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
renewing of vs and the writing of Gods Lawe in our heartes thereby to fashion vs according to the righteousnes contayned in y e same is reserued alonely to the sonne of God and that it is he which giueth vs the will to followe God his Father and to obey him For he hath the spirit of the feare of God Psa. 11.2 hee hath the spirite of all righteousnesse hee hath the spirite of trueth as is sayde in the eleuenth Chapter of the Prophet Esay So then let vs marke that wee must resort to our Lorde Iesus Christ when wee bee put in minde of our duetie When it is tolde vs what GOD requireth of vs wee must thinke thus Alas Lorde Iesus it is true in deede that heere wee haue knowledge of the thing that is good and ryghtfull but what Wee haue another Lawe cleane contrarie to it in our selues Rom. 7.23 which is that wee doe but chafe and fret at GOD when wee bee taught and when his Lawe is alleaged vnto vs wee doo the cleane contrarie to that which is contayned there and therefore thou must bee fayne to chaunge vs and to make vs new creatures for to that ende is the spirite giuen vs which thou communicatest vnto vs by bearing vs recorde that wee bee members of thy body And againe hath Iesus Christ once giuen vs this will Phil. 2.13 Hee giueth vs also abilitie to perfourme the same desire and strengtheneth vs so against all temptations as wee shall neuer bee ouercome by them Yee see then that wee must hye vs to our Lorde Iesus Christ assuring our selues that that prerogatiue and honour belongeth to none but onely him Yet notwithstanding this saying of S. Paules is true also 2. Cor. 3.6 that all such as preach the Gospell are spirituall ministers that is to say they set not foorth a dead letter and vnprofitable doctrine but withall they bring Gods spirit And howe is that Is it by their owne breathing No For our Lorde Iesus Christ did well shewe by his breathing vppon his disciples Iohn 20.22 that the holy Ghost proceedeth from none but himselfe alone But Saint Paules meaning is that Iesus Christ woorketh continually to the ende wee shoulde beleeue in him True it is that we shall not see him heere personally present how then shall wee bee sure that hee wryteth Gods Lawe in our heartes Let vs not alleage any of those thinges For seeing that Iesus Christ is the ende and perfection of the lawe Rom. 10.4 Col. 2.17 yea and the very life of it as I sayde afore let vs not thinke but that hee printeth Gods Lawe in our heartes by the preaching of the Gospell So then let vs not doubt but GOD will performe that grace in vs. And although the partie that preacheth vnto vs bee but a mortall man and the wordes which hee vttereth vnto vs with his mouth doe vanish anon after away in the ayre yet let not vs doubt but Iesus Christ will for all that doe his dewtie Rom. â—0 13. 2. Cor. 3.3 as Sainte Paule declareth in the same place And in deede the faithfull haue experience thereof For wee shoulde neuer haue so much as any thought at all of comming vnto GOD Eph. 4.7 or of dooing any good vnlesse wee were fully resolued of this grounde namely that it behooueth vs to bee throughly setled and constant all the which proceedeth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore whensoeuer wee feele that GOD draweth vs vnto him let vs vnderstande that hee sheweth vs howe wee bee members of the body of his sonne bycause wee haue the holy Ghost by whome wee bee altered and reformed Rom. 8.9 1. Cor. 6.15.19 and by whome also his Lawe is written newe againe in our heartes Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde Moreouer let vs marke that whereas Moses telleth the people that God heard him for that time it is to the ende they shoulde not abuse Gods goodnesse but vnderstand their offence to haue beene so horrible that if they did so any more and tempted GOD agayne afterwarde they shoulde finde no mercye The intent then of Moses in this place was to holde the people in awe Truely wee ought to bee fully perswaded of this that if GOD finde vs repentaunt for our sinnes hee will euer bee ready to forgiue all that wee haue committed Let vs but onely make towardes him and hee will reache vs his hande Yet is it not ment that we should take leaue to doe euill vnder colour that GOD is so mercifull to wretched sinners that as soone as they returne vnto him hee preuenteth them and is ready to receaue them and imbrace them aforehand This say I must not make vs the more inclined to doe euill but wee must vnderstand that when God hath forgiuen vs once we must no more fall backe againe For then do we tempt him and abuse his patience which is the next way to shutte vs out of the gate of saluation and to disappoint our selues vtterly of all the mercy which hee was minded to haue vsed towardes vs. True it is that although we shall haue offended twentie or thirtie times yet doth God tell vs that he will haue pittie vpon vs. But I speake as nowe of those that take libertie to offend and say seeing I haue found God so gentle and pittifull I shall surely bee receiued of him at all tymes Surely when men stande so vppon Gods mercie and vnder pretence thereof doe eyther become negligent or else giue ouer themselues to all naughtinesse it is all one as if they renounced all the promises of their saluation Therefore let vs marke well the saying that is set downe heere God sayth Moses heard mee And howe for that tyme to the ende that the people shoulde thinke thus with themselues Alas it is a wonder that euer we obteined pardon and it must needes astonish vs still that God woulde rid vs out of such danger as wee were fallen into considering howe deadly and ouer deadly the fall was Now then seeing that God hath shewed himself so friendly towardes vs let vs beware that wee prouoke not his wrath any more For if wee fall backe agayne that he gaue flatte sentence that none of them shoulde enter into the promised heritage saue onely Iosua and Caleb the sonne of Iephuneh bicause those two had behaued theÌ„selues faithfully But as for the people they should be led about by the space of fortie yeeres vntill their carkesses were rooted in the wildernesse according to the threat which God had vttered with his owne mouth That is the content of this part of the text Now let vs marke first of all that to make the Iewes vnderstand the meaning of Moses or rather of the holy ghost it behoued them to bee warned to set their former faultes before their eyes that they might not bee so fond as to presume any thing at all vppon their owne worthynesse or vppon their owne power but
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
he hath of our weldoing when he procureth it after such maner And by the way wee haue to note here for a speciall poynt that when God setteth a good order among vs and appointeth men to haue the guiding of vs it is a singular president of his goodnesse and loue towardes vs. True it is that the thing which is rehersed here by Moses proceeded of the counsel of Iethro his father in law as he himselfe sheweth in the eyghteenth of Exodus Exod. 18.17 And although Iethro was an heathen man yet did God serue his owne turne by him in this behalfe And so we see that God applyeth all thinges and all persons to our benefite Who would haue looked that a man which had none acquaintance with the people of Israel sauing that Moses had maryed a wife out of his house should haue come and giuen such counsell But so doth God apply all his creatures to the benefite of his people as I sayd afore Besides this we haue to note the lowlynesse of Moses in that he held not scorne of the counsell that was giuen him by one that was not so excellent as he himselfe nothing neere Moses might haue replyed and sayd what fellowe is this For I am chosen of God to gouerne his Church and to be the chiefe of it I haue published his lawe in his name I haue represented his maiestie yea and he hath giâ—â—â— mee such a visible signe thereof in my face as though I were an Angell come downe from heauen rather than any earthly man I haue bin separated from the companie of mortall men by the space of fortie dayes as though God had glorifyed me already and shall a common person presume now to teach me Moses then might haue cast foorth such wordes but he submitted himselfe to reason Why so for he knew that God dealeth his gratious giftes as it pleaseth him insomuch that the little ones may diuers times further the greatest and excellentest And therein God inteÌ„deth to try the sobernesse and mildnesse of those whome hee hath aduaunced to degree of souereintie For when they forget not themselues but are alwayes pliable and if a man bring them any better aduice than they themselues wist of they receiue it willingly and yeld vnto it it is a true tryal of their obedientnesse vnto God Seing then y t Moses who was chiefe among all the auncient prophets could finde in his heart to yeeld to the counsell of his father in lawe Iethro who neuer knew what true Religion ment but had only a little taste of it in a shadow what shal we do which are not come to y e like glorie that Moses had Wherefore let vs vnderstaÌ„d that although God haue bestowed his spirit most plentifully vppon vs it is not to the end that we should hold skorne of the aduice and counsell of such as are meaner than our selues For y e meane and very knot wherewith God will haue vs knit and ioyned togither is that the greate ones should stoope to the least and all agree in one Moreouer as hath beene declared already although Iethro was the instrumeÌ„t to put Moses in mind of it yet ought it to be imputed vnto God who had a care to prouide for the benefite and safetie of his people y t he might not faile them in any thing And to this intent is it that Moses speaketh thereof Now let vs come to the words that are set downe here First he sayth that he himselfe is not able to beare them any more alone because they were greatly increased for you be sayth he mo than the starres of the sky and we knowe that they were moe than seuen hundred thowsand persons Seeing it is so then I am no more able saith he to beare your charges your incumbraunces and your strifes and therefore you must bee faine to choose some men to bee in office with me men of wisedome and vnderstanding and well tryed First of all whereas Moses protesteth that he was no longer able to beare the charge of the people therein he sheweth vs that such as are aduaunced to any degree of honor or dignitie must not be as Idols without doing any thing at all but are set in that state with condition to take paynes yea and to doe seruice for the welfare of the commons in asmuch as God hath layed that burthen vpon their shoulders for the vpholding of the common weale And it is a poynt of doctrine well woorthie to be obserued For we see how all men are giuen to ambitioÌ„ so as euery man seekes to be esteemed and honored all indeuour to growe great And why Because wee consider not that Gods aduauncing of vs is to the intent we shoulde represent his person in this worlde And surely that cannot be without incumberance The more honorable therefore that any charge or office is the more paynful and cumbersome is it But for asmuch as men imagine an idle honor that fancie of theirs caryeth them into so fond or rather furious ouerlustinesse that they passe for no more but to haue their owne swindge and to mount vp on high yea euen diuerse times to breake their owne neckes And on the other side it behoueth vs to marke well how Moses sayeth that he is not able to beare so great a charge for it doth vs to wit that he bewrayeth his owne infirmitie or at leastwise sheweth it to be such as he must be faine to beare a lower sayle Thus then the second consideration which we ought to haue to correct all ambition and foolish loftinesse in vs with all is that we must examine well our owne abilitie and then shal we finde that it were more for our behoofe to creepe belowe vppon the ground than to couet to growe great to ouerrule our neyghbors These say I are the two respectes that may abate our pryde and fond desire of superioritie The one is that we assure our selues that the hygher a man is exalted the more also is he bound both to God and to them ouer whom he is set inasmuch as there is no preheminence without burthen yea or rather without boÌ„dage as I sayd afore Marke that for one poynt But we must also beare in minde that wee haue no abilitie at all of our selues and therefore much lesse is any man to be found sufficient to beare so great a burthen There cannot so small a charge be committed vnto vs but the same is able to make our shoulders shrinke yea and euen to bow too For our infirmitie is so great that whosoeuer sifteth himselfe throughly without hypocrisie and soothing shall see that he is able to doe as good as nothing at all Therefore if we think wel vppon such weaknesse it wil be as a bridle to restraine vs from clymbing so high For what followeth but vtter confusion when men will needes be honored and yet in the meane while not discharge their duetie but rather make themselues as Idols and moreouer
