to cloke the matter as then for all that wee can alleage wil bee to no purpose Then is it a thrusting of GOD vnder our foote if after his shewing of him selfe vnto vs wee corrupt the purenesse of his woorde in chaunging the Religion which hee hath giuen vnto vs and in leauing the rule which it behooued vs to followe Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses And therefore seeing that God hath beene so gracious to vs as to reueale his will vnto vs and sheweth vs that hee is the liuing God let vs take heed that wee wauer not any more ne bee any more as reedes that yeeld to euery wynde 〈◊〉 4.14 but that wee continue stedfast in the fayth wee haue receiued by his worde least it bee cast in our teeth that wee haue forgotten him with all the benefites which wee haue receiued at his hande And heere Moses setteth not downe singly the worde God but sayeth The God which begate thee the mightie one which shaped thee Here Moses telleth the people of Israell that they had good cause to holde him for their God if they had not quyte and cleane forgotten the gracious goodnesse which they had earst founde in him by experience And that is a thing well woorthie to bee weyed For it is Gods will not onely to bee knowen in his beeing or in his name but also to shewe himselfe to vs by his deedes so as wee haue true recordes of his power goodnesse mercie and iustice Seeing then that God hath so shewed himselfe to vs what is our vnthankfulnesse if wee knowe him not Is it not too shamefull Therefore wee must alwayes consider that God hath caused it to be declared vnto vs not onely that it is hee whome wee ought to feare and to whome wee ought to be subiect without any further proofe but also that therewithall it is hee that hath begotten vs. And this is to bee marked yet better of vs than it was of the men of olde time vnder the lawe For wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ the onely sonne into whose bodie wee be graffed that we may become the sonnes of God Therefore the body of the tree and roote of our adoption is that wee bee made the brethren of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For beeing begotten of God wee bee nourished and sustayned by the doctrine of his Gospel Nowe if wee consider what wee were before namely the children of Adam and heires of euerlasting cursednesse and also if wee haue an eye to those whome God suffereth to runne into destruction it will yeelde the greater glory to the fauour which hee sheweth vs. Seeing then that God doeth nowe drawe vs to him to bee his owne and to bee of his housholde shall wee fling away from him Shall wee rather followe ydoles which wee are not acquainted with Wee see then as nowe that wheras Moses doeth so grieuously blame the children of Israell hee doeth it not without cause considering the experience which they had had of Gods goodnes power and iustice and yet that they had made no reckoning of it In respect whereof hee sayeth that God sawe it and was angrie at it euen because of the misbehauiour of his sonnes and daughters This sentence is a confirmation of my former saying For whereas the Iewes are termed the children of God it is not in way of honour but rather to shewe that they were guiltie of such vnfaithfulnesse as to forsake their God and to rebell against him and to woorke him such spyte as that they had leuer choose the deuil than him Thus yee see howe wee ought to ioyne these two thinges together namely that God is the mightie one which begate vs and of whom wee holde all thinges and therewithall that hee hath receiued vs and adopted vs to be his children But wee shall pay full deare for it if wee continue not in his obedience The thing then whereunto wee must come backe is that if God cannot beare with the wickednes of the world ne doeth forgiue the vnbeleeuers which haue sinned without the knowledge of his wil needes must wee bee dubble punished and needes must more horrible vengeance light vppon our heads who haue beene faithfully instructed to drawe nigh vnto him and taught that hee hath nourished vs in his lappe as his owne children and yet notwithstanding wee haue forsaken him Rom. 2.12 And that is Saint Paules meaning where hee sayeth that they which haue sinned without the lawe shall perish neuerthelesse for all that and that they which haue offended after warning giuen by knowledge of the lawe shall haue the sorer damnation accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus sayeth Luk. 12.48 that the seruant which hath done amisse though it were through vnskilfulnesse shall not fayle to bee punished for it because hee ought to haue inquyred his masters will If a seruaunt say I wist it not And knowest thou not that I am thy master Oughtest thou not to inquire my will But much more ought God to haue such preheminence ouer his creatures And if they that haue offended so through ignorance are not excused what shall become of vs which knowe the will of our GOD If wee fall to stryuing against him to spyte him as it were of set purpose and of prepensed malice and frowardnesse if wee fall to dashing at him with out hornes so as wee set our selues against his righteousnesse and transgresse his whole doctrine must not so greate and so diuelish headdinesse bee punished much more grieuously In that respect is it sayde heere that God was prouoked to anger with the transgression of his sonnes and daughters as who shoulde say True it is that God is greately offended throughout the whole worlde but hee had reserued a people to himselfe whome hee had gathered together for his owne inheritance and euen they are growen out of kynde and is not that a thing to moue Gods vengeance the more Nowe let vs apply this doctrine to our owne vse And sith wee see howe the wretched worlde is blynded nowe adayes let vs consider thus with our selues Well the Papistes shall not fayle to bee condemned And if wee condemne them can they scape the hande of GOD That is vnpossible But let vs first of all play the Iudges towardes ourselues and consider that GOD hauing called vs to bee his children will bee knowen to be our father and wil be serued worshipped at our hands And therfore whensoeuer we happen to ouershoote our selues and to giue ouer y e doctrine wherein we haue bin once trayned Gods wrath must needs be kindled against vs without cōparisō much more grieuously than against the silly ignorant and vnbeleeuing sort Seeing then that we be Gods children he hath set his markes vpon vs neuer ceasseth to allure vs by gentlenes let vs not turne away from him but let his so doing prouoke vs to honor him and to serue him in such wise as he may take pleasure in vs and delight
