God whether wee haue meekely imbraced all that he hath commaunded vs for if any of vs doe finde himselfe to haue made warre and to haue set vs himselfe against God it is not to be wondered at if God pay him with the like againe on the behalfe of men But wee shall neuer be perswaded of this doctrine vnlesse we vnderstande that God holdeth the hearts of men in his hand to soften them when it pleaseth him be they neuer so hard hearted and on the contrarie part to harden them though they bore vs neuer so much good will before Let vs not therfore trust to y e loue of men vnlesse we walke in the feare of God For it lieth in him so to change their hearts as they shal beare rancor toward vs be quite cleane w tdrawen frō vs for lesse than nothing in so much as the worlde shall see y t they which were most foreward to helpe vs shall become most against vs. And on y e otherside let vs vnderstand y t our Lord can well qualifie al malice yea though they be as fierce as a Lion he will make them mylde friendly towardes vs. There was neuer nation so proude cruell as y e Egyptians and in special how spiteful were they against the children of Israel It seemed y t this poore people should neuer haue founde any mercy And yet God wrought in such wise y t the Egyptians gaue them all their treasures all that euer was excellent in their houses there was neither siluer nor gold spared And whereof came that Before y t time they had held the Iewes in bondage they had vexed them out of all measure they wold haue plucked y e bread out of their mouths yea haue cut y e throtes of thē all A litle afore they had killed their children as soone as they came out of their mothers wombs of purpose to haue destroyed y e whole stock of them wherof then came this soudaine myldnes y t euery man brought them y e things y t were most precious in his house 〈◊〉 11.2 It was god y t cōuerted their harts And likewise on y e cōtrary side 〈◊〉 11.10 it is said y t he hardned the hearts of kings when y e people were to enter into y e land of Canaan whereas they shold haue bin suffered to passe there were may gainesayers y t resisted them Whence came that Euen of this y t they had resisted their God Let vs therefore learne as I haue saide heretofore so to behaue our selues in obedience towardes God y t men also for their partes may be friendly vnto vs For there is none so great nor so mightie but he shal finde some miserie to rise vp against him when he wil needes play the stout fellow in striuing against God And we haue seene that they which are drunken w t their owne greatnes must in y e end bee punished not by such as are in any authoritie or by such as are of estimation in this world but by rascals naughtipacks such folke must euen spit in their faces And such examples are to be seen euen in princes men of greatest state For when they yeelde not themselues to be gouerned of God he is faine to stirre vp gouernours to y e contrary to shame such as wil not be obedient vnto him Yet notw tstanding when men yeeld not thēselues tractable then must we vnderstand y t god manageth the matter by a secret meane and that he doth it to make vs to stoope Therefore let vs not deceiue our selues in the creatures saying What fortune is this In deede we may say so but wee must go yet one step farther we must vnderstand y t it commeth not to passe without y e direction of God And thereupon wee must repaire to y e remedie that is to wit wee must stoope vnder the word hand of God and consider y t if it please him he can turne y e minds of men y t were so spitefull against vs make thē to become friendly to vs. And y t is a thing more than necessarie For when wee haue to doe with them y t be rough intractable we be by and by out of heart would if we could possibly ridde our selues of all troubles and be set free from thē at the first dash But we should rather returne vnto God acknowledging y t those things proceede from his hand And so when men shew thēselues so vnfaithful and cruell towarde vs handling vs scornefully opprobriously so as we cānot get one whit of right or reason at their hands but we see how their whole seeking is to set their feete on our throtes they haue such a beastly shamelesnes as it is said here y t they be not ashamed of any thing y t is said vnto them but they take y e bridle in their teeth play the wilde beastes so as there is neither grace nor honestie in them when wee see such barbarous beastlinesse let vs learne to resort vnto our God to acknowledge y t we deserue to be so tamed by him Moreouer y e onely meane to appease such furie to asswage those which are so hot and hastie is to call vpon our God and to pray him to touche those inwardly with his holy spirite which are so cruell and cannot yeelde to doe vs good bycause wee haue set vp our selues against our God That is the thing whereof we are admonished in this Text. Nowe Moses repeateth that which hath beene touched heeretofore namely That God will bring vs enemyes from a farre Countrie and that they shall flie as Eagles to the intent wee shoulde not thinke that GOD needeth to make any preparation long aforehand As if a man should threaten vs we would looke whether he had a sword in his hand and whether he be in readines to execute y t which he hath said But if God doe but whistle as he often speaketh by his Prophets by and by hee hath his men of warre in readines Esa. 5.26 he needeth not to make musters or to inrolle them or to sounde the drum he needeth none of al this onely at his whistle for he vseth that similitude all the whole earth must needes bee moued Therefore let vs not looke whether things be in a readines nor whether any hurt or harme be done vs. Let vs not looke whether any worldly meanes bee prepared thereunto but let vs vnderstand that ere we can conceiue what euill may happen vnto vs we shall be presently ouerthrowne And wherefore Bycause it is God that speaketh which maketh men to flye as birds euen from y e one end of the earth to the other There is neither sea nor mountains able to saue vs from the experience of y t which we neuer beleeued Howbeit God hath so disposed things yea euen amongst the heathen is oftentimes seene incredible speedines when God is disposed to
such extremitie a mā may wel perceiue y t the holy scripture bare no sway amōg thē But on y e cōtrarie part it is said y t the highpriest must be a Iudge not only in matters concerning the spiritual gouernment of the church but also in ciuil cases that he must follow y e law though the case concern but the temporal iurisdiction If it be so what is to be done whē they haue to deale with y e law of God Whē the case concerneth the saluation of mens souls religion faith which are things y t passe all the whole world Shal men therein forsake the holy Scriptures Shall men in those cases ouerrule matters at their own pleasure as if they woulde say This seemes good to mee this hath y e holy Ghost reuealed vnto mee See yee not how God is shamefully mocked in this behalf So then let vs mark wel first that our lord ment not to giue infinit power either to the Priests or to y e Iudges but y t he hath sent referred them backe to his law y t they might iudge according to y e same In deede here a man might reply that euery man might say It is not according to Gods lawe vnlesse the exposition y t is giuen thereof be to their own liking And truely the heretikes are so wilful y t they wil neuer be conuicted Although the holy scripture be alledged vnto them that the texts be set downe neuer so cleare infallible yet wil they not ceasse to contend stil euen whē their own consciences condemn them as saith S. Paul Tit. 3.11 Al this is true yet must not they which are in autoritie abuse it as though it were lawful for them to say This is y e law let it be followed Neuerthelesse the Pope al his clergie haue left y e holy scripture what should we do then but repaire to this rule y t seeing God woulde haue the temporal iurisdictiō to be gouerned by his word there is much more reason y t the Church should not be otherwise gouerned than by y e holy scripture Wheresoeuer temporal Iudges are they be lawmakers neither haue they libertie to make new lawes for the spirituall gouernement of the Church To be short men must hold their peace all mouthes must be stopped men must content themselues with that which is set down by Moses by the Prophets by the Apostles thereupon must men rest altogether Seeing it is so y t God hath not authorised men to bee lawmakers as in respect of the spirituall gouernement of the church let vs conclude y t it is not lawfull for vs to turne away from the law from y e holy scripture but y t we must hold vs to it And so yee see what we haue to marke vpon this text where it is said y t the Priests the Iudge for y e time being shall iudge according to the law of God And in very deede I haue declared a litle alreadie that we ought to receiue Iesus Christ as wel for our Iudge as for our highpriest For Iesus Christ hath a double office in somuch y t besides that he is our chiefe prophet of whom we ought to hold al our doctrine to fetch all trueth Esa. 7.14 Hebr. 1.2.8 2.17 he is also our soueraigne king highpriest Howbeit forasmuch as they represented his person being as it were his shadowes figures it behoued thē to follow this law As now there are no mo such shadowes figures as I saide heretofore because the sonne of God is come into the worlde y e old priesthood is passed away the old kingdome is abolished Therfore let vs be contented to haue an inferior order y t is to wit that ciuil gouernement be so maintained as Gods law do alwayes beare chiefe stroke as all men in the mean while haue a regard what is lawful for thē When kings princes magistrates are to make lawes let them vnderstand that if they make them of their own head it is a marring confounding of all things For God saith it is by me that magistrates discerne what is good and expedient Prou. 8.15.16 Therfore let them call vpon the spirit of God that he may giue them wisdom discretion to make good conuenient lawes And let them that sit in the seat of Iustice referre thēselues to God and seeke to bee ruled by his holy spirite Let them that haue the spirituall iurisdiction knowe that it is not lawfull for them to meddle any further than with the preaching of Gods worde and to speake as out of his mouth and to deliuer the doctrine faithfully which is contained in the law and y e Gospel let them holde themselues within those boundes and take no further vppon them Thus yee see in effect howe wee ought to put this doctrine in vre And it is said expresly That men shall stand to the sentence which is giuen by the Iudges and Priests and that the party which disobeyeth it shal dy the death because of his pryde Hereupon the Pope would needs grounde that it is not lawefull in any wise to stand against the things that haue bin determined by the Councels What Beholde the Pope hath sit as cheefe of the Councel and the Byshops and prelates haue consented thereunto and shall a man come and set himselfe against it and say y t it was il decreed O that were an intolerable crime in deed God wilnot haue such pride to be borne withall in his people This as I haue sayd afore may easily be ouerthrowen as thus that forasmuch as this text treateth of matters of lawe it treateth not of doctrine For God hath deliuered his lawe and hath said that men must not turne aside neither to the right hand nor to y e left In so much that whē Moses gaue instructions vnto Iosua Deut. 31 1◠Iosu◠2.7 he said to him thou shalt follow whatsoeuer is conteined in y e law not swarue aside one way nor other Behold Iosua is ordeined to be the cheefe Iudge to hold the people in good order he is their head and represēteth our Lord Iesus Christ yet for al y t he saith not to him Thou shalt doe whatsoeuer thy mind giueth thee to do whatsoeuer is good right to thine own seeming but thou shalt do as y e meanest of all the people submitting thy selfe to the doctrine which is giuen thee for the guiding of the Church So then as touching Gods seruice and religion wee see howe the lawe hath euer borne the swaye and it behoued all men to haue their ears open and redie to receiue whatsoeuer is set forth there and that no man might presume to stand against it or to ouerrule it for making of the people to murmure Now therfore forasmuch as here is no speech concerning any other things than of matter in lawe how they ought to be ended and of the pacifying
in hand to gather such as are of a good courage and that if we see any weakelings wee must bee well ware that wee match not our selues with them for there is infirmitie ynough in euerychone of vs without procuring any more froÌ„ elsewhere Though no other body intice me to naughtinesse or make me cold in goodnesse I am Lazie and colde ynough of my selfe vntill God doe heate mee and strengthen mee And therefore what a thing is it when I shall bee furthered in euill by my companion and bee made the weaker by him Seeing then that wee be to liue in this world yee see howe it standeth vs in hand to take heede that wee meddle not with such as may discourage vs. Why so Because we be subiect ynough of our selues to our owne lustes and foreward ynough to all vanities and delightes and ready ynough to shrinke away from the seruing of God al of vs say I are too much inclined to euill of our selues without further prouocation But now if I match my selfe with drunkards and gluttons with whoremongers and swearers what shall become of mee Whereas I haue the seede of vice and sin in mee already will it not bee an increasing of it if I seeke occasions of euill Is it not a tempting of God and a casting of my selfe away And yet ye see we doe it ordinarily insomuch as we may seeme to seeke occasions to mischeefe our selues and if any body goe about to drawe vs from wicked companie wee grate our teeth at him as though he did vs great wrong But contrariwise wee ought to put this lesson in vre by thinking thus with our selues God hath graunted me the grace to be of his campe will haue me to fight against sinne against the world against all mine own lustes yea and euen against Satan himselfe In deede it is a very harde incounter and when I haue gotten the vpper hand one day I must enter into new battels againe the next day What wil become of mee therefore if I be not minded to play the valiant champion Seeing I not onely find such a number of impediments in mee as is pitie to thinke on but also doe vtterly faint afore hand what shall become of me if my God strengthen me not But hee hath promised mee to doe it and therefore I will call vpon him Againe when I see great numbers of stumbling blockes and impediments that may hinder me or put mee to trouble I will looke to the helpe which God giueth me and that will bee ynough to make me ouercome all distresses specially if I bee guided by his holy spirite that will suffice to repulse all feare and all distrust that myght discourage mee Were wee then wise and well aduised wee would thinke better vppon these thinges than wee haue beene woont to doe and euerie of vs woulde followe such as are of good courage and shewe vs good example by marching on before vs and haue beene tryed afore in the seruice of GOD. With such would wee keepe companie and with such would wee haue familiaritie knowing that nothing is better than to linke in together one with another and to keepe our selues occupyed in that exercise seeing wee haue such neede thereof Thus yee see howe haue ought to put this sentence in vre But yet it is then to bee doone most specially when the case concerneth them that should shewe the way howe to fight as those that are in publike office whether it bee of gouernment and execution of Iustice or of preaching Gods woorde for if faynthearted and cowardly men be put in those places what shall they doe but ouerthrowe all And therefore men ought to make better choyce than they doe when officers are to be appointed in the house of God so as they must not goe and choose at al aduenture without considering who bee meete and fitte for the purpose or without regarde whether they haue a good will and bee rightminded to serue God and to imploy themselues as they ought to doe or no. And no maruell though oftentimes thinges be out of square in the world and that all thinges are seene to be out of order for men refuse the meanes that God offereth them And when they so forsake him it is good reason that they also should bee forsaken of him and that they should finde themselues to bee forlorne But yet must wee aduise our selues the better to followe the rule that is giuen vs heere and euery of vs must haue a regarde of himselfe to gather courage and if we be fainthearted we may bee sure that it is not for vs to bee of the armie and companie of GOD. What is to bee doone then The Ministers must doe as the Prophet Esay commaundeth them that is to say Esa. 35.3 they must strengthen the weake kneees and incourage the weake heartes For the right vse of Gods woord is that when wee see mens handes quake and their knees shake wee must rayse them vp and strengthen them againe by our liuely incouragements And haue the Ministers once doone their dewtie euery other man also must do the lyke as the Apostle sayth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 13.12 For this text of Esayes is alleaged there to shew that not onely such as haue the charge to preach Gods word must strengthen the weake but also that euery man must doe the lyke towardes himselfe Therefore let vs examine our owne weakenesse And where as wee see our selues so feeble let vs knowe that God hath giuen vs a good helpe by his woord Let vs applye his promises to our vse that when we feele our knees shake wee must quicken them vp and when our handes quake we must strengthen them and our hearts must be so fenced with constancie and courage as wee may not bee afrayde to offer our selues to the incounter as they that are â—â—â—e that our Lorde goeth before vs so as wee shal be backed by him and his grace shal neuer fayle vs and that moreouer our neighbours bee led to â—im by our example so as wee may with on common accorde bee strengthened to fight against Satan hauing Christ for our head who guideth and gouerneth vs in all incounters and assaultes which we haue to indure vntill he haue taken vs vp into his heauenly rest Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better to forgiue vs them and to gouerne vs hencefoorth in such wise as wee may bee the better disposed to fight vnder him and vnder his hande vntill wee haue gotten the victorie against all our enimies and haue inioyed the fruite of our victorie being gathered all together vnto him And so let vs al say Almighty God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xix of December 1555. The Cxviij Sermon which is the third vpon the twentith Chapter 10 When thou commest neere any Citie to fight against it thou
them wee may exercise our selues continually in calling them to our remembrance and in mourning for them so as hee may haue pitie vpon vs and not onely forgiue vs all our sinnes whereby wee haue offended him but also rid vs cleane of them and redresse vs in such wise by his holy spirite as our whole seeking may be to dedicate ourselues vnto him and that his name may be so sanctified among vs as that in the end wee may come to his glorie as he hath prepared it for all such as doe here yeeld and submit themselues to his yoke That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Saturday the xx of Iune 1556. The CXCI. Sermon which is the first vpon the three thirtith Chapter HEere followeth the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death and sayde 2 The Lorde came from Sinai and rose vp from Seir vnto them He appeared brightly on mount Pharan and came with ten thousands of Saincts hauing at his right hand the Lawe giuen in fire for them 3 Yet loueth he the people and all the Sainctes are in thy hands and they bow downe to thy feete to receiue of thy wordes WEe knowe that Gods word is ordaind chiefly to this vse that we shoulde be assured of y e good wil loue which he beareth vs. For w tout that also there is no hope of saluation wee be vndone and to be shorte there is no religion For how shall we feare God vnlesse wee knowe that all our welfare lies in him and that we dare seeke him with a right faith But that is vnpossible vnlesse he call vs vnto him and that wee haue assurance that if wee come vnto him we shall be receiued That is the cause why God in all ages ordeined that those which are the teachers of the people should blesse them in his name that is to say assure them that God receiued them and was mercifull to them For so dooth y e worde Blessing import True it is that wee blesse one another by prayer And when it is sayd of a priuate person that he blesseth his neighbor it betokeneth that he wisheth him all good But there is a speciall kinde of prerogatiue in those whom God hath appointed as in his owne person to beare abroad his worde and to preach it For they in blessing are as witnesses of God and agentes in his behalfe And in very deede as we haue seene heretofore as oft as Gods word is preached it is a solemne act whereby he couenanteth with vs and lyke as he will haue vs to professe our selues to be his children and to giue our selues to his seruice so dooth hee bind himselfe to be our father and sauiour That is the cause why we haue now here y e blessinges of Moses which he made before his death And it is lykely that this was thē done when he was ready to yeelde vp his spirit vnto God For he had bin commaunded afore to go vp into the mountaine where he had nothing else to doe but to go seeke his graue which notwithstanding remained vnknowen Deut. 34.6 as we shall see hereafter At such time as he was to take his leaue of the people he pronounced these blessinges here present By what authoritie As one appointed to yeelde record of Gods good wil. Also he ratified that which had bin done before by Iacob to whome God had giuen the lyke charge commission For wee reade of the blessinges which Iacob made ouer his children Gene. 49. how they were not as a houshold prayer when a father making his last will beseecheth God to bee mercifull to his fatherles children Iacob went not that way to worke but being a Patriarke and knowing whereto God had called him hee vttered what was to come accordingly also as we see how hee speaketh by the spirit of Prophesie And in good sooth yee see he was a poore man such a one as was constreyned by famine to goe into Egypt he possessed not a foot of land in y e whole world and yet hee assigned inheritaunces to his children Thou shalt haue such a portion by the sea-coast Gen. 49.10.13.20 Thou shalt haue the pasture grounds Thou shalt be a delicate soyle for kinges so as y e bread which shall be made there and y e sweete fruits of thee shal bee their strength thou shalt haue y e royall scepter thou shalt be aduanced thou shalt reigne among thine enemies As for thee thou shalt be scattered but yet shalt thou haue ease of body although thou be faine to remoue here and there Seeing then that he tooke order after that maner for the land of Canaan that although he was driuen thence by famine yet he alotted it out by portions to his children spake he as a mortall man Let vs knowe then that God gouerned him by his holy spirit and there came not that worde out of his mouth which was not as a heauenly oracle Now hereby the people were edifyed so as they knew that God had chosen them with condition that they should enter into the inheritance which he had promised them When the children of Israell were in Egypt after the decease of their father they were by this meanes certifyed y t God had not forgotten his promise but that hee woulde performe it when the time came They were fed with y t hope and to hold them thereunto God had giuen thē occasion enough if their own vnthākfulnes had not letted thē This being done after that they had bin deliuered out of the land of Egypt and were to inioy the Land which had bin assigned them long afore God made Moses to speake and draue him to vtter that which he had determined to doe as touching the childrē of Israell And in verie deede wee see that the things which had bin spoken afore by Iacob are partly rehearsed here againe for the larger confirmation of them And againe the things which were not reuealed at that time are set downe here so as the people of Israell might here beholde their owne state to come whereby they were taught that God had a speciall care of thē For seeing hee declared first by the mouth of Iacob and secondly by the mouth of Moses all that hee meant to doe to the people of Israell did hee not shewe that hee was neere them and that hee tooke them to bee as of his flocke and that hee preferred them before the rest of the whole worlde For it was not with them as with those which are straungers to God Although hee held and accounted those for his creatures yet did hee not take them for his Children to gouerne them and to direct all their steppes so as nothing shoulde befal them but they might know howe it was God that wrought it who did also tell them of it aforehande Therefore let
to reade it diligentlie to remember it faithfullie and to expresse it fruitfullie in thy conuersation to the glorie of God the profite of his people and the saluation of thine owne soule through Christ. In whom I rest alwaies Thine vnfayned T. W. the Lord his vnvvoorthie Seruaunt To all the faithfull which hold the holie faith of the true Catholike Church and generallie to all Christian Readers Greeting in Iesus Christ our Lord and GOD. Amen IT is not without cause that the psalme speaking of the great benefits which GOD had bestowed vpon the Iewes among whom was his Church at that time doth cheefly magnifie the grace which he had vttered towards them in deliuering vnto them the sure rule of his seruice the true maner of good life the right way of saluation aswell by the writings of Moses and other his seruants as also by the liuely voyce of them agreeing with their writings For without that all the abundance and prosperitie which they could haue had had beene but as records against them to haue increased stil the measure of their condemnation Therefore hauing spoken of Gods defending of the gates of the holy citie Ierusalem of his blessing vpon the inhabiters thereof of the peace and quietnesse that was in all coasts about it and of his carefulnesse in furnishing it with all things necessarie for the maintenance of the whole people finally he setteth downe the principal point whereon the sweetnesse and assurance of all the rest hung saying He hath giuen forth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israell And this benefite was at that time peculiar to the citie of Ierusalem and to the people that came of Abraham according as it is said expresly in the same text that God had not delt so with any other nation nor giuen them knowledge of his iudgements But we know that Iesus Christ hath by his comming made the same grace to extend to al nations of the earth and that looke whatsoeuer he had promised by his Prophets in the holy scriptures he hath performed it by his holy Apostles who haue preached the Gospell faithfully as their writings do autentikely fully and sufficiently witnesse This aduertisement therefore belongeth as now to all churches of our lord Iesus Christ in what countries soeuer they be so as they ought to acknowledge Gods mercie in that he teacheth them familiarly and in such language as they may vnderstand by the reading and preaching of his worde For so little ought the long interceassing of so great a benefite inforced through the tyrannie of Antichrist to make vs to holde scorne of it now that God renueth the course thereof againe that contrariwise wee should thinke it the more sweete and amiable praysing God for restoring vs the thing through his great mercie which Satans vnderlings had wickedly bereft vs of acknowledging that God had beene too sore prouoked by the sinnes of the worlde when he punished it in such sort and seruing him with such obedience according to his worde as we may not prouoke him hereafter to vse the like vengeance against vs or our children after vs. And no doubt but this lesson is told vs throughout the whole Scripture from the beginning to the end of it and specially in the bookes of the New Testament wherin the perfection of all learning is throughly comprised wel written and faithfully inrolled Neuerthelesse forasmuchas the books of Moses the seruant of god are as the fountain from whence all after cōmers that is to wit both the Prophets and the Apostles haue drawne water you will not beleeue how greatly it is to the benefit and behoofe of the Church to confer them with the other books of holy writ And for the same cause hath God by his prouidence preserued them so woonderfully from so many dangers through so long a race of so many hundred yeares For there besides other things we see the antiquity of our faith and that the substance of true religion hath alwaies been one yea and that the very forme of it hath euer tended to the perfection that is fully and infallibly shewed vs in the holy writings of the New Testament And in very deede whereas S. Peter saith generally of all the Prophets that the faithfull do well to take heede to their wordes that they may go foreward in Christianitie it is full certaine that therin he comprehendeth Moses as the foremost of them al. And in asmuch as he wrote of Iesus Christ as Christ himself auoucheth in expresse words in y e fifth Chapter of S. Iohn it may well be concluded according also as saith the Apostle to the Hebrues that his speaking and writing was to beare record of the things that were to be spoken afterward namely by the son of God his Apostles as we reade them written in the new Testament Now among the books of Moses al such as can skil of thē wil easily grant that as Deuteronomie is the last so it teacheth whereto the other books tend shewing the meane how to fare the better by them yea and conteining as it were the summe of thē Therfore it is very likely that that was the cause which moued our welbeloued brother or rather good father Master Iohn Caluin that most faithfull minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ to preach and expound the same in the Church bicause that by his setting forth therof he should after a sort cōprehend the other next three also so farre forth as the vnderstanding of them should be needfull for the people His sermons therfore were faithfully gathered in order like as his sermons were which he preached vpon other books of y e scripture wherof many haue beene printed here already And in the meane time til all the rest of his sermons may by Gods helpe be brought to light it hath seemed good that these same should be put forth first in the meane while the impression wherof should not neede any commendation or preface but that the long continuance of custome requireth it For as many as haue heard true report of the person and skil of that good man Master Iohn Caluin wil be sufficiently drawne to the reading of his sermons by finding his name here set vnto them assuring themselues that they shal not finde any thing in them but such as agree with Gods spirite that is to say profitable good and holy things As touching the principall and notablest points that are to be found here there might very well be made a rehearsall of them to giue the readers some tast of the whole booke of the said sermōs at their first entry But forasmuch as it is better that euery man should hie him to the reading of them and to heare the preacher himself speake as it were in his owne person we purpose not to enter into such discourse which might peraduenture be somewhat with the longest Onely we will touch one point wherof some word hath beene cast forth already heretofore
that is to wit that this booke of Moses beeing well read and vnderstoode doth shew sufficiently who they be that holde the true religion and resolueth a question wherof men seeme partly to doubt yet at this day and partly to determine ouer boldly after their owne fancie against the expresse word of God We speake not here of Turks Iewes Sarasins and such other which are commonly called Miscreants or Infidels as they be in deede but we speake of the nations which haue long time borne the renowne of Christianitie bicause that through Gods gracious goodnes some signe of holy baptisme hath continued amongst them and Iesus Christ is professed there in name We see then that there is great variance nowadaies The one saith that Christianitie requireth that in seruing God men should or at leastwise may haue images set them vp in churches for Christian people the other side vpholdeth on the contrary part that it is a vilanous defiling of religion and an vtter forsaking of the true Christianitie and a taking in of a bastard religion in steede of it If men can finde in their hearts to heare Moses speake in this booke as they needes must or else be conuicted of renouncing God the Father and his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who is very God and euerlasting life and of resisting the holie Ghost he sheweth the thing which he forgetteth not in his other bookes also namelie that God could neuer away to be serued after that fashion but euermore expresselie forbade images in case of Religion and threatened his owne people with horrible punishments if they held not themselues contented with that single order to rest thereupon without attempting any further Were there no more but the onely text of the second commandement it were ynough and sufficient For as Moses wrote in the twentith of Exodus and hath rehearsed againe at large in the fifth of this present booke God saith Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image And to the intent that no man should vse any wrangling by standing vpon the particular he addeth nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth Moreouer to shew that he will not haue men to yeelde them any part of his seruice how little soeuer it be he addeth Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them Last of all he addeth a horrible and dreadefull threate that he will take vengeance vpon the transgressors and their children to the thirde and fourth generation This commaundement then is set downe in so expresse termes that the matter is as manifest as may be And therefore the lusty laddes that haue helde the people in error perceyuing the great gaine which they and their bellies reaped by this meane or occasion of mingling Images with religion haue ouerleapt this second commaundement and diuided the last commaundement into two that the full number of tenne might be found there still But besides this Moses deliuereth so often expositions of it euen in this selfe same booke and setteth forth so liuely and precise discourses therof that if any man will not giue place thereunto in these dayes this prouerbe may well be verified of him that none is so deafe as he that will not heare and that he is ouerpreached vnto which hath no care to doe well For as touching the arguments which some haue alledged for that purpose in these latter yeres although they haue beene oftentimes chafed and rechafed yet are they so starke and stiffe for colde that they haue no force nor might to giue any holinesse to Images in the Temples of the Christians as hath beene well shewed to the forementioned gainesayers in due time and place and shall still hereafter whensoeuer they list to giue eare And as for vs we haue on the one side to continue in praying vnto God that he vouchsafe to touch the heartes of the people and of their leaders and gouernours effectually by his holy spirite so as they may well vnderstande this point which would be a good meane to appease Gods wrath and to open a great gappe to the reformation that might insue from better to better And on the other side it standeth vs on hand to strengthen our selues in the infallible certaintie of the holy Christian religion and true Apostolike faith which we holde with the other holy Churches that are reformed And as concerning this point no doubt but it is an inuincible fortresse vnto vs that we are able to shewe forth this thing from age to age namely first of all that the true Apostolike and Primatiue Church had no Images at all in their holy meetings whether it were in Temples or elsewhere ne willed the people to kneele downe to them or to set them vp before them That likewise aforetimes when the Church was gouerned by the Iewes both after their returne from Babylon and euen in the captiuitie it selfe the good and faithfull sort did warily keepe themselues from it that if yee mount vp yet higher the true Prophetes were commended for crying out against Images and the manner of worshipping of Images and the holy Kinges were well liked of God for pulling downe razing out and rooting vp the occasions of such superstitions among their people that the good Iudges and gouernours had doone likewise before the kings and that euen Moses himselfe who was auncienter than any others that haue left any bookes of long time spake of them after the same manner and dealt accordingly thereto bicause he had both the administration of the doctrine and the gouernement of the common weale together which was not ordinarie afterwarde in others Yee see then yee see howe the true Catholike Church is on their side which follow the Gospell whatsoeuer men list to say to the contrarie And nowe that we be deliuered from outwarde Idolatrie it standeth vs on hande to looke neerely to our selues that our life bee agreeable to the purenesse of Gods seruice so as wee shunne Couetousnesse which also is named Idolatrie ambition excesse and vanitie of the worlde taking good heede as much as is possible for vs to doe that no man bee withdrawne from the Gospell and the loue thereof through our vndiscreete dealing to the ende it may appeare that whereas the disobedient doe seeke excuses and take occasion of stumbling they doe it without any cause giuen on our behalfe Furthermore the strange blindnesse or ratherwilfull stubbornnesse which is to be seene nowadaies in a number of them that cal themselues Christians ought to make vs so much the earnester in praying to the end aforesaid that is to wit that our good God may vouchsafe to worke so effectually in the hearts of all men as well great as small Kings Princes and other gouernors as their subiects as the wretched world may not alwais continue at the A. B. C of Christianitie without learning any further We terme the second commandement an A. B. C
nay let euery of vs yeelde to receiue the rod patiently at Gods hād assuring our selues that hee chastiseth vs measurably as he knoweth to be for our profit Thus much concerning y e retyring y t is treated of here Furthermore if our Lord plucke vs backe and wheras thing were in good forewardnesse and there was good lykelyhoode that all should haue florished and bin in great prosperitie if we see a suddeine confusion and that the same continueth afterward and things goe on from worse to worse let vs vnderstand that it is for our sins sakes because wee haue peruerted the course of Gods goodnesse For he for his part neuer fayleth to goe foreward with the good that hee hath begunne to doe for vs but wee cannot abide that hee should continue it wee hinder him as much as in vs lyeth And therefore is he faine to handle vs as we deserue Besides this let vs assure our selues that when we obey God then hath he made his corrections auaileable in vs. True it is that a great nomber doe harden when God goeth about to subdue them yee shall see them growe wilfull and full of venim against him But God worketh after such a sorte in his chosen that when hee smiteth them with his hand he doth also touch thē inwardly with his holy spirit so as their harts become soft that they may obey by reason wherof the corrections doe them good Although then that the miseries which we indure are hard and contrary to our nature yet must wee thinke them good because God maketh them to serue for our welfare after that fashion Now Moses sayth expressely that after the people had fet a windlasse and trayled about the mountaine Seir they came to the north side euen as God had commaunded him Wherein wee see the thing more clearely which I haue touched that is to say that there is a pliablenesse in the people which was not in them before they bee now become tractable And although they wandered a long time so as they might haue bin out of patience euery day and haue taken occasion to murmure and to haue made sedition yet notwithstanding they went still foreward And why for the corrections which they had receiued had wrought a chaunge in them Wee see then that Gods reforming of men by punishing them for their sinnes 1. Pet. 1.7 is as a fornace to melt them and cast them newe againe in And therefore if God haue let vs alone here at out ease and wee fall to kicking against him let vs assure our selues it is more for our behoofe to bee corrected by some chastisement And therewithall let vs beware that we profite our selues by it and that wee become not worse than they were which are set forth to vs as an example of disobedience and stubbornnesse Harden not your hartes as your fathers did Psal. 95.8 Heb. 4.7 sayth the Lord. And yet notwithstanding wee see that this people how stubborne and froward soeuer they were missed not to goe about the mountaine a long tyme after God had so chastised them that is to say they were driuen to knowe that it was in vaine for them to resist the hand of God Howbeit we see yet some obedience in that it is said that they waited to haue a new commaundement so as they durst not remoue one step till they had it It might seeme that God mocked them to goe round about after that fashion They might haue sayd what shall become of this in the end If God will haue vs to tary why lets he vs not alone Or if he will haue vs to goe why sheweth hee vs not the way to say goe forewarde He holdes vs here lyke little children so as wee doe nothing but fetch a circuit without departing out of one place and when wee haue tyred our legges neuer so much wee are neuer the further onwarde on our way The people might haue descanted after that fashion But what They tary till God say to them Turne yee that way Wee see then yet still howe this chastisement had done them good in that behalfe And heereupon let vs marke what true repentaunce bringeth with it Where as wee were deafe when God spake to vs and gaue no eare to his voyce wee must holde our selues in awe vnder him and looke what hee sayth that must wee doe and no more That is the chiefe fruite of repentance And if it appeared vnto vs in this people which was so stubborne and vntamable what excuse will there be for vs if wee will not receiue the thinges that are spoken to vs in the name of God but rather will be still replying and haue not the witte and discretion to suffer our selues to be guided by him who onely can leade vs aright So much the more then ought wee to restraine our selues from attempting any thing vnlesse God commaund it Moreouer it is sayd that the people shall passe through the countrye of Edome without prouoking of the inhabitantes First of all it is sayd They bee your brethren the children of Esau. Wee knowe that Esau was the brother of Iacob who was the Patriarke and as yee would say the welspring from whence this people descended And for asmuch as Esau came of the line of Abraham a part of the land of promise had belonged vnto him but that hee was cut off from the inheriting thereof howbeit not by the pleasure of man but by the heauenly ordinaunce vttered by God yea euen while their mother Rebecca was with childe of them Gen. 25.23 Mal. 1.2 Rom. 9.13 inasmuch as hee sayd that the elder should serue the younger But yet for all this Esau ceased not to bee Iacobs brother still And their children ought to haue continued the same brotherhoode kinred betwixt them afterwarde Marke that for one poynt Another poynt is That God gaue mount Seir in possession to Esau it was his lot When he had excluded him out of the land of Chanaan hee gaue him the other countrye for himselfe and his successors Forasmuch then as it was assigned him of God it was not for men to attempt to depriue or bereaue him thereof Now as touching this brotherhood God will haue it to moue vs and to be as a certein bond to knit vs together so as nature may perswade vs to bee kindehearted one to another and restreyne vs from doing wrong or harme to any man True it is that there is not fleshly kinred betweene all men to make them so neere of bloud as they might call one another cousins and name themselues be any linage whereof either other were descended but yet is there a certain cōmon kinred in generall which is that all men ought to think how they be fashioned after Gods image and that there is one nature common among them al. Euen the heathen men knew that very wel So then whereas we haue some discretion to maintaine peace and concorde and to yeelde euery
man his right without taking away of any mans goods without committing of any extortion or outrage and wee peruert the order of nature and are worse than the wilde beastes which make countenance one to another when they be al of one kind For the woolues are not at such variance among themselues as men are And therefore let vs learne that although there be not any neere kinred among vs yet notwithstanding in asmuch as we be men there ought to be some cōmon bond betweene vs and a certain brotherly loue But there is yet another consideration among Christians for God hath adopted them to bee of his housholde and that ought to auaile more than all the kinred on the earth For seeing that God hath tolde vs that he intendeth to take vs to himselfe because that being of his Church wee bee as it were his owne children and call vpon him as with one mouth saying our father if wee neuerthelesse agree as cattes and dogges among our selues may it in any wise be borne withal specially considering that wee cannot clayme him for our father vnlesse we be gouerned by his holy spirit No surely For either his spirit must cry in our hartes or else we shall haue our mouthes shut Rom. ◠15.16 Againe on the other side by what title can wee clayme so great a benefite and honor as to be the children of God if we be not members of Iesus Christ But wee be not of his body but vppon condition aforesayd Whosoeuer then hurteth his neighbor whosoeuer is voyde of louingkindenesse and pitie whosoeuer layeth to catching and snatching on all sides the same as much as in him is rendeth Iesus Christ in peeces And therfore let vs marke well that when God alledgeth kinred we be warned to consider in what degree God hath put vs and what vnion hee hath set among vs euery of vs to discharge himselfe faithfully thereof to y e intent y t whereas God hath set vs together to maintaine vs in good agreement and loue wee make not a confused disorder Let that serue for one poynt But if wee consider the common trade of the worlde how it should seeme that men haue conspyred to doe cleane contrary to Gods commaundement it is so farre of from neighbors to thinke that Gods placing of them neere together is to the end that euery man shoulde serue his neighbors turne and all imploy themselues to the common profite without hurting or greeuing one another that euen brothers thinke it lawfull to shift euery one for himselfe and there is none other lyfe with them but to drawe still to themselues without any pitie or compassion How then shal the neighbors be brethren which haue but some acquaintance a farre of seeing y t they which were borne all in one belly and are all one mans children beare no more friendship one to another than wilde beastes but rather much lesse Truely it should seeme that some will needes be brethren euen in spite of God For if it be to doe some mischiefe or to playe some diuelish pranke to the ouerthrowe of all goodnesse then they can skill to alledge wee haue this and wee haue that wee be countrymen wee be neighbors children borne all in one towne Loe how the wicked can finde themselues to be cousins and brothers And what to doe To rise vp against God to put all thinges out of order to make quarels and frayes to maintaine themselues in all loosenesse and to procure all manner of stumblingblockes that Gods name may be blasphemed and all honestie peruerted These are the brotherhoods and cousiningships of the worlde as is to bee seene too much But when it commeth to the poynt that euery man should helpe his neighbor and absteine from doing him harme or anoyance men be so farre of from absteining or from thinking that God vnited them together or that God hath created thē after his own image or agayne that they be bound yet w t a straiter bond inasmuch as he hath adopted them by his Gospel to be members of his sonne Iesus Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen men I say are so farre off from thinking any such thing that they peruert the whole order of nature with worse than beastly furie But yet is this text sufficient to condemne men if they walk not in all mildenesse and be not more kindhearted one to another than they be Now let vs come to that which is added here in the second place which is That God had giuen Mount Seir in possession to Esau. True it is that when he compareth Esau and Iacob together ◠1.2 he sayth by his prophet Is not Esau Iacobs brother And yet haue I placed him in a hillie countrie in a stonie and barrein countrey and I haue giuen you a fruitefull and fatte lande Hereby the people of Israell are put in minde that God had bestowed many mo benefites vppon them than vppon those that went afore thē For Esau was the elder sonne and yet did God disherit him of the land that he had promised to his graundfather Abraham and to his father Isaak And why did God so wee see none other reason but for that hee listed to vtter his free goodnesse towardes Iacob and his linage The people of Israell coulde not say wee were the more noble and excellent for the byrthright belonged to Esau. They could not say wee were better No for we see they were a people set altogether vppon malice and vnthankefulnesse Now then their inheriting of the promised land befel them not for any worthines of their owne but through Gods meere mercy And besides this God had also prouided for Ismael who was halfe a bastard For the matching of Abraham with Agar was not a lawfull mariage And although it was no aduowtrie yet was not that mariage altogether allowed of God But yet did God prouide for Ismael in asmuch as hee sayd I haue heard him If the case stoode so with Ismael much more reason was it that Esau shoulde haue some place and that God should extend his blessing euen to those that were of his linage And for that cause did hee giue him mount Seir. Now therefore in this consideration the people of Israel ought not to trouble him but to let him alone with the portion that was assigned him from heauen Here wee haue a good lesson to gather which belongeth to vs all Although mention be made here precisely of the linage of Esau which were called Edomites and Idumaeans ◠32.8 yet notwithstanding as we shall see hereafter in the song God declareth that according as he made the partitions and stretched out his meeteline so were the realmes and countries deuided Let vs not thinke that the world is ruled by fortune and that thinges are so intangled but that God guideth all by his prouidence and power Hee then hath stretched out his meeteline to appoint euery people their countrey to dwel in But yet for