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
cannot bee perswaded to the contrarie GOD cannot winne so much at our handes as to gette the masterie of vs. So much the more then behoueth it vs to take paine to holde our selues wholly in awe to the end we build not any thing which God alloweth not but that wee alwayes haue that marke before our eyes and rest wholly vppon it Nowe if it bee so that the desires which of their owne nature are good holie and commendable doe neuerthelesse become sinfull and blameworthie when they aduaunce themselues against God what are they when wee couet euill thinges and giue heade to our fleshly lustes Wee see that the thing which GOD hath forbidden vs is euill and yet notwithstanding wee take leaue to desire it is this to bee excused Nowe then to the intent wee may take profite by this doctrine let vs marke that although our desires to see to are as good as can bee yet must wee absteine from them vnlesse God doe like of them For at that ende muste wee beginne And furthermore that if wee ought to correct our desires though there bee no likelihoode of euill in them we ought much more to bee well aduised that wee cast not forth our bubbles when wee bee tempted to euill and when wee be caried away to fleshly lustes All that geere must bee killed starke deade seeing it is not lawfull for vs euen to wiâ—h the thing that is good except wee haue leaue of God But we must then specially obserue this lesson when wee goe about to pray for as I haue saide alredie the foundation of all our prayers is faith and what importeth that Euen that we should heare God speake If wee pray at all aduenture doubting whether wee shall obtaine the thing that wee require or no Iames. â— â— it is but hypocrisie and it shall not boote vs at all saith the holy scripture It standeth vs then in hande to bee well assured when wee come before God so as we beleeue certainly that our praying is not in vaine and that wee shall not bee disappointed of the thing that wee require And that is the point where in the prayers of the Christians doe differre from the prayers of the infidelles For the infidelles and vnbeleeuers may well flee vnto God and craue this and that at his hande but what for that they bee euer wauering and wote not whether they shall obteine or no. For they depende not vppon the promises But as for vs wee must assure our selues of the loue of our God that he is much redier to graunt than wee bee to require yea and that hee is so pitifull and hath such a respect of our miseries and necessities to relieue them â—sa 〈…〉 that he euen preuenteth vs. Wee must bee throughly perswaded of this when wee pray But how shall we knowe it Wee must not beare our selues on hande that wee holde God bounde vnto vs and that wee shall make him to graunt all our desires for what a malapertnesse were that And what an honouring of God were it if euerie man shoulde say I trowe God will do whatsoeuer I list to commaunde him But we must rest vppon his promises Yee see then that faith is requisite in our prayers that is to wit that no man thrust forth himselfe vpon his owne heade but that hauing the promise whereby God allureth vs vnto him wee goe vnto him boldely not doubting but that hee will keepe touch with vs. Seeing it is so wee must note nowe that al our praiers are faultie if they bee not ruled by the wil of God For when wee presume to aske of him whatsoeuer comes in our heade there is no promise for vs to trust vnto in going to it so without aduise And therefore for asmuch as we passe our bounds wee be neuer a whit furthered by it Thus ye see that in praying we must alwayes coÌ„sider what god permitteth vs what his will is y t we shoulde aske of him and that wee must euer haue this modestie and sobernesse with vs to aske counsaile of him as though his spirit spake in vs and indyted vnto vs the verie forme of our prayer Matt. 6.9 And for that cause hath our Lorde Iesus Christ made as it were a summe of all the requestes which wee ought to make vnto God For although wee bee not tyed to those words to say hollowed bee the name of God his kingdome come his will bee done c. yet must we referre all our desires wishes and requestes to those sixe articles which are conteyned in the praier that our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen vnto vs. And although the Fathers of olde time had not the same rule yet were they alwayes gouerned by Gods spirite to keepe them from wandering from the thinges that are taught vs at this day so as all their prayers were conformable to the rule that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen vs. Nowe then we see that all such as take leaue to pray what they list doe not direct themselues to God as they ought to doe and therefore are they likewise disappointed of their desires And for the same cause is it that I haue tolde you that in all our prayers wee must be well aduised that the thinges bee lawfull according to Gods worde But nowe there are some thinges which God hath promised without exception and those wee may demaunde without condition Whensoeuer wee haue offended him which thing wee neuer cease to doe wee must resort to the remedie praying God to forgiue vs our sinnes and to shewe vs mercie God hath assured vs that hee is redie to doe it And seeing he hath promised it our comming to him to seeke fauour must not bee as though we wist not what woulde be the ende of our request but wee must bee fully resolued that hee will shewe vs fauour indeede Yet notwithstanding if therewithall wee desire him to release his chastisementes that is nowe another thing For hee may well pardon our faultes but yet in the meane while hee wil not cease to subdue vs vntill he perceiue that our vices are corrected I meane not as the Papists doe namely that God pardoneth the fault and reteineth the punishment still as they haue surmised saying that when God forgiueth men their sinnes hee ceaseth not in the meane while to execute his rigor vpon them as a iudge It is nothing so But God chastiseth vs for our sinnes after hee hath forgiuen them howbeit not in way of punishment but to make vs looke better to our selues to be warer hereafter so as we become not so vnconstant as to returne to the selfe same fault againe Then if God perceiuing vs to haue neede to be tamed doe list to chastise vs if wee require of him simply without condition that he should by and by withdraw his hand that request were out of square For why He perchaÌ„ce sendeth vs some sicknes or some other crosse hee knoweth that it is not ynough
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
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
condemnation because of the originall sinne that is come from Adam vpon all mankinde Nowe seeing that the little babes are not exempted from the wrath and curse of GOD Eph. 2.3 in so much that if hee punishe them it is not without cause neither can men saye but that hee proceedeth alwayes vprightlye as a good Iudge much lesse canne they that are men growen auowe themselues to be innocent but they shall much rather bee founde guiltie And so as concerning Ezechiels purpose it is an euident matter that God punisheth not the guiltlesse children for their fathers sakes for there is fault to bee founde euen in them also Furthermore where as hee saieth that hee punisheth the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children let vs marke howe that is done and then will this doubt be yet better discussed First of all wee knowe that God is not any thing indetted vnto vs and that if hee doe vs any good it is of his owne free goodnesse and not for that hee is bounde vnto vs. Nowe if he list to vse rigour towardes vs hee may leaue vs all in condemnation as those that are there alreadie Let God but onely withholde his mercie and shewe himselfe as a iudge to the whole worlde and what will become of it Wee bee all forlorne there is no remedie for vs both great and smal fathers and children I say all of vs without exception are damned euerychone if God drawe vs not out of the cursed case wherein wee be yea and that hee do it not of his owne freebestowed goodnesse without being bound thervnto Now then seeing that God might destroy vs and cast vs all away is he to be blamed is there any fault to bee founde with him if it please him to vse his goodnesse and mercie towardes some and to call them to him and to deliuer them out of the bottomlesse pitte wherein they bee No. For our eye must not bee spitefull because hee hath pittie vppon his creatures Matt. 20.15 And although hee vse not like courtesie towards all men yet doth it become vs to keepe our mouthes shutte yea and sometimes againe wee ought to open them wide to confesse that all his doings are in vprightnesse and equitie Psal. 33.4 though they surmount our capacitie For wee cannot alwayes perceiue why God disposeth so of men but our pratling must bee put downe and wee must learne to reuerence God in his iudgementes when they bee too high and too secret for vs to attaine to How soeuer the case stand let this stand for a generall rule that God might let vs alone in the destruction wherein we bee if he thought good and that by that meanes all the worlde might perish but forasmuch as it pleaseth him to shewe himselfe pitifull and gentle not towardes all but towardes one part of them therefore putteth he a difference betweene the one and the other And there vppon hee leaueth whom he listeth in their owne cursednes wherein they were borne Nowe if it bee demaunded why GOD vseth mercie after that manner towardes the one sorte and rigour towardes the other truely the first cause thereof is vnknowen to vs and wee ought not to bee inquisitiue of it And why for it becommeth our wittes to bee locked vp and imprisoned in that behalfe and wee ought to confesse that God hath free power to choose whom hee listeth and to cast away the rest But howsoeuer the case stande hee maketh this promise to the faithfull that hee will haue mercie vppon their children and that as hee hath begunne his mercie vppon the parentes themselues so hee will holde out with it continually vnto a thousande generations We see nowe that there is some cause why God hath pitie vppon the one sort rather than vppon the other Againe on the contrarie part he threateneth the vnbeleeuers that he will curse them not onely in themselues but also in their rase and in those that shall spring of them But nowe let vs come to the mercie that God graunteth and to the punishment that hee extendeth His blessing of the faithfull folkes children is not in riches in health and in all other such thinges or in making them to prosper to the worlde warde Those are not the greatest blessings which God graunteth that is not the ende which hee beginneth at but rather the mercie that hee sheweth them is that hee gouerneth them by his holy spirite that hee giueth them the badge of his adopted children and that he correcteth them and purgeth them from their sinnes to fashion them againe after his owne image Yee see then that the mercie which God extendeth towardes the children of the faithfull is that hee suffereth them not to abide in their owne corruption and naughtinesse but reformeth and ruleth them by his holy spirite This done hee proceedeth yet further and maketh them to prosper euen in this worlde vntill the full measure of his mercie bee heaped vppon them that is to wit till he haue taken them vp into his heauenly kingdome and there giuen them euerlasting life On the contrarie parte whereas hee punisheth the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children it is as much to say as hee letteth their ofspring alone in the same plyght that they bee in There is a wicked man there is a despyser of GOD there is an hypocrite there is an vnbeleeuer well may hee haue children but God careth not for them as yee woulde saye and taketh them as straungers and forasmuch as hee acknowledgeth them not to bee of the number of his hee vouchsafeth not to shewe himselfe father like towardes them but letteth them runne at rouers so as Sathan must needes possesse them And when they bee so destitute of Gods spirite what can betide them but vtter mischiefe so as they must prouoke him to wrath more and more Nowe then doeth our Lorde punishe them without cause Can they say that they be guiltlesse No for there is fault ynough in them beforehande Wee see then much better that the thing which God hath spoken by Ezechiel is true that is to wit that the partie which hath sinned shall receiue his owne hyre as hee deserueth and that the guiltlesse shall not bee punished for the guiltie and for the offenders sake Neuerthelesse wee see also that his saying that hee will punish the sinne of the fathers vppon their children is not without cause For why It is in him to withholde his grace from the children of the wicked and faithlesse or of the despisers of his worde or of hypocrites that abuse his name God is at free libertie to withdrawe his spirite from all the whole race of them And when their children are so alienated from God what haue they but the corruption of Adam There is nothing in them but sinne and corruption Rom. 8.7 and therefore they must needes be enemies vnto God Yee see then how he punisheth them iustly and that they cannot shift themselues from his hande to say
