when GOD giueth sentence vppon our sinnes it is alwayes with this condition that hee doeth it not with out giuing of vs some respit to remedie the mischeefe so wee seeke the remedie by such meanes as he commaundeth in his worde And so yee see what we haue to remember vppon the example of Moses To bee shorte wee see that it is not lawfull for men to put forth themselues to make prayer and supplication except they haue the promise and be sure that it is Gods good will that they shoulde doe so But GOD will giue them such a zeale as the temptations which shall crosse them shall not stay them from going on forwarde though it seeme to themselues that GOD is not minded to heare them but rather to put them backe and to shake them quite off Therefore let vs not cease to resorte vnto him as it were importunately For the importunatenesse whereof our Lorde Iesus Christe speaketh Luke 18.2 in reporting the similitude concerning a widow y t had to do with a wicked iudge made y e iudge ashamed though he were a naughtie and frowarde man But surely when wee come to GOD we neede not to bee importunate for Iesus Christ telleth vs that if wee finde mercie in men that are lewde and ill minded towardes vs we shall much more obtayne fauour at Gods hande who â—arieth not till we come vnto him but calleth and allureth vs to him Seeing then that he is so friendlie let vs not be afraide that we shall not obteyne our requestes But yet for all that let vs not giue ouer with once praying vnto him as it were for fashions sake but let vs holde out to the ende yea and euen be importunate vppon him Although he seeme vnwilling to heare vs and let vs alone in our distresses yea and that to our seeming our miserie doeth still increase yet notwithstanding let not vs fayle to holde on still resting vppon his promise which he hath giuen vs which is certayne and vnfallible that is to wit that hee will neuer faile those which come vnto him and call vpon him in trueth Nowe 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 wee haue done heretofore and that forasmuch as wee knowe what neede wee haue to pray insomuch that euerie minute of an houre wee runne in daunger of endlesse death and are like to perishe both bodie and soule it may please him to inflame vs so by his holie spirite as we may call vppon him vnfaynedlie and be more carefull to doe it and to exercise our selues in it at all times as prouoked thereto by the great neede which wee haue thereof considering the miseries wherethrough wee shoulde perishe if wee were not succoured by him and by his grace and that in the meane whyle it may please him to beare with vs in our infirmities and not suffer vs to be rent off from y e bodie of his Church but make vs to perceiue by experience that the prayers which are made through the whole worlde are auailable to his chosen and y t their prayers also do auaile vs so as the same may stablishe vs continuallie more more in the holie vnion which he hath made with vs in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth reducing all poore ignoraunt people into the right way of saluation out of the bondage of errour and darkenesse and that for this purpose it woulde please him to rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde which may not seeke their owne profite and ambition but the glorifying of his holy name and the saluation of his poore flocke On the other side c. On Saturday the xxxi of August 1555. The Lxvj Sermon which is the fifth vppon the ninth Chapter 15 Then turned I mee and went downe the Hill and the hill burned with fire and I had the two tables of the Couenant in my two hands 16 Then looked I and behold yee had sinned against the Lord your God and had made a molten Calfe and were turned out of hand from the way which the Lord your God had commaunded you 17 Then tooke I the two tables and cast them out of my two handes and brake them before your eies 18 And I fell downe flat before the Lorde fortie dayes and fortie nightes as afore without eating breade or drinking water for all your sinnes which you had committed in dooing euill in the sight of the Lord by prouoking him to wrath 19 For I was afrayde of the anger and wrath wherewith the Lord was displeased against you to destroy you And the Lorde hearde mee that time also 20 Likewise the Lord was sore angrie with Aaron to destroy him but I prayed also for Aaron the same time 21 Then tooke I your sinne which you had made that is to wit the Calfe and burnt it with fire and stomped it and grounde it throughlie euen vntill it was small as dust and cast the dust thereof in the brooke that came downe from the hill HEre Moses declareth the great good zeale that hee had at suche time as he sawe God so sore offended with the Iewes for making the golden calfe and for their forsaking of their Redeemer to giue theÌ„selues ouer to a deade thing rather than to him of whose power they had had experience so manie wayes Nowe he saith that hee had the two tables in his hande and that when hee sawe the people so falne away to Idolatrie hee brake them in peeces Heere it might bee asked whether Moses were not caried with ouerhastie moode For we haue seene that those two tables were written with Gods owne hande so as there was not anie workemanshippe of man in them but that the ingrauing of the tenne commaundementes in them was of Gods owne doing Nowe then that Moses threwe downe Gods handie worke after that fashion notwithstanding that the people had sinned it seemeth not to proceede of any modestie but rather of too vnaduised zeale and oueruiolent headinesse We must not presume to iudge of such odde things for wee see that God gouerneth his seruauntes by his holie spirit and we knowe that sometimes hee stirreth vp his faithfull ones to doe his pleasure by extraordinarie meanes And although wee may not make a certain rule of it yet is not the deed it selfe to bee blamed Numb 25.6 Wee see what happened vnto Phinees For although he was not ordeined to be a iudge but onely to bee a priest yet did he execute Iustice vpon the adulterer the adultresse which had defiled the Sanctuarie God allowed his doing and there is recorde of it in the holie scripture Psal. 106.30.31 and yet notwithstanding it was a peculiar deede which wee may not follow without a special mouing of the holy Ghost As much is
him for fashions sake but in deede make none account of him so as we should make a faire face of it to the worldewarde and in the meane while foster some secret poyson within but that we come right foorth to our God as he commaundeth vs. Thus ye see in effect what we haue to remember vpon this sentence of Moseses where hee speaketh of the firstborne Besides this our Lords meaning was that the first borne should be valued at a summe of mony as well of the cattell as of other things so as the thing that was alwayes aimed at was the mindefulnesse of Gods benefites But as concerning these things we will not enter into them as now for this text requireth it not neither doth y e time serue for it It sufficeth vs in fewe words to know that our Lordes meaning heere is that when we haue receiued any gratious good turne or that he hath bestowed any benefit vpon vs the remēbrance thereof should continue with vs not for a day or two but for euer and that the fathers should tell their children the same to the ende that he may be honored among vs for euermore Finally let vs not offer beastes vnto him in sacrifice as they did vnder the Lawe as appeareth by this figure but let vs assure our selues that y e acceptable sacrifice which God requireth is the offering of ourselues vnto him both in bodie and soule Rom. 〈…〉 1. Cor. 〈…〉 so as our whole seeking may be to be guyded and gouerned altogether by his holy spirite and that all that euer wee haue be dedicated to his seruice and applyed to the vse which he hath shewed vs that he may be glorified in all points Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better and that seeing there is nothing in vs but all manner of frowardnesse leaudnes we may seeke to be renued in such sort that as long as we liue in this mortal life our whole seking may be to be guided to the happie ende which we looke for in heauē and y t in the meane time we may liue after such a sorte in this worlde as he may be glorified in vs and that whē it shall please him to take vs hence wee may yeelde our selues obediently into his handes assuring ourselues y t sith he sheweth him selfe so gratious and liberall towardes vs as to gouerne vs in this transitorie life of his goodnes giueth vs al things behoouefull necessary wee neede not to doubt but that he will make vs to attaine to the perfection of the thinges which are nowe hidden which shall not bee opened vnto vs vntill the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the fifth of Nouember 1555. The XCvij Sermon which is the first vpon the sixteenth Chapter THou shalt keepe the moneth of new fruites that thou maiest keepe Passeouer to the Lorde thy God For in the moneth of new fruites the Lorde thy God brought thee out of the Lande of Egypt 2 And thou shalt sacrifice the Passeouer to the Lorde thy GOD euen Sheepe and Oxen in the place which the Lorde thy GOD will choose to put his name therein 3 Thou shalt eate no leauen breade in that feast Seuen dayes shalt thou eate vnleauened bread euen the bread of sorowe For thou camest in haste out of the Lande of Egypt to the ende thou be mindefull of the day of thy departing out of the Lande of Egypt all the dayes of thy life 4 And there shal no leauen be seene in thy house during the seuen daies in all thy coastes Also ye shall not leaue of the fleshe that is sacrificed from the euening of the former day till the next morning THis present chapter treateth of the three feasts which God ordeined among the Iewes that is to wit the feast of Easter or passouer y e feast of Pentecost or Whitsontide the feast of Tabernacles or Tentes First hee treateth of the Passeouer God ordeineth that it should be diligently obserued for it was a memorial of great importance whereby the people were put in mind how they had beene redeemed put in possession of the inheritance that had bin promised vnto them It was behoouefull that y e same should be knowen for it was the fundation of all the benefits which the Iewes had receiued at Gods hande which they looked for afterwarde Without that they had bin no people separated dedicated to god neither had they had any hope of saluation for the couenāt made with their fathers had bin disfeated Therefore is it not without cause that God would haue that day kept holy with such ceremonie In like case was it with the feast of Tabernacles as wee shall see heereafter For it serued to put the Iewes in minde of their going out of Egypt and that whereas they had dwelt long time in the wildernesse without house or home and yet God had euer preserued them it behooued them likewise to acknowledge y e same benefite But we will treate of euery feast in his dewe order Presently we haue to speake of the passeouer But before I go any further we must marke also that God respected not only what he had done already but also ment therewithall there should be a figure of thinges to come whereof we haue now the trueth substance since the time y t our lord Iesus Christ hath bin discouered to y e world That is the cause why S. Paul telleth y e Colossians y t these thinges were but shadowes Col. 2 17. y e body wherof is in Christ Iesus True it is y t he speaketh not there expresly of Easter day by name but yet vnder the name of Sabbat he comprehendeth all the feastes likewise al the Ceremonies that depended vpon thē To be short God had a double respect in ordeining the day of the Passeouer The one was to do the people of Israel to vnderstand y t they came not into possession of y e Land of Chanaan by their own power but y t they had bin led in thither by the hande of God And because they had bin deliuered by miracle out of y e land of Egypt Gods wil was y t the same should be declared Againe forasmuch as the same deliuerance was a figure of the deliueraunce y t was to be hoped for by our Lorde Iesus Christ this feast of Passeouer extēded yet further y t is to wit y t whē the people ate of the pascal Lamb as they called it they should thinke thus with thēselues This is a shadow figure of the Sacrifice which shal be once offered vp wherby the world shal be reconciled set free And although the thing were not yet apparant to the eye Yet behoueth it the
we haue a life that lyeth hid in God Therefore it is no hurt at all to vs though God cut off the blessings of this present life from vs. For he knoweth to what end he doeth it and it is good for vs to be so exercised Thus yee see that the thing which wee haue to beare in minde is that God doeth diuers times hide the signes of his loue from vs as in respect of the worlde but hee loueth vs neuer a whit the lesse as we see how it happened vnto Moses As touching that which is saide of Iosua it is one notable point more For beholde hee is appointed to succeede in Moses roome yea and yet was he but his seruaunt And afterward Moses is commaunded to incourage him Heere we see that God will take the thinges that are not greatly esteemed among men yea and exalt them aboue our opinion as we see he hath vsed to doe at all times and not without cause for thereby he intendeth to pull downe all pride according to this saying of Saint Paul that hee chooseth the weake thinges â— Cor. 1.27 â—â— yea euen to the end that men shoulde not glorie in their owne strength and hee chooseth the foolish thinges to the ende that men shoulde not glorie in their wisedome and when he taketh y e things that are despised it is to the ende that men shoulde not trust in their owne credit nor bee puffed vp with their owne worthinesse And it is verie requisite that it shoulde be so for we see howe euery man seekes to aduaunce himselfe and wee leaue nothing to God as neere as we can Nay rather if wee doe but yeelde him the tytles that belong vnto him it is but in way of daliance and in the meane while we would that all shoulde be in our own persons Now forasmuch as men haue this pride rooted in them God must be fain to shew them by experience that all of it is but vanitie and so doth hee by choosing the things that are not regarded and by seruing his turne with such as are not esteemed to be of any great renowne If we looke howe God chooseth men somtimes to set them in preheminence wee will say who woulde haue looked for this And God worketh after that manner to the intent that those by whom he serueth his turne shoulde learne to acknowledge themselues beholden to him for their dignitie wherein he hath set them and vnderstande that they obteined it not by their own power and policie but that it is God which hath placed them in that degree For if they thinke they haue ought of their owne purchasing God will shewe them the contrarie That then is the thing which we haue to marke when it is heere declared that God preferred Iosua before Moses insomuch that although Moses had now of long time beene cladde with the grace of the holy Ghost although hee had beene chosen to bee the Redeemer or Ransommer of the people although God had set his marks vppon him although that in executing his office it was well seene that hee was a newe creature and there appeared in him a maiestie surmounting the nature of man and there withall although hee had done so many deedes worthy of memorie as might astonishe all them that hearde speaking of them yet notwithstanding in the ende God ordeyned his seruant in steede to leade the people into the lande of Chanaan and to put them in possession of their promised heritage and Moses himselfe is not worthy to come there So far off is hee from coÌ„ming there euen as a common member shuffeled in among the rest of the body that God driueth him from it and behold God reacheth his hand to Iosua