man his right without taking away of any mans goods without committing of any extortion or outrage and wee peruert the order of nature and are worse than the wilde beastes which make countenance one to another when they be al of one kind For the woolues are not at such variance among themselues as men are And therefore let vs learne that although there be not any neere kinred among vs yet notwithstanding in asmuch as we be men there ought to be some cōmon bond betweene vs and a certain brotherly loue But there is yet another consideration among Christians for God hath adopted them to bee of his housholde and that ought to auaile more than all the kinred on the earth For seeing that God hath tolde vs that he intendeth to take vs to himselfe because that being of his Church wee bee as it were his owne children and call vpon him as with one mouth saying our father if wee neuerthelesse agree as cattes and dogges among our selues may it in any wise be borne withal specially considering that wee cannot clayme him for our father vnlesse we be gouerned by his holy spirit No surely For either his spirit must cry in our hartes or else we shall haue our mouthes shut Rom. ◠15.16 Againe on the other side by what title can wee clayme so great a benefite and honor as to be the children of God if we be not members of Iesus Christ But wee be not of his body but vppon condition aforesayd Whosoeuer then hurteth his neighbor whosoeuer is voyde of louingkindenesse and pitie whosoeuer layeth to catching and snatching on all sides the same as much as in him is rendeth Iesus Christ in peeces And therfore let vs marke well that when God alledgeth kinred we be warned to consider in what degree God hath put vs and what vnion hee hath set among vs euery of vs to discharge himselfe faithfully thereof to y e intent y t whereas God hath set vs together to maintaine vs in good agreement and loue wee make not a confused disorder Let that serue for one poynt But if wee consider the common trade of the worlde how it should seeme that men haue conspyred to doe cleane contrary to Gods commaundement it is so farre of from neighbors to thinke that Gods placing of them neere together is to the end that euery man shoulde serue his neighbors turne and all imploy themselues to the common profite without hurting or greeuing one another that euen brothers thinke it lawfull to shift euery one for himselfe and there is none other lyfe with them but to drawe still to themselues without any pitie or compassion How then shal the neighbors be brethren which haue but some acquaintance a farre of seeing y t they which were borne all in one belly and are all one mans children beare no more friendship one to another than wilde beastes but rather much lesse Truely it should seeme that some will needes be brethren euen in spite of God For if it be to doe some mischiefe or to playe some diuelish pranke to the ouerthrowe of all goodnesse then they can skill to alledge wee haue this and wee haue that wee be countrymen wee be neighbors children borne all in one towne Loe how the wicked can finde themselues to be cousins and brothers And what to doe To rise vp against God to put all thinges out of order to make quarels and frayes to maintaine themselues in all loosenesse and to procure all manner of stumblingblockes that Gods name may be blasphemed and all honestie peruerted These are the brotherhoods and cousiningships of the worlde as is to bee seene too much But when it commeth to the poynt that euery man should helpe his neighbor and absteine from doing him harme or anoyance men be so farre of from absteining or from thinking that God vnited them together or that God hath created thē after his own image or agayne that they be bound yet w t a straiter bond inasmuch as he hath adopted them by his Gospel to be members of his sonne Iesus Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen men I say are so farre off from thinking any such thing that they peruert the whole order of nature with worse than beastly furie But yet is this text sufficient to condemne men if they walk not in all mildenesse and be not more kindhearted one to another than they be Now let vs come to that which is added here in the second place which is That God had giuen Mount Seir in possession to Esau. True it is that when he compareth Esau and Iacob together ◠1.2 he sayth by his prophet Is not Esau Iacobs brother And yet haue I placed him in a hillie countrie in a stonie and barrein countrey and I haue giuen you a fruitefull and fatte lande Hereby the people of Israell are put in minde that God had bestowed many mo benefites vppon them than vppon those that went afore thē For Esau was the elder sonne and yet did God disherit him of the land that he had promised to his graundfather Abraham and to his father Isaak And why did God so wee see none other reason but for that hee listed to vtter his free goodnesse towardes Iacob and his linage The people of Israell coulde not say wee were the more noble and excellent for the byrthright belonged to Esau. They could not say wee were better No for we see they were a people set altogether vppon malice and vnthankefulnesse Now then their inheriting of the promised land befel them not for any worthines of their owne but through Gods meere mercy And besides this God had also prouided for Ismael who was halfe a bastard For the matching of Abraham with Agar was not a lawfull mariage And although it was no aduowtrie yet was not that mariage altogether allowed of God But yet did God prouide for Ismael in asmuch as hee sayd I haue heard him If the case stoode so with Ismael much more reason was it that Esau shoulde haue some place and that God should extend his blessing euen to those that were of his linage And for that cause did hee giue him mount Seir. Now therefore in this consideration the people of Israel ought not to trouble him but to let him alone with the portion that was assigned him from heauen Here wee haue a good lesson to gather which belongeth to vs all Although mention be made here precisely of the linage of Esau which were called Edomites and Idumaeans ◠32.8 yet notwithstanding as we shall see hereafter in the song God declareth that according as he made the partitions and stretched out his meeteline so were the realmes and countries deuided Let vs not thinke that the world is ruled by fortune and that thinges are so intangled but that God guideth all by his prouidence and power Hee then hath stretched out his meeteline to appoint euery people their countrey to dwel in But yet for
to whom the glorie of that benefite ought to bee yeelded And when wee haue bread to eate it is not the bread that sustaineth vs but it is God who powreth out his goodnesse continually vpon vs. Although he apply those meanes to our vse yet is it he himselfe that worketh it is he that is the author of them And in that respect is it that hee saith hee will breake the staffe of breade 〈◊〉 4.16 â—â— 16 〈◊〉 28.23 〈◊〉 2.21.22 True it is that hee threatneth to shut vp the heauen as if it were iron and to make the earth to bee of brasse so that when the earth crieth out to the heauen the heauen shall not heare it God then when he intendeth to send barrennesse vppon a land vseth such meanes as he thinketh good by reason whereof wee haue not wherewith to sustaine our selues in so much that when the grounde hath borne a haruest good and great ynough yet wil God wel ynough diminish it and make it to moulder away yea and when the corne is caried to the mill it shall consume in the grinding and when it is brought from the mill to the ouen if it bee measured or weied againe Leui. 26.26 it shall not hold full weight and measure Howbeit we must come to this point that the strength which bread hath is not of y e bread it selfe but of Gods breathing of this woord into it whereof Moses speaketh here that is to wit that when God will