y e time shold haue some help such as y e sacrifices were to feed theÌ„ in the hope of the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as they might know y t their sinnes were cleansed away by y e bloud of y e mediator Likewise they had y e Saboth day as warraÌ„t of the grace y t was purchased vs to mortify our thoughtes affections that God might liue in vs by y e power of his holy spirit Gal. 2.19.20 Now we haue som entrance to coÌ„ceiue y t which was touched briefely before y t is to wit y t the Saboth day was as a figure to represeÌ„t y e thing y t was fulfilled in deede at y e comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And therefore let vs marke wel y t the Saboth day exteÌ„ded to y e whole seruice of God to shewe that men could not honor him purely but by renouncing theÌ„selues by being separated from the defilemeÌ„ts of y e world of their owne flesh Eze. 20.21 22.8 32.38 And for the same cause were the Iewes rebuked lykewise by the prophet Ezechiel for not keeping the Saboth day And it is tolde them in such wise as if they had broken the whole lawe generally And not without cause for he y t despiseth the Saboth day hath as much as in him lyeth thrust the whole seruice of God vnder foot And if the day of rest be not kept all the residewe is nothing woorth according to this saying of y e Prophet Esay y t men must bereaue themselues of their owne vertues Esa. 58.13 and be contented to forgoe them or else it is not the Lordes Saboth neither doth he lyke or alowe of it Hereby we see y t it is to no purpose to obserue the ceremonie alone For had the Iewes kept the ceremonie neuer so straitly in assembling together on the Saboth day without stirring one finger in their housholde businesse yet in the meane while nourish their own wicked affectioÌ„s afterward put them in effect it had bin but a mocking of God by abusing of his name and by defacing and falsifying the whole order that he had ordeined accordingly also as he vpbraideth them But the chiefe thing was to haue an eye to the true meaning of the figure that is to wit to the spirituall seruing of God And yet therewithal it behooued the Iewes to keepe the ceremonie also that was commaunded them For God did so bridle them as he vouchsafed not to let them haue the substance of things alone by it selfe but he would that they should also haue the shadowes of them therewithall vntil the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. â—ol 2.20 And hereby wee see the thing that S. Paul speaketh namely that as now we be no more tyed to the old bondage of keping the Saboth day For we must doe so much honor to Iesus Christ as to holde our selues contented with that which hee hath brought vs in his owne person without the hauing of the outward thinges any more y t were vnder the law Now we see how this obseruation concerneth vs at this day As touching the ceremonie it selfe it is past as I sayde and therefore wee must come to the substance which is y t to serue God wel wee must learne to forbeare al our own wils all our own thoughts affections And why Because y t when wee will needes be wise in our owne conceites to imagine this or y t to serue God withal we marre al. Therfore our own wisedom must be layd down we must heare God speake without following our own wil or fancie Thus the first entraÌ„ce to keep the Saboth day as we ought to doe is not to beleeue the thing y t seemeth good to our selues for wee must rest And how must we rest Wee must stand at a stay so as our thoughtes runne not rouing abroade to inuent one thing or other We must say I continue quietly at one stay in the obedience of our God Rom. 8.7 And when wee be tempted by our owne lustes we must consider that all our lewde and disobedient affections are enemies to God euerichone of them Therefore we must rest stil in that behalfe and referre our selues vnto God that he onely may worke in vs and guide and gouerne vs by his holy spirit Hereby we see God ouerslipped not any thing when hee ordeined the Saboth day And sith it hath so large a scope what want wee more to teach vs a perfect doctrine of holynesse when we haue the thinges which the holy Ghost hath set before vs The matter is that we shoulde liue holily in the obedience of our God And how is that to be done Euen by receiuing his single worde and by fashioning our selues according to his righteousnesse Now forasmuch as the thinges which we haue of our owne nature are coÌ„trarie thereunto Matt. 6.14 Luk. 9.23 we must begin at this end of renouÌ„cing our selues That being done we haue all that is requisite to the seruing of God But y t is very hard to be done And therefore when we heare y t God commandeth vs to keepe the Saboth day let vs looke that we marke and consider that it wil not be done with playing but y t we must inforce our selues we shall haue profited greatly all our lyfe if we keepe it well that is to wit by renouncing whatsoeuer wee haue of our owne and by dedicating our selues wholy vnto our God And we ought to bee the more inflamed to the spirituall keeping of the Saboth of the Lord seing we be set free froÌ„ the slauish subiection of the law and God hath graunted greater priuiledge to vs than he did to the fathers of olde time insomuch that hee is contented with our mortifying of the old man to be renewed again by the power of his holy spirit we be no more bouÌ„d to the ceremonie that was kept so straitly vnder the law Seing y t God handleth vs so louingly it bindeth vs the more to haue an eye to the principal y t we may obserue it duely Yea we must not alledge y t the auÌ„cient fathers had y e ceremonie to quickeÌ„ theÌ„ vp which serued theÌ„ as a spurre for inasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ is come we haue much more than the outwarde and visible signe And forasmuch as al the things that were figured in those shadowes are accomplished in him Col 2.17 we must not craue stil the thinges that were vnder the lawe Thus ye see how the thing that is ordeined here concerning the Saboth day is nowe fulfilled at leastwise as in respect of the truth of the figure which the fathers had but in shadowe And in very deede looke what was commaunded concerning the day of rest must needes belong to vs as well as to theÌ„ For let vs take Gods lawe in it selfe and we shall haue an euerlasting rule of righteousnesse And it is certeine that vnder the
outrage and they that doe so are worse than wild beastes Yea and if that that disposition was condemned euen among the heathen by the lawes of men much more shall it be condemned by the Lawe of God And therefore let vs learne to submit our selues to him not after our owne imagination but according to his owne nature But forasmuch as he is a spirit Iohn 4.24 he will haue vs to serue him with such soundnesse that besides the restrayning of our feete and handes our heartes also must be submitted vnto him and that with such subiection and obedience as our whole indeuour be to shew by our deedes that we be his true children in as much as we maintaine brotherlinesse with all those whom he hath called to the same alyance with vs. Nowe let vs kneele down in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better and that wee considering howe hee hath bounde vs to our neighbours and will haue vs to shewe the reuerence y t that wee beare towardes him by abstaining from all euill wrongfull dealing may liue in such brotherly loue one with another as the chiefe marke that we shoote at may bee to honour him as our father and to suffer our selues to bee gouerned by him and by his holy spirit according to his word so as we may bee strengthened more and more in it knowing that his reaching of his hand to vs is to the end to guide vs and to hold vs vnder his protection 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 Iuly 1555. The xxxviij Sermon which is the ninth vpon the fifth Chapter 18 Thou shalt not bee an Aduouterer SAint Paul speaking of the life of Christians and hauing exhorted them to the feare of God addeth y t they must walk vprightly and soberly Now it is not to be doubted but that the same is to be referred to the second table of the law Wil we then obserue the things that our Lord hath commaunded vs in the second table It is not ynough for vs to hurt no maÌ„ either in his person or in his goods but besides this rightfulnesse it is required that we should liue stayedly and honestly as is declared in another place And in the former text of the Epistle to Titus which I haue touched Tit. 2.12 hee saith that we were redeemed by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to the intent we should liue in the feare of God in this world and also in sobernesse and vprightnesse 1. Tim. 2.2 In another place to Timothie he saieth that if there bee good gouernment so as the Magistrates doe their duetie we shall liue vprightly and honestly in godlinesse And as touching the feare of God it is the same spirituall seruice that we haue spoken of before which coÌ„sisteth of our pure worshipping of him by indeuouring to trust in him by calling vppon him and by yeelding him his deserued reuerence and in respect of our neighbors it consisteth of knowing howe wee ought to behaue our selues one towardes another These are the two pointes that he setteth downe heare The first which is vprightnesse is that wee offer no man any violence extortion or deceite as in respect of his goods and the other which hee setteth downe by the name of honestie sobrietie or stayednesse is that there be no loosenesse wantonnesse leawdenesse or vnrulinesse in our lyfe Wee haue seene that in expounding the commaundement where GOD forbadde to kill I told you how he meant that we should abstaine from all outrage and iniurie and not onely that but also that wee shoulde indeuour to liue quietly with our neighbours and not suffer any man to be troubled And is it so When wee come to treating of goods it shall bee declared that wee must not play the theeues nor beare false witnesse against our neighbours which things pertaine to Iustice or vprightnesse Nowe if wee will yeelde euerie man his right we shal doe no hurt nor wrong to any bodie and as touching goods also wee shall not attempt to rob any of their substance But here God interlaceth a lawe that forbiddeth to commit adulterie that is comprehended vnder the terme of sobrietie or stay ednesse For although we steale awaye no mans goods nor be murtherers and barreters yet if wee bee vnchast wanton or of beastly conuersation we must not thinke that God is contented with vs. Vprightnes Sobernes are things inseparable for God hath ioyned them togither in his lawe and we see that he confirmeth it by his Apostle who largely expoundeth the thing y t is here touched in fewe words And therfore if we wil haue the true meaning of this text wee must vnderstand that God commaundeth vs here to leade an honest and chast life so as there be no dishonestie nor loosenesse in vs. That is the effect of this commandement True it is that here we be expresly forbidden to commit Adulterie that is to say to breake the faith of mariage by intising other mens wiues to naughtinesse But let vs also weigh y e thing that I haue touched here namely how that vnder one particular God comprehendeth the whole and setteth vs downe the thing that ought to mislike vs euen of nature to the end we should abhorre all maner of whoredome the more I told you yesterday that when men are tempted to doe euill they beguile them selues weening that the fault is but small and so from the lesser they proceede to the greater Contrariwise to hold vs in awe God setteth before vs the sins that are heynousest to y e end we should be striken with feare aforehand and not bee ledde so easily to commit any fault As if he should say beware ye fall not for it will make ye to breake your necke beare not your selfe in hand that you shall but slide for the fall will bee deadly and therefore take heede of it Thus ye see in effect why God proceeded in such order in his law why he speaketh not now generally of all whoredome but of Adulterie which is the breaking of Mariage Nowe wee knowe that if any thing ought to bee taken for holye in the whole life of man it is the fayth which the husbande plyghteth to his wife and the wife to her huâ—bande In deede all the couenants and promises y t we make ought to be kept faithfully Psa. 〈…〉 But if wee compare them together it is not without cause that mariage is called the couenant of God Prou. 2.17 For in so saying Salomon sheweth that God is the Lorde of mariage and therefore that if the husband breake the promise which hee hath made to his wife hee is forsworne not onely towardes her but also towardes God In lyke case is it on the womans behalfe Shee doth wrong not onely to her
