as it is touched in the Prophet Malachy it was to sowe good and profitable doctrine throughout all the whole lande Mal. 2.7 and to that ende also were they dispersed euerie where that the people might be retayned in the purity of Religion and in obedience to the lawe But the question here concerneth the solemne couenant When God published his law in Horeb we vnderstand that the lightnings did flie foorth Exod. 19.16 Exod. 20.18 that there was a sounde of trumpets that the heauen moued that the mountaine flamed that mens minds were afraide and to bee short that God there shewed his presence with such maiestie as all men must needes know that obedience was due vnto him Marke heere the solemnitie that was kept to make the Lawe autenticall I haue saide that this ought to suffice vs to the ende of the worlde Shoulde wee then looke to haue him to doe it againe the seconde time Seeing that God hath
followe the grace of God and to receiue it and hauing accepted it to make it to preuaile To bee short the Papistes make a parting of stakes as if it lay in vs to seeke God then that it were in vs to put his grace in effect in such wise as it should not be vnprofitable and that there is also a certaine agreement betweene God and man so as God for his part doth one peece and we doe the other yea and the principall part But the meaning of Moses is nothing so For he sheweth not what belongeth to man as in comparison and in respect of God But it is the common fashion of the holy scripture first to shew vs what is our dutie and then to adde that although we be not able to resort vnto God when he calleth vs yet we must not be faintharted at y e feeling of our weaknesse but rather resort vnto him that is able to helpe it according as he hath promised to do it Let vs marke wel then that when holy Scripture speaketh of that which men doe owe vnto God wee must not in that case stand scanning of our owne power and ability for we shall not faile to be euermore detters as we haue said and yet we must note also that the vnabilitie which is in vs proceedeth of our fault Yet notwithstanding the Papists alleage that it were a crueltie in God to require of vs to do more than we can It seemeth indeed that God ought to be contented if a man doe what he can Now then if we cannot haue a good desire 2. Cor. 3.5 and if we haue yet lesse power that we caÌ„not so much as think a good thought wherfore doth God constraine vs to loue him perfectly There seemeth to be no vpright dealing in y t. But we must repaire to our originall sinne which hindereth vs so as we serue not God no nor haue not the will to serue him Indeede God hath imprinted a will in vs by nature Rom. 1.20 and for as much as we are meÌ„ we haue a discretion to discerne good and euill whereby we be inexcusable and when we sin it commeth not of compulsioÌ„ neither are we forced by other meanes but it proceedeth of our own will and inclination But now let vs see whether our wil can bend it selfe both the waies and is able to chuse either good or euill No. For we be captiues vnder sinne Rom. 6.17 7.14 and whence coÌ„meth this captiuitie and bondage From the offence of Adam Seeing therefore that the euill is in our selues wee must not seeke for fonde and vnprofitable excuses for we shall win nothing thereby but let vs stoope and condemn our selues If God therfore require aught of vs he doth vs no wroÌ„g and yet notwithstanding men may not reply that they be feeble and weake for the euill shall euermore be imputed vnto them they shal be found guiltie thereof But now let vs come back to the matter which we haue touched The holy scripture setteth before vs the lawe of God as y e thing which we ought to follow and that is our rule We for our part doe draw cleane contrary Whereto then serueth the law of God so long as it is but a dead letter that is to say so long as we haue but our eares beaten therewith or so long as it is written but in paper parchment or in stones as this was as it is in deede so long as it is but preached vnto vs It serueth but to our condemnation so as we be there conuicted and can no more pleade ignorance but rather shew our selues open rebels in that we bow not downe our neckes to receiue the yoke which God hath ordained for vs. That is the cause why the lawe of God vnder Moses did bring nothing but wrath Therefore he saith y t it doth augment sinne Rom. 4.15 Rom. 5.2 2. Cor. 3.7 and consequently that it is vnto vs the messenger of death So then let vs marke well that whereas God teacheth vs what wee ought to doe albeit y t the same doctrine ought of it selfe to serue vs to saluation yet neuerthelesse it bringeth vs nothing but condemnation euen bicause of our sin Such is the falling out of it but howsoeuer y e case stand yet must the law of God alwaies condeÌ„ne vs. Now after that God hath conuicted men beaten downe their pride to the intent they should not presume of themselues he addeth the promise and saith Go to It is true y t your hearts be incircumcised it is certaine y t you haue blind motions and that you be corrupted in all your nature but I will change your heartes I will renue your mindes I will reforme you to my selfe whereas heretofore you haue been rebellious against me there hath bin nothing in you but malice henceforth there shal be a readines to obey my lawe God giueth that very promise Whereby hee sheweth that whatsoeuer hee commaunded vs afore our doing thereof shal be by his only power not in any part by our own In this case it is not for vs to father the cheefe part vppon our owne free will no nor the one halfe neither for God must haue all the prayse without exception and that whatsoeuer we doe doe proceede of his woorking of it in vs and of his reforming of our wittes and of his changing of vs. And for that cause the holy Scripture sayth 2. Cor. 5.17 that we be made newe creatures When it sayth so doth it meane that men were â—arst good No but that GOD doeth reforme them And in deede if it were in vs to amende our soules and to renewe them wee shoulde doe more than GOD doeth GOD hath created our bodyes and also our soules but yet notwithstanding what bring wee from our mothers wombe but all maner of cursednesse For as I haue sayde wee bee infected with originall sinne Thus doeth GOD make vs mortall men yea but in the meane whyle there is this mischeefe namely that wee bee aliened from him and from all goodnesse Nowe if men were able to deliuer themselues out of the curse wherein they bee and could giue themselues a newe power shoulde not they then doe more than GOD hath doone Nowe then whereas Moses sayeth in this place The Lorde will circumcise thy heart to loue thy GOD with all thy hearte and with all thy soule hee sheweth thereby that if wee doe amisse as we doe indeede wee cannot haue so much as any one good motion to come vnto GOD vntill wee be altogether renewed by Gods working in vs and therefore that we must not be fainthearted Wherfore For when he hath taught vs what we ought to doe he giueth vs also the power to performe it After hee hath taught vs by the voyce of men hee teacheth vs also by his holy Spirite in our heartes and that teaching is of efficacie so as wee doe not onely knowe the good but also wee
sheweth yet better how God hath vttered his goodnesse towards the people of Israel He found him saith he in a desert land in a desolate place in a dredful wildernes where was nothing but roring of wild beasts There he led him vp down there he nurtured him there he kept him as the apple of his eye If the people of Israel had not serued as slaues in Egypt and trauelled through the wildernesse Gods goodnesse had not bin so well knowen and so glorious as it is at this day For why Whereas God tooke Abraham out of his countrie and brought him into a strange Land and afterward gaue him a sonne when hee was vppon the point of a hundred yeres old that of that one child there issued such an infinit multitude it might well haue bin sayd that God had shewed fauor to that linage but yet so blind are men in considering Gods goodnesse towardes thē that it would neuer haue bin perceiued how God vttered his bountifulnesse towards y t stock vnlesse Iacob had gone downe into Egypt and that the people of Israell had bin kept in cruell bondage Exod. 1. as Moses reporteth in Exodus But when they had bin held in such slauery that the king of Egypt had commaunded all their men-children to be slayne then were they come to y e vttermost pinch And then did God fetch them away and make thē to passe the red sea hauing wrought a great number of miracles before By meanes whereof they were after a sort wakened that they might the better bethinke them howe dearely God loued them how much he set by them seeing he vouchsafed to yeeld so great so stately recordes of the goodnesse and fauour which he bare towardes them Moses therefore following the same reason saith here Looke backe to your first originall from whence you be issued Did God find you in a fat and fertile coūtrie as though he should say I wil maintaine you in the