said expressely That the Lord was angrie with him for the peoples sake Deut. 1.37 as we haue seene alreadie heretofore Wherein he meaneth not altogether to iustifie himselfe but he doeth it to the end that the people should finde their owne fault and humble themselues vnto God If Moses had meant to vphold that he was not in any fault nor blame worthie he had couertly accused God Ezec. 18.20 For is it written that he that sinneth shall beare his owne punishment Then must it needes bee that Moses was not cleare or else that God did him wrong in punishing him for the peoples sake But I haue declared heretofore that he glorified not God as hee ought to haue done In deede this appeareth not by the storie for it should seeme there that he did his duetie as well as could be wished but only God is the competent iudge thereof Although Moses could not be condemned by his wordes nor by any outward signe it is ynough that God findeth fault with him and auoweth that he yeelded him not his due honour Ye see then that Moses was faultie and that Gods banishing of him out of the lande of promise was for his offences sake so as he coulde not say that he had not deserued such punishment Why then doeth he lay the blame vppon the people As I saide afore it is not to cleare himselfe but to make the people to knowe their own euill dealing yea and also to consider that seeing Moses being so excellent a man and a man chosen of God did suffer such reproch and dishonour they themselues ought to be the more cast downe Thereby then the people is warned to thinke the better vppon their owne faulte And in verie deede this offence of theirs was verie grieuous and exceeding great For we knowe that Moses had an earnest zeale to serue God and that it was his whole seeking Neuerthelesse the murmuring that rose among the people for want of water was as a tempest to carie Moses away Beholde Moses is as a rocke he is wholly setled in Gods seruice and therefore it must needes be that the peoples rising in vprore was with horrible violence euen as if a rocke were shaken with some tempest And so wee see that the people were vtterly destitute of all patience and as good as starke mad and that it could not be but that the diuell possessed them seeing that the fire of it did euen sindge Moses Also this punishment of his sheweth how great the peoples offence was What had Moses done For his owne part he desireth nothing but to liue die in glorifying God And yet notwithstanding God setteth a marke of infamie vpon him for all ages to see in restraining him out of the promised land Sith it is so what punishment doe the people deserue which were the cause of the mischief and the chiefe authors thereof Nowe to apply this doctrine to our vse let vs take good heede that we driue not others to doe amisse least the whole blame light vppon our owne neckes Not that our thrusting of any man out of the way can quit him for God will neuerthelesse correct him for it but howsoeuer the world goe we shall be guiltie of al the sinnes that wee haue occasioned This ought well to bridle vs to the ende that no cause of stumbling proceede from vs. And besides this let vs consider that if God haue giuen vs gouernours that labour to discharge their dueties if we vexe them in such sorte as they swarue or start aside from the right way wee shall yeeld account of it before God and at the last his curse will light vpon our heades Hereby all folkes are warned to liue simply peaceably in obedience to their superiors specially when they see them disposed to serue God to the ende that they may take courage and continue increase in goodnesse And if we fall to raising of trouble and disorder surely if they that haue committed but halfe a fault be corrected wee shall bee dubble punished and answere for all the inconuenience as of a trueth wee deserue well to bee charged with it before God Thus ye see what wee haue to marke vpon that speach where Moses telleth the people againe how it was for their sakes that y e Lord was angrie with him Nowe let vs returne to the matter which wee beganne withall that is to wit that although GOD chastised Moses by bereauing him of a temporall benefite yet was that no impeachment to his saluation And so meaneth he by these woordes Bee contented and speake no more to mee of this matter In saying bee contented he doeth him to vnderstande that he hath wherewith to content him forasmuch as God is still mercifull to him acknowledgeth him for one of his and taketh him still as of his housholde casteth him not out of his kingdome Seeing that all these thinges abide vnto him still hee sheweth him that he ought to rest without greeuing of himselfe ouermuch And it is a very notable and profitable point namely that we ought not to be too sorrowful and grieued out of measure so long as GOD bereaue vs not of the substaunce of our saluation Wee heare what answere Saint Paule had 2. 〈…〉 when he was afflicted yea and euen buffeted by Satan and God had cast him downe in such sorte that he was as one at the point to bee troden vnder foote Now he besought God to be deliuered from such temptations but answere is made him at Gods hand Let my grace suffice thee GOD telleth him hee will assist him but as for the comberance he must beare it still Therefore let vs learne to put a difference betweene the thinges that are of the substaunce of our saluation and the appurtenances which are in deede the tokens of Gods loue and goodnesse but yet may bee forborne of vs whēsoeuer God thinketh good whether it be to chastise vs or to trie our patience or to any other purpose that he deale so with vs. As for example the things y t are of the substance of our saluation are these that God forgiue vs our sinnes that he keepe vs vnder his protection y t he dwell in vs by his holy spirit y t the light which he hath giuen vs by his Gospel be not quēched that we may take him for our father to cal vppon him and to flee to him for refuge So then the substaunce of our saluation is y t the seede of faith abide continually in vs that God guide gouerne vs by his holy spirit and that he make vs feele his goodnesse so as wee rest therevpon But yet for all this many temptations may befal vs yea euen such as my pluck vs back from calling vpon God Not that they can shut vs quite out from him but yet they may so comber vs as wee shal not be able to resorte to God so freely as wee woulde Againe wee shall be tossed with many
God but that their eares must be attentiue to heare his voyce so that whensoeuer God speaketh men must be as it were imprisoned to it and content themselues to be taught by him Therefore when we come before the Lorde accordingly as it is sayd that they which meete together in his Church doe appeare before him let vs note that wee must make account of his voyce and think thus with our selues What come we hither to doe Whereas the Papistes gase vppon their Church walles and fiske about after their foolish ceremonies and after murlimewes of their own making insomuch that although they thinke they please God yea and hold him bound vnto them yet they doe but play the brute beastes in y t behalfe Let vs haue Gods word as y e certaine mark that he sitteth in y e middest of vs is alwayes at hand with vs. After that maner must wee thinke if wee will not erre for the true marke for all the faithfull to shoote at when they assemble together in the name of GOD is to haue his voyce as a warrant of the presence of his maiestie And of a trueth lyke as the eare was the cause of the withdrawing of the first man from God so must it drawe vs to him again at this day What was it that banished our father Adam out of Gods kingdom What caryed him away from the hope of lyfe Gen. 3.17 but his eares which receiued the voyce of Satan and the falshoode that was put to him Now then lyke as wee be separated from God by that damnable voyce when wee haue yeelded vnto euill so now wee knowe that the onely meane to bee called vnto God and to enter into his house that wee may be of the number of his children is to heare Gods voyce and therby to be vnited vnto him Thus muche concerning that worde Moses addeth thereunto that at the same time God published his couenaunt which hee had made afore and commaunded Moses to bring them the ten articles in two tables charging him to teach the people his lawes and iudgementes that they might doe them Hereby wee see againe that which I haue touched heretofore that is to wit that God will not haue his doctrine to be as a dead thing but to bee of power to reforme vs so that wheras naturally wee be frowarde and giuen to all naughtines wee must be subiect to him in such wise as his righteousnesse may raigne in vs. To that intent was the lawe set foorth True it is that the lawe being writteÌ„ in two tables of stone could not be kept vnlesse God subdewed the hardnesse of mens hartes by his holy spirit and therefore it serued as a figure to shewe that the lawe ought to be written in mens hearts 2. Cor. 3.3 though they be neuer so hard Iere. 31.33 Those stones then were as an image of our heartes For as God auoweth by his prophet wee haue such a hardnesse in vs as hee can neuer bow vs till wee be softened Neuerthelesse lyke as hee ingraued his lawe in the stones so also doeth hee print the same in vs when it pleaseth him to touche vs by his holy spirit And this was done at the same time that the lawe was put foorth And here yee see why comparison is made betweene the Gospell and the lawe God tolde the people how it behoued theÌ„ to know theÌ„selues for such as they were in deed that is to wit y t they were hardned in naughtinesse Rom. 8.6.7 Colos. 1.21 stubborne and ful of all corruption so as there was no concord nor agreement betweene the thoughtes and affections of them and the righteousnesse of himselfe And for proofe thereof let vs marke that there are two thinges betokened by that which Moses rehearseth here The one is the goodnes that GOD hath shewed in setting forth his lawe For it is not enough for men to be taught that will not boote them vntill such time as he subdew them Wee may haue our eares beaten long enough with the doctrine of the Lawe but wee shall continew still giuen to our owne naughtinesse and therefore it shall be but labor lost and mispent to preach Gods word vnto vs. And why For it will slip out againe and so shall wee continewe alwayes lyke our selues That is one thing that is betokened vnto vs. And therewithall God hath shewed that yet notwithstanding the setting foorth of his worde in that wise by the mouth of a man is not in vaine for it serued to put the people againe in hope of thinges that were yet hidden wherof wee haue not onely a full sight but also the effect and accomplishment by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Ier. 3â— 3â— Eze. 37. â— according as it is sayd by the prophets Ieremie and Ezechiel that God will make a newe couenant after another maner than that which he made with the fathers of olde time For that couenant sayth he was soone broken because they had no holde of themselues but I wil ingraue my Iawe in your heartes God then did testify this newe couenant by Moses in mount Sinay which our Lord Iesus Christ hath performed by his comming into the worlde and which is offered vnto vs still euery day And therefore let vs learne that when wee come to be taught it must not be to any other ende than to be renewed by God so as hee put away the hardnesse that is in vs and soften our heartes after such a sorte as wee may stoope vnder him to receiue his yoke and hee holde vs in awe because wee be so fickle that we would start away from him euery day if hee gaue vs not steddie constantnesse to goe through with our vocation That is a thing which wee ought to marke well And why Euen to humble vs and to make vs knowe that although GOD spare our liues yet should they bee turned into death if hee should let vs alone in our owne plight and not adde a second grace in reforming vs by his holy spirite And therewithall let vs be of good comfort forasmuch as wee see that nowadayes wee haue not onely the auncient figures and the tables of stone wherein God wrate his lawe but also that hee worketh effectually by his holy spirit as Saint Paul sheweth in the thirde to the Colossians Col. â—â— Seeing then that God worketh after such a sorte as wee perceiue that our heartes are no more stony forasmuch as wee be willing to stoope vnder him and desirous to honor him insomuch that although there be many lettes and hinderances in vs as wee see that the fleshe striueth continually against goodnesse yet notwithstanding our Lord giueth vs the grace to be sorie for our infirmities and sinnes being desirous to eschewe them indeuoring to withstanding and inforcing our selues with all our heartes to serue him Let vs acknowledge the singular grace that hee vouchsafeth vppon vs and therewithall let vs learne to preace boldely vnto him
and not to stand aloofe vnderneath the hill as is sayd heere And it is the same thing the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes when he sayth Heb. 22. â— that wee be not come to the mountaine where there was nothing but fire where nothing was heard but thundering and tempest where lightninges flashed where trumpets sounded and where there was nothing but terriblenesse wee be not come to that mountaine we bee not nowadaies called to bondage but wee bee heere in the presence of our God where we haue friendly felowship with the Angels wee be matched and knitte in companie with the holy fathers and with the soules whom God hath already taken out of the world and we be all called to the end we should with open mouth call vppon God as our father Then if we bethink our selues hereof let vs goe boldly to our God Moreouer let vs alwayes beare in minde how it is tolde vs here that Gods inioyning of vs to keepe his lawe is by way of couenanting with vs. And that ought to giue vs the more â—ourage True it is that if God did simply vse his authoritie euen in shewing vs our duetie towards him and delt with vs by playne rigor saying yee must obey mee spyte of your teeth yet ought wee to doe it and it were not meete for vs to gainesay him But now when wee see that Gods subdewing of vs vnto him is in such wise as hee vouchsafeth therewithall to be our sauiour and father couenaunting as it were by mutual consent with vs and binding himselfe to vs in requiring vs to come to serue him ought it not to moue vs greatly if wee were not woorse than blockishe Ought it not to prouoke vs to giue our selues ouer to our GOD seeing that hee vouchsafeth to ioyne with vs yes and therefore let vs alwayes marke well this word Couenaunt And that worde ought specially to touch vs to the quicke in these dayes when wee compare the lawe with the Gospell For if God in those dayes made a couenaunt with the people of olde time it is in farre other taking with vs nowadayes â—ebr 8.6 that is to say infinitly better And for proofe thereof the pledges of those times were earthly and serued to keepe folke alwayes in feare True it is that God did alwayes set to his mark so as the auncient fathers had an eye to the Lorde Iesus Christe â—â—b 11.2 and were not destitute of this warrant that hee of his free goodnesse was their Sauiour howbeit that was done but as yee would say aloofe But nowadayes God vttereth his couenant vnto vs so largely that wee be sure of the forgiuenesse of our sins and that although there be many thinges amisse in vs although wee haue a number of incomberaunces by reason of our infirmities although wee limpe and hang our winges yea and although wee stumble and take many a fall yet shall not all this let him to vse that inestimable goodnesse of his stil towards vs Iere. 31.9 whereof hee speaketh by his prophet namely that hee will not deale roughly with vs no more than a father doth with his children Seeing then that wee perceiue that our Lord of his free fauour accepteth our seruice though it bee vnperfect and full of faultes wee ought to bee the more willing to giue our selues vnto him euen with all our power And sith wee see it hath pleased him to stoope so lowe as to shewe himselfe to be our father and teacher dealing more familiarly with vs than hee did in old time with the fathers vnder the lawe let not vs on our side be slothfull in comming to him but let vs labor the more earnestly in his commaundementes and striue to withdrawe our selues so from the worlde as nothing may keepe vs from atteining to the holy vnion which is conteined in the couenant that God hath made with vs on the behalfe of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better that wee may mislyke of them in such wise as after wee haue condemned our selues for theÌ„ our whole seeking may be to feele the mercie that hee hath promised vs not onely in not imputing our faultes to vs but also in correcting them by the power of his holy spirite that wee may all liue in his obedience And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxiii of May. 1555. The xxiij Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fourth Chapter 15 Therefore shall yee take good heede for your selues that yee saw no maner of image in the day that the Lorde your God spake vnto you in Horeb from the middes of the fire 16 That you marre not your selues ne make you anie grauen image or representation of anie portraiture bee it the likenesse of man or woman 17 Or the lykenesse of any beast vppon earth or the lykenesse of any byrd that hath winges which flyeth vnder the skye 18 Or the lykenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground or the lykenesse of any fishe that is in the water vnder the earth 19 Also that when thou liftest vp thine eyes vnto heauen and beholdest the Sunne and the Moone and the starres with all the hoste of heauen thou bee not deceiued and bowe downe before them and serue them seeing the Lorde God hath imparted them to all people that are vnder the whole heauen 20 But as for you the Lord hath taken you and drawen you out of the yron fornace of Egypt to be vnto him a people of inheritance as you be this day WE haue seene already heretofore the care that God had of his people in willing them to take heede to themselues and to watch well for their soules For by those words he sheweth howe deare chare our soule health is vnto him Here we see the like againe Take heede to thy selfe saith he and keepe thy soule If God did not beare a singular good will to men he would not speake so And therefore wee haue a sure and infallible warrant that God seeketh our saluation to the end that we on our side shall thinke vppon it also But wee must marke therewithall whereof he treateth here that is to wit of the worshipping of God purely without disguysing of his maiestie Then is it a token that the same belongeth chiefly to our saluation and that wee runne to ruine and destruction when we swarue aside from the pure religion and fall to deuising of any thing that beseemeth not God If wee doe so the diuell reigneth among vs and GOD must needes forsake vs. Wherefore let vs learne that the holding of religion purely in such sorte as God alloweth it as a thing of no small importance For this kinde of speach were vnexpedient if to make images were either lawfull or but a small and light fault and surely God would not
earthly imaginations euen of our selues and wee nourish superstition in vs of our own nature Now then if we be furthered and thrust foreward vnto euill so as wee finde as it were spurres to pricke vs foreward I pray you shall wee not bee as good as madde Therefore the setting vp of images in Churches is a defiling of them aforehande and can serue to no purpose but to drawe folke from the pure and true knowledge of GOD. Againe to what end doe the Papistes set vp images in Churches Is it to haue knowledge of their Histories No but there standes a sort of puppets with demure countenaunces as it were to summon folke to come to doe them homage insomuch that an image is not so soone set vp in a Church but by and by folke goe and kneele downe to it and do a kinde of worship to it And can a man deuise to teare the Maiestie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to deface his glorie more than by y e thinges that the Papistes doe Beholde they paint and portray Iesus Christ who as wee knowe is not onely man 1. Tim. 3 Colos. ◠but also God manifested in the flesh and what a representation is that Hee is Gods eternall sonne in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead yea euen substantially Seeing it is said substantially should wee haue portraitures and images whereby the onely flesh may bee represented Is it not a wyping away of that which is chiefest in our Lorde Iesus Christ that is to wit of his diuine Maiestie Yes and therefore whensoeuer a Crucifix stands mopping mowing in the Church it is all one as if the Diuell had defaced the sonne of God Ye see then that the Papistes are destitute of all excuse Againe wee see howe they behaue themselues the images are worshipped among them as if God were present there in his owne person Where saye they their Pater nosters but before some puppet And yet are they not contented with that for they will needes make idoles of al things yea euen to the verie Sacramentes insomuch that they haue falsified them to drawe the worlde from the right Religion Is there a more abhominable idol than that which they haue inuented vnder pretence of y e Supper of Iesus Christ No for they say that GOD is there and there he must bee worshipped So then no maruaile though they abuse their puppets and pictures after that fashion seeing they haue bene so bolde as to peruert the thinges that God hath appointed to the furtherance of our faith And by the waye let vs marke that the true meane to seeke God after such sorte as he vttereth himselfe is that after we once knowe him wee doe also consider that hee stoopeth to our rudenes and yet ceasse not to seeke him by moūting vp higher and by conceiuing the thinges spiritually which the Sacramentes doe shewe vs. It is true that by them God commeth downe to vs howbeit that is not to hold vs downe here beneath still but to make vs flie vp aloft vnto him It is all one as if hee shoulde reache vs his hand and say Come to me and worship me spiritually Wherefore let vs learne to seeke GOD euermore aboue vs and not to tie him to our fleshly and earthly vnderstanding Now finally Moses sheweth the vnthankfulnesse of the worlde in seeking new Gods and in conueying ouer of the Maiestie of the liuing God to dead creatures It was a verie common thing in the East Countries to worship the Sun and the Moone and the Starres bicause that to their seeming they were not as the earthly creatures are nor had any corruption to be seene in them nor were subiect to such changes as men beastes trees and waters are for we see howe all things vnder the skie are chaungeable but seemed to bee things immortall and incorruptible Yea verily so seemeth it to men that are become brutish and haue not the wit to goe to the creation to knowe that God hath giuen the Sunne Moone Starres such nature and proprietie as he listed but yet for all that howsoeuer those creatures fare they bee liuelesse But here Moses rebuketh the wicked fantasticalnesse of men in worshipping the Sunne They sawe there a kind of Maiestie Oh said they these lightes of the skie are excellent thinges surely there is some Godhead in them therefore must wee needes worship them But in so doing saieth Moses mē became vnthankefull towardes God For why What is the Sunne Our Seruant the Moone is our Handmaide And for proofe thereof was not the Sunne ordained to giue vs light Is not he our Candlesticke Gen. 1.15 Yea and besides that he is the Candlesticke he is also the Candle it selfe euen to doe vs seruice It is true that God coulde well giue vs light without the meane of y e Sunne but hee meant to shewe howe greatly he esteemeth and loueth vs in that he hath put such seruants vnder vs and aduaunced vs so high as to make the Sunne the Moone and the Starres to doe vs seruice Now then sith wee see that God hath made his heauenly creatures subiect to vs after that fashion are wee not too churlish and vnkinde if wee worship him not Is it not a refusing of the good turne that God hath done vs and a shutting of our eyes to reiect his gratious fauour as if they would say in despite of him wee will not acknowledge the good that thou hast done vs In deede we see y t the Sunne Moone doe serue vs but yet will wee not take them for our seruants Must it not needes bee that men are become starke diuels when they bee so froward malicious as to refuse the receiuing of so great a benefit at Gods hand That then is the thing that Moses sheweth here Moreouer he addeth for a conclusion that the people of Israel excelled all other Nations It is true saith he y ◠God hath vouchsafed to make y e Sun Moone seruants to the whole world but thou excellest all other nations of the earth inasmuch as he hath chosen thee for his inheritance And seeing it is so y u oughtest at leastwise to worship him as thy God to feare him and reuerence him as thy father in any wise to beware that thou defile not thy selfe w t the abhominations of idolatrie For what a thing were it if a Kinges sonne should refuse to be in his fathers palace go keepe company w t some swineherd yea or go wallow abrode w t brute beasts fall to wrooting vp of the ground to eate filthy things like y e swine thēselues What a thing were it But Moses telleth vs y t those whō God hath chosen to bee his people do the like whē they go to cast thēselues downe before creatures Therefore let vs learne to worship our God in spirit trueth Iohn 4.24 and to doe him homage to acknowledge the good y t hee doth vs specially
shall see a number that are negligent all their lifetime and yet they thinke that if they do but once exalt God and make a faire protestation at their liues end it is ynough But Moses delt not so For hee neuer forgate the commission that was giuen him but continued throughout in preaching to the people Neuerthelesse whatsoeuer he did all his life long yet when he sawe his death at hande hee inforced himselfe the more and burned the whotter in earnestnesse of zeale because of the vrgent necessitie aforesaide Wherefore let those whom God hath ordeined to preach his worde looke well that they discharge their duetie al their life long And that when they shall haue done their indeuer to stablish the true religion and brought to passe that God is honoured and that they haue builded Gods Church as much as they coulde and taught those to walke in the feare of God which were committed to their charge let them indeuer to seale vp al the same doctrine to cause it to continue after their decease This thē is another thing which we haue to remēber Also let vs marke further that seeing Moses was so carefull for the people of Israel wee also haue neede to bee vpon our watches Do we see that God taketh away a man that hath serued faithfully in his time Then let vs bee sure that anon after the diuell will indeuour to marre al and that he will soone make some breach to enter vpon vs if we be not lustily vpholden kept And there is not a more profitable lesson than this same For wee knowe not how great a good turne God doth vs when he giueth vs such men as seeke nothing else but to hold vs in aw of him and to bring to passe that hee may reigne ouer vs and we liue vnder his obeysance On the contrarie part when our Lord taketh such out of the worlde as are able to builde his Church wee bee carelesse of it and this carelesnesse is the cause that the diuell findeth a gappe open amongst vs that so hee may vtterly make hauocke of vs. So much the more therefore doth it stande vs in hand to be watchful in this case to know that wee bee well fenced when God giueth vs men to guide vs in his feare Contrariwise if he leaue vs destitute of such it is as if a man were without munition in a towne wheras were no power nor meane of defence Ye see then how it standeth vs in hande to bethinke our selues and to pray god that when it pleaseth him to take away those that haue taught vs faithfully that then the doctrine which wee shall haue receiued by them may not die anon after them but liue stil continue alwayes fast setled in our hearts and that it may haue full force and strength and we be fenced by it against al Satans temptations neuer to turne away from it but euermore to remember what we haue learned always to set our minds vpon it that it may serue vs for a shield to warde all Satans blowes withal 1. Pet. 5.9 Eph. 6.13 and that wee may be so armed with it from top to toe as they say that Gods worde may bee a sworde to vs our hope a helmet our faith a buckler so as the diuel may not bee able to foile vs in any wise whatsoeuer that when the meanes shal be taken away wherwith Gods will was to haue vs edified yet neuerthelesse he may stil continue with vs and we likewise keepe on our way to him Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgemēt of our sins praying him to make vs perceiue them better than wee haue done heretofore so as we may learne to mislike more and more of our selues for them And that in acknowledging the great benefits which hee bestoweth vpon vs wee may call vpon him as our father seeking nothing else but to giue our selues wholly vnto him to be gouerned by his holy spirite as his teachable and meeke children seing that he doth vs this honor to take vs for his heritage to giue himselfe to vs that we may also remember sith he taketh delight in vs to be vnto him such a possession as may serue to his glorie that hee would neuer cut vs of although we wel deserue it That it may please him to grant this grace not only to vs but also to al people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xxix of May. 1555. The xxv Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the fourth Chapter 23 24 Beware that ye c. 25 When thou shalt haue begotten children and childrens children and shalt haue dwelt long in y e land if then ye shal corrupt your selues make carued Images after the likenesse of any thing and worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke him to wrath 26 I call heauen and earth to record against you this day that out of al doubt ye shall soone perish out of the land whither ye go ouer Iordan to possesse it and yee shall not prolong your dayes therein for ye shal be vtterly destroyed WE haue seene heretofore the exhortation that Moses made to the intēt that Gods seruice might not bee corrupted Hee shewed that to worship GOD purely there must no image at all be made because it is not in any wise agreeable to his nature Iohn 4.24 but men must worship him after another fashion His seruice say I is spiritual and therefore wee must rest wholly therevppon For as soone as we swarue one way or other it is but presumption which God condemneth That is the thing which Moses hath treated of hitherto Now to confirme this doctrine the better he setteth before the peoples eyes the couenant that God had made with them for when God manifesteth himselfe vnto vs it is the principall meane whereby to hold vs in the pure religion Naturally we be blind wretches and therefore it is verie easie for Satan to beguile vs. And although there were none to deceiue vs yet doth euery one of vs wander away in our owne conceites and imaginations Therefore there is nothing in vs but darknes and Gods maiestie is so high and incomprehensible a thing as it is no maruell though we be at our wits end before we can come nigh vnto it Then if we were not duly taught ne had a grounded doctrine to shew vs y e right path what could we do but go astray But now seing y t God hath shewed himself vnto vs that so familiarly as we may discern him from al the ydols that haue bin forged in y e worlde we are able to say y t it is he whom we ought to worship there is no more excuse for vs if we be caried to and fro And our vnthankfulnesse is the more shamefull if wee shut our eyes against the doctrine of saluation and turne our backs vpon God when he hath
but that he will maintaine his owne honour as good reason is that he should and in so doing he sheweth vs how dreadfull his wrath is Behold then here are two points which we must mark for a conclusion Not y t we can lay them forth at length as at this time but that it shall suffice to haue some foretaste of them Let vs marke then that the cause why God vÌ„ttereth himself vnto vs is y t hauing once knoweÌ„ his goodnes that he hath chosen vs called vs by his word we should couer nothing but to be quietly gouerned by him and acknowledge y t it is he to whom al honour praise belongeth therevpon apply our whole indeuours to the glorifying of his holy name That say I is the end why our Lord hath once called vs to his knowledge and why he calleth vpon vs daily and exhorteth vs still to come vnto him But yet let vs consider therewithall that if wee doe not serue and glorifie him as he deserueth and as wee bee bounde wee shall feele him a consuming fire that is to say wee shall feele that it is no dalying with such a Maister not that this is saide to make Gods Maiestie terrible vnto vs so as wee shoulde bee afrayde to come at him but rather that wee shall not bee a whit dismaied if we take him for our Father But if wee will not behaue our selues as children towardes him but continue vnamendable he will lay away the person of a Father and shewe himselfe to bee our iudge and that not such a iudge as needeth to make long inquirie to call the hangman to put his iudgementes in execution but if he do but cast forth the fire of his spirit or but his breath by and by the fyre is kindled as sayeth the Prophet Esay Esa. 5.25 so as wee must needes bee consumed by it So then if wee will not haue the Maiestie of our God terrible vnto vs but rather that wee may goe vnto him let vs looke that wee glorifie him in all our life and not giue him cause to kindle his wrath against vs Deut. 32.21 nor prouoke him vnto ielousie For then doeth he tell vs that he will prouoke vs to ielousie likewise Rom. 10. â—9 by casting vs froÌ„ him by taking another people in our place Wherfore let vs looke that wee persist in the vocation whereunto he hath called vs and that wee kindle not his vengeance against vs. And seeing he hath once vttered his goodnesse and manifested himselfe vnto vs in our Lord Iesus Christ let vs not doubt but that he on his side will continue to make vs feele the same still if wee on our side continue in glorifying him Now let vs kneel down before y e maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as wee may bee sorie for them and depart from them by the power of his holy spirit And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the iij. of Iune 1555. The xxvj Sermon which is the eight vpon the fourth Chapter 27 And the Lorde God shall scatter you among the Heathen and ye shall remaine fewe in nomber among the Nations whither the Lord will bring you 28 And there ye shall serue gods which are the worke of mans hand wood stone which neither see nor heare eate nor smell 29 And there thou shalt seeke the Lorde thy God and thou shalt finde him if thou seeke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 30 And when thou art in tribulation and all these thinges are come vpon thee in the end thou shalt returne vnto the Lord thy God and obey his voyce 31 For the Lord thy God is a merciful God he will not forsake thee nor destroy thee nor forget the Couenant of thy fathers which he sware to them WEe haue saide heretofore that Gods vsing of the similitude of fire is not to dismay vs in such sort as we should not come vnto him but contrariwise to make vs come to him with reuerence For what shoulde it boote men to bee striken in such terrour as shoulde make them shrinke away from GOD and loth to haue any thing to do with him Againe we know that our Lorde hath not any other marke or intent Ezec. 18.23 than to winne vs to him and to drawe vs to saluation Nowe the onely meane thereof is to goe right foorth vnto him and to bee ioyned vnto him Wherfore let vs beare well in minde this lesson that Gods intent is not to scare vs in such wise as we should shun him and that is the thing which we haue to gather at this time vpon that which is rehearsed here For the threate that Moses giueth here is hard but yet it serueth to bring the people backe to God If thou disobey the voyce of the Lord thy God saieth he thou shalt bee scattered Flatter not thy selfe w t his choosing of thee from among all other Nations to bee his inheritance nor with his giuing of thee this lande in possession for he can well ynough bereaue thee of all these benefites Yet notwithstanding hee addeth that if God see repentance in his people after he hath chastised them he will bring them againe deale fauourably with them so as they shall feele him to bee a mercifull God and such a one as powreth not out his rigor with extremitie vpon offenders when he seeth that they bee not vtterly past amendment What is to be done then First of all when wee heare this sentence which God gaue in olde time vppon his people let vs learne to beware that wee abuse not his goodnesse Let vs goe to him with all humilitie while he allureth vs by gentlenesse as the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes He. 12.18.22 For there he saieth that wee bee not come to Mount Sinay where there was nothing but flashes of Lightening and Thundercraks and where the people were so amazed as they looked for present death What remaineth then Behold saith he God calleth vs by his Gospell to the intent wee should bee fellowes with the Angels with the spirits of the faithful and that we should bee verie Citizens of his kingdome Seeing it is so saieth he let vs enter into the heauenly Ierusalem for our God is a consuming fire It should seeme at the first sight that there is some contrarietie in these two sayings That wee should come boldly and after an assured maner to our God and also that he should bee a consuming fire But both these agree verie well togither For first the Apostle sheweth that wee ought not to be so afraide of the Maiestie of our God as that wee should shunne him but rather consider that there is nothing in him but gentlenesse But yet therewithall wee must knowe also that wee must worship him vnfainedly or else
but we must continue in y t minde al y e time of our lyfe To be short the rest y t God cōmandeth vs is euerlasting and not by pangs or fittes as they say And why then close he but one day of the week It was to shew vs that when we haue done what we can to renounce our wicked lustes our false pretences and whatsoeuer else is of our own nature yet shall we neuer be able to atteine fully thereunto till we be quite cleane bereft of our fleshe True it is y e faithful ought to keepe a continual Sabboth all their life long by forbearing their own wils and workes by indeuoring to giue themselues ouer vnto God w t all humilitie submission so as they may obey him quietly I say we must doe so or else al y e seruice y t we be desirous to doe vnto God shall be but a feining he wil disalowe it reiect it Neuerthelesse we cannot so discharge our selues in renoūcing our affections but y t there will alwayes be somewhat worthie of blame in vs. S. Paul doth in deed glory y t the world was crucified vnto him Gal. 6.14 5.17 he vnto y e world but yet for al y t he ceaseth not to say y t his fleshe fighteth against his spirit so as there is neuer any agreemēt betwixt thē Yea and hee confesseth in y e seuenth to y e Romans that he felt such strife cōtinually in himselfe Ro. 7.15.19 as he did not y e good y t he would haue done y t is to say he performed it not w t so earnest affection nor was so fully determined to walke according to y e will of God but y t he had alwayes some lets to hinder him so as to his own seming insted of running strongly he did but go limpingly Sith it is so let vs marke y t Gods ordeining of y e seuēth day to rest in was not w tout cause for thereby he doth vs to vnderstand y t we cannot atteyne to y e perfect holinesse which he requireth at our hands neither in one day nor in one moneth Why so Because y t when we haue fought neuer so lustily against the affectiōs of our flesh against our wicked thoughts there will alwayes remaine some dregges stil till we be fully vnited to our God that he haue taken vs vp into his heauenly kingome Vntill y t time we shall alwayes haue some temptations trouble vnquietnesse in vs so as wee shall well perceiue I meane such of vs as indeuer to serue God that we be stil subiect to many tēptations to the feeling of a number of stinges whereby we be prouoked to this or that And are not all those thinges as many hinderances to holde vs backe frō the spiritual rest If a man rested himselfe in God as he should doe he should not conceiue any thing at all in his minde that might turne him aside from the right way He shoulde not haue any wicked lustes or lykinges All such thinges shoulde bee farre from him Now then when as we conceiue a number of lewde imaginations then doth Satan step in to assaile vs to vexe vs w t vnquietnesse And when our minde is once inclined to doe euill there are a number of thinges in vs y t tickle vs set vs still foreward And although we hate y e euil yet so it is y t by such tēptations we are prouoked to goe through with it And thereby it appeareth y t it is not an easie matter to winde our selues frō our wicked lustes to bring to passe y t they may no more reigne in vs. So then let vs go foreward with this indeuer of keeping Gods spiritual Saboth for we shal neuer atteine fully to it vntill y e end of our lyfe But hereby we be put in minde of two things The one is to mislyke of our selues to mourne continually to consider that although to our owne seeming we haue takē neuer so great pain to obey our GOD yet notwithstanding we be but yet on our way stil and we come far short of fulfilling the thinges that are required and commaunded in the lawe Thus haue wee a cause to humble our selues because God shal always find enough and too much to condemne in vs as cōcerning our seruing of him and also because that the spirituall rest is not yet such as he hath commaunded nothing neere And lyke as wee haue occasion to humble our selues to be sorie with true repentance so ought we on the other side to be y e more moued quickened vp to goe forward sith we see our owne wants as thus True it is that God hath giuen me the grace to bee desirous to serue him but how doe I behaue my self therin alas I am yet far off frō doing it Sith we see it is so what should we do but inforce our selues Therfore w t our abhorring of y e euil which is in vs let vs also be the more earnest to profit stil in this rest to go foreward in it let euery of vs dayly call himselfe to account Ye see then that God hauing giuen vs occasiō to humble our selues all the time of our life sheweth vs that we must be earnest in correcting our vices in mortifying our flesh dayly more more consider y t it is not enough for vs to haue our olde man crucifyed in part vnlesse we be also quite buried w t Iesus Christ Rom. 7.4 as saith S. Paul in y e seuenth to the Romans before alledged Thus much cōcerning y e seuēth day wherof mētiō is made in this place Now must we come to the second point which is y t as I haue sayd already y e Saboth day was a policy or order whereby to exercise the faithfull in the seruice of God For that day was ordeined for men to assemble in to heare the doctrine of the lawe preached to communicate together w t sacrifices and to call vpon the name of God As touching these poyntes it belongeth as well to vs as to the people of olde time For albeit y t the figure be ceased I meane the same that S. Paul speaketh of in the episte to the Colossians yet notwithstanding so much as cōcerneth the order continueth still and hath his vse And to what end serueth this order To assemble our selues in the name of God True it is that this ought to be done cōtinually howbeit for our infirmities sake or rather by reason of our slothfulnesse it is requisite that some one day should be chosen out If we were as ernest in seruing of God as we ought to bee wee should not appoynte one day in a weeke onely but euery man ought to meete both morning and euening without lawe written to bee edifyed more and more by Gods worde And truely this exercise is more than needefull for vs considering that wee bee so
we bee not bound to the seuenth day neither doe wee in deede keepe the same day that was appointed to the Iewes for that was the Saterday But to the intent to shewe the libertie of Christians the day was chaunged because Iesus Christ in his resurrection did set vs free from the bondage of the law Col. 2.11.12 14. cancelled the obligation therof That was the cause why the day was shifted But yet must wee obserue the same order of hauing some day in the weeke be it one or be it two for that is left to the free choyce of Christians Neuerthelesse if a people assemble to haue the Sacramentes ministred and to make common prayer vnto GOD and to shewe one agreement and vnion of faith it is conuenient to haue some one day certeine for that purpose Then is it not enough for euery man to withdrawe himselfe into his owne house whether it bee to reade the holy scripture or to pray vnto GOD but it is meete that wee shoulde come into the companie of the faithfull and there shewe the agreement which wee haue with all the whole body of the Church by keeping this order which our Lord hath so commanded But what There a man may see too apparant vnhallowing of Gods seruice For as I haue touched afore are there not a great sorte which could well finde in their heartes to shewe that they doe but mocke God and that they would faine be exempted from the common lawe It is true that they wil come to a sermon a fiue or sixe times a yeere And what to doe there Forsooth euen to mocke at God at all his doctrine In deede they be very swine which come to defile Gods temple and are worthier to be in stables than there and they were better to keepe themselues at home in their stinking cabans To bee short it were better that such rascals and filthie vilaâ—nes were quite cut off from the Church of God than that they should come and intermingle themselues after that sort in companie with the faithfull But yet how many times come they thither The bel may ring wel enough for looke where a man left them there shall he finde theÌ„ So then we ought to bee the more diligent and careful in quickening vp our selues to make such confession of our faith as God may be honored with one common consent among vs. And besides that all superstitions must bee banished For we se how it is an opinion is poperie that God is serued with idlenesse It is not after that sorte that we must keepe holy the Saboth day But to the intent it may bee applyed to the right and lawfull vse we must consider as I sayd afore how our Lord requireth to haue this day bestowed in nothing else but in hearing of his worde in making common prayer in making confession of our faith and in hauing the vse of the Sacramentes Those are the thinges that wee bee called to Howbeit we see how al things haue bin corrupted confounded in the popedome For lyke as they haue alotted dayes to honoring of their hee Saints and shee Saints and set vp images of theÌ„ so haue they surmised that they were to be worshipped with idlenesse But seeing that y e world is so giuen to corruption it standeth vs so much the more in hand to marke well this discourse concerning the Saboth day as it is set downe here by Moses And let vs consider to what ende our Lorde commaunded the people of olde time to haue one day in the weeke to rest in to the intent that wee knowing how the same is abolished by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ may take our selues to the spiritual rest that is to say dedicate out selues wholy vnto God forsaking all our owne reason and affections Againe let vs reteine still the outward order so farre as is meete for vs that is to wit of forbearing our owne affaires and worldly businesses that we may intend wholy to the minding of Gods workes and occupy our selues in the consideration of the good thinges that hee hath done for vs. And aboue all thinges let vs streine our selues to acknowledge the grace that hee offereth vs dayly in his Gospel that we may be strengthened in it still more and more And when wee haue bestowed the Lord his day in praysing and magnifying Gods name and in minding his workes let vs shewe all the weeke after that wee haue profited in the same Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done And forasmuch as wee can by no meanes serue him vntill the frowardnesse that is in vs be done away and inasmuch as he hath tolde vs that wee shall not cease to fight against his righteousnesse so long as wee giue heade to our owne lusts and imaginations it may please our good God to graunt vs such grace by the power of his holy spirit as wee may be fully fashioned lyke vnto him that dyed and rose again for vs to mortify vs and to quicken vs. So then let vs beare the marke of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen in renouncing our selues and let vs so submit vs to his will as our whole seeking may bee to be fashioned lyke to his righteousnesse that his lawe may bee fulfilled in vs euen as it is spirituall and wee be changed from flesh to spirit to liue vnder his obeisance And because there is alwayes so much in vs to be mislyked it may please the same good GOD to beare with our infirmities vntill his rest be fully brought to passe in vs and that he haue taken vs vp into his heauenly kingdome That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely c. On Friday the xxj of Iune 1555. The xxxv Sermon which is the sixth vpon the fift Chapter 13 Six dayes shalt thou labour c. 14 Thou shalt not doe anie worke therein thy selfe thy Sonne thy daughter thy manseruaunt thy womanseruaunt thyne Ox thyne Asse and thy cattle and thy Straunger which is within thy gates that thy manseruaunt and thy womanseruaunt may haue rest as well as thy selfe 15 Remember that thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Egypt and that the Lorde thy God brought thee thence with strong hande and arme stretched out And therefore the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee to keepe holie the Saboth day I Declared yesterday how and why the commaundement of keeping the Saboth day was giuen to the Iewes I told you briefly how it was a figure of the spirituall rest which the faithfull ought to obserue to serue God in Col. 2.14.17 20. Howbeit our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vs the performance thereof so as wee must no more stay vppon the shadowe of the Lawe Rom. 6.6 but content our selues with the crucifying of our olde man by the power of y e death and passion of our Lorde Iesus