haue vs to bee nourished and susteined by the bread he vttereth his goodnesse towards vs by making vs to feele his blessing which sheadeth it selfe into it after a secret fashion Albeit that we behold it not with our eyesight yet must wee be throughly perswaded of it by faith Then let vs marke well that when wee haue whereof to feede we must not be so doultish as to think that the power is inclosed in the breade or in any other vittles or drinkes but that therein God vttereth his goodnesse towardes vs and sheadeth it into vs as we see the raine come from heauen which moisteneth y e earth and giueth it strength On the other side if wee haue want let vs vnderstand that God can sustaine vs by turning bread into Manna that is to say if all ordinarie meanes fayle vs God will prouide for vs after another fashion as wee see hee remedied the necessitie of his people when they were in the wildernes Matt. 4.4 And for y e same cause did our Lord Iesus Christ answere Satan it is written that man liueth not by bread only but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God For Sathan tempted him to distrust vnder colour that in the wildernesse God sent him not the thinges that were expedient to liue withall He had not any foode there and yet in the meane while he was pinched with hunger as a mortall man for he vouchsafed to become subiect to our passions or sufferinges Now heere vpon Sathan taketh occasion to enter vppon him saying Seeing thou art the sonne of God shouldest thou want any thing Is it not reason that all creatures should serue thee yes for thou art the heire of the world Thou hast no bread and therefore thou must be faine to try the power of God that these stones may bee turned into bread or else thou seest how thy God forsaketh thee for if he had a care of thee thou shouldest perceiue his blessing and fauour so as thou shouldest haue heere wherwith to susteine thee Now theÌ„ seeing thou wantest such helpes it is a signe that God hath no regard of thee But Iesus Christ aunswereth hereunto I shal be susteined well enough though bread faile mee And why For the life of man dependeth not vpon these meanes And surely God were of very small and weake force if hee could not helpe a man but by breade he should be no better than an earthly man A riche man can doe welinough if hee haue wherewith but if he fall into pouerty he must be faine to begge a good heart to call vpon God and commit our selues vnto him assuring our selues that he will neuer faile vs. That is the care which God willeth vs to haue Neuerthelesse wee must also put the thing in practise that is spoken here that is to wit that God will giue vs sufficient to serue our turne so as if we want cote or shooes he will either prouide vs of them or else make one paire of soles to doe vs more seruice than a doosen when it pleaseth him And we may see this with our eyes For they that are warmest clad fayle not for all that to bee as it were halfe dead thorowe colde and on the other side whereas it seemeth that poore folke should starue and bee frosen with yee a hundred times ere the yeere goe about God warmeth them yea and they bee so preserued as though he kept them in a stooue or as though some PhisitioÌ„ were alwaies at hand with them ministring good remedies to them to saue them from the colde After that maner doeth God worke And that is the cause why that in the time of the Law God commanded that all newe things should be blessed Leui. 23.10.14.19 23. Num. 15.20 to the ende that men should thinke vpon him consider thus with themselues Go to I haue a newe garment and I must looke that I thanke him for it which gaue it mee For seeing it pleaseth my God to clothe mee thus and to giue me this apparell to vse it as mine owne it becommeth me to acknowledge that it is of his goodnesse and mercie that I am so prouided for Yee see then that the intent why he caused all things to bee dedicated vnto him which men should occupie was that they should acknowledge the giuor of them and that if he blessed not the helps which he had giuen them all was nothing and noughtwoorth And as for now adayes although wee haue not the like Ceremonie yet must we hold still the truth thereof Nowe for a conclusion Moses addeth Knowe thou in thy Heart that as a father nurtureth his owne childe so hath thy God nurtured thee In deede the hebrew woord that Moses vseth in this place signifieth sometimes to Chastise and therefore it might be taken as if he sayd thus Know thou that the intent of thy God in all the afflictions which thou hast indured hath beene to correct thy faultes that like as a man intending to reforme his child when he hath doone a misse taketh the rod by and by in his hande so likewise thy God hath chastised thee not suffering thee to become an vnruly and froward child but holding thee alwaies vnder awe And this doctrine were very good but the same woord doth by a similitude betoken likewise all instruction and good gouernment No doubt but the intent of Moses in this place was to make a generall conclusion of the matters that hee had treated
shal euen picke out your eyes because yee haue not taken courage as ye ought to haue done nor submitted your selues to God to go forwarde at his commaundement Lo what threatnings are made vnto theÌ„ they perceiue them wellynough and afterward they become subiect vnto them insomuch y t they were fain to beare charges tributes euen til they groned again But our Lord hauing chastised them so many waies did afterward â—hew vnto them that he failed not to pity them stil for he raised them vp such men from time to time as saued them froÌ„ their enemies And so howsoeuer y e world went with theÌ„ they still inioyed Gods gracious gifts at leastwise in part not that they were worthie of them 2. Sam. 7.10.11.13 but because Gods wil was to be as good as his promise so as meÌ„ might not be disappointed of it through their own leaudnes vnthankfulnes In the end Dauid and Salomon obtained the promise so as God by their hand did set the people in ful perfect liberty their kingdome was perfectly stablished because god had so promised But wee must note y t Dauid and Salomon were a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ and we be sure y t it is long of none but our selues that God sheweth not himselfe bountifull liberall to the vttermost For if we obeyed him according to his commaundement wee should want nothing but we should euen in this earthly life feele his drawing of vs vnto euerlasting saluation And forasmuch as he is y e fountain of al goodnes he would giue vs such abundance of all thinges that wee should haue al things at wil and we should passe through this world as through an earthly paradise and afterward attaine to y e kingdom of heauen y t is prepared for vs. Lo howe God offereth himself vnto vs in his law but yet with condition y t we do whatsoeuer he commaundeth vs. But we be so far off from doing it y t we drag back from it and there is not that thought nor that affection in vs which is not enemie to God his righteousnes By reason wherof Rom. 8.7 in steede of the inioying of his benefites which hee hath promised in his Lawe he is faine to become our enemy to arme himselfe against vs and to consume vs till we be vtterly come to nothing Sometimes hee