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
that God disclaimed them as if hee had sayd your God giueth you ouer and hath diuorced himselfe from you For in as much as your wickednesse hath separated you from him it is good reason that hee also should stand discharged of his promise and be no more bound to so malicious froward a people as you be who haue vsed such vnfaithfulnes towards him That then is the first reason But there is also another cause which is that wee haue as it were a figure or image that Gods once writing of his Lawe is not ynough for vs but that wee haue neede of a second wryting of it to the intent it may auaile vs and the doctrine thereof benefite vs by shewing it selfe to bee liuely and of effectuall force and power And that is the thing which the Prophetes meane in saying Ier. 31.32.33 that GOD will make a new Couenaunt with his faythfull ones not as hee did with their fathers in Egypt but by writing his Lawe in their heartes and by ingrauing it in their bowels And therefore let vs marke well that GOD meant to doe vs to vnderstand that his wryting of his Lawe in the two tables of stone was by and by voyd and of none effect And why Bycause that if God doe but write his Lawe or cause it to bee preached to vs onely by woorde of mouth there will neuer bee any holde or tacke in it and hee sheweth that the blame thereof is in our selues bycause wee bee not stedfast in keeping the promise that wee haue made vnto GOD but become variable and starte aside out of hand God for his part doth well performe whatsoeuer hee promiseth vs but wee breake off all acquaintance and vnion with him so as we be cut off and banished from him and wee bereaue our selues of all the promises that he offered vs and therefore after he hath once written his law he must be faine to turne againe and write it the second tyme. As how For figures doe not alwaies represent the full truth but there is oftentimes some difference Then let vs marke that the figure varieth from the truth which God sheweth vs and maketh vs to perceiue For hee writeth not his Law the second time in stones but rather whereas our hartes were hard before he chaungeth them and maketh them soft and in stead of stony heartes as sayeth Ezechiell Ezec. 11.19 36.26 he giueth vs hearts of flesh that is to say hee softeneth our heartes and maketh them pliable to the intent wee shoulde receaue his Lawe and haue it ingrauen vs and be able to doe and to follow whatsoeuer he commaundeth vs. Therefore let vs beare this figure well in mynde for as much as it is for our benefite In deede as concerning the first reason it behooueth vs to bethinke our selues well when GOD hath called vs. For if we corrupt his seruice or alter religion at our owne pleasure although there be no Moses to breake the tables of stone yet hath God shewed once for all that he is alyenated from vs and that hee will haue vs to bee as straungers to his house Trueth it is that his election is without repentaunce yet notwithstanding as it is sayd in Exodus Exod 33 19. he will saue whom hee listeth Howbeit if wee sticke not purely to his woorde it is all one as if wee fell out with him and playd the fugitiue and vnruly children and hee will not suffer vs to despise his couenaunt after that maner without auenging of himselfe of such vnthankfulnesse And hee hath shewed vs at that tyme in the person of Moses that hee giueth ouer and forsaketh all those which turne away from the trueth and holde not themselues to it so that for his part hee will haue no more to doe with them nor any more acquaintance with them Wherfore let vs beware that this horrible sentence bee not cast vppon us and whensoeuer our Lorde shall haue called vs let it serue to hold vs in awe and feare But yet let vs know also that it is not ynough for vs to haue our cares beaten with Gods commaundementes and to haue them set before vs and to be incouraged to keepe them for God must bee fayne to worke within our hartes or else all the teaching in the world wil stand vs in no stead it wil be but a sound ringing in the ayre whereof no profite will redownd Nowe then come wee to heare Gods woorde In deede wee ought to make account of the fauour that hee sheweth vs in causing it to bee preached vnto vs but yet let vs assure our selues that that would but turne to our greater condemnation if he ingraued it not in our heartes What is to bee done then We must discharge our selues of all selftrust assuring our selues that wee shall be but euill schollers vntil GOD haue taught vs by his holy spirite Notwithstanding that hee shall haue vsed men as his instrumentes to bring vs to the knowledge of his trueth yet must hee himself bore our eares Psal. â—â—â— that we may hearken to him and hee must touch our hearts and soften them that we may receiue y e doctrine which is vttered vnto vs. Wherefore let vs learn to mislike our selues by acknowledging our owne sinne and wretchednesse and therewithall let vs pray him to woorke in such sort as the things which we shall haue heard and vnderstoode bee not a witnesse against vs of our rebelliousnesse and that wee haue beene foolke past amendment And so as ofte as wee come to any sermon or read the holy Scripture let vs pray God to touche vs inwardly and to make the doctrine auaylable which wee shall haue heard so as it may not bee spoken to the stones but to such as haue beene foretaught by his holy spirite Thus ye see what wee haue to marke vppon tha place Now for the attainement of this second writing wee must not goe to Moses but to our Lord Iesus Christ. For it is he that hath brought vs the holy Ghost Iob. 1◠〈…〉 and the renewment whereby our heartes are refourmed to the obeying of GOD and whereby they bee circumcised that they may be dedicated to his seruice Col. â—â—â— 2. Cor. â—â—â— The if Moses be compared to our Lord Iesus Christ hee is but a minister of the letter And why Bycause hee coulde goe no further than he had commission which was to set foorth Gods doctrine But it belonged to Iesus Christ to giue light to that which Moses had vttered and to giue strength thereunto And how was that By his holy spirit 2. Cor. â—â—â— True is that Saint Paule termeth himselfe a minister of the spirite Howbeit that is not to deface his Maister it is not to drawe to himselfe the thing that belongeth to the sonne of GOD but it is to shewe that our Lorde Iesus Christ vttereth his grace now adayes by the preaching of his Gospell As howe Let vs marke first of all that the
name should be called vpon there so as he offered the promises of saluation to them that descended of the same race and linage the redeemer y t was to be sent into the worlde was set forth vnto theÌ„ that they might be gathered together vnder him Loe here I say a general election that belonged to al the children of Abraham and yet was that grace to be confirmed by faith but in a parte of them in some of them For we see that many of them were cut off not for that they were not Abrahams children in respect of the fleshe and the worlde But for that they were not his children in spirite and before God which was the chiefe point Rom. 2.28 9.7.8 as S. Paul declareth As for those which were vnbeleeuers and vnthriftes and imbraced not the promise that was made vnto Abraham with true faith those were set beside the inheritance In deede they were accounted for his children howbeit that was but as Ismael was who was not lawfully begotten Now then Gods generall election which extended to the whole people was not sufficient But it behoued euerie man to be partaker of it in his own peculiar behalfe And how was y t to be done by faith But let vs see from whence faith proceedeth but only of Gods wil in that he vouchsafeth to confirm his fauor towardes whoÌ„ he thought good Therfore chose he whom he listed out of this people Eph. 1.13.14 and sealed his promise in their hearts by his holy spirite so as they were made partakers of his trueth it tooke full and perfect effect in them Lo here the double election of God The one extendeth to the whole people because circumcision was giuen indifferently to all both smal and great and the promises likewise were common But yet for all that God was faine to adde a seconde grace by touching the hearts of his chosen namely of such as he listed to reserue to him selfe and those came vnto him he made them to receiue the benefit that was offered them And in deede we see that the greatest number of that people haue bin cast off and as it were banished from Gods fauour so as there remained but a small remnant of them not onely at some one time but also euen after the captiuity of Babilon according to this foresaying of the prophet Esay Esa. 10.22 Although thou wart neuer so many in nuÌ„ber so as thy folke were as the sande of the sea yet shall the remnant of you be very small y t God wil saue For the hypocrites abused Gods promise falsly And because it was sayd y t the people shold be in multitude as the sande of the sea they bragged at the sight of a great number and in the meane while dispised God But he telleth them that he coulde aswell diminish them as he had multiplied them so as there should remaine but a small portion of them And so it came to passe insomuch as the prophet sayth Esa. 1.9 y t if God had not reserued some seede the countrie of Iuda had bin as Sodom Gomorre God had vtterly rooted them out as they had well deserued Now is this very profitable for vs. For nowadayes when it is tolde vs y t we haue the pure doctrine of y e Gospell preached vnto vs we haue the sacrament of baptism for the warrant of our saluation y t is one choice that God maketh of vs. We be no better than other men y t are drowned in ydolatrie abhominations on whoÌ„ God hath not vouchsaâ—ed to looke w t such pity as to make y e truth of his gospel to shine vpon theÌ„ but hath let theÌ„ alone as destitute of all things so as there is nothing but horrible coÌ„fusion amongest them yet in the meane season he taketh vs between his armes and into his bosome vouchsafing to cause his word to be preached vnto vs whereby we see Iesus Christ who inlightneth vs as y e day-sun of righteousnes we haue the sacramentes whereof we knowe the vse Lo here one choise y t God maketh of vs which is well worthy to be esteemed wherin it behoueth vs to coÌ„sider Gods only infinite goodnes for y t he espieth nothing in vs for y e which he should preferre vs before such as are nobler thaÌ„ we haue much more thaÌ„ we to outward appearance But yet is it not ynough for vs to be so choseÌ„ of God as y t he taketh vs into his house admitteth vs to bee of his flocke dwelleth among vs euery of vs must haue an eie to himself so as y e gospel be not preached in vain nor we beare the bare name of Christians without shewing y e effect of it in our deedes For vntil our adoptioÌ„ be sealed by y e holy Ghost let vs not thinke y t it auaileth vs any whit to haue herd the word of God but it shal turne to our double condemnation because y t when God had chosen vs we offended him wheÌ„ he had entered into a couenant with vs wee brake our faithfull promise which wee had made plighted vnto him and therfore me must be punished y e more greuously But wheÌ„ we haue once a warrant in our hearts y t his promises belong vnto vs are behighted vnto vs by reason y t we receiue them w t true obedience sticke to our Lord Iesus Christ suffring him to gouerne vs 1. Pet. 1.10 y t is a sure seale of Gods chosing of vs so as we not onely haue the outwarde apparance of it before men but also the truth of it before our God And like as AbrahaÌ„ was made the father of all y e faithfull before God Rom. 4.11 so are we made his children in spirit truth and not only as in respect of adoption to y e world Thus we see what we haue to gather vpoÌ„ this text vpoÌ„ this declaration y t Moses maketh here to the Iewes And for the same cause he addeth the exhortation which we haue read in that he willeth the Iewes to circumcise their heartes and to beware that they harden not their neckes any more Good reason it is that men should submit themselues to God after y â— maner by forsaking theÌ„selues seeing that his seeking to win vs to him is not for any coÌ„moditie to himselfe as was shewed yesterday but because hee is desirous of our welfare so as hee putteth vs not to the doing of any thing which redoundeth not to our own benefit profit Seeing then y t God respecteth nothing but vs in his alluring of vs to come vnto him should we drag backe in that case Or should wee haue proude and loftie heartes to aduaunce ourselues against him Nowe for the better vnderstanding of this doctrine let vs note that Moses had an ey to the outward signe that was giuen at that time to the Iewes after the same maner that wee haue