although the word Heart doe sometime signifie the vnderstāding yet doth the holy scripture take it also for the will Nowe then a man might alledge this shift it is saide that wee must loue God with all our heart therfore so we haue not our will bent contrarie to goodnesse it is ynough we be quite discharged before GOD. For men woulde take the wil for the wicked affection and so it woulde seeme that the wicked lustes which stirre vs vp and prouoke vs are not comprised vnder the name of sinne so long as they holde vs not captiue But when as hee addeth with all thy heart with all thy thoughts and with all thy powers let vs see whether a peece of my soule or minde be not alreadie corrupted when I conceiue any thing against God or when I conceiue any wicked lust of whoredome or robberie although I sticke not to it Is it to bee saide that I loue God with all my heart when a peece of my minde is bent against him The case concerneth not the very heart or will as I haue declared afore but the conceit that is in the soule of man Now then I shew that there is vanitie in mee and that the feare and reuerence of God restraine mee not as they shoulde doe and therefore it followeth that I am condemned as blameable because I haue not discharged my self in louing my God as I am commaunded Again is there no power of my soule which is not applyed to the thinking of some one thing or other that is contrarie to God and his righteousnes Yes We see then that naughtie and wicked thoughts are to bee condemned and wee must no more qualifie them that they shoulde not bee punished at Gods hand and also that the men which neuer consented to euill so farre as to purpose and fully intende it should not faile to be cursed before God if hee listed to vse rigor against them Nowe therefore we haue the true and plaine meaning of this text whereby we see that it behoueth vs to looke neerer to it that we be not beguiled nor misledde And S. Pauls example ought to pricke vs the more forwarde seeing he confesseth himselfe to haue bin ignorant of Gods lawe vntill our Lorde Iesus Christ had inlightened him by his holy spirit to the intent he should know what was ment by the word Lust or Concupiscence Nowe must we apply the foretouched things to our benefite and vse First therefore let vs learne that to serue God well we must not onely be desirous to doe well and go forwarde therein to effect but also ridde our hearts from all euill affections and corrupt thoughts so as al our senses may tende to the giuing of our selues all wholly vnto God Let vs not shewe our selues to haue beene drawen aside to reele one way or other but let vs bee throughly stayed to runne forwarde without stopping or stunting yea euen to runne forwarde in the way that GOD sheweth vs so as there may be nothing but perfect purenesse in vs. And when we once knowe that well then must wee take warning to stande vppon our garde For we see howe men runne astraye and dispence with themselues And what is the cause thereof It is for that they make their reckening without their hoste as wee say For they conster Gods lawe after their owne fancie bearing themselues in hand that it is ynough for them so they had none euill intent with them nor rested vppon the thing with determinate purpose Tush say they God imputeth none of all this And thereupon they walke for warde in leawde lusts with a towell of their owne tying before their eyes that they may not discerne their owne secret deceiuing of thēselues But yet when men haue spoken so they cannot scape the hande of the heauenly iudge And therefore let vs looke to the restreyning of our lustes For God hath condemned not onely the wicked intents and purposes but also all the lustes that prouoke vs thrust vs forward vnto euill Wherefore let vs liue in the greater awe and let euerie man holde himselfe short euen because there is no part in vs which is not infected with sin Let vs make a trial of al the powers of our soule and wee shall finde that sinne is shed throughout like as when a poyson is soked into a mans bodie it infecteth him throughout and so is there as it were an vniuersall leprosie which hath ouergrowen the whole man both bones and marrowe and thoughts and affections and all that euer is of him Seeing then that our nature is so corrupted ought we not to be the more vigilant to holde our selues in awe considering that God by his lawe condemneth all wicked thoughts that tende to the prouoking of vs vnto euill inasmuch as there is a certaine inward mouing that tickleth vs and wee feele our will pricked forwarde although it be not ledde quite and cleane away as a prisoner Sith we see this haue wee not good cause to gather our wittes to vs and to walke the more warely and carefully vnder the hande of God So then whereas wee bee drowsie and slothfull and woulde faine discharge our selues to Godward with ease yet see howe this commaundement ought to waken vs. But wee must vnderstande that it is not for vs to scape by such shiftes And why After that God hath condemned wicked intentes hee proceedeth still to the condemning of euill lustes too And that ought to stande vs to a dubble vse The one is that we must pray to God the earnestlyer to gouerne vs with his holye spirite and to clense vs from all vices and corruptions that hauing prayed vnto him euery of vs shoulde inforce himselfe and as it were doe violence to our nature and to all our senses and powers of minde forasmuch as there is nothing in vs but rebelliousnesse against the Lawe of God euen as Saint Paul speaketh not onely of mens willes Rom. 8.7 when he saith that men in their owne frowarde nature are enemies to God but also of their affections and thoughts Hee vseth a worde there which extēdeth euen to the thoughts y t we conceiue Al of thē saith he are enemies vnto God Seeing it is so let vs assure our selues that when we haue takē neuer so much paine to hold our selues imprisoned vnder the awe of God yet there will scape manie euill lustes from vs the which it behoueth vs to bewaile before God And so the first point is that we must be earnest in calling vppon God to gouerne vs by his holy spirit and doe our indeuer and diligence to bridle our selues in such wise as satan may not haue any hoole to enter at nor bee able to make any breach vpō vs to win the possession of our harts but that we driue them a great way of so as if we perceiue any thought tending vnto euill wee straitwayes preuent it and set a barre in the way saying No not so Thy God
our hearts but also of al our thoughts imaginatioÌ„s and conceits There is not that thing in vs which commeth not then to triall and knowledge In so much that the things which we tooke to be no faultes at all must be condemned before God and hee must haue the iudging of them vnlesse wee play the iudges with our selues aforehand And herewithall wee haue to magnifie the mercie of our God Rom. â—â— 23. in that although we be faultie so greatly so many wayes yet notwithstanding he accepteth vs for righteous Let vs make comparison here betweene the righteousnesse which we obtaine by faith and the curse that is vppon vs. Whereinto be we plundged Are we faultie but in some one offence or in some two or three or in some certaine nomber Nay we be plundged in such a gulfe that if wee begin once to fall to reckening wee must needes be confounded A hundred Millions of faultes is not the hundred part of the offences that wee haue committed before God Then are we so guiltie as there is none ende nor measure of our sinnes Yet notwithstanding God receiueth vs to mercie so as wee bee counted as righteous before him as though there were such full soundnesse and perfection in vs that nothing were amisse but that we had performed the whole Lawe Seeing then that God forgiueth vs such an infinite nomber of offences and clotheth vs with his owne righteousnesse through the operation of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ in as much as wee lay hold by faith vppon the grace that is purchased for vs and do him the honour to say Lord it is in thy meere and free bestowed goodnesse that our saluation consisteth doeth it not appeare therein how much wee bee bound vnto him Yes So then wheÌ„ Gods Law hath brought vs to our wittes end not only bicause of the infinite nomber of our lustes but also bicause wee shoulde lye buried vnder them as vnder huge mountaines if God should deale rigorously with vs let vs call to minde that Gods intent is not to leaue vs in despaire but to lift vs vp againe as soone as wee be sunke downe When he sees our feeblenesse he reacheth vs his hand and calleth vs to him and will haue vs to bee comforted for as much as he of his mercie layeth not any of al our sinnes to our charge Thus ye see howe the faithfull ceasse not to be of good cheere though they bee so condemned in themselues But yet must wee begin at this ende of being vtterly dismayed in our selues that our Lorde may deliuer vs from the dungeon of death and wee acknowledge y t our saluation consisteth in his only grace Howbeit let vs notwithstanding liue warely and keepe good watch assuring our selues y t when we haue trauailed neuer so much and taken neuer so much paine to serue God so as wee haue on the one side eschewed all occasions of euill and on the otherside subdued our affections lusts also indeuored to represse al wicked thoughts yet wee must not ceasse to condemne our selues still and to stand still in awe Although we haue had victory through the grace of God and sinne hath not ouermaistred vs yet doth it dwell coÌ„tinually in vs and there is still some vncleannesse and spot in vs. Therefore let vs sigh and let vs sigh in such sort as it may sharpen vs to doe our duetie We see how S. Paule speaketh of it After he had profited as much as might bee and was come to an Angelicall holinesse yet notwithstanding he saith still wretch that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death Rom. 7.24 And what is the cause that he considereth death in himselfe but for that he sawe sinne there Neuerthelesse let vs vnderstand that wee must not bee out of heart Although wee perceiue a Million of sinnes day by day in vs yet must wee still passe on further And therefore when Saint Paule exhorteth the faithfull to eschew sinne He saieth not Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne dwell in you but he sayeth Let not sinne raigne in you In deede it were to be wished that sinne dwelled not in vs but seeing it is in vs yet must wee not bee too much discomforted For whereas it is saide that sinne dwelleth in vs first it warneth vs of our wretched state and secondly it willeth vs to consider that wee must bee occupyed in continuall warfare and therefore flee the earnestlyer to our God for succour praying him to strengthen vs with his power by the grace of his holy spirit which he hath giuen vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Nowe let vs fall downe in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better and that wee may learne to frame our lyues to the obeying of him which beholdeth not onely our outward woorkes intentes and affections but also euen all our thoughtes and conceytes And for as much as wee can not attayne to such perfection out of hand let vs beseeche God that the same may bee an occasion to humble vs and therewithall to stirre vs vp continually to fyght lustilyer so as euerie of vs may inforce himselfe to correct the vyces that are in his nature vntill our Lorde hauing rid vs from this corrupt fleshe doe clothe vs againe with his owne righteousnesse and fashion vs al wholly like to his glorious image That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. On Tewsday the xvj of Iuly 1555. The xlij Sermon which is the thirteenth vpon the fifth Chapter 22 These are the woordes which the Lorde spake to your multitude vpon the Mount from the middes of the fire out of the Cloud and darkenesse with a great voyce And he added no more thereunto but wrate them in two tables of stone and gaue them vnto mee FOr as much as wee finde not a better excuse of our lewdnesse disobedience towardes God than to pleade ignoraunce we coulde finde in our heartes to haue alwayes that shrouding sheete so as wee myght saye wee vnderstand not what GOD sayeth or that hee speakes not vnto vs or else that his voyce is too farre off for vs to heare But GOD foreseeing such lewdnesse meant to preuent all that men could alledge to the ende they might haue nothing to defend themselues withall And therefore in setting forth his Lawe it was his wil that the doctrine which is contained therein should be vttered with a loud shirle voyce Yea he spake it not onely to three or foure but to all the people both great small without exception Besides this Matt. 5.18 it was his will that the lawe should be put in writing that it might continue and not serue for one age onely but stand in force and authoritie to y e worldes end And y t is the cause why it is said in this place
after GOD had once spoken hee added not any thing to that which he had sayd And in deede as I sayd afore it is an horrible blasphemie when men take vpon them to finde some better thing than is conteyned in Gods lawe It is all one as if they would reproue him as a lyer or say he was misaduised or that he had forgotten what hee should haue commaunded But can men finde any better way No. Then let vs learne to submit our selues in such wise vnto God as wee may alwayes beare in minde that when God had once spoken hee made a finall ende and conclusion as if hee should haue sayd Holde yee there these are my boundes and listes whosoeuer goes any further hee shal breake his necke so as there will bee nothing but falling if wee keepe not the right way which God hath made and hedged in after that fashion And although God speake not presently after a visible maner as hee did then yet ought we to bethink vs oftentimes of this lesson which is conteined in his lawe In deede God spake not twice but hee spake once for all as they say Wee on our part ought to heare it often according to this saying of the threescore and second psalme Psal. 62.12 the Lord hath spoken once and I haue heard him but my hearing of it was not for once and away I haue heard it twice Hereby wee bee warned that it is not enough for vs to bestowe one dayes hearing vpon the thinges which our Lord hath willed to be set forth in his name but wee must minde them continually Then let euery of vs occupy himselfe in them morning and euening all the time of his lyfe Psal. 1.2 and let vs not cease to recorde well the thinges which our Lord hath told and declared vnto vs. For though wee should apply our selues to them all the dayes of our lyfe hardely shoulde we atteine to the one halfe of our iourney It is true as I sayd afore that our Lord will instruct vs so far forth as shall be expedient for our saluation but yet for all wee shall alwayes finde our selues to haue neede to profit more and more in Gods worde Therefore let vs bee diligent and let vs not think our labor lost when we take y t way and apply our whole stody dayly thereunto so as we neuer leaue searching and seeking out of the thinges which our Lord teacheth vs. Thus yee see how wee must put this sentence in practise where it is sayd that our Lorde added not any thing more Now let vs come to the third poynt which is that hee spake from the middest of fyre Clowdes and whirlewinde In deede this hath bin expounded already heretofore Howbeit forasmuch as it is repeated by Moses let vs marke that it is not superfluous And in deede it cannot bee tolde vs too often that Gods worde ought to carry a maiestie towardes vs to make all our wittes to stoope and to submit themselues to it And why First wee see there is such pride in men as they cannot bowe their neckes It is true that they will not say that they intend to resist God or to bid him battell but whatsoeuer they say are they plyable and meeke as they ought to bee No they come farre shorte of it Againe there is a blockishnesse in vs so as wee dote vppon these worldly thinges Wee cannot rayse vp our wittes to apply them to the hearing of God Wee cannot attaine to that spirituall wisedome because our wittes are occupyed afore hand aboute the affaires and cares of the world and we neede nothing to holde vs here beneath Therfore it is greatly for our benefite that our Lord shoulde touch vs to the quicke to the intent we may yeelde such reuerence to his worde as it may not dye partely through our stubbornnes and partely through our blockishnesse that is to say because we be partly so dull grosse and earthly and partely so forepossessed with vanities that we mount not vpwarde but are helde downe heere in these corruptible thinges And therefore not without cause did God speake from the middest of fire clowdes and whirlewinde when hee went aboute to set forth his Lawe For it was expedient that the people shoulde bee touched with some feare so as they might say it is not for vs to daly with our God Seeing he appeareth to vs with so greate and terrible maiestie what should wee doe but tremble vnder him and yeelde him such subiection as hee may rule vs as sheepe and wee all of vs bowe downe our neckes and holde downe our heades suffering him to wealde vs at his will and giuing our selues in such wise vnto him as wee may bee abashed when hee speaketh and haue none other desire but onely to serue and honor him and to submit our selues wholy to his guiding Lo here the cause why God did so magnify his lawe at the setting forth thereof He could wel haue spoken without the casting forth of flames of fyre without making the hill to smoke and without hauing any thicke or darke clowdes about him but it was his will to adde all these miracles to the intent that the people shoulde bee afrayde And therefore let vs marke that hee intended to bring the prophet Esayes saying to passe Esa. 〈…〉 namely that his spirit shoulde not rest vppon vs excepte wee tremble at the presence of his worde For the thing wherein he will try our obedientnesse towardes him is if wee doe loue him so well that as soone as hee speaketh wee receiue his word without gainesaying so as wee thinke it good and agree thereunto saying amen not onely with our mouthes but also with our heartes and seruing him quietly all our lyfe long For Gods requiring of the seruice whereby hee will bee honored at our handes is to shewe the obedience which wee owe vnto his worde Howbeit forasmuch as wee bee so hard and heauy that we rather dragge backe and cannot abide to bowe downe our neckes to beare his yoke we haue neede to be helped by all the meanes that are mentioned here And therefore let vs marke that these flames of fire appeared not for that time onely to serue no moe but them that sawe it but also to the intent that the Lawe of GOD should beare record stil at this day of how great authoritie it ought to bee and to the intent the remembrance therof should be renued vnto vs that by calling to minde what happened at that time wee may bee humbled vnder the maiestie of our God and that whensoeuer wee goe about to aduaunce our selues or to bee tempted with presumption and pride the burning fire that made the people agast at that time the thicknesse and darkenesse of the cloude and the sight of the smoking mountaine may come before our eyes and serue to holde vs in such awe as all loftinesse my be beaten downe in vs and we bee so wakened in good earnest as
faine discharge our selues thereof but hee telleth vs that his giuing of it forth is to holde vs in his subiection seruice and that to the same ende he will haue it preached still at this day For thereby he intendeth to trie whether he can weeld vs as quiet people that submit themselues to him Therefore let vs marke that our resorting vnto sermons must not be to commend the doctrine for good and holie for God shal be much beholden to vs for saying that his word is worthie to be receiued hee will not haue vs to be his iudges It is true that we owe him that acknowledgement so as when wee haue hearde his worde euery of vs ought to confesse it to bee the pure trueth and that there is none other rightnesse righteousnes nor wisedome than is contained there But yet must we passe further therewithall and yeeld our selues to the seruing of our God That is one point which wee haue to gather vpon this text Another point is that we must beware that we keepe it Wherein God sheweth that wee must applie all our strength earnestly in that behalfe For men shall neuer followe God by sleeping Although they inforce themselues neuer so much yet the infirmitie of their nature is such as they can hardly keepe their feete Therefore let vs not think that we can discharge our selues to Godwarde without taking of paine For the thing is too hard considering what we be namely slowe and sluggish to good thinges yea euen though God haue already made vs willing and do gouerne vs by his holy spirit And if he let vs alone as we be of our selues we shall not only be slowe but also drawe cleane backe from his wil. If he call vs to him we shall go from him yea wee shal be so little able to couet any good at all that wee shal be inforced to doe euill But let vs marke what I haue touched afore namely that although our Lord haue giuen vs some good disposition of minde and set vs in some good forwardnesse yet are we slothfull still and when we should steppe one pace forth whereas the same shold be done in lesse than a minute of an houre we must haue a whole houre to do it in Nay we fall to kicking or else by that time that we haue gone one pace ofttimes we stumble or retyre backe or else take such foule falles as is piteous to see Therefore it is not for nought that God saith here Take heede that yee doe them As if hee should say in deede my lawe is giuen you to the intent you shoulde put it in execution and obey it but yet thinke not you that it is so easie a matter to be done What is to be done then Prepare your selues to walke after my commaundements thinke vpon them put to your indeuour be diligent therein take a tast sauour of them keepe good watch for feare of being turned away and take very good heede to your selues Thus we see in effect that our Lorde exhorteth vs here to labor ernestly when the case standeth vpon walking in obedience towardes him And why For the thinges that he requireth of vs are not so easie to be don And besides that we be so ill disposed therevnto as is pitie to see insomuch that if we be not spurred and driuen by force we cannot goe forward Therefore it standeth vs in hand to awake and to take heede and to stande continually vppon our garde that wee may performe y e things that our Lord hath commanded vs. Nowe afterward he addeth that this must bee done without bowing to the right hand or to the left so as men walke throughout in the way that he hath shewed them In deede this text shal be expounded more at length in the twelfth chapter but yet must we not passe it ouer without knowing what God ment by it In forbidding vs to bowe to the right hand or to the left he sheweth vs that hee will haue vs to harken to him in all things without exception And this importeth two thinges namely that wee must neither put any thing to his lawe nor take any thing from it As concerning putting to it is as if we would go to the right hand for they y t ad to Gods law do it vpon an imaginatiō y t the keeping of the things conteined there is not al that they haue to do therfore y t it is good to put somewhat more to it Loe howe men would giue place to their owne fancies so as if any thing come in their heades they thinke that God forgate that and that it were good to be done And that was the very cause of the great number of ordinances lawes and ceremonies that are set vp in poperie The Iewes had the like vice among them according as they be blamed for despising of Gods commandementes statutes for their owne traditions sakes Nowe then let vs keepe vs from walking on the right hand so as we should turne from the way which God hath shewed vs. And why For the right hand is when we will needs bee too wise and too righteous bearing our selues in hande that it is good for vs to do more than we be commaunded But in so doing we be the diuels seruants for God vtterly refuseth all that euer we adde to his word he will haue no such mingling And we decline or bowe to the left hand when wee diminish Gods worde that is to say when wee bee contented to serue him by halues and therewithall would haue him to giue vs leaue to follow our owne lusts Some man peraduenture is not subiect to some vices and well coulde hee find in his heart to discharge his duetie to God-ward in seruing him so farre forth but forasmuch as he cannot ouermaister himself in some other vyces hee woulde haue God to holde himselfe contented to enter into a bargaine with him as if he should say very well if I faile in this behalfe I will recompence it in another But let vs keepe our selues from walking on the left hande that is to say from taking any thing away from Gods worde For as he hath forbidden to murther so hath hee also forbidden to steale and to commit adulterie and therefore we must submit our selues to his commaundements in all points and all respectes without making of any reply thereto For as wee must not in any wise adde ought to his Law so is it not lawfull to take any thing from it but we must walke in all the wayes that he sheweth vs. And whereas hee termeth it a way it is to the ende to exhort vs to keepe vs in it according as we shal see in the ende of this booke where Moses will say Deut. 28.9 This is the way walke therein As if he should say whosoeuer turneth away from the doctrine that I set before you goeth astray hee doth but runne gadding ouer the fields and yet for all that
is conteined therein is good iust and rightfull but also that men shoulde thereby shew whether they were obedient to God or no. And in that respect he saith to the ende that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and keepe his commaundements and statutes By this word Feare he doth vs to wit that God in giuing forth his Law ment to trie what we be and whether we be willing to serue him or no. For although we coulde doe all his commaundements in such sort as no fault could be found in vs to the worldward if in the meane whyle the feare of God be not rooted in our hearts to yeelde him such reuerence as to be willing to be his all our life shal be but a fond pompe for wee must not thinke that God is satisfied with outward apparances How muchsoeuer they be commended of men Luke 6 1â— they bee but smoke before him Then if wee minde to keepe his Lawe dewly and to haue our life acceptable vnto him we must beginne at this point of yeelding him such reuerence as to be desirous to bee vnder his hande and gouernement and to doe him homage as to our soueraine Lord to giue ouer our selues to him as to our maker and to honour him as our father If we be thus minded it is the beginning of all the Lawe and of al righteousnes And that is the cause why it is sayde that the true wisedom is to feare God Proâ— â—â— â— 9.10 And if we will know whether we haue profited in gods lawe or no we must alwayes sift search our selues whether we haue such desire zeale that God shold be honored glorified by vs. For if there be that feare in our hearts y e fruits therof wil shew themselues both in our feete and in our handes y t is to say in al our members according to y e rule which he hath set downe in publishing his law And as for them that boast of the feare of God neuerthelesse behaue themselues lewdly in their conuersation they belie theÌ„selues w t their own mouthes bewray y t they be shameles in bragging so of the feare of God Now then we see here a text which is well worthie to be marked wherin Moses declareth that to serue god well first we must giue our hearts vnto him so as it sufficeth not to haue all y e vertues y t can be imagined to outward shew vnlesse a vertuous mind go before them secondly that the feare of God is no secret or ydle thing but y t although it bee inclosed in mens harts yet neuertheles it must shew it self in their liues for it is the heart that gouerneth both the hands and the feete and all that euer is besides Therefore if wee feare God we must learne to shew it by our deeds and by proofe euen by framing our life according to his will Now herevpon we may gather that God disalloweth all that euer men can doe when they turne away from his worde As for example the Papistes are alwayes seruing of God as they themselues say but in the meane season what doe they They take much paine but they bee neuer a whit the forwarder because they haue nothing among them but mens inuentions Their seruing of God is to biblebable or to kneele downe before puppets or idols to scudde from altar to altar to cause Masses to be chaunted to gadde on pilgrimage to fast such a day in the honour of such a saint and to eate no flesh vppon fridayes and saturdayes To bee short it is a gulfe of all baggage couered with the name and title of Gods seruice But shall ye find that euer God vttered one word or syllable concerning such thinges No. It was euery whit of it deuised by men Nowe let vs consider by this texte whether God accepteth such seruice for good and lawfull Nay contrariwise he saith thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and keepe all his commaundements and statutes So then when men turne from that way and followe their owne imaginations and the inuentions of men thereby they shewe sufficiently that they haue no feare of God in them for else they woulde offer him the sacrifice which hee preferreth before all things namely the sacrifice of obedience as is shewed in the first booke of Samuel the fifteenth Chapter 1. Sam. 15.22.23 Insomuch that if a man herken not vnto Gods voice to submit himselfe thereto but contrariwise followeth the inuention of his owne braine or the thinges that other men haue deuised surely it is an ydolatry and as badde as witchcraft which God abhorreth After that manner doth Gods spirit speake of it notwithstanding that mortall men doe deeme the cleane contrarie Now then wee see howe Moses declareth here that if we feare God in good earnest we will also doe him the honour to be ruled by his will so as we wil not take leaue at mens handes to doe what they thinke good but stop all mens mouthes when God speaketh and open our eares to hearken what hee saieth and receiue the same But yet for all this it is not ynough for euery of vs to imploye himselfe in the seruing of God wee must also procure to the vttermost of our power that he may be worshipped of al men yea and that his seruice may continue euen after our decease so as his honour may abide fast setled when we bee deade and gone out of the worlde not be abolished with our transitorie life And that is the cause why Moses saith thy children and they that issue of their race shal continue in seruing God in keeping his law Therfore let vs mark well that here Moses not onely exhorteth euerie man to serue God by framing his owne life according to the Law that he hath giuen vs but also willeth fathers to take paine in bringing vp their children and to leaue such seed after them so neere as they can as God may be honored in their ofspring and his name bee euer purely called vpon that by that meane such as descend of vs may bee blessed and his couenant which conteineth our saluation indure for euer not perish though we our selues be mortall But wee see that fathers are so farre of from discharging their dueties in this behalfe that they giue such examples to their children as they may seeme to haue conspired to abolish al feare of God and all keeping of his Lawe And therefore no maruell though God withdraw himselfe from vs and seeme to be minded to cut off the benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs. For are we worthy of y e continuance of them towards vs seeing we bee so negligent in causing his seruice to continue in perfect and vnappaired state But yet for al that this must not bee spoken to vs in vaine Therefore let vs indeuour to teach such as shal succeed vs so as God may euer bee worshipped and knowen to bee the father and Sauiour of
will accept our workes for righteousnesse so wee fayle not in the performance of any poynt of his Law But now is there not any man that dischargeth himselfe so much as of any one poynt Ro. 3.10.19 Gal. 3.10 Therefore are we all transgressors of the Lawe and consequently wee bee all accursed And wee must not imagine that it deserueth to bee allowed when wee haue done but some peece of that which GOD commaundeth No for hee that misseth in any one poynt Rome â— 2.10 is guiltie before God and there remaineth nothing for him but death and cursednesse For it is written that whosoeuer performeth not all the thinges that are conteined in this booke â—eut 27.26 shall be accursed Now then let vs learne that whereas the keeping of the Lawe might bee imputed to vs for righteousnesse if it could bee found in vs wee bee vtterly depriued and bereft thereof And why For there is not that man which traÌ„sgresseth not the Lawe in some poynt or other nay not onely in some one poynt but in all poyntes throughout when wee haue caste vp our account For wee neuer serue GOD with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength as hath bin sayd heeretofore And euen when wee doe any good woorkes to outward appearance there is alwayes some coldenesse some slothfulnesse or some one thing or other mingled with them to hinder vs. And therefore the worke is still faultie Thus wee cease not to breake Gods Lawe in all pointes so as wee must needes yeelde our selues guiltie coÌ„fessing that if God listed to iudge vs rigorously hee shoulde needes reiect vs. Now wee see that although the Lawe conteine the true rule of righteousnesse yet can it not make vs righteous because of the weakenesse of our fleshe as sayth Saint Paul in the seuenth to the Romans Rom. 7.14 It remaineth now to knowe in what sense that is spoken For it seemeth to be to no purpose that God should promise to accept theÌ„ for righteous which keepe his lawe and yet notwithstanding that all of vs shoulde bee bereft thereof Howbeit wee must marke Rom. 3.24 that there is a refuge giuen vs which is to resort to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which is graunted vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore when we haue acknowledged our selues to bee vtterly forlorne and damned in our owne nature and thereupon repayre to our Lord Iesus Christ sewing to bee partakers of his righteousnesse and to bee iustifyed by vertue of the obedience which hee yeelded to God his father then GOD not onely receiueth vs to mercy and couereth vs with the perfection that is in our Lorde Iesus Christ as with a cloake to the intent wee shoulde obtaine saluation but also taketh our workes in good woorth And although wee performe not the Lawe but come loytering aloofe after it so as there is great store of vices in vs wherewith our workes are blemished yet notwithstanding GOD accepteth them and promiseth that we shall not loose our labor insomuch that our workes shall be taken for righteous before him Albeit that they bee worthie to bee taken for starke filth because there is alwayes somewhat in them that God may condemne yet this keeping of the Law which we performe vnperfect as it is shall not faile to bee taken for righteousnesse The reason is because Iesus Christ supplyeth our default Then doth not our righteousnesse consist in the worthynesse of our owne workes Iohn 1.16 Eph. 1.4 Rom. 3.20 Eph. 2.9.10 but inasmuch as they bee sanctifyed in the name of Gods son forasmuch as we be his meÌ„bers both they we be admitted for righteous because of the obedieÌ„ce which hee yeelded vnto God And that obedience is communicated vnto vs as if it were our owne Thus yee see how the promises that are made vnto vs doe assure vs that God will accept the thinges for righteousnesse which we doe in indeuouring to serue him For such promises are not vaine nor frutelesse so our Lord Iesus Christ bee or mediator and performe that which wanteth on our behalfe For without that all the lawe will serue vs to none other purpose but to condemne vs as hath bin shewed afore Moreouer let vs marke for the second point that although the people had kept the Lawe of GOD yet euen the very performance thereof of was a record vnto them that it stoode them in hand to bee iustifyed by mercie and grace and not by their owne merites For their sacrificing was a kind of protesting that they were worthie of death Hebr. 10.3 There was neuer any beast slayne vnder the lawe but the same was an autenticall record that men deserued to bee damned at Gods hand And thereby it behoued the faithfull to bee put in minde to resort vnto God and that with such humilitie as they sought their lyfe elsewhere than in themselues In lyke case was it with their washings and with all the rest of their ceremonies The hauing of light in the Temple was to shew that men are starke blind in themselues and their hauing of the holy Lampes and the oyle that God had ordeined for the same and their anointinges and such other thinges ought to haue made the people to consider thus with themselues there is neyther vnderstanding grace vertue nor any thing else in our wit but wee must bee faine to borrowe all thinges of the redeemer that was promised to our fathers and of Gods spirit who is the fountaine and fulnesse of all good thinges Eph. 4.7 So then the keeping of the lawe sent the people backe to the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and serued for nothing lesse than to hold them still to those shadowes to put their trust in them Lykewise at this day sith wee vnderstand well which is the right keeping of Gods lawe wee see well enough that it is not for vs to presume vppon our owne deseruinges as these mad papistes doe who vphold that they become righteous by keeping of the Lawe They bee so caryed away with that opinion that they think not any more of Gods grace neither doe they perceiue that the Lawe was giuen to holde men conuicted to driue them to come before their Iudge as wretched offenders to sewe for grace They thinke not of that Againe they haue the terme Merit or Desert which they vse like a drunken man that can discerne nothing because he is ouersotted and hath his eyes bleared euen so play these wretched vnbeleeuers But we for our part knowe that we haue to thanke our God for his infinite goodnesse in making vs to vnderstand that the true keeping of the lawe is for men to condemne themselues by it and to take knowledge that they haue nothing in them but vtter frowardnesse and that they must be faine to resorte vnto God and to betake themselues wholy to his mercy And forasmuch as there is none other meane but Iesus Christ they must get them
thither and know that God will bee neither father nor Sauiour vnto them but by accepting them in the person of him in whome hee auoweth all his delight to bee Mat. 3. 〈…〉 17.5 〈…〉 Eph. 〈…〉 Thus the thinges which wee haue to remember vpon this text are first that if we will haue God to allow of our lyfe wee must not doe what wee thinke good of our selues but simply follow that which is commaunded vs in his Lawe Howbeit forasmuch as it is promised vs that wee shall bee taken for righteous before him if wee keepe his Lawe and yet notwithstanding all of vs are traÌ„sgressors of y e law so as our whole lyfe condeÌ„neth vs there is none of vs but hee may iudge by y e Rom. 〈…〉 heartbitings of his owne conscience that wee bee full of sinnes and offences we must flee to y e forementioned refuge which is to beseech God to iustifye vs of his owne free mercie And besides this when wee bee once graffed into the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs not doubt but hee will make vs partakers of the fruite of his death and passion Ro. 〈…〉 so that although our workes be sinfull yet God will admit them for righteous But yet that proceedeth of his free goodnesse and not of any desert of ours Finally forasmuch as wee knowe that the best workes which wee can doe are worthie to bee condemned let vs looke well to it that wee presume not of our selues not of our owne vertues but let vs go and submit our selues with all humilitie to our God 1. P 〈…〉 praying him to worke so in vs by his holy spirit as hee make the death and passion of his sonne auaileable whereby the euerlasting saluation is purchased for vs. And now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to voutsafe to print his Law in such wise in our heartes as wee may bee able to keepe it not of our owne power and motion but by the guiding of his holy spirit and that therewithall it may please him to beare with vs in our infirmities vntill hee haue rid vs quite cleane of al our sinnes taken vs vp into the euerlasting kingdome which hee hath promised vs. And so let vs all say A mighty God c. On Thursday the first of August 1555. The Lj Sermon which is the first vppon the seuenth Chapter WHen the Lord thy God shal haue brought thee into the Land whither thou goest to possesse it and shall haue cast out manie Nations before thee namelie the Hethites the Gergesites the Amorrhytes the Chananites the Pherezites the Heuites and the Iebusites seuen Nations moe in number and stronger than thy selfe 2 And when the Lord thy God shal haue deliuered them before thee thou shalt smite them and roote them out and thou shalt make no couenant with them nor shewe them any fauour 3 Thou shalt not alye thy self with them by mariage thou shalt not giue thy dawghter to their sonnes nor take their dawghter for thy sonne 4 For shee would make thy sonne to go away from mee to serue other Gods and the Lordes wrath would kindle against you and destroy thee suddenly IT shoulde seeme at y e â—irst sight that y e commaÌ„dement which is giuen here to y e Iewes was very straÌ„ge For they be charged to dispatch all their enemies and to put them to death euerychone yea euen the young children and all without sparing any of them and it is God that speaketh it But wee know that when he intendeth to exhort vs to mildnesse and mercy hee alledgeth his own example Ye shal reseÌ„ble your heauenly father sayth our Lord Iesus Christ Matt. 5.45 who causeth his daysunne to rise both vppon good and bad and therefore doe good to such as are not worthie of it Seeing that GOD hath not a better reason to perswade vs to shewe mercy than by shewing vs what he himselfe doth it seemeth not in any wise conuenient that he should prouoke vs vnto crueltie For when hee sayth ye shall kill all yee shall leaue nothing euen the young babes shall passe vnder the edge of the sworde what is to be sayd to it but that GOD had no pitie nor kindeheartednesse in that behalfe But although it seeme so to vs yet let vs learne to glorify him knowing that the greatest rigor which is in him is rightful faultlesse yea eueÌ„ although the reason thereof be not manifest vnto vs. And hereby let vs learne to beware y t we be not so bold as to iudge of God or of his doings after our own wit imagination For as soon as a thing seemeth good vnto vs wee take it to bee so in deede and on the contrary part if wee fall to iudging of Gods ordinances at aduenture deeme them to bee euill because wee perceiue not the reason of them where is our obedience Wherefore let vs learne to humble our selues in such wise that if the thinges which God sayth doe not sitly agree with our vnderstanding yet neuerthelesse wee receiue them with all submission and reuereÌ„ce acknowledging that as there is nothing but all wisedome and righteousnesse in him so it becommeth vs to yeeld to his good pleasure and to confesse that whatsoeuer he ordeyneth is the souereine righteousnesse Againe to the end that the thing which is set downe here may not seeme straunge wee must marke what maner of people they were of whom mention is made here It is sayd Thou shalt destroy the people whom I will deliuer into thy hand Now if it be demaunded whereof it came that God would haue none of them reserued Let vs haue an eye to that which had bin spoken foure hundred yeeres afore namely The wickednesse of the Amorrhites is not yet come to his full ripenesse Gen. 15.16 In the time of Abraham these people were so malicious and spitefull in vexing that holy patriarke as they refused euen to let him haue water GeÌ„ 21.25.30 Not that hee went about to borrowe any out of their pondes and fountaines but that they wold not suffer him to injoy the welles that hee himselfe had digged in the desert places He did no wrong to any man and yet they were so cruell that they would not suffer him to drinke of the water which hee had gotten by his owne skill and trauell He was hunted from place to place and yet hee had not done any man wroÌ„g Againe all the countrie was ful of the contempt of God all was full of wickednesse robberie whoredome and all maner of vncleanesse To bee short God seemed to bee asleepe in that hee punished not those nations which were so giuen ouer to all vngodlynesse and outrage And if they that grudge at this text had liued in those dayes they would haue sayd how now God promiseth to doe iustice and to take vengeance vppon all the despisers of his maiestie
holy spirit so as he hath giuen vs some good disposition wherethrough wee be inclyned to serue him and to be short wee shew that his spirit reigneth in vs by subduing of our vices and of the wicked lustes which are in vs by nature yet come we stil far short of the marke which wee should tend vnto It is true that wee will trauell thitherward as all the faithfull doe whose chiefe regard and principall desire is to serue God but yet doe they finde themselues so sore combered as maketh them to shudder at it When they bee about to stirre one finger foreward the rest of their body drawes backward It is much if they can but trayne themselues that is to say if they can get forward a little coldely And therefore they be driuen to sigh grone and to condemne themselues beseeching God to vouchsafe to hearten them better and to take away all the lets that are in themselues For he that is perfectest condemneth himselfe most insomuch that the true perfection that is in mē during this mortall lyfe is to knowe the euill that is in vs and how wretched we be On the contrary part as for those that make themselues idols bearing themselues in hand that they bee come already to the highest toppe of perfection they burst themselues with pride and doe but shroude a secret filthinesse within whereby they bewray that they knowe not yet what it is to loue God and to serue him For otherwise they should neuer bee so blinded with mad selfetrust as to beare themselues in hand that they bee throughly righteous Seeing then that although we indeuer neuer so much to serue God we shall go limping and dragge our legges after vs let vs bee sure that God shall neuer bee in daunger or det to any of vs but rather wee shall be condemned in all our workes We may well alledge I was willing and I did mine indeuer but that is not all that wee haue to doe For the will shall alwayes be found very weake so as if wee haue one good affection there shall be a dosen euil ones for it And so by that meanes al of vs should be disappoynted of the hope that God giueth vs by his promises if they should be taken so rawely according to the naked letter where it is sayd If yee serue mee I will doe yee good But nowe let men streine themselues as much as they list when they come to their audit there will bee so many abatements as wil shewe that all Gods promises can stand them in no stead And therefore they must come to y e second remedie which is that God supplieth our defaultes and that although all our workes deserue naught else but condemnation yet notwithstanding God accepteth them and taketh them for good of his owne fatherly goodnesse and not of any duetie that hee is bounde vnto Then let vs not bee so blinde as the wretched papistes who when they heare that God addeth any condition to his promises doe by by step vp with their ergoes and fall to descanting of their owne free will and deseruinges But contrariwise let vs assure our selues that when God speaketh to vs in such order of speach as is shewed vs here although hee come to vs with gentlenesse yet doth it nothing auaile vs vntill he vse his own meere mercie to saue vs throughout not for any desert of ours but because it pleseth him so to doe Marke y t for a special poynt And therewithall let vs marke also that if the good which God doth to men in the thinges that concerne this transitory lyfe doe proceede of his mercie much more reason is it that the immortall heritage cannot bee gotten by our owne strength but that God must be faine to giue it vs of his owne meere liberalitie or free gift And whereof speaketh Moses in this place He sayth God will blesse thy Cattell God will blesse thy Corne Wine and Oyle All these are transitory thinges and how is it that God prospereth vs in them By his mercie saith he And he sheweth expresly that Gods couenant proceedeth not from any other spring nor hath any other roote than that no not euen in cases concerning this flightfull lyfe and these transitorie thinges Now if in promising to prosper vs in our Cattell in our Landes in the bread which we eate God haue not an eye to any worthinesse of ours but onely voutsafeth to shew himselfe a liberall kinde-hearted father towardes vs what will hee doe in cases concerning the making of vs partakers of the heauenly glory I beseech you can wee alledge any desertes in that behalfe No for then shold Oxen kine be of more estimation w t him than mens soules Therefore let vs marke well the thinges that I haue touched namely that wee may well vnderstand aforehand howe greatly God loueth vs by his promising of reward recompence for our workes For he doth it not of any duetie but to win vs by gentlenesse and louingnesse Yet notwithstanding let vs vnderstand moreouer y t the same shall neuer boote vs a whit vnlesse our Lord proceede yet further in shewing himselfe liberall towards vs namely y t after he hath receiued vs to mercie euē vs which were vtterly lost damned he doe also loue vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake and thereupon beare with all the imperfections y t are in vs without intēding to impute thē to vs so as our workes may please him although they deserue it not For that is verifyed euen in these base thinges beneath When we take our repast of the bread wherewith we be susteined wee must acknowledge that the same commeth of y t meere goodnesse of our God And lykewise when wee haue done our indeuour to serue him wee must acknowledge that he is not any whit beholden vnto vs for it but which more is that the good affection which we haue is giuen vs of him and yet that all this is nothing because there is some faultinesse in it Therefore it must needs be that Gods receiuing of vs into fauor is not for that he oweth vs any thing but for that he loueth vs. Now seeing that God wil haue his mercy knowē in these corruptible thinges what will hee haue done in the euerlasting saluation of our soules But here might a question bee moued that seeing God respecteth not our merites when he doth vs good why vseth he this maner of speach which we reade here in Moses There are two reasons The one is that he intendeth to make vs feele his grace y e better by driuing vs to graūt that none of al y e things which he behighteth vs could take effect if our workes should be respected therefore that he must be faine to bury all our sinnes to accept vs of his owne freegoodnesse This would be somewhat with y e darkest if it should not be layd forth more at lēgth His saying in effect is that