thundreth in such sort y t wee be ouerthrowen in y e turning of a hand And wherof commeth that Euen so it must needs be for as I said afore god sheweth himself liberal towards vs vttreth his great treasures towards vs. But what Our hearts are shut locked vp And therfore must we needs be bereft of them and feele the paine therof we must be so vexed as we may grone again be in such anguish of mind as we may not wote where to become Yet notwithstanding if we be his he neuer faileth to mingle some sweetnes continually with the corrections y t hee sendeth vs. True it is that hee beareth with the wicked and with such as are vtter castaways but yet in the end he is terrible to them and dealeth not in such wise with them as he doth with those whom he inteÌ„deth to reserue to himselfe Although that naturally all of vs be disobedient vnto him yet ceaseth hee not to haue pitie vpon vs and although wee feele sore blowes at his hande yet doth hee shew vs therewithall y t he is not minded to roote vs out vtterly But surely we should continue stil in our sins to the end yea and rot away in them were it not for his raising vp of the promised Dauid that is to say of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For by his meanes wee recouer y t which we had lost by our owne sinnes and so yee see how Iesus Christ setteth vs in possession of the heritage that was promised vs by the Lawe Yet notwithstanding we shoulde be disappointed of it and it coulde not belong vnto vs vnlesse y t Iesus Christ had as wel made vs partakers of the benefites of God his father in his own person as redemed vs in our owne persons Nowe then wee recouer all this in him whereas erst we were quite cleane bereft and cut off from the inioying thereof Therefore let vs marke well that whereas God made so many so large promises to the Iewes in his law vpon condition that they shold keepe his commaundements he ment to shew that the same tooke no place vntill the kingdome was stablished in the person of Dauid And therefore wee must not alledge as the beastly Papists doe who say Tush God promiseth vs this and that if we keepe his commaundements therefore it followeth that wee winne Gods fauour by our owne desertes and that wee purchase the kingdome of heauen and are able to attaine saluation by our owne obedience for God hath an eye to yeeld vnto euery maÌ„ according to his desert They shew fulwell that they neuer vnderstoode one sillable of the holy scripture And euen this text without going any further is ynough to bewray their beastlines ignorance True it is that God promised his people that they should inioy y e land which he had appointed vnto them but y e performance thereof was to bee deferred to the reigne of Dauid Wherupon let vs marke how it is our Lord Iesus Christ which maketh y e promises of y e Law auailable towards vs so as wee shall not be disappointed of y e thinges y t are conteined therin And indeed y t is the very cause why y e promise is made expresly to Dauid Salomon as it had bin made before to al y e people And this serueth well to make y e doctrine yet plainer which I com to treat of For there are two sorts of promises in y e holy scripture The one is He y t doth these things shal liue in theÌ„ The other is He y t beleeueth in y e son whom y e father hath sent shal be saued Loe here two promises betweene y t which it behoueth vs welto put a differeÌ„ce for they be far vnlike When God saith He y t doth these things he bindeth not himself to vs but with an if namely that wee dischardge our selues by performing his Law and that not only in part but throughout and perfectly But no man is able to do that and therefore yee see wee be shut out from all hope and we cannot looke y t the promise should bee of force any more towardes vs because of our default For God continueth alwayes faithful but wee suffer not his goodnes to come vnto vs. Now when he seeth vs so bereft of all his benefits he findeth another nowe remedie for vs which is this Matt. 28.18 2. Cor. 4.46 Colossi 2.9 〈◊〉 1.2.3 Lo here my sonne who is vniuersal heire both of heauen and earth hee holdeth all the worlde in subiection hee hath the whole fulnesse of the Godhead inclosed in
himself to vs in his own person of purpose to reigne ouer vs himself to take y e charge of our welfare in establishing his only son in y e office dignity I pray you is it not much better to be vnder y e obediēce of our Lord Iesus Christ to haue him to reigne ouer vs as our souereine Lord King than to be Kings Emperors euery one of vs Yes verily So then wee must conclude y t seeing God ordeined Iudges frō y e beginning hee sheweth therby y t it is a desirable thing for folk to be gouerned in cōmon to haue laws to reigne among thē y t there be no succession by inheritance but y ◠euen those which are chosē to beare office be bound to yeelde account of their doings haue not absolute libertie to doe what they list or to say I will haue this thing It shal be thus done This did God shew whē he gouerned his owne people by y e hand of Iudges And for the same cause did he vpbrayd blame y e Iewes for requiring a king to be their head to reign ouer them 〈…〉 .7 It is not thou sayth he to Samuell to whō they haue done this wrong True it is y t thou hast executed my authority in y t thou art of my setting vp but their vnthankefulnes disobedience toucheth me in y t they can not abide y t I shoulde haue the gouerning of thē And afterward he addeth wel then let them haue a king But it shal be to their trouble for he shall spoyle their houses take away their sons daughters consume their substance lay taxes tallages vpon them to be short vse them like wretched bondslaues See what they haue wonne by requiring a king And in this text our Lorde sheweth y t as in respect of worldly gouernmēt he had chosen y e best state y t could be namely y t the Law should reigne ouer the people therewithal y t there should be Iudges in euery citie a chiefe gouernour ouer all to the intent y t matters might be determined and concluded as was declared yesterday howbeit with this most noble condition which God reserued to himselfe namely that our Lorde Iesus Christ should reigne ouer them For it behoued thē to be vnder one head howbeit not simply of a mortall man but of y e sonne of God But forasmuch as y e time was not yet come that such grace shold be shewed it behoued the hope therof to be fedde with some figure And y t was the cause why it was promised by the mouth of Iacob Gen. 49.10 that the scepter should not depart from the tribe of Iuda God did purposely choose out one tribe when he ment to set vp the king he sayd that the reigne of him shoulde be durable vntill the comming of his owne sonne who was the true heire and the very partie to whome the crowne belonged namely our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus haue wee nowe a briefe declaration after what sorte God ment to stablishe a kingdome among his people howebeit that was in respect of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But as in respect of worldly gouernement the best and most desirable state was to haue Iudges that is to say to be in libertie and yet notwithstanding to bee ouerruled by Lawes Nowe thereby we be doone to vnderstande that although all worldely gouernment deserue