state wherein yee be for it is not enough for men to haue a conuenient and easie dwelling place vnlesse I preserue them and hold thē vnder my protectiō You therefore shal be mine and I will bee your safegarde Did God finde his people in such state No. And therefore Moses sayeth to the children of Israel Consider from whence ye came from whence your God hath fetched you Were ye not in a wildernesse sayeth hee Yes that then is the place from whence hee hath fetched you and so much the more ought you to consider the fauour which he hath shewed you that yee may perceiue howe much you be bounde vnto him Now then ye were in a wildernesse and after what sorte There was not one graine of Corne to feede you withall there was not one drop of water for you to drinke he was faine to make water to issue out of a dry rocke miraculously for you hee made Manna to fall from heauen Ye were in a place where yee coulde not build you one house ye were there among the wild beasts so as ye must needes haue perished and therfore a man needes not to vse long discourses to shew how God was bountiful vnto you For ye were as good as in a graue by the space of forty yeeres and yet God kept you aliue after a straunge fashion vnknowen to men Ye were destitute of foode and drinke God furnished your turne Your shooes your hose your garments did not rotte all that while Now then seeing that God maintained you after that manner against the commō order of nature did he not shew thereby what care he had of you and what loue he bare vnto you So then looke that ye neuer forget so great benefites specially being so many and so huge in number as he hath done for you Nowe we see the meaning of Moses in that hee sayeth that God founde his people in a wildernesse a dry and barraine ground a desolate place And the selfesame thing meaneth Ezechiell in his sixteenth chapter where he vpbraideth the people of Israell with the vnthankfullnesse which they had shewed 〈◊〉 16.3 What are yee sayeth hee For I tooke you comming out of the land of Egypt as a Child borne out of time The Child y t so commeth out of his mothers wombe is al to berayed and he should perish in his own filth if he were not rid of his spottes and blemishes and washed from the vncleannes which he bringeth with him To be short he rehearseth all the thinges that are wont to bee doone to a child that is newely borne Againe he vseth another similitude which is as if a man should finde a wretched harlot that were starke rotten and readie to fall in peeces by reason of her infections And I haue washed you made you cleane 〈◊〉 15.8 yea and I haue taken you in mariage and doe ye not knowe that to bee a benefite Thus we see that Ezechiell hath followed the same order which Moses did in abasing the Children of Israell by bringing them backe to their first state to the intent they shoulde learne that Gods aduancing of them after that fashion beyond al expectation of man was to the end his grace might be the better knowen in them And now to apply this doctrine to our owne instruction let vs consider what wee be before God chooseth vs. It is sayd that hee found his people in a wildernesse True it is that he had adopted them before that time insomuch that the promises were made vnto them before they went downe into Egypt But it is enough that the people were there in so miserable state to the end they shoulde perceiue that God had at that time giuen them as it were a second byrth and so dooth the scripture customably terme it But not let vs come to our selues In what case dooth God finde vs In what state dooth hee take vs We bee the children of Adam that is to say cursed and heires of euerlasting death There is nothing in vs but sin there is nothing in vs but corruption God must needes reiect vs and hate vs he must needes become our deadly enemy and vtter his vengeance vppon vs. To bee short wee be in the dungeons of hell vntill God haue reached vs his hand and had pitie vppon vs. It is not for any man to exempt him selfe from this confusion for from the greatest to the least of vs we be all plunged in it Now let vs boast of the thinges which we haue of nature For God findeth vs voyd of all goodnesse we haue not one droppe of vertue wisedome or righteousnesse but contrariwise wee be full of corruption wee bee ready to burst for filth and vncleanesse wee bee bondslaues to Satan vnder the tyranny and bondage of death and at a worde we bee plunged in hell At that poynt are wee when God chooseth vs that is the poynt whereat hee beginneth our saluation Now sith it is so let vs learne first of
doe vs to vnderstand that God hath mo sorts means of punishing men than one insomuch that when they think themselues to be escaped then are they newe to beginne againe And this is verie worthie to bee noted For wee see what the negligence of them is which haue doone amisse True it is that if they perceiue any token of Gods anger they will be abashed at it at the first but if they feele no further thā threatnings they shake their eares and make a mocke at it But if God scarre them a litle as soone as it is ouer they thinke themselues quite rid of it As for example if there bee any noise of war such as haue misbehaued themselues and led a wicked and loose life wil begin to shudder at it But as soone as the same is ceased they be the same men they were afore Likewise is it with them concerning famine and all other afflictions whatsoeuer If a man be stricken with a disease and pressed with the hande of God hee wil play the holie man for the time but as soone as hee is releeued by and by he beginnes to set vp his bristles lustilier than afore Yee see then at what point we bee As soone as God withdrawes his hande we beare our selues in hande that we bee quite and cleane discharged and that there bee no mo meanes wherewith to punish vs. But contrariwise it is saide here that if Gods shooting of one arrow haue not woūded vs to death it makes no matter for hee will shoote agayne and in the ende so deale with vs that wee shall find by proofe that it had beene for our behoofe to haue considered at the first that he hath infinite meanes and incomprehensible to vs wherwith to take vengeance of our sins That is the cause then why he saith that he wil heape vp euill vppon them as he will adde hereafter saying Are not these thinges laide vp in my treasures Deu. 32.34 And there this matter shall bee treated of more at large And by this worde Arrowe he betokeneth al the weapons of his wrath the which he setteth downe more particularly by and by after saying that He will sende wilde beastes to deuoure all hee will send Serpentes to consume men with their stinginges hee will sende enemies with the sword abroade and hee will sende terrour at home Heere GOD alledgeth some examples of the thing which hee had spoken to wit that when wee be escaped from warre famine shall catch vs and if God spare vs from famine yet shall that nothing boote vs for he will haue other weapons to pursue vs withall And herewithall wee bee warned further that all creatures are in Gods hande and that hee imployeth them to what vse hee liketh best As for example if hee list to haue the wilde beastes to serue for our benefite they must needes doe it For hee leadeth them by his secrete moouing in such wise as they cannot but execute that which hee inioyneth And on the contrarie part whensoeuer it pleaseth him to arme the beastes they must needes become our enemies and wee cannot withstande them For vntill such time as we bee at one with him it is certaine that wee haue still the worse ende of the staffe Secondlie hee addeth the trayling serpents Although wee despise these little beastes such as the Serpents are which trayle in the dust as Moses saith expreslie here yet wil God make the mischeefe of them to attaine euen to our heades For albeit that the biting of a Serpent bee but on ones heele or his foote yet the venime of it striketh vp through his whole bodie The like is to bee saide of diseases For vnder one kinde hee comprehendeth here all when hee sayth That hee will sende bitter heates and that the same shall destroy men So then let vs marke according to that which I haue treated of heretofore that when wee bee vexed by men the same happeneth not without the ordinaunce of God Such thinges are Gods chastisementes whereby hee calleth vs to the considering of our sinnes and whereby hee summoneth vs before him not onely to indite vs of them but also to the ende wee should doe it our selues aforehand and euerie of vs play the iudge in condemning our selues that by that meane wee might obtayne fauour at his hande But if we will needs bee selfewilled then are they as euidences aforehande to condemne vs with and wee must not imagine that wee can further our case by replyinges And whensoeuer wee bee so visited if wee yeelde not GOD the honour to confesse that he is righteous in so doing surelie the mischeefe shall bee doubled and still increased vntill it haue consumed vs. Therefore although wee be troubled by men yet let vs