offences of our fathers that haue doone amisse yet shall they not fayle to remayne still of record in his registers if we hold on and continue like vnto them Will we then haue the sinnes of our forefathers buried and y t God should forget thē and not call vs to account for them Let vs looke that we be the carefuller to keepe our selues from being like to them And so ye see how it is expedient for vs to thinke vpon the sinnes that haue bin cōmitted before we were borne Let vs consider thus Alas I was yet vnborne at that time but howe shall I do if my forefathers haue done amisse and that I for my part bee put in among them For it is saide that God gathereth together the sins of the fathers vnto the third fourth generation to let them fall vpon their children Then doe we deserue to be destroyed and to perish if God listed to vse rigour towardes vs. For the saide threat of the law is rightful and might iustly be executed vpon our heads and if he spare vs it is of his owne mere goodnesse For to what purpose should we put ouer the fault to our fathers of prouoking Gods wrath both against themselues and vs when we our selues continue in their wickednes Ought not the vengeance to be dubble when we on our part haue cleaued to their sinnes as well as they Thus ye see what we haue to remember vppon this place where Moses doeth not onely blame them that liued in his time for the things then presently committed but also moreouer charge them with all the transgressions that their fathers had committed from their comming out of Egypt vnto that day Nowe then the thing that we haue to marke heere in effect is that men doe not onely marre themselues by bearing themselues on hande that they bee righteous for want of considering their sinnes throughly but also that they puffe vp themselues with pride so as they will needes make God beleeue that blacke is white And therfore let it prouoke vs to condemn our selues willingly according to this doctrine of Moses So then let vs acknowledge our sinnes truly and vnfeynedly y t we may so mislike of thē as there may not one drop of fond presumptuousnesse remain in vs but that we may be vtterly cast downe and acknoweledge that there is nothing but vtter wretchednesse in vs and that we be beholden to God for all goodnesse so as we haue it of his free gift and not as in recompence of any reward for any merit or desert of ours but onely of his own free mercy which he hath vsed towardes vs. So farre then must we come of necessitie And for performance hereof let vs euening morning inforce and indeuour our selues to call to minde the faults that we haue committed And that we may enter into this triall and examination of our selues let vs bethinke vs both of our owne sinnes and of the sinnes of our forefathers and let vs assure our selues that if God woulde play the Iudge with vs wee shoulde not onely bee vtterly rooted out for our owne faultes which are yet freshe in our rememberance but also all the euill that hath beene committed before we were borne might iustly be called backe againe vpon our heades seeing wee be wrapped in the same offences that our auncetors were Therefore let vs thinke well vpon these things that wee may magnifie the goodnesse of our God in bearing with vs. And to the intent wee play not the hypocrites let vs marke well how it is sayde that it is ynough to haue prouoked GOD alreadie For when they haue fought against God and his worde and haue behaued themselues lewdly all the time of their lyfe yet at their death they make no conscience to say I thought I did as wel in fighting against God as if I had fought against the Pope and the Masse What a thing is it to vse such speech Is it not apparant that such folke are vtterly past recouerie as haue their consciences so dulled and that the diuell carieth them away so as they can no more be sorie for their sinnes which as sayeth S. Paule 1. Tim. 4.2 is the full measure of all confusion when such gracelesse creatures will needes iustifie themselues after that sort with so vaine couertures Let vs marke well then that wee must not alleage I thought so but it is ynough that we haue prouoked our God And if moreouer our owne conscience accuse vs thereof what will become of vs Will God in the meane while become as a dead idoll which seeth not our offences at all A man thinketh his owne wayes to bee good Prou. 16.9 sayeth Salomon but our Lorde holdeth the balance in his hand and weyeth our woorkes And Saint Iohn telleth vs that if wee feele any heartbyting in our conscience 1. Iohn 3.20 the same iudgeth vs alreadie and what will become of vs then when wee come before God Doeth not he see clearer than our owne consciences Yes and therefore let vs marke wel that we shal win nothing by flattering of our selues but God must be faine to woorke so in vs as we may bee ouermaistred and vtterly cast downe to say Alas if GOD should not spare vs wee were vndoone And moreouer let vs knowe that our true righteousnesse I meane not to glory of it but to seeke it to our benefite is to beare Gods yoke so as wee liue not after our owne lustes and lykinges but that if it please GOD to exercise vs with afflictions wee shewe by all maner of patience that wee haue a necke plyable vnder him Finally for as much as his lawe ought to serue vs for a brydle let vs suffer our selues to bee ruled and gouerned by his hand so as we be not giuen to our owne foolishe deuotions ne come replying to him with this and that but be contented to let our GOD try our obedience seeing hee hath giuen vs his lawe Then let vs see that our life bee framed according to his will which is the onely rule of well dooing and let vs submit our selues wholy thereunto as we see we be warned heere by Moses Nowe let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to touche vs with them to the quicke and to take from vs all blynde foldinges of hypocrisie that nothing may keepe vs from being ashamed and cast downe in our selues vntill wee bee raysed agayne by fayth and hope of his goodnesse and mercie praying him also that when hee hath once made vs to feele our diseases it may please him to fill vs with the grace of his holy spirite so as wee may liue according to his good will And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxix of August 1555. The Lxiiij Sermon which is the third vppon the ninth Chapter 8 Also ye prouoked the Lord to anger in Horeb
doone and Moses doeth God the honour to keepe him to that which hee had sayde Nowe that hee is assaulted with greeuous temptation euen as though it were cannon shot hee persisteth neuerthelesse in the same faith and it is not a faith that flickereth as a shaddowe but a faith conceyued of the worde and couenaunt of God a faith that shoulde stande fast setled and vnmouable We see howe that Moses neuer obeyed GOD better than when hee withstoode the threatening which God made But yet doeth not this resolue the whole question For a man might replie Howe so Beholde God speaketh continually why then doeth Moses beleeue one of his sayinges more than other Againe there is an other doubte Seeing that God is vnuariable and hath but one single will why speaketh he otherwise than hee had determined in himselfe For in so doing hee shoulde deale double which thing wee knowe can in no wise agree with his nature As touching the first question let vs marke that forasmuch as Moses was gouerned by the holy Ghost and was fullie perswaded that it behooued him to sticke to the promise which was made to Abraham and therefore gaue credite to the same hee considered also therewithall that Gods threatening was iust and that he might iustly execute it for else his praying had beene but a mockerie Hee sawe the daunger that hung ouer the people and was readie to fall vppon them But forasmuch as he thought there was a remedy though GOD had saide Let me alone hee falleth to intreataunce againe And that serueth to shew the heynousnesse of the offence and of the fault that had beene committed For such an enormitie as that was deserued well y e vtter destruction of the people Moses then is so gouerned by the holy Ghoste that although his will seeme contrarie to Gods will yet neuerthelesse hee knoweth what wee ought to followe But it seemeth that Abraham did the cleane contrarie Gen. 22.2 For God had promised him to blesse Isaac and to raise vp a people of his seed whom he woulde take to himselfe And yet notwithstanding he commaundeth Abraham to slea Isaac with his owne handes Nowe it seemeth that after the example which is set vs downe here he shoulde rather haue saide Lorde thou hast promised mee that my sonne Isaac shall beget a seede whereby saluation shall be sent vnto the worlde therefore he must needes liue But Abraham is gouerned by the holy Ghoste and knoweth that hee ought to obey GOD simplie without gaynesaying for hee coulde well haue stirred vp seede from out of the ashes of Isaac when he had beene deade So then let vs marke that when such temptations as these doe incounter the faithfull so as God seemeth to bee contrarie to himselfe he fay leth not to gouerne them by his holy spirite and to giue them such wisedome and discretion as they holde themselues alwayes to the thing that is good and belonging to their duetie and neuer doubt at al of Gods worde And therefore let vs beseech God to teach vs his will and let vs doe our indeuour in seeking his worde and surely hee will neuer suffer vs to goe astray nor to doe amisse but forasmuchas he knoweth vs to be vnskilfull and easie to be led away to and fro he will hold vs backe by his holie spirit and giue vs discretion to discerne what hee commaundeth For like as he fayled neither Moses nor Abraham no more also will he faile vs. As touching the seconde question where it was demaunded howe it may be that GOD shoulde say one thing and meane an other for that is contrarie to his nature in somuch as hee nameth himselfe the trueth and therefore must needes shewe himselfe to bee so indeede we must marke that in saying so hee speaketh not peremptorilie but with condition though the condition be not expressed Therefore we must haue an eye to the ende whereunto these wordes are referred and then shall wee finde that there is no contrarietie in them God had saide to Abraham thy seede shall bee helde in bondage but about afoure hundred yeres hence I will performe the promise that I haue made thee Needes nowe muste this free promise of God be performed for it dependeth not vppon men it is not saide conditionally that thine ofspring behaue themselues well but Gods intent is to bee vnchaungeable in his determination And therefore whereas he saith here to Moses Let me alone I will make cleane riddaunce of this people it is as if he shoulde say This people hath deserued to be vtterly destroyed for seeing they be past amendement what shall I doe more I haue tried them a number of wayes I haue experience of them I haue borne gentlie with them I haue chastised them and yet will they not bee reclaimed neither by faire meanes nor by foule Seeing then that they be past recouerie they must needs be vtterly rooted out and perish Yea but yet is there this Let mee alone His vsing of that speech includeth a condition as if he shoulde say Here am I readie to doe the office of a iudge what remaineth nowe to doe but to thunder downe vppon this people and to make cleane dispatche of them Onely make thou no intercession for them Nowe wee see yet better the thing which I touched afore that is to wit that God was so farre off from cutting off of Moses or from shutting him out that he shoulde not pray that hee did rather sharpen him thereunto As if hee shoulde say But for thee this people shoulde be destroyed For if I shoulde handle them according to their desertes I shoulde confounde them And forasmuch as they be so wilfull that they be past amendement It is time nowe or neuer to execute my sentence It is too much I will make no moe wordes But I will graunt thus much at thy request that if thou make intercession to me I will be restrayned by it Now then wee see these two questions well resoluedâ— and the profite that redoundeth of this texte Namely firste that the force of our prayers is shewed vs here when we pray vnto God faithfullie And secondly we see that daungers ought to prouoke vs the more The more that Gods wrath is vttered vnto vs the more ought we to be moued to pray vnto God because it is as if he draue vs thereto by force And wee must not pray alonly for our selues nor haue a care of our saluation onely nor onely feare the daungers that hang ouer our heades but wee must also take care â—or our neighbors and when we heare Gods threateninges they must waken vs and make vs to come before him saying Alas Lord heere is a sorte of wretched creatures which must needes perish if thou be so disposed Therfore let vs bee prouoked to feare the more for Gods shewing of his wrath vnto vs and for the hearing of his threates For hee vttereth his iudgementes vnto vs to the ende that we should preuent them For
imagine y t there is any cause why God should loue one more thaÌ„ another saue onely that it is his pleasure so to do Moses could not haue expressed this more plainly than by saying that it was Gods good pleasure That is the verie fountaine and out of that fountaine springeth afterward the loue Let vs learne then that God must first loue vs and that we must feele the same by effect in vs and yet notwithstanding we must not stay stil at that loue But to the ende wee may the better feele y t it is a free loue we must proceede to Gods pleasure or will that is to say wee must knowe that he respected neither one thing nor other wherby to be persuaded and moued to that loue but that he sought the cause of it in him self and because it liked him therefore he listed it That is the thing that Moses hath declared in this text Howbeit for as much as we cannot as nowe proceede any farther let vs beare away but this lesson that as oft as there is any speaking of our saluation wee must not seeke y e cause of it any where else than in God that being vtterly naked of all goodnes we must confesse our selues to be vtterly accursed but that God pitying vs and mynding to shewe vs mercie draweth vs out of the cursednes wherein we were in which respect for as much as he calleth allureth vs to the saluation which he hath purchased so dearly for vs we must not dout but y t he wil bring vs thither at leastwise if we abide stedfast in his couenant yet neuerthelesse that because wee cannot haue such stedfastnes of our selues hee will hold vs vp strengthen vs by his holy spirit to the end that feeling his power in vs wee may be the more incouraged to serue him and not bee vnthankfull for so great goodnesse as hee hath shewed vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may continually mislike them more and more and in so doing returne vnto him as to y e onely partie that can remedie our diseases and set vs vp againe by pardoning our offences so as we may feele the sweetenes that is in him and the bitternesse of our afflictions may not make vs to mislike of his seruice but rather y t wee may be the more affectioned vnto it so as by y t means we may be framed vnto his righteousnes vnto y e obeying of him vntil we be gathered into the company of his Angels That it may please him to grant this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of the earth c. On Fryday the xiij of September 1555. The Lxxii Sermon which is the fourth vpon the tenth Chapter 15 Yet notwithstanding the Lorde hath through loue acquainted himselfe with thy fathers and loued them and chosen their seede after them that is to wit euen you aboue all people as appeareth this day 16 Therefore cutte away the foreskin of your heartes and harden not your neckes from henceforth 17 For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great mightie and terrible God which regardeth not anie mans person nor taketh anie giftes WEe haue to lay foorth more at large the senteÌ„ce that was begun yesterday which is that here Moses declareth vnto the Iewes that all the goodnesse which they had proceeded of Gods loue yea euen of free loue For his louing of them aboue all other people was not for that they were worthier but because it so pleased him Moreouer he addeth that God tooke not Abraham onely but also all his ofspring into his fauour so as his choosing of the people proceeded thereof Wherof commeth it then that the Iewes were so preferred before all the rest of the worlde If we say it was because they were better than the rest y t is a manifest gainsaying of God who will haue vs to acknowledge his only fauour goodnes in that behalfe Then let vs conclude y t God sought not the cause thereof els where than in himselfe But y t his will was to lay forth the infinite treasures of his mercy to shew that he was not indetted to any creature but that his bearing of good will towardes them is for y t he himselfe is good and therfore all things are to be referred to his praise according as the scripture sheweth that his chosing of his church in all ages hath beene to that end Ephes. 1.6 Nowe we see in effect what this doctrine meaneth Yesterday it was declared what was the vse of it namely that men should be humbled in them selues to exalt Gods goodnes thereupon take the better courage to serue him For how greatly are we bound vnto him seeing he hath vouchsafed to take vs for his heritage to adopt vs to be his children whereas in the meane season he hath reiected others that were like vnto vs For if it be demanded wherein we differ from other men there wil no difference be found in respect of our selues And therfore seeing that God hath esteemed vs so highly we are bound to serue him and to giue our selues wholly vnto him But by the way let vs marke that there is a generall election belonging to all this people which election deserueth well to be had in estimation But yet should not al auaile except euery man were made partaker of it particularly in himselfe This would be darkesum if it were not declared more at large But it wil become easie ynough if we cal to minde first what Moses teacheth here and which wee haue seene already heretofore namely that God chose Abrahams ofspring out of the whole worlde And why because it pleased him All the world was his as hath beene declared already and al nations were alike neere vnto him and in equall degree as that ofspring was that was to come of AbrahaÌ„ Nay which more is he chose a people y t had no being and of whoÌ„ there was no hope For Abraham was like a drie timberlogge â—om 4.19 and therefore was there no hope that euer he could haue any ofspring Sara his wife was barreÌ„ both of them drooped for age and their bodies were withered so as God chose the thing which was not and his promise seemed as it were to hang in the ayre without foundation to rest vpon And yet notwithstaÌ„ding by vertue of the promise wherein God sayde that hee would blesse AbrahaÌ„s lynage Gen. 17.6.7 there must needes come a people as shall be shewed in the next lecture See here I pray you the election of God wherby he putteth such difference betwene the lynage of Abraham and all the rest of the world that he made the same linage his Church of purpose that the signes of his fauour and of his couenant should remaine there and that his
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
him my image shyneth most perfectly in him which is shewed soorth in his Gospell and therfore they that are members of his bodie are made partakers of all the benefites which hee hath in him That is the way for the promises to haue their effect and force in vs and not to looke simply to the doctrine of the lawe For when God sayd I will giue you the lande to whome spake he To all the people But yet with condition if yee keepe my commandements And that was made voide As howe Because the people were disobedient and kept not couenant with God And so ye see that the whole couenant was broken so as God was set free againe and no longer bounde vnto them because it was tyed to a condition What doeth he then He sends vs a king to whome he sayeth I will giue thee the lande for thine inheritance Hee vseth the selfe same wordes that are set downe here by Moses I will giue thee the lande saith hee for thine inheritance from the wildernesse vnto mount Libanus from the riuer Euphrates to y e great sea And to whome doth God giue it To Dauid Salomon True it is that he had giuen the same land afore to all the people but the people were banished from it through their own fault And was it then but for one onely person was it the worthines of Dauid or Salomon that made God willing to giue them the thing which hee had promised to al the ofspring of Abraham No but it was because they were a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And in verie deede when the Prophets intended to assure the people of the quiet state that was promised to thē and of the inioying of the land they saide I will raise you vp a Dauid Now then Gods offering to lay foorth his riches to al men without exceptiō in his law to maintaine them withall in this present life is as if he should say whatsoeuer I haue promised to giue to the fathers of olde time belongeth to you also at leastwise if ye obey my law throughly in all points not by pieces starts But wee be so farre vnable to discharge our selues of that duetie that we fall to despising of God so as hee is faine to shewe himselfe an enemie vnto vs. That is al that we be able to win by our keeping of the lawe if we wil needes stick simply to it as I sayd afore Neuerthelesse there is this other remedie for it Whē our Lord Iesus Christ cōmeth forth reacheth vs his hande to pull vs to him then we find that he is not without cause termed the vniuersal heire of all the goods which God his father hath And his possessing of them is not for himself 〈◊〉 1. ◠17 for he is one selfesame essence w t God the father he hath bin the God of glory at all times 1. Cor. 2.8 Matt. 28.18 Phil. 2.7.9 But in this flesh of ours in our humaine nature wherewith he was clothed he was ordeyned chiefe king and the dominion of the worlde was giuen vnto him euen as wel in heauen as in earth Now then if we be once graffed into his bodie and perfectly made one with him then shall wee recouer that thing in him which we cannot obteine by our deedes deserts And then shal we see that Iesus Christ beeing raised againe vnto glorie wil of his goodnes drawe vs after him to make vs partakers of all things that he hath Furthermore the telling of this thing vnto vs is not to giue men scope to do euil but wee must marke that when God reserueth vs to himselfe to put vs in possession of his goods he doth also reforme vs by his holy spirite Yet notwithstanding all that euer we can do albeit that wee bee gouerned by God haue a good will to serue him is of no value at all if it bee esteemed of it selfe but yet for Iesus Christes sake God will accept vs and our workes and the inheritance shal abyde sure stedfast vnto vs for wee must not be afraide but that we shal attaine vnto it It is not giuen vs for our own sakes but because wee be partakers of our Lord Iesus Christ receiue the grace that he hath purchased vs so as we bee reconciled to God by his death passion in respect whereof he is mercifull to vs we be sure of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes because all our spots are washed scoured cleane away Although there bee sinnes imperfections in vs which might make vs blamable before God yet are we iustified and brought into his fauour againe when hee hath once renewed vs by his holy spirite Therfore if we go that way to work let vs not dout but the promise shal stand fast so as we shal feele the effect force of it to our saluation But in the meane while let vs not glorie in our selues for there is no matter nor cause why we should do so Now let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better yea and so to feele them as that misliking and condemning our selues for them we may submit our selues to our Lord Iesus Christ beseeching him so to reform vs by his holy spirit as Gods image may shine forth in vs and wee not faile to continue in the possession of the heritage which hee hath promised vs because it is not grounded vpon our owne workes deedes but vppon his freebestowed goodnes And moreouer let vs pray our Lord to be so gracious to vs as to giue vs such strength while wee passe through this world wherin wee haue a great sort of enemies to fight against that we may get the vpper hand of them be alwayes certified more and more y t he is neere at hand to such as call vpon him submit themselues vnto him that by y e meanes he may continually be glorified at our hands that it may appeare howe hee will alwayes vphold vs if wee fight vnder his standarde That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Fryday the xxvij of September 1555. The Lxxix Sermon which is the sixth vpon the eleuenth Chapter 26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing a curse 27 A blessing if ye obey the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you this day 28 And likewise a curse if ye obey not the commandements of the Lorde your God but turne out of the way which I cōmaunde you this day to go after strange gods which ye know not 29 And when the Lord your God shal haue brought you into the land which thou goest vnto to possesse it then shalt thou set the blessing vpon mount Garizim the curse vpon mount Eball 30 Are they not on the other side of Iordan on
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
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
and perceiued Neuerthelesse it standeth vs alwayes in hande to beware that wee abuse not the Sacraments namely that wee be not so fleshly as to sticke to the world but that seeing God is come downe vnto vs we also on our side doe mount vp vnto him and therewithall assure our selues that our Lorde in giuing vs his sacramentes giueth vs not rittleratles and childishe trifles to busie our heades withall but that hee giueth vs the verie trueth to the end we should be knit vnto him and that we might feele that his power is euer at hande with vs. Thus much concerning the saying where Moses speaketh againe of Gods presence coÌ„maundeth y e Iewes to resort to IerusaleÌ„ wheÌ„ God should haue choseÌ„ y e place in the meane while to resort to y e place where y e arke of y e couenaÌ„t y e sanctuary were set vp And finally he sayth That they should not come empty before the lord but that euery man should bring somewhat according as God had blessed him Some haue taken this text to bee a kinde of promise as though God had sayd that such as resorted vnto him should not go their way againe empty True it is that if wee seeke God wee shall finde plenty of all good things in him according as it is sayd Come vnto him and ye shall be inlightened Psal. 34.6 and your faces shall not be ashamed Therfore let vs not thinke that wee shall want any thing if wee seeke God for he will fill vs as hee is riche so is he liberal we shal be satisfied and haue our fil of al thinges y t wee haue neede of for our saluation Then is it very true in it selfe that all such as offer themselues before God shal not return emptie according as it is written Psal. â—1 11 Open thy mouth and I will fill it But as in respect of this present place it is certaine that Moses speaketh of Offeringes and wee must not bring in any other gloses For hee declareth that euery man ought to offer according to the gifte of his hande that is to say according to his abilitie For that kind of speeche were straunge to vs if wee were not made to vnderstand it namely that euery man ought to consider what GOD hath giuen him that hee may doe him homage for it Therefore looke what wee haue in our hande that let vs take to offer vnto God and to make sacrifice to him withall In the tyme of the Lawe the offeringes were applyed to such vse as wee haue seene heeretofore and wee neede not to rehearse the Ceremonie any more As nowe in remaineth that wee doe homage to GOD at all tymes with the goods that hee hath bestowed vppon vs. And howe may that bee doone By Almesdeedes Iob. 35.6 Pâ—al 16.2 Hebr. 13.16 For wee cannot increase him by bestowing any thing vppon him but yet hee accepteth whatsoeuer wee giue to the poore Those are the sacrifices which hee requireth and alloweth nowadayes Therefore must we bestowe them there And seeing that our Lord offereth himselfe vnto vs not thrise a yeere onely but manifestly in the person of his sonne Iesus Christ so as hee dwelleth with vs continually let it bee a meane to drawe vs to him euen with an earnest minde that wee may haue our hande alwayes open to offer vnto him If wee had the Sanctuarie and that it behoued vs to present our selues thrise a yeere at Ierusalem wee should doe the thing that is commaunded vs heere and yet should not that serue to exempt vs from doing of Almes deeds al the yeere after For if there were no more than the Ceremonie it were a smal matter as I haue said afore But where is Gods Temple now Beholde Iesus Christ who filleth y e whole world he is with vs dwelleth euen in our soules Sith it is so then let vs see y t we imploy our selues to make our offerings seeing that our God doeth vs y e honour to appoint vs to be his Sanctuaries Temples â— Cor. 6.19 2 Cor. 6.16 〈◊〉 2.9 insomuch y t euery Christian man is y e Temple of the holy Ghost euery Christian hath y e honorable title of Priest and y t otherwise we shoulde neuer be counted y e temple house of God it is good reason y t euery man should occupy himself incessantly w tout end in offring him y e sacrifice of praise so as he may bee acknowledged in all his benefits blessings which he bestoweth vpoÌ„ vs. And it is not only the doing of Almes deedes y t he accepteth for sacrifices but wee must also serue him worship him w t al our thoughts with all our desires with all our affections and with al our members So then that wee may not appeare emptie in the presence of our God let vs looke y t we bring him good fruites such as he requireth let vs beware y t we bee not vpbraided as Ieremie vpbraided y e Iewes when he said Ier. 2.21 Esa. 5.24 What haue I done for thee my vine I haue planted thee I haue dressed thee thou bringest me forth bitter fruite Therefore let vs bring good fruit to our God seeing it hath pleased him to till vs to the end we should doe good and not be vnprofitable And how may that be True it is that we caÌ„not bring any thing to him neither can he be inriched but when we indeuer to glorifie him in our whole life that is the fruite which he requireth and maketh account of Seeing then that he graunteth vs the grace let vs profit continually vnder him let not vs on our side be emptie Notwithstanding it is certaine that we haue not one drop of goodnesse vnlesse he gaue it vs for we be barrein In deede we be too fruitful in bringing forth euill there are too many bryers brambles to be found in vs but as for of good corne there is not one graine to be found in vs vntill God haue put it in vs. What is to be doone then We must pray our God to blesse vs that is to say to powre out his holy spirite so vppon vs as wee may haue good fruite to bring vnto him that wheras we be nothing he may giue vs a being and whereas we be nought woorth he may make vs some what worth by his manuring of vs so as hee may be glorified in vs. For it is not ynough for vs to haue Gods gratious giftes in vs but he must also make vs to put them to the vse whereto he hath ordeined them And heere let vs call to mind what hath beene declared heeretofore namely that God will not haue vs all to reioyce our selues but also to make our neighbours partakers of our gladnesse and also to call vnto vs not onely the husband and his wife and the father and his children but also euen those that are furthest off from vs and to indeuour to
faile not to do well and to deserue wel at Gods hand though they go not to worke with a free corage nor with hartie and substantiall soundnesse Let not such follies runne in our heads For God not onely reiecteth such thinges as pelting baggage of no value but also auoweth them to be all abhominable before him and that he will not suffer his seruice to be so shamefully disguised with out taking horrible vengeance for it And therefore let vs know that he will haue euery of vs to examine our selues sith we see al our thoughts and affections to be corrupted so as there is nothing in them but dung and vncleannesse let vs pray him to reforme vs in such sort by his holie spirite as he may be serued and honored by vs and wee apply to good and holy vse the thinges that he giueth vs and that therewithall he make vs to profite more and more in his obedience vntill we bee come with a free will to serue him with so good a corage as wee may be wholly dedicated to his honour 1. Pet. 1.19 And that we may so doe let vs repaire vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ that our spotes and steines may be scowred away by his purenesse and perfection as he hath promised vs. If wee shall doe so then will our God approue of our life Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them that wee may from henceforth fall to amendement and resort to his mercie and that in the meane season he reforme vs in such sort to the obedience of his Law as it may shine forth in all our whole life and hee also beare with vs in our frailties vntill he haue ridde vs quite and cleane of them And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xviij of Nouember 1555. The Ciij Sermon which is the second vpon the seuenteenth Chapter 2 If within any of the Gates which the Lorde thy God giueth thee there bee found either man or woman that hath wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord the God by transgressing his Couenant 3 And hath gone and serued straunge gods and bowed himselfe before them whether it bee the sunne or the moone or any of all the host of heauen which I haue not commaunded 4 And it is told thee and thou hast heard of it then shalt thou inquire diligently And if it be true and certaine that such abhomination hath beene committed in Israel 5 Thou shalt cause that man or that woman which hath committed that wicked deede to bee brought out of the gates and thou shalt stone them with stones till they die 6 At the mouth of two or three witnesses let him that is worthie of death dye but at the mouth of one witnesse let no man dye 7 The hands of the witnesses shal be the first vpon him to kill him and afterward the hands of all the people And so thou shalt ridde away that euil from thee Deut. 13.1.6 WE haue seene heretofore that if there were either man or woman which went about to counsell others to peruert the seruice of God they shoulde die for it Nowe here is a Lawe yet more sharpe that is to wit that if there be any ydolater founde among the people whether the same bee man or woman it must cost the party his head and his life yea though hee haue not gone about to corrupt others or to intice them to leawdnesse Truely this seemeth rough dealing at the first blush as we see howe they blame God for vsing such seueritie against such as vppon deuotion did any act contrarie to his trueth Because wee wey not Gods honour as it is worthy wee make greater account of a mortall creature than of the liuing God For if a man haue practised against his Prince or gone about to alter the publike state hee shall be condemned to death without any sticking Againe if a man bee vnderstoode to haue had secrete conference with his Princes enemie to haue shewed him fauour or to haue conspired with him no bodie will excuse such disloyaltie and yet for all that all this dealing is but against men But if a man turne away from the seruing of God to gad after ydols men thinke hee ought to bee borne withall as though it were a thing of nothing Whereby wee bewray that wee passe not for the diminishing of Gods honour or for the defacing of his maiestie But wee bee no competent Iudges in that case Therefore let vs remember what is saide heere and not thinke that God passed measure when hee did set such price vppon his honour Nowe it is saide If there be founde either man or woman to the intent that no frailtie should bee a shrowding sheete to any euill doing For else it woulde bee saide it is a womans deede If a man of wit courage and vnderstanding had done it it had beene to haue beene regarded but seeing it is done by sillie soules that are easie to be deceiued is it meete that they shoulde bee haled to death for it at the first dash See I pray you howe we bee wont to qualifie thinges But God on the contrarie parte intended to preuent such shiftes by telling vs that wee must not passe whether it bee man or woman but that the deede of it selfe is so detestable as that it ought not abide vnpunished Yet notwithstanding before wee proceede to punishing he will haue vs to vnderstande perfectly howe the matter goeth and hee will haue the truth of the thing tryed out And therefore hee saith When it is reported vnto thee inquire diligently thereof and if thou find it true then shalt thou take the partie which hath committed such crime and stone him to death Hereby our Lorde sheweth vs as he hath done afore that wee must not bee hastie to proceede rashly vnder pretence of any good will or zeale Deut. 13. â—â— but vse aduisednesse that thinges may bee well knowen And that is well worth the noting For wee see howe vnaduised zeale doth often carie men away and make them to offende GOD. And when it is done then they say I did it of a good intent Yea but GOD telleth vs heere that in this behalfe wee must behaue our selues discreetely And in deede God meaneth not that men shoulde so falsely abuse his name For what a vile thing is this that I shall suppose that I serue GOD and yet in the meane season haue no equitie nor vprightnesse in me Is it not a soule iniurie so to intermingle Gods holy name with mine owne follie and lewde imagination Wherefore let vs well weigh y t God by this place hath condeÌ„ned that same too too violent heate which men haue when they suffer themselues to bee so caried away by their zeale as they say without any moderation or stay at all Let that serue for one point And it
the rightfull truth And thereupon he sheweth after what maner they may be directed giuing them a remedie against all the wiles of Satan For if a husbandman wil haue his seede to thriue he must first till his ground if there come vp any shrewd weedes he must pull them vp or cut them off After the same maner doth God deale with vs to the intent his worde may haue enterance into vs and be receiued without any let he riddeth vs from all y e euil vice that is in vs. For all our owne seeking is to giue our selues to follie the diuell is so wylie suttle y t hee findeth meanes to attaine to his purpose bicause he knoweth that our minds are so fickle that our whole seeking is to be beguiled Therefore let vs marke wel that Gods meaning in this place was to hold his people in obedience to his word y t was the mark he shot at And moreouer bicause we be forepossessed w t the said frowardnes so as none of vs can forbeare to hearken to leasings but our wits are so shettle that we be stil hearkening after this that delighting in fond curiosities speculations y t are nothing worth serue to no purpose but to trouble our mindes about vaine and vnprofitable things therefore here our Lorde turneth those y t are his from all things that may corrupt them and withdraw theÌ„ from his truth In respect whereof he saieth here in effect That if wee will bee his people wee must not bee intangled neither in Sorcerie nor in Soothsaying nor in Witchcrafte nor in coniurings of the dead nor in calling vp of familiar Spirites but all these things must be rid away from vs or else he will disclaime vs and vtterly forsake vs. Marke that for one point As touching these seueral sorts we wil treate of them another time for the time will not suffer to speake of theÌ„ al as now And therfore in y e meane season let it suffice vs to see whereunto God had an eye wherat he aimed Let this then be one point y t if we wil be the true disciples of our God and receiue benefit by his word to be taught as becommeth vs we must put away all wicked superstitions all abuses whereunto y e world is giuen wherewith we also should be bewitched if y e remedie thereof withdrew vs not therefro And bicause wee be too much giuen to custome in so much y t if a thing be once in vse we think it to be lawfull God telleth vs expresly y t wee must not set our mindes vpon such clokings for they will stand vs in no stead Therfore whereas we see the whole world imbrewed w t errors so as Satan hath his full scope to deceiue both great smal let vs not run after them For it wil not serue vs for excuse to shield our selues vnder y e greatnes of the multitude or to say Euery man beleeueth so I see the wisest folke doe so Well may we alleage such things but our Lord telleth vs that we must not yeeld our selues after such maner vnto men that he shoulde not alwayes be preferred before them and beare chiefe sway and be regarded of vs though we were intised away by all the examples of the world This thing is touched expressely by Moses in that he sayeth True it is that when ye bee come into the Lande which yee shall possesse yee shall finde it to be as a common Law and that men haue so done but yet must ye not think that God aloweth it euer the more or that he is contented with it For the world shall be condemned and though all men were steyned with some one kinde of cryme yet will not God forgo his office of Iudge nor be ouercom by any multitude be it neuer so great And therfore let vs remember first of all that if we wil offer our selues to God to be his scholers we must not intangle our selues in the vanities that raigne in this world but wee must yeeld our selues wholly vnto him with a simple and right meaning mind so as nothing may stop y e entring of his word into vs our receauing therof but y t it may haue full authoritie to the vttermost That is y e first point The second point is that wee must not passe what the world doth or how other men behaue themselues For God will haue vs for all that to frame our selues according to his woorde And although wee see nothing but rebellion heere beneath yet must wee doe him the honour to submit our selues to him For it is not ynough for vs to worship him Ceremonially the chiefe point is that his word do so raigne as it be a brydle to hould vs backe and that our life bee framed altogether thereafter And although this was so straitly commaunded yet we see how the cleane contrary came to passe Wherein we see a fayre mirrour of mans wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse For albeit that God doe shewe him the right way yet doth he go astray still Ye see how the Iewes had warning ynough that they should not corrupt themselues with the abhominations of the heathen God shewed them wherwith they ought to haue contented themselues and wheron to haue staied namely y t they ought to haue learned at his own mouth he gaue them his law and hee raised them vp prophetes and yet for all that they ceassed not to go fowly astray to haue itching eares and to be inquisitiue of this that And that was the cause why sorceries and inchauntments Coniurations of the dead and such other like things reigned among them insomuch that in the time of y e prophet Esay we see there were very fewe folke that followed the law of God Esa. â—â—â— Lo heere am I saith the prophet and those whome God hath giuen vnto me What had he any great company w t him No. But contrariwise he saith that they were hated and that they were pointed at w t mens fingers as if they had bin monsters against nature And those y t did so would needes be counted wiser than all other men like as y e Papists vpbraid vs nowadaies that we will needs make a new world require a reformatioÌ„ alone by our selues by reason whereof we be scismatikes euen so was it in y e time of y e prophet Esay as he declareth in his eight chapter Yet notw tstanding he forbeareth not to vtter this sentence to confirme y e same saying If any man go about to turne you away to familiars and to coniuring of y e dead hold you your selues to the things that your God hath deliuered you Ought not he to reigne both ouer the quick and dead and to be obeied of all Yes and therefore hold you to his law and to his testimonies And if the people speake against them it is bycause they haue no light But let y e blind go on
the aire when the skie was on a fire when the greate thunders were hearde and when the order of nature was chaunged the Iewes ought well to haue vnderstoode that God shewed himselfe to bee their gouernour and that the Law came of him and that he auowed it to be his Yee see then that that was as a seale to make the Law of God to bee of authoritie But there was yet another reason which was that God meant to make the Iewes perceiue that the Law could do them no good but onely make them at their wits ends I meane the Lawe so farre foorth as it sheweth vs the rule to liue well For whereas God commandeth vs to do the thinges that hee alloweth indeed it is the way of life and welfare But what are wee Wee haue a frowarde nature and in steede of obeying and of behauing our selues as becommeth vs Deut. 27.26 wee cease not to offende God Nowe hee pronounceth his curse vpon all such as transgresse his commaundements All of vs therefore are condemned by the Law and there is no remedie but God must be our Iudge And therefore it was meete that all the tokens which God gaue at y e setting forth of his Lawe should be terrible and that the people should be made afraide with them Rom. 8.15 Hebr. 7.25 And in the same respect doth S. Paul say that we receiue not the spirite of fearefulnesse in the Gospel after the same maner also is it spoken of in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Also heere is a thirde reason alledged by Moses which is that God ment to shew howe it was good for the maintenance of the Church that men shoulde be the bringers of the doctrine of saluation For surely God knowing that the best way to gouerne vs was by sending vs Prophets and teachers to speake vnto vs in his name would that the people also shoulde knowe the profite thereof True it is that whensoeuer God speaketh wee ought to bowe downe our neckes and yeelde him such reuerence as none of vs refuse to obey him though hee speake to vs by the mouthes of mortall men Yet notwithstanding his meaning is not that his worde should but only haue such maiestie among vs as to make vs afraide but that it should be sweete and amiable to vs and that wee shoulde receiue it with a free heart and take pleasure in it and knowe that to rest vppon it is our soueraigne welfare So then Gods intent was to make men desirous to bee taught by the Prophets and preachers whom he woulde sende vnto them And that is the thing which Moses toucheth in this present place Now then we must vnderstand first of al that our Lorde will not come downe from heauen visiblie to speake vnto vs for that were not for our benefite In deede many men are of that minde that they would faine haue God to sende them his Angels and they thinke it a matter of no great authoritie that a man which is but a fraile creature and but an earthen pot shoulde goe vp into the pulpet but yet doth God know it to bee for our behoofe And therefore wee must vnderstand that forasmuch as the Iewes found by experience that it was a dreadfull thing to them to heare God speake it behoued God to alter that manner of declaring himselfe and to send Moses vnto them Therewithall let vs marke also that Gods authorising of the Lawe was not for the Iewes onely but to the ende that wee also at this day shoulde receiue the same with all humblenesse and vnderstande that whosoeuer despiseth it aduaunceth himselfe against the maiestie of the liuing God and maketh warre against him That is the thing which wee haue to remember where mention is made of the terriblenesse of Gods voyce and of the fire that filled the aire And thereuppon let vs marke as hath beene treated of alreadie that God promised a Prophet not onely to the Iewes but also to vs and that it is a continuall order in his Church So then will wee bee reckened for the children of God Let vs suffer our selues to bee gouerned by his word Yea and let vs not hold skorne to heare men that speake to vs in his name But although they bee from among vs and of our owne companie so as wee might alledge that we owe them no such duetie as in respect of their persons yet notwithstaÌ„ding seeing they be set in Gods steed and by his will let that suffice vs. And if we intend to honour God and to haue him to reigne ouer vs it behoueth vs to shew it in this case by yeelding such obedience to his worde as those whom he sendeth to vs be heard of vs. And hereof wee see what is saide by the Prophet Esay Esa. 5â— â—â— For like as Moses had foretold y t God would raise vp a Prophet so y t Prophet Esay saieth that at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and in the time of his reigne God would put his worde into his mouth into the mouth of his seed and of his childreÌ„s children This thing then ceased not when y e Gospel was published throw y e world but rather it was newly confirmed as I haue also shewed before For who was this Prophet but our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that in that saying are comprehended all the Prophetes from Moses to Zacharie and his fellowes But yet did GOD restore all the prophesies in our Lorde Iesus Christ which had beene as it were broken off for a time For the Iewes had beene berefte of that benefite a long time together and GOD had not appeared to them any more as hee had beene woont to doe before And the reason was to the ende they shoulde with the earnester desire looke for the Messias that had beene promised them and vnderstande that hee shoulde bring them the full perfection of all wisedome Our Lorde Iesus therefore is nowe come to performe all Prophesies and to make such a restitution as men might perceiue that God had then laide foorth the treasure most bountifully which he had spokeÌ„ of afore by Moses And this was not done alonely for our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe as S. Paul sheweth in the fourth to the Ephesians Eph. â— 8 â—1 where he saieth that Iesus Christ being gone vp into heauen hath prouided for the state of his Church to the end that it might bee mainteined by the foresaide meane ordeining some to be Apostles some Prophets some shepherds and some teachers To be short it is the will of Iesus Christ to execute his office by the mouthes of those whom he ordeineth to be ministers among his faithful And herein is accomplished the forealledged text of Esay that the seede of Iesus Christ and his childrens children shall haue the worde in their mouth at this day God saieth not I will sende you my worde from heauen or I will cause it to bee preached vnto you by mine Angels What