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
forbearing for so hath God ordeyned And if any man say it is crueltie let him finde fault with God for it and wee shall see if he can preuaile On the other side if wee may well spit in such mennes faces notwithstanding that they saye that their so doing is to maintaine Gods honor what is to bee doone to such as will needes after a sort deface it quyte and cleane But let vs come backe againe to the matter There is a man that goes about to peruert the trueth thorough fonde deuotion and to turne it into vntrueth the same man ought to dye There is a Royster that casteth forth lewd scoffes against the holy Scripture as doeth that diuelish fellowe which is called Pantagruell and all his filthie and ribauldly writings and this sort of men pretende not to set vp any newe Religion as though they were deluded by their owne foolish imaginations but like madde dogges they belke out their filthinesse against the maiestie of God and their meaning is to ouerthrowe all religion and shoulde such bee spared Why not for they haue the Cardinalles for their vpholders they bee fauoured and maintained by them in so much that the names of these Lord Cardinalles are blazed in those goodly bookes which serue to mocke God as well as Mahomet All is one all may bee abidden so the Cardinalles bee curryed it is welynough and it doth them good to bee so registred whereby a man may see that they not onely mocke at all Religion but also coulde finde in their heartes to abolish all religion quite and cleane But herewithall let vs also see howe wee may apply this to our owne vse for wee must not onely condemne those that haue shewed themselues such as I haue spoken of but wee must also fare the better by their example to the end wee may knowe howe it is too wicked yea and too diuelish a thing that when men go about to make some backeslyding or to set some trouble among vs and much rather to driue away all feare of GOD and bee fauoured or shrowded or harkened vnto or haue any gappe left open to them or be let alone vnpunished it is the next way to vndoe and marre all And yet wee haue seene examples of such as haue maintained so cursed thinges yea and of such importance as the verie Papistes themselues coulde not endure them For it is certaine that the two heretikes that were here did wrest the holy Scriptures much more than the Papistes As touching this Triacle maker who was the first of them hee maintayned free will destroyed Gods election and are those thinges maintained among the Papistes Neuerthelesse wee see how he was fauoured hee was held vp by the chinne as it were in despite of God Againe as touching the seconde we knowe how he was so horrible a blasphemer that al mē abhorred his leawde opinions and yet for all that had he not his maintainers and defenders Yes for men shewed them more fauour than if they had beene the neerest of their kin And yet was it not euident that they conspired continually against God and his trueth to wage battel against him Therefore let vs looke neerlyer to our selues to conclude let vs vnderstād that when God hath giuen vs the grace to haue the certeintie of faith so as we be grounded vpō his worde wee must holde vs to it after such a sort that whensoeuer we see any bodie go about to trouble the order which God hath set wee may all set our selues against it and not tary till al agree in one but that whosoeuer of vs doth first perceiue the mischiefe the same doe discouer it out of hande and euery of vs do his duetie in such wise as such plagie persons bee not nourished among vs. For as I haue declared alreadie wee see there is such frailtie in vs that a verie little leauen will sower our whole batche of dowe 1. Cor 5.6 Gal. 5.9 and as soone as wee giue eare to Satans iuggling trickes by and by wee bee ouer-throwen and so intangled that in the ende wee bee carryed quite away from our God and from the true religion God therefore beeing acquainted with our frailtie meant to prouide for it by shewing vs that it behoueth vs to cut vp the wicked weedes out of hand Accordingly also as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayeth that wee must not suffer any euill weedes to growe Hebr. 12.15 for they will marre the good corne and if the time bee foreslowed it wil bee too late afterwarde Then must wee not driue off till to morowe but euery of vs must quicken and stirre vp himselfe following the exhortation that is made vnto vs heere Moreouer seeing wee bee commaunded to plucke vp whatsoeuer is contrarie to the maiestie of God and whatsoeuer may peruert or put away the true religion let euery of vs see that hee so offer and dedicate himselfe to our God as wee may not thrust one another out of the right way If any man goe about to thrust mee out of the way beholde God commaundeth mee to rise vp against him and though it were mine owne brother my sonne or my wife yet is it sayde that I ought not to spare them Now then if I my selfe thrust others out of the way is it not a farre more heynous crime I shal be taken for an accessarie if I doe but conceale another bodies misbehauiour and I shewe my selfe a traytour to Godwarde Nowe then if I my selfe bee an author of euill howe deepe am I in So then if wee will correct other folkes misdealings so roughly let vs beare in minde that wee must in any wise holde our selues in the feare of God so as in cases concerning his honour wee bee not a stumbling blocke to driue wretched soules to destruction but rather indeuour to gather home the stray sheepe into the flocke to bring back the wanderers into the right way and to maintaine and further such as are in the good way alreadie and all of vs lende our helping handes one to another that wee may goe serue our God with one common accord Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to receiue vs into his fauor and that although wee be wretched sinners and vnworthie to come in his sight yet notwithstanding it may please him to accept of vs and to refourme vs in such wise by his holy spirite as all our life may bee imployed to his glorie and our whole seeking hencefoorth may bee to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the xxj of October 1555. The Lxxxix Sermon which is the fourth vpon the thirteenth Chapter 12 If thou heare say that in any of the cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to dwell in 13 Some wicked men are gone from among
swaruing aside one way or other Yea hee will haue them to waite for the worde from his mouth and hee telleth vs that hee vtterly mislyketh all that euer men doe bring of their owne Esa. 1.13 and that it is not only vaine but stinking and abhominable in his sight Neuerthelesse it is an ordinarie matter in Poperie to forge such pelting trifles and gewgawes without number Yea and it is a common prouerbe among them That whatsoeuer is doone of a good intent is well done yea but God saieth the cleane contrarie So then let vs note that as the people is in this place warned that they haue no libertie graunted vnto them to choose what place euerie man listed as who shoulde saye wee will serue God in this place and hee will accept well of it but that they must come vnto the place which hee himselfe had appointed and not attempt any thing vppon their owne heades but onely followe the saide rule of resorting to the place which God had marked foorth Whereby we see that when the case concerneth the seruing of him we may not attempt any thing of our selues but holde vs vnto that which hee hath ordained Nowe in deede it is true that at this day there is no such peculiar place appointed wherin God wil be worshipped or wherein he will haue sacrifices made as was the temple of Ierusalem yet notwithstāding vnder one particular we haue here a generall instruction that it is not lawfull for vs to doe what we thinke good to worship God withall but that we must haue an eye vnto that which he requireth and lyketh of and neuer passe beyond those boundes Let vs come now vnto this saying That the man shall offer himselfe vnto the Priest and say Beholde I protest here that my father was a Syrian a very beggar and came into this land lyke a poore hunger staruen soule and was afterward driuen into Egypt from whence at length God brought him backe againe and gaue vnto vs this Land wherein wee dwell now through his fauour Now by this manner of protestation the Iewes were done to vnderstand that they ought to come vnto GOD without compulsion as if it were sayd I looke not to be thrust foreward I looke not to bee called vp by processe as one that minded not to doe his duetie but by force but I protest that is to say I offer my selfe here of mine owne good will I come aforehand In deede God had appointed this law as I haue already tolde you it was to reproue the people of their vnthankfulnesse but yet for all that his intent was that the people shoulde come their owne good will and that is the thing which I haue already touched I might seeme at the first blush that GOD constraineth vs but yet hee meaneth not to stand vpon this poynt it is but to inure vs to an vnfayned and freehearted obedience At the first wee be lyke the young Heiffers which cannot skill to beare the yoke For when a man setteth a young Heiffer first to the plowe he turneth away his head he strugleth striueth and chafeth and in stead of going forewards he draweth backward vntil he be tamed In lyke case is it with a horse there is much a doe with him at the first before hee can be broken God vseth vs in the same manner howbeit but to make vs tractible that whē we be once brought to subiection then we may come with a free franke wil to yeeld ourselues obediēt vnto him Let vs not therfore abide stil in this slauish feare but let vs know y t God is our father and that we ought to take pleasure in framing our selues according to his will Let euery man therefore enforce and set foreward himself herein that we may truely say Behold I protest that I am bound vnto my God Now it is sayd afterwardes My father was a Syrian No doubt but this is meant of Iacob not that he was borne in Syria for he was borne in the land of Chanaan and his father was a straunger there and had not one foot of ground to dwell on he had onely a burying place which he bought for his monie and they were faine to remoue often out of one place into an other as men draue them out They were lyke byrdes vpon a bough 〈◊〉 37.41 Besides this Iacob was banished out of his fathers house and forced to get him away because his brother Esau threatned to kill him By reason whereof he abode a long time in the land of Syria he dwelled there fourteene yeere to get him those wiues which hee had namely Lea and Rachel and after that he serued his father in Law Laban for sheepe because he would not depart home altogether naked Ye see then how Iacob was first a poore wanderer and had soone forgotten the land of Chanaan when he was gone out of it In deede God alwayes kept him in sure trust of y e promise which was made vnto him concerning that land and that was the cause why hee made that vowe of his Gen. 28.20 when he went out of the land which was giuen vnto him yet neuerthelesse he was olde before he went out of Syria Behold being a man broken with age and striken farre in yeares he entreth againe into the land of Chanaan that as a Syrian for he is altogether new he commeth thither as one that had neuer bin there before and although he had then some wealth yet were all his miseries there brought new again to his minde My father a Syrian was in the very way of destructiō For how was he afflicted when hee was constrained to leaue his fathers house He hath the knife held as it were to his throate Gen. 30.31 for behold Esau his brother seeketh to put him to death Esau is possessed as it were w t a diuelish spirite to persecute his brother Iacob And when Iacob meant to returne into the land of Chanaan behold that cruel beast namely Laban deuoureth him not onely fleecing the wool from his back but also oppressing him after a tyrannous manner In the end he must yet appease his brother Esau in which miserie of his he is as it were halfe dead and maketh no other account but to be vtterly cast away he thinketh neuer to saue his familie Gen. 32. Neuerthelesse he diuideth it into foure bandes that if the one might not be saued the other might escape Beholde to what shift hee is put and how hee deuiseth with himselfe well if there bee no remedie but that thou must dye well yet some one of thy children maye escape and although I cannot saue all yet God will keepe some one aliue to performe his promise in him Such was the comming home of Iacob So then it is not sayd without cause in this place that hee was at the poynt to be destroyed yet did God succor him as it is sayd here Neuerthelater Iacob is yet farther