vnderstande that GOD serueth his owne purpose by them as by instrumentes and that wee must haue recourse to him and that if he were not prouoked against vs wee should bee vnder his protection and hee woulde not giue our enemies the bridle after that fashion Let vs assure our selues that when sickenesse commeth vpon vs it is to bee accounted as the hande of GOD and that his sending of it is to visite vs and to make vs to turne againe vnto him As much is to bee thought of the rest For it is not to bee thought that the creatures are led at all aduenture that GOD shoulde not bee serued by them and that they shoulde not bee at his disposition It is for heathenish and faithlesse folkes so to thinke But in acknowledging that GOD is the maker of heauen and earth we professe therewithal that al things are at his commaundement that all thinges are disposed by his appoyntment and that nothing commeth to passe but by his iustice That then is the thing which wee haue to beare in minde in his text when Moses saith that God will arme the enemie without and sende feare within Whereby hee meaneth that their needeth no more but a shadowe to fray vs accordinglie as hath beene declared in the eight and tweentith Chapter Deut. 28.66 If GOD list to stirre vp great troubles and stormes against vs he will doe it and it is meere that hee shoulde bee the ouerruler of all But when hee intendeth to consume vs then must our life needes hang as vppon a twyned threed so as at euening wee shall sorowfully say Who will cause me to see to morrowe morning And when night is gone wee shall bee still in the same greefe of minde wee shall bee as men besides themselues and much woorse The thing then which this word Feare or terror importeth is that God wil make men to be alwayes as it were besides themselues when they will not yeelde to his corrections to come to amendement so as they shall bee wounded in their heartes without his stirring vp of anie enemies or his sending of anie inconuenience vnto them and they shall not knowe why nor wherefore but that their owne shadowe troubleth them and
vnto him that y e land was not the cheefe heritage whereunto the children of Abraham were to attaine Here therefore wee haue a sure record that although the fathers which liued vnder the Lawe had not the heauenly lyfe so lightsomly largely reuealed vnto them yet did they grounde themselues thereupon laboring to attaine therunto and were not wedded to this world as if that had bin the marke they amed at and that they had bin tyed to it to say Well God hath chosen and adopted vs to possesse a good and fatte land to the intent wee should bee fostered therein For if the people had but thought vppon that what had become of Moses who was the excellentest prophet that euer God raysed vp vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ as wee shall see in the last Chapter That is the cause why Moses beheld y t land and vewed it afar off Deut. 34.10 And although hee neuer ate one graine of the corne thereof nor tasted one drop of the wine yet did it suffice him to see that God had not disappointed his people It is to bee concluded then that Moses had a further forelook and stood not musing vppon the transitorie inheritance but considered full well that when wee be made the children of God it is to the ende wee shoulde liue euerlastingly with him Seeing then that Moses had that let vs vnderstand that the fathers were not without cause called the children of God which thing they were not vnlesse they were heires with vs. And forsomuch as they tended to the heauenly lyfe which notwithstanding was shewed to them but afar off let vs take the more courage to vs seeing that God is come neerer vnto vs after a more familiar maner euen in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore let all these things moue vs that our faith may waken vs and withdrawe vs frō all the impedimentes of this world so as we may keepe on our way to the euerlasting rest which cannot faile vs. Now whereas it is sayd vnto Moses that hee shall bee gathered vp with his people hereby our Lord meant that hee was of necessitie to passe the common way as they say of all mankinde and that his case should be no better than of all the rest of Adams children Truely this woulde trouble vs if there were no more than so But I haue spoken already of y e special promise whereuppon Moses was grounded Neuerthelesse our Lord shewed him that forasmuch as he was descended of Adams race it behooued him needes to dye And this accordeth still with the matter which I speake of euen now namely that we shal neuer take sufficient taste of Gods goodnes and promises vntil we be brought low in ourselues y t we may know our own needines and what y e lyfe is which is promised vs and which we obtein by Iesus Christ. We think not vpon any of all these thinges except we first know the death y t is purchased vnto vs by Adam that the same dwelleth in vs and holdeth vs prisoners in his bands If we knowe not that wee bee cursed of God by nature and that we haue no other hope but rottennesse as touching our bodies and that as touching our soules we be reiected of God feele that he is against vs and that he is our Iudge y t he will vtter forth all his maiestie to our confusion Vntil such time as we feele all these things it is certeine that we will neuer seeke the remedie that is offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ nor receiue him with such reuerence as to become lyke poore hungry soules So then we see how we haue neede of this warning that we must be gathered vp With whom With those which haue gone before vs. And without that what comfort shall wee haue Lesse than the brute beastes haue For if we thinke vpon nothing but death we goe all into rottonnes our bodies be in no better plight than the bodies of Asses and Dogges And againe as touching our soules we must needes bee separated and cut off from God and feele him to be against vs. That then is our state And therfore whensoeuer we heare any speaking of death let vs by and by bethinke vs of Adams sin of the corruption of our nature and of all the vices that dwell in vs which serue all to cut vs off as rotten members from Gods house and kingdome When wee haue bethought vs thereof and that we be so dismayed as we know not where to become for the terror that shall haue caught holde of vs let vs repaire to Iesus Christ Iohn 11.25 and sith we knowe that hee is the resurrection and the lyfe let vs take courage to offer our selues vnto death and let it not greeue vs to be done away seeing wee haue promise that we shall be restored againe And so when wee haue bethought vs of all the nations of y e world and of all Adams ofspring let vs come to the people whom God hath sanctifyed and chosen to be his heritage Seeing then that we shall be gathered vppe with the righteous surely it is a good gathering and therein lyeth all our rest cōtentation so as death shal be sweete vnto vs. And although wee must of necessitie passe that way with all other creatures yet dooth God take vs and keepe vs as his chosen children and to be ioyned to our Lord Iesus Christ who is named the first borne from among the dead And to the intent we should bee the first fruites of the resurrection and of the quicke hee hath gathered vs to himselfe and matched vs with y e holy Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles That say I is the thing which sweeteneth all the sorrowes that we can conceiue Now in the end it is sayd yet again vnto Moses That he sanctifyed not Gods name among the children of Israel and therefore hee should see the Land euen the Land which God had giuen to his people Here we haue to marke that it is not enough for vs to absteine from doing euill but that we must also sanctifie Gods name when we see men misuse it through their leawdnesse And in very deede the chiefe thing that God requireth Matt. 6. ◠is that his name should be sanctifyed for it is the first petition which we make And by that order our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth vs full well that wee must begin at that point as for example when he saith First seeke yee the kingdome of God what dooth that signify Matt. 6.33 That we should seeke to exalt God that all the world shoulde obey him and that his maiestie should be knowen to the end that all prayse of wisedome righteousnesse goodnes and power might bee attributed vnto him That is the thing whereunto euery of vs ought to put his indeuour True it is y t we ought in deede to sanctifie the name of God that is to say to dedicate our selues euery man