vnto that which is sayde heere Hearken my daughter forget thine owne people and thy kinred and thy fathers house There it is spoken concerning Salomons wife but vnder that figure it is shewed vnto vs howe Gods Church is marryed spiritually to our Lorde Iesus Christ namely vppon condition that shee forget her father and her kinred and all her former trade of life and all the customes of her countrey And I tolde you that this text concerneth the thinges that are contayned heere For why Shee was a woman of a straunge countrye and had beene an ydolater all the tyme of her life and therefore it was sayde vnto her that shee must forget all the tyme past and put her bringing vp out of her remembrance to the end shee might dedicate her selfe to GOD and then the king woulde loue her beautie As if it were sayde that king Salomon ought not to take any pleasure in his wife nor haue any delight or liking in her vntill shee had protested herselfe to bee desirous to bee wholly vnited to Gods people and had separated herselfe from all the abhominations of Egypt And I haue tolde you that herein wee haue a general rule for all men of what kinred or countrey so euer wee bee For why It is the sonne of God that is our true Salomon who contracteth holye wedlocke with his Church and will haue vs to bee as a wife vnto him And to the same ende serueth the preaching of the Gospell as sayeth Saint Paul in the eleuenth Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians I must marrye you sayeth hee as chaste virgines vnto Iesus Christ. And therefore let vs marke that whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs it is all one as if Christ wooed vs to marrye with him after the same manner that men sue vnto women when they woulde match with them in wedlocke And so our Lorde thinkes it not ynough to take vs as his souldiers and seruants but hee will also haue vs to bee incorporated into him and to bee as neere vnto him as the wife is to her husbande But vppon what condition So long as wee continue in our own nature we cannot be ioyned vnto him neither can he take any pleasure in vs and therfore we must forget our owne stocke our kinsfolkes that is to say we must become new creatures For what haue wee so long as we hold of our father Adā or any thing at all that is of man what haue we say I but vtter frowardnesse Wherefore let vs marke well that this figure must serue vs for an instruction at this day namely that whereas vnder the lawe our Lorde willed heathen women to pare their nayles to shaue off the hayre of their heads to put away their former apparell attyre it is all one as if hee shewed vs in a liuely picture that we cannot bee of the body of his Church nor of the housholde of faith nor admitted into his fauour except we bee stripped out of our accustomed apparel that is to say except wee forsake our olde maners trade of life and bee so chaunged as wee may shewe openly that our desire is not to bee wedded any more to our selues but to be gouerned by him to forsake all that we haue of our own nature al y t euer we haue learned by euill custom Now we see how beneficial this lessō is for vs that God spake it not for y e Iewes only but y t he ment to giue vs also a profitable instruction if we can skill to put it wel in vre Now whereas it is sayde that the woman shall bewayle her father and her mother it is not meant that women shoulde be sorie to come to liue after Gods worde but here our Lorde hath done vs to vnderstande that the naturall affections cannot bee mortified at the first chop without some striuing against them as we see too much by experience insomuch that euen after a man hath beene trayned vp in Gods worde although hee bee desirous to behaue him selfe as becommeth him yet shall hee finde great gaynstryuings and contrarieties in himselfe so as hee must be faine to inforce himself And it is not for one day but for all our life long that our lustes and fleshly affections striue against Gods spirite which dwelleth in vs and stirreth vs vp and prouoketh vs vnto good Wherefore let vs marke that whereas our Lorde speaketh heere of sorrowing it is all one as if hee had sayde that although a woman mourne for her kinred and be greeued with her sinfull and corrupt affections yet notwithstanding her lamenting must be after such a sort that in the ende shee thrust them vnder foote and forget them And hereby wee haue to note that our seruing of God must not bee alonely when thinges fall out after our lyking and after our heartes desire so as we bee nothing pinched in the dooing thereof but also euen when wee bee vexed and stoong with our wicked lustes In so much that although it bee harde for vs to frame our selues to the obeying of Gods commaundementes and wee feele it as a bitter medicine yet must wee not therefore bee out of heart For it is much better for vs to weepe in sorrowing for our sinnes and offences and to forsake them than to bee merry and to laugh and in the meane whyle to haue this threat sounding in our ears that our laughter shal bee turned into weeping and gnashing of teeth 〈◊〉 ◠12 And therefore let vs marke well that heerein our Lorde ment to put vs stil in minde that whatsoeuer infirmities bee in vs yet must they not make our heartes to quayle but wee must still so inforce our selues to amendement as wee may alwayes goe on forwarde howsoeuer wee fare And if Satan cast stoppes in our wayes to make vs retyre or turne head wee must thrust them backe and strayne our selues to ouercome them Although then that we be driuen to mourne as though wee bewayled our kinsfolkes and friends yet must wee still holde out in renouncing worldly things that we may giue ouer our selues vnto our GOD and that Christ may haue the possession of vs quietly and wee faithfully keepe the promise of the sacred spirituall mariage which he contracteth with vs by the Gospel And it is sayde that this must bee done by the space of a moneth during which time the man shall keepe her in his house without touching her yea or without comming at her Hereby wee see that as was sayde at the beginning God in this place did somwhat beare and dispence with the Iewes because they were too greatly giuen to their owne lykings howbeit that was but with a moderation And thereby wee bee taught as I haue touched alreadie at the beginning to eschewe the occasions that might deceiue vs by their intycementes For wee can no sooner open our eyes but Satan hath some meane or other to dasle them in such sorte that hee
will drawe them to him by and by And hee hath his snares so layde aforehande that wee shal bee caught ere wee bee aware What will become of vs then when wee seeke occasions afarre off Wee had neede to betake our selues to God both earely and late as the holy Ghostâ— him selfe doeth vs to vnderstande where heâ— sayeth in our behalfe Lorde Psal. 119.31 Psal. 141.3 turne away mine eyes from all temptations As much is sayde of our eares and of all our other senses For all of them are but as messengers of lecherie and leawdnesse vnlesse our Lorde put to his hande and rule vs by his holy spirite Therefore let vs learne to shunne the temptations that might serue to intyce vs to further naughtinesse and let vs so eschewe them as GOD may quietly haue the fruition of vs. And when soeuer any temptation happeneth vnto vs let vs seeke to cut it off out of hande and not to feede it neyther let vs bee too hastie to followe our owne lykings which is the last poynt that we haue to marke here To conclude whereas it is sayde that the woman whome a man intendeth to marrie must bee kepâ— close by him at home in his house a whole moneth before hee come neere her therein our Lorde hath shewed vs a remedie that is more than requisite and needefull for all such as haue so whotte and headie lustes Wee see that when any lust is once entered into a mannes heart it setteth him on fire at the first brunt and carryeth him away after such a sorte as hee can take no rest In respect whereof our Lorde giueth men heere a brydle telling them that he which will take a wife after that manner shall not goe in vnto her vntil hee haue first giuen her a monethes respite to mourne and to forsake her owne natiue people True it is as I haue saide afore that this ceremonie continueth not nowe any longer as in respect of the vse thereof but yet it must serue vs still for our learning That is to witte that for as much as the diuell driueth vs after our lustes and that as soone as any toye takes vs in the head by and by wee runne gadding after it so as wee breake all bondes and brydles wee must consider thus with our selues But yet must thou brydle thy selfe in this case spite of thy teeth and if thou beest a woode beast thou must bee subdued by strong hande to the obeying of thy GOD. After that manner ought euery man to fight against him selfe and wee shoulde put this lesson in practise daily For when so euer wee bee tempted to euill if wee indeuour not to reprooue our selues wee bee ouercome immediately and the diuel hauing once caught holde will not let vs goe againe for hee hath seised vppon the pray that is his owne alreadie But if wee through Gods grace and by the power of his holy Spirite doe striue to beat backe temptations and take pleasure in mynding the things that God commaundeth vs and whereas Satan seeketh to surprise vs and indeuoureth to make vs turne our backes to al good doctrine and admonitions wee on the other side conclude with our selues saying Nowe must I gather my wittes to mee and bethinke mee of that which I haue learned and whereunto God calleth mee If we I saye take such aduisement to subdue our lustes Satan shal bee ouercome and our Lorde wil bee so gracious vnto vs as to turne the euill into good and to inable vs to vse his benefites in such wise as they shall not bee marred by our taking of any inordinate libertie The thing then which wee haue to remember yet further vppon this text is that although Moses speake here of none but women yet wee must applye the doctrine to all other temptations which befall vs that wee bee not wonne by them at the first brunt but that wee behaue our selues so stayedly as God may in the ende reigne ouer vs and wee not attempt any thing which is not permitted vs by his worde Nowe let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them that beeing sory for them wee may bee so cast downe and grieued in our selues as wee may bee readie to renounce all that euer is of the worlde and of our owne nature and to giue ouer and consecrate our selues more and more to him that hath called vs to this state that wee bee a holy people to him according to his adopting of vs by Iesus Christ the members of whose body hee woulde haue vs to bee And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xxx of December 1555. The Cxxij Sermon which is the third vpon the one and twentith Chapter 15 If a man haue two wiues the one beloued and the other hated and they haue brought him foorth children as well the hated as the beloued and the first childe is the childe of the hated 16 And the time is come that hee will diuide his goods among his children to inherite he may not giue the title of eldership to the sonne of the beloued in derogation of the hated womans sonne which is the first borne 17 But he shall acknowledge the hated womans sonne for his eldest in giuing him double portion of all things that he hath For he is the beginning of his strength to whome the right of the firstbegotten belongeth HEre wee may see howe harde it is to keepe men in good order by reason of the naughtinesse and rebellion that is in them For the lustes of our flesh are like madde beastes that cannot bee tamed And therefore the lawes which Moses setteth downe heere serue as it were to fetter men when they will not bee ruled quietly If any thing bee to bee counted holy and inuiolable among men it is marryage For it hath a testimonie that God would haue it stablished in his name euen to liue and dye therein And yet men sticke not to breake so great a bonde And so wee see that the brute beastes are easier to rule than men bee for all the reason and vnderstanding that God hath giuen vnto them for they set all their wittes vpon euill It is not for vs to finde faulte with the Iewes in this behalfe as though they were a harde-hearted people and wee were not the like but wee ought rather to beholde our selues in their persons and to consider that wee bee no better than they The text speaketh heere of a woman that was taken prisoner howe that when a man had marryed her hee ought thence foorth to keepe the same rule with her which our Lorde hath set downe for all others namely that hee forsake both father and mother and cleaue to his wife God sayeth that if he be wearie of her he shal let her goe franke and free and not sel her as a slaue Surely God meant not to giue a marryed
And the very same thing doth our Lorde Iesus Christ meane in saying that at the beginning it was not so For God created but one man namely male and female created he them Nowe the Prophet Malachie in alleaging this sayeth further that God had sufficient aboundance of spirite in himselfe And therefore what shoulde haue letted him to haue created two wiues for Adam if he had thought it good But God thought one to bee ynough Therefore it is to bee concluded that he which coueteth to haue two wyues marreth all and regardeth not the keeping of wedlocke in such sorte as God hath ordeyned it Then is it whordome and not wedlocke for a man to desire a seconde wife after that fashion Yet notwithstanding this vyce hath beene of olde tyme thereby a man may see iudge what certeintie there is in grounding our selues vpon custome Tush say wee it hath beene so in all ages it hath euer beene wont to bee so Yea but that will not serue to discharge vs before God For this Polygamie as they terme it that is to say this hauing of many wyues at once shoulde haue a very goodly couer for it if it might rest vppon custome and antiquitie But what Gods institution or ordinance went afore custome and ought to continue vnto the last ende Wee see then that it was too disordered and vnruly dealing when men tooke such scope and libertie to haue many wiues at once And yet the thing fell out euen in the Patriarkes themselues Whereby it appeareth that men doe but deceiue themselues when they ground themselues vppon men though they bee the holyest that euer were Yee see that Abraham who is the father of the faithfull had mo wiues than one Yea but hee fayled not to bee condemned for it In all the residue of his life hee was a mirrour of Angelicall perfection but in this case he ouershot himselfe Therefore let vs holde our selues to Gods pure worde and not pretende that any thing is lawfull for vs except it be ruled after the same Thus much concerning the hauing of many wyues at once which is spoken of heere In so much that if any man haue two wyues hee doeth contrary to the order which God hath set By reason whereof the men that doe so passe their boundes are neuerthemore acquit though they bee not punished for it by the lawes of men but they must alwayes come backe to this poynt that God hauing an eye what might bee obtayned of mennes infirmities ordeyned it as a lawe of policie And this is no impedimēt at al to the perfection that is conteyned in Gods worde whereto it behoueth vs to aspire And if wee swarue neuer so litle from it wee bee guiltie before him by and by And well may wee alleage this or that As for example men require nothing at our hands yet must wee come to account for it before the heauenly Iudge It is sayde heere expressely If a man hate the one and loue the other Whereby it is shewed vnto vs that the hauing of many wyues at once proceedeth of a corrupt affection in that a man beareth not such loue to his wife as he ought to do For if a man loued his wife chastely as hee is commaunded his heart will neuer bee withdrawen from her to desire a newe marriage Then must a man needes bee corrupted and infected in his heart and conceiue a mislyking of his wife so as hee is loth to yeeld his duetie vnto her before hee can long for a seconde mariage It is sayde Ep. 5.28.29 Yee husbands loue your wiues for no man hath euer hated his owne flesh The same matter is alleaged concerning all men by the Prophet Esay Esa. 58.7 because wee haue one resemblance of nature common to vs all It is sayde there thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh and it is meant euen of the furthest straungers in the worlde But betweene man and wife there is another respect for to speake properly they bee both but one man And so doeth the Scripture terme them saying They shal bee two in one flesh that is to saye in one person Nowe if any man hate his owne body must i◠not needes bee that he is worse than mad Hereupon Saint Paul concludeth that if a man loue not his owne wife hee is as a monster True it is that wyues will oftentimes giue their husbandes cause to hate them and that there bee some of them such feendes as were able to vexe euen the Angels of heauen and to put them out of patience That is true But yet must a man fight against such temptations and ouercome them howsoeuer hee fare by the power of Gods spirite When he is once matched with a wife hee must not thinke it to bee by haphazarde but that it was by Gods will And therefore hee must brydle himselfe in so much that although it bee right harde and grieuous to do yet must hee take paynes to reforme the vyces of his wife that is so euill disposed and yet in the meane while beare with her and vse her as gently as is possible for him To that poynt must a man come Hereunto Saint Paul addeth the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides the inward vnderstanding which we haue of nature Eph. 5.25 Marke sayeth hee howe Iesus Christ loueth his Church For hee hath giuen him selfe to death to make vs cleane from all spottes euen vs that are fowle and full of vncleannesse If our Lorde Iesus haue not spared his owne bloud for the washing of vs what ought a mortall man to doe for his wife But wee knowe that wedlocke is as a liuely picture of the sacred vnion which our Lorde Iesus vouchsafeth to haue with vs. Therefore when so euer the husbande is displeased or greeued at his wife though hee bee neuer so angry with her let him haue an eye to this example Beholde the sonne of God offereth me his owne bloud to wash me withal shewing mee thereby that I must brydle my selfe in this behalfe and performe my duetie throughly towardes my wife howesoeuer the worlde goe So then let vs marke that a man will neuer couet a seconde wife except hee haue first falsified his faith and troth towardes her whome he putteth away For if he loued her truely soundely and rightly hee woulde leuer dy than let his minde runne vpon any seconde mariage Let vs marke well I say that heere our Lorde ment to bring vs backe to the wels head of the mischiefe to the intent that euery of vs should examine his owne vices and specially the vices that are hid from men vnder this wicked roote that is within vs. He that forsaketh his wife to marrie another shall perhaps bee condemned by the common iudgement of men but to iudge thereof as is meete we must goe to the welspring thereof and then shall wee finde that the greatest euill is euer inwarde Now then if the hauing of many wiues at
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
reigne of Dauid Saying That a starre should come out of Iacob the brightnesse where of shoulde reche vnto Israel and Moab shoulde bee subiect vnto them and humble himselfe vnder their feete And vndoutedly in the reigne of Dauid there was a figure of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Yee see then how Balaam was constrayned to speake in this sort mauger his beard and againe when Balac reproued him saying What meanest thou Thou art come hither at my charges and commest thou to deceiue mee for thou doest cleane contrary to that which thou didst promise mee And what can I do saith Balaam Is God like vnto men that hee shoulde change his purpose If he haue once decreed a thing it must needs be done it abideth for euer For hee altereth not ne changeth according to the lust of men Beholde how the false prophet speaketh in as excellent a style and manner of speech as can be of Gods vnchangeable truth Now because the Israelites should not think that Gods doing hereof was either because thy had deserued something or because they were better than the Moabites Moses sayeth afterwards That this was because God loued the Iewes To the intent therefore that he might be magnified for his freebestowed goodnes and that y e Iewes might humble them selues knowing that they had obtayned fauour at his hand by reason hee had chosen elected them of his owne good will he saith Thy God hath now declared how he loued thee Here we haue to note first of all that Balaam was such a false prophet as notwithstanding had some particular gift of prophecying from God and these be no contrary things that a man should haue the gift of prophecying and yet for all that abuse the gift of the holy ghost and turne it to a wicked purpose Wee see that also which S. Paul sayth in his Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14. namely that they which had the gift of tongues of interpreting and such like things which were excellent in the Church had notwithstanding no regarde of edifyng of the Church and that many of them were not renewed in such sort by the spirit of God y t they sought to serue him Phil. 1.18 It may wel be therfore that men shal haue receiued excellent gifts to bee esteemed that they shall beare the markes of the spirit of God yet not haue the chiefe and principal thing of all y t is to wit the spirit of regeneration nor be so confirmed that they shall giue themselues ouer wholy vnto the seruice of God endeuour to make that auailable vnto them which they haue receiued by applying it vnto a good lawful vse wayting for the saluation which God setteth before them This may wel be And if this fall out in the Church that is to say to them which are of the housholde of faith what shal we think of Balaam the like so we see there is no inconuenience y t Balaam had the gift of prophecie yet for all that had many corruptions therewithal insomuch that he was an idolater vsed sorceries But what is the cause that God gaue him the knowledge of foretelling things to come for it might seeme y t by this meanes he setteth forth his name vnto open reproche It is true in deede that Balaam such like when they thus abuse the gifts of God do vnhallow y t which is holy that which they haue receiued of God Yet notw tstanding there was this respect y t God ment to leaue some witnesse of himself euen among the Infidels to the intent they might haue so much y e lesse excuse be so much the more conuicted if they would make ignorance their buckler As for example the Moabites forasmuch as they had not y e law therefore they had neuer knowen any thing of God except their fathers had left thē some smal remnant therof For Lot was not ignorant of it but beeing brought vp in his vncle Abrahams house he knew what religion meant As for the Moabites they were altogether estranged from it Howbeit there remained some small print therof y t they might be conuicted at the latter day y t if they had sought after God they might haue attained vnto him but because they were snarled in the multitude of superstitions which they themselues had deuised were growen cleane out of kinde they can seeke after no starting holes for they shal always be condemned for hauing a malicious wickednes in them and for turning aside from God so as they deserued to be blinded in y t fashion by y e deceits of Satan And thus yee se what is to be noted in the first place touching Balaam Now in y t Balac beleeued y t if Balaam once cursed y e people al should passe on his side wee see therby how men can neuer hold the mean but euen do swarue aside to some extremitie or other Gen. 2.7 It is true in deede y t when wee are blessed of y e prophets of God the same is a warrant vnto vs of his blessing But yet we must always haue an eye vnto God For if we teare him in pieces what shal we win therby But when men think to coniure God it is al one as if they would dismember him For they intend to seuer his iustice vprightnes from his truth his gratious goodnes from his mightie power God saieth y t when we be blessed of his prophets we ought to assure our selues that he ratifieth y e same in heauen When Abraham blessed Isaac when Isaac blessed Iacob when Iacob blessed his children it was no vaine blessing because it had his certaine force effect And why Because God had giuen vnto them this office And what is y e reason y t we are blessed at his hand when mē blesse vs with their mouth His wil is that men should beare this reuerence vnto his word by y e which he declareth him self here below vnto vs he cōmeth not downe alwayes from heauen in visible maner he sendeth not his angels at our plesure but those whome he hath ordeined his messengers are to declare his wil vnto vs. He wil be serued by them as by instruments to the intent he may make his blessings which he sendeth vnto men to profit them And therefore if we say that being blessed by the Prophets or by the priests we are assured y t God ratifieth the same in heauen we shal speake truly Yea verily if so be wee haue an eye vnto God be conformable vnto his wil. But if we dally with God wil haue him transforme himselfe at our beck let vs note y t he wil curse vs yea y t he will curse vs double when we vse him in that order For when God ordeined that the priestes should blesse the people it was to good effect purpose For it is expressely said in the sixth Chapter of Numbers Ye shall blesse my people in
men be in peace they become so dronken with their pleasure delites y t they can not be helde froÌ„ wandring from giuing theÌ„selues ouer vnto many corruptions if they be in war they behaue themselues much wors But we on our part what ought we to do when we are in griefe and trouble let vs know y t God by y t means calleth vs vnto himself wil haue vs to be so much y e more carefull to serue him forasmuch as wee want his succor and y t he must hide vs vnder his winges If we haue time of peace let vs know y t he giueth vs leasure to bethink vs what we haue to doe to call vpon him in quietnes to consider y e better of our duetie a great while aforehande while we haue faire calme wether For if the wether become troubled w t stormes clouds we see not a stones cast as they say from vs but when y e sun shineth faire cleare then we can ken a far off Euen so our Lord when he granteth vs peace quietnes would haue vs vse it in such sort as euery man shold dispose order his life vnto his obedience y t he may enjoy vs we be farre from confusion disorder not drawe back when he â—llureth vs vnto him by gentlenes nor shake off his yoke as though we wold not suffer him to gouerne vs any longer Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather vpon this place As touching y e exaÌ„ple which is set down here whereas Moses would That he which is defiled in his body should be seuered froÌ„ the company of others Let vs briefly for a conclusion note two things therin The one is y t God by such ceremonies would haue his people to keepe themselues altogether pure both of body soul. True it is y t before god the man which hath offended shall not be absolued for his washing of himselfe in water That auaileth nothing For none of these corruptible elements pertaine any thing to y e saluation of our soules Neuertheles because God ordaineth theÌ„ therefore they stand vs in steede As y e water of baptism is not like other coÌ„mon water the reasoÌ„ is because God hath hallowed it vnto a special vse to y e intent it shold be a warraÌ„t vnto vs y t we are washed by y e bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now when we haue this we must also make our profit of the aide which God hath giuen vnto vs because of our weaknes The people of olde time had many mo because they were holden like litle children as S. Paul sayth Gal. 3.24 in comparison of them we are come vnto mens estate Therefore when God ordained y t men shold wash theÌ„selues with water for any bodily defilement it was to the intent y t euery man should know as he him selfe declareth y t to be dedicated vnto God wee must walke in all purenes when there is any corruption amoÌ„g vs it must be purged Ye see theÌ„ whereunto this law serueth vs in what sort we must apply it vnto our instructioÌ„ I grant we haue not now y e old ceremonies of y e law we are not precisely bound to wash ourselues when we are defiled or haue any spotte in our bodies but yet wee must hold still y e truth substance therof which is y t seeing God hath sanctified vs we must continue in his seruice purging vs from all corruptions both of body of minde as S. Paul also exhorteth vs in the second of y e Corinthians 2. Cor. 6.17 where he sheweth y t euill must not be nourished among vs. For when it is suffered to encrease to infect the whole flocke Matt. 17. â— what wil come of it in the end but y t it will growe remediles when the infection hath taken hold throughout And y t is the cause why excoÌ„munication was ordained in y e church if there were any which behaued themselues amisse by leading an vnruly leaud kinde of life our Lord Iesus coÌ„manded to separate them for a time froÌ„ the church to the intent to make them ashamed y t they might humble theÌ„selues therupon returne vnto y e flocke liue better than they had done afore and that others also might thereby be warned so as wickednes shoulde not haue lawles libertie as though all thinges were lawfull permitted We see then that although nowadaies this figure be no longer in vse yet not withstaÌ„ding we may gather a good profitable instruction from y t which was coÌ„manded to the antieÌ„t people First of al we must be fuly resolued to offer ourselues vnto God in such sort as our bodies minds be kept vndefiled knowing y t we haue y e like promises y t the auncient fathers had yea far larger therfore we ought to endeuor so much the more to atttaine vnto that purenes which I told you of And therew tall if we see any which corrupt the flock with their infections let them be remoued according vnto y e order which our Lord Iesus hath coÌ„manded vs let them be so remoued y t knowing their wickednes repenting theÌ„selues of it in the end it may serue them for a medicine to purge them so as y â— infection growe no further but y â— the Church of God be alwaies maintained in such order as meÌ„ may know y t God hath not for nought drawen vs out remoued vs from the rest of the world which is defiled but to the end y t he might gouerne vs by his holy spirit and we be so wholy his that we may be true sacrifices vnto him both in life in death Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to touch vs with right repentance y t being angry with ourselues for offending him for being turned away from him we may endeuor nothing more than y t he may frame vs wholy vnto his will and y t being rid of al corruptions and infirmities of our flesh we may be clothed with his righteousnesse so as his glory may shine in our whole life And because it can not otherwise be but y t in this world there shal be alwaies some thing wherefore hee may finde fault with vs let vs pray him to vouchsafe to beare with vs in our imperfections vntill hee haue brought vs vnto himselfe into his heauenly kingdome And so let vs say almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xxvij of Ianuary 1556. The Cxxxiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the three and twentith Chapter 12 Thou shalt haue a place without the camp wherunto thou shalt goe forth 13 And thou shalt haue a paddle among the rest of thy tooles and when thou listest to sitte downe without thou shalt digge therewith and when thou hast eased thee thou shalt couer that which
Malachie when he treateth of the matter of hauing moe wiues than one If thy wife please thee not put hir away rather than ioyne thy selfe with many Not that hee gaue a man leaue to put away his wyfe but hee sayeth it were better for a man to put away his wife than to keepe hir so with griefe and sorrowe And he maketh a comparison betwixt two euilles of which a man ought to shunne the woorst Yee shall haue some man keepe his poore wife but it shall bee for no other ende but to brawle with hir and to molest and vexe hir with all the disquietinges in the world Nowe there is no reason to the contrarie but that a poore creature shoulde at the least haue peace and quietnesse So then as I haue told you let this place of the Prophet serue to shewe vs whereunto wee are bound that is that a man put not away his wife by diuorcing of hir But when wee are commaunded euerie man to keepe his wife except it bee for adulterie it is all one as if it were sayde that a man must bee gentle towardes his wife and loue hir as his owne flesh as Saint Paule warneth vs in another place in the fifth to the Ephesians and if there bee vices in hir hee must beare with them in such sort as there may bee peace and concord maintayned in the housholde If men vnderstoode that they are such debters vnto their wiues that is to say that marriage requireth a peaceable kinde of life betweene man and wife so as if there bee any thing amisse yet they ought not to bee ouer frowarde therefore but quiet and patient wee shoulde see an other manner of blessing in al houses and families than we doe now see But nowadayes the most part of husbandes and wiues are like Dogges and Cattes For they haue no such regard of their duetie that if a man bee vexed of his wife hee will call vppon God and desire his holy spirit to represse his affections but he falleth rather into worse and worse If a man espie any spot of wickednesse he defieth his wife by and by thereupon and casteth hir off The Diuell is a stickler betweene both and lyke a wylie Pye in this behalfe hee knoweth well ynough howe to finde occasions and meanes to seuer that asunder which God hath coupled together but neuerthelesse wee see what a lesson is giuen vs by our Lord Iesus Christ to wit that because the husband is not at libertie to put away his wife for any cause but for fornication he must moderate himselfe And that albeit his wife be not altogether perfect but haue her infirmities yet he must seeke to amend them by gentlenes and howsoeuer hee fare he must take heede that hee shew himselfe gentle and nourish peace and concord with his wife And heereuppon let women on their parte bethinke themselues to acknowledge the fauour which GOD sheweth them and to magnifie him for it Seeing GOD hath vouchsafed them such honour as to ioyne them to their husbandes who are their heads let them not perke vp aboue them but let them enforce themselues so much the more to take paynes in the thinges whcih are appointed them to serue their husbandes in and let them haue this consideration to say behold the husband is as it were the head of mankinde and women are as it were the body Now sith God hath ioyned mee vnto an husbande to bee his ayde and companion I must endeuour to please my husbande in such wise that he haue no cause to be grieued by me He is to beare with me as God hath commaunded him and seeing God hath such a care of me ought I not to haue the more heedefull eye to gouerne my selfe so as I be not a torment and vexation vnto my husband And if there bee in me any euill qualitie let mee bee the first my selfe to correct it and to fight so against it that I bee not forced and constrayned otherwise to reforme my selfe but let me of my owne goodwil seeke to please my husband that there may be peace and quietnesse among vs and not brawling fighting as it were betweene diuels Ye see in what sort euery man ought to haue an eye vnto his dewtie when our GOD speaketh of the pure coniunction which ought to be in marriage sheweth that as touching men it is by no meanes to be broken But nowe let vs passe farther in this matter pursuing that which our Lorde Iesus Christ saith when hee was asked Matt. 19.8 And why then did Moses permit that bill of diuorcement Hee did it saith hee because of the hardnesse of your heartes but it was not so in the beginning This is rehearsed in the nineteenth Chapter of saint Matthew Nowe note for one point that our Lorde vpbraideth the Iewes with the hardnesse of their heartes and that is to the intent wee should learne to condemne our selues if ciuill order bee not so perfect among vs as it ought to bee When wee see that the Church of God may be founde faultie in many thinges when wee are not reformed according to the order and practise of the Apostles when we keepe not that purenesse which was in the primatiue Church when wee see howe wee offend in these pointes let euery one of vs sigh for sorrowe and examining our selues say Alas we ought to haue this thing wee ought to haue that but we are farre from hauing of them Wee see what order hath beene heeretofore First as touching the almes of the Church there were Deacons in that behalfe We see how liberall euery man shewed himselfe so as there was no necessitie there was but one minde and one affection so as the faithfull were but one Wee see also touching the supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ that it was administred in such wise that if there were any man of a loose and dissolute life he was put from it And excommunication was of an other force than it is men vsed it after an other fashion than they do nowadaies And likewise as touching Baptisme it was ministred with such reuerence that euery man was attentiue vnto it the congregation was assembled together as if one were to receiue an holy freedomship as in very deede it is But among vs none of these thingâ— ere so as they should be After the state of ciuill gouernment faults are not halfe punished therein And if there be any punishments they are but playes and pastimes as a man may say What ought wee to call to minde heereupon when we see that both generally and particularly things are not so well ordered as they ought to bee Surely euery man ought to consider and to say alas it is because of the hardnesse of our hearts that we can haue no such order as ought to be among the children of God that things are so wasted and that no remedie can be had in this behalfe What is the cause heereof To whom
mind Now as touching y e ceremony it hath bin very fondly foolishly abused in y e Popedome the abuse therof raigneth in y t synagogue yet stil to this day First for that hearing y e name of leprosie they supposed it was y e scurfe and so haue taken the one for the other And therupon what haue they done Forsooth their officers must iudge of this disease whether any be touched w t it or no. And by what knowledge They sende to the barbers and to the phisitians and when they haue iudged therof then they themselues afterward giue their verdit And by what right Because god ordained y e priests to be Iudges of y e leprosie That is true But y e priests whom God orned were of y e stocke of Leuie Now since y e comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ this Priesthoode hath beene transferred vnto him as the Apostle saith in the Epistle to the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 5.5 I know the Papists are so shameles y t they stick not to mock God openly in saying that it came from Leuie vnto the Pope But the Apostle expresly declareth y t it belongeth vnto him who by a solemne oth was appointed according vnto the order of Melchisedech And because our lord Iesus Christ being now risen from the deade dieth no more the priesthood likewise must remaine vnto him in his own person he hath no successour The Papists therfore rob Christ of his dignity when they snatch in such wise vnto themselues that which is belonging vnto him And moreouer let vs note as I haue already touched y t they play the beasts ouergrosly in this point for god spake of the leprosie which was a disease which he sent vpon the people of Israel and they transfer it to the scurfe a thing far different from it But for al this they haue not left to reare vp an other tyranny for they say y t this is a ceremonial lawe I grant it Therfore it importeth a figure Al this is true We must come then now vnto the trueth substance which is correspōdent therunto They say that sinne is the leprosie Well let all this bee graunted vnto them It must be purged therfore say they the priests must be Iudges of it Yea but let them enter into the place of Iesus Christ and then shall they be taken for Iudges but vntill that Iesus Christ be deposed from his priestly dignity whith God his father gaue him it appertaineth not vnto any liuing creature in the whole worlde Wee must therefore conclude that the Papists are trecherous traitours in that they beare vs in hande that they are succeeded in the roome of Iesus Christ to iudge the spirituall leprosie And hereupon they haue ordained the law of Christ. That is the very ground of their confession or shrift For there is not one worde for it in the holy scripture but they vse this suttle cauilling Sinne is the leprosie the priestes must bee Iudges of it but we are priests therefore the iudging is ours But wee haue alreadie shewed that by vsurping the priesthood they are theeues and treacherous traitours and that they lift themselues vp against the sonne of God Take that for one note But let vs proceede farther A man cannot iudge say they without hee knowe the cause and the cause cannot bee knowen without there bee a confession of the sinne and therefore it followeth that euery one is bound to confesse his sinnes once a yeare For al are stained with this spiritual leprosie because al are sinners As touching that which they say that no mā can iudge except he know the cause it is true but he must not iudge by coniectures vpon vncertainty as they doe For I pray you iudge they vpon knowledge when they cannot skill to discerne whether they which confesse themselues in their eares dissemble with them or speak the truth Behold a man commeth to confession and who knoweth what his minde or will is Who knoweth any of these thinges whether he mocke the priest or no whether he speaketh any thing by constraint whether he keepe any thing close for shame that he hath of it What knowe they of all these thinges And therefore these Popish Priestes cannot iudge vpon knowledge of the cause Againe it is well knowen how great clerks they be insomuch that when a thing is told them they can hardly discerne either the thing it selfe or the end or qualitie thereof And though they coulde yet were not that ynough Men know what maner of Iudges howe competent they be And in very deede they say well that in confession there must be some degree of knowledge but a little after they say that it skilleth not greatly whether there be any or no for autority abideth still albeit that knowledge bee wanting they gainsay themselues manifestly for first they say that there must bee a degree of knowledge and afterwardes they say that it is breake the ordinance of God they shal be confounded Therefore sith we see so notable an example in the person of Marie let vs knowe that God ment to warne vs that we ought not to take it in euill part to be chastised at his hand but rather to know our faults and to be sorie for them and thereupon to endeuor that the punishment which we haue suffered may serue all others for an example Now let vs kneele downe before the maiesty of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs to feele them better than we haue done that we may endeuor w t all our might not only to keepe our selues in that holy vnion which he hath made with vs but also to win them which are yet estraunged and to confirme those which are already called with vs into his Church and that therwithal we may not suffer the name of our God to be vnhallowed but endeuour to remoue our selues from all filthes and defilementes that seeing it hath pleased him to sanctifie vs for himselfe wee may remaine temples of his holy spirite and sacred vessels to be applied vnto any vse whereunto he hath appointed vs that is that his righteousnes may shine in vs so as wee may neuer desire any other thing than to frame our selues in all points vnto the obeying of his holy lawe That it will please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also vnto all people and Nations of c. On Wednesday the v. of Februarie 1556. The Cxxxix Sermon which is the fourth vpon the foure twentith Chapter 10 When thou lendest any thing vnto thy neighbour thou shalt not enter into his house to take his pledge 11 But thou shalt abide without and the man which borroweth of thee shall bring the pledge out of the doores vnto thee 12 And if the man be poore thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge 12 But shalt restore him the pledge when the sunne goeth downe that he may sleepe in his raiment and
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