to be esteemed as a holy thing behoofefull for the maintenaunce of mans state yet notwithstanding when it pleaseth GOD to giue vs a meane kinde of gouernement voyde of tyranny wherein the Magistrates doe rule after such a sort that the Lawes haue their due course the same is a speciall priuiledge and wee ought then to perceiue thereby that God is neere at hand to vs that he pitieth vs as his housholdfolke and as those that are of his flocke his owne heritage Marke that then for one point But therewithall we must marke also that when we shall haue knowen Gods grace in his gouerning of vs in this earthly and transitorie life it is nothing in comparison of the spirituall kingdom of our Lorde Iesus Christ therefore y t we must highly exalt or praise this benefite y t God vouchsafeth to gouerne vs by the hande of his onely son yea and we must esteeme it not onely more than all the libertie of the worlde but also more than al the kingdomes and Empires of y e world But anon this point shal be touched new againe Furthermore let vs marke that God intending to set vp a king did tarry neuerthelesse till the people required one And y t was to put them in a desire that they might not afterward rebell against the king that was to bee set vp For the vnthankefulnesse and malice of the people bewrayed it selfe in that they coulde not finde in their heartes to holde them to the state which God had stablished already And what a thing had it been if he had set vp a Monarchie among them at the first day For it is a farre more tollerable thing for vs to haue gouernours that goe by choyse and election who in executing their office shall knowe themselues to bee subiect to the Lawe than to haue a Prince whose worde must stande for reason and whose childe must inherite though he be neuer so very a babe and consequently obeyed though hee be the willfullest foole or the cruellest person in the worlde Therefore it is a farre more tollerable state to haue Iudges and Gouernours Nowe if the people of Israel could not away with this state but wold needs through a wicked desire seek to haue a king what would they haue done if God had at y e first day saide vnto thē I set this or y t house to reigne ouer you it behoueth you to obey the king What murmuring would there haue beene What practising would there haue bin Therfore it was Gods wil to make y e people willing to y e end there might be no occasion of rebelling whē Dauid was to be made king Verily we see what fell out For soothly their requiring of King Saul was through a folish ambitiō spyte 1 Sa. 1.5.20 which they bare to their neighbours When they sawe how there were kings in Egypt in Edō in Ammon in Syria in the other Coūtryes they thought there was no such dignitie statelines amōg thēselues because there was no royall seate among thē And therfore they would haue one But see their folly When they had chosen Saul although he vexed thē put them to as much hardnes as could be yet notw tstanding they were so wedded to him y t they would needs keepe y e croun to his childrē not suffer Dauid to reigne Albeit y t God had declared y t Dauid was the mā whō he had chosē and y t they had not the authoritie to choose any other to be their king yet
Papists did wel in their dalying so with such pelting stuffe were God euer the more bound vnto them for it It woulde behoue them to consider first before what notarie that euidence did passe For it is not for vs to bridle him or to tie him to y e stake or to subdue him to our fantasies It must proceed of his own good wil. Now then what saith hee When you shal haue kept al my coÌ„mandements theÌ„ shal these blessings come vpon you Let euery of vs looke how he hath kept y e coÌ„mandements of God Let y e Papists brag as much as they list can they say y t they haue accoÌ„plished y e hundreth part of theÌ„ If they haue kept one of Gods coÌ„mandements they haue offended him in a hundred sins for it if there be but one fault coÌ„mitted though it be neuer so litle a one they be faultie in al according as S. Iames saith he y t faileth in any one only point Iames. 2.10 is a breaker of y e whole law Seeing then y t they bee offenders they are depriued banished from al the blessings y t God hath set forth yea euen y t concerne but this present transitorie life much lesse therefore are they able to win y e kingdome of heauen as they imagin being not able to deserue one morsel of breade to put into their mouth Thus are they shut out of al. And why For God hath not promised any thing but vnto them that keepe al his whole law How shal we do then We must heare God speake after an other fashion to wit we must harken vnto him speaking of the free promises which hee offereth vnto vs in our Lord Iesus Christ. God in y e holy scripture vseth a double speach And wheÌ„ I speake of double speach I meane not y t he doâ—bleth on his part or y t he is contrarie to himselfe or y e one saying of his is repugnant to an other for God keepeth alwaies at one stay and as I haue said afore hee changeth not all y e speeches y t proceed from him do very wel agree together without any contradictioÌ„ Neuerthelesâ— as touching his law there he hath spoken as a Iudge not as a father In his law he speaketh as a Iudge saying He y t liueth as he ought shal not bee deceiued he shal not leese his labor for when you haue done me seruice I wil cause you to prosper After such maner doth God speake in the person of a Iudge And when wee haue receiued this word behold we are confounded howsoeuer the case standeth And wherefore For that in stead of abilitie to obteine the grace y t is offered vnto vs wee ceasse not to kindle Gods wrath against vs and therefore we be all damned What is to be done then God commeth speaking as a father and saith Well then I am contented to forbeare this rigour of mine which I might execute vpon you by my law howbeit y t the same is not ouer great for I haue applied my selfe so far vnto you as to promise that which is not your due I haue bin willing as it were to entice you by amiable meanes but I haue wonne nothing therby because of your frowardnes What remedy then I come now to tel you y t if you wil beleeue in my Son I wil release you of al your debts If you will receiue him for your Shepheard y t he may guide you quietly you shall perceiue y t I desire not to win you otherwise thaÌ„ by gentle friendly dealing as if I should say Come vnto mee I will forgiue you al your sins accept you into fauor And albeit y t you are miserable creatures deseruing vtter damnatioÌ„ yet wil I quite forget bury al your offences when I haue so doone I promise to beget you anew by my holy spirite and this grace shal bee giuen vnto you by meanes of mine onely son if you labour to come vnto him And therupoÌ„ although you be driuen to striue against many temptatioÌ„s and y t at y e first encounter ye haue not ful victorie ouer them but that ye be encompassed with many spottes and vices still yet will I not lay any of al these thinges to your chardge I forgiue you your sinnes and the good y t you doe shal bee acceptable to mee thorow my fauour although it deserueth it not Loe heere the second order of speeche that God vseth vnto vs in the holy Scripture Let vs marke therefore that when we heare the voyce of our GOD and knowe what wee