the people bin vnthankfull they shoulde ere that time haue beene conueyed into the lande of promise and then had Moses gone in with them But his life was prolonged a great time because of the leawdnes of the people Heere we see a wonderfull goodnes in God For seeing that the people that is to wit as many of them as were then of discretion to knowe good from euill were condemned to die in the wildernesse it had beene a great discomfort to them if Moses should haue dyed out of hand 〈◊〉 14.23 But God reserueth him and although he chastise the people yet notwithstanding hee moderateth his rigour Heere then we see in effect that when God tolde the people that they should die in the wildernesse hee meant not to punish them with such extremitie but that hee prouided them first of y e principall point which was y t they might haue a good loadesman For that is an inestimable treasure And againe we see howe God wrought in Moses by a power that was not common to men that is to wit that at the age of Sixscore yeeres there was in him still all that euer was requisite in so difficult and weightie a charge as wee knowe was committed vnto him True it is that he had Iudges with him Exod. 18.25 but yet for all that no one man no nor a doosen men had beene able to haue gone through with that charge though they had bin chosen of the excellentest men in the worlde Needs must it be thē that God aided him Now whereas in so old age men are wont to be drooping and halfe dead or at leastwise in such case as they can scarsly crawle and are halfe doted and yet Moses continueth still in his perfect state therein it appeareth that God had compassion of his people And this is expresly declared that the children of Israel shoulde knowe that God neuer forsooke them that although they had grieuously offended him and were worthy to be cut off from his house and to bee stripped out of his gratious giftes yet he ment not to vse such rigour for hee reserued Moses and gaue him wherwith to go through with his charge continually To be short in this text it is shewed vs that if God giue vs such men to bee our guides as behaue themselues faithfully and haue abilitie matched with their will and that they bee maintained to doe their office to the full it behoueth vs to perceiue therin that God hath pitie vppon vs and we must acknowledge such a benefite vnlesse we wil be condemned of vnthankfulnesse Nowe it is saide that the children of Israel mourned thirtie days for the death of Moses It was a common thing to make such sorrowe for the deade But forasmuch as Moses was a father to all the whole people it was verie requisite that not some one house or kinred but that all those which had beene gouerned by him shoulde weepe for him Euerie man is to be mourned for in his owne house by his kinsfolfe and neere friendes but there was another speciall reason in Moses because God had giuen him to all the people and he had guided them with a fatherly care as we knowe The people therefore doe witnesse openly howe much they were bounde and beholden vnto Moses and al of them shewe themselues as his children But here it might be demaunded whether it be lawfull to make such lamentation for a man that is departed for it shoulde seeme to bee an incountering of Gods will Wee knowe that the life and death of men is in Gods hande nowe if hee call vs away it behooueth vs to goe without any gainesaying as I saide yesterday They that outliue vs must not sorrowe for our death for it were a kinde of striuing against God But wee must euer haue an eye to the end of our sorrowing when wee mourne for the decease of men and againe we must come to the measure therof Those two things then must we obserue to the intent that our sorrowing may bee lawfull The first thing is that our mourning for a partie departed be vpon iust cause For we haue good occasion to weepe because death is a common lookingglasse and record vnto vs of Gods curse not vppon one or two folkes but vpon all mankinde When we see any man deade God sheweth vs to the vew of our eye that we be all of vs cursed of him and that wee be all of vs inclosed in that curse because of Adams sin For whence comes death but of the estraunging of vs from the fountaine and welspring of life God then giueth vs good occasion to weepe when any man dyeth but that must bee done because of our sinnes so aswe feele what we haue deserued and bee ashamed of our selues and bee touched with the feare of Gods vengeance and bee so wounded therewith as it may prouoke vs to make sorrowe But this ende is ill regarded welneere of all men For when wee weepe we wote not why wee weepe and scarsly shall yee finde one among a hundred which is mooued and stirred vp to acknowledge the punishment of sinne the curse of God which is spred ouer all the sonnes of Adam That then is the thing which we haue to remember in the first place There is another seconde ende That is to wit when God taketh away a man that was able to doe seruice in his Church either publikely or priuately wee ought to bee sorie for it forasmuch as our Lorde chastiseth vs. If there bee a good Sheepeherd a good Prince a good Magistrate a man of counsell or any other that is fitte to serue the whole bodie and God taketh him away we ought to bee sorie for him and not without cause for it is a signe that hee is minded to diminish his grace in vs. And ought wee not to bee grieued in feeling Gods wrath On the other side we see how it is said that our Lorde taketh away the righteous Esa. 57.1 when he hath any vengeance in a readinesse hee calleth away his seruaunts to rest that they may be free from the mischiefe which is at hande Therefore when God taketh away the excellent men from among vs it is alwayes a threatning vnto vs. For it is all one as if he told vs that wee bee not worthie to haue him to dwell in our companie according to this saying in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11.38 that the worlde was not worthie to haue the men that serued God with such vertuous conuersation True it is that men mislike of them and thrust them out of their company as though they were not worthie to goe vppon the earth But yet on the contrarie part God telleth vs that we forgoe the company of the good men and of those whom hee hath reserued to himselfe Therefore when we bewaile the death of honest men which haue liued in the feare of God which were indewed with excellent vertues and gifts of grace
which haue done seruice to the building vp of the Church and which coulde haue continued in doing the same still that is a wel-ordered mourning But yet must we also come to the measure For it may bee that a man shall mourne for iust cause and yet if he giue his sorrowe too much scope then is it a fault and a vice As howe If wee sorrowe for our sinnes without comfort wee shal be swallowed vp of heauinesse and thereuppon oftentimes spring grudgings and repynings against God But saint Paul telleth vs that when we mourne so for the death of our friends and kinsfolke or of such as serued in the Church we must not resemble the vnbeleeuers 1. Thess. 4.13 who saith he haue no hope and therefore can haue no comfort In that place S. Paul saith not that it is sinne to weepe hee doth not vtterly condemne the thing but hee sheweth that our sorrowing must be moderated because God giueth vs comfort by calling vs to y e hope of the heauenly life wherein we shal be renewed So then let vs vnderstande that GOD humbleth vs by death and that we must goe into corruption like stinking carions yea and eueÌ„ our soules must seeme to vanish away and that all shal be forlorne Nowe although wee must needes bee sorrowfull when wee consider these things and specially our sinnes yet I say wee must euer come backe to this point that God of his infinite goodnesse pitieth vs still and wil not haue vs to perish in death but rather that it bee vnto vs a passage into the euerlasting life And this hope is ynough to comfort vs in the middes of all our heauinesse at leastwise it ought to be a bridle to restraine our sorrowing that it passe not the bounds and so we fal to fretting against God as we see the vnbeleeuers do who storme and howle and yell and cannot by any meanes be held in order And why Because they haue no comfort which is the mother of patience But forasmuch as God calleth vs to the hope which hee giueth vs therefore after wee haue wept and mourned we haue wherefore to giue him thanks to blesse his holy name and to coÌ„tent our selues that he vseth not extreme rigor against vs. Now then although we weepe when we see that our Lorde hath taken those from vs which might haue stoode vs in great steede yet must we not fall into despaire as though God had no way to succour vs. For he can raise vp euen the stones if he thinke it good Therfore we must resort vnto him when wee perceiue any signe of his wrath and when we haue acknowledged our sins and asked forgiuenes of them at his hand we must also waite his leisure vntil he shew vs fauour that in finding mercy wee may also find remedy of all our griefs Thus y e measure which hee speaketh of is that hauing sorrowed to a good end because our Lord hath taken such folk out of y e world as we ought to long for desire wee must also haue some stay of our selues not be caried away to fretting chafing in our sorrowe but rather asswage our sorrowes because wee know y t when God hath chastised vs he will moderate his mightie hand and not stretch it out to the full against vs but chastise vs with