and condemneth that which they doe And it is not for a mortall creature to promise this or that vnto himselfe but God must promise and we must answere Amen And likewise when he threateneth we must bee confounded and euery mouth must be stopped before him he must haue audience and wee receiue his threates and confirme them as I haue told you And here is purposely mention made of a secrete place to shewe that although a man be not conuicted before the worlde yet hee ceaseth not to be guiltie before God and that the heauenly Iudge will finde him out well enough Therefore let vs not beguile our selues and thinke we shal escape and remaine vnpunished when men reproue vs not ne conuict vs of the euil that we haue done For we may wel seek startingholes but yet will God finde vs out seeing he saith Cursed is hee which maketh an Idoll and putteth it in a secrete place And againe hee saieth It is an abhomination vnto the Lord to shew that mē must not beguile thēselues by standing vpō their own opinion or vpon y e iudgement of the world It is ynough that God saith such a thing displeaseth me Although the world like of vs yet gaine we nothing therby So then let vs take heed that we frame ourselues so vnto the will of God as y t this world carie vs not away and that wee serue not our owne nor other mens lustes but submit ourselues always vnto our heauenly Iudge Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mind For when God is to be serued we must not looke whether there be any witnesses of our doings here below for although we may deceiue the whole worlde yet God seeth vs wee cannot escape his sight What lurking places then soeuer we haue let vs knowe that our condemnation is ready at hand And thereupon let vs order our life so as GOD be serued and honoured not only with our feet our hands and our eyes but also with the seruice of our hearts that is to say with all our affections and with al our thoughtes giuen ouer vnto him And to conclude wee are taught that the seruice of God is not without cause called spirituall Iohn 4.24 whereby we may vnderstand that it is not ynough for vs to do him reuerence before men by kneeling downe and by vsing of such other Ceremonies or by absteining from seruing of Idols in the sight of men but also in secret when euery man is withdrawen into his secret places euen then must we auowe him for our God and all our affections must be held vnder his obedience and wee must haue the purenesse which Saint Paul speaketh of namely the obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 by the which euery of vs may dedicate and consecrate himselfe wholly vnto God Now let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him that wee may bee touched more and more with true repentaunce to be displeased with ourselues that in applying our whole studie in the minding both his promises and his threatenings we may not bee so froward as to cast off his yoke but rather bee helde backe alwayes by such meanes as are fitte and conuenient for vs and that we may yeelde vnto him a willing seruice to the intent that as hee of his free goodnesse hath called vs vnto him so he also wil guide and gouerne vs by his holy spirit that we may giue ourselues ouer vnto him and serue him in humblenes and feare embracing his promises and trembling at his threatenings and that in the meane time he wil make vs feele that if we be so giuen to his seruice he will make vs to prosper and wee shal bee most happy and that especially because he hath set before vs the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen which he hath purchased vnto vs in the person of his onely sonne That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people and Nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the iiii of March 1556. The CLI Sermon which is the third vpon the seuen and twentith Chapter 16 Cursed be the man which curseth his father and his Mother And al the people shall say Amen 17 Cursed be he which remoueth his neighbors boundes And all the people shall say Amen 18 Cursed be he which maketh the blind goe out of the way And all the people shal say Amen 19 Cursed be he which wresteth the right of the stranger the fatherlesse and the widowe And all the people shall say Amen 20 Cursed be he which lyeth with his fathers wife for he discouereth the skirt of his fathers garment And all the people shall say Amen 21 Cursed be hee which lyeth with anie beast And all the people shall say Amen 22 Cursed bee he which lieth with his sister the daughter of his father or mother And all the people shall say Amen 23 Cursed be he which lieth with his mother in lawe And all the people shal say Amen WE haue seene already whereat God armed in appointing such solemnitie that the people shoulde meete together on Mount Eball which is ouer against Garizim to pronounce the curses that are set downe here For when God hath once vttered his wil vnto vs it is good reason that euerie of vs shoulde consent there into and confesse that to sticke vnto his worde is the rule of all righteousnes For the cheefe honour which God requireth of vs as though it were a setting of our seales vnto it is to declare that there is no gaynesaying or replying to that which he speaketh but that it is altogether sure and ought to be sticked vnto Furthermore wee ought to marke also that the condition of mens agreeing vnto Gods worde is such that if they doe the contrarie in their liues they condemne themselues with their own mouthes For it is not enough for vs to professe that whatsoeuer God saith is rightfull and reasonable but we must also shewe by our deedes that his doctrine hath full force and authoritie among vs. So then hee that yeeldeth such confession with his mouth is his owne iudge without any other processe if hee follow not that which is taught him and which hee knoweth to bee rightfull Nowe we haue seene howe God spake of Idolatries and consequently of al superstitiōs And thereupon I haue told you that it is enough for vs to haue here some examples touched to shewe vs that God requireth the full obedience of his lawe at our handes as shall be declared for a conclusion in the ende Yee see then that God ratified his whole seruice Nowe hee commeth to the second table and beginneth with the honour and subiection that is due to the father and mother Cursed shall that man be saith he which curseth his father or his mother Now this curse importeth verie much For it comprehendeth all that is repugnant to the honour obedience and
Seeing it is so let vs mark farther that although God doe mitigate our greefes and comforteth vs yet doeth that serue vs to no purpose if he giue vs not the wisedome to vnderstande his goodnesse And we must vnderstand that wee are not able to enioye the good that GOD offereth vnto vs when wee be destitute of his holy Spirite And this is one execution of that threatning that is here mentioned True it is that we shoulde alwayes returne to this poynt that our Lorde desireth not the vtter confusion of sinners but y t forsomuch as such miseries doe happen oftentimes we should not tarie till they light vpon our heads but rather seeke the remedie to the end that God haue not occasion to withdrawe himselfe from vs. Howesoeuer the case standeth let vs first of all marke that God directeth this doctrine to such as haue bin trained in his worde as we haue already sayd It is certaine that he is Iudge of the world yet notwithstanding wee well deserue to bee chastised after a more boystrous fashion when wee haue beene taught at his mouth and haue reiected his will and bee so farre foorth corrupted that wee make but a iest of his word and that whereas hee sought to retayne vs as his people wee haue despised him It is verie meete therefore that wee shoulde bee grieuously punished and therefore let vs thinke that seeing God doeth vs the fauour to let vs haue the pure doctrine of the holy scripture the same serueth to bereaue vs of all excuses and also to quicken vs vp to walke so much the more in feare But herewithall let vs marke farther that God doth not onely vse threatnings towards vs but also dayly exhort and allure vs vnto him to reconcile vs to him shewing that for his parte hee is readie to come to attonement so wee condemne our sinnes and returne to his mercie What else is the Gospell that wee heare euery daye but a message of reconciliation as Saint Paul calleth it in the seconde to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 1â— Seeing then that God sendeth vs a herault to declare peace vnto vs and to shewe that he is ready to doe away all our offences let vs take heede that wee vse this time of our Saluation to receiue y e grace that is offered vnto vs in due season as the Prophet Esay telleth vs and as Saint Paul sayth 2. Cor. 6.2 vsing the same testimonie Againe when we haue bin ouermuch hardened and that God hath patiently wayted for vs and wee still continue in our sinnes let vs not thinke that he in the end hath either giuen ouer or forgotten his office We must needs yeeld an account of such vnthankfulnesse When wee forsake the Saluation whereunto he called vs and despise him out of measure such wilful stubburnesse must of necessitie come to reckening Then let vs stande in feare and as often as wee heare speaking of the grace of God which is offered vnto vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ let our heartes be enclined to receiue it and let vs giue way vnto God to come in And when wee goe vnto him let it bee doone with bewayling our sinnes and with yeelding ourselues guiltie not onely in worde of mouth but also with such griefe of heart as may prooue that the euil displeaseth vs. And when wee thus mislike of our selues let vs not abyde till our Lorde put in execution the threatenings that hee setteth foorth heere but let vs turne them to our commoditie And when wee heare the promises of the Gospell let vs remember the threatenings also that wee may bee so much the more prouoked and euery man make haste to receiue the good which is offered vnto vs to enioy and to possesse vnlesse the fault bee in our selues Nowe let vs cast downe our selues before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to make vs to feele them yet better vntill wee bee vtterly beaten downe in our selues and seeke for the remedie whereunto hee calleth vs namely that beeing guyded by his holy spirite wee may increase and profite more and more in all holinesse and righteousnesse and that wee may endeuour so to glorifie him in all our whole life as in the ende wee may attayne to that same euerlasting glory vnto the which hee calleth vs And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xxiij of March 1556. The CLVIII Sermon which is the sixt vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 29 And thou shalt alwayes suffer iniurie and oppression and no man shall deliuer thee 30 Thou shalt mary a wyfe and an other man shall lye with her thou shalt buylde a house but thou shalt not dwell in it thou shalt plant a vyne but thou shalt not gather the fruite thereof 31 Thyne oxe shal be killed before thine eyes but thou shalt not eate of it thyne Asse shal bee taken away before thy face and it shall not be restored vnto thee thy sheepe shal be deliuered to thyne enemies and there shal be no bodie to saue them 32 Thy sonnes and thy daughters shal be giuen to another people thyne eyes shall see it and dasle at it all the day long and thy hande shall haue no strength 33 And a people which thou hast not knowen shall eat the fruite of thy land and all thy labour and thou shalt doe nothing but suffer reuylinges and oppressions alwayes 34 And thou shalt be amased at the sight of those things which thyne eyes shal beholde 35 The Lord wil smite thee with a sore swelling in the knees and in the legs of the which thou shalt not bee healed from the sole of thy foote to the crowne of thy head WE ought well to rememember the meaning of Moses whereof wee haue spoken heeretofore namely wherefore hee continueth in vttering so many curses For wee are slowe to bee mooued when our Lorde doeth threaten vs wee make a game of it and albeit wee confesse that wee shoulde thinke thereon yet doeth it escape vs. And futhermore wee suppose that wee shall alwayes fynde starting holes and that if God doe followe vs one way wee by flying another way shal bee able to void his blowes Thus doe men deceiue themselues and thereuppon waxe hardhearted Nowe Moses or rather the spirite of GOD speaking by his mouth perceiuing that men be so carelesse and that they shrinke not at the first when the iudgement of God is set before them continueth his matter still and addeth threatenings vppon threatenings Againe on the other side perceiuing also that men seeke startingholes and thereby deceiue themselues bearing themselues in hande that they can saue themselues by flinging ouer the Fenne as they say hee sheweth that God hath infinite meanes to punish vs withall both aboue and beneath before and behynde on the right hande and the lefte and that wee shal bee so hemmed in on all sides that it shall not be possible for vs to
trespasses That is the onely remedie without which there will bee neyther ende nor measure of our afflictions except wee take order to reconcile our selues to our God Nowe where hee alleageth that none shall saue them That is to cut off all the vayne hopes which men doe forge to them selues in their owne braynes when hee punisheth them They looke hither and thither and if they finde any comfort in this worlde it seemeth vnto them that they shall make a stoppage against God and that they shall bee able to winne the goale in the ende In deede they will not say so for it is a blasphemie which all of vs doe holde accursed but yet wee bee so doltish that wee hope to turne away the hande of GOD when wee finde any helpe heere in so much that if men beare vs any fauour and wee bee supported in any thing wee arme our selues therewith against God But Moses telleth vs heere that it is in vayne for men to seeke dyuers succours after that fashion when GOD warreth vppon them For why All creatures are in his hande and without him they can doe nothing More ouer that which is for our benefite shall become our bane and all thinges shall redounde to our confusion Let vs not therefore looke to bee saued by anye meanes that may bee when our Lorde taketh parte against vs but let vs returne vnto him seeing that there is none other remedie but that and let vs ridde our selues of all such thinges as may hinder vs to come to repentance Let vs then bee quickened vp by these two sayings of Moses that wee sleepe no more in our vayne fantasies as wee haue beene earst too much accustomed But what There are very fewe which thinke vppon that For euery man martyreth himselfe if his griefe continue and hee fynde no helpe in men In all our afflictions wee can complayne welynough but wee consider not that GOD withholdeth mennes helpe from vs when hee intendeth to punish vs in such wise that wee shall after a sorte bee vtterly ouerwhelmed And againe if our sorrowe continue it is because wee haue persisted too much in our stubbornnesse Wee thinke not a whit of all this But yet are not these things written in vayne And therfore let vs learne to profite better thereby than wee haue done in times past Finally Moses setteth foorth by this threatening howe wee shal bee vexed and robbed if wee offende against the lawe of God Hee sayeth Thou shalt marry a wife and not lye with her Thou shalt buylde a house and not dwell therein Thou shalt plant a vyneyarde and not gather the fruite thereof Yea they shall take thy Beefe and thy Muttons and kill them and thou shalt continue still a hungred and not onely all thy cattell shall bee made a praye and a bootie but thy verie children also shall bee deliuered into the handes of thine enimies and thou shalt yerne after them and thine eyes shall dasle for verie greefe and sorrowe in the meane whyle thy hande shal bee without strength or power to recouer them It had beene ynough to haue sayde in one worde Thou shalt suffer robberies extortions and wronges but because men are slowe it behooueth them to bee so much the better touched and to beholde the thing as it were before their eyes That is the cause why Moses speaketh heere of houses and vyneyeardes of wiues and children and of cattell As if hee shoulde say Some shall bewayle the taking away of their houses which they had builded the putting of them from their vyneyeardes and their other possessions the spoyling of their goods and the driuing away of their cattell And othersome shall bewayle the wrong that is done vnto them in their children and in their very wiues But wee bee to consider that all these thinges bee the scourges of God wherewith hee punisheth vs for our sinnes It is certayne as I haue sayde alreadie heretofore that GOD at sometimes for the exercising of the faithfull in patience doeth sende them the verye chasticementes heere mentioned and yet punisheth them not for their offences For Iob was not punished for his sinnes Not that GOD had not iust cause so to doe but for that hee had no respect to that howe so euer the case stand surely it is an ordinarie matter In deede wee may alleage many examples of men that are tormented and vexed by the wicked so as they bee driuen from post to piller and robbed of their goods such examples doe happen euery day but this prooueth not that this doctrine taketh not place and that it is not true in it selfe as an ordinarie rule to wit that God punisheth mens sins by such meanes Nowe when wee haue walked in the feare of God and endeuoured to serue him and yet notwithstanding our substaunce is taken away and the robbers possesse it let vs consider that if this bee not doone for our sinnes our Lorde giueth vs a great preeminence For first of all of whome was it long that wee offended him not We were preserued by his holy spirite And moreouer notwithstanding any good affection and zeale that wee haue had to liue vprightly and vncorruptly yet wee cease not to be guiltie before God But what for that Hee spareth vs and yet hee meaneth to trye our patience for to humble vs. When it is his will that wee shall beare the miseries which bee punishmentes for them that despite his lawe and that wee must feele them well wee must stoope And thereby hee tryeth vs howe pliable wee bee vnder his hande to yeeld vnto his gouernement as shall stande with his good pleasure Moreouer this alwayes taketh place as wee haue sayde afore that our Lord punisheth the offences and transgressions of his lawe by the things that are specified here So then when a man buildeth let him take heede that hee buylde not with extortion pilling polling and robberie vnlesse it bee his meaning to haue his house taken from him according as it is spoken by the Prophet Abacuc 〈◊〉 ◠11 For the Prophet bringeth in the walles singing and answering one another For in as much as mens Palaces and houses bee oftentimes buylded with bloud robberie extortion and wicked practises and the verie walles them selues doe crye out that they were buylded with pilling and polling it must needes waken vp Gods wrath and vengeance against such buylders Desire wee then to bee harboured in peace Let vs looke that wee buylde without doyng wrong to any body whatsoeuer hee bee And moreouer let euery of vs in his dwelling dedicate himselfe in such wise to God as hee may dwell with vs. For they that are driuen out of their dwellings haue commonly driuen God out before that is to say they haue followed some lewde trade so as GOD hath not reigned there Is it then any wonder if they bee driuen thence in the ende No For why Shall GOD bee thrust from his right and wee in the meane while possesse euery man
attaine to well doing no nor which more is to conceiue one only good thought towards it yet shal they stil abide condemned before God neither can they haue any colour of excuse for their infirmitie or of the faultinesse which is in their nature Moses as I haue already declared doth here plead the cause of God against y e people The people therefore must rest in their cōdēnation be shut out frō al maner of shifts And what saith he to thē The Lord hath not giuen thee eyes to see yea euen to this people that is depriued of the grace of God and yet are condēned here neuerthelesse Let vs therefore marke it well that the vices which bee in vs serue not to discharge vs so as God shoulde not alwayes haue his right to reproue vs yea and also to condemne vs if we folowe not his trueth when it is offered vnto vs. For the better vnderstanding whereof let vs consider that this is not spoken of the Iewes onely but generally of all meu For through the offence of Adam we be so alienated from God that al our powers be corrupted and faultie By the powers of the soule I meane the vnderstanding reason will and iudgement All these thinges are vtterly peruerted by Adams turning away from GOD. And for proofe thereof the reason and wisedome which the first man had were not in himselfe sauing in that hee was fashioned after the Image of God and therefore as soone as hee was separated from his creator who is the fountaine of all goodnesse hee coulde not but be depriued of all the graces that GOD had earst bestowed on him Yee see then howe Adam did so banish himselfe from the kingdome of GOD that in stead of the spirituall riches wherewith hee was first endowed there is nothing in him now but al manner of wretchednesse For the heritage which wee haue from him is to bee altogether sequestred from Gods grace In deed there doe yet still remaine in vs certaine prints of them to the intent wee shoulde not be like the brute beastes I meane euen by nature Although the Paynims bee not reformed by the spirit of GOD yet are they not as Oxen Asses or Dogges Wee therefore doe still beare some marke of that Image of God which was imprinted in the first man howbeit that wee haue corrupted it altogether For although that wee can iudge betwixt good and euill yet is not that able to leade vs to perfection of true doctrine neither is it able to make vs to knowe our God to honour him syncerely as we ought but whereas wee haue a certaine seede of knowledge that there is a GOD wee bee dazeled in our thoughtes and forge vaine dotages to our selues Thence come all the idolatries that euer were in the worlde For albeit that men doe very well vnderstand that there is a certaine diuine maiestie which ought to be honored yet are they not able to attaine thereunto but doe beguile themselues with certaine imaginations notwithstanding the light which is in them whereby they shewe that because of sinne they be bereft of all good vnderstanding so as they bee not able to sette one foote forewarde to march one steppe in the right way To be shorte all the vnderstanding and reason which wee haue serueth but to make vs so much the more vnexcusable Rom. 1.20 for wee cannot pleade ignorance Nowe then wee perceiue that there is no vnderstanding in men that they shoulde say they knowe GOD though hee haue opened himselfe vnto them Therefore sayth Saint Paul that the naturall man is not able to vnderstand the thinges which belong to the spirit 1. Cor. 2.14 Hee saith not that men be so frowarde that they wil not vnderstand but hee saith that they cannot at all the power or abilitie thereof is not in vs. And why Because of the corruption that is crept into vs through the sinne of Adam Nowe then like as our will is frowarde so is our vnderstanding darkened so as we neither discerne ne deeme as were requisite for our saluation Whereas wee knowe both the good and the euill wee encline to the euill rather than to the good What causeth that Because wee bee captiues vnder the seruitude of sinne and the diuell who is Prince of this worlde 2. Cor. 4.4 reigneth ouer vs vntill wee be deliuered out of his bands and Tyranny through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And like as the will is frowarde in vs euen so is our spirite wrapped in much ignorance so that God must inlighten vs by a speciall grace or else we shall neuer iudge of his word or works as becommeth vs. Now therfore we see here that God doth so accuse the Iewes as that by that meane he sheweth vnto vs that we be all deafe blinde and senselesse We must marke these three thinges that vntill God giue vs eyes eares and spirite or heart we can not but goe cleane contrarie to his will Seeing it is so let vs learne not to come with a foolish presumption thinking ourselues meete to bee admitted to the knowing of Gods secretes but rather let vs referre ourselues vnto him that when his word is pronounced vnto vs it may please him to giue vs the spirite to receiue it and to worke before our eyes that we may be so inlightened as we may fare the better for his workes by taking hold of his maiestie and glorie and by stooping vnto him I speake aswel of his word as of his workes and not without cause For when we come to heare Gods worde we see that many doe returne from it as they came to it and beare nothing away or if they can rehearse aught yet are they neuer a whit edifyed thereby Whence commeth that Euen of this that GOD giueth eyes and eares to whome hee thinketh good Therefore let vs not imagin that we be sufficient and capable to discerne well when wee haue bin onely taught but let vs referre our selues vnto GOD knowing that all light all reason all skil and all discretion proceede from his spirite In deede wee vse that kinde of praying before our Sermons but yet there are very many which doe vse it but as a ceremony and are not touched with it at all But looke how often wee desire God to inlighten vs with his holy spirite so oft doe wee make solemne protestation that wee come thither as wretches that are blinde deafe and altogether blockish vntil God haue reformed vs drawen vs to himselfe Then lyke as GOD speaketh vnto vs outwardly by the mouth of men whome hee hath appointed euen so must he also speake inwardly by his holy spirit Truely it is a grace that is not to be despised when as wee haue the pure doctrine vttered vnto vs but yet shall it not auaile vs vntill GOD hath also touched our heartes and our mindes If wee will be edifyed in the word of God we must bee drawen with this inwarde grace when
reprooue and condemne vs before God because wee doe not appeare in his presence with such humilitie as is requisite but haue wickedly broken couenant with him And Moses speaketh expresly of straungers to the intent we should vnderstande that when God hath giuen libertie to a Countrey and stablished the certaine order of his seruice there no abhomination must bee committed in that place by the inhabitours thereof For if they say my seruaunt holdeth not this religion I graunt it lieth not in vs to conuert him to God at the first day yet notwithstanding that it shoulde bee lawefull for him to skorne GOD and his worde and to vse superstitious wickednesse and to bee disobedient to the common rule that is too great and vntollerable a disorder And therefore it is shewed vs heere in this Text that if we couet to be serued of them that haue not yet the knowledge of GOD we must keepe them in awe and not suffer the name of God to be blasphemed amongest vs what soeuer excuse be pretended Thus much in effect haue we to beare in minde concerning these wordes of Moses Nowe he speaketh also of a Couenaunt and an othe and sheweth that the same were mutually giuen and taken betwixt GOD and the Iewes In deede this matter hath beene partly handled heeretofore But yet wee must remember that when God maketh vs to passe any solemne bande with him that first of all he bindeth himselfe vnto vs. And it is a thing that ought to mollifie our heartes though they were as harde as stones What are wee that our Lorde shoulde stoope so lowe as to enter into Couenaunt with vs promising to bee our father and Sauiour and to bee as it were a man that made a bargaine of a gift God in deede requireth euerie of vs to consecrate himselfe vnto him and to forsake all manner of libertie and to become his subiectes and to continue quiet vnder his gouernance but ere he require this he maketh a gift of himselfe vnto vs. That is a matter which ought to rauish vs in such wise as wee should make no difficultie fully to dedicate ourselues to our GOD seeing that hee himselfe allureth vs thereunto by his owne example and doeth guyde vs thither And wee perceiue the same yet further as often as the worde of GOD is preached vnto vs for that is the message of Reconciliation as Sainte Paule sayeth and God is come neere vnto vs 2. Cor. 5 1◠to be our leader Iesus Christ sayeth that hee was sent vnto vs to haue care of our saluation and to holde vs in his keeping and protection and also to dwell in vs that wee might liue in him Seeing it is so is it not a brutish blockishnesse if we come not with pure and right meaning affection to giue ouer our selues vnto our GOD who hath giuen vs the blessing and priuiledge to become our heritage shewing thereby that he would bee possessed of vs So then lette vs vnderstande that there is no excuse for vs if when wee come to heere the doctrine of the gospell we runne euerie of vs astray after his owne lustes and affections and behaue ourselues disorderly in our conuersation whereas in verie deede we shoulde consider that when we come from a sermon we bring such a marke as can not be blotted out that is to wit that before GOD and in the presence of his onely sonne we haue professed to bee a holy people vnto him and to be separated from all manner of defilementes of this worlde and that although it be not so tolde vs in expresse wordes yet the order that GOD hath set in his church doeth of it selfe importe the same Albeit therefore that those wordes bee not vttered by mouth yet doeth GOD holde vs fast tyed to that bonde namely that wee should be his heritage and that he should enioy vs quietly as them whom hee hath taken to himselfe to be of his houshoulde If it be demaunded howe it is possible that men shoulde discharge themselues of such promise it is easily aunswered namely that we promise not any thing to our GOD as presuming vppon our owne power but receiue the grace which he offereth vnto vs and thereuppon haue boldenesse and libertie to promise that we will be his people And why so For when GOD calleth vs vnto him it is not to the ende that we should bring vnto him that which we haue of nature for that is altogether euill but because he receiueth vs with this condition that hee will gouerne vs by his holy Spirite and holde vs so in awe as the rebelliousnes of our flesh shall be alayd by his grace and wee so strengthened as we may be able to withstand all manner of temptations and encounters and that he will so imprint his lawes in our heartes according to his owne saying as hee will cause vs to walke in his feare by giuing vs the Spirite of holynesse 〈…〉 33. righteousnesse and trueth Loe after what manner GOD calleth vs vnto him Moreouer hee presently addeth a promise that he will still beare with vs in our weakenesse and in our sinnes so wee trauell still towardes him Insomuch that although there be manie thinges amisse in vs and wee come not to him with such a perfection as is requisite yet will he handle vs with fatherly gentlenesse in such wise as our sinnes shall not bee imputed vnto vs. When we haue these two pointes we may freely promise vnto GOD that we will be his people And why Because wee staye not vppon our owne freewill neither presume we to haue such perfection as we enter into account with him to say we be not beholding vnto him but we presuppose that he is euer mercifull vnto vs to forgiue vs our sinnes and that he will succour our infirmities and imperfections holding vs fast by his holy Spirite Thus did the people of olde time make their othe And so wee see it is no point of rashnesse for vs to vowe vnto GOD in promising to serue him so we haue an eye to that which hee setteth downe vnto vs on his part Moreouer we must remember that GOD speaketh first and wee doe followe If a man shoulde beginne and putte foorth himselfe to say I promise my GOD to serue him in all purenesse of life it were too greate an aduauncing of himselfe And why For as I haue already sayde there is nothing in vs but vtter corruption And although GOD haue reformed vs yet are we continually hindered from discharging vs of our duetie so as wee doe not the tenth parte thereof I meane euen them that haue profited best which are most holy and as it were litle Angelles Moreouer when GOD hath once begunne and hath sayde vnto vs No I knowe you can doe nothing and that you be creatures destitute of all goodnesse and that there is nothing in you but naughtinesse and rebellion howebeit forasmuch as I accept you to be of my flocke I promise to
ought thereby to learne to apply the same to the certainetie of our fayth and not to regarde though the faithlesse doe sooth themselues and boast of their abhominations because we knowe well that GOD condemneth them altogether and that wee ourselues may be iudges thereof forasmuch as we haue the worde whereby the worlde must bee iudged In dooing heereof Moses keepeth heere a certaine manner of proceeding which is worthey to bee noted saying That neither man nor woman house nor tribe ought to turne away or goe to serue straunge Goddes Nowe he doeth vs to witte that when mischiefe is begunne and a breache made the deuill will finde meanes to spreade his poyson farther if it be not preuented and remedyed in dewe time and place When some one man steppeth vppe to peruert the pure religion it seemeth at the first to be a matter of nothing but if it be let slippe that one man will leade a whole house and that house will leade the Tribe and so at the length the whole people is peruerted So much the more vigilaunt therefore shoulde wee bee specially seeing that the Spirite of GOD doeth stirre vs vppe wee ought to bee moued to keepe good watch in this behalfe for we cannot bee too diligent therein Nowe then let vs not foreslowe the redresse of any manner of corruption bee it neuer so small When wee see a wicked man that goeth about to infect the flocke let him not be suffered for if wee suffer him the corruption will foorthwith spreade it selfe both into smal and greate After one man followeth a whole house and after a house goeth a whole kinred and woulde GOD there were not so notable examples thereof But what Albeit that GOD doe shewe vs this by his worde and although experience ought to make vs wise yet is it not regarded For men doe euermore beare with some euill or other and suffer it to slippe And why It is not yet common say they it is not yet hurtfull No but they foresee not the daunger Neuerthelesse there is a daunger which I pray GOD wee feele not in the ende too much to our cost So much the more therefore ought we to marke well this doctrine where Moses sayeth not at the first dashe Looke that all the people swarue not or that one Tribe giue not ouer it selfe to the superstitions and Idolatry of the heathen but he beginneth at one man alone and then setteth downe the woman and after proceedeth to the whole house and consequently to all the people For if there be but one serpent he poysoneth all thinges out of hande with his onely byting And if Serpents can also infect the ayre with their verie breath surely when men are poysoned by Sathan they carrie abroade so much the more venemous corruption insomuch that if anie bodie come nygh them be it neuer so litle it is a wonder if they be not infected and marred with the very breath of them Seeing then that wee haue made a couenaunt with our GOD according as hee hath gathered vs into his flocke and doth dayly make it manifest to our eyes y t we be his church let vs continue in that obedience and let euerie of vs first of all watch ouer himselfe according as is seene heereafore where it is sayde Take heed to your soules let vs take good heed for euery man is commanded of God to watch ouer his owne soule Deut. 4.9 But yet thereuppon wee must yet goe further namely to haue care of our neighbours that euerie man helpe to amende them that haue doone amisse without any bolstering or bearing with the euill committed Otherwise it is a wonder to see howe that after one man hath once infected his wife or familie the corruption will spread it selfe ouer a whole people in such wise as the mischiefe can not bee holpen any more because it hath gotten so farre And Moses doeth purposely vse a similitude which is worthy to bee well weyed where hee sayeth that there be not founde among you any roote that bringeth foorth woormwoode and gall Whereby he warneth vs that as often as Sathan sendeth foorth his vnderlinges to turne vs away from GOD and wicked people goe about to bring Religion into contempt and to bring to passe that all thinges may be so turned vpside downe and mingled together as there may be nothing any where but vngodlynesse it is all one as if there were some secrete roote which afterwarde will sprout foorth and wee must needes be poysoned with the fruite which it shall yeelde Nowe therefore let vs in good time plucke it vppe We see whereto this similitude tendeth Let vs adde thereto the exhortation which the Apostle maketh in the Epistle to the Hebrues Hebr. 12.15 for he hath respect to this text and expoundeth it and applyeth it to our instruction Forasmuch sayeth he as the despisers of GOD which goe about to seduce the people and to turne them out of the right way be bitter rootes we must not looke y t they shall yeelde foorth good fruite For we can not easily plucke vppe an euill weede when it is ouerspred so as it hath choaked and corrupted the good seede because it was not taken in time Lette vs therefore bee diligent and carefull to plucke vp euill rootes and when wee see any bitter weede although it beare no fruite yet let it be looked vnto in due time For GOD worketh a great miracle when hee deliuereth his people at such time as they be carelesse And woulde GOD that the examples thereof were not so common in the worlde as wee see them For then would not men giue so much libertie to the wicked nor suffer them to preuaile so mightily When they haue infected al then men sigh and lament but in the meane while they seeke no meane to prouide for it So then let vs marke well that as the Apostle telleth vs wee must not bee carelesse and slowe in this behalfe but as soone as we see any leaude-disposed folke which obey not the direction of GOD ne yeelde any reuerence to his worde let them be cutte off If we see them sow abroad wicked matters as cockle or darnell to make men to swarue which were in the good way let vs resist them with all our power and let them y t be in authoritie bende all their force and diligence thereunto and let euery man in likewise apply himselfe to further the same so as we may be the true seede of GOD and continue in the puritie of his Gospell and bring him foorth such fruite as he may be glorified throughout all our life Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to make vs so to feele them more and more as wee may bee touched with true repentaunce and we come vnto him not onely to obtaine foregiuenesse of the sinnes that wee haue committed but also to bee gouerned by his holy Spirite and to
followe the grace of God and to receiue it and hauing accepted it to make it to preuaile To bee short the Papistes make a parting of stakes as if it lay in vs to seeke God then that it were in vs to put his grace in effect in such wise as it should not be vnprofitable and that there is also a certaine agreement betweene God and man so as God for his part doth one peece and we doe the other yea and the principall part But the meaning of Moses is nothing so For he sheweth not what belongeth to man as in comparison and in respect of God But it is the common fashion of the holy scripture first to shew vs what is our dutie and then to adde that although we be not able to resort vnto God when he calleth vs yet we must not be faintharted at y e feeling of our weaknesse but rather resort vnto him that is able to helpe it according as he hath promised to do it Let vs marke wel then that when holy Scripture speaketh of that which men doe owe vnto God wee must not in that case stand scanning of our owne power and ability for we shall not faile to be euermore detters as we haue said and yet we must note also that the vnabilitie which is in vs proceedeth of our fault Yet notwithstanding the Papists alleage that it were a crueltie in God to require of vs to do more than we can It seemeth indeed that God ought to be contented if a man doe what he can Now then if we cannot haue a good desire 2. Cor. 3.5 and if we haue yet lesse power that we caÌ„not so much as think a good thought wherfore doth God constraine vs to loue him perfectly There seemeth to be no vpright dealing in y t. But we must repaire to our originall sinne which hindereth vs so as we serue not God no nor haue not the will to serue him Indeede God hath imprinted a will in vs by nature Rom. 1.20 and for as much as we are meÌ„ we haue a discretion to discerne good and euill whereby we be inexcusable and when we sin it commeth not of compulsioÌ„ neither are we forced by other meanes but it proceedeth of our own will and inclination But now let vs see whether our wil can bend it selfe both the waies and is able to chuse either good or euill No. For we be captiues vnder sinne Rom. 6.17 7.14 and whence coÌ„meth this captiuitie and bondage From the offence of Adam Seeing therefore that the euill is in our selues wee must not seeke for fonde and vnprofitable excuses for we shall win nothing thereby but let vs stoope and condemn our selues If God therfore require aught of vs he doth vs no wroÌ„g and yet notwithstanding men may not reply that they be feeble and weake for the euill shall euermore be imputed vnto them they shal be found guiltie thereof But now let vs come back to the matter which we haue touched The holy scripture setteth before vs the lawe of God as y e thing which we ought to follow and that is our rule We for our part doe draw cleane contrary Whereto then serueth the law of God so long as it is but a dead letter that is to say so long as we haue but our eares beaten therewith or so long as it is written but in paper parchment or in stones as this was as it is in deede so long as it is but preached vnto vs It serueth but to our condemnation so as we be there conuicted and can no more pleade ignorance but rather shew our selues open rebels in that we bow not downe our neckes to receiue the yoke which God hath ordained for vs. That is the cause why the lawe of God vnder Moses did bring nothing but wrath Therefore he saith y t it doth augment sinne Rom. 4.15 Rom. 5.2 2. Cor. 3.7 and consequently that it is vnto vs the messenger of death So then let vs marke well that whereas God teacheth vs what wee ought to doe albeit y t the same doctrine ought of it selfe to serue vs to saluation yet neuerthelesse it bringeth vs nothing but condemnation euen bicause of our sin Such is the falling out of it but howsoeuer y e case stand yet must the law of God alwaies condeÌ„ne vs. Now after that God hath conuicted men beaten downe their pride to the intent they should not presume of themselues he addeth the promise and saith Go to It is true y t your hearts be incircumcised it is certaine y t you haue blind motions and that you be corrupted in all your nature but I will change your heartes I will renue your mindes I will reforme you to my selfe whereas heretofore you haue been rebellious against me there hath bin nothing in you but malice henceforth there shal be a readines to obey my lawe God giueth that very promise Whereby hee sheweth that whatsoeuer hee commaunded vs afore our doing thereof shal be by his only power not in any part by our own In this case it is not for vs to father the cheefe part vppon our owne free will no nor the one halfe neither for God must haue all the prayse without exception and that whatsoeuer we doe doe proceede of his woorking of it in vs and of his reforming of our wittes and of his changing of vs. And for that cause the holy Scripture sayth 2. Cor. 5.17 that we be made newe creatures When it sayth so doth it meane that men were â—arst good No but that GOD doeth reforme them And in deede if it were in vs to amende our soules and to renewe them wee shoulde doe more than GOD doeth GOD hath created our bodyes and also our soules but yet notwithstanding what bring wee from our mothers wombe but all maner of cursednesse For as I haue sayde wee bee infected with originall sinne Thus doeth GOD make vs mortall men yea but in the meane whyle there is this mischeefe namely that wee bee aliened from him and from all goodnesse Nowe if men were able to deliuer themselues out of the curse wherein they bee and could giue themselues a newe power shoulde not they then doe more than GOD hath doone Nowe then whereas Moses sayeth in this place The Lorde will circumcise thy heart to loue thy GOD with all thy hearte and with all thy soule hee sheweth thereby that if wee doe amisse as we doe indeede wee cannot haue so much as any one good motion to come vnto GOD vntill wee be altogether renewed by Gods working in vs and therefore that we must not be fainthearted Wherfore For when he hath taught vs what we ought to doe he giueth vs also the power to performe it After hee hath taught vs by the voyce of men hee teacheth vs also by his holy Spirite in our heartes and that teaching is of efficacie so as wee doe not onely knowe the good but also wee
haue a desire to followe it and to giue our selues ouer vnto it And that is the cause why hee sayeth that we bee drawen vnto him Iohn 6.44 And indeede Moses sayth not The Lorde will circumcise thyne heart to the ende that thou mayst bee able to loue him but hee sayth to the ende that thou loue him Hee sheweth that GOD doeth not onely giue vs the power to will well but also doeth throughly fashion vs to the same And that is a further point wherein the Papistes doe abuse themselues too grossely for when they speake of the grace of the holy Spirite they vnderstande that GOD in deede giueth vs the power if it seeme good to vs but yet that all the same lyeth in our discretion and that GODS woorking in vs is not in such sorte as that both our listing and our performing proceede both thereof But it is too nygardely a speaking of the grace of GOD that he should say vnto man Well I wil giue thee power that thou mayst doe well if thou wylt but I will lay the brydle on thy necke and when thou hast a good will and that of thy selfe if thou hast constancie and power to put it in execution thou mayest well doe it and I will helpe thee therein If GOD shoulde doe so what shoulde become of our saluation For can men in such frayltie as wee doe feele and amiddest so many combattes as Sathan doeth deliuer vs haue one onely firme and constant will It is impossible Moses therefore sayeth not that GOD will circumcise our heartes to the intent wee may haue power to feare him but hee putteth the thing in effect to the intent that wee shall feare him after which manner also hee speaketh by his Prophetes as well Ieremie as Ezechiel Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 36.26 Hee sayeth that hee will put his feare in our heartes Hee sayeth not that hee will giue them power And then will I make them sayeth hee to walke in my commaundementes This is it that GOD doeth attribute vnto himselfe to wit that hee will so imprint his Lawe in our heartes as wee shall haue a will agreeable vnto his and then hee will guide and gouerne vs in such sorte as wee shall ouercome all temptations and accomplish that which hee commaundeth vs. It belongeth not to vs then to challendge such prayse to our selues Thereby wee see that the Papistes deale treacherously in all the doctrine of freewill for all their whole seeking is to robbe GOD of all that euer the holy Scripture declareth to bee his and which hee reserueth to himselfe and to spoyle him of his honour vsurping it euerie man to himselfe Let vs therefore beware of this diuelish arrogancie and let vs vnderstande that Saint Paule hath not sayde without cause Phil. 2.13 That it is GOD that woorketh in vs both the wyll and the deede Saint Paule sayeth not after the manner of the Papistes that when God giueth vs the meane wee may bee able to will that which is good but hee sayeth that hee will put the will in vs. And then hee addeth that GOD in likewise doeth woorke the matter that is to say hee accomplisheth the good woorkes in vs and the whole is perfourmed sayeth hee after his owne will Therefore whereas the Papistes saye that GOD hath respect whether wee bee able to vse his grace well or no and that according as euerie man behaueth and gouerneth himselfe GOD dealeth with him thereafter Saint Paule sayeth that it proceedeth altogether of GODS good pleasure And yet it is not therefore to bee sayde that wee bee blockes of wood But let vs marke well what Saint Paul concludeth that is that wee must walke in feare and warinesse Phil. 2 1â— woorking our saluation What Is it in vs to doe it No but hee sheweth that wee bee instrumentes of GOD and that when hee giueth vs the wyll and power to perfourme it is bycause that euerie one of vs shoulde offer himselfe to doe his indeuour howbeit vnder the leading of the holy Spirit acknowledging that all of it proceedeth from aboue and Saint Paule sayeth that wee must doe it with feare and carefulnesse to the intent wee bee not vnprofitable and yet that in the meane while there bee not any drop of presumption in vs to suppose that wee haue any abilitie or power of our selues but that GOD bee honoured as hee deserueth Nowe wee see what is the naturall sense of this Text where Moses promiseth vnto the Iewes that GOD will circumcise their hearts Thereby hee sheweth that it is not ynough for men to haue the Lawe preached and to haue their eares beaten therewith and to vnderstande what their duetie is for all that will be but as a dead thing vntill the time that God doe chaunge their heartes and reforme them and woorke within them and that the affections of men and their thoughtes bee guided by the holy Ghost And by the way hee sheweth heere the vse of Circumcision which is another poynt worthie to bee marked For the fantasticall fellowes of our dayes which woulde take away the Baptisme of little children neuer vnderstoode the vse of Circumcision It seemed vnto them that it was but a temporall matter yea and a tryfling thing and that it was not spirituall for the auncient fathers in so much that the cursed heretike which was punished in this Towne mocked all the Sacramentes of the Lawe of Moses Abraham sayd hee had but a shadowe of the heauenly lyfe and albeit that hee was named the father of the faithfullâ— and it appeareth that hee did altogether stay himselfe vppon the celestiall heritage yet was hee not touched therewith neither dyd the fathers knowe GOD but worshipped an Angell which was there in a visible shape in steade of GOD. These bee the horrible Blasphemies which insue when men doe so separate the Lawe from the Gospell In deede wee haue at this day a grace which surpasseth that grace which GOD shewed to our fathers but yet must wee not so bereaue Abraham of the spirituall kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ as to make Circumcision to bee but an earthly Sacrament Therefore let vs beare well in minde that when GOD ordayned Circumcision besides that it was a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth as Saint Paule sayeth in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes it did also shewe vnto men that they ought to bee mortifyed and renewed by regeneration to the obedience of GOD. Whereby wee may gather that Circumcision signifyed the same thing vnto the Iewes which Baptisme importeth vnto vs at this day What haue wee in Baptisme That wee bee blessed in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that whereas wee haue nothing but accursednesse by the heritage of Adam wee be sanctifyed to bee adopted into the celestiall heritage so as God by iustifying vs doeth accept them which were not earst woorthie to bee numbred amongest his creatures Againe wee haue also a similitude and a portraiture of death that wee myght