who had neuer looked for it But now besides that which I haue said that is to wit that we be warned to forbeare all presumption and to lay downe all pride let vs bee wel assured that it belongeth to God to aduance vs to make vs of estimation through his mere grace and that when we shal haue heaped vp al that euer we can together all is nothing Then besides that we haue a good warning to humble our selues it is shewed vs therewithall that wee must not enuie those by whom God serueth his turne And that is another good lesson For wee see howe euery of vs repyneth when God hath aduanced any man specially beyonde all worldly hope Where as we should consider thus beholde God serueth his turne by such a one euerie man commendeth him and there appeare manifest gifts of grace in him when we see those things we be so malicious that we grudge repine at it But contrariwise wee ought to marke that when we be so pricked with spite and enuie it is an aduancing of our selues against God and not against mortall creatures Therefore let vs learne to honour God wheresoeuer hee sheweth himself to be glad when he vouchsafeth to extend his grace to our neighbours for if we do so all shall fall out to our welfare If another man haue mo gracious gifts thaÌ„ I I am rich in his person For wheÌ„ we confesse y e communion of saints it is to shew that whatsoeuer God giueth to one man or to another the same redoundeth to the benefite of all True it is that we perceiue it not at the first push but yet doth such diuersitie serue for the whole bodie of the Church Rom. 12.4 The members of a bodie haue not all one operation the eyes execute not the office of the legges nor the hands the office of the feete and yet notwithstanding the body is so knit together in one that whatsoeuer is giuen to any one member doeth benefite al the rest Now then let vs vnderstand that when God bestoweth the gifts of his holie spirit more largely vpon some one man than vpon others he ceaseth not therefore to haue pitie vpon vs For we also must be edified therby Yea surely so we be not vnthankfull and that we take no pritch at it when hee listeth to holde vs lowe and to exalt our neighbours To bee short wee make warre against God when we cannot abide that he shoulde keepe the order which hee hath determined y t is to wit to pul down y e things that are great to the worldward and to aduance and exalt the things that are base and despised Moreouer we see that Moses is commaunded to strengthen Iosua So little ought Moses to be greeued at the preferring of his seruaunt before himselfe that hee must instruct him and harten him As if hee shoulde say I see nowe it is Gods will to honour thee by dishonoring mee I am worthie of it and I must be faine to beare it and therewithall also to prepare thee to thine office Although thou take my place yet will I not set my selfe against thee but which more is I will helpe thee to the vttermost of my power Nowe am I become thy seruaunt Whereas God had erst
husband but also to the liuing God For it is he to whom she bindeth her selfe like as he hath ordeined wedlock and is the author thereof so will hee haue a care for the maintaining therof Therfore wheÌ„ we heare the word Aduowtrie we ought to lothe it as an expresse defying of God by wilfull breaking of the holy bond which he hath set in mariage like mad beastes And hereby we see in what estimation he hath honestie Why so When hee will haue vs sober chaste and modest he sayth If ye be not honest and well stayed yee bee no better than Aduowterers That is to say whatsoeuer excuse ye pretend before men and make ye your faults neuer so small and light I hate ye for yee stinke your whole life is infected in my sight We see theÌ„ as I sayde afore that here is a strait commaundement to keepe our selues honest chaste And hereby it appeareth how fond their excuse is which say they do no man wrong wheÌ„ they be full of disorder and vnrulinesse For our Lord knoweth well enough to what end he vsed such speach It was not for y t he was toungtied wist not how to vtter things in order but because he intended to shew that if men made but a smal matter of wantonnesse and vnchastitie there is another balance for theÌ„ to be tryed by namely that he condemneth accurseth all those for aduouterers which behaue theÌ„selues vnhonestly or vnchastely Therefore we haue so much the more neede to wey well y e words y t are set downe here where he sayth Thou shalt not be an Aduowterer But yet herewithall we must follow the degrees y t are conteined vnder this coÌ„mandement First as I sayd afore let vs vnderstand y t God will haue wedlocke to be kept holy For as our persons liues are deere vnto him so will hee haue y t faith and troth that is plighted betweene man wife to be mainteined in their price and estimation that so holy a thing as mariage be not giuen vp to shame reproch This ought to bring to passe that no man should looke vpon his neighbors wise with vnchaste eye And why For God hath matched her to a husband already he wil haue her husband to shadow her â—en 20.16 And wheÌ„ we thinke any euill or feele any vnhonest lust he will haue vs to shun it for feare of that which is tolde vs namely that God himselfe taketh vengeance of them that breake the holy fellowship which was knit in his name â—rou 2.17 In lyke case is it with women in respect of their husbandes so as a wife may not yeelde to wicked lustes when she beholdeth a maryed man Why so For God hath assigned her her make If we wil not make warre against our maker we must liue euery one in his own house w t such match as he hath y t order must be mainteined w tout breach because god is y t author of it That is one principal point But besides this we must alwayes come back to the nature of God remember that he is not an earthly lawemaker which forbiddeth but only the outward deede and in the meane while letteth the lewd affections alone 1. Sam. 16.7 for God will admit no eyeseruice neither is he lyke to vs. Men are contented if they perceiue no fault but God who searcheth mens heartes Ier. 5.3 respecteth the trueth as it is sayd in Ieremie Therefore hee in his lawe meant not to restreine our bodyes only but also had a speciall regarde to our soules So then let vs marke that God not onely forbiddeth the act so as wedlocke be not broken by any actuall deede but also hee forbiddeth all wicked lustes and lykinges And therefore doth our Lord Iesus Chist say Matt. 5.28 that he which looketh vpon another mans wife with a wicked eye is an Aduowter already before God Though he cannot be blamed by the lawes of men nor punished as an aduowterer yet is hee condemned already before God as hauing transgressed this commaundement Therefore when we heare this word Aduowtrie which is so greatly condeÌ„ned let vs learne not onely to absteine from all whoredome as touching the actuall deede but also to keepe our thoughts and conceits chaste so as we be vndefiled both of eye and heart For after that maner doth S. Paul define true chastitie 1. Cor. 7.34 when he saith that such as are vnmaried ought to haue a care how to please GOD by keeping themselues pure and cleane both in bodie and minde He saith not that those continue chast which haue not defiled their bodies with whoredome but which haue indeuored to keepe themselues vndefiled both in body and minde And when we haue thus considered how God curseth and abhorreth all aduowtries wee must proceede further and reache out and apply the same to all maner of whoredome True it is that he which breaketh the faith of wedlocke committeth a dubble offence and it is much more haynous as I haue sayd already But yet must we alwayes come backe to this poynt that Gods meaning is that men shal not only not commit any thing against mariage but also that they shall not leade a beastely lyfe so as whoredome may haue full scope and vnmaryed folke runne loose to giue ouer themselues to lewdenesse with euery one whom they meete with lyke bruâ—e beastes but that we shoulde be pure and cleane both in body and minde For it is sayd that not onely our soules 1. Cor. 6.19 but also our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost as was declared euen now Note that he speaketh this because y t day at the SermoÌ„ a mariage was solemnised And they be Saint Paules owne wordes where he telleth the Corinthians that it was too too much to their reproche and shame to suffer fornication and whoredome among them as they did Knowe ye not sayth he that your bodyes are the temples of the holy Ghoste Beholde God hath done vs the honor to choose these wretched bodies of ours which not onely are fraile vessels but also rotten carcases and earth GOD I say notwithstanding this hath so inhonored them as to vouchsafe to make them the temples of his holy spirit that he may dwell there shall we goe welter them in all filthinesse and make hoggescotes or swines styes of them What a treacherie is that Again that is not all 1. Cor. 6.13 Let vs haue an eye whereunto S. Paule leadeth vs. Our bodies are members of Iesus Christ therefore if a man giue ouer his body to whoredom it is all one as if he tore Christs body asunder For it is certeine that wee cannot mingle Gods sonne the fountaine of all cleanesse with our filth and lothsomnesse Now then if a man cast himselfe into whoredome it is as much as a rending of the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ in peeces as much as in vs lyeth Not that
is as I saide afore that there is no ill in it for the Christians to haue a certaine daie wherein this historie shoulde bee declared vnto them For we must not tie our selues to so streit a precisenesse that it should not be lawfull for vs to vse that helpe for our infirmitie But to make a seruice of God thereof and to take example at the Iewes as though it behoued vs to fashion our selues like vnto them or as though the feast of Whitsontide ought to be obserued at this day by reason of the sending of the holy Ghost that were too grosse a fondnesse Let vs vnderstand then first that the Iewes had but a figure shadowe of the trueth and on our owne part wee may knowe in Iesus Christ that God hath not figured anie thing in vaine Col. 2.17 but that all the ceremonies of the Law tended to verie good purpose because the effect of them is shewed vs in him Therefore let vs holde vs contended therewith and now let vs learne to reioyce in the presence of our God and to make otherfolks partakers of our mirth The Iewes were commanded to resort to Ierusalem as soone as haruest was done not only to reioyce there but also to impart of their goods to their neighbors so as there might be a common gladnes among them and God might be glorified with one accord And now that these things are at this day accomplished what haue we to doe We must not run trotting to Ierusalē to worship God there and to doe him homage there 1. Tim. 2.8 For we must lift vp our hands eueriwhere howbeit so as they be cleane And moreouer for asmuch as GOD hath not only sent vs a haruest of corruptible fruits to nourish our bodies withal but also powred out y e infinite riches of his holy spirit and sent vs the liuing waters as is saide in Ezechiel Ezech. 47.9 let vs vnderstand that it is to y e end we should haue the mirth whereof S. Paul speaketh in the fourteenth to the Romanes Let vs now reioyce then seeing our Lord hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towards vs that hee hath not withhelde any of the cheefe good thinges which he had but hath powred vppon vs all the benefites that concerne the endles life and heauenly glorie Seeing then that we haue receiued the holy Ghost let vs also be ioyful in our harts As how By withdrawing ourselues from y e vanities of this world by holding our selues contēted with the fauor of our God praising him euen in the middes of our afflictions Albeit that wee haue not all things at wil in this world yet let vs not cease to hold on still assuring our selues that it ought to suffice vs that our God is fauourable to vs that he sheweth vs his loue When wee be at that point once then shall wee haue such peace and contentment in vs Phil. 4.7 as passeth all the ioyes of this world yea and putteth away all the sorrowes that may trouble vs. And when wee haue such gladnesse our selues wee must to the vttermost of our power make them partakers of it which haue need For if the Iewes were commanded to cal the widowes the fatherles and the strangers to make merie with them in spending of the goods which God had giuen them much more reason is it that seeing the spirituall giftes which God hath bestowed vppon vs belong to the common building vp of the Church as saith Saint Paul in the twelfth to the Romanes Rom. 12.6 1. Cor. 12 7. and also in the twelfth of the first to y e Corinthians we should take heed y t we defraude not our neighbours of the thing which GOD hath appointed for them Let vs marke also that as nowe there is no more any stranger as in respect of vs. For wheras God had separated the Iewes from the gentiles nowe it is his will to bee knowen through the whole worlde there is no more diuision of bodies the wall is broken downe as saith Saint Paul in an other place Eph. 2.14 Seeing then that God fully and thou must not tarie till there bee a solemne holy day to call thee to the Church there to keepe the feast of Trumpets but it must serue thee al thy life long for a spurre to make thee to return vnto God That is the thing say I which we haue to beare in mind And as much also is to be noted concerning sorrowing For it is not for one day onely that wee must be sorie in our heartes and bethinke vs of our sinnes But forasmuch as we fal to them incessantly there passeth not any day wherein we offend not GOD let vs match it with sorinesse and let vs mourne for it and not play the vnthriftes which make a skorne of all that euer a man can alleadge to them out of the worde of God but let vs bee afraide of his iudgementes and threats and yet therewithall let vs not doubt but he will giue vs whereof to reioyce and that although wee bee faine to passe through many sorrowes and hart-bitinges in this worlde yet in the ende he will deliuer vs from them to make vs partakers of the heauenly rest After this maner say I must wee put this doctrine in vre concerning the feastes which the Iewes had of old time in figure and whereof wee haue nowe the trueth substaunce as it is brought vnto vs by the sonne of God Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as wee may returne vnto him with true and vnfained repentaunce and bee stirred more and more to amende our faultes knowing that our good God is ready to receiue them all to mercie which come to him with lowlinesse And that for asmuch as he hath graunted vs the grace to haue nowe so full light of his Gospell as may wel inlighten vs throughly it may please him not to suffer our eyes to be blindfolded that wee should walke any more in darkenesse but to graunt that wee keepe y e right way and indeuer to bring others into the same so as God may be glorified with one common accorde of all men And that for the performance hereof it may please him to raise vp true and faithfull ministers of his word c. On Fryday the viij of Nouember 1555. The C. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the sixteenth Chapter 13 Thou shalt keepe the feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes after thou hast gathered in thy corne feeldes and thy vineyardes 14 And thou shalt reioyce in the feast thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man-seruant and thy woman seruant the Leuite the straunger the fatherles the widowe which are within thy gates 15 Seuen dayes shalt thou keepe the feast to the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lord shall haue chosen for the Lord thy God