the rodde of man 1. Sam. 7.14 as is said thereof Sith wee see this let vs learne to comfort our selues and be patient But herewithall we haue yet one point more to obserue which is that our forefathers had â—o ceremonies than wee haue because they had not so euident a recorde of the euerlasting life And the selfesame reason was of burial vnder the lawe for they buried men with greater pompe than they do nowadays And what was the reason forsooth because the resurrection was not yet so well witnessed as it is now I grant that the fathers knew well what was requisite to their saluation howbeit y t was vnder shadowes and figures But behold nowadayes God himselfe calleth vs from heauen our Lorde Iesus Christ sheweth vs that as he himselfe is risen to glorie so we also shal be made like to his image and therefore that wee haue no more neede of such helps as y e fathers of old time had So then it were a mockery at this day to counterfeit the thinges that were obserued in the olde Testament And that is a thing wherein the fondnesse of the Papistes appeareth vnto vs. For they woulde needes counterfeit al things without cause or reason And yee see that in their burials they haue so many gewgawes and pelting toyes that a man woulde bee ashamed of them And what is the cause thereof but that they knowe not the difference that is come in since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ namely that the ancient ceremonies are come to an end Yee see then that the Papists are become Iewes howbeit but bastarde Iewes For not without some reason did the Iewes vse that custome because it behooued their ceremonies to supplie the want of doctrine But nowe that our Lord Iesus Christ is come and we haue the resurrection manifested in his person if we set our mindes stil vppon shadowes and figures what is it but a defacing of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ an vtter quenching of y e light of the Gospel That is y e cause why I said that the Papistes are not worthie to bee called Iewes but bastarde Iewes But whereas it is saide that the people made lamentation by the space of thirtie dayes let vs on our side learne that it behooued the auncient fathers to bee kept vnder because God had not giuen them so large a testimonie of the euerlasting life and that for their rudenesse sake they were gouerned like little children Gal. 4.3 as Sainct Paul speaketh of them to the Galathians Let vs nowadayes learne on our side to make the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ auailable that when any man dyeth there bee plainenesse vsed in his buriall and these pompes eschewed wherewith GOD is mocked and the people intangled in manie errours and superstitions And not without cause is it saide that our Lorde Iesus Christ was buried after the manner of the Iewes Matt. 27. 59. to shew that that custome ought nowadayes to bee chaunged among vs and a newe to bee put in the steede Also let vs moderate our mourning and let not our sorrowe bee excessiue but sith wee haue wherewith to comforte our selues which thing the folke that liued vnder the Lawe had not at all or at leastwise not so largely as wee haue let vs practise the doctrine which we bee taught in the Gospell and also by S. Paul to the Thessalonians 1. Thess. 4.13 Thus much concerning that point where mention is made of the lamentation that was made for the death of Moses Now it followeth That Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome because
specially wheÌ„ his word is preached as is said by the Prophet Esay Esa. 66.2.5 For so shall wee shewe not onely in wordes but also in deede that wee be true beleeuers and God also will auowe vs for his people and in the end gather vs into the heritage of the kingdome of heauen Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him not to impute those vnto vs which we haue committed heretofore but that it may please him so to reforme vs to himselfe as our whole seeking may bee to honour him and to giue our selues to his seruice y t he may dwell among vs and our Lorde Iesus raigne ouer vs both by his holy spirit and by his woord And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xx of Iune 1555. The xxxiiij Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fifth Chapter 12 Keepe the day of rest to hallowe it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee 13 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy businesses 14 But the seuenth day is the rest of the Lorde thy God Thou shalt not doe any worke therein AFter that he had spoken of the pure worshipping and seruing of GOD to the glorifying of his name without taking of it either in othes or in other thinges otherwise than in way of honour nowe mention is made of Gods seruice accordingly as he hath required it in his lawe and of the order which he hath set downe for the faithfull to exercise themselues in As for example the Sabaoth or day of rest was a figure partly to shewe that men could not serue God duetifully but by mortifying all that euer is of our owne nature and by dedicating themselues therewithall in such sort vnto him as they may bee as it were quite separated from the world Secondly the day of rest was a Ceremonie to bring the people togither that they might heare the Lawe and call vppon the name of GOD and offer the sacrifices and all other thinges that concerne the spirituall gouernment Thus then wee see nowe after what sorte the Sabaoth day was spoken of but yet would it not be well vnderstoode without distinction and without laying forth of the said two partes by peece meale Therefore we haue to note that the Sabaoth or day of rest was a shadow vnder the Law till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ to doe meÌ„ to vnderstand that God requireth that they should vtterly ceasse from their owne workes and that is it which I meant in one word when I said y t we must mortifie all that euer is of our own nature if wee will conforme our selues to our God And that it is so Saint Paule declareth and besides that wee haue recordes ynow thereof in the newe Testament But it shall suffice to haue alledged that which is most apparant namely to the Colossians Col. 2.17 where it is saide that wee haue the substance and the body of the thinges that were vnder the Lawe wee haue it sayeth he in Iesus Christ. And therefore it was requisite for the fathers of old time to bee trained in this hope as well by the day of rest as by some other Ceremonies But nowe that the thing it selfe is giuen vnto vs wee must no more stay vppon the shadowes In deede the lawe is not so abolished but that we ought to holde still the substance and trueth of it Matt. 5.18 Eph. 2.15 Col. 2.14.17 but yet is the shadowe of it done away by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ If it bee demaunded how the fathers of olde time knewe that Moses hath giuen vs vnderstanding thereof as is shewed sufficiently in the Booke of Exodus Exod. â—â— 17. For God hauing set foorth his Lawe in the twentieth of Exodus which hee vttered vnto Moses telleth him to what ende it tended saying that he had ordeyned the Sabaoth daye to bee as a warrant of the sanctifying of the people of Israel vnto him It is sayeth he a badge of my holynesse which I haue ordayned among you Now when as the scripture speaketh to vs of being made holy vnto GOD it is to separate vs from all thinges that are contrarie to his seruice But where is such purenesse to bee founde Wee bee in the worlde and wee knowe that in the worlde there is nothing but vtter frowardnesse and naughtinesse as sayeth Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle 1. Ioh. â—â—â— But men neede not to goe out of themselues to haue battell against God and his righteousnesse for all our senses and all our affections sayeth Saint Paule in the eyght to the Romanes are enemies vnto God Rom. â—â—â— When men giue heede to their owne thoughts desires likings and lustes they make open warre against God Wee knowe howe it is tolde vs in the sixth of Genesis that all that euer man can imagine is alwayes euill Gen. â— â— and that all that euer man deuiseth in himselfe and hath of his owne store is vtterly vntowarde and corrupt afore God So then wee see well that wee cannot bee sanctifyed to our God that is to say wee cannot serue him vndefyledly except wee bee separated from the defylings that are contrarie to him and that the thinges which are of our owne nature bee abolished Nowe it was requisite that all these thinges should bee figured to the auncient fathers bicause Iesus Christ was not yet fully reuealed vnto them But wee in these dayes haue the full accomplishment and performance of all thinges in Iesus Christ. And for proofe thereof Roâ— â—â— Saint Paule saieth that the olde man is crucified with him Whereas Saint Paul speakes after that sort of the olde man he meaneth the things that we haue from Adam all which must be rypened and done away Not as touching the substance of our bodie or of our soule but as touching y e naughtines that is in vs. The blindnes that maketh vs to go astray and the wicked lustes likings which are vtterly disobedient to Gods rightuousnesse must be beaten downe bicause they be drawen froÌ„ Adam And how is that done Not by our owne power or policie but by our Lorde Iesus Christ 1. Cor. â— who by dying for vs Rom. â—â— to wipe away our sinnes y t they might no more bee imputed vnto vs hath also purchased vs this prerogatiue y t by y e power of his holy spirit we be able to forsake the world our selues so as our fleshly affectioÌ„s shall not ouermaister vs. And although we be ful of disobedience yet shall Gods spirit ouerrule vs to hold them downe to keep theÌ„ in awe And therefore it is sayd y t wee be risen againe with him Col. 2.12 as S. Paul declareth lykewise in y e forealledged text to y e Colossians But this was not yet manifested vnder y e Law Therfore it was requisit y t the fathers which liued at