owe vnto him and haue hearde the promises that he hath made vs in his lawe we must needes rest there confounded and condemned forsomuch as none of al those things can auaile vs by reason of our vnthankfulnesâ— wherupon we must haue our refuge to the free mercie which is offred vnto vs in our Lord Iesus Christ hearken vnto God when he speaketh vnto vs which thing he doth both in the Law in the Prophets and in y e Gospell saying I of mine owne mere goodnes am become your Sauiour you must seek your saluatioÌ„ froÌ„ somewhere else than in yourselues For the redeemer which God promised was euer had in mind y t men might rest theÌ„ vpoÌ„ him And for y t cause were the sacrifices ordeined in y e time of the law For although Christ was not yet vttered openly to the worlde yet did the Iewes vnderstand y t all the hope of their saluation depended vppon their reconcilement to God by meane of the sacrifice y t was to be offered They brought brute beasts to the Temple was that to cleanse y e vncleannes of their soules No for what can corrupt bloud doe what shal stinking greace do can those things purge y e soule of her iniquitie No truely But vnder those figures the Iewes saw how they should be deliuered from the curse of God admitted into his fauor and y t al their life should be acceptable vnto him And nowe haue wee a more sure testimonie thereof in the Gospel for there we see the thing it self fully accomplished vnto vs namely y t although we haue not kept y e commaundementes of God yet Iesus Christ hath kept theÌ„ And wherefore was it Because hee was subiect to it No. But hee became subiect to the law yea but y t was for our sakes So then let vt haue our recourse vnto our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs heare God speaking in such a phrase whereby he doth not only say these be the things y t I commaund you and if ye do them theÌ„ you shal prosper be blessed but also where hee saith Beholde I am your father come vnto me but come in the name of my only Son whoÌ„ I haue appointed to be your mediator acknowledge y t there is nought else in you but corruptioÌ„ and trust not in your own power nor in your own freewil but casting away all foolishe
through so much filthines in this world we may be taught to amende our misdoinges continually vntil that we be throughly ridde of them for the full vniting of vs to himselfe and to make vs pertakers of his heauenly glorie 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 Tewsday the xxiiij of March 1556. The CLIX. Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 36 The Lord wil carry thee and thy king which thou shalt haue set ouer thee to a people which thou hast not knowen neither thou nor thy fathers and there shalt thou serue other gods of wood and of stone 37 And there shalt thou be a gazing stocke a skoffing stocke and a byworde to all people to whom the Lorde shall bring thee 38 Thou shalt lay much seede in the grounde and shalt gather litle for the grassehoppers shall deuour it 39 Thou shalt plant a vineyearde and dresse it but thou shalt not drinke the wine of it nor gather any fruite of it for the wormes shall eate it 40 Thou shalt haue Oliue trees in all thy coastes but thou shalt not annoint thyselfe with the oyle of it for all thine Oliues shal be shaken off 41 Thou shalt beget sonnes and daughters but not to thy selfe for they shall goe into Captiuitie 42 The worme shall destroy all thy trees and the fruite of thy lande 43 The straunger which dwelleth with thee shall rise aboue thee very high and thou shalt stoope vnder him verie lowe 44 He shall lende vnto thee and not thou vnto him he shal be the head and thou shalt be the taile 45 And all these curses shall come vpon thee and followe thee and take holde of thee vntill thou be vtterly rooted out because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lorde thy God by keeping his commaundementes and ordinaunces which he hath commaunded thee WE know when the people of Israel chose theÌ„ a king with what affection they were led â—â—al 10. euen of pride for that they would not bee inferiours to their neighbours Moreouer they thought to be very sure by hauing a head ouer theÌ„ that should haue the whole authoritie And so ye see that the children of AbrahaÌ„ could not content themselues with their libertie but desired to haue a king Because they sawe the Egyptians the Syrians the Moabites yea and the Tyrians and other like people to haue kinges they bare themselues in hand that if they also might haue a head all would goe well with them Now like as pride and ambition was the cause that they chose a king in Israell euen so became they hardhearted thereupon supposing themselues to be out of all perils by hauing such a defence by meane whereof we see that they despised the prophetes vnder pretence that they thought themselues well fensed The spirite of GOD foreseeing this albeit that it was not yet come to passe sayde in this Text That the king which they shall appoint should be lead captiue into a straunge countrey As if God should haue sayde that they might well seeke startinghooles to saue themselues but they should stande them in no steede at all against his hande This is the thing that we touched yesterday namely that when God is our aduersarie we may not thinke to maynetaine ourselues against him by the meane of creatures knowing that he will surely apply theÌ„ to our destruction Therefore let none of vs deceiue himselfe neither let vs make our defence of that which is nothing but smoke and leasing It is true that the king which was first chosen by the people of Israell namely king Saule was not brought to captiuitie 1. Sam. 31.4 howbeit that he dyed in battayle but the successours of Dauid were handled cruelly with great reproch notwithstanding that God had ordained them yea and that they were a figure and Image of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And it is a horrible thing that the kingdome which GOD had dedicated vnto himselfe as witnessed the annoynting should be layde foorth to such a reproch Yee see howe the successours of Dauid which hadde receiued the promise that their seate shoulde be euerlasting and in the meane while were as the figures of our Lorde Iesus Christe were handeled on such a sort that they were led prisoners in chains were arrained as offenders had their eyes put out hadde their childrens throtes cutte in their owne presence were cast into a deepe dungeon there to rotte or to bee eaten to death with vermine and that as you see is a verie strange matter But the vengeance of God was to extende so farre euen of necessitie because of the frowardenesse of the people whereof was none other remedie And the more that God had suffered them and patiently waited for them the more were they to bee brought to the extremitie of all confusion for despising so great goodnesse and for beeing so frowarde and hardhearted against it Nowe we may heereby gather a good warning to witte that as was declared yesterday albeit that according to the worlde we seeme to stande in no perill yet doeth it behooue vs to seeke to haue Gods fauour for if he be not on our side and we vnder his sauegarde cursed are all the helps which we suppose to haue of creatures for they serue rather to ouerthrowe vs. And therefore