bee nowe out of daunger for hee entred thither to the ende that wee should be free from it We adde thereunto that hee is also ascended into heauen And why To the ende that wee might knowe that the gate thereof standeth open for vs. We heare also how hee tolde his disciples In my fathers house are many mansions Iohn 14.2 signifying therby that heauen was not onely for himselfe but that it is a common heritage for all the faithfull and that hee hath taken possession thereof as it were in our behalfe Nowe then we protest in the article of our beliefe that the heauens at this time stand open for vs and that wee ought to assure our selues to come thither because our Lorde Iesus Christ our heade is gone vp thither and will not bee separated from the members of his bodie Notwithstanding that wee haue confessed this yet wee stand scanning still and are full of wauering fancies Ah say wee I know not for all that what shall become of mee I cannot tell whether God doth recken me to be one of his children who is he that hath bin in heauen who is he that hath come thence againe to bring vs newes See these diuelish blasphemies This is not onely to stande in doubt of the trueth of the Gospel but also to teare Christ Iesus in peeces asmuch as we can O horrible outrage against the sonne of God for hee that doubteth of his saluation sheweth himselfe to beleeue no whit of that which wee confesse namely that Iesus Christ hath soueraigne dominion both in heauen in earth that God gouerneth the world by him y t he maketh al creatures to kneel down to do him homage Phil. 2.10 to be short wee acknowledge not that the Lorde Iesus Christ is risen againe from the deade but to the vttermost of our power we go about to deface and to abolish the power of the holy Ghost which shewed it selfe in his resurrection See nowe in what case wee be if we receiue not the Testimonie of the Gospell to assure vs that wee bee as it were rapted vp into heauen euen to enter directly into the possession of all those goods which ly hidden from vs and are not visible as the Prophet Esay saieth Esa. 64.4 2. Cor. 2.9 such as the heart of man is not able to conceiue If wee see not an open gappe euen vnto hell to spyte Sathan to defie death and to triumph ouer all thinges that may impeach our saluation well let vs on the one side consider howe sainct Paul saieth that when wee haue receiued the Gospell through faith wee bee foorthwith set downe in the heauenly places Eph. 2.6 we bee as yee would say enthronished with the Angels of Paradise as alreadie raised vp thither by God It is true that heere beneath wee be as wretched wormes creeping vppon the grounde but when wee haue once the doctrine of faith ◠Pet. 1.3.4.5 we haue the earnest penny of our saluation according as saint Peter saieth that through faith wee may put our selues into the handes of God in such manner that lifting vp our eyes minds into heauē we be brought in thither because that Iesus Christ our heade is there before in our behalfe and hath there prepared the heritage which he will hold in cōmon with vs. Thus ye see how we must practise this point following the exhortation of S. Paul Moreouer wee must likewise marke howe hee saith that wee must beleeue with the heart to iustification and confesse with the mouth to saluation I haue heretofore shewed you briefly the substance of our faith howe it must rest wholly vppon the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ I say vppon his death because that hee by his obedience hath put away all our iniquities and transgressions hee hath suffered the punishment that was due vnto vs to discharge vs of the same he hath also dispatched away the curse which lay vppon vs. So much concerning the first point Nowe concerning the seconde wee must vnderstande that by his rising againe he hath purchased righteousnesse vnto vs and therby shewed himselfe a conquerour ouer sinne and death and his resurrection doeth also import that hee is ascended into heauen of purpose to take the possession of that inheritance which hee will make common vnto vs and of the which hee will make vs partakers with himselfe This is the substance of our faith Nowe it behooueth to haue this faith both in our heart and in our mouth Truely it were to small purpose if wee did but talke of the graces and blessings which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vnto vs as wee see a great number of bablers doe they talke much thereof but what are they the better for it sauing that it increaseth their condemnation It is no great matter then to haue the confession of faith on the tippe of the tongue before men for it must be rooted in the heart we must say I haue y e vertue of the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ imprinted within vs and sainct Paul saieth that that serueth vs for righteousnesse And why Because wee knowe that wee bee reconciled to GOD insomuch that Christ hath taken our burden vppon him so as wee being thereof discharged are become acceptable vnto God so y t he will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs. And why For Christ should haue suffered in vain for vs if we should nowe be called to reckening for our sins Thus then wee stand acquited through the satisfaction made for vs by Christ Iesus and that is the righteousnesse whereof Sainct Paul speaketh For when wee receiue Iesus Christ it is certaine that hee reneweth vs by his holy Spirit And wee bee not onely adopted to bee the children of God by his meanes but also wee receiue therewith the warrant of our Election which is that wee bee reserued for the inheritage of God So then let vs vnderstande that there is none other meane whereby wee may attaine to righteousnesse but by beleeuing with the heart Nowe this worde Beleeuing importeth that wee shoulde seeke in Iesus Christ for that which wee want in our selues For if wee rest vppon the Lawe for as much as it commaundeth vs to doe that which wee ought to doe it is nothing woorth But if wee repaire vnto God knowing that hee is readie to releeue our wants that is the thing which is meant by the worde Beleeue according to the meaning of Sainct Paul And of a trueth when wee doe so beleeue and are so iustified the same sufficeth for our saluation For iustification doeth of it selfe import life euerlasting Neuerthelesse Sainct Paul doeth put ouer saluation to the confession doing vs to vnderstande that the children of GOD ought not to bee tongue tyed but to magnifie the goodnesse whereof they haue had triall and euerie man to edifie his neighbour as much as in him lyeth Nowe then like as wee haue our heartes set vppon God to
off but the matter resteth onely in receiuing it when it is set before our eyes But as touching the cause and how God gouerneth vs by his holy Spirite that was treated of yesterday shewâ—ng that the same is done by his word notwithstanding that it is vttered vnto vs by the mouthes of men Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to make vs feele them more and more yea and to mislike them and that wee may bee to reformed to his obedience as we may couet nothing but to dedicate our selues wholy to his seruice vntill that being quite dispatched from our olde Adam wee bee fully reformed by his righteousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie GOD heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxiij of Aprill 1556 The CLXXIII Sermon which is the first vpon the one thirtith Chapter THen Moses went and spake these wordes vnto all Israel 2 Saying vnto them This day am I sixe score yeres olde and I can no longer goe in and out And the Lorde also hath sayde vnto mee Thou shalt not passe ouer this Iordan 3 The Lorde thy God will passe ouer before thee It is hee that shall destroy this people before thy face and thou shalt possesse them Iosuah is hee that shall goe ouer before thy face euen as the Lorde hath spoken 4 And the Lorde will doe vnto them as hee did to Sehon and to Og the kinges of the Amorrhytes and to their countries the which hee hath destroyed 5 And the Lorde will deliuer them before thee to the intent you may doe vnto them according to all the commaundement which I haue commaunded you 6 Be of good comfort and take courage feare not neither be dismayed before their face for the Lorde thy God goeth with thee hee will not leaue thee nor forsake thee 7 And Moses called Iosuah and sayde vnto him in the presence of all Israel bee of good comfort and take a good heart to thee for thou shalt goe in with the people into the Lande which the Lorde hath sworne to their fathers to giue them and thou shalt diuide it vnto them for their inheritaunce 8 And it is the Lorde that goeth before thee it is hee that is with thee hee will not forsake thee nor leaue thee therefore haue no feare nor dread HERE it is shewed vs howe Moses was not coÌ„tented to serue God the people vnto y e which hee was apointed all the days of his life but also did his endeuour that the remembrance of the name of God might continue among the people and also that all things might be gouerned accordingly euen after his death Also hee gaue them to vnderstande that Gods calling of him was not to the ende that the people should bee so entreated for a certaine time but that as the lawe was giuen for a witnesse that God had chosen the children of Abraham so hee would guyde them euen to the comming of the Redeemer according whereunto hee went through with his calling That is the very thing which we haue here chiefely to obserue when Moses by the commaundement of God ordayned Iosuah to bee his successour to gouerne the people And therewithall hee sheweth that hee had faithfully trauayled all his life and that it was not for any want of good will that hee gaue ouer the charge that was committed vnto him but because hee was altogether forworne with weakenesse For if Moses shoulde haue withdrawen him to bee at rest the people might haue beene in dout and also much discouraged thereby but whereas hee declareth that hee neuer ceassed vntill hee had finished his course therein hee sheweth the way and example vnto all men that none ought to turne heade but that so long as God doeth prolong their liues they ought to goe on foorth whither soeuer hee calleth them and to bee firme and constant without swaruing aside or changing Moreouer hee sheweth vs that wee must not shrinke away for any mans death because God continueth euermore in his state And although y t they by whom he meant to be serued doe perish yet must not his right be thereby diminished and that is a poynt worthie to be remembred For wee see what happened in that people notwithstanding that they had beene forewarned thereof yet fell they away after the death of Iosuah and God was driuen to afflict them by the handes of their enemies to bring them backe againe But felt they once agayne the fauour of God By and by they fell to their olde byasse againe and remembred not a whit that they were deliuered but returned to their idolatrie againe 1. Samuel 〈…〉 The booke of the Iudges is full of these thinges When God had raised vp Samuel who was the excellentest of all others yet could not they abyde him but desired a king and the State was fayne to bee changed after their appetite Wee see therefore that this people were so wretched that they continued not any longer in the seruice of God nor in the obedience of his lawe than a man of courage and stoutnesse had the gouerning of them Therefore it is sayde here that although Moses was olde and short lyued yet was it not for them to looke eyther this way or that way but to consider that the liuing God had chosen and elected them for his people and promised them to haue care of their welfare and that seeing hee had taken them into his sauegarde hee woulde neuer forsake them so they did sticke vnto him and were faithfull vnto him and turned not away And thus wee may gather a good admonition out of this place that is to saye that hauing both our eyes and our wittes fastened vppon the worde of God wee must haue a right continuance in y e faith albeit that things do change as touching the worlde In deede if wee haue good folke to leade vs wee bee so much the lesse excusable if wee profite not thereby For if God stretch out his hande vnto vs and giue vs gouernours which bee as his messengers edifying and gouerning vs faithfully it is good reason that wee shoulde strayne our selues somuch the more for wee haue one generall rule to cause the meanes that God giueth vs to bee auaylable euen by turning them to our profite It is a singular thing when hee giueth vs such men as haue the vertue of his holy spirite which also bee so endued with whatsoeuer is for our benefite as wee may vnderstande that hee offereth him selfe vnto vs in their persons It behooueth vs I say to bee so much the more moued at such times to serue God But howsoeuer it bee let vs content our selues with the doctrine and albeit that men do dye and fayle vs let vs neuerthelesse vnderstande that God is alwayes the same 〈…〉 12. 〈…〉 and that his trueth cannot change For it is sayde of men that they bee but a shadowe but the worde of GOD continueth
condemnation and at the last day they shall full well be brought in minde of it againe Nowe if we haue the word of GOD which ought to bee a much more familiar instruction to vs and that God constraineth vs to haue our eares beaten therewith and to bee able to talke thereof if wee make none account thereof but walke altogether contrarie to it so as it may seeme that wee haue conspired to prouoke the wrath of GOD against vs Alas how dreadfull condemnation is readie for vs Therefore let vs looke well to our selues and let vs consider that our Lorde doeth often times leaue his worde in the mouth of men not to the intent they should be instructed thereby to their profite for they be neither worthie nor capable thereof bycause of their malice and rebellion but to the intent they should haue the lesse excuse at such time as they must condemne themselues and when this sentence is to bee executed vppon them namely Thou wicked seruaunt I condemne thee Luke 19.22 yea euen by thine owne mouth Let vs therefore take heede of that and let vs make such confession of Gods trueth as the same may proceede from the roote of our heart and be a good Sacrifice and so consequently turne to our saluation as Saint Paule sayeth in the tenth Chapter to the Romanes Rom. 10.10 which was alleaged by mee not long sithens Thus must the woorde of GOD bee alwaies in our mouth not to condemne vs in such wise as wee may sit rucking still continually in our filthinesse but to condemne vs in such wise as wee may bee touched with repentaunce and vtterly mislike of our sinnes and flee vnto God to obtaine fauour at his hand yea euen in such wise as he may rule and gouerne vs by his holy spirit and from hencefoorth bee glorified in all our life Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes beseeching him to vouchsafe more and more to giue vs a true vnderstanding and feeling of that which wee haue deserued so as wee may bee altogether cast downe in our selues and lay away all glorying of our selues and that our whole resorting for refuge may bee alonely to his goodnesse and that in the meane whyle we may sigh vnder the burthen of our flesh for so much as wee bee so ouerloaden that wee are not able to come to him with so pure affection as we ought and that he will augment the graces of his holy spirit vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane of all maner of vices and imperfections and renewed vs after his owne image so as we may forsake all thinges to giue our selues vnto him and that renouncing this present world we may labour to attayne to the inheritaunce of the heauenly life That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the vj. of May 1556. The CLXXVII Sermon which is the fifth vpon the one and thirtith Chapter 22 And so Moses wrate this Song the same day and taught it the children of Israell 23 Then hee commaunded Iosuah the sonne of Nun and sayde bee strong and of good courage for thou shalt bring the Children of Israell into the lande concerning the which I haue sworne to them and I will bee with thee 24 And it came to passe that Moses finished his wryting of the woordes of this Lawe in the booke so that hee made an ende 25 Then Moses commaunded the Leuites that bare the Arke of the Couenaunt of the Lord saying 26 Take the booke of this Lawe and lay it in the side of the Arke of the Couenaunt of the Lorde your God that it may bee a witnesse agaynst thee 27 For I knowe thy stubbornnesse and thy stiffe necke beholde whyle I am yet a liue with you this day you bee Rebelles agaynst the Lorde how much more then will you be so after my death 28 Cause all the Elders of your Trybes and your Rulers to come before me that I may vtter these words in their hearing and that I may call both heauen and earth to witnesse against them 29 For I knowe that after my death you will bee corrupted and fall away from the way that I haue commaunded you And finally euill will come vppon you bycause you shall haue doone euill in the sight of the Lorde by prouoking him to anger through the workes of your handes 30 So Moses spake the words of this song in the eares of all the congregation of Israell vntill he ended them WEe haue heere before already seene howe Moses exhorted Iosuah whome GOD gaue him to bee his successor And therein wee haue seene also that he was contented to haue serued God during his owne lyfe time and that hee was not grieued y t another was reserued for the charge which was more excellent than that which had beene committed vnto him For the chiefe matter was to put the children of Israel in possession of the heritage that God had promised them Moses is remoued from that honor and GOD tolde him that it was to shame him withall bicause he had not glorifyed him when the people stroue at such time as they asked water to drinke God sayd that Moses behaued not himselfe constant ynough at that time 〈…〉 10 and therefore hee punished him and would not that hee shoulde put the people in possession of the land of Chanaan Nowe see with what patience Moses did beare this chastisement which God layd vppon him In so much that although Iosuah was appointed in his place yet hee was not a whit mooued thereat with enuie or euill will but did rather exhort him desiring nothing but that such a man might be set vp as should maintayne and preserue the state of the Church Hereby we are taught that although God doe pardon our faultes yet neuerthelesse if it please him to send vs corporall punishments to the intent wee shoulde the rather humble our selues and not spurne against his power but stoope to it and yeelde our selues altogether obedient surely it is conuenient for vs as he knoweth verie well And therefore let vs suffer our selues to bee gouerned by his hand as it is the generall rule that we must obserue in al the punishments that God doeth send vs. And by the way wee are also to marke that the zeale of the honour of God and of y e welfare of his Church ought to beare rule in vs so as none of vs doe couet to bee in high degree and to mount aboue his neighbours but bee contented that God doe conduct vs by the meanes of men and that hee choose such instrumentes as it pleaseth himselfe For so hee may alwayes haue the soueraintie and the Church prosper let vs reioyce therein and let no man haue regarde of himselfe Moreouer wee are to call to rememberaunce that when Moses meant to encourage Iosuah hee assured
winges So then let vs marke first of all that here we be reproued of the ouergreat blockishnes which is in vs in that we consider not Gods benefites That is the cause why God vseth such comparisons And yet is not that any derogation at all to his glory or highnes For his goodnes his power are thinges y t agree wel together they be no such thinges as cannot abide to match one with another God is mightie God is dreadfull in his maiestie all y t is true but yet is his goodnes as infinite as his power And what importeth his goodnes That hee should be as a Hen. And therefore let vs marke that this dealing of God must not diminishe his glory so as we should not worship him with all humilitie reuerence but rather touch vs to the quick that when God hauing bestowed so many benefites vpon vs we thinke not vpon them but doe bury his goodnes in forgetfulnes vpbraideth vs y t he hath played y e Clockhen towardes vs and we could not abide it we may learn to apply all our wittes to consider how good gratious God is towardes vs that knowing him to be so wee may also assure ourselues that hee ought to bee worshipped in his glory maiestie to the ende we may be subiect to him and come shrowd our selues vnder his winges to be defended by him But this shal be layd forth more at large to morrowe if God will Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better yea in such sort as wee may returne to him with true repentance acknowledging the transgressions and iniquities which we haue committed not only to obteine forgiuenesse of them but also to be maintained by him all the time of our lyfe and that in the meane while it would please him to keepe vs to himself and correct all things that are contrary to his righteousnes and doe hinder vs from giuing our selues wholy to him as we ought to doe 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 ij of Iune 1556. The CLXXXI Sermon which is the fourth vpon the two and thirtith Chapter 11 As the Eagle stirreth vp c. 12 So the Lord alone did leade him and there was no straunge god with him 13 He caryed him vp to the high places of the earth and made him to eate of the fruits of the fieldes and he made him to sucke Honnie out of the Rocke and Oyle out of the hard stone 14 He fed him with butter of kyne and milke of sheepe with fatte of Lambes and of sheepe fed in Bashan and Heegoates and with the fatte of wheate and made thee to drinke the iuice of the most excellent grape 15 But he which ought to haue beene vpright became fatte and fell to kicking Thou art become fatte lustie and thicke And so hee forsooke God his maker and regarded not the strong God of his welfare YEsterday we sawe the similitude which Moses brought in to expresse what goodnes and gentlenes God vsed towardes the children of Israell for he dealt with them as when a hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges We see thē howe God dooth in such wise vtter and make knowen his infinite power to his children in the preseruing of them that hee stoopeth to them beareth with them in respect of their frailetie and at a word maketh himselfe lyke a Clockhen Now it remaineth on our side y t we knowing our owne feeblenesse should flee vnto God and hide our selues vnder his winges that wee may there be defended and kept safe And wee must not bee afraid to peace vnto him for his maiestie ought not to be terrible to vs any more sith we see he hath made himselfe familiar with vs draweth vs to him by gentlenes And surely it must needes bee that we be destitute of wit and reason if we goe not to seeke him for howe shall the little chicken doe if he be not vnder his dammes wing Much lesse can wee continue without the protection of our God than little chickens can doe if they run not vnder y e wings of their dam which leadeth them But in the meane while we fare little the better by this lesson For although we bee warned sufficiently of our infirmities yet doe we not cease for all that to be blinded with presumption insomuch as euery of vs thinketh to maintaine himself well enough And by y t meanes we hold skorn of y e help of our God Or else we be so full of distrust y t although he call vs to him with all the gentlenes that can be deuised yet we cannot finde in our heartes to come to him but doe alwayes stand in doubt of him And that is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ findeth fault with the citie of Ierusalem Matt. 23.37 that when as hee would haue gathered her chickens together she would not Hee maketh euen a complaint of it in way of lamentation saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy childrē together as y e Hen stretcheth out her wings to gather her yong chickens to her thou hast despised that great benefite thou hast not voutsafed to shroud thy selfe vnder me I haue bin desirous to make thee to feele my power to y e maintaining of thee in thine estate But what Thou hast bin faine to feele heeretofore many chastisementes because of thine vnthankfulnes but the time will come y t thou shalt bee vtterly destroyed Let vs beware that God haue not lyke cause to finde fault with vs nowadayes and to powre out his vengeance vpon vs after he shal haue borne with vs a long time For the foresaid threatning which our Lord Iesus Christ made befel not out of hād God had many ways assayed to gather the citie of Ierusalem vnto his obedience and when he saw them so stubborne y t they were past amendment he punished them according to their desert Therfore let vs not tempt y e patience of our God but when we see him spread out his wings to gather vs to him let vs runne to him let necessitie driue vs thereto For what shall we◠doe if our Lord keepe vs not Againe Let not fearefulnes or douting keepe vs back from him For what can he do more than abace himselfe after the maner of a clockhen to the intent that his maiestie shoulde not bee terrible to vs and scarre vs away Let vs marke further y t God playeth the part of a Clockhen in all pointes to gather vs vnder his winges For on the one side he calleth vs vnto his tuition by y e preaching of the Gospel promising vs y t the power of his holy spirit shall not faile vs but y t it shall defend vs against all the assaultes of Satan according as it is
their paunches well ynough but they can no skill to lift vp their heades to heauen to honor him that findeth and maintaineth them so wealthily their groynes mussels are euer grubbing downewarde to their feeding Therefore let vs not resemble them If God giue vs wealth let vs not pamper or pranck vp our selues but rather let it bee as a spurre to quicken vs vp to come vnto him the nearer that hee approcheth vnto vs and the more that hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes the more wholly let vs yeeld our selues thereto That is the thing which we be taught in this text Now whereas Moses saith Hee forsooke the God which made him and skorned the strong God of his welfare thereby hee sheweth vs after what manner we abuse Gods benefites namely by shrinking away from him whereas he would haue vs to bee brought neerer to him For as I saide afore all the commodities which God giueth vs in this world ought to be as ladders whereby to climbe vp to him And if we be wedded to the earth it is the way to make vs turne the benefits of our God to the cleane contrarie Therefore let vs take good heede that we prouoke him not to displeasure And whereas Moses saieth that it was God that created his people hee meaneth it not alonely as in respect that he is the maker of the world but as in respect that hee had chosen that people and had made as it were a newe worlde of them For Gods fetching of the children of Israel out of the lande of Egypt his feeding of them in the wildernes and his putting of them in possession of the land which he had promised vnto them were as a newe creating of them He had not onely made them men but also newe men So then the making that Moses speakes of here is not of the first making whereby the children of Israel were brought into the worlde but of Gods reforming of them to bee his children And it is the very same thing that is ment in the fourescore and fifteenth Psalm Psal. 95.7 Now then saith Moses will ye spite him which hath twice made you after that fashion What an vnthankfulnes were that The like condemnation lyeth vpon vs nowadayes if we walke not in the obedience of our God seeing he hath not onelie placed vs in the worlde but also called vs to the hope of the endlesse life reforming vs by his holy spirit and calling vs to the knowledge of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Sith it is so let vs beware we forget it not or that we shrink not away from him in any wise Yea and let vs marke well the word that Moses vseth in saying that they mocked or skorned the strong God of their welfare The terme that hee vseth commeth of a foole or thing of nothing as if a man would say they befooled him or they louted him Whereby he aggrauateth the ouergreat skornefulnesse of that people in not honoring God as they ought to haue done Then if wee yeelde not God his due glorie and praise it is all one as if wee made no account of him or as if wee bleared out our tongues at him in way of mockage And that were too excessiue vnthankfulnesse or rather vntolerable trecherie Therfore let vs beware that we be not guiltie of such a crime as is the despising of him which is the strong holde of our welfare that is to say him vpon whom we stay without whom we can by no meanes continue which keepeth vs vnder his protection and to be short of whom we hold our life and all that belongeth thereunto Must we not needes be worse than brute beastes when we forget him Let vs vnderstand then that besides the other benefites which God bestoweth vpon vs we be also setled vpon his power so as he hath y e gouerning of vs and we be after such a sort in his tuition that we finde him alwayes the fortresse of our welfare to the intent that wee holding our selues to him may knowe also that hee is euer readie and forwarde to increase his gratious giftes and to multiplie them vntill hee haue brought vs to the full perfection of our saluation Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgment of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and therewithall that hauing shewed himselfe so gratious towards vs hee suffer vs not to forget his benefits nor to abuse the sustenāce which hee giueth vs in this worlde but that wee may be drawen further by it namely to seeke the heauenly foode of our soules least they shoulde starue and that our whole stay and contentation may be in the doctrine which is dayly deliuered vs by the Gospel and in the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as all his spirituall gifts may bee applied by vs to the glorifying of our good god that when his glorie shineth forth in this world we may perfectly be partakers thereof after wee bee rid of this mortall flesh and dispatched from the transitorie state of this earthly life That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people and Nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the iij. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXII Sermon which is the fifth vppon the two and thirtith Chapter 16 They haue prouoked him with their strange gods stirred him to displeasure with their abhominations 17 They haue offered sacrifice to Deuils and not vnto God to gods whom they haue not knowen to newe gods lately come vp whom your fathers feared not 18 Thou hast forgotten the strong God that begate thee and beene vnmindefull of the God that shaped thee 19 The Lorde sawe it and was sore grieued at it by reason of the prouocation of his sonnes and daughters HEere Moses declareth the vnthankfulnesse of the people in that they peruerted the seruice of God hauing the lawe whereby they were taught after what manner God woulde bee honored and being instructed at his hande that they ought to giue themselues wholly to him and not go seeke vnto ydols nor borrowe any thing of the heathen and Infidels But notwithstanding all this the people ceased not to take the bridle in their teeth and to mingle a sort of superstitions with the seruice of God Insomuch as it sufficed them not to haue God to their father but they woulde needes haue a number of other patrons as men terme them And this befell not onely when Moses wrate this song but also the holy ghost informed him of the things that were then to come vpon that people and this record was of necessitie to bee giuen thereof And so this song serued to shewe the transgressours of Gods lawe that they coulde not scape the hande of the heauenly Iudge seeing their sinnes were knowen so long aforehande For howe is it possible that God should forget the faultes that wee haue committed or howe is it
set our mindes vpon the end which God hath promised vs. And therwithall let vs also haue an eye to his threatenings and let them hold vs in awe And although the wicked prouoke God and are not rebuked for it at the first bycause God seeth that they be not worthy to be chastised by his hand yet notwithstanding let not vs bee astonished therat but let vs vnderstand that Gods threatening of the transgressors of his Law after that fashion is not in vaine And therefore let vs frame our owne inditement that we may preuent the condemnation which otherwise taryeth for vs. That I say is the thing which wee haue to remember vpon the word End wherof Moses hath spoken heere And therwithall we see the goodnesse of God heere expressed after a wonderful maner in that he entereth into a complaning and sorrowing as if he were a man that could suffer O that this people saith he had bin weladuised True it is that our Lord is not subiect to our passions but he vseth such form of speech to shew that the loue which he beareth vs surmounteth the loue of all earthly fathers And therefore it serueth in effect to doe vs to vnderstand that when we goe wilfully into destruction and reiect the grace which was offered vs to our saluation then doe we grieue the spirite of God as is said in the Prophet Esay and it is al one as if we strake God with a dagger as he complayneth also by his Prophet Zachary That is one thing in effect which we haue to remember vpon this place And were all this well grauen in our heartes I pray you woulde it not make vs to abhorre all our sinnes When a man is tempted by Sathan to offend his God if hee would bethinke himselfe of this point and say How now Thou grieuest thy God thou giuest him cause to enter into complaint and sorrowe like a father that conceiueth griefe and anguish of mind when hee sees his children vnruly and vnreformable It is a wounding of him at the heart and so likewise God telleth vs y t we grieue his spirite If a man I say would bethinke himselfe throughly of these things although he had a heart of stone yet would they breake it and soften it And this is the cause why that throughout all the holy Scripture hee complaineth of this that we greatly grieue him whē we are so wicked vnruly Therefore let vs aduise ourselues wel for as much as hee is desirous to be our father let vs bee to him as children For it must needes be that Sathan hath more than bewitched vs that hee rageth most terribly in vs if we be not moued at such kind of dealing And it behoueth vs so much the more to marke well this text bycause our Lord condemneth men for that they are too senselesse and brutish and telleth them that they be too too blockish in that they haue not eye to their ende but specially for that hee proceedeth so farre as to cloth himselfe with our humane passions and lamenteth to see vs perish wilfully and that we cannot abyde that hee should deale like a father with vs. That is one thing more which we haue to marke vpon this text Now if any man alleage that God seeing men so destitute could wel giue them vnderstanding as we haue seene heeretofore where it is sayde God hath not yet giuen thee a minde and heart to vnderstand Deut. 29.4 We must mark that God hath his secret purpose which he reserueth to himselfe For he sheweth fauour to whom he listeth Exo. 33.19 Ro. 9.15 and he hath pitie on whome he hath pitie and it is not for vs to enter thereinto but rather to doe him the honour to confesse that he is the fountaine of al goodnes of al power of al wisedome and of all Iustice and vprightnesse Yet notwithstanding we must make hast when hee calleth incorageth vs by his word For if we come not ne hearken to the things that are set forth to vs in his name to receiue them obediētly by faith we shal be condemned as persons that haue grieued his holy spirite by rebelling against him and shewed our selues to be vnreformable children that haue disdayned our father and made our selues straungers to him and to his house That is the thing which is set forth vnto vs in this text Therefore whereas God vpbraideth vs with our grieuing of him let vs beware that wee enter not into these needeles curiosities but rather let it suffice vs to behold him in his word where he sheweth himself and where he sheweth himselfe in such wise as we shall finde that all they which frame themselues thereafter shall haue a happy end that is to wit that for as much as they bee adopted of God afore they cannot perish and on the coutrary parte that they which turne their backe to God when he sheweth them his face and which kick and spurne against him shall for their sturdinesse reape nothing but confusion That is the thing in effect which we haue to gather vpon this place Now Moses addeth consequētly Were it possible for one man to chase a thousand or that two should put ten thousand to flight vnlesse the Lord had inclosed thē and that their mightie one did hold thē captiue Here he sheweth by effect y t God had sufficiently warned his people if they had but one spark of reason in them And thereupō it is to be concluded y t there was no more excuse of ignoraunce for y t people but y t they were conuicted ouermuch to haue hardened their hearts euen of wilfull malice so to haue withstoode God to haue letted him y t he should not bring thē backe into the right way That was y e meaning of Moses Now let vs mark y t when God vouchsafed to shew his fauour towardes the people of Israel then was his promise performed y t is to wit y t as soone as the people did but as ye would say remoue thēselues by by their enemyes were ouercome We knowe what ouerthrowes they gaue and by what meanes y e same came to passe For we heare how it is said by y e Prophet Esay Esa. 9.4 y t whensoeuer God listeth to succour his people to vtter his power in their defence it shall fall out w t them as it did in the voyage against Madian Iudges 7. for at y t time Gedeon gate not the victorie by mans policie neither by vailancie or strength of hand but it was the sword of God of Gedeon that did the deede And yet it was so done as it might seeme to be a play of young children But our Lord saith y t he will maintaine his people after y t fashion Againe in other texts he declareth that his sauing of his people shall be neither by sword nor by speare Osee. 1.7 but by his owne only hand Ye see then how God
be out of hope of our saluation and giue ouer the promises thereof that haue bin made vnto vs. Thus doe we now see the meaning of Moses and also in how great stead his doctrine may stand vs if we can haue the skill to apply it well to our vse Now it is said for a conclusion Ye people or nations prayse ye the people of God Here Moses directeth his speech to all infidels and heathen folk to the intent that the exhortatioÌ„ which he hath set downe heretofore may haue the more force Hitherto he had spoken to the belieuers and to such as haue eares to heare God withall and to such as he calleth to his schoole Howbeit forasmuch as there is so much troublesomnesse and scrupulousnesse in vs as is pitifull to see Moses meant to giue vs yet one meane more for our better confirmation in respect wherof he sayth Consider my friends see how your God comforteth you in the middest of the chastisements which he sendeth you Although ye haue offended him deserue to haue extreme rigor vsed towardes you without any abatement of his corrections yet notwithstanding to shewe that hee would not haue you to perish nor y t you shoulde feele him but as a Iudge onely he sheweth again that he will haue pitie vpon you and repent him of his smiting of you after that fashion and that he will withdrawe his hand And if you beleeue not this yet neuerthelesse y e infidels must needs beleeue it Although they be destitute of reason although there be not one sparke of light in theÌ„ although they be as brutish as beastes that neuer heard speaking of the liuing God yet shall they perceiue this and their experience shal be such Psal. 32.12 that they shall be driuen to say Blessed is the people whose father sauiour God sheweth himselfe to be Euen they I say shal blesse you Now when the dumme are able to speake the blinde to see the deafe to heare shoulde not they that haue bin inlightned by Gods word to whom he hath giuen tongues to magnifie his name should not they see nor perceiue a whit What excuse then shall there be for them Now then wee see why Moses hauing exhorted the faithfull to repentance hauing shewed them that God will haue pitie mercie vppon them after he hath corrected them for their faultes offences turneth his talke to such as were blind had not any knowledge or tast of the trueth namely to the heathen of purpose to make vs to perceiue the better after what sorte God causeth vs to feele his goodnes euen by experience sealing it vp in our harts by his holy spirit which is named the â—arnest penny and the seale of the hope of our saluation 〈◊〉 1.12 the causer of vs to take hold of all the good thinges which we receiue at Gods hand Now then if we know nothing therof that the infidels by beholding Gods wonderfull working after a manner vnaccustomed among men be inforced to say O what a thing is it to be of the number of Gods people ought not we to haue a more liuely knowledge thereof such as may comfort vs in our afflictions so as we may not cease to call vpon our God to hold vs continually vnder his obedience and to haue alwayes wherwith to asswage the bitternes of our sorrowes Truely the thing that Moses rehearseth here is shewed vs in the example of Balaam For he was a false Prophet hee was an enemie of God hee was such a one as had his tongue to sale and his heart vppon his powch seeking to turne the trueth into falshood and yet for all this as though God had held him vppon the rack he was inforced to vtter this speech Let my soule dye the death of the righteous 〈◊〉 13.10 He speaketh there of the people of God saying Who art thou Israell Who is hee that can doe any thing against thee seeing thou standest in the fauor of thy God Was a deceiuer and an vnderling of Satan faine to say so Yea verely For it is Gods will that his will which hee hath witnessed already to his people by his lawe and by his word should be knowen and further confirmed euen by the mouth of his open enemie Balaam was faine to say that the death of the Iewes was more to be desired than the life of all other men because God held them for his people So then let vs marke well that whereas Moses sayth Ye Nations or ye Gentiles prayse yee the people of God it is as much to say as declare ye that God hath wrought after such a fashion as it is not for men to doubt any more but that for his adoption sake in that he hath voutsafed to choose the linage of Abraham he will haue it knowen that therein he hath layd forth the infinite treasures of his goodnes And forthwith he addeth that hee will reuenge the bloud of his seruauntes and requite vengeance to his enemies but bee mercifull to his land and to his people Here are three thinges in effect which I wil touch in few words and it wil be enough to conclude this song withall The first is that God sayth He will reuenge the bloud of his seruantes Now vnder this saying hee sheweth vs that wee may well be afflicted for a time so far forth that euen our very bloud shall not be spared whether it be that God punish vs for the faults which we haue committed against him or that his will be to try our patience The thing then whereof wee bee warned is that if God thinke good to haue our bloud shed we must not thinke it straunge nor shrinke from the promises which he hath made vs in auowing himselfe to bee our God and the defender of our lyfe Neither must we think that those promises are disanulled though our God suffer vs to be handled so cruelly But let vs tary the time till he reuenge our bloud for hee will then shewe how deare and precious our lyfe is vnto him Thus much coÌ„cerning the first point As touching the second he sayth that God will requite his enemies with the lyke to the ende wee should knowe that all the felicitie of the wicked and of the despisers of God shall be accursed Psal. 37. â— therefore that we must not repine at them therfore Now then if wee see Gods enemies to bee rich to haue their ease in this world and to welter in all pleasure let vs let them alone and not be drawen do spire them or to intermeddle our selues with theÌ„ For why God 's vengeance which is yet vnseene must come before our eyes be considered by faith we must also remeÌ„ber how it is said Luke 6.25 Cursed be you y t laugh for ye shal weepe Forasmuch then as the laughter of y e despiserâ— of God must be turned into mourning weeping and gnashing of teeth let vs
succeeded him gold and siluer were of no more estimation than grauell as the holy historie reporteth thereof But what As soone as Roboam succeeded there was a backeslyding so as almost all the people turned backe There was no more but the trybe of Iuda with a piece of Beniamin that abode in obedience to the house of Dauid What was to be sayd hereupon but that for aught that men did see there was verie fickle hope to be had when all passed so slightly away Besides this that small kingdome being so diminished as wherof remained but a piece was so assayled on all sides that it seemed to be as a sheep alone among a dozen wolues A man then would haue thought that God had forgotten his promise And therefore it was requisite that Moses should ad this for the comfort of the faithful to the intent they should not be shaken from their faith when they saw that kingdome so diminished That is the cause why he sayd The handes of Iuda shall suffice him and God will giue him succour against his enimies And so let vs marke well that this kingdome was stablished with great difficultie in the person of Dauid and that in the end it was diminished and came to such decay that to all seeming it should haue beene vtterly abolished whereby it was Gods will to shewe in a figure what was to befall to the spirituall kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And in deede wee see that when the time drewe nigh wherein Iesus was to be shewed to the worlde there was nothing but horrible disorder among that people Who then would haue looked for the redemption at the comming of Iesus Christ For the people were scattered abroade and vtterly cast downe Yet notwithstanding God wrought therein after a manner vnknowen to men Insomuch that although the Gospel was preached yet was it not seene out of hand that the Church triumphed in this world but cleane contrarywise that there was nothing but tormenting persecuting and oppressing of it so as the name of Christianitie seemed to be the irksommest thing that could be spoken of that all Gods children were but as the doung filth of the world 1. Cor. 4.13 as Saint Paul speaketh therof To be short that kingdome was to be set vp with sighing and sorrowing it behooued the faithfull to pray vnto God and yet notwithstanding great was the griefe of minde wherewith they wayted for the setting abroad of the doctrine of the Gospell to the intent that Iesus Christ might be worshipped of the world and all men submit themselues to him to do him homage And yet did not that continue any long time For the vnthankfulnes of the world deserued that God should haue withdrawen his hand and power and we see howe the worlde stroue to haue driuen Christ away For on the one side there were hypocrites which scorned al religion and abused it falsly Also there were despisers and worldly folk which tooke to them an vnbridled libertie as we see still at this day vnder pretence of the freedome that was preached vnto them Againe there were Sects and Heresies and rebellions so as a great sort stepped vp and could not abide to beare the yoke which it was Gods will to lay vpon their necke Ye see then that the reigning of our Lorde Iesus Christ was as it were brought to nothing And therefore let vs mark well that this text not only serued for the Iewes but also is profitable for vs at this day as whereby we be done to vnderstand that it behoueth vs to make earnest sute vnto GOD to set vp the kingdome of his only sonne and to stablish it with his power euen in the middes of the trubbles which wee see notwithstanding that it seeme that al things should goe to wracke to succour vs against our enemies because we see so many men inraged against vs to hyde vs vnder the shadowe of his hand to shewe vs his helpe when wee be in extremitie and euen at the last cast and can no longer hold out Againe although the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ seeme nothing to the world that the proud the vnbeleeuers do scorne it despise it yet wil God shewe that his own hand suffiseth him that is to say that his power which is hidden of no reputation to the worldward shal be of such force that in the end the wicked shal be driuen to confesse that they were too blockish dulwitted in that they tooke not hold of the grace wherof mention is made here As for vs let vs be stil more more confirmed to trust in this great Sauiour to put our selues into his protection and to seeke all our succour at his hand That is the thing which we be taught in this text Now let vs come to the trybe of Leuye Thy Vrim thy Thumim sayeth he belong vnto thy meeke one or vnto the man of thy mercie The Thumim and Vrim were a parcel of Aarons brestlap and of the brestlap of the high priests Besides their robe there was another piece ioyned vnto it which was of great pryce beset with pearles imbroydered Moreouer in this piece there was a tablet of precious stones hanging at little cheynes Exo. 28.14.15 which was placed full vpon his brest and this piece of the brestlap was called Iudgement that is to say rightfulnes Also there was another part which a man cannot well distinguish and that was named Thumim and Vrim The former of these words signifieth perfection as if a man should terme them perfections in the plurall number And the other commeth of light or flame if yee referre it to doctrine Then if a man list to take these words in common speech he may say perfections and teachings or instructions But I in reading of the text haue kept still the verie wordes of Moses because it is not to be douted but that he speaketh of that portion of the brestlap which was so termed as appeareth in the eyght twentith of Exodus And he directeth his speech vnto God But some haue misexpounded this text in saying thy Thumim Vrim belong to thee to the Man which is cleane contrary For Moses saith O Lord God thou hast thy Thumim Vrim in thy hand That is to say the things which thou hast giuen to thy high priest are things holy dedicated to thy name they be thy perfections and teachings To whom belong they To thy meek one or to the man of thy mercie for so is it word for word But the word Meeke may be taken after the same maner that the holy scripture calleth Gods children meeke ones that is to say such as ought to resemble him who is the fountaine of all mercie goodnes For if wee wil be knowen auowed to be Gods childrē it is good reason that we should resemble him by hauing a meeke myld spirit in vs so as we indeuour