world so many neighbors haue we And wheras in this text y e word is a Brother indeed it had respect to the linage of Abraham But nowadaies wee haue all one father 1. Tim. 2.4 who is called vpon in al languages and in all countries He hath not chosen the race of any one man nor shut vp his seruice within any one certaine countrie For the partition wal is broken downe 〈◊〉 â— 16 so as there is not now any difference of Iew and Gentile accordingly as is told vs that we bee all one body in our lord Iesus Christ and y â— seeing God is proclaimed by the Gospell to be our Sauiour father we must maintaine a brotherhood among vs. And as touching the word Neighbour the law hath vsed it of purpose to shew meÌ„ y t they may well shrink away one froÌ„ another but yet they be all of one knoweÌ„ kinde according to this saying of the Prophet Esay Esa. â—8 7 Thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh If I can say This man is of a far countrie there was neuer any acquaintaÌ„ce betwixt vs one of vs can not speake a word y t the other can vnderstande what is all this to the purpose Let me looke vppon him beholde him throughly I shal find the same nature in him that is in my selfe I shall see that God hath made him so like me as if we were but one fleshe And all mankind is of such shape and fashion that wee haue good cause to loue one another and to know y t we ought to be all one Although there bee some difference as touching this present life yet ought we to consider that we spring al out of one roote therefore that we should tend all to one end euen vnto God who is the father of vs all And therefore it is not without cause that in steede of saying thou shalt doe so to al men our Lorde saith thou shalt do so to thy neighbors And albeit we fall to disputing of the matter and would slippe our heades out of the coler seeking to shift off y â— matter by alledging that we bee straungers one to an other yet can we not bring to passe that all men should not be our neighbors because we are al of one selfe same nature wherby God hath knit vs linked vs all together The thing then which we haue to mark in this part of the texte vpon y â— word Brother is y t whereas God speaketh after that maner to the Iewes because hee had adopted the linage of Abraham it sheweth vs nowadaies that we must al be as brothers forasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ hath proclaimed peace through the whole worlde and God is at one agayne with all nations all men Seeing it is so it behoueth vs to maintaine the brotherhood which was procured by Christs bloudshed whereunto God calleth vs. And although many spiteful persoÌ„s go about to violate it by their vnkindnes in shrinking away from the Church and become our enemies by guing vs occasion to do them harme yet notwithstanding let vs striue against their naughtines labour to procure the saluation of their soules and y e welfare of their bodies so far as we can And wheÌ„ we see y t we on our side are weak caÌ„not frame our affections to y e obeying of God so wel as were to be wished let vs pray our good God to streÌ„gthen vs by his holy spirit y t we may outstand all assaults y â— are put vnto vs so as we may haue y e vpper hand of them when hee hath once rid vs of our flesh Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to make vs so to feele theÌ„ more more as y t being cast downe in our selues wee may be lifted vp again by his hand y t being so lifted vp vpheld by him we may follow his example towards our neighbors indeuoring to coÌ„tinue in good peace concord bearing with y e weaklings so as we may al with one coÌ„mon coÌ„sent keep our way vnto him attaine thither by his grace That it may please him to graunt this grace c. On Fryday the iij. of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxvj. Sermon which is the second vpon the two and twentith Chapter 5 A woman shal not weare the apparel of a man neither shal a man put on the garments of a woman For whosoeuer doth so is an abhomination to the Lord thy God 6 When thou goest abroad and findest a birds nest in a tree or on the grounde and young birdes or egges therein the dam sitting vpon her young or vpon the egges thou shalt not take the dam with her young birdes 7 But thou shalt let the dam goe take the young ones to thy selfe that it may goe well with thee and that thou maist prolong thy dayes 8 When thou buildest thee a newe house thou shalt make a battlement about the roofe of it that thou bring not bloud vpon thy house by the falling of some man downe from it THe first law which I haue rehearsed here sheweth y t in all our behauiour we must haue a care to be honest eschue al loosenes Truely it should seeme to be no matter of great importance for a man to be apparelled after one fashioÌ„ or other but yet for all that God wil haue things done in order For if men go disguised weare such apparell as serueth not for necessitie but for follie that is not conuenient If women bee dissolute what a thing is that They forget their nature for women ought to bee modest If there bee no shame but that they will needes be out of order it is a very beastlines That is the effect of Gods intent in saying that men ought not to put on womens apparell nor women ought not to bee cloathed in mens apparell For it is good reason that there should be a difference betweene men and women And although there were no lawe written doeth not euen nature teach it vs And when S. Paul telleth vs that women must come to the Church with their heades couered not with their haire about their eares 〈◊〉 1â— 5 hee sheweth the same thing What saith he haue we need to speake to you of such things For if a womaÌ„ were polled durst she shew her head abroade A man may well be bold to shew his head bare though he be polled and shall a woman do so too That were a shame euerie bodie would mocke at her and she shoulde be faine to hide her heade Now sith ye know this without any scripture or worde written doe ye not see howe God hath sowen as it were a seede of modestie in you to the intent that euerie man shoulde haue a regarde to that which is comelie for him So then let vs mark y t here God intended to shew vs that euery bodies attyring
himselfe so liberall that hee gaue them euē more than needed Now after as God dealeth largely vnto vs so must wee inlarge our harts to serue him that we may be fully fraught with loue towardes him For all the benefites which we receiue of him must kindle our hearts to goe vnto him We haue in them a tast of his goodnesse to draw vs vnto him Now then if wee make not Gods gracious gifts auailable to vs so as we loue him for them and bee rauished with desire to come vnto him it is certaine that wee must yeelde a sorrowfull account for it For wee vnhallow them and abuse them too shamefully and thereby God looseth the things which hee had bestowed vpon vs as his children because it is not his meaning that they should haue beene cast away as vpon dogges For this cause Moses aggrauateth heere the malice of the people in that he saieth that after God had shewed himselfe so liberall foorthwith they became fatte and being become thicke fat and as is were so brawned that they were readie to burst with greace they fell immediatly to defie the God which had made them and to mocke as the strength of their welfare Here wee be taught to call our selues daily to account for the benefits which God hath bestowed vppon vs. Wherefore let vs beware that we deuour not the benefites which wee haue of God forgetting them and the giuer of them Nay let vs make them all as notes of rememberance to put vs in mind how much we be bound and indebted vnto him True it is that wee can neuer bring that to passe according whereto it is saide in the Psalme 〈…〉 6. that if men imploy themselues neuer so much to the considering of Gods gracious gifts they shall finde themselues graueled for they be mo than the hayres of our heads Yet notwithstanding it behoueth vs to doe our indeuour to magnifie our God considering how greatly wee be bounde vnto him and howe many wayes hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes That is our true studie that is y e thing wherein we must exercise our selues all the time of our life And the chiefe sacrifice that God requireth of vs is thanksgiuing which is when we honour him with the things that we haue receiued of him according to this saying of the hundred and sixteenth Psalme 〈…〉 11. What shall I yeeld vnto the Lorde for all the good which hee hath done vnto mee I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon his name So then let this text bea warning and incouragement to vs to consider better of our Gods benefites that wee may fare the better by them That is one point And moreouer when wee once knowe that God hath bounde vs vnto him and dayly bindeth vs in hauing a care to sustaine these our mortall bodies which are but carions dung the which neuerthelesse he feedeth with bread let the consideration thereof make vs to mount vp higher Ioh. 4.14 6.35 and to bethinke vs howe we be daylie fedde with the grace of his spirite and refreshed with the liuing waters which wee haue of him yea and that we be fedde with our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe who is the heauenly breade that feedeth our soules Let vs consider these things and learne therby to giue ourselues wholly to our God who sheweth himself so bountifull and liberall a father towards vs. If we do not so we haue here a horrible condemnation For as I haue said to the intent to set out the mischiefe so much the more to the full in that men dischargo not their duetie to Godwarde being so preuented by his drawing of them vnto him Moses putteth heere as it were into a paire of scales on the one side Gods benefits and on the otherside the peoples forgetfulnes negligence vnthankfulnes And this is the thing that in effect wee haue to remember out of this place Now it behoueth vs to marke well the thing that is rehearsed heere by Moses namely that the Rightfull was growen fatte His attributing of that title to the people of Israel is to signifie whereto they were called of God for this comprehendeth the principall end of our calling Gods adopting of vs to bee his children is to the ende wee shoulde liue righteously The Iewes are called a froward and crooked generation Matt. 16.4 Such then are the vnbeleeuers vntill our Lorde Iesus Christ haue brought them home to himselfe On the contrarie part when God calleth vs to be of his flocke or housholde then he reformeth vs and he will haue vs to holde the way of saluation as he sheweth it vnto vs. And such ought the children of Israel to haue beene seeing that God had chosen them But what It is said that after the rightfull or righteous was waxen fatte he fell to kicking against his master Now if this bee saide nowadayes it will bee double to our shame for if our Lordes speaking of righteousnesse or vprightnesse be to shewe y t those whom he had sanctified defiled themselues and that those whom he had brought into the right way were gone astray it is to condemne them the more grieuously Therefore it ought to make vs the more ashamed whē God shal say What are yee For I haue adopted you to be my children and what a lookingglasse and patterne haue you in me Ye ought to resēble your father ye knowe my goodnes and my iustice and yet are you as crooked as serpents Must we not needs be confounded with double shame when God vpbraideth vs after that sort So then let vs learne to what purpose God hath ordained vs in vouchsafing vs the grace to gather vs vnto him Let vs follow the vprightnes which he cōmandeth vs let vs not swarue aside from in Moreouer let vs beware y t fatnesse blind vs not and so mar vs least when we haue beene full fedde for a time we growe frowarde through Gods vsing of his liberalitie towards vs. And y t is a very needefull point For when God sheweth himselfe so liberal and feedeth vs with abundance of all things his so doing is to make vs to perceiue his goodnesse the better Therefore it ought to inflame vs the more seeing that our Lorde handleth vs gently as though wee were his tender babes as he himselfe termeth vs. But wee see on the contrarie part that if God deale bountifully with vs wee play the stubborne and vnruly horses As a horse that is ouerpampered in the stable wil not be ruled but fals to kicking and becomes so lustie as if he were wilde euen so is it with vs also such is our nature And are wee to bee excused when we shall haue abused Gods gifts after that fashion If it be demaunded what maketh men proude what maketh men become wilde beasts so as they cannot away with any yoke but are feerce and hardharted and cannot afterward away with good instruction and warning but are madde against God
as wee bee when he seeth that wee haue no minde of him and that euen his benefites are an occasion vnto vs to dispise him so as wee turne them the cleane contrarie way frō the lawfull vse wherevnto hee had ordained them Might hee not iustly leaue vs in that state as cursed creatures and vnwoorthy that euer hee shoulde open his mouth to speake to vs Yes and yet for all that he commeth to seeke vs. Beholde saieth he I knowe yee bee inclined to forget mee when I haue fed you well and fat and the more abundance that you haue the more ye refuse to come to me and therefore ye deserue to be shaken off that I should neuer remember you any more Yet notwithstanding my desire is not that you should perish but that ye should returne vnto mee What naughtinesse or lewdnesse so euer I espie in you I am contented to take you still for my children I will preuent the vices whereto you bee giuen therefore take heede y t ye forget me not when you be at your ease Seeing that our Lord beareth with vs after that fashion ought it not to breake our hearts though they were harder than stone So then first of all let vs mistrust prosperitie In deede we couet it for the loue thereof wee shun the things that are hard and combersome If we suffer hunger and thirst it grieueth vs we neuer leaue storming vntill God haue prouided for it but yet for all y t it would be more for our profit oftentimes to indure hunger than to haue abundance Howsoeuer the case standeth whensoeuer God bestoweth his benefites vpon vs let vs haue prosperitie in suspitiō as I said afore Not that it ought of it selfe so to deceiue vs blindfold our eyes as wee should not knowe God but for that it behoueth vs to perceiue our owne nature to be so sinfull and euill giuen as we cannot profit our selues by any of the benefites which we receiue at Gods hand Yea and we see howe euen Salomon was afraide to bee ouerriche Prou. 30.9 for feare of aduauncing himselfe against God least he should despise him and forsake him See here howe Salomon who was indued with so excellent giftes of grace did neuerthelesse see the frailtie of man to bee such that when he had all y t his heart could wish yet he might forget himselfe be ouersotted as he should fall to renouncing of God by aduauncing himselfe against him Phil. 2.12 Now then let vs liue in feare and aw and if God giue vs not such aboundaunce as we would desire but doe cutte our morsels very small let vs vnderstande that the same is for our benefite in that wee haue neede to bee dyeted for feare least fatnesse stoppe our eyes and so make vs starke blinde If wee thinke well vppon this it will make vs to beare pouertie the more patiently When wee want our pleasures and delyghtes when wee want our delicate morselles and when wee want abundance to fill our selues withall let vs knowe that our Lorde hath a regarde to holde vs in awe by that meane for we shoulde bee in daunger of forgetting him if we shoulde growe too fatte And therefore when wee haue wealth at will let vs bethinke vs thus why was it sayde to the people of Israel forget not thy GOD when thou hast thy fill It was bicause men can not brouke their wealth in so much that if they haue all that they haue neede of yea and mor◠too they ouershoot themselues they play the loose coltes they