am readie to couenant with you onely be you likewise disposed on your side When wee haue such a neare accesse vnto God and he acquainteth himselfe so with vs and woulde haue vs so ioyned vnto him are wee not voyde of al sense and reason if this doe not moue vs yea and inflame our heartes to giue our selues wholly ouer vnto God who vseth such so incredible gentlenesse towardes vs So then it is not without cause that Moses sayeth in this place This daye the Lorde thy God hath made thee to giue thy worde that is to saye hee hath made thee to couenant with him that thou wilt bee his people and thou hast made him to couenant with thee that hee will bee thy God Thou hast this libertie or rather this priuiledge to speake with thy God Goe to then let vs couenant togither let vs haue our mouthes open to demaunde and to aske seeing our Lorde stoopeth so lowe vnto vs. It is verie true that hee can owe vs nothing but yet neuerthelesse of his meere liberalitie hee will haue vs to aske him that wee may bee his hee will haue vs to require him that hee may bee our God and we his inheritance hee our King and we his people wee his children and hee our father Seeing then that wee may come so farre ought not the great pitifulnesse which our Lorde sheweth vnto vs to make vs ashamed What a shame were it if wee shoulde remaine so blockish as to bee nothing at all mooued after that God hath so allured vs and after that hee hath so preuented vs afore hande with his infinite goodnesse Nowe then to the intent wee may profite our selues the better by this place let vs note once againe this worde To day For Moses alwayes putteth the Iewes in minde that when the law was published God was present with them and called them to enter into couenant with him as I will declare anon But nowe as touching vs wee haue the Gospel wee see the time seasonable we see the dayes of saluation wee see the acceptable time of God let vs therefore make hast let vs enter in whyle the doore is open while the way is readie let vs goe forward in it let vs not foâ—eâ—lowe it for if God perceiue that wee despise his grace 〈◊〉 24 20 doutlesse hee can well ynough skill howe to withdrawe it as hee also threateneth to doe Let vs not therefore delay the time vntill to morrowe to followe whither God calleth vs but whyle he speaketh let vs be attentiue to heare him Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in mynde vppon this woorde To daye Moreouer it is true that in substance God maketh no other couenant with vs nowadayes than hee made in olde time with the Iewes but yet hee speaketh much more familiarly vnto vs hee sheweth him selfe to bee our God and our father and hath made vs a farre greater assurance thereof in our Lorde Iesus Christ than the Iewes coulde haue vnder the shadowes and figures of the lawe In deede the auncient fathers were saued by no other meanes than by that which wee haue to wit that they were the people of God for this betokeneth as much as that God held them for his childreÌ„ they had their saluation grounded in Christ Iesus as wee haue but that was after an obscure manner so as they behelde the thing afarre off which was presented vnto them As for vs seeing God is come so neere vnto vs in the person of our lord Iesus Christ that wee be vnited vnto him and haue the trueth and substance of the ancient figures wee bee so much the more surer y t God maketh vs to saye that wee are his people and that we make him to say that he is our God And how doth he make vs to say it Truly altogether of his owne good will without beeing tyed or bound vnto vs. For God hauing adopted vs for his children certifieth vs that the inheritance of heauen is made readie for vs and behold hee giueth his own sonne vnto vs for a pledge of his loue whatsoeuer our Lorde Iesus Christ hath is all ours with all the fulnesse of riches which wee reade was giuen vnto him And why Euen vnto the ende that wee shoulde bee enriched by them The obedience which hee yeelded vnto his father is our righteousnes To be short hee hath nothing whereof he maketh not vs partakers Seeing that he is ours and that hee is giuen vnto vs how shall not all the rest which hee hath be giuen vnto vs also with him as S. Paul saith in the eighth to the Romanes Rom. 8.32 Seeing theÌ„ that we haue this and that wee may make our God say that he is our sauiour and that nothing can be wanting to vs after hee hath receiued vs into his fauour and loue let it lift vs vp vnto heaueÌ„ so as euery of vs may forget renounce him selfe Let vs bid the world farewell and let vs be rauished to giue our selues ouer altogither vnto him who sheweth himself so liberall fauourable vnto vs. And let vs note that seeing we make God to speake so that is to say to graunt vs libertie to come vnto him to require him to accomplish his promises we must at leastwise be mutually bound vnto him he take promise of vs that we wil be his people that is to say that because hee hath redeemed vs by the bloud of his onely sonne we will liue no longer after our own lusts fleshly desires but be ruled by him that as he is our father so we wil be his children so as none of vs wil yeld to do wickedly but hold fast the seale of our adoption which is the holy spirite to be gouerned by him There must say I as leastwise be this mutual bonde betwixt vs that seeing God bindeth himselfe so vnto vs we also must come and submit ourselues wholly vnto him Now herewithal we ought to wey wel this word which Moses addeth He saith twise As the Lorde hath said vnto thee whereby he sheweth y t when we come vnto God we must not come vnto him with stoutnes pride as though he were beholden vnto vs but we must know that we come because he calleth vs. What mortall man will presume to present himselfe before God say bind thy selfe vnto me let vs couenant here togither y t thou wilt be my God that I shal be of y e number of thy people Were not men stark mad if they shoulde presume to speake so vnto God Now then let vs note y t it is for him to open our mouthes to giue vs such warrant And that is the cause why Moses sayeth that not once only but with a dubble repetition that it is God which hath spoken Therefore if men should of their own mind come vnto God say bind thy selfe vnto vs it were a diuelish rashnes but let vs wait vntil our Lord cal
Papists did wel in their dalying so with such pelting stuffe were God euer the more bound vnto them for it It woulde behoue them to consider first before what notarie that euidence did passe For it is not for vs to bridle him or to tie him to y e stake or to subdue him to our fantasies It must proceed of his own good wil. Now then what saith hee When you shal haue kept al my coÌ„mandements theÌ„ shal these blessings come vpon you Let euery of vs looke how he hath kept y e coÌ„mandements of God Let y e Papists brag as much as they list can they say y t they haue accoÌ„plished y e hundreth part of theÌ„ If they haue kept one of Gods coÌ„mandements they haue offended him in a hundred sins for it if there be but one fault coÌ„mitted though it be neuer so litle a one they be faultie in al according as S. Iames saith he y t faileth in any one only point Iames. 2.10 is a breaker of y e whole law Seeing then y t they bee offenders they are depriued banished from al the blessings y t God hath set forth yea euen y t concerne but this present transitorie life much lesse therefore are they able to win y e kingdome of heauen as they imagin being not able to deserue one morsel of breade to put into their mouth Thus are they shut out of al. And why For God hath not promised any thing but vnto them that keepe al his whole law How shal we do then We must heare God speake after an other fashion to wit we must harken vnto him speaking of the free promises which hee offereth vnto vs in our Lord Iesus Christ. God in y e holy scripture vseth a double speach And wheÌ„ I speake of double speach I meane not y t he doâ—bleth on his part or y t he is contrarie to himselfe or y e one saying of his is repugnant to an other for God keepeth alwaies at one stay and as I haue said afore hee changeth not all y e speeches y t proceed from him do very wel agree together without any contradictioÌ„ Neuerthelesâ— as touching his law there he hath spoken as a Iudge not as a father In his law he speaketh as a Iudge saying He y t liueth as he ought shal not bee deceiued he shal not leese his labor for when you haue done me seruice I wil cause you to prosper After such maner doth God speake in the person of a Iudge And when wee haue receiued this word behold we are confounded howsoeuer the case standeth And wherefore For that in stead of abilitie to obteine the grace y t is offered vnto vs wee ceasse not to kindle Gods wrath against vs and therefore we be all damned What is to be done then God commeth speaking as a father and saith Well then I am contented to forbeare this rigour of mine which I might execute vpon you by my law howbeit y t the same is not ouer great for I haue applied my selfe so far vnto you as to promise that which is not your due I haue bin willing as it were to entice you by amiable meanes but I haue wonne nothing therby because of your frowardnes What remedy then I come now to tel you y t if you wil beleeue in my Son I wil release you of al your debts If you will receiue him for your Shepheard y t he may guide you quietly you shall perceiue y t I desire not to win you otherwise thaÌ„ by gentle friendly dealing as if I should say Come vnto mee I will forgiue you al your sins accept you into fauor And albeit y t you are miserable creatures deseruing vtter damnatioÌ„ yet wil I quite forget bury al your offences when I haue so doone I promise to beget you anew by my holy spirite and this grace shal bee giuen vnto you by meanes of mine onely son if you labour to come vnto him And therupoÌ„ although you be driuen to striue against many temptatioÌ„s and y t at y e first encounter ye haue not ful victorie ouer them but that ye be encompassed with many spottes and vices still yet will I not lay any of al these thinges to your chardge I forgiue you your sinnes and the good y t you doe shal bee acceptable to mee thorow my fauour although it deserueth it not Loe heere the second order of speeche that God vseth vnto vs in the holy Scripture Let vs marke therefore that when we heare the voyce of our GOD and knowe what wee owe vnto him and haue hearde the promises that he hath made vs in his lawe we must needes rest there confounded and condemned forsomuch as none of al those things can auaile vs by reason of our vnthankfulnesâ— wherupon we must haue our refuge to the free mercie which is offred vnto vs in our Lord Iesus Christ hearken vnto God when he speaketh vnto vs which thing he doth both in the Law in the Prophets and in y e Gospell saying I of mine owne mere goodnes am become your Sauiour you must seek your saluatioÌ„ froÌ„ somewhere else than in yourselues For the redeemer which God promised was euer had in mind y t men might rest theÌ„ vpoÌ„ him And for y t cause were the sacrifices ordeined in y e time of the law For although Christ was not yet vttered openly to the worlde yet did the Iewes vnderstand y t all the hope of their saluation depended vppon their reconcilement to God by meane of the sacrifice y t was to be offered They brought brute beasts to the Temple was that to cleanse y e vncleannes of their soules No for what can corrupt bloud doe what shal stinking greace do can those things purge y e soule of her iniquitie No truely But vnder those figures the Iewes saw how they should be deliuered from the curse of God admitted into his fauor and y t al their life should be acceptable vnto him And nowe haue wee a more sure testimonie thereof in the Gospel for there we see the thing it self fully accomplished vnto vs namely y t although we haue not kept y e commaundementes of God yet Iesus Christ hath kept theÌ„ And wherefore was it Because hee was subiect to it No. But hee became subiect to the law yea but y t was for our sakes So then let vt haue our recourse vnto our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs heare God speaking in such a phrase whereby he doth not only say these be the things y t I commaund you and if ye do them theÌ„ you shal prosper be blessed but also where hee saith Beholde I am your father come vnto me but come in the name of my only Son whoÌ„ I haue appointed to be your mediator acknowledge y t there is nought else in you but corruptioÌ„ and trust not in your own power nor in your own freewil but casting away all foolishe