lette vs take heede that wee put not our confidence in the greatnesse of Princes or in any other deâ—ences for wee see howe they bee but meanes to blinde such as might else turne to GOD and obtaine foregiuenesse of him and that in the ende it shall ouerthrowe them vtterly Let vs then bee better aduised and though we seeme to be neuer so wel garded to y e worlde yet let not that be a lette vnto vs to walke alwayes in the feare of God knowing that all the fauor which we are able to purchase in the world is nothing at all and that if God doe but blowe vppon it all vanisheth away in the minute of an houre That is the thing which we haue to mark vpon this text Nowe it is sayde expresly That as well the king as the subiectes shall serue straunge Gods yea euen of stone and of woodde that is to say puppettes and Idolles No doubt but that God by these wordes ment to vtter how dreadfull punishment was to come vppon the Iewes For albeit that the nourishment that God giueth vs and in like wise all the Testimonies of his fatherly loue and goodnesse appertayning to this transitorie life bee to bee highly esteemed yet the most singular benefite that we receiue as long as wee liue in the worlde is that we haue Religion well ordred that his seruice be pure amongst vs that we call vppon him and that it bee lawefull for vs to claime him as our GOD and that wee be not berayde and defiled with superstition and Idolatrie That say I is
their paunches well ynough but they can no skill to lift vp their heades to heauen to honor him that findeth and maintaineth them so wealthily their groynes mussels are euer grubbing downewarde to their feeding Therefore let vs not resemble them If God giue vs wealth let vs not pamper or pranck vp our selues but rather let it bee as a spurre to quicken vs vp to come vnto him the nearer that hee approcheth vnto vs and the more that hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes the more wholly let vs yeeld our selues thereto That is the thing which we be taught in this text Now whereas Moses saith Hee forsooke the God which made him and skorned the strong God of his welfare thereby hee sheweth vs after what manner we abuse Gods benefites namely by shrinking away from him whereas he would haue vs to bee brought neerer to him For as I saide afore all the commodities which God giueth vs in this world ought to be as ladders whereby to climbe vp to him And if we be wedded to the earth it is the way to make vs turne the benefits of our God to the cleane contrarie Therefore let vs take good heede that we prouoke him not to displeasure And whereas Moses saieth that it was God that created his people hee meaneth it not alonely as in respect that he is the maker of the world but as in respect that hee had chosen that people and had made as it were a newe worlde of them For Gods fetching of the children of Israel out of the lande of Egypt his feeding of them in the wildernes and his putting of them in possession of the land which he had promised vnto them were as a newe creating of them He had not onely made them men but also newe men So then the making that Moses speakes of here is not of the first making whereby the children of Israel were brought into the worlde but of Gods reforming of them to bee his children And it is the very same thing that is ment in the fourescore and fifteenth Psalm Psal. 95.7 Now then saith Moses will ye spite him which hath twice made you after that fashion What an vnthankfulnes were that The like condemnation lyeth vpon vs nowadayes if we walke not in the obedience of our God seeing he hath not onelie placed vs in the worlde but also called vs to the hope of the endlesse life reforming vs by his holy spirit and calling vs to the knowledge of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Sith it is so let vs beware we forget it not or that we shrink not away from him in any wise Yea and let vs marke well the word that Moses vseth in saying that they mocked or skorned the strong God of their welfare The terme that hee vseth commeth of a foole or thing of nothing as if a man would say they befooled him or they louted him Whereby he aggrauateth the ouergreat skornefulnesse of that people in not honoring God as they ought to haue done Then if wee yeelde not God his due glorie and praise it is all one as if wee made no account of him or as if wee bleared out our tongues at him in way of mockage And that were too excessiue vnthankfulnesse or rather vntolerable trecherie Therfore let vs beware that we be not guiltie of such a crime as is the despising of him which is the strong holde of our welfare that is to say him vpon whom we stay without whom we can by no meanes continue which keepeth vs vnder his protection and to be short of whom we hold our life and all that belongeth thereunto Must we not needes be worse than brute beastes when we forget him Let vs vnderstand then that besides the other benefites which God bestoweth vpon vs we be also setled vpon his power so as he hath y e gouerning of vs and we be after such a sort in his tuition that we finde him alwayes the fortresse of our welfare to the intent that wee holding our selues to him may knowe also that hee is euer readie and forwarde to increase his gratious giftes and to multiplie them vntill hee haue brought vs to the full perfection of our saluation Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgment of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and therewithall that hauing shewed himselfe so gratious towards vs hee suffer vs not to forget his benefits nor to abuse the sustenāce which hee giueth vs in this worlde but that wee may be drawen further by it namely to seeke the heauenly foode of our soules least they shoulde starue and that our whole stay and contentation may be in the doctrine which is dayly deliuered vs by the Gospel and in the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as all his spirituall gifts may bee applied by vs to the glorifying of our good god that when his glorie shineth forth in this world we may perfectly be partakers thereof after wee bee rid of this mortall flesh and dispatched from the transitorie state of this earthly life That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people and Nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the iij. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXII Sermon which is the fifth vppon the two and thirtith Chapter 16 They haue prouoked him with their strange gods stirred him to displeasure with their abhominations 17 They haue offered sacrifice to Deuils and not vnto God to gods whom they haue not knowen to newe gods lately come vp whom your fathers feared not 18 Thou hast forgotten the strong God that begate thee and beene vnmindefull of the God that shaped thee 19 The Lorde sawe it and was sore grieued at it by reason of the prouocation of his sonnes and daughters HEere Moses declareth the vnthankfulnesse of the people in that they peruerted the seruice of God hauing the lawe whereby they were taught after what manner God woulde bee honored and being instructed at his hande that they ought to giue themselues wholly to him and not go seeke vnto ydols nor borrowe any thing of the heathen and Infidels But notwithstanding all this the people ceased not to take the bridle in their teeth and to mingle a sort of superstitions with the seruice of God Insomuch as it sufficed them not to haue God to their father but they woulde needes haue a number of other patrons as men terme them And this befell not onely when Moses wrate this song but also the holy ghost informed him of the things that were then to come vpon that people and this record was of necessitie to bee giuen thereof And so this song serued to shewe the transgressours of Gods lawe that they coulde not scape the hande of the heauenly Iudge seeing their sinnes were knowen so long aforehande For howe is it possible that God should forget the faultes that wee haue committed or howe is it