arme themselues against GOD and they haue no more care of him Is the winde in that doore Let vs learne to haue God alwayes before our eyes so as if he deale graciously with vs and giue vs more than he doeth to other men wee may haue the skill to consider See howe my God commeth to me and to what intent but that I shoulde bee as it were brooded vnder his wings and liue obediently towardes him honouring him and referring my whole life to the glorifying of his holy name so as it may bee as a bond whereby to binde mee straytlyer vnto him than others on whome hee hath not bestowed the lyke benefites as he hath doone vppon mee Thus ye see that both poore and riche ought to tend to God-ward eche one according to his degree Againe the comparing of the people of Israel with our selues ought to quicken vs vp yet better to stand vppon our garde It is said when the Lorde thy GOD shall haue giuen thee thy fill And of what goods Of wyne which thou shalt haue gathered of other mens labours and of all other thinges to lyue by which thou haste not earned when thy God shall haue fedde thee so of his owne free goodnesse see thou forget him not If the people of Israel myght forget GOD hauing had most apparant recordes of the fauour that was shewed vnto them what will become of vs which are helde here vnder the common order of nature For wee haue no myracles to spurre vs foorth to Godwarde wee haue not a lande of Chanaan as a speciall elected and chosen dwelling place And therefore wee myght easilyer forget GOD than that people coulde if wee shoulde not remember this present lesson earely and late And for as much as wee see our owne coldnesse let vs learne to matche the spirituall benefites as well which God hath bestowed vppon vs heeretofore as which we looke for heereafter with the thinges that pertaine to the maintenaunce of this transitorie lyfe True it is that although wee thought vppon no more than the thinges that are giuen vs for this bodie yet were wee sufficiently bounde to God yea and a hundred folde more than wee coulde discharge our selues of Notwithstanding besides all this our Lorde giueth vs cause ynough to serue him in that he graunteth vs so many spirituall benefites that belong to the sauing of our soules whereof wee haue a portion alreadie Eph. 2.8 Rom. 7. For whereof commeth fayth wherof commeth it that wee bee graffed into the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ by being baptized in his name and that wee bee taken into Gods housholde to bee auowed for his children Whereof come these thinges but of his giuing of the spirit of adoption vnto vs Eph. 1.5 2 Gal. 4.6 Eph. 2.14 to the intent wee should call vppon him as our father bee assured of the heauenly heritage stande in awe of him and liue according to his woord And is not this dooing of his a speciall gift Yes and yet besides this there is a lyfe prepared for vs whereof wee haue but onely a taste as yet For wee haue receiued as yee would say some first fruites of it but wee shall not haue the full fruition of it vntill God haue taken vs quite and cleane away to himselfe it is ynough for vs as nowe that we followe after it aloofe Now then sith we see that besides y e
owne lewdenesse and vnthankefulnesse but lette vs endeuour to fare the better by it by beeing washed in our soules that is to say by mortifying our owne imaginations reasons and lustes and by offering vp of our selues in sacrifice vnto god to the ende that he may renewe vs and that nothing else but his spirite may reigne in vs so as hee may beare the whole swaye This exhortation is made vnto the Iewes because it was their dutie to apply their sacramentes vnto such ende Neuerthelesse let vs marke that it is not in our power to performe the thing y t is required here For although the Iewes ought to haue bin circūcised in their heartes yet was it verie necessary that God should worke in y t behalfe Likewise it standeth vs in hande nowadayes to mortifie our selues we be cōmanded so to do but yet must wee be faine to resort vnto God who reserueth to himselfe y e office of renewing our soules And that is the cause why it is sayd y t our Lorde Iesus Christ is only he which baptiseth with fire the holy Ghost Iohn 1.33 For if a man y t ministreth baptisme had power to regenerate then had he in himself the power maiestie glory which is giuen to y e sonne of God But our baptising is only with water y t is to say we haue but the signe of baptisme cōmitted vnto vs yet notwithstanding our doing is not in vaine for we must needes be faithfull witnesses of God And forasmuch as we doe it in his name we must not thinke y t the thing is voide vnprofitable But yet for all that it behoueth vs to resort to our Lord Iesus Christ and to consider y t our ministring of baptisme in his Church is by his authoritie therefore that it belongeth vnto him to make it auaileable that it is only his spirit wherby we be regenerate For if euerie man could wash his own soule it might be sayde that the minister baptiseth with water and y t euerie man baptiseth himselfe with truth but it can not be sayd so for that were as much as to robbe Gods sonne of the thing that is peculiar vnto him He hath reserued that honour to himselfe neuer giuen it to any creature no not vnto y e Angels of heauen Therefore let vs vnderstand that nowadayes when it is tolde vs that we must make the outwarde signe auailable vnto vs by being baptised in our soules we must therewithall immediately submit our selues vnto God praying him to performe the thing by the power of his holy spirit which he representeth to vs outwardly by the figure thereof and to mortifie and renewe vs in such wise as we may haue the trueth of baptisme sealed vppe and ingrauen in our soules In like case was it with the people of olde time True it is that here Moses exhorteth y e Iewes to Circumcise their heartes but yet we shall see hereafter Deut. 3◠6 howe he will say the Lorde our God themselues so ill as it was verie requisite for thē to be done to vnderstand that it was but a fondnesse for them to boast themselues to be Gods people Nowe to the intent we may learne to put this doctrine in practise as it ought to be Let vs vnderstande that such as will needes harden them selues in naughtinesse shal be destroyed by God who will make them to feele y e force of his power according to this saying of his If ye fall to stubbornes with me Leuit. 26.23 24. I will deale stubbornly with you againe And it is all one with this saying of the xviij Psalme Psal. 18.27 With the frowarde I wil be froward and I wil deale roughly with such as harden thēselues against me Then let vs learne that Gods intent is to lay a yoke vppon our neckes by his worde of purpose to bring vs in subiection to his righteousnesse And all is for our benefite Insomuch that although it bee so vnpossible for vs to fulfill the Lawe that wee can not so much as put foorth one of our litle fingers to the furtheraunce of it no nor once thinke a good thought yet is that yoke gentle amiable of it selfe and all the harme of it commeth of our selues For if wee will not bowe downe our neckes but strout them out as hard as if they were steele or brasse so as in steede of being as Oxen to labour or as sheep to heare the voyce of our shepherd we become sturdy buls and fall to striking with rage furie to shake off the yoke so as we not only followe not the worde but also shake off all subiection and inharden ourselues against God what excuse will there be for vs seeing wee yeelde not ourselues vnto him willingly to be taught at his hande Yet for all that we see how the world goeth God therefore must be faine to ouermaster vs to tame vs by maine hande And in verie deede looke what afflictions soeuer light vpon vs we ought to take thē as strokes of Gods hād to make vs bowe our neckes vnder him and to become tractable and obedient But when we go awke and cleane contrary after that fashion thē doth he threaten vs thus by Moses I will deale stubbornely as well as you He vseth that terme of purpose to the intent y t men should not dally with him For at the first blush the saying might seeme straunge which I alledged out of the xviij Psalme Psal. 18.27 namely that hee will deale frowardely with such as are froward For howe can that be Can God be frowarde No But it is all one as if he shoulde say yee shall finde in me a greater hardnesse than yours is Let vs incounter together and see which of vs is stoutest and best able to holde out I tell you it is you that are like to be confounded and go to wrecke And therfore let vs leaue our naughtinesse and repaire vnto God while he calleth vs and when we be come to him let vs suffer ourselues to be gouerned by his holy spirite which is the spirit of meeknesse that we may submit our selues obediently vnto him And for perfourmaunce thereof lette vs marke the lesson that Moses addeth immediatly The euerlasting thy God sayeth he is the God of Gods a great a mightie a strong God yea but let vs marke also that he doth not accept that is to say regard mens persons but iudgeth according to the truth Beware therefore y t ye trust not any more in your circūcision nor in such like thinges but beare in mind that God wil haue your seruice to be such as your hearts may be wholly dedicated vnto him and that he wold haue you to submit your selues vnto him so as he may haue you in his possession and you enioy the inheritance which hee promised to your fathers and which belongeth vnto you Gods greatnesse which Moses speaketh of in this place is the first
that may turne vs from the right way from the simplicitie which God commaundeth vs. And men cannot stand too much vpon their gard in that case True it is that a number of meÌ„ do weene themselues to be so strong y t although they be neuer somuch conuersant among y e superstitions of the vnbeleeuers yet they shal not be atteinted with them But God is wiser thaÌ„ we And therfore let vs remember the lesson that he telleth vs namely that we must shunne all the uperstitions of the heathen and the misbeleeuers or else his seruice will bee marred among vs by and by But forasmuch as I haue declared that part alreadie I wil stand no longer vpon it Let vs proceed to that which Moses addeth namely that meÌ„ must not deale so with God by which saying he meaneth that the Iewes must not go about to honour the liuing GOD by building vp the altars Chappels or any other of all the filthie things again which they had beateÌ„ down As if he shoulde say GOD will not bee serued after the manner of Idols and therefore regarde not what the heathen haue done followe them not neither fashion your selues to their example but holde you to this one rule of doing that which your God commaundeth you And this is well worth the noting for when we haue condemned Idolatrie we cease not for al that to imagine that God liketh well that we shoulde do y e same things in honor of him which were done by the vnbeleeuers and y t appeareth by the dealinges in the Popedome After that the Gospell had beene preached to the worlde men fell to mingling of al maner of superstitioÌ„s of y e heatheÌ„ with the true seruice of God And what was the cause thereof The heathen had their Pilgrimages and men knewe well it was a diuelishe abuse neuerthelesse they did not put them quite and cleane away they did but onely chaunge them In steede of going on pilgrimage to such an Idol they goe now to our Ladie of Laurette to It is a Relike in Rome wherin they say y e picture of Christes face is after it was wiped therewith the holy handekercher to Saint Michael to Saint Iames and to visite the holy Sepulchre Men should haue vtterly rooted out all y e things that had beene so brought in by Satan and in steed thereof they did but change them Wheras men saw that the heathen made great feasts and kept a great number of solemne holy dayes in honour of their Idols O quoth they wee must no more doe soe for that were a seruing of the diuell but let euery parishe make a Church-holyday to play to daunce and to feede in till they burst againe and all in the honour of God Besides this let euery one haue their patron and let them worshippe him And so in steade of the solemne feastes that were among the heathen let others be brought in among vs. O sirs say they these thinges are not doone any more in honour of the Idols but in honour of Saint Martine And then let them daunce and playe the drunkerdes for all is well enough so it be done in the honour of God Againe the heathen were wont to keepe a holy day which they called the feast of all Spirits and we must chaunge y e word and haue the feast of all Soules Moreouer the heathen had a Temple which was called the Temple of all goddes and wee doe nowe call it the Church of all Saintes or all Hallowes See what an act worthie of remembraunce and an Angelicall act the Pope thought hee did as the Papistes can well skill to make their bragges For â—o say they there is a temple called the Temple of all the gods but what Wee haue but one God and therefore it must not continue after that fashion Wel we will chaunge the worde and whereas the heathen had a Temple which they called the Temple of All their gods we wil haue it the Church of all Hallowes and we will haue a Churchholyday added to it Again when they sawe that the heathen had their sacrifices Needes must they also haue their Masses set vp in the roome of them Moreouer perceiuing that the heathen had their washings they also would needes haue their holywater To be short whatsoeuer filth and infection was among the Infidels the Papists tooke it to themselues to keepe And what was the cause thereof Euen for want of taking heede to this text wherein it is saide that whereas the Infidels haue many deuotions deuised of their owne braine we must not couet to doe the like to our God nor looke that way but we must harken what he saith and commandeth Were this saying of Moseses vnderstoode all the diuelish deuises that haue reigned doe reigne still at this day in the Popedome shoulde get them away to the bottome of hell For we see here a generall condemnation whereby GOD sheweth that he hateth al such things And why Because he will not haue men to deale with him as the ignorant doe with their Idols A thing may seeme faire to the worldwarde men may clap their hands at it but behold God saith here I wil not be serued after such fashioÌ„ or such maner let not men presume into my preseÌ„ce to deuise what they think good theÌ„selues And if it be alleadged yea but shall such a thing bee euil taken when I doe it in the honour of God Shal it be said that I serue Idols when I do such a thing of a good intent and all to serue God Is it so great an euil that men should cry out at it No no men must hearken what God commandeth and ground themselues altogether therepon so as they presume not to adde any thing thereunto We see then that the meaning of this text is that wee must forget al the follies that haue beguiled vs and not alledge custome or continuance of time but receiue the doctrine of the holy scripture like litle children A yong childe will not say thus and thus haue I beene taught for he knoweth yet nothing at all But he receiueth that which is put to him and is the readier to learne because he is not inured aforehande with anie maner of misteaching But if a childe haue been mistaught and nusled in his fondnes then if a man go about to amend him O sayes he I was taught so and a man shal not be able to make him pronounce one syllable aright nor to speake one worde to any purpose And why so Bicause he hath bin trained by an Asse who hath framed him to his owne fashion and hee hath learned y e right trick of him After the same maner it is with a great number of folke that haue been brought vp in cursed poperie alwayes they hold stil some relikes of it saying Yea sir but can such a thing be euil There is euer some replying against God But as for vs let vs practise y t which is