that wee haue a good will to serue him yet is there such imperfection in vs as wee bee euermore faultie before him but yet hee forbeareth vs. And therefore when these thinges be put together namely that GOD maketh vs to walke according to his Lawe and that hee doeth it to the ende that wee may lyue it is all one as if it were sayde that men bereaue and spoyle themselues of the grace of GOD bycause they are wicked and liue not as becommeth them And therefore God is fayne to redresse it and to drawe them vnto him and to reforme them and by that meane to make them to inioy all his blessings Nowe hee addeth thereunto That hee will reioyce ouer them for good as hee reioyced ouer their fathers This is a manner of speeche that importeth much In deede GOD is not subiect to our passions to reioyce after the manner of men there is no such matter in him but hee speaketh thus for that hee coulde not sufficiently expresse the loue which hee beareth to vs but by such similitudes The thing then which the holy Ghost meant is that GOD holdeth vs so deare and beareth vs such feruent loue that a father reioyceth not more when hee is able to aduaunce his childe or when he can doe him good than GOD reioyceth in vs when hee hath occasion to doe vs good as who woulde say that his afflicting and scourging of vs doeth grieue and vexe him and that hee doeth it contrarie to his inclination For hee requireth nothing but to finde vs alwayes disposed to receyue the riches which hee hath in his hande which also hee is readie to bestowe vppon vs. And therefore doeth GOD borrowe the same similitude of men For as wee haue sayde hee is not like vnto vs neyther must wee haue so fond imaginations as to thinke that hee is mooued with passions eyther one way or other but to the intent to manifest vnto vs howe much hee loueth vs hee crieth alas when he is to afflict those to whome he meaneth to doe good Isa. 42.1 Alas sayeth hee must I auenge my selfe as of myne enemyes and reioyce mee in vexing them Hee calleth them his enemyes and yet hee speaketh still of the Iewes whom hee had chosen but hee presupposeth that they made warre against him and that therefore hee was driuen to be reuenged of them howbeit hee declareth that it was to his griefe Let vs therefore learne to taste of this loue whereof the holy scripture speaketh vnto vs that we may be so rauished therewith as to desire nothing more thā to submit our selues to our God which is in deede the thing that he shooteth at Wherefore is it that God forceth himselfe to shewe vnto vs so vehement an affection It is to mollifie the hardnes of our hearts that we may be enflamed with an other maner of zeale than wee haue Will we then enioy our God Let vs giue him occasion to doe vs good let vs I say suffer him to be merciful and liberal towards vs when wee hinder not God to doe vs good hee protesteth that he is glad of it And cōtrarywise when we lay a barre in his way so as he cannot vse his gratious goodnesse towards vs in powring out his benefites vppon vs as hee for his parte is ready to doe hee sayth that we grieue his holie spirit 〈…〉 10. For after that manner speaketh the Prophet I say They haue grieued the spirite of God sayth hee Not that God is subiect to vexation of minde as I haue sayd already but it is to shewe that men are so much the more faultie and to cause them to abhorre their naughtinesse the more when they bee thus rebellious against him and cannot suffer him to doe them good Moses dooth adde moreouer Because thou shalt haue hearkened to the voyce of the Lord thy God Here hee commeth againe to the order of speaking for it is enough that hee hath tolde vs in one worde that because wee bee not able God promiseth to doe it Yet neuerthelesse hee continueth his office and as hee was the lawegiuer ordeyned of God so doeth hee require the people to walke vprightly That is the cause why hee vseth still this speech saying Because thou shalt hearken to the voyce of the Lorde thy God yea and that thy hearing shall bee to keepe that which is contained in the Lawe Heereby he meaneth to shewe vs howe wee shoulde obey God that is to say by what meane And as touching the ende wee haue seene heeretofore what it is namely that hee requireth obedience at our handes to the ende hee may haue occasion to deale with vs gently and after a fatherly manner and that hee desireth nothing but to powre out his great treasures vppon vs. It is then to our profite and saluation that wee shoulde obey him That is the ende and the meane is by hearing his voyce We must therefore beware that wee rebell not against him nor bee deafe eared when hee speaketh vnto vs except wee meane to grieue him as hee sayeth in the Psalme Bee not rebellious as your fathers were which prouoked Gods spirite euery day There God complaineth that hee was prouoked to wrath when that the people grieued him and that hee was fayne to enter into a disliking of them So then let vs holde this rule that is deliuered vnto vs whereby to enioy our GOD that hee may cause vs to prosper The meane whereof is that whilest hee speaketh vnto vs wee haue our eares attentiue to receiue his voyce And Moses doeth therewithal expresse what is the manner of hearing God well For there are a great many which bring Asses eares with them they can wel ynough say that the thinges which are spoken are true like the Asse which can well ynough nodde with his eares So it costeth them nothing to say It is all good I like well of it but yet they bee not a whit touched at their heartes nay rather wee see they despise all that is tolde them and they suppose that God is beholding vnto them when they haue not openly spoken against him nor blasphemed his doctrine But Moses requireth an other manner of hearing farre differing from this namely The performing of the thinges which are conteined in the lawe It is sayd in an other place Luke 11.28 that Iesus Christ auoweth them to bee blessed which heare the worde of GOD and keepe it And there our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh the more grosly to the intent we might be the better enformed for we forget things and we think that if we confesse the Law to be good righteous and holy wee bee then discharged But our Lorde saith that wee must first heare and then keepe And Moses ioyneth both together as in deede to heare and to keepe are thinges which ought neuer to goe a sunder Yea but yet therewithall hee giueth men a perfect rule so they yeelde to bee taught of him and they shall not neede as
so And therefore God coulde well roote vs out of the worlde at this day and on the otherside hee coulde well make the Papistes dumbe and altogether senselesse or else hee coulde make them blockes or stones or else he could vtterlie ouerwhelme them so as his name should not bee blasphemed by them and therewithall hee coulde raise vp a newe people which should glorifie him in his iust destroying and consuming of vs. God coulde well doe all these thinges but yet for all that hee holdeth still such order in his workes as hee hath determined vppon in himselfe That is the cause why on the one side hee spareth vs and on the other side giueth not occasion to the Papistes to blaspheme his holy name if hee shoulde vse extreeme rigour agaynst vs. And by the way here wee bee put in minde of the nature of man Indeede God speaketh of the aduersarie and enemie but yet vnder them he comprehendeth all such as haue not beene taught by his worde to yeeld themselues teachable vnto him And what manner of disposition attributeth hee vnto them That they estrange themselues that is to say that without inquiring or considering of Gods vengeaunce wherein he ought to be glorified they turne it into a slaunder and say It is not God that did it Let vs marke well then that if wee bee let alone to our owne nature and that God guide vs not by his worde and spirite to giue vs the true soundnesse of vnderstanding discretion and skill although hee worke after such a fashion as his righteousnesse power and wisedome may so appeare that wee must needes be conuicted by it yet we shal not cease to cast foorth blasphemie against him And why For wee shall bee as witlesse beastes And this saying For feare least the enemie shoulde estraunge himselfe is to bee well weyed For thereby God meaneth that men insteede of applying their wittes to the beholding of the thinges which hee sheweth them do wrappe themselues in ignorance wilfully Nowe it is certayne that although wee be blinde wretches and that although by reason of Adams sinne wee bee bereft of iudgement reason and vnderstanding yet there is malice still in vs so as our whole seeking is to bee ignoraunt of the thinges which our Lorde woulde haue vs to knowe Therefore whensoeuer men doe make a cloke of their ignorance they shall euermore bee conuicted to haue refused the knowledge of those thinges which might haue beene well knowen vnto them if they had set their minds vppon them And that is the verie cause why Saint Iude in his Epistle speaking of these heathenish folke which despise GOD and are grosse and dulheaded as folke that haue no knowledge at all Iude. 10. saith that they knowe not the thinges which they shoulde know because they haue no list to knowe them Then is it a cursed kinde of cloking whensoeuer men make not their benefite of Gods workes but applie them cleane contrarie to his meaning Now looke what is said here concerning the Infidels the same belongeth likewise vnto vs. And were it not that GOD bringeth the light vnto vs or vs vnto the light and opened our eyes to see the thinges which hee sheweth vs surely we should not onely continue stil blind but also it shoulde cause vs to become worse and worse accordingly as it is saide here that the Infidels shoulde haue blasphemed GOD saying Our hande is high and it is not God that hath doone this On the one side then we let God alone as though he had done nothing and on y e other side wee become so proude as to put ourselues in his roome For men content not themselues with their robbing of God of his power with their defacing of his maiestie but they will also needs deck thēselues with his feathers make themselues verie Idols and haue men to belieue them to haue beene the doers of the thinges which are peculiar to GOD. So then seeing there is such mad pride in vs and so grosse selfe weening wee ought to bee the more warned to yeelde our selues vnto GOD and to pray him not onely to shew vs his workes wherein his glorie may shine foorth and appeare but also to open our eyes that wee may see them in giuing vs skill and discretion by his holy spirit so as we may learne with humilitie to honour him and that when we haue confessed his iustice goodnes and mercie we may consider howe much we be bounde vnto him and that when hee punisheth other men we may be drawen to repentaunce by their meanes and vnderstande that he beareth with vs because he might well confounde vs out of hande were it not that he intended to vse fauour and goodnes towardes vs to the ende wee shoulde bee the more inflamed to honor him and to dedicate our selues to him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe let vs pray vnto him to vouchsafe to haue pitie vppon vs and not to call vs to account for the great number of misdeeds whereof wee be guiltie because wee knowe well that if hee listed to deale rigorously with vs we should needes be confounded yea and vtterly perishe and that although hee had not wayted for vs so long time yet he had iust cause to haue destroyed vs as often as wee prouoked him to wrath wherfore although we haue offended him without end or measure yet notwithstanding seeing hee hath shewed himselfe so kindhearted a father towardes vs alreadie it may please him to continue his mercie and fauour and therewithall to reforme vs so by his holy spirit that being guided and gouerned by him our whole seeking may be to frame ourselues to y e obeying of him suffering our selues to be ruled by his word and seeking nought else but to please him in all respects 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 vj. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXV Sermon which is the eight vpon the two thirtith Chapter 28 For it is a Nation voyde of discretion and there is no vnderstanding in them 29 But if they were wise they would vnderstande this and take heed to their ende 30 Howe shoulde one of them chase a thousande and two of them put tenne thousande to flight were it not that God had solde them and that the Lord had shut them vp 31 For their gods are not as our God and thereof euen our enemyes themselues are Iudges WE saw yesterday how God hauing a respect to the Infidels their blasphemies had spared the people of Israel And thereupon it was shewed that God doth oftentimes pitie vs not punish vs so rigorously as we deserue to y e end that his name should not be made a scoffing stocke a iesting stock among the wicked who seeke occasion of skorning when they see God chastice his Church thereupon they fall to rayling at the doctrine and Religion