saith he then I wil put my word into thy mouth In deede our Lord Iesus is set there in highest degree but yet there followeth and into the mouth of thy seede and of thy childrens children Then let vs conclude that euen to the worlds ende if we wil be members of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to be short if we wil be taken for Christians wee must hearken to the worde which God putteth into mens mouthes whensoeuer it is preached vnto vs. And in that respect is it saide that the man which will notheare the Prophet shall die without release Here God thinkes it not ynough to haue exhorted the Iewes to receiue his woorde with meeke and lowly mindes but also threateneth them because thinges are neuer so well ordered among men but that there is some incountering and rebelling Our Lord therefore is faine to vse heere some rigor Which thing he doth saying Looke to your selues for my sending of Prophetes vnto you is to your benefite and it were as much ease for mee to make my voice ring from heauen but I know what is meetest for you and you yourselues haue found by experience that it is most for your behoofe Therefore see that ye heare my woorde and receiue it meekely and submit your selues to mee with all mieldnesse And hereunto also doeth S. Iames leade vs 〈◊〉 ◠21.1 saying that if wee wil bee edified by Gods word we must be meeke And as the earth that shal receiue seede to yeeld fruite must first be well tilled euen so the true preparation that God requireth of vs is to humble ourselues for our Lorde Iesus began at the same ende Howbeit forasmuchas there are some so blockish that they cannot be moued by gentlenesse therfore is this threatening added wherein our Lorde declareth that if wee despise his worde when it is brought vs so by men such a fault shall not scape vnpunished for I will require a reckoning thereof saith hee As if he should say Indeede it may well bee that such contempt shall bee let alone and not once thought vpon in the worlde but yet shall I continue still to warrant my worde and yee must come to account before mee though yee bee scaped the handes of men And this is to bee well marked For when our Lorde will haue men to obey him hee saieth not singly hee that will not obey my worde but he that will not heare the Prophetes whom I sende For wee see many nowadayes which protest that they bee readie to submit themselues to God but yet in the meane while they cannot finde in their heartes to yeelde him obedience in respect of his Lawe or in respect of the holy scripture or also in respect of the order of the Church Yee shall see a sort of skoffers which will needes bee taken for good Catholikes but as for sermons they let them alone and they thinke them to bee superfluous And if they chaunce to come to any it is but in a ceremonie and for fashions sake as men terme it so as if it were not for shame of men they woulde neuer come at the Church Ye shal neuer heare that they be desirous to be taught And what Christianitie is that Contrariwise we heare howe it is saide heere that God will haue vs to hearken to him As howe They can say wellynough that they bee willing to obey But he addeth whosoeuer heareth not the Prophets whom I sende I haue shewed already that seeing God hath set this order in his Church it ought to be helde as vnuiolable Therfore whosoeuer hee bee that maketh none account of Sermons ne resorteth to them doeth shew him selfe to be a rebell against God Who sayes so Euen he himselfe We neede not go to reasoning thereupon For our Lorde telleth vs that all such as will not quietly submit themselues to the order which hee hath appointed are rebelles against him Yee see then that the thing which we haue to marke here in the first place is that we must not seeke starting holes to deceiue God withall for if wee desire that he should reigne ouer vs the men that haue the charge and office to speake to vs in his name must be receiued all of vs both great and small must frame themselues thereafter Moreouer let vs proceed to y e cōparison which y e Apostle maketh in the Epistle to y e Hebrewes For he sheweth as trueth is that Moses and his fellow Prophets were but seruaunts Hebr. 3.5.6 10.28.29 The master himselfe is come and that is the onely sonne of GOD who hath superioritie ouer the whole Church and he speakes by his Gospel which if a man despise he is not to be borne withal He that transgressed the Lawe of Moses was stoned to death as we haue seene before But nowe our Lorde Iesus speaketh more liuely in the Gospell and shall men make no account of hearing him Let vs marke then that all such as striue nowadayes against the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ offend much more greeuously and shal be punished more rigorously because they spite God openly as though they protested in effect that they passed not to prouoke him to battell and to deface his maiestie vtterly Therefore let vs beare in minde Gal. 3.19 that as oft as the Gospell is preached vnto vs it is all one as if the sonne of God speake to vs himselfe and therefore that hee ought much rather to bee hearde than Moses True it is that the Lawe is of God likewise and it was giuen by the verie spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But as nowe we stand vpon the meanes that God hath vsed in the Lawe and the Gospell For the more that our Lord hath vttered his glorie the more ought wee to be prouoked to submit our selues vnto him and that is done in the Gospell Wherefore let vs conclude that as nowe we must haue a greater regard to harken to the things that are brought vs and set forth vnto vs in the name of our God than our forefathers had in the time of the law And that is the thing which our Lorde Iesus ment by this saying that Iohn Baptist excelled al the prophets Matt. 11.11 so as there was neuer any man that had so excellent an office as he had and yet that the least of them which preach the Gospell nowadayes excelleth Iohn Baptist. Iesus Christ speaketh not there of the holinesse of mens persons but magnifieth the doctrine of saluation which is preached to vs at this day insomuch that Iohn Baptist was preferred before all the Prophetes as in respect that he brought the tydings that the Redeemer was come But wee proceede yet further for wee shewe that our Lorde Iesus hath performed his mediatorship in reconcyling vs to God his father 2. Cor. 5.19 Heb. 9.27 1. Iohn 1.7 2.1 that his death and passion are the euerlasting sacrifice whereby perfect righteousnesse is purchased to vs that all our
sinnes are washed away by his bloude Rom. 5.19 Eph. 1.5 that he continueth still our aduocate and spokesman at this day to procure vs fauour in Gods sight that his obedience is imputed to vs for righteousnesse and that God adopteth vs in him to make vs heires of his kingdome All these thinges then are at this day declared vnto vs largely in the Gospell And seeing that God is so gracious to vs in preferring vs before all the kings and Patriarks that liued vnder the olde testament Wo worth vs if we cannot fare the better by such a prerogatiue Seeing that the kings I say which were desirous to haue hearde the thinges which wee heare Luke 10.24 and to haue seene the thinges which wee see obtained not their desire and nowe GOD hauing giuen vs more than them can winne nothing at our hands by so doing but skorne and despite what will our rewarde bee Hee may well vpbraide vs as hee did the Iewes in olde time Esa. 5.4 saying My people what haue I done to you My vyneyard I haue planted thee I haue husbanded thee and I haue taken great paines about thee and thou bringest foorth bitter grapes that are able to choke their master If GOD blamed the vnthankfulnesse of his people after that fashion in olde time howe much more may hee blame vs in these dayes Are not wee worthie to receiue a hundred folde more damnation than they Yes certainely So then let vs marke well that if God coulde not beare the despising of his Lawe he will much lesse nowe suffer the skorning of his Gospell or that men shoulde make none account of the order which hee hath set for them to resort to sermons there to bee taught by the