which were worthier to haue beene preferred than wee â— Pet. 1.10 Gal. 4.1 and yet notwithstanding God kept them vnder like litle children whereas nowadayes hee dealeth with vs as with perfect men of full age and grouth Seeing then that God vseth such goodnesse and liberalitie towards vs haue we not the more cause to honour him But nowe let vs come backe againe to the matter which I was in hand with afore and shew yet further howe all the saide thinges may redounde to the benefiting and profiting of vs as well in faith as in the feare of God I haue tolde you alreadie that whereas God did put a difference betweene beastes declaring some to be cleane and some vncleane it was to accustome the Iewes vnto the spirituall cleannesse euen in eating and drinking True it is that God inioyned them sobernesse and temperaunce therein but he had yet a further respect which was that in all thinges they shoulde haue a care to be vndefiled and to haue such a stay of themselues as they might not bee steyned with the vncleannesse of the worlde Gods intent then was to giue them as it were a kinde of exercise to keepe them the better in vre We knowe howe men do take too large scope in eating and drinking For whereas the rest of their life doth put them in minde to pray vnto God and to take paines and to discharge themselues of their dutie when they take their repast they giue them selues to mirth and reioycing And it is lawefull for them so to doe so they keepe measure But what They so ouershoote themselues in the turning of a hande as a man might wonder to see their excesse of mirth This was the cause y t God woulde haue his people put in mind of the sobernesse which we ought to vse in our eating and drinking al our life long that it might be as a bridle to restraine vs for after as our diseases bee so doeth God giue vs medicines for them Now as I saide afore there is more disorder in eating and drinking than in all our life besides And therefore it was requisite that our Lorde shoulde exercise his people in that behalfe And for the same cause did he deliuer them instructions to warne them that they ought to behaue themselues purely in all things and to put them alwayes in minde thereof Ye see then that the first point which wee haue to remember vppon this text is that God telleth the Iewes that forasmuch as hee had chosen them to be his owne inheritance they ought to dedicate themselues to him euen in things that concerne the outward conuersation and to absteine from worldly corruptions not intermedling themselues with the vices of the heathen after our common maner which we knowe to bee alwayes tending vnto euill Gods will was to holde them in that awe And nowe wee see howe it is no more than needeth For why True it is that the ceremonie continueth not nowadaies for our lord Iesus Christ hath set vs in greater libertie than the fathers were vnder the law Col. 2.14 but yet is not the pith of it put away that is to wit that we should liue soberly vnder the feare of our God cutting off all corruptions and abridging our selues of all libertie of hauing to doe with the lustes of the worlde What though the vnbeleeuers doe beare with themselues too much should we doe so too Seeing that our Lord telleth vs that wee be his temples so as he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite 1. Cor. 6. â—â— Rom. 1â— â— 1. Cor. 5 1â— â— Cor. â— 1 and that he woulde haue vs to be as sacrifices vnto him so as wee shoulde offer vp both our soules and bodies vnto him dayly is it lawful for vs to cast our selues into the vncleannesse of the worlde without anie regard how to represse it Then let vs mark well that although the ceremonie be no longer in vre yet the lawe in it selfe is not doone away but that God inioyneth vs the same sobrietie at this day whereto he meant to leade the people of olde time by the meanes that were agreeable to that time Againe sith we see what priuiledge God giueth vs let the same mooue vs the more to yeelde our selues freely vnto him If we compare our selues with the fathers of olde time we shall finde that God led them but as yong babes and yet were they as Angels among mortal meÌ„ If we look vpon the life of Abraham what a perfection of holinesse shall we find there As much is to be saide of the rest of the Patriarkes and Prophetes and yet neuerthelesse yee see howe God held them in darkishnes giuing them but a small tast of his grace insomuch that his shewing of Iesus Christ vnto them was but a far off But we in these dayes haue much further preheminence for God sheweth himselfe fully vnto vs and we haue the spirite of adoption whereby we may crie with full mouth Rom. 1.13 Col. â— â— Eph. 12.13 that God is our father euen wee that come of the heathen and had no acquaintance with God but were vtterly vncleane and to be short were by nature cursed had none other heritage than death and damnation Nowe then is it not an inestimable priuiledge that God hath brought vs so neere to himselfe What is to be doone then Seeing that God allureth vs more freely than he did y e fathers let vs be the more earnestly minded to serue him He dischargeth vs of the burthen as concerning the shadowes and figures what is to be doone therfore We must haue this willingnesse of giuing our selues to y e spiritual sobrietie which he requireth continually now stil as wel as he required it then Therfore let euerie man bethinke himselfe and inasmuch as God giueth vs leaue to eate of all manner of meates freely without exception that is to say of all such as may serue for our sustenaunce let vs haue this consideration with our selues Alas my God yet must I not abuse thy goodnes How manie waies doest thou shewe thy selfe liberall to me Therfore doeth it become me to bridle my selfe of mine owne accorde and to cut off all the wicked affections that reigne in me And first of all let vs put the doctrine in vre which Saint Paul setteth down in the thirteenth to the Romanes Rom. â—1 â—â— which is that wee bee not carefull for our fleshe at leastwise to fulfill the lustes thereof for that is a gulfe that can neuer be filled but onely looke to the susteyning of our bodies so farre foorth as they may bee maintained in good plight so vse Gods creatures as wee defile them not For although Gods creatures are permitted vnto vs yet doe we not cease to defile them by our vnbeleefe intemperance gluttonie or other abuses which we commit GOD sheweth that as now we may eate both of the Hare and of the Connie as wel as of the
should vnderstand that wee haue not our sustenance by haulfes in Iesus Christ he addeth wine also to shew that hee is our drinke as well as our meate That is y e thing which S. Paule ment to betoken in saying y t we must now eat of this Easter lamb that is to wit that as now we should so coÌ„municate with the sonne of God as we might be knit vnto him by the secret and maruelous working of his holy spirite and he become our foode and nourishment we be susteined by the same bicause we must else needs decay through our own feblenes And this eating is not for once a yeere but continually during all the time of our life Then let vs learne that as long as we be in this world we must dayly frame our selues to the spirituall fellowship which we haue with our Lorde Iesus Christ and to the confirming of the vnion more and more for without that the crucifying of our Lord Iesus Christ will boote vs nothing at al. He is the redeemer of all the whole world yet notwithstanding what a nomber is there which reape nothing else by his death but the greater condemnation And that is bicause they refuse so excellent a benefite wherby they make themselues vnworthy of it and exclude themselues quite and cleane from it But when wee communicate with him by faith then doe we ratifie the grace that was purchaced for vs. And therefore let vs marke that to bee partakers of the fruite and operation of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ we must bee linked vnto him from day to day by faith profiting and growing still in that holy vnion vntill wee haue the thing wholly and perfectly Eph. 4.13.15.16 which wee haue as yet but in part After that maner ought we to eate y e sacrifice to keepe the passeouer wel And for as much as our faith increaseth according to our profiting in the holy scripture if we intend to communicate wel w t the sonne of God euery one of vs must exercise our selues in the doctrine of the Gospell and match the same w t prayer beseeching God y t seeing he hath vouchsafed to call vs once into his sonnes company he will maintaine as therein neuer suffer vs to be separated or w tdrawen from it any more Therefore must we seeke all y e meanes which our Lord hath ordeined to stablish the communion which we ought to haue in our Lord Iesus Christ. 1. Cor. 5.8 Now S. Paule addeth that we cannot be partakers of y e sonne of God nor haue any acquaintance with him if we bee dubble minded y t there be any fraude or malice in vs. Then must we be changed if we wil haue Iesus Christ for our sustenance that is to say if we will haue him to feede vs with his substance Certaine it is y t malice and hypocrisie are so rooted in vs y t we must be faine to fight much w t them before we can be rid of theÌ„ S. Paul then sheweth y e faithful there y t they must be reformed or else Iesus Christ will cut theÌ„ off froÌ„ his body And so although y e hypocrits pretend to seeke Iesus Christ to sticke throughly to him yet notwithstanding they haue none acquaintance at al w t him For why They be things vtterly vnpossible y t Iesus Christ should dwell in vs yet neuertheles that all maner of deceite naughtinesse should raigne in vs. And therefore in stead of absteining from leauened bread as the fathers of old time did in eating of y e pascal lamb vnder the law let vs marke y t nowadaies God wil haue vs to discharge our selues of all naughtines guile And how may y t be It will not be doone w tout great inforcement for we of our selues are not steady but the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ must be faine to worke after such a sorte w t vs as we may be conformable to him in simplicitie vprightnes Thus ye see what we haue to gather of this exhortation which S. Paule maketh in y e first epistle to the Corinthians Now afterward heere followeth the thing that was treated of yesterday Exod. 〈…〉 namely the eating of y e pascall lamb w t their staues in their hands their shooes on their feete their loynes girded vp For we cannot haue the companie of Iesus christ vnlesse we be as wayfarers in this world 2. Cor. 5. â—â— Hebr. 11â—â— Col. 3.3 to go on forward to seeke our inheritance elsewhere And S. Paul in the Epistle to y e Colossians saith plainly that our life is hidden w t Christ and y t we must be as dead men if we wil be vnited to the sonne of God And why For he is in heauen therefore it followeth y t our life ought not to be tyed heere to y e earth What is to be doone then If we will haue Iesus Christ to auow vs to bee members of his body to quicken vs by his spirite we must get vs out of this world not y t we should not dwel in it but y t we shold not be wedded to it For these two things agree very well y t gods children shold be coÌ„uersant in this earthly life yet neuerthelesse be heires citizens of y e kingdom of heaueÌ„ accordingly as y e Apostle saith to y e Hebrewes Hebr. 1. â—â— y t God can well find in his hart to take vs for his children if we be not tyed to this world but passe on beyond it Wherefore let vs marke y t to haue felowship w t our lord Iesus christ we must depart out of this world y t is to say our earthly affectioÌ„s must not raigne in vs we must not be mortized here we must not bee snarled here but wee must consider y t seeing God hath set vs here to make a iourney yea short iourney euery of vs ought to hie himselfe a pace to looke well to the ridding of our selues of y e things y t may hinder vs froÌ„ attaining to y e heauenly life And we must vnderstand y t if we do so Iesus Christ wil come vnto vs reach vs his hand to strengtheÌ„ vs y t we may be able to ouercome all impediments For it were impossible y t euer we should compasse y e matter vnlesse we were aided froÌ„ aboue So then we see now y t a man cannot be partaker of the Pascall Lamb except he haue his loynes girded and his staffe in his hand y t is to say vnlesse he be like a wayfarer and that he stay not in this world And for the same cause also doth our Lord Iesus Christ warne al his Disciples to haue lampes in their hands Luke 12.35 their garments trussed vp to be alwaies in a readinesse til he come to stand waiting continually for his comming And as he coÌ„mandeth vs to haue our loynes girded
generally his meaning was that they should not match themselues with idolaters For why It is a making of an entrie an opening of a gap to Satan that he may put all to hauock bring all things to disorder confusion God therefore ment to preuent that True it is y t at this day now that y e Gospell hath bin preached ouer all the world there is neither Gentile nor Iew any more wee haue no more any such distinction as was vnder the Lawe Gal. 3.28 For the separation wall saith S. Paul is brokē downe so as we must now link together in brotherly concord Eph. 2.14 forasmuch as God will be called vpon of all nations that all men should call him father and therefore we must knit our selues together Yea but there are which separat themselues through vnbeleefe wil not be of y e bodie of the Church but refuse y e God which is declared to vs by Iesus Christ will not be partakers of the adoption which hee offereth to all men both great small Vnto such we must not cleaue at leastwise if we intend not to alienate our selues from God from the way of saluation Whosoeuer thē matcheth himself wittingly wilfully with the vnbeleeuers dooth as much as in him lyeth to banish himself from the kingdome of God And for that cause doth S. Paul vse this exhortation that wee should not beare the yoke with vnbeleeuers telling vs that the thinges which were spoken in olde time to the Iewes belong also vnto vs so as it behooueth vs to flee far from all superstition frō all such as intangle vs therein And why For we not only beare the materiall vessels of the Lordes Temple but also are his very Temples wherein hee dwelleth by his holy spirit 1. Cor. 6.19 20. and therefore wee must offer both our bodies and soules in sacrifice to him that we may be wholy dedicated vnto him For seeing he hath chosen vs to be his childrē ought we not to be clensed frō al corruption both of bodie mind as hath bin declared Seeing it is so then let vs learne that when a man is to marrie he must as neere as hee can choose him such a wife as may further him in the seruing of God purely For why We be fraile enough of our selues without being corrupted of other folkes And if a man be in a good way and be neuer so wel minded and desirous to doe well he shal soone be marred by euil companie And the world sees it If a man doe but fall to drinking with a leawd fellow or a naughtipacke he is in daunger to turne backe and to become euery day worse than other so that yee woulde wonder to see him become a very diuel Now if a little tippling doe this what will insue when a man shall be faine to keepe companie with his wife as long as they liue Truely it is a manifest tempting of God when a man throwes himselfe headlong downe after that fashiō and stoppeth his eyes at the taking of a wife hauing no regard of his choyce y t he might be helped by her so as they might behaue themselues holily according to Gods will with one common consent That I tell you is a poynt which it behooueth vs to marke wel And what is the cause that nowadayes so many mariages come to ill end but that men haue not an eye to God but mens mindes are set vppon their lustes and pleasure or else they seeke for wealth God then is not accounted of therefore he