is brought vnto vs. So then let vs marke well that whereas Moses treateth heere of the keeping of Gods worde God also doeth bynde himselfe to his people with condition that hee will gouerne them by his holy spirite and write his worde in their heartes and moreouer when hee hath so touched them hee will also be fauourable to them in bearing with their infirmities and in forgiuing their sinnes And after that manner doe wee perfourme GODS woorde not that wee can accomplish it and do it throughly for wee bee so farre vnable to perfourme the lawe that wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought â— Cor. 3.5 Nay rather wee drag backe from that which God commaundeth vs wee bee enemyes to all righteousnesse and vpright dealing God therefore must bee fayne to bow vs and to giue vs such teachablenesse as we may bee readie to heare his worde And moreouer when hee hath graunted vs the grace to haue such zeale and affection hee must also beare with vs in that we haue not done our indeuour to do the things which he hath appointed vs whereas we be disobedient and therefore hee might iustly punishe vs yet notwithstanding hee must bee faine to receiue vs to mercie and to giue vs our pardon for our Lord Iesus Christes sake And although the fathers of olde tyme had not so great and so euident teaching as we haue nowadayes by the Gospell yet did they knowe that our Lorde had promised them both the grace of his holy spirite and also his mercie to the forgiuing of theiâ— sinnes For the sacrifices which were offered in those dayes were not ordayned without cause It was not a trifling matter that the people came to the temple to offer sacrifices but it was a sure president that God receyued them to mercie in so much that when the bloud of any beast was there shed it was a figure which ought to leade them vp to a higher thing For there was alwayes a heauenly patterne which Moses had seene vppon the Mount Exod. 25.40 Hebr. 8.5 So then let vs not thinke as the Papistes doe that Moses vpholdeth heere the Freewill of men of purpose therewithall to set foorth their deseruinges as though men coulde by their owne power and pollicie obtayne Paradise and were able to serue GOD and to doe the commaundements of the Law Moses went not that way to worke but hee knewe what promyse had beene made to the people and that all thinges tended to the Couenaunt which GOD had made with them notwithstanding that the time of the full opening thereof was not yet come as it was promysed afterwarde by Ieremie Esa. 61.1.23 Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 11.19 36.26 Esay and all the rest of the Prophetes where it is sayd that GOD woulde make a newe Couenaunt with his people which was that hee woulde write his Lawe in their heartes and chaunge their stony heartes into heartes of flesh True it is that this belongeth to the Gospell neuerthelesse it was figured also vnder the Lawe and the fathers that liued in those dayes had some taste thereof so farre as was expedient for them Nowe seeing that our Lorde hath nowadayes multiplyed his grace towardes vs and made our state more excellent than the state of them that liued vnder the Lawe surely wee be lesse to bee excused than they for it is certayne that it maketh our offences and disobedience the more heynous Therefore let vs bethinke our selues and let vs market well that seeing God doeth offer vs the liuing waters whereof Ezechiel speaketh Ezec. 36.25 that is to say seeing he sheadeth foorth the giftes of his holy spirit to make vs to walke according to his will wee must assure our selues that if wee shut the gate against him we shal be much more worthy of blame than those which yet neuerthelesse were condemned vnder the lawe And therefore let this waken vs and make vs more willing to heare Gods word to the end to keepe it seeing he not onely speaketh to vs by the mouthes of men but also prepareth vs to draw vs to him by the inward power of his holy spyrite and on the other side spareth vs and falleth not to examining of our liues with rigour but accepteth our dooinges as a father doeth his childrens notwithstanding that there bee much infirmitie and many vices in vs. And to the ende this word may haue the more force Moses sayeth that he not onely spake or vttered it but also that he witnessed or protested it to the people as wee haue seene afore And not without cause doeth hee repeate it heere againe For we be so lasie and shouthfull in receiuing Gods worde as is pitie to see Therefore it is requisite that there shoulde alwayes bee some protestation to make vs thinke the better thereon Deâ—c 30. â—9 Hee sayde heeretofore I call heauen and earth to witnesse against you this day that if the doctrine which I bring vnto you doe fall to the grounde and that yee make no account thereof the very Sunne and Moone and all other creatures shall cry out against you for vengeaunce of such contempt and negligence So then he addeth now God hath made mee a teacher and I for my part will discharge my duetie and that not with a colde and dead vtteraunce of the thinges which I haue receiued but by protesting to you on Gods behalfe as though I were a publike notarie had a proxie from him assuring you that sith your God hath graunted you the grace to heare his word if you bee negligent in receiuing it yee must make a dreadfull account for it Hereby we bee warned to receiue Gods worde with such reuerence as the Angels of heauen may bee witnesses of our fayth zeale and constancie Let vs goe with open heartes and mindes lifted vp to God that wee may bee taught by him And if wee doe so wee shall bee turned away from all the impedimentes of the world in so much that God shall no sooner haue spoken the word but wee shall bee agreed to yeeld to his teaching and we shall not bee zealous for a small time onely but when we haue once begun wee shall holde out to the ende For woe to vs if wee turne head in the middes of our way and start aside when we haue begun well so as the diuell may finde y e meanes to leade vs astray Alas what shall it boote vs to haue beene come into a good trade So then let vs marke well this worde Witnesse which is set downe here by Moses to doe vs to vnderstand that our Lorde speaketh not to vs to leaue our vnthankfulnesse vnpunished when wee haue despised the thinges â—hat are tolde vs in his name but that there shall be alwayes this solemne witnessing or protestation vnlesse we benefite our selues by his teaching of vs. Now Moses addeth consequently That the worde is not vaine towardes them This peece of text is misunderstoode if it bee taken for
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
Moses had laide his handes vppon him Heere againe the people are put in minde that God had not forsaken them though they were worthy of it And it is a very profitable lesson for vs to know that God gouerneth his Church and neuer forgetteth it For without that what faith coulde be in vs Wee shoulde bee as folke forlorne For as long as God gouerneth vs if wee rest vppon him wee boldly proceede and keepe on our course But if God withdrawe his hand and we perceiue not that hee guideth our steppes or that hee hath a care of vs and that we be vnder protection wo will be vnto vs and men are too dulheaded if they be not then vtterly dismayed Behold then our happinesse is to haue God to be our watchman and to be gouerned vnder his hand and protection Indeede hee appeareth not alwayes visiblie to shewe his presence but he giueth vs men to be the ministers of his grace True it is that at that time there were visible signes to shewe that he dwelt among his people Neuerthelesse as he had bin serued by Moses so was it his will that Iosua should succeede in his place And in that respect is it saide that hee was filled with the spirit of wisdome to doe vs to vnderstand that God hath alwayes shewed himselfe mercifull to his Church and that as a father hath a care of his children prouideth thē all things meete for them so God hath alwayes prouided aforehande for the necessities of his people This doctrine as I said doeth concerne vs also For wee haue a promise that God will neuer faile vs if wee be of his flocke and come to him to shrowd our selues vnder his wings that wee may be guided by him and we knowe hee hath giuen that office to our Lord Iesus Christ. And for the same cause also hee saieth to his disciples Matt. 28.20 that hee will bee with them to the worldes ende and that saying extendeth to the whole bodie of the Church Seeing then that our Lord Iesus Christ hath said that he will neuer bee separated from vs let vs knowe that in him wee haue God who will vtter forth all his power to maintaine vs But yet it is verie much that besides the promises we haue moreouer testimonies thereof so as hee pointeth vs with his finger to the thing performed as it is spoken of heere where wee reade that Iosua was filled with the spirite of wisedome For to what end was that done It happened not by chaunce neither had God regarde of Iosua alone but it was because he would shewe himselfe to bee the safetie of the Iewes We nowadayes are in the same taking For if they had abidden in Gods house we should haue bin ioyned w t thē And because they bee banished thence and cut off as rotten members we take their place as saith S. Paul Rom. 11.24 Now then let vs assure our selues that God will neuer suffer vs to want any thing requisite for our saluation but continually shew his loue and fauour towardes vs and prouide vs of the thinges that are for our behoofe if wee flee to him for refuge yea euen though wee bee not worthie thereof For as for this people we knowe what manner of folke they were and howe many faultes and offences they committed so as it had beene no wonder though God had vtterly destroyed them But nowe seeing hee prouided them of men that were fit and meete to defend them therby we perceiue that God stroue with his mercie against the malice of that people So then whensoeuer wee bee tempted to distrust because wee bee rebuked for our sinnes let vs resort to Gods mercie and pray him not to looke vppon our sinnes but to proceed continually in his goodnesse and fauour towardes vs whatsoeuer vnworthinesse there be in our persons Thus much concerning that point Heere is nowe a question that might be demaunded howe it is saide that when Moses had laide his hands vppon Iosua hee was filled with wisedome whether a mans handes haue that power or no No. but when the signe of a thing is spoken of wee must go to the thing it selfe Wee knowe that in all solemne blessings there was this signe of the Laying on of handes Nowe this was not an inuention fondly contriued after the manner of men which haue many Apes toyes but it was a recorde allowed of God as if an oblation had beene made of the partie that was so blessed When the holy Patriarks blessed their childrē it was as though they had giuen them assurance that the inheritance of saluation belonged vnto them that the promise should stand abide in full force to their posteritie Likewise at this day when a man selleth lande or house one putteth a fether into his hand and he deliuereth it ouer to the purchaser and in some countries the custome is that he which selleth any inheritance and maketh the surrender deliuereth a sticke or wand to the purchaser in token that he may thence forth possesse and inioy the same And euen after the same manner was it with this signe of laying on of handes For as I saide it was not a fonde and foolish deuice but it was Gods will that it should be a kinde of warranting to the intent that the faith of the fathers might be the better helped That is the cause then why it is saide in this place that God gaue the spirit of wisedome vnto Iosua because Moses had laid his hands vpon his head Nowe in so doing he inuested him in the charge that was committed vnto him Let vs nowe see first of all whether Moses chose Iosua vppon his owne heade or no. No but he knew him to be first chosen of God And afterward when he laide his handes vpon him did he attempt any thing vpon his own fancie No but contrariwise God only was the orderer or disposer thereof He knew that Iosua was to be set in his place And this is spoken not of that man onely Act. 19.6 but also when the Apostles did lay their hands vpon the faithfull by and by the gifts of the holy Ghost were made visible to the eye After that manner did the faithful receiue the gift of tongues y e interpretation of tongues the healing of diseases and the raising of the dead And how receiued they it They did but lay their hands vpon them Yea but had that Ceremonie such vertue No but because it was Gods will to haue his grace so declared that y e laying on of hands was as a gage of it it was not a vayne and vnprofitable thing And in that respect is it that saint Paul saith vnto Timothy That he should make the grace auailable which was giuen him by laying on of his hands 1. Tim. 3.14 Seeing it is so saieth hee looke that thou indeuour thy selfe to serue God and labour to builde vp the Church and that the grace of God which is giuen thee