mouthes of those that are in that degree and office For as I haue declared it is not ynough for vs to say Gods worde is worthie to bee hearde but wee must also shewe the same by proofe Whensoeuer our Lorde speaketh although it bee by the meane of creatures yet let vs receiue him quietly and obey him Let vs note further that where as it is saide hee will require an account of it the meaning thereof is that wee shall haue gained nothing by scaping the handes of men For why God will maintaine his owne honour And this is notable in many respectes For oftentimes yee shall see that they which shoulde holde the sterne to make Gods worde to bee receiued with reuerence haue no regarde of it at all The Princes Magistrates and Iudges of this worlde doe punish thinges which they knowe to bee to their owne domage such offences are straitely looked to And why For if they shoulde goe vnpunished great disorder woulde insue thereof This respect were not amisse so they did not set the cart before the horse For if God be offended they let that slippe And why Because they thinke there growes no inconuenience of it And in verie deede it is growen to a cōmon by word to say Who is hee that accuseth mee Whome haue I wronged The partie that shall haue spited God openly and therefore deserueth to bee rooted out of the worlde shall but wring his mouth or rather his groyne and steppe forth with a shamelesse foreheade to aske who accuseth him The verie Angels of heauen yea and all other creatures crie out against him and yet hee hath not offended And why so Because no bodie is against him heere among men for it may chaunce that no man will stande in Gods defence Euerie man will wellynough pleade for themselues but they be not so zealous as to set themselues against such as offende God And yet in the meane whyle the Iudges are asleepe and let all such manner of vngodly dealings slip Yea there are some which are worse than Iewes and Sarasins shewing no token of Christianitie but openly despising both Sermons and vse of Sacramentes Othersome are not contented with such contempt but they doe also make warre against God and play the venemous beasts in spewing out their vilenesse to make all religion to bee set light by These thinges are to bee seene and yet men winke at them Therfore doeth God tell vs that hee will call them to account for it Verie wel saieth hee let men bee as negligent as they will yet wil not I forget these things whatsoeuer come of it Heereby wee bee warned to receiue Gods worde when it is set forth vnto vs and to inure our selues to the hearing thereof not for feare of men onely but to eschew the wrath of the heauenly Iudge seeing hee is minded to defende the authoritie of his worde Were this well marked men woulde bee better disposed to suffer themselues to be taught by Gods worde than they be Men woulde make more speede when they heare the bel tol than they doe But what We can scarce finde in our heartes to goe three steppes to a Sermon And why For feare least wee shoulde afterwarde be censured If I go continually to sermons men will point at me with their fingers and I shall be called afterwarde into the Consistorie for it and in the end I shal be cēsured After y t maner do these Sarasins speake that dwell among vs here who haue neither faith nor Christianitie in them more than dogs Their comming hither commonly is but to scrape the ground with their pantoples in mockage of God But it were better for them to breake their neckes than to come to vnhalowe Gods temple after that sort Others come with gay Ceremonies and outwarde shewes and in the meane while haue no affection at all But let vs bethinke vs howe it is saide here that our Lord wil not let men alone so for although no mā maintain his glorie but presume malapertly to despise him yet shall not their so doing boote them For why He telleth vs that he will doe his office not bury things in forgetfulnes Then if men winke at the despising of Gods worde God himselfe must in the end shewe that he setteth such store by it that hee will be auenged of them for it Thus yee see what we haue to mark in Gods vttering of such threatnings against all the despisers of his Law Besides this it is his minde also to prouide y t wee be not deceiued nor abused vnder pretence of this honourable title of Prophet For as it becommeth vs to obey God by being taught by such men as he hath set in the office of teachers so on the other side it is not for any man to take that charge vppon him thereby to deceiue the plaine and ignorant people God then hath prouided here for both twain First he sheweth how there is no cause why the people should grudge seeing there was no want of teaching and therfore that they which turne away after Witches Soothsayers and Inchanters are leawd and vnthankfull For why God commeth to vs and requireth no more but to teach vs familiarly Therefore when men step aside after that
For he wil haue al men to confesse it to be so yea he wil haue euery man to cōfesse it with his own mouth And what remaineth then for vs to do Where is the hope of saluation Hereby wee see that if we had but the ten commandements of the law we should vtterly be vndone perish and y t it behoueth vs to haue recourse to his mercy which out goeth his iustice Lam. 2.13 as saith S. Iames. Gods goodnes then must take place towards vs to deliuer vs frō the confusion wherin al of vs should haue bin if the said sentence should stand and y t there shold be no grace to outgo it And truly S. Paule in the third to the Galathians proueth by this text Gal. 3.10 that wee cannot become righteous by our workes but that it behooueth vs to bee made righteous by fayth onely that is to say by the meere grace of God bicause we be cōdemned euerichone of vs if God enter into account with vs. For why Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all the wordes of the lawe If a man reply yea but if a man doe performe them why should he not become righteous thereby And why should hee not be payde his hire at Gods hande according to his desertes Saint Paule presupposeth that there was neuer yet any man found nor any can possibly be found which performeth al the words of the law and all that euer God commaundeth Indeede it hath beene a common saying That GODS Lawe is not vnpossible And at this day when the Papistes reason against vs they thinke it an vnuincible argument to prooue their freewill Why should GOD haue commaunded vs to loue him with all our hearte if we bee not able to doe it It were too repugnaunt that GOD should exact more of men than they are able to doe nay in so dooing hee shoulde bee vniust and cruell After that maner doe the Papistes reason But Saint Paule on the contrary part sayeth Cursed shall he bee which performeth not all the Commaundementes And he presupposeth as I sayde afore that no man performeth them and that it is vnpossible for to finde any such man Whereupon he inferreth his conclusion Then is all mankinde vndoone if they enter into examination of workes so as men must bee punished according to their deseruinges GOD must needes cast them off and vtterly damne them And so wee haue an excellent lesson in this text For it is as much as if GOD strake downe all the Children of Adam with one blowe of a beetle yea and thundred downe vpon them to fling them into such a dungeon of confusion as they might perceiue that in themselues they are all damned and perished But wee tary not there For when God hath once humbled vs he giueth vs the fitte meane of deliuerance from the condemnation as shall bee shewed more plainely heereafter But eare we proceed so farre let vs consider howe the Papistes deceiue themselues They see wellynough that no man performeth y e law of God and although they forge the fantasticall arguments which I spake of saying that God commaundeth not any thing which is not in the power of men to doe yet are they conuicted euen by their owne experience that all men are sinners that all men haue doone amisse as the holy scripture also telleth vs that there is not any man liuing vpon the earth as Salomon sayeth which sinneth not and that all men haue neede of the grace of God The Papistes then although they well see this yet do they wrangle still saying that that is before wee be regenerated againe by Gods spirite Neuerthelesse if they be pressed they must needs confesse in the second place that euen the holyest folke are still vnperfect and y t there is some frailty in them And though they would not confesse it yet doth the holy scripture shew it and euery man feeles it in himselfe Now then wherfore do the Papists so greatly mayntaine the righteousnesse of works beare themselues in hand that we deserue well to be recompenced and that we purchace or earne y e kingdome of heauen How cōmeth it to passe that they be so brutish and so beastly It is bicause they imagine that although we performe not the law yet neuerthelesse we faile not to merite or deserue this they terme a righteousnesse in part They say that all men doe amisse in deede that