is faine to reuenge such contempt and so doth hee as experience sheweth So much the more ought wee to marke well how it is sayd in this text that if a man will marrie a straunge woman that is to say an Infidel which hath not bin brought vp in the feare of God nor bin instructed in his word he must looke that shee be cleane chaunged before hee euer come at her For a wife is as a deadly poyson vnlesse she haue first forsaken her former conuersation and professed to liue thenceforth to Godward and to sticke purely to his word haue put her old bringing vp quite out of her minde yea euen cast her slough as they say And furthermore whereas it is sayd here that the woman must shaue her head pare her nayles put away her old apparell and mourne as though she had forgone her father and mother in deed those ceremonies serued for the Iewes and wee be not to vse those figures nowadayes But yet must wee haue an eye whereunto the same tended namely that the women as I haue sayd afore should be as it were chaunged y e they might bee brought into y e body of Gods Church This is a ground therfore y t when a man intēdeth to take a wife he must looke y t she be reformed aforehād that she know God his word so as she ioyne herself thereto be ready to giue ouer al idolatrie Vntil a woman be at y t point it is not lawful for a Christian man to take her to his wife And if he take her before and graunt him the grace to reclaime her afterwarde yet must hee vnderstand that he hath done amisse And looke what is saide of men concerneth women likewise For as women haue their inticementes to allure the hearts of men so men may easily tēpt women to turne them from the right way of saluation and to ouerthrowe them as the world seeth And therefore when a woman doeth of her owne will go take a husbande that is a despiser of God a wicked and looseliuer allawlesse person a drunkarde or a swearer it is all one as if shee forsooke God and banished her selfe out of his Church and shee deserueth to haue all manner of cursednesse to light vppon her head And where as this tolde vs concerning wedlocke let vs vnderstande it likewise of al other things that may thrust vs out of our way and let vs learne to bee conuersant with such companions that wee may euer bee edified still to the better For wee haue neede of such folke as may amende vs because that euery of vs is frayle of himselfe And therefore let vs seeke to match our selues with such as haue the feare of God and leade a holy honest life let vs shunne such as go about to intangle vs in their abhominations When wee see a malicious and frowarde person a despyser of God or a lustie Gallant that passeth not to bee an offence to all men let vs esteeme him as a plague and let vs vtterly eschue him For why whosoeuer comes nye him shall surely be infected by him out of hande And that is apparant So then let vs beare well in mynde that here our Lorde intended to shewe that wee must haunt such companie as is fit to teache vs to doe well and that on the contrarie parte wee must shunne all occasions of euill
vs cōsider his own infirmities throughly we shall finde y t if our Lord had not a care of vs fought not mightily for our defence we should perish euery minute of an houre How is it then y t we are assured of our saluation Surely because our Lord who watcheth ouer vs is strong ynough therfore albeit y t all the armies of hell were banded against vs yet shall they not preuaile any thing at all if God be on our side insomuch y t we shall not only be preserued from the hand of our enemies but also haue y e victorie ouer them bring them vnder our feete because God dwelleth among vs. Ye see then on the one side howe men ought to feele what need they haue y t God shold help them seeing they are thēselues ouer weake and haue no helpe to defende thēselues also how for all y t they may boldly bost And why because God hath receiued them vnto himselfe will preserue them be their safegarde Behold I say what y e glory of the faithful is which notw tstanding proceedeth of humblenes For we can neuer be safegarded by our God vntil we haue learned to distrust our selues and feele ourselues for lorne considering y e weaknes which is in vs. But let vs also note the threat Take heede saith he lest thy God whē he shal see any filthy thing in thee depart from thee Now the filthy things among vs which may offend God consist not in our bodily sluttishnesse For where doeth God oftener dwel thā in poore cottages which through great neede and penury somtimes there is vermine sometimes stinch There are poore Lazars who haue not wherwith to serue their neede much lesse wherewith to serue their pleasures a lamētable case to beholde Surely none of all these things which may seeme sluttish vnto most men do offend God but y e filth which maketh him to depart from vs is the defiling which commeth from the heart afterwards as I tolde you defileth our bodies And therfore let vs not think y e God is like vnto mortall men or y t he is led with such passions but let vs know y t being a spirit his will is y t we also should haue a spirituall purenes in vs that is y t we should put away farre from vs the thinges which may infect vs as I haue sayd afore namely fornication enuy hatred treason excessiue desire of hauing riches ambition and pride Al these things are filthy displease God and when our bodies are defiled with them the wickednes is double Let vs therefore learne to purge ourselues frō all such infections if we will haue God to be resident among vs. For as hee is come neere vnto vs so wil he also withdraw him selfe frō vs if we be not pure temples For vpon none other condition than y t will he dwell amōg vs. Therefore this threat may set our hayres on end on our head where it is sayd Take heede that thy Lord depart not from thee For seeing y t our lord hath vouchsafed vs this honor to come neere vnto vs and y t he declareth y t he will haue the chief roome in our cōpany it is good reason y t euery of vs should take heede y t we giue him no repulse y t there be such publike order takē as our infections cause vs not to want y e presence of our God wherefore let euery of vs particularly looke vnto himselfe afterward let vs al vniuersally do our indeuor y t al honesty may be mainteined so as we may be a people hallowed vnto god For if euery of vs giue ouer himselfe to filthy demeanours so as one taketh leaue to be an adulterer an other dispenseth with himselfe to play the theefe and to vse deceites and extortion respecting onlie howe hee may enriche himselfe by vnlawfull meanes and a thirde giueth himselfe to wicked practises to vndermine and to ouerthrowe his neighbour and a fourth is full of arrogancie and ambition so blasphemousnes reigneth at wil is it not all one as if euery of vs for his part had conspired to banish God out of our companie and to driue him away Seeing then that vices doe so reigne and there is so horrible confusion among vs Lette vs looke well to ourselues and let this warning serue vs for a bridle to restraine the mischiefe or otherwise we shall bee guiltie of driuing GOD away that he might no more dwell among vs to blesse vs. Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde concerning this place Now Moses addeth That if a seruant that is to say a slaue as we haue expounded it heretofore which is of the heathen doe runne away and desire refuge among the people of Israell they must suffer him to dwell there and not deliuer him into the hande of his maister This lawe may seeme euill at the first sight if we consider not well what God meant thereby For seruauntes were at that time in the same plight and stare that a mannes oxe or horse is now Men imployed them to maruelous painefull and burthensome thinges and their maisters had power ouer them both of life and death so as among the Paynims a maister went not to make his complaint vnto the Iustice when he would put his seruant in prison or set him on the racke yea or put him to death Euerie man might hange and drawe in his owne house and that was a verie harde case And moreouer as I haue tolde you heretofore a mans seruantes were counted among his moueable goods in like sorte as an horse or an oxe So then if it had not beene lawfull to withholde from a man any part of his goods but it had bin verie ill dealing to haue done so why was it lawfull to keepe backe his seruant It might seeme that a man doeth him wrong and iniurie to defraude him in this wise of that which is his right and men might persuade themselues y t God dispensed here with his people to play the theeues after some indirect maner But the meaning of the Lawe is that it was Gods will y t there should be some priuiledge for such seruauntes as were willing to yeelde themselues vnto his seruice and that because as long as they liued vnder the Paynims they were not their own men nor had such libertie and therefore when they turned into the better way God granted them this exemption by way of priuiledge Moreouer let vs note that because of the excessiue cruelty of the maisters the Lawes themselues were to graunt some release vnto seruants For y e maisters most cruelly abused the authority which was granted vnto thē ouer their seruants insomuch y t for euery smal trifle as y e breaking of a glasse or such other like a maister would hamper his seruaunt to beate him without pitie or mercy These examples caused men to let thē haue some refuge And the heathen themselues permitted
haue such a care among vs as all infections of whoredome may be remoued and wee cleane purged from them For that is the very thing which GOD aimeth at Now indeed it is true that this is a ciuill lawe but yet for all that it belongeth vnto the third commaundement of the second table where it is sayde Thou shalt not commit adulterie Why are the people of GOD forbidden to haue a stewes among them Because fornication is a detestable thing in his â—ight for his will is that wee shoulde bee wholly dedicated vnto him both in our soules and in our bodyes So then whereas God detesteth whoredome what shall we thinke when open stewes are suffered and no punishment or chastisement appointed for adulterers What shall wee thinke thereof but that men in the ende will defie God and perswade themselues that whoredome is nothing Wee see then whereunto God meant to lead vs namely that we should knowe howe profitable a thing it is for vs to thinke on the wretchednesse of some men that is to wit that they fall into so outragious thinges that they forget all honestie of nature and that there would bee nothing but beastlinesse in them except they were withheld by y e hand of God Let this put vs in feare and quicken vs vp to pray God to withdrawe vs from these corruptions whereunto we are ouermuch enclined or rather wholly giuen ouer And let vs yeeld our selues fully vnto him not behaue our selues as horses which are broken loose Let vs take heede of seeking occasions of wickednesse or of graunting vnto our selues leaue of lawlesse libertie to doe wickedly either in adulterie or otherwise and let vs keepe our selues in such purenesse as euery of vs may be ready to frame himselfe vnto the righteousnesse of God and to keepe and maintaine our selues in all innocencie before him Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs to feele them more and more And bicause it hath pleased him to call vs vnto himselfe yea and to declare oftentimes that he is our God and to make vs also to perceiue the power of his helpe not onely touching our bodyes but also touching our soules let vs beseech him that we may be prouoked hereby to yeelde our selues wholly vnto him that all of vs examining our selues more narowly and perceiuing our owne defilements may resort vnto the holines and purenes of our Lord Iesus Christ praying him so to purge vs by his holy spirit that our onely seeking may be to offer our selues vp vnto our God both soule and body and that therewithall wee may learne to liue one with another in all vprightnes and honestie so as it may alwayes serue vs to mortifie our wicked affections and not hinder vs froÌ„ enioying those benefits which he daily bestoweth vpon his Church And that it may please him to impart these things not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the xxviij of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxxiiij Sermon which is the fifth vpon the three and twentith Chapter 18 Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow for both these thinges are alike abhominable before the Lorde thy God 19 Thou shalt not giue vpon vsury to thy brother whether it bee vsury of monie or vsury of vittayles or vsury of any thing which men giue to vsurie 20 Thou mayst giue vpon vsurie to a stranger but thou shalt not giue vpon vsurie to thy brother that the Lorde thy God may blesse thee in al that thou settest thy hand vnto in the Land whither thou goest to possesse it WEe knowe it was not lawfull by the Lawe to make any offering or sacrifice of vncleane things Insomuch that the beastes which GOD had declared to bee vncleane might not bee mingled with the holy offeringes The reason was that GOD meant thereby to holde his people in all purenesse The effect then of all this is that when wee come before GOD whatsoeuer wee offer must be cleane and pure and without any spotte And now Moses addeth that if a man brought the price of a dogge GOD abhorred that likewise for a dogge of himselfe and in his owne nature was an vncleane beast as they say Nowe then if one should say he woulde not offer a dogge bicause it was not lawfull so to doe but that hee might offer the price which hee had receiued for selling of him Moses declareth that this in like manner was reiected of God as an abhominable thing Whoredome of it selfe is a wicked thing and detested of God Now if one thought likewise to bring the price of whoredome to agree with God and to bee cleared of his fault it was an abuse For God will not haue his name which is holy to bee mingled with any such filthines and vncleanes So this place containeth in effect a declaration of the lawe which I tolde you of y t we may not offer any thing vnto God which is not pure and holy Now to the intent men might knowe that God admitteth not any Sophistrie or suttleties as men doe when they fetche their by leapes and beare themselues in hand that they can so countenaunce their wickednesse as it shall not bee condemned before God Moses telleth them that it is nothing woorthe and that they must come to that vprightnesse and soundnesse whereby if a thing bee euill of it selfe then all that euer commeth thereof is likewyse abhominable before God Now then wee see what doctrine wee haue to gather in this place The first poynt is that al the offerings which wee make vnto GOD must bee pure and cleane If this was required in the time of the Lawe wee ought well to practise the same at this day according vnto that which the prophet Malachie sayth Mal. 1.11 For after that GOD had reproued the sacrifices which the Iewes made vnto him because there was much vncleanesse in them hee sayth The time shall come when my name shall bee called vppon through out the whole worlde yea when I shall bee called the great GOD when I shall bee worshipped of all men and when men shall offer vnto me a pure and cleane sacrifice Now because the prophet in that place treateth of the estate of the Christian Church and sheweth that GOD should bee exalted throughout the whole world at the comming of that Redeemer which was promised therefore this appertayneth vnto vs. Not that we must now offer sacrifices of Oxen and Sheepe or of other brute beastes for wee knowe that such shadowes are done away but wee must offer that reasonable sacrifice as saint Paule termeth it in the twelfth to the Romanes Rom. 12.1 which God liketh of that is that euery man dedicate himselfe vnto GOD by becomming newe both in heart and minde Therefore whereas wee see that God