ten trybes of Israel were comprehended vnder it When the Prophets name Ephraim it is a comprehending of all the ten trybes togither Esai 7.2 in other places insomuch that euen Ruben who was the eldest of all lay hid vnder the wings of Ephraim And who knew that Our Lord did so vtter it by the mouth of those whom he had appointed in his place And so we see againe the thing that I said afore namely that in this case Moses was not a priuate person ne spake at randon nor of his owne head but was directed by God to the intent it might be knowen that that people was gouerned by speciall meanes as a people chosen and picked out by God from the rest of the world True it is that God is the generall creator of all mankind and that all people are his Yet notwithstanding forasmuch as he had chosen the linage of Abraham it was his will to haue his power the better knowen there to holde them as his houshold folke neerer alyed vnto him And therefore it was good reason that the things which are declared here should be knowen of al y e Iewes that by that meanes they should be prouoked to blesse the name of God acknowledging howe greatly they were bound tied vnto him for that he had so withdrawen them from al other nations vouchsafed to make them feele him to be their father seeing he had adopted them to be his children Now let vs come to the things that befell True it is that God hath wel perfourmed al that he had spoken And thereby wee see that the children of Ioseph were not disapointed of their expectation neither was any of al those promises void But yet for al that they tooke no great benefite by them but rather it came to passe through their own lewdnes that they were of necessitie turned to their harme and vndoing Wherin we see y t men are so vntoward y t they change all y t euer God had ordeyned for their welfare in so much that when he blesseth them they turne his blessing into a curse when he offereth them life they turne it into deth they not only dim y e light but also turne it into darknes But what befell to the Trybe of Ephraim It was aduaunced as it were by miracle and against the order of nature through the onely blessing of God And yet for all this it caused y e body of the commonweale to be rent torne asunder Gods seruice to bee corrupted peruerted ydolatry to reigne in the holy land God to be defrauded and bereft of his inheritance and all manner of infections to be brought in Whereupon insued foorthwith all manner of mischiefe so as they did eate vp one another like dogs and cattes and there was such deadly enmitie betweene the two kingdoms of Iuda Israel Esay 7.1 that they went to seeke help of the Heathen Infidels to ouerthrow one another and was not y t a diuelish rage yet all this proceeded from the trybe of Ephraim If a man should say y t Gods blessing was the cause thereof then is there a double malice to be seene in y t behalf For they ought the rather to haue bin incouraged to magnifie Gods name to walke in his feare seeing he had so greatly bounde them to him But they turned y t benefite to the contrary as I haue shewed alreadie therfore it was of necessitie y t all those blessings were taken from them moreouer y t they were vnto them an occasion of decay I say they were the occasion howbeit not the cause Yea but yet was y e blame to be imputed vnto them because they themselues were the alterers of Gods order What is to be done then Let vs vnderstand that when God shal haue fed vs fat in this world so as wee haue the fruits of the earth yea be as it were made drunken with the things that delight vs yet if we haue not the chiefe poynt the residue shal be sold vs ful deere Then let vs not so gretly esteeme the temporall transitory goods that we should not euermore haue an eye to y e chiefe point which is y t God receiues vs for his children that we abide vnder his gouernement that wee call vppon him as our father howbeit truely and vnfaynedly resorting rightly vnto him and submitting our selues wholy to his wil knowing that as soone as wee bee neuer so litle separated from him it cannot bee but that miserie and confusion must needes fall vpon vs. So then let vs esteeme of the transitorie benefits which god bestoweth vpon vs in this world but let vs esteem them in their degree so as we be not tyed to them ne set not our chief desire vppon them If God giue vs of them let vs enioy them with all sobrietie and let vs not set our minds too much vpō them Again if he giue vs them not let vs beare our pouertie patiently keep on our way stil. And in y e meane while let vs take our cōtentatiō rest in y e spiritual goods which God granteth vs in y t he vouchsafeth to certifie vs y t he is our father in y t he calleth vs vnto him daily in y t he telleth vs y t we shal finde fauor at his hand for our lord Iesus Christs sake Let the hauing of these things suffise vs and let vs not repyne at the aduersities griefes troubles which we haue in this world neither let vs enuye such as are here in better case than wee but when we see the vnbeleeuers liue at ease haue all their pleasures so as they want not any thing let vs haue an eye to the trybe of Ephraim consider the great wealth both of the same also of the trybe of Manasses They were fed at their pleasure but what They glutted themselues with Gods benefites and were choked with them for their owne vnthankfulnes Now then let this serue to restraine vs frō repyning at those with whome God dealeth so liberally in this world and to whom he sheweth himselfe so bountifull Let not vs bee grieued thereat For why We haue the goods which are of farre greater value that is to wit the things that concerne our saluation For seeing y t God hath begunne to worke after that fashion in vs by his holy spirite let vs seeke for the heauenly riches whereunto he calleth vs from day to day till we haue the ful fruition of them at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs perceiue them more more and that therewithall when wee enioy here neuer so many benefites and bee fedde by his hande wee may not bee so rechlesse and sleepie as not to haue our myndes continually lifted vp to heauen to giue thanks to him for all his benefites
the thing that I said afore namely that Moses intended not to flatter Isachar in y e thing for which he was to be condemned that is to wit for the cowardlines whereof I haue made mention Neuerthelesse because that fault was vnreformable in the meane whyle God was to chastice that people with bondage with tributes and with tallages therefore Moses had a care to comfort them specially the faithfull which might fall into despaire when they sawe thēselues so punished at Gods hand Well saith he beare ye this burthen paciently for yee be worthie of the punishment which God layeth vpō you But howsoeuer the world go with you be not out of hart for he wil not faile to be a father to you still Although yee seeme to be subiect to many burthens he seeme to haue with drawen his hand from you vouchsafe not to succour you yet notwithstanding he wil haue pitie vpon you stil. Therfore be glad in your wretchednes distresses Lo how the faithful ought always to assuage their sorowes when God chastiseth them in this world for asmuch as his chastising of them is after such a sort that yet neuertheles he estrangeth not himselfe vtterly frō thē but reserueth them stil as of his houshold Church Moses hauing spoken so of those two trybes addeth in cōmon that they shal cal folke vp into the mountaine to offer vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnes No dout but Moses meant this of mount Sion that is yet one other prophesie For no man could foresee that God would haue his tēple to be builded in that place yet Moses setteth it down expresly that it shal be set vpon a hil Deut. 12.5 In deed he sayth Thy God will choose him a place where his name shal be called vpon but yet it was a hundred yeres after yea foure hūdred or rather Six hundred yeres after ere any man knewe where that place was But Moses assigneth it to a mountaine and that was by force of the spirite For it must needes be that God guyded him thereto seeing he could say Vppon a mountaine shal my temple be builded True it is that hee nameth not mount Sion but yet we see there was a comformity between that which was reuealed vnto Dauid and that which had beene spoken so long aforehande by Moses Heere therefore we haue yet againe an infallible proofe that Moses deuised not any thing of himselfe but that the liuing God vsed him continually as his minister and as the instrument of his holy spirite Againe heere the two tribes of Isachar and Zabulon are commended for exhorting folke to the seruice of God And it is a praise well woorth the noting For thereby we be done to vnderstande that it is not ynough for euery man to occupie himselfe in the seruice of God but that our zeale must extende yet further to the drawing of other men thereunto accordingly also as is sayde thereof specially when the prophet Esay treateth of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ at which time euery man shall reach his hande vnto his neighbour 〈◊〉 2.3 saying Let vs goe vp into the Lordes hill to worshippe him Heere Moses declareth that Isachar and Zabulon shall do the like and draw their neighbours to the seruing of God But in very deede it were to small purpose for vs to incorage our neighbours to yeeld God his deserued honour vnlesse wee ourselues did beare them companie And for that cause it is expresly sayde That they shall call folke and offer Sacrifice with them The thing then in effect which we haue to gather vpon this text is that we must as much as in vs lyeth indeuour to drawe all men on the earth vnto God that all men may serue him and worship him with one accorde And in deede if we haue any kindnesse in vs sith we see that men goe to destruction till God haue gotten them vnder his obedience ought we not to be moued with pity to drawe the silly soules out of hell and to bring them into the way of saluation Againe on the other side sith we knowe that God is our father should we not be desyrous to haue him knowen to be the like to all men And if we can not find in our heartes that all creatures should doe him homage is it not a token that we haue no great regarde of his honour Ye see then howe that one of the thinges whereunto we ought to apply our mindes and indeuours is first to procure the silie ignoraunt soules to serue God and secondly to be alwayes incoraging of such as are in the right trade As for example when we see blinde wretches runne astray surely if we be able and can haue any accesse or meanes to doe it we ought to giue them a tast of the true religion that they may submit themselues to God Againe we knowe wherein the seruice of God consisteth namely in learning his woorde that we may put our trust in him and therewithall call vpon him yeelding him thankes for all the benefites which he hath bestowed vpon vs and dedicating ourselues vnto him all our life long Nowe at this day his seruice is spirituall it consisteth not in the shadowes and ceremonies of the Lawe Therefore let vs prouoke ech other to resorte to the hearing of Gods worde let vs treate of it together to the edifying one of another and let vs also giue good exāple of putting our trust in him of being patient in our aduersities and of walking vnder his feare Afterwarde let vs call vpon him Psal. 5.12 as which is the chiefe Sacrifice that hee requireth at our handes let vs flee to him alone for refuge let vs yeelde him the prayse that is dewe to him for al his benefits and let vs prouoke all others to do the like That is the thing which is declared vnto vs in the example of Zabulon and Isachar But as I sayde afore we must not teache our neighbours and tarrie behinde ourselues but we must beare them companie And for y t cause is it sayde that they shall all worshippe Now then if we will discharge our duetie we must not say to others pray you vnto God put your trust in him giue him thankes for the great number of benefites which he hath bestowed vppon you dedicate your liues vnto him with all purenesse it is not for vs to shift off the matter in such sort What then We must ioyne with them and say let vs serue our God let vs worship him let vs call vpon him yea and let vs shewe the way to such as haue neede to be prouoked by vs. That is the thing then which in the seconde place we haue to practice out of this text But heere a man might demaunde wherefore Moses speaketh this of Zabulon Isachar rather than of the other tribes It is likely that it was because of the situation of the place For first they were farre ynough from
if we thinke the fault small our Lorde will account it great If we should iudge after the imagination of men concerning this deede of Moses what is to be sayde but that he shewed great stoutnesse For he resisted the people and vsed very rough and sharpe wordes Thinke yee sayth he that God is not able to make water to issue out of this Rocke Num. 20. See howe Moses stryueth with them through fayth with obedience to God and he glorifieth him To be short in all his words there is nothing to be seene which is not worthy prayse and yet notwithstanding he did amisse and seeing that God pronounceth it so it is not for vs to gainesay it Therefore let vs learne to walke in humilitie for feare least it happen vnto vs according to this saying of Salomon Prouer. 2◠that whē we haue weyed our waies and thoughtes and that to our owne seeming there is nothing amisse God will not agree to our balaunce for hee hath another measure whereby he will iudge more vprightly And we haue his worde to iudge vs. Let euery man then examine himselfe and when we finde that our Lorde reprooueth any thing let vs assure ourselues it is not without cause Againe when we once knowe our faultes let vs assure ourselues that there are a hundered thousande times moe than we can perceiue and we must cry out with Dauid Lorde who can tell the number of his faultes Psal. 19.13 Clense thou mee from my secret sinnes Moreouer wee haue to comfort ourselues in all the temporall punishmentes which God sendeth vs because they serue to bring vs lowe whereby God ceaseth not to further our saluation continually and to holde vs euermore in the hope which we haue that he acounteth vs of his houshoulde and Church So long then as we be sure that we belong to our God and that he acknowledgeth and auoweth vs to be his it ought well to content vs as wee see heere that Moses was contented with the onely sight of the Land Truely he neither possessed nor inioyed it but it suffised him that he was a partener in the promise to the ende he might attaine to the heritage of heauen Forasmuch as Moses had that it was a comfort and ioy vnto him And it behoued him thence foorth to forbeare the making of that request any more afterwarde Deut. 3.25 So then although the punishmentes bee harde vnto vs when God chastiseth our sinnes that we may desire him to deliuer vs from them yet if we see that his will is not so but that it is good for vs to be corrected let vs strengthen ourselues to it and pray him to giue vs power to holde out vnquailed And therewithall let vs vnderstande that our strength consisteth in faith in y t we haue an eye to the hope wherunto we be called True it is that we possesse not in deede the thing that is promised vs but yet God giueth vs such a tast thereof as ought to suffise vs we haue the certeinetie thereof printed in vs by his holy spirite Therefore let that bee a meane to holde vs in that we may patiently beare all the corrections which God listeth to lay vpon vs. That is y e thing which we haue to gather here vpon the example of Moses Now in the end it is sayd That God buried him In deede the word God is not expressed y e text sayth only Moses dyed and he buried him in Nebo but yet it setteth down also according to the mouth of God and buryed him in Gay Hee went vp into Nebo on the other side of the hill there was a place named the valley of Gay and there was his sepulchre We see then y t it is spoken of God where it is set downe that Moses dyed according to his mouth For Gods mouth signifieth nothing else but his worde In deede God declareth not the dying time of euery of vs he reserueth that to himselfe We haue our boundes which wee can not passe Iob. 14.5 but we shall die euery chone of vs and we be to die according to Gods decree The only difference betweene vs and Moses is this that God telleth vs that we be mortall as soone as we come into the worlde Heerewithal we see also how short flyghtfull our life is insomuch that we haue but a shadow which slippeth away Iob. 14.2 We see it but we haue not a day certaine assigned vs God prolongeth the life of one shortneth the life of another And in that case it behoueth vs to submit ourselues to his determination All of vs then die according to Gods decree but Moses dyed according to his mouth that is to say according as hee had declared it afore Nowe as touching his buryall it behooueth vs to see wherefore Moses was not buried after the common fashion of men and why he would haue his sepulcher to remain vnknowen Soothly we must not expounde the worde so grossely which is set downe heere as to say y t God made a pit to burie Moses in but hee so ordeined that he was buried by his power God needeth not to set his hande to a thing when hee will haue it done it is ynough that his power bee knowen For all creatures must needes obey him the earth will open when it pleaseth him as the which was made of nothing God then may cōmaunde and the thing is by and by done performed accordingly as it is saide in the Psalme Psal. 33.9 that his commaundement is of as great force as all the executinges of the worlde Ye see then that y e burying of Moses by God was that God willed the earth to open to giue him buryall to hyde his body in such sort as neuer man might knowe what became thereof And it was not without cause y t God would haue the graue of Moses so hidden Nay rather wee haue to note what S. Iude sayth thereof in his epistle y t is to wit Iude. 9. that Michael tharkeangell fought with the deuill for the graue of Moses And that battell was not stirred vp by Satan for nought For needes must it be that hee pretended some aduauntage if the graue of Moses had bin knowen and that had bin a meane to beguyle men with superstition So then Gods purpose and intent is nowe manifest vnto vs which is that he would not haue men to abuse the body of Moses in ydolatrie And seeing that God prouided for it it is a signe that he knewe mens inclinations to be such as they would hardly forbeare to make ydolles if they had any occasion at all Beholde Moses excelled all Prophetes as it is said of him in the ende of this booke as by Gods will we shall see to morrow Insomuch that after his death there came not a prophet in Israel like vnto him All of them were as expounders of the Lawe but yet had he as it were the principall
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.
transforme vs. 474. a 10 Two thinges requisite to repose ourselues in Gods Power against daungerous cases 479. a 40.50.60 Gods Power is infinite that we must not restraine it to that which our senses can attaine vnto 479. a 40.50 The speeches of certaine skoffers calling Gods mightifull Power in question 453. b 20.30.40 Howe they to whom God hath giuen the Power of his Spirite should bethinke themselues 369. b 30.40.50 How we doubt of Gods Power in cases of daunger 337. b 10.20 The Power of God compared to a consuming fire Reade how 374. b 40.50 60. c. Gods Power is not shut vp within his creatures reade how 352. a 30.40 Al men be they neuer so mightie ought to be but instruments of Gods Power 21. a 50 How we must perswade and resolue our selues touching Gods Power 296. a 20.30 b 10. 476. a all 452. b 30. and 372. all and 373. a 10.35 b 20.55 a 30 Gods Power after a sort inclosed in his word 56. b 10. We must not measure Gods Power by the worldly meanes that trouble vs. 96. b 30 Howe we ought to bethinke our selues when God maketh vs to perceiue his mightie Power 102. b 20 The Power of God must vtter it selfe farre greater in the Gospell than in the law 131. b 10 That we ought to relie vpon the Power of God when wee haue to deale with our enimies 889. b all That all Power lieth in God read that place and what he is able to do euen with a whistle 995. b 50.60 and 996. all Howe Infidels which had not any sparkle of light shoulde iudge of Gods Power 1151. b 60 Gods almightie Power set foorth his greatnesse and maiestie 1229. all 1230. all 341. b 10.20.30 Gods Power neuer faileth those that are his 25. a 10 Power of man Our enimies haue none other Power than we our selues giue them reade that place well 478. a 10 What this worde our Power doth comprehend in it 369 a 20.30 There is not one drop of Power in vs that tendeth vnto good 28. b 50 The maruelous Power of Caleb Iosue amiddest the tumultuous Iewes 47. a 50 The vanity of presuming vpon our own Power without God 52. a 60. and b 10 It is not in any mans Power to be valiant vnlesse God strengthen him 75. a 10 Whether God be accusable of vniustice in commanding vs that which is aboue our Power 1052. a 50.60 b 10. 1053. a all There is no Power but that which is grounded vppon the worde of God 1097. a 60. b all 1098. a al. Looke Abilitie Powers Of the Powers of the soule and howe they are peruerted 1015. b 10 Poyson Of a Poyson wherwith God as by a medicine cureth the disease of pride 1163. a 30 How it is said that we offer God Poison or woulde goe about to poyson him 1154. b 30.40.50.60 1155. a 10 The fruite of Sodome and Gomorrha compared to the deadly Poyson of the Dragon reade the place 1154. b 30.40.50.60 1155. â— 10 Pray The ministers charge concerning praying and shewing others the way to Pray 1207. a 60. b all Howe the heathenish sort of men doe Pray vnto God and how Christian men 915. a 10.20 What a singular benefite it is to haue a poore man to Pray for vs. 855. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 When we Pray to God wee must quicken our selues and a forme of speech that we must say 417. a 10.20.30 To Pray vnto God is the cheefe duetie of our faith 414. b 30.40 That dangers ought to prouoke vs the more to Pray 398. b all Howe we ought to Pray to God that we maâ—e obteine our desires 395. a 20.30 The Papistes taught by a familiar example to Pray 102. a 20.30.40 What thinges wee haue to embolden vs to Pray though wee bee vnworthie to Pray 100. b 40.50 Of what thing wee must be perswaded throughlie when wee Pray 98. b 40. 99. a 30 Wee must Pray for nothing that wee knowe doeth displease God as how 99. b 20 What lessons wee must obserue when wee goe about to Pray 98. b 10.20 739. a 20.30 At what point the Papistes bee when they shoulde Pray and of their mediators 485. a 50.60 Howe when we Pray we stoppe Gods wrath 395. a 10 For whome wee ought to Pray 396. a 40 Howe wee come affected before God when we present ourselues vnto him to Pray for others 396. a 20.30 Wee must beare two thinges in remeÌ„brance when we Pray 416. a 50.60 It is a thing to bee wished to haue such folke among vs as maie Pray and make intercession vnto God for vs. 395. a 50.60 and b all and 396. a 10 Gods promises are prouocations vnto vs to Pray vnto him 396. b all To Pray vnto the deade is a doctrine vtterlie against the Scripture 396. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Wee must Praie in faith or else wee shall neuer bee heard and what is meant by faith 396. b 60. and 397. a 10 In what sort wee must Pray vnto God with our mouth 362. b 10.20.30 When we Praie before wee open our mouth we must bee taught of God Looke on that place 417. b 60 What wee must speciallie Pray for to God when wee doe pray 46. a 10.20.30 Prayers priuate and Publike The manner howe Prayer should bee made in the congregation 1207. b 30.40 Why God hath appointed the order of Prayer as well publike as priuate 298. b 50.60 The Prayer of a faithfull man sometimes reiected 103. b 10.20.30 The true and verie cause why wee bee so colde in Prayer 100. b 60. 101. a 10 Good and wholesome counsell to followe when we buckle our selues to Praier 98. b 20 Wherefore Gods ordeining of Common Prayer and the administrations of the Sacraments is 660. b 20.30.50.60 One of our greatest faultes is that we cannot settle our selues to Praier 414. b 10 It is not lawfull for men to make Prayer c. except they haue the promise and be sure that it is Gods will they shoulde so doe 399. a 20. and reade all the matter going before touching this place declared by the example of Moses Looke Request Prayers The sauour of our Prayers signified by the perfumes that were made in the temple 1207. b 10 After what rule all our Prayers ought to be directed 915. b 40 Of the Prayers which the poore make that are succoured and releeued by vs. 855. a 10.20.30.40 All the Praiers of the old Fathers conformable to the rule of Christes Prayer in the Gospell Read how 99. a 10 The foundation of all our Praiers is faith 97. a 50. 98. b 20.50 Who is our intercessor and for whose sake our Prayers are heard 485. a 50 That all our Prayers must be offered sprinkled with the bloude of Christ and why 766. b 40.50 God heareth vs not sometimes to outwarde appearance and yet our Praiers are not vnauailable 58. b 40.50.60 59. a 10 Wherein the Prayers of Christians do differ
prophete Speaketh in Gods name we must examine whether it be true or no. 682. a 10.20 How we may make God to Speake vnto vs. 915. a 10.20.30.40.50 The ende why God doth Speake vnto vs. 111. a 20. Looke Mouth Speaking To what ende Gods Speaking in olde time tended 9. a 50.60 Of Gods Speaking that it is not after the maner of men 1173. b 10 Speech Of a double Speech which God vseth in the scripture 946. b all In praising of God wee must not vse a common kind of Speech what then 1104. b 60.1105 a 10 Speeches Of the amiable Speeches of the scripture I exhort you I pray you c. 871. a 10.20 c. Spettle Why the papistes take Spettle when they baptise 919 b 10. Looke Baptisme Spirit The Spirite and the worde ioyned together of such as would diuorce them 678. b 10.20 and what spirite that is ib. 30 Howe men are charged and indited to greeue the good Spirit of God a notable place 1154. b 30.40.50.60.1155 a 10.20.1149 a 50.60 b 10.20.1057 a 10.20 In what respect it is sayde that the Spirite shall iudge the world 1099. b 60.1100 a 10 Two causes why God gaue not his Spirite to the Iewish people 1017. b 20 30.40 If God withhelde his Spirite from the linage of the wicked he cannot bee blamed of crueltie for it 190. b 50.60 191. a 10.20 What betideth such as are destitute of Gods Spirite 190. b 50 Men may beare the markes of Gods Spirite and yet not haue the principall thing of all to wit the Spirit of regeneration 805. a 40.50 Spirituall Howe Spirituall we ought to bee 207. b 10 Spite That a great number doe euen Spite God and wherein men spite him most 119. a 30.40 Not to beare any Spite to our aduersaries their rage against vs notwithstanding 1170. b 10. Looke Hatred and Malice Staffe Of the Staffe of bread and howe God breaketh it 353. a 40.50.60 b 10. Looke Bread Starres To marke the courses of times according to the Starres is lawefull 668. a 40.50.60 Statutes Howe men are saide to haue walked before God according to all his Statutes 905. b 40.50.60 Why Moses vseth so many wordes as Statutes commandementes rites ordinances and obseruations al tending to one effect 455. b 30.40.294 a 50.60 b 10. Looke Lawe of God Steale Of such as doe not onely Steale their neighbours away but steale themselues too from God and his church 847. b 10.20 Why God in one worde saieth Steale not 230. a 20.30 The commandement Thou shalt not Steale expounded 821. b 30.40 A lawe forbidding any man to Steale an Israelite and sell him 846. a 50. 60. c. Looke Theft Stealing Howe we ought to bethinke ourselues whē we see such Stealing of al things 978. b 10.20 Looke Filtching and Robberie Stewes Why the Iewes were forbidden to haue a Stewes among them and to what commandement that prohibition belonged 818. b 40 Stewes of harlots and common strumpets in Iuda 817. b 60.818 a 10. b 10 Stones The meaning of the twelue precious Stones which the High priest ware on his brest aloft vpon his ephod 502. b 10 Of great Stones whereon God commanded his lawe to be written 918. a 40.921 a 30 Two thinges noted by the lawe ingrauen in Stones 132. a 50.60 b 10 Storie To what purpose God meant to haue the Story of Og and Sehon registred in his lawe 85. a 40 What we haue to learne by the Storie of the graues of lust 411. a 50 The Storie of Balaam and his asse repeated at large 804. b 20.30.40 c. Stories With what minde and consideration we should reade the holie Stories 7. b 30.40 Stoutnesse That Stoutnesse is requisite in a iustice or magistrate 698. b 20.30 c. 695 a 10.20.30 and in other priuate men also ib. 40.623 b 40.50 Iudges must match their Stoutnesse with gentlenesse 624. a 10 A commendable Stoutnesse of Aaron and Moses 1201. a 40.50 b 20.1202 a 10 What is the foundation of true Stoutnesse courage and constancie 715. a 10 Stranger Of peruerting the right of the Stranger forbidden by Gods lawe 862. b all 863. all 931. b all Two reasons for vs to marke why God would not that his people should admit any Stranger to be their king 647. b 40.648 a 10 There is nowe no more Stranger as in respect of vs and why 611. b 60 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes God doth right to the Stranger 448. b 20.30 c. Who is a truly distressed Stranger and to be pitied c. 450. a 10.20 God setteth his armes or badge vppon the Stranger 449. a 40.50.60 Notable doctrine vpon this point thou wart a Stranger in the lande of Aegypt 210. a 60. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 Strangers What Strangers were priuileged as being of the body of the Iewish people 576. a 60 Strangers commanded to be prouided for and releeued of the Iewes common charge reade that place 569. b 40.50.60.865 a 40.50.60.867 b all 868. a 10 Why the Iewes had leaue to sell or giue the thinges to Strangers which were abhominable as in respect of themselues 562. b all what strangers he meaneth 563. a 20 Of such as are ashamed to bee called Strangers in this worlde and their inheritance 409. b 20 Though Strangers were not of the bodie of the Church yet were they bound in couenant and why 1028. a 10. 40 That the sutes of Strangers are not to be delayed in lawe 863. a 30.40.50.60 how they should be dealt withall ib. b all Howe greeuous a plague it is for vs to be robbed and spoyled of Strangers 979. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 b 10.20.30 Caluine teacheth the Strangers in Geneua what they ought to thinke with themselues for their safe shelter therein 283. b 60 Strangers might doe nothing contrarie to Gods seruice and what we learne thereby 211. all Whereto the liberty that had bin granted to Strangers to labour on the Sabboth day among the Iewes would haue drawne them 211. a 10.20.30 Straying Of Straying housholders straying children straying neighbours and of bringing them home 768. b 50.60.769 a 10.20 Of Straying cattell and bringing them home to the right owner 767. b 50.60.768 all Strength Of Gods Strength and whereto the same serueth in respect of vs. 318. b 30 That the vanquishing of our outwarde enimies is not to be ascribed to our owne Strength 376. b 50.60 377. a 10 Vnto whom we must impute y e Strength that we haue when wee ouercome our enimies 377. a 20.30.40.50 Of what Strength Moses speaketh whē hee sayeth That thou maiest bee strengthened 466. a 50.60 b 10 How men be ouerthrowne when they stay vpon their owne Strength 341. b 30.40 The worde Strength and what it serued to shewe 273. a 10.20 That it is vnpossible for vs to loue God with all our Strength 273. a 40 What thing must be the stay of all our Strength 1097. a 60. b all Howe the Iewes vnderstoode these wordes
example And in his owne person hee hath set vs as it were a looking glasse before our eyes to shewe vs that we must followe the order that God hath set and not swarue from it at all If wee doe not so it is an vntolerable vnthankefulnesse We knowe what infirmitie is in our selues not onely in some one point but in all things are wee so fraile as is pitie to see But our Lorde hath well prouided for all our needes and giuen vs remedies for them As for example hee hath giuen vs meate and drinke to maintaine this transitorie life of ours hee hath ordeined Magistracie to gouerne vs hee hath ordeyned the ministerie of his worde to rule our soules and hee hath giuen singular giftes of grace to seuerall persons so as they bee able to giue vs counsell and to comfort and incourage their neighbours and to helpe them at their neede What is to be done then Whensoeuer wee bee cumbered or in any perplexitie let vs looke that wee vse the meanes of remedie that GOD giueth vs yea and to vse them alwayes in his feare For wee may bee abused as wee haue seene What is to bee done then We must not turne aside nor stoppe for such as haue neither right nor reason in them but euerie of vs must further himselfe by such meanes as God giueth him euen as though hee were going to God himselfe And that will make vs to vse the order of Lawe lawefully which thing men doe not nowe And it is a point well worthie to bee marked to wit howe men may repulse iniuries and howe they ought to behaue themselues when any of vs findeth himselfe intangled or in perplexitie let vs pray to God to direct vs. If wee did so surely wee would not goe to lawe but with trembling and wee woulde say in our selues I goe now to present my self as it were before my God But howe goe men to it noweadayes Rather to seeke a cloke for all naughtinesse so as there is neither craft nor spite nor any other wickednesse which is not to bee founde there And why For without hauing any regarde of God there is nothing thought vppon but howe to beguile men or howe to winde them in by some wicked practise So much the more neede therfore haue wee to marke well what is saide here that is to wit that according as God hath ordeined states and degrees among men so must men dispose things and direct them by the order that God hath set and established And for a conclusion let vs also wey well this which Moses addeth in the ende namely that hee had taught the Iewes all thinges which they had to doe When hee saith so it is all one as if hee shoulde protest that they coulde not but know that they sinned not through ignorance neither coulde say I tooke it to haue beene otherwise I knewe not what was to bee done You knowe saieth Moses there is no let but in your selues for I for my parte haue beene faithfull full to Godwarde since the time that hee did put mee in trust to instruct you I haue taught you as hee commmaunded mee nowe therefore you cannot haue any excuse to hide you withall And if Moses had such a care to teach the people in respecte of the earthly gouernment no doubte but hee was yet more diligent in teaching them the doctrine of saluation That is the first poynt whiche wee haue to note Doth Moses tell vs that hee did not conceale nor hyde any thing from the Iewes in the thinges that concerned their worldlie dueties for the mainteyning of some order and humaine honestie among them Then is it much more likely that hee first preached to them the grace of God and afterwarde shewed them the rule of good conuersation and there withall tolde them of the couenant of saluation which GOD had made with his people It is certaine that nothing was concealed in that behalfe but that he vsed an exquisite diligence so as hee lefte not the Iewes in doubt without due warrant how to behaue themselues to God-ward Nowe then if Moses discharged his duetie after that sort wee must conclude that the Lawe was a sufficient doctrine to instructe the people and that hee vsed not anie shiftes to carie them heere and there Afterwarde came the Prophetes which added yet a greater lighte Last of all the Gospell was preached through the whole worlde Nowe then can wee say that our Lorde hath not taught vs sufficiently and that all the Prophetes and the Apostles yea and Iesus Christ himselfe haue giuen vs but halfe an instruction Can wee say so No that were too vilanous a blasphemie Nowe therefore let vs haue our eares open to hearken to our GOD and he will be a good schoolemaster to vs and let vs bee contented with the doctrine that is conteyned in the holy Scripture For there wee haue so perfect wisedome as no fault can bee found with it Consider well therefore what we haue to marke vppon this streine to the ende that euerie of vs may indeuer to profite dayly more and more And if there bee any ignorance in vs let vs assure our selues it is through our owne fault in that we bee as blinde wretches vntill God haue inlightened vs through his grace Therefore it behoueth vs to pray him to open our eyes by his holy spirite And on the other side let vs not stop our eares against the thinges that God speaketh nor pretende ignorance to excuse our naughtinesse But seeing that God telleth vs that he hath shewed vs all thinges by his worde which wee ought to doe let vs holde vs to it without coueting any nouelties and without fond curiositie for we shall neuer scape from him and therefore let vs not be gadding to receiue euerie newe toy that is offered vnto vs. And so let vs ponder well the thinges that wee haue to marke vppon this text to the ende that for asmuch as GOD hath nowe giuen vs a confirmation of his Lawe and of his Prophisies and directed vs to the right marke wee may take the Gospel alwayes for our guide in wayting till he haue gathered vs together into his kingdome Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better to the ende we may returne to him with true repentance and being ashamed of our selues flee for refuge to his mercy and that forasmuch as we knowe hee hath set it forth most largely and abundantly in our Lord Iesus Christ wee may resort to him the more boldely seeking continually for the great treasures which he hath prepared for vs in his kingdome And beseeching him to guide vs so hencefoorth with his holie spirite as we may liue in his feare framing our selues vnto his righteousnesse and seruing him according to his holie will so that although wee might be hindered by the stumbling blockes and cumberances which wee see in the worlde yet
wee may not cease to followe our good GOD whither soeuer hee calleth vs notwithstanding that the worlde bee blinded with neuer so outragious confusion and disorder That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs c. On Fryday the xij of Aprill 1555. The fift Sermon vpon the first Chapter 19 Then departed we from Horeb and went through the wildernesse which is great and terrible as you haue seene along the way of the hil of the Amorrhytes as the Lord our God had commaunded vs and we came to Cades barne 20 And I said vnto you come ye to the Hil of the Amorrhytes which the Lord our God doth giue vs. 21 Behold the Lord thy God setteth the Land before thee Goe vp and possesse it as the Lord the God of thy fathers hath saide vnto thee Shrinke not neither be afraide IN this text Moses rehearseth after what sort he had exhorted the people to take possession of the Lande that God had promised them and by what meanes he would haue incouraged them to it And that is to the ende that the people shoulde knowe their owne vnthankefulnesse and naughtinesse in reiecting the benefite that was offered vnto them and in that they obeyed not God but were giuen too much to their owne sensualitie This then which Moses doth heere is as it were an vpbraiding of the Iewes to y e end they might knowe howe it was long of none but themselues that they inioyed Gods blessing no sooner and that they might afterwarde yeelde themselues more pliable and not bee so wilfull any more in their owne frowardnesse but simplie submit themselues to God as soone as they shoulde heare him speake That is in effect the intent of Moses Neuerthelesse hee interlaceth also another matter therewithall which is that he telleth the people they be so much the lesse to be excused because they had had experience of Gods goodnesse in that he had led them with his mightie hande For their passing through the horrible and dreadfull desert was not without the assistance of a singular and vnaccustomed power of God where as they notwithstanding forgetting the goodnesse which they had felt and which they ought to haue borne in minde for euer did grudge at God and became wilfull and woulde not goe forwarde when he was redie to haue led them to the end And that is the cause why Moses saith expresly that they had seene As if hee should say you wrought euen against your naturall senses when you went not on as your God commaunded you The reason is this So long as you suffered your selues to bee gouerned by his hand and so long as you walked in the way that hee appointed you did you not euen see with your eyes that hee made you to ouercome all hardnesse Was not the wildernes wherthrough you passed a verie gulfe And yet notwithstanding you scaped out of it And how came that to passe but by the wonderfull working of your God among you Seeing y t you heard his voyce you were sure that hee was come among you Then said I vnto you now is there no more for vs to doe but to inioy the lande which our God hath assigned to vs for our heritage Goe let vs fight our God hath promised it vs and hee will not disappoint vs. Wee knowe he hath wrought mightily for vs hitheâ—to and surely he will goe through with his worke These and such other things did I alledge vnto you And yet you followed not them as you ought to haue done Wherefore acknowledge your vnthankefulnesse in that you refused to enter into the inheritance which God had promised to your fathers and which he hath prepared for you Nowe by the way the first good lesson that wee haue to gather here is that forasmuch as God hath alredie vttered his goodnes towards vs in making vs to feele his blessing wee be the more worthy to be blamed if we rest not wholly vpon him or put not our whole trust in him to walk on boldly without douting For although God had neuer shewed himselfe to our experience yet ought wee to giue credite to his holie worde And it is good reason that we shoulde do him the honour to beleeue whatsoeuer he saith or speaketh vnto vs for as much as he is faithfull and his worde is better tryed than either gold or siluer Psal. 12.7 as it is saide in the Psalme And therefore if there were no more but Gods vttering of his worde with his owne mouth it were ynough to condemne the whole world for their disobeying thereof But seeing that God hath confirmed his sayings by deeds and hath shewed vs as it were to our eyesight that his making of his promises vnto vs is not in vaine but hee hath made vs to feele the thinges with our hands so as we know in effect what his power is and that it neuer faileth those which are his if after all this teaching we fall to checking still and be so stiffenecked as we will not bow to submit our selues to the thinges that hee speaketh nor haue any will to obey him I pray you doth not the greater condemnation lye vppon vs What is to be done then Let euery of vs consider aduisedly the good turnes that God hath done him let him marke them and note them that hee may beare them in minde Verie well God hath succored mee at such a pinch I haue felt his helpe in such a case I haue beene ayded at his hande and he hath made me to perceiue his mightie power after such and such fashion After this manner must wee make rehearsall of Gods benefites and of his helping of vs all the time of our life And after as hee hath vttered himselfe vnto vs so must we be the more confirmed to trust to his promises and to rest wholly vpon them Herewâ—thall let vs be stablished in inuincible constancie to goe which way soeuer he leadeth vs without feare of any distresse Why so For my God which hath neuer forsaken me to this day will not giue me ouer now As I haue felt hertofore that he giueth strength to those that are his so am I sure that hee will reach me his hande and succour me still So then there is no more for me to doe but to commit my selfe vnto him I see that this thing that thing may cumber me there are a number of temptations which may make me turne heade but yet forasmuch as my God hath succored me hitherto at my neede I doubt not but hee will doe the like vnto the ende Thus yee see that the way for vs to eschewe the blame of vnthankefulnesse is to call Gods benefits oftentimes to our rememberance thereby to strengthen our selues still in trust that he will neuer faile vs vnto the end Also this wil serue to make vs ouercome al temptations and although the diuel haue neuer so many meanes and stoppes to turne vs out of the right way
to do men good For it is the propertie of God to be liberal to al men Matt. 5.45 yea eun to those which are not worthie therof insomuch that he maketh his day Sunne to shine both vpon good bad After his example we ought to do our indeuer to strayne our selues to the vttermost of our power to benefite al men to do al men good And so it is the common style of the holy scripture to name the faithfull meekes ones Psal. 16.10 specially we see it is as rife a thing as can be in the Psalmes But forasmuch as he sayth to his meeke one it may be taken for the man of thy mercie that is to say for the man whom thou Lord hast elected and chosen through thy goodnes For Aaron attayned not to the dignitie of y e priesthood by his owne desertes but because God vouchsafed to choose him Now then the name that is attributed to him here may be taken as if a man should say in the passiue signification that God vouchsafed to make him a mirrour of his free election yea and that hauing so chosen him exalted him to so high and excellent honour he would haue him to shewe that wee depende wholly vppon his goodnes so that of al y e things which we haue none proceedeth of our owne power or vertue but of his pitying of vs for that he is mynded to shewe his gracious goodnes towards vs. But howsoeuer the case stand Moses ment to declare here that the trybe of Leuye should alwayes serue God with the dignitie of priesthood and that the high priest should bee clothed with the ornamentes that were giuen him to goe into the sanctuarie And in that case hee was not as a mortall man nor as one of the degree of creatures but as the mediatour betweene God and men whereby he surmounteth the very Angels of Heauen For the priest of the lawe was in his office more excellent than all the Angels of heauen And why Because he was to represent the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the head of the Angels as well as of men and hath soueraigne dominion ouer all principalitie not only on earth but also in heauen Yee see then how the meaning of Moses is that the priesthood should be in the trybe of Leuy And let vs marke nowe that Moses magnifieth heere the trybe of Leuye of purpose to wype away the dishonour that was there afore For wee knowe howe Iacob had sayde Gen. 49.5 Yee Simeon and Leuye yee bee instruments of wickednesse yee haue destroyed a towne and yee haue slayne the men like murderers as yee bee I will not haue to doe with you neyther in speech nor in heart I refuse you And thou Leuye shalt bee dispersed among my people for thou art not woorthie to haue any heritage Loe after howe terrible a fashion GOD speaketh against Leuye and all his ofspring Hee seemeth to bee quyte rased out as one that was not worthie to haue any place or degree in the Church But what reuerence nowe had there been in the priesthood if the trybe of Leuye had continued in that reproch For seeing that their father was disgraded by Iacob who was Gods deputie as I haue declared afore what should haue becom of al those which were descended of his race Nowe then it was requisite that this tribe of Leuie should bee re-established to the intēt that the order of priesthood might not be despised least it might keepe men backe from hearkening to the doctrine of their mouth What will become of it if they which haue the charge of teaching the people be pointed at with mens fingers set light by skorned or blemished with any marke of reproch in themselues so as men disdaine them Surely they shall neuer profite men they shall not be able to edifie them men will vtterly mislike of them Nowe we knowe and it shal be declared more fully heereafter that the Leuites were ordeined of God to teach all the people Then if they had beene reputed as men of no valour it woulde haue caried great preiudice with it so as the lawe it selfe should haue had no great reuerence men would haue made no account of it and the very common people would haue shrunke away from the expounders therof Therefore it is not causelesse that Moses telleth them that The Thumim and Vrim of god that is to say his perfections and teachings are in that tribe and God will haue it knowen that there remaineth not nowe any such reproch there as there did before but rather that hee setteth his antsignes there For in Aarons Mytre was Gods name 〈…〉 8.36 euen the name of the Euerlasting and that was a thing exempted from all the world Also there was the iudgement as I saide afore And for what cause was Aaron apparelled after that manner but to shewe that in him there was a myrrour of Gods glory Sith it was so it behooued the people to forget Leuies fault and the punishment thereof which had beene laide vppon him and his ofspring and to receiue Gods Lawe at the mouth of the Leuites and to haue them in estimation and to honour them as Gods messengers or rather as Angels as they be termed in the Prophet Malachie 〈…〉 7. True it is that Moses was of the same tribe but yet did God so prouide that the skorners could not alledge that he had fauored his owne linage or house And why Who is hee that pronounced that sentence against Leuie Euen Moses himselfe for it was he that compyled the booke of Genesis wherein hee spared not the fault of his own auncetor For it behoued him to be as Gods notarie to set down y e sentence both vpon Leuie and vppon all that came of his race Heere then wee see that Moses behaued not himselfe after the manner of men but executed faithfully the charge that was committed vnto him Again the highpriesthood was not in his owne house though it were in his owne tribe He was a greater man than his brother Aaron and hee had children which might haue succeeded in his place And yet for all that hee made none of them prince of the people he made none of them a gouernour neither had they any preheminence aboue the others nay they had not so much as any portion of inheritance but were faine to be contented with the first fruits Tythes and Offerings after the custome of the rest of the tribe of Leuie Moses then gaue not the Highpriesthood to his owne children neither tooke he it to himselfe What were Moses his children then and al his successours They were but vnderseruants of the meanest in the Temple and they were faine to serue there euen without being in any degree of honour God say I ment to prouide that Moses should not bee subiect to any slaunder And therefore the thinges which hee speaketh now of the tribe of Leuie are not spoken in