bitternesse Yea and our Lorde Iesus himselfe had an eye to this song of Esayes when he accused the Iewes of such vnkindenesse towardes God Matt. 21.33 that when hee hadde laboured by all meanes to saue them yet they aduaunced themselues so farre against him as to murther his prophets whom he sent vnto them to gather vp his Rents yea and in the end to murther his onely sonne and heire But nowe let vs come to that which Moses sayeth heere namely that they bee of the planting of Sodome and of the field of Gomor It be hooueth vs to marke these two contrarie thinges The one is that God had chosen that people for his heritage tendering it as a vine and husbanding it all manner of wayes It was meete therefore that they should haue yeelded some good fruite vnto God and that was the fruite of Sodom that is to say all manner of wickednesse wherewith Gods anger and vengeaunce were prouoked against them And not without cause doeth Moses speake so for hee foresawe in his minde that that people woulde giue themselues ouer to all euill And wee knowe also howe the prophets reprooue them for it For they blame them not for some meane faultes Ier. 23.14 Ez. 16.46.15 but they tell them that they haue outgone the wickednesse of the Sodomites and Gomorrites that wheÌ„ the account commeth to be made Sodom and Gomor shal bee their Iudges yea and bee counted innocentes in comparison of Israell and Iuda For we must alwais remember that God had gathered that people to himself and that the more fauour he had bestowed vpon them the greater was their vnkindnes and coÌ„sequently the greeuouser was their fault and the lesse were they to be excused Now the Prophets had an eye to the things which Moses had propheâ—â—ed afore And so the whole matter commeth to this point that the Iewes who ought to haue glorified God and which ought to haue had none other regard nor other study all their life long than to liue in all purenesse of conuersation ceased not to doe euill and to yeelde all maner of bitternesse vnto God Sith it is so we must not thinke that God did them wrong neither ought they to complaine though hee punishe them extremely and lay farre greater and horribler vengeaunce vppon them than vppon all other Nations of the world Such fruite then as they had sowed and such fruit as they brought foorth such fruit did they gather and it was good reason that God should deale so rigorously with them That is the thing in effect which wee haue to beare in mind And now to apply this lesson to our benefite let vs marke first of al that if we weene our selues to haue done but a small fault as men commonly doe either cloake their offences through hypocrisie or else go about to make them lesse than they be indeede God will take vs to bee like the folke of Sodom and Gomor And why so Those blind wretches gaue ouer themselues vnto ouerheynous and cursed sinnes and became beastly But what As for vs we haue the lyght of life we haue GOD calling vs into the way which is ready made so as we neede but to goe on wee bee warned to walke in obedience to GOD and to dedicate pur selues wholie to him euen as hee hath chosen vs to be his heritage now if after all this wee offende him yet still although our sinnes bee counted but small before men are wee not as blamewoorthy as Sodom and Gomor considering the rebellyousnesse which is in vs and that we make warre against God euen of set purpose Yes and therefore let no man beguile himselfe nor no man flatter himselfe but let vs consider how our Lorde will condemne vs still as he did Sodom and Gomor For God did giue them their fill Eze. 16.49 so as they had abundance of all good things whereuppon they waxed proud and did shut their handes and vouchsafed not to succour the poore and needy To bee shorte in that place hee accuseth Sodome and Gomor of three thinges first that when GOD preserued them they became vnthankefull to him and considered not from whence their welfare proceeded secondly that they grewe proude and gaue themselues to pompes and delyghtes and thirdely that they were cruell and had no pitie nor compassion of their neyghbours to releeue them hauing wherewith And nowe let vs see if our Lorde giue not vs occasion ynough to loue and serue him seeing he blesseth vs so many wayes We must not haue an eye to the things that belong to this flightfull and transitorie lyfe and to the sustenance of our bodyes but let vs consider howe God powreth out his spirituall benefites vppon vs. Hauing so our fill what acknowledgement doe we make to him thereof Doeth not the world see that wee put all thinges out of minde It shoulde seeme that our meaning is to deuour GODS benefites euen in mockage of him As touching pride doth not the world see howe great it is in most of vs Doe wee suffer our selues to bee guided by the hand of God Nay as soone as any man shewes vs our faults wee gnash our teeth at him and there is none of vs that will bee meekened True it is that wee will all generally confesse that it is good reason that GOD shoulde gouerne vs and that wee should be guided and directed by his word but when it comes to the proofe none of vs will taste of that sauce euerie of vs letteth the brydle loose to his lustes and so wee drowne and become drunke in our delyghtes Likewise wee bee full of crueltie Where shall a man noweadayes finde men that desire to communicate so with their neighbours as they bee contented to releeue the neede of the poore We see the contrarie Thinke wee that GOD sleepeth in the meane whyle Thinke wee that hee hath a double measure to mete with So then as I haue declared afore wee shall gayne nothing by flattering our selues but GOD shall euer finde vs like to the folke of Sodom and Gomor if we beelie his word and in stead of dedicating our selues vnto him doe leade a heathenish and loose life That is one thing which wee haue to marke vpon the first place Againe let vs marke well also howe hee lykeneth the fruite of Sodom and Gomor to the gall or venim of the Aspe to the cruell or deadly poyson of the Dragon and to all manner of bitternesse For thereby hee doeth vs to vnderstande that when wee liue wickedly it is all one as if wee offered GOD poyson to drinke or woulde goe about to poyson him True it is that God is not subiect to such things but yet is it not long of vs. But if a childe shoulde offer his father the gall of an Aspe and all maner of bitternesse I pray you woulde not euerie man abhorre such a monster Woulde they not say he deserued to haue all men rise vp against him to roote
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