That the Iudges may perswade the man and if they see him to stande stiffe in his opinion then the woman shall plucke off his shoe from his foote and spitte in his face as by waye of reproche and shee shall say GOD doe so vnto all them which will not raise vp a stocke in Israel Nowe heere wee haue farther to note that God would haue the Iudges speake vnto the man to perswade him as farre as they were able And if the man woulde not consent vnto them they should content themselues with this kinde of punishment Whereby wee see that the Magistrates and other Iusticers ought to abstaine from vsing any force and violence in that thing which they cannot simply commaund As for example if there bee a thing which is good and yet there is no lawe for it and I being of power and authoritie would constraine a man to doe what I thinke good were there any reason in it For the law constrayneth him not to doe it and I ought not to passe those boundes Let vs therefore note wel that such as are armed with the sword must contayne themselues within their bounds and not challenge to themselues any Lawelesse libertie to say What I commaunde nothing but that which is good and therefore yee must doe it No For there is no constrainyng where there is no Lawe When there is a Lawe a man must holde himselfe to the rule thereof but yet in the ende the poynt that must bee come vnto is to presume to bring men into no further subiection than the Lawe byndeth them vnto Ye see then what wee are farther to beare in minde vpon this place Now as touching the shame that was done in plucking off of their shoes in spitting in their faces it serued to prouoke men to discharge their dueties the better Yet neuerthelesse if a man had rather sustaine this reproche than to take wife against his wyll hee was discharged thereof And heerein wee see as I haue alreadie tolde you that GOD sheweth the authoritie of a Father in beyng grieued when the families was not maintayned in Israel and yet was hee contented to beare with such as could not finde in their heartes to stoope to that yoke bicause it was so hard Therefore if any had rather to suffer such shame than to take a wife after that maner he came to declare it publikely But wee must nowe returne vnto that which I sayd in the beginning namely that there is not now any carnall kinred priuiledged as the race and linage of Abraham was For God adopteth vs nowadayes vnder condition that we bee ingraffed by faith into his Church and so made the children of Abraham For so much therfore as the kinred which we haue at this day is spirituall the order of raising vp issue to succeede in the inheritaunce of houses landes or medowes is no longer in force And why For it behoued that the stocke of Abraham should bee maintained vntil y e comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And y t was the cause why y e land of CanaaÌ„ was giuen in possession vnto the people Nowadayes y e whole earth is y e dwelling place of the children of God although they be dispersed throughout the whole worlde yet are they knit in one body by agreeing in one consent of faith to call vppon GOD and although they do it in diuerse tongues yet it skilleth not seeing that one selfe same spirit gouerneth them and that they haue all one hope of the euerlasting saluation which is promised vnto them Those are the things wherein they are all knit and conioyned together Seeing it is so let vs note that GOD will haue euerie of vs nowadayes for his owne part to do his indeuor to multiplie the church And the seed of Abraham is no longer begotten according to the fleshe through carnall marriage but it is begotten of the incorruptible seede of Gods worde 1. Pet. 2.23 as Saint Peter saith And when God vouchsafeth vs his grace to winne anie man and to bring him into his flocke then are we as spirituall Fathers And that also is the verie cause why the Ministers of the worde bee called Fathers and likewise the Church hath generally y e name and title of Mother because she coÌ„ceiueth the children of God Nowe albeit that all haue not that office of Preaching the worde of God yet a priuate person being a member of the Church may begette spirituall children vnto God if hee haue occasion and abilitie to winne a poore soule to inlighten him with the faith of the Gospell Let vs then bestowe our paynes to this ende knowing that if the carnall mariage was so pretious vnder the lawe in the sight of God Surely the meane whereby we be made members of our Lorde Iesus Christ is a thing now farre deerer and of greater estimation with him And therefore let euerie man employe himselfe that way to the vttermost of his poore For here is no forcing of vs to marie against our willes but of the winning of wiues vnto our lord Iesus Christ that by the multiplying of the Church wee may alwayes bee the more firmely linked vnto him Seeing then that our condition is more gentle and sweet than that which was vnder the lawe we ought to be stirred vp so much the more to the discharging of that duetie and we shall haue so much the lesse excuse if we be carelesse and negligent therein Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde in effect as touching this Lawe And nowe wee see that although it bee no longer in vse yet may we gather some profite from it to bee edified thereby For of all the thinges which the holy Ghost hath vouchsafed to leaue vnto vs there is none vnprofitable if wee haue the wisedome as I told you the discretion to applie it wel vnto our vse It followeth That if two men be at strife and one of their wiues come to deliuer her husbande and take his aduersarie by the priuities her hand shall bee cut off This lawe betokeneth in effect that honestie is to bee kept continually And that if a woman forgoe shamefastnesse it is a wicked and intollerable thing and therefore ought to bee punished to the intent honest sobrieâ—ie and stayednes in conuersation may be maintayned among the people of God and no lawlesse libertie of shamefull beastlinesse suffered That is the thing in effect whereat God amed in this law And so let vs note that vnder one example he meant to giue vs a generall instruction as touching all thinges which wee ought to take heede of Now as concerning the speciall case which is set downe here we see howe the woman might haue somewhat for her excuse when she commeth to helpe her husbande she might alleadge that she tooke not great heede and that she was astonished or amased but God holdeth her not excused for all that Nowe then if euen in trouble in daunger and amasednesse God will
truth substance of things must depart the signe must remaine y t were a goodly matter Again they haue retained other like things as is lent This is the fast y t is to be kept say the Papistes The reason forsooth is because Iesus Christ fasted Yea but did he which is y e fountaine of all perfection and the mirror of all holines fast euery yere No he fasted but once in his life The Papists say y t wee must fast euery yeere and y t there is great deuotion holines therin Yea but therin they would exceed Iesus Christ. But in deed it is a diuilish superstition to fast 40. dais after y t maner vpoÌ„ opinioÌ„ y t by this means we may make ourselues like to Christ. Matt. 4. â— 1. King 19.8 For we know y t our Lord Iesus ment to shew thereby y t he was then exeÌ„pted froÌ„ al condition of man as the same was done in Elias by miracle likewise in Moses when hee published the law And did y e Iewes follow Moses and Elias therein Or did any of so many holy prophets euer fast y t fast No for they knewe wel it was not coÌ„manded theÌ„ of God and y t he made no coÌ„mon rule of it nor would haue y t thing drawen into example which he had once ordained for y e authorising of his law So then we see y t it is very profitable to consider what God hath for one onely time coÌ„manded to the intent we peruert not al nor desire without any difference to do whatsoeuer is contained in y e holy scripture w tout knowing first whether it concerne vs be spoken vnto vs or no. This is one point to be noted A second point to be obserued is y t we ought as much as we may possibly to maintaine vnitie agreemeÌ„t among vs as shal by by be declared It was Gods will there should be no mo temples but one And why To y e intent it shold be as a bond to hold the people together in y e purenes and soundnesse of faith We haue one only God which is called vpon among vs wee must come into one certaine place to sacrifice vnto him all of vs must there gather ourselues together It is true in deede y t we are not nowadaies tyed vnto any such bondage but howsoeuer it be yet y e substance is remaining still vnto vs. Let vs therfore take heede vnto all those ayds which we haue to holde vs in this communion of faith and in this vnitie which God requireth let vs keepe them well and let no man turne aside from them And as touching the outwarde order we knowe that our Lorde Iesus christ would haue men to assemble them selues together I graunt wee are not bound to be al in one place meÌ„ also preach in diuers churches of one toune And why Bicause al the worlde can not heare one sermon but yet for all that because of our slownesse wee are so bounde that we must gather our selues together in the name of God He that wil keepe him selfe in his howse despising the coÌ„mon order and will say I can reade at home edifie my selfe sufficieÌ„tly there y t man asmuch as in him lieth breaketh in sunder y e vnitie of faith teareth in pieces the body of our Lord Iesus Christ. We know y t baptisme was ordained to y e intent it should be as a coÌ„mon seale y t we are the church of God are gouerned with his spirit Now if euery man wil haue his baptisme a part what a wicked disorder were it The holy supper of y e Lord also is distributed as a coÌ„mon food to y e intent we should all coÌ„municat of it We are waâ—ned by it that we are one body And as one loafe is made of many graines of corne which are so mingled together y t they make but one substaÌ„ce euen so ought we to be knit together if we will be accouÌ„ted for the children of God Therefore if euery man should haue his priuate supper were it not a w tdrawing of ourselues froÌ„ the agreement brotherhoode which Iesus Christ would haue vs to keepe In Popery euery maÌ„ must haue his altar his chappell Yea they were of opinion that God was much bound vnto theÌ„ for so doing There should haue bin one coÌ„moÌ„ table for I wil not say y t they haue turned y e coÌ„munion table into an altar to sacrifice vpoÌ„ which thing in it self is a diuelish abhominatioÌ„ but in y e meane time although they retain the word yet wil they not haue a coÌ„mon table for all the church For euery man thrusteth in himself to say O I wil haue a chappel there I will haue my deuotion by my selfe When men be come to y t point it is an horrible wasting of the Church of God the building of so manie seueral altars hath bin y e cause of the bringing in of so many sectes diuisions Although y e papists had placed no idols in their churches althogh they had not such a nuÌ„ber of superstitioÌ„s Idolatries as wee see they haue yet in doing of this one thing they haue broken y e vnity which christ hath solemnly set betweene his meÌ„bers in the whole Church What must we do then Let vs indeuor to keepe ourselues in brotherly agreement and vnder the signes tokens which God hath giuen vs and let vs continue therein and make al those meanes which he hath giuen vs to serue vnto that ende That is the doctrine which we haue to gather vpon this place But let vs returne now vnto y t which we sayde in the beginning that is y t God hath here required of his people a solemne acknowledgement how much they were bound vnto him We are therfore exhorted to acknowledge y e benefits of God yea to occupy ourselues therein so as we neuer forget theÌ„ The people in deed had already giuen thanks vnto God after they were come out of Egypt in the wildernes where they sacrificed continually vnto him but yet after they are passed ouer IordaÌ„ they must begin to giue thaÌ„ks again And why Because meÌ„ would alwaies discharge their dutie towards God by halues and they haue soone forgotten it thinke no longer what they owe vnto God And y t is the cause why they must be occupied continually in y e self same thing So then let vs note well y t euen all y e time of our life we must apply our whole indeuour to magnifie set foorth the name of God For although we be not lodged in this land of CanaaÌ„ yet y e fauor of God ought to be asmuch or more esteemed of vs than y t earthly inheritaÌ„ce which was giuen to yÌ„e children of Israel For god hauing plucked vs out of the dungeons of death out of y e bondage of Satan declareth y t we are blessed of him and y t we are a
for they y t sinne without lawe shall perish without the lawe as S. Paul saith in the second to the Romanes Rom. 2 1â— For in whom is the fault y t we see not the thinges which God sheweth openly vnto vs but in our owne naughtines After that maner therefore must we condemne our selues when we can not learne by any of the meanes which God deliuereth vnto vs as when he would drawe vs to his knowledge that wee shoulde be inlightened to knowe him to bee our God father that his loue might bee imprinted in our hearts to y e end we should come vnto him freely with a pure rightmeaning mind But yet this acknowledging of ourselues to be guiltie and this condemning of our selues for it is not all y t we haue to doe but we must also seeke the remedie by praying vnto God to play y t phisition in curing all our diseases And forasmuch as he doth now send vs to our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom he hath giuen this charge office let vs commend our selues vnto him It is sayd in the Prophet Esay Isa. 42. â—â— that Christ at his comming into the world should make the blind to see the deafe to heare the lame to go vpright and that he should ease the dead All these thinges hath he done visibly as is to be seene throughout all the historie of the Gospel But S. Matthew telleth vs that y e same tendeth to a higher purpose Matt. 8 1â—â— For in healing the bodily diseases he sheweth himself to be the spiritual phisition of our soules and saith that the same was done to the end that the saying which was spoken by the Prophet Esay should be accomplished namely that he did beare our infirmities Now it is certaine that the Prophet spake not there neither of the feuer nor of the burning agewe Isa. 53. â— nor of any other disease that appertained to the body he speaketh of the diseases of our soules Seeing it is so let vs then conclude that it is the peculiar office of Iesus Christ to giue sight to the blind and to giue hearing to the deafe And forsomuch as he hath the spirit of wisedome and discretion in all fulnesse we must come directly to him to be instructed Isa. 11. â— Wherefore let vs not doubt but that God is foreward and ready to receiue vs. In consideration whereof let vs giue this honor to Iesus Christ to acknowledge him to be the light of the worlde and the Phisition of all our spirituall diseases that he wil worke toward vs Iohn 〈…〉 according as his father hath charged him And to the intent wee should not bee discouraged Moses doth expresly vse this word to day or this day In deede he dooth reproue the people for sleeping so long a while What saith he It is now fortie yeres ago since y e law was published you deliuered out of y e land of Egypt and in al these fortie yeeres hath God preuailed any thing with you Ye haue had a tabernacle wherein to doe sacrifice dayly a nuÌ„ber of miracles haue bin added thereto yee haue bin fedde with Manna from heauen you haue drunke of the water that issued out of the harde Rock and yet for al that you haue continued stil lyke beastes yea and much woorse so as it may well seeme that yee haue made a diuelish conspiracie to cast off all the instructions that God gaue you and lykewise all the chasticementes and punishmentes which hee hath sent vppon you Moses therefore dooth iustly blame the people for continuing so long in their beastlynesse But yet hee ceaseth not to encourage them to returne vnto God saying Vnto this day As if hee shoulde say your GOD calleth you againe vnto him For albeit that you haue perseuered in your beastlynesse and ignorance yet is he at this day ready to enlighten you whensoeuer you come to seeke in him the remedy that hee hath shewed you The thing then which wee must doe is that hauing confessed out faultes past wee doubt not but that our Lorde Iesus Christ will reach vs his hand and bee ready to reforme vs. Let vs take heed therefore that wee shut not the gate lyke folke that will needes throw themselues wilfully into hell but let vs commit our selues to our God And seeing he setteth his worde before vs let vs pray that it bee not lyke the seede that falleth among the stones Luke 8.6 and among the thornes but that he will so manure vs by his holy spirite as we may be edifyed and established in his feare and obedience and that he will so worke for vs as wee may haue occasion to prayse him in all our lyfe and the very infidels may knowe that hee dwelleth among vs Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes beseeching him to voutsafe so to touch vs with them as we may vnderstand that there is nothing in vs but damnation and that in the meane while wee may not seeke any starting-holes but come offer our selues before him as our Iudge and perceauing how wee be altogether accursed and haue none other remedie but that hee through his infinite goodnes doe recouer vs and bring vs home againe vnto him And that it may please him to reclayme vs hauing obteyned pardon of our trespasses we may become newe creatures through the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ seeing hee hath expresly sent him of purpose to replenishe vs with all manner of spirituall good things Therefore let not vs hinder him to finish his worke in vs nor shut the gate against his grace but rather set it open with all lowlynesse and feare That it may please him to bestowe this grace not onely vppon vs but also vppon all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the vij of April 1556. The CLXV Sermon which is the second vpon the nine and twentith Chapter 5 And I lead you for the space of fourtie yeeres through the wildernesse and your garments waxed not olde vpon you neither did thy shoes weare vnder thy feete 6 Also you haue not eaten any bread nor drunke either wyne or beere that you might know that I am the Lorde your God 7 And so you came into this place And Sehon the King of Hesebon and Og the King of Basan came forth against vs to battell and we vanquished them 8 And wee haue taken their lande and giuen it in possession to the Rubenites and Gadites and to halfe the Tribe of Manasses PRoceeding with the matter that was begunne yesterday Moses dooth here declare vnto the people that they were too dulheaded in that they considered not the goodnesse of God which they had seene and inioyed by the space of fortie yeres If God should nourish a man but the space of a three or foure dayes without one morsell of bread it would seeme to bee aboue the ordinary
fonde as that euen litle babes might haue mocked them for it Yet notwithstanding euē the wisest folke haue beene doted with them the spirit of giddinesse hath reigned ouer them And it hath beene Gods will to make men so brutish For when they would not hold themselues simply vnto him but were carryed away with their fickle lustes it was meete that they should come to that poynt For as much then as it is so let vs vnderstand that our Lorde giueth vs so many warnings the mo to the intent to hold vs in such awe as we may be well ware that wee be not by any meanes seduced Thus yee see what wee haue to note as in respect of the things which S. Iude teacheth vs concerning the body of Moses Now there is yet this saying further set down in the text No man hath knowen his graue vnto this day Wee knowe not which of the Prophets wrote this last Chapter The Iewes say it was Iosua but their coniecture hath no ground It is much more likely that the same Prophet which gathered the booke of Iosua did therewithall write the death of Moses also Neuerthelesse it is not without cause sayd that no man vnto this day For it doeth vs to vnderstand that it was not for one day onely that God woulde haue the bodie of Moses so hidden for then it might haue beene sayd true it is that the body of Moses was vnknowen to men but that was but at the beginning For the first boylings are somewhat too headie and God sawe that the people might haue beene moued with too great affection and by that meane they might haue corrupted themselues It is not then to be wondered at if Moses sepulchre had beene vnknowen for two or three dayes or for a moneth or for a yeare for these people were too farre in loue with him but when he was once buryed then it came to knowledge But our Lord sheweth that hee knewe well that men are subiect to ydolatrie and that not for a day onely but euen vnto the ende and that the same sinne is so rooted in vs that as soone as wee haue neuer so little an obiect by and by wee start out of our boundes Let vs marke well then that it behooueth vs to stande vppon our garde for ydolatrie is not for a time but for euer And wee take this cursed inclination from our mothers wombe so as wee bee easily allured away from the seruice of God That is the thing which wee haue to remember vppon this part of the text And therefore let vs indeuour al the time of our life to walke according to Gods ordinance and let vs also beware that wee bee not caried away after the illusions of Satan And when we our selues shall haue continued in the seruice of God let vs teach our children to doe the like that it may for euer be reteyned in the worlde so as God may be serued of al men with one common accord For if wee be recheles in that behalfe it wil abash vs to see howe the diuel will incontinently get the forehand of vs in the turning of a hand there wil followe a horrible change which will corrupt and marre all Sith wee see this let vs be steddie and constant and let vs bee so zealous to bring to passe that God may bee purely worshipped as it may continue not for one day onely but euen vnto the ende so as we may from age to age protest that Gods name is called vppon ouer vs and that he hath the whole preheminence and that the creatures howe excellent so euer they bee doe abyde in their degree and place and that they haue not occupyed the roome of God nor his soueraigne dominion Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God which acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them more and more that wee may be so cast downe in our selues as our whole seeking may bee to receiue mercie at his hand and hauing receiued it to bee so guyded by his holy spirite as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him to dedicate our selues fully to his obedience and to serue him with all purenesse both in body and soule and that hee impute not our imperfections vnto vs which are yet still in vs but that he rid them from vs day by day and reclaime vs of them more and more vntil he haue brought vs to the perfection whereunto he inuiteth vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xv of Iuly 1556. The CC. Sermon which is the second vpon the xxxiiij Chapter of Deuteronomie and the last vpon that booke 7 Moses was a hundred and twentie yeres olde when he dyed his sight was not dimmed nor his liuelinesse abated 8 And the children of Israel mourned for Moses thirtie dayes in the playne of Moab And after that the dayes of mourning and sorrowing for Moses were ended 9 Then Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome for Moses had laid his hand vpon him And the children of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commaunded Moses 10 And there arose not vp a Prophet in Israel thenceforth like vnto Moses which knew the Lord face to face 11 In all signes and woonders for which the Lorde sent him to do them in the Land of Egypt before Pharao and all his seruants and all his Land 12 Nor in all the strong hand and al the great vision which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel IT was needefull that after the death of Moses the Iewes should know the good that God had done them by the meanes of such a man For we know that Gods gratious dealings are by and by forgotten and it is the point wherein men doe chiefly shewe their leawdnesse For although it be prooued to them that God hath helped them yea euen with signes and myracles yet woulde they passe it ouer slightly In this respect it is saide expresly heere that Moses had his liuelinesse and all his strength vnto the age of a hundred and twentie yeares Nowe wee knowe what is written in his song in the fowerscore and tenth Psalme That after a man commeth to threescore yeares 〈◊〉 90.10 there remaineth nothing but sorrowe paine and griefe and he doeth but linger and pine away Loe what our life is Although we haue beene strong yet doe wee decay in the twinkling of an eye when wee once passe threescore yeares and it is a great matter for a man to attaine thereto I meane in such strength But nowe whereas it is reported that Moses attained to double those yeares thereby it appeareth that God strengthened him aboue the common rate of men And that was not for his owne sake onely but to the intent he might be able to susteine the charge that was committed vnto him Had not
duitie 331. a 40 50.60 b 10. c. page 20. a 20 40 From what spring Fearefulnes doeth issue 335. a 10 How we ought to quicken our selues against Fearefulnes 335. a 30.40 How farre foorth God is contented to beare with our Fearefulnes though it be euil 335. b 10 Two places concerning Fearefulnes reconciled namely God wil destroy all the enimies whome thou fearest and Thou shalt not bee afraide of them 334. b 50.60 335. a all An admonition to fight against fonde Fearefulnes and to what ende 27. a 10 It is not possible for vs to come thither as God calleth vs if we ouercome not Fearefulnes 27. a 10 Feast What was to be done at euerie Feast or solemnitie held among the Iewes 1080. b 50 Of the Feast of all spirites the feast of all soules 495. a 20 Of the Feast of affliction vsed among the Iewes 612. a 10.20 Of the Feast of Passeouer and whereof it was a memoriall 597. a 20.30.50.60 b all Sermon 197 all Of the Feast of Pentecost the Iewish obseruing of the same Read all the 99 sermon beginning at page 608. a 10 Of the Feast of trumpets 612. a 10. and 613. b all Of the Feast of Tabernacles and the obseruing thereof with the rites and doctrines therupon depending read sermon 100 beginning at page 614. a 60. 597. a 40 Feastes The solemne Feastes of the Heathen and what solemne feastes are nowe superstitiously vsed 495. a 10.20 The three Feastes that God ordeined among the Iewes 597. a 20 Of the holie Feasts that the Iewes were wont to make at their sacrifices 500 a 10.20 To bring in Feastes after the manner of the Iewes is but a hiding or ouershadowing of Iesus Christ. 598. b 50 To what ende the Iewish Feasts serued 608. a 50.60 Feasting The cause why God ordeined the ceremonie of solemne Feasting among the Iewes 507. a 40 Feete Of casting our selues downe at Gods Feete to heare his wordes 1190. all 1191. a 10.20.30.40 1192. a 30.40 Felicitie Of worldly Felicitie and what hindereth vs from enioying eternall Felicitie 951 a 40 The full perfection of all Felicitie that wee can haue in this life what it is 108. b 30. Looke Blessednes Happinesse Fellonie In what cases wee bee condemned of Fellonie before God though excusable and blameles before the world 769. b 20.30 Fellowship That there is a common Fellowship among all men and howe it must bee maintained 223. a 50.60 Looke Friendship Fier A contrarietie noted in these wordes that wee should come boldlie to our God and that he should be a consuming Fier 152. a 50 To what end Gods vsing of the similitude of Fier doth tend 152. a 10 Of Gods appearing to the Iewes in the middest of Fier 161. b 40.50.60 The meaning of Moses by these words The voice sounded from the midst of the Fier that was seene on the mountaine 165. a 20 To what intent the flames of Fier appeared at the giuing of the law 251. a 10.20 The Fier that shone to the Iewes by night a token of Gods presence 41. a 60 The power of God compared to a consuming Fier Read how 374. b 40 50.60 c. Why God gaue the Iewes the light of Fier by night 41. a 40. b 50 The Iewes forbidden to make their children passe through Fier which may be taken two wayes 667. b 60. c. 668. a 10 That wee haue no neede of the visible piller of Fier now adayes 42. a 10 Why God willed that no strange Fier shoulde bee brought vnto his altar 502. b 50.60 How and in what cases God is said to be a consuming Fier 1139. b 30.40 50.60.1140 a 10.20 What the cloud and the Fier were to the ancient fathers 41. b 10 Why Moses doth terme the lawe a law of Fier 1188. a 30.40 God is knowen to be a consuming Fier two wayes 375. a 30.40 How God is a consuming Fier to deuoure our enimies 375. b 20 Fight We be sure of victorie if we Fight well 38. a 40.50.60 The enimies with whome wee are to Fight described 38. b 10. a 30 God doeth Fight for vs conditionally and how 42. b 10. a 60 The faithlesse do Fight against God how 44. b 10 Notable doctrine vpon these wordes Go not vp ne Fight not 54. a 20. b 10 What it is to Fight against God not against creatures 64. b 10 Fighting Al our Fighting commeth of the meere grace of the holie Ghost 38. b 20. Looke Warre Figure Against such as say that the people of old time to wit the Iewes had no more but a certaine Figure of y e spirituall good things which are giuen vs presently in these dayes 465. b 10.20 An heresie that the old testament is nothing else but a Figure 465. b 10.20 Of what things the sanctuarie and the seruice of the Leuites was a Figure 426. a 40.50.60 The Figure of the lawe written in two stones and what it shewed 421. b 30. 422. a 50.60 c. Figures The meaning of the Figures which the fathers had vnder the lawe 907 b 40.50.60 908 a 10 Figures doe not alwayes represent the full trueth Read the place 404. a 30.40 In what respectes the Figures of the lawe belong to vs at this day 429. a 30 The Figures of the law had a spirituall trueth whereto they may bee referred 502. a 40.50 The true vse of the Figures of the lawe peruerted by the Papistes 504. a 60 b all 505. a 10 The Iewes diligenter in executing their Figures and shadowes than we that haue the substance of them 607 a 50.60 b 10 Filching Of priuie Filching and that it is worse than open theft 833. a 60. b all 834. a all Looke Robberie Theft Fill. Two points noteworthie inferred vpon these words They shall haue their Fill. 469. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20 c. When and at what time wee shall haue our Fill of all things 469. b 50.60 Doctrine for vs to mark although God giue vs not our Fill. 469. b 10.20 Vntill what time wee shall neuer haue our Fill of Gods goodnes 469. b 40 Looke Abundance Plentie Filthinesse The spirituall Filthinesse dwelling in vs vttereth it selfe euen in the bodie 907. b 60. Looke Defilements vncleannesle Finde Howe God did Find the Iewes in the wildernes in what perplexed case how he findeth vs also in no lesse miserie 1118. b all 1119. all Fine What faults are dispensable with a Fine and what not 708. a 10.20 Looke Punishment First borne Whereof the offering vp of the First-borne things sprang 695. a 40. why 50.60 How the substance of the lawe of offering the First borne to God perteineth to vs. 595. b 50.60 596. a 10 20.30 The Iewes were bound by law to offer the First borne of their cattel to God 506. a 40.50.60 and the reason why ibidem b 10 Of the prerogatiue of the First borne meaning our children 751.