is true and that in that respect they be faultie before God and through rigour doe well deserue to be condemned Neuerthelesse y t when they haue the righteousnes in part that is to say when they doe partly obey the law that doing of theirs is worthie to be accepted and to be put into the account and reckoning And that is the thing wherein they glorie so much After that maner then there are deseruings in men though they performe not the whole law That is for one point Againe they haue another diuelish imagination which is that when they haue doone amisse they can make amendes vnto GOD by their owne satisfactions and can raunsome themselues so as they shall goe scotfree at leastwyse in their owne seeming They will well confesse in one woorde wee bee indaungered but yet doeth it not followe that wee haue no meane to shifte it off and to make GOD to accept in exchaunge whatsoeuer wee bring vnto him Heereuppon haue they founded all their good deuotions as they terme them as Pilgrimages Masses and Yeremindes with all their free will deuotions as their fastinges and diuerse other thinges in so much that euen their Shrift is put among their woorkes of satisfaction Againe the pratling of some Paternosters the babling before a Puppet the chaunting of some Masse the setting vp of some Tapers and such other things are all of them such recompences as GOD can not finde any fault at all with them howbeit bycause they see themselues ouercharged with those thinges they forge a sort of petie inuentions wherewith to play with GOD. And therefore they haue deuised veniall sinnes in so much that if a man be tempted to wicked desires yet he shall not haue offended God vntill he be willing and perfectly consenting to y e performance therof If a mā be tempted in himself if a man bee mooued to doe euill all this is no deadly sinne say the Papists it is but veniall sin and one sprinkle of holy water is ynough to wash it cleane away But contrariwise wee knowe howe it is sayde 〈…〉 12. O Israel what is it that thy GOD requireth of thee but that thou shouldest loue him with all thy heart Heere yee see howe the righteousnesse of the Lawe is that a man loue GOD with all his heart But hee that hath offended is accursed And all of vs offende and are not all of vs then in daunger of death There is not that man vppon whome GOD pronounceth not this curse Nowe when men haue thought euill so as they haue beene prouoked
to doe naughtily it is no sinne say the Papistes they bee righteous still for all that See how the Papistes do fully mocke God in that they thinke y t by some fond ceremonie or by a Meaculpa they be discharged of their sins make account of thē as of a thing of nothing These are the startingholes which they haue to mocke God withal as a yong babe and that is a dreadfull thing But yet is it put in vre in al their schooles Neuerthelesse we must not goe to worke after that fashion but we must rather bethinke vs howe the Apostle sayeth Heb. 10.31 That it is a dreadfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Therefore we must not in this case breake the bondes and yoke which hee hath layde vppon our neckes we must not play the wilde beastes we must not thinke to beguile him by some faire show in making countenance to serue him hauing in the meane while no good will to serue him indeede For in the ende hee will shewe that his vengeance shall light vppon al such as haue liued like hypocrites and dubble hearted dissemblers before him What is to be doone then We must frankely refuse this glose of righteousnesse in part which the Papistes haue forged for it is a deuice of Sathans and euen they themselues will well confesse that wee cannot merite by any inwarde worthinesse which is in our woorkes They say that all the worthynesse of our woorkes commeth onely of this that God is acquainted with vs insomuch that when men haue doone all that is possible yet will there euer bee some fault to bee founde in their woorkes when they come before GOD. Not that all Papistes are of that minde there is not past one of a thousande that thinketh so but there is yet a farre finer and subtler doctrine of Poperie which is that woorkes are not worthy of themselues but bycause of the promise of the Lawe But what maner a one is this promise Let vs come to that point Beholde GOD offereth himselfe to all men and sayeth that whosoeuer performeth the Lawe shall bee blessed and contrariwise that they shall bee cursed which step away from it Thus ye see that the perfect righteousnes is the performing of y e law But as I haue told you already no man performeth it and therefore God is quitte of his promise towardes vs. Seeing that wee on our side fayle in our condition hee for his parte oweth vs nothing After the same maner also speaketh S. Paule thereof Rom. 4.14 saying If righteousnesse depende vpon the workes of the lawe then is the promise to no purpose Saint Paule in that place toucheth the matter to the quicke For why Who performeth the Lawe of God that he can say I haue attained vnto perfect righteousnesse in my workes There is no such man to bee founde Then is there no more certaintie in the promises saith he so consequently we be all damned if wee will needes ground our selues vppon our woorkes After that maner speaketh hee thereof as well to the Romanes as to the Galathians Rom. 4. Gal. 3. And so let vs marke that God denounceth vs to bee all condemned by this sentence where he sayth Cursed shall he bee which performeth not all the thinges that are contayned in the booke of my Lawe As for the pelting trashe which the Papistes call satisfactions they bee but mockeries For GOD will bee serued with obedience Moreouer the releasing of our sinnes is free beestowed as the holye Scripture sheweth And as for all the Satisfactions as they terme them which men haue forge they serue to no purpose neither doeth GOD accept any of them When wee fall to breeding of our owne lykinges in our owne braynes hee refuseth euerywhit of it Therefore let vs holde vs to the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that wee bee washed and clensed by his bloude and it is the onely remedie that GOD setteth foorth vnto vs. Thus haue wee two thinges to marke the one is that if wee should bee iudged by the Law of God there needed no more but this foresaide sentence to damne vs all yea euen the holyest Saintes that euer were in the worlde For no man hath satisfied GODS Lawe and therefore are wee all condemned For if the holy fathers which had an Angelicall holynesse in this worlde were notwithstanding faultie before GOD what shall become of vs Let vs nowe make comparison betweene vs and them Howe farre off are wee from the holynesse of Abraham the purenesse of Dauid the soundnesse of Iob and the perfectnesse of Daniel When these may bee condemned what shall wee bee And therefore let vs learne to shrinke in our hornes and let euerie of vs keepe his mouth shutte Rom. 3.19 as sayeth Saint Paule when hee bringeth vs to the righteousnesse of fayth and to the mercie of God The thing then which we haue to beare in mind is that God hath bereft vs of all righteousnesse to the intent to rid vs of al presumption pride and that we should no more pretend to come to account with him to bind him vnto vs but that we should willingly condemne our selues Let that serue for one point Nowe heereupon wee haue to consider the remedie which God hath left which is that yet neuerthelesse we be righteous by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. For hee hath deliuered vs from the curse which was due vnto vs and for that cause was hee hanged vppon tree Gal. 3.13 as sayth S. Paule We haue seene heeretofore in the one and twentith chapter that as many as were hanged vpon tree were all accursed Now when GOD made that Lawe knewe hee not what hee had ordayned afore concerning his owne only sonne who was to be hanged on tree Surely it was an vnchaungeable decree made euen before the creation of the worlde Seeing it is so wee bee redeemed from the curse by our Lorde Iesus Christ and wee must nowe match this sentence with the other which wee haue seene in the one and twentyth Chapter Whereas it is sayde heere Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all these sayinges yee see well that for want of performing them wee bee confounded and of ryght as good as damned But yet heerewithall wee must also imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ who was cursed for our sakes And if that this Curse bee not in vaine then must wee nowe bee needes sette free What a thing were it that the sonne of GOD should bee cursed without cause and yet no fruite redounde thereof to vs That hee which is the fountaine of all blessednesse should bee accursed and yet wee not knowe wherefore but that it should bee vnprofitable Nowe then seeing that the curse which Iefus Christ suffered in his owne person is not vaine and to no purpose let vs knowe that by the same meane wee bee deliuered before GOD. And